RTHK: Fourth leak detected at Nord Stream pipelines

A fourth leak has been detected in undersea pipelines running from Russia to Europe, the Swedish Coast Guard said on Thursday, after explosions were reported earlier this week in suspected sabotage.

"There are two leaks on the Swedish side and two leaks on the Danish side," a Swedish Coast Guard official said, after three leaks were confirmed earlier this week on the Nord Stream pipelines in the Baltic Sea.

The official added that the two leaks on the Swedish side are "close to each other".

The Swedish coast guard could not immediately say why the latest leak only appeared days after the initial breaches.

Media reported that the latest leak was detected at the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, but the coast guard did not confirm this.

Sweden had previously reported a leak on the Nord Stream 1 pipeline northeast of Bornholm, while Denmark has confirmed a leak on Nord Stream 2 to the southeast of the island, and another to the northeast above Nord Stream 1.

The vast leaks cause significant bubbling at the surface of the sea several hundred metres wide, making it impossible to immediately inspect the structures.

Suspicions of sabotage emerged after the leaks were detected. Moscow denied it was behind the explosions, as did the United States, saying Moscow's suggestion it would damage the pipeline was "ridiculous".

The UN Security Council will meet on Friday to discuss the incident.

The Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines, which link Russia to Germany, have been at the centre of geopolitical tensions in recent months as Russia cut gas supplies to Europe in suspected retaliation against Western sanctions following Moscow's invasion of Ukraine.

While the pipelines  operated by a consortium majority-owned by Russian gas giant Gazprom  are not currently in operation, they both still contained gas. (AFP)

This story has been published on: 2022-09-29. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
Cloud of suspicion hangs over Europe on Nord Stream leaks, risks escalating Ukraine crisis, causing greater pains for Europeans amid energy crisis

By Chen Qingqing, Chu Daye and Bai Yunyi (Global Times) 08:29, September 29, 2022

As countries rushed to speculate causes behind unusual leaks of the Nord Stream pipelines from Russia to Europe, with some blaming Russia while others alluding to the involvement of the US and its allies, Chinese observers warned of the ripple effects on the Ukraine crisis and the global energy market.

Although the leaks in these two gas pipelines running from Russia under the Baltic Sea to Germany had no immediate effect on European energy supplies, Chinese observers say it will deliver a heavy blow to some European countries such as Germany that are heading into a cold winter in the throes of an energy crisis, cause more turbulences in global energy prices and further exacerbate the West's hostility toward Russia.

Such an unusual incident could trigger a ripple effect, add more realistic risks to the Ukraine crisis and make the wrestling among major powers dash into dangerous uncertainties, they warned.

The EU's foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said on Wednesday that the EU considers the leaks from the Nord Stream 1 and 2 "not a coincidence," which are the result of a deliberate act, according to media reports. The latest remark came out after Denmark's armed forces released a video on Tuesday which showed bubbles rushing to the surface of the Baltic Sea above the pipelines as the two undersea leaks began on Monday.

Countries including Denmark, Germany and Poland warned of "sabotage" after Nord Stream leaks, the Financial Times said on Wednesday, as the two pipelines have been at the center of the energy tussle between Russia and Europe since Russia's military operation in Ukraine. It also cited Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to Ukraine's president Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who pointed out that the leaks are "nothing more than a terrorist attack planned by Russia and an act of aggression toward the EU."

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov did not rule out that disruptions in the operation of the two pipelines could be sabotaged, TASS reported on Tuesday. He stressed that "certainly, this is an issue related to the energy security of the entire continent."

However, a former Polish Defense Minister Radek Sikorski attributed the sabotage to the US by saying in a Tweet "Thank you, USA."

The Nord Stream pipelines leaks occurred at an extremely sensitive time. It happened on the final day of referenda on "joining Russia" in four Russian-occupied regions of Ukraine.

And it's noted that the pipelines leaks also coincided with the inauguration of a pipeline that will deliver gas from Norway through Denmark to Poland for the first time, the FT said.

A video clip of the US President Joe Biden who promised in February to prevent Nord Stream 2 from operating if Russia began its military operation in Ukraine also went viral on social media on Wednesday. "If Russia invades, then there will be no longer a Nord Stream 2. We will bring an end to it."

With the European leaders supporting an investigation on the leaks, Chinese observers said the incident could become a forever mystery given the interests of various parties involved. While some observers said the US should be the one to blame, the possibility of some intelligence agencies or regional command offices involved can't be ruled out as the incident will weaken the role of Russian energy in the European market and complicate the Russia-Ukraine crisis, leading the already-struggling European countries to face a more miserable winter.

Possible scenarios

If Russia hopes to cut off the gas supplies to Europe, the easiest way is to turn off the valve instead of blowing its own pipelines, as Moscow could maintain the advantage of handling the energy crisis, Shen Yi, a professor at the School of International Relations and Public Affairs of Fudan University, told the Global Times on Wednesday.

"Technically, Russia sabotaging the pipelines in the Baltic Sea appears to be not feasible," he said. As undersea activities in the Baltic Sea have been dominated by NATO members or allies since the Cold War with monitoring devices toward then Soviet Union and now Russia, how could Moscow explode the pipelines easily, which in fact is not a favorable thing for itself, Shen asked.

There are increasing signs of a planned attack on the two Nord Stream gas pipelines, German news outlet Der Spiegel said on Wednesday, as there were already indications of this from the CIA of the US in advance.

US security advisor Jake Sullivan said in a Tweet on Wednesday that he spoke to his Danish counterpart about "the apparent sabotage" of the pipelines, saying that "the US is supporting efforts to investigate and we will continue our work to safeguard Europe's energy security."

"Who want to sabotage the Russia-EU energy cooperation? The answer is pretty clear," Ming Jinwei, a former journalist and blogger, told the Global Times on Wednesday.

The US can achieve three goals: striking Russia's energy export to attack its overall economic and financial revenues, to limit Europe's energy supplies and make it buy more crude oil and gas from the US with higher prices and to strictly control the lifeblood of European countries, he said.

The apparent attack had no immediate effect on European energy supplies, as Nord Stream 2 has never gone into service, and Nord Stream 1 has been shut down since August. But it raises the stakes  and European jitters  in a simmering energy war between Russia and the West, the New York Times said.

If the US is behind the incident, such act of blatantly cutting off the energy supplies to Europe risks jeopardizing its relations with its allies such as Germany, and some experts said there are possible scenarios that intelligence agencies and its European command office plotted the leaks. Some also suggested that anti-Russia forces or organizations may collude with the US in order to launch a new round of anti-Russia chorus at the global stage.

Attacking the undersea gas pipelines can't be accomplished without the promise or manipulation of relevant governments or major powers, which is a very dangerous trend and brings the intensity of the great power wrestling into dangerous uncertainty, Wang Xiaoquan, an expert from the Institute of Russian, East European and Central Asian Studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times on Wednesday.

"The incident will certainly further complicate the situation in Europe. It may be difficult to find out the real cause of the incident in the short term," he said.

"Whatever the truth, all parties will surely use the event to achieve their own political purposes. Many European countries are already accusing Russia in order to launch a new round of anti-Russian chorus," Wang said, noting that even if Russia investigates the truth and shows relevant evidence, it will be difficult to argue back because it does not have that international collective voice.

Sow chaos

Europe has dethroned Asia as the biggest destination for US liquefied natural gas (LNG) as the energy-starved region seeks to slash its dependence on Russian supplies, Bloomberg said in June, as the US sent nearly three quarters of all its liquefied natural gas to Europe in the first four months of 2022, with daily shipments to the region more than tripling from last year's average.

The US, while supplying the EU, was reaping the benefits of higher gas prices, and it is also possible that some US companies may buy Russia-originated gas, liquefy it, and sell it to European buyers for a profit, Jin Lei, a professor with China University of Petroleum, told the Global Times on Wednesday.

For Europe to cut its reliance on Russian natural gas right away, the challenge is huge, Jin said, noting that finding replacement within a short period of time would be very difficult.

With the visits by German Chancellor Olaf Scholz to Gulf countries lately, the German government has sought out new natural gas suppliers. At home, it was also installing terminals to bring the fuel into the country by ship.

Yet, it would be nearly impossible for such efforts to be translated into concrete results by this winter, Jin said.

The price of gas in Europe went up by 12 percent reaching almost $1,950 per 1,000 cubic meters during Tuesday trading, showed data provided by London's ICE, according to media reports.

Some experts believe the incident will further disrupt the global energy prices as international markets could push up energy prices on fears that non-market factors such as terrorist attacks could undermine Russia's energy supply.

"This will deliver a heavy blow to countries like Germany on its economy and livelihoods. As the energy prices go up, a huge number of enterprises will face bankruptcy and people will suffer in the cold winter," Wang said, noting that this could lead to social turmoil, raising possibilities for external interference.

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Iran's mission to the UN has warned the United Arab Emirates that claims to three Persian Gulf islands - Abu Musa, Greater Tunb and Lesser Tunb - amount to an encroachment on the territorial integrity of Iran, Press TV reported.

The Iranian mission issued the warning in a statement that was read at the end of the 77th annual meeting of the UN General Assembly in New York.

The statement was in response to UAE Minister of State for International Cooperation Reem Ebrahim al-Hashemi, who said during his address to the world body that Abu Dhabi has a legitimate right to the three islands.

The Emirati official's claims and reiteration of unsubstantiated statements regarding Iranian islands in the Persian Gulf amount to an attack on Iran's territorial integrity, the statement said.

It adds that Iran considers such "irresponsible" statements as interference in its internal affairs and a violation of fundamental principles of international law, including the principle of good neighborliness.

This is not the first time Abu Dhabi has claimed its right to the islands.

Tehran, for its part, has consistently stressed its ownership of the islands, citing historical facts dating back to before the establishment of the UAE.

At the same time as asserting its right to the islands, IRI states that it constantly strives to pursue a policy of friendship with all its neighbors, including the Emirates, and expresses its readiness to maintain and strengthen relations with them.
Russia stands for the rigorous implementation of all the agreements reached by the leaders of Armenia, Russia and Azerbaijan to resolve the protracted conflict, which has repeatedly plunged into a dangerous bloody spiral, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said, commenting on Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's call to deploy international observers on the Armenian border.

"There is a lot planned there. There is both theory and practice, there is a statement of what happened and a plan for the future. These documents are agreed not just between a mediator and each individual country, but between countries that are part of the history of this long conflict. This is what makes them invaluable, and they really are a real roadmap, not an imaginary roadmap. I think that quite a few people, politicians, public figures, both inside the states that are united by the agreement, and especially in Armenia and Azerbaijan, as well as outside, want to substitute themselves or their ideas for what they have agreed upon. They promise a lot, they know how to promise. True, they haven't done much over the years, and there are no results. And those agreements, which were worked out, have not remained on paper, they are being implemented stage by stage, step by step. Not everything is realized the way we want, because we always want the maximum, but at the same time it works. So it seems to me that we should not substitute something imaginary for what is really working. But this is probably a general rule," said Zakharova.

On September 28 the Armenian Defense Ministry reported that starting from 6 p.m. the Azerbaijani armed forces started firing from mortars and heavy infantry weapons at the Armenian positions in the eastern direction of the border. The Armenian side resorted to retaliatory actions. As a result of the Azerbaijani provocation, three Armenian servicemen were killed.

Pashinyan then posted a Twitter post noting that the Azerbaijani incursion should be stopped and international observers should be stationed on the border. "Withdrawal of Azerbaijani troops and deployment of an international observer mission on the Armenian territories affected by Azerbaijani occupation and bordering areas is an absolute necessity," he said.
There will always be tension on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border. That is why we need international observers, Andranik Kocharyan, head of the parliamentary Standing Committee on Defense and Security, MP from the ruling Civil Contract party, said in the National Assembly today.

According to the deputy, new tension on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border emerged during engineering works on the frontline. These works are carried out from both the Armenian and Azerbaijani sides.

"They are often located in close proximity to each other, and because of this there will be periodic conflicts. This has the potential to turn clashes into a large-scale war. From this point of view, deployment of observers could defuse the situation," says the head of the commission.

The deputy is convinced that the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairmen could come up with such a proposal themselves.

"Even now they can put pressure on Baku to finally agree to solve the issue. A monitoring mission does not mean that international observers will come and stand between the troops of the two conflicting countries. It is the use of surveillance systems, including drones. They will be able to monitor and record the violation, identifying the actual culprit," Kocharyan explained.
U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris said North Korea is a country with a brutal dictatorship, an illegal weapons program and massive human rights violations, issuing an unusually harsh criticism during a visit to the inter-Korean border on Thursday, Reuters reported.

Shortly after Harris concluded her Asia trip, North Korea launched two ballistic missiles from north of its capital, Pyongyang, late Thursday night toward her flight from South Korea, the third such launch in five days.

Harris, visiting for the first time the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) separating the two Koreas, said the heavily armed border zone serves as a stark reminder of the dramatically different paths the two sides have taken.

"In the North, we see a brutal dictatorship, rampant human rights violations and an unlawful weapons program that threatens peace and stability," Harris said.

"The United States and the world seek a stable and peaceful Korean peninsula where the DPRK is no longer a threat," she said, referring to North Korea by the initials of its official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

Harris visited the demilitarized zone after arriving in the South Korean capital of Seoul early Thursday morning amid growing regional tensions over North Korean missile launches and China's actions in the Taiwan Strait.

North Korea launched two ballistic missiles from north of Pyongyang into the sea off its east coast, South Korea's military said, about two hours after Harris flew to Washington.

The missiles flew about 300 kilometers (186.4 miles), reaching a maximum altitude of 50 kilometers (31 miles), Japanese Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada said, indicating that they were most likely short-range ballistic missiles (SLBMs).

Harris' visit came amid fears that North Korea was about to conduct a nuclear test. South Korean officials say North Korea has completed preparations for its seventh nuclear test and its first since 2017.

Harris and South Korean President Yoon Sook-yeol held talks and condemned North Korea's increased nuclear rhetoric and series of missile tests, the latest on Wednesday.

"They condemned the DPRK's provocative nuclear rhetoric and ballistic missile launches," a White House statement said. "They discussed our response to potential future provocations, including through trilateral cooperation with Japan."

Harris and Yun reaffirmed the goal of complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, the White House said.

Harris also reiterated U.S. commitments to extended deterrence of its Asian ally, including "the full range of U.S. defense capabilities."

Yoon's office said that if North Korea goes on a serious provocation, such as a nuclear test, he and Harris agreed to immediately use "jointly prepared countermeasures," without specifying details.

Earlier this month, North Korea enshrined its right to launch preventive nuclear strikes in a new law. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un said he was developing nuclear weapons and missiles to defend against U.S. threats.

Aides to the U.S. vice president said Harris' visit to the DMZ, the first visit by a Biden administration official, was intended to demonstrate the unwavering U.S. commitment to South Korean security.

The DMZ, often referred to as the last Cold War frontier, was created because the 1950-53 Korean War ended with an armistice, not a peace treaty.

The trip gained urgency after North Korea launched two short-range missiles off its east coast on Wednesday, the second test since Sunday. Meanwhile, South Korea and the U.S. are conducting naval exercises involving a U.S. aircraft carrier.

The South Korean and Japanese navies said Friday they will hold a trilateral anti-submarine exercise with U.S. forces designed to improve their ability to counter North Korea's evolving threats, including its submarine-launched ballistic missiles.

Harris and Yoon also discussed changes to U.S. subsidies for electric cars, which South Korea fears could disadvantage its automakers.
Moscow sees attempts by a number of extra-regional players to bring instability to the South Caucasus region, which just recently got a chance, formalized in the legal framework, to get out of the protracted crisis, Russia's Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said.

According to her, there are obvious attempts to transfer the situation of instability in Ukraine to another part of the post-Soviet space, including the South Caucasus. "Although not only the South Caucasus, you see what attempts to destabilize the situation are and are being made in the entire post-Soviet space. This, of course, is an extremely destructive and dangerous line. For its part, Russia continues vigorous efforts to de-escalate the situation on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border and is in contact with both Yerevan and Baku. Relevant steps are also being taken through the CSTO. It is necessary to ensure the ceasefire and withdrawal of all forces to their initial positions," she noted.

"Yes, we do see that there are a number of extra-regional players who want to...well, in the beginning they wanted to appropriate some laurels of peace settlement or implementation of peace agreements. In principle, we are not greedy, we are always ready to share success. But now we see another tendency, when they try to put sticks in the wheels of implementation of these agreements. Now this is serious. We still believe that the key to stability in the South Caucasus is the full implementation of all the trilateral statements reached by the leaders of Russia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan. We consider it important in the current situation to intensify work in all tracks, including the unblocking of economic and transport ties in the region, delimitation of the border and agreement on a peace treaty. We are focused on the implementation of these agreements. We see them as a guarantee of avoiding destructive tendencies, no matter who is behind them," Zakharova concluded.
Gas prices in Europe down by almost 8%

Armenia MOD delegation visits several US military training institutions

Vahagn Khachaturyan sends greetings to Frank-Walter Steinmeier on National Day

Dollar, euro gain value in Armenia

Armenia MP briefs NATO countries colleagues on Azerbaijan army atrocities

Inflation in Turkey accelerates to 83.45 percent

Kazakhstan MFA: Participation of CSTO in Russian-Ukrainian conflict is not issue

Lawyer: Armenia soldiers shooting to death by Azerbaijan took place at Ishkhanasar

Armenia PM: I sincerely hope friendly Iraq will overcome challenges it faces

Azerbaijan FM briefs Switzerland official on meeting with Armenia counterpart

EU Special Representative for South Caucasus receives videos of alleged Armenian war crimes against Azerbaijanis

MFA spox: Armenia side proposed to hold next meeting of Azerbaijan border delimitation commission in October

Japan PM declares intention to conclude peace treaty with Russia

Armenian FM meets State Secretary of Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs

Finland FM: Not many countries recognize Russia's expansion

Diana Karazyan: Azerbaijan has merely confirmed that it has 17 Armenian POWs

Red Cross representatives visit Armenian POWs captured by Azerbaijan after September 13

PM Kishida: Tokyo will continue sanctions policy against Russia and support Ukraine

Pashinyan: Already 2nd time when Azerbaijan refuses to fulfill promise to release Armenian POWs

Spain lawmaker: Savage images of Azerbaijani soldiers shooting Armenian POWs to death are unacceptable

Security Council chief: Azerbaijan did not fulfill commitment to release 17 Armenian POWs by Sept. 30

Armenia PM: Germany is reliable partner for us

World oil prices going up considerably

Armenia ambassador-at-large to Klaar: We will not allow putting equality sign between war crimes victim and perpetrator

Azerbaijan proposes to Armenia to reschedule border delimitation commission meeting to October

Brazil to have presidential runoff

Bosnia and Herzegovina presidential candidate announces his victory

US National Archives says it still didnt get all documents from Trump administration

Donald Trump-Kim Jong-un personal letters published

Armenia, Azerbaijan FMs underscore introduction of international mechanisms for border situation control

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
The West is working out scenarios to foment new conflicts in the CIS space, while the already existing ones, for example, between Russia and Ukraine, are the result of the collapse of the Soviet Union, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Thursday at a meeting via video link with the heads of intelligence services of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), TASS reported.

"We also know that the West is working on scenarios to foment new conflicts in the CIS space," he said. "But we have enough of them," said the Russian president.

"It is enough to look at what is happening now between Russia and Ukraine, what is happening on the borders of some other CIS countries. Of course, all of this is the result of the collapse of the Soviet Union, this is all understandable. But the risks of destabilization are still growing, including the risks of destabilization of the entire Asia-Pacific region," concluded Vladimir Putin.
Western countries are trying to provoke conflicts in the CIS, Russian President Vladimir Putin said at a meeting with representatives of security and intelligence services of the Commonwealth of Independent States, RIA Novosti reported.

"Following their goals, our geopolitical opponents, our opponents, as we said just recently, are ready to expose anyone, anyone, any country, turn it into the epicenter of a crisis, provoke a color revolution and unleash a bloodbath. We have seen all this more than once," said the Russian president.

According to him, this is done to prevent the formation of a more just world order: the West is trying to ignite long-standing conflicts, creating new problems and crises.

"Unipolar hegemony is inexorably crumbling. This is an objective reality with which the West flatly refuses to accept. And we can see everything that follows from this," said Putin.

Along with that Putin underlined that the external security and internal stability are the key conditions for progressive development of the regional states. He urged to analyze the security risks for the CIS member states and strengthen mutual support.
Deputy Chief of Armenia's Armed Forces General Staff, Major General Arakel Martikyan said they have left only those positions where their comrades-in-arms have fallen. As of today, they know where the bodies of the comrades are, as well as how many of them there are. His remarks came during the meeting with ambassadors accredited in Armenia in Kut village of Gegharkunik region today, confirming, in fact, the information about the bodies of fallen Armenian military servicemen at one of the positions located on the hill near Verin Shorzha village.

According to the representative of the General Staff, this topic is very painful for them.

"A soldier who sacrificed his life for his country must be buried under the same way as a soldier," Martikyan said.

Azerbaijan, meanwhile, announced a supposedly humanitarian ceasefire.

"However, the humanitarian ceasefire provides for the evacuation of the wounded and remains. Our attempts to pick up the remains of our comrades were met with a barrage of enemy fire. It was announced that the Azerbaijani side would return the bodies of our servicemen. We know that there are bodies and that they are located directly on the positions," the deputy head of the General Staff said.
In terms of attracting the current migration flow from Russia, Armenia competes with other countries and has an advantage compared to Georgia and Azerbaijan, former Head of the Armenian State Migration Service Gagik Yeganyan told NEWS.am.

Unlike Georgia, Armenia had no military conflict with Russia, which evokes negative memories.

Another significant advantage over Georgia, as well as over Azerbaijan, is that Russians in Armenia do not need a work permit, which is due to the EAEU membership.

In the case of citizens from countries outside the EAEU, such a permit is mandatory.

Yeganyan added that Armenia also has competitive advantages over Kazakhstan, where anti-Russian sentiments have intensified.

The more attractive the conditions in Armenia are, the higher will be the temptation to come and settle here.

"For this purpose, we need to think about improving the infrastructure of educational institutions, so that visiting Russians can take their children to Russian kindergartens and schools, we need to think about expanding information support services for such citizens, and creating a hotline.

It is also important to minimize the cases of fraud against such citizens, to be consistent in uncovering such crimes and introduce tough punishment," advised the former head of the Migration Service of Armenia.

The serious flow of Russian citizens to Armenia started at the end of February 2022 when the conflict with Ukraine was launched. The flow has increased after the announcement of partial military mobilization in Russia.

Aram Danielyan
Kishan Dan Dewal, India's ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary to Armenia, said his colleagues and him witnessed the destruction. India's position on the situation on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border has been clear from the very beginning. He told NEWS.am he visited Gegharkunik province along with other ambassadors accredited to Armenia.

He got acquainted with the consequences of Azerbaijani aggression.

India's position, according to him, was voiced at an extraordinary meeting of the UN Security Council.

"There, our postpresident urged the aggressor to immediately cease hostilities and begin to observe the ceasefire. In general, at the meeting of the Security Council, the representative of India most sharply condemned the aggressor. Our position was unequivocal and very clear," the ambassador said.

The diplomat also stressed: India will do everything possible within the framework of international law and norms.

"I think I have answered your question. Armenia must be strong," Kishan Dan Deval stressed.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has held a telephone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin, TRT Haber reports.

During the meeting, they assessed the latest developments in the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, the Turkish media reported.

During the meeting, Erdogan expressed satisfaction with the successful completion of the Russian-Ukrainian prisoner exchange, which they worked on for a long time, and the validity of the Istanbul agreement, which they drafted with UN support.

Saying that the extension of the mechanism, which expires in November, is in the common interest, Erdogan said that they continue to work on the uninterrupted export of Russian fertilizers and grain products.

The Turkish president also said steps were needed to reduce tensions, and that Russia was expected to take steps to facilitate this process, especially with regard to the accession of certain regions of Ukraine to Russia.

Asking Russian President Putin to give the talks another chance, Erdogan said they were "ready to play a facilitating role in the process.
EU Ambassador to Armenia Andrea Victorin said they were very grateful to the authorities for giving them the opportunity to visit Gegharkunik. It is always very important to see everything with their own eyes, she told reporters in Gegharkunik.

She said their job is to take notes and send them to headquarters. She thinks it's clear that civilian infrastructure was targeted. They have seen this, this includes the Kut community building and the school. They have seen residential buildings, agricultural infrastructure. The ambassador thinks that's deeply troubling. She thinks the most important thing is that people are frightened. The prime minister mentioned that quite clearly in his speech today. And the fear that it [the attack - ed.] could happen again leads to a situation where one is no longer active. And it really can be very dangerous.

The ambassador noted that she understands very well the situation of the people living here. She thinks it's a very difficult situation. Andwhat they always say is that violence should never become a means of solving the problem. They need to go, sit down at the negotiating table, discuss, and then a solution will be found. A military solution is not a solution, she said.

The Ambassador also answered the question of what the international community and the West must do to stop Azerbaijan, which continues to violate the ceasefire despite all appeals of the international community.

The ambassador said she's a diplomat and she works for an organization that wants to help solve the problem. There is only one way to solve the problem is to sit down and negotiate. The EU will continue to do so, that's the only way out, Andrea Victorin said.

The journalists also asked why the international community has not reacted in any way to the atrocities committed by Azerbaijanis, particularly against Armenian female soldiers.

The Ambassador noted that the EU representative gave an answer to this question and added: Naturally, it has to be proven. A war crime must be investigated and that's it. That's the answer. She understands that it is hard, that everyone is in a bad mood, they are scared, but nevertheless she believes that they must continue and show that Armenia can and continues to work.

Journalists were also interested in how the EU can help and support in solving these humanitarian problems that have arisen as a result of Azerbaijani aggression. The ambassador said the EU is quick to respond to these issues, and just as quick to respond after the war.

They are now in talks with the EU headquarters. They will make certain changes in the programs implemented in the humanitarian sphere. As Victorin said, they are now discussing with USAID the details of how they can solve the problem of landmines. Naturally, they will continue their big projects related to economic development. Last night she was shocked to learn that young people had been killed. Yesterday there was a conference on technology and science, which is such a positive momentum, because the country attracts a lot of attention, many people come to participate in this conference, which is supported by the EU, Germany, GIZ, the ambassador said.

There was a question about whether the ambassador personally saw the consequences of the atrocities and what her assessment of it all is. Andrea Victorin said to be precise because she didn't see the atrocities here, she saw the damage, the destroyed buildings.

Andrea Victorin said It was horrible. She had also seen some pictures the video. It's unacceptable. It should be investigated according to international principles. As for the next issue that is sure to be raised by someone, it is about missing persons and prisoners, they are working and will continue to work in that direction. One of their partners is the United States, and there are other member states that they are working with. They're not giving up because this humanitarian component has to get done, she said.

Asked about the fact that while the international community is working on many issues, the Azerbaijanis are returning the bodies of prisoners to Armenia, the ambassador said she understands that perfectly well, while noting that it should be understood that their role here is subsidiary. The only thing they can promise you is that they will never give up, they are working together with France on this, and through their joint efforts some have returned, but unfortunately, maybe not in the way they would like to receive them, she said.
Human Rights Defender Kristine Grigoryan met with Council of Europe Secretary General's Special Representative for Migration and Refugees Leyla Kayacik during her working visit to Strasbourg today, NEWS.am was informed by the Armenian Ombudsman's Office.

Grigoryan briefed Leyla Kayacik on the problems of ensuring the rights of refugees and asylum seekers in Armenia, including those arriving in Armenia from the Russian Federation and Ukraine, and the activities of the Ombudsman's Office in this regard.

Leyla Kayacik presented her mandate and stressed the importance of work and cooperation with both states and human rights institutions in implementing the obligations under the CoE Convention.

Referring to the report of the Human Rights Defender published on September 16, Grigoryan stressed the need to provide housing to at least 7,600 people displaced from Gegharkunik, Syunik and Vayots Dzor regions as a result of the Azerbaijani attack, noting the importance of special protection of women, elderly people, children and people with disabilities, who constitute the majority of displaced persons.

The two sides agreed to continue cooperation toward concrete actions, including support for the institution of the Defender.

The Defender also met with Christophe Poirel, Director for Human Rights of the Council of Europe's Directorate General of Human Rights and Rule of Law.

During the meeting with Christophe Poirel the programs implemented with the Office of the Human Rights Defender within the mandate of the General Directorate were discussed, in particular, the results of the program "Human and Women's Rights in the Armed Forces of Armenia" and the importance of continuing it was discussed.

In her speech, the Ombudsman underlined the high level of continual effective cooperation with the Yerevan Office of the Council of Europe, stressed the need to adopt and launch a new Armenia-EU action plan, as well as presented proposals for planning new program directions through other possible mechanisms of the Council of Europe, aimed at supporting the Human Rights Defender institution.

Referring to the urgent need to ensure the rights of displaced persons as a result of the Azerbaijani aggression, the Ombudsman stated the importance of providing appropriate support and reiterated the readiness of the Office of the Ombudsman to continue efforts aimed at deepening cooperation.
YEREVAN.  Zhoghovurd newspaper of the Republic of Armenia (RA) writes: Yesterday, during the three-hour meeting between RA Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and the [ruling majority] CC [Civil Contract] faction in parliament, a very serious conversation took place with the participation of government members.

Nikol Pashinyan mainly spoke at the beginning of the meeting, after which he was also asked questions.

We were informed that a very open conversation took place, and Pashinyan did not hide anything and presented the current situation in the country in detail.

The MPs' concern about the current situation further deepened after the meeting with the prime minister and his words with sincere and open text.

As during many other meetings, this time too there was an agreement to keep the conversation behind closed doors.
YEREVAN. - Past daily of the Republic of Armenia (RA) writes: The meeting between RA Security Council Secretary Armen Grigoryan and Azerbaijani President's Assistant Hikmet Hajiyev took place on September 27 at the White House, at the initiative of [US President] Joe Biden's National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan.

According to the [Past] newspapers source, the preliminary versions of the so-called "peace agreement" were mainly discussed during the meeting. According to the information, Grigoryan and Hajiyev presented their positions and tried, in a trilateral format, to get a certain consensus resolution.

According to our information, [Armenian PM] Nikol Pashinyan may participate in the informal EU summit scheduled for October 6 in Prague, having a preliminary, "draft" version of the agreement with him.
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Ted Hui sentenced to jail in absentia

Ted Hui went on exile in 2020 after he was given permission to travel while on bail. File photo: RTHK

Self-exiled politician Ted Hui was on Thursday sentenced in absentia to three and a half years in prison for failing to attend court while on bail.



Hui was given permission to travel overseas when he was granted bail after appearing in court to face nine charges relating to the 2019 social unrest. He left Hong Kong in November 2020, saying he was attending climate change meetings in Denmark.



He later revealed that he had landed in the UK via Denmark, and has since relocated to Australia.



In sentencing him to contempt of court for breaching bail conditions and providing false or misleading information to the police, Justice Andrew Chan noted Hui had presented false invitations from a foreign political organisation and a false itinerary, in order to mislead the police and the court into letting him travel.



The deception was carefully orchestrated by the Respondent with the consequences that public confidence in the administration of justice had been greatly undermined, the judge said in a written ruling.



[Huis] actions not only made a mockery of the criminal justice system but also amounted to the commission of the offence of Perverting the Course of Public Justice, he added, saying Hui had shown no remorse.



The judge also ordered Hui to pay the legal costs of the proceedings.
N Korea conducts third missile launch within a week

Seoul's Joint Chiefs of Staff has said North Korea fired an unidentified ballistic missile into the Sea of Japan. File photo: AFP

North Korea has fired an unidentified ballistic missile, Seoul's military said on Thursday, in what was Pyongyang's third launch in less than a week, which came just hours after US Vice President Kamala Harris left South Korea.



"North Korea fired an unidentified ballistic missile into East Sea," Seoul's Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement, referring to the waters also known as the Sea of Japan.



Japan's coast guard also confirmed a possible ballistic missile launch from North Korea, citing information from Tokyo's defence ministry.



While in South Korea, Harris toured the country's heavily fortified border with the nuclear-armed North, part of a trip aimed at strengthening the security alliance with Seoul.



Washington has about 28,500 troops stationed in South Korea to help protect it from the North, and the allies are conducting a large-scale joint naval exercise this week in a show of force.



Pyongyang conducted two ballistic missile launches in the days before Harris' arrival, continuing a record-breaking streak of weapons tests this year.



The North fired a short-range ballistic missile (SRBM) on Sunday and two SRBMs on Wednesday, Seoul and Tokyo said.



Under Seoul's hawkish new President Yoon Suk-yeol, Seoul and Washington have boosted joint military exercises, which they insist are purely defensive. North Korea sees them as rehearsals for an invasion.



Seoul announced on Thursday that it would hold trilateral anti-submarine drills with Japan and the US, the first such exercises since 2017.



South Korean officials said this weekend they had detected signs Pyongyang could be preparing to fire a submarine-launched ballistic missile. (AFP)
Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina turned 76 on Wednesday, bringing the spotlight back on many of her success stories, including scripting a socially inclusive economic turnaround for the nation which turned 50 this year. After efficiently tackling the challenge posed by the Covid-19 pandemic, as endorsed by top global bodies including the WHO, the country's next battle to avert the looming fears of a global recession has come under scrutiny with a singular observation -- under Hasina, Bangladesh is better poised to overcome the impending crisis as compared to many other emerging and developed economies. Hasina will also be remembered for her role in the restoration of democracy in the country by bringing down a local military regime -- just like her father Sheikh Mujibur Rahman did with the Pakistani military junta -- and then sustaining it against the persisting threats from radical Islamist forces who try to destabilise the country with violent agitations, terror attacks and systematic disinformation. Former President of India, late Pranab Mukherjee, whom Hasina considered as her 'Obhibhabok' (guardian), once told some journalists, including this writer, to imagine what Angela Merkel or Jacinda Ardern would have done had they faced the lurking threats of assassination that Hasina faced and survived. Considering her first term in power (1996-2001), coupled with her third straight term since 2009, Hasina is the longest-serving woman leader across the globe, longer than Angela Markel of Germany. Mukherjee had said that when it comes to 'raw courage', Hasina is comparable to only Indira Gandhi who refused to take off her Sikh bodyguards despite intelligence warnings of a lurking physical threat after Operation Blue Star. Maybe we can add Brazil's Dilma Rousseff, who suffered intense torture in military prison (hung upside down and beaten up frequently), before reaching the top. Hasina is deeply religious, though her politics is firmly secular. And it is believed that her spiritual disposition is the source of her courage. Despite being arrested without a warrant by the military-backed caretaker government, and the baseless propaganda by leading outlets like The Daily Star, the overwhelming public support enjoyed by Hasina never diminished. From giving birth to her son in virtual house arrest by Pakistani occupational forces, to witnessing the gruesome murders of her parents, brothers and other near ones by pro-Pakistan elements -- Hasina's life was undoubtedly more challenging than most other female leaders of her time. For someone who had seen almost her entire family getting wiped out in a violent coup in 1975, continuing in politics was indeed a tough decision. Equally challenging was the decision to return to Bangladesh six years after her family members were assassinated. Each of these decisions required not just courage, but also steely determination to uphold and build on her father's legacy and a deep faith in her destiny. Soon after her return in 1981, Hasina had to wage a battle to free the people of Bangladesh from the clutches of military dictator General Hussain Muhammad Ershad, who seized power as head of the army during a bloodless coup against President Abdus Sattar in 1982. Till the downfall of Ershad in 1990, Hasina crisscrossed almost every nook and corner of the country to reach out to the masses. Her arduous decade-long struggle equipped her to address the needs of the people languishing even in the remotest part of the nation. Possibly, her father Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's trait to travel across the nation then known as East Pakistan to rope in the masses to join the fight for freedom against Pakistan offered the lesson for Hasina that "if you want to serve the people, go to their doorsteps". A faithful Bengali housewife with some exposure in student politics, Hasina not only returned to her country at great personal risk, but also re-organised her father's party, Awami League, before toppling the Ershad military regime. She has ruled Bangladesh for three terms since and is now into her fourth term. "All because Allah's wishes," Hasina would say. But analysts see in her success not only courage and determination, but also the presence of a sharp analytical mind which can plan ahead of time and anticipate challenges. Hasina is a fast learner as well, as her policies on combating climate change would indicate. Her detractors blame Hasina for creating a 'police state' and haul her up for 'forced disappearances' and 'extra-judicial executions', but sources close to her argue that she has no choice but to resort to tough policing to keep Islamist radicals at bay. --IANS sumi/arm ( 761 Words) 2022-09-28-23:22:02 (IANS)
The fashion event is known for raising the bar high each season by a notch. Where the previous edition in Dubai saw many celebrated designers such as Michael Cinco this season was no less.

Season 12 had grand and opulent collection of Manish Malhotra who is a celebrated Indian designer, costume stylist, entrepreneur, revivalist, and couturier of international repute. He has styled and designed more than 800 movies.

The exclusive showcase in the pink city was a celebration of 17 years of the Manish Malhotra World. It was an evening where celebratory craft and artistry dominate, along with quality and value reign supreme.

The event had tittle sponsor First Stone Realty, Healthcare Partner JNU Hospital, Hospitality Partner Fairmont Jaipur and PR Partner Bee Enterprises by Ankita Sule.

We were escatic to have Manish Malhotra at Twelveth edition of The fashion connect in our pink city. It was a perfect amalgamation of fashion and grandeur and we are pleased with the kind of love and response we received, said Show Director Lokesh Sharma.

The Brand Ambassador, of the event, Rishee Miglani says, he was overwhelmed with the response and feels humbled. He also added we are grateful to Mannish Malhotra for accepting the invitation and showcasing his latest festive collection at The Fashion Connect.

He also appreciated the efforts made by the GM Fairmont Jaipur and his team.

This story has been provided by PNN. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content in this article. (ANI/PNN)
The Cabinet was informed on Wednesday that the implementation of the National Health Mission (NHM) in 2020-21 has led to the engagement of 2.71 lakh additional health personnel. The official statement also said NHM had led to further strengthening of the public health system which also enabled effective and coordinated Covid-19 response by way of introducing India Covid-19 Emergency Response and Health Systems Preparedness Package (ECRP). These personnel include general duty medical officers, specialists, auxiliary nursing midwiferies, staff nurses, AYUSH doctors, paramedics, AYUSH paramedics, programme management staff and public health managers on contractual basis. The Cabinet was also informed that under five mortality rate (U5MR) in India has declined from 49 in 2013 to 36 in 2018 and the percentage annual rate of decline in U5MR during 2013-2018 has accelerated to 6 per cent. A decline of 80 per cent has been achieved in maternal mortality ratio (MMR) since 1990, which is higher than the global decline of 45 per cent. It said the infant mortality rate (IMR) has declined from 80 in 1990 to 32 in the year 2018. Percentage annual compound rate of decline in IMR during past five years (2013 to 2018) has accelerated to 4.4 per cent from 2.9 per cent observed during 1990-2012. The Cabinet was also informed reducing MMR to 90 from 113, reducing IMR to 23 from 32, reducing U5MR to 23 from 36, sustaining total fertility rate (TFR) to 2.1 and reducing prevalence of leprosy and incidence to zero in all districts were some of the targets under NHM by 2025. (ANI)
New Delhi [India], September 29 (ANI/ATK): The term "Internet meme" refers to a practice, idea, expression, or piece of media that becomes popular online and spreads quickly. Social networking sites and blogs that post and repost well-liked memes frequently contribute to the spread of Internet memes by boosting their appeal. When Dogecoin was released in 2013, meme tokens saw a significant increase in popularity in the cryptocurrency market. Meme coins, which were first intended to be a humorous joke, have the potential to increase in value significantly and have already established themselves as having multibillion-dollar market capitalizations. However, meme coins can generate a lot of enthusiasm, particularly since many celebrities support them, giving them far more publicity. Unfortunately, many meme currencies tend to lack original applications and core value, which reduces them to simple cute and hilarious memes. Meme tokens' sole usage is speculative, which greatly impacts how much they rely on any momentum they may generate. In this article, we will be looking at the new project Big Eyes Coin is still in presale and has been making huge progress whilst only being in the second phase of its presale. Whilst looking at their competition Tamadoge, who may have a bright future also. Tamadoge (TAMA) Aims to Grab Everyones AttentionTamadoge has surpassed all expectations by reaching a record-breaking $4 million in presale within 3 weeks, which is a significant milestone. As a result, it may end up being the next big meme currency. The first play-to-earn meme coin that has the potential to become a crypto juggernaut is Tamadoge, they have barked loud and clear to attract attention as it entered the gate. Since Tamadoge is a deflationary currency, 5 per cent of every dollar spent will be burned, and for every 100 tokens purchased, 5 will be deleted, steadily reducing the number of tokens. To expand the Tamadoge community, 30 per cent of token purchases will be used only for marketing and development. Last but not least, 65 per cent of all token purchases will go directly into the prize fund for the play-to-earn Tamadoge leaderboard for all players. Big Eyes Coin (BIG) Making BIG Moves in Presale Having just started its presale, the brand-new protocol Big Eyes Coin has raised over $2 million (BIG). Big Eyes is a brand-new generation of community tokens with a cat design that aims to spread wealth throughout the DeFi ecosystem and provide the possibility of financial independence to those who support the project. During the second round of the presale, the price is set at 0.0001357143, while the third stage is expected to see a 25% increase. At the platform launch, 90 per cent of BIG will be made available to the public together with NFT collections that are intended to uplift and amuse consumers. As a result, the platform will be managed by the community. In order to support meritocracy, the platform doesn't impose taxes or trading fees. The fees for many new businesses are astronomically expensive because there isn't enough market liquidity to trade in. Due to Big Eyes' over $1 million in pre-funding and the fact that it will eliminate slippages on the platform, liquidity won't be an issue. Final Thoughts A BIG giveaway of up to USD 250k worth of BIG coins has been put in place by the Big Eyes Team. All you need to do to join this giveaway is follow Big Eyes on Twitter, share the 250k giveaway image, and complete a form to be one of the lucky winners. This could prove to be very beneficial for Big Eyes moving forward, as Tamadoge's presale stages are over. Click below to learn more about Big Eyes Coin (BIG) Presale: https://buy.bigeyes.space/ Website: https://bigeyes.space/ Telegram: https://t.me/BIGEYESOFFICIAL This story has been provided by ATK. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content in this article. (ANI/ATK)
Bangalore (Karnataka) [India], September 29 (ANI/PNN): Bangalore based FinTech Startup, Bullsmart launches a mutual fund investment App. The cutting age investment solution provider Bullsmart had a gala launch of this App at the Global Fintech Festival 2022 held at the Jio World Convention Centre in Mumbai. The app is live now and investors can download at https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=in.bullsmart Bullsmart, a new-age fintech startup based out of Bangalore, was the Silver Partner for the GFF 2022 event. The theme this year was "Creating a Sustainable Financial World: Global, Inclusive, Green." The event witnessed the participation from prominent people including Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of India; Nirmala Sitharaman, Indian Minister of Finance and Corporate Affairs; Shaktikanta Das, Governor, Reserve Bank of India and Madhabi Puri Buch, Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), Chairperson. Global leaders from the finance and fintech space also joined the conference. In her address, Nirmala Sitharaman said that financial technology is important for financial inclusion and she urged the fintech players to work together with the government and regulators. Shaktikanta Das chose the theme of 'Fintech as a Force Multiplier' for his address and said, "The next decade of finance will be more focused on two central themes - sustainable development and technology-led innovations transforming the lives of the common people. Ankita Das, CEO of Bullsmart was part of a panel discussion on 'Gamification of Investing - Where to draw boundaries'. She was joined by Sagarika Shah, Samant Sikka, Viram Shah and Karan Mehra. Addressing the audience, Ankita shared Bullsmart's vision and about the current state of financial literacy and financial inclusion in India and how gamification can be leveraged to make financial education more engaging and easy to understand, especially among the youth. She said, "Three key principles that make gamification a desirable feature in any investment platform are progression, competition and community." Ankita was also critical of the use of gamification techniques employed by few players to manipulate users into aggressive trading. In conclusion, Ankita suggested that investing platforms should not go overboard with gamification and must adopt sustainable gamification strategies to improve the overall investing experience of users. Team Bullsmart took a privilege to show the application to the government officials, regulatory personnel and industry veterans. SourabhTomar, Head UPI & IMPS Product, National Payments Corporation Of India (NPCI); Srinivas Jain, Executive Director and Head of Strategy at SBI Mutual Fund; Barbara Voelkl, Policy Officer at German Federal Ministry of Finance were some of the people we connected with. Vivek Deep, Executive Director of RBI, appreciated the Bullsmart's way of creating financial education by using the gamification way. Be among the first to join the Bullsmart Family. Download the application now: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=in.bullsmart Bullsmart is the brand name of Dados Technologies Private Limited registered under the Companies Act, 2013 having a CIN: U65100MH2019FTC329281 and headquartered in Singapore. Bullsmart is building an investment platform with cutting edge investment tools to help the young start investing. Our vision is to become the most desirable investment platform in Asia and act as a catalyst for India's financial growth story. Further details are available on the website at: https://bullsmart.in/ This story has been provided by PNN. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content in this article. (ANI/PNN)
New Delhi [India], September 29 (ANI/PNN): Anand Tripathi, Additional Director, Department of Tourism, Government of Rajasthan today invited the members of the film fraternity to come and explorer the hidden gems of Rajasthan and shoot in Rajasthan. Addressing the session 'Come, Shoot in Rajasthan' at FICCI FRAMES FAST TRACK 2022 in Mumbai, Tripathi highlighted the strength of the state the rich culture and legacy of the state that would act as a perfect backdrop for films, TV serials, OTT platform shooting in India. Tripati also shared highlights of the newly launched Rajasthan Film Tourism Promotion Policy and various sops being offered to the film fraternity by the Rajasthan government for shooting in the state. "We have set up a mechanism for giving permissions and allowing film shooting through single-window clearance. Tourism department is the nodal agency for clearance," said Tripathi while adding that a subsidy upto Rs 2 crore or 15 per cent of the total Qualified Cost of Production (QCOP) whichever is lower would be provided under the Policy. He further shared that the state government will exempt from all fees and changes at all state-owned properties and 50 per cent discount (up to Rs 10 Lakh max) would be offered at RTDC/RSHC hotels under the policy. Tripathi further announced that the state will offer a scholarship of Rs50,000 to 10 students of Rajasthan studying at FTII, Pune and Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute of India. "The Film Facilitation Office is integrated online with the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) as well as with Railways. So, in Rajasthan, if one wishes to shoot at any ASI property or any Indian railway property with whom we may not have integrated, one can always come into the film facilitation office and we will get them the requisite permissions," said Vikramjit Roy, Head, Film Facilitation Office (FFO). Highlighting how the government can leverage food and content around food to promote itself, Celebrity Chef and Author Ranveer Brar, said, "The government needs to understand the soft power that the documentaries and cultural expressions bring to the table. Highlighting the aspect of soft power, Chef Brar further added, "As food people, we try and create this soft power that the people connect to, beyond the architecture and the grandeur. In times when we talk about culinary tourism, micro tourism, the connection to a place is much stronger when you connect to its people through its culture." Actor, Producer and Distributor Rockline Venkatesh, Line Producer of India Take One Productions Pravesh Sahni, and CEO of Producers Guild of India Nitin Tej Ahuja were also present during the session. This story has been provided by PNN. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content in this article. (ANI/PNN)
New Delhi [India], September 29 (ANI/ATK): The festive season in India has begun with the advent of the 9-day celebration of Navratri. On the pious occasion, Railrestro adds much fervor to this festive bonanza. The platform is offering lip-smacking and sumptuous Puja Special Food to its customers. As per tradition, Indian passengers avoid eating onion-garlic food during the 9-day gala. This is done to maintain balance in the physical and emotional levels of the body. Taking this into cognizance, the platform has geared up to take special care of the customers observing fast during Navratri. The special meal will be offered without onion or garlic to passengers. The Food items will be prepared using Himalayan Salt/Seendha Namak. The special meal They have created a feast Navratri special Thali or Vrat Ka Thali for rail passengers. This delectable Thali contains Sabudana Khichdi, Sabudana Kheer, Kuttu Atta ki Puri, Roasted Makhana, Aloo ki Kadhi, Boiled Shakarkandi, and Singhare Atte Ka halwa as a dessert. This mouthwatering combo will be hot-served across all the major stations of Indian Railways. Further, they have curated a unique starter menu which includes Aloo chaat, Sabudana Tikki, etc. Passengers can also order other exquisite delicacies like Rajgira Roti, Vrat ki Dahi Arbi, and Vratwale Chawal Ka Dhokla on the train. Adding to this food fiesta, the platform will also provide Bengali Special food and Desserts. It doesn't end here The platform has decided to offer special cuisines from different parts of the country. It includes Variche Bhat or Varai, nutritious and healthy fruits, etc. Also, they will offer delicious snacks like roasted Makhana, fried Peanuts, etc. It all comes at rock bottom prices The platform has taken special care of the budget of common Indian passengers by keeping its food at a reasonable price. They also paid due attention to hygiene through packed Navratri food. From 26 September to 5 October, passengers can book Navratri Special food from their app and website. To ease the journey, one can also pre-book one's meal choice just after the ticket booking. 5 easy Steps to Order Vrat Ka Khana on Train Step 1: Visit the RailRestro website or install its e-catering app to place an order. Step 2: Enter the PNR number or train number. Step 3: Go to the restaurant's food menu, select Navratri Thali and add them to the cart. Step 4: Enter the required details, Step 5: Windiscounts on your order through the Navratri special coupons, and proceed with payments to place the order. Alternatively, passengers can call RailRestro on 8102202203 and talk to a customer care executive to book Navratri food on train. Celebrate your journey with heavy discounts The platform is providing a Special offer on Pre-booking of meals. It promises a discount of up to 20% on Navratri special Thali. The platform has decided to charge no Delivery fees from the passengers during Navratri. Railrestro truly takes care of all the needs of its passengers. Their special menu has definitely added more joy to this festive season. This story has been provided by ATK. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content in this article. (ANI/ATK)
Francesca 'Kitten' Natividad, a go-go dancer who rose to fame after Russ Meyer cast her in the slasher film 'Beneath the Valley of the Ultra-Vixens,' passed away on Saturday at the age of 74 at the Cedars-Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles from kidney failure after battling cancer. "She adored her friends, cats, family and fans," her sister Eva wrote in a statement on Facebook posted by a friend of Kitten Natividad, Siouxzan Perry. According to Variety, Natividad, raised in Texas after relocating from her native Mexico's Ciudad Juarez, rose to the position of class president at her high school in El Paso. After relocating to California, she worked as Stella Stevens' maid and cook before changing her name to "Kitten" and becoming a go-go dancer. She was introduced to the director of "Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill!" by a dancer acquaintance, and he engaged her to narrate his 1976 sex comedy "Up." When Meyer paid for a second operation to give her the oversized dimensions that would become her calling card, she had previously undergone breast implant surgery in Tijuana. In the satirical sex farce "Beneath the Valley of the Ultra-Vixens," co-written by Meyer and film critic Roger Ebert, Natividad plays a housewife who subjects her husband, a teenage boy, a truck driver, and a nurse to various sexual acts while also inflicting them on them. Meyer and Natividad were never married, but they shared a home for about 15 years. She continued to make appearances on television and in mainstream films throughout the rest of her career, which was primarily devoted to burlesque performances, nude modelling and acting in pornographic films. Natividad appeared in small roles in movies like 'My Tutor,' 'Airplane II,' 'The Wild Life,' 'Another 48 Hours,' 'The Double-D Avenger,' in which she co-starred with two other former Meyer actors, and Adam Rifkin's 'A Night at the Golden Eagle.' She also appeared as a guest on 'The Dating Game' and 'The Gong Show.' The night before his brother Sean Penn married Madonna, she was recruited by Chris Penn, who had acted in "The Wild Life," to perform as an exotic dancer, and she also made an appearance in a Peaches music video. In 1999, Natividad underwent a mastectomy after receiving a breast cancer diagnosis. She is survived by her sister Eva, her mother, four nephews and a niece. (ANI)
According to Deadline, all eight episodes of the series, starring and executive produced by John Krasinski, will launch in more than 240 countries and territories worldwide.

The action thriller's season 3 will show Jack Ryan, who has been wrongly implicated in a larger conspiracy and suddenly finds himself a fugitive out in the cold, on the run and in a race against time.

Wanted by the CIA and an international rogue faction that he has uncovered, Jack is forced underground, crisscrossing Europe, trying to stay alive, while preventing a massive global conflict.

Apart from Krasinski, Wendell Pierce as James Greer and Michael Kelly as Mike November will also return for the new season. Newcomers include Nina Hoss as Alena Kovac and Betty Gabriel as Elizabeth Wright, reported Deadline.

Previously, the show was given a season 4 nod when Michael Pena joined the cast. Before joining the cast full-time in Season 4, his character will be introduced in the final episode of Season 3.

'Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan' is co-produced by Amazon Studios, Paramount Television Studios, and Skydance Television and executive produced by Andrew Form, Allyson Seeger, John Krasinski, Vaun Wilmott, Brad Fuller, and Michael Bay.

Tom Clancy and Skydance Television's David Ellison, Dana Goldberg, and Bill Bost executive produce the third season, along with Mace Neufeld and Carlton Cuse, as per Deadline.

Prime Video's 'Jack Ryan' series, based on the popular book series by Clancy, during its run has explored some of the fan-favorite storylines to create a nerve-wrecking thriller filled with stunning action set pieces.

However, Jack's journey will be ending as Prime Video has confirmed that season 4 will be the last one of the series. (ANI)
A Los Angeles Superior Court judge has stated that American comedian and actor Bill Cosby, in his sexual assault civil case involving a minor from the 1970s, will not get to re-litigate. According to Deadline, in a September 27 ruling, Judge Craig Karlan said, "Cosby has failed to establish he received an unfair trial or that insufficient evidence existed to establish his liability for Plaintiff's harm." This decision denies Cosby a retrial on the decades-old claims by Judy Huth. The ruling by the LASC judge came fairly quickly after hearing arguments on September 23 in the Santa Monica Courthouse. Cosby's attorneys have sought to have Karlan overturn the June jury decision against their client, based primarily on timeline inconsistencies in Huth's case. Initially, back in 2014, Huth had claimed that she was assaulted by Cosby at the age of 15 in Hugh Hefner's Playboy Mansion. Mere weeks before the civil trial, Huth said that she had a clear memory of events and moved the year of the assault to 1975. In a statement to Deadline, Cosby's longtime representative Andrew Wyatt said, "Judge Karlan denying Mr Cosby a new trial was expected but it's unfortunate that this judge ignored the inconsistencies in Ms Huth testimony during cross-examination and the mere fact that Ms Huth changed her timeline of events in the 11th hour before the trial." He added, "We have always stood our ground by saying, 'This was a trial by assassination against Mr Cosby.' The afterglow for Mr Cosby is that he maintains his innocence and vehemently denies all alleged allegations waged against him; but most importantly, Mr Cosby will move forward with his appeal, which will preclude any monies (USD 500,000) being awarded to Ms Huth." Previously, over 50 women have accused Cosby of sexual misconduct. The American actor was also convicted of sexually harassing Andrea Constand in Philadelphia as a result of which he was sentenced to three years in a state prison in Pennsylvania, reported CNN. However, on an appeal, his conviction was overturned and he was released from prison in September 2021. (ANI)
A new documentary about Prince Andrew, Duke of York will air on Peacock soon. The 90-minute documentary, 'Prince Andrew: Banished,' will look into the prince's sexual assault charges and his friendship with Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, which led to Queen Elizabeth II stripping her son of his military titles and royal patronages. According to Variety, the documentary will come on Peacock on October 5. It includes commentary from a royal press secretary, palace insiders, journalists, members of Prince Andrew's social circle, and the legal team who investigated the charges against him. Tina Brown, the magazine editor and author of 'The Palace Papers,' makes an appearance as well. In the trailer that was released on Thursday, Brown can be heard saying, "When you are the Queen's son, no one ever tells you the truth". The trailer shows the subject matter as "the scandal that rocked the royal family," adding that "his title protected him," but "his recklessness exposed him." In the trailer, a journalist says, "Prince Andrew thought he was more than a royal. He thought he was a celebrity... The talk of the dinner parties was he couldn't keep his trousers closed." According to Variety, Virginia Giuffre, who claims she was forced to have sexual encounters with Prince Andrew as a teenager, accused him of sexual assault. The Duke of York has rejected all charges and the sex assault lawsuit was resolved earlier this year. Giuffre's allegations stem from Prince Andrew's friendship with convicted sex predators Epstein and Maxwell. Epstein, the enigmatic billionaire, committed suicide in 2019 while awaiting his trial on sex trafficking accusations. Maxwell, his former partner, and confidante was sentenced to 20 years in prison in June after being found guilty on federal counts of sex trafficking teenage girls to engage in sex acts with Epstein. Before the matter had been resolved, Giuffre said that she was molested by Prince Andrew three times, after she was trafficked by Epstein, as per Variety. Variety further reports that in 2019, Prince Andrew gave an interview to the BBC to address the charges and his relationship with Epstein, which garnered blistering criticism and forced him to scale back on his royal duties. Then, in 2022, Queen Elizabeth stripped her son of all military titles and royal patronages. After a New York judge denied the royal's plea to dismiss Giuffre's sexual assault case, the Queen made her decision quickly. With the Queen's death, Prince Andrew is now eighth in line to the throne, though royal experts have stated that King Charles has no plans to engage him in the future of the monarchy. The second son of Queen Elizabeth, Prince Andrew is the King's younger brother. According to the teaser for the documentary, he was Queen Elizabeth's favourite son. When the charges first surfaced, which the palace repeatedly rejected, stories circulated that the Queen pondered entirely exiling him from the royal family. (ANI)
In good news for chronic insomniacs, an ongoing study at the WellSpan York Hospital in the US to assess the impact of "Heartfulness Meditation" on insomnia has shown promising results. Twenty-eight participants diagnosed with chronic insomnia completed an eight-week study involving the practice of "Heartfulness Meditation" as an intervention to help with insomnia. The pre- and post-Insomnia Severity Index (ISI) scores were measured. "The mean ISI scores reduced almost by half. Interestingly, some patients were able to come off their pharmacological treatments as a result of the practice," the study claimed. "Heartfulness Meditation" is a simple heart-based meditation practice that helps with stress, burnout and emotional wellness. The simplified Raja Yoga meditation techniques of "Heartfulness" are designed to suit modern-day hectic lifestyle and are effective in improving sleep and quality of life when practised regularly. Over a million people in 130 countries are estimated to be practising "Heartfulness Meditation". Daaji (Kamlesh Patel), the fourth global guide of "Heartfulness", believes sleep is essential to help maintain mood, memory and cognitive performance. "Daytime alertness and memory are impaired by loss of sleep, especially when it is sustained over a few nights. For many, meditation has become a mainstream practice over the years and the study on its impact on alleviating sleep-related diseases is very encouraging," he said. A growing body of medical evidence links inadequate sleep with anger, anxiety and sadness. A significant proportion of the adult population suffers from sleep problems and many of them potentially have chronic insomnia. Treatment options include both pharmacological and non-pharmacological measures. Pharmacological treatments may be associated with significant adverse effects. In different studies, approximately 25 per cent of adults mentioned that their sleep was not satisfactory. At least 10-15 per cent have symptoms of sleep deprivation, negatively affecting their daytime work, while 6-10 per cent meet the diagnostic criteria for insomnia. "While the situation is quite alarming, there is hope beyond medication. The results of the study on the effect of 'Heartfulness Meditation' points towards the alleviating effect of meditation on sleep and sleep-related disorders," said Raja Amarnath, a senior consultant at Apollo Hospitals, Chennai. Chronic shortening of sleep time results in circadian rhythm disorders. Sleep problems are also prevalent among children and teenagers due to the availability of computer games, Internet and television. Studies show that this has resulted in obesity, cognitive impairment and emotional disturbances. In adults, sleep disturbances lead to a wide range of health problems such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, anxiety, depression, early aging, alcoholism and other substance abuse. Chronic sleep restriction among many individuals may eventually impact society in terms of loss in productivity and increased health costs. Several studies have shown that meditation can fight insomnia and improve quality of sleep, in turn, improving health. According to the National Science Foundation in Virginia, our brain produces 50,000 thoughts per day. Ninety-five per cent of these thoughts are repetitive, restrictive, and a spiral of anxieties and worries about the past and future. During sleep, there is a reduction in heart rate, blood pressure, respiratory rate and minute ventilation, and there is decreased oxygen consumption and carbon dioxide elimination. Meditation induces similar physiological changes, except that the person remains alert although the physical body goes into a state of deep relaxation. Meditation augments the synthesis of melatonin in the pineal gland, a hormone that regulates the natural sleep cycle. Stress inhibits the production of melatonin. Meditation regulates the mind, directly reducing anxiety and depression. This effect is noted in both beginners and advanced meditators. (Mohammed Shafeeq can be contacted at m.shafeeq@ians.in) --IANS ms/mr/ky ( 610 Words) 2018-03-15-11:32:07 (IANS)
According to research, sending regular messages to young people who have recently experienced a sexually transmitted infection (STI) to advocate safer sex behaviours does not lower rates of chlamydia and gonorrhoea reinfection. The findings were published in The BMJ. In fact, the findings show that more reinfections occurred in the group receiving texts than in the control group, prompting the researchers to call for rigorous evaluation of health communication interventions. Rates of STIs such as chlamydia and gonorrhoea are highest in people aged 16-24 years. Health communications delivered by text message are cheap and effective for some behaviours, such as stopping smoking, and the World Health Organization (WHO) currently recommends digital health communication for sexual and reproductive health. But a review on the effects of sexual health interventions delivered by text message found little high-quality evidence, while the effects on key behaviours such as condom use, partner notification, and outcomes of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) were still uncertain. To fill this knowledge gap, a team of UK researchers set out to measure the effects of a series of text messages ('safetxt') on rates of chlamydia and gonorrhoea reinfection in young people at one year. Their findings are based on over 6,000 people aged 16-24 years recruited from 92 sexual health clinics across the UK with a recent diagnosis of, or treatment for, chlamydia, gonorrhoea, or non-specific urethritis between 1 April 2016 and 23 November 2018. A total of 3123 participants were randomly assigned to the safe text intervention and received a series of text messages to improve sex behaviours: four texts daily for days 1-3, one or two daily for days 4-28, two or three weekly for month 2, and 2-5 monthly for months 3-12. A further 3125 control participants received a monthly text message for one year asking for any change to postal or email address. The researchers expected that safe text would reduce the risk of chlamydia and gonorrhoea reinfection at one year by improving three key safer sex behaviours: partner notification at one month, condom use, and sexually transmitted infection testing before unprotected sex with a new partner. Overall, data were available for 4675 (75%) participants and characteristics such as age, ethnicity, education, and sexual orientation were similar between the groups at the start of the trial. At one year, the rate of chlamydia or gonorrhoea reinfection was 22% (693 out of 3123) in the safe text group versus 20% (633 out of 3125) in the control group. At four weeks, 86% of participants in the intervention group versus 84% in the control group had notified the last partner they had sex with before testing positive to get treatment. Also at four weeks, 42% of participants in the intervention group versus 40% in the control group reported using a condom at last sexual encounter, and this difference was sustained at 12 months (34% intervention v 31% control). At one year, 54% of participants in the intervention group versus 49% in the control group reported using a condom at first sexual encounter with their most recent new partner, but the number of STIs was not reduced. The proportion of people with a new partner and with two or more partners at one year was also higher in the intervention group. The researchers acknowledge several limitations, including the fact that men were under-represented in the trial and that many of their secondary outcomes relied on personal reports, which could be influenced by social desirability bias (when respondents over-report 'good' behaviour or under-report 'bad' or undesirable behaviour). However, they say the similarity of findings after further sensitivity analyses is reassuring and suggests that their results are robust. "Our text message intervention was grounded in psychological theory, incorporating the best evidence on health behaviour change, but it did not have the effects we anticipated," they write. "In light of our results, WHO should revise its endorsement of digital behaviour change communication for strengthening health systems, to specify which topics and content WHO endorses." Further research should focus on how to reduce the stigma associated with STIs to benefit wellbeing, treatment, and precautionary behaviours for those with a diagnosis of an STI, without increasing the risk of infection, they add. (ANI)
Defence spokesman Lt Col Amit Shukla said that the Defence Minister was briefed by 3 Corps commander Lt Gen R.C. Tiwari and other senior officers on infrastructure development along the Line of Actual Control as well as capability development and operational preparedness.

Subsequently, he reviewed the operational readiness of the formation in the easternmost part of the country.

Lt Col Shukla said that during the visit, Rajnath Singh was also briefed on employment of cutting edge military equipment and technology to enhance operational efficiency of the troops deployed on the frontline.

Rajnath Singh commended the stellar work and the yeoman services being rendered by all ranks of Spear Corps under challenging conditions.

The Defence Minister would visit forward posts on Thursday to get a first hand input on operational preparedness and interact with troops. He would also be interacting with members of a second religious expedition to Athu Popu, an annual trek of local Idu Mishmi tribe, being facilitated by Indian Army since 2021 as part of its outreach and continued efforts towards supporting the locals and development of tourism.

Eastern Command chief, Lt General R.P. Kalita, along with other senior officers, also accompanied the Defence Minister.

--IANS sc/vd

( 240 Words)

2022-09-28-20:36:03 (IANS)
In a fitting tribute, the 'Bharat Ratna Lata Dinanath Mangeshkar International Music College & Museum' was inaugurated at the Kalina Campus of the University of Mumbai, here on Wednesday -- on the 93rd birth anniversary of the melody queen who passed away on February 6, officials said. Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis did the honours in the presence of a large number of ministers, political leaders and music personalities like Usha Mangeshkar, Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia, Meena Khadilkar, Adinath Mangeshkar, Ashok Patki, Sonu Nigam, Anup Jalota, Pankaj Udas, Mayuresh Pai, Taufiq Qureshi, Lalit Pandit, and others. With this, the University will offer the first six certificate courses of one-year each in Hindustani classical music, Indian flute, tabla, sitar, harmonium/keyboard and sound engineering will be launched with an initial intake of 150 students. In August this year, the Maharashtra government had handed over a 7,000-square metre plot owned by the Directorate of Libraries in the Kalina campus of Mumbai University for the music college. However, as a temporary measure, till the college gets its own building and other amenities, it will function from the P.L. Deshpande Academy, Shinde had said. Lata Mangeshkar desired to start such a music college in memory of her father, Master Dinanath Mangeshkar, and the former Maha Vikas Aghadi government's former Minister Aditya Thackeray had shown her the plot which she had liked. After her demise, the ex-CM Uddhav Thackeray had announced that a world class music college would come up in memory of 'Lata didi', as she was known during her lifetime. Later, the government had set up a 14-member expert advisory board for the college courses which included Chairman Hridaynath Mangeshkar, Usha Mangeshkar, Adinath Mangeshkar, Suresh Wadkar, Mayuresh Pai, Zakir Hussain, A.R. Rahman and other personalities. To start with, the teaching posts will be on an emoluments basis and clerical/ typist jobs will be filled on an external basis, machinery, equipment and other requirements will be purchased, all at a cost of nearly Rs 1.75 crore per month. This fulfils a commitment made by the state government to start the global music college from the current academic year in memory of Lata Mangeshkar. --IANS qn/pgh ( 377 Words) 2022-09-28-20:36:04 (IANS)
The Jadopur police station in Bihar's Gopalganj district is on the horns of a dilemma. It has two bullocks in its custody and they stand charged with the crime of pulling a cart from which the state's Anti-Liquor Task Force (ALTF) seized contraband liquor on January 25, 2022, the Republic Day eve. The cart is evidence for the prosecution and so are the bullocks in this case of violation of Bihar's Prohibition laws. As a result, they were handed over to the police station because the seizure took place at the Rampur Tengrahi village, which falls within the jurisdiction of the police station. On the basis of a statement recorded by the then police station in-charge, Mithilesh Prasad Singh, an FIR was registered, and the hapless bullocks were seized along with the cart. Now, there's no law that tells the police how to deal with bovines in lockup, nor do they have a budget to feed bullocks with healthy appetites. For a few days, the bullocks stayed in the police station premises and then they were taken in by a good-hearted farmer in the village who took pity on the forlorn creatures. Even as the police and the local administration were ruminating over likely ways out of the prickly problem, the district magistrate decided to take the bull by the horns. He ordered that the two animals as well as the cart be auctioned away. The base price was fixed at Rs 60,000, but despite two auction dates passing by over the past eight months, there's been no taker for either the bullocks or the cart. So, the bullocks continue to be in the custody of the kind-hearted farmer, but his big fear now is that if anything untoward happens to the animals, which are now the property of the state, he may end up having the long arm of the law around his neck. The local superintendent of the state's prohibition, excise and registration department, Rakesh Kumar, has assured IANS that no effort is being spared to have the bullocks and the carts disposed of in an auction. Till the animals find a buyer, they will continue to be the guests of the farmer, who's getting increasingly uneasy about the arrangement fraught with risks. Will his act of kindness become a noose around his neck? --IANS srb/ ( 408 Words) 2022-09-28-20:40:02 (IANS)
The Supreme Court on Wednesday said it is the sacrosanct duty of the husband to provide financial support to the wife and minor children, even by physical labour, if he is able-bodied. A bench of Justices Dinesh Maheshwari and Bela M. Trivedi said: "It is the sacrosanct duty of the husband to provide financial support to the wife and to the minor children. The husband is required to earn money even by physical labour, if he is an able-bodied, and could not avoid his obligation, except on the legally permissible grounds mentioned in the statute." "At the outset, it may be noted that Section 125 of the CrPC was conceived to ameliorate the agony, anguish, and financial suffering of a woman who is required to leave the matrimonial home, so that some suitable arrangements could be made to enable her to sustain herself and the child," it said. Citing an apex court judgment, the bench said it has been held that the object of maintenance proceedings is not to punish a person for his past neglect, but to prevent vagrancy and destitution of a deserted wife, by providing her food, clothing, and shelter by a speedy remedy. "As settled by this court, Section 125 CrPC is a measure of social justice and is specially enacted to protect women and children. It also falls within the constitutional sweep of Article 15(3), reinforced by Article 39 of the Constitution," it said. Allowing the plea by a woman against a Faridabad family court order, which was upheld by the Punjab and Haryana High Court, the top court said the family court, in the instant case, had not only overlooked and disregarded the aforesaid settled legal position, but had proceeded with the proceedings in an absolutely perverted manner. "Such an erroneous and perverse order of Family Court was unfortunately confirmed by the High Court by passing a very perfunctory impugned order," it added. It declined to entertain the husband's contention that he had a small business, which was closed, therefore he had no source of income. "The respondent being able-bodied, he is obliged to earn by legitimate means and maintain his wife and the minor child," said the bench. It also directed the man to pay Rs 10,000 to the wife over and above Rs 6,000 to the son. The husband had also questioned the chastity of his wife and alleged that the boy was not his biological son. However, his application for a DNA test was rejected by the family court. The family court also disallowed the woman's plea for maintenance and the daughter, but directed the man to pay Rs 6,000 monthly to the son. --IANS ss/vd ( 463 Words) 2022-09-28-20:42:03 (IANS)
A special ED court on Wednesday extended the judicial custody of former West Bengal Education Minister Partha Chatterjee and his close associate Arpita Mukherjee till October 31. This means that the duo will spend not just the Durga Puja, but the entire festive season including Laxmi Puja, Kali Puja, Diwali, and Bhai Dooj behind the bars. Both of them attended the hearing at the court in virtual mode. Chatterjee's counsel made a desperate attempt to get his bail plea granted on grounds of his physical ailments and family prestige. However, the ED counsel strongly objected to his bail prayer on grounds that the investigation process by the central agency is still only on and more information relating to the crime proceeds is being unearthed every day. In such a situation, the investigation process might get hampered, he contended. During the hearing, Mukherjee broke down into tears and sought the permission of the court to get a mobile phone so that she can talk to her mother occasionally. However, the ED counsel ridiculed her tears and reminded the court that even Chatterjee broke down into tears during a previous hearing in the matter. "But their tears do not justify their involvement in the multi-crore scam. Can't they see the tears of the eligible candidates deprived of their legitimate job offers who are protesting on the open streets of Kolkata for days," the ED counsel argued. Finally, after hearing all the parties concerned, the court rejected the bail pleas of both Chatterjee and Mukherjee and extended their judicial custody. --IANS src/vd ( 272 Words) 2022-09-28-20:50:03 (IANS)
Sahoo, a zilla parishad member from Puri district, allegedly commited suicide at his residence here on September 24. The 48-year-old politician represented the ZP zone No. 11 under Gop, which falls under the Assembly constituency of Dash.

Odisha BJP workers and leaders, including Puri district president Ashrit Pattanayak, Bramhagiri MLA Lalitendu Bidyadhar Mohapatra and party's state vice-president Pravati Parida on Wednesday blocked the Puri-Bhubaneswar national highway at Pattnaikia Chhak in Pipili over the issue. They demanded immediate removal of the minister for his alleged involvement in Sahoo's suicide.

"An viral audio clip of Sahoo proves that Dash was involved in the death of the ZP member. So, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik should immediately remove him from the Cabinet," said Pattanayak.

Notably, an audio clip purportedly made by Sahoo holding the minister and six others, including his wife and father-in-law, responsible for his death went viral on social media.

The Chief Minister should immediately order Dash's arrest in the matter, demanded BJP MLA Mohapatra.

Similarly, hundreds of activists of the student wing of Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee on Wednesday gathered the official residence of Dash.

Carrying posters and raising slogans, the Chattra Congress workers had a scuffle with the police while trying to barge into the minister's residence. The Congress activists even hurled eggs and tomatoes at the house.

Accusing the Chief Minister of protecting Dash, Chhatra Congress president Yasir Nawaz said: "He (Dash) has no right to continue as education minister of the state."

Earlier, a delegation of Odisha Congress had submitted a memorandum to the Bhubaneswar DCP demanding an impartial inquiry into the incident.

--IANS bbm/arm

( 320 Words)

2022-09-28-22:24:02 (IANS)
The Supreme Court on Wednesday acquitted a death row convict in the rape and murder of a 6-year-old, saying it cannot make someone a victim of injustice to compensate for the injustice to the victim of a crime. A bench of Justices S. Abdul Nazeer, A.S. Bopanna, and V. Ramasubramanian said: "We cannot shy away from the fact that it is a ghastly case of rape and murder of a 6-year-old child. By not conducting the investigation properly, the prosecution has done injustice to the family of the victim. By fixing culpability upon the appellant without any shred of evidence which will stand scrutiny, the prosecution has done injustice to the appellant." "Court cannot make someone, a victim of injustice, to compensate for the injustice to the victim of a crime." The bench said it is not the quantum, but what matters is the quality and both courts below found the evidence of the first three prosecution witnesses acceptable. "The seriously inherent contradictions in the statements made by them have not been duly taken note of by both courts. When the offence is heinous, the court is required to put the material evidence under higher scrutiny," it said. The top court said no one admitted who sent the FIR to the court and when it was sent and strangely even, the copy of the post mortem report was admittedly received by SHO on March 13, 2012, though the post mortem was conducted on March 9, 2012. "It was the same date on which the FIR reached the court. These factors certainly create a strong suspicion on the story as projected by the prosecution, but both the courts have overlooked the same completely. This erroneous approach on the part of the sessions court and the high court has led to the appellant being ordained to be dispatched to the gallows," it noted. The top court judgment came on an appeal filed by Chotkau, who was convicted for the offences for rape and murder, and sentenced to death by the sessions court, which was also confirmed by the Allahabad High Court. Setting aside the death penalty and conviction, the top court said: "In fact, this is a case where the appellant is so poor that he could not afford to engage a lawyer even in the sessions court. After his repeated requests to the court of District and Sessions judge, the service of an advocate was provided as amicus. In cases of such nature, the responsibility of the court becomes more onerous." --IANS ss/vd ( 441 Words) 2022-09-28-22:30:02 (IANS)
Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot approved an increase of the DA of state government employees and pensioners by 4 per cent to 38 per cent, with effect from July 1.

"In line with the Central government employees, the rate of dearness allowance to the state employees and dearness relief to the pensioners has been increased by four per cent. Now 38 percent dearness allowance and dearness relief rate will be payable to state employees and pensioners from July 1, 2022," he said in a series of tweets.

Noting that the Centre makes the announcement but it is implemented after a long time, he said that his government disburses the increased amount without delay.

"In the implementation of today's announcement made in the interest of the employees, an additional expenditure of Rs 1,096 crore will be made from the state funds," he said.

--IANS arc/vd

( 183 Words)

2022-09-28-22:48:01 (IANS)
India's leading human rights group, Association for Protection of Democratic Rights (APDR), on Wednesday, demanded the withdrawal of the ban for five years imposed on Popular Front of India (PFI) and its affiliate organisations, by the Union Home Ministry. According to APDR general secretary, Ranjit Sur, PFI, with its declared objective to work for the achievement of socio-economic, cultural and political empowerment of the deprived, downtrodden and the nation at large, claims to work with minorities and historically marginalised. "Its political wing, the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) has participated in elections from the level of Parliament to the local bodies and some of its representatives are being elected as well," Sur pointed out. He also said that APDR strongly believes that every organisation in this country has the right to uphold its ideology which can be contested ideologically and politically only. "Banning an organisation can never be the answer to an ideological and political issue, and the Union government should issue a white paper on what it has achieved in past by banning organisations and what can be achieved by this latest banning. Therefore, in irrevocable terms, APDR demands immediate withdrawal of the banning notification and unconditional release of all political prisoners arrested in this connection," he said. Meanwhile, on Wednesday evening, the Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) general secretary, Dipankar Bhattacharya, while interacting with the media persons, said that the ban on PFI is a ploy to "terrorise the Muslim population in the country". --IANS src/pgh ( 261 Words) 2022-09-28-23:06:03 (IANS)
The Delhi High Court on Wednesday dismissed Facebook India Online Services Private Limited's plea challenging the probe initiated by the Competition Commission of India (CCI) against it. This issue is connected with WhatsApp's new privacy policy. The bench of Justice Yashwant Varma dismissed the petition remarking that there has to be some end for the "luxury to litigate". "Once the appeals have been dismissed, how another writ petition could be filed," the bench questioned while dismissing the plea. The judge also said that in the case of WhatsApp and Facebook, the probe is suo moto, but in the petitioner's case, a complaint or information was received. The senior counsel Parag Tripathi appearing for the petitioner said that it is an Indian subsidiary and it does not have any involvement or connection with Meta on the existing platform. The court said, "Ultimately if they found that there is a prima facie case against the Principal (Meta), which warrants investigation and you (Facebook India Online) does not adopt something different, and for the purposes of the investigation if the DG were not to follow Facebook Inc and call upon you for investigation, it could have done so." The Petitioner had challenged the order on October 12, 2021 passed by CCI, a notice of October 26, 2021 issued by Director General (DG), CCI and all subsequent notices issued pursuant to the Order. Senior advocate Parag Tripathi on behalf of the petitioner contended that it was being clubbed together with WhatsApp and Facebook without any prima facie examination and application of mind. However, it was argued by the counsel for CCI that the issues raised by Facebook India Online was rightly addressed and answered in the division bench order. The Delhi High Court earlier had refused to stay CCI investigation into WhatsApp's privacy policy and Meta. The High Court had said that the policy shares sensitive data with Facebook (now Meta) and virtually forces users into an agreement by providing choices. (ANI)
The Wular Lake in Jammu and Kashmir, which is known to be one of the largest freshwater lakes in South Asia, has a festive look with a large number of locals extracting chestnuts, according to a report. The chestnuts extracted by the villagers are supplied to the vendors in Kashmir and outside the region as well. According to the report, the Bandipora district in northern Kashmir features in the list of the main supplier of chestnuts to the Kashmir Valley. Among the districts, the people of which, have the licenses to extract chestnuts from the lake are Lankreshipora, Kunzpora, Kulhama, Guroora, Saderkoot, Baniyari, Laharwalpora, KaniBathi, Kunoosa, Ashtangoo, Kemma and Zurmanz which lie on the periphery of Bandipora. According to the official figure, the lake produces around 4 metric tons of chestnuts annually and 5,000 tons of fish of 11 different species each year. According to the Wular conservation and management authority officials, at least 90 per cent of the water chestnuts produced in Kashmir are sourced from the Wular Lake. "There is no systematic marketing facility available for the product extracted from Wular lake, which makes it difficult to estimate the revenue generated from the lake," the report quoted an official at Wular Conservation and Management Authority as saying. The locals claim that as much as 80 per cent of the inhabitants are involved in extracting chestnuts from Wular to make a living. "Chestnuts are the main source of income for the majority of people living here," the report quoted Abdul Ahad Panchoo, a resident of Suderkoot Bala as saying. Abdul Rashid Dar of Baniyar village, who has been extracting chestnuts from the lake for the past 40 years, said that they are getting different schemes from the government for the purpose. "All of us villagers who live on the banks of the Wular lake depend on it either directly or indirectly," he said, adding that chestnuts are the main source of income for the majority of people living here. The Union Territory government is planning to develop a sustainable waste management model for all the peripheral villages of the lake, according to the report. The J&K Wetland Authority has also approved the integrated management plan for the Conservation of Wular Lake to promote an integrated and multidisciplinary approach to the conservation and management of the water body. The authorities also introduced a shikara (wooden boat) ride like in Dal Lake in Srinagar to promote tourism in Wular Lake. The lake is also a habitat for migratory water birds. (ANI)
A bomb detection and disposal squad, accompanied by sniffer dogs, arrived at the site of the second blast that rocked Udhampur district in Jammu and Kashmir Thursday morning and started their investigation, officials said. Wearing full protective gear, the squad members were seen inspecting the Udhampur bus stand area for suspected objects and explosives. It is not immediately clear what triggered the blasts and an investigation is underway. [{4d8f7bd3-8608-4012-afac-42441d583d02:intradmin/ANI-20220929040905.jpg}] Two blasts rocked Udhampur within 8 hours of each other. Two people were injured in the first blast that happened at 10:30 pm on Wednesday in Domali Chowk. The injured were admitted to the Udhampur District Hospital. The blast damaged vehicles parked nearby. The second blast struck the bus stand locality this morning but no one was injured, officials said. "The first blast happened last night around 10.30pm in a bus parked near a petrol pump. The second one happened on a bus at the Udhampur bus stand. No injury has been reported in the second blast. Two got injured in the first blast and they are out of danger. The probe is underway," said Suleman Choudhary, Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG), Udhampur-Reasi Range. Meanwhile, locals led by Udhampur Congress Counselor Preeti Khajuria staged a protest against the district administration after the blasts. (ANI)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday held a roadshow after he touched down in Surat on a two-day visit to his home state Gujarat. A huge crowd gathered to welcome the Prime Minister as his cavalcade moved forward. During the visit, Prime Minister Modi will cover Surat, Bhavnagar, Ahmedabad and Ambaji for various developmental projects and will inaugurate projects worth Rs 29,000 crore including the launch of Ahmedabad Metro Phase I worth Rs 12,900 crore. PM Modi will lay the foundation stone and dedicate various projects worth more than Rs 3,400 crores in Surat. Several events have been lined up for the Prime Minister during his visit to the poll-bound state. He will also participate in Navratri celebrations. These include water supply and drainage projects, DREAM City, Biodiversity Park and other development projects such as public infrastructure, heritage restoration, city bus/BRTS infrastructure, and electric vehicle infrastructure as well as joint projects by the central and state government. Phase-I of road infrastructure and the main entrance of Diamond Research and Mercantile (DREAM) City will also be inaugurated. The DREAM City project has been launched with the vision to meet the growing demand for commercial and residential space for the rapidly growing diamond trading sector in Surat. The prime minister will also lay the foundation stone for Phase II of the project. Prime Minister Modi will also lay the foundation stone of a biodiversity park, being built over 87 hectares, besides inaugurating the Khoj Museum at Science Centre in Surat. Built for children, the museum will have interactive displays, inquiry-based activities and inquisitiveness-based explorations. Thereafter, he will travel to Bhavnagar to lay the foundation stone and inaugurate multiple developmental initiatives worth over Rs 5,200 crore. The prime minister will lay the foundation stone for the world's first CNG terminal and a brownfield port in the city. The port will be developed at a cost of over Rs 4,000 crore and will have the state-of-the-art infrastructure for the CNG terminal. The port will have an ultra-modern container terminal, multipurpose terminal, and liquid terminal with direct door-step connectivity to the existing roadway and railway network. The prime minister will also inaugurate a regional science centre in Bhavnagar, spread over 20 acres and built at a cost of around Rs 100 crore. The centre has several theme-based galleries including the marine aquatic gallery, automobile gallery, and the Nobel Prize gallery. The centre will provide a creative platform for children. During the programme, the prime minister will also inaugurate various other projects including package 7 of Sauni Yojna Link 2, 25 MW Palitana Solar PV Project, APPL Container (Aawadkrupa Plastomech Pvt. Ltd.) project; and lay the foundation stone of projects including package 9 of Sauni Yojna Link 2, Chorvadla Zone water supply project, among others. (ANI)
The Campus Front of India, the student wing of Popular Front of India has termed as "undemocratic and anti-constitutional", the ban on it and said it will challenge in court the move by the move by in court. The CFI, however, added that it is stopping all activities in accordance with the law and asked the "students" associated with the outfit to "not conduct any programme or activity in the name of the organisation". The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) had issued a notification late on Tuesday night, declaring "the PFI and its associates or affiliates or fronts as an unlawful association with immediate effect". Along with PFI, the ban is also imposed on its fronts including Rehab India Foundation (RIF). Campus Front of India (CFI), All India Imams Council (AIIC), National Confederation of Human Rights Organization (NCHRO), National Women's Front, Junior Front, Empower India Foundation and Rehab Foundation, Kerala as an "unlawful association". Issuing a statement against the ban, CFI tweeted on Wednesday, "Ban on Campus Front is Undemocratic and Anti-Constitutional; will be challenged in court. Stopped Activities in Accordance with Law". Claiming that it works for the students with a "vision of building socially concerned and responsible youths with secular and democratic spirit", CFI said that it has "succeeded in achieving it to an extent". "Many educated youths who were part of the organisation have now been active in the various spheres of social activities. CFI has maintained constitutional and democratic values and not promoted activities against our law," it said. "Hence, as an organisation that, in accordance with the law, concede the ban order by the MHA and will be stopping all activities of the organisation in India with immediate effect," CFI added. It rejected the allegations against the CFI in connection with PFI and termed them "baseless and fabricated". "At the same time, we reject all the allegations against the Campus Front in connection with PFI as baseless and fabricated. It will be challenged in court after discussion with legal experts by the concerned persons," it said. The outfit said that it is "not responsible" for using the name or banner of the organisation for any programme or activity or social media posts and comments. Meanwhile, in the notification issued by the MHA, it clearly mentioned that the ban has been imposed against PFI and its associates or affiliates or fronts for "indulging in unlawful activities, which are prejudicial to the integrity, sovereignty and security of the country and have the potential of disturbing public peace and communal harmony of the country and supporting militancy in the country. "In exercise of the powers conferred by sub-section (1) of section 3 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. 1967 (37 of 1967), the Central Government hereby declares the Popular Front of India (PFI) and its associates or affiliates or fronts including Rehab India Foundation (RIF). Campus Front of India (CFI), All India Imams Council (AIIC), National Confederation of Human Rights Organization (NCHRO), National Women's Front, Junior Front, Empower India Foundation and Rehab Foundation, Kerala as an 'unlawful association'," reads the notification. "The Central Government hereby directs that this notification shall, subject to any order that may be made under section 4 of the UAPA have effect for a period of five years from the date of its publication in the Office." The Centre issued the ban citing the investigation of its agencies, mentioning "the investigations have established clear linkages between PFI and its associates or affiliates or fronts". (ANI)
Ahead of Bharat Jodo Yatra entering Karnataka, welcome flexes bearing pictures of Congress MP Rahul Gandhi were seen vandalized in the Gundlupet town in the Chamarajanagar district of the state on Thursday. The flexes were installed by Congress to welcome Rahul Gandhi, who is scheduled to arrive at Gundlupet on September 30. Other flexes, that were put on the Highway passing through Gundlupet having pictures of different Congress Party leaders were also torn, according to reports. More than 40 flexes were reported to be torn. The Congress leaders have accused Bhartiya Janta Party's workers of this 'mischief'. Previously, senior BJP leaders seem to be targetting Congress Party's Bharat Jodo Yatra elsewhere. Madhya Pradesh Home Minister Narottam Mishra earlier said that the Bharat Jodo Yatra of the party has turned into a Leave Congress Project. "The Bharta Jodo Yatra has become Congress Chodo Yatra (Quit Congress Yatra). Ghulam Nabi Azad Ji's resignation from Congress shows that now there is an atmosphere of panic in the party," said Mishra in a video he tweeted. Rahul Gandhi is currently leading Bharat Jodo Yatra, a national campaign of the party in a few decades. The 3,500-km march from Kanyakumari to Kashmir will be completed in 150 days and cover as many as 12 states. From Kerala, the Yatra will traverse through the state for the next 18 days, reaching Karnataka on September 30. It will be in Karnataka for 21 days before moving north. The Padyatra (march) will cover a distance of 25 km every day. (ANI)
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The National Commission for Women (NCW) on Thursday took cognizance of the incident in Patna where an IAS officer had publicly mocked a school girl if "she wanted condoms too" when she asked for affordable sanitary napkins at a workshop organized in the eastern state of Bihar. The Commission has sought a written explanation for the remarks that IAS officer Harjot Kaur Bhamra, who is also the MD of Bihar Women and Child Development Corporation gave to the students. "The reply must be communicated within seven days," said NCW after coming across various social media posts regarding the "embarrassing" incident. Condemning the incident, NCW said that such an "insensitive attitude" from a person at a responsible position is condemnable and "extremely shameful". As per an official statement by the Commission, its Chairperson Rekha Sharma has written to the IAS Harjot Kaur Bhamra, seeking a written explanation for her inappropriate and highly objectionable remarks. More details into the matter are awaited. On Wednesday, Bharatiya Janata Party's Amrita Rathod took a dig at the Bihar government and said, "Now meet the IAS of Nitish-Tejashwi Sarkar. Harjot Kaur will send daughters of Bihar to Pakistan on asking for sanitary napkins." https://twitter.com/AmritaRathodBJP/status/1575086607300169729 In the event, the girl had asked the IAS officer if it could provide them the sanitary napkins in cheaper amounts to which a number of praises were received but the IAS Bhamra seemed upset with the question and asked is there is any end to the demands. "Today you are asking for sanitary, tomorrow you will need jeans, then good shoes and when the question of family planning will arise, you will ask for condoms too," she replied. Meanwhile, ensuring action in the matter, Bihar CM Nitish Kumar also called a meeting and said that they are helping women and monitoring everything. "I have immediately called a meeting. We are helping to empower women. I am monitoring each and everything. Action will be taken," Nitish Kumar said. (ANI)
Congress MP Shashi Tharoor is scheduled to submit his nomination papers for the upcoming presidential elections of the All India Congress Committee on Saturday. As per the information, Tharoor will visit 24 Akbar Road at 12.15 pm tomorrow. He will subsequently hold a press conference at 1.00 pm at his residence on 97 Lodhi Estate (opposite Airforce Bal Bharti Public School) Meanwhile, party leader Digvijaya Singh, another contender for the topmost position in the party, will also file his nomination tomorrow between 11 am and 3 pm. Tharoor welcomed Singh's candidacy and said that both of them have agreed to consider it a friendly contest. "Received a visit from [?]@digvijaya_28 [?] this afternoon. I welcome his candidacy for the Presidency of our Party. We both agreed that ours is not a battle between rivals but a friendly contest among colleagues. All we both want is that whoever prevails, @incIndia will win!," Tharoor tweeted. Notably, another prominent contender for the President post in the party, Ashok Gehlot recently announced that he will not contest the elections. "I met Rahul Gandhi in Kochi and requested him to fight the polls (for Congress President). When he didn't accept, I said I'll contest but now with that incident (political crisis in Rajasthan), I have decided not to contest the elections," CM Gehlot said. Gehlot's remarks came after the veteran leader met with the party's interim chief Sonia Gandhi at her residence at 10 Janpath in the national capital. Rajasthan CM further apologized for the ruckus in Rajasthan triggered by his loyalists over a possible leadership change in the state after Gehlot was set to file his nomination papers for the Congress chief polls. Gehlot said that whatever happened in the state in the past two days had shocked everyone. On being asked if he will remain Rajasthan CM, Gehlot said, "I won't decide that, Congress chief Sonia Gandhi will decide that." "One-line resolution is our tradition. Unfortunately, a situation arose that resolution wasn't passed. It was my moral responsibility (to pass the resolution), but despite being a CM I couldn't get it passed," he added. Talking to reporters, Gehlot said the party works under the Congress president and decisions will be taken in the time to come. He said Congress workers worry about the direction in which the country is heading and tackling the issue was more important. (ANI)
The two IED blasts that hit the Udhampur district of Jammu and Kashmir within 8 hours of each other had a "certain similarity" and were likely triggered by a timer, a senior police official said Thursday. Mukesh Singh, the Additional Director General of Police (Jammu), said this after visiting the Udhampur bus stand, where the second blast struck this morning. "Two IED blasts have taken place. The first was at 10:30 pm yesterday and the other was at 6 am today. Both happened on empty buses. Both blasts have a certain similarity. It's likely that they are sticky bombs but we cannot say that for sure," Singh told ANI. Singh said it is likely that sticky bombs were used in both the blasts. "It seems (the devices) were triggered by a timer," he said, adding an investigation is underway. [{b99e259e-652b-4820-b3ff-76ff873ef99d:intradmin/ANI-20220929073758.jpg}] Two people were injured in the first blast in Domali Chowk and have been admitted to the Udhampur District Hospital. The explosion was powerful enough to damage vehicles parked nearby. The second blast struck a bus stand but no one was injured. A bomb detection and disposal squad, accompanied by sniffer dogs, had arrived at the site of the second blast this morning and started their investigation. Wearing full protective gear, the squad members inspected the bus stand area for suspected objects and explosives. Suleman Choudhary, the deputy inspector general of police, Udhampur-Reasi Range, said people injured in the blast are now out of danger. Meanwhile, some locals led by Udhampur Congress Counselor Preeti Khajuria staged a protest against the district administration after the blasts. (ANI)
In a letter to Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, the BJP spokesperson said the scheme by the government to restore temples destroyed by the Portuguese was a great move to preserve the Indic heritage and culture. Similarly, he said, a fund should be set up to preserve the heritage catholic churches as well.

"Catholic churches are a wonderful tourist attraction not only for people from the Christian community but also people from different religious communities that marvel at its history, its spiritual essence and its architectural prowess," he said.

He said some of the churches -- like The Velim Church, Church of Our Lady of Rosary, Church of Our Lady of Immaculate Conception, Three Kings Chapel - are monumental wonders that must be preserved.

Rodrigues also suggested a study could be initiated before commissioning the funds.

"We must endeavour to work with our Christian sisters and brothers to preserve our state's historic catholic churches as they are an integral part of Goa's rich and collective identity," he said in the letter.

The BJP spokesperson also said that he was looking forward to the continuous support of the government to make Goa a "truly secular state". (ANI)
Union Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment Ramdas Athawale unveiled the statue of Dr Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar in the courtyard of Mahatma Gandhi Institute in Mauritius's Moka. After Unveiling the statue of Dr Ambedkar in Mauritius Athawale held a meeting with the people associated with the Ambedkar movement living in Mauritius and hold a deep discussion on how to take Babasaheb's ideas and ideals forward in the entire world. "It is a matter of pride for all the countrymen that the statue of Param Pujya Babasaheb the father of the Indian Constitution is already established in different countries and in this series the statue of Babasaheb was unveiled in Mauritius by the Marathi Federation Mandal Sanstha. This effort of unveiling is commendable," he said. He further said that Babasaheb had conceptualized a healthy ideal society and only by following the path shown by Babasaheb, we will be able to eliminate the caste system from all over the world. Ramdas Athawale also met with the local Indians during his visit and during the meeting also discussed in detail the continuous contribution of overseas Indians in the economic, social and political fields of the country. Notably, Union Minister Athawale on a five-day visit to Mauritius from 26 September to 1 October. (ANI)
The Delhi High Court has directed authorities to preserve the CDR location chart of the police raiding party in a case of an alleged fake encounter in the Dwarka district. The direction was on the submission of one of the victims in the matter. Earlier, the court stayed the trial court's direction for the registration of an FIR against the police officials of the district. The additional DCP had challenged the order of the trial court before the high court. Justice Yogesh Khanna on Tuesday passed the direction after hearing the submission of the counsel for respondent Deepak Chauhan. The counsel for State sought time as ASG Sanjeev Bhandari has to appear in the matter. The bench directed to preserve the CDR details from October 1-5, 2021, for the members of the police raiding party. It also directed to preserve the details from July 23-27, 2021. The matter has been listed for November 25 for further hearing. It was submitted by advocate Vrinda Grover and Soutik Banerjee that the incident is on October 1, 2021. The data relating to CDR won't be available after October 1, 2022, as it is preserved only for a year as per policy. A reply on behalf of accused Deepak Chauhan was also filed on the petition earlier moved by an additional DCP against the order of the trial court for registration of FIR. It was stated in the reply that the petitioner (Delhi police) secured a partial ex parte (without hearing the other party) ad-interim stay of the impugned order from this court in respect of the direction for registration of FIR against the concerned police officers. It was also submitted that the present case pertains to a shocking and gross abuse of authority and uniform by the Petitioner and other police personnel, acting in grave violation of the law including illegal detention, custodial violence and a staged fake police encounter of the Respondent. There is a complete violation by the Petitioner of the mandatory guidelines issued by the Supreme Court in PUCL vs the State of Maharashtra with regard to the investigation into cases of alleged police encounters including failure to register proper FIR, failure to have an independent investigation by a separate police team, non - recording of statement of victim / Respondent u/Sec. 164 CrPC, etc, the report said. The counsel for the respondent Deepak Chauhan submitted that the orders for registration of the FIR need to be given immediate effect to ensure that time-sensitive information, evidence and material are not lost or destroyed, as it remains in the custody of the police officers whose actions are the subject matter of investigation for police encounter. The documents, material, evidence and information related to the case need to be immediately preserved and placed in safe custody in order to ensure that a fair investigation can be carried out. The bench earlier issued notice to three accused persons namely Deepak Chauhan, Bablu and Aijaj through all modes, including email/WhatsApp. The Delhi police had stated in the petition that any direction to lodge an FIR against honest officers, acting bona fide in a crime-ridden district is not only perverse but also violates the rights of those officers under Articles 14 and 21 of the Constitution of India and be set aside. The Additional DCP, Dwarka district, had challenged the order passed by the Court of Additional Session Judge (ASJ), Dwarka Court on March 24, 2022. Additional Standing Counsel (ASC) for Delhi Police Avi Singh had argued that the trial court clubbed three separate FIRs related to separate cases, and through a common order granted bail to all accused without considering their antecedents, recoveries or the scope of their involvement in the crime. The joining of three distinct cases is beyond the mandate of Section 223 CrPC. Avi Singh had also argued the trial court judge stepped beyond the jurisdictional mandate of the CrPC and directed that the handwritten complaint filed in the bail application unsupported by affidavit, be converted into Section 156(3) complaints and put up before the Metropolitan Magistrate (MM). The counsel for the Delhi police had further argued that the trial court judge erred by recording adverse findings against the raiding party on the basis of an ipse dixit (unproven) statement by the accused and entirely prejudging the case against the police. It was also argued that without recommending the matter for a vigilance enquiry or to the jurisdictional police complaints authority, the trial court judge virtually directed the MM to register an FIR against the police officials, which is entirely dehors (outside the scope of) the mandate of Section 156 (3) CrPC and against the principle of separation of powers underlined in the Constitution of India and the CrPC. ASC had argued that the ASJ erred in law by seeking the registration of FIR without considering that a prior sanction under Section 140 of the Delhi Police Act is required for initiating an Investigation under Section 156 (3) of the Cr. P.C. The trial court while granting bail to accused Deepak Chauhan, Bablu and Aijaj noted that accused Irshad, Aijaj, Deepak Chauhan, Bablu and Sachin had gunshot injuries in their knees while they were trying to flee after firing at the police party in different cases on different dates in 2021. (ANI)
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Thursday congratulated Lieutenant General Anil Chauhan (retd) on being appointed as Chief of Defence Staff (CDS). "I congratulate Anil Chauhan Ji a lot for becoming the CDS and it is a matter of pride for us that just like previous General Bipin Rawat, he too hails from Uttarakhand and has been given the responsibility of CDS," he told the mediapersons in Dehradun's Selaqui. "We believe, under his leadership, the security will increase here and the army's morale will also rise here. We are hopeful that he will work selflessly for strengthening the security forces in the country," Dhami added. The government on Tuesday appointed Lt General Anil Chauhan (retired) as the new Chief of Defence Staff (CDS). He had retired as the Eastern Army Commander in May last year and was serving as the Military Advisor to the National Security Council. This is the first time that a retired officer has been appointed at this position for which a gazette notification was issued to announce the change in rules for the appointment. In a career spanning over nearly 40 years, Lt Gen Chauhan has held several command, staff and instrumental appointments and had extensive experience in counter-insurgency operations in Jammu and Kashmir and northeast India. He will also function as Secretary to the Government of India, Department of Military Affairs with effect from the date of his assumption of charge and until further orders, an official release said. Lt General Anil Chauhan (retired) will be the second CDS of the country after Gen Bipin Rawat who died in a helicopter crash in December last year in Tamil Nadu. Born on 18th May 1961, Lt Gen Anil Chauhan was commissioned into the 11 Gorkha Rifles of the Indian Army in 1981. He is an alumnus of the National Defence Academy, Khadakwasla and Indian Military Academy, Dehradun. The officer had also served as a United Nations mission to Angola. He superannuated from the Indian Army on 31 May 2021. Even after his retirement from the Army, he continued to contribute to national security and strategic matters. For his distinguished and illustrious service in the Army, Lt General Anil Chauhan (retired) was awarded the Param Vishisht Seva Medal, Uttam Yudh Seva Medal, Ati Vishisht Seva Medal, Sena Medal and Vishisht Seva Medal. The CDS is the most senior uniformed officer in rank, the first among equals -- the only four-star officers in the country are the CDS, the chiefs of the Indian Army, Indian Navy and Indian Air Force. The post was lying vacant since December 8 last year after the death of General Bipin Rawat.When General Bipin Rawat was appointed CDS by the Narendra Modi government within six months of coming back to power in 2019, it was hailed as one of the biggest reforms in the higher military structure of the country. The CDS is also the single point of contact for the government for giving military advice and is the senior-most bureaucrat in the defence ministry which has four major departments.The appointment comes amid efforts by the government to give a big push to indigenisation in the equipment for defence forces. (ANI)
The lone MLA from AIMIM in Bihar, Akhtarul Iman, has opposed the ban on the Popular Front of India (PFI), saying it's not fair to ban the outfit without proving its crime in a court of law. "It's not fair to ban PFI without proving its crime in court," Iman said, adding that the PFI is a "political organisation". The Amour legislator claimed that the PFI works for society's welfare, and this ban is a result of the political rivalry between the RSS and the PFI. He claimed that when Dalits and minority community members raise their voices for their rights, efforts are made to curb them. "Those who instigated the riots in Gujarat and demolished the Babri Masjid have not gone to jail yet." The government Tuesday banned the PFI for five years for allegedly having terror links. In a notification, the Home Ministry declared "the PFI and its associates or affiliates or fronts as an unlawful association with immediate effect". Along with PFI, the ban is also imposed on its fronts, including Rehab India Foundation (RIF), Campus Front of India (CFI), All India Imams Council (AIIC), National Confederation of Human Rights Organization (NCHRO), National Women's Front, Junior Front, Empower India Foundation and Rehab Foundation, Kerala as an "unlawful association". The notification clearly mentioned that the ban had been imposed against PFI and its associates or affiliates or fronts for "indulging in unlawful activities, which are prejudicial to the integrity, sovereignty and security of the country and have the potential of disturbing public peace and communal harmony of the country and supporting militancy in the country. (ANI)
According to a recent study done by Lund University in Sweden, cities have a detrimental impact on bird diversity. Even if the forest areas are of the same quality, urban woods have much fewer bird species than rural forests. The researchers examined 459 natural woodlands located in or near 32 cities in southern Sweden. They counted the occurrence of different bird species, and the result is clear: in natural forests located in a city center, there are on average a quarter fewer species of forest birds compared to forests outside the city. In terms of endangered species, about half as many species were found in urban forests compared to rural forests. The results deepen our knowledge of the impact of cities on biodiversity, says William Sidemo Holm, one of the researchers behind the study. It is already well known that urbanization is one of the main driving forces behind the loss of biodiversity, as cities spread out across the globe. What is not as well known, however, is how cities affect protected natural areas in a city. "Our study demonstrates that you cannot surround nature with urban development and believe that it will remain as it is, there is going to be a negative effect", says William Sidemo Holm, who worked on the study during his time as a doctoral student at Lund University. The researchers wanted to specifically examine similar forests, or habitats. It is therefore not city parks that have been compared to countryside forests, emphasizes William Sidemo Holm. The study is one of the first to compare the diversity of similar habitats along a so-called urban gradient. "This way we know that the results are not driven by differences in the actual habitats, which in this scenario was natural forest. Instead, it was the surrounding environment that was different", he says. The fact that an urban environment has such a clear negative impact on forest bird diversity may have to do with access to food, the researchers believe. Many birds depend on food resources not only in their immediate vicinity but also in their surroundings, and in cities there are fewer insects, for example. In addition, some species are sensitive to artificial disturbances such as noise and light, which occur more in cities. "Our results highlight the importance of taking surrounding nature into account in urban planning. Above all, it is important to avoid the expansion of cities adjacent to protected environmental areas where there may be endangered species - we found that these are particularly sensitive to urban surroundings", says William Sidemo Holm. The study also showed that urban forests can be important for bird diversity. Although a majority of the bird species were more common outside the cities, there were species that were more often found in cities, such as the hawfinch. The reason may be that cities have more fruit trees that can provide them with food. "Our conclusion is that it is important to preserve natural forests both in the cities and outside them in order to maintain local diversity", says William Sidemo Holm. In order to better preserve the biodiversity of cities, more knowledge is needed on how to reduce the negative impact on natural areas from the surrounding urban environment, say the researchers. "In the future, it would be particularly interesting to investigate whether coherent green infrastructure in cities, or between city and countryside, can increase the opportunities for bird species in the city to find the necessary resources", William Sidemo Holm concludes. (ANI)
The Supreme Court on Thursday directed the Superintendent of Taloja prison in Maharashtra to shift jailed activist Gautam Navlakha to Mumbai's Jaslok hospital for medical checkup and treatment. A bench of Justices KM Joseph and Hrishikesh Roy said receiving medical treatment is a fundamental right of a prisoner while allowing Navlakha, accused in the Bhima Koregaon violence case, to meet his partner Sabha Husain and sister in the hospital. In its order, the bench said, "We are of the view that petitioner is an undertrial and what is far more important which is right to life. The right of the undertrial to receive medical attention would be a fundamental right. This petitioner is taken immediately for a thorough medical checkup." "Accordingly, we direct Superintendent Taloja jail to take the petitioner to Jaslok hospital so that he is able to undergo a required medical check-up and receive treatment. We make it clear that the petitioner will remain in police custody," it added. The order of the top court came from a plea of Navlakha seeking direction that he be placed under house arrest instead of judicial custody in Taloja jail. During the hearing, counsel appearing for 70-year-old Navlakha told the bench that he has colon cancer and requires colonoscopy and also check-up for skin allergies and dental issues. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the National Investigation Agency (NIA), opposed Navlakha's request for shifting him to house arrest and for a medical checkup. I don't know if skin allergy and dental issues are serious enough, the SG said, adding that as regards colonoscopy, the request should be raised before a competent court. "Let him breathe some fresh air. He wasn't even convicted in any small IPC offence earlier," the bench observed. As regards the main prayer to shift Navlakha from jail to house arrest, the bench posted the matter for hearing on October 21 as Solicitor General sought time to respond. Navlakha has moved the top court challenging the April 26 order of the Bombay High Court which had dismissed his plea for house arrest over apprehensions of lack of adequate medical and other basic facilities in Taloja jail near Mumbai where he is currently lodged. He can be put under house arrest in Mumbai, where his two sisters live, or in Delhi, Navlakha has asked. The High Court had said Navlakha's apprehensions about the lack of medical aid and inadequate basic facilities at the Taloja prison, were "ill-founded". He had approached the High Court saying the Taloja prison has poor facilities, overcrowded, and his medical condition deteriorated during his incarceration there. Navlakha, one of the several civil liberties activists in the Bhima Koregaon case, has been booked under stringent provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) for an alleged conspiracy to topple the government. Earlier, the Supreme Court had granted bail to 82-year-old activist P Varavara Rao in the case. (ANI)
Challenges have increased in Jammu and Kashmir in many ways after the Taliban seized power in Afghanistan in August last year, said outgoing Director General of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) Kuldiep Singh. Explaining the fact, the CRPF chief and 1986 batch West Bengal cadre Indian Police Service officer, who is retiring from service on Friday, said "the challenges have increased and it is now seen" there in Jammu and Kashmir with inputs of some time an increase in the number of foreign terrorists and later a little bit decrease in the number. Singh, however, clarified that the number of terrorists in the current period is very low. "The number of terrorists (active) is below 200 which used to be 240 at some time." The CRPF DG said the number of these terrorists included both those belonging to foreign soil and the locals. "In last few years, there is a trend that the number of terrorists, both foreign and locals, used to be 230-240. But the number has now remained below 200 as many of them are neutralised from time to time by security forces," Singh added. Meanwhile, he excepted "it cannot be denied" that there is no challenge in Jammu and Kashmir. In his farewell speech, the DG also mentioned that CRPF is entrusted with the responsibility of safeguarding the country's internal security and that it is deployed across the length and breadth of the country for assisting State Police and Civil Administration in the discharge of their duties. He also informed that the CRPF provides protection to 119 dignitaries out of which 18 are in Z Plus and 27 are in the Z category. "The Force now has 246 Battalions (BNs) of which 202 are GD (Ground Duty) BNs, six VIP Security, six Mahila, 15 RAF, 10 CoBRA, five signal, and one each of PDG and SDG. The Force also has 43 Group Centers, four 100-bedded Composite Hospitals," Singh said. He pointed out how the Naxal activities have been contained to a very large extent in the Left Wing Extremism-affected areas. "There is a discernible improvement in the situation and the areas which were earlier considered to be the stronghold of Maoists are now free of their influence and dominated by Security Forces," Singh said, adding "the force played a key role in making the state of Bihar Maoist free." "Maoists have been pushed out of Chakarbandha and Bheembandh area, and now Bihar has become virtually Maoists free." In Jharkhand, after relentless and intensive operations culminating with operation Octopus, the DG said camps had been established at Burhapahar, which was considered a bastion of Maoists till recently. "In Left Wing Extremism affected areas, 11 Maoists were neutralised, 387 were apprehended and 370 surrendered."(ANI)
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has hit out at Congress, saying the party has "inside culture that your life ends and starts with Gandhis" and that the loyalty is towards the family and not the party. In an interview with ANI, Sarma also slammed Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, saying he wants to enjoy power without responsibility. His remarks have coincided with Congress facing a political crisis in Rajasthan due to the actions of loyalists of Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot when the party had convened a legislature party meeting last week as part of the process to choose his successor. Gehlot was slated to file his nomination in the party's presidential election but has now ruled himself out of the presidential contest. Gehlot could face the opprobrium of high command in the coming days. He has apologised for the actions of his loyalists and said the Congress president will decide if he will remain the Chief Minister. His loyalists were averse to Sachin Pilot being chosen as his successor as he was to take over as Congress president. Sarma said he gives credit to the Congress party to create an environment that there's no one beyond the Gandhi family. "I must give credit to Congress party, they create an enviorment that beyond Gandhi family you have nothing. When someone resigns from the party, the Congress spokesperson says he has betrayed the family, they will not say he has betrayed the nation. They will say that the family gave you everything but the fact is that the people of the nation give power. But they create a buzz that family had made you MP. This is the environment of Congress," Sarma said. "The day you join Congress...the Congress has an inside culture that your life starts and ends with Gandhi(s). Like you get attached to any guru, you just surrender everything to that guru. There is an atmosphere. I don't know who started this, who will end but this ecosystem is very strong in Congress." he added. He said people were devoted to Mahatma Gandhi but now there is another Gandhi family and he does not know how it turned into devotion for the "second Gandhi family" within the Congress. "People had devotion to Mahatma Gandhi. but they have successfully inherited that legacy into the second Gandhi family," he said. Taking a dig at Rahul Gandhi, who is on Bharat Jodo Yatra from Kashmir to Kanyakumari, Sarma said that he had taken moral responsibility for the party's defeat in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections and for his losing from Aemthi and had stepped down as president but continues to take crucial party decisions. "Rahul has taken moral responsibility that the party lost the Lok Sabha elections under my leadership, so I will not be the president. But who is running the party today, who is leading the Bharat Jodo Yatra. Who is the whole party running after? That means you want to enjoy the power without accountability. In democracy, when somebody wants to enjoy the power without parliamentary accountability, without party accountability, without accountability of the people, that is the most dangerous thing," he said. Sarma, who was in Congress for 22 years before he joined the BJP, said that most Congress workers do not have access beyond the "verandah" of their leaders. He said BJP leaders are much more accessible. Gehlot, who met Sonia Gandhi on Thursday, said that he will not fight for the post of Congress chief. He said the party works under the Congress president and decisions will be taken in the time to come. "I won't decide that, Congress chief Sonia Gandhi will decide that," Gehlot said on being asked if he will continue as chief minister. "I met Rahul Gandhi in Kochi and requested him to fight the polls (for Congress President). When he didn't accept, I said I'll contest but now with that incident (political crisis in Rajasthan), I have decided not to contest the elections," Gehlot said. He also apologised for the ruckus in Rajasthan triggered by his loyalists over a possible leadership change in the state after Gehlot was set to file his nomination papers for the Congress chief polls. Gehlot said that whatever happened in the state in the past two days had shocked everyone. "I had a conversation with Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi. Whatever happened two days ago shocked us. It gave a message that all of it happened as I wanted to be CM. I apologised to her," said CM Gehlot said that he won't contest the elections in this atmosphere. "I won't contest these elections in this atmosphere, with moral responsibility," Gehlot said. "One-line resolution is our tradition. Unfortunately, a situation arose that resolution wasn't passed. It was my moral responsibility (to pass the resolution), but despite being a CM I couldn't get it passed," he added. (ANI)
Amid the ongoing political turmoil in Rajasthan, Congress MLA Sachin Pilot, who met Sonia Gandhi in the national capital revealed that the decision of the Congress supremo will be final on who will be at the helm of affairs in the state. Pilot reached Sonia Gandhi's residence hours after his rival and Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot opted out of the race to contest the Congress presidential elections. Sachin Pilot said that he discussed the events of the state in detail and expressed his sentiments on the situation with Sonia Gandhi. The meeting between the two lasted for almost an hour. "I met Congress president today. She listened to me calmly. We held a detailed discussion on whatever happened in Jaipur, Rajasthan. I told her my sentiments, my feedback. All of us want to win the 2023 polls (in Rajasthan) by working hard. We'll have to work together," said Pilot. He further said that he is confident that in the State Assembly elections, which will happen next year, the Congress will once again come to power in Rajasthan. "Whatever decision has to be made in the context of Rajasthan, will be taken by her...I am confident that in the next 12-13 months we will once again make a Congress Government through our hard work," he added. Meanwhile, after announcing his decision to contest in the upcoming Congress presidential polls, veteran Congress leader Digvijaya Singh said that the Nehru-Gandhi family will remain their leader whosoever becomes the president of the party. "The Nehru-Gandhi family will remain our leader. Whoever becomes the party president will work under their leadership...Our priority is to see how the situation in the country improves, won't let the country divide or the constitution weaken," said Singh. He further said that "Every PCC delegate has the right to contest presidential elections. I have not discussed my nomination with the Nehru-Gandhi family. I met many senior leaders including AK Antony, Kharge Ji." The Nehru-Gandhi family will remain our leader. Whoever becomes the party president will work under their leadership...Our priority is to see how the situation in the country improves, won't let the country divide or the constitution weaken: Digvijaya Singh, Congress MP Earlier in the day, Ashok Gehlot said that he will not fight for the post of Congress chief. His remarks came after the veteran leader met with party's interim chief Sonia Gandhi at her residence at 10 Janpath in the national capital. "I met Rahul Gandhi in Kochi and requested him to fight the polls (for Congress President). When he didn't accept, I said I'll contest but now with that incident (political crisis in Rajasthan), I have decided not to contest the elections," CM Gehlot said. Gehlot also apologised for the ruckus in Rajasthan triggered by his loyalists over a possible leadership change in the state after Gehlot was set to file his nomination papers for the Congress chief polls. Gehlot said that whatever happened in the state in the past two days had shocked everyone. Notably on Sunday evening, several Rajasthan lawmakers who were opposing Pilot to be the next chief minister, refused to attend a Congress legislative party (CLP) meeting scheduled at Gehlot's residence in Jaipur in the presence of party's central observers Ajay Maken and Mallikarjun Kharge. Rather, they held a parallel meeting at the house of state cabinet minister Shanti Dhariwal, a supporter of Gehlot. Around 90 MLAs tendered their resignation to the Assembly Speaker. Also, today Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Digvijaya Singh collected his nomination papers and announced that he is likely to file his nominations tomorrow between 11 am to 3 pm. Congress MP Shashi Tharoor has announced that he will submit his nomination for the post at 12.15 pm tomorrow. The filing of nominations for the top Congress post will take place till September 30 and the election will take place on October 17. (ANI)
Amid the ongoing political turmoil in Rajasthan, the Congress party issued an advisory to its leaders to refrain from making comments against leaders otherwise 'disciplinary action' will be taken against them. "It is advised that all Congress leaders at any level should refrain from making public statements against other leaders or about Party's internal matters", read the official notice. The advisory also stated that strict disciplinary action will be initiated under the provisions of the Constitution of the Indian National Congress if any violation of the advisory is made. Earlier, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot said that he will not fight for the post of Congress chief. His remarks came after the veteran leader met with the party's interim chief Sonia Gandhi at her residence at 10 Janpath in the national capital. "I met Rahul Gandhi in Kochi and requested him to fight the polls (for Congress President). When he didn't accept, I said I'll contest but now with that incident (political crisis in Rajasthan), I have decided not to contest the elections," CM Gehlot said. Gehlot also apologised for the ruckus in Rajasthan triggered by his loyalists over a possible leadership change in the state after Gehlot was set to file his nomination papers for the Congress chief polls. Gehlot said that whatever happened in the state in the past two days had shocked everyone. "I had a conversation with Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi. Whatever happened two days ago shocked us. It gave a message that all of it happened as I wanted to be CM. I apologised to her," said CM Gehlot addressing the media persons after meeting Sonia Gandhi. Further in his address to the media persons, Gehlot said that he won't contest the elections in this atmosphere. "I won't contest these elections in this atmosphere, with moral responsibility," Gehlot said. On being asked if he will remain Rajasthan CM, Gehlot said, "I won't decide that, Congress chief Sonia Gandhi will decide that." "One-line resolution is our tradition. Unfortunately, a situation arose that resolution wasn't passed. It was my moral responsibility (to pass the resolution), but despite being a CM I couldn't get it passed," he added. Talking to reporters, Gehlot said the party works under the Congress president and decisions will be taken in the time to come. He said Congress workers worry about the direction in which the country is heading and tackling the issue was more important. Also, today Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Digvijaya Singh collected his nomination papers and announced that he is likely to file his nominations tomorrow between 11 am to 3 pm.Congress MP Shashi Tharoor has announced that he will submit his nomination for the post at 12.15 pm tomorrow. The filing of nominations for the top Congress post will take place till September 30 and the election will take place on October 17. (ANI)
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath reviewed the preparations for organizing the proposed Global Investors Summit in February 2023 in a high-level meeting and said GIS will give flight to the aspirations of 'New India, New Uttar Pradesh', informed Chief Minister's Office (CMO) on Thursday. The CM said that while giving necessary guidelines regarding the roadmap for organizing the summit, "Uttar Pradesh has emerged as a 'Dream Destination' for industrial investment in the country by imbibing the PM's mantra of "Reform, Perform and Transform". Uttar Pradesh is moving towards becoming the second economy from the 06th economy of the country." The CM said that Uttar Pradesh is going to organize the three-day event on February 10, 11 and 12, 2023. "This time we have to work with an investment target of Rs 10 lakh crore. This Global Investors Summit will be unprecedented, historic and will give a new "flight to the aspirations of Uttar Pradesh," he said. He said that it is overwhelming that Singapore, France, UK and Mauritius have spontaneously sent proposals for their participation as partner countries in the Global Investors Summit. Similarly, communication should be established with the Ambassadors/High Commissioners of the Netherlands, Canada, USA, Japan, Israel, Sweden, Thailand, France and Singapore in this regard. He further said that this Summit of Uttar Pradesh is a great platform for establishing the state's brand image. The cooperation of industrial organizations like FICCI and CII should also be sought in organizing road shows. The industrial organizations of these countries should also be contacted. "Through road shows, a conducive environment will be created in the industrial sector of different countries for the Global Investor Summit of Uttar Pradesh. The detailed route should be decided by selecting the countries and cities for the road show. Wider publicity should be given to the Global Investor Summit," he said. Yogi said that Ministers will be the brand ambassadors of Uttar Pradesh in the International Road Shows. While deciding the route of the road show, experts from the sector in which investment is possible from the country concerned must be included in the team. The group to be headed by ministers should be decided and formed soon. The roadshow needs to be spectacular where we must showcase our culture along with the best industrial environment in the state. CM said, "Road shows should be organized in Delhi, Ahmedabad, Mumbai, Kolkata, Bangalore, Hyderabad and Chennai in addition to overseas. In this regard, the necessary planning must be finalised on time." Uttar Pradesh has made its industrial investment policies more practical for the 'Ease of Doing Business' under the direction of the respected Prime Minister; however, the process of policy reforms should be continued while interacting with the industrial world, keeping in mind the state's interests. Along with the new industrial investment and employment promotion policy of the state, more than 30 sectoral policies including EV policy, toy, textile, pharma, startup, data center, green hydrogen policy should be prepared and presented prior to the investors' summit. While framing the policies, keep in mind that the policy provisions should be practical, employment generating and ensure a bright future of the youth. "Separate teams should be formed to ensure the success of GIS-2023. All the concerned departments should start preparations on war footing. Proper direction should be taken by communicating with the government of India. Incentives are being provided by the state government to encourage industrial units investing in the state. All such cases should be thoroughly reviewed and resolved without delay," he added. (ANI)
The improved security cover has been provided on a payment basis, top government officials, privy to the development, told ANI after the Ministry of Home Affairs, in an order circulated to the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) on Thursday, directed to upgrade the security component from 'Z' to 'Z+' category.

The billionaire industrialist will now be under the protection of nearly 45 to 50 armed commandoes of CRPF which has been providing him 'Z' category security since 2013 on a payment basis.

The Centre's move followed a recent security review meeting in which there was a recommendation by central intelligence and security agencies to upgrade the security of the 65-year-old businessman, who is the 10th wealthiest person in the world according to the latest Bloomberg index.

Ambani's wife Nita is also provided CRPF security cover of the 'Y+' category.

The force currently provides armed cover to Ambani when he is mobile while it also secures his residential and office premises.

Ambani's security was beefed up after the recovery of an explosives-laden SUV near his house in Mumbai early last year following which the National Investigation Agency (NIA) took up the probe into the case.

The security update came days after the Central government provided CRPF's armed security cover to Gautam Adani, Chairman of the Adani Group, under the 'Z' category. (ANI)
Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jairam Thakur on Thursday inaugurated and laid the foundation stones of 14 developmental projects worth about Rs 29 crore at Janjehli in Seraj assembly constituency of district Mandi, said a press release from Information and Public Relations Department. The Chief Minister inaugurated the Community Health Center building, the Public Works Department's rest house and the Indoor Stadium at Janjehli constructed at a cost of Rs 10.78 crore, Rs 4.12 crore and Rs 5.99 crore respectively. He also dedicated the Government Sericulture Center at Bagachanogi worth Rs 50 lakh, Bio-diversity Park at Bhulah worth Rs 1.20 crore and Interpretation Center at Shaitadhar worth Rs 1 Crore. The Chief Minister inaugurated new Forest Division (Wildlife) and Circle Office of the Public Works Department at Janjehli, newly upgraded Government Senior Secondary School Shodhadhar, Government Middle School Tungdhar, Government Middle School Bhalwar and 5000 liters capacity milk cooler at Lambathach. The Chief Minister also laid the foundation stone of nature parks to be constructed in Khodathach and Kholi at a cost of Rs 1.75 crore and Rs 3.49 crore respectively. Later, while addressing a "Mahila Sammelan" at Dheemkataru, Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur said that the State Government from the very first day of coming to the power had always worked for the welfare of every section of the society including the poor, weaker sections and women. He said that social security pension was being given to all the eligible people above 60 years of age in the state. He said that earlier about 4 lakh people had been getting pension, whereas today more than 7.50 lakh people were being given this pension. Referring to the welfare and empowerment of women, the Chief Minister said, "It was the BJP government in 2010 which had made a provision of 50 per cent reservation for the women in Panchayati Raj Institutions and Urban Local Bodies. Now, the participation of women in these institutions has exceeded 50 per cent, added the Chief Minister." He said that the State Government had made a provision of a revolving fund of Rs. 40,000 for the economic empowerment of self-help groups run by the women. 35 per cent subsidy was being given to the women entrepreneurs under the Mukhya Mantri Swavalamban Yojna, added the Chief Minister. He said that more than 3.35 lakh women of the state had been given free gas connections under Mukhya Mantri Grihini Suvidha Yojna. Jai Ram Thakur said that the State Government had ensured all round and equitable development of every region and welfare of every section of the society during its tenure of almost five years. He said, "It is necessary to form the BJP government again in Himachal Pradesh to maintain this pace of development and to strengthen Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Central Government". CM Thakur said that the BJP would again come to power in the state and the women would play a decisive role in this. He said that the women of the state would give huge support to the BJP due to the numerous welfare schemes of the present government. On this occasion, the Union Minister of State for External Affairs and Culture Meenakshi Lekhi said that eight years ago, Narendra Modi, while assuming the office of the Prime Minister of the country, had said that his government would be the government of the villages, poor and the common people, and it would ensure "Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas". During these eight years, the Prime Minister had implemented this in letter and spirit, added Meenakshi Lekhi. She said, "Prime Minister Narendra Modi had built crores of toilets through the Swachh Bharat Mission, which had benefited the women, the most." Meenakshi Lekhi said that only 8 crore households of the country were given drinking water through taps during 70 years, whereas the Modi government had launched the Jal Jeevan Mission and had installed taps in about 8.64 crore households in just two and a half years. Women also benefited the most from this mission, she added. She said that a double-engine government in the state and at the Centre was necessary for the all-round development of Himachal Pradesh. State President of BJP Mahila Morcha Rashmidhar Sood, General Secretary Manchli Thakur, District President Suman Thakur, Local Mahila Morcha leader Khemdasi, Rajni Thakur and a large number of women were present on the occasion. (ANI)
Author of nine books, Ruby Gupta's mystery novels are inspired by the works of Agatha Christie.

The International Agatha Christie Festival is organised every year in Torquay in Devon, the birthplace of Agatha Christie, the world's best-selling novelist.

This annual Festival of arts and literature celebrates the life and legacy of Christie. It draws international authors of repute, renowned academicians and a global audience.

As International Writer-in-Residence, Ruby Gupta gave a talk on how Agatha Christie inspired modern Indian crime fiction, along with British author Vaseem Khan.

She presented the prizes to the winners of the 2022 Young Writers Mystery Short-Story Writing Competition. Her stint included attending all the talks and lectures, involvement in all the festival events and visiting the landmarks associated with the life and work of Christie.

During the festival, Ruby Gupta's latest suspense thriller, 'The Secret of Leifeng Pagoda', was unveiled. This novel is inspired by the true events of the mysterious deaths of Indian nuclear scientists and is being adapted on screen by Almighty Motion Picture.

It is an intelligent, deeply-researched novel which begins with the assassination attempt on Jawaharlal Nehru and ends with the volatile India-China equation.

--IANS vg/kvd

( 244 Words)

2022-09-29-19:02:04 (IANS)
Rajasthan Minister Mahesh Joshi lauded Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot's move of not contesting the Congress president's poll and said that the latter has never disobeyed orders of the party high command. "The example (to not contest Cong president poll) set by CM Gehlot today can't be appreciated enough. He has never disobeyed orders of party high command...If the party sends us an official notice, we will present our side," said Joshi. His remarks came after Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Thursday said that he will not fight for the post of Congress chief. Stressing on the September 25 incident, Joshi said," On September 25 also, there was talk of getting the proposal passed. Gehlot was so saddened by this incident that he could not even sleep properly at night. He was worried that this would have hurt Sonia Gandhi. We never said that we will decide the CM." Gehlot's remarks came after the veteran leader met with the party's interim chief Sonia Gandhi at her residence at 10 Janpath in the national capital today. "I met Rahul Gandhi in Kochi and requested him to fight the polls (for Congress President). When he didn't accept, I said I'll contest but now with that incident (political crisis in Rajasthan), I have decided not to contest the elections," CM Gehlot said. He also apologised for the ruckus in Rajasthan triggered by his loyalists over a possible leadership change in the state after Gehlot was set to file his nomination papers for the Congress chief polls.Gehlot said that whatever happened in the state in the past two days had shocked everyone. "I had a conversation with Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi. Whatever happened two days ago shocked us. It gave a message that all of it happened as I wanted to be CM. I apologised to her," said CM Gehlot addressing the media persons after meeting Sonia Gandhi. Further in his address to the media persons, Gehlot said that he won't contest the elections in this atmosphere. "I won't contest these elections in this atmosphere, with moral responsibility," Gehlot said. On being asked if he will remain Rajasthan CM, Gehlot said, "I won't decide that, Congress chief Sonia Gandhi will decide that." "One-line resolution is our tradition. Unfortunately, a situation arose that resolution wasn't passed. It was my moral responsibility (to pass the resolution), but despite being a CM I couldn't get it passed," he added. Talking to reporters, Gehlot said the party works under the Congress president and decisions will be taken in the time to come. He said Congress workers worry about the direction in which the country is heading and tackling the issue was more important. Also, today Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Digvijaya Singh collected his nomination papers and announced that he is likely to file his nominations tomorrow between 11 am and 3 pm. Congress MP Shashi Tharoor has announced that he will submit his nomination for the post at 12.15 pm tomorrow. The filing of nominations for the top Congress post will take place till September 30 and the election will take place on October 17. (ANI)
The Supreme Court on Thursday directed the Taloja jail Superintendent to immediately shift Gautam Navlakha, jailed in Bhima-Koregaon case, to Mumbai's Jaslok hospital for treatment. Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, representing Navlakha, submitted that his client is suffering from ailments. A bench of Justices K.M. Joseph and Hrishikesh Roy told the Centre's counsel: "He is 70 years and an undertrial in an overcrowded prison... Nature of crime is serious, but it is alleged not proved.... You want the man to die in jail?" Centre's counsel replied "No, not all" and submitted that a letter of adjournment was circulated. The bench sought the presence of Solicitor General Tushar Mehta and passed over the matter. After Mehta's arrival in the court, Justice Joseph told him: "Your humaneness is put to test." He replied: "My concern for national integration is put to test", and added that the petitioner is challenging an April order now, therefore he cannot say the other side should not get an opportunity to file a reply. Mehta, while opposing Navlakha's house arrest plea, vehemently argued that Navlakha has skin allergy, dental problems, and colonoscopy which are not serious ailments to shift him to house arrest. He said he did not press the prayer for colonoscopy before the trial court and added that he can visit a dental surgeon of his choice daily. He added that if Navlakha has health problems, then he should be in a hospital and not at his sister's house. Sibal replied that his client is over 70 years old and could he be a threat? Mehta pointed out at the possibility of destruction of evidence, if Navlakha's house arrest is allowed and added that he is facing charges under the UAPA for supporting Maoist activities. "This is an abuse of the process of law. I appeal to your lordships' conscience," said Mehta. After hearing detailed arguments, the top court said the petitioner is an undertrial, and that the right of an undertrial trial to receive medical attention would be a fundamental right, and the petitioner should be taken immediately for a thorough medical check-up. The top court directed the Superintendent of Taloja Jail to take Navlakha to Mumbai's Jaslok hospital for treatment and required medical check-up and clarified that he remains in police custody. The top court has scheduled the matter for further hearing in October. The Supreme Court on Tuesday issued notice to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and the Maharashtra government on a plea by Navlakha seeking to be placed under house arrest, rather than judicial custody in the Bhima Koregaon case. It was informed that there are allegations about commission of offences covered under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act against Navlakha, but none of those are made out against him. Navlakha's counsel urged that he can be put under house arrest either in Mumbai or in Delhi. Navlakha moved the apex court challenging Bombay High Court, judgment passed in April, dismissing his plea to be transferred from Taloja Prison and placed under house arrest instead. In August 2018, he was arrested and initially placed under house arrest. In April 2020, after an apex court order, he was moved to Taloja Central Prison. --IANS ss/vd ( 551 Words) 2022-09-29-20:02:03 (IANS)
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) probing the multi-crore West Bengal School Service Commission (WBSSC) scam will summon Kalyanmoy Bhattacharya, the son-in-law of prime accused and former Education Minister Partha Chatterjee, again after the Durga Puja festivities ending October 5. Bhattacharya was earlier grilled by the ED for 12 hours on September 26. ED sources said that in the first round of questioning, there were lots of inconsistencies in the answers given by Bhattacharya, which necessitated the second round of grilling. Initially, sources said, he denied having knowledge of being the chairman of the trust running the BCM International School, named after Chatterjee's late wife Babli Chatterjee, at Pingla in West Midnapore district. "However, when our sleuths presented documents showing Bhattacharya holding the post, he agreed and said that he took the post on his father-in-law's insistence. There were many more such contradictions in the statements made by Bhattacharya on September 26 for which we felt the need to question him again," said an ED official. ED sources said that in the next round, Bhattacharya will be questioned about his role as director in three corporate entities -- Improline Constructions Pvt Ltd, HRI Wealth Creation Realtors Pvt Ltd, and Acrisius Consulting Pvt Ltd. As per the records of the Registrar of Companies under the Union Ministry of Commerce, while Bhattacharya is the Managing Director in Acrisius Consulting, in the remaining two companies, he is an ordinary director. In HRI Wealth Creation Realtors and Improline Constructions, the second director is Krishna Chandra Adhikari. Bhattacharya currently stays in the US along with his wife and Partha Chatterjee's daughter, Sohini Chatterjee Bhattacharya. After he reached Kolkata on September 24, Bhattacharya was contacted by the ED officials and accordingly he arrived at the agency's office on September 26. ED sources said there is high possibility that his wife might also be asked to come to India and join the probe in the near future, considering that she is the co-owner in a number of properties seized in the matter. --IANS src/arm ( 349 Words) 2022-09-29-20:06:02 (IANS)
Rajasthan Minister Pratap Khachariyawas, who is a loyalist of Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, on Thursday expressed hope that the decision on the leadership in the state will be taking note of the "feelings of Congress loyalists". The comments came after Gehlot said he will not fight for the post of Congress chief and will leave the decision of him continuing as CM to Congress chief Sonia Gandhi. "Decisions are taken by the party chief and he left the decision to her. I believe a decision will be made taking note of Congress loyalists, who always stand with Sonia Gandhi and fight the BJP. The decision will be taken in the national interest," Khachariyawas said. Earlier in the day, Gehlot met party's interim chief Sonia Gandhi at her residence at 10 Janpath in the national capital. "I met Rahul Gandhi in Kochi and requested him to fight the polls (for Congress President). When he didn't accept, I said I'll contest but now with that incident (political crisis in Rajasthan), I have decided not to contest the elections," CM Gehlot said. Gehlot also apologised for the ruckus in Rajasthan triggered by his loyalists over a possible leadership change in the state after Gehlot was set to file his nomination papers for the Congress chief polls. Gehlot said that whatever happened in the state in the past two days had shocked everyone. "I had a conversation with Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi. Whatever happened two days ago shocked us. It gave a message that all of it happened as I wanted to be CM. I apologised to her," said CM Gehlot addressing the media persons after meeting Sonia Gandhi. Further in his address to the media persons, Gehlot said that he won't contest the elections in this atmosphere. "I won't contest these elections in this atmosphere, with moral responsibility," Gehlot said. On being asked if he will remain Rajasthan CM, Gehlot said, "I won't decide that, Congress chief Sonia Gandhi will decide that." (ANI)
With the process of the Congress president election gathering pace ahead of the last day of filing nominations, some G-23 leaders held a meeting on Thursday evening at the residence of Anand Sharma. The meeting was attended by former union minister Manish Tewari, former Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan and former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda. According to sources, the leaders discussed the whole situation emerging in the run-up to the Congress presidential polls. The leaders will meet again. A leader from the group is likely to file a nomination on Friday for the party's presidential polls. "Nobody has filed a nomination yet. Once it is done, there wll be contemplation. The democratic process has begun. BS Hooda, Anand Sharma, Prithviraj Chavan and I sat for deliberation and discussed events," Manish Tewari said while leaving Anand Sharma's residence. Asked whether G-23 will support candidates whose names have come for Congress presidential poll so far, Tewari said, "Days pass between collecting, filing and withdrawing nomination papers. The decision will be taken at that time. In English, it is called in politics 'it is the preponderance of probabilities'. Let us see what happens tomorrow." The G-23 leaders had written to Congress interim chief Sonia Gandhi seeking organisational overhaul and internal elections at all levels. "It is good that polls are being held in the party in a democratic way. We thanked Sonia Gandhi for the free-fair polls. Let us see who will file the nomination. We have heard a few names. We will support the best candidate in the field," Prithviraj Chavan told ANI. The remarks of the G23 leaders indicate that they do not possibly see Shashi Tharoor representing their voice in the election. After the meeting, Anand Sharma arrived at Jodhpur House to meet Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, who was top contender in the Congress president poll but has now said he will not fight for the post of Congress chief due to political crisis in the state triggered by action of his loyalists who were averse to Sachin Pilot becoming chief minister. Gehlot also met Mukul Wasnik and Pawan Kumar Bansal. Earlier Gehlot met Sonia Gandhi at her residence at 10 Janpath in the national capital. "I met Rahul Gandhi in Kochi and requested him to fight the polls (for Congress President). When he didn't accept, I said I'll contest but now with that incident (political crisis in Rajasthan), I have decided not to contest the elections," CM Gehlot said. In significant remarks, party leader KC Venugopal said that the decision on CM's post will be taken in a day or two by Congress president Sonia Gandhi. Gehlot also apologised for the ruckus in Rajasthan triggered by his loyalists over a possible leadership change in the state after Gehlot was set to file his nomination papers for the Congress chief polls. Gehlot said that whatever happened in the state in the past two days had shocked everyone. He said that he won't contest the elections in this atmosphere. "I won't contest these elections in this atmosphere, with moral responsibility," Gehlot said. On being asked if he will remain Rajasthan CM, Gehlot said, "I won't decide that, Congress chief Sonia Gandhi will decide that." "One-line resolution is our tradition. Unfortunately, a situation arose that resolution wasn't passed. It was my moral responsibility (to pass the resolution), but despite being a CM I couldn't get it passed," he added. Talking to reporters, Gehlot said the party works under the Congress president and decisions will be taken in the time to come. He said Congress workers worry about the direction in which the country is heading and tackling the issue was more important. Former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister and Congress veteran Digvijaya Singh on Friday collected his nomination papers and announced that he is likely to file his nominations tomorrow between 11 am to 3 pm. Congress MP Shashi Tharoor has announced that he will submit his nomination for the post at 12.15 pm on Friday. The filing of nominations for the top Congress post will take place till September 30 and the election will take place on October 17. (ANI)
Senior IAS officer and Bihar Women and Children Development Corporation Managing Director Harjot Kaur Bamhrah, who had stirred up a controversy with her snide and abrasive responses to school girls in a public event here, on Thursday apologised for her remarks. In a letter, Bamhrah explained the utility of the "Shashakt Beti Samridh Bihar" event and apologised to the girl students. "If any girl was feeling hurt over my statements, I apologise to them." Earlier in the day, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar took cognisance of the matter and said that he will look into it and take action. At the event, as a student asked Bamhrah that the government is providing school dress, scholarship, bicycles and many other facilities to students, can't it provide sanitary pads for Rs 20 to 30 to girl students - drawing applause, Bamhrah hit out, saying that people are clapping over the question but these are endless demands. "Today, the government would provide you with sanitary pads for Rs 20 to Rs 30. Then you ask for jeans, pants and then, beautiful shoes," she said but did not stop there. "When it comes to family planning, will the government give condoms (Nirodh) to you. Why would I have a habit of taking everything free from the government? What is the need of it?" At that, the student said the government comes to them to seek their votes. Bamhrah angrily replied that "this is the height of stupidity. You don't vote and go to Pakistan. You are giving a vote to take money and facilities from the government". That girl student responded that she is an Indian and why would she go to Pakistan? "The government is providing facilities from the money of taxpayers. If taxpayers are paying taxes to the government, why would they not demand for the services?" she asked. Another girl student claimed problem in toilets for girls in the school, saying that the boys also enter the girls' toilet and make them uncomfortable. At this, Bamhrah asked if every student present in the hall has separate toilets for them at home, leaving many in the audience surprised and shocked at the tenor of the senior IAS officer who demeaned the girl students. --IANS ajk/vd ( 385 Words) 2022-09-29-21:24:01 (IANS)
The Supreme Court on Thursday reserved the judgment on a batch of petitions raising common questions of law on the apex court's exercise of its powers under Article 142 to dissolve a marriage. The five-judge bench comprising justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul, Sanjiv Khanna, A.S. Oka, Vikram Nath and J.K. Maheshwari, heard submissions on - what were broad parameters for it to exercise its powers under Article 142 to dissolve a marriage and whether such powers could be exercised in the absence of the mutual consent of the parties. Several senior advocates were appointed as amicus curiae in the matter. A counsel said that courts could at best attempt a reconciliation in the public interest, and the public interest demanded the severance of marital ties when a marriage has been wrecked beyond the hope of salvage. On the aspect of fault theory, the counsel added there may be causes for a divorce, but attributing faults to any or both the parties was unnecessary if the courts concluded that the marriage had irretrievably broken down. Another counsel objected to the proposition that lower courts needed to be empowered to grant divorce if there was irretrievable breakdown of marriage. After hearing detailed arguments in the matter, the top court reserved its judgment. The Supreme Court on Wednesday orally observed that two very good people may not be good partners and pointed out that in some cases people have lived together for a considerable time, yet the marriage breaks down. Senior advocate Indira Jaising, amicus curiae, had contended that when a divorce petition is filed there are allegations and counter allegations. The bench noted divorce is based on fault theory, under the Hindu Marriage Act, however irretrievable breakdown of the marriage could be a practical reality on ground - without getting into the issue of blaming each other. On the aspect of fault theory, the bench said there could be allegations that the wife is not making morning tea for the parents and it is very subjective. It further added that social norms could be at the root of issues --a distinction on the nature of work, what should be done by a woman or a man. The bench queried, from where it could attribute fault, since the social norms are changing, which is the ground reality. It added that what is attributed as fault, may not be a fault but understanding of a social norm. In the family court, the parties would have to wait for the mandatory period prescribed under section 13-B of the Hindu Marriage Act. Article 142 deals with the enforcement of decrees and orders of the apex court to provide complete justice in a case. --IANS ss/uk ( 464 Words) 2022-09-29-21:46:04 (IANS)
The Supreme Court on Thursday said jails are overcrowded, and the situation is terrible there - from sodomy to forced homosexuality, and it fills the prisoner with revenge against the system. A bench of Justices K.M. Joseph and Hrishikesh Roy made these observations after directing the Taloja Jail Superintendent to immediately shift Gautam Navlakha, jailed in Bhima Koregaon case, to Mumbai's Jaslok hospital for treatment. Navlakha had moved the apex court seeking a direction to be shifted out of the prison and placed under house arrest instead. Justice Joseph said he had visited jails and there are so many prisoners and pointed out that when prisoners come out of jail they are filled with revenge against the system. "It is terrible, all kinds of things happen therea. From sodomy to forced homosexuality... when you come out, you take revenge from the system which let you down," he said. The top court suggested involving the private sector in running prisons, which could improve the conditions in prisons and cited the West has adopted such models. The bench said that the private jails concept is prevalent abroad and some arrangements could come into place in the country too. The bench suggested that corporate social responsibility funds could be utilised for improving the prison infrastructure, instead of using government funds. "We are just suggesting. You can look into it," it told Solicitor General Tushar Mehta. The top court pointed out that in countries such as Sweden and Norway, the jails are very good and they provide great facilities for their prisoners. A counsel said it is like a resort, they have TV and everything. "Their concept is that nobody is beyond redemption," said Justice Joseph, adding that jail visits are a good experience to understand ground realities. --IANS ss/vd ( 312 Words) 2022-09-29-22:24:03 (IANS)
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday on a day-long visit to Barpeta district took part in a number of events, including the inauguration ceremony of the newly-constructed Inspection Bungalow of the Public Works Roads Department at Kayakuchi, informed Chief Minister's Office (CMO). The new inspection bungalow has been built at a cost of Rs 2 crore under the State-Owned Priority Development (SOPD) fund and is spread across three floors, including the ground floor, and has a total of 11 rooms, of which 6 are air-conditioned while the rest of the rooms are non-air-conditioned. It also contains a suite for very important person's (VIP) visit. The Chief Minister, in a brief meeting at the conference hall of the inspection bungalow with officials of PWRD and representatives of civil society organisations, took stock of the various ongoing developmental activities as well as grievances and expectations of the public from the Sarukhetri assembly constituency. The Chief Minister directed the officials concerned to take necessary measures for timely completion of the developmental activities while assuring the civil society members of all support from the government in mitigating their grievances and fulfilling their demands. The Chief Minister lauded Sarukhetri Member of Legislative Assembly Jakir Hussain Sikdar, under whose constituency Kayakuchi falls, for his efforts at the overall development of the Kayakuchi area. Earlier in the day, Sarma laid the foundation stone for the construction of a new Monikut (the sanctuary) and the pathway leading to it of the historic Jagannath Temple at Pachkhel Goyagoiyoroh in Sarthebari. The Chief Minister declared a sum of Rs 50 lakh as the first tranche of funding from the government for the above works. He also declared a series of projects and schemes aimed towards the overall development of the bell-metal town and its residents. CM Sarma assured the residents of Sarthebari of immediate actions from the government in upgrading the current Sarthebari civil hospital into a state-of-the-art hospital equipped with modern medical machineries and adequate healthcare staff. He also declared that loans and credits totalling Rs 5 crore being availed by various bell-metal industry entrepreneurs will be treated as grants and neither the principal amount nor the interests will have to be returned. This would act as a huge boost to the bell-metal industry, Sarma added. The ongoing works related to improving the condition of Dr Jinaram Das Road connecting Sarthebari with Pathshala shall be completed soon, the Chief Minister stated. He further assured the residents of Sarthebari of the government's seriousness in preserving their identity and culture in this regard and promised necessary actions required for the same. The Chief Minister also paid a visit to the Krishnaguru Sewashram at Nasatra locality of the bell-metal town. He was accompanied by Bhawanipur Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) Phani Talukdar, Palasbari MLA Hemanga Thakuria and Sarukhetri MLA Jakir Hussain Sikdar, along with a host of senior officials of the government. (ANI)
Kerala government has decided to withdraw non-violent cases registered during the COVID period. The decision has been taken in the high-level meeting chaired by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. Around 1,40,000 cases have been registered in the state during the COVID period. Among these, cases related to non-compliance of social distancing, non-wearing of masks, etc will be withdrawn. Cases registered in nature of public protests without violence and vandalism, including the strike by PSC rank holders, will also be withdrawn, according to the state government. During the meeting, it was decided that a committee comprising the Additional Chief Secretary, Home Department, Director General of Police and Secretary, Law Department will be constituted to submit a report that which are the cases to be withdrawn. Kerala High Court has directed the Popular Front of India (PFI), general secretary Abdul Sattar, to deposit an amount of Rs 5.20 crore to the state Home Department for the damages incurred during its hartal on September 23. Court has directed to deposit this amount within a period of two weeks. The amount was estimated by the State and the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) as arising from the destruction/damage caused to public property following the hartal called by the outfit, which now stands banned by the government of India, against the pan-India raids by the National Investigation Agency on September 22, in which over 106 of PFI's members were arrested. The court issued a stern warning that the state government shall take "immediate steps to proceed against the assets/properties of PFI" as well as the personal assets of its office bearers including the Secretary if the general secretary fails to deposit the amount. "The action of the PFI inciting their supporters and goading them into the violent acts that were witnessed across the State on September 23 cannot be legally countenanced. Flash hartal in the state is not going to happen irrespective of a political group, parties any others. Life of citizens cannot be put in peril. The message is loud and clear. If anybody does it, this will be the consequence. You can have your demonstration peacefully against any cause. The Constitution permits it. But no flash hartal," observed the court. Court also directed the state government to make PFI General Secretary Abdul Sattar an additional accused in all cases registered across the state following PFI hartal. The observations of the court came during the hearing of a suo motu case against PFI leaders who called for a hartal in the state against the arrest of its members by the NIA. The matter was considered by the Division Bench consisting of Justice AK Jayasankaran Nambiar and Justice Mohammed Nias CP. Following the hartal (strike), incidents of stone pelting and attacks on vehicles including KSRTC buses by protesters were reported from various places in the state. The PFI was banned by the Centre late Tuesday night. Abdul Sattar, who had been allegedly absconding but was arrested soon after the radical outfit was banned in India, has been handed over to the NIA, a senior police official said Thursday.Sattar, the Kerala state general secretary of the Popular Front of India, was arrested from his office in Kollam district Wednesday. His arrest came hours after the government announced a ban on PFI for allegedly having terror links. Sattar had called for a state-wide hartal on September 23 against raids on the outfit and arrests of its leaders. During the hartal, there were reports of violence from Kerala. (ANI)
After the alleged conversation between a former country's Prime Minister Imran Khan and Principal Secretary Azam Khan about the "US conspiracy" went viral, the PTI chief on Wednesday said that the "cypher should also be leaked so that everyone would come to know how big that conspiracy was." In a series of audio leaks in recent days in Pakistan, an audio clip of Imran Khan went viral on Wednesday. "It is good that the audio got leaked, I would say the cypher should also be leaked so that everyone should come to know how big was that foreign conspiracy," Imran Khan told reporters today, as per The News International. Khan alleged that Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif of leaking that audio when asked who did this, as per the publication. It is pertinent to mention that "US conspiracy" refers to the foreign conspiracy which Imran Khan termed as the conspiracy by the US to topple the PTI government and replace it with Shehbaz Sharif's government in Pakistan. According to The News International, in the latest leaked audio, Imran Khan could be heard directing his then principal secretary that they should play with the "cypher issue without taking the name of the United States." "Let's play with it," Imran Khan believed to be said in the audio, to which Azam Khan suggested that they should hold a meeting on the US cypher to bring it on record. Earlier, audio clips purported of Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif with government officials and Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) Vice-President Maryam Nawaz had also surfaced online. It is to be noted that after those controversial audio leaks, Imran Khan on Monday said that Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja should resign "if he had any shame," media reports said.Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan claimed that the audio leak is proof that the CEC, Sultan Raja, is in cahoots with the Sharif family and his alleged involvement in corruption, reported Pakistani local media The Express Tribune. The audio clip featuring Shehbaz Sharif and Maryam Nawaz had surfaced online, where they were asking to stop the health insurance card program, as per local media.After the audio leaked, Finance Minister Miftah Ismail stepped down in the middle of a trip abroad and made way for PML-N leader Ishaq Dar. Ishaq Dar was involved in several corruption cases. 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. (ANI)
Pakistan's highest forum for coordination on security issues, the National Security Committee (NSC) on Wednesday approved the constitution of a high-level committee led by Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah to probe the issue of recently surfaced audios. The decision was taken in a meeting in Islamabad which decided to prepare a legal framework for cyber security and was attended by services chiefs, heads of intelligence agencies and other senior officials, The Express Tribune reported. Moreover, addressing a press conference on Wednesday, Rana Sanaullah said that Imran Khan had caused "irreparable damage to Pakistan and destroyed the country's economy and political culture," Geo News reported. "I will show students Imran Khan's awful face," said Sanaullah with reference to a university lecture that Khan delivered, adding that this "political fitna" has to be ended in a political way. This statement came after Former Prime Minister Imran Khan and Principal Secretary Azam Khan audio leaked where they were talking about the "US conspiracy" and Khan can be heard saying "Let's play with it". It is pertinent to mention that "US conspiracy" refers to the foreign conspiracy which Imran Khan termed as the conspiracy by the US to topple the PTI government and replace it with Shehbaz Sharif's government in Pakistan. According to The News International, in the latest leaked audio, Imran Khan could be heard directing his then principal secretary that they should play with the "cypher issue without taking the name of the United States." "Let's play with it," Imran Khan believed to be said in the audio, to which Azam Khan suggested that they should hold a meeting on the US cypher to bring it on record. Earlier, audio clips of Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif with government officials and Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) Vice-President Maryam Nawaz had also surfaced online.PTI chief Imran Khan claimed that the audio leak is proof that the CEC, Sultan Raja, is in cahoots with the Sharif family and his alleged involvement in corruption, reported Pakistani local media The Express Tribune. (ANI)
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar assured the US administration on Wednesday of extending all necessary help in sorting out visa issues. He further said that things will get better soon. "But I again, feel this is an issue where obviously it's mainly for the US but we will be supportive and collaborative," Jaishankar told ANI in response to a question asked about people facing visa issues. He further added, "To the people who are concerned about the visa issues, I would like to give the message that I understand their anxiety and the urgency and which is precisely the reason why I took up the matter," and suggested Blinken that India will help the US to deal with the situation in a better way. During the press briefing in Washington, the External Affairs Minister raised concerns about families not being able to meet and students waiting for a long time and underlined it as a 'genuinely serious' problem. "In India, I mean, there are families who are not able to meet their relatives there and people who can't keep their business appointments. There are students who are waiting for a long time. So, it's a really it's a genuinely serious problem of some magnitude." "But I'm very confident, with the sincerity that Secretary Blinken showed and the seriousness with which I hope they would address this and with any support that we can provide, we hope that things will improve," the EAM added as he addressed the efforts of governments of both the countries during the press briefing. Earlier on Tuesday, the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken assured that the US is "building back" on the backlog of visa applications from Indian nationals and said the Biden administration has a plan that will play out in the coming months. "We had constraints from COVID about the number of people we could have in our embassies at any one time etc. We are now building back very determined really from that surging resources. We have a plan when it comes to India to address the backlog of visas that have built up I think you'll see that play out in the coming months," Blinken said in a press briefing. The remarks came as he met with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar in Washington.Jaishankar flagged concerns and challenges that Indians have been facing in receiving visas to work and live in the United States. "There have been some challenges of late, and I flagged it to Secretary Blinken and his team, and I have every confidence that they will look at some of these problems seriously and positively," Jaishankar said in his opening remarks. The waiting period for Indians looking to secure a visitor visa to the US has gone up to 800 days, according to the website of the US State Department. The waiting period is nearly 400 days for student/exchange visitor visas and other non-immigrant visas. "I'm extremely sensitive to this," said Blinken as he blamed the Covid-19 pandemic for the backlog. "Our ability to issue visas dropped dramatically during COVID. And the last thing we want to do is make that any more difficult. On the contrary, we want to facilitate it. So bear with us. This will play out over the next few months but we're very focused on it," Blinken added. (ANI)
India is ready to do more business with the US with the transformational changes currently happening in India in energy, health, climate, infrastructure, logistics and defence domains, the External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Wednesday in a business luncheon with US-India Strategic Partnership Forum. Taking to Twitter, Jaishankar wrote, "Delighted to participate in a business luncheon with @USISPForum. Board members. Thank Dr. Mukesh Aghi for organizing. Noted the high interest in transformational changes happening in India in energy, health, climate, infrastructure & logistics and defence domains." Reiterating India's readiness to do more business with the US, the EAM said that American businesses are struck by how much more digital India has become, and how effectively the government is practising digital delivery. "Business experiences, a lot of interest in the enabling environment in the larger environment, people you know, American businesses are struck by how much more digital India has become, how effectively the government is practising digital delivery," Jaishankar said during the press briefing. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar recently met with Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo and discussed Indo-Pacific Economic Framework alongside high technology cooperation between the two countries. The talks between the two ministers also covered resilient supply chains, high technology cooperation, semiconductors and business promotion in Washington as Jaishankar is in the US on a 10-day visit to hold bilateral consultations with several US cabinet ministers. In a tweet, Jaishankar wrote, "An excellent meeting with Commerce Secretary@SecRaimondo. Our conversation covered resilient supply chains, Indo-Pacific Economic Framework, high technology cooperation, semiconductors and business promotion. Look forward to seeing her in India." Secretary Raimondo and Jaishankar agreed that both the CEO Forum and the US-India Commercial Dialogue are key opportunities to strengthen the commercial partnership between the two countries and to advance progress on issues relevant to the economies of both India and the US. Notably, External Affairs Minister, Jaishankar also met US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin at the Pentagon where he was welcomed in an enhanced honour cordon ceremony on Monday. The External Affairs Minister concluded the high-level United Nations General Assembly debate in New York on Saturday. Jaishankar was in New York from September 18 to 24. IPEF, a group of 13 countries, is a multilateral economic framework. Since its launch in May launch, IPEF countries have engaged in intensive discussions to scope out each pillar of the Framework. The Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF) was launched jointly by the USA and other partner countries of the Indo-Pacific region on May 23, 2022, in Tokyo. India joined the IPEF and Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended the launch event along with US President Joe Biden, Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio and other leaders from partner countries. Previously, virtual Ministerial Meetings were held immediately after the launch on May 23 and thereafter from July 26-27, 2022. (ANI)
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said that business leaders in the United States have appreciated the incremental ease of doing business enabled by the Indian government. Speaking at a press briefing in Washington on Wednesday, Jaishankar said American businesses are surprised by how much more digital India has become, and how effectively the government is practising digital delivery. These remarks come after Jaishankar met business leaders at the US-India Business Council (USIBC) and US-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF) in Washington during his US visit. "I was struck by the fact both yesterday and today. Hearing from a very broad range of businesses. One overall appreciation for the incremental ease of doing business, sectoral, sometimes companies specific experiences, saying you know, like, today, there was an insurance company who spoke about ...what a big change they saw, and how much more positive they were about," the external affairs minister told reporters. The minister said businesses were amazed at the change that has taken place in startups and innovation, as well as the change in labour laws and production-linked inventive policies in India Jaishankar said he invited businesses to come forward with their problems so that solutions can be carved out. During his press conference, the minister said the India-US relationship today is "so important that it is essential to have that face-to-face engagement on a regular basis." He said ties are in a good place by citing good investment flows and regular political exchanges. "There might be some process issues on visas, but the actual movement of people on a longer timeframe has been quite positive, education student numbers have been strong," Jaishankar said. He said the India-US relationship today impacts the rest of the world and there are a lot of countries that look to the two countries both individually and bilaterally. "The good part of the relationship is today that we understand that we have to make space for each other and that we can work with each other even if we do not entirely agree on every aspect of every issue," he added. On Wednesday, Jaishankar held a business luncheon with USISP Forum Board members during which he noted high interest in transformational changes happening in India. The minister said that India is ready to do even more business with the US. "Delighted to participate in a business luncheon with @USISPForum Board members. Thank Dr. Mukesh Aghi for organizing. Noted the high interest in transformational changes happening in India in energy, health, climate, infrastructure & logistics and defence domains," the minister tweeted. "Reiterated that our confident country is ready to do even more business with the US. Appreciated the positive sentiment in the room for stronger India-US linkages," he added. (ANI)
Maldives Foreign Minister Abdulla Shahid on Wednesday lauded the grant assistance provided by India to the Maldives, saying this aid has been pivotal in developing basic services in the island nation. "Grant assistance from India to the Maldives has been pivotal in developing basic services in our island communities. The Emergency Medical Services unit inaugurated in B.Dharavandhoo, that was developed under this scheme is a step forward in broadening our medical services," Maldives Foreign Minister tweeted. This appreciation comes as an Emergency and Trauma Unit was inaugurated in the Maldives. Male characterised the jointly-funded projects as the symbol of friendship between the people of the two countries. "Inauguration of The Emergency and Trauma Unit at B.Dharavandhoo Health Centre, This is a symbol of Friendship between the people of Maldives and the people of India, the Project jointly funded by the Government of Maldives and the Government of India," the Maldives Health Ministry said in a tweet on Wednesday. The Indian high commission in the country said the trauma unit is another shining example of the people-centric grant projects. "Adding heft to our #health cooperation! The Emergency and Trauma Unit inaugurated at B.Dharavandhoo Health Centre today is another shining example of the people-centric grant projects being supported under the #IndiaMaldives dvpt," the high commission tweeted. Last month, Abdulla Shahid praised Indian assistance to the Maldives during the COVID-19 pandemic, especially the "Travel Bubble". He also highlighted India's role in giving Covid vaccines to least developed and smaller countries. In an exclusive interview with ANI, Shahid said, "India was always the world's pharmacist and has reached out to many countries. I have found that India has reached not only the neighbouring countries but also as far as Latin America, the Caribbean and the Pacific. India has really shown its human face of compassion." Underscoring India's help in pulling out the tourism industry of the Maldives from a crisis, he said, "Our tourism industry was shut down, no one travelled, but at the height of the pandemic, we were able to reach an understanding with India on 'Travel Bubble', providing for Indian tourists to visit the Maldives." Many countries around the world, especially small island developing countries like the Maldives during the COVID-19 pandemic went from middle-income country to no-income country overnight when the rest of the world was shut down. (ANI)
Taliban have inked an agreement to purchase and import Russian wheat, gas, and oil, the officials of the Islamic group said. A Taliban spokesperson said products including gasoline, diesel, gas, and wheat would be purchased at a "special discount" in Russian currency, Khaama Press news agency reported. Although Russia had agreed to the discounted trade deal, the Taliban official did not provide any details on the pricing and payment methods. This deal comes as Russia has been hit hard by sanctions imposed after its invasion of Ukraine. The punitive measures from the Western countries have forced Moscow to shift its exports from Europe to Asia. Meanwhile, economic development, trade and transit remained a high priority for the Taliban, since its accent to power in August last year. The Islamic group has continued diplomatic and economic engagement with regional countries, whose representatives stated publicly that formal recognition of the de facto authorities as a government was not imminent. This deal comes after high-level Taliban delegations visited Russia earlier this year. Aside from Moscow, several companies from regional countries have shown interest in investing in the extractive industries sector in Afghanistan. The Taliban leadership have consistently said that they are looking for trade deals with the international community. This latest agreement with Russia move could help to ease the isolation that has effectively cut it off from the world following their takeover of Afghanistan last year. A UN report released on Tuesday said the Afghan economy remained greatly weakened by the severe economic contraction and the banking and financial crisis that followed the Taliban takeover. "Available data suggest that six-month revenue collection through June, driven by customs and non-tax sources, is on par with the level recorded for the same period last year, and exports, driven by coal and fruits, surpassed past performance," said the latest quarterly report of the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to the Security Council. The sudden stop of aid inflows, however, accompanied by political uncertainty, inadequate access to services and women's exclusion from economic participation, continued to lead to slow growth, the report added. According to the UN report, Humanitarian needs were compounded by the sharp economic decline and the devastating combination of decades of conflict, recent earthquakes, recurring natural hazards and protracted vulnerability. (ANI)
Navy chief Admiral R Hari Kumar, who is on his first official visit to Australia, was hosted by Royal Australian Navy's Chief of Navy Vice Adm. Mark Hammond on Thursday. Both leaders reviewed the progress of ongoing maritime engagements and discussed ways to strengthen the partnership of the two navies in the Indo-Pacific region. This meeting comes as the Indian Navy chief is on their first official visit to Australia upon assuming the office of the Chief of Naval Staff (CNS). This key visit saw important discussions on the need to raise the level of synergy and focused efforts for overcoming maritime challenges. "Adm R Hari Kumar, the Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), Indian Navy visited Australia from 26 Sep - 28 Sep 22. This was his first official visit to Australia upon assuming the office of the CNS," the Navy said in a press release on Thursday. During the visit, he held meetings with Vice Admiral Mark Hammond, Chief of Navy, Royal Australian Navy (RAN), Vice Admiral David Johnston, Vice Chief of Australian Defence Forces, Greg Moriarty, Secretary of Defence, Air Marshal Robert Chipman, Chief of Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) and Air Vice Marshal Mike Kitcher, Deputy Chief of Joint Operations. During these meetings, the leaders expressed their commitment to pursue collaborative activities in several areas of bilateral convergence. Adm R Hari Kumar visited RAN facilities at HMAS Penguin and Hydrographic School. The CNS, accompanied by Manpreet Vohra, Ambassador of India to Australia and the Chief of Navy, RAN interacted with the prominent members of Australian Think Tanks to understand and develop new maritime cooperation opportunities. "The discussions also highlighted the need for raising the level of synergy and focused efforts for overcoming the challenges of the maritime environment," the release said. The release further said India and Australia share the commonality of perspectives on several contemporary maritime security issues in the Indo-Pacific and have been working together closely in several bilateral and multilateral fora such as the Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS), Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) and Western Pacific Naval Symposium (WPNS). Coming on the heels of the successful participation of Indian Naval Ship Satpura and one P8I Maritime Patrol Aircraft of the Indian Navy in the recently concluded multilateral exercise KAKADU, the visit of the CNS further consolidated the strong and long-standing bilateral relations between the two countries. (ANI)
It has been a few days since the high-drama Italian elections resulted in the win of Giorgia Meloni's Fratelli d'Italia (Brothers of Italy) party and its right-wing coalition. Meloni, in all likelihood, will be Italy's first female Prime Minister breaking the glass barrier. She is also a rare phenomenon, at 45 she is very young by the standards of the past 66 of her predecessors and comes from a single-parent childhood growing up in a working-class neighbourhood in Rome. While Meloni has been accused of being neofascist, given the origins of her party, sincerely modern-day Fratelli di Italia is conservative and Meloni has made attempts at bringing it to the centre of Italian politics. She is also very proud of her identity. A few years ago, her declaration that she was "Giorgia, a woman, a mother, a Christian, an Italian" was laughed at. Today this woman has made history at a turbulent time by getting a significant majority which in Italian politics is an anomaly. While the party has two minor alliance partners in Silvio Berlusconi's Forza Italia and Matteo Salvini's Lega Nord, it is Meloni that now calls the shots. Apart from moving the Brothers of Italy party to the center from its far-right origins, Meloni has also developed a strong base of experienced professionals to make up for the lack of experience in governance. The head of international relations for the party, now Senator, is Ambassador Giulio Terzi di Sant'Agatha, a retired career diplomat and former minister of Foreign Affairs. Senator Terzi di Sant'Agatha has unique credentials, having been Italy's ambassador to Israel, the United States and the United Nations. She also has former finance minister Giulio Tremonti as another parliamentarian from her party. Meloni's tenure comes at a critical juncture in international relations for Italy. The Ukraine war has divided Italy. And Mario Draghi had just succeeded in returning Italy to its position in international politics after years of myopic leaders who had no international strategy. Before Draghi, Prime Minister Conte and his 5Star Movement had moved Italy from its US-centric policies towards China by being the first G7 country to sign the belt and road initiative(BRI) MoU. Indeed, in his almost two years, not only did Draghi veer Italy away from China but also developed a strong relationship with India, especially with Prime Minister Modi which was apparent during Modi's visit to Rome for the G20 in October 2021. How with the change in government affect Italy's role globally? The International Republican Institute(IRI), founded by President Ronald Reagan and partner of the Foundation Farefuturo of Adolfo Urso, another key Meloni parliamentarian, sheds a light on Beijing's influence in Italy and suggests four moves. Among these an ad hoc office of a Coordinator for Chinese Affairs which would "facilitate the exchange of information and Rome-Washington cooperation". The China coordinator's office would ideally be vigil over Chinese activities in Italy, especially Foreign direct investment into Italian companies, a theme that Draghi has been quick to use his golden veto to block. The IRI suggests that this coordinators office would be "tasked with the gathering information and coordinating the Chinese policies in and concerning Italy", and would be located within the office of the Prime Minister, "working closely with the diplomatic adviser and liaise with the Foreign Ministry and other competent bodies, including Copasir ". Copasir is the Italian parliament's powerful commission on intelligence and vigils over Italy's secret services, as well as, public order entities. This office could serve to "launch an early warning on Beijing's propaganda activities", and "would also facilitate the exchange of information and promote cooperation between Italy and the United States". The "China czar" is one of the four recommendations contained in a document published in these hours by the International Republic Institute, in which some experts analyze various case studies relating to the influence of the People's Republic of China in the world. The other three are: to make the exercise of special powers more organized and less subject to political pressure; increase control over academic agreements and partnerships sponsored by Chinese entities such as state research institutes and technology companies such as Huawei and Zte (with an office at the Ministry of University and Research); set up a parliamentary commission of inquiry in charge of collecting information on illegal financing of political parties from authoritarian regimes, including China (in the wake of the proposal of the current Foreign minister Luigi Di Maio with reference to Russia). This is in continuation to what Ambassador Terzi said in an interview to sky Tv before the elections that Italy was one of the few countries in the west which continue to allow Chinese Confusicous institutes to operate in their state-run institutions. What next for India? While Prime Minister Modi congratulated Meloni who warmly thanked him for his wishes, her anti-China, pro-Taiwan stance will find a strong partner in India. Despite divergent views on the Ukraine war, the new administration in Rome has been very accommodating on India's position, especially protecting its national interests, a philosophy Meloni espouses. Draghi has built a strong relationship with Modi, and Meloni is on track to strengthen this relationship also given India's soon-approaching Presidency of the G20. With a Brothers of Italy-led government, India should expect more Italian cooperation in defence and more engagement and or support in from Italy in the Indo-Pacific. Meloni and her advisors understand, appreciate, and support closer relations with India, as well as, a strong economic partnership, which has been the basis of the Draghi administration. India needs a strong ally and champion in the EU, which has so far been French President Macron. But with Macron's strength in the French Parliament weakened, Meloni could easily step into the role of India's champion in the EU, especially given strong synergies in the political views of the BJP and Brothers of Italy. Meloni has created history in Italy and there are great expectations from her. In Italy's and Europe's current fragile state often the best man to fix such a mess is a woman. Only time will tell if Giorgia lives upto these expectations. (ANI)
A special Myanmar military court on Thursday sentenced the country's deposed leader Aung San Suu Kyi and members of her economic team to three years in jail. San Suu Kyi's team included Australian economist Sean Turnell who was imprisoned for violating the Official Secrets Act, The Irrawaddy news website reported. The latest verdict delivered at a special court means that San Suu Kyi has been sentenced to over 20 years in prison so far in a dozen cases. Turnell, a former key economic adviser to Suu Kyi, was detained by the Mynamar military shortly after last year's coup, which ousted the National League for Democracy (NLD) government. Since staging a coup in February last year, the Myanmar military has carried out a brutal nationwide crackdown on millions of people protesting its rule. Rights groups say the junta security forces' mass killings, arbitrary arrests, torture, sexual violence, and other abuses against protesters, journalists, health workers, and political opposition members amount to crimes against humanity. Earlier this month, UN experts said human rights defenders documenting and responding to atrocities by Myanmar's military junta urgently need comprehensive support, including financial, and called on the international community to end apparent indifference to the violence targeting the country's population. "In the face of inaction by the international community, and with human rights violations continuing to be perpetrated on a daily basis by the military junta, human rights defenders are persisting in their support for those targeted and working to preserve the possibility of justice in the future," said Mary Lawlor, UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders. Along with Tom Andrews, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar, Lawlor highlighted the grave risks defenders face and the specific challenges confronting women human rights defenders. "Defenders have been murdered and disappeared by the military since the coup took place. They now risk arrest, detention, torture, including sexual violence and death when going about their work and fear having their documents seized at military checkpoints," the experts said. "Many have had to go into hiding after being targeted by the military for assisting survivors of gender-based violence. They are on the move constantly, and women human rights defenders often have no choice but to take their children with them when they flee." Others have had to relocate to neighbouring countries, where they remain vulnerable. Lawlor and Andrews said they had publicly expressed concerns for the safety of defenders in the country just over a year ago. "The international community must not adopt a passive stance when it comes to the crimes that are being perpetrated by the military junta and the risks for human rights defenders in Myanmar," the experts said. (ANI)
A delegation of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), comprising representatives of eight member nations including Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Russia, China, Pakistan and also India, will be visiting Varanasi on January 16, 2023, the Chief Ministers' Office said. As India is also a member of SCO, these foreign guests will be introduced to the culture and history of Kashi during their visit. It is worth noting that Varanasi was nominated as the first cultural and tourism capital for 2022-2023 at the 22nd meeting of the SCO council held in Samarkand. Subsequently, the state government sent invitations to every SCO member to visit Kashi. The state administration has stepped up efforts to beautify Kashi and enhance facilities to welcome the delegates next year. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has issued directives to the top officials to prepare for the grand welcome of the foreign guests, ensuring cleanliness and finding a solution to the traffic congestion at all key intersections of the city. On their arrival, the visitors will be greeted by the school children. CM Adityanath, under the direction of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is working tirelessly to beautify Varanasi, the holy city that displays the cultural and traditional panorama of India. Because of his efforts, this religious city has become the most significant tourism hub in the state in recent years. Every day, tens of thousands of pilgrims travel to Kashi from all around the world. The SCO is primarily an economic and security alliance of eight member states to pursue economic integration. The members' visit to Varanasi is therefore viewed as being crucial for business relations with these nations in addition to maintaining cultural identity, the Chief Ministers' Office said. Meanwhile, Principal Secretary, Tourism, Mukesh Meshram has issued an order for making necessary arrangements for the month-long 'Ramnagar Ramlila' festival, which will be held next month, in accordance with the Chief Minister's intentions. Dating back to 200 years, the festival is a much-awaited event in Kashi in October. This historic Ramleela starts from Anant Chaturdashi and lasts for a whole month. Therefore, the King of Kashi becomes a witness to this for a whole month. October and November are festival-filled months. Apart from this, Dev Deepawali 'the festival of light' is to be celebrated from November 5 to November 8 in Kashi. It is believed that all the gods gather at the Varanasi Ghat to celebrate this occasion. People celebrate this occasion by lighting diyas on the ghats and decorating them. Tourists from all over the world gather in Kashi on this occasion. In this regard, the Tourism Department has already started making preparations, the Chief Ministers' Office said. (ANI)
The Indian side was led by Puneet R Kundal, Joint Secretary (East and Southern Africa) and the Zimbabwean side was led by RM Faranisi, Chief Director of Economic Cooperation, International Trade and Diaspora in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade of Zimbabwe.

During the consultations, both sides undertook a comprehensive review of bilateral relations and expressed their desire to further advance these relations for the mutual benefit of both countries, a press release by the Ministry of External Affairs read.

Both sides emphasized the importance of bilateral political exchanges to realise the full potential of the partnership. The delegations also discussed enhancing cooperation in a number of areas, including, trade and investment, development partnership, defence, consular issues, agriculture, health and railways, among others.

Views were also exchanged on regional and international issues of mutual interest. Both sides also agreed to continue high-level political exchanges and regular meetings of the joint institutional mechanisms to keep the partnership vibrant and mutually beneficial, an MEA press release read.

The talks were held in a friendly and cordial atmosphere. Both sides agreed to hold the next round of Consultations at mutually convenient dates in Harare. (ANI)
UK is "working intensely" with India to achieve the Free Trade Agreements soon, UK Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said. This comes after Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal had said the UK is keen to stick to the Diwali deadline for free trade agreements. "We have signed Free Trade Agreements with Australia and New Zealand - and we are working intensely to agree one with India soon", the foreign secretary Cleverly said. In a keynote speech at the 9th Annual Milken Asia Summit, while setting out the UK's continued commitment in the Indo-Pacific region, the UK foreign secretary noted, "We were the first European country to secure a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership with India. And we intend to be the first European country to accede to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership. It will give the region access to the UK's world-class financial services sector as well as, as well as the world's sixth largest economy. That's why engagement between the UK and Indo-Pacific needs to cover the broadest spectrum of activity." Earlier, Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal had said the UK is keen to stick to the Diwali deadline for India-UK free trade agreement and both countries are working towards it. He referred to the passing away of Queen Elizabeth II and said "as we are expanding our engagements, the UK is at a cusp". "I received a letter from the UK again reiterating that they want to stick to the Diwali deadline (for the India-UK Free Trade Agreement)," Goyal had said at an event in New Delhi. Speaking of India's engagements and the quest to become self-reliant, Goyal said, "If we don't engage with the international market, we are the losers...Today the whole world is talking of Atmanirbhar...There is no power that can stop us from becoming a developed nation in the next 25 years...The world wants to engage with us, the world has more confidence in us than we have." British High Commissioner to India, Alex Ellis had also said that India and the United Kingdom have the high ambition of completing the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) by Diwali this year. He had said that the agreement will increase employment and bring economic development to India over the next 25 years. "Both, India and UK need to grow because we have great ambitions from both prime ministers. FTA is one of the best ways we can support the growth and development of India's economy and India's employment over the next 25 years. Now is the time to write a new chapter in our history as partners and support each other in our growth," the UK High Commissioner told ANI on the sidelines of an event held in New Delhi. On being asked, if it could be a "Diwali Dhamaka", the UK High Commissioner nodded, saying, "I hope so.""I think we have high ambition on completing the FTA by Diwali. The FTA will create more jobs, more growth, and more opportunities for India to grow and develop," he added. The two countries concluded the fifth round of talks for the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) last month. (ANI)
Western media seems to be seizing every opportunity to put out its inaccurate, biased reporting and narratives to manipulate, distort and harm India's international image and undermine the country's diversity and sow the seeds of hatred between Hindus and Muslims, media reports said. This is in connection to the reporting of a parade organized in New Jersey to celebrate India's Independence Day six weeks earlier. While the mood back in India was filled with nationalism and patriotism, the Western media including many prestigious outlets such as The New York Post and The Times were all out to malign India by spitting out unverified facts, reported The Australia Today. As per a September 25 article by New York Times, "the bulldozer has become a symbol of oppression in India." The very first line of the so-called reporting was systematically manipulated as the parade did not even have a bulldozer as was boldly claimed by the outlet, but it was rather a backhoe. It is symbolic of the low-effort, low-accuracy reporting that characterises the India coverage of many prestigious Western news organisations, Or in this case, the Indian diaspora coverage, reported The Australia Today. The line that followed was-- "Its appearance in a New Jersey parade has exposed fault lines between the region's Hindu and Muslim communities." Instead of aggressively questioning the stories told to them by all of their interviewees, what the western media outlet chose is to put out biased and inaccurate articles over the parade. In the visuals, it can be seen that the backhoe had pictures of Indian leaders (whom the outlet claimed to be "hard-line protege"). These kinds of baseless coverages later get picked up by think tanks and invoke negative feelings about India (or any other unlucky victim). According to another Western portal, The Times, the bulldozer "was a blunt and sinister taunt later likened to a noose or a burning cross at a Ku Klux Klan rally." The media portal quoting a Muslim community member also said that "the bulldozer was as offensive as a hooded Klansman would be to African Americans or a Nazi symbol to Jews." The article used the word "bulldozer" twenty-one times. Moreover, the biggest news agency Reuters also could not make the efforts to consider facts before reporting over the parade. On September 23, it said that "a yellow bulldozer--a symbol that has become offensive to many Indian Muslims--appeared among the floats." It was ironic that the person reporting had apparently never written for the agency before. While reading a sign over the backhoe, which read "Baba Bulldozer," the reporter says that this is an indication towards policies of the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, "where a number of Muslim homes have been razed by bulldozers." The next turn of events was rather very interesting if one observes. These western outlets actually were in a rat race trying to outpace one another by making India their pawn. New York Times' New Jersey correspondent Tracey Tully, when Reuters reported over her beat, had to respond ! (Even if the news is six weeks old.) Therefore, she found some local outraged citizens and called some human rights activists, got her quotes, and filed her report. About the bulldozers. That were actually backhoes. "In India, where a divisive brand of Hindu-first nationalism is surging, the bulldozer has become a symbol of oppression, and a focus of the escalating religious tension that has resulted in the government-led destruction of private homes and businesses, most of them owned by members of the country's Muslim minority," she reported for America's most prestigious newspaper. Now the big question is did she even try to find out why the backhoe was in the parade or whether to dig out if it was a conscious attempt to provoke Muslims? Not to forget, the tough questions will linger on as the western media continue to deface the true spirit of India's unity in diversity. The organisers of the parade, the local Indian Business Association, were obviously embarrassed by all the attention. They apologised for any offence their parade might have inadvertently caused and promised not to feature "bulldozers" in any future events. Only people who forensically read between the lines, critically examining exactly what was said and carefully looking for what was not said, have any chance of arriving at an accurate picture of reality. For everyone else, the headline is the story, reported The Australia Today. (ANI)
China has deleted the movie 'Return to Dust' from its streaming services as the love story set in rural China shows a wide gap between rich and poor citizens, said Gizmodo citing social media reports. Return to Dust had been generating buzz in China. However, it was unceremoniously pulled from streaming services in the country. Even a ban has been imposed over the mention of the film on Weibo, China's social media platform. The disappearance of the film led to social media criticisms from the audience across the country. This comes in the backdrop of the meeting of the China Party Congress which is scheduled for October. The movie was written and directed by Li Ruijun and was debuted at the Berlin International Film Festival back in February. The movie tells the fictional story of Ma Youtie and Cao Guiying, two newlyweds in an arranged marriage in rural China who find love and devotion to each other on the fringes of modern society. Youtie and Guiying struggle in their poverty, using a donkey for farm labor while the film's antagonist, a man who wants to push them out of their home, drives a luxury car. According to Gizmodo, the trailer for 'Return to Dust' is still available on YouTube, but there are several pirated copies of the film available as well. The first copy of the movie that the outlet Gizmodo found on YouTube was pulled for copyright violation in the middle of watching it. Amid a rising trend of curbs on rights in China, the country is intensifying its censorship of Hollywood movies to make them 'conform' to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) ideals, a media report said. The practice, which is almost 25-years old, has expanded in recent times even as producers make movies with an eye toward pleasing Beijing yet without isolating the global audience, Voice of America reported citing industry insiders. "Now it's kind of escalated in the sense that they're much more direct in banning films outright rather than just tampering or asking for scenes to be removed," Stanley Rosen, a University of Southern California political science professor who follows China's film industry was quoted as saying. As per the report, industry observers say censors are also asking that versions of movies for audiences outside China follow Beijing's script. It is unlikely that censors will allow the 2022 Marvel Studios movie "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness" to be shown in China, the report said, citing a recent op-ed in the Chinese state-affiliated Global Times which said that the movie contains nods to Falun Gong, a spiritual movement Beijing has banned and labelled as a cult. "As a country under the rule of law, China regulates the film industry in accordance with the Film Administration regulations," Liu Pengyu, spokesperson of the Chinese embassy in Washington was quoted as saying. The China Film Administration, an oversight body for the USD 7.4 billion Chinese film industry market, banned Marvel Studios' 2021 superhero films "Eternals" and "Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings," which were released last year, the report said. The 2021 superhero film "Spider-Man: No Way Home" missed Chinese approval because authorities wanted Sony Pictures to remove images of the Statue of Liberty from the film, the report further said. "As the dragon gets bigger, its leverage gets bigger, and no one's pushed back yet," Chris Fenton, Hollywood executive and a lifetime member of the Council on Foreign Relations think tank was quoted as saying. According to James Tager, research director at the free-speech advocacy group PEN America, an increase in Sino-US tensions since the administration of former US President Donald Trump may have exacerbated China's treatment of American movies. Refusal of a Chinese order to cut a scene would risk the studio's future business in China, such as the next Disney or Marvel film or other assets, Tager said. "You may get a reputation as someone who doesn't play ball, which could have even further knock-on effects, possibly for other films or possibly for other business relationships that large studios have in China," Tager said. (ANI)
To forge closer ties with neighbours in the Indian Ocean region, Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra interacted with "media friends" from Seychelles and Sri Lanka who are on a week-long familiarisation visit to India beginning Thursday. "Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra interacted with our media friends from Seychelles and Sri Lanka who are on a week-long familiarisation visit to India beginning today. Another step towards closer ties with our neighbours in the Indian Ocean region," Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Arindam Bagchi tweeted. Amid the unfolding great maritime game in the Indian Ocean, the importance of Seychelles to India's strategic calculus cannot be overstated. Situated only 600 miles east of Diego Garcia, the US air and naval base, the Indian Ocean archipelago is becoming a hub of geopolitical competition, an MEA press release had said. Moving beyond defence, it's in the areas of development and capacity building that the India-Seychelles partnership shines forth. Think of Seychelles, and India always looms large in this enchanting archipelago country better known for beauty pageants, honeymooners and luxury holidays. There have been many presidential visits from India to this African littoral nation. Culturally, the Indian diaspora remains the flag-bearer of Indian traditions and values. Persons of Indian Origin have been among the earliest inhabitants of this island nation. Moreover, India has come to rescue Sri Lanka which is currently under a severe economic crisis. The island country is facing an acute shortage of foreign currency along with a food and fuel crisis. On the other side, under the 'neighbourhood first policy', India has responded with urgency to the government of Sri Lanka's request for assistance in overcoming hardships and will enhance economic linkages between the two countries be it through infrastructure connectivity and renewable energy. In line with its "neighbourhood first" policy, India has been highly active to help Sri Lanka during its economic crisis. (ANI)
Russia has requested the United Nations Security Council to hold an emergency meeting over the acts of sabotage on Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines. Taking to Twitter, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia said, "#Zakharova: Russia has requested that the UN Security Council hold an emergency meeting on the provocations against #NordStream1 and #NordStream2 pipelines, to be held tomorrow, on Friday. We will push for an honest investigation." Earlier, European Union Foreign Policy chief Josep Borrell Wednesday expressed deep concern about damage to the Nord Stream pipelines, the strategic infrastructure that links Russia to Europe. Borrell warned that any deliberate disruption of European energy infrastructure is "utterly unacceptable and will be met with a robust and united response." "The European Union is deeply concerned about damage to the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines that have resulted in leaks in the international waters of the Baltic Sea. Safety and environmental concerns are of utmost priority. These incidents are not a coincidence and affect us all," the top EU official said in a statement. "All available information indicates those leaks are the result of a deliberate act. We will support any investigation aimed at getting full clarity on what happened and why, and will take further steps to increase our resilience in energy security," he added. On Monday, Danish and Swedish officials said that leaks had been identified in Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 under the Baltic Sea off the coast of Denmark's Bornholm island.
Iran protests spread to Afghanistan as a number of women's rights activists staged a demonstration in front of the Iranian Embassy, to show their support for the women of Tehran. This comes after the Islamic Emirate's deputy spokesman, Bilal Karimi, said that the acting government is committed to women's rights, based on Islamic values, TOLO news reported. One of the protestors, Shukria said, "We raise our voices like Iran's Mahsa because many (people) like Mahsa have been victims in Afghanistan." The protestors chanted the slogan: "women, life and freedom". Earlier, the Islamic Emirate said that it ensures women's rights, based on Islamic values. "The Islamic Emirate is committed to the rights of all citizens, in an Islamic format, whether it is a child or adult or at any level," Karimi said as quoted by TOLO News. The death of Iranian Mahsa Amiri has caused a widespread reaction inside and outside Iran. In Iran, several women came on the stage and demonstrated against 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". Women were seen chopping their hair and burning the hijab to protest against the death of Mahsa Amini. Meanwhile, in the UK, hundreds of people voiced their anger about the suspicious death of Mahsa Amini and the protesters were surging toward the Iranian Embassy in the UK capital but being beaten back by police, reported Euronews. A separate image shows the building, which overlooks Hyde Park, splattered with red paint."People are being killed, tortured and harmed in silence," Sepideh Eskandari, who protested at Trafalgar Square with her friend Sogol on Saturday, told Euronews. "We are here to be their voice and ask every other person -- from wherever they are -- to stand with women." "Basic rights are something everyone should want, both women and men," she added. The two protestors, who are both in their early 30s, pointed out that the protests are about broader issues of sexism and discrimination in Iran, something brought into sharp focus by Amini's death. Following the 1979 Islamic Revolution, women must wear the hijab by law in Iran. The policy is largely unpopular, with Iranian women commonly wearing the headscarf loosely around their ears or letting it drop to the neck. When the rule was implemented in 1981, it triggered mass demonstrations, which have continued sporadically ever since, reported Euronews. Amini's death comes amid growing controversy both inside and outside Iran over the conduct of the morality police, known formally as the Gasht-e Ershad (Guidance Patrol). The mandatory dress code, which applies to all nationalities and religions, not just Iranian Muslims, requires women to conceal their hair and neck with a headscarf, reported Al Jazeera. Her death has now become a symbol of the violent oppression women have faced in Iran for decades. Over the decades, women have increasingly pushed back, particularly in the big cities, wearing their headscarves far back on their heads to reveal their hair. (ANI)
US special envoy for Afghanistan Thomas West has called for a 'serious' national political dialogue in Afghanistan as the people continue to take the strain of Taliban atrocities and human rights violations in the country. Thomas West underlined, "Without a serious national political dialogue about the future of the country among Afghans who have genuine support in their community, I really do fear.... we could see a return to civil war in time," as he delivered his remarks at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, lambasting Taliban for their cruelty on Afghans, TOLOnews reported. "We wish to see and to support the emergence of a peaceful and stable Afghanistan that never again harbours terrorists ... in which the rights of all its people, women and men, boys and girls are upheld," the US Special envoy said. However, the Deputy spokesman for the Islamic Emirate, Bilal Karimi, said that there is no requirement for national dialogue in Afghanistan. "There is peace and security in the country. All the challenges that previously existed are currently solved. The time for negotiations was when there was war in the country and there were many sides--there was an invasion--now here is a central government and the people are in a calm situation," TOLOnews reported quoting the deputy spokesman of the Islamic Emirate, Bilal Karimi. Recently, the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) released a recent report, outlining the human rights situation in Afghanistan since the Taliban takeover. The report summarized UNAMA's findings with regards to the protection of civilians, extrajudicial killings, torture and ill-treatment, arbitrary arrests and detentions, the rights of women and girls in Afghanistan, fundamental freedoms and the situation in places of detention, according to Khaama Press. The Taliban regime in Afghanistan has drawn heavy criticism across the world for a decree banning girls from schools above grade six. The plight of Afghan women has continued to be deplorable in the country. Contrary to the Taliban's claims, girls were stopped from going to school beyond a sixth grade on March 23 and a decree against the women's dress code was issued after a month. There are restrictions on movement, education and freedom of expression of women posing a threat to their survival. Around 80 per cent of women working in the media have lost their jobs, and almost 18 million women in the country are struggling for health, education and social rights. (ANI)
Western leaders fear that Vladimir Putin is planning a huge escalation of Russias faltering invasion of Ukraine with a deadly nuclear strike or an attack on European interests, media reports said. British and American spies believe there is 'credible intelligence' to suggest that the Russian President is preparing an attack that will turn the war effort in his favour, after coming to the realisation that the war was 'a colossal mistake', Daily Mail reported. It comes as the US Embassy in Moscow is urging citizens to flee Russia amid fears that dual nationals could be drafted into its war efforts, The Mirror reported. Embassy officials have said Russia may 'refuse to acknowledge US nationals' dual citizenship', deny their access to consular assistance and 'prevent their departure from Russia'. The Embassy also warned that leaving Russia has become increasingly difficult with flights filling and Putin's troops shutting down borders. Putin is understood to be planning land-grab of four regions said to have voted overwhelmingly to join Russia after sham referendums in which residents were marched to the ballot box at gunpoint, Daily Mail reported. Hastily arranged votes had taken place over five days in the four areas - Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson - that make up about 15 per cent of Ukrainian territory. But there is concern that Putin is planning a nuclear attack west of the regions that would create a radiation dead zone and put a halt to Ukraine's so far successful counter-offensives, Daily Mail reported. Another fear is that Russia is preparing a strike on western interests such as maritime communications cables. Officials in the UK believe that Putin, as well as the Russian population, now understand the war was a 'colossal mistake', Daily Mail reported. They also fear the partial mobilisation of 300,000 conscripts may be con to deceive the West into concentrating on Ukraine while he tried to leverage against support for Kiev. It comes amid fears that Kremlin frogmen are responsible for the 'deliberate' sabotage of the Nord Stream gas supply pipeline in the Baltic Sea that has sent energy prices soaring. Security sources told The Mirror that the leaks could act as a warning of similar assaults on communications cables. They added: "Putin has almost run out of options which makes a tactical nuclear strike possible west of the four regions he is claiming. "It is possible he believes this will be enough as a show of intent to get the west to back off, create a dead zone to halt the Ukrainian counter-offensive and claim victory in the east. "But another possibility is an attack on the communication cables between the UK and America, many of which are European links to the States." Damaging internet communication cables could be 'very damaging' for the world's financial markets. --IANS san/arm ( 480 Words) 2022-09-29-19:34:03 (IANS)
(KRON)  Last week, Nexstars KRON reported the incredible international rescue effort to bring a cat to the San Francisco Bay Area from Ukraine, so it could be reunited with a little girl who had to flee with her family.

That family left just about everything behind after the war started, but now theyre together in Sonoma County  working on a new start here in America.

There were tears and smiles, hugs and balloons at San Francisco International Airport when 10-year-old Agnessa was finally reunited with her beloved cat, Arsenii. The Bezhenar family, father Alexander, mother Maria, and daughters Eleanor, Angelina and Agnessa are adjusting to their new lives.

Cat returned to Ukrainian refugee family relocated to Bay Area

Arsenii has a new playmate, a kitten named Tosha. The family is staying in a large country home among vineyards and olive trees near Cloverdale in Sonoma County.

When Arsenii is with us, its like home is with us. Like part of our home is with us, Maria said.

All of this happened thanks to one man, Geoffrey Peters.

When the invasion happened, I felt like we needed to do something to help people, Peters said.

Peters efforts to go to Europe to evacuate war refugees didnt pan out. But he did find an app for Ukrainians seeking help and connected with the Bezhenar family.

Maria sent an email saying weve been matched and we have a family of six, Peters said. And so I went to my son and I said instead of renting this house, which he was planning on doing, would you be willing to donate it for two years?

When the family got to Sonoma County, they had a beautiful, but empty home. Thats when the people of Cloverdale stepped up.

Everybody pitched in and they furnished the entire house. They started donating money. They donated food. They donated gas cards, they donated gift cards, Peters said. Another person found out that the girls are very musically oriented so they donated the piano.

Story continues

Flying Tails: Special rescue flight brings 1 dog, 2 cats to their new homes in Oregon

Cloverdale gave this family a lot, but Cloverdale got a lot back.

The whole community has learned a few lessons. They learned about Ukraine and about the situation with refugees in Ukraine, but they also learned how to be a community, Peters said.

The Bezhenars are working on their English and plan to move forward with new lives as Americans. Agnessa is sleeping better at night now that shes reunited with Arsenii.

The older girls are learning to drive and going to school. Cloverdale is giving the family a good start.

If you want to donate to the Bezhenar family, click here.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
EXCLUSIVE  Twelve Republican senators are demanding an explanation from the Justice Department about the FBI's decision to surround the home of a pro-life activist and arrest him in front of his family.

In a Tuesday letter, the top Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee, Chuck Grassley of Iowa, and 11 other senators asked Attorney General Merrick Garland and FBI Director Christopher Wray for more information about the arrest and indictment of pro-life activist Mark Houck. Officials have charged Houck with violating the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act (FACE Act), apparently in relation to an incident in which Houck pushed an abortion clinic worker who allegedly yelled profanities at Houck's 11-year-old son.

While the incident between the two parties was dropped, the Justice Department told Houck in April 2022 that he was being investigated for violating the FACE Act. The Senate letter says Houck's lawyer said he was willing to cooperate in the investigation, and then, last week, as many as 20 FBI agents surrounded Houck's home "wearing armor plated tactical vests, ballistic helmets and holding ballistic shields and long guns."

The senators are demanding to know why DOJ took such a heavy hand with Houck, and whether it reflects a political bias within the department.

PRO-LIFE ACTIVIST MARK HOUCK PLEADS NOT GUILTY TO FEDERAL CHARGES AFTER FBI ARREST

"This extraordinary fact pattern requires additional information from the Justice Department and the FBI relating to why Mr. Houck was not allowed to self-report for his arrest and arraignment and whether political considerations were made to approve and execute the search warrant," they wrote.

They also asked why it took so long for the DOJ to indict Houck, a list of officials who approved the investigation and the arrest, how many officials were involved.

The FACE Act makes it a federal crime, with potentially steep fines and jail time, to use or threaten to use force to "injure, intimidate, or interfere" with a person seeking reproductive health services.

Story continues

Fox News Digital obtained an email from one of Houcks attorneys, former federal prosecutor Matt Heffron, to U.S. Attorney General Anita Eve in which he said a FACE Act charge is unlikely to hold up in court. Heffron concluded that, "If the government decides to go forward nonetheless, I will accept a summons on my clients behalf, rather put Mr. Houck and his family through needless disruption."

Attorney General Merrick Garland speaks at the Department of Justice in Washington, D.C. Carolyn Kaster-Pool/Getty Images

WHAT IS THE FACE ACT AT THE CENTER OF PENNSYLVANIA PRO-LIFE ACTIVIST ASSAULT CASE?

The senators said in their letter that Eve did not respond to Heffron after at least two other attempts, and that Heffron, "made clear to the committee that he and Mr. Houck were cooperative with the Justice Department; however, in return the Justice Department failed to communicate with them."

"Given their cooperation with federal law enforcement, the family did not expect to be awakened at 7 a.m. with reportedly over 20 FBI agents surrounding their home wearing armor plated tactical vests, ballistic helmets and holding ballistic shields and long guns," the senators wrote.

The senators also asked whether Houck's arrest complied with the Justice Departments "use of force" policy, citing a May 20 memo from Garland to DOJ employees.

22 MEMBERS OF CONGRESS PRESS GARLAND FOR ANSWERS ON ARREST OF PRO-LIFE CATHOLIC ACTIVIST MARK HOUCK

"Under the title of de-escalation, the memo states, Officers will be trained in de-escalation tactics and techniques designed to gain voluntary compliance from a subject before using force, and such tactics and techniques should be employed if objectively feasible and they would not increase the danger to the officer or others. When feasible, reducing the need for force allows officers to secure their own safety as well as the safety of the public," the senators wrote.

The senators note that Houck in addition to already being cooperative with the government, Houcks lawyers also told the committee that Anita Eve "recommended a Return on own Recognizance bond meaning Mr. Houck was free to leave without having to post bail."

"This indicates that the government did not view Mr. Houck as a threat to the community, which calls into question why heavily armed FBI agents were needed to arrest him in the first place," the senators wrote.

FBI agents approaching a crime scene Getty Images

LAWYER FOR PRO-LIFE ACTIVIST ARRESTED BY FBI BLASTS 'OUTRAGEOUS ABUSE OF POWER' FROM DOJ: 'PURE INTIMIDATION'

The FBI Philadelphia Field Office previously told Fox Digital in a statement that, "FBI agents knocked on Mr. Houcks front door, identified themselves as FBI agents, and asked him to exit the residence. He did so and was taken into custody without incident pursuant to an indictment."

"While its the FBIs standard practice not to discuss such operational specifics, we can say that the number of personnel and vehicles widely reported as being on scene Friday is an overstatement, and the tactics used by FBI personnel were professional, in line with standard practices, and intended to ensure the safety of everyone present in and outside the residence," the office said.

The DOJ and FBI confirmed receipt of the letter but declined further comment.
Russia-Ukraine conflict to enter new stage after referendums

By Yang Sheng (Global Times) 08:34, September 29, 2022

The majority of people in Donetsk, Lugansk, Kherson, and Zaporozhye have "voted to join Russia in referendums," according to Russian media. Observers believed that the conflict is certain to intensify and the West will increase military support for Ukraine, while Russia will seek complete control of these regions.

Wang Wenbin, a spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, said at the daily press briefing on Wednesday that "as a responsible major power, China has always paid efforts to promote peace and negotiations, and it never sits aside, and never adds fuel to the flame, and will never use the crisis to get benefits. We will always stand on the side of peace, and will continue to play a constructive part in deescalating the situation."

The US is preparing a new $1.1 billion arms package for Ukraine's battle with Russia that will be announced soon, US officials said on Tuesday as Washington awaits the outcome of what it calls "sham" referendums in Ukraine, Reuters reported. The package will be the latest installment in weaponry for Ukraine. The officials said on condition of anonymity to Reuters that the package will be announced in the coming days.

Experts said this would be good news for US military industrial giants as they will benefit from increased orders for weapons, as long as the conflict continues to keep both Russia and Ukraine bleeding.

According to RT, in Lugansk, over 98 percent of voters supported joining Russia, official figures show. Donetsk recorded similar results with more than 99 percent of voters supporting the proposal. Both Zaporozhye and Kherson regions had processed all ballots by late Tuesday, where respectively 93 percent and 87 percent of voters backed "leaving Ukraine and unifying with Russia."

The process of integrating new regions into the Russian Federation may take some time as it requires the approval of Russia's parliament and the president. But Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said on Friday that he was "convinced it will be fast enough," RT reported.

Analysts said the result is totally predictable, as quite a number of residents in these regions are pro-Russia or Russian-speaking who have suffered from long-standing conflict with pro-West Ukrainian nationalists, adding that as Russian troops are in effective control of these regions, Moscow has full confidence before holding such referendums. However, it is no surprise that Ukraine and the West will absolutely oppose the referendums, and will try to challenge Russia's attempt to consolidate a new status quo.

Cui Hongjian, director of the Department of European Studies, China Institute of International Studies, told the Global Times that Russia is trying to impact the combat situation on the ground via the referendums, because this will decide whether Moscow upgrades its "special military operation" into "war."

"If Russia formally integrates these four regions into its territory, from Moscow's perspective, the whole conflict will enter a new stage, as it could become a case of 'homeland defense,' and the Ukrainian forces in these regions will be seen as 'invaders on Russian territories,' and then Russia will be able to undertake greater mobilization and input more strength to combat and deter potential interventions from the West," Cui noted.

The majority of the international community will not take sides on the issue, and will mostly react in the same way they did after the Crimea referendum in 2014. Some experts believe that since the referendums this time were conducted amid the conflict, Russia's act to integrate the four Ukrainian regions will be more controversial, while the West will also receive new pressure to decide whether to become more directly involved in the conflict, or just keep sending military supplies but make no further intervention.

If the West does not intervene directly, it will be almost impossible for Ukraine to completely defeat all Russian forces in these four regions, especially after Russia activated partial mobilization, but if the West intervenes in the conflict by force, it will bring direct military conflict between Russia and NATO and could even trigger a nuclear war, so the US now is facing a dilemma, said a Beijing-based expert on international relations who asked for anonymity.

If Russia eventually controls all the territory of these four regions, Moscow would have reasons to stop its military operations, but Kiev is unlikely to accept this as a basis for new peace talks, so there is much uncertainty at the moment, said the expert.

US Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield introduced a resolution condemning Russia over the referendums and declared that the UN Security Council does not support "the use of force to redraw borders during a security council meeting on Tuesday," a US official told CNN.

Zhang Jun, China's permanent representative to the UN said at the UN Security Council Briefing on Ukraine on Tuesday that "China has noted the latest changes in the situation in Ukraine Our position and proposition on how to view and handle the Ukraine issue is consistent and clear, that is the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries should be respected, the purposes and principles of the UN Charter should be observed, the legitimate security concerns of all countries should be taken seriously, and all efforts conducive to the peaceful resolution of the crisis should be supported."

(Web editor: Liang Jun, Bianji)
Passersby leave flowers and notes on Thursday, February 20, 2020, in memory of the two firefighters lost in Tuesday's fire at the Porterville library.

More than two years after the massive Porterville Library fire that killed two firefighters, the prime suspect in the case was sentenced.

The suspect  a 15-year-old boy  will spend the next six months behind bars.

He will also be required to undergo extensive counseling and therapy. When he is released, he must continue counseling as well as probation, pay restitution, 100 hours of community service, a curfew, and submit DNA.

He can't have lighters, matches, or any ignition device.

District Attorney Tim Ward was with the victims' families when the sentence was read.

It was an honor to sit alongside the families this morning. They, like their sons, exemplified incredible bravery, Ward said. Though many would agree the results of todays hearing are less than satisfactory, the rightful focus on (Capt.) Figueroas and firefighter Jones heroic acts will be the lasting legacy of this tragedy.

Originally, two boys were charged with arson and murder.

In August, Judge Hugo Loza dismissed all charges against one of the boys and dismissed homicide charges against the other. His decision came less than a week into the long-awaited trial, which was open to the public even though the boys are minors.

Passersby leave flowers and notes on Thursday, February 20, 2020, in memory of the two firefighters lost in Tuesday's fire at the Porterville library.

The firefighters' families were distraught over the August ruling.

"Our families have been devastated twice," said John Jones, father of firefighter Patrick Jones. "Once by two juvenile delinquents... once again by a self-serving juvenile judge."

During trial, witnesses testified that on Feb. 18, 2020, the then 13-years-old boys were together in the childrens reading area. One boy said he lit a piece of paper on fire and handed it to the other boy.

Video evidence showed the boys leaving the library as the fire spread to stuffed animals, decorations, books and other childrens items.

Figueroa and Jones died in the blaze after being trapped in the maze of the library halls.

Initially, the boys told officers they weren't at the library when the fire started, but were later shown video evidence contradicting their statement. The teenagers were arrested and while inside a police vehicle, they were recorded talking about being inside the library.

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They spent roughly a year in custody and were later placed on house arrest.

In California, juvenile offenders are extremely protected. The goal of the state's juvenile justice system is "treatment and rehabilitation of juvenile offenders," according to Legislative Analyst's Office. The court considers the severity of the offense and the background of the offender.

Defense attorney Richard Alvarez said what happened in 2020 was an "incredible tragedy."

"There is no ruling that would have made anyone feel better," Alvarez told the Times-Delta in August. "My heart goes out to the families. The judge made an incredibly hard decision, but it was a fair ruling."

Sheyanne Romero is a journalist for the USA TODAY Network and Visalia Times-Delta.

This article originally appeared on Visalia Times-Delta: 15-year-old boy sentenced in deadly Porterville Library fire
Two Malaysian men were jailed on 29 September 2022 for helping a couple behind an alleged multi-million-dollar luxury goods scam flee Singapore from Tuas Checkpoint. (PHOTOS: Singapore Police Force/Yahoo News Singapore)

SINGAPORE - Two Malaysian men were jailed a year each on Thursday (29 September) for helping a couple behind an alleged multi-million luxury goods scam escape from Singapore.

Mohamed Alias, 40, and Mohamad Fazli Abdul Rahman, 38 had helped Singaporean Pi Jiapeng and his Thai wife Pansuk Siriwipa to escape from Tuas Checkpoint while the couple were under investigation, according to a report by The Straits Times. The two men pleaded guilty to offences under the Immigration Act, the report added.

Mohamed Alias assisted the couple on the night of 4 July by letting them hide in a container compartment of a lorry while Fazli arranged the escape.

Last month, Pi and Pansuk were each handed three charges in court for their alleged role in the scam and for illegally departing from Singapore.

The couple were arrested in Johor Bahru and handed over to Singapore police, after being on the run for over five weeks.

Two of the charges that they face are for conspiracy to cheat, while the third charge is for illegally leaving Singapore via Tuas Checkpoint on 4 July.

Pi, 26, and Pansuk, 27, are accused of cheating customers of Tradenation  one of two companies they are associated with  by deceiving them into paying for luxury watches that they did not intend to deliver between 28 May 2021 and 27 June this year.

They are also accused of cheating customers of another company, Tradeluxury, between 15 January and 27 June by deceiving them into paying for luxury handbags that they did not intend to deliver.

The amount arising from the scam totalled about $32 million, according to media reports.

Pi was first arrested by the Singapore police on 27 June, and released on bail the next day with his passport impounded. Pansuk, who was helping the police with their investigation, surrendered her passport to the police on 30 June.

The couple later became uncontactable and fled Singapore via the lorry. Interpol red notices issued against the couple were published online on 21 July.

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At least 180 reports have been lodged with Singapore police since June against Tradenation and Tradeluxury in relation to the alleged scam. Investigations into the couple's case are ongoing.

The punishment for cheating is jail for up to 10 years and a fine. The penalty for leaving Singapore without presenting a passport is up to six months' jail and a fine of up to $1,000.

A pre-trial conference for the couples case has been scheduled for 11 October.

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Erie County Executive Brenton Davis has pledged millions of dollars in federal COVID-19 relief to a single manufacturing center he believes will spark greater investment in the region.

But in order to make good on that pledge, Davis wants to divert funds from a transformative grants program that has been supporting hard-hit communities for a year.

Erie County Council members Mary Rennie, Andre Horton and Terry Scutella say the pledge violates the spirit of the American Rescue Plan, which was to provide immediate help to those most affected by the pandemic.

They also say Davis made the pledge unilaterally, with no public hearings, no public votes and no regard for the process and procedures of county government.

"It's not even a rubber stamp, it's a rollover," Rennie said in regard to Davis' approach to council.

Erie County Executive Brenton Davis addresses the audience after being sworn in, on Jan. 3, 2022, at the Erie County Courthouse in Erie.

Davis pledges funds:Erie County Council members accuse Davis of committing funds without council approval

At a Sept. 15 meeting, Davis officials asked council to support a resolution to green-light the use of American Rescue Plan funds toward the proposed center.

The resolution was tabled after Rennie, Horton and Scutella said the administration was merely seeking council support after already committing funds to the project.

This past Thursday, the finance committee agreed by a 4-3 straw vote to add the resolution to the regular council meeting agenda for Oct. 4 as a first read. Rennie, Horton and Scutella, all Democrats, were the nay votes.

Davis eyes Penn State Behrend project

The pledge in question involves $5 million in American Rescue Plan money that Davis wants to go toward the development of a manufacturing and engineering center at Penn State Behrend's Knowledge Park.

The $5 million makes up a local match for a state Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program grant of $8 million. If awarded, the RACP grant  on top of the local matches from the county and Penn State University  could provide the project roughly $16 million.

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The center is the first phase of Project RESOLVE and is one of 15 projects in Erie County competing for a RACP grant. It's the only one that Davis is supporting with American Rescue Plan funds.

Davis seeks regional partners:Davis seeks regional partnerships to maximize federal grant funding

In a statement, Davis said the new center would establish the region as a "global leader in battery research and testing," and make the area a magnet for employment and investment, especially at the Wabtec Corp. plant in Lawrence Park Township.

He said using the $5 million was a "logical approach" since the money was part of an existing budget line, Transformative Grants, in the 2022 American Rescue Plan budget.

However, Rennie says Davis is "playing favorites" among the potential RACP contenders and has committed funds to the center  before seeking council approval  to bolster its chances of getting the RACP award.

Funds were to help multiple community projects

Speaking with the Times-News, Rennie said the Transformative Grants budget line was intended for the Erie County Gaming Revenue Authority, which received the first round of this funding in 2021 and has a grant process in place to support critical community projects.

Davis officials said the money was fair game because the 2022 American Rescue Plan budget did not specify the Gaming Revenue Authority as the recipient of the funds.

"If ECGRA doesn't have control over it, then that doesn't automatically mean the county executive has control over it," Rennie said. "In other words, if we didn't name a fiscal agent, all that means is council needs to name a fiscal agent for that money. The county executive does not have complete authority to go in any line of the budget and just raid it for his own purposes."

Davis, townships call for ARPA changes:Davis joins township officials to urge Erie County re-budgeting of federal spending plan

Perry Wood, executive director of the Gaming Revenue Authority, said he expected to receive the $5 million and had conducted "organized rural listening sessions" in the summer to determine what projects needed support.

It would be a shame to see that funding directed away from transformational grants to communities like Millcreek, Girard, Corry, North East and Union City," Wood told the Times-News. "The County Council has been put into a very difficult position being asked to choose between their constituents and a single project.

Wood said the listening sessions showed an "urgent need for investment" in dozens of projects, from water lines and broadband in Girard to sewer service expansion throughout the borough and township of North East.

"It's projects like those that would be left unfulfilled," he said.

While Rennie, Horton and Scutella each voiced their support for Project RESOLVE, they questioned whether American Rescue Plan funds are the appropriate funding source.

"I think the money can be used for basically what it was meant to be used for," Scutella said. "There's still people and other organizations that are hurting and I think it would be better to use it for them."

Council solicitor says Davis violated Home Rule Charter

At a Sept. 15 finance meeting, County Council Solicitor Tom Talarico said Davis had "usurped" the council's authority by pledging the funds without council approval.

He also said if council approved the resolution to support the use of American Rescue Plan funds, it would be "breaking the law every bit as much as the county executive."

"He, on his own, usurped the County Council's authority and pretended that he had the authority to get involved and influence Wabtec, Behrend, RACP, the government  all giving them the impression that that money has been appropriated already," Talarico said of Davis. "He has no authority to do that. He is completely out of line."

Horton questioned why the council's three-person ad hoc committee  which was formed by council in July to recommend changes to the 2022 American Rescue Plan budget  had not reported back to council on the matter.

Council creates ad hoc committee:County Council forms committee to readdress American Rescue Plan funds

County Information Officer Chris Carroll, in an email to the Times-News, said Davis had met with the ad hoc committee on multiple occasions and the committee had "indicated support of this commitment to Project Resolve."

However, ad hoc committee members Brian Shank and Jim Winarski said they were unclear about any such commitment.

"To the best of my recollection  no," said Shank in regard to the ad hoc committee backing the $5 million pledge.

Winarski said, "I would say people liked the idea but I don't know if there was ever any commitments."

Schauerman, the third member of the ad hoc committee, could not be reached for comment.

Rennie stressed that if the resolution passes, then County Council is "rolling over" for the county executive. If it fails, the county will be "on the hook" to find funds elsewhere, she added.

Penn State Behrend, Davis deny any pledge of funds

In an emailed statement to the Times-News this past Tuesday, Robb Frederick, Penn State Behrend's assistant director of news and information, said no one has pledged funds toward Project RESOLVE.

"No officials, including the current county executive, have at any point made any promises of funding for this project," Frederick said. "It has always been our understanding that any allocation of local funding for the center would require the approval of County Council. We recognize and respect the councils role in this process."

This past Thursday, Davis told council members that any allegations that he committed funds or made any deals with Penn State Behrend on Project RESOLVE were "fictitious."

However, Davis and his director of administration, Doug Smith, have acknowledged in a statement and at a council meeting, respectively, that $5 million in American Rescue Plans was "pledged" to the project.

Documents obtained by a Right-to-Know request from the Times-News also indicate that Davis on Aug. 19 emailed the Erie County General Authority  which submitted the RACP application on the county's behalf  and wrote that "Erie County will invest $5 million in Project Resolve from our ARPA funds" and that "PSU has agreed to match the $5 million," and that these funds were "agreed upon."

The RACP grant application, submitted on Aug. 19, indicates a local match of $8.4 million  which includes the $5 million investment.

A.J. Rao can be reached at arao@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter @ETNRao.

This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: Erie County Executive Davis, council at odds over $5M pledge to Behrend
Seoul  North Korea test fired two more ballistic missiles Thursday just hours after U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris toured the South's heavily fortified border with its nuclear-armed neighbor  part of a trip aimed at strengthening the security alliance with Seoul and reassuring the ally of America's commitment to regional security.

South Korea's military said it had detected two short-range ballistic missiles launched Thursday evening by North Korea into the East Sea.

"While our military has strengthened surveillance and vigilance, it is maintaining a fully prepared posture while closely cooperating between the ROK [South Korea] and the U.S.," the South's Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement.

The latest missile tests came after North Korea launched two banned ballistic missiles Wednesday, on the eve of Harris's arrival. The launches are a continuation of a record-breaking streak of weapons tests this year by the North.

U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris looks toward the North Korean north side of the border from an observation post, with a South Korean soldier, as she visits the Demilitarized Zone in Paju, South Korea, September 29, 2022. / Credit: SeongJoon Cho/Bloomberg/Getty

At an observation post atop a steep hill overlooking North Korea earlier in the day, Harris peered through bulky binoculars as U.S. and South Korean soldiers pointed out features, including defenses, in the area. "It's so close," she said.

"It's 50 meters away, ma'am," responded a military officer.

Harris also visited the Panmunjom Truce Village  where then-U.S. President Donald Trump met the North's Kim Jong Un in 2019  and talked to U.S. soldiers at Camp Bonifas in the Joint Security Area. On the North Korean side of the border at Panmunjom, guards in hazmat suits could be seen watching as Harris was shown the demarcation line between the two countries, which have remained technically at war since a 1953 armistice agreement brought a halt to large-scale fighting. Speaking at the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), Harris said U.S. and South Korean soldiers were "serving shoulder to shoulder... to maintain the security and the stability of this region of the world." She said the U.S. commitment to South Korea's defense was "ironclad," adding that the allies were "aligned" in their response to the growing threat posed by the North's weapons programs. The allies both want "a complete denuclearization of the Korean peninsula," but in the interim they are "ready to address any contingency," she said. South Korean and U.S. officials have warned for months that Kim Jong Un is preparing to conduct another nuclear test.

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Harris decried North Korea's "brutal dictatorship, rampant human rights violations and an unlawful weapons program that threatens peace and stability."

Washington has about 28,500 troops stationed in South Korea to help protect it from the North, and the allies are conducting a large-scale joint naval exercise this week in a show of force.

As CBS News senior foreign correspondent Elizabeth Palmer notes, the U.S. commitment to bolstering ties with its allies in the region, most notably South Korea and Japan, is expensive business. Nine months ago, U.S. lawmakers approved a defense outlay of $7.1 billion  earmarked specifically for the Pacific Deterrence Initiative (PDI), which was more than the $5.1 billion requested by the Biden administration. It will pay for, among other things, training and cooperation, including the kind of elaborate joint exercises the U.S. and Seoul are conducting this week.

Harris' trip to the DMZ is likely to infuriate Pyongyang, which branded United States House Speaker Nancy Pelosi the "worst destroyer of international peace" when she visited the border in August. Harris arrived in Seoul after a trip to Japan, where she attended the state funeral of assassinated former prime minister Shinzo Abe.

On Wednesday, the South's spy agency said North Korea's next nuclear test could happen as soon as next month, likely after China's upcoming party congress but before the U.S. midterm elections. The isolated regime has tested nuclear weapons six times since 2006, most recently in 2017. Earlier this month it changed its laws, declaring itself an "irreversible" nuclear power. "North Korea's growing nuclear missile threat raises concerns in Seoul about the reliability of Washington's defense commitments," said Leif-Eric Easley, a professor at Ewha University in Seoul. But sending the USS Ronald Reagan supercarrier and Harris to South Korea demonstrates both America's military capabilities and political will, he added. During current President Yoon Suk Yeol's tenure, Seoul and Washington have boosted joint military exercises, which they insist are purely defensive. North Korea sees them as rehearsals for an invasion. During her trip, Harris also raised the issue of Seoul working more closely with Japan on security issues. Seoul announced Thursday that it would hold trilateral anti-submarine drills with Japan and the U.S., the first such exercises since 2017. South Korean officials said this weekend they had detected signs Pyongyang could be preparing to fire a submarine-launched ballistic missile.

U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris poses for a photo with South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol ahead of their meeting in Seoul, South Korea, September 29, 2022. / Credit: SeongJoon Cho/Bloomberg/Getty

Earlier Thursday, Harris met President Yoon for talks dominated by security issues, although Seoul also raised its concerns over a new law signed by President Biden that removes subsidies for electric cars built outside America, impacting Korean automakers such as Hyundai and Kia. Harris, America's first woman vice president, also met what the White House called "groundbreaking women leaders" of South Korea to discuss gender equality issues, a topic she said she raised with Yoon during their talks. Yoon, who has pledged to abolish Seoul's Ministry of Gender Equality, has faced domestic criticism for a lack of women in his cabinet.

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Gunmen on Wednesday killed six police officers in a northern Mexican state where rival cartels are fighting over drug trafficking routes, authorities said. Five of the officers were shot dead while training at a sports center in Calera de Victor Rosales, the Zacatecas state government said.

Two more law enforcement officials were shot after arriving at the scene soon afterward, one of whom died, according to a statement.

Zacatecas Governor David Monreal condemned what he called a "cowardly attack" and offered his condolences to the family, friends and colleagues of the victims.

"We will do whatever is necessary for justice to prevail," he wrote on Facebook.

Violence has spiked in recent years in Zacatecas, with experts citing a turf war between the Sinaloa and the Jalisco New Generation cartels for control of lucrative drug smuggling routes to the United States.

The Department of Justice considers the Jalisco cartel to be "one of the five most dangerous transnational criminal organizations in the world." The cartel's leader, Nemesio Oseguera, "El Mencho," is among the most sought by Mexican and U.S. authorities.

In January, 10 bodies were found in a sports utility vehicle abandoned in front of the governor's palace in the Zacatecas state capital.

Across the country, more than 340,000 people have been killed in a wave of bloodshed since the government deployed the army to fight drug cartels in 2006.

Sarasota County Emergency Management Chief Ed McCrane on Hurricane Ians damage

Ian weakens into a tropical storm, moves to Orlando

Hurricane Ian slams into western Florida as a Category 4 storm
An 82-year-old man is accused of killing his wife after he called 911 and reported her death as a suicide, police in Georgia said.

Roswell police arrested Bruce Miller on Sept. 28 in connection with the death of his 80-year-old wife, Judith Miller, the department said in a news release.

Miller will be booked into the Fulton County Jail on charges of murder, felony murder and possession of a knife during the commission of a crime, the release said.

Just before 4 p.m on Sept. 15, officers responded to the couples home after Miller called 911 and reported his wife had died by suicide. Police found Judith Miller dead with a stab wound, according to the release.

Bruce Miller made the original 911 call and provided a statement to investigators indicating that Judiths wound was self-inflicted, and that she had taken her own life, police said in the release.

The evidence at the scene and Millers autopsy indicated otherwise, though, police said and her death was ruled as a homicide by the Fulton County Medical Examiners Office.

Police arrested Miller on Sept. 28, according to the release, and the case remains under investigation.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Roswell Police Department at 770-640-4100.

Roswell is about 20 miles north of Atlanta.

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Click here to read this story in Spanish.

FORT MYERS BEACH  They thought second floors would be safe.

But Hurricane Ian was more brutal than some residents of Fort Myers Beach ever imagined.

Kevin Behen left his studio apartment and hunkered down in a corner room in a stout building by the foot of the bridge into town. The surge licked the second-floor deck. He sprinted upstairs and banged on a door until someone let him in.

It sounded like there was a tornado coming every five minutes, Behen said.

The water rose rapidly like a dam had collapsed.

Daybreak on Thursday revealed devastation  another slice of salt-streaked Florida forever altered by a storm.

Blown-out homes blocked side streets, each an eruption of soggy wood and metal. Sand covered the main drag, Estero Boulevard, as if hurling the barrier island back in time.

Beer bottles and kegs spilled out from shattered bars like confetti, and Winds  the beach souvenir shack near the northern edge of town  was a husk. Ian blew out all the shops windows, and most of the tile inside, too. Soaked neon swimsuits, hats and sunset-colored T-shirts lay in a wet curl around the building.

The stiff sea breeze was tainted by the smell of natural gas.

Behen took a call from his father as pickup trucks rumbled into the city.

The island is like somebody took an atom bomb and dropped it, he said into his phone.

Behen soon stumbled upon another man, who said hed ridden his roof through the flood to shelter, slept on a porch, and feared his roommate and two others were dead. He had no shoes and bloody gashes on both his head and legs.

An untold number of people stayed while Ian battered Southwest Florida as one of the most powerful storms to ever make landfall in the United States. Some are now missing.

A Coast Guard helicopter thwacked over Fort Myers Beach about 10 a.m., dropping a stretcher into the wreckage and hauling a person up.

Emergency officials expect to find bodies in the rubble, said Jennifer Campbell, the local fire marshal. They know people did not all heed the evacuation orders. Campbell walked through town with a colleague Thursday, surveying the damage and shutting off gas lines.

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Absolute devastation, she said. Theres barely anything left.

Just before the last bridge to Fort Myers Beach, Max Lopez-Figueroa, 28, and his wife, Zhenia, 30, had planned to huddle in their second-floor condo during the hurricane. But the surge rose and rose until it approached their deck.

They scrambled upstairs to another unit with their children, Yuriel, 2, and Aziel, 2 months. Then the entire side of the building blew off.

No preparation could have prepared us for this, Max said. Aziel slept through the storm, and Yuriel, remarkably calm, watched Dog Gone Trouble.

Flying debris  they cant know what  dented their storm shutters. Their brand new Mazda SUV was completely flooded. But the inside of their unit turned out mostly OK.

Around their home, grounded boats lined the road like shadows. A pleasure cruisers stern sat atop a squashed SUV.

The Lopez-Figueroas said they think they will move north now, out of Florida.

Its not because were running from it, Zhenia said. We have nothing. So you start over.

Down Estero Boulevard near the elementary school, Cheryl Summers and Jay Kimble had abandoned their first floor home to stay with an upstairs neighbor. They took their four cats with them.

Still, Ian blew out the walls of the buildings lower level, and the whole structure shook. Dark water rose outside.

They feared they would have to swim for safety. Kimble, 48, tied a hammer to a rope and stepped onto an exterior staircase, trying to hook a kayak for their escape. Wood beams and a trailer floated by. The wind howled.

The kayak, he realized, was tied to a tree. Out of reach.

The couple hadnt wanted to take their cats to a shelter. So, in the thick of the storm, they took sleeping pills to ease their panic.

Up the road, Karla Quillen nervously watched the sea rise to just below her second-floor apartment. Her windows rattled, and rain leaked inside. The surge was tinted muddy brown.

She knew the nearby convenience store had been destroyed when the ice cream cooler floated past her window.

Ians forecast had seemed to swallow much of Florida, she said, and she figured she couldnt get out of the state completely before it arrived. Her boss offered a place to stay in Cape Coral, but it was just a single-story.

Quillen, 67, works in a souvenir shop that she said blew away from the first floor of the Lani Kai Island Resort.

Walking down Estero Boulevard, surveying the damage just before the sun peaked out Thursday morning, she felt lucky to have only lost a bike and car. Her voice caught behind tears.

I just cant believe that Mother Nature would do something like this, she said. My God.

Not far away, along San Carlos Boulevard near Fort Myers Beach, Dana Pearson plucked lead sinkers from the pavement that had blown across the street during the storm.

Her husbands 65-foot boat was tossed like a toy into the nearby mangroves. Their poles were buried in the branches.

Another captain Sean Adler, of Estero, walked around looking at the damage. Hes been a fishing guide for 15 years in the area, and lately, business had been excellent.

But after Ian, hes thinking about a move to Jupiter on Floridas East Coast.

The people arent going to come here, he said.

The Fort Myers area relies on hotels and beaches, which were decimated by the hurricane.

Adlers condo was still in good shape, he said, but he needed time to process what happened to the place he loved.

Things arent adding up right now, he said.

Tampa Bay Times Hurricane coverage

TAMPA BAY CLOSURES: What to know about bridges, roads in Ians aftermath

WHEN THE STORM HAS PASSED: Now what? Safety tips for returning home.

POST-STORM QUESTIONS: After Hurricane Ian, how to get help with fallen trees, food, damaged shelter.

WEATHER EFFECTS: Hurricane Ian was supposed to slam Tampa Bay head on. What happened?

WHAT TO DO IF HURRICANE DAMAGES YOUR HOME: Stay calm, then call your insurance company.

SCHOOLS: Will schools reopen quickly after Hurricane Ian passes? It depends.

SELF-CARE: Protect your mental health during a hurricane.

ITS STORM SEASON: Get ready and stay informed at tampabay.com/hurricane.
Chaotic scenes close to Kabul Airport on 20 August 2021

A man who has been living in Afghanistan away from his young children for a year said he did not know when his family would be reunited.

The father, who has a British passport, said he had to remain in Afghanistan to protect his wife while the country was under Taliban rule.

Their three children came to the UK in 2021 with other relatives and lived in a hotel in Luton for a year.

The Home Office said British citizens could apply for a spouse visa.

The children, now aged nine, 11 and 13, were separated from their parents when a bomb went off at Kabul Airport in August 2021.

Thousands, particularly those who had connections to US and British forces, had gone there to try to fly out of the country in the wake of the US withdrawal, when the Taliban regained control of the capital.

The family had gone to the airport together and were then split up in the ensuing chaos, but the children managed to find other family members and travelled with them to the UK that month, leaving their parents behind.

The Taliban re-took control of Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan, in 2021

The father, who already had a British passport and had lived in Britain previously, is not being identified by the BBC for safety reasons.

He said he would have considered taking his children back to Afghanistan to keep the family together but he thought their education in the UK was more important.

"The school is abandoned in Afghanistan," he said.

"I cannot take my kids back to Afghanistan, this is the reason - because of their education."

In order for the father to get a UK visa for his wife, he said he had been told he would need a confirmed job offer in the UK, or proof of earnings, which he said would not be possible to obtain from Afghanistan.

"I don't have the requirements at the moment because I would have to stay and work and get six months' pay slips and I can't stay here for six months because of my wife," he said.

"She cannot go shopping to buy food [without a male escort] because of the situation in Afghanistan, especially for women - they're asking where you are going, who you are."

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He said his wife's situation had led to conflicting thoughts about what to do with their children.

"My wife is crying every day for the children. I might have to take my kids back to Afghanistan for her mental well-being," he said.

After staying in a hotel in Luton for a year, the children and their relatives recently moved into a house in the Midlands.

Their eldest daughter, aged 13, said her father had managed to visit her and her brother and sister, "for a few weeks", but he had then returned to their mother.

The teenager said she was unable to communicate with parents who "don't have any internet".

"That is hard for me," she said.

The Taliban regained full control of Afghanistan in 2021, having been removed from power by a US-led military coalition in the wake of the World Trade Centre attack in 2001

A spokesman for the Home Office said it did not routinely comment on individual cases but said the government was "committed to providing protection for vulnerable and at-risk people fleeing Afghanistan".

"The situation is complex and presents significant challenges, including securing safe passage out of the country for those who want to leave - and who are eligible for resettlement in the UK," the Home Office said.

Find BBC News: East of England on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. If you have a story suggestion email eastofenglandnews@bbc.co.uk
Sep. 28The Aiken County Public School District has announced that Friday will be a remote learning day due to anticipated weather from Hurricane Ian.

According to a statement from the school district, students should leave school on Thursday with their laptops and all their Friday assignments downloaded to their devices. Because power outages may occur laptops are asked to be fully charged.

Students in first grade and kindergarten may be assigned work that is to be completed with a pencil and paper, and the parents and guardians will be provided information about the assignments.

"In collaboration with County Emergency Management Officials, our district leaders have been monitoring this weather system to make the best possible decision regarding the safety of in-person learning for Friday. There are many safety considerations impacting this decision and we recognize the difficulties of remote learning for many students and families. Weather systems are difficult to predict. Based on the information available to us at this time, we believe this decision to be in the best interest of our students, staff and families. Specific information regarding e-learning assignments will follow from individual teachers and schools. Thank you, in advance, for your patience and understanding and please stay safe throughout the remainder of this week and weekend," the school district said in a statement.

Horse Creek Academy

Horse Creek Academy will also have an eLearning Day on Friday due to the possible impacts of Hurricane Ian, according to a Facebook post from the school.

Lunches, extra curricular events and services will be canceled. Families will not be charged for the lunches.

Elementary students will be bringing home paper packets and middle and high school students will work digitally on their Chromebooks.

Classes will be on a normal schedule on Thursday.

High school sports

Many of the high schools announced changes to the Friday night football games.

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For North Augusta High School the varsity football game against South Aiken has been moved to Thursday, Sept. 29, at South Aiken. The JV game has been moved to Thursday at 6 p.m. at North Augusta High School, according to a social media post from the school.

For Fox Creek High School the varsity football game against Silver Bluff has been moved to Thursday, Sept. 29 at 7 p.m. at Lions Memorial Field. The JV football game for this week has been cancelled, according to a social media post from the school.

Strom Thurmond High School's varsity football home game with Batesburg-Leesville High School has been moved to Thursday at 6 p.m., the school announced in a news release.

The Wagener-Salley High School football game has been moved to Wednesday, Sept. 28 at 6:30 p.m. at Williston-Elko, according to a social media announcement from the school.

Aiken Tech

Aiken Technical College is also monitoring the hurricane, but planning to continue with a normal schedule on Friday.

"The College is closely monitoring local weather forecasts and any impact the weather may have on campus operations. Any changes to the College's operations or hours will be announced on our website and official social media pages," said Nikasha N. Dicks, director of marketing and communications for ATC.

USC Aiken

USC Aiken is monitoring the situation and is currently continuing on a normal schedule.

Postponements

The SPCA Albrecht Center for Animal Welfare's Wags, Wine & Whiskers: 10 Year Celebration, which was scheduled for 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 2 at Constantine House in Aiken, has been postponed to Oct. 9.

The dedication ceremony celebrating the completion of the Love to the Rescue wall, which was scheduled for 11:30 a.m. Friday, Sept. 30, has been postponed to Thursday, Oct. 6. The event will be held at the same time at Osbon Cleaners, 136 Pendleton St. S.W.

The annual Blessing of the Animals at All Saints Anglican Church has been postponed to Saturday, Oct. 8 at 10:30 a.m.

Cancellations

The Touch-A-Truck event scheduled for Saturday has been canceled due to the impending weather from Hurricane Ian.
Senior Air Force officials pledged to improve airmens access to mental health care and urged commanders to play a more active role in supporting their troops, suggesting that suicides are again on the rise.

Secretary Frank Kendall, the services top civilian, and Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force JoAnne Bass, its senior enlisted leader, encouraged airmen and Space Force guardians to seek out wider support systems in a Sept. 22 question-and-answer session on Facebook.

I think all of us, at some point in our lives, [have] had times when life wasnt really what we wanted it to be, Kendall said. There are things we can do to  recognize when somebodys having some problems, let them know that somebody cares and can reach out to them. Let them know that whatever theyre feeling right now isnt something theyre always going to feel.

Pace of suspected Air Force suicides slowed in 2021, officials say

Its unclear how many airmen and guardians are believed to have killed themselves in the past year. The Department of the Air Force no longer provides its annual suicide counts upon request, spokesperson Laurel Falls said Wednesday. Those figures are included in the Pentagons quarterly suicide updates and its annual final report.

But Kendall indicated this years total has surpassed that of fiscal 2021.

We get roughly the same number each year. I think we can bring it down, he said. Last year was pretty good; this years trends are not quite as good.  If we pay attention to this as leaders, we can make a difference.

Seventy-one troops in the active duty Air Force and Space Force, Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve died by suicide in fiscal 2021  the lowest in at least six years, according to Pentagon data. In contrast, that number spiked to 110 airmen and guardians who died each year in both 2019 and 2020.

Relationship issues, sense of a loss of purpose and despair about quality of life and work often factor into someones decision to end their own life. Firearms are the leading cause of death for airmen and guardian suicides inside the continental United States, the Air Force said.

Story continues

Active duty and National Guard suicide rates are comparable to those of the wider U.S. population, while the Reserve rate is lower. Most people in the Department of the Air Force who died by suicide in 2020 were single junior enlisted men between the ages of 23-30, the service said in April.

The service cant do anything about the nationwide shortage of mental health providers that is spiking appointment wait times, but it can encourage airmen to build stronger communities.

We can do things to help people become, basically, volunteers that people can talk to, Kendall added. We can do things that increase our staff, that are more efficient  and deal with the higher-priority cases faster.

Veterans' suicides drop to lowest rate since 2006

Most people who seek mental health services need someone to listen rather than clinical care, Bass said. But she wants to improve access to therapy and other resources for people before their emotions develop into depression or anxiety. The Air Force has also been working to increase the number of victim advocates for sexual assault victims.

The service still has a long way to go in battling the perception that receiving mental health care can hurt someones career trajectory, particularly for those with security clearances or who carry firearms for their job.

Seeking help demonstrates courage, maturity and judgment, Kendall said. He said he sought out a therapist while going through a tough divorce and was better for it.

Still, Bass acknowledged that staying in the service may cause more harm than good for people who are deeply struggling.

The truth is that some people, for the sake of their health, probably should take this uniform off, she said. We care more about their life.

Leaders up the chain of command need to set better examples of mental health and balanced lives, they said. At the same time, its also up to frontline supervisors and other managers in units across the force to create a healthy culture.

The military may be required to start tracking suicides by job assignments in hopes of more answers

One questioner urged the Air Force to offer leaders more guidance on what to do in the aftermath of a suicide.

My airmen saw a three-day shutdown for an aircraft mishap and only one day of no flying for a suicide, she said. We need a mechanism for assessing psychological safety and postvention. 

Bass pointed the audience to the resources available on the Air Forces emotional resilience website. She and Kendall also stressed the importance of continuing to grow as a leader and learning to take care of others throughout a military career.

The Air Force is also looking at ways to better gauge whether an organization is safe and healthy for airmen.

Weve been in a few meetings as of late to talk about the need to have more effective and responsive ways to  get data from our service members on what is quality of life like? Bass said.

Theyll likely turn to microsurveys, or quick polls that take the pulse of a units climate. But those dont work unless enough airmen respond and are honest, Kendall added.

Its hard to manage something if you dont have good data, particularly in an organization as large as the Department of the Air Force [or] Department of Defense, he said. Getting that feedback allows us to make better decisions and put better policies in place.

New 988 suicide prevention hotline gives vets, troops an easier option for emergency care

The leaders urged commanders to work with their subordinates who are going through a tough time rather than resorting to punishment. Poor performance, lack of motivation and other problems can be telltale signs of burnout or depression, but can lead to disciplinary paperwork.

One of the contributors to suicide is people who are under investigation for disciplinary issues, Kendall said. Give them a chance to correct the problem or deal with the problem and then see if the performance goes up before you take a harsh disciplinary response.

Bass also suggested that people write down the phone numbers of three people they can call in their darkest moments  before those moments are upon them.

There is always somebody who can help you, she said. If you come up with your plan at your lowest moment, or when youre in crisis, its probably not going to be a great plan.

If you are experiencing suicidal thoughts, you can reach the 24-hour Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by dialing 988 or 1-800-273-8255. Veterans, troops and their family members can also text 838255 or visit VeteransCrisisLine.net for assistance.
By David Shepardson

(Reuters) - Airlines canceled almost 2,000 U.S. flights for Thursday after Hurricane Ian hit Florida's Gulf Coast with catastrophic force in one of most powerful U.S. storms in recent years.

The hurricane is causing significant disruptions to U.S. air travel, especially in the southeast United States. Since Tuesday airlines have canceled more than 5,000 flights through Friday.

Airlines canceled 2,163 flights Wednesday as a number of Florida airports temporarily halted operations, including Tampa, Orlando, Sarasota-Bradenton, Melbourne, Daytona Beach, Naples and St Petersburg/Clearwater.

Airline tracking website Flightaware said 1,935 flights for Thursday had been canceled and 738 Friday flights scrapped. Airlines canceled 403 flights Tuesday ahead of the storm.

The Orlando airport said it expects to resume commercial operations sometime on Friday. The Tampa airport said it will be closed through at least Thursday.

Walt Disney said on Tuesday it would close its Orlando theme parks on Wednesday and Thursday.

Florida is a major part of U.S. aviation, and some carriers like JetBlue Airways and Southwest Airlines typically expect 40% or more of their daily flights to touch a Florida airport.

Through Wednesday, JetBlue canceled 25% of its U.S. flights and 20% of Thursday flights, while Southwest canceled 13% of Wednesday flights and 9% for Thursday. Another 3,106 U.S. flights were delayed on Wednesday.

Airlines offered waivers for travelers impacted by the hurricane to rebook tickets without charge.

(Reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by Leslie Adler)
An enlisted airman accused of attacking his fellow service members at a U.S. military outpost in Syria in April will face court-martial next year, the Air Force said Tuesday.

Tech. Sgt. David Dezwaan, an explosive ordnance disposal technician with 15 years of service, is charged with three violations of military code: destruction of military property, reckless endangerment and aggravated assault. His trial is slated to run from March 6-16 at Hill Air Force Base, Utah.

An active duty member of Hills 775th Civil Engineer Squadron, Dezwaan is accused of making and detonating bombs at Green Village, a small U.S. military base in northern Syria. He was deployed there as an explosives specialist after serving as his squadrons noncommissioned officer in charge of EOD equipment.

Air Force bomb disposal tech charged in April insider attack in Syria

Four service members who were injured in the blasts were treated for traumatic brain injuries. They returned to work later in April.

The Air Force has not answered how long Dezwaan had been in Syria at the time of the attack. About 900 U.S. personnel remain in Syria to advise and assist the Syrian Democratic Forces fighting government troops in the countrys civil war.

The airman was placed in pretrial confinement following his arrest in the U.S. on June 16.

Dezwaan faced a preliminary hearing on Aug. 23 at Hill; arraignment is scheduled for Oct. 11. The judge will hear motions in the case in October and February.

Air Force general sentenced to reprimand, pay forfeiture for sexual assault

Two other charges of failure to protect classified information and unauthorized access of a government computer were dismissed, the Air Force said.

Col. Matthew Stoffel will serve as military judge in the proceedings, according to the Air Force legal docket. Maj. Jasmine Prokscha will prosecute the governments case as trial counsel, and three airmen will serve as Dezwaans defense counsel: Capt. Luke Harle, Capt. Luke Gilhooly and Capt. Nathan Wiebenga.

Dezwaan enlisted in 2007 and has received the Joint Service Achievement Medal as well as multiple service-level awards, according to the Air Force Personnel Center. He earned the Air Force Combat Action Medal for engaging in a firefight with enemy fighters while deployed with the Marine Corps to Afghanistans Helmand province in 2009.

As in all military justice cases, the accused is presumed innocent until or unless found otherwise by competent legal authority, the Air Force said.
Alex Joness second defamation trial over his hoax lies about the Sandy Hook massacre has finished its third week in Connecticut court.

The jury heard emotional testimony from family members after a tense conclusion to the previous weeks proceedings, when the Infowars host delayed his return to the witness box following a rant at reporters outside the courthouse.

His own defence attorneys waived their right to cross-examine him, and he is now expected to resume testimony as a witness for his defence next week.

In his testimony, Jones shouted that he was done apologising for his egregious claims about the shooting under questioning from the plaintiffs lawyer while families of victims broke down in tears in the courtroom.

On Thursday morning, Sandy Hook father Robbie Parker, who found himself the target of hoax accusations the day after his daughter was murdered, concluded his emotional testimony, recalling a vile verbal assault from a conspiracy theorist, four years after the tragedy. He noted that these occurrences corresponded to when Jones would broadcast his lies.

Key Points

Whats at stake for Alex Jones in the second Sandy Hook defamation trial?

Alex Jones defends furious rant in front of crying Sandy Hook families

Sandy Hook dad recounts harrowing verbal confrontation with Sandy Hook hoaxer

Sandy Hook father fights tears recalling press event that made him top target for hoax lies

Sandy Hook mother recalls full-on assault of hoax threats in days after shooting

Jurors must decide how much Newtown families suffering worth

Day 10 of trial begins

Wednesday 28 September 2022 15:09 , Oliver O'Connell

Judge Barbara Bellis is back on the bench and is dealing with housekeeping issues including a filing by the plaintiffs made last night.

That is docket number 1,000  which is not something you see in many trials, if ever  and concerns whether there would be confusion if someone needs to be named to defamed. This will be addressed at the charge conference before the jury deliberates.

Story continues

The jury is now being brought in.

Witness: Bill Sherlach

Wednesday 28 September 2022 15:19 , Oliver O'Connell

The first witness of the day is Bill Sherlach. He was the husband of Mary Joy Green Sherlach. She worked as the school psychologist at the elementary school and died trying to defend her students.

Ms Sherlach was in a conference with the Sandy Hook Elementary School principal Dawn Hochsprung, other staff, and the mother of a second-grade student when they heard the staccato sounds of automatic gunfire as the attack commenced.

According to a colleague she and the principal ran towards the sound and confronted the shooter in the hallway, where he gunned them down. Another teacher, Natalie Hammond, was wounded but managed to get back into the conference room and hold the door shut.

Wednesday 28 September 2022 15:43 , Oliver O'Connell

As with other witnesses, Mr Sherlach gives an in-depth, charming, fond recollection of his relationship with Mary, their family, and their professional lives.

On the day of the shooting, he remembers his partner at work telling him something had happened at the elementary school.

He rushed to Sandy Hook and went to the firehouse where people were congregating. A teacher told him that his wife and the school principal had left the meeting room and had not come back, but Ms Hammond had.

Mr Sherlach says he found out that Mary was shot five times, two of which were shots that wouldve been fatal.

Wednesday 28 September 2022 15:49 , Oliver O'Connell

Mr Sherlach had never heard of Alex Jones or Infowars before his wifes death.

I had no social media presence whatsoever, Im a dinosaur when it comes to technology.

He adds that he barely even knew how to use email.

In the aftermath of the shooting, he recalls friends and family coming to be with him, as well as media vans turning up in the town.

Wednesday 28 September 2022 15:54 , Oliver O'Connell

Mr Sherlach recalls looking online for news to find out more about what was going on and began to see distortions of what he knew to be true from firsthand experience.

He describes stumbling into the conspiracy theories about the shooting and finding out that his wife was mentioned as not being real, not existing, or not being whom she was said to have been.

Despite not being active on social media, Mr Sherlach was aware of the conspiracies within four or five weeks of the massacre.

Wednesday 28 September 2022 16:07 , Oliver O'Connell

Mr Sherlach describes how he coped with his grief in the aftermath of the shooting and began Marys Fund to raise money for mental health charities for children and teenagers.

The conspiracies didnt stop. His family was accused of being the Goldbergs of Florida and he was alleged to have been involved in a financial cabal manipulating the overnight rates in Britain for financial gain, as well as being involved with the shooters father.

While he dismissed the conspiracies as crazy, he couldnt ignore them for the impact they might have on his professional reputation as a financial adviser. This then grew into fears for his daughters and grandchildren as it just takes one person to confront his family in person for there to be the potential of real physical danger.

The threat could come from anywhere, he says. Anyone can find you.

Wednesday 28 September 2022 16:14 , Oliver O'Connell

There is no cross-examination from defence attorney Norm Pattis and Mr Sherlach is excused.

The court breaks for its mid-morning recess and will resume at 11.30am.

Watch: Bill Sherlach testifies his wife was shot five times

Wednesday 28 September 2022 16:30 , Oliver O'Connell

William Sherlach, the husband of #SandyHook victim and school psychologist #MarySherlach, testified that his wife was shot five times after trying to find out what was going on. pic.twitter.com/nSpyiDpCLT  Law&Crime Network (@LawCrimeNetwork) September 28, 2022

Witness: Alissa Parker

Wednesday 28 September 2022 16:49 , Oliver O'Connell

Next on the stand is Alissa Parker, wife of Robbie Parker, and mother of Emilie, who was killed at Sandy Hook.

She now lives in Washington State and has been flying back and forth to attend the trial.

Robbie Parker was the first parent accused of being a crisis actor after chuckling at a press conference, which Alex Jones said was a sign that the shooting was faked.

Wednesday 28 September 2022 17:03 , Oliver O'Connell

As with other witnesses, Ms Parker tells a charming, and at times funny story about the beginnings of her relationship with Robbie.

There is warm laughter from the gallery where other plaintiffs are seated.

Plaintiffs attorneys appear to be using direct examination to demonstrate to the jury the familiar homeliness, closeness, or aspirational lives of their clients.

Then testimony turns to how they were first ripped apart by the tragedy and then continuously impacted by the hoax in the years after.

Alissa and Robbie had three girls. Emilie, who was murdered at Sandy Hook, is standing at the bottom of this photo during Robbie's graduation. pic.twitter.com/XBDKyNUblv  Sebastian Murdock (@SebastianMurdoc) September 28, 2022

Wednesday 28 September 2022 17:18 , Oliver O'Connell

Meanwhile on Infowars...

While Parker testifies, Alex Jones is on Infowars saying that God has show him the path forward and that everything is part of God's plan, against the background of weird martial music. "This is the way I want to go down," he adds, whooping unconvincingly  Anna Merlan (@annamerlan) September 28, 2022

Wednesday 28 September 2022 17:28 , Oliver O'Connell

Ms Parker begins to become emotional when discussing her husbands relationship with their daughter Emilie, whose thoughtfulness she says he inherited from her father.

We also learn about her impressive talent for art at the age of six and would write notes for her parents at night and give them to her parents in the morning.

Alissa Parker mentions that Robbie didn't really care for art, but would always make the effort for Emilie. While they painted together, Emilie would ask about her dad's workday.  Sebastian Murdock (@SebastianMurdoc) September 28, 2022

Wednesday 28 September 2022 17:29 , Oliver O'Connell

Ms Parker recalls the morning of the shooting that the group of children waiting for the bus were playing tag and as they piled onto the bus Emilie had not waved goodbye which she usually did.

She remembers thinking that once is ok.

Later she recalls being at the firehouse with other parents and learning the worse. The court is shown photos from that day of Alissa and Robbie leaving to go home, clearly devastated and in shock.

Screenshot of a photo of Alissa and Robbie Parker leaving the firehouse at Sandy Hook having learned their daughter Emilie had been killed in the shooting on 14 December 2012 (Law & Crime)

Wednesday 28 September 2022 17:34 , Oliver O'Connell

In the middle of Alissa Parkers emotional testimony  in which she, like other parents, said she was unaware of Alex Jones  a lunch recess is called.

We will hear more of the harassment the family endured in the aftermath of the shooting when court resumes at 2pm.

ICYMI: Families testify of confrontations with Sandy Hook deniers

Wednesday 28 September 2022 18:10 , Oliver O'Connell

A mother who lost one of her sons in the 2012 Sandy Hook massacre testified Tuesday that her biggest fear is that people who believe the shooting was a hoax will harm her other son, who survived the attack at his school.

Nicole Hockley and her former husband, Ian Hockley, were the latest family members of the 26 victims of the school shooting to testify at the defamation trial of Alex Jones, where a jury is deciding how much the conspiracy theorist must pay for spreading the hoax lie.

Families testify of confrontations with Sandy Hook deniers at Alex Jones trial

Court resumes

Wednesday 28 September 2022 19:14 , Oliver O'Connell

Judge Bellis returns to the bench and court will soon be underway with continued testimony from Alissa Parker.

Attorneys from both sides discussed exhibits with the judge and the jury is now being brought back into the courtroom.

Wednesday 28 September 2022 19:24 , Oliver O'Connell

Ms Parker explains about a Facebook page set up by friends in Utah in memory of their daughter Emilie and how it attracted media queries.

A network affiliate in Utah wanted comments from the family on the death of Emilie as the Parkers were from there.

Her husband Robbie decided to give the statement to the affiliate at their church in Connecticut as he wanted someone who really knew his daughter to speak for her and to reach out to their community in Utah.

Ms Parker recalls arriving at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Newtown. It was a media circus and not what they had been expecting.

Robbie spoke and gave a sweet speech at a podium, honouring his little girl. Ms Parker says she was proud of him as she would not have been able to do what he did.

Wednesday 28 September 2022 19:28 , Oliver O'Connell

It was Mr Parkers speech that Alex Jones seized on to accuse him of being an actor and faking the death of his daughter.

The speech was given on the Saturday after the shooting and by the Sunday he discovered videos being posted on Emilies memorial page and horrible things being said about him.

Ms Parker remembers him blocking users and deleting posts, but they just kept coming.

I could tell there was a panic, I didnt know what was going on but could sense that he was processing and scrambling a little trying to understand.

Hoaxers went to Emilie's memorial page and posted video of Robbie Parker's presser.



"They were saying really horrible things about him and about Emilie. I could tell he was really upset. He was up deleting things," Alissa Parker testifies through sobs.  Sebastian Murdock (@SebastianMurdoc) September 28, 2022

Wednesday 28 September 2022 19:32 , Oliver O'Connell

Ms Parker describes the experience as a full-on assault and so intense and the words people were using were so horrific.

The threats began immediately telling the Parkers to watch their backs and that they would burn in hell for what theyd done.

Robbie was called a liar and their late six-year-old daughter a whore.

Ms Parker, who has remained remarkably composed throughout her testimony, is now crying and upset at the memory of the time.

All of this happened in the week after the tragedy and before Emilies funeral.

Wednesday 28 September 2022 19:38 , Oliver O'Connell

The Parkers feared there would likely be protesters at the graveside service.

A weeping Alissa tells the jury: The service was supposed to be at her life.

They decided to have a closed casket because they worried someone would photograph Emilie and somehow use it against them.

We just shut down. We were just zombies. I hardly remember what was said on the day of the funeral, she says, sobbing. They stole that from me.

Wednesday 28 September 2022 19:41 , Oliver O'Connell

Ms Parker started a program called Safe and Sound Schools with Michele Gay, another of the mothers of a Sandy Hook victim  her daughters good friend, Josephine.

She decided that she didnt want the organisation to be flooded with threats or attacked and so did not join the suit as a plaintiff, though her husband did.

Wednesday 28 September 2022 19:46 , Oliver O'Connell

The Parkers left Newtown within a year of the tragedy as they had few ties to the area and the threats and harassment became too much.

They were sending threatening letters to our home, death threats. We just wanted some anonymity.

Having moved to Washington state, the threats did not stop and they could not escape the conspiracy theories.

A tearful Ms Parker says that the conspiracy even followed them into their church, saying that frequently she is told by friends that they have argued with relatives or associates who think the Parkers are liars.

That happens on a regular basis. People telling us that people in their lives dont believe us and think were horrible people.

Youre paranoid people in your own group are turning against you, she says, describing it as scary to know that theyre everywhere.

Wednesday 28 September 2022 19:52 , Oliver O'Connell

Ms Parker is asked about how this has all affected her husband whom she has known for decades.

He doesnt talk to anyone. He doesnt trust people, she says.

Its stolen so much of him. He is very withdrawn, doesnt talk to people. He doesnt look up or talk to people when we go to church, he sits in a corner and has his head down the entire time.

Mr Parker is weeping in the gallery as she speaks.

He felt so much shame and felt like it was his fault that this happened and felt like it was because of him that our family got attacked and all the other families got attacked. He beat himself up for it and felt like he had to fix it.

Ms Parkers testimony ends and defence attorney Norm Pattis declines to cross-exam her.

Court takes a brief recess.

Witness: Robbie Parker

Wednesday 28 September 2022 20:05 , Oliver O'Connell

After the emotional testimony of his wife, Alissa, Robbie Parker now takes the stand. He is clearly upset from reliving the trauma of the tragedy and what follows but manages to make a joke about her account of their dating life.

After some gentle questioning about his travel schedule to be in court every week, he says about testifying: Ive been looking forward to this for a long time.

Wednesday 28 September 2022 20:35 , Oliver O'Connell

The jury is shown photos of father and daughter together at Fenway Park as well as Emilie with her two sisters  he says they looked up to her and she understood her role as the older sibling.

Picture of Emilie and Robbie at a baseball game. She's holding a ball:



"She asks me, so how many balls do we need to get so everybody can have one? I was being selfish thinking about what kid Id have to trample to get a ball, and she was thinking of everybody else."  Sebastian Murdock (@SebastianMurdoc) September 28, 2022

Mr Parker also recalls her birth: They wrap her up and they give her to me. I was so scared almost by how much I could love somebody so immediately. Id never felt so vulnerable in my entire life as I did in that moment when Emilie was looking at me.

He later became a physicians assistant working in a neonatal intensive unit, which is where he was on the morning of 14 December 2012.

Judge Bellis calls for the mid-afternoon break.

Wednesday 28 September 2022 21:08 , Oliver O'Connell

Judge Bellis back on the bench, but there is an extended sidebar underway with the attorneys regarding charge instructions from what can be heard on the livestream.

As court is scheduled to end at approximately 4.30pm, we may have to wait until tomorrow to hear more from Mr Parker.

Wednesday 28 September 2022 21:14 , Oliver O'Connell

There was a technical issue that has now been resolved, so we will hear more from Mr Parker.

Attorney Chris Mattei asks him about the morning of 14 December 2012.

He recalls an automated voicemail and an immediate call from his wife, Alissa. They both tried to find out more information before they determined what to do next.

The suggestion was to follow advice not to go to the school but Alissa instead went to the firehouse. There another mother took the two other girls from Alissa and she stayed at the firehouse.

Mr Parker eventually was allowed to leave his locked-down hospital and advised to go and be with his wife.

Wednesday 28 September 2022 21:23 , Oliver O'Connell

Mr Parker is reminded about the photos the jury saw earlier and asked if he knew who Alex Jones was prior to the incident.

He is then asked about the speech he made outside their church and prompted to tell the story in his own words.

Mr Parker asked a friend to set it up as he wanted to honour his daughter and believed there would be just one reporter as he couldnt believe anyone beyond their community in Utah would want to know what he had to say. He thought a taped statement would mean that his words would not be misconstrued.

As the court heard from Alissa, there was a huge media presence broadcasting live. He recalls being blinded by the lights and he wanted someone to tell him what to do.

The court is played a video of the moment Mr Parker came out to speak.

In the footage from CNN, Mr Parker smiles as he emerges from the church to give his statement. The smile is a foundational part of Sandy Hook conspiracy theories.

Wednesday 28 September 2022 21:30 , Oliver O'Connell

Mr Parker is asked about the smile.

He says when he tries to relax or try to calm down, he smiles or chuckles to himself. As he walked up to the podium his father joked: Go get em Oggy, referencing the name of the mascot he used to play that had become his nickname. He said it was a dad, making a dad joke.

Mr Parker is asked whether he knew that Alex Jones has replayed the smile on numerous occasions. He said he did know.

It is this footage that Jones said he thought was fake and he called him an actor, setting off the conspiracy that the entire incident was faked.

In footage from Joness deposition he quibbles as to whether he called him an actor or said it looked like he was acting.

Wednesday 28 September 2022 21:34 , Oliver O'Connell

In another piece of footage from Infowars, director Rob Dew is seen saying that Mr Parker looked like he was getting into character. That clip was broadcast two years after the tragedy,

Video plays of Infowars news director Rob Dew in 2014. Dew brings up Robbie Parker again, calling him an actor



"I got my degree in theater, and that to me looks like he's getting into character," Dew said.  Sebastian Murdock (@SebastianMurdoc) September 28, 2022

Wednesday 28 September 2022 21:36 , Oliver O'Connell

Just hours after he gave the statement and less than 48 hours after the murder of his daughter, Mr Parker went online to see what nice comments friends and family had posted on the Facebook page.

Instead, he was met with a barrage of harassment and links to pictures of him smiling at the press conference.

That really threw me off. I was looking for something to keep me stable because my compass was spinning, I didnt know which way was what, and seeing these comments broke that connection I had, that stability. 

Wednesday 28 September 2022 21:44 , Oliver O'Connell

Mr Parker recalls that by the Tuesday after the shooting this daughters memorial page had become flooded with negative comments.

What was just this littering of comments by Tuesday became just a burning trash pile, he testified. He clicked on some of the links to figure out what was going on. During this time he saw Joness videos.

Infowars published a story headlined: Father of Sandy Hook Victims Asks Read The Card? Seconds Before Tear-Jerking Press Conference.

This all occurred before Emilies funeral.

Wednesday 28 September 2022 21:48 , Oliver O'Connell

Funeral planning ended up becoming dominated by contingency plans for if hoaxers showed up, or how to deal with the media and what people should be allowed to see.

At one point he couldnt find his wife. Alissa was hiding in a coat closet, curled up in a ball, sobbing: I dont know if I can do this.

Wednesday 28 September 2022 21:49 , Oliver O'Connell

Judge Bellis adjourns the court for the day.

Proceedings will resume at 10am on Thursday for a half-day session.

Sandy Hook father fights tears recalling press event that made him top target for hoax lies

Wednesday 28 September 2022 22:19 , Oliver O'Connell

The grieving father of a victim of the Sandy Hook shooting has broken his silence about the 2012 press conference that made him the top target for Alex Jones lies about the massacre.

Robbie Parkers six-year-old daughter Emilie was one of the 26 students and staff members murdered in the mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School on 14 December 2012.

One day after the massacre, the devastated father gave a brief speech to the media where he paid tribute to his little girl who made the world a better place for being in it.

Rachel Sharp reports on his testimony.

Sandy Hook father recalls press briefing that made him top target of Alex Jones lies

Jurors must decide how much Newtown families suffering worth

Wednesday 28 September 2022 23:15 , Oliver O'Connell

After watching days of testimony that included the parents of slain children breaking down on the witness stand, a Connecticut jury soon will have the difficult task of coming up with a dollar amount that conspiracy theorist Alex Jones should pay for promoting the idea that the Sandy Hook school shooting was a hoax.

Jurors must decide how much Newtown families suffering worth

ICYMI: Alex Jones pushes deep state theory in testimony

Thursday 29 September 2022 00:45 , Oliver O'Connell

Last week Alex Jones kicked off his combative testimony in his defamation case over his lies about the Sandy Hook massacre by pushing another wild conspiracy  this time about the so-called deep state.

Rachel Sharp watched the day in court.

Alex Jones kicks off Sandy Hook trial testimony by pushing deep state conspiracy

Alex Jones: Im done apologising

Thursday 29 September 2022 02:15 , Oliver O'Connell

Alex Jones shouted that he was done apologising for spreading lies that the Sandy Hook massacre was a hoax as family members of some of the victims looked on crying in court.

The courtroom in Connecticut descended into chaos on Thursday as the far-right conspiracy theorist took the stand in his defamation case and refused to acknowledge any responsibility 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.

Alex Jones shouts Im done apologising at Sandy Hook parents crying in court

Alex Jones is the biggest bully Ive ever faced, says Sandy Hook mother

Thursday 29 September 2022 03:45 , Oliver O'Connell

The mother of Sandy Hook victim, Jesse Lewis, describes Alex Jones as the biggest bully Ive ever faced, weeks after winning a lawsuit against the InfoWars host.

Jones was under fire for claiming the Sandy Hook massacre was hoax multiple times.

Getting on the stand was something I felt like I had to do. I didnt want to do it, Scarlett Lewis said in a CNN interview.

It was the hardest thing Ive done since Jesses murder... I mean this is literally facing the biggest bully Ive ever faced.

Sandy Hook victim's mother calls Alex Jones 'the biggest bully I've ever faced'

Why is Alex Jones on trial for a second time?

Thursday 29 September 2022 05:15 , Oliver O'Connell

Why Alex Jones is facing trial again over his Sandy Hook hoax lies

Father tells jury of pain inflicted by Sandy Hook hoax

Thursday 29 September 2022 07:15 , Oliver O'Connell

Ian Hockley testified Tuesday that he was ridiculed online as a party boy and an actor after posting a video of the memorial service for his 6-year-old son, who was killed in the 2012 Sandy Hook school massacre.

Hockley is the latest family member of the 26 victims of the shooting to testify at the defamation trial of Alex Jones, where a jury is deciding how much the conspiracy theorist must pay for spreading the lie that the shooting was a hoax.

Hockley, who lost his autistic son Dylan in the shooting, testified that he became the target of conspiracy theorists because he smiled during what he found as an uplifting memorial service.

Father testifies of pain inflicted by Sandy Hook deniers

Families testify about confrontations with Sandy Hook deniers

Thursday 29 September 2022 08:45 , Oliver O'Connell

A mother who lost one of her sons in the 2012 Sandy Hook massacre testified Tuesday that her biggest fear is that people who believe the shooting was a hoax will harm her other son, who survived the attack at his school.

Nicole Hockley and her former husband, Ian Hockley, were the latest family members of the 26 victims of the school shooting to testify at the defamation trial of Alex Jones, where a jury is deciding how much the conspiracy theorist must pay for spreading the hoax lie.

Families testify of confrontations with Sandy Hook deniers at Alex Jones trial

ICYMI: Alex Jones believes angry courtroom rant did more damage to opposition counsel

Thursday 29 September 2022 10:45 , Oliver O'Connell

Alex Jones has bizarrely claimed that his irate outburst during testimony at the second defamation trial over his Sandy Hook hoax lies did more damage to the opposition than himself.

The Infowars host fumed at reporters outside the court in Waterbury, Connecticut, on Friday morning as his defence attorney Norm Pattis was inside telling the judge he would waive the right to cross examine Mr Jones.

Mr Pattis said he hoped the move would lower the temperature in court and that Mr Jones will take the stand at a later point in the trial as a witness for the defence.

Alex Jones claims his furious Sandy Hook trial rant destroyed opposing legal team

Sandy Hook father weeps recalling press briefing that made him top target of Alex Joness hoax lies

Thursday 29 September 2022 12:15 , Oliver O'Connell

The grieving father of a victim of the Sandy Hook shooting has broken his silence about the 2012 press conference that made him the top target for Alex Jones lies about the massacre.

Robbie Parkers six-year-old daughter Emilie was one of the 26 students and staff members murdered in the mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School on 14 December 2012.

One day after the massacre, the devastated father gave a brief speech to the media where he paid tribute to his little girl who made the world a better place for being in it.

Unbeknownst to Mr Parker at the time, it was the first time any of the victims family members had spoken out publicly following their deaths.

As he walked up to the microphone, he briefly smiled  something that instantly made him a target of the conspiracy theorists lies.

Rachel Sharp reports for The Independent.

Sandy Hook father recalls press briefing that made him top target of Alex Jones lies

Watch: Sandy Hook plaintiff describes conspiracy theories about him

Thursday 29 September 2022 13:00 , Oliver O'Connell

#SandyHook plaintiff William Sherlach told the jury he was once accused of being in a business with the school shooter's father. "I mean, I knew it was crazy, but the general public might not know it's crazy," Sherlach said. pic.twitter.com/x8kOQXzV2v  Law&Crime Network (@LawCrimeNetwork) September 28, 2022

Jurors must decide how much Newtown families suffering worth

Thursday 29 September 2022 13:45 , Oliver O'Connell

After watching days of testimony that included the parents of slain children breaking down on the witness stand, a Connecticut jury soon will have the difficult task of coming up with a dollar amount that conspiracy theorist Alex Jones should pay for promoting the idea that the Sandy Hook school shooting was a hoax.

Jurors must decide how much Newtown families suffering worth

Watch: Alissa Parker testifies about daughter Emilie

Thursday 29 September 2022 14:15 , Oliver O'Connell

#SandyHook plaintiff #AlissaParker became emotional when speaking of a similarity between her daughter Emilie, who was killed in the school shooting, and her dad #RobbieParker. "You know, he's just he's a thoughtful person. And Emilie got that from her dad," Parker said. pic.twitter.com/6cb86RAKvf  Law&Crime Network (@LawCrimeNetwork) September 28, 2022

Alex Jones is the biggest bully Ive ever faced, says Sandy Hook mother

Thursday 29 September 2022 14:45 , Oliver O'Connell

The mother of Sandy Hook victim, Jesse Lewis, describes Alex Jones as the biggest bully Ive ever faced, weeks after winning a lawsuit against the InfoWars host.

Jones was under fire for claiming the Sandy Hook massacre was hoax multiple times.

Getting on the stand was something I felt like I had to do. I didnt want to do it, Scarlett Lewis said in a CNN interview.

It was the hardest thing Ive done since Jesses murder... I mean this is literally facing the biggest bully Ive ever faced.

Sandy Hook victim's mother calls Alex Jones 'the biggest bully I've ever faced'

Day 11 gets underway

Thursday 29 September 2022 15:07 , Oliver O'Connell

Day 11 of the second defamation trial of Alex Jones is getting underway.

It begins with a sidebar discussing how to shorten the charge sheet of jury instructions.

Robbie Parker, father of Sandy Hook victim Emilie Parker, will continue his testimony once the jury is brought in.

On his Infowars show in 2012, Jones made Mr Parker the centre of a horrific allegation that the massacre of 20 children and six adults was a hoax when he accused the grieving father of being an actor when he made a televised statement in memoriam of his daughter.

Thursday 29 September 2022 15:15 , Oliver O'Connell

Mr Parker begins by explaining that on top of their grief and planning a memorial for their daughter, the unknown entity that exists out there caused by the conspiracy theory surrounding them was an extra weight on their shoulders.

The viewing for Emilie was in Utah on 21 December 2012 and her burial was the next day. The family stayed with family in the state until the second week of January before returning to Connecticut.

The online harassment continued throughout and when they returned home in January. It was that month that they began to connect the dots between what they were experiencing and Alex Jones.

Thursday 29 September 2022 15:24 , Oliver O'Connell

On the flight home, Mr Parker saw Alex Jones appear on Piers Morgans CNN show in late January 2013.

The jury is shown a clip from Infowars in which Jones says the press conference that Mr Parker gave was staged and his behaviour was odd.

The same clip is then played on a split screen with Joness deposition on the other side as he too watches it. Jones smirks as he watches it and attorney Chris Mattei asks Mr Parker whether he saw the Infowars host do that.

I saw that, says Mr Parker.

Thursday 29 September 2022 15:27 , Oliver O'Connell

Mr Parker says his reaction to the experience was not to engage with a bully and to ignore the harassment and that these people would go back to looking for Bigfoot.

The Facebook memorial page became increasingly overwhelmed with conspiracy theorists and by mid-January he had to shut the page down.

I felt like I couldnt protect Emilys name or memory anymore, so I had to get rid of it.

Thursday 29 September 2022 15:32 , Oliver O'Connell

Mr Parker said he was constantly reporting abusive content from Facebook and YouTube, begging to have comments taken down: I was pleading and pleading for their help.

He sounds very emotional describing how he felt responsible for the harassment that so many who had lost children at Sandy Hook were experiencing because of his press conference, though he says he had their support.

He knows that logically it is not his fault but nevertheless, he wanted anonymity and decided to move across the country to the Pacific northwest.

Thursday 29 September 2022 15:35 , Oliver O'Connell

The Parkers moved in early 2014 and still Alex Jones kept pushing the conspiracy. The court is shown footage from Infowars from March 2014.

Video plays of Alex Jones on Infowars in March of 2014.



"Weve got people clearly coming up and laughing and doing the fake crying. Actors playing different parts of different people."  Sebastian Murdock (@SebastianMurdoc) September 29, 2022

Thursday 29 September 2022 15:44 , Oliver O'Connell

Even after they moved the Sandy Hook hoaxers followed, with one even posting a YouTube video about the sale of their house in Connecticut, their new address, and other details.

During this time Alissa Parker deteriorated emotionally and had to step back from the foundation she had started with another victims mother.

More videos followed on Infowars, including Wolfgang Halbig saying no children had died at Sandy Hook. Another deluge of assault on the family occurred.

Mr Parker says he knew whenever Alex Jones said anything about them because another wave of harassment would hit them.

Watch: Alex Jones appears on Piers Morgans CNN show in January 2013

Thursday 29 September 2022 15:50 , Oliver O'Connell

Thursday 29 September 2022 15:52 , Oliver O'Connell

Mr Parker says that whenever he looked up an unrelated YouTube video for his daughter he would see his own face in Sandy Hook videos as a suggested clip.

Another video is played to the court in which Infowars director Rob Dew also claims Mr Parker is an actor.

He compares the parents to actors in Our Town who had prepared for their roles before going on stage and mocks his crying.

Mr Parker says he began to hate the video of himself.

Thursday 29 September 2022 15:59 , Oliver O'Connell

Mr Parker recounts a particularly harrowing verbal confrontation with a Sandy Hook hoax conspiracy theorist.

It was 3,000 miles away and four years after Sandy Hook in the fall of 2016 when he was confronted in the street in Seattle by a man who recognised him.

Mr Parker apologised to the judge for the language he was about to use.

When he introduced himself the man angrily confronted him: How do you f***ing sleep at night you f***ing piece of s***?

He continued to harass him, shouting: How much money did you get from the government.

Mr Parker recalled the man followed him calling him a son of a bitch and screaming that his daughter was still alive.

Eventually, he responded to the man: How dare you, youre talking about my daughter. She was killed, who do you think you are? How do you sleep at night? I used some colorful language as well.

He remembers: We went at it, we were yelling at each other. That circle of people around us got wider and wider.

Finally he was able to walk away from the man to get back to his family.

I had to be OK, he says. I wanted to protect them so bad.

Thursday 29 September 2022 16:01 , Oliver O'Connell

The court is shown another Infowars video of Alex Jones yet again calling him an actor.

That video was broadcast in November 2016, corresponding to the time when the confrontation occurred.

Thursday 29 September 2022 16:14 , Oliver O'Connell

In 2018, Mr Parker was put in touch with the parents of a victim of the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida.

He saw himself reflected back in their experience as they grieved the death of their child.

Grief should be sacred, something that transforms you as a person and makes you better.

The parents said people were saying things about them from a press conference they gave and they were dealing with the same allegations of being crisis actors and that the massacre was a false flag operation and fake.

Alex Jones said in his deposition that he had said the Parkland victims were actors.

Its atrocious to have to go through all this when all you want to do is grieve, Mr Parker tells the court.

He says he knew then that he could fight this as he had dealt with it longer than they had and knew more about it than they did. He says that the Parkland family should not have to go through what he had.

Thursday 29 September 2022 16:15 , Oliver O'Connell

There is no cross-examination of Robbie Parker by defence attorney Norm Pattis.

Thursday 29 September 2022 16:31 , Oliver O'Connell

Mr Parkers emotionally raw testimony is followed by a video deposition of Rob Dew, who worked for years with Alex Jones at Infowars as news director.

He repeated many of the lies about Sandy Hook. He is shown emails he sent to Dan Bidondi who was sent by Infowars to Sandy Hook to harass officials.

During the brief video Dew says: I dont know what I was thinking at the time.

Court breaks for the mid-morning recess.

Witness: Matthew Soto

Thursday 29 September 2022 16:46 , Oliver O'Connell

Following the break, Matthew Soto, brother of Sandy Hook teacher Vicki Soto, takes the stand.

Mr Soto was 15 at the time of his sisters murder in December 2012 and is now a high school English teacher.

The jury has already heard from the Soto sisters Carlee and Jillian.

Thursday 29 September 2022 17:06 , Oliver O'Connell

Mr Soto recalls the disruption and trauma he experienced after his sisters death and spent two years being largely home-schooled because of how pervasive the conspiracy theories had become and how scared he was of being in a classroom environment.

I was diagnosed with PTSD and fearful of being in a classroom environment because I was constantly waiting for [a mass shooting] to happen there.

Soto was 15 when his sister died, and spent his sophomore and junior years largely homeschooled because of how pervasive and disruptive Sandy Hook conspiracy theories had gotten; some of his peers were questioning whether the event was real.  Anna Merlan (@annamerlan) September 29, 2022

Thursday 29 September 2022 17:21 , Oliver O'Connell

Mr Soto remembers being in class as a sophomore in college when the teacher asked how many students believe Sandy Hook happened. Not everyone raised their hands and he had a panic attack and dropped the class. He later took the class again with a different professor.

He recalls how he changed his activity on social media and would sometimes deny being Vickis brother when asked. At the 5K charity run the family organises, he does not like to wear the t-shirt in case someone harasses him.

Plaintiffs counsel says his students are lucky to have him as a teacher.

In a short cross-examination he is asked about his participation in a DC Rally organised by survivors of the Parkland shooting, and whether he knows Alex Joness views on gun violence  he says he does not.

Witness: Donna Soto

Thursday 29 September 2022 17:24 , Oliver O'Connell

Vicki Sotos mother Donna Soto takes the stand after her sons testimony.

Ms Soto is a registered nurse at a local hospital in Connecticut. She fondly recalls her daughter loving being a teacher, collecting books and being described as a perfect child.

Thursday 29 September 2022 17:32 , Oliver O'Connell

Ms Soto remembers that 4,000 people came to her daughters wake in Stratford, Connecticut, and they needed security. She remembers a man taking photos of the family getting into the limo on their way to the service.

She says there were 25 Facebook pages with Vickis name on them covered in lies and a family friend stepped in to help take them down. These had flourished online in just the one month after the tragedy.

A real memorial page was also defaced by hoax believers. The harassment continues to this day with a comment being posted last Sunday accusing the family of making money from the dead kids.

Just last Sunday, the family received a comment from someone insinuating the family joined the lawsuit as a profit-making venture.  Elizabeth Williamson (@NYTLiz) September 29, 2022

Thursday 29 September 2022 17:36 , Oliver O'Connell

In one harrowing detail of Ms Sotos testimony, the jury hears how the library her daughter had amassed in her classroom could not be returned to the family as the books were contaminated with blood from the shooting.

Vicki Soto loved her little library, the books she had in her classroom. Donna says she wishes she could have gotten those books back, but they "were all contaminated with blood from the shooting."  Sebastian Murdock (@SebastianMurdoc) September 29, 2022

Thursday 29 September 2022 17:43 , Oliver O'Connell

Ms Soto says she has had to install security cameras around her house and cover the monthly costs of that. She adds that her children have had to drop out of classes and lose out on tuition fees.

After a brief cross-examination, her testimony concludes.

Deposition: David Jones

Thursday 29 September 2022 17:45 , Oliver O'Connell

Next the jury is shown video deposition of Alex Joness father David Jones, who is deeply involved in Infowars as an employee of Free Speech Systems.

A former dentist who retired in 201, he says he now reports to his son, Alex  and as does everyone else.

His primary responsibility was to ensure they did business properly and created a good environment for employees.

He takes on duties that were not convenient for his son to deal with as the principal.

Court adjourns for the day

Thursday 29 September 2022 17:51 , Oliver O'Connell

Following Mr Joness deposition, Judge Barbara Bellis lets the jury know that the reason they are having four and a half days off is that she is taking a rare day off herself.

She also tells jurors that the trial is running ahead of schedule and testimony is set to conclude next week.

Court adjourns for the day and will resume on Tuesday.

Watch: Robbie Parker weeps on stand recalling harassment after daughters murder

Thursday 29 September 2022 18:20 , Oliver O'Connell

Sandy Hook plaintiff Robbie Parker teared up on the stand while recalling the harassment he received on his webpage in his daughter's memory after #AlexJones called him a crisis actor on Infowars. pic.twitter.com/E4IYnpSGS3  Law&Crime Network (@LawCrimeNetwork) September 29, 2022

Jurors must decide how much Newtown families suffering worth

Thursday 29 September 2022 19:00 , Oliver O'Connell

After watching days of testimony that included the parents of slain children breaking down on the witness stand, a Connecticut jury soon will have the difficult task of coming up with a dollar amount that conspiracy theorist Alex Jones should pay for promoting the idea that the Sandy Hook school shooting was a hoax.

Read more:

Jurors must decide how much Newtown families suffering worth

Robbie Parker tells trial he felt like he failed his slain daughter

Thursday 29 September 2022 19:41 , Oliver O'Connell

The grieving father at the centre of Alex Jones Sandy Hook hoax lies has revealed how the far-right conspiracy theorist left him feeling like he failed his murdered daughter.

Robbie Parker returned to the witness stand on Thursday to testify in Mr Jones defamation trial, as jurors weigh how much he must pay to the families of victims of the 2012 mass shooting for the harassment they suffered because of his lies.

Choking back tears, he told jurors how he believed he was failing six-year-old Emilies memory as Mr Jones lies continued to spread lies about her.

Rachel Sharp watched his testimony unfold.

Sandy Hook father says Alex Jones lies made him feel like he failed his daughter

Alex Jones done apologising to Sandy Hook families

Thursday 29 September 2022 20:36 , Oliver O'Connell

Alex Jones screamed that he was done apologising for pushing a conspiracy theory that the Sandy Hook school shooting was a hoax as the families of victims watched on in the courtroom.

The Infowars host is testifying in his second defamation trial as families of the victims sue him for defamation and emotional distress.

Is this a struggle session, are we in China? I have already said sorry hundreds of times and I am done saying I am sorry. I didnt generate this, I was not the first person to say it, Jones said.

Alex Jones: Infowars host done apologising to Sandy Hook families

ICYMI: Lawyer tells Sandy Hook judge he expected more outbursts from Alex Jones

Thursday 29 September 2022 21:30 , Oliver O'Connell

Alex Jones lawyer admitted to a judge that he had expected more outbursts from the conspiracy theorist after he sarcastically answered a question during testimony in the latest Sandy Hook trial.

Attorney Norm Pattis was summoned by Judge Barbara Bellis to explain his clients unruly behavior after she cleared the court on Thursday.

Graeme Massie reports.

Alex Jones lawyer tells Sandy Hook judge he expected more outbursts from client

Alex Jones shamelessly asks for Infowars cryptocurrency donations during trial

Thursday 29 September 2022 22:30 , Oliver O'Connell

Alex Jones shamelessly asked people to donate cryptocurrency to Infowars as he took the stand and testified in a Sandy Hook defamation trial.

Jones even took the time to give the web address for donating cryptocurrency to his right-wing media company as a lawyer for the victims families pressed him on ways he has monetised claims the school massacre was a hoax.

Alex Jones asks for Infowars cryptocurrency donations during Sandy Hook testimony

Mother of Sandy Hook victim: Alex Jones as the biggest bully Ive ever faced

Friday 30 September 2022 00:30 , Oliver O'Connell

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.

Rachel Sharp reports.

Mother of Sandy Hook victim describes Alex Jones as biggest bully Ive ever faced

How did Alex Jones end up back in court so soon after his last trial?

02:30 , Oliver O'Connell

Alex Jones is back in court after his Texas trial, this time in Connecticut. The current case is a consolidation of three lawsuits brought by 15 plaintiffs. The relatives of eight victims and a former FBI agent who worked the shooting are bringing their case for damages against Jones.

Graig Graziosi explains.

Why Alex Jones is facing trial again over his Sandy Hook hoax lies

Victims father Ian Hockley testifies of pain inflicted by Sandy Hook deniers

04:30 , Oliver O'Connell

Ian Hockley testified Tuesday that he was ridiculed online as a party boy and an actor after posting a video of the memorial service for his 6-year-old son, who was killed in the 2012 Sandy Hook school massacre.

Hockley is the latest family member of the 26 victims of the shooting to testify at the defamation trial of Alex Jones, where a jury is deciding how much the conspiracy theorist must pay for spreading the lie that the shooting was a hoax.

Hockley, who lost his autistic son Dylan in the shooting, testified that he became the target of conspiracy theorists because he smiled during what he found as an uplifting memorial service.

Father testifies of pain inflicted by Sandy Hook deniers

Families testify of confrontations with Sandy Hook deniers

07:30 , Oliver O'Connell

A mother who lost one of her sons in the 2012 Sandy Hook massacre testified Tuesday that her biggest fear is that people who believe the shooting was a hoax will harm her other son, who survived the attack at his school.

Nicole Hockley and her former husband, Ian Hockley, were the latest family members of the 26 victims of the school shooting to testify at the defamation trial of Alex Jones, where a jury is deciding how much the conspiracy theorist must pay for spreading the hoax lie.

Nicole Hockley said shes been called an actress and threatened with violence by people who have written to her that her 6-year-old son, Dylan, either never lived or never died.

Families testify of confrontations with Sandy Hook deniers at Alex Jones trial

Sandy Hook father weeps recalling being made him top target in Alex Joness hoax lies

09:30 , Oliver O'Connell

The grieving father of a victim of the Sandy Hook shooting has broken his silence about the 2012 press conference that made him the top target for Alex Jones lies about the massacre.

Robbie Parkers six-year-old daughter Emilie was one of the 26 students and staff members murdered in the mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School on 14 December 2012.

One day after the massacre, the devastated father gave a brief speech to the media where he paid tribute to his little girl who made the world a better place for being in it.

Unbeknownst to Mr Parker at the time, it was the first time any of the victims family members had spoken out publicly following their deaths.

As he walked up to the microphone, he briefly smiled  something that instantly made him a target of the conspiracy theorists lies.

Rachel Sharp has the full story.

Sandy Hook father recalls press briefing that made him top target of Alex Jones lies

Jurors must decide how much Newtown families suffering worth

11:30 , Oliver O'Connell

After watching days of testimony that included the parents of slain children breaking down on the witness stand, a Connecticut jury soon will have the difficult task of coming up with a dollar amount that conspiracy theorist Alex Jones should pay for promoting the idea that the Sandy Hook school shooting was a hoax.

A judge last year found Jones and his company, Free Speech Systems, liable by default for defaming and inflicting emotional distress on the plaintiffs  eight families who lost loved ones in the 2012 massacre and an FBI agent who was among the first responders. The jury of three men and three women is now charged with determining damages.

One by one, family members have taken the stand to talk about the horrors of losing a loved one, and how that has been compounded by a decade of harassment, fear and pain inflicted by those who believed the lie that the shooting never happened.

In often emotional testimony, they have detailed death and rape threats, mail from conspiracy theorists that included photos of dead children and in-person confrontations with people telling them their children or wives or mothers never existed.

At one point, a juror broke into tears and was comforted by another member of the panel.

Jurors must decide how much Newtown families suffering worth
Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito, who wrote the decision earlier this year overturning Roe v. Wade, told The Wall Street Journal that implying the court is illegitimate crosses an important line.

Alito offered the remark in response to an inquiry from the Journal about whether the courts justices were concerned the public was losing faith in the Supreme Court after a series of controversial decisions that have roiled public debate.

It goes without saying that everyone is free to express disagreement with our decisions and to criticize our reasoning as they see fit, said Alito, one of six conservatives on the court. But saying or implying that the court is becoming an illegitimate institution or questioning our integrity crosses an important line.

The decision overturning Roe v. Wade, Dobbs v. Jackson Womens Health Organization, was perhaps the most dramatic court ruling in decades and has become a major flash point in the midterm elections.

It also appears to be contributing to changing views on the court.

Polling in late July showed just 38 percent of Americans approve of the high court, down 22 points from last September.

While overturning precedents is not uncommon, the ruling marked the first time the court has overturned what was previously an enshrined constitutional right based on other court rulings.

The court, with a 6-3 conservative majority, also delivered conservative rulings on the environment, gun control and religious freedom last term.

Liberal Justice Elena Kagan has made public appearances raising concern that the courts conservative majority has diminished the credibility of the court.

Speaking at a forum with Northwestern Universitys Pritzker School of Law in Illinois this month, Kagan said a court is only legitimate when its acting like a court.

Why is it that people abide by its judgments? Its not because they agree with everything the court does, Kagan said. Presumably, its because they have some understanding that, even if they dont agree, that the court is doing its job, that the court is performing this critical function in a rule-of-law society, in a constitutional democracy.

Story continues

Chief Justice John Roberts disagreed with Kagan at a judicial conference in Colorado Springs, Colo., also this month.

Simply because people disagree with an opinion is not a basis for questioning the legitimacy of the court, he said, according to The Wall Street Journal. That doesnt change simply because people disagree with this opinion or that opinion or disagree with the particular mode of jurisprudence.

Partisan lines color views of the court. An August poll showed just 13 percent of Democrats approve of the Supreme Court, compared to 74 percent of Republicans.

Significantly, GOP approval climbed from 45 percent in September 2021 while Democratic approval dropped from 36 percent in the same time period.

In a recent appearance at Salve Regina University in Rhode Island, Kagan again pushed forward her concerns about the courts legitimacy.

The court shouldnt be wandering around just inserting itself into every hot-button issue in America, the justice said. It especially shouldnt be doing that in a way that reflects one ideology or one set of political views over another.

Her comment drew a round of applause at the forum.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
A new letter penned by Senate and House Democrats accuses Amazon of anticompetitive practices in its bid to purchase Roomba-maker, iRobot, for $1.7 billion. Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren is leading the charge to convince the Federal Trade Commission to reject the deal, according to a report from Axios.

Rather than compete in a fair marketplace on its own merits, Amazon is following a familiar anticompetitive playbook: leveraging its massive market share and access to capital to buy or suppress popular products," notes the letter cosigned by fellow congressional Democrats, Mondaire Jones, Mark Pocan, Jesus G. "Chuy" Garcia, Pramila Jayapal and Katie Porter.

The report arrives during a moment of increased regulatory scrutiny for the online retail giant. Both the planned iRobot and One Medical deals have raised antitrust concerns among lawmakers. The FTC has notably already been investigating both. Amazon has seemingly been more aggressively pursuing acquisitions under new CEO Andy Jassy, at a time when the regulatory body has pushed to block similar deals by Big Tech. Most notably, FTC chairwoman Lina Khan recently sued to block Meta/Facebooks acquisition of VR firm Within Unlimited, citing anticompetitive concerns.

The deal is at the center of Amazon's plans to aggressively push into the home robotics category, in much the same way its 2012 acquisition of Kiva Systems helped it become a dominant force in industrial robotics. Amazon's offering in the category is currently limited to the home robot Astro, but folding iRobot into the department would find the firm dominating the space overnight. iRobot's Roomba is the rare home robot that has managed to break into mainstream use.

Given Amazon's history and iRobot's home mapping, the deal has also raised concern among privacy advocates.

TechCrunch reached out to both Amazon and Senator Warrens office for comment.

An Amazon spokesperson provided the following statement:

"The letter contains a number of falsehoods and is broadly inaccurate. We will continue to cooperate with regulators, and we are confident that this deal is procompetitive and will make customers lives better and easier."
Dr. Phil CBS

Amy says that when her 16-year-old son, Jed, vanished from their home in Idaho in 2018, she and her husband, Allen, did everything they could to find him, including contacting their local police, but the trail soon ran cold. Then, after more than two years of waiting to hear what had happened to her son, Amy was contacted by Jared Leisek and Doug Bishop of Adventures with Purpose (AWP). AWP is an Oregon-based specialty search and recovery dive team dedicated to helping the families of missing loved ones. The group also runs a YouTube channel to chronicle their search and recovery efforts. Helping families get answers to nightmares theyve been living with is why we do what we do, and we take it very seriously, says Bishop. Amy says that since local authorities had assured her they had already searched the nearby Snake River for Jeds vehicle  and found nothing  she was skeptical that AWP could help, so we were just kind of humoring them. Watch the video above to hear what Amy says her response was after AWP found Jeds car in the river. And later, what did AWP discover inside Jeds vehicle after it was pulled from the Snake River? Plus, Jared Leisek and Doug Bishop discuss recent search and recovery efforts leading to the discovery of a previously missing 16-year-old girl. This episode of Dr. Phil, Citizen Sleuths, airs Monday. Check your local listing for air times. TELL DR. PHIL YOUR STORY: Are you involved in a story making headlines?
20th Century Studios

Answering the question, How many movie stars can one film squander?, Amsterdam boasts a laundry list of illustrious actors and actresses and finds not a single productive or entertaining use for them. The first feature from David O. Russell since 2015s Joy, this madcap period piece is part murder mystery, part anti-fascist conspiracy thriller, and all-around disaster, devoid of tone, wit, or any semblance of rhythm. Its akin to a screwball comedy played at half-speed, its jokey barbs and grave line readings indistinguishable from each other and uniformly falling flat on their face.

Speaking of which, WWI vet Dr. Burt Berendsen (Christian Bale) has a habit of losing consciousness and plummeting to the floor courtesy of the homemade pain medications he cooks up in his office for himself and his kindred disfigured-by-combat pals. Burt has one glass eye and a nasty scar below it which he masks with a prosthetic patch, as well as a back brace that helps support his thoroughly mangled torso. The scars of war have never been more leadenly literal, although less obvious is why, as this half-Jewish, half-Catholic physician, Bale affects a speech pattern modeled after Al Pacino. No matterwith frizzy hair that makes him appear to have just risen from bed, and a hunched posture that further underscores his caricatured nature, Burt is one of the wounded but resilient good guys, and hes thrust into a 1933 adventure when he gets a call to perform an autopsy on Bill Meekins (Ed Begley Jr.), the military commander who led his battalion.

Why Has David O. Russell Never Answered for Groping His Trans Niece?

On this mission, Burt is joined by his long-time friend Harold Woodsman (John David Washington), whom he met during the warand stood up for against racist compatriotsand whos now a lawyer. Together, theyre hired by Meekins daughter Liz (Taylor Swift) to ascertain if Meekins fell victim to foul play on his sea voyage back from Europe. This compels them to seek the assistance of pathologist Irma St. Clair (Zoe Saldana), who tells Burtwhos estranged from his wife Beatrice Vandenheuvel (Andrea Riseborough) due to her antisemitic parentsthat true love is about choice rather than need. Such a corny maxim sticks out like a sore thumb, as do the many other love-related platitudes that pepper Russells script, which strives to pick up steam with an unexpected murder that puts Burt and Harold in the crosshairs of assassins and their shadowy employers, and forces them to reach out to New York Citys rich and powerful.

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Amsterdam is at once stuffed to the gills and glacially paced, its every scene and performance too cartoonish to be dramatic and too serious to be zany. As a result, the film plods along straining to locate a proper pitch. It never does, instead simply bouncing around between various, equal points of non-interest. The main stop on its ramshackle journey is its title city, wherein a prolonged flashback to 1918Burt and Harold set up residence with Valerie Voze (Margot Robbie), a dashing nurse who makes art out of shrapnel (thereby transforming horror into beauty) and covertly works as some sort of spy for intelligence agents from the United States (Michael Shannon) and Great Britain (Mike Myers, doing a rehash of his Inglourious Basterds routine). The trio make a pact to always have each others backs, and they spend a brief blissful period together during which Valerie and Harold fall for each other. Before long, however, all three separate, in one of many plot developments that takes place for no reason other than that it does.

Back in 1933, Burt and Haroldon the run and desperate to clear their namestangle with two dim cops (Matthias Schoenaerts and Alessandro Nivola) and visit wealthy magnate Tom Voze (Rami Malek), the brother of Valerie, whom they havent seen in over a decade, and who theyre shocked to learn has become a vague type of invalid. Tom is married to Libby (Anya Taylor-Joy), and both of them point Burt and Harold in the direction of revered General Gil Dillenbeck (Robert De Niro), who Tom surmises might be able to help them figure out the culprit behind Meekins slaying. Additional frantic racing to and fro ensues, albeit in semi-slow-motion, with Russells roving camera moving about for movements sake, and consequently creating a misbegotten synergy between dissonant content and purposeless form.

The plot that Burt, Harold and Valerie uncover has to do with a tide of American fascism thats rising in harmony with Hitler and Mussolinis ascendant movements overseas. This allows Russell to fall back on timeliness as a reason for his films existence, as well as gives De Niro the opportunity to deliver a fictionalized version of an anti-Trump speech. Yet everything about the proceedings is so heart-on-its-liberal-sleeve ponderous that its hard to root for any of these heroes. It doesnt help matters that the scripts secrets are straightforward, thus rendering the ceaseless convolutions so much frivolous nonsense, nor that every turn strikes a wrong note. From Bales creepy-gaunt earnestness and Nivolas clumsy brutishness to Robbies tough-yet-wobbly determination, Washingtons blank-eyed nobility and Chris Rocks one-note humor (as a character who repeatedly warns that Black people will be blamed for white peoples misdeeds), everyone seems unsure of the genre in which theyre operating, or how to liven up the sluggish material.

Amsterdam is loosely based on a true story, but Russell makes it neither farcical nor portentous. In the tales later passages, he resorts to hand-holding exposition, using Bale narration to spell out what is already explicitly evidentan apparent sign that even hes uncertain about the films coherence. Moreover, he falls back on feel-good preaching about the values of democracy, the threats of domestic terrorism and authoritarianism, the brotherhood of man (no matter the color of ones skin) and the peerless power of love, which, Burt helpfully tells us, is forever opposed by hate. Russells latest showcases so many capable participants that its incompetence is almost awe-inspiring, and quickly shifts ones thoughts away from the plots helter-skelter specifics and toward the many mid-production warning signs that must have gone heeded. One thing is certain, though: Bale speaks for the audience when he expounds, Holy shit, what fresh hell is this?

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CNNs Anderson Cooper said he found a pile of love letter telegrams that legendary crooner Frank Sinatra had sent to his fashion icon mother Gloria Vanderbilt while sorting through his late moms possessions.

The amazing discovery was among boxes of stuff from her epic life that Cooper went through following Vanderbilts death in 2019 because she never threw anything away, the news anchor told Stephen Colbert on Wednesdays Late Show.

Many of the messages that Sinatra sent during his short-lived romance with Vanderbilt were dictated from airports or airplanes, Cooper revealed during a discussion about his new podcast about grief, titled All There Is.

One of the missives from Sinatra read: Star. Coming to town. Your fella on the white horse. Ring-a-ding-ding.

Another was along the lines of: Im in Melbourne. On my way to you star. I think of you more than I should. Call me. Crestview 475.

They were exactly what you would want a love telegram from Sinatra to be like.

Im sitting there, like, This is kind of amazing and what do I do with these things? Cooper admitted to Colbert.

Watch the interview here:

This article originally appeared on HuffPost and has been updated.

Related...
Manitoba is taking direct aim at its foot by imposing new guide requirements for American waterfowl hunters beginning in 2023.

"American'' waterfowl hunters meaning, generally, in this instance, Minnesotans, who represent the largest share of U.S. residents who travel to Manitoba each fall to hunt ducks and geese.

Under the guise of providing better hunting-land access for its own waterfowl hunters  a joke, given the province's vast expanse and its rapidly declining number of resident duck and goose hunters  Manitoba next year will require non-Canadian waterfowlers either to pay a guide to hunt with them or to apply for a limited number of licenses issued by lottery.

Calling the proposal, "Waterfowl hunting modernization in Manitoba,'' the actual intent of the bogus idea is to pad the pockets with American dollars of a relatively small number of Manitoba waterfowl-hunting outfitters.

The irony is twofold:

 American waterfowlers, through millions of dollars of contributions to groups like Ducks Unlimited, Delta Waterfowl and others, for decades have underwritten virtually all of Canada's waterfowl conservation, much of it occurring in Manitoba.

 Canada, including, specifically, Manitoba, has done virtually nothing  ever  to sustain waterfowling among its own residents as the popular pastime it once was. Now the province claims it needs to ensure that its few remaining duck and goose hunters have places to set their decoys.

The numbers don't lie: In 1978, Manitoba, which is about the size of Texas, fielded some 55,000 (out of a population of about 1 million) resident waterfowl hunters, a number that a few years ago had dwindled to fewer than 10,000 (from a population of 1.4 million).

Meanwhile, foreign  again, meaning American, most of whom are from Minnesota  waterfowlers in Manitoba have stayed relatively constant in number during the same period, at only a few thousand (3,600, to be exact, pre-COVID).

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Manitoba justifies its proposal by saying it:

 Prioritizes resident hunting opportunities and access to the resource.

 Prioritizes existing licensed outfitting businesses "such that their services are highly sought after by clientele from across Canada, the U.S. and the world.''

 Ensures that non-outfitted, foreign residents accessing Manitoba's world-class waterfowling opportunities are sustainable and at numbers tolerable by Manitobans.

Left unsaid is that among the proposal's primary targets are rank and file Manitobans. Many of these are farmers, who for years, and in many cases for generations, have welcomed Minnesota waterfowlers to their homes or guest cabins or unused farmhouses  places where the visiting duck and goose hunters could stay for a reasonable fee to hunt and enjoy good times with their hosts.

Seeing these mom-and-pop outfits as competition, Canadian outfitters want them out of the hospitality business.

They propose doing so by:

 Reducing the total number of waterfowl licenses available to foreigners to 2,900, 1,200 of which will be available to Manitoba licensed outfitters.

 Issuing by lottery 1,300 licenses available to non-Canadians. These licenses will be good only for seven consecutive days.

 Reserving the remaining 400 foreign licenses  this will really fry DIY (do-it-yourself) American wingshooters  "to accommodate and transition non-government organizations that provide hunting opportunities as part of habitat conservation work and individuals that hold historical hunting properties in Manitoba to the new regulatory system. The licenses may also be used to mitigate impacts to outfitters in extenuating circumstances.''

The unintended consequence of the plan: Everyone will lose.

 Small-town Manitoba restaurants and motels owners, and the aforementioned farmers who historically have catered to DIY American waterfowlers, will suffer.

 Some Minnesota waterfowlers, already tired of what is generally regarded by many American sportsmen and women as a callous disdain for them  and their money  by the Canadian government, will simply stop traveling north.

 Seeing little reason to continue doing so, these same Americans will stop contributing to duck and goose habitat conservation in Canada.

Finally, some of the very businesses the plan purports to help  Canadian waterfowl outfitters  will go bust due to a decreasing number of visiting Minnesota waterfowlers.

Minnesota's duck opener last Saturday was good to very good, due largely to the presence virtually statewide of abundant blue-winged teal.

Some highlights:

 "Reports generally were fantastic,'' said Department of Natural Resources waterfowl specialist Steve Cordts of Bemidji. Hunting in the Bemidji area last weekend, Cordts saw ringnecks and redheads over his decoys, in addition to teal.

 Twenty hunters checked by the DNR in the Lac qui Parle area had near limits of six ducks apiece.

 Waterfowlers on Mud Goose Wildlife Management Area and other waters near Remer had close to four birds apiece.

 Lake Christina waterfowlers had good teal hunting on the opener. And a few thousand ringnecks were spotted on the storied lake before the season's first day.

 The Roseau area saw one of its best openers in recent years.

 Hunters on Carlos Avery Wildlife Management Area had about 2.5 ducks per hunter, mostly teal and wood ducks.

The presence of so many teal surprised Cordts. They are challenging birds to count during spring surveys because they are small and relatively reclusive. That said, they didn't appear to be in Minnesota in significant numbers during the DNR's May aerial counts. Additionally, teal largely evaded banding efforts by the DNR this summer, perhaps, Cordts said, "because there were just not that many of them.''

Yet, for whatever reason  perhaps due to a migration from the Dakotas, perhaps not bluewings were abundant on opening weekend.

Reports from DNR "spy blinds'' during Minnesota's five-day early teal season, Sept. 3-7, showed good target compliance among participating waterfowlers. Only teal are legal to shoot at, and kill, during the season.

In 2021, during the state's first "experimental'' five-day teal season, 10% of observed hunters shot at non-teal ducks; this year, Cordts said, it was 4%. Also, the killing of non-target ducks was down this year from 2021, 5% to 4%.
OLHA HLUSHCHENKO  THURSDAY, 29 SEPTEMBER 2022, 05:51

Bottles with flammable substance were thrown through the windows of a military commissariat (a military enlistment office) in Novosibirsk in Russia.

Source: Interfax Russia, citing local government and Yevgeny Kudriavtsev, military commissioner for Novosibirsk Oblast

Quote: "An attempt was made to set a military commissariat for the Kirovsk and Leninsky districts in the city of Novosibirsk on fire at 06:25 on 29 September [local time in Novosibirsk, which is in a GMT+7 time zone - ed.].

Molotov cocktails were thrown through the windows, causing a fire to break out on the outside of the building and spread over 0.5 square metres. It has been quickly extinguished."

Details: The premises of the military commissariat and property belonging to it have not been damaged. The suspect has been detained; an investigation is underway.

Previously: Since the beginning of partial mobilisation in Russia, at least five military enlistment offices have been set on fire, and cases of fires in administrative buildings have also become more frequent.

Military enlistment offices in Kaliningrad and Leningrad oblasts of the Russian Federation, and in the Republic of Mordovia (a federal subject of Russia) were set on fire on Sunday, 25 September.

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"Riverdale" actor and convicted murderer Ryan Grantham is worried about his safety if he serves his sentence in a maximum-security prison, according to his lawyer, Chris Johnson.

The 24-year-old Canadian was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole in 14 years after he pled guilty to the second-degree murder of his mother Barbara Waite.

Johnson told Fox News Digital Grantham could be at a higher risk of abuse in prison due to his "diminutive" stature and "young-looking" appearance.

The Vancouver-based criminal defense lawyer said the issue was first raised during court proceedings by the judge who presided over Grantham's case, Justice Kathleen Ker.

RIVERDALE ACTOR SENTENCED TO LIFE IN PRISON FOR KILLING MOTHER, PLANNING PM TRUDEAU ASSASSINATION

According to Johnson, Justice Ker requested that corrections authorities send Grantham to a medium-security prison instead of a maximum-security facility.

"Riverdale" actor and convicted murderer Ryan Grantham is worried about his safety if he serves his sentence in a maximum-security prison, according to his lawyer, Chris Johnson Andrew Chin/Getty Images

Johnson said he shares her concern over Grantham's safety as the former child actor is 5-foot-2, weighs "about 100 pounds" and "looks like a 17-year-old.

"My biggest concern is that he will be preyed upon by other prisoners and perhaps abused by them. We send people to prison to be both punished and rehabilitated. And so I'm hopeful that the latter can take place. We don't send people to prison so they can be punished by other prisoners."

Johnson explained that, in the Canadian court system, the court has no authority to determine which institution an offender serves time. He said once an offender is sentenced, correction authorities have jurisdiction over that decision.

"All the judge in our case could do is make a recommendation," Johnson said.

The Correctional Service of Canada (CSC) operates prisons at three levels of security: maximum, medium and minimum. Corrections authorities assess several factors before determining which security level is most appropriate for the offender.

"Almost inevitably a person convicted of murder in the first-degree or second-degree will go to a maximum-security prison for at least two years," Johnson said.

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The Canadian actor played Jeffrey Augustine on the fourth season of the CW show "Riverdale." Albert L. Ortega/Getty Images

He added that Justice Ker asked "to find out whether that was absolute or whether there was any exception to that."

"And we did find out that there could possibly be an exception to that, which is you can make a request to the director of prisons," Johnson said. "And, so essentially, she asked us to do that."

Johnson said that he planned to send the request to the director of prisons this week. He told Fox News Digital Grantham was being held at the North Fraser Regional Pre-trial Centre in Port Coquitlam, British Columbia, pending his trial.

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He will now be transferred to the Pacific Institution, a maximum, medium and minimum federal penitentiary in Abbotsford, British Columbia, until correctional authorities classify him.

Johnson said Grantham has experienced "almost no issues" in prison.

"But in pretrial, there's a very high staff to prisoner ratio, and people are supervised quite closely," Johnson said. "And that's not the case when you go to maximum security. There's less supervision."

According to Johnson, Grantham is "apprehensive" about entering a maximum-security prison, adding, "I think he's just apprehensive about that because of his age and appearance."

Johnson said he was concerned about his client's safety because the inmates who are incarcerated in maximum-security prisons are "people who murder other people, gang-related people, dangerous offenders, sexual predators, people like that."

Grantham also allegedly organized a plot to kill Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. David Kawai/Bloomberg

Despite Grantham pleading guilty to second-degree murder, he should not be subjected to abuse while in prison, the lawyer said.

"When people plead guilty to a crime, it doesn't mean they're saying, 'Sure, I'll be raped and abused by other prisoners.' That's not part of the deal," Johnson said.

"I'm just doing what I can. I'm not asking for any special treatment. This kid obviously is going to be punished. And, you know, he got a life sentence. He's going to be in jail for at least 14 years. But that doesn't mean that he deserves to be abused by other prisoners.

"I like to say that I did what I could to prevent that."

On March 31, 2020, Grantham shot his 64-year-old mother in the back of the head while she was playing piano at their home in Squamish, British Columbia. Prosecutors said the next day he loaded his car with guns and Molotov cocktails before driving to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's home with the aim of assassinating Trudeau.

Grantham said that he changed his mind and decided to commit a mass shooting at his college, Simon Fraser University. He ultimately did not go through with either act and instead turned himself into Vancouver Police and admitted to killing his mother.

Authorities say Grantham was motivated to murder his mother so she would not have to witness the other violent acts he intended to commit.

The "Diary of A Wimpy Kid" actor was initially charged with first-degree murder. However, Johnson told Fox News Digital that Grantham underwent a psychiatric assessment that indicated he was suffering from mental health disorders, including major depression, which enabled him to plead guilty to the lesser charge of second-degree murder.
Reuters

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Former President Donald Trump's administration has not turned over all presidential records and the National Archives will consult with the Justice Department on whether to move to get them back, the agency has told Congress. A congressional panel on Sept. 13 sought an urgent review by the National Archives and Records Administration after agency staff members acknowledged that they did not know if all presidential records from Trump's White House had been turned over. "While there is no easy way to establish absolute accountability, we do know that we do not have custody of everything we should," acting Archivist Debra Wall said in a letter Friday to the House Committee on Oversight and Reform.
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.
FILE: Army Maj. Jamie Lee Henry was indicted for conspiring to give Russia medical information to help its invasion of Ukraine, the Justice Department announced on Sept. 29, 2022. / Credit: Screen shot from MSNBC interview

An Army physician and her anesthesiologist wife have been indicted for conspiring to give Russia medical information to help its invasion of Ukraine, the Justice Department announced Thursday.

Maj. Jamie Lee Henry, a doctor at Fort Bragg in North Carolina, and her wife Anna Gabrielian, an anesthesiologist in Maryland, told an undercover FBI agent in August they'd provide medical information to the Russian government, according to the indictment unsealed Thursday.

The Justice Department indictment refers to Henry as male, but in 2015, BuzzFeed News reported that Henry became the nation's first known active duty transgender active- duty U.S. Army officer, after the Army granted her request to change her name and gender.

Henry and Gabrielian met with an individual they believed was associated with the Russian government but who was really an undercover agent, the indictment said. The couple allegedly told the agent they could pass on medical records to Russia of U.S. military, military family members and other individuals.

Later, in a meeting at a hotel, Gabrielian allegedly provided the agent with medical information of two people: the spouse of an employee at the Office of Naval Intelligence and a veteran of the U.S. Air Force. Gabrielian pointed out a medical issue in the first record that Russia could exploit, the Justice Department said.

Henry provided the information of at least five individuals who were patients at Fort Bragg and were either military veterans or related to military veterans, the indictment said.

Henry and Gabrielian both allegedly told the agent they were committed to helping Russia.

The indictment said Gabrielian had reached out to the Russian embassy offering help, and Henry had allegedly even tried to join the Russian military after the invasion started but was told Russia only wanted individuals who had combat experience, which Henry lacks.

Henry was more hesitant about violating the law limiting healthcare providers from sharing confidential medical records, but Gabrielian said she violated the law "all the time," the Justice Department said.

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According to the indictment, Gabrielian told the agent Henry was a more valuable source for Russia because Henry had information on how the U.S. military establishes army hospitals in war conditions and about previous training the U.S. military had provided to Ukrainian personnel.

A U.S. military service record provided to CBS News verified that Henry is currently assigned to Fort Bragg, N.C., as a staff internist with a rank of Major and has no combat deployments.

The indictment said Henry holds a Secret-level security clearance, which allows access to information whose release would cause serious damage to national security.

During their first meeting in a hotel room, the Justice Department said Gabrielian told the agent that if anything were to happen to her and Henry, she wanted their children "to have a nice flight to Turkey to go on vacation because I don't want to end in jail here with my kids being hostages over my head."

Gabrielian and Henry were both expected to have their first court appearances Thursday.

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(Reuters) -Around 3.2 million people in the United States received updated COVID-19 booster shots over the past week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on Thursday.

The CDC said a total of 7.6 million Americans had received the shot as of Sept. 28, the first four weeks the booster has been available. This is up from the 4.4. million people who received the shot as of Sept. 21.

The 7.6 million figure represents only 3.5% of the 215.5 million people in the United States aged 12 or older who are eligible to receive the shots because they have completed their primary vaccination series.

The shots are being administered at a slower pace than last year, when the United States initially authorized COVID boosters just for older and immunocompromised people. Around 12 million people received their third shot in the first four weeks of that vaccination campaign.

As of last week, the U.S. government had sent out over 25 million of the updated booster shots, mostly from Pfizer/BioNTech, as production of Moderna's shot continues to ramp up.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration authorized Pfizer and Moderna's Omicron-tailored shots last month, in preparation for the country's ongoing fall revaccination campaign.

The CDC tally includes booster shots from both Pfizer/BioNtech and Moderna.

While the Pfizer/BioNTech updated COVID-19 booster is approved for those aged 12 and above, Moderna's shot is approved for individuals aged 18 and above.

The Omicron-tailored shots aim to tackle the BA.5 and BA.4 subvariants, which make up a significant majority of the currently circulating variants in the United States, according to government data.

(Editing by Alistair Bell)
Ashley Graham rocked the Balmain runway on Sept. 28 at Paris Fashion Week, after wearing a vest, corset and skirt inspired by Renaissance paintings. (Photo by Julien de Rosa/AFP via Getty Images)

Ashley Graham knows how to stand out on a runway.

The 34-year-old model shared a carousel of photos and videos to Instagram on Thursday after she walked the Balmain Spring/Summer 2023 womenswear show at Paris Fashion Week. Graham wore a creation by French fashion designer Olivier Rousteing, who's Balmain's creative director, during the Sept. 28 show, which included a matching vest, corset and skirt inspired by Renaissance paintings.

To go with the outfit, hairstylist Sam McKnight styled Graham's dark locks in a slicked back, wet-look style, while British makeup artist Isamaya Ffrench gave the model a natural, makeup-free look.

"Thank you, Olivier Rousteing, for being the sweetest soul," Graham wrote in the caption to her post.

Fans were quick to show their appreciation for Graham's appearance on the runway, with many noting that seeing her in action is inspirational.

"Perioddd," commented fellow model Yumi Nu.

"Thats what body positivity and empowerment looks like. Love it," replied one fan.

"Wow! So iconic," another chimed in with a heart eye emoji.

"I Iove how fresh faced you are! No need to hide your natural beauty!" someone raved.

"I love seeing someone with a body type like mine rocking the runway!!!" someone else added.

"Your confidence is inspiring. Im a mom-of-six and I wish I had an ounce of it. Beautiful," wrote one person.

Graham wore a body-hugging black midi dress while arriving at the Schiaparelli Womenswear Spring/Summer 2023 presentation at Paris Fashion Week on Sept. 29. (Photo by Pierre Suu/Getty Images)

While Paris Fashion Week only began on Sept. 26, Graham has been booked and busy for the past few weeks.

On Thursday, the former "America's Next Top Model" host arrived at the Schiaparelli Spring/Summer 2023 womenswear presentation wearing a body-hugging black midi dress. She paired the look with black and gold toe heels, matching gold jewelry and a white and gold handbag, while her hair was slicked back into a braid and she wore a glamorous makeup look.

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Earlier on Thursday, Graham also gave fans "a little peek" of what's to come. In an Instagram Reel set to the tune of an instrumental version of "La Vie en rose," Graham posed atop a rooftop in Paris as she wore a dramatic lime green tulle gown.

Fellow celebrities and several fans were huge fans of Graham's "green princess" look.

"Exactly," raved influencer Bretman Rock.

"Wow. A moment," replied celebrity hairstylist Justine Marjan.

"That dress OMGGG," one fan chimed in.

"My jaw is on the floor," another commented.

"Green never looked that good!!" one person claimed.

"Paris!!!" someone shared with three red heart emojis. "Always the right choice!!! Gorgeous you, plus I love Paris and green!"

Let us know what you think by commenting below and tweeting @YahooStyleCA! Follow us on Twitter and Instagram.
Arnold Schwarzenegger visits former Nazi German Auschwitz Birkenau concentration and extermination camp

Auschwitz Museum is addressing the story behind Arnold Schwarzenegger's entry in their guestbook, which includes a catchphrase from his movie Terminator.

The 75-year-old actor and former California Governor visited the museum in Poland after he received the inaugural "Fighting Hatred" award in June from the Auschwitz Jewish Center Foundation. Following his visit, the establishment shared an image of his signature in their guestbook next to a famous line from Terminator which read, "I'll be back."

The movie quote later prompted criticism from Twitter users with one calling it "flippant" and another writing, "Not sure the tone of that was entirely suitable."

This visit was planned to be relatively short. The inscription was meant to be a promise to return for another and more indepth visit.  Auschwitz Memorial (@AuschwitzMuseum) September 28, 2022

RELATED: 77 Years Later, Powerful Photos from the Liberation of Auschwitz

In response, the museum tweeted, "This visit was planned to be relatively short."

"The inscription was meant to be a promise to return for another and more in-depth visit," they added.

The Auschwitz Memorial also shared that Schwarzenegger visited the site to "honor all the victims of the camp and deepen his knowledge about history that would help him fight against prejudices nowadays."

Arnold Schwarzenegger visits former Nazi German Auschwitz Birkenau concentration and extermination camp

Beata Zawrzel/NurPhoto via Getty

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According to Variety, after he was announced as the recipient of the "Fighting Hatred" award earlier this year, Schwarzenegger said in a statement that he is a "witness to the ruins of a country broken by the Nazis."

The recipient of @AuschwitzJCF Award for Fighting Hatred @Schwarzenegger visited the @AuschwitzMuseum today to honor all the victims of the camp and deepen his knowledge about history that would help him fight against prejudices nowadays. pic.twitter.com/6tt6Nebela  Auschwitz Memorial (@AuschwitzMuseum) September 28, 2022

"I saw firsthand how this hatred spun out of control and I share these painful memories with the world in the hopes of preventing future tragedies and educating soldiers about personal responsibility," the statement continued.

"I stand with the Auschwitz Jewish Center Foundation and their mission of education to ensure NEVER AGAIN."

Following the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol, Schwarzenegger also spoke out about growing up in Austria and witnessing the horrors of the Nazi movement there.
SYDNEY (Reuters) - Australia rejects the court ruling in Myanmar against Australian Professor Sean Turnell and calls for his immediate release, Foreign Minister Penny Wong said on Thursday.

A closed court in military-ruled Myanmar on Thursday sentenced deposed leader Aung San Suu Kyi and Turnell to three years in prison on charges of violating the official secrets act, a source familiar with the proceedings said. The source declined to be identified due to the sensitivity of the issue.

"The Australian government has consistently rejected the charges against Professor Turnell during the more than 19 months he had been unjustly detained by the Myanmar military regime," she said, adding Australia will continue to advocate for his release and return to Australia.

(Reporting by Lewis Jackson; Editing by Muralikumar Anantharaman)
(Reuters) - The Australian Federal Court has dismissed a petition by the country's corporate regulator against Commonwealth Bank of Australia and its pension unit on allegations of improperly collecting commissions, the regulator said.

The petition arises from the Royal Commission inquiry into the country's financial sector through 2017 to 2019, which uncovered widespread misconduct in the sector including pushing unsuspecting customers to buy financial products without proper disclosures for commission, among others.

However, the dismissal of this petition by the court is a blow to consumer advocates who wanted tougher regulation, and also absolves CBA of some of the most damaging allegations aired at the inquiry.

The Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) in June 2020 filed the petition against top lender CBA and Colonial First State accusing it of a scheme where the bank took commission to sell products for its unit from 2013 to 2019, a banned practice known as conflicted remuneration.

CBA sold the pension product to about 390,000 of its customers in branches and online, amassing more than A$22 million ($14.27 million) in fees, the regulator had alleged back in 2020.

The regulator said on Thursday that the court found that the payments made by Colonial to CBA did not constitute benefits within the definition of "conflicted remuneration".

CBA in an emailed response to Reuters acknowledged the judgement, but refrained from commenting any further.

($1 = 1.5420 Australian dollars)

(Reporting by Sameer Manekar and Byron Kaye; Editing by Rashmi Aich)
An Australian news cameraman has been widely praised for dropping his live recording and running to help a family who were struggling to evacuate their flooded home.

In an unexpected moment during a live broadcast for Australias Channel 7, a cameraman was seen dropping his camera and running into the floodwater to help a family on Wednesday.

Keep going, keep going, his colleague and presenter Tim Lester was heard saying. This an enormous storm... were just helping some people through the water here. Thats our camera operator Glen Ellis out there.

As another news anchor in the studio, David Koch, asked if the pair were okay, Lester explained that Ellis was helping a family carry a small number of possessions and water through the water.

I think you can see [him] trying to help people who are wading away from their homes, said the presenter and US correspondent for Sunrise. Weve spoken to a couple of them and they tell us that already their houses hve been lost in the water, theyve been flooded right through and theyve had to abandon them.

The Sunrise team were reporting from Naples, which was heavily flooded following Hurricane Ian and had seen the destruction of its pier  amid other damage.

A Collier County county official said on Thursday that the Naples Pier, a top tourist destination, has been destroyed by Hurricane Ian and that Right now, there is no pier, the Associated Press reported.

Severe flooding was also seen in nearby Lee County, where Hurricane Ian came ashore as a near-Category 5 storm at Cayo Costa with wind speeds of 155mph and storm surges of several feet.

In forty years, never had a camera operator run away during a live cross. Spot on Glen. Good call.https://t.co/9Fo6bkDlo4  Tim Lester (@telester) September 29, 2022

Thousands of people are believed to be awaiting rescue and 2.5 million are without power, officials have been reported saying.

Taking to social media after the on-camera rescue, Lester tweeted: In forty years, never had a camera operator run away during a live cross. Spot on Glen. Good call.
The power station is located in Traralgon, Victoria

Australia's dirtiest power plant - responsible for more than 3% of the country's emissions - will shut a decade earlier than planned.

The coal-fired Loy Yang A power station in Victoria will close in 2035, its owner AGL Energy said.

Australia - one of the world's biggest emitters per capita - has long been considered a climate policy laggard.

AGL is the nation's biggest electricity generator and polluter and has come under pressure to limit fossil fuels.

Loy Yang A emitted 16.6 million tonnes of greenhouse gas in 2019-20, according to most recent data. Australia in total emitted 513.4 million tonnes during the same period.

The closure is "a major step forward in Australia's decarbonisation journey", AGL chief executive Damien Nicks said in a statement to Australia's stock exchange.

The plant currently supplies a huge chunk of Victoria's energy.

It was initially scheduled to close by 2048, but that was brought forward by three years in February. The new 2035 deadline comes amid leadership changes at AGL.

Earlier this year, Australian billionaire Mike Cannon-Brookes became the company's largest shareholder in a bid to force it to become greener.

The energy giant owns several of Australia's biggest power stations, and contributes about 8% of the country's reported carbon emissions.

Since his election in May, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has committed to a 43% reduction in 2005 emissions by 2030, up from his predecessor's pledge of 26-28%.

But scientists have criticised the government for continuing to support fossil fuel industries.

The Climate Council says AGL's decision is proof coal is no longer commercially viable in Australia.

"Coal is unable to compete on cost with renewable energy, it is also inflexible, ageing, unreliable and inefficient," spokesman Greg Bourne said.

Australia's biggest coal-fired power station will also shut earlier than planned, it was announced earlier this year.

And on Wednesday, the Queensland state government unveiled a plan to shift the state away from coal power by 2035.

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By Lucy Craymer

WELLINGTON (Reuters) - The remains of around 64 indigenous New Zealanders that were stolen in the 19th century will officially be welcomed home on Sunday following more than 70 years of negotiations, the head of the repatriation team said on Thursday.

The skeletal remains, which include skulls without mandibles, craniums, loose mandibles and maxilla fragments, were handed over in an official ceremony in Vienna on Tuesday, where there was a panel and presentation.

"This panel and presentation highlighted the decades-long journey for the return of these Maori and Moriori ancestors to Aotearoa (New Zealand)," said Te Arikirangi Mamaku-Ironside, the New Zealand national museum's acting head of repatriation.

The Maori and Moriori ancestral remains were largely collected by Austrian taxidermist and grave robber Andreas Reischek from 1877 to 1889.

Katrin Vohland, Director General and Scientific Director, of the Natural History Museum in Vienna, said in a statement she had been impressed by how much the repatriation process was driven by the wish for reconciliation, and was happy her museum could contribute to the healing process.

Reischek was not the only person to steal skeletal remains and remains have ended up in museums and institutions around the world.

Since 2003 Te Papa has operated a programme to repatriate skeletal remains from institutions. More that 600 ancestral remains have since been returned.

In July, London's Natural History Museum returned skeletal remains for 111 Moriori and 2 Maori.

Amber Aranui, who is a curator at Te Papa and spent many years as a researcher for the repatriation programme, said returning ancestral remains to their homes was incredibly emotional and the job wouldn't be completed until they'd been returned to their descendents.

"There's still a lot of work to do," added Aranui, who estimates there could be upwards of 500 ancestral remains still overseas.

(Reporting by Lucy Craymer; Editing by Kim Coghill)
AUSTIN, Texas (AP)  Two brothers in Texas have been arrested after authorities say one of them opened fire on a group of migrants getting water near the U.S.-Mexico border, killing one man and shooting a woman in the stomach, according to court documents filed Thursday.

The shooting Tuesday was in rural Hudspeth County about 90 miles from El Paso, where the woman was transported and recovering at a hospital, according to the Texas Department of Public Safety.

DPS said the victims were among a group of migrants standing alongside the road getting water when a truck with two men inside pulled over. According to court documents, the group had taken cover as the truck first passed to avoid being detected but the truck then backed up.

Michael Sheppard and Mark Sheppard, both 60, were charged with manslaughter, according to court documents. It was not clear whether either man had an attorney and no contact information could immediately be found Thursday.

Records show that Michael Sheppard was a warden at the West Texas Detention Facility, a privately owned center that houses migrant detainees and contracts with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Scott Sutterfield, a spokesman for facility operator Lasalle Corrections, said Thursday that the center's warden had been fired due to an off-duty incident unrelated to his employment. He declined further comment.

Authorities located the truck by checking cameras and finding a vehicle matching the description given by the migrants, according to court records.

____

Associated Press writer Acacia Coronado contributed to this report.
A Baltimore anesthesiologist and her U.S. Army major spouse were federally indicted Wednesday in an alleged conspiracy to disclose health information to the Russian government to assist its war in Ukraine.

Dr. Anna Gabrielian, 36, and Maj. Jamie Lee Henry, 39 and also a medical doctor, face eight counts, including conspiracy and wrongful disclosure of individually identifiable health information. The indictment was filed in U.S. District Court.

Records at the Maryland Board of Physicians show Gabrielians and Henrys primary practices are at Johns Hopkins Hospital. The indictment, however, said at the time of the alleged conspiracy that Henry was a staff internist stationed at Fort Bragg, an Army installation in North Carolina and home of U.S. Army Special Operations Command where Henry had secret-level security clearance.

The indictment says the pair, who live in Rockville, sought to pass federally protected medical information to an undercover FBI agent who Gabrielian believed worked at the Russian Embassy about patients at Fort Bragg and others, as well as provide information about U.S. medical capabilities in war conditions.

The indictment said Gabrielian told the agent she was motivated by patriotism toward Russia to provide any assistance she could to Russia, even if it meant being fired or going to jail.

The indictment does not explain Gabrielians connection to Russia, but Johns Hopkins website said she speaks Russian.

If convicted, the couple face a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison for the conspiracy and a maximum of 10 years for each count of disclosing protected health information.

The indictment was unsealed after both were arrested Thursday, according to a statement from the U.S. attorneys office, which announced the indictment along with the FBI Baltimore field office.

Gabrielian and Henry had initial appearances Thursday in U.S. District Court in Baltimore. Both were released on home detention with location monitoring. Gabrielian also was released on a $500,000 bond.

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Hopkins did not respond to questions about the couples employment status, but Kim Hoppe, a spokeswoman, said: We were shocked to learn about this news this morning and intend to fully cooperate with investigators.

Gabrielians Hopkins online profile lists her as an instructor of anesthesiology and critical care medicine. Henry did not appear to have a current profile.

The indictment says that beginning on Aug. 17 they conspired to cause harm to the United States by providing confidential health information of Americans associated with the United States government and military to Russia.

The information was offered, the indictment says, to demonstrate their access to health information of Americans, their willingness to provide it to the Russian government and the potential for the Russians to gain insights into medical conditions of people in U.S. government and the U.S. military for the Russians to exploit

The indictment says Gabrielian reached out to the Russian embassy by email and phone offering her and Henrys help. Since then the couple met twice with someone at a Baltimore hotel who they thought represented the government but was the undercover FBI agent. Henry also indicated in the meeting a willingness to volunteer for the Russian military in Ukraine but lacked combat experience.

While the indictment said they wanted plausible deniability if they were confronted by U.S. authorities, they nonetheless asked that, if they were arrested, Gabrielian wanted their children to have a nice flight to Turkey to go on vacation because I dont want to end in jail here with my kids being hostages over my head.

On Aug. 31, the indictment says, Gabrielian and Henry met with the agent in a Gaithersburg hotel and provided health records for two people, including the spouse of an employee of the Office of Naval Intelligence, who Gabrielian thought had a medical condition Russia could exploit. Henry, the indictment said, provided health records for five other people who were military veterans or relatives.

Someone answering the phone in the Silver Spring law office of Teresa Whalen, Gabrielians attorney, said the attorney was out of town and not responding to any inquiries.

Henrys attorney, David Walsh Little of Baltimore, would not address the allegations in the indictment but said, Dr. Henry had his initial appearance this afternoon and thankfully he was released to home detention.

Henry has been referred to in several news articles since 2015 as the Armys first openly transgender active duty officer.

Baltimore Sun reporter Lee O. Sanderlin contributed to this article.
VALENTYNA ROMANENKO  THURSDAY, 29 SEPTEMBER 2022, 11:32

Places are being prepared in Belarus for accommodation of 20,000 people conscripted by the Russian Federation.

Source: Chief Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine

Details: The recruited units will have to replenish the units of the Russian Armed Forces stationed in Belarus. As a result of the replenishment, the ratio of "seasoned" and "rookie" military personnel should be 1 to 5.

According to the Chief Intelligence Directorate, it is planned to use existing military funds, as well as civilian premises and buildings, for accommodation. Warehouses, hangars and other premises of abandoned agricultural enterprises and farms are being transferred for these needs. Corresponding instructions were given to the Armed Forces of Belarus and local councils.

Quote: "After increasing the staff, the units will use Russian military equipment [coming] from warehouses on the territory of Belarus. It is also planned to strengthen it at the expense of equipment and weapons removed from storage sites on the territory of the Russian Federation. The lack of equipment for the transportation of personnel of the occupying forces is planned to be replenished at the expense of the mobilisation of civilian trucks and cars.

The authorities of the Republic of Belarus also instructed the law enforcement agencies to assist the representatives of the Russian Federation in the draft of Russian citizens who recently entered the territory of the country."

Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron!
(NEXSTAR)  The day has finally come  well, almost.

After weeks of waiting, the White House appears to be gearing up to forgive the federal student loan debt of millions of Americans after alerting borrowers Thursday about what to expect through the process.

First, its important to know whether or not you qualify for this one-time loan forgiveness. This will depend on the type of loans you have, whether you received a Pell Grant, and your income in 2020 or 2021. If you meet the qualifications, youll receive up to $10,000 in forgiveness, or $20,000 if you ever received a Pell Grant.

Since President Joe Biden announced the widespread forgiveness plan in August, the White House and the Department of Education have said the process would begin in early October. Borrowers were encouraged to sign up for an email notification that would alert them about the forgiveness process.

Student loan forgiveness: Dont miss these four dates

The first email to those borrowers who signed up for notifications was sent Thursday, two days before October begins.

The email doesnt give a firm date on when the application will open, but it does outline what the application process will entail.

Sometime in the coming days, the Education Department says it will launch a short and simple application. You wont need to provide any supporting documents or use your Federal Student Aid ID to submit the application, according to Thursdays email.

After your application has been submitted, it will be reviewed to determine if you qualify for debt relief, and the Education Department will work with your loan servicer(s) to process your relief. Though you dont have to submit any documents, the department notes that borrowers may be contacted if additional information is needed.

IRS failed to send child tax credit to millions: audit

The Education Department went on to warn borrowers to be wary of scammers. Any company that contacts you saying they will help you get your loans discharged or forgiven for a fee is running a scam  there is no fee for this federal student loan forgiveness. Only the Education Department and your loan servicers will handle your loan forgiveness.

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Nearly 8 million borrowers may not have to apply for loan forgiveness, the Education Department announced previously. Instead, because the department already has their updated income data, these borrowers will be able to get relief automatically.

Those who apply should see relief within four to six weeks, according to the Education Department. If you apply before Nov. 15, officials say forgiveness should be applied to your account before the payment pause ends on Dec. 31. Your student loan servicer will notify you once relief has been applied to your loans, according to the Education Department.

Youll be able to apply for student loan forgiveness soon: Heres what we know

Additionally, if youve been making voluntary payments on your loans since March 2020, you are likely eligible to have those payments automatically refunded. More details can be found here.

Once the Education Department does make the application available, borrowers will have until the end of December 2023 to apply.

A lawsuit was filed earlier this week challenging Bidens loan forgiveness. Shortly after the email was sent to borrowers, six Republican-led states announced they are suing the Biden administration in an effort to halt forgiveness as well. There are more than 2 million people within those states that are expected to qualify for loan forgiveness, a White House fact sheet shows.

Its unclear if these suits will impact the process.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
President Joe Biden on Thursday praised the Federal Emergency Management Agency for its response to Hurricane Ian, telling the room full of FEMA workers that theyre restoring Americans faith in their government.

Biden stopped to speak to the workers after attending a FEMA briefing on the hurricanes devastation in Florida. He said over the past six to 10 years, faith in government institutions has been eroding.

You are reinforcing peoples faith in institutions, Biden said at the FEMA headquarters. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Restoring trust in government and its institutions has long been a pillar of the Biden's agenda, and was a focal point of his campaign for president as he challenged Donald Trump in 2020. During Bidens first year in office, he signed an executive order aimed at this priority, making it easier for Americans to renew passports, apply for Social Security and receive aid after facing natural disasters  the idea being to put public interest and customer service at the center of government operations.

The publics trust in government has remained low through much of the 21st Century. But the data is approaching a new all-time low, according to the latest research from Pew Research Center that found that just 20 percent of Americans feel that they trust the government in Washington to do the right thing just about always or most of the time.

During Thursdays speech, Biden thanked FEMA again and other federal employees for their emergency response.

Ive seen you in action all across the country from the West coast of the Northwest and the Northeast, down in Louisiana, all across this country, Biden said. And just in the last two weeks, youve been working 24/7. No matter what, when emergencies happen, FEMA is always there. You deserve the nations gratitude and full support.

Asked Thursday about his calls with GOP Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, Biden brushed off the divergent politics and rhetorical sparring between the two men that have escalated in recent weeks ahead of November's midterm elections. Already Biden has issued a disaster declaration in the state, which will provide Florida with federal aid to supplement state, local and tribal recovery efforts in impacted areas. The president also said he will travel to Florida when conditions allow.

This is not about anything having to do with our disagreements politically. This is about saving peoples lives, homes and businesses, he said. Thats what this is about.
By Jarrett Renshaw

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. President Joe Biden said on Thursday that Hurricane Ian could be Florida's deadliest, adding he would travel to the state when appropriate.

"This could be the deadliest hurricane in Florida's history. The numbers are still unclear but we're hearing early reports of what may be substantial loss of life," Biden said during a visit to Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) headquarters in Washington.

Biden pledged that the federal government would do everything it could to get Florida residents what they need after the storm and warned energy companies not to engage in price gouging.

Big storms in Florida have killed dozens of people, in total, in modern history. However a 1928 hurricane killed thousands, mostly in Florida.

Biden noted that Governor Ron DeSantis, a fierce political rival, had thanked him for the federal government's quick response to the storm.

Biden, a Democrat, and DeSantis, a Republican, could be rivals in a 2024 presidential contest, and before the storm struck, the president was planning a sharp political attack at a rally in Florida this week.

DeSantis has been a fierce critic of Biden's policies in multiple areas, including the COVID-19 pandemic and immigration.

The president dismissed those dynamics on Thursday.

Biden said he had spoken with DeSantis four to five times and the governor had expressed thanks and appreciation for the federal support.

"This is not about ... anything having to do with our disagreements politically. This is about saving people's lives, homes and businesses," Biden said.

Rescue workers and residents of Florida's Gulf Coast searched for missing people on Thursday after the storm tore through the area and caused massive power outages.

"Many families are hurting," Biden said. "Our entire country hurts with them."

Biden said he had approved DeSantis' latest request for the federal government to cover the full cost of clearing debris and costs to save lives.

Story continues

Read more:

Maps-Hurricane Ian batters the Gulf Coast

Hurricane hunter says Ian's eyewall flight was 'worst I've ever been on'

How hurricanes cause dangerous, destructive storm surges

How climate change is fueling hurricanes

(Reporting by Jarrett Renshaw, Doina Chiacu, and Jeff Mason; Editing by Heather Timmons, Cynthia Osterman and Lisa Shumaker)
President Biden on Thursday said that his political disagreements with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) are irrelevant during the Hurricane Ian response efforts, adding that he plans to visit the state when he can.

Its totally irrelevant, but Ill answer it, he said when asked about his relationship with DeSantis. He complimented me, he thanked me for the immediate response we had, he told me how much he appreciated it.

This is not about anything having to do with our disagreements politically, this is about saving peoples lives, homes and businesses. Thats what this is about, Biden added in remarks at the Federal Emergency Management Agencys headquarters.

The president said the timing of his visit to Florida will depend on when he can go without getting in the way of recovery efforts.

Everyone hard at work in Florida right now deserves our thanks. When the conditions allow it, Im going to be going to Florida to thank them personally, so we dont get in the way, Biden said.

The president said he and DeSantis have spoken four or five times in the lead up to and since the storm hit.

And its not a matter of my disagreements with him on other items, he said.

Hurricane Ian made landfall as a Category 4 storm Wednesday afternoon and brought rain, intense winds, floods and power outages. It is expected to make its way to Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina later this week.

The president also said on Thursday that he will visit Puerto Rico, which was hit by Hurricane Fiona earlier this month, and that he is committed to recovery efforts for the island.

Thats my intention, Biden said when asked about a trip to Puerto Rico.

Biden first spoke on Tuesday night to DeSantis, a potential 2024 political rival for the White House who has leaned into culture wars and challenged the administration over the influx of migrants at the border.

Earlier on Thursday, the president approved a major disaster declaration for Florida, which frees up additional resources for the response so the federal government covers 100 percent of the cost to clear debris and other costs.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Ali Hussein Julood, a childhood leukaemia survivor from Rumaila, Iraq in front of gas flares near his home

Major oil companies are not declaring a significant source of greenhouse gas emissions, a BBC News investigation has revealed.

The BBC found millions of tonnes of undeclared emissions from gas flaring at oil fields where BP, Eni, ExxonMobil, Chevron and Shell work.

Flaring of natural gas is the "wasteful" burning of excess gas released during oil production.

The companies said their reporting method was standard industry practice.

Flared gases emit a potent mix of carbon dioxide, methane and black soot which pollute the air and accelerate global warming.

The BBC has also found high levels of potentially cancer-causing chemicals in Iraqi communities near oil fields where there is gas flaring. These fields have some of the highest levels of undeclared flaring in the world, according to our findings.

In response, David Boyd, UN special rapporteur on human rights and the environment, compared these communities to "modern sacrifice zones, areas where profit and private interests are prioritised over human health, human rights and the environment".

BBC iPlayer

Under Poisoned Skies

The deadly impact of the oil giants' toxic air pollution on children and the planet is revealed in this BBC News Arabic investigation from the front line of climate change in Iraq.

The documentary is available to watch now on BBC iPlayer (UK only) and is also being broadcast on BBC World News at 08:10 GMT on Saturday 1 October.

BBC iPlayer

Companies have long recognised the need to eliminate all but emergency flaring.

BP, Eni, ExxonMobil, Chevron and Shell are committed to a 2015 World Bank pledge to declare and end routine flaring by 2030 - in Shell's case by 2025.

But the companies say that where they have contracted with another company to run day-to-day operations, it is that other firm's responsibility to declare flaring emissions.

Such fields are a major part of oil production - accounting for 50% of these five companies' portfolios, on average.

However, through months of analysis the BBC found dozens of oil fields where these operators are not declaring the emissions either, meaning no-one is.

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Using World Bank flare-tracking satellite data, we were able to identify the emissions from each of these sites. We estimate that in 2021, almost 20 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent went unreported from these flares. That is equal to the greenhouse gas emissions 4.4 million cars would produce in a year.

In response, all five firms said that the approach to reporting emissions only from the sites they directly operate was standard industry practice.

Shell and Eni additionally said that they do give an overall emissions figure which includes flaring from non-operated sites, but said this is not broken down or included in their World Bank pledge to cut emissions.

A BBC News Arabic investigation indicates that flaring increases the risk of some cancers for people living near oil fields in Iraq.

People living in some of the world's biggest oil fields in Basra, south-east Iraq - Rumaila, West Qurna, Zubair and Nahran Omar - have long suspected that childhood leukaemia is on the increase, and that flaring is behind it.

Gas flaring has become the backdrop to children's lives in Basra

In the Basra region, new cases of all types of cancer rose by 20% between 2015 and 2018, according to a leaked Iraq Health Ministry report seen by BBC News Arabic. It blames air pollution.

BP and Eni are the lead contractors at Rumaila and Zubair oil fields respectively, but as they are not the operators they do not declare the emissions. Neither do the sites' operators.

BBC News Arabic worked with environment and health experts near the four sites in 2021 to test for cancer-causing chemicals associated with flaring over two weeks.

The air tests indicated levels of benzene, linked to leukaemia and other blood disorders, reached or exceeded Iraq's national limit in at least four places.

Urine samples we collected from 52 children indicated that 70% had elevated levels of 2-Naphthol, a form of the possibly cancer-causing substance naphthalene.

Dr Manuela Orjuela-Grimm, professor of childhood cancer at Columbia University, said: "The children have strikingly high levels  this is concerning for [their] health and suggests they should be monitored closely."

Prof Shukri, one of our local environmental experts, took air pollution measurements in communities surrounding the oil fields

When she was 11, Fatima Falah Najem was diagnosed with a type of blood and bone cancer called acute lymphoblastic leukaemia. Exposure to benzene can increase the risk of people developing this condition.

Fatima lived with her parents and six siblings near Zubair oil field, where Eni is the lead contractor.

Neither Eni nor Zubair's operating company declare flaring emissions there.

For health reasons, Iraqi law prohibits flaring within six miles (10 km) of people's homes.

But the flares in Zubair blaze almost continuously, just 1.6 miles from the family's front door.

Fatima drew the "fiery flames" that surrounded her home, during her chemotherapy treatment.

She told us she enjoyed watching them at night, and came to normalise them.

But for her father, watching her get sick was "like being on fire without being able to extinguish it".

Fatima died last November as her family desperately sought a bone marrow transplant. She was 13.

Fatima remained strong even on her last day, her mother told us

Asked for a response, Eni said it "strongly rejects any allegation that its own activities are endangering the health of the Iraqi people".

Eni said that it does not contractually have responsibility for flaring in Zubair.

Rumaila oil field, 25 miles away, flares more gas than any other site in the world, according to BBC calculations - enough to power nearly three million UK homes a year.

BP is the lead contractor - it helped establish and now supervises the operator, Rumaila Operating Organisation (ROO). Neither declares any flaring from the oil field.

ROO's operating standards, which BP signed, say: "Those who are impacted by pollution levels that exceed national limits are legally entitled to compensation."

But Ali Hussein Julood, a 19-year-old leukaemia survivor, says that he and his father were met with silence when they sought compensation from BP in 2020 and 2021.

BP said: "We are extremely concerned by the issues raised by the BBC - we will immediately review those concerns."

On the leaked report on cancer in the Basra area, Iraq's Oil Minister Ihsan Abdul Jabbar Ismail told us: "We instructed all the contracted companies operating in the oil fields to uphold international standards."

If all the natural gas flared globally were captured and used it could replace more than nine-tenths of Europe's gas imports from Russia, based on figures from the International Energy Agency.

Aerial shot of West Qurna oil field (Image has been colour graded)

Capturing the gas can be initially expensive and technically difficult, according to the World Bank. It estimates that ending all routine flaring could cost as much as $100bn (92bn).

But Mark Davis, chief executive of Capterio, which advises oil companies on capturing flared gas, told the BBC that countries like Norway have shown it is possible with the help of strong regulation.

Additional support from: Becky Dale and Christine Jeavans (Data & Analysis)
Former president Bill Clinton said in a recent interview that there is a limit to how many migrants the United States can take without causing disruption.

Clintons comments came during an interview with CNNs Fareed Zakaria, who asked, Now what you have is a lot of people who are essentially economic migrants . . . essentially gaming the system, using the asylum as a way to get in. Isnt it true that there has to be some order placed on this? Some control?

I agree with that, Clinton replied. That is, there is a limit to how many migrants any society can take without severe disruption and assistance, and our system is based much more on an assumption that things would be more normal, Clinton said on a CNN podcast with Zakaria.

Clintons comments come as border agents have recorded more than 2.1 million migrant encounters this fiscal year, including more than 200,000 encounters last month alone.

The 76-year-old former president recalled a time when he was young in which Mexican migrants traveled back and forth across the border to work in agriculture, saying it worked for people at the time.

Its an old story, but now youve got the largest number of refugees since World War II because of Syria and now Ukraine and other problems, he said.

He went on to criticize Texas governor Greg Abbott for busing more than 10,000 migrants from the border to sanctuary cities to draw attention to the border crisis.

Whats happening in Venezuela, more than 2 million refugees pouring into first Colombia then nearby countries, has created unprecedented new challenges and meanwhile provides opportunities for stunts like Gov. Abbotts  sending his refugees to some place that he thinks is advocating for a broad-minded policy that it doesnt have to live with, he said.

He also criticized Florida governor Ron DeSantis, who sent 50 migrants via plane from Texas to Marthas Vineyard.

DeSantis sending those people to Marthas Vineyard was amazing. That may come back to haunt him a little bit, the former president said.

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Clinton acknowledged in his own 1995 State of the Union address as president that All Americans, not only in the States most heavily affected but in every place in this country, are rightly disturbed by the large numbers of illegal aliens entering our country.

He added at the time:

The jobs they hold might otherwise be held by citizens or legal immigrants. The public service they use impose burdens on our taxpayers. Thats why our administration has moved aggressively to secure our borders more by hiring a record number of new border guards, by deporting twice as many criminal aliens as ever before, by cracking down on illegal hiring, by barring welfare benefits to illegal aliens. In the budget I will present to you, we will try to do more to speed the deportation of illegal aliens who are arrested for crimes, to better identify illegal aliens in the workplace as recommended by the commission headed by former Congresswoman Barbara Jordan. We are a nation of immigrants. But we are also a nation of laws. It is wrong and ultimately self-defeating for a nation of immigrants to permit the kind of abuse of our immigration laws we have seen in recent years, and we must do more to stop it.

Clinton later signed into law the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996.

More from National Review
(Bloomberg) -- Australias top polluter bowed to pressure from its biggest shareholder, billionaire climate activist Mike Cannon-Brookes, and announced it would exit coal power by 2035, a decade earlier than previously planned.

Most Read from Bloomberg

AGL Energy Ltd. will shutter the nations dirtiest power plant, Loy Yang A in Victoria, by 2035, the Sydney-based company said Thursday. Its Bayswater site in New South Wales -- the second-most polluting facility -- is on track to close between 2030 and 2033, AGL Chair Patricia McKenzie said in the statement.

The move marks a dramatic turnaround for the 185-year-old utility. Cannon-Brookes became AGLs top shareholder in May and successfully lobbied the company to ditch plans to split into separate retail and power-generation companies, which would have allowed its coal power plants to continue operating into the 2040s. The tech billionaire has said that shuttering them no later than 2035 would encourage additional investment in clean energy projects that could replace them.

This is about access to greater pools of capital in the market -- there are billions and billions of dollars out there wanting to be deployed in the market today, interim Chief Executive Officer Damien Nicks said in an interview. We want to make sure we have access to that capital. That is the biggest part of the decision we are making.

The shift is also symptomatic of a new wind blowing in Australia, one of the worlds biggest per-capita polluters, which is increasingly looking to take advantage of its sunny climate and vast empty spaces to become a clean energy powerhouse. The government that came to power in May has pledged stronger action on climate, and states have announced ambitious plans to move away from coal -- which last year still fueled more than half the nations power needs.

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READ: Australias Rise as Green Superpower Will Supercharge the World

Cannon-Brookes is receiving some well-earned applause for the success of his climate activism, said Will Edmonds, an analyst at BloombergNEF. However, there are also many economic factors in Australias energy market that are pushing operators like AGL to close their coal plants earlier.

Loy Yang A and Bayswater are huge spewers of greenhouse gases, producing almost 31 million tons of carbon dioxide in 2019-2020, or almost 10% of all Australias reported emissions. The company said its annual emissions will fall from 40 million tons to eventually reach net-zero for Scope 1 and 2 by the time its coal assets are closed.

Loy Yang has more than 2 gigawatts of capacity and generates almost a third of Victorias electricity. AGL will seek to supply customers with up to 12 gigawatts of new generation by 2036, requiring an investment of A$20 billion ($13 billion) funded from its balance sheet, offtakes and partnerships, it said Thursday.

The company said it would recognize a A$700 million charge related to the early closure of Loy Yang.

Cannon-Brookes Grok Ventures family office commended AGLs commitment to accelerating the timeframe on shutting down its coal plants, but underscored the need for more new board members and pointed to its nomination of four newcomers to the companys six-person board.

AGL shares rose as much as 3.8% during early trading hours in Sydney and are up 8.1% this year, after four consecutive annual losses that saw the companys value plummet.

(Updates with details from third paragraph, further comments)

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2022 Bloomberg L.P.
VATICAN CITY (AP)  The Catholic Church's decades-long sex abuse scandal caught up with a Nobel Peace Prize winner Thursday, with the Vatican confirming that it had sanctioned the East Timor independence hero, Bishop Carlos Ximenes Belo, following allegations that he sexually abused boys there during the 1990s.

The Vatican admission came a day after a Dutch magazine, De Groene Amsterdammer, exposed the claims against the revered Catholic bishop, citing two of Belos alleged victims and reporting there were others who hadnt come forward in East Timor, where the church wields enormous influence.

Spokesman Matteo Bruni said the Vatican office that handles sex abuse cases received allegations concerning the bishops behavior in 2019 and within a year had imposed the restrictions. They included limitations on Belo's movements and his exercise of ministry, and prohibited him from having voluntary contact with minors or contact with East Timor.

In a statement, Bruni said the sanctions were modified and reinforced in November 2021 and that Belo had formally accepted the punishment on both occasions.

The Vatican provided no explanation, however, for why St. John Paul II allowed Belo to resign as head of the church in East Timor two decades early in 2002, and why church authorities permitted him to be sent to Mozambique, where he worked with children.

News of Belos behavior sent shock waves through the heavily Catholic, impoverished Southeast Asian nation, where he is regarded as a hero for fighting to win East Timor's independence from Indonesian rule.

We are here also in shock to hear this news, an official at the archdiocese of Dili in East Timor said Thursday, speaking to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.

Others said they would stand with Belo for his contributions to the country and its struggle for independence.

We accept and submit to any decision issued by the Vatican on the allegation against Bishop Carlos Ximenes Belo, whether it is right or wrong, said Gregoriu Saldanha, who chairs the November 12th Committee, a youth organization established after a massacre at Santa Cruz during Indonesias occupation of East Timor.

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He said at a news conference in Dili that we will still stand with Bishop Belo, because we realize, as a human being, Belo has weaknesses or mistakes like others. If he does wrongdoing, its his individual fault, nothing to do with the religion.

He added that We cannot ignore his kindness and what he has fought for the people of East Timor. Belo is part of our struggle for independence. As a leader of the Catholic church, he has provided supports and solidarity for the peoples struggle.

De Groene Amsterdammer said two alleged victims, identified only as Paulo and Roberto, reported being abused by Belo and said other boys were also victims. It said its investigation showed that Belos abuse was known to the East Timorese government and to humanitarian and church workers.

The bishop raped and sexually abused me that night, Roberto was quoted as telling the magazine. Early in the morning he sent me away. I was afraid because it was still dark. So I had to wait before I could go home. He also left money for me. That was meant so that I would keep my mouth shut. And to make sure I would come back.

Belo won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1996 with fellow East Timorese independence icon Jose Ramos-Horta for campaigning for a fair and peaceful solution to conflict in their home country as it struggled to gain independence from Indonesia, a former Dutch colony.

The Norwegian Nobel Committee, in its citation, praised Belos courage in refusing to be intimidated by Indonesian forces. The committee noted that while trying to get the United Nations to arrange a plebiscite for East Timor, he smuggled out two witnesses to a bloody 1991 massacre so they could testify to the U.N. human rights commission in Geneva.

The Nobel Committee declined to respond to the allegations, other than to say it generally doesnt comment on past laureates. In a recent exception, the committee rebuked its 2019 winner, the Ethiopian prime minister, over the war and humanitarian crisis in the Tigray region.

Ramos-Horta went on to become president of East Timor, a former Portuguese colony. Upon his return Thursday from the United States, where he addressed the U.N. General Assembly, Ramos-Horta was asked about the allegations against Belo and deferred to the Vatican. I prefer to await further action from the Holy See, he said.

The United Nations called the allegations truly shocking, and said they must be fully investigated, according to a statement from U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric.

Belo, who was believed to be living in Portugal, didnt respond when reached by telephone by Radio Renascenca, the private broadcaster of the Portuguese church.

Belo is a priest of the Salesians of Don Bosco, a Roman Catholic religious order that has long had influence at the Vatican. The Portuguese branch of the Salesians said Thursday that it learned with great sadness and astonishment of the news.

The branch distanced itself from Belo, saying he hadnt been linked to the order since he took charge in East Timor. However, Belo is still a Salesian bishop, listed in the Vatican yearbook by his Salesian initials SDB at the end of his name.

As regards issues covered in the news, we have no knowledge that would allow us to comment," the Salesian statement said.

It said the Portuguese Salesians took in Belo at the request of their superiors after he left East Timor in 2002 and because he was highly regarded, but said he had done no pastoral work in Portugal.

The Dutch magazine said its research indicated that Belo also abused boys in the 1980s before he became a bishop when he worked at an education center run by the Salesians.

Paulo, now 42, told the Dutch magazine he was abused once by Belo at the bishops residence in East Timors capital, Dili. He asked to remain anonymous for the privacy and safety of himself and his family, the magazine said.

I thought: This is disgusting. I wont go there any more, the magazine quoted him as saying.

Roberto, who also asked to remain anonymous, said he was abused more often, starting when he was about 14 after a religious celebration in his hometown. Roberto later moved to Dili, where the alleged abuse continued at the bishops residence, the Dutch magazine reported.

It is unclear whether or when any alleged victims ever came forward to local church, law enforcement or Vatican authorities.

St. John Paul II accepted Belos resignation as apostolic administrator of Dili on Nov. 26, 2002, when he was 54. The Vatican announcement at the time cited canon law that allows bishops under the normal retirement age of 75 to retire for health reasons or for some other grave reasons that make them unable to continue.

In 2005, Belo told UCANews, a Catholic news agency, that he resigned because of stress and poor health. Belo had no other episcopal career after that, and Groene Amsterdammer said he moved to Mozambique and worked as a priest there.

Belo told UCANews he moved to Mozambique after consulting with the head of the Vaticans missionary office, Cardinal Cresenzio Sepe, and agreed to work there for a year and expected to return to East Timor.

"I do pastoral work by teaching catechism to children, giving retreats to young people. I have descended from the top to the bottom, UCANews quoted Belo as saying.

Efforts to reach Sepe, who is now retired, were not successful.

By 2002, when Belo retired as head of the church in East Timor, the sex abuse scandal had just exploded publicly in the United States and the Vatican had just begun to crack down on abusive priests, requiring all cases of abuse to be sent to the Vatican for review.

Bishops, however, were exempted from that requirement. Only in 2019 did Pope Francis pass a church law requiring all sexual misconduct against bishops to be reported internally, and providing a mechanism to investigate the claims, suggesting the new law triggered the Vatican to take action in Belo's case.

It is possible that Belo's sexual activity with teens was dismissed by the Vatican in the early 2000s if it involved 16- or 17-year-olds, since the Vatican in those years considered such activity to be sinful but consensual. Only in 2010 did the Vatican raise the age of consent to 18.

Belo is not the only church official in East Timor accused of abuse. A defrocked American priest, Richard Daschbach, was found guilty last year by a Dili court of sexually abusing orphaned and disadvantaged young girls under his care and was sentenced to 12 years in prison, the first such case of its kind in the country.

___

Meilana reported from Dili, East Timor. Alves reported from Lisbon, Portugal. Mike Corder in Amsterdam and Edith Lederer at the United Nations contributed.
October marks Black History Month (Alamy/PA)

Its been a brilliant year so far for major debut novels.

Whether thrillers, gritty coming-of-age tales or fluffy romcoms are your style, a whole host of up-and-coming black authors have you covered.

While Black History Month is a good excuse to broaden your reading list, black authors are writing brilliant books all year round

1. Nightcrawling by Leila Mottley

just 3 months left until pub for NIGHTCRAWLING! 

i cant believe its almost out in the world and i am so grateful to everyone who has read and supported it so far  preorder your copy now via the link in my bio or wherever you buy your books!  pic.twitter.com/SwMtnnXyTL  Leila Mottley (@leilamottley) March 7, 2022

At 20 years old, debut novelist Leila Mottley was the youngest person on this years Booker Prize longlist. Nightcrawling is a triumph  particularly considering Mottley started writing the harrowing tale at just 17. Its not a book for the faint-hearted  but you will be richly rewarded if you pick it up.

Loosely based on a true story, Nightcrawling follows 17-year-old Kiara in Oakland, California  her dad is dead and her mother is in a halfway house, and unable to find a job, she feels like her only option is sex work. Its a tough read, particularly when the young Kiara falls in with a brutal ring of police officers. It doesnt paint an optimistic picture of life as a young person with no prospects  but in the darkness, there are heartwarming glimmers of life, both with Kiaras best friend and through her nine-year-old neighbour Trevor.

(Bloomsbury Publishing, 16.99)

2. When We Were Birds by Ayanna Lloyd Banwo

Discover a love story and a ghost story set in the lush landscape and thriving backstreets of modern-day Trinidad. #WhenWeWereBirds, the mesmerising, mythic and timeless debut novel by @AyaRoots is not to be missed. And @Watersones have SIGNED copies: https://t.co/a1TE9J58sI pic.twitter.com/qA16TC4NDj  Viking Books UK (@VikingBooksUK) February 10, 2022

This was one of the most hotly anticipated debuts of 2022, and for good reason. Ayanna Lloyd Banwo mixes real and fantasy in the setting of Trinidad, using local dialect to follow the stories of Darwin  a young Rastafari man working as a gravedigger  and Yejide, who has the power to talk to the dead.

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Their tales soon become intertwined, with Banwo building a colourful and moving world around them.

(Hamish Hamilton, 14.99)

3. An Olive Grove In Ends by Moses McKenzie

UK cover for An Olive Grove In Ends. April 28th 2022. Preorder link deyah: https://t.co/nQ394p7n2V pic.twitter.com/G2UW1sZL2D  Moses McKenzie (@eastsidemoses) December 6, 2021

This is a captivating coming-of-age story following the life of Sayon Hughes. Born into the infamous Hughes family of Bristols Clifton neighbourhood, he feels like the only way he can get out is by dealing drugs  and subsequently, hes involved in an altercation where someone is killed.

Moses McKenzie deals with Sayons inner turmoil with tenderness and realism, highlighting just how difficult it is to escape your circumstances  no matter how hard you try. The book is full of wisdom, and McKenzies prose is simply beautiful.

(Wildfire, 16.99)

4. Wahala by Nikki May

#Wahala by the incredible @NikkiOMay is out TODAY! 



Set to be the most talked about debut of 2022, this is Sex and the City with a killer edge for fans of Queenie, Expectation and My Sister, the Serial Killer.



See me, see trouble  pic.twitter.com/1MSAntsEii  Doubleday Books (@DoubledayUK) January 6, 2022

Wahala is soon to be a major BBC series, so you might want to get your hands on a copy before it hits our screens.

Its told from the perspectives of three mixed-race friends in their 30s living in London  Ronke, Simi and Boo  all wanting different things out of life, and wondering how theyll get there. When Simis childhood friend Isobel walks into their lives, she seems to have all the answers  but things arent quite as they seem, and their close relationships start falling apart. Its a tense, claustrophobic thriller you wont want to put down.

(Doubleday, 14.99)

5. Honey & Spice by Bolu Babalola

Our July Pick is Honey & Spice by @BeeBabs.  Warning: your summer is about to heat up!



Get ready for a dazzling rivals to lovers story that explores the complexities of romance and learning to trust someone. You wont want to miss this hot, heartfelt & hilarious book. pic.twitter.com/HBDqK3kFbJ  Reese's Book Club (@ReesesBookClub) July 5, 2022

Were cheating a bit with this one  Honey & Spice isnt Bolu Bablolas debut, as she released a book of short stories in 2020. However, its her first full-length work of fiction  and theres a reason why it was picked for Reese Witherspoons book club.

Its got all the hallmarks of a classic romcom  but with a 2022 update. Kiki Banjo has a radio show warning the women of her university about how to avoid players and stop getting their hearts broken  until a new man, Malakai, comes on the scene, and she forgets all of her own advice. While the content is largely light and bubbly, theres heart to Babalolas writing too, as she doesnt shy away from serious topics like racism and revenge porn.

(Headline Review, 16.99)

6. Yinka, Where Is Your Huzband? by Lizzie Damilola Blackburn

Yinka is starting to drop on people's doormats! The release on Thursday is starting to feel real now

@VikingBooksUK @Waterstones pic.twitter.com/nd5v7Qa56K  Lizzie Damilola Blackburn (@DamilolaLizzie) March 29, 2022

Lizzie Damilola Blackburn almost certainly takes home the prize for best title this year, and luckily the book itself lives up to the hype. A lot of books are hailed as the new Bridget Jones, and while Yinka, Where Is Your Huzband? does hit a lot of the same marks as Helen Fieldings classic novel, it feels a lot fresher and more well-rounded.

British Nigerian Yinka isnt just a single woman desperate to find a man  shes witty, loveable and occasionally naive, and while her extended family seems desperate for her to couple up, is that all that awaits her in life? Its a warm hug of a read, and one many will find relatable.

(Viking, 14.99)

7. Black Cake by Charmaine Wilkerson

When Eleanor Bennett dies, she leaves an emotional recording for her estranged children, Byron and Benny. This tale crosses continents, from the Caribbean to the USA, as the children learn about the hardships their mother faced  but will it bring the siblings together?

Its a sweeping story, with Wilkerson masterfully bringing together all the different threads, making social history the backbone of everything.

(Michael Joseph, 14.99)
(Bloomberg) -- Traveloka has secured $300 million in new financing from investors including BlackRock Inc., as Southeast Asias biggest online travel startup counts on a post-Covid rebound to expand in the region.

Most Read from Bloomberg

The Jakarta-based company said in a statement Thursday it struck a deal for financing with investors including Allianz Global Investors and the Indonesia Investment Authority.

The size of the funding round is significantly larger than the previously discussed target of about $200 million that Bloomberg News reported in June. Traveloka, backed by investors including GIC Pte and Expedia Group Inc., is considering an initial public offering in the US or in Indonesia, according to a person familiar with the matter, who asked to remain anonymous discussing a private matter.

The fresh funds strengthen Travelokas balance sheet and allow it to invest in its core business, President Caesar Indra said in an interview with Bloomberg Televisions Haslinda Amin, David Ingles and Rishaad Salamat in Singapore on Friday.

Southeast Asias tourism industry plunged into crisis during the pandemic when lockdowns all but brought travel to a halt. Traveloka ventured into financial services during the pandemic by partnering with banks including PT Bank Rakyat Indonesia and PT Bank Negara Indonesia. Representatives for the startup declined to comment.

What Bloomberg Intelligence Says

The revenue of Southeast Asian online travel agents (OTAs) might gain from the speedy rebound in domestic and international travel in the region, helped by high smartphone ownership and low penetration of brick-and-mortar travel agencies. We expect industry leader Traveloka to grow faster than rivals such as Tripadvisor and Booking Holdings, with our scenario projecting sales to expand by more than 40% from 2021-25 vs. the industrys 36%. Traveloka, along with Indonesias Tiket.com, appears more able to weather industry challenges, the most crucial of which is achieving profitability amid IPO plans.

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- Nathan Naidu, analyst

Click here for the research.

Many countries are now removing pandemic-era restrictions and reopening borders. For example, Thailand -- where international tourism contributes about 12% to gross domestic product -- has seen a rush of foreign travelers in recent months after scrapping restrictions in July.

Traveloka envisages a full recovery from the pandemic by 2024, Indra said. We are very optimistic that domestic travel will drive the recovery, followed by international recovery, he said.

Regional startups are raising funds despite worries about a global economic downturn, hoping to position themselves for an eventual rebound. Traveloka helps consumers book a range of services including airline tickets and hotels as well as spas and tourism attractions. It also offers food delivery and financing, payment and insurance products. Its app has been downloaded more than 100 million times, according to its website.

The valuation of the deal is unclear. Traveloka had been valued at $3 billion, according to CB Insights, but Bloomberg News reported in 2020 that it was seeking funds at a lower valuation.

(Updates with comment from executive starting in fourth paragraph)

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2022 Bloomberg L.P.
Netflix has finally released its controversial Marilyn Monroe drama Blonde  but some viewers have complained that the film is unwatchable.

Many viewers specified on social media that they had been unable to make it more than 20 minutes into Blonde before abandoning it.

The 18-rated movie, based on the novel of the same name by Joyce Carol Oates, stars Ana de Armas as Monroe. It has divided critics, with particular scrutiny being levelled at the films harrowing depiction of trauma and sexual assault.

While the film is beautifully shot (most of the times) and Ana de Armas gives a luminous performance, it falls apart fast... and that last hour... Jesus Christ, f***ing unwatchable. An absoute head-scratcher of a movie, one person wrote.

Tried to watch @netflix Blonde, commented another. Couldnt stomach more than about 20 minutes of the nearly three hours length. That 20 minutes was nothing but cruel and heartbreaking. Absolutely unwatchable.

I just started to watch Blonde and Ive turned it off after 20 minutes, enough said, wrote a third, while someone else described it as a hate letter to the icon that was Marilyn.

Started Blonde and turned it off in record time, one person revealed. Graphically showing rape on screen is not in any way a meaningful way to portray the horrors of sexual assault. Please, im begging you leave this woman alone and quit slapping SA survivors and women in the face.

Blonde has to be one of the worst f***ing movies ive ever seen, im literally disgusted after watching it, Marilyn deserves better, another viewer wrote.

The film is available to stream now on Netflix.
Blonde has had viewers turning off in droves. (Netflix)

Blonde viewers have been sharing their overwhelming disgust at the film about Marilyn Monroe, with many saying they had to turn off after just 20 minutes.

The Netflix film directed by Andrew Dominik is based on Joyce Carol Oates novel, a fictionalised account of Monroe's trauma-filled life, and has already seen Ana de Armas who plays Monroe tipped for an Oscar.

Read more: Blonde review - dull trauma porn with no idea what it's trying to say

But while viewers agreed that de Armas' performance was outstanding, they were mostly united on one other opinion - that the film is unwatchable.

Dominik has included many of the most harrowing moments of the Hollywood star's personal life in graphic detail, including being the victim of abuse, violence, rape and being forced into an abortion.

Ana de Armas as Marilyn Monroe. (Netflix)

Many of those streaming Blonde, which dropped on Netflix on Wednesday, felt that the inclusion of a rape scene just 20 minutes in to the nearly three-hour film was so gratuitous and offensive that they could not continue to watch.

One person tweeted: "Tried to watch @netflix Blonde. Couldnt stomach more than about 20 minutes of the nearly 3 hours length. That 20 minutes was nothing but cruel and heartbreaking. Absolutely unwatchable."

Someone else added: "Ive been watching Blonde for 20 minutes and Im sick to my stomach."

Another viewer agreed: "Not even 20 minutes into Blonde & Im about to shut it off. It is. Awful."

Read more: First look at Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story

One other viewer wrote: "Started Blonde and turned it off in record time. Graphically showing rape on screen is not in any way a meaningful way to portray the horrors of sexual assault. Please, im begging you leave this woman alone and quit slapping SA survivors and women in the face."

Director Andrew Dominik has been criticised. (WireImage)

Viewers voiced their anger at director Dominik for the portrayal, with one person tweeting: "just watched #Blonde ... it puts norma/marilyn in a box that only allows to her be abused, sexualized, or call people daddy. extremely strange. maybe we stop letting misogynistic men try to make groundbreaking films about women- of which they know nothing about."

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Someone else commented: "Can we all make a collective agreement to leave Marilyn Monroe alone from now on? She was hounded in life & now hounded in death. I really wanted to respect #Blonde but honestly, acting aside, the whole thing made me feel ill & uncomfortable. Maybe I'm missing something #Netflix"

Ana de Armas and Adrien Brody in Blonde. (Netflix)

Most of those watching agreed that de Armas had done an impressive job as Monroe, but felt that she had been let down by the film as a whole.

One viewer tweeted: "Im watching #Blonde and I have to say I hope someone is checking in on Ana de Armas and making sure she is okay. Marilyn was exploited and this movie seems to be just more of the same."

Someone else wrote: "Ive watched #Blonde. Its one of the most misogynist films Ive ever seen. Not a film about misogyny but a misogynist film. I could weep for Ana de Armas - who was superb - playing in such a vile and exploitative mess. She and MM deserve so much better."

Watch: Blonde trailer stars Ana de Armas as Marilyn Monroe
The Boston City Council calls for a citywide inspection of bridges and light poles after a fallen pole struck a woman on Moakley Bridge Tuesday afternoon.

The woman, in her 30s, was struck at about 3 p.m. on the Evelyn Moakley Bridge, which connects Atlantic Avenue and Sleeper Street. According to the Boston Police Department, the womans injuries were considered to be non-life threatening.

This emergency inspection resulted in the removal of 23 light poles of the same age.

The City of Boston prioritizes the safety of its residents and visitors, and out of an abundance of caution, the sidewalks and bike path have been closed and vehicular traffic has been reduced to one lane in each direction until Boston Public Works crews can evaluate all street poles for safety, a city worker said on Wednesday.

Temporary lighting will be installed on the Moakley Bridge to ensure adequate lighting levels until a permanent replacement can be installed, according to Flynn.

In addition, Public Works conveyed that they are working closely with their bridge engineers and design consultants to ensure that the replacements can withstand the elements of salt water and sea air which led to this incident, said Flynn.

Additionally, Flynn said that he is requesting a full audit of the bridges and light poles to ensure that ensure they are held to high safety standards.

Moreover, due to the corrosion and deterioration caused by salt water and sea air, it would be appropriate to place an emphasis on all light poles located on bridges, as well as prioritizing those in close proximity to the ocean.

Please find my statement re yesterdays incident @ South Boston Waterfront, Moakley Bridge. We pray the victim makes full recovery. I continue to stay in close contact w/ @BostonPWD. Calling for citywide inspection of bridges & light poles in interest of public safety. #bospoli pic.twitter.com/rCPuAeXldH  Ed Flynn  (@EdforBoston) September 28, 2022

Boston 25 received a report from MassDOT on Thursday morning that included photos of several light poles on the Seaport bridge which showed signs of rust almost eight months ago.

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The photos from the inspection report were submitted back in January and were called for immediate repairs.

Seaport Light Falls Massdot Inspection Report 1-22 by Boston 25 Desk on Scribd

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts.

Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW
SheKnows

It seems that along with pushing Prince Harry and Meghan Markle down to the lowest level on the official royal family website, they dont want either of them to be considered part of the Fab Four anymore. While Prince William and Kate Princess of Wales continue to hold that title, it seems the other half []
LONDON (Reuters) -British Prime Minister Liz Truss will attend the first summit of the European Political Community in the Czech Republic next week, a government source said on Thursday.

Truss' advisers have also offered to host the forum's next summit in Britain, an EU diplomatic source said.

Politico, which first reported Truss' attendance at the summit, said the meeting will focus on the Ukraine conflict and energy security.

French President Emmanuel Macron had first proposed the idea of a European Political Community in an effort to counter Russian and Chinese influence in the Balkans and Eastern Europe.

The idea was also to ensure countries like Britain, Norway and Switzerland have a political forum to collaborate with the European Union and work on common projects, such as immigration or energy.

Some countries, however, have expressed scepticism, fearing the new grouping could be a way to keep candidates to EU membership outside the club, while others have criticised it as a new talking shop without a clear purpose.

(Reporting by Elizabeth Piper and Sachin Ravikumar in London and Michel Rose in Paris; Editing by Toby Chopra, Alistair Bell and Sandra Maler)
Sep. 29Brunswick is increasing its police officers' salaries an average of 10%.

The agency currently has 14 officers, plus a chief. There will be a 15th officer when a recruit completes the police academy, Police Chief Kevin Grunwell said.

Two other positions are vacant, for a total of 18 positions in the department.

The starting salaries for officers will increase 11%, from $48,048 to $53,331, according to city documents. Under the change, recruits will start getting a starting salary of $48,048 while they are in the police academy, rather than when they start the job.

Officers first class will see a 10% increase, documents attached to the Sept. 27 agenda show, going from a starting rate of $50,939 to $55,994.

Officers first class will automatically be promoted to a new "stepping stone" rank of senior officer after eight years of service and will receive a minimum salary of $58,802, documents show.

Corporals will also see a 10% increase, going from a minimum salary of $56,035 to $61,734.

Lieutenants will receive 15% increases, documents show, going from $61,630 to $70,990.

Captains and the police chief also would receive 15% increases in minimum pay, documents show.

City Administrator David Dunn said during an interview Wednesday the new scale doesn't guarantee that the chief and the captains will get increases, though, since they already might be paid more than the old minimum. The mayor and council decide the salaries of the chief and captains, but not of the other ranks.

But if the council were to hire someone new, it can look at the scale and figure out the appropriate pay.

Documents show an increase in minimum pay from $70,886 to $81,640 for a captain and from $81,515 to $93,891 for a chief.

With each year served, officers will see a 3% increase, Grunwell said.

Grunwell said that at the start of Fiscal Year 2023, the city had the lowest police salaries in the county. Heading into the start of the fiscal year in the summer, he began looking at salaries in surrounding agencies like Thurmont and Frederick, and at the Frederick County Sheriff's Office.

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For an officer first class in the third year of service, Brunswick currently pays $53,518, documents show.

Mount Airy and Thurmont police departments, for the same rank and same years of service, pay $59,373 and $55,160, respectively, city documents show.

Grunwell also looked at agencies outside the county, like the Taneytown Police Department in Carroll County, which pays $53,940, and the Washington County Sheriff's Office, which pays $63,139.

Among area agencies that Brunswick compared, the Frederick County Sheriff's Office pays the most for a third-year officer first class, at $68,942.

Grunwell talked to Mayor Nathan Brown and Dunn to look at four options for salary increases. They settled on the average 10% increase.

The salary increases are expected to cost the city $67,000 to start.

If Taneytown, Mount Airy and Thurmont don't increase their salaries, Brunswick's approved increase would pay a third-year officer first class more than those three departments, at $59,405, documents show.

It might be expensive, Grunwell said, but the increase should help retain officers, something agencies nationwide struggle with.

"It's not necessarily going to keep everybody here, but I've had conversations with everybody in the agency and everybody seems very happy about where we are as an agency and what we're doing," he said.

Councilman Christopher Vigliotti and Councilwoman Angel White both expressed gratitude and said the salary increase is a step in the right direction.

"It costs money to lose officers when officers go to other departments and it also costs money to hire, so for anybody who might be suffering from any sort of sticker shock, I assure you this is an investment," Vigliotti said.

Retirement plan

On top of the pay-scale increase, Grunwell and the council discussed retirement plans within the police department.

Currently, the agency follows the state retirement plan, in which officers serve 30 years before retiring.

Grunwell wants Brunswick to join the Law Enforcement Officers' Pension System (LEOPS), which would let officers retire after 25 years and have a better retirement plan.

For example, if an officer under LEOPS retires before their 25 years are up, they can start collecting retirement at age 50, Grunwell said. Under the state retirement plan, an officer wouldn't be able to collect retirement until they were 65.

"Being a police officer for 25 years is difficult enough," he said.

However, adopting the program is expensive, he said. It would cost roughly $200,000 a year.

The cost is based on a fluctuating percentage, so it won't be the same every year, he said.

Grunwell mentioned other local agencies, like Mount Airy Police Department, that already use LEOPS. Frederick County lets deputies retire after 25 years, and Frederick police officers can retire after 22 years.

Councilman Daniel Yochelson said LEOPS, like the salary-scale increase, could help with police retention since it seems all other agencies offer better retirement packages compared to Brunswick.

"I think it's important that we at least keep up with everybody else and so the other parts that make this place attractive will bring people in if we are meeting them in what we can offer compensationwise," Yochelson said.

Brown recommended that the finance committee look into it during the FY24 budget cycle and figure out how the city could implement it into the budget.
How far off is Chevron Corporation (NYSE:CVX) from its intrinsic value? Using the most recent financial data, we'll take a look at whether the stock is fairly priced by projecting its future cash flows and then discounting them to today's value. This will be done using the Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) model. Believe it or not, it's not too difficult to follow, as you'll see from our example!

We would caution that there are many ways of valuing a company and, like the DCF, each technique has advantages and disadvantages in certain scenarios. For those who are keen learners of equity analysis, the Simply Wall St analysis model here may be something of interest to you.

See our latest analysis for Chevron

What's The Estimated Valuation?

We're using the 2-stage growth model, which simply means we take in account two stages of company's growth. In the initial period the company may have a higher growth rate and the second stage is usually assumed to have a stable growth rate. In the first stage we need to estimate the cash flows to the business over the next ten years. Where possible we use analyst estimates, but when these aren't available we extrapolate the previous free cash flow (FCF) from the last estimate or reported value. We assume companies with shrinking free cash flow will slow their rate of shrinkage, and that companies with growing free cash flow will see their growth rate slow, over this period. We do this to reflect that growth tends to slow more in the early years than it does in later years.

Generally we assume that a dollar today is more valuable than a dollar in the future, and so the sum of these future cash flows is then discounted to today's value:

10-year free cash flow (FCF) estimate

2023 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 2031 2032 Levered FCF ($, Millions) US$32.9b US$29.2b US$24.2b US$20.9b US$19.1b US$18.1b US$17.5b US$17.2b US$17.1b US$17.1b Growth Rate Estimate Source Analyst x11 Analyst x6 Analyst x3 Analyst x2 Est @ -8.69% Est @ -5.5% Est @ -3.27% Est @ -1.71% Est @ -0.61% Est @ 0.15% Present Value ($, Millions) Discounted @ 7.1% US$30.7k US$25.5k US$19.7k US$15.9k US$13.6k US$12.0k US$10.8k US$9.9k US$9.2k US$8.6k

("Est" = FCF growth rate estimated by Simply Wall St)

Present Value of 10-year Cash Flow (PVCF) = US$156b

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The second stage is also known as Terminal Value, this is the business's cash flow after the first stage. The Gordon Growth formula is used to calculate Terminal Value at a future annual growth rate equal to the 5-year average of the 10-year government bond yield of 1.9%. We discount the terminal cash flows to today's value at a cost of equity of 7.1%.

Terminal Value (TV)= FCF 2032  (1 + g)  (r  g) = US$17b (1 + 1.9%)  (7.1% 1.9%) = US$338b

Present Value of Terminal Value (PVTV)= TV / (1 + r)10= US$338b ( 1 + 7.1%)10= US$171b

The total value, or equity value, is then the sum of the present value of the future cash flows, which in this case is US$327b. To get the intrinsic value per share, we divide this by the total number of shares outstanding. Relative to the current share price of US$146, the company appears about fair value at a 13% discount to where the stock price trades currently. The assumptions in any calculation have a big impact on the valuation, so it is better to view this as a rough estimate, not precise down to the last cent.

dcf

Important Assumptions

Now the most important inputs to a discounted cash flow are the discount rate, and of course, the actual cash flows. You don't have to agree with these inputs, I recommend redoing the calculations yourself and playing with them. The DCF also does not consider the possible cyclicality of an industry, or a company's future capital requirements, so it does not give a full picture of a company's potential performance. Given that we are looking at Chevron as potential shareholders, the cost of equity is used as the discount rate, rather than the cost of capital (or weighted average cost of capital, WACC) which accounts for debt. In this calculation we've used 7.1%, which is based on a levered beta of 1.215. Beta is a measure of a stock's volatility, compared to the market as a whole. We get our beta from the industry average beta of globally comparable companies, with an imposed limit between 0.8 and 2.0, which is a reasonable range for a stable business.

Next Steps:

Valuation is only one side of the coin in terms of building your investment thesis, and it ideally won't be the sole piece of analysis you scrutinize for a company. It's not possible to obtain a foolproof valuation with a DCF model. Preferably you'd apply different cases and assumptions and see how they would impact the company's valuation. For example, changes in the company's cost of equity or the risk free rate can significantly impact the valuation. For Chevron, there are three pertinent items you should further examine:

Risks: Consider for instance, the ever-present spectre of investment risk. We've identified 1 warning sign with Chevron , and understanding this should be part of your investment process. Future Earnings: How does CVX's growth rate compare to its peers and the wider market? Dig deeper into the analyst consensus number for the upcoming years by interacting with our free analyst growth expectation chart. Other Solid Businesses: Low debt, high returns on equity and good past performance are fundamental to a strong business. Why not explore our interactive list of stocks with solid business fundamentals to see if there are other companies you may not have considered!

PS. Simply Wall St updates its DCF calculation for every American stock every day, so if you want to find the intrinsic value of any other stock just search here.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.



This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.

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Stranger Things put Caleb McLaughlin on the Hollywood map, but his rise to fame also brought deeply personal challenges.

The actor, who plays Lucas Sinclair on the smash Netflix series, made an appearance at the Heroes Comic Con Belgium convention this week. In a short interview at the event, he recalled having been confronted with racist attitudes from some fans of the show.

My very first comic con, some people didnt stand in my line because I was Black, McLaughlin explained, as seen in a short video posted to Twitter. Some people told me: Oh, I didnt want to be in line because you were mean to [Millie Bobby Browns character] Eleven. Even now, some people dont follow me or dont support me because Im Black.

Now 20, McLaughlin began his role on Stranger Things in 2016, when he was just 14. After the horror-science fiction series became a global sensation, the New York native noticed he had substantially fewer followers on social media than his white co-stars, including Gaten Matarazzo, Noah Schnapp and Finn Wolfhard.

My parents had to be like, Its a sad truth, but its because youre the Black child on the show, he said. Because I was born with this beautiful chocolate skin, Im not loved.

In many respects, McLaughlins experiences echo those of Halle Bailey.

One-half of the R&B duo Chloe x Halle, Bailey was hit with online backlash after being cast as Ariel in Disneys forthcoming live-action remake of The Little Mermaid.

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Other family films, including the Disney animated feature The Princess and the Frog and the 1997 TV musical Cinderella, have featured Black princesses. Still, Bailey found herself targeted by online trolls, who say they object to seeing a Black woman playing a mermaid portrayed as white in the original animated film.

Caleb McLaughlin will appear in the LeBron James biopic

Caleb McLaughlin will appear in the LeBron James biopic "Shooting Stars." (Photo: Leon Bennett via Getty Images)

As is the case for Bailey, McLaughlins artistic strengths have continued to prove the haters wrong. Hes set to appear in the LeBron James biopic Shooting Stars alongside Marquis Mookie Cook as the NBA superstar.

With Shooting Stars poised to boost McLaughlins star profile even higher, he said he hopes to spread positivity.

I do not give hate back to people who give hate to me, he said Tuesday.

This article originally appeared on HuffPost and has been updated.

Related...
A 15-year-old California girl, who was the subject of an Amber Alert before she was killed during a shootout as her father was trying to evade authorities, also shot at deputies, officials said Wednesday.

Savanna Graziano, 15, and her father, Anthony John Graziano, 45, were killed Tuesday following a police chase that ended with a firefight with law enforcement on the Interstate 15 freeway in San Bernardino County.

On Wednesday, San Bernardino County Sheriff Shannon Dicus issued an update on the case.

"Evidence suggests that Savanna Graziano was a participant in shooting at our deputies," he said in a 39-second video.

OAKLAND POLICE SAY SCHOOL SHOOTING NOT DELIBERATE, STUDENT VICTIM NOT INTENDED TARGET

On Monday, Graziano was the subject of an Amber Alert when her father killed her mother during a domestic violence incident and abducted her, authorities said at the time. Tuesday's events began when someone spotted a vehicle highlighted in the alert and called law enforcement.

When deputies tried stopping the car, a chase ensued that spanned several freeways. Meanwhile, Anthony Graziano opened fire on deputies several times throughout the pursuit, Dicus said Tuesday.

The suspect exchanged multiple rounds with deputies before his vehicle eventually became disabled on Interstate 15 in the Victorville area, Dicus said.

A firefight ensued between Graziano and authorities. When the vehicle stopped, the teen girl identified as Savanna Graziano exited wearing tactical gear and began running toward deputies before she collapsed to the ground during the gunfire.

She was taken to a hospital and pronounced dead. Anthony Graziano was pronounced dead at the scene.

Authorities found a rifle inside the truck. Investigators have not said if the teen girl was shot by deputies or her father.

The elder Graziano had moved out of the familys home a month or two ago, as he and his wife were going through a divorce, Fontana Sgt. Christian Surgent told The Associated Press. Savanna left with her father, while her younger brother stayed with their mother.
(KTLA)  A California woman has been charged with killing a man by ramming her car into him after accusing him of trying to run over a cat in the street, authorities said Wednesday.

Hannah Star Esser, 20, was charged with murder in the death of Victor Anthony Luis, 43, and detained on $1 million bail, the Orange County prosecutors office said in a statement.

Esser faces anywhere from 25 years to life in prison if convicted, according to the Orange County District Attorneys Office.

Esser was driving in the community of Cypress on Sunday night when she confronted Luis and accused him of trying to run over a cat, authorities said.

Ian: Strong winds, heavy rains, storm surge still expected

She and Luis both got out of their vehicles and got into an argument that Esser recorded, authorities said.

In the video, Esser is heard yelling profanities at Luis while confronting him. According to officials, she eventually returned to her vehicle and, instead of driving away, made a three-point turn and drove straight towards Luis, striking him with the front of her car.

The impact launched Luis into the windshield and over the vehicle, and eventually landing on the street.

He was pronounced dead at the scene.

This action showed a complete disregard for human life, said Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer. The Orange County District Attorneys Office will ensure that this random act of violence targeting a stranger will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

Luis, a father of five daughters, was expecting his first grandchild this fall. He was killed in front of his apartment building and died in his only brothers arms, said a statement issued on behalf of his family Wednesday.

WATCH: Family narrowly escapes being crushed by falling tree during Hurricane Ian

This senseless act of violence has robbed the world of a bright light who will never be forgotten, the statement said, adding that a GoFundMe campaign has been established by his sister to pay for his funeral.

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Esser was arrested Sunday and had an initial court appearance Tuesday, court records show. She is scheduled to be arraigned Oct. 13. An email message was sent to defense attorney Michael Morrison seeking comment.

Kimberly Edds, a spokesperson for the district attorneys office, said it was not immediately clear whether a cat was actually involved. The crime is still being investigated, she said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
California Chief Justice Tani G. Cantil-Sakauye delivers the 2015 State of the Judiciary address at the Capitol in Sacramento. (Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press)

When California Chief Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauye announced this summer that she would not be seeking another term on the bench, she said she didn't plan on retiring completely.

"My husband said, 'Youve got to do something,'" she said with a smile.

Turns out, she won't be taking a break at all. Cantil-Sakauye starts as president and chief executive of the Public Policy Institute of California on Jan. 1, the day her term as chief justice ends. She will be 63.

"I am both humbled and honored to have another opportunity to serve," Cantil-Sakauye said in an announcement of her new post Wednesday. "I understand this role will be different from my current one and yet I believe my skill set and experience have prepared me well for this task."

The PPIC is a nonprofit think tank with a state mission to "inform and improve public policy in California through independent, objective, nonpartisan research."

Cantil-Sakauye said she was "fully committed to PPIC's nonpartisan mission and efforts to improve public policy in California through independent research  without a thumb on the scale."

"After all, who can say 'no' to facts?" she said.

Cantil-Sakauye will replace PPIC's current president and CEO, Mark Baldassare, who announced his retirement in March.

PPIC's new board chair, Chet Hewitt, said he "couldn't be more pleased" to welcome Cantil-Sakauye into her new role, which he said the board unanimously approved after "a rigorous search process."

"In the end, we've selected a CEO who has managed large organizations and budgets and a highly regarded leader who brings a track record of impartiality and a strong commitment to nonpartisan research and analysis," he said.

California Supreme Court Justice Patricia Guerrero has been confirmed to replace Cantil-Sakauye as chief justice in January, if approved by voters in November.

Cantil-Sakauye, who was born in Sacramento, was the first person of color and the second woman to serve as chief justice. She was sworn in as the states 28th chief justice in January 2011 for a 12-year term after being selected by then-Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, a Republican.

During her tenure as chief, the seven justices of the California Supreme Court routinely were in agreement in decisions reflecting the court's general left-of-center orientation.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Canada is set to lift all COVID-19 restrictions for travelers starting Saturday, Oct. 1.

This means New Yorkers can more easily enter the country via airports, cruise ports or at crossings across 445 miles of border shared with Canada, without having to show proof of vaccination against COVID.

Thanks largely to Canadians who have rolled up their sleeves to get vaccinated, we have reached the point where we can safely lift the sanitary measures at the border, Jean-Yves Duclos, Canadas minister of health, said in a statement.

Cars line up at a checkpoint after crossing the Peace Bridge from Canada to the United States on Monday, Nov. 8, 2021, in Buffalo, N.Y. (AP Photo/Joshua Bessex)

What do I need to know if Im traveling to Canada?

Here's what will change about traveling to Canada from the U.S.

Those traveling no longer have to show they are vaccinated against COVID-19, the Public Health Agency of Canada announced Monday.

Travelers dont have to use ArriveCAN, Canadas app and website to submit health information.

They dont need to test before or upon arrival.

Travelers dont have to carry out quarantine or isolation, or monitor and report if they have signs or symptoms of COVID-19 when they arrive to Canada.

The federal department Transport Canada wont require health checks arriving by air or rail.

Passengers on planes and trains no longer need to wear masks. This also applies to cruises, though Canadian health officials said some guidelines will remain in place that align with U.S. measures.

Still, Canadian health officials strongly recommend wearing masks on their trips.

Dual U.S.-Canadian citizen Traysi Spring, right, and her American husband, Tom Bakken, hold a homemade sign to welcome people heading into the USA from Canada on Nov. 8, 2021, in Blaine, Wash. The United States reopened its land borders to nonessential travel after almost 20 months of COVID-19 restrictions.

What about traveling from Canada to the U.S.?

The U.S. still maintains strict requirements for travelers to the country, which include being fully vaccinated with limited exceptions (one is for travelers 17 and under.) This applies to travel from Canada.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention still recommends wearing masks on U.S. public transportation, but masking is no longer required on airplanes, trains or other public transit.

New Yorkers welcome reopened borderSummer homes, cold brews and family: Why Americans are eager to get back into Canada

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Rep. Brian Higgins, D-Buffalo, whose border House district has parts of Erie and Niagara counties, called for the U.S. to ease its own COVID-19 travel restrictions.

The extended measures have kept loved ones apart and kept border communities from reaching full economic recovery, he said in a statement Monday. The end of restrictions is overdue. Canadas decision is the right one. The U.S. should follow immediately.

In this June 8, 2021, file photo, a car heads into the U.S. from Canada at the Peace Arch border crossing in Blaine, Wash.

Will travel pick back up between Canada and the U.S.?

In March 2020, Canada closed its borders due to the pandemic. In August 2021, it began easing restrictions for those fully vaccinated from the U.S., then for those from other countries.

Currently, the Peace Bridge Authority that oversees the port of entry connecting Buffalo to Fort Erie, Ontario, still has a lull in travelers: The month of August had just over 376,000 crossings from both sides, compared to more than 597,500 in August 2019, before the pandemic.

Elizabeth Carey, AAA of Western New Yorks director of public relations, expected travel to increase, even as prices on gas and other costs have increased.

Were seeing people looking to travel internationally, she said. Theyll spend the money despite the high gas prices and the high food prices, just because they cherish those vacations so much.

Vehicles from the protest convoy parked blocking lanes on a road, Sunday, Jan. 30, 2022 in Ottawa. Residents of Canada's national capital were told to avoid traveling downtown as a convoy of trucks and cars snarl traffic protesting government-imposed vaccine mandates and COVID-19 restrictions.

What's the latest on COVID in Canada?

Canadas public health agency said its loosened restrictions were based in part by modeling that indicates that Canada has largely passed the peak of the Omicron BA.4 and BA.5 fueled wave," plus Canadas high vaccination rates, lower hospitalization and death rates, and the availability and use of vaccine boosters (including new bivalent formulation), rapid tests and treatments for COVID-19.

About 85% of Canadas population has received at least one dose of the vaccine, higher than the U.S. rate of 81%, according to the Johns Hopkins University Coronavirus Resource Center.

In the past week, Canada had over 17,800 new cases and 230 new deaths, Johns Hopkins data showed. The U.S. saw nearly 371,600 new cases and close to 2,900 deaths during the same time.

The CDC said Canada has a "high" level of COVID-19. If travelers arent up to date with vaccines and might struggle accessing health care, the CDC warned of traveling to Canada.

Kathleen Wong and Nathan Diller of USA TODAY contributed to this report.

Eduardo Cuevas covers race and justice for the USA TODAY Network of New York. He can be reached at EMCuevas1@gannett.com and followed on Twitter @eduardomcuevas.

This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Canada to ease COVID travel rules. What this means for New Yorkers.
A passerby gives a donation to a man panhandling at a freeway rest stop outside Grants Pass, Ore. (Shaun Hall / Grants Pass Daily Courier via Associated Press)

About a decade after losing her job and becoming homeless in the small city of Grants Pass, Ore., Debra Blake joined two other homeless residents in suing the city over a set of local ordinances that, in their view, criminalized the act of sleeping outside.

Blake and her co-plaintiffs argued that there were no shelters where they could stay in the city of 38,000, that they had no place else to go, and that the citys anti-camping and anti-sleeping ordinances represented cruel and unusual punishment in violation of their constitutional rights.

Among other things, the ordinances banned the use of rudimentary items such as blankets and cardboard boxes for protection against the weather.

Over the past eight to ten years I have met dozens, if not hundreds, of homeless people in Grants Pass, Blake wrote in a court declaration in 2019, when she was 60. They have all had similar experiences with the Grants Pass police awaking them, moving them along, ticketing them, fining them, arresting them and/or criminally prosecuting them for living outside.

In a decision sure to reverberate in bigger cities such as Los Angeles, a three-judge panel of the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals issued a ruling Wednesday that largely sided with Blake and her co-plaintiffs, rejecting central tenets of the Grants Pass ordinances as unconstitutional and upholding part of a lower courts decision blocking them from being enforced.

Grants Pass City Atty. Augustus Ogu declined to immediately comment on Wednesday, saying he was still reading the decision.

The city hadnt disputed that it did not have enough shelter beds for all of its unhoused residents.

Ed Johnson, director of litigation at the Oregon Law Center, which helped represent the plaintiffs in the case, applauded the ruling.

Todays decision is consistent with well-established precedent that it is unconstitutionally cruel to punish homeless people for unavoidable acts of survival, he said. We are pleased with the outcome, but not surprised.

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Homeless rights advocates said the ruling further affirmed  and in some ways expanded upon  protections for unhoused people forced to sleep outside across the country, including in major cities with large homeless populations such as L.A.

Anytime the 9th Circuit passes down a ruling about what cities can and cannot do in relation to the criminalization of homelessness, its going to have an impact in Southern California, said Shayla Myers, a senior attorney at the Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles and co-lead counsel in an ongoing lawsuit over L.A.s practice of destroying the property



of unhoused people during cleanups and sweeps.

What the court is doing is saying, quite simply, this is a basic constitutional principle, Myers said. You cant punish people for sleeping on the sidewalk, and you cant find loopholes to punish people.

In its 2-1 decision, the appellate court  which covers a huge swath of the West, including California  reiterated its 2018 decision in the major homelessness case Martin vs. City of Boise. In that case, it ruled that the 8th Amendment prohibits the imposition of criminal penalties for sitting, sleeping, or lying outside on public property for homeless individuals who cannot obtain shelter.

But the court went a bit further this time.

Our decision reaches beyond Martin slightly, Judge Roslyn O. Silver of the U.S. District Court of Arizona, a visiting judge on the appellate panel, wrote for the majority.

Among other findings, the court said that the Martin decisions protection of unhoused peoples right to sleep outdoors when they have nowhere else to go includes sleeping with rudimentary forms of protection from the elements.

During the litigation, the city of Grants Pass had revised its anti-camping ordinance to allow homeless people to sleep in city parks, but continued to ban them from using sleeping bags or other bedding materials. The city argued the change brought its ordinance into compliance with the Martin decision.

The court disagreed in its ruling Wednesday.

The only plausible reading of Martin is that it applies to the act of sleeping in public, including articles necessary to facilitate sleep, Silver wrote.

The court also rejected the citys claim that its ordinances did not run afoul of the Martin decision  or the Constitutions cruel and unusual punishment clause  because they relied on civil citations for enforcement before resorting to criminal sanctions.

The ordinances subjected unhoused people to civil fines of up to several hundred dollars per violation, and people found in violation of the ordinances multiple times could be barred from all city property. Once barred, a person returning to city property was subject to criminal prosecution for trespassing.

The court ruled that it was a clear violation of the Martin ruling to subject unhoused people who have nowhere else to go to criminal trespassing charges just for being outside and trying to keep warm, whether civil citations came first or not.

Imposing a few extra steps before criminalizing the very acts Martin explicitly says cannot be criminalized does not cure the anti-camping ordinances Eighth Amendment infirmity, Silver wrote.

The appellate courts decision upheld in part an injunction against the enforcement of the citys anti-camping ordinances that had been issued by a lower district court.

The ruling told the lower court to narrow its injunction to recognize a limited right to protection against the elements, which it suggested did not include the use of stoves and fires or the building of structures  things the anti-camping ordinance had also barred.

Blake, the lead plaintiff, has since died. The appellate court said the lower court would have to reconsider other claims relevant to harms she had suffered, possibly by finding a substitute plaintiff who had suffered similarly.

Silver was joined in the majority opinion by 9th Circuit Court Judge Ronald M. Gould. Both were appointed by President Clinton.

In dissent, 9th Circuit Court Judge Daniel P. Collins, who was appointed by President Trump, said the majoritys decision was egregiously wrong.

Collins  who also called the Martin decision deeply flawed but acknowledged he was bound by it  wrote that the ruling Wednesday misunderstood Martin, misapplied it, and effectively requires the City of Grants Pass to allow all but one of its public parks to be used as homeless encampments.

It was unclear Wednesday whether the ruling would be appealed.

After the 9th Circuits ruling in the Martin case, city officials in California and other Western states challenged it, arguing it undercut their authority to regulate encampments on sidewalks. The U.S. Supreme Court, however, refused to take up the case.

Advocates in L.A. said they hoped Wednesdays ruling would give local leaders pause about enforcing similar laws that displace unhoused people.

Hopefully it sends a different message to cities and counties around how houseless people can get organized legally to fight back against the criminalization of houselessness and the removal of property, said Pete White, founder of Los Angeles Community Action Network.

But, White said, he worries that L.A. and other cities will simply recalibrate their laws to evade the ruling, just as they have with past court decisions that landed on the side of the unhoused.

Carl Sanchez, a 64-year-old man in the L.A. area, had similar concerns.

Earlier this year, when Sanchez found out the city was going to clear an encampment where he was living in San Pedro, he put up signs on his tent that mentioned the Martin decision, which he believed should have protected him. Shelters at the time were full or felt unsafe, he said, and he had nowhere else to go.

But the signs didnt help, he said. When he refused to leave, he was arrested and booked into jail, and when he got out, his tent, clothes and medication for high blood pressure were all gone, and he slept in the cold for three days.

He has since relocated to Riverside, he said.

Im staying in a secluded area surrounded by bushes and trees, he said. All I have to worry about is the coyotes and bobcats.





This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Moscinski is seen as hundreds of abortion rights demonstrators are gathered outside of the Basilica of St. Patrick's Old Cathedral to protest the overturning of Roe v. Wade on July 2. Tayfun Coskun / Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

A Franciscan friar and religious activist was arrested Thursday and charged over a July incident in which he allegedly blocked access to a Planned Parenthood clinic in New York by chaining the gates together and lying down at the entrance.

Christopher "Fidelis" Moscinski, 52, was set to face federal court in Brooklyn on Thursday afternoon, accused of violating a 1994 law that guarantees freedom of access to clinic entrances.

The defendant attempted to prevent women from accessing their legal right to vital reproductive and pregnancy services, US Attorney for the Eastern District of New York Breon Peace said in a statement. This Office will enforce federal law to protect clinics and staff that provide reproductive health services while safeguarding the rights of their patients."

According to the criminal complaint, on the morning of July 7, Moscinski was captured in surveillance footage using two chains with padlocks and three bicycle locks to secure the gates surrounding the Planned Parenthood Health Center in Hempstead on Long Island. Witnesses said some of the locks also had glue poured into them.

When an employee arrived and discovered the scene, they called authorities, who swiftly arrived to remove the locks.

When he was approached by a police officer, Moscinski then lay down in front of the clinic and physically blocked access. He was subsequently arrested for disorderly conduct.

The incident came almost two weeks after the Supreme Court handed antiabortion rights advocates a massive win by overturning Roe v. Wade, the federal case that had guaranteed Americans' reproductive rights.

In their complaint, prosecutors cited a subsequent media interview Moscinski conducted with an anti-abortion group in which he said his "main motivation was to try to keep that Planned Parenthood closed for as long as possible."

He had also said in a statement to another religious outlet on the day of his arrest that he was trying to prevent what he called "willful murder" and wanted abortion outlawed nationwide.

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Moscinski at an anti-abortion rally in March Lev Radin / Pacific Press / LightRocket via Getty Images

Moscinski has an extensive history of anti-abortion protest and is affiliated with the group Red Rose Rescue, whose members walk into clinics and hand out roses to try to convince pregnant people not to undergo abortion procedures.

Moscinski is currently serving a three-month prison sentence after being found guilty by a New York jury in March of trespassing at another abortion clinic. The friar and two others had entered the clinic in White Plains in November and refused to leave.

Moscinski also regularly leads churchgoers to stand outside New York clinics with signs and attempt to coerce those seeking an abortion to change their minds.

A first-time conviction of the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act is a misdemeanor, punishable by up to one year in prison.

An attorney who was previously reported to be representing Moscinski did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Following the July incident in Hempstead, almost 50 proabortion rights supporters rallied outside the clinic, according to Newsday.

I dont know what people are thinking, Susan Bruno told the outlet, expressing concern for anyone who had arrived to seek an abortion and discovered the friar's spectacle. Its traumatic for those people who showed up."

Abortion Rights
WASHINGTON  Chief Justice John Roberts could be in a position to reassert some degree of control on the Supreme Court in several race-related cases that may appeal to his vision of a colorblind Constitution when the justices return to action next week.

Three upcoming cases could see Roberts play a key role, showing that while the chief justice is not always the most influential voice on the 6-3 conservative-majority court, he is often in ideological lockstep with the five justices to his right. The courts new nine-month term begins on Monday with newly appointed Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, the first Black woman to serve on the court, taking the bench for the first time and joining the liberal minority.

The notion that Roberts is no longer the dominant figure on the court is based on the view among experts that he is an institutionalist worried about the reputation of the court who does not want to move the law to the right on contentious issues as quickly or as boldly as some of his conservative colleagues. In June, Roberts did not join the majority in overturning the 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling that legalized abortion nationwide.

That decision showed the limits of his power to control the courts direction now that he has five other conservatives to his right, including three justices appointed by former President Donald Trump.

The new cases on racial issues all ask the justices to adopt what challengers say are race-neutral approaches to the law, a line of argument that could appeal to Roberts based on his past votes and writings. If the court embraces those arguments, it would further weaken the landmark Voting Rights Act, end the consideration of race in college administrations, and strike down part of a law that gives preferences to Native Americans seeking to adopt Native American children.

You could imagine this term giving rise to a narrative of the chief is back. I think thats totally possible, said Roman Martinez, a lawyer who served as a clerk under Roberts, referring to the new term as a whole.

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The chief justice, appointed in 2005 by President George W. Bush, a Republican, has long argued that various government efforts to address historic racial discrimination are problematic and may exacerbate the situation.

The way to stop discrimination on the basis of race is to stop discriminating on the basis of race, Roberts famously wrote in a 2007 ruling in which the court struck down a Seattle program aimed at desegregating schools.

He expressed a similar sentiment in a 2006 redistricting case in which he disagreed with the courts finding that Texas had unlawfully diluted the Latino vote in drawing electoral districts: It is a sordid business, this divvying us up by race, he wrote. As chief justice, Roberts was in the majority on both occasions when the court in previous cases weakened the Voting Rights Act, enacted in 1965 to protect minority voters.

Image: A 1981 memo written by Roberts on the Voting Rights Act. (National Archives)

His approach to race issues dates at least to his time as an ambitious young lawyer in the Reagan administration. Then, he unsuccessfully advocated against legislation in Congress that lowered the barriers to bringing race discrimination claims under Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act. Such violations should not be made too easy to prove since they provide a basis for the most intrusive interference imaginable by federal courts into state and local process, Roberts wrote in one 1981 memo.

The same provision is at the center of the case that will be argued before the court on Tuesday. It concerns Republican-drawn congressional districts in Alabama, which challengers say unlawfully dilute the Black vote by drawing only one district out of seven in which Black voters are likely to be able to elect a representative of their choosing.

A 1981 memo penned by Roberts advocating against legislation in Congress that would lower the barriers for race discrimination claims. (National Archives)

Alabama is urging the justices to adopt a legal test in which states would be given more leeway to draw maps using what it calls race-neutral redistricting criteria without being in violation of the voting law.

For Roberts, a ruling in the states favor would be consistent with his view of a colorblind Constitution, said Franita Tolson, an expert on election law at the University of Southern California Gould School of Law. That would be devastating for minority voting rights in this country, she added.

Conservatives have long opposed affirmative action, or the use of racial preferences, in college administrations. The Supreme Court has on several occasions narrowly upheld the practice, most notably in 2003. The justices are hearing two cases on Oct. 31 on the same issue concerning the admissions policies at Harvard University and the University of North Carolina.

The cases, both brought by Students for Fair Admissions, a group that opposes affirmative action, argue that policies aimed at promoting diversity on campus discriminate against white and Asian students by violating Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, which prohibits race discrimination in education and, when state universities are involved, the U.S. Constitutions 14th Amendment guarantee of equal protection under the law.

The groups lawyers say in court papers that both universities, which say affirmative action is essential to ensuring diversity on campus, ignore race-neutral alternatives that would still achieve that goal.

The case on Native American adoptions, being argued on Nov. 9, is a challenge to provisions of the Indian Child Welfare Act, a 1978 law enacted to retain the fabric of Native American communities by helping to keep adoptees within their communities where possible. The state of Texas, one of the challengers, said in court papers that the law features an overt race-preference regime by giving priority to Native American prospective parents.

It remains to be seen if the Supreme Court will view it as a racial issue. Several tribes and President Joe Biden's administration, which is defending the law, say the preference language focuses on Native American tribal affiliation, not race.

Unusual and difficult

The court will tackle other contentious issues in the coming months, including a new clash between conservative Christians and LGBTQ rights in which a web designer wants to turn away people who ask her to create a website for same-sex weddings. She objects to expressing sentiments with which she does not agree, saying it violates her free speech rights under the Constitutions First Amendment.

The justices are also hearing an elections-related tussle in which Republicans are seeking to limit the power of state courts to review gerrymandered maps and restrictions on voting. The courts ruling in the dispute over Republican-drawn congressional districts in North Carolina could have big implications for the 2024 presidential election.

Those cases will further test Roberts leadership, with the chief justice in recent public remarks eager to show a return to normality after last terms leak of a draft of the abortion ruling that led to protests and the construction of security fencing around the building.

In comments on Sept. 9, Roberts rejected claims that the court faces a legitimacy crisis. He expressed hope that the last term was an unusual and difficult one-off and that the new one would be relatively low-key.

The more normal the better, he said.

Irv Gornstein, executive director of the Supreme Court Institute at Georgetown Law Center, said the term is indeed likely to be less climactic than the last one simply because abortion is not on the docket.

But, he added, I doubt it will be drama-free.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
China has opened dozens of "overseas police service stations" around the globe to monitor its citizens living abroad, including one location in New York City and three in Toronto.

"These operations eschew official bilateral police and judicial cooperation and violate the international rule of law, and may violate the territorial integrity in third countries involved in setting up a parallel policing mechanism using illegal methods," reads a report by Safeguard Defenders, a human rights watchdog, released earlier this month.

The report, titled "110 Overseas: Chinese Transnational Policing Gone Wild," details China's extensive efforts to combat "fraud" by its citizens living overseas, in part by opening several police stations on five continents that have assisted Chinese authorities in "carrying out policing operations on foreign soil."

VP KAMALA HARRIS EXPRESSES SUPPORT FOR TAIWAN, TORCHES CHINA WHILE ADDRESSING NAVY SAILORS IN JAPAN

Chinese President Xi Jinping Ju Peng/Xinhua via Getty Images

Europe is home to most of the police stations, with locations spread across the continent in places such as London, Amsterdam, Prague, Budapest, Athens, Paris, Madrid and Frankfurt. North America is also home to four of the stations, with three locations in Toronto and one in New York City. In all, there are 54 such stations in 30 different countries.

The report details how China has attempted to "combat the growing issue of fraud and telecommunication fraud by Chinese nationals living abroad," running operations that have resulted in 230,000 Chinese nationals being "persuaded to return" to China "voluntarily" over the last year to face criminal prosecution.

New York City Gary Hershorn/Getty Images

The Chinese government has claimed that the stations provide vital services to its citizens living abroad, though the report notes that many of the services are those that would be traditionally carried out by an overseas embassy. Instead, the report argues that the stations have been used to enhance China's overseas law enforcement capabilities in possible violation of international law.

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Toronto, Ontario, Canada Roberto Machado Noa/LightRocket via Getty Images

The report also outlines the potential human rights abuses associated with the stations, including using harassment and intimidation methods, such as threatening the family members of the overseas citizens. The stations have also served as centers to spread Chinese government propaganda and monitor the behavior and opinions of Chinese nationals.

"As these operations continue to develop, and new mechanisms are set up, it is evident that countries governed by the standards set by universal human rights and the rule of law urgently need to investigate these practices to identify the (local) actors at work, mitigate the risks and effectively protect the growing number of those targeted," the report concludes.
Climate change likely did not cause Hurricane Ian to form, and studies show that it also has not resulted in a greater number of global tropical cyclones than there were 150 years ago.

Numerous other studies, however, have established that rising temperatures caused by the burning of fossil fuels have made hurricanes wetter, windier, slower and able to ramp up quicker than in a pre-climate-change world.

Given those trends, its tempting to look at a historically bad storm like Ian and to blame its cause entirely on climate change. CNN anchor Don Lemon seemed to imply that in a Tuesday interview with Jamie Rhome, acting director of the National Hurricane Center.

What effect does climate change have on on this phenomenon that is happening now, because it seems these storms are intensifying? Thats the question, Lemon said.

I dont think you can link climate change to any one event. On the whole, on the cumulative, climate change may be making storms worse. But to link it to any one event, I would caution against that, Rhome responded.

Research shows that between 1979 and 2017, the number of major hurricanes (Category 3 or above) increased, while the number of less powerful storms declined. Were it not for the exponential rise in the damage from the more intense storms like Category 4 Ian, that finding might seem like a wash.

In fact, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predicts that, due to climate change, the public will see a continued rise in the frequency of Category 4 and 5 hurricanes in the years to come. That, of course, is different from saying that each and every major hurricane that will form in the future should be attributed solely to climate change.

People survey the damage wrought by Hurricane Ian in Bonita Springs, Fla. (Sean Rayford/Getty Images)

In terms of impacts and climate change, yes, this season could be a harbinger of sort of what is to come, Kristen Corbosiero, a hurricane scientist at the University of Albany, told the Associated Press. But its really hard to say that climate change has an impact on any one storm in terms of its formation or its individual intensity.

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A growing body of evidence strongly suggests that climate change is amplifying the effects of naturally occurring events like drought, wildfires, extreme rainfall and heat waves, making the debate over blaming one specific event on rising temperatures increasingly beside the point.

Yet while some experts are hesitant to directly link Hurricane Ian or any other specific single event to climate change, many are pointing to the findings that push the boundary between correlation into the territory of causation.

There is no question in my mind, or really in the mind of most scientists who study these connections, climatologist and geophysicist Michael Mann said Wednesday, in response to MSNBC host Stephanie Ruhles question about whether there was "any doubt in your mind whether climate change was to blame for Hurricane Ian.

Its really not that complicated, Mann continued. The warmer the oceans and the deeper those layers of warm water  and thats one of the things were seeing with the warming of the planet, that heat penetrates deeper into the ocean, so that when the hurricane churns up those deeper waters, theyre still warm. They dont dampen the hurricane as they used to.

On @SRuhle, scientist @MichaelEMann confirms climate change supercharges hurricanes like Ian:



"There is no question in my mind or really in the mind of most of the scientists who study these connections." pic.twitter.com/MG7kFfu4r5  Climate Power (@ClimatePower) September 29, 2022

Mann emphasized what is by now obvious to the overwhelming majority of climate scientists: Rising global temperatures are worsening the effects of some natural phenomena.

All of these things are being impacted by climate change," he said, "and all of that is on top of sea level rise, melting ice, higher sea levels on which these storm surges are placed, giving us again even larger amounts of coastal flooding.
Maribel Gonzalez (left) disappeared in 2014, and Isabel Celis disappeared in 2012. On Sept. 15, 2018, Tucson police announced the indictment of Christopher Matthew Clements in the murders of the two girls.

Lawyers delivered closing arguments Wednesday in the first of two trials for a man accused of abducting and killing two young Tucson girls separately and then dumping their bodies in the desert.

Christopher Clements, 40, faces charges of first-degree murder and kidnapping in the deaths of 6-year-old Isabel Celis and 13-year-old Maribel Gonzales in two separate trials.

According to court documents, Clements was arrested in 2018 and indicted on 22 counts spanning many years in the deaths of Isabel in 2012 and Maribel in 2014.

The first trial, continuing for the last two weeks, centered around the disappearance and death of Maribel who disappeared while walking to a friends house.

Pima County attorney Tracy Miller, the prosecutor in the case, began her closing arguments with a haunting statement about Maribels mother.

There was no way that Valerie Calonge could have known that when her 13-year-old daughter walked out of her apartment to see a friend that she was never coming home, Miller said.

Miller argued that all the evidence points to Clements as the alleged killer.

She said evidence of his cell phone activity showed him driving towards the areas where Maribel was walking to her friends house as well as the place where her body was found, a remote desert area near Trico and West Avra Valley roads.

Miller also said evidence showed he was monitoring police radio. Google searches on Clements' devices allegedly showed searches such as Maribel Victoria Gonzalez, Calonge, murdered children, trace evidence found on a body, and body in the desert.

She described how Maribel was found: dragged 50 feet from the road in the middle of a remote area in the desert, 30 miles from her home. She was found stuffed under tires with her clothes removed, and without shoes or belongings.

Miller also pointed to a statement made by Clements' ex-girlfriend. Melissa Stark, his ex-girlfriend, was called to the witness stand on the second day of trial. She said Clements asked her if they had any bleach, went to buy more bleach; and he then asked her to clean his clothes, the shower curtain after his shower, and the floor from the front of the house to the bathroom. He also allegedly asked her if she had looked in the trunk of his car.

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Other evidence suggested he had an attraction to little girls, Miller said, referring to the slew of photographs of little girls that investigators found on his computer.

More: Teen's mother gives tearful testimony as trial begins for Christopher Clements

Some were screenshots of videos, one of a little girl jumping on her bed, and others were taken in-person in areas around Tucson.

Defense attorney Joseph DiRoberto said the states evidence was thin and built on the fact that Clements had pictures of little girls and that there was no connection between him and Maribel.

In rebuttal of the defenses claim, the prosecution reiterated how the evidence points to Clements.

We cant give you an exact location of where his device was," Miller said. "Its the fact that his device is in all the areas where Maribel starts and where she ends up. Thats how we know he is connected to the murder.

During the previous day's hearing, the court heard from Sy Ray, founder of ZetX Corporation and cell phone mapping expert, who said it was possible that Clements cell phone was at Maribel's body recovery site between 2 a.m. and 2:30 a.m. on June 4, 2014.

During the closing arguments Wednesday, Miller said while the prosecution does not need to prove a motive, Clements' motive was clear  Clements' had an attraction to young girls.

DiRoberto listed gaps in the prosecutions argument, including the lack of a cause of death, and questions about the DNA that was tested. DiRoberto was referring to evidence shown during a hearing Tuesday, during which the court heard from two witnesses for the defense including Michael Spence, independent forensic DNA consultant.

On Tuesday, DiRoberto questioned Spence, attempting to cast doubt on DNA test results that allegedly link Clements to a pubic hair found in the investigation. DiRoberto argued that the partial profile results could not specifically identify Clements, despite Clements matching 18 of the 23 areas where DNA data could be extracted from the hair.

The hair was not tested to determine if it was Maribel's, Spence said.

Spence testified that the testing used to extract the DNA can only be used to exclude suspects, given that the Y chromosome can be identical among males in the same family lineage and even unrelated males, too.

During the closing arguments Wednesday, DiRoberto said the state failed to prove who was the person last known to be with Maribel, when exactly Maribel went missing and how she died, among other unknown facts in the case.

There are infinite number of possibilities of what happened to Maribel that are stronger than reasonable doubt, he said. Maribels disappearance and death could be unrelated to Mr. Clements.

The jury went into deliberation at the end of the hearing, and at the time of publishing, had not announced a verdict.

Coverage of southern Arizona on azcentral.com and in The Arizona Republic is funded by the nonprofit Report for America in association with The Republic.

Reach the reporter at sarah.lapidus@gannett.com.

Contact the reporter at jcastaneda1@arizonarepublic.com or connect with him on Twitter @joseicastaneda

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Closing arguments heard in Christopher Clements trial
The Boston Police are turning to the public for help in locating the suspect of a sexual assault that occurred in a South Boston neighborhood last week.

On Friday, September 23 just before 6:00 a.m. a sexual assault incident happened in the area of D Street and W 5th Street.

Anyone with information regarding this individual is advised to please contact the Boston Police Sexual Assault Unit at 617-343-4400.

Detectives are looking to identify the individual pictured below.

TIPS FOR ENSURING YOUR PERSONAL SAFETY:

The BPD encourages individuals to review the following safety tips with the understanding that, while these tips are designed to decrease and diminish the likelihood of an attack, no victim is ever to blame for the actions of an attacker.

Be aware of your surroundings, especially at night. Keep your head up. Make quick eye contact with those around you, and try to avoid poorly lit or isolated areas when possible.

When possible, walk with friends and people you know, especially late at night.

Avoid the distractions created when talking on a cell phone or listening to an iPod/similar device. Avoid wearing earbuds or headphones in both ears.

If you believe someone is following you, change direction, cross the street, seek a populated location and call 911.

Remember descriptive information about the person following you to report to the police.

If confronted, believe in your ability to fight back and defend yourself. Creating distance and yelling words like: fire, help, or rape are smart ways of drawing attention and alerting people that you need help.

Keep your car keys in your hand to use as a weapon to ward off an attack.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts.

Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW
WASHINGTON  Congress on Thursday renewed a small business innovation grant program heavily favored by the Pentagon with a series of reforms meant to address Republican skepticism, mere days before it was set to expire at the end of the fiscal year.

The reauthorization follows months of uncertainty about the programs future amid slow-moving negotiations to assuage concerns over abuse of the rewards process.

The 415-9 House vote to extend the Small Business Administrations Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer awards came after the Senate passed the reauthorization bill by unanimous consent last week.

The SBIR and STTR programs are meant to incentivize small businesses to engage in early-stage research and development for technologies and products that companies might otherwise shy away from given uncertain returns on investments.

This bipartisan bill reauthorizes the SBIR and STTR programs for three years and addresses major concerns by establishing research security measures, increasing transparency and oversight and focusing on commercialization, Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer, R-Mo., the ranking member on the House Small Business Committee, told Defense News in a statement.

After discovering Chinas influence in the programs, it was vital for Congress to make the national security reforms necessary to protect American small businesses and intellectual property, he added. In addition to combatting malign foreign influence, the legislation also strengthens oversight, increases public transparency and safeguards taxpayer dollars.

Chinese state-sponsored companies have targeted U.S. firms that receive the SBIR and STTR grants, which are awarded jointly by 11 federal agencies and ballooned to nearly $3.3 billion in 2011. The Defense Department accounts for the majority of these awards, which range from tens of thousands of dollars to more than $1 million for a two-year grant.

A 2021 Pentagon report on a small sample of SBIR awardees found China was the ultimate beneficiary of the grants, not the United States.

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This discovery was part of what prompted Rand Paul of Kentucky, the top Republican on the Senate Small Business Committee, to hold up reauthorization in order to legislate reforms curbing Chinese influence on the program alongside Luetkemeyer and Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa.

Ernst accused government agencies of allowing double-crossing companies to take your money and run off to China with the breakthroughs that rightfully belong to the U.S. in a statement touting her work on SBIR reform.

The reauthorization bill, introduced by Senate Small Business Chairman Ben Cardin, D-Md., and Ernst, requires SBIR or STTR applicants to disclose whether the company has ties to any foreign country of concern, including the Peoples Republic of China.

The Defense Department and other agencies must then deny awards to applicants that have ties to Chinese companies or have high-level employees that are part of a malign foreign talent recruitment program.

The bill requires each federal agency that awards the grants to coordinate with the Small Business Administration in the creation of a due diligence program to assess security risks presented by small business concerns seeking a federally funded award.

The Small Business Administration and the White Houses Office of Science and Technology must also consult with the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States to establish best practices to guide these due diligence programs.

The grants have spurred the development of new weapons systems in some cases, giving Congress more incentive to take measures against Chinas exploitation of the program.

SBIR grants awarded by the Air Force to AeroVironment, for example, led to the development of the small, kamikaze Switchblade drones, which the United States has sent to Ukraine as it fends off Russias invasion. The Pentagon also relies on SBIR and STTR grants to generate technologies in fields such as artificial intelligence, data processing and munitions development.

But Paul and other Republicans had also voiced concerns that some companies rely entirely on grants to sustain themselves without spinning off new businesses or products.

To that end, the reauthorization bill contains enhanced performance benchmarks that differentiate between Phase I and Phase II SBIR and STRR grants. Under the program, Phase I awards range from $50,000 to $250,000 for six to 12 months. Phase II awards range from $750,000 to nearly $2 million for two years. There are also direct to Phase II awards, which allow companies to receive Phase II grants without first competing Phase I research.

The new legislation doubles the minimum performance standards for each small business that receives more than 50 Phase I grants within five years.

Additionally, a small business that has received more than 50 Phase II awards within the past 12 years must garner an average of $250,000 of aggregate sales and investments for each of those awards. And a company with more than 100 Phase II awards within the past 12 years must earn an average of $450,000 in aggregate sales and investments.

If a company does not meet these standards, then it may not receive more than 20 total SBIR and STTR Phase I and direct to Phase II awards for one year per agency. They may still receive unlimited Phase II awards.

President Joe Biden is expected to sign the bill before the end of the week, securing the programs future through 2025.
Blonde. Illustrated | Netflix, Getty Images

Netflix's new Marilyn Monroe movie Blonde has arrived, and it may be 2022's most controversial film. Here's everything to know about the movie and why it's dividing critics:

How much of 'Blonde' is true?

Ana de Armas stars as Marilyn Monroe in Andrew Dominik's Blonde, but the movie is far from a traditional biopic. It's based not on a biography, but on a novel by Joyce Carol Oates. Netflix described the film as taking "dramatic license with her life," featuring real historical figures but also "amalgams of people she might have known."

For example, Blonde imagines Monroe to have been in a throuple with the sons of Charlie Chaplin and Edward G. Robinson, one of whom is implied to have contributed to her apparent suicide. Several graphic sex scenes between the three are featured, but there is no evidence a throuple actually happened as depicted in the movie. Most controversially, the climax of the film involves President John F. Kennedy sexually assaulting Monroe, who is then kidnapped and forced to have an abortion in a sequence that, again, is totally imagined.

But Blonde isn't completely fictional, as it also draws on true aspects of Monroe's life, including the fact that she married Joe DiMaggio and Arthur Miller (listed in the credits as "Ex-Athlete" and "The Playwright," respectively); that her father wasn't present; and that her mother suffered from schizophrenia, though another scene invented for the film shows her mother attempting to kill Marilyn in a bathtub when there is no evidence this event occurred.

What is so controversial about 'Blonde'?

Note: This section contains descriptions of graphic sexual violence depicted in the film.

Blonde is a relentlessly bleak and punishing film focused almost entirely on showing the suffering inflicted on Monroe over its two-and-half-hour runtime. It's rated NC-17 for its graphic sexual content and has sparked criticism by those who find it exploitative and disrespectful to the actress' legacy.

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For one, an early sequence sees Monroe enter an audition with a man implied to be 20th Century Fox studio executive Darryl F. Zanuck, who forces her to get on the floor, pulls down her dress, and rapes her while she cries. (This is another scene the movie invented.)

Later, Secret Service agents drag Monroe to President John F. Kennedy after she has taken pills and become disoriented. Kennedy forces her to perform oral sex on him while he's lying in bed on the phone, aggressively pushing her head toward his crotch. A close-up of Monroe giving Kennedy oral sex lasts more than a minute as he calls her a "dirty slut," and a visibly distressed Monroe thinks to herself, "You have to swallow. You have to swallow." The film zooms out to show this oral sex scene being watched in a movie theater.

Afterward, Kennedy grabs Monroe and throws her onto the bed, placing his hand over her mouth as she screams. The scene cuts to her waking up in bed and puking as Secret Service agents drag her away, implying she was raped by Kennedy. She is subsequently kidnapped in the middle of the night and forced to have an abortion. Monroe wakes up covered in blood the following morning and overdoses not long after. (The film doesn't specifically identify the president as being Kennedy and lists him as "The President" in the credits, but it's clearly meant to be him.)

Many other scenes show Monroe topless, including one in which her husband, implied to be Joe DiMaggio, beats her after discovering explicit photos of her; he physically abuses her again minutes later, calling her a "f--king whore." Monroe is depicted as being severely emotionally damaged by the absence of her father in her life, so she calls DiMaggio and other men "daddy" repeatedly in many scenes.

There are also multiple consensual sex scenes with Charles Chaplin Jr. and Edward G. Robinson Jr. An explicit one early on shows them having a threesome, and they have a sexual encounter in public in a movie theater, with Monroe loudly moaning as the trailer for one of her films plays.

Outside of the sexual content, the movie includes multiple graphic depictions of miscarriages and abortions, and two different abortion scenes are shot from inside Monroe's vagina. The first one sees Monroe change her mind about the abortion at the last minute, but she is forced to have it, while in the second scene, she receives an abortion unwillingly while she's barely conscious. She also has a miscarriage after tripping and falling.

In multiple scenes, the movie also depicts Monroe's fetus, which she imagines speaking to her in a baby's voice. "You won't hurt me this time, will you?" the CGI fetus asks her, referring to her abortion earlier in the film. She tells the fetus that "you're not the same baby," but it responds, "That was me. It's always me." These scenes have led some critics to argue the film is pro-life.

"Blonde is a horrific, tone-deaf reminder of why a female perspective should be included, or at least asked for, when writing about abortion," IndieWire's Samantha Bergeson argued.

What have critics said about the film?

The movie has sharply divided critics, some of whom have praised it as powerful and argued that the uncomfortable viewing experience is the whole point, while others have panned it as one-note and outright cruel.

At The New Yorker, Richard Brody described Blonde's "relentless torments" as "directorial sadism," panning it for its "cheap sentiment, brazen tastelessness, and sexual exploitation." Similarly, the Chicago Sun-Times' Richard Roeper called the movie "borderline sadistic" and an "acidic, exploitative, vulgar nightmare," and at NPR, Justin Chang wrote it "dwells on [Monroe's] pain so obsessively" that its "empathy feels like another form of exploitation."

Some have argued the movie does a disservice to Monroe by skipping over many aspects of her life that would show her as having more agency and painted a fuller picture of her as a person in favor of focusing only on her suffering. The fact that she founded a production company is not mentioned, for instance.

But other critics have come away from Blonde impressed, with Vulture's Bilge Ebiri writing that the film is "beautiful, mesmerizing, and, at times, deeply moving," while The Associated Press' Jocelyn Noveck called it "bruising and often beautiful."

What has the director said?

Dominik has addressed the criticism in interviews, some of which have only sparked further criticism.

Speaking to The Associated Press' Lindsey Bahr, Dominik argued the film isn't exploitative. "Suffering is not exploitative, because it's not titillating," he said. In an interview with The Wrap, he addressed claims that the film is pro-life, saying that while some critics are looking at it "through this Roe v. Wade lens," it's "not really about that." Speaking to Deadline, Dominik also argued Monroe "clearly wasn't in control of her life," like the movie portrays, arguing, "Any person that's killing themselves is not a figure of female empowerment."

In an interview with Sight and Sound, journalist Christina Newland questioned the fact that Blonde ignores how Monroe "formed her own production company, or that she was involved in opposing the anti-communist witch-hunts by the House Un-American Activities Committee in the 1950s," and other aspects of her life. In response, Dominik said the film is not about that but "about a person who is going to be killing themself," so his interest was to "examine the reasons why they did that," calling Monroe an "extraordinarily self-destructive" person.

Newland shared a cut portion of this interview on Twitter, in which Dominik also argued "nobody really watches" Monroe's movies and was surprised to learn Newland watches 1953's Gentlemen Prefer Blondes regularly. "What is it about it?" Dominik asked, before controversially describing the classic film as being about "well-dressed whores." He also suggested Monroe's performance of "Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend" in that movie is an example of "romanticized whoredom."

The quotes attracted further criticism of Dominik ahead of Blonde's release, with critic Kayleigh Donaldson tweeting that he seemed "openly contemptuous towards the woman he made an entire film about," while critic Dana Stevens suggested Dominik views Monroe as "a glorified whore who is interesting only for her suffering."

De Armas has also drawn some criticism for comments she's made promoting the movie, including when she said she felt the presence of Monroe on set and claimed the late actress was "approving of what we were doing."

Does the film have any Oscar buzz?

De Armas was once seen as a strong candidate to be nominated for Best Actress, and some pundits still think this is possible, as even the film's detractors have praised her performance. But the fact that the movie itself is so polarizing and upsetting has made that less likely.

Ultimately, it will come down to whether the Academy agrees with Blonde's critics that in trying to condemn the exploitation of Marilyn Monroe, Dominik has only exploited her again.

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The Crimean bridge, captured by ICEYE satellites

One satellite is completely working for the needs of our defense, almost two dozen more are involved when there is a need, Reznikov said, adding that the expectations from the acquisition of the satellite were fully justified.

In fact, in just these two days, the enemy lost more armored vehicles than the cost of the satellite project. But the main thing is that it helps to save the lives of our priceless warriors.

Reznikov explained that the combat brigades of the Armed Forces of Ukraine are already receiving data from the ICEYE satellite. The images are directly deciphered and processed by Ukrainian military intelligence specialists.

Read also: Volunteer explains benefits of ICEYE satellite, data Ukraine will now receive

For obvious reasons, I cant reveal all the details, but just imagine: in the first two days of the satellites operation, more than 60 units of military vehicles were discovered, which the enemy tried to disguise in forest belts and other obstacles, the Defense Minister said.

It was discovered because ICEYE satellites collect information using Synthetic aperture radar (SAR) technology  the indicated vehicles would be very difficult, or impossible to notice, with optical satellites.

The Minister said that the coordinates of the "hidden" vehicles were promptly sent to the appropriate units in order to conduct immediate strikes. Reznikov said that this was the case near the settlements of Khreshchenivka and Ukrainka in Kherson Oblast, as well as near Novoselivka in Donetsk Oblast.

Read also: Ukraines defense minister explains advantages of satellite purchased by Prytula Foundation for army

The Minister of Defense also named four additional benefits that the satellite provides:

Ukraine is now able to combine data from optical satellites from partners and SAR. This fundamentally increases the ability of the Armed Forces of Ukraine to detect and defeat the Russian invaders;

Satellites with SAR become especially relevant in autumn and winter when the weather is bad, cloudy or snowy. For satellites, there is no difference whether its day or night. Therefore, the enemy will not be able to hide;

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The Ukrainian military itself determines where and when to receive the necessary data. At present, systematic monitoring of the main areas of combat operations in the south and east is being carried out;

Information flows from analysts to combat units very quickly. It will be more difficult for the Russian invaders to hide their intentions, which will further complicate their logistics.

This is a real contribution to strengthening the defense of Ukraine, due to a technological advantage, Reznikov noted.

After all, Russian troops dont have the same opportunities. I have repeatedly noted that we will be able to defeat Russia only because to the quality of our defense. That is why I consider this project a kind of start-up that will open the door for other ambitious initiatives and solutions.

The Serhiy Prytula Charitable Foundation bought the satellite with money raised as part of the Peoples Bayraktar project. After Ukrainians raised UAH 600 million (around $16,000,000) for the drones in three days, drone manufacturer Baykar announced that it would send three Bayraktars to the Ukrainian front for free.

Read also: Ukrainians donate almost $10 million in a day to buy Bayraktar drones for army

As a result, the foundation redirected these funds in order to purchase full access to a satellite orbiting above this region, belonging to the ICEYE company. Ukraine also gained access to imagery from an entire constellation of SAR satellites.

Sergiy Prytula, the foundations founder, specified that the Ukrainian side will continue to access the satellite as long as it remains in orbit. A SAR satellite can view activity on the ground and transmit around the clock, regardless of weather conditions or time of day.



Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine
Chad Daybell, the husband of so-called cult mom Lori Vallow has requested to face his own trial for the murder of her two children, rather than in conjunction with his wife.

In a court filing to Idaho Judge Steven Boyce this week, Mr Daybells defence asked that his trial be held independently from Ms Vallows and that it be moved to October 2023, East Idaho News reported. At present, the couple are set to face a joint death penalty trial in Fremont County beginning in January.

Mr Daybell, 54, and Ms Vallow, 49, are charged with conspiring to kill her two youngest children, 16-year-old Tylee Ryan and seven-year-old Joshua JJ Vallow, along with his first wife Tammy.

Mr Daybells request to sever the trials - which curiously refers to his wife as Ms Vallow rather than Ms Daybell, as in previous defence filings - comes on the heels of a new Netflix documentary Sins of Our Mother, which delves thoroughly into the bizarre string of murders around the couple and their extreme religious beliefs around the end of the world.

In the three-part series, people close to the case recount how Ms Vallow met her doomsday preacher husband and how they allegedly planned to kill the children after they became convinced the minors were zombies whose dark spirits had to be released through death.

Mr Daybells attorney argued that holding both trials simultaneously would be detrimental to his client due to potential gender bias from the jury and that more time is needed to prepare the defence. Last week, Judge Boyce announced that news organisations will no longer be able to shoot photos or videos inside the courtroom.

Mr Daybells attorney also said in the filing that he had yet to receive a significant amount of evidence from prosecutors, which in turn will delay his review of it.

Ms Vallow and Mr Daybells trials were joined in October 2020, and a previous filing to separate them was denied by Judge Boyce a year later.

There is no possible way to complete the investigation and be prepared for a death penalty trial in January 2023, the filing read. Death penalty cases are unique in the criminal legal system and require counsel to undertake an extensive, time-consuming investigation.

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Lori Vallow is accused of conspiring to kill her children, Tylee, 17, and JJ, 7 (AP)

JJ and Tylee were last seen in September 2019, weeks after the family moved to Rexburg, Idaho, following Ms Vallows husband Charles Vallows fatal shooting by her brother during a supposed domestic argument  for which she also faces conspiracy to murder charges in Arizona.

Ms Vallow is believed to have moved to be closer to Mr Daybell, an alleged cult leader she married in November of that year.

While the children were never reported missing by their mother, police began investigating their whereabouts in late November 2019 after a family member raised concerns.

JJ and Tylee were ultimately found buried on Mr Daybells property in Salem, Idaho, in June 2020. They are believed to have been killed in the days after they went missing.

The couple is scheduled to face trial together in January 2023 following a series of delays after Ms Vallow was deemed mentally unfit and committed to a treatment facility in June 2021.

Judge Boyce ruled she is fit to face trial earlier this year.

Joshua

Meanwhile, Ms Vallow and Ms Daybell are facing separate charges related to the deaths of their former spouses.

Ms Vallow is charged with conspiracy to commit murder in the July 2019 death of her fourth husband Charles Vallow, who was shot dead by her brother Alex Cox during what she described as a custody dispute at her home in Arizona.

Cox claimed he acted in self-defence before his death in December 2019.

Mr Daybells former wife, Tammy Daybell, was found dead at their Idaho home in October 2019, weeks before he married Ms Vallow.

Tammy Daybell was initially ruled to have died of natural causes after her husband declined an autopsy.

The case was then reopened amid the search for JJ and Tylee, paving the way for conspiracy charges Mr Daybell and Ms Vallow now face in her death.
By Radovan Stoklasa and Jiri Skacel

STARY HROZENKOV, Czech Republic (Reuters) - Czech police chasing a vanload of migrants fired warning shots on Thursday as they began checks on the border with Slovakia to combat a sharp rise in people, mostly Syrians, heading illegally to western Europe.

Police intercepted over 100 migrants and detained nine suspected people smugglers as they began checks on all 27 road and rail entry points and on patrols outside frontier crossings.

The Czechs have detained around 12,000 illegal migrants so far this year, a 12-fold increase from a year ago.

The vast majority have been Syrians, mostly coming from Turkey, the government has said, and they continue travel to Germany and elsewhere after they were checked by police.

Speaking on Czech Television, Police President Martin Vondrasek said police fired three warning shots as they chased and detained an Iraqi man driving a van with 16 illegal migrants, assumed to be from Syria.

Over 500 police officers will deploy on the 252-km (157-mile) border, initially for 10 days. The Czech decision was followed by Austria, which also started checks on Thursday on its border with Slovakia.

"The aim is to give smugglers' groups a clear sign that they face a barrier here," Interior Minister Vit Rakusan said at a briefing during a visit to the border shortly after midnight.

Slovak Prime Minister Eduard Heger has criticised the Czech border checks as against the principles of the border check-free Schengen area within the European Union, Slovak media reported.

Migrants travelling onward often pass through Prague's main train station. Some sleep in a park in near-freezing weather.

Syrian Khaled Cheiko, 26, said at the station that he felt rising racism in Turkey, where he had lived the past six years, and now wanted to go to Britain.

"I used to work and my work was good, but we faced racism, mistreatment and strict laws that were put on us, to a point where you cant move from a place to another."

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Syrian Ramez Rizk, also coming form Turkey, said he planned to go to Belgium after a tough journey through the Balkans.

"We went through harsh periods with human traffickers and smugglers. They exploited us with money and threatened us in the forests," he said, adding he was treated well by Czech police.

"We looked death in the face to get here."

(Reporting by Radovan Stoklasa, Jiri Skacel and Jan Lopatka, additonal reporting by Yara Abi Nader in Beirut; Writing by Jan Lopatka, Editing by William Maclean)
Pac-12 Network

Pac-12 Networks' Ted Enberg and Rich Feller recap No. 17 Washington women's volleyball 3-0 victory over California on Sunday, Oct. 2 in Berkeley. The Huskies improve to 11-3 overall and 3-1 in conference, while the Golden Bears drop to 7-7 overall and 0-4 in Pac-12 play. Follow Pac-12 women's volleyball this season with the Pac-12 Now App. Download the Pac-12 Now App today and set alerts for Pac-12 women's volleyball to make sure you never miss a moment of the action. Pac-12 Now is available today in your app store for iOS, Android, and Apple TV.
A woman accused in a Topeka double murder will face a jury for the third time  but not in Shawnee County  in a controversial saga that has now spanned two decades.

Four weeks ago, Dana L. Chandlers second trial ended with a hung jury.

Prosecutors with the Shawnee County District Attorneys Office and Chandlers defense team were back in court Thursday.

Chandler was walked into the courtroom shortly after 4 p.m. in handcuffs and shackles, but not in a jail uniform.

Shawnee County Judge Cheryl Rios denied a defense motion to acquit Chandler, but granted a change of venue and lowered the 62-year-olds bond from $1 million to $350,000.

In moving the location for the third trial, Rios said jury selection in the second trial was a difficult, arduous process. They got through the trial by the skin of our teeth, after jurors were exposed to information about the case by no fault of their own, Rios said.

Chandler is accused of killing her ex-husband and his fiancee in 2002. The case garnered national attention in 2009 when it was featured on CBS 48 Hours. The police investigation dragged on for years until Chandler was arrested in 2011.

She was found guilty at the end of the first trial in 2012 and sentenced to two consecutive life sentences. But the convictions were reversed in 2018 after the Kansas Supreme Court concluded her case was marred by prosecutorial misconduct.

Former prosecutor Jacqie Spradling was disbarred in May over misconduct in two cases including Chandlers.

After years of delays, Chandlers second trial began July 28 with jury selection in Topeka.

During opening statements on Aug. 5, prosecutors said Chandler had caused problems with her her ex-husband Mike Sisco and his fiancee Karen Harkness by showing up at their home and calling them repeatedly. The case was based on jealousy, rage and obsession.

Chandlers legal team argued that she was hundreds of miles away when the couple was killed and that a crime scene reconstruction showed the shooter was likely taller than Chandler. Attorney Tom Bath said no DNA connected her to the murders.

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The case went to the jury on Aug. 25. But a week later, the jury announced it could not reach a verdict. The split was 7-5, with the majority voting in favor of conviction.

Two jurors attended Thursdays hearing. Both voted to acquit Chandler. Jury foreman Ben Alford said he was surprised the prosecutors office opted to retry Chandler, and that he believes their case relied on speculation and emotion.

Even in a different county, I have a hard time finding this is going to be a different story, Alford said.

A status conference on the venue is set for Oct. 11.

The third trial, scheduled to take four weeks, is tentatively set for Feb. 6.
Coolio, pictured performing in Zurich in 1997, died Wednesday. He was 59. (Michele Limina / Associated Press )

Hours after Grammy-winning "Gangsta's Paradise" rapper Coolio died Wednesday, "Dangerous Minds" actor Michelle Pfeiffer saluted him as a "gifted artist."

"A life cut entirely too short," Pfeiffer captioned an Instagram video posted Wednesday evening. "As some of you may know I was lucky enough to work with him on Dangerous Minds in 1995. He won a Grammy for his brilliant song on the soundtrack  which I think was the reason our film saw so much success."

The rapper was found unresponsive on the bathroom floor at a friends house, manager Jarez Posey told TMZ, which first reported the news. No official cause of death has been determined, but cardiac arrest was suspected, Posey told the website.

In confirming Coolio's death to The Times on Wednesday, manager Sheila Finegan said no further details were being released at this time.

"I remember him being nothing but gracious," Pfeiffer added. "30 years later I still get chills when I hear the song. Sending love and light to his family. Rest in Power, Artis Leon Ivey Jr."

In "Dangerous Minds," in which Pfeiffer starred as ex-Marine-turned-high school teacher LouAnne Johnson, Coolio's "Gangsta's Paradise" backed the dramatic black-and-white opening sequence. The song, off Coolio's sophomore album, earned a nomination for record of the year and won the award for rap solo performance at the 1996 Grammy Awards.

Scenes from the movie made their way into the official "Gangsta's Paradise" music video, including scenes of Pfeiffer.

Questlove, LL Cool J and Blondie's Debbie Harry also paid tribute to the rapper on social media.

Rest in power my brother .@Coolio Love & Respect  LLCOOLJ (@llcoolj) September 29, 2022

"RIP Coolio," tweeted "Weird Al" Yankovic. In 1996, he parodied the rapper's biggest hit with "Amish Paradise."

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"This is sad news," Ice Cube wrote on Twitter. "I witness first hand this man's grind to the top of the industry. Rest In Peace @Coolio."

Coolio is survived by 10 children. He was married only once, to Josefa Salinas. They divorced in 2000.

Also remembering Coolio on Twitter were Conan O'Brien, Guy Fieri, Viola Davis and MC Hammer. See more social media tributes to the Grammy-winning artist below.

Coolio was the West Coast Flavor Flav,,, He loved telling everyone that. We was supposed to perform together this Tuesday. #RIP my friend.  FLAVOR FLAV (@FlavorFlav) September 29, 2022

Coolio was in regular rotation in my little Sony boombox in the 90s. Sad to see him go. RIP   anthony light 1 fantano (@theneedledrop) September 29, 2022

rip coolio   Rich Brian (@richbrian) September 29, 2022

Rip coolio the legend  juicy j (@therealjuicyj) September 29, 2022

RIP Coolio  RPBMH  OUT NOW (@vincestaples) September 29, 2022

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
KATERYNA TYSHCHENKO  THURSDAY, 29 SEPTEMBER 2022, 23:29

Oleksii Danilov, Secretary of the National Security and Defence Council, is convinced that if Russia uses tactical nuclear weapons on the territory of Ukraine, the response of the world community will be immediate and radical. He also warns that the use of nuclear weapons can be dangerous for the Russian Federation itself.

Source: Danilov on air of the programme "Great Lviv Speaks"

Quote from Danilov: "If, God forbid, even one nuclear tactical weapon is used against our country, the world's response will be immediate and it will be absolutely radical."

Details: Danilov emphasised that it is only about the use of tactical nuclear weapons, which "cannot cause a large area of damage."

He also stated that the state of Russia's nuclear arsenals could be dangerous for the Russians themselves.

"Those arsenals of nuclear weapons that Russia has, are first of all dangerous for Russia itself. Because the state of these arsenals can be extremely dangerous for those who will press that button. Because it can remain there, but in a completely different form. And when Putin threatened that the wind could turn back in the direction [from where Western nuclear threats came], then I can say that it could also remain there, in those cities in the Russian Federation where these nuclear weapons are located," the secretary noted.

He also reported that from Monday the second inspection has been taking place in the regions bordering Belarus.

"As for the territory of Belarus, we understand what is happening there. Since Monday, a second inspection of our regions bordering Belarus is already under way, in connection with preparations for certain development scenarios, if they should take place on the Belarusian side. The issue is under complete control," Danilov assured.

He noted that the President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin, is putting pressure on the self-proclaimed President of Belarus, Aleksandr Lukashenko, "so that he makes a decision to join the war, but so far there is no such decision."

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"If there is, the response of our military will be immediate. We know how the attempt, which was on 24 February, ended. If, God forbid, there is a second attempt, it will end in the same way. We do not advise anyone to deal with these issues from the side of Belarus. Because it will be much tougher than it was in February," the NSDC secretary warned.

Background:

Oleksii Reznikov, the Minister of Defence of Ukraine, said that Russias nuclear arsenal may be well beyond its date of expiry: "If you press the button, it can explode right there".

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Geraleine Yap (left), a former matchmaker who worked at a local matchmaking agency in Singapore, shares her thoughts. (Photos: Geraleine Yap, Getty Images)

Matchmaking has always amazed me.

Unlike dating apps, where you create your profile, determine what to write in your bio, and chat to different people, matchmaking seems a bit more tedious, with structured processes in place.

However, unlike dating apps, a matchmaker does the work for youfor the most part, at least.

Recently, I spoke to Geraleine Yap, a former matchmaker who worked at a local matchmaking agency in Singapore to learn more about the matchmaking process, and some of the reasons why she thinks people are still single.

How long were you a matchmaker for?

I was a matchmaker for three years, during which in the final two years, I moved on to focus on high networth clients, and to also provide dating advice.

How did you get started in the matchmaking industry?

By chance!

I was taking some down time from my previous job, and saw a role being advertised.

At first, I didnt take it too seriously and applied for it out of curiosity. I didn't think I would actually get it.

I went for the interviews and luckily I got through, and eventually went on to become certified as well.

How does the matchmaking process work?

Its pretty straightforward.

Every client comes through a vetting process in which we determine whether they would be suitable, and if there were potential matches for them.

We get to know each and every client in detail. For example, we get to know their lifestyles, hobbies and religious background. We also ask them about their preferences.

From there, we handpick each match to ensure that the determined match works two-ways, meaning to say they both fit into each others preferences.

How do you determine that people are right for each other?

Chemistry is something that cannot be predicted or guaranteed.

If I could guarantee chemistry, I would be a billionaire profiting off the love industry.

However, in my experience, I find that the individuals personality, similar values, and character can sort of be a indication of whether they would be compatible.

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Usually, I feel this can be sensed better through face-to-face interaction with the client, so I know how they speak, their body language, the way they carry themselves and other subtle traits.

There are times when a person may be slightly out of the others preference (for example if she is two years older than his preferred age), and if I do find that it is a suitable match based on whatever reasons  perhaps they both shared that their favourite country is Japan for its culture and scenery which mean that they appreciate the same things  I may try to convince the other party by stating my reasons, and hope that they give each other a chance.

What happens if the matchmaking process doesnt work out?

Most of the time, magic doesnt happen on one date.

Yes, there are some exceptions that some couples hit it off right on their first match, but thats not the rule.

Dating is a numbers game, the more people you date, the higher your chances. I think its also a good way to reflect and ask yourself why the date didnt go so well, and perhaps find ways to improve your dating game too.

I also encourage people to refine their preferences or expand on it, so that it widens the dating pool and potential matches available.

What are some mistakes you tend to see from singles looking for a partner in the process?

Unrealistic expectations.

Most people think that because they are paying for a service, they demand more, and their expectations of their partner goes up.

Having a set of criteria is great and it shows that you think about what your future partner should be like, but at the same time, you cant find someone who crosses 10 out of 10 points off your checklist.

At the end of the day, no one is perfect.

Are there any memorable couples you could tell us about?

The most memorable couple I remember was a couple who got together at the height of the pandemic.

Their first date was via Zoom, and they hit it off like a house on fire, and the date went on for five hours or so.

Eventually, when restrictions were relaxed, they met up. Long story short, theyre engaged now (maybe even married) and I felt that was something beautiful that emerged from the dreadful pandemic.

The worst date was probably a big reason why I feel ladies should always stay safe during the date, and not be afraid to call for help.

This match had their first date together in a bar, and the gentleman got awfully drunk.

He started to get rude and disrespectful when she wanted to leave, she was so terrified she had to hide in a bathroom stall and get a server to escort her out.

I blacklisted and banned the guy immediately after she told me about him.

What are some green flags people tend to overlook?

When the gentleman offers to pay for the first date.

So many times I see ladies taking this for granted, and thinking its the guys duty to pay and that him paying is a given.

Its not. If he pays, its something the lady should always be appreciative of, no matter how small the meal is.

What are some red flags people tend to overlook?

If your date doesnt say thank you to service staff.

I find that being polite and respectful is the bare minimum. If they take the service for granted just because they're paying for the service charge, guess what else theyre going to take for granted in the future?

Has working as a matchmaker changed the way you approach dating?

Yes!

I have learnt to be more communicative and honest with my dates in terms of what I am looking for. I dont see a point in wasting the other partys time.

Also, I tend to be more open minded when dating and also to give second chances.

Was it difficult for you to date as a matchmaker?

Yes The number of times people have swiped left on me.

I once had a guy that, while we were just at the chatting stage on an app, didnt want to meet me as he thought I was on the platform for business.

I am human and I need love, too!

What sort of advice do you generally give your friends about relationships?

I think it depends.

Sometimes they may come and ask like, oh this person said this or did that, what do you think they mean?

Some of them may ask me what they should do on a date, what they should wear, where to go and eat and stuff, and its all OK! I love hearing my friends out and giving advice!

Now that youre in a relationship, what are some things youve applied from your journey as a matchmaker?

That communication is extremely important.

At the end of the day, a relationship is between two parties, and its vital to have a partner that you can express your thoughts and feelings to in a safe manner.

Healthy communication also helps the couple to resolve differences better, and to understand the opposite party.

What would you say is the main reason people remain single?

Expectations!

I know I have said this before, but its really true.

I find most of the clients who have found success have realistic expectations. Not to say that we should lower the bar and accept the bare minimum, but also to be realistic of what were looking for.

I think people really need to know that yes, you are choosing people, but at the end of the day, people are choosing you too.

A Millennial's Dating Diary series explores real-life interactions and the hurdles of dating in Southeast Asia. The series features the dating stories and misadventures of Arika  a 26-year-old, straight female marketing manager with a penchant for over drinking  and fellow millennials.
In honour of National Coffee Day this year, multiple coffee shops in the US are offering some discounts on the fan-favourite beverage.

The fall holiday is always celebrated on 29 September in America, as International Coffee Day falls on 1 October, per National Today.

This Thursday, many chains are offering free and discounted cups of Joe, whether its through customer loyalty plans or by ordering on the brands app.

From Dunkin Donuts to Tim Hortons, here are some of the shops that are celebrating National Coffee Day and what perks theyre having for it.

Dunkin Donuts

As noted on Dunkin Donuts Instagram Story this morning, all coffee shops in the US will give loyalty members a free cup of medium coffee with any purchase. Leading up to the holiday, Dunkin was also giving customers a free iced drink, when ordering from the chain through Grubhub.

Krispy Kreme

The beloved donut shop has announced that for today, guests can receive one free cup of iced or hot coffee. In addition, rewards members can also get a free donut.

Tim Hortons

For today only ,Tim Hortons will be offering a medium cup of hot or iced coffee for 25 cents for all customers who order ahead on the app.

Peets Coffee

The coffee retailer will be offering customers a 20 per cent off all online purchases when using the code COFFEEDAY at checkout. In addition, all Peets shops in the US, except ones Massachusetts, will be offering free delivery for customers who order through the app. Both of these deals will last beyond just one day, as the offers are valid until 2 October.

Bluebottle Coffee

Bluebottle Coffee will be giving customers a free pour-over or a 12 oz cold brew with a purchase of an eight-ounce bag of coffee beans, as noted on the shops Instagram Story. The brand will also have free shipping on all online products from now until 1 October.

Bluestone Lane

For guests who order through Bluestone Lanes app, they will receive one free cup of coffee that would typically cost up to $5. The $5 credit will be applied at checkout, and the offer will last until 1 October.

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Panera Bread

The chains first ever MyPanera Week began on National Coffee Day, with loyalty members being offered different deals through 29 September to 5 October. Today, existing Sip Club members can get $2 off select coffee beverages and smoothies.

Barnes & Nobles

The bookstore chains B&N Cafe will be giving customers a free tall cup of iced or hot coffee for free with the purchase of any baked item, as noted by Thrillist.
Waving green handkerchiefs and signs demanding "safe abortion," thousands of people across Latin American protested Wednesday in favor of legalizing the procedure, to mark International Safe Abortion Day.

Marches were held in Mexico, where the Supreme Court in September ruled that banning abortion was unconstitutional; as well as Venezuela, Chile, Peru, Bolivia, Colombia and El Salvador.

It is "important" for "each woman to... be able to decide if she wants or can be a mother or not," said Elizabeth Pauline Monsalve, a 23-year-old student who attended the Caracas protest.

Around her, 400 others chanted, "Safe and legal abortion now!" or waved signs that said "Deciding is not illegal," as they demanded a law codifying the procedure as a right in Venezuela.

In Latin American, the pro-abortion access camp continues to gain ground, with countries including Argentina, Colombia, Cuba and Uruguay having legalized it.

In other nations, such as El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua, abortion is banned completely. In Chile and Brazil, it is only permitted in cases of rape, risk to the mother or issues with the fetus.

In Santiago, about 100 protesters waved signs with messages such as "Motherhood will be desired or it won't be."

"I have two daughters and I want them to have the future ahead of them to decide," Gloria Fuentes, 55, told AFP. "I am here for the right of all to decide."

In Bolivia. protesters also called for expanded sexual health education.

In San Salvador, about 300 people demonstrated for "the right to abortion" in specific cases, including rape and health of the mother or fetus. El Salvador has banned the procedure, punishable by up to eight years in prison, since 1998.

Some prosecutors judges consider terminating a pregnancy, even miscarriages, to be "aggravated homicide," punishable by up to 50 years in jail.

East of the capital, in the town of Suchitoto, some protesters made a caravan of small trucks swathed in green banners to demonstrate on behalf of at least a dozen women imprisoned in El Salvador for a terminated pregnancy.

atm/ll/to/caw
KATERYNA TYSHCHENKO  THURSDAY, 29 SEPTEMBER 2022, 21:26

The defence minister of Ukraine Oleksii Reznikov believes that Belarusian soldiers have no motivation to enter the war with Ukraine, and if ordered by their authorities to fight, they would lay down their weapons.

Source: Reznikov in comments for hromadske and Babel on Thursday

Details: In Reznikovs opinion, the level of propaganda in Belarus is much lower than in Russia, so "the brainwashing effect is less."

Quote from Reznikov: "I don't understand what would motivate Belarusians to consciously go to war with Ukraine, kill and die for no one knows what, even if they are officers who are under oath obliged to follow orders. If they go on the attack with their units, they could cross the Belarusian border, raise their hands, lay down their weapons and say, Ukrainians, we are your syabry. [Belarusians] are not your enemies."

More details: According to the defence minister, Belarus' entry into the war would mean, "just start the third lend-lease for the Ukrainians and give us [Ukrainians] Belarusian weapons this time."

"Therefore, let's just say there is a risk, but I would not overestimate it. It seems to me that the head of Belarus is looking for a balance. On the one hand, he needs to show his patron [Vladimir Putin] that he is somehow with him. But on the other hand, [President Aleksandr] Lukashenko understands that this may also be his final end," Reznikov added.

At the same time, he noted that the danger of an offensive from Belarus "always exists", since the Ukrainian-Belarusian border reaches 1,200 km and in February there was already an invasion from here by Russian troops. However, it was not recorded that "a large number of Belarusian soldiers" participated in the war.

"In some unconfirmed cases, in the Chernihiv region, the local population heard in the first few days of the invasion that soldiers in Russian uniforms spoke with an accent very similar to Belarusian. That is, it is possible that some small units of Belarusians were in Russian uniforms. But then they disappeared. We do not have any other evidence of the Belarusian military personnel," Reznikov said.

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However, the minister stressed that if anything happens, Ukraine is ready to repel another invasion from Belarus.

"Our Armed Forces, the Security and Defense Sector, Border Guards, and the National Guard, we are all ready. There [on the border with Belarus  ed.] are our units. Moreover, we have already passed this invasion attempt. We know where, how, when and what spots," he assured.

Reznikov noted that the Ukrainian-Belarusian border "is mostly not available for a free walk." According to him, there are specific places where you can cross the border, but they are "absolutely known" to Ukraine and are under fire control.

Background: Earlier, the Main Intelligence Directorate of Ukraine reported that places are being prepared in Belarus for the accommodation of 20,000 people conscripted by the Russian Federation.

The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine states that the Belarusian military airfields and railways prepare for arriving troops.

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President Biden And VP Harris Meet With Latino Community Leaders

A guest listens as President Joe Biden speaks during a meeting with Latino community leaders at the White House on August 3, 2021, in Washington, DC. Credit - Win McNameeGetty Images

This article is part of The D.C. Brief, TIMEs politics newsletter. Sign up here to get stories like this sent to your inbox.

The Democratic Partys relationship with the Latino community is complicated. For years, it was taken as gospel that they were the partys future, a quickly growing bloc that was naturally aligned to boost Democrats if those eligible to vote could just be convinced to reliably do so. But among Democratic strategists, a low-key worry about the loyalties of Latino voters has been simmering for years. Some new research could calm those fears, but maybe not for the reasons one might have guessed.

New data from the Pew Research Center suggests Democrats hold on the Latino community may be surprisingly durable, with the vast majority of its voters viewing the party favorably. One possible explanation in Pews report? The rising importance of abortion rights, which a majority of Latinos support, according to the findings released Thursday, based on a survey conducted in August. In fact, abortion now outranks immigration, climate change, and the Supreme Court in importance to Latinos, climbing from the 15th spot in a March survey to the 7th spot in August. A majority57%of Latinos say abortion should be a legal option, including 39% of Latino Republicans.

The Dobbs ruling, in short, may have saved Democrats flaking alliance with Latino voters, long assumed to trend conservative when it came to social issues like same-sex marriage and abortion rights. That still remains true among Evangelical Latinos but less so among Catholic Latinos, the surveys found. In fact, 59% of Catholic Latinos would prefer Democrats keep their majority in the House.

Thats not to say there isnt plenty of tension in this sample of the second-largest voting bloc in the country. Roughly a third of Latinos dont agree that Democrats care about Latinos or represent their interests. A majority 54% disapprove of how President Joe Biden is doing his job. And 25% want Trump to remain in national politics.

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Thats maybe not as surprising when you consider Trump won more Latino voters in 2020 than he did in 2016, even after he spent his first term demonizing immigrants and building a border wall symbolic of his hostility to newcomers.

Long considered a panacea for winning Latino votes, a pathway to citizenship doesnt even log majority backing in the Pew data; only 48% of Latino voters support a plan for those in the country illegally to become legal residents. Among Republican Latinos, support drops to 28%. And roughly 1-in-10 self-described Democratic Latinos hold views that actually more traditionally would be defined as Republican.

So, why does this matter? Because Republicans would hold the White House and Congress in perpetuity if only white men voted. Democrats coalition leans heavily on Black, Latino, and female voters, and a fraying of that alliance is a very real threat to the partys future. Democrats have slightly boosted their share of the Latino vote, climbing from 62% in 2019 to 64% nowa statistically negligible difference, for sure, but lets remember that most elections are won in the gray and mushy middle. And the Pew analysis finds 53% prefer Democratic candidates to win their House vote this fall, although among Cubans that number falls to 35% signaling yet more potential trouble for Democrats in Florida.

All of which is to say this: Democrats are still on solid ground with Latinos, but just barely. No constituency wants to feel taken for granted. Indifference spurs curiosity, and Democrats are inching dangerously close to giving Latino voters a reason to adopt a wandering eye. The new Pew numbers merely measure their aperture.

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House Democrats have scrapped a tentative plan to move this month on legislation barring lawmakers from trading stocks  a vote sought by some Democrats heading into the midterm elections.

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) said Thursday that there was not enough time for lawmakers to study the details of the proposal, which had been introduced just two days earlier, before the House leaves Washington Friday for the long midterm recess.

People have to look at it, Hoyer told reporters gathered in his office in the Capitol.

Its an important issue, he continued, and leaders want the extra time to make sure that if and when we do something, we do it right.

The announcement is a departure from comments made by Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) earlier in the month, when she indicated the negotiations were going well and we believe we have a product that we can bring to the floor this month.

Its also certain to anger those Democrats who were pressing to vote on a reform proposal  one thats popular among voters  before Novembers elections. Some supporters of the legislation said this week that the true reason the vote was punted was that Democratic leaders simply dont support the concept of banning lawmakers from owning and trading stocks.

Pelosi and Hoyer have been among those prominent opponents, noting that federal law already prohibits insider trading and warning that a special ban for members of Congress might dissuade talented people from running for office.

Yet the proposal has gained enormous momentum in the current Congress following revelations that scores of lawmakers have violated existing laws designed to eliminate conflicts of interest between legislators and the investments they pursue.

Even if no laws are violated, supporters of the ban say, the current system can create the damaging perception lawmakers are trading on information not available to the general public or crafting legislation to boost their own finances.

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Public opinion polls conducted this year indicate overwhelming support for the stock ban, with approval numbers hovering above 70 percent. This week, a survey conducted by Data for Progress, a liberal advocacy group, put the approval number at 80 percent, including 75 percent of both Republicans and independents.

That pressure from within the caucus forced Pelosi to have a change of heart earlier in the year, when she directed Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.), chair of the House Administration Committee, to draft a stock ban proposal based on where the support is in our caucus.

After months of negotiations, Lofgren released that proposal on Tuesday night. The wide-ranging legislation prohibits stock trades not only by members of Congress, but also their spouses and dependent children, senior congressional aids, the president, the vice president and high-ranking members of the judicial branch, including Supreme Court justices.

On Capitol Hill, support for the stock ban comes from a diverse bipartisan coalition, from moderates like GOP Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.) to liberals like Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.).

But some of the loudest calls for a pre-November vote have come from Democrats facing tough reelection contests and want to notch a victory to take home this month for campaigning. That list includes Democratic Reps. Jared Golden (Maine), Katie Porter (Calif.), Angie Craig (Minn.) and Abigail Spanberger (Va.).

While some supporters of the bill wanted the opportunity to vote on it before the elections, Lofgren said Thursday that the exact timing of the House vote  before the midterms or after  is insignificant.

In a way it doesnt matter, she said, because the Senates not gonna be able to act before the election.

Mychael Schnell contributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
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 Biden administration moved Wednesday to allow a non-U.S. flagged ship to transport fuel to Puerto Rico, following pressure to waive a rule in the face of a diesel shortage after Hurricane Fiona.

The decision to make came in "response to urgent and immediate needs of the Puerto Rican people in the aftermath of Hurricane Fiona ... to ensure that the people of Puerto Rican have sufficient diesel to run generators needed for electricity and the functioning critical facilities," Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said in a statement Wednesday.

Mayorkas called the limited waiver for a BP vessel "temporary and targeted."

The Department of Homeland Security's choice to suspend the Jones Act  which typically allows only U.S.-flagged ships to transport maritime cargo between U.S. ports  will allow additional diesel into Puerto Rico, days after the territory was hit by Hurricane Fiona.

Puerto Rico Gov. Pedro Pierluisi thanked the Biden administration for the waiver in a tweet Wednesday.

He was among several legislators, activists and others who previously pressured the administration to waive the Jones Act.

The governor requested a waiver Monday for a private supplier waiting to unload fuel in Puerto Rico; a spokesman for BP confirmed the company submitted a waiver request for a vessel carrying diesel Sept. 20.

"We are grateful to the Biden administration for taking this action and will deliver the barrels into Puerto Rico as quickly and safely as possible," a BP spokesman said Wednesday.

Rep. Nydia Velazquez (D-N.Y.), who sent a letter this week requesting the waiver with seven other legislators, said she welcomed Mayorkas' decision.

"This is a life and death situation," Velazquez said in a tweet, adding: "I encourage the Administration to take further steps to ensure that the people of Puerto Rico can fully recover from Hurricane Fiona."

The calls to waive the act following the hurricane came from both sides of the aisle: GOP Sens. Marco Rubio (Fla.) and Mike Lee (Utah) previously voiced their support for such a waiver.

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The Congressional Hispanic Caucus also praised the administration's action Wednesday in a tweet.

Hurricane Fiona caused widespread flooding and large power outages when it battered Puerto Rico last week. At least two people died, according to authorities  one in Puerto Rico and one in the Dominican Republic.

The Department of Homeland Security has previously waived the Jones Act in other national disasters, including when Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico in 2017.

Because Puerto Rico is an island, the Jones Act can cause the price of consumer goods to be higher than in other areas, since nearly everything needs to be imported, POLITICO previously reported.

Labor unions have been broadly supportive of the rule, as it protects American shipbuilding and maritime industries.

Shayna Greene and Gloria Gonzalez contributed to this report.

CORRECTION: The waiver granted Wednesday applies to one specific ship. A previous version of this article stated otherwise.
Phoenix police.

The family of Ali Osman, 34, who was shot and killed by Phoenix police Saturday, is left looking for answers after police say Osman was throwing rocks at patrol cars, causing officers to open fire.

"Unfortunately, today we add another name to that list, to the list of folks that were not armed with deadly weapons, people of color that were shot and killed by police officers unjustifiably in this nation," Quacy Smith, an attorney representing Osman's family, said at a news conference held on Tuesday.

What happened at 19th and Glendale?

Officers who were patrolling the area near 19th and Glendale avenues said they saw a man, later identified as Osman, throwing rocks at one of the patrol cars, according to Sgt. Brian Bower, a spokesperson with Phoenix police.

Police tried to contact Osman and told him to stop, but he continued throwing rocks at them, according to Bower. Then officers shot Osman. He was taken to a hospital where he died, Bower said.

Smith said, as a former police officer, he couldn't fathom how that situation could have risen to the level of using force.

"(They were) rocks, not boulders, not bricks, rocks," Smith said.

Even if an officer got hit by a rock, Smith said it didn't justify the use of deadly force, and added that less lethal options, such as a stun gun, could have de-escalated the situation. He said those other options weren't used by officers.

"Police chose to take a very non-violent, non-deadly situation and make it deadly," Smith said.

Krynsky said he couldn't share additional information regarding the incident, such as how many officers shot at Osman or how many times he was struck due to the ongoing investigation. He also said the investigation will determine if the protocol officers have for those situations was followed.

For subscribers: Shootings involving Phoenix police for the first half of 2022 are higher than all of 2021

'Please stand up with us to fight'

Osman lived in Tucson and was in Phoenix visiting relatives, according to family and friends of his who spoke at the news conference. He had been treated for mental health issues and didn't have a violent criminal history, Smith said.

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Osman's close friend, Loay Alyousfi, said he was the most selfless person he had met and that "he didn't deserve this."

Halima Osman, his sister, said he was a good man who cared about his family and was close to them.

"I can't believe Ali is gone and he's not coming back," Halima Osman said in tears.

Osman's father spoke in his native language, Somali, and said his son was the type of man who wanted to help and take care of everyone, said Ikran Aden, Osman's niece who was translating.

The father said he wants to know why his son was killed and that he would speak about what happened every day until he gets justice, according to Aden.

Aden also spoke at the conference and said what police told them about the situation didn't add up.

We didnt even receive an apology from (police). They try make it seem like he was in the wrong, but I know my uncle was not that type of person I know he listened I know he complied, Aden said.

She said she was there to seek justice for her uncle and for everybody who faces police brutality.

Please stand up with us to fight for my uncle and to fight for every family member that has died due to police violence, Aden said.

Smith said the family wants transparency and disclosure from the city of Phoenix and said they would be filing a lawsuit.

"There are questions that need to be answered, and we will get them. We will get justice for this young man," Smith said.

Phoenix police, MCAO investigation pending

Phoenix police spokesperson Sgt. Phil Krynsky said they would release a critical incident briefing video with footage of the shooting within 14 days of the shooting.

"Once the criminal investigation is complete, that case is sent over to the Maricopa County attorneys for a review. And then they make the determination whether there is any type of criminal aspect to it or if it is a justified shooting," Krynsky said.

The involved officers were taken off enforcement positions as part of the protocol in any police shooting, according to Krynsky. He also said there is a civilian oversight board that looks into cases with use of force.

Even if Phoenix police is early in the investigation, Smith said they want to know the name of the officers who shot Osman, and that they want them to be put on administrative leave or suspension. They also want to look at the body camera footage.

Reaction to the shooting

The Arizona chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, a Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, released a statement regarding Osman's shooting and their director met with Osman's family.

Because of the circumstances of this disturbing incident, we call on city officials to conduct an independent and transparent investigation in order to determine whether the actions of the officers were within policy guidelines and the boundaries of the law, said CAIR Arizona Executive Director Azza Abuseif.

The organization We Are All America, which seeks to help refugees, also issued a statement on the shooting.

"It is disturbing to see a complete failure in the way that officers responded to a community member having a mental health crisis. We Are All America strongly condemns this act of violence and demands justice and full transparency in this investigation," the statement says.

Reach breaking news reporter Angela Cordoba Perez at Angela.CordobaPerez@Gannett.com or on Twitter @AngelaCordobaP.

Support local journalism. Subscribe to azcentral.com today.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Family, friends of man fatally shot by Phoenix officers seek answers
All you need for this dish are two big-flavoured, common ingredients, a little fat and a hot frying pan (Rey Lopez/Washington Post)

Stephen Colbert once tweeted: Every thirty minute recipe is a lie.

My immediate reaction was to chastise the famously Catholic late-night talk show host for breaking the ninth commandment, but then I did a little self-reflection and I got where he was coming from.

Too often, we food writers say that a dish can be pulled together in a flash, but then we hear from home cooks who say it took them much longer.

Many factors can influence how long it takes to prepare a recipe, including cooking experience, available tools and appliance variations, but this recipe from Great British Bake Off finalist Ruby Tandohs soon-to-be-published cookbook, Cook As You Are, is the real deal.

All you need are two big-flavoured, common ingredients, a little fat and a hot frying pan, and in about 10 minutes, you will have a salty, spicy sauce to go with your favourite pasta.

To make the dish, you first put the gnocchi on to boil. Then you spoon capers and chilli crisp into melted butter in a frying pan and sizzle them together for a couple of minutes. When your sauce is good and hot, you add the cooked pasta to the pan, with a bit of reserved pasta water if needed, and stir and toss until it is well-coated and slick with the oil.

You scoop that into a bowl, top it with grated parmesan, and youre off to the races.

I had to pick up gnocchi at the supermarket, but I had everything else I needed to make this dish, including the brand of chilli crisp that Tandoh recommends, Lao Gan Ma.

If you dont keep chilli crisp at home, consider doing so. It and other flavourful condiments are a key to quick weeknight cooking because they are an effortless way to boost umami and, in this case, add texture, too.

How much do I use it? When our staff picked our favourite condiments in 2020, chilli crisp was my clear choice because you can toss it with noodles or vegetables, mix it into eggs and stir-fries, and spoon it over soups.

Chilli crisp can be found at Asian markets, well-stocked supermarkets and online (Rey Lopez/Washington Post)

And that cookbook by Tandoh? I was tempted by other recipes in the chapters on low-effort cooking, so I may revisit it, but I couldnt resist sharing this recipe now because it truly is a dinner in minutes.

Story continues

Gnocchi with chilli crisp sauce, capers and parmesan

Serves: 4

Time: 20 minutes

This five-ingredient recipe, from the British food writer Ruby Tandoh, comes together in about 20 minutes. Both the parmesan cheese and the capers are salty, so taste before adding more salt. Tandoh recommends the Lao Gan Ma brand of chilli crisp, as well as vegan butter and vegan parmesan cheese for those avoiding dairy. This makes a fine weeknight dinner or could work as a side pasta as well.

Storage notes: Refrigerate for up to 3 days.

Where to buy: Chili crisp can be found at Asian markets, well-stocked supermarkets and online.

Ingredients:

900g potato gnocchi

3 tbsp unsalted butter (may substitute vegan butter, such as Miyoko brand)

3 tbsp capers in brine, well drained, plus more to taste

2 tbsp chilli crisp

56g grated parmesan cheese (may substitute vegan parmesan cheese)

Method:

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the gnocchi and cook according to the package instructions.

Reserve  cup (60ml) of the cooking water and drain the gnocchi.

In a large frying pan over medium-high heat, melt the butter. Once its sizzling, add the capers and chilli crisp, making sure to get spoonfuls of the crispy chilli flakes  not just the oil on top  and cook, stirring constantly, for about 30 seconds. Add the gnocchi to the pan, along with a couple of tbsp of the reserved cooking water, then stir or shake the pan until the gnocchi are well coated and everything is hot, about 1 minute, adding more water as needed if the pan is dry.

Remove from the heat and serve right away, with the parmesan on the side.

Nutritional information per serving | calories: 528l total fat: 18g; saturated fat: 8g; cholesterol: 35mg; sodium: 1,269mg; carbohydrates: 79g; dietary fibre: 8g; sugar: 0g; protein: 16g.

This analysis is an estimate based on available ingredients and this preparation. It should not substitute for a dietitians or nutritionists advice.

 The Washington Post
Voters enter the polling station at the Phoenix Art Museum on Aug. 2, 2022, to vote in the primary election.

Corrections & clarifications: An earlier version of the column incorrectly identified the states with a top 2 primary system. The states are California and Washington.

Small minorities determine important outcomes. The 2022 primaries were no different.

Top offices in the Republican primary were won with support from less than 10% of all registered voters. Kari Lake was backed by a total of 9.5% registered voters, Mark Finchem by 7.9%, Blake Masters by 7.8% and Abe Hamadeh by 6.3%.

What are the options now if you are a Republican who accepts the results of the 2020 election and believe the many election authorities and courts who have said there was no fraud?

What if you believe in the rule of law and are not swayed by conspiracy theories widely disseminated on social media and by cable news commentators?

Your choices in November are to vote for a Democrat with whom you may have significant policy disagreements  or vote for somebody who promotes rumors, without evidence, which undermine the very basis of our democratic process.

Partisan primary elections are the problem

How did we get to such a state of affairs? Partisan controlled primaries is how.

It is estimated that between 6% and 13% of all registered voters in Arizona chose the nominees for this years general election. The fact is, primary voters will determine 80% to 90% of the races in Arizona.

Think about that. When so few voters vote in primaries and only 5 of 30 districts are competitive, most primary winners face little or no competition in the general election.

This means they need only appeal to the fringes of their party to win an office. Extreme positions have become powerful, and the most dramatic and inflammatory candidates too often prevail.

What's on voters' minds? Inflation, abortion and threats to democracy

The parties back the candidates who solidify their political control. Serious policy debate, problem solving  and, yes, compromise  are lost.

Story continues

Solutions-oriented politicians who work across the aisle are primaried. Attack campaign ads have become the norm, and threats of violence aimed at sitting officials and candidates are common.

Independents don't participate in the process

It has not always been this way and it need not continue. One essential reform is to change the way we elect our representatives.

Arizona currently has semi-closed primaries. That means Arizona taxpayers pay for two party-controlled primaries, one for the Republicans and one for the Democrats.

Independents and voters who have not designated a party preference  the largest group in Maricopa County and the fastest-growing block of voters across the state  must request one of the party ballots to vote.

Most do not. Reasons vary, but the most common is the extra step it requires.

Partisans who vote by mail get their ballots automatically. Others must request a ballot, which is easy to forget.

Some think the general election is the most important since it decides the ultimate winner  but this limits your choice to the lesser of two evils as it most often allows voters from the wings to limit who makes it to the general.

Some may think it is appropriate for the parties to select their candidates without having to appeal to voters outside their party, but then why should we all pay for their selection process?

A 'top two' or ranked choice system would be better

An excellent alternative would be to have open primaries. With open primaries, all candidates are on one ballot and all voters use the same ballot to vote. Candidates may designate their party preference but would not be grouped by party affiliation.

With a top two runoff, the top two vote-getters from the primary go to the general election. This system has been adopted in California and Washington.

A top-five open primary with Ranked Choice Voting (RCV) is another option. Currently, one Democrat and one Republican face off in November. With open primaries and RCV the top five vote-getters, regardless of party affiliation, all advance to the general election, and the candidate with the broadest support from all voters is the winner.

Since candidates are incentivized to appeal to a broader electorate there is less negative advertising and more focus on issues.

Alaska adopted open primaries with top-four Ranked Choice Voting. Nevada will vote to implement open primaries and RCV this November.

All states with open primaries have seen extremism reduced, the tenor of the campaigns improve and voter engagement increase. We want elections that treat all voters and candidates the same, that honor civility, and that produce officials who focus on the issues Arizonans really care about.

Join us. Sign up on our website (www.savedemocracyaz.com) to help us bring about such positive change.

Sarah Smallhouse, Si Schorr, Ted Hinderaker and Don Budinger are directors at Save Democracy Arizona, a coalition of Arizonans exploring alternative nonpartisan voting systems to improve our elections. Share your thoughts at info@savedemocracyaz.com.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Open primary elections are the best way to stop Arizona extremists
With all of this rain and flooding in Florida, Channel 2 Action News has learned dozens of privately owned Georgia dams are missing critical safety plans to protect residents in case of failures.

Channel 2 investigative reporter Ashli Lincoln found out that the state took enforcement action against nearly 70 dam owners, and neighbors may have no idea theyre downstream from a potentially deadly dam.

Engineers told Lincoln that even a well-maintained dam can fail if a powerful storm tests its limits.

Thats why Georgia requires emergency plans to protect residents downstream because the failure of dam  big or small  can be deadly.

In October 2015, in Columbia, South Carolina, a passing hurricane fueled a 1,000-year flood event, dropping more than 20 inches of rain over five days.

Its just total devastation, one homeowner said at the time. It actually blew the basement doors off the hinge, and thats when I said, We got to go now.

The floods led to 400 road and bridge closures, 1,500 water rescues, and 19 people dead.

TRENDING STORIES:

Georgia Tech professor Hermann Fritz lead a survey of the 36 dams that failed during the storm.

You get a dam break wave, which is basically a giant flood wave that rushes downstream and can wash cars away. You can wash people away; it can damage property, Fritz said.

He said even a well-maintained dams can fail.

Unfortunately, there is always the possibility for an unexpected event, an event that is bigger than what (the dam) was designed for 50 years ago, Fritz said.

Thats why an emergency action plan is a critical part of the permitting process for dams here in Georgia.

So if a catastrophic flood threatens a dam, emergency managers know who to evacuate.

Even though they may not know that that dam is a few miles upstream, someone is watching out to make sure that that theyre protected, said David Griffin with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources.

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DNR regulates more than 500 of the 4,500 dams across the state.

Safe Dams program manager David Griffin said most are small, made of dirt and privately owned. Some dont even look like a dam.

But if they were to fail, DNR said there is a probable loss of life downstream.

I would say that most people living downstream of the dam dont know that they are potentially in danger if the dam were to fail, Griffin said.

But according to state records reviewed by Channel 2 Action News, DNR has taken enforcement action against nearly 70 high-hazard dam owners across the state  including 14 in metro Atlanta  for failing to have an emergency action plan.

I think most dam owners take it seriously. We do have some that just refused to work with us, and those are the ones that are the most frustrating, Griffin said.

Lincoln tried to contact the 14 metro dam owners without emergency action plans, but none of them would go on camera.

People who live near a Fulton County dam said knowing it does not have a plan is concerning.

We need a plan for it. Like I said, I didnt even know it was there, neighbor Elaine Hess said.

You never know with climate change what can happen in the future, neighbor Chuck White said.

Fritz said it can cost up to hundreds of dollars for permits and repairs to get a dam in compliance.

He says its a high price to protect priceless lives downstream.

What happens if an unusual event happens? Fritz said. The worst-case scenario is always there.

IN OTHER NEWS:
Dr. Bhavik Kumar shut down Representative Norman, a Representative from South Carolina, for peddling the lie that the witnesses testifying supported infanticide during a House committee hearing on the issues of abortion restrictions and bans.

NORMAN: We join North Korea in that distinct, this blows my mind, how that, how that happens. Anyone? Miss Frye you want to comment on that? Dr. Kumar? Miss Leigh? Any of y'all want to comment on that? I got 27 seconds, real quick.

FRYE: Most black women don't live in China or North Korea.

NORMAN: I'm not talking about black or white women. It has nothing to do with black

FRYE: Im concerned with them having access to health care here in the United States.

NORMAN: Abortion affects, doesnt matter the color. Dr. Kumar?

KUMAR: Well I did want to respond to your first comment about infanticide. Nobody on this panel, I think stands for infanticide. I think that suggestion that we would support that is inflammatory especially given the amount of violence and harassment that abortion providers face.

NORMAN: It wasnt inflammatory with the group that I had previously

CHAIRMAN: The gentlemans time has expired.
Illustration by Elizabeth Brockway/The Daily Beast

ISTANBULMisha, 40, an IT worker from Moscow, landed at the Istanbul airport on Wednesday eveningwhich he said was the soonest he could get away from Russia to avoid the possibility of fighting in Ukraine.

Lugging a large gray suitcase and looking for the nearest bank machine, he said 70 percent of his fellow passengers on the flight to Turkey were men. He believed that if he stayed in Russia, hed have a 50-50 chance of conscription after Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a partial mobilization of 300,000 men on Sept. 21.

If I would go [to the military], first of all I could be killed, secondly, I would have to kill and, thirdly, I admire Ukraine. I think they are gorgeous, brave people, Misha, who didnt want to give his last name out of fear of retribution from authorities, told The Daily Beast.

He bought his ticket the day that Putin went on television to make the mobilization announcement. There was one ticket a day earlier, but it was double the price, Misha said.

Men have been fleeing by land and air from Russia after Putins announcementbut some countries neighboring Russia have said they would not welcome Russians fleeing conscription.

Mayhem at Russian Border as Thousands Flee Putins Draft

Latvias foreign minister stated that his country would not let them in due to security concerns. Lithuanias foreign minister tweeted that his country would not be, granting asylum to those who are simply running from responsibility. Russians should stay and fight. Against Putin.

The European Union, which Latvia and Lithuania are members of, guarantees the right to seek asylum for anyone who is fleeing persecution or serious harm in their own country.

Masha said he protested against his government in previous years but is too afraid now because Russian police have become more violent. Those who want to block him and his fellow citizens simply because of their nationality are not much different from Russia's leadership, he told The Daily Beast.

Story continues

Putin thinks that Ukrainians are [second-class] people, he said. You cannot sort people by nation.

Meanwhile, Russians have been flocking to Turkey where they dont need a visa and can still get direct flights. But tickets have been selling out days or a week in advance since the mobilization call and have skyrocketed in price. On Wednesday, the earliest ticket available for Moscow to Istanbul with the Turkish budget carrier Pegasus was on Monday for $1,500.

Andrey, 33, an Android developer from Moscow who also arrived at the Istanbul airport Wednesday evening, said he would not be returning to Russia because he feared he would be forced to join the military.

I dont want to die, he told The Daily Beast.

Andrey, who did not want his last name used because he was afraid of the Russian government, said he bought his ticket a couple of weeks ago for a trip. When the mobilization announcement came, he decided he would not return home. Hes now planning on staying in Turkey for two months and was considering eventually going to Serbia because he doesnt need a visa to enter the country.

Four Russian men who spoke to The Daily Beast in Istanbul about staying out of Russia because they feared conscription had similar profiles. They were IT workers, meaning they could work remotely, and ranged in age from 30 to 40. While none of them thought what Putin was doing was right, they were too afraid to join protests and believed they wouldnt lead to his ouster.

Police have a carte blanche, they can do anything they want, said Pavel, 30, who left Moscow the day Putin made his announcement and is now living in Istanbul. He feared his time as a medic serving in the Russian military 12 years ago meant he would likely be called to join the war. My wife told me that You need to leave and I agreed instantly, he told The Daily Beast.

Pavel said he didnt believe protests would change the situation in his country, citing the hundreds of thousands of Belarusians who failed to get President Alexander Lukashenko out of office after an election that the opposition said was rigged.

A 34-year-old IT worker also from Moscow was too scared to even provide a nickname. Sitting in a hotel in central Istanbul with large purple and orange suitcases next to him, he said he had already been out of Russia with his wife on a business trip when the call for mobilization was made. I was frightened to death because my future in this country was ruined in one minute, he said.

No Training: Putins Army Just Got Sloppier Than Ever Before

They decided to stay out of Russia until the war ended in Ukraine, admitting it could be days or years.

He laughed when asked what he would say to those who believe that Russians should stay in their country and fight against Putin, believing protests would not help change Russias leadership. One man can do nothing [against] the whole system, the state, the machine, he said.

But thats not stopping people in the Russian region of Dagestan from taking to the streets. Dozens of arrests were reportedly made following a protest against mobilization and videos posted on social media have shown residents confronting authorities.

Misha, the 40-year-old IT worker, said he believed it was people who had to stay in the country, like those in Dagestan, who would change Russia.

As for his own future, he had no plans beyond staying in Istanbul for the next several days and said he felt the same shock from the mobilization announcement as he did when Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

How do you feel when something unimaginable happens? Then again. Twice in a row. he said. I dont have the right words for that.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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A member of the newly created Tourist Security Battalion of the National Guard stands guard at a beach in Cancun, Quintana Roo State, Mexico, on December 2, 2021. - On November 17, Mexico created a "tourist battalion" of 1,500 National Guard police officers to protect its popular Caribbean beaches in Cancun and Tulum from organized crime. The new unit began operations on December 1 in the area known as the Riviera Maya in Quintana Roo State, but authorities plan to eventually introduce similar battalions in other tourist hot-spots.

MEXICO CITY  After years of hunkering down because of COVID-19, U.S. travelers are heading out, and Mexico is again one of their favorite destinations.

More than 21 million international tourists traveled to Mexico between January and July this year. Of those, nearly 8 million were from the U.S., government data shows.

Thats a 41% increase in the number of U.S. visitors, when compared to the same time period in 2021.

Mexicos rich culture, beaches, resorts, Mayan and Aztec ruins and distinctive cuisine combine to make it one of the top 10 most visited countries in the world.

But theres also a darker side to that allure.

Mexico is constantly making headlines about security, as drug cartel-fueled violence spreads from the white sands of Tulum to the Pacific coast.

"My friends used to call me and ask, 'I want to send my daughter down to Cancun for spring break.' I'd show them the phone with all the violence down there and say, 'I wouldn't be sending my daughter there because that's too risky,'" former U.S. DEA Special Agent Derek Maltz said.

Knowing the level of that risk in advance is crucial, experts say.

Like in any country, there are some dangerous places and others that can be visited without trouble. Common sense is the key when traveling to potentially hostile areas, experts say.

Everard Meade, director of Proceso Pacifico, a peace-building organization based in Mexico, said foreign tourists are really safe.

I mean, there's just so few incidents where foreign tourists are victims of violence and particularly homicide. Organized crime groups know that it's not productive to target them. They know that if they did that, the result would be the National Guard running all over the city. And they just don't want that.

For those considering a trip to Mexico, heres a list of some of the most visited destinations by U.S. tourists and what the experts are saying about each:

Cancun and the Riviera Maya

The Mexican state of Quintana Roo includes tourist areas like Cancun, Playa del Carmen, the Riviera Maya, Tulum, Isla Mujeres, Isla Holbox and Cozumel.

Cancuns airport is Mexicos most popular landing destination for foreign visitors, including more than 3.4 million U.S. citizens between January and July of this year.

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Its white-sand beaches with turquoise water, shopping malls, Mayan ruins and luxury resorts make it a top destination.

Cancun is located on the stretch of Caribbean coastline on Mexicos northeastern Yucatan Peninsula. South of the city, along the coast, is known as the Riviera Maya, an area that includes Tulum, another destination hotspot.

In the past year, an increasing threat of violence has plagued the area, however.

The U.S. State Department issued a warning on Aug. 17 to Americans planning to travel there.

Tourists were warned to remain in well-lit pedestrian streets and tourist zones in the wake of shootings between rival drug cartels that have injured bystanders.

Last fall, two tourists were killed while having dinner in an outdoor restaurant in Tulum. A month later, guests at a resort in Puerto Morelos were forced to hide after gunmen arrived by boat and killed people.

And in January, two Canadian tourists were killed at a luxury hotel in Playa del Carmen the same month the manager of a popular beach club was murdered in a restroom by two men who fled on a jet ski.

When you see things like that happening, that's just an indication that the cartels are fighting each other to gain control of those areas, not just for drug smuggling routes, but also for the street sale of drugs, said former U.S. Marshal for the Western District of Texas Robert Almonte.

More:US tourists beware: Popular Mexico getaway plagued by drug cartel intimidation and violence

Courier Journal reporters traveled to Tulum in July and witnessed the presence of drug cartels, a situation that prompted an exit from the area the next morning.

(Tourists) go to the beach resorts, and some of them are drug users. So, they're buying drugs, and you have the cartels fighting each other over those sales, Almonte said.

Even though some tourists have been killed in the Riviera Maya, security analysts agree they arent the target of criminal groups.

Sometimes, it's just being in the wrong place at the wrong time, said Scott Stewart, vice president of TorchStone Global, a U.S.-based security firm.

But, certainly, I have a lot of clients that have businesses operating in Mexico. And you can do so if you're careful and if you know the risks ahead of time and if you have plans to mitigate the risks  you can certainly have a great visit there, Stewart told The Courier Journal.

Mexico City

With its 22 million residents, Mexico City is one of the most populated metropolises in the world.

Its history makes it a unique destination. It has the largest park in Latin America, Chapultepec Forest, more than 150 museums and a multitude of restaurants and bars that make up its iconic nightlife.

I would tell people that Mexico City, in general, is safer than the beach resorts, said Almonte, who is now a Texas-based security consultant.

But a city with such a population also has its risks. In Mexico City, local gangs working for powerful cartels control the illegal drug trade, using extortion and kidnappings to maintain their grip.

Then again, the presence of law enforcement is bigger than in other states.

More:Outbreak of Mexican cartel violence targeting innocents raises worries of whats to come

The U.S. State Departments website tells travelers to: Exercise increased caution when traveling to Mexico City due to crime.

Both violent and non-violent crime occurs throughout Mexico City. Use additional caution, particularly at night, outside of the frequented tourist areas where police and security patrol more routinely. Petty crime occurs frequently in both tourist and non-tourist areas, the advisory reads.

You do have more law enforcement security there in Mexico City. So, I would say if I had a choice, I would go to Mexico City rather than Cancun or Puerto Vallarta, Almonte advised.

Tijuana

A view of Tijuana, Mexico, on Nov. 17, 2018.

"The border is attractive because if you live anywhere near  for example, in California, you can go down from Los Angeles the same day and visit Tijuana, Meade, the director of Proceso Pacifico, said.

The northern city of Tijuana borders Chula Vista in the U.S. Nearly 100,000 people cross the border every day to work, for fun, for medical purposes, etc.

Border cities have a unique flow and routine. Tijuana has become a destination for Californians.

It's attractive because I think the culinary scene and the art scene in Tijuana, they're really vibrant. It's a lot more experimental and less risk averse than food and arts in the U.S., Meade said.

However, as tourism has increased, so has crime.

There's a serious problem with violence in Tijuana, and it's a problem that a lot of the boosters of the region have tried to kind of hide for a long time. And it's not hidable anymore, Meade said.

In August, cartel members launched a campaign of terror on the streets of Tijuana, setting vehicles on fire and roadblocks. The U.S. Embassy there urged U.S. government employees to shelter in place.

More:'Fascinated by death': Why Americans can't get enough of vicious drug cartel drama

The State Department advises on its website: Reconsider travel to Baja California due to crime and kidnapping.

I think what happened, it wasn't new. It didn't represent a new level of violence. It represented a new spectacle. But that violence is there, and it's been there. Tijuana has been one of the most violent municipalities in the world very consistently since 2017, Meade said.

Tourists, though, have often been able to stay above the fray in Tijuana, security analysts agreed.

 Violence doesn't target tourists and foreign visitors, it really just doesn't, and that's the paradox of it, Meade said.

Many Americans have moved to Tijuana or invested there in the last decade.

We've got tens of thousands of people in San Diego whose health insurance has all the services provided in Tijuana. It's a multibillion-dollar industry there, and bad things are not happening to them. They're fine.

On the other hand, trouble can arise, such as during spring break, if visitors seek it out, he said.

I think buying and doing drugs in Tijuana, really anywhere in Mexico, is colossally stupid, Meade said.

It's just a very bad idea because it makes you incredibly vulnerable to either organized crime or to corruption frankly, by law enforcement, if they catch you with marijuana, with cocaine or something, they've got you, and they've got leverage over you.

Puerto Vallarta

As of July, more than 800,000 Americans have visited Puerto Vallarta this year, government data shows. Located on Mexicos Pacific Coast, Puerto Vallarta is home to stunning beaches, sports, nature and nightlife.

But its also the home of a very powerful drug cartel.

The U.S. Department of Justice considers the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJGN) to be one of the five most dangerous transnational criminal organizations in the world.

What does this mean for travelers?

The concern is that the tourists are going to be sitting at a table, where the intended target is. These cartels go in there, and when they're going to kill their target, they're not very careful, Almonte said.

Unfortunately, innocent people are struck, and they're injured or killed.

More:A ruthless Mexican drug lords empire is devastating families with its grip on small-town USA

U.S. law enforcement officials recommend staying away from Puerto Vallarta. The State Department says to reconsider travel to the state of Jalisco because of crime and kidnappings.

If you were thinking rationally about this, what you want to do is you want to avoid being of any interest to organized crime, Meade said.

In other words, things that most tourists just don't need to worry about if you're in the right place, and the right place is the main tourist quarter. So, if you're on the Malecon, you're around the beach, you're fine, Meade told The Courier Journal.

Acapulco

Only six states in Mexico have the warning do not travel from the U.S. State Department, and one of those is Guerrero, where Acapulco is located.

Once a tourist paradise for international travelers, Acapulco has become a city with incredibly high homicide rates.

Still, though, it remains a destination for domestic travelers and a weekend getaway for the rich and famous. Beaches, food and nightlife are the main attractions.

Acapulco is the one place where I would really tell people to hesitate. And I hate doing it, Meade said.

He said the state of Guerrero has a combination of high levels of violence and political corruption, but also extreme poverty that makes violence more complex.

Analysts say the dynamics of Acapulco tourism have changed. Even though there are still foreign tourists visiting, it has nosedived in the past years.

The general guidance on Acapulco is that if you stay in the Zona Dorada (the main tourist area or Golden Zone), you're OK. I think Americans often don't understand the huge wealth gap between southern and northern Mexico. And when you combine that with the violence, it really does change the quality of safety and security, Meade explained.

Almonte recommends travelers hire transportation prior to their arrival in Mexico.

Based on my experience and my research, I would recommend that the first thing is to make sure you have some transportation that is more reliable and trustworthy, and I would recommend doing that through the hotel.

More:'It can happen to you': How 1 laced pill cost a Louisville mother her son forever

Almonte agreed that tourists visiting Mexican resorts should stay in that area.

I would not venture off into other areas of the neighborhood, things of that nature, because tourists are going to stand out to the cartels and the gangs as tourists.

Mazatlan

Also known as The Pearl of The Pacific Ocean, this resort town is in northern Mexico, along the Pacific shoreline in the Sinaloa state.

Its fine residences, historic center, deep blue seas, aquatic sports and unforgettable sunsets in the Golden Zone have attracted tourists from all over the world. It also has a community of working and retired ex-pats, Americans among them.

Sinaloa is also home to the violent Sinaloa Cartel and is another of Mexicos six do-not-travel states, according to U.S. State Department advisories, which cite crime and kidnapping as the reasons. However, U.S. government employees may travel to Mazatlan by air or sea only and are limited to the Zona Dorada and historic town center, and must travel via direct routes between these destinations and the airport and sea terminal, the advisory reads.

Regarding traveling to Mazatlan, What you need to do is just do your research, understand the threat environment, understand your own risk threshold and what you're willing to take, said TorchStone Globals Stewart.

 If I were a tourist, and I'm visiting, and I didn't have somebody guiding me, traveling on the highways between cities at night  I would not do, Meade said of Sinaloa.

Karol Suarez is a Venezuela-born journalist based out of Mexico City. She is a contributing writer to The Courier Journal. Follow her on Twitter at @KarolSuarez_.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Mexico tourist locations: Safety of popular Mexican destinations
Special Counsel John Durhams probe into the origins of the FBI investigation of the 2016 Trump campaigns ties to Russia is inching closer toward whats expected to be its final step.

A federal judge on Thursday rejected Trump-Russia dossier source Igor Danchenkos motion to dismiss the charges that Durham indicted him on in November 2021, which include five counts of lying to the FBI. The prosecution, with the trial set for October, is expected to be Durhams third and final before wrapping up his three-year probe and delivering a report on his findings to the Justice Department.

Former President Donald Trump and his allies once believed the probe would prove a deep state conspiracy of Democrats working to sabotage him, but the investigation has largely fallen short of those expectations as Durham hasnt charged any conspiracy or put any high-level officials on trial. Durham since 2019 has prosecuted three people: Danchenko; former Hillary Clinton campaign lawyer Michael Sussmann, who was acquitted on a charge of making a false statement to the FBI; and a low-level FBI lawyer who was accused of doctoring an email in 2017 in relation to a wiretap renewal application. The FBI lawyer struck a plea deal that resulted in no jail time.

Danchenko, a Russia analyst who had worked with Trump-Russia dossier author and retired British spy Chrisopher Steele, pleaded not guilty to the five charges against him. The dossier contains now-discredited rumors and salacious claims about Trumps cooperation with the Russian government and was provided to the FBI, but did not spur the FBIs decision to launch an investigation into ties between the Trump campaign and Russia.

Durhams indictment accuses Danchenko of lying about the credibility of his sources, specifically the fact that Democratic operative Charles Dolan, who had ties to the Clinton campaign, was actually his main source.

Danchenkos lawyers argued on Thursday that all charges against him should be dropped because his answers to the FBI were literally true, as the questions the FBI asked were narrow. Danchenko had denied talking to Dolan in his interview with the FBI, and while the Russian analyst had email exchanges with him, the two never spoke in an oral conversation.

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It was a bad question, but thats the special counsels problem, not Mr. Danchenkos, said Stuart Sears, Danchenkos lawyer.

The indictment also accuses Danchenko of lying to the FBI about his contacts with Sergei Millian, a Belarusian-American businessman who once did real estate work with the Trump Organization and stayed in touch with Trump associates during the 2016 campaign. Danchenko allegedly falsely told the FBI during a voluntary interview that he had spoken on the phone with Millian in July 2016 and that the businessman told him the Trump campaign was colluding with the Russian government to win the 2016 election. Danchenko then provided this information to Steele, who included it in the dossier.

The defense argued on Thursday that because Danchenko told the FBI he only believed the source of the phone call to be Millian, without any certainty, the government cant prove it was a false statement if Danchenko really believed it was true.

Durham pushed back on the defenses literal truth argument, saying that Danchenkos statements to the FBI need to be looked at not in isolation, but in the context of the investigation.

He knew exactly what the FBI was looking for. He knew exactly what the FBI was asking him, Durham said.

Durham also argued that Danchenko and Millian had no known relationship, based on emails Danchenko himself had provided to the FBI, and that its a question for a jury whether Danchenko truly believed the anonymous phone call he received came from Millian.

Judge Anthony Trenga for the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia said that while the decision was an extremely close call, he would not wipe out the charges against Danchenko because the government overcame the motion to dismiss. It will now be up to a jury to decide whether a crime was committed beyond a reasonable doubt when Danchenkos trial begins on Oct. 11.
Dwayne The Rock Johnson is an international superstar with a face and body that is hard to miss. Hes got one of the most recognizable faces in Hollywood and is one of the highest paid male actors in the country. There isnt anyone in the world who doesnt know who The Rock is. So, what would you do if you were blessed with the good looks that he has? One Brazilian man bears an uncanny resemblance to the 50-year-old superstar and is understandably capitalizing on his stardom.

Lucas Zanoni lives in Brazil and has been impersonating the former WWE wrestler since at least 2015. Hes even gone as far as to get matching tattoos.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by The Rock Brasil (@therockbrasil)

View this post on Instagram A post shared by The Rock Brasil (@therockbrasil)

And although he appears to speak Portuguese as his first language, that doesnt stop people from thinking that hes truly the Hollywood star.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by UNILAD (@unilad)

Recently, Zanoni got mistaken for The Rock by a group of lusty female tourists on Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, and things got a little crazy.

In the viral TikTok video that has raked up 5.1 million views since it was posted on Sept. 28, a group of European women are seen crowding Zanoni as they scream, We love him, we love The Rock, into the camera. One of the women proceeds to aggressively nibble at Zanonis chest. Its pretty obvious that the women were enjoying their vacation and may have had quite a bit to drink.

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Viewers filled the comments.

Its not even him, one user replied.

A few others created hilarious alternate versions of The Rocks name to describe Zanoni.

Wayne The Stone Johnson, one follower wrote.

Damian The Brick Jackson, wrote another.

That seems to be a common theme on his page.

Then there were the TikTok followers who were more perplexed by why the woman was sucking on Zanonis chest.

What is that girl doin, one user asked.

Why is she doing that, echoed another.

This video isnt an isolated incident. In fact, it looks like this is Zanonis thing. In several of his TikTok videos, many of which have tons of views, he uses the hashtag #therockbrasileiro, which means the Brazilian Rock, and #sosiatherock, which translate to The Rock Double or The Rock look-alike.

Though all of his videos are in Portuguese (barring occasional commentary from tourists), its clear Zanoni has his Johnson impression down to a science.

In another clip posted to his TikTok on Sept. 28, one viewer pointed out that he has one signature aspect of The Rock down pat.

He even practiced the rocks laugh, they wrote.

Meanwhile, in North America, the real Rock is gearing up to go on the Black Adam global tour, ComicBook reports. He announced the exciting news earlier this week on Twitter.

Pumped to announce our #BlackAdam Global Tour begins. This has been my 10 year+ passion project and no better way to release it to the world  than by touring the world Thank U so much all for the early excitement. Time to deliver See you soon Mexico City youre up first! he wrote.

For now, there no plans for the tour to stop in Brazil. Its probably for the best  it could get confusing.
If hes re-elected this November, Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp said hell push for a state budget with $65 million dedicated to fighting pandemic learning loss, hiring new guidance counselors and recruiting teachers.

In a Monday speech outlining his top education priorities for next years legislative session, Kemp said he will aim to increase the number of counselors treating students mental health issues.

In speaking with school administrators, teachers and staff, one of the top concerns I consistently hear is the mental health needs of our students. While we have made key investments in this vital effort over my first term, we can and must do more, Kemp said in remarks at Stathams Dove Creek Elementary. Counselors in schools across our state today do much more than just assist students with issues they may be facing psychologically. They are undeniably a critical asset to the overall health, well being and long-term success of our future leaders.

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In 2020 and 2021, Georgia schools provided one counselor for every 419 students, according to the American School Counselor Association. Thats close to the national average of 415 students per counselor, but a far sight off from the recommended 250 students per counselor.

An extra $25 million could help to close that gap, said Stephen Owens, education policy analyst at the Georgia Budget and Policy Institute.

I think thats a great, I would say, first step, because the pandemic specifically highlighted that we cant just educate kids brains if theyre dealing with mental health issues, if their bodies arent taken care of, he said. It showed just how much we need that social-emotional learning, mental health professionals. Im never going to complain about $25 million dollars being added into the budget for school counselors, but hopefully, that isnt treated as the job is completely finished.

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Kemps K-12 budget proposal also includes a $15 million grant designed to help recruit paraprofessionals, workers who assist teachers in the classroom and otherwise help students in a variety of ways, advance to become full-time teachers.

We currently have more than 9,000 paraprofessionals with four-year degrees working in our schools, but the cost and length of time required for these hard-working Georgians to become certified educators is a major obstacle for many, he said. To help these parapros offset their significant certification costs, my budget proposal for next year will include $15 million for a $3,000 reimbursable grant program. These funds will help get more teachers in the classroom, and assist Georgians already passionate about (helping) our students achieve career success.

Owens applauded the idea.

I think its a good read that there are financial barriers to keep from people being in the classroom in a paraprofessional role, he said. And when you consider just how helpful parapros can be as a way to rethink the teacher pipeline, these are folks in the classroom, if they can be set up that way, kind of in a grow-your-own program, to become teachers, that just makes everything better because they know the context. They live in the communities. We dont have to maybe set up tax credits to get folks from UGA to move down to rural Georgia, maybe we could invest in the people who are already there in the classroom.

Kemp cited state data showing the number of third graders reading on grade level dropped to 63% from 73% from 2019 to 2022, which he said was the result of pandemic learning loss, and said he will direct another $25 million to grants aimed at getting these students back on track.

Schools with students in this category may apply for these grants to leverage additional tutoring services, non-traditional staff, or supplement existing learning loss services, he said. By working with our local school systems and providing targeted funds to bring these kids back up to grade level, Im confident that we can lend a helping hand to the students who need it the most.

The governor also listed several proposals he said will strengthen schools ability to keep students safe, including updating state law to include intruder alert drills, providing voluntary anti-gang and school safety training for new and current teachers, assigning the Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security agency to review school safety plans and recommending continuing education and training updates for all school resource officers every two years.

These reforms will make our schools safer, but also strengthen the state-local partnership to improve communication and sharing of best practices when it comes to improving school security, Kemp said.

Kemps Democratic opponent, Stacey Abrams, released her slate of educational policy recommendations in June.

Her K-12 priorities include increasing the state base salary for teachers from $39,092 to $50,000 and raising average teacher pay from $62,500 to $73,500, which her campaign says will shift Georgia from 21st in the nation in teacher salaries to the top 10.

Abrams has also called for programs to help paraprofessionals earn their teaching certification while they work by expanding existing programs and grants. Her platform also includes partnering with colleges and universities to recruit students to teach in rural areas.

Next years legislative session is set to begin in January featuring lawmakers elected this November.

One major change that could come out of the 2023 General Assembly was not mentioned during Kemps remarks, but a powerful group of state senators is set to hold its second of three meetings Friday to discuss changes to the long-running Quality Basic Education formula that determines how the states share of education dollars are disbursed.

We still have this kind of giant hole in the way that we fund schools by the fact that we dont have any additional funding to educate students living in poverty, Owens said. And so Im hoping that the Senate study committee, who has shown interest in that exact mechanism, can bring this more to the forefront as a way to really set up our funding system to do right by Georgians for the next 30 years of this formula.

Georgia Recorder is part of States Newsroom, a network of news bureaus supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Georgia Recorder maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor John McCosh for questions: info@georgiarecorder.com. Follow Georgia Recorder on Facebook and Twitter.
Five people have been shot and killed in Sacramento over a three day period. The separate shootings happened Sunday morning in Midtown, late Monday night in South Natomas and North Sacramento, and Tuesday morning in Oak Park. One of the victims of the shooting in South Natomas was a teenager, according to police. KCRA 3 has learned more about a program from the city of Sacramento and the Sacramento Police Department that will pay eight community-based organizations that are already working in the capital city to prevent gun violence.
Topeka police conducted the investigation that led to Emmanuel Rashad Walker's being charged with crimes that include first-degree murder in last July's gunshot death in central Topeka of 34-year-old Kirk Sexton.

Emmanuel Rashad Walker, 35, has been charged with crimes that include first-degree murder in last July's gunshot death in central Topeka of 34-year-old Kirk Sexton, Shawnee County District Attorney Mike Kagay said Wednesday.

Walker has also been charged with the criminal possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, he said.

Walker was booked late Tuesday into the Shawnee County Jail, where he was being held Wednesday on a $1 million bond, according to jail records.

More:A Topeka teen pleaded guilty to murder Friday in the ball bat beating death of his friend's mother

Kagay said investigators identified Walker as having shot Sexton, who suffered a wound to his throat and was pronounced deceased after Topeka police were called late July 16 to 910 S.W. 8th Ave.

"The investigation revealed the shooter had fled the area in a vehicle that law enforcement found abandoned the following day," he said.

The U.S. Marshal's Service located and arrested Walker on Sept. 8 in Eric, Pennsylvania, Kagay said.

More:District attorney plans third trial for Dana Chandler

Walker was then extradited from Pennsylvania to Topeka, where he made his first appearance Wednesday morning in Shawnee County District Court, Kagay said.

Walker served time in prison after being convicted of conspiracy to commit aggravated assault, committed in 2008 in Douglas County, according to Kansas Department of Corrections records.

This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Emmanuel R. Walker charged in Topeka shooting death of Kirk Sexton
ISTANBUL (Reuters) - Turkey's Tayyip Erdogan pressed Vladimir Putin in a call on Thursday to take steps to reduce tensions in Ukraine and urged the Russian leader to extend a deal protecting Black Sea grains exports, the president's office said.

Erdogan also cited Moscow's plans to incorporate four Ukrainian regions into Russia, which Turkey opposes, and he asked Putin to give peace negotiations another chance, according to Ankara's readout of the call.

The U.N.- and Turkey-brokered grains corridor, allowing Ukrainian shipping exports, is set to expire in late November and can be renewed with the backing of Russia and the other three parties to the agreement.

(Reporting by Jonathan Spicer; Editing by Chris Reese)
Anna Richards had always been interested in erotica but couldnt find the upmarket, female-focused material that would appeal to women like her. (Frolicme)

Entrepreneur and married mother-of-two Anna Richards had no experience making erotic movies, but went on a mission to produce empowering, ethical porn with a focus on female pleasure. Here's her story...

"I can remember the moment I decided to take the plunge and launch my business as an erotic film-maker  something I never dreamt Id do in a million years!

It was early 2015 and I was in a cinema packed with women to see Fifty Shades of Grey. Before the film even started, the atmosphere was electric. These women were bloodthirsty for sex  you could sense it.

Unfortunately it wasnt an 18-rated film, so everything was rather tempered, and there was a sense that the women were left feeling short. Theyd read the books; they were ready for some earth-shuddering sex but they didnt get it.

What that signified to me, was that women were just as sexual as men, we just hadnt been catered for. That included me.

At that time, I was in my 40s, a marketeer, entrepreneur and a married mother-of-two. Id been with my husband since 1992 after wed met at a party. My kids were getting a bit older (they were 12 and 15 at the time) and like a lot of women my age, I wanted to rediscover my sexuality.

Id always had a good sex life and been interested in erotica, yet I was struggling to find any movies online that I felt comfortable with. I was turned off rather than turned on.

Anna Richards wanted to create a resource of empowering, female-friendly erotic movies, stories and audio. (Frolicme)

Everything was created from a male point of view, for the male gaze. There was no lust, no real desire or erotic creativity. I was looking for something that portrayed unabashed pleasure for sex from a womans point of view, but couldnt find it.

This is why, the year previously, after my husband and I sold the company we owned, Id been working on a new project: an erotic site that addressed this gap in the market.

Id been busy getting my first films made and approaching authors for erotic stories. Seeing Fifty Shades made me realise that the time to launch was now.

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And so my website Frolicme.com was born  a resource of female-friendly erotic films, stories and audio.

Read more: What men and women love most about sex, according to research

Becoming a porn producer had been the very last thing I expected to be doing! But it started to happen.

The only thing was, I wasnt in the industry. Luckily Im from a creative background and so was already pretty prolific with a camera.

I had no idea how to make an erotic movie however, so for my first shoot, I reached out to George, a Czech producer Id found online whose style I admired. I had no reservations about it: I just saw it as work.

He gave me some invaluable guidance on filming and also sourcing models  something Id never done either, but once the site was up and running, models started to come to me and I very quickly found my feet.

My husband is an I.T. director so he was able to help with that side and we funded the start-up ourselves.

I only told the kids when I knew the site was up and running. It was incredible how chilled they were, but then nothing had changed at home. I was still their mother. My son, who is now 19, just said, Oh, thats pretty cool and my daughter, who is 22, now finds it fascinating.

Anna Richards says friends are always intrigued by her unusual job. (Frolicme)

Friends were intrigued too. Wed discuss ideas over dinner and many joined the site. They were very sweet, they didnt say, 'Can we have free membership?' They just subscribed.

I had a very clear vision from the start: It was very fantasy driven: voyeurism, a bit of kink, hot wife sex, group sex, female masturbation  and I nearly always use sex toys.

The majority of women need some form of clitoral stimulation to achieve orgasm and this is where toys can really help. Lets not forget, you dont need a partner to enjoy them either. So I use them a lot in my solo masturbation films.

Read More: Women who can't orgasm should get free sex toys on the NHS, says leading therapist

I needed to build up my confidence before officially launching and so we made 20 films  which I thought was a lot; now I have nearer to 350. Theyre shot here and all over Europe. Weve done snowy scenes in the French Alps, beach scenes in Ibiza, swimming pools  all sorts!

Anna Richards had a clear vision for her movies, making them fantasy-driven but also featuring a range of ages and body types. (Frolicme)

Making the films ethically was vital to me and to my mind you cant say something is ethical until you know how it was made. With traditional online porn, you dont know where its come from, it could have been uploaded by anyone.

With my platform, its through the eyes of a woman  mine. This sets my website apart: Im not someone from the industry, Im just a woman who was on a journey to produce some sexually empowering erotic films. You can read about me and see the person behind it on the site.

Lots of my models are an item in real life, or at least good friends who love working together and that makes for fantastic chemistry. There has to be consent and they all sign to agree that they know their work is going to be online.

Read more: Lost your sex drive? Our expert guide to getting it back again

One thing people always think when they hear female-friendly is soft porn  and I immediately think, No. Women are very sexual people  especially in their minds.

So the films I make are not soft, they are very sexual and the womens pleasure needs to be absolute forefront. It can be extreme but shes in control; shes driving it, shes not sitting back and being used for sex. Shes empowered.

Making sure the erotic movies were 'ethically produced' was vital to Anna Richards, who features many real life couples in her films. (Frolicme)

One of my favourite films is called Fulfilling. It features a very hot woman in her lingerie  but shes in control. Shes surrounded by four male torsos, no faces, because I wanted to remove identity and play with this idea that it wasnt about who they were, shes just using them for what they can provide her with. She is there to have fun.

One guy wrote to me about this film, saying: 'OMG! This is my wifes fantasy in full colour!' Thats the best, most fascinating part of the job. The supportive emails I get from happy couples saying that my films have given them so much pleasure and fun.

Read more: Half of single people over the age of 65 watch porn every day plus other sex secrets

Sex is funny and real and I want to portray that. Weve had some amusing moments on set, like lube bottles squirting everywhere. Ive had models whove got such a fabulous hair-do with so many pins in, that they got stuck on the furry rug. Youre wondering why they are slightly contorting their head and then theres a fit of giggles and I am rushing in, trying to detangle hair grips from a rug!

Weve also had a tricky moment where a couple were disrobed having sex in a lift in a building we thought was empty  until someone called the lift! Thankfully the couple were very professional and managed to throw their clothes on quickly.

Has what I do improved my sex life? Not necessarily because I always had plenty of ideas and excitement in the bedroom. What it has shown me is the variety of pleasure people can have. I think people should really stop talking about sex and start talking about pleasure, because thats what I hope my work provides in the end. Thats what sex is all about."
UN envoy welcomes start of trial of Kabuga for role in 1994 Rwanda genocide

Xinhua) 08:52, September 29, 2022

UNITED NATIONS, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- The UN secretary-general's special adviser on genocide prevention, Alice Wairimu Nderitu, on Wednesday welcomed the opening of the trial against Felicien Kabuga in The Hague for his role in the 1994 Rwanda genocide.

Kabuga is being tried before the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals in The Hague on charges of genocide and crimes against humanity. Kabuga was arrested by the French police in 2020 at the age of 87 after 26 years on the run.

"Our collective commitment not to forget constitutes a commitment to prevent," said Nderitu. "Accountability is prevention in itself and hence a deterrent for future crimes."

She said fair and credible judicial proceedings can provide victims with a form of redress for the gross and systematic violations of human rights and humanitarian law that they have endured. These measures can also help prevent and address feelings of frustration and bitterness, and the possible desire for retaliation. On the contrary, when justice is not served, lingering perceptions of injustice can become a risk factor for further violence and possibly, atrocity crimes.

Nderitu called on all member states to continue to fully cooperate with the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals in the identification, arrest, detention, surrender, and transfer of accused persons still at large.

(Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun)
BRUSSELS (Reuters) - European Union energy commissioner Kadri Simson called on Thursday for the bloc to cap the price of Russian gas exports to Europe.

"I strongly believe we need a price cap on all Russian gas imports, at a level that still makes it attractive for them to export to Europe," Simson said in a statement, ahead of a meeting of EU energy ministers on Friday who will debate various options to tame high gas prices.

Simson said the EU stood ready to introduce a separate price cap specifically on gas used for power generation. The EU should also negotiate with its pipeline gas suppliers to attempt to lower prices, and said that if this fails, a broader price cap could be possible, she said.

(Reporting by Kate Abnett)
By Bozorgmehr Sharafedin, Kate Abnett and Marwa Rashad

LONDON (Reuters) - The European Union wants a new transaction-based benchmark for liquefied natural gas (LNG) as it says the fall in Russian pipeline gas flows and record high LNG imports have created imbalances in the current pricing mechanism.

The 27 EU member countries are negotiating proposals made last week to control soaring energy prices and rein in costs for consumers but Brussels is already exploring additional measures.

In a paper shared with member states on Wednesday night and published on Thursday, the EU Commission said an alternative LNG price benchmark  which market participants could use voluntarily  should be based on verifiable price assessments for LNG cargo deliveries, to ensure it reflected real-world prices for the fuel.

"The complementary benchmark would limit the current negative effect on price formation due to [pipeline] infrastructure bottlenecks and is thus expected to bring prices closer to the world market level," it said.

Buyers of LNG usually price off benchmarks such as the Henry Hub for natural gas prices in the United States or the Japan Korea Marker (JKM) in Asia, with a small spread added to account for the costs of regasification and transferring the gas to the grid.

In Europe, the standard benchmarks are the Dutch Title Transfer Facility (TTF), used for both pipeline gas and LNG, and the UK's national balancing point (NBP).

However, the TTF price has been buffeted by geopolitics and sentiment as much as supply and demand factors and some industry sources argue it can no longer define the real value of LNG in Europe, particularly with the rise of imports into the region this year.

RISE OF LNG IMPORTS

LNG imports into Europe have reached a record high this year as governments scramble to find alternatives to Russian gas, which if phased out completely would require 200 million tonnes of LNG to be shipped in over the next decade, analysts estimate.

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While the price of LNG is generally higher than natural gas, infrastructure limitations in pipeline networks and varying capacity to receive and process the chilled fuel has seen the relationship flip in some European hubs, causing major price divergences.

Prices in France, for example, are lower than in other hubs like Germany which currently has no LNG terminals.

"NOT A MATTER OF DAYS"

An EU official said the Commission has already initiated work on a new benchmark with the Agency for Cooperation of Energy Regulators (ACER).

"It's not a matter of days. Of course, it is a process, but I think we can accelerate a bit," the official said.

However, some market participants remain sceptical.

"The TTF is still  by far  the most liquid gas market in Europe and thus most representative," said Hans van Cleef, senior energy economist at ABN Amro.

"If you filter LNG out of the TTF markets, liquidity will drop, with huge risks of even higher volatility and thus possible bigger price swings."

Anise Ganbold, senior analyst at Aurora Energy Research, said lowering the price of gas by moving away from or reforming the TTF could have unintended consequences, reducing incentives to increase gas supply or reduce consumption.

Meanwhile, Independent Commodity Intelligence Services (ICIS), which has been analysing and pricing European gas markets for decades, said there were doubts about whether a new index would be widely accepted.

"Only a handful of producers, utilities and trading houses are actively buying and selling spot LNG cargoes into Europe...It is much more difficult to set a price acceptable to market participants in an illiquid market.

(Reporting by Bozorgmehr Sharafedin, Kate Abnett, Marwa Rashad; Editing by Kirsten Donovan)
Fired Dayton city employee RoShawn Winburn was indicted Wednesday on multiple child porn charges, according to a grand jury report from the Montgomery County Prosecutors Office.

He was convicted back in 2020 of corruptly soliciting a bribe in return for giving confidential information to an individual seeking city contracts.

>>RELATED: Ex-Dayton employee guilty for soliciting a bribe gets prison time

Winburn is now charged with the following:

One count voyeurism

One count endangering children

Two counts illegal use of a minor in nudity-oriented material or performance

Two counts pandering obscenity involving minor

One count of tampering with evidence

This case was investigated by the Vandalia Police Department, a Montgomery County Prosecutors Office spokesperson told News Center 7. The defendant used a hidden camera to illegally photo/video a minor child. The victim and the defendant are known to each other.

News Center 7 has reached out to Vandalia Police for more information.

Winburn is currently not in custody and scheduled to be arraigned on October 13.








By Saqib Iqbal Ahmed

NEW YORK (Reuters) - A nearly $16 billion JP Morgan fund is expected to reset its options positions on Friday, potentially adding to equity volatility at the end of a gloomy quarter for stocks.

Analysts have in the past pointed to the JPMorgan Hedged Equity Funds quarterly reset roiling markets, and see it as a source of potential volatility during Friday's session.

WHAT IS THE JP MORGAN HEDGED EQUITY FUND?

The JPMorgan Hedged Equity Fund holds a basket of S&P 500 stocks along with options on the benchmark index and resets hedges once a quarter. The fund, which had about $15.59 billion in assets as of September 28, aims to let investors benefit from equity market gains while limiting their exposure to declines.

For the year, the fund was down 10.66% through September 28, compared with a 21% decline for the S&P 500 Total return Index.

The fund's assets ballooned in recent years, as investors sought protection from the sort of wild swings that rocked markets in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak in March 2020.

Its holdings include some of the market's biggest names, such as Apple Inc, Microsoft Corp and Amazon.com Inc.

HOW DOES THE FUND USE OPTIONS?

The fund uses an options strategy that seeks to protect investors if the S&P 500 falls between 5% and 20%, while allowing them to take advantage of any market gains in the average range of 3.5-5.5%. On June 30, the refresh of the fund's options positions involved about 140,000 S&P 500 options contracts in all, including S&P 500 puts at strikes 3580 and 3020 and calls at 4005, all for the September 30 expiry.

HOW CAN THIS AFFECT THE BROADER MARKET?

Options dealers - typically big financial institutions that facilitate trading but seek to remain market-neutral - take the other side of the fund's options trades.

To minimize their own risk, they typically buy or sell stock futures, depending on the direction of the market's move. Such trading related to dealer hedging has the potential to influence the broader market, especially if done in size, as is the case for the JPM trade.

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The trade is "well understood" and "mostly digested by the market," said Chris Murphy, co-head of derivatives strategy at Susquehanna International Group.

It has, however, exacerbated daily moves in the past, according to some analysts.

The S&P 500 Index fell 1.2% in the last hour of trading on March 31 amid a lack of any obvious news - a move some analysts pinned on options hedging flows.

Analysts say the refresh could exacerbate market swings on Friday, as the fund rolls over its options positions and dealers buy and sell futures to hedge their exposure.

"That's because there is a fair amount that has to be adjusted and hedged to roll the trade," said Brent Kochuba, founder of analytic service SpotGamma.

"I believe that the position is expanding volatility this week," Kochuba said.

All else being equal, once the options position is rolled forward three month out, their influence on current price swings should diminish, he said.

(Reporting by Saqib Iqbal Ahmed in New York; Editing by Ira Iosebashvili and Matthew Lewis)
Republican Pennsylvania gubernatorial candidate Doug Mastriano has alluded to proposals that would be a transformative overhaul of the more than $30 billion K-12 education system, with public dollars eligible to fund students private education.

During his campaign, Mastrianos sometimes conflicting statements have overall shown an effort to work with a likely GOP-controlled Legislature to propel far-reaching school choice programs, like in Arizona, by shifting state funds to students rather than schools.

Meanwhile, Mastrianos opponent, Democratic nominee Attorney General Josh Shapiro, has shown a willingness to embrace school choice programs, but hes advocated for securing more public education funding.

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SARAJEVO (Reuters) -Bosnia is holding presidential and parliamentary elections on Sunday amid its worst political crisis since the end of the 1992-95 war.

The polls opened at 7 a.m (0500 GMT) and will close at 7 p.m (1700 GMT), with the first official results expected at midnight. Political parties are expected to release their own results around 10 p.m.

WHO IS VOTING FOR WHAT?

Nearly 3.4 million people are eligible to vote for Serb, Croat and Bosniak members of the Balkan country's tripartite presidency as well as parliaments at the national, regional and cantonal levels.

Bosnia is comprised of two autonomous regions, the Serb Republic and the Federation dominated by Bosniaks and Croats, linked by a weak central government. The Federation is further split into 10 cantons. There is also the unaffiliated Brcko district in the far northeast.

WHO ARE THE MAIN CONTENDERS?

BOSNIAK - A tight race is expected for the Bosniak post on the inter-ethnic presidency. On the ballot are long-serving Bakir Izetbegovic, leader of the Party of Democratic Action (SDA), the largest Bosniak (Bosnian Muslim) one, and Denis Becirovic of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), whose bid is supported by 11 civic-oriented opposition parties.

CROAT - The candidacy of moderate Croat Zeljko Komsic for a fourth term on the presidency has been strongly contested by nationalist parties led by the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ), whose candidate Borjana Kristo will be Komsic's only rival.

SERB - The Serb presidency member will be chosen by voters in the Serb Republic (RS). The candidates are Zeljka Cvijanovic, a close ally of separatist RS leader Milorad Dodik, and opposition leader Mirko Sarovic.

The presidency has a mostly ceremonial and symbolic role but has the final say on Bosnia's foreign and defence policies.

POSSIBLE OUTCOME?

A lack of reliable polls and reports of irregularities ahead of the vote have made it difficult to predict the outcome.

Many analysts believe nationalist parties will remain dominant and that the biggest change may come in the Bosniak camp, which is the largest and most diverse, while Serb and Croat nationalists will remain in the driver's seat.

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If Komsic wins again, Croat nationalists might block the formation of the Federation government and push for "re-organisation" of the region they share with Bosniaks to create their own ethnic administrative unit.

With the possibility that Dodik, currently the Serb member of the presidency, is again elected president of the Serb Republic, separatist moves there are sure to continue, eroding the integrity of the Bosnian state.

INTERNATIONAL ROLE

Under the 1995 Dayton accords that ended Bosnia's war in which 100,000 died, an international envoy was tasked with overseeing the implementation of peace provisions, with powers to dismiss obstructive politicians and impose laws.

German politician Christian Schmidt, who assumed the job in 2021, has used these powers twice this year to enable funding of the election and shore up its integrity. He could intervene to unblock the work of the next Federation government.

EUFOR, the European Union peacekeeping force that has been deployed in Bosnia since 2004, has been beefed up this year over concerns that instability emanating from Russia's invasion of Ukraine could spread to the Western Balkans. Dodik is a vocal supporter of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

(Reporting by Daria Sito-SucicEditing by Mark Heinrich)
Felicien Kabuga was one of the most wanted men in the world

One of the alleged masterminds and financiers of the 1994 Rwandan genocide has gone on trial at a UN tribunal in The Hague.

Prosecutors say Felicien Kabuga aided and abetted hit squads in the slaughter of ethnic Tutsis, and used a radio station to incite hatred against them.

Some 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus were killed in the genocide.

Mr Kabuga's lawyers have filed a not guilty plea for him but he has refused to attend the opening of the trial.

Mr Kabuga, in his late 80s, was once one of Rwanda's richest men and for decades he was among the world's most wanted fugitives.

He was arrested in France's capital, Paris, two years ago after evading capture for about 26 years.

French investigators spied on Mr Kabuga's children to track him down to his third-floor flat in the Paris suburb of Asnieres-sur-Seine, where he had been living under a false identity using a passport from an unidentified African country.

He is alleged to have previously lived in several countries in East Africa, including Kenya, where he and his family had business interests.

Mr Kabuga is accused of setting up what prosecutors have described as the most powerful weapon in the genocide's execution - a radio station that was used to mobilize one ethnic group, Hutus, to take up arms against another, Tutsis.

The radio station is alleged to have broadcast hateful messages, describing Tutsis as "cockroaches".

He is also accused of using his status as one of Rwanda's richest businessmen to procure machetes, and provide them to death squads to carry out killings.

"In support of the genocide, Kabuga did not need to wield a rifle or a machete at a road block, rather he supplied weapons in bulk and facilitated the training that prepared the Interahamwe [militia group] to use them," prosecutor Rashid Rashid said.

During a first appearance at the tribunal in 2020, Mr Kabuga's lawyers entered a not guilty plea.

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They have argued that he is too frail to stand trial, but judges ruled that it should go ahead but with shorter court sessions.

At the trial's opening, the presiding judge said Mr Kabuga was well but he had decided not to appear in court or to follow proceedings via video link from his detention centre.

Mr Kabuga issued a statement, saying the court had refused to let him choose his own lawyer and he had "no confidence" in his current legal representative.

He is one of the last alleged masterminds of the genocide to go on trial at an international tribunal.

The prosecutor told the BBC the trial showed international justice was often slow but could ultimately prevail.

The Tanzania-based International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda sentenced more than 60 ringleaders of the genocide before closing down in 2015.

Remaining cases were taken over by the tribunal hearing Mr Kabuga's case. Judges decided he should face trial in The Hague, rather than Tanzania, because the travel could jeopardise his health.

Prosecutors are expected to call more than 50 witnesses in a trial that could last for years.

Survivors of the genocide have called for swift justice, fearing he may die under the presumption of innocence.

More about the Rwandan genocide:
Sep. 28DICKINSON  When the early pioneers ventured into the badlands of the Dakotas they were faced with near insurmountable challenges. From minimal rainfall and rough terrain, farming was quickly shunned in favor of the raising of livestock  such as cattle, sheep or horses. It was in these inhospital lands that cowboys saw promise.

Cattle and western North Dakota have gone hand-in-hand since the 1880s, as the Northern Pacific Railroad reached the Montana-Dakota border and ushered in a boom for cattle ranchers who would ship their Dakota beef to the big markets of Chicago and Omaha from the small towns of Medora, Dickinson and the many small communities dotting the Western Edge.

More nearly 150 years later, Angus enthusiasts from across the country returned to the badlands to tour southwestern North Dakota as part of the Fall Angus Tour hosted by the North Dakota Angus Association (NDAA).

In total, twelve states would come together Sept. 17 through Sept. 19 in Dickinson with daily itineraries set to view area Angus cattle ranches. The tour group traveled roughly 585 miles over the two-day excursion, visiting 14 prominent Angus breeding operations in the process.

"The North Dakota Angus tour event was three great days showing many different landscapes and cattle bred to fit each specific ranch," Casey Maher, NDAA president, said. "It further showed the Angus breed's strength is made up by the diversity of the cattle."

The event kicked off in Dickinson with a ticketed fundraiser hosted by the North Dakota Angus Auxiliary at Fluffy Fields Vineyard & Winery, southwest North Dakota's first year-round winery offering a wide variety of cold-climate grape wines and a nice variety of fruit wines.

The event featured an Angus beef meal, chocked full of the famed marbling hallmarked by the breed, and paired with a tasting of locally produced wines. Attendees also participated in a bucket auction with proceeds going to fund the Auxiliary, which will be used to support the NDAA juniors program through scholarships and activities.

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"The wine tasting was a smashing success. The absolutely delicious North Dakota grown wines, savory roast beef meal, fabulous guests in attendance and the generous donations made this event a night to remember," Meghan Ressler, interim president of the North Dakota Angus Auxiliary, said. "The funds raised all go to support our junior members, the very future of North Dakota's Angus breed."

There were several North Dakota Junior Angus Association members who participated in the tour as well, with advisors and junior members holding a poker run where participants drew a card at the first five stops each day and the best hands received cash prizes.

"It was a great way to raise money and get the junior members involved, and those who participated really had fun with it," said Ashley Bruner, NDAA secretary and treasurer.

Before loading the buses Sunday morning, attendees entered into communion in a Cowboy Church service, performed by Tracy Buer of Bison, SD.

North Dakota Angus members' ranches showcased on Sunday were Ridl Angus of Dickinson; Talkington Angus Ranch and Richard Angus Ranch of Belfield; Week Angus of Beach; Open A Angus of Medora; Best Angus & Quarter Horses and KD Angus of Watford City; and Dahl Angus of Keene.

With the sunset as the backdrop, tour attendees enjoyed music performed live by Nashville recording artist and Watford City native Jessie Veeder, as children enjoyed horseback rides.

With the sunrise ushering in the second day of the tour, attendees visited Urlacher Angus and Carlson Angus Ranch of Regent; 21 Angus of New England; Evenson Angus of Hettinger; Bowman Ranch of Rhame; and Brooks Chalky Butte Ranch of Bowman.

Day two tour participants touted the experience.

"This is my third North Dakota Angus Tour and this year certainly did not disappoint," Sue Glaser, president Northern Wisconsin Beef Producers Association, said. "The beef dinner and winery tour was a fun new twist. As usual the tour was well organized, the food was great and the Angus breed was well represented by our gracious host ranches."

Glaser added, "For anyone looking to see some great cattle with like-minded folks, at a very reasonable price, be sure to join this tour in 2024."

The Fall Angus Tour is held every other year, across one of six regions of North Dakota. The next tour is tentatively scheduled to be held in 2024 in the Northeast region of North Dakota.

For more information about the tour, or the North Dakota Angus Association, please contact Travis or Ashley Bruner, Secretary and Treasurer at (701) 400-1016, or via email at northdakotaangus@gmail.com.
The family of Hae Min Lee will appeal a Baltimore judges decision to overturn Adnan Syeds 22-year-old murder conviction in Lees death, and the Maryland Attorney Generals Office is expected to file a brief arguing the judge erred in releasing Syed.

Attorney Steve Kelly, who represents the Lee family, told The Baltimore Sun on Wednesday night he filed the Lee familys notice to appeal earlier in the day.

Young Lee [Hae Min Lees brother] filed the notice of appeal based on violations of his familys right to meaningfully participate in the Sept. 19, 2022 hearing on the motion to vacate Adnan Syeds conviction, Kelly told The Sun in a statement. The notice of appeal is the first step in seeking the Maryland Court of Special Appeals review of the potential violations of Marylands victims rights statutes in connection with the hearing.

Baltimore Circuit Judge Melissa Phinn last week overturned Syeds conviction after prosecutors in the Baltimore States Attorneys Office said they found evidence suggesting Syeds innocence that had not previously been disclosed to defense attorneys in the case. Syeds case became a matter of international intrigue following the 2014 release of the Serial podcast, which reexamined his legal saga.

A jury in 2000 convicted Syed of murdering Lee, his former high school girlfriend, and burying her in a shallow grave in Leakin Park. Syed, still charged with murder pending current prosecutors decision on whether to retry him or dismiss the charges, has always maintained his innocence.

Phinn ordered a new trial in the matter, but under Maryland law prosecutors have 30 days to either dismiss the charges or to continue with a new trial.

The Lee family will likely appeal on the grounds they were not given enough prior notice about the hearing to overturn Syeds conviction. Maryland law does not specifically say how much notice a victims family needs before a hearing, but it is inferred that they should be given a reasonable amount of time, Kelly previously said.

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In the appellate process, the Maryland Attorney Generals Office will represent the prosecution. The office has argued Syed was guilty throughout his previous appeals.

Last week, Mosby accused Attorney General Brian Frosh and his office of misconduct, saying it hid alternative suspects from Syeds lawyers.

Froshs office could not be reached for comment Wednesday night. However, Frosh, in a statement last week, denied that claim, saying no evidence was withheld by his office.

The attorney generals office is expected to file a brief arguing that Phinn erred when she overturned Syeds conviction, according to people familiar with the attorney generals plans but who were not authorized to speak publicly.

Phinn scheduled the hearing on whether to vacate Syeds conviction on Friday, Sept. 16, for the following Monday, Sept. 19  less than one full business day. Baltimore States Attorney Marilyn Mosbys office notified the Lee family Friday afternoon and did not receive a response until Sunday, the day before the hearing, Becky Feldman, chief of Mosbys sentencing review unit, said in court.

Originally, Young Lee told Feldman in a text message the day before the hearing he would attend virtually. That changed after the Lee family hired Kelly later that evening, with Kelly filing a motion to postpone last weeks hearing for seven days so Young Lee could attend in person.

Phinn denied that motion, saying the Lee family was given ample time and that appearing via videocall was sufficient.

Mosbys office has said it considered the Lee family in its proceedings at every step of the way, but felt it could not wait to free Syed, whose conviction her office no longer believed in.

We truly empathize with Hae Min Lees family, who believed they had resolution and are now being re-traumatized by the misdeeds of the prior prosecutors, states attorneys office spokesperson Zy Richardson said in a statement. As administrators of the criminal justice system, our responsibility is to ensure that justice is done, and the right person is held accountable. We refuse to be distracted from this fundamental obligation and will never give up in our fight with the Lee family.

City prosecutors said they have since developed two alternative suspects who might have killed Lee, including one person who prosecutors say threatened to kill her. That threat, Feldman swore in an affidavit, was never disclosed to Syeds defense attorney, and its discovery prompted the motion to overturn his conviction.

Mosby said last week that she planned to dismiss the charges against Syed and formally declare his innocence if pending DNA tests in his case came back inconclusive or suggested another suspect.

Baltimore Sun reporter Alex Mann contributed reporting to this article.
While mention of photographer Alexi Lubomirski conjures up Prince Harrys and Meghan Markles wedding (he took the couples official engagement photos) or family, one of his latest projects was chronicling the drought and human suffering in Kenya.

Earlier this month, Lubomirski spent eight days shooting there for the nonprofit Concern Worldwides year-end appeal titled Unite to Fight Hunger. The New York-based creative has supported the nonprofit for years. So many wells have dried up in the Horn of Africa (Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia) that many are having to rely on new wells that only supply salt water. Lubomirski noted that salt water causes rickets, diarrhea and other health problems.

More from WWD

As a Concern ambassador, he said, But the devastation is avoidable. It can be helped by donations. The trouble is that, at the moment, so many donations have been diverted to the Ukrainian effort that the Horn of Africa is operating on only 13 percent of the funds that it actually needs.

An estimated 18.4 million people are acutely food insecure in the Horn of Africa, and the Ukraine crisis continues to spike global wheat prices and is causing the international community to redirect humanitarian support to the Ukraine, according to United Nations research. As millions are dealing with the global food crisis, climate catastrophes and rampant conflict, Concern estimates that a person dies of hunger every four seconds. The organization aims to raise $3 million to support its programs in 25 countries that are trying to eliminate hunger and malnutrition.

Lubomirskis photographs will be used for the Concern Global Gala, public relations and marketing to raise awareness and attract new audiences.

It was a fascinating project to create this whole campaign, the fashion and portrait photographer said. The idea of trying to use the skills he has learned from trying to sell people lipstick, clothes and stuff to try to sell this idea that we have to help our brothers and sisters all over the world appealed to him.

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The campaigns concept is May you as photographs of suffering are paired with such sayings as May you never have to bury your child, or May your children have enough food to eat.

Separately, Lubomirski has released a childrens book that will support Concern. Available now, What Are Words, Really? was illustrated by the Pura Belpre Honor-winning Carlos Aponte, and has been published by Candlewick Press. Lubomirski has written a parenting book and another childrens book, as well as published books of his photography. The idea for What Are Words, Really? sprang from an early 2020 conversation Lubomirski and Aponte had about how politicians at that time were descending into name-calling without having any qualms about using speech in the most negative way and the potential for that to harm children, Lubomirski said. Shocked and disheartened by that, they set out to create a book that highlighted the power of words to help or hinder youngsters.

The most obvious examples are two four-letter words  love and hate,' Lubomirski said. its just about putting positivity out into the world instead of negativity.

While the book is geared toward children between the ages of 8 and 9, the hope is that parents who read the book will consider what they say and how they say things, the photographer said. Making the point that how individuals speak of themselves impacts self empowerment, he said the book offers a can-do attitude rather than a self-defeating one. All of Lubomirskis proceeds from the book will benefit Concern Worldwide.

Alexi Lubomirski

The lensman is working on another book that will recap a 20-year run in the industry through his celebrity portraiture that is due out in March or April of next year. Royal watchers might be interested to know that his most recent family photo with Prince Harry and Markle was the family photo with their children Archie and Lilibet that was released earlier this year. As for the monarchys changing state, he said, Its fascinating to see peoples reaction in England, who werent staunch royalists, are so deeply affected by the queens work, her devotion to the country and her lifelong service. People who didnt swing either way suddenly feel this massive loss in their life because the queen had been such a constant for them through their whole lives.

As for the current state of fashion photography, Lubomirski was enthusiastic about how the gates are finally being opened to so many people who previously had been kept outside in favor of a set group of photographers, stylists and models. Now there are so many more people, which makes it so much more interesting. There are so many more points of view and stories to tell.

However, unlike in years past, the appreciation for details in campaign photographs  the set design, the grain of the picture, the coloring process and all these beautiful things  have ebbed, Lubomirski said.

Now our canvas is our telephone. You have this ability to swipe so easily, he said. Unfortunately, I feel a lot of quality has definitely gone down because theres no need for the quality any more. Quality takes time and funds  not just time to create it, but time to appreciate it. With social media being our main source for seeing fashion photography, [most people are] not going to care about a beautiful detail in the back of a picture. Its about that instantaneous reaction that you get [with] an image and then you swipe on.

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Click here to read the full article.
Photo: Justin Sullivan / Getty Images.

The fast-food industry is hard at work to reverse a landmark employment rights measure that Gov. Gavin Newsom signed into law on Labor Day. Assembly Bill 257, or the FAST Recovery Act, which passed the California Legislature in August after a bruising two-year journey, is the first of its kind in the nation. It outlines labor standards for Californias approximately 550,000 fast food workers, whose average annual pay is less than $26,000, and would seat workers at the table of a state-recognized council next to representatives from the worlds largest fast-food corporations.

The council would be able to set minimum standards for wages, hours and working conditions in fast-food restaurants in California. In addition, it could allow for an industry minimum hourly wage of $22.

The day after the governors signature, an industry-created coalition called Protect Neighborhood Restaurants filed a referendum with the California attorney general to put a measure on the ballot that could temporarily delay implementation of the measure or ultimately kill the law.

The main point of the referendum, says Nelson Lichtenstein, a professor of history at the University of Santa Barbara, Director of the Study of Work, Labor and Democracy, is stalling the entire process. You create a delay, It puts the whole thing in stasis. The industry doesnt like the law because, Liechtenstein says, it creates leverage to build people-power.

If the referendum secures the approximately 623,000 signatures needed to qualify the measure by the first week of December, it will appear on the November 2024 California ballot.

Should the referendum qualify for that ballot, the FAST Recovery Act couldnt move forward until voters weigh in, according to an analysis from the Labor & Employment Group at Greenberg Traurig, a firm that provides legal advice to national and international corporations. Potential legal challenges could also delay implementation.

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The Protect Neighborhood Restaurants coalition backing the referendum is a product of the International Franchise Association and the National Restaurant Association (known among some as the other NRA because of its lobbying muscle).

The NRA and its state affiliates wield much influence, says Teofilo Reyes, a chief program officer with the Philadelphia area Restaurant Opportunities Centers (and whose first job was at a McDonalds). All of these associations maintain a presence. They host fundraisers for local legislators, and the associations connect legislators to local representatives of chain franchisors  the franchisees.

The NRA also plays the small business card in warnings to the restaurant industry in other states, saying measures based on the FAST Recovery Act sectoral council model may be coming for them.

The IFA has an international footprint as the worlds largest membership organization for franchisors, franchisees and franchise suppliers. The organization had long opposed the measure as it traveled through the Legislature. Local franchises and businesses are also part of the coalition.

Leading up to the vote in the Legislature, local TV stations in California and the internet were both awash with advertising opposing the measure.

Rev. William Barber II, co-chair of the Poor Peoples Campaign and part of the national Fight for $15 coalition organized by the Service Employees International Union, calls the referendum effort a financial insurrection fueled by the philosophy of greed. You want to tear down the process because the process didnt work for you, he said on a call organized by the Fight for $15 campaign. (Disclosure: SEIU is a financial supporter of Capital & Main.)

Nelson Lichtenstein notes that AB 257 has a provision that allows for the creation of local fast-food councils in California municipalities of 200,000 or more  which would present local labor organizing opportunities for fast-food workers. While the standards set by state legislation would apply throughout California, local councils would be a place for the public  including fast-food employees  to comment on working conditions.

Campaigns to create local councils are a way to represent workers across an industry in which a fast-food chains stores are owned by numerous individual franchisees. Youre not going to get every McDonalds in the state organized  its fissured. Whos the boss  is the boss in Chicago or is your local guy who owns three McDonalds the boss? He or she is under pressure, anyway  and the same is true for Taco Bell or Burger King  you name it, Lichtenstein says.

Its a brilliant strategy on the part of capital to avoid responsibility for their workers.

That fragmented nature of the modern fast-food industry renders it impossible to follow a traditional labor organizing model. Ken Jacobs, chair of the University of California Berkeley Center for Labor Research and Education, notes that when GM ran an auto plant, workers could form unions and bargain with one entity  GM.

But with the fast-food industry, economic power lies not with the individual franchisee, but with the corporation, which dictates the standards for the mom-and-pop owners that buy into the brand.

Your local McDonalds is probably owned by someone who paid McDonalds for the brand name that brings people in. The agreement between the franchise owner and the chain comes attached to a long list of standards with which the franchisee must comply, Jacobs says. The corporate entity controls how the store layout works, what everyone wears  the key details, along with food items the franchisees purchase to create their product. The chains control the cost of inputs because [as a franchisee] you have to buy from a certain supplier.

The only place to cut costs, Jacobs says, is labor. Cutting labor costs is the only economic leverage they have.

In practice at a local franchise that could mean one employee covering a shift where two would have been more practical, or, as happened at the peak of the pandemic according to the Fight for $15 campaign, an infected employee being told to wear a mask and not tell anyone.

In terms of union organizing opportunities to raise standards, the franchise model means that rather than dealing with one corporate structure with which workers could engage, Youre dealing with a myriad of employers of record, Jacobs says.

But even before the industrys declaration of war with a referendum effort, it scored a win. A piece of AB 257 that might have leveled the playing field between corporate chains and franchisees was struck from the bill the day before the governor signed it. It was language creating joint liability for the brand-name chains and the franchisees.

That would have put the corporate chains on the legal hook together with the local franchisees to ensure compliance with labor standards.

The language was eliminated after much industry pressure. The Wall Street Journal reported that companies such as McDonalds Corp., Yum Brands (owner of the KFC, Taco Bell and Pizza Hut brands) and Chipotle lobbied to have the joint liability provision removed along with the language providing that the council would oversee workplace conditions such as scheduling.

Updated reporting on industry lobbying in California since July 1 is not yet publicly available, but sources close to the legislative skirmish say its increased in the past few months.

Despite the concessions won, the International Franchise Association was not pleased with the revamped bill, and subtly announced its intentions to torpedo it. The IFA called the removal of joint liability putting lipstick on a pig in a statement by IFA president and CEO Matthew Haller.

While removing the joint employer provisions is a positive, the only way to prevent the damage this bill will cause to consumers, employees and small businesses is to reject it completely.

SEIU California hailed the bills passage as a victory but didnt respond to numerous requests for comment about the removal of joint liability for corporations, nor has it responded to questions about the referendum.

If the industry were to pay the standard $5 per signature to signature gatherers, it would cost over $3 million just to get the referendum on the ballot. Should it qualify, expenditures on both the industry and the union side will likely mount up to support television, mail and other media campaigns.

Heres why they dont like the law, Lichtenstein says. Creating a council takes things which were hidden inside the workplace or only subject to control by management and brings them out into a public forum.

So theyll spend what it takes, he says. Theyd rather spend the money on stopping it than paying workers.

This article originally appeared on Visalia Times-Delta: Fast food industry fighting to stall  and kill  New California labor reforms
EXCLUSIVE: The FBI is allegedly engaging in a "purge" of employees with conservative viewpoints and retaliating against whistleblowers who have made protected disclosures to Congress by revoking security clearances, the top Republican on the House Judiciary Committee Rep. Jim Jordan told Fox News Digital.

Jordan, R-Ohio, said that more than a dozen FBI whistleblowers have come to him and Republicans on the House Judiciary Committee with allegations of misconduct within the FBI.

Jordan and Republicans have been investigating "serious allegations of abuse and misconduct within the senior leadership of the Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau of Investigation."

Jordan, in a letter exclusively obtained by Fox News Digital, and written to FBI executive assistant director of the Human Resources branch Jennifer Moore, the congressman says he has received information of retaliation against FBI employees who have confidentially reported alleged misconduct to Congress.

GRASSLEY SAYS NEW WHISTLEBLOWER INFO REVEALS 'DEEPLY ROOTED POLITICAL INFECTION' WITHIN THE FBI

Representative Jim Jordan, a Republican from Ohio, speaks to the press in the Rayburn House Office building in Washington, D.C., on Friday, June 4, 2021. Photographer: Ting Shen/Bloomberg via Getty Images

"During the course of this investigation, we have received protected whistleblower disclosures that the FBI is engaging in a purge of employees with conservative views by revoking their security clearances and indefinitely suspending these employees," Jordan wrote, noting that "many of the formal notices" for those personnel actions had been signed by Moore.

Jordan also wrote that he has information suggesting Moore has "retaliated against at least one whistleblower who has made protected disclosures to Congress."

That whistleblower, Jordan told Fox News Digital, shared information with the committee notifying them about the Justice Departments efforts last fall to set up a threat tag label against parents to identify threats at school board meetings against faculty and to then "prosecute them when appropriate."

FLASHBACK: HOUSE REPUBLICANS DEMAND FBI DISCLOSE HOW IT IS COMPLYING WITH DOJ SCHOOL BOARD MEMO

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"As we informed Director Christopher Wray, we take whistleblower retaliation seriously and we therefore require that you appear for a transcribed interview as soon as possible," Jordan said.

The FBI said it does not punish employees for expressing their views and nor does it retaliate against whistleblowers.

"The FBI does not target or take adverse action against employees for exercising their First Amendment rights or for their political views; to allege otherwise is false and misleading," an FBI spokesperson told Fox News. "The FBI is required to follow established policies and procedures, to include a thorough investigation, when suspending or revoking a security clearance."



The FBI said it "takes very seriously its responsibility to FBI employees who may make protected disclosures under the whistleblower regulations."



"FBI employees who report evidence of wrongdoing through a protected disclosure are protected from retaliation," the spokesperson added.

At the FBI, every employee must maintain a Top Secret security clearance as a condition of employment.



A U.S. government official tells Fox News that eligibility for a security clearance is based on standards set forth in Executive Order (E.O.) 12968: Access to Classified Information. According to that order, the adjudicative process seeks reasonable assurance that those granted access to classified information are persons "...whose personal and professional history affirmatively indicates loyalty to the United States, strength of character, trustworthiness, honesty, reliability, discretion, and sound judgment, as well as freedom from conflicting allegiances and potential for coercion, and willingness and ability to abide by regulations governing the use, handling, and protection of classified information."



The official told Fox News that in deciding whether or not a person should retain a security clearance, the FBI is obligated to follow the guidelines which were established for all United States Government civilian and military personnel, consultants, and contractors who require access to national security information.



Those guidelines state that "any doubt concerning personnel being considered for national security eligibility will be resolved in favor of the national security."

Jordan said that FBI whistleblowers have told the committee that Moore has been "involved with the security clearance revocations for those employees targeted for their conservative views."

Jordan told Fox News Digital that those employees had made comments to him and Republicans on the committee about pressure within the FBI to label cases as "domestic violent extremism." Jordan also said that whistleblowers have told him that the FBI is "pulling agents off of child trafficking cases to focus on this political narrative that you see."

"We refer to that as juicing the numbersits pressure that is existing at the FBI to satisfy this narrative from President Biden, where he called half the country fascist and extremists," Jordan explained, referring to Biden's speech last month in which he said "MAGA Republicans" are a threat to democracy.

GRASSLEY, JOHNSON DEMAND ANSWERS ON WHY FBI PAID IGOR DANCHENKO AS A SOURCE DURING TRUMP-RUSSIA PROBE

Jordan said that under Title 5 of the United States Code, once a whistleblower makes a protected disclosure, an agency is prohibited from retaliating against the employee for that disclosure by taking or failing to take a personnel action.

Jordan said that "the law is clear."

General view of the J. Edgar Hoover F.B.I. Building in Washington, U.S., March 10, 2019. REUTERS/Mary F. Calvert Reuters/Mary F. Calvert

"You dont retaliate against whistleblowers," Jordan told Fox News Digital. "Weve had multiple agents come to us, and tell us about just how political the Justice Department has become."

When asked how the FBI learned that employees claimed whistleblower status and met with Congress, Jordan said it was unclear, and said the FBI likely would say suspensions were due to something "unrelated."

The House Judiciary Committee has legislative and oversight jurisdiction over both the Justice Department and the FBI. Jordan said Moores testimony is "necessary" for his oversight.

GRASSLEY PRESSES DOJ, FBI FOR TRANSPARENCY ON 'PARTISAN' POLITICIZATION OF AGENCIES, HUNTER BIDEN PROBE

Jordan said his letter also serves as a "formal request" for Moore and the FBI to preserve all existing and future records and materials in their possession relating to the topics addressed.

"You should construe this preservation notice as an instruction to take all reasonable steps to prevent the destruction or alteration, whether intentionally or negligently, of all documents, communications, and other information, including electronic information and metadata, that are or may be responsive to this congressional inquiry," Jordan wrote, adding that the electronic messages sent using her official and personal accounts or devices, including records created using text messages, phone-based message applications, or encryption software.

FBI Director Christopher Wray, testifies during the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing titled Oversight of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, in Hart Building on Thursday, August, 4, 2022. Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images

The letter was signed by Jordan, Rep. Darrell Issa, the ranking member on the House Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property and the Internet, as well as Rep. Mike Johnson, the ranking member on the Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights and Civil Liberties.

The FBI did not immediately respond to Fox News request for comment.

"Step back and view it in contextthis is all happening in addition to the FBI raiding the home of a former president; in addition to the FBI taking the phone of a sitting member of Congress; in addition to the Democrats and Joe Biden passing legislation which is going to unleash 87,000 IRS agents on we the people, we the taxpayers," Jordan said."So, when you view it in context, its almost like, just when you think it cant get worse, they ratchet it up another level."

Republicans have been sounding the alarm on the FBI's unprecedented raid of former President Trump's Mar-a-Lago home.

Congressional Republicans also slammed the FBI throughout the Trump administration for its original investigation into whether Trump and his campaign colluded with Russia to influence the 2016 presidential election. Special Counsel John Durham is now investigating the origins of that probe.

WRAY SAYS FBI DOWNPLAYING HUNTER BIDEN INFORMATION IS 'DEEPLY TROUBLING,' AS REPUBLICANS DEMAND ANSWERS

Meanwhile, on the other side of the Capitol, whistleblowers have reported to Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, that the FBI falsely labeled derogatory information on Hunter Biden as disinformation ahead of the 2020 presidential election, and instructed employees not to look at the Hunter Biden laptop after the FBI had obtained it.

FBI Director Christopher Wray, during Senate testimony last month, said that those whistleblower allegations were "deeply troubling."

But Jordan told Fox News Digital that he thinks it is "amazing that this many whistleblowers come talk to us while were in the minority."

"We cant really do anything other than write lettersthat's all we can do," Jordan said. "But theyre willing to do it because it just underscores how egregious the activity is, and whats really going on there, that we now have had 14 agents come talk to us."

"All we can do is highlight it, and if we get the majority, were going to do more investigations, where we can actually subpoena people to do depositions," Jordan said, adding that he is sending letters to FBI officials now to let them know to "preserve documents, preserve information."

He added: "If in fact the American people put us in charge, were going to want access to the information."
A Merced man was found guilty of committing attempted sexual abuse and abusive sexual contact in Yosemite National Park in 2019, the U.S. Department of Justice announced Wednesday.

Ramonchito Racion, 52, was deemed guilty by a federal jury following a six day trial.

According to evidence presented at the trial, Racion sexually assaulted his roommate while the roommate was sleeping. Racion was working as a cook in Yosemite during the summer of 2019 when the assault occurred, according to a new release.

U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston is scheduled to sentence Racion Jan. 20. Racion faces a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison and a $250,000 fine, according to the Department of Justice .

The actual sentence will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.

This case is the product of an investigation by the National Park Service. Assistant United States Attorneys Michael G. Tierney and Justin J. Gilio are prosecuting the case.
WASHINGTON (AP)  The new director of the federal Bureau of Prisons vowed Thursday that the buck stops with me when it comes to fixing the crisis-plagued agency, ticking off a list of top priorities, from solving a staffing crisis to ending widespread misconduct.

Colette Peters' testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee  the first time shes appeared before Congress  was a stark departure from the combative nature of her predecessor, who drew bipartisan rebukes for foisting blame on others and refusing to accept responsibility for the agency's problems.

Peters, who started in August, said the troubles she inherited have eroded trust in the agency among staff, inmates and the public. She cautioned that it'll take time to turn around the Justice Departments largest component, with 122 facilities, 159,000 inmates and a budget of more than $8 billion  but that it must be done.

These individuals in our care have the right to feel safe when they are incarcerated with us, Peters told The Associated Press after testifying. "So were going to do everything we can to ensure their safety.

The Bureau of Prisons has been under increasing scrutiny from Congress amid myriad crises, many of them exposed by AP reporting, including rampant sexual abuse of inmates by staff and other staff criminal conduct, chronic understaffing hampering emergency responses, escapes and deaths.

Peters, previously the director of Oregons state prison system, was brought in to run the Bureau of Prisons as a reform-minded outsider. Unlike past directors who worked their way up the ranks, she'd never been a federal prison employee before taking the top job.

Peters said she wants people to come out of prison better than they went in, telling senators, Our job is to make good neighbors, not good inmates."

Currently, though, the federal prison system isn't always putting former inmates in a position to succeed, advocates say. Because of staffing shortages, inmates aren't always able to take classes and access other programming that could help them on the outside. Some inmates eligible for early release under the First Step Act  a bipartisan criminal justice overhaul measure signed during the Trump administration  have been left to languish while paperwork piles up for overworked, understaffed case managers, advocates say.

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In the weeks since Peters took charge of the Bureau of Prisons, she has made changes to the system's organizational chart that she said will improve communications between its headquarters and its 122 facilities. Other changes include hiring of 40 additional internal affairs staff, which she said will improve handling and address a backlog of misconduct investigations.

Peters said the agency has been conducting what it terms cultural assessments of its facilities, starting with its womens prisons, like the one in Dublin, California, where a former warden and four workers were charged with sexually abusing employees. Based on those findings, the agency is making sure workers are trained in gender responsiveness and trauma-informed care, said Peters, who visited the Dublin prison this month.

She also promised to visit another problem prison: the Atlanta federal penitentiary that has been overrun with misconduct and corruption and was the subject of a July hearing of the Senates Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations.

At the same time, Peters must figure out a way to solve the agency's severe staffing shortage and shore up crumbling infrastructure.

With many vacant positions, prisons have been using cooks, teachers, nurses and other workers to guard inmates, raising questions about whether the agency is keeping prisoners and staff safe and keeping up with programming and classes, as required by law.

Peters said the makeshift staffing practice, known as augmentation, should only be used in true staffing emergencies, not as a permanent fix for dwindling guard ranks. Peters, expressing concern for employee wellness, said the agency's increased reliance on overtime and augmentation during the COVID-19 pandemic has only exacerbated wear and tear on prison workers.

But augmentation might not be going away any time soon, with attrition only accelerating the agency's staffing decline and hiring efforts  including career fairs, increased marketing and new recruitment strategies honed by an outside consultant  unable to keep up.

About 3,000 workers retired from the Bureau of Prisons last year and another 3,000 are expected to head for the door this year, Shane Fausey, the president of the federal correctional workers union, told the Judiciary Committee.

Peters also faces other challenges, including modernizing facilities that are rotting with mold or literally falling apart. Others are in dire need of HVAC upgrades and other structural repairs. All told, the agency is facing a $2 billion infrastructure deficit, Peters said.

Responding to an array of questions about the AP's reporting on rampant sexual abuse at a women's prison in California, Peters vowed to continue to prioritize allegations of staff misconduct and encouraged those who see wrongdoing to bring it forward. The Justice Department is also pushing for additional prosecutions and harsher penalties for prison workers who sexually abuse inmates.

Peters said the agency must create an environment where people feel comfortable coming forward as whistleblowers  where inmates are free to speak up without retaliation and employees understand that they have an obligation to report wrongdoing.

Peters agreed without hesitation when Sen. Jon Ossoff, D-Ga., asked if the buck will stop with you and if she will bear personal and ultimate responsibility for what happens at the agency.

Peters reiterated that afterward, telling the AP: The buck stops with me. Its important that I understand whats happening inside our organization.

The AP reported in February that whistleblower employees said they were being bulled by high-ranking prison officials, while inmates alleging abuse were being sent to solitary confinement or transferred to other prisons to silence them.

A bill introduced Wednesday would require the Justice Department to hire an ombudsman to field and investigate such complaints. The measure has support from a broad coalition of prison stakeholders, including Fausey's union.

A safe work place is a safe place for offenders to live. We have a common goal. Unfortunately, the Bureau of Prisons is a very large bureaucracy. If you do not maintain an independent avenue for oversight, a bureaucracy will abuse itself and I think the bureau has gotten to that point where they cant help themselves," Fausey said.

Durbin, whose been a sharp critic of the Bureau of Prisons and its former director, Michael Carvajal, came away impressed with Peters, telling her: A-plus. You did very well.

Durbin said in an interview with the AP that Peters has the right attitude about bringing a new generation of leadership to the Bureau of Prisons."

She has her hands full," Durbin said. "I want to be supportive of her in the administration. But I also want to hold them accountable.

___

On Twitter, follow Michael Sisak at twitter.com/mikesisak and Michael Balsamo at twitter.com/MikeBalsamo1 and send confidential tips by visiting https://www.ap.org/tips/
(Photo: Xochitl Cornejo for Huffpost)

(Photo: Xochitl Cornejo for Huffpost)

When I reflect on my childhood in Puerto Rico, I realize how the island can be like a bubble that isolates you from the rest of Latin America. Its no secret that, contrary to our counterparts, Boricuas are deeply Americanized. On the island, both public and private schools teach English as a second language, youre prompted to sing both the U.S. and Puerto Rican national anthems at major events, the movie theater mostly offers English movies with Spanish subtitles, and Spanish language TV isnt as widely available as English channels.

I grew up waiting for both Santa Claus and Los Reyes Magos, getting excited about parranda and coquito season, but also watching the Macys Thanksgiving Day Parade. Traveling to Florida, a state with an ample Puerto Rican population, with my family felt like visiting another pueblo.

Spanglish was part of our dialect, as was the use of anglicisms  this assimilation was by design. I remember being quizzed by my history teacher on the 50 states but never on all the countries that comprise Latin America. We learned little about our Latinidad; the most we discussed was through Latin American novels Dona Barbara by Romulo Gallegos and Cronica de una Muerte Anunciada by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. We didnt even touch on how our cultural heritage compared and contrasted to others in the region.

The truth is, most of our history has been whitewashed. And yet when you leave your homeland, you encounter that the rest of the world categorizes you as Latino/x/e. When I landed in the U.S., I was referred to as Latina and Hispanic, terms my family and friends, still living on the island, had never identified with.

Latinhood is an American invention, says Jorge Duany, professor of anthropology at Florida International University. Its a pan-ethnic category that groups multiple nationalities in a box, which can be problematic because although they share a language, some musical practices and the Catholic religion in most cases there are many dialectal, regional differences, in some countries even resulting in rivalries over border disputes.

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I felt conflicted, as many people with blended identities do. How exactly, beyond being Boricua, was I Latina? Do I know enough about the history of the region to call myself an expert? Can I (and should I) represent all Latinos? It often felt like my identity as a Puerto Rican was too Latina for the U.S. while being too American for the rest of Latin America.

Duany says the internal dilemma Latinos confront is that our identities depend on the context. Who you feel like identifying at that moment depends on who you are with and the interaction youre having, he tells me. One or [several] of our identities may activate in reaction to the space were in.

This gave me some reassurance. I could be from Bayamon to other Boricuas, Puerto Rican to other Latinos, Latina to Americans and Hispanic to a Brazilian. I didnt have to pick just one. But it took physically traveling between all these spaces to truly discover this nuance.

My identities clashed the most when I visited Rio de Janeiro, where reggaeton was not nearly as popular as it is in other parts of Latina America Id visited. We have our own music, different from the rest of you all, like funk carioca and samba, a friend we met during our first night out told me. Although both of us identify as Latina, we communicated in English  it was the only language we could both fully comprehend. That night, they taught me about pagode and bossa nova, and although I didnt understand all the lyrics, I felt like Brazilian music was also mine to be proud of. It was the type of cultural camaraderie I was craving without even realizing it.

Travel journalist Victoria Leandra in Cuba. (Photo: Victoria Leandra / Instagram)

Travel journalist Victoria Leandra in Cuba. (Photo: Victoria Leandra / Instagram)

The music that bonded us filled a void that exists for many of us across the diaspora. Its common to not feel the same affinity across all Latino cultures, Duany says. A [Puerto Rican] may feel more distant from Central and South Americans, as opposed to their Caribbean counterparts in Cuba and Dominican Republic where linguistic and cultural characteristics are more similar to each other. Bridging the gap, for me, felt crucial to understand my identity beyond the island I was born on and love so much.

For breakfast, they insisted I tried tapioca, a Brazilian crepe made out of manioc or cassava starch. After learning whats in it, I realized Id been fed a false narrative about a significant culinary staple of our people. The basis of casabe, the bread indigenous Tainos used to make, was alive and well in other parts of the world, except history class taught me that turning yuca into flour was a dead tradition. In Brazil, youll widely find it in dishes such as farofa and pao de queijo, two local staples. In Puerto Rico, youll only see it as a whole root vegetable. How did this delicious form of sustenance  a thread that ran through all of our cultures  get lost in translation?

There had to be other parts of my identity I was missing out on. I wanted to understand what it meant to be Latina, I wanted to live it across regions, understand first-hand some of their joys, issues and luchas.

And so, a few years ago, I committed to traveling across Latin America as much as my wallet would allow me to. I had to dive in head first because learning about my own Latinidad meant unlearning about the Americanness I had been indoctrinated with in Puerto Rico. During my travels, I mostly found commonalities rather than differences, unlike what I first encountered upon my arrival in the U.S.  a country Puerto Ricans were supposedly part of.

On the island, theres the belief that our indigenous communities are long gone. Although you clearly see the shimmer of our Taino identities within our everyday lives, including in our vocabulary and our physical appearance, the history of our indigenous tribes has been suppressed by the colonialist powers of both Spain and the U.S. Yet these communities are alive and well in regions such as Mexico and Peru. The indigenous population in Latin America is approximately 50 million people belonging to 500 different ethnic groups.

As I visited different countries, I craved to reconnect with the indigenous identity that had been stripped away from me. The Maleku indigenous community, in Costa Ricas Alajuela province, taught me about the common ground between our languages. Although they speak their own, we found common ground over what they call banano (platano, for me), another culinary staple for both cultures. The Maleku people have a spiritual purpose for them as well  to clean the energy of those who enter their homes.

On a recent visit to Bogota, Colombia, my friend offered me a bocadillo. It wasnt until I saw it that I realized it was simply what we call guayaba y queso back home, a snack I grew up watching my dad eat after work while he watched the nightly newscast. Their hogao is our salsa criolla. It was in these moments  many of them food related, of course  that I felt reborn into identity as a Latina woman. We both acknowledge that our cultures are different from each other, but we rejoiced in finding the similarities that connect us.

Homogeneity cannot be expected from Latin America, Duany says. Not all Latinos understand or identify with the indigenous people who speak Mayan and Quechua languages or those who practice pre-Columbian religions. It is clear that diversity is the dominant feature of the entire continent geographically, culturally, linguistically and even politically. One can focus on the differences or opt to highlight the similarities. I found beauty in doing both.

I deconstructed and unlearned harmful stigmas and structures while also educating myself about my family all over Latin America. I continue to explore different parts of my own identity, as I recognize that it continues to evolve with every new bit of information I learn about our collective history as colonized people. Every spirit and intention Ive encountered along the way so far has somehow made me feel more complete than I could have ever hoped for. And the journey continues.

This article originally appeared on HuffPost and has been updated.

Related...
Finland announced on Thursday that it would bar Russians from entering as tourists, closing off the last land route into the European Union for people fleeing the Kremlins military mobilization effort.

The policy takes effect at midnight on Friday, Finlands government announced.

The decision leaves open some avenues for Russian nationals to enter Finland  including for work, studies and what an official described as humanitarian reasons  but is expected to sharply reduce the number of Russians arriving.

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Finland was the last European Union nation to allow Russians to enter as tourists, after Poland and the Baltic States, which also share a land border with Russia, enacted their own bans last week. As a member of the Schengen area, which allows free travel within 26 countries in Europe, Finland has been a key entry point for Russians into the EU; last week, two-thirds of the 66,000 Russians entering the EU via land borders came through Finland, according to Frontex, the EU border agency.

Approximately 80% of Russians entering Finland on tourist visas go on to other countries.

Finlands government had long discussed barring Russian tourists, but President Vladimir Putins call-up this month of hundreds of thousands of civilians for military service had a significant effect on the decision, Finlands foreign minister, Pekka Haavisto, told a news conference. Russias mobilization prompted an exodus of Russian men escaping possible deployment to the war in Ukraine.

Living in the shadow of Russia, a large and powerful neighbor, has shaped Finlands foreign policy, and Moscows invasion of Ukraine has prompted fast changes. In June, NATO leaders formally invited Finland and Sweden to join the military alliance, as both Nordic nations abandoned decades of neutrality and military nonalignment in order to buttress their security.

The numbers of Russians entering Finland have dipped since reaching a peak over the weekend. On Tuesday, 7,052 Russians entered the country, twice as many as the number that returned to Russia, according to government figures. The number of arrivals dropped to 4,707 on Wednesday, as Russia began restricting access to the border for men eligible for military service.

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Finland had already this month cut the number of tourist visas it issues to Russians by 90%, to only 100 a day.

Our governments view is clear: Tourism and transit through Finland must end, Prime Minister Sanna Marin told reporters last week.

 2022 The New York Times Company
Screenshots of email from Biden's Education Department on student debt relief @Ki/Tiwtter

On Thursday, the Department of Education sent out an update on student debt relief.

The email provides details on debt relief eligibility and what to expect moving forward.

Borrowers can begin applying for relief this October through a "short and simple" application.

Millions of federal student loan borrowers just received their first official update from Biden's Education Department about the relief that's coming to them.

In August, President Biden announced up to $20,000 in student-loan forgiveness for individuals making under $125,000 a year. But since the announcement, borrowers have been awaiting further details about how and when their debt will be cancelled.

On Thursday, US Department of Education sent out the first of what it said will be a weekly "Debt Relief Update." Borrowers can sign up for future updates here.

The first email touches on who's eligible for relief, what they might be eligible for, how cancellation will work, and what to expect moving forward.

In October, borrowers will be able to begin applying for relief. They will have from October 2022 through the end of 2023 to apply.

The application will be "short and simple." Borrowers won't need their Federal Student Aid IDs to login nor will they have to upload any supporting documents.

Once the application is submitted, the Federal Student Aid office will review the application and determine whether the borrower is eligible for debt relief. If they are, the office will work with the borrower's loan servicer to begin processing the relief.

For borrowers who are unsure whether they are eligible for relief, the White House recommended StudentAid.gov as another resource.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Fearing the border may close "forever" after President Vladimir Putin's mobilisation order for the war in Ukraine, Russians are rushing to flee across Finland's Vaalimaa crossing.

On this foggy early morning, dozens of cars and buses with Russian licence plates are lined up at the border, their passengers hoping to make it into Finland before it's too late.

Some smoke cigarettes outside their vehicles as they wait impatiently.

"Many people are afraid," says Oleg, a bar owner from Moscow who has just crossed over to the Finnish side.

"The mobilisation is a first sign that something worse might happen."

He fears the border might "close forever" and Russians "will live in a totalitarian state where they can't do anything at all".

"I live in a country which sinks a little more every day," he explains.

Finland said on Monday that more Russians came to the country over the weekend than any other weekend so far this year -- around 17,000 entries -- after Moscow's military call-up announcement sparked a surge in arrivals.

Helsinki announced on September 23 it planned to "significantly restrict the entry of Russian citizens" and would finalise the decision in the "coming days".

While the restriction is not yet in force, the border guard service said it was ready to apply the new rules "within a day".

The Finnish government is expected to meet Thursday to decide when it will go into force.

- 'Sleepless nights' -

Viktor Zakharov -- who arrived in Finland with his partner and their three children -- says he has five friends who have left Russia since the mobilisation.

While the 35-year-old scientist from Saint Petersburg does not have a military background and is not part of the mobilisation, he is worried the situation might change.

"If you are not fit today you can be tomorrow and be in the army," he says, as the travellers wait patiently for their vehicles to be inspected by Finnish border guards.

Zakharov -- who is headed for Israel -- drove his fully packed SUV through the Russian side in 30 minutes and then spent one-and-a-half hours making his way through the Finnish crossing.

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Despite being in Finland, "the feeling of freedom has not come yet because of the sleepless nights and the packing, and to be honest it's not clear yet," he explains as he hands pieces of candy to his children.

State employee Vadim arrived by bus. He left his mother in charge of looking after his apartment in Moscow, and hopes to return soon.

"I have heard about many cases of young men being deported and not being able to cross because of the mobilisation," he says.

"I can't say I'm happy, I can't with the world's situation."

- Prepared for 'difficult developments' -

The Finnish border guard said earlier this week it was preparing for "difficult developments" as the situation evolved.

"It is possible that when travel is restricted, attempts at illegal border crossings will increase," a spokesman said.

In July, Finland passed new amendments to its Border Guard Act to facilitate the construction of sturdier fences on the Nordic country's 1,300-kilometre (800-mile) eastern border with Russia.

As it stands, Finland's borders are secured primarily with light wooden fences, mainly designed to stop livestock from wandering to the wrong side.

On Tuesday, the Finnish border guard said it believes it will be necessary to build 130-260 kilometres of barriers in high-risk areas.

"The physical barrier itself is indispensable in a large-scale entry situation, acting as a barrier and an element of diversion for potential crowds," the border guard said in a statement.

The fence still requires a political decision.

ehu/po/imm/mca
An area in Fort Myers Beach, Florida, in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian, Sept. 29, 2022 Wilfredo Lee / AP

As it makes its way north from Florida, Hurricane Ian has left a trail of devastation in its wake, the full extent of which was not yet clear to officials on Thursday.

There has been one confirmed fatality so far, in Volusia County. The county sheriff said a 72-year-old man died overnight after going outside to drain his pool during the storm.

At a press conference Thursday morning, Gov. Ron DeSantis said state officials know of two fatalities, which they assume are linked to the hurricane, but they're not yet sure.

Earlier that day, Lee County Sheriff Carmine Marceno painted a far graver picture of the human toll.

"While I don't have confirmed numbers, I definitely know the fatalities are in the hundreds," he told Good Morning America. "There are thousands of people that are waiting to be rescued."

DeSantis, however, later said that those numbers were not confirmed.

"I think what that is, is there were 911 calls for people saying, 'Hey, the water is rising in my home. I'm going to go up in the attic, but I'm really worried.'"

A section of the causeway leading to Sanibel, Florida, was knocked out by Hurricane Ian, Sept. 29, 2022. Douglas R. Clifford / AP

FEMA administrator Deanne Criswell told CNN that many communities along Florida's west coast were hit hard by Hurricane Ian, with Lee County, in the southwest, emerging as the area sustaining the most damage.

We know that there was significant storm surge there. We know that their water system has been impacted, and were focused right now on getting some search and rescue teams, who have been out since 4 this morning, to get into that area and identify who might need assistance, who might need to get rescued," Criswell said.

This photo provided by the Naples Fire-Rescue Department shows someone helping rescue a stranded motorist from flooding caused by Hurricane Ian on Sept. 28, 2022, in Naples, Florida. Naples Fire-Rescue Department / AP

Across Florida, people were trapped in flooded homes, waiting for rescue teams to arrive. Parts of the Sanibel Causeway were obliterated by the storm, cutting off the Sanibel and Captiva barrier islands from the mainland.

But officials warned that the entire state is still at risk, even in areas where Ian did not make landfall.

"I want to emphasize the storm still poses a major threat to the state, including central Florida right now and northeast Florida," Kevin Guthrie, director of the Florida Division of Emergency Management, said at a press conference Thursday morning.

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DeSantis said the storm has "broad impacts across the state," causing flooding in areas "hundreds of miles" from landfall.

"Right now if you look in central Florida, you're looking at potential major flooding in Orange and Seminole counties, St. Johns River, all the way up potentially into northeast Florida into Jacksonville," he said. "The amount of water that's been rising and will likely continue to rise today even as the storm is passing, is basically a 500-year flood event."

Hospitals and medical facilities in several counties evacuated patients after being hit by Ian, the Associated Press reported.

Videos on social media show severe flooding and widespread damage across the state, with entire neighborhoods leveled.

#BREAKING: Video circulating shows houses FLOATING off their foundations in Fort Myers Beach. Hurricane #Ian. 06:23 PM - 28 Sep 2022

Hurricane Ian has hit us hard. We are under water. Much destruction. Our house is still standing and so far no animal fatalities. Please keep us in your thoughts and prayers. #HurricaneIan #Hurricane #littlebearsanctuary 03:16 AM - 29 Sep 2022

More footage of Times Square Fort Myers Beach LEVELED after #HurricaneIan #HurricanIan #Ian #FortMyers 03:15 PM - 29 Sep 2022

A friend just sent me this video from the Oasis in downtown Ft. Myers. Horrific flooding #HurricaneIan 01:31 AM - 29 Sep 2022

President Joe Biden formally declared a major disaster in Charlotte, Collier, DeSoto, Hardee, Hillsborough, Lee, Manatee, Pinellas, and Sarasota counties on Thursday, which allows federal funds to go towards helping residents there. DeSantis said he will likely request a federal disaster declaration in other counties as the scope of the damage becomes clearer.

The US Coast Guard began rescue missions on the barrier islands early on Thursday after the hurricane passed, DeSantis said. Rescue officials are also conducting operations in places with the most inland flooding.

More than 2.6 million customers were without power in Florida by noon on Thursday, according to a national power outage tracker.

DeSantis said that Lee and Charlotte counties "are basically off the grid at this point." Power infrastructures in those two counties would likely have to be rebuilt to get them back on the grid, he said.

At a FEMA briefing on Thursday, Biden talked about the devastation that the hurricane has wrought on Florida so far.

"Some of the folks have been through this before, but that doesn't make it any easier, it actually makes the anxiety even higher in my view," he said. "My message to the people of Florida and to the country: At times like this, America comes together."

Damaged ships and debris in Fort Myers, Florida, in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian, Sept. 29, 2022 Wilfredo Lee / AP

On Thursday morning, Ian was downgraded to a tropical storm as it travels up north but is expected to regain hurricane intensity as it makes landfall in South Carolina. But by 5 p.m. Eastern Time, Ian had become a hurricane again as sustained winds increased to almost 75 mph.

Hurricane-force winds are expected to begin battering the coast of South Carolina early Friday, the National Hurricane Center said in an advisory.

"There is a danger of life-threatening storm surge through Friday along the coasts of northeast Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina," the agency said.

According to the advisory, Ian could slightly strengthen before landfall tomorrow but will rapidly weaken over the southeastern states late Friday and early Saturday.

More on this
Former Crestwood Mayor Louis Presta was ordered released early from federal prison Thursday due to a precipitous decline in his health while serving his 1-year sentence for bribery.

Presta, who turns 72 next month, was sentenced in April after pleading guilty to taking what he thought was a $5,000 bribe from a red-light camera company executive during an FBI sting.

He reported in June to a medical prison facility in Lexington, Kentucky, and was expected to be released on April 18, 2023, according to the Federal Bureau of Prisons.

Two months into his term, Prestas lawyers filed a motion asking U.S. District Judge Thomas Durkin to order his release due to what they described as grave health concerns, including heart disease, vertigo, high blood pressure and diabetes.

Mr. Presta is a very sick man, and he is only getting sicker, attorney Burt Odelson wrote. He and his family fear for his health and safety, and they fear that given his worsening conditions, it is possible that he will die in prison.

Prison officials had maintained that Presta was getting the health care he needed at the facility and that early release was not warranted, court records show.

After enlisting the help of an independent doctor to examine Presta, the judge on Tuesday ordered the former mayor be released immediately to home confinement to serve the remainder of his sentence.

Presta, a Democrat first elected as mayor of Crestwood in 2013, resigned in November after pleading guilty to charges of bribery, official misconduct and filing false tax returns.

He admitted in a plea agreement with prosecutors that he accepted an envelope with $5,000 in March 2019 from Omar Maani, an executive at clout-heavy red-light camera company SafeSpeed LLC. Maani, who no longer works for the firm, was actually cooperating with the FBI and the entire exchange was caught on an undercover camera.

Presta, who at the time was running for Cook County commissioner, took the money in exchange for helping SafeSpeed get more red-light cameras in the village and boost revenues from existing cameras by approving more violations, according to his plea agreement.

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In handing down the sentence, Durkin noted that Presta had done many good things for his community in his time as mayor, but thats what elected officials are supposed to do.

The judge also said Prestas corruption did real damage to Crestwood, a working-class town that doesnt have all the advantages of wealthier communities on the North Shore.

The image of Crestwood is diminished when the mayor takes a bribe to jack up red-light camera tickets on anyone driving through town, Durkin said. I dont know how many of those tickets were unjustified. But it damages people to have to pay tickets that otherwise might not have been written.

Before he was sentenced, Presta sniffed back tears as he apologized to his wife and the people of the town.

Im so sorry for bringing this scandal to the village of Crestwood, he said, seated at the defense table reading from a sheet of paper. I never thought that Id be a criminal defendant.

The FBI sting that ensnared Presta in 2017 was part of a wide-ranging political corruption investigation that has toppled a number of politicians and operatives in Chicagos west and southwest suburbs.

SafeSpeed and its owner, Nikki Zollar, have denied any wrongdoing and have not been charged.

jmeisner@chicagotribune.com
Sep. 29An information technology professional in Honolulu pled guilty Wednesday to sabotaging his former employer's computer network as part of a scheme for a higher salary.

An information technology professional in Honolulu pled guilty Wednesday to sabotaging his former employer's computer network as part of a scheme for a higher salary.

Casey Umetsu, 40, as part of his guilty plea in U.S. District Court, admitted to changing the online traffic of a Hawaii-based financial company that he had worked at shortly after he cut ties with the company, where he had worked from 2017-2019.

He admitted to using the company's credentials to access a website it used to manage its internet domain. Umetsu changed the company's configuration settings and made multiple changes, including misdirecting web and email traffic to computers that were not affiliated with the company.

Umetsu prolonged the outage by keeping the company locked out of the website.

He admitted that he made the changes to convince the company to hire him back for higher pay.

"Umetsu criminally abused the special access privileges given to him by his employer to disrupt its network operations for personal gain, " said U.S. Attorney Clare Connors in a statement. "Those who compromise the security of a computer network  whether government, business, or personal  will be investigated and prosecuted, including technology personnel whose access was granted by the victim."

Umetsu can face up to 10 years in prison, a fine of up to $250, 000 and up to three years of supervised release.
Arlinda Moriarty appeared to have it all: a booming business, awards for her work, and a proclamation from the city.

But the feds say all that time, she was the ringleader of an elaborate conspiracy to steal money from the government.

Moriarty left the federal courthouse Wednesday afternoon after a judge sentenced her to seven years in federal prison.

Moriartys world began unraveling five years ago, when the the FBI raided her home health care business on Perrysville Avenue.

The feds accused Moriarty and 15 others  some of them relatives  of defrauding the federal government out of millions of dollars by fabricating bills for ghost employees, submitting invoices for deceased patients, and falsifying records.

In an interview with Target 11 after the allegations surfaced, Moriarty denied the accusations.

But back in May, she decided to plead guilty to fraud charges.

In court Wednesday, prosecutors described Moriarty as the ringleader. In a very complex medicaid fraud case that lasted for six years.

Moriarty apologized to the government and her family, and said she accepts responsibility for her actions.

Moriarty is scheduled to report to federal prison in January.

The other defendants have all pleaded guilty as well and received anywhere from probation to five years in prison.

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Steve King, CEO of Milwaukee host committee for 2024 Republican National Convention.

Milwaukee's host committee for the 2024 Republican National Convention has brought on a seasoned political hand to serve as chief executive officer.

The spot has gone to Steve King, 81, a longtime stalwart of Wisconsin GOP politics who served as U.S. Ambassador to the Czech Republic.

Why did King take the position?

"Because I was asked by Reince Priebus, who has been a longtime friend and compatriot," King told the Journal Sentinel.

Priebus, an ex-White House chief of staff under former President Donald Trump, is the chairman of Milwaukee's host committee.

Priebus announced that King was on board Thursday during an event held by the Milwaukee Business Journal.

Local organizers say they need to raise $65 million for the event and have already secured more than $20 million in commitments.

During the Milwaukee Business Journal event Priebus said other members of the host committee are Tim Sheehy of the Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce, philanthropist Ted Kellner, Republican Party of Wisconsin first vice chairman Gerard Randall, philanthropist Kathryn "Murph" Burke, Visit Milwaukee CEO Peggy Williams-Smith and Tony Povkovich of Uline Corp.

King likened the convention process to making a movie, with the local organizing committee acting as a producer while the RNC directs the event.

He said the organizing committee will "raise the money for the event and put in place all the necessary tools including contracts with a number of different organizations and entities."

King said Milwaukee has a big head start in the process, securing the event two years ahead of time.

King lived in the Janesville area for nearly 50 years and retains strong family ties in the state. He and his wife currently live in the Outer Banks of North Carolina.

He said serving as chief executive of the host committee is his way of giving back to the state, as well as Milwaukee.

King was a former state Republican Party chairman in the 1980s. He also has significant convention experience, serving as the sergeant of arms for the 2012 Republican Convention in Tampa and heading the committee on arrangements for the 2016 RNC in Cleveland.

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"The last real successful Republican convention was held in a city on a lake in the upper Midwest, that was Cleveland," he said. "My goal is to make sure all the necessary tools are in place so the RNC will put on the best convention this century in the upper Midwest in a city on a lake."

Our subscribers make this reporting possible. Please consider supporting local journalism by subscribing to the Journal Sentinel at jsonline.com/deal.

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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Steve King named Milwaukee host committee CEO for 2024 RNC
US President Donald Trump (L) is embraced by Rupert Murdoch at a dinner in New York in 2017. Brendan Smialowski/Getty Images

Fox News owner Rupert Murdoch attended a 2017 meeting with Donald Trump, a new book says.

At the meeting, Murdoch shared his succession plans, says the book by Maggie Haberman.

Trump's closeness with key figures at Fox News has long been a subject of controversy.

Fox News owner Rupert Murdoch told Donald Trump which of his sons would take over running his media empire at a meeting in 2017, a new book says.

CNN's "Reliable Sources" newsletter on Wednesday published extracts from "Confidence Man," New York Times reporter Maggie Haberman's new book about Donald Trump.

At the White House meeting, Haberman writes, Trump and Murdoch were supposed to discuss candidates for the White House chief of staff role. But Trump's mind was elsewhere, and he instead spent 30 minutes "hectoring Murdoch about the supposed leftward drift of Fox News."

"'It's going to become too liberal when James [Murdoch] takes over,'" Trump reportedly told Murdoch, referring to the media magnate's son, who was widely expected to take over from his father.

"'No,' Murdoch interrupted. 'It's going to be Lachlan [Murdoch].' That was one of the first times the succession plan ... had ever been made public, and Trump only managed to elicit it because he was so uninterested in dealing with his own staffing issues," Haberman writes.

Donald Trump with Rupert Murdoch at one of his golf courses near Aberdeen, Scotland in 2016. Michal Wachucik/Getty Images

In May 2018 Lachlan Murdoch was appointed chairman and CEO of Rupert Murdoch's TV empire, which includes Fox News and Fox Business, having previously worked there as a senior executive.

Under his stewardship, Fox News championed Trump's presidency and has promoted far-right conspiracy theories during the pandemic and on immigration.

Despite the backing he's received from the network, Trump has long railed against it at the slightest sign of criticism.

James Murdoch resigned from his board position on News Corp, the umbrella ccompany for several of Murdoch's businesses, in 2020, citing editorial differences, specifically in relation to the coverage of global warming.

News Corp did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.

Read the original article on Business Insider
By Sudip Kar-Gupta and Tassilo Hummel

PARIS (Reuters) - French technology consultancy company Atos, whose shares have slumped on scepticism over its restructuring plan, said on Thursday it had rejected expressions of interest in its Evidian unit from rival onepoint and UK private equity fund ICG.

Atos said onepoint and ICG had sent an unsolicited letter of intent related to the potential acquisition of the Evidian business for an indicative enterprise value of 4.2 billion euros ($4.1 billion).

"Following the thorough examination of this preliminary and non-binding mark of interest, and upon the recommendation of its ad hoc committee, the board of directors has convened and unanimously concluded that it is not in the interest of the company and its stakeholders," Atos said. "The board of directors has therefore decided not to proceed."

David Layani, the founder of onepoint, urged Atos to reconsider. He told reporters that a combination of one point with Atos would create a new French technology champion, and said onepoint's overtures to Atos were "friendly".

"We ask the board to take the time to reconsider its position so that we can work together to find the best solution for this merger," said Layani, adding that he saw a deal between the two as creating 20,000 jobs in Europe.

Former Atos CEO Rodolphe Belmer announced in June that he would leave Atos just as the group presented a plan to split into two groups, with the aim of spinning off and combining its most lucrative assets, including its cybersecurity division BDS.

Atos has since secured financing for the turnaround plan, but many investors have continued to unload the shares.

Atos shares closed up 10.6% on Thursday, but year-to-date the stock is down by around 77%.

($1 = 1.0219 euros)

(Additional reporting by Matthieu Protard; Editing by Marc Angrand, Jean-Stephane Brosse and Leslie Adler)
Authorities in Jackson County arrested two people following an ongoing investigation into illegal drug activity at a home in Pendergrass.

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According to the release, on Sept. 7 deputies with Jackson County Sheriffs Office filed a report about a burglary that happened on Hammond Road in Jefferson.

Investigators identified Tyler Hayes Winchell, 24, as a suspect in the burglary and served an arrest warrant and search warrant at his home on Sept. 21 on Nichols Road in Pendergrass.

During the search, investigators found evidence that tied Winchell to the burglary. Officials also learned that drug activity was occurring at the home.

More evidence tied Maggie Elizabeth Rocco, 33, of Pendergrass to Winchell when the drug activity was occurring.

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Deputies seized $12,000 in cash, methamphetamine and other drug paraphernalia.

Winchell and Rocco are both being held in the Jackson County Jail.

Winchell is charged with burglary in the first degree, the use of telephone in committing or facilitating a felony, conspiracy to traffic methamphetamine and felony violation of probation.

Rocco is charged with conspiracy to traffic methamphetamine, use of telephone in committing or facilitating a felony, possession of methamphetamine, tampering with evidence and felony violation of probation.

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Military members around the country are on high alert in the wake of Ian approaching its second landfall.

The 165th Airlift Wing in Savannah officially closed on Thursday while Dobbins Air Force Base in metro Atlanta remains open.

Fingers crossed we are just going to get a little rain and wind but for our neighbors down south, that certainly looks much different, USAF Maj. Stephani Schafer told Channel 2s Elizabeth Rawlins.

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So far, its still business as usual for folks at Dobbins but that could change.

Because we are in the path, we are in a waiting period to see how we can provide any assistance, said Maj. Schafer.

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Depending on the location, some bases further south have closed and other bases further north are housing aircraft and folks who evacuated.

The Georgia Air National Guard sent Channel 2 Action News a statement on Thursday that read:

The Georgia National Guard is prepared to provide response and recovery support to areas impacted by Hurricane Ian should support be required. The Georgia Emergency Management Agency (GEMA) is the lead agency. We will continue to partner with GEMA as well as other local, state, and federal entities at the direction of the Governor.

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BERLIN (AP)  Germany plans to spend up to 200 billion euros ($195 billion) helping consumers and businesses cope with surging energy prices.

Chancellor Olaf Scholz said Thursday that the government is reactivating an economic stabilizing fund previously used during the global financial crisis and the coronavirus pandemic.

Scholz said Russias decision to cut natural gas to Europe and the recent leaks on two pipelines showed further Russian energy supplies couldnt be expected in the near future.

Finance Minister Christian Lindner insisted that the fund would not entail further regular borrowing, saying Germany is expressly not following Great Britains path.
BERLIN/PARIS (Reuters) - Germany's foreign minister said on Thursday she wanted the European Union to impose sanctions on Iran following the death of a young woman in police custody and the subsequent crackdown on protesters.

The bloc last agreed human rights sanctions on Tehran in 2021. No Iranians had been added to that list since 2013, however, as the bloc has shied away from angering Iran in the hope of safeguarding a nuclear accord Tehran signed with world powers in 2015. Those talks have now stalled.

It currently has an array of sanctions on about 90 Iranian individuals which have been renewed annually every April.

"The Iranian authorities must immediately end their brutal treatment of demonstrators," Annalena Baerbock told the Bundestag parliament on Thursday, calling for investigations into the deaths of Amini and those protesting her death.

She said she would do everything within the EU framework to reach the point of imposing sanctions against those responsible for oppressing women in Iran.

The United States on Sept. 22 imposed sanctions on Iran's morality police over allegations of abuse of Iranian women, saying it held the unit responsible for the death of a 22-year-old Mahsa Amini.

Amini, a Kurdish woman, was arrested by the morality police in Tehran for wearing "unsuitable attire" and fell into a coma while in detention. The authorities have said they would investigate the cause of her death.

France's foreign ministry hinted on Monday that it would back sanctions, saying in a statement that Paris was examining the available options for the bloc to react in the face of "new massive abuses on women's rights and human rights in Iran".

"The European Union will continue to consider all the options at its disposal ahead of the next Foreign Affairs Council, to address the killing of Mahsa Amini and the way Iranian security forces have responded to the ensuing demonstrations," EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said in a statement, referring to a mid-October ministerial meeting.

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Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi said on Wednesday that Amini's death had "saddened" everyone in the Islamic Republic, but warned that "chaos" would not be accepted amid spreading violent protests. [L1N30Z0S7]

Iranian officials say 41 people, including members of the police and a pro-government militia, have died in protests across the country. But Iranian human rights groups have reported a higher toll.

(Reporting by John Irish, Rachel More and Andreas Rinke; writing by John Irish; editing by Paul Carrel and Philippa Fletcher)
Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.) announced on Wednesday that Virginia Ginni Thomas, the wife of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, is scheduled to meet with the Jan. 6 select committee this week.

Our expectation at this point is that we will talk to Ms. Thomas, and we have no indication to the contrary, Thompson, the chairman of the Jan. 6 panel, told reporters.

Pressed on if the interview will take place on Thursday or Friday, Thompson said its sometime this week.

Again, to my knowledge, its set, and we look forward to whenever that occurs, he added.

The interview with Thomas will cap a months-long effort by the select committee to speak with the conservative activist who reportedly exchanged emails with John Eastman, the lawyer who drafted memos for the Trump campaign outlining how Vice President Mike Pence could keep then-President Trump in power.

Thomas also reportedly texted then-White House chief of staff Mark Meadows and Arizona lawmakers regarding efforts to reverse the results of the 2020 presidential election.

Thompson told reporters in June that the committee asked Thomas for an interview, and the conservative activist at the time said she was looking forward to speaking with the panel.

Later that month, Thomass attorney, Mark Paoletta, wrote a letter to the committee saying he did not understand the need to speak with Ms. Thomas, and requested a a better justification for why the her testimony was relevant to the committee.

But nearly three months later, on Sept. 21, Paoletta confirmed that his client would meet with the Jan. 6 committee.

As she has said from the outset, Mrs. Thomas is eager to answer the Committees questions to clear up any misconceptions about her work relating to the 2020 election, Paoletta said in a statement. She looks forward to that opportunity.

Thomass conversation with the committee comes as the panel is racing the clock to finish its work before the years end, when the group will likely be dissolved if Republicans take control of the House this November.

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The panel was scheduled to hold a hearing  potentially the last one before its final report is released  on Wednesday, but the presentation got postponed because of Hurricane Ian, which made landfall in Florida that day.

Committee members have not yet announced a new date for the hearing.

Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.), a member of the select committee, told CNN in an interview on Sunday that the panel is interviewing Thomas because of her own activities.

Its not because of whose wife she is. And Im hopeful that we will learn important elements from her testimony to us, she added.

Pressed on what the committee is hoping to hear from Thomas, Lofgren pointed to her communications with Eastman.

I dont know what her answers will be, but clearly there were e-mails between her and Dr. Eastman that wed like to explore with her. And she said publicly that shell come in and everything will be clear, so we hope thats the case, she said.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Conservative activist Ginni Thomas and January 6 committee chair Rep. Bennie Thompson of Mississippi. AP Photos/Susan Walsh and J. Scott Applewhite

Ginni Thomas told January 6 investigators that she still believes the 2020 presidential election was stolen.

Committee chair Bennie Thompson told CNN about Thomas' comments during a closed-door interview.

Her interview could become part of the next hearing "if there's something of merit," he told CNN.

Virginia "Ginni" Thomas, the wife of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, told the House committee investigating the January 6 insurrection that she still believes the 2020 presidential election was stolen, despite a lack of evidence to support that claim.

That's according to CNN reporter Annie Grayer, who spoke with Rep. Bennie Thompson, the Mississippi Democrat who chairs the committee leading the probe into the attack on the US Capitol by supporters of former President Donald Trump.

"Yes," he told CNN after Thomas testified for about four and a half hours. "She said that."

Thompson told Grayer that Thomas answered "some questions" and that her interview could become part of the next hearing "if there's something of merit." The committee postponed a hearing scheduled for September 28 because of Hurricane Ian in Florida and it has not released a new date.

In a statement shared by The New York Times, Thomas also denied talking to her husband about her advocacy after the election, adding that she and her husband had an "iron-clad rule" not to speak about Supreme Court cases.

The interview with Thomas, a conservative activist, follows reporting by The Washington Post in March about text messages she wrote to Trump's chief of staff Mark Meadows.

Biden already had been declared president-elect on November 10 when Thomas texted Meadows: "Help This Great President stand firm, Mark!!!...You are the leader, with him, who is standing for America's constitutional governance at the precipice. The majority knows Biden and the Left is attempting the greatest Heist of our History."

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Thomas also emailed Arizona lawmakers days after the 2020 election, urging them to "do your constitutional duty" and appoint "a clean slate of Electors" for the state, the Post reported.

Thomas' lawyer Mark Paoletta said that Thomas answered all the committee's questions and she "was happy to cooperate ... to clear up the misconceptions about her activities surrounding the 2020 elections," according to a statement New York Times reporter Maggie Haberman posted on Twitter.

"As she said from the outset, Mrs. Thomas had significant concerns about fraud and irregularities in the 2020 election," he said. "And, as she told the committee, her minimal and mainstream activity focused on ensuring that reports of fraud and irregularities were investigated. Beyond that, she played no role in any events after the 2020 election results.

Paoletta continued, "As she wrote in a text to Mark Meadows at the time, she also condemned the violence on January 6, as she abhors violence on any side of the aisle."

Read the original article on Business Insider
North Korea fired two short-range ballistic missiles toward the East Sea on Wednesday, just one day before U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris arrives in South Korea and amid speculation that North Korea is preparing to conduct its seventh nuclear test as early as October.

South Korean military detected two short-range ballistic missiles fired from the Sunan area in Pyongyang into the East Sea between 6:10 p.m. to 6:20 p.m. local time, according to South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Its the second ballistic missile launch in a week after North Korea test-fired one surface-to-surface short-range ballistic missile from the western inland town of Taechon on Sunday.

PHOTO: This file photo taken on on Sept. 9, 2022 shows file footage of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on a television screen at a train station in Seoul, South Korea. (Anthony Wallace/AFP via Getty Images)

South Koreas Joint Chiefs of Staff immediately and strongly condemned the missile launch calling it a "grave provocation" that undermines peace and security on the Korean Peninsula as well as the international community. Pyongyang has launched 18 ballistic missiles along with two cruise missiles so far in 2022.

North Koreas act of provocation will intensify the deterrence and response capabilities of the South Korea-U.S. ally and aggravate North Koreas isolation from the international community, South Koreas Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement. Its a clear violation of the U.N. Security Council resolution and we urge North Korea to stop immediately.

South Korean lawmakers told reporters that they believe North Korea has prepared an underground nuclear test site and that South Korean officials believe their neighbor to the north will undertake its seventh nuclear test sometime between Oct. 16 and Nov. 7, though these reports have not been confirmed.

PHOTO: A TV screen shows a file image of a North Korean missile launch during a news program at the Seoul Railway Station in Seoul, South Korea, on Sept. 28, 2022. (Ahn Young-joon/AP)

Its become more plausible that North Korea will conduct a nuclear test as it readied the underground nuclear test tunnel, Lawmaker Youn Kun-young said after a closed-door briefing with Seouls spy agency, the National Intelligence Service. According to the NIS, theres a high possibility that if North Korea does, it will happen between the 20th Party Congress of China on October 16 and before the U.S. midterm elections on November 7.

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Youn confirmed that the dates are only a reasonable guess and not confirmation of any specific intelligence.

North Korea must give due consideration to its allies China and Russia, Former NIS North Korea analyst Kwak Gil-sup told ABC News. And dropping a nuclear security issue before the U.S. midterms may work favorably for China and Russia, both currently in political conflict with Washington.

PHOTO: Vice President Kamala Harris talks to the media at Yokosuka Naval Base, in Yokosuka, Japan, on Sep. 28, 2022. (Leah Millis/Reuters)

Another analyst suggested that although North Korea may be fully prepared to conduct a nuclear test, it does not necessarily mean that it will do so any time soon.

When North Korea passed the new law enshrining its nuclear doctrine this month, it is to say that they have the nuclear weapons. North Korea has already proved its capabilities of successfully building a hydrogen bomb that could fit on the top of an intercontinental ballistic missile during its sixth nuclear test in September 2017, Park Hwee Rhak, chair of the Nuclear Defense Committee at the Hansun Foundation, told ABC News. If North Korea conducts yet another nuclear test it would only mean that they have improved the force or developed a smaller warhead, but I dont see why they would go public with a strategic weapon.

Both analysts, however, agreed about the unpredictable nature of North Korea.

When it comes to North Korea, hours of analysis and speculation are always met with a surprise threat, Park said.

North Korea launches 2 ballistic missiles as Seoul says nuclear test is imminent originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
ATHENS, Greece (AP)  Google announced plans Thursday to expand its cloud services infrastructure to Greece, promising to create nearly 20,000 jobs through direct investment and partnerships by the end of the decade.

The move follows plans by Microsoft, announced two years ago, to invest $1 billion to create data centers near Athens, as well as pledges by other tech giants including Cisco and Amazon to set up facilities in Greece.

We can dramatically increase and accelerate innovation and digital transformation in Greece, Adaire Fox-Martin, president of Google Cloud International, told reporters in Athens.

She also announced plans to create Google-funded research centers for tech sustainability and artificial intelligence in two regional Greek cities, adding that the total investments were expected to add 2.2 billion euros to the Greek economy by 2030.

Google officials did not give details of the companys planned investment to create the cloud infrastructure in Greece or a timeline of the project.

Greece has bet heavily on boosting its once-sluggish tech sector since exiting successive international bailout programs four years ago, hoping to diversify an economy heavily reliant on tourism and lure back thousands of university graduates in the sector who worked abroad during the financial crisis.

At 11.4% in July, Greece has the highest unemployment rate in the European Union after Spain.

Several government agencies, including the health ministry and hospital administration, are expected to integrate the use of Googles cloud services after the new infrastructure is available, company officials said.

Hundreds of government-run administrative services  including drug prescriptions from public hospitals and applications for uncontested divorce  were made available online during the pandemic.

The Google investment is the latest in a chain of major business improvements, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said at the company event.

This didnt just happen on its own: We had to modernize the institutional and regulatory framework and change peoples mindsets," he said. And we had to take on the beast of bureaucracy.
Then-Vice President Joe Biden (R) points to some faces in the crowd with his son Hunter Biden as they walk down Pennsylvania Avenue following the inauguration ceremony of President Barack Obama in Washington, DC, on January 20, 2009. REUTERS/Carlos Barria

Rep. James Comer said Republicans have to keep investigating Hunter Biden's entire life.

"We believe he's compromised Joe Biden," Comer said, though no evidence to date backs him up.

If the GOP retakes the House this fall, Comer would the power to probe deeper as oversight chair.

Rep. James Comer said poring over every facet of Hunter Biden's life isn't something Republicans want to do if they reclaim control of the House after the midterm elections so much as it's something they feel obligated to follow through on.

"The reason we're investigating Hunter Biden is because we believe he's compromised Joe Biden," the Kentucky Republican told reporters at the US Capitol on Thursday.

Comer, who stands to become chairman of the House oversight panel if Republicans flip enough seats this fall, billed his ongoing probe into the business and personal dealings of President Joe Biden's scandal-plagued youngest son as patriotism, not political payback.

"We've already brought forth more evidence of wrongdoing with Hunter Biden in foreign countries than Adam Schiff ever brought forward with Donald Trump or Jared Kushner or anyone else," Comer said when asked if avenging the embattled former president played any role in continuing to dig for dirt on the younger Biden.

To date no evidence has substantiated GOP claims that Hunter Biden's work influenced policy decisions made during his father's three stints in the White House or that Joe Biden has somehow profited from Hunter's dealings.

That hasn't stopped Comer and other House Republicans from claiming that the entire Biden family is dangerously corrupt.

Comer mapped out plans to run Hunter Biden through the wringer last fall, and dubbed the political scion "a national security risk" this summer.

Biden aides began preparing for an investigatory backlash this spring, anticipating that gavel-wielding House Republicans would likely come after the president, Hunter Biden, and key administration officials the first chance they get.

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At least for now, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy seems uncomfortable with plowing into impeachment proceedings should he become speaker.

"We will not play politics with it," McCarthy told reporters Thursday morning.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Sep. 29Republicans intent on winning back control of the Governor's Office in November have been using crime in New Mexico as a constant source of attack against incumbent Democrat Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham as she seeks a second term.

The governor may have given the GOP more ammunition in her latest campaign ad, which includes an Albuquerque bicycle shop owner who is a convicted felon.

"As Mark Ronchetti rolls out more law enforcement endorsements, Michelle Lujan Grisham is trotting out a convicted felon to sing her praises," Will Reinert, a spokesman for the Republican Governors Association, said in a statement Wednesday  the same day the Albuquerque Police Officers Association announced it was endorsing Ronchetti in the hotly contested gubernatorial race.

"We understand why [bicycle shop owner] Amanda Batty would move to Governor Lujan Grisham's soft on crime New Mexico, but we didn't think Lujan Grisham was desperate enough to put her in an ad," Reinert added.

Batty, who, according to court records, was convicted of a third-degree felony in Utah in 2005 for attempted theft and then arrested again four months later for violating the terms of her probation, is among a handful of small-business owners featured in a new TV ad that calls Lujan Grisham a "great governor."

In a telephone interview, Batty expressed dismay her criminal past was being politicized by Republicans.

"I pity that they do not have the experience that would make them want to be more compassionate and more kind towards other members of our community and that they lack the basic humanity and dignity of trying to be a positive part of society rather than tearing other people down," she said.

The former professional mountain bike athlete said she's never made her felony conviction a secret.

"You are more than welcome to Google anything that I have written on that criminal background ... and how it continues to affect the way that I interact with society and those around me for the benefit of that," she said.

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Batty, who owns The Bike Coop, which bills itself as the oldest bike shop in Albuquerque, said she made a "human mistake" when she was younger, "did her time," turned her life around and is now "contributing positively to this community and to New Mexico at large."

"I've addressed this because people love going after everyone's skeletons," she said. "You can quote me on that. I would prefer that you did. People love bringing out other people's skeletons in order to hide their own problems. But I have never attempted to hide my skeletons. I prop them up on the front porch for everyone to see. I'm not ashamed of my past."

Batty also said she will not apologize for the mistakes she made when she was young.

"I came from a really bad background, and I made some unfortunate choices because of the people that I was surrounded by," she said. "And I will not and I never have apologized for that. I've moved forward with my life."

Batty said she hires contractors who have criminal convictions "because I don't believe that one mistake should destroy someone's entire life."

Delaney Corcoran, a spokeswoman for Lujan Grisham's reelection campaign, said the governor believes Batty is a "prime example" of someone who made a mistake, took responsibility for it and turned their life around.

"She strongly supports Ms. Batty's dedication to her small business and community leadership for the nearly 20 years since she was involved in a bad situation shortly after leaving the foster care system," Corcoran said in a statement. "Governor Lujan Grisham stands with the majority of New Mexicans who believe in second chances."

Republican gubernatorial candidate Ronchetti has made crime a top issue in the gubernatorial race.

But he's not the only Republican doing so.

"In the final phase of the midterm campaign, Republicans are intensifying their focus on crime and public safety, hoping to shift the debate onto political terrain that many of the party's strategists and candidates view as favorable," the New York Times reported earlier this week in a story that included Ronchetti. "The strategy seeks to capitalize on some voters' fears about safety  after a pandemic-fueled crime surge that in some cities has yet to fully recede."

Ronchetti's camp touted its endorsements from law enforcement organizations Wednesday.

"We can either stay on the path we are on, one of failed leadership by Michelle Lujan Grisham, or we can chart a new course, where our police are supported and our streets become safer for our residents again," Ronchetti said in a statement announcing endorsements from the Albuquerque police union, as well as the New Mexico Fraternal Order of Police.

Follow Daniel J. Chacon on Twitter @danieljchacon.
After battering Florida, Hurricane Ian, now a tropical storm, could impact the Georgia coast.

Ians winds weakened to 65 mph on Thursday morning. When the storm made landfall Wednesday afternoon along the Gulf Coast in Florida, it was a powerful Category 4 hurricane with winds of about 150 mph.

The storm left extensive damage along the storms path and Gov. Brian Kemp started a news conference Thursday morning asking for everyone to pray for those impacted by the storm.

[LIVE UPDATES: Rescues underway, deaths reported after Hurricane Ian lashes Florida]

I would ask everybody to keep those Floridians that have been affected by the storm in your thoughts and prayers, Kemp said.

As Ian moves out of Florida, it will move along the East Coast, impacting parts of the Georgia coast as it moves north. A state of emergency is now in effect for all of Georgia.

Hurricane warnings for the Georgia coastal counties have been downgraded to tropical storm warnings. A storm surge warning and hurricane watch remain in effect for the coast with the potential for a 4-6 feet peak storm surge.

[READ: Ian projected to make 2nd landfall on Georgia-South Carolina coast]

Because of that, Kemp is reminding everybody to be weather aware and to take precautions now.

As you know, that was devastating storm when it hit land, Kemp said. It continued to build strength. A very tough situation. A lot of damage. Theyre still dealing with the aftermath and the current path of the storm with heavy rain events, flooding and things. And that is coming our way.

Kemp said emergency officials are concerned about potential flooding and heavy winds that will be moving through parts of the state.

[PHOTOS: Floridians begin assessing catastrophic Hurricane Ian damage]

The Georgia Department of Transportation said as of 9 a.m., it had closed the Sidney Lanier Bridge on U.S. 17 over the Brunswick River. The Talmadge Memorial Bridge will remain open to traffic and the Houlihan Bridge will remain closed to maritime traffic but will remain open to vehicular traffic. The Savannah airport also remained open as of Thursday morning.

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The governor also said the state continues to welcome evacuees who are trying to escape the storm.

[READ: Evacuating because of Hurricane Ian? Heres a guide to places to stay in Georgia]

We continue to have a lot of hotel/motel capacity to meet their demand, Kemp said.

The biggest impact from Ian will hit the Georgia coast throughout Saturday. For the Atlanta metro, Severe Weather Team 2 said areas east of Atlanta will see 1-2 inches of rain starting Friday night through Saturday. Areas west of Atlanta will receive less than an inch of rain during the same time.

RELATED NEWS:
Herefordshire's tourism and natural beauty could be under threat, said the wildlife trust

Government plans to change wildlife protections are an "attack on nature", an environmental group said.

H erefordshire Wildlife Trust said it was "angry" over the scrapping of the fracking ban and regulations that protect natural habitats.

I t called on the public to "defend nature" by writing to local politicians.

The government said claims it intended to go back on a commitment to the environment were "not right."

T he lifting of the fracking ban and plans for investment zones, which include plans for a relaxation of planning rules to encourage development, have angered wildlife campaigners.

P rime Minister Liz Truss has told the BBC fracking would only resume with local consent.

Jamie Audsley from Herefordshire Wildlife Trust said government reforms could damage local beauty spots

However J amie Audsley, chief executive of Herefordshire Wildlife Trust, said the government's reforms were "dangerous" and urged supporters to write to local politicians.

"[The] removing of environmental protection, making it easier to develop without due respect to wildlife and potential downgrading of support for farmers to farm in a green way, could be really damaging," he said.

"Taken as a package, that's an unprecedented attack on nature that we are really concerned about.

" Local meadows, the rivers, things that are really important to the beauty of Herefordshire and our lives, our economy in terms of farming and the attraction of tourism could be under threat."

The trust added its members' response to a plea for support had been unprecedented.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs told the BBC a strong economy and environment went "hand-in-hand".

"Bureaucratic processes in the planning system do not necessarily protect the environment - by making sure we have the right regulations for our nation, we can make this happen," the spokesperson added.

Follow BBC West Midlands on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Send your story ideas to: newsonline.westmidlands@bbc.co.uk
An investigation was underway Thursday at a Grapevine elementary school after authorities received a report of a child being sexually assaulted by another student at Silver Lake Elementary School, Grapevine police said.

Grapevine police released very little information on the case, just identifying the school, at 1301 N. Dooley St.

School officials in the Grapevine-Colleyville school district were advised by Grapevine police to limit information both to protect the family and the investigation.

We want parents and our community to know that we are working with the family to obtain all necessary information and ensure they are receiving support services moving forward., Grapevine police said in a Thursday new release. We are also working closely with officials from Silver Lake Elementary to maintain the safety of our students and identify any possible suspects.

Grapevine police encouraged all parents to talk with their children about safety in an age-appropriate way, and watch for signs of possible abuse, including a child who suddenly acts out or displays an extreme mood change.

Anyone who suspects their child could be a victim of abuse is urged to call Grapevine police immediately at 817-410-8127 or 911.

Police officials also noted that the departments victim services advocate was available to anyone in the community seeking support for themselves or a family member. She can be reached at 817-410-3491 or mmoore@grapevinetexas.gov.
Gunmen killed five soldiers and a civilian in southeast Nigeria, police and local media said Thursday, after the latest bloodshed in a region where separatist tensions often flare.

Wednesday's attack on troops in Umunze area of Anambra state was condemned by the governor though he did provide casualty numbers.

Security will be a major issue in February's election to replace President Muhammadu Buhari, with troops fighting jihadists, separatist gunmen and criminal gangs across parts of Nigeria.

"There was some shooting at Umunze yesterday leaving some people dead," Anambra state police spokesman Tochukwu Ikenga told AFP, refusing to disclose casualty figures from Wednesday's attack.

"We have deployed our men to hunt down the assailants," he said.

Local media said five soldiers in a vehicle were ambushed and shot dead, while a civilian bystander was killed by stray bullet.

The armed forces did not immediately respond to a call seeking details.

The assault came barely three weeks after the convoy of an opposition lawmaker, Ifeanyi Ubah, was ambushed in the state, killing five people including two security escorts.

Although the senator was unhurt, the assault underscored growing insecurity in the region.

No group has claimed responsibility for the violence, less than five months before February 25 presidential, senate and congressional elections.

In a statement late Wednesday, Anambra state governor Charles Soludo condemned the killing of the soldiers and the attack on the lawmaker.

"We condemn this wicked and cruel attack in the strongest terms. The perpetrators of this act must pay," Soludo said.

"We are not going to rest on our oars, including those people that attacked Senator Ifeanyi Ubah and the rest. There will be absolutely no hiding place for them."

Southeast Nigeria has seen scores of attacks blamed on the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) group or its armed wing ESN.

IPOB, which seeks a separate state for ethnic Igbo people, has repeatedly denied responsibility for violence in the region.

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More than 100 police officers and other security personnel have been killed since the beginning of last year in targeted attacks, according to local media tallies.

Prisons have been raided with scores of inmates freed and weapons stolen. Local offices of the national electoral authorities have also been targeted.

IPOB's leader Nnamdi Kanu is in government custody and faces trial for treason after he was captured overseas and brought back to Nigeria.

Separatism is a sensitive issue in a nation where the declaration of an independent Republic of Biafra in 1967 by Igbo army officers sparked a three-year civil war that left more than one million people dead.

joa/pma/bp
Atlanta rapper Gunnas lawyers have filed their third motion for a bond hearing, this time claiming the new indictment from prosecutors presented no evidence to support its claims of dangerousness and has dismissed the only serious over act that was initially presented during his first bond hearing.

Gunna, whose real name is Sergio Kitchens, has been in jail since May 2022, after the Fulton County District Attorneys Office indicted him and more than 25 other people, including rapper Young Thug, and members of Young Slime Life, or YSL.

In the motion for bond, Kitchens attorneys claim Fulton County prosecutors have not been able to produce one witness who has actually made an accusation that kitchens has threatened anybody.

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

The motion reads, with the Courts Order requiring the prosecution to reveal to the defense by September 23 any and all proffers or witness statements from gang members implicating Kitchens in any gang-related criminal conduct or threats to witnesses, the prosecution has now acknowledged that no actual information or documentation exists.

It also mentions that a new indictment filed by prosecutors removes Kitchens named from the May 2018 allegation that originally claimed Kitchens and Young Thug, whose real name is Jeffery Williams, were arrested during a traffic stop after four people in the car with Williams were armed with weapons, which included high capacity magazines and an AK-47 with a 30-round magazine.

According to the motion, in five other acts listed by prosecutors that date back to a Sept. 2017 traffic stop, Kitchens was only charged with violating the Georgia window tint statute. They say all other charges against Kitchens in that case were dismissed.

Kitchens attorneys believe that Kitchens should be granted a bond after the new indictment dismisses him to any connection to any of the violent acts mentioned.

RELATED STORIES

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During his second bond hearing in July, the judge cited concerns that Kitchens, might threaten or intimidate witnesses if he were to release him ahead of trial.

None of the allegations made today, these so-called new allegations, are accurate, Sadow told Channel 2s Michael Seiden back in July.

Prosecutors allege that YSL is an Atlanta street gang thats committed multiple murders, shootings and carjackings throughout the city.

Kitchens, who is only charged with racketeering, is also accused of being a leader of another criminal street gang with ties to metro Atlanta.

Kitchens has a trial date scheduled for January 9, 2023.

[SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]

IN OTHER NEWS:
Millions of girls drop out of school annually due to a lack of access to menstrual hygiene facilities

A female civil servant's response to a schoolgirl's request for free sanitary pads has sparked backlash in India.

The teenager made the request at a workshop organised with Unicef in the eastern state of Bihar.

The official responded by saying the girl would soon expect the government to provide free clothes, shoes and even condoms.

Periods are a taboo topic in India, with menstruating women often forced to live under severe restrictions.

Nearly 23 million girls drop out of school annually after they start their periods due to a lack of access to menstrual hygiene facilities.

In Bihar, one of India's poorest states, only 59% of women use a hygienic method of menstrual protection, according to the latest National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5), the most comprehensive household survey of health and social indicators by the government.

At Tuesday's Sashakt Beti, Samriddh Bihar (Empowered Daughters, Prosperous Bihar) event in the state capital, Patna, the student asked senior official Harjot Kaur Bhamra if the government could provide girls with free sanitary pads that cost 20-30 rupees ($0.25-$0.37; 0.23-0.34) in the market.

The student also spoke about the broken toilets at her school and the difficulty in using them. Reports say the audience mainly comprised 15 and 16-year-old students.

Ms Bhamra, who is a senior bureaucrat in the women and child welfare ministry and heads the Women and Child Development Corporation in the state, seemed to be annoyed by the schoolgirl's questions.

"Why do you need to take everything from the government?" she said. "This way of thinking needs to change. Do it yourself."

When the teenager persisted in asking for solutions from the government which is voted in by the citizens, Ms Bhamra responded in anger: "This is height of stupidity. Don't vote, then. Become Pakistan. Do you vote for money and services?"

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After a video of her exchange was shared on social media, many called her comments "shameful" and said the officer was "unfit" to be a public servant.

Ms Bhamra later claimed that reporting on the event was "false, malicious and wrong" and threatened to take legal action against a Hindi newspaper which first reported her comments.

"I am known to be one of the most vociferous champions of women's rights and empowerment," she said, and blamed "mischievous elements" for trying to "malign" her reputation.

Read more India stories from the BBC:
Sep. 29PRINCETON  The Mercer County Health Department is requesting funding for a mobile clinic.

Bonne Allen, Administrator of the health department, told members of the Mercer County Board of Health Wednesday the County Commission has received the request for $260,000.

"I talked to the commissioners and they will make a decision next month," she said. "They got a large grant that had to do with COVID so I asked them for the funding for a mobile clinic."

The money could come from ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act) funding the county has received, which totals more than $11 million and can be used for many infrastructure and community projects.

"I would like to be able to be out in the community in outlying areas," Allen said, and the mobile clinic could bring vaccinations and health screenings to the residents of those areas where people may have difficulty coming to the department.

The mobile clinic could also be used in emergency events providing needed medical support and a wide variety of health services.

Allen also said Princeton Community Hospital donated an EKG machine to the department and she will write a letter thanking them for the donation.

The health department also continues to partner with the Princeton Rescue Squad to provide COVID vaccination clinics every Wednesday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Karen Preservati Education Center behind the squad's headquarters.

All vaccines are offered including the Omicron booster.

Allen said it was "extremely busy" at the center on Wednesday.

Last week, they ran out of the Omicron booster doses but have since restocked.

"It was very challenging to get it in," she said of the booster doses. "But they are caught up."

So far, residents are coming in strong numbers for the Omicron booster, which is more effective with the current variants.

Allen said about 200 doses have been given at each of the clinics so far, not counting Wednesday of this week.

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State officials have also been warning of a bad flu season this year, based on what is happening in other countries.

Allen said the health department will be hosting a drive-thru flu shot clinic at its Blue Prince Road headquarters Friday from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.

She said the drive-thru clinics will be offered each Friday through October.

 Contact Charles Boothe at cboothe@bdtonline.com

Contact Charles Boothe at cboothe@bdtonline.com
Help to Heat scheme: According to the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS) on Thursday, the changes will help UK households save around 400 to 700 a year. Photo: Press Association

Around 130,000 low-income households could see their bills slashed as the UK government looks to make energy efficiency upgrades through 1.5bn of funding from the Help to Heat scheme.

According to the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS) on Thursday, the changes will help households save around 400 to 700 a year, as well as supporting as many as 19,000 green energy sector jobs.

The money, which will come from the 6.6bn that was announced in 2021, allows social housing providers and local authorities to submit bids for funding to upgrade necessary properties.

This includes installation measures such as external wall and loft insulation, energy efficient doors and windows, heat pumps and solar panels, with multiple measures often being installed in a single home to considerably improve the energy performance.

Local authorities and social housing providers will be able to submit bids for funding and will deliver upgrades from early next year until March 2025.

Read more: What happened to the markets in the 60 minutes Liz Truss was on radio?

It comes as more than 30,000 homes have already been upgraded under the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund and Home Upgrade Grant schemes.

Britain currently has some of the least energy efficient homes in Europe.

With the governments Energy Price Guarantee, for the next two years, the typical annual household bill will be 2,500, a saving of at least 1,000 a year based on current prices and energy usage. This is on top of existing government plans to give all households 400 off bills this winter.

Putins illegal war in Ukraine, would have had dire consequences on the energy bills of both households and businesses this winter, without the governments decisive action. Today I am cutting costs even further for the most vulnerable households for years to come, business and energy secretary Jacob Rees-Mogg said.

By making homes warmer and cheaper to live in, we are not only transforming the lives of households across England, we are creating huge growth in the economy, backing the green energy sector and supporting thousands of high-skilled jobs.

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Read more: Bank of England: What will the emergency action actually do?

Social housing with an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of D or lower will be eligible to receive Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund (SHDF) upgrades, while the Home Upgrade Grant (HUG) funding will help people who are most vulnerable to fuel poverty, living in privately-owned  both rented and owner-occupied  off gas-grid homes and on low incomes.

Kate Henderson, chief executive of the National Housing Federation, said: The launch of the second wave of the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund is hugely welcome. This vital funding will enable housing associations across the country to make significant progress in retrofitting and decarbonising their homes  work that not only cuts carbon emissions but saves residents money on their heating bills.

We know that Englands homes produce more carbon each year than the average annual use of the countrys cars, so decarbonising social homes has a pivotal role to play to meeting the countrys net zero target.

The National Housing Federation and our members look forward to continuing to work with BEIS to demonstrate the benefits that decarbonising homes has on residents lives.

Watch: Truss insists mini-budget is the right plan despite market turmoil
HDC turning Portsmouth, NH into Coney Island, NY

Sept. 27  To the Editor:

Where was the Portsmouth Historic District Commission when you needed them?

How did they approve the oversized, gaudy building on the corner of Penhallow and Daniel Street?

Do they really think it fits in the cityscape of Portsmouth, New Hampshire, or do they think they are in Coney Island, New York?

Margery Katz

Portsmouth

Construction continues at the Brick Market building on Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2022 in Portsmouth.

Re-elect Cathy Stacey for Rockingham County Register of Deeds

Sept. 27  To the Editor:

I am happy to endorse the candidacy of Cathy Stacey for Rockingham County Register of Deeds. I have been involved in the county affairs in all the 28 years that Cathy has been the Register of Deeds. She has had to cope with many challenges as the building where she works has had a series of plumbing problems, mainly in her office suite. She has had to deal with these leaks while recording a record number of deeds and documents.

She is responsible for recording all the deeds in the county, even back to the 1600s, so that they are now available on line. She has coped with a complicated budget with minimum staff. The fees she collects, not only pay for her office, but also, she is a collector for all the recording fees. This has resulted in her collecting for the state $70 million, and for our county almost $6 million.

The latest service Cathy is now offering county residents, is the Property Fraud Alert System. Similar to TitleLock, this is designed to alert us if someone is trying to illegally use our property for a financial gain. The service is being offered free. Cathy is the longest serving county officer, and is the best informed. We are well served by Cathy Stacey as our Register of Deeds. Please vote to reelect her.

Rep. Kenneth L. Weyler

Kingston

Vote for Altschiller, a leader in gun violence prevention

Sept. 27  To the Editor:

Following the tragic school shooting in Uvalde, Texas, last May in which 19 students and two teachers were murdered at the Robb Elementary School by a lone gunman wielding an assault-style rifle, our U.S. Congress did something it has failed to do after the shootings in Sandy Hook, Parkland, Columbine and so many others, and in a bipartisan way passed a very limited piece of gun legislation that tightened regulations on gun purchases by those under the age of 21 and encouraged red flag legislation at the state level. It wasnt much, but it was the first gun safety legislation passed by Congress in decades.

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Gov. Chris Sununu responded by signing HB 1178, a Republican bill that prohibits the state from enforcing any federal regulation on guns and from receiving help from ATF, DOJ and the FBI in the wake of tragedies. It went into effect on June 24, one month after the Uvalde massacre.

Immediately there were calls from county sheriffs departments, municipal and state police wanting guidance on how this new law is supposed to be enforced and what exactly can we do in an emergency like a school shooting.

Jim OShaughnessy, an attorney for school districts from Drummond Woodson, told the New Hampshire Bulletin: There is no state law prohibiting guns on school grounds. Presumably theres no town ordinance preventing guns on school grounds, because (RSA) 159:26 prohibits that. If this law passes, we basically have to ignore the existence of the federal law, and theyre left with really nothing.

Enough is enough! The Republican extremist views on guns are completely out of step with the views of New Hampshire residents who believe that we must do what we can to keep our schools and communities safe, while continuing to respect the true intent of the Second Amendment.

This is one of the reasons Im voting for Debra Altschiller for state Senate District 24, representing Exeter, Greenland, Hampton, Hampton Falls, North Hampton, Rye and Stratham. She has been a leader in gun violence prevention in her six years as a New Hampshire legislator. She is repeatedly endorsed by Moms Demand Action, has the trust of survivors, and has consistently stood up to personal attacks by gun absolutists, who fight tooth and nail against even the most obvious common sense legislation.

We need someone who will stand up for the safety of our children and our schools. This is why Im voting for Debra Altschiller for state Senate District 24. I urge you to join me.

Dolores M. Benevento

Stratham

Editor's note: Debra Altschiller is the wife of Howard Altschiller, Seacoast Media Group's executive editor.

Would Abraham Lincoln be a Democrat today?

Sept. 24  To the Editor:

Imagine if we looked at the actions of past Republican presidents through a current extreme partisan lens. My goodness, the Emancipation Proclamation was an executive order signed by President Abraham Lincoln. With a stroke of his pen, he made the human property of slave owners valueless. What a liberal property grab that would be considered today.

Then there was the Weeks Act, which was a government land grab signed into law by President Taft. Although the New Hampshire tourism industry has greatly benefitted from the Weeks Act and the creation of the White Mountain National Forest, todays conservatives wouldnt allow such a thing.

Then there was the Interstate Highway System signed into existence by President Eisenhower, yet another government land grab and liberal jobs program by todays standards. Eisenhower also founded NASA and DARPA. Years later DARPA would provide funding to a startup company Moderna, which would later create a Covid-19 vaccine. Apparently former General Eisenhower was pro-science.

Then there was that liberal Nixon, who founded the EPA, i.e., the Environmental Protection Agency during his presidency. There was a national consensus that rivers in Ohio shouldnt repeatedly catch on fire due to dumped flammable waste. President Nixon also didnt think that people should have to die because they couldnt afford dialysis, so he signed off on providing health care for that treatment.

As a former military officer, at least Nixon retained a shred of honor and resigned when it was pretty certain he would be impeached. The Republican Party my parents belonged to is pretty much gone. It has become a party of grievances and fear, shaped in large part by continuous self-inflicted trauma and propaganda. This is the same path that a democratic and enlightened Germany went down prior to World War 2. The similarities in the actions and nonsensical partisan rhetoric of extremist conservatives, walking oxymorons, are too similar to be disregarded. Please refrain from choosing a walking oxymoron the next time you vote. As far as supporting the Party of Lincoln goes, that party appears to belong to Democrats now.

Don Cavallaro

Rye

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Why allow Portsmouth, NH to turn into Coney Island, NY?: Letters
Twenty-seven House Democrats have joined a growing chorus of voices calling for the resignation of World Bank chief David Malpass after he made comments that critics say smacked of climate denial.

In a letter sent Thursday to President Biden, representatives Jared Huffman (D-Calif.), Sean Casten (D-Ill.) and 25 other Democrats said Malpasss recent comments were both troubling and unacceptable and that the World Bank should have a leader who listens to the science and is a global leader in combating climate change.

We urge you to advocate for the removal or forced resignation of David Malpass as World Bank Group President. The facts are clear that we are in a climate crisis and theres no alternative but to take bold action, the lawmakers wrote.

At an event during U.N. high-level week in New York, Malpass was asked whether he agreed with the scientific consensus that the manmade burning of fossil fuels is rapidly and dangerously warming the planet.

I dont even know. Im not a scientist, Malpass said in response.

His remarks prompted an outcry from environmentalists including Al Gore, who called Malpass a climate denier.

The World Bank chief later tried to restate his position in a subsequent interview with CNN International, saying he believed that greenhouse gas emissions are coming from man-made sources that include fossil fuels.

It is unacceptable for David Malpass, as President for this leading international development institution to be so brazenly ignorant toward the impacts of the climate crisis, the lawmakers wrote to President Biden.

We need a World Bank Group leader who fully appreciates the threat of climate change and the need to accelerate the global transition to a clean just energy future to improve living standards, reduce poverty, and encourage sustainable growth.

The Democrats argued that the U.S. should make investments in more environmentally friendly sources of energy and use its influence to pursue this goal in international institutions.

The United States is the largest shareholder in the World Bank, and our influence can determine the direction of their investments for years to come. The United States has significant influence to push the institutions to end their support for fossil fuel investments and significantly increase the quality and quantity of their climate finance, they wrote.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
The House on Thursday passed a package of antitrust bills aimed at boosting antitrust enforcers ability to take on powerful tech firms in a 242-184 vote that split both parties.

Thirty-nine Republicans joined most Democrats in voting for the bills.

Sixteen Democrats broke from their party to oppose the package of bills that together would update filing fees for mergers to increase them for larger deals, allow state attorneys general to select their venue when enforcing antitrust laws and use the merger notification process to require parties to disclose subsidies they have received from countries that pose a risk to the U.S.

It is the first major antitrust reform package to pass on the House floor as part of a three-year process that started with a House Judiciary Committee investigation into the market power of Google, Amazon, Apple and Facebook, now under the parent company name Meta.

The House Judiciary Committee last year advanced four other proposals aimed at reforming antitrust laws in a way that supporters say better addresses modern day industry titans. The proposals were created based on recommendations from the report that concluded the investigation.

But the dwindling legislative calendar may hamper their ability to get the proposals across the finish line, especially if Republicans win the House majority in November.

House Judiciary Committee ranking member Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) was one of the most vocal critics against the antitrust package, meaning antitrust bills will likely not advance next Congress if Jordan takes the reins of the committee.

Despite support from some Republicans, Jordan slammed the effort as partisan in nature and said it would give more money to Attorney General Merrick Garland and the Justice Department to harass the American people.

If you want to do something about Big Tech, this is not the vehicle, Jordan said.

Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.) urged colleagues to vote against the bill. She said her opposition was mainly to the portion of the package that allows state attorneys generals to choose the venue of their antitrust enforcement action. She said the change would help state attorneys general in bringing cases against companies over content moderation.

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We have seen in the January 6 committee a lot of material that has spread lies, that has incited violence, and that content should be moderated. It should not be subjected to bogus effort by state AGs to prevent content moderation through the antitrust provision, she said.

I mean, AGs can bring cases right now without this provision. In fact, California just did against Amazon. Fine, go at it if youve got a case. But if you dont think that the Attorney General of Texas, whos currently hiding from a process server and facing other legal complications, wouldnt try to use this to undermine content moderation, I think youre sadly mistaken, she added.

Lofgren said without that proposal attached, she would happily support the package.

Senators on both sides of the aisle had urged the House to support the package.

Senate Judiciary Chairman Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) and antitrust subcommittee Chairwoman Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) issued a joint statement urging the House to vote for the package. Separately, Republican Sens. Mike Lee (Utah), Tom Cotton (Ark.) and Senate Judiciary ranking member Chuck Grassley (Iowa) put a statement out earlier this week urging the House to pass the package.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Amber Kotrri, a boutique owner and designer from Darlington, made headlines last month by winning a trademark dispute with global fashion company Zara. Now she hopes other small businesses will be inspired to fight back against conglomerates. The BBC has spoken to her and other entrepreneurs about their experiences.

Mrs Kotrri represented herself, rather than using lawyers, when she faced the trademark tribunal.

Armed only with her file of notes and a firm belief she was right, the owner of boutique House of Zana took on Zara and won, with the trademark registrar agreeing any similarity between her fashion brand and the high street chain was "too insubstantial and fleeting".

Since then, she has been inundated with messages from other small business owners who have also received letters from Zara's lawyers.

"The letter says the company's 'strong preference is to resolve this matter amicably' but there is no middle ground, there's no chance to discuss anything," she says.

"You're only given a couple of weeks to sign saying you'll withdraw the trademark application and then a further three months to 'phase out' your brand name, that's the only option."

Rebranding a business is not cheap - changing packaging, merchandise, websites and social media all adds up.

Juhi Jain, from Jaipur, India, named her handmade shoe company Zarsa - an amalgamation of the Urdu word Zar and Hindi affix "sa" - which she said meant "like gold", in reference to the thread she uses in her stitching.

She spent "about 30,000" and two years locked in a legal battle after Zara initially sent a notice of opposition in 2017, and then again when it was renamed Zarsalife. She eventually settled on the name Sozan Jaipur.

Juhi Jain changed the name of her business three times after being contacted by Zara's legal team

"There is no price I can put on the mental and emotional trauma and depression I went through during this process," said Ms Jain.

"I never got any compensation for the legal fee or merchandise that I had to discard."

Trademarks are extremely important to businesses, they can be bought and sold like other assets, or licensed to third parties, which can make them important revenue generators.

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In the UK big brands employ teams to monitor the use of the similar names through the Intellectual Property Office and Companies House.

Mark Caddle, a partner at European intellectual property firm Withers & Rogers, said trademarks stopped the unauthorised use of copycat brands or competing brands, both of which could confuse consumers.

Zara is owned by Inditex, one of the world's largest fashion distribution groups

He warned any small businesses ignoring these rebrand demand letters from Zara that further legal action could follow.

"If the letter gets no response, a trademark opposition is likely to be made to the UK Intellectual Property Office, as happened in the House of Zana case," he said.

"Depending on how this goes, the brand owner may decide to bring a trademark infringement action in court, with the aim of enforcing a rebrand."

Zara is owned by Inditex, one of the world's largest fashion distribution groups with more than 6,400 stores of different brands, including Bershka, Pull & Bear and Massimo Dutti. It employs more than 160,000 people.

An Inditex spokesman said: "It is the group's responsibility to protect its brands and trademarks where there is any risk of customers, or any other stakeholders, becoming confused.

"We always seek to avoid proceedings around trademark registration wherever possible."

Leeds graffiti artist Steve Powell - or Ste Rex - sold streetwear under the brand name STRX.

Then he received a legal letter last July from clothing brand Stradivarius, also owned by Inditex, saying it was too similar to its STR Teen line.

"I hadn't heard of Stradivarius," Mr Powell said. "I thought it was a violin company, and I thought, 'how dare they contact me about name similarity?'."

He said he did not want to "waste any money" so "sent a few emails" before changing the name of his clothing line to REXNTRIC.

Another business owner contacted by Zara was Moien Tayari, from London, who ran a nut and spice company called Zaravand, named after his wife's birthplace in Iran.

Mr Tayari said he had been advised by business experts "to forget about fighting a big company" as it would cost too much.

He spent about 4,000 on a "few legal letters" trying to preserve the name but with costs spiralling he opted in the end to rename his business Zoetic Ltd.

He said it did not feel right large companies could "bully small businesses" because of small differences in a trademark and stressed he had found the process emotional and exhausting.

"It tires you out," Mr Tayari said.

"It's another obstacle to what you've already achieved. For us it meant throwing away labels which I'd just ordered at a cost of 600.

"It was almost like having to restart the business."

https://www.instagram.com/p/CdTmf86rlD8/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) has been calling for a government-backed resolution service for cases like these.

An FSB spokesperson said small firms needed more support when it came to protecting intellectual property and - where a dispute arose - the settlement should be "simple, swift and easy to obtain".

It said a business dispute resolution service could "triage prospective disputes at an early stage", potentially avoiding expensive legal fights.

The Intellectual Property Office (IPO), which has jurisdiction for the registration of trademarks, said it was aware of the issues for small businesses and welcomed suggestions that would make disputes "easier and quicker".

A spokesperson said: "The IPO already has a range of targeted measures to support smaller businesses who find themselves in a trademark registration dispute.

"Our mediation service, and low-cost appeals route, are designed to provide affordable and accessible routes to help to resolve such disputes outside of the courts."

However, not all trademark disputes cause distress and disappointment.

In May, the landlord of the Star Inn pub in the village of Vogue, Cornwall, had a surprise when he received a letter from Vogue the fashion magazine, which said it had been alerted to the pub's name through Companies House.

The publisher, Conde Nast, later apologised and gave the pub a framed version of the apology "from one Vogue to another", pointing out that further research by its team would have shown "we did not need to send such a letter on this occasion".

For Mrs Kotrri, her fight against Zara was born out of a determination not to have to explain to her children she gave in because "someone bigger told me to".

She advised others who find themselves in the same situation: "You know your business best, you know the meaning behind the name, so fight for it and don't give up."

Her House of Zana trademark will now be registered.

Zara did not want to comment on the judgement Mrs Kotrri's case but said it would "continue to wish" her and her business "success in the future".

Zara could still appeal against the decision, but for now Mrs Kotrri is planning her next collection in peace.

Follow BBC North East & Cumbria on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Send your story ideas to northeastandcumbria@bbc.co.uk.
Associated Press

Sweden has sent a vessel capable of advanced diving missions to the Baltic Sea area where ruptured undersea pipelines leaked natural gas for days, the Swedish navy said Monday. Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday accused the West of sabotaging Russia-built natural gas pipelines under the Baltic Sea to Germany, a charge vehemently denied by the United States and its allies. Last week, undersea blasts damaged the pipelines off southern Sweden and Denmark and have led to huge methane leaks, with the Danish and Swedish governments saying that several hundred pounds of explosives was involved.
One of the most dangerous storms to hit the US in years has left 2.4 million homes and businesses in Florida without power and floodwaters surging inland.

Hurricane Ian made landfall at around 15:10 local time (19:10 GMT) on Wednesday, smashing into the coast with wind speeds of up to 241km/h (150mph).

Dramatic scenes saw a hospital roof blown off, cars submerged and trees ripped out of the ground.

The category four hurricane was later downgraded to a tropical storm.

However, Floridians were warned that the most dangerous 24 hours lay ahead. The mayor of Tampa urged people to shelter in place through the night into Thursday morning.

"We are going to get the majority of the rain and the higher winds starting about 20:00, and they are going to last throughout the night," Jane Castor said during a Wednesday evening briefing.

In a message posted on Facebook, the Weather Prediction Center told residents in the Central Florida Peninsula to expect "widespread life-threatening, catastrophic flash and urban flooding" continuing into Friday morning, with up to 76cm (30ins) of rain falling locally.

Residents were ordered to leave their homes, but many have decided to remain and seek shelter indoors.

Mark Pritchett, who lives in the city of Venice, some 95km (60 miles) south of Tampa, described the "terrifying" moment he stepped outside his home as the hurricane made its way across the Gulf of Mexico.

"Rain shooting like needles. My street is a river," he said in a text message to the Associated Press news agency.

A little further south, in Port Charlotte, healthcare workers at HCA Florida Fawcett Hospital were forced to move their most vulnerable patients out of the intensive care unit after the roof was torn off .

In Lee County - the south-west region where Ian made landfall - police were prevented from responding to reports of looting at a petrol station because of the storm damage. As a result, a curfew has been declared "until further notice".

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Lee County Manager Roger Desjarlais said that the Fort Myers community had "been - to some extent - decimated". According to news agency AFP, some neighbourhoods in the city of 80,000 had been left resembling lakes.

State Governor Ron DeSantis described Ian as the "biggest flood event" south-west Florida had ever seen, and announced that 7,000 National Guard troops are ready to lead rescue operations.

President Joe Biden will receive a briefing on Thursday from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Vice President Kamala Harris urged Americans to follow evacuation orders after seeing "devastating" images of the damage caused by Ian.

Harris issued her plea from South Korea, where she is on an official visit.

A flooded street in Fort Myers, Florida

Ian is now continuing to move north through Florida. Jacksonville International Airport, based in north-east Florida, cancelled all flights on Thursday.

The storm is forecast to emerge into the Atlantic by Thursday morning, local time.

It is expected to reach Georgia and South Carolina on Friday. Virginia has also joined Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Florida in declaring a state of emergency.

Cuba's western coast was hit by Hurricane Ian on Tuesday. Power has now been restored in some areas after the island was plunged into a total blackout.

Two people are understood to have been killed in Cuba and more than 20 Cuban migrants, heading to the US, are believed to be missing at sea.

Predicted path of Hurricane Ian. Updated 27 September

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Hurricane Ian made landfall in Florida as a dangerous Category 4 hurricane on September 28, 2022. Lokman Vural Elibol/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

A doctor at a hospital in Florida told the Associated Press that Hurricane Ian blew its roof off.

The destruction forced staff to evacuate their sickest patients, some of whom were on ventilators.

The doctor, who stayed overnight, told AP that patients have been moved to other floors.

Hurricane Ian flooded a Florida hospital's lower floor and partially tore its roof off, forcing staff to evacuate its sickest patients, the Associated Press reported.

Ian slammed into Florida's south-western coast as a Category 4 storm on Wednesday afternoon, bringing with it heavy rain and wind speeds of up to 155 mph, the BBC reported.

Birgit Bodine, who works at HCA Florida Fawcett Hospital in Port Charlotte, told the AP that Hurricane Ian flooded the hospital's first-floor emergency room and caused the roof of its fourth-floor intensive care unit to partially blow off.

The medium-sized hospital has four floors in total, AP reported.

The damage forced staff to evacuate the hospital's sickest patients from the fourth floor to the two floors that were not impacted, Bodine told AP. Some of the patients were on ventilators, she added.

Bodine, who spent the night at the hospital to be with the patients, told AP that staff used towels and plastic bins to try to clean up the mess on the first floor.

"For us, as much as everything is terrible and we're exhausted ... as long as our patients do OK and nobody ends up dying or having a bad outcome, that's what matters," Bodine told AP.

Hurricane Ian has left more than 2 million people in Florida without power, The Guardian reported.

On Thursday morning, Hurricane Ian downgraded to a tropical storm, according to the National Hurricane Center. But local officials have repeatedly urged Floridians to be careful, adding that it will continue to cause heavy rain and flooding, the BBC reported.

It is forecast to move northeast across the state by late Thursday and progress into Georgia or South Carolina on Friday.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Hurricane Ian packed a powerful punch across Florida on Wednesday after it made landfall in the southwestern part of the state as a Category 4 storm with 150 mph winds.

The storm  downgraded to a tropical storm Thursday morning  has left more than 2.6 million Floridians without power, some of them stranded, and many with homes demolished by flooding and boats ripped to pieces.

Speaking at a news conference in Tallahassee, Gov. Ron DeSantis said, Weve never seen storm surge of this magnitude.

The aftermath of the hurricane has left communities with downed trees and power lines, fractured homes and other scattered debris.

With many hazards left behind by Hurricane Ian, multiple emergency agencies are warning residents to stay off the roads and away from the dangers that might not be apparent.

A broken utility pole lies on a street in Fort Myers, Fla., on Thursday following Hurricane Ian. (Eva Marie Uzcategui/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Hurricane dangers remain [even] after the storm, the National Weather Service tweeted on Thursday. Watch out for downed power lines and damaged buildings. Avoid floodwaters as they can hide a variety of dangers, and never drive through them, as it doesnt take much to sweep your car away.

Walking through floodwater might seem safe, but there could be hazards lying underneath the murky water, such as harmful bacteria or chemicals, sharp objects and live wires.

One study suggests that the most dangerous time when hurricanes and tropical storms hit is after they dissipate. The peer-reviewed study, published earlier this year in the Journal of the American Medical Association, found that disasters are associated with up to 33.4% higher death rates during the months that follow.

According to the study, direct causes like drowning are seen following hurricanes. Indirect causes, ranging from infectious and parasitic diseases to respiratory and cardiovascular diseases and neuropsychiatric conditions, also follow such storms.

Jake Moses, 19, and Heather Jones, 18, explore a section of destroyed businesses in Fort Myers Beach, Fla. (Douglas R. Clifford/Tampa Bay Times via AP)

Intentional self-harm, the study added, is another indirect cause of death for some who are faced with economic hardship following destruction of property. For anyone dealing with emotional distress following a storm, the Disaster Distress Helpline is available by texting or calling 800-985-5990.

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Dialing 988 can also direct someone in distress to the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.

In Seminole County, an area north of Orlando, emergency manager Alan Harris told local NBC station WESH that people dont know if downed power lines are live or not.

So if you see a tree down with a downed power line, this is not the time to learn how to do a chainsaw. And this is not the time to test the power. Wait until the electrical company can get there with our public works department. They work in tandem, moving down the roadways to make sure everything is safe, he said.

Harris recounted a tragic death that occurred after Hurricane Irma hit Florida in 2017.

One of the deaths we had in Hurricane Irma was an actual floating ant pile. So it looked like a leaf coming down the waterway, again, floodwaters being the culprit. But these ants huddled together as they do in the wild, to try to sustain life, their life. And then it hit the individual, the individual was allergic, and unfortunately passed away, he said. So anything  when youre looking at floodwaters, when youre working around floodwaters  be careful. We are in Florida, so snakes, alligators, even ants could cause a danger around floodwaters.

The police department in Tampa released footage showing a massive traffic light unexpectedly crash down into the road below. We cannot stress this enough: Stay Off The Roads. Stay Indoors, the department tweeted. There are live wires down. This is NOT the time to venture out.

    : Stay Off The Roads  Stay Indoors. TampaPD Officers saw a traffic light  come crashing down in front of their car in #YborCity. There are live wires down. This is  the time to venture out. #YourTampaPD #hurricaneian pic.twitter.com/t8pOii18Pf  TampaPD (@TampaPD) September 29, 2022

According to officials, another major hazard to watch for is improper use of generators, which have in some instances caused more deaths than the actual storm.

National Weather Service Director Ken Graham warned during a briefing on Wednesday that generators can be just as dangerous as the hurricanes themselves  if not more.

Weve seen over the last couple of years in some of these big hurricanes, including Hurricane Laura that hit Louisiana, that there were more fatalities afterward associated with generators than there was from similar storm surge of 16 to 18 feet, he said.

Hurricane Laura in 2020 caused 15 deaths in Louisiana, at least seven of them caused by carbon monoxide poisoning from generators.

Rescue workers take some Orlando residents to safety on Thursday. (John Raoux/AP)

The National Weather Service also stressed avoiding wading into floodwater. Floodwater is extremely dangerous and can contain harmful chemicals and objects that could harm you or make you sick, the agency said.
Hurricane Ian took a permanent place in Southwest Florida history Wednesday, with an agonizingly slow sweep through the region, leaving devastated families, ruined homes and uncertain futures.

More damage was caused by Ian than any other storm since Roger Desjarlais said he's been Lee County manager.

The powerful hurricane made landfall near pristine Cayo Costa, but the fury of its winds and rough surf spread destruction throughout Lee County.

Rescue evacuations delayed

Damage was so severe that it was decided by county and local officials to wait before making some evacuations, for fear it could kill the rescuers.

"It left families suffering the agony of knowing that loved ones cling to life in areas that can not yet be reached by rescue crews because it is it too dangerous to save them," Desjarlais said.

Flooding on Fort Myers Beach from Hurricane Ian on Sept. 28, 2022.

County Public Safety Director Ben Abes said the county made a reluctant decision based on the dangers and threatening conditions rescuers would face.

"We are aware of a number of calls from people stranded due to high water," Abes said. "However, we are faced with conditions that make it impossible to respond right now."

Flooding has moved from the coast to inland locations and, Abes said, the county will work to engage agencies from the local level to state and national authorities to rescue the people trapped, and people endangered by power lines as quickly as possible.

More: 'I will be praying': Punta Gorda braces for Hurricane Ian, 18 years after Charley

AND: 'Irma nothing compared to this': Hurricane Ian hits Fort Myers Beach with massive flooding

"We urge you not to panic, if you can remain safe where you are our first responder community urges you to stay there," Abes said. "If you have water coming in your home call 911 and seek the highest spot possible."

Rescue assistance from the federal government will be dispatched as soon as it is safe for them to travel to Lee County. Boats, high water vehicles and helicopters will be used in the rescue operation.

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One of Lee County's worst disasters

All signs indicate it is among the worst natural disasters in local history.

"I am sad to tell you that while we don't know the full extent of the damage for Lee County right now, we are beginning to get a sense that our community has been, in some respects, decimated," Desjarlais said.

The manager said Wednesday night that the county does not yet have an estimate of the number of people who may have died as a result of the hurricane's advance.

"It is reasonable to think all the conditions that we have experienced for the last 12 hours or so that there can be fatalities but we just don't now that yet," Desjarlais said.

The storm has dealt a wide blow to the electric grids that serve the hundreds of thousands of households and businesses in the area.

"We know that there is tremendous damage on Sanibel and in Fort Myers Beach, we know that LCEC, about 75% of their (electric) customers are without power, 80% of FP&L customers are are without power. we don't know yet the extent of the damage to our infrastructure whether its the electrical grid, or utility systems."

In Cape Coral, sewer lift stations have failed at more than 200 locations, and city officials have urged residents to reduce their use of water.

No tolerance for criminals

Roads have suffered substantial damage that will require significant work and time to fix.

A 6 p.m. Wednesday to 5 a.m. Thursday curfew was imposed by agreement of the six local county governments and Lee County.

"There is going to be a zero tolerance policy for looting and violence," Desjarlais said.

Curfews were triggered by a break-in and looting spree in a Cleveland Street gas station.

Flooding on Fort Myers Beach from Hurricane Ian on Sept. 28, 2022.

The curfew will remain in place until further notice, dependent on when the remnants of Ira's slow-paced devastation dissipates. Exceptions will be made for health care workers, going to work or school and essential personnel.

"We understand that there are people waiting for us," said commissioner Kevin Ruane. But we can't put anyone else in harm's way and we have to wait for the conditions to improve.

"This is going to be a very difficult, trying time for the next several months," Desjarlais said. "The response and recovery effort is going to be complex, it is going to be costly and it is going to require very concentrated efforts by federal state and local government agencies and the private sector."

Hurricane Ian 9 a.m. Sept. 28, 2022.

"For all of us who have lived in Florida for a lot of years, we have been through many, many hurricanes locally." Desjarlais continued. "It seems as though every storm that we have endured we have heard about tidal surge and we have heard about flooding, but it hasn't been our time.

"You wonder whether it is going to be our turn. Well it appears to be our time to endure that."

News-Press reporter Luis Zambrano contributed to this story

This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Hurricane Ian spread destruction across Southwest Florida
Giorgio Viera/AFP via Getty

The full scale of the disaster unleashed by Hurricane Ian on Florida began to emerge Thursday after catastrophic flooding trapped residents in their homes, destroyed bridges, and other critical infrastructure, and left over 2 million people without power.

The fifth-strongest hurricane to ever hit the U.S. when measured by wind speed, Ian tore into the Southwest Florida coast on Wednesday afternoon with violent gales, an epic storm surge, and as much as a foot of rain dropped over some areas.

At first light on Thursday morning, emergency crews were beginning to reckon with the monumental devastation left in Ians wake, as homes were ripped from their foundations and public buildings damaged.

Brenda Brennan sits next to a boat that pushed against her apartment in Fort Myers. Joe Raedle/Getty

I definitely know the fatalities are in the hundreds, Lee County Sheriff Carmine Marceno told Good Morning America Thursday. There are thousands of people that are waiting to be rescued.

Marceno later walked back those figures, telling CNN, I dont know the exact numbers, its very preliminary, noting that confirmed fatalities in Lee Countywhich included severely hit areas like Fort Myers Beach and the barrier islands of Sanibel and Captivastood as roughly five. The death t0ll is expected to rise, FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell told MSNBC.

Currently we are unsure foremost about what is going to happen, there are floods left and right. Hopefully, everyone is doing alright. Furthermore, I do not have many updates, Fort Myers Mayor Kevin Anderson told The Daily Beast on Thursday.

In Collier County, just south of Lee County, Deputy County Manager Dan Rodriguez told The Daily Beast that the medical examiner is reviewing a handful of deaths. And whether theyre hurricane related or not, or just health conditions, thats to be determined.

Charlotte County Commissioner Joseph Tiseo told CNN on Thursday afternoon that the death toll there had risen to at least eight or nine, according to correspondent Ana Cabrera. However, the count has been fluid, and Charlotte later in the day reported six confirmed deaths, according to NBC News, which also reported two storm-related deaths in Sarasota and Volusia Counties. In an email to The Daily Beast, Lake County authorities confirmed a 38-year-old man wrecked car and died on Wednesday when his vehicle hydroplaned on a rain-slicked road.

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Rescue attempts will be hindered on Thursday by roads being submerged or blocked by trees and power lines. A large section of the causeway leading to Sanibel Island has been washed away by the hurricane, and in Naples, extreme flooding has made over half of the streets not passable due to high water, Collier County officials said.

A chunk of the Sanibel Causeway has collapsed into the Gulf of Mexico. This is the only way on and off the island of Sanibel. That means anyone who didnt evacuate is stuck for now. #HurricaneIanupdate #HurricanIan pic.twitter.com/hAYQQHcLMM  Kyla Galer (@kylagaler) September 29, 2022

Wind and rain even left parts of Central Florida under water and without power, including Orlando where lakes are swelling and roads have been converted into rivers, state Rep. Anna Eskamani told The Daily Beast on Thursday.

In Deltona, north-east of Orlando, a 72-year-old man died overnight when he went outside during the storm to drain his pool, the Volusia County Sheriffs Office said in a news release. The victims wife told police her husband disappeared after leaving their home. Deputies first found the mans flashlight, then discovered him unresponsive in a nearby canal.

The initial investigation indicates the victim was using a hose to drain the pool down a hill and into a 30-foot-wide canal, where a steep decline into the water was extremely soft and slippery due to the heavy rain, the release stated.

A lower-level emergency room at HCA Florida Fawcett Hospital in Port Charlotte was flooded as brutal winds tore part of the roof from the buildings intensive care unit, the Associated Press reports. Staff had to evacuate patients on ventilators to other floors as water washed into the ICU.

More water-related hospital evacuations may yet be on the way.

We know theres nine hospitals in Lee County that the state is looking at right now to determine whether or not were going to be able to get water restored to them, or whether or not theyre going to have to be evacuated, Federal Emergency Management Agency Administrator Deanne Criswell said on Morning Joe Thursday. They have no water, she added.

Other emergency services reported heartbreaking difficulties during the peak of the storm. In Fort Myers, first responders took calls from residents trapped in their flooded houses, or from concerned relatives who hadnt heard from their loved ones, but conditions prevented rescue efforts being launched.

We are aware of a number of calls from people stranded due to high water, Lee County Public Safety Director Ben Abes said late Wednesday, the News-Press reports. However, we are faced with conditions that make it impossible to respond right now.

Stedi Scuderi looks over her flooded apartment in Fort Myers. Joe Raedle/Getty

Some even posted desperate pleas for help on social media, along with terrifying descriptions of their homes filling up with flood water.

My brother, Francis Chip Aldridge, and his girlfriend, Suzanne Merlo, lost everything today when the storm surge from Hurricane Ian flooded their apartment in Naples, Florida, Julie Hittle posted on GoFundMe. As their refrigerator floated across their living room in four feet of dirty water, they escaped out a window and climbed to safety on top of their car, taking only their beloved cocker spaniel, Kobie, and one plastic bin of important papers and keepsakes. Everything else, including furniture, clothes and household items, was destroyed. They were rescued by a kind stranger paddling down the road in a kayak who dropped them on a covered sidewalk.

The family told The Daily Beast that the couple eventually reached a La Quinta Inn which let them stay because they had nowhere else to go, before reaching a shelter.

Kayaker Rescues Desperate Florida Couple After Dramatic Escape From Floodwaters

Scott Mayer, who lives in Key West, sustained severe water damage during the storm.

It was a really rough. Scary doesnt begin to describe it, but were all safe, so gotta keep [our] chin up, he told The Daily Beast, adding that he is spending the day cleaning flood damage up from our apartment.

Courtesy Scott Mayer

For Tyler Martin, the hurricane destroyed the house sailboat he had been restoring and living on for five years. He nervously hunkered down at a nearby hotel as the storm approached and, when he went back a few hours later, he realized there was no saving his boat or all the belongings inside.

When you spend so much time with a boat like that it takes on a life of its own. Its like a dog, you know, like a part of the family. So it felt like I left my dog in the rain, he told The Daily Beast, adding that he only had a suitcase of clothes with him.

Im alive and I can rebuild, thats the most important thing. But its devastating for sure, said Martin, 38, whose friend set up a GoFundMe to help him start over.

The areas with the most damage are basically off the grid at this point, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said at a press conference Thursday morning, noting that it may take months to rebuild the power grid in the counties of Lee and Charlotte. The Florida National Guard is deploying search-and-rescue choppers to barrier islands where flooding is extensive and bridges are out, he said.

Our community has been, in some respects, decimated, Lee County Manager Roger DesJarlais said late Wednesday, according to WGCU. He added that while no deaths were yet confirmed, it was reasonable to think that there could be some fatalities.

Catastrophic Ian Makes Landfall in Florida as One of the Most Powerful Hurricanes Ever

Ian made landfall at 3:10 p.m. on Wednesday near Cayo Costaan island off Fort Myersas a Category 4 hurricane with 150 mph winds. Early Thursday, the National Hurricane Center downgraded Ian to a tropical storm, warning that danger of life-threatening storm surge will remain through Friday along the northeast coast of Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina. Flooding is expected in the three states until the end of next week.

Terry Mazany, 66, was hunkered down on the 22nd floor of his Fort Myers high-rise condo with his wife and his 91-year-old mother when the hurricanes eye made landfall on Wednesday. After briefly losing power and dealing with hours of hurricane-force winds that made their building sway, Mazany told The Daily Beast his family is now trapped inside.

We have no way of getting out, Mazany said. They are assessing the elevator and there is water damage on the ground floor so they cant make that operational yet.

Mazany added that after moving to Florida from California about a year ago, he and his wife decided last month to move his mother from Chicago because of her dementia diagnosis. A self-described hurricane novice, he said he had no idea that the move would mean the trio would have to hunker down together during the deadly storm.

We had basically 10 straight hours of hurricane force winds battering the condo building, he said, before adding that the swaying of the condo at one point even made him seasick. Thankfully, things are much better than they were 24 hours ago.

Just as Cubas power was wiped out when Ian hit the island, Florida was similarly blighted by blackouts during the storm. Over 2.5 million customers were plunged into darkness, according to tracking site PowerOutage.us.

Aerial footage showing some of the destruction in Ft Myers bridges are washed away and streets flooded. #HurricaneIanhttps://t.co/CnF5RTxceo pic.twitter.com/ASQEIw9P3x  Parker Branton (@ParkerBranton) September 29, 2022

Airports have canceled hundreds of flights on Thursday, with the Southwest Florida International Airport and Orlando International Airport pulling all of its scheduled operations.

On Thursday afternoon, President Joe Biden approved a major disaster declaration for Florida, allowing the affected counties to receive necessary aid to start the rebuilding process. Speaking during a Fox News appearance Wednesday night, DeSantis said the storm would bring one of the biggest flood events weve ever had. What remains to be seen is how much damage the wind did. Obviously its very significant.

In response to the near-unthinkable destruction, U-Haul is offering a month of free self-storage at 43 locations to Florida residents. For those in need of food, Feeding Tampa Bay is providing fresh produce, bottled water, and prepared meals to all. Uber is giving away free round-trip rides, up to $30 each way, to and from any state-approved evacuation center, with the code IANRELIEF. And anyone impacted by Ian can schedule free telehealth visits through Florida Blueeven non-membersby calling 855-225-5032.

The storm is expected to barrel up the East Coast on Thursday, with Georgia and possibly the Carolinas in its path.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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Man sits on his damaged car in Fort Myers

Hurricane Ian - one of the most powerful storms to hit the United States in recent years - has caused widespread disruption after barrelling across the Caribbean into Florida.

Local reports say thousands of people are awaiting rescue and at least 20 people have died - with fears that number may rise. Satellite analysis suggests more than 80,000 properties have been affected by flood waters.

Ian was downgraded to a tropical storm after making landfall in Florida but as it moved into the Atlantic Ocean it regained its hurricane strength and is heading for South Carolina and Georgia - where some people have fled low-lying areas for higher ground and other communities are braced for strong winds, heavy rains and flooding.

Path of Hurricane Ian

The storm hit Cuba as a strengthening hurricane on 27 September then built to a Category 4 hurricane as it crossed the Gulf of Mexico, bringing wind speeds of up to 241km/h (150mph) and causing storm surges, or rising sea levels, which flooded coastal communities and left thousands of people without power.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis described the destruction as a "500-year flood event".

"We've never seen storm surge of this magnitude," he said.

Ian's progress from Cuba to Florida

The National Hurricane Center (NHC) has warned of further life-threatening surges in the storm's wake.

Fort Myers Beach

Communities in the Fort Myers areas took the brunt of the storm as it made landfall. Businesses and homes have been destroyed by the winds and flooding as well as vital road links - with thousands of people on Sanibel Island and Pine Island left isolated after causeways to the mainland were swept away.

Graphic showing destruction on roads to Sanibel Island

Streets were flooded by water from rivers and a surge of sea water driven by the storm. As Ian moved inland, it brought 25cm to 50cm (10 to 20 inches) of rainfall in some areas.

Before and after images in Fort Myers

Destruction in Fort Myers

Dan Allers, a councillor in Fort Myers Beach, said the surge of water was about 12-14 feet (3.7-4.3m).

"To say it's devastation would be a severe understatement, just watching people's belongings and homes and things float by - it was a very tough scene to witness," he told the BBC.

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Houses that have been badly damaged in Fort Myers, Florida

Rescue efforts by boat and helicopter are under way to reach people stranded by the floodwaters.

Satellite analysis shows more than 5,500 buildings affected by floods in Naples, according to ICEYE Flood Solutions.

Firefighters in the town had to wade through chest-high waters to rescue people, including one woman who was stranded in her car.

Firefighters rescue women in Naples, Florida

Storm surges

Storm surges are caused when huge volumes of water are pushed by hurricane-force winds. When they meet land, the water surges inshore at levels far exceeding normal tides. If the coast has wide, shallow continental shelf, like the one along Florida's Gulf Coast, the surge can be much worse.

The effect of a storm surge explained

Power out in Cuba

Before Ian reached the Florida coast it had swept across Cuba, knocking out electricity pylons, flattening homes and causing widespread damage as it crossed the west of the island on Tuesday.

At least three people died, according to state media. Millions were left without electricity or communications for three days before power started to be restored in some areas.

Owners of a tobacco house look at the destruction in Cuba

Blackout in Havana, Cuba

Hurricane season

Florida is no stranger to powerful hurricanes and some of the biggest the US has seen have passed across the state.

The warm water of the Gulf Stream - a fast-moving ocean current that travels north along the east coast of Florida - makes for ideal conditions for a hurricane, says Hugh Willoughby, a meteorology professor at Florida International University.

"Hurricanes derive their energy from warm ocean water and the Gulf Stream is sort of the warmest ocean water around," he told the BBC.

In 2004, Hurricane Charley became a Category 4 hurricane just before hitting Florida's Gulf Coast. Nine died and the storm caused an estimated $6.8 billion in damage, according to the NHC.

Map showing paths of previous storms

In 2017, Hurricane Irma passed over the Florida Keys as a Category 4 hurricane but at times reached a Category 5, with winds of up to 295km/h (185mph).

Irma left path of a devastation across Caribbean countries and territories before moving up through the US states of Florida, Georgia and South Carolina - an estimated 1.2 million people were affected and about 55 people died.

Hurricane Ian reached Category 4 - when severe damage to property is expected.
Living in Orlo Vista 21 years, David Phillips is accustomed to high water.

Storms from hurricanes Charley, Jeanne, Frances, Irma, Matthew and some he cant remember have all left their water marks in the working class neighborhood south of West Colonial Drive.

But Ian dropped a doozy deluge.

Never seen it this high, said Phillips, 57, huddled with his shivering girlfriend, Tina, wrapped in a blanket, and her mom.

As Hurricane Ian approached, bringing with what experts described as the threat of historic flooding, Orlo Vista was among the neighborhoods in Central Florida where officials most feared destruction.

Those fears were realized overnight Wednesday, as the storms deluge swamped the neighborhood that has repeatedly been hammered by named storms over the years. The National Guard deployed to the neighborhood, joining local first responders in conducting rescues.

The community, which is south of Pine Hills, was overwhelmed by floodwaters in September 2017 when Irma blew through Central Florida, dumping nearly 10 inches of rain on the community in a span of a day. About 500 homes were evacuated then.

Ahead of Ians approach, Joe Kunkel, Orange Countys public works director, said staff had continually been pumping water away from the area to increase rainfall capacity. But similar rainfall to what the community experienced during Irma, he said, would be problematic.

County officials positioned portable pumps in the area ahead of Ians arrival, including near Powers Drive and Silver Star Road in Pine Hills. They were not up to the challenge of the storms wrath.

Tim Sedlock, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Melbourne, said measurements showed Ian deposited 9 to 10 inches of rain in the area of Orlo Vista.

Tina Wainright and her mother Evelyn Wainright said water began flowing into their trailer about 6:30 a.m. Thursday.

As the level in their bedroom rose to about six inches, they packed suitcases and a crate holding their cat, Nina, and waded through thigh-high water to a Fire/Rescue boat that took them to safety.

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Orlo Vistas bad history with powerful storms dates back decades. After the community suffered massive during Hurricane Donna in 1960, the county expanded ponds, dug canals and added pumps. But none of the efforts take over the years have been able to prevent destructive flooding.

During a Tuesday meeting of the Orange County Commission, the communitys district representative, Commissioner Victoria Siplin, suggested evacuating the neighborhood.

Im really concerned with my folks in Orlo Vista, Siplin said. You know, when Irma hit, they were not prepared to deal with the rainfall we received. And so I think, even though were doing what we can, we have to be realistic. I think at some point, we should tell folks in certain areas that they have to evacuate.

Not everyone would likely have been willing to go. Firefighters conducting rescues on Thursday said some residents of the waterlogged neighborhood were still refusing to leave their homes.

Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings and his wife, Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Val Demings, spoke to reporters at the waters edge on Thursday. The mayor said he understood why some people refuse to leave.

This is their home. This is where theyre comfortable, he said.

Demings said fire/rescue visited the community in the days before the storm and persuaded about 300 people to find temporary alternative accommodations with family, friends or county shelters.

David Phillips sister, Jo Gardner, lives in the area but went to stay with friends during the storm, expecting high water again. Because her friend had two dogs and she didnt have a crate, she left her 10-year-old Chihuahua/Jack Russell mix, Ben, with her brother.

All survived the storm. As rescuers worked to save her neighbors, Gardner cried and kissed Ben.

Despite the regular flooding, Phillips hopes to stay in the community, where he said everyone knows everyone.

But well see, he said. Were keeping our fingers crossed on this one.

He and his 16-year-old son, James, and Nina the cat were heading to Phillips moms house. Tina and her mom, 78, were going to a special needs shelter.

Our car is toast, Tina said of the 2018 Ford work van they left in the water in the driveway.

Jeff Weiner of the Sentinel staff contributed.

shudak@orlandosentinel.com
Hurricane Ian caused historic damage after making landfall in Florida, leaving more than 2.5 million without power.

In a briefing Thursday morning, Gov. Ron DeSantis said, The impacts of this storm are historic and the damage that was done has been historic, and this is just off initial assessments.

Damaged homes and debris in Fort Myers, Fla., in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian on Thursday. (Wilfredo Lee/AP)

Weve never seen storm surge of this magnitude, and it hit an area where theres a lot of people and a lot of those low-lying areas, and its going to end up doing extensive damage to a lot of peoples homes. So theres going to be a lot of work to do, DeSantis added, calling it basically a 500-year flood event.

Youre looking at a storm that has changed the character of a significant part of our state, he said. This is going to require years of effort to rebuild."

Devastated homes near the coast in Fort Myers, Fla., on Thursday following the Category 4 hurricane. (Wilfredo Lee/AP)

Sanibel Causeway and Matlacha Pass Bridge, which connect barrier islands near Fort Myers to the mainland, were declared impassable by DeSantis, who said they would require structural rebuilds. Images from Fort Myers Beach showed much of the nearby community leveled by the Category 4 storm with maximum sustained winds of 150 mph.

Authorities transport a person out of the Avante nursing home in Orlando. (John Raoux/AP)

The White House said Thursday morning that President Biden had been in communication with DeSantis about Federal Emergency Management Agency aid for hurricane victims, including approving a formal disaster declaration for the nine counties hit hardest. There was no official death count, with the governor saying there were two deaths possibly tied to the hurricane that had yet to be confirmed.

Downgraded to a tropical storm on Thursday, Ian is expected to make landfall in South Carolina on Friday as a hurricane. The governors of North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and Virginia have declared states of emergency.

An aerial view of a flooded neighborhood in Fort Myers, Fla., following Hurricane Ian. (Po3 Kruz Sanders/Us Coast/Planet Pix via ZUMA Press Wire)

Stedi Scuderi looks over her apartment in Fort Myers on Thursday after floodwater inundated it. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

A man near a downed traffic light on Orange Avenue in Orlando on Thursday. (Gary Bogdon/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock)

Boats are scattered amid debris in Fort Myers. (Marco Bello/Reuters)

A commercial sign in Bartow, Fla., toppled by the winds and rain from the hurricane. (Gerardo Mora/Getty Images)

Stefanie Karas stands in her flooded apartment in Fort Myers on Thursday assessing the damage. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

Homes in Lee County, Fla., inundated with floodwater on Thursday. (WPLG TV via ABC via Reuters)

Downed street signs in Punta Gorda, Fla., on Thursday. (Ricardo Arduengo/AFP via Getty Images)

An aerial view of flooded homes in Lee County, Fla., on Thursday. (WPLG TV via ABC via Reuters)

A person on a bike in flooded Centennial Park in Fort Myers, Fla., on Thursday. (Crisobal Herrera-Ulashkevich/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock)

A section of the Sanibel Causeway in Lee County that was knocked out by Hurricane Ian. (Douglas R. Clifford/Tampa Bay Times via AP)

Brenda Brennan on Thursday sits next to a boat that was pushed against her Fort Myers apartment when Hurricane Ian passed through the area. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

A worker cleans debris in downtown St. Petersburg, Fla., following Hurricane Ian. (Gerardo Mora/Getty Images)

A man surveys damage to his home in Valrico, Fla., on Thursday. (Chris O'Meara/AP)

Damaged boats and debris are stacked along the shore in Fort Myers, Fla. (Wilfredo Lee/AP)

Firefighters in Orange County, Fla., help people stranded by Hurricane Ian early Thursday. (Orange County Fire Rescue's Public Information Office via AP)

A spiral staircase lies in the brush next to a pickup in Sanibel, Fla. (Douglas R. Clifford/Tampa Bay Times via AP)

Boats are pushed up on a causeway in Fort Myers. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

A man bikes through water past a downed street lamp in Fort Myers on Thursday. (Giorgio Viera/AFP via Getty Images)

Broken-up pavement just before the Sanibel Causeway. (Douglas R. Clifford/Tampa Bay Times via AP)
Hurricane Ian pummeled Florida after making landfall Wednesday afternoon, bringing life-threatening storm surges to the coast and extreme wind and rain that knocked out power for more than a million people and spurred evacuation orders for some 2.5 million.

This is going to be a nasty nasty day, two days, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) said earlier on Wednesday, urging people in Ians path along the Atlantic coast to rush to the safest possible shelter and stay there.

DeSantis said Wednesday evening that the storm surges, which were forecasted to reach up to 18 feet, had likely peaked. But we know this has been a big storm and has done a lot of damage as it is.

The hurricane made landfall as an extremely dangerous Category 4 storm near Cayo Costa, Fla, according to the National Hurricane Center, and proceeded to sweep over the cities of Naples and Fort Myers, where images and videos showed scenes of devastation throughout the late afternoon and into the evening.

Reports on cable news networks and on social media showed streets turned into rivers, trees knocked down by wind and houses destroyed by the storm.

Flash floods were possible all across Florida, with the storm expected to pound the Orlando area Thursday and exit the state near Daytona Beach. Federal officials said Tuesday that inland flooding was their biggest safety concerns.

LIVE COVERAGE: More than a million without power as Hurricane Ian batters Florida

Ian is the strongest storm to hit Florida at least since Hurricane Michael in 2018, and will rank among the top five storms to ever hit the Florida peninsula, according to DeSantis.

Officials in southern Florida reported calls of residents who remained stuck in their homes as water levels were rising. We are getting a significant number of calls of people trapped by water in their homes, the Collier County Sheriffs Office wrote in a Facebook post.

More than a million Floridians have been left without power, according to poweroutage.us, which shows more than 10 counties with significant power outages, the worst of them in Lee County, where more than 300,000 residents are without power.

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King Point residents leave with their belongings after a tornado spawned from an apparent overnight tornado spawned from Hurricane Ian at Kings Point 55+ community in Delray Beach, Fla., on Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2022. (Carline Jean /South Florida Sun-Sentinel via AP)

The National Hurricane Center issued a 5 p.m. update predicting the top winds would fall to 85 mph within 12 hours, down from their peak of 155 mph, making Ian a Category 1 hurricane.

However, Jamie Rhome, acting director of the center, warned the destruction would continue as the storm heads north.

It will still pack a formidable punch as it moves across the state of Florida along the I-4 corridor in the next couple of days, Rhome said in a Facebook broadcast.

A spokeswoman for the Insurance Information Institute told The New York Times that the damage from Hurricane Ian could end up costing anywhere from $20 billion to $40 billion, depending on the storms path and strength.

The federal government sent 300 ambulances with medical teams and was ready to truck in 3.7 million meals and 3.5 million liters of water once the storm passes.

Well be there to help you clean up and rebuild, to help Florida get moving again, President Biden said Wednesday. And well be there every step of the way. Thats my absolute commitment to the people of the state of Florida.

DeSantis has requested Biden grant a major disaster declaration for all 67 of the states counties, which would open a range of federal assistance for residents and funding for public infrastructure repairs.

DeSantis and Biden put politics aside Tuesday night and spoke about Hurricane Ian hitting Florida.

This is about the people of Florida, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters on Wednesday. This is about two people who wanted to have a conversation on how we can be partners to the governor and his constituents and make sure that we are delivering for the people of Florida.

Additional reporting from Associated Press

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
The death toll from Hurricane Ian, one of the most powerful storms ever to hit the United States, soared above 40 Saturday, as President Joe Biden heads to Florida later in the week to survey the devastation.

Shocked Florida communities were only just beginning to face the full scale of the destruction, with rescuers still searching for survivors in submerged neighborhoods and along the state's southwest coast.

Homes, restaurants and businesses were ripped apart when Ian roared ashore as a powerful Category 4 hurricane on Wednesday.

The confirmed number of storm-related deaths rose to 44 statewide, the Florida Medical Examiners Commission said late Saturday, but reports of additional fatalities were still emerging county by county - pointing to a far higher final toll.

Hard-hit Lee County alone recorded 35 deaths, according to its sheriff, while US media including NBC and CBS tallied more than 70 deaths either directly or indirectly related to the storm.

In the coastal state of North Carolina, the governor's office confirmed four deaths related to Ian there.

Biden and his wife, Jill, will visit Florida on Wednesday, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre tweeted, but the couple will first head to Puerto Rico on Monday to survey the destruction from a different storm, Hurricane Fiona, which struck the US territory last month.

In Florida's Lee County on Saturday, rescuers and ordinary citizens in boats were still saving the last trapped inhabitants of the small island of Matlacha. Debris, abandoned vehicles and downed trees littered the pummeled hamlet's main street and surroundings that are dotted by colorful wooden houses with corrugated roofs.

The community, home to about 800 people, was cut off from the mainland following damage to two bridges, and those who fled early were only just beginning to return home to survey the destruction.

Sitting in the shadow of a deserted Matlacha house, Chip Farrar told AFP that "nobody's telling us what to do, nobody's telling us where to go."

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"The evacuation orders came in very late," the 43-year-old said. "But most people that are still here wouldn't have left anyway. It's a very blue-collar place. And most people don't have anywhere to go, which is the biggest issue."

Sixteen migrants were missing from a boat that sank during the hurricane, according to the US Coast Guard. Two people were found dead and nine others rescued, including four Cubans who swam to shore in the Florida Keys.

More than 900,000 customers remained without power in Florida Saturday night, hampering efforts by those who evacuated to return to their homes to take stock of what they lost.

In Fort Myers Beach, a town on the Gulf of Mexico coast which took the brunt of the storm, Pete Belinda said his home was "just flipped upside down, soaking wet, full of mud."

Ian barreled over Florida and into the Atlantic Ocean before making US landfall again, this time on the South Carolina coast Friday as a Category 1 hurricane, with maximum sustained winds of 85 miles (140 kilometers) per hour.

It was later downgraded to a post-tropical cyclone, and it was dissipating over Virginia late Saturday.

More than 45,000 people remained without power across North Carolina and Virginia, tracking website poweroutage.us said Saturday.

CoreLogic, a firm that specializes in property analysis, said wind-related losses for residential and commercial properties in Florida could cost insurers up to $32 billion, while flooding losses could reach $15 billion.

"This is the costliest Florida storm since Hurricane Andrew made landfall in 1992," CoreLogic's Tom Larsen said.

- Rescues continue -

As of Saturday morning, Governor Ron DeSantis's office said more than 1,100 rescues had been made across Florida.

DeSantis reported that hundreds of rescue personnel were going door-to-door "up and down the coastline."

Many Floridians evacuated ahead of the storm, but thousands chose to shelter in place and ride it out.

Two hard-hit barrier islands near Fort Myers -- Pine Island and Sanibel Island -- were cut off after the storm damaged causeways to the mainland.

Aerial photos and video show breathtaking destruction in Sanibel and elsewhere.

A handful of restaurants and bars reopened in Fort Myers, giving an illusion of normalcy amid downed trees and shattered storefronts.

Before pummeling Florida, Ian plunged all of Cuba into darkness after downing the island's power network.

Electricity was gradually returning, mainly in Havana, but many homes remain without power.

A new storm in the Pacific, Hurricane Orlene, intensified to Category 2 strength off the Mexican coast, where it was forecast to make landfall in the coming days.

Human-induced climate change is resulting in more severe weather events across the globe, scientists say.

bur-st/bfm/mlm/aha
A Florida hospital was hit hard by winds and flooding from Hurricane Ian on Wednesday.

Part of the fourth floor roof from the intensive care unit at HCA Florida Fawcett Hospital in Port Charlotte was blown off, Dr. Birgit Bodine, who works there, told the Associated Press. A lower level emergency room also experienced storm surge flooding.

"We didn't anticipate that the roof would blow off," Bodine, who spent the night at the hospital on what she anticipated would be a busy night, told the news agency.

Videos shared by a reporter for ABC affiliate WTVD show workers walking through water on the floor of the ICU, as well as towels spread on the ground to soak up flooding.

"Hard to believe," wrote reporter Josh Chapin.

RELATED: Hurricane Ian Knocks Out Power for More Than 2.5 Million People in Florida

Bodine told the AP that after water began coming down in the ICU, hospital staff had to evacuate some of the hospital's sickest patients to other floors  and that due to damage at the hospital, only two of the hospital's four floors were available for patients.

"The ambulances may be coming soon and we don't know where to put them in the hospital at this point," she told the outlet. "We're doubled and tripled up."

Never miss a story  sign up for PEOPLE's free weekly newsletter to get the biggest news of the week delivered to your inbox every Friday.

On Wednesday, the hospital announced that due to the arrival of the storm they would only be open for emergencies.

"HCA Florida Fawcett Hospital is currently open for serving patients in our facility right now and emergency patients only," they wrote on Facebook. "Thank you for your cooperation."

HCA Florida Fawcett Hospital did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request for comment.

RELATED: See Photos of Hurricane Ian's Path as Historic Storm Hits Florida

Ian made landfall near Cayo Costa, Florida, as a catastrophic Category 4 storm, with its 150 mph winds snapping apart trees, ripping homes to shreds and tearing down power lines across the coastline.

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It has since been downgraded a tropical storm by the National Hurricane Center, although strong winds, heavy rains and storm surge are still predicted across portions of Florida, Georgia and the Carolinas.

"This is by far the worst storm I have ever witnessed," Fort Myers Mayor Kevin Anderson said during a call into the Today show on Thursday. "Watching the water rise from my condo in the heart of downtown, watching it rise and flood out all the stores on the first floor, it was heartbreaking."

Hurricane Ian

Joe Raedle/Getty Damage in Fort Myers after Hurricane Ian passed through

On Thursday, President Joe Biden officially declared the state of Florida a major disaster zone, sending federal aid to residents in Charlotte, Collier, DeSoto, Hardee, Hillsborough, Lee, Manatee, Pinellas and Sarasota counties.

Urgent rescue methods are now taking place to help those stranded by the massive flooding.

Although the full impact of the storm remains unknown, Lee County Sheriff Carmine Marceno told Good Morning America on Thursday that "while I don't have confirmed numbers, I definitely know fatalities are in the hundreds."

"I can't give a true assessment until we're actually on scene assessing each scene. And we can't access, that's the problem," Marceno continued. "We're accessing the bridges, seeing what's compromised and what's not. And this will be a life-changing event for the men and women who are responding. They're going to see things they've never seen before."
Rescue efforts were underway Thursday as Ian barreled northeast across Florida, cutting off power to more than 2.6 million people and leaving a wide swath of floodwater and destruction. President Joe Biden said the storm could be the deadliest hurricane in Floridas history.

Were hearing early reports of what may be substantial loss of life, the president said after a Federal Emergency Management Agency briefing Thursday afternoon.

The danger is real, to state the obvious, Biden said. Dont go outside unless you absolutely have to. Its risky for you and it impedes first responders from doing their job.

Gov. Ron DeSantis (R), at an earlier news conference, described floodwaters across the state as historic.

Vehicles make their way through a flooded area of Fort Myers after Hurricane Ian passed through the area. (Photo: Joe Raedle via Getty Images)

Vehicles make their way through a flooded area of Fort Myers after Hurricane Ian passed through the area. (Photo: Joe Raedle via Getty Images)

The amount of water thats been rising, and will likely continue to rise today even as the storm is passing, is basically a 500-year flood event, DeSantis said. Some of the flooding youre going to see, in areas that are hundreds of miles from where this made landfall, are going to set records.

At least two fatalities may be linked to the storm, DeSantis said, but a sheriffs report of hundreds of fatalities in Lee County was an estimate likely impacted by 911 calls from people who described themselves as stuck on roofs and in attics amid rising water.

A stoplight pole is seen lying in the street after blown down by Ian's winds in downtown Orlando on Thursday. (Photo: via Associated Press)

A stoplight pole is seen lying in the street after blown down by Ian's winds in downtown Orlando on Thursday. (Photo: via Associated Press)

A 72-year-old man was found dead around 1 a.m. Thursday in Deltona after going outside during the storm to drain his swimming pool. The mans wife called for help after he didnt return. Deputies later found him lying unresponsive in a nearby canal that he had been draining the water into, the Volusia County Sheriffs office said.

In southeast Florida, officials said the body of a 34-year-old man was found in floodwaters in Martin County.

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U.S. border officials said 20 Cuban migrants were missing after their boat sank off the coast Wednesday.

A section of the causeway leading to Sanibel, Florida in Lee County was knocked out by Hurricane Ian. (Photo: via Associated Press)

A section of the causeway leading to Sanibel, Florida in Lee County was knocked out by Hurricane Ian. (Photo: via Associated Press)

Ian came ashore Wednesday as a Category 4 monster with 150 mph winds. In the Fort Myers area, near where it made landfall, the Lee County Sheriffs Office shared a stunning aerial video of the devastation.

It showed homes leveled, splintered, burning and still partially submerged. In other areas, bridges and roads had been washed out, and trees were flattened.

The city of Fort Myers issued a stay-at-home order so workers could pursue cleanup efforts and threatened violators with citations.

The storm lost strength and was downgraded to a tropical storm Thursday morning. Still, its sustained high winds and immense rain remained an active threat to central and northeast Florida as it lumbered toward the Atlantic coast.

The National Weather Service warned that central Florida will continue to see widespread life-threatening catastrophic flooding, with major to record river flooding throughout Thursday. Northern Florida, southeast Georgia and eastern South Carolina will see what the weather service described as considerable flooding through the end of the week.

In Floridas northeast corner, some areas in the St Johns region, south of Jacksonville, may have been deluged with 4 feet of rain in a matter of hours, Rescue Florida Emergency Management Director Kevin Guthrie said. A flash flood emergency was declared for Volusia Countys coastline, which includes the Daytona Beach area, until noon.

Frankie Romulus (and Kendrick Romulus stand outside of their apartment next to a boat that floated into their apartment complex in Fort Myers. (Photo: Joe Raedle via Getty Images)

Frankie Romulus (and Kendrick Romulus stand outside of their apartment next to a boat that floated into their apartment complex in Fort Myers. (Photo: Joe Raedle via Getty Images)

In Orange County, where lakes overflowed into surrounding neighborhoods, nine searches were underway Thursday for missing people, Guthrie said.

Utility workers, meanwhile, began working to restore power to the millions left in the dark. DeSantis cautioned that some areas will remain without electricity until infrastructure can be rebuilt.

Lee and Charlotte are basically off the grid at this point, the governor said of two southwestern counties slammed in Ians initial landfall where power connections will have to be entirely rebuilt.

Submerged pick up truck and extreme home damage in Fort Myers, FL. #HurricaneIanpic.twitter.com/zKKDSRalgS  Hurricane Ian Footage (@IanFootage) September 28, 2022

Over 2.6 million customers remained without power Thursday, according to online tracker PowerOutage.us. The majority were in southwest Florida.

President Joe Biden on Thursday approved a major disaster declaration for Florida, making federal funding available for residents in Charlotte, Collier, DeSoto, Hardee, Hillsborough, Lee, Manatee, Pinellas and Sarasota counties.

The federal help can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, as well as low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses. DeSantis said he spoke with Biden and the disaster declaration will likely be expanded to other areas as the storm moves north.

This article originally appeared on HuffPost and has been updated.
(Bloomberg) -- As Hurricane Ian pushes up the US East Coast, the first glimpses of the storms catastrophic strike on southwestern Florida are starting to come into view. A row of beachfront houses destroyed. An apartment floor covered in water and dirt. A utility pole snapped in half. A washed-out highway. Boats littering the sidewalk.

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Officials warn that it will take days, if not longer, to assess the full magnitude of damage left behind. That's especially true in places inland with heavy rainfall, where water is less likely to quickly recede, making them difficult to reach. Even a preliminary scan of impacts along the coast, which experienced the brunt of Ians storm surge and Category 4 winds, reveals the storm to be a climate disaster.

Perhaps the biggest unknown at this point is Ians impact on loss of life. Despite repeated, early warnings to evacuate, there are many signs that people stayed behind. Speaking at a Federal Emergency Management Agency briefing on Thursday, President Joe Biden said: Were hearing early reports of what may be substantial loss of life.

Also unknown is how the storm impacted the states orange crop. Early estimates say Ians cost could range from $69 billion to $100 billion.

What is known so far: In Fort Myers  not too far from where Ian made landfall with winds of 150 miles (241 kilometers) per hour  homes on the beach and on blocks inland were flattened, while many others were partially destroyed.

The rest of the Fort Myers beach looks much the same. "I got an aerial tour of Fort Myers beach, said Jared Moskowitz, a Florida Democrat running for Congress, on Twitter. Most of it will need to be completely rebuilt. Moskowitz was previously the director of Floridas Division of Emergency Management.

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Indeed, many apartment complexes and other buildings flooded as a result of rain and storm surge. Thanks to rising seas and warming temperatures, climate experts have warned that hurricanes like Ian are getting more intense and wet.

In some cases, boats carried by the surging waters smashed into buildings and blocked walkways and streets.

Utility polls are also down in parts of Florida. As of Thursday afternoon, about 2.6 million Floridians were without power, according to PowerOutage.us. Florida Power & Light Co., the states largest utility, says some 21,000 people are in the field working to restore power. No grid is hurricane-proof, Bryan Garner, a utility spokesman, said at a news briefing. Hurricane Ian impacted almost the entire peninsula of Florida.

In Punta Gorda, Florida, not far from Ians point of landfall, trees were flattened and buildings collapsed. At its peak, the storms winds were just shy of Category 5 strength, the highest level on the Saffir-Simpson hurricane scale.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis painted a grim picture of nearby tourist destination Sanibel Island. Sanibel is destruction, he said during a press conference. It got hit with really biblical storm surge.

Part of the Sanibel Causeway was washed away, complicating recovery efforts. The causeway is the only way in and out of the island by car, and DeSantis said rescue operations have started via air and boat.

South of Sanibel in Bonita Springs, people have started to survey the damage. There are overturned cars, piled-up boats and destroyed businesses.

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Debris litters a street in a neighborhood of St. Pete Beach as the winds from Hurricane Ian arrive on September 28, 2022, in St. Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Gerardo Mora/Getty Images)

IAN'S WRATH - Millions without power as Floridians wake up to floods and devastation from violent hurricane. Continue reading 

SAY WHAT? - VP Kamala Harris makes an unfortunate gaffe about North Korea during visit to the Demilitarized Zone. Continue reading 

WHAT IS A WOMAN? - Democrats seek to cash in on women-themed campaign  but they can't define the word. Continue reading 

AMERICAN CARNAGE - Feds have seized enough fentanyl at the border this year to kill the entire U.S. population eight times over. Continue reading 

EXPOSING THE EDUCATION ESTABLISHMENT - Progressives still haven't learned: 'Terrorist' parents will always fight back. Continue reading 

-

BUMBLING BIDEN - WH does damage control yet again as president's latest gaffe adds to a long list. Continue reading 

IRRETRIEVABLY BROKEN - Marjorie Taylor Greene's husband of 27 years files for divorce. Continue reading 

CUOMO COMEBACK - Disgraced former governor launching podcast, PAC one year after resigning. Continue reading 

VIRTUAL MISSION - Republicans push DOJ to investigate cyberattacks against Christian, pro-life websites. Continue reading 

GIRL POWER - Alliance Defending Freedom to argue state's transgender athlete policy harms girls' sports, is 'clear violation of Title IX.' Continue reading 

PERILOUS WARNING - Trump says World War 3 can be accidentally sparked over Ukraine, Taiwan conflict. Continue reading 

CLIMATE CRISIS? - CNN, MSNBC, The View use Hurricane Ian as opportunity to rip into DeSantis. Continue reading 

TRUTH DOESNT MATTER - Whoopi Goldberg tells New York Times Magazine she thinks she's only been 'canceled once.' Continue reading 

JESSE WATTERS - People are swimming in their living rooms. Continue reading 

TUCKER CARLSON - The point of this is to intimidate and terrify Biden's political opponents. Continue reading 

SEAN HANNITY - This is another example of Biden's 'cognitive decline.' Continue reading 

Story continues

LAURA INGRAHAM - During any crisis, we see more than ever why leadership matters. Continue reading 

ROOFTOP REVELATIONS - Pastor Brooks and Somali imam discuss shared goal of helping their communities. Continue reading 

COMMUNITY COMES TOGETHER - Hurricane Ian slams Florida as schools act as shelters: 'Ready to accept anyone with open arms,' teacher says. Continue reading 

ECONOMIC EVIDENCE - Final GDP reading likely to confirm US economy entered a recession in the spring. Continue reading 

DIS OTHER BATTLE - Princess Dianas heartfelt letter to man struggling with bulimia on display at Las Vegas exhibit. Continue reading 

Whats it looking like in your neighborhood? Continue reading

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Editor's note: This is a developing story and will be updated.

An Army doctor is accused of trying to give medical records from Fort Bragg patients to Russia.

Maj. Jamie Lee Henry, 39, of Rockville, Maryland, is charged with conspiracy and with disclosure of individually identifiable health information related to the doctors efforts to assist Russia in connection with the conflict in Ukraine, according to a statement released Thursday by the U.S. Department of Justice. Anna Gabrielian, 36, also of Rockville, Maryland, also is charged. The statement identifies Henry as Gabrielians husband.

Henry, who held a secret-level security clearance, worked as a staff internist at Fort Bragg, according to the statement. Gabrielian is an anesthesiologist who worked at a medical facility in Baltimore, it said.

An indictment by a federal grand jury against Henry and Gabrielian was returned Wednesday and unsealed on Thursday after they were arrested, the statement said.

Henry and Gabrielian are accused of meeting with an undercover FBI agent in August to discuss ways they could help Russia.

Henry told the agent that Henry was committed to helping Russia and had looked into volunteering to join the Russian Army after the conflict in Ukraine began, but Russia wanted people with combat experience and Henry did not have any, according to the statement. Henry also said, the way I am viewing what is going on in Ukraine now, is that the United States is using Ukrainians as a proxy for their own hatred toward Russia, the statement said.

Earlier, Gabrielian told the agent that Henry would be an important source for Russia because Henry had information about how the United States military establishes an Army hospital in war conditions and information about previous training provided by the United States military to Ukrainian military personnel, according to the statement.

Later, Gabrielian told the agent that she would check with Henry about providing medical records from patients at Fort Bragg, the statement said. Henry is accused of providing information related to five people who were military veterans or related to military veterans on Aug. 31, it said.

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Gabrielian is accused of providing the agent with information related to two people, including the spouse of an employee of the Office of Naval Intelligence. She told the agent that the spouse had a medical condition Russia could exploit, according to the statement.

In a May 11, 2021, news release, Henry was identified by the 18th Airborne Corps as an internist for Womack Army Medical Center at Fort Bragg.

Henry was originally named as one of six finalists selected for the 18th Airborne Corps fourth episode of Dragons Lair, which is a Shark Tank style program that encourages soldiers to present ideas for innovation or ways to improve their units and Army to a panel of senior leaders.

Before the May 25, 2021, episode that centered on suicide prevention ideas for the Army, Henrys name and photo were removed from promotional materials.

A former spokesman for the 18th Airborne Corps previously said that Henry was not a top finalist.

Original promotional materials show that Henry was going to present an idea about a daily program to build the emotional health of all soldiers based on personal trauma.

Staff writer Rachael Riley can be reached at rriley@fayobserver.com or 910-486-3528.

Staff writer Steve DeVane can be reached at sdevane@fayobserver.com.

This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: Army doctor accused of trying to give Bragg medical records to Russia
Sep. 29Mental health challenges for K-12 students in Ohio schools  and in schools nationwide  were on the rise well before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in spring 2020.

Since then, say education officials, the mental health needs of students across the state have only deepened.

In recent years Miami University has focused more resources on training its student programs for future educators and school counselors to better address these crucial needs and they said this week a $5 million state grant is a big boost for their efforts.

It's a priority of the Ohio governor, who praised Miami's programs as having statewide impact on teachers, counselors and administrators throughout the state's K-12 schools.

The university has been awarded $5 million through a partnership between Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (OhioMHAS) and the Ohio Department of Education (ODE) to prioritize mental health and wellness for K-12 students and staff across the state.

Miami officials released a statement saying the grant will allow Miami to transform the Center for School-Based Mental Health Programs into a new School-Based Center of Excellence (SBCOE) for Prevention and Early Intervention to address an ongoing mental health crisis.

"By partnering to create this new School-Based Center of Excellence for Prevention and Intervention, where teachers and administrators can learn to implement prevention and intervention practices in their classrooms and schools, we are demonstrating that good mental health is just essential to physical wellbeing and academic success," said Governor Mike DeWine.

"This Center For Excellence will help compliment the Student Wellness and Success Funds, staff trainings, and prevention curriculum resources already received," said DeWine.

Currently, no other school-based center of excellence exists in Ohio, and the funds provided by OhioMHAS and ODE will be used to facilitate a statewide SBCOE launch during the biennium budget cycle running from August 1, 2022 through June 30, 2024.

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The Miami program has already been installed in 70 schools across Ohio.

Miami officials said the SBCOE will act as a hub to house a host of current and ongoing school-based mental health initiatives, statewide projects, and multi-year projects including the Ohio School Wellness Initiative (OSWI), which recently completed a 21-month plan to establish best practice standards for student assistance programs and staff wellness frameworks.

"Even before COVID, mental health issues have skyrocketed," said Miami University SBCOE Director Cricket Meehan. "Social isolation, anxiety, and depression are impacting classrooms and schools at a much higher level than ever before."

"All of us play a role in mitigating those concerns, and that's a big part of the School-Based Center of Excellence. We will help to identify what each and every person's role is, ensure that they have the supports and the tools they need, and that collaborative partnerships are working together harmoniously," said Meehan.

Lori Criss, director of the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, said "creating strong behavioral health supports in our schools so that teachers can teach, kids can learn, and parents can worry less is an important part of the governor's commitment to the health and well-being of children everywhere."

"Catching and treating mental health problems and addiction at their earliest onset can lessen the chances of life-long challenges, and the collaborative, best-practice prevention work that Miami University is leading will benefit children, families, and schools in communities across our state."
The main aim of stock picking is to find the market-beating stocks. But even the best stock picker will only win with some selections. At this point some shareholders may be questioning their investment in Southwest Airlines Co. (NYSE:LUV), since the last five years saw the share price fall 44%. And it's not just long term holders hurting, because the stock is down 38% in the last year. Unfortunately the share price momentum is still quite negative, with prices down 13% in thirty days. We do note, however, that the broader market is down 8.0% in that period, and this may have weighed on the share price.

Given the past week has been tough on shareholders, let's investigate the fundamentals and see what we can learn.

View our latest analysis for Southwest Airlines

To paraphrase Benjamin Graham: Over the short term the market is a voting machine, but over the long term it's a weighing machine. One flawed but reasonable way to assess how sentiment around a company has changed is to compare the earnings per share (EPS) with the share price.

During five years of share price growth, Southwest Airlines moved from a loss to profitability. Most would consider that to be a good thing, so it's counter-intuitive to see the share price declining. Other metrics might give us a better handle on how its value is changing over time.

Arguably, the revenue drop of 10% a year for half a decade suggests that the company can't grow in the long term. This has probably encouraged some shareholders to sell down the stock.

You can see below how earnings and revenue have changed over time (discover the exact values by clicking on the image).

It's probably worth noting that the CEO is paid less than the median at similar sized companies. It's always worth keeping an eye on CEO pay, but a more important question is whether the company will grow earnings throughout the years. This free report showing analyst forecasts should help you form a view on Southwest Airlines

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A Different Perspective

We regret to report that Southwest Airlines shareholders are down 38% for the year. Unfortunately, that's worse than the broader market decline of 19%. 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. Regrettably, last year's performance caps off a bad run, with the shareholders facing a total loss of 7% per year over five years. We realise that Baron Rothschild has said investors should "buy when there is blood on the streets", but we caution that investors should first be sure they are buying a high quality business. It's always interesting to track share price performance over the longer term. But to understand Southwest Airlines better, we need to consider many other factors. For example, we've discovered 1 warning sign for Southwest Airlines that you should be aware of before investing here.

We will like Southwest Airlines better if we see some big insider buys. While we wait, check out this free list of growing companies with considerable, recent, insider buying.

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.

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In the back of Field to Familys shared building at the Pepperwood Plaza in Iowa City on a Thursday afternoon, three people meticulously filled rows of large brown paper bags with local food, from tomatoes to coffee and cinnamon rolls.

They were filling orders from people who used the Iowa City nonprofits online farmers market, which has worked with 32 vendors this year to provide an array of food for folks to choose from and receive on a weekly basis.

Thats not all the nonprofit does.

It provides local food for wholesale, such as for school districts or food banks, and provides educational programming about local foods to schools. The latter makes the nonprofit unique when compared to other food hubs, according to Michelle Kenyon, director of Field to Family.

Its all for the purpose of creating a more local, healthy and sustainable food system, according to the nonprofit.

To get there means to continue increasing peoples access to local foods, which in turn means continuing to connect and foster relationships with the people that grow the food.

Thanks to a $200,000 USDA Healthy Food Financing Initiative grant in June, the nonprofit will get to expand its operations to ensure people are eating quality, local food.

Every order (at Field to Family) is amazing, Kenyon said. Its off the rails. Its not on a traditional food system at all, so were really excited.

Michelle Kenyon, director of Field to Family, left, talks with Theresa Greenfield, USDA Rural Development State Director in Iowa, during a tour of Field to Family on Sept. 15 in Iowa City.

What this $200,000 grant will mean for Field to Family and Iowa City

Field to Family launched as a food hub in Iowa City in 2018. A food hub, according to the USDA, is a centrally located facility that handles the aggregation, storage, processing, distribution and/or marketing of local, regionally produced food.

Processing isnt something Field to Family does yet due to a lack of space, but its certainly the future, Kenyon said.

Theres a reason for that.

Processing food  washing it, cutting it up, transforming it for later usage  provides convenience. And convenience will be key to connect more people with more local food.

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Field to Family will identify how its resources and services can be improved and adapted to better meet the communitys needs and then fund what is identified through this USDA grant.

Until research and engagement begins, Kenyon could only speculate as to what people might bring up when discussing how to make healthy, local foods accessible.

Satellite locations for picking up food ordered from the online farmers market could be an example, or ensuring that the online ordering system can be translated into different languages.

If you think about accessibility and all the different angles, theres a lot of things that we could do better, Kenyon said. We only have so many resources, though, so we want to find out what will affect more people and put the resources there."

Michelle Kenyon, director of Field to Family, second from right, and Theresa Greenfield, USDA Rural Development State Director in Iowa, center, participate in a round-table discussion with Alison Demory of the Iowa City Community School District and Debbie Klein of the Clear Creek Amana School District on Sept. 15 in Pepperwood Plaza in Iowa City.

For-profit, large food distributors are working on a different level, Kenyon said, doing their own research to know what people want all the time.

When were trying to change and transform that system  because theyre not trying to change it, theyre just trying to feed it.  In order to change it into one thats more resilient, strong and accessible, we gotta find out where people are and what theyre thinking, Kenyon said.

The nonprofit strives to source from local growers within a 100-mile radius of Johnson and Linn counties. When it cant, itll partner with other food hubs to meet the needs. As a bonus, those food hubs can take Field to Familys extras.

There are nine food hubs in Iowa, according to Iowa State Universitys online Iowa Food Hub directory. But a 2015 study led by the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture found 31 Iowa food hubs or centers of food hub-related activity, so that number may not be exact.

What is clear is that the USDA is putting more money into local food, Kenyon said.

In 2021, $4 million was made available through the Healthy Food Financing Initiative to support access to healthy food in underserved areas.

USDA is committed to creating steady, stable food supply chains in rural communities, said Theresa Greenfield, USDA rural development state director in a news release about Field to Family being awarded a $200,000 grant.

The Biden-Harris Administration wants to ensure that everyone  regardless of where they live  has affordable access healthy food. This expansion of food options in our rural hometowns provides new market opportunities for farmers and creates jobs for Iowans.

In 2021, the food hub moved to 1051 US-6 in Pepperwood Plaza in Iowa City from its previous location on South Capitol Street.

The new location, shared with nonprofit Table to Table, puts Field to Family in the heart of the South Districts new Self-Supported Municipal Improvement District, something Kenyon expressed excitement to be part of.

Field to Family seeks to increase access to its resources and services in its new neighborhood as part of the research it plans to do, according to a presentation shared with the Press-Citizen.

A magnet featuring information about growing seasons for different crops in Iowa is seen during a tour of Field to Family.

With Field to Familys assistance, two Johnson County school districts feed thousands

On the same Thursday afternoon at Field to Family, Debbie Klein, school food and nutrition director at Clear Creek-Amana School District, told Kenyon and other invited guests, including the Press-Citizen and Greenfield, how she once received a phone call from a parent regarding their childs food habits.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, while students were at home and families were picking up school lunches curbside, one parent got to observe what their child was eating at school.

They had no idea their child liked cherry tomatoes, and was eating them like candy, Klein said.

These tomatoes were brought to students by local farmers through Field to Family and CCAs partnership.

CCA is one of seven Iowa school districts Field to Family works with. The nonprofit also works with the Iowa City Community School District.

Alison Demory, director of nutrition services at ICCSD, said at the same Thursday meeting that working with Field to Family helps take the sourcing burden away.

At one point last year, ICCSD was serving 9,000 meals a day, according to Demory.

In an interview with the Press-Citizen, Demory said procurement specialist Cindy Smith works with the food hub to inform it of the school district's menu and how many servings are needed so that Field to Family can connect with farmers to get those orders fulfilled.

Field to Family provides signs in the cafeteria for students to learn more about the food they are receiving and where its from.

Our participation with Field to Family and local foods has continued to grow every year, so what we don't get from local sources we get from our other prime vendor. We just like to get the local stuff whenever possible, Demory said.

As the partnership has continued, Demory has found that farmers now know what to grow to meet the schools meal needs.

Kids get served things like bell pepper slices, tomatoes, melons, sweet potatoes and more.

Whether it can be attributed to Field to Family, the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act in 2010 that got more fruits and vegetables onto the plates of school lunches nationwide, or a combination of both, Demory has seen the evolution of students palates at ICCSD.

I think there's no doubt that kids eat so many more fruits and vegetables than when we started (introducing these foods), and they are willing to try other things, Demory said.

Tomatoes are seen in a cooler at Field to Family.

We should be eating Iowa food, grown by Iowans: Why Field to Family is working to transform the food system

The expansion of Field to Familys services means the nonprofit will need more food and, therefore, more people growing that food.

Food hubs sell products from 459 farmers in Iowa, according to a 2015 report on food hub development in the state from the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture and other partners.

Farms that Field to Family worked with last year and in 2020 include Rainbow Roots Farm, Trowel and Error Farm, and Echollective Farm.

Kenyon said the demand in wholesale, local food is increasing. It takes up a huge amount of their workload, she said.

This year, the nonprofit has purchased from 20 growers for wholesale orders, according to Kenyon.

As a nonprofit, Field to Family doesnt have to concern itself with making money. Instead, it thinks about trying to meet as many needs as possible, Kenyon said.

Buy as much as you can from local farmers. They spend their time growing. We want them to spend time doing what they do well, Kenyon said. We will work with the customers to get them what they need.

As Field to Family supports local farmers, it also seeks out relationships with what the USDA defines as socially disadvantaged farmers, or farmers who belong to groups whove been subjected to racial or ethnic prejudice. According to Kenyon, this also includes women, members of the LGBTQ community and more.

Field to Family is currently partnering with 34 market vendors who are considering socially disadvantaged, according to a presentation shared with the Press-Citizen. The grant will provide support to continue building these relationships and their demand.

The online farmers market allows Field to Family to be flexible with growers who are still determining how much they can grow and not have to meet the huge demands that other farmers have.

Field to Family has worked with farmers for so long that finding new growers, folks who have changed their business or retired, is always on the radar.

It also takes conscious effort and  perhaps unexpectedly  Facebook, to continue making those connections, Kenyon said.

The importance of all this work lies in food security.

When it comes down to it, we cannot depend on food coming from far away as much as we used to. And in general, we shouldnt be. We should be eating Iowa food, grown by Iowans, as much as possible. We have a lot to offer here in the state, she said.

Paris Barraza covers entertainment, lifestyle and arts at the Iowa City Press-Citizen. Reach her at PBarraza@press-citizen.com or (319) 519-9731. Follow her on Twitter @ParisBarraza.

This article originally appeared on Iowa City Press-Citizen: Iowa City nonprofit Field to Family receives $200,000 USDA grant
Iranians are protesting in the streets after the death of Mahsa Amini. SOPA Images/Getty Images

Footage has circulated on social media of protests in Iran following the death of Mahsa Amini.

Iranians have maneuvered around internet outages and restrictions implemented by the government.

Though there are risks, internet-savvy Iranians are willing to take the chance.

In one video that has been viewed nearly 100,000 times on TikTok, an Iranian girl speaks with her parents about how nobody is safe in their country, saying "the regime kills and doesn't feel guilty," according to creator @persian_femme's translation. The girl, who says in the video that she's 14-years-old, has her face blurred.

As Iranian authorities have periodically shut off internet access in the country since the start of antigovernment protests in earlier this month, videos of protestors, activists, and average citizens in their homes have broken out onto Instagram and TikTok and been shared with audiences all over the world. A wave of footage has shown women in Iran protesting in the streets, including cutting their hair and removing their hijabs, in solidarity with Mahsa Amini  a woman who died in police custody on September 16, who witnesses say was beaten for allegedly breaking Iran's compulsory rules on wearing a hijab.

Iranians have been able to document the brutality they currently face through savvy social media use, maneuvering around internet outages and restrictions on WhatsApp and Instagram. The hashtag #MahsaAmini has appeared on hundreds of thousands of Instagram posts, millions of tweets, and TikToks with over 700 million views in total. But there are also dangers to being so transparent on the internet and fears that authorities could use protesters' posts against them.

"Iranians know that if they actually take photos, videos, they put themselves in danger  that's a thing they definitely know," journalist Niki Mahjoub, who has covered women's rights in Iran and the ongoing protests, told Insider. "But with all of that, they want to change the Islamic Republic narrative about what happened  Nobody should be killed because they just don't want to wear hijabs."

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Internet blocks have happened before, and Iranians know how to get around them

The Supreme Council of Cyberspace is responsible for the controls being placed on the internet in Iran, which it has said is a matter of "national security."

"Of course, their definition of national security includes repressing anyone who stands up for their rights," Mahsa Alimardani, a senior researcher with human rights organization Article 19, told Insider. Controls have spread so far as to restrict all direct messaging on video games, for example.

"They also want there to be no flow or documentation of the crimes of the Islamic Republic," Alimardani said. "Social media does not allow them to control the narrative and propaganda they often try to push through the state-controlled media."

On state-controlled television, protestors are depicted as "violent rioters destroying ambulances," Alimardani added, while citizen media has alleged that ambulances have been used to transport armed security forces for the purpose of arresting protestors.

Social media posts have also aided in documenting death counts in the protests, Alimardini said. Iranian officials have acknowledged at least 41 deaths in the demonstrations, although rights groups and activists contend that the actual number is greater.

Iran has shut down access to the internet multiple times in the past as protests have flared, most notably instituting a near total shut down in 2019 after increases in fuel prices drove demonstrators into the streets. Hundreds were killed in security force's crackdown following the internet blackout, according to rights groups.

Women have been cutting their hair and removing their hijabs in solidarity with Mahsa Amini. picture alliance/Getty Images

Demonstrators in this year's protests have been more effective at circumventing internet censorship through tools such as Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) that mask their location, with several activists in Iran telling the Los Angeles Times that their methods for avoiding government tracking them online have advanced in recent years.

"Iranians learned how to play hide and seek with the government," Mahjoub told Insider. "They choose different platforms to work with the way that they want to tell the story."

In response, Iran has a sprawling surveillance apparatus that it uses to monitor online activity and in-person protests. Last month, an Iranian official stated that authorities would use facial recognition technology to enforce its mandatory Hijab laws. Bot accounts have also targeted Iranian Instagram users who post feminist content, according to Coda Story, swarming women's accounts with fake followers.

But there is also a lot of renewed hope associated with the movement driving recent demonstrations. Amini's death has brought the whole country together, Mahjoub said, uniting people with different backgrounds and opinions, because "it's not a thing that a government should do  kill somebody."

This solidarity is spreading further thanks to Iranians finding ways around government censorship. They are "amongst the most tech savvy population in the world," Alimardani said.

"This is not only a women led movement, but it's a Gen Z led movement," she said. "Solidarity is crucial  it helps embolden and empower protesters knowing their fellow Gen Z peers outside of Iran are sharing content and standing with them."

Read the original article on Insider
BAGHDAD (AP)  Iraq summoned the Iranian ambassador on Thursday to deliver a diplomatic complaint following a deadly drone bombing campaign, the Iraqi Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

The Iranian drones targeted an Iranian-Kurdish opposition group in northern Iraq on Wednesday, killing at least nine people and wounding 32 others. The strikes took place as demonstrations continued to engulf the Islamic Republic after the death of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old Iranian Kurdish woman who died while in the custody of the Iranian morality police.

Irans attacks targeted positions of the Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan in the town of Koya, some 65 kilometers (35 miles) east of Irbil, the main city and capital of Iraq's northern semi-autonomous Kurdish region. The group, known by the acronym KDPI, is a leftist armed opposition force banned in Iran.

The Foreign Ministry said in its statement that civilians were among those killed. It added that the Iraqi government condemned "this crime, which represented the continuation of Iranian forces encroachment on Iraqs sovereignty.

The ministry also warned of repercussions on "the societal peace of both countries and on regional security and stability.

Irans state-run IRNA news agency and broadcaster on Wednesday said the Islamic Republic's Revolutionary Guard targeted bases of a separatist group in the north of Iraq with precision missiles and suicide drones.

Gen. Hasan Hasanzadeh of the Revolutionary Guard said 185 members of the Basij, a volunteer force, were injured by machete and knife in the unrest in Iran. Hasanzadeh also said rioters broke the skull of one Basij member. He added that five Basij members were hospitalized in intensive care.

United Nations' agencies, the United States, Germany, and the United Kingdom all condemned the attacks on northern Iraq.

The U.N. mission in Iraq said in a tweet that the Mideast country cannot be treated as the regions backyard,' where neighbors routinely, and with impunity, violate its sovereignty.

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Rocket diplomacy is a reckless act with devastating consequences, the U.N. mission said.

In Washington, U.S. State Department deputy spokesman Vedant Patel confirmed to reporters that an American citizen was killed in the rocket attacks in the Iraqi Kurdish region. He offered no additional information, citing privacy concerns, and also reiterated the U.S. condemnation of Iran for the attacks.

Protests in Iran have raged following Amini's death in custody in Tehran, and spread across at least 46 cities, towns and villages across Iran. State TV reported that at least 41 protesters and police have been killed since the demonstrations began Sept. 17. An Associated Press count of official statements by authorities tallied at least 14 dead, with more than 1,500 demonstrators arrested.

Meanwhile, Turkeys defense minister said Turkish military jets carried out a new aerial offensive against suspected hideouts of Kurdish separatists from Turkey in northern Iraq, striking as deep as 149 kilometers (87 miles) deep into Iraqi territory.

The jets targeted 16 caves, shelters and command centers allegedly used by Turkey's outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party, or PKK, in northern Iraqs Asos region on Sept. 27, Hulusi Akar told journalists. He did not provide further details.

The PKK maintains bases across the border in Iraq and has led an armed insurgency inside Turkey since 1984 in a conflict that has killed tens of thousands of people.

Turkeys military has over the years launched numerous cross-border offensives in Iraq in pursuit of PKK militants.
JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israeli President Isaac Herzog urged an intensely divided public to keep its cool ahead of the country's parliamentary election, warning that heated tempers could easily spin out of control.

Israelis head to the polls on Nov. 1 for an unprecedented fifth election in four years. There is no guarantee the vote will break the deadlock between former premier Benjamin Netanyahu and bitter rivals who unseated him last year.

"Violence is on the rise. Verbal violence  accusations of treason, comparisons to the Nazis, threats and curses  in the public sphere and on social media," Herzog said in a speech on Wednesday evening ahead of the Yom Kippur holiday next week, when Jews traditionally repent for their wrongdoings.

"We see insults turning into physical violence. Into curled fists, into assaults, into bloodshed," he said.

Herzog, whose role is largely ceremonial, did not point fingers at anyone in particular. But there have been reports in recent weeks of scuffles at demonstrations and one member of Netanyahu's Likud party was suspended for assaulting a protestor.

Herzog also alluded to the 1995 assassination of Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin by an ultra-nationalist Jew opposed to his peace moves with the Palestinians.

"One cannot avoid the disturbing thought: whats next? Knives? Gunfire? Fatalities? God forbid. After all, we have already been through this story before, and this time we must not hold back or bite our tongues," he said.

"Before your next nasty post, before your next hate-filled tweet or reply, before fighting, attacking, and hitting  stop. Don't come along later seeking forgiveness or apologising  stop now. Before it's too late."

(Reporting by Ari Rabinovitch)
Actress and film producer Issa Rae shines in her cover shoot for Adweek in two pieces from celebrity stylist Law Roachs collection with designer Herve Leger.

In a post on Roaches Instagram page, the caption reads: The MFing @issarae wearing 2 looks from my collaboration with @herveleger Thank you to my brother @jasonrembert.

The 25 piece collection is planned to release sometime next month in October, with a price range from $690 to $2,900.

In an interview with Essence Roach describes the collection as paying homage to the heydays of the popular Herve Legers bandage dresses.

We all have a memory of those dresses, right, Roach tells Essence. It was the dress. It was the celebratory I want to feel sexy, Im going on a first date, Im going to Vegas, Its my bachelor party dress. Its a very important piece of fashion history, and also pop culture history.

Rae has always been known to support the work of Black creatives and pushes the bar when it comes to fashion. An example of this is her Council of Fashion Designers of America red carpert in 2018.

There she wore a stunning blue Pyer Moss gown with a belt that includes the song reference Every N***a Is a Star on it. She also made history at the 2018 CFDA, becoming the first woman of color to host the event. In her speech, she discussed how Black culture has influenced a lot of luxury fashion brands.

Weve gone from having white designers study black culture to make black clothes for white people that are too expensive for black people to buy,  she says in her CDFA speech. To a Black man bringing Black culture to a historically white fashion house making clothes too expensive for everybody, she continues, referencing the late and former artistic director of Louis Vuitton Virgil Abloh.
ROME (Reuters) - Italy will not recognise the outcome of the "referenda" in Russian-controlled areas of Ukraine, Prime Minister Mario Draghi told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Thursday.

The message was conveyed in a phone call which confirmed the Italian government's continuous support for Ukrainian authorities and population in all areas, Draghi's office said.

(Reporting by Alvise Armellini, editing by Maria Pia Quaglia)
ROME (Reuters) - Italians living in Russia should "consider" leaving the country, their embassy in Moscow said on Thursday, warning that getting out is becoming increasingly difficult.

Italian expatriates in Russia "are recommended to consider whether their stay is necessary, and if not, to leave the country", the embassy said.

The statement noted a "dizzying increase in the already high cost of" plane flights out of Russia, and reported long queues at border crossings with some neighbouring countries.

Tens of thousands of draft-age men have left Russia since President Vladimir Putin announced a martial mobilisation last week to bolster his army in Ukraine.

(Reporting by Alvise Armellini; editing by Agnieszka Flak)
TOKYO (Reuters) - A Japanese health ministry panel on Thursday recommended revising the nation's drug laws to allow for the importation and use of medicinal marijuana products.

The recommendation was based on meeting medical needs and to harmonise Japan with international standards, the committee said in a report. The revision would apply to marijuana products whose safety and efficacy were confirmed under laws governing pharmaceuticals and medical devices.

Japan has very strict laws banning the importation, production, and use of illicit substances. The committee's report noted that only 1.4% of people in Japan had ever used marijuana, compared to 20-40% in Western countries.

Revision of the law would be necessary for the use of the cannabis-derived epilepsy drug Epidiolex, which is currently undergoing clinical trials in Japan, the report said.

(Reporting by Rocky Swift; Editing by Raissa Kasolowsky)
The Department of Homeland Security has granted a Jones Act waiver, allowing a ship that has been trying to deliver diesel fuel to the hurricane-ravaged island of Puerto Rico to dock.

"In response to urgent and immediate needs of the Puerto Rican people in the aftermath of Hurricane Fiona, I have approved a temporary and targeted Jones Act waiver to ensure that the people of Puerto Rico have sufficient diesel to run generators needed for electricity and the functioning critical facilities as they recover from Hurricane Fiona," DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said Wednesday in a statement.

The ship was expected to dock in Puerto Rico on Thursday, the U.S. Coast Guard told CBS News.

The Jones Act is a law dating back more than 100 years that requires merchandise traveling between U.S. ports to be delivered on vessels that were primarily built in the U.S., and are owned and operated by Americans.

A vessel called GH Parks carrying 300,000 barrels of diesel and sailing under the flag of Marshall Islands had been stalled off the coast of Puerto Rico, the U.S. Coast Guard said. It departed Sunday from Texas City en route to Guayanilla, according to maritime tracking data, but had been stuck since arriving off the shores of Puerto Rico on Monday.

More than a week after Hurricane Fiona hit Puerto Rico and knocked out power lines, hundreds of thousands on the island were still experiencing blackouts.

Puerto Rico Governor Pedro Pierlusi had asked the U.S. government directly to grant the ship approval to enter the port and offload. Pierlusi said Monday that he called Mayorkas to intervene and expedite the request so that the ship "can unload the fuel for the benefit of our people."

Mayorkas said Wednesday that the decision to grant the waiver was "made in consultation with the Departments of Transportation, Energy, and Defense to assess the justification for the waiver request and based on input from the Governor of Puerto Rico and others on the ground supporting recovery efforts."

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He also noted in his statement that "In 2020, Congress eliminated the Federal Government's authority to issue long-term comprehensive waivers, except in circumstances where a waiver is required to 'address an immediate adverse effect on military operations.' Under the law, waivers that do not meet that standard must be reviewed on a case-by-case basis."

Exactly who owns and operates the GH Parks is unclear. While records list GY Shipco XII LLC and Synergy Maritime Private Limited as owner and operator, respectively, the Puerto Rican government told CBS News that it believed British Petroleum was connected to the diesel shipment. CBS News reached out to BP but has not received a response.

Peerless Oil & Chemicals, the agency that requested the diesel shipment from GH Parks, supplies diesel and gasoline to thousands of gas stations across Puerto Rico as well as hospitals, the pharmaceutical industry, U.S. Navy and Puerto Rican government. The company's general manager, Luis Vazquez, told El Nuevo Dia that he requested the GH Parks route to Guayanilla in the aftermath of Fiona, and the government was aware of its impending arrival.

Fiona caused catastrophic damage as it made landfall earlier this month in Puerto Rico, which is still coping with the repercussion caused by Hurricane Maria five years ago. That storm had lingering repercussions on Puerto Rico's power grid, and residents have become accustomed to outrageously high electric bills and rolling blackouts since then.

Hurricane hunter pilot discusses his mission flying into Hurricane Ian

Tampa police chief gives update as Hurricane Ian slams Florida

Bill Plante, legendary CBS News correspondent, dies at 84
Sep. 29A 78-year-old retired police officer from Nevada has been sentenced to 46 months in prison for assaulting a 73-year-old man on a Hawaii-bound cruise ship.

A 78-year-old retired police officer from Nevada has been sentenced to 46 months in prison for assaulting a 73-year-old man on a Hawaii-bound cruise ship.

In handing down the sentence this week, U.S. District Judge Jill A. Otake stated that John McAvay of Henderson had "sucker-punched " Michael O'Connor as he tried to leave a restroom stall on a Star Princess cruise ship bound for Hilo from Los Angeles. Several months after the incident, which occurred in October 2018, O'Connor died in a California rehabilitation facility.

Also, McAvay was sentenced to one year of federal probation for assault resulting in serious bodily injury. He was found not guilty of involuntary manslaughter, a charge brought by prosecutors who claimed the pulmonary embolism that killed O'Connor was tied to the assault in the restroom.

Otake wrote there is "no doubt " that McAvay acted "cowardly, reprehensibly and despicably." She noted that while the court did not struggle with any question related to McAvay's behavior, instead the most difficult question was a scientific and legal one related to a pulmonary embolism that apparently caused O'Connor's death.

The FBI and U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service conducted the incident's investigation. O'Connor told investigators that on Oct. 23, 2018, he was using a closed-door stall in a restroom on the seventh deck of the ship when he was "confronted by an unknown agitated male " as he tried to leave the stall. O'Connor had not been drinking alcohol prior to the assault, according to court documents.

McAvay and O'Connor exchanged words in the doorway of the stall, before O'Connor tried to walk away. O'Connor said Mc Avay hit him in the head as he walked past him, according to court documents.

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A witness told investigators that he was washing his hands at the restroom sink when he heard the two men, situated behind him, arguing. The witness told investigators that when he turned to throw away a paper towel he saw McAvay hit the other cruise ship passenger in the head with his closed right fist.

O'Connor, the witness said, dropped like a "dead body, " hitting his head onto the toilet a couple of times and then rolled onto the floor, according to court documents. Another witness told investigators that O'Connor was bleeding from his forehead when he told the witness that he had been hit by someone "trying to get in " while O'Connor was "trying to get out."

O'Connor sustained a cut to the side of his head and two small lacerations on each earlobe. He told the ship's doctor he did not lose consciousness.

McAvay, meanwhile, told investigators he "cold-cocked " O'Connor after banging on the door to the stall and arguing with the man. A witness overheard McAvay tell his wife that O'Connor had kicked the back of McAvay's leg before McAvay punched O'Connor.

O'Connor told investigators that the day after the assault he had difficultly moving limbs and maintaining his balance. He sought medical assistance and was admitted to the ship's sick bay for monitoring. Throughout the day O'Connor's condition deteriorated. After experiencing tremors, in stability on his feet and weakness in his armssymptoms consistent with a secondary brain injury, according to court recordsby nightfall, he was vomiting, experiencing neck pain radiating to the top and back of his head and involuntary leg spasms.

A military helicopter airlifted O'Connor to Hilo Medical Center, according to court records. There, doctors determined O'Connor needed trauma care, and O'Connor was transported to The Queen's Medical Center in Honolulu where he was hospitalized for a month. After leaving Queen's, O'Connor was taken to a rehabilitation facility on the mainland.

As a result of the assault, O'Connor suffered from "serious cognitive and physical impairmentsincluding confusion, memory loss, and immobility " until he died Feb 6, 2019, according to court documents.

McAvay was arrested Oct. 28, 2018, after he was identified by another cruise ship passenger as the man who hit O'Connor. When asked by FBI agents why he did not tell authorities about the incident, McAvay said, "I didn't really think, in my mind, that I did anything wrong, and, you know, I thought I didn't want to get involved in a big deal ... I've been around courts and the legal system ... and I just didn't want tofor it to go any further."

Acknowledging that he could have walked away from the alleged kick, McAvay described the assault as "just a self-defense, gut reaction." Investigators did not find any bruising on McAvay's leg.

A doctor who examined O'Connor, who had been a cancer patient and had a heart condition, characterized the matter as a "weak homicide case " and testified that he could not tell from an autopsy examination whether cancer or immobility was more likely to have caused the pulmonary embolism. Regarding her ruling on that question, Otake wrote, "This was not an easy decision, and if the burden of proof were lower than it is, the outcome could have been a different one."
Photo Illustration by Thomas Levinson/The Daily Beast/Getty

A judge has warned that former President Donald Trump is building a legal shield that could block him from being held accountable for inciting the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection, pointing to the bizarre move by the Department of Justice to side with Trump in a rape defamation case last year.

The DOJs legal stancethat anything a president does is part of his official duties, and therefore makes him a federal employee immune to lawsuitswas widely criticized at the time. But it came up again on Tuesday, when a federal appellate judge found it necessary to issue a stark warning that obviously referred to holding Trump accountable.

Under this logic, so long as a president looks like he is engaged in conduct that is of the kind he is expected to performlike speaking to a reporter or attending a government meetinghe is acting in the scope of his employment. But if that were so, then the mere presence of others would neutralize whatever a president did or said, for no president could be held accountable for damage done in front of a microphone or in an official meetingwhether defaming a citizen, exposing classified national security information, or inciting a riot, wrote Judge Denny Chin in New York City.

This is not, and should not be, the law, he added.

The closing lines make clear swipes at the former president, who is under criminal investigation for mishandling top-secret government documents and separately faces civil lawsuits for telling his MAGA loyal followerswho he knew were armed with riflesto march on the Capitol building.

I think its a legitimate concern. What the judge is getting at is the very real possibility of unforeseen consequences, said Vermont Law School professor Jared Carter.

Chin was the lone voice of dissent on a three-judge panel at the Second Circuit Court of Appeals in New York City, which reviewed a legal dispute between Trump and the longtime Elle magazine advice columnist E. Jean Carroll. The two other appellate judges handed Trump a temporary victory by overturning a district courts ruling and taking a key step toward extending Trump legal immunity normally reserved for low-level federal employees.

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Trump to Face Sexual Battery Suit Under New Survivors Law

The question is whether Trump holds any personal responsibility for what he did to defend himself after Carroll accused him of raping her. In June 2019, New York magazine published an excerpt of Carrolls book, where she accused Trump of raping her inside a Bergdorf Goodman department store dressing room sometime around 1995. Trump denied ever meeting Carroll and later told The Hill: Number one, shes not my type. Number two, it never happened. Carroll sued him for defamation.

The 2019 case has proceeded in slow motion, at first because Trump was still in office, then later because Trump used his go-to coup lawyer at the Justice Department to defend him in courthaving taxpayers foot the bill.

E. Jean Carroll speaks onstage during the How to Write Your Own Life panel at the 2019 Glamour Women of the Year Summit at Alice Tully Hall on Nov. 10, 2019, in New York City. Ilya S. Savenok/Getty for Glamour

The public largely expected that to change when Trump lost the election and the Biden administration changed out DOJ leadership. But the Justice Department made the shocking decision last year to keep defending Trump, arguing that he can keep leaning on the executive power he once had.

These arguments persuaded the two-judge majority on the Second Circuit appellate court, who wrote that Trump could get the protections afforded federal workers under the 1988 Westfall Act because he was just like your average Joe.

As Trump points out in his brief, the president is a government employee in the most basic sense of the term: He renders service to his employer, the United States government, in exchange for a salary and other job-related benefits, wrote Judges Guido Calabresi and William J. Nardini.

Trump lawyer Alina Habba issued a statement afterward, saying, This decision will protect the ability of all future presidents to effectively govern without hindrance.

But the appellate decision has now punted a second question to the District of Columbia Court of Appeals, asking them to determine whether his statements about Carroll were within the scope of his employment as president of the United States.

The Justice Department is already on record with its stance that Trumps actions were well within his employmentdespite the fact that he was referring to a personal matter involving a potential sexual assault that happened decades before he ever ran for president. It gives Trump yet another defensive strategy to employ against the various civil lawsuits seeking to make him pay for sending rioters to attack the Capitol, where they hurt police officers and wrecked portions of the historic building.

This is a win for Trump, no doubt. Is he going to use it in civil and criminal matters? One hundred percent, said John Pavia, who teaches a law school class at Quinnipiac University that focuses on questionable conduct by high-ranking government officials.

Still, Pavia doubts that the defense will actually work against Jan. 6 cases. He said the three civil cases against Trump for inciting a riot are distinct enough from the Carroll case that the Second Circuits ruling shouldnt hold water.

I dont think its going to have the power of a landmark decision thats going to somehow sway or have influence on everything else going on, he told The Daily Beast.

But if the D.C. appellate court goes Trumps way as well, his attorneys are more likely to use this case to raise the defense invoked by another rally speaker who riled up the mob and whipped up the frenzy that day, Rep. Mo Brooks (R-AL). Brooks managed to get himself off the hook in the three lawsuits seeking to punish the people who drove insurrectionists over the edge, and Trump is likely to try the same with these new decision, legal scholars said.

In March, U.S. District Judge Amit P. Mehta in Washington dismissed Brooks as a defendant in the insurrection lawsuit filed by Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA). Phil Andonian, one of the attorneys on Swalwells legal team, acknowledged Chins concerns but said its too early to say the DOJs decision to defend the sanctity of the Trump presidency is imperiling the Jan 6 lawsuits.

Its apples and oranges whatever he was doing in Carroll was fundamentally different than what he was doing on Jan. 6 in the lead up to the attack on the Capitol, Andonian told The Daily Beast. What were alleging in our case is fundamentally different than [Trump] saying something in response to an official interview. Our central point is that what Trump did was unleash a mob on Congress and launching an attack on a co-equal branch of government is certainly not within the ambit of presidential authority.

Carter, the professor in Vermont, cautioned that the appellate decision Trumps team is celebrating may not be the gift it appears to be. He noted that the decision that formally finds that Trump was an employee was also littered with references that his actions actually dont qualify as part of his employment. For example, Judge Calabresis concurrence called this a rare case about employee misbehavior.

They provide a roadmap that the D.C. circuit can use to determine this was outside the scope of his employment, Carter told The Daily Beast.

This legal fight doesnt necessarily doom Carrolls case against Trump, though. Last week, her attorney revealed in court letters that theyre preparing to launch a new lawsuit under New Yorks new sexual assault survivors lawone that targets Trump the same way victims go after Catholic priests accused of molesting children.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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A Sedgwick County jury on Wednesday convicted a Wichita man of 33 charges including rape, aggravated kidnapping and aggravated intimidation of a witness in a case that spanned multiple sexual assault, robbery and other crime reports investigated by Wichita police officers in 2020.

Patrick Alex Newborn, 35, will be sentenced Dec. 8 by Sedgwick County District Judge Jeffrey Syrios.

Jurors deliberated for two days before handing down the guilty verdicts, according to a tweet from the Sedgwick County District Attorneys Office that also thanked them for their service.

Police arrested and jailed Newborn on Sept. 16, 2020, after a six-hour standoff at an apartment in the 9100 block of East Harry where he reportedly brandished a gun and threatened officers who tracked him there in connection with sex crimes cases reported in the days and weeks prior.

Prosecutors tried Newborn for nearly 50 crimes occurring from June to September 2020. In addition to handing down the convictions, jurors acquitted him of 15 counts, court records show. The trial started Sept. 12.
Photo Illustration by Luis G. Rendon/The Daily Beast/Getty

The Justice Departments decision to take former President Donald Trump as (essentially) its client, defending him in the writer E. Jean Carrolls defamation suit, has put DOJ in the awkward position of not only investigating its own client for potential criminal conductbut also contradicting its clients other lawyers.

This is a mess of DOJs own making, and one that should be self-remedied, quickly.

Carroll is suing Trump for defamation over his denying having raped her in 1995and plans also to sue him directly for the alleged rape under New York States Adult Survivors Act, which opened a one-year window for the filing of lawsuits over sexual assaults, even if the usual time limits for bringing a lawsuit have expired.

The 60-Day Rule Doesnt Exist. Its Time to Charge Trump Now.

Despite the fact that this alleged crime would have occurred decades before Trump became president, former Attorney General Bill Barralways on the lookout to use DOJ to help Trumpdecided to intervene in Carrolls defamation suit, under a law that allows the federal government to substitute itself as the defendant in a case against a federal employee who gets sued for acting within the scope of their job.

Barrs theory was that since Trump made the denials while he was president, then he must have been acting within his official capacity when he denied raping Carroll. Given the chance to disavow this strained reading of the law, Attorney General Merrick Garlands DOJ, instead, doubled-down on it. It even fought for the right to defend Trump up to the federal Second Circuit Court of Appeals, which agreed with DOJs position on the matter.

Garlands decision to side with Bill Barrpresumably made while Garland was wearing his institutionalist capemight have been merely distasteful if not for the Mar-a-Lago search warrant and ongoing criminal investigation. But critical to DOJs rationale that it can represent Trumpand what the Second Circuit agreed aboutis that Trump was a federal employee when he made the allegedly defaming statements.

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Attorney General Merrick Garland Drew Angerer/Getty Images

But that is not what Trumps other lawyers think, as evidenced by a May 25 letter from Trump lawyer Evan Corcoran to DOJ denying that the President of the United States is a federal employee. Corcoran argued to DOJ that Trump could not possibly be criminally liable for mishandling classified information, because DOJ would have to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Trump was an officer, employee, contractor, or consultant of the United States and The President is none of these.

This inconsistency carries with it more than just embarrassment for DOJ.

As already noted, it may afford Trump defenses in other civil actions brought by victims of the violence on Jan. 6, but it also creates potential problems with DOJs criminal investigation into the removal and handling of national security information involving Trumps actions at Mar-a-Lago.

Trump and his lawyers have already cast aspersions on the integrity of DOJ and the FBI, suggesting evidence may have been planted, and raising the possibility that various investigators may have to be disqualified if they were tainted by exposure to information that the special master assigned to the case may decide they should not have seen.

The fact that DOJ is, at once, defending Trump and potentially investigating him for criminal charges is a no-brainer conflict of interest argument, and one which Trumps legal team may use in his defense.

And from a legal analysis, the difference in opinion between Trumps lawyers over whether Trump is a federal employee is no mere esoteric legal issue. Rather, the question of whether Trump is a federal employee is critical to whether DOJ can defend him in the Carroll suit and critical to whether Trump might face criminal exposure under federal criminal law.

Trump Needed (and Got) a Lot of Help to Be This Corrupt

Of course, DOJ has likely been thinking this through as well. AG Garland is, after all, a former federal court of appeals judge, and likely has good arguments about why this awkward but rare situation is not a true conflict of interest.

One solution might be for DOJ to appoint a special counsel to handle the Carroll defense, since that is an easier case to segregate than the investigation involving Mar-a-Lago. Another solution would be for DOJ to disavow former AG Barrs decision, and withdraw from defending Trump in Carrolls defamation suit.

E. Jean Carroll Alec Tabak/New York Daily News/Tribune News Service via Getty Images

Either of these solutionsas well as simply doing nothingwill likely be subject to challenges and the inevitable delays accompanying litigation of the issues.

But withdrawing from the Carroll case is the best optionbecause it erases one of Barrs attempts to use DOJ as a political weapon.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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Associate Justice Samuel Alito sits during a group photo of the Justices at the Supreme Court in Washington, DC on April 23, 2021. Erin Schaff-Pool/Getty Images

Justice Samuel Alito delivered a lecture at the Catholic University of America's law school.

The judge discussed how his Catholic faith influences his judicial work, according to Reuters.

Alito, who wrote the majority decision overturning Roe v. Wade, did not mention the landmark case.

Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito this week said his Catholic faith forces him to scrutinize the impact that the high court's decisions have on everyday people.

The conservative judge earlier this year penned the majority opinion that overturned Roe v. Wade, effectively gutting the nearly 50-year landmark ruling that legalized abortion across the country.

Several Republican states have since banned the procedure or significantly limited access to it. As of September, at least 15 states have ended nearly all abortion services.

In the months since the reversal, people throughout the nation have started to feel its effect, including an Ohio 10-year-old who was forced to cross state lines to access abortion care in July and a parentless 16-year-old who was forced by a Florida court to have her baby because she wasn't "mature" enough to get an abortion.

Alito on Tuesday delivered the inaugural lecture for a new program at The Catholic University of America's law school called the Project on Constitutional Originalism and the Catholic Intellectual Tradition, according to Reuters. In his speech, the justice discussed how his personal faith affects his judicial responsibility.

Alito acknowledged that his work as a judge can impact people "indirectly," but nonetheless, "powerfully," the outlet reported.

"It's important to keep in mind that these decisions are not abstract discussions  they have real impact on the world," he reportedly told the audience.

But notably missing from his remarks was any mention of Roe v. Wade's reversal, nor did he touch upon any of the additional hot-button cases from the court's previous session, including decisions that expanded gun rights and the federal government's ability to fight climate change.

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Alito also avoided any of the criticism he's recently flung at vocal opponents of the Roe reversal, focusing his speech primarily on Catholicism and the law, according to Reuters.

His lecture comes just days before the Supreme Court is set to begin its next term.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Kamala Harris arrived in South Korea on Thursday ahead of her visit to the the demilitarized zone (DMZ), just hours after North Korea fired its latest test missile.

According to a senior White House official, the US vice president is expected to condemn Pyongyangs firing of the missiles and to demonstrate the strength of the alliance between Washington and Seoul.

The DMZ is often described as the worlds last Cold War frontier and has existed since the 1950-53 Korean War ended in a armistice rather than a peace treaty.

In her discussions with South Korean president Yoon Suk-yeol, she addressed Seouls concerns over changes in US electric vehicle subsidies, trilateral relations involving Japan, and Chinas action in the Taiwan Strait, according to the official.

At the start of her meeting with Mr Yoon, Ms Harris said: Im here to reinforce the strength of our alliance and strengthen our work together.

North Korea fired two short-range ballistic missiles on Wednesday while Ms Harris was in Japan for Shinzo Abes funeral, and had fired one before she left Washington, DC, on Sunday.

Before the visit by the VP, US president Joe Biden also visited the Korean demilitarized zone last May. In fact, the South Korean president called the visit yet another turning point.

Initial reports from Seoul said that Ms Harris and Mr Yoon are expected to discuss the North Korean threat and Americas commitment to defend South Korea.

Local reports said the two leaders were also expected to discuss expanding economic and technology partnerships and repairing the recently strained ties between Seoul and Tokyo.

Reuters reported that Ms Harriss visit to the DMZ is the first by a senior Biden administration official and is expected to come later on Thursday.

Additional reporting by agencies
Kansas is among the states that have filed suit to challenge President Joe Bidens plan to cancel billions in federal student loan debt in federal court, a move long rumored to be coming.

Nebraska is leading the lawsuit, and Kansas joined Iowa, Missouri, Arkansas and South Carolina in signing on to support the challenge.

In a statement, Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt said Biden's plan was nothing more than a political gambit that "has everything to do with election-year politics but is not authorized by law."

"Im standing up to challenge the legality of this Biden maneuver that makes hardworking families bear the cost of repaying student loans that were voluntarily undertaken by college graduates in families earning up to a quarter-million dollars per year," Schmidt said.

Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt is among those who have signed on to a lawsuit to challenge President Joe Bidens plan to cancel billions in federal student loan debt in federal court.

More:Here's how many Kansans are set to be affected by President Joe Biden's student debt plan

Schmidt is the Republican nominee for governor, challenging incumbent Democrat Gov. Laura Kelly.

Its the second challenge announced this week, and it comes just days before the administration's early October plan to share an application for people who want debt relief.

Lawsuit will say President Biden acted beyond his authority

The states are seeking a preliminary injunction  which would halt the administration's plans  given the Education Department may begin discharging debts in October.

"When President Biden attempts to circumvent the Constitution in order to deliver on a political promise, myself and other state attorneys general take issue with this," Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge said.

Earlier this week, the Pacific Legal Foundation also filed a suit against the administration, saying some borrowers would be hurt by the debt cancellation. Specifically, some states plan to tax the debt forgiveness, and the foundation, a libertarian-aligned law firm, argued that borrowers residing in those states would be harmed by widespread debt discharge.

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But White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Monday that borrowers are allowed to "opt out" of debt cancellation if they choose. She accused opponents of trying to stop Biden's action on student loan debt "because they know it will provide much-needed relief for working families."

Biden's plan provides $20,000 in relief for Pell Grant recipients and up to $10,000 in relief for other borrowers, provided they make under $125,000 or $250,000 for a household. It also caps payments for current low-income students and forgives loan balances after 10 years, rather than 20.

The story has been updated to clarify that Nebraska, rather than Arkansas, is the lead state on the lawsuit.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Kansas among states to challenge Biden's student debt forgiveness plan
Catherine Zeta-Jones is celebrating her native countrys new princess.

On Wednesday, the actress took to Instagram and shared a photo of Kate Middleton hugging a 2-year-old girl named Charlotte wearing a traditional garment. The princess, 40, visited Wales on Tuesday for the first time since she and her husband, Prince William, received their new royal titles.

"I love our Princess of Wales," the wife of Michael Douglas captioned the post. "I love our Welsh National Costume."

The 53-year-old previously acknowledged the death of Queen Elizabeth II. The monarch passed away on Sept. 8 at age 96.

PRINCE WILLIAM AND KATE MIDDLETON VISIT WALES FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE EARNING NEW ROYAL TITLES

Catherine Zeta-Jones, a Welsh star, praised Kate Middleton as the new Princess of Wales. Getty Images

"Dearest HRH Queen Elizabeth, you have been and always will be close to my humble heart as it breaks today," the Oscar winner wrote on social media at the time. "Our nation salutes you. Thank you. God Bless The Queen. Long Live The King."

Zeta-Jones visited her birthplace, Swansea, Wales, in 2019 to receive the Freedom of the City of Swansea. In 2011, she was also honored by the royal family for her contributions to the film industry and charity. She was named a Commander of the British Empire.

Catherine, Princess of Wales, meets 2-year-old Charlotte Bunting as she leaves St. Thomas Church in Swansea, Wales, on Sept. 27, 2022. Samir Hussein/WireImage

The Prince and Princess of Wales visited Swansea to see how a redeveloped church had been transformed into a community hub.

Middleton, a mother of three, went viral during her visit to Wales when she was photographed meeting a 4-year-old boy named Theo Crompton at the RNLI Holyhead Lifeboat Station. She and her husband were there to meet crew members and volunteers. The child appeared enchanted as he joyfully presented the princess with a small bouquet. Middleton, delighted by the gift, crouched down to have a chat with Crompton.

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Catherine, Princess of Wales, is presented with flowers by 4-year-old Theo Crompton at the Royal National Lifeboat Institution's Holyhead Lifeboat Station in Holyhead, Wales on Sept. 27, 2022. Paul Ellis - WPA Pool/Getty Images

Middletons first official royal duty with William involved launching a lifeboat two months before they married in 2011.

WILLIAM AND KATE'S CHILDREN USING NEW 'WALES' LAST NAMES FOLLOWING TITLE CHANGE

The couple, both 40, were made Prince and Princess of Wales by King Charles III a day after the queen passed away. They plan on returning to Wales before the end of the year.
Photo credit Sophie Sahara and SLS Baha Mar. Kendall Jenner opened 818 Shack, an open-air lounge at the SLS Baha Mar, named after her tequila

Sophie Sahara/SLS Baha Mar

Kendall Jenner is taking her tequila to the islands.

On Saturday, the model, 26, hosted an opening party for 818 Shack  an open-air cocktail lounge serving drinks made with her 818 Tequila  at SLS Baha Mar in the Bahamas. Jenner, who stopped to pose with the resort's famous resident flamingos before arriving at the bash, said, "818 Tequila is perfect in refreshing cocktails after a swim or a day at the beach."

The Tulum-inspired lounge is tucked inside Baha Bay, the luxury resort's new on-site waterpark, and steps away from the lapping waves and white sand on Nassau's Cable Beach. It's the first international location for The Kardashians star's tequila brand, which she officially launched in May 2021.

Kendall Jenner's 818 Tequila Lounge opening. courtesy 818 Tequila

SLS Baha Mar

The 818 Shack's menu includes cocktails ranging from a classic margarita and "Berry Mint Kenny"  a drink named after Jenner and made with tequila, strawberries, lime juice, agave syrup and mint (pictured above)  to tropical options like Lunar Crush (vodka, mango, cream of coconut and orange juice) and High Tide (spiced rum, lime juice, pineapple juice and rum-based liqueur).

Jenner isn't the only star to join the Baha Mar cocktail crew. In June, Bruno Mars announced a brand partnership with his SelvaRey rum, which he launched in 2020. The musician celebrated his rum collaboration with the mega-resort  which includes the SLS, Grand Hyatt and Rosewood hotels  with a live pool-side performance over Labor Day weekend.

RELATED: See All the Celebrities Who Have Launched Celebrity Liquor Lines

Kendall Jenner's 818 Tequila Lounge opening. courtesy 818 Tequila

SLS Baha Mar

Along with a growing lineup of celebrity-owned liquors, the resort also boasts an impressive roster of star- and chef-affiliated restaurants and bars, including ones from Marcus Samuelsson, Daniel Boulud and Tiger Woods and Justin Timberlake  who jointly own the posh cigar bar T-Squared.

Capitalizing on their strong culinary program, Baha Mar will also host the Bahamas Culinary & Arts Festival from Oct. 21-23. Along with chefs like Samuelsson, Boulud and Amanda Freitag cooking up island-inspired fare for guests, the festival will kick-off with a performance by Boyz II Men.

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RELATED: See Kris Jenner Show Off Her 'Insanely' Organized Kitchen and Fridge

Photo credit Sophie Sahara and SLS Baha Mar. Kendall Jenner opened 818 Shack, an open-air lounge at the SLS Baha Mar, named after her tequila

Sophie Sahara/SLS Baha Mar

RELATED: Kris and Kylie Jenner Learn to Cut a Zucchini 'Like Kendall' in New Cooking Video: 'This Is Genetic'

Jenner has been spending the week toasting the launch of her new Anejo Reserve Tequila, Eight Reserve by 818, traveling from New York City to the Bahamas to Miami for celebrations.

Last year following claims of cultural appropriation, Jenner revealed on the Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon that 818  named after the area code for Calabasas, Calif. where she and the Kardashian family call home  discovered sustainable methods to benefit Jalisco, Mexico, the city where her tequila is made.

The model said the goal of her tequila brand was always to be "something that was, like, approachable and aesthetically pleasing and socially aware and gender-neutral" and "friendly to the planet."

Speaking to Fallon, The Kardashians star said, "At our distillery, which I was just at the other day, we found a way to take the agave waste  the agave fibers and the water waste  and build this sustainable brick that we are actually donating back to the community of Jalisco."

"Along with saving the planet, it's important for us to be friendly to the community as well," she said.

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(Bloomberg) -- Just weeks after Queen Elizabeth IIs death, Australia is already hinting it might not replace her with King Charles III on its five-dollar banknotes when theyre eventually reprinted.

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Treasurer Jim Chalmers said Wednesday hed mull the best way of redesigning the widely-used currency following the Queens passing, using language that left the door open for someone besides her 73-year-old son to be depicted. Previous polls suggest the population is roughly split about breaking from Britain.

I dont see a massive rush to change, Chalmers said in Canberra. But nor do I think it should be especially controversial for a country like ours to consider and consult on what we want to do with the five-dollar note going forward.

Chalmers said hed work with Reserve Bank of Australia Governor Philip Lowe on tackling the best way to make any changes. He didnt give a time frame for when a decision might be reached.

Along with Canada, New Zealand and other former colonies of the British Empire, Australia still counts the monarch as its head of state. A referendum in 1999 to become a republic was narrowly defeated, yet the debate has simmered as Australias stature as a regional power and globally significant economy has grown.

The government has already announced the kings profile will appear on Australian coins at some point in 2023, however multiple ministers have suggested a different design may be chosen for the five-dollar note. When asked about a change prior to the funeral for the monarch, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said he believed it was disrespectful to consider the issue at that time.

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We will deal with these issues appropriately, in an orderly way, in a way that is respectful, he said.

Albanese has previously suggested he would like to see a national referendum on Australia becoming a republic during his time in office, making an Australian the head of state.

Britains Royal Mint has already said it would begin the slow process of switching the late queen with the king on UK currency and stamps.

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Women protest over the death of 22-year-old Iranian Mahsa Amini in front of the Iranian Consulate in Istanbul on Monday. (Photo: Ozan Guzelce/dia images via Getty Images)

Women protest over the death of 22-year-old Iranian Mahsa Amini in front of the Iranian Consulate in Istanbul on Monday. (Photo: Ozan Guzelce/dia images via Getty Images)

Iran has erupted into nationwide protest over womens rights to bodily autonomy after a Kurdish 22-year-old died in the custody of the countrys morality police, who arrested her for not wearing her hijab more conservatively.

Since the demonstrations began earlier this month, tensions have risen between civilians and police in cities across Iran. Here is what we know about the unrest and the global reaction to the protests:

How Did This All Start?

Irans morality police enforce the countrys strict religious dress code among citizens  particularly women, who are required to cover up in public.

This includes wearing a hijab, which is a headscarf that some Muslim women around the world choose to wear but that the Iranian government mandates. Under more moderate former President Hassan Rouhani, the morality police eased enforcement and said in 2017 that they would no longer arrest women for violating the code.

But under President Ebrahim Raisi, a hard-liner elected last year, police aggression against women has skyrocketed. The United Nations human rights office says young women have been slapped, beaten and shoved into police vehicles in recent months.

Many Iranian women, particularly in major cities, have tried pushing the boundaries of the conservative dress code  with younger generations wearing looser hijabs and trying to avoid authorities.

But on Sept. 13, the morality police arrested Mahsa Amini in the capital city of Tehran for improperly wearing her hijab and sent her to a re-education center to receive guidance on dressing appropriately. Three days later, she was pronounced dead.

Aminis death has become a symbol of womens oppression in Iran, sparking ongoing demonstrations and police violence across dozens of cities, towns and villages. Women and men from various backgrounds are protesting against the government, accusing authorities of killing Amini for not abiding by the countrys strict hijab mandate.

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Protesters hold up signs with Amini's name Saturday in London. (Photo: Martin Pope via Getty Images)

Protesters hold up signs with Amini's name Saturday in London. (Photo: Martin Pope via Getty Images)

What Do The Protests Look Like?

Since Aminis death, many Iranians have called for the abolition of the morality police and the hijab mandate. Online, viral videos show women taking off and burning their hijabs in bonfires, demanding bodily autonomy and the choice to decide whether they want to wear the headscarf.

Many Iranian women are also recording themselves cutting their hair and leading demonstrations without the hijab, with male protesters behind them in support.

People protest for Amini in Tehran, Iran, on September 19. (Photo: Stringer/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

People protest for Amini in Tehran, Iran, on September 19. (Photo: Stringer/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

Such defiance poses a major risk to the womens lives. As the protests continue, security forces have increased their aggression against civilians.

According to Iranian state TV, at least 41 protesters and police have been killed in the country since the demonstrations began on Sept. 17. An Associated Press review of statements from authorities tallied at least 13 dead, with police arresting over 1,400 demonstrators.

The Committee To Protect Journalists, a New York-based nonprofit, announced Monday that it had documented the arrests of at least 20 journalists during the demonstrations. Iranian authorities should be ashamed of themselves for orchestrating this brutal crackdown, said a CPJ program coordinator.

In addition to police violence and arrests, Iranian authorities have also imposed internet blackouts in a bid to stifle communication about demonstrations. But many people have sought to bypass the restrictions with virtual private networks, or VPNs, that can hide users locations.

Pictures of victims of police violence in Iran are placed with flowers on the ground during a protest over Amini's death outside the Iranian Embassy in Madrid on Wednesday. (Photo: Pablo Blazquez Dominguez via Getty Images)

Pictures of victims of police violence in Iran are placed with flowers on the ground during a protest over Amini's death outside the Iranian Embassy in Madrid on Wednesday. (Photo: Pablo Blazquez Dominguez via Getty Images)

How Is The World Responding?

The unrest in Iran has captivated the world, inspiring others  especially women  to express solidarity and rally for Iranian womens liberation.

After videos circulated of people in Iran burning their hijabs and cutting their hair, women in the Iranian diaspora followed suit and posting about it on social media. Users are also adding hashtags and commenting on popular posts with Aminis name to spread awareness.

Several countries and major cities are seeing demonstrations in solidarity with Iranians. Police clashed with masses of demonstrators trying to reach Irans embassies in London and Paris earlier this week. Women took to the streets in Argentina holding banners that described the Iranian government as a religious dictatorship and demanded justice.

On Thursday, police in Oslo, Norway, detained 90 people after a crowd gathered outside the Iranian Embassy to protest Aminis death, with some holding Kurdish flags.

The U.S., the European Union and several human rights organizations have condemned the violence used against protesters in Iran. The U.S. also imposed sanctions on the morality police for its harsh treatment of demonstrators.

A member of the Iranian community cuts her hair during a rally outside the Iranian Embassy in Seoul, South Korea, on Wednesday. (Photo: Chris Jung/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

A member of the Iranian community cuts her hair during a rally outside the Iranian Embassy in Seoul, South Korea, on Wednesday. (Photo: Chris Jung/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

Why Does It Matter?

The hijab has not always been required in Iran. Women were largely free to choose how they dressed before the overthrow of the monarchy in 1979. While Iranians from across the political spectrum participated in the revolution that toppled the shah, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini and his followers then seized power and turned the country into a Shiite Islamic state.

Khomeini announced on March 7 of that year that all women had to wear a hijab in Iran, leading to tens of thousands of women protesting in the streets the next day  International Womens Day.

Iranian women demonstrate for equal rights in Tehran on March 12, 1979. (Photo: Richard Tomkins via Associated Press)

Iranian women demonstrate for equal rights in Tehran on March 12, 1979. (Photo: Richard Tomkins via Associated Press)

It wasnt just about the hijab, because we knew what was next, taking away womens rights, Susan Maybud, who participated in those protests while working with the foreign press, told the AP. What youre seeing today is not something that just happened. Theres been a long history of [Iranian] women protesting and defying authority.

Many in the Muslim community also stress that womens oppression in Iran is rooted not in the hijab itself, but in denying women the choice of whether to wear one. In countries like France and India, Muslim women are banned from wearing the hijab in public or in schools, even if they want to cover themselves. Officials from these nations frame hijab bans as liberating Muslim women, despite controlling their bodies just as much as a hijab mandate.

To be (hijabi) or not be (hijabi) is the business of no state or man, said Muslim writer Yassmin Abdel-Magied, who wears the headscarf, in a tweet last week. Solidarity with women resisting patriarchal control, the world over.

This article originally appeared on HuffPost and has been updated.
Sep. 29A Kootenai County drag performer is suing the owner of a conservative North Idaho news website for defamation after he was accused of exposing his genitals on stage during a performance at Coeur d'Alene's Pride in the Park this past summer.

The complaint said that Summer Bushnell, who runs the conservative Bushnell Report Facebook page and website, repeatedly defamed the performer, Eric Posey, "by falsely posting on social media and falsely reporting to city and state law enforcement officials that Posey exposed his genitals to the public, including children, at the June 11 event," Posey's attorneys said in a statement.

The Bushnell Report published and circulated an edited video of Posey's performance, which purportedly blurred out Posey's genitals. Investigators found the performer never exposed himself .

"After three months of silence, it is now my turn to speak. Following Coeur d'Alene's sixth annual and largest Pride in the Park on June 11th, an altered video of my performance was widely circulated online, along with false allegations of indecent exposure," Posey said in a statement. "Despite being cleared of all wrongdoing, provocateurs have continued to spread the doctored video of my performance, not only defaming me, but also inciting a backlash towards the LGBTQIA+ community statewide. I have no choice but to take legal action to hold those responsible for the lies accountable for their actions. My hope is that this civil suit puts a stop to the hateful disinformation campaigns being waged in Idaho."

Posey is represented by attorneys Wendy J. Olson and Cory M. Carone of Stoel Rives law firm in Boise.

The suit seeks damages from Bushnell of more than $10,000, as well as compensatory damages, attorney fees and legal costs.

"Bushnell, who owns an unincorporated digital marketing company, published a doctored video of one of Posey's brief performances at the Pride event," the attorneys' statement said. "She provided this video to Coeur d'Alene officials and posted it to Facebook and other social media sites, in addition to falsely accusing Posey of committing felonies and encouraging the public to call the local police department and the Idaho attorney general to have him arrested. Her altered video  which blurred Posey's groin to make it appear as if he exposed himself  was viewed nearly 20,000 times."

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The Coeur d'Alene Police announced that they were investigating the incident on July 13. Several people called the department to complain about the video, but none of the complaints were from victims who witnessed the performance firsthand, the department said.

Coeur d'Alene City Attorney Wes Sommerton declined to prosecute Posey after viewing the edited and unedited video recordings of the incident.

"The unedited video recordings do not depict any exposure of genitalia," Sommerton wrote in a June 30 statement. "The allegations of indecent exposure, or other crimes cannot be supported by the evidence."

The doctored video of Posey was also used in a propaganda video circulated by the white supremacist organization Patriot Front. Thirty-one members of the group were arrested in Coeur d'Alene during the Pride in the Park event after authorities discovered them in the back of a U-Haul equipped with riot gear seemingly en route to disrupt the event. They are awaiting trial.

The Bushnell Report shared the video of Posey's performance on its Facebook page a day after the Pride event, saying "Can this guy be arrested for exposing his genitals to minors? Let's go big and hold all of the extremists accountable."

The post provided contact information for the Coeur d'Alene Police Department and Idaho Attorney General's Office, and requested that its viewers contact them.

The video has more than 19,000 views.

Bushnell lied to her audience to gain popularity on social media at the expense of Posey, who has continued to suffer as a result months later, the complaint said. In Facebook comments, Bushnell claimed to have also seen the unedited video, according to the lawsuit.

Posey was wearing shorts under a leotard, as well as tights, undergarments and a boa wrapped around his waist, the lawsuit said. He never removed any of his clothing and his genitals were always completely covered, it said.

Unknown people later spread flyers in Coeur d'Alene that depicted the doctored image of Posey. The Bushnell Report's claims were later used to spread misinformation about a kids drag show at the Boise Pride Festival, "further injuring Posey's reputation and further exposing him to hatred, contempt, and ridicule," the lawsuit said.

"Bushnell's false statements had their intended effect  thousands of people across the nation viewed her posts and many of them believe Posey committed a serious crime," Olson said. "Flyers with Bushnell's doctored photo were posted throughout Coeur D'Alene and he has endured public harassment, hatred, contempt, and ridicule. Bushnell lied to gain popularity on social media, but the publicity she received was not free; it came at the expense of Posey's reputation and emotional wellbeing. Mr. Posey is eager to set the record straight."

Bushnell declined to comment on Wednesday.

On Tuesday afternoon, the Bushnell Report posted on its Facebook page: "It's interesting when I haven't been served papers regarding a lawsuit, but a press release is out and the mainstream media is already writing about it and taking a side."

In his statement, Posey said that he was grateful for community members and officials in the Coeur d'Alene area who have supported him.

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SEOUL, South Korea (AP)  South Koreas opposition-controlled National Assembly passed a motion on Thursday calling for the dismissal of the foreign minister over a series of alleged diplomatic missteps, including controversial remarks by President Yoon Suk Yeol caught on a hot mic in the United States.

The motion isnt legally binding and doesnt suspend Foreign Minister Park Jin. But the attempt to oust a key Cabinet minister and close confidante of Yoon and the president's likely rejection of the motion could further aggravate political strife between the conservative president and his liberal rivals.

The 299-member National Assembly approved Parks no-confidence motion by a 168-1 vote. One lawmaker cast a blank ballot, while outnumbered governing party lawmakers and others opposed to Park's dismissal boycotted the vote.

The motion, introduced by the main opposition Democratic Party, held Park responsible for what it called an unprecedented diplomatic disaster resulting from Yoons recent trip to Britain, the United States and Canada. The motion said the trip made no diplomatic achievements and undermined South Koreas national interest and international image.

At the heart of the alleged blunders cited in the motion were comments made by Yoon in New York after a brief chat with President Joe Biden at a Global Fund conference last week.

A microphone belonging to South Korea's MBC television caught Yoon talking to Park and other aides. Some parts of the audio were unclear, and MBC added subtitles reading Wouldnt it be too darn embarrassing for Biden if those idiots in the legislature dont approve? The subtitles suggested Yoon was insulting Biden and the U.S. Congress over its possible rejection of Bidens plan to contribute to the global initiative.

After the video was widely shared on South Korean social media, Yoons office denied he was referring to Biden or the U.S. Congress. Yoon later accused the media of damaging South Koreas alliance with the United States with inaccurate reporting.

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Other alleged diplomatic failures listed in the motion included a humiliating unilateral attempt to improve relations with Japan that it said had not achieved any progress in defusing bilateral disputes over history. The motion also accused Yoon of failing to properly convey South Korean concerns to Biden about a U.S. law that excludes electric vehicles built outside North America from U.S. subsidies.

Yoons office responded that talks he held with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida in New York last week created momentum to improve ties. It said Yoon confirmed in his meeting with Biden a U.S. willingness to cooperate with South Korea on the law on electric vehicles and other issues.

Yoons likely rejection of the dismissal motion would be a political burden for him because the Democratic Party is likely to criticize him for ignoring the legislature. But the Democratic Party is also facing criticism that it used Park as a scapegoat because the National Assembly has no right to pass no-confidence motions for senior presidential officials, who observers say were more directly responsible for the recent diplomatic issues than Park.

Speaking with journalists over Parks fate earlier Thursday, Yoon indicted he wont accept the no-confidence motion. He called Park a person with outstanding capacities who overworks for the sake of the national interest and that the public can distinguish between right and wrong.

Jang Hye-young, a deputy floor leader for the small liberal Justice Party which boycotted the vote, urged Yoon to apologize over the hot mic comments. But she said it was Yoon's top deputies at the presidential office who must be held accountable for the other issues, not Park.

Since taking office in May, Yoons government has been on a collision course with the Democratic Party on a number of issues including the governments push to investigate past cases allegedly involving the partys current chief and others who served in the previous liberal government.
School districts across the country know that collective bargaining can be a difficult and contentious process. If union demands exceed district resources or willingness to pay, it can lead to stalemate, job actions and strikes.

Strangely enough, unions can find themselves in the same quagmire with their own employees.

People who work for teachers unions are also represented by unions, called staff unions. Staff unions negotiate collective bargaining agreements with teachers union officers and executives, who act as management. And while they can all sing Solidarity Forever, they can have many disagreements over pay, benefits and working conditions.

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The National Education Association and its state affiliates have a long and storied history of battles with their own workers. Public disputes erupted in 2018 in Kentucky and Virginia.

This year, it appears to be the turn of the Maryland State Education Association.

Related: Analysis: Virginia Education Association Wants Collective Bargaining for Teachers  but Talks With Its Own Employees Led to Lawsuits, Sanctions

The Professional Staff Association of Maryland, which represents an estimated 85 employees of the teachers union, has conducted informational pickets at the headquarters building, accusing the association of disrespect in negotiations. The contract expired Sept. 23.

The staff union says union managers rejected its demands for a paid day off for the Juneteenth holiday, increased pay for support staff and a 4.5% cost-of-living increase.

Internal labor problems are potentially embarrassing for the Maryland teachers union, since it is creating an education support employees bill of rights, with a variety of demands regarding pay and working conditions for bus drivers, custodians, classroom aides, school secretaries, food service workers, etc. The message could be undercut by the perception that the union doesnt treat its own support employees well.

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What's an ESP Bill of Rights? Its what support staff need to stake their claim to a living wage, affordable health care, safety, paid leave, job security, career advancement, and more. You can help! Attend a virtual or local listening session! https://t.co/ekfu2fqNgt pic.twitter.com/dFtbc4asN6  Maryland Educators (@MSEAeducators) September 16, 2022

Maryland is not the only state where teachers union employees are upset. Details are sketchy right now, but it appears the two staff unions of the Ohio Education Association are also protesting, having organized a demonstration at union headquarters Sept. 26. They have revived an old favorite as a slogan.

Ohio Associate Staff Union/Facebook

Ohio Education Association employees have gone on strike twice before, in 1997 and 2010. Its unclear what issues are causing a dispute this time around.

Related: Antonucci: This Is What It Looks Like When Teacher Unions Fight Their Own Employees

Teachers union executives often play hardball in staff negotiations, but when push comes to shove, they fear the negative publicity that comes with internal labor conflict. Revenue flow is reliable and always growing, so in the end, the staff unions should get most of their desires met.

Mike Antonuccis Union Report appears most Wednesdays; see the full archive.
GREENACRES  A 21-year-old man who was shot by a Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office deputy Monday evening in Greenacres has died.

The Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office identified the man as Jose Villanueva of suburban Lake Worth in announcing his death Wednesday.

The agency did not disclose the name of the deputy involved, saying he had invoked his right to privacy under a 2018 state constitutional amendment modeled after California's Marsy's Law.

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The amendment allows crime victims to withhold their names from public reports. Florida law-enforcement officers involved in violent confrontations have frequently invoked it.

The deputy is on paid leave while the Florida Department of Law Enforcement investigates the shooting, Sheriff Ric Bradshaw said in a news conference late Monday. PBSO also is conducting an internal review of the incident.

PBSO: Gunman's attempt to re-enter Publix escalated encounter

Bradshaw said the incident occurred as deputies responded shortly after 6 p.m. Monday to reports of a suspicious person with a firearm in the parking lot at the Military Crossing shopping center at South Military Trail and Melaleuca Lane.

Villanueva reportedly fired several shots into the air before deputies arrived. It was not clear whether anyone was hit by the gunfire, Bradshaw said.

Marked units arrived and confronted Villanueva, spending about 20 minutes attempting to negotiate his surrender. At one point, Villanueva attempted to re-enter the Publix Super Market at the plaza, prompting deputies to move closer to his position, Bradshaw said.

Villanueva began waving the gun and pointed it in a "threatening manner," forcing a deputy to use deadly force, Bradshaw said. Villanueva was taken to a hospital in critical condition after being shot at least once.

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Bradshaw praised the deputies' attempts to diffuse the situation Monday.

"It's a dangerous situation, whether the guy is in the parking lot or going into Publix," he said. "There's a lot of people right now that are trying to get supplies for the hurricane.

"That's why I (have) to give these deputies a lot of credit, No. 1, for trying talk the guy down, and No. 2, to make sure that under no circumstances was he going to get back in proximity to the Publix."

Efforts to reach Villanueva's family on Wednesday were not immediately successful.

2 fatal officer-involved shootings in Palm Beach County this year

Monday's incident was the second fatal shooting and third overall involving law enforcement officers in Palm Beach County this year.

In May, an off-duty West Palm Beach police officer fatally shot Romen Phelps during an encounter at Dreyfoos School of the Arts.

West Palm Beach police investigators alleged that Phelps, a Dreyfoos graduate, crashed his van through the school's gate and attacked an officer after making his way to the campus theater.

Three students who said they encountered Phelps that day said the 33-year-old man was not armed or threatening, contradicting portions of the narrative shared by West Palm Beach police.

A police spokesman maintained that Phelps was "running around the campus, terrorizing the campus," and that he "violently attacked" the officer, who responded quickly to "end this rampage."

FDLE also is investigating that shooting, along with PBSO's Violent Crimes Division and the Palm Beach County State Attorney's Office.

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: PBSO: Man shot by deputy in Publix parking lot dies at hospital
LAS CRUCES - A judge sentenced a man convicted of possessing child pornography to at least five years probation Thursday, ending a years-long prosecution.

Cheyenne Downing, 32, pleaded guilty to one count of sexual exploitation of children in August. In December 2019, a grand jury indicted Downing with four counts of sexual exploitation of children, but a plea deal allowed Downing to plead guilty to a single count.

Police believe Downing possessed hundreds of pornographic images depicting children in sexually explicit situations. According to an affidavit, Downing used his parent's IP addresses  a unique address that identifies a computer device when it's on the internet  to download the child pornography.

An investigation by the state Attorney General's Office ultimately unrooted the images and led to Downing's arrest in 2019.

On Thursday, 3rd Judicial District Judge Conrad Perea sentenced Downing to five to 20 years probation, according to a news release from the District Attorney's Office.

Court records show Downing was set for trial earlier this year, but Perea granted the case a continuance, allowing plea negotiations to continue.

As part of the plea deal, the judge required Downing to register as a sex offender for the rest his life.

More public safety reporting:

Justin Garcia is a public safety reporter for the Las Cruces Sun-News. He can be reached at JEGarcia@lcsun-news.com.

This article originally appeared on Las Cruces Sun-News: Las Cruces man who pled guilty to possessing child porn sentenced
By Diego Ore

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - More environmentalists were killed in Latin America than any other region in the world last year, according to a report by advocacy group Global Witness, underscoring the growing threat to activists in the resource-rich region.

Of the 200 environmentalists killed globally in 2021, three-quarters of them were from Latin America, the report said. The total is less than the 227 killed in 2020, but represents an increase for countries like Mexico, Brazil, Nicaragua and Peru, which together account for just over half of total deaths.

Mexico had 54 cases of environmental defenders killed last year, the highest rate of any country, and a jump from the 30 deaths reported in 2020. Colombia had the second-highest rate at 33 killing, followed by Brazil with 26 cases, according to Global Witness, an international organization.

More than 40% of fatal attacks were against indigenous people despite the fact that they only represent 5% of the world's population, according to the report.

"These lethal attacks continue to take place in the context of a wider range of threats against defenders who are being targeted by government, business and other non-state actors with violence, intimidation, smear campaigns and criminalisation," Global Witness said in its report.

In Mexico, preliminary investigations have led federal officials to believe that local authorities are implicated in some 40% of environmental activist killings, although only two of 45 cases have resulted in a suspect being charged.

Global Witness found that conflicts over land were a key driver in many attacks, including resource exploitation, logging, mining and large-scale agriculture.

"This figure is likely to be higher as the reasons behind attacks on land and environmental defenders are often not properly investigated nor reported," the report said.

Mining and extraction activities was the sector linked to the highest number of killings at 27 cases. Mexico had 14 of those attacks, followed by the Philippines with six and Venezuela with four.

(Reporting by Diego Ore; Writing by Cassandra Garrison; Editing by Hugh Lawson)
By David Shepardson

(Reuters) - Labor unions and some U.S. lawmakers are pressing airlines not to resume stock buybacks after a COVID assistance prohibition expires this week.

Representative Peter DeFazio, a Democrat who chairs the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, is holding a hearing on Thursday on investing in transportation workers that will discuss the issue.

DeFazio is circulating a letter to colleagues seen by Reuters that urges airlines to "refrain from initiating stock buybacks ... at least until air carriers are able to publish and fulfill schedules that meet demand; staff flights and key personnel positions appropriately; and return service to every community."

Aviation unions launched a campaign in August to pressure airlines against stock buybacks. It came as major carriers are negotiating new contracts with their pilots, who are asking for higher pay and improvements in schedules.

Sara Nelson, president of the Association of Flight Attendants, is among those will testify at Thursday's House hearing.

"While airlines are just now starting to make a profit, the recovery is not complete and the austerity of twenty years prior has not been corrected for airline jobs," according to Nelson's written testimony seen by Reuters. "We cant allow CEOs to send one dollar to Wall Street before fixing operational issues and concluding contract negotiations."

Airlines for America, a trade group, said airlines are in full compliance with the payroll assistance program.

The group noted U.S. airlines have been "aggressively hiring across the industry ... to accommodate the rapid return of demand for air travel" and are "making significant investments in new aircraft."

Congress approved $54 billion in three rounds covering much of U.S. airline payroll costs for 18 months through September 2021. Earlier this month, the chairs of two other congressional committees sought a federal probe into whether airlines used payroll funds to fund pilot buyouts and early retirements.

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American Airlines received $12.6 billion, Delta Air Lines $11.9 billion, United Airlines $10.9 billion and Southwest Airlines $7.2 billion.

Out of $54 billion, airlines must repay $14 billion, or 26.2% of the funding.

(Reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by Chris Reese)
Participants fill the Adrian College campus mall during the 2018 Lenawee County Walk to End Alzheimer's fundraiser. The annual event returns to Adrian College Sunday, Oct. 2. Registration begins at 12:30 p.m., and the walk steps off at 2 p.m.

ADRIAN  Lenawee County residents are invited to join the fight with the Alzheimers Association as the countys annual Walk to End Alzheimers returns to Adrian College Sunday, Oct. 2.

Registration for the walk begins at 12:30 p.m., with a ceremony following at 1:45 p.m. and the walk commencing at 2 p.m.

Last year, the Lenawee County Walk to End Alzheimers raised more than $117,000 for Alzheimers and dementia care, support and research, according to a news release from Michigan Chapter of the Alzheimers Association. Lenawee County has conducted a Walk to End Alzheimers for 11 years.

Individuals and teams come together at the walking events to pursue a world without Alzheimers disease, the release said.

The Alzheimers Associations Walk to End Alzheimers is the worlds largest fundraiser for Alzheimers care, support and research. In Michigan, the event takes place in 25 locations across the state in September and October.

For 11 years, Lenawee County has hosted a Walk to End Alzheimers, Tammy Jewell, who co-chairs the walk along with Samantha Miller, said in the release. To date the Lenawee County community has raised more than $700,000 to provide support, education and research to help end this disease which affects too many. This is such a great community and our walk is a heartwarming experience honoring those affected and those we have lost to Alzheimers disease.

With the COVID-19 pandemic causing concern over the past couple of years, some of the most recent walks have been conducted virtually. This weekends walk will be in person at Adrian College, but registered participants will still be able to walk for the cause at home or virtually if they choose to do so, the release said. For information about registering, donating and walking virtually, visit tinyurl.com/yzer52yc.

We encourage people of all ages, abilities and backgrounds to help us take the first step toward a world without Alzheimers by joining us for the Walk to End Alzheimers, Jennifer Lepard, president and CEO of the Alzheimers Association Michigan Chapter, said in the release. More than 6 million people in the U.S. are living with Alzheimers and other forms of dementia, and it is estimated that, this year alone, the disease will cost the country $321 billion. This event helps us provide care and support for the more than 190,000 Michiganders affected by Alzheimers and other forms of dementia and helps us to fund important research to end this terrible disease.

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Sponsors of the Lenawee County Walk to End Alzheimers include Charlotte Stephenson Manor, Cambrian Memory Care and Assisted Living, Lenawee Medical Care Facility, Lenawee County Department on Aging, Region 2 Area Agency on Aging, Blissfield Place Assisted Living and Touch of Home Adult Daycare.

National presenting sponsors of the Walk to End Alzheimers are CVS Health and Edward Jones.

Sundays walk is 1 mile around Adrian Colleges campus. The goal for this years Lenawee County walk is to raise $124,000. As of Wednesday afternoon, $58,475 has been raised, and 223 participants are registered for the walk along with 25 teams.

This article originally appeared on The Daily Telegram: Lenawee County's annual Walk to End Alzheimer's returns Sunday, Oct. 2
Latinos see Republicans' and Democrats' different stances on gun violence and abortion. But the lines blur when it comes to distinguishing what the parties stand for overall, a Pew Research Center study has found.

Results released Thursday show that 36% of 3,029 Hispanics surveyed from Aug. 1 to Aug. 14 said there is a "fair" amount of difference between the parties and another 16% said theres hardly any difference at all, for a total about 52%.

Under half  just 45%  said there is a great deal of difference between the parties, and that number is divided almost equally between those who are or lean Democrat and those who are or lean Republican.

The findings come with just six weeks to go before the Nov. 8 midterm elections. Republicans hope to attract more Hispanic votes than they did in 2020, while Democrats are trying to hold their majorities in Congress by keeping the GOP from chipping away more at its Latino vote share.

Pews study found Latino registered voters identify or lean to the Democratic Party by a nearly a 2 to 1 margin.

But it noted that Latinos future party affiliation remains uncertain, because about 1 in 10 Hispanic voters who identified with either of the parties held political views that were more closely aligned with the opposing party.

Former President Donald Trump stretched his share of support from Latino voters, with many citing the GOPs economic and law enforcement policies, as well as its position on Cuba, Venezuela and immigration, as draws.

Democrats point to Trump administration policies that adversely impacted Latinos, such as the early failure to aggressively stem the spread of Covid-19, which disproportionately hit Latinos, as well as the failed response to Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico and the drop in health coverage gains during Trump's presidency.

Democrats tout President Joe Biden's recent policies and legislation, such as the slashing of student loan debt and the cut in prescription drug prices.

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Stephen Nuno, a pollster and analyst with Democratic polling firm BSP Research, noted that the survey shows Latinos perceive a clear divide between the parties on their effort to address their needs.

A net 71% said the Democrat Party really cares about Latinos  compared to 45% for the Republican Party, according to the survey.

But Nuno said the finding that so many Latinos don't see a major difference in parties suggests that they're not seeing the results of Democrats effort.

So if youre a Latino in El Paso or the Bronx or Hialeah or Brownsville and you get in your car in the morning to take your kid to school on your way to work and the question is, 'Has your life really changed from on administration to the next?' Nuno said. Probably not.

I think theres a strong perception that Democrats are pushing for policies Latinos want, but when we look at the metrics for whether Latinos see their daily lives changing  thats probably a little bit fuzzier, he said.

In the survey, 80% of Latino registered voters  and in one in March  said that the economy is very important to their voting decisions in the 2022 congressional race.

This month, health care took over as second, at 71%, pushing education to third, tied with violent crime, which had ranked fourth in March. Gun violence rose from fifth to fourth, with 66% saying it was important to their voting decision.

Abortion saw the biggest rise: Nearly 6 in 10 said the issue is important to their November vote, up from 42% in March.

On abortion, almost 6 in 10 Latinos (57%) said it should be legal in all or most cases, up from 42% in March. On guns, 73% of Latinos prioritize controlling gun ownership over protecting gun rights.

About half of Latino registered voters told Pew they would vote for or were leaning toward the Democratic candidate in their congressional district.

The poll also found that 60% of those who consider being Hispanic extremely or very important to their identity said they would vote for a Democratic candidate. Those who thought it was less important are more split between Democrats, 45%, and Republicans, 38%.

Republican consultant Mike Madrid said the identity numbers show the opening that Republicans are trying to push through to improve their numbers with Latinos. Unlike Democrats, the GOP does not need to win a majority of Latinos to win races. Capturing shares of Latino voters in the high 30- and 40 percentiles gives many GOP candidates the margins they need for victories and "will have tectonic impact," Madrid said.

These numbers are an indictment on both parties, Madrid said. The survey shows what both parties are doing right and wrong, and, while Democrats are clearly best positioned, theres a huge opening not just for Republicans, but for a new type of Democrat to redefine the party.

Follow NBC Latino on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
A copy of the U.S. Constitution printed in 1787 being sold at auction is seen in New York on Sept. 17, 2021. (Associated Press)

To the editor: I agree with columnist Nicholas Goldberg that holding a constitutional convention would be the wrong way to fix the flawed Constitution, particularly in our chaotic times.

I would go a step further. We should not be changing the Constitution, even when better times arrive.

The essence of our Constitution (and law in general) is not its inherent goodness, but its ability to maintain the social order. Successful societies of the past prospered with the creation of written laws, some of which we today see as absurd or unfair.

One can argue with Goldberg about whether giving tiny states the same number of senators as California or Texas is wrong, but we should be careful about making that into a Constitutional project. The framers knew what they were doing by making changing the Constitution very hard.

Jack Kaczorowski, Los Angeles

..

To the editor: Goldberg wonders whether his fear that a new constitutional convention could endanger the separation of church and state is a worst-case fantasy. It's not. His fear is justified.

He further points out that delegates to such a convention would very likely be appointed by state Legislatures, the majority of which favor right-wing policies. A constitutional convention could rewrite or discard any provision of the Constitution.

The framers in the 1780s were far more determined to protect the equal rights of conscience of everyone, whether believer or nonbeliever, than the religious right wingers who would probably make up a majority of the delegates to a present-day convention.

Secular Americans never want more rights than anyone else. We just don't want fewer rights. Can our religious right counterparts provide the same assurance of supporting equal rights for all?

Edward Tabash, Los Angeles

The writer, an attorney, chairs the board of directors of the Center for Inquiry.

..

To the editor: Article V of the Constitution sets forth the mechanism of amending it and guarantees equal suffrage of the states that cannot be revoked without their permission. Thus, unfortunately, this undemocratic feature of the Senate effectively cannot be amended.

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It's also worth noting that it takes two-thirds of the House and Senate to propose an amendment, and three-fourths of the states to ratify it. Thus, eliminating the electoral college will not happen because there are more than enough small states to prevent ratification.

Lastly, the high bar to amend the Constitution would prevent the 2nd Amendment from ever being modified or eliminated. So sadly, there's little to no chance of any of these reforms being enacted.

Gregory Palermo, Carpinteria

..

To the editor: I hate to disagree with Goldberg, but the changes he seeks to the Constitution would be a disaster.

First, abolishing the electoral college would let large states like New York and California effectively run the country, with no say from small states.

Second, if I don't like the actions of the government and want to protest in the street, I should still be able to carry a gun without law enforcement taking it away.

Finally, tiny Wyoming should have the same representation in the U.S. Senate as California  two senators. It should have the same relevance as bigger states.

Jacquie Mahoney, Claremont

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
No one has right to veto on issues concerning fate of Palestinians: Chinese envoy

Xinhua) 08:55, September 29, 2022

UNITED NATIONS, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- No one has the right to veto on issues concerning the future and fate of the Palestinian people, said a Chinese envoy on Wednesday.

In his remarks at a Security Council meeting, Zhang Jun, China's permanent representative to the United Nations, stressed the importance of upholding fairness and justice on the Palestinian question.

"What is lacking in resolving the Palestinian question is not a grand plan, but good conscience to uphold justice," he said. "Whether the Security Council lives up to its responsibilities depends not on loud slogans, but on concrete actions."

The Security Council should perform its duties objectively and impartially in accordance with international consensus and promote the resumption of Palestinian-Israeli talks without delay, instead of waiting for the so-called conditions for dialogue to mature, said Zhang. "On issues concerning the future and fate of the Palestinian people, no one has the right to veto."

An early, comprehensive, just and lasting settlement of the Palestinian question remains the common expectation of the international community. The Security Council is duty-bound on the question of Palestine. It must take more vigorous actions to support the Palestinian people in restoring and exercising their inalienable rights and achieving lasting peace in the Middle East, he said.

A long-term solution to the Palestinian-Israeli issue must be based on the two-state solution. This is an international consensus and the bottom line of fairness and justice, which must be firmly adhered to, said Zhang.

China hopes that the parties concerned can translate political will into constructive policies and actions and make concrete efforts to realize the two-state solution on the basis of relevant UN resolutions, the land-for-peace principle, the Arab Peace Initiative, and other international consensus and norms, he said.

Israel and Palestine are neighbors that cannot relocate, and their security is interdependent and indivisible. If the security of one side is based on the insecurity of the other, the cycle of violence will continue, and security cannot be achieved, he warned.

The international community should attach equal importance to the security concerns of both sides, and encourage them to find the greatest common denominator and, through dialogue and cooperation, to achieve common security. At the same time, the occupying power should earnestly fulfill its obligations under international law to protect civilians in the occupied territory, said Zhang.

Settlement activities violate international law and the provisions of Security Council Resolution 2334. China urges Israel to immediately stop all settlement activities, he said.

China supports the just cause of the Palestinian people to restore their legitimate national rights, and supports the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with full sovereignty based on the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital. China is ready to work with all parties to push the Security Council to play its role to break the current stalemate and to transform the two-state solution from consensus into action and from vision into reality, so as to realize the peaceful coexistence of Palestine and Israel, to achieve harmonious coexistence between the Arab and Jewish peoples, and the lasting peace in the Middle East, he said.

(Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Hongyu)
No. 7 Kentucky (4-0, 1-0 SEC) at No. 14 Ole Miss (4-0, 0-0), Saturday, noon ET (ESPN)

Line: Ole Miss by 6 1/2, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.

Series record: Ole Miss leads 29-14-1 (28-14-1 after vacated win)

WHATS AT STAKE?

Fast starts have both teams nursing hopes of challenging for division contention, but there's hardly any margin for error behind No. 1 Georgia and No. 2 Alabama. Kentucky and Ole Miss are coming off 10-win seasons and the programs don't seem to be slowing down. The Wildcats have already proven themselves with a victory over then-No. 12 Florida. The Rebels are seeking their first big win of the season.

KEY MATCHUP

Kentucky's defense versus the Ole Miss running game. The Rebels lead the SEC and rank fourth nationally in rushing offense, averaging 280.8 yards per game. Freshman Quinshon Judkins and Zach Evans are two of the SEC's top four runners. Kentucky's defense ranks fifth in the SEC and 33rd nationally giving up 108 yards a game on the ground.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Kentucky WR Tayvion Robinson. The Virginia Tech transfer is coming off a career game highlighted by seven catches for 147 yards with touchdowns of 69 and 40 yards to beat Northern Illinois. He ranks second among SEC receivers with 87.25 yards per contest and third with 349 yards overall.

Ole Miss: Judkins. The Rebels freshman has been a formidable weapon alongside the much-hyped TCU transfer Evans. Judkins is second in the country forcing 33 missed tackles. The backfield duo are one of two teammates averaging 90-plus rushing yards per game. Evans left the Tulsa game with an unspecified medical issue.

FACTS & FIGURES

It's the first time these teams have met when both were ranked since 1958. ... Kentucky is going for two streaks the team hasn't managed since 1977: a third straight win over a ranked opponent and a ninth straight victory. ... Ole Miss, Georgia, Alabama and Minnesota are the only FBS teams averaging 40-plus points a game and allowing 10 or fewer. ... The Rebels have had at least one player reach 100 rushing yards in four straight games for the first time since 1999.

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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://bit.ly/3pqZVaF
A Lexington police officer and a robbery suspect are both in the hospital after being shot during an incident on West New Circle Road Wednesday night, according to police.

The shooting took place around 11 p.m. Wednesday in the 400 block of West New Circle Road while officers were investigating a robbery. Police say three officers found a vehicle associated with the robbery, and the driver accelerated their vehicle towards the officers.

The officers responded by firing their weapons, according to police. Officers gave first aid to the driver before the driver was transported to the hospital.

The officer who was shot suffered non-life-threatening injuries, police said. The suspect who was shot was in critical but stable condition.

Police did not clarify if the suspect shot the officer. When asked Thursday if the suspect was armed or fired shots, Lexington police said the investigation was ongoing and they couldnt release more information.

This is still an ongoing investigation and the Kentucky State Police is investigating, said Hannah Sloan, a spokesperson for the Lexington Police Department. KSP will be the ones who determine when information is released. At this time, we do not have any additional updates.

State police did not immediately respond to questions about the shooting.

Police also did not release names of those involved in the shooting and did not provide additional information on the robbery that was being investigated. However, court records indicate police arrested someone late Wednesday in the 400 block of West New Circle Road and charged them with robbery and possessing a gun as a convicted felon.

Police did not confirm if that arrest was connected to the shooting that occurred Wednesday. In an affidavit filed by police to obtain an arrest warrant, Lexington police alleged that two suspects had robbed someone several days earlier, taking a cell phone, wallet, $4,000 in cash and the victims paycheck.

The robbery allegedly happened outside the victims home, according to court documents.

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Police say the officers had their bodycams activated when the shooting occurred. They will be placed on administrative assignment pending the outcome of an investigation.

Kentucky State Police are leading the investigation, which is common for shootings involving police officers. State police have statewide jurisdiction to investigate critical incidents.

Members of law enforcement investigate the scene where a Lexington police officer and another person were reportedly shot near Deja Vu on New Circle Road.

This is the third shooting involving a Lexington police officer in September and the fifth this year. On Sept. 1 police shot an armed individual who wasnt complying with verbal commands from officers on Jennifer Road, police said. That suspect suffered non-life-threatening injuries.

One week later police shot and killed 40-year-old Joshua Hagans during an incident at the Extended Stay America on Tates Creek Road. An officer also was shot during the incident, police said.

Members of law enforcement investigate the scene where a Lexington police officer and another person were reportedly shot near Deja Vu on New Circle Road.

This is a developing story and may be updated.
A Tulare County judge Wednesday sentenced a Porterville teen to up to six months in juvenile custody for his role in starting a 2020 fire that claimed the lives of two firefighters and destroyed the citys library.

Killed in the fire were Ramon Ray Figueroa, 35, and Patrick Jones, 25.

The boy and a companion initially faced murder charges in the Feb. 18, 2020 fire, but on Aug. 22, Judge Hugo Loza dismissed charges against one boy and found the second guilty of arson. Family members of Figueroa and Jones were outraged after Lozas decision and Figueroas father, Ramon Figueroa, described the reduction of charges disgraceful.

Tulare County District Attorney Tim Ward described the sentence as less than satisfactory but said it was an honor to sit alongside the families of the firefighters.

They, like their sons, exemplified incredible bravery...the rightful focus on Captain Figueroas and firefighter Jones heroic acts will be the lasting legacy of this tragedy, Ward said in a statement.

The investigation of the fire found that the two boys initially denied being at the library when the fire started. Confronted by video evidence, they were arrested, and inside a police car, they were recorded discussing events inside the library. Both were charged with murder on Feb. 21, 2020, but California law prevented them from being charged as adults.

As part of the convicted boys custody, he will be required to undergo counseling and therapy. Counseling will continue upon his release along with probation, restitution, 100 hours of community service, a curfew and submission of DNA into the state Department of Justice database. He also cannot possess lighters, matches or any ignition device.
Sep. 29LISBON  School Committee members praised two Lisbon High school seniors who presented a revised dress code proposal at their meeting Monday. The proposed change would relax restrictions on shirt length and hats.

Committee members additionally discussed offering four high school diplomas with distinction and requiring all high school students to take a world history course, but did not vote on any proposal during the workshop.

Seniors Maia Tebbets and Morgan Washburn, members of the high school Student Voice Committee, told committee members that many people feel the current dress code is too restrictive and unfair for some students.

Their proposal would allow students to wear shirts which expose up to two to three fingers of midriff and hats indoors, unless a teacher requests otherwise in their classroom.

"Most shirts sold in stores are not full length tops anymore," Tebbets said. "(It) is really difficult to find shirts that when you're moving around, they don't show any midriff at all."

Two to three fingers of exposed midriff "fits in a lot more with modern styles and is a lot easier to find in stores," she added.

Both students agreed that the dress code can be particularly difficult for larger students. Clothing fits bodies differently, they said.

They believe relaxing the dress code would be a benefit to both students and teachers.

School Committee members were receptive to the proposal, with one member agreeing that shirts in stores have become shorter. However, a couple of members said they were not sold on allowing hats in school.

Under the students' proposal, hoods would still be banned.

"I think if it causes less distractions during the day, then I think it's necessary" to update the dress code, committee member Margaret Galligan-Schmoll said.

Lisbon High School English teacher Lynne Gervais presented the committee with a plan to offer four diplomas with distinction as a way to recognize students who go above and beyond in their studies.

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A diploma with distinction would be awarded to students who meet the minimum grade point average in their target distinction and have earned at least 28 credits by graduation, six more credits than the standard high school diploma.

If approved, students would have the option of pursuing a catch-all liberal arts distinction, a humanities distinction, a math and science distinction or a fine arts distinction, which includes both art and music courses.

To earn the humanities distinction, for example, a student would need to earn at least a 3.0 grade point average in all English, social studies and world language courses, and pursue six additional credits in those topics. The grade point average requirement is the same for all four diplomas with distinction.

Currently, students have the opportunity to take up to 32 credits in four years.

Gervais said the diplomas with distinction are to encourage students to take more classes and better prepare them for college academics.

According to a hand-out, the 22 credit requirement means that "many students spend up to one-third of their high school careers in study halls or out (of school) with (privileges)."

"It would definitely address the sizes of our study halls, which is a big concern," Superintendent Richard Green said.

Committee members heard a third proposal from high school social studies teacher Ryan Bernard, who requested that the district once again require all students to take a world history course.

Bernard argued that most neighboring schools require the class, adding that Lisbon students who graduate without it are at a disadvantage. No other course lends itself to discussing topics of global importance, such as the war in Ukraine, he said.

Committee members spoke in favor of Bernard's proposal, noting that requiring sophomores to take world history would also reduce the size of study halls.

World history was previously a required course in Lisbon High School, according to Bernard, but was dropped due to budget cuts. If approved, the requirement would apply only to current freshmen and lower grades.

The committee will vote on each of the three proposals at their next meeting Oct. 10 in the Town Office.
The Latest on Hurricane Ian:

SANIBEL, Fla.  The U.S. death toll from Hurricane Ians passage has risen to four overall after an official said late Thursday that two people were confirmed dead on a hard-hit barrier island on Floridas western coast.

Dana Souza, city manager of Sanibel, said the deaths were confirmed by fire officials but offered no other specifics. A local medical examiners office said it could not comment and any details on deaths would have to come from the sheriffs office.

In addition to the two Sanibel residents, a 38-year old man from Lake County died Wednesday in a motor vehicle accident after his vehicle hydroplaned, according to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. Medical examiners determined that his death was storm-related.

A 72-year old man from Deltona also was confirmed dead on Thursday. Officials with the Volusia County sheriffs office said the man went outside to drain his pool and fell into a canal. He was later found dead.

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KEY DEVELOPMENTS:

 Ian regains hurricane strength as it heads to South Carolina

 Many trapped in Florida as Ian heads toward South Carolina

 Florida hospitals evacuate hundreds of patients

 Search on for migrants after boat sinks off Florida Keys

 Cuba begins to turn on lights

 Find more AP coverage here: https://apnews.com/hub/hurricanes

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OTHER DEVELOPMENTS:

NORTH PORT, Fla.  Rescuers from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, other states and counties were racing against the clock as the sun was about to set Thursday in North Port, to help families stranded in their own homes surrounded by streets that had turned into canals.

The city was one of many in Florida where rescues were underway as Hurricane Ian continued churning northward toward Georgia and the Carolinas.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said at a press conference Thursday evening there had been 700 confirmed rescues across the state in the wake of the storm. Some of the damage was almost indescribable, he said.

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Earlier in the day, DeSantis described an ongoing effort to airlift people stranded on Sanibel Island, after the storm destroyed the only bridge to the barrier island outside Fort Myers. He said the state would also send additional boats to the area for rescue operations.

Sanibel is destruction, he said, adding it got hit with really biblical storm surge, and it washed away roads it washed away structures that were not new and able to withstand that.

DeSantis said that as of 6 p.m. Thursday, more than 2.6 million people remained without power, including southwest Florida where Ian made landfall.

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FLAGLER BEACH, Fla.  The Flagler Beach pier on the east coast of Florida has sustained significant damage as Hurricane Ian whipped up waves that broke off a large portion of the wooden structure. Locals captured video and photos of the destruction Thursday afternoon as waters rose and crashed onto the pier, leaving debris on the shoreline.

Flagler Sheriff Rick Staly told News4JAX Thursday that he didnt believe the pier  which was damaged by Tropical Storm Isaias in 2020, as well as Hurricane Matthew in 2016  would survive the storms impact.

Authorities advised residents to avoid the pier over safety concerns.

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ENGLEWOOD, Fla.  Christine Bomlitz, of Las Vegas, had been anxious to reach her mother, Shirley Affolter, an 84-year-old resident of a retirement community just north of where Hurricane Ian made landfall.

She had no way to contact her mother, who had lost her cellphone before the storm. Then her landline went down. Affolter was supposed to have left with other residents as part of an evacuation plan but was never picked up. So she hunkered down. It was too late for anyone to get her.

Bomlitz grew distraught as the hours passed and as Ians ferocity grew. Then morning came, but still no word. Frantic, she posted a plea for help on social media.

By Thursday afternoon, a Good Samaritan had waded into the chest-high flood waters of her mothers neighborhood to do a welfare check.

Im thankful for this stranger, she said, a total stranger. People are amazing.

Bomlitz said she and others were trying to arrange for a boat rescue.

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COLUMBIA, S.C.  Officials are warning people in South Carolina that Hurricane Ian will be a problem for much of the state on Friday.

The storm is forecast to make landfall midday Friday as a Category 1 hurricane. But the storm is so broad that gusty winds, heavy rain and storm surge will arrive hours before.

Along the coast, 4 to 7 feet of storm surge is expected, rivaling problems created by hurricanes over the past decade. If Ian comes ashore as a hurricane, it would be the first hurricane to strike the state since Matthew in 2016.

National Guard troops are being positioned to help with the aftermath, including any water rescues and highway crews will be ready to clear roads.

Thursday afternoon, a steady stream of vehicles were heading out of Charleston on Interstate 26 with just a few heading into the city.

Gov. Henry McMaster issued no evacuations, but he said that doesnt mean the storm isnt dangerous.

We know we can handle this if we use our heads and follow the rules, McMaster said.

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FORT MYERS, Fla.  Lee Health announced Thursday that it was evacuating all of its facilities in Lee County, where Hurricane Ian first made landfall in Florida.

President and CEO Dr. Larry Antonucci said in a video posted online that the health care systems structures and facilities were in good shape, but infrastructure was challenged in the way of water and power. Generators were being used at some facilities, but three of the systems four hospitals were without water, Antonucci said.

We cannot run a health system and a hospital without running water. Its critical to what we do, Antonucci said. Not only from the perspective of patient care but also for fire protection.

Lee Health is working with the Agency for Health Care Administration in Florida, as well as state and local emergency operations management agencies, to arrange for the evacuation of patients to other hospitals outside of Lee County, officials said.

___

RALEIGH, N.C.  North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper urged residents to prepare for lots of rain, high winds and potential power outages when the remnants of Hurricane Ian cross the state soon after the storm likely reaches landfall again in South Carolina.

Visiting the states emergency operations center, the governor said at a Thursday afternoon news conference that up to 7 inches (17.8 centimeters) of rain could fall in some areas, with the potential for mountain landslides and tornadoes statewide.

For North Carolinians, I want to be clear: This storm can still be dangerous and even deadly, Cooper said.

State Emergency Management Director Will Ray said widespread power losses and evacuations werent anticipated at this time. Still, he urged people to keep an eye for changes to the storms forecast track, which could bring more troubles Friday to central and coastal counties than currently projected.

___

TALLAHASSEE, Fla.  Other states are sending help to Florida after Hurricane Ian. New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy said Thursday that hes calling up 135 National Guard members to send to Florida. Forty military and support vehicles will also be sent, he said.

Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards has approved sending 245 National Guard members to Florida. The state is also fulfilling requests for a family shelter task force and a hazmat team. Louisiana knows all too well the chaos and destruction a hurricane as strong as Ian can bring, and we will do everything we can to help our neighbors in Florida and other states impacted by this storm, Edwards said in a news release.

Utility trucks from Texas made their way early Thursday along Interstate 75 toward the southwest Florida areas ravaged hardest by the storm.
Liz Truss falsely claimed that people would not pay more than 2,500 on their energy bills during interviews this morning. (Daniel Leal/AFP/Getty)

Liz Truss has been criticised for making false claims about energy bills during a difficult round of media interviews on Thursday.

The prime minister was lost for words at points as she faced her first round of bruising media appearances after the economic fallout of the mini-budget.

Her comments on how much people would be paying for energy bills this winter raised particular concern, after she incorrectly stated that Britons would not pay more than 2,500 for their energy.

Truss told BBC Radio Kent listeners: We have taken action by the government stepping in and making sure that nobody is paying fuel bills of more than 2,500.

Energy bills will be almost double the level last winter (Yahoo News UK/Flourish)

She repeated the claim on BBC Radio Leeds, saying: Through the energy price guarantee, the maximum will be 2,500.

Truss made the same claim over the weekend, telling CNN that no household would have to pay more than 2,500 in energy bills under the Energy Price Guarantee.

The scheme, however, does not provide a 2,500 cap on energy bills  and the prime minister has been urged to urgently correct the record over fears that people will use more energy than they can afford under the misapprehension that there is a cap.

Watch: Truss: 'Absolutely right' to give support on energy bills

In reality, the energy price cap limits the price per unit that consumers can be charged at a level that means a typical household will pay around 2,500 per year.

Households that use more energy will pay more.

It comes as recent polling by USwitch shows poor public understanding of the policies surrounding energy bills, with around one in eight people believing their energy bill will fall before the end of the year.

Liz Truss defended Kwasi Kwarteng's mini-budget announcements. (Dylan Martinez/WPA/Getty)

Will Moy, chief executive of Full Fact, said that the prime minister repeatedly misled listeners this morning.

He said: She must now publicly correct her mistake to make sure people are not misled about their energy prices and hit with unexpected and unaffordable energy bills this winter.

Others were more forthright, with Labours Kate Osborne accusing Truss of lying to everyone again.

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Labours shadow minister for energy, Alan Whitehead, said that Truss claims were dangerous, adding: By saying that households wont pay more than 2,500 a year for energy bills, Liz Truss either doesnt understand her own energy policy, or is misleading the public  something that could have dire consequences.

Downing Street did not respond to the comments made by Truss, instead pointing Yahoo News UK to the PM saying this morning that the government has acted to make sure that nobody is paying more than a typical fuel bill of 2,500.

Truss media round on Thursday has been widely regarded a disaster, after she engaged in lengthy pauses while defending government borrowing aimed at cutting taxes to promote economic growth.

Liz Truss had a difficult round of media interviews on Thursday morning. (Reuters/Maja Smiejkowska)

The PM was accused by BBC Radio Bristols presenter of giving the same scripted answer to every local radio station as she answered questions about the Bank of Englands intervention on Wednesday.

Truss reiterated the UK was facing a very, very difficult economic situation as a result of Vladimir Putins war in Ukraine.

BBC Radio Bristols presenter suggested the government had inflicted the economic turmoil on the country, and chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng had opened up the stable door and spooked the horses so much you could almost see the economy being dragged behind them.
Veteran journalist Bill Plante died Wednesday. He was 84. (Photo: Larry French via Getty Images)

Veteran journalist Bill Plante died Wednesday. He was 84. (Photo: Larry French via Getty Images)

Longtime White House correspondent Bill Plante died Wednesday, his family confirmed with CBS News  the network where he spent more than half a century covering presidential administrations, the civil rights movement, the Vietnam War and more.

Plante, who retired in 2016 as one of the longest-serving White House correspondents in history, was 84 and died of respiratory failure, his family said.

Legendary journalist Bill Plante died Wednesday at the age of 84.



He was with CBS News for more than 50 years  and retired as one of the longest-serving White House correspondents in history. pic.twitter.com/vyt3gNyTdk  CBS Mornings (@CBSMornings) September 29, 2022

60 Minutes correspondent Lesley Stahl said, He was brilliant, as a reporter and as a human being, according to CBS News.

There wasnt anything Bill didnt excel at in our profession: he was a gifted writer, a first-class deadline maker and a breaker of major stories, continued Stahl, who covered the White House with Plante for a decade. Hell be remembered for his reports from the White House lawn, his booming voice that presidents always answered and his kind heart.

For the last 30 years of his career, Plante served as a senior White House correspondent for CBS News, covering the presidential administrations of Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush, George W. Bush and Barack Obama. It was a job he took seriously, and he earned a reputation for his unshakeable lines of questioning during White House press conferences.

Plante (far right) during a 1998 White House press briefing (Photo: The Washington Post via Getty Images)

Plante (far right) during a 1998 White House press briefing (Photo: The Washington Post via Getty Images)

I have no wasted sympathy on any occupant of the White House, Plante told the Minneapolis Star Tribune in 1997. They are out to present themselves in the best possible light, and its our job to find out, if we can, whats actually going on.

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Plante famously spoke out when George W. Bushs administration gave little access to the press, making a splash in 2007 when the president announced the resignation of adviser Karl Rove and began to leave without taking any questions. Plante shouted after him, If [Rove is] ... so smart, how come you lost Congress?

Our asking questions should not be dependent on what the White House thinks the mood or the tone of an event should be, Plante said in remarks following the incident. And the fact that they say no questions or dont allow time for questions really has nothing to do with it. They dont have to answer, but I think we need to preserve and aggressively push our right to ask.

Plante broadcasts from outside then-Vice President Al Gore's residence in Washington on Dec. 13, 2000. (Photo: SHAWN THEW/AFP via Getty Images)

Plante broadcasts from outside then-Vice President Al Gore's residence in Washington on Dec. 13, 2000. (Photo: SHAWN THEW/AFP via Getty Images)

Planet was such a ubiquitous presence at press conferences that Obama once noted a rare absence.

Bill Plante? No? Bills not here? Thats shocking, Obama said during a 2009 press briefing.

Before becoming a White House correspondent, Plante reported from the front lines of some of the biggest moments in 20th century history.

In 1964, the year that CBS News hired him, Plante embarked on his first of four tours in Vietnam to cover the war there  earning him a shared Emmy Award. The following year, CBS dispatched him to Alabama to interview and walk alongside Martin Luther King Jr. during the voting-rights marches from Selma to Montgomery.

Plante at work in 1989 (Photo: CBS Photo Archive via Getty Images)

Plante at work in 1989 (Photo: CBS Photo Archive via Getty Images)

Plante liked to have a good time during his travels with the White House press corps, too. While covering then-President Bill Clintons visit to New Zealand in 1999, he joined White House aides in a bungee jumping excursion over the Kawarau River. Right before jumping, Plante looked into a camera and declared, This is Bill Plante of CBS News, proving that youre never too old to do something really stupid.

Outside of work, Plante was known for being a regular at his gym and a wine connoisseur with one of Washingtons best wine collections. He sometimes reported on wine for CBS Early Show and CBS Sunday Morning.

He is survived by his wife and five of his six children.

This article originally appeared on HuffPost and has been updated.

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Philanthropist MacKenzie Scott arrives at the Vanity Fair Oscars party in Beverly Hills in 2018. (Evan Agostini / Invision / Associated Press)

Billionaire and philanthropist MacKenzie Scott donated two Beverly Hills mansions worth a combined $55 million to the nonprofit California Community Foundation, according to the foundation.

The organization said Scott, 52, donated the two single-family homes, which will be sold, with the majority of the money going to help low-income Los Angeles residents find affordable housing. The remaining money will go toward the foundation's efforts to help immigrants integrate into the United States and Los Angeles, according to the nonprofit.

Last year, Scott donated $20 million to help the group establish an arts endowment.

California Community Foundation Chief Executive Antonia Hernandez called the donation an "extraordinary philanthropic investment in Los Angeles."

Her singular commitment  here and across the country  to transformative philanthropy has already secured the long-term future of dozens of nonprofits," Hernandez said in a written statement. "With the California Community Foundation, her generosity will support organizations struggling to solve some of the most intractable issues facing our community. We are grateful for her partnership.

The two single-family mansions sit on Alpine Drive in Beverly Hills. One is described as a four-bedroom, six-bathroom home and the other has seven bedrooms and seven bathrooms, according to the foundation.

Scott was previously married to Amazon Chief Executive Jeff Bezos and the couple divorced in 2019. She owns a 4% stake in Amazon.com and in 2021 donated $2.7 billion to 286 organizations with her then-husband, Dan Jewett.

That included $30 million to Long Beach City College, $10 million to the Japanese American National Museum in Little Tokyo and many others.

At the time, Scott wrote in a Medium blog post: "I want to de-emphasize privileged voices and cede focus to others, yet I know some media stories will focus on wealth.

"Putting large donors at the center of stories on social progress is a distortion of their role. We are attempting to give away a fortune that was enabled by systems in need of change," Scott said. "My teams efforts are governed by a humbling belief that it would be better if disproportionate wealth were not concentrated in a small number of hands, and that the solutions are best designed and implemented by others."

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Billionaire philanthropist MacKenzie Scott, who was previously married to Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, has filed for divorce from her second husband, Dan Jewett.

Scott, 52, submitted a petition for divorce in the King County Superior Court in Washington State on Sept. 26, TODAY has confirmed.

According to the New York Times, the petition revealed that information about the former couples division of property is in a separate contract that they agreed to. The contract is not available to the public. Jewett, a former Seattle science teacher, did not contest the separation, according to the newspaper.

Jewett and Scott tied the knot in March 2021. Their nuptials came two years after Scott divorced Bezos.

The Amazon founder and Scott had been married since 1993. She was left with 4% stake in Amazon after their divorce, NBC News and Reuters reported at the time.

Their settlement was the most expensive divorce in history as Scotts Amazon stock was worth more than $36 billion.

Since her separation from Bezos, Scott has made large donations to multiple charities and equity causes.

The Associated Press reported in June 2021 that Scott and Jewett had given $2.7 billion to 286 organizations.

In a blog post on the website Medium, she wrote that she and her husband made the donations as a signal of trust and encouragement to the recipients and their causes. She also listed all of the organizations.

My teams efforts are governed by a humbling belief that it would be better if disproportionate wealth were not concentrated in a small number of hands, and that the solutions are best designed and implemented by others, she said at the time. Though we still have a lot to learn about how to act on these beliefs without contradicting and subverting them, we can begin by acknowledging that people working to build power from within communities are the agents of change. Their service supports and empowers people who go on to support and empower others.

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Earlier this year, she made a historic donation to Big Brothers Big Sisters. In May, the 118-year-old organization shared exclusively on TODAY that it had received $122.6 million  the highest donation by a single person in the non-profits history  from the philanthropist.

What I would want to say is first of all, thank you, Big Brothers Big Sisters CEO Artis Stevens said during an appearance on TODAY, And how proud we are of this moment, how proud we are of what this is going to mean for so many different communities.

Big Brothers Big Sisters of America supports one-one-relationships between children and adult mentors all over the country.

It is transformative, and its going to mean so much for our communities, for our people on the ground, the staff and volunteers who work hard every single day to make a difference in kids lives, Stevens added.

Over the past three years, Scott had given away more than $12 billion to more than 1,200 groups.

This article was originally published on TODAY.com
Photo: The Canadian Press

For many months during the COVID-19 pandemic, satisfaction with the performance of the provincial government in British Columbia was one of the highest in Canada.



While Ontario and Alberta struggled to connect with the population on issues such as restrictions and mandates, there was never a time when fewer than half of British Columbians were content with what Victoria, and the provincial health authorities, suggested.

In November 2020, at a time when most Canadians eagerly awaited a timetable for COVID-19 vaccinations, Research Co. and Glacier Media asked British Columbians about the health-care system. The results could be summed up succinctly: just over one in 10 residents were critical of the state of affairs, there was no exceedingly significant problem and the appetite for private medicine was low.

Almost two years later, the views have shifted dramatically. The proportion of British Columbians who believe that health care in the province has so much wrong with it that we need to completely rebuild it has almost tripled, from 11 per cent in 2020 to 31 per cent in 2022. Pessimism about the health-care system is more prevalent among women (34 per cent), British Columbians aged 55 and over (40 per cent) and residents of Vancouver Island (also 40 per cent).

In late 2020, more than one in five British Columbians (22 per cent) told us that health care in the province worked well, and only minor changes were needed to make it work better. This month, the proportion of residents who have this feeling has fallen to 13 per cent.

The biggest discrepancy between the surveys arrives when we query British Columbians about the biggest problem facing the health-care system right now. In 2019, only 20 per cent of respondents picked a shortage of doctors and nurses, well below the 38 per cent who selected long waiting times. By 2020, the proportion of British Columbians who were primarily concerned about not having access to medical professionals rose by four points to 24 per cent.

In 2022, the situation is clearly more dire. Half of British Columbians (50 per cent) identify a shortage of doctors and nurses as the biggest problem facing the health-care system now, up 26 points since 2020 and well ahead of all other issues. Long waiting times is a distant second with 18 per cent, followed by bureaucracy and poor management at 10 per cent.

Concerns about a shortage of doctors and nurses are severe across every region of the province, from 43 per cent in Metro Vancouver, to 52 per cent in northern B.C. and the Fraser Valley, and to a province-wide high of 67 per cent in Vancouver Island.

Faced with limited access to medical professionals, some British Columbians are re-evaluating their options. This year, a third of the provinces residents (33 per cent) say they are willing to travel to another country to have quicker access to medical services that currently have long waiting times, up six points since 2020.

The numbers are stable when the provinces residents are asked if they would pay out of their own pocket to have quicker access to medical services here, with 40 per cent saying this is an option they would explore if they were able to. Travelling abroad has become more appealing than exploring private delivery.

The 2020 poll was conducted just weeks after a BC Supreme Court justice ruled that access to private health care was not a constitutional right, even if wait times for care under the public system are too long. At the time, almost half of British Columbians (46 per cent) agreed with the decision, while 31 per cent disagreed. Again, the adage of a poll being a snapshot in time rings true. In late 2020, there was an immense level of satisfaction with the way the B.C. government managed the pandemic, as evidenced by the results of the provincial election.

Two years later, there is a significant change. The outright endorsement of the BC Supreme Court justices decision on private medicine has dropped to 37 per cent (down nine points), while dismay has risen to 49 per cent (up 18 points).

It is certain that the perceptions of British Columbians on the health-care system are not as positive as they used to be. The fact that half of the provinces residents identify a shortage of doctors and nurses as the biggest setback explains why a private health-care option is no longer derided. The provincial governments ability to facilitate access to general practitioners will play a pivotal role on whether these perceptions worsen. If confidence in the viability of the health-care system can be restored, calls for private options will subside.

 Mario Canseco is president of Research Co.
Angelina Jolie has spoken out in support of Iranian womens right to live and breathe without violence or threats amid ongoing protests in the country over the death of Mahsa Amini.

The 22-year-old womans death while in police custody sparked mass protests across Iran and has resulted in deadly clashes between demonstrators and police.

In an Instagram post, Jolie, 47, posted several photographs of women protesting on the streets and cutting their hair.

The final slide in her post featured text that read: Protests in Iran are in their 12th consecutive night. They started in response to the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini while in morality police custody.

Since the protests began, riot police have attacked protestors with brutal force, and more than 70 people have reportedly been killed.

In her caption, the Eternals star wrote: Respect to the brave, defiant, fearless women of Iran.

All those who have survived and resisted for decades, those taking to the streets today, and Mahsa Amini and all young Iranians like her.

She continued: Women dont need their morals policed, their minds re-educated, or their bodies controlled. They need freedom to live and breathe without violence or threats.

To the women of Iran, we see you.

Rights group Iran Human Rights has said on Wednesday (28 September) that the death toll could be as high as 76, far higher than the figure given by authorities.

At least six women and four children are among those who have died in violent clashes between demonstrators and police, the group added.

The Islamic Republic has put the official death toll at just 41, including protestors and police, since the unrest began on 17 September.

Amini was arrested by the religious police in Tehran for not wearing her hijab properly and died in custody just a few days later.

Her death sparked widespread condemnation from Iranians and the international community, with thousands of women calling for the end of the clerical administration.

Under the Islamic Republics rule, all women in the country must wear a hijab. Since the rule began in 1979, when the Islamic Revolution occurred, so-called morality police have been known for enforcing it zealously.

Last week, Iranian-American actor Sam Asghari, who is married to Britney Spears, posted a strongly-worded video in which he called the Iranian government terrorists and called for his followers to share information about the protests.
Malala Yousafzai has called out Hollywood for its lack of Muslim and Asian representation.

During her speech at Varietys Power of Women event, the 25-year-old Nobel Peace Prize laureate said that Muslim actors only make up one per cent of popular television series leads.

I learned that Asian people like me make up less than four per cent of leads in Hollywood films, she said. Muslims are 25 per cent of the population, but only one per cent of characters in popular TV series.

I know that the executives have passed on dozens of quality, equally amazing projects because they thought that the characters or their creators were too young, too Brown, too foreign, too poor, Yousafzai added. Sometimes it feels like theyre saying we just dont belong here.

Yousafzai recently launched her film production career with three projects for Apple.

Earlier this month, Yousafzais production company Extracurricular partnered with the indie studio A24 for an untitled feature documentary on thehaenyeo society of fisherwomen who live on South Koreas Jeju Island.

The second project is a scripted series based on Asha Lemmies coming-of-age novel Fifty Words for Rain, about a womans search for acceptance in post-World War II Japan.

This project is a feature film with Dont Look Up director Adam McKay and his production company, Hyperobject, based on Elaine Hsieh Chous book Disorientation.

Speaking of these projects, Yousafzai told Variety that shes hoping to bring to the table are the voices of women of colour, and debut writers and Muslim directors and writers.

I hope we can have a wide range of perspectives and we challenge some of the stereotypes we hold in our societies.

I also hope that the content is entertaining and that people fall in love with the characters and have the best time together.
(Bloomberg) -- Malta faces a lawsuit at the European Unions top court as authorities crack down on member states selling citizenship rights to live and work in the bloc.

Most Read from Bloomberg

The European Commission on Thursday said it will refer Malta to the EUs Court of Justice for its investor citizenship scheme, which is often referred to as golden passports.

Granting EU citizenship in return for pre-determined payments or investments without any genuine link to the member state concerned is not compatible with the principle of sincere cooperation enshrined in the blocs rules, the commission said in a statement.

The so-called investment migration industry has proven lucrative for Europe, where participating member states netted more than 21 billion euros ($20.3 billion) between 2011 and 2019 in investment from individuals in return for a passport, according to the European Parliament.

Malta said its been cooperating with the commission constructively and in good faith and that it strongly rejects the interpretation given by the commission.

The program is based on robust due diligence processes which address the risks related to money laundering and the financing of terrorism and ensure that only worthy individuals would acquire Maltese citizenship and consequently European citizenship, Maltas home affairs ministry said in a statement.

The EU in 2020 issued Malta and Cyprus with a legal ultimatum to stop offering their golden passports programs. Cyprus at the time had already announced it would end its current passport for investment program, but has since continued to process pending applications, the EU said.

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Cyprus finished processing all pending applications in July last year, but the commission said its continuing to closely watch the situation there before deciding on next steps.

Malta suspended its program following Russias invasion of Ukraine this year, but only for nationals from Russia and Belarus.

While this was a positive step, Malta continues to operate the scheme for all other nationalities and has not expressed any intention to end it, the commission said.

(Updates with Malta response in fifth, sixth paragraphs)

Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek

2022 Bloomberg L.P.
A Sedgwick County judge has ordered a Wichita man to serve five years, five months in prison in connection with the April 25, 2021, slaying of a teen at an apartment in the 3800 block of West 13th Street.

Easton Gavin Shaner-Palmer, 19, pleaded guilty on Aug. 18 to aggravated burglary and attempted robbery tied to incidents that culminated in the fatal shooting of 17-year-old Erik Stokes Jr. of Wichita. Police have said Stokes and another 17-year-old boy were shot when three people forced their way into the apartment and opened fire in a bedroom around 6:50 p.m.

Court records say Shaner-Palmer and his brother went to the apartment with a woman to buy illegal vaping cartridges containing tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, the psychoactive substance in marijuana. But an armed robbery and shooting allegedly unfolded instead.

Stokes died at the scene from a gunshot wound to his trunk, according to an affidavit released in the case. The other teen survived a gunshot wound to a leg.

Originally, prosecutors charged Shaner-Palmer with first-degree felony murder and attempted aggravated robbery in the case, court records show.

Two others are also facing charges:

Breckyn I. Elliott, 20, of Wichita, is scheduled for an Oct. 18 preliminary hearing on counts of attempted obstruction and attempted possession of marijuana.

Jaron C. Palmer, 25, of Wichita, is scheduled for trial on Nov. 7 on counts of first-degree felony murder, aggravated burglary, aggravated battery, aggravated robbery and battery. He has pleaded not guilty.

Judge Eric Williams sentenced Shaner-Palmer on Wednesday, a spokesman for the Sedgwick County District Attorneys Office, Dan Dillon, said.
A traveller from China was fined $17,500 after he was caught with 226kg of meat in luggage at Changi Airport. (PHOTO: Singapore Food Agency/Facebook)

SINGAPORE  A traveller from China was fined $17,500 in court on Thursday (29 September) for illegally importing 226kg of chicken, beef, pork, mutton and rabbit meat products stuffed in his luggage into Singapore.

Eight luggage belonging to Wang Liansheng were intercepted on 8 June this year by Singapore Food Agency (SFA) and the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) officers, SFA and ICA said in a joint statement. They were found to contain the meat products, which were seized and destroyed.

Food can only be imported by licensed importers, with all consignments required to be declared alongside a valid import permit under SFAs requirements.

Illegally imported food products are of unknown sources and pose food safety risk, the statement said. Only meat from accredited sources in approved countries that meet Singapores food safety rules can be imported, it added.

A person who is convicted of importing meat products illegally from unapproved sources may face a fine of $50,000 or jail of up to two years or both. For a subsequent conviction, the sentence is a fine of up to $100,000 or a maximum jail term of three years or both.

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Do you have a story tip? Email: sgnews.tips@yahooinc.com.

You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Twitter. Also check out our Southeast Asia, Food, and Gaming channels on YouTube.
A mans compassion for a stranded cat has left many on Twitter feline good.

Mike Ross, 29, of Bonita Springs challenged the Florida Man stereotype on Wednesday when he bravely weathered quickly rising Hurricane Ian floodwaters to rescue a terrified looking cat.

The storm surge had rushed up quite a bit at that point, Ross told The Washington Post of the moment he decided to rescue an orange and white cat that was seeking refuge from the flood atop a mounted air conditioning unit. Ross said that although he had grown up in Florida and seen his fair share of chaotic weather, he told the paper this particular storm was absolutely terrible.

Ross mom, Marybeth Ross, captured the rescue on camera. It occurred right before the Category 4 storm, with maximum sustained winds near 150 mph, made landfall.

Ross girlfriend, Megan Scavo, later shared the video of him wading through murky knee-high water to gently retrieve the frightened animal and bring it inside to safety.

My boyfriend saving a cat from flood waters near Bonita Beach, she captioned the video. Twitter users responded to the clip by essentially saying Ross was the cats pajamas.

Michael is a keeper! Not just grabbing the cat unceremoniously, though conditions certainly call for it. Instead, this man reaches over and reassures that baby they're going to be okay. Gets trust from a wet, terrified, distressed cat in a hurricane! Definitely hero    Sion Sweet  (@SionSweet77) September 29, 2022

Any guy, who would put himself in that situation, in order to rescue a helpless, scared kitty is a good guy and perhaps a keeper!  Sharon  NO LISTS BLUE in 2022 (@Godmaid27Sharon) September 28, 2022

Marry him.  Jackie Leonard (@JackieLeonard01) September 28, 2022

Bless your boyfriend! That poor scared cat! So many poor animals get left behind and no one considers their lives are also in danger! Please stay safe! Your boyfriend and the kitty both look like keepers!!  Meggymoo (@Meggymo55941167) September 28, 2022

TELL YOUR BOYFRIEND IM SENDING HIM A CASE OF BEER AFTER THIS!  Crystal lynn (@QueenCrystal22) September 28, 2022

Im sorry, Megan, but he is everyones boyfriend now. I dont make the rules.   Lulu Mac (@LuluMcSideways) September 28, 2022

Others remembered doing similar rescues themselves.

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Hurricane cats are an old Florida tradition. We picked ours up a couple years ago during Irma. Cannot imagine this house without the Tripod. pic.twitter.com/S58MB4RqNV  A. Froglok Herbalist (@A_Grumpy_Frog) September 28, 2022

Geronimo and his siblings Morgan and Ferdinand are our Irma kittens pic.twitter.com/Zf1ZqgmYEl  PascoKurt (@PascoKurt) September 28, 2022

Last year during Ida my daughter found a kitten. I fell in love with him, decided that was the last storm hed ever experience outside. He was about 8 weeks. Hes a year old now, and his mamas best friend.  pic.twitter.com/TNXrl19Zhi  Amanda Jones (@amandalmjones) September 29, 2022

This is how I saved my little one during a tropical storm. All animals deserve comfort and care pic.twitter.com/euc8ZxB4FO  MooseJuuice (@MooseJuuice) September 28, 2022

Ross told the Post that that cat is staying with his family and they plan to keep it if theyre unable to find an owner.

Scavo posted an update to Twitter telling users that they are currently calling their miracle cat Ian. She also linked to a GoFundMe page to raise money to restore their home and others houses that were damaged in the storm. She said half of the proceeds would go toward the Humane Society Naples in honor of Ian the kitty to help other animals impacted by the crisis.

This article originally appeared on HuffPost and has been updated.

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A man pointed a gun at a McDonalds worker during an argument before firing shots into the air at the restaurant, police in Georgia said.

On Sept. 26, DeKalb County officers responded to the McDonalds on Wesley Chapel Road after a report of an aggravated assault, the police department said in a news release.

The man, who was not identified, got into an argument with a female employee and pointed a gun at her, according to police. The man fired multiple shots into the air and fled the McDonalds, according to the release.

Officers found the man at a nearby acquaintances home and closed off the area, the release said.

Police were able to talk him out of the home and he was taken into custody, according to the news release. Officials did not specify what charges the man could face.

DeKalb County is just east of Atlanta.

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Hurricane-relief specialist Scott Lewis was in full-on assessment mode Thursday.

He had made plans to drive northwest from West Palm Beach to see for himself some of the damage left behind by Hurricane Ian, which slammed into Floridas southwest coast Wednesday as a brutal Category 4 storm and then, albeit weaker, headed northeast, still carrying strong winds and intense rainfall.

A portion of state Highway 70 is flooded in Arcadia, where volunteers from the West Palm Beach-based Eagles' Wings Foundation are assisting in Hurricane Ian relief efforts. The hurricane caused the Peace River to overflow its banks, flooding much of the rural area.

Lewis goal, he told the Palm Beach Daily News, was to gather information, to learn what those affected by the storm need and then to bring them donations of goods and services through the Eagles Wings Foundation, the nonprofit organization he founded in 1999 to help victims of Hurricane Floyd in North Carolina.

Im going right now on my scouting tour, Lewis said. Ill be up there all afternoon.

By Friday, he was back in West Palm Beach and had marshalled volunteers plus a fleet of 18 to 20 trucks to depart early Saturday, bringing work crews with chainsaws and emergency supplies to Arcadia. The small town of about 8,000 people lies about 43 miles southeast of Sarasota and about 50 miles northeast of where Hurricane Ian made landfall on the island of Cayo Costa.

Were up to 50 volunteers, Lewis said. It'll be a nice convoy.

Lewis intentionally chose to scout places for relief efforts away from the Fort Myers area, where the storms most devastating damage occurred. Plenty of disaster-relief organizations and government agencies, he said, will be addressing needs there.

But people in outlying areas often dont receive as much immediate attention, he said.

We try to find underserved communities. Its usually the places like these that are neglected, that dont get as much help, Lewis said.

The convoy plans to take about 2,000 tarps big enough to cover roofs along with batteries, battery-operated lighting and 150 five-gallon gas containers to be filled with fuel, said Lewis, who owns Scott Lewis Gardening & Trimming in West Palm Beach.

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Scott Lewis, a West Palm Beach landscape company owner, is founder and president of the disaster-relief charity Eagles' Wings Foundation. Lewis and volunteers with the foundation are fielding donations and preparing to provide roof tarps and other items to victims of Hurricane Ian, the Category 4 storm that struck Southwest Florida Thursday. Lewis was photographed in September 2019 while coordinating a relief operation from his 30,000-square-foot West Palm warehouse for Hurricane Dorian.

Many of the supplies are stored in West Palm Beach in Lewis 30,000-square-foot warehouse.

More about Scott Lewis: West Palm disaster relief mission headed to the Bahamas after Hurricane Dorian

Humanitarian aid: Boat, fire truck on way to help still-suffering Bahamas

Hurricane Ian relief: Town of Palm Beach United Way creates Hurricane Ian relief fund

Lewis landscaping company is well known in Palm Beach, as the majority of its clients are on the island. Lewis lives in West Palm but attended Palm Beach Day School, now Palm Beach Day Academy, on the island. He later returned there for a stint teaching English.

The Eagles Wings Foundation  and its Pathfinders task force of first responders  have carried out 39 deployments to disaster zones over the years, Lewis said. Most of those humanitarian missions have been to hurricane-ravaged areas, often using a network of volunteer pilots drivers to deliver supplies.

In addition to Lewis workers and volunteers, the convoy will include two trucks and a cadre of chainsaw operators supplied by Bruce Armstrong of Armstrong Landscape & Design in Jupiter.

Scott Lewis, founder of the Eagles Wings Foundation disaster relief mission, lands in Puerto Rico during a 2017 operation following Hurricane Maria.

Lewis coordinates his missions with faith-based organizations rather than governmental agencies, he said. After Hurricane Ian struck, he used his network of contacts to reach out to representatives of churches in Sebring, about 90 miles west of Sarasota, and Arcadia.

Lewis said on his trip to Sebring Thursday, he encountered a good surprise when he found far less wind damage to roofs and trees than he had expected, compared with his experiences with Hurricane Charley in 2004, he said. As it moved inland, Ians drenching rains appeared to have caused the most trouble for those in its path.

We try to find underserved communities, Scott Lewis says

In Arcadia, closer to the west coast, it was a different story.

There is significant tree damage and a fair amount of structural roof damage, Lewis said. Theres plenty of work to do.

Lewis was familiar with Arcadia from previous storm-relief efforts there. This time, he plans to base his operations at Trinity United Methodist Church, where the Rev. Louie Mabrey and his wife, Nancy, have welcomed the effort with open arms. Lewis and his team are working with the Mabreys and church Trustee Chairman Don Waters to field calls about damage in the town and surrounding areas.

The Mabreys weathered the storm without incident in the nearby church parsonage, along with their dog, cat and rabbit, the pastor said in a phone interview Friday. We wanted to be close to our church family. The Lord was with us, and we trusted Him, Mabrey said.

The Rev. Louie Mabrey is pastor of Trinity United Methodist Church in Arcadia.

The church was established in 1889 but the sanctuary dates to 1927. It saw flooding in the basement, the pastor said, but no structural damage. But others in town weren't as fortunate, especially those who live in mobile homes, he said.

Mabrey, who has been pastor of the church since 2015, was familiar with damage from tornadoes from when he lived in Alabama. He and his wife also weathered Hurricane Irma in 2017.

But Hurricane Ian, Mabrey said, was in a class by itself.

This is the worst storm weve ever seen as a pastoral couple, said Mabrey, whose Sunday church services typically draw between 175 and 225 people during the winter season, when the towns population swells with snowbirds from the north.

Mabrey said the Eagles Wings Foundation's efforts were a literal godsend, an example of people acting "as the hands and feet of Jesus to help each other."

Hurricane Ian updates: Find out the latest on the storm in our live blog

Ian's aftermath: Palm Beach restores public beach access as Tropical Storm Ian moves away from the state

Hurricane-relief work described as jack of all trades

Among the workers who expected to head to Arcadia was Matt Campbell, a 15-year volunteer with the foundation. And for the last four years, Campbell has worked at Lewis landscaping company as an account manager.

Our goal is to help accelerate the recovery, Campbell said Thursday. Anything that pops up  such as if someone needs a tarp on their roof or a tire changed on their car  were there to help. Were sort of a jack of all trades.

The organization, Campbell said, has a list of several thousand people who have volunteered with the organization over the years.

A couple of hundred (of them) are in Florida, Campbell added.

And for those Floridians who volunteer to help in the wake of Hurricane Ian, the task that lies ahead will be a neighborly one indeed.

As of now, the Eagles Wings Foundation is most in need of donations of money to help purchase supplies as needs are identified, Lewis said. Those who wish to help can find information about donating at the organization's website, EWFrelief.org.

*

Darrell Hofheinz is a USA TODAY Network of Florida journalist who writes about Palm Beach real estate in his weekly Beyond the Hedges column. He welcomes tips about real estate news on the island. Email dhofheinz@pbdailynews.com, call (561) 820-3831 or tweet @PBDN_Hofheinz. Help support our journalism. Subscribe today.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Daily News: Scott Lewis, foundation volunteers ready to aid Hurricane Ian victims
Sen. Joe Manchins (D-W.Va.) push to speed up the pace of energy infrastructure approvals faces an uncertain future after the proposal couldnt garner enough support when attached to a must-pass government-funding bill.

Democrats on Tuesday pulled the package out of the stopgap measure amid opposition from both conservatives and progressives.

Theyre expected to try to move Manchins measure again, but hurdles remain as the package will continue to have detractors on both the left and the right.

Tying permitting reform to the government funding measure was expected to improve the chances that Manchins bill would get across the finish line. The idea was that opponents in the Democratic Party would not want to vote against funding the government.

But Republicans didnt play ball. They said Manchins bill didnt go far enough on permitting reform, and they did not want to vote to help him get a political victory he could hail back home.

On Tuesday, Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) said that he, Manchin and others will continue to have conversations about the best way to ensure responsible permitting reform is passed before the end of the year.

Manchin a day after the measure was pulled indicated that hed like to work with his West Virginia colleague Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R) on compromise legislation.

I think we both have an interest in doing something, and both Senator Schumer and Senator McConnell both showed great interest, Manchin said Wednesday, referring to Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.).

Manchin has proposed a series of changes to the countrys approval process for energy infrastructure.

He wants to impose speedier environmental reviews, provide more federal authority over electricity transmission lines and require the president to designate 25 priority projects that include both fossil fuel and clean energy infrastructure.

His package also included a requirement for federal agencies to issue approvals of a specific natural pipeline in his home state called the Mountain Valley Pipeline.

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Schumer, along with Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and the White House, agreed to take up permitting reform as a condition for Manchins approval of the Democrats sweeping tax, climate and health care bill.

Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have indicated that they want to keep talking.

Weve got to let the dust settle and then we have to keep negotiating, said Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii).

Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) said he wanted to see more people at the table and more teeth for the timelines compared to Manchins proposal.

Youve got to have more involvement than just Joe and Chuck, he said, referring to Manchin and Schumer.

Id like to have some sort of shot clock with teeth so that agencies cant just do a pocket veto of things that otherwise meet every criteria. This permitting reform didnt really have that, he said.

Its not clear how many votes the original legislation would have won, with Republican leadership whipping against it, and about nine Democrats expressing their own opposition.

Any effort to get permitting reform across the finish line moving forward will likely require a delicate balance: shifting it rightward enough to garner Republican support, but not so far to the right that it loses Democrats worried about climate change and pollution.

A vehicle is also an issue.

Its conceivable that the legislation could be approved as a stand-alone measure, but given time constraints it is more likely to pass if it is attached to another must-pass piece of legislation.

The National Defense Authorization Act and an omnibus government funding measure are two possibilities, though some are already saying the defense bill should only include measures specific to national defense.

Id rather see germane amendments, said Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa).

I dont know that that is the path forward right now, she said of putting permitting reform into the defense bill.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
I have to agree with Katherine Arrowsmith's letter that not everyone is an expert.

Which leads back to Tim Lyons' letter, Two different issues". He is correct in stating the two issues (drug abuse and mental health) should not be lumped together.

B.C. and the other provinces divested themselves of mental health care a number of years ago. Governments were more than happy to close down institutions and release those who were lucid when taking their proper medications, into the community. Only those who truly were dependent on care were housed in smaller group homes.

Once on the street, those who required medication to assist with them being part of society had no one to make sure they took those medications

So, yes, those who reside on the streets in their own world and are a potential threat to themselves and others should be required to live in group homes where their meds can be monitored and to keep them from becoming vulnerable and exploited.

The addiction issue is a completely different subject. The two should be addressed separately.

M. Boyer, Kelowna
FILE PHOTO: A patient undergoes radiation therapy. Photo by Vladimir Smirnov\TASS via Getty Images

A new cancer therapy makes use of the herpes virus to fight harmful cells.

The modified virus infects cancer cells, causing them to explode, while alerting the immune system.

The therapy is in early trial stages but shows great promise, according to cancer researchers.

A new cancer therapy that uses a modified herpes virus to attack tumor cells showed promise in early clinical trials abroad.

The drug, called RP2, completely obliterated one patient's oral cancer. The 39-year-old told the BBC that he had cancer of the salivary glands, which continued to grow despite attempts at treatment.

He was preparing for the end of his life when he learned about the experimental drug, which was available through a phase one safety trial at the Institute of Cancer Research in the UK.

After a short course of the drug, the patient  Krzysztof Wojkowski of west London  has been cancer-free for two years and counting, he told the BBC.

Other patients in the trial saw their tumors shrink, although the majority did not have a significant change: three out of nine patients who were given the trial drug alone, and seven of 30 who received a combined treatment, appeared to benefit from the experimental therapy.

While more research needs to be done to see how RP2 compares to known therapies, the drug seemed to help some patients and only caused mild side effects, such as tiredness. These early results are promising, said Jonathan Zager of the Moffitt Cancer Center, who was not involved in the trial.

"We'll see some more studies done in the very near future, and I'm excited  certainly not disheartened or skeptical," Zager told Insider.

A modified virus delivers a 'one-two punch' to cancer cells

The experimental therapy involves a weakened form of herpes simplex  the virus that causes cold sores  that has been modified to only infect tumors.

According to results presented at a medical conference in Paris, the viral therapy is engineered to selectively enter cancer cells while leaving normal cells alone. It's injected directly into a tumor, while most other cancer drugs work systemically.

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Once it has infiltrated, the virus replicates itself until the cancer cell explodes. What's unique about RP2 is that it delivers a "one-two punch" against tumors, not only destroying the cells but rallying the immune system to attack what's left, lead researcher Kevin Harrington said in a news release.

The drug works similarly to T-Vec, a viral therapy that was approved to treat advanced skin cancer in 2015. T-Vec was also engineered based on a herpes simplex virus and modified to include a gene that stimulates the production of immune cells, essentially preparing the immune system to attack.

These viral therapies hold great promise for treating multiple forms of cancer, with "truly impressive" treatment responses observed in patients with advanced esophageal cancer and a rare type of eye cancer, Harrington told the BBC.

The results are even more impressive considering that the patients recruited for clinical trials typically have tried several other treatments and surgeries to remove their cancers. Many, like Wojkowski, were out of options when they heard about RP2.

"When we have tumors that are heavily pretreated and they respond favorably  to RP2 or T-Vec  that's even more food for thought, in the sense that now we have tumors that were resistant to treatment and are responding," said Zager, who has treated hundreds of patients with T-Vec since it was approved.

According to Harrington, RP2 may work even better than T-Vec, if the early results are any indication.

"It's had other modifications to the virus so that when it gets into cancer cells it effectively signs their death warrant," Harrington told the BBC.

Read the original article on Insider
UFC president Dana White has denied reports that Mark Zuckerberg has rented out the mixed martial arts promotions Apex institute ahead of this Saturdays Fight Night event.

The UFC stages fight cards weekly, with pay-per-view events taking place once a month, and many of the weekly shows have been held at the promotions custom-built Apex facility in Las Vegas over the last two years.

Unusually, fans and media will not be allowed to attend the card this Saturday (1 October), prompting speculation as to the reason why, before rumours spread that Facebook and Meta CEO Zuckerberg has rented out the venue.

White played down the suggestion, however, tweeting on Thursday (29 September): Mark Zuckerberg did NOT rent out the UFC Apex. Thats total bulls***.

Zuckerberg is a known fan of MMA and the UFC in particular. He recently posted footage of himself training in MMA with a UFC hopeful, and the American, 38, replied to numerous UFC fighters in the comment section of his Instagram video.

On Tuesday (27 September), 52-year-old White discussed the absence of media and fans from this weekends Fight Night.

At a post-fight press conference for his Dana Whites Contender Series television programme, the American said: Oh, we just figured that you guys have been so busy lately, wed give you guys a night off.

Guys, youre here on Tuesdays, youre here on Saturdays. Kevin [journalist] actually showed up today. I mean, we gotta give you guys a break. So, youre welcome.

When rumours emerged of Zuckerberg having rented out the UFC Apex, some theorised that the American could have done so in order to prepare for a Metaverse UFC event.
Democrats from Massachusetts are asking Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg to investigate Florida Gov. Ron DeSantiss (R) flight of almost 50 migrants to Marthas Vineyard, Mass. earlier this month.

The Department should use all tools within its authority  including enforcement of its consumer protection rules  to ensure that migrants are not transported under false pretenses as part of a competition among wannabe Trump acolytes to claim the mantle of cruelest governor in the United States, wrote Sen. Ed Markey and Reps. Bill Keating, Lori Trahan, Stephen F. Lynch, Jake Auchincloss and Seth Moulton.

The lawmakers said in their letter, first reported by Politico, that the conduct  may have violated DOTs Charter-Broker Rule. The Trump-era regulation bars those who arrange charter air transportation from misrepresenting the route of a flight.

They added that the state and Florida officials may qualify as charter brokers if they were involved in the alleged misrepresentation of the flight destination.

A lawsuit filed by some of the Venezuelan migrants claims that they were told they were being sent to Boston or Washington, D.C. before being dropped off in Marthas Vineyard.

We urge DOT to swiftly investigate the company and individuals responsible for these representations and take all necessary action to protect migrants from such dishonest behavior, wrote the Massachusetts lawmakers.

To the extent that any of those individuals or entities misled migrants about flight details, they may have violated the Charter-Broker Rule and be liable for a civil penalty, Markey and his colleagues added.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) and Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey (R) have also sent migrants to cities run by Democrats, including Washington, D.C., New York City and Chicago, in a protest of immigration laws.

The Hill has requested comment from DeSantiss office on the Massachusetts Democrats letter.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
BOSTON  Massachusetts lawmakers are asking Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg to investigate whether the migrant charter flights organized by GOP Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis broke the departments rules by allegedly misleading those on board.

Sen. Ed Markey, in a letter to Buttigieg signed by five other members of the all-Democratic Massachusetts delegation and shared first with POLITICO, invoked a charter-broker rule issued during the Trump administration that prohibits charter operators from misrepresenting information like the time of departure or arrival, points served, route to be flown, stops to be made, or total trip-time.

Markey cites the federal class action lawsuit a civil rights firm filed on behalf of the migrants last week that accused DeSantis and Florida transportation officials of coercing migrants onto planes from Texas to Marthas Vineyard through false promises and misrepresentations of where they were going and what was waiting for them on the other end of the flight.

Court documents describe how the primarily Venezuelan migrants were approached near shelters in San Antonio, Texas, by a woman named Perla and offered $10 McDonalds gift cards and false promises and false representations of employment, housing and educational opportunities in either Boston or Washington, D.C.

It wasnt until the migrants were en route to Massachusetts, the lawsuit says, that they were informed they were instead headed to the island of Marthas Vineyard, where local officials were unaware of and unprepared for their arrival.

Other Democrats have called on the Justice Department to investigate DeSantis, including California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried. A sheriff in Texas has also opened an investigation into DeSantis and the flights, though it remains unclear exactly what hes probing.



Markey and Reps. Lori Trahan, Seth Moulton, Stephen Lynch, Jake Auchincloss and Bill Keating  who represents Marthas Vineyard and Cape Cod, where the migrants were voluntarily moved to a military base  argue in their letter that Vertol Systems Company, which signed a contract with the state of Florida to relocate the migrants and then appears to have hired another company to operate the flights, likely constituted a charter-broker subject to DOT rules in the transaction.

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Charter brokers and air carriers should not assist states like Florida in relocating migrants with false promises about their ultimate destination, the lawmakers wrote. The Department should use all tools within its authority  including enforcement of its consumer protection rules  to ensure that migrants are not transported under false pretenses as part of a competition among wannabe Trump acolytes to claim the mantle of cruelest governor in the United States.

DeSantis has denied that the migrants were misled. Taryn Fenske, communications director for DeSantis, said in a statement last week that the migrants were homeless, hungry, and abandoned.

The Transportation Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Buttigieg called the migrant transports stunts during an appearance at the Texas Tribune Festival earlier this week, but has said little else on the matter. The Federal Aviation Administration, which operates under DOT, has been similarly reticent to address DeSantis migrant charter flights and likely has little authority to stop them from happening again unless a law enforcement agency like the Department of Justice steps in first.

The Massachusetts delegation members request to Buttigieg comes amid increasing calls from Democratic officials in Massachusetts for DOJ to investigate the circumstances surrounding the flights to Marthas Vineyard.

GOP Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker has welcomed the Texas sheriff's investigation, but has not called for anything further and has repeatedly declined to join Democrats in hitting DeSantis or the other Republican governors, Greg Abbott in Texas and Doug Ducey in Arizona, who have been busing migrants to blue cities for months.

Ive been watching Republicans and Democrats that are running for president tee off on each other  that doesnt help solve the problem of immigration reform, Baker said on a local radio show earlier this week. Im not running for president, so why engage in a presidential debate?
Hurricane Ian Slams Into West Coast Of Florida

(L-R) Ken Pham, Lesman Varela, and Fernando Amador clear a large tree off their home after Hurricane Ian passed through on September 29, 2022 in Fort Myers, Florida. Credit - Joe RaedleGetty Images

President Joe Biden pledged his commitment Thursday to the millions of Americans affected by Hurricane Ian, saying the storm and subsequent flooding has likely caused substantial loss of life and will require a massive recovery effort in Florida and beyond. This could be the deadliest hurricane in Floridas history, Biden said at Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) headquarters in Washington, D.C., acknowledging casualty numbers remain unclear.

Biden said that he plans to visit Florida to observe recovery efforts, which are expected to grow in the coming days. Ian, which started out as a Category 4 storm, slammed into southwest Florida late Wednesday with 150 mph winds. Homes were ripped from their foundations, streets flooded, and power was cut to 2.5 million people. Rescuers rushed to reach trapped residents as flood waters remained life-threatening throughout much of the Sunshine State Thursday.

Many Floridians are now caught among the ruins, without power and increasingly lacking in basic necessities. Biden approved federal disaster funds for nine Florida counties with the understanding that more areas could be added later as officials become aware of the devastation. The move allows residents of these areas to request up to $37,900 toward home repairs and another $37,900 for loss of personal property, covering everything from automobiles to wedding rings. The federal government will also cover assistance for debris removal and emergency protective measures for the first 100 days.

However long it takes, were going to get there, Biden said. Thats my commitment to you.

FEMA pre-positioned supplies and personnel ahead of Ians landfall, including 300 ambulances with medical teams and plans to deliver 3.7 million meals and 3.5 million liters of water. At FEMA headquarters, Biden shook hands with employees and thanked them. Youre busting your neck and a lot of people out there are risking their lives, he said.

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More than 5,000 National Guard members from Florida as well as from Louisiana, New York and Tennessee were activated to provide direct support for the relief efforts. Army Gen. Daniel Hokanson, the chief of the National Guard Bureau, said additional forces were on the way from Georgia, Indiana, New Jersey, South Carolina and Virginia.

When the Guard responds to a hurricane, the initial 72 to 96 hours are typically focused first on saving lives and then on the recovery effort. There are 16 National Guard helicopters flying in Florida with 1,640 high-wheeled vehicles, seven boats, and 36 fuel tankers to conduct search-and-rescue operations, clear roads and support law enforcement. The U.S. Coast Guard, for its part, has staged 17 helicopters, 14 airplanes and 18 boats for response efforts.

In the immediate aftermath, search and rescue will be the focus, Hokanson said in a statement. Our concern is saving lives and getting our folks in there as quickly as possible to make a difference in that critical time to get people out of situations that may be potentially life-threatening to them.

Army Brigadier General Sean Boyette, a one-star military commander from the Florida National Guard, was named to manage Hurricane Ian relief efforts in the state. The appointment of a so-called dual-status commander, which requires a state governor and the President to concur, can marshal U.S. military forces to move supplies and streamline recovery efforts by coordinating with agencies and utilities. Military bases in Alabama and Georgia could serve as federal staging areas to provide logistics support to disaster areas if needed.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said the damage to his state historic and estimated recovery efforts would take years. The only bridge to Sanibel Island, where 6,300 people live, was destroyed when a segment tore off and fell into the Gulf of Mexico. It got hit with really biblical storm surge, DeSantis said in a press conference. And it washed away roads. It washed away structures.

Military aircraft and vessels may prove essential in places like Sanibel and elsewhere. DeSantis, a Republican and frequent Biden critic, is considered a front-running candidate for president in 2024. He and Biden have remained in contact about the current emergency. The president dismissed any potential rift when asked about their relationship. This is not about anything having to do with our disagreements politically, Biden said. This is about saving peoples lives, homes and businesses.

Ian, now a tropical storm, rolled eastward into the Atlantic Ocean throughout Thursday with forecasters expecting it to strengthen back into a hurricane as it headed toward the coasts of Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina.
A Washington, D.C., council committee voted unanimously on Tuesday to advance a measure allowing illegal immigrants to vote in local elections.

The Committee on the Judiciary and Public Safety approved the Local Resident Voting Rights Amendment Act of 2022 and an amendment to the bill clarifying that the measure applies to both illegal immigrants and those with legal permanent residency.

We should be welcoming new voices and making voting more accessible to those who are not traditionally represented  not restricting voting to those who have already held power, the committee wrote in a report accompanying the bill. The committee believes that expanding the right to vote in our local elections to all non-citizen residents of the District makes a strong statement in support of these D.C. values. Allowing our non-citizen neighbors, many of whom have lived and worked in the District for decades, to participate in our elections can only strengthen our democracy and our communities.

The measure will now advance to a vote before the full council, according to DCist.

The vote comes amid Republican opposition to the measure; 30 Republicans signed on to a House bill over the summer that would ban the district from allowing noncitizens to vote in local elections.

One in seven D.C. residents is an immigrant, according to the American Immigration Council. Twenty-eight percent of D.C.s immigrant population is in the country illegally, according to a separate survey by the group.

Ward 6 Councilmember Charles Allen told the outlet that the amendment to allow the bill to also apply to illegal immigrants was based on the public testimony of 50 people in support of the measure. He said the committee has supported the measure because the district understands the effects of disenfranchisement  D.C. residents do not have full voting representation in Congress.

Meanwhile, a judge struck down a similar law in New York City in June, arguing that allowing legal permanent residents to vote in local elections would be in conflict with the state constitution.

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The D.C. committee also advanced two other measures on Tuesday: one that would allow voting by mail to become permanent in D.C., and another that would prohibit race, sexual orientation, gender identity, or similar characteristics from being considered when calculating damages in personal injury or wrongful death cases.

More from National Review
Sometimes the destination is long but upon arrival, you will learn it was all just a part of the plan. And, Carl Allamby experienced this lesson firsthand.

Before Allamby stamped on the new title of doctor, he spent years running his auto mechanic business. Yet, the venture was not his lifelong dream, but it was more so out of desperation and necessity, as his family struggled to make ends meet, sometimes going without lights, gas, or water.

We faced economic hardships throughout my upbringing and were on welfare for what seemed to be my entire childhood, said Allamby, according to Fox News. And if not for government handouts, we would have been without food on many occasions.

I remember having a desire at a young age to become a doctor  but my life circumstances led me to a much different place, Allamby added.

His desire felt stifled due to his circumstances. Even while pursuing his education, and despite the teachers best efforts, his circumstances made it difficult to focus. Thus, putting a dent in the possibility of going to medical school at that time.

The trajectory toward medicine and other white-collar careers takes a constant focus on education, exposure to the desired occupations, enhanced curricula and having representative examples to model oneself after. All these things were either non-existent or unreachable, Allamby told Fox News. My saving grace was our strong family structure. My siblings and I always stuck together and weathered our hardships as a team.

Allambys life started to take a turn after he took a job at a local car parts store. He also still had to support himself by doing various jobs in an effort to stay afloat. He knew he wanted to create something more from his situation, which led him to take a leap of faith and open Allambys Auto Service at the age of 19.

The business soon became a popular spot around town, and it even presented its challenges for him since he was a small business owner. Therefore, he worked to get a business degree at Ursuline College in Pepper Pike. By this time he was 34-years-old. When he was close to completion, he had to take a biology course in order to graduate.

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Little did he know, that course would serve as a pivot to turn him back to his childhood career aspirations.

Learning about some of the incredible basic functions of the body reminded me of my childhood ambitions to become a doctor, Allamby said, according to the outlet.

Allamby then enrolled at Cuyahoga Community College, in Cleveland, OH, to start taking pre-med classes. Simultaneously, he also started doing volunteer work at a hospital nearby, spending countless hours working in a pediatric ward before transitioning to emergency, urology, and neurology units.

Every exposure I had in medicine further solidified my choice to pursue a medical career, he said to FOX News.

His next steps led him to a program at Cleveland State University that ordered his steps to medical school.

Over the course of five years or better, I attended weekend, evening or early morning classes in pre-medicine and other college studies while managing my business, lifestyle and household in order to transition my career, Allamby notes to FOX News. My exit from business could not be abrupt. I had too many people counting on me and too many bills to maintain.

Finally, by 2015, Allambys dreams were just at the tip of his fingertips as he began his medical school journey at Northeast Ohio Medical University. By 47, he had completed his studies at the school and started his emergency medicine residency in 2019 at Cleveland Clinic Akron.

This year, Allamby finally reached the finish line and he is now working as a physician in an emergency room at Cleveland Clinics Hillcrest Hospital in Mayfield Heights, OH. Here, the now 51-year-old doctor works with every area of the body and provides care ranging from birth to death.

He finds that his experience of working with his business has helped him to lead with compassion in the practice.

In my previous life as a master technician, I worked on almost every make and model and fixed everything from brakes to major engine and transmission rebuilds, he told Fox News.

He added: I had a lot of customers break down in tears or who were visibly shaken when I explained the diagnosis and eventual fate of their vehicle, he added. Interestingly, as I have gotten older, the human connection and thought of empathy and caring for others have been equally important.

All in all, both of his career paths have helped him to carry out his lifes mission to better serve his community.

Whether running an auto repair business in my former career or now providing medical care for those in need, Ive maintained a connection with my hometown throughout my working career, he told FOX News.
Northbrook, Illinois, resident Irene Sooah Park remembers educators and other adults treating sex education as something that should never be talked about outside the classroom. It was during middle school that she recalled a teacher standing in the back of the classroom when discussing the vagina and penis to avoid eye contact with students. And recently, during COVID, she said sex education was left out of her sophomore health class in favor of lessons about bones and muscles.

I think sex ed can seem daunting at first, but it includes a lot more than just talking about the body, talking about the act of sex itself, Park, an Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy senior, said. It can include things like healthy relationships, personal hygiene, just knowing how to keep yourself safe. And I dont think a lot of people really have knowledge about sex education in that perspective. You can tell theres a lot of ignorance regarding topics as well. When I first came to the Illinois Math and Science Academy, I overheard this one guy asking: Whats menstruation? I was shocked.

After experiencing a number of similar interactions, Park founded the Sex Ed Initiative in winter 2021  a youth-led group centered on showing people sex education is not scary. It is a necessity, however if one wants to be informed about their body and how to keep oneself safe. SEI director Park and fellow SEI members IMSA senior and Canton, Ill., native Sarah Wheeler and Catherine Tang, a senior at Glenbrook North High School in Northbrook, spent the last several months researching, writing, and producing the handbook, Shattering the Taboo: A Guide to Sexual Health Education.

The handbook, published and sold on Amazon as of July, is a comprehensive sex education guide for high schoolers  by youth for youth. The SEI group collaborated with medical experts and community advocates throughout Illinois to provide a more inclusive, medically accurate and age appropriate resource that could be used in schools sex education curricula. Per Park, the book teaches foundational concepts of sexual health education, including topics such as anatomy, healthy relationships, sexually transmitted infections and more. Each section is accompanied by a worksheet and list of discussion questions.

We have a section dedicated to gender identity and we also included a section on intersex people, Tang said. SEI worked with the Illinois Coalition Against Sexual Assault, a unified network of rape crisis centers, on the chapter on personal safety. Coalition Executive Director Carrie Ward said the organization spoke with SEI to talk about issues of sexual violence  something the handbook authors thought was an important part to include.

One of the things I think they did a really nice job of was focusing on issues pertaining to consent, focusing on issues about boundaries, and a really key element they included was how to get help if you need it, Ward said. Those are things that we tell communities all the time; you have the right to make decisions regarding your own body. You have the right to establish your own boundaries, and you have the right to ask for, seek and get help when you want it and it should be readily available to you.

The students should be commended for the initiative they took in saying, we know theres a lot of work being done, but trying to figure out how to put things together in one place. Its great to see young people making and creating resources that are specially designed for other young people; I hope that others will find it really helpful as well.

When researching the book, the young authors looked at examples of how other countries approach sex education and compared those to what national school systems curricula and received feedback from physicians such as Dr. Erin Castelloe, a San Diego-based family doctor whose passion project is delivering comprehensive sexuality education to parents and youth groups. SEI reached out to Castelloe to talk with her about Californias sex ed legislation and implementation compared to that of Illinois. Park considers a Castelloe, an Iowa native, a mentor.

Whats neat about what the young people in the Sex Ed Initiative have done is they wrote the book that they want to see as a starting point, she said. This workbook that theyve created, on so many levels, is demonstrative of how sex ed will change, Is that a small group of people who want to see the change, Theyre saying, I want this to change. So Im gonna put this out there and say, Im gonna nurture that with every fiber of my being. It brings me to tears because honestly, theyre gonna change the world. Sounds trite, but they are and they are doing it now.

The handbook arrived after Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed the Keeping Youth Safe and Healthy Act (SB 818) into law in August 2021, making Illinois the first state in the U.S. to formally pass legislation codifying the new national sex education standards developed by SIECUS: Sex Ed for Social Change, a nonprofit that advances sex education. SIECUS national sex ed standards were first published in 2012, and updated in 2020. The U.S. Department of Education does not require public schools to teach sex education, and doesnt recommend specific curriculum.

In Illinois, SB 818 does not override local decision-making granted to school districts, which are not mandated to teach sex education. The ACLU of Illinois said the law preserves the rights of parents to opt their children out while ensuring students are not excluded or stigmatized because of their gender identity. Parents can review curriculum before its taught in the classroom. A recent Illinois State Board of Education survey found that during the 2021-2022 school year, 218 Illinois districts offered comprehensive health and sex education and 480 school districts did not.

IMSA President and CEO Evan Glazer said in a statement, the school collaborated with SEI students to include their ideas in the schools programming which provides age and developmentally appropriate and inclusive information on an array of topics that focus on teaching students about the importance of personal health and safety.

IMSA is not part of a local school district and therefore not governed by a Board of Education, but rather a board of trustees. Additionally, IMSA is under the guidance of the Illinois Board of Higher Education and not the Illinois State Board of Education like most Illinois high schools. IMSA offers every parent or guardian the right to opt-out their child from this programming.

We are proud of Irene Sooah, Ava and Sarah, as well as all of our students, who are driven by fascination and a desire to be thoughtful inquirers, integrative thinkers, ethical leaders and problem solvers, Glazer said. IMSA is a place where students and colleagues are encouraged to invent and test new ideas, collaborate with each other to make improvements and then share their discoveries broadly to create a better future for Illinois and beyond.

Tang hopes their book will help educators shift away from an abstinence-only mindset when it comes to curricula. Wheeler said SEI has been reaching out to parents on social media to get them on board with their sex ed reform efforts. SEI works with people in schools throughout the country. They already have five charters, four in northern Illinois.

We worked with Lurie Childrens Hospital, the ACLU, the Illinois Coalition Against Sexual Assault, UIC School of Public Health and SIECUS to get their input on the research, Park said. We took into account SB 818 because its a really robust curriculum that we could go off of. We wrote stuff out with diagrams that are detailed enough so people can understand. Were selling them in hopes that schools can implement it as a guiding curriculum for their schools. We were hoping that this can be a starting point they can go off of and remove things and add things as they need.

SEI asked Dawn Ravine, sexuality education program coordinator at Lurie Childrens Hospital of Chicago to review the handbook. Ravine said she is grateful for all the youth organizers in the state taking an interest around this topic.

Chicagos had a really inclusive and wonderful sex ed policy for quite some time, she said. But you go into the smaller rural communities, suburban communities, and theres still a lot of variation on whats being provided. These national standards are used by a lot of organizations including Luries program to think in a more holistic way about the progression of topics and communication that young people need to grow into happy and healthy individuals.

Ravine applauds members of SEI, saying when students ask for sex ed information, not seeing themselves in a curriculum, change happens much more quickly.

Student organizing is the move, Ravine said. There still will be a need in each and every community for student leaders like this wonderful Sex Ed Initiative group to continue to look at their own school districts to see what other advocacy they can do. Our young people tell us all the time: We are looking for really inclusive, thoughtful dialogue. Im hoping this group of young people are going to inspire young people across our state.

A digital version of the handbook is being developed, and conversations on creating handbooks for middle and elementary age ranges are taking place, Park said. Proceeds from the sale of the handbook will go toward reproductive justice endeavors (a $500 GoFundMe is helping with that.)

After the Roe v. Wade situation, we did want to donate to abortion funds across the country, in addition to other sex ed projects going on so that we can fund other places that are in need of sex education, and the schools that need teachers or materials, Park said.

Supriya Mehta, an epidemiologist and professor at University of Illinois at Chicagos School of Public Health and Rush Universitys Department of Internal Medicine, whose work and research is largely around sexual and reproductive health said she was impressed with SEIs handbook.

The comprehensiveness, and the accessibility of it and the format of it, so Im not aware of other teenagers doing quite as much or what they did, she said. The commitment from young people and the fact that they took on a topic that could be perceived as controversial ... it takes a lot of commitment and guts from young people to do that, to put something together from start to finish.

Comprehensive, but succinct is how Mehta describes the SEI publication.

Because it comes from the perspective of teenagers, theyre including topics that adults might not think to talk about, she said. For example, the concept of boundaries. Most sex education or most adults would talk about it specifically in the context of sexual activity, but they (SEI) really expand that outside  that its a skill or a mindset to develop and apply in other areas. They did a really nice job with contextualizing sexual health and sexual education to the adolescent, teenage young adult experience.

Tang said the message that the initiative emphasizes is sex education isnt something that only adults can partake in, youth can and should take part in the conversation and make change at their own schools. Park said their hope is that the handbook is used as a guide for schools curricula, a general outline for important topics. Park said shes spoken with some Chicago Public School students about it, however CPS administration hasnt heard about the handbook yet. She said SEI is also working with local organizations to use the handbook as a guide for bridging the gap between parents and children when discussing sex education.

We are partnering with the American School Health Association (a multidisciplinary professional association that fosters and implements innovative approaches to improving school health and delivering quality health education) to support a group of student activists for sex ed at their own schools by offering training sessions every month, Park said. We are also working with college professors and other experts in the field of sex ed to cover the history of sex ed in the hopes that people can look at the development of sex ed to improve upon it for the future. It will be released in a podcast format through Spotify later this month and throughout October.

Jeanie Alter, executive director of the American School Health Association, said SEI is seeking funding to activate students into becoming champions for comprehensive and inclusive sex education.

This effort will better the well-being of students in Illinois and across the country by better educating students about reproductive health, puberty, consent, and healthy relationships, she said. The science of health education supports a comprehensive model of sex education that includes STI prevention, contraception, and inclusive information so that students can make informed decisions for their health.

Theres more to sex ed than sex, Wheeler said. I feel like thats what people focus on because its literally in the title. But theres so much important information about making informed decisions, forming and maintaining healthy relationships, what a red and a green flag looks like, that is crucial to making good decisions throughout adulthood that may not even be related to sex. SEIs handbook highlights that.

Because we are the recipients of the education, I think we have a right to shape what we want to learn about and what we think is relevant to society now, Park said. When our parents learned sex education, sexting probably wasnt a thing, but it is now. I think just because youre the recipient of the education, doesnt mean you dont have a right to shape how it should be taught in schools. Thats a message that I want people to know.

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A third suspect has been identified and arrested in connection with an August armed robbery that happened at a liquor store in Merced, according to police.

With the assistance of the Fresno Police Department and the Fresno Multi-Agency Gang Enforcement Consortium, Merced police detectives arrested Eric Richard Guerra Jr., 24, of Fresno, on Wednesday, according to a Merced Police Department news release.

Police said the arrest was made as detectives were continuing an investigation into an Aug. 28 armed robbery at a liquor store in the 1200 block of Martin Luther King Jr. Way in Merced.

During the robbery, three masked men entered the store and stole money, liquor bottles and lottery tickets, according to police. Authorities said two of the suspects were armed with handguns.

Detectives arrested two other suspects in the robbery identified as Robert Joe Hernandez, 27, and Emilio Tito Alvarado, 26, both of Fresno, on Sept. 23, while serving search warrants in Fresno, according to police.

Guerra was booked into Merced County Jail on suspicion of felony robbery, carrying a loaded firearm, participation in criminal street gang activity and conspiracy, according to jail records.

According to police, Alvarado has posted bail and is no longer in custody.

Anyone with information regarding the alleged crime is asked to contact Det. Christian Lupian at 209-385-7844 or by email at lupianc@cityofmerced.org. Some crimes can be reported through he Merced Police Department website and anonymous tips can be submitted by calling 209-385-4725.

Anonymous tips can also be submitted to law enforcement through the Merced Area Crime Stoppers website.
Photo: Glacier Media

The amount of time it has taken for the case of a man charged with second-degree murder in the death of a South Vancouver business owner to come to trial could be an issue.

Mohammed Abu-Sharife was charged after a shooting that left 30-year-old Amin Shahin Shakur dead July 13, 2020.

The charges came after a Vancouver Police Department investigation into the city's eighth homicide of 2020. Officers responded to 911 calls about shots being fired near Main Street and East 48th Avenue that night.

The community responded to Shakur's death with an outpouring of support and a candlelight vigil. In the days following the fatal shooting, loved ones remembered Shakur, who was a founder of specialty snack shop Dank Mart and dispensary THC Canada on Main Street, as hard-working, kind and positive  "a hood legend" who had earned the moniker of "Snackie Chan."

On Sept. 28, B.C. Supreme Court Justice Carla Forth heard the length of timing from charge to trial is becoming excessive and exceeding the so-called Jordan requirements. Those are guidelines set by the Supreme Court of Canada that a provincial case must be heard within 18 months.

The Abu-Sharife case is now beyond that but courts have been taking pandemic delays into consideration.

The judge heard the case could take 20 days with 51 witnesses.

Also, a statement made by Abu-Sharife to police could be contentious as well as a DNA warrant and the seizure of cellphones.

Abu-Sharife is not in custody.
Meta is facing a fresh call to pay reparations to the Rohingya people for Facebook's role in inciting ethnic violence in Myanmar.

A new report by Amnesty International -- providing what it calls a "first-of-its kind, in-depth human rights analysis" of the role played by Meta (aka Facebook) in the atrocities perpetrated against the Rohingya in 2017 -- has found the tech giant's contribution to the genocide was not merely that of "a passive and neutral platform" which responded inadequately to a major crisis, as the company has sought to claim, but rather that Facebook's core business model -- behavioral ads -- was responsible for actively egging on the hatred for profit.

"Metas content-shaping algorithms proactively amplified and promoted content on the Facebook platform which incited violence, hatred, and discrimination against the Rohingya," Amnesty concludes, pointing the finger of blame at its tracking-based business model -- aka "invasive profiling and targeted advertising" -- which it says feeds off of "inflammatory, divisive and harmful content"; a dynamic that implicates Facebook for actively inciting violence against the Rohingya as a result of its prioritization of engagement for profit.

In 2017, @Meta boosted anti-Rohingya hate on the @facebook platform. Now, a group of young Rohingya refugees have filed a human rights complaint against the company for its role in violence against their community. Heres whats happening https://t.co/ix8UdKJ76b  Amnesty International (@amnesty) September 29, 2022

UN human rights investigators warned in 2018 that Facebook was contributing to the spread of hate speech and violence against Myanmar's local Muslim minority. The tech giant went on to accept that it was "too slow to prevent misinformation and hate" spreading on its platform. However it has not accepted the accusation that its use of algorithms designed to maximize engagement was a potent fuel for ethnic violence as a result of its ad systems' preference for amplifying polarization and outrage -- leading the platform to optimize for hate speech.

Amnesty says its report, which is based on interviews with Rohingya refugees, former Meta staff, civil society groups and other subject matter experts, also draws on fresh evidence gleaned from documents leaked by Facebook whistleblower, Frances Haugens, last year -- aka the Facebook papers -- which it says provides "a shocking new understanding of the true nature and extent of Metas contribution to harms suffered by the Rohingya".

"This evidence shows that the core content-shaping algorithms which power the Facebook platform -- including its news feed, ranking, and recommendation features -- all actively amplify and distribute content which incites violence and discrimination, and deliver this content directly to the people most likely to act upon such incitement," it writes in an executive summary to the 74-page report.

"As a result, content moderation alone is inherently inadequate as a solution to algorithmically-amplified harms," it goes on. "Internal Meta documents recognize these limitations, with one document from July 2019 stating, 'we only take action against approximately 2% of the hate speech on the platform'. Another document reveals that some Meta staff, at least, recognize the limitations of content moderation. As one internal memo dated December 2019 reads: 'We are never going to remove everything harmful from a communications medium used by so many, but we can at least do the best we can to stop magnifying harmful content by giving it unnatural distribution.'

"This report further reveals that Meta has long been aware of the risks associated with its algorithms, yet failed to act appropriately in response. Internal studies stretching back to as early as 2012 have consistently indicated that Metas content-shaping algorithms could result in serious real-world harms. In 2016, before the 2017 atrocities in Northern Rakhine State, internal Meta research clearly recognized that '[o]ur recommendation systems grow the problem' of extremism. These internal studies could and should have triggered Meta to implement effective measures to mitigate the human rights risks associated with its algorithms, but the company repeatedly failed to act."

'Relentless pursuit of profit'

Amnesty says the Facebook Papers also show Meta has continued to ignore the risks generated by its content-shaping algorithms in "the relentless pursuit of profit" -- with its executive summary citing an internal memo dated August 2019 in which a former Meta employee writes: We have evidence from a variety of sources that hate speech, divisive political speech, and misinformation on Facebook and the family of apps are affecting societies around the world. We also have compelling evidence that our core product mechanics, such as virality, recommendations, and optimizing for engagement, are a significant part of why these types of speech flourish on the platform.

"Amnesty Internationals analysis shows how Metas content-shaping algorithms and reckless business practices facilitated and enabled discrimination and violence against the Rohingya," it continues. "Metas algorithms directly contributed to harm by amplifying harmful anti-Rohingya content, including advocacy of hatred against the Rohingya. They also indirectly contributed to real-world violence against the Rohingya, including violations of the right to life, the right to be free from torture, and the right to adequate housing, by enabling, facilitating, and incentivizing the actions of the Myanmar military. Furthermore, Meta utterly failed to engage in appropriate human rights due diligence in respect of its operations in Myanmar ahead of the 2017 atrocities. This analysis leaves little room for doubt: Meta substantially contributed to adverse human rights impacts suffered by the Rohingya and has a responsibility to provide survivors with an effective remedy."

Meta has resisted calls to pay reparations to the (at least) hundreds of thousands of Rohingya refugees forced to flee the country since August 2017 under a campaign of violence, rape and murder perpetrated by Myanmar's military Junta. And is facing legal class action by Rohingya refugees who are suing the company in the US and the UK -- seeking billions in damages for its role in inciting the genocide.

Amnesty has added its voice to calls for Meta to pay reparations to the refugees.

Its report notes that Meta has previously denied requests by Rohingya refugee groups for support funding, such as one by refugee groups in Coxs Bazar, Bangladesh, asking it to fund a $1M education project in the camps -- by saying: Facebook doesnt directly engage in philanthropic activities.

"Metas presentation of Rohingya communities pursuit of remedy as a request for charity portrays a deeply flawed understanding of the companys human rights responsibilities," Amnesty argues in the report, adding: "Despite its partial acknowledgement that it played a role in the 2017 violence against the Rohingya, Meta has to date failed to provide an effective remedy to affected Rohingya communities."

Making a series of recommendations in the report, Amnesty calls for Meta to work with survivors and the civil society organizations supporting them to provide "an effective remedy to affected Rohingya communities" -- including fully funding the education programming requested by Rohingya communities who are parties to a complaint against the company filed by refugees under the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises via the Irish National Contact Point.

Amnesty is also calling on Meta to adopt ongoing human rights due diligence on the impacts of its business model and algorithms, and cease the collection of "invasive personal data which undermines the right to privacy and threatens a range of human rights", as its report puts it -- urging it to end the practice of tracking-based advertising and adopt less harmful alternatives, such as contextual advertising.

It also calls on regulators and lawmakers which oversee Meta's business in the US and the EU to ban tracking-based targeted advertising that's based on "invasive" practices or involving the processing of personal data; and regulate tech firms to ensure that content-shaping algorithms are not based on profiling by default -- and must require an opt-in (instead of an opt-out), with consent for opting in being "freely given, specific, informed and unambiguous", echoing calls by some lawmakers in the EU.

Meta was contacted for a response to Amnesty's report. A company spokesperson sent this statement -- attributed to Rafael Frankel, director of public policy for emerging markets, Meta APAC:

Meta stands in solidarity with the international community and supports efforts to hold the Tatmadaw accountable for its crimes against the Rohingya people. To that end, we have made voluntary, lawful data disclosures to the UNs Investigative Mechanism on Myanmar and to The Gambia, and are also currently participating in the OECD complaint process. Our safety and integrity work in Myanmar remains guided by feedback from local civil society organizations and international institutions, including the UN Fact-Finding Mission on Myanmar; the Human Rights Impact Assessment we commissioned in 2018; as well as our ongoing human rights risk management.

Amnesty's report also warns that the findings of what it calls "Metas flagrant disregard for human rights" are not only relevant to Rohingya survivors -- as it says the company's platforms are at risk of contributing to "serious human rights abuses again".

"Already, from Ethiopia to India and other regions affected by conflict and ethnic violence, Meta represents a real and present danger to human rights. Urgent, wide-ranging reforms are needed to ensure that Metas history with the Rohingya does not repeat itself elsewhere," it adds.
Director Mia Hansen-Lve is revealing what it was really like filming the 2021 critically acclaimed feature Bergman Island with actors Tim Roth and Vicky Krieps.

Also weighing in, Bergman Island lead star Krieps cited a culture clash between frequent Quentin Tarantino collaborator Roth and Hansen-Lve in a new Vanity Fair profile.

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Previously, Roth was rumored to make a crew member cry during production, according to a Filmmaker Magazine op-ed by Gabe Klinger, who had a small onscreen role in the movie.

Owen Wilson was originally attached to co-lead the film but dropped out ahead of production. Hansen-Lve met Roth only two or three times prior to him joining Bergman Island and the actor didnt know much about Bergman and Sweden. Krieps plays Hansen-Lves insert, a writer/director named Chris, who is married to an older director named Tony, played by Roth, who is inspired by Hansen-Lves former romantic partner.

Per actress Krieps, Hansen-Lve really struggled with Roth on set. Tim is, first of all, a man, and second, a man of a different time and someone whos been working in Hollywood in very different kinds of movies, Krieps said. [There] was a culture clash, to say the least.

IndieWire has reached out to Roth for comment.

Hansen-Lve, according to Vanity Fair, felt intimidated by Roth and the actor wouldnt initially take direction easily, like refusing to swim for a scene when the water was too cold.

I am critical. Some directors, whatever the actors do, they say, Its great, its amazing. If I feel I dont have it yet, as long as its psychologically possible for the actors to accept, I will try again and reach it, Hansen-Lve said of her directing process.

The One Fine Morning helmer noted that she has a different experience working with male actors than female stars.

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Its not that I think they dont respect my work  it has nothing to do with that  but I just think that there is a total organic bond or link that Ive had with the female actresses in my films, in all the roles, and there is no exception, Hansen-Lve said. I do feel that some male actors, even if theyre not aware of it, have a little more difficulty accepting being filmed by women.

Hansen-Lve previously told IndieWire that the intimate feature was about the invisible process that is my way of working, the only way I know how to make films.

I wish I could just decide to make a film about that or this. I wish I could just decide who I am, Hansen-Lve said. The only strengths that I have as a director, I got it from my from pains, from the weaknesses of my life. Sometimes you use fictional characters to do things that you cannot do in real life, to emancipate when you cannot emancipate. Its also an escape somehow, and it helps you live, cope. And also believe.

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Click here to read the full article.
When Hurricane Ian hit Florida, so many in Michigan took it to heart. According to the most recent data on state-to-state migration published by the U.S. Census Bureau, in 2019 about 21,000 people moved from Michigan to Florida each year.
The NFL's premier game this week would move across the country to Minneapolis if damage from Hurricane Ian forces the league to relocate it from Tampa, Fla.

U.S. Bank Stadium would host the Kansas City Chiefs and Tampa Bay Buccaneers in primetime Sunday if "public safety efforts" need to be the priority, an NFL spokesman said.

Jeff Miller, NFL senior vice president of health and safety policy, said Wednesday that the rematch of Super Bowl LV in 2021 is still scheduled for Raymond James Stadium in Tampa but would be moved to Minneapolis if necessary.

"It's literally a minute-by-minute, hour-by-hour consideration and conversation with all of the affected parties, state and local authorities, disaster relief agencies and the participating clubs  as well as the Vikings," he said.

U.S. Bank Stadium's 67,000-plus seats will be available because the Vikings will be far away, playing the New Orleans Saints in London early Sunday morning Central time.

The location of the Kansas City-Tampa Bay game hinges on the scope of the destruction and disruption from the high-powered and slow-moving hurricane that made landfall Wednesday in southwest Florida. Ian, which struck as a Category 4 hurricane, is one the most powerful storms ever to hit the United States.

Miller said the first priority is to ensure the league doesn't do anything to "negatively impact public safety efforts in the affected areas."

Gov. Tim Walz said his staff has been in regular contact with U.S. Bank Stadium officials about the possibility of the game moving here "and all preparations are being made for that."

"We stand ready to help our neighbors," he said.

The prospect of moving the game from Tampa to Minneapolis first surfaced publicly online early Tuesday and enthusiasm was high because of the teams and players involved.

The game would be a matchup of two of the NFL's biggest stars: quarterbacks Tom Brady and Patrick Mahomes. In their Super Bowl matchup, the Brady-led Buccaneers beat Mahomes and the Chiefs in Tampa.

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John Drum, general manager for ASM Global, which runs U.S. Bank Stadium operations, has said staff and the building can be ready for Sunday night.

NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy said the league always has contingency plans and has been in contact with the teams and local officials. But it's in no rush to make a call.

"We could make decisions later in the week, including on Friday," he said.

The NFL is familiar with U.S. Bank Stadium operations and staff because the building hosted Super Bowl LII in 2018. Brady played in that game, too, as the losing quarterback for the New England Patriots.

The NFL has moved games for weather reasons before, but the notice will be significantly shorter this time. With 10 days notice last year, the NFL moved the New Orleans Saints' home opener against the Green Bay Packers to Jacksonville, Fla., because of Hurricane Ida. The NFL has not announced ticket sales plans for this Sunday night's game if it is moved.

Tickets to the Jacksonville game were sold through Ticketmaster with priority going to season-ticket holders for the Saints, who were the home team. Announced attendance at the game at TIAA Bank Field was 35,242; the stadium seats 67,164.

In December 2010, a Vikings game with the New York Giants was moved from Minneapolis to Detroit when a the Metrodome roof collapsed during a blizzard. Tickets for that game were free.

U.S. Bank Stadium is generally sold-out for Vikings games. Despite the star quarterbacks, unique opportunity and relatively short drive from Kansas City, a sell-out Sunday for the two visiting teams would be unlikely.

Staff writers Ben Goessling and Jessie Van Berkel contributed to this report.
Update: Garland Nelson entered his plea in court on Friday. That story is posted here.

Garland J. Nelson, a northwestern Missouri farmer accused of murdering two brothers from Wisconsin over a cattle contract and trying to cover up their disappearance, is expected to enter a guilty plea in the states murder case.

Court records filed this week in the Johnson County, Missouri, case show a newly-scheduled plea hearing set for Friday. It is scheduled to be held at 10 a.m. in Cass County Circuit Court.

The Missouri Public Defenders Office declined comment on the upcoming hearing. But a motion filed this week by federal prosecutors in a related criminal case says Nelson is anticipated to plead guilty on two counts of first-degree murder in the killings of Nicholas and Justin Diemel.

The long-running investigation began with a missing persons report in 2019 after the Diemel brothers, cattle ranchers from the Green Bay, Wisconsin area, abruptly disappeared. Both boarded a flight to Kansas City and rented a pickup truck for the purpose of a face-to-face meeting with Nelson over a raw business deal, authorities have said, and neither made the return flight home.

Nick Diemel, 35, and his wife Lisa are pictured on the left. Justin Diemel, 25, and his longtime girlfriend Taylor Moeller are pictured on the right.

Nine days after they were reported missing, Clinton County Sheriff Larry Fish announced that human remains had been discovered on Nelsons family farm in Braymer, Missouri. The remains had been burned and buried under a manure pile.

A DNA analysis would later show that remains matched one of the missing men. Months later, remains of the other brother were discovered in a livestock trailer in Lincoln County, Nebraska that had been purchased from a Missouri seller.

Misleading explanations

Nelson was initially charged with motor vehicle tampering in connection with the Diemels recovered rental truck, which was found running with the keys in the ignition in a parking lot off Interstate 35 in Holt. Suspicions centered on Nelson as investigators learned that he owed about $250,000 to the Diemels through a business arrangement where Nelson was supposed to raise livestock for them.

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Authorities have said Nelson made certain admissions about his role in covering up the disappearances, but also offered a series of misleading explanations that were believed to be intended to thwart the investigation.

During a police interview, Nelson allegedly told detectives two bodies were put inside a 55-gallon barrel under a pole barn on the family property. He also said they were moved with a skid loader to a nearby pasture and set aflame.

Authorities have also alleged Nelson admitted to moving the rental vehicle to Holt, and that he disposed of the Diemels cell phones.

Clinton County Sheriff Larry Fish, left, and Collaway County Sheriff Jerry Galloway, right spoke during the investigation of the Diemel brothers disappearance.

Cattle fraud schemes

Over the past three years, Nelson has been investigated by state, county and federal law enforcement in connection with the case. In May 2021, Nelson was also charged separately under a federal indictment on one count of mail fraud stemming from his business with the Diemels.

Under the business arrangement, Nelson was entrusted with hundreds of heads of livestock. Witnesses later told investigators Nelson did a poor job with that, as dozens of calves died under his care due to starvation and other neglect.

Authorities say Nelson faked documents to keep up appearances with the Diemels. For example, Nelson intentionally damaged a $215,000 check made payable to the Diemels, which served as a lulling technique to have the men meet him personally as part of a plot to kill them, federal authorities allege.

In 2015, Nelson pleaded guilty to a separate cattle fraud involving the sale of livestock that did not belong to him. He was sentenced to two years in federal prison and was released in March 2018.
A Philadelphia mom used a phone app to track her car after a man threatened her daughter with a gun and stole the vehicle, federal officials say.

Amir Harvey, 20, was arrested and charged with carjacking and carrying a firearm in relation to a Sept. 19 incident, according to a Sept. 29 news release from the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. No lawyer was listed for him.

It happened in the early hours as a mom and her 14-year-old daughter were getting ready to leave for school, according to an affidavit. Before leaving the house, the mom used her phone to turn on her 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe, which was parked in the homes driveway.

As the mom was putting a bag in the back seat of the car, she heard her daughter scream, the affidavit says. When the 14-year-old approached the cars passenger door, Harvey crept behind her and put a handgun with a drum style magazine to her head, according to the document. The girl dropped her backpack and ran across the street to a neighbors house.

Harvey then ran directly toward the mom, pointing the gun at her head, according to the affidavit. As he approached, she dropped her purse, which held her keys, and put her hands above her head. He then grabbed her purse and drove away in the car, the document says.

After calling the police, the mom used the Hyundai app on her phone to track her cars location. With this information, police located the unoccupied stolen car about 2.6 miles from the home, the affidavit says.

Investigators used neighborhood surveillance footage to identify and find Harvey.

Through the Philadelphia Carjacking Task Force, we are continuing to investigate, arrest and prosecute those responsible for the spate of carjackings we have seen in Philadelphia in recent months, U.S. Attorney Jacqueline Romero said in the news release. As alleged, this defendant threatened the lives of a mother and daughter going about their daily morning routine. Carjacking is not game or a fun pastime, it is a serious federal crime with severe consequences.

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While investigating, officials also linked Harvey with a robbery at a restaurant earlier in September.

On Sept. 9, four men robbed Hook and Reel, a restaurant in northeast Philadelphia, court documents say. Armed with handguns, the men stole about $400 from the cash register and ransacked the restaurants office.

Using surveillance footage and witness interviews, police were able to identify Harvey as one of the suspects involved in the robbery, according to the affidavit. Harvey was an employee at the restaurant until April.

Toddler found dead in backseat after father is carjacked and killed, Texas cops say

Teens steal 82-year-olds gift to his wife, then steal his truck, Pennsylvania cops say

Carjacking suspect struck, killed on highway trying to flee police, Louisiana cops say
George Washington University student Tuana Gitonga and other student loan debt activists rally outside the White House on Aug. 25. Craig Hudson for the Washington Post via Getty Images

The Biden administration on Thursday announced a change to its plans to forgive student loans that will now exclude 770,000 Americans who had previously been eligible for debt forgiveness.

The policy change, believed to have been made in an effort to thwart legal challenges that could derail the entire program, will mean that Americans who had private loans that were guaranteed by the federal government will no longer be eligible for any forgiveness unless they had begun taking steps to consolidate or convert these private loans into ones owned directly by the Education Department.

The changes will affect borrowers who had taken out loans under the Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) Program, which ended in 2010 and saw the government act as guarantor to private lenders.

It will also affect borrowers under the Federal Perkins Loan Program  which ended in 2017 and similarly saw the government guarantee loans made by schools to students with exceptional financial needs.

The announcement was made in an email seen by BuzzFeed News to those who had signed up for alerts on loan forgiveness. The emails subject line was Update on the Biden-Harris Administrations Student Debt Relief Plan.

As of Sept. 29, 2022, borrowers with federal student loans not held by ED cannot obtain one-time debt relief by consolidating those loans into Direct Loans, new wording on the Education Department website reads as of Thursday. Borrowers with FFEL Program loans and Perkins Loans not held by ED who have applied to consolidate into the Direct Loan program prior to Sept. 29, 2022, are eligible for one-time debt relief through the Direct Loan program.

ED is assessing whether there are alternative pathways to provide relief to borrowers with federal student loans not held by ED, including FFEL Program loans and Perkins Loans, and is discussing this with private lenders, the website reads.

The announcement came as a surprise, and the affected borrowers had been given no warning that there would be a Sept. 29 cutoff date to have applied for consolidation.

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An archived version of the same website shows that it previously read:

ED is assessing whether to expand eligibility to borrowers with privately owned federal student loans, including FFEL and Perkins Loans. In the meantime, borrowers with privately held federal student loans, such as through the FFEL, Perkins, and HEAL programs, can receive this relief by consolidating these loans into the Direct Loan program.

Bidens student loan forgiveness plan, which was announced last month, allows Americans who make less than $125,000 to have up to $20,000 in debt forgiven if they received a Pell Grant or $10,000 if they did not. The administration had previously estimated that around 43 million Americans who met the income cap requirement would enjoy some form of relief.

Initially, people feared the change could affect a few million people. A spokesperson for the Education Department told BuzzFeed News on Thursday evening that 770,000 people will be affected  about 3% of previously eligible borrowers.

Reached for comment about Thursday's change, an Education Department spokesperson told BuzzFeed News:

Our goal is to provide relief to as many eligible borrowers as quickly and easily as possible, and this will allow us to achieve that goal while we continue to explore additional legally-available options to provide relief to borrowers with privately owned FFEL loans and Perkins loans, including whether FFEL borrowers could receive one-time debt relief without needing to consolidate. Borrowers with privately held federal student loans who applied to consolidate their loans into Direct Loans before September 29, 2022 will obtain one-time debt relief. The FFEL program is now defunct and only a small percentage of borrowers have FFEL loans. This is a completely different program than Direct Loans.

Biden announcing the student loan debt forgiveness in the Roosevelt Room of the White House last month Demetrius Freeman / The Washington Post via Getty Images

Bidens plan has come under criticism and legal challenges from conservatives who decry the use of public money to wipe out student debt.

On Thursday, six Republican states moved to sue in federal court to stop the program, arguing Biden had overstepped his legal authority.

Earlier this week, a libertarian group also filed a lawsuit that argued the executive branch was not authorized to take such a step unilaterally.

But whether opponents would have proper legal standing for such a challenge has been a major potential barrier for Bidens critics; anyone who sued to stop loan forgiveness would have to show in court that they were harmed by it.

Thats how loans under the FFEL and Perkins programs differed from other student loans. Private lenders and guaranty agencies who worked under those programs were regarded as potentially having standing in court to sue because of the financial losses they could endure under the loan forgiveness plan.

UPDATE

Sep. 29, 2022, at 22:02 PM

Student Debt Forgiveness
Sep. 29The Missouri Southern cross country teams will be in Fayetteville this Friday as the Lions will compete in the Chile Pepper Festival hosted by the University of Arkansas.

The women's 5k will take part at 4:30 p.m. while the men's 8k will run at 5.

Southern's nationally ranked men's program moved up to No. 6 in the latest United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association poll today. The Lions are No. 1 in the latest regional poll.

Southern roared at its latest meet, taking the team title at the 33rd running of the Missouri Southern Stampede. The Lions had the top two runners in the race as Gidieon Kimutai and Ryan Riddle finished one right after the other.

Kimutai went on to win MIAA and National Runner of the Week honors that week. Southern placed five runners in the top-23 of the race.

The women finished seventh at the Stampede led by Lilah Genel who placed 15th individually. Jenari Lopez finished 24th in the race. The Ladies were second in their opening meet of the year at Rogers State where Genel took home the individual title.

The race will feature a who's-who of collegiate cross country programs from around the country, including some of the best schools from all divisions of the NCAA and the NAIA.

After this meet, the Lions will compete on Oct. 15 at the DBU Old Glory Gallop hosted by Dallas Baptist University.
The interior at Nakanojo, featuring an explosion of faux cherry blossoms and a bold mural (Nakanojo)

Japanese-Latin American fusion is not a blindingly new concept, but its a concept that works. As a die-hard fan of Japanese food, I dont necessarily need the Latin chillies, root veg and lashings of lime that crop up between mouthfuls of sushi at this type of restaurant, but getting a spectrum of flavours and textures in one place is always a perk.

The latest to jump on the sushi-meets-ceviche train is Nakanojo, a new Japanese-Peruvian hangout in Chelsea with a colourful, edible-flower-spangled menu of sushi, tacos, ceviche, and robata skewers. Its calling itself a nikkei izakaya a that is, merging the concept of nikkei cuisine (Peruvian ingredients shaped with the delicacy of Japanese chef techniques) and the izakaya, an informal Japanese watering hole similar to a tapas bar.

Unrelated to the restaurant but crucial to the vibe, I arrived for dinner there just 30 minutes after the announcement of the death of the Queen, more than a little stunned to find myself on the Kings Road at the very moment London was once more home to a King.

It wasnt a downer for long. Nakanojos interior is instantly youthful and a feast for the eyes. An explosion of faux cherry blossom greets you at the entrance; jewel-coloured velvet bar stools line a bar overhung by imitation jungle foliage; while on the far wall a swirling, anime-inspired mural features octopus tentacles and blue-haired maidens.

Despite the news, the restaurants atmosphere quickly revealed itself to be informal and relaxed. This is the sort of place you could pop in for a delicious mid-shopping trip bite or an after work cocktail pepped up by some edamame and chicken skewers.

A huge menu is illustrated with colour photography of each dish  far from traditional, but it really helped us hone our choices, which was no mean feat, since everything looked tempting.

After grilling friendly young staffers for their favourites, we picked out a selection of sushi rolls and nigiri, cod korokke, pulled pork pibil tacos, black cod den miso and some charred greens, adding two glasses of white wine from the ample list.

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Fun takes on the fusion theme we spotted included a ceviche-filled sushi roll, blistered padron peppers sprinkled with soy and yuzu (a Japanese citrus fruit), and meats marinated in an Andean anticucho barbecue glaze. Sushi fans and sharing groups will delight in the pretty platters of mixed maki and nigiri.

Unusually, perhaps, for a high street Asian restaurant, everything delivered on its glossy menu photo. Korokke were cloud-light and packed with cod flavour, brought out by an inkblot of black truffle sauce.

Tuna taki maki rolls featured ruby-red, fresher-than-fresh slivers of fish spiced up by breaded prawn, chipotle aioli and a sprinkling of crunchy furikake; while the black cod was almost translucent and luxuriously buttery, melting in mouthfuls of yuzu-and-jalapeno-spiked joy.

An avant-garde sounding salmon and truffle nigiri turned out to be just lightly touched with the pungent funghi, with plenty of fresh salmon flavour shining through. Even the charred greens prompted full-mouthed eyebrow raises and nudges between me and my partner. Everything is given just enough delicate seasoning and texture to become not just passable but memorable.

The best thing about this tempting menu is the amount of light and healthy but irresistably described dishes: veggies can get involved with a sweetcorn and tofu ceviche, slivers of sashimi and tataki are sprinkled with elegant leaves and edible flowers, and meaty tacos are reimagined with portobello mushrooms infused with coriander and sesame.

With dishes at around 9-28 (the latter being the black cod), a multi-plate order would quickly mount up, though wallet-conscious diners could stick to the simpler sushi rolls and snacks such as edamame and miso aubergine. Those stopping off for a quick bite might want to plump for the 19.99 three-course set lunch menu.

Though the hum of liveliness that comes with an established audience is yet to set in at Nakanojo, perhaps youll be lucky enough to visit outside of an actual period of national mourning. Celebrate for me with some of those tuna rolls.

Nakanojo, 356 Kings Rd, London SW3 5UZ | 020 7349 8877 | nakanojo.com
Black industrial ironwork, white walls and massive glass ceilings define Bell Works Chicagoland in Hoffman Estates. The 1980s building is being revamped into a Class A, mixed-use community of office spaces combined with restaurants, a gym and lots of open space for meetings and work use. (Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune)

The owner of Bell Works Chicagoland has taken another step toward revitalizing the massive former AT&T campus in Hoffman Estates.

Inspired by Somerset Development, the New Jersey developer that bought the empty complex in 2019, has signed leases with a new set of tenants, nearly filling a suite of offices designed for small firms and startups. By offering leases only four pages long, fully built-out spaces and amenities, company officials said the 23,618-square-foot suite, called Ready-to-Wear, matches the needs of small companies trying to navigate an office market unsettled by the pandemic.

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You dont need to bring a lawyer, or a contractor, or a decorator, said Ralph Zucker, president of Somerset. We do it all for you.

Every other place I went to said it would take three to four months to build out the space, said Chadd Folkes, president of risksmith Insurance Services, a 4-year-old firm that took about 2,900 square feet at Bell Works last year and just expanded to 5,000 square feet. Here, it was already finished. Its almost like having a WeWork, but with a long-term lease. It was literally plug and play.

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Chadd Folkes, president of risksmith Insurance Services, and his dog Yadi, an 18-month-old English bulldog, in Bell Works Chicagoland on Sept. 29, 2022, in Hoffman Estates. (Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune)

The pandemic put a temporary hold on new leasing, but Somerset did renovate the roughly 400,000-square-foot eastern portion of the complex, along with its central atrium, and so far has leased about 150,000 square feet, including a deal with apparel company Club Colors, which established its national headquarters at Bell Works Chicagoland earlier this year.

Filling the remainder could be challenging. Before the pandemic, Somerset renovated the 2-million-square-foot former Bell Labs campus in Holmdel, New Jersey, into a fully leased mixed-use complex, but now companies are shrinking their footprints as employees continue working from home, sending vacancy rates to historic highs and making it difficult for many landlords to sign new tenants.

But Bell Works Chicagoland can buck that trend, Zucker said. The key will be transforming what had been a sterile, 1980s-style complex just north of I-90 into a metroburb, an amenity-rich community hub for Bell Works tenants and Hoffman Estates residents, a real downtown for the northwest suburb. Meanwhile, obsolete properties with few amenities will bleed tenants as companies hunt for spaces that offer employees a better environment than home, he added.

The (space) has to be amazing and give people a reason to come in, Zucker said. Youre going to see a lot of office buildings, especially in the suburbs, fall by the wayside. Were seeing that in New Jersey, and were seeing that in Chicago as well.

The exterior of Bell Works Chicagoland in Hoffman Estates. Inspired by Somerset Development, the New Jersey developer that bought the empty complex in 2019, has signed leases with a new set of tenants, (Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune)

The northwest suburban office market was already hurting when COVID-19 hit, with vacancy rising to nearly 30% partly due to major employers such as Motorola Solutions leaving for downtown Chicago, according to commercial real estate firm Colliers International. Vacancy rose to a record 34.9% early this year, but in the second quarter the area finally saw a bit of a turnaround. Vacancy fell to 31.8%, mostly driven by companies leasing top-of-the-line spaces.

High quality, best-in-class assets continue to see the most activity in the northwest market, Colliers found. Class B properties in the northwest market will continue to suffer until class A assets absorb.

Somerset added new offices, public spaces, pedestrian walkways, cafes such as Fairgrounds Craft Coffee and Tea, a modern gym and coLab, a 15,000 square-foot coworking area, to Bell Works Chicagolands vast interior space, where it also hosts public events such as fundraising galas and an Oktoberfest. It is also putting the finishing touches on a second suite of Ready-to-Wear offices, and Zucker said he expects other firms to fully occupy that space over the next few months.

People walk through the central square at Bell Works Chicagoland in Hoffman Estates. The square is a tall, airy space decorated with brightly colored Italian furniture. (Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune)

Other new Ready-to-Wear tenants include Stoltmann Law Offices, Victor Construction Co., LinkSpace, a furniture dealership, and Berkshire Hathaway Starck Real Estate, a family-owned brokerage firm.

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Folkes said he was not impressed the first time he walked into Bell Works. It was still a raw space back then, with the spartan vibe common among suburban offices in the 1970s and 1980s. But in addition to being able to bring his dogs to work every day, the community events, new promenades, outdoor walking paths and coffee shops have made a difference.

Its not like the 1970s anymore, he said. Its fresh, clean and there is an energy to it. Youre starting to see the vision.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy at a memorial service in Washington, DC, on September 21, 2022. Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images

House Democrats released the text of their bill to ban lawmakers and other officials from trading stocks.

But ethics experts say the bill has a major loophole when it comes to blind trusts, and is too broad.

"This was not a good faith effort to actually put something out there that could actually move," said one expert.

House Democratic leaders have released the text of a bill that would ban members of Congress, senior congressional staff, Supreme Court justices, and members of the executive branch from owning or trading individual stocks.

Lawmakers in the House of Representatives now hope to vote on the legislation before the week's end, when Congress adjourns until after the November midterm elections, though their are now fresh doubts as to whether that will happen.

Ethics experts are already warning that the bill, called the "Combatting Financial Conflicts of Interest in Government Act," has a major flaw when it comes to blind trusts.

Experts at the nonpartisan Project on Government Oversight zeroed in on a provision within the text that allows for the creation of blind trusts that do not comply with existing regulations currently outlined in the Ethics in Government Act, which the bill would amend.

In a lengthy Twitter thread, Walter Shaub  a senior ethics fellow at the Project on Government Oversight and the one-time director of the Office of Government Ethics  made the case that the bill would allow the creation of "fake" blind trusts, citing former President Donald Trump's use of a "half-blind trust."

Broadly speaking, a blind trust is a financial arrangement wherein people turn over their assets to be managed by an independent entity to prevent a conflict of interest. Several previously-introduced bills to ban stock trading allow for lawmakers to place their stocks into a blind trust, rather than fully selling off existing stock holdings.

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The House leadership bill, backed by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and released by the Committee on House Administration, allows the ethics committees in the House and Senate  as well as the Office of Government Ethics in the White House and the Judicial Conference for the Supreme Court and federal judiciary  to approve blind trusts "notwithstanding" existing law, which provides detailed criteria for qualified blind trusts.

"The problem with this bill is it creates a completely separate process and doesn't have any particular rules or requirements around it," Dylan Hedtler-Gaudette, government affairs manager at the Project on Government Oversight, told Insider. "You'd be able to create any kind of a trust you want to, put anything you want into it, and call it a blind trust, even though there wouldn't actually be any way to prove that it is, in fact, a blind trust."

Hedtler-Gaudette also criticized other aspects of the bill, including the lack of a definition for what exactly constitutes a "diversified" fund, such as an index or mutual fund, which lawmakers would be allowed to invest in under the House leadership bill.

"You could have a 'defense index fund' that's all defense stocks," he said, referencing the practice of members of the House and Senate armed services committees trading the stocks of weapons and defense systems manufacturers. "I mean, it's not just one company, so it's diverse, right?"

Insider's "Conflicted Congress" investigation has identified several instances of conflicts of interest related to lawmakers holding stock in defense contractors.

Since 2021, Insider and other media organizations have identified 72 members of Congress who have violated the disclosure provisions of the Stop Trading on Congressional Knowledge (STOCK) Act, an existing law passed by Congress in 2012 to curb insider trading, defend against conflicts-of-interest, and enhance public transparency.

Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW), another watchdog group, took a slightly more measured approach to the House leadership bill, praising the overall strength of the legislation while urging a fix to the loophole issue and a narrowing of the legislation to encompass just Congress.

In an analysis released Wednesday, the group called for removal of text that "would create a loophole that would weaken the blind trust rules that CREW worked so hard to get included in this legislation."

Kedric Payne, the vice president, general counsel, and senior ethics director at the Campaign Legal Center, told Insider that the Pelosi-backed legislation is a "good bill that addresses many of the concerns we had" but said it was "not perfect," pointing to the broad, sweeping nature of the bill.

"It should just be focused on Congress," Payne said. "It's kind of like using an axe for something where you use a scalpel. I mean, it gets the job done, but it is going to cause a mess."

Payne also said the blind trust loophole was a "small risk," but that in an optimistic scenario, "that language allows this law to grow for future circumstances that you just can't be prepared for."

"But worst case scenario is that someone could abuse that provision and strip out all of the current features that a blind trust must have in order to avoid conflicts of interest," he added.

From left, Democratic Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York and Abigail Spanberger of Virginia speak on banning stock trades for members of Congress at news conference on Capitol Hill, April 07, 2022 in Washington, DC. Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images

'This was not a good faith effort'

The "Combatting Financial Conflicts of Interest in Government Act" was drafted by Committee on House Administration Chair Zoe Lofgren, a California Democrat who's close to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, in a largely insular process in the months following an April hearing on the subject.

Asked about the outside advocates' concerns about blind trust provision, a committee spokesperson told Insider that it's intended to "provide rulemaking flexibility to supervising ethics offices to contemplate new and improved forms of qualified blind trusts in the future."

The spokesperson added that the committee "continues to receive feedback" on the bill and "will evaluate further refinements as a regular part of the legislative process."

But if some good-government groups and members of Congress who've written their own stock bans sound miffed, it's because they are: they were shut out of the bill-writing process.

"I think they're going to do something that's like, riddled with problems, and then we're going to have to solve the problems," Democratic Rep. Abigail Spanberger of Virginia, who has pushed her own bipartisan stock-ban legislation and wasn't involved in Pelosi's preferred bill, told Insider earlier this month. "If I'm guessing, that's my guess."

Spanberger's Republican co-sponsor, Rep. Chip Roy of Texas, released a letter on Wednesday evening excoriating Pelosi and Lofgren for their "cram-down from the top" approach to legislating.

"I will oppose this bill for a variety of reasons and do so unapologetically," Roy wrote.

Meanwhile, Democratic Reps. Raja Krishnamoorthi of Illinois and Angie Craig of Minnesota  both of whom pushed their own stock-ban bills  told Insider on Wednesday evening that they hadn't yet reviewed the text.

Other liberal Democrats, such as Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, have previously called for aggressive measures against lawmakers trading stocks.

Hedtler-Gaudette, for his part, told Insider that a "bad and backwards" drafting process led to this point.

"They haven't consulted with subject matter and technical experts," he said.

"That tells me that this was not a good faith effort to actually put something out there that could actually move," he said.

Gabe Roth, the executive director of the Supreme Court watchdog group Fix the Court, issued a statement against including the judiciary in the bill, saying it "seems like a tactic aimed at slowing down or stopping the whole project."

Roth also noted the recent passage of other transparency measures, including the Courthouse Ethics and Transparency Act, which brings federal judges and the Supreme Court into compliance with the STOCK Act, just like members of Congress. That bill is set to fully take effect later this fall.

Not all ethics experts, however, are criticizing the bill.

Aaron Scherb, senior director of legislative affairs for Common Cause, generally praised the legislation as strong, if imperfect, particularly in its proposed increases in penalties for violating the law.

"It would go a long way to give more than just a slap on the wrist to people who don't comply with the STOCK Act, which should really help compliance overall," Scherb said.

He also said he's glad the bill strengthens rules for all branches of the government, not just Congress, and that he's not concerned that it includes Supreme Court justices  a provision that some government reformers say will "poison" the bill among Senate Republicans who might otherwise be inclined to support it.

"The House shouldn't project what might or might not happen in the Senate," he said.

Senate Democrats, led by Sen. Jeff Merkley of Oregon, have indicated that the Senate won't take up stock-ban legislation until after the midterm elections.

Dave Levinthal contributed to this report.

Read the original article on Business Insider
By Joey Roulette

(Reuters) - Elon Musk's SpaceX plans to fund a study with NASA to examine ways to use the space company's Dragon capsule to raise the Hubble Space Telescope's orbital altitude, which would extend its useful life, agency officials announced on Thursday.

SpaceX, whose Crew Dragon capsule ferries astronauts and cargo to and from the International Space Station for NASA, will fully fund the six-month study, NASA's science chief Thomas Zurbuchen told reporters during a short-notice press conference.

"A few months ago SpaceX approached NASA with the idea for a study of how a commercial crew could help boost our Hubble spacecraft into a higher orbit, that would extend its observational lifetime."

The Hubble Space Telescope has been a workhorse cosmic observatory for astronomers around the world since its launch in 1990, delivering dramatic stellar imagery and enabling important discoveries such as the age of the universe and the moons of Pluto.

NASA said teams will collect data to "help determine whether it would be possible to safely rendezvous, dock, and move the telescope into a more stable orbit."

Hubble was serviced several times in the early 2000's during the U.S. shuttle program. Since that program's retirement in 2011, astronomers have considered various ways to service the aging but still operational telescope. No plans have been developed.

The study will examine, among other things, whether SpaceX's Dragon capsule will need to be modified to dock with and raise the telescope's orbit, as well as whether astronauts will need to be onboard for a potential mission.

"At this point everything is on the table," Jessica Jensen, SpaceX's vice president of customer operations, said during the press call.

NASA officials emphasized that the agreement with SpaceX is only a for a SpaceX-funded study, and does not represent agency plans to service the telescope later on.

(Reporting by Joey Roulette; Editing by David Gregorio)
NATO has concluded that the leaks that recently emerged on the Nord Stream pipelines were the result of sabotage by some unknown actor, the military alliance announced in a Thursday statement.

The North Atlantic Council, the decision-making body for NATO, didnt name a culprit in the statement, but threatened a military response against the responsible party.

All currently available information indicates that this is the result of deliberate, reckless, and irresponsible acts of sabotage, the council said in a statement. We, as Allies, have committed to prepare for, deter and defend against the coercive use of energy and other hybrid tactics by state and non-state actors. Any deliberate attack against Allies critical infrastructure would be met with a united and determined response.

NATO secretary general Jens Stoltenberg said separately on Twitter that the alliance is ready to defend critical energy infrastructure from assault.

Discussed the sabotage on the #NorthStream pipelines with Defence Minister @mfMorten of our valued Ally #Denmark. We addressed the protection of critical infrastructure in #NATO countries, Jens Stoltenberg tweeted. NATO said it would be ready to defend its infrastructure from assault.

The European Union on Wednesday similarly vowed to deliver a robust response to any attack on its energy network after its foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, said the leaks looked to be a deliberate act.

Nord Stream 1 and 2, neither of which are currently active, both showed sudden losses of pressure late on Monday, likely caused by a leak from large holes in the pipelines, German and Danish officials said. Nord Stream 1 paused movement of gas between Russia and Germany for maintenance in August, and Nord Stream 2s construction was halted after Russian invaded Ukraine in February.

European seismologists have concluded that the leaks were very likely triggered by powerful underwater blasts rather than a natural event. Some countries officials have speculated that Russia is behind the explosions.

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Mateusz Morawiecki, Polands prime minister, blamed Russia, claiming it aimed to further destabilize Europes energy security.

We do not know the details of what happened yet, but we can clearly see that it is an act of sabotage, Morawiecki said. An act that probably marks the next stage in the escalation of this situation in Ukraine.

After meeting with Stoltenberg, Morten Bdskov, Denmarks defense head, called for the alliance to be on high alert and prepare for more provocations from Russia,

Russia has a significant military presence in the Baltic Sea region and we expect them to continue their saber-rattling, Morten Bodskov said in a statement on Wednesday.

However, some have asked what incentive Russia had to blow up the pipelines, given that they cost over $20 billion and are the only direct avenue Russia has to exercise control over the West by manipulating gas exports.

Amid Europes energy crunch, exacerbated by the war Russia is waging in Ukraine, President Vladimir Putin said earlier this month that Europe should end the penalties on Nord Stream 2 to expand its energy supply.

The bottom line is, he said on September 16, if you have an urge, if its so hard for you, just lift the sanctions on Nord Stream 2, which is 55 billion cubic metres of gas per year, just push the button and everything will get going.

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(Bloomberg) -- Nestle SA has pledged to cut ties with an Indonesian palm oil supplier accused of land-rights abuses and environmental harm.

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The Swiss company instructed its direct vendors to ensure that palm oil from three entities linked to Astra Agro Lestari Tbk doesnt enter its supply chain in the future, according to a letter sent to nonprofit Friends of the Earth and seen by Bloomberg. In the document, dated Sept. 28, Nestle said it expects to complete the process by the end of the year.

We take these allegations against Astra Agro Lestari very seriously, according to the letter, signed by Benjamin Ware, Nestles head of sustainable sourcing. We have been closely following the situation and these three subsidiaries in question have been on our grievance list for several months.

A representative of Astra Agro Lestari said the company couldnt comment before reading Nestles statement. Parent company Astra International Tbk didnt immediately respond to questions sent via text message.

French packaged-goods company Danone had previously agreed to cut ties with the supplier, according to Friends of the Earth. Procter & Gamble Co. recently concluded a third-party assessment of Astra Agro Lestari and has also suspended the company, a spokesperson said Thursday via email.

A Nestle spokesperson said it is working with industry peers, nongovernmental organizations, and local governments as part of a strategy focused on conservation, commodity production and sustainable livelihoods.

Nestle also said it was creating a new independent third-party grievance mechanism to centralize and review complaints.

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Consumer-goods companies are coming under increasing pressure from environmental groups to drop palm-oil suppliers linked to human-rights abuses and environmental destruction. Friends of the Earth accused Astra Agro Lestari in a report earlier this year of illegally occupying land and failing to obtain prior consent from communities to operate.

Friends of the Earth and other advocacy groups this month sent an open letter to executives from other consumer-goods companies, including Colgate-Palmolive Co. and PepsiCo Inc., urging them to cut ties with Astra Agro Lestari.

Nestle and other multibillion-dollar consumer giants  who for years have pledged to protect forests and respect human rights  cannot simply walk away from these abuses, Friends of the Earth said in a statement. These companies now have a monumental opportunity to ensure grievances are redressed, conflicts are resolved, and justice is delivered to communities on the frontlines of violent extraction and the climate crisis.

Other suppliers have also come under scrutiny. Earlier this year, US Customs and Border Protection said it would seize palm oil and merchandise containing palm oil traceable to Malaysian firm Sime Darby Plantation Bhd. after determining the company used forced labor.

Agricultural trader Cargill Inc. halted palm-oil purchases from Sime Darby after saying the company hadnt presented sufficient information to address the allegations.

(Updates with Procter & Gamble in fifth paragraph.)

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Nick Kroll, Brendan Fraser

Kevin Winter/Getty; Stephane Cardinale/Getty

Nick Kroll dealt with a pretty eventful trip to the Venice Film Festival.

Appearing on Late Night with Seth Meyers, Kroll opened up about how his toddler son came to cause some serious headaches for actor Brendan Fraser over the weekend.

The Don't Worry Darling actor traveled to the event with wife Lily Kwong and their 20-month-old son Leo, taking the "red-eye" from New York.

"Your worst nightmare is that you fly with a child and your child is going to be loud and unpleasant on a plane," Kroll explained, noting that the nightmare came true. A number of passengers on the plane offered help, but Leo was inconsolable and "screaming for almost the entire red-eye. He will not fall asleep."

"We land in Venice and this guy gets off the plane, he's wearing a seersucker suit and a Panama hat  like a proper Italian Mafia boss. He is not happy about [my kid crying for the entire flight]," he continued.

"I get to baggage claim, I realize it's not a Mafia boss. It's Brendan Fraser, and he's so pissed."

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RELATED: Big Mouth's Nick Kroll Marries Pregnant Girlfriend Lily Kwong: 'So Very Thankful'

It wasn't the last time that weekend the family would hear about Fraser or even encounter him. Later on, Kroll told actress Natasha Lyonne about his son's antics on the flight, only to find out she'd heard about the incident already.

"I said 'my kid cried a bunch' and she was like 'that was your kid on the plane?! We find out that Brendan Fraser has been talking about how much my son was crying on the plane, so he couldn't get a good night's sleep. I felt terrible, it's your worst nightmare," he revealed.

The icing on the cake came after the screening of Fraser's film The Whale, at which point he was honored in an 8-minute standing ovation.

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"Brendan Fraser is amazing in the film. This is his big comeback. The movie finishes, he gets an eight-minute standing ovation. He's crying," Kroll explained. "You can feel him being like 'I'm back, baby. It's the Oscars. Here we come.'"

Nick Kroll and Lily Kwong attend the 2022 Vanity Fair Oscar Party hosted by Radhika Jones at Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts on March 27, 2022 in Beverly Hills, California

Arturo Holmes/FilmMagic

Then, he noticed Kroll and his wife behind him.

"He looks at us and then I pull up my baby and he [the baby] starts crying," he shared. "My wife took a picture of him just at the moment he looked at us and if you look closely, you can see Brendan Fraser realizing that we have ruined his night."

Kroll and Kwong tied the knot just two months before welcoming Leo.

The new parents held a private ceremony "with only cliffs, ocean, redwoods & sunset as witnesses," Kwong revealed on Instagram.
No. 1 Georgia (4-0, 1-0 SEC) at Missouri (2-2, 0-1), Saturday, 7:30 p.m. ET (SEC Network)

Line: Georgia by 28, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.

Series record: Georgia leads 10-1.

WHATS AT STAKE?

Georgia looked vulnerable for the first time all season in a 39-22 victory over Kent State last week, so the Bulldogs will be trying to get back to their dominant ways before the meat of the SEC schedule begins. The Tigers are coming off the most disappointing loss of Eli Drinkwitz's tenure in Columbia, when running back Nathaniel Peat fumbled the ball while reaching for the pylon and what would have been the winning touchdown in overtime at Auburn.

KEY MATCHUP

Georgia is known to sling the ball all over the field, so expect Missouri to plan to stop the pass. And that makes the Bulldogs' ground game against the Tigers run defense fascinating. Kenny McIntosh, Kendall Milton and Daijun Edwards have capably replaced NFL-bound running back Zamir White and James Cook, and will be going against a Missouri run defense that held Auburn to 11 yards rushing in the final three quarters and overtime last week.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Georgia: QB Stetson Bennett should have WRs Arian Smith and AD Mitchell back after both missed last week's game with injuries. That bodes well for the SEC's third-best pass offense at 350.5 yards per game. Bennett is completing 74% of his throws for 1,224 yards and five touchdowns with one interception to go with four rushing TDs this season.

Missouri: Peat has been the Tigers' leading rusher with 47 carries for 258 yards and a touchdown. He'll need to bounce back from his overtime gaffe against Auburn, and get some help from the rest of the Tigers' running backs, if they have any hope of keeping Bennett and the potent Georgia offense off the field. The Tigers are averaging 4.5 yards per carry as a team.

FACTS & FIGURES

Missouri's only win in 11 tries against Georgia came in 2013. The largest margin of victory in the series came last year, when the Bulldogs rolled 43-6. ... The Bulldogs are averaging 42.2 points per game and have outscored their opponents 106-16 in the first half. ... Bennett needs 261 yards of total offense to pass Mike Bobo for seventh on Georgia's career list. ... Tigers WR Barrett Banister has caught a pass in seven straight games dating to last season. ... WR Luther Burden already has become the seventh player in school history with TDs on the ground, through the air and on a punt return.

___

More AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/college-football and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25
PATERSON  A state Superior Court judge on Thursday morning rejected Alex Mendezs attempt to argue that the criminal election fraud charges against him stem from a political witch hunt orchestrated by Mayor Andre Sayegh.

In denying Mendezs selective prosecution defense, Judge Sohail Mohammed determined that the councilman failed to provide any proof that he was targeted for investigation because of his opposition to Sayegh.

Evidence must be more than mere speculation, Mohammed said during his ruling.

The judge also denied Mendezs effort to force Sayegh to release emails and other correspondence between him, his staff and the New Jersey Attorney Generals Office about the case.

Mendez is accused of breaking New Jerseys laws on voter registration and mail-in ballots during Patersons May 2020 elections for the 3rd Ward council seat. The Attorney Generals Office filed charges against him less than two months after the election.

For me, were going to wait for the trial and were going to prevail, Mendez said Thursday morning, shortly after Mohammeds ruling.

For subscribers:Paterson mayor supporter helped NJ's investigation of city election fraud

Despite the judges decision, Mendez continued to assert that Sayegh was the catalyst for the state investigation against him.

Paterson 3rd Ward Councilman Alex Mendez.

We all know that this was all done because of him, Mendez said. This is a joke, the councilman added, referring to the investigation.

Mendez said he would confer with his lawyer, Paul Brickfield, about whether to appeal Thursdays decision.

"I did not participate in any law enforcement investigation related to this matter," Sayegh told Paterson Press earlier this month when asked about Mendezs accusations against him.

The courts have not yet scheduled the case for trial.

More in Paterson:Why might Paterson give a $19.2M tax break on a housing project near the Great Falls?

Mendez had based his selective prosecution claims on three factors: the attorney general's use of one of the mayors police bodyguards as a Spanish translator while investigators interviewed a voter in the case, the states use of one of Sayeghs deputy mayors to provide Bengali translation during another voter interview, and the fact that the attorney general looked into fraud accusations against a Sayegh ally in the 2020 elections, Mohammed Akhtaruzzaman, but did not file charges against him.

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But the judge discounted Mendezs assertion that the attorney generals probe bent under local influence from Paterson.

Regarding the Akhtaruzzaman situation, Mohammed said Mendez had not proved that the facts matched those in Mendezs own case. He noted that judges must give deference to prosecutorial discretion on whether to file charges in such situations.

Mohammed also said Mendez had not provided enough evidence showing Sayegh was involved in the allegations over the use of translators connected to the mayor.

The indictment charged Mendez with seven crimes: election fraud, fraud in casting a mail-in vote, unauthorized possession of ballots, tampering with public records, falsifying or tampering with records, false registration and attempted false registration.

The most serious charge  election fraud  is a second-degree offense that comes with a maximum 10-year prison sentence if he is convicted. That charge is based on the allegation that Mendez tried to register two people to vote in the 3rd Ward even though he knew they did not live in the election district.

More Paterson:New law will allow Paterson authorities to seize and destroy dirt bikes, ATVs. Here's why

Mendez is one of two Paterson council members  both adversaries of Sayegh  under indictment in the case. The other, 1st Ward Councilman Michael Jackson, was indicted on five of the same criminal charges that Mendez is facing, but not the two counts of false registration.

The election fraud charge against Jackson accused him of submitting a completed mail-in ballot for someone while allegedly knowing the voter did not make the candidate selection marked on the ballot.

Jackson has said he plans to take the case against him to trial, which previously had been scheduled to start on Oct. 17. But officials said the start of the Jackson trial is being pushed back to an as-yet undetermined date.

Two other men were named in the original charges filed two years ago by the Attorney Generals Office, both campaign workers for 2nd Ward Councilman Shahin Khalique.

One of them, Abu Razyen, eventually was indicted on third-degree election crimes last February. Authorities have not announced any further criminal proceedings against the other, Shelim Khalique, the councilmans brother.

The Attorney Generals Office also has charged Shelim Khalique with operating unsafe school buses and hiring unqualified drivers in his role as owner of a student transportation company. Those charges were announced on the same day in June 2020 that state authorities issued a press release about the election fraud case.

Joe Malinconico is editor of Paterson Press.

Email: editor@patersonpress.com

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Paterson election fraud: Alex Mendez loses 'selective prosecution'
Nord Stream's operator said Thursday it was unable to immediately assess damage to pipelines linking Russia to Europe, threatening an indeterminate outage -- after Sweden detected a fourth leak and NATO decried "acts of sabotage".

The Swedish Coast Guard confirmed Thursday there were four leaks in total on the pipeline in the Baltic Sea -- two on the Swedish side and two on the Danish side. Three leaks were previously reported.

The Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines have been at the centre of geopolitical tensions as Russia cut gas supplies to Europe in suspected retaliation against Western sanctions following Moscow's invasion of Ukraine.

Nord Stream's operator said it "intends to start assessing the damage to the pipeline as soon as it receives necessary official permits".

It said access could be allowed "only after the pressure in the gas pipeline has stabilised and the gas leakage has stopped".

"Until the completion of the damage assessment, it is not possible to predict the timeframe for restoration of the gas transmission infrastructure", the operator said.

NATO declared the damage was "the result of deliberate, reckless and irresponsible acts of sabotage" and said it supported investigations to determine the origin of the damage.

The Western alliance warned it was "committed to prepare for, deter and defend against the coercive use of energy and other hybrid tactics".

"Any deliberate attack against Allies' critical infrastructure would be met with a united and determined response," it said, adding that the leaks present risks to shipping and would cause substantial environmental damage.

Russia has denied it was behind the explosions and said a foreign state was likely responsible.

President Vladimir Putin blamed the leaks on "international terrorism".

He described them as "unprecedented sabotage" in a phone call with Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Thursday, according to a Kremlin readout.

Russia's security service has also launched an "international terrorism" investigation into the gas leaks, saying it had caused "significant economic damage to the Russian Federation".

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Russia said Wednesday that Washington should answer if it was behind the leaks -- an assertion rejected by the United States as "ridiculous".

The UN Security Council will meet Friday to discuss the matter.

Finland, which borders Russia, moved to reinforce security around its critical infrastructure, with particular focus on the electricity network.

Sweden's two main nuclear power plants stepped up their alert levels.

- 'Constant' gas flow -

Operated by a consortium majority-owned by Russian gas giant Gazprom, Nord Stream 1 and 2 run from Russia to Germany.

While the pipelines are not currently in operation, they both still contained gas.

The vast leaks have caused underwater gas plumes, with significant bubbling at the surface of the sea several hundred metres wide, making it impossible to immediately inspect the structures.

Seismic institutes on Tuesday reported they had recorded "in all likelihood" explosions in the area, prior to the leaks being detected.

A Swedish Coast Guard search and rescue vessel was patrolling the area.

"The crew reports that the flow of gas visible on the surface is constant," the agency said in a statement.

Danish authorities said the leaks will continue until the gas in the pipelines is exhausted, which is expected to occur on Sunday.

Fatih Birol, executive director of the International Energy Agency, said at a symposium in Paris that to him it was "very obvious" who was behind the leaks.

He said natural gas shortages in the wake of the war in Ukraine could make for a tough winter in Europe.

"In the absence of a major negative surprise, I think Europe, in terms of natural gas, can survive this winter with a lot of bruises in our bodies in terms of prices, economy and social issues, but we can go through that," Birol said.

According to climate groups, Nord Stream 1 and 2 contained some 350,000 tonnes of natural gas -- methane.

Greenpeace says the leaks could have the effect of almost 30 million tonnes of CO2, or more than two-thirds of the annual emissions of Denmark.

map/lcm/gw
By Timour Azhari and Laila Bassam

BEIRUT (Reuters) -The Lebanese parliament failed to elect a new head of state on Thursday to replace President Michel Aoun when his term ends on Oct. 31, signalling the likelihood of the post being left vacant as the country grapples with a financial crisis.

Shi'ite Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri said he would only call a new session once he saw there was consensus on a candidate for the post, which is reserved for a Maronite Christian in Lebanon's sectarian system.

The election rules mean no one party or alliance can impose their choice, requiring a two-thirds quorum in the politically fractured parliament.

The presidency has fallen vacant several times since the 1975-90 civil war. Anticipating another vacuum, politicians have stepped up efforts to agree a new cabinet led by Sunni Muslim Prime Minister Najib Mikati - who is currently serving in a caretaker capacity - to which presidential powers could pass.

The powerful Iran-backed Shi'ite group Hezbollah cast blank ballots, as did its allies the Shi'ite Amal Movement and Aoun's Free Patriotic Movement, totalling 63 of the 122 lawmakers who attended.

"The country is in a deep and hard crisis...which requires agreement on a consensus president, not a president of confrontation," said Hezbollah MP Ibrahim Moussawi.

Hezbollah's sway over parliament has diminished since the group and its allies lost their majority in a May election which left an even more splintered legislature.

The anti-Hezbollah politician Michel Moawad, whose father Rene was assassinated in 1989 just 18 days after becoming president, was backed by 36 lawmakers, including the Saudi-aligned Lebanese Forces.

Lebanon's other heavyweight Maronites are equally divisive, including the Hezbollah-aligned Suleiman Frangieh and LF leader Samir Geagea, a Hezbollah opponent.

Analysts see no obvious compromise candidate at present.

Foreign powers including the United States and European Union have urged timely presidential elections.

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A presidential vacuum could further complicate government decision-making as Lebanon enters the fourth year of a financial collapse policymakers have done little or nothing to address.

It is Lebanon's worst since the 1975-90 civil war.

If a new cabinet cannot be agreed by Oct. 31, Lebanon would have neither a fully empowered government nor a president.

Hezbollah, Amal and FPM lawmakers left Thursday's session before a second round of voting - when only 65 votes are needed to elect a president - leading to a loss of quorum.

Independent lawmaker Firas Hamdan said the kind of consensus sought by Berri was to blame for Lebanon's troubles. "We are spinning in the same circle. This poses a danger to us, to the country and to the economy," he said.

The presidency was vacant for 29 months before Aoun was elected in 2016, thanks to a deal with Saad al-Hariri, who became prime minister.

Foreign states have historically played a part in determining the presidency's fate in a country that has been a theatre for international rivalries.

In 2008, a six-month presidential vacuum was brought to an end by a Qatari-mediated deal backed by other powers.

(Reporting by Timour Azhari and Laila Bassam; Writing by Tom Perry/Timour Azhari; Editing by Lina Najem, Alison Williams and Angus MacSwan)
PANMUNJOM, Korea  In a show of defiance, North Korea fired two short-range ballistic missiles into the sea on Thursday, hours after U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris flew home from a visit to South Korea during which she traveled to the Demilitarized Zone separating the two Koreas and emphasized the ironclad U.S. commitment to the security of its Asian allies.

It was the third round of missile launches by North Korea this week, extending a record pace in weapons testing as it accelerates a push to expand its arsenal and pressure Washington to accept it as a nuclear power.

South Koreas Joint Chiefs of Staff said the missiles were fired nine minutes apart from an area just north of the capital, Pyongyang, and flew toward waters between the Korean Peninsula and Japan.

Japans military said it also detected the launches. North Korea fired two short-range ballistic missiles on Wednesday, while Harris was in Japan, and one before she left Washington on Sunday.

U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris, right, uses binoculars at the military observation post as she visits the demilitarized zone separating the two Koreas, in Panmunjom, South Korea Thursday, Sept. 29, 2022. (Leah Millis/Pool Photo via AP)

Harris earlier capped her four-day trip to Asia with a meeting with South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and a stop at the Demilitarized Zone, where she addressed the threat posed by the increasingly hostile North.

There are concerns that North Korea may soon conduct a nuclear test, which would move the country closer to being acknowledged as a full-fledged nuclear power.

Visiting the DMZ has become something of a ritual for American leaders hoping to show their resolve to stand firm against aggression.

At the DMZ, Harris went to the top of a ridge, near guard towers and security cameras. She looked through bulky binoculars as a South Korean officer pointed out military installations on the southern side. Then an American officer pointed out some of the defenses along the military demarcation line, including barbed-wire fences and claymore mines. He said American soldiers regularly walk patrols along a path.

Its so close, Harris said.

Harris then visited one of a row of blue buildings that straddle the demarcation line, where an American officer explained how the buildings are still used to conduct negotiations with North Korea. Sometimes they pass messages back and forth and sometimes they use a megaphone, he said.

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Thats high tech, Harris joked, before adding, Weve stepped into history.

Its still going, the colonel said.

Harris agreed. The past and present are happening every day.

She then walked out of the building and up to the demarcation line. On the North Korean side, two figures dressed in what appeared to be hazmat suits peeked out from behind a curtain in a second-floor window. Then they disappeared back inside.

Harris described this weeks missile launches as provocations meant to destabilize the region and said the United States and South Korea remain committed to the complete denuclearization of the North.

I cannot state enough that commitment of the United States to the defense of the Republic of Korea is ironclad, she said.

In the South, we see a thriving democracy. In the North, we see a brutal dictatorship, she said before flying out of the border on a U.S. military helicopter.

Earlier, Harris met with President Yoon at his office in Seoul and reaffirmed the U.S. commitment to defend the South with a full range of its military capabilities in the event of war, Yoons office said.

They expressed concern over North Koreas threats of nuclear conflict and pledged an unspecified stronger response to major North Korean provocations, including a nuclear test.

Harris and Yoon were also expected to discuss expanding economic and technology partnerships and repairing recently strained ties between South Korea and Japan to strengthen their trilateral cooperation with Washington in the region. Their meeting also touched on Taiwan, with both reaffirming their countries support for peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, according to Yoons office, which didnt elaborate.

Harris trip was organized so she could attend the state funeral of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, but her itinerary was dominated by security concerns, a reflection of fears about Chinas growing power and North Koreas ramped-up testing activity.

In every meeting, Harris tried to lay to rest any fears that the United States was wavering in its commitment to protect its allies, describing American partnerships with South Korea and Japan as the linchpin and cornerstone of its defense strategy in Asia.

Yoon, who took office earlier this year, had anchored his election campaign with vows to deepen Seouls economic and security partnership with Washington to navigate challenges posed by the North Korean threat and address potential supply chain risks caused by the pandemic, the U.S.-China rivalry and Russias war on Ukraine. But the alliance has been marked by tension recently.

South Koreans have decried a new law signed by President Joe Biden that prevents electric cars built outside of North America from being eligible for U.S. government subsidies, undermining the competitiveness of automakers like Seoul-based Hyundai.

During their meeting, Harris told Yoon that Washington will try to address South Korean concerns as the law is implemented, Yoons office said.

Scott Snyder, an analyst at the Council on Foreign Relations, said the dispute over electric vehicles has swiftly become a firestorm that U.S. officials cannot ignore, although there may not be a simple solution.

Its taking on a level of urgency thats making it into a political problem that requires management, Snyder said. I dont know that its going to be easy for the Biden administration to do that.

There are indications North Korea may up its weapons demonstrations soon. South Korean officials said last week that they detected signs North Korea was preparing to test a ballistic missile system designed to be fired from submarines.

USS Ronald Reagan pulls into Busan, South Korea, after 5 year absence

The U.S. aircraft carrier Ronald Reagan was to train with South Korean and Japanese warships in waters near the Korean Peninsula on Friday in the countries first trilateral anti-submarine exercises since 2017 to counter North Korean submarine threats, South Koreas navy said Thursday.

U.S. and South Korean officials also say North Korea is possibly gearing up for its first nuclear test since 2017. That test could come after China holds its Communist Party convention the week of Oct. 16, but before the United States holds its midterm elections Nov. 8, according to Seouls spy agency.

In Japan, Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada expressed concern that North Korea was improving its weapons technology through its unprecedented testing spree.

The South Korean and Japanese militaries said the missiles launched Thursday traveled 180 to 217 miles and reached a maximum altitude of 30 miles.

The low-altitude flight path resembled that of the short-range ballistic missiles North Korea fired earlier in the week.

Some analysts say those launches likely involved a new solid-fuel weapon modeled after Russias Iskander missiles, which travel at relatively low altitudes and are designed to be maneuverable in flight, making them harder to be intercepted by missile defenses. The missiles are part of a growing arsenal of nuclear-capable short-range systems North Korea has been developing since 2019 as it expands its arsenal targeting rival South Korea.

North Korea has punctuated its testing activity with repeated threats of nuclear conflict. Its rubber-stamp parliament this month authorized the preemptive use of nuclear weapons in a broad range of scenarios where its leadership comes under threat.

Nuclear diplomacy between the U.S. and North Korea remains stalled since 2019 over disagreements over easing crippling U.S.-led economic sanctions against North Korea in exchange for the Norths disarmament steps.

Kim reported from Seoul, South Korea. Associated Press writers Mari Yamaguchi in Tokyo and Hyung-jin Kim in Seoul contributed to this report.
Mike Royko's 1985 Ribfest is smoking as 7,500 people turn out despite the rain on Sept. 22, 1985, in Grant Park. (Walter Kale / Chicago Tribune)

Barbecue has been on my mind for months now, from the newer Texas-style offerings in the suburbs to the saucy South Side classics. As Ive hopefully made clear, Chicago has a robust barbecue tradition, particularly for a northern city. But after looking through the Tribunes archives, even I was surprised by how early and often barbecue pops up.

Our reporters have been writing about smoked meat almost since the very beginning. The Chicago Tribune was founded June 10, 1847, and barbecue shows up regularly by the mid-1850s. This is especially impressive considering our existing records between 1847 and 1852 are incomplete.

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The only caveat is that early on, most of the barbecue was being eaten in other parts of Illinois. During this time, barbecue was rarely eaten at a restaurant. Instead, as Adrian Miller writes in his excellent book, Black Smoke, political events at the time often attracted large crowds with the promise of barbecue. Cooks would dig long trenches, fill them with lit wood and set poles or sticks across for the meat to rest on.

The genius of the trench method was its complete scalability to cater to a crowd in ways that other cooking methods could not match, Miller wrote. Want to feed hundreds, maybe even thousands, of people? Just dig a longer trench.

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A Grand Rally of Republicans came to Urbana for a barbecue in September 1856, the Chicago Tribune reported Sept. 20, 1856. (Chicago Tribune)

Miller isnt kidding about the numbers. On Sept. 20, 1856, the Tribune told of a barbecue the Republican Party had hosted earlier in the month with 7,000 attendees in Urbana. (More accurately, the event was held East of the old town, in the edge of the Big Grove, under the shade of a number of wide spreading oak and ash trees. But you get the idea.)

The food spread was impressive:

Dinner was then announced, and the immense crowd wended their way to the long tables, groaning under the large quantity of substantials prepared for the occasion under the superintendence of John W. Baddeley, Jas. Lee and Benj. Bent, the dinner committee, who showed their ability to barbecue beeves and every other meat suitable to feed an army of ten thousand. (Though very rarely used these days, beeves is the plural of beef.)

Oak Parkers celebrate the village's golden jubilee by downing a half-ton of barbecued meat, 7,200 buns and and uncounted bottles of pop in less than an hour in 1951. (Chicago Tribune archive)

Illinois Democrats werent strangers to the big barbecue game. On Aug. 14, 1858, the party hosted a barbecue in Clinton with 2,000 to 3,000 people. Though it should be pointed out that one month later, the Republicans Clinton barbecue drew twice the crowd.

[ Column: As Texas barbecue ascends in Chicago, what happens to our own South Side style? ]

Barbecue continued to be served mostly at large events through the early part of the 20th century. On May 31, 1908, an old-fashioned barbecue took place on Northwestern Universitys campus. A whole ox, which had been roasted under the care of Frank Davis, a Virginia (Illinois) barbecue expert, was portioned out to the 1,500 students and secondary school visitors along with coffee, sandwiches, and pickles.

The Elks (formally, the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks) apparently loved to host large barbecue events. On July 6, 1918, its barbecue at Comiskey Park drew 5,000 to 10,000 people to raise money for World War I.

But thats nothing compared to the event the Elks hosted after the Eighteenth Amendment, which prohibited the manufacture, sale, or transportation of intoxicating liquors in the United States, was ratified. On Jan 19, 1919, the group held a wake in Comiskey Park for John Barleycorn, a fictional character often used as a symbol for alcohol, which they hoped would be one of the biggest barbecues Chicago has ever seen. Between 10,000 and 20,000 people were expected to attend. (Though ratified by the States, prohibition wouldnt officially begin until Jan. 17, 1920.)

The Chicago Tribune's article "Here's Recipe for a Barbecue Minus, of Course, the Beer" was published Aug. 14, 1931. (Chicago Tribune)

More than a decade later on Aug. 14, 1931, the Tribune even printed a fairly detailed guide to throwing one of these large events, though youd have to of course forget the beer. (By the way, a trench 10 feet long is considered sufficient for about 400 pounds of beef; 15 feet, about 600 pounds. Now you know.)

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While enormous political barbecues still took place in the 20th century, restaurants serving barbecue started becoming more popular. In an article on June 23, 1928, Jane Eddington wrote that a new feature is the wayside barbecue sandwich shop, which is multiplying by leaps and bounds.

Unfortunately, not much was written about specific barbecue restaurants until the 1970s, as dining at restaurants in general became more popular.

Along with opening restaurants, Black entrepreneurs started selling barbecue-related products. One of the most successful was Argia B. Collins, who created Mumbo Sauce in 1950. (Though the history is very contentious, this may have been the start of mild sauce, which is a South Side staple to this day.) An advertisement from March 17, 1967 describes the product as not too mildnot too hot  not too sweet.

Argia B. Collins, shown on left in 1971, is the creator of Mumbo Barbecue Sauce, shown on the right in an advertisement in the Chicago Tribune on March 17, 1967. (William Loewe / Chicago Tribune)

Collins was honest about how difficult it was as a Black entrepreneur in an article from Nov. 14, 1971. He said getting into grocery stores was especially hard: I ran into the brick wall of a closed consumer market that wouldnt let me into the stores.

By the 1970s, Chicago was becoming known as a rib town. In 1974, an article called The ribs scene: Raps and raves by the ravenous does a great job of showcasing how rib joints were popping up all over the city. While the article is credited to Harriet Choice, it also features the opinions of Gene Siskel, the papers famous film critic. While most of the restaurants are now closed, including Eddies Real Barbecue in Logan Square and The Homestead Tavern in Blue Island, the article features one of the first mentions of Lems Bar-B-Q House, which got a glowing recommendation. Its also one of the first mentions of rib tips.

Leons Bar-B-Que was a huge attraction at the second Taste of Chicago in 1981. The Tribune wrote, "Leon Finney's ribs are spicy just hot enough and mighty tempting to look at." (Anne Cusack / Chicago Tribune)

The 1980s brought even more attention to Chicagos barbecue scene, thanks to a couple of large food events. On July 3, 1981, Leons Bar-B-Que was a huge attraction at the second Taste of Chicago, leading Howard Reich to write these glowing words: ... owner Leon Finney turns out the kind of softer-than-butter, hickory-smoked ribs that have made him a gastronomic legend in Chicago.

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Then there was Ribfest, which was created somewhat on a lark by the citys biggest columnist at the time, Mike Royko. As recently recounted by Rick Kogan, Royko hosted the first Ribfest in 1982 with over 400 contestants. By 1984, the event swelled to 600 eager to compete.

[ Some of Chicagos most exciting barbecue is made at these 5 joints in the suburbs ]

The Tribunes restaurant critics weighed in on the matter throughout the years. In 1983, critic Paula Camp wrote an article called, In search of the best barbecued ribs in Chicago. The highest-rated option was Lems. They were huge, meaty and had very little fat, Camp wrote.

James "Lem" Lemons at Lem's BBQ House on April 23, 2007, with employee Donnell Walker in the background. (Michael Tercha / Chicago Tribune)

Ten years later, restaurant critic Phil Vettel also crowned Lems the winner. It was probably the judges easiest call of the night, he wrote. Lems meaty, richly smoked ribs, topped by a tangy barbecue sauce with a vinegary bite, were the unanimous choice for no. 1.

By 2007, rib tips had started to supplant ribs as the preferred South Side barbecue order. On May 10 of that year, food writer Kevin Pang chatted with Lems owner, James Lemons, about the change: Lemons has seen a shift in his customers taste over the last five years. Before, everyone ordered slab ribs. These days, they prefer rib tips. At his cash-only takeout restaurant, they can go through 1,000 pounds of tips on a good day.

Tips are on the move, Lemons said.

nkindelsperger@chicagotribune.com

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Big screen or home stream, takeout or dine-in, Tribune writers are here to steer you toward your next great experience. Sign up for your free weekly Eat. Watch. Do. newsletter here.
kamala harris and Yoon Suk-yeol photo Handout / Handout/Getty Images

North Korea fired its third round of missile launches this week hours after Vice President Kamala Harris wrapped up her visit to South Korea, The Associated Press reports.

The Thursday launch of two short-range ballistic missiles was just the latest in a series of weapons tests intended to pressure the U.S. government into acknowledging North Korea as a nuclear power.

Harris ended her four-day tour of Asia by meeting with South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol and reiterating America's commitment to defending South Korea should a war break out with its northern neighbors. Harris also visited the Demilitarized Zone separating the two countries, and spoke about the potential threats of North Korea's escalating weapons testing.

Per AP, some fear North Korea might soon conduct a nuclear test to garner the acknowledgment they seek.

In addition to the Thursday launch, North Korea also fired two short-range ballistic missiles on Wednesday, while Harris visited Japan, and one before she initially left the U.S. on Sunday.

South Korean officials have also detected evidence suggesting North Korea has plans to escalate its weapons demonstrations even further. For instance, officials suspect North Korea is preparing "to test a ballistic missile system designed to be fired from submarines," AP writes.

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North Korea on Thursday fired two short-range ballistic missiles into the sea, just hours after Vice President Harris departed South Korea for the United States.

The launch, the third one this week, comes as North Korea is suspected to be prepping for its seventh nuclear test.

South Korean military detected two short-range ballistic missiles fired from Sunchon, South Pyongan province, toward the east coast between 8:48 p.m. and 8:57 p.m., the Joint Chiefs of Staff said, as Reuters reported.

Amid strengthened surveillance and vigilance, our military maintains full preparedness while working closely with the U.S.

North Korea a day prior had fired two short-range ballistic missiles toward the East Sea before Harris arrived in South Korea, and on Sunday test-fired one surface-to-surface short-range ballistic missile.

Harris was in South Korea as the last stop on her four-day trip to Asia, a visit where she stressed Washingtons ironclad commitment to Seoul while being strongly critical of the isolated Pyongyang.

It is clearly a provocation, and it is meant we believe to destabilize the region and were taking it seriously, and everyone should, Harris said when asked about North Koreas nuclear threats.

The round of missile launches come as the U.S., South Korea and other allies are concerned North Korea could conduct a nuclear test as soon as October or November.

If held, the test would be the seventh one since 2006 and the first since 2017.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
The new Ryan Field stadium campus will be built on the current stadium footprint and be funded entirely by private dollars.
As Hurricane Ian pummeled Florida on Wednesday, several public officials from New York criticized Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) for voting against federal aid for Hurricane Sandy when he was a congressman.

Just a reminder to New York  Marco Rubio and Ron DeSantis (who was in Congress at the time) voted against aid for Hurricane Sandy, Yuh-Line Niou, a member of the New York state assembly, said on Twitter. But because we are New York, we care about everyone. Even when they dont care about us.

Newly elected to Congress in 2013, DeSantis voted against a federal relief package for New York and New Jersey in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy. Sandy hit the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic states in late 2012, killing more than 100 Americans.

Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) also voted against the hurricane relief in 2013, as Tristan Snell, a former assistant attorney general for New York, noted.

Marco Rubio voted against federal aid for the victims of Hurricane Sandy  because it mostly affected the blue states of New Jersey and New York, Snell wrote in a tweet. I fully support whatever federal aid is needed for Florida for Hurricane Ian  because it affects America.

Republicans at the time of the vote in the House had argued the measure was costly and should be offset with other spending cuts. The final House vote was 241-180, with 179 of the no votes coming from the GOP.

It led to sore feelings at the time from lawmakers serving the region at that time.

It is unfortunate that we had to fight so hard to be treated the same as every other state has been treated, former Rep. Peter King (R-N.Y.) told The New York Times in January 2013.

Since the fight, there has been criticism of GOP lawmakers who have pressed for aid for their states because of their votes against the Sandy aid.

After Hurricane Harvey hit Texas hard in 2017, for example, some Democrats from New York and New Jersey took shots at Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and other Republicans from the Lone Star State who had opposed the Sandy legislation.

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DeSantis asked President Biden on Wednesday to approve a major disaster declaration over Hurricane Ian and to cover the costs of debris removal and emergency protective services for the first 60 days after the hurricane. Biden covered similar costs for Kentucky after it faced devastating floods earlier this year.

However, Snell pointed to the discrepancy between DeSantiss relief request and his voting record, urging Floridians to elect new leaders in the upcoming midterm elections.

Ron DeSantis and Marco Rubio voted against help for the victims of Hurricane Sandy, he added on Thursday. What absolute hypocrites. Florida should get all the help it needs, but Florida also deserves better leaders.

DeSantis, who is seen as a potential 2024 presidential candidate, has ratcheted up his rivalry with the Biden administration in recent weeks. The Florida governor flew a group of Texas migrants to Marthas Vineyard, Mass., earlier this month, joining other Republican governors in protesting Bidens immigration policies.

However, DeSantis and Biden appeared to put aside their political differences this week, as they responded to Hurricane Ian.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Actress Odelya Halevi is working to be less of a people-pleaser. (Photo: Getty; designed by Quinn Lemmers)

The Unwind is Yahoo Lifes well-being series in which experts, influencers and celebrities share their approaches to wellness and mental health, from self-care rituals to setting healthy boundaries to the mantras that keep them afloat.

As ADA Samantha Maroun on Law & Order, actress Odelya Halevi finds herself tackling some very intense topics (after last week's Season 22 premiere crossover event with the casts of SVU and Organized Crime, the procedural drama will feature cases exploring reproductive rights, bail reform and the death penalty, with plenty of murder in the mix). Is it stressful to navigate such dark territory at work?

"I'm one of those people who fall asleep to, like, Forensic Files," the Israeli star laughs. "That stuff somehow relaxes me. I don't know; why I can't explain it. I just love going into those criminal minds. It's just something that is very interesting to me."

It also helps that she's acting, a practice she finds particularly "therapeutic." Halevi credits it with being an important part of her treatment for an eating disorder in her teens. After her mom discovered what her 15-year-old daughter was going through, Halevi started therapy, though it took a while for her to find the right fit.

"I had to go to therapy  it wasn't really my choice," she tells Yahoo Life. "I tried to go to a few different therapists, and I couldn't trust any of them. And then the one therapist that I trusted was the one who just asked me, 'What do you want to be when you grow up?' And I said, 'Well, I'm an actress. That's what I want to do. That's who I am.'

"She brought a chair in front of me and she didn't ask me to talk to her at all," Halevi continues. "She just said, 'I want you to get in any character that you want to get into and be as dark as you want to be and just talk to that person. That person is sitting on that chair.' And it really helped, and it was my therapy. And that's when I realized that this is what I'm meant to do. It's not just acting; it's not just fun  it's my therapy. So when I go through those things on set, when I get into those moments and it's all dark ... I feel better because it lets me release all of my darkness and anger and dark thoughts and sadness, and then I can just breathe."

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Though she's come a long way, Halevi says her eating disorder experience remains a challenge she's working through.

"It's something that I always experienced my whole life and I still go through that," she says. "I now know that this is not something that I can cure. It's like, if you're addicted to smoking, even if when you quit, you're always going to have the urge to smoke. [But] you have tools and learn how to live with it."

While she's not currently in therapy, she's a firm believer in the power of sharing one's thoughts and feelings with a paid professional ("you don't feel bad about it, because you pay them," she quips). When she's feeling stressed or overwhelmed by a busy schedule, the Black Adam actress credits working out with helping to quell anxiety and "racing thoughts." Halevi has also found the value in digging deep into her passions, her motivations and her individuality.

"What is really helpful to me is going into sort of like a search of who am I, what am I, what's my story?" she explains. "What did I use to like when I was a child? When I was a child, do I like to paint? Do I like to play the guitar? Like, let's go and search for these things that you have to make time for. And they end up being therapeutic. I'll block two hours of my day and it's non-negotiable: Nobody can talk to me during those two hours and I'll just put on music and I'll just dance all by myself in the living room, and I'll paint or I'll play the guitar. And if friends see that I'm on social media and I'm not replying to their texts, they just know it's my two hours that I take for myself, and nobody can mess with that."

Making herself unavailable to others isn't always easy. Halevi admits that people-pleasing is in her nature.

"I don't like hurting people, even when it's not on purpose," she says. "I want everybody to like me all the time, even when it's my closest friends. I hate saying no, even when I have to. I put other people first, and that is a flaw. ... When I feel like I hurt somebody or I didn't please somebody immediately, I get to that place of just anxiety about it. And so that's what I'm trying to work on these days.

"It's really hard putting yourself first," she adds, "because it feels like you're being selfish, right? And it's like, I don't want to be a narcissist. I don't want to be selfish, but at the end of the day, you have to be a little bit selfish. You have to take care of yourself first before you take care of other people, because if you don't, you're not going to have the strength and the wisdom and the advice to give other people."

How does the TV star practice self-love?

"I just hug myself physically," she shares. "I always say, 'I love you, I forgive you, you're beautiful.' And if I look in the mirror, I always see that girl with the 'fro and the glasses and the accordion and I'll say, 'I love you. You're amazing. You're beautiful.' ... It's acknowledging the child in you that needs that love, that needs that forgiveness, that needs that validation. Because you can grow up and you become all the things that you wanted to become if you're lucky and if you work hard, but then you forget about that little child that is seeking that love. So that's what I try to do."

Law & Order airs Thursdays at 8 p.m. on NBC.

If you or someone you know is struggling with an eating disorder, call the National Eating Disorders Association hotline at 1-800-931-2237.

Wellness, parenting, body image and more: Get to know the who behind the hoo with Yahoo Life's newsletter. Sign up here.
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP)  Preliminary evaluations show Hurricane Fiona damaged 50% of transmission lines and distribution feeders across Puerto Rico as hundreds of thousands remain without power or water service almost two weeks after the storm hit, officials said Thursday.

The announcement came as a major power plant in Puerto Rico was knocked offline and began to spew heavy black smoke in the latest setback to efforts to stabilize the U.S. territorys power grid.

Gov. Pedro Pierluisi said crews were working swiftly to restore essential services, but stressed that he was not satisfied that more than 270,000 clients out of 1.47 million were without power and more than 100,000 clients out of 1.2 million without water service.

The situation has angered and exasperated many who already were affected by power outages blamed on Hurricane Maria, a Category 4 storm that razed the island's power grid in September 2017. Hurricane Fiona slammed into Puerto Ricos southwest region as a Category 1 storm Sept. 18.

We are living in a state of eternal fragility, said Puerto Rico Rep. Mariana Nogales.

Luma, a private company that operates transmission and distribution of power in Puerto Rico, has promised that electricity would be restored to 90% of clients by Friday in areas not severely affected by the storm. In hard-hit areas, officials have said they might restore power to 90% of clients by next Thursday.

Im demanding more, Pierluisi said.

Officials have not said when the entire island might be energized.

The lack of power has led to dwindling diesel supplies and prompted U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas to announce Wednesday night that he would temporarily waive a federal law to allow for a British Petroleum ship to dock in Puerto Rico and unload 300,000 barrels of diesel.

The outage has forced businesses including grocery stores and gas stations to temporarily close and prevented hundreds of schools from opening. In addition, 16 government medical clinics and seven dialysis centers are still operating on generators.

In a policy brief released Thursday, the Puerto Rico-based think tank Center for a New Economy said Puerto Rico already was extremely vulnerable prior to Fiona because only 30% of permanent reconstruction work related to 2017's Hurricane Maria had started.

Basically, nothing had been done to strengthen the electric grid and other critical infrastructures or increase their resiliency, the center said. The damage caused by Hurricane Fiona will certainly add another layer of complexity on top of what was already a difficult and complicated effort.
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.
Story at a glance

An Oklahoma bill set to be considered during a special session of the state legislature on Thursday would prevent money granted to the University Hospitals Authority under the American Rescue Plan Act from being given to facilities that provide gender-affirming health care to minors.

The University of Oklahoma Medical Center on Wednesday said it would stop offering certain gender-affirming medical treatments in response to the bill.

More than a dozen state legislatures  including in Oklahoma  have introduced measures this year to ban or heavily restrict access to gender-affirming medical care for minors.

Oklahoma lawmakers on Thursday are expected to consider a bill to prohibit the states largest health care provider from using federal funds to administer gender-affirming health care to transgender minors.

Oklahomas Republican-controlled legislature returned for a special session on Wednesday to appropriate the states $1.87 billion in federal American Rescue Plan Act funds, introducing a measure that would prevent money granted to the University Hospitals Authority from being used for gender reassignment medical treatment given to patients younger than 18.

That includes interventions such as puberty blockers, hormones and other medical therapies used to treat gender dysphoria, according to the bill authored by Oklahoma Reps. Kevin Wallace (R) and Ryan Martinez (R) and Sens. Roger Thompson (R) and Chuck Hall (R).

More than a dozen states  including Oklahoma  have introduced measures this year to ban or heavily restrict access to gender-affirming medical care for minors. Hospitals and other medical facilities that provide transgender health care to patients younger than 18 have recently been targeted in a string of right-wing attacks on social media that allege physicians are abusing children.

America is changing faster than ever! Add Changing America to your Facebook or Twitter feed to stay on top of the news.

On Wednesday, the University of Oklahoma (OU) Medical Center in a statement to The Associated Press said it planned to halt some gender-affirming medical treatments in response to the proposed bill, which would withhold millions of dollars set aside for hospitals providing pediatric behavioral health care if those hospitals also provide gender-affirming care to minors.

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The OU Health Senior Leadership team is proactively planning the ceasing of certain gender medicine services across our facilities and that plan is already under development, OU Health said in the statement. A spokeswoman declined to say which services would no longer be offered.

Oklahoma Childrens Hospital at OU Health currently offers gender-affirming medical care for patients up to 24 years old, including puberty blockers, hormones, individual and family therapy and help finding gender-affirming surgeons, according to its website.

The Oklahoma bill has been criticized by LGBTQ+ advocacy groups for going against the recommendations of physicians and major medical associations, which have said that gender-affirming care is medically necessary and often life-saving.

These important decisions should be left to young people, their families, and their medical providers  not the government, Vivian Topping, the director of advocacy and civic engagement at the Equality Federation, a social justice organization, said Wednesday in a statement.

Topping accused the bill of being part of a coordinated effort by Republicans to restrict the rights of LGBTQ+ Americans.

We wont stand for it, she said.

Nationwide, state lawmakers this year have introduced hundreds of measures that target the LGBTQ+ community, particularly transgender youth. In August, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) introduced federal legislation that would make it a felony  punishable by up to 25 years in prison  to provide gender-affirming health care to a minor.

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) in July pledged to bring up a bill that prohibits transgender women and girls from competing on female sports teams if Republicans win the House majority in November  a promise he reiterated last week in his Commitment to America plan, which outlines House Republicans top priorities for the year.



In March, Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt (R) signed into law the states transgender athlete ban, becoming the fourth state to enact such a policy this year. Others have since followed suit, bringing the nationwide total to 18, according to the Movement Advancement Project.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Etowah County Chief Administrative Officer Shane Ellison says an apology letter should be in the mail soon, to any county businesses that received letters in error alleging they were behind on paying business fees to the county.

The county contracts with Avenue Insights and Analytics to send such notifications. Some 500 businesses received letters in error, he said. "At least all the ones we've heard from so far were not delinquent," Ellison said. The company is supposed to send letters to any business that wrongly received them, at explain and apologize.

Ellison said Probate Judge Scott Hassell had received calls and he expected some commissioners might be getting them as well about the letters.

Christmas for the county?

Commissioner Jeffery Washington said some time ago he floated a "crazy idea" that he wanted to bring up again to his fellow commissioners. He suggested getting a big Christmas tree to be placed at the courthouse, and to have a tree lighting event that would bring in people from throughout Etowah County.

He said bands and students from all area high schools could be invited. He envisioned placing a seal from the county and each of its municipalities around the tree as a way to bring municipal leaders and people from across the county together.

Washington said he wants to see the county move forward, and work to tear down some some of the differences that have come between governing bodies in the past, "to do something to bring Etowah County together."

Renew our Rivers

Etowah County Chief of Corrections Keith Peek said work is underway in the Renew Our Rivers program, in conjunction with Keep Etowah Beautiful. Selected inmates from the detention center will assist in the clean-up program through Thursday, Peek said.

It's been a couple of years since the river clean-up took place, he said, because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Traditionally, the effort removes many bags of garbage and debris from the Coosa River and its banks.

This article originally appeared on The Gadsden Times: Etowah businesses wrongly accused of being delinquent in fees
There are certain songs that, if played, will provoke a specific response from people  Say My Name is one of those songs. And while Destinys Child is behind that classic hit, during their formative years, Mathew Knowles was the man behind the girl group.

Knowles is a record producer and music talent manager, mainly known for his work with Destinys Child. However, his career spans beyond his work with the chart-topping girl group.

According to his website, Knowles has worked as the executive producer for over 100 award-winning albums. His work can be found with other big names like Chaka Khan, Solange, The OJays, and Earth, Wind & Fire.

Knowles also created Music World Films & TV in 2022, managing a $275 million fund for new television and film incentives. As previously reported by AfroTech, Knowles began his work with the music fund after he sold his music company to APX Capital Group.

Outside of the media business, Knowles holds an MBA and Ph.D. from Cornerstone Christian Bible College. His academic pursuits led him to hold professor positions at Prairie View A&M University, Texas Southern University, the University of Houston, and Rice University. He is currently teaching a Fundamentals of the Music Industry in a Digital Age class at Point Blank Music School.

In 2007, the Greater Houston Partnership named Knowles, the International Executive of the Year. He was also honored by the City of Houston with a day named in his honor.

Knowles diverse work led him to obtain a net worth of $1 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth.

Although it has been years since Mathew Knowles managed Destinys Child, the music executive has remained busy in the industry.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Mathew Knowles (@mrmathewknowles)

Public Speaking

Hes built expertise, so its only fitting Knowles takes on public speaking roles. Some topics he has listed as his key subject matter are Entrepreneurship 101, How to Develop Your Branding & Endorsement Identity, and The Sustainable Road to Health & Wellness.

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The Small And Big Screen

While the founding of his television and film company is relatively new, Knowles has experienced some success in the industry. The father of Beyonce is credited as the executive producer of the movie Obsessed, earning $73.8 million worldwide.

Knowles was also part of European reality shows Breaking From Above and Chancers.

A Man With A Pen

Beyond his work in television, film, and music, Mathew Knowles is the author of several books: The DNA of Achievers, Destinys Child: The Untold Story, Racism Through The Eyes of a Child, The Emancipation of Slaves Through Music, and Public Relations and Media Workbook.

Editorial note: The net worth listed in this piece is a speculative estimate drawn from a variety of online sources.
Greg Wade, the James Beard award-winning baker behind Publican Quality Bread in West Town, who has a just-released cookbook called "Bread Head, is seen Sept. 27, 2022. The book provides a huge variety of recipes not only for loaves of bread, but also some incredible pastries, quick breads, cookies and desserts. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune)

In his new book Bread Head, 34-year-old baker Greg Wade generously offers pages of professional tips and trade secrets he has accumulated over the years working at top Chicago restaurants such as Girl and the Goat and Publican Quality Bread, which added an in-person shop to its illustrious production this spring at 1759 W. Grand Ave.

Since 2014, Wades Publican-branded wares have graced some of Chicagos finest restaurant tables, which helped him win a 2019 Outstanding Baker Award from the James Beard Foundation  one of the top honors of the restaurant world. Now the bakery has its own 4,200-square-foot West Town home, with expanded offerings like sandwiches and an exclusive menu of pastries for walk-in customers.

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Happily, Wades book ($45, W.W. Norton & Co.) rolls with a friendly, informal tone. And that Bread Head title is more than just a nod to the Grateful Deads fan base. Wade offers a full-page New Baking Manifesto that calls up their song lyrics to guide the home baker. At the top: I need a miracle every day, the hit from their 1978 studio album Shakedown Street. To Wade, the phrase is pretty much the most appropriate statement about making bread ever.

Greg Wade holds his new book, Bread Head, on Sept. 27, 2022, at Publican Quality Bread in West Town. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune)

The new book, which hit shelves Tuesday and is cowritten by Rachel Holtzman (whose past cookbook collaborators include The Publicans Paul Kahan, Stephanie Izard and Shaquille ONeal), reveals all. I met with Wade one day after his shift at Publican Quality Bread and asked why hes sharing his secrets. Thats definitely something that Im going for, Wade said. We dont hide anything.

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I try to give people qualitative identifiers like, Your dough should double, or, Your dough should feel like this or look like this, Wade said. But also quantitative measures like, It should take this amount of time or your dough should be this temperature.

He shares formulas on how to calculate the doughs target water temperature, ingredient percentages by weight, plus sources for those precise ingredients, along with help troubleshooting and scaling recipes up and down.

But baking and pastry is not only about recipes and percentages. A lot of the craft is performed intuitively, and by feel, and Wade wants to teach that too. Naturally leavened, long-fermented doughs can seem rebellious and willful, like a school-age kid, finding its way. Please rise; please be what I want, pleads Wade in the books introduction, standing next to the oven where the loaf he has nurtured into existence now meets its final fate in the bake.

As he says early in the book, Baking bread sits at the intersection of science and alchemy, technique and intuition. Wade hopes to guide you on the journey from farmer to loaf.

Freshly baked loaves of bread at Publican Quality Bread in West Town. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune)

Some of those farmers, in Wades world, are Marty Travis and his son Will, from Spence Farm in Fairbury and Harold Wilken from Janies Farm & Mill in Ashkum, who have worked to grow organic hybrid and heirloom grains at their central Illinois farms, and to help traditional farmers transition to organic production.

Its the healthiest way to make bread, not only for us, but also for the environment, Wade said.

Eat. Watch. Do. Weekly What to eat. What to watch. What you need to live your best life ... now. >

Along the way, Wade provides a huge variety of recipes, not only for the tangy, chewy, rustic loaves, but also some incredible (and intricate) pastries, quick breads, cookies and desserts. I made a fantastically tender galette with Wades oat flour-based pie dough and some farmers market peaches immediately upon reading his recipe.

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The buckwheat chocolate croissant at Publican Quality Bread in West Town. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune)

Of course, he teaches his methods on how to make, maintain and revive a sourdough starter. He tackles live fire baking in a chapter called Fire on the Mountain, introducing bagels, pretzels and pizza to the wood oven; and takes us on a global journey (or Long, Strange Trip) through traditional breads using lesser-known grains from India, northern Africa and Mexico.

Ultimately, a book like Bread Head exists for many reasons, and not just for students of sourdough.

Bread-making is intensely personal, and it takes a long time to master, Wade said. You need to be patient with yourself and patient with the dough. But if you read through the book and youre able to dig through the recipe, youre gonna have a great foundation for being able to express yourself on your own.

Get copies of Bread Head and food from the book at The Publican, 837 W. Fulton St., during a bake sale and book signing starting 9 a.m. Oct. 9.

Lisa Futterman is a freelance writer.

Big screen or home stream, takeout or dine-in, Tribune writers are here to steer you toward your next great experience. Sign up for your free weekly Eat. Watch. Do. newsletter here.
A mural of environmental defender Roberto Pacheco assassinated in 2020 while guarding his land, in Puerto Maldonado, Peru (EPA)

More than 1,700 environmental defenders have been killed around the world in the last decade with one death reported every other day on average, a new report by an international rights group has revealed.

The report titled A Decade of Defiance: Ten years of reporting land and environmental activism worldwide, released by Global Witness, reveals the increasing threats environmental activists are facing as the climate and biodiversity crisis worsens.

The research states that a total of 1,733 people have been killed over the past 10 years trying to protect their land and resources. That is an average of one defender killed approximately every two days over 10 years.

The report shows Brazil has been the deadliest country for environmental defenders with 342 lethal attacks reported since 2012 with over 85 per cent of killings within the Brazilian Amazon.

The data found within the report also shows that over half of the attacks over the 10-year period have taken place in three countries  Brazil, Colombia, and the Philippines  with around 300 killings reported in these countries.

Mexico and Honduras witnessed over 100 killings while Guatemala and India saw 80 and 79 respectively, remaining one of the most dangerous countries. The report also reports 12 mass killings, including three in India and four in Mexico.

Mexico was the country with the highest recorded number of killings in 2021, totalling 54 killings, up from 30 the previous year. Almost half of those killed were again Indigenous people while over a third were forced disappearances, including at least eight members of the Yaqui community.

The report also reveals that over three-quarters of the attacks recorded in 2021 took place in Latin America. In Brazil, Peru and Venezuela, a big majority of 78 per cent of these attacks occurred in the Amazon.

Meanwhile, the biggest increase in lethal attacks was witnessed in Brazil and India in 2021 with 26 deaths reported in Mexico, up from 20 and 14 in India, up from four.

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Both Colombia and the Philippines saw a drop in killings to 33 in 2021 from 65, and 19 from 30 in 2021 respectively. Yet overall they remain two of the countries with the highest numbers of killings in the world since 2012.

Highlights from Global Witness report

Around 200 Land and Environmental Defenders were killed in 2021  nearly four people a week

Over three-quarters of the attacks recorded in 2021 took place in Latin America

Nearly 40 per cent of all attacks reported were against Indigenous people

Mexico recorded the highest number of killings in 2021

Brazil and India both saw a rise in lethal attacks in 2021

50 of the victims killed in 2021 were small-scale farmers

Around 1 in 10 of the defenders recorded killed in 2021 were women, nearly two-thirds of whom were Indigenous

In Africa, the Democratic Republic of Congo remained the country with the highest number of attacks  eight defenders were killed there in 2021. All eight of these killings were in Virunga National Park, which remains extremely dangerous for the park rangers protecting it.

The organisation began collecting data on attacks against those defending land and the environment in 2012 and found that the control and use of land and territory is a central issue in countries where defenders are threatened.

Much of the increasing killing, violence and repression is linked to territorial conflicts and the pursuit of economic growth based on the extraction of natural resources from the land, it states.

Indian protesters hold placards and shout slogans during a demonstration against the killings of protesters in Tuticorin, in Chennai in 2018 (AFP/Getty)

The research has also highlighted that Indigenous communities in particular face a disproportionate level of attacks  nearly 40 per cent  even though they make up only 5 per cent of the worlds population.

However, the research found that the figures also do not capture the true scale of the problem, as tightened control on media has led to severe underreporting in some countries where environmental defenders are most vulnerable.

Research has also found that few perpetrators of killings are rarely ever brought to justice due to the failures of governments to properly investigate these crimes.

While a majority of these attacks are not properly investigated or reported on, a big proportion of these attacks were linked to sectors like mining and infrastructure, including large-scale agribusiness and hydroelectric dams.

Many authorities ignore or actively impede investigations into these killings often due to alleged collusion between corporate and state interests, the report says.

All over the world, Indigenous peoples, environmental activists and other land and environmental defenders risk their lives for the fight against climate change and biodiversity loss. They play a crucial role as a first line of defence against ecological collapse, yet are under attack themselves facing violence, criminalisation and harassment perpetuated by repressive governments and companies prioritising profit over human and environmental harm.

a spokesperson for Global Witness said

With democracies increasingly under attack globally and worsening climate and biodiversity crises, this report highlights the critical role of defenders in solving these problems, a spokesperson for Global Witness said, adding that the organisation makes an urgent appeal for global efforts to protect and reduce attacks against them.

Apart from killings, the report also reveals a number of tactics being used to silence them, like death threats, surveillance, sexual violence, or criminalisation  and that these kinds of attacks are even less well reported.

The report concluded that in view of the challenges in reporting such incidents, it almost certainly means that the figures are an underestimate and the real picture is much worse.
A government panel has recommended that President Biden declassify the full intelligence report on the 2018 murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, the Wall Street Journal reported.

The Journal reported on Thursday that the Public Interest Declassification Board, a group of experts that advocate for increased transparency with national security information, made the recommendation in June, a few weeks before Biden visited Saudi Arabia and met with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

A declassified report released in February 2021 revealed the U.S. intelligence concluded the Saudi crown prince was responsible for ordering Khashoggi, a Washington Post columnist, to be captured or killed.

The Journals report is based on documents and interviews with people familiar with the matter. The Journal reported that it could not determine what information is included in the report that has not already been publicized.

Biden said he brought up Khashoggis death in a conversation with the crown prince during the presidents visit to Saudi Arabia in July. Biden campaigned on making Saudi Arabia a pariah for Khashoggis murder but signaled his administration is softening its position with his trip to the Middle Eastern country.

The White House did not immediately return a request from The Hill for comment.

The Journal reported that Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) asked the panel to review the report in September 2020. The review started in November 2021, and the committee voted that the report be completely declassified.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Coolio died at age 59 on September 28, 2022. Its reasonable to wonder how Coolio died and what his cause of death was given that the life expectancy of men in the United States is 78 (that number is lower for Black individuals at 74). The rapper, most famous for Gangstas Paradise, released in 1995, passed away suddenly at the Los Angeles home of his friend and longtime manager Jarez Posey.

Coolio was born Artis Leon Ivey Jr. in Pennsylvania south of Pittsburgh in August 1963. He moved to Compton, California, and fell into the drug scene as a young adult, but pulled himself out of it by becoming a volunteer firefighter. Coolio also held a job as security at Los Angeles International Airport before becoming a rapper full-time and making a significant mark on the underground scene. His first single was released in 1987 titled Whatcha Gonna Do? but signing with Tommy Boy Records in 1994 was when his career began to take off. It Takes a Thief was Coolios debut solo record and the lead single Fantastic Voyage peaked at Number 3 on the Billboard Top 100 charts. It also received heavy rotation on MTV (arguably the Golden Age of the network) and became one of the biggest rap singles of the year.

Video: Rapper Coolio dead at 59

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Coolios most significant hit came with the song Gangstas Paradise, which was released in 1995 and featured R&B singer L.V. for the film Dangerous Minds. It sat at the top of the Billboard Hot 100 for three weeks and continues to be one of the most enduring tracks of all time. It was even covered by musical comedian Weird Al Yankovic, which caused controversy because Coolio claimed Yankovic never sought permission to make his parody Amish Paradise. The Grammy winner was confident in his legacy. I think at the end of the day when its all said and done, Ill be held in the top ten hip hop performers in history, he told GrooveOn magazine in 2009. Coolios success also makes his early death that much more surprising. So how did Coolio Die and what was his cause of death? Read on for what we know.

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How did Coolio die and what was his cause of death?

How did Coolio die? Though his cause of death has not officially been released, its believed he died of a heart attack. According to CNN, emergency responders answered a call at 4 p.m. local time for a medical emergency, they found Coolio unresponsive and performed resuscitation efforts for approximately 45 minutes, Erik Scott of the Los Angeles Fire Department confirmed. The patient was determined dead just before 5:00 p.m. Forty to 50 percent of heart attacks present with a fatal event, according to Dr. Chawla on LiveWell. People ignore symptoms, which are usually taking place for weeks or months before finally having a heart attack with complete blockage. At that point, the heart isnt getting blood and it can go into a life-threatening rhythm, which presents as cardiac arrest.

Coolios talent manager Sheila Finegan confirmed the rappers death to CNN in a statement expressing their sadness and acknowledging his legacy. We are saddened by the loss of our dear friend and client, Coolio, who passed away this afternoon, Coolios talent manager Sheila Finegan told the news outlet. He touched the world with the gift of his talent and will be missed profoundly. Thank you to everyone worldwide who has listened to his music and to everyone who has been reaching out regarding his passing. Please have Coolios loved ones in your thoughts and prayers.

Michelle Pfeiffer, who starred in Dangerous Minds, the film that featured the Grammy-winning song Gangstas Paradise, led tributes on social media at news of the rappers death. Heartbroken to hear of the passing of the gifted artist @coolio. A life cut entirely too short, she wrote on Instagram with a clip from the movie. As some of you may know I was lucky enough to work with him on Dangerous Minds in 1995. He won a Grammy for his brilliant song on the soundtrack  which I think was the reason our film saw so much success. I remember him being nothing but gracious. 30 years later I still get chills when I hear the song. Sending love and light to his family. Rest in Power, Artis Leon Ivey Jr.

In an interview with the Los Angeles Times in 1994, Coolio said he wasnt looking to make it big in the music industry. I wasnt looking for a career, I was looking for a way to clean up  a way to escape the drug thing, he said. It was going to kill me and I knew I had to stop. In firefighting training was discipline I needed. We ran every day. I wasnt drinking or smoking or doing the stuff I usually did.

Coolios Grammy win came in 1996 at the height of a fierce feud between East and Westcoast hip-hop communities, that would take the lives of Tupac Shakur and The Notorious B.I.G. soon after. Coolio used his Grammy speech as a call for peace to unite the two groups in a truce. Id like to claim this Grammy on behalf of the whole hip-hop nation, West Coast, East Coast, and worldwide, united we stand, divided we fall. In 2022, the song reached a milestone of one billion views on YouTube. Its one of those kinds of songs that transcends generations, he said in an interview shortly before his death. I didnt use any trendy wordsI think it made it timeless.

Image: Atria Books

Buy: Cookin With Coolio 5 Star Meals at a 1 Star Price $13.15

You know Coolios music, but did you know he also loved to cook? He started making 30-minute meals as a 10-year-old and developed his own fusion cuisine which he called Ghetto Gourmet. Cookin with Coolio features 76 recipes that are easy to make, quicker than ordering take-out and best of all, affordable ingredients. These are solid comfort foods that dont break the bank. Expect instructions on Soul Scrolls and Fall-Off-the-Bone-and-into-Your-Mouth Chicken as well as how to become a Kitchen Pimp. According to the books rave reviews, its a fun read, down-to-earth, and full of colorful and innuendo-laden language (not for kids). If youre a fan of Coolio and achievable meals everyone will enjoy, you cant go past this book.

Our mission at STYLECASTER is to bring style to the people, and we only feature products we think youll love as much as we do. Please note that if you purchase something by clicking on a link within this story, we may receive a small commission from the sale.

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A house ad in the Republic from 1969 promotes the column of Paul Dean.

Paul Dean, a globetrotting journalist who spent 15 years as a reporter and columnist for The Arizona Republic, has died. He was 88.

Dean was among the first reporters sent to the Hotel Clarendon in June 1976, when word that a bomb detonated under the car of Republic reporter Don Bolles. An editor told Dean to aggressively stay on the story of the assassination of his friend and colleague.

Dean suffered a stroke after returning from a trip to Europe with his family, according to his wife, Penny Pfaelzer. On the trip, he visited France and the United Kingdom, where he was born.

Dean was born in London during World War II. He worked for the United Press International in Canada before moving to Arizona in 1964.

In August 1965, Dean reported on a battalion of U.S. Marines in Vietnam, some of whom were from Arizona. In 1968, he took an Arizona flag to a Mesa soldier stationed in Antarctica. In 1978, he reported from Belfast on how an uneasy peace was returning to northern Ireland after 10 years of war.

Dean started a five-day a week column in May 1969.

On June 2, 1976, word reached The Republic newsroom that a vehicle belonging to one of the newspapers reporters had been blown up outside the Hotel Clarendon.

"Paul, get over here," the city editor Bob Early said. Dean scrambled between desks to get to Early, recalled an assistant editor in a 2019 interview. Early told Dean to get on this and stay on this until you hear different.

A photograph shows Republic columnist Paul Dean interviewing a witness to the 1976 car bombing of reporter Don Bolles

The next days edition of The Republic would have the interviews that Dean scrambled to get: The receptionist at the hotels front desk, who remembered Bolles taking a call there. A woman who lived in a nearby apartment, who rushed over with gauze pads. A man who used his belt as a tourniquet around Bolles' leg.

Dean, in a 2019 interview with The Republic, provided insight into the final years of Bolless life as part of a podcast based on recordings of interviews Bolles had made. The recordings had been locked in a filing cabinet. The tapes revealed how Bolles was incensed at the owners of a dog racing track whom he believed had wiretapped his home.

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In later years, Bolles stopped writing about the racing industry and doing investigative reporting. He had been assigned to the Capitol.

It was unclear whether Bolles asked for that beat, or whether he was moved there to settle lawsuits filed by the dog track owners against the newspaper.

Dean described his friend in those years as a lightly saddened man.

The stylized pencil drawing that ran with the columns of Paul Dean in The Arizona Republic.

There were thems who say he wanted to go to the statehouse, Dean said. I dont think he wanted to go there for a moment.

Dean left The Republic in 1979 for a job with the Los Angeles Times.

His final column was published on Jan. 28, 1979. Its headline noted Deans count of his work: A writer says goodbye  after 3,000 columns.

Dean said his decision to move out of Phoenix was tough. [Y]esterday until today has built a warm, full partnership with a newspaper to respect, a city to love and a state to worship, he wrote.

Readers sent in letters expressing their admiration for his work.

To say we will only miss him is an understatement, a February 1979 letter from Bruce Daugherty of Phoenix read. Over the years, through his columns, he has become a much loved and trusted friend, as close as a cherished relative.

Dean is survived by his wife, Pfaelzer, son, P.J., daughters Robin and Lee, and in-laws and grandchildren. No public service has been planned.

Reach the reporter at richard.ruelas@arizonarepublic.com

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Paul Dean, a former columnist who reported on Bolles murder, has died
FIRST ON FOX: Former Vice-President Mike Pence, on a trip to Guatemala Wednesday, has stressed that the U.S. alone cannot end its migrant crisis and needs the help of the very nations from which the migrants travel.

"When I visited Guatemala in 2018, I said, This crisis cannot be solved by America alone," Pence said during a speech to the Guatemala Prospera Conference in Guatemala City. "I pointed out that weak economies, corruption, drugs, and violence are the root causes of this crisis."

"So today, I ask for your renewed help and cooperation: Keep telling your fellow citizens that coming to the United States illegally will only result in a hard journey and a harder life. Keep cracking down on corruption, criminal groups and gang violence," he added. "Strengthen your borders and your frontier police, and tear down the barriers to opportunities and jobs."

During his first visit to Guatemala, he promised to work toward a stronger relationship between the two countries, even as the migrant crisis weighed upon the U.S. southern border.

BORDER CRISIS COVERAGE IN PAST YEAR DWARFED BY CBS, NBC, ABC INTEREST IN DESANTIS MARTHA'S VINEYARD STORY

Four years later, Pence applauded the progress made by the Trump administration and largely laid blame for a resurgent migrant crisis  which has seen historic numbers of migrants try to enter the U.S.  at the feet of the Biden administration.

"Though it pains me to say so, I must admit that most of the blame for the migration crisis lies with the current administration of the United States, which has essentially adopted a policy of open borders," Pence said.

NINTH CIRCUIT SAYS CALIFORNIA'S BAN ON PRIVATE ICE DETENTION FACILITIES IS UNCONSTITUTIONAL

"On his very first day in office, our president suspended many of the successful border policies of our administration  policies that reduced illegal immigration 90%: They suspended deportations nationwide, shut down construction on the border wall, canceled the Remain in Mexico policy and proposed amnesty for millions of illegal immigrants currently residing in the United States," he continued. "Tragically, those actions sent a message to millions of migrants in Central and South America, and illegal migration skyrocketed overnight."

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TOPSHOT - Venezuelan citizens cross the Simon Bolivar international bridge from San Antonio del Tachira in Venezuela to Norte de Santander province of Colombia on February 10, 2018. Oil-rich and once one of the wealthiest countries in Latin America, Venezuela now faces economic collapse and widespread popular protest. / AFP PHOTO / GEORGE CASTELLANOS (Photo credit should read GEORGE CASTELLANOS/AFP via Getty Images)

The U.S. and Guatemala have built a strong trade relationship over the past decade, increasing exports and imports by billions: U.S. exports to Guatemala in 2018 totaled around $6.6 billion and rose to over $8 billion in 2022.

BIDEN TEAM WANTS PSYCHOLOGICAL TESTS FOR PARENTS WHO WERE SEPARATED FROM KIDS AT BORDER

But the migrant crisis casts a shadow over that otherwise strengthened relationship. Pence admitted that criminal cartels play a significant role in exacerbating the crisis.

"I can and do hold the criminal cartels responsible for exacerbating the migration crisis, for spreading death and destruction, and for profiting off of human misery," Pence said.

"I am more convinced than ever that the key to a brighter future for Guatemala lies with ending human smuggling," he added. "If we end the human smuggling trade, we will financially destroy the transnational criminal organizations that profit from it."
More than 100,000 people have signed a government petition calling for an immediate general election to end the chaos of the current government.

101,500 people signed the petition on Thursday, passing the 100,000 threshold needed for the motion to be considered for a debate in parliament.

The petition was launched before Kwasi Kwartengs mini-Budget on Friday, which subsequently prompted the pound to drop to a record low against the dollar and rare interventions from the IMF and the Bank of England.

The chaos engulfing the UK government is unprecedented, petition organiser Darrin Charlesworth said.

War rages in Ukraine; the Northern Ireland Protocol has further damaged our relationship with Europe; recession looms; the UK itself may cease to exist as Scotland seeks independence. This is the greatest set of challenges we have seen in our lifetimes, the organiser added before calling for the public to decide who leads us through this turmoil.

After days of silence, prime minister Liz Truss on Thursday insisted her mini-Budget package is the right plan, despite the turmoil in the markets which followed.

She said the package unveiled by the chancellor on Friday has put this country on a better trajectory for the long-term, but admitted that higher growth will not come overnight.

In a round of interviews with BBC local radio stations, she blamed the global situation - including the war in Ukraine - for the UKs economic problems.

But on BBC Radio Bristol, presenter James Hanson retorted: This isnt just about Putin. Your chancellor on Friday opened up the stable door and spooked the horses so much you can almost see the economy being dragged behind them.

Short of a call for an early general election, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer on Wednesday urged Ms Truss to recall parliament to address the financial crisis after the Bank of Englands announcement that it was buying government bonds to calm the market.

The move by the Bank of England is very serious, Sir Keir said at the Labour conference. And I think many people will now be extremely worried about their mortgage, about prices going up, and now about their pensions.

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The government has clearly lost control of the economy.

Liz Truss responded to market turmoil after days of silence (Getty Images)

He added: What the government needs to do now is recall parliament and abandon this budget before any more damage is done.

Liberal Democrats also said parliament should be recalled to discuss action on ensuring financial stability. Lib Dems spokesperson called the government totally blinded by ideology amid the market turmoil.

Truss and Kwarteng have been in government for three weeks and the IMF has already been forced to issue a statement on their reckless economic policy, Ms Olney said.

Scotlands first minister Nicola Sturgeon said the Commons should be recalled to address the economic turmoil.

She said the UK was in the grip of (a) rapidly deteriorating economic crisis. The emergency intervention by the Bank of England to reduce damage from the governments policies was extraordinary, she said before adding where even is PM as she called for conference recess to be curtailed.

On 20 September, the government responded to the petition: The UK is a parliamentary democracy and the Conservative Party remains the majority party. The prime minister has pledged to ensure opportunity and prosperity for all people and future generations.
Sep. 29WASHINGTON  Congressman August Pfluger (TX-11) and State Representative Brooks Landgraf (R-Odessa) released the following statements following reports of busses dropping off migrants in Ector County at a Pilot Convenience Store on I-20.

Congressman August Pfluger stated: "I am aware of the reports that illegal migrants are being dropped off in West Odessa, and am coordinating with CBP and ICE to investigate the claims. If the Biden Administration is dropping off migrants in Odessa, I will work vigorously to put an end to it. The Biden Administration has abandoned Texas. The President's policies have encouraged more than 4.2 million illegal migrants, including known terrorists and convicted drug criminals, to cross the southern border. The Permian Basin should not be forced to pay the price for President Biden's border crisis. I will continue working closely with Sheriff Mike Griffis and Representative Brooks Landgraf to make sure Odessans are safe and informed."

Rep. Brooks Landgraf stated: "The open border policies of the Biden Administration are utterly inhumane, leading to deaths of immigrants at the southern border every single day and recklessly putting the safety of communities in our own state at risk. The recent report of bused illegal immigrants being dropped off in West Odessa in the middle of the night is a disturbing development that is completely unacceptable. Congressman August Pfluger, Sheriff Mike Griffis and I are actively working together with state and federal officials to investigate the entity responsible for this operation and most importantly to ensure the safety of Odessans. Until President Biden decides to uphold immigration laws passed by Congress, the State of Texas will continue utilizing every tool available to secure the border and keep Texans safe."
By Jonathan Stempel

(Reuters) -A $117 million settlement has been reached with former PG&E Corp executives and directors who were accused in a lawsuit of lax oversight of the utility's safety measures prior to the 2017 North Bay and 2018 Camp fires, two of California's most destructive wildfires.

The settlement was announced on Thursday by the PG&E Fire Victim Trust, which compensates victims of fires that the parent of Pacific Gas & Electric started between 2015 and 2018.

Frank Pitre, a lawyer for the trust, in a statement said the settlement was among the largest of its type, and that money will be used to pay the "vast majority" of claims held by federal agencies that helped battle the fires.

PG&E assigned the trust the right to pursue claims against the executives and directors when the utility emerged from Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2020.

More than 48,800 fire victims have already received $4.91 billion in payments. Insurers often cover settlement payments by corporate officers and directors.

In a statement, PG&E called the settlement a "step forward" in its effort to resolve issues predating its January 2019 bankruptcy.

The North Bay fires, sometimes called the Wine Country fires, broke out in October 2017 in Napa, Sonoma and nearby counties. They caused at least 44 deaths, burned more than 245,000 acres (990 sq km), and damaged or destroyed many wineries.

Thirteen months later, the upstate Camp Fire killed 85 people, burned more than 153,000 acres, and destroyed most of Paradise, California, a town that had about 26,000 people. It remains the state's deadliest and most destructive wildfire.

The trust said the North Bay Fires could have been prevented had PG&E cut off power sooner, while the Camp Fire was caused by PG&E's failure to inspect and maintain its aging equipment and infrastructure.

Pitre said the bankruptcy court requires that some settlements be used to satisfy federal agency claims.

(Reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New York; Editing by David Gregorio and Marguerita Choy)
Masa Madre co-owners Tamar Fasja Unikel, left, and Elena Vazquez Felgueres with their baked goods, including round challah, dark chocolate, pistachio cardamom, and churro babka and conchas, at The Hatchery on Sept. 28, 2022. The virtual bakery specializes in Jewish and Mexican baked goods. (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune)

Chicago has its fair share of Mexican panaderias and Jewish bakeries, a testament to the vibrant communities that have settled here over the years.

But one East Garfield Park bakery is embracing the confluence of these cultures with its offerings based on the most delicious aspects of both cultures rich food traditions.

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Masa Madre is an artisanal bakery offering fresh challah, babka (a spongy sweet Eastern European bread), cookies and conchas infused with flavors from Mexican and Jewish cuisines. Items on the menu include tres leches babka, with swirls of cajeta, and vanilla conchas made with challah dough and filled with nata, or mascarpone cream.

This year, Masa Madre is once again offering a holiday box with amaranth challah, a mini churro-flavored babka loaf and honey from North Lawndales Hive Supply, to offer a symbolic food for a sweet new year as is traditionally done for Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur.

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Over the weekend, co-founders Elena Vazquez Felgueres and Tamar Fasja Unikel worked through hundreds of orders to keep up with holiday demand. But their journey together as baking business owners began four years ago, before the COVID-19 pandemic forced many restaurants to rely on online orders and carefully curated drops.

Masa Madre's challah at The Hatchery. (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune)

From a home-based operation that took orders on Instagram, Vazquez Felgueres and Fasja Unikel have built Masa Madre out of The Hatchery in East Garfield Park, with plans to open a brick-and-mortar location next year. They want more space than the kitchen theyre currently working out of, where guests can sit down and enjoy simple foods that combine their Mexican and Jewish heritages. And they want to offer individual slices of their babka, challah and small orders of other pastries without sacrificing their efforts to be sustainable.

Local Foods in Bucktown and Andale Market in Andersonville both keep Masa Madre pastries on shelves, and customers can pick up orders from a handful of partnering businesses across the city. They deliver in Chicago and the suburbs, and recently started shipping orders nationwide. As theyve grown, theyve taken their loyal following with them.

And as much as we offer a mix of flavors, were also offering just a really good challah and a really good babka, Fasja Unikel said. So making those pastries and elevating them has been a thing that people have really resonated with.

The bakery tries to use locally sourced ingredients when possible, Vazquez Felgueres said, such as the flour and eggs they use for their cookies. While the kitchen uses kosher ingredients, Masa Madre is not kosher certified, but they hope to provide that in the new location.

Vazquez Felgueres and Fasja Unikel are originally from Mexico City, where they met in fashion school more than a decade ago. Years later, their partners both relocated to Chicago, and they reconnected.

Masa Madre co-owners Tamar Fasja Unikel, left, and Elena Vazquez Felgueres with their baked goods on Sept. 28, 2022. (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune)

Fasja Unikel was a food blogger and taught cooking classes. She also had a bakery in Mexico City, but didnt really know how to do it here in Chicago, she said. Vazquez Felgueres went to culinary school and worked in bakeries in Spain and Mexico City. Once she started working in Chicago, the burnout convinced her she never wanted to work in a bakery again.

And then (Fasja Unikel) came up with this idea. And at first I was like, No, its not what I want to do,  Vazquez Felgueres said. But then we realized that if we open our own business, we could create our own schedule, and our own workload.

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The two left their previous jobs in 2019 to focus on Masa Madre full time. Since then, the business has grown to include four more bakers, a driver and an assistant.

Both women say they were heavily influenced by their mothers and grandmothers traditions of baking together and preparing elaborate family meals.

Weve always leaned on them to tell us how to make something better, Vazquez Felgueres said.

Fasja Unikel comes from a Jewish family in Mexico City and her grandmother founded the Jewish bakery Hadasa Gourmet there almost 50 years ago. Its always something in my mind that inspires me, she said.

Jewish immigration to Mexico peaked from the end of the 19th century to the beginning of the 20th century, and communities continue to thrive in Mexico City, Guadalajara, Monterrey and Tijuana.

They were telling their relatives to come to Mexico because it was surprisingly a very good place for them, Fasja Unikel said. And I think a big part was the culture and the fact that people always gather around food; the fact that family is super important in both cultures, and that food is always the way to get people together and family together.

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Initially Masa Madre was sourdough-focused, but the process became too cumbersome. Fasja Unikel perfected her babka-making skills, and the focus grew to be babka and challah, with plans to expand their offerings of Mexican pastries, including conchas.

Masa Madre conchas (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune)

With no shortage of holidays to base new pastry recipes off throughout the year, Fasja Unikel and Vazquez Felgueres find new ways to be creative. Theyve put their own spin on Purim hamantaschen pastries by stuffing them with Mexican candy, topped the Dia de los Muertos classic treat pan de muerto with orange zest, and have filled sufganiyot with dulce de leche for Hanukkah.

Vazquez Felgueres and Fasja Unikel are using Masa Madres success in Chicago to advance causes they back, such as raising money for a South Side LGBTQ center and supporting Ukrainian refugees, through their baked goods. Masa Madre has also partnered with Mexican artist and human rights activist Macedonia Blas Flores, whose hand-embroidered challah coverings can be ordered on Masa Madres website.

Were more than just a bakery; were real people, Vazquez Felgueres said. And I think people can connect to that. Were just trying to make a good product and a good company.

Masa Madre, hellomasamadre.com

lazu@chicagotribune.com

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A Pittsburgh couple was supposed to get married on Marco Island this week but now theyve had to postpone due to Hurricane Ian. However, the bride tells Channel 11 thats not her biggest concern.

We have so many friends that are already down there that were waiting for us, they went early and made a trip, said Lisa Mehalick.

At least 20 of Mehalicks wedding guests are already on Marco Island ahead of the weekends festivities.

Officials there are declaring a state of emergency and telling everyone to stay off the roads and to shelter in place.

They are down there without power, their generator is going already, its bad.

All in all, Mehalick says a wedding can always be rescheduled. She tells Channel 11, right now, her focus is for the safety of all who find themselves in the path of Hurricane Ian.

Im worried about them. Truly. Ill be fine. This is a correctable situation as far as postponing a wedding, I can deal with that all day long, but Im worried about my friends that are down there braving the storm. That part is not good, said Mehalick.

Mehalick says she was able to get refunds from her wedding vendors, and shes willing to help any of her guests who arent able to be reimbursed for travel and hotel costs.

Stay with 11 News as we continue to track Hurricane Ian.

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TRENDING NOW:

Gangstas Paradise rapper Coolio dead at 59 Former Pittsburgh entrepreneur sentenced to prison time for defrauding government Kennywood Park officials release new security measures for first weekend open since triple shooting VIDEO: Remembering Judah Samet: Holocaust, Tree of Life Synagogue Shooting survivor dies at 84 DOWNLOAD the Channel 11 News app for breaking news alerts
Despite declining student enrollment in Chicago Public Schools and lingering concerns from neighborhood groups, the Chicago Board of Education on Wednesday narrowly approved a plan to purchase land and take the first steps toward building a proposed $120 million Near South Side high school.

The board voted 4-3 in support of buying property at 23rd Street and Wabash Avenue for $10.3 million to exchange with the Chicago Housing Authority, which would lease to the board a 1.7-acre site at 2450 S. State St.  once the site for the former Ickes Homes public housing complex  for the high school.

The board also approved authorizing the Public Building Commission to perform project planning and design services at a cost of $5 million.

I knew this would be a pretty hefty conversation, but we needed to have it, said CPS CEO Pedro Martinez, a strong supporter of the plan to build the new high school, which he said should not be delayed.

A big part of a CEOs job is to see the bigger picture, Martinez said. You always have to address the immediate needs while addressing a long-term plan.

But board member Sendhil Revuluri, who voted against the plan, remained unconvinced, and questioned how building the new high school was part of the districts strategic plan.

Why now? And where is the money coming from? Revuluri said.

Board member Elizabeth Todd-Breland, who also voted in opposition to the proposal, said the plan does not make sense in a system experiencing declining enrollment.

I dont think this project should jump the line, Todd-Breland said. We should be re-imagining our existing schools to meet the needs of our families.

The high school would be paid for with $50 million in state funding that has been re-appropriated a few times, and $70 million previously announced for a Near West Side high school that was never built. The lease between the CHA and CPS would be for 55 years, with the option of two 20-year extensions.

The proposal was removed from the agenda of the June board meeting, where several members expressed concerns.

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Chinatown leaders say the school, which would serve South Loop, Chinatown and Bridgeport students, is desperately needed in an area that has seen significant growth.

Local groups and elected officials who want to see existing schools supported instead of a new one built  or who think public or affordable housing is the proper use for the land in question  have long spoken out against the project. But the controversy didnt stop CPS from pursuing the plans, which also has had the support of Mayor Lori Lightfoot. In June she said the folks at Chinatown have been begging for a neighborhood high school for quite some time now and that data suggested it wouldnt diminish enrollment at nearby existing secondary schools.

Chicago Tribunes Alice Yin contributed.

kcullotta@chicagotribune.com

tswartz@tribpub.com
OAKLAND, Calif. (AP)  Two adult students and four school workers were shot and wounded at an Oakland school campus in a gang-related attack that officials said Thursday was perpetrated by at least two shooters who fired more than 30 rounds.

Oakland Police Chief LeRonne Armstrong said a student counselor, a security guard, two students and two workers who were at Rudsdale High School were wounded after two suspects breached the school and immediately opened fire around 12:45 p.m. Wednesday. He said a third suspect drove a getaway car. No arrests have been made.

We thank God that many more students were not injured as a result of this action, he said.

Surveillance video shows the shooters entered the school and identified an individual or individuals that they were looking to target, and began to fire, Armstrong said.

He said detectives are still trying to determine if any of those wounded were the intended targets.

John Sasaki, a spokesperson for Oakland Unified School District, declined to say whether the entrance door to the school was supposed to be unlocked.

Armstrong said officers didn't wait to enter the school and that when they arrived, there was a need for keys to enter certain classrooms.

Our officers did not wait to receive keys, they used breaching tools in order to enter every classroom and conduct a thorough search of the entire campus to ensure no individuals were barricaded on the campus and the entire campus was safe," he said.

Three of the victims remain hospitalized on Thursday, two in serious condition and the other in stable condition, he said. Armstrong declined to say who remained hospitalized, citing the need to protect their safety.

Rudsdale High School has a continuation program for 16- to 18-year-old students who are at risk of not graduating from a regular high school. It also has a newcomer program that serves recent immigrants ages 16-21 who have fled violence and instability in their home countries, according to the schools website.

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Armstrong declined to say which program the wounded students attended.

Rudsdale is one of four adjacent schools located on a block in east Oakland. One of the schools has no students on campus. The other two immediately went into lockdown when reports of the shooting began, officials with the Oakland Unified School District said. Classes were suspended at all the schools on Thursday.

Asked if there have been other violent incidents at the schools, Armstrong said that in August officers made an arrest at the sprawling campus known as King Estate after an incident involving a stabbing and a firearm.
Police said they detained a 14-year-old who was involved in making threats to shoot students at Edison High School in Fresno on Thursday.

Police tweeted around 8:15 a.m. that they made contact with the teen  eliminating any threat  but would be beefing up patrols in the area.

Sgt. Diana Trueba Vega said it was not immediately clear if the person making the threat was an Edison High student, but that he had been detained.

Someone made police aware of a social media post in which the person made threats, and student resource officers and officials with Fresno Unified School District got involved, Trueba Vega said.

Police Chief Paco Balderrama said investigators were working to determine where the teen was enrolled, and said officers had not determined if the teen had access to a gun. The chief said the incident was not a viable threat.

The safety of our kids is our top priority, Balderrama said. We do have to focus all of our resources until its determined not a threat.

The teen may not have written the actual threat on social media, Balderrama said, but he was definitely involved.

In an email obtained by the Ed Lab, Edison High Principal Joey Munoz said that as soon as his team was made aware of the threat, they reported it to law enforcement.

The front of Edison High School in Fresno which was the subject of a shooting threat posted on social media that resulted in the arrest of a 14-year-old.

The Fresno Police Department tweeted that the department began investigating immediately after they learned of the threat.

PD is increasing their presence in the area, and we will have added FUSD safety at Edison today, said FUSD spokesperson Nikki Henry in a text to The Bees Education Lab.

Theres no current threat to Edison or any other Fresno Unified school, she said.

This threat comes a day after a shooting at an Oakland campus that left six injured.

Fresno police responded to another shooting threat reported at Bullard High School earlier in September, although that report proved to be a hoax. Schools in Santa Barbara, Stockton, Chula Vista and Santa Rosa also received similar hoax calls.

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Last week at Clovis High, a suspicious phone call also prompted officials to order students to shelter in classrooms as police officers investigated the campus. No credible threat against the school was found.

We are aware of the social media threat regarding Edison High School. We began investigating immediately and have the suspect detained. We will be increasing our presence around the school as a safety precaution. There is no current threat to the school. pic.twitter.com/kVXg4qWD9O  Fresno Police (@FresnoPolice) September 29, 2022
IRYNA BALACHUK  THURSDAY, 29 SEPTEMBER 2022, 14:26

Law enforcement officers have discovered another torture chamber of the occupiers in Kharkiv Oblast; the invaders set it up on the territory of one of the enterprises in the city of Vovchansk.

Source: National Police website

Quote: "It was established that the Russians set up a prison and a torture chamber on the territory of an enterprise, for local residents who did not support the occupiers and refused to cooperate with them.

According to witnesses, the Russian military held from 20 to 40 people in one cell of approximately 12 square metres in area. Instruments for torture, shackles, clamps, etc., were found in the room.

PHOT: npu.gov.ua

Details: The law enforcement officers established that in this place, the occupiers beat the prisoners [who were illegally held there], tortured them with electric currents, pulled out their nails and broke their fingers.

The dates of people's stay were written on the walls of the torture chamber. Also, one of the prisoners engraved a prayer on the wall of his cell.

The police are currently communicating with the locals who were under occupation, identifying the victims who were illegally held by the Russians in the torture chambers prison.

Criminal proceedings were opened under Art. 438 (violation of the laws and customs of war) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.

Background:

Serhii Panteleiev, First Deputy Chief of the Main Investigative Department of the National Police, said that law enforcement officers have found 18 places in Kharkiv Oblast where the occupiers had tortured Ukrainian citizens; and they established the identities of more than 1,000 Russian soldiers who had committed crimes in the occupied territories.

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Authorities are searching for a Cambridge teen who went missing over a month ago.

Naiomi Dasilva, 15, of Cambridge, was last seen at her home on August 19, 2022, according to Cambridge Police.

Officials say she was wearing black biker shorts and a black top the last time a family member saw her.

Dasilva is believed to be in the Providence, Rhode Island or greater Boston area.

Anyone with information about her whereabouts is asked to contact police.

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Oliver Blume, chief executive of Porsche, called the IPO a 'historic moment' as it looks to shift toward electric vehicles.. Photo: Kai Pfaffenbach/Reuters

Porsche (PAH3.DE) made its stock market debut in Frankfurt on Thursday following a spin-off from its parent company Volkswagen Group (VOW3.DE).

The listing is Germanys biggest initial public offering (IPO) in over a quarter of a century, and the second largest in the countrys history after Deutsche Telekom (DTE.DE) in 1996.

Before its first day as a public company, the luxury car maker closed its books on Wednesday just above its final price of 82.50 (73.77, $79.64) per share, which was at the top end of the range announced earlier this month. This gave Porsche a market cap of around 78bn.

Read more: Bank of England: What will the emergency action actually do?

Oliver Blume, the companys chief executive, called the IPO a historic moment as it looks to shift toward electric vehicles. By 2030 the group is aiming for 80% of its deliveries to be electric.

Today, a big dream comes true for Porsche, Blume said in a statement. Our increased degree of autonomy puts us in a very good position to implement our ambitious goals in coming years.

However, it has fallen from its debut price of 84, with early investors booking a loss thanks to market volatility and ongoing macroeconomic uncertainty.

Shares, which come without voting rights and remain closely tied to Volkswagen, are down 7.5% following their debut at the time of writing.

It comes as firms across continental Europe have raised the smallest amount this year since the 2009 global financial crisis at $44bn, of which only $4.5bn comes from IPOs, according to data from Refinitiv.

Victoria Scholar, head of investment at Interactive Investor said that Porsche is seen as the crown jewel of the VW Group.

Porsche hopes this flotation will help to fund its shift towards battery technology and become as successful as Ferraris IPO in 2015. However there are concerns that Blume is spreading himself too thinly with a dual role as CEO of Porsche and the head of Volkswagen.

Porsche 911 Sport Classic. Photo: Porsche

Meanwhile, Laura Hoy, equity analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown, said: Investors were keen to get into the drivers seat at Luxury carmaker Porsche with shares issued at the top end of the proposed range.

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"Despite ongoing worries about a ballooning cost of living crisis, investors are standing behind the groups proposition. Porsche caters to high-net-worth individuals, a population thats unlikely to feel much of a sting from cost of living increases."

Read more: Pound slides again as Carney accuses Truss of 'undercutting' Bank of England

She added: That means cars priced in the triple digits will continue to see sales growth as their more affordable counterparts stagnate."

"Theres some debate over whether or not Porsche is actually luxury given its most popular model starts at around 66,000, but with an average selling price steadily rising into the triple digits, Porsche is well on its way to rubbing elbows with the highest-tier carmakers if its not there already.

Watch: What are SPACs?
The proposal would reportedly ban Brooklyn Center police from pulling over motorists solely for infractions like expired tags or cracked windshields.

People of color make up 67% of those stopped for minor traffic offenses nationwide, and just over a year and a half after the death of Daunte Wright, a Minnesota city has introduced a proposal that bans such stops.

According to The Minneapolis Star Tribune, the Community Safety and Violence Prevention Implementation Committee  which was established in response to the death of Wright in 2021, and of Kobe Dimock-Heisler in 2019  has been working on recommendations for altering police policies.

The committee has now recommended that police in Brooklyn Center, approximately eight miles north of Minneapolis where both men were killed, be prohibited from stopping vehicles for minor traffic infractions, which is said to do nothing more than reduce public confidence in the authorities.

In this April 22, 2021 file photo, a mourner holds a program for the funeral services of Daunte Wright at Shiloh Temple International Ministries in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo: John Minchillo/APbe, Pool, File)

The main thing is to keep us from experiencing any more incidents of death or harm, committee member John Solomon told the council Tuesday during a presentation, according to The Star Tribune. We hope you recognize the importance of this moving forward.

Former Minnesota Police Officer Kimberly Potter fatally shot Wright, 20, on April 11, 2021, theGrio previously reported. In an incident that was recorded on her police body camera, Potter said she accidentally pulled her handgun instead of her Taser, leading to the shooting of Wright as he attempted to flee a traffic stop. She was subsequently arrested and criminally charged. In December 2021, Potter was convicted on two charges of manslaughter and given a two-year prison sentence.

According to The Star Tribune, the proposal would keep Brooklyn Center police from pulling over motorists solely for infractions that include expired tags, excessive window tinting, a noisy exhaust system or mufflers, inoperative wipers, cracked windshields or damaged, improperly used headlights, tail lights or turn signals. Patrol cars would still be able to stop drivers for dangerous activities, such as reckless driving and speeding, or if a vehicles equipment poses a dangerous condition.

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The sooner we get this done, the better, faith leader Julia Gibson Reeves said about enacting the recommendations, The Star Tribune reported. We dont need to sit through meetings and work sessions to figure this out. Now is the time to take action and save lives.

The committee also suggested that area police no longer be allowed to request drivers permission for a car search during a traffic stop unless there is reasonable suspicion and proof that the driver is connected to a crime.

There are times when people think they cant say no, said Council Member April Graves, a candidate for mayor, The Star Tribune noted.

Supporting evidence during the presentation included an article from the Journal of Ethnicity in Criminal Justices October 2021 issue that revealed Black male drivers were twice as likely as others to have an officer request a search during a traffic stop.

Solomon stressed the importance of focusing on more pressing issues, The Star Tribune reported, such as violent crime.

Excessive stops for minor equipment issues erode community trust in law enforcement, he added.

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The post Proposal bans traffic stops for minor infractions in city where cop killed Daunte Wright appeared first on TheGrio.
A Westwood man is facing charges of rape and murder in connection with two separate incidents that happened on the same night in August, according to the Hamilton County Prosecutor's Office.

Shawn Carter, 48, is charged with numerous counts including murder, felonious assault, tampering with evidence, rape, kidnapping and having weapons while under disability, prosecutors said.

He was indicted on murder charges in August, court records show. The rape and kidnapping indictment was filed Thursday, said Amy Clausing, a spokesperson for the prosecutor's office.

On Aug. 13, Carter stabbed Andre Dockery, 41, 30 times after an argument and fled the scene, prosecutors said in a news release.

Later that night, Carter was on Schiller Street in Mount Auburn when he approached a woman who was walking to her boyfriend's house, the release states, adding he pulled a handgun and threatened to kill the woman.

Prosecutors say he ordered her into a small wooded area where he raped her. The woman, who was being held at gunpoint, agreed to take Carter back to her apartment where she believed she could get to safety.

When the two entered the apartment, prosecutors say, Carter raped her a second time and fled the scene.

Carter was arrested by Cincinnati police three days later on murder charges. DNA testing identified him as the perpetrator of the rape, the release states.

Carter isn't allowed to carry a firearm due to a prior robbery conviction, prosecutors said.

Brian Goldberg, Carter's lawyer, declined to comment on the murder case, saying it's still in its early stages. Goldberg said he hasn't had a chance to review the rape and kidnapping charges, though Carter has maintained his innocence following Dockery's death.

Both of these crimes, on their own, are some of the most heinous facts I have seen," Hamilton County Prosecutor Joe Deters said in a statement. "To stab another human that many times is vicious. But to then go on in the same night and violently rape and kidnap a woman is inexplicable."

Carter faces a maximum sentence of life in prison if convicted on all charges. He's currently being held at the Hamilton County Justice Center on a $1 million bond.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Prosecutors: Westwood man stabbed other man, raped woman in same night
Bros cant win, probably, but its enjoyable, especially in its first hour, and the second hour has enough going on, and enough elemental romantic rooting interest, to excuse some detours.

As a probable first  its being marketed as the first major studio gay rom-com in the genially raunchy R-rated tradition of Trainwreck, Bridesmaids and Knocked Up  already it has spawned legions of homophobic trolls online. Since its Toronto International Film Festival premiere, it has also drawn more reasonable skeptics taking issue with its deployment of straight narrative tropes, right down to the montages, made all too palatable (the argument goes) for cis mainstream enjoyment.

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Clearly, the movie is too much not enough, and not enough too much. Bros is also sharp-witted and quick on its feet. Lanky, tightly wound Billy Eichner successfully modulates his Billy on the Street routine for a new context, and a comfortable expansion on the performer we saw in Hulus Difficult People.

Bobby, his character in Bros, is a successful podcast host and newly appointed director of an LGBTQ museum, about to open but already in financial straits. Its consuming, this endlessly demanding work life. Bobby has had his share of Grindr hookups along the way, but hes wary of anything too demanding, either of others or of himself.

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Billy Eichner (right) and Luke Macfarlane star in "Bros," a comedy about a podcast host/museum director and an attorney trying to figure out what they mean to each other. (Courtesy of Universal Pictures)

The same goes for Aaron (Luke Macfarlane), the small-town-boy-in-Manhattan beefcake attorney Bobby meets at a club one night. A dozen perplexing pop culture quips later, Aaron and Bobby sense that, despite their odd-couple differences, there is something there. Bros is about how these two men find it, back off from it and finally figure out if its worth it.

Theres a testy meet-the-parents scene, a good one, with Amanda Bearse of Married... with Children as Aarons straight-laced mother getting into it with Bobby about how soon is too soon for schoolchildren and sex ed. Here, Eichner handles the shift into a different sort of human comedy with real finesse. A later Provincetown, Massachusetts, sequence (a highlight of the somewhat attenuated second half) has Bobby revealing to Aaron a few clues to his emotional shell.

None of this is new, and wasnt new when Amy Schumer made Trainwreck. Much of Bros is pretty conventional. The more specific the satiric targets and relationship insights, the better it becomes. At its strongest, the film interrogates various kinds of gay masculinity and queer imaging, and treats both Bobby and Aaron as works in progress, as we all are.

[ In the best way, Bros could be Billy Eichners Trainwreck. He owes it all to his Northwestern years. ]

At one point Bobby lies on his couch at home, alone, watching another tiptoe-out-of-the-closet Hallmark holiday special (here relabeled Hallheart). The joke is so deft, you pray for it to turn into a recurring gag, or at least a two-parter. And then your prayers are answered. Nicholas Stoller, who found success previously directing Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Get Him to the Greek and others, has a broad streak, but also, more rewardingly, a dry one. A brief foursome scene  Aaron favors a wider range of partners and arrangements than Bobby  is introduced in a visually deadpan fashion, as a sly reveal.

Eichner makes Bros easy company, even when the character isnt easy, because he knows there is more than one side to even the most rabid pop culture fiend. And more than one way to score a laugh.

Bros  3 stars (out of 4)

MPAA rating: R (for strong sexual content, language throughout and some drug use)

Running time: 1:55

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How to watch: Premieres in theaters Sept. 29

Michael Phillips is a Tribune critic.

mjphillips@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @phillipstribune

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"UKRAINSKA PRAVDA"  THURSDAY, 29 SEPTEMBER 2022, 14:59

On 29 September, the police of the Republic of Tuva (Russia) detained nearly 20 women within just five minutes, as they participated in a protest rally against "partial mobilisation".

Source: Siberia. Realii referring to witnesses

Details: An all-women rally was held in Kyzyl, the capital of Tuva, in the Arata square; the participants chanted such slogans as "No to genocide!" and "No to mobilisation!". The protest was interrupted by the police five minutes after it began. In total, 20 women were detained. The local media report that the participants are being fingerprinted, and their personal information is being recorded.

Quote: "In the video, which Siberia.Realii managed to retrieve, three policemen are taking a woman away from the square by force, even though she was ready to leave willingly. A mother with a child in a stroller was detained as well; they were taken to the police station".

Background:

On 21 September in the morning, in an address to fellow Russians, Vladimir Putin, the President of Russia, announced "partial" mobilisation. Later, it was revealed that there is a secret clause in the order about mobilisation, which allowed the Ministry of Defence to draft over a million people, mostly from villages.

On 24 September, protests against the war in Ukraine and forced mobilisation of Russians were held in a number of Russian cities. Hundreds of people were detained.

Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron!
By Mark Trevelyan

LONDON (Reuters) -It was billed as a historic ceremony to expand Russia's borders, but President Vladimir Putin was in no hurry to get the treaties signed.

Before inking documents to annex four regions of Ukraine - in an act denounced as illegal by Ukraine, the United States, the European Union and the head of the United Nations - the Kremlin leader delivered a 37-minute anti-Western diatribe that veered across an astonishing range of topics.

He hailed Russia's historic military might, railed against Western colonialism and ranged across a series of events from the 19th-century Opium Wars to the U.S. nuclear bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, in a speech punctuated with applause and standing ovations.

He accused the "Satanic" West of rejecting morality and religion, launching into a tirade on the topic of gender identity.

"Do we really want to see perversions that lead to degradation and extinction be imposed on children in our schools from the earliest years, for it to be drilled into them that there are supposedly some genders besides women and men, and offered the chance to undergo sex change operations?" he asked, directing the question to "all citizens of Russia" as well as the assembled dignitaries in the Grand Kremlin Palace.

Missing from the speech - in a hall where Russian military heroes are commemorated with marble plaques engraved in gold - was any acknowledgement of Moscow's faltering war effort in Ukraine.

Even as Putin spoke, his forces 750 km (460 miles) to the south were being encircled in the Ukrainian city of Lyman, and Ukraine said Moscow would have to appeal to Kyiv if it wanted them to be allowed to leave.

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The Ukrainian army was "trying at all costs to spoil our historic events", complained Denis Pushilin, leader of the self-styled Russian-backed Donetsk People's Republic, hours before the start of the Kremlin ceremony.

There was only a fleeting reference from Putin to the subject uppermost on many Russians' minds - the chaotic partial mobilisation that he declared last week, which has prompted thousands of fighting-age men to flee the country.

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Despite the impressive choreography, with trumpet fanfares and high-stepping guards in dark blue uniforms, there were reminders that the annexation was rushed through in a manner that leaves many questions unanswered.

Russia controls only parts of the four Ukrainian regions it is annexing. At a briefing hours before the ceremony, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov was unable to say if it was claiming the whole of them or only those areas held by its troops.

With respect to the Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions, "I need to clarify this. I cannot answer this question", he said.

As with the 2014 seizure of Crimea, the annexations followed hastily conducted referendums in the occupied areas, which Ukraine and the West called sham, illegitimate exercises held at gunpoint. Even traditional Russian allies such as Serbia and Kazakhstan have declined to recognise them.

The taking of Crimea was popular with many Russians, but opinions on the streets of Moscow on Friday were divided.

"I think its very good, wonderful. Were all looking forward to having our new compatriots and fully support our governments actions and believe in victory," said one woman, Yevgeniya Zhdanova.

Another, Liliya Potapkina, said she took a negative view. "I am afraid of this situation. I dont understand it and so I dont approve of this," she said.

(Additional reporting by Vladimir Soldatkin, Alex Marrow, Felix Light, Kevin Liffey, Jake Cordell and Guy Faulconbridge, Writing by Mark Trevelyan; Editing by Guy Faulconbridge and Kevin Liffey)
LONDON (Reuters) -Russian President Vladimir Putin will on Friday begin formally annexing 15% of Ukrainian territory, presiding at a ceremony in the Kremlin to declare four Ukrainian regions part of Russia.

Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the ceremony would take place at 3 p.m. (1200 GMT) on Friday in the St George's (Georgievsky) Hall of the Grand Kremlin Palace to sign "agreements on the accession of new territories into the Russian Federation".

Agreements will be signed "with all four territories that held referendums and made corresponding requests to the Russian side", Peskov said.

Ukraine and the West have rejected the hastily arranged votes, held in the occupied Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions seven months after Russia's invasion, as illegitimate shams conducted at gunpoint.

Putin's decision to incorporate the regions into Russia means Moscow will annex an area of eastern and southern Ukraine roughly the size of Portugal to go along with the Crimean Peninsula, which it seized from Ukraine and declared part of Russia in 2014.

Following the signing ceremonies, Putin will give a major speech and meet with Moscow-appointed administrators of the Ukrainian regions.

The ceremony is part of a process in which Peskov said Putin would separately address the Russian parliament at a later stage.

A celebratory concert on Red Square is planned for Friday evening. Peskov said the media would be informed later whether Putin would attend.

(Reporting by Reuters; editing by Guy Faulconbridge and Kevin Liffey)
LONDON (Reuters) - Britain's Queen Elizabeth died of old age, according to her death certificate, which was published by the National Records of Scotland on Thursday.

Elizabeth, Britain's longest-reigning monarch, died peacefully at the age of 96 at Balmoral Castle, her summer home in the Scottish highlands, on Sept. 8.

The certificate records her time of death as 3.10 p.m. (1410 GMT)

Buckingham Palace had released a statement just after 12.30 p.m. that day to say doctors were concerned about the queen's health and that she would remain under medical supervision. Her death was officially announced at 6.30pm.

She had carried out her last official duty, appointing Liz Truss as prime minister, just two days earlier.

The queen, who spent 70 years on the throne, had been suffering from what Buckingham Palace had called "episodic mobility problems" since the end of last year, forcing her to withdraw from nearly all her public engagements.

The certificate shows her death was registered by her daughter, Princess Anne, on Sept. 16.

(Reporting by Kylie MacLellan; Editing by Kate Holton)
Queen Elizabeth's cause of death has been revealed.

The record-breaking monarch died of old age, according to a document published by National Records of Scotland on Thursday.

The Queen's time of death was also on the newly released document, listed as 3:10 p.m. on Sept. 8 at Balmoral Castle, the monarch's Scotland estate where she traditionally spent the late summer months. Her "usual residence" is stated to be Windsor Castle, where Queen Elizabeth used as her home base starting in 2020 amid the COVID-19 pandemic for the final years of her life.

Queen Elizabeth's daughter, Princess Anne, is listed as the informant of her death. Anne previously said in a statement, "I was fortunate to share the last 24 hours of my dearest Mother's life."

The late monarch's name is listed as "Elizabeth Alexandra Mary" with the surname "Windsor." Her occupation reads, "Her Majesty The Queen."

RELATED: Queen Elizabeth, the Longest-Reigning British Monarch, Dies at 96

queen elizabeth

National Records of Scotland

Buckingham Palace announced the death of Queen Elizabeth at age 96 in an official statement. "The Queen died peacefully at Balmoral this afternoon," the statement read.

Prince Philip, Queen Elizabeth's husband of 73 years who died at age 99 in April 2021, also died of old age, according to his death certificate.

Upon the Queen's passing, the United Kingdom  where she reigned for a record 70 years  mourned. Around the world, including in the other nations that called her the head of state or sovereign, her death was grieved by those to whom she was an unwavering fixture amid the turmoil of ever-changing times.

The loss was most profound for her large family, including her four children, eight grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.

Queen Elizabeth II is seen at the Chichester Theatre while visiting West Sussex on November 30, 2017

Stuart C. Wilson/Getty Queen Elizabeth II

In a statement released shortly after the news of her death, her eldest son King Charles III mourned the loss of his mother. Charles' firstborn son, Prince William, 40, is now next in line to the throne, followed by his firstborn son, Prince George, 9.

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In the statement from Buckingham Palace, the King, 73, said, "The death of my beloved Mother, Her Majesty The Queen, is a moment of the greatest sadness for me and all members of my family."

"We mourn profoundly the passing of a cherished Sovereign and a much-loved Mother," he continued. "I know her loss will be deeply felt throughout the country, the Realms and the Commonwealth, and by countless people around the world."

Prince Charles, queen elizabeth

John Stillwell-WPA Pool/Getty

RELATED: King Charles Mourns Mother Queen Elizabeth in Official Statement: 'Moment of the Greatest Sadness'

King Charles concluded, "During this period of mourning and change, my family and I will be comforted and sustained by our knowledge of the respect and deep affection in which The Queen was so widely held."

Ahead of the news of her death, Buckingham Palace said in a statement that "the Queen's doctors are concerned for Her Majesty's health and have recommended she remain under medical supervision," adding, "The Queen remains comfortable and at Balmoral."

Queen Elizabeth II waits in the Drawing Room before receiving newly elected leader of the Conservative party Liz Truss at Balmoral Castle

Jane Barlow - WPA Pool/Getty Images Queen Elizabeth on her final engagement - September 2022

RELATED: Inside Queen Elizabeth's Final Appearance Just Days Before Her Death

The Queen's death comes after a year of various health issues. In October 2021, she stepped out with a walking cane. The same month, she canceled a scheduled trip to Northern Ireland under medical advice from her doctors and spent a night in the hospital.

Queen Elizabeth also decided not to appear at the Remembrance Day ceremony in November due to a sprained back and did not celebrate a traditional Christmas with the royal family at Sandringham, partially due to the uptick in COVID-19 cases around the holidays.

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She tested positive for COVID-19 in February. She was being monitored for mild cold-like symptoms while continuing to carry on light duties, according to Buckingham Palace.

After the Queen appointed Liz Truss as the new prime minister of the United Kingdom at Balmoral Castle in Scotland on Sept. 6, two days before her death, Buckingham Palace announced the following day that the Queen would not preside over a scheduled Privy Council meeting so she could rest.

The monarch's state funeral was held at Westminster Abbey in London on Sept. 19, gathering 2,000 leaders and royals from around the world. The service was followed by a committal service at St. George's Chapel in Windsor Castle, where she was later buried in a private ceremony beside her husband Prince Philip, her father King George VI, her mother Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother and her sister Princess Margaret.
(Reuters) -The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) on Thursday asked investment firm Standard General to produce further information about its proposed $5.4 billion takeover of U.S. broadcaster Tegna Inc.

The FCC said it needed further information in order to review applications seeking consent to transfer control of Tegna's subsidiaries, which own several licenses, to Standard General.

Tegna, which owns 64 news brands in 51 U.S. markets, had agreed to be acquired by Standard General in a $5.4 billion all-cash deal in February.

Standard General "has consistently confirmed that its plans for post-closing Tegna do not involve station-level layoffs," the company said in a statement to Reuters.

Tegna did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Standard General, which is Tegna's third-largest shareholder, had nominated four members to the company's board in 2020, arguing the stock had underperformed and changes were needed.

Deb McDermott, currently the chief executive officer of Standard Media, will become CEO of Tegna.

"We just wish to be treated like everyone else," McDermott said on Thursday, referring to the FCC process.

The regulator, which had asked for other additional information in June, added that applicants were expected to respond to the information request before the Oct. 13 deadline.

(Reporting by Akash Sriram in Bengaluru; Additional reporting by Jyoti Narayan Editing by Krishna Chandra Eluri and Sherry Jacob-Phillips)
U.S. President Joe Bidens Advisory Commission on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders (AANHPI) released its inaugural report and held its third public meeting this week.

Launched last December under Executive Order 14031, the 25-member commission is tasked with advising the president on how the public, private and non-profit sectors can work together to advance equity, justice and opportunity for AANHPI communities. It is co-chaired by Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra and U.S. Trade Representative Ambassador Katherine Tai.

The inaugural report, which was sent to Biden on Aug. 24, contains more than a dozen recommendations in six key areas: (1) belonging, inclusion, anti-Asian hate and anti-discrimination; (2) health equity; (3) immigration and citizenship status; (4) language access; (5) data disaggregation and (6) economic equity.

Subcommittees were formed at the commissions inaugural meeting in February to focus on each area. The commission then approved their recommendations at its first in-person meeting in May.

More from NextShark: Oakland woman hailed as 'our bus hero' after she used her body to shield elderly Asian man from attacker

The inaugural report

The Belonging, Inclusion, Anti-Asian Hate, Anti-Discrimination Subcommittee detailed three recommendations in the report: (1) having the Justice Department condition funding on credible participation in data collection and reporting under FBIs Hate Crime Statistics Act (HCSA); (2) having all branches of the U.S. military adopt a standard uniform policy that allows for religious articles of faith and (3) having the commission engage in public-private partnerships to create a series of public service announcements (PSAs) to address anti-Asian hate crimes.

The Health Equity Subcommittee approved one recommendation. It sought for HHS to host a two-day mental health summit in coordination with the White House Office of Public Engagement (OPE) that would bring together mental health practitioners, advocacy organizations, individuals with mental health disabilities and officials from related federal agencies to discuss ways to improve mental health services for AANHPIs.

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The Immigration and Citizenship Status Subcommittee developed three recommendations: (1) having the Department of Homeland Securitys (DHS) U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) reduce the backlog of immigration visas by expanding staffing and modernizing processes; (2) having the DHS, USCIS and State Department reduce internal processing times for family green card applications and (3) having the DHS and State Department issue new public charge policies that support AAPI immigrant families in accessing immediate support for their health and well-being.

The Language Access Subcommittee also approved three recommendations: (1) having the federal government ensure that emergency programs are inclusive of and reflect the lived experiences of those with limited English proficiency; (2) making public and emergency alerts simultaneously accessible to both English speakers and those with limited proficiency and (3) having federal agencies translate their online content into multiple AANHPI languages.

The Data Disaggregation Subcommittee had two recommendations: (1) having the Office of Management and Budget (OBM) update minimum standards for federal data on race and ethnicity and (2) encouraging key federal agencies to partner with communities to ensure that optimal data gathering, reporting and access are relevant and useful to AANHPI groups.

More from NextShark: Hundreds gather to honor late advocate for Asian American seniors Im Ja Choi

The Economic Equity Subcommittee also listed two recommendations: (1) hosting forums titled White House Initiative on AA and NHPI (WHIAANHPI) and White House AA and NHPI Economic Summits and (2) increasing the share of federal contract dollars for small, disadvantaged businesses (SDBs) to 20% by 2025.

The inaugural report is the product of months of engagement with experts, community advocates and federal officials, Chief Commissioner Sonal Shah said in a statement. I commend our commissioners for their dedication and diligence in developing these recommendations.

Shah added, Together, they represent a significant community-driven effort to advance equity, justice and opportunity for Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders. The Commission stands ready to provide guidance as the Biden-Harris Administration considers whether the recommendations should be implemented.

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The third public meeting

The commissions third public meeting was held at the White House on Wednesday. Actor Daniel Dae Kim, who is part of the Belonging, Inclusion, Anti-Asian Hate, Anti-Discrimination Subcommittee, delivered the opening remarks with a rundown of anti-Asian incidents that have occurred since the commissions last meeting in May.

Among the cases Kim cited include the racist assault of a 5-year-old Japanese girl and her father in Portland, Oregon, in July and the racist tirade against a group of Indian American women outside a restaurant in Plano, Texas, last month. The Korean American actor stressed that they are only a few among the thousands of incidents that have afflicted the community since the COVID-19 pandemic started.

It reaches across all Asian demographics, all across the country. It is vitally important that these stories be told. Despite how long this list may be, it is important that these voices be heard, Kim said. Clearly, there remains much work to do.

The meeting, which lasted for about eight hours, saw the commission discuss full and draft recommendations. The livestream can be viewed below:

Featured Image via The White House
Rep. Don Bacon (R-Neb.) underwent an emergency appendectomy late Wednesday night after being diagnosed with appendicitis, his office announced on Thursday.

Bacon, 59, was admitted to Walter Reed Hospital on Wednesday night after experiencing intense abdominal pain, according to his office. The congressman described the emergency appendectomy as a home run.

I want to thank the medical team at Walter Reed Hospital for their efficient and swift care they provided not only to me, but those they serve every day, Bacon said in a statement. Im looking forward to a full recovery and quickly returning to work.

The congressman is expected to be released later on Thursday, according to his office.

Appendicitis is a condition that occurs when the appendix becomes inflamed, causing pain to the lower right abdomen. The standard treatment is surgery that removes the appendix, also known as an appendectomy, according to Mayo Clinic.

Roughly five to nine of every 100 people develop appendicitis throughout their lives, according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.

Bacon, a three-term congressman, represents Nebraskas second congressional district.

The Nebraska Republican handidly won his Republican primary for reelection in May, besting business owner Steve Kuehl by more than 50 percentage points. He will now face state Sen. Tony Vargas (D) in the general election.

Cook Political Report rates his race a toss up.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Sam Reid as Lestat Du Lioncourt and Jacob Anderson as Louis De Pointe Du Lac. The two are vampire lovers who soon grow to resemble a bickering, long-married couple in AMC's TV adaptation of "Interview with the Vampire." (Michele K. Short/AMC)

Anne Rices 1976 novel Interview with the Vampire comes with plenty of name recognition and an established fan base, but also considerable baggage from the disastrous 1994 movie starring the twin miscastings of Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt. You cant fault audiences who might be wary of AMCs eight-episode adaptation, but Im here to tell you: Let all of that go. The series is vibrantly written, tonally self-assured and unexpectedly funny. Yes, funny. I know!

The show comes from Rolin Jones, whose credits include everything from the drama Boardwalk Empire to the musical Smash to the comedy Life in Pieces. Its a resume that perhaps speaks to an interest  and facility  with a variety of genres. This works to Interviews benefit and clearly AMC is happy with the results; the show has already been renewed for a second season.

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Some key changes have been made in this version. Louis de Pointe du Lac remains the chatty vampire of the title, but instead of a white Louisiana plantation and slave owner in the late 18th century when he gets that fateful bite to the neck, he is now the Black  Creole to be precise  proprietor of several brothels in early 20th century New Orleans.

But first: The story begins in the here and now, in a world where the pandemic exists. Journalist Daniel Molloy is sourly curled up at home, watching a promo for an online course hes offering thats basically a MasterClass knockoff: Ive been fired from three papers, hired back at two of them, the third got gobbled up by Knight-Ridder  so to be clear here, Im a goddamn reservoir of dos and donts. I did not expect to laugh during the opening moments of this show! But it has such a sly and knowing sense of humor.

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Eric Bogosian stars as journalist Daniel Molloy in the AMC series "Interview with the Vampire." (Alfonso Bresciani/AMC)

Daniel is played by Eric Bogosian and its an inspired stroke of casting. Hes cranky and sardonic and jaded. Hes seen it all. And only an invitation from Louis  who he once interviewed a half-century earlier; nothing ever came of those tapes because the interview was just too weird  can puncture Daniels self-satisfied grouchiness and get him on a plane to Dubai, his curiosity piqued.

Which is where we find Louis, played by Jacob Anderson in a performance that elicits far more interesting things from him than his stoic turn as Grey Worm on Game of Thrones.

Ensconced in a fully-staffed modernist penthouse apartment, Louis proposes a do-over. Daniel is skeptical. The conversations on those old tapes they made together so long ago? Its not an interview, its a fever dream told to an idiot. Yes, Louis responds. So, lets begin again. The two may be suspicious of one another, but they are also driven by their own motivations to see this through  whatever this is. Their interplay, a series of parries back and forth, is terrific.

And so Daniel hits record once again. Were transported to 1910 and immersed in the world of Louis. He has a family that adores him  if not his line of work, which supports them all quite nicely. His pious brother says theyre profiting from the damnation of souls. Lets not fuss over the particulars, says their mother. Oh, this show is acerbic about human nature and the way the wealthy are quick to look the other way when it comes to the particulars of how their wealth comes to be.

Louis knows he cant appear weak. Not in his business, not in that part of town. And yet its a delicate balance; hes surrounded by a cadre of insufferable but well-connected racists who can meddle with his money and expect his deference at all times.

Louis is handsome and confident and clear about his place in the world. He has close family bonds. And though he may have a rage roiling just beneath the surface, hes not ripe for the picking.

Thats exactly what makes him so appealing to Lestat de Lioncourt, the vampire bon vivant recently arrived from France.

Played by Sam Reid, Lestat is smooth and urbane, his voice thick with lust  or sometimes boredom  and he is shamelessly flirting with Louis. Grooming him, really. Theres a languid John Malkovich quality to Reids Lestat, and whatever homoerotic subtext there was in the original is now fully text. Lestat is besotted; Louis is entranced. They do not hold back.

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Then, tragedy strikes. Louis is overcome by guilt and grief and suddenly he is vulnerable to Lestats vampiric sales pitch  in a Catholic church of all places, blissing out post-priesticide, as Daniel chimes in, deadpan.

Sam Reid as Lestat Du Lioncourt and Jacob Anderson as Louis De Pointe Du Lac in 1910 New Orleans. (Alfonso Bresciani/AMC)

Interview with the Vampire is smart in the ways it uses the luxury of time that a TV series allows. It doesnt fall into the noncommittal trap of colorblind casting, but makes the story specific to Louis and specific in its depiction of Black culture in New Orleans. And we get to know our central pair as they are together, in a meaningful way, before they become locked into an arrangement that eventually grows to resemble a bickering marriage. They are never quite equals, but to only view Lestat as an alluring if a predatory figure who doesnt adapt well to disappointment is to sell their story short. He had a way about him, those first years, preternaturally charming, occasionally thoughtful, Louis tells Daniel. He was my murderer, my mentor, my lover and my maker. Their primary source of tension: Louis distaste for killing (I was a fumbling despondent killer, a botched vampire) and Lestats full-blown enjoyment of it. Theres real love here. There usually is in relationships like this, which is what makes them so toxic.

And so, to bandage over their discontent, they bring 14-year-old Claudia into their world, played by a sprightly Bailey Bass, whose diary entries provide a droll humor all their own. Shes young and petulant but shes not tragic exactly  though in another sense, she absolutely is. By making her a vampire, Uncle Les and Daddy Lou have condemned her to a permanent existence in a preteen body, with no one else around, of her kind so to speak, with whom she can fall in love.

This is where the series loses some of its footing. Louis is an unreliable narrator, so it follows that his point of view is tainted by resentments. But vampires, we learn, have powers: The ability to stop time or read minds. Speed. It feels like a failure of imagination to give Louis powers that he so rarely uses in a strategic way. Someone who spent all those years swallowing down racism wouldnt be tempted to level the playing field a little? Really? Because that mind-reading trick is handy and though Lestat may be a hedonist, Louis sees a bigger picture. Anyway, a missed opportunity.

Bailey Bass as Claudia in the AMC series "Interview with the Vampire." (Alfonso Bresciani/AMC)

There are other weaknesses to the story. We get a glimpse of Daniels notes on his laptop where he ponders the logistics of Louis house staff in Dubai, who are completely aware theyre employed by a vampire: NDA?????? How do these arrangements work? How much $$?? I appreciate that hes asking these questions! But that doesnt get around the fact that the show isnt particularly interested in answering them.

Well, so what. Interview with the Vampire is visually rich (New Orleans has never looked so glorious, even its seedier corners) and the writing is just so conspicuously fun in a way that is uncommon on television. When I first started learning English, I abhorred it, Lestat says, every word felt like a doorknob falling out of my mouth. Or as he teaches Louis to read minds: Every human thought boils down to three things: I want food. I want sex. I want to go home. This show has jokes! Or when Lestat struggles to understand why Louis picked a certain victim: You are a library of confusion, he says, truly flummoxed.

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There is an entire Anne Rice television universe in the works at AMC, and depending on your feelings about Hollywoods obsession with intellectual property  the IP-ization of every preexisting title imaginable  the words Anne Rice television universe will either strike you as intriguing or  something else. Ill reserve judgment for now, but if forthcoming shows are anything close to the high quality of Interview, thats a helluva lot more intriguing to me than any number of other major genre book adaptations (cough The House of the Dragon, cough The Rings of Power) at the moment.

Stick around for Interviews end credits because the music from composer Daniel Hart is absolutely gorgeous. But its the brief title sequence that packs a punch. It sounds a bit like an orchestra tuning up, which is fitting: Whats to come is a symphony of clashing personalities locked in a dramatic and bloody embrace.

Interview with a Vampire  3.5 stars (out of 4)

Where to watch: 9 p.m. Sundays on AMC (and streaming on AMC+)

Jacob Anderson as Louis De Pointe Du Lac, the proprietor of several brothels in this adaptation of the novel. ( Alfonso Bresciani/AMC)

Nina Metz is a Tribune critic

nmetz@chicagotribune.com

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The reported armed robbery at a Harrison Twp. bar this week appears to be a case of fake news, Montgomery County Sheriff Rob Streck said Thursday, and his office is prepared to prove that in court.

>> Eaton woman waits out Hurricane Ian; Not her idea of Disney vacation

The suspected culprit is a bartender at the Green Leaf Inn, identified as 31-year-old Dani Renee Eyler.

According to the sheriffs investigators, a bartender called 9-1-1 just after 2 a.m. Wednesday to report she had been the victim of an armed robbery. Deputies arriving minutes later at the business, in the 4200 block of North Dixie Drive, found something much different than what the caller described.

According to audio of the 9-1-1 call obtained by News Center 7, the caller -- identified as Eyler -- told an operator she was in the back of the business counting my money when a person with a gun entered the business.

I hurt my foot when they, when he came in, Eyler told the operator.

Eyler also said she has five babies. I just need someone to hurry up.

The problem, Sheriff Streck told News Center 7s Mike Campbell, the robbery was actually all set up by the bartender. In fact, it appears she went throughout the bar collecting the money.

>> Moraine woman attending University of Cincinnati hit, killed by car near campus

Streck said he is upset because of the danger the false emergency call created, as well as hours of overtime for detectives, deputies and evidence technicians.

Without being too specific, it appears they did try to do a little act because cameras were involved, the sheriff said.

Detectives have managed to track down all of the stolen money and have returned it to the bars owner.

Streck said he is thankful his detectives could see through a performance that he said did not deserve an Academy Award.

" It does not appear a proper job of acting was completed here through all this, he said.

Eyler remains in the Montgomery County Jail, detained on suspicion of making false alarms. She was expected to make her first court appearance this afternoon.

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Sheriffs investigators may elect to speak with county prosecutors about pursuing more charges against Eyler.








HENDERSON, Nev.  Adam Laxalt teed off on Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, his Democratic opponent in Nevada's Senate race, at a campaign event here Wednesday, accusing her of failing to stand behind law enforcement in 2020 after a George Floyd protest turned violent.

But after the event, Laxalt, a Republican who was once Nevada's top law enforcement official, refused to support the FBI.

The FBI is far too political right now, and we need to do something to take the polarization out of that, Laxalt said in a response to a question from NBC News. "We just can't afford to have our top law enforcement agency that politicized."

The FBI has increasingly come under attack from Republicans after last months seizure of government documents, some of them classified, from former President Donald Trumps Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida.

Laxalt, the state's former attorney general, who is now locked in a margin-of-error race with Cortez Masto, tweeted last month that the FBI's actions in Florida were just another example of the growing weaponization of our federal agencies by the Left.

Starting Nov. 8th, this power grab will come to an end, he added, referring to Election Day.

Laxalt made his most recent remarks after a campaign event with Nikki Haley, the former governor of South Carolina who was the U.N. ambassador in the Trump administration. Both Haley and Laxalt lobbed attacks on Cortez Masto and highlighted law enforcement endorsements of Laxalt, who said "95% of police in this state are supporting me."

Speaking at DragonRidge Country Club, Laxalt told supporters that Cortez Masto should have denounced the violence in Las Vegas after a local officer was injured two years ago during protests of police violence against Black Americans.

She could have taken the microphone and said: Enough. Not in our city. We will not stand for violence, and we support our police, Laxalt said.

Shortly after the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police officer was shot in June 2020, Cortez Masto tweeted: We dont have all of the details yet, but one thing is clear: this violence is unacceptable."

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Cortez Mastos campaign spokesman, Josh Marcus-Blank, said in an emailed statement Wednesday that Laxalt has "attacked federal law enforcement" and "sided with insurrectionists who went after Capitol Police."

Laxalt told The Associated Press in a statement this year that he believes the very few who broke laws on Jan. 6, 2021, should be prosecuted.

More than 850 people have been charged in connection with the Jan. 6 attack, and over 350 have pleaded guilty.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
Charleston Mayor John Tecklenburg is asking residents of South Carolinas largest city to stay home and out of harms way as Tropical Storm Ian heads to the city.

The storm is forecast to restrengthen into a hurricane over the few hours, making landfall in the state on Friday.

Charleston is just the latest community in the path of the dangerous storm, which has devasted cities like Fort Myers, Cape Coral and Orlando, Florida.

Its going to feel like a hurricane around here tomorrow, Mayor Tecklenburg said at a press conference on Thursday.

A hurricane warning is in effect for the entire South Carolina coast as Ian turns back toward the mainland.

In the Charleston area, storm surge could reach up to seven feet (2.1 metres), with rainfall rates reaching up to 12 inches (30 centimetres), according to the National Hurricane Centre.

Low-lying areas could very well be flooded on Friday, Mr Tecklenburg said. The city is providing sandbags, as well as parking garage space for cars that might be flooded, he added.

Businesses in Charleston, SC put sandbags in front of their stores on Thursday to prepare for Hurricane Ian (Richard Hall/The Independent)

Take this storm seriously, the mayor said, before urging residents to spend the rest of Thursday preparing for the storm, and then stay home on Friday.

Charleston public schools have been switched to remote learning for Thursday and Friday in anticipation of the storm, and city offices will be closed on Friday.

Life-threatening storm surge possible - The potential for 4-7 feet above ground somewhere within surge prone areas - Window of concern: Thursday through Saturday morning.

Stay tuned to the latest weather forecasts at: https://t.co/ILhreodwt7#gawx #savwx #scwx #chswx pic.twitter.com/6o5wpfG9eO  NWS Charleston, SC (@NWSCharlestonSC) September 29, 2022

The city of Charleston sits right on the coast of South Carolina and much of it lies just above sea level. That low elevation puts much of the city at serious risk if a storm like Ian pushes water levels well above normal  as is projected to occur tomorrow.

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There will be water tomorrow in this city, Mr Tecklenburg said.

In addition to the danger from storm surge, the city faces the long-term threat of inundation from sea level rise as the planet warms and ice sheets in Antarctica and the Arctic melt into the ocean.

People tape up a window in anticipation of Hurricane Ians impact in Charleston, SC (Richard Hall/The Independent)

With just three feet of sea level rise, much of downtown Charleston will be underwater, according to a city website. Under even the best-case scenarios for future greenhouse gas emissions, Charleston will see about three feet of sea level rise by the middle of the next century, according to Nasa.

Under the worst-case scenarios, seas in the city could rise nearly eight feet (2.36 meters) by that time.

A restaurant in Charleston announces a closure Thursday and Friday as the city braces for Hurricane Ian (Richard Hall/The Independent)

Tropical Storm Ian hit southwest Florida as a strong Category 4 storm, nearly Category 5, with wind speeds up to 150 miles per hour (241 kilometres per hour). The storm has devastated communities like Fort Myers and Cape Coral and spread further damage into the Orlando and Jacksonville areas after moving north.

As of Thursday afternoon, the death toll stands at at least a dozen people, but officials are still assessing the damage. President Biden said on Thursday that Ian could be the deadliest storm in Floridas history.
John Williams conducts his Second Violin Concerto with Anne-Sophie Mutter as soloist, as part of the Los Angeles Philharmonic's season-opening gala Tuesday. (Jason Armond/Los Angeles Times)

There is nothing new in the Los Angeles Philharmonic celebrating John Williams, as the orchestra did for its annual opening-night gala at Walt Disney Concert Hall on Tuesday night. The orchestra has been happily celebrating Williams since it created a sensation mounting the first Star Wars Concert with Zubin Mehta at the Hollywood Bowl in 1977. It was the L.A. Phil that convinced Williams to conduct his own music (something nearly every orchestra in the world has come to desire). Eight years ago, Gustavo Dudamel, possibly the worlds biggest Williams fan in the business, devoted a brilliant season-opening gala to Williams.

Celebrating Williams, who turned 90 this year, is, in fact, an industry. Surely no composer in history has ever been so awarded. Hes been a fixture at the Academy Awards since the first of 52 nominations in 1968 for Valley of the Dolls. Hes won five, to go along with his 25 Grammys and his Emmys and his BAFTAs and all the rest. It was announced Saturday that before Queen Elizabeth II died, she named Williams an Honorary Knight Commander of the British Empire.

Beloved by each generation of audiences for a half-century, Williams has done it all. International Movie Database cites 463 soundtrack credits for Williams and 166 film scores. Billions, yes, billions have heard and continue to hear the sound of the traditional orchestra thanks to Williams scores.

Yet, for all that, Williams has not attracted much attention, until very recently, for being part of the classical orchestral tradition  namely for his many concertos and other orchestral and chamber music pieces. Not even for his for highly publicized Cello Concerto written for Yo-Yo Ma in 1994, nor the violin, cello, clarinet and piano quartet Air and Simple Gifts he wrote for Barack Obamas 2009 presidential inauguration.

The latest big-name, media-event Williams concerto, his second for violin and written for Anne-Sophie Mutter, had its premiere last summer by the Boston Symphony at Tanglewood with the composer conducting, and this time he struck gold. A gorgeous Deutsche Grammophon recording was rushed to release after the premiere.

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The West Coast premiere of Williams Second Violin Concerto with Mutter and the composer conducting the L.A. Phil was the centerpiece of Tuesdays gala. Dudamels role was to conduct brief excerpts from the film scores and to introduce Williams, whom he called one of the greatest composers of all time, taking a pause to let that sink in and show he meant it.

The concerto format is clearly Williams favorite. His first was for flute in 1969 and theyve kept coming. The Second Violin Concerto is the 19th of his concert works for solo instrument and orchestra (not all are called concertos, but they all are). The concertos dont sound like Williams film scores, but the medium suits him. He exults in the drama between a soloist and the orchestra, which he uses, as in his film scores, with great imagination and virtuosity.

Instruments, for Williams, are personalities, and a specific player has inspired each of the concertos, whether noted soloists or members of an orchestra he knows well (there is a clarinet concerto for former L.A. Phil principal clarinetist Michele Zukovsky well worth dusting off the shelf).

The concerto is also the ideal format for Williams to employ one of his most accomplished cinematic devices: a magically evocative scene setting. In the Horn Concerto, he does that with tolling bells. In the new violin concerto, it is the harp, which continues to interact with the solo violin throughout the concerto.

The Second Violin Concerto is in four movements, each with an allusive title, another evocative common trait in Williams concert pieces. In this case they are Prologue, Rounds, Dactyls and Epilogue. The tone throughout is elegiac, as are many of his concerted scores. The First Violin Concerto was written in 1996 in memory of his recently deceased wife. He pays serene, and timely, tribute to trees in three special concertos  "The Five Sacred Trees (for bassoon), TreeSong (for violin) and On Willows and Birches" (for harp).

There is nothing specific in the concerto for Mutter, although I wonder whether it on some level may pay tribute to Andre Previn, who was one of Williams' oldest friends and died in 2019. Mutter was Previns last (of five) wife and final muse. Others will take up the Second Violin Concerto, but it is pure Mutter in a way that none of the other concertos written for her (such as the great one by Witold Lutoslawski) are.

As though beginning a cinematic fantasy, the harp seems to invite the violin into an imaginary realm. Mutter, whose tone is famously robust and fleshy, plays as though she is looking around in her new environment. Whats this? Whats that? Those are her quietly quizzical reactions.

The movements have their individual tones, but the overriding impression is not so much of form but of continual exploration, of Williams freeing himself from the confines for scoring a scene in a film. Mutter eagerly reveals a range of emotions that have an improvisatorial quality, stopping more than once to share her feelings with the harp. The orchestras eloquent principal Emmanuel Ceysson and his red harp are placed in front of the orchestra. If his concert music can sometimes be uneven, the slow movements can be counted on to contain enchantment.

Much of this concerto is slow. It is the best of Williams. Or maybe it isn't. The Cello Concert was revised last year and newly recorded by Ma, giving it new life. Clearly it is time to revive the other concertos. May those inspired by trees come first.

It will be worthwhile for Dudamel one day to conduct the concerto. Though a highly accomplished conductor, Williams is all business on the podium, the way he must be on the soundstage. There is a vibrancy of sound on the new recording that somehow didnt quite come across in the concert hall. But his continuing vitality and sheer life-giving presence is something no one else could supply.

Dudamel, on the other hand, rocked the room with Just Down Street, and excerpts from Indiana Jones, Star Wars and E.T., as he had unforgettably at a Disney tribute four seasons ago, the live recording of which is the most thrilling Williams on record.

As for honors, Dudamel comes home with a two new ones himself. After opening his second season as music director of the Paris Opera with a performance of Tosca on Sept. 3, French President Emmanuel Macron made Dudamel an Officer in the French Order of Arts and Letters. Sunday, two days before the gala, the Glenn Gould Foundation bestowed upon Dudamel the $100,000 Glenn Gould Prize, as it had in 2008 to his mentor, Jose Antonio Abreu.

For some reason this year (supply chain?), no glitter resplendently cascaded down from the ceiling, a Disney gala specialty. But there was a lot to celebrate.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Today, Nielsen announced that Roku plans to enable four-screen measurement across desktop, mobile, connected TV and traditional TV. This is the first time Roku will use the digital methodology, Nielsen One, the data measurement firms cross-media measurement tool, which launches in December.

In the age of streaming, its becoming more challenging for companies to measure data across the many devices people use to consume content.

With Nielsens forthcoming tool, the firm claims that the company is on track to provide a consistent and comparable cross-media solution.

TV networks have become frustrated over the years with Nielsen for its inaccurate audience measurement tools. In September 2021, the Media Rating Council suspended the companys National TV rating accreditation.

Nielsen also claims that, with Nielsen One, marketers running ads with Roku are guaranteed duplicate copies of repeating data are eliminated.

Marketers can now better evaluate CTV inventorys unique reach and frequency in conjunction with their entire Roku buy in a comparable and comprehensive manner, and advertisers can reduce waste and help ensure that relevant ads are delivered to the right audiences across devices. This release brings us one step closer to providing comparable and deduplicated metrics across screens with Nielsen One, said Kim Gilberti, SVP, Product Management, Nielsen, in a statement.

The data measurement firm wrote in todays announcement that its relationship with Roku dates back to 2016 when Roku allowed its marketers to measure campaigns with Nielsen Digital Ad Ratings measurement.

We believe that all TV ads will be accountable and measurable. Our direct consumer relationship, our scale, and our tech all make us uniquely positioned to work with Nielsen to make measurement simpler and more accurate as marketers shift spend to TV streaming, added Asaf Davidov, head of Ad Measurement and Research, Roku.

Nielsen announced Nielsen One in 2020. Earlier this year, it was revealed that YouTube would be the first media company to try the new tool. Roku is the second company to enable cross-media measurement.
Logan James Barnhart, a bodybuilder who modeled for romance novel covers in the past, pleaded guilty Wednesday to assaulting law enforcement officers with a dangerous weapon during the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection in 2021, according to a statement from the Department of Justice.

The Michigan man is one of nearly 900 people who were arrested on charges related to the riot, reported CBS News, after protesters sought to overturn Joe Bidens victory in the 2020 presidential election.

The insurrection led to the deaths of four rioters at the scene and five police officers in the aftermath, according to The New York Times.

Barnharts statement of offense, which was filed in federal court in Washington, said he and his co-defendants confronted officers at a Capitol terrace. Citing court documents, the DOJ stated that the assaults began at roughly 4:27 p.m.

Another rioter - co-defendant Jack Wade Whitton - began striking at an officer with the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) with a crutch, said the DOJ, adding that Barnhart then grabbed the officer by the neck of his ballistic vest.

Logan James Barnhart is one of nearly 900 people who were arrested on charges related to the Jan. 6, 2021 riot at the Capitol. (Photo: Shay Horse/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

Logan James Barnhart is one of nearly 900 people who were arrested on charges related to the Jan. 6, 2021 riot at the Capitol. (Photo: Shay Horse/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

Along with Whitton and another man, Barnhart dragged the officer down a set of steps and forced him into the crowd of protesters, where other rioters beat the officer with weapons, including a flagpole and a baton, according to the DOJ. The officer suffered abrasions and bruises as a result.

Barnhart then pushed fellow rioters forward against a line of police before approaching officers and striking at them with a flagpole, said the DOJ.

The 41-year-old was easily identified by the FBI after the bureau released his image online, spurring the public to put a name to his face. Barnhart was arrested in Lansing, Michigan on Aug. 17 of last year and initially faced an extensive roster of criminal chargers.

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These included civil disorder; assaulting, resisting or impeding certain officers using a dangerous weapon and aiding and abetting; and entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds, as well as disorderly and disruptive conduct, physical violence and violent entry therein.

Barnhart previously posed for the covers of romance novelist Nicole Snows 2015 book Stepbrother UnSEALed: A Bad Boy Military Romance and Mila Coles 2018 book Lighter, whose tagline promised that wrong never felt so right.

He now faces up to 20 years in prison. Barnharts sentencing is set for March 9, and he could also face financial penalties for his crime.

Barnhart is one of more than 265 people charged with assaulting or impeding officers on Jan. 6.

This article originally appeared on HuffPost and has been updated.

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A custodian for the Rome City School District is facing allegations of having sexual intercourse with a minor.

Jerry Studer, 58, of Rome, was arrested Thursday, Sept. 22, after being indicted on felony charges of predatory sexual assault against a child, first-degree rape, and three counts of first-degree sexual abuse for allegedly having contact with a child under the age of 13 between 2020 and 2022, according to Oneida County Court records.

The Oneida County Child Advocacy Center in Utica.

The Oneida County Child Advocacy Center received a report in June 2022 that Studer had sexual contact with a child over the course of the last two years, and the case was assigned to Oneida County Sheriff Investigator Tyler Barnes, according to a release from the CAC.

While Studer is a custodian employed by the Rome City School District, the incidents did not occur on the district's campus, and he did not know the child through the school, Barnes said.

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RCSD Superintendent Peter Blake confirmed Studer has been employed by the district and is currently on leave, but said he was not at liberty to discuss personnel or pending legal matters.

Studer has been held at Oneida County jail since Sept. 22, according to jail records. He was arraigned in court the following day, the release said. An order of protection and services through the CAC have since been offered to the victim.

H. Rose Schneider covers public safety, breaking and trending news for the Observer-Dispatch in Utica. Email Rose at hschneider@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Observer-Dispatch: Rome school custodian faces child sexual abuse charges
A vehicle traveling Interstate 89 in New Hampshire was smacked by a large piece of metal that proved to be the top of a box truck, according to the New Hampshire State Police.

The incident led investigators to arrest the driver of the truck, who is suspected of driving while intoxicated, state police said in a news release.

It happened around 3:15 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 27, near Lebanon, and the motorist who collided with the debris escaped injury, officials said. Lebanon is about 55 miles northwest of Concord, New Hampshire.

The responding trooper learned the piece of metal was the roof of a large box truck type commercial motor vehicle, state police said.

The operator of the commercial motor vehicle stopped briefly at the scene but left prior to troopers arriving, police said. The victim was able to provide a description of the vehicle as well as a license plate.

A topless truck matching the description was spotted a short time later in Canaan, about 14 miles northeast of Lebanon, and the driver was stopped, state police said.

Questioning revealed he had been traveling at least a day with the trucks roof only partially attached, officials say.

The driver ... struck a bridge in New York the previous day, causing damage to the vehicles roof, state police said.

(He) continued to drive the damaged vehicle until the roof completely departed the vehicle on I-89 in Lebanon, police said. Troopers determined (he) was under the influence and arrested him.

The driver  a 40-year-old man from Houston, Texas  was charged with driving under the influence and conduct after an accident, state police said.

New Hampshires Commercial Motor Vehicle Enforcement division confiscated the truck for numerous safety violations, including having a false logbook, police said.

Driver wearing only underwear crashes and sinks in lake during chase, Maine cops say

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Pickup being scrubbed at car wash mysteriously drove off with owners dog, NC cops say
CLEVELAND (AP)  Pinch-hitter Amed Rosario had a bases-loaded single in the 10th inning to give the Cleveland Guardians a 2-1 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays on Wednesday night.

Rosario, who wasn't in the starting lineup as manager Terry Francona rests his regulars after wrapping up the the AL Central, batted for Luke Maile, He lined the first pitch over the head of right fielder Manuel Margot to score Oscar Gonzalez from third base.

Gonzalez began the inning as the automatic runner against Javy Guerra (2-1). Andres Gimenez was intentionally walked. After a sacrifice, Will Brennan was also intentionally walked before Rosario hit the winner.

The game that was delayed for 1 hour, 3 minutes in the seventh inning by rain wasnt a total washout for the Rays.

Tampa Bays magic number to wrap up a wild-card spot dropped to two with Baltimore losing to Boston. Staff ace Tyler Glasnow allowed one run in three innings in his first appearance in over a year following Tommy John surgery.

The latest win was Clevelands 28th in its final at-bat, a club record that surpasses the 1995 team that had 27 last at-bat wins.

Francona told reporters after the game that Rosario wasn't pleased when informed he wouldn't be in the lineup.

Should have seen the look when we first told him, Francona said. Were trying to help. I mean, the guy plays every day. But man, pretty good pinch-hitter.

Guardians rookie Gabriel Arias, who hit his first major league home run in the third, had the sacrifice bunt in the winning rally.

It feels incredible, Arias said through a translator about his contribution. It feels really great when you get that result.

James Karinchak (2-0) struck out the side in the 10th.

Glasnow's return will give the Rays another option in the postseason. The right-hander credited the routine he developed while rehabbing from surgery for getting back on the mound.

I felt normal, Glasnow said. It was definitely a nice moment to be out there, be healthy. Everything felt really good.

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Glasnow pitched for the Rays for the first time since June 14, 2021. The right-hander threw 50 pitches and reached the high 90s several times. He struck out three, allowed two hits and walked a batter.

Glasnow had surgery on Aug. 4 of last year. He began bullpen sessions on July 23 and made four minor league rehab starts. Glasnow gave up Arias home run.

Rays manager Kevin Cash said he knew Glasnow felt like his usual self when the pitcher lobbied to go out for the fourth inning.

Even when he got hurt and had the surgery, we were all confident that he wouldnt be out-worked by anybody, Cash said. That stayed true. We know how talented he is and what he can add to our team.

Rain started falling heavily when the seventh inning began and the tarp was called for with the bases loaded and one out. Several bags of drying agent were used because of standing water on the infield before the game finally resumed.

The Guardians, who won the AL Central on Sunday, are 8-1 in their last nine. The series opener also went extra innings with the Rays winning 6-5 in 11 after a rain delay of 23 minutes.

Cleveland starter Triston McKenzie continued his September dominance, allowing one run and striking out six in six innings. The right-hander is 2-0 this month with a 2.14 ERA in five starts. Hes struck out 37 in 33 2/3 innings.

Arias homer landed in the left-field bleachers, but bounced back on the field. The ballboy retrieved the ball and threw it to left fielder Randy Arozarena, who tossed it to a fan in the bleachers.

The ball was eventually retrieved for Arias, one of 16 Cleveland players to debut in the majors this season.

Christian Bethancourts RBI single in the second gave Tampa Bay the lead.

THINKING ABOUT HOME

While the Rays are battling for a postseason spot, Cash admitted the teams thoughts are on the impact Hurricane Ian is having on Florida.

Its been a challenge today, he said. We experienced it a couple of years ago. This time certainly feels like a more impactful storm, thats covering our spring training area right now (Port Charlotte). There are a lot of families  not just Rays families but the entire Florida community thats going through it right now.

TRAINERS ROOM

Rays: Yandy Diaz (left shoulder) was scratched after being in the original starting lineup batting leadoff and playing first base because he still felt soreness. Diaz was used as a pinch-hitter Tuesday, his first appearance since Sept. 19.

Guardians: Gimenez returned after not playing Sunday and Tuesday.

UP NEXT

Rays: LHP Jeffrey Springs (9-4, 2.56 ERA) is 4-1 with 41 strikeouts over 37 innings in his last seven starts.

Guardians: RHP Cal Quantrill (14-5, 3.49 ERA) is 13-0 in 32 starts at Progressive Field. He is one win shy of matching Vic Raschis record for dominance in one ballpark. Raschi went 14-0 at Comiskey Park from 1947-55.

___

More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
Chinese-proposed initiatives support global solidarity, peace: Ethiopian official

Xinhua) 08:55, September 29, 2022

ADDIS ABABA, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese-proposed Global Development Initiative and Global Security Initiative will support global solidarity and peace toward stronger partnership and development, a senior Ethiopian government official has said.

"Ethiopia's support to the Global Development Initiative and Global Security Initiative put forward by China, and its readiness to work together with China to implement these initiatives is a testament of our cooperation on a global scale," said Ethiopia's Minister of Finance Ahmed Shide.

The Ethiopian finance minister made the remarks while addressing a special ceremony that was held in the Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa early this week to celebrate the forthcoming 73rd anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China (PRC).

The Global Development Initiative (GDI) and the Global Security Initiative (GSI), proposed by China in 2021 and 2022, respectively, constitute important practical support for the concept of a community of a shared future for humanity, which provides Chinese solutions to pursuing world peace and common prosperity.

Shide assured the Ethiopian government's strong commitment "to further deepen the economic, social, political cooperation with China; and our wish to bring our partnership to new heights in the next few years."

He said Ethiopia and China enjoy a comprehensive and strategic partnership for several decades based on mutual benefit and trust. "China and Ethiopia's practical cooperation has made fruitful achievements on all fronts. China has been Ethiopia's number one source of FDI, biggest trading partner, and largest project contractor for many years."

The two countries' cooperation has been improving and increasing significantly over the years, said the minister, underscoring that cooperation under the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) also enabled the East African country to realize the Addis Ababa-Djibouti Standard Gauge Railway.

He said the 752.7-km transboundary electrified railway has made "important contributions to Ethiopia and Djibouti's economic and social development goals."

During the previous Ethiopian fiscal year that ended on July 7, about 98 percent of Ethiopia's coffee export was transported by the railway, which helped the country reduce transportation costs and increase income from its primary export product.

He underscored that the bilateral trade and economic cooperation between China and Ethiopia have a brighter prospect, adding that Ethiopia looks forward to continued cooperation and support from China in the East African country's development programs.

(Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Hongyu)
Sarah Jessica Parker, left, Bette Midler, center, and Kathy Najimy star in 'Hocus Pocus' as three 17th Century witches who accidentally find themselves in modern day Salem, Massachusetts. They rant, they rave, they sing, they fly  as the exact some light hearted retribution for the fate they suffered 300 years ago. The movie premiered in 1993. (Walt Disney Pictures)

This movie review originally published in the Chicago Tribune on July 16, 1993:

As Hocus Pocus, never pokey about being hokey, camps its way through 93 minutes of erratic plot, it is clear why the Disney organization chose not to save the films release for Halloween, the holiday on which the story takes place. Critics might be tempted to describe it as the ultimate horror show.

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That would be unfair, of course. The ultimate horror show is the unappealing trailer the studio has been using to promote the movie in theaters and on TV.

At full length, Hocus is less grotesque but plenty bizarre nonetheless, what with a buck-toothed Bette Midler heading up a trio of Salem, Mass., witches returned from death-by-hanging in 1693 to wreak vengeance on the 20th Century.

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[ Hocus Pocus 2 review by Michael Phillips: When twice as good as the original means less than you think ]

The Sanderson sisters agenda (rubber-faced Kathy Najimy and vamping Sarah Jessica Parker round out the family) is to suck the lives out of all the children of Salem (cackle,cackle) so that they may live forever. Their return is made possible when a virgin lights a magic candle on Halloween.

The virgin is Max (Omri Katz), a teenager who has just moved to Salem from L.A. and is having the usual new-kid-in-town problems with bullies and girls. (Virginity is a pretty mature virtue for a Disney film to be pushing, but you take your moral certitudes where you can find them.)

(Chicago Tribune, July 16, 1993)

Once having released the witches, Max teams up to foil them with his precocious little sister Dani (Thora Birch), a pretty classmate named Allison (Vinessa Shaw), and Thackery (Sean Murray), another teen whom the witches turned into a black cat named Binx 300 years ago.

Hocus Pocus gallops through some familiar adolescent fantasy territory-shy romance, a morbid fascination with death, the thrill of driving a car underage-but it stops mercifully short of giving any of its young protagonists the chance to behave like a rock star or even a sitcom brat. These are OK kids caught in a movie where all the adult roles are embarrassments.

[ Vintage Chicago Tribune: What our critics wrote about the first Top Gun, Jurassic Park, Toy Story movies ]

Vintage Chicago Tribune Weekly The Vintage Tribune newsletter is a deep dive into the Chicago Tribune's archives featuring photos and stories about the people, places and events that shape the city's past, present and future. >

Where to begin? Midler, whose natural warmth surfaces in any part she has, is about as scary in her role as the meanest witch as the story lady at the local library, particularly when she commandeers the mike at the local costume ball to belt out I Put a Spell on You. Najimys character is reduced to dramatic sniffing (she can smell children from a considerable distance) and Parker, the dumb blond witch with an eye for the boys, is hardly present at all. Theres an avert-your-eyes sequence in which Garry Marshall, as a homeowner dressed up as the devil, flirts with Parker, who thinks hes the real thing and keeps calling him Master, while Penny Marshall, playing Garrys frumpy wife, waxes irate. (Who dreams up these ideas? Did some Hollywood spy infiltrate skit night at Camp Echo?)

If Hocus Pocus were genuinely funny (it is billing itself as a comedy/adventure), it could easily afford the wooden, unsophisticated techniques its passing off as special effects. One character, who keeps losing his head, is played by a male when whole and by a presumably shorter female when headless. As the witches mount their brooms, you can practically see the wires. (Actually, in one of several potentially clever touches which the film fails to make more than mildly amusing, Najimy has to make do with a vacuum cleaner.)

[ Take a look back at Gene Siskels memorable movie reviews for the Chicago Tribune ]

Hocus Pocus is harmless, but its about as much fun as celebrating Mardi Gras under the influence of candy corn. Director Kenny Ortega (Newsies) keeps the material moving, but he seems to have no idea how to shape its odd mixture of lugubriousness, sentimentality and goofiness.

Hocus Pocus  1 star (out of 4)

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MPAA rating: PG. Some scenes may be frightening for very young children.

How to watch: Disney+.

Directed by Kenny Ortega; written by Mick Garris and Neil Cuthbert; photographed by Hiro Narita; production designed by William Sandell; edited by Peter E. Berger; music by John Debney; produced by David Kirschner and Steven Haft; co-produced by Bonnie Bruckheimer. A Walt Disney Pictures release; opens July 16 at Water Tower, Webster Place and outlying theaters. Running time: 1:33.
A woman votes in the controversial referendum in Donetsk, Ukraine on Sept. 27, 2022. Stringer/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

Russia is set to formally annex four occupied territories in eastern Ukraine, claiming the region as its own more than six months after it first invaded its neighboring country.

Russia announced on Sept. 27, 2022, that more than 85% of people in the self-proclaimed Luhansk Peoples Republic and Donetsk Peoples Republic, as well as parts of two other occupied regions in Ukraine  Kherson and Zaporizhshia  voted to become part of Russia.

But the United Nations, the United States and Ukrainian officials have all decried the process as a sham and illegal.

The Group of Seven, an international political coalition with Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the U.S. as members, also condemned Russias referendums as illegitimate. The G7 leaders have promised to impose sanctions on Russia if it proceeds with the annexation.

There are reports that Russian and Chechen soldiers have pressured people at their homes and at voting sites to align with Russia.

As a researcher of Eastern Europe, I think its important to understand that people in these four regions are not a single political bloc, even though most of the people in these territories do not want to join Russia.

People board an evacuation train from the Donbas region heading to western Ukraine in August 2022. Anatolii Stepanov/AFP via Getty Images

The four Ukrainian regions have distinct relationships with Russia

Russian forces first occupied parts of Kherson, a port city, and Zaporizhzhia, a city thats home to the largest nuclear facility in Europe, earlier in 2022.

But even before Russias full invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, it also controlled parts of the Luhansk and Donetsk regions. The Kremlin has supported and armed two puppet separatist governments in this region, known as Donbas, since 2014.

In May 2014, breakaway Ukrainian politicians proclaimed that Donetsk and Luhansk were not part of Ukraine, but actually were independent republics.

The two self-proclaimed republics in the Donbas region, as well as the regions of Kherson and Zaporizhzhia, voted in controversial referendums to be annexed by Russia. Goran_tek-en/Creative Commons, CC BY

The Kremlin did not officially recognize these newly proclaimed republics until February 2022, when Russian President Vladimir Putin launched its invasion of Ukraine days later.

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As Russia turned to conscript fighters in these breakaway regions to fill front lines, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson have been fighting against Russia since the start of the war.

In March 2022, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky awarded the honorary title of Hero City to Kherson for its fierce defense against Russian forces during the early days of the war.

Russia still does not fully control any of the four regions. Zelensky vowed in August 2022 to not hold any peace talks if the Kremlin proceeded with the referendums in the occupied areas.

A mural is shown on a residential building in Bakhmut, Donetsk, in September 2022. Juan Barreto/AFP via Getty images

Demographics in eastern Ukraine have shifted during the war

Most Ukrainians who live in the Donbas region speak Russian. But before the full-scale war in 2022, many of these people still preferred to identify as having mixed Ukrainian and Russian identities  or, otherwise, as a person from the Donbas or a Ukrainian citizen.

The Donbas region was home to about 6.5 million people before the 2022 invasion, out of a total 43 million in Ukraine.

The region was once known for its industrial output and coal mines, some of which Russia has seized control of during the war.

Today, all four of the occupied regions are active war zones that many residents have fled. According to the United Nations Refugee Agency, over 11 million Ukrainians have left the country since February 2022.

There are also up to 7 million Ukrainians who have been uprooted from their homes but still live in Ukraine, making them internally displaced. More than 60% of the internally displaced Ukrainians are from the eastern regions.

As a result, the Russian referendum votes were conducted without accounting for the opinion of half  or even the majority  of the population in these territories.

Residents cast their votes in the referendum to join Russia in Donetsk, Ukraine, on Sept. 23, 2022. Stringer/Andalou Agency via Getty Images

Most Ukrainians in the occupied territories dont want to be part of Russia

In 2014, when Luhansk and Donetsk first proclaimed their independence, the majority of the people there said they preferred to be part of their own republic, rather than becoming a part of Russia. Approximately 52% of people in these regions at the time said they were against joining Russia, while 28% in Donetsk and 30% in Luhansk supported it, according to the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology, a private research group in Ukraine that conducts sociological and marketing research.

At the same time, both Kherson and Zaporizhzhia were overwhelmingly against joining Russia. Approximately 85% of people in Kherson and 82% in Zaporizhzhia said they wanted to remain separate, according to the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology.

After eight years of fighting, which has led to destruction of houses and infrastructure, as well as thousands of civilian deaths in eastern Ukraine, the number of Russian sympathizers in the Donbas decreased.

The Kyiv International Institute of Sociology reported that in late 2021 and early 2022, less than 22% of people in the Donbas region and less than 12% in Kherson and Zaporizhzhia wanted to become part of Russia.

Over 52% of Donbas residents, meanwhile, said in separate surveys conducted by American polling experts in early 2022 that they were apathetic about where to live, whether in Russia or in Ukraine. What most people cared about was their financial stability and familys overall well-being.

Since the 2022 invasion, 92% of polled residents in the Donbas said that there should be no territorial concessions for the earliest possible end of the war, according to the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology.

These figures contradict Putins justification to launch the so-called special military operation to defend a Russian-speaking population that Ukraine is allegedly persecuting.

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

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Tatsiana Kulakevich does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Oleg Deripaska distrusted the safety of the Russian hospital system for his children, the Justice Department said. NurPhoto/Getty Images

A top DOJ official said the Russian oligarch Oleg Deripaska lied to get the "American way of life."

The feds arrested a New Jersey resident on charges she helped Deripaska evade sanctions.

Deripaska was sanctioned in response to his support for Russia's election interference in 2016.

In 2018, federal authorities blacklisted the Russian oligarch Oleg Deripaska in response to his support for the Kremlin-backed campaign to interfere in the 2016 presidential election.

But when his girlfriend was expecting their first child, in 2020, his loyalty to Russia seemed to find its limits. Despite his support for the Russian regime of Vladimir Putin, the billionaire oligarch spent hundreds of thousands of dollars to have their child born in the United States, benefit from the healthcare system, and receive birthright citizenship, according to court records.

In an indictment unsealed Thursday, federal prosecutors detailed the circumstances around the birth of Deripaska's children with his girlfriend, Ekaterina Olegovna Voronina, as the Justice Department charged the couple and two others in connection with an alleged scheme to evade sanctions.

A grand jury indicted Deripaska on charges he conspired with two women  Olga Shriki and Natalia Mikhaylovna Bardakova  to circumvent sanctions and make transactions in the United States for his personal benefit. Prosecutors alleged that Deripaska used a web of shell companies to obscure his ownership of US properties as part of a yearslong scheme to evade sanctions.

According to the indictment, Shriki and Bardakova helped arrange for Voronina's travel to the United States in 2020 and again in 2022 for the birth of her second child with Deripaska. On that second trip, after arriving on a private jet funded by Deripaska, Voronina lied to the Department of Homeland Security to conceal her ties to the Russian oligarch.

Voronina was refused entry, according to the indictment, which charges her with making false statements to federal agents.

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Announcing the indictment Thursday, Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco said Deripaska sought to evade sanctions "through lies and deceit to cash in on and benefit from the American way of life.

"But shell companies and webs of lies will not shield Deripaska and his cronies from American law enforcement, nor will they protect others who support the Putin regime. The Department of Justice remains dedicated to the global fight against those who aid and abet the Russian war machine."

In court papers, prosecutors said Deripaska used one corporate entity  Gracetown Inc.  to illegally make use of the US financial system and maintain three luxury properties in the United States. And he employed Shriki and Bardakova to help him tap into the US financial system, according to the indictment.

For instance, "in or about 2019," Shriki facilitated the sale of a music studio in California that Deripaska owned through shell companies, prosecutors said in the indictment. The studio sold for more than $3 million, and Shriki later sought to expatriate the proceeds through a shell company to a Russia-based account tied to another Deripaska-owned company, prosecutors said.

Shriki, a 42-year-old New Jersey resident and naturalized US citizen, was arrested Thursday morning.

Bardakova, a Russian citizen, directed Shriki to engage in the alleged transactions on Deripaska's behalf, prosecutors said. Between May 2018 and 2020, prosecutors said, Bardakova instructed Shriki to arrange for the delivery of flowers and gifts to Deripaska's social contacts in the United States and Canada.

"The deliveries included, among others, two Easter gift deliveries to a U.S. television host, two flower deliveries to a then-former Canadian Parliament member, and two flower deliveries in 2020 ... while she was in the United States to give birth to Deripaska' s child," the indictment states.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Russian recruits take a bus near a military recruitment center in Krasnodar, Russia, Sunday, Sept. 25, 2022. AP Photo, File

Russian soldiers were frustrated by unsuitable military equipment as early as March.

Recordings obtained by The New York Times reveal phone calls made by Russian soldiers in Ukraine.

One man told his girlfriend how his comrades stole NATO armor off dead Ukrainian soldiers.

Russian soldiers fighting in Ukraine were already lamenting their military's outdated equipment and failing resolve just weeks after the conflict began, according to a new investigation from The New York Times.

The outlet published Wednesday a sprawling collection of several unauthorized phone calls made by Russian soldiers throughout the month of March to family members and loved ones back home. The Ukrainian government intercepted the unsanctioned communications, which were made from a series of shared cell phones among multiple military units close to the front lines near Bucha.

The Times later obtained, translated, and published snippets of the recordings.

The calls paint a harrowing picture of diminishing morale among the men  many of whom say their superiors lied about the nature of the war and their mission. The March recordings offer early insight into aspects of Russia's strategy and implementation that have contributed to mounting military losses and a recent escalation on the home front.

Among the soldiers' primary grievances was a lack of suitable equipment. One man, identified by his first name of Sergey, described in a call to his girlfriend how some of his comrades attempted to address the issue.

"Some guys took armor off of Ukrainians' corpses and took it for themselves," he said. "Their NATO armor is better than ours."

Another soldier named Roman in a separate conversation responded to his friend's question about abandoned equipment with similar sentiment.

"Everything here is ancient," the soldier said. "It's not modern like they show on Zvezda [state TV]."

The men also bemoaned increasing losses among their regiments, describing mass burials and decimated units.

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"There were 400 paratroopers. And only 38 of them survived," a soldier named Sergey told his mother. "Because our commanders sent soldiers to the slaughter."

Russia has struggled with both manpower and equipment issues in Ukraine. Russian forces are estimated to have suffered 80,000 casualties since the war began, on top of losing thousands of armored vehicles. The Russian military has resorted to pulling obsolete equipment out of storage, including Soviet-era equipment such as T-62 tanks.

Prior to the Ukraine war, the Russian military was widely regarded as one of the most powerful in the world. But the conflict has dramatically altered perceptions of Russia's military capabilities.

Meanwhile, Western countries have supplied Ukrainian forces with billions in military aid, including equipment that has helped hold off and even push back the Russian invaders.

The US alone has given over $16.2 billion in security assistance to Ukraine since Russian forces invaded in late February, supplying Ukrainian forces with vital equipment such as High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS), which can strike targets up to 50 miles away.

A new $1.1 billion US security assistance package announced on Wednesday will include 18 additional HIMARS, the Pentagon said, more than doubling the number of such weapons already provided to Ukraine by Washington.

Russian President Vladimir Putin last week announced a partial military mobilization, calling up tens of thousands of reservists to help address Russia's personnel problems in Ukraine. Military experts and Russia watchers have expressed skepticism that it will make a difference in the war, in part due to Russia's lack of proper military infrastructure.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Satellite images of gas leakage sites from the Arctic Streams

Those sources added that last week, Russian submarines were also observed in that area.

Read also: Nearly simultaneous leaks in Nord Stream undersea gas pipelines could be sabotage

It is currently not established whether those Russian ships had anything to do with the damage to the pipelines. However, their presence has raised suspicions of Russian involvement in the leaks, which the EU have categorized as sabotage.

According to the Danish military, Russian ships regularly operate in the area, and it does not necessarily follow that the damage was caused by Moscow.

"We see them every week, the Danish military official said.

Russian activities in the Baltic Sea have increased in recent years. Theyre quite often testing our awareness  both at sea and in the air."

Read also: Gazprom concocts new excuses to continue shutdown of Nord Stream-1

U.S. officials declined to comment on the presence of Russian ships near the damaged pipelines, and so far, European governments have also declined to name any possible suspects for the suspected attack.

Denmark and Sweden are investigating the incident, as the leaks are located in their exclusive economic zones, but details of the damage are thus far unclear. According to one European official, it could take up to two weeks for the investigation to begin properly, as the pressure in the pipes makes it difficult to approach the leak site.

Russia has called for a meeting of the UN security council as a result of the leaks.

Officials in the United States, Europe, and Ukraine had been warning for months that critical infrastructure in Western countries could be targeted by Russia amid military and financial support for Kyiv in its fight against a full-scale Russian invasion.

Read also: Fourth gas leak discovered near Nord Stream pipelines, reports Swedish Coast Guard

The first report of an incident involving the Russia-Europe Nord Stream pipelines occurred on Sept. 26, when the pressure suddenly dropped in the Nord Stream-2 pipeline. On Sept. 27, reports emerged of a similar issue with Nord Stream-1. Both gas pipelines, passing along the bottom of the Baltic Sea off the coast of Sweden and Denmark, were not operational  but were still filled with technical gas for pressurization.

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The pressure drop was recorded at a section of the pipeline located at a depth of about 70 meters near the Danish island of Bornholm in the Baltic Sea - just outside the territorial waters of Denmark, but in its exclusive economic zone.

In total, three major leaks were recorded in the space of days. On Sept. 29, the Swedish Coast Guard reported a fourth gas leak.

Read also: Europe can win Putins gas war but must learn Nord Stream lessons

Following the pressure drops, three large gas leaks were discovered, as well as evidence of underwater explosions along the pipeline routes. Bjorn Lund, professor at the Swedish National Seismic Center SNSN, said that these explosions were obviously artificial, and not geological in nature.

German security services assume that both lines of the Nord Stream-1 pipeline, and one line of the Nord Stream-2 pipeline, will forever be unusable after these explosions, writes German newspaper Der Tagesspiegel.

Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine
KATERYNA TYSHCHENKO  THURSDAY, 29 SEPTEMBER 2022, 23:41

The Russians have attacked Zaporizhzhia with rockets, but these have been shot down by air defence.

Source: Oleksandr Starukh, head of Zaporizhzhia Oblast Military Administration, on Telegram

Quote: "The enemy is attacking the regional centre!

The loud rumble heard is the anti-aircraft defence at work.

There are currently no hits on Zaporizhzhia. There is a risk of repeated attacks."

Previously: On Thursday evening, a series of explosions rang out in Dnipro. The mayor of the city, Boris Filatov, urged residents not to publish information about the consequences.

Journalists fight on their own frontline. Become our patron, support our work!
By Stephanie van den Berg

THE HAGUE (Reuters) -A U.N. tribunal in The Hague opened the genocide trial on Thursday of a Rwandan businessman captured two years ago after decades on the run, with judges saying the hearing must go on despite the suspect's decision to boycott it from his jail cell.

Felicien Kabuga, a former businessman and radio station owner, is one of the last suspects sought by a U.N. tribunal prosecuting crimes committed in the 1994 genocide, when ruling Hutu majority extremists killed more than 800,000 minority Tutsis and Hutu moderates in 100 days.

"Mr Kabuga is this morning well but has decided not to attend the hearing this morning either in person or via video link," Judge Iain Bonomy said.

"The trial must proceed" with the opening statement of the prosecutor, judges decided.

Kabuga is in his mid-to-late 80s, though his precise date of birth is disputed. He was arrested in May 2020 in Paris between COVID-19 lockdowns and extradited to The Hague where he has entered a not-guilty plea.

Prosecutors have charged the former coffee and tea tycoon with three counts of genocide and two counts of crimes against humanity, primarily for promoting hate speech through his broadcaster, Radio Television Libre des Milles Collines (RTLM).

He is also accused of arming ethnic Hutu militias.

"In support of the genocide, Kabuga did not need to wield a rifle or a machete at a road block. Rather, he supplied weapons in bulk and facilitated the training that prepared the Interahamwe (Hutu militias) to use them," U.N. prosecutor Rashid Rashid said in his opening statement.

Rashid added that Kabuga had founded a radio station that "broadcast genocidal propaganda across Rwanda".

Prosecutors said the genocide charges covered rapes and sexual assaults as well as killings. Hutus were encouraged in RTLM broadcasts to "taste" Tutsi women, they said.

U.N. prosecutor Serge Brammertz told journalists after Thursday's hearing that Kabuga's no-show was "a strategic decision from his side" but said it would not affect the proceedings.

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Because of Kabuga's advanced age and fragile health the court will only sit for six hours a week, divided over two days. Brammertz said the prosecution case will take several months.

"Time is essential here so we hope this trial can proceed as fast as possible, " Brammertz said.

The defence is due to make its opening statement when the trial resumes on Friday.

(Reporting by Stephanie van den BergEditing by Anthony Deutsch, Peter Graff and Andrew Heavens)
A Salisbury man was convicted this week of attempted murder and other charges in connection with an October 2021 shooting outside a Salisbury restaurant that injured one person.

Markell Purnell, 24, was convicted of attempted first degree murder and firearms charges on Sept. 27 after a two-day trial in Wicomico County Circuit Court.

Judge Donald C. Davis deferred sentencing pending a pre-sentencing investigation, a release from the Wicomico County State's Attorney's Office said.

The incident happened after an altercation outside Guidos Burritos on South Salisbury Boulevard at about 1:40 a.m. on Oct. 23.

Purnell and a co-defendant were involved in an altercation with patrons outside the restaurant and in a suspected attempt to seek retaliation, a third co-defendant provided a handgun to Purnell, who fired multiple rounds at the victim, who was standing in close proximity to other patrons leaving the restaurant, according to the release.

RELATED: 2 arrested, 1 wanted in shooting outside Salisbury Guido's Burritos: Police

The victim was hit by a single bullet in his right leg. Several vehicles were also hit.

No one else was injured and the victim was treated and released from TidalHealth Peninsula Regional hospital. Purnell was prohibited from possessing a handgun at the time because of a prior conviction, the release said.

Salisbury police arrested Purnell and two other suspects in connection with the incident, according to previous Delmarva Now reporting.

The other two were identified as 23-year-old Anton Fooks and 21-year-old Jyhovah Ballard.

SALISBURY NEWS: Traffic light that has caused 'headache' for Salisbury drivers is replaced by city

Fooks pleaded guilty in April to first-degree assault and possession of a regulated firearm. A Wicomico County judge sentenced him to 30 years, with 13 years of active incarceration followed by five years of supervised probation.

The disposition of the case against Ballard is not known.

This article originally appeared on Salisbury Daily Times: Salisbury man convicted in 2021 shooting outside Guido's Burritos
(Independent)

There is liquid water under Mars, fresh evidence has suggested.

The finding is a major breakthrough in the hunt for proof that Mars is more wet than it appears  and with it the search for alien life on the planet.

Scientists say that the new findings represent the first time that evidence of water under the Martian surface has been found using data that did not come from radar. As such, it offers a further suggestion that the red planet could be habitable.

Scientists cautioned that the finding does not necessarily mean that life exists on Mars. But it does suggest that there may have been a time when Nasa was more habitable, according to researchers.

In the study, researchers used lasers on spacecraft to identify small changes in the height of the ice caps on Mars. They then compared those patterns with a computer model that predicted how a body of water underneath those ice caps would change the surface  and found that they matched.

Scientists have already used radar to find data that suggested there could be water beneath the ice. But those findings had been criticised by some who suggested the radar data could be explained in other ways.

Now the new findings are a separate piece of evidence that Mars does in fact have liquid water beneath its South Pole.

The work was led by the University of Cambridge and included scientists from the University of Sheffield and the Open University. Their work is described in a new paper, Surface topographic impact of subglacial water beneath the south polar ice cap of Mars, published in Nature Astronomy today.

Like Earth, Mars has thick water ice caps at both poles, roughly equivalent in combined volume to the Greenland Ice Sheet.

Earths ice sheets are underlain by water-filled channels and even large subglacial lakes, however, those on Mars were until recently thought to be frozen solid all the way to their beds due to the cold Martian climate.

Dr Frances Butcher, second author of the study from the University of Sheffield, said: This study gives the best indication yet that there is liquid water on Mars today because it means that two of the key pieces of evidence we would look for when searching for subglacial lakes on Earth have now been found on Mars.

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Liquid water is an essential ingredient for life, although it does not necessarily mean that life exists on Mars.

In order to be liquid at such cold temperatures, the water beneath the south pole might need to be really salty, which would make it difficult for any microbial life to inhabit it.

However, it does give hope that there were more habitable environments in the past when the climate was less unforgiving.

In 2018, scientists used the European Space Agencys Mars Expresss radar to look through Marss ice cap. It found that the area underneath the ice reflected the radar signals strongly  leading scientists to suggest it was evidence of liquid water.

But a range of studies came after that suggested that other materials could be just as reflective, and that water was less likely to be the cause of the reflections given it would need another heat source to stay liquid. As such, many scientists believed that further evidence was needed to suggest that it really was water.

Professor Neil Arnold, from Cambridges Scott Polar Research Institute, who led the research, said: The combination of the new topographic evidence, our computer model results and the radar data make it much more likely that at least one area of subglacial liquid water exists on Mars today, and that Mars must still be geothermally active in order to keep the water beneath the ice cap liquid.
As flu season fast approaches, Seattle Childrens Hospital is already seeing an overflow of kids needing medical help.

KIRO 7 learned emergency wait times at the hospital are at multiyear highs without any signs of improving.

I dont think anyones shirking their responsibilities. Everybodys trying to do the best they can do, said Dr. Tony Woodward, medical director at Seattle Childrens.

Medical experts say its a reality of the pandemic.

Thats because there is a currently a shortage of pediatric medical workers, so when parents and their children cant get seen for relatively common ailments, theyre heading to the emergency room at Seattle Childrens.

In Seattle, parents like Stephen and Marlo Taylor are especially worried about the emergency wait times.

I think its hard for everybody, said Stephen Taylor. Its hard for new parents who are worried about their little one, and its also hard for the people on the receiving end of that.

The Taylors new daughter was born just two weeks ago, and theyre constantly on guard, making sure shes OK.

Luckily we live really close to the hospital, we can see it from our house, but still, if we got here and we had to wait, that would be scary, Marlo Taylor noted.

To help as many people as possible, Seattle Childrens has opened additional beds and increased physician staffing.

Yet when it comes to nonemergencies, staffers recommend that parents first start with either their primary care physicians or urgent care, and only visit the emergency room when all other options dont work.
Roger Arnold, an amateur chemist, was questioned by Chicago police detectives in the Tylenol murders in 1982. He later fatally shot a man who would become, in effect, the 8th victim in the case. (Jerry Tomaselli / Chicago Tribune)

Even before the July 2022 video conference on the Tylenol murders, DuPage County prosecutors know about another suspect in the case.

On this, there is no doubt.

In 2010, two prosecutors  including one sitting in this very meeting  filed a secret petition to exhume the body of Roger Arnold from the Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery and remove his femur bone for DNA testing. The request was made on behalf of Tylenol Task Force 2, a group of investigators who had reopened the case in 2006 ahead of the 25th anniversary of the killings.

The request details the evidence against Arnold, including the job he had before the 1982 poisonings and a murder he committed after. It has remained under seal ever since a judge granted it that same day.

Roger Arnold, the petition states, was identified as a suspect by both Task Force 1 and 2 because of reports that he had made threats to (poison) others around the time of the Cyanide Poisonings.

And thats just a small part of Roger Arnolds story.

Authorities secretly exhumed the body of Roger Arnold from Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery, shown here in September, for DNA testing related to the Tylenol case. (Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune)

A disheveled man with thick glasses and a beard, Roger Arnold could often be found in the early 1980s on a Chicago bar stool, spinning stories about his military service and his chemistry hobby.

Marty Sinclair, who owned a shot-and-a-beer joint on Lincoln Avenue called the Oxford Pub, thought his customer was a bit odd. And after Arnolds marriage crumbled in the summer of 1982, hed grown more erratic, Sinclair told police.

In fact, one nearby tavern owner had called police that June and accused Arnold of threatening him with a gun when the man tried to break up a bar fight.

And so, a week after seven people died from taking poisoned Tylenol capsules, Sinclair didnt hesitate to tip off police when he heard from a couple of his regulars that Arnold had cyanide in his home.

A Chicago police report summarized Sinclairs Oct. 6 call: The subject was recently divorced and is despondent. (Arnold) supposedly picked up a quantity of cyanide (two 16 oz. bottles) six months ago and said that he was working on a project.

The tip would divide authorities who were working to uncover the identity of the Tylenol killer, leading them on two separate investigative paths and cementing a rift between the FBI and Chicago police.

After being publicly identified as a Tylenol suspect, Arnold became consumed with rage and later shot an innocent man. John Stanisha would become, in effect, the eighth victim in the Tylenol murders.

Years went by before the slain mans children would take Tylenol again. His youngest child, Laurie Edling, said the brand name was a constant reminder of their loss.

It was like swallowing sadness and grief, she said.

Laurie Edling stands near Lilly's pub in Lincoln Park, not far from where Roger Arnold fatally shot her father, John Stanisha, in 1983. She was 16 at the time. (Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune)

Arnold was never charged in the poisonings, but he did go to prison for murder. About a decade after his release, he died of natural causes in 2008.

Arnold went to his grave denying any involvement in the fatal poisonings. But, even after his death, the Tylenol investigation wasnt done with him. Three Chicago police detectives who investigated him after Sinclairs phone call told the Tribune they still believe he is the Tylenol killer.

A person of interest

Only one of the seven victims in the Tylenol killings died in Chicago: Paula Prince, a vivacious 35-year-old flight attendant whose body was found in her Old Town condominium  not far from the stretch of Lincoln Avenue where Arnold liked to drink.

Paula Prince, 35, was the only victim of the Tylenol poisonings who lived in Chicago. (E. Jason Wambsgans / Chicago Tribune)

Her murder meant Chicago police would join a massive task force that already included suburban law enforcement, the state police and the FBI.

Chicago Detectives Charlie Ford and Jimmy Gildea were put in charge of the Prince case. But it took only one or two task force meetings before the longtime partners decided they didnt want to be there.

Besides the tedious commute to the meetings, held in the northwest suburbs, they werent impressed with the circuslike atmosphere, where they said reporters often outnumbered police.

It was a dog and pony show for the news, Ford said of the task force, which included more than 100 investigators.

They also werent too keen about working with the FBI or others who they thought might potentially interfere with their investigation. So while Ford and Gildea hunted for Princes killer in the city, their superiors sent a couple other Chicago detectives to monitor the task forces efforts in the suburbs.

The Chicago Police Department set up its own Tylenol tip line, and with Johnson & Johnsons offer of a $100,000 reward, the phones soon started ringing off the hook.

Chicago police Superintendent Richard Brzeczek talks about the investigation into the death of Paula Prince at an October 1982 news conference. (James Mayo / Chicago Tribune)

We had like 10 or 15 more guys up in my office and they were strictly there to field all the phone calls, Ford said. Youd get guys with psychics, Oh, its a woman with a red hat with a kangaroo on her back.  Every whack job on the planet Earth comes out on big cases.  (Youve) got to filter through the junk.

Then, at 1 a.m. on Oct. 6, Sinclair  the Lincoln Avenue tavern owner  dropped a dime on Arnold.

He tells us essentially that one of the semi-regulars that comes in there is kind of an off guy, Gildea said. He said (Arnold) was sitting at the bar talking to people and he had  white powder. And he goes, You can kill people and nobody would ever know. And stuff like that.

Police asked Sinclair to call the next time he spotted Arnold. They also walked up and down the strip asking bartenders to be on the lookout.

They didnt have to wait long. Five nights later, Arnold showed up at Lillys, another Lincoln Avenue bar, and someone notified police. The detectives picked him up about 7 p.m. and brought him to Area 6 headquarters near Belmont and Western.

Roger Arnold leaves Area 6 headquarters after Chicago police detectives brought him in for questioning in the Tylenol murders. (Don Casper / Chicago Tribune)

Seated in an interview room with cement-block walls, the two detectives sized up their 48-year-old suspect. He didnt have a criminal record, so it struck them as odd that Arnold seemed so at ease with answering their questions. No sweating, no stammering, no demands for a lawyer  even though he clearly was being questioned in what Ford called the crime of the century.

Ford and Gildea delved into his life.

Adopted as a baby and raised in Chicago as an only child in a working-class family, Arnold dropped out of school in the seventh grade and worked a series of odd jobs before enlisting in the Army in 1957. He served two years before earning an honorable discharge, records show. He told people he was a demolitions expert in the military. In reality, he was a quartermaster providing fellow soldiers with clothing and bedding.

Arnold had been married to his wife, Dolores, for 12 years when she filed for divorce in December 1981, three days before Christmas. She accused him of mental and physical cruelty, according to court documents.

He denied the claim, filed a counter petition and testified in court that his wife struggled with mental illness and often belittled him in front of others. But with no children, the former couple had little to haggle over in the divorce. They agreed she would get their home in west suburban Villa Park and hed keep his pension when he retired from Jewel.

The divorce left Arnold largely alone in the world. Both his parents were dead. Co-workers described him as a loner.

He just struck me as being real resentful of his lot in life, Gildea said. The fact that he lost his house, his wife  I think he was kind of a broken little man, really.

Former Chicago police Detective Jimmy Gildea, shown at his Chicago home in July, said of Roger Arnold: He just struck me as being real resentful of his lot in life." (Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune)

The detectives also discovered several circumstantial links between Arnold and the Tylenol case.

Two of the eight tainted Tylenol bottles came from Jewel stores in the northwest suburbs, though neither had passed through the Melrose Park warehouse where Arnold had long worked for Jewel as a dockhand.

The father of poisoning victim Mary Lynn Reiner worked for about a year at the same warehouse as Arnold. They both lived in Villa Park, a west suburban town where the grocery chain was considered one of the communitys most reliable employers. The two men ate lunch together occasionally, and Arnold bummed rides from him when his car wasnt running properly, according to police records.

In addition, police said Dolores Arnold  who died in 1995  had been treated at a psychiatric hospital across the street from the Winfield grocery store where Reiner bought her Tylenol. Arnolds ex-wife told police he had visited her at the hospital several times, though public records did not reveal the timing of his visits.

Roger Arnold had moved back to Chicago months before the poisonings, but he was familiar with the west suburbs, the detectives noted. Three of the eight Tylenol bottles were thought to have been sold in stores in DuPage County, and two of the victims lived in the area.

The Walgreens where Paula Prince bought poisoned Tylenol was next to the folk music club the Earl of Old Town. (Don Casper / Chicago Tribune)

Finally, two tainted bottles were recovered in Chicago, including the one Prince bought the night of her death at a Walgreens within walking distance of the Lincoln Avenue bars that Arnold frequented.

The Poor Mans James Bond

In the interview room, Ford and Gildea tried to build a rapport with their suspect.

Arnold acknowledged he had bought potassium cyanide from a mail order company in Wisconsin earlier that year. The self-described amateur chemist said he liked to conduct experiments.

But Arnold said he threw the cyanide away three months earlier as he was having trouble with his wife (ex) and didnt want the stuff around, the records said.

He denied involvement in the Tylenol murders. But the detectives said his docile demeanor during the interrogation piqued their interest, especially when he suggested it would be easy to open the capsules and fill them with cyanide.

We can see right away, looking at the guy, he wasnt wired too tight. He was a little wacky, Ford said. And we kind of schmooze the guy:  Only a criminal mastermind could do this, and This guy had to be a genius. Were puffing him up a little bit.

The approach apparently worked. Arnold signed a consent form that night allowing the detectives to search his South Side home without the hassle of waiting for a warrant, records show. The detectives brought Arnold with them.

Inside the house in the McKinley Park neighborhood, the detectives found several unlicensed handguns, a rifle, a bag of white powder, a catalog from a laboratory company with various chemicals circled, and several beakers, vials, funnels and test tubes, records show.

Arnold also owned books, magazines and manuals about making homemade explosives, detonators, drugs and poisons. One book, The Poor Mans James Bond, included instructions on how to make potassium cyanide.

Chicago police allowed the media to photograph many items recovered from Roger Arnold's home, including several unlicensed handguns, a rifle and various books, magazines and manuals. (Charles Osgood / Chicago Tribune)

To test out a homemade poison, the book suggested putting it into an enemys medicine cabinet contained in capsules, according to court records.

Police also found Arnold had a one-way ticket to Thailand. It showed a departure date of Oct. 15  just days away. Arnold frequently traveled there to partake in the sex trade, the detectives learned.

Gildea said Arnold checked all the boxes. But the books, the Tylenol connections, the barroom chatter, the one-way ticket  it was all circumstantial evidence. They had nothing concrete that connected him to the poisonings. The detectives knew they needed a confession.

We thought this might be the guy. Hes got the means and the knowledge and the how-to books and all that, Gildea said. We certainly couldnt eliminate him.

The detectives knew a lot was riding on what happened when they returned to the interview room.

On the way back to the police station, they stopped with Arnold to buy him a breaded steak sandwich from Ricobenes  a South Side delicacy. Arnold had requested the meal, and the detectives obliged, hoping the monster sandwich with red gravy would get him talking.

You wine them and you dine them. Its like youre going out on a date, Ford said, laughing, except going to first base with them puts them in a penitentiary.

But the detectives said they never had a chance to interrogate Arnold about the poisonings. According to Gildea, while they were busy organizing and documenting the evidence they had brought back to the station, some of their superiors began questioning Arnold without their knowledge.

Word of what Gildea and Ford had found in his home had spread, they said, and Police Department brass wanted to be the ones to get the confession. Outranked, the detectives said they were unable to get Arnold in a room alone again. The interference stymied the investigation, according to Ford.

It was like a parade of fools, he said. And, finally, by the time they got done, hes demanding an attorney  and now he clams up.

Ford continued: Now, maybe he wouldve confessed to us, maybe he wouldnt. But I would have given it at least a 50-50 shot that he would have confessed if wed been able to sit there and schmooze him some more.

Roger Arnold, center, after a court appearance on misdemeanor weapons charges in late October 1982. He went back to his job at Jewel in November. (Jerry Tomaselli / Chicago Tribune)

Police arrested Arnold on five charges of failure to register his firearms, all misdemeanors. They also contacted the bar owner who had reported that Arnold threatened him with a gun during a June bar brawl. Police persuaded the man to come to the police station Oct. 12 to sign an official complaint for aggravated assault.

But authorities couldnt hold Arnold at the station much longer without more serious charges. And tests on the white powder found in his home later identified it as potassium carbonate, not cyanide.

A free man

By Oct. 13, the Tylenol task force began assisting Chicago police with the Arnold lead.

Illinois Attorney General Ty Fahner, as head of the task force, pushed for a second search of the suspects home, this time obtaining an official search warrant that described Sinclairs tip and all the evidence police found in Arnolds home during the first search. It also noted that a Jewel supervisor told police Arnold had recently said he was mad at people and wanted to throw acid at them or poison them.

Ford, Gildea and some task force agents went back to the house again late at night. The detectives said they didnt find anything new of substance but, by now, television cameras were waiting outside to catch the action. Someone had leaked Arnolds name to the media. His name and photograph were printed in newspapers and appeared in television broadcasts across the country.

Chicago police detectives search Roger Arnolds home on South Hoyne Avenue in Chicago on Oct. 13, 1982. (John Bartley / Chicago Tribune)

Police continued to try to build their case. They searched Arnolds garage, his car, his locker at Jewel.

They interviewed his former wife, Dolores Arnold, who said she did not think he was capable of the Tylenol murders. As for his chemistry hobby, she recalled accepting boxes of chemicals a few times at their home, but she did not know what the chemicals were or what her husband did with them, according to a police report.

His work file showed he was punctual, rarely took a day off and had only one minor reprimand in a dozen years on the job. One co-worker described Arnold to police as a loner who often appeared unkempt and who thought of himself as a rebel to the norms of society.

Investigators reported they were told Arnold disliked authority, especially police, and was immature with a quick temper and easily frustrated if things did not go his way. One police record stated that Arnold supposedly had asked a student nurse working at Jewel for the summer if she could get body parts so he could place them around the Chicago area to frustrate the police.

[ The Tylenol Murders: How we reported this series ]

Police had Arnold in custody for two days. His lawyer filed a petition demanding that Arnold be brought before a judge and authorities explain their reason for holding him.

The court hearing was scheduled for late Oct. 13, around the time police had secured the warrant to go back to Arnolds house for their second search. As Arnold waited for the court proceedings to begin, he asked a Chicago police sergeant to tell him who had informed on him as to having the cyanide, according to a police report.

Arnold made a statement that he would like to be in on the homicide of that guy for what he had done to me,  the sergeant said, according to the report.

After the hearing, a judge set bond. Arnold posted the required $600 cash and was released. He was a free man.

Chicago police Sgt. Monroe Vollick, left, escorts Roger Arnold after Arnold posted bond on Oct. 13, 1982. Arnold faced misdemeanor weapons charges. (Don Casper / Chicago Tribune)

Authorities planned to keep tabs on him. They kept his guns, too, because of the alleged registration violations. Ford and Gildea worked other Tylenol tips for the next several weeks, then moved on to other homicides.

Arnold tried to move on too. He went back to work in November. But his life would never be the same.

(My) name and picture had been in the newspapers across the country, usually in the first breath of a phrase, A prime suspect in the Tylenol murders,  Arnold wrote several years later in a legal filing.

(I) was used as a suspect to give the general public release from its fears caused by the grisly slayings, he continued. (My) life was scrutinized, like under a microscope, and the information was devoured by the media. (My) reputation and life stability was destroyed.

He said his neighbors gawked, making him feel like a freak, and teens tossed debris at his home after newspapers published his address. He felt alienated from friends and co-workers. Arnold became paranoid, believing that the authorities were bugging his house and his attorneys law firm  an unsubstantiated allegation.

Arnold said he bought a .45-caliber pistol to protect himself from vigilantes in April 1983. Still reeling from his divorce and the loss of his marital home, he complained about mounting legal debts  more than $10,000, he wrote.

(I) was clinically depressed and drinking heavily every night, he wrote. His anger and rage consumed him. His wrath, he said, centered on one man: Marty Sinclair.

Arnold had learned it was Sinclair who gave his name to police when his attorney gave him a copy of his police file after his release from custody. The records included Fords search warrant, which named Sinclair.

On June 17, 1983, Arnold began drinking about 7 p.m. at Lillys. He had his gun with him. Three hours later, someone told him, Watch out, Marty Sinclair is in here, according to court records.

Arnold said he left the bar and headed to a Mexican restaurant up the street. He returned to Lillys around closing time, he said, after realizing hed left his cigarette lighter there.

Then Arnold thought he spotted the man he hated, Sinclair, walking with friends on Lincoln Avenue. (I) was thinking that this was going to be the end of this mess, Arnold wrote.

John Stanisha, a computer programmer, was fatally shot in 1983 by onetime Tylenol suspect Roger Arnold. (Family photo)

In actuality, the man outside Lillys was someone else. It was 46-year-old John Stanisha, who like Sinclair was heavyset, sported a beard and hung out in the area.

Arnold confronted him. (I) called out to who (I) thought was Sinclair and said, Marty, did you turn me in? 

Standing within 5 feet of Stanisha, Arnold pulled the gun from his waistband and fired a bullet into the mans chest. As Stanisha lay bleeding, his friends later told police, he begged God not to let him die.

Tylenols eighth victim

Raised as an only child in a Catholic household near Midway Airport, Stanisha was so bright that he skipped a couple grades, according to daughter Laurie Edling. A graduate of DePaul University, Stanisha was a computer programmer before it was a common occupation.

He was kind of ahead of his time that way, Edling said.

Stanisha met his wife, Loretta, while bowling in a league with her father. The young couple married in 1960 and raised three daughters in Chicagos Mount Greenwood neighborhood before divorcing in 1971. Stanisha then moved to the North Side.

Laurie Edling holds a family photo from 1968 showing her parents, Loretta and John Stanisha, along with their three children: Therese, 6, Laurie, 2, and Susan, 7. (Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune)

Edling described him as the cool dad. He taught her how to drive. He took her two sisters to a Bruce Springsteen concert on a school night and let Edling, at 13, tag along with him on a business trip to New York City in 1980.

Music was a touchstone in her fathers life, Edling said. He loved classic rock and folk music. In fact, his girls often sat alongside him, sipping root beer, at the popular folk club Earl of Old Town while watching Steve Goodman, John Prine, Bonnie Koloc and other greats perform.

Edling said Steely Dans Rikki Dont Lose That Number still makes her think of her dad. I can remember driving down the Dan Ryan (expressway) with him with that song blasting, she said. My dad would roll down all the windows and turn up the radio loud.

Stanisha had begun his Friday night by commiserating with co-workers. Their company had new owners, and several of his friends had lost their jobs. He next caught up with three buddies, including Earl J.J. Pionke, who owned the Earl of Old Town.

The men were walking south toward Pionkes bar on North Wells Street when Arnold approached and opened fire. The bullet exited Stanishas shoulder. He fell to the sidewalk and told his friends, Ive been shot.

One of Stanishas buddies followed Arnold and noted the license plate of his red 1978 Chevy as he sped off. Arnold tossed the gun into a branch of the Chicago River at 35th Street, he later admitted, before winding up in a motel in Indiana.

Early the next morning, after speaking to his lawyer, Arnold surrendered to police. He was wearing jeans and a T-shirt that read Pattaya, Thailand.

Roger Arnold, center, is escorted by attorney Thomas Royce, right, as he walked into the Area 6 police station to surrender after the 1983 fatal shooting of John Stanisha. (Jerry Tomaselli / Chicago Tribune)

The bullet he fired had pierced Stanishas heart. In Stanishas final moments, he realized he was dying, his friends later told police and a jury.

Edling, just 16 at the time, said she and her sisters had planned to spend that Sunday barbecuing with their father at his parents home in Chicagos Garfield Ridge community. It was Fathers Day weekend.

Nearly 40 years later, she told the Tribune, she still can hear the sound of the phone ringing unusually early that Saturday morning. Moments later, her mother came into her bedroom and broke the news about her father.

Her paternal grandparents were elderly. Her parents were divorced. And so it was left to the teenage girl as the next-of-kin to identify her fathers body at the morgue later that afternoon. She also helped pick out a casket  blue, her dads favorite color.

Edling still went to her grandparents house that Sunday. But instead of celebrating in the flower-filled backyard, they gathered in grief and shock, readying themselves for the upcoming memorial services.

Seated in a pew at Stanishas funeral Mass, Edling spotted a bearded man walking up to receive Communion. He was one of the last people in a very long line.

Edlings jaw dropped. He looked just like her father, she said.

It was Marty Sinclair.

I have thought a lot about him over the years, she said of Sinclair. And I think about how much courage it took to go to the funeral of someone who was murdered when you knew that was supposed to be you.

Nearly 40 years after her father's death near Lilly's in Chicago, Laurie Edling can still hear the sound of the phone ringing unusually early that Saturday morning, bringing terrible news. (Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune)

Though she has never met Sinclair, Edling said, she hopes he knows that her family never blamed him for her fathers death. To her knowledge, the two men did not know each other.

Edling said Sinclair was right to call police with the tip about Arnold. Her father would have done the same thing, she said. That was the right thing to do. That was what anyone who was responsible would do.

Now 80, Sinclair declined to comment when contacted by the Tribune this year.

The year after her fathers death, Edling went off to college in his maroon 1978 Cadillac. During her freshman year, the car was stolen. The police recovered it, but it had been gutted. She felt gutted too.

I spent the whole day in bed crying, she said.

For years, she kept a candy jar she had bought to give him that Fathers Day as a gift but never got the chance. It had a figure of a bearded man on the lid that looked just like her dad. She had filled the jar with jelly beans.

Edling said the old candy jar eventually broke during a move several years later. But she still has her fathers star sapphire cuff links and a rosary made from his funeral flowers. She holds it while praying, and it brings her comfort.

Lingering questions

Gildea was on duty the weekend of Stanishas murder. At the police station, one of his co-workers told him: Hey, your friend Arnold is locked up.

Gildea said he looked at a photo of the victim and instantly recognized the mans resemblance to the tipster, Sinclair. The detective said he went into the interview room and showed Arnold the drivers license of the man Arnold had just shot to death.

He starts crying like a baby, Gildea said. And I said, This guys got  kids and you just killed him. And he just broke down, started crying, was inconsolable really, because he realized he killed the wrong man.

Laurie Edling holds a 1976 photo of her dad, John Stanisha, with Laurie at age 10 and her sister Therese, 14. (Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune)

At his trial, Arnold testified he mistook Stanisha for Sinclair. Sinclair also testified. He confirmed he had provided Arnolds name to police. He also told jurors he had seen Arnold several times inside his bar afterward but did not on the night of the shooting.

After four hours of jury deliberations, Arnold was convicted of murder on Jan. 11, 1984. He received 30 years in prison, but under sentencing laws at the time he would be eligible for parole after serving half the term.

In a petition for clemency he filed several years after his conviction, Arnold admitted he killed an innocent man that did him no harm. He apologized but said, sorry really doesnt cut it.

Several of his friends told the Tribune his crime was impulsive, fueled by alcoholism and depression. They do not think he was capable of the Tylenol killings.

[ Read parts 1 and 2 of Unsealed: The Tylenol Murders ]

The state-led task force publicly ruled Arnold out as a suspect shortly after his arrest for the misdemeanor crimes, in large part because no one could land on a definitive motive. A renowned FBI criminal profiler, however, second-guessed that decision in a lengthy analysis of the case obtained by the Tribune.

For some reason it is apparently difficult to believe this unkempt and enigmatic individual could be the killer, yet he possesses all the capabilities and attributes necessary to have placed the poison on the shelves of the affected stores, Pierce Brooks, who would go on to create the FBIs National Center for the Analysis of Violent Crime, wrote in the spring of 1983.

Brooks ticked off a list of reasons why Arnold could be the killer, including his prior statements about wanting to poison people and his familiarity with the areas where several tainted bottles were sold. The profiler suggested agents reexamine the case, including speaking with Arnolds ex-wife and finding out more about the cyanide he had purchased from Wisconsin.

The state-led Tylenol task force publicly ruled out Roger Arnold as a suspect shortly after his arrest in October 1982, in large part because no one could land on a definitive motive. (Carl Hugare / Chicago Tribune)

The FBI denied a request for records related to Arnold, making it difficult to know whether anyone took that second look.

But Ford and Gildea never let go of their lead.

And neither did other Chicago police detectives involved in the case.

Phillip Mannion, the lead investigator on the Stanisha murder, told the Tribune that after Arnold was convicted, his attorney approached Mannion and suggested that Arnold might be interested in talking about the Tylenol murders if his appeals didnt work out. Mannion found the offer more than a little telling.

Why wait until after the appeals are over? asked Mannion, who retired in 2005. If you have information that could help, why would you wait until youre sure your other murder conviction wont get tossed. You wouldnt  unless you did it.

Arnolds attorney, Thomas Royce, died in 2009.

Mannion shared the offer with Ford and Gildea, who found it equally suspicious.

They asked Cook County prosecutors if they could arrange for Arnold to serve his sentence in a less-restrictive prison, where they hoped to continue questioning him.

But Ford and Gildea said their request was denied. They said prosecutors reported back that the U.S. attorneys office wasnt interested in chasing the Arnold lead.

Well, they call up the feds and the FBI says, No, hes not the guy,  Ford said. So that was it.

The detectives have a theory as to why.

The same day that Sinclair called in his tip about Arnold  Oct. 6, 1982  the task force learned that the maker of Tylenol had received an extortion letter demanding $1 million to stop the killing.

The man behind the extortion letter quickly became the main suspect for task force leaders, especially the FBI and state police.

Nothing that happened over the next four decades has changed their minds.

This photo of Roger Arnold belongs to Steve Schulman, who employed Arnold for many years after Arnold was released from prison. Several of Arnold's friends told the Tribune they do not think Arnold was capable of the Tylenol killings. (Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune)

Roy Lane Jr., a retired FBI agent who is the only member of the original task force to be involved when the Tylenol investigation was rebooted in 2006, said Arnolds unusual personality and behavior werent enough to convince him that Arnold was behind the poisonings.

Ford retired in 2000 after a 31-year career. Gildea, the younger of the two detectives, left the force a decade later, having served more than 40 years.

If the FBIs other suspect is proved to be the killer, both men said theyd applaud their federal and state colleagues. Neither played a role in Tylenol task force investigations in later years, and so they were not made aware of possible developments.

Ford, who died this year after granting what would mark his final interview about Tylenol, didnt mince words when asked whether he thought the man behind the extortion letter would ever be charged.

I think youll have better luck running Richard Nixon for president again than the chances of that happening, he said.

In his mind, he and Gildea had the right guy. All the pieces, all the tips, all the clues, all the arrows, they all pointed toward him, he said of Arnold. Maybe Im wrong, but I dont think so.

On the 25th anniversary of the Tylenol murders, Chicago police did a cold case review of Paula Princes murder. They put their findings in a box, along with a thick pile of old typewritten police reports, and gave them to an FBI-led task force that also was reexamining the killings.

When the task force investigators opened the box, they found what many considered to be a not-so-subtle message from their Chicago counterparts. On the very top of the pile was a black-and-white mug shot of a bearded, bespectacled man.

It was Roger Arnold.

Next week: An extortion letter arrives, and a new suspect emerges.
HONG KONG (Reuters) - A court in Hong Kong on Thursday sentenced a pro-democracy activist and former lawmaker, Ted Hui, to 3 1/2 years in jail for "criminal contempt" after he failed to show up for trial in several criminal cases.

Hui, 40, fled Hong Kong in December 2020, several months after China imposed a sweeping national security law punishing offences like subversion and foreign collusion with possible life imprisonment.

In a judgment posted online, Judge Andrew Chan outlined how Hui had deceived the court with false documents in late 2020 to have travel restrictions lifted and to "evade criminal proceedings".

Hui went overseas after he was allowed to travel and did not return, eventually settling in Australia.

Hui had been facing criminal charges in several cases at the time, including perverting the course of justice, access to a computer with dishonest intent, and alleged criminal damage.

"The deception was carefully orchestrated by the respondent (Hui) with the consequences that public confidence in the administration of justice had been greatly undermined," wrote Chan, who had found Hui guilty on four counts of contempt of court in June.

Hui was among dozens of democrats who took part in an unofficial primary election in August 2020, that was later deemed illegal by authorities. Forty seven of these democrats were arrested in early 2021 for alleged conspiracy to commit subversion that could see them jailed for life.

Legal proceedings are ongoing, with many of the democrats detained and denied bail ahead of the trial.

In a social media post on Thursday, Hui described the sentence and criminal proceedings against him as "contemptible".

"After the National Security Law came into effect in Hong Kong, the courts in Hong Kong have been reduced to become courts of the (Chinese) Communist Party. Political trials, and sentencing against dissent has become the norm in Hong Kong," Hui wrote.

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More than 200 people have been arrested for alleged violations of the national security law since 2020.

Hong Kong and Chinese authorities say the national security law has restored stability to Hong Kong after mass pro-democracy protests in 2019, and that the judiciary remains independent.

(Reporting by James Pomfret and Jessie Pang; Editing by Raju Gopalakrishnan)
By Diadie Ba

DAKAR (Reuters) - Senegal's President Macky Sall has asked the justice ministry to look into an amnesty scheme that could allow two of his biggest political opponents who were sentenced on graft charges to regain their voting rights and potentially run in the next presidential election in 2024.

Sall instructed the justice minister during a cabinet meeting on Wednesday evening "to examine, as soon as possible, the possibilities and the appropriate scheme of amnesty for people who have lost their voting rights," minutes of the meeting showed.

He said his aim was to ease political tensions which have heated up in recent months, culminating in a tense legislative election and scuffles in parliament, but analysts said the move could be a ploy to divide the opposition ahead of the 2024 poll.

Two of Senegal's best known opposition figures, former Dakar mayor Khalifa Sall, and Karim Wade, the son of former president Abdoulaye Wade, were jailed on corruption charges in 2018 and 2015 respectively.

Both have been released but were barred from running in the 2019 election, which Sall won, and many have claimed the charges against them were politically motivated.

Since then another firebrand opposition leader, Ousmane Sonko, has risen to prominence and mobilised large protests against the ruling party, which lost its absolute majority in parliament to an allied opposition coalition last month.

"President Macky Sall has to break this unity which is dangerous for him. Three competing (parties) would be easier to confront than a single bloc," said political analyst Mame Less Camara.

"With the possibility of the return of Karim and Khalifa, the hegemony of Sonko and Pastef (Sonko's party) will necessarily be called into question," said Mamadou Sy Albert, another political analyst.

Sall has avoided saying whether he plans to run himself in the 2024 election, which is part of what has fuelled protests in the last year. He has already served two terms, the constitutional limit, but other West African presidents have changed their constitutions in order to run a third time.

(Reporting by Diadie Ba; Writing by Nellie Peyton; Editing by Bate Felix and Chizu Nomiyama)
Sep. 29STOCKTON  The Stockton Police Department announced that it has formed a committee to investigate whether or not a serial killer is walking the streets.

In a social media post Wednesday, the department said it has investigated 43 homicides in 2022 compared to 32 reported at this time last year.

"As detectives have been looking at the data and evidence for some of the recent homicides, they have noticed the homicides are occurring during the night or early morning hours and our victims were alone," the department said. "At this time, we do not know if it is one suspect or multiple suspects committing these homicides."

The department said it was assembling a team of detectives, task force officers from federal, state, and county levels, crime analysts, camera room operators, and evidence technicians to examine some of the patterns in the murders.

The most recent homicide that fits the pattern occurred Tuesday morning at 1:51 a.m. on the 900 block of Porter Avenue.

Police said that when first responders arrived on scene, they found a 54-year-old man on the sidewalk suffering from a gunshot wound. Life-saving measures were attempted, but the victim died at the scene, police said.

A similar homicide occurred Sept. 21 at 4:27 a.m. on the 4400 block of Manchester Avenue, and another a day prior on the 1900 block of Sikh Temple Street at 12:44 a.m. In the latter incident, the victim was inside his vehicle when he was shot, police said.

On Aug. 30, a 21-year-old man was shot while sitting in a car on the 800 block of East Hammer Lane at 6:41 a.m., and a 57-year-old man died from multiple gunshot wounds on Aug. 28 at 4:15 a.m. on the 600 block of East Oak St.

On Aug. 11, a man was found suffering a fatal gunshot wound in a parking lot on the 4900 block of West Lane at 9:49 p.m., and a man was shot and killed in the area of Lindsay and Union streets at 1:29 a.m. on July 9.

The day prior at 12:31 a.m., police found a 35-year-old man at a park on the 5600 block of Kermit Lane suffering a gunshot wound. He was taken to an area hospital, where he died from his injuries, police said.

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Police are asking residents to avoid isolated areas of the city and travel in well-lit areas with a group of people.

"We would like to remind everyone to remain vigilant and have good situational awareness which means to be aware of what is happening around you in terms of where you are, where you are supposed to be, and whether anyone or anything around you is a threat to your safety," the police said.

Anyone with information is asked to call Stockton Police Department at 209-937-8377, or the Investigations Division at 209-937-8323. You can submit anonymous tips to Stockton Crime Stoppers by calling 209-946-0600, or by visiting StocktonCrimeStoppers.org. You can also download the P3 Tips Mobile App and submit tips anonymously.

Stockton Crime Stoppers will pay a cash reward of as much as $10,000 for information that leads to an arrest.
Sierra Leonean police Thursday summoned the mayor of the capital Freetown for questioning over allegedly obstructing police work and "disorderly behaviour", according to a letter seen by AFP and confirmed by the mayor.

"I can confirm the police invitation letter and I plan to attend" the questioning on Friday, Mayor Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr told AFP by telephone.

The letter, from the criminal investigations department, accused Aki-Sawyerr of "obstruction to police duties" and "disorderly behaviour", without providing further details.

The summons is likely tied to an incident at the airport earlier this month.

On September 17, the mayor streamed a live video on social media from Freetown International Airport, on her way to New York for an event coinciding with the annual UN General Assembly.

She claimed in the video that a city councillor travelling with her had been escorted away by airport immigration officers and handed over to the police, who said they had an arrest warrant for him accusing him of incitement over deadly protests that rocked the country in August.

Aki-Sawyerr said in the video that they had been about to board their flight when they were told that Sheku Turay, the city councillor who also goes by Ice T, was needed at the immigration office.

"Half an hour later, I received a call that he had been arrested," the mayor said in the video.

According to eyewitness accounts in local media and on social media, the mayor went to the police station where Turay had been taken and an altercation took place there, before she returned to the airport and posted the video.

Local media reported that the minister of local government on September 22 issued a separate summons to ask the mayor why she had travelled to New York without informing her "superiors" in advance.

On Thursday, Aki-Sawyerr told AFP she was "on her way" to meet him.

The event she attended in New York was hosted by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation on September 20 and 21.

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A former finance professional with a master's degree from the London School of Economics, Aki-Sawyerr was awarded an Order of the British Empire in 2016 for her efforts battling Ebola in Sierra Leone.

Elected mayor in 2018, she has had a number of run-ins with authorities in recent months.

Earlier this year, she was fined by the anti-graft agency and ordered to refund travel expenses for an allegedly unauthorised staff member, but denied any wrongdoing.

Last month, she claimed the information minister and the presidential press secretary had falsely accused her of inciting the deadly August 10 protests.

"This deliberate and continued action of making false accusations publicly has already led to constant attacks of me on social media and attempts of physical attacks on (Freetown City Council) property", she wrote on social media.

Sierra Leone's presidential election is scheduled for June 2023.

sb-prc/ah
Lohud | The Journal News

Relatives of Kaya Green said they never liked Kirk Fisher and frequently warned her to have nothing to do with him. But she always gave him another chance. Until the day he killed her.
President Joe Bidens plan to cancel billions in federal student loan debt faces new legal challenges, with a group of six conservative states joining forces Thursday on one lawsuit and Arizona filing its own challenge to Biden's plan.

Even as new suits emerged Thursday, a federal judge in Indiana dismissed yet another lawsuit aiming to block the massive loan forgiveness plan.

Arkansas is leading one of the court battles, together with Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska and South Carolina.

Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge, who had said she was willing to challenge the administrations plan to cancel student loan debt, in a Thursday press conference called it a disgrace that "the president is trying to bail out adult college students who voluntarily took out these loans."

Its the second of at least three challenges to Biden's proposal this week, and it comes just days before the administration's early-October plan to share an application for people who want debt relief.

Biden's plan would cancel up to $20,000 in student loan debt for Pell Grant recipients and $10,000 for other borrowers, for people earning up to $125,000 a year or part of a household where total earnings are no more than $250,000.

What does debt relief mean to borrowers?: Student loan cancellation will change some lives, but fall short for others

Rutledge, who said her office filed the suit Thursday in a Missouri federal court, said Biden acted beyond his authority. She said the president has declared the pandemic over and questioned how he could discharge student debt now, using the impact of coronavirus as a justification.

The states are seeking a preliminary injunction  which would halt the administration's plans  given the Education Department may begin discharging debts in October.

"When President Biden attempts to circumvent the Constitution in order to deliver on a political promise, myself and other state attorneys general take issue with this," Rutledge said.

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The suit argues that the Education Department didnt have the authority to cancel student loan debt. They mentioned a 2021 memo produced by the agency under former Secretary Betsy DeVos that stated the president couldnt use a 2003 law, the HEROES Act, to cancel student debt. The Education Department issued a separate memo from August 2022 stating it did have the authority to discharge debt under the same law.

What will student debt forgiveness cost?: CBO estimates Biden's plan will cost US about $400 billion

Rutledge said the state had standing to file the lawsuit because it will be hurt by the debt cancellation. Specifically, the state said the Arkansas Student Loan Authority, a state agency that offers private student loans to cover higher education costs, said a drop in revenue would affect its ability to offer new loans.

The lawsuit similarly alleged that the Higher Education Loan Authority of the State of Missouri, or as it is better known to borrowers, MOHELA, would be damaged by mass student loan cancellation.

That entity oversees loans issued directly by the Education Department, known as Direct Loans, and privately held student loans backed by the federal government known as the Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) program.

Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich filed his own suit against the Biden administration on Thursday to stop what he described as an "illegal student loan cancellation program." Brnovich filed in the U.S. District Court of Arizona and also challenged the administration's use of the HEROES act to cancel student loan debt.

"This mass debt forgiveness program is fundamentally unfair, unconstitutional, and unwise, Brnovich said. The question Americans need to be asking is why college costs so much in the first place.

Borrowers cut out of forgiveness

Borrowers had been able to consolidate FFEL loans into accounts directly owned by the Education Department, which then gives the federal government the ability to cancel borrowers debts under Biden's plan. The states argued the mass cancellation would lead to more borrowers consolidating their loans, which in turn harms the entity by depriving them of the ongoing revenue it earns from servicing these loans.

Its a timely coincidence then that the Education Department updated its guidance on FFEL loans on Thursday. The department had previously said borrowers with these types of loans could consolidate their accounts to take advantage of the debt relief. That window is now closed, and as of Sept. 29th borrowers who consolidate wont qualify for the one-time debt relief.

Is student loan forgiveness fair?: Americans without degrees remain divided over costs

Our goal is to provide relief to as many eligible borrowers as quickly and easily as possible, a department spokesperson said. And this will allow us to achieve that goal while we continue to explore additional legally-available options to provide relief to borrowers with privately owned FFEL loans and Perkins loans, including whether FFEL borrowers could receive one-time debt relief without needing to consolidate.

The federal government estimated that 770,000 borrowers would be affected by the new policy, according to the Associated Press.

Its unclear if the departments decision was tied to the lawsuit. But it's not the first time the department has offered additional details about the debt cancellation program when facing a legal challenge.

What happened to the Pacific Legal Foundation's lawsuit?

Earlier this week, the Pacific Legal Foundation also filed a suit against the administration, saying some borrowers would be hurt by the debt cancellation. Specifically, some states plan to tax the debt forgiveness, and the foundation, a libertarian-aligned law firm, argued that borrowers residing in those states would be harmed by widespread debt discharge.

But White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Monday that borrowers are allowed to "opt out" of debt cancellation if they choose. She accused opponents of trying to stop Biden's action on student loan debt "because they know it will provide much-needed relief for working families."

Richard Young, a judge in the Southern District of Indiana, seemed to agree with the federal government. The court dismissed the foundation's request to stop debt cancellation Thursday, and said if the plaintiff can opt out of debt relief then he "cannot be irreparably harmed as is required for preliminary relief." Young gave the group until Oct. 10 to amend its complaint.

Young wrote that the plaintiff should consider if his damages are being caused by the debt relief program or Indiana's tax code. The judge added the plaintiff was speculating about the details of the program, "but as evidenced by the Government's recent addition of an opt-out provision, the plan is still evolving."

How many borrowers are in the states represented by the suit?

Approximately 2.8 million student loan borrowers are eligible for some amount of student debt cancellation in the six states represented in the joint suit, according to data from the White House:

Arkansas has roughly 365,000 borrowers

Iowa has roughly 408,000 borrowers

Kansas has roughly 361,000 borrowers

Missouri has roughly 777,000 borrowers

Nebraska has roughly 232,000 borrowers

South Carolina has roughly 681,000 borrowers

Separately, Arizona has 810,800 borrowers eligible for relief.

But an injunction could affect the entire universe of borrowers eligible for loan forgiveness roughly 40 million people.

When asked about Arkansas residents with student loans, Rutledge encouraged them to pay their debts.

"You took out that loan with a promise that you would pay it back," she said. "Do what I did and pay that loan back. Don't put your loans on the back of someone else who didn't benefit with a college degree like you did."

Contact Chris Quintana at cquintana@usatoday.com. Follow him on Twitter at @CQuintanadc.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Biden's student debt forgiveness plan challenged by several GOP states
Wearing a large hat protecting her face from the sun's rays in Cameroon, 63-year-old Jeanne now bitterly regrets using skin whitening products after being diagnosed with skin cancer.

She is one of many women in Cameroon who use the controversial products that have been banned after social media outrage.

"I am embarrassed when people look at me," the trader in the capital of Yaounde said, wishing to only use her first name.

After a lesion grew on her face over five months, she went to a doctor who diagnosed her with one of the most common skin cancers.

Doctors told her the cancer is linked to her use of skin lightening products for 40 years.

Jeanne, like millions worldwide, used the products for more "desirable" lighter skin, an ideal pushed by the beauty industry.

According to the Cameroon Dermatology Society (Socaderm), nearly 30 percent of residents in the economic capital Douala and a quarter of schoolgirls used the products in 2019.

For some like 20-year-old student Annette, the effects can be harsh. She said she suffers from red patches on her face, peeling skin and also burns.

"Under a strong sun, my face became hot and I had to stop," she said.

The products with names like "White now" and "Super white", are instantly recognisable on shop shelves by the fair-skinned women on the packaging.

- Dangerous chemicals -

The furore began in the summer after social media users criticised opposition MP Nourane Fotsing over her company that sells the products, angry that an elected official would profit from them.

Many of the products have never been scientifically tested and contain dangerous levels of chemicals that inhibit the production of melanin, a substance produced in the body by exposure to the sun.

One of the chemicals is hydroquinone, banned in the European Union since 2001 because of the risk of cancer and genetic mutations.

Cameroon's health ministry on August 19 banned the import, production and distribution of cosmetic and personal hygiene products containing dangerous substances such as hydroquinone and mercury.

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Hydroquinone is in fact one of the most used in whitening products in Cameroon, according to a 2019 study by Yaounde I University.

- 'Public health problem' -

"We encounter patients complaining of symptoms linked to skin depigmentation every day," Alain Patrice Meledie Ndjong, a dermatologist at a hospital in Douala, said.

It is a "public health problem".

According to the World Health Organization, the products are commonly used in many African, Asian and Caribbean countries by both women and men, and also among dark-skinned populations in Europe and North America.

Other skin whitening products include potions, tablets and even injections.

Some of the substances, when ingested, can cause diabetes, obesity, hypertension or kidney or liver failure, warned Ndjong, adding there was also a psychological impact on individuals like "anxiety and depression".

Despite the horror stories, men and women believe they will become more beautiful after using the products.

"Beauty standards promoted by media, advertising and marketing reinforce the bias that lighter skin tone is more desirable than darker skin tone."

Sociologist Achille Pinghane Yonta of Yaounde University offers blunter analysis of why the creams remain popular.

"There is a desire" rooted "in our consciences to want to look like" Western populations, he said.

"It's a very old practice. It's even said, in some parts of the country, that a light-skinned woman's dowry is higher than that of a darker woman."

But for Pascaline Mbida, she felt the difference.

"I noticed that men were more attracted to women with lighter skin and I had confirmation of this when I whitened my skin, I had never got so much attention," Mbida said.

- Black market -

But the cost put off Mbida, who is currently unemployed. She spent 30,000 Central African Francs (45 euros) per month on the products.

The mandatory monthly minimum wage in Cameroon is 36,270 (55 euros).

Since the ban, police have launched raids, much to the chagrin of the sector's players who claim some seizures don't distinguish between the products that are banned by the government and those that are not.

The WHO in 2019 said "the skin lightening industry is one of the fastest growing" worldwide and was estimated to be worth $31.2 billion by 2024.

The cosmetic and personal hygiene market grew in Cameroon by seven percent in 2020 and was worth 380 billion CFA (around 580 million euros).

Despite the ban, there is a already a black market for the products.

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Every day after work, veteran English teacher Staci Ely pulls into the parking lot of the Spanish Trail Lodge in Fort Stockton, a small town in far West Texas.

She parks right in front of her door in the motor-court style hotel, and settles into a small, recently refurbished room with an en suite bathroom, saltillo tile floors, a mini fridge and Southwest-style fixtures.

The cozy motel room is home these days and its one reason Ely took the job with the Fort Stockton Independent School District. That and the $80,000 salary.

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In order to secure a livable retirement, Ely, 54, temporarily left the spacious home 500 miles away she built with her husband, a former professional bull-rider who stayed behind.

Hes a cowboy, and he likes cowboyin at home, Ely said of her husband.

She rents her room for $250 a month from the Fort Stockton school district, which purchased the motel in December 2021 for $705,000 out of its budget, part of a multi-faceted plan to recruit teachers amid a chronic shortage.

The plan also includes hefty salaries for the teaching positions the 2,200 student district needs the most.

The districts teacher shortage, made all the worse by the COVID-19 pandemic, mirrors a reality seen in many parts of the country.

Historically speaking, teacher shortages are nothing new to rural districts, said district superintendent Gabriel Zamora. But were not struggling for teachers now.

Lured by higher salaries and low-cost housing, the district has filled all of their critical positions, said Ember Renteria, the districts head of personnel. And, theyve filled them with well-qualified teachers, not just warm bodies. Normally we were just looking for anyone who was willing to teach, she said. Theres been a big difference this year. If you pay them, they will come.

Zamora wasnt in Fort Stockton when the pandemic started, but he has always worked in the kind of very small, extremely rural district struggling to fill slots. After years of innovation and recruiting, the pandemic was a massive setback.

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Whatever ground we gained, we were losing, Zamora said. The pivot to virtual learning and then again to hybrid learning pushed many teachers past their breaking point and out of the profession. When he looked at the staffing situation in Fort Stockton in 2021, he saw that as in most other rural districts, the pandemic had made another hole in the bucket.

He arrived in Fort Stockton in June 2021, and immediately got to work figuring out how to get more teachers into the district, and how to get the experienced teachers already on the payroll to transfer into positions like math, English, and science that are hardest to fill.

Instead of being lured into electives by the lack of stress, as often happens, he said, hes trying to hire experienced teachers to the core subjects with a bigger paycheck  up to $72,000 for a first year teacher, more for experienced teachers like Ely.

For the 8th grade English teacher, this was a golden opportunity to stash away the $80,000 salary. The position is usually hard to fill because subjects that are covered by state exams are typically more stressful. But the bump in pay made it worth her while.

Thats exactly what Zamora was counting on.

Dr. Gabriel Zamora (fsisd.net)

Hes no stranger to the disincentives facing the teaching profession. Starting salaries are too low to appeal to many college graduates, especially those carrying any college debt. From there, most districts follow a set pay schedule based on years of experience. If a district follows the minimum pay scale, as many small, rural schools do, it takes a teacher 20 years to get to $54,000.

He looked at the funding he had available for his 180 teacher salaries this school year, and found a way to pay them according to how badly the district needed to fill the position. The average salary for Fort Stockton teachers in 2021-22 was $53,000  the state average is around $56,000  but now, for instance, a first year teacher in a high school math class could make around $72,500. If a veteran teacher takes that position, theyll make even more.

But even at $70,000, Zamora said, housing prices in Fort Stockton were another large hurdle. The housing stock is mostly single family homes, many of them older. Oil companies drilling nearby offer relatively generous housing stipends to their workers. But with home appraisals on the rise, landlords are charging top dollar.

The district built 12 brick duplexes, similar to what one might see in a suburban development, complete with a playground in the shared, fenced yard behind them. Teachers can rent those for $750-800 a month.

Thats great for families, Zamora knew, but when the Spanish Trail Lodge came up for sale last December, he knew it would sweeten the deal for even more recruits. He was thinking of young teachers not ready for home ownership, and older teachers who arent necessarily looking to uproot their lives, but need to be thinking about their financial future, like Staci Ely.

Ely wasnt permanently relocating 500 miles away. Her husband, six kids, and four grandchildren are still back in Emory, a tiny rural town east of Dallas.

But Ely knew she couldnt end her career there, where the district was on the state minimum salary schedule, if she wanted to have a stable income in retirement.

She could retire with a yearly stipend of 60% of about $55,000 or 60% of the $80,000 shell make in Fort Stockton.

It was a huge raise, but the Spanish Trail Lodge gave her the opportunity to take home even more by cutting out her biggest expense  a market rate rental. I didnt want all of my raise to go to housing when we own a home, she said.

In the 29 years shes been teaching, Ely has made a lot of sacrifices. Shes driven 45 minutes each way. Shes worked for the state minimum teacher salary. Shes taken on extra classes when positions went unfilled. Shes been happy to do it, she said, because she loves her job and loves the middle school kids she teaches.

Fort Stockton teacher Staci Ely works in her room at the Spanish Trail Lodge. (Courtesy of Staci Ely)

But now she has to think about her future. It feels almost sacrilegious to say so, Ely said, because teachers are trained and conditioned to be all about the kids. They are praised when they are, in a way, martyrs to the profession, she said. Ive done 29 years for the kids, and I have to start thinking about my retirement.

She flies home to see her family when she can, but soon shell be able to take advantage of another perk; for the first time in her teaching career, Ely wont have to work through the summer, either picking up summer school classes or a side gig.

The motel is great in the meantime, she said. In the center of the horse-shoe shaped motor-court theres a free-standing house where the proprietor lived. The district turned it into a clubhouse of sorts, with a large kitchen, two living rooms with recliners and large flat screen TVs, a workout room with new equipment, and a laundry room with washers and dryers.

To house teachers recruited from across the state, Fort Stockton bought the Spanish Trail Lodge, where teachers pay $250 month. (Bekah McNeel)

One of the administrative assistants in Zamoras office was in charge of making the clubhouse homey, Zamora said, nodding to the decorative vases, potted plants, and other decor in the living rooms. She really got into it.

Its not uncommon for rural districts to provide housing for teachers and administrators, Zamora said, but the hotel and its rock-bottom rent was something new. Not everyone in town has been happy about the districts housing plans, Zamora said. Landlords have been able to charge $1,500 or more simply because of supply and demand. In a town of 8,000 people, it doesnt take much to disrupt the market.

Fort Stockton High School Principal Ken Wallace had already paid the oil field premium once and wasnt keen to do it again. Oil companies offer housing stipends to workers high enough to drive rents well beyond what local residents are used to. He was coaching in a small Texas town when it boomed, and watched his rent triple within a year. When he moved to Fort Stockton for the principals job this year, he recognized what was happening with the housing market, and opted for the Spanish Trail Lodge.

As the only school administrator in the motel, the district offered him a double room, since he would be something of an acting RA on site  a link to district administration should anything go awry. But its not like rowdy college kids, he said, these hard-working professionals just want some peace and quiet when they get home.

Were all here and we see each other, but everyone kind of understands, Wallace said, We try not to step on each other.

Wallaces own retirement calculations include running AirBNB properties with his wife, who stayed behind in Goliad  400 miles away  until the house they are renovating there was ready to start earning income. He wouldnt have been able to take on another mortgage, or an equally high rent.

Thats the only reason we can swing it, Wallace said. Its a total game changer as far as being able to be housed.
The actor became "a genie in a bottle."

Will Smith is slowly coming back to social media after the incident at the Oscars that led to his ban from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences events for the next decade.

Currently, the 54-year-old appears to be enjoying some time in Ecuador; he took a few moments from his time away to share some of his new dance moves in a short video on Instagram.

Using the waves filter, Smith danced on a path with beautiful palm trees in the background to the song "Zapateando Juyayay" by Jayac.

He first put his hands above his head to replicate the well-known "Genie in a Bottle" dance, before making it look like he was twerking.

Smith captioned the video, "Im a genie in a bottle baby #Ecuador."

Although it's not confirmed, Smith could also be referencing his past role as the Genie in the Disney live-action adaptation of Aladdin in 2019.

The video currently has over 1.7 million likes.

Actor and comedian Brian Moller, who is known as B Mo the Prince on TikTok, commented on the video in support of Smith, writing, " my mans out here dippin his toe in the water bit by bit  WE GOTCHU DAWG!!"

Smith has been in the country for at least a month, as he previously shared some moments from the trip on Instagram, such as when a peacock hung out at his window, which he captioned, "Why are these animals following me everywhere??"

In another video, he stated that they were going to visit the Amazon jungle while there, though he hasn't shared any videos or photos from those adventuresat least not yet.

Although Smith released an apology shortly after the Oscars incident in which he hit Chris Rock, his first major return to the public eye was a long video on YouTube addressing it and apologizing again.

Shortly after, Smith started posting on social media again, and according to his IMDb, he has many acting and producing projects on the docket.

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JOHANNESBURG (AP)  South African President Cyril Ramaphosa denied allegations of money laundering while being questioned by lawmakers Thursday over a scandal that threatens his position and the direction of Africa's most developed economy.

Ramaphosa already faces an investigation by police and a Parliament-appointed panel over the theft of a large amount of money in U.S. dollars from his ranch in 2020. He has been accused of illegally holding around $4 million in cash at his game ranch in northern South Africa and covering up its theft in an attempt to hide the existence of the money.

The allegations first surfaced in June when the former head of the national spy agency made a criminal complaint to police, accusing Ramaphosa of money laundering and other offenses.

I deny that there was any form of money laundering," Ramaphosa said in Parliament in Cape Town on Thursday. It was the proceeds of the sale of game. I have been a game farmer for a number of years. That is an activity that sometimes results in the sale of animals.

Ramaphosa has denied any wrongdoing in the incident but previously avoided questions about it, saying only that the theft did happen and that he reported it to the head of his presidential protection unit at the time.

The allegations have badly damaged his reputation as a leader intent on cleaning up both South Africa's corruption-tainted government and his own ruling African National Congress party.

Ramaphosa said he would cooperate with any investigations into the incident. No criminal charges have been brought against him, but a police unit for serious and high-profile crimes is investigating.

The panel of independent legal experts appointed by Parliament will also decide if he has a case to answer for an alleged breach of his oath of office.

"I will cooperate to the fullest of my ability, Ramaphosa told lawmakers.

The timing is terrible for the 69-year-old Ramaphosa, who is seeking reelection as leader of the ANC party at a conference in December. If he loses there, he would likely be forced out as president of the country.

Both Ramaphosa's predecessors, Jacob Zuma and Thabo Mbeki, lost the confidence of the ANC and, as a result, resigned the presidency.
Brandon Dotson reviews a fake eviction and relocation notice, with the name of Ald. Maria Hadden on the document, at a homeless encampment at Touhy Park in Chicago's Rogers Park neighborhood on Sept. 29, 2022. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune)

Brandon Dotson has been living in a tent in Touhy Park for a few months while he waits to get more stable housing.

Then early this week he thought it was finally time to get out after flyers popped up informing people in the park experiencing homelessness they would be moved to rooms in one of Chicagos fanciest hotels.

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I was actually excited. I packed my stuff yesterday, and I was ready to go, Dotson said Thursday. We never got anything.

The 37-year-old South Side native said he got his hopes up, but Dotson and the rest of the people staying in Touhy Park in the 7300 block of North Paulina Street soon found out the information on the notices, which claimed their right to stay in the park was expiring in five days and that they would be moved to Chicagos Four Seasons Hotel, was fabricated by Sarah Lim, a 17-year-old DePaul University freshman.

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Brandon Dotson, left, and Vance Allen review a fake eviction and relocation notice, with the name of Ald. Maria Hadden, 49th, on the document, at a homeless encampment at Touhy Park in Chicago's Rogers Park neighborhood on Sept. 29, 2022. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune)

Lim, who is planning on running for mayor of Chicago, said she taped up the bogus flyers so that she could get my name out there.

By circulating the sheets, she also hoped to get publicity directly to her website. The site assists high school and college students in attaining internships.

I started the website last summer, Lim said. It has really been a struggle to get more traffic to it, which is why I resorted to the publicity stunt.

It was no consolation to Dotson, who struggles to find somewhere to live, he said.

Im thinking I have a place to stay, Dotson said. Im thinking that I could get my life together, but its not happening.

Dotson said he was sad because he missed work to stay at Touhy Park, in the Rogers Park neighborhood, and wait for someone to come to take everyone there to the hotel.

I didnt want to miss that opportunity, Dotson said.

Lim, reached by phone late Thursday afternoon, said she didnt mean to offend anyone and was only seeking publicity.

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I have no hatred against homeless people, said Lim, who said she came up with the idea last week because she knows the encampment is controversial. People want something done about it, Lim said of the homeless people living there.

Yes, somebody made those flyers and made them look like official five-day notices to vacate, according to Ald. Maria Hadden, 49th, adding her name was listed on the bogus notices.

Vance Allen, 55, is also a lifelong Chicago resident having lived mostly on the West Side of the city, then Humboldt Park and now in Touhy Park. He stays with his longtime girlfriend, Gina Guerra.

Allen said he didnt buy into the notices because he felt that if Hadden wanted to make a statement, she would have come down to the park and handed them to people herself.

People gather at a homeless encampment at Touhy Park in the Rogers Park neighborhood on Sept. 29, 2022, in Chicago. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune)

The only thing Allen heard Hadden say during a visit after the controversy was that the people staying in Touhy Park are still welcome there, and that was it.

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Next week, there might be snow on the ground, and for the people that dont have places to go, oh my God, Allen said. This is Chicago. The weather will change. What then? I hope everybody has some place to go before the holidays.

Lim said she used tape to paste the flyers in the park and nobody there saw her or spoke to her as she did it.

I realized now that a lot of people are offended by what I did and that wasnt my intention, said Lim, who turns 18 next month and is still planning on running for mayor, an idea she got from her professor at DePaul.

Lim said she plans on issuing a public apology.

Haddens staff first learned of the stunt during the day on Tuesday, Hadden said, and found flyers on park benches, on the porches of neighbors and on belongings of some of those living in Touhy Park.

Hadden said they removed the flyers, but confirmed some people believed them and had already packed up. By the end of the day Tuesday, Hadden had reached out to the Chicago Park District and the citys law department.

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By Wednesday it broke on our social (media) and in our community news groups. Yesterday (Wednesday) midday I got a call saying people were out there posting them again, Hadden said.

Thats when Hadden went to the park and spoke to the people living there. They were pretty upset, she said.

A few people suspected it as fake and a few thought it was real, said Hadden

Tents are pitched at Touhy Park in the Rogers Park neighborhood on Sept. 29, 2022, in Chicago. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune)

Whatever the intention, it was a very cruel act for all of these people who are pretty vulnerable and seeking housing, Hadden said. Some are on waiting lists to be placed in homes.

As of Thursday afternoon, all the harm and misinformation has been corrected, Hadden said.

The law department is looking into it, Hadden said.

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When Lim was told that Hadden thought the fake notices were cruel, she said: I think that instead of trying to turn me into a criminal, Hadden should be focusing on the issues right now.

A bewildered Hadden said she had no idea why someone would do this. You cant make this stuff up, Hadden said.

Bill Mortons name was also included on the flyer. Morton, president of the Rogers Park Chamber of Commerce, has launched a bid for 49th Ward alderman.

Trudy Leong of the chamber group said she had been trying to reach Lim but so far, no luck as of Thursday afternoon.

Were asking her for a public apology to Bill, the encampment and the Four Seasons hotel for the harm that she caused, said Leong.

Leong wants it clear that we had nothing to do with it.

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She and Bill Morton were blindsided by news that Lim admitted being responsible for the flyers, Leong said.

Last week, Lim contacted Morton via Facebook to ask him for help in her mayoral campaign  developing petitions so she could get the signatures she needed to run for mayor. He agreed and they were going to meet with her, but have not yet.

We were going to help her, Leong said.

But on Tuesday, the notices went out at the encampment, which as of last week had about 41 tents, some of which have two people living in them.

Leong said they learned of the notices almost immediately, including when their Facebook community group began talking about it.

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I asked her to please just admit your mistakes and do better in the future, Leong said of a message she left for Lim.
By Joori Roh

SEOUL (Reuters) -North Korea fired two ballistic missiles off its east coast on Thursday, South Korea's military said, following the firing of two short-range ballistic missiles a day earlier and one on Sunday.

"South Korean military detected two short-range ballistic missiles fired from Sunchon, South Pyongan province, toward the east coast between 8:48 p.m. and 8:57 p.m. ... Amid strengthened surveillance and vigilance, our military maintains full preparedness while working closely with the U.S.," the Joint Chiefs of Staff said.

The launch came as U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris ended a visit to South Korea, during which she was strongly critical of the reclusive nation.

The military did not give details of the travel range, height and speed of the missiles.

South Korea and its allies are concerned that the North is about to conduct a nuclear test  which would be the seventh since 2006 and its first since 2017. South Korean lawmakers briefed by the country's spy agency said on Wednesday the North has completed preparations for a nuclear test and a possible window for carrying it out could come between Oct. 16 and Nov. 7.

(Reporting by Joori RohEditing by Raissa Kasolowsky and Frances Kerry)
A Springfield man was sentenced to more than five years in prison Tuesday on federal drug, weapon and Paycheck Protection Program fraud charges.

Demetrius Robertson, 30, was sentenced to 66 months in prison for possession with intent to distribute marijuana, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and wire fraud related to PPP loans, according to a release Thursday from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Central District of Illinois.

Robertson had initially been indicted on the drug and gun charges in May 2021 by a federal grand jury, with the PPP fraud charge coming in February.

At Robertson's sentencing hearing, federal prosecutors said neighbors noticed Robertson walking around the block with a Glock 29 handgun, with U.S. District Judge Sue Myerscough stating that he knowingly possessed the weapon with intent to distribute marijuana. She also said that Robertson provided the government with false information on two separate PPP loan applications, receiving more than $40,000 in loans from the government.

More:$5M federal grant expected to 'transform' Lincoln Land's workforce training programs

The Springfield Police Department and Illinois State Police assisted the U.S. Secret Service and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms in investigating the case.

Myerscough, who handed down the sentence, said Robertson's crimes put the safety of the community at risk and also put struggling businesses in jeopardy because he took money that was intended for them.

U.S. Attorney Gregory K. Harris said the sentence shows a commitment by the government to ensure the safety of people in the area and hold people accountable for stealing COVID-19 relief funds.

"The people of the Central District of Illinois have a right to live a life free from gun violence (and) this office will continue to hold firearms offenders and drug traffickers accountable," Harris said in the release. "It also is unconscionable that criminals sought to capitalize on the pandemic by stealing funds meant for hard working small businesses."

Robertson must must pay restitution in the amount of $45,327.00 in connection with the wire fraud offense.

This article originally appeared on State Journal-Register: Springfield man sentenced on PPP fraud, weed and weapons charges
VALENTYNA ROMANENKO  THURSDAY, 29 SEPTEMBER 2022, 12:44

The Security Service of Ukraine (SSU) has detained another henchman of Russian invaders who, during the temporary occupation of Kyiv Oblast, was appointed by the occupiers as the so-called "deputy head of the Dymer settlement council."

Source: Artem Dekhtiarenko, SSU spokesman

Details: According to the Security Service of Ukraine, the detainee provided fuel for Russian military equipment, arranged the supply of gas, electricity and food to Russian forces.

The collaborator participated in interrogations of illegally imprisoned citizens, including representatives of the Red Cross Society of Ukraine. The Russian occupiers "knocked out" information about locations of units of the defence forces and the residence addresses of the participants of the anti-terrorist operation.

In case of refusal to "hand over" Ukrainian soldiers, the invaders used psychological pressure, violence and threats of physical violence against people.

The suspect coordinated his criminal actions with the commander of the occupiers' unit, a colonel of the Russian Armed Forces who went by the alias Father Kirill.

According to the investigation, the collaborator is a local businessman who voluntarily agreed to cooperate with the aggressors in the position of "deputy chairman of the Dymer settlement council" and "director of the municipal enterprises combine."

It was there that the Russian forces accomplice set up his "workplace" and held meetings with local residents, whom he tried to involve in cooperation with the occupiers.

Quote: "After Dymer was liberated [from the Russian army], the suspect fled from justice in other regions of Ukraine. But the Security Service employees located him and detained him.

The detainee was notified that he was under suspicion under part 5 of Article 111-1 (collaborative activity) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.

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The Solomianskyi District Court of Kyiv placed him under pre-trial custody without bail."

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The San Luis Obispo County District Attorneys Office cannot prosecute Tianna Arata and six other Black Lives Matter demonstrators, the California Court of Appeal ruled Wednesday, denying both the office and the California Attorney Generals Offices petitions for a rehearing.

That now sets the stage for the DAs Office to escalate the case to the highest arbiter in the state: the California Supreme Court.

San Luis Obispo County District Attorney Dan Dow confirmed to Tribune via text message Wednesday night that the office plans to appeal the case to do just that.

On Aug. 31, the California Court of Appeal upheld San Luis Obispo Superior Court Judge Matthew Guerreros decision to remove the office, citing a campaign fundraising email sent by San Luis Obispo County District Attorney Dan Dows wife in which she said Dow was leading the fight against the wacky defund the police movement as a clear conflict of interest.

The District Attorneys Office and the California Attorney Generals Office both filed petitions before the state Court of Appeal on Sept. 15, asking the judges to rehear the case to correct factual errors and omissions they say appear in the courts opinion.

The offices also asked the court to address the impact those corrections may have on the initial ruling, according to court documents.

The court made one modification to the opinion that clarified wording regarding whether an attorney affidavit was required for evidence of the law that establishes when a prosecutor can be disqualified from a case.

On page 7, second paragraph, the words attorney affidavit required by section 1424 are deleted and the words motions supporting affidavit are inserted in their place, the court ordered. There is no change in the judgment. The petitions for rehearing filed on September 15, 2022, are denied.

The opinion was also published in the official reports, making it citable case law that can be relied upon in future similar cases, the court ordered.

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Dow told The Tribune in a text message that the office will be filing an appeal with the California Supreme Court within the required time period, which is the next 10 days, according to the California Rules of Court.

The Rules of Court also state that the Supreme Court will usually accept the Court of Appeal opinions statement of the issues and facts unless the party has called the appellate courts attention to any alleged omission or misstatement of an issue or fact in a petition for rehearing.

The issue of recusing an entire district attorneys office is of great importance across the entire State of California and will impact all DAs of every political stripe, Dow said.

Aratas defense attorney calls DA delusional

Curtis Briggs, who represents Arata, told The Tribune that Dows vow to bring the case to the state Supreme Court is a psychosis, adding that the district attorney is delusional and has yet to take take any accountability in the situation.

The only person that is shocked by the appellate courts ruling is Dan Dow, Briggs said.Anyone that listens to how the appellate justices treated their arguments would know its very clear that Dan Dow was in the wrong. And the judges are not going to help him out of this.

Briggs said before the San Luis Obispo County District Attorneys Office even appealed Guerreros decision, he told Dow please do more because the only way to protect the public from this kind of egregious conduct from prosecutors is to enshrine it in case law through an appellate court published opinion.

We got exactly what we wanted out of this, Briggs said. We could have never gotten that type of victory if they didnt appeal it. They did exactly what we wanted them to do.

He added that it should be noted that four different judges have now disqualified Dows office from the case, all of them white men and three of them with reputations of conservatives.

This happens to be the audience that you would think would not grant Black Lives Matter relief, but even this conservative, white audience is behind these protesters here on these principles, Briggs said.
WASHINGTON D.C. (AP)  Former President Harry S. Truman was remembered by Democratic and Republican leaders as one of the most consequential presidents in history during a ceremony Thursday unveiling a statue of Truman in the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol.

Speakers at the ceremony unveiling the 7.5-foot bronze statue of the nation's 33rd president remembered the numerous substantial decisions Truman made, despite being vice president for only 82 days before President Franklin Roosevelt died in April 1945.

Truman, who was born and reared in Missouri, helped end World War II, created the United Nations and NATO, desegregated the U.S. Armed Forces and federal workforce, recognized Israel and helped lead the world's response to the Soviet Union and Communism.

The statue, sculpted by Tom Corbin of Kansas City, looks like Truman, wearing a double-breasted jacket, is walking down steps. It includes a phrase Truman is famous for  The buck stops here.

U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt, a Republican from Missouri, said "no president in such a short period of time made more consequential decisions then Harry Truman.

If you've ever been in a job where you made decisions, just imagine the decisions he had to make and how quickly he had to make them and how well he made them, Blunt said.

Truman's grandson, Clifton Truman Daniels, said of all of his grandfather's accomplishments, his most significant was reminding us that a farmer, a citizen solider, a small businessman can rise to the highest office in this land and do a better job of it than almost anybody else.

U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, a Democrat from Missouri, said Truman rose from being a farmer, a soldier, small businessman, county judge, and U.S. senator before becoming president. Cleaver, who is Black, praised Truman's decision to integrate the armed forces and the government work force, saying it helped create a middle class for Black people.

From this day forward may Harry Truman's statue serve as a reminder of his courage, and courage we need to have to take on projects that will help build this nation, Cleaver said. For my congressional colleagues and I, we too should accept the responsibility, as did Truman, and declare The buck stops here.

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Truman's statue will be the 10th presidential statue in the Capitol Rotunda, flanked by George Washington and Ulysses S. Grant.

The Truman Library Institute led a campaign to raise more than $400,000 to fund the statue. Each state has two statues in the Rotunda to honor people notable in the state's history.

In 2019, the Missouri Legislature voted to install Truman's statue to replace a 1899 statue of Thomas Hart Benton, a five-term U.S. senator from Missouri. Benton's statue will be moved to the State Historical Society Art Gallery in Columbia, Missouri.
(Bloomberg) -- The Biden administration's announcement that qualifying borrowers can receive up to $20,000 in forgiveness on federally held student loans first elicited cheers from many of the 43 million Americans eligible to have their debt wiped. Then came a barrage of questions.

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The Department of Education has offered some information on what borrowers can expect and will release more in the coming weeks.

For now, there are several key dates to know: Applications will open online in early October and take four to six weeks to process, the department has said. That means that borrowers should fill out forms by November 15, according to a graphic posted by Education Secretary Miguel Cardona, in order to receive forgiveness by the time a pandemic-era payment pause ends on December 31. Applications close next year on December 31, 2023. Separately, applications for limited expansion of the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program close on October 31.

Here are some steps you can take to be prepared when applications become available:

1. Check if youre eligible.

If you made less than $125,000 in 2020 or 2021  or if youre married and you and your spouse made less than $250,000  and you took out federal student loans prior to June 30, 2022, youll qualify for forgiveness. The number to check is your adjusted gross income, or AGI, on tax returns from either of the past two years.

Pell Grant recipients will receive up to $20,000 in debt forgiveness, and holders of other types of federal loans will receive as much as $10,000. All federally-held student loans  including undergraduate loans, graduate loans, spousal loans and Parent PLUS and Graduate PLUS loans  are eligible.

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Borrowers should note that forgiveness is not per loan, but rather per borrower  meaning that if you took out multiple federal loans for your own education, or one loan for yourself and one Parent PLUS loan for a child, your forgiveness is still capped at $10,000 or $20,000, said financial-aid expert Mark Kantrowitz. Pell Grant recipients who took out one Pell Grant and other federal loans are still eligible for the full $20,000 in forgiveness, even if their grant was for less than that amount.

Private loans, including government-backed Federal Family Education Loans (FFELs) and Perkins loans, are not eligible for relief unless they were consolidated into direct federal loans before Sept. 29.

2. Check if you need to fill out an application.

The vast majority of borrowers will need to fill out an application to receive relief. However, around 8 million borrowers will be automatically enrolled in the program because the Department of Education already has access to their income information. That includes around 6 million current students who recently filled out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid and another 2 million borrowers who have income-driven repayment plans and have submitted income information for 2020 or 2021. The Department of Education will contact borrowers who are automatically eligible to notify them.

If you are not in that group, youll need to complete an application.

3. Sign up for Education Department updates, make sure your contact information is up-to-date with your loan servicer.

To make sure youre notified when the forgiveness application goes live, sign up for updates at this Education Department webpage by selecting NEW!! Federal Student Loan Borrower Updates and entering your email address.

Then, confirm with your loan servicer that your contact information is up-to-date. If you arent sure who your loan servicer is, you can check on your personal dashboard at studentaid.gov.

4. Gather your 2020 and 2021 tax returns.

The purpose of the application is to gather income information to determine eligibility, so it can be helpful to have your 2020 and 2021 tax returns on hand to easily reference your adjusted gross income. The White House said in a Twitter thread that you wont need to upload any additional documents when filling out the application.

5. Check if you are eligible for a refund for any payments you made during the pandemic.

Payments made during the pandemic-era pause can be refunded and then forgiven. In some cases, the department said, refunds will be automatic: Borrowers who successfully apply for and receive student loan forgiveness will be automatically refunded the amount of their voluntary payments if those payments brought your balance below the maximum debt relief amount you're eligible to receive but did not pay off your loan in full, according to the department's FAQ.

Other borrowers with direct, FFEL or Perkins loans that are held by the Department of Education can still receive refunds and then forgiveness for voluntary payments made during the pandemic  theyll just have to contact their loan servicers.

6. Weigh other forgiveness and repayment options.

The one-time loan forgiveness plan isnt the only option available to debtors. Last October, the Department of Education announced a one-time expansion of eligibility for public service loan forgiveness. Applications for that program are due on October 31 and are available on the student aid website.

The department is also undergoing a one-time adjustment of income-driven repayment plans to address past inaccuracies in counting and eligibility. This adjustment is automatic, so you dont need to worry about an application. But only borrowers with direct loans are eligible, meaning those with FFEL loans who want to qualify need to consolidate those loans into a direct loan. More information is available on the student aid website.

The Department of Education has proposed a new rule for income-driven repayment that would cap monthly bills at 5% of discretionary income, instead of 10%  cutting payments in half for many borrowers. Those rules likely will not be finalized until several months into 2023, student loan experts say, but borrowers should take note of the potential change for planning purposes.

Borrowers who are in default on direct loans, FFEL loans and Perkins loans held by the Department of Education are eligible for the Fresh Start program, which was announced in April and lasts one year after the payment pause ends on December 31. The department will reach out to eligible borrowers in the coming months with instructions on how to access the program, according to the aid website.

(Updates the 8th and 13th paragraphs to reflect Biden administration changes to which loans qualify for forgiveness and application details.)

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A convenience store clerk died after a customer found him hurt, sparking a search for clues in North Carolina, officials said.

The customer was visiting Amigos Tobacco Shop in Greenville and discovered a worker with serious injuries, officers said. The worker was taken to a hospital, where he died, according to the Greenville Police Department.

The clerk was identified in a Sept. 27 news release as 44-year-old Zahran Jaghama.

Robert Godley lives near the store and told WITN that Jaghama was a down-to-earth man who treated people well.

When I go to the (laundromat), if I need quarters I would go over there and hed give me quarters to wash clothes with, Godley told the TV station. I mean he was a real nice man, he really was.

Greenville police responded at about 8:30 p.m. on Sept. 26 and said Jaghama may have been assaulted during a robbery. But as of the following day, it reportedly was too early in the investigation to determine the nature of Jaghamas injuries or if a weapon was used, according to The Daily Reflector.

Police continue to investigate the incident, which was reported on North Greene Street in Greenville, roughly 85 miles east of Raleigh. Officers ask anyone with tips to call them at 252-329-4300 or Crime Stoppers at 252-758-7777.

Food Lion worker stabbed in chest during attempted robbery outside store, NC cops say

Man robs date at gunpoint and steals her car after meeting on dating app, SC cops say
Dover Saddlery, at N96 W19120 County Line Road in Germantown, just opened this week. This new retail-chain store sells equestrian products such as apparel, horse care and stable equipment

For anyone who loves English horseback riding  or would love to learn  a new retail store that sells equestrian products is now open in Germantown.

Dover Saddlery, N96 W19120 County Line Road, opened its first store in 1975 in Wellesley, Massachusetts, according to its website; there are 35 stores nationwide.

The Germantown location is the only outlet in Wisconsin. The next closest one is in Libertyville, Illinois.

Whitney Keeley, director of corporate communications, said Germantown was the prime location for the retail chain's first Wisconsin store because of riding opportunities in the area, such as the Barry Ridge Equestrian Center in Germantown and Hillside Farm in Richfield.

"There are a lot of horses in that area," said Keeley. "We have a rich database to tell us where to have another store."

The chain was founded by Jim and David Powers, former members of the United States Eventing Team for equestrian competition in the 1972 Olympic Games in Germany. Powers wanted to offer riders a saddlery shop with the best and broadest selection of apparel and products. In addition to apparel, the shop offers items for horse care and stable equipment.

The store plans to hire 10 to 15 employees. To inquire about employment, visit www.doversaddlery.com/employment-opportunities.

Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Wednesday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday.

For more information, visit www.doversaddlery.com.

More: Village of Germantown to address concerns sharing water and sewer services with Richfield before November vote

More: Germantown heats up, Arrowhead jumps past Memorial in this week's boys volleyball rankings

Cathy Kozlowicz can be reached at 262-361-9132 or cathy.kozlowicz@jrn.com. Follow her on Twitter at @kozlowicz_cathy.

Our subscribers make this reporting possible. Please consider supporting local journalism by subscribing to the Journal Sentinel at jsonline.com/deal.

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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Dover Saddlery, a retail chain, has opened in Germantown
A 15-year-old student at Oliver Citywide Academy is facing charges after he allegedly assaulted a teacher in the building Thursday morning.

Pittsburgh Public Schools confirmed Thursday that a student was in custody and a teacher was taken to a hospital after the alleged assault at the school, a special education center in the citys Marshall-Shadeland neighborhood that serves students in grades 3-12.

Pittsburgh Police said Friday that the 15-year-old male student is facing multiple felony charges and is being held in a juvenile facility in the area.

On Thursday, a Channel 11 crew on the scene saw paramedics loading a female into an ambulance and officers going in and out of the school.

On its website, the school is described as a highly structured school with a school-wide behavioral management system to support the positive behavioral support plans for each student. It says the staff is trained in therapeutic crisis interventions.

The school confirmed students are learning remotely Friday, but said its due to a staffing shortage.

In January, Marquis Campbell, a 15 year old student, was shot and killed in a van outside the school.

Students of the school will learn remotely next week following the trauma of the situation.

RELATED COVERAGE: Pittsburgh school continuing remote learning after student accused of assaulting teacher

The Pittsburgh Board of Public Education released a statement saying it places the highest priority on the safety of students and staff.

The superintendent of schools, Dr. Wayne Walters, also released a statement and called the incidentan unthinkable act of violence and that he sent his love and support to the victim.

No one has been arrested in this case.

TRENDING NOW:

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When the news broke of the mass shooting at the Highland Park Independence Day Parade, most referred to the suburb as affluent, mostly Anglo and typically quiet and peaceful. But when the names of the victims began to surface, it was the story of a Mexican grandfather who attended the parade with his family that made the first headlines.

For Cary Rositas-Sheftel, a longtime resident of Highland Park and director of Latino Affairs for Catholic Charities, it was not a surprise. In the last decade the population of Spanish-speaking immigrants has increased in her neighborhood, she said. Highland Park and neighboring towns, such as Highwood, are thriving communities full of restaurants, and a lot of people who work there speak Spanish and are now part of our community.

Many of those families joined the thousands of other attendees at the July Fourth parade where Robert E. Bobby Crimo III is charged with killing seven and wounding dozens of others. Two of the victims were Mexican grandfathers, Nicolas Toledo-Zaragoza, 78, and Eduardo Uvaldo, 69.

When Rositas-Sheftel was put in charge of coordinating bilingual interpreters for the family assistance center that was temporarily set up at Highland Park High School following the massacre, she noticed the extreme need of interpreters at the center and immediately contacted colleague Maria Vidal de Haymes, a professor at Loyola University Chicagos School of Social Work, for help.

Three bilingual students at Loyola responded to the urgent call, Vidal de Haymes said. Edith Reynaga, Nohemi Rosales and Camille Morhun were among the volunteers that assisted victims and their families for more than a week after the shooting.

The three young women helped to welcome the Spanish-speaking residents who felt intimated by the language barrier and large presence of police and other authorities. The students also assisted the victims through FBI interviews and counseling sessions to help them help process the traumatic event.

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They became the voice of some of the community that desperately needed it; and it takes a lot for immigrants  some who may be undocumented  to trust others to be their voice, said Rosita-Sheftel.

The urgent need for bilingual interpreters during the aftermath not only highlighted the changing demographics in the suburbs, it also restated the need for bilingual social workers, therapists and crisis respondents, said Vidal de Haymes.

The Latino population in Highland Park is 9%, according to the latest U.S. census data. More than 25 other volunteers from 20 organizations also assisted at the center that offered mental health services, legal counsel, crime victims compensation applications, food and shelter, among other services.

And sometimes, it was just not enough, recalls Rosita-Sheftel. There was a constant need for more interpreters as the days went by, she added.

Rosita-Sheftel said the level of trust that the clients had with the students was essential to helping them and it demonstrated the importance of trauma-informed bilingual professionals.

I know the caliber and the heart of the Loyola students, she said.

Morhun, who recently got a bachelors in social work and is now in the MSW program at Loyola, was the first interpreter to arrive at the scene.

After receiving an email from Vidal de Haymes, her former professor, Morhun rushed to a school she had only been to for social events since she grew up in Glenview, about 20 minutes from Highland Park.

It was overwhelming, she recalled. But I knew I needed to be there. Even though I dont share the same ethnic background and no one in my family is Latino, I feel privileged to be able to use my skills and my abilities  that Ive worked so hard to establish  to volunteer in this capacity.

It was in kindergarten when Morhun was introduced to the Spanish language. She continued learning it in high school and college.

When she became a part of Loyolas School of Social Work, Morhun said she realized the importance and need for bilingual social work services. As a volunteer at the center, she became more committed to her future goal.

This type of domestic terrorism leaves everybody in fear, but its important to recognize that these populations (immigrants) experience the trauma differently; some of the people I was working with had survived different type of violence in their home countries and use Highland Park as a place to find refuge, Morhun said. We were able to help to establish trust and connection that can go a really long way.

All three students were part of Vidal de Haymes migration study class.

I knew the three had a really deep commitment to equity and access to services in ones (own) language, Vidal de Haymes said.

At Loyolas School of Social Work there has been an ongoing commitment to developing bilingual social workers, Vidal de Haymes said. There are several programs, including migration studies and specialization in the social work program that focus on fostering bilingual social workers than can develop a linguistic capacity and a cultural understanding of migration dynamics, and the effect on binational families.

These are students who have a number of classes with the focus on understanding the dynamics of migration, the policy and justice issue  but also what are the social and emotional consequences of migration, Vidal de Haymes said.

Reynagas parents emigrated from Mexico to the Chicago area, so volunteering at the center hit close to home, she said. In each client, she could see her parents, who inspired her to also pursue a masters degree at Loyolas School of Social Work, specializing in migration studies. She remembers translating for them as a child.

I wanted to make sure I could help them use their voice to their fullest potential and still feel safe, Reynaga said.

For Rosales, the opportunity to volunteer also touched her heart. She was born and raised in Mexico and knows firsthand the struggles of only speaking Spanish. It was frowned upon, it wasnt something I was proud of, she said.

Being a bilingual social worker is a reclamation and the beauty of being able to speak multiple language and seeing it as a strength to help the Latino community during a traumatic time, Rosales said, adding that she is committed to advocating for more mental and spiritual support for people from all backgrounds and who speak different languages.

larodriguez@chicagotribune.com
Woman With Covid Vaccine

Getty Images

Scientific research is finally catching up to what women have been talking about since the COVID-19 vaccines were first available. There's a link between getting the jab and having a longer menstrual cycle, according to a new international study funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

The recent study builds on earlier U.S.-based research published in January 2022, linking an average period increase of less than a day in cycle length "between bleeding" to the COVID-19 vaccine. And its outcome isn't surprising to Dr. Hugh Taylor, M.D., chair of the department of obstetrics and gynecology and reproductive sciences at Yale University and chief of obstetrics and gynecology at Yale-New Haven Hospital.

"We've heard a lot of anecdotal evidence about this," he tells Shape. "For some time now, patients have been saying that their menstrual cycles have been off [after receiving a COVID-19 vaccine]."

Related: The Best Period Tracker Apps to Stay On Top of Your Cycle

The findings also make sense given the way the menstrual cycle works. It's a delicate system that can be subject to change at times, confirms Dr. Taylor. "An infection or some other inflammatory process can easily throw off a menstrual cycle," he says. COVID vaccines are designed to produce an immune system response to fight the virus. "But [the response] can also throw off the menstrual cycle, which is very intricately regulated through complex hormone interactions between the brain [and] the pituitary gland, the ovaries, [and] the uterus," explains Dr. Taylor.

The recent study was conducted using data from nearly 20,000 participants (a majority of which were vaccinated with any of nine different COVID vaccines) from the United Kingdom, Canada, Europe, the U.S., and other parts of the world, said the NIH in a news release. To reach the conclusion that cycle length is impacted by COVID vaccines, researchers analyzed three consecutive menstrual cycles prior to vaccination and at least one more cycle after vaccination. For participants who weren't vaccinated, researchers analyzed four cycles around the same time interval, according to the release.

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Related: Can You Get Your COVID Booster If You Have a Cold?

The study found that on average, a person who was vaccinated experienced a menstrual cycle increase of less than one day in each cycle during which they were vaccinated. For most people, the increase resolved during the next cycle and wasn't based on the type of vaccine the participant had, said the NIH. "Women who were younger and who had longer cycle length before vaccination were more likely to experience the increase," added the health agency.

While the study provides support to anecdotal evidence, its results are limited by the fact that the data analyzed was only pulled from the fertility tracking app Natural Cycles and was self-reported by users tracking their temperature and menstrual cycles.

It's also important to remember that the one-day increase in period duration is an average of data collected from the study, says Dr. Taylor. "It's quite a range  and on average, it was it was less than one day, but for some people it was [no additional days], and for other people it was many, many days," he says. Out of the nearly 20,000 participants, 1,342 people had a cycle length change by 8 or more days, according to the NIH.

While knowing a vaccination can cause a variance in your typical menstrual cycle can be worrisome, especially if you're trying to get pregnant or planning fertility treatments, there's no real reason for concern.

"The changes in menstrual cycle length are small," says Dr. Taylor. "And other studies  not this one  but other studies have looked at the effect of the vaccine on fertility, pregnancy loss, pregnancy outcome, [and] all of those have been very reassuring," he continues. "The other thing we know is that menstrual cycles tend to go back to normal very quickly. So within a month or two, one or two cycles, usually the menstrual cycle is back to normal."

Related: A Study Concluded That the COVID-19 Vaccine Doesn't Affect Fertility

What's more, the new research can help doctors and health care providers give patients a heads up as to what to expect post-vaccination. "These findings provide additional information for counseling women on what to expect after vaccination," Diana Bianchi, M.D., director of NIH's Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, said in the NIH release.

Getting vaccinated is very important, adds Dr. Taylor. "[COVID-19] is a serious disease, and the protection afforded by the vaccine certainly outweighs any risk of throwing the menstrual cycle off," he says.

The study's results should actually be comforting, suggests Dr. Taylor. "I think...people can rest assured that this is a minor nuisance or inconvenience," he says, noting that if someone's menstrual cycle changes or is very off, he would definitely advise them to get it checked out under normal circumstances. "But if we know...this is a normal response to the vaccine, it can be reassuring to people."

There's more research to come in this area. The study's authors called for additional research on other vaccination-related changes to periods, such as menstrual flow, pain, and unexpected vaginal bleeding. That's in addition to studies to help get to the bottom of why these changes may happen, according to the NIH.

For now, if you noticed a change in your period after getting a COVID vaccine shot, you might feel relieved to know you certainly weren't the only one. If you're concerned about this side effect, you can always talk to your health care provider before getting vaxxed or boosted.

Fact-checked by Emily Peterson.
A man takes photos of boats wrecked by Hurricane Ian in Fort Myers on Thursday. (Photo: GIORGIO VIERA via Getty Images)

A man takes photos of boats wrecked by Hurricane Ian in Fort Myers on Thursday. (Photo: GIORGIO VIERA via Getty Images)

Extremely dangerous conditions persist in Florida as Hurricane Ian, now a tropical storm, moved north up the Atlantic coast, leaving a trail of destruction.

Ian dropped anywhere from 6 inches to 20 inches of rain across central Florida, with peak wind gusts of 140 mph recorded in Cape Coral, near where it made landfall Wednesday as a Category 4 monster.

As search and rescue efforts ramp up, the death toll remained unclear. Lee County Sheriff Carmine Marceno told Good Morning America the fatalities are likely in the hundreds, but his office was unable to confirm the number to HuffPost and Gov. Ron DeSantis said it was an estimate based on 911 calls from stranded residents.

More than 2.6 million people were without power in the state, according to PowerOutage.us, and it will take time for that to be fully restored.

Weve already restored about three-quarters of a million customers, but clearly the more impacted areas near Naples and Fort Myers will take longer, Peter Robbins, a spokesperson for Florida Power and Light, told CNN. We wont stop until every last person is on, but I know our customers are going to need some patience.

See the latest photos below.

Vehicles drive through standing water left in the wake of Hurricane Ian on Sept. 30 in Port Charlotte. (Photo: Win McNamee via Getty Images)

Vehicles drive through standing water left in the wake of Hurricane Ian on Sept. 30 in Port Charlotte. (Photo: Win McNamee via Getty Images)

A man walks into a flooded street to check on his mother in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian on Sept. 29 in Orlando. (Photo: Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

A man walks into a flooded street to check on his mother in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian on Sept. 29 in Orlando. (Photo: Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

In this aerial view, vehicles line up to purchase gasoline in the wake of Hurricane Ian on Sept. 30 in Port Charlotte. (Photo: Win McNamee via Getty Images)

In this aerial view, vehicles line up to purchase gasoline in the wake of Hurricane Ian on Sept. 30 in Port Charlotte. (Photo: Win McNamee via Getty Images)

Vehicles float in the water after Hurricane Ian on Sept. 29 in Bonita Springs. (Photo: Sean Rayford via Getty Images)

Vehicles float in the water after Hurricane Ian on Sept. 29 in Bonita Springs. (Photo: Sean Rayford via Getty Images)

Washed-up boats and destruction at Fort Myers Beach on Sept. 29. (Photo: The Washington Post via Getty Images)

Washed-up boats and destruction at Fort Myers Beach on Sept. 29. (Photo: The Washington Post via Getty Images)

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A woman walks through her Fort Myers neighborhood Thursday on a flooded street in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian. (Photo: GIORGIO VIERA via Getty Images)

A woman walks through her Fort Myers neighborhood Thursday on a flooded street in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian. (Photo: GIORGIO VIERA via Getty Images)

A damaged causeway to Sanibel Island is seen on Sept. 29. (Photo: Wilfredo Lee via AP)

A damaged causeway to Sanibel Island is seen on Sept. 29. (Photo: Wilfredo Lee via AP)

Commercial businesses are seen Thursday in the wake of Hurricane Ian in Fort Myers Beach. (Photo: Wilfredo Lee via AP)

Commercial businesses are seen Thursday in the wake of Hurricane Ian in Fort Myers Beach. (Photo: Wilfredo Lee via AP)

Jake Moses, 19, and Heather Jones, 18, of Fort Myers, explore a section of destroyed businesses at Fort Myers Beach on Sept. 29. (Photo: Douglas R. Clifford/Tampa Bay Times/AP)

Jake Moses, 19, and Heather Jones, 18, of Fort Myers, explore a section of destroyed businesses at Fort Myers Beach on Sept. 29. (Photo: Douglas R. Clifford/Tampa Bay Times/AP)

Damaged homes and businesses are seen in Fort Myers Beach on Sept. 29. (Photo: Douglas R. Clifford/Tampa Bay Times/AP)

Damaged homes and businesses are seen in Fort Myers Beach on Sept. 29. (Photo: Douglas R. Clifford/Tampa Bay Times/AP)

Remnants of damaged homes and flooded vehicles are seen in Fort Myers Beach on Sept. 29, 2022. (Photo: Douglas R. Clifford/Tampa Bay Times via AP)

Remnants of damaged homes and flooded vehicles are seen in Fort Myers Beach on Sept. 29, 2022. (Photo: Douglas R. Clifford/Tampa Bay Times via AP)

This aerial photo shows damaged homes and debris in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian, Thursday, Sept. 29, in Fort Myers. (Photo: via Associated Press)

This aerial photo shows damaged homes and debris in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian, Thursday, Sept. 29, in Fort Myers. (Photo: via Associated Press)

Vehicles make their way through a flooded area after Hurricane Ian passed through on Sept. 29, in Fort Myers. (Photo: Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

Vehicles make their way through a flooded area after Hurricane Ian passed through on Sept. 29, in Fort Myers. (Photo: Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

Residents of mobile homes clean up debris in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian, in Fort Myers on Sept. 29. (Photo: GIORGIO VIERA via Getty Images)

Residents of mobile homes clean up debris in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian, in Fort Myers on Sept. 29. (Photo: GIORGIO VIERA via Getty Images)

People embrace as they survey property damage in Bonita Springs on Sept. 29. (Photo: Sean Rayford via Getty Images)

People embrace as they survey property damage in Bonita Springs on Sept. 29. (Photo: Sean Rayford via Getty Images)

A man tries to ride bike in the flooding in Fort Myers on Sept. 29. (Photo: Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

A man tries to ride bike in the flooding in Fort Myers on Sept. 29. (Photo: Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

A view of flooded and damaged area aftermath of hurricane in a neighborhood in Fort Myers on Sept. 29. (Photo: Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

A view of flooded and damaged area aftermath of hurricane in a neighborhood in Fort Myers on Sept. 29. (Photo: Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

A commercial sign lies in the street after being toppled by the winds and rain from Hurricane Ian on Thursday in Bartow. (Photo: Gerardo Mora via Getty Images)

A commercial sign lies in the street after being toppled by the winds and rain from Hurricane Ian on Thursday in Bartow. (Photo: Gerardo Mora via Getty Images)

Tom Park begins cleaning up Thursday after Hurricane Ian moved through Punta Gorda. (Photo: Win McNamee via Getty Images)

Tom Park begins cleaning up Thursday after Hurricane Ian moved through Punta Gorda. (Photo: Win McNamee via Getty Images)

In this aerial view, damaged homes are seen Thursday after Hurricane Ian moved through the Gulf Coast of Florida in Punta Gorda. (Photo: Win McNamee/Getty Images)

In this aerial view, damaged homes are seen Thursday after Hurricane Ian moved through the Gulf Coast of Florida in Punta Gorda. (Photo: Win McNamee/Getty Images)

Brenda Brennan sits next to a boat Thursday that pushed against her apartment when Hurricane Ian passed through the Fort Myers area. (Photo: Joe Raedle via Getty Images)

Brenda Brennan sits next to a boat Thursday that pushed against her apartment when Hurricane Ian passed through the Fort Myers area. (Photo: Joe Raedle via Getty Images)

Stedi Scuderi looks over her apartment after floodwater inundated it when Hurricane Ian passed through the area on Sept. 29, in Fort Myers. (Photo: Joe Raedle via Getty Images)

Stedi Scuderi looks over her apartment after floodwater inundated it when Hurricane Ian passed through the area on Sept. 29, in Fort Myers. (Photo: Joe Raedle via Getty Images)

Residents inspect damage to a marina as boats are partially submerged in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian in Fort Myers, on Sept. 29. (Photo: GIORGIO VIERA via Getty Images)

Residents inspect damage to a marina as boats are partially submerged in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian in Fort Myers, on Sept. 29. (Photo: GIORGIO VIERA via Getty Images)

Stefanie Karas stands in her apartment after floodwater inundated it when Hurricane Ian passed through the area on Thursday in Fort Myers. (Photo: Joe Raedle via Getty Images)

Stefanie Karas stands in her apartment after floodwater inundated it when Hurricane Ian passed through the area on Thursday in Fort Myers. (Photo: Joe Raedle via Getty Images)

A section of the causeway leading to Sanibel, in Lee County, was knocked out by Hurricane Ian on Thursday. (Photo: Associated Press)

A section of the causeway leading to Sanibel, in Lee County, was knocked out by Hurricane Ian on Thursday. (Photo: Associated Press)

Orange County Fire Rescue's firefighters help people stranded by Hurricane Ian early Thursday. (Photo: Orange County Fire Rescue's Public Information Office via AP)

Orange County Fire Rescue's firefighters help people stranded by Hurricane Ian early Thursday. (Photo: Orange County Fire Rescue's Public Information Office via AP)

Damaged boats are seen after Hurricane Ian caused widespread destruction in Fort Myers on Thursday. (Photo: Marco Bello via Reuters)

Damaged boats are seen after Hurricane Ian caused widespread destruction in Fort Myers on Thursday. (Photo: Marco Bello via Reuters)

Shawn Hulbert, 38, stands outside his damaged home in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian in Punta Gorda on Thursday. (Photo: Shannon Stapleton via Reuters)

Shawn Hulbert, 38, stands outside his damaged home in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian in Punta Gorda on Thursday. (Photo: Shannon Stapleton via Reuters)

Vehicles sit in floodwater at the Palm Isle apartments in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian on Thursday in Orlando. (Photo: John Raoux/Associated Press)

Vehicles sit in floodwater at the Palm Isle apartments in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian on Thursday in Orlando. (Photo: John Raoux/Associated Press)

This article originally appeared on HuffPost and has been updated.
Alaska Sen. Dan Sullivan (R) dropped his hold on a short-term government funding measure Thursday after President Biden acceded to his demand for more disaster relief assistance for coastal Alaskan communities slammed by flooding and landslides caused by Typhoon Merbok.

Sullivan said he insisted to the White House that Alaska get the same federal treatment as Puerto Rico, which was devastated recently by Hurricane Fiona.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency announced Sunday that it had approved nearly $40 million to the survivors of Fiona.

I forced it, Sullivan said Thursday of the aid to Alaska. Ive been saying for the last several days with numerous  the Secretary of Homeland Security and other folks in the White House [that] Puerto Rico was going to get 100 percent cost coverage for their disaster relief.

He said the area that got hit by the typhoon in Alaska is one of the poorest regions of the country, with poverty rates similar to Puerto Rico, and should receive the same coverage.

I was just informed that the administration agreed with my request, he said on his way to the Senate floor to inform leaders that he would drop his hold on the continuing funding resolution.

The measure passed the Senate 72-25 shortly after.

The White House announced Thursday that Biden had made additional disaster assistance available to Alaska by authorizing an increase in funding to help Alaskan villages rebuild from the flooding and landslides triggered by the typhoon earlier this month.

Bidens previous disaster declaration for Alaska, made on Sept. 23, would have had the federal government cover 75 percent of eligible assistance costs.

The new order states the federal share for emergency measures has been increased to 100 percent of the eligible costs incurred during the first 30 days after the typhoon, according to a White House press release.

A lot of times things happen in Alaska that dont make a lot of news down here, but that typhoon was massive, Sullivan said Thursday. It hit one of the poorest regions of my state.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
BANGKOK (AP)  A court in military-ruled Myanmar convicted former leader Aung San Suu Kyi in another criminal case Thursday and sentenced Australian economist Sean Turnell to three years in prison for violating Myanmars official secrets act, a legal official said.

Suu Kyi received a three-year sentence after being convicted with Turnell under the secrets law, said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he is not authorized to release information about the case.

Three members of her Cabinet were also found guilty, each receiving sentences of three years.

Turnell was also convicted of violating immigration law, for which he was given a three-year sentence to be served concurrently with the term for violating the secrets law. The 20 months he has already spent in detention will be deducted from his sentence, leaving him less than a year and a half to serve.

Turnell, 58, an associate professor in economics at Sydneys Macquarie University, had served as an adviser to Suu Kyi, who was detained in the capital Naypyitaw when her elected government was ousted by the army on Feb. 1, 2021.

Family and friends expressed hope he will soon be freed and deported, as has occurred with other foreigners in Myanmar convicted of political offenses, though less serious ones.

Its heartbreaking for me, our daughter, Seans 85-year-old father, and the rest of our family to hear that my husband, Professor Sean Turnell, was convicted and sentenced to 3 years imprisonment," his wife Ha Vu, also an economist, said on her Facebook page. "Sean has been one of Myanmars greatest supporters for over 20 years and has worked tirelessly to strengthen Myanmars economy."

My husband has already been in a Myanmar prison for almost 2/3 of his sentence, she added. "Please consider the contributions that he has made to Myanmar, and deport him now!"

Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong's office rejected the court's ruling and called for Turnell's immediate release. Decrying that he had been unjustly detained, her office said Australian diplomats were denied access to the court hearing for the verdict.

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We will continue to take every opportunity to advocate strongly for Professor Turnell until he has returned to his family in Australia, it said in a statement.

Tim Harcourt, a longtime friend, said Turnell is "a great economist, nice bloke and a great human being. His main cause in life is to reduce poverty around the world and hed developed particular expertise in Myanmar.

"Hopefully common sense and justice can prevail and Sean can return to his wife and family in Australia soon, said Harcourt, a professor at the University of Technology Sydney.

Turnell was arrested five days after the military takeover by security forces at a hotel in Yangon, the countrys biggest city. He had arrived back in Myanmar from Australia less than a month before that to take up a new position as a special consultant to Suu Kyi. As director of the Myanmar Development Institute, he had already lived in Naypyitaw for several years.

The day after the militarys takeover, he posted on Twitter: Safe for now but heartbroken for what all this means for the people of Myanmar. The bravest, kindest people I know. They deserve so much better.

The five co-defendants were charged on the basis of documents seized from Turnell. The exact details of their offense have not been made public, though state television said last year that Turnell had access to secret state financial information and had tried to flee the country.

Turnell and Suu Kyi denied the allegations when they testified in their defense at the trial in August.

Myanmars colonial-era official secrets act criminalizes the possession, collection, recording, publishing, or sharing of state information that is directly or indirectly, useful to an enemy. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 14 years in prison.

The trial, like the others involving Suu Kyi, was held in a purpose-built prison courtroom and was closed to the media and the public. Defense lawyers were barred by a gag order from revealing details of the proceedings.

The multiple criminal cases brought against the 77-year-old Suu Kyi are widely seen as an effort to discredit her and to prevent her return to politics.

She had already been sentenced to 20 years imprisonment after being convicted of illegally importing and possessing walkie-talkies, violating coronavirus restrictions, sedition, election fraud and five corruption charges.

Suu Kyi is still being tried on seven counts under the countrys anti-corruption law, with each count punishable by up to 15 years in prison and a fine.

Defense lawyers are expected to file appeals in the secrets case in the coming days for Turnell, Suu Kyi and three former ministers: Soe Win and Kyaw Win, both former ministers for planning and finance, and Set Aung, a former deputy minister in the same ministry, the legal official said.

Australia has repeatedly demanded Turnells release. Last year, it suspended its defense cooperation with Myanmar and began redirecting humanitarian aid because of the military takeover and Turnells ongoing detention.

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, when he visited Myanmar in January this year, asked for Turnells release in a meeting with the leader of ruling military council. Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing replied that he would consider it positively.

The U.N. Special Envoy on Myanmar Noeleen Heyzer said she conveyed a specific request from Australia for Turnells release when she met with Min Aung Hlaing in August. Myanmars government said the general replied that, should the Australian government take positive steps, we will not need to take stern actions.

According to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, a rights monitoring organization, 15,683 people have been detained on political charges in Myanmar since the army takeover, with 12,540 of those remaining in detention. At least 2,324 civilians have been killed by security forces in the same period, the group says, though the number is thought to be far higher.

Myanmar has been in turmoil since the takeover, which led to nationwide protests that the military government quashed with deadly force, triggering armed resistance that some U.N. experts now characterize as civil war.

___

Associated Press writer Rod McGuirk in Canberra, Australia, contributed to this report.
(Bloomberg) -- A new leak has been discovered on the Nord Stream 1 and 2 gas pipelines in the Baltic Sea, bringing the total number of ruptures to four, according to the Swedish Coast Guards Command Center.

Most Read from Bloomberg

Gas has been bubbling up from the pipelines since earlier this week, with Denmark estimating that the links would empty by Sunday. Several governments have called the actions deliberate and sabotage, with Finland on Wednesday noting that only a state actor could be capable of acts on such a scale.

The incident has prompted increased security on energy infrastructure across Europe, with some, such as Poland, pointing the finger at Russia, which is waging war in Ukraine and has curbed gas flows to Europe. Norway is now Europes biggest gas exporter and its largest energy companies said Wednesday that they are boosting security around their offshore assets.

Nord Stream Gas Leaks May Be a New Disaster for the Climate

The Nord Stream pipelines traverse the Baltic Sea to Germany from Russia, running on the seabed in international waters. Two leaks are in Swedens exclusive economic zone, and two in Denmarks economic zone, Swedish newswire TT reported. The two bubbling areas above the leaks in Swedens economic zone measure as much as 900 meters (2,950 feet) in diameter and about 180 meters, respectively, according to the Coast Guard, the newswire said.

The pipelines were already out of action, but any hope that the Kremlin might have turned the taps back on at some point have now been dashed. Police in Denmark and Sweden are investigating the events.

Russia has been squeezing energy supplies to Europe for months, engaging in a cat-and-mouse game as it tries to exert maximum pressure on Ukraines allies. Europe has responded by filling up gas stores and trying to source alternative supplies.

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For now, it looks like those efforts will be enough to get Europe through this winter, though questions remain over the following one. The bloc got about 40% of its pipeline gas from Russia before the war, a figure that now stands at about 9%.

(Updates with details throughout)

Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek

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TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP)  Taiwan on Thursday said it will end mandatory COVID-19 quarantines for people arriving from overseas beginning Oct. 13.

The Central Epidemic Command Center announced that the previous weeklong requirement will be replaced with a seven-day self-monitoring period.

A rapid antigen test will still be required upon arrival, but those showing no symptoms will be allowed to take public transportation.

Deputy Minister of Health and Welfare Victor Wang said the current limit of 150,000 visitors allowed to enter Taiwan weekly will also be gradually relaxed.

Taiwan has been one of the few places in the world that has held on to a quarantine for all arrivals throughout the course of the pandemic.

In recent months, it has relaxed its measures and currently requires travelers to isolate in a hotel for three days, followed by four days at a private residence.

Wang said epidemic prevention regulations will continue to be loosened and that Taiwan would learn to live with the virus through constant self-regulation. That stands in strong contrast with mainland China's hard-line zero-COVID policy that has put millions of people under lockdown, upending daily life and the national economy.
Students across the Tampa Bay area will have one more hurricane day off before returning to classes.

School district officials in Hillsborough, Pasco and Pinellas counties said Hurricane Ian passed through quickly enough, without leaving major damage in its wake, to allow them to prepare campuses for a Monday restart.

We started cleaning today, Pasco County superintendent Kurt Browning said Thursday morning. With the shelters empty, we think we will have time.

All three counties began shutting down their shelters around 10 a.m. Thursday. Unlike after past hurricanes, they did not expect to have evacuees remaining in the schools days later.

Pasco reported that all evacuees were departed by 1:30 p.m., including those with special needs who needed more time to exit.

In Pinellas, the district and county opened a step-down shelter for residents who could not go home for any reason, school superintendent Kevin Hendrick said. He anticipated the shift would be complete after dinner, which the schools provide.

That will allow us to get our buildings clean so we can get them open, Hendrick said. Were pretty certain it will be Monday.

Hillsborough superintendent Addison Davis announced late Wednesday that schools would remain closed Friday to give staff time to get classrooms back in order.

We will see you Monday, the district tweeted.

With the area having escaped Ians brunt, the district leaders said the primary barrier to any reopening would be power outages. Hendrick said about 20% of Pinellas schools were without electricity on Thursday  including six that served as shelters and had to rely on backup generators.

Pasco also had some schools without power but said in a statement that discussions with the local utilities were already started to make the needed repairs.

All three districts reminded families and employees to keep an eye on social media, district websites and email and text alerts for any possible changes.

  

Tampa Bay Times Hurricane coverage

TAMPA BAY CLOSURES: What to know about bridges, roads in Ians aftermath

Story continues

WHEN THE STORM HAS PASSED: Now what? Safety tips for returning home.

POST-STORM QUESTIONS: After Hurricane Ian, how to get help with fallen trees, food, damaged shelter.

WEATHER EFFECTS: Hurricane Ian was supposed to slam Tampa Bay head on. What happened?

WHAT TO DO IF HURRICANE DAMAGES YOUR HOME: Stay calm, then call your insurance company.

SCHOOLS: Will schools reopen quickly after Hurricane Ian passes? It depends.

SELF-CARE: Protect your mental health during a hurricane.

ITS STORM SEASON: Get ready and stay informed at tampabay.com/hurricane.
TAMPA  City of Tampa officials urged residents to shelter in place late Wednesday, saying the area has yet to see the worst of Hurricane Ian.

During a 5:30 p.m. news conference, Mayor Jane Castor said the next 24 hours will be the most dangerous for Tampa, and people should stay inside.

We are going to get the majority of the rain and the higher winds starting about 8 p.m., and they are going to last throughout the night, Castor said. Its still going to cause flooding.

The city expects storm surge, she added, though it wont be as bad as the catastrophic conditions in Southwest Florida, where Ian made landfall Wednesday afternoon. The local surge will be a more gradual influx of water, Castor said.

So far, there have been reports of downed trees and power lines in Tampa, city officials said. They didnt provide exact numbers.

Fire Rescue Chief Barbara Tripp said people shouldnt drive around the city, noting that Tampa Electric Co. has pulled its crews off the streets for safety.

The city is still responding to medical and fire calls for service, Tripp said.

Tampa doesnt plan to enact a curfew, she added, and is instead recommending that people stay indoors during the height of the storm.

During a Tuesday morning news conference, city officials said they planned to enact a curfew, but later in the day said one might not be necessary.

Castor also confirmed Wednesday that she has spoken with Gov. Ron DeSantis about the storm. Her spokesperson, Adam Smith, said they talked over the phone Tuesday evening. DeSantis told Castor about the states efforts to handle Ian, Smith said.

A 5 p.m. update from the National Hurricane Center placed the center of the storm near Port Charlotte, about 5 miles east of Punta Gorda.

Tampa Bay remains under threat of hurricane force winds and heavy rain likely to cause flash flooding. The National Hurricane Center predicts 4 to 6 feet of storm surge. As of 5 p.m. Wednesday, more than 200,000 power outages were reported in the region.

Story continues

  

WHEN THE STORM HAS PASSED: Now what? Safety tips for returning home.

POST-STORM QUESTIONS: After Hurricane Ian, how to get help with fallen trees, food, damaged shelter.

WEATHER EFFECTS: Hurricane Ian was supposed to slam Tampa Bay head on. What happened?

WHAT TO DO IF HURRICANE DAMAGES YOUR HOME: Stay calm, then call your insurance company.

HOW TO TALK TO KIDS ABOUT THE HURRICANE: A school mental health expert says to let them know whats happening, keep a routine and stay calm.

SELF-CARE: Protect your mental health during a hurricane.

ITS STORM SEASON: Get ready and stay informed at tampabay.com/hurricane.
For a teenager, that senior year of high school is one of the best.

Prom, graduation, senior pictures, but for one Memphis teen, every day is a struggle.

17-year-old MLeia Allen was struck by a car back in July and has been in the hospital ever since.

Tiffany Allen said her daughter is getting better every day while in the rehabilitation center, but shes not the same smiling teen who was a cheerleader, ran track, and played volleyball.

Shes been in the Regional One facility going on three months now. She was in ICU for two months. She was badly injured, badly burned, road rash, her teeth, very severe, said Allen.

A car crashed into M'Leia Allen's car on July 9, leaving Allen with burns on 75 percent of her body and changing the 17-year-old's life.

Since July 9, Tiffany Allen said shes spent every evening in the hospital and then the Regional One rehabilitation center as her daughter, MLeia, recovers from a car accident.

From what I know, a couple was having a fight in the car and the lady in the passenger seat grabbed the wheel and when she grabbed the wheel, it clipped MLeias car, causing it to flip and she was ejected from the vehicle, Allen said.

MLeia was a passenger in the car and her injuries are extensive.

Allen said 75 percent of the teens body was badly burned.

The scars are gonna last a lifetime. She woke up one day with a perfect body and then now shes waking up to a different body, Theres been skin grafts, theres been burns, theres been removal of hair, said Allen.

A police affidavit said the people who allegedly caused this accident were Alfred Williams and Tiajuana Burnett and it said Burnett told police it all started with an argument that turned physical.

Eventually, it said, Burnett grabbed the wheel, striking Allens vehicle.

Records show they were both charged with reckless endangerment, domestic assault, and more, and were released on bond.

For the 17-year-olds mom, she said its difficult to know they may never serve time in jail.

I just feel theres no consequence to their actions. Theyre not getting in trouble for what theyve done to my baby. Shes missing out on her senior year. Mentally this is hard for her. She just got to feel the sun yesterday. She hadnt been outside since July 9, Allen said.

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Allen said MLeia is learning how to walk and talk all over again and doctors hope she can be discharged from the rehabilitation center by the end of October.

To help the Allen family with any medical costs, you can donate to a GoFundMe here.

Download the FOX13 Memphis app to receive alerts from breaking news in your neighborhood.

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The Biden administration on Monday announced more than $300 million in new mental health funding, via awards and grants, with much of the money coming from the bipartisan anti-gun violence law passed this summer by Congress. The Department of Education and the Department of Health and Human Services, through the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), is rolling out the roughly $314 million for health professionals in schools and in emergency departments. The new funds allocated under annual appropriations as well as the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (BSCA) -- which was passed by Congress and signed by President Joe Biden in June -- are intended to help create healthier and safer learning environments for children, with the DOE granting some $280 million in competitive grants to schools to aid mental health staffing, it said Monday.
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A bill to fund U.S. government activities through Dec. 16 gained enough votes in the Senate to pass with voting continuing on Thursday, as Congress faced a midnight Friday deadline with the start of a new fiscal year.

Passage of the bill would send it to the U.S. House of Representatives, which is expected to act before the deadline and avert partial government shutdowns that otherwise would begin on Saturday.

(Reporting by Moira Warburton, David Morgan and Richard Cowan in Washington; Editing by Chris Reese)
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP)  Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee and top legislative leaders announced Thursday that they will fast-track more money to hire 25 additional forensic lab positions as the states turnaround times for sexual assault kits face scrutiny after a high-profile killing.

The news comes just weeks after authorities confirmed that the man charged with abducting and killing a Tennessee teacher had not been charged in the 2021 case of the rape of a woman due to the delay in processing the sexual assault kit.

Cleotha Henderson was eventually indicted in the case just days after he was arrested in the death of Eliza Fletcher, a mother of two and a kindergarten teacher. An autopsy report released Thursday showed Fletcher died from a gunshot wound to the head.

In the earlier case, Memphis police say they took a sexual assault report on Sept. 21, 2021 but it wasnt analyzed in a state lab until nearly a year later. When the 2021 DNA was entered into the national database, it returned a match for Henderson on Sept. 5. Fletcher disappeared on Sept. 2.

TBI said police in Memphis had made no request for expedited analysis of the kit and no suspect information was included in the submission.

The news quickly sparked outrage among state leaders and victim advocates demanding that officials fix how the state processes sexual assault kits. It also prompted questions about why Memphis didnt seek to fast-track the kit, which can cut the wait to only days.

According to Lee, the 25 additional positions will include scientists, technicians and administrative support staff in labs based in Jackson, Nashville and Knoxville. Six of the positions will focus on DNA, while the rest will have other specialties, according to TBI spokesperson Josh DeVine.

Funding will come from the states current budget, and Lee said hell push to fund it again in next years budget, which Lee will propose and lawmakers will consider in early 2023.

While there is absolutely more to do, I am pleased that we are able to take this additional step towards eliminating this backlog. We have to get these violent criminals off the streets and keep them off, said Senate Speaker Randy McNally, a Republican.

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As of August, Tennessees three state labs averaged from 28 to 49 weeks to process rape kits under circumstances that dont include an order to rush the test, and more than 950 rape kit requests were pending in labs. TBI attributed the delays to staffing woes: the agency requested 40 more special agent/forensic scientist positions and 10 more technicians in the budget that is now in effect, but Lee and the legislature funded half that amount. TBI also says low pay makes recruiting and keeping scientists difficult.

DeVine said the funding announcement Thursday covers the remainder of the positions TBI had sought in the current budget. There are several different roles for forensic scientists at the agency other than DNA, ranging from toxicology to forensic chemistry. In the current budget, for example, the 20 new special agent/forensic scientist positions funded included eight forensic biology/DNA positions.

Legislative leaders indicated this was an initial step, and other moves would be needed to address the turnaround times.

TBI Director David Rausch said the agency has several other approaches in the works, as he aims to reduce turnaround times to eight to 12 weeks within a year for all evidence. Some efforts include: Offering overtime for lab workers; operating the labs on weekends; outsourcing eligible kits to private labs; and contracting with retired TBI workers to help provide training so current scientists can shift their time training employees to more case work.

The labs currently have 26 DNA-focused special agent/forensic scientist positions, including some being hired or trained. Supervisors  six focused on DNA  can conduct lab work too. Three DNA-tasked forensic technicians are in the hiring process.

Currently, the TBI says it accepts rush DNA cases when requested to do so by local law enforcement agencies. There is no timeline, however, on when a sexual assault kit must be received and analyzed.

Henderson, who also has gone by the name Cleotha Abston, is charged with kidnapping and killing Fletcher, 34. Henderson is being held in the Shelby County Jail without bond on the charges stemming from Fletchers death.

___

Staff writer Adrian Sainz in Memphis contributed.
Republican Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee, up for re-election in November, released a new highway patrol recruitment video featuring law enforcement officers who fled Democrat-run California and New Mexico.

On Wednesday, Lee released a nationwide Tennessee Highway Patrol (THP) recruitment video, renewing efforts to welcome out-of-state law enforcement officers. This comes about a year after the governor first launched a nationwide pitch last fall to relocate qualified law enforcement to Tennessee. Since then, 82 new troopers have joined the THP, including 25 officers from out of state, according to the governors office.

In the new video, titled "Join THP 2.0," Troopers DaJuan Clark of New Mexico and Louis Celaya of California shared their experience moving to Tennessee to join the THP in 2022.

"Welcome to Tennessee. I have a great appreciation for the men and woman that serve in law enforcement. And so, we are very grateful when folks like you make the decision to come to Tennessee," Lee says in the video, sat across from Clark and Celaya, who both now serve Middle Tennessee communities.

BIDEN DOJ PUBLIC SAFETY PUSH SHELLS OUT $57M FOR RACIAL EQUITY, CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM REFORMS

"The thing that sold me on Tennessee are the people of Tennessee," Clark, who majored in criminal justice and became a New Mexico law enforcement officer after graduation, says. "This state  they have set a new bar for what it means to support an officer. Tennessee equips you like you wouldnt believe. I have more uniforms than I know what to do with I have more hats than I can wear."

"The love for your kids  to relocate them to a place where you know that theyre going to be safe in the future," Celaya, who worked for the California Highway Patrol for 11 years, said, "And thats why I ended up in Tennessee."

"The citizens of Tennessee will come up to you, theyll say we love you, God bless you, we want to pray with you. Tennessee couldnt be a greater place to do it. They look after both you and your family," Celaya added.

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"To any officer in another state, if youre thinking about coming to Tennessee, make that move. You will not regret it. This is the best place you can be. The support doesnt stop," Clark said. "Its not just a recruitment video. Its real."

In November 2021, Lee published a video message appealing to law enforcement across the country  namely from the New York City Police Department and the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Office, as officers with those agencies were subjected to COVID-19 vaccine mandates.

The Tennessee governor said, "We wont get between you and your doctor," and offered to help cover moving expenses for those willing to relocate to join the Tennessee Highway Patrol.

"In Tennessee, law enforcement officers get the respect they deserve, and we welcome qualified men and women from across the country to join our ranks," Lee said in a statement on Wednesday. "Take it from our THP troopers  if you want to live, work and raise a family in a community where youll be given full support, come to Tennessee."

Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Dallas, Texas, on July 10, 2021. The event is titled "America UnCanceled." Dylan Hollingsworth/Bloomberg via Getty Images

The governors office says Tennesseans enjoy the lowest state and local tax burden per capita in the country. Additionally, the THP offers some of the most competitive benefits, including a full benefits package, a self-issued vehicle rather than a shared vehicle program, complimentary uniforms and equipment provided, and all fees for training academy paid for by the department.

In addition to recruitment efforts, Lees office outlined the governors "proven crime prevention investments to strengthen public safety and directly support law enforcement across Tennessee."

They include 100 additional Tennessee Highway Patrol troopers funded by the state; the creation of a $100 million Violent Crime Intervention Fund for law enforcement agencies across the state to invest in evidence-based programming and resources; $30 million to support recruitment and retention bonuses for out-of-state police officers seeking to move to Tennessee; and the expansion of state funding for law enforcement basic training and increasing the frequency of training for new recruits. Out-of-state law enforcement officials interested in joining the THP can learn more at www.joinTHP.org.
The warden of a federal jail for detained immigrants in West Texas and his twin brother were arrested after allegedly shooting at a group of undocumented migrants walking along a remote roadway on Tuesday, killing one, according to authorities.

Shortly after he was arrested on a manslaughter charge, Michael Sheppard was fired from his position at Sierra Blancas privately run West Texas Detention Center, the San Antonio Express-News reported Thursday. A spokesperson told the newspaper that Sheppard had been terminated due to an off-duty incident unrelated to his employment.

Sheppards brother, Mark Sheppard, also faces a manslaughter charge after the alleged shooting in Hudspeth County, which borders Mexico.

A source in law enforcement with knowledge of the incident told The New York Times that four migrants had stopped at a water tank near Sierra Blanca when a pickup truck approached them. The group attempted to hide behind the tank as two men got out of the truck and approached. The two men then fired at least two gunshots, the groups survivors told investigators.

One migrant was hit in the head and killed, while a woman was hit in the stomach, according to the law enforcement official. The woman was reportedly taken to a Del Rio hospital and has since been stabilized.

Aided by U.S. Border Patrol agents, the truck was traced by investigators to LaSalle Corrections, a small private prison firm. It was registered to Michael Sheppard, according to the Express-News.

The Texas Rangers are leading an investigation into the incident, with the FBI, Border Patrol, and a division of Homeland Security assisting, according to a Rangers spokesperson.

Also being probed by the agencies is a Hudspeth County shooting that occurred late Wednesday morning. A 26-year-old man, Erick Garibaldi, was arrested after a state trooper was flagged down by two men along Interstate 10. With the pair was another man with a gunshot wound to the face, according to the El Paso Times.

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It was not immediately clear Thursday if the two shootings were connected.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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Editor's note: This story contains offensive language.

A jail warden for a private detention center and his twin brother were arrested in connection with the shooting death of a man in an attack on a group of migrants in Hudspeth County, authorities said.

Mike Thomas Sheppard and Mark Edward Sheppard, both 60, were booked into the El Paso County Jail on manslaughter charges on Sept. 29, according to jail records. Mike Sheppard was the warden at the West Texas Detention Center operated by LaSalle Corrections.

The affidavit obtained by the El Paso Times states that at 7 p.m. Tuesday a group of migrants was drinking water out of a reservoir when a vehicle passed the group and then returned. The driver leaned on the hood of the vehicle and fired two shots, killing a man and injuring a woman. The agents located the vehicle and questioned its owner, Michael Sheppard. They subsequently questioned Mark Sheppard. After initial denials, he admitted the brothers were together the evening of Sep. 27 near the site of the shooting.

The migrants told investigators while they hid they "overheard one of the males shout something in Spanish to the effect of 'Come out you son-of-a-bitch, little asses!,'" the affidavit states.

The migrants told investigators they heard a vehicle rev "at which point they heard two gunshots with one of them stating they had been shot."

More:Advocates: 'Alarm' sounded on Mike Sheppard's abuse before migrant shooting

According to a spokesperson for Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in El Paso, there were 13 migrants in the group, including one accompanied minor. The agency said the group was all Mexican nationals. In interviews with federal agents, members of the group said the pair of men yelled profanities at them. The migrants who survived the shooting are in custody pending court hearings. The injured woman is at El Paso's Del Sol Hospital in stable condition.

The Hudspeth County Sheriffs Office initially reported the shooting death. In addition to Texas Rangers, HSI El Paso special agents responded to the incident.

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The men were booked on manslaughter charges Thursday but a statement Friday from HSI in El Paso indicated more charges may be forthcoming. Authorities have not released further details about court proceedings but the 205th District Court in El Paso confirmed the case is in their jurisdiction.

"HSI El Paso, in collaboration with the U.S. Border Patrol, FBI, Texas Rangers, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and the Hudspeth County Sheriffs Office, will continue to pursue all investigative leads concerning the shooting, and will pursue state murder charges and any other potential federal crimes," the spokesperson said.

The shooting took place approximately four miles south of Sierra Blanca on FM1111, a two lane-road that travels through Sierra Blanca north to Highway 62/180.

Suspect Mike Sheppard was the warden of the West Texas Detention Center in Sierra Blanca, which has a capacity of 1,053 detainees. La Salle Corrections, a private prison company that operates the facility, has not responded to a request for comment.

Smuggling:West Texas border ranch owner set 'safe harbor' for Mexican drug cartel, Feds say

Brothers changed story to investigators

According to the affidavit, victim interviews helped agents identify the suspects. Based on descriptions of the vehicle, investigators checked cameras and found a match in a database. The vehicle was located at Mike Sheppards residence in Sierra Blanca.

We asked him about the incident involving the illegal immigrants and he was reluctant to speak with us about it and left, a Texas Ranger wrote in the affidavit.

After Mike Sheppard left, they spoke with Mark Sheppard, who initially denied being in the location where the shooting took place. He then changed his story and said he was hunting with his brother that night.

Scene of where a migrant was shot as a group was drinking water out of a reservoir. A jail warden for a private detention center and his twin brother were arrested on Thursday, Sept. 29, 2022, in connection with the shooting death of a man in an attack on a group of migrants in Hudspeth County near Sierra Blanca.

Mark Sheppard told us they stopped at Fivemile Tank and said they were looking for ducks, then changed it to birds and then to Javelinas, the affidavit said. Mark Sheppard told us he used binoculars and saw a black butt thinking it was a Javelina.

Mark Sheppard said Mike Sheppard then fired two rounds from a shotgun.

Mark Sheppard told us he asked Michael Sheppard something to the effect of did you get him?. Mark Sheppard then changed him to it, the ranger wrote.

Mark Sheppard said he heard on the radio that a migrant had been shot but did not go to the authorities to report he had been in the area.

U.S. Rep. Veronica Escobar calls for hate crime investigation

The attack comes as Texas responds to a record number of asylum seekers and other border-crossers. Democratic politicians spoke out against the attack, linking it to the anti-immigrant rhetoric proliferating in Texas politics.

"I would like the DOJ to investigate this as a hate crime," U.S. Rep. Veronica Escobar, D-El Paso, said during a Friday briefing and questioned why the men were booked on manslaughter charges.

"Migrants fleeing persecution in their home countries should not have to fear for their lives here." Escobar tweeted. "I'm devastated by this news out of Hudspeth County. Time and time again inflammatory, demonizing Republican rhetoric turns into action."

This killing in West Texas is the direct result of Texas Republicans violent fearmongering of undocumented migrants: when you continuously use language like invasion to describe what is happening at our border, the only logical conclusion is that you want migrants and asylum-seekers to be treated like invaders, said Texas Democratic Party Chairman Gilberto Hinojosa.

More:US immigration officials say they 'dismantled' multimillion-dollar human smuggling ring

"Texas LULAC sounds a strong warning that our community has reached the point of no return. There can be no open season on Hispanics without consequences to those who encourage it, participate in these acts, or look the other way in the name of God while murder is committed," said Rudy Rosales, State Director of Texas League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC).

An evidence marker sits in a pool of water where a migrant was shot and killed. Another migrant, a woman, was wounded by the gunfire. A jail warden for a private detention center and his twin brother were arrested in connection with the death on Thursday, Sept. 29, 2022, in Hudspeth County near Sierra Blanca.

The Sierra Blanca case was followed by a shooting along Interstate 10 near Fort Hancock late Wednesday morning. It was unclear if the two incidents were interconnected as the multi-agency investigation continued Thursday. Texas DPS investigators arrested 26-year-old Erick Garibaldi of Fort Hancock, who is accused of shooting a man found along Interstate 10 with a gunshot wound to the face outside the town located about a half-hour east of El Paso, officials said Thursday.

Reporting contributed by Lauren Villagran

More:FBI rescues migrants held hostage, arrests El Paso kidnapping suspects in Sunset Heights

This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: Brothers Mike and Mark Sheppard arrested in migrant shooting death
By Panu Wongcha-um and Panarat Thepgumpanat

BANGKOK (Reuters) -Thailand's Constitutional Court on Friday ruled Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha had not exceeded the maximum eight years allowed in office, clearing the way for the former coup leader's return from a five-week suspension.

The decision will be a big boost for Prayuth, a staunch royalist whose premiership has been beset by attempts to unseat him, including four house censure motions, a conflict of interest case and protests challenging his leadership and the monarchy.

"The accused ... has been in the prime minister position not exceeding the limit stipulated by the constitution," a judge said in a 25-minute televised reading.

"Therefore he is not disqualified."

The case was brought by the opposition Pheu Thai party, whose government was toppled eight years ago by then-army chief Prayuth.

Despite portraying himself as a reluctant leader wanting to hold power only briefly, he served as prime minister of a junta until an election in 2019, after which parliament chose him to remain premier.

The judges on Friday voted 6-3 in his favour, with the court concluding his tenure started in 2017, when a new constitution was promulgated, meaning he could serve until 2025 if re-elected. An election is due to take place before May next year.

PERIOD OF REFLECTION

Prayuth, 68, had been suspended from office while the court deliberated the case, which he said had given him time to reflect.

"This past month I have realised that I need to use my limited time in government to push important projects to their realisation, for the progress of the country and for the future of our children," he said in a Facebook post after the ruling, promising big infrastructure upgrades.

Prayuth is among the longest-serving premiers in Thailand, a country that has seen more than 10 coups in the past century and had numerous leaders from the military.

An opinion poll in early August showed his popularity waning, with nearly two-thirds of respondents wanting him to leave office, while a third said the court should decide.

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Pheu Thai, the latest incarnation of the political juggernaut created by billionaire former premier Thaksin Shinawatra - who was himself ousted in coup in 2006 - said the ruling showed it was time to reform the court to create "appropriate checks and balances".

"The verdict does not cleanse Prayuth. The opposition sees Prayuth as someone who wants to maintain power in every way possible," it said in a joint statement by the opposition bloc.

"He also broke his promise to the people from the beginning when he said he won't stay long."

Scores of protesters gathered in central Bangkok to denounce the ruling and they called for opposition parties and activists to join forces in demonstrations to remove Prayuth.

"We can no longer rely on the court and others to function, it is now the duty of the people to decide the future of the country," pro-democracy activist Somyot Pruksakasemsuk told the crowd.

"Together we can drive out Prayuth ... We need a democracy without Prayuth Chan-ocha."

(Reporting by Panu Wongcha-um and Panarat Thepgumpanat; additional reporting by Jiraporn Kuhakan; writing by Martin Petty; editing by Robert Birsel and Mark Heinrich)
At least five cruise ships were unable to return to their home ports in Florida. Silversea Cruises

Florida-based cruise ships are extending their trips after Hurricane Ian forced three ports to close.

The cruise ships are spending more time at sea visiting extra destinations.

Around five ships and 20,000 passengers are affected, per The Points Guy.

Florida-based cruise ships are extending their schedules after Hurricane Ian forced three ports to close in the state.

Three major ports in the state  Port Tampa Bay, Jacksonville Port Authority, and Port Canaveral  have temporarily closed, according to statements posted on their Twitter accounts.



Hurricane Ian made landfall on Wednesday as a Category 4 hurricane before weakening to a Category 1 storm.

The Points Guy reported that the closures meant at least five cruise ships were unable to return to their home ports in Florida.

Unable to disembark passengers on schedule, the cruise ships are spending more time at sea and visiting extra destinations.

Carnival Cruise Line announced it had extended two of its cruises that were due to dock in Florida on September 29.

The Carnival Paradise extended a visit to Cozumel, Mexico, by an extra night. Meanwhile, the Carnival Elation added a visit to Freeport, Bahamas, to avoid the storm. The company said that both cruises were likely to be extended until the storm passes and the ports reopen.

Carnival Cruise Line did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment made outside normal working hours.

Royal Caribbean's Mariner of the Seas, Norwegian Cruise Line's Norwegian Getaway, and MSC Cruises' MSC Divina are also being extended, according to the Points Guy. All three cruise ships were due to return to Port Canaveral on Thursday morning but will now not return before Friday morning, the travel blog reported.

Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise Line have been contacted by Insider but did not immediately respond. MSC Cruises could not be reached for comment.

The changes mean that around 20,000 passengers are getting a mandatory extension to their trip, per the Points Guy.

The hurricane is affecting other sectors of Florida's tourist industry. Walt Disney World and Universal have both closed resort parks in the state for at least 2 days as Hurricane Ian passes through.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Three Russian Su-30 fighter jets arrived at the Baranovichi airfield

The group said in a statement that the last time Russian fighter jets flew between Russia and Belarus was in late March. After that, Russia withdrew most of its warplanes to Russian territory.

Some of the aircraft that remained in Belarus served to train new Russian fighter pilots.

According to Hajun, this batch of Su-30SM fighters was expected to be de-livered to Belarus in October.

"But today, the fighters arrived not from the factory, but those that are in service with the Russian Aerospace Forces with registration numbers RF-81772, RF-81760 and RF-81758," the report reads.

According to Ukrainian intelligence, Belarus is also preparing to accommo-date 20,000 newly mobilized conscripts from Russia.

Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine
Gen Z is known for sharing everything about their lives - from their outfits to their latest meals - online. Now, they're sharing their salaries, defying a long-held taboo and ruffling employers' feathers in the process.

Anyone who runs into Hannah Williams on the street can expect to be asked a rather probing question: "What do you do and how much do you make?"

Ms Williams, 25, is the founder of Salary Transparent Street - a TikTok account with over 850,000 followers and 16.7m likes. In her videos, she travels to different US cities and asks people on the street to stop and share their profession and salary.

Ms Williams said she started these videos because of her own career experience, when she realised she was being underpaid. After that, she began discussing her career journey on TikTok, where she said her followers really responded to her openness about salary.

"This isn't a thing that people talk about, but it should be. This should be normal and the more I learned about the gender pay gap and race pay gaps I was like, 'this has to be a thing' - and my response to that was to create Salary Transparent Street," she said.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CecTh1djXtG/?hl=en

She's not the only one asking these questions. Younger generations are pushing for pay transparency - the practice of openly sharing salary with others - with viral tweets, memes and TikTok accounts.

Some lawmakers are taking heed. On Tuesday, California became the latest US state to require all employers with more than 15 staff to post a salary range for open positions, and for the state to track data on how salaries differ according to race, gender and ethnicity. Gen Z TikTokers, who had supported the law, cheered.

Other states and cities have passed similar laws. While some employers have resisted salary disclosure in the past, experts say the tide is turning.

TikTok leads to salary talk

Talking salary has long been seen as uncouth in the US. Dr Ricardo Perez-Truglia, assistant professor at the University of California Berkeley, said it's somewhat equivalent to discussing self-worth.

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"On average, salaries tend to be a signal of how valuable you are to employers. So it's not surprising that some people feel uncomfortable talking about their salaries, just like they may feel uncomfortable talking about their grades in school," he said.

Aaron Terrazas, chief economist at Glassdoor, a website that hosts company reviews and salary estimates for professions, agreed. It can be a "deep source of anxiety", he said - no-one wants to be an outlier if they're overpaid or underpaid, and fear of finding oneself there discourages willingness to share.

But there is plenty of evidence that younger generations are more comfortable sharing personal information online. That includes salary, surveys suggest.

"As with most social movements, it's the younger generations as always, that are leading the way," said Maria Colacurcio, CEO of Syndio, a platform that conducts pay equity analysis.

Over 80% of Gen Z feels that sharing salary will improve pay equality, according to LinkedIn Market Research. Millennials are not far behind, with 75% agreeing. With each older generation, that sentiment diminishes - 47% of Gen X agrees and only 28% of Baby Boomers agree.

Ms Williams's experience has been in line with that research, she said: Gen Zers and Millennials are much more likely to say yes to her when she approaches them to share their pay on video, and women more often agree than men.

Does pay transparency close pay gaps?

Some people, including Ms Williams, believe that pay transparency will help close gender and racial pay gaps. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, women earn 82 cents to every dollar a man earns - with women of colour often earning even less.

When travel writer Victoria Walker decided to leave her job, she disclosed how much she made on Twitter while sharing a job posting for her replacement.

Oh! Before I forget -- if you apply for my old job as Senior Travel Reporter, you should ask for no less than 115k, a signing bonus &a relocation bonus if you're moving to NYC. In full transparency, I was at 107k. I believe being transparent is one way to achieve equity in media.  Victoria M. Walker (@vikkie) February 2, 2022

She did it to put power back in employees' hands, she said.

"There's a lot of mystique around being a travel writer" and "there isn't much transparency in our own newsrooms about pay", she said.

Some studies on real-world examples have suggested that when salaries are disclosed, gender pay gaps shrink.

In 2006, Denmark started requiring firms to publish gender pay gaps - a recent survey found that the gender pay gap declined by 2%. A National Bureau of Economic Research paper found that the gender pay gap decreased 20-40% when public sector university salary disclosure laws came into effect in Canada.

According to Mr Terrazas, when pay is opaque it's hard to decipher whether it was based on something acceptable - like relevant experience in a labour market - or whether it was based on something generally considered to be discriminatory - like race or gender in the labour market.

There could be potential downsides, experts caution. The Harvard Business Review warns of some pitfalls to avoid, like "pay compression", meaning new hires could earn the same pay as long-tenured employees.

California law could change game

Although the right for employees to discuss pay amongst each other has been enshrined in a national law for 90 years, some US employees report pressure not to talk about the subject.

A 2022 Glassdoor-Harris Poll survey revealed 28% of employees say their employer discourages them from discussing pay with colleagues.

Just last year Apple shut down a Slack channel where employees were discussing salary. According to Apple, this channel did not meet their Slack terms of use.

When Colorado enacted its pay transparency law, in January 2021, some remote-work employers tried to skirt the law by opening up jobs to everyone except Coloradoans. This was so rampant that one Colorado resident created a website of all the companies excluding Colorado applicants.

Median hourly wages. . .

But the more states pass similar legislation, the harder it will be for employers to avoid the hard discussions about salaries. California, the most populous state and the home of tech giants like Apple and Meta, will have its pay transparency law go into effect next year.

That will have a widespread impact, said Ms Colacurcio.

"We can't get away with anymore saying this job is open to all remote employees except Colorado," she said. "And so now with California, companies are saying, all right, we got to comply with this."

As for Ms Williams, the TikToker, her salary disclosure sparked her own career renaissance.

She quit her job as a senior data analyst - making $115,000 (106,000) - to pursue full-time content creation for Salary Transparent Street. She is on track to make $150,000 this year.
The hashtag #HurricaneIan has 1.1 billion TikTok views. Screenshots from TikTok

Hurricane Ian made landfall in Florida on Wednesday after passing through Cuba.

Though people were urged to leave their homes, some chose to stay and film the storm.

Videos on TikTok of Hurricane Ian and the damage its caused have received millions of views.

Floridians have taken to TikTok to share footage of them dealing with the effects and aftermath of Hurricane Ian after it made landfall in the state on Wednesday.

Though authorities urged residents in counties susceptible to floods to evacuate, many refused to leave or were unable to leave, and some filmed their experiences with the Category 4 storm.

People shared videos of themselves preparing their homes and properties for the storm and the hashtag #HurricaneIan now has over 1.1 billion views.

One woman living on a farm in southwest Florida showed the level of flooding prior to the day the hurricane was due to hit and filmed herself prepping her animals for the storm. Her video went viral and received 12.2 million views, with commenters wishing her "good luck" and thanking her for taking good care of the animals.

The St. Augustine Zoo, located in northeast Florida, shared a video of staff putting a stork in a bathroom to keep it safe from the winds, which has been viewed 4.3 million times.

One woman living in Key West, Florida, near the southernmost point in the US, captured the flooded streets and crashing waves. The video has been viewed more than 4.6 million times.

"You could tell that the situation was deteriorating pretty quickly, so you know, I was ready to go at this point," she said, adding, "It was just insane to see how flooded the streets were."

Commenters said they were concerned for the women's safety, with many telling her to "stay safe." One person added, "pls go home this is dangerous."

Story continues

Despite the obvious dangers, many TikTokers risked their lives to chronicle the storm.

NBC News reporter Kat Tenbarge captured the moment during a TikTok live when user @officialchroniclife told viewers "we are in pretty serious trouble, guys," while filming rising water in front of her home.

As the storm continued, TikTokers began sharing footage of the aftermath, including flooded cars and destroyed fences.

Another Key West resident shared a video of the streets after flooding began to subside, showing fallen trees and destroyed shop fronts.

"It's a sad morning here in Key West," she wrote.

The storm was expected to spark intense flooding and cause a "catastrophic storm surge," Insider previously reported. Before reaching Florida, it passed through Cuba where it caused an island-wide blackout and led to the deaths of two people.

On Wednesday, Insider reported that Hurricane Ian has brought with it winds of 155mph and water up to 12 feet high in some areas of Florida, though it has since been downgraded to a tropical storm.

According to PowerOutage.us, an estimated 2.2 million Floridians are currently without power, though the full extent of the damage and destruction caused by the hurricane likely won't be known for days. On Thursday, Lee County Sheriff Carmine Marceno told "Good Morning America" fatalities from the storm were "in the hundreds."

For more stories like this, check out coverage from Insider's Digital Culture team here.

Read the original article on Insider
NEW YORK  Cubas top diplomat said Tuesday his countrys officials have no choice but to engage the United States in negotiations to normalize relations, despite a decade of diplomatic whiplash and mixed messages from Washington.

In an interview with The Hill, Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez Parrilla responded to a question posed by former Obama administration adviser Ben Rhodes on whether Cuban officials would ever, ever negotiate anything with America ever again after this?

We will have to, said Rodriguez Parrilla, who was in New York to attend the United Nations General Assembly.

We will have to, first, because there is a historical trend that will, at some point, force us to reestablish dialogue and lift the blockade.

After a historic and controversial push to normalize relations between Washington and Havana under former President Obama, the Trump administration did an about-face, most famously adding Cuba to a list of state sponsors of terrorism.

The Biden administration, though less hawkish than the Trump administration, has not taken major steps to normalize relations, including keeping Cuba on the terrorism watchlist.

We shouldnt expect President Biden to return to the policies of President Obama. One would have expected President Biden to implement his own policy, adjusted to his electoral platform, to his commitments with his voters, to the current reality of the international situation, said Rodriguez Parrilla.

What has been a regrettable surprise is that President Biden continues to apply, precisely, the adverse, abusive, failed policies that do not bring the United States closer to any result [inherited from] President Trump, who is [Bidens] political antipode, he added.

Still, the Biden administration has softened some of its predecessors Cuba policies, often despite domestic political pressure.

President Bidens policy toward Cuba is rooted in supporting the Cuban people and protecting human rights. Our approach to Cuba, just like any other country, takes into account various current political, economic, and security factors. Over the past few years, conditions in Cuba and in the region have changed, and we have adapted our Cuba policy accordingly, a National Security Council spokesperson told The Hill.

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In May, Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Sen. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) panned a Biden administration announcement that some travel restrictions to the island were being lifted, while celebrating the resumption of the Cuban Family Reunification Parole program, which streamlines legal immigration for Cubans with family in the United States.

I am dismayed to learn the Biden administration will begin authorizing group travel to Cuba through visits akin to tourism. To be clear, those who still believe that increasing travel will breed democracy in Cuba are simply in a state of denial. For decades, the world has been traveling to Cuba and nothing has changed, said Menendez, the highest-ranking Cuban American in the history of the United States Congress.

The Biden administration has also announced that the U.S. consulate in Havana will resume processing migrant visas in 2023, and in May, it announced eased restrictions on remittances  money sent by U.S. residents to friends and relatives on the island.

I think it was positive, that announcement in May by the current U.S. government to reestablish the regular flow of remittances, said Rodriguez Parrilla.

However, that announcement has not materialized into a concrete decision, and its still not happening. One ought to wonder why, he added.

A representatives for the White House did not respond to a request for comment on this story.

Rodriguez Parrilla is the highest-ranking Cuban official  other than Fidel Castro in 1959  to visit Washington since the Cuban Revolution, and in Rodriguez Parrillas own lifetime.

The foreign minister was in Washington in 2015 to reopen the Cuban Embassy, one of the greater symbolic gestures of the rapprochement period during the Obama administration.

While those milestones seem frozen in the past for now, Cuba and the United States collaborate on a series of important, if technical, matters.

For instance, Cuba quickly opened its airports to flights stranded in the air during the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the island has often allowed U.S. military storm-chaser aircraft to enter its airspace for hurricane research and the United States provided technical assistance to clean up after a fire at a Matanzas oil supertanker installation in August.

There is a cooperation agreement on environmental issues including search and rescue, common waters, that passed a test of adversity with the previous Republican government, but that remains in effect, said Rodriguez Parrilla.

Part of this collaboration is due to proximity and shared crises  Hurricane Ian hit Cubas western provinces before picking up steam in the northern Gulf of Mexico and hitting Florida Wednesday.

Its a very intense relationship. There is a deep cultural connection between the two neighboring countries, there is also a shared history. However, there are deep and totally asymmetrical differences, said Rodriguez Parrilla.

U.S. government policy, historically, since 1959, has been one of hostility and aggression. Its core element is the economic, commercial and financial blockade, which is the factor that decides the quality of the bilateral relationship, he added.

While the Cuban embargo is a unilateral U.S. policy, various domestic and international pressures feed into U.S. hostility toward the Cuban communist regime.

First and foremost, the core of the Cuban diaspora in the United States is composed of people who fled the 1959 revolution and their descendants.

Three decades of Cuban alignment with the Soviet Union solidified a sense of enmity and incompatibility, building once seemingly insurmountable political barriers against rapprochement within the United States.

Cuba also maintains core elements of Soviet-style communism  including a politburo of which Rodriguez Parrilla is a member  though its dynamic political system is far more open than the top-down autocracies of other extant communist regimes, like North Korea.

And the islands human rights record has been panned by actors throughout the political spectrum, including left-leaning groups like Human Rights Watch, which last year condemned repression against demonstrators who were largely protesting economic conditions.

Still, Cubas flawed human rights record is not exclusively one of repression.

On Sunday, Cuba held an open referendum for citizens to vote on a series of social reforms, including same-sex marriage and gender equality measures.

The proposal was overwhelmingly approved, with nearly 4 million votes in favor, and nearly 2 million against. The results showed both a split with conservative attitudes associated with the old guard and a diversity of opinion on a major social issue.

Tell me of any [other] country that decided these topics by referendum, said Rodriguez Parrilla, in reference to countries like the United States, Mexico and Colombia, where controversial but widely accepted social issues like same-sex marriage have been left to the courts.

And regardless, there are other countries, that through votes that sometimes inevitably are perceived as partisan, through the courts, they determine what citizens should democratically determine directly by themselves, without mediators, as is the case with sexual and reproductive rights.

Make the comparison  between the decision of the U.S. Supreme Court on abortion, and submitting to popular referendum everything related to that topic and others, said Rodriguez Parrilla.

The Cuban diplomats understanding of how the countrys referendum on social issues compares to the debate over abortion rights in the United States is a feature of a political class that has carefully studied U.S. politics for decades.

Cuban officials feel thats an advantage they have over their U.S. counterparts, who they say often caricaturize a complex political system as a monolithic old-style communist regime.

With all due respect, the United States government is not at all a studious being, said Rodriguez Parrilla.

The criteria that have been put forward by one side and the other on U.S. democracy in the last two years are very peculiar, he said.

Still, Cubas stability is more in question today than at any time since at least the end of the Cold War, as internal and external economic and political difficulties pile on for the island.

U.S. hawks see an opportunity to further push the 60-year-old embargo in the hopes that it will finally achieve a collapse of a recalcitrant communist system; doves see a risk of creating an unnecessary humanitarian crisis in a country thats shown some openness to reform.

Cuban officials say the ball to reopen talks is in the U.S. court.

We have that willingness. No doubt the U.S. government will have to show a similar willingness. And in the end well have to judge based on tangible acts, said Rodriguez Parrilla.

But it already happened. It already happened once, which proves its possible. And it proved that it was beneficial. I am sure the historical trend leads to that  a policy thats failed for 60 years has to be changed, he added.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Timothy A. Clary/AFP via Getty Images

Ukraines Permanent Representative to the United Nations warned Thursday he is concerned that some men fleeing Russia to ostensibly avoid conscription might actually be Kremlin Trojan horses meant to wreak havoc later.

While genuine members of opposition should be considered for temporary protection in Europe and elsewhere, the army of Trojan horsemen of would-be Russian soldiers in Europe may pose a security threat, especially to neighboring countries and beyond, the ambassador, Sergiy Kyslytsya, said.

Why should we turn a blind eye to the high probability that hundreds of thousands of conscript-refugees now infiltrating Europe [are] the same people who remained loyal & obedient to [P]utin till the very last moment, Kyslytsya said Thursday.

The accusation exposes the deep divisions among European leaders about how to treat Russian citizens fleeing Russia now that Russian President Vladimir Putin has announced a partial mobilization for the war in Ukraine. While some experts suggest sympathy should be extended to citizens who disagree with Putins war, doubts have grown about whether Russians fleeing now are truly opposed to the war, or whether they just dont want to go to war themselves.

Russian men have been fleeing the country in the tens of thousands ever since Putin made the announcement earlier this month that 300,000 men would be headed to fight in Ukraine. And although the orders are meant for those with military backgrounds, panic appears to have set in that the Kremlin may loosen and expand that eligibility. In some cases, Russian men are being sent without any training to the front, according to a human rights group accounting of the mobilization, which Ukraines president Volodymyr Zelensky has said makes the mobilization, in essence, a death sentence.

So far, Russias Federal Security Services (FSB) claims that approximately 260,000 Russian men have fled the country, according to Novaya Gazeta.

Mayhem at Russian Border as Thousands Flee Putins Draft

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While Ukraines UN envoy appears concerned that fleeing Russians may harbor sympathies for the war and may one day be leveraged by the Kremlin, its not clear whether the accusations are based on any evidence or whether Russia has plans to leverage deserters in other countries for further chaos. The tone of the complaint echoed other suspicions among European authorities, which have questioned in recent months whether Putin has designs on territories beyond just Ukraine.

Other nations are not keen on welcoming a mass influx of Russians during the war. The Finnish government announced Thursday that by Friday it will be closing its borders to strongly restrict entry of Russian tourists due to security concerns.

While there will be exceptions for unspecified humanitarian reasons, Finlands government said welcoming Russian citizens into Finland would be a dangerous step it doesnt wish to take at this time in the war.

The Russian invasion of Ukraine and the mobilization declared by Russia have changed the security situation in Europe, Finlands Ministries for Foreign Affairs and the Interior said in an announcement. The Government deems that the Russian mobilization and the rapidly increasing volume of tourists arriving in Finland and transiting via Finland endanger Finlands international position and international relations.

Poland and the Baltic states also enacted bans earlier this month in an attempt to punish Russia for the invasion.

Estonias Interior Minister Lauri Laanemets said Estonia shouldnt let Russian people into Estonia now because there is a collective responsibility of Russian citizens for the war in Ukraine.

Estonian and Lithuanian officials emphasized they werent interested in welcoming Russians to their countries because they believed Russians should stay in Russia and protest the war and put domestic pressure on Putin to abandon his goals in Ukraine, rather than just run away.

It will hopefully increase discontent among the population. It is no longer just professional soldiers, people from remote regions or convicts who are being sent to the front, but the desire is for everyone to be relegated to cannon fodder, Laanemets said.

Things Russian men can do instead of running away to Europe: Protest, disobey, AWOL, POW, mutiny. Asylum for 25 million draft dodgers is not an option. Russians must liberate Russia, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania, Gabrielius Landsbergis, said.

World leaders have drummed up debates about whether Russian citizens should bear the brunt of Putins war in Ukraine since the beginning of the invasion earlier this year.

The European Union this year suspended a visa facilitation agreement with Russia, which has effectively increased the processing time for visas and introduced other more restrictive rules for Russians. The EU and the U.K. have also imposed a flight ban on Russian planes, restricting Russians movement around the world.

The White House has said in previous months that in issuing sanctions and directives on Russia, the United States does not intend to punish Russian citizens.

Were not trying to hurt the people of Russia or the Russian people. Were trying to squeeze the financial system and sector to make sure there are significant consequences for the actions of the president, then-White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said in a briefing with reporters.

Russians are welcome to come to the United States and apply for asylum, the White House said this week. The State Department appeared to express openness Wednesday to granting asylum to Russians fleeing conscription.

What we have made clear is the distinction we make and that a number of countries have made around the world, the distinction between the Russian Government and the Russian people, State Department Press Secretary Ned Price said Wednesday in a briefing. We think its important, for our part, to continue to have our doors open to Russians who are in a position to come to this country, and we have seen over the course of this war potentially hundreds of thousands of Russians quite literally vote with their feetRussians who have never had the genuine opportunity to have their voice heard at the ballot box are now in a position to vote with their feet.

But when it comes to Russians fleeing conscription, the Biden administration appeared to acknowledge there is some grey area that countries will have to deal with in the coming days.

Each country is going to have to make its own sovereign decision about how to respond to Russians that are seeking refuge and safety within their borders, Price said. That is not something that we are going to prescribe.

The Department of Homeland Security, which will be handling such asylum requests in the United States, did not immediately return request for comment on whether the Biden administration considers fleeing conscription as a reason enough to grant asylum.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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Michael Curry, the presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church, said Thursday that he had tested positive for COVID-19.

Curry, who in 2015 became the first African American leader of the denomination, said he will participate in upcoming events either remotely or through pre-recorded messages.

So far, I have mild symptoms, but I would appreciate your prayers for an uneventful and swift recovery," he said in a statement.

Curry, 69, described himself as fully vaccinated and boosted."

I am grateful for the scientific advances of vaccines and antiviral treatments that help prevent serious illness and death," he said. I encourage you to talk to your doctor about receiving all vaccinations and boosters for which you are eligible."

Among Curry's recent high-profile appearances was a Sept. 21 service at Washington National Cathedral honoring the life of Queen Elizabeth II. Curry delivered the homily.

___

Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the APs collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.
A police officer was shot during a shootout between a homicide suspect and Topeka police Thursday morning.

The officer is being treated a local hospital

Police said the suspect was wanted in connection with a double shooting that left one person dead in south Topeka.

After the double shooting, a Topeka police officer spotted the murder suspect, who led officers on a chase that ended downtown.

The suspect then shot several times at law enforcement officers on scene, the release said. Multiple law enforcement officers returned fire. At least one officer was struck by the suspects gunfire during the incident.

Names and ages of those involved have not been released. The Kansas Bureau of Investigation has been called in to assist in investigating.
Donald Trump, Brett Giroir Yuri Gripas/Abaca Press/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Former President Donald Trump considered bombing drug labs in Mexico after a top public health official, dressed in his military-like dress uniform, suggested putting "lead to target" to stop the flow of illegal drugs across the U.S.-Mexico border, New York Times reporter Maggie Haberman writes in her upcoming book on Trump, according to The Washington Post.

Trump raised the idea "several times, eventually asking a stunned Defense Secretary Mark Esper whether the United States could indeed bomb the labs," Haberman reports. Assistant Secretary for Health Brett Giroir, an admiral in the U.S. Public Health Service, often wore his dress uniform into Oval Office meetings with Trump, confusing the president, White House officials told Haberman for her book, Confidence Man. "The response from White House aides was not to try to change Trump's view, but to consider asking Giroir not to wear his uniform to the Oval Office anymore."

Giroir declined to publicly discuss his private conversations with Trump but told the Post that when it comes to Mexican drug labs, "every option needs to be on the table." Trump spokesman Taylor Budowich, as he has when presented with other reports from Haberman's book, dismissed it as a "boring" collection of "anonymously sourced fairytales." Among the more than 250 people Haberman spoke with for her book is Trump, who she interviewed three times.

Confidence Man contains all sorts of dishy stories about Trump dating back to the 1980s, and you can reads some of them  why he sought out Black judges in his real estate lawsuits, how he told Rudy Giuliani to "go wild" as his lead lawyer challenging his election loss, the time he might have called a congresswoman pretending to be a newspaper reporter, his verbal abuse of female world leaders and mockery of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg as she was dying  at The Washington Post.

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Then-President Donald Trump taking his mask off before speaking at a rally from the South Portico of the White House in Washington, DC on October 10, 2020 shows. Photo by Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Images

A new book reveals that former President Donald Trump told his aides not to wear masks in his presence.

The book, by reporter Maggie Haberman, also said Trump told aides to avoid discussing the pandemic on TV.

Haberman's book also reported that he told then-Gov. Andrew Cuomo not to "make such a big deal out of this."

Former President Donald Trump had conflicting approaches to the coronavirus pandemic, New York Times White House correspondent Maggie Haberman wrote in her upcoming book.

Haberman, also a CNN political analyst, has done extensive reporting on the former president. In her book, "Confidence Man," Haberman reported that Trump would tell White House aides to remove face masks in 2020, the height of the pandemic, according to a Washington Post report detailing parts of the book ahead of its release.

"Get that fucking thing off," Trump once said during a meeting referring to the mask, Haberman wrote.

By contrast, the former President also sought credit for COVID-19 vaccines but argued that the "radical right" was in the way of that, Haberman reported, according to The Post.

The report, citing Haberman's book, also said that Trump would discourage White House aides from discussing the pandemic publically while downplaying the seriousness of the crisis.

The Post, pointing to Haberman's book, added that Trump did so because he believed the virus was "a political loser for him."

Reuters reported that his approval ratings decreased by 22 points in October 2020, sitting at a record-low 37% approval, as much of the public was displeased with how he handled the virus.

"Don't talk about it on TV," Trump reportedly told Republican National Committee's chairwoman, Ronna McDaniel, the Post said quoting Haberman's book.

The report added that the MAGA President, who has claimed that he "did a great job" tackling the issues brought on by the pandemic, also told Andrew Cuomo, the former New York Governor, not to "make such a big deal out of this," per Haberman's book.

"You're gonna make it a problem," he added.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Then-President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin attend a joint press conference in Helsinki, Finland, on July 16, 2018. Chris McGrath/Getty Images

Trump suggested heading up a team to arrange a peace settlement between Ukraine and Russia.

Referencing the leak in the Nord Stream pipeline, Trump said it's time to "get a negotiated deal."

"The entire World is at stake," the former president wrote on Truth Social.

Former President Donald Trump suggested on Wednesday that he could lead a team to broker peace between Ukraine and Russia.

In several posts on Truth Social, Trump referenced the unprecedented leaks in the Nord Stream pipelines while offering ideas on what he could contribute to the situation.

In his first post, Trump claimed the pipeline had been sabotaged, which "could lead to major escalation, or War!"

"U.S. 'Leadership' should remain 'cool, calm, and dry' on the SABOTAGE of the Nord Stream Pipelines. This is a big event that should not entail a big solution, at least not yet," the former president wrote.

Trump also repeated his claim that the Ukraine war would never have happened if he had been president and offered solutions to the situation.

"Do not make matters worse with the pipeline blowup. Be strategic, be smart (brilliant!), get a negotiated deal done NOW," Trump wrote. "Both sides need and want it. The entire World is at stake. I will head up group???"

A representative at Trump's post-presidential press office did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.

Trump's suggestion that he head up a team to de-escalate tensions with Russia stands in stark contrast to some statements he made in the early days of the Ukraine war.

In March, Trump said he would send nuclear submarines to go "up and down" Russia's coast to pressure Russian leader Vladimir Putin. Trump also suggested that the US put Chinese flags on its fighter jets and use them to "bomb the shit" out of Russia.

Trump's saber-rattling came after he commended Russian President Vladimir Putin for the latter's actions in relation to Ukraine.

In February, Trump lauded Putin's justification for invading Ukraine as "savvy" and "genius." Later that month, Trump called Putin "smart" for supposedly "playing" President Joe Biden "like a drum."

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Trump's comments on Wednesday were not the first time he has called for Russia and Ukraine to "figure out" a solution. In April, he said the two countries should negotiate peace "now  not later  when everyone will be DEAD!"

That same month, a 2019 clip surfaced of Trump suggesting to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy that he "get together" with Putin to solve their "problem," which prompted a look of shock and disgust from the Ukrainian leader.

It is unclear how effective Trump would be as a negotiator, but he is known to have had significant ties with Russia. The former president spent decades trying to break ground in Moscow with his business. Last June, Putin praised Trump for being an "extraordinary" and "talented" individual last June.

Special counsel Robert Mueller probed Trump's ties with Russia following accusations that the Russian government, under Putin's direction, had helped Trump win the presidency in 2016 by waging an "influence campaign" against his rival, Hillary Clinton. For his part, Trump has denied any wrongdoing, calling the probe a hoax.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Former President Donald Trump speaks during a "Save America" rally in Anchorage, Alaska, on July 9, 2022. Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

Following the Mar-a-Lago raid, Trump asked for (and was granted) a special master to review government docs.

In a new filing, his attorneys argued that vendors don't want to work with them because of the volume of documents.

In the filing, they said that "seasoned IT professionals" can't meet the DOJ's rigid deadlines.

Trump's legal team in a new filing is arguing that they can't retain a vendor to digitize the documents to be handed over to a special master for review because there are simply too many files, and too tight of a deadline.

The filing was in response to the government's filing on Tuesday, where the Department of Justice said that the vendors simply refused to be engaged by Trump's team.

But in their filing asking special master Raymond Dearie to consider new, longer deadlines in the digitization and turnover of the documents, Trump's legal team said it was more complex  and that they needed until mid-October to get the job done.

In August, the FBI executed a search warrant at Trump's Mar-a-Lago home and retrieved close to 11,000 White House documents that he had taken with him. The Justice Department is looking into whether Trump broke several laws by holding onto White House documents, including classified documents. Trump had denied wrongdoing.

Following the raid, Trump's team sued the DOJ asking for a third party, or special master, to review the documents. Dearie, a retired senior federal judge, was chosen on September 16 and has a deadline of November 30. The first step is to digitize the documents retrieved by the FBI for Dearie, but there are already delays.

"The problem is compounded by the fact that when Plaintiff's counsel referred to either 11,000 pages or even 11,000 documents during the status conference (we are still awaiting the transcript), the Government chose not to interject with an accurate number," Trump's counsel wrote. "In conversations between Plaintiff's counsel and the Government regarding a data vendor, the Government mentioned that the 11,000 documents contain closer to 200,000 pages."

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The former president's legal team said that the number of pages and the timeframe to scan them was too short, claiming that was the uniform reason why all vendors declined to work with Trump.

"That estimated volume, with a need to operate under the accelerated timeframes supported by the Government, is the reason why so many of the Government's selected vendors have declined the potential engagement," Trump's lawyers wrote. "In short, seasoned IT professionals who routinely work on large-scale document productions with the Government cannot meet the Government's proposed schedule."

On Tuesday, the DOJ asked special master Raymond Dearie for an additional day to turn over nonclassified documents in the investigation. Federal prosecutors said they needed until Wednesday because none of the five vendors they suggested to digitize the cache of documents "were willing to be engaged by Plaintiff."

Dearie, so far, has pushed back on several of Trump's legal team's claims in the case. Recently, Dearie appointed an aide whom Trump is set to pay $500 an hour and has asked the Trump team to provide proof that the FBI planted evidence during its search of Mar-a-Lago, which Trump has claimed.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Tsitsi Dangarembga (left) and her friend Julie Barnes have both been sentenced

Acclaimed Zimbabwean author Tsitsi Dangarembga has been convicted of inciting violence by carrying a placard calling for political reform.

The magistrate said the protest could have incited other people to join, and cause a breach of peace.

Ms Dangarembga paid a fine of about $110 (100) to avoid serving a three-month jail term.

She had pleaded not guilty in a trial that critics say is the latest sign of a government crackdown on dissent.

Outside the court, she told the BBC she was not surprised by the conviction.

"The space for freedom of expression and freedom of the media is shrinking and increasingly criminalised" in Zimbabwe, she said, adding that she intended to appeal against the judgement.

When President Emmerson Mnangagwa took power in 2017, he vowed to introduce reforms after the decades-long repressive rule of his predecessor, Robert Mugabe, however critics say little has changed.

Ms Dangarembga is one of Zimbabwe's most famous authors. Her novel, This Mournable Body, was shortlisted for the Booker Prize, in 2020.

She was convicted along with a friend Julie Barnes.

The pair had walked along a road in the capital, Harare, two years ago, holding placards which called for political reform and the release of two government critics.

The courtroom gasped and the two women stood motionless as the verdict was pronounced.

"Guilty of inciting public violence and breaching the peace," came the judgement.

The magistrate said that as they protested on a public road, and pictures were shared on social media, others could have been provoked to protest.

If they reoffend within the next five years they will be jailed for six months.

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By Sarah N. Lynch

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A federal judge on Thursday ruled that former President Donald Trump does not have to provide the court with a sworn statement attesting to whether he believes the list of items seized by the FBI from his Florida estate is accurate and complete.

The order from U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon came after U.S. Senior Judge Raymond Dearie, appointed as special master at Trump's request to oversee a review of the records seized from Mar-a-lago, had ordered Trump's lawyers to let him know if they disputed the accuracy of the government's property inventory list.

Trump has claimed, without evidence, that the FBI may have planted evidence when it searched Mar-a-lago on Aug. 8.

Late on Wednesday, Trump's lawyers lodged a complaint with the court about Dearie's demand, saying it exceeded the scope of Dearie's authority.

"There shall be no separate requirement on [Trump] at this stage, prior to the review of any of the seized materials, to lodge ex ante final objections to the accuracy of [the government's] inventory, its descriptions, or its contents," Cannon wrote in her order.

"The courts appointment order did not contemplate that obligation," she added.

The government has said it carted away more than 11,000 records, about 100 of them marked as classified.

The Justice Department, which was also ordered to provide a sworn statement attesting to the accuracy of the inventory, has made some amendments to its list, such as adding 53 documents.

Dearie was appointed by Cannon over objections from the Justice Department to review the more than 11,000 records seized from Mar-a-lago on Aug. 8. He is required to weed out any records that could be subject to claims of attorney-client privilege or executive privilege, a legal doctrine that can shield some White House communications from disclosure.

Initially Cannon ordered him to include the classified materials in his review, but the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit reversed that decision after the Justice Department filed an appeal.

Story continues

On Wednesday, Trump's lawyers told Dearie they objected to his request to address whether they disputed the accuracy of the FBI's property inventory list, claiming such a demand "exceeds the grant of authority" that Cannon gave the special master.

They said it is hard to find a vendor who can process the records in time to meet the deadlines. The roughly 11,000 records, they say, amount to about 200,000 pages.

(Reporting by Sarah N. Lynch; Editing by David Gregorio)
By Brian Ellsworth

(Reuters) - Two U.S. lawmakers on Thursday said the United States should sanction Haitian gangs and those who help finance them, as the Caribbean nation remains gripped by a gang blockade that has caused increasingly dire fuel shortages.

Gregory Meeks and Michael McCaul, during a hearing of the House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee, said the United States should take action against the gangs, which now control vast portions of Haiti's territory.

"That's something we have to start looking at - sanctions against the gang leaders, and those who are financing the gangs and those who are sending the weapons," said Meeks, a Democrat and chair of the committee.

Gangs in Haiti this month blocked the exits to the country's main fuel terminal in response to Prime Minister Ariel Henry's announcement of an increase in fuel prices, leading to critical shortages of gasoline and diesel.

Day-to-day activities have ground to a halt in Haiti, with key services including hospitals facing closure for lack of fuel to power generators.

"I would very much be in favor of a measure to punish - we call them oligarchs, they're really warlords - controlling the gangs and depriving any sense of governance in Haiti," said McCaul, the committee's top Republican.

The congressmen did not name specific gang members or financiers or explain how such sanctions would work. It is not clear how much gang leaders use the official financial system to move or store money.

Decisions on U.S. sanctions are typically made by the executive branch rather than by Congress.

The United Nations Security Council has discussed a resolution to sanction Haitian gangs.

The hearing included testimony by Haitian civil society leaders who described the effects of gang violence, corruption and poverty.

"I ask for support to impose sanctions on high profile individuals involved in corruption and supporting and facilitating gang violence in Haiti," said activist Velina Charlier.

"And by high profile individuals, I clearly mean the ones in the politics ... and the oligarchs, the business sector."

(Reporting by Brian Ellsworth in Caracas; Editing by Alistair Bell)
By Patricia Zengerle

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Democratic and Republican U.S. lawmakers said on Thursday they wanted to continue the flow of money and weapons for Ukraine's battle against Russia's invasion, denouncing Moscow's plan to annex four Ukrainian regions.

"We have not won this yet. We need to continue to support the Ukrainians," Democrat Bob Menendez, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, told reporters after a classified briefing on the conflict.

The Senate passed a bill funding the federal government through Dec. 16, and sending $12.3 billion in military and economic assistance to Ukraine. The bill, which the House of Representatives is set to pass on Friday, also authorizes President Joe Biden to direct the drawdown of up to $3.7 billion for the transfer to Ukraine of weapons from U.S. stocks.

Republican Senator Lindsey Graham said he wanted "to send a very clear signal" that more economic and military assistance would be sent to Ukraine when Congress returns to Washington after the Nov. 8 mid-term elections.

"This is a defining moment for the world when it comes to territorial integrity," Graham told a news conference where he and Democrat Richard Blumenthal introduced a bill to cut off U.S. assistance to any country that recognizes Russia's annexation of Ukrainian territory.

"We're dealing with Hurricane Putin," Graham said, after expressing best wishes for U.S. citizens affected by powerful Hurricane Ian.

Graham and Blumenthal also called on Biden to designate Russia a state sponsor of terrorism, which the administration says is not the most effective way to hold Russia accountable.

Blumenthal and Graham's bill was one of several seeking to boost Ukraine that was recently introduced in Congress.

Some proposals could become law as part of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), a massive bill setting policy for the Pentagon expected to pass by year-end.

On Thursday, Democratic Senator Chris Van Hollen and Republican Pat Toomey filed an amendment to the NDAA proposing the Biden administration use secondary sanctions to strengthen a price cap G7 countries plan to impose on Russian oil.

(Reporting by Patricia Zengerle; Editing by Sam Holmes)
OSAN AIR BASE, South Korea (Reuters) - U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris on Thursday said images of hurricane Ian are devastating and that the government is fully committed to offering federal support.

Harris, who is currently in South Korea for planned visit, also added that people should follow any evacuation orders.

(Reporting by Trevor Hunnicutt; Editing by Raissa Kasolowsky)
By Tom Balmforth and Jonathan Landay

KYIV (Reuters) - Ukrainian troops are moving to capture the Russian-held eastern town of Lyman, threatening a new setback for Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin's campaign in the Donbas as he prepares to declare the region part of Russia.

The capture of the town in the north of Donetsk region could pave the way for Ukraine to make inroads into the adjacent Luhansk province, foiling Putin's goal of seizing all of the industrial Donbas region declared after his forces failed to subdue the entire country in February, military analysts said.

The regions are among four chunks of eastern and southern Ukrainian territory that Putin is expected on Friday to declare Russian-annexed land after what Kyiv and Western countries say were bogus referendums staged at gunpoint.

Putin has said Moscow could use nuclear weapons to defend Russian territory if necessary. Kyiv has said it won't be swayed by such threats and will press ahead with its plans to drive all Russian forces out of Ukraine.

Lyman has served for months as a logistics and transport hub anchoring Russian operations in Donetsk region's north and its capture would be Kyiv's biggest gain since a lightning counter-offensive retook swathes of Kharkiv region this month.

The window is narrowing for Ukraine to make major advances before winter sets in, slowing down operations and giving Russia, which has declared a partial mobilisation, more time to fortify its lines.

Video: Russian-installed official asks Putin to annex Ukrainian regions

Konrad Muzyka, director of the Rochan military consultancy in Poland, said Russian forces were trying to hold on in Lyman to buy time to prepare defensive lines and that the town would fall to Kyiv.

"The Russians are trying to delay the Ukrainian actions as much as possible so that they can create or upgrade their line of defence between Sievierodonetsk and the border with Russia," he said.

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President Volodymyr Zelenskiy told Ukrainians in his nightly speech on Tuesday that there was "good news" from the front, though he did not elaborate.

Luhansk region's exiled governor said this week: "When the situation around Lyman is resolved, then we can closely watch the actions of the Ukrainian army because Lyman is close to the river and on the other bank begins Luhansk region."

"The weather doesn't really play into our hands, but in general, I still think we'll get the result soon," he said.

On Thursday, a Russian proxy official in Donetsk region said it was "pretty tense" and "difficult" in Lyman and that Kyiv's forces were constantly trying to attack.

"Of course we understand that such attempts will continue, at the moment our units are able to repel all these attacks," the official was quoted as saying by Russia's Tass news agency.

Lyman has seen its role as a hub for Russian forces diminish since Moscow's troops were routed in northeast Kharkiv region, analysts said. The town had a population of 20,000 before Russia invaded on Feb. 24.

"Ukrainian forces have made substantial gains around Lyman in the past 24 to 48 hours, with both Russian and Ukrainian sources indicating that Ukrainians have advanced west, north and even northeast of Lyman," said Karolina Hird, a researcher at the Institute for the Study of War.

"The envelopment of these positions and the collapse of this pocket around Lyman may allow - depending on how Ukrainian forces decide to pursue further gains - to unhinge this line and open up potential further advances to the east," she said.

John Herbst, a former U.S. ambassador to Ukraine, said the fall of Lyman "would seriously complicate the Russian position in northeastern Ukraine at an absolutely minimum".

"It would probably imperil their ability" to hold Luhansk, he said.

Luhansk, Herbst said, "may be the only pre-February 2022 territory that Ukraine has a good chance of taking in the short term, say the next four to six weeks."

Russia, which captured chunks of southern and eastern Ukraine in its invasion this year, annexed the Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea in 2014 and backed separatist proxies who carved out two self-styled "people's republics" in the east.

Muzyka said it was still not yet clear how Russia's mobilisation of hundreds of thousands of reservists to plug big gaps in manpower would play out.

"If Russia starts deploying this personnel en masse, then it is going to have at least a short-term effect on the battlefield. It may decrease the tempo of Ukrainian attacks," he said.

Seth Jones of the Center for Security and International Studies think tank in Washington said the fall of Lyman would highlight "the disconnect in the Kremlin between fantasy and reality."

"Putin is attempting to solidify control of areas he is actually losing through the sham referendums. The fall of Lyman would also deal yet another blow to Putin's objective of seizing all of the Donbas."

(Editing by Toby Chopra)
KYIV (Reuters) - President Volodymyr Zelenskiy issued a new warning to Russia of a "very harsh" response by Ukraine if Moscow annexes four Ukrainian regions following what Kyiv and the West say were sham referendums held by Russia at gunpoint.

A statement issued by Zelenskiy's office after a telephone call with Italy's prime minister did not refer to a ceremony on Friday in which President Vladimir Putin will sign documents proclaiming Russia's annexation of four Ukrainian regions.

"They (the votes) are worthless and do not change reality. The territorial integrity of Ukraine will be restored. And our reaction to recognition of the results by Russia will be very harsh," Zelenskiy said.

It was not immediately clear whether Zelenskiy spoke to Prime Minister Mario Draghi before or after the Kremlin announced Friday's ceremony.

(Reporting by Max Hunder, Editing by Timothy Heritage)
OLENA ROSHCHINA  THURSDAY, 29 SEPTEMBER 2022, 11:03

Satellites of the ICEYE company, one of which was purchased by the Serhii Prytula Foundation for the army with donations from Ukrainians, have helped to identify more than 60 units of military equipment within the first two days of their operation.

Source: Oleksii Reznikov, Minister of Defence of Ukraine, on Facebook

Details: Reznikov held a "working meeting" with volunteer Serhii Prytula and representatives of the Ministry of Defence and the Chief Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defence.

They discussed practical results of the unprecedented project that was implemented in the summer, as well as ideas for new projects.

Quote: "As probably everyone remembers, thanks to the donations coming from Ukrainians, the defence forces of Ukraine obtained access to information from the group of satellites of the ICEYE company. One satellite works fully for the needs of our defence, almost two dozen more are involved when the need arises.

When in June the Ministry of Defence proposed to direct the funds collected for the purchase of Bayraktars [Turkey-made strike drones] to the strengthening of the space reconnaissance resources, we expected a qualitative increase in the capabilities of our troops. So far, all our expectations have been completely fulfilled."

Details: Reznikov noted that the defence forces of Ukraine, primarily brigades of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, have been receiving a stream of data from ICEYE satellites for some time.

The images are directly deciphered and processed by military intelligence specialists of the Ministry of Defene who have undergone appropriate training.

Quote: "For obvious reasons, I cant reveal all the details, but just imagine: in the first two days of the satellite's operation, more than 60 units of combat equipment were detected, which the enemy tried to disguise in forest strips and behind other obstacles. It was detected because the ICEYE satellites collect information using Synthetic aperture radar (SAR) technology.

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This equipment would be very difficult or impossible to detect by means of optical satellites. Instead, the coordinates of "hidden [targets]" were quickly transmitted for further infliction of fire damage  in particular, in the area of Khreshchenivka and Ukrainka in Kherson Oblast, as well as near Novoselivka in Donetsk Oblast.

In fact, in just these two days, the enemy has lost more armoured vehicles than the entire satellite project is worth. But the main thing is that it helps save the lives of our soldiers, which are priceless."

Details: Reznikov listed the advantages of ICEYE satellites:

Ukraine got the opportunity to combine optical satellite data from partners and SAR data. This fundamentally increases our ability to detect and inflict damage on the Russian occupiers. Satellites with SAR technology are especially relevant in autumn and winter, when the weather is bad, cloudy or snowy. They are equally effective in day and night. The Ukrainian military determines where and when to receive the necessary data. Currently, systematic monitoring of the main areas of hostilities in Southern and Eastern Ukraine is carried out. Information flows from analysts to combat units very quickly. It will be more difficult for the Russian occupiers to hide their intentions, which will further complicate their logistics.

Reznikov thanked everyone who contributed to the funding of this initiative, the team of the Serhii Prytula Foundation for its realisation, and entrepreneur Maksym Poliakov for his very important support.

During the meeting, other needs of the Ukrainian army were also discussed in order to coordinate actions for the coming months.

According to Reznikov, "there are several interesting ideas that have the potential to become popular projects."

Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron!
IRYNA BALACHUK  THURSDAY, 29 SEPTEMBER 2022, 14:50

Dmytro Zhyvytskyi, the Head of Sumy Oblast, has reported that Ukrainian forces shot down a Russian unmanned aerial vehicle Orlan-10, using small arms, on 29 September.

Source: Zhyvytskyi, on Telegram

Quote: "The Ukrainian forces have shot down another Russian "bird". Thanks to operational-tactical group Sumy, Russia lost one more Orlan-10, which crossed the Ukrainian border".

Details: Zhyvytskyi thanked the military for protecting the borders and security of Ukrainians.

Background:

The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine estimated that only yesterday Russia lost 430 soldiers, 6 UAVs, 13 tanks, 20 armoured combat vehicles etc. in the war.

Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron!






KYIV (Reuters) - A political adviser to the Ukrainian president said on Thursday a ceremony at which Russia plans to annex Ukrainian territory on Friday "does not make legal sense" and denounced what he called a Kremlin freak show.

"'Kremlin freak show'. The announced 'entrance ceremony' does not make any legal sense. Non-existent entities cannot enter a country which is disintegrating. Do not waste time on the virtual ru-agenda. Real life will be more interesting: counteroffensive, de-occupation, tribunal," Mykhailo Podolyak wrote on Twitter.

(Reporting by Max Hunder, Editing by Timothy Heritage)
UNITED NATIONS (AP)  The U.N. Security Council voted unanimously Thursday to authorize for another year the inspection of vessels off the coast of Libya suspected of smuggling migrants or engaging in human trafficking from the North African nation.

The resolution reaffirms the need to end the proliferation of smuggling operations in the Mediterranean Sea, which U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in his latest report remains among the deadliest routes for refugees and migrants trying to reach Europe.

The measure also condemns all acts of migrant smuggling and human trafficking into, through and from the Libyan territory and off the coast of Libya, which undermine further the process of stabilization of Libya and endanger the lives of hundreds of thousands of people.

Libya, which descended into chaos following the 2011 uprising that toppled and killed longtime dictator Moammar Gadhafi, has emerged as a major transit point for African and Arab migrants seeking to reach Europe as a way to escape war and poverty. Most migrants make the perilous journey in ill-equipped and unsafe rubber boats.

The European Union established a naval mission, Operation Sophia, in 2015 after tens of thousands of migrants began attempting to cross the Mediterranean. But Italy blocked Operation Sophia, saying the warships attracted migrants to Europes shores. Planes and drones were still used.

In March 2020, the EU launched a new operation in the Mediterranean aimed at enforcing the U.N. arms embargo on Libya, saying it would use aerial, satellite and maritime assets.

According to the U.N. chiefs report circulated Thursday, in the year ending Sept. 2, the U.N. refugee office and the International Organization for Migration estimated 1,751 refugees and migrants lost their lives or went missing in the Mediterranean  more than 1,344 on the central crossing. That was down from 2,192 the previous year, it said.

The EU estimated approximately 52,537 migrants and refugees were rescued or intercepted in 1,125 operations by various vessels in the Libya area. More than 12,352 were intercepted and returned to Libya, the report said.

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Guterres said that migrant smuggling and trafficking in persons constitute violations of international human rights law, and he called for decriminalizing the entry, stay and departure of migrants from Libya. He also said that collective expulsions are prohibited under international law and must end.

The U.N. chief urged countries along migrant smuggling routes that lead to Libya to protect survivors of smuggling and trafficking and criminalize these acts.

Guterres reiterated his call for a predictable and credible agreement for disembarkation encompassing all 27 EU member nations, based on shared responsibility.

He said there is also an urgent need for a holistic approach to address the root causes of irregular migration and called for an urgent expansion of safe and dignified pathways for regular migration.

With a view to sharing responsibilities with Libya, the international community should offer more resettlement opportunities and humanitarian evacuations of refugees from Libya, Guterres said.
Previvor Patient and Medical Expert Discuss the Importance of Genetic Testing and The Need to Talk about Inherited Cancer Risks from Dads Side of the Family

New York, NY --News Direct-- YourUpdateTV

For certain cancers that disproportionally or exclusively affect women, like breast and ovarian cancer, there is a bias to focus on the mothers side of the family tree in health conversations. And for many, especially previvors  people living at risk of a particular disease but not yet diagnosed  that seemed like enough. But as research has evolved and our understanding of inherited risk has deepened, it has become clearer that genetic risk on our dads side of the family can also increase an individual's breast and ovarian cancer risk.

Recently, Cancer Previvor Jen Culton and Board-Certified Physician Assistant, Skyler Jesz, participated in a nationwide satellite media tour to discuss inherited risk from dads side of the family and some tips to help you take a proactive approach to your health.

A video accompanying this announcement is available at: https://youtu.be/0cFRDhC4JHs

A recent survey from Myriad Genetics,, a leader in genetic testing, underscores that dads side of the family is often overlooked, and much more:

More than a third of women do not feel knowledgeable about their father's side of the family.

Only 30% of women are very comfortable speaking with their father about their potential risk of getting breast or ovarian cancer, compared to 57% being very comfortable speaking about it with their mother.

This is much lower in comparison to the almost 80% of women who consider themselves knowledgeable about their mothers family health history.

48-year-old Jen Culton sought genetic testing in 2013 after her older sisters breast cancer diagnosis to find out if she might be at risk. Results showed that she carries a BRCA1 gene mutation and is at increased risk of developing the disease. The news came as a surprise. Jen knew her mothers health history and it didnt include cancer. What she didnt know then: her fathers family history of cancer; the gene mutation came from him. She used this information to take proactive measures to address her risk.

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For more information, visit myriad.com/knowyourrisk

About Jen Culton:

Jen Culton is a 48-year-old living previvor. She is at risk for breast and ovarian cancer and came to learn about it in unexpected and surprising ways. It began with her sister Mickey Marasco. Mickey was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2013. Her doctors recommended she undergo genetic testing, and it was discovered that she carries a BRCA1 gene mutation. While undergoing cancer treatment, Mickey had one request: that all six of her siblings undergo genetic testing as well. The siblings went for testing together, and two of Mickeys sisters (Jen being one of them) were also found to carry the same BRCA1 mutation. For Jen it came as a surprise. She knew her mothers side did not have a history of cancer. Later she learned that her fathers side did and the gene mutations actually came from their fathers side of the family. But the familys story doesnt end there.

Jen has three biological daughters  26, 19, and 10  who are now facing a similar reality. Genetic testing confirmed that Jens oldest daughter is not BRCA1 positive. Her second daughter, however, inherited the BRCA1 mutation from Jen, as well as an ATM gene mutation from her father. Her chances of developing cancer are extraordinarily higher than that of the average woman, up to 87% for breast cancer. With this knowledge, shes ready to face whats next, and is considering what proactive measures she should take for her health  just like her mom and her aunts, also BRCA1 positive who sought out proactive measures to manage their risks, and all three are now thriving.

About Skyler Jesz, Board Certified Physician Assistant:

Skyler Jesz is an Omaha native. She attended the College of Saint Mary, where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Biology. She moved away from Omaha for the first time to attend the physician assistant program at Des Moines University in Des Moines, Iowa. Upon completion of the program, Skyler began her career in the primary care setting, working in a private family practice just outside of Omaha. After more than four years as a primary care provider, she transitioned to her current OBGYN setting.

Skyler loves being part of a medical practice that puts patients first and uses the most up-to-date research and recommendations to provide comprehensive and compassionate care. She has a passion for preventative medicine, including genetics and cancer risk assessment.

Contact Details

YourUpdateTV

+1 212-736-2727

yourupdatetv@gmail.com

View source version on newsdirect.com: https://newsdirect.com/news/understanding-inherited-cancer-risk-and-genetic-testing-170207029
A married couple, both of whom are doctors, are facing a federal indictment for allegedly trying to give medical data about members of the U.S. military to Russia.

Jamie Lee Henry, a doctor and major with the U.S. Army, and wife Anna Gabrielian, an anesthesiologist at Johns Hopkins University, are facing charges after they both allegedly met with someone they thought was from the Russian embassy but turned out to be an undercover FBI agent. Henry had made headlines after coming out as transgender in 2015, reportedly the first active-duty Army officer to do so.

"My point of view is until the United States actually declares war against Russia, Im able to help as much as I want," Henry allegedly told the agent, according to an indictment. "At that point, Ill have some ethical issues Ill have to work through."

Gabrielian allegedly responded by saying, "You'll work through those ethical issues."

JUSTICE DEPARTMENT ANNOUNCES MORE THAN 10 MILLION FENTANYL PILLS SEIZED IN MONTHSLONG OPERATION

Both Henry and Gabrielian are facing charges of conspiracy and wrongful disclosure of individually identifiable health information. Fox News reached out to the Justice Department for comment, but they did not immediately respond.

Among the reported allegations is a meeting the pair had with the agent on Aug. 17, in which Gabrielian allegedly said that "she was motivated by patriotism toward Russia to provide any assistance she could to Russia, even if it meant being fired or going to jail."

RUSSIAN PRESIDENT VLADIMIR PUTIN TO ANNEX 4 UKRAINIAN REGIONS IN FRIDAY CEREMONY

She also allegedly told the agent that Henry had knowledge of how the U.S. sets up army hospitals in war conditions and information regarding training given to the Ukrainian military.

At a subsequent meeting two weeks later, Gabrielian allegedly gave the agent medical information regarding the spouse of an Office of Naval Intelligence employee and regarding an Air Force veteran. Regarding the spouse, the indictment reportedly said Gabrielian brought to the agent's attention "a medical issue  that Russia could exploit."

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The indictment says that Gabrielian confirmed to the agent that "she had previously reached out directly to the Russian embassy by email and phone," and offered Russia the assistance of herself and Henry. She noted that she had not mentioned Henry's name to the embassy.

Henry entered active-duty service in May 2007 and has been assigned to Fort Bragg, North Carolina, as a staff internist with a rank of major, the Army confirmed, noting that Henry has had no combat deployments.

The indictment was unsealed Thursday following the arrests. An attorney for Henry told reporters a judge released his client on home detention; the lawyer didn't comment on the charges.
Chris Seward / AP

A US Army major and a Johns Hopkins anesthesiologist were indicted Thursday for allegedly conspiring to leak military medical records to Russia.

According to the federal indictment, married couple Jamie Lee Henry and Anna Gabrielian met with an individual they believed was working with the Russian government  but who actually was an undercover FBI agent  in order to demonstrate "their commitment to aid Russia, and to discuss ways in which they could help the Russian government." The couple sought to provide assistance to Russia in connection with its invasion of Ukraine, prosecutors said.

The Maryland couple allegedly conspired to provide military members' medical records  which Henry had access to as a doctor at the US Army's Fort Bragg with secret-level security clearance  to the Russian government, in order "to gain insights into the medical conditions of individuals associated with the U.S. government and military, to exploit this information," prosecutors said.

Henry made headlines in 2015 after coming out as the first openly trans active-duty Army officer, at the time using she/her pronouns. A spokesperson for the US attorney's office told BuzzFeed News on Thursday that Henry has used he/him pronouns during the course of the recent investigation. Henry's attorney declined to answer questions about pronouns, telling BuzzFeed News, "You can refer to my client as Jamie Henry."

Gabrielian was first approached by the undercover FBI agent months after allegedly contacting the Russian Embassy by phone and email to offer her and Henry's assistance. She told the agent that "although Henry knew she was reaching out to the Russian Embassy on both their behalf, Gabrielian had never mentioned Henry's name in her interactions with the Russian Embassy, and Henry could claim [to be] unaware of her actions if needed," the indictment said.

On Aug. 17, Gabrielian allegedly met with the undercover agent at a Baltimore hotel, where she said "she was motivated by patriotism toward Russia to provide any assistance she could to Russia, even if it meant being fired or going to jail," the indictment said. Henry joined the meeting later that day and allegedly claimed to have looked into joining the Russian army after the country invaded Ukraine, but couldn't due to a lack of combat experience.

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They are accused of giving the undercover agent medical records for at least five individuals who were patients at Fort Bragg, according to the indictment.

Details in the indictment indicate the two had some concern about what could come of their efforts. During the Aug. 17 meeting, Gabrielian allegedly told the undercover agent that if there was a risk of getting arrested, she wanted the couple's children to have a nice flight to Turkey to go on vacation because I don't want to end in jail here with my kids being hostages over my head.

In a meeting a week later, Gabrielian allegedly called Henry a "coward" for being concerned that sharing the records would be a violation of HIPAA, the US law that protects sensitive medical information. According to the indictment, Gabrielian said she was unconcerned and violated HIPAA all the time.

Henry and Gabrielian have each been charged with one count of conspiracy and seven counts of disclosure of individually identifiable health information. They face up to five years in prison for the conspiracy charge and up to 10 years each for the disclosure charges.
JERUSALEM (AP)  The U.S. State Department is calling on Israel to open a thorough investigation into the mysterious death of a 7-year-old Palestinian boy who collapsed and died on Thursday, shortly after Israeli soldiers came to his home in the occupied West Bank.

Relatives said Rayan Suleiman had no previous health problems and accused the army of scaring the child to death. The army called the death a tragedy and said its soldiers were not to blame.

The incident added to the rising tensions in the West Bank, where Israeli troops have been conducting daily arrest raids that have frequently escalated into deadly violence in recent months.

Earlier in the day, young Palestinian village boys were seen throwing stones at cars driving on a highway near the Israeli settlement of Tekoa, which lies close to the Palestinian city of Bethlehem. Later, relatives said that soldiers banged on the door and wanted to arrest Rian's older brothers for alleged stone throwing.

Mohammed Suleiman, a 22-year-old cousin, said Rayan was shrieking in fear at sight of the soldiers and his parents shouted, come here, to calm him down. He said after the soldiers left, the boy collapsed. He said Rayan had been healthy.

The boy's father, Yasser Suleiman, said Rayan tried to run away when the soldiers said they wanted to arrest his brothers and was briefly chased by the soldiers. He said Rayan was vomiting blood in the car after collapsing and was pronounced dead at the hospital.

He was martyred from the fear of them, the father told Palestine TV.

Lt. Col. Richard Hecht, a military spokesman, said a senior officer on the scene went to the house after spotting one of the stone throwers on a balcony and told the father to make the children stop throwing stones at motorists. He said the officer spoke in a very calm manner and left.

There was no violence, no entry into the house, Hecht said.

In Washington, the State Department's deputy spokesman, Vedant Patel, said the United States was heartbroken to learn of the death of an innocent Palestinian child.

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We support a thorough and immediate investigation into the circumstances surrounding the childs death, Patel said.

Hecht said the investigation was continuing.

Palestinians and human rights groups say the army is incapable of investigating wrongdoing by its forces and that soldiers are rarely held accountable.

Palestinian social media were awash with photos of Rayan superimposed over the golden Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem, with Palestinians declaring him a martyr and condemning Israel for his death. The official Palestinian news agency Wafa headlined its report the death of a child while being chased, in effect blaming Israel for the death.

The boy was scheduled to be buried on Friday, when Palestinian demonstrators often clash with Israeli soldiers.

The funeral comes at a time of rising violence in the West Bank.

On Wednesday, four Palestinians were killed and 44 wounded during an Israeli military raid in the northern West Bank town of Jenin. It was the deadliest episode since Israel launched its crackdown earlier this year.

Israel has been conducting nightly arrest raids, primarily in the northern West Bank, since a series of deadly Palestinian attacks in Israel last spring. Dozens of Palestinians have been killed, making this the deadliest year in the occupied territory since 2015.

Most of the dead have been wanted militants who opened fire, or youths who threw firebombs or stones at soldiers entering their neighborhoods. But several civilians who were not involved in any violence have also died.

Israel captured the West Bank in the 1967 Middle East war. The Palestinians seek the territory, now home to about 500,000 Israeli settlers, as the heartland of a future independent state.

___

Associated Press writer Matthew Lee in Washington contributed reporting.
By Brendan Pierson

(Reuters) - Parents of three children who survived the Uvalde, Texas school shooting have sued the school district, several former officials, the company that manufactured the gun used in the rampage and others.

The lawsuit, filed Wednesday in federal court in Del Rio, Texas, appeared to be the first over the mass shooting, in which 19 children and two teachers were killed in May. The plaintiffs are parents of three children, one of whom was shot and injured and two who were present during the shooting at Robb Elementary School.

"The horrors at Robb Elementary School were only possible because so many in positions of power were negligent, careless and reckless," said Stephanie Sherman, a lawyer for the plaintiffs, in a statement.

Defendants named in the lawsuit are the city of Uvalde; former police chief Pete Arredondo, who was fired in August amid harsh criticism of the law enforcement response to the shooting; school principal Mandy Gutierrez; Daniel Defense, the manufacturer of the gun used by the shooter; and Motorola Solutions, which allegedly made communications devices used by first responders that failed to work as intended.

The city of Uvalde declined comment and other defendants could not immediately be reached for comment.

The complaint includes claims for negligence and intentional infliction of emotional distress. It seeks unspecified money damages from the individual defendants and the companies.

Uvalde officials faced harsh criticism after nearly 400 law enforcement officers waited outside school classrooms for more than an hour before confronting and killing the shooter. A report from the state legislature blamed "systemic failures" and poor leadership for the response, which it found may have contributed to the death toll.

(Reporting By Brendan Pierson in New York; Editing by Alexia Garamfalvi and Cynthia Osterman)
By Philip Pullella

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - The Vatican on Thursday acknowledged that it had secretly disciplined East Timor bishop and Nobel Peace Prize winner Carlos Ximenes Belo two years ago, responding to allegations that he sexually abused boys in East Timor decades before.

The Vatican acknowledgement came in response to reporters' questions following an article this week in Dutch magazine De Groene Amsterdammer.

In its report, De Groene Amsterdammer quoted two men, identified with pseudonyms, as saying Belo raped them when they were 14 and 15 and then later gave them money.

The publication quoted both men as saying that they believed that Belo had sexually abused other boys in East Timor. Some of the alleged abuse took place in the bishop's residence in capital Dili.

De Groene Amsterdammer said it had evidence that Belo had also sexually abused boys in the 1990s, when he was a priest.

Reuters could not immediately locate the whereabouts of Belo. De Groene Amsterdammer said he had hung up the phone when it reached him for comment on the allegations.

Belo, 74, won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1996 along with now President Jose Ramos-Horta for their work in ending the conflict in East Timor. The Norwegian Nobel committee cited Belo's courage in helping shed light on a 1991 massacre of East Timorese by Indonesian military.

The former Portuguese colony won independence from Indonesia in 2002 after a bloody occupation in which hundreds of thousands were killed.

The same year East Timor won independence Belo, citing health reasons brought on by stress and burnout, tendered his resignation as Apostolic Administrator of the diocese of Dili to Pope John Paul II, who accepted it.

He was only 54 at the time, 21 years short of the usual retirement age for a bishop.

After stepping down as bishop of Dili, Belo worked as a missionary in Mozambique and later settled in Portugal, where he still lives.

In his statement, Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said the Vatican's doctrinal office, which handles sex abuse cases, first became involved in the case in 2019 in "light of the accusations it received concerning the bishop's behaviour".

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In 2020, it imposed "disciplinary restrictions" including "limitations to his movements and to the exercise of his ministry, the prohibition of voluntary contact with minors, of interviews and contacts" with East Timor.

Bruni said that in 2021, the measures were "modified and reinforced," without giving details. The Vatican spokesman said the bishop "formally accepted" the restrictions both times.

Belo is a member of the Salesian religious order, which traditionally specialises in the education of children.

The order's branch in Portugal said on its website that it had heard of the "suspicion" of Belo's sexual abuse of minors with deep "sadness and perplexity".

It said that since the time he had arrived in Portugal, Belo has had "no educational or pastoral responsibilities" with the order.

(Reporting by Philip Pullella, Editing by Rosalba O'Brien)
WASHINGTON  Vice President Kamala Harris mistakenly touted the U.S. "alliance with the Republic of North Korea" in remarks Thursday from Korea's Demilitarized Zone that sought to reaffirm America's commitment to the security of its Asian allies.

"The United States shares a very important relationship, which is an alliance with the Republic of North Korea," Harris said, intending to refer to South Korea as she kicked off remarks after touring the DMZ. "It is an alliance that is strong and enduring."

Although the vice president did not correct herself, she went on to hail the U.S.'s "ironclad" commitment to the defense of South Korea amid threats posed by North Korea. Harris said she told South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeo in a meeting Thursday that "we are aligned on this issue."

"Our shared goal  the United States and the Republic of Korea  is a complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula," Harris said.

Harris gaffe came one day after President Joe Biden made a slip-up as well when he asked in a speech whether late Rep. Jackie Walorski, R-Ind., was in attendance. Walorski died in a car wreck in August.

More: Vice President Kamala Harris caps Asia trip with stop at DMZ dividing North, South Korea

U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris gives a statement to the media as she visits the demilitarized zone (DMZ) separating the two Koreas, in Panmunjom, South Korea Thursday, Sept. 29, 2022. (Leah Millis/Pool Photo via AP) ORG XMIT: TKMY329

Hours after Harris began her departure back to the U.S. after her four-day swing to Asia, North Korea fired two short-range ballistic missiles into the sea, marking North Korea's third round of missile launches this week.

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said North Korea "has a history of doing these types of tests," adding that Harris' Asia trip this week is a demonstration of "our rock-solid commitment" to the security of Japan and South Korea.

More: North Korea test launches missiles on eve of Harris trip to Seoul

Harris said the DMZ "reminds us of the dramatically different path" that South Korea and North Korea have taken.

"In the south, we see a thriving democracy, innovation, economic prosperity, and strength," Harris said. "In the north, we see a brutal dictatorship, rampant human rights violations and an unlawful weapons program that threatens peace and stability."

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U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris, left, holds binoculars at the military observation post as she visits the demilitarized zone (DMZ) separating the two Koreas, in Panmunjom, South Korea Thursday, Sept. 29, 2022. (Leah Millis/Pool Photo via AP) ORG XMIT: TKMY319

Contributing: Associated Press

Reach Joey Garrison on Twitter @joeygarrison.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: VP Harris hails US alliance with 'North Korea' in speech gaffe
The Bergen Record

With Daniel Jones and Tyrod Taylor injured, Saquon Barkley rushed for 146 yards and even stepped in at QB to lead NY Giants to best start since 2009.
CONSTANTINE  Constantine village council has set a public hearing for 7 p.m. Oct. 3 to get input for Sunday marijuana sales and consumption lounges.

At a Sept. 6 council meeting, the council heard a request from Dominic Iemma, founder of Prosper Cannabis Co., the largest cannabis provisioning center in southwest Michigan, to allow Sunday sales of marijuana. Prosper is a division of the Fawn River Cultivation Co. The two are located in the same building in the Industrial Park, creating a full seed-to-sale operation. Fawn River is a 60,000-square-foot facility with 20 growing rooms and processing areas.

Iemma told the council that all the other local businesses can operate on Sunday, and surrounding municipalities allow marijuana dispensaries to be open Sunday.

The village is also re-reviewing an application for a consumption lounge/event center at 230 N. Washington St. Village manager Mark Honeysett, referring to an application from Tranquility Fields, a state marijuana franchise, said village attorney Catherine Kaufman advised scheduling a public hearing to consider amending the adult use marijuana ordinance, prior to approving a consumption lounge.

Applications for marijuana licenses were received from two businesses at the Sept. 19 council meeting. Focus Enterprises, 190 N. Washington St., applied for an adult use permit, and Green Tree Relief, a recreational and medical marijuana retail facility at 130 Broad St. applied for a provisioning center/dispensary application. Grean Tea will offer marijuana flowers, edibles (candies and baked goods) and extracts (waxes, crystals, sauces and vape cartridges).

The council did not take action on the applications, but did decide to accept new applications.

"I think they will have to adjust the number of permits accepted by resolution, Honeysett said. Thankfully when the ordinance was originally adopted, they included a clause that says they can increase or decrease the number of permits by resolution, rather than to amend the ordinance. The window for submitting new applications will close on Oct. 31. I'm guessing that the council will act on any new applications at either the first or second meeting in October after they adopt an appropriate resolution. I'm not sure how we'll get the word out that applications will be reviewed for either consumption lounges or other adult use permits. I'll depend on Catherine Kaufman's counselor for that."

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In other business

Honeysett said asbestos was found at a home that the village owns at 270 E. Water St. and that he was contacting several companies for quotes on asbestos removal. Earlier, at an Aug. 1 council meeting, council authorized him to take bids on demolition of the house, citing it as a hazard. The home was owned by Clare Hoffman (1875-1967) a congressman in Washington who served 14 consecutive terms from 1935-1962.

The village was not selected to receive grant funds from the American Rescue Plan Act Revitalization and Placemaking program. Funds would have been applied to fund a new fire station and pay for new village residents' electronic water meters. Honeysett said the village will apply for more grants, specifically one for water meters through the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund.

In March, the village submitted an application to the state Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy, to construct a new sewer plant. The application was recently approved. Honeysett said that, out of a list of 38 tasks to be done before the village can close on a $13.4 million 40-year USDA rural development loan, most are completed. He said that hopefully the village will be ready to close on the loan in a few weeks, so Fleis & VandenBrink Engineering will begin bidding processes for contractors beginning in October or November.

The planning commission is reviewing a survey of villagers, to complete the goals and objectives to develop a new five-year master plan for the village.

This article originally appeared on Sturgis Journal: Village of Constantine wants public input on Sunday marijuana sales
The Daily Beast

Lydia Zuraw/KHNBy Jay HancockI woke up in a strange bedroom with 24 electrodes glued all over my body and a plastic mask attached to a hose covering my face.The lab technician who watched me all night via video feed told me that I had wicked sleep apnea and that it was central sleep apneaa type that originates in the brain and fails to tell the muscles to inhale.As a journalistand one terrified by the diagnosisI set out to do my own research. After a few weeks of sleuthing and interviewin
PANMUNJOM, Korea (AP)  In a show of defiance, North Korea fired two short-range ballistic missiles into the sea on Thursday, hours after U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris flew home from a visit to South Korea during which she traveled to the Demilitarized Zone separating the two Koreas and emphasized the ironclad U.S. commitment to the security of its Asian allies.

It was the third round of missile launches by North Korea this week, extending a record pace in weapons testing as it accelerates a push to expand its arsenal and pressure Washington to accept it as a nuclear power.

South Koreas Joint Chiefs of Staff said the missiles were fired nine minutes apart from an area just north of the capital, Pyongyang, and flew toward waters between the Korean Peninsula and Japan.

Japans military said it also detected the launches. North Korea fired two short-range ballistic missiles on Wednesday, while Harris was in Japan, and one before she left Washington on Sunday.

Harris earlier capped her four-day trip to Asia with a meeting with South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and a stop at the Demilitarized Zone, where she addressed the threat posed by the increasingly hostile North.

There are concerns that North Korea may soon conduct a nuclear test, which would move the country closer to being acknowledged as a full-fledged nuclear power.

Visiting the DMZ has become something of a ritual for American leaders hoping to show their resolve to stand firm against aggression.

At the DMZ, Harris went to the top of a ridge, near guard towers and security cameras. She looked through bulky binoculars as a South Korean officer pointed out military installations on the southern side. Then an American officer pointed out some of the defenses along the military demarcation line, including barbed-wire fences and claymore mines. He said American soldiers regularly walk patrols along a path.

Its so close, Harris said.

Harris then visited one of a row of blue buildings that straddle the demarcation line, where an American officer explained how the buildings are still used to conduct negotiations with North Korea. Sometimes they pass messages back and forth and sometimes they use a megaphone, he said.

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Thats high tech, Harris joked, before adding, Weve stepped into history.

Its still going, the colonel said.

Harris agreed. The past and present are happening every day.

She then walked out of the building and up to the demarcation line. On the North Korean side, two figures dressed in what appeared to be hazmat suits peeked out from behind a curtain in a second-floor window. Then they disappeared back inside.

Harris described this week's missile launches as provocations meant to destabilize the region" and said the United States and South Korea remain committed to the complete denuclearization" of the North.

I cannot state enough that commitment of the United States to the defense of the Republic of Korea is ironclad, she said.

In the South, we see a thriving democracy. In the North, we see a brutal dictatorship, she said before flying out of the border on a U.S. military helicopter.

Earlier, Harris met with President Yoon at his office in Seoul and reaffirmed the U.S. commitment to defend the South with a full range of its military capabilities in the event of war, Yoons office said.

They expressed concern over North Koreas threats of nuclear conflict and pledged an unspecified stronger response to major North Korean provocations, including a nuclear test.

Harris and Yoon were also expected to discuss expanding economic and technology partnerships and repairing recently strained ties between South Korea and Japan to strengthen their trilateral cooperation with Washington in the region. Their meeting also touched on Taiwan, with both reaffirming their countries support for peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, according to Yoons office, which didn't elaborate.

Harris trip was organized so she could attend the state funeral of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, but her itinerary was dominated by security concerns, a reflection of fears about Chinas growing power and North Koreas ramped-up testing activity.

In every meeting, Harris tried to lay to rest any fears that the United States was wavering in its commitment to protect its allies, describing American partnerships with South Korea and Japan as the linchpin and cornerstone of its defense strategy in Asia.

Yoon, who took office earlier this year, had anchored his election campaign with vows to deepen Seouls economic and security partnership with Washington to navigate challenges posed by the North Korean threat and address potential supply chain risks caused by the pandemic, the U.S.-China rivalry and Russias war on Ukraine. But the alliance has been marked by tension recently.

South Koreans have decried a new law signed by President Joe Biden that prevents electric cars built outside of North America from being eligible for U.S. government subsidies, undermining the competitiveness of automakers like Seoul-based Hyundai.

During their meeting, Harris told Yoon that Washington will try to address South Korean concerns as the law is implemented, Yoons office said.

Scott Snyder, an analyst at the Council on Foreign Relations, said the dispute over electric vehicles has swiftly become a firestorm that U.S. officials cannot ignore, although there may not be a simple solution.

Its taking on a level of urgency thats making it into a political problem that requires management, Snyder said. I dont know that its going to be easy for the Biden administration to do that.

There are indications North Korea may up its weapons demonstrations soon. South Korean officials said last week that they detected signs North Korea was preparing to test a ballistic missile system designed to be fired from submarines.

The U.S. aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan was to train with South Korean and Japanese warships in waters near the Korean Peninsula on Friday in the countries first trilateral anti-submarine exercises since 2017 to counter North Korean submarine threats, South Koreas navy said Thursday.

U.S. and South Korean officials also say North Korea is possibly gearing up for its first nuclear test since 2017. That test could come after China holds its Communist Party convention the week of Oct. 16, but before the United States holds its midterm elections Nov. 8, according to Seoul's spy agency.

In Japan, Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada expressed concern that North Korea was improving its weapons technology through its unprecedented testing spree.

The South Korean and Japanese militaries said the missiles launched Thursday traveled 300 to 350 kilometers (180 to 217 miles) and reached a maximum altitude of 50 kilometers (30 miles).

The low-altitude flight path resembled that of the short-range ballistic missiles North Korea fired earlier in the week.

Some analysts say those launches likely involved a new solid-fuel weapon modeled after Russias Iskander missiles, which travel at relatively low altitudes and are designed to be maneuverable in flight, making them harder to be intercepted by missile defenses. The missiles are part of a growing arsenal of nuclear-capable short-range systems North Korea has been developing since 2019 as it expands its arsenal targeting rival South Korea.

North Korea has punctuated its testing activity with repeated threats of nuclear conflict. Its rubber-stamp parliament this month authorized the preemptive use of nuclear weapons in a broad range of scenarios where its leadership comes under threat.

Nuclear diplomacy between the U.S. and North Korea remains stalled since 2019 over disagreements over easing crippling U.S.-led economic sanctions against North Korea in exchange for the Norths disarmament steps.

___

Kim reported from Seoul, South Korea. Associated Press writers Mari Yamaguchi in Tokyo and Hyung-jin Kim in Seoul contributed to this report.
CANTON  VXI Global Solutions will abandon its downtown offices Friday as area employees begin working from home.

Los Angeles-based VXI said it is expanding its work-from-home program. Most of the employees at the Canton office already were working from home, the company said in a press release. VXI said its management team was helping employees find opportunities in its expanding work-from-home campaign.

The announcement disappointed city officials who are concerned that another downtown building is being vacated.

Mayor Thomas M. Bernabei said in an email that officials in Canton and other Ohio cities have been emphasizing that the trend toward remote work brought about by COVID carries many potential pitfalls.

"This is a case in point," Bernabei said of the VXI move. "I wish VXI and its employees well and I look forward to a positive future use of the VXI building."

More:VXI to add 100 to 150 new employees in downtown Canton

Details about projected income tax losses weren't immediately available from the city treasurers office, Bernabei said, adding that city officials don't know the number of employees lost because of the move.

VXI opened the Canton location in 2011 at 401 Cleveland Ave. NW, which used to house operations for Ohio Bell Telephone Co. At the time, the company projected it would employ up to 1,000 people locally.

Last September, the company conducted a job fair and said it was hoping to hire between 100 and 150 sales and customer service agents. Employment locally was more than 400 people at that time.

The company didn't say how many people currently are employed in the Stark County area.

Debbie Burgess, senior vice president of U.S. operations, said in a press release that VXI is offering all employees an opportunity to move into the company's virtual work program.

Chief Human Resources Officer Erika Bogar King said VXI wants the change to be as smooth as possible.

According to county records, the building on Cleveland Avenue NW is owned by a Los Angeles company, but records don't clarify if VXI is the property owner. The three story office building is 66,000 square feet and was building in 1923, records show.

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VXI promotes itself as a business process outsourcing provider in customer service, digital solutions and customer experience. Its has more than 40,000 employees at more than 40 locations in North America, the Caribbean, Asia and Europe.

Reach Edd at 330-580-8484 or edd.pritchard@cantonrep.com On Twitter: @epritchardREP

This article originally appeared on The Repository: VXI closing downtown Canton site as employees work from home
Walk to Justice organizer Rachel Thunder speaking at Grant Park in Chicago. (courtesy photo)

Volunteers demanding the freedom of Leonard Peltier have trekked 500 miles over the last four weeks in a protest walk organized by the American Indian Movement (AIM) Grand Governing Council.

Peltier (Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians), 78, was convicted of aiding and abetting in the murder of two Federal Bureau of Investigation agents on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation on June 26, 1975. He has spent the last 46 years in federal prison.

AIM hopes the walk will raise awareness for Peltiers plight and apply some pressure on President Joe Biden to grant executive clemency to Peltier.

The walk and prayer for Elder Peltier has been heartfelt, heavy and healing, Walk to Justice organizer Rachel Thunder told Native News Online. Our walkers are out every day at 5 a.m. to make sure the 20-plus miles are covered to get this message to Washington D.C., to free Leonard Peltier.

Leonard Peltiers Walk to Justice started on Sept. 1 in Minneapolis  the birthplace of the American Indian Movement  and will finish in Washington, D.C. on Nov. 14. It has since been through Wisconsin, northeastern Illinois, and is currently in northern Indiana. The walkers will travel a total distance of 1,100 miles.

As AIM, we are asking for justice, Thunder said. Justice for Leonard Peltier and justice for our people as the original people of Turtle Island.

Since 1993, many, including former U.S. Attorney James ReynoldsPeltiers former prosecutorhave urged executive clemency for Peltier. Former U.S. Attorney General Ramsey Clark said of Leonard Peltier, he should have never been in there in the first placenever.

While Leonard Peltier is in prison, we all are, Clark said in a statement in 1997.

Peltier has admitted to having been present during the incident that left FBI agents Jack Coler and Ronald Williams dead, but has always denied killing the agents as alleged by prosecutors at his trial. His co-defendants Dino Butler and Robert Robideau were charged with two counts of murder and were acquitted under claims of self-defense.

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Peltier was arrested in Canada in 1976. He was eventually extradited on a false statement made by Myrtle Poor Bear, who later admitted she had been coerced by the FBI. Additionally, she later revealed that she was not present on the reservation during the fatal shootings. Poor Bear was not a witness at trial.

Since his conviction in 1977, Peltier has gained international support from Nelson Mandela, Bishop Desmond Tutu, Rev. Jesse Jackson, Secretary Debra Haaland, Amnesty International, the National Congress oaf American Indians, the Democratic National Committee, and thousands of activists.

Since 1993, many jurists have urged for executive clemency.

Former Attorney General Clark said of Peltier in 1997, He should have never been in there in the first placenever ... while Leonard Peltier is in prison, we all are.

Time for people to wake up

Since the walk began last month, the Democratic National Committee unanimously passed a resolution asking President Biden to grant Peltier executive clemency.

The walk has also created visibility for Peltiers plight and gained momentum with rallies along the Walk to Justice route in the Wisconsin cities of Eau Claire and Madison, as well as Chicago.

We are thankful for all of the support coming in from around the world, Thunder said. Its time for the people to wake up. Leonard Peltiers injustice is an injustice against all human beings. This is a human rights issue, not just a native issue.

A rally is scheduled in South Bend, Ind., on Saturday, Oct. 1, at South East Park at 5:00 p.m. local time. Two drum groups, Red Buffalo and Shki Bimaadzi, will be present for the rally. All are invited to participate.

About the Author: "Darren Thompson (Lac du Flambeau Ojibwe) is a staff reporter for Native News Online who is based in the Twin Cities of Minnesota. Thompson has reported on political unrest, tribal sovereignty, and Indigenous issues for the Aboriginal Peoples Television Network, Indian Country Today, Native News Online, Powwows.com and Unicorn Riot. He has contributed to the New York Times, the Washington Post, and Voice of America on various Indigenous issues in international conversation. He has a bachelor\u2019s degree in Criminology & Law Studies from Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. "

Contact: dthompson@nativenewsonline.net
Debbie Lutskas left her home in Moses Lake on Tuesday and took a one-way flight to Orlando, where she isnt sure when shell come back home.

(Ill stay) until they dont need me anymore, Lutskas said over the phone on Thursday. My husband is hoping Im back before Christmas, but I dont know. Some of these people are going to be in shelters for six months or longer.

Lutskas and eight other local residents traveled to Florida to help displaced residents, according to a spokesperson with Red Cross Northwest Region.

That includes Jolynn Lucas, who left her Anacortes home to volunteer at an evacuation center in Cross City, Florida, according to Red Cross Northwest Region.

Theres also Aaron Holloway, who left his Richland home to volunteer at a shelter in Perry, Florida, according to Red Cross Northwest Region.

Lutskas, who is also a supervisor for the Red Cross Disaster Action Team, said her team  one of many  is helping around 1,700 displaced residents. She notes the total is likely higher.

There are a lot of communities that are completely underwater. Were talking all the way up past the rooftops. So theres going to be a lot of communities that have no way of just going back into their houses because everythings just been destroyed, she said.

Lutskas said evacuation shelters provide everything from cots, blankets, food, and medical equipment such as medical beds, walkers and wheelchairs.

Whatever you need, well get that for you, she said. You meet some of the greatest people. You know their whole world just got turned upside down, and theyve still got a positive attitude, said Lutskas.

If youd like to volunteer or make a donation to help provide resources for those displaced by Hurricane Ian, you can find out more here.

More news from KIRO 7

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TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA)  Water rescuers in Naples, Florida waded through waist-deep floodwater Wednesday to rescue a woman trapped in her car as Hurricane Ian battered Floridas west coast with Category 4 winds, rain, and flood surge.

Footage shared by Naples Fire-Rescue showed a firefighter break the rear passenger window of the womans car with an axe before pulling her to safety.

WATCH: Valrico family narrowly escapes being crushed by falling tree during Hurricane Ian

On Wednesday, Collier County officials said half of the streets in Naples were not passable due to high water. Officials added that tides may further raise the water level.

Hurricane Ian made landfall as a Category 4 storm, with maximum wind speeds of 150 mph, but later weakened as it made its way up into central Florida.

Roughly 2.2 million Floridians were without power early Thursday, according to PowerOutage.us.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Convenience store chain Wawa is accusing a New Jersey congressional candidate of plucking his campaign's goose logo straight from their archives.

In a polite-but-firm cease-and-desist letter shared with POLITICO, the company warned Matt Jenkins, a Democrat challenging 42-year incumbent Chris Smith in New Jerseys solidly Republican 4th District, that he was allegedly weakening the rest stop chain's brand by adopting its avian imagery.

If Wawa allows other uses  such as the use by your campaign  it runs the very real risk that its trademarks will be weakened, reads the letter from intellectual property attorney Douglas Panzer. As a New Jerseyan, familiar with Wawas reputation among and relationship with the public, we trust that is not something that you would want to occur.

Lawyers for the Pennsylvania company  which has become immensely popular in New Jersey and is growing in Florida  pointed out that the geese in Jenkins logo are identical to a formerly registered trademark that the chain used from 1990 to 2004.

Jenkins acknowledged the similarities in a phone interview but maintained they were a coincidence.



Jenkins, a 51-year-old general manager at a corporate wellness company, is a long shot against Smith, whose district, where Wawas are ubiquitous, remains solidly Republican despite the strong Democratic tilt of New Jerseys congressional delegation. Smith is one of Congress most ardent opponents of abortion, which could elevate his profile this election season with so much focus on abortion following the Supreme Courts reversal of Roe v. Wade.

As of June 30, Jenkins had about $10,500 in his campaign account, compared to Smiths $336,000.

I have a small campaign. How many people are really going to notice [the logo]? I dont know, Jenkins said in an interview Thursday.

The campaign logo features two geese to the right of Jenkins first name and above his last name. When POLITICO pointed out the similarity to Wawas logo on Twitter, Jenkins responded that for a lot of people in our district, Wawa represents them."

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When we launched this race to replace Chris Smith, I wanted our logo to feel instantly familiar, Jenkins tweeted.

But Jenkins disputed POLITICOs characterization that his logo was inspired by Wawa, saying Tuesday the similarity was a coincidence. In a phone interview that day, Jenkins said that he did not make the Wawa connection when he chose the campaign logo, one of a dozen he said his campaign team came up with. It wasnt until he got a call from a friend about it, he said, that he noticed the similarity.

Jenkins said Tuesday that Wawa lobbyist A.J. Sabath called him earlier in the day to ask he discretely stop using the logo. The cease-and-desist letter came Wednesday. Panzer, the attorney, wrote that the public has drawn an association between Jenkins and Wawa as a result of the campaign logo.

And as you stated in your Tweets  the use of the Wawa Goose in your campaigns logo is immediately familiar because of Wawas notoriety among the people of New Jersey, Panzer wrote. This gives the impression of Wawas association with or sponsorship of your campaign."

Panzer and representatives for Wawa did not respond to requests for comment.

After reading the letter, Jenkins acknowledged on Thursday that the geese in his logo are identical to the goose Wawa used to use in its logo, but he wasnt sure if he would change it.

In the letter it says this was an old trademark  formerly registered, Jenkins said. This is going to cost me money to change. Everybody knows my finances. I dont have any. To go out and reprint my signs, all my literature.

Jenkins said he suspects Smiths campaign alerted Wawa of the logo, though he acknowledged he didnt have any evidence for the assertion.

I called my team, they thought it over for a little bit, and they think its something that my opponent might have called this guy and had him call me, Jenkins said.

Smith spokesperson Mary McDermott Noonan called the charge absurd in a statement.

Who knew he had a logo? she said.
Wells Fargo initiated coverage of Coinbase Global (COIN) with an underweight price target of $57 per share in 2023, citing such profit headwinds as regulation and increased competition amid a "crypto winter."

"We expect the weakness in crypto/crypto trading volumes to persist through the back half of the year given weakening macro/consumer and lack of any significant stimulus," Wells Fargo equity analysts said in their first COIN note.

The analysts valued the company on a enterprise value-to-sales basis applied a 2.5x multiple to their 2023 revenue estimate to calculate their price target, which they called a "fair value, in our view, for a high-quality company, but one that operates in an industry characterized by pricing pressure, competition, and increasing regulation, with an unclear path to sustainable profitability in the [medium term/long term]."

COIN shares dropped 9.4% to $60.98 apiece in Thursday morning trading after they rallied 7% over the last five days. Over the past three months, Coinbase stock has regained 27% of its value from $48. Year to date, the stock has dropped more than 76% from $253.

A representation of the cryptocurrency is seen in front of Coinbase logo in this illustration taken, March 4, 2022. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration

In its second-quarter earnings results, Coinbase posted a $1.1 billion net loss with as much as 41% coming from the decline in value of the crypto assets on its balance sheet during the market's lowest point in the quarter.

Yet, with more than $6 billion in cash, the firm should be fit to weather the downturn as long as its costs stay down even if crypto assets persist in a bear market through the end of 2023, Lisa Ellis, partner with MoffettNathanson, told Yahoo Finance

Wells Fargo anticipates a 56% year-over-year decline in Coinbase's revenue from retail transactions to $451 million, putting their estimates below the Street's consensus for the stock in 2023.

Last week, JPMorgan lowered its end of year price target for COIN from $78 to $60. The bank pointed to falling interest in cryptocurrencies as the main issue.

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Going forward, Wells Fargo analysts see retail trading volume as the largest U.S. exchange's most significant revenue driver. The analyst is pricing in the continued decline in COIN's retail customers in light of macro conditions and increased pressure from competitors offering lower trading fees.

"Though we believe in the value of COIN's platform, we see its early-mover advantages gradually being eroded away as the competition increasingly mimics the COIN ecosystem," the analysts said in the note.

Major exchange fees collected by Wells Fargo

Wells Fargo analysts said the "retail take rate"  or how much revenue per retail transaction the exchange earns  as well as monthly transacting users (MTUs) as critical for gauging the firm's health.

"Binance now offers $0 fees for BTC and ETH. From a wider lens, historically we've watched brokerage firms follow a similar path of pricing compression over timeessentially, pricing is a 'race to $0,'" the analysts said.

Expectations of crypto regulation in the U.S. as well as Coinbase's institutional trading business also play a role in how the analysts estimate the exchange's performance.

For positive catalysts, Wells Fargo's analysts pointed to more institutional partnerships  such as that inked with BlackRock earlier this quarter  and progress in Coinbase's subscription services, which accounted for 18% of its revenue in the previous quarter.

-

David Hollerith is a senior reporter at Yahoo Finance covering the cryptocurrency and stock markets. Follow him on Twitter at @DsHollers

Click here for the latest crypto news, updates, values, prices, and more related to Bitcoin, Ethereum, Dogecoin, DeFi and NFTs

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Over the past year, insiders sold US$1.0m worth of Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE:WFC) stock at an average price of US$44.44 per share allowing them to get the most out of their money. The companys market cap plunged by US$5.5b after price dropped by 3.5% last week but insiders were able to limit their loss to an extent.

Although we don't think shareholders should simply follow insider transactions, we would consider it foolish to ignore insider transactions altogether.

View our latest analysis for Wells Fargo

The Last 12 Months Of Insider Transactions At Wells Fargo

In the last twelve months, the biggest single sale by an insider was when the insider, Kleber Santos, sold US$1.0m worth of shares at a price of US$44.44 per share. So we know that an insider sold shares at around the present share price of US$40.81. We generally don't like to see insider selling, but the lower the sale price, the more it concerns us. Given that the sale took place at around current prices, it makes us a little cautious but is hardly a major concern. Kleber Santos was the only individual insider to sell shares in the last twelve months.

You can see a visual depiction of insider transactions (by companies and individuals) over the last 12 months, below. By clicking on the graph below, you can see the precise details of each insider transaction!

I will like Wells Fargo better if I see some big insider buys. While we wait, check out this free list of growing companies with considerable, recent, insider buying.

Insider Ownership Of Wells Fargo

Many investors like to check how much of a company is owned by insiders. We usually like to see fairly high levels of insider ownership. It's great to see that Wells Fargo insiders own 0.07% of the company, worth about US$114m. I like to see this level of insider ownership, because it increases the chances that management are thinking about the best interests of shareholders.

What Might The Insider Transactions At Wells Fargo Tell Us?

It doesn't really mean much that no insider has traded Wells Fargo shares in the last quarter. It's heartening that insiders own plenty of stock, but we'd like to see more insider buying, since the last year of Wells Fargo insider transactions don't fill us with confidence. While we like knowing what's going on with the insider's ownership and transactions, we make sure to also consider what risks are facing a stock before making any investment decision. Every company has risks, and we've spotted 1 warning sign for Wells Fargo you should know about.

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Of course Wells Fargo may not be the best stock to buy. So you may wish to see this free collection of high quality companies.

For the purposes of this article, insiders are those individuals who report their transactions to the relevant regulatory body. We currently account for open market transactions and private dispositions, but not derivative transactions.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.



This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.

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(Bloomberg) -- Former President Donald Trumps White House asked the US Navy to hide a warship named after John McCain on his 2019 visit to Japan, stunning naval officials, newly disclosed government documents confirm.

Most Read from Bloomberg

In an email to the US Navy ahead of Trumps state visit that May, a US Indo-Pacific Command staffer laid out a list of demands including the directive that USS John McCain needs to be out of sight. The official later followed up with a note saying Please confirm #3 will be satisfied.

The newly disclosed emails reveal that Navy officials asked for names of the individuals who requested the move. One message simply says This just makes me sad while another says I could see that becoming a Tweet...

The emails were disclosed under a Freedom of Information Act and add new details to the Wall Street Journals previous reporting on some of their contents in late May 2019. Ultimately, the request to hide the ship was rejected, though a tarp was hung over the name, according to the Journals report. At the time, Trump denied that he asked for the ship to be hidden, though he said a well meaning person appears to have made the request.

In June 2019, Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan confirmed that the White House Military Office made the request and said the Pentagon did not need to investigate the matter. The ship was also named after McCains father and grandfather.

On many occasions, Trump attacked McCain, who died in August 2018. He said the former senator, who spent more than five years as a prisoner of war in Vietnam, was not a war hero.

Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek

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The decision by a Stark County grand jury not to indict a Canton police officer for the fatal shooting of 46-year-old James Williams on New Year's Day has sparked protests and calls for improved transparency by many in the community.

The story, by now, is well known: Williams was firing an AR-556 into the air from his fenced patio to celebrate the new year when officer Robert Huber, who was responding to reports of shots being fired in the neighborhood, approached and, without announcing himself, shot Williams through a wooden fence.

Read our full in-depth examination:Inside the Ohio BCI investigation: New details, videos emerge in shooting of James Williams

The Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation was called in to conduct an independent investigation. Following the grand jury's decision on Sept. 7, BCI released its report into the shooting. Canton police are now conducting an internal review of the officer's actions.

Timeline of events: James Williams' death at his Canton home

Based on the level of interest in the community and the calls for more transparency, the Canton Repository spent the last several weeks examining nearly 1,400 documents made public by BCI, including interviews, videos, audio and photos. Authorities and the city of Canton had been tight-lipped about the shooting as the investigation progressed, and many details had not been available to the public.

But the BCI documents provide many new details about what led up to the shooting.

They include videos of Williams and family members firing a variety of weapons in the air. They reveal that Williams was on a video call with a friend at the time he was fatally shot. And it includes a nearly hour-and-a-half video of Huber talking about what happened and why he pulled the trigger.

"My initial thought was, OK, well just surround the house,'" Huber told investigators what he was thinking when he first arrived at the scene. "Well call him out. Well get the gun. It will be really easy and well be fine."

Subscribers can read the full story at CantonRep.com.

This article originally appeared on The Repository: The fatal shooting of James Williams: Why we looked closer
Into her 20th week of a very wanted pregnancy, Kelsey Leigh was devastated to learn during an ultrasound that her unborn son had a fatal diagnosis.

If the pregnancy had continued, her child would likely not have been able to swallow, or breathe, and his bones would have broken during delivery, no matter the method, she told members of Congress on 29 September.

I chose to end my pregnancy, she testified during a House Oversight Committee hearing. I could not and would not carry my son for four more months to give birth to him knowing his life would be filled with pain and suffering.

Six weeks after her abortion at the 22nd week of pregnancy, as she was grieving the loss, she appeared at the Pennsylvania state legislature to successfully urge lawmakers to reject a proposed anti-abortion law that would have legally complicated or outlawed her ability to access her abortion.

Ms Leigh brought a similar message to the Capitol on Thursday, nearly 100 days after the US Supreme Court struck down a constitutional right to care, as members of Congress consider nationwide restrictions on abortion access.

Who are you going to be? she asked. Will you sit in judgment of people who are pregnant without knowing them or their circumstances, or will you listen to me and us and be the compassion that our country so desperately needs now?

Abortion providers and advocates testifed to the committee about the far-reaching consequences of state-level anti-abortion laws that have advanced in the weeks after the Supreme Court decision that overturned precendents in the cases of Roe v Wade and Planned Parenthood v Casey.

At 22 weeks pregnant, Kelsey Leigh from Pennsylvania received the devastating news that her unborn son had a fatal diagnosis. She was able to receive comprehensive #abortioncare, and now she fights everyday for womens rights to health care.



WATCH her emotional testimony. pic.twitter.com/LGLDdRRum9  Oversight Committee (@OversightDems) September 29, 2022

Dr Nisha Verma, a fellow with Physicians for Reproductive Health who provides care in Georgia, said it is indefensible that lawmakers would interfere with patients ability to navigate their nuanced, complicated healthcare decisions.

Story continues

I urge you to listen to the people who provide and access abortion care, she said.

Dr Bhavik Kumar, medical director for primary and transgender care at Planned Parenthood Gulf Coast, practises in Texas, where three overlapping anti-abortion laws include severe criminal penalties for providers, including life in prison.

Dr Kumar said that state-level anti-abortion laws have effectively created two countries within America: One where people can control their own bodies, and another where politicians have decided for them.

As lawmakers, its your obligation to reckon with the devastating consequences of abortion bans for my patients and your constituesnts. Its your duty to hear them too, he said. Over and over again, we are forced to violate our conscience and training to turn away patients who need us  Be creative, be bold, act like someones lives depend on you, because they do.

Confusion among providers and hospitals, as well as the patients seeking critical care, about what emergency conditions are permitted under state-level bans has created legal chaos

This is what happens when you eliminate a fundamental right  and you decide that anything goes and any state can do whatever they want, she said. It is unsettling and unnerving for people and devastating to not have access to protections in the Constitution  that people have rightly depended on for years.

Rep. @AOC (D-NY) slams GOP claim that abortion is not an economic issue as the view of a person whos never had to ... carry a child:



Forcing poor and working-class people to give birth against their will ... against their ability to provide  is a profound economic issue. pic.twitter.com/IfFecldM9E  The Recount (@therecount) September 29, 2022

Republican lawmakers on the panel accused Democrats of fear mongering to generate sympathy for abortion rights and dismissed arguments that abortion restricions have far-reaching impacts, including maternal health and mortality and as an economic issue.

Forcing poor and working class people to give birth against their will ... against their ability to provide for themselves or a child is a profound economic issue, according to Democratic US Rep Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

It certainly is a way to keep a workforce, basically, conscripted, she said. The idea that abortion and access to abortion is somehow not a profound and central economic and class issue and class struggle is certainly something I think a person who has never had to contend with the ability to carry a child  it belies that perspective.

In his opening remarks, US Rep Jody Hice said abortion is a morally, spiritual and religious issue for millions of Americans who hold to a Biblical view of life and that to force people to violate their deeply held religious convictions is just wrong.

He called hearing a desperate political ploy to distract the American people from the issues theyre facing.

Ms Leigh said anti-abortion rhetoric on the panel creates stigma and shame and its wrong.

Its really difficult to sit and hear that and not actually be looked into the eye  and be asked about my experience, she told the committee.

No one needs to be reminded of the sanctity of life. We need to be reminded that this is a nuanced, complex decision that is never going to be answered by a binary yes or no question or the amount of weeks my ultrasound shows, she added. We need to leave people alone, to make these decisions for themselves, their families and the betterment of our communities.
VALENTYNA ROMANENKO  THURSDAY, 29 SEPTEMBER 2022, 10:20

The International Working Group on Russian Sanctions has developed the groups fifth white paper. It covers the process of designating the Russian Federation as a state sponsor of terrorism.

Source: Office of the President of Ukraine

Details: The Office of the President said that Working Group Paper No.5 explains in detail the essence and features of the status of a State Sponsor of Terrorism (SST) envisaged by American law. Working group experts assessed the risks of the official designation of Russia as a SST and suggested potential mitigation strategies for many of them.

The document provides factual data confirming that the actions of the Russian Federation fall under the definition of "terrorism". In practice, Russia's crimes in Ukraine are far more grave than "sponsoring terrorism", since the main perpetrator of these acts of terrorism is the Russian armed forces, a key institution of the Russian state.

Quote from the Presidential Office: "The type, scale and purpose of the deliberate, politically motivated violence that the Russian state uses against Ukrainian non-combatants is appalling. The US Department of State should designate the Russian Federation as a State Sponsor of Terrorism. A similar designation should be made by the Canadian government.

Experts describe the main consequences [of designating Russia a SST] in detail: restrictions on transactions, loss of sovereign immunity, secondary sanctions, individual sanctions, symbolic impact.

This designation would increase pressure to add Russia to the blacklist of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF). It would also restrict foreign assistance from the United States and from organisations in which the US is a member; ban all arms-related exports and sales; strengthen even further the controls over exports, re-export, and transfer of dual-use items; and put in place additional financial restrictions.

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The designation of such status for Russia would make it easier and more likely for the US to impose secondary sanctions on third parties transacting with the Russian state and private sector entities. With the SST designation in place, the US and its allies could impose financial and trade sanctions on any country that continues to cooperate with the Russian state. This threat of secondary sanctions would increase the probability of compliance with sanctions already in place, thus enhancing their credibility and enforceability.

The designation would also greatly increase the scrutiny of many Russian private sector entities and individuals by international counterparties. Potential business partners would need to take extra care in their due diligence and Know-Your-Customer (KYC) research.

The complicated diplomatic, legal, and economic implications for the US and potentially for other members of the sanctions coalition in imposing this designation on the Russian Federation were noted."

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Michigan State Police reports

The wounded Michigan State Police detective sergeant who was shot during a surveillance operation has been identified as Devin Kachar of Monroe. His father, Mark, retired from the Monroe County Sheriffs Office after many years as a deputy and detective.

The Michigan State Police released Kachars name as well as the identities of two people who have been charged criminally in connection with the shooting that left Kachar seriously wounded.

Earlier report:Trooper shot in Detroit is Monroe native

Trooper Shooting Update: Andre Scott Jr, 28 year old male from Detroit, was arraigned today for the shooting of Detective Sergeant Devin Kachar, a 10 year veteran of the Michigan State Police, assigned to the Metro Narcotics Enforcement Team. 1/ pic.twitter.com/HqAymtQlGD  MSP Second District (@mspmetrodet) September 29, 2022

Andre Scott Jr., 28, of Detroit, was arraigned today on charges of assault with intent to murder, controlled substance delivery/manufacturing and two counts of felony firearm. He remains in jail in lieu of a $1 million bond.

The second suspect was identified as Robin Hall, a 23-year-old female from Detroit. She, too, was arraigned, but on charges of accessory after the fact and one count of lying to a police officer. She was issued a $250,000 cash bond. Both are pending further court proceedings and investigation.

Kachar, who was assigned to the state police Metro Narcotics Enforcement Team, was conducting surveillance during a drug investigation in Detroit early Tuesday when he was shot multiple times from an upstairs apartment window.

He was outside the apartment on Riverview Street near Telegraph and I-96 on Detroits west side when the suspects opened fire.

Kachar, a 10-year veteran of the force who grew up in Monroe, was transported to Sinai Grace Hospital in Detroit where he was in stable condition.

He is the son of Mark and Tracie Kachar. Family members have been by his side since the shooting.

This article originally appeared on The Monroe News: Wounded State Police sergeant identified; two suspects arraigned
China, Argentina hold high-level forum on cultural exchanges

Xinhua) 09:02, September 29, 2022

Huang Kunming, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and head of the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee, speaks during a high-level forum on cultural exchanges held by China and Argentina in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 28, 2022. Chinese President Xi Jinping and Argentine President Alberto Fernandez sent congratulatory letters to the forum. Huang read President Xi's congratulatory letter and addressed the forum. (Xinhua/Yue Yuewei)

BEIJING, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- China and Argentina on Wednesday held a high-level forum on cultural exchanges in Beijing.

Huang Kunming, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and head of the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee, attended the forum.

Chinese President Xi Jinping and Argentine President Alberto Fernandez sent congratulatory letters to the forum. Huang read President Xi's congratulatory letter and addressed the forum.

Huang said that China and Argentina, both important emerging markets and developing countries, are facing the important tasks of economic recovery after the pandemic and improving people's livelihoods and well-being.

He said that China hopes people from the two countries will work hand in hand to promote prosperity and development, safeguard peace and development, promote economic and trade cooperation, and deepen the China-Argentina friendship.

People from the two countries should deepen people-to-people and cultural exchanges, and carry out exchanges and cooperation in various fields at all levels, Huang said, adding that the two peoples should also enhance their mutual understanding and friendship.

Both peoples should strengthen communication and cooperation, jointly promote equity and justice, and create a fair, objective, positive and healthy public opinion environment to inject more positive energy into the construction of a community with a shared future for China and Latin America and mankind in the new era, Huang said.

(Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Hongyu)
Close up marijuana joint with lighter. Man rolling marijuana cannabis blunt. Man rolling a marijuana weed blunt. - Credit: cendeced - stock.adobe.com

After years of delays and inaction at the top of the state, New Yorks adult-use cannabis bill is now on its way to implementation. The excitement for the markets expansion is warranted, but not without understanding the drug wars impact on citizens, predominantly black and brown individuals. While we champion legal access to cannabis, it must come with equity and support for those most affected.

New Yorks bill, the Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act (MRTA), is rightfully praised as a bill and subsequent marketplace that could succeed where many states have come up short. After New York, and New York City, in particular, used cannabis as a driving force behind predatory arrests like stop-and-frisk targeting for years, now is the time to correct some of the damage.

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New York is following in numerous other states footsteps through equitable ownership measures. States to undertake some form of equitable measures include Massachusetts, California, New Jersey, New Mexico, Michigan, Vermont, Illinois, Connecticut, Arizona, and Virginia. Each state has seen its hurdles and highlights while implementing such a marketplace. Under the MRTA, New York could raise the bar if it follows through on its efforts and statements. Led by Governor Kathy Hochul and the appointed Office of Cannabis Management (OCM), the state is finally moving forward with regulations, licensing, and other critical steps.

Still, the MRTA has miles to go before it can be considered a success. With hurdles left to clear, its essential that equity owners and all would-be licensees in the marketplace receive support. Below, we take a look at some of the measures in New Yorks plan and the potential pitfalls that have impeded other states.

What Equity Measures are in the MRTA?

The MRTA aims to address what advocates and leading regulators have long considered a broken system that undermines fiscal responsibility and stifles equity market involvement. In doing so, the state intends to provide pathways to equitable ownership and boost New Yorks long-sagging economy, including its growing multi-billion dollar debt.

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New Yorks adult-use market appears on its way to successfully addressing some all-too-common industry pitfalls. Under Gov. Hochuls administration, the state finally achieved incremental steps seemingly abandoned by the Cuomo administration.

The establishment of OCM marked the first hurdle cleared. Appointments and congressional confirmations in the office include Tremaine Wright, chair of the state Cannabis Control Board (CCB), and Christopher Alexander as OCM executive director.

Since then, the administration has put forth a progressive, advocate-friendly set of regulations. More specifically, the rules have been touted as a method to correct various pain points created by prohibition. Measures include:

Ending Criminalization and the Harms of the Drug War

The damage caused by low-level, nonviolent cannabis arrests can never be fully healed. Over one million New Yorkers have been affected by anti-cannabis laws for more than two decades. The methods employed by police across the state made cannabis one of the leading misdemeanor charges during the era.

As policing went on, scores of individuals were incarcerated and separated from their families. The tactics exasperated the lives of everyone involved as parents and income providers were pulled away. Meanwhile, the unlicensed market continued to thrive, with New York City as the leading global cannabis consuming destination by a longshot.

Under the MRTA, New York hopes to address some of the pains of the drug war and how it can support incoming business licensees. More so, by finally ending arrests, that painful penal pipeline is now shut.

Reconsidering Arrest Records

Record reform is crucial, as even nonviolent, low-level charges can make a person unemployable for the rest of their lives. Like several other states, New York included record reform parameters in the MRTA.

The state has enacted an automatic expungement process for many cannabis offenders. Those eligible include anyone convicted of possessing a pound or less of cannabis. Individuals with a 25 gram or less distribution charge are also subject to an automatic expungement.

Creating an Inclusive System of Ownership and Support

New Yorks market is currently white male-controlled. The lack of diversity is not in-line with the decades-long spirit and ideals of the cannabis community. More so, it does not reflect the work of the operators that bolstered the unlicensed market in the years that predated legalization. Like them or not, the industry would not be alive today without the risks taken by such operatorsparticularly those jailed for years over nonviolent charges.

In March 2022, the OCM announced that approximately the first 100 retail licenses would go to individuals and families most affected by the drug war. In April, the state announced plans for a $200 million social equity fund to support licensees.

The state recently released details about retail licensing, including how many stores will be permitted per zone. Concerning cultivation the state has issued over 140 licenses to existing hemp farmers to ensure enough product is ready when sales begin. Those issued licenses will join existing medical market operators in the first wave of New Yorks adult use market. Medical operators helped kickstart the marketplace, investing in infrastructure and helping form critical industry regulations, and will now play a crucial role in ensuring dispensaries have enough product for New Yorks large recreational demand.

What Concerns Still Linger?

New Yorks cannabis marketplace could become the most equitable market in the country. If so, it could set a new precedent in a space sorely needing one. Still, various uncertainties remain that could stifle the markets equitable potential.

Licensing rules and procedures are a critical concern. Cultivators have voiced concerns that they still arent sure where their crops will go. The OCM has stated that the retail licensing window will open this summer, but dates remain uncertain. Cultivators will stay in the dark until the date is announced and the first 100 or so licenses are unveiled.

A more pressing retail concern is the threat of the unlicensed market. States like California have been battered by the unlicensed market and challenging regulations, prompting New York to assess and reconsider its pathway to adult-use sales. The state hopes to convert many from the unlicensed market into licensed sellers by including drug war victims from day one. However, the states gray-area gifting and membership rules allowed scores of storefronts and mobile sales units to establish themselves in the city ahead of licensing. These shops hope their early activity can propel them to an eventual retail license. However, the consequences of not adhering to a February enforcement action calling for unlicensed shops to end their sales remains to be seen.

The state has continued to make efforts in curtailing the practice. Recently, several mobile units were seized and ticketed. Efforts like these show that the city and state plan to encounter the issue that seems rampant at this time.

Even if able to overcome the gray area shops, New York faces a range of hurdles that have tripped up other states. The $200 million equity fund could help operators, but the high cost of licensing, real estate, utilities, and taxes all loom overhead. If an equity operator is economically disadvantaged, they face a steeper uphill battle to securing accredited investors, loans, or other essential revenue streams. The SAFE Banking Act wouldnt resolve every financial bias or barrier, but it would help open up a river of opportunity to cannabis operators. It is critical SAFE Banking or a similar piece of legislation passes soon, or operators will face more of the same struggles coupled with crippling federal tax limitations caused by tax code 280E.

Further complicating matters are the ever-changing laws. In states like California, consistently shifting regulations make it virtually impossible for stores to break even while keeping updated with operations, packaging, and other store essentials.

Lawsuits represent another hurdle that could upend not just an owner but the entire equity licensing structure. As Reuters noted earlier this year, cases in Illinois, Maine, Michigan, and Missouri could rule against equitable parameters. Each case has its unique parameters considered, but overall, opposition alleges that such equitable rules are not allowed under certain constitutional grounds

While predictions about the markets fate can be made, well have to wait and see what unfolds. Until all the rules are out and the shops are open, we wont honestly know how New York will fare in advancing cannabis industry equity. So far, the steps laid look positive, but previous states with good intentions have fallen short. Heres hoping New York and other states to come have learned how to achieve where others have not.

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A 17-year-old girl was fatally shot in Brooklyn, New York, Wednesday evening while sitting outside of her apartment building with a group of friends.

The group was reportedly approached by two suspects on scooters who opened fire, shooting the girl in the face. She was rushed to a hospital where she was pronounced dead.

Witness Sukanya Thompson who lives down the street from the victim told reporters, "It was a gruesome scene  Her sister was holding her. It was just tragic scene. A lot of people were crying You could really tell she had an impact on the community."

Walter Gonzolaz, who lives on the fourth floor of the building told reporters he heard the shots and saw the girl lying on the ground. "It's terrible, I've got kids too," he said.

NEW YORK CITY SEES DECLINE IN MURDERS, SHOOTINGS IN AUGUST; OVERALL CRIME STILL UP

The suspects fled the scene northbound from the 1200 block of Eastern Parkway in Crown Heights.

No arrests have been made and no suspect description has been given others than they were men wearing dark clothing.

NEW YORK CITY SUBWAY ASSAULT VICTIM ACCUSES MAYOR OF BREAKING PROMISES

Thompson told freelance reporter Peter Gerber that shootings happen regularly in that neighborhood. She called the situation "heartbreaking but it's also normal cause I've been living in the hood my whole life so it's really nothing that's new to me. People die every day at this point. You just get used to it, but rest in peace to her. I do feel bad for what happened cause I don't think she was supposed to get shot."

She was the latest victim of shootings across the city. In the last day, 16 people have been shot in nine shootings, the New York Post reported.

"She was a good kid, not involved in anything," the girl's friend told the New York Daily News.

Its unclear why the suspects targeted the group.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

No one else was hurt in the shooting.
(Reuters) - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Thursday urged minority groups across Russia to resist the Kremlin's mobilisation effort, telling them they need not die in a "shameful war".

Zelenskiy made the remarks in a video appeal on the eve of a Kremlin ceremony to mark the annexation of four Ukrainian regions occupied by Russian forces.

Non-Russian groups -- mainly from the Caucasus in the south of Russia and from Siberia -- are over-represented in military contingents sent to Ukraine and violent protests against the mass mobilisation have erupted in some areas gripped by poverty.

"You don't have to die in Ukraine. Your sons don't have to die in Ukraine," Zelenskiy said, standing next to a monument in Kyiv to an imam from the Caucasus.

He said Russia had been isolated by a war sought solely by President Vladimir Putin who "will not stop" at the first wave of mobilisation.

"There will be more. He will try to take even more lives ... no one is obliged to take part in a shameful war."

According to publicly available data on military casualties compiled by Russian investigative outlet iStories, soldiers from Buryatia, on the border with Mongolia, and Dagestan, a mainly Muslim area on the Caspian Sea, have suffered the highest casualty rate in the conflict.

More than 100 people were detained in protests in Dagestan against the draft last week.

(Reporting by Ronald Popeski, editing by David Ljunggren and Cynthia Osterman)
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Thursday said Russias planned annexation of four regions of Ukraine wont be what the Kremlin hopes for.

Russia plans to annex Ukraines Luhansk, Donetsk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions on Friday, a major escalation in the seven-month war, after residents supposedly signed off on plans in Moscow-orchestrated referendums condemned by the West as a sham.

Everyone in the world understands well what such an attempted annexation would actually mean, Zelensky said in his nightly address. It will not mean what the Kremlin hopes for.

Zelensky said he spoke with leaders in Italy, Poland and France earlier in the day, adding to efforts by the U.S. and its allies to mobilize the international community to reject the Russian annexation attempt.

Russia is planning celebratory events in Moscow and the occupied territories in the coming days that would echo those held after the countrys 2014 annexation of Ukraines Crimean Peninsula. But Zelensky vowed the Kremlin will not hold further annexed regions.

Now I repeat for everyone in this country: Russia will not get a new territory of Ukraine, Zelensky said. Russia will annex itself to the catastrophe that it has brought to the occupied territory of our country.

The annexation would come days after Russian President Vladimir Putin called up 300,000 reservists and threatened the West with nuclear weapons, claiming the threat is not a bluff.

The Kremlin has faced steep territorial losses in Ukraines northeast from a counteroffensive that pushed Russian forces back to the border in some areas. Those gains led to increasing criticism against Putin from within Russia, and protests broke out following his partial mobilization announcement.

Amid the referendums in the occupied regions earlier this week, Zelensky called for Russia to be removed from the United Nations Security Council. As a permanent member of the powerful group, Russia maintains veto power on any substantive resolution.

Story continues

Secretary of State Antony Blinken condemned the referendums as an attempt to mask a land grab in Ukraine on Thursday.

The United States does not, and will never, recognize the legitimacy or outcome of these sham referenda or Russias purported annexation of Ukrainian territory, Blinken said in a statement. This spectacle conducted by Russias proxies is illegitimate and violates international law. It is an affront to the principles of international peace and security.

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told reporters on Thursday the annexation would mark a dangerous escalation, Reuters reported.

Any decision by Russia to go forwards will further jeopardize the prospects for peace, Guterres said.

Western officials have also raised concerns after the two Nord Stream pipelines, which run from Russia to Germany through the Baltic Sea, began leaking early this week after European seismic stations recorded explosions.

U.S. and European officials have characterized the leaks as apparent sabotage, but the U.S. has stopped short of directly blaming Russia.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
KATERYNA TYSHCHENKO  THURSDAY, 29 SEPTEMBER 2022, 22:13

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Oleksii Danilov, Secretary of the National Security and Defence Council (NSDC), will announce important decisions at a meeting of the NSDC on Friday.

Source: Zelenskyy in a video address; Danilov on air during the program "Great Lviv Speaks"

Quote from Zelenskyy: "Tomorrow is another day of our struggle, another day on the way to victory. Will it be special for us? This day will be another day that will bring us closer to security and peace. To the restoration of our territorial integrity. Because millions of Ukrainians fight and work for this.

A special meeting of the National Security and Defence Council, which I called, will take place tomorrow. There will be solutions. And we know how to react to any Russian actions."

Details: The president also reported that on Thursday Ukraine had received "new results on the front line" and also received additional elements of aid from partners.

In turn, Danilov announced that a meeting of the Staff of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief will also take place on Friday.

Quote from Danilov: "In addition to the meeting of the National Security and Defence Council, the president will hold a meeting of the Staff of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief. After that will be the meeting of the National Security and Defence Council, where important, I believe, fundamental decisions for our country will be made."

Previously:

Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the President of Ukraine, has called for an urgent meeting of the National Security and Defence Council on Friday, 30 September.

On Thursday, the Kremlin said that the ceremony of "signing agreements on the accession of new territories to the Russian Federation" would take place on Friday.

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A new mural was unveiled Wednesday on the wall of the City Market Lofts building in downtown Lynchburg, adjacent to the Lynchburg Community Market parking lot at 1225 Main St.

The 35-foot-tall abstract work of art, called Creating Our Culture, features a figure and splashes of color. It was produced by the Downtown Lynchburg Association and Blackwater Branding.

Jawansa Hall, owner of downtown Lynchburg-based Blackwater Branding, came to Ashley Kershner, executive director of the DLA, about an idea he had for a mural downtown that would welcome people of color into the community but also would tie into a greater art project.

Artists spent 130 hours working on the mural that also includes a QR code, which passers-by can scan on their phones to be directed to a website Hall created that features a rotating list of local artists of color in the community.

The mural is in itself going to bring beauty, vibrancy and excitement to downtown but the website is really the goal and the purpose behind it, Kershner said. And with that website, we are trying to elevate and draw attention to some of the fabulous artists of color that we have in this community.

She said the website will have an application for artists to fill out so their work can be featured in the future.

We're just trying to provide a platform for people that may not have been discovered yet or might be not as well known and to bring some more cultural diversity to our art landscape in downtown, she said.

Blackwater Branding, at 1009 Main St., is responsible for the project concept and creative direction of the artwork as well as the featured website content. The mural was painted by Hall and with local mural artists Christina Davis and Twon Smith.

Representation matters, Hall said in a news release. I consider this mural a visual passport for many creatives of color. A free ticket designed to generate social capital and strengthen the arts throughout our community.

Kershner said she hopes the mural also will help to bring color and vibrancy to a prominent, high-traffic area in downtown. This effort is part of DLAs Placemaking Initiative, which aims to make downtown Lynchburg a more inviting and welcoming space for everyone.

Public art really adds to the experience of being in a downtown atmosphere and is accessible to everyone, she said. Not everyone is comfortable going in an art gallery, not everyone is comfortable going into spaces where art is traditionally displayed. So by bringing art outside and making it accessible to everyone, it's going to be viewed by more types of people and can inspire more people and speak to more people and we love that.

The mural is the third public art installation unveiled in the last year by DLA, joining the Midtown Park Deck Murals, completed in March, and Art Alley, completed last October.

Kershner said DLA began writing grant applications for the project in February.

The $15,000 project is sponsored by Genworth Financial and Scott Insurance, with additional support provided by the Greater Lynchburg Community Foundation as well as the Virginia Commission for the Arts, which receives support from the Virginia General Assembly and the National Endowment for the Arts.

We were really heartened and grateful for the sponsors and the property owner for being excited about this purpose as well, Kershner said. We wanted to work with people that were just as excited about the website and the mission of the project as we were and it was great to be able to do that.
TOKYO, Sep 30 ( NHK ) - Japan's Defense Minister Hamada Yasukazu says North Korea has launched two ballistic missiles. Officials say this is the first time it's launched ballistic missiles two days in a row.

Hamada said, "North Korea's unprovoked escalation of provocations -- including this series of launches --threatens the peace and security of Japan, the region, and the international community. It can absolutely not be tolerated."

Hamada said North Korea launched two ballistic missiles eastward from a site near its west coast.

He said both missiles are estimated to have flown about 300 kilometers at a maximum altitude of about 50 kilometers.

He also said they're estimated to have fallen outside Japan's Exclusive Economic Zone. ...continue reading
Accurate, a New Jersey-based developer, recently celebrated the commencement of construction for The Crossings at the Fairfield Metro Center in Fairfield, Connecticut. The complex will include five residential buildings, 357 apartments, a new 118-key hotel, more than 20,000 square feet of retail space, roughly 50,000 square feet of office space, and parking areas for residents and guests.

The site is currently addressed as 219 Ash Creek Boulevard, but spans more than 23 acres of land surrounding the new Fairfield Metro-North train station. The site borders a sprawling surface-level parking lot for Metro-North commuters, the Fairfield Metro Conservation Area, and Ash Creek, which extends north from the Long Island Sound.

The Town of Fairfield originally signed an agreement with a developer 20 years ago, but plans to improve the site never materialized. The new project led by Accurate has gained support from local officials as well as the community and is expected to cost around $145 million.

The town has also made an investment of $45 million to upgrade existing roadways, infrastructure, and other preparations to support the mixed-use complex.

We are delighted to get to work on this important project, which we believe will create a well-balanced destination with modern residential, retail, commercial, and hospitality fully integrated to enhance connectivity and define a true sense of place, said president and CEO of Accurate, Jack Klugmann. We look forward to continuing to work in a collaborative effort with Fairfields municipal officials as we pursue a collective vision for this property that will benefit the community at large.

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Representatives from Carson and Minden are the latest small town officials to present their communities infrastructure wish lists to the Pottawattamie County board of supervisors for consideration of receiving American Rescue Plan funds.

Over the last few weeks, the county board has been meeting with city officials from throughout the county to assess their towns needs for financial assistance with infrastructure projects. The board set aside $1.5 million in ARPA funds to distribute to the countys cities outside of Council Bluffs.

At the Sept. 27 board meeting, Carson administrative clerk Brianne Duede and assistant EMS chief Adam Hay laid out a number of projects that would benefit from funding assistance, including a new ambulance for their first responders. The current ambulance is 12 years old, and it has seen a lot of wear and tear due to the pandemic.

We try to get a new ambulance every 10 to 12 years, Duede said. With the pandemic, that was the most utilized local resource we had.

In addition to Carson, the ambulance also serves nearby communities in Oakland, Macedonia and Henderson. Out of 194 total emergency calls for an ambulance in 2021, 99 were for Carson and 83 were from Oakland, with the remaining 12 calls split between Henderson and Macedonia.

This year, as of Sept. 8, Carson has had 65 calls for the ambulance, with 47 from Oakland, and 17 from the surrounding area.

Usually, pretty close to half of our calls are outside of the city, Hay said.

The Carson fire department accepted a bid for a new ambulance of $281,581. The city authorized the use of $120,000 of its own ARPA funds, leaving a balance of $161,581.

Thats our main goal, Duede said. It would definitely support our community, and it supports the local communities, because we do provide a lot of mutual aid assistance.

Other projects on the Carson wish list include the demolition of two derelict buildings, which will help with the citys downtown revitalization efforts, as will the installation of new water and sewer mains, sidewalks and storm drainage along Broadway Boulevard; water and sewer service for a new 13-acre business park, and additional infrastructure for a group of residential lots that are currently for sale.

The City of Carson would also like to purchase a new fire engine by 2024, for which it has applied for a series of grants.

Minden Mayor Kevin Zimmerman and councilman Glenn Hurst touted a few infrastructure projects that have been completed recently, including replacing the citys water tower and redoing the downtown area.

As you know, in a small town, theres all kinds of projects, Zimmerman said. You just gotta pick the ones you can do.

Current projects that could use some ARPA assistance include replacing a three-block stretch of water main, five blocks of water and sewer replacement and general infrastructure wear and tear, like road and sewer repairs.

The City of Minden is also purchasing a little more than 45 acres of land north of town in preparation for potential growth. The city has created a foundation to help facilitate construction on the land, and needs $125,000 to $150,000 for a starter fund, which they hope will be matched by a grant from the Iowa West Foundation.

Everything weve done, the water tower, everything, is set up for another 100-plus houses, Zimmerman said.

Were poised for a lot of growth in our little towns, Supervisor Brian Shea said. All of them.

The board will continue to hear proposals from the remaining small town representatives over the next couple of weeks, and then deliberate on which projects they have decided will receive a portion of the ARPA funds.

Board Chairman Tim Wichman has said that each community will receive ARPA funds for at least one of their infrastructure projects.

We will be back in touch with you as soon as weve compiled the information and the boards made a call, Wichman told the Carson and Minden representatives.
Every couple weeks during the summer, U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley, a longtime Republican incumbent seeking reelection, takes to Twitter standing in front of his New Hartford cornfield and gives an update on the crops progress.

The Democratic candidate for the seat, retired admiral Mike Franken, has touted his time growing up on a family farm near Sioux City, standing in front of a cornfield for multiple ads and sporting a blue Navy cap.

In Iowa, the leading producer of corn and pork and second-highest soybean producer in the country, agriculture is an ever-present issue in political campaigns. This years U.S. Senate candidates deliver different visions for federal agriculture policies and both are angling themselves as the best representative for Iowas farmers.

Grassley is one of two crop farmers in the U.S. Senate, along with Democrat John Tester of Montana, which he said gives him a key insight into the needs of farmers. On his home farm, he purchases half the seed and input materials, and his son Robin shoulders the other half.

Frankens vision of farming, he said, is one where younger people can easily enter the field and smaller farms flourish, where diverse crops are grown on Iowas soil, and where farming is done with net zero or negative carbon emissions.

Small farmers

Franken contends that Grassley has presided over the consolidation of the farming industry, as Iowas number of farms has fallen and the average size of a farm has increased over the past decades.

I would advocate for policies that give our farmers the best chance to be standalone viable producers, where their expertise and their human capital involvement and their farming expertise provides them that standard of living that they so much need, Franken said in an interview.

In a recent ad, Franken said Grassley has passed laws that help large agribusinesses squeeze out the little guy.

Franken said the market and industry makes it difficult for people to begin farming as the farming population gets older. Its also difficult for farmers to start on a small plots of land as the market is designed for large producers, he said.

The markets are such that theres not a crop you can begin on a micro-scale that you can make a living on, Franken said. So there needs to be something new and [Grassley is] just not a purveyor of bright ideas.

Iowas number of farms has decreased over the past several decades, according to U.S. Department of Agriculture data. The state had 184,000 farms in 1960, and farms were already declining at that time. By 2000, Iowa had 95,000 farms, and in 2010, it had 92,400 farms. In the most recent report, Iowa had 84,900 farms, with an average size of 359 acres.

Grassley said hes supported policies that help small farmers, including putting a limit on how much farmers can receive from federal subsidies and advocating for cattle transparency bills that he says would allow smaller cattle producers to compete with larger operations.

Im the only farmer in this race, so I think that speaks to the fact that Im in a good place to represent farmers, Grassley said in an interview.

Grassley boasts endorsements from the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation and the Iowa Corn Growers Association, something his campaign points to to show he has support from farmers.

In a call with reporters this month, former Iowa Farm Bureau President Craig Hill said Grassley has been a frequent advocate of agriculture throughout his career, including pushing for increased research, renewable fuels, and trade.

Hill said Grassley has pushed policies that help small-scale farmers, including some that arent in line with the national Farm Bureau, like caps on federal payments to large-scale farmers.

He always is seeking a limit on the payments that go to farmers to protect the small farmer and not help the largest operator be more competitive, Hill said.

Grassley has pursued bills with the goal of improving transparency in the cattle industry. One bill would require a certain percentage of cattle to be bought on more open markets, while another proposes the creation of a special investigator into competition among meatpackers.

The big four meatpackers have a cozy relationship with the big feedlots of Texas and Kansas, and it squeezes out the independent producer in Iowa, Nebraska, Minnesota from getting a fair market, Grassley said.

Environment

As the USDA puts a spotlight and funding behind climate-smart commodities in an effort to reduce the greenhouse gasses created by agriculture, Franken said farmers can be a part of the solution to climate change.

Farmland can be used to set up solar grazing operations, he said, where livestock graze on land that also houses solar arrays.

Weve got farmland in this state, and the farmers are the first to say, Yes, thats true, that should not be in row crops. They should be in something else, he said.

Carbon dioxide captured from agriculture-related operations can also be used for local manufacturing of things like aircraft fuel, he said, rather than being shipped out of state and underground.

I want a pure, fabulous future for farming, and I foresee an opportunity where Iowa can be the first state in the nation thats a net carbon negative, farmers are hand in glove with the environmental concerns of the future, he said.

Grassley has pitched ethanol as one way to lower carbon emissions while bolstering Iowas corn industry and creating jobs for rural Iowa. He has supported the Renewable Fuel Standard, which requires oil refineries to blend a certain percentage of renewable fuels into gasoline.

The environmental impact of ethanol is debated, but a study from early this year found that ethanol likely creates more carbon emissions than gasoline when factoring in the land used to grow corn and other factors. The Renewable Fuels Association said the study was flawed and the studys authors precariously string together a series of worst-case assumptions.

Grassley said he was the number one person recognized by the ethanol industry  as an advocate for the 46,000 jobs we have in Iowa in biofuels and what that does for the corn and soybean prices, to keep them strong.

Grassley and Franken will have their first debate next Thursday, Oct. 6, on Iowa PBS at 7 p.m. The general election for state and federal offices is on Nov. 8, and early voting begins Oct. 19.
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Algerian authorities have asked the Caritas charity to end all its activities in the country, a decision which the Catholic church said will enter into force on October 1.

The closure of Caritas is a new authoritarian move taken by the Algerian military regime which turned the country into a big prison preventing international charities and rights NGOs from operating.

Even tourists are asked for a visa in Algeria, not to mention journalists who are only let in if they are willing to do some pro-Polisario propaganda.

The Algerian government decided to stop activities of Caritas Algeria without giving a detailed official justification to the Bishops of the Catholic Church in Algeria.

Algeria has imposed a blackout on the media and on the international civil society as the crackdown on dissidents continues unabated by what the French President described as a brutal military regime.

On September, the UN special rapporteur on human rights was asked to put off his visit to the country indefinitely.
Former Guinean president and military ruler Moussa Dadis Camara and 10 other men are set to face trial for a 2009 stadium massacre that saw the killing of 150 people and mass rape of more than 100 women by the countrys security forces.

According to a report by a United Nations-mandated international commission, on 28 September 2009, tens of thousands of pro-democracy demonstrators held a protest in the stadium to pressure Camara not to stand for election as president of Guinea the following year. Camara came to power through a military coup in 2008. Numerous testimonies report how the presidential guards Red Berets, police officers and militiamen entered the stadium around noon, cordoned off the exits and opened fire indiscriminately on a crowd that had previously been festive. The killers attacked unarmed civilians with knives, machetes, and bayonets, leaving the stands, corridors and grass strewn with the dead and dying.

Camara had been living in exile in Burkina Faso but returned to Conakry to stand trial and, as his relatives say, to clear his name. Dozens of victims who had waited 13 years for the proceedings, which are broadcast live on national television, packed the upper galleries of the purpose-built courtroom. Camara, 58, and the other defendants face a litany of accusations from murder to sexual violence, kidnappings, arson, and looting, and Camara himself is charged with personal criminal responsibility and command responsibility over the crimes. The chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), Karim Khan, on Wednesday (28 September) called on Guinean authorities to respect international law, namely witness protection and the presumption of innocence. Meanwhile, Pramila Patten, a UN special representative, congratulated the ruling junta for its display of political will for moving ahead with the trial.
A United Nations International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals in The Hague opens a trial with a frail 87-year-old Rwandan accused of encouraging and bankrolling the countrys 1994 genocide on Thursday (29 September), nearly three decades after the 100-day massacre left 800,000 dead.

Felicien Kabuga is one of the last fugitives charged over the genocide to face justice, and the start of his trial marks a key day of reckoning for Rwandans who survived the killings or whose families were murdered. Even with money and protection, one cannot escape a genocide crime, says Naphtal Ahishakiye, the executive secretary of a genocide survivors group known as Ibuka, adding that its never too late for justice to be delivered.

The mass killing of Rwandas Tutsi minority was triggered on 6 April 1994, when a plane carrying President Juvenal Habyarimana was shot down and crashed in the capital Kigali, killing the leader who, like the majority of Rwandans, was an ethnic Hutu. Kabugas daughter married Habyarimanas son. The Tutsi minority was blamed for downing the plane. Bands of Hutu extremists began slaughtering Tutsis and their perceived supporters, with help from the army, police, and militias.

Kabugas 15-page indictment alleges that, as a wealthy businessman with close links to the Hutu political elite, he incited genocide through the broadcaster he helped establish and fund, Radio Television Libre des Mille Collines (RTLM). Hes also accused of having paid for weapons, including machetes, used by militias to slaughter Tutsis and their perceived supporters. Kabuga is charged with genocide, incitement to commit genocide, conspiracy to commit genocide as well as persecution, extermination and murder. He has pleaded not guilty. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.
Moroccan authorities announced on Thursday the arrest of a member of ISIS terror organization in Casablanca in cooperation with U.S. intelligence services.

The jihadist, 29, was involved in preparing a terror attack against the countrys peace and stability. Law enforcement agents searched his premise and found cell phones, SIM cards, a PC and two laptops. All these equipment are undergoing deep analysis by specialized teams.

According to a press release of National police, the captured ISIS agent was looking for safe routes to join terrorist organizations, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa and on the Syrian-Iraqi borders.

He also conducted reconnaissance missions to identify security checkpoints with a view to attacking the security agents and stealing their weapons which the jihadists intend to use in terrorist operations.

His arrest shows the importance of cooperation ties existing between Moroccan security services and American law enforcement and intelligence community.

Last week, Director of U.S. National Intelligence Ms. Avril Haines visited Morocco and met Mr. Abdellatif Hammouchi, Head of national police & domestic intelligence agency.
Morocco will take over the rotating chairmanship of the Peace & Security Council of the African Union for one month starting October 1st to serve peace and security in the continent.

The Moroccan presidency of the AU-PSC is part of the Kingdoms commitments to a peaceful, stable and prosperous Africa, said on Thursday Moroccos Foreign ministry in a statement.

It is also recognition of the trust and credibility the country enjoys across Africa under the leadership of King Mohammed VI. Combating terrorism, child soldiers, climate change, food crisis as well as the situation in the Sahel and Central African Republic are on the top of the PSC agenda.

The Moroccan chairmanship plans to hold several statutory meetings, including those involving the UN Security Council, debates on peace in Africa and the implementation of the AUs main roadmap for silencing arms in the continent.

During its presidency of the AU-PSC, Morocco will host a conference in Tangier on Oct. 25- 27 under the theme: Promoting Peace, Security and Development, a perspective of regional integration.

Two ministerial meetings are also planned: one on Development & de-radicalization as levers to combat terrorism & violent extremism, while the 2nd meeting will discuss climate change, peace and food security in Africa.

In February 2022, Morocco was re-elected for a three-year term member of the PSC, which is the decision-making organ of the AU for the prevention, management and resolution of conflicts. It is a collective security and early warning arrangement intended to facilitate timely and efficient responses to conflict and crisis situations in Africa.
Portugal, which is faced with a labor shortage, is set to recruit 400 Moroccans who will work in the farming sector, under a Memorandum of Understanding signed Wednesday.

The MoU was signed, Wednesday in Lisbon, between the Moroccan National Agency for the Promotion of Employment and Skills (ANAPEC) and the Portuguese Institute for Employment and Vocational Training (IEFP).

The MoU aims to organize and set the steps of this pilot project, which is part of the employment agreement signed between the two countries. It will monitor the various stages of this operation, including the selection of Portuguese companies to hire the Moroccan workers and the training of the workers, including to learning Portuguese, before they go to Portugal.

The agreement will, moreover, accelerate the work contracts and visa and travel procedures, said ANAPEC director general, Noureddine Benkhalil, who indicated that the companies and trades concerned will be identified from next week.

For his part, IEFP president, Domingos Lopes, said the MoU aims to prepare the optimal conditions to receive Moroccan workers, vowing that all the necessary means will be put in place to guarantee them all the rights enjoyed by Portuguese workers.

Moroccan Minister of Economic Inclusion & Employment, Younes Sekkouri, who is on a two-day visit to Lisbon, welcomed the new partnership stating it represents a new generation of agreements for decent employment with full respect for workers rights.

He discussed actions to be made to guarantee the workers all the rights, related to work, social coverage and health, with several Portuguese officials, including Minister of Labor Ana Mendes Godinho and president of the Confederation of Portuguese Employers (CIP), Antonio Saraiva.

The Moroccan official said that the Portuguese side has expressed its determination to implement this agreement and welcome the beneficiaries in the best conditions.

Morocco and Portugal signed last January an agreement on employment and residence of Moroccan workers in Portugal, which is part of the dynamics of modernization of partnership instruments between the two countries.

The text defines the admission and residence procedures applicable to Moroccan citizens for the exercise of a professional activity in Portugal, part of the two sides desire to strengthen cooperation in the management of regular migration flows.
Former Great Plains Health cardiologist Richard Markiewicz is suing Great Plains Health and three of the hospitals executives.

Among the claims in the suit, Markiewicz says outgoing CEO Mel McNea, incoming and current CEO Ivan Mitchell and Ned Mack, head of GPHs Governance Committee, made false and defamatory statements about him after his firing and as he searched for future employment.

In the Sept. 12 filing, Markiewicz is seeking damages for lost wages and has asked for retractions of statements made by administration.

Markiewicz was fired from the hospital on Dec. 7, 2021. In the suit, Markiewicz said he was escorted out of the building that day and his without cause termination resulted in the hospital paying him for a 90-day notice period. His formal termination from the hospital was in March 2022.

In the suit, Markiewicz claims GPH administration repeatedly dismissed, ignored, or refused Dr. Markiewiczs requests for better trained staff to care for his patients. GPH Administration also dismissed the concerns Dr. Markiewicz raised about the standard of care being provided by other cardiologists in the practice.

Markiewicz also claims that he raised alarms about patient care provided by other cardiologists at the hospital, and that GPH administration ignored those concerns.

In Nov. 10, 2021, text and phone messages to administration, Markiewicz said, he asked for interventional cardiologists at the hospital be empowered to create policies and procedures to improve the functioning of the cardiology department and more importantly, improve the quality of patient care being offered at GPH.

The suit claims that McNea responded that if he proceeded with pushing to establish specific policies and procedures for the cardiology group, he would be fired.

According to the suit, Markiewicz met with McNea and a member of the GPH human resources department on Dec. 7, when he was terminated.

In a letter to The North Platte Telegraph after the firing, published Dec. 16, 2021, Mack and McNea wrote, When its necessary, we terminate employees when they dont meet our standards of professionalism and quality of care.

A day later, McNea said at a press conference, And if you have somebody thats not willing to work in a collaborative environment, for the safety of the patient theyre not part of here.

In the suit, Markiewicz says that those statements are false, and that hospital administration repeated those statements as Markiewicz attempted to find future employment.

Specifically, the suit says Markiewicz had found employment with a facility in Salina, Kansas, in April 2022 before the facility backed out of the agreement. Markiewicz claims that occurred because of statements made by GPH administration to the unnamed Salina facilitys administration.

Markiewicz also claims that pattern continued as he searched for employment.
Local governments last three budget-setting decisions this week have cemented 2022-23 gross property tax increases for three North Platte homes.

Todays next-to-last edition of The Telegraphs annual tax tracker series factors in budget votes Monday by Lincoln County and the North Platte Airport Authority board and Wednesday by the North Platte school board.

The North Platte City Council wont pass its 2022-23 property tax request resolution until Tuesday, but council members approved next years budget Sept. 8. County commissioners have until Oct. 20 to ratify 2022 tax rates.

With those caveats, this weeks votes nonetheless supplied the last puzzle pieces to determine the gross tax bills for the three homes in different parts of North Platte featured in The Telegraph.

Fridays final tax tracker story will illustrate the three homes net 2022 tax bills after the state of Nebraskas three available property tax credits  one direct and two indirect  are subtracted from their gross tax bills.

The accompanying line graph illustrates the relative impacts of 2022 changes in the three homes individual taxable values and the total tax requests and taxable values of the eight local governments serving their owners.

Each governments individual property tax rate is set by dividing its tax request into the total value for tax purposes of taxable property in its service area. In Nebraska, that rate is expressed in dollars and cents per $100 of taxable value.

One must add up the individual tax rates of every government serving a property to get its total tax rate. That rate, multiplied by the propertys individual taxable value, yields its gross property tax bill before state credits or exemptions.

With this weeks final budget votes, North Plattes combined 2022 property tax rate will be just under $2.039 per $100 of taxable value  down slightly from last years $2.047 per $100.

The Telegraphs first 2022 tax tracker story June 2 noted valuation increases in North Platte and Lincoln County that proved by August to average between 3.13% and 7.56% for the local governments serving the city.

But while individual valuation increases put upward pressure on property owners tax bills, that can be canceled out by the boosts in each governments total taxable value  its property tax base  that usually accompanies them.

Owners of our three sample homes saw their individual taxable values rise by 7% north of the Union Pacific tracks and 4% south of them. County Assessor Julie Stenger said in June the increases were necessary to keep home valuations between 92% and 100% of actual value, as required by state law.

But when total taxable values were released Aug. 22, they grew enough to project net tax cuts for all three homes  assuming no changes in 2022 tax requests by any local government.

Six of the eight governments serving North Platte raised their tax requests over their 2021 figures. Lincoln County reduced its request, while the Twin Platte Natural Resources District left its 2022 request unchanged.

With that, lets recap the impacts of North Plattes 2022 budget season on The Telegraphs sample homes:

The owners of Home 1, our lone north-side example, face a gross tax bill of $2,398.40  $147.59 more than last year.

Their three-bedroom, 1-story house with a full basement saw its taxable value rise from $109,950 to $117,647 with the across-the-board 7% increase north of the U.P. tracks.

Home 2, south of the tracks near Westfield Shopping Center, saw its gross tax bill grow by $76.96 to $2,233.09.

The general 4% valuation boost south of the tracks lifted the homes 2022 taxable value from $105,325 to $109,538.

Finally, the 2022 gross tax bill will jump to $6,057.80  a $208.77 increase  for Home 3, located south and west of Home 2.

The two-story, four-bedroom home with no basement is now valued for tax purposes at $297,149, up from $285,720 in 2021.
IMPERIAL  The co-defendant in the Annika Swanson murder case pleaded guilty to an amended charge earlier this week.

Keonna N. Carter, 25, of Taylorsville, Utah, is scheduled to be sentenced Nov. 18 for first-degree assault for knowingly or intentionally causing serious bodily injury to the 22-year-old Swanson in November 2019.

Carter pleaded guilty Tuesday in Chase County District Court to that charge as well as felony kidnapping for the abduction of Eve Ambrosek.

Both charges are Class II felonies, which carry a maximum term of 50 years in prison in Nebraska.

Carter was initially charged with first-degree murder but was a key prosecution witness in the Kevin S. German trial.

German, 26, a Colorado Springs, Colorado, resident and 2014 Chase County High School graduate, was convicted in early August of second-degree murder and kidnapping in Swansons death.

German was also found guilty of first-degree false imprisonment for abducting Ambrosek and holding her captive for three days.

He was initially charged with first-degree murder and two counts of kidnapping. He is scheduled to be sentenced Nov. 18 as well.

Swansons body was found Nov. 24, 2019, at the bottom of an 8-foot irrigation drainage pipe beside an earthen dam near Imperial, a day after Carter and German were arrested in Fort Collins, Colorado.

Carter cooperated with law enforcement authorities from the early days of the investigation. Carter described the location of the pipe to law enforcement and then was transported from Colorado to Imperial the next day, where she confirmed the spot.

Carter also testified during Germans trial that he ordered Swanson to climb down into the pipe where she was left. Carter also testified that German had forcibly removed Swanson from Russ Manns trailer, located between Imperial and Enders, and into the back seat of Carters car.

She said German stopped the vehicle on the side of a county road shortly after they left Manns residence and assaulted Swanson. Carter also admitted that she kicked Swanson and stepped on her neck.

In addition, Carter testified that she and German both assaulted Ambrosek after they picked her up from a location in Imperial on Nov. 12.

Ambrosek testified that German and Carter abducted her at gunpoint outside the Imperial Manor nursing home. She said they drove her to a location in rural Chase County and assaulted her before taking her back to Manns trailer, where she said she was held against her will.
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ANTWERP, Belgium, September 29, 2022--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Regulatory News:

Azelis (Brussels:AZE), a leading innovation service provider in the specialty chemicals and food ingredients industry, announces that it has signed an agreement to acquire 100% of the shares of Eurotrading S.p.A ("Eurotrading"), one of the leading distributors of specialty chemicals to the personal care market in Italy.

The acquisition reinforces Azelis leading footprint in the thriving Italian market for personal care, as well as in the broader life sciences segment. Eurotradings extensive product portfolio in actives, emollients and emulsifiers further enhances the Groups lateral value chain and solidifies its market leadership in the local personal care industry.

Founded in 1996, Eurotrading has developed into one of the leading distributors of personal care raw materials (skin care, sun care, fragrances and hair care), with a strong product portfolio from the largest global and regional principals. The company provides innovative formulations to about 500 customers, leveraging an application laboratory near Padova, in the northeast of the country. Eurotradings strong team of more than 30 technical staff, including experienced senior management, will join Azelis, and will continue supporting the business during and after integration. The transaction is expected to close in the fourth quarter of this year, after fulfilment of customary closing conditions.

Marco Nicolato, CEO Eurotrading, comments:

"We are thrilled to join the Azelis team, as it clearly opens new, synergistic opportunities. Becoming part of a larger, international organization offers great development, both for our team and for our customers and principals. We will also benefit from Azelis' reputation in sustainability, with EcoVadis Platinum rating and 1st place in Sustainalytics ranking, which are very important to our principals and customers in the personal care industry. We look forward to combining our strengths and creating a stronger business together."

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Marco Gerosa, Managing Director Azelis Italy, adds:

"Joining forces with Eurotrading furthers our growth in the personal care market across Italy and EMEA. In partnerships with leading international principals, Eurotrading offers innovative solutions that perfectly complement Azelis product portfolio, and their strong technical sales team will bring great contributions to the business. We look forward to welcoming the Eurotrading team and delivering added value for our principals and customers."

About Azelis

Azelis is a leading global innovation service provider in the specialty chemical and food ingredients industry present in over 57 countries across the globe with over 3,000 employees. Our knowledgeable teams of industry, market and technical experts are each dedicated to a specific market within Life Sciences and Industrial Chemicals. We offer a lateral value chain of complementary products to more than 51,000 customers, supported by ~2,300 principal relationships, creating a turnover of 2.8 billion (2021). Azelis Group NV is listed on Euronext Brussels under ticker AZE.

Across our extensive network of more than 60 application laboratories, our award-winning staff help develop formulations and provide technical guidance throughout the customers product development process. We combine a global market reach with a local footprint to offer a reliable, integrated and unique digital service to local customers and attractive business opportunities to principals. EcoVadis Platinum rated, Azelis is a leader in sustainability. We believe in building and nurturing solid, honest and transparent relationships with our people and partners.

Impact through ideas. Innovation through formulation.

www.azelis.com

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220928005982/en/

Contacts

Azelis

Emmanuel Linares

EMEA Corporate Communications Manager

T: +33 1 89 54 89 39

E: emmanuel.linares@azelis.fr
Strong financial position and visibility Cash position of 11 million Financing of activities assured into Q4 2023

Starting new Phase II clinical trial evaluating temelimab in patients with "LongCOVID" The personalized medicine trial will evaluate temelimab as a Disease Modifying Therapy in long-COVID patients suffering from severe neurological and psychiatric symptoms and who are positive for the presence of the pathogenic W-ENV protein in their blood

New data on the link between HERV-K ENV and ALS Two studies on ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis) published in Annals of Neurology demonstrate the neurotoxic role of human endogenous retrovirus envelope protein (HERV-K/HML-2 ENV) and the rationale for targeted therapy with GeNeuros new specific antibody



GENEVA, Switzerland, September 29, 2022--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Regulatory News:

GeNeuro (Euronext Paris: CH0308403085  GNRO), a biopharmaceutical company focused on stopping causal factors driving the progression of neurodegenerative and autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis (MS), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and Post-Acute Sequelae of COVID-19 (PASC, long-COVID or post-COVID), today reported its half-year financial results for the period ending June 30, 2022 and provided a corporate update.

Key Financials

On September 29, 2022, the Board of Directors of GeNeuro reviewed and approved the financial statements for the six-month period ended June 30, 2022. The auditors have conducted a review of the condensed consolidated interim financial statements. The half-year financial report is available in the Investors section on www.geneuro.com.

"In March 2022, we presented the successful ProTEct-MS Phase II top-line results, which has met our key objective of showing that temelimab could bring additional benefits on key markers of neurodegeneration in a population of MS patients already treated with a highly effective anti-inflammatory drug. GeNeuro has resumed discussions with regulatory authorities and with potential partners to define the best development path combining temelimab and anti-inflammatory treatments to treat relapses and disability progression, the key unmet medical need in MS," said Jesus Martin-Garcia, CEO of GeNeuro. "The successful completion of the May 2022 capital increase provides GeNeuro with the means to complete its post-COVID program with temelimab. This trial, which has now started, will be the first personalized therapeutic approach in this indication, as the study will only enroll patients who are positive to the pathogenic W-ENV protein."

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"Thanks to the capital increase of May 2022 and a cash balance of 11 million at the end of the semester, our financial visibility extends into Q4 2023 taking into account all costs related to the Long-COVID trial," said Miguel Payro, Chief Financial Officer at GeNeuro. "The financial results for the first half of 2022, which are largely in line with our expectations, reflect the increase in activity in connection with our long-COVID trial. Indeed, during the first half of 2022 our gross R&D expenses increased by 75% compared to the same period of 2021, primarily due to the launch of a new production of temelimab, our lead drug candidate, in order to meet the needs of the new GNC-501 Phase 2 clinical trial treating long-COVID patients with severe neurological and psychiatric symptoms with temelimab. At the same time, the amount of subsidies and grants more than doubled over the period, to 1.2 million. As for our general and administrative expenses, thanks to our continuing cost containment efforts, these have increased by only 4%, largely thanks to a decrease of 12% in our administrative payroll expense. Overall, due to the increase in our clinical activities, the operating loss has increased from 3.5m to 4.9m in 1H 2022. This loss is in line with our expectations."

Cash burn from operating and investing activities in 1H 2022 was 2.5m, compared to 3.7m in 1H 2021. This is largely due to the payment during 1Q 2022 of the first instalment from the Swiss Federal Office for Public Health (FOPH) subsidy for the long-COVID trial. Taking into account the expected increase in R&D expenses related to the start of this trial, the cash burn for the full year is now estimated to be approximately 12.5m on a gross basis, and 6m when taking into account the FOPH subsidy instalments and the 2021 French Research Tax Credit, compared to 6.8m net for 2021.

Condensed Consolidated Income Statement (in thousands of EUR) subject to a limited review June 30, 2022 6 months June 30, 2021 6 months Income - - Research & Development expenses (3,402 ) (2,080 ) R&D expenses (4,651 ) (2,664 ) Subsidies 1,249 584 General & administrative expenses (1,487 ) (1,426 ) Operating loss (4,889 ) (3,506 ) Net loss for the period (5,675 ) (3,403 ) Basic loss per share (EUR) (0.25 ) (0.17 ) Diluted loss per share (EUR) (0.25 ) (0.17 ) Cash outflow from operations (2,519 ) (3,703 ) Cash at period end 10,999 2,961

As in the prior year and as expected, no Income was recognized during 1H 2022.

Research & Development expenses increased by 75% on a gross (before subsidies) basis, compared to the first half of 2021, due to expenses related to the preparation of the long-COVID trial and the completion of the ProTEct-MS study of temelimab in MS at the Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm. Costs for studies and research more than doubled from 1,555K to 3,236K (+108%), whereas other research and development costs showed either decreases or much slower increases; in particular, personnel costs increased from 783K to 1,023K due to the build-up in clinical staff for the long-COVID trial. Reflecting the increase in R&D activities, subsidies also increased from 584K to 1,249K, with net R&D costs increasing by 64%.

General and administrative expenses increased by 4% in 1H 2022, following a 17% decrease in 1H 2021. Among the key expense categories to increase were travel expenses (+89K), as COVID-related restrictions were lifted; and professional fees (+64K). The Company continued to control its administrative staff costs, which decreased by 97K (-12%) due to lower variable compensation. Share-based payments recorded an expense of 75K compared to 54K in 1H 2021.

Financial expenses increased from 103K in 1H 2021 to 787K in 1H 2022, which includes 589K of share-based expense related to the May 2022 capital increase having been realized through a private placement at a 7% discount to the market price.

As a result, the Company recorded a net loss of 5,675K in 1H 2022, compared to a net loss of 3.4m in 1H 2021, in line with management's expectations.

Cash and cash equivalents amounted to 11m at 30 June 2022, compared to 5.5m at 31 December 2021. This reflects the 3m first instalment payment from the Swiss FOPH subsidy contract for the Long-COVID trial as well as the 7.7m capital increase completed in May 2022 through a private placement reserved for institutional investors. In addition, the Company entered into an unsecured 3-year 1m bank loan with a major French bank. Cash burn in 1H 2022 was 2.5m, compared to 3.7m in 1H 2021; taking into account all the costs of the long-COVID clinical trial, cash burn for the full year is now estimated to be approximately 12.5m on a gross basis, and 6m when taking into account the FOPH subsidy instalments and the 2021 French Research Tax Credit (received in September 2022), compared to 6.8m net for 2021.

Business and Financial Outlook

Multiple Sclerosis (MS): on March 21, 2022, GeNeuro presented the top-line results from its ProTEct-MS temelimab Phase 2 MS trial performed at the Karolinska Institutets Academic Specialist Center in Stockholm.

The primary endpoint of the ProTEct-MS study was met, with results confirming the excellent safety profile and tolerability of higher doses of temelimab administered concomitantly with a high-efficacy anti-inflammatory drug.

Efficacy data, obtained in this patient group already effectively treated against inflammation, showed that temelimab has a favorable impact on key MRI parameters measuring neurodegeneration; the observed effect sizes in this new patient population were consistent with the ones shown in the previous CHANGE-MS and ANGEL-MS studies.

By targeting fundamental underlying mechanisms of neurodegeneration in MS, i.e. neutralizing microglial-mediated damage, as well as restoring OPC1 remyelination capacity, temelimab may address progression independent of relapses, the critical unmet need in MS.

Long-COVID: the expression of the pathogenic W-ENV protein triggered by the SARS-CoV-2 infection, continuing long after the acute COVID-19 phase has been resolved, is suspected to have a major role in the persistence of inflammation in many long-COVID patients, and may explain many of the nervous system disorders that patients experience, such as cognitive losses and fatigue. GeNeuro has started a 6-month multicentre personalized medicine trial, co-financed by the Swiss FOPH, to evaluate temelimab as a Disease Modifying Therapy in long-COVID patients suffering from severe neurological and psychiatric symptoms. The study will recruit 200 patients who are positive for the presence of the pathogenic W-ENV protein in their blood.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: as previously reported, two joint publications in the leading scientific journal "Annals of Neurology" presented the results of the collaboration between GeNeuro and the US National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), which is part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) of the United States. The two publications describe the novel pathogenic mechanism of HERV-K in sporadic ALS and confirm the rationale for the therapeutic relevance of GeNeuro's antibody to neutralize this neurotoxic protein. GeNeuro's preclinical development program has confirmed the ability to detect HERV-K ENV in sporadic ALS patients and has enabled its anti-HERV-K ENV antibody to be humanized and ready to enter GMP production. The published findings now open the way for precision medicine with a biomarker-based clinical approach, administering GeNeuros neutralizing antibody only to sporadic ALS patients who are positive to the HERV-K ENV protein. As previously mentioned, GeNeuro continues to actively discuss paths with potential partners for the clinical development of GNK301.

Financial visibility until end 2023: thanks to the capital increase completed in May 2022, the Companys cash provides financial visibility into Q4 2023, including the completion of the long-COVID clinical trial.

Other highlights and post-closing events

On August 30, 2022, the Company announced the joint publications in the leading scientific journal "Annals of Neurology" of the results of the collaboration between GeNeuro and the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS).

Next events

Investor Access Event: October 6-7, 2022  Paris

ECTRIMS: oral presentation of ProTEct-MS results, October 27, 2022 - Amsterdam

About GeNeuro

GeNeuros mission is to develop safe and effective treatments against neurological disorders and autoimmune diseases, such as multiple sclerosis, by neutralizing causal factors encoded by HERVs, which represent 8% of human DNA.

GeNeuro is based in Geneva, Switzerland and has R&D facilities in Lyon, France. It has rights to 17 patent families protecting its technology.

For more information, visit: www.geneuro.com.

Disclaimer

This press release contains certain forward - looking statements and estimates concerning GeNeuros financial condition, operating results, strategy, projects and future performance and the markets in which it operates. Such forward-looking statements and estimates may be identified by words such as "anticipate," "believe," "can," "could," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "is designed to," "may," "might," "plan," "potential," "predict," "objective," "should," or the negative of these and similar expressions. They incorporate all topics that are not historical facts. Forward looking statements, forecasts and estimates are based on managements current assumptions and assessment of risks, uncertainties and other factors, known and unknown, which were deemed to be reasonable at the time they were made but which may turn out to be incorrect. Events and outcomes are difficult to predict and depend on factors beyond the Companys control. Consequently, the actual results, financial condition, performances and/or achievements of GeNeuro or of the industry may turn out to differ materially from the future results, performances or achievements expressed or implied by these statements, forecasts and estimates. Owing to these uncertainties, no representation is made as to the correctness or fairness of these forward-looking statements, forecasts and estimates. Furthermore, forward-looking statements, forecasts and estimates speak only as of the date on which they are made, and GeNeuro undertakes no obligation to update or revise any of them, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

_________________________

1 Oligodendrocyte precursor cell

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220929005857/en/

Contacts

GeNeuro

Jesus Martin-Garcia

Chairman and CEO

+41 22 552 4800

investors@geneuro.com



NewCap (France)

Louis-Victor Delouvrier / Mathilde Bohin (investors)

+33 1 44 71 98 52

Arthur Rouille (media)

+33 1 44 71 94 98

geneuro@newcap.eu
On Saturday, local breast cancer survivor Belinda Jackson is helping to host a Relay for Life cancer walk at the Loachapoka Community Park. Jackson, 59, has been organizing the Loachapoka Life Changers walk since 2017.

Some people celebrate Relay for Life once a year, and thats in April here in Lee County, Jackson said. I celebrate Relay for Life 365 days a year because now I fight for others.

With October being Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the timing is particularly important to Jackson, who hopes to kick off the month in a big way with the walk.

Im super excited for that month because Im a 15-year breast cancer survivor, she said. I have many hopes and dreams that someday there will be a cure for cancer.

Jackson has been participating in walks with the American Cancer Society since 1996 when a co-worker was diagnosed with cancer. The event was held behind Duck Samford Park that year. While the locations have changed several times since, Jackson has continued to walk every year.

In that time, Jackson has lost many loved ones to cancer. Both her father and uncle died from prostate cancer; her sister died from liver cancer; her step-mother died from ovarian cancer. A close friend of Jacksons died from breast cancer.

I try not to cry because its so important to me, Jackson said. It is so important to me that we fight this thing head on. You know the Lord said when one and two get together, hes in the mix, and I take that very seriously.

Jackson herself was diagnosed with breast cancer in June 2006. She had surgery to remove a mass in July of that year. She received her all clear a year later and continued walking with Relay for Life.

Ive been associated with this cure for a while now. I got started in 1996 and this is 2022, Jackson said.

Though Jackson was raised in Auburn, she has lived in Loachapoka since 2007. In 2017, she decided it was time to start a Relay for Life event in Loachapoka as well. Up to that point, there had been no such walk in the town, so Jackson began Loachapoka Life Changers.

I never noticed even with the Relay for Life, any kind of action when it comes to cancer awareness, even in the month of October, Jackson said. So honestly, God laid it on my heart and I went to the town hall meeting and I asked them if it would be okay if I started a team down here. That was back in 2017.

The Loachapoka city council gave Jackson approval and she began holding the Relay for Life at Loachapoka High. However, Jackson says an acquaintance had suggested she hold it at Loachapoka Community Park this year instead.

I thought, wow, thats a great opportunity. Theres parking and more room, Jackson said. My vision is to get as many people as possible involved and aware of the American Cancer Society and what they do with the funds that are donated towards research, trips to treatments, and free mammogram for the ladies in Lee County. Im very adamant about it.

Come join us as we continue the walk for the cure to cancer and to celebrate more birthdays, Jackson said.

Anyone who would like to walk with Loachapoka Life Changers in the Relay for Life can register at the Lochapoka Community Park on Saturday at 6:30 a.m. Jackson is requesting $25 donations but will take whatever people can give. People can sign up as teams or as individuals. Jackson is also selling luminary bags that will line the trail for $5.

The walk begins at 7 a.m.

The luminary bags are for honoring the survivors and the memories of the ones that lost the battle to cancer, Jackson said.

Anyone who would like to make a donation but cant attend the walk can do so by visiting the American Cancer Association website or calling 1-800-227-2345. Supporters can specify the Lee County Relay for Life Loachapoka Life Changers relay team. All monetary donations are tax free.
The City of Auburn has unveiled preliminary plans for the Martin Luther King Drive Streetscape Project, part of a 2-mile beautification development along Highway 14 from North Donahue Drive to Webster Road.

Jonathan Bullard, a senior project manager at Foresite Group, the engineering firm behind the project, was on hand Tuesday at the Boykin Center Auditorium to talk about the development.

This projects been going on for probably a couple of years now where weve been working on improving the streetscape of MLK from North Donahue down to Shug Jordan, Bullard said. Its just beautifying that streetscape and improving it and making it safer for pedestrians.

The MLK Streetscape project will add several features to the 1-mile stretch of Highway 14 entering Auburn from the west. These will include a 10-foot-wide sidewalk, decorative pedestrian lighting, landscaping, medians, storm and sanitary extensions and a new water main.

Its just providing a kind of a standard look and format along that streetscape and just improving that stretch of road, Bullard said.

Construction between North Donahue Drive and the Shug Jordan Parkway overpass is expected to begin in 2023. According to city documents, the project is expected to take 12-18 months to complete.

The plan is to have these plans wrapped up here in probably the next month, Bullard said of the preliminary designs. The plans will then go to the City of Auburn for the bidding process.

Auburn has had plans for this stretch of Highway 14 for several years. The design phase began in 2019, and then the COVID-19 pandemic pushed it back to fiscal year 2025-2026 before being moved up to 2023.

The streetscape project will connect to the Martin Luther King Drive Multi-Use Path Project. The Alabama Department of Transportation is currently extending the multi-use path between Webster Road and the Shug Jordan Parkway overpass.

According to David Dorton, director of public affairs with the city, the multi-use project is expected to be finished by the end of October, weather permitting.

The two projects combined will provide the public with a 2-mile walking path connecting MLK Drive to downtown Auburn.
More New Releases

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The big studios are beginning to ramp up new releases once again, so this weekend, we have two films opening in wide release. Paramount is opening its horror flickagainst Universals gay rom-com, and it looks like Paramount will be winning the weekend, just as they have won most of 2022. Curiously, Disney didn't bringto theaters, but it is premiering on Disney+.The films listed are from studios other than the Big Five - Universal Pictures, Paramount Pictures, Warner Bros., Walt Disney Pictures, and Columbia Pictures.. Note that some of the movies listed are in their first week or two of limited release in the USA, so it may take them a few more weeks (or months) to show up in your local arthouse theater or on VOD. Check out the posts from the past few weeks for more movies that may have just opened near you: September 23rd September 16th , and September 9th : Emily Watson, Paul Mescal, Aisling Franciosi, Declan Conlon: Fodhla Cronin O'Reilly, Shane Crowley: Saela Davis, Anna Rose Holmer: Drama: In a windswept fishing village, a mother is torn between protecting her beloved son and her own sense of right and wrong. A lie she tells for him rips apart their family and close-knit community in this tense, sweepingly emotional epic.: Shot in Ireland.: In theaters, and available VOD: Jeon Jong-seo, Kate Hudson, Ed Skrein, Craig Robinson: Ana Lily Amirpour: Fantasy, Mystery, Thriller: A girl with unusual powers escapes from a mental asylum and tries to make it on her own in New Orleans.: Zac Efron was originally cast in Ed Skreins role.: In theaters, and available VOD: Rachel Brosnahan, Willem Dafoe, Christoph Waltz, Hamish Linklater: Matt Harris, Walter Hill: Walter Hill: Thriller, Western: The film follows a famed bounty hunter who runs into his sworn enemy, a professional gambler and outlaw that he had sent to prison years before.: Shot in Santa Fe, New Mexico.: In theaters: Elsie Fisher, Amiah Miller, Rachel Ogechi Kanu, Cathay Ang: Jenna Lamia: Damon Thomas: Comedy, Horror, Thriller: Teen best friends Abby and Gretchen grapple with an otherworldly demon that takes up residence in Gretchen's body.: Based on the books by Grady Hendrix: Amazon: Raffiella Chapman, Rosy McEwen, Eddie Marsan, Richard Brake: Kristina Buozyte, Brian Clark, Bruno Samper: Kristina Buozyte, Bruno Samper: Adventure, Drama, Sci-Fi: After the collapse of Earth's ecosystem, Vesper, a 13-year-old girl struggling to survive with her Father, must use her wits, strength, and bio-hacking abilities to fight for the future.: Nominated for awards at several film festivals.: In theaters, and available VOD: Zac Efron, Russell Crowe, Bill Murray, Kyle Allen: Brian Hayes Currie, Peter Farrelly, Pete Jones: Peter Farrelly: Adventure, Comedy, Drama: A man's story of leaving New York in 1967 to bring beer to his childhood buddies in the Army while they are fighting in Vietnam.: Based on the book of the same name.: In theaters, and available on Apple TV+: Sigourney Weaver, Kevin Kline, Morena Baccarin, Rob Delaney: Thomas Bezucha, Maya Forbes, Wallace Wolordarsky: Maya Forbes, Wallace Wolordarsky: Comedy, Drama: Life for New England realtor Hildy Good begins to unravel when she hooks up with an old flame of hers from New York.: Based on the book by Ann Leary.: In theaters: Essie Davis, Thomasin McKenzie, Lively Nili, Bridie Sisson: Sophie Henderson, Gregory King, Gaysorn Thavat: Gaysorn Thavat: Drama: Bunny King is a mother of two, a rough cut diamond with a sketchy past. While battling the system to reunite with her children, a confrontation leads her to take her niece Tonyah under her wing. With the world against her and Tonyah, Bunnys battle has just begun.: Filmed in New Zealand.: In theaters: Rita Bagdhadi: Documentary: Lilas and Shery, co-founders and guitarists of the Middle East's first all-female metal band, wrestle with friendship, sexuality and destruction in their pursuit of becoming thrash metal rock stars.: Official selection of the 2022 Sundance Film Festival.: In theaters: Rachael Leigh Cook, Christopher Lloyd, Marla Gibbs, Brad Carter: Billie Bates: David Poag: Adventure, Family, Fantasy: When a Halloween store opens in a deserted strip-mall, three friends, thinking they've outgrown trick or treating, decide to spend the night locked inside. But their night of spook-filled fun soon turns to outlandish survival.: Based on the retail store.: In theaters Trailer ) from Universal Trailer ) from Paramount Trailer ) on Disney Trailer ) on Netflix Trailer ) on Hulu Trailer ) on AmazonSource 1
The U.S. Department of Energy has released a roadmap that outlines the necessary steps to meet 100 percent of domestic aviation fuel demand with sustainable fuel by 2050.

To achieve the necessary growth in renewable jet fuel, costs will have to fall, governments will have to offer incentives for switching to it, and greater diversification of feedstocks is required.

Renewable jet fuel currently accounts for only 0.1 percent of aviation fuel, a percentage that needs to increase to 5 percent by 2030 according to the IEAs estimates.

Several world powers are launching renewable jet fuel initiatives in the race to be the first to provide a greener way to fly. With strict decarbonization policies being introduced by governments around the globe, several airlines are looking to decarbonize, as well as become more competitive in response to mounting public pressure to be more environmentally friendly. But when will airlines be able to deliver on renewable jet fuel promises?

Renewable jet fuel, also known as aviation biofuels and biojet kerosene, currently accounts for 0.1 percent of aviation fuel. Most biofuels are made from conventional feedstocks such as sugar cane, corn, and soybeans. HEFA biojet kerosene is also made from vegetable oils and waste oils.

To support net-zero aims, this percentage needs to increase to 5 percent by 2030, according to estimates by the International Energy Agency (IEA). To achieve this, the cost of biojet fuel will need to be reduced to compete with lower-cost fossil jet fuel, governments must also introduce policies supporting the switch and offer incentives to aviation companies, and there must be a greater diversification of feedstocks, according to the IEA. Switching dependence from conventional feedstocks to advanced feedstocks produced from wastes, residues, and dedicated crops would help shift reliance on food supplies and create greater diversification in biofuel production.

This month, the U.S. Department of Energy (DoE) released a roadmap on how to achieve carbon-neutral aviation emissions. The Sustainable Aviation Fuel Grand Challenge Roadmap outlines steps to meet 100 percent of the domestic aviation fuel demand with sustainable fuel by 2050. The roadmap offers a government-wide strategy for the development of technologies supporting the production of sustainable aviation fuels (SAFs).

The U.S. Departments of Energy, Agriculture, Transportation, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Federal Aviation Administration will be working in partnership to enhance technological innovation in the sector and help the U.S. to establish itself as a SAF global market leader, supporting the countrys net-zero aims.

U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm explains, From field to flight, this data-driven technology strategy will help guide Americas scientists and industry to chart our course to clean skies. She added, Not only is Sustainable Aviation Fuel critical to decarbonising the airline industry and reaching our climate goals, but this plan will help American companies corner the market on a valuable emerging industry.

At present, the U.S. commercial aviation industry contributes around 2 percent of the countrys CO2 emissions, which demonstrates the impact that a switch to SAFs would have on emissions. The DoE emphasizes that SAFs can be produced using biomass, and the U.S. has the potential to make 50-60 billion gallons of low-carbon fuels a year from renewable and waste resources.

Europe has taken similar steps by launching its ReFuelEU Aviation initiative as part of its fit for 55 package in 2021. The policy puts forward several proposals to develop the SAF market including obligating fuel suppliers to distribute SAF when supplying fuel at EU airports to enhance SAF uptake by airlines and reduce aviation-related emissions. The initiative also ensures that all flights leaving from larger E.U. airports are carrying a minimum amount of SAF.

The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), the E.U.s aviation regulatory organization, is supporting the SAF development and expects the adoption of jet biofuels will help Europe to become the first climate-neutral continent by 2050. The European Commission has tasked the EASA to play an active role in the ReFuelEU Aviation legislative proposal to increase both the supply and demand for SAF in the region.

However, the E.U. initiative has attracted criticism this month for potentially leading to a rise in greenhouse gas emissions. A recent report from the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT), a green mobility NGO, suggests that lawmakers should only permit the use of feedstocks included in Annex IX of the EUs Renewable Energy Directive. The concern is that the expansion of feedstocks used for jet biofuel production could lead to higher emissions as well as drive up food prices. Related: Russia Is Flaring Less And Keeping Natural Gas In The Ground

Chelsea Baldino, one of the reports authors, stated Parliaments efforts to exclude some problematic feedstocks, namely intermediate crops, palm and soy-derived products, and soapstock and its derivatives, would be a step towards improving the climate impact of Europes jet fuel.

Meanwhile, private aviation companies are working on developing their own renewable fuels. American Airlines (AA) completed a deal this summer with the biofuel company Gevo to buy 500 million gallons of sustainable airline fuel (SAF) over five years. AA hopes to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 and reported using over 1 million gallons of sustainable aviation fuel last year.

The CEO of Airbus, Guillaume Faury, also addressed the switch stating: Probably in the long run  in many decades  we will find a very optimised way of sustainable energy but in the transition, the fast way is to use the SAF, and they are available now.

While governments and regional bodies around the world are putting policies into place to support the development of sustainable aviation fuels, airlines are also battling it out to increase their use of SAFs and cut emissions. Greater regulatory support will likely help airlines around the globe develop SAF production and encourage airlines to switch to SAFs.

By Felicity Bradstock for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
BP has restarted production at its offshore Na Kika and Thunder Horse oil platforms in the Gulf of Mexico after redeploying previously evacuated staff, BP PLC said on Thursday.

BP halted production on the two platforms on Monday ahead of Hurricane Ian that made landfall in Florida on Wednesday.

Chevron had also evacuated personnel and shut its production at its Petronius and Blind Faith platforms in the Gulf ahead of the storm.

As of Thursday, 11 total Gulf of Mexico platforms had been evacuated, representing 2.11% of the total GOM capacity, according to the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement. Five rigs had been evacuated, representing 35% of the total in the GoM, and 3 DP rigs had been repositioned. A total of 157,706 bpd of oil production had been shut in as of Thursday, along with 128 MMCFD of gas.

A total of 9.12% of the GoMs oil production had been shut in since Thursday, along with 5.95% of the total gas production.

Hurricane Ian has so far claimed an unknown number of lives after heavy rains, strong winds, and widespread flooding devastated Florida. Nearly 2.6 million Florida residents are now without power, and natural gas futures sank about 3% on Thursday on the prospect of decreased demand.

Florida Power & Light reported on Thursday that parts of its system would need to be rebuilt, not restored, cautioning its customers that they should be prepared for widespread, extended outages as they assess the damage. FPL said that work was already underway to restore power to some clients where it was safe to do so.

Hurricane Ian has since weakened to a Category 1 storm, although some parts of Florida are still being hit.

By Julianne Geiger for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
Pressure on President Biden will be mounting to implement something similar, although he has resisted so far and there is plenty of resistance to such a move in the U.S.

The UK has already introduced a windfall tax on oil and gas companies, although Lizz Truss has since said that she is against it and has ruled out using further windfall taxes.

The EU plans to launch a deep and comprehensive reform of its electricity market, a reform that will likely be funded by a windfall tax on oil and gas companies.

As the European Union introduces an extensive windfall tax, the region is putting pressure on other parts of the world to do the same. The U.K. may have already taxed oil and gas companies to subsidize rising consumer energy bills, but the E.U. is going one step further by planning a total overhaul of the energy market. Yet, other world powers, such as the U.S., have avoided taxing energy companies, instead turning to the oil and gas industry to increase production as it faces major shortages and price hikes. It remains to be seen if the Biden Administration will be influenced by European policies.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced in a statement on September 14th that the E.U. had plans to launch a deep and comprehensive reform of the electricity market. She explained that the current market was organized around merit order and was not fit for purpose. Von der Leyen stated: Consumers should reap the benefits of low-cost renewables, adding, So we have to decouple the dominance of the price of gas on the price of electricity.

In her speech, von der Leyen made her position on the oil and gas industry clear, suggesting that their profits had been far too high during a period of energy scarcity, high oil and gas prices, and rising consumer costs. She highlighted the outdated market measures. For example, the benchmark in the gas market still centers around pipeline gas, rather than the more prevalent liquefied natural gas. These archaic mechanisms, she suggested, must be addressed to reflect the realities of the market.

The world has faced increasing energy volatility in recent months, following the Russian invasion of Ukraine and subsequent sanctions imposed on Russian oil and gas. This has led energy prices to soar as governments scramble to find other energy sources to establish new trade partnerships. Yet, the one industry that continues to profit from energy scarcity and rising consumer costs is the oil and gas industry.

Earlier this year, the U.K. government announced it would be introducing a windfall tax on oil and gas companies operating in the U.K. to alleviate the pressure on consumers. The Labour party proposed such a tax early on, suggesting the government could raise $1.3 billion to provide consumers with subsidies on their home energy bills. The Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak agreed to introduce an energy profits levy (EPL) in May, to tax oil and gas companies on their earnings  which have significantly increased in recent months. The EPL could be in place until the end of 2025 and aims to raise $5.43 billion as part of a broader $16.3 billion consumer support package.

At the time, the British windfall tax seemed ground-breaking in a world that had continually supported the super-rich oil and gas industry. But now, the E.U. plans to supersede the U.K.s EPL by curbing the power and wealth of oil and gas majors even further. E.U. ministers met this month to discuss a five-point plan that will curb Russian gas prices, introduce a windfall tax on fossil fuel companies, limit renewable and nuclear energy revenues, reduce peak hour energy use by 5 percent, and provide emergency credit lines for power companies. The plan was quickly met with hostility by Russian President Putin, who threatened to shut off the countrys remaining energy supplies to Europe.

Von der Leyen emphasized that it is wrong to receive extraordinary record revenues and profits benefiting from war and on the back of our consumers, adding, in these times, profits must be shared and channelled to those who need it most. The aim now is to raise $139.8 billion in taxes from fossil fuel companies to split across member states in support of rising consumer energy bills.

Despite acting as a leader in the introduction of windfall taxes, it seems unlikely that the U.K. will extend its legislation on oil and gas companies further. The U.K.s new Prime Minister, Liz Truss, stated that she opposes an extension of the windfall tax, saying I am against a windfall tax, and I believe it is the wrong thing to be putting companies off investing in the United Kingdom just when we need to be growing the economy.

But some world powers have avoided punishing the oil and gas industry for profiting off of high energy costs completely. U.S. President Biden has repeatedly called on American oil and gas companies to boost production to help improve the regions energy security and reduce costs. Yet, he has not pushed for a windfall tax on oil and gas companies and there is plenty of resistance in the U.S. to such a move. With the E.U. taking such a dramatic step to redistribute wealth to consumers, in the face of dramatically higher energy bills, however, pressure on Biden and other world leaders to do something similar will increase.

By Felicity Bradstock for Oilprice.com

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The German government is set to inject 200 billion into a stabilization fund that helps consumers and businesses cope with the energy crisis.

The German government has announced that it will ditch earlier plans for a gas levy on consumers and instead will introduce a gas price cap to curb soaring energy bills, with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz setting out a 200 billion ($194 billion) defensive shield to protect companies and consumers against the impact of soaring energy prices.

"The German government will do everything in its power to bring [energy] prices down. We are now putting up a large defensive umbrella ... which we will endow with 200 billion," Scholz said at a press conference in Berlin, which he attended virtually due to a Covid-19 quarantine.

The announcement was the culmination of days of negotiations between the Economy Minister Robert Habeck from the Greens and Finance Minister Christian Lindner from the liberal Free Democrats.

This decision is a crystal clear answer to [Russian President Vladimir Putin]. We are economically strong, and we mobilize this economic strength when necessary, Lindner has declared at the press conference.

Europes biggest economy is currently grappling with surging gas and electricity costs occasioned by a collapse in Russian gas supplies to Europe, with Moscow blaming the crisis on Western sanctions following its invasion of Ukraine in February.

Under the new plan, Berlin will introduce an emergency price brake on gas and electricity prices and also scrap a previously planned gas levy on consumers to avoid any further price increases. The gas levy, which was slated to come into effect from Saturday and remain in place until April 2024, was intended to help utilities cover the cost of replacing Russian supply. The government has also suspended its limit on new debt of 0.35% of gross domestic product this year.

German gas importer Uniper has said that the country does not rule out undertaking gas rationing at some point following Russia's decision to indefinitely halt gas flows via the Nord Stream 1 pipeline.

Uniper, Germany's biggest importer of Russian gas, says its also considering legal action against Gazprom to compensate its shareholders for a 90% drop in the companys market value following a sharp drop in Russian gas supply since June.



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Four leaks, two in each of the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines, were discovered after gas started leaking earlier this week from the infrastructure just outside Swedish and Danish territorial waters in the Baltic Sea, Swedish newspaper Svenska Dagbladet reports, quoting Swedens Coast Guard.

Until now, three leaks from the two pipelines had been reportedtwo on Nord Stream 1 pipes, and one on Nord Stream 2. According to the Swedish Coast Guard, the fourth leak is on Nord Stream 2, close to a rupture found on the twin Nord Stream 1 pipeline.

Two of the four leaks are close to each other in the Swedish exclusive economic zone near Simrishamn, the Coast Guard says as quoted by Svenska Dagbladet.

Nord Stream 2 was never put into operation after Germany axed the certification process following the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Russia, for its part, shut down Nord Stream 1 indefinitely early this month, claiming an inability to repair gas turbines because of the Western sanctions.

Until yesterday, Russian analysts claimed that one of the four lines of the Russian Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines could still be able to ship gas to Europe if Nord Stream 2 received all necessary certifications.

Now it looks like all four lines of Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 were damaged in mysterious circumstances. The EU as a whole believes the gas leaks from the pipelines in the Baltic Sea were the result of a deliberate act of sabotage and not an accident or a mere technical failure.

The European Union said in a statement on Wednesday, All available information indicates those leaks are the result of a deliberate act.

Denmarks Foreign Minister Jeppe Kofod said earlier this week, commenting on the gas leaks and explosions in the Baltic Sea, Were coordinating the situation closely with US and other allies, including on next steps. We will get to the bottom of these incidents and act on them together.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

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Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan addressed parliament in the wake of clashes at the Armenian-Azerbaijani border. Pashinyan announced that he would sign a document stipulating that Armenia will have lasting peace and security in an area of 29,800 square kilometers, in reference to the size of the internationally recognized territories of the Republic of Armenia (Arka.am, September 14). I clearly state that I will sign a document that will ensure [this], the Armenian premier confidently stated. According to him, Many people will criticize us, scold us, call us traitors, they may even decide to remove us from power.  I am not interested in what will happen to me, I am interested in what will happen to Armenia. I am ready to make tough decisions for the sake of peace. Immediately after this speech, thousands of Armenians rushed to parliament and demanded the prime ministers resignation. Members of the opposition groups, led by former Armenian presidents Robert Kocharyan and Serzh Sargsyan, seized the opportunity to drum up popular discontent against Pashinyans government. These groups oppose any document that would stipulate recognizing Azerbaijans territorial integrity and, as such, ceding Karabakh to Azerbaijan (see EDM, May 11). The police hardly managed to prevent the crowd from breaking into parliament, as was the case after the November 10, 2020, ceasefire deal in the wake of the Second Karabakh War. The uprising was interpreted by many local observers as an unfortunate backlash against the peace treaty initiatives. [These protests raise] many concerns about the survival of the Armenian-Azerbaijani peace process as demonstrators are against [it], said Onnik Krikorian, an Armenian journalist based in Tbilisi (Twitter.com/onewmphoto, September 14).

Under this pressure, Pashinyan, seeking to calm down the angry crowd, shared a post on his Facebook profile, stating that what he said in parliament was taken out of context and that he was not going to sign any documents with Azerbaijan (News.am, September 14). It is unclear whether this backtrack means Yerevan has abandoned the negotiations for a peace treaty altogether. However, the fact that all major mediators (e.g., Russia, the European Union, and the United States) and international organizations (e.g., the United Nations) are urging both sides to delimitate and demarcate their borders and sign a peace treaty suggests that it will be difficult for Yerevan to resist the peace treaty initiatives for too long. Such calls for a peace treaty have mounted in recent days as regional actors respond to the clashes of September 13 and 14.

Amid this escalation, the Armenian government unsuccessfully sought to draw support from major powers and convince them to apply pressure on Azerbaijan. In particular, one outstanding failure on this path happened in Armenias calls for support from Russia and the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO). An emergency video summit of the leaders of the CSTO member states (Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Armenia) chaired by Pashinyan on September 13 stopped short of openly supporting Armenia and decided instead to send a fact-finding mission to Yerevan.

On September 14, Kazakhstani Minister of Foreign Affairs and Deputy Prime Minister Mukhtar Tileuberdi, rejecting Armenias allegations, said it is difficult to discuss border violations between the two South Caucasus states, as there is no delimitation (Report.az, September 14). On September 19, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexey Overchuk, speaking at the 9th Russian-Armenian Interregional Forum in Yerevan, reiterated this call. Overchuk articulated, The path to peace in the region is known. It is necessary to unblock economic and transport ties in the region, to delimit the border between Armenia and Azerbaijan and to conclude a peace treaty between the two countries, referring to the three major dimensions of the peace treaty negotiations (News.am, September 19).

Such a position from the CSTO members dissatisfied the Armenian leadership, who openly expressed their disappointment. [I] must also admit that we had a bit higher expectations from some countries, or a country, and it is no secret that in some cases those expectations were not quite met, Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan stated in a cabinet meeting without specifically naming the CSTO or Russia (Azatutyun.am, September 16). Armenia faced a similar reaction in its appeal to the UN Security Council. Members of the body urged the two South Caucasus countries to take steps toward border delimitation and demarcation, as well as signing a peace treaty (Dppa.un.org, September 15).

Related: Aluminum Prices Soar By Record 8.5% As LME Weighs Ban On Russian Metals

Other countries and political figures reactions differed quite dramatically from those of the UN and CSTO members. For example, Speaker of the US House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi, in her visit to Armenia on September 17 and 18, took a partisan position and accused Azerbaijan of unacceptable attacks against Armenia (News.am, September 18). US State Secretary Antony Blinken, for his part, did not take such a starkly one-sided approach. During a phone call with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, Blinken urged him to cease hostilities and stressed that the United States would push for an immediate halt to fighting and a peace settlement between Armenia and Azerbaijan (State.gov, September 13).

Secretary Blinken upgraded his mediating role between the sides and managed to bring the foreign ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan to the table in a trilateral framework in New York, where the two ministers had traveled to attend the UN General Assembly (State.gov, September 19). Although no major breakthrough was announced from the ministerial meeting, Blinken urged the sides to meet again before the end of September 2022. A similar plan had been proposed at the EU-mediated Brussels summit of Armenian and Azerbaijani leaders on August 31 (Report.az, September 1; Armenpress.com, September 20). According to the agreements reached in Brussels, the foreign ministers are supposed to meet and work on the draft texts for a peace treaty. As such, the coming months will demonstrate whether the two sides can overcome all hurdles toward a comprehensive peace treaty, which is widely considered a necessity for achieving lasting peace and stability in the region.

By The Jamestown Fou8ndation

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The Nuclear Industry Association (NIA) has welcomed EDFs intention to extend the lifespan of two of its domestic nuclear power projects.

Tom Greatrex, the chief executive of the NIA, said: Getting the most out of our existing nuclear stations is vital to ensuring Britain has a secure supply of power going forward. Extensions would provide a critical, immediate boost to UK energy security in the short term, cutting gas use and cutting bills.

He also urged the Government to sustain its plans to ramp up nuclear power generation to 24GW over the next three decades.

EDF revealed yesterday it was hoping to extend the lifespan of its Hartlepool and Heysham I nuclear power stations beyond their current projected end dates of March 2024, having previously extending their lifespan on two separate occasions.

Collectively, the power plants generate 2.2 GW  enough to power to meet the energy needs of 3.5m households.

The Government is determined to boost supply security over the coming years, committing to a vast expansion of renewable and nuclear energy following Russias invasion of Ukraine in February.

It is also looking to extend the shelf life of key power plants, even if only a backup sources of power, having secured the operation of all four of the UKs coal power plants this winter.

EDF operates each of the UKs eight nuclear power plants, five of which are still providing power to the grid, around 13 percent of the countrys electricity.

However, the entire fleet is set for closure by 2028 apart from Sizewell B, which will close in 2035  with EDF currently overseeing the construction of Hinkley Point C, and holds a stake in the proposed Sizewell C project.

EDF has pledged to invest 1bn in the UK fleet to sustain output and help maintain security of supply over the next three years.

By CityAM

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Despite recent signs of weaker diesel demand and economic headwinds, diesel and other crude product supply in Europe is set to tighten in the coming weeks amid higher than normal refinery maintenance and unplanned outages at refineries, such as the ongoing French strike that has taken 60% of Frances refining capacity offline.

The expected tightening of the diesel market in Europe will come just as the EU prepares to ban the import of Russian refined petroleum products by sea as of February 2023.

The benchmark diesel profit margins in Europe rose this week to the highest in two weeks, per Reuters estimates, while analysts and traders told Reuters that diesel prices are set to jump amid a tightening market.

In October, major refineries across Europe will undergo planned maintenance, bringing a total of 1.5 million barrels per day (bpd) capacity offline, according to estimates from Energy Aspects cited by Reuters. Thats higher than the current capacity under maintenance and above the five-year average before COVID. The higher capacity planned for maintenance this October could be partially explained by the COVID restrictions of the previous two years when only essential maintenance was carried out, Livia Gallarti of Energy Aspects told Reuters.

However, apart from planned maintenance, there have been unplanned outages, such as the current refinery outage in France due to a strike of refinery workers over disputes over pay. More than half of Frances refinery capacity is currently offline due to the strikes, and traders of diesel and other products in Europe are concerned that the uncertain timing of the return of that capacity would further tighten the market just ahead of the EU embargo on Russian oil products early next year.

Mark Williams, an analyst at Wood Mackenzie, doesnt expect diesel stocks to build from current levels.

We expect prices to really spike ... mid-January, probably February, but we may see a spike little bit earlier as the market starts to panic, Williams told Reuters.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

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You are here: Arts

The China Cultural Center in Cairo on Tuesday donated books and audio-visual products to the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, a major library in the city of Alexandria on Egypt's Mediterranean coast.



The donation includes 952 copies of books and audio-visual products in the fields of politics, culture, tourism, and art, among others.

"Books are important bridges for human civilizations to communicate with each other," said Zhang Tao, charge d'affaires of the Chinese embassy in Egypt.

Also on Tuesday, Chinese Consul General in Alexandria Yang Yi and Director of the Bibliotheca Alexandrina Ahmed Zayed, respectively on behalf of China's Zhejiang Library and Alexandria Library, signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to facilitate documents, academic and people-to-people exchanges.

While expressing gratitude to China for the donation, Zayed said the signing of the MoU would strengthen cooperation between Egypt and China in the cultural field.
Germany's gas consumption rose too much last week to levels higher than in previous years, and without considerable gas conservationincluding from householdsEurope's biggest economy will find it difficult to avoid gas shortages this winter, Germany's Federal Network Agency, Bundesnetzagentur, said on Thursday.

Starting from today, the agencythe regulator to impose rationing in case of severe shortageswill publish weekly figures about gas consumption in Germany. Last week's consumption from businesses and households at 483 GWh/week was well above the average seen throughout the 2018 to 2021 period when it was 422 GWh/week. Last week, German gas consumption rose by 14.5 percent compared to the average of the previous years, mostly because that week was colder than comparable weeks in the past four years.

However, the savings needed to avoid gas shortages should be achieved regardless of temperatures, the German regulator said today.

"Without significant savings, also in the private sector, it will be difficult to avoid a gas shortage in the winter," the agency's president Klaus Muller said.

The past week's gas consumption numbers are very sobering, he added.

Germany's gas storage sites are over 91% full, but the country will survive the winter without rationing and shortages only under three conditions, Muller said. First, bringing the projects for LNG imports online, second, gas supply in Germany's neighbors remaining stable, and third, Germany conserving gas even when it gets colder as winter approaches, he added.

If the coming winter is colder than usual, Germany could see severe nationwide gas shortages, which it will not be able to predict more than two weeks in advance, Muller said earlier this month.

"I can't give an exact forecast of where the risk of a shortage is the greatest," Muller told German business daily Handelsblatt in mid-September.

"If we get a very cold winter, we have a problem."

By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com

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The global liquefied natural gas market could be even tighter next year compared to already tight LNG markets in 2022, Fatih Birol, Executive Director of the International Energy Agency (IEA), said on Thursday.

Europe, looking to slash its dependence on Russian pipeline gas, has significantly boosted imports of LNG in recent months. In June, for the first time ever, the European Union imported more LNG from the United States than gas via pipeline from Russia, after Moscow slashed supply to Europe.

So far this year, Europe has seen a 60% spike in LNG imports, the IEAs Birol said at the LNG Producer-Consumer Conference in Japan, as carried by Reuters.

With no supply from Russia via the key link Nord Stream to Germany, now indefinitely  and possibly forever  closed, the EU is turning to North Africa and Norway for additional pipeline supply and to LNG, mostly from flexible-destination U.S. supply, to replace Russian gas.

Last year, Russian gas accounted for 40% of our gas imports. Today its down to 9% pipeline gas, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in the 2022 State of the Union speech earlier this month.

Europe will need a lot more LNG supply in the coming years, too, which puts it in competition with Asia and tightens the global market.

Reduced energy supply due to the sanctions against Russia and Moscow shutting down key pipeline gas export routes will leave Europe scrambling for oil and gas well after the coming winter as the current crisis is not a one winter story, according to analysts at consultant Energy Aspects.

This is not a one winter story, lets just make it very, very clear, Amrita Sen, founder and director of research at Energy Aspects, told Bloomberg television in an interview last week.

Without Russian pipeline gas, Europes demand for LNG is projected to jump by 150% from 2021-2040 as overall natural gas demand declines more slowly than domestic production and non-Russian pipeline imports, according to a study by Rystad Energy, commissioned by the American Petroleum Institute (API) and the International Association of Oil and Gas Producers (IOGP). LNG is projected to meet around 50% of Europes natural gas demand through 2030. After 2030, LNG will meet an even greater share, reaching about 75% of demand by 2040, according to the analysis.

By Michael Kern for Oilprice.com

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Four days after leaks spewing gas into the Baltic Sea were first spotted, Russia is blaming the incident on state-sponsored "terrorism.

This looks like an act of terrorism, possibly on a state level. It is very difficult to imagine that such an act of a terrorism could have happened without the involvement of a state of some kind," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, as reported by Reuters.

Three leaks--one in the Swedish zone and two in the Danish zone and--were discovered earlier this week in Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines designed to ship natural gas to Germany. On Thursday, Sweden said its coast guard had found a fourth leak.

Russia has also launched a thinly-veiled allusion to the United States, saying the U.S. stood to benefit, in a war of words with the West, over who was responsible. Moscow has previously said the leaks occurred in territory that is "fully under the control" of U.S. intelligence agencies.

Russia's Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova says that Washington would be able to boost its liquefied natural gas (LNG) sales if the pipelines were put out of use.

The European Union has said that it suspects sabotage was behind the damage off the coasts of Denmark and Sweden as it continues to investigate the cause of the leaks in the Gazprom-led Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines.

Meanwhile, NATO has voiced "deep concern" over the apparent attacks and extensive damage sustained by the Nord Stream pipelines, calling the incidents "deliberate, reckless, and irresponsible acts of sabotage." It remains unclear who might be behind the attacks on the two pipelines that Russia and its European partners spent billions of dollars building.

Citing three sources, CNN has reported that European security officials had observed Russian navy support ships and submarines not far from the leaks while Peskov has countered by claiming that there had been a much larger NATO presence in the area.

Zakharova has called for an EU investigation to be "objective, saying that Washington would have to "explain itself," apparently in reference to President Joe Biden's comment in February that if Russia sent troops into Ukraine "there will no longer be a Nord Stream 2". However, Biden was more likely referring to possible sanctions on the new pipeline, which has never been put into service despite being completed before Russia invaded Ukraine.



By Alex Kimani for Oilprice.com

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Several major producers of the OPEC+ alliance have started talks about a potential oil production cut ahead of the regular monthly OPEC+ meeting on October 5, OPEC and OPEC+ sources told Reuters on Thursday.

OPEC+ meets next Wednesday to discuss the market and fundamentals situation as oil prices have fallen below $90 per barrel, a level last seen just before the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

It is "likely" that the group will agree on a cut, a source at OPEC told Reuters.

At the previous meeting, OPEC+ reversed the 100,000-barrels-per-day increase for September and returned the October quota to the levels from August.

While the slight tweak in the group's collective target is negligible for oil market balances, OPEC+ signaled readiness to intervene in the market at any time. The meeting in early September decided to "Request the Chairman to consider calling for an OPEC and non-OPEC Ministerial Meeting anytime to address market developments, if necessary."

Earlier this week, Reuters sources familiar with Russian thinking said that

Russia was likely to propose at the next OPEC+ meeting that the group cut 1 million barrels per day (bpd) from the group's collective output.

In reality, the cut would be much smaller, considering that many OPEC+ members, including Russia, are pumping well below their respective targets.

One of the latest estimates put the gap between the quota and actual output widening to a massive 3.58 million bpd in August.

At any rate, a large cut from OPEC+ next week would support oil prices, and there is growing consensus among analysts that a production cut is coming.

"We certainly see a significant chance that the producer group will opt for a substantial cut to try to signal that there is indeed an effective circuit breaker in the market," Helima Croft, chief commodities strategist at RBC Capital Markets, said on Thursday, as carried by Bloomberg. The cut could be as much as 1 million bpd, according to Croft.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

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French TotalEnergies plans to spin off its oil sands business in Canada and list the new company on the stock exchange as it no longer fits with its strategy, which now has a focus on low-carbon energy, the company said at an investor presentation.

"We are not the best shareholder of these assets because as we have a climate strategy, we don't want to invest in these assets," chief executive Patrick Pouyanne said, as quoted by Reuters.

Pouyanne noted that the oil sands assets the company operates in Canada are expected to generate some $1.5 billion in cash flow this year.

The French supermajor recently issued an update on its strategy for the future, noting how its focus on low-cost oil and gas projects and a strong expansion of its LNG operations have put the company in a favorable position in the current energy market context.

TotalEnergies also boasted that its low breakeven cost per barrel of oil, at $25, has enabled it to generate additional cash flow from every barrel it produces, to the tune of $15 billion as of this year.

Yet a lot of TotalEnergies plans for the future have to do with electricity and more specifically renewable electricity, in a marked departure from what has been its core business for decades. The French supermajor is among the most active transformers in the energy industry, eyeing to become one of the five biggest renewable energy providers in the world.

In line with its transformational plans, TotalEnergies has been in the process of pulling out of Canada. In 2020, the company took an impairment of $7 billion based on its estimates of oil prices in the period 2020-2023. The company also said that year it expected oil demand to peak by 2030.

By Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com

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BUCHAREST, Romania (AP)  Doreen Bogdan-Martin of the United States was elected Thursday to head the U.N.s telecommunications agency, winning a U.S.-Russia face-off for the leadership of a global agency that sets guideposts for radio, internet, satellite and television communications.

Envoys from the 193 member states of the Geneva-based International Telecommunications Union selected Bogdan-Martin over lone rival Rashid Ismailov of Russia, ending a contest that was largely overshadowed by geopolitics in the wake of Russias war in Ukraine.

Members of the agency's policy-making body meeting in Romania's capital voted 139-25 with a number of abstentions in favor of naming the first woman as ITU secretary-general and the first American to hold the post since the 1960s.

Bogdan-Martin, who will begin her four-year term as ITU secretary-general on Jan. 1, is a 29-year ITU veteran and the current director of its telecommunication development bureau. Her career began in the U.S. Commerce Department.

Speaking in the plenary hall in Bucharest after her election, Bogdan-Martin described the leadership position as an immensely important position and said it will be an honor for me and my country to lead the organization.

I hope this day will be an inspiration for other women to follow, she said. We need to deliver affordable, trusted, and meaningful connectivity to all. Universal connectivity has been a dream for far too many years  lets unite and make it real.

Ismailov, 57, is a former deputy telecommunications minister in Russia and a former executive in telecom companies such as Eriksson, Nokia and Huawei. Before Thursday's vote, both candidates touted expanding connectivity to the internet and the benefits of information and communication technology, or ICT, to roughly half the world that still has no access.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, alluding to the Biden administration's support for Bodgan-Martin, hailed a broad international endorsement of her vision for universal connectivity, digital empowerment, and leadership at the ITU that is innovative, collaborative, and inclusive.

We have made clear since the earliest days of the administration that American leadership in multilateral venues, including the United Nations, is crucial to ensuring the international community is best positioned to address our shared challenges, Blinken said.

David Gross, a former State Department official now with the Wiley law firm in Washington, said Bodgan-Martin's margin of victory showed much of the world rejects the Russian approach regarding government top-down control of technology" and said her challenges would now include finding common ground among competing approaches and creative ways to connect the unconnected.

The ITU, whose history dates to 1865, is among the oldest U.N. specialized agencies and predates the United Nations itself by 80 years. The agency has its roots among countries that coordinated over the development of the telegraph, a forebear of the high-tech telecommunications of today.

The agency's main tasks now are setting out a digital transformation for the 21st century  as outgoing Secretary-General Houlin Zhao put it  and setting out standards for telecommunications and regulating the development of technologies like 5G networks.

U.S. officials were eager to recapture the post amid news reports and allegations from experts suggesting that Zhao, a former government official in China, was too cozy with Beijing and promotional of Chinese interests and technology standards during his two terms as ITU chief.

Russian President Vladimir Putins war in Ukraine, which has put Moscow on the diplomatic defensive, led some countries to think twice about handing a top U.N. post to a former member of Russian government. Ismailov has alluded to the pressure Russia has faced  including in Geneva diplomatic circles that are home to many U.N. institutions like the ITU.

Also weighing over Ismailovs bid were concerns that Russias government has encouraged at worst -- or turned a blind eye to, at best - the use of the Internet and other telecommunications networks to disrupt activities of foreign companies, governments and civilians, if not spy on or monitor people at home.

The United States also has come in for sharp criticism  notably from former National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden, who fled to Russia to escape U.S. justice  over its own surveillance and spying on civilians and government officials.

Jamey Keaten reported from Geneva.
JOHANNESBURG (AP)  Beleaguered former South African President Jacob Zuma says he is ready to make a surprise return to politics by standing for a top position at the ruling African National Congress' conference in December  if he is nominated by party members.

The 80-year-old Zuma was president from 2009 to 2018 before he was forced to resign amid wide-ranging allegations of corruption in government and state-owned institutions.

He was sentenced to 15 months in prison last year for defying a court order to testify at a judicial commission investigating corruption during his tenure, and has since been released on medical parole.

Zuma is also facing trial for corruption in a separate case involving a major arms deal the South African government was negotiating more than 20 years ago, around the time Zuma was a deputy president of South Africa.

In a statement released late Monday, Zuma said some ANC members approached him to consider contesting the position of party chairman at the end of the year.

I have indicated that I will be guided by the branches of the ANC and that I will not refuse such a call should they deem it necessary for me to serve the organization again at that level or any other, Zuma said.

The December meeting is expected to be crucial to the future of the ANC and current President Cyril Ramaphosa, who faces stiff opposition in getting reelected as party leader and staying on as the country's president.

Zuma has been critical of his successor, and the pair are seen to be part of opposing factions within a divided ANC.

Zuma also endorsed his ex-wife, current government minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, to stand for president of the ANC against Ramaphosa.

Ramaphosa's struggle to get a grip on corruption, a scandal of his own involving the theft of a large amount of cash from his ranch, and an ongoing electricity crisis that has recently left Africa's most developed economy in power blackouts for up to 10 hours a day all have weakened his standing.

Parliament has formed a three-person panel to investigate if Ramaphosa has a case to answer in the ranch scandal, in which he is accused of money laundering and breaking foreign currency laws by holding cash in U.S. dollars at the property.

He also is accused of bribery for allegedly attempting to cover up the theft of the money to hide its existence. He has confirmed the theft took place and denied any wrongdoing but dodged questions seeking specific information about the incident. Ramaphosa said the money came from the sale of animals on his game farm.

No criminal charges have been brought against Ramaphosa, but Parliament could impeach him if lawmakers find he broke his oath of office. The South African leader is scheduled to appear in Parliament on Thursday to answer more questions from lawmakers about the theft.

Zuma is still popular among some factions of the ANC and at the grassroot level in some regions. It's unclear how he would deal with an ANC rule that anyone facing criminal charges is ineligible to stand for leadership positions. The rule also demands that those occupying leadership positions should step aside from their positions if they are charged.

The corruption charges Zuma faces are linked to a 1999 arms deal, and the case covers a time when he was a political figure on the rise and then deputy president. He is accused of receiving bribes from French arms manufacturer Thales to provide political protection for the multi-billion dollar deal.

Zuma has denied the charges and has moved to have the prosecutor taken off the case, claiming he is biased.
A 13-year-old boy died after he was shot late Wednesday night in Omaha, police said Thursday.

Just after 11:50 p.m. Wednesday, Omaha police officers were called to 1901 Park Ave. to investigate a report of gunshots. They later found Lenny Rodriguez near 29th and Shirley Streets with a gunshot wound. Officers performed CPR on the boy until fire crews arrived and took him to the Nebraska Medical Center. He was pronounced dead at the hospital.

Rodriguez is the 22nd person slain in Omaha in 2022. He was an eighth grader at Ralston Middle School.

The Ralston Public Schools sent a letter Thursday morning to district families informing them of the boys death and expressing the districts sympathies to his family.

Counselors were available for students and staff. Families, staff and students also can call the Safe2Help School Hotline at 531-299-SAFE (7233) and the Arbor Family Employee Assistance Programs 24-hour hotline at 402-330-0960 or 800-922-7379 or at www.arborfamilycounseling.com.

This is a difficult day at Ralston Public Schools, district officials wrote. We want you to know we are here to support our students. If you have any questions, please dont hesitate to contact us.

The investigation into the shooting is continuing. Anyone with information may contact the Omaha Police Departments homicide unit at 402-444-5656, Omaha Crime Stoppers at 402-444-STOP or at www.omahacrimestoppers.org or on the P3 Tips mobile app. Anonymous tips leading to the arrest of a homicide suspect are eligible for a $25,000 reward.
Google's high-speed internet could be coming to Omaha.

The Omaha City Council next week will consider a license agreement with Google Fiber that would allow the company to install, maintain and operate a fiber optic network in the public right of way.

Approval of the license would allow the company to offer its high-speed internet service to residential and small business customers.

The agreement includes requirements for construction permits, notice to property owners before construction work begins, bonds and insurance. It would be in effect for 10 years.

Omaha Mayor Jean Stothert said in a press release Wednesday that Google Fiber "is a perfect fit for the growing tech sector of our economy."

The fiber network is currently in design with construction expected to begin in 2023. Service will become available in segments as the network is completed.

Google is currently building a data center near State Street and Blair High Road in Omaha  the third Google data center in the Omaha-Council Bluffs metro area.
WASHINGTON (AP)  Methane escaping from the damaged Nord Stream pipelines that run between Russia and Europe is likely to result in the biggest known gas leak to take place over a short period of time and highlights the problem of large methane escapes elsewhere around the world, scientists say.

From what I have seen this is an unprecedented loss to the atmosphere of fossil methane in a very short time from a concentrated source, said President of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences Marcia McNutt. She oversaw American government efforts to assess the breadth of the 2010 BP oil spill the gulf of Mexico.

Methane acts quickly to heat the Earth. The fact that it disappears faster from the atmosphere than carbon dioxide, is probably small consolation to the citizens of Florida and other places who are already being hit by more frequent and more deadly tropical storms, supercharged by an ocean superheated by greenhouse gas releases to the atmosphere, McNutt said in an email.

There is still uncertainty in estimating total damage, but researchers say vast plumes of this potent greenhouse gas will have significant detrimental impacts on the climate.

Immediate harm to marine life and fisheries in the Baltic Sea and to human health will also result because benzene and other trace chemicals are typically present in natural gas, researchers say.

This will probably be the biggest gas leak ever, in terms of its rate, said Stanford University climate scientist Rob Jackson.

The velocity of the gas erupting from four documented leaks in the pipelines  which the North Atlantic Treaty Organization has attributed to sabotage  is part of what makes the impacts severe.

When methane leaks naturally leaks from vents on the ocean floor, the quantities are usually small and the gas is mostly absorbed by seawater. But this is not a normal situation for gas release, said Jackson. We're not talking about methane bubbling up to the surface like seltzer water, but a plume of rushing gas, he said.

Jackson and other scientists estimate that between 50% and nearly 100% of total methane emitted from the pipeline will reach the atmosphere.

The Danish government issued a worst case scenario that assumed all the gas reached the air, and German officials Thursday issued a somewhat lower one.

In the meantime, it's nearly impossible for anyone to approach the highly flammable plume to attempt to curb the release of gas, which energy experts estimate may continue until Sunday.

Methane is very flammable  if you go in there, you'd have a good chance of it being a funeral pyre, said Ira Leifer, an atmospheric scientist. If the gas-air mix was within a certain range, an airplane could easily ignite travelling into the plume, for example.

Methane isn't the only risk. Natural gas isn't refined to be super clean  there are trace elements of other compounds, like benzene, a carcinogen, said Leifer.

The amount of these trace elements cumulatively entering the environment is significant right now  this will cause issues for fisheries and marine ecosystems and people who potentially eat those fish," he said.

David Archer, a professor in the geophysical sciences department at University of Chicago who focuses on the global carbon cycle, said that escape of methane in the Baltic Sea is part of the much larger worldwide problem of methane emissions.

The gas is a major contributor to climate change, responsible for a significant share of the climate disruption people are already experiencing. That is because it is 82.5 times more potent than carbon dioxide at absorbing the suns heat and warming the Earth, over the short term.

Climate scientist have found that methane emissions from the oil and gas industry are far worse than what companies are reporting, despite claims by major companies that theyve reduced their emissions.

Scientists measuring methane from satellites in space have found that emissions from oil and gas operations are usually at least twice as high as what the companies reported, said Thomas Lauvaux, climate scientist at University of Reims in France.

Many of those so-called leaks are not accidental. Companies release the gas during routine maintenance. Lauvaux and other scientists observed more than 1,500 major methane leaks globally, and potentially tens of thousands of smaller leaks, using satellites, he said.



AP reporters Patrick Whittle contributed from Portland, Maine, Seth Borenstein from Washington, DC., and Cathy Bussewitz from New York.

Associated Press climate and environmental coverage receives support from several private foundations. See more about APs climate initiative here. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
You are here: Arts

More than 600 handicrafts are on show at the Exhibition of Chinese Handicrafts  Shandong Handicrafts held at Nishan Sacred Land in Qufu, Shandong province. [Photo/Xinhua]

More than 600 handicrafts are on show at the Exhibition of Chinese Handicrafts  Shandong Handicrafts held at Nishan Sacred Land in Qufu, a county-level city of Jining, Shandong province.

It is a major cultural event of the 2022 China (Qufu) International Confucius Cultural Festival and the Eighth Nishan Forum on World Civilizations held from Monday to Wednesday.

At the exhibition, craftsmanship is celebrated through collaboration between traditional and modern designers and artists.

Traditional handicraft skills from Shandong, such as woodcut New Year paintings, gourd pyrography, dough modeling, fruit pit carving, paper-cutting and Lu embroidery show their unique charm and beauty.
LINCOLN  The second hearing in the case of competing lawsuits between former gubernatorial candidate Charles W. Herbster and State Sen. Julie Slama has been delayed once again, this time because court staff tested positive for COVID-19.

Judge Rick Schreiner filed the order postponing the hearing Wednesday, citing that it was because of Court and court staff testing positive for COVID and having to isolate. The hearing, which was originally scheduled for Aug. 15, is now on the schedule for Oct. 17.

The hearing will consider arguments on a motion by Slamas legal team, which would require Herbsters team to hand over information relevant to the case, according to Schreiner.

Herbster filed a defamation lawsuit against the Dunbar senator in April after the Nebraska Examiner reported allegations from eight women who said Herbster  a Republican mega-donor and then-candidate for governor  had groped them in recent years. Slama was the only named accuser in that initial report.

She answered Herbsters lawsuit quickly and filed a counterclaim alleging sexual battery.

The first hearing in the case was held in June, during which Schreiner considered five motions but only made decisions on two of them.

Slama had given notice to depose Herbster on May 6, but Herbster opted not to attend. At the first hearing, Herbsters lawyers filed a motion to quash the deposition notice and seek a protective order that would limit his deposition to scheduling at a mutually convenient time.

Schreiner overruled the motion from Herbsters legal team, but a new deposition was not scheduled at the hearing. Since then, Schreiner ruled that Herbster could add more evidence to his defamation complaint against Slama, and that the deposition could wait until the amended complaints were filed.

Since the first hearing, Schreiner also quashed Herbsters request for a protective order against Slamas attorneys for, in the words of Herbsters attorney, attempting to try the case in the press.

Both Herbster and Slamas legal teams have been largely silent about the case since the first hearing. Neither Slamas attorney, Dave Lopez, nor Herbsters attorney, Theodore Boecker, have responded to numerous requests for comment via email since June.
LINCOLN  Nebraska, along with five other conservative states, filed a lawsuit Thursday challenging President Joe Bidens plan to forgive student loan debt for millions of Americans.

Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri and South Carolina signed on to the lawsuit, which was filed in federal court in Missouri. The states requested the court immediately enact a temporary stay on any relief sought through the program.

Bidens forgiveness program will cancel $10,000 in student loan debt for those making less than $125,000 a year or households with less than $250,000 in income. Pell Grant recipients, who typically demonstrate more financial need, will get an additional $10,000 in debt forgiven.

The White House estimates that 232,100 borrowers in Nebraska, including 136,000 Pell Grant recipients, would be eligible for the one-time debt relief.

The lawsuit requests a temporary stay because federal officials indicated they may begin canceling student loan debt as early as next week, according to a press release from Nebraska Attorney General Doug Petersons office. Nobody with debt would be disadvantaged by the stay, Petersons office says, because federal student loan repayments have been on pause since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and will continue to be through the end of this year.

The lawsuit is the second this week challenging the program. A libertarian advocacy group filed a similar complaint in an Indiana federal court on Tuesday.

The Thursday complaint alleges that Biden is overreaching his executive power in canceling student loan debt  a power given to Congress.

Determined to pursue across-the-board debt cancellation and stymied by repeated failures to achieve that goal through legislation, the Administration resorted to the now-concluded COVID-19 pandemic and a federal law that applies in the context of military operations or national emergencies as its justification for taking this dramatic action, states the press release from the Nebraska Attorney Generals Office.

According to the complaint, the Biden administration has justified the program citing the Higher Education Relief Opportunities For Students Act of 2003, which was signed into law by President George W. Bush and is meant to provide federal student loan relief for active duty military, those residing or working in a disaster area, or people who have suffered economic hardships due to wars, military operations or national emergencies.

Biden has pointed to the COVID-19 pandemic as a national emergency warranting the relief. The lawsuit claims the law was never intended for relief of this magnitude.

Since it was first announced in August, the presidents plan has drawn strong opposition from Republicans, including Nebraskas congressional delegation and Gov. Pete Ricketts. Among other arguments, critics contend the plan is fundamentally unfair and will benefit the well-off.

In a statement Thursday, Ricketts thanked the attorney general for stepping up with these other states to hold the Biden-Harris Administration accountable to the law.

President Bidens student loan forgiveness scheme is fundamentally unfair and would harm the American families forced to pay for it, the governor said. Additionally, the Executive branch does not have unilateral authority to impose a sweeping student loan cancellation plan.

The White House has said that nearly 90% of relief dollars will go to those earning less than $75,000 per year and no relief will go to any individual or household in the top 5% of incomes in the U.S.

Republicans have also criticized the plans price tag. The Congressional Budget Office said this week that the program will cost about $400 billion over the next three decades. The White House countered that the CBOs estimate of how much the plan will cost just in its first year, $21 billion, is lower than what the administration initially believed.

This report includes material from the Associated Press.
U.S. Rep. Don Bacon, a Nebraska Republican representing the state's 2nd Congressional District, is recovering from an emergency appendectomy.

Bacon, 59, was admitted to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Maryland late Wednesday night. He was experiencing intense abdominal pain, which was diagnosed as appendicitis, according to a statement from Bacon's press office.

A spokeswoman said his appendix was "three times the size" it should have been.

He underwent an emergency appendectomy. Bacon described the surgery as a "home run."

In his statement, he thanked the medical team at Walter Reed. Bacon was to be released later Thursday.

Bacon is running for reelection against Democrat Tony Vargas.

A spokeswoman told The World-Herald that Bacon will take recovery "day by day." He plans to work remotely on legislation, and proxy voting is available, she said. Campaign events will be handled on a day-by-day basis.
NORMAL  "Sonic alchemy" is a rare but powerful phenomenon in psychedelic rock music.

Bassist Aaron Dooley of nu-gaze band Totem Pocket, based in Denver, introduced the term in an interview with me, and explained it like this: Life is what you make.

The world will constantly throw pain and negativity your way. I try to smelt and mold the bad feelings into healthy expressions.

When I think back to my first listen of the groundbreaking 1991 shoegaze album Loveless by My Bloody Valentine, I hear all those same sources of inspiration. When You Sleep hooks the listeners into a well-needed bear hug, and leaves them elated by the outro of Sometime. Soon then closes it out by making the gloomy downs of love glitter brightly.

With a solid grasp on this fundamental songwriting philosophy, Totem Pocket steps up its shoegaze styles with modern rock n' roll sweeps and guitar strokes. The four-piece act is bringing its modular pedal-effects wizardry Thursday to Connie Link Amphitheatre in Normal, as part of a free Reverberation Vinyl-produced festival. Also playing that night will be Mako Sica, Powers-Rolin Duo and Expo '70.

Totem Pocket will release its first full-length album on Friday. Track Arthur Sensing Danger came out earlier this month as a single release. Put on your headphones and let the layers of fuzzy guitar unroll the aches of your mind and heart with this enchanted tonic of a tune.

You can also listen in on the new albums ending track Keep It In Your Mind, a song that sticks to the usually effects-heavy gaze traits, but throws in that classic Dinosaur Jr. drive. Its got the tempo of Russian electro-shoegazers pinkshinyultrablast, while keeping that same low vocal style of MBVs Kevin Shields.

Totem Pocket raises its eclectic audio elixirs to the stage at 4 p.m. Thursday. They taste thick and sweet, making for a heavy sonic treat.

Effective reverb

John Anderson, owner of Reverberation Vinyl, 1302 N. Main St., Bloomington, said its been a long time since his store has hosted a multi-band concert.

That was pre-COVID in 2019. He said Thursday will also be the 11 1/2-year anniversary celebration for the store, since the pandemic prevented him from hosting numbers when they hit year 10.

Anderson said the event is a thanks to customers who buy Totem Pocket's records and a means to get them on stage here, too. While the festival charges no entry, donations to the bands are welcome. Artist merchandise will also be available.

Closing out the festival is Expo 70 from Kansas City, a trio Anderson said is led by Justin Wright.

It runs zones all the way from probably doom metal, all the way to Tangerine Dream-kind-of-synthesizer soundscapes, the record store owner said. He also said Wrights music is vaguely similar to horror soundtracks or Black Sabbath.

I've been trying to get him for a long time, Anderson continued. He doesn't tour a lot anymore. He's a woodworker by trade, and so he stays pretty close  physically close  to Kansas City.

He said he was lucky to book Expo 70, and hes carried their records since the early days of his store.

Chicago-based Mako Sica is another artist with records Anderson said hes stocked since the start. He said they began as a trio with bass, drums, guitar and trumpet, and have become more jazzy and experimental over time.

Anderson said their vocalist takes on the same role as a horn or synthesizer, and the band has joined bigger Chicago jazz players, including Hamid Drake. He added Stefan Robinson, of Bloomington, will be playing horns with Mako Sica on Thursday, such as baritone sax and bass clarinet.

We're all pretty excited about that  having him sit in with them, Anderson said.

Also on the lineup is the Powers-Rolins Duo, which features a hammer dulcimer paired with an acoustic guitar. Anderson said they have an extremely beautiful sound thats interwoven between the two instruments, which falls into a more experimental genre of music.

BloNo Beats invited Totem Pocket to answer several questions about their experiences writing and releasing music. Here are their answers by guitarist Aesop Adams and bassist Aaron Dooley.

What are the most important lessons youve learned from writing and releasing new music?

Adams: Its best to be true to yourself. Do it for yourself. Do it because you like it. Everyone's on their own journey. Keep doing it. Its not a competition. Dont be afraid to work together.

Dooley: Dont get discouraged. Youve probably written some really great music and want to share it with the world. Youll probably send hundreds of emails to labels, publications, radio stations, etc... before you even get a response. At the end of the day, keep doing the music because you love it. Keep your fire burning and it will spread.

Tell me about how your last single, "Arthur Sensing Danger," was conceptualized. Which elements of that track appeal to you most? Any specific pedal effects or lyrical content you'd like to highlight?

Adams: "Arthur Sensing Danger" was originally conceived as an instrumental song inspired by the musical stylings of the 1960s band Love, mixed with modern-day sonic attack.

Our dear friend Jake Myers of the Denver band Waxcat came into the studio while we were recording vocals. He was an A-1 backing vocalist and motivator whose talents really made the track shine. Layering his vocals and mine created what you are hearing in the song.

The lyrics came from the experience of navigating day-to-day life in the city as well as the emotional struggles that come with it. Add an '80s turbo-jet flanger for ultimate emotional impact.

Are there any specific life experiences that you derive inspiration from? Or is it anything and everything that strikes a lasting emotion?

Adams: Going to new places, meeting different people, stepping outside of the comfort zone to pursue new and interesting forms of art. Elevating one's consciousness to experience the true power of being.

Dooley: Life is what you make. The world will constantly throw pain and negativity your way. I try to smelt and mold the bad feelings into healthy expressions. Sonic alchemy.

If you could give any advice to someone who is newly developing their passion for playing and writing music, what would you say?

Adams: There are no rules as long as you are being creative, and if you ever make a mistake on stage, just pretend that it was intentional, because that is the true nature of creativity.

Dooley: Yes, there are no rules. Truly, there is an audience for every sort of music. Regardless of genre, people recognize a passionate musician. I think audiences appreciate an artist who clearly loves playing music more than music itself. Connect!

Tell me about how shoegaze and psychedelic music have evolved in recent years. Do any of these changes reflect through the music your band is making?

Shoegaze was a trend in the 1990s that mostly gets used as a blanket term for effects-heavy guitar music. As the effects pedal market has become heavily saturated and easily accessible in recent years, a lot more artists are able to explore the sonic capabilities of the electric guitar. This is reflected through our pedalboards, if you can get close enough to see them.

Psychedelic music has become oversaturated with a lot of the same themes and ideas. When it was resurging 10 or 15 years ago, it was truly groundbreaking music. Now, everyone is quick to claim their music as psychedelic, merely donning a tie-dye shirt and drawing influence from the same three bands that have become favored by the mainstream. We call it SYKE-rock and were currently working to overthrow it.

IF YOU GO WHAT: "This is Our Music: 11 Years of Reverberation" WHEN: 4-9 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 29 WHERE: Connie Link Amphitheatre, 621 S. Linden St., Normal TICKETS: Free LINEUP: 4-4:45 p.m.  Totem Pocket 5:15-6 p.m.  Mako Sica 6:30-7:15 p.m.  Powers-Rolin Duo 7:45-9:00 p.m.  Expo '70
PONTIAC  It may take a village to raise a child, but it also takes one to put on the Livingston County Conservation and Agriculture Expo, when hundreds of kids from dozens of schools visit 4-H Park to learn about the county they call home.

This years expo took place Wednesday and featured around 30 presenter stations visited by 740 students from 45 classrooms, said organizer Debbie Ruff, with the Livingston County Soil and Water Conservation District. Along with the presenters, it takes a lot of other volunteers to keep the event going, handling things like lunch and getting kids where they need to go.

It doesnt happen without a lot of people coming together, Ruff said.

The Livingston County Farm Bureau is one of the partners that is vital to putting on the event. Other contributors include the soil and water conservation districts from surrounding counties, area conservation organizations, local FFA chapters and the University of Illinois Extension.

The expo is a chance to teach students about the importance of a healthy environment, said Livingston County Farm Bureau Manager Chris Bunting.

The expo started in 1993 and has been held every other year since, with Wednesdays marking the 15th event. One of the big goals is to introduce the students to some of the things that make Livingston County a great place to live, Ruff said, like the agricultural industry and natural resources she works with every day.

Livingston County is a great place to grow up, its a great place to call home, she said.

Agriculture is Livingston Countys biggest industry, Bunting said. It is one of the top counties in the state for corn, soybeans and hogs, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The county has over 2,090 farmers, and the vast majority of farms are family-owned.

Yet sometimes, students might miss out on that knowledge.

As kids are further removed from the farm, its important to teach them where their food and water come from, Bunting said.

One of the stations on Wednesday, run by Pontiac High School FFA students, centered around seeds grown in Livingston County. Fourth and fifth graders were asked to identify different types of seeds, match them to products made with the resulting fruits or vegetables, and then answer questions like, What is the state pie of Illinois? (It's pumpkin.)

Livingston County is home to six chapters of the FFA, formerly known as Future Farmers of America. Many of the high school students who were helping at the event on Wednesday had previously attended it themselves as younger children.

Were blessed with how active they are, Bunting said. Thats our future, our future leaders and volunteers.

Pelts from area mammals featured prominently in several stations, including Wildlife Skins and Skulls, presented by Brodie Edington from Pheasants Forever and Ross Fogle from the McLean County Soil and Water Conservation District.

After the students matched the pelts, the duo described the animals and their habitats. The presenters hoped the students would be able to connect the lesson to what they see in their backyards and beyond, Edington said.

Itll be neat to try to connect today to the next time theyre out taking a nature walk, Fogle said.

Fogle grew up going to similar events in Woodford County. The expo and other chances to introduce kids to conservation can lead to careers, he said.

Its important to have events like this, he said.

For Ruff, the power of childlike amazement never gets old.

The look on the kids' (faces) when they see that turtle for the first time or that bat for the first time, that look of wonder, she said.
How Time Flies is a daily feature looking back at Pantagraph archives to revisit what was happening in our community and region.

100 years ago

Sept. 29, 1922: Mrs. Elizabeth Coale has recently donated to the McLean County Historical Society a collection of books of unusual historical and literary value, including "Testimonies Concerning Several Ministers of the Gospel Amongst the People Called Quakers," published in London in 1760, and "Memoirs of the Life and Travels in the Services of the Gospel of Sarah Stephenson," published in 1807.

75 years ago

Sept. 29, 1947: William J. Noble, 84, of Chicago, has been visiting his younger brother, Clyde, since July. The elder Noble worked for the telegraph company in Bloomington and was present for the installation of the first "Edison" telephone exchange on the second floor of the building at Washington and Center streets in 1885. It was also Noble who, as a Chicago telegraph operator in 1898, received the report of the Battle of Manila from John McCutcheon of the old Chicago Record.

50 years ago

Sept. 29, 1972: Gov. Richard B. Ogilvie said "there is still a job to be done here" when asked, during a stop in Bloomington, why he sought a return to office. He suggested that reorganizing state government would be a priority. "It's not very difficult for a governor to handle the 75 separate agencies and commissions," he said. He spoke briefly at a breakfast at Streid's Restaurant, attended an interview at WJBC Radio and then moved on to McLean, Heyworth and Lincoln.

25 years ago

Sept. 29, 1997: A group of about 65 marchers gathered for the third annual "Violence  Take a Hike" peach march, which headed from downtown Bloomington to Miller Park. "We should not have to deal with unwanted and ... unconscionable acts of violence in our society," said Gwen Donnelly of the Bloomington Human Relations Commission. "We need to stop the violence."
BLOOMINGTON  Early voting for the November election kicked off Thursday across most of the state, and Gov. J.B. Pritzker marked the occasion with a visit to downtown Bloomington.

Pritzker, a Chicago Democrat, faces Republican state Sen. Darren Bailey in one of the highest-profile races of the Nov. 8 election. Other races on the ballot include the statewide offices of attorney general, secretary of state, comptroller and treasurer; two Illinois Supreme Court justices; the seat of U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth, who faces Republican challenger Kathy Salvi; all 17 of Illinois' representatives in Congress; every state senator and representative in the General Assembly; and a number of county and judicial offices.

Voters also will be asked to weigh in on a proposed amendment to the Illinois Constitution that would enshrine collective bargaining rights as "fundamental." It would also bar state and local governments from enacting "right-to-work" laws. Opponents have criticized the amendment's broad language and suggested that the measure would empower public worker unions greater power to demand more, driving up the cost of government.

Speaking in Bloomington, Pritzker was joined by McLean County Democrats, Sen. Dave Koehler, D-Peoria, and McLean County Board member Sharon Chung, who is running in the 91st House District.

Koehler faces Republican challenger Desi Anderson of Carlock. Chung faces GOP candidate Scott Preston for the open seat.

"Today is the first day of early voting," Pritzker said. "That means today is the first chance that people get all across the state to go in and elect Democrats (and) to make sure that people who have your back are standing up for you."

The governor also touted the "exciting transformation" that the region has undergone, declaring "McLean County is a Democratic county." In the most recent presidential election, voters here supported Democrat Joe Biden over incumbent Republican Donald Trump, 50% to 47%.

Chung said liberal gains over the last six years have been a community effort.

"I think, as Democrats, we're really great at voting early," Chung said. "We are confident in our candidates, we know that our candidates are going to be the ones that are going to represent us, be the ones that fight for working and middle class families and we are confident in our choices."

Pritzker also encouraged attendees to vote for the collective bargaining amendment, which is being called the Workers Rights Amendment by supporters and Amendment 1 by opponents.

"Our job as Democrats is to stand up for working people all across the state of Illinois," Pritzker said. "It's what we do."

Early voting

Early voting is offered in the main lobby of the McLean County Government Center, 115 E. Washington St., for voters that live outside of Bloomington. The government center is open for early voting between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday through Nov. 4.

Voters that live in Bloomington can cast their ballots at the Bloomington Election Commission office, 121 N. Main St. It is open from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Both Bloomington and McLean County voters can take part in early voting at Eastland Mall, 1615 E. Empire St., at the former MC Sporting Goods location.

Hours for this location are 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday through Oct. 28, as well as:

9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Oct. 29;

10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Oct. 30;

8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Oct. 31;

8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. between Nov. 1 and 4;

9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Nov. 5;

10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Nov. 6

8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Nov. 7.

Early voting for the midterm elections also kicked off Thursday in Michigan. It was underway in some form in six other states: South Dakota, Wyoming, Minnesota, Virginia, New Jersey and Vermont.
CHICAGO  Illinois residents who filed claims for a cut of Googles $100 million class-action settlement over alleged violations of state privacy law could receive checks of about $154 each.

Cook County Circuit Court Judge Anna M. Loftus granted final approval of the settlement Wednesday. She granted preliminary approval of the agreement in April.

The payout comes after Google settled a class-action lawsuit alleging its face grouping tool, which sorts faces on Google Photos by similarity, violated Illinois biometric privacy law. State law requires companies to obtain affirmative consent from users before collecting and saving their biometric information.

The deadline to claim a cut of the settlement was last week. Those eligible included people who appeared in a photo on the Google Photos app between May 2015 and this April while they were residents of Illinois.

According to Loftus, about 420,000 people have filed valid claims. That would put payments at about $154 per person, less than the $200 to $400 attorneys originally estimated residents might receive.

The payment amounts remain lower than earlier estimates despite Loftus Wednesday reducing attorneys fees from 40% of the settlement fund to 35%. Attorneys for the plaintiffs are now eligible to collect $35 million in fees plus costs and expenses. The five named plaintiffs in the case are eligible for payments of $5,000 each.

Google did not admit wrongdoing as part of the settlement. The company has rolled out opt-in consent for face grouping in Illinois, spokesperson Jose Castaneda said last week.

In April, Castaneda said the company was pleased to resolve this matter relating to specific laws in Illinois and remained committed to building easy-to-use controls for our users. He declined to comment Wednesday.

Claimants could receive payments within 90 days of the settlement approval, but any appeals could delay the process.

After Facebook reached a $650 million biometric privacy settlement agreement in February 2021, Illinois residents did not receive their $397 checks until more than a year later because of an appeal. Two class members appealed because they opposed payouts for named plaintiffs and attorneys in the case, the latter of which came out to $97.5 million. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit upheld the Facebook settlement in March.

The Google settlement resolves a group of lawsuits filed by those five plaintiffs, the first of which was filed in 2016 in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.

The Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act is considered one of the strictest such laws in the country, in part because it allows private citizens to sue companies for allegedly breaking the law. Since its passage in 2008, the law has sparked hundreds of lawsuits.

Illinois residents who use Snapchat have until Nov. 5 to submit claims in a biometric privacy case settled by the apps parent company, Snap Inc., last month. The company reached a $35 million settlement over allegations its lenses and filters violated state law.

Snap did not admit wrongdoing in the settlement and maintains its technology does not violate Illinois law. A spokesperson said last month the company had rolled out in-app consent for lenses and filters in Illinois out of an abundance of caution.
Organizers announced on Monday that the three-week-long Russian Film Festival will be held in China through online platforms to introduce the artistic charms of Russian cinema to Chinese audiences.

Chinese and Russian film professionals participate online and in-person in a press event in Beijing to launch the Russian Film Festival in China, Sept. 26, 2022. [Photo courtesy of Beijing Enjoyable Vision]

From Sept. 26-Oct. 15, Chinese people can enjoy a selection of 17 contemporary Russian films from different genres including sci-fi and sports, such as "Salyut 7," "Three Seconds," "The Spacewalker," "Attraction," "Two Women," "In the Hood" and "Chagall-Malevich."

Inna Shalyto, CEO of Roskino, said via video-link at Monday's press event that the Chinese market is one of the biggest markets for Russian films, and that Chinese audiences have shown great interest in the country's movies. She expressed her hope that the event could promote mutual learning and understanding between the film industries and filmmakers of both countries and facilitate related cooperation.

The Russian Film Festival comprises three weeks of Russian film screenings abroad. It has been held since 2020, organized by Roskino with support from the Russian Ministry of Culture. The festival's main goal is to bring diverse, modern Russian content  feature films in different genres, series, cartoons and documentaries  to foreign audiences. In 20202021, the festival was held in 23 countries, attracting more than 1 million viewers. This year, the event has already taken place in Brazil, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Jordan, Belarus, Uzbekistan and other countries through online screenings and in-person events.

A poster for the Russian Film Festival. [Image courtesy of Beijing Enjoyable Vision]

Bao Ran, member of China's Network Audiovisual Professional Committee and a network audiovisual industry expert, said that film has always been a bridge between cultures, and the diverse development of Russian films in recent years has allowed Chinese audiences to gain a deeper understanding of the charms of Russian culture, especially Russian sci-fi films, a genre in which the details of industrialization are handled very delicately and are very impressive. Bao believed the film event will push forward and consolidate the two countries' pragmatic cooperation in the film field, enrich the cultural life of the people, and contribute to the traditional friendship between China and Russia.

Sergey Selyanov, producer of Russian space film "Salyut-7," revealed that he is exploring making a film about children and the moon and believes Chinese audiences will like the Russian-style sci-fi story.

"I've also always paid attention to Chinese sci-fi films, which have seen rapid development in recent years," he said. "Russia has a long history making sci-fi movies. Maybe our filmmakers can work together for Chinese-Russian sci-fi co-productions in the future."
SPRINGFIELD  Attorneys for the state of Illinois joined their colleagues in Nevada and Virginia Wednesday in asking a federal appellate court to declare that the Equal Rights Amendment has been legally ratified as the 28th amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

I have a daughter who intends to practice law, and the Constitution she will pledge to protect should fully protect her as well, Attorney General Kwame Raoul said in a statement released after the oral arguments. Until the United States Constitution reflects our societys commitment to not go backward, none of us should stop fighting for equality.

Illinois Solicitor General Jane Notz argued the states case before the appellate court.

The push for an amendment barring discrimination on the basis of sex was first proposed in Congress in 1923. But it wasnt until 1972 that an amendment finally cleared both chambers of Congress by two-thirds majorities and was sent to the states for ratification.

The proposed amendment reads: Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of sex.

At issue in the case is a clause in the original resolution that said it would become valid when ratified by three-fourths of the states within seven years from the date of its submission by the Congress.

Thirty-eight states are needed for ratification of an amendment, but when the deadline lapsed in 1979, only 35 states had ratified the amendment, and six of those had taken subsequent votes to rescind their endorsement of the amendment.

At one point, Congress tried to extend the deadline into 1982, but that was quickly challenged in court and before the U.S. Supreme Court could hear arguments in the case, the extended deadline lapsed.

Years later, in 2017, Nevada became the first state to ratify the amendment after the deadline. Illinois followed suit in 2018 and Virginia voted to ratify the amendment in 2020, making it the 38th state to vote for ratification.

Shortly after the Virginia vote, Illinois and Nevada joined Virginia in filing a lawsuit seeking an order for National Archivist David Ferriero to publish and certify the amendment as part of the U.S. Constitution.

But in a ruling handed down in March 2021, a federal judge dismissed the case, saying among other things that certification by the archivist would have no legal effect, and therefore his refusal to certify did not cause the plaintiffs any harm and that Congress was within its authority to set a deadline for ratification.

Illinois and Nevada appealed that ruling. Virginia did not take part in the appeal.

In the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia, Illinois and Nevada argued that the lower court got the decision wrong.

They argued that the process of ratifying constitutional amendments is spelled out in Article V of the Constitution, which says nothing about Congress having authority to set deadlines for ratification. They also argued that the Constitution is silent on whether states can rescind their ratification of an amendment after already having voted to do so.

Ferriero was joined by five states opposing the amendment  Alabama, Louisiana, Nebraska, South Dakota and Tennessee  in arguing that the ERA had not been duly ratified.

They argued that Congress does have a right to set deadlines for ratification and, in fact, has used a seven-year deadline several times, beginning with the 18th amendment that established prohibition, which was ratified in 1919.

They also argued that states have a right to rescind their ratification if a proposed amendment does not achieve the three-fourths threshold within a reasonable period of time.

They didnt intend the ERA to float in the ether for all eternity, the lawyers wrote in their briefs. Simply put, the world is different now than it was in 1972. Nearly every legislator that voted to ratify the ERA is either deceased or no longer in office. Even the youngest eligible voter that year would be nearly 70 years old now.

Finally, they also argued that the Equal Rights Amendment itself is not really about preventing gender-based discrimination but, rather, creating a federal constitutional backstop for abortion rights.

A three-judge panel of the court took the case under advisement but did not indicate when they would issue a decision. Regardless of how they rule, the case is almost certain to be appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court.

We are grateful to the Attorneys General for pursuing this important litigation, Zakiya Thomas, president and CEO of the ERA Coalition, said in a statement. The ERA has met all the constitutional requirements for an amendment, and the Archivist has a statutory duty to publish it. Publication will give official notice to all 50 states that the ERA is now the Twenty-Eighth Amendment.
SPRINGFIELD  A former employee of a Central Illinois nonprofit says in a new federal lawsuit that he was fired after reporting allegations of sexual harassment against the organization's former chief executive officer, who has since retired.

Luke Bryant was the director of special programs and services for Sparc, a Springfield-based nonprofit that receives millions of dollars in government funding for its programs that serve people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Bryant alleges that his firing in July 2021 was retaliation for reporting "inappropriate conduct" on the part of then-CEO Greg O'Connor, who retired one day after Bryant was terminated.

The suit, filed in federal court in Springfield on Friday, alleges that O'Connor "made sexual advances and sexually harassed multiple employees," including Bryant.

O'Connor, who joined the nonprofit in 2009 and became its CEO in 2013, retired on July 29, 2021.

Reached Wednesday evening by Lee Enterprises, O'Connor denied the allegations, characterizing them as "silly" and "crazy."

"I was supposed to retire right before COVID and I agreed to stay for some event. And then COVID happened and I thought 'well, I can't really leave during COVID.' So I stayed," O'Connor said. "And then this allegation came up and I said, 'you know, I'm like a year and a half past when I wanted to retire, I'm not dealing with this.' So I left."

READ THE LAWSUIT

Per the lawsuit, Bryant said he first reported his concerns about O'Connor to Sparc's human resources director in May 2021. However, he said, she did not open an investigation and instead told O'Connor about the allegations.

Bryant alleges that O'Connor immediately took retaliatory actions that included changing his job duties, demoting him and making him move to a different job location.

O'Connor said the nonprofit asked Bryant to stop coming to some meetings, which he may have perceived as "retaliation."

"There were all kinds of issues, but he was pretty hostile to his coworkers at these meetings and so we asked him to stop coming," said O'Connor, adding that Bryant told him the allegations were from nine years in the past.

In the lawsuit, Bryant said that he sent an email through his attorney to O'Connor and Mary Trask  then president of Sparc's board of directors  outlining concerns over the alleged sexual harassment and apparent retaliation. He requested a thorough and unbiased investigation.

But instead, the nonprofit turned to the vice president of its board: Steve Nardulli, a retired Sangamon County Circuit Court associate judge.

Deeming Nardulli "far from an independent investigator" and concerned "that his investigation would be used to protect the interests of OConnor," Bryant filed a charge of retaliation on July 6, 2021, with both the Illinois Department of Human Rights and the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

John Baker, an attorney for Bryant, declined to provide Lee Enterprises with specific evidence against O'Connor or copies of complaints filed with the state and federal agencies.

Both agencies later issued a notice to Bryant allowing him to file a lawsuit under the Illinois Human Rights Act and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which protects employees and job applicants from employment discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex and national origin.

On July 12, 2021, Bryant said, he sat for an interview with Nardulli after being told that doing so was a condition of his employment. The suit alleges it was clear Nardulli "had no interest in discussing or addressing Bryants allegations of sexual harassment or that he had been retaliated against" despite that he "clearly knew" about ongoing issues.

Just over two weeks later, Bryant was terminated. One day later, O'Connor retired from Sparc, according to the lawsuit. The social service agency would not address the allegations when asked by Lee Enterprises on Tuesday.

"On advice from our attorneys, I will not offer comment upon pending litigation," said current Sparc CEO Doug McDonald in an emailed statement.

O'Connor said he had nothing to do with Bryant's termination.

"The board fired him, I did not," O'Connor said. "And the board fired him because he had fired or people quit under him in the dozens and they were worried about staffing."

Sparc was founded in 1951 by a group of parents of children with intellectual and developmental disabilities, per its website. Its programs currently support about 300 people with disabilities.

The nonprofit operates 21 Community Integrated Living Arrangements (CILAs) offering 24-hour residential support, vocational services, job placement, supported employment and other programs for the developmentally and intellectually disabled.

According to the Illinois Department of Human Services, a CILA is a living arrangement for adults in a group home, family home or apartment where eight or fewer unrelated adults with developmental disabilities live under supervision of the community developmental services agency.

The nonprofit reported employing 175 people in 2020, a number that was used to secure a $981,832 loan under the pandemic-era Paycheck Protection Program. Those funds were forgiven, per government records.

The nonprofit reported just over $11 million in revenue in 2020, per federal tax records. About two-thirds of that came from government sources, such as contracts with the Illinois Department of Human Services.

That year, O'Connor collected a salary of $119,233.

Sparc board member John Howerter is also listed as a defendant in the lawsuit along with O'Connor, Nardulli, Trask and the agency as a whole.

Bryant is seeking damages and reinstatement to his former position or relief equivalent to that.
As an Illinois citizen, I am concerned about how long our state has been hurting from all the abusive political power wielded by the current governor, J.B. Pritzker. Illinois has a very long and bad reputation for corruption, and Pritzker has not demonstrated anything different by supporting the horrible policies of the left.

Pritzker has not stepped up to really fight for what most of us in this state stand for, which is moderate values. We want someone who will make our state safe and keep people working so they can prosper, afford to own a home, have a family and be able to do those things while being financially confident. Pritzker has shown that he does not have Illinois citizens best interest at heart through his decisions such as the lockdowns causing harm to our kids and small businesses, the taxes he supports, lack of police support and not cracking down on criminals.

Additionally, he goes along with the leftist progressive ideology of climate corruption change which has done nothing but destroy good-paying jobs and is killing our wonderful wildlife and environment. There has been a complete lack of transparency and half-truths on things like balancing the budget and what the SAFE-T act and workers rights bills do. We, as the taxpayers carrying the load of expenses, do NOT want all this which will again and again raise our taxes.

I want to be proud of our state and thats why we need Darren Bailey as our governor. Darren is someone who thinks of others before himself and stands for what Illinois should be about: a better economy with lower taxes, supporting small businesses, community safety, job security, a quality and actual education for our kids and bringing trust back to our elected offices.

Deborah Burtsfield, Bloomington
The Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta, has assured financial institutions and local investors that allegations that the government and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) are working at restructuring the countrys domestic debts are not true.



Mr Ofori-Atta said at a press conference in Accra Wednesday that no decision has been taken on the national debt although negotiations were continuing in earnest.



The minister was responding to allegations of ongoing discussions between the government and local financial institutions on how to restructure their holdings.



Mr Ofori-Atta stated that the government was committed to protecting the financial sector and would, therefore, not take unilateral decisions that risked undermining the smooth operation of the industry.



He thus assured the financial sector and the general public that transparent engagements would be undertaken on issues of mutual interest.



The minister used the press conference to comment on topical issues, including ongoing discussions of a potential restructuring of the domestic debt.



News of debt restructuring surfaced last week when some media houses reported that the government was set to start discussions with local bondholders on how to restructure their holdings.



He said at the event that such reports were false, preemptive and disruptive to the financial sector and ongoing negotiations with the IMF for a fund-assisted programme.



Sustainable debt



Mr Ofori-Atta said having a sustainable debt path was a pre-requisite for the IMF programme and efforts to authenticate that were underway.



In that regard, he said a DSA by the IMF/World Bank and the Ghana team aimed at ascertaining the level and impact of the debt on the economy was ongoing, thereby making talk of a debt restructuring far-fetched.



Ladies and gentlemen, we simply have not reached any agreement with the fund on the parameters of any debt operations as we are in the process of completing the debt sustainability analysis (DSA).



The government shall continue to actively engage all stakeholders in a clear and transparent manner as we seek to fast-track the IMF negotiation process, the minister said.



He said the country needed a viable domestic financial system to support its development programme, especially at a time when access to the international capital market was limited.



Therefore, everything must, and will be done, to protect our financial sector; and there must be room for a win-win conversation through extensive stakeholder engagement with both our domestic and external investors.



Ghana has always had a collaborative approach with its partners and we shall, I am confident, come out with an historic arrangement, the minister said.



This is a government that protected the savings of4.6 million Ghanaian depositors with the reform of the banking and financial sector even in our early days.



We owe it to the economy and Ghanaians to keep protecting it, he added.



Five-member committee



Mr Ofori-Atta said the sanctity and the well-functioning of the financial system was sacrosanct and the government needed the support and trust of all Ghanaians to deliver this.



Let us join hands to get this done.



The great Celtic Miracle in Ireland in the 1980s was the result of such collaborations, especially with labour, and we shall also be blessed with the Ghana miracle.



He said a five-member committee, consisting of prominent financial services professionals, would be put together to lead extensive stakeholder engagements across all the key segments of the financial sector.



He said the committee would interface with the banking, asset management, pensions, and insurance sectors to help ensure smooth transmission of information.



The announcement of the committee members will be made in the coming days and they will immediately get to work to engage key stakeholders in the financial services sector, addition to ongoing engagements with civil society organisations (CSOs), social partners (labour unions, employers, and faith-based organisations (FBOs), academia, industry professionals, and the leadership of Parliament.



We welcome all contributions to this great public debate, but we must be careful to build and not to tear down our nation, he said.







Source: Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









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Chief Executive Officer of the National Petroleum Authority (NPA), Dr Mustapha Abdul-Hamid says demand for petroleum products in the country has seen significant growth from an average of 7 to 41 percent in 2021.



According to him, the unprecedented surge in consumption is as result of various technological based schemes and interventions being implemented by the downstream regulator to curb illicit fuel activities over the past few months.



Dr. Abdul-Hamid said this at the official opening of the 5th Edition of the Ghana International Petroleum Conference (GhIPCon), in Accra on Wednesday, 28th September 2022,



The 3-day conference is on the theme Energy Transition in the African Petroleum Downstream Context: Prospects, Challenges and the Way Forward.



He mentioned that the sector currently has annual sales value of GHC32.94 billion representing a contribution of 7.2 percent to Ghanas Gross Domestic Product (GDP).



Africas petroleum downstream sector is entering a new era. As the world looks to accelerate its transition away from fossil fuels, the pressures on our industries are mounting, he said.



We are all exposed to the global energy transition, as our countries depend on oil and gas revenues. Ghanas petroleum downstream industry which has an annual sales value of about GHS32.94 billion according to 2021 estimates contributes 7.2% of the countrys GDP.



This represents a 41% increase in demand for fossil fuels as compared to 2020. This is an unprecedented surge in consumption of fossil fuels when the annual average over the years had been between 5% and 7%, The NPA Chief Executive stated.



He emphasized that Ghana is committed to reducing the emissions from consumption of energy products.



We at the National Petroleum Authority are committed to reducing the emissions from the energy products we consume in Ghana, and this culminated to the reduction of sulphur content in transport and industrial fuels from a maximum of 5000ppm to a maximum of 50ppm.



As previously mentioned, Ghana is one of the few African countries that consume low Sulphur fuels, with a roadmap for local refineries to comply, he said.



Dr Abdul Hamid further charged participants at this years conference to deliberate on the key issues with a focus to devise strategies for deployment.



Speaking on behalf of the Energy Minister, a Deputy Minister of Energy, William Owuraku Aidoo, says Ghana remains committed to an energy transition agenda and the development of the petroleum industry.



Ghana remains committed to both an energy transition agenda and the development of its petroleum industry, including downstream sector, we believe that the way forward is to strike an important and fair balance between the two without compromising our determination to maximize the benefits we need for our industrialization, he said.



I am convinced beyond measures that the conference will provide significant outcomes to guide us on the way forward, and I look forward to further engagements in this direction, he added.



He further charged players in the West Africa Sub region to improve refinery capacity to produce high-quality fuels to reduce Green House Gas emissions.



The conference is being organized by the National Petroleum Authority (NPA) in collaboration with the African Refiners and Distributors Association (ARDA) under the auspices of the Ministry of Energy and the Ghana Chamber of Bulk Oil Distributors (CBOD).



It has attracted major players including CEOs, experts and decision makers in the petroleum sector across the West Africa Sub Region.

Source: dailyguidenetwork.com









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The Central Bank has in statement cautioned all individuals who have acquired loans through mobile money platforms, but have delibrately refused to register their SIM cards under the on-going national SIM Card registration exercise, with the intention of avoiding repayment of the acquired loans to think otherwise.



In a statement signed by The Secretary, Sandra Thompson (MS.), further stated that, "failure to repay such loans will attract negative repercussions on borrowers' credit reports/history and could subsequently adversely affect any chance of obtaining loan facilities from other financial institutions and credit providers in future."



Read full statement below



"The attention of Bank of Ghana has been drawn to some individuals who have acquired loans through mobile money platforms, but have delibrately refused to register their SIM cards under the on-going national SIM Card registration exercise, with the intention of avoiding repayment of the acquired loans.



"Bank of Ghana wishes to inform the genral public that data on all mobile money laon customers are domiciled in the database of credit bureaus.



"As a result, failure to repay such loans will attract negative repercussions on borrowers' credit reports/history and could subsequently adversely affect any chance of obtaining loan facilities from other financial institutions and credit providers in future.



"Borrowers who have discarded their SIM Cards are advised to contact their telecommunication service providers or respective lenders, to discuss repayment arrangements to avoid adverse information on their credit reports, that could deny them access to future credit facilities."





Source: Peacefmonline.com









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Observed on September 29 each year, World Heart Day increases public awareness of cardiovascular diseases, their prevention, and their global impact. Over the years, Vodafone Ghana has used many platforms to advocate for cardiac wellness through healthy lifestyles.



Through its innovative healthcare show, Vodafone Healthline, Vodafone Ghana has inspired insightful dialogues about cardiovascular disease, its prevention, and management.



During a notable episode of the Vodafone Healthline show, cardiologist and Senior Physician Specialist Dr Aba Folson explained that not all heart attacks come with classic signs such as severe chest pain. She educated the public on how to detect a silent heart attack and steps to take in case one experiences typical or atypical heart attack symptoms.



Doctor Innocent Adzamli, who also spoke during one of the shows episodes, educated the public on rheumatic heart disease. He explained how the disease, usually caused by rheumatic fever, can consequently damage valves in the heart. During the episode, the doctor also educated viewers about the symptoms of the diseases: rheumatic fever, sore throats at the initial stages, pain in the chest or joints, fatigue, shortness of breath, and others.



The shows impact has been widespread, even resulting in an instance where a Vodafone Healthline enthusiast in a bus saved a fellow passenger suffering from what appeared to be a cardiac arrest.



Beyond the educational campaign on heart health, Vodafone Ghana has also sponsored a series of surgeries and medical interventions over the years for financially challenged patients battling various heart conditions.



Eunice Quansah, a 30-year-old seamstress, benefitted from a lifesaving surgery to correct a heart defect that caused excruciating pain, leaving her unable to fend for herself.



Recounting her experience, Eunice said, A friend directed me to seek help from Vodafone. After they heard my story, they paid the full cost of my surgery. With Vodafones help, I can function fully today. It is a great joy to my family.

Source: Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









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At least five medical workers in Uganda have been confirmed to be infected with the Ebola virus as the outbreak continues to spread in the central region.



Dr Herbert Luswata, the secretary general of the Uganda Medical Association, told the BBC that the five were exposed to the virus in the first stages of the outbreak when there was less awareness and that they did not have sufficient protective gear.



All of them are currently receiving treatment at Mubende hospital, the main Ebola isolation centre.



A total of 24 people have been confirmed to be infected with the virus in the country, five of whom have died.



The Uganda Medical Association had previously called for Ebola hotspots to be put under quarantine to stop the further spread of the haemorrhagic viral disease.



In a statement on Tuesday, trainee medical workers said they would not return to work until all of them had been tested for Ebola and those found infected offered treatment.



The intern health workers had said they will strike until their working conditions improve.



President Yoweri Museveni is expected to address the nation on the outbreak on Wednesday night.

Source: BBC









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Koku Anyidoho, Chief Executive Officer of the Atta-Mills Institute, AMI, has reacted to abuse he has received in the wake of his call for prayers for President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and the nation.



He had made the 'prayer request' via a tweet dated September September 25, which read: "I am more than convinced that we must go on our knees and genuinely pray for the President and Mother Ghana because we definitely need the divine intervention of God for Him to bless our Homeland Ghana. Thank God the President himself is on his knees praying."



In a follow-up tweet dated September 28, the one-time aide to late President John Evans Atta Mills, disclosed that he was being attacked for his call for prayers.



He likened his predicament to that of the Biblical Apostle Paul who was abused by his people for a similar call stressing that he remained unfazed in the face of the attacks.



"Reading my bible this morning, I noticed that the critics of the Apostle Paul, called him a madman, a fool, a babbler just bcos of the gospel. If I am being insulted for asking that we pray for Ghana & the President; Paul suffered it so me to I am suffering it. God is good."



Anyidoho is known to be a supporter of the president and the current government despite insisting that he remains a full member of the opposition National Democratic Congress, NDC.



The last time both men met publicly was at the reopening of the refurbished Asomdwee Park - the burial place of late President Atta Mills.



The AMI had gotten government support for the renovation of the facility and the recommissioning was done on the 10th anniversary of Atta-Mills' passing.





Reading my bible this morning, I noticed that the critics of the Apostle Paul, called him a madman, a fool, a babbler just bcos of the gospel. If I am being insulted for asking that we pray for Ghana & the President; Paul suffered it so me to I am suffering it. God is good   Samuel Koku Anyidoho (@KokuAnyidoho) September 28, 2022

















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Former First Lady and Political, Women and Children Activist, Nana Konadu Agyemang-Rawlings, has disclosed what inspired her decision to adopt the chic African look.



Witnessing the imminent death of Ghanas textile industry, she took it upon herself to bear the touch of reviving and promoting the industry.



Recognized as a local fabric fashion in Ghana and beyond, she made it a point to represent Ghana and Africa by wearing clothes sewn from African print always.



Speaking to Eunice Tornyi on e.tv Ghanas African Womens Voices show, she said, I was asked to go have a look at Ghana Textiles Printing (GTP). I met a guy who was about two years ahead of me in (KNUST) there looking so morose. So, I asked him why he was sad and he said, well I dont know why they brought you here because there was nothing going on.



According to the young man she spoke to, they were not working because they had no ink, fabric or nothing they could work with. Hence,they were just there with nothing to do because the factory had collapsed.



He said all other factories had also collapsed due to the same challenges. So, I decided to go round and I met two other ladies who took me round and explained to me what was happening and that, hardly is anyone buying fabric anyway. Also, because almost all the educated people preferred designer names over the African print, collapsing the market.



She emphasized that these informed her decision to choose to wear African prints to help revive the textile industry.



Now, it meant that I should own the cloth before I can wear it so, I spoke to my mum about my decision to be wearing only African prints to functions which she agreed and supported me, she stated.













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China will carry out pilot inclusive finance reform in three cities, the country's central bank said Wednesday.

Trials will be conducted in Tongchuan, northwest China's Shaanxi Province, Lishui in east China's Zhejiang Province, and Chengdu, capital of southwest China's Sichuan Province, according to the plans released by the People's Bank of China and seven relevant authorities.

The plans would optimize the rural financial systems and improve financial support in key areas.

Carrying out inclusive financial reform trials in the three cities will help explore an effective path for inclusive finance to foster rural vitalization, the central bank said.

The central bank and relevant departments will guide the provincial governments of Shaanxi, Zhejiang, and Sichuan to advance the implementation of the plans and ensure that all reform measures in the pilot zones are carried out in a sound and orderly manner.
The World Health Organizations office in sub-Saharan Africa says the ongoing Ebola outbreak in Uganda was detected late.



Preliminary investigations suggest that the patient could have developed symptoms in August but it was not immediately picked up as an Ebola case.



At least 24 people have so far tested positive for the Sudan strain of the Ebola virus, which has left four people dead.



Dr Patrick Otim, who is overseeing the Ebola response in Uganda, told the BBC that response teams on the ground are finding it difficult to identify patient zero.



This is because by the time Uganda declared the outbreak several deaths had already been reported in the community - with many more having attended funerals.



Dr Otim said it is suspected that these deaths could have been caused by the Ebola outbreak.



The symptoms of the Sudan strain are similar to other diseases such as malaria and typhoid, which are endemic in the affected areas, and is proving a challenge to medics.



There is no vaccine for the Sudan strain of the Ebola virus, as this type of outbreak is rare.



The only available vaccine is effective against the Zaire strain that has caused outbreaks in West Africa and neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo.

Source: BBC









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Ugandas President Yoweri Museveni has said that there is no need to impose restrictions in Ebola hotspots in the central region because the viral disease is not airborne.



Ebola is spread through contact with an infected person or infected surfaces and human waste.



The association of medical workers in the country had previously called for the affected region to be put under quarantine to stop further spread of the haemorrhagic fever.



Mr Museveni said his government had the capacity to control the epidemic due to previous experience with similar outbreaks. This is the fourth time Ebola has broken out in Uganda.



He said that health experts who had previously dealt with Ebola outbreaks had been deployed to the affected region.



It is currently taking 24 hours for samples to be tested and laboratory results to be released.



The president said the government would set up a laboratory at Mubende district headquarters, the epicentre of the outbreak, to quicken the sample processing.



Six medical workers who treated the 24-year-old man who was later identified as the first case, have tested positive for Ebola.



A total of 24 people have been confirmed to be infected by the virus in the country, five of whom have died since the outbreak was declared last week.

Source: BBC









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The Minister of Transport, Kwaku Ofori Asiamah, has led a team of aviation experts from the Ministry of Transport, the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), the Ghana Airports Company Limited (GACL), Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB) and the Parliamentary Select Committee on Transport to attend the 41st International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Triennial Assembly currently ongoing in Montreal, Canada.



The eleven-day programme which begun on Tuesday, 27th September and scheduled to end on 7th October 2022 is expected to bring together ICAOs 193 Member States, of which Ghana is a proud member.



During the Assembly Session, ICAOs complete work programme in the technical, economic, legal and technical cooperation fields are reviewed in detail and outcomes provided to other bodies of ICAO and its member States in order to guide their continuing and future work, as prescribed in Article 49 of the Convention on International Civil Aviation.



The Minister of Transport, Hon. Kwaku Ofori Asiamah would be expected on Saturday, 1st October 2022 to address the assembly to tout Ghanas numerous achievements in the aviation industry as well as Ghanas recovery in air transportation following the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic.



Hon. Asiamah would rely on Ghanas enormous achievement in the aviation sector in the sub-region to solicit support for Ghanas candidature for election to Part 3 of the ICAO Council to represent the Western Region of Africa.



In total eight African States, including Ghana will be contesting for seats and reelection to the governing body of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).



Ghana at the 40th Triennial Assembly in 2019 received two prestigious awards, the ICAO Council Presidents Certificate in Aviation Security and the ICAO Council Presidents Certificate in Aviation Safety after significantly improving on its safety performance after the last safety assessment in April 2019. Ghana obtained an Effective Implementation (EI) rate of 89.89%, one of the highest by an African State, after ICAO concluded its Coordinated Validation Mission (ICVM).



Some notable members of the Ministers delegation included, the Chairman of the Parliamentary Select Committee of Transport, Hon. Kennedy Nyarko Osei and MP for Akim Swedru Constituency, Hon. Kwame Governs Agbodza, Ranking Member, Parliamentary Select Committee of Transport and MP for Adaklu, Mrs. Mabel Sagoe, Chief Director Ministry of Transport, Mr. Charles Kraikue-Director General, Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), and Mrs. Pamela Djamson-Tettey, Managing Director, Ghana Airports Company Limited(GACL).



Ghanas High Commissioner to Canada, H.E. Anselm Ransford Sowah also joined the Ministers delegation to attend the opening session.

Source: Gladys Boakye









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The Australian High Commissioner to Ghana, Berenice Owen-Jones, has stated that the threat of terrorist attacks is negatively affecting the investment in the mining sector of Ghana and other West African countries.



According to Owen-Jones, investors are getting wind of information on how terrorist and jihadist groups are spreading in the sub-region, particularly to coastal areas which is deterring them from putting money in the region.



Speaking at the West African Mining Security Conference (WAMS) on Wednesday, the high commissioner added that the political instability in the region is also generally not helping with attracting investments in the mining sector.



We are acutely aware of the growing security and political challenges faced by mining companies operating in West Africa-particularly in the Sahel region, where terrorist groups affiliated with Islamic State and Al Qaeda continue to expand their footprint.



Political instability and coups in the region during the past three years have also created challenges for mining sector investment, she said.



Commissioner Owen-Jones stated that the danger terrorism is posing to the economy of West African countries with its negative impact on investment makes the West African Mining Security Conference more relevant.



She said that through WAMS, countries in the region get to share data and intelligence which is critical to the first against terrorism.



WAMS brings together government, academics, security practitioners, subject matter experts and the mining industry to discuss to the challenges of ensuring a safe operating environment in a dynamic and increasingly difficult security environment.



WAMS provides an opportunity to focus on security issues facing Australian and other international mining companies in West Africa; understand the trends and directions for security and how it might impact on mining operations, both current and future; to share information across government and the private sector on current threats and mitigation strategies; and to build contacts and networks in West Africa, she said.







Source: ghanaweb.com









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A bodyguard of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo by name Jibril, is reported to have built an ultra-modern hospital for the Muslim community in Ghanas capital, Accra.



According to Kessben TV, the name of the hospital, which is situated at Accra Newtown, is the Islamic Hospital and it was built by the bodyguards foundation, the Jibril Foundation.



The purpose of the hospital is to provide quality health care to Muslims in Zongo communities who cannot afford some health care services at other health facilities in the country.



The report indicated that though the initiative was a good one many are questioning the source of Jibrils wealth.



The allegation is that the presidents bodyguard built this ultra-modern hospital. People are asking how a bodyguard of the president is able to build such an edifice when the Regional Minister, who is the Member of Parliament for the area, Henry Quartey, has failed.



Where did the bodyguard get the money to put out such an edifice? This is the question most people are asking, a Kessben TV journalist said in Twi.















Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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Adom TVs Broadcast Journalist, Akwasi Nsiah, has called on the government to, as matter of urgency, revisit the Agyapa Royalties deal to help stabilise the economy.



He said, this will be the best option for the country rather than resorting to borrowing from the International Monetary Fund.



Government in October last year disclosed its intention to re-submit a restructured Agyapa Royalties Agreement to Parliament for approval.



Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, at the inauguration of a newly appointed Board of Minerals Income Investment Fund in Accra on Tuesday, October 12, 2021, stated that the deal has been repackaged to inure to the benefit of the state.



Meanwhile, the Minority in Parliament has said it will oppose the Agyapa Royalties Agreement should it resurface in Parliament.



Agyapa deal



On August 14, 2020, Parliament approved the Agyapa Minerals Royalties Investment Agreement and four related documents to monetise Ghanas future gold royalties.



Under the agreement, Agyapa Mineral Royalties Limited has been incorporated in Jersey near the UK to receive and manage royalties from 16 gold mining leases over the next 15 years or so.



In exchange, the firm will list on the London and Ghana Stock Exchanges (GSE) and raise at least $500 million for government to invest in infrastructure, health and education.



The listing will allow private people to buy a 49 per cent stake in the firm.



However, some 22 civil society organisations called for a suspension of the deal, insisting it is not in the interest of Ghana.



Speaking on Badwam on Adom TV, Akwasi Nsiah lamented that Ghana cannot be borrowing every time while the country has royalties it can leverage for equally same amount or even more.



He, therefore, called for a non-partisan approach to help rid of all encumbrances to help pave way for the full actualisation of the Agyapa deal.







Source: adomnews









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Pernod Ricard Ghana, a subsidiary of World No.2 producer of spirits and wines, has thrown its weight behind Lets Do It Ghana, the franchise holder of World Cleanup Day in Ghana, to organize cleanup exercises at the Laboma Beach Resort near the La Pleasure Beach in Accra.



The cleanup exercise that took place on Saturday, 17th September 2022 was to mark World Cleanup Day which was simultaneously observed in about 164 countries. The exercise brought together thousands of Ghanaians youth and other volunteers from the La Dadekotopon township to collect tons of waste from the environment.



The Day is an annual global social action programme that unites millions of volunteers, governments, and organizations worldwide to tackle the global waste problem with the aim of building a sustainable world.



Commenting on the exercise, Sustainability and Responsibility Manager for Pernod Ricard Nigeria and Western Africa, Eunice Osei-Tutu said her outfit was very excited to join in the World Cleanup Day exercise which corresponds with the Circular Making Pillar of Pernod Ricards Sustainability and Responsibility roadmap which supports the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN-SDG) 12, Responsible Consumption and Production and 14, Life Below Water.



She said: It is a very fulfilling moment for us at Pernod Ricard as we join the world to preserve our natural environment and minimize waste. At Pernod Ricard, we always look for opportunities to advance sustainable actions that preserve the environment. Every step of operation at Pernod Ricard has been laced with processes that optimize and help preserve natural resources. For example, we have banned all promotional items made from single-use plastic since 2021 and are working to ensure that 100% of our packaging will be recyclable, reusable, compostable, or bio-based by 2025. We also adopt eco-design principles to reduce impact for all New Product Development.



On her part, Country Leader for Lets Do It Ghana Ms. Kate Opoku, emphasized that the World Cleanup Day should not only highlight the need for cleanups but also raise awareness both locally and globally of the waste crisis, and the urgency of tackling it.



She added, World Cleanup Day catalyzes on the discussion on how to keep our environment clean, how to implement circular economy models, and lead countries, companies, and organizations to change the way we produce and consume as part of a wider effort to combat climate change.



She thus called on all Ghanaians to dispose of waste properly, segregate our waste and adopt reuse to help keep our environment clean and protect marine life.



Ms. Kate Opoku further expressed her gratitude to volunteers and organizations that participated in and supported World Cleanup Day in Ghana.



Other partners included CMA-CGM Ghana, Ghana Wildlife Society, Allianz, Dansworld International Services, Zoomlion Ghana Limited, and Street Sense Organization.

Source: Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









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Presidential hopeful Percival Kofi Akpaloo believes that the hostility which was exhibited toward President Akufo-Addo over the weekend is the tip of the iceberg.



To Mr Kofi Akpaloo who is the founder of the Liberal Party of Ghana (LPG), such reactions from the public are anticipated and not unusual especially when things seem to go awry in the course of governance.



However, President Akufo-Addos case of the booing and jeers was borne out of the fact that he has over the period failed to heed the cries of the public.



The LPG party leader alluded to calls for the New Patriotic Party leader to reshuffle his appointees in the various leadership positions and said that the President downplayed the demands of his followers.



I think the problem with the President at the moment is that people are not advising him well, because when it came to the period to reshuffle his appointees, he took things lightly.



If he effected the change in the government, people will begin to realise that you want to do something . . . but he took things lightly, Mr Kofi Akpaloo stated in his interview with Kwamina Sam Biney of Angel FMs 'Anopa Bofo' morning show.



According to Mr Kofi Akpaloo, President as a person will not know what is happening on the ground therefore if the public is demanding certain changes he must listen.



All is not well with Ghanaians. Ghanaians are not happy . . . when I saw this video I said it is a tip of the iceberg, because people are not happy in this country. Nobody should sit anywhere and think all is well, he added.













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Former Central Regional Minster under the current Akufo-Addo government, Kwamena Duncan and former Deputy Information Minister under the erstwhile Mahama administration, Felix Kwakye Ofosu have engaged in a head-to-head clash over the Controller and Accountant General's report on how Mr. Mahama used his appointees' 10 percent salary deductions.



Felix Kwakye Ofosu, who doubles as an aide to the former President, quoted the former Regional Minister as saying Ex-President John Mahama secretly went to the Controller and Accountant General to take back the 10% salary cuts he and his appointees voluntarily offered between 2014 and 2016.



But in a Facebook post, Mr. Kwakye Ofosu sought to expose what he says are lies by Kwamena Duncan.



He posted; "Ever since President Mahama broached the subject of the review of the emolument package of Article 71 office holders in line with demands and expectations of the Ghanaian public, the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia government and their mother party the NPP, have whipped themselves up into a frenzy and peddled one unintelligent lie after the other in a bid to douse what they believe will be plaudits accruing to Mr Mahama for his bold declarations on the vexed matter of Article 71.



" . . Kwamena Duncans lie is not new and is only a repetition of lies spawned from the Accountant-Generals statement before the Public Accounts Committee of Parliament in 2017, that he did not know how the money accruing from the 10% deductions were disbursed and whether they were used for the intended purposes of building CHPS compounds for some deprived communities as disclosed by Mr Mahama in 2014 when the deductions were announced. I had occasion in 2017 to dispel these falsehoods when they first surfaced and I would do so again now, in the wake of Duncans ignorant and misguided rants."



In his attempts to set the record straight, he explained that the "Accountant-Generals work in the matter started and ended with making the deductions from the salaries of all appointees and lodging same into a designated account controlled by the then Chief of Staff who was mandated to so do by the said appointees".



"In much the same way that the Accountant General is not expected to know how public workers spend their salaries after he paid it into their accounts, it cannot reasonably be expected that he would be seized with information on the disbursement of the funds raised from the salary deductions," he added.



In a quick riposte during Peace FM's "Kokrokoo" discussion programme Wednesday morning, Kwamena Duncan said Felix Kwakye Ofosu's defence is "funny" and ridiculed the latter asserting that "he (Kwakye Ofosu) just exposes himself. He doesn't know how the system operates".



Mr. Duncan straightened out how the system works insisting "monies which have been paid to government chest which must be lodged in the Consolidated Fund. On the constitution, [there is] two funds. The Consolidated Fund and then the Contingency Fund. Unless of course, by some other means, the Minister goes to Parliament to be permitted to create another one, but otherwise constitutionally these are the two funds. So, every money we collect goes into the government purse which is the Consolidated Fund".



He, therefore, found it outrageous that Felix Kwakye Ofosu would state that the monies were put into a designated account controlled by the former Chief of Staff.



"How was the money lodged with the Chief of Staff? How was the money paid?", he asked.



"This man's response is that it was the Chief of Staff that received the money. How that happened is very, very strange! Very strange!!", the former Minister exclaimed.



He further challenged Kwakye Ofosu saying, "he does not avert his mind to the fact that once we have paid 10 percent each, these are monies which go back to government chest and which must be kept in the Consolidated Fund. How they even came about with public works contract, because building a CHPS compound is a public work contract. You go through processes of procurement and the monies must be paid from government sources".

Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









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Former Central Regional Minister, Kwamena Duncan says President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo 'prophesied' the economic crises that have befallen Ghanaians.



According to Kwamena Duncan, the President knew that the country will face these crises from the very time he made decisions to save lives during the Coronavirus pandemic.



He stated that the President made a hard choice when the deadly viral disease swept the country.



"It is by his efforts that we all have lives today to go up and down, that today it's impossible that thousands and thousands of our Ghanaian youth could gather at the Independence Square. He chose to protect, to save lives. That's what the President did; so he must continue to hold his head high . . . If you save lives, it will be at the expense of some other thing. Akufo-Addo was prophetic when he made the hard choice and which was the best choice. So, he knew the consequences would come," he said.



But the former Minister was however confident that the President will not let down the citizenry.



He assured Ghanaians that the President and his government is set on the right course to salvage the economy, therefore called on them to rally behind the Akufo-Addo administration.



"This country, we need to stay together. What has happened now is a major hurdle but I trust the leadership, we will go over this hurdle and we get back on course," he stated.



Kwamena Duncan made these submissions on Peace FM's "Kokrokoo" morning show while discussing the Government of Ghana's resort to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for a bailout.

Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









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You are here: China

Seventeen people were killed and another three injured in a restaurant fire in Changchun, capital of northeast China's Jilin Province, local authorities said Wednesday.

The local fire brigade received reports of the incident that occurred in the Changchun high-tech industrial development zone at 12:40 p.m. Wednesday. Firefighters immediately rushed to the site for rescue.

As of 3 p.m., the on-site search and rescue work had ended.

The injured are being treated in a local hospital and the cause of the incident is being investigated.

The Ministry of Emergency Management said that it had dispatched a work team to the site to provide guidance for the rescue work.

The ministry called for efforts to handle the incident in a safe and scientific manner and ascertain the causes of the fire as soon as possible.
Chairman of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, has touted achievements chalked under his leadership.



He said under his tenure, the party has managed to reduce the one million vote deficit it suffered in the 2016 election as well as reclaiming lost parliamentary seats which has resulted in a hung parliament.



The Chairman, who is seeking reelection, said in a September 28 interview with Radio Gold that the current executives have collectively delivered on the mandate given to them in 2018 including ensuring that Parliament has a Speaker who for the first time in history, was not a member of the ruling party



I can say as the leader of the party that it was through my effort and direction that we were able to achieve all this. Where we have positioned the party now, we believe when we make arrangements like we are doing, for the first time we have had branch elections and they were incident free.



I doff my hearts for regional executives, and constituency executives. For the past three months, some have not slept at home. They have been crisscrossing between Kumasi and Koforidua.



The emphasis and the work to strengthen the structures of the party that we have been able to get branch executives and it is now left with constituency executives, we are building the party as a war machinery that we can be able to use to win the 2024 elections, he said.



Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo added that the NDC has become the most attractive political party in the country. He pointed to the peaceful conduct of the partys internal election processes so far as the basis for his assertion.



On his reelection bid, the Chairman said he has been able to unify the party which he described as a weapon every political party needs.



He said they were able to unite all party members such as Joshua Alabi amongst others who contested former President John Dramani Mahama for the NDC flagbearership ahead of the 2020 polls.



Such intervention he said played a key role in the partys success at the 2020 polls, having earlier suffered a record one million vote difference in the 2016 elections.



We gave everyone who contested John Mahama for the flagbearership a job to do. Through that unity of purpose, we were able to perform well at the 2020 polls. We never lost that election. The Supreme Court was the one that did not uphold our case. That is why we have said we wont go to the Supreme Court in 2024 but we are strengthening the party base at the polling station level, Ofosu Ampofo said.



The Chairman of the NDC per reports is likely to come up against General Secretary Asiedu Nketiah in the race for Chairmanship in the partys internal election slated for December 17.



The NDC is also hoping to recapture power from the governing New Patriotic Party who are also bent on breaking the eight-year rotational power cycle between itself and the opposition party.







Source: ghanaweb.com









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Bernard Allotey Jacobs has debunked claims that the President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo sat in a bus when he and the First Lady, Rebecca Akufo-Addo, attended the funeral of the British monarch, Queen Elizabeth II.



Queen Elizabeth II was pronounced dead on Thursday, September 8, 2022 at age 96.



World leaders were invited to her funeral and burial service by the royal family and President Nana Addo honored the invite.



However, only the President of the United States of America, Joe Biden and his wife were allowed to drive to the funeral in his convoy; all other leaders were officially bused to the venue.



None of the leaders including President Nana Akufo-Addo used any means apart from the bus to the function, according sources.



But Allotey Jacobs says President Akufo-Addo never sat in the bus but rather was driven in a private car.



"He didn't sit in the bus. We saw it clearly. He was in a black private car with Madam Rebecca," he said on Peace FM's 'Kokrokoo' morning show.

Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









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The National Chairman of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), Stephen Ntim, has commissioned the partys Regional Directors of Communication to lead their respective regions in propagating the good works of the government.



According to him, the Regional Directors of Communication have a crucial role to play in ensuring that the NPP break the eight in the upcoming 2024 general election which promises to be keenly contested.



He was speaking at a meeting with all the Regional Directors of Communication of the party at an event held on Tuesday in Accra.



Present at the meeting were the National Director of Communications, his deputies, and the partys Director of Finance and Administration.

















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The list of nominees for the 12th edition of the prestigious Radio and Television Personality (RTP) Awards has been released.

The 2021/2022 RTP Awards promises to be bigger and much rewarding to the nominees, those whose hard work wins them award(s) and the patrons to the event.

Below is the list of nominees:







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Source: Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









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In this picture provided by Swedish Coast Guard, the gas leak in the Baltic Sea from Nord Stream photographed from the Coast Guard's aircraft on Wednesday, Sept. 27, 2022. A fourth leak on the Nord Stream pipelines has been reported off southern Sweden. Earlier, three leaks had been reported on the two underwater pipelines running from Russia to Germany. Credit: Swedish Coast Guard via AP

Methane escaping from the damaged Nord Stream pipelines that run between Russia and Europe is likely to result in the biggest known gas leak to take place over a short period of time and highlights the problem of large methane escapes elsewhere around the world, scientists say.

"From what I have seen this is an unprecedented loss to the atmosphere of fossil methane in a very short time from a concentrated source,'' said President of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences Marcia McNutt. She oversaw American government efforts to assess the breadth of the 2010 BP oil spill the gulf of Mexico.

Methane acts quickly to heat the Earth. The fact that it disappears faster from the atmosphere than carbon dioxide, "is probably small consolation to the citizens of Florida and other places who are already being hit by more frequent and more deadly tropical storms, supercharged by an ocean superheated by greenhouse gas releases to the atmosphere," McNutt said in an email.

There is still uncertainty in estimating total damage, but researchers say vast plumes of this potent greenhouse gas will have significant detrimental impacts on the climate.

Immediate harm to marine life and fisheries in the Baltic Sea and to human health will also result because benzene and other trace chemicals are typically present in natural gas, researchers say.

In this picture provided by Swedish Coast Guard, the gas leak in the Baltic Sea from Nord Stream photographed from the Coast Guard's aircraft on Wednesday, Sept. 27, 2022. A fourth leak on the Nord Stream pipelines has been reported off southern Sweden. Earlier, three leaks had been reported on the two underwater pipelines running from Russia to Germany. Credit: Swedish Coast Guard via AP

"This will probably be the biggest gas leak ever, in terms of its rate," said Stanford University climate scientist Rob Jackson.

The velocity of the gas erupting from four documented leaks in the pipelineswhich the North Atlantic Treaty Organization has attributed to sabotageis part of what makes the impacts severe.

When methane leaks naturally leaks from vents on the ocean floor, the quantities are usually small and the gas is mostly absorbed by seawater. "But this is not a normal situation for gas release," said Jackson. "We're not talking about methane bubbling up to the surface like seltzer water, but a plume of rushing gas," he said.

Jackson and other scientists estimate that between 50% and nearly 100% of total methane emitted from the pipeline will reach the atmosphere.

The Danish government issued a worst case scenario that assumed all the gas reached the air, and German officials Thursday issued a somewhat lower one.

In this picture provided by Swedish Coast Guard, a small release from Nord Stream 2 is seen, Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2022. A fourth leak on the Nord Stream pipelines has been reported off southern Sweden. Earlier, three leaks had been reported on the two underwater pipelines running from Russia to Germany. Credit: Swedish Coast Guard via AP

In the meantime, it's nearly impossible for anyone to approach the highly flammable plume to attempt to curb the release of gas, which energy experts estimate may continue until Sunday.

"Methane is very flammableif you go in there, you'd have a good chance of it being a funeral pyre," said Ira Leifer, an atmospheric scientist. If the gas-air mix was within a certain range, an airplane could easily ignite travelling into the plume, for example.

Methane isn't the only risk. "Natural gas isn't refined to be super cleanthere are trace elements of other compounds, like benzene," a carcinogen, said Leifer.

"The amount of these trace elements cumulatively entering the environment is significant right nowthis will cause issues for fisheries and marine ecosystems and people who potentially eat those fish," he said.

David Archer, a professor in the geophysical sciences department at University of Chicago who focuses on the global carbon cycle, said that escape of methane in the Baltic Sea is part of the much larger worldwide problem of methane emissions.

A large disturbance in the sea can be observed off the coast of the Danish island of Bornholm Tuesday, Sept. 27, 2022 following a series of unusual leaks on two natural gas pipelines running from Russia under the Baltic Sea to Germany have triggered concerns about possible sabotage. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen says she "cannot rule out" sabotage after three leaks were detected on Nord Stream 1 and 2. Credit: Danish Defence Command via AP

The gas is a major contributor to climate change, responsible for a significant share of the climate disruption people are already experiencing. That is because it is 82.5 times more potent than carbon dioxide at absorbing the sun's heat and warming the Earth, over the short term.

Climate scientist have found that methane emissions from the oil and gas industry are far worse than what companies are reporting, despite claims by major companies that they've reduced their emissions.

Scientists measuring methane from satellites in space have found that emissions from oil and gas operations are usually at least twice as high as what the companies reported, said Thomas Lauvaux, climate scientist at University of Reims in France.

Many of those so-called leaks are not accidental. Companies release the gas during routine maintenance. Lauvaux and other scientists observed more than 1,500 major methane leaks globally, and potentially tens of thousands of smaller leaks, using satellites, he said.

Explore further California not counting methane leaks from idle wells

 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Extremes of the colour gradient of the Eastern San Antonio frog (Hyla orientalis). On the left, a specimen captured in Chernobyl inside the high contamination zone; on the right, a specimen captured outside the Exclusion Zone. Credit: German Orizaola/Pablo Burraco, CC BY

The accident at reactor four of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in 1986 generated the largest release of radioactive material into the environment in human history. The impact of the acute exposure to high doses of radiation was severe for the environment and the human population. But more than three decades after the accident, Chernobyl has become one of the largest nature reserves in Europe. A diverse range of endangered species finds refuge there today, including bears, wolves, and lynxes.

Radiation can damage the genetic material of living organisms and generate undesirable mutations. However, one of the most interesting research topics in Chernobyl is trying to detect if some species are actually adapting to live with radiation. As with other pollutants, radiation could be a very strong selective factor, favoring organisms with mechanisms that increase their survival in areas contaminated with radioactive substances.

Melanin protection against radiation

Our work in Chernobyl started in 2016. That year, close to the damaged nuclear reactor, we detected several Eastern tree frogs (Hyla orientalis) with an unusual black tint. The species normally has a bright green dorsal coloration, although occasional darker individuals can be found.

Melanin is responsible for the dark color of many organisms. What is less known is that this class of pigments can also reduce the negative effects of ultraviolet radiation. And its protective role can extend to ionizing radiation too, as it has been shown with fungi. Melanin absorbs and dissipates part of the radiation energy. In addition, it can scavenge and neutralize ionized molecules inside the cell, such as reactive oxygen species. These actions make it less likely that individuals exposed to radiation will go on to suffer cell damage and increase their survival chances.

View of reactor 4 of the Chornobyl nuclear power plant from Lake Azbuchyn (Ukraine), 2019. Credit: German Orizaola

The color of Chernobyl tree frogs

After detecting the first black frogs in 2016, we decided to study the role of melanin coloration in Chernobyl wildlife. Between 2017 and 2019 we examined in detail the coloration of Eastern tree frogs in different areas of northern Ukraine.

During those three years we analyzed the dorsal skin coloration of more than 200 male frogs captured in 12 different breeding ponds. These localities were distributed along a wide gradient of radioactive contamination. They included some of the most radioactive areas on the planet, but also four sites outside the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone and with background radiation levels used as controls.

Our work, published in Evolutionary Applications, reveals that Chernobyl tree frogs have a much darker coloration than frogs captured in control areas outside the zone. As we found out in 2016, some are pitch-black. This coloration is not related to the levels of radiation that frogs experience today and that we can measure in all individuals. The dark coloration is typical of frogs from within or near the most contaminated areas at the time of the accident.

Contaminated area within the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone (Ukraine). Credit: ArcticCynda

Male Eastern St. Anthonys frog (Hyla orientalis) at a location outside the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone (Ukraine), 2019. Credit: German Orizaola

Evolutionary responses in Chernobyl

The results of our study suggest that Chernobyl frogs could have undergone a process of rapid evolution in response to radiation. In this scenario, those frogs with darker coloration at the time of the accident, which normally represent a minority in their populations, would have been favored by the protective action of melanin.

The dark frogs would have survived the radiation better and reproduced more successfully. More than ten generations of frogs have passed since the accident and a classic, although very fast, process of natural selection may explain why these dark frogs are now the dominant type for the species within the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone.

Colouring gradient of the Eastern St. Anthonys frog (Hyla orientalis) in northern Ukraine. Credit: German Orizaola/Pablo Burraco, CC BY-SA

The study of the Chernobyl black frogs constitutes a first step to better understanding the protective role of melanin in environments affected by radioactive contamination. In addition, it opens the doors to promising applications in fields as diverse as nuclear waste management and space exploration.

We hope the current war in Ukraine will end soon and the international scientific community will be able to return to study, together with our Ukrainian colleagues, the fascinating evolutionary and rewilding processes of Chernobyl ecosystems.

Explore further New insights into the effects of radiation from Chernobyl

More information: Pablo Burraco et al, Ionizing radiation and melanism in Chornobyl tree frogs, Evolutionary Applications (2022). Pablo Burraco et al, Ionizing radiation and melanism in Chornobyl tree frogs,(2022). DOI: 10.1111/eva.13476

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

Researchers of Universita Cattolica, Piacenza, are searching for genes to make cattle and sheep breeds resistant to climate change, heat waves and drought: it is at risk the very survival of many local breeds, with huge economic losses for the production chain, while the arrival of new diseases can seriously affect cattle.

At the Faculty of Agricultural, Food and Forestry Sciences headed by Prof. Marco Trevisan, the Department of Animal, Nutrition and Food SciencesDiANA, directed by Professor Francesco Masoero studies the genetics of adaptation. The geneticists, coordinated by Prof. Paolo Ajmone Marsan and involving Prof. Riccardo Negrini, Prof. Licia Colli and a large group of young doctoral students and postdoctoral fellows, recently published a review in the journal Animals about livestock adaptation to climate change.

Production loss due to climate change

"Production loss due to heat depends on environmental conditions, as assessed by the temperature/humidity index (THI)," explains Professor Ajmone Marsan. Several studies revealed worrying estimates of the order of millions of euros in direct costs (loss of production) and indirect costs (cost of veterinary interventions, fodder, etc.).

Prof. Trevisan points out that a paper, published this year in The Lancet Planetary Health, estimates the loss of global production from heat stress at something like $40 billion a year by the end of the century (ranging from a low of $34 to a high of $45), equivalent to about 10 percent of the 2005 value of meat and milk.

"Heat stress is deleterious to all animal species," Professor Negrini explains, "particularly for ruminants and high-producing dairy cattle, as well as our breeds. Unfortunately, climate projections indicate that summer weather in our country will be increasingly dry and hot. That will increase stress in animals, despite shading, ventilation, sprinkling of water and possible conditioning."

Genomics to save livestock

Genomics can help save livestock from climate change, explains Professor Ajmone Marsan. For some years now, national breeding programs have changed the selection goals of livestock species, favoring animals that are more robust and functional and not just highly productive. Traditional selection produces excellent results but it requests at least 5 years. Genomics has almost tripled the speed of selection. With genomics, it is possible to identify and use the best variants of genes involved in whatever of interest for livestock well-being.

Through genomics, some genetic variants (mutations) that help animals to better adapt to hostile climates have already been identified. For example, in some local Caribbean cattle breeds (Senepol, Limoneiro and Carora), a "slick" mutation has been discovered that results in hair shortening and a series of physiological changes that make the animals extremely resistant to heat stress. The mutation has been introduced into the Friesian breed in Florida and it has also been shown to be effective in this breed, which is very important for milk production.

One goal could be to insert the gene into Italian herds and use it in selection programs.

The ongoing research projects in Italy and Europe

"Many ongoing research projects are looking for other favorable genetic variants associated with adaptation to the environment in other breeds and other species. We are actively involved in some of these projects," Prof. Colli says.

"We are studying the genetic basis of adaptation as part of national and international projects," he explains. "In particular, we are coordinating the project SCALA-MEDI that studies the genetics of adaptation in North African sheep and poultry. Five countries, Italy, France, Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco, 18 partners and more than 100 researchers are involved in the project. The main objective is to study and enhance the adaptive capacity to extreme climates of local North African breeds, particularly very hot and dry climates such as the Saharan ones. Understanding the genetic and epigenetic mechanisms of climate adaptation is important for planning genetic and genomic improvement programs that increase the production efficiency of local breeds without compromising their adaptive traits."

"Our aim is to demonstrate the economic value of the studied breeds as well," Professor Negrini says, "in order to contribute to their sustainable conservation. Adaptive genes are preserved in local breeds, but many of them are on the verge of extinction, replaced by improved breeds that are economically advantageous, while having poor adaptive capacity. There must be a balance between efficient production with industrial breeds, which allow the world to be fed sustainably, and conservation of livestock biodiversity as reservoir of useful genes."

"Genomics can increase the efficiency of local breeds, enhancing their sustainability, while studying their DNA to identify genes for adaptation useful for industrial breeds," Professor Ajmone Marsan points out.

"A second European project that has just ended is IMAGE (www.imageh2020.eu) coordinated by the French INRA. The primary objective of the project has been to characterize and exploit biobanks of DNA and animal semen and oocytes from livestock species," Professor Ajmone Marsan says. "Our group identified genes associated with climate adaptation in European sheep. We identified several genes and variants associated with environmental variables (such as temperature, humidity, etc.) that are active in the immune system and metabolism, especially fat metabolism."

A final project is "A multi-species genomic approach to assess pre- and post-Columbian population dynamics in South America," which studies in parallel the genomes of human, bean and cattle on the South American continent.

"While its main objective is the reconstruction of human migration routes during the Paleolithic colonization of the continent, continental sampling of cattle will again allow us to study the genes of cattle adaptation along an extremely diverse climatic gradient, from Patagonia to the tropics; from sea level to the altitudes of the Peruvian mountains," Prof. Erminio Trevisi says.

"Genomics is a powerful tool and it will facilitate the selection of animals more resilient to climate change, but it is only one of the factors that can ensure animal welfare in extreme climates; it's crucial also to control farm structures, breeding management and precision feeding. The good news is that animals in production are increasingly closely monitored by cameras, sensors and intelligent data analysis systems, that alert farmers as soon as animals show the first signs of stress, allowing immediate implementation of mitigation measures."

Explore further Increasing temperatures will hit meat and milk production in East Africa

Provided by Universita Cattolica del Sacro Cuore
Identification chart of Be 27 taken from the Digitzed Sky Survey (DSS). Credit: Sariya et al, 2022.

Using data from ESA's Gaia satellite, astronomers from Taiwan and India have inspected a galactic open cluster known as Berkeley 27. Results of the study, published September 22 on the arXiv pre-print repository, yield essential information regarding the properties of this cluster.

Open clusters (OCs), formed from the same giant molecular cloud, are groups of stars loosely gravitationally bound to each other. So far, more than 1,000 of them have been discovered in the Milky Way, and scientists are still looking for more, hoping to find a variety of these stellar groupings. Expanding the list of known galactic open clusters and studying them in detail could be crucial for improving our understanding of the formation and evolution of our galaxy.

Berkeley 27 (or Be 27 for short) is a poorly populated intermediate-age open cluster located in the Milky Way's third quadrant towards the galactic anticenter region. Its age is estimated to be about 2 billion years and its metallicity was found to be at a level of 0.03. However, many properties of Be 27 are still unknown and its stellar content remains poorly studied.

That is why a team of astronomers led by Devesh P. Sariya of the National Tsing-Hua University in Hsin-Chu, Taiwan, have analyzed the Gaia Data Release 3 (DR3) to investigate Be 27. First of all, they used the precise proper motions from DR3 to determine the membership status of the stars.

"We presented a study of intermediate-age open cluster Be 27 using the Gaia-DR3 data. Gaia PMs [proper motions] were used to determine the most probable cluster members," the researchers wrote in the paper.

The astronomers managed to identify 131 most probable members of Be 27, which are also lying within the limiting radius of the cluster. The limiting radius of Be 27 was calculated to be 3.74 arcminutes, using the radial density profile. The cluster's mean proper motion was determined to be 1.076 and 0.152 mas/year in right ascension and declination, respectively.

The study detected two blue straggler stars (BSSs) in the central region of Be 27 (within 0.5 arcminutes). It was noted that presence of such objects in a stellar system is a symbol of a "delayed" evolution for certain stars. The distance to Be 27 was estimated to be some 15,600 light years while the cluster's age was updated to be approximately 2.29 billion years.

The researchers also evaluated the galactic orbits and orbital parameters for Be 27 using potential galactic models. They found that this cluster is orbiting in a boxy pattern outside the solar circle and traced the circular path around the center of the Milky Way.

According to the authors of the paper, the results suggest that the birth position as well as the present day position of Be 27 is in the thick disk of our galaxy. Hence, the cluster should have had a minimal interaction with the galactic thin disk.

Explore further Open cluster NGC 2158 investigated in detail

More information: Devesh P. Sariya, Ing-Guey Jiang, D. Bisht, R. K. S. Yadav, G. Rangwal, A Gaia based analysis of open cluster Berkeley 27. arXiv:2209.11072v1 [astro-ph.GA], Devesh P. Sariya, Ing-Guey Jiang, D. Bisht, R. K. S. Yadav, G. Rangwal, A Gaia based analysis of open cluster Berkeley 27. arXiv:2209.11072v1 [astro-ph.GA], arxiv.org/abs/2209.11072

 2022 Science X Network
Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

The SNSF is committed to ensuring good working conditions for early-career researchers and promoting their independence. In February, the SNSF launched a survey to learn more about the working conditions of researchers employed by higher education institutions in the projects it funds. Nearly 4,000 early-career researchers (doctoral students, postdocs and further staff) took part, corresponding to a response rate of 47%.

Positive working environment

In general, four out of five respondents said they are somewhat or very satisfied with their working conditions as well as their social environment. The intellectual demands, content of the tasks and level of responsibility are also viewed positively: at least three out of four respondents are somewhat or very satisfied with these aspects.

Participants spend most of their time working on research (nearly 75% of time for doctoral students and postdocs, but less than 60% for further staff); this is followed by teaching, which occupies on average about 10% of respondents' time. In terms of career plans, one third of respondents wish to take up a research position within academia and one quarter are aiming for a full professorship or a scientific position outside academia. More than 70% (two thirds of women and three quarters of men) feel that they have enough time to pursue their career goals. More than 80% consider the SNSF project to be somewhat or very helpful in their career.

Fixed-term contracts and overtime are common

Job security is a source of dissatisfaction among more than one in three respondents (36%), a trend that is more pronounced among postdocs and further staff. Overall, however, nearly half (59%) of respondents say they are somewhat or very satisfied with this aspect. More than 95% of doctoral students and postdocs and 80% of further staff have fixed-term contracts. The duration of these contracts increases with the age of the researchers. However, about 60% of postdocs and further staff would prefer to have longer contracts. Most contracts are full-time (58%), and 75% of researchers indicate being satisfied with their contractual work time. However, almost 60% work more than their contractual hours, and compensation for working overtime is possible for less than half of participants. Other sources of dissatisfaction for 2030% of respondents include income, space left for private life and workload.

Eight percent of respondents, including more than twice as many women as men, report having experienced discrimination or harassment within their current academic activities. This figure is lower than that reported in other surveys, but it is of concern to the SNSF and will be discussed with the higher education institutions in the near future. Of these cases, gender discrimination is most often cited (42%), followed by race-based discrimination or harassment (22%) and age discrimination (17%). About 16% of respondents felt pushed towards inappropriate academic behavior.

Most respondents are aware of their respective rights as an employee in an SNSF-funded project, such as a written employment contract, remuneration in accordance with the relevant salary ranges and PI (principal investigator) support regarding their career. However, less than half of survey respondents knew about their entitlement to SNSF gender equality grants (25%) and flexibility grants for childcarers (41%).

Exchange with mid-level academic staff and the higher education institutions

The results of our survey show that people employed in SNSF projects generally value their work. However, the results also indicate a need for action in certain areas. "The academic world must adapt to the demands of today's labor market, especially to the expectations of up-and-coming generations in terms of independence and prospects. Swiss higher education institutions must continue to be able to attract the best talent," says Angelika Kalt, director of the SNSF. "We will analyze the results in depth and use them as a basis for constructive exchange with representatives of mid-level researchers and the higher education institutions."

"As part of our multi-year program 20252028, which we have just drawn up, we are committing ourselves even more to optimal working conditions for early-career researchers," says Kalt. The SNSF will intensify its cooperation and dialogue with higher education institutions regarding working conditions for SNSF-funded staff, such as duration of contracts, workload and protection against harassment. Meetings are already planned for autumn. The SNSF will also monitor the situation of early-career researchers more systematically.
Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

Helping children become more "digitally resilient" must be a collective effort if they are to learn how to thrive online, according to new research led by the University of East Anglia. The work is published in Education and Information Technologies.

Digital resilience is the capability to learn how to recognize, manage and recover from online riskssuch as bullying and inappropriate contentand has the potential to buffer how these experiences may impact young people's well-being. Until now, research has not examined how digital resilience can be built and shown by children beyond focusing on the individual child.

This new study argues that activating digital resilience needs to be undertaken as a "collective endeavor," involving the child, their parents/caregivers within home environments, youth workers, teachers, and schools at a community level, along with governments, policymakers, and internet corporations at a societal level.

It finds that digital resilience operates across these different levels, which are critical to help children learn how to recognize, manage, recover, and depending on the support available, grow following experiences of online risks.

Importantly, these levels and areas are not mutually exclusive when it comes to digital resilience, but reinforce and operate on each other. As a result, say the researchers, collective responsibility must be at the heart of work in this area.

The study focused on digital resilience among pre-teensthose aged 8 to 12 years old, who are transitioning into early adolescence and seeking more independence at home, school, within society, and increasingly, through online experiences.

The findings come as the latest draft of the Online Safety Bill makes its way through the UK Parliament. The Bill is not expected to place a clear requirement on platforms to cooperate on cross-platform risks and respond to cross-platform harms when discharging their safety duties, compromising the collective endeavor being called for in the study.

Current United Kingdom Council for Internet Safety (UKCIS) guidance highlights digital resilience at an individual level. The study's lead author Dr. Simon P. Hammond said this places emphasis on the child, "marginalizing how home, community and societies support children to learn how to navigate and grow from risky online experiences."

"The need to support children in learning how to recognize, manage, and recover from online risks is an increasingly important process for all," said Dr. Hammond, a lecturer in the School of Education and Lifelong Learning at UEA.

"By showing how digital resilience operates within and across different levels, we can provide more child-centered support to help children to thrive online. To raise digitally resilient citizens, we need to think beyond solely the child or their immediate family and think about how community and society work with these groups. There is also the idea here that just as with the offline world, we need to understand that learning by doing, which involves risky play, is a lifelong process. Mistakes will happen and children need support to learn from those."

Consultant child and adolescent psychiatrist Dr. Richard Graham, who co-chaired the UKCIS Digital Resilience Working Group, said, "This important, hopeful research takes further the early thinking on digital resilience and gives a clear direction away from simplistic e-safety strategies, and highlights how individuals, families, and communities can flourish in the digital age. There is a clear call to action for us all to be better engaged with young people as they learn to navigate the mercurial online world, whilst not dispensing with our growing demands that technology companies create safer online spaces, more supportive of well-being and development."

Since summer 2021, England's nine million school pupils have been learning about being safer online via Personal, Social, Health and Economic (PSHE) education. However, many existing resources, which lack a solid evidence base, tend to take a universal rather than personalized approach to risk.

The study provides a platform to counter this by underpinning the creation of validated psychometric measures that will enable important contextual factors such as a child's family and community support to be considered, enabling educators to offer tailored as opposed to one-size-fits-all approaches.

Co-author Dr. Gianfranco Polizzi, of the University of Liverpool, said, "Our findings have the potential to help parents/caregivers and educationalists promote digital resilience through formal and informal educational approaches that interact and show the importance of supporting pre-teens' digital resilience within and across different areas of their everyday lives."

Dr. Kimberley Bartholomew, from UEA, added, "For policymakers, this study illustrates aspects that might otherwise be taken for granted. For example, that a child is assumed to be more or less digitally resilient as a function of their age, rather than a combination of their age plus their digital experiences and skills. This can shape new ways of teaching which promote controlled exposure to risky opportunities, to be used to help children build and show digital resilience as opposed to trying to avoid risky experiences altogether, which is both short-sighted and unrealistic in our increasingly connected worlds."

More information: Using a socio-ecological framework to understand how 812-year-olds build and show digital resilience: a multi-perspective and multimethod qualitative study, Education and Information Technologies (2022). Using a socio-ecological framework to understand how 812-year-olds build and show digital resilience: a multi-perspective and multimethod qualitative study,(2022). DOI: 10.1007/s10639-022-11240-z
Metoposaurus (olive green, bottom) led a bottom dwelling lifestyle-probably to avoid competition from the larger Cyclotosaurus (blue) and phytosaur Parasuchus (ochre brown). Credit: Sudipta Kalita

If you need to lurk at the bottom of a water body waiting for prey, it is wise to stay motionless without resisting against the buoyant forces of water. To do so you need a kind of diving belt that helps to sink. One large amphibian species Metoposaurus krasiejowensis, that lived more than 200 million years ago, compensated for buoyancy with a heavy shoulder girdle. Researchers from the Universities of Bonn and Opole (Poland) examined the bones of the girdle under a microscope. The compactness in the interclavicle shows a striking resemblance to the pectoral bones of modern manatees. The results are now published in the Journal of Anatomy.

Between 225 and 215 million years ago, lived a large temnospondyl amphibian species in floodplains in southwestern Poland: Metoposaurus krasiejowensis. In addition, another, even larger Temnospondyli species, Cyclotosaurus intermedius and a crocodile-like reptile species known as phytosaurs coexisted with the metoposaurs. Metoposaurids are amphibians that evolved 300 million years ago.

"Some researchers believe that modern frogs, toads and salamanders could be descendants of these temnospondyli," says first author Sudipta Kalita, a research assistant in paleontology at the Institute of Geosciences at the University of Bonn, Germany. Metoposaurids are strikingly different from other Temnospondyli species because of their large rounded skull tops, massive shoulder bones and small pelvic girdle with small legs.

In the early 1900s, German paleontologist Eberhard Fraas first speculated that metoposaurids lived as bottom-dwellers in shallow freshwater ecosystems. His assumption was based on the large shoulder bones of these animals, which facilitated their sinking. A similar strategy is used by modern manatees. They use the weight of their breast bones to submerge themselves in their shallow coastal habitat to graze on seagrass underwater.

Big bones don't have to be heavy

"A big bone doesn't have to be heavy," says the senior author Dr. Dorota Konietzko-Meier of the University of Bonn's Department of Paleontology. "The density of the bone being crucial for understanding such an adaptation." Like lead weights in diving, heavy bones facilitate descent. Otherwise, a lot of muscle energy would have to be used to compensate for resisting buoyancy through paddling movements while diving.

Eberhard Fraas' conjecture raises the question of whether the shoulder bones of metoposaurids were actually heavy. Researchers from the Institute of Geosciences at the University of Bonn examined the internal microstructure of the bones for the first time to see whether there was actually a lot of bone mass there. They focused on two questions: did the shoulder bones of Metoposaurus contribute to its underwater bottom-dwelling lifestyle? Did young and old metoposaurids occupy different niches at different water depths?

The scale bar at the side is used to compare the thickness at different locations; inside D stands for dorsal (towards the back) and V for ventral (towards the belly). Credit: Sudipta Kalita

Pixel-counting software calculated the compactness of the bones

To test these hypotheses, the researchers cut open the two giant elements of the shoulder girdle: the clavicles and the interclaviclea bone located between the paired clavicles. They took very thin sections from these bones and examined them under a microscope. These sections were then scanned and converted into black-and-white images. Using this data, a pixel-counting software calculated the percentage of compactness.

As a bone grows in size, so do the pores inside nullifying the added weight due to bone growth. These pores provide blood and oxygen supply to the bones when the animals are alive. However, the researchers found that the interclavicles of Metoposaurus krasiejowensis still contained a lot of bone, even in the largest of specimens. "This suggests that the compactness of the bone at some locations within the interclavicles bears a striking resemblance to the compactness of the thoracic bones of modern manatees," Kalita reported. Unlike Metoposaurus, this was not observed in Cyclotosaurus.

The researchers interpreted the results to mean that the interclavicles helped with sinking and allowed Metoposaurus to lead an underwater bottom dwelling lifestyle. "This interpretation supports the conjecture of Fraas and later paleontologists who described Metoposaurus as a bottom dwelling ambush predator," emphasized Dr. Dorota Konietzko-Meier.

"Moreover, young and old metoposaurs did not live at different depths of the waters, but in the same underwater ecosystem close to the substrate," said Elzbieta M. Teschner of the University of Opole. Considering the heavy interclavicles, the researchers assume that this animal only surfaced to catch its breath. It then slowly sank into the depths to wait for prey. Unlike the metoposaurid, Cyclotosaurus may have lived closer to the water surface like modern crocodiles and alligators.

Explore further Fossil growth reveals insights into the climate

More information: Sudipta Kalita et al, To be or not to be heavier: The role of dermal bones in the buoyancy of the Late Triassic temnospondyl amphibian Metoposaurus krasiejowensis, Journal of Anatomy (2022). Sudipta Kalita et al, To be or not to be heavier: The role of dermal bones in the buoyancy of the Late Triassic temnospondyl amphibian Metoposaurus krasiejowensis,(2022). DOI: 10.1111/joa.13755
Multiple flares observed in operation in the Bakken Formation in the Williston Basin in North Dakota, 2021. Credit: Alan Gorchov Negron, University of Michigan and Yulia Chen of Stanford University.

Oil and gas producers rely on flaring to limit the venting of natural gas from their facilities, but new research led by the University of Michigan shows that in the real world, this practice is far less effective than estimatedreleasing five times more methane in the U.S. than previously thought.

Methane is known to be a powerful greenhouse gas, but burning it off at oil and gas wells was believed to effectively keep it from escaping into the atmosphere.

Unfortunately, data published in the journal Science shows we overestimate flaring's effectiveness and, as a result, underestimate its contribution to methane emissions and climate change. But if we fix flaring issues, the payoff is huge: the equivalent of removing 3 million cars from the roads.

Industry and regulators operate under the assumption flares are constantly lit and that they burn off 98% of methane when in operation. Data taken via aerial surveys in the three U.S. geographical basins, which are home to more than 80% of U.S. flaring operations, shows both assumptions are incorrect. Flares were found to be unlit approximately 3%-5% of the time and, even when lit, they were found operating at low efficiency. Combined, those factors lead to an average effective flaring efficiency rate of only 91%.

"There is a lot more methane being added to the atmosphere than currently accounted for in any inventories or estimates," said Eric Kort, U-M associate professor of climate and space sciences and engineering, principal investigator of the F3UEL project and senior scientist on the new research.

Credit: Michigan Engineering

Oil production can come with methane as a byproduct, and when it's not cost-effective to capture it, the gas must be safely disposed of. Burning methane by flaring as it is released converts it to carbon dioxide, another greenhouse gas but one that is less harmful on a pound-by-pound basis.

Over the course of three years, researchers made 13 flights in planes equipped with air monitoring equipment to assess how much methane is released from flares across oil and gas production basins. Flights were conducted in the Permian and Eagle Ford oil and gas fields in Texas, as well as the Bakken oil and gas field in North Dakota.

Planes flew downwind of flaring sitescrisscrossing the direct pathways of the air plumes released by flaring. Tubes and pumps drew air into the onboard instrumentation, where laser scanning at a specific frequency measures the amount of carbon dioxide and methane it carries.

Measuring both gasses simultaneously allowed researchers to estimate the destruction removal efficiency of flaring at an individual site.

"If the flare is operating as it should be, there should be a large carbon dioxide spike and a relatively small methane spike. And depending on the relative enhancement of those two gasses, we can tell how well the flares are performing," said Genevieve Plant, lead author on the study and an assistant research scientist in climate and space sciences and engineering.

In November, the U.S., European Union and additional partners103 countries in alllaunched the Global Methane Pledge to restrict methane emissions. That commitment focused on keeping global temperatures within the 1.5 degree increase limit set by the scientific community to offset the worst impacts of climate change. And last year, United Nations officials identified methane reduction as "the strongest lever we have to slow climate change over the next 25 years."

"This appears to be a source of methane emissions that seems quite addressable," Plant said. "With management practices and our better understanding of what's happening to these flares, we can reduce this source of methane in a tangible way."

U-M's research partners for the study include Stanford University's Department of Energy Resources Engineering, the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF); Scientific Aviation of Boulder, Colorado; and Utrecht University's Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Research.

Recent research led by nonprofit EDF similarly found that roughly 10% of flares are unlit or malfunctioning.

"This study adds to the growing body of research that tells us that the oil and gas industry has a flaring problem," said Jon Goldstein, EDF's senior director of regulatory and legislative affairs. "The Environmental Protection Agency and Bureau of Land Management should implement solutions that can help to end the practice of routine flaring."

Explore further Gas flares tied to premature deaths

More information: Genevieve Plant et al, Inefficient and unlit natural gas flares both emit large quantities of methane, Science (2022). www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.abq0385 Genevieve Plant et al, Inefficient and unlit natural gas flares both emit large quantities of methane,(2022). DOI: 10.1126/science.abq0385 Riley Duren, Tackling unlit and inefficient gas flaring, Science (2022). DOI: 10.1126/science.ade2315. www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.ade2315 Journal information: Science
Annual predicted probability of storm landfall and percentage of beds at risk. Map of metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) on the United States Atlantic and Gulf Coasts at risk of hurricane landfall. Shading indicates probability of landfall. Circles represent percent of beds at risk from a category 2 hurricane. Inset depicts focused area of Florida peninsula with hospital locations (white markers) and Sea, Lake and Overland Surges from Hurricane model predicted flooding area in blue. Credit: GeoHealth (2022). DOI: 10.1029/2022GH000651

The first study to systematically investigate flooding risk to hospitals on the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts from Category 1-4 storms finds that even relatively weak storms pose a serious flood risk to hospitals along the coast.

Sea level rise expected in this century due to the effects of climate change increases the odds of hospital flooding by 22% according to a study, which was published today in GeoHealth by the Center for Climate, Health, and the Global Environment at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston University School of Medicine Department of Family Medicine, and PSE Healthy Energy.

"We now have a better sense of which hospitals are likely to flood from a hurricane today and those that need to prepare for greater risks in the future," said senior author Dr. Aaron Bernstein, Interim Director of Harvard Chan C-CHANGE.

"Hurricanes are expected to get more severe and may strike regions further north than in the past due to climate change. In places like my hometown of Boston, we can avoid crises that other hospitals have had to endure by learning from their experience and creating plans that build on best practices. But we must act now, before disaster strikes."

Researchers identified 682 acute care hospitals in 78 metropolitan statistical areas located within 10 miles of the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts of the United States, covering a population just under 85 million people, or about 1 in 4 Americans. They found that 25 of the 78 metro areas studied have half or more of their hospitals at risk of flooding from a Category 2 storm.

The 10 metro areas where a Category 2 hurricane threatens access to hospital care most are:

Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL

New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA

Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH

Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL

New Orleans-Metairie, LA

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL

North Port-Sarasota-Bradenton, FL

Jacksonville, FL

Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL

Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD

The modeling shows that with sea level rise expected this century, the Baton Rouge, Virginia Beach, Corpus Christi, Philadelphia, and Boston metro areas have over 90% increases in the number of beds at risk of flooding from a Category 2 storm.

Recent storms have devastated hospital infrastructure. This study finds that even if hospital buildings may not be flooded the roads around them may be, restricting or preventing access to care. In 18 metro areas, at least half of the roads within one mile of hospitals were at risk of flooding from a Category 2 storm. Flooded roads have often been a major challenge to emergent patient transfer during hurricanes as well as patient and staff access to hospitals well after storms have passed.

The Southeast Louisiana Veterans Health Care Center built in 2016, which replaced the VA Hospital and Charity Hospital in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina, provides a model for how coastal hospitals and health systems can improve their resilience to hurricanes, according to the study authors.

It was designed to remain operational for seven days even if city utilities and infrastructure are compromised and features back-up fuel supplies, on-site sewage treatment facilities, and sufficient accommodations for up to 1,000 staff and patients to shelter in place. Critical mechanical and electrical equipment as well as patient care areas are located at least 20 feet above the 100-year floodplain.

This study is part of Harvard Chan C-CHANGE's Climate MD program, which helps identify, support, and prepare health care workers to address climate-related impacts on health and health care delivery. The program helps health care providers buffer risks to the patients they serve, protect people most at risk from the climate crisis, and advance health equity.

Explore further Vulnerable Tampa Bay braces for storm not seen in a century

More information: A. T. TarabochiaGast et al, Flood Risk to Hospitals on the United States Atlantic and Gulf Coasts From Hurricanes and Sea Level Rise, GeoHealth (2022). A. T. TarabochiaGast et al, Flood Risk to Hospitals on the United States Atlantic and Gulf Coasts From Hurricanes and Sea Level Rise,(2022). DOI: 10.1029/2022GH000651
The thriving coral reefs off the coast of Isla San Pedrito, west of the Costa Rica mainland, in October 2006. Credit: Maria Marta Chavarria

Marine heatwaves brought about by climate change are known to be responsible for mass mortality on some of the planet's most iconic coral reef systems.

However, scientists have discovered that an extreme weather event that resulted in rapid sea temperature drops of up to 10 degrees was the primary cause of a catastrophic coral die-off event.

Combined with widespread rise in harmful algal blooms, the extent of collapse of the reefs in Costa Rica's Eastern Tropical Pacific in 2009 was abnormally high.

The two factors resulted in coral cover at some sites decreasing by between 20% and 100%, with the levels of recovery also varying significantly in the years since.

In a new study, published in the journal PeerJ, researchers say their findings demonstrate the effects of upwellingswhich result in sea temperatures suddenly plummetingare a key factor that need to be consider when trying to manage reef systems.

The research was conducted by an international team of scientists led by the University of Plymouth, working alongside partners including Raising Coral and ACG who promote coral reef conservation in Costa Rica.

They used 25 years of reef survey and sea surface temperature data to document changes in coral cover and the composition of six marginal reefs in relation to thermal highs and lows.

In doing so, they were able to paint a comprehensive picture of local coral health status and quantify the magnitude of coral population declines while also establishing the implications for effective conservation and restoration strategies.

In the study, they say the lack of overall coral recovery in the decade since the initial event indicates the region's ecosystem had reached a tipping point.

As a result, they propose a locally tailoredbut globally scalableapproach to coral reef declines that is founded in resilience-based management and restoration but also informed by coral health dynamics.

Such measures, with careful management, could enable reefs to recover and continue supporting ecological and societal ecosystem services in spite of the escalating threats posed by climatic changes.

Dr. Robert Puschendorf, Lecturer in Conservation Biology at the University of Plymouth, said: "The demise of coral reefs is very much linked to global warming and marine heatwaves. However, local and tailor-made conservation strategies might help to conserve the remaining reefs in our ocean. If we involve local communities and improve governance on how we manage waste water and other factors, that can decrease the extent and intensity of the harmful algal blooms. The issues of global warming and extreme climate events are obviously something far bigger, but this study demonstrates the actions people can take in the meantime."

Explore further Scientists believe evolution could save coral reefs, if we let it

More information: Caroline Palmer et al, Cold water and harmful algal blooms linked to coral reef collapse in the Eastern Tropical Pacific, PeerJ (2022). Journal information: PeerJ Caroline Palmer et al, Cold water and harmful algal blooms linked to coral reef collapse in the Eastern Tropical Pacific,(2022). DOI: 10.7717/peerj.14081
A group of chimpanzees eats together in the Ugandan jungle. Credit: Adrian Soldati

With the aid of thermal imaging cameras, scientists have delved a little deeper into chimpanzee psychology. Their apparatus measured the primates' stress levels during mealtimes in the depths of the Ugandan jungle.

Do the animals experience feelings similar to ours? And if so, how might it be possible to determine the existence of these emotions without a shared language? These questions have been a topic of debate since time immemorial. A team has produced new findings to help answer them. Scientists from the University of Neuchatel have used thermal imaging to evaluate the feelings of wild chimpanzees. In an article published in the journal Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, they show that nasal temperature is a good indicator of stress.

In chimpanzees and other primates (including humans), nasal temperature varies as a function of arousal levels. Several studies have shown that temperature rises in response to positive emotions and falls in response to negative ones. The phenomenon has been confirmed in laboratory tests, but can it be used on the ground with primates living in the wild? This is what the team from the University of Neuchatel set out to investigate. Accompanied by French and British colleagues, they tested their hypotheses with a group of chimpanzees living in the Ugandan jungle.

To be precise, the scientists went to a research center specializing in the primates. Located in the middle of the rainforest, this unique center has been attracting primatologists from around the world for over thirty years. They come to study the animals in their natural environment so that they can observe their behavior without interfering, explains Adrian Soldati, one of the co-authors of the study. "These chimpanzees are used to humans and that's a crucial consideration. We wouldn't be able to measure their stress levels if we were stressing them just by being there."

The apes meet as a group several times a day to eat the food that they have hunted or gathered. During these communal meals, the researchers measured the animals' nasal temperatures by focusing compact thermal imaging cameras on their faces from a distance of about seven meters.

Alpha males increase the stress level

The first thing they found was that stress levels during meals change with the type of food contributed by the participants. Since figs are plentiful, they do not arouse any particular feelings. But when meata coveted treatis on the menu and provokes much stronger emotions in certain individuals, the thermometer drops. "Chimpanzees often quarrel over meat because they rarely get it. Fighting and stealing are commonplace and the drop in the apes' nasal temperature reflects the stress of the situation," Adrian Soldati explains.

They also found that stress levels increase when males are present, particularly dominant individuals who are more likely to bully their fellows so they can take their food. "By revealing the stress this situation causes, thermal imaging shows us just how much individual males dominate chimpanzee society. To put that into context, we did not measure any drop in nasal temperature if there were only females at a meal."

Finally the researchers found that individual chimpanzees' nasal temperatures tended to rise again if their "friends"individuals to whom they were closer, dubbed "social partners" by the scientists to minimize the risk of anthropomorphismwere present. According to Adrian Soldati, this suggests positive emotions. "It shows that individuals experience a type of reassurance when they're with these partners."

Meals take place several times a day in varying configurations. This fact enabled the researchers to gather sufficient data to demonstrate that their approach works. Going forward, Adrian Soldati envisages using the same apparatus to explore chimpanzees' feelings during other key moments in their social life, such as grooming.

"Our aim was to test not only the concept on the ground, but also the camera, material and approach. Now that we have shown our method works, we can start to fully exploit its potential." This work has given scientists a new tool to help them better understand the psychology of humans' closest living relative.

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More information: Claire Barrault et al, Thermal imaging reveals social monitoring during social feeding in wild chimpanzees, Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences (2022). Claire Barrault et al, Thermal imaging reveals social monitoring during social feeding in wild chimpanzees,(2022). DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2021.0302
A man livestreams the impact of Hurricane Ian in Punta Gorda, Florida.

Hurricane Ian flooded cities, turned out the lights on millions, and left migrants from an overturned boat missing on Thursday as Florida assessed damage from one of the most intense US storms in years.

Officials readied a major emergency response to the deluge that laid waste to coastal Florida as the hurricane roared through beachfront towns and horizontal rain pounded communities for hours.

The National Hurricane Center (NHC) downgraded Ian to a tropical storm, but said it was causing "catastrophic flooding" and forecast further "life-threatening" floods, storm surge and high winds in Florida as well as Georgia and South Carolina.

The US Border Patrol said that a boat carrying migrants sank at sea during the hurricane, leaving 20 missing. Four Cubans swam to shore in the Florida Keys islands and the coast guard rescued three others.

Ian also menaced the city of Orlando and the nearby Disney theme parks, which were shuttered Wednesday and Thursday.

President Joe Biden declared a "major disaster" in Florida, a move that frees up federal funding for storm relief.

As dawn broke across the state's west coast, residents got their first glimpse at the damage.

Ian made landfall as an extremely powerful hurricane just after 3:00 pm Wednesday on the barrier island of Cayo Costa, west of the city of Fort Myers.

Dramatic television footage from the coastal city of Naples showed floodwaters surging into beachfront homes, submerging roads and sweeping away vehicles.

Hurricane Ian.

'A lot of destruction'

Pete DiMara, chief of Naples Fire-Rescue, told CNN that a surge of four to six feet (up to two metres) swept through his station, leaving crews unable to respond to emergencies.

Many cell towers are down and "the surge has certainly caused a lot of destruction in the area," DiMara said, urging residents to stay home until his crews can reach them.

To the north, some neighborhoods in Fort Myers, a city of 83,000, resembled lakes.

The NHC said Ian's maximum sustained winds reached 150 miles (240 kilometers) per hour when it landed as a Category 4 hurricanejust shy of the maximum Category 5.

As a tropical storm, they had dropped to a maximum 65 miles per hour.

Some 2.6 million of Florida's 11 million electricity customers were without power on Thursday, according to the PowerOutage tracking website.

A tree downed by Hurricane Ian in Sarasota, Florida.

Florida's Governor Ron DeSantis said the state should brace for a "nasty, nasty day, two days."

The town of Punta Gorda was in near-total darkness overnight after the storm wiped out power, save for the few buildings with generators.

Howling winds toppled trees, pulled chunks out of roofs, and turned debris into dangerous projectiles whipping through town.

Mandatory evacuation orders had been issued for about 2.5 million people in a dozen coastal Florida counties, with several dozen shelters set up.

Airports stopped all commercial flights, and cruise ship companies delayed departures or canceled voyages.

The storm was set to move off the east-central coast of Florida later Thursday and emerge into the Atlantic before blowing through Georgia and the Carolinas to the north.

"Some slight re-intensification is forecast, and Ian could be near hurricane strength when it approaches the coast of South Carolina on Friday," according to the NHC.

Palm fronds are blown horizontal as Hurricane Ian nears Charlotte Harbor, Florida.

National Guard called up

Ian had plunged all of Cuba into darkness Tuesday, after battering the country's west as a Category 3 storm and downing the island's power network.

At least two people died in Pinar del Rio province, state media in the country of more than 11 million reported.

By Wednesday power had been restored for some residents of Havana and another 11 provinces, but not in Cuba's three worst-affected provinces.

An old American car passes through a street left flooded by Hurricane Ian in Havana.

In the United States, some 5,000 National Guard personnel were mobilized in Florida as DeSantis vowed an all-out rescue and recovery effort.

"There will be thousands of Floridians who will need help rebuilding," the governor said.

Last year, four hurricanes were among 20 separate weather incidents that cost the United States $1 billion or more, the second-most billion-dollar disasters recorded in a calendar year behind 2020, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said.

Human activity has caused life-threatening climate change resulting in more severe weather events across the globe.

Explore further Hurricane Ian pounds Florida, leaves millions in dark

 2022 AFP
Credit: Delft University of Technology

The floods that hit Limburg in 2021 showed that despite a raft of measures, the Netherlands remains at risk from rising water. Professor of Hydraulic Engineering Bas Jonkman carries out flood risk assessments in this country and abroad and tries to come up with solutions which, apart from dams and dykes, also involve nature and people.

The Netherlands, which is essentially a large delta, is well known for its water management expertise. Through the ages, innovative solutions, such as the Delta works, have protected the country from the encroaching waves. Dutch know-how is now shared around the world and Bas Jonkman's work has taken him to delta regions across the world in countries as far afield as Indonesia, China, Mozambique and the United States. "Coastal and river flood events make these areas hugely vulnerable to flooding. Add to this the dynamic nature of the delta system and you end up with areas that are not only complex but very interesting from a scientific point of view as well."

Drivers of flood risk

When assessing flood risks, both the probability of flooding and its consequences are taken into account, Jonkman explains. "To estimate the probability, you look at natural factors, such as sea level rise, tidal surges and rainfall, as well as the quality of the flood defense infrastructure. There you look at lifespan and maintenance. The consequences of flooding are determined by the number of people who live in the affected area and the presence of industry and businesses. Population growth and economic development are playing an increasingly important role in flood risk assessment, often superseding natural factors. Some cities have doubled in population within a few decades and their economic value has multiplied. This means the impact of a flooding event will be even greater."

Scientific disaster tourist

The aim of a risk assessment is to find the best way to prevent or mitigate the impact of a flood event on society and the economy. Wherever a natural disaster takes place, Jonkman follows in its wake. He visited Asia after the tsunami, New Orleans after hurricane Katrina and Limburg after the flood. "I sometimes call myself a scientific disaster tourist. The first thing I do when I arrive on the scene is find out what happened and why, look at the kind of flood protection in place and the extent of the damage. To do this, TU Delft works with a number of partners, including universities, local authorities, businesses and the people who live in the area."

Nature as a guiding principle

As soon as the risks have been assessed, Jonkman goes in search of solutions. Where conventional wisdom would have dictated technology-based interventions such as dykes and dams, current thinking favors nature-based solutions. Jonkman: "We are looking at how to enable nature to take its course in an area, while at the same time contributing to flood protection. One example is to create a buffer zone off the coast to reduce the impact of the waves before they hit land. Society no longer tolerates disturbance of our eco system. That is why nature based solutions like this are being researched more and more often. A solution such as the Afsluitdijk, which turned the saline Zuiderzee into a fresh water lake would not be acceptable in this day and age, I think."

Technology still part of the solution

Nevertheless, according to Jonkman, technology-based solutions remain inevitable. "Especially in limited spaces or in case of very extreme hydraulic loads. "That is why, for instance, storm surge barriers remain an important element in the Dutch flood defense system. The barriers, which are normally opened to benefit nature and to allow for shipping and the movement of water, can be closed when a storm threatens. Take the Maeslant and Oosterschelde surge barriers, two of a very few such structures in the world. But more and more are being built. We are developing new barrier concepts and materials which we can use for delta plans both at home and abroad. They are designed with nature in mind, which means, for instance, that we try to impede outflow to sea as little as possible. A solution such as the Afsluitdijk, which changed the saline Zuiderzee into a fresh water lake, would not be acceptable in this day and age, I think."

Involving the locals

When it comes to protecting vulnerable areas from flooding it is always important to listen to the locals, Jonkman says. Limburg was a case in point. "A year on from a devastating flood no detailed plan to prevent the next disaster has been presented and it's causing anger and anxiety among locals. We go out and talk to people to find out their questions and needs. Based on these we suggest solutions that the authorities can work with." Locals can also be given a say in the type of solution. "Houston, in Texas, is a good example of this," Jonkman says. "The initial idea was to build a ten meter high sea dyke but that deprived people who lived on the coast from their sea view and access to the beach. Together we came to a solution everyone could live with: a lower, broader construction covered with a sand dune."

Early warning systems

Early warning systems are another part of flood risk reduction measures. There are systems in place but more often the warnings come too late, Jonkman says. Many lives could have been saved in Germany and Belgium last year had they worked faster, he claims. "The problem with these systems is that they take so much time. First the measuring system of the water management operator relays the signal to the hydrologist. He then checks if the information is correct and calls the safety region official who has to decide whether or not an alarm should go out to the population. If the answer is yes an text message (or Twitter message) will have to be drafted and sent. It takes absolutely hours when every second counts. At the same time, you want to avoid unnecessary panic. In short, what we need is better and quicker early warning systems."

Smart technology

This is where smart technology comes in, says Jonkman. "Machine learning and artificial intelligence enable us to combine real time data very quickly. If we link data like real time water levels, river currents and the latest weather forecasts to information about the risks and vulnerabilities of an area, you can identify the risk hotspots and intervene where action is needed. An important condition is to have a good local evacuation plan in place. Fast flowing and transboundary rivers such as the Geul call for international cooperation. If you just look at the latest water levels in the Dutch part of the system, you're too late."

Multilayered flood risk reduction

"The combination of natural and technical interventions, social resilience and good early warning systems will result in multilayered safely in flood risk management," Jonkman says. "We can't put all our eggs in one basket, or think the government will keep our feet dry. The role of science, businesses and citizens is becoming more important all the time. With TU Delft team we try to respond to this with a lab for small-scale solutions, such as temporary barriers in front of buildings. That could work in Valkenburg on the Geul, for instance. Big interventions would need much more time."

Every delta region is a new puzzle

For Jonkman, every region is a puzzle to be solved. "Every region is unique. Solutions which work in one region can't be simply copied in another. There are of course concepts which can work in other locations within the local context, the Sand Motor, for instance. A mega nourishment (of sand) to shore up the coast can work in more than one place. But there is no such thing as a blueprint. That is what makes it such an interesting challenge. Finding out what the landscape is like and how the water system works, where people live, which solutions work and are financially viable. That is what keeps me fresh and sharp."

Explore further Hurricane Harvey: Research shows most fatalities occurred outside flood zones
Dead fish are seen along the banks of the Oder River in Schwedt, Germany on August 12, 2022, after a massive fish kill was discovered in the river in the country's east.

Polish authorities on Thursday said toxic algae was to blame for mass fish deaths in the Oder river, ruling out industrial pollution as the cause.

The conclusions presented at a press conference by scientists and government officials come from a preliminary report to be released Friday, weeks after the environmental disaster unfolded.

The authors of the report said nearly 250 tonnes of dead fish were recovered from the Oder river that runs through Poland and Germany.

Various factors "led us to conclude that the fish deaths were probably caused by the toxic effects of an algal bloom", said Agnieszka Kolada from the Polish Institute of Environmental Protection.

The micro-algae at issueknown as Prymnesium parvum, or golden algaare prevalent in estuaries and normally grow in brackish water, mainly near the sea, and "had until now never been detected in Poland", she told reporters.

She added that the water quality of the Oder has been poor "for years" and was only made worse this summer by high temperatures and very low water levels, which may have fostered the algal bloom.

Some observers, including media outlets and environmental organisations, suspected that a chemical spill was at fault for the disaster, but the Polish side rejected that theory.

A floating dam is used to encircle dead fish on the Oder River and an escavator to remove them on August 15, 2022 after mass fish deaths taht Polish authorities say are due to toxic algae.

"The fish deaths were neither caused by heavy metals, nor pesticides, nor petroleum substances," according to a presentation on the report.

According to the analyses to date, "none of the inspected business entities had discharged pollutants above the regulatory limits" into the river, said Andrzej Szweda-Lewandowski, the government's head of environmental protection.

The amount of industrial discharge had been "the same as in previous years", he told reporters.

Fishermen in Poland first started reporting dead fish in the Oder in late July and they began washing up in Germany a few days later.

Poland's government only reacted on August 12, sparking widespread criticism from both local Polish authorities and Germany.

 2022 AFP
Pumpkins are loaded into a semi-trailer on Bill Sahs' farm, Monday, Sept. 12, 2022, in Atlanta, Ill. On the central Illinois farms that supply 85% of the worlds canned pumpkin, farmers like Sahs are adopting regenerative techniques designed to reduce emissions, attract natural pollinators like bees and butterflies and improve the health of the soil. The effort is backed by Libbys, the 150-year-old canned food company, which processes 120,000 tons of pumpkins each year from Illinois fields. Libbys parent, the Swiss conglomerate Nestle, is one of a growing number of big food companies supporting the transition to regenerative farming in the U.S. Credit: AP Photo/Teresa Crawford

This Thanksgiving, your pumpkin pie might have a lower carbon footprint.

On the central Illinois farms that supply most of the world's canned pumpkin, farmers are adopting regenerative techniques designed to reduce emissions, attract natural pollinators like bees and butterflies and improve the health of the soil.

The effort is backed by Libby's, the 150-year-old canned food company, which processes 120,000 tons of pumpkins each yearor about 85% of the world's total canned pumpkinfrom these Illinois fields.

Libby's parent, the Swiss conglomerate Nestle, is one of a growing number of big food companies supporting the transition to regenerative farming in the U.S., with the goal of letting soil thrive by reducing plowing and keeping bugs, carbon and other nutrients in the ground. Other regenerative farming practices include rotating crops or using fewer synthetic chemicals and fertilizers that can degrade soil over time.

Regenerative farming has its roots in indigenous cultures, including Hopi tribe members who still make use of ancient water preservation methods in Arizona. It's not organic farming, which has stricter rules and certification, and it goes further than sustainable farming by seeking to improve the land rather than just preserve it, said Rachelle Malin, an environmental specialist with Nestle.

Pumpkins are seen in a field on Bill Sahs' farm, Monday, Sept. 12, 2022, in Atlanta, Ill. On the central Illinois farms that supply 85% of the worlds canned pumpkin, farmers like Sahs are adopting regenerative techniques designed to reduce emissions, attract natural pollinators like bees and butterflies and improve the health of the soil. The effort is backed by Libbys, the 150-year-old canned food company, which processes 120,000 tons of pumpkins each year from Illinois fields. Libbys parent, the Swiss conglomerate Nestle, is one of a growing number of big food companies supporting the transition to regenerative farming in the U.S. Credit: AP Photo/Teresa Crawford

"We're learning more and we really want to go beyond," said Malin as she stood near rows of tangled green vines and yellowish pumpkins on a recent September morning. "How can we build back some things we may have already lost in some previous practices?"

In 2019, General Mills set a goal of adopting regenerative practices on 1 million acres of farmland by 2030; so far, the company says 225,000 acres have enrolled in its programs, including one that pays farmers for credits they earn when they increase soil carbon or improve water quality.

Last year, PepsiCo set a goal of transitioning 7 million acres of farmland to regenerative agriculture by 2030. And Walmart has said it will directly support 30,000 Midwest farmers in their transition to regenerative farming by 2030.

Arohi Sharma, deputy director of the regenerative agriculture program at the Natural Resources Defense Council, an environmental group, said food companies see the extreme temperatures and drought that result from climate change and know they must act. The agricultural sector is responsible for 11% of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions, nearly as much as residential and commercial buildings, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.

Pumpkins are seen in a field on Bill Sahs' farm, Monday, Sept. 12, 2022, in Atlanta, Ill. On the central Illinois farms that supply 85% of the worlds canned pumpkin, farmers like Sahs are adopting regenerative techniques designed to reduce emissions, attract natural pollinators like bees and butterflies and improve the health of the soil. The effort is backed by Libbys, the 150-year-old canned food company, which processes 120,000 tons of pumpkins each year from Illinois fields. Libbys parent, the Swiss conglomerate Nestle, is one of a growing number of big food companies supporting the transition to regenerative farming in the U.S. Credit: AP Photo/Teresa Crawford

"They finally realize that they can no longer ignore the climate impacts of their supply chain," Sharma said.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is also supporting the transition. In mid-September, the agency announced it would invest up to $2.8 billion in 70 projects around the U.S. that will measure and verify the greenhouse gas benefits of regenerative farming.

The USDA said a growing body of research shows that regenerative farming can mitigate climate change and help soil regain its fertility and resiliency. A study released earlier this year by the University of Washington showed that soil on farms that had practiced regenerative methods for at least five years contained twice as much carbon as soil on neighboring conventional farms, and the food grown on them was richer in vitamins and minerals.

But farmers need financial support to make the transition, the USDA said, because it can take three to five years of trial and error and upfront expenses before they begin to see a payoff.

Pumpkins are seen in a field on Bill Sahs' farm, Monday, Sept. 12, 2022, in Atlanta, Ill. On the central Illinois farms that supply 85% of the worlds canned pumpkin, farmers like Sahs are adopting regenerative techniques designed to reduce emissions, attract natural pollinators like bees and butterflies and improve the health of the soil. The effort is backed by Libbys, the 150-year-old canned food company, which processes 120,000 tons of pumpkins each year from Illinois fields. Libbys parent, the Swiss conglomerate Nestle, is one of a growing number of big food companies supporting the transition to regenerative farming in the U.S. Credit: AP Photo/Teresa Crawford

No one keeps track of the number of U.S. farms using regenerative farming techniques. Like organic farmingwhich makes up less than 1% of U.S. farmlandregenerative acres are still vastly outnumbered by conventional ones.

Libby's began its regenerative agriculture program in 2021 with the 38 Illinois farms that grow its pumpkins on 6,000 acres. The program is part of an effort to meet Nestle's larger goal of sourcing 50% of its key ingredients through regenerative methods by 2030.

Bill Sahs, who grows pumpkins for Libby's in Atlanta, Illinois, has been farming for 47 years. He joined the regenerative farming program in 2021, and now works with scientists from Nestle and EcoPracticesan environmental consulting firmto test his soil and try new methods.

Sahs used to plow his 200 acres of pumpkin fields, rake them over with a till, apply chemicals, plow them again and then plant them. Now, he works the ground just once before planting, which keeps carbon and other nutrients in the soil and makes it less susceptible to wind erosion. It also cuts emissions, he said.

A bee is seen inside a pumpkin blossom on Bill Sahs' farm, Monday, Sept. 12, 2022, in Atlanta, Ill. On the central Illinois farms that supply 85% of the worlds canned pumpkin, farmers like Sahs are adopting regenerative techniques designed to reduce emissions, attract natural pollinators like bees and butterflies and improve the health of the soil.The effort is backed by Libbys, the 150-year-old canned food company, which processes 120,000 tons of pumpkins each year from Illinois fields. Libbys parent, the Swiss conglomerate Nestle, is one of a growing number of big food companies supporting the transition to regenerative farming in the U.S. Credit: AP Photo/Teresa Crawford

"We're not making as many trips with the tractors and equipment and diesel fuel," he said.

Sahs has let some strips of land on his property go natural, with wildflowers and milkweed to attract pollinators and soak in runoff water from his fields. Nestle brings in beehives to help pollinate his plants throughout the growing season so he can rely less on synthetic fertilizers.

Nestle calculates that Sahs saved 119 tons of soil from erosion in 2021. His yields were lower than past yearshe won't say how much lowerbut he said he still makes a good profit, in part because his fuel and fertilizer costs are lower.

"Everybody's getting into the environmental act, and you've just got to change," Sahs said. "If you can't change, then you won't be around very long."

Research bears out Sahs' experience. A 2018 study by South Dakota State University and the Ecdysis Foundationa nonprofit research groupfound that corn production was 29% lower on regenerative farms than conventional ones but profits were 78% higher because of reduced tilling, lower fertilizer and pesticide use and lower water costs.

Pumpkins are seen in a field on Bill Sahs' farm, Monday, Sept. 12, 2022, in Atlanta, Ill. On the central Illinois farms that supply 85% of the worlds canned pumpkin, farmers like Sahs are adopting regenerative techniques designed to reduce emissions, attract natural pollinators like bees and butterflies and improve the health of the soil. The effort is backed by Libbys, the 150-year-old canned food company, which processes 120,000 tons of pumpkins each year from Illinois fields. Libbys parent, the Swiss conglomerate Nestle, is one of a growing number of big food companies supporting the transition to regenerative farming in the U.S. Credit: AP Photo/Teresa Crawford

Nestle is providing financial support to farmers like Sahs in addition to funding the partnership with EcoPractices. Nestle won't say how much it is spending annually but it's confident that over time, regenerative practices will lead to better environmental and financial outcomes for its farmers.

"The benefit that we see is the impact we can have on the environment and on the communities where these farmers live," said Emily Johannes, Nestle's senior manager of sustainable sourcing. "It returns in so many ways."

 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Every year starting in late June, polar bears move to the shores of the Hudson Bay where changes in ice melt are altering their life patterns.

Sprawled on rocky ground far from sea ice, a lone Canadian polar bear sits under a dazzling sun, his white fur utterly useless as camouflage.

It's mid-summer on the shores of Hudson Bay and life for the enormous male has been moving in slow motion, far from the prey that keeps him alive: seals.

This is a critical time for the region's polar bears.

Every year from late June when the bay ice disappearsshrinking until it dots the blue vastness like scattered confettithey must move onto shore to begin a period of forced fasting.

But that period is lasting longer and longer as temperatures riseputting them in danger's way.

Once on solid ground, the bears "typically have very few options for food," explains Geoff York, a biologist with Polar Bear International (PBI).

York, an American, spends several weeks each year in Churchill, a small town on the edge of the Arctic in the northern Canadian province of Manitoba. There he follows the fortunes of the endangered animals.

This is one of the best spots from which to study life on Hudson Bay, though transportation generally requires either an all-terrain vehicle adapted to the rugged tundra, or an inflatable boat for navigating the bay's waters.

Polar bear births have declined and it has become much rarer for a female to give birth to three cubs, once a common occurrence.

York invited an AFP team to join him on an expedition in early August.

Near the impressively large male bear lazing in the sun is a pile of fishbonesnowhere near enough to sustain this 11-foot (3.5-meter), 1,300-pound (600-kilo) beast.

"There could be a beluga whale carcass they might be able to find, (or a) naive seal near shore, but generally they're just fasting," York says.

"They lose nearly a kilogram of body weight every day that they're on land."

Climate warming is affecting the Arctic three times as fast as other parts of the worldeven four times, according to some recent studies. So sea ice, the habitat of the polar bear, is gradually disappearing.

A report published two years ago in the journal Nature Climate Change suggested that this trend could lead to the near-extinction of these majestic animals: 1,200 of them were counted on the western shores of Hudson Bay in the 1980s. Today the best estimate is 800.

Senior research scientist Valeria Vergara of the Raincoast Conservation Foundation describes the beluga's communication as 'very complex'

Summer scarcity

Each summer, sea ice begins melting earlier and earlier, while the first hard freeze of winter comes later and later. Climate change thus threatens the polar bears' very cycle of life.

They have fewer opportunities to build up their reserves of fat and calories before the period of summer scarcity.

The polar beartechnically known as the Ursus maritimusis a meticulous carnivore that feeds principally on the white fat that envelops and insulates a seal's body.

But these days this superpredator of the Arctic sometimes has to feed on seaweedas a mother and her baby were seen doing not far from the port of Churchill, the self-declared "Polar Bear Capital."

If female bears go more than 117 days without adequate food, they struggle to nurse their young, said Steve Amstrup, an American who is PBI's lead scientist. Males, he adds, can go 180 days.

As a result, births have declined, and it has become much rarer for a female to give birth to three cubs, once a common occurrence.

Geoff York, a biologist with Polar Bear International, has spent more than 20 years roaming the Arctic.

It is a whole ecosystem in decline, and one that 54-year-old Yorkwith his short hair and rectangular glassesknows by heart after spending more than 20 years roaming the Arctic, first for the ecology organization WWF and now for PBI.

During a capture in Alaska, a bear sunk its fangs into his leg.

Another time, while entering what he thought was an abandoned den, he came nose-to-snout with a female. York, normally a quiet man, says he "yelled as loud as I ever have in my life."

Today, these enormous beasts live a precarious existence.

"Here in Hudson Bay, in the western and southern parts, polar bears are spending up to a month longer on shore than their parents or grandparents did," York says.

As their physical condition declines, he says, their tolerance for risk rises, and "that might bring them into interaction with people (which) can lead to conflict instead of co-existence."

A polar bear eats seaweed in the early morning along the shore of Canada's Hudson Bay near Churchill, Manitoba.

Patrolling the town

Binoculars in hand, Ian Van Nest, a provincial conservation officer, keeps an eye out through the day on the rocks surrounding Churchill, where the bears like to hide.

In this town of 800 inhabitants, which is only accessible by air and train but not by any roads, the bears have begun frequenting the local dump, a source of easybut potentially harmfulfood for them.

They could be seen ripping open trash bags, eating plastic or getting their snouts trapped in food tins amid piles of burning waste.

Since then, the town has taken precautions: The dump is now guarded by cameras, fences and patrols.

Across Churchill, people leave cars and houses unlocked in case someone needs to find urgent shelter after an unpleasant encounter with this large land-based carnivore.

Posted on walls around town are the emergency phone numbers to reach Van Nest or his colleagues.

Provincial polar bear patrol officer Ian Van Nest surveys the Hudson Bay shoreline outside the town of Churchill.

When they get an urgent call, they hop in their pickup truck armed with a rifle and a spray can of repellent, wearing protective flak jackets.

Van Nest, who is bearded and in his 30s, takes the job seriously, given the rising number of polar bears in the area.

Sometimes they can be scared off with just "the horn on your vehicle," he tells AFP.

But other times "we might have to get on foot and grab our shotguns and cracker shells," which issue an explosive sound designed to frighten the animal, "and head onto the rocks and pursue that bear."

Some areas are watched more closely than othersnotably around schools as children are arriving in the morning "to ensure that the kids are going to be safe."

There have been some close calls, like the time in 2013 when a woman was grievously injured by a bear in front of her house, before a neighborclad in pajamas and slippersran out wielding only his snow shovel to scare the animal away.

Sometimes the animals have to be sedated, then winched up by a helicopter to be transported to the north, or kept in a cage until winter, when they can again feed on the bay.

Churchill's only "prison" is inhabited entirely by bears, a hangar whose 28 cells can fill up in the autumn as the creatures maraud in mass around town while waiting for the ice to re-form in November.

A polar bear eats the remains of a beluga whale on an island outside Churchill, northern Canada.

Planet's air conditioning

The fate of the polar bear should alarm everyone, says Flavio Lehner, a climate scientist at Cornell University who was part of the expedition, because the Arctic is a good "barometer" of the planet's health.

Since the 1980s, the ice pack in the bay has decreased by nearly 50 percent in summer, according to the US National Snow and Ice Data Center.

"We see the morethe fasterchanges here, because it is warming particularly fast," says Lehner, who is Swiss.

The region is essential to the health of the global climate because the Arctic, he says, effectively provides the planet's "air conditioning."

"There's this important feedback mechanism of sea ice and snow in general," he says, with frozen areas reflecting 80 percent of the sun's rays, providing a cooling effect.

When the Arctic loses its capacity to reflect those rays, he said, there will be consequences for temperatures around the globe.

A polar bear sleeps along the shores of the Hudson Bay near Churchill, Manitoba.

Thus, when sea ice melts, the much darker ocean's surface absorbs 80 percent of the sun's rays, accelerating the warming trend.

A few years ago, scientists feared that the Arctic's summer ice pack was rapidly reaching a climatic "tipping point" and, above a certain temperature, would disappear for good.

But more recent studies show the phenomenon could be reversible, Lehner says.

"Should we ever be able to bring temperatures down again, sea ice will come back," he says.

That said, the impact for now is pervasive.

"In the Arctic, climate change is impacting all species," says Jane Waterman, a biologist at the University of Manitoba. "Every single thing is being affected by climate change."

Permafrostdefined as land that is permanently frozen for two successive yearshas begun to melt, and in Churchill the very contours of the land have shifted, damaging rail lines and the habitat of wild species.

Swiss climatologist Flavio Lehner says the Arctic is a good 'barometer' of the planet's health.

The entire food chain is under threat, with some non-native species, like certain foxes and wolves, appearing for the first time, endangering Arctic species.

Nothing is safe, says Waterman, from the tiniest bacteria to enormous whales.

A summer refuge

That includes the beluga whales that migrate each summerby the tens of thousandsfrom Arctic waters to the refuge of the Hudson Bay.

These small white whales are often spotted in the bay's vast blue waters.

Swimming in small groups, they like to follow the boats of scientists who have come to study them, seemingly taking pleasure in showing off their large round heads and spouting just feet from captivated observers.

The smallest ones, gray in color, cling to their mothers' backs in this estuary, with its relatively warm waters, where they find protection from killer whales and plentiful nourishment.

The polar bear is a meticulous carnivore who feeds principally on the white fat that envelops and insulates a seal's body.

But there has been "a shift in prey availability for beluga whales in some areas of the Arctic," explains Valeria Vergara, an Argentine researcher who has spent her life studying the beluga.

As the ice cover shrinks, "there's less under the surface of the ice for the phytoplankton that in turn will feed the zooplankton that in turn will feed big fish," says Vergara, who is with the Raincoast Conservation Foundation.

The beluga has to dive deeper to find food, and that uses up precious energy.

And another danger lurks: Some climate models suggest that as early as 2030, with the ice fast melting, boats will be able to navigate the Hudson Bay year-round.

Sound pollution is a major problem for the speciesknown as the "canary of the seas"whose communication depends on the clicking and whistling sounds it makes.

The beluga depends on sound-based communication to determine its location, find its way and to locate food, Vergara says.

Thanks to a hydrophone on the "Beluga Boat" that Vergara uses, humans can monitor the "conversations" of whales far below the surface.

As ice cover shrinks, there has been less prey available for beluga whales, such as this one seen in the murky waters of the Churchill River near the Hudson Bay.

Vergara, 53, describes their communications as "very complex," and she can distinguish between the cries made by mother whales keeping in contact with their youngsters.

To the untrained ear, the sound is a cacophony, but clearly that of an animated community. Scientists wonder, however, how much longer such communities will last?

Far from the Arctic ice one lonely beluga became lost in the waters of France's Seine river before dying in August. And in May a polar bear meandered its way deep into Canada's south, shocking those who discovered it along the Saint Lawrence River.

Explore further Canada's Hudson Bay a summer refuge for thousands of belugas

 2022 AFP
China on its way to "dual carbon" goals

09:05, September 29, 2022 By Lu Ya'nan ( People's Daily

The Hangzhou West Railway Station, in the capital of China's Zhejiang province, was recently put into operation.

Photovoltaic panels covering 15,000 square meters have been on the station roof, which are expected to generate 2.31 million kilowatt-hours of green power and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by more than 2,300 tons every year.

Photo shows the waiting area of the Hangzhou West Railway Station in Hangzhou, east China's Zhejiang province. (People's Daily Online/Ding Junhao)

Sunlight shines on the train station through a gigantic cross-shaped skylight and light-transmitting shading film, and the light intensity in the station is automatically adjusted according to the passenger flow and weather changes by a smart indoor lighting system.

Besides, the roof of the station is covered by heat-resistant films that help block the heat and reduce the energy consumption of air conditioning.

"The station is constructed under the guidance of the green and low-carbon development philosophy. It is rated as a top-level green structure in China," said Du Liqiang from China Railway Construction Engineering Group, the company that managed the station construction,

At the general debate of the 75th session of the United Nations General Assembly, China announced that it would scale up its Intended Nationally Determined Contributions by adopting more vigorous policies and measures. The country aims to have CO2 emissions peak before 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality before 2060.

"Over the past two years, local governments and relevant departments have made concrete efforts, getting off to a solid start on its way to achieve the 'dual carbon' goals," Liu Dechun, an official with the National Development and Reform Commission, told People's Daily.

Solar panels are being installed in an industrial base in Ma'anshan, east China's Anhui province, November, 2021. (People's Daily Online/Zhang Mingwei)

Its proved that China has achieved remarkable progress in the green and low-carbon transition of energy.

As a major consumer of coal, China vigorously promoted the upgrading of coal consumption. It accelerated energy-saving upgrades and advanced retrofits in coal-fueled heating facilities, upgrading 240 million kilowatts of capacity in 2021. Another 220 million kilowatts of capacity is expected to be upgraded this year.

China plans to build 450 million kilowatts of solar and wind power generation capacity on the Gobi and other desert regions. By 2020, the newly added wind and solar power capacity in the country has exceeded 100 million kilowatts each year, and the figure stands at 20 million kilowatts in the realm of hydropower capacity. Last year, the country's new energy power generation output crossed the one trillion kilowatt-hours mark for the first time.

The country is seeing a higher ratio of green buildings.

It has accelerated the transformation of urban and rural construction, operation and management models, actively promoted green structures and advanced low-carbon upgrading for existing buildings in accordance with urban renewal progress.

As of the end of 2020, the country had completed energy-saving renovation of existing buildings covering a total area of 1.5 billion square meters, and the coverage of newly-built green structures accounted for 84 percent of all the newly constructed buildings last year.

Low-carbon transport is becoming trendy in China.

Photo taken in November, 2021 shows wind turbines on the ridge of a mountain in Huichang county, Ganzhou, east China's Jiangxi province, November, 2021. (People's Daily Online/Zhu Haipeng)

Last year, China manufactured and sold over 3.5 million new energy vehicles (NEVs), ranking first in the world for seven consecutive years. The monthly market penetration rate of NEVs in August this year was 30 percent, up from 2.4 percent in early 2020.

In 2021, all the shipping bills of express parcels have turned electric, and the utilization rate of recyclable transit bags has neared 100 percent. A total of 6.3 million recyclable express delivery boxes were put into use, and 80.5 percent of e-commerce parcels avoided excessive packages.

China has vigorously promoted carbon-reduction and energy-saving upgrading in iron, nonferrous metals, petrochemical and construction material industries. Last year, crude steel production in China dropped nearly 30 million tons from a year ago.

Besides, the country has also made huge efforts to develop strategic emerging industries, eying on new technologies and businesses. The proportion of high-tech manufacturing in the added value of industries above the designated size reached 15.1 percent in 2021, and energy consumption and CO2 emission per unit of GDP decreased by 2.7 percent and 3.8 percent from a year ago in the same period.

Last year, China planted 54 million mu (36,000 square kilometers) of trees, improved 46 million mu of grassland, and nurtured 34.67 million mu of forests. Besides, it also restored 14 million mu of degraded forests, and built and restored 1.09 million mu of wetlands.

In 2021, the country's forest coverage reached 24.02 percent, with a forest stock volume of 19.49 billion cubic meters. Its grassland vegetation coverage stood at 50.32 percent, and the wetland protection rate reached 52.65 percent.

China has realized the largest growth in forest resources among all countries in the world.

(Web editor: Hongyu, Du Mingming)
Absolute cross sections scaled per oxygen atom. Absolute cross sections per oxygen atom for a larger frequency range as derived from the XAS measurements on hydrated proton complexes and on water in acetonitrile. Credit: Angewandte Chemie International Edition (2022). DOI: 10.1002/anie.202211066

Prof. Ehud Pines is an iconoclast. What else can you call a scientist who spent 17 years doggedly pursuing the solution to an over 200-year-old chemistry problem which he felt never received a satisfying answer using methods no other scientist thought could lead to the truth? Now, he is vindicated as Angewandte Chemie published a cover article detailing how his experiment was replicated by another research group while being X-rayed to reveal the solution Prof. Pines has argued for all along.

The question at hand is: How does a proton move through water? In 1806, Theodor Grotthuss proposed his theory, which became known as the Grotthuss Mechanism. Over the years, many others attempted an updated solution realizing that, strictly speaking, Grotthuss was incorrect, but it remained the standard text-book answer. Until now.

Prof. Ehud Pines suggested, based on his experimental studies at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, together with his Ph.D. student Eve Kozari, and theoretical studies by Prof. Benjamin Fingerhut on the structure of Prof. Pines' protonated water clusters, that the proton moves through water in trains of three water molecules.

The proton trains "build the tracks" underneath them for their movement and then disassemble the tracks and rebuild them in front of them to keep going. It's a loop of disappearing and reappearing tracks which continues endlessly. Similar ideas were put forward by a number of scientists in the past, however, according to Prof. Pines, they were not assigned to the correct molecular structure of the hydrated proton which by its unique trimeric structural properties leads to promoting the Grotthuss mechanism.

"The debates on the Grotthuss mechanism and the nature of proton solvation in water have grown heated," says Prof. Pines, "as this is one of the most basic challenges in chemistry. Understanding this mechanism is pure science, pushing the boundaries of our knowledge and changing one of our fundamental understandings of one of Nature's most important mass and charge transport mechanisms."

While in recent years additional theoretical studies confirmed Prof. Pines' findings of the hydrated proton accommodated by a chain of three water molecules, most of the global scientific community working in the field remained reluctant to accept Prof. Pines' emerging model for proton solvation and movement in water. So, Prof. Pines reached out to longtime collaborators at the Max Born Institute in Germany.

They put together an international research team organized by Dr. Erik Nibbering and replicated the experiment, this time X-raying the chemical system. The X-ray experimentwhich required specially designed equipment costing millions of dollars financed by the European Research Councilconfirmed Prof. Pines' findings.

The X-ray absorption (XAS) experiment measured the effect of the proton charge on the structure of the inner electrons of the waters' single oxygen atoms. As predicted by Prof. Pines, it was found that three water molecules are most affected by the presence of the proton, each to a different extent, and, together with the proton, form protonated 3-water molecules chains or "trains."

"Everyone thought about this problem for over 200 years, so that was a sufficient challenge to me to decide to take it up. Seventeen years later, I am gratified to most likely have found and demonstrated the solution," says Prof. Pines.

The next edition of college chemistry books may replace the description of the Grotthuss Mechanism with the "Pines Mechanism", an idea which tickles Prof. Pines, but is merely a curio compared to the revelation of understanding this basic mechanism of one of the most common and fundamental processes in nature.

Explore further Physicists extract proton mass radius from experimental data

More information: Maria Ekimova et al, From Local Covalent Bonding to Extended Electric Field Interactions in Proton Hydration, Angewandte Chemie International Edition (2022). Journal information: Angewandte Chemie International Edition , Angewandte Chemie Maria Ekimova et al, From Local Covalent Bonding to Extended Electric Field Interactions in Proton Hydration,(2022). DOI: 10.1002/anie.202211066
Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain

Scientists have used machine learning to find new ways to identify and pinpoint disease in poultry farms, which will help to reduce the need for antibiotic treatment, lowering the risk of antibiotic resistance transferring to human populations.

The study, published in The ISME Journal, was led by Dr. Tania Dottorini from the School of Veterinary Medicine and Science and Future Food Beacon at the University of Nottingham.

The rapid increase in poultry production to meet growing demand in China has resulted in extensive and indiscriminate use of antibiotics. This has led to a worrying increase in cases of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) diagnosed in animals, which could potentially spread to humans via direct contact, environmental contamination, and food consumption.

With antibiotic resistance now one of the most threatening issues worldwide, effective and rapid diagnostics of bacterial infection in chicken farming can reduce the need for antibiotics, which will reduce epidemics and AMR.

In this project, researchers in Nottingham collected samples from the animals, humans and environment on a Chinese farm and its connected slaughterhouse. This complex "big" data has now been analyzed for new diagnostic biomarkers that will predict and detect bacterial infection, insurgence of AMR, and transfer to humans. This data will then allow early intervention and treatment, reducing spread and the need for antibiotics.

The study produced three key findings. Firstly, several similar clinically relevant antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs) and associated mobile genetic elements (antibiotic resistance genes able to move within genomes and between bacteria), were found in both human and broiler chicken samples. In particular, eleven types of clinically important antibiotic resistance genes, with conserved mobile ARG gene structures were found between samples from different hosts.

Dr. Dottorini said, "These similarities would have been missed if we only used large-scale conventional comparative analysis, which in fact showed that microbiome and resistomes differ across environments and hosts. Overall, this finding suggests the relevance of adopting a multi-scale analysis when dissecting similarities and differences of resistomes and microbiomes in complex interconnected environments."

Secondly, the study showed that by developing a machine learning-powered approach integrating metagenomics data with culture-based methods, the team found the existence of a core chicken gut resistome that is correlated with the AMR circulating in the farms. These results supported the hypothesis that correlations exist between resistance phenotypes of individual commensal and pathogenic bacteria and the types of ARGs in the resistome in which they exist.

Finally, using sensing technology and machine learning, the team uncovered that the AMR-related core resistomes are themselves associated with various external factors such as temperature and humidity.

Dr. Dottorini said, "The food production industry represents a major consumer of antibiotics, but the AMR risks within these environments are still not fully understood. It is therefore critical to set out studies and improved methods optimized to these environments where animals and humans may be in close contact. Precision farming, cost-effective DNA sequencing and the increased adoption of machine learning technologies offer the opportunity to develop methods giving a better understanding and quantification of AMR risks in farming environments."

Explore further Machine learning identifies antibiotic resistant bacteria that can spread between animals, humans and environment

More information: Alexandre Maciel-Guerra et al, Dissecting microbial communities and resistomes for interconnected humans, soil, and livestock, The ISME Journal (2022). Journal information: ISME Journal Alexandre Maciel-Guerra et al, Dissecting microbial communities and resistomes for interconnected humans, soil, and livestock,(2022). DOI: 10.1038/s41396-022-01315-7
A team of KAUST researchers has carried out a comprehensive survey of turtle nesting sites along the central Saudi Arabian Red Sea coast. Credit: KAUST; Morgan Bennett Smith

Newly discovered turtle nesting sites in the Saudi Arabian Red Sea could help coastal megaprojects minimize their impact on these endangered species.

For a sea turtle hatchling, its chance of survival is often decided long before its first sprint to the sea. Nesting females require beaches that offer the best possible incubation conditions for their eggs, from sand color and moisture content to slope angle. "Steeper beaches are better because elevated nests are less likely to be flooded when the tide comes in," says KAUST Ph.D. student Kirsty Scott. Human activities that disrupt any of these features could severely reduce the survival rates of this endangered species.

Saudi Arabia's portion of the Red Sea has about 1,150 islands, yet only a few have been surveyed for sea turtles. These records are now decades old and the lack of recent data makes it difficult to predict and prevent potential ecological damage by coastal developments such as NEOM and The Red Sea Project tourist resort.

From March to November 2019, Scott and her team visited three undocumented beaches in the central Red Sea to look for signs of turtle nesting, such as tracks in the sand, actual nests and eggshells. Over 35 site visits, they identified three hawksbill turtle nests, two green turtle nests on the island of Um Mesk and two hawksbill nests on Abu Gisha. The third beach, Rabigh, was on the mainland and had no evidence of nests. "This was expected because it is next to a foraging reef that turtles migrate away from to breed," explains Scott.

Credit: King Abdullah University of Science and Technology

At each site, the team took sediment samples at the surface and at nesting depth in order to compare sand color, grain size and moisture content with that at known nesting sites, including the largest rookery on the Red Sea, Ras Baridi.

This information will help researchers better understand optimal nesting conditions and predict the impacts of global warming on hatchling survival. The study appears in PeerJ.

"Seeing nests and tracks where they had never been recorded before confirmed our suspicion that nesting occurs along the whole Red Sea coastline," says Scott. The discovery suggests that the myriad islands in this area could contain a large proportion of the Red Sea turtle population, raising questions about how to protect them.

"A wide-scale survey of all the islands off the Red Sea coast to look for nesting evidence and migration corridors will help us identify priority areas," says Scott. As part of her Ph.D., Scott will use a drone fitted with an infrared camera to survey multiple islands at night to help estimate the number of nesting females.

More information: Kirsty Scott et al, Newly described nesting sites of the green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas) and the hawksbill sea turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) in the central Red Sea, PeerJ (2022). Journal information: PeerJ Kirsty Scott et al, Newly described nesting sites of the green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas) and the hawksbill sea turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) in the central Red Sea,(2022). DOI: 10.7717/peerj.13408
Credit: University of Liverpool

A virtual reality dog could one day be used as an educational tool to help prevent dog bites, thanks to an innovative project led by researchers at the University of Liverpool.

As part of a new pilot study, veterinary researchers have tested a virtual reality Labrador known as DAVE (Dog Assisted Virtual Environment) to explore if and/or how humans recognize and interpret signs of dog aggression.

Dog bites are a growing public health concern, with previous University of Liverpool research finding that adult hospital admission rates for dog bites tripled in England between 19982018. A better understanding of human-dog behavioral interactions could help researchers tackle this growing problem but research using real dogs is fraught with challenges, which is where DAVE comes in.

Dr. Carri Westgarth, a Senior Lecturer in Human-Animal Interaction at the University of Liverpool explains, "Dog bites are a common public health issue affecting human-dog relationships. Studying human behavior around a dog performing aggressive behaviors is ethically difficult, for the sake of the risk to the person but also, we don't want to be deliberately making dogs unhappy. A virtual dog solves these problems."

The researchers recruited sixteen adults for a practical pilot study to explore a virtual indoor living room with the virtual reality dog model allocated in the opposite corner of the room. The dog model was based on the popular family-favorite Labrador breed.

The team asked participants if they recognized and understood the signs of aggressive behaviors displayed by the virtual dog, including licking its lips, yawning, front paw lifting, backing away, barking, growling, and showing of teeth. These behaviors are referenced from the "Canine Ladder of Aggression" which shows how a dog may behave when it is uncomfortable and does not want to be approached.

The researchers also assessed participant proximity to the dog using VR head and hand tracking. Participants behaved and interacted with the model in a manner that might be expected with a live dog. However, three participants got close enough to the aggressive virtual dog to get bitten. The study found little evidence of simulator sickness and indicated that the participants perceived the dog as realistic.

Ph.D. student James Oxley said, "This is a novel pilot study which overcomes the challenges associated with assessing human behavior around real dogs displaying aggressive behavior. Our findings highlight the potential that the virtual reality model has to help us better understand human behavior in the presence of dogs and our interpretation of dog behavior."

The researchers also suggest that the virtual reality dog could be developed for use in other areas of behavioral research, such as educational dog safety lessons and in the treatment of dog phobias.

The model was developed in collaboration with the University's Virtual Engineering Center (VEC) and supported by Dogs Trust.

Dr. Andy Levers, Executive Director for the Virtual Engineering Center and the Institute of Digital Engineering and Autonomous Systems (IDEAS) said, "The Virtual Engineering Center was delighted to be approached to support this exciting project which we believe can really make a difference. This digital tool enables the user to interact and learn with a realistic virtual dog within a safe and controlled sandpit environment."

Paula Boyden, Dogs Trust Veterinary Director, said, "We were delighted to fund the University of Liverpool DAVE Pilot, its potential to provide a fascinating insight into human-canine interactions is clear. We hope that DAVE will be developed into an education tool to teach people how to be safe around dogs. Before a bite occurs, a dog will often display subtle behaviors to indicate that it is uncomfortable and does not want to be approached. By educating people about these behaviors, we hope that incidences of dog bites can be significantly reduced."

The study is published in the journal PLOS ONE.

Explore further Meet the virtual pooch that could prevent dog bites

More information: James A. Oxley et al, A pilot study investigating human behaviour towards DAVE (Dog Assisted Virtual Environment) and interpretation of non-reactive and aggressive behaviours during a virtual reality exploration task, PLOS ONE (2022). Journal information: PLoS ONE James A. Oxley et al, A pilot study investigating human behaviour towards DAVE (Dog Assisted Virtual Environment) and interpretation of non-reactive and aggressive behaviours during a virtual reality exploration task,(2022). DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0274329
(a) Example of vegetation increase from 1992 (yellow, i.e. BW) to 2014 (green, i.e. PW) which coincided with the loss of large mammalian herbivores; both photographs were taken at the same pond site (8.7259 N, 3.84251 W) in the late rainy season. (b) Aerial survey data of large mammals (with minimum and maximum values) in Comoe National Park in 1989 (yellow, i.e. BW) and 2016 (green, i.e. PW), reported by Bouche (2016). Credit: Global Change Biology (2022). DOI: 10.1111/gcb.16423

Using long-term data, researchers studied the effects of large mammal declinescaused by civil war and poachingon the species composition of savanna ponds. Guillaume Demare conducted the research as part of his doctoral studies at the Museum fur Naturkunde Berlin and Freie Universitat, and the study is published in Global Change Biology.

The research team found that pond habitat changes, likely triggered by the loss of large-bodied herbivores, resulted in significant species shifts within these small freshwater ecosystems. This shows once again how strongly different ecosystems are interconnected, what far-reaching consequences the disappearance of species has and how war disturbs nature in the long term.

This study, which focused on the savanna amphibians of Comoe National Park in northern Ivory Coast, West Africa, was made possible because data was collected both before and after ecosystem changes took place.

"Collecting data on the state of ecosystems, both past and present, is absolutely essential if we are to understand complex ecological effects in our changing world," says Dr. Mark-Oliver Rodel, researcher at the Museum fur Naturkunde Berlin.

Three of the authors researched the amphibian communities of ponds in Comoe National Park in the 1990s. About 10 years later, a civil war broke out in Ivory Coast, and during this time the park was left unprotected. Poaching, which had already been a huge pressure to the region's large mammals, intensified to such an extent that Comoe National Park was declared a World Heritage Site in Danger by the UNESCO.

When Dr. Rodel and his colleague Dr. Marko Spieler returned to the area in 2014, they noticed that the savanna ecosystem had gone through dramatic changes. Vegetation seemed to have increased massively throughout the park, including the ponds which had been sampled 20 years earlier.

"There is very little doubt that these vegetation changes were caused by the loss of large herbivores, such as hippos and buffalos," explains Guillaume Demare. "These large-bodied animals are often referred to as 'ecosystem engineers' because their activities shape entire ecosystems."

The effects of large-bodied herbivores on savanna vegetation have been known from previous research. However, the Museum fur Naturkunde Berlin-led team was the first to investigate their impact on small temporary water bodies, which are heavily utilized by large mammals for drinking and mud-bathing.

"Small temporary ponds are poorly studied ecosystem components, and yet many species rely on them for reproduction," says Guillaume Demare. "Habitat changes such as the dramatic vegetation increase that we measured were accompanied by significant shifts in the species found within them: some became more common, while others declined or disappeared."

Among the species that became more common are Hemisus marmoratus and Afrixalus spp., and among those that declined are Ptychadena spp. Frogs of the genus Afrixalus are also known as leaf-folding reed frogs, so they benefit from increased vegetation for laying their eggs. In contrast, some species of the genus Ptychadena prefer ponds with little or no vegetation. Consequently the Ptychadena populations declined.

The results from this research represent an important step in better understanding the many ways in which declining large mammals may influence both terrestrial and adjacent aquatic ecosystems. "In addition, most species found in small ephemeral ponds also have a terrestrial adult life stage, so they create possibly crucial ecological links between land and water," says Guillaume Demare. "The next step in our line of research is to further elucidate how important small water bodies are for the functioning of both aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems."

Explore further High pond density benefits the dispersal of aquatic insects in urban areas

More information: Guillaume Demare et al, Savanna vegetation increase triggers freshwater community shifts, Global Change Biology (2022). Journal information: Global Change Biology Guillaume Demare et al, Savanna vegetation increase triggers freshwater community shifts,(2022). DOI: 10.1111/gcb.16423

Provided by Leibniz-Institut fur Evolutions- und Biodiversitatsforschung
FORT EDWARD  The Fort Edward Village Board is considering dissolving its police department and having the Washington County Sheriffs Office take over policing.

Washington County Sheriff Jeffrey Murphy gave a presentation to a room of about 50 during a special meeting of the Fort Edward Village Board at the village firehouse on a possible solution for the extremely understaffed police department.

Murphy spoke about the current coverage the Washington County Sheriffs Office provides and outlined the new service that would be provided if the village opted to dissolve the police department and rely on county and state police coverage.

I can say since we have been helping out with calls for service, it has been pretty busy, Murphy said. We are not at a place staffing wise where that was not a heavy lift for us.

The plan was drafted by the sheriff after meeting with the Village Board and their attorney to discuss several options that would work for the policing needs of the 1.91-square-mile village.

Despite the small area of land the village covers, Mayor Matthew Traver said the village is very densely populated.

The village department is currently operating with only three full-time officers, one of whom was just deployed to Kuwait for a year.

The contract could stand to save the village up to $200,000 a year in the fiscal budget.

Residents raised concerns about the zones and times that were explained in handout from the sheriff.

Some worried patrol cars would be too far out of the village to respond to calls in a timely fashion. Other residents worried about the officers currently employed on the police department such as full-time officer Joseph DeAngelo, whose mother was in attendance asking questions of the mayor and the sheriff.

Since January, the Fort Edward Police Department has been operating under the guidance of acting chief Phil Lindsey, a retired Glens Falls police officer.

The change came after the former chief of police, Justin Derway, retired in July after pleading guilty to charges related to providing false information.

In January, both Derway and police Sgt. Dean Watkins were placed on administrative leave pending an investigation after charges filed against the officers claimed they falsified police training records.

A member of the crowd suggested Watkins was the reason the police department could not keep their new recruits prior to his removal.

We had hoped three or four local, young guys would join the department and stick with it, but theyve all gone, for either advancement possibilities or a pay raise, Traver said.

Both Murphy and Traver said there is no timeline for the contract to be completed and it would have to go before the Washington County Board of Supervisors before approval was final. However, the officials expressed the need to hear the opinion from the public before going forward.

We think it is the best course of action to dissolve the department, but if the public is crying out dont dissolve the PD, we wont, Traver said at the meeting.
QUEENSBURY  Each year, the Queensbury Senior Citizens organization honors members who have reached the milestone of 90 years or more.

The theme for this years 90-plus Golden Senior Celebration is Hollywoods Golden Era, and the organization will celebrate in style on Friday, Oct. 7, noon to 2 p.m., at the Queensbury Activity Center with a catered lunch from Ginny Raes Catering and music from local musician Eileen Mack. CDPHP is the sponsor of the event.

The event is free for members 90 or older, with one guest included. For others, the cost is $25 per person.

Brenden Rawlins, a Life Scout with Queensbury Eagle Scout Troop 6016, has created two wooden benches for his Eagle Scout project that will be donated to the QSC at this event. Curtis Lumber in Queensbury donated the lumber for the project. One bench will be dedicated to the Golden Seniors of the Queensbury Senior Citizens and the other will be in memory of Betty A. Spadaro, a founding member of the QSC who died earlier this year at age 103.

The benches will be displayed at the entrances to the Queensbury Center at 742 Bay Road, Queensbury.
BUENA  The Borough Council authorized the dismissal of its lawsuit against the Landisville Volunteer Fire & Rescue Company on Monday.

Its decision to drop legal action, which arose from disputes over missing property, comes after a change in the control of government and a fierce campaign launched by supporters when the century-old company was put out of commission last year.

Its about time, Landisville President Leonard Smith said after the vote.

The borough and Buena Fire District No. 2, an autonomous municipal entity serviced by the Minotola Fire Company, sued the Landisville company and related defendants in November 2021. They alleged Landisville had failed to turn over property to the Fire District No. 2 commissioners, pursuant to a borough ordinance passed four months earlier.

That ordinance dissolved Buena Fire District No. 1, which had been serviced by the Landisville company, following a state investigation that uncovered multiple code violations at the fire company. It also enlarged Fire District No. 2 and had it take over the responsibilities and territory of the defunct Fire District No. 1. Without a corresponding fire district, Landisville is functionally decommissioned.

Several of the commissioners of the former Fire District No. 1 are also named as defendants in the lawsuit.

Buena appoints new solicitor amid ongoing legal dispute over fire company BUENA  The Borough Council voted unanimously to appoint a new solicitor Monday following th

The majority of the governing body, which has seen considerable turnover since November 2021, no longer agrees with the claims made in the lawsuit, said Borough Council member Doug Adams.

Adams believes the Landisville company has furnished all property required of it to the best of its ability and that the Borough Council has upheld its fiduciary responsibilities to residents. Reflecting on legal fees the borough had been paying to litigate the case, Adams said he was relieved by the nights vote.

Im very happy that were out of it, Adams said.

The council had voted in June to authorize an attorney to withdraw the borough from the lawsuit against the Landisville company.

Borough officials, however, said Fire District No. 2, as the boroughs co-plaintiff, needed to agree to allow the borough to drop the suit.

The council voted 2-0 on Monday to drop the suit. Joining Adams to vote in the affirmative was Council member Jorge Alvarez, who had also voted in June to drop the suit.

Buena council appoints new member amid ongoing fire company dispute BUENA  The Borough Council voted Monday to appoint Doug Adams as its newest member. The app

Council President Pat Andaloro abstained, as she is named as a defendant in the lawsuit due to her stint as a Fire District No. 1 commissioner.

Her daughter, Council member Gina Andaloro, was absent Monday, although she had previously recused herself from certain matters concerning the Landisville litigation.

Council member Joseph DAlessandro III, who had been a proponent of the lawsuit and voted to dissolve Fire District No. 1 in July, was also absent. He had previously argued that the borough was obligated to enforce its July 2021 ordinance through litigation and obtain the missing property for Fire District No. 2. He further maintained that some of the missing items  such as documents pertaining to the Length of Service Award Program, or LOSAP  were needed so the district could fulfill its fiduciary responsibility to the Landisville firefighters.

At the time the lawsuit was filed, the purportedly missing items included a 1948 Autocar fire engine; a Holmatro rescue tool; a Motorola portable radio; desktop computers; a DVR surveillance system; and multiple filing cabinets said to contain run cards, LOSAP records and other relevant documentation.

The council that voted unanimously to dissolve Fire District No. 1 in July 2021 argued in the ordinance that the dissolution was warranted by serious health and safety issues. The borough and the state Office of Public Employees Occupational Safety and Health launched investigations that uncovered more than two dozen code violations at the Landisville company on the advice of a whistleblower complaint. The council had further alleged there were also financial issues uncovered and that it secured the approval from the state Local Finance Board for the dissolution.

The Landisville company and its supporters argued it corrected the problems identified by the municipal and state investigations. They have further argued that putting one of the boroughs fire companies out of commission rendered residents less safe and that the borough should have worked constructively with the fire company.

Challengers defeat incumbent and former council president in Buena Republican primary BUENA  After disputes over the fate of a 100-year-old fire company sewed strife throughout 

It should have never happened, Landisville Chief Ken Barbagli said Monday.

The dissolution galvanized opposition to Mayor David Zappariello and the July 2021 members of the Borough Council. Supporters of the company have since launched a campaign that has seen opponents of the company ousted and their preferred candidates win control of the borough government. In all, four of five council members who voted for the dissolution have since resigned from council or lost reelection.

Since the change in government, borough Solicitor Angela Costigan, with whom Landisville fire supporters had often feuded, resigned.

Multiple current and former members of council have expressed a desire to heal the Landisville-Minotola divide that has left some in the community frustrated and embittered. Adams said he hoped Fire District No. 2 and Landisville would come to an agreement so the case did not go to trial.
BRIDGETON  The trial for a city woman charged with murdering her toddler son is set to begin Oct. 17 before Superior Court Judge George H. Gangloff Jr.

Nakira Griner, 28, is accused of murdering 23-month-old Daniel Griner Jr. and burying his remains under a shed on her property, according to police. Shes charged with murder, evidence-tampering, child endangerment, disturbing human remains and false public alarm.

A hearing for pretrial motions was held Wednesday, in which the defense unsuccessfully requested that the medical examiners testimony be precluded from being heard by a jury, court spokesperson Rosemarie Gallagher said.

The denial is the second for Griner in recent weeks.

Earlier this month, Griners lawyer, Jill Cohen, requested that her client be granted pretrial release because she exceeds the incarceration limit for defendants awaiting trial.

Bridgeton woman jailed in son's murder denied pretrial release BRIDGETON  A judge denied a pretrial release motion for a 28-year-old city woman accused of

Griner has been in jail since 2019 after being arrested when her sons seared and dismembered remains were found.

Griner admitted to hitting the child, her strike causing him bruising and leading to him falling down a staircase. She also said after hitting the toddler, instead of calling first responders, she placed him in a stroller and left her house with him.

According to Griners account to investigators, she was walking with her son in the stroller when she was attacked, telling police that both the stroller and her son vanished during the assault.

The stroller was eventually found by officers, with only a pair of red sneakers inside.

Griners account since her 2019 interviews with detectives, however, has varied. She later claimed the toddlers staircase fall was an accident, authorities said.

Griner also said over a recorded phone line that she did what she did to him to cover up bruising on his body, according to police reports.

A judge had barred prosecutors from using Griners earlier statements to police, saying she was not read her Miranda rights.
What wells inside him as he watches riot police move against protesters in Iran, said Ali Houshmand, is anger.

Outrage and disgust toward the regime that controls his homeland, where security forces are violently putting down demonstrations that have erupted after the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini.

She died Sept. 16 after being arrested by the morality police for violating the law that requires women to cover their hair with a hijab, or headscarf.

Now her face and fate have become the driving force behind women-led protests in cities around the globe, and for the growing emotional support and concern that reaches all the way to Glassboro, where Houshmand, who immigrated to the U.S. as a young man, is president of Rowan University.

Perhaps his position offers a small platform, he said in an interview. And yes, perhaps his speaking out could cause his nine siblings in Iran to be harmed or harassed.

But what is the alternative? For me to be quiet? Is that really a choice? This is not about me or my family, this is a much bigger issue, he said. The majority of people in Iran have become absolutely sick and disgusted with a regime that projects a very dark and rigid and restrictive lifestyle for everyone. Women are treated horribly.

He sent a university-wide message to the Rowan community Friday, urging them to back the Iranian people as they stand against an aggressor.

Houshmand, 67, grew up in an Iran ruled by the Shah, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, a pro-West dictator who jailed and tortured dissidents and opponents by the thousands.

Cooper health to announce $2 billion expansion of Camden campus Cooper University Health Care plans a $2 billion expansion of its Camden campus, adding thre

It was a cosmopolitan society where reforms put millions more children in school and doubled the adult literacy rate, and women secured the right to vote and run in parliamentary elections, a Brookings Institution study found.

Houshmands family lived in poverty in Tehran, the capital. Neither of his parents could read. Neither he nor his nine brothers and sisters had enough food or clothes.

His father supported the family by collecting water in jugs and selling it to those who had no plumbing. He later ran a small grocery store, and as a boy Houshmand worked with him, before and after school.

His chance for a different life came at 20, after military conscription, when the Army offered to let him go abroad to finish high school and enter college. His brothers gave him $70 and a one-way ticket to London.

The following week, Houshmand was working at a KFC, earning 50 pence an hour.

That was 1975, four years before the Islamic Revolution would upend Iran. Houshmand would go on to earn a bachelors degree in mathematics and a masters in statistics from the University of Essex in England, then get masters and doctoral degrees in industrial and operations engineering from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor.

In 1997 he became a U.S. citizen.

He was a faculty member at the University of Cincinnati, later moved to Drexel University and in 2006 became provost at Rowan. In 2012 he was named president of the university, which has evolved from a teacher-preparation college to a nationally ranked, comprehensive research university. It teaches nearly 23,000 students in classes held online and at campuses in Glassboro, Camden and Stratford.

South Jersey school officials discuss using dogs to respond to school shootings MAYS LANDING  With the new school year fast approaching and communities disquieted by anoth

As a younger man, Houshmand watched from abroad as the Shah was overthrown, he and his friends cheering the dictators exile.

We were all anti-Shah, he said. We wanted to be revolutionaries. We didnt realize our entire lives were being taken away.

The revolution installed a Muslim theocracy that was trailed by violence and defined by virulent anti-Americanism. Iranian students seized the U.S. embassy in Tehran and took more than 50 American diplomats hostage, holding them for 444 days, a confrontation that helped make Jimmy Carter a one-term president.

Today the two countries remain bitter enemies, even as more Iranian people move to the United States.

About 385,000 have immigrated, many during the revolution or the subsequent Iran-Iraq war. Roughly another 200,000 people in the U.S. report Iranian ancestry.

A third of all Iranian immigrants live in the Los Angeles area. The Philadelphia region is home to about 4,200 who immigrated or have ancestry.

Today in Iran, a movement that began as a few demonstrations over the death of one person has grown into big, antigovernment rallies in at least 40 cities. Women are burning their hijabs in bonfires and cutting off their hair as a sign of resistance and solidarity.

The state-controlled media report that at least 35 people have been killed in clashes.

Stockton University climbs in rankings of best-value colleges GALLOWAY TOWNSHIP  Stockton University is touting its ranking in the top quartile on a list

Iranian authorities said Amini died after falling into a coma as she waited among others who were arrested by the morality police, which enforce strict rules requiring women to cover their hair and wear loose-fitting clothes in public.

This regime is not one that can be reformed. Its not in its nature, Houshmand said. The alternative is regime change. And I dont mean sending arms. I mean the decision of the Iranian community. Truly declare globally that the global community supports the Iranian people.

A big difference between 1979 and now, he noted, is the potential to rally international support, propelled by social media and by a global community ready to advocate for human rights and freedom.

Honestly, he said, if you look at the country of 85 million people, the overwhelming majority have nothing to do with the [leadership]. And nothing to do with this system. They want a dignified life. They want schooling for their children. They love the countries of the world. And theyre suffering.
MARGATE  Signs hung on utility poles or notices online for a tag sale or estate sale are a signal that something interesting, collectible or possibly historical might be inside the home.

Indeed, that may be the case as collectors and the curious line up Thursday on Knight Avenue for the first day of the estate sale of Anita Ojserkis.

Ojserkis and her business partner of many years, Marilyn Anderson, were known as the Tag Sale Ladies in Atlantic and Cape May counties. For the better part of four decades, they helped countless families find a way to downsize their homes, disperse accumulated items and sell the contents of a home when the owner moved or died. The duo operated Tag Sales Specialties until 2018.

Anderson, of Linwood, died in 2020 at 80, and Ojserkis, of Margate, died in March at 93.

For the Tag Sale Ladies, this was not a job; it was a calling. This was a job made in heaven for both Marilyn and my mom, said Charles Ojserkis, Anitas son. Both women had a passion for early American antiques and were collectors.

Anderson had already started her estate sale business in the 1970s and was looking for some help. Ojserkis frequented Andersons sales, and the pair formed a partnership that would last more than 40 years.

Ventnor bike shop donates electric bicycles to local police VENTNOR  In an effort to help local police departments mitigate crime, a city bike shop don

They loved working together, and every day was a new treasure hunt, said Holly Anderson, Marilyns daughter.

When my mom asked Anita if she would like to become a partner in the business, Anita wanted to check with her husband, Ben, who operated a paper and janitorial supply business, Holly Anderson said. Ben asked what was necessary for the partnership and how much was the buy-in. My mom told him, The buy-in is a card table.

Holly Anderson laughed as she told the story. Anita brought that card table to the next sale and every one after that.

They spent many, many hours getting ready for sales, more than anyone could imagine. They would research an item, check prices on eBay and speak with appraisers. They stressed over every single item and every detail, making sure they were doing the best they could to help their client, said Charles Ojserkis. My mom was really smart, and one thing she took into account was that she knew what she did not know. If she had a question on an item, she would never guess. Instead, she would call upon one of the many experts in the field. ... My mom would also call me when she was preparing for a sale and usually just say, Darling, could you just stop over to the sale, I have a question for you. When I would arrive there would be a list of electronics that did not work and I would spend 45 minutes fixing a calculator with a corroded battery that would go for $3.

Both Charles Ojserkis and Holly Anderson agreed their mothers were way ahead of their time.

My mom and Anita were independent businesswomen long before it was trendy. Both of them were role models for all of us growing up, said Holly Anderson, adding they looked at what they did as a means of helping friends and families. The tag sales were not just when someone had passed away and the family did not know what to do with their things. Many of the tag sales were after a divorce or when someone was moving. The tag sale helped them as they were starting over, and it was a joyous occasion.

Northfield man found guilty in health care fraud case CAMDEN  Thomas Sher, a Northfield man and former Margate firefighter, was found guilty by a

There were few competitors in the tag sale/estate sale business in the area. One of them was Diane Duncan, owner of Duncans Estate Service. Formerly of the Marmora section of Upper Township, Duncan retired in June and decided, after many years of hard work, it was time to enjoy life a little more and travel. She sold her home, purchased an RV and headed for the West Coast.

But when Anita Ojserkis started to slow down, she told her son to get Duncan for the estate sale.

And so Duncan has spent the past two weeks preparing for the sale at Ojserkis home.

My sales are a reflection on the person, and I make sure everything is as the person would want it; tablecloths, the glassware is all washed, jewelry is in a display case. It is important to me to treat everything with the respect that Anita would, Duncan said.

The last collections of the Tag Sale Ladies will be sold by the end of the weekend. Then Duncan will go back to enjoying her retirement.

It appears to mark the end of an era.

Closing arguments expected Wednesday in federal health care fraud trial CAMDEN  Thomas Sher, a Northfield man accused of taking part in a multimillion-dollar state

Things were starting to change, peoples tastes were changing when Anita and Marilyn stopped having tag sales in 2018, Holly Anderson said.

People are more mobile, they dont want dark wood or big, heavy furniture, they dont want formal dining rooms, they are not buying Lladro figurines or other heirlooms, they are buying furniture from places like Ikea, said Jill Ojserkis, wife of Charles.

I think this type of tag sale is through, Charles Ojserkis said. I cannot imagine someone putting the time and energy into the sale of antiques, collectibles, furniture and tchotchkes like Marilyn and my mom did.

I guess kids just dont want their parents and their grandparents stuff.

Duncan said she has gotten many inquiries about the sale, some from as far away as Iowa, New York, Philadelphia and Seattle.

This is a sale for the curious, but it is something special and collectors will be very interested. Anita had impeccable taste, Duncan said.

My mom would have loved to come to this tag sale. If there was any way she could, she would certainly be there. She loved all the things she collected. I still have people stop and ask if the Tag Sale Ladies will do their estate sale, said Charles Ojserkis. They are very disappointed when I tell them why the answer is no.

The estate sale for Anita Ojserkis runs Thursday to Saturday. Look for a preview under Duncans Estate Service on Facebook.
GALLOWAY TOWNSHIP  A structure fire engulfed a Second Avenue home Wednesday afternoon, police said. Police were dispatched to the home in the 400 block at 12:39 p.m. Firefighters from the Bayview and Oceanville volunteer fire companies and the Absecon Fire Department extinguished the blaze. Galloway emergency medical services and the Office of Emergency Management, Atlantic City Electric, South Jersey Gas and the Red Cross also responded to the scene to assist, police said in a news release. First responders closed South Second Avenue between Jimmie Leeds Road and Ridgewood Avenue for several hours while they worked to put out and investigate the fire, police said. The fire is still under investigation.
The New Jersey National Guard will join the national response to the devastation in western Florida caused by Hurricane Ian, Gov. Phil Murphy said Thursday.

As cleanup begins, Murphy said, 135 Guard members from New Jersey will head to the Sunshine State to help communities impacted by flooding and high winds.

Additionally, 40 military and support vehicles will be sent to assist the hurricane response, Murphys office said.

The Governors Office did not say for how long New Jerseys Guard members may be down south. No members of the 177th Fighter Wing of the New Jersey Air National Guard, based in Egg Harbor Township, are being sent to Florida as of Thursday, the military units public affairs office said.

Ian made landfall Wednesday as a Category 4 hurricane, bringing with it sustained winds of around 150 mph.

Weather: Dry for rest of week, but rain, wind, tidal flooding from Ian after Ian will already be impacting the region Thursday with the blanket of high clouds overhead. We'll stay dry through Friday. A change in the forecast now means Saturday looks to be wet, as coastal flooding and gusty winds take us through early next week.

Thousands of Floridians fled the storm, which has left millions without power and caused widespread destruction.

At least one storm fatality in Florida was confirmed early Thursday after a 72-year-old Deltona man fell into a canal while trying to drain his pool of rain. Two others died when Ian passed through Cuba.

Lee County Sheriff Carmine Marceno said that while he lacked any details, he believed the death toll would be in the hundreds. Gov. Ron DeSantis later said that toll was not confirmed and likely an estimate based on 911 calls.

It crushed us, Marceno told ABCs Good Morning America, adding that bridges and roads remain impassable, stranding thousands in his county where Ian made landfall.

Assistance is being allocated through the Emergency Management Assistance Compact, a mutual aid agreement that grants states and territories access to each others resources to respond to both natural and man-made disasters.

Murphy accepted the EMAC Thursday morning, authorizing the trip to Florida, his office said.

$52B storm gates eyed for NY-NJ waterways hit by Sandy A decade after Superstorm Sandy pummeled New York and New Jersey in one of the costliest storms in U.S. history, the federal government is proposing a $52 billion plan to build movable barriers and gates across bays, rivers and other waterways in the two states hardest hit by the storm. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is proposing building moveable sea gates that would remain open during calm periods and be closed when major storms approach. The proposed barriers have drawn opposition from property owners who worry about how they would look, and environmentalists concerned about adverse effects on water quality and natural ecosystems.

Our thoughts and prayers are with the people of Florida right now as they begin their journey to recovery from Hurricane Ian, Murphy said. We are thankful for the 135 men and women who bravely volunteered to travel down to Florida to assist with hurricane aid and relief efforts. We are continuing to monitor the storm as it heads farther north and are prepared to provide more support where needed.

Hours after weakening to a tropical depression while crossing the Florida peninsula, Ian regained hurricane strength Thursday evening after emerging over the Atlantic Ocean. The National Hurricane Center predicted it would make landfall in South Carolina as a Category 1 hurricane Friday.

On Thursday, President Joe Biden declared a disaster in Florida, with the Federal Emergency Management Agency supporting search and rescue efforts.

Whether it was Superstorm Sandy, watching over our Nations capital, or assisting during the COVID-19 pandemic, our citizen Soldiers and Airmen have distinguished themselves when our communities needed them most. This will be no different, said Brig. Gen. Lisa J. Hou, adjutant general of New Jersey. Our hearts are with the families of all affected by this hurricane.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
So much needs to be done to keep a watershed healthy, especially one in the heavily urbanized core of the Northeast.

A recently announced mix of federal and private funding will get a lot of bang for its millions of bucks, enabling 45 projects throughout the Delaware River watershed.

These will enhance recreation, water quality and habitat conservation; reduce runoff pollution; restore 439 acres of wetlands; plant over 50,000 trees; and open more than 65 miles of water for fish such as spawning shad to pass.

The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service awarded $15.8 million in grants. Conservation and environmental groups matched that with $16 million to bring funding for the watershed projects to $31.8 million.

The projects are along or near tributaries in New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Delaware.

One supported by the Conserve Wildlife Foundation of New Jersey will restore a Delaware Bay location where red knots stop during migration. Another project will restore existing and lost critical tidal freshwater marsh habitat at the Supawna Meadows National Wildlife Refuge in Salem County.

Given that South Jersey is a historic birding hotspot, one project managed and partly funded by New Jersey Audubon is of special interest. It will conserve and create critical habitat on Delaware Bay for the federally threatened eastern black rail and the at-risk saltmarsh sparrow.

Exactly where must be kept secret.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service previously had determined that designation of critical habitat for the eastern black rail is not prudent, because doing so would more widely announce the exact location of this species, which is extremely vulnerable to disturbance.

Our project to conserve high marsh habitats for black rail and saltmarsh sparrow endeavors to work with Delaware Bay landowners to modify salt hay farming practices that accommodate the needs of these two high conservation priority species, said David Mizrahi, NJ Audubons vice president of research and monitoring.

The shy little black rail is an elusive marsh bird whose presence has declined by more than 90% the past 25 years because of loss, degradation and fragmentation of its habitat. Now rising seas are swamping its breeding sites in the marshlands.

The East Coast is the only place on Earth where saltmarsh sparrows are found. They too are declining rapidly due to sea level rise and loss of habitat, and 80% may already have disappeared.

Both projects will contribute to the outcome of a cleaner, healthier and safer watershed for both humans and wildlife, said Alex Ireland, president of New Jersey Audubon.

Some advocacy groups seem to focus on partisan posturing and raising money. The 175 members of the Coalition for the Delaware River Watershed are exemplary in focusing on making solid improvements, doing much of the work themselves, and adding their funds to those of the public to get much more done. Like the natural world they help, they usually work quietly at mostly thankless jobs.
An Eldridge man who pleaded guilty in April to a federal child pornography charge was sentenced to 15 years in prison during a hearing Tuesday in U.S. District Court, Davenport.

During the sentencing hearing, U.S. District Judge Stephanie Rose sentenced Nicholas Robert Walker-Bennett, 33, to 180 months in prison to be followed by 10 years on supervised release.

Rose also ordered Walker-Bennett to pay $42,000 in restitution.

According to indictment filed in U.S. District Court, Davenport, Walker-Bennett had received and distributed child pornography for 11 years before he was caught.

The case began in April 25, 2021, when the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children sent a tip to the Scott County Sheriffs Department that someone had used KIK Messenger to transmit a photo depicting a minor engaged in a sex act.

On Sept. 13, 2021, Scott County Sheriffs investigators served a search warrant at Walker-Bennetts home in Eldridge. According to the arrest affidavits filed by Scott County Sheriffs Deputy Ethan Roling, Walker-Bennetts cell phone was found to have a large amount of visual depictions of minors engaged in sex acts. Many photos and videos were located on the device specifically depicting infants, prepubescent and pubescent males and females engaged in sex acts.

Walker-Bennett was arrested and charged with two counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, a Class D felony that carries a prison sentence of five years in Iowa. He also was charged with 10 counts of sexual exploitation of a minor-possess first offense, each of which is an aggravated misdemeanor under Iowa law that carries a prison sentence of two years.

Federal authorities indicted Walker-Bennett on Dec. 8, 2021, and he was taken into federal custody the next day, according to U.S. District Court, Davenport, electronic records.

Walker-Bennett was charged at the federal level with one count each of receipt and distribution of child pornography and possession of child pornography.

The federal charges alleged that Walker-Bennett had been receiving and distributing child pornography from about May 27, 2010, through May 25, 2021, and that on Sept. 13, 2021, when he was arrested, he was in possession of child pornography.

On April 14, Walker-Bennett pleaded guilty to the one count of receipt and distribution of child pornography. The charge of possession of child pornography was dropped in accordance with the plea agreement.

Walker-Bennett could have received a maximum prison sentence of 20 years under the charge to which he pleaded guilty.

There is no parole in the federal prison system.
U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, said he does not support putting Social Security up for periodic reauthorization and would avoid cutting benefits to retirees if changes to Social Security were made under a Republican Congress.

Democrats have locked in on Social Security as a campaign issue during the midterm elections, criticizing proposals from some Republicans to subject the program and other federal legislation to periodic review. Grassley is seeking reelection and is challenged by Democrat Mike Franken, a former Navy admiral from Sioux City.

If we do anything on Social Security, one thing I want to make clear, we arent going to cut any benefits for people that are in retirement or near retirement, Grassley told reporters on Wednesday.

President Joe Biden went after Sen. Rick Scotts 12-point policy plan in a speech on Tuesday, saying the plan would jeopardize Social Security and Medicare every five years. In the plan, Scott calls for all federal legislation to sunset after five years, requiring Congress to pass it again.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., threw cold water on the idea, saying a Republican Senate agenda would not sunset Social Security and Medicare.

Biden also attacked Republican Sen. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin for proposing that federal mandatory spending, including Medicare and Social Security, be made discretionary and reviewed every year. Biden said the proposal would put the popular programs on the chopping block annually.

Grassley said any changes to Social Security would involve broad consensus. He didnt specify what he would propose to improve the solvency of the program.

This is the only way this stuffs going to be done, is if you sit down as a group, he said. And I dont like the word chopping block, because that almost indicates that Congress is going to do away with Social Security, and we arent going to do that.

Social Security has been a thorny political issue for decades, as any changes to the highly popular program are met with intense skepticism. The Social Security trust fund that pays retirees is expected to be depleted by 2034 without any changes to the program, after which people would only receive 78 percent of their benefits, according to a 2021 estimate.

Franken proposed during a town hall in Cedar Rapids last week that everyone pay the same tax rate toward Social Security regardless of income. Currently, income on workers and employers is taxed at 6.2 percent toward Social Security up to $147,000.

I believe the 147 cap ought to be omitted, ought to be released, so that an income as high as it may go, pays into social security to ensure solvency, he said in an AARP Pocketbook Conversation segment this month.

Grassleys campaign went after that position in an ad last week, pointing to it as a source of increased taxes Franken supports.

In a press release, Frankens campaign said the proposal would ensure the rich pay what they owe to keep Social Security afloat, and that it would not change what working Iowans pay by one dime.
Community Action of Eastern Iowa will begin accepting applications for the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) starting Oct. 1 for households with elderly and/or disabled members. All other low-income households may apply beginning on Nov. 1. The last day to apply is April 30, 2023.

This program is funded by the Department of Health and Human Services through the Iowa Department of Human Rights/DCAA, and has been established to help qualifying low-income Iowa homeowners and renters pay for a portion of their primary heating costs. The program will provide supplemental assistance based on several factors. Those factors include total household income, household size, dwelling type and type of heating fuel, among others.

Applicants will need to furnish some form of identification, a copy of their most recent heating and electric bill and proof of all household members' gross income for the past 30 days, the most recent 12 months or the past calendar year.

Eligibility for participation is established according to the following federal income guidelines.

Household size annual gross income: 1. $27,180; 2. $36,620; 3. $46,060; 4. $55,500; 5. $64,940; 6. $74,380; 7. $83,820; 8. $93,260. For households with more than eight members, add $9,440 for each additional member.

All income will be annualized. Income will be collected for a 30-day period, counting back 30 days including the date of application.

Applicants in Scott, Clinton, Cedar and Muscatine counties should contact Community Action of Eastern Iowa. For more information, or to apply, call 563-324-3236 or 866-324-3236 or visit www.caeiowa.org.

Last year, approximately 9,900 households received assistance.
CHICAGO - A 55-year-old woman died after alleged carjackers on a spree crashed a car into the Toyota she was driving Wednesday night on the Southwest Side, according to Chicago police.

It all started when four men in a stolen white pickup truck carjacked a 65-year-old woman at 6:55 p.m. in the 3400 block of South Claremont Avenue, police said.

The four men took a black Honda from the 65-year-old and headed to the 1900 block of West 21st Place, where police said they committed a second armed carjacking by taking a white Honda from a 25-year-old woman.

Thats when the black Honda crashed into a Toyota that was being driven by a 55-year-old woman in the 3400 block of South Leavitt Street. The men fled in a black Honda but were located again by police, who tried to curb the vehicle.

But the men kept driving the black Honda, which crashed into a Toyota with a 55-year-old woman driving it in the 3100 block of South Kedzie Avenue, police said. Paramedics took the woman, identified as Dominga Flores of the 7200 block of South Richmond Street, to Mount Sinai Hospital, where she was pronounced dead at 9:32 p.m., according to information from the Cook County medical examiners office.

Charges are pending and the Major Accidents unit is investigating the crash, police said.
DES MOINES  Jerry Foxhoven, the former head of the Iowa Department of Human Services, filed an appeal this week with the Iowa Supreme Court to reconsider his wrongful termination lawsuit against Gov. Kim Reynolds and the state of Iowa.

A Polk County District Court judge appointed by Reynolds in 2018 dismissed Foxhovens suit last month. Foxhoven alleges he was fired by Reynolds in June 2019, after two years on the job, because he refused to engage in Medicaid fraud.

According to the suit, Foxhoven objected to paying a portion of the salary of a former DHS employee who transferred to the governors office, which he believe was a false claim for payment of Medicaid funds, as the employee no longer performed duties related to Iowa Medicaid.

Foxhoven alleges he told Reynolds staff he planned to report the issue to the Iowa Attorney Generals Office, but was terminated before he had the chance.

In her Aug. 31 ruling, District Court Judge Sarah Crane wrote that as an officer of the state in one of the highest positions in state government, Foxhoven served at the pleasure of the governor.

Foxhoven, in his suit, claimed protection as a whistleblower under both state and federal law. Crane, however, ruled that Foxhoven could not bring a claim under the False Claims Act. The statute allows whistleblowers to sue people or entities that are defrauding the government and recover damages and penalties on the government's behalf.

Crane, though, wrote that federal courts have held the statute was intended to ensure independent contractors could sue and was not intended to allow suits against a state and state officials acting in their official capacity.

Des Moines attorney Thomas Duff, who is representing Foxhoven, argues the district court determined Reynolds was entitled to discretionary function immunity, but never commented on the factual merits of the lawsuit.

These are all purely legally defenses having nothing to do with the merits of the case, Duff told The Gazette. No one has ever said that what the governors and her staffs conduct on firing him was in any way legitimate or correct. We just havent gotten that far.

Reynolds office declined to comment on Foxhovens appeal.

WEBSITE FOR VOTERS: The state website with information for Iowa voters has been given a makeover just in time for this falls general election.

Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate announced that voterreadyiowa.iowa.gov has been updated and has all the information Iowa voters need, including how to register to vote, download an absentee ballot request form, track the status of an absentee ballot request, find where to vote, and learn important dates and deadlines for the Nov. 8 election.

Pate said his office is promoting the website on myriad media platforms with the goal of informing Iowa voters about the upcoming election.

The Nov. 8 general election is less than six weeks away and voters are already requesting their absentee ballots. Lets keep Iowas great track record of being one of the best states in the nation for voter participation, Pate said in a news release.

IAB HEARING: The Iowa Utilities Board has scheduled an oral argument to clarify the scope of a petition for a proposed underground electric transmission line filed by SOO Green HVDC Link ProjectCo, LLC. The hearing will be 9 a.m. Dec. 15 at 1375 E. Court Ave. in Des Moines.

SOO Green has proposed a 174-mile electric transmission line that would cross through Allamakee, Cerro Gordo, Chickasaw, Clayton, Dubuque, Floyd, Jackson, and Winneshiek counties in Iowa.

JUDICIAL APPOINTMENT: Erik Howe, assistant Polk County Attorney from Polk City, has been appointed a district associate judge by Gov. Kim Reynolds. Howe will serve as an associate judge in Judicial Election District 5C, which is in Polk County.

Howe fills a vacancy created by the addition of new district associate judge positions created this year by state lawmakers and Reynolds.

FEDERAL GRANT AWARDED: Iowas Vocational Rehabilitation Services will receive a federal grant of $13.8 million over the next five years to support increasing access to well-paid jobs for people with disabilities.

Iowa is one of 14 states receiving a combined $177 million in grants from the federal Department of Education to provide employment opportunities at industry-standard wages to people with disabilities.

Federal labor law allows employers in some cases to pay people with disabilities less than minimum wage or below the prevailing wage for the job, if the disability affects the persons productivity in the job.

According to a news release, the grants will help decrease the use of subminimum wages and increase access to more competitive employment for workers with disabilities, where they will work alongside non-disabled workers. Job opportunities afforded by the grants include green jobs, essential industries, transportation and the arts.

Our Real Pay for Real Jobs Initiative is about Building a more equitable, inclusive workforce that thrives on the talents of Americans of all abilities. These grants will support innovative efforts underway across the country to provide educational opportunities to youth and adults with disabilities so they can secure better-paying jobs, build economic security, and lead more fulfilling, independent lives, U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona said in the news release.

 Gazette-Lee Des Moines Bureau
WASHINGTON  Iowa and five other Republican-led states are suing the Biden administration in an effort to halt its plan to forgive student loan debt for tens of millions of Americans, accusing it of overstepping its executive powers.

Its at least the second legal challenge this week to the sweeping proposal laid out by President Joe Biden in late August, when he said his administration would cancel up to $20,000 in education debt for huge numbers of borrowers. In Iowa, as many as 450,000 people could be affected by the news, according to Iowa College Aid, the states student financial aid agency.

The announcement, after months of internal deliberations and pressure from liberal activists, became immediate political fodder ahead of the November midterms while fueling arguments from conservatives about legality. The Biden administration sent an email to borrowers Thursday explaining how to prepare to apply for the program, which could begin as soon as next week.

In the lawsuit, being filed Thursday in a federal court in Missouri, the Republican states argue the plan is not remotely tailored to address the effects of the pandemic on federal student loan borrowers, as required by the 2003 federal law that the administration is using as legal justification. They point out that Biden, in an interview this month with CBS' "60 Minutes, declared the COVID-19 pandemic over, yet still is using the ongoing health emergency to justify the wide-scale debt relief.

Its patently unfair to saddle hard-working Americans with the loan debt of those who chose to go to college, Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge, who is leading the group, said in an interview.

In a statement, Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds argued the wide-scale debt relief is fundamentally unfair to hard-working Americans to have their tax dollars used to forgive student loan debt of the well-off who can afford to pay their own loans.

A significant majority of Americans have already paid off their student loans or chose not to pursue a higher education degree at all, Reynolds said. By forcing them to pay for other peoples loans  regardless of income  President Bidens mass debt cancellation punishes these Americans and belittles the path they chose. This expensive, unlawful plan is an insult to working people and must be stopped.

Iowa has a Democratic attorney general, but Reynolds, a Republican, signed on to the lawsuit on the state's behalf. Both Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller and Reynolds face re-election this year.

Miller, in a statement, said the governor has a statutory right to join such legal actions, and his office has a responsibility to assist.

Had (Reynolds) not made this request, our office would not have joined this lawsuit in any way, Miller said. As a policy matter, I believe student loan forgiveness will provide much needed relief to thousands of Iowans who have felt the enormous crush of student debt.

Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska and South Carolina also joined Arkansas in the lawsuit.

The suit argues that Missouri's loan servicer is facing a number of ongoing financial harms because of Biden's decision to cancel loans. Other states that joined the lawsuit argue that Biden's forgiveness plan will ultimately disrupt revenue to state coffers.

The administration has long said it was confident the forgiveness program would survive court challenges.

"Republican officials from these six states are standing with special interests, and fighting to stop relief for borrowers buried under mountains of debt," White House spokesman Abdullah Hasan said Thursday. "The president and his administration are lawfully giving working and middle class families breathing room as they recover from the pandemic and prepare to resume loan payments in January. "

Bidens forgiveness program will cancel $10,000 in student loan debt for those making less than $125,000 or households with less than $250,000 in income. Pell Grant recipients, who typically demonstrate more financial need, will get an additional $10,000 in debt forgiven.

The average federal and private student loan debt in Iowa was $29,900 in 2021, Iowa College Aid reported, citing FRBNY Consumer Credit Panel/Equifax data. That suggests the average Iowan with student loan debt would see some relief if long as their annual income qualifies.

The administration also said it would extend the current pause on federal student loan repayments  put on hold near the start of the pandemic more than two years ago  once more through the end of the year.

The administration faced threats of legal challenges to its plans almost immediately, with conservative attorneys, Republican lawmakers and business-oriented groups asserting that Biden was overstepping his authority without the assent of Congress.

Democratic lawmakers battling in tough re-election contests also distanced themselves from the student loan plan, as Republican officials called it an unfair government giveaway for relatively affluent.

In their lawsuit, the Republican attorneys general also contend that the forgiveness program violates the Administrative Procedures Act, which lays out how federal agencies should make regulations in order to ensure executive branch policies are well-reasoned and explained.

The president does not have the authority to put himself in the place of Congress, Rutledge said. These actions must be taken by Congress and he cant override that.

To justify the plans legality, the Biden administration is relying on a post-Sept. 11, 2001, law meant to help members of the military that the Justice Department says allows Biden to reduce or erase student loan debt during a national emergency. But Republicans argue the administration is misinterpreting the law because, in part, the pandemic no longer qualifies as a national emergency.

Another lawsuit against Bidens student loan program was filed this week in an Indiana federal court by the Pacific Legal Foundation, a libertarian legal advocacy group that employs a lawyer who says he would be harmed by the forgiveness plan. The lawyer, Frank Garrison, says erasing his current debt load will trigger a tax liability from the state of Indiana, which is among at least a half-dozen states where the forgiven loan

Republicans have also seized on the Biden plans price tag and its impact on the nations budget deficit. The Congressional Budget Office said this week that the program will cost about $400 billion over the next three decades. The White House countered that the CBOs estimate of how much the plan will cost just in its first year, $21 billion, is lower than what the administration initially believed.

The Associated Press and Tom Barton of The Gazette Des Moines Bureau contributed.
Nebraska Leadership Education/Action Development (LEAD) Class 40 met in the county for three days this week, beginning their visit at Chadron State College on Sunday afternoon. Though the college was a central point for seminars through their stay, the class also incorporated trips to Fort Robinson and Crow Butte near Crawford.

The Nebraska LEAD Program began 40 years ago to develop agricultural leaders from Nebraska's future generations. As part of the agenda on the three-day trip, Program Director Terry Hejny, Ph.D., announced they will be travelling to Colombia, Panama and Ecuador during their January 2023 International Study/Travel seminar.

LEAD 40 Member Tim Hashman of Hemingford noted the purpose of the seminar is to have a better understanding of how agriculture works in a world setting. The class will go to developing countries to garner a broader of how the world trades.

If we can bring some information back, as we go forth as leaders in the ag industry, Hashman said, we have a better understanding of how the world trades and does agriculture products here in the U.S. he further added class members want to bring back the knowledge and leadership back to the state and national levels, to be able to tell agricultures story.

The LEAD program, Hashman explained, selects the countries to cover the desired topics including immigration, labor issues and agriculture issues. The three countries for the January seminar, he said, fulfill those. He expects the seminar to look at the countries infrastructure and domestic issues, as well as agriculture.

From now until the seminar itself, everything the LEAD class does will be to prepare for the January seminar so theyre better informed while there.

As for the trip to Dawes County, Hashman said it provides a better feel for what the ag issues are in the northwest part of the state. With the college having the Rangeland Complex, it affords them the opportunity to learn about rangeland concerns. A trip to the Crow Butte Uranium ties in with the power generation side of ag.

Stops along the way, including Fort Robinson, provide opportunity to showcase what else is available in this area of the state.

The LEAD program is two years, with this classs second year just starting. Hashman said there were six seminars last year, and the Dawes County trip was the first of another six. Last year had the class going to seminars across the state and a national one at Washington, D.C.

Everyone in the LEAD class has a tie to agriculture, Hashman said, from farmers and ranchers, to futures and commodities brokers, to folks involved in co-operatives. Everybody is involved in some fashion.

Hashman is a fifth generation farmer in Box Butte County.

Another class member, Hannah Swink of Kearney, works for Cooperative Producers, Inc. in central Nebraska, specifically in the sales energy division. She was introduced to the LEAD program by a friend who spoke highly of the friendships he developed.

Swink further added the program is a way to connect with others who believe agriculture is important, and Class 40 seems to have meshed well and look forward to gathering for the seminars. She expects to continue reaching out to others shes met, even after the program ends.

Eric Coufal of Wahoo works at Frontier Co-Op as a grain marketing advisor. He heard about LEAD from a cousin who had nothing but high praise for it and learned a lot. Just as all of us are, encountering different things along the way through the different seminars. The different perspectives everyone brings, he added, challenges everyones perception on business in Nebraska. He considers the seminars a blessing that help people progress in their knowledge and understanding.
The Pennington County Board of Commissioners approved a $7 million purchase agreement Tuesday morning for a property that will help the county facilitate future growth.

The 76,316-square-foot building, located at 900 Concourse Drive in Rapid City, was identified by the countys building committee as a potential relocation site for the countys administrative offices.

A facilities needs assessment presented to the board at its Sept. 20 meeting found that space was limited around the existing downtown campus, recommending off-site facilities to meet future growth needs.

The building will address population growth over the next 20 years, which the study estimated to increase 23-30% in the Rapid City area and Ellsworth Air Force Base. The study also projected a 60% growth factor on 911 call volume and 55-65% on court filings and court personnel.

The property, formerly a call center, presented great potential in the opportunity to buy an existing building relative to current construction costs, said Mike Kuhl, building and grounds director. The building included offices, multiple sections of cubicles, a gym, kitchen, cafeteria and plenty of parking.

The property had $3 million in updates performed in 2017, including completely replacing the heating/cooling system. Kuhl and Kevin Burton, senior construction project manager, researched available properties and found the Concourse property to be centrally located, possessing the needed infrastructure, furnishings, equipment and space needed for the assessments 20-year projections.

The suggested purchase price of $6,969,092 came to $92 per square foot. Burton told the board the current price for building ranges from $350-$425 (per square foot), without a land purchase. The relocation will also allow for the Public Safety Building to move into the current Administration Building, accommodating growing needs in law enforcement, the State's Attorney's office and Court Services.

Commissioner Ron Rossknecht, a member of the Pennington County Building Committee, noted a positive of the site was plenty of parking.

Burton said the original intent was to keep the downtown campus centralized, but the domino effect triggered by attempting to build drove them towards outside properties. The proposed property, he said, seems like the best bang for the buck, and that is still a lot cheaper than working on the current campus.

Commissioner Deb Hadcock noted the needs assessment that fueled the property purchase was looking at future expansion and needs, not just immediate. She commended the building committee, saying she appreciated all the forethought put into this expansion. I think its a good move.

The purchase of the property allows the county to begin moving forward with a solution right away, Kuhl said.

Rossknecht said other options presented were well in excess of $100 million, and that the decision wasnt that hard when you look at the options presented.

Commissioner Travis Lasseter noted his apprehension to purchasing new buildings, but that he felt the committee did due diligence to ensure we got a good deal on a good piece of property thats going to last the county what we need.

Commissioners unanimously approved the purchase.

The facilities needs assessments projected timeline estimated various phases being rolled out throughout 2023, with a possible move-in by the end of 2023.
The Rapid City Legal and Finance Committee approved authorization for the Rapid City Fire Department to apply for, and accept if awarded, a federal grant Wednesday afternoon.

RCFD Lt. Eric O'Connor said the $2,316,439.68 grant, with a required 25% match from the city, is part of the Community Wildfire Defense Grant, a five-year grant that aims to assist at-risk local communities with planning for and mitigating risk created by wildfire.

The fire department's Wildfire Mitigation Program would use the funds to bolster the ongoing fuel treatments, including mechanical thinning of coniferous vegetation, and development of a prescribed fire program to reduce the threat of wildfire within the city's wildland and urban interface areas.

O'Connor, who is with the department's program, and Division Chief Chip Premus presented the grant to the committee. O'Connor said the city is at an 87% greater risk for wildfires than the rest of the nation with the surrounding areas between 90-95%.

O'Connor said some of the contributing factors include the March 29, 2021 Schroeder Fire, which saw 2,224 acres burned and $1,782,779.64 in suppression costs, and the Oct. 4, 2021 Auburn Fire, which saw 968 acres burned and had $2,103,577.36 in suppression costs.

To date, the department has treated more than 400 acres with fuel treatment.

O'Connor said the proposal is a five-year agreement for a lead crew member, six seasonal employees, chainsaws and hand tools, a towable chipper, chip/dump truck, Caterpillar track loader with attachments, UTV/all-terrain vehicle, a crew truck and associated equipment trailers.

He said target areas include Cabot Hill through the Auburn Hills, Star Village, the Skyline Wilderness area and Hanson Larsen Memorial Park. O'Connor said the goal is to treat 100-150 acres annually.

However, the city would match about 37% or $866,225.75. Fire Chief Jason Culberson said the amount would be a buffer to show it can, without a doubt, match the necessary amount.

During the meeting, the committee also approved authorization to sign a grant with the South Dakota Department of Health for the Community Health Worker Grant up to $50,000. Culberson said this would be the second year for the grant, which is used to train the department's mobile medics and purchase some equipment.

The committee also approved moving the Opportunity Capture Fund Vision Fund allocation from 2024 to 2022. Earlier this year, the Rapid City Council voted to allocated $1,021,000 to the fund in 2024.

According to a memo from outgoing Finance Director Pauline Sumption, the fund has extremely limited available cash after the council approved a recommendation of $300,000 to Phase Technologies.

All three items will appear on the Rapid City Council consent agenda Oct. 3.
A housing study recently completed for the city of Wall revealed two major takeaways: a need for rental housing and senior housing.

Thats actually really good news because those are two areas were working on, said Wall Economic Development Director Kallie Carey.

One step the city is taking toward addressing senior housing is an approach called Aging in Place, a committee in its early stages sprouting from the Wall Economic Development Corporation. The goals include working toward single-level housing sites, offering home health care, somebody would mow their grass for them, scoop their snow, things like that, Carey said.

These services would be geared towards people who need to move out, Carey said, because their homes are too big for them to maintain. The committee is taking a three-pronged approach, beginning with investigating programs offered for getting seniors immediate assistance and care they need.

Carey said they've met with Monument Health to explore home health options. Discussions included what insurance would look like for seniors, Meals on Wheels, grocery delivery, information on social security, Medicare and Medicaid, among others.

The second prong involves working with Pennington County Housing to discuss Prairie Village Apartments, an income-based apartment facility in Wall. The proposal would look at ways to potentially gear the apartment complex back toward senior living.

Third on the list would be building single-level town homes in Wall for seniors to be able to move into, and out of their multi-story homes, to downsize, Carey said.

The study, conducted by Community Partners Research, Inc. of Faribault, Minnesota, recommended 10-12 independent light-service units for senior living. A consultant hired by the city indicated building a senior living facility in Wall wouldnt be financially feasible, launching the committee to explore other options.

The studys other major takeaway was a need for more rental units, recommending development of 14-16 market-rate rentals. While it indicated a declining population, over 400 people commute to Wall on a daily basis, Carey said.

She said many Wall Drug, Badlands National Park and National Grassland workers commute from Philip and Rapid City every day, and there simply isnt room in Wall to house them.

We are seeing young people coming in here and not wanting to buy or build, Carey said. They are wanting to rent.

That number is expected to grow as Rapid City expands east, and with the looming completion of the Wall Industrial Park, expected this fall. With the park comes new people, and with new housing brings the need for more jobs and bringing more people in the Wall area, Carey said.

I think it definitely will create more jobs, which of course is going to promote growth, Carey said. So I think this all kind of ties in together  housing is the need. And we also need the industrial park. It's all a full-circle process.

While Wall has seen a reduction of households and population, Pennington County has continued to grow, the study indicates. Driven primarily by strong growth in Rapid City, the entire county added 3,658 households between 2010 and 2020, and added nearly 8,300 people, continuing a long-term pattern of growth county-wide.

The study identified 36 existing rental units in Wall, with zero vacancy as of Thursday. The city has three housing subdivisions underway, including the 41-unit Echo Valley project.

Preparing to handle the growth and housing needs in Wall is a process, Carey said, feeling they have adequate time to address the growth projections, which the study estimated at about 4-5 households a year over the next five years. In addition to the coming housing subdivisions, Carey indicated conversations and ideas are in motion to get ahead of the coming growth.

While the study identified needs in Wall, Carey said it didnt present any shocking revelations. The residents of Wall have been aware of the trends over the years, observing the changes and people coming and going.

What the study will provide, however, is an opportunity to seek funding. Eligibility for funding from the South Dakota Housing Authority is contingent upon an updated housing study, she explained, an effort spearheaded by former WEDC Director Liliya Stone. Walls last study was conducted in 2016.

The study identified both barriers and strengths in Wall's road to housing development, along with 23 recommendations. It encouraged Wall to be realistic but proactive.

Wall is anticipating growth, Carey said. And we are working hard to continue to expand our current and existing businesses, but bring in new businesses as well. And in order to do that, we need to be able to accommodate those people coming into Wall to work, live and play.
The state will dismiss one case against a man who is also facing charges in an August double homicide in north Rapid City, Pennington County Deputy State's Attorney Rachel Snyder told the court Wednesday.

Chase Quick Bear, 20, will no longer face a charge of aiding and abetting in an Aug. 17 assault against a male victim on Wood Avenue.

During Quick Bear's Aug. 25 initial appearance and bond hearing, Magistrate Judge Scott Bogue said that the alleged victim asked someone for cigarettes, and the person told them to go to a garage. There were members of a rival gang at the garage, and someone pistol-whipped him when he arrived. The alleged victim initially identified Quick Bear as one of the people in the garage.

Snyder said in court Wednesday that witness statements led to the decision to dismiss the case and a protection order against Quick Bear, who has a total of eight open files in Pennington County Circuit Court, including the one set to be dismissed.

The most notable case stems from the deaths of 29-year-old Joseph Standing Bear of Norris and 37-year-old Petan Milk of Rapid City, who were found dead on Aug. 20 at Knollwood Heights Apartments on Surfwood Drive.

Quick Bear was one of the initial suspects law enforcement listed as persons of interest following the homicides, which the RCPD later stated were gang-related. Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services located and arrested Quick Bear on Aug. 24. He was transported to Rapid City on the recently dropped aiding and abetting charge.

Quick Bear is charged with two counts of aiding and abetting first-degree murder and one count of conspiracy to commit first-degree murder. An arraignment in that case is scheduled for 8:45 a.m. Oct. 6.
A Billings asphalt and seal coating contractor has agreed to plead guilty to a federal charge of attempted monopoly after allegedly trying to cajole a competitor to forego future state contracts with Montana and Wyoming.

Federal prosecutors with the U.S. Attorneys Office and the U.S. Department of Justice's Antitrust Division filed an indictment against Nathan Zito, of Z & Z Asphalt Inc., on Sept. 19, accompanied by a plea agreement signed by Zito and his attorney. A hearing for Zito to enter a guilty plea is scheduled for Oct. 14.

Zito, through his attorney, declined comment for this story while his case is ongoing.

Court records filed Monday in Billings federal court refer to Zito as the former owner and president of the company.

The conduct for which Zito is charged is alleged to have occurred over the course of 2020. According to vendor award information provided by the Montana Department of Transportation on Wednesday, Z & Z Seal Coating, another company registered by Zito, received $931,240.19 as the prime contractor from 2021 through Aug. 23. According to state records available online, Z & Z Asphalt received another $937,913.73 during fiscal year 2022.

A Montana Department of Transportation spokesperson declined to comment when asked why the department continued to do business with Zito and his company following the 10-month federal investigation in 2020, stating the department does not comment on pending litigation. However, the transportation department is not a party in Zito's court proceedings. Asked to clarify, the spokesperson said they had no comment.

"MDT has no involvement and no comment at this time," the spokesperson wrote in an email.

According to charging documents filed Sept. 19, which name Zito but not his company, approximately 95% of his company's business comes from providing crack sealing services on publicly funded highway projects.

Z & Z and another company, also unnamed in the court records, routinely compete for the same publicly funded highway crack sealing jobs and, in many cases, were the only two companies to submit bids for the projects administered by the Wyoming Department of Transportation and those in neighboring states, according to court filings.

In January 2020, Zito phoned the owner of the other business, identified in court filings as Company B, to propose a "strategic partnership."

The owner of Company B reported that phone call to the U.S. Department of Transportation, which turned the matter over to the agency's Office of Inspector General. The owner of Company B then worked with the federal investigators to record phone calls.

Zito, according to federal prosecutors, laid out the terms of his proposal in another phone call with the owner of Company B in June 2020. The competitor would agree to stop bidding for highway projects in Montana and Wyoming and Zito would forego any bids for projects in South Dakota and Nebraska. Zito proposed paying the competitor $100,000 as additional compensation for the competitor's lost business in Montana and Wyoming.

Although not mentioned in federal court records, Z & Z Seal Coating received a federal Paycheck Protection Program loan for $150,000 in April 2020. (Zitos company also got a PPP loan for $165,300 in January 2021. Both were forgiven in 2021.)

"From the outset, Zito stated his intention to eliminate Company B as a competitor in Montana and Wyoming," federal prosecutors wrote in charging documents. "He told (Company B's owner) that if they agreed not to compete, their companies' revenue streams would be more stable and their margins would be higher."

Zito ultimately prepared and presented a written contract that included an option to purchase the competitor's company, according to federal prosecutors, although the owner of the other company told Zito he had no intention of selling.

It's unclear when Zito became aware of the investigation into his proposal.

The charge carries a possible penalty of 10 years imprisonment and a $1 million fine. Prosecutors agree to not recommend Zito be detained pending sentencing, but will have to defer to the judge.

According to the plea agreement filed with the charging documents, Zito has agreed to pay a fine of $27,000. The agreement also notes Zito may be "debarred" by agencies who could preclude Z & Z from receiving future work on publicly funded projects.

-This article has been corrected to state federal prosecutors agreed not to seek Nathan Zito's detainment ahead of his sentencing hearing.
Two women facing voter fraud charges in Phillips County were set to enter no contest pleas earlier this month, but havent been heard from after failing to show up for the hearing, according to the county attorney.

Grace O. Albia and Jannet Benitez Zeta each face one misdemeanor charge of deceptive election practices for allegedly registering and voting in the Dodson mayoral election last year, despite not being U.S. citizens.

The case presented a rare instance of possible voter fraud in Montana, and even more unusual, may have been enough to affect the outcome of an election. The small Hi-Line towns November 2021 mayoral race was decided by just two votes, and both of the womens ballots were subsequently called into question.

With Albia and Zeta absent during a Sept. 13 hearing to sign their changes of plea, Justice of the Peace Gayle Stahl ordered their bonds forfeited, according to court documents.

Phillips County Attorney Dan OBrien said Tuesday that Stahl gave their lawyer, Kalispell attorney Thane Johnson, additional time to locate his clients. Johnson did not respond to phone calls left at his office this week.

The case is effectively done, OBrien said, but added that it would have been nicer and cleaner had they signed it.

According to the charging documents and prior statements by Phillips County Sheriff Jerry Lytle and Clerk and Recorder Lynnel LaBrie, the two women allegedly registered and cast ballots in the mayoral election, despite being Philippine citizens. Both women had work visas and were employed as local school teachers. Montana requires U.S. citizenship in order to vote.

After community members alleged that two foreign residents had registered and cast ballots in the municipal election, the county's top elections official asked the sheriff's office to investigate, Lytle previously said. Neither Albia nor Zeta have publicly addressed the allegations.

The mayors race was decided by just two votes, though its not known who Albia or Zeta voted for. But because the election had been certified by the time their citizenship was called into question, LaBrie previously told the Montana State News Bureau she was unaware of any avenue for her office to challenge the election results.

Albia and Zeta each forfeited their $585 bonds, which covered the maximum $500 fines they would have faced for their misdemeanor charges. No contest pleas in Montana arent an admission of guilt, but acknowledge that the states case would have likely resulted in a conviction.

OBrien didnt know the last time either of the women were in Phillips County, but their last in-person court appearance was for an omnibus hearing in February. He said their whereabouts are unknown.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has been notified of the issue, OBrien said.

The justice of the peace could issue a warrant for their arrest, but OBrien noted in a follow-up email that those cant be served out of state, assuming the two women are no longer in Montana.

Ultimately, the case may end with the forfeiture of bond for failure to appear, assuming they never return to Montana, OBrien wrote.

As is the case elsewhere in the country, instances of voter fraud are exceedingly rare in Montana. Most recently, a man in Gallatin County pleaded guilty to using his drivers license number to submit a phony voter registration under a different name in 2020.

The only other proven instance of attempted election fraud in Montanas recent history came in 2011, when a Liberty County man was caught after voting his ex-wifes ballot without her permission.
Gov. Greg Gianforte said Wednesday that Montana is sending people to Florida to help with its response to Hurricane Ian.

In anticipation of damages from the hurricane, Florida requested help from Montana through the Emergency Management Assistance Compact (EMAC).

Florida requested one National Guard Advanced-Team Member to assist with EMAC requests for National Guard support, as well as a Type 3 All-Hazard Incident Management Team.

Montana filled both requests, with a major from the Montana National Guard and a team of 10 from the Western Montana All Hazard Incident Management Team based out of Missoula responding, state officials said.

The hazard team is made up of people all out of Missoula with the exception of one from Billings. They are from various Hazard Management organizations. The state sent one Advanced EMAC Specialist (RELT) to Atlanta from Montana Department of Emergency Services and Fort Harrison deployed one major, A Team Specialist to Camp Blanding, Florida. An additional guardsmen from Fort Harrison National Guard will deploy Thursday, but officials did not have confirmation of where.

Florida provided Montana critical assistance during the flooding disaster this year, and were glad to be able to return the favor in their time of need, Gianforte said in a news release.

Ian, one of the most powerful storms ever recorded in the U.S., swamped southwest Florida on Wednesday, flooding streets and buildings, knocking out power to over 1 million people and threatening catastrophic damage farther inland, the Associated Press reported.

The Category 4 storm slammed the coast with 150 mph winds and pushed a wall of storm surge accumulated during its slow march over the Gulf. More than 1.1 million Florida homes and businesses were without electricity. The storm previously tore into Cuba, killing two people and bringing down the country's electrical grid.

About 2.5 million people were ordered to evacuate southwest Florida before Ian hit, but by law no one could be forced to flee, the Associated Press reported.
A Chesterfield County judge presiding over the case of a former detective who admitted to altering seven search warrants says in a written opinion that the offense for which he is charged  malfeasance in office  isnt currently a crime in Virginia. The ex-officers attorneys have filed a motion to have the charge dismissed.

Special prosecutor G. Ryan Mehaffey brought the charge against former Chesterfield Detective Robert W. Sprouse, stating in the charging document that Spouse committed an offense under common law  a reference to English common law  by willfully and knowingly performing an act officially for which there was no authority of law and no power of discretion.

In defending his position in a subsequent court filing, Mehaffey cited Virginia case law that he interpreted as evidence that malfeasance in office has been deemed a crime in Virginia. He also noted a legal treatise quoted in a 1923 Virginia Supreme Court decision involving a commissioner of revenue found guilty of malfeasance, which says English common law  as long as it doesnt counteract the Bill of Rights and the Constitution of Virginia  shall continue in full force and be the rule of decision, except as altered by the General Assembly.

But after reviewing the attorneys legal briefs and researching the matter, Chesterfield Circuit Judge M. Duncan Minton Jr. disagreed, siding with Sprouses attorneys, who argued that Virginia statutory and case law clearly show that malfeasance in office is not a criminal offense in Virginia.

Defense attorneys Steven Benjamin and Betty Layne DesPortes concluded in a motion filed with the court that malfeasance in office is a descriptor of behavior by a public official that, in Virginia, subjects the official to quasi-criminal removal proceedings, or in certain circumstances as provided by the General Assembly to a civil suit for damages.

Sprouse resigned his position in March and no longer works in law enforcement.

While malfeasance of office may have been a Common Law Crime in England, it has not remained so in the Commonwealth [of Virginia] at present, Minton said in his three-page opinion letter to Mehaffey and the defense counsel. To rule otherwise would result in several instances of absurdity and redundancy in the Code of Virginia. Rather, it is a definition of misbehavior in office that can lead, in a quasi-criminal proceeding, to the removal from office of the malfeasant.

The judge noted that the Virginia Court of Appeals recently ruled in Brown vs. Commonwealth that malfeasance in office is not a crime that would subject the violator to arrest.

While the code section implicated specific civil sanctions or damages, the language of the Court of Appeals is no less clear, Minton wrote. It did not state that malfeasance was not a crime in this instance because there are specific remedies in the Code; it said simply and clearly that malfeasance in office is not a crime.

Following the judges opinion, Sprouses attorneys drafted an order to have the charge dismissed against their client. But Mehaffey asked the defense counsel to keep a status hearing in the case, previously set for Oct. 28, on the courts docket.

I obviously respectfully disagree with the [judges] opinion, and Im considering exactly how to move forward, said Mehaffey, a deputy commonwealths attorney in Spotsylvania County. But I dont know theres anything definite about the way thats going to proceed right now. Well address it in court.

Sprouse has admitted to adding language to the seven search warrants on Feb. 18  two days after they had been served  after discovering that he mistakenly omitted the information, which is required by Virginia law. The information in question identifies the scope of a search being conducted or the items authorized for seizure. The case involved a complex narcotics investigation that sought the seizure of inherently dangerous narcotics and firearms that requires specialized teams to execute.

A Chesterfield magistrate signed each of the seven warrants on Feb. 14 without noticing the error, and the officers who later helped execute the warrants also didnt notice the missing information, according to the complaint against Sprouse.

The omission was essentially a clerical error. But according to the complaint, Sprouse, upon learning of his mistake, did not notify the magistrate or police supervisors. Instead, he meticulously added the required information to the face of the search warrants that had been issued by the magistrate and didnt tell anyone about the alterations.

Using the computer in the office, Det. Sprouse typed the Scope of Search [information] into the search warrant template, practiced a few drafts on scratch paper to make sure the alignment and spacing was correct when printed, and then printed the Scope of Search onto the original warrants, according to the complaint.

The problem was discovered Feb. 21, when Chesterfield Chief Magistrate Daniel Holser noticed the omitted information on a copy of one of the warrants as part of his normal, routine review of search warrants. He then confirmed the error with the other warrants, the complaint says.

The warrants the magistrate issued were not identical to the ones Sprouse filed with the court. Copies of the issued warrants must be filed in the locality where the warrant was executed within three business days.

After police supervisors were notified and confronted Sprouse, the detectives demeanor changed drastically, and he repeatedly and passionately stated that he was just trying to fix a clerical error, the complaint says.

Sprouse added that he didnt mean to deceive anyone or act in a malicious manner. His supervisors explained that a signed search warrant must be returned to the magistrate who issued it for the magistrate to correct and initial.

Upon learning of the altered search warrants, the Chesterfield prosecutors office moved immediately to withdraw all charges against the five people who were charged in the case that stemmed in part from the warrants.
 Flash

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin on Wednesday said evidence proved that the United States is the greatest threat to global cyber security, calling for joint effort against U.S. infringement on cyber sovereignty and international rules.

Wang made the remarks at a regular press briefing when asked to comment on a new investigation report on the cyber attacks by the U.S. National Security Agency (NSA) released on Tuesday by China's National Computer Virus Emergency Response Center.

The report detailed how the NSA's Office of Tailored Access Operation (TAO) controled key infrastructure facilities in China and infiltrated into China's Northwestern Polytechnical University's internal network by using servers in countries such as the Netherlands and Denmark to host cyber weapons through stepping-stone attack via Japan, Germany, the Republic of Korea and other countries. This enabled the TAO to steal sensitive data and information of people with sensitive identities.

The U.S. also secretly controled the telecom carriers of at least 80 countries and conducted indiscriminate wiretapping on global telecom users, according to the report.

Wang said that this has been the third investigation report issued by the relevant Chinese institution this month on the NSA's malicious cyber attacks on China's Northwestern Polytechnical University.

According to Wang, China has in recent weeks demanded explanation from the U.S. and asked it to immediately stop illegal action through various channels. So far, however, the U.S. has been silent.

"The U.S. could not have been more bombastic and motivated when propagating the lies about 'Chinese hackers', yet it has deliberately chosen to be blind and mute in the face of the solid evidence collected by the Chinese institution. What exactly is the U.S. hiding from the world?"

Noting that the U.S. has long been known as "the empire of hacking and champion of secrets theft," Wang said with its absolute dominance in the field of Internet technology, the U.S. has exercised indiscriminate cyber control and theft on a global scale to benefit itself politically, militarily, diplomatically and commercially.

The bullying practices of the U.S. in cyberspace have become a growing concern shared across the international community, Wang added.

"There is ample evidence that the U.S. is no doubt the greatest threat to global cyber security," Wang said, calling on countries to unite, stand up to U.S. hegemonic act which damaged cyber sovereignty and international rules and work together to create a peaceful, secure, open and cooperative cyberspace.
The University of Richmond has removed the name of T.C. Williams from its law school, the latest effort by the private university to modify campus names tied to slavery and racism.

Last week, URs board of trustees voted to change the name of the T.C. Williams School of Law to the University of Richmond School of Law.

We recognize that some may be disappointed or disagree with this decision, university President Kevin Hallock and the board wrote in a letter to the community. We also recognize the role the Williams family has played here and respect the full and complete history of the institution.

In March, UR changed the names of six campus buildings, a year after students and faculty protested. Among the buildings renamed were Ryland Hall and Freeman Hall. Robert Ryland, the schools first president in 1840, owned slaves. Freeman, a trustee from 1925 to 1950, advocated for segregation, eugenics and prohibiting interracial marriage.

Last year, the university wrote a new policy for names on campus, prohibiting any building, program or entity to be named for a person who engaged in or advocated for slavery.

Thomas C. Williams attended Richmond College from 1846-49 and was a trustee in the 1880s. He operated tobacco businesses in Richmond and elsewhere called Patterson & Williams and Thomas C. Williams & Co.

According to tax records, Williams business owned 25 to 40 enslaved people.

After his death, his family made a gift to UR that helped establish the law school. When Richmond College became the University of Richmond in 1920, it began referring to the law school as the T.C. Williams School of Law.

The T.C. Williams whose name stood on the law school was not the same T.C. Williams named on an Alexandria high school. The high school, featured in the movie Remember the Titans, recognized Thomas Chambliss Williams, who was the superintendent of Alexandria City Public Schools from the 1930s to the 1960s.

Last year, the Alexandria school district renamed the building Alexandria City High School, acknowledging that Thomas Chambliss Williams resisted the integration of schools.

Its unclear if the two men are related. The University of Richmond is not aware of a connection between the two, a spokesperson for the university said.
Virginia Commonwealth University wanted to buy Richmond Community Hospital, two sources told the Richmond Times-Dispatch. VCU Medical Center almost always operates near capacity, and it could use the extra space.

But Bon Secours, the nonprofit health system that owns Richmond Community, wasnt interested. The three-story, beige brick hospital in Church Hill was far too valuable.

Because it serves a high number of poor patients, Richmond Community enables Bon Secours to buy medicines at deeply discounted costs through a federal program, sell them to wealthier patients throughout greater Richmond and reap the profit, according to The New York Times.

The problem is, critics of the health system say, Bon Secours isnt reinvesting enough money back into Richmond Community, which has withered into a shell of its former self. The health system disbanded the small intensive-care unit at Richmond Community. It removed the hospitals ability to treat gastrointestinal problems, kidney issues and severe cardiac concerns.

Meanwhile, it is spending $108 million on expanding St. Francis Medical Center in Midlothian and $49 million on Memorial Regional Medical Center in Hanover.

Definitely this community has been neglected, said a Church Hill resident who used to work at Community. She spoke on the condition of anonymity because she works for a competing system. You cant go there for anything real.

Two Bon Secours executives defended the health system this week in a letter to employees, disputing the allegations.

VCUs inquiry was informal and made several years ago, a source said. Spokespeople for Bon Secours and VCU Health declined to comment on the matter.

Shell of a hospital

In late 2016, word had gotten out about Communitys intensive-care unit. Bon Secours planned to close it.

A small, five-bed outfit, the ICU cared for patients with gastrointestinal bleeds, sepsis and stroke. The patient volume was too low to keep it going, management said at the time, according to two former employees.

The staff pushed back, asking for a meeting with executives. The two doctors who staffed the ICU wrote a letter in an effort to save it.

Their efforts didnt work. In January 2017, the ICU closed, the handful of nurses were reassigned and the doctors retired when their contracts lapsed.

It marked the end of true services coming to Richmond Community Hospital, said one former employee, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because of a continuing association with the health system.

The decision had a ripple effect on the kind of services the hospital could offer. Without an ICU, it could no longer perform serious surgeries. Without the pulmonologists who ran the unit, Community could no longer treat serious lung issues.

When the hospitals lone gastrointestinal doctor left, he wasnt replaced. The hospital can no longer treat kidney disease or urological problems. It doesnt offer OB-GYNs, and it cant complete all cardiological procedures.

Its a shell of a hospital, the former employee said. Its a glorified emergency room with a mental health floor.

Community does offer an emergency room, psychiatry and a staff of hospitalists who can treat nausea, perform basic surgery and address some chest pain issues.

With about 100 beds, Richmond Community treats 32,000 patients annually in its ER and 1,700 in inpatient care. Its unclear how many the hospital treated before services were stripped out.

Assessments of the communitys health needs showed that Church Hill required greater investment in behavioral health and emergency room services, both of which Bon Secours enhanced in recent years, said Jenna Green, a spokesperson for the system.

Underutilized services were moved to other facilities in the system to ensure residents needs are met close to home, Green added.

Two Bon Secours executives disputed the allegation that the system has neglected poor patients.

We have a robust history of addressing key social, disparity and infrastructure factors that negatively affect people who are poor and uninsured, and it is simply wrong to assume or suggest that we would ever act in a way that does not live up to our mission, said Paul Smith, interim president of Bon Secours Richmond, and Dr. Peter Charvat, chief clinical officer.

To imply, as the article has, that we dont operate in full support of our important mission is without merit."

Im going to St. Marys

Stephanie Sumpter, a 64-year-old resident of Church Hill, is diabetic and sometimes faces issues with her blood sugar. But when she needs to see a doctor, she goes to St. Marys Hospital. She doesnt know if Community has the ability to treat her, even though its just blocks from her house.

Anything major, Im going to St. Marys, she said.

Five years ago, when Sumpter broke her ankle, she was transferred to St. Francis, and she noticed how much nicer it is than Community. St. Francis has a waterfall in its atrium, an Italian-style tower near the parking lot and electronic bird noises along sidewalks with louvered roofs.

According to census data, residents near St. Francis have a median household income thats roughly $40,000 higher than those near Richmond Community. The Midlothian residents also live, on average, 10 years longer.

Other residents near Community said they had good experiences when they visited. Doctors and nurses were capable and nice. But they said the hospital lacks anything more than the basic amenities the community needs.

The Rev. Ben Campbell, a former member of the hospitals community advisory board, said Bon Secours had systemically underfunded Richmond Community after opening Memorial Regional Medical Center in 1998.

Its just disgusting to me, Campbell, a civil rights activist and the founder of the Richmond Hill spiritual retreat center in Church Hill, said in an interview on Wednesday. They just put no money into the place.

Bon Secours purchased Richmond Community Hospital in 1995. At that time, Bon Secours-Richmond Health Corp. owned St. Marys and Stuart Circle Hospital (a Fan District building that now contains residences). But it had been collaborating for two years with Richmond Community, then struggling with declining patient loads and income, to expand access to medical care.

Campbell said he believed that Bon Secours initially focused on its charitable mission at Richmond Community, but he said the company ultimately invested more of its resources at Memorial Regional. As a result, staffing and patient business declined at Richmond Community, he said, as many people in the neighborhood chose to go to VCU Medical Center instead.

Nobody who had any discretion would go there because they didnt staff it, he said of Community. They said they couldnt get doctors to go to the East End because it was too dangerous.

Because Community was originally a Black hospital, many Richmond residents considered the care inferior, said one former employee. Older patients saw it as a place to go to die.

The staff worked to overcome those perceptions, but the divesting of services eventually made restoring the hospitals reputation impossible.

They never made it a viable hospital, Campbell said.

Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney is asking the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to investigate Bon Secours and misuse of the federal program that allows the system to buy discounted drugs and resell them at higher rates.

Inadvertent loopholes have been utilized, increasing profit margins for the hospital system while they have reduced services in one of our predominantly Black hospitals, Stoney said. It is immoral to profit off the backs of Black and brown residents under the guise of health care, and it must cease immediately.

$22M in capital investment

Workers in neon vests and hard hats hauled supplies this week into the East End medical office building construction site adjacent to Community. The addition is scheduled to open by the end of the year.

The new two-story building will house a behavioral health partial hospitalization program, which will act as a transition for patients with mental health and substance abuse disorders who are discharging from an inpatient setting, said Green, the Bon Secours spokesperson.

The expansion also will house community care, pastoral care, a behavioral health intake and response team, hospice and home health. It will employ more than 90 full-time staffers and is part of $22 million worth of capital improvements to the hospital, including upgrades to mammography and a new magnetic resonance imaging room  the old MRI went down for seven weeks this summer, The Times reported.

Bon Secours also has worked to fund bus shelters, food programs, affordable housing and health education, Green said.

Our vision for the hospital is that it remains a place of hope and of healing for the patients and their families that we serve, Green said. We are steadfast in our commitment to addressing health disparities, the social determinants of health and environmental factors that impact our communities and, disproportionately so, the poor and uninsured.

Its been a decade since Bon Secours promised the construction of the East End medical office building as part of a lucrative land deal with the city of Richmond.
For trans kids in Gov. Glenn Youngkins Virginia, it might be easier changing the sex on their birth certificates than using their bathroom of choice.

State law requires that a male who wants his birth certificate to identify him as female, or a female who prefers to be listed as male, must include in their application a statement by a doctor that says the individual has received appropriate treatment for gender transition. Not required, though, is evidence or documentation of any medical procedure.

When the new birth certificate  obtained by an adult or so-called mature minor showing behavior or attitude beyond their years  is issued by Virginia, the original is filed away, out of reach to the public and accessible only to the state official who oversees such records or with the permission of a judge.

Birth certificates, essential for enrolling children in school, figure prominently in Youngkins proposal ending protections for trans and queer students. For such pupils to be addressed by their favored pronoun or to use a preferred bathroom or locker room, their parents must submit legal documents  for example, a birth certificate  attesting to their sex.

But because the Youngkin policy appears to conflate biological sex with gender  that is, it declares anatomy and identity as one and the same  a legally altered birth certificate could be an invitation for trouble.

This is where big government  a version acceptable to Youngkin, ordinarily a basher of big government  steps in, allowing what he has vowed to prevent: schools substituting their judgment for that of parents. And that assumes parents of transgender children know how a son or daughter identifies and that they support it.

When the birth certificate changes, thats my legal gender, thats my legal sex, said Claire Guthrie Gastanaga, a former chief deputy attorney general and state education lawyer who has advocated for gay and trans rights as a lobbyist for the American Civil Liberties Union and Equality Virginia.

What right does the school division have to look behind the birth certificate?... The question is how to determine biological sex if theyre not going to rely on a birth certificate? Are they going to subject every child to a physical examination?

Its a question that raises a larger one.

Is the Youngkin policy, which acknowledges state and federal constitutional and statutory protections for trans people but seems to encourage school systems to defy them, nothing more than the tyranny of the majority, in which the rights of an estimated 4,000 transgender pupils are subordinated to those of a public school population of 1.2 million?

The Youngkin administration, as the boss Republican presidential strip tease becomes even racier with his secret summit in the Virginia horse country with donors and strategists, is sticking with a script it distilled to two words after Terry McAuliffes TV debate boner a year ago Thursday: Parents matter.

No amount of tangential hypotheticals or hyperbole from those desiring to exclude parents from their childs education will change what this policy is about, Rob Damschen, a Youngkin comms guy, said in an email.

Sen. Adam Ebbin, D-Alexandria, who in 2004 became Virginias first openly gay state legislator, says Youngkin  a former private-equity executive who started his own church after breaking with Episcopal Church over its support of same-sex relationships and leadership roles for gay people  is openly hostile to trans people now because it could help him later.

Ebbin described Youngkins proposal as a manufactured issue that may appeal to Republican primary voters in New Hampshire.

It has fans in Virginia as well.

The Family Foundation, a conservative group to which Youngkin, in another of his unannounced appearances, said he would seek abortion restrictions beyond a 15-week ban should the GOP win total control of the legislature in 2023, is pressing activists to go the State Department of Education website to endorse the Youngkin take-back of trans protections.

In 2020, the organization steered to a state website opponents of the policy drafted by Youngkins Democratic predecessor, Ralph Northam, that ensured transgender rights. The foundations president, Victoria Cobb, said comments from members outnumbered 2-to-1 those backing the Northam plan.

On Tuesday, the Family Foundation sent out an email urging supporters to do as opponents of the Youngkin scheme have: flood the education agency website. At last count, over 17,000 comments had been received, mostly from opponents of parental rights, said the email, which included suggested comments.

Student walkouts in opposition to the Youngkin proposal  blue metropolitan areas dislike them, red mostly rural regions view them favorably  spotlight a potentially alarming consequence: That rather than affirm family harmony, it will fuel confrontation between parents and trans kids with conflicting views over accommodations for such students, says Sen. Scott Surovell, D-Fairfax, an attorney whose practice includes family law.

Family rejection, family instability and poverty may result in homelessness or time spent in the child welfare system, where LGBTQ youth frequently face stigma and discrimination, said a June 2017 study by the left-leaning Center for American Progress. Additionally, LGBTQ students often lack support or are over-policed at school, pushing them out of school and into the streets.

All of which has some worried that Youngkin, having fully broadcast his distaste for trans and queer rights, has a more ominous objective in mind: To use the law and bureaucracy to, in effect, write LGBTQ people out of existence.

With a Republican General Assembly and a Republican governor, that provision in the state code allowing Virginians to change the sex on their birth certificate could disappear. Ditto state-issued drivers licenses and identification cards on which a person can choose nonbinary rather than male or female. Cobb said she knows of no effort. Damschen didnt say.

To Gastanaga, this recalls the states 1924 racial-purity law. It classified residents as white or colored. By lumping Indigenous people with Black Virginians, the laws goal was the elimination of Native Americans as a race and culture.

Gastanaga has another name for it: statistical genocide.
Grammy award-winning musician Pharrell Williams is bringing a three-day event to Norfolk in November, and tickets are on sale.

The Mighty Dream Forum, from Nov. 1-3, will feature food, music, art and business networking opportunities. Attendees can purchase tickets for individual events, single-day passes or multi-day badges ranging in price from $750 to $3,500. A three-day badge for students costs $75.

The most expensive tickets include reserved seating and an invitation to an exclusive party.

Some aspects of the conference will be free for the community, according to a press release.

Events include a business block party in the NEON art district, nightly concerts, a dinner and a closing night conference. Locations for the concerts have not yet been announced.

Mighty Dream Forum is a follow-up to an event Williams hosted last year at Norfolk State University, where corporate leaders discussed the potential of Virginia Beach and Norfolk.

At the conference, college seniors will be able to connect with a business leader, and a local entrepreneur can have lunch with a seasoned venture capitalist, according to the events website.
Gov. Glenn Youngkin declared a state of emergency for Virginia on Wednesday, as Hurricane Ian slammed into the southwestern coast of Florida and started a destructive path north. Remnants of the powerful storm could result in heavy rains and flooding in the commonwealth in the coming days.

We want to ensure that our communities have the resources needed to respond to and recover from any potential effects from the storm, Youngkin said in a statement.

The declaration allows the state to mobilize resources and equipment. The Virginia Emergency Support Team is monitoring conditions, and the Virginia Emergency Operations Center will coordinate the response and recovery efforts, the governors office said.

While we recognize that the storm track is still uncertain, I nevertheless encourage all Virginians and visitors to make a plan, have supplies on hand, and follow official sources for the latest forecast information and guidance, the governor said.

The eye of Ian made landfall near Fort Myers, Fla., around 3:05 p.m. Wednesday, the National Hurricane Center said. Forecasters measured the maximum sustained winds at 150 to 155 mph.

Former Richmond resident Christine Cowart, who lives near Tampa, said she could see the wind pulling at trees and churning up Tampa Bay.

Its eerily quiet out here, Cowart said. Somehow, weve got electricity, but its still early.

Cowart said she spent Wednesday afternoon taping boards to windows, packing sandbags against doors and checking in with her older neighbors. She lives in a two-bedroom apartment with her dog, David Beau-ie.

Theres 167 units in this building, and more than half have evacuated, Cowart said. The people who are here are taking care of each other.

She said she would move to Richmond in a heartbeat to escape the flood of rainfall happening outside her window.

I was going to leave but, like a lot of us, I decided to just wait here and see what happens, she said.

Ians next stop will be Orlando and Daytona Beach, with forecast models showing a path into Georgia, the Carolinas and Virginia.

Between 2 to 4 inches of rain is possible in central Virginia and up to 6 inches near the coast and western part of state, according to the weather service.

Theres going to be a lot of rain. For the Richmond area, were looking at a really [rainy] weekend, but spread out over a few days, said Allison Mitchell, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service.

Ian is also likely to bring gusts of up to 35 mph, Mitchell said. There is also the threat of flooding.

Its too early to say theres going to be [river] flooding, but its not too early to start thinking about ... a 4-, 5-, 6-inch rainfall across most of the state, said Times-Dispatch meteorologist Sean Sublette. Whether that be the James, Rappahannock, whatever, we need to start thinking about what were going to do if we have rapid river rises.

Officials remind residents to stay informed, prepare emergency food and medical supplies, and check in with family and friends who may require additional aid.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency also said Wednesday it is deploying resources to Virginia . FEMAs team is made up of logistics, operations and planning experts who interact with state and district emergency management personnel.

It is essential that we work together to help everyone respond to and recover from flooding, said FEMA Region 3 Administrator MaryAnn Tierney. Ensure you have emergency supplies on hand and are ready to evacuate if instructed to do so.

Air travel is expected to be disrupted for several days. Hundreds of flights into Florida have been canceled, including arrivals from Richmond International Airport.
On Tuesday, the Virginia Board of Elections approved a new risk-limiting audit manual ahead of the general election this November. Though election officials were already conducting risk-limiting audits in Virginia, they are now going to happen before state election officials certify election results.

Thats because the General Assembly passed legislation that repealed and replaced previous state code relating to the audits.

Risk-limiting audits are a type of post-election audit that utilizes statistical methods and a manual review of paper ballots to confirm that the voting equipment accurately reported the correct outcome of an election, the manual reads.

The audits analyze a random sample of hand-counted ballots to confirm election results along with using auditing software called Arlo. The process helps confirm that voting accurately reported election results.

Now its going to be done prior to the certification of the election, whereas before we did it in the months after the election, said former elections commissioner Chris Piper.

For instance, the most recent such audit took place this past January  two months after the 2021 elections  and analyzed the results of the 13th and 75th House of Delegates districts.

In District 13, Del. Danica Roem, D-Manassas, defeated Republican Christopher Stone. In District 75, Republican Otto Wachsmann defeated Del. Roslyn Tyler, D-Sussex.

According to the 2022 legislation, every locality must conduct a risk-limiting audit at least once every five years, under the supervision of the Department of Elections.

Also, at least one randomly selected General Assembly contest must be audited. This year, the board will choose an election in one of the states congressional districts to be audited. The manual says the State Board of Elections will meet the second Wednesday after an election to do this.

Aside from the randomly selected audits, election workers have a detailed process called canvassing ahead of certifying election results. This is where election workers upload results to the Virginia Election Registration and Information System, which is the repository for voter records in the state.

The State Board of Elections later meets on the first Monday of December to ascertain the results.

Election results are checked at the precinct level, locality level and state level before being certified, said Susan Beals, commissioner of the Department of Elections. Virginia voters can have confidence in processes and safeguards in place to protect their vote.

But some have expressed concerns in recent years  largely members of the Republican Party.

Allies of former President Donald Trump claimed that he won the 2020 election and that the contest had been stolen from him  assertions that multiple judges rejected. Some of his supporters carried out a deadly insurrection in the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, in an unsuccessful attempt to prevent certification of Joe Bidens victory.

In February, the Virginia Senate rejected a proposal by Sen. Amanda Chase, R-Chesterfield, to spend $70 million in state tax funds on a forensic audit of the 2020 presidential election in Virginia, in which Biden beat Trump by 10 percentage points.

More recently, Attorney General Jason Miyares announced the formation of an election integrity unit. Composed of more than 20 attorneys, investigators and paralegals, the unit will provide legal advice to the Department of Elections as well as investigate and prosecute violations of state election law.

When casting her own vote last week on the first day of early voting, Beals said she has faith in Virginias elections and urged anyone with questions to reach out to election officials.

Seek out an election official and ask them how the process works, she told Virginia Mercury at the time. Because most of them would be very happy to tell you.

Piper commends Beals for her comment and added that he believes more election workers should speak out about the process and offer to answer questions.

Weve always been happy to sink in the background, Piper said. Weve always wanted people to come get their ballot, cast their ballot, go home, watch the results, and now have given a second thought to how elections are conducted  because if we arent the story that means that we did our job.

But amid ongoing questions about legitimacy or how the process works in recent years, he said its incumbent upon election officials to begin to speak out to talk more about the process.
This is a developing story that will be updated.

Recommendations for Virginians Make a plan. Plan in advance a route to a safe place, how you will stay in contact with family and friends, and what you will do in different situations. Additional planning resources are available at https://www.vaemergency.gov/prepare/make-a-plan/. Prepare an emergency kit. For a list of recommended emergency supplies to sustain your household before, during, and after the storm visit: VAemergency.gov/emergency-kit. Stay informed. Virginians should follow the Virginia Department of Emergency Management on Twitter and Facebook for preparedness updates and their local National Weather Service office for the latest weather forecast, advisories, watches or warnings. Download the FEMA app on your smartphone to receive mobile alerts from the National Weather Service. Power outages are always a concern during weather eventsmake sure you have a battery-operated radio available so you can still receive life-saving alerts. For more information about preparing your business, your family, and your property against hurricane threats visit: VAemergency.gov/hurricanes and ready.gov/hurricanes.

Hurricane Ian is a large, powerful storm, and current predictions indicate that it may impact parts of Virginia later this week into early next week, said Youngkin in a statement. We want to ensure that our communities have the resources needed to respond to and recover from any potential effects from the storm. While we recognize that the storm track is still uncertain, I nevertheless encourage all Virginians and visitors to make a plan, have supplies on hand, and follow official sources for the latest forecast information and guidance. Suzanne and I will be praying for those in Florida in the path of the storm.

The declaration allows the state to mobilize resources and equipment needed for response and recovery efforts.

Hurricane Ian made landfall Wednesday in southwest Florida, saturating roadways with water and trapping people in homes, and is poised to chart a damaging path across the peninsula.

Forecast models say states to the north could get substantial rainfall in coming days.

The governor's office in a statement said the Virginia Emergency Support Team is monitoring the situation and coordinating resources. The Virginia Emergency Operations Centerwill coordinate preparedness, response, and recovery efforts with local, state, and federal officials.

MORE HURRICANE IAN COVERAGE

Hurricane Ian makes landfall in southwest Florida with catastrophic winds and surge

By Alex Harris and Michelle Marchante Miami Herald

MIAMI  Hurricane Ian made landfall as a Category 4 storm in Cayo Costa, an island off the coast of Fort Myers, at 3 p.m. Eastern time Wednesday, then came ashore just south of Punta Gorda an hour later.

The National Hurricane Center said the massive Category 4 storm made landfall on the barrier island with 150 mph maximum sustained winds that weakened to 145 mph winds by the time it made landfall on the mainland, just south of Punta Gorda near Pirate Harbor.

The storm was already causing catastrophic storm surge, winds and flooding in southwest Florida early Wednesday afternoon, the beginning of what promised to be a damaging path across the peninsula. The most immediate and life-threatening concern was storm surge  the waters of the Gulf of Mexico pushed inland by Ian.

Numerous videos posted on the internet showed torrents of seawater rapidly filling streets in Sanibel and Fort Myers Beach. Naples also reported a record 6 feet of surge. Early, sections of Key West were flooding.

The surge predictions from the National Hurricane Center soared overnight to 12 to 18 feet for Englewood to Bonita Bay, a forecast so high a new color was added to the National Hurricane Centers peak storm surge prediction map. The worst of that storm surge is expected after landfall and later Wednesday evening.

Ian was also raking much of Florida with hurricane and tropical storm force winds and will be dropping flooding rains estimated at up to 2 feet as it slowly crosses the state Wednesday and through Thursday.

South Florida saw tornadoes overnight that flipped small airplanes and took down big trees, and Key West recorded one of its highest ever storm surge levels overnight, followed by a record high on Wednesday in Naples.

More than 750,000 people lost power by Wednesday afternoon, and utility officials said they might have to rebuild parts of the grid after the damage.

Gov. Ron DeSantis urged those that chose not to evacuate to fill out a form on the states website so first responders can find them. The governor asked the federal government for extra airlift hoists and high water vehicles to help with the massive recovery effort expected.

Ken Graham, director of the National Weather Service, called Hurricane Ian a historic event.

This is going to be a storm we talk about for many years to come, he said.

Hurricanes Ians winds continued to weaken as it came ashore Wednesday afternoon, with maximum sustained winds dropping to 140 mph by 5 p.m. from a peak of 155 mph.

As of a 5 p.m. NHC update, Ian was about 5 miles east of Punta Gorda and about 120 miles south-southwest of Orlando. The storm was moving north-northeast near 8 mph. The Category 4 storms hurricane-force winds extend up to 50 miles from the center and tropical-storm-force winds extend up to 175 miles.

As the eyewall moved ashore on Captiva and Sanibel islands, live traffic web cameras showed storm surge overwhelming streets, rising higher than mailboxes and stop signs before the cameras cut out. Naples was experiencing 6 feet of storm surge and rising, blowing away the previous record of just over 4 feet.

The hurricane center declared the storm made landfall around 3 p.m. near Cayo Costa, an island just north of Captiva and off the coast of Fort Myers with few full-time residents and reachable only by boat.

A second landfall on the mainland, near Pirate Harbor, happened around 4:35 p.m.

Bill Karins, a meteorologist with NBCs climate unit, tweeted that the worst storm surge was likely to occur after landfall, when the highest winds come ashore.

Ians hurricane-force winds were expected to reach much of Floridas Gulf Coast Wednesday morning, which has a hurricane warning in effect from Chokoloskee to the Anclote River, including the Tampa Bay region.

The storm is expected to move over Central Florida Wednesday night and Thursday morning and emerge over the western Atlantic by late Thursday as a tropical storm with maximum sustained winds around 65 mph.

Hurricane Ian approached the state with 155 mph winds, 2 mph shy of Category 5 status, before weakening to 150 mph by landfall.

Nine storms have reached Category 5 status while at sea but only four have made landfall at that strength in the U.S.  three of them in Florida. The most recent was Michael, which hammered the Panhandle in 2018. Andrew devastated South Miami-Dade in 1992 and an unnamed storm now known as the Labor Day hurricane swept the Florida Keys in 1935. Camille roared into the Mississippi coastline in 1969. All four of those Category 5 hurricanes were tropical storms three days before landfall.

Storm surge totals jumped up overnight and again Wednesday morning. The middle of Englewood to Bonita Beach, including Charlotte Harbor, is forecast to see the most storm surge, with 12 to 18 feet possible.

Bonita Beach south to Chokoloskee could see 8 to 12 feet of storm surge.

No one alive has seen 12 feet of storm surge in that area, and many areas could take years to recover. Please be safe! tweeted Eric Blake, a senior meteorologist for NHC.

Ian, which already devastated Cuba Tuesday as a Category 3 hurricane, is a large and powerful storm with a wind field extending out almost 200 miles from the center.

Thats why all of Floridas east coast, including South Florida, which has already been feeling some of Ians effects, particularly in the Keys, is under a tropical storm warning. The Dry Tortugas is under a hurricane warning.

Ian will also be a rainmaker. The hurricane center predicts up to 12 inches in South Florida and up to 24 inches for central and northeast Florida.

Heavy rainfall will spread across the Florida peninsula through Thursday and reach portions of the Southeast later this week and this weekend. Catastrophic flooding is expected across portions of central Florida with considerable flooding in southern Florida, northern Florida, southeastern Georgia and coastal South Carolina, the hurricane center said. Widespread, prolonged moderate to major river flooding expected across central Florida.

Key West broke a storm surge record overnight with more than 2 feet of storm surge, the third-highest water level on record behind 2005s Wilma and 2017s Irma, tweeted Jeff Masters, a meteorologist and former Hurricane Hunter.

The Key West office of the National Weather Service said the Keys saw 3 to 5 feet of storm surge on the Atlantic side of the island chain late Tuesday and a similar surge is expected Wednesday for the Gulf side.

As of the 5 p.m. update, storm watches and warning for the Keys were lifted, a sign that the worst of the winds and storm surge were over.

For Southwest Florida, 2004s Hurricane Charley is the yardstick for the worst storm theyve lived through. The Category 4 storm came through like a small buzz saw, crossing the state and exiting near New Smyrna Beach.

Charley killed 30 Floridians and caused more than $5 billion of damage. Power was out for weeks in some spots, and public schools were closed for two weeks in some central Florida counties.

Now another strong storm is closing in on the same region, but meteorologists and emergency managers are warning residents that its not the same storm, despite the eerily similar track. Ian will be slower, bigger and wetter than Charley, and the population of the region has grown dramatically, putting more people in the bull's-eye.

This is not Hurricane Charlie, but something you have never experienced, tweeted Craig Fugate, who led the states emergency management response to Charley in 2004. SW Florida, you are running out of time, if you are still in an evacuation zone, move inland.

Wednesday morning, Hurricane Ians eye was around 17 miles wide, already much larger than Charleys tight 7-mile wide eye was when it made landfall in Punta Gorda.

Ians wind field was also far larger, with hurricane-force winds extending 50 miles from the center and tropical-storm-force winds extending up to 175 miles. Charleys wind field was far smaller, with tropical storm winds extending out around 70 miles from the center.

As of 5am Wednesday, Ians area of hurricane-force winds is 2.9 times larger, and its area of tropical storm force winds is 2.3 times larger, tweeted Brian McNoldy, a senior research associate at the University of Miami.

Charley also rushed through the state as an unusually fast storm, with speeds of 20 to 25 mph. Hurricane Ian is forecast to be much slower, with speeds from 10 mph to 5 mph. That slowdown will allow it to dump incredible amounts of rain across most of the state and push catastrophic levels of storm surge ashore.

Charley brought 5 to 8 inches of rain to the state, while Ian could bring up to 24 across most of central Florida.

A final factor that could make Hurricane Ian far more devastating than Charley is the number of people and buildings at risk.

Population in the counties closest to landfall has grown by more than half a million since 2004, tweeted Matt Lanza, a meteorologist for Space City Weather in Houston.

President Joe Biden warned Florida residents not to ignore local orders to evacuate. The danger is real, he said.

Well be there to help you clean up and rebuild, to help Florida get moving again, Biden said. Well be there every step of the way. Thats my absolute commitment to the people of Florida.

FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell, speaking from the agencys headquarters in Washington, said Wednesday that the federal government has gone to great lengths to prepare for Ians arrival.

FEMA has readied 128,000 gallons of fuel for rapid deployment, she said, and the Army Corps of Engineers has pre-positioned 350 personnel to help restore power to areas of the state as soon as the storm passes.

The FEMA chief also said 3.7 million metals and 3.5 million liters of water have been placed in Alabama, ready to be sent to the state when needed. The agency has also sent Florida 300 extra ambulances ahead of time.

Search and rescue teams from a variety of government entities, including FEMA, Department of Defense and the state of Florida, have also been stationed in Miami.

I can confidently say that we have the right teams and we have the right resources in place and ready to meet the changes or the needs of those that we are charged to serve, Criswell said.

Guthrie, the states emergency management director, said the state was staging shallow draft vehicles to prepare for search and rescue missions for people stranded by flooding.

At a Tuesday evening briefing of the states emergency operations staff, Guthrie added another warning: They should be prepared to work long hours for the next few weeks as they manage search and rescue operations.

Its going to be a humanitarian, heavy-duty lift," he told them. People are going to lose a lot of the contents of their homes, but their homes are still going to be standing  and thats just crushing. How many of these individuals do not have flood insurance?
Tenants who were displaced after their apartment complex caught fire about a week ago in southwest Roanoke are running out of money and have nowhere to go.

About 100 Stratford Village Apartments residents had to leave their homes Sept. 21 after the buildings eastern wing was engulfed by the blaze.

The Roanoke Fire-EMS Department said the fire was caused by improperly discarded smoking materials. The department confirmed Wednesday that the estimated cost of damages to the building is about $160,000.

One person died as a result of the fire, and the decedents son is in critical condition. That family has set up a GoFundMe page to raise money for funeral and hospital expenses.

Larry Fekas, who owns both Stratford Village and Lee-Hy Manor complexes on Stratford Park Drive, said Monday that his staff is doing everything in its power to get displaced residents back into their homes.

This was worse than you want it to be. But our main goal is to get our residents rehoused, the owner said.

The property is subsidized through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, according to the HUD online resource locator.

Alex Fekas, Larrys son and manager of the property, said HUD isnt helping him manage the emergency situation.

If I dont get these people back in a couple of weeks, HUD doesnt pay their rent for me. HUD cuts my contract off at this point, because the units are non-livable, Fekas said.

The property manager said there are no other available HUD units in the area, but hes hoping that as soon as the Stratford buildings doors are replaced, he can let second- and third-floor residents back into their apartments.

I have to be able to secure their stuff first before I can let them in, Fekas said.

In 2014, the apartment building was damaged in another fire that displaced about 50 people. Larry Fekas said it took about a month that year to get residents back into their homes.

Alex Fekas said that fire in 2014 was caused by a discarded cigarette  the same cause of last weeks fire. The property manager said a tenant dropped a cigarette. It got under the dresser, and it caught on fire with the trash thats there.

Shamece Cross and her three sons have been displaced since the fire pushed them out of her grandfathers apartment the evening of Sept. 20.

My kids were already asleep. It was roughly almost 11:30, Cross said Tuesday. I was about to actually lie down myself, but I heard a loud noise.

Late Tuesday Roanoke apartment complex fire kills one, hospitalizes five Shortly before midnight, Roanoke Fire-EMS crews were dispatched to the 3700 block of Stratford Park Drive for reports of a structure fire.

Cross got up to investigate the commotion and encountered a resident who told her that someone had pulled a fire alarm. She didnt smell smoke or see anything, so she went back to her third-floor apartment, where a window faces the front of the building.

I started hearing people screaming, and then I started seeing people running, Cross said, and then two seconds later, I see the fire department pull up.

The mother pulled her sons out of bed, and they started running to the nearest exit, but most of the buildings doors were locked.

Cross said by the time her family found an open door to a stairwell, smoke was reaching the third floor.

On her way down the stairs, Cross encountered an elderly woman who was struggling with the steps. Cross took her children outside and then returned to help the woman.

She was carrying down this cart of stuff with her daughters belongings, Cross said. I guess her daughter passed away. She was like, This all I have of her. I helped her get the cart down, I helped her down and she got out the building.

As Cross, her sons and her grandfather stood outside, another lady came out of the building, but her legs gave out.

I catch her a little bit, just so she wouldnt hit her face. I help her sit down on the grass, Cross said. We all were standing there for a minute. And then next thing you know, I see firefighters pulling another lady out the building. She was completely naked. She couldnt even breathe. She was choking and really, really bad. They had to get her a stretcher. And then the cops came over and told us that we need to move immediately away from the building.

Safely on the other side of the buildings parking lot, residents waited for further assistance.

It took the Red Cross a minute to get there, Cross said. I dont think they got there until maybe about roughly two oclock in the morning. And thats when they told everybody that we all were going to the Berglund Center.

Cross said she and her sons got in her car and followed first responders to the center at about 5 a.m. on Sept. 21. They stayed there, resting on cots, until about 12:30 p.m.

Then, Cross said her family and about 30 other people were taken to the Best Western Plus Inn near the Roanoke-Blacksburg Regional Airport.

Jackie Grant, executive director of the Southwest Virginia Chapter of the American Red Cross, confirmed that between 25 to 30 people were taken to the hotel. All displaced residents received money from the Red Cross to help with immediate expenses.

They gave us $515 apiece, everybody, to pay for five days here, Cross. But of course, that money ran out.

It was short term recovery, Grant said. The next point is really for the Red Cross to just help them recover, directing them to some other organizations and agencies in the community that can step in in addition to the Red Cross.

Cross said her grandfather had gone to stay with a family member in Roanoke, but she and her three boys were still situated at the hotel Tuesday.

The mother set up a GoFundMe page to try to raise money for the residents who were running out of Red Cross funds and had no place to go.

Some seniors are still here, Cross said. And they all say they dont know where theyre going to go.

Cathy Robertson, another displaced resident, also set up a GoFundMe to help raise money for those in need.

Robertson said she had lived at the Stratford Village Apartments for about four years. She said she doesnt plan to move back into the complex until its current manager leaves.

The only way I will go back is if they are pulled completely out of that building and new management is put in there. Because Im not safe there, Robertson said.

Courtney Pennix, who was close to the woman that died in the fire, said in another GoFundMe description that the grieving family doesnt believe the fire was an accident.

We are hopeful that the truth will come out and justice will prevail, Pennix said. I wish you could have known what an amazing person she was on this earth.

That boy who is in critical condition was a hero, Robertson said. He helped everybody there. Its very, very sad that theres a death that came out of this and all these people are homeless and displaced.

Robertson made plans to leave the hotel Wednesday to stay with a family member nearby. She said only a handful of people were still at the hotel Wednesday morning.

Grant said the Red Cross is continuing to connect displaced residents with resources. People who want to help can make monetary donations.

Were one organization trying to help the community, and hopefully theres other organizations that we can partner with and work together to help these folks. We dont want to turn our back, but theres a limit to some of what we can do, Grant said. We do as best as we can with our mission. And our mission is to provide sheltering and food and emotional support and comfort during those initial stages.
Brush, bump, or shoulder slam: The tiff between Virginia House of Delegates members  and expected GOP primary opponents  Wren Williams and Marie March continued Thursday with Williams announcing that a witness had come forward to back his version of events.

That version was that Williams did not commit assault and battery against his legislative colleague, as March claimed in a criminal warrant sworn out at the end of a Republican Party gathering Saturday in Wytheville. March said that as people were walking out of the event at the Wytheville Meeting Center, Williams changed course in the centers lobby to ram into her, or intentionally pushed/shoulder slammed into me, as she said in the warrant.

Williams said Sunday that he accidentally bumped into March and apologized. He presently has a hearing on the misdemeanor charge scheduled for Dec. 15 in Wythe County General District Court.

March and Williams, both first-term delegates, presently represent the 7th and 9th House districts, respectively. But redistricting approved in December put both delegates in the new 47th House District and both have said they plan to compete for the Republican nomination for the new seat. The nomination process probably wont start until next year but Williams and March have been criticizing one anothers positions for months.

This week, however, it was the accusation of delegate-on-delegate assault that stirred hubbub. The legislators issued dueling statements and both sent out video clips that they said supported their accounts.

Williams released grainy footage from the meeting centers security cameras that was too indistinct to show details of the encounter. But the video did not show anyone reeling away from anyone else. A second part of the video that Williams released was higher resolution and showed March reenacting the encounter for police officers, waving her arms over her head and taking three steps backward.

March responded with body camera videos from police officers, including one that showed Williams, a criminal defense attorney, at first declining to give even his name to an officer who followed him into the parking lot.

Marchs version of events has been supported by Carroll County Supervisor Jody Early, who said Sunday that he was standing near March and it looked to him like Williams intentionally veered over to run into March.

On Thursday, Williams presented his own witness: Debra Atwell, the treasurer of Washington Countys local Republican Party.

In a news release, Williams relayed that Atwell, of Abingdon, was standing directly behind March when the two delegates met.

It was not a hard bump, Atwell said in Williams statement. It was just like if you passed someone in the airport and brushed against their shoulder. She didnt waver at all, or even move.

He did not veer to hit her  As soon as they had the shoulder tap, Wren turned around and said, Oh, excuse me, Im sorry.  I didnt think anything of what had happened, Atwell continued.

It was not until Monday, when a friend showed Atwell a news article, that she realized a criminal charge had followed, Atwell said.

I think these charges are ludicrous.  I was shocked and appalled and disgusted that Marie March had blown this so far out of proportion  way, way out of proportion. Maries response has been ludicrous and crazy.

In Williams statement, Atwell called on March to drop the charge, adding, I hope that we can all heal as a party from this misunderstanding.

Reached by telephone Thursday, Atwell said that if the charge actually makes it to court, she was ready to testify on Williams behalf. Atwell said that she was moved to contact Williams by the video that showed March talking to police and seeming to show the contact made her lurch backwards.

I was standing right behind her. She did not stagger. If she did stagger, she would have knocked right into me, Atwell emphasized.

That totally did not happen, Atwell said.

Atwell said that she had known Williams for several years and did not think of him as a troublemaker. She said that she knew March through being at party events but did not know her personally.

Atwell said that she had not realized until this week that the two delegates were now in the same district.

March did not reply to a message seeking comment Thursday afternoon.

In his statement, Williams thanked Atwell.

Of his likely primary rival, Williams said, It is sickening that March has continued to double down on her lies to police officers that evening, claiming this was Assault and Battery. Nothing could be further from the truth. This is truly unhinged behavior. March is putting spectacle over decency, and that is unbecoming of an elected official.
Before we dive deep into the September reader mailbag, we should correct a glaring mistake in Tuesdays column.

That analyzed Saturday nights assault allegation against Del. Wren Williams, R-Patrick, made by Del. Marie March, R-Floyd, through the lens of Saturday morning cartoons.

After the event, March complained to a magistrate that Williams shoved/shouldered slammed her while leaving a Republican dinner-dance in Wytheville.

In my haste to get the politicians names spelled correctly, I goofed on a key cartoon villains surname. That error didnt go unnoticed by R.D. Warburton, a longtime lawyer in Pulaski and fan of The Roadrunner Show.

Thats Wile E. Coyote, not Wiley, Warburton chided, adding a single word sentence: Chuckle.

Warburton may possess extrasensory perception, because late Tuesday, some new and chuckle-worthy police bodycam video emerged of the two lawmakers, post-kerfuffle. It depicts March telling a Wytheville officer that Williams body slammed me on the way out. She even demonstrated what happened.

Theres also video of Williams interaction with the officer, which happened a few minutes earlier in the parking lot as Williams was attempting to leave. Williams acted cagily. He refused to identify himself, and more or less advised himself to shut up.

Im not going to speak to you any more, Im a lawyer, Williams said. I dont have to talk to you, Im going to get in the car.

Next, Williams disregarded his own counsel and kept blabbing. Not very wily.

I did not do anything intentionally to Marie March, who had a large number of people who dont want me to win an election against Marie March. In fact, theyre actually trying to rig a convention against me, Williams said.

(The two incumbents have been redistricted into the same House of Delegates district for the 2023 election, and are expected to battle against each other for the GOP nomination next spring.)

There are a number of ways to evaluate Williams latter statements. The first sentence sounds like a robust denial. But the second revealed a potential motive for the denied conduct, almost like a Freudian slip.

We can also consider his words as a historical milestone. They mark the first occasion in Virginia in which one 2020 election-denier publicly accused another 2020 election-denier of future election-rigging.

If youre ruminating on the word karma right now, join the club.

Anyway, Warburton wasnt the only reader who reached out about the cataclysm in Wytheville.

Whoa Boy! responded Reid McClure of Salem. Todays offering had me rolling on the floor with laughter. Thanks Dan! The belly laughs were sorely needed!

Reader Rick Barrow of Christiansburg chimed in with a double-barreled riposte. OMG, Dan, this was funnier than whats left of the funnies, he wrote.

What a joke! Berkeley Riley of Roanoke said in a voicemail message about the incident. Theyre all jokes, he added, noting hed watched March on TV describing the alleged assault.

She really reminded me of Rudy Giuliani, in her act, going on about how he was assaulted when that guy patted him on the back, gently, Riley said. I just dont understand whats happened to the Republican Party. Ugh, all they do is play the victim, or manipulate people into thinking theyre victims. Its a shame.

The last time I heard from Dee Dee Dudley in Blacksburg, she was upset because her basic cable lineup included Fox News but not MSNBC. That has been corrected, she noted.

I loved your article! Dudley wrote. Thanks for all you do to heighten the publics awareness of what the Heck is really going on!

Not everybody loved it, though. One who apparently didnt was Leo Smith of Radford. He left a voicemail urging me to give my heart to God and let Jesus into my life. Thank you for reading, sir.

Cara Gangloff, spouse of one of my colleagues, emailed the etymology of the word humdinger. The column applied that description to next years political clash between March and Williams.

Apparently, the word was coined by a a journalist for The Daily Enterprise of Livingston, Montana, on June 4, 1883.

A funny rhubarb, well de-constructed by your incisive wit! Gangloff added.

But an email from Glen and Alice Davis of Blacksburg didnt sound like they were laughing.

Both of these politicians need to concentrate on the real issues and forget these high-school level high jinks, the couple wrote in an email. Like one of the officers said to March: this is so teenage.

Reader Sherry Dulaney believes that officer gave Williams and March too much credit.

This sounds like two grade school kids, she wrote.

But the Davises are spot-on in another way. The two state lawmakers should indeed focus their attention on more weighty societal issues.

Such as, legislating In God We Trust on Virginia school buses.
 Flash

The United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) held a panel discussion on Wednesday on the impact of social and economic recovery plans in the COVID-19 context on the rights in general and food security in particular of the indigenous peoples.

The participants then also held an interactive dialogue with the Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, a UN body that is mandated to deal specifically with indigenous peoples' issues.

Jose Francisco Cali Tzay, UN special rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples, said the protection of indigenous territories was vital to recovery as it promoted sustainable livelihoods and increased resilience in the face of future pandemics.

"The lack of protection of indigenous land led to deforestation, violence, killings, pollution, and forced eviction of indigenous peoples," he said.

For indigenous peoples, he told the Council, land is everything, and the indigenous peoples over generations had learnt to live with the land in a mutually respectful way. They were restorers, protectors and observers, but they were also those who suffered the most from crises and food insecurity.

"States should adopt dedicated measures to ensure that indigenous peoples are further protected, with the agreement and participation of the groups concerned, including them in the decision-making processes, and leaving no-one behind, in line with the Sustainable Development Goals," he stressed.

Binota Moy Dhamai, chair of the UN Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, said that since the outbreak of the pandemic, numerous reports have attested to the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on indigenous peoples, globally exposing the pre-existing structural inequalities.

"The Expert Mechanism recognized that indigenous peoples had been hit the hardest by (COVID-19's) socio-economic consequences and inadequate access to health care and other key services," he said.

Myrna Cunningham, first vice president of the Fund for the Development of Indigenous Peoples of Latin America and the Caribbean, said that the voice of indigenous peoples was fundamental because they held the key to a transformative recovery based on their knowledge, their collective consciousness and worldview.

Yon Fernandez De Larrinoa, head of the Indigenous Peoples Unit in the Partnerships and United Nations Collaboration Division of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), said that the food and knowledge systems of indigenous peoples needed to be protected in order to protect the remaining biodiversity, with specific attention given to indigenous women.

Ilze Brands Kehris, assistant UN secretary general for human rights, said that since the outbreak of COVID-19, numerous reports have attested that the gains of many indigenous peoples around the globe have been reversed.

"Indigenous peoples are key partners in the process of achieving the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals and their meaningful participation, including of indigenous women, needs to be an overarching principle," she said.
RICHMOND  Gov. Glenn Youngkin declared a state of emergency for Virginia on Wednesday, as Hurricane Ian slammed into the southwestern coast of Florida and started a destructive path north. Remnants of the powerful storm could result in heavy rains and flooding in the commonwealth in the coming days.

We want to ensure that our communities have the resources needed to respond to and recover from any potential effects from the storm, Youngkin said in a statement.

Ians next stop will be Orlando and Daytona Beach, with forecast models showing a path into Georgia, the Carolinas and Virginia.

Between 2 to 4 inches of rain is possible in central Virginia and up to 6 inches near the coast and western part of state, according to the National Weather Service.

The governor's declaration allows the state to mobilize resources and equipment. The Virginia Emergency Support Team is monitoring conditions, and the Virginia Emergency Operations Center will coordinate the response and recovery efforts, the governors office said.

While we recognize that the storm track is still uncertain, I nevertheless encourage all Virginians and visitors to make a plan, have supplies on hand, and follow official sources for the latest forecast information and guidance, the governor said.

The eye of Ian made landfall near Fort Myers, Florida, around 3:05 p.m. Wednesday, the National Hurricane Center said. Forecasters measured the maximum sustained winds at 150 to 155 mph.

Former Richmond resident Christine Cowart, who lives near Tampa, said she could see the wind pulling at trees and churning up Tampa Bay.

Its eerily quiet out here, Cowart said. Somehow, weve got electricity, but its still early.

Cowart said she spent Wednesday afternoon taping boards to windows, packing sandbags against doors and checking in with her older neighbors. She lives in a two-bedroom apartment with her dog, David Beau-ie.

Theres 167 units in this building, and more than half have evacuated, Cowart said. The people who are here are taking care of each other.

She said she would move to Richmond in a heartbeat to escape the flood of rainfall happening outside her window.

I was going to leave but, like a lot of us, I decided to just wait here and see what happens, she said.

Allison Mitchell, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service, said theres going to be a lot of rain spread out over the weekend in Virginia.

Ian is also likely to bring gusts of up to 35 mph, Mitchell said. There is also the threat of flooding.

Its too early to say theres going to be [river] flooding, but its not too early to start thinking about ... a 4-, 5-, 6-inch rainfall across most of the state, said Times-Dispatch meteorologist Sean Sublette. Whether that be the James, Rappahannock, whatever, we need to start thinking about what were going to do if we have rapid river rises.

Officials remind residents to stay informed, prepare emergency food and medical supplies, and check in with family and friends who may require additional aid.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency also said Wednesday it is deploying resources to Virginia. FEMAs team is made up of logistics, operations and planning experts who interact with state and district emergency management personnel.

It is essential that we work together to help everyone respond to and recover from flooding, said FEMA Region 3 Administrator MaryAnn Tierney. Ensure you have emergency supplies on hand and are ready to evacuate if instructed to do so.

Air travel is expected to be disrupted for several days. Hundreds of flights into Florida have been canceled, including arrivals from Richmond International Airport.
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" " It might be hard to feign understanding if you're wearing this skullcap outfitted with wired electrodes that monitors brain activity and can assess comprehension. University of Rochester photo/courtesy Edmund Lalor

Remember the voice of Charlie Brown's teacher: "Wha wha wha wha ..."? Sometimes we can hear someone speaking, but that doesn't always mean we're tuning in. Now neuroscientists have identified a way of detecting brain signals that indicate when a person is actually understanding speech.

The technique, which applies machine learning, represents an advance in using relatively inexpensive EEG (electroencephalography) technology (think skullcap outfitted with wired electrodes) to monitor electrical brain activity and assess comprehension. The approach could offer a sensitive measure of language development in infants and comprehension among patients, including those in a reduced state of consciousness.

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"Speech is really amazing, but we're so used to it and our brains are so good at understanding a steady stream of words that we often take it for granted," says Edmund Lalor, associate professor of biomedical engineering and neuroscience at the University of Rochester and Trinity College Dublin. Lalor, who oversaw the study published March 2018 in the journal Current Biology, points out that words roll off the tongues of most speakers at an impressive clip  about 120 to 200 words per minute. Our brains, when alert, have little problem keeping up and interpreting the sounds as syllables, words, paragraphs and meaning.

To detect how much processing is happening as we interpret speech, Lalor and colleagues, including graduate student and lead author, Michael Broderick, first applied machine learning to audiobook recordings and addresses by former President Barack Obama to evaluate when key moments of comprehension should occur. "The machine learning ended up producing a big long vector of numbers for every word," Lalor says. "A word with high number value carries big meaning and should evoke a stronger EEG response." The machine learning's readout aligned with EEG readings from the brains of people listening to the same recordings, he says. Spikes in electrical charge from the brain corresponded to key moments of understanding.

To further test that the spikes in electrical signals corresponded to what people were hearing, the team took EEG readings in other situations where listening was compromised. In one, background noise made hearing the speaker difficult, and the listener's brain signals showed a weaker response (comprehension was improved when the listener was also able to see a video of the speaker). In another experiment, the listener's attention was muddled by the competing sound of another narrator telling a different story at the same time. "This simulates a real-world environment where you're in a noisy room and you have to focus your attention on one speaker and ignore the voices of everyone else around you," explains Broderick. In that noisy bar-like scenario, the subject's EEG readings also showed decreased comprehension.

Finally, the team played audiobook recordings backward. In those tests, Broderick says, the brain's response "disappeared" because the sounds clearly made no sense to the listeners.

The practice of detecting comprehension using EEGs isn't new. Since the early 1980s, researchers have pinpointed EEG spikes when people hear unexpected words in a series. The so-called N400 response is typically seen about 400 milliseconds after the incongruent word is heard. The problem, says Lalor, is in interpreting the meaning of the N400 signal.

"You give people a sentence like 'the dentist told me to brush my tree,' and it has this weird violation in it and so your brain responds. People are still debating what that response might mean," Lalor says. "What's different about ours is it's built on an assessment of the amount of meaning of each word in context. So it may allow us to better understand different aspects of linguistic processing."

While Lalor admits their model could be refined, he suggests that the EEG tests, which are much cheaper and more accessible than MRIs, could find several useful applications. Parents who may be concerned about their child's development could request them for children even as young as 18 months, when early language comprehension begins. At that stage, EEG readings should signal some basic language comprehension, Lalor says. If they don't, it could be an early sign of a language problem, which might not otherwise be diagnosed until a later age.

The testing also could offer an inexpensive way of evaluating patients in an apparent vegetative state. Lalor says it could be as simple as attaching electrodes to a patient, having them listen to an audiobook for an hour and then running analysis. Damian Cruse, a psychologist at the U.K.'s University of Birmingham who has analyzed brain function among people with compromised consciousness, called the team's method "very promising," adding that approaches like these could "provide families and caregivers with vital information."

Looking to the future, Lalor even envisions developing wearable EEG tests that could take an instant read on whether, say, a soldier in a field of battle, or a pilot in a busy airspace is not only hearing instructions, but  unlike the students in Charlie Brown's classroom  also registering them.

"If the signals are there," he says, "then you know that they're understanding."

Now That's Interesting Miss Othmar is the name of Linus van Pell's teacher in "Peanuts." She first appeared in the comic strip on Oct. 5, 1959, and from the very start Linus had an enormous crush on her.
Case Western Reserve University and the City of Cleveland. Credit: CWRU

A team led by tissue-engineering pioneer and Case Western Reserve University biologist Arnold Caplan aims to close the gap between academic promise and clinical and commercial reality in the still-nascent science of generating new bodily tissues.

Case Western Reserve researchers are working with the nonprofit Advanced Regenerative Manufacturing Institute (ARMI) to develop novel manufacturing technologies for growing new tissues from component partsessentially automating the precision production of those tissues to accelerate their fabrication and use.

The goal of tissue engineering is to assemble functional constructs that restore, maintain, or improve damaged tissues or whole organs, according to the National Institutes of Health, but actual commercial successes have been limited. Artificial skin and cartilage, for example, have been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, but have had only limited use in human patients.

The Case Western Reserve-ARMI team intends to change that.

"The fact that tissue-engineered products are not available commercially highlights a large and pressing unmet demand," said Caplan, who directs the center and has a secondary appointment at the Case Western Reserve School of Medicine. "The goal of this project is to develop technological solutions to transition tissue engineering from laboratory scale to the world of commercial manufacturing."

ARMI is a Manchester, New Hampshire-based organization headed by Dean Kamen, the well-known inventor (the Segway and iBOT, among more than 1,000 patents) and founder of FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) in 1989, a nonprofit designed to get kids to get excited about science.

The research team and center are being supported by a five-year, $6.1 million grant from the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB), a division of the National Institutes of Health.

Thinking like a manufacturing company

Tissue engineering is about 35 years old in its present form, building from the earlier, broader field of biomaterials. It refers to the practice of combining cells, scaffolds (the materials engineered to enable cells to form new tissues), and biologically active molecules into functional tissues.

"Tissue engineering is already front and center among researchers worldwide," said Harihara Baskaran, chair of chemical and biomolecular engineering at Case Western Reserve and a project leader at the new center. "But what is sorely lacking is a sense of manufacturability introduced early in the process. Hundreds of tissue-engineered products are created, but few ever actually make it to a clinical setting."

To address that, the research team led by Case Western Reserve will focus on developing sensor technologies for use during cell identification, and the steps of tissue fabrication and maturation.

"We intend to incorporate all of those components into a scalable, modular, automated manufacturing platform prototyped by ARMI, to ensure real-time quality control," said Jean Welter, one of the center's associate directors and research associate professor of biology.

One of the main reasons that transitioning tissue-making from the lab to manufacturing doesn't happen is variability in the product introduced by human interventions during biofabrication, said Tom Bollenbach, one of the center's associate directors and ARMI's chief technology officer.

"The collaboration between Case Western Reserve researchers and ARMI's will generate sensors that will facilitate the manufacturing of tissue engineering experiments to clinically available therapeutic products," Bollenbach said.

New name, new focus for CWRU center

The center, now known as the Center for Modular Manufacturing of Structural Tissues (CM2OST) at Case Western Reserve, is actually a renewal of a center at the university funded by the NIBIB five years ago.

Initially known as the Center for Multimodal Evaluation of Engineered Cartilage, it has since broadened its work to include other human tissues beyond cartilage.

The new focus on making manufacturing of artificial tissue is also the next step for Caplan in a career focused on the wider field of stem cells.

Now an international leader in biology and regenerative medicine research, he was the first to discover and describe mesenchymal stem cells, the cornerstone for many regenerative therapies. Caplan has been a faculty member and researcher at Case Western Reserve for more than a half century, arriving in 1969.

Caplan is joined by Welter, Baskaran and Bollenbach as principals at the center. Other principals are Rodrigo Somoza, research associate professor of biology at CWRU; Seunghee Margevicius from the Case Western Reserve School of Medicine; and Mary Clare McCorry and Richard McFarland from ARMI.

Other collaborators include researchers from Case Western Reserve; University of California-Berkeley; Mayo Clinic; University of Virginia; University of Pittsburgh; Auburn University; Boise State University; University of Miami; University of Illinois; and University of Michigan.

Provided by Case Western Reserve University
Credit: SUSU

The project involves using heat as a by-product of the operation of solar and wind power plants. Thus it will be possible to obtain waste heat for water desalination, increase the generator efficiency and reduce heat emissions into the atmosphere.

Researchers use a photovoltaic-thermal converter where low-grade heat comes from solar modules or wind turbine generators. The heat pump module supplies the initial mineralized or seawater to the desalination plant. The desalinator is located on the high-temperature side of the unit and operates based on an evaporator.

Based on the new water desalination technology, the scientists plan to develop a prototype of an innovative plant. Such equipment has no analogs in the world; postgraduates and undergraduates of the SUSU School of Engineering and Technology design it. The model of the stand for water treatment is currently coordinated with the components manufacturersLLC Laboratory of Variations and several other suppliers.

"The stand planned for development is designed for 100 W of thermal energy and a small amount of desalinated water (about 1 liter per hour). However, this is already enough, for example, for a family of 3-4 people for a day. The equipment can operate almost anywhere in the world if there is a heat source i.e. sunlight, solar or wind power plants, combined heat, and power plants, etc.," explained Professor Evgeny Solomin.

Credit: SUSU

The system is ready for scaling: according to preliminary calculations, it can desalinate over 1,000 tons of water per day while consuming up to 100 MW of thermal energy. By 2024, the project should result in an accomplished design of water purification equipment with further commercialization in China, India, the Middle and Near East, and Africa. Similar equipment can be used in the Arctic as well.

"Firstly, grants help develop ideas. Moreover, not every project reaches commercialization. The ideas arising during the project can give rise to new directions, ideas, and technologies. Secondly, it is an opportunity to involve graduate students and students in real developments, which is necessary for obtaining skills in conducting scientific research and development experience. And finally, grant projects demonstrate the desire of the state to help the development of Russian science, which is the basis for young people to understand the importance of scientific research in scientific and technological evolution," Evgeny Solomin says.

During the project, it is planned to publish at least 16 scientific articles, including at least ten articles in Scopus / Web of Science, mainly in Q1. For the first year of the project implementation (2022), four articles were to be published in the RSCI, 1 article in the Higher Attestation Commission, and 4 articles in Scopus (including 1 article in Q1-TOP-10). One patent is being to be registered.

The study refers to the strategic project Ecological environment of post-industrial agglomeration under the Priority 2030 program. The total funding under the RSF grant will amount to 20 million rubles.

South Ural State University is a university of transformation where innovative research is carried out in most priority areas of science and technology development. Following the strategy of scientific and technological development of the Russian Federation, the university focuses on the development of major scientific interdisciplinary projects in the field of the digital industry, materials science, and ecology. In 2021, SUSU won the competition under the Priority 2030 program. The university performs the functions of the regional project office of the Ural Interregional Research and Educational Center.

More information:

rscf.ru/project/22-19-20011/

Provided by South Ural State University
LSU researchers retrieve a core sample from the waters of the Gulf of Mexico. Credit: Cassandra Glaspie

LSU oceanographer Cassandra Glaspie offers a stark fact when talking about sea level rise and the Louisiana coastline: the combination of rising water and sinking land means that the state's coast is about 50 to 100 years ahead of similar areas around the globe.

"We are the sea level rise sentinels," said Glaspie, who is an assistant professor in the LSU Department of Oceanography & Coastal Sciences, or DOCS.

Glaspie and a team of researchers were awarded a five-year, $1.75 million grant to document what is happening to estuarine ecosystems on Louisiana's coastline. Louisiana will establish a new Marine Biodiversity Observation Network, or MBON, focusing on highly productive and diverse estuarine ecosystems that can serve as sea level rise sentinels. Their work can help other areas around the world that are also coping with the effects of climate change.

The team, which includes fellow DOCS faculty Professor Eurico D'Sa and Assistant Professor Michael Dance, as well as members from Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium and other institutions, will deploy a mix of measuressome widely used, some relatively newto monitor the biodiversity of the coastal estuary. They will work with scientists from the other sites to build a framework for tracking and standardizing marine biodiversity data, establishing a baseline in the face of sea level rise and a changing climate.

"Estuarine ecosystems, like those on the Louisiana coastline, are incredibly important locations of marine biodiversity. Monitoring the health of the ecosystem in the face of sea level rise and global climate change will provide us with the tools we need to plan for the future," said Kam-Biu Liu, the George W. Barineau III Professor and departmental chair of DOCS.

Techniques for Monitoring Biodiversity

The nature of the Louisiana coastline makes the task a little more challenging. The estuarine habitat is formed by murky, sediment-rich freshwater mixing with the salty water of the Gulf of Mexico, creating a highly productive environment with extremely low visibility. Standard monitoring techniques are not always sufficient.

"You can't just pop a camera down there and get a clear picture," Glaspie said.

While satellite imagery will be used to try to link water color to conditions such as the presence of phytoplankton, the scientists will otherwise work around the turbidity of the water by gathering data using a variety of methods such as acoustic monitoring and acoustic telemetry, a way of using sound waves to monitor fish and other organisms.

This array of techniques will also include the use of environmental DNA, also known as eDNA, a relatively new technique where traces of DNA left by organisms as they pass through the environment, in this case, the water, are collected. LSU doctoral candidate Jillian Tupitza will be analyzing water samples in order to identify the types of eDNA discovered, with each sample providing a snapshot that paints a larger picture over time.

Louisiana's MBON site will also be collecting information from another source: the historically underserved residents of communities experiencing land loss. Through a partnership with the New Orleans non-profit organization Imagine Waterworks, the field work research process will be open to members of those communities and the grant will even compensate them for their time. The goal is to incorporate more traditional ecological knowledge when developing a baseline of what the ecosystem looked like.

"The people who have lived in this area and are deeply rooted. They really do know what the system used to look like," Glaspie said.

Although it is a national project, the data gathered will serve to benefit a variety of statewide agencies, including the Coastal Protection and Restoration Agency, which may incorporate some the techniques developed into its next Coastal Master Plan.

This grant was awarded by the National Oceanographic Partnership Program, NOAA and partner agencies, including NASA, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management and the Office of Naval Research.

Provided by Louisiana State University
FLORENCE, S.C.  Optimism is one of the keys to success, Florence attorney J. Boone Aiken III said Tuesday night.

Aiken was honored as a Distinguished Graduate of Florence 1 Schools at The School Foundation Gala on Tuesday night at the Southeastern Institute of Manufacturing , 1951 Pisgah Road in Florence.

The desire to succeed is another decidedly American trait, Aiken said.

There are other characteristics that people in other countries say Americans have, Aiken said. The kid is about some of them. For example, they say Americans are over organized. And Europeans say, When three Americans meet each other over there, the first thing they do is elect a president, secretary and treasurer.

Teachers instill the desire to succeed in their students, Aiken said.

That is why we are here tonight, Aiken said.  We cant wish our way to the top. We must train for it. Then optimism lets us move forward in a positive way.  And to be successful, we must have perseverance.

Attitude, optimism, kindness and respect are choices. People are defined by the choices they make, Aiken said.

Choose wisely, he said.

Aiken attended Royal Elementary School, Moore Junior High School and graduated from McClenaghan High School in 1965. He was class president in his senior year.

After high school, he received a bachelors degree from Wake Forest University in 1965. He was a member of the Kappa Sigma fraternity and president of the Interfraternity Council. He received his law degree from the University of South Carolina in 1973.

Aiken built a successful law career in Florence. He is senior shareholder and founding member of Aiken, Bridges Elliott, Tyler and Saleeby, P.A. His focus is on medical and professional liability defense

He served as general counsel to McLeod Health from 2003 until December 2021. His family has a legacy with McLeod. His grandfather Jefferson Boone Aiken was named a Board of Trustee member in 1930 when McLeod was chartered as a not-for-profit cooperation.

Aiken is a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers  membership is limited to 1% of the total number of practicing lawyers of any state. He is a member of the South Carolina Bar Association, American Bar Association and past president of the Florence County Bar Association.

He served as chairman of The Aiken Foundation, which was started by his grandfather, from 2009 until 2021 when it was dissolved. Its assets were distributed to Florence County charitable organization.

Aiken is married to Robin Hutchinson Aiken. The couple have three children  Jennifer and her husband, Billy, of Charleston, Mary Margaret and her husband, Oliver, of Charleston; and J. Boone Aiken IV of Florence. J. Boone Aiken III is grandfather to four children. His son, J. Boone Aiken IV recently started practicing law in Florence at Haynsworth Sinkler Boyd.

Aiken said he was surprised when The School Foundation Executive Director Debbie Hyler informed him that he had been selected for the Distinguished Graduate honor.

He was even more surprised when she said he needed to give a 10- to 20-minute speech. He noted his closing arguments in court cases are much shorter.

Aiken said his wife, Robin, gave him a few book to give him ideas for his speech.

I brought one of those books that my wife gave me  The Lawyer and Other Reptiles.
WILMINGTON, N.C. -- The Pee Dee today is under a tropical storm warning as Ian departs Florida into the Atlantic with a projected second landfall as a tropical storm between Hilton Head and Charleston.

Ian's track has been shifted slightly east and confidence is increasing that the storm will make landfall along the southern South Carolina coast during Friday given the latest advisory.

"As a strong tropical storm, Ian is expected to produce strong winds, heavy rainfall and storm surge," Steven Pfaff, warning coordination meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Wilmington, N.C., wrote in a Thursday morning briefing on the storm.

"Prepare for a high-end tropical storm and potentially low-end hurricane conditions. Those preparations should be finished today," Pfaff wrote in the briefing.

On its current path there is a 50-75% chance tropical storm conditions will occur across northeastern South Carolina -- the Pee Dee and Grand Strand.

"Although winds will be gusty today, the tropical storm winds directly associated with Ian are expected to arrive during Friday," Pfaff wrote in the briefing.

Areas south of Florence could experience wind gusts up to 73 miles an hour, north of Florence up to 57 miles an hour.

The winds bring the potential for damage to roofing and siding as well as downed trees and scattered power outages.

Projected rainfall amounts continue to increase with the whole Pee Dee now forecast to receive 4-6 inches of rain while a swath of southern Florence, eastern Williamsburg and all of Georgetown counties now forecast to receive 6-8 inches of rain from the storm.

"The heaviest rainfall is expected during Friday and Friday night. Drier conditions are expected to develop during the weekend," according to the briefing. "This amount of rainfall could result in flash flooding, especially near low-lying and other locations prone to flooding."

Black Creek has a 40% chance of riding to minor flood stage while the Lynches River has a 25% chance.

The storm surge during Friday's high tide -- 11:30 a.m. -- is a concern, according to the briefing.

Projections call for a storm surge of 2-4 feet between Little River and South Santee River.

"Prepare for a high end tropical storm and potentially low end hurricane conditions. Those preparations should be finished today," Pfaff wrote in the briefing.
Dr. Dyron Daughrity, who serves as a professor of religion at Seaver College, recently published an article entitled, Carl Spains Waves: How a Powerful Lecture Ended Segregation in Church of Christ Colleges, with the Journal of Discipliana. This article highlights the life of professor and pastor Carl Spain, focusing specifically on a powerful speech of his which changed the course of Church of Christ history.

I had always heard about this story of Carl Spain giving a speech in 1960 that demolished the walls of institutional racism on Abilene Christian Universitys (ACU) campus, but I had never really understood it fully, says Daughrity, explaining why he researched this topic. At Pepperdine, I teach a course on the History of the Churches of Christ. I wanted to introduce my students to this story, as it is an important one in the history of our movement. I had a hard time finding details to the story.

Considering this historical gray area, Daughrity, an ACU alumnus himself, took on the challenge of uncovering the facts. What he found was a powerful tale of courage, strength, and social justice, as Spain critiqued the Churches of Christ for their segregationist ways in higher education.

In 1960, Spain, who was serving as a professor at Abilene Christian College (ACC), was called upon to deliver a lecture at ACU. At that time, ACU was a segregated campus where Black students were not allowed to enroll. Knowing this, and having witnessed the divided White and Black Church of Christ congregations, the professor/pastor took it upon himself to call out the hypocrisy.

After incorporating questions of morality, theology, philosophy, and global affairs into the lecture, Spain turned to the racial issue facing America during the sixties, making pointed comments specifically about the churchs role in this process.

When our colored friends timidly asked if they could attend a service of the White folks and learn more about the Church of Christ, I made the mistake of telling them that they would be more than welcome, exclaims Spain amid his speech. And they trusted me. They came in timidly and took the seats that were as far back as they could get and still be inside. I shall never forget the agony on their faces when White Christians made it very plain to them that they were out of place and glared at them like a Jew would have looked upon a Samaritan dog.

It was discomfiting analysis like this that ultimately caused Spain to be outcast.

Spain became a pariah of sorts after that lecture, comments Daughrity. Before the lecture he was a very popular preacher and speaker. People invited him often to preach at Church of Christ events. After the famous 1960 lecture, the invitations dried up. He had openly addressed a topic that was taboo. He had spoken courageously about something that preachers were not supposed to speak about in the Churches of Christ.

Yet, following this lecture, ACU began accepting Black students. And shortly after that, Harding College integrated. Then David Lipscomb College followed suit, as well. However, the man responsible for these large institutional changes remained shunned on the fringes of higher education.

Spain's story gives me hope, but it also makes me sad, explains Daughrity.  I can relate to Carl Spain in so many ways. My life is very similar to his. I am a Church of Christ preacher, and I am a professor of religion. I am so inspired that Spain had the courage to stand up and say, This must stop!

The full Seaver Newsroom interview with Daughrity is available online, along with his article concerning Spain. To listen to Spains powerful speech visit ACUs Digital Commons.
Dalondo Moultrie is the assistant managing editor of the Seguin Gazette. You can e-mail him at dalondo.moultrie@seguingazette.com .
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The U.S. embassy in Moscow has urged American nationals residing in Russia to depart the country immediately, citing what it claimed to be possibility that Russia could conscript dual nationals for military service.

"Russia may refuse to acknowledge dual nationals' U.S. citizenship, deny their access to U.S. consular assistance, prevent their departure from Russia, and conscript dual nationals for military service," read an alert posted on the embassy's website Tuesday.

"U.S. citizens should not travel to Russia and those residing or travelling in Russia should depart Russia immediately while limited commercial travel options remain," it added.

The advisory came roughly a week after Russia announced a partial mobilization amid the conflict with Ukraine.
 "Voices from Within the Federal Bureau of Prisons: A System Designed to Silence and Dehumanize" | Main | New bill, Federal Prison Oversight Act, part of continued congressional push for federal prison oversight 

September 28, 2022

Spotlighting one Governor's notable clemency track record

The Guardian has this notable lengthy new piece, fully headlined "The story of one US governors historic use of clemency: We are a nation of second chances; Kate Brown has granted more commutations or pardons than all of Oregons governor from the last 50 years combined." I recommend the full piece, and here is how it starts:

Last October, Kate Brown, the governor of Oregon, signed an executive order granting clemency to 73 people who had committed crimes as juveniles, clearing a path for them to apply for parole. The move marked the high point in a remarkable arc: as Brown approaches the end of her second term in January, she has granted commutations or pardons to 1,147 people  more than all of Oregons governors from the last 50 years combined. The story of clemency in Oregon is one of major societal developments colliding: the pressure the Covid-19 pandemic put on the prison system and growing momentum for criminal justice reform. Its also a story of a governors personal convictions and how she came to embrace clemency as a tool for criminal justice reform and as an act of grace, exercising the belief that compassionate mercy and ensuring public safety are not mutually exclusive. If you are confident that you can keep people safe, youve given victims the opportunity to have their voices heard and made sure their concerns are addressed, and individuals have gone through an extensive amount of rehabilitation and shown accountability, what is the point of continuing to incarcerate someone, other than retribution? Brown said in a June interview.

September 28, 2022 at 08:59 PM | Permalink

Comments

She is bold and committed. She needs to right a book about her criminal justice ideas. And unlike our former Governor here in Kentucky, Matt Bevin, I bet none of the people she granted clemency to never got indicted by the Feds for similar crimes after they had been pardoned or commuted.

Posted by: Jim Gormley | Sep 28, 2022 10:45:05 PM

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Formula 1 or F1, is an international motorsport race that showcases the perfect mixture of engineering and driving prowess, in an adrenaline-fueled event. Hundreds of millions of fans and enthusiasts visit or watch the event from all over the world, with millions of dollars poured into it  from the logistics to the organising of the event itself.

Similar to other large international sporting events such as the Olympics (and its offshoots such as Youth Olympics and Winter Olympics), the F1 has become a huge marketing and business opportunity for the country/city hosting it. In 2008, Singapore took that chance and hosted the worlds first F1 night race

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F1 in Singapore Started In 2008

The opportunity to host the F1 started in 2006 when then F1 chief Bernie Ecclestone invited Singapore to host an F1 event in 2008. Having previous aspirations to host the event in Singapore, the owner of Singapore GP Pte Ltd, Mr Ong Beng Seng, and the Singapore government inked a deal for Singapore to host the F1 event for five years.

On the 26th of September 2008, the worlds first F1 night race was hosted in Singapore on a 5.063km track consisting of 24 turns under the Singapore tropical night sky.

The initial contract to host the F1 lasted from 2008 to 2013. Singapore GP Pte Ltd and The Singapore Tourism Board went to sign another 4-year extension from 2018 to 2022. Unfortunately, in 2019, the coronavirus pandemic took place and major events like the F1 were cancelled, until now.

On the 24th of March 2022, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong announced COVID-19 relaxation measures for Singapore, just in time for the upcoming 2022 Singapore F1 Grand Prix from the 30th of September to the 2nd of October.

Read Also: How Much Does It Cost To Bid For A Unique Vehicle Registration In Singapore?

The Government Spent About $90 million A Year On Average To Host The Event

The average cost to host the F1 event a year is an estimated $150 million, with the Singapore government co-funding 60% of the total cost and the other 40% being carried by private entities, such as hoteliers, Singapore Airlines and others.

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This helps keep the total cost outlay of the event lower for the taxpayers, while still allowing the private entities who directly benefit from the event (e.g., hoteliers, F&B operators) to earn from the event.

According to Statista, F1 viewership in 2008 was 600 million and there was a significant drop to 352.3 million in 2016. Countries like Malaysia and Australia even reported making losses, with Malaysia eventually pulling out of hosting the F1 in 2017. However, viewership has increased since 2016 to 445 million in 2021. The 2019 Singapore Grand Prix reached a viewership of 86 million television viewers globally, which was one of the highest global viewership of any international sporting event.

As Singapore inks a new deal to host the event for the next 7 years, the cost is estimated to be between $135 million to $140 million. While hefty, this amount is likely to be outweighed by what Singapore may reap from hosting the races.

Read Also: How Much You Can Save With An Off-Peak Car

Singapores Tourism Has Directly Benefited From The F1

Since its launch, the Singapore F1 event has brought in increased profits for businesses in Singapore and attracted more than 550,000 international visitors so far. According to MTI, the Singapore Grand Prix generated around $130 million in annual incremental spending from tourists attending the race since 2008.

Hoteliers, Food & Beverage companies and other tourism-related industries have also reported an uptick in transactions from previous F1 events and will likely continue to do so in the 2022 F1 Singapore Grand Prix.

There Are Also Indirect Benefits In Hosting The F1

Aside from the direct increase in tourism receipts, there are other indirect benefits of hosting the F1. The festivities that come with the event such as live performances by famous artists inject energy and vibrancy into our arts and nightlife scene. This years event boasts big names like Westlife, Marshmallow and Green Day to wow the crowd with their performances.

According to MTIs parliamentary reply on F1, hosting the F1 event has other benefits for Singapores economy and its citizens. 90% of the race organisation is subcontracted to Singaporean companies, not only showcasing the efficiency of our local businesses but also directly profiting these businesses. The race also brought in more than 30 Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE) events each year.

The F1 event also brought in $70 to $75 million in media value in 2019, with around 86 million viewers worldwide. This has brought in great media representation for Singapore and showcased the beauty, splendour, safety and opportunities to do business in Singapore.

Extending the F1 Singapore Grand Prix Till 2028

Given the overall beneficial nature of hosting the F1, Singapore has signed a fourth contract renewal to host the Formula 1 Grand Prix for another 7 years. This is the longest extension for the race and will mean that Singaporeans will be able to enjoy the annual F1 race on the streets of Marina Bay until 2028.

As the pandemic has caused much disruption to trade, commerce, and tourism, the resumption of international events is especially important to the Singapore economy. By leveraging on the F1 event, Singapore can establish itself as a frontrunner in business continuity during the pandemic and help local businesses to be able to establish their presence during an international event.

The post How Much Does It Cost For Singapore To Host The F1 appeared first on DollarsAndSense.sg.
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla.  Hurricane Ian made landfall Wednesday in southwest Florida as one of the most powerful storms ever recorded in the U.S., swamping city streets with water and smashing trees along the coast.

A coastal sheriff's office reported that it was getting many calls from people trapped in flooded homes. Desperate people posted to Facebook and other social sites, pleading for rescue for themselves or loved ones. Some video showed debris-covered water sloshing toward homes eaves.

The hurricane's center struck near Cayo Costa, a protected barrier island just west of heavily populated Fort Myers.

Mark Pritchett stepped outside his home in Venice around the time the hurricane came ashore about 35 miles to the south. He called it "terrifying."

"I literally couldn't stand against the wind," Pritchett wrote in a text message. "Rain shooting like needles. My street is a river. Limbs and trees down. And the worst is yet to come."

Before making its way through the Gulf of Mexico to Florida, Hurricane Ian tore into western Cuba as a major hurricane Tuesday, killing two people and bringing down the countrys electrical grid. Cuban officials said they restored some power Wednesday.

The Category 4 storm slammed the U.S. coast with 150 mph winds and pushed a wall of storm surge accumulated during its slow march over the Gulf of Mexico.

About 2.5 million people were ordered to evacuate southwest Florida before the storm hit, but by law no one could be forced to flee. Though expected to weaken as it marched inland, Ian's hurricane force winds were likely to be felt well into central Florida.

"This is going to be a nasty nasty day, two days," Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said, stressing that people in Ian's path along the coast should rush to the safest possible shelter and stay there.

Though expected to weaken to a tropical storm as it marches inland, Ian's hurricane force winds were likely to be felt well into central Florida. Hours after landfall, top sustained winds had dropped to 105 mph, making it a Category 2 hurricane. Still, storm surges as high as 6 feet were expected on the opposite side of the state, in northeast Florida.

Sheriff Bull Prummell of Charlotte County, just north of Fort Myers, announced a curfew between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m. for life-saving purposes, saying violators may face second-degree misdemeanor charges.

Jackson Boone left his home near the coast and hunkered down at his law office in Venice with employees and their pets.

"We're seeing tree damage, horizontal rain, very high wind  I think it's a 100-plus sustained outside right now," Boone said by telephone. "We have a 50-plus-year-old oak tree that has toppled over."

In Naples, the first floor of a fire station was inundated with about 3 feet of water and firefighters worked to salvage gear from a firetruck stuck outside the garage in even deeper water, a video posted by the Naples Fire Department showed.

Naples is in Collier County, where the sheriff's department reported on Facebook that it was getting "a significant number of calls of people trapped by water in their homes" and that it would prioritize reaching people "reporting life threatening medical emergencies in deep water."

Ian's wind speed at landfall tied it for the fifth-strongest hurricane to strike the U.S., along with several other storms. Among them was Hurricane Charley, which hit almost the same spot on Florida's coast in August 2004, killing 10 people and inflicting $14 billion in damage.

The governor said the state has 30,000 linemen, urban search and rescue teams, and 7,000 National Guard troops from Florida and elsewhere ready to help once the weather clears.

Florida residents rushed ahead of the impact to board up heir homes, stash precious belongings on upper floors and join long lines of cars leaving the shore.

Ian made landfall more than 100 miles south of Tampa and St. Petersburg, sparing the densely populated Tampa Bay area from its first direct hit by a major hurricane since 1921. Officials warned residents that Tampa could still experience powerful winds and up to 20 inches of rain.

"Please, please, please be aware that we are not out of danger yet," Tampa Mayor Jane Castor said in a video on Twitter. "Flooding is still going to occur."

Flash floods were possible across all of Florida. Hazards include the polluted leftovers of Florida's phosphate fertilizer mining industry, more than 1 billion tons of slightly radioactive waste contained in enormous ponds that could overflow in heavy rains.

Isolated tornadoes spun off the storm well ahead of landfall. One tornado damaged small planes and a hangar at the North Perry Airport, west of Hollywood along the Atlantic coast.

More than 1 million homes and businesses were without electricity, and Florida Power and Light warned those in Ian's path to brace for days without power.

The federal government sent 300 ambulances with medical teams and was ready to truck in 3.7 million meals and 3.5 million liters of water once the storm passes.

"We'll be there to help you clean up and rebuild, to help Florida get moving again," President Joe Biden said Wednesday. "And we'll be there every step of the way. That's my absolute commitment to the people of the state of Florida."

Parts of Georgia and South Carolina also could see flooding rains and some coastal surge into Saturday. Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp preemptively declared an emergency, ordering 500 National Guard troops onto standby.
SAC CITY, Iowa  An Early, Iowa, woman faces up to 10 years in prison after entering a plea in connection with the deaths of more than 1,000 pigs in Sac County hog confinement facilities.

Elana Laber, 34, entered an Alford plea Monday in Sac County District Court to one count of first-degree criminal mischief. In an Alford plea, a defendant does not admit guilt, but the judge enters a guilty plea into the record. Laber also has agreed to enter a written guilty plea to a misdemeanor charge of livestock neglect. That plea has yet to be filed, according to online court records.

According to terms of a plea agreement, a judge at Laber's Nov. 21 sentencing hearing will decide if she will serve a 10-prison sentence or whether it will be suspended. Additional charges of first-degree criminal mischief and animal neglect will be dismissed.

Law enforcement officers discovered the dead pigs in varying stages of decomposition in two confinement sites in late June after receiving a report. The pigs had had no access to feed or water.

According to the Sac County Sheriff's Office, Laber, whose job was to maintain both sites, told deputies someone had shut off the breakers that control the electricity the night before, causing the pigs' deaths. A veterinarian inspection determined the pigs had been dead for at least a week. Laber later told deputies she knew the pigs had been dead but did not know what to do.

The pigs were owned by Corey AGR Inc., of Lytton, Iowa. The estimated loss is more than $150,000.
Talis Dale, 23, entered his plea Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Omaha to one count of sexual abuse of a minor. He faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison. Sentencing was scheduled for Dec. 21.

Dale entered the girl's bedroom in her Macy home during the early morning hours of May 3, 2021, and began touching her, stopping after becoming concerned that she was loudly demanding that he leave her room.

The girl, listed as age 12-16, fell asleep, and told investigators that she woke up later in the night to find Dale on top of her. The girl said her underwear had been removed and that Dale began to have sexual intercourse with her. When the girl asked what he was doing, Dale stopped. The girl pushed Dale off of her, told him to leave, and he did, court documents said.
SIOUX CITY -- An Onawa, Iowa, man has been sentenced to eight years in federal prison on drug and gun charges.

Dustin Haynes, 38, pleaded guilty in March in U.S. District Court in Sioux City to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, manufacture and attempted manufacture of methamphetamine and illegal possession of a firearm.

According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, Haynes, who was prohibited from possessing firearms because of previous felony convictions, threw away three baggies of meth while attempting to flee on foot from police officers after a Sept. 1, 2021, traffic stop. Officers seized meth lab components, a shotgun and two boxes of pseudoephedrine, an ingredient to make meth, from his vehicle.

Haynes admitted to authorities he planned to make meth and sell it.
SIOUX CITY  The process of finding a new Sioux City school superintendent has officially begun.

The district school board held its first public meeting with the superintendent search firm GR Recruiting Tuesday night. The meeting was an opportunity for the board to plan the search process timelines, public meetings and other search details.

The search process is estimated to take four months.

The superintendent application will be available after an Oct. 20 board meeting. The board established a salary range of $240,000 to $260,000, not including benefits.

The tentative deadline for all application materials is Dec. 12 with an estimated selection on Jan. 18. It is unknown when a successor will be announced.

The superintendent search process will feature a variety of ways for community members to provide feedback on what characteristics they want in a new superintendent.

School board president Dan Greenwell said the community input is important because it is a "major decision for the community."

"We have 15,000 students. We employ 2,500 people. This is a major event for our community," he said. "We want to make sure the public is engaged and participates in the process."

A survey to see what community members are seeking will be available on the district website, as well as sent to all parents and employees from Oct. 3-14. Some of the survey questions will focus on desired traits and characteristics for a new superintendent, while others about the district as a whole.

One question is a place for responders to propose potential candidates.

The survey will be available in six different languages - English, Spanish, Vietnamese, Somali, Oromo, and Tigrinya -- to broaden community input. Hard copies of the survey also will available at all the schools.

Board member Perla Alarcon-Flory asked if there was a way to advertise the survey in different languages.

Dick Christie of GR Recruiting said the firm wants thousands of survey responses, not hundreds, so there is an accurate sense of what the community wants.

There will be three meetings for the public to provide input, and three meetings for staff to provide input.

The public and staff meetings will take place on:

- 4 p.m. for staff and 6 p.m. for the public on Oct. 11 at East High School;

- 4 p.m. for staff and 6 p.m. for the public on Oct. 13 at West High School and:

- 8:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. on Oct.15 at North High School.

Staff can attend the public meetings if they are not able to attend the staff-specific ones.

These meetings are an opportunity for parents, students, community members and staff to provide input on what they want in a superintendent and answer questions prepared by GR recruiting.

When the deadline has passed, the school board will be given access to all of the applications. GR Recruiting will highlight the top applicants that fit the desired qualifications and traits.

The finalist names will be announced publicly, but the entire candidate list will not be publicly released. Christie said that's to make sure candidates are comfortable applying if they have jobs currently.

The candidates will have individual meetings with administrators, teachers, support staff and students. Christie said this is an opportunity for the candidate to see if they mesh with the district. The district participants will provide feedback to the board on the candidates strengths and weaknesses.

Before a decision is made, a public meeting will be held for the community to meet the potential candidates. It has not been determined when this meeting will take place.

Interim Superintendent Rod Earleywine resigned as the superintendent of the Sergeant Bluff-Luton Community School District in February, after 27 years with the district.

Earleywine, who started his new job on July 1, was selected as interim superintendent in April after former superintendent Paul Gausman was selected as the new superintendent of the Lincoln Public Schools.
SIOUX CITY  Rescue personnel spent several hours unsuccessfully searching for a man seen jumping into the Missouri River from a bridge Wednesday.

A South Sioux City police officer responded at 11:09 a.m. to a call about a man on the railroad bridge running from the Iowa side of the river to the Nebraska side. As the officer neared the bridge, a man carrying a backpack was seen jumping from the bridge into the river.

Search and rescue teams in several boats were dispatched and searched the river but were unable to find the man, who has not been identified.

Anyone who might have information about the man is asked to contact the South Sioux City Police Department at (402) 494-7555.
According to the Clay County Sheriff's Office, Courtney Engeltjes was southbound in a GMC Envoy in the 4700 mile of Clay County Road M27 at about 5:53 p.m., when she left the road, over corrected and entered the east ditch. The vehicle came to rest on the driver's side.
HULL, Iowa -- Fire officials continue to investigate the cause of a large fire that broke out at Casey's General Store in Hull Wednesday morning.

Firefighters were called to the store, 612 Division St., at 7:01 a.m.

According to a statement from the Sioux County Sheriff's Office, when first responders from the Hull Fire Department and Hull Ambulance arrived at the business, they found the roof area engulfed by fire.

Employees reported that an explosion occurred inside the store shortly after they saw flames and smoke, according to the statement. All of the employees were able to safely evacuate the building without injury.

The Rock Valley and Sioux Center fire departments also responded to the fire.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation by the Hull Fire Chief.
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Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky on Wednesday discussed the recent developments of the Russia-Ukraine conflict over phone.

In a statement from the Turkish presidency, Erdogan said he was glad that the prisoner exchange between Russia and Ukraine had been carried out successfully after a long time of preparation.

Russia and Ukraine exchanged 200 prisoners of war under the mediation of Turkiye last week.

Talking about the successful functioning of the agreement on Ukrainian grain shipment through the Black Sea, Erdogan said that a similar approach can be taken with regard to the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant.

Erdogan reiterated Turkiye's offer to act as a mediator and facilitator in the establishment of a demilitarized zone around the power plant, according to the statement.

Zaporizhzhia, one of Europe's largest nuclear power plants, has been controlled by Russian forces since early March, while its Ukrainian staff continued to operate it.

In recent weeks, the site of the plant has been attacked by shelling, sparking international concerns about its safety.
MOVILLE, Iowa -- Dry conditions have led to nearly ideal conditions for harvest to kick off across Siouxland.

Those same conditions are also perfect for increased risk of grass and crop fires, as was the case Wednesday in Woodbury County, where rural fire departments spent hours putting out fires sparked by combines.

Moville Fire and Rescue chief Jerry Sailer said his rigs were dispatched to a field fire at 1684 Humboldt Avenue south of Moville at 12:56 p.m., when a combine harvesting beans sparked a fire that spread through the bean stubble and into an adjacent corn field. No damage was done to the combine, and firefighters were able to extinguish the flames before much damage could be done to the crops.

While still at that fire, Moville's crews, along with those from neighboring towns, were called in to assist Anthon's fire department with a combine and field fire at about 2 p.m. at 245th Street and Jewell Avenue, where a combine had caught fire while harvesting soybeans. The combine was a total loss, and the fire also damaged about 15-20 acres of beans.

The National Drought Monitor shows Woodbury County and much of Northwest Iowa continue to experience conditions ranging from abnormally dry to extreme drought. Some locations in northeast Nebraska and southeast South Dakota are one step further, reaching exceptional drought.

Sailer said there's not much that can be done, without rain, to prevent more fires during these dry field conditions.

"Conditions are good for it, so we can expect some more," Sailer said. "Combines have bearings fail, and there's nothing we can to about that."

Sailer suggested farmers keep a tractor and disc nearby while harvesting to keep flames from spreading should a fire break out, along with a pickup with a water tank, if possible.
Update, Sept. 29, 2022: A federal judge has formally denied Pacifical Legal Foundations motion.

Original story: One day after it was filed, the new lawsuit against President Joe Bidens student debt relief program was defeated by the Justice Department. The outcome delivers a simple message to the plaintiff: Dont want the federal government forgiving your student debt? Fine. We wont.

That lawsuit, brought by the conservative Pacific Legal Foundation on behalf of its own employee, was an effort to establish standing, or the legal right to sue in federal court. A plaintiff has standing only if they suffer a concrete, personal injury, and as a rule, taxpayers cant challenge federal spending. In constitutional terms, nobody is harmed when the government forgives debt that it holds, so there was no controversy for the federal courts to resolve.

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Or was there? PLF thought its employee, Frank Garrison, had a way around the hurdle. Garrison allegedly lives in Indiana, which is one of six states that will tax student debt cancellation as income. Hes already enrolled in a different student loan program that will forgive his remaining student debt in four yearsand Indiana will not tax that cancellation. Which allowed Garrison to argue that Bidens plan injures him because it will force him to pay state taxes on loan forgiveness when hes set to receive tax-free relief down the road.

If Garrison doesnt want what Bidens offering, couldnt he just opt out? PLF claimed that he could not. Why? Heres the theory: Most borrowers will have to apply for debt relief. The Biden administration revealed that a subset of borrowers will receive automatic relief because the government already has sufficient information about their income to know that they qualify. Garrison believes hes in this subset. He also believes he cannot stop the government from automatically canceling his debt. Put these beliefs together, and voila: standing.

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Except that Garrisons beliefs are actually wrong. Specifically, his hunch that Biden would force him into debt relief quickly proved untrue. Hours after he filed suit, the White House announced that every borrower would have the option to opt out. Then, on Wednesday, the Justice Department confirmed in a filing that any borrower who qualifies for automatic debt reliefi.e., relief without filing an applicationwill be given an opportunity to opt out. The Department of Education confirmed this option online.

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Then came the tactical masterstroke: The Justice Department informed Garrisons lawyers that he did not even need to opt out. Upon receiving this lawsuit and reviewing Plaintiffs filings, the agency wrote, the Department has already taken steps to effectuate Plaintiffs clearly stated desire to opt out of the program and not receive $20,000 in automatic cancellation of his federal student loan debt, and so notified Plaintiffs counsel today.

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In other words, Garrisons wish has been granted: The government will not cancel $20,000 of his student debt. That debt will remain, at least until he completes the terms of his previous arrangement, which requires him to continue working for a non-profit (like PLF) or the government for the next four years.

With these two moves, the Biden administration has blown up PLFs theory of standing. Not only has the government added an opt out to ensure that nobody is compelled into debt relief,, it has already ensured that Garrisons debt specifically will stay on the books. His injury, already dubious, has disappeared.

The broader issue here was that PLF made it all too easy for the Justice Department to dunk on its suit. The group filed far too early, before the administration had even put the program into operation, or revealed key details about how itll work. PLF inadvertently put the administration on notice that a lack of any opt-out could (arguably) create a basis for standing, thus exposing its plan to judicial invalidation. Attorneys for the Justice Department seized it like the golden opportunity it was. Moreover, Garrisons actual request, exclusion from the program, proved incredibly easy to grant. In doing so, the government stripped away his excuse to be in federal court. The fact that it was so easy to defeat this suit illustrates its fundamentally political and artificial nature. Most real plaintiffs aims are not frustrated when the government gives them exactly what they claim to want.

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By Thursday, there was already another lawsuit against the program: Six red states led by Missouri sued using a convoluted theory that Bidens plan will harm them financially. Some of these states have quasi-public loan servicers that hold debt from an old program that doesnt qualify for relief. They worry that Bidens plan will spur borrowers to consolidate their olds loans into a new program that does qualify for relief. So the states servicers will have fewer loans to sell on the secondary markets and thus generate less revenue.

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If your head is spinning, dont worry: This theory is very silly. It rests on mere speculation that Bidens plan might spur debt consolidation that might lower revenue for the handful of states that created loan servicersbut a speculative injury does not establish standing. More lawsuits will arise.The Supreme Courts conservative majority might eventually find an excuse to strike down the program! If that happens, Biden has other tools at his disposal to forgive billions in loans, including a more narrowly tailored approach to mass relief. The federal government holds this debt. And in the end, the federal government will decide what to do with it.
In the wake of the killing of Mahsa Amini by the hijab police (or morality police, as they prefer to call themselves), people across Iran are demonstrating against the government. Theyre also turning to the internet to share information and circulate proof of the regimes crimes. The government has responded the way it normally does in protests: by trying to limit peoples digital access. Instagram, which hosts around two million Iranian businesses, was blocked at the beginning of the current wave of protests. The same happened with WhatsApp, which is reportedly used by over 70 percent of adult Iranians, according to the Iranian Students Polling Agency. Add Apples App Store, Googles Play Store, Skype, and LinkedIn to this list.

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Worse, Iran has been shutting down access to the internet for hours every day. Analysts estimate the cost of one day of shutting down the internet in Iran to be around $37 million. Still, the government is willing to incur this loss to guarantee its survival. These days, when the free circulation of information is the most vital pillar of support for those who seek change in the streets, the Islamic Republics internet filter is more impenetrable than ever.

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Initially, the Islamic Republic tried to control the internet using the same methods it had used in the past.

The complete prohibition against VCRs had gradually given way to the publication of regime-curated content. Several media companies took advantage of the opportunity. By censoring foreign movies and producing various programs and shows, they sought to turn a tool whose presence would not be tolerated before then into a cultural opportunity.

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Satellite TV was a more significant challenge. In the era of videocassettes, there were almost no alternatives, other than a few state TV channels, to entertain the domestic audience.

Satellite receivers, however, had significantly increased the number of choices. Audiences could switch channels and watch their favorite show simply by pressing a button.

The regime responded by prohibiting the ownership of satellite receivers. For a time, recurrent images of police breaking into buildings and throwing down satellite dishes filled the pages of domestic newspapers. But the presence of satellite receivers in Iranian homes gradually became normalthere were simply too many for the government to remove them all.

So it turned to jam the satellite signals. Satellite operator companies, such as Eutelsat, complained. Even some officials objected, but to no avail. It is still impossible to watch satellite channels broadcast outside Iran in some cities and at certain hours due to the jamming.

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Today, Irans internet filtering follows the same path: The government is busy developing halal versions of things it dislikes (which are a lot) while censoring the others as much as possible. When it comes to cultural and social matters, this is the only strategy the Islamic Republic is familiar with. That is why more than 5 million websites are blocked in Iran, according to judicial officials.

The 2009 election and subsequent protests were the Iranian authorities first experience of the internets role in social movements, which fundamentally changed their tolerance. The internet had morphed into a political weapon that could unravel their web of lies. Soon, the number of military and political figures opposed to a free internet increased. After government-affiliated newspapers reported on the protesters intent to overthrow the regime, YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter were permanently blocked. This was the beginning of the regimes more aggressive approach to staunching the free flow of information through cyberspace.

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Since then, the government has enacted many and increasingly stricter laws to control cyberspace.

Censorship and filtering by the Islamic Republic are merciless. Iran has followed the Chinese model for its internet governance. Just as China has blocked access to most Western services and created domestic replicas to monitor and track all communication, so has Iran. The Islamic Republic has invested millions of dollars in launching a domestic version of foreign applications like YouTube and Telegram and creating exclusive infrastructures inside the country.

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Similarly, there are two types of online networks in Iran: the internet (constantly disrupted and severely censored); and the intranet (an isolated local network that the government is trying to impose on citizens as the internet). Even mobile and internet service providers offer local internet as part of their internet packages.

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During the protests of 2019 (known as Bloody Aban), the regime cut off the access of 85 million Iranians to the internet for one week, imposing a total blackness. Only a fake version of the internet was available during those seven dark days when thousands of people were killed and injured in Iran.

More websites and applications are blocked daily, frustrating internet users throughout the country. During the protests of 2017-2018, the government blocked the access of more than 40 million Iranian users to Telegram messenger. For many, this was their only online business platform. When Telegram was blocked, the number of virtual private networks users in the country exponentially increased. The government-affiliated VPN mafia was benefiting, but constant disruptions in the connection, slow internet speed, and bandwidth shortage have made using the internet via VPN increasingly unpleasant.

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However, Iranian authorities have not achieved their desired outcome. No one really wants to use the knockoff applications. Videos uploaded by Iranians on the blocked YouTube are seen more than those uploaded on its replica. Despite being blocked, Twitter is the primary source of first-hand news from inside Iran, and Telegram channels are still one of the leading news sources.

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Given all this, the Islamic Republic sees only one likely path for controlling the internet: replacing the internet with its local network, blocking all protocols for bypassing censorship, and, on a more general level, classifying internet access based on users professions. Even now, some journalists close to the inner circle have access to the internet on their mobile phones, where websites such as Twitter are freely accessible.

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The development of technologies giving free access to information has always worked against dictatorships. Filtering the internet is a cat-and-mouse game between the censor and the anti-censorship service provider.

Emerging technologies like Starlink have created a faint hope. Although the U.S. Office of Foreign Asset Control has lifted some sanctions, using Starlink terminals in Iran is technically and logistically challenging. Most importantly, Starlink, which is expensive, is not an internet alternative for everyone inside the country. But it might be one of the best options for covering and communicating domestic news by activists and journalists when the internet is shut down.

This iron curtain will fall only when digital repression ends. It will end when the current rulers and their like-minded allies are gone, the laws supporting freedom of speech replace the current restrictions, and a modern government that embraces technology takes the place of the radical regime.

Future Tense is a partnership of Slate, New America, and Arizona State University that examines emerging technologies, public policy, and society.
Welcome to State of Mind, a new section from Slate and Arizona State University dedicated to exploring mental health. Follow us on Twitter.

By now, you may have heard of 988, the national mental health crisis hotline that launched in July. Its a repackaged version of 1-800-273-TALK, popularly known as the suicide hotline or the Suicide Prevention Lifeline. The short, easy to remember number is intended to offer an alternative to 911 in crises related to suicidal ideation, substance use, or other mental health emergencies. But if you are wary of 988, or are unsure how to use it, you are not alone.

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In its current form, 911 is not optimized for mental health crises. If your loved one is having a manic episode or if you are struggling with substance use, armed police officers knocking on your door is usually not the most helpful response. But until recently, most Americans were left with no other option than to take this risk. 988 offers an alternative path to give more people the care they need. Callers interact with counselors whounlike most 911 first respondersare specifically trained to handle mental health emergencies.

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988 is the result of a series of policy successes, including the fee structure Mental Health Colorado  which I leadhelped establish to help fund this new crisis response system in our state. But policy is not enough. We need buy-in from the public. Americans must understand how to use the hotline. And crucially, they need to actually want to call. This will require rebuilding trust. More than one-third of American adults do not trust the police to respond to mental health emergencies. Furthermore, one study found that 22 percent of deaths due to lethal force by law enforcement occurred as a result of a mental health call.

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That same study found that Black people were disproportionately killed by law enforcement officers in these instances, making it unsurprising that this mistrust exists more intensely in historically marginalized communities. If people are apprehensive of 988 and choose not to call for help, then the hotline will quite simply not do its job.

Understanding how 988 works might help people grow more comfortable with the idea of picking up the phone. Here are three essential facts to know before calling 988.

1. What should I say when I call?

When calling 988 for assistance in a mental health crisiswhether for yourself or othersyou should be specific. The more clear and concise you can be when telling the operator what you need, the better. This is hard if you or a loved one is experiencing a mental health crisis. Thats why its important to have this sentence handy before you end up in an emergency. Besides describing the situation you are in, I recommend saying I am calling for clinical support. This lets the operator know that you are looking for healing health care interventions and that no ones life is at risk. Luckily, the vast majority of calls to 988 will not require a dispatch of emergency personnelpolice or otherwise. But, if you do not want a police presence, you should still be as specific as possible. After telling the person on the other end of your call that you are looking for clinical support, say I do not want a police response. I am looking for health care assistance. This clarity will reduce the odds of unwanted police officers showing up at your door. The last thing we want is for people to be harmed because they thought the consequences of reaching out for help would only put them or their loved ones in more danger.

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2. Who will answer the phone?

Calls to 988 are routed to your local Lifeline network crisis center. based on your area codes. The service does not use geolocationmeaning they cannot trace your call. Clearly this is an imperfect system, as many of us use cell phones with area codes that dont correspond to our current locations. However, for most people, that should be fine; it is exceedingly rare that 988 calls require a response beyond a phone conversation. The FCC is working with state and local governments to set up a system that refers calls based on your physical location. I encourage you to let your elected officials know that thisand other 988 funding issuesis a priority.

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3. What they can offer me?

A trained crisis counselor will listen to your call and talk you through what you are experiencing and what your options are going forward. For most callers, this conversation itself will be a sufficient intervention, but counselors may also follow up with callers to check on their progress or provide recommendations for in-person care in your area. The specific details will vary widely based on the funding and resources available in each location and each callers individual needs. A counselor may share links to online resources or help a caller make a plan to meet with a telehealth or in-person care provider to continue to address their needs.

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Unlike 911, this hotline is not geared toward dispatching emergency personnel. Prior to the switch to 988, only 2 percent of Lifeline calls required any in-person response. 988 operators should only activate the 911 system if there is an imminent risk to someones life, which often means a suicide attempt is underway.

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In those very rare cases, the first responders who will come to your aid will vary based on your location. Ideally, we will get to a place where every city will have dedicated mental health responders to handle these situations like the CAHOOTS program in Eugene and STAR in Denverbut for that, lawmakers will have to take action.

988 is an important step in the right direction, but it is not the full journey. We must continue to invest in responses like in-person mental health first response teams and fund accessible, preventative care that meets peoples basic needs and keeps us from reaching those crisis situations in the first place. No one wants to be in the position of calling 988, but by being ready, you could help save a life.

State of Mind is a partnership of Slate and Arizona State University that offers a practical look at our mental health systemand how to make it better.
Kevin Li recently faced a daunting task. Wikipedia contributors had just spent nearly two months locked in a heated debate over whether Fox News website should be permitted as a reference for the encyclopedias political and scientific content. More than 150 users weighed in, leading to a thread more than 82,000 words long, roughly the length of an average novel.

Li, a volunteer Wikipedia administrator and public policy graduate student at Stanford, had offered to close the discussion, meaning that he had to read the entire thing, plus the dozens of sources linked by participants, and boil all of it down to a single statement expressing the communitys rough consensus. It took him between 10 and 15 hours to do so, he told me.

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The final result: Li found consensus that Fox be deemed a marginally reliable source for information about politics and science. This means that its use as a reference in Wikipedia articles will not be permitted for exceptional claims that require heightened scrutiny, but that its reliability will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis for other claims.

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It also comes with some important caveats (a staple of Wikipedia bureaucracy). It applies only to reported news articles on foxnews.com, not to opinion articles or to opinion talk shows, which are considered generally unreliable. (Wikipedia tries to avoid using opinion sources to cite anything other than information about the beliefs of the sources author.) It also does not apply to news from local affiliates owned by Fox, nor to Fox articles about nonpolitical and nonscientific topics, which are considered generally reliable.

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Casual readers often ignore or skim over Wikipedias references, but they play a crucial role in its editorial process. The encyclopedia is a tertiary source, meaning that it aims to summarize the information found in secondary sources like newspapers. (Secondary sources themselves draw from primary sources like interviews.) Because of this pyramid structure, the secondary sources Wikipedia deems acceptable as references have a major influence on its content. If outlets like Fox News are permitted, Wikipedias view of the world will look more like Foxs.

Currently, more than 16,000 articles cite Fox News as a source. But its use has been controversial for years. The first major discussion on its reliability took place in 2010. After 28,000 words of debate, it was closed by an administrator with consensus that Fox is politically biased but factually generally reliable.

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The next major discussion, in 2020, ran to 77,000 words. It was closed by a panel of three administrators, who found consensus that Fox remained reliable for most types of content, but that there was no consensus about its reliability for politics and science content. In practice, this had a middling effect. A statement that could be attributed only to Fox News was unlikely to remain in an article if challenged, but there was also no rush to remove instances where Fox was used as a source as there might have been had it been deemed generally unreliable.

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In the most recent discussion, arguments focused on interpretation of Wikipedias guideline on what qualifies as a reliable source, defined as one with a reputation for fact-checking and accuracy. The guideline makes a distinction between bias (a tendency to make editorial choices that favor a particular ideology) and reliability (the level of commitment to factual accuracy). Reliability is the salient factor for Wikipedianssome sources, such as the socialist magazine Jacobin and the libertarian magazine Reason, are regarded as biased but still deemed generally reliable and thus permitted.

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In summarizing the discussion, Li wrote, Editors taking a negative view of Fox Newss reliability referenced instances of questionable or incorrect reporting from Fox News, including instances where Fox News manipulated images or graphs, sensationalized its coverage, failed fact checks or made questionable assertions, failed to sufficiently distinguish news from opinion, and highlighted fringe perspectives.

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For instance, editors brought up a 2017 article Fox News published on Seth Rich, a Democratic National Committee staffer who was murdered in what is believed to have been a botched robbery attempt. The since-retracted article used anonymous sources to falsely suggest that he had been murdered in retaliation for leaking damaging DNC emails during the 2016 presidential election. (U.S. intelligence officials believe the leak actually came from the Russian government seeking to help Trump.) Richs family sued Fox and settled for an undisclosed amount in 2020.

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Those defending Fox countered that a certain level of errors is the journalistic norm, and provided examples of high-profile retractions at other outlets. They also pointed out that many of the instances cited as examples of Fox errors, such an instance in which they falsely reported that Black Lives Matter said it stands with the Palestinian militant group Hamas, occurred specifically in headlines. Wikipedia does not consider headlines reliable, regardless of publication, because they are often not written by a storys reporter.

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Overall, the two camps were roughly evenly split. At least 67 of the roughly 150 participants sought a rating downgrade, whereas at least 52 sought to keep the prior marginal rating, and at least 12 sought an upgrade.

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Li took his role as discussion closer seriously. You dont actually get to say, I think this side is right, or I think this other side is right,  he told me. Your job instead is to read the will of the community. And thats more complicated than just counting votes. Consensus isnt a numerical thing, Li said. You can only participate with policy-based arguments, so editors who backed up their stance by citing the reliable sources guideline or other guidance precedents (themselves a product of past consensuses) were given more weight in the closing analysis than those who did not.

The ultimate result of the recent discussion, that Fox be deemed marginally reliable for political and scientific claims, wont change much in practical terms, since its treated the same as the 2020 no consensus finding. But it differs from the previous discussion in a subtle way, Li said. Last time, the split was largely between those who found it reliable and those who didnt. This time, fewer editors argued that it is reliable, moving the locus of debate between the marginally reliable camp and the generally unreliable camp.

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All the debate appears to have tired out many editorswhich is remarkable, given Wikipedians famous tendency to debate all topics endlessly. Responding to complaints that it was launched only two years after the previous one and without a clear impetus, Li in his close urged the community to consider the effort involved in holding these discussions before initiating a similar one in the future. So the next battle over Foxs status will likely be several years down the road.

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But there are plenty of other sources to evaluate in the meantime. Editors maintain a list summarizing consensus on the reliability of frequently used sources with nearly 400 entries. In the archives of the noticeboard where Fox was discussed are thousands of additional discussions about more niche sources and about whether particular sources can be used to support particular pieces of information.

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CNN and MSNBC, the other two major cable news outlets, are both deemed generally reliable, as are traditional news organizations like the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal (and yes, Slate). Several conservative publications, like The Daily Wire, are deemed generally unreliable. Breitbart gets even harsher treatment, having been blacklistedlinks to the site are blocked as spam unless editors receive special permission to use them. A similar status was first applied to the Daily Mail, a British tabloid notorious for its poor journalistic standards, in 2017. Other publications in the no consensus, unclear, or additional considerations apply category include the liberal magazine Salon, the feminist site Jezebel, and the conservative magazine National Review.

Editors have also often penalized publications from countries without a free press. For instance, the entry for the Straits Times, the largest newspaper in Singapore, warns editors, given known practices of self-censorship and political meddling into coverage, news related to Singapore politics, particularly for contentious claims, should be taken with a grain of salt. Wikipedians use the availability of reliable sources to determine which topics merit an article, so the lack of reliable sourcing in countries like China limits the encyclopedias ability to cover it, creating a potential issue of geographic bias. Wikipedia can only be as comprehensive as its sources permit.

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Wikipedias focus on sourcing ultimately traces back one of its key policies, verifiability. If you see something on Wikipedia, you should be able to check that its real by reference to another source, Li said. And if you cant do that, then it doesnt belong on Wikipedia.

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The verifiability policy helps Wikipedias model of crowdsourced knowledge function. In other situations, a works authority often comes from the identity of its author. This is the model used by traditional encyclopedias: When we read an entry on Britannica, we trust it because it was written by an expert staking their reputation on its accuracy. But on Wikipedia, where anyone can edit, there is no reason to trust any contributor. So instead, the authority of the sites information comes from its verifiable references, which outsource the responsibility for fact-finding to secondary sources.

That spirit of transparency extends to Wikipedias behind-the-scenes discussions, like the one on Fox News, which are conducted publicly. The beauty of it is that anyone can look at these debates for themselves and see how they arrived at their result, Li said. Thats what gives it the legitimacy.

Future Tense is a partnership of Slate, New America, and Arizona State University that examines emerging technologies, public policy, and society.
Stormy weather gives way to autumnal weekend: Spain weather outlook September 30-October 2



The wet weather will move away from the Mediterranean over the weekend to leave bright, sunny days

Tropical storm Hermine, which created the wettest September ever seen in the Canary Islands, will begin moving away from Spain towards the end of this week, dispersing the last of the storms along the Mediterranean coast. This will leave a largely settled weekend in southern Spain, although the heavy rain will persist in the north.

Friday September 30, when orange weather alerts will be in place in Catalonia and the Balearic Islands for storms. Here, flooding is likely and Aemet has predicted hail stones of more than two centimetres in diameter  around the size of a euro coin. Storms are also expected in the The worst of the after-effects from Hermine will be felt on, when orange weather alerts will be in place in Catalonia and the Balearic Islands for storms. Here, flooding is likely and Aemet has predicted hail stones of more than two centimetres in diameter  around the size of a euro coin. Storms are also expected in the Valencian Community and Teruel, but theyll be far less intense.

Friday night will be much cooler, the thermometers hovering at around 14C in Alicante and Murcia while the daytime temperatures should still easily hit the mid-20s.

The weather will make a big improvement on Saturday October 1, with only Galicia remaining cloudy and showery. Elsewhere the day will be mostly clear and the northern Canary Islands can expect some light rain.

The mercury will rise noticeably in practically all of Spain, reaching 30C in Seville , while the north and inland areas will also see a boost. The night will be cool again in the southeast, not rising above the mid-teens in many communities.

Although Sunday October 2 is expected to remain stable, there is a slight chance of showers and storms in the extreme south of Spain, mainly affecting eastern Andalucia and the Alboran. The morning will begin slightly cloudy although this should clear in the south as the day goes on.

There arent any weather warnings in place for Sunday, but Aemet hasnt ruled out the presence of a calima in the south of the country and the Canary Islands.

Temperatures will rise again in practically the whole of Spain.

>>> Join our Facebook group for regular weather insights: Spain Weather Watch <<

Image: Aemet
Slovak officials attack move by Czechs and Austrians.

Czech police officer controls a truck at the border with Slovakia in Stary Hrozenkov, Czech Republic. (Source: SITA)

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Checks introduced by Austria and the Czech Republic on borders with Slovakia probably run counter to European Union legislation, Interior Minister Roman Mikulec (OLaNO) said today.

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Both countries introduced the checks at midnight last night amid rising illegal immigration through Slovakia. Both Vienna and Prague have said the measure is temporary, but could be extended if needed.

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During a Parliamentary Defence and Security Committee session, Mikulec said a similar measure could be put in place at the Slovak-Hungary border, but pointed out "it is not a measure that would stop illegal migration".

Czech officials have criticised their Slovak counterparts, pointing out that comparatively few illegal immigrants are detained in Slovakia.

But Slovak Police Corps President Stefan Hamran said this was because Slovakia is a transit country for migrants.

"It is logical that the Slovak police do not catch so many migrants, because migrants can cross the country in a matter of hours. They do not have to stop many times and thus come across few police patrols," said Hamran.

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So far, Slovakia has detained around 3,000 illegal migrants this year, the Czech Republic 11,000 and Hungary 178,000.

Following the imposition of border checks, Czech police said they had caught more than 150 migrants and nine people smugglers, with more than a third of those detained at border crossings. The migrants detained were mostly Syrian and were heading to western Europe.

Slovak police have detained over 60 migrants since Thursday morning.
https://sputniknews.com/20220928/at-least-six-injured-after-shooting-at-california-school-authorities-say-1101324237.html

At Least Six Injured After Shooting at California School, Authorities Say

At Least Six Injured After Shooting at California School, Authorities Say

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - At least six individuals were injured on Wednesday after a shooting took place at an Oakland school campus in California, the Alameda... 28.09.2022, Sputnik International

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The shooting took place at about 12:45 p.m. local time (19:45 GMT) near a building complex on Fountain Street that houses several schools, including Rudsdale Newcomer and Bay Area Technology School, and Sojourner Truth Independent Study school, local media reported.Lt. Ray Kelly of the sheriff's department told reporters that first responders had arrived on the scene at about 1 p.m. local time, adding that the shooting was "probably a targeted event." Victims of the incident were taken to hospitals while students were evacuated from schools after a brief lockdown. Three of the six injured were said to be in critical condition. It remains unclear whether all six were students, but officials have detailed that they were "adults."KION-TV News Channel reported that police said there were three shooters involved in the incident, who are not believed to still be at the school. Kelly has explained that they fled the scene."Today's gun violence at Sojourner Truth school shocks the soul -- our schools are sanctuaries for our children," Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf said in a tweet. "Our investigators report all six victims are adults + being treated for injuries at hospitals now. The school is now clear + all children being reunited w/ families."An investigation into the incident is ongoing as officials work to determine what prompted the shooting.

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https://sputniknews.com/20220928/two-ugandan-army-helicopters-crash-in-uganda-eastern-congo-killing-24-soldiers----report-1101324093.html

Two Ugandan Army Helicopters Crash in Uganda, Eastern Congo, Killing 24 Soldiers - Report

Two Ugandan Army Helicopters Crash in Uganda, Eastern Congo, Killing 24 Soldiers - Report

A pair of Ugandan military helicopters crashed in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Uganda this week while engaged in counter-terrorism operations... 28.09.2022, Sputnik International

2022-09-28T23:19+0000

2022-09-28T23:19+0000

2022-09-28T23:16+0000

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A Ugandan Peoples Defense Force (UPDF) spokesperson told reporters on Wednesday about one crash, which occurred in the Boga region of Congos northeastern Ituri Province, on the border with Uganda. However, he said officials were still waiting on information about the number of killed and wounded.According to the Monitor, the pilot was Yury Vyshykvy, a Ukrainian national who was teaching a Ugandan captain. The UPDF has long cooperated with Ukrainian aerospace companies, as well as other former Soviet republics and allies, in repairing and maintaining its aging air fleet. Kampala also has good relations with both Russia and the United States and has remained neutral on the question of the Ukrainian conflict, abstaining from United Nations votes and calling for a negotiated peace settlement.The second helicopter was also engaged in Operation Shujaa, a joint Uganda-DRC campaign against the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), a Daesh*-aligned group in the eastern Congo that aims to overthrow the Ugandan government. It has killed around 6,000 people since 2013, according to Congolese authorities.The ADF is just one of several rebel groups active in the region, which is why a United Nations peacekeeping mission has deployed some 14,000 troops there - although they, too, have been part of the violence.*A terrorist group outlawed in Russia and many other countries.

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https://sputniknews.com/20220929/a-gift-package-low-water-levels-in-norway-unearth-7000-year-old-fish-traps-1101328414.html

'A Gift Package': Low Water Levels in Norway Unearth 7,000-Year-Old Fish Traps

'A Gift Package': Low Water Levels in Norway Unearth 7,000-Year-Old Fish Traps

A fishing set-up dating back to the Old Stone Age appears to be the oldest of its kind not only in Norway, but in Northern Europe in general, adding valuable... 29.09.2022, Sputnik International

2022-09-29T06:23+0000

2022-09-29T06:23+0000

2022-09-29T06:23+0000

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An ancient fishing facility dating back thousands of years have been discovered in Norway due to low water levels.Numerous poles rising from the water and forming traps were discovered at the mountain Lake Tesse in Lom in Innlandet County in central Norway by mountaineer and hobby archeologist Reidar Marstein. By his own admission, he noted a pattern in their formation.According to the Cultural History Museum at the University of Oslo, one of the logs was subsequently dated to be around 7,000 years old. Therefore, the fishing set-up dates back to around 5,000 BC in the Old Stone Age and is oldest of its kind not only in Norway, but in Northern Europe as such.The new find allows one to see the contours of an extensive and very old fishery located in a Paleolithic environment that will be studied further, Mjrum said. Earlier, in 2013 and 2014, traces of extensive Stone Age activity were found along the banks of Lake Tesse, including net sinkers.So far, at least three trapping chambers with guiding fences and funnel-shaped inlets have been identified on the seabed. While today Lake Tesse is a regulated environment, in the olden days the traps were likely placed in shallow waters. The locals could have used simple boats or simply waded out. Every spring, Lake Tesse is drained to produce power, which subsequently reveals the old sea bed.This fishing ground has been in use used for thousands of years. When you started to regulate water levels, everything possible started to emerge, Mjrum noted.Divers from the Norwegian Maritime Museum visited the lake to retrieve dating samples and secure the unique cultural heritage against erosion and ice over the winter. Next year, when the ice has melted, archaeologists from the Museum of Cultural History embark on excavation.It is so valuable that we cannot take the chance of waiting, Mjrum concluded.

https://sputniknews.com/20220912/norwegian-couple-ploughs-up-viking-sword-in-potato-field-1100670902.html

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Chinese President Xi Jinping and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Thursday exchanged congratulatory messages over the 50th anniversary of the normalization of China-Japan diplomatic relations.

In his message, Xi pointed out that 50 years ago, the then Chinese and Japanese leaders grasped the situation with foresight and made a major political decision to normalize China-Japan diplomatic relations, which opened a new chapter in bilateral relations.

He said that over the past 50 years, thanks to the joint efforts of the two governments and peoples, the two sides have successively signed four political documents and reached a series of important consensuses, and continuously deepened exchanges and cooperation in various fields, bringing important benefits to the two countries and their people as well as promoting peace and development of the region and the wider world.

Xi stressed that he attaches great importance to the development of China-Japan relations, and stands ready to work with Kishida to lead both sides to jointly build a China-Japan relationship that meets the demands of the new era by taking the 50th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic ties as an opportunity and following the trend of the times.

In his message, Kishida said that 50 years ago, the then Chinese and Japanese leaders, with strategic thinking and political courage, opened a new historic course in Japan-China relations.

During the past 50 years, Japan-China cooperation in a wide range of fields such as economy, culture and personnel exchanges, has made remarkable progress, Kishida said, adding that it is of great significance for the two sides to jointly create a new future for Japan-China relations.

The Japanese side stands ready to join hands with the Chinese side to focus on promoting the development of constructive and stable Japan-China relations as well as peace and prosperity of the two countries, the region and the world in the next 50 years, he said.

On the same day, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and Kishida also exchanged congratulations. Li said China and Japan are geographically close to each other and culturally connected, and are both important countries in the region and the international community.

China is willing to make joint efforts with Japan to work for peaceful and friendly coexistence, maintain the political foundation of bilateral relations, deepen exchanges and cooperation in various fields, properly manage conflicts and differences, and push for a healthy and stable development of China-Japan relations with the 50th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic ties as a new starting point, Li said.
https://sputniknews.com/20220929/another-east-india-company-or-transformational-paradigm-what-does-the-future-hold-for-the-cpec-1101343094.html

Another 'East India Company' or 'Transformational Paradigm'? What Does the Future Hold for the CPEC?

Another 'East India Company' or 'Transformational Paradigm'? What Does the Future Hold for the CPEC?

CPEC is the main artery of China's Belt and Road Initiative in Pakistan, the official aim of which is to foster bilateral connectivity. However, several... 29.09.2022, Sputnik International

2022-09-29T15:06+0000

2022-09-29T15:06+0000

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economy

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The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, or CPEC, begins in Chinas Xinjiang province and goes all the way through Pakistan to the port of Gwadar located in the southern province of Balochistan, which opens into the Arabian Sea.Originally valued at $47 billion, the cumulative value of all CPEC projects has currently amplified considerably, with an estimated worth of $62 billion in 2020.Since its official launch in 2015, the CPEC has completed many major projects across Pakistan, including coal-fired plants, such as that in Port Qasim Karachi, solar parks, including the Quaid-e-Azam Solar Park, wind farms, and many more, while at least a dozen more similar energy projects that are under construction at the moment.Is CPEC Becoming Another East India Company?Most vigorous critics have compared CPEC to the exploitative London-based East India Company. The latter was probably the most powerful corporation in history, originating in 1600 and operational up until 1874. At its height, it dominated global trade between Europe, South Asia and the Far East, conquering and colonizing modern-day India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Burma.Looking at the CPEC, however, there are major distinctions between the two projects.Pakistan and China are geographical neighbors that have enjoyed good relations for decades. The philosophy of CPEC is a fusion of Vision 2025 and China's Belt and Road (BRI) initiative and this is not the first time that the two countries have partnered up, they have enjoyed strategic partnership for decades.The roots for the CPEC were first laid back in the 1990s, as friendly and mutually beneficial relations existed.Furthermore, CPEC brings a transformational paradigm to both the countries involved as the huge investment in energy, infrastructure and the industrial sectors offers a win-win and equal opportunities to both.Looking at it from a historical point of view, it can be seen that in the 18th century, Indo-Pak's gross domestic product (GDP) share was much higher than Britains share in global GDP. This was the main attraction to East India Company to exploit the region's wealth and seize a higher share of the prosperous Indo-Pak continent.However, in 2021, China's gross domestic product (GDP) amounted to around $17.46 trillion, whereas Pakistan's GDP is $0.3 trillion. Hence, it can be seen that CPEC is essentially quite the opposite of East India Company.China has claimed that in order to understand how it operates in other regions, one can look at Beijing's involvement in Africa.'Debt Trap'?Another point that has been raised by some critics is that CPEC projects can potentially become a debt trap for Pakistan. In 2015, the Governor of the Central Bank in Pakistan Ashraf Mahmood Wathra publicly said, "I don't know out of $46 billion, how much is debt, how much is equity and how much is in kind."He allegedly also said that he did not know what the debt implications of CPEC actually were.However, official statistics suggest that 20% of CPEC is debt-based finance, while 80% are investments in joint ventures (JV) between Pakistan and China. Furthermore, local reports have mentioned that some of the biggest projects contribute to 40,000 jobs for local Pakistanis and 80,000 jobs for the Chinese.Economic analysts stated that 3.5% of Pakistani GDP is lost due to poor transportation networks, hence, CPEC's transportation projects may counter this loss, as new roads will mean faster and reliable transportation of goods.Another economically tangible benefit of this initiative includes an end to the major energy shortages in Pakistan which had previously crippled economic growth and resulted in the closing of many important industries around the country.Despite the critics and difficulties that the CPEC has recently faced, the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor is back in the news again and it is planning to expand.At the third meeting of the CPEC Joint Working Group on International Cooperation and Coordination (JWG-ICC) held on July 21, China and Pakistan decided to promote cooperation schemes involving third parties in line with existing consensus, extending to Afghanistan.Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi reportedly said that China hopes to push the alignment of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) with the development strategies of Afghanistan, support the extension of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) to Afghanistan, and share Chinas development opportunities.Overall, the China-Pakistan projects, and their possible expansion to include third countries in the coming years, will impact relations and the economy of the South Asia region, the benefits of which will be felt by the generations to come.The views expressed in this column are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the position of Sputnik.

https://sputniknews.com/20220726/india-warns-china-pakistan-against-inviting-third-countries-in-cpec-projects-1097797405.html

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https://sputniknews.com/20220929/armenian-prime-minister-pashinyan-says-azerbaijan-attacked-armenias-sovereignty-1101326415.html

Armenian Prime Minister Pashinyan Says Azerbaijan Attacked Armenia's Sovereignty

Armenian Prime Minister Pashinyan Says Azerbaijan Attacked Armenia's Sovereignty

YEREVAN (Sputnik) - Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said Azerbaijan has carried out new attacks on the sovereignty and democracy of Armenia. 29.09.2022, Sputnik International

2022-09-29T03:59+0000

2022-09-29T03:59+0000

2022-09-29T03:56+0000

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The Armenian Defense Ministry on Wednesday accused Azerbaijan of mortar shelling of Armenian positions on the border. It said three Armenian soldiers were killed. In turn, the Azerbaijani Ministry of Defense said the Azerbaijani military came under fire from the Armenian Armed Forces. Baku said one Azerbaijani soldier was wounded.The Armenian Foreign Ministry said that "on September 28, units of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces, illegally located on the sovereign territory of Armenia, using mortars and large-caliber weapons, once again grossly violating the ceasefire, opened fire on the eastern direction of the Armenian-Azerbaijani border."The ministry called the incident "another provocation, which is a continuation of the large-scale aggression launched on September 13 against the territorial integrity of Armenia."It said this confirms the fears of the Armenian side that Azerbaijan plans to keep using force."Moreover, such a provocation by Azerbaijan aims to disrupt the meeting of the two countries' foreign ministers, the organization of which is being discussed," the statement said.On September 12, hostilities broke out on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border. The sides accused each other of starting an escalation. Both parties reported losses among military personnel. By next morning, the sides agreed on a ceasefire.Head of the Russian Federation Council's Foreign Affairs Committee Grigory Karasin told Sputnik the ceasefire was achieved thanks to the efforts of Russia, including after a conversation between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, and the work of the Russian Foreign Ministry.On September 13, the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) Collective Security Council reached an agreement to send a mission of the organization, led by Secretary General Stanislav Zas, to Armenia.

https://sputniknews.com/20220923/armenia-and-azerbaijan-accuse-each-other-of-ceasefire-violations-on-border-1101115062.html

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https://sputniknews.com/20220929/beijing-tokyo-commemorate-50-years-of-relations-amid-deepening-political-row-1101356141.html

Beijing, Tokyo Commemorate 50 Years of Relations Amid Deepening Political Row

Beijing, Tokyo Commemorate 50 Years of Relations Amid Deepening Political Row

Japan seized Taiwan from China as a war prize in 1895 and turned it into a sugar colony, and it was only returned to Beijings control after the Japanese... 29.09.2022, Sputnik International

2022-09-29T21:06+0000

2022-09-29T21:06+0000

2022-09-29T21:06+0000

world

china

japan

relations

taiwan

anniversary

yasukuni shrine

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On Thursday, the governments of Japan and China commemorated half a century of diplomatic relations, albeit without the pomp and circumstance, due to their present strained relations.On September 29, 1972, Japanese Prime Minister Kakuei Tanaka and Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai signed a joint communique in which the two countries agreed to "establish relations of perpetual peace and friendship."Japans move came months after US President Richard Nixon traveled to Beijing to do much the same, pledging to work toward mutual benefit and peaceful coexistence. However, the US only made the formal switch from recognizing Taipei to recognizing Beijing in 1978.Constructive and Stable RelationsSeparate receptions were held in Beijing and Tokyo on Thursday to mark the anniversary. In Beijing, the reception was held at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse and attended by senior Chinese officials as well as Hideo Tarumi, Japans ambassador to Beijing.Xi hailed the anniversary as an opportunity for the two nations to work together to build a China-Japan relationship that meets the requirements of the new era.In Tokyo, Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi attended an event hosted by the Japan Business Federation, a powerful lobby better known as the Keidanren.At the event, Keidanren chairman Masakazu Tokura hailed Japans relationship with China as one of the most important bilateral relationships."Japanese figure skater Yuzuru Hanyu, a two-time Olympic champion who is beloved in China as an athlete and cultural ambassador, also attended the Tokyo ceremony."Today is a memorable day, and I feel very glad," Hanyu said, adding that he hopes Japan and China will "build a better relationship because they are neighbors."However, the feelings are different in the diplomatic sphere, where Japan has pulled closer to its chief ally, the United States, which declared in 2017 that great power competition with Russia and China was its new chief strategic concern.Tensions and TraumaTensions remain between the two nations, though, rooted partly in present-day competing interests and claims, but also in historical trauma.Under former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Japan began a turn sharply to the right, pursuing increasing militarization as Abe sought to amend a key clause of the Japanese constitution that mandates military neutrality. He also aroused fury in China and Korea by visiting the Yasukuni Shrine, a memorial to Japanese war heroes, including those accused of war crimes. Abe was assassinated earlier this year at a political rally after leaving office by a man with a personal grudge against him.China and Japan also have competing claims over a group of uninhabited islands in the East China Sea that Japan calls the Senkakus and China calls Diaoyu Dao. The islets have great strategic value, sitting well offshore from mainland China and near the Miyako Strait and Japans Ryukyu Islands.Still, the economic and cultural exchange between the two East Asian countries has been immense: China has become Japans largest trading partner, with bilateral trade in 2021 reaching a record $391.4 billion. Trendy Chinese brands dot Japanese storefronts and Chinese youth dine on classic Japanese foods.

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china, japan, relations, taiwan, anniversary, yasukuni shrine
https://sputniknews.com/20220929/conservative-mps-press-truss-to-fire-kwarteng-or-face-rebellion-amid-uk-financial-market-turmoil-1101328129.html

Conservative MPs Press Truss to Fire Kwarteng or Face Rebellion Amid UK Financial Market Turmoil

Conservative MPs Press Truss to Fire Kwarteng or Face Rebellion Amid UK Financial Market Turmoil

Earlier this week, Downing Street denied reports that Prime Minister Liz Truss and Kwasi Kwarteng had a row during their recent meeting over how to respond to... 29.09.2022, Sputnik International

2022-09-29T05:57+0000

2022-09-29T05:57+0000

2022-09-29T05:57+0000

world

uk

liz truss

kwasi kwarteng

government

budget

crisis

tory mps

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Angry Tory MPs have pressured Prime Minister Liz Truss to sack Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng or face a mutiny amid a UK financial market turmoil and the Conservative backbenchers unease over the governments emergency tax-cutting mini-budget.Conservative MP Robert Largan was cited by The Guardian as saying that he has serious reservations about a number of announcements made by the chancellor and that he does not believe that cutting the 45p top tax rate is the right decision when the governments fiscal room for maneuver is so limited.Mel Stride, the Tory chair of the Treasury Select Committee, urged the party to try to avoid a political crisis on top of an economic one, saying, The question is whether the [mini-budget] plan is going to succeed. Its had an adverse reaction from the markets.The Guardian reported that in private remarks, some MPs went even further, slamming the mini-budget as a disaster and insisting that only a reversal of this financial package and the sacking of Kwarteng could get the party back on an even keel.One MP told the newspaper that Kwasi will have to go. She [Prime Minister Truss] wont have any option. They are actually crashing the economy and she will need somebody to blame.Referring to the partys annual conference in Birmingham, scheduled for Saturday, one Tory lawmaker told The Guardian that the mood within the party was one of disbelief. I dont think it is sustainable. I predict the chancellor will get the sack and it will unravel from there, the MP argued.One MP called on Truss to ditch her Chancellor and bring back a more experienced figure to oversee the Treasury, saying, The only change possible that might prove reassuring is to change course and bring more of the old back. No Kwasi, no Chris Philp, install someone calm and confident.Bank of England Launches Emergency Intervention The remarks came as Truss was accused of hiding away after the unveiling of the mini-budget caused economic turmoil and the collapse of the pound, with the Bank of England (BoE) forced to intervene on Wednesday to prevent a crisis in Britains major pension funds.The BoE embarked on an estimated 65 billion ($70 billion) buy-up of bonds amid what a Treasury source described to The Independent as serious concerns about the short-term financial stability of some of the major pension funds in the UK.While Junior Treasury Minister Andrew Griffith was then sent out to insist that the government would press ahead with the mini-budget, Truss was a no show, last seen in public sitting on the green Commons benches alongside Kwarteng for his statement last Friday.Downing Street insisted that it was nonsense that the pair had been at odds during the gathering, arguing that Truss meets Kwarteng every day and there was no argument between them.Earlier on Monday, the UK pound plummeted to its lowest level against the US dollar since the British currency went decimal in 1971. In early Asia-Pacific trading that day, the sterling fell by more than 4% to $1.0327 before it regained some ground to about $1.05, extending last weeks 3.61% drop.UK Chancellor's Mini-Budget The developments followed Kwarteng unveiling his mini-budget aimed at resolving the UKs cost of living crisis and boosting the economic growth. The Chancellor, in particular, vowed to raise gross domestic product (GDP) growth to 2.5% and proposed more than 411 billion ($446 billion) in extra borrowing over five years.The financial package of measures also stipulate spending 60 billion ($65 billion) in the six months following October 2022 to reduce energy bills for UK households and businesses. Under the mini-budget, the basic income tax rate will be slashed to 19% from 20%, while a planned corporate tax hike to 25% will be reversed, with businesses continuing to pay a rate of 19%.The 45% income tax rate paid by those earning over 150,000 ($158,000) per year will be reduced to 40%, while the cap on bankers bonuses will be abolished, and alcohol duties will be frozen. Kwarteng also announced a series of supply-side measures, and a reform of planning rules with the creation of low-tax investment zones on top of this.

https://sputniknews.com/20220923/british-chancellor-unveils-mini-budget-to-tackle-runaway-inflation-1101117219.html

https://sputniknews.com/20220926/why-british-pound-will-remain-weak-over-short-term--even-weaker-in-long-run-1101247304.html

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uk, liz truss, kwasi kwarteng, government, budget, crisis, tory mps
https://sputniknews.com/20220929/death-toll-from-shipwreck-in-north-of-bangladesh-rises-to-69-another-3-missing-reports-say-1101329694.html

Death Toll From Shipwreck in North of Bangladesh Rises to 69, Another 3 Missing, Reports Say

Death Toll From Shipwreck in North of Bangladesh Rises to 69, Another 3 Missing, Reports Say

NEW DELHI (Sputnik) - The number of victims in a shipwreck in the north of Bangladesh has reached 69, with three people missing, local media reported. 29.09.2022, Sputnik International

2022-09-29T06:35+0000

2022-09-29T06:35+0000

2022-09-29T06:35+0000

world

bangladesh

shipwreck

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A total of 30 women, 21 children and 18 men died as a result of the accident, while three more are missing, according to the rescuers, United News of Bangladesh reported on Wednesday.On Sunday, an overloaded passenger boat carrying about 80 people sank in the middle of the Karatoya river. The majority of the passengers were Hindu devotees heading to the temple.Such accidents are quite common in Bangladesh, which has more than 230 rivers. However, this shipwreck is by far the largest boat accident in 2022.

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https://sputniknews.com/20220929/financier-of-genocide-felicien-kabuga-who-bankrolled-rwandan-massacres-begins-hague-trial-1101353566.html

Financier of Genocide - Rwandan Massacre Bankroller Begins Hague Trial

Financier of Genocide - Rwandan Massacre Bankroller Begins Hague Trial

On Thursday, Felicien Kabuga, one of the few remaining primary figures responsible for the 1994 Rwandan genocide who has not yet faced justice, began his trial... 29.09.2022, Sputnik International

2022-09-29T18:25+0000

2022-09-29T18:25+0000

2022-09-29T18:36+0000

africa

rwanda

rwandan genocide

the hague

trial

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The 89-year-old, who uses a wheelchair, appeared in the court from his cell via video link, having refused to enter the courtroom. He is charged with seven counts, including genocide, complicity in genocide, direct and public incitement to commit genocide, attempt to commit genocide and conspiracy to commit genocide, according to the Rwandan New Times. He is also accused of two crimes against humanity: persecution and extermination.At the hearing, prosecutors laid out their case against the Rwandan businessman, including detailing how he provided financing, weapons, and moral support to the Interhamwe, the Hutu Power paramilitary force that spearheaded the massacres of Tutsis and Twa in the spring of 1994."Twenty-eight years after the events, this trial is about holding Felicien Kabuga to account for his substantial and intentional role in that genocide," prosecutor Rashid S. Rashid told the court, according to AFP.In particular, Kabuga helped create the pro-Hutu Radio-Television Libre des Mille Collines (RTLM) and closely managed it during the genocide, when it broadcast round-the-clock hate speech referring to Tutsis as cockroaches, spreading news of Tutsi hiding places, and urging Hutus to kill them. He is also accused of passing out machetes to Hutus at rallies and telling them to finish the job.Kabuga is one of just a handful of the central genocidaires to have so far escaped justice.In May, UN investigators finally closed the book on the fate of Protais Mpiranya, the head of the Rwandan presidential guard, who oversaw the assassination of key Tutsi figures and Hutu moderates at the start of the genocide in April 1994. His grave was found, under a false name, in Zimbabwe. Likewise, in July, a French court sentenced Laurent Bucyibaruta, the former prefect of Rwandas Gikongoro province, to 20 years in prison for helping the Interahamwe kill tens of thousands of Tutsis who believed Bucyibarutas administration had offered them refuge.Divide-and-Rule Makes Fuel for GenocideRwanda was colonized by the Germans, then the Belgians, before becoming independent in 1962. Their divide and rule policy spread messages across the region that the Hutus and Tutsis were different people with contrary goals, and encouraged the Hutu thinking that Tutsis were outsiders that underpinned the Hutu Power movement.Within hours of Habyarimanas death, Hutu Power leaders had assassinated Tutsi leaders and moderate Hutus using kill lists already drawn up, and soldiers and police established checkpoints the next day and conducted sweeps to check peoples national ID cards, which indicated the bearers ethnicity. Those who were Tutsi were executed. Later, gangs and mobs were organized and set upon the local population.After the Hutu government was overthrown in July 1994, its remnants fled across the western border into Zaire, and soon began mounting new attacks. When the Rwandan military, now Tutsi-led, intervened in Zaire to hunt down the Hutu militias, it helped set in motion the destruction of Zaire, the foundation of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and the decade-long Congo Wars that drew in half of Africa and killed more than 5 million people.Two other French reports from earlier that year found the government of then-French President Francois Mitterrand bore overwhelming responsibilities for the genocide for continuing its divide-and-rule tactics while being fully aware of Hutu preparations for the genocide of Tutsis, as well as arming, advising and protecting the Hutu-led Rwandan government.

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https://sputniknews.com/20220929/former-nsa-employee-charged-with-trying-to-send-secrets-to-foreign-country---justice-dept-1101356580.html

Former NSA Employee Charged With Trying to Send Secrets to Foreign Country - Justice Dept.

Former NSA Employee Charged With Trying to Send Secrets to Foreign Country - Justice Dept.

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - A former National Security Agency (NSA) employee has been charged with three violations of the Espionage Act for allegedly attempting to... 29.09.2022, Sputnik International

2022-09-29T20:52+0000

2022-09-29T20:52+0000

2022-09-29T20:52+0000

americas

national security agency (nsa)

us justice department

defence secrets

espionage act

secrets

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https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e6/08/0a/1099456401_0:53:3271:1893_1920x0_80_0_0_57a663a8bf0957695190ecc1505bd1f6.jpg

Jareh Sebastian Dalke, 30, was an employee of the National Security Agency (NSA) where he served as an Information Systems Security Designer, the Justice Department said in a statement. Dalke used an encrypted email account to transmit excerpts of three classified documents he had obtained during his employment to an individual Dalke believed to be working for a foreign government.Dalke allegedly began communicating with an FBI Online Covert Employee (OCE) in late July through encrypted email. Dalke left the NSA due to the agencys inability to give him the time off needed to address family illness, according to an affidavit in support of the charges.The OCE reached out to an email address believed to belong to Dalke in late July, saying they had been informed to contact him. An individual believed to be Dalke responded on August 1, beginning a series of correspondences that culminated in the transmission of three classified documents to the OCE, the affidavit said.The documents were provided to demonstrate legitimate access and willingness to share, the affidavit cited the OCE as saying.The NSA then conducted an internal audit to determine who had accessed the specific documents, concluding that Dalke was the only person to have printed all three, the affidavit said.The individual believed to be Dalke claimed to have reached out to multiple channels to gain a response about exfiltrating information, including submissions to a so-called deep web site maintained by Russias Foreign Intelligence Service, the affidavit said.The OCE then requested the email account owner send their preferred cryptocurrency address to receive payment. The person also requested proof that the OCE was a member of the foreign government they claimed to represent, asking for a posting through media services to confirm, the affidavit said.Later in August, financial records indicate that money traced through the cryptocurrency payments had been deposited into an account allegedly held by Dalke, the affidavit also said. The FBI maintained communication with the individual, setting up a sting for September 28, the affidavit also said.The Justice Department pointed out that Dalke was subsequently arrested by the FBI after showing up at the sting location specified to the email account owner, where he was supposed to transmit more sensitive information.If found guilty, Dalke faces a sentence of up to life in prison and may even be given the death penalty.

https://sputniknews.com/20220905/beijing-demands-explanations-from-us-over-nsa-cyberattacks-on-chinese-sites-1100403004.html

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national security agency (nsa), us justice department, defence secrets, espionage act, secrets
https://sputniknews.com/20220929/indias-national-hydrogen-mission-important-to-avoid-future-energy-crises---expert--1101333692.html

India's 'National Hydrogen Mission' Important to Avoid Future Energy Crises - Expert

India's 'National Hydrogen Mission' Important to Avoid Future Energy Crises - Expert

At Glasgow26, India announced its intention of becoming carbon-neutral by 2070, while aiming to increase non-fossil fuel energy capacity to 500 gigawatts (GW)... 29.09.2022, Sputnik International

2022-09-29T13:41+0000

2022-09-29T13:41+0000

2022-09-29T13:41+0000

india

green economy

green

hydro-quebec

hydrogen

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India launched the National Hydrogen Mission last year, with a '1-1-1' target of reaching $1 per 1 kilogram in 1 decade.Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari recently expressed hopes that petrol would be replaced by green hydrogen in the next five years.However, adopting this technology is going to see many challenges for the government, which include the cost to people's behavioral patterns and clean energy production in the absence of any legal framework.Sputnik spoke with Professor Rajeev Ahuja, director of the Indian Institute of Technology Ropar, to get a brief understanding of green hydrogen prospects in India.Sputnik: How would you describe green hydrogen to an ordinary person and what is the difference between different forms of hydrogen, like blue or grey hydrogen?Dr. Ahuja: It simply means breaking water into oxygen and hydrogen. Hydrogen does not occur freely in nature, it's mostly available in the water. The whole process is done on a lab scale.However, as of now, even drinking water cannot be used for this process: hydrogen is produced from biomass gasification, which is green. The raw materials are agricultural crops or forest residues, organic municipal solid trash, and animal waste.India's Punjab state has lots of potential for green hydrogen as its an agricultural state, leaving lots of residue after crop production. Many steps and initiatives have been taken in the state in this regard.[As for] the color of hydrogen, it depends on the process by which it was obtained through.So, blue hydrogen differs from grey hydrogen in terms of the carbon-capturing process, [but the latter is not carbon-neutral].Meanwhile, green and blue hydrogen are carbon neutral.Sputnik: At this time, new options emerge every other month to replace coal and fuel. But what's the best out there in the market?Dr. Ahuja: [It's better not to undermine] the use of solar and renewables -- they are equally very good forms of energy. The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy has set a target of installing 175 gigawatts (GW) of renewable energy, which includes 100 GW from solar, 60 GW from wind, 10 GW from biomass, and the remaining 5 GW from small hydropower. In this [regard], every sector plays a crucial role.Cost plays a very important role, with governments' effort to reach out to villages and give subsidies on the solar product  people are buying these products.India is a warm nation; most parts see sun throughout the year, so we should use it.But at the same time, solar cannot be used for transportation, but hydrogen can be used for transportation. There cannot be a single source of energy, everything is integrated.Sputnik: Last August, Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the National Hydrogen Mission, aimed at making India a green hydrogen hub producing five million tonnes by 2030. How much progress has been made in this regard?Dr. Ahuja: India has lots of biomass, and there is a huge demand for hydrogen, if this biomass is used properly, there are chances that whatever we produce maybe it's still that would not be enough.Big companies like Indian Oil, Reliance, and even Railways have already jumped in.Sputnik But, what about medium and small-scale industries and those residing not in major cities?Dr. Ahuja: Biomass is mostly available on the outskirts of the cities, so does agriculture residue. Hence, the production station can be set up in a village or even outside the house, and the people can simultaneously use it.Second, everyone will start shifting to them once their cost goes down. The cost will for sure be coming down. There was a time when the cost of solar energy was high cost has been cut up to 100 times, it used to cost in dollars, now cents.Moreover, in coming time, a subsidy is expected to be announced by the government for industries.Sputnik: India has set a target of decarbonization or turning carbon neutral by 2070. Is this goal realistic?Dr. Ahuja: It's a promising target. Small European countries will already be carbon neutral by 2070, including Norway, Sweden, etc. Our goal is needed to be achieved in the next 48 years.You'll see a major shift in Indian consumer behavior in the next ten years.

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green economy, green, hydro-quebec, hydrogen
https://sputniknews.com/20220929/kremlin-nord-stream-terrorist-act-could-hardly-have-occurred-without-state-involvement-1101335568.html

Kremlin: Nord Stream Terrorist Act Could Hardly Have Occurred Without State Involvement

Kremlin: Nord Stream Terrorist Act Could Hardly Have Occurred Without State Involvement

On Wednesday, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko said that Russia is ready to consider applications from EU countries for a joint investigation... 29.09.2022, Sputnik International

2022-09-29T10:04+0000

2022-09-29T10:04+0000

2022-09-30T10:27+0000

nord stream sabotage

russia

nord stream

incident

dmitry peskov

terrorism

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Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Thursday that the Nord Stream incident looks like a terrorist act on a state level. According to him, "It is very difficult to imagine that such a terrorist act could take place without the involvement of some state."Peskov also said that even though Russia and the US do not maintain substantive contact through their special services, the emergency situation with the Nord Stream gas pipelines requires active and operational cooperation.When asked whether Moscow would seek an international investigation into the incident, the Kremlin spokesman said that "everything will depend on the situation." Peskov spoke after Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said earlier on Thursday that the incident at the Nord Stream pipeline took place in the area controlled by the US intelligence.The remarks followed Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko telling reporters on Wednesday that Moscow is ready to consider requests from EU countries for a joint investigation into recent incidents on the Nord Stream offshore gas pipelines, if any, but so far there have been none.Earlier on Wednesday, EU Foreign Policy Chief Josep Borrell said in a statement on Wednesday that the European Union is deeply concerned about damage to the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines []." According to him, Safety and environmental concerns are of utmost priority. These incidents are not a coincidence and affect us all. All available information indicates those leaks are the result of a deliberate act, Borrell noted.

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russia, nord stream, incident, dmitry peskov, terrorism
Putin Briefs Erdogan on Results of Referendums in Liberated Territories - Kremlin

Russian President Vladimir Putin informed Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan about the results of the September 23-27 referendums in the liberated territories on joining Russia, the Kremlin said on Thursday.

"Vladimir Putin informed about the results of the referendums held on September 23-27 in the Donetsk and Lugansk people's republics, Kherson and Zaporozhye regions on joining the Russian Federation. It was emphasized that the voting had taken place in a transparent manner, in full compliance with the norms and principles of international law. Residents of these regions exercised their right to self-determination in accordance with the provisions of the UN Charter, the 1966 International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the 1975 Helsinki Final Act," the statement says.
 Flash

A fourth leak on the Nord Stream pipelines has been reported after seismic activity corresponding to blasts on the Baltic Sea seabed was detected earlier in the week.

The leak was discovered on the Nord Stream 2 pipeline in Sweden's exclusive economic zone near a previously reported hole on Nord Stream 1.

The Swedish Coast Guard said that the leak on Nord Stream 2 was discovered earlier in the week, but the first media reports about this only emerged on Wednesday evening.

"They (the leaks) have probably occurred at the same time," Jenny Larsson, a duty officer of the Swedish Coast Guard told Dagens Nyheter newspaper on Thursday.

The pipelines were constructed to transport natural gas from Russia to Germany, though neither was in use when the leaks were discovered.

Measuring stations in Sweden registered strong underwater explosions in the same sea area as the gas leaks that occurred in the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines on Monday, Swedish television (SVT) reported on Tuesday.

One of the presumed explosions was detected in the early hours of Monday and the second one on Monday evening.

The Swedish government said that the leaks were being investigated as probable sabotage.

"We take this situation very seriously and the detonations must be seen in the light of the security policy situation," Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson said on Wednesday.

At the same press conference on Wednesday, Minister for Foreign Affairs Ann Linde also said that it was still too early to say whether another state was behind the presumed blasts.

"It is important that there is a fact-based discussion to bring clarity to what happened," said Linde.
https://sputniknews.com/20220929/nicaraguan-president-accuses-catholic-church-of-coup-attempt-1101332338.html

Nicaraguan President Ortega Accuses Catholic Church of Coup Attempt

Nicaraguan President Ortega Accuses Catholic Church of Coup Attempt

MEXICO CITY (Sputnik) - Some Catholic priests in Nicaragua called on the population to seize military units and kill the president, Nicaraguan President Daniel... 29.09.2022, Sputnik International

2022-09-29T08:07+0000

2022-09-29T08:07+0000

2022-09-29T08:08+0000

americas

nicaragua

daniel ortega

coup

catholic church

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Ortega added that some of the priests in the country urged the citizens to carry out a coup, talked about the capture of military units, and called for his assassination. Commenting on criticism related to the infringement of democracy in the country, Ortega said that the church has no right to criticize him since it is itself a "perfect dictatorship."In August, the Nicaraguan police placed Bishop Rolando Alvarez of Matagalpa under house arrest and sent seven of his assistants to police custody. They are accused of inciting violent actions against the country and destabilizing the situation.

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https://sputniknews.com/20220929/north-korea-reportedly-fires-another-ballistic-missile-into-sea-of-japan-1101341359.html

North Korea Reportedly Fires Another Two Ballistic Missiles Into Sea of Japan

North Korea Reportedly Fires Another Two Ballistic Missiles Into Sea of Japan

This is the second report of missile launch this week, as on Wednesday Yonhap suggested that Pyongyang launched two short-range ballistic missiles. 29.09.2022, Sputnik International

2022-09-29T12:03+0000

2022-09-29T12:03+0000

2022-09-29T13:01+0000

world

democratic republic of north korea (dprk)

north korea missile launch

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Another missile was launched by North Korea on Thursday, South Korean news agency Yonhap claimed, citing the military. The Joint Chiefs of Staff of the South Korean Armed Forces said that Pyongyang had launched two missiles of an unidentified type towards the Sea of Japan, according to the agency.The projectile was reportedly launched towards the Sea of Japan, and according to Kyodo, it fell outside the Japanese exclusive economic zone. According to the Japanese military, the missiles traveled 300 km, reaching a maximum height of 50 km.The reports come amid the visit of US Vice President Kamala Harris to Seoul. She met South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol, reaffirming US commitment in the region.North Korea intensified ballistic missile and other projectile launches in 2022. Since the beginning of the year, Pyongyang has launched more than 20 missiles, compared to eight last year.

democratic republic of north korea (dprk)

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democratic republic of north korea (dprk), north korea missile launch
https://sputniknews.com/20220929/polish-politician-thanks-us-for-attacking-german-pipeline-month-of-action-against-africom-1101324606.html

Polish Politician Thanks US for Attacking German Pipeline; Month of Action Against Africom

Polish Politician Thanks US for Attacking German Pipeline; Month of Action Against Africom

Radek Sikorski, former Polish Defense Minister and husband of Washington Post reporter Anne Applebaum, has thanked the United States for attacking Germany's... 29.09.2022, Sputnik International

2022-09-29T08:17+0000

2022-09-29T08:17+0000

2022-09-29T08:17+0000

the critical hour

radio sputnik

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referendums

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radio

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Polish Politician Thanks US for Attacking German Pipeline; Month of Action Against Africom Radek Sikorski, the Former Polish Defense Minister and husband of Washington Post reporter Anne Applebaum, has formally thanked the United States for attacking Germany's Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines.

Scott Ritter, former UN weapon inspector in Iraq, joins us to discuss the attack on German infrastructure. Radek Sikorski, the former Polish Defense Minister and husband of Washington Post reporter Anne Applebaum, has thanked the United States for attacking Germany's Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines.Mark Sleboda, Moscow-based international relations security analyst, joins us to discuss the Ukraine crisis. Russia is readying to absorb the new territory after the referendums are complete. Also, Congress plans another 12 billion dollars for Ukraine, and the US is the prime suspect in the Nord Stream attack.Dan Lazare, investigative journalist, joins us to discuss the US war on the EU. The US is winning the war on the EU that aims to destroy its industry and impoverish its people. Also, we discuss who benefits from the attack on the Nord Stream pipelines.Wyatt Reed, Sputnik News analyst, joins us to discuss the Eastern Ukraine referendums. Wyatt reports from the liberated territories of former Eastern Ukraine. Also, we discuss the Nord stream incident.Laith Marouf, broadcaster and journalist based in Beirut, Lebanon, joins us to discuss the Middle East. Saudi's crown prince will become the nation's prime minister. Also, there is documentation of Israeli guards beating two Palestinian children during detention, and 18 billion dollars has "disappeared" from Lebanese banks.Erica Caines, coordinating committee member of the Black Alliance For Peace, member of the Black working-class centered Ujima People's Progress Party in Maryland, founder of Liberation Through Reading and co-editor of the Revolutionary African blog Hood Communist, joins us to discuss the Global South. The Black Alliance for Peace has announced a month-long call to action to work on pushing the US empire to shut down Africom and halt its oppressive imperialist policies towards Africa. Also, Evo Morales argues that a democratic revolution is blossoming in Latin America and the Caribbean.Ted Rall, political cartoonist, and syndicated columnist, joins us to discuss US citizens' support for the Ukraine neocon project. New polls suggest that support for the Ukraine crisis is waning as economic woes set in. Most Americans now favor a quick diplomatic end to the conflict.Dr. Jemima Pierre, associate professor of Black studies and anthropology at the University of California, Los Angeles, a member of the Black Alliance for Peace, and an editor of the "Black Agenda Review" segment of the Black Agenda Report, joins us to discuss Haiti. Haiti is facing a humanitarian crisis from the US empire crushing its independence and sovereignty. Also, basic infrastructure is closing due to severe fuel shortages.We'd love to get your feedback at radio@sputniknews.comThe views and opinions expressed in this program are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the position of Sputnik

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https://sputniknews.com/20220929/putin-signs-decree-recognizing-zaporozhye-kherson-regions-as-independent-territories-1101356780.html

Putin Signs Decree Recognizing Zaporozhye, Kherson Regions as Independent Territories

Putin Signs Decree Recognizing Zaporozhye, Kherson Regions as Independent Territories

In recent days, Kherson and Zaporozhye regions held referenda on their status, voting by large majorities to secede from Ukraine and join the Russian... 29.09.2022, Sputnik International

2022-09-29T21:39+0000

2022-09-29T21:39+0000

2022-09-29T22:37+0000

donbass, kherson & zaporozhye referendums to join russia

ukraine

zaporozhe

kherson

independence referendum

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Just after midnight on Friday, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed two decrees recognizing Kherson and Zaporozhye as regions independent of Ukraine.Referenda in the two territories, which Russia has controlled since early in its special operation in Ukraine, were held from September 23 through 27 to determine their status, following requests from local administrators. The votes showed that 87.05% of voters in Kherson region and 93.11% in Zaporozhye region wanted to join the Russian Federation, just as nearby Crimea did in 2014, following the US-backed nationalist coup in Kiev.The Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics in the Donbass region rebelled against Ukrainian sovereignty in 2014 as well, after the new right-wing nationalist government attempted to reduce the status of the Russian language in the country. Before February, when Moscow recognized the independence of the Donbass republics, roughly one-third of Ukrainians were ethnic Russians and spoke Russian as their first language, which another one-third speak Russian regularly.The special operation was launched in February 2022 following the failure of negotiations with Kiev and NATO about Russia's security red lines. The operation aims at achieving what diplomacy could not: the neutralization of Ukraine as a base from which NATO forces would be able to attack Russia and the elimination of the neo-Nazi threat against Russians in the region.

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https://sputniknews.com/20220929/scholar-pacific-nations-driven-by-pragmatism-us-yet-to-win-hearts--minds-1101353848.html

Scholar: Pacific Nations Driven by Pragmatism, US Yet to Win Hearts & Minds

Scholar: Pacific Nations Driven by Pragmatism, US Yet to Win Hearts & Minds

Washington's efforts to bolster ties with Pacific nations saw a serious setback on the eve of the September summit with the Solomon Islands rejecting a draft... 29.09.2022, Sputnik International

2022-09-29T18:10+0000

2022-09-29T18:10+0000

2022-09-29T18:10+0000

opinion & analysis

us

asia-pacific

asia & pacific

solomon islands

aid

investments

development

funding

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"There is a general rule regarding international relations, all efforts should match with the interests," said Dr. Chang Ching, research fellow of the Taiwan-based Society for Strategic Studies and a lead military expert on Chinas People's Liberation Army and regional security in Taiwan. "There is no free lunch that can be offered in the international society. If Washington would like to secure its leadership among Pacific island countries, it is necessary to present firm and solid contributions as said by a famous American commercial and election campaign statement: 'Where is the beef?'"The White House kicked off a first-ever summit with Pacific islands leaders on September 28. Earlier this year, US high-ranking officials intensified visits to the region, held virtual conferences and pledged millions of dollars for the region's development. The Biden administration's activities are seen by international observers as an attempt to curb China's growing influence in the region.However, on the eve of the summit, the embassy of Solomon Islands in New York announced that the country would not be endorsing a regional diplomatic agreement proposed by the US.On the other hand, a leaked letter sent by ambassadors for Palau, the Federated States of Marshall Islands and the Marshall Islands to the US National Security Council coordinator for Indo-Pacific argued that US funding proposals are insufficient.Nonetheless, on the first day of the summit, Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced that the US and Pacific nations had finally agreed on the joint declaration to strengthen their partnership. According to Reuters, the compromise was reached in exchange for "big dollar" aid. Citing US officials, the Washington Post reported on Wednesday that the Biden administration would invest over $860 million in expanded programs on top of more than $1.5 billion provided in the past decade.However, China's influence in the Pacific region still remains strong. Earlier, Beijing signed a comprehensive security pact with the Solomon Islands and continues to promote enhanced cooperation with the region.Australian political analyst Sameed Basha noted in his op-ed for the South China Morning Post (SCMP) that China offers direct investments, while the US proposes "aid." When Washington says that it had given $1.5 billion to Pacific island nations in the past decade, one should bear in mind that $5 million went to strengthening democratic institutions, another $3 million were allocated to advance democracy and good governance in the region, and $180,000 "to support journalists and combat what the US calls propaganda," according to Basha. "Unfortunately, investing in democracy alone does not feed people, nor does it make economies resilient to climate change," the political analyst remarked.For its part, the Global Times, a Chinese daily, expressed skepticism about the effectiveness of the Biden administration's Pacific policies. In addition, the Pacific region "is very dissatisfied with the US promoting its anti-China strategy," the media outlet noted, citing Chen Hong, president of the Chinese Association of Australian Studies. Pacific nations are interested in beneficial cooperation with regional players instead of becoming a battleground for the US geopolitical rivalry with China, according to GT.

https://sputniknews.com/20220713/us-challenges-chinas-influence-over-pacific-island-countries-but-does-it-have-much-to-offer-1097277595.html

https://sputniknews.com/20220928/us-cooperation-with-pacific-nations-could-mean-further-regional-militarization-author-says-1101320018.html

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https://sputniknews.com/20220929/student-transfers-to-gold-smuggling-banned-pfi-funding-channels-unearthed-in-india-1101335993.html

Student Transfers to Gold Smuggling: Banned PFI Funding Channels Unearthed in India

Student Transfers to Gold Smuggling: Banned PFI Funding Channels Unearthed in India

The Popular Front of India (PFI) and its eight affiliates were banned for five years under the anti-terror law on Wednesday, following a nationwide crackdown... 29.09.2022, Sputnik International

2022-09-29T11:50+0000

2022-09-29T11:50+0000

2022-09-29T11:50+0000

india

extremism

radical islamist

islamist terrorists

terror

kerala

persian gulf

money laundering

bank secrecy act/anti-money laundering (bsa/aml)

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Indian law enforcement agencies have disclosed the Popular Front of India's (PFI) global funding channels which were reportedly used to assist the Muslim organization and its associates in spreading its networks across 17 states.In particular, the group received a huge sum of money from Saudi Arabia in the name of helping Indians during Haj, while the people of the organization are also investing huge amount in real estate in Abu Dhabi, the National Investigative Agency (NIA) has claimed.PFI members in Kerala have likewise been purportedly investing in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, laundering their incomes via e-wallet app Hawala, the document reported, while people linked to the organization are also said to be involved in the "car rental" business in the Gulf nations.Saudi Arabias PFI branch also sent funds here in India through e-wallet in the name of legal aid and community service, the document reads.In one example, the Social Forum in Oman, working in collaboration with the PFI and its affiliates, sent around $55,000 through Hawala. PFI Oman leader Ashfaq Chaikkinakath Puyil was entrusted with the fundraising, the NIA added.The intelligence report also added that the PFI had previously established roots in Turkey and with the help of Indian students sent transfers to the country a few years ago.The PFI also reportedly established shell companies in various countries, such as the Kuwait Indian Social Forum, which received money from wealthy employees and businessmen of Kuwait in the name of helping Muslim interests. Meanwhile, the forum allegedly helped radicalize Muslims by spreading videos of violence.* Daesh (also known as IS/ISIS) a terrorist organization banned in Russia

https://sputniknews.com/20220925/popular-front-of-india-conspired-to-establish-islamic-rule-top-terror-investigating-agency-says-1101200060.html

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https://sputniknews.com/20220929/trump-offers-to-head-russia--ukraine-peace-negotiations-after-nord-stream-incident-1101344376.html

Trump Offers to Head Russia & Ukraine Peace Negotiations After Nord Stream Incident

Trump Offers to Head Russia & Ukraine Peace Negotiations After Nord Stream Incident

Former US President Donald Trump put his name into the hat to mediate a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine on September 28 via Truth Social, his media... 29.09.2022, Sputnik International

2022-09-29T13:13+0000

2022-09-29T13:13+0000

2022-09-30T08:08+0000

opinion & analysis

us

ukraine

russia

donald trump

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Donald Trump took to Truth Social on Wednesday to discuss the damaged Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines. The former president assumed that the pipelines were subject to "sabotage" and warned that it "could lead to major escalation, or war!""US 'leadership' should remain 'cool, calm and dry' on the sabotage of the Nord Stream pipelines," wrote Trump, warning against "mak[ing] matters worse with the pipeline blowup."Trump argued that the Russo-Ukraine conflict "should never have happened, and would definitely not have happened" if he were the president of the US.It is not the first time that Trump has called for a peace solution to the conflict: in mid-April, he insisted that Moscow and Kiev negotiate peace "now  not later  when everyone will be dead!" Trump's remarks came after Kiev backpedaled on its earlier agreement with Russia reached during the March peace talks in Istanbul, with western leaders encouraging Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to defeat Russia "on the battlefield." On April 25, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said that the US was seeking to "weaken" Russia, so that it cannot wage any military actions and pledged to ramp up the arming of the Ukrainian military.At the same time, Business Insider pointed out that apart from calling for peace, Trump also made bellicose remarks toward Moscow. Speaking to Fox News on March 21, the former president suggested sending US nuclear submarines to go "back and forth, up and down" Russia's coast to exert pressure on Moscow.A Terrorist Attack by State ActorGas leaks from the Nord Stream pipeline system were detected on Monday, with the EU leadership admitting that this could be the result of a deliberate attack. EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said in a statement on Wednesday that the European Union is deeply concerned about damage to the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines []. All available information indicates those leaks are the result of a deliberate act.Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko announced on September 28 that Russia is ready to consider applications from EU countries for a joint investigation into the Nord Stream incidents if they are received.On Thursday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that the Nord Stream incident looks like a terrorist act on a state level. Peskov highlighted that "it is very difficult to imagine that such a terrorist act could take place without the involvement of some state." For her part, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has drawn attention to the fact that the alleged sabotage attack took place in an area controlled by US intelligence.Earlier, Radek Sikorski, a European Parliament member and Polish former foreign minister, thanked the US for damaging the Nord Stream pipelines on Twitter, adding "A small thing, but so much joy." Incidentally, on the same day the Nord Stream leak was discovered, the leaders of Norway, Denmark, and Poland officially launched their own Baltic Pipe natural gas pipeline.

https://sputniknews.com/20220929/kremlin-nord-stream-terrorist-act-could-hardly-have-occurred-without-state-involvement-1101335568.html

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https://sputniknews.com/20220929/us-delusional-to-think-moscow-wont-defend-territory-that-becomes-part-of-russia---antonov-1101325649.html

US Delusional to Think Moscow Won't Defend Territory That Becomes Part of Russia - Antonov

US Delusional to Think Moscow Won't Defend Territory That Becomes Part of Russia - Antonov

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - US politicians are delusional if they think Moscow will not defend the territories that have or may become part of Russia as a result of... 29.09.2022, Sputnik International

2022-09-29T03:52+0000

2022-09-29T03:52+0000

2022-09-29T03:48+0000

russia's special operation in ukraine

us

anatoly antonov

russia

nuclear war

arms control

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"I would like to add that certain American politicians are under a delusion if they think that our readiness to defend our territory does not apply to Crimea or to territories that may become part of Russia on the basis of a free expression of popular will," Antonov said on Wednesday.The op-ed further saw Antonov blast the US for pushing toward a serious confrontation amid Russia's ongoing special military operation, adding that US policy has prompted a "deplorable" arms control situation."We see a deplorable, deserted picture in arms control... I have to remind the readers that all this is a result of the US policy."Antonov highlighted that the US foreign policy over the years has resulted in the dismantling of the Anti-Ballistic Missile treaty, the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty, the Open Skies Treaty and also threatens to eliminate the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START).Although the US and Russia have not reached the threshold of falling into the abyss of nuclear conflict, Washington must stop threatening Moscow, Antonov noted.The Russian ambassador went on to state that countries must agree in a joint statement that a nuclear war cannot be fought."I believe that any American will see eye-to-eye with me that we must not allow the explosive situation of the 1960s to repeat," Antonov wrote. "It is important that not only Russia and the United States, but also other nuclear states, confirmed in a common statement that a nuclear war cannot be won and must never be fought."Despite the West's stance that Russia has reportedly threatened the use of nuclear arms in the ongoing military operation, Russian President Vladimir Putin has only ever stated that Moscow would respond in the event that its security interests are threatened. Russia's nuclear doctrine allows for such weapons to only be used in response to an enemy nuclear strike, or an act of conventional aggression so severe it threatens the country's survival.The Biden administration has repeatedly accused Moscow of potentially taking nuclear steps, with US President Joe Biden earlier stating that such a use would prompt a "consequential" response by Washington. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken recently revealed that the administration has drafted a plan of action it would pursue.

https://sputniknews.com/20220825/us-has-more-nuclear-weapons-carriers-than-allowed-under-new-start-russian-diplomat-says-1099998451.html

https://sputniknews.com/20220926/kremlin-not-commenting-on-us-threats-of-consequential-response-to-use-of-nuclear-weapons-1101232788.html

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us, anatoly antonov, russia, nuclear war, arms control
https://sputniknews.com/20220929/us-government-buying-data-from-private-firms-to-spy-on-americans-reports-reveal-1101351760.html

US Government Buying Data From Private Firms to Spy on Americans, Reports Reveal

US Government Buying Data From Private Firms to Spy on Americans, Reports Reveal

US law enforcement agencies across the country are increasingly seeking and gaining access to US citizens private movements, at times without search warrants... 29.09.2022, Sputnik International

2022-09-29T16:07+0000

2022-09-29T16:07+0000

2022-09-29T16:07+0000

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surveillance

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A trove of records revealed through the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and obtained by the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) have indicated that local and state US police departments, as well as federal entities, are buying a cellphone tracking tool in order to monitor people's movements.According to Mackey, "this is an end-run around the Fourth Amendment and permits broad surveillance that can sweep up anyone who happens to be near the scene of a crime."The Fog Reveal app, a product of the Fog Data Science company, can track people's movements going back months in time, thus making it possible to learn where people work, live, and associate. The company reportedly possesses hundreds of billions of records from a whopping 250 million mobile devices and uses data to create location analyses.The controversial tool came into the spotlight in early September with Associated Press disclosing that Fog Reveal has been used since at least 2018 in various criminal investigations and was also instrumentalized to trace the movements of a potential participant in the January 6 protests at Capitol Hill.Judging from the documents examined by EFF, Fog Data Science has past or ongoing contractual relationships with at least 18 local, state, and federal law enforcement clients.Fog Reveal is not the only tool exploited by US law enforcement agencies, according to Just the News. State police departments, federal agencies and the US military are working with numerous third-party data brokers which harvest consumers' location data from application developers.Last week, Vice reported that the US military had bought access to the Augury platform, an internet monitoring tool that reportedly covers over 90% of the worlds internet traffic. The US Navy, Army, Cyber Command, and the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency have collectively paid at least $3.5 million to access the tool.Likewise, in November 2020, Motherboard found that US Special Operations Command (SOCOM) had bought access to a Locate X tool that uses location data harvested from ordinary apps installed on peoples' phones. The tool allows users to search by a specific area and pinpoint mobile devices which were there at a particular point in time going back months. It turned out in March 2021 that a division of the Iowa Air National Guard was using the same tool.Meanwhile, according to a July 2022 report by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), the DHS has spent millions of dollars over the recent years to purchase cellphone location data from two companies to track the movements of both US and foreigner citizens both inside and outside the US. According to the ACLU, this information was acquired without warrants.For its part, the FBI maintains cooperation with Venntel, a company which gathers information through a complex supply chain of advertising firms, data resellers, and "innocuous-looking apps" installed on peoples' phones around the world, according to Vice. Last year, the bureau made its contracts with Venntel public. However, the documents were heavily redacted. Venntel also sells sensitive location data to other US law enforcement agencies including Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).Civil rights groups argue that the disturbing trend is violating the Fourth Amendment of the US Constitution. The Fourth Amendment specifically guarantees that people will not be subject to surveillance without a court decision. In addition, the Supreme Court held in 2018 that the Constitution requires the government to get a warrant to compel phone companies to provide location data about their customers. This ruling is also known as "the Carpenter decision".

https://sputniknews.com/20211214/how-domestic-surveillance-of-journalists--citizens-became-standard-us-government-practice-1091524290.html

https://sputniknews.com/20210514/fourth-amendment-for-sale-pentagon-appears-to-join-fbi-in-warrantless-spying-club-1082889071.html

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https://sputniknews.com/20220929/what-is-behind-washingtons-persistence-in-funding-ukraine-despite-public-sentiment-1101344981.html

What is Behind Washington's Persistence in Funding Ukraine Despite Public Sentiment?

What is Behind Washington's Persistence in Funding Ukraine Despite Public Sentiment?

Moscow has repeatedly denounced the continuous flow of weapons to Kiev from Ukraines western allies, first and foremost the US, which Russia claims has... 29.09.2022, Sputnik International

2022-09-29T14:45+0000

2022-09-29T14:45+0000

2022-09-29T14:45+0000

world

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us

ukraine

aid

poll

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weapons

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Despite the current intense propaganda to support Ukraine in the United Stated, most US citizens could not find Ukraine on a map, Rick Sterling, an investigative journalist and author, has told Sputnik.On Wednesday, the Biden administration announced a further $1.1 billion in security assistance for Kiev, bringing Washingtons commitment to more than $16.2 billion since the beginning of the ongoing Russian special military operation on February 24.The announcement came as a new poll revealed that almost half of US citizens are opposed to sending military assistance to Ukraine if the US is not involved in diplomatic efforts to resolve the conflict. The survey, conducted by the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, also revealed that roughly 58% of respondents would oppose the US providing military assistance to Ukraine at current levels if their own country suffers higher gas prices and a higher cost of goods.Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Thursday that Washington allocating more hefty financing to the Kiev regime has actually turned Washington into a part of the Ukraine conflict.When asked why Washington is now engaging in yet another unpopular military conflict overseas, Sterling asserted that the US is the land of imperial impunity and that despite the costly disasters of foreign policy going back to Vietnam, the [US] foreign policy elite pays no price and continues.He remained downbeat about chances that the US government would listen to the sentiments of its citizens, reflected in the poll, describing the US as a class system with working and lower middle class with no influence despite their being a majority of the population.The journalist referred to the US foreign policy elite, which determines policy according to the interests of military contractors, Wall Street corporations and others who depend on US global supremacy. Sterling stressed that Some of the key people running US policy today have been there for over 20 years, including President Joe Biden and Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Victoria Nuland, who have learned nothing from past failures and persist in promoting US aggression and provocations, trying to sustain US hegemony.'Three Things' That May Erode US' 'GroupThink' on Ukraine Touching upon the Quincy Institute poll in an interview with Sputnik, former US Senate candidate Mark Dankof, for his part, singled out three things that have now begun to erode the GroupThink on Ukraine while heightening worries among Americans in more recent months about neo-Conservative and neo-Interventionist policies toward Russian President Vladimir Putin and Russia.Thirdly, at least some of the American public has begun to register concern over the possibility of a global war with a nuclear power over a country and situation not directly relevant in any sense of the word to the national security of the United States. This war might add China, Iran, and possibly India to the considerable might of the Russian military itself, Dankof underlined.He argued that the US government doesn't really give a damn about its citizens, their sentiments, or democracy, and that Washington will only care when lack of food, potable water, and affordable housing and energy produce a level of fury in the populous that brings a confrontation between those who govern and those enslaved that can only produce one winner.Wondering how bankrolling Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky helps average American citizens in crisis in their own communities, Dankof said that it doesnt, unless conscripting American kids to fight in World War III is considered a viable policy.The former Senate candidate also voiced his most serious concern over the evidence that the criminally-oriented American GloboHomo cabal has raised the stakes in new levels of criminality. GloboHomo, a philosophy endorsed by the western economic elite, is formally known as neoliberalism.On February 24, Russia launched a special operation to demilitarize and de-Nazify Ukraine, with the US and its allies responding by imposing comprehensive sanctions against Russia and ramping up their military support for Ukraine.Moscow has repeatedly slammed the West for its weapon supplies to Kiev, with Russias Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov warning that "any weapon, any arms shipment on the Ukrainian territory" would be considered a legitimate target by the Russian military.Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova for her part stressed that Washington has once again demonstrated how much it has lost touch with reality, having actually become a party to the Ukraine conflict. According to her, further evidence of this is the US Congress recently agreeing on the allocation of a new assistance package to the Kiev regime worth almost $12 billion.

https://sputniknews.com/20220927/more-americans-oppose-sending-military-aid-to-ukraine-without-diplomatic-efforts---poll-1101290478.html

https://sputniknews.com/20220909/bidens-12bln-ukraine-aid-is-trap-for-gop-as-dems-can-boast-zero-accomplishments-say-analysts-1100594660.html

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russia, us, ukraine, aid, poll, special operation, weapons
https://sputniknews.com/20220929/who-is-responsible-for-the-attacks-on-nord-stream-1101323981.html

Who is Responsible for the Attacks on Nord Stream?

Who is Responsible for the Attacks on Nord Stream?

On todays episode of The Backstory, host Lee Stranahan discussed current events including the US urging American citizens to leave Russia, and Austria... 29.09.2022, Sputnik International

2022-09-29T08:12+0000

2022-09-29T08:12+0000

2022-09-29T08:12+0000

the backstory

eu

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democrat

russia

nord stream 2

radio

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ukraine

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Who is Responsible for the Attacks on Nord Stream? On todays episode of The Backstory, host Lee Stranahan discussed current events including the US urging American citizens to leave Russia, and Austria beginning to do border checks.

Russell Bentley - Former Texas Resident, Former Soldier for the Donetsk Republic | Nord Stream Attacked, Elections in the West are Corrupt, and America's Domestic EnemiesTyler Nixon - Attorney, Media Relations Specialist | Lyndon Johnson is the Godfather of the Democrat Party, Roger Stone, and Tucker CarlsonIn the first hour, Lee spoke with Russell Bentley about his origin story, the Referendum in Donbass, and America aligned with Nazis. Russell explained what made him move to Ukraine and his experience fighting as a soldier in Donetsk. Russell talked about the Nord Stream pipeline attacks and expects America was involved in the pipeline attack.In the second hour, Lee spoke with Tyler Nixon about the Watergate setup, how dangerous the January 6th committee has become, and the Hell's Angels. Tyler discussed Tucker Carlson's speech at the funeral of Sonny Barger and the optics of President Biden on national television. Tyler talked about the history of the Democrat party and how Lyndon B. Johnson is the Godfather of the current Democrat party.We'd love to get your feedback at radio@sputniknews.comThe views and opinions expressed in this program are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the position of Sputnik

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Two brothers from Haymarket are in police custody after a multi-jurisdictional seized thousands of fentanyl pills that authorities say were destined for resale in the Culpeper area.

Members of the Culpeper County Sheriffs Offices Aggressive Criminal Enforcement Team, the Virginia State Police Drug Task Force and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency investigated distribution of the deadly opioid pills being sold as counterfeit Percocet pills, the Sheriffs Office said in a statement Wednesday.

Criminal activity associated with the investigation crossed into several locations that included Culpeper County, Lt. Les Tyler, the Sheriffs Offices spokesman, said Wednesday evening.

The investigation identified Thomas Marshall, 24, of Haymarket in western Prince William County as a significant local distributor of the pills, the Sheriffs Office said.

A search warrant was executed Tuesday at Marshalls residence, resulting in the seizure of more than 700 grams of pressed fentanyl (about 7,000 pills), nearly $33,000 in cash, and nine guns.

Marshall was charged with possession of a schedule I or II substance with the intent to distribute, possession of a firearm while in possession of a schedule I or II substance, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and possession of a firearm with an altered serial number. He was being held in the Prince William Adult Detention Center without bail.

His brother, Jonathon Marshall, 19, was also arrested Tuesday at the home they shared.

Jonathon Marshall was charged with possession of a schedule I or II substance with the intent to distribute and possession of a schedule I or II substance while in possession of a firearm. He was also placed in the Prince William Adult Detention Center without bail.

Before the search, officers seized another 500 grams of the fentanyl pills, for a total weight of 1.2 kilos, the Sheriffs Office said. A single pill of this type is commonly sold in the area for $25 each, the agency said.

In a statement, Culpeper County Sheriff Scott Jenkins said local detectives take thousands of fentanyl pills off the street every month.

America knows fentanyl and opioid overdose is the leading cause of death of 18- to 45-year-olds, and over 95% of all fentanyl enters the U.S. through our southern border, Jenkins said. Every citizen should be alarmed about our open border and the drugs and violence coming to our communities.

On Tuesday, the U.S. Department of Justice announced that from May to September it had seized 10 million fentanyl-laced pills stamped to look like other opioids, Percocet or Oxycontin.

Senior DOJ officials pointed the finger at Mexican drug cartels for trafficking in the pills, CBS News reported.

Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that can be 50 times more potent than heroin, and even a tiny amount can be lethal, CBS News said. Fake prescription pills are especially dangerous because its difficult to tell how strong they are.

About two-thirds of overdose deaths in the U.S. have been linked to fentanyl or other powerful, illicitly made synthetic opioids, CBS News reported.
The majority of Virginians approve of their local public school divisions, according to a statewide survey conducted this month by the University of Mary Washingtons Center for Leadership and Media Studies.

Respondents were asked to grade their local schools on an A-to-F scale. Just 16% gave their schools failing or below average grades of F or D, while 40% said their schools deserved an A or B and 20% assigned an average grade of C.

This survey demonstrates, once again, that the loudest voices at school board meetings are unrepresentative of overall public opinion in the commonwealth, said Stephen Farnsworth, professor of political science at UMW and the centers director, said in a statement this week.

The survey of 1,000 Virginia residents, including 819 registered voters, was conducted between Sept. 6 and 12. Respondents were contacted via phone and online.

The results reflect some partisan and regional differences in attitudes toward public schools. Among respondents who identified as Democrats, 20% gave their local districts an A, compared to 10% of independents and 8% of Republicans.

Just 3% of Democrats gave their school districts failing grades, compared with 7% of Republicans and independents.

Respondents from Northern Virginia were more likely to give their local schools an A than in the western part of the state.

The survey also asked participants whether Gov. Glenn Youngkin, who ran on a platform of reforming Virginias schools, should have more or less power over education.

Forty-one percent of respondents said Youngkin should have less power to control public education than he does now. Twenty-five percent said he should have the same power over education that he does now and 17% said he should have more.

Farnsworth said these results suggest that the governor would be wise to tap the brakes on some of his more controversial plans to reshape public education.

The survey was administered before Youngkins Department of Education on Sept. 16 released new policy proposals on transgender youth in public schools.

Students at nearly 100 schools across the state planned walkouts on Tuesday in opposition to the draft policies.

An in-depth look at the survey results can be found at umw.edu/news.
Theres a noticeable trend among Republican candidates to ignore, or actively shun, legacy media outlets and dodge debates.

National Public Radio, The Guardian, and New York magazine are just some of the outlets that have recently reported lengthy pieces about this.

Scott Jennings, a Republican analyst and CNN commentator, described for NPR the reason many Republicans dodge legacy media: The possibility that you might end up saying something that winds up in $10 million worth of ads from the other sideyou know, its like the benefit of doing the interview does not outweigh the risk.

Here in Virginia, however, it was a Democratnot a Republicanwho most recently paid the price for debating. Terry McAuliffes gaffe at his debate with Glenn Youngkin ranks right up there for unforced errors with George W. Bush checking his watch during his 1992 debate with Bill Clinton, and Michael Dukakis response to Bernard Shaws opening question in the 1988 presidential debate.

The point being, on any campaign, talking with media and debating is fraught with peril.

Candidates naturally want to suppress unflattering statements and votes. Media works to expose the good and the bad.

Which brings us to Yesli Vegas unusual tweet on Friday, Sept. 23, about the debate she refused to participate in at the University of Mary Washington.

On Sept. 23, U.S. Rep. Abigail Spanberger took to Twitter to express her disappointment that Vega would not debate her in Fredericksburg. Vega responded on her Twitter account this way: See you on the 12th at PWC100/League of Women Voters Debate  oh wait, you wont do that one because its televised, not just a college of your base.

The PWC100 debate, however, was being actively negotiated at the time Vega sent that tweet. The initial proposed date of Oct. 12 did not work for Spanbergers campaign. On Saturday, Sept. 24, Spanbergers camp informed the PWC100 and the League of Women Voters that the Oct. 21 date proposed by Vega would work.

Why, in the midst of honest ongoing negotiations about making the Oct. 21 debate work, would Vega blatantly mislead her followers with the accusation that Spanberger was dodging her?

We dont have a definitive answer, but we do have a guess. Vega is following the anti-legacy-media playbook.

Debate negotiations are difficult because both parties want every advantage when the lights go on. Thats understandable. Spanberger is naturally careful about debating at an event when right-leaning media control the deliveryconservative Sinclair Media-owned ABC7 looks to be the broadcaster for the PWC100 debate. Similarly, Vega is naturally concerned about debating in environments where moderate and more-progressive organizations are involved.

Sponsors for the UMW debate, according to UMW professor Stephen Farnsworth, would have been UMW Student Government, the regional Chamber of Commerce, The Free LanceStar, the area League of Women Voters, and Virginia Public Media. Some of these may be less conservative than Vega would like, but none could be branded as blatantly anti-Republican.

Spanberger, by accepting the PWC100 debate, demonstrates a willingness to enter an environment that may be considered by some in her camp as less favorable to her side. Vega should be willing to do the same.

Vega coming to UMW would hardly have been taking a chance. Its debates have a well-earned reputation for fairness.

For many years, Farnsworth told The Free LanceStar, [Republican] Congressman Rob Wittman recognized the importance of debating his opponents in Fredericksburg, a key area population center. I worry, though, that there is an increasing willingness on the part of some candidates to forgo these important community events.

The good news is, there will be a debate. Its unfortunate, however, that Vega refuses to come to Fredericksburg, which sits at the heart of the new 7th Congressional District.

We have no doubt that the PWC100 debate will put hard questions to both candidates, as it should. We also are sure a debate at UMW would have done the same. It also would have forced both candidates to address problems that are distinctive to our area, which is quite different in many ways from Prince William.

Vegas disparaging remarks about the UMW debate are not becoming a potential member of Congress. Neither is her denying area residents a chance to put their concerns before her.

Perhaps this strategy will work for her on Election Day. But democracy suffers.

Again, Jennings: Im a Republican communications guy and engage with the traditional media. ... We have to have a trusted press.  Its necessary to democracy.
When Debra McKnight showed up to a Planned Parenthood rally last October wearing a pastor collar, people thought she was wearing a Halloween costume.

She wasnt.

McKnight is a reverend in Omaha with United Methodist Church, and she firmly supports abortion access. Her views, she said, run counter to the common assumptions people often make about her: That, as a religious leader, she is staunchly anti-abortion.

Such assumptions are not uncommon, and theyre not entirely without merit. Public polling has shown a correlation between views on abortion and faith, particularly among Christian faiths. And some faiths, such as Catholicism, are explicit in their moral objections to abortion.

The intersection of faith and abortion rights was on display earlier this year at the Nebraska Legislature, where multiple lawmakers invoked their faith when discussing their support for a bill that would have primed the state to ban abortions. After more recent attempts at legislative action failed, the Nebraska Catholic Conference pledged to continue working to uphold human dignity in the law.

But McKnight and several other religious leaders said perceptions regarding faith and abortion fail to capture the nuance within religious groups. The presumptive picture also fails to account for non-Christian faiths and other minority groups.

Contrary to public perception, its fairly common for people of faith to support abortion rights, said Katey Zeh, CEO of the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice.

Im not as much of an anomaly as it might seem, Zeh said.

Recognizing that there are people who are both religious and support abortion rights is important as Nebraskans debate policy matters following the Supreme Courts decision reversing Roe v. Wade, according to multiple faith leaders who spoke to the World-Herald.

In Nebraska, Christianity is the dominant group of faiths. A 2014 study by the Pew Research Center found that 75% of adults in the state identified as Christian, with most of those being evangelical Protestant, mainline Protestant and Catholic. Non-Christian faiths accounted for 4% and unaffiliated individuals made up the remaining 20%.

The way each of these groups view abortion varies widely, even sometimes within the individual groups.

McKnight said Christian Scripture contains many contradictions. She said there are parts that define life as the moment of first breath.

But Laura Buddenberg, a Catholic who opposes abortion and serves as the executive director of Essential Pregnancy Services in Omaha, noted that there are pieces of Scripture that define life at the moment of conception.

The differences arent only in their personal interpretations.

United Methodist Church, according to its social principals, states that it is reluctant to approve abortion due to the churchs belief in the sanctity of unborn human life. However, followers are equally bound to respect the sacredness of the life and well-being of the mother and the unborn child.

The Catholic Church takes a more definitive stance on the topic.

Since the first century the Church has affirmed the moral evil of every procured abortion. This teaching has not changed and remains unchangeable. Direct abortion, that is to say, abortion willed either as an end or a means, is gravely contrary to the moral law, states the Catechism of the Catholic Church, a document detailing church doctrine.

The 2014 study by Pew also found differences within Nebraska Christians, with 54% agreeing that abortion should be illegal in all or most cases and 41% saying abortion should be legal in all or most cases.

However, the numbers shifted when factoring in all adults, not just those who identified as Christian. The numbers broke down to 50% saying abortion should be legal in all or most cases and 46% agreeing abortion should be illegal in all or most cases.

In some ways, the numbers reflect the different views held by different faith groups.

Rabbis Steven Abraham and Deana Berezin of Omaha pointed to multiple pieces of Jewish Scripture that clarify that a fetus isnt considered alive until birth, and that caring for the mother is a higher priority over saving a fetus.

Although there is some disagreement on abortion issues within the Jewish community, Abraham said most Jewish people support abortion access  an assertion borne out in the 2014 Pew study, which found 83% of Jewish Americans believe abortion should be legal in all or most cases.

Despite this, Judaism and other non-Christian religions are often forgotten about in discussions on abortion and faith.

Thats what it means to be a minority, Berezin said.

Views shaped by life experiences

McKnight said she grew up in a Republican household across the street from a Methodist church from the time she was 9 years old. She said she never really questioned the issue of abortion access until she reached college and was exposed to anti-abortion views held by fellow Christians.

And Ive been running into it ever since, McKnight said.

The Rev. Brandee Jasmine Mimitzraiem of the African Methodist Episcopal Church encountered anti-abortion views earlier in life.

Growing up in a low-income community, she said as early as her freshman year of high school she knew of female classmates who became pregnant. Some of them came from families who allowed them to get abortions, while others did not.

Mimitzraiem said several of the students who received abortions went on to have successful careers. For the others, she said she saw how their pregnancies had a lasting impact on their mental health.

I saw the difference in their lives, Mimitzraiem said.

McKnight said there was a 19-year-old at her college who gave birth in the dormitories because she was too ashamed to tell her Roman Catholic family about her pregnancy.

McKnight said has faced her own backlash on the issue. People have called her a baby killer on several occasions and accused her of ruining the Methodist faith because of her support for abortion rights. She said shes also received condemnation from fellow Christians for her stance on other social issues, from her support of the LGBTQA community to simply being a female religious leader.

But the backlash is felt on both sides.

Buddenberg said she has been harshly criticized for her views, including for her opposition to abortion. But when confronted by someone who disagrees with her, she said she tries to treat them with respect.

This is about loving each other better, Buddenberg said.

Even more common than the hostility, Mimitzraiem said, is the culture of silence surrounding abortion rights within religious groups, particularly when its tied to crossing racial lines. She said she talks with other Black Christians about abortion, but when speaking to white clergymen, they often avoid the topic with her.

The ones who disagree wont challenge me, Mimitzraiem said.

Even religious leaders who also support abortion rights often wont speak up until Mimitzraiem speaks out first, she said. They also fall victim to the same misconception that other people of faith are automatically anti-abortion, making them feel outnumbered by what Mimitzraiem believes is a loud minority.

We think its stronger than it is, she said.

Buddenberg didnt say whether she believes a majority of people of faith are anti-abortion, but she said the issue is far more nuanced than it may seem. She also noted that many of those who disagree with her on the legality of abortion still dont want to see the number of abortions increase.
COVID-19 levels in both Nebraska and the United States continue to fall to their lowest levels in months, enough to prompt President Joe Biden to suggest the pandemic is over.

But health officials say the current trends should not cause people to let down their guard on vaccinations.

In fact, they say getting the latest vaccination booster between now and Halloween could be the best way for people to protect themselves and their families over the upcoming holidays.

We want people to get together with Grandma and do it safely, said Dr. Bob Rauner, president of Partnership for a Healthy Lincoln. Sufficient vaccination is our biggest challenge right now.

Nebraska posted 1,424 new COVID cases last week, down from 1,772 the previous week, according to data from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. New cases are down by more than half over the past three weeks, falling to their lowest level since the first week of May.

Hospitalizations also are falling, with last weeks daily average of 172 down from 183 the previous week.

The state added 17 deaths last week, putting the total number of confirmed or probable deaths for the pandemic at 4,507. Nationally, COVID still is claiming 400 lives a day.

Its still difficult to say where the unpredictable pandemic will go next as cases surged during the winter months in both 2020 and 2021. Some experts are projecting it will happen again.

We are not (yet) in a stable pattern, Rauner said. I dont think you can act as if COVID doesnt exist.

Rauner said Bidens statement last week about the pandemic being over has caused a lot of confusion and raised questions about what, if anything, people should be doing to protect their health.

Rauner said the advice he has been giving people is simple and twofold.

First, he said, stay current on your vaccination boosters.

Vaccines have proven highly effective at reducing the risk of severe illness, hospitalization and death from COVID-19, often turning the infection into little more than a mild cold. More than three-quarters of the deaths being seen would have been prevented with vaccinations, Rauner said.

Second, Rauner said, if you are feeling sick, wear a mask. Whether it turns out that you have COVID or just a common cold bug, either way you will be protecting the health of others around you.

By taking those two steps, Rauner thinks most people can get back to normal lives.

Unfortunately, vaccination levels both in Nebraska and nationally remain relatively low. Lancaster and Douglas Counties are the only counties in Nebraska where more than 50% of the 65-and-over population  the most vulnerable to COVID  has received the recommended two booster shots.

With the new updated bivalent shot, which targets both the dominant omicron variants as well as the original COVID-19 strain, theres another chance for people to get current on shots. The FDA authorization states that individuals are eligible for a bivalent booster if it has been at least two months since they completed primary vaccination or received the most recent booster.

Rauner said he likes the recent advice of Dr. Ashish Jha, the White House COVID-19 response coordinator, who suggested that people get the latest shot no later than Halloween. That would give them several weeks for immunity to build up and assure that they have maximum protection in time for the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays.

Get your bivalent booster by late October and wear a mask when youre sick and we shouldnt have to worry much this holiday, Rauner said. It would be nice if our hospitals werent swamped this winter for a change.
Six members of the Gering City Council voted unanimously to increase rates for cemetery services, the first increase in years.

Council members voted on rates during a special meeting Wednesday.

Rate increases included raising the purchase rates for grave spaces from $450 to $600 for adult-size graves and from $300 to $400 for infant-size graves.

We have not had a rate change at our cemetery for  probably over 10 years, and we just believe its time. The increased expense of operating the cemetery merits an increase in (rates), Amy Seiler, the citys director of parks/recreation and leisure services, said.

Other rate changes saw the price of opening and closing graves go from $450 to $650 for adult-size plots and, for infant-size plots, it rose from $100 to $200. Cremation burials of all kinds increased in cost from $300 to $400.

Our (park, cemetery and tree) board evaluated rates from across the region and made the recommendation of what our rates should be based on their research, Seiler said. Shed told the council that some fees for different services have also plainly increased. We have a disinterment fee that weve increased significantly because of the amount of labor and the locations in the cemetery that may need to take place.

The disinterment fee for adult-size plots rose from $500 to $1,200. For infant-size plots, it rose from $350 to $1,000.

The council also decided to remove the difference in fees between residents and nonresidents.

The city council approved the citys property tax request for non-bond purposes to be set at $1,907,581.95 for the 2022-23 fiscal year. The new tax rate will rise to $0.342697 per $100.

This will help the citys operating budget grow by 12% over the last fiscal year. The council also set 12% of their electric, water, wastewater and sanitation funds into their general budget for the next fiscal year  an amount of $1.96 million.

Finally, the city passed six ordinances unanimously. Wednesdays meeting was the third time they were read, so the first time they could be adopted  save for Ordinance No. 2111, which was for the city to adopt a budget for the next fiscal year. The second reading was waived for that ordinance so it could be passed before the end of the month, as required by state statutes.

The ordinance also allows for exceeding the allowable growth limits for the next fiscal year by 1% of budgeted restricted funds and correcting the adopted budget statement.

The council also passed ordinances that amends the fees charged for city landfill use, water, sewer service rates and stormwater charges. The rate changes go into effect Oct. 1.

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The Scottsbluff city council will convene for a special meeting Friday, Sept. 30, where they will interview the three candidates for the city manager position. The council will conduct Zoom interviews throughout the morning.

Applicant Shawn Metcalf will be the first interview at 10 a.m., followed by Kevin Spencer at 11 a.m. and Matthew Schmitz at noon. During each interview, Mayor Jeanne McKerrigan said the council will ask various questions to learn more about each candidate.

We will have a list of interview questions that we go through, she said. Well have them introduce themselves and then well go through the questions.

While the meeting is open to the public, there will be no public comment portion for citizens to weigh in just yet. McKerrigan told the Star-Herald that opportunity will come after the council has named two finalists. The finalists will participate in an in-person interview with the council where the public can participate.

Once we narrow it down to the finalists, then well bring them back for an in-person interview where the public will have an opportunity to interview, McKerrigan said. Then, typically, we have them sit down with the leadership and directors and meet with them.

City attorney Kent Hadenfeldt said calling a special meeting limits what the council can discuss.

When we call a special meeting, we can only stick to the subject  for the reason it was called, he said. We just put the interviews down by Zoom.

Selected city leaders will conduct interviews with the finalists and the council again before a new city manager is named.

Weve got to make sure we find the right person, McKerrigan said. Thats the hard part.

The current city manager search allows the city council and city personnel to be more involved throughout the process, compared to when they used a recruiting firm, McKerrigan said. The city worked with recruiting firm Baker Tilly that sent candidate packets to the City of Scottsbluff as the next step toward hiring a new city manager during the search conducted in 2020.

Following that search, the council extended an offer to Dustin Rief, who was hired in December 2020. Rief was later terminated in February 2022 after the council cited deficiencies in his administrative qualifications, that could did not appear could be improved upon.

In the interim, Finance Director Liz Hilyard and Scottsbluff Police Chief Kevin Spencer are performing the city manager duties until a permanent replacement is named.

You have an idea of who youre interviewing and a lot of times they call the city and ask the HR person questions. You kind of have a feel of whether or not theyre really interested. Whereas if its a recruiting firm, youre just dealing with the recruiter until you actually conduct an interview with them, McKerrigan said.

Following Fridays interviews, McKerrigan said the council will discuss and coordinate with the finalists about setting a date for meeting with them in person. She said that conversation will likely happen at one of the October meetings.

Well see what happens after Friday, she said.
China's agricultural sci-tech progress supports food security

Xinhua) 09:11, September 29, 2022

BEIJING, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- Over the past decade, the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS) has made a series of agricultural sci-tech achievements, providing strong support for the country's food safety, according to the CAAS.

In a summary of its work since 2012, the CAAS said its scientists discovered and cloned the genes that hindered the utilization of rice heterosis for the first time, providing important gene resources and feasible solutions to solve the problem of hybrid sterility in rice.

The discovery of the key genes for the formation of the bitter taste in cucumber fruit is also one of the many key discoveries in crop omics and genetics made by the CAAS.

It has also made breakthroughs in crop pest control and prevention, contributing to national food security.

Focusing on the frequent occurrence of primary diseases and insect pests of major crops and alien invasive organisms, the CAAS carried out theoretical research and engineering system construction of whole chain prevention and control.

It established a real-time monitoring and early warning technology system for fall armyworm prevention and developed a series of key technologies and programs to support the prevention and control of fall armyworm nationwide, which has been recommended globally by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization.

Aiming to resolve the degradation of cultivated land and insufficient soil fertility in the country, the CAAS has made major technological upgrades in the monitoring and management of cultivated land, soil fertility and soil improvement. It has built a perception and monitoring system for farmland production and constructed a high-precision digital soil map at a scale of 1: 50,000.

Focusing on the country's increasing level of environmental pollution, the CAAS has developed a series of green agricultural production technologies and products, reducing use of pesticides by more than 20 percent and chemical fertilizers by more than 10 percent, and achieving an average increase of 5 percentage points in the country's precipitation utilization rate.

The CAAS has clarified the biological characteristics, genetic evolution laws and public health risks of the H7N9, H5N1 and H5N8 viruses, providing a theoretical basis for the prevention and control of avian influenza viruses.

Over 70 billion doses of the highly effective H5/H7 bivalent inactivated avian influenza vaccine developed by the CAAS have been supplied since 2017.

In order to rapidly detect the quality and safety of agricultural products, the CAAS has developed efficient detection products and technologies for typical pollutants.

It has also cultivated new varieties of high-quality ration crops, rapeseed, vegetables, poultry and beef cattle. The CAAS breeds one out of every three ducks that make it to Chinese dining tables.

(Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Hongyu)
Floyd residents gathered on Saturday, Sept. 17, in Warren G. Lineberry Memorial Park for the second year to celebrate the richness of the countys Spanish-speaking community.

A group of locals who are a part of the nonprofit Floyd CARE (Community Action for Racial Equity) partnered with numerous organizations to bring music, food, education and resources together for the event.

The event was used as a platform to raise money and awareness for Floyd Friends of Asylum Seekers, a nonprofit organization that supports individuals living in Floyd who are seeking asylum in the U.S. from violence or persecution in their home country.

Members of Floyd CARE, Floyd Friends of Asylum Seekers and Roanoke-based nonprofit Casa Latina shared bilingual speeches on inclusive language, the numerous countries included under the umbrella term Hispanic, embracing diverse communities, the complexity of immigration legal processes, and the deep-rooted bond between Mexico and Ireland.

Musical group SOLAZO brought people to their feet, and the folks of Floyd Friends of Asylum Seekers offered the delicious foods of their home countries. Nearly $500 was raised to benefit the local nonprofit.

Floyd CARE thanks everyone who attended and donated as well as the numerous local business sponsors who supported the successful annual event.

To learn more about Floyd CARE, its efforts and events, visit www.floydcare.org.
Wahkiakum School District is asking for Longviews help in its legal effort against the state to provide more money that would go toward upgrading outdated and crumbling facilities in rural districts.

School buildings in Cathlamet and larger Wahkiakum County have been steadily falling apart for years now, Superintendent Brent Freeman told Longview School Board members Monday night.

Thats why Wahkiakum School District decided in 2021 to launch a case against Washington state for what Freeman sees as a breach of their legal obligation under previous case McCleary v. Washington State to amply fund all parts of a students education.

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There should be a state program to address all of our school facilities, Freeman said.

The state in its response has said the McCleary case never applied to construction projects, adding Wahkiakum has its own responsibility to find better ways of paying for facility upgrades.

Longview school officials now have to consider whether Wahkiakums case is worth joining and supporting financially, Superintendent Dan Zorn said in an interview Tuesday.

Zorn said he understood Wahkiakums concern and agreed there should probably be a way to fix inequity between rural and urban school districts ability to raise money for facilities.

It puts such a burden on the local homeowner ... What that fix would be or look like is still up in the air, Zorn said.

Both school districts are in rural areas and have several school buildings older than in densely-populated cities like Seattle. While Longview has about 6,300 students enrolled full-time, according to the Washington State district report card, Wahkiakum has fewer than 500 students in its district.

Both districts have relied on passing local taxes during elections that help fund their construction projects, to varying degrees of success.

Longview this spring passed a capital projects and technology replacement levy, while the Wahkiakum district has often struggled to get the votes it needs for facility repairs.

Smaller school districts tend to have fewer students and lower property values, both of which factor into how much state funding they get. The state covers less than 20% of local school construction project costs, according to reports in The Center Square.

The system tends to favor richer and more populated areas, Freeman said.

Zorn said Longview residents have an easier time supporting local school taxes because of the industries nearby that help the economy. Wahkiakum is in a different situation, he said.

Fixing that inequity has become a priority in Wahkiakum, where many buildings were first built in the 1950s.

Its about equitable education, Freeman said. The other part of this is the equitable taxation that our nation was founded on.

No air conditioning, leaky roofs and outdated electrical systems have made being a student in Wahkiakum County difficult, Freeman said.

That means the responsibility falls on the state to properly fund those parts of the educational experience, the school district is arguing.
There are seven large fires in Washington according to the Northwest Interagency Coordination Center as of Sept. 27. The site defines a large fire as any wildland fire in timber 100 acres or greater, and 300 acres or greater in grasslands/rangelands, or has an Incident Management Team assigned to it.
In a first, the Durga Puja festival of Kolkata is entering the world of Metaverse  a computer-simulated 3D environment

In a first, the Durga Puja festival of Kolkata is entering the world of Metaverse  a computer-simulated 3D environment  which will enable people to virtually tour four big-ticket community pujas, communicate with other such pandal hoppers' and even click photos.

The 3D platform created for this purpose, xpand-land.com, will allow visitors to enter a shared social space where people from across the world can come together from the comfort of their homes.

This is an initiative of Indian start-up XP&D, its group company Metaform and another firm, Spatial. This year, there will be no fee to enter the platform which will be thrown open on Thursday.

The visitors will be able to enter two north Kolkata puja pandals - Ahiritola Sarbojanin and Tallah Prattoy  besides two from the southern part of the city - Deshapriya Park and Ballygunge Cultural Association.

This is the first time in history that such a massive festival of devotion has been twinned in the Metaverse. We are piloting it with four pandals this year, XP&D Co-founder Sukrit Singh said.

He said they have plans to work with over 100 puja pandals next year and, in the near future, every single pandal on the ground will have a metaverse twin for people to experience and enjoy.

Users can voice chat with each other and make a meta-realistic avatar of themselves in minutes on the platform which can be accessed by smartphones, tablets, and wearables. VR (virtual reality) headset wearables will give the optimum experience.

Suveer Bajaj, co-founder of Metaform, said the project will also help popularise the new Web 3.0-based technologies like blockchain, virtual reality and NFTs (non-fungible tokens).

NFTs are unique cryptographic tokens that exist on a blockchain and cannot be replicated.

This year, we are keeping it free from charges but monetisation will happen from the next puja, Bajaj said.

Ashish Sen, an Indian software professional working in Germany, expressed happiness that Durga Puja is becoming part of the meta world.

I am unable to come to Kolkata this puja. But this will provide me a great opportunity to connect with my family and friends on a metaverse platform for a near real experience, he said.

Metaform had earlier created a dugout experience for Gujarat Titans, the first IPL team to have a metaverse presence.
NASA has revealed that a dangerous asteroid just flew past Earth today. Did it cause any damage?

For those of you who don't know, an asteroid is a terrifying small, rocky object out in space travelling at massive speed and when seen in a telescope, it appears as a point of light, according to NASA. Most asteroids are found in a ring between the orbit of Mars and Jupiter called the Asteroid Belt. These celestial objects are the remains of the period during which our solar system formed, over 4.6 billion years ago. Asteroids can sometimes make close approaches with Earth without any danger of impacting the surface. NASA has informed that a similar asteroid just missed the planet today.

Key details about Asteroid 2022 ST7

An asteroid, named Asteroid 2022 ST7, was spotted on its way towards Earth today, September 29.The asteroid was spotted by NASA's Defense Coordination Office, which is responsible for monitoring the skies and keeping a watch on various Near-Earth Objects (NEOs). The Planetary Defense Coordination Office classifies NEOs as potentially hazardous if they come within around 7.5 million to 8 million kilometers of Earth.

The Asteroid 2022 ST7 made its closest approach to the planet at a distance of 4.1 million kilometers during today's early hours at a speed of 18000 kilometers per hour. The asteroid belongs to the Apollo group and orbits the Sun, taking around 427 days to complete one trip. During this orbit, its maximum distance from the Sun is 203 million kilometers and minimum distance 129 million kilometers, according to the-sky.org.

Has an asteroid ever struck Earth before?

Although asteroids are safely passing near Earth these past few weeks, it doesn't mean a collision with Earth isn't on the cards. In fact, an asteroid was the reason behind the extinction of one of the largest species on the planet nearly 65 million years ago  dinosaurs.

According to the Alvarez hypothesis, the extinction was caused by a massive asteroid which crashed on Earth more than 65 million years ago. The asteroid terraformed the planet and is likely the reason that started the extinction of dinosaurs. Scientists have even found the impact crater of the asteroid in Chicxulub, near the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico.
Italy's Samantha Cristoforetti became the first European woman to take over command of the International Space Station.

Italy's Samantha Cristoforetti on Wednesday became the first European woman to take over command of the International Space Station during a ceremony broadcast live from space.

The outgoing commander, Russian cosmonaut Oleg Artemyev, used the occasion to seemingly make a rare space-bound reference to the war in Ukraine, saying that "despite the storms on Earth, our international cooperation continues".

During a relaxed ceremony, Artemyev handed Cristoforetti a golden key, symbolising that she is the new commander of the space station until she returns to Earth on October 10.

Cristoforetti, a 45-year-old European Space Agency astronaut and former Italian air force pilot, arrived for her second tour on the ISS in April.

She holds the record for the longest stay in space by a woman after spending 199 days in orbit in 2014 and 2015.

She is fifth woman -- and the first non-US woman -- to become commander since the role was created in 2000.

The space station, long a symbol of closer post-Cold War ties between Russia and the United States, has been in a difficult position since Moscow invaded Ukraine in February.

Moscow responded with outrage at unprecedented sanctions over the war and the ISS has been one of the last remaining areas of cooperation between Russia and the West.

- War's echoes in space -

Artemyev praised the work of all 10 people onboard the space station -- four Americans, five Russians and Cristoforetti.

He said he viewed the ISS as "a continuation of the Apollo-Soyuz programme," the first crewed international space mission carried out jointly by the United States and Soviet Union in 1975 in the midst of the Cold War.

That was a time "when the relationship between the countries was also not simple, when there were people who found the way which leads to peace, and the way that war ends everywhere," Artemyev said, not mentioning Ukraine by name.

For her part, Cristoforetti praised the work of her fellow crew, saying they all form "a tiny part of the gigantic team on the ground" which manages the operations of the space station.

The commander is responsible for all tasks performed by the crew members onboard the space station, which orbits more than 400 kilometres (248 miles) above Earth.

During an emergency, the commander has the authority to take decisions without waiting for instructions from ground control.

In the event of a fire, depressurisation or the detection of toxic atmosphere -- the three defined emergency scenarios -- it is up to the commander to ensure that the lives of the crew are saved first.

French astronaut Thomas Pesquet, who has served as ISS commander, said last year that it is "like being on a boat -- there is only master onboard after God".

The decision of who becomes commander is made jointly by the five space agencies involved in the station: NASA, Russia's Roscosmos, Europe's ESA, Canada's CSA and Japan's JAXA.
After so many setbacks, a fearsome emergency has hit NASA Artemis 1 moon rocket- fire.

NASA removed Artemis 1 moon rocket from its launch pad for safety as the weather forecast indicated the horrifyingly strong Hurricane Ian's arrival. Team members operating Artemis 1 rolled the stack from Kennedy Space Center's (KSC) Launch Pad 39B to the facility's Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB). As reported by Space.com, Artemis 1 completed the nearly 10-hour trip to the VAB at about 9:15 a.m. EDT (1315 GMT) on Sept. 27. However, the emergency for NASA Artemis 1 moon rocket escalated as a fire broke out inside the building.

"Employees were evacuated, and there are no reported injuries. The VAB is fire safe, and the Artemis 1 vehicle was not at risk," KSC officials shared via Tweet. KSC Director Janet Petro giving more details on the same stated, "I'm told it was a 40-volt electrical panel on the wall of the High Bay 3 that caught fire." She also shared that the cause of the incident is under investigation.

As reported, Artemis 1 will launch an uncrewed Orion capsule to the moon by using a Space Launch System (SLS) rocket. NASA was supposed to launch the mission on September 7 itself, but due to the arrival of Hurricane Ian, the US space agency had to cancel the launch.

As shared by NASA, the mission team will carry out some task on the Artemis 1 stack while it's in the VAB. The new target launch date is yet to be confirmed as any liftoff before November looks unlikely at this point.

"I won't write it off, but it is going to be difficult," Jim Free, associate administrator for NASA's Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate, said during a media briefing, referring to an October launch.

Artemis 1 is the first mission of NASA's Artemis program and will be the first launch of the SLS as well. NASA is planning to send astronauts around the moon in Artemis 2 in 2024 while Artemis 3 will step down on the ground near the lunar south pole a year or so later, if Artemis 1 will be successful.
This image provided by Amazon shows the Halo Rise bedside smart alarm. The e-commerce and tech giant said Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2022, that it will start selling the device later this year. Halo Rise will be able to track sleeping patterns without a wristband by using no-contact sensors and artificial intelligence to measure a users movement and breathing patterns, according to Amazon. Credit: Amazon via AP

Soon enough, a bedside Amazon device might know whether you're sleepingor not.

The e-commerce and tech giant said Wednesday it will start selling a device later this year that can track sleeping patterns without a wristband.

The device, called Halo Rise, will use no-contact sensors and artificial intelligence to measure a user's movement and breathing patterns, allowing the device to track sleep stages during the night, the Seattle-based company said. Amazon said the device "does not include cameras or microphones," and will go for $139.99.

The Halo Rise would be the latest device in Amazon's Halo line, which includes a fitness tracker that can track physical activity and sleeping patterns. Amazon noted the device can connect with its virtual assistant, Alexa, and allow users to wake up to their favorite songs, and a light that "simulates the colors and gradual brightening of a sunrise."

The new device highlights the company's ever-growing move to integrate its technology in consumers' lives, and broaden its reach into wellness. Its healthcare ambitions have grown over the years, seen most recently in its planned $3.9 billion acquisition of the primary care organization One Medical. The deal is currently under review by the Federal Trade Commission.

This image provided by Amazon shows the Halo Rise bedside smart alarm. The e-commerce and tech giant said Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2022, that it will start selling the device later this year. Halo Rise will be able to track sleeping patterns without a wristband by using no-contact sensors and artificial intelligence to measure a users movement and breathing patterns, according to Amazon. Credit: Amazon via AP

Amazon, which has faced scrutiny over its handling of consumer data, quickly offered assurances on Wednesday that the information in the Halo Rise device will be kept safesaying the "health data is encrypted in transit and at rest in the cloud."

This image provided by Amazon shows the Halo Rise bedside smart alarm. The e-commerce and tech giant said Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2022, that it will start selling the device later this year. Halo Rise will be able to track sleeping patterns without a wristband by using no-contact sensors and artificial intelligence to measure a users movement and breathing patterns, according to Amazon. Credit: Amazon via AP

"Amazon Halo health data is not used for marketing, product recommendations, or advertising, and never sold," the company said.

Separately, Amazon said it will release a new Kindle Scribe, the first Kindle consumers can write on. It will also add more features to its Ring doorbell cameras, home robot Astro, and release new Echo devices.

Explore further Amazon wants to monitor you in your sleep

 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
An Optus phone sign hangs above its store in Sydney, Australia, Thursday, Oct. 7, 2021. Australias federal and state governments on Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2022, called for Optus to pay for replacing identification documents including passports and drivers licenses to avoid identity fraud after 9.8 million of the telecommunications companys customers had personal data stolen by computer hackers. Credit: AP Photo/Mark Baker, File

Australia could have tough new data protection laws in place this year in an urgent response to a cyberattack that stole from a telecommunications company the personal data of 9.8 million customers, the attorney-general said Thursday.

Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus said the government would make "urgent reforms" to the Privacy Act following the unprecedented hack last week on Optus, Australia's second-largest wireless carrier.

Dreyfus said "I think it's possible" for the law to be changed in the four remaining weeks that Parliament is scheduled to sit this year.

"I'm going to be looking very hard over the next four weeks at whether or not we can get reforms to the Privacy Act into the Parliament before the end of the year," Dreyfus told reporters. Parliament next sits on Oct. 25.

Dreyfus said penalties for failing to protect personal data had to be increased so that corporate boards could not dismiss fines as a "cost of doing business."

The "absolutely huge amounts" of customer data companies held for years would have to be justified under the amended law, Dreyfus said.

"Companies need to look at data storage not as an asset, but as a liability or a potential liability," Dreyfus said. "For too long we have had companies solely looking at data as an asset that they can use commercially."

The government blames lax cybersecurity at Optus, a subsidiary of Singapore Telecommunications Ltd., also known as Singtel, for the theft of current and former customers' personal information.

Singtel apologized in a statement issued Wednesday by its management saying, "We are deeply sorry to everyone affected by the data theft."

"Since the incident, our focus has been on supporting Optus' efforts to help impacted customers and strengthen their security controls," the statement said.

"Information security is of paramount importance to the Singtel Group and a top priority across all of its business units and we invest significant resources to continually strengthen our defenses against emerging threats," the statement added.

The data included passport, driver's license and national health care identification numbers which could be used for identity theft and fraud.

Authorities are critical of Optus' initial failure to disclose that Medicare numbers were among the stolen data. That became apparent Tuesday when the hacker dumped the records of 10,000 customers on the dark websix days after Optus discovered the cyberattack.

The urgent legislative response is separate from a broader review of the Privacy Act that began three years ago. The law was passed in 1988 and critics argue it badly needs to be adapted to the digital age.

Optus could potentially be fined a maximum 2 million Australian dollars ($1.3 million) for breaching the Privacy Act, the government said.

It could be fined hundreds of millions of dollars over a similar security breach under European Union laws, the government said.

Submissions to the Privacy Act review have suggested penalties for breaches equivalent to 10% of revenue from Australian operations.

Optus CEO Kelly Bayer Rosmarin has argued against increased fines, telling the Australian Broadcasting Corp. on Tuesday: "Honestly, I'm not sure what penalties benefit anybody."

Optus maintains it was the target of a sophisticated cyberattack that penetrated several layers of security.

After an emergency meeting with banking and consumer regulators, Financial Services Minister Stephen Jones said "fraudsters" and "scammers" were already beginning to use the stolen data, which includes phone numbers and email addresses.

With personal information stolen from 38% of Australia's population of 26 million in the hack, "you can't overestimate the impact of this breach on consumer issues," Jones said.

He warned compromised Optus customers against activating URLs they receive by text or email because they could be from criminals attempting to steal more information.

"We're all working as best as we can to try and work our way through the long tail of problems that is going to be a consequence of this massive data breach," Jones said.

Explore further Australia mulls tougher cybersecurity laws after data breach

 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis speaks at a Google Cloud event in Athens on Thursday, Sept. 29, 2022. Google announced Thursday that it is expending is cloud infrastructure to Greece, following similar investments by tech giants Microsoft and Amazon. Credit: AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris

Google announced plans Thursday to expand its cloud services infrastructure to Greece, promising to create nearly 20,000 jobs through direct investment and partnerships by the end of the decade.

The move follows plans by Microsoft, announced two years ago, to invest $1 billion to create data centers near Athens, as well as pledges by other tech giants including Cisco and Amazon to set up facilities in Greece.

"We can dramatically increase and accelerate innovation and digital transformation in Greece," Adaire Fox-Martin, president of Google Cloud International, told reporters in Athens.

She also announced plans to create Google-funded research centers for tech sustainability and artificial intelligence in two regional Greek cities, adding that the total investments were expected to add 2.2 billion euros to the Greek economy by 2030.

Google officials did not give details of the company's planned investment to create the cloud infrastructure in Greece or a timeline of the project.

Greece has bet heavily on boosting its once-sluggish tech sector since exiting successive international bailout programs four years ago, hoping to diversify an economy heavily reliant on tourism and lure back thousands of university graduates in the sector who worked abroad during the financial crisis.

Peggy Antonakou, Google's general manager Southeast Europe speaks at a Google Cloud event in Athens on Thursday, Sept. 29, 2022. Google announced Thursday that it is expending is cloud infrastructure to Greece, following similar investments by tech giants Microsoft and Amazon. Credit: AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris

From left to right , Adaire Fox-Martin, president of Google Cloud International , Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Peggy Antonakou, Google's general manager Southeast Europe attend a Google Cloud event in Athens on Thursday, Sept. 29, 2022. Google announced Thursday that it is expending is cloud infrastructure to Greece, following similar investments by tech giants Microsoft and Amazon. Credit: AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris

At 11.4% in July, Greece has the highest unemployment rate in the European Union after Spain.

Several government agencies, including the health ministry and hospital administration, are expected to integrate the use of Google's cloud services after the new infrastructure is available, company officials said.

Hundreds of government-run administrative servicesincluding drug prescriptions from public hospitals and applications for uncontested divorcewere made available online during the pandemic.

The Google investment "is the latest in a chain of major business improvements," Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said at the company event.

"This didn't just happen on its own: We had to modernize the institutional and regulatory framework and change people's mindsets," he said. "And we had to take on the beast of bureaucracy."

Explore further Microsoft plans $1 billion data center venture in Greece

 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
The electric Endurance pick-up truck is displayed at Lordstown Motors Corporation, in Lordstown, Ohio. Commercial electric vehicle startup Lordstown Motors says it has slowly started production of its first model, the Endurance pickup. The company said in a statement Thursday, Sept. 29, 2022, that it expects to deliver 50 trucks to customers this year. Credit: AP Photo/Tony Dejak, File

Commercial electric vehicle startup Lordstown Motors says it has slowly started production of its first model, the Endurance pickup.

The struggling company says it has built two pickups, with a third to be finished shortly. It plans to ramp up production depending on quality and parts availability, it said in a statement Thursday. Lordstown expects to deliver 50 trucks to customers this year, and up to 450 more in the first half of 2023, as long as it can raise enough capital.

The trucks are being built in an old General Motors small-car assembly plant in Lordstown, Ohio, near Cleveland that was purchased last year by Taiwan's Foxconn Technology Group, the world's largest electronics maker. Lordstown says it will look to Foxconn and other partnerships as sources of new capital.

"We expect to increase the speed of production into November and December," CEO Edward Hightower said in the statement. Earlier this year, Lordstown said it expected to produce 3,000 of its flagship Endurance electric trucks before the end of 2023.

The company has struggled to raise money and get trucks out the factory door to customers. In its quarterly filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, its auditors raise doubts that the automaker will be in business in the coming year.

Lordstown Motors said it expects to end the third quarter with about $195 million in cash and equivalents, including $27.1 million from equity sales during the quarter. The company says its cash outlook is $75 million better than its previous outlook as it explores options to raise more money.

Shares of Lordstown Motors fell 6% to $1.90 in Thursday morning trading amid broader market declines.

Explore further Startup Lordstown Motors warns it may not stay in business

 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain

Illinois residents who filed claims for a cut of Google's $100 million class-action settlement over alleged violations of state privacy law could receive checks of about $154 each.

Cook County Circuit Judge Anna M. Loftus granted final approval of the settlement Wednesday. She granted preliminary approval of the agreement in April.

The payout comes after Google settled a class-action lawsuit alleging its face grouping tool, which sorts faces on Google Photos by similarity, violated Illinois' biometric privacy law. State law requires companies to obtain affirmative consent from users before collecting and saving their biometric information.

The deadline to claim a cut of the settlement was last week. Those eligible included people who appeared in a photo on Google Photos between May 2015 and this April while they were residents of Illinois.

According to Loftus, about 420,000 people have filed valid claims. That would put payments at about $154 per person, less than the $200 to $400 attorneys originally estimated residents might receive.

The payment amounts remain lower than earlier estimates despite Loftus Wednesday reducing attorneys' fees from 40% of the settlement fund to 35%. Attorneys for the plaintiffs are now eligible to collect $35 million in fees plus costs and expenses. The five named plaintiffs in the case are eligible for payments of $5,000 each.

Google did not admit wrongdoing as part of the settlement. The company has rolled out opt-in consent for face grouping in Illinois, spokesperson Jose Castaneda said last week.

In April, Castaneda said the company was "pleased to resolve this matter relating to specific laws in Illinois" and remained "committed to building easy-to-use controls for our users." He declined to comment Wednesday.

Claimants could receive payments within 90 days of the settlement approval, but any appeals could delay the process.

After Facebook reached a $650 million biometric privacy settlement agreement in February 2021, Illinois residents did not receive their $397 checks until more than a year later because of an appeal. Two class members appealed because they opposed payouts for named plaintiffs and attorneys in the case, the latter of which came out to $97.5 million. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit upheld the Facebook settlement in March.

The Google settlement resolves a group of lawsuits filed by those five plaintiffs, the first of which was filed in 2016 in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.

The Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act is considered one of the strictest such laws in the country, in part because it allows private citizens to sue companies for allegedly breaking the law. Since its passage in 2008, the law has sparked hundreds of lawsuits.

Illinois residents who use Snapchat have until Nov. 5 to submit claims in a biometric privacy case settled by the app's parent company, Snap Inc., last month. The company reached a $35 million settlement over allegations its lenses and filters violated state law.

Snap did not admit wrongdoing in the settlement and maintains its technology does not violate Illinois law. A spokesperson said last month the company had rolled out in-app consent for lenses and filters in Illinois "out of an abundance of caution."

2022 Chicago Tribune.

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
StickBot in walking mode, using the sticks as legs to propel itself across the table. Credit: Eric Sucar/University of Pennsylvania

In late summer, just as the leaves were starting to crisp and curl in the heat, Devin Carroll walked out of his apartment, looked on the ground, and picked up a couple of sticks that he thought might work for his robot. About half an inch thick and the length of an adult hand, he stripped the three sticks of their bark and lashed them with string to StickBot, a modular robot composed of circuitry, actuators, a microcontroller, and a motor driver.

Powered by four AA batteries, connected by a maze of wires and blinking lights, StickBot's wooden arms now thump up and over, powering the robot across the table at Penn's General Robotics, Automation, Sensing & Perception (GRASP) Lab, where Carroll is a Ph.D. candidate in the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences.

Controlling the robot using an app he designed, Carroll shows how StickBot can pivot from using the sticks as legs in "crawler mode," to using them as arms. In "grasper mode," the sticks are attached to a controller plate on one side to form a hinge joint while moving with their free end to hold a cup upright.

Rather than a static, singular invention, StickBot is an idea, a flexible system that can be reconfigured in a variety of ways. A modular robot, StickBot's components can be added, adjusted, and discarded as needed.

Mark Yim, Carroll's advisor, has been at Penn for 17 years and is the current director of the GRASP Lab. The high versatility of modular robots presents a lot of potential for the technology to evolve, Yim says. One iteration of this is self-configuring robots. "People are really good at adapting to different environments: When it gets cold, you put a coat on. And robots can do that as well. But if robots could also change their shape, do different things  it gives you more possibilities."

In addition to a robot made from sticks, Carroll has also built a robot made from ice. With a rectangular body and two large wheels, the robot looks like a cross between a monster truck and a Cushman cart. It's called, of course, IceBot.

IceBot landed a 2020 entry in the Guinness Book of World Records as the first robot made entirely out of ice (save its motor driver and actuators, which Carroll embedded into carved holes). Carroll hopes this technology will be used one day to carry out missions in Antarctica or on an icy moon, possibly as a self-configuring robot. For now, it is a way to refine his ideas about modular robots.

"The lesson learned from IceBot," Carroll says, "is, don't be afraid to try a crazy thing. It might just work."

Found objects, reusing materials

With StickBot, Carroll continued his creative experimentation. This time, he focused on keeping the costs low and creating a simple system that could perform an array of tasks.

"StickBot is a robotic system that is intended to provide users with a large amount of flexibility at an extremely low cost and we do that by leveraging the modularity of found materials," says Carroll. "We have a bunch of tree branches or sticks and we're able to assemble them into truss structures in different configurations. In doing so, we can get things like a crawler robot or a gripper robot or really, anything you can imagine. Behind StickBot is the ability to reconfigure things and to make it extremely affordable."

Carroll estimates that StickBot's total build cost is under a hundred dollars for a simple model, although larger systems may cost more. While some components (like the actuators and motor driver) are integral to the robot's function, others can be swapped out depending on the task being performed and the materials at hand. (Carroll is exploring the use of hot glue and duct tape in lieu of string.) The robot should be able to be constructed from things people might have on hand, he says.

The reduce, reuse, and recycle ethos has been with Carroll since he was young. Carroll grew up on a farm in rural Massachusetts. He was a member of 4-H; he raised sheep. "Everything we did was intended to be renewable," Carroll says. "Building things like barns or sheds, we would try and reuse as much material as possible."

Later, Carroll went to the University of Massachusetts Amherst for mechanical engineering and did a summer Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) program at Harvard, where he built his first robot. "I was a sophomore in engineering school, had no clue what I wanted to do," Carroll says. "I had been working that winter at Harvard Forest, just doing maintenance for them. A researcher came up to me and said, "You're a mechanical engineer, right?" Can you build this robot for me?"

Carroll built the robot, "essentially a box with a bunch of sensors," he says, and designed a tram runway in the tree canopy, three scaffolding-heights high. Powered by a solar-charging battery, the robot was designed to traverse an area to help ecologists determine how quickly the forest would regrow following a clearcut.

It was an influential experience for a young engineer. "There I was, surrounded by ecology and trees and all of those researchers and scientists. People there were very focused on how we can affect the world around us in a positive manner and create a renewable resource so we're not just using something up, we're actually giving back."

Affordable and accessible

One possible application for a StickBot-style robot is rehabilitation settings in global health care, either as a prosthetic or in therapy. High-end medical procedures are all well and good, Carroll says, but are they affordable in every setting? And once that high-tech device breaks, how easily can it be fixed?

"If we could deploy the robotic system like StickBot in a scenario such as that, suddenly we can make an impact in the lives of many more people," says Carroll. Because StickBot is a relatively simple modular robot, its components can more easily be repaired and replaced.

"By providing people with the ability to use materials around them, we do two things," Carroll says. "One, we cut the cost of materials, which are marked up. Two, we can reduce the complexity without reducing the operational function."

It's definitely a timely idea for global health, says Michelle J. Johnson, associate professor of physical medicine and rehabilitation in Penn's Perelman School of Medicine. Johnson, who is director of the rehab robotics lab (A GRASP Lab), also does research in Botswana. "One of the big issues is affordability," she says. There is a need to support clinicians in lower resourced settings, but how do we do that?"

The concept of affordable robots that leverage material that is local and plentiful is compelling, Johnson says, because when materials and electronics have to be imported, costs can increase rapidly.

A modular robot can also be customizable and health clinics could invest in the robot's functionality over time. "Maybe today you can afford just one module, and then tomorrow you can afford the second, and now, you have a system you can use in multiple ways," Johnson says. "You can build as you go."

Carroll adjusts StickBot to work in grasper mode, where the robot holds a coffee cup. Credit: Eric Sucar/University of Pennsylvania

The StickBot system has potential to be used as a social, therapy, prosthetic, or assistive robot, Johnson says. In Botswana, some of Johnson's patients have HIV, which can trigger strokes. A therapeutic robot like StickBot could be used to support an immediate functional need or help patients to perform a physical therapy exercise, she says.

The functional application of ideas is important to Carroll. He wants everyone to have access to interesting design that has the potential to improve lives.

"Have you seen "Big Hero 6'?" Carroll asks. He thinks the Disney movie should be required viewing, at least for those interested in robotics. In it, the hero attends an engineering presentation for students and holds up his inventionsomething that looks like a tiny iron filing, smaller than a pinky finger. The audience is not impressed. Then, the hero shows what thousands of these little doohickeys can do. The modular robots link together and break apart again, effortlessly building scaffolding, and creating an upside-down moving walkway. The possibilities are only limited by the hero's imagination.

"Having the flexibility to do more things means that you can help more people," Carroll says. "And if you can make it inexpensive, that's even better."

Explore further A robot made of ice could adapt and repair itself on other worlds
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ROCKY MOUNT  Over the last several months, a number of signs have appeared in the windows of 325 Franklin Street implying the town is colluding to prevent development of the building.

The registered agent for the company that owns the downtown building, Phillip Bane, put the signs up. He has said the town is an entrenched bureaucracy and that prompted him to start his ongoing campaign for Rocky Mount town council.

Meanwhile, on three separate occasions, town employees have called law enforcement to the town municipal building because of Bane. The back-and-forth over the building has also included several more candidates running in this years council election.

The situation started several years ago, with Banes plan to turn the Franklin Street building into a hotel. Improvements have been made to the building over the years, but it remains under construction.

Bane has spent the past year or more embroiled in zoning disputes with the town concerning the property. In January, Franklin County requested work on the property to cease until the various issues are resolved.

The police involvement has occurred over the last two years.

Unfortunately, in some of the interactions weve had with Mr. Bane, he has been very combative. ... In fact, its gotten to the point where, on three different occasions when Mr. Bane has been at the municipal building, the police have been called because employees were either concerned about their own safety or the safety of other employees.  [It] is unfortunate and not something that happens normally at our building, Town Manager Robert Wood said.

Town officials said the first two instances occurred while Bane was in the building to meet with town staff. Once, staff said, employees called the police after becoming concerned for a staff members safety while meeting with Bane.

A second instance, Bane said, happened when he visited the town office to speak with Wood.

The woman said, Robert Wood is not available. And I said, Maam, if youre going to lie to me, close his door, I can see him in his office. They closed his door then they ended up bringing a police officer in, Bane said.

The third, and most recent instance, also involved Wood.

There was a town council meeting that night. I went outside, waited for him and hes actually the one who assaulted me  he was hitting me in the chest with a rolled up newspaper, Bane said.

Bane said he has a video recording of that event, but when asked if he would like to share it publicly through The Roanoke Times, he declined.

The information he has given is false, Wood said. I never touched him with my hand or a piece of paper or anything. I was trying to deescalate the situation and he followed me across the parking lot.

When Wood could not meet with Bane shortly before the end of the business day, Bane waited for him in the parking lot outside, blocked his car in, entered the municipal building through a secure, staff-only entrance, approached and followed Wood around the parking lot when he did leave and, when Wood got into his car, Bane stood over him in the door, preventing it from closing, Wood said.

Weve got video and eye witnesses that can back that up, Wood said.

A third incident happened when police were called when Bane was not present, according to town officials.

Then, at a candidate forum held Thursday in Rocky Mount by the Franklin County NAACP, Bane claimed that the town council, led by Mayor Steve Angle, who is running for reelection, has voted in secret to interfere with Franklin Street development.

The Roanoke Times review of public records and interviews with local government staff and elected representatives did not find evidence of anything improper.

The town of Rocky Mount in no way shape or form is trying to prevent Mr. Bane or any other investor in the town from being successful, Angle said. We have rules and regulations that need to be followed when people want to open a business within Rocky Mount and we expect everyone to follow those. ... As far as being behind closed doors to take votes, I can assure you with 100% certainty that does not happen. As far as when it comes to voting, as mayor I do not vote unless there is a tie among the six council members on a vote ... [or] during budget season when we are developing a new budget.

Public records show that town staff have overseen attempts to resolve the various issues at the 325 Franklin Street property, which is assessed for tax purposes at over $700,000.

Wood said the town views development projects as a partnership between the town and property owners, and that the town tries to maintain professional, cordial relationships with them.

There are disagreements [between the town and property owners] at times on code issues and rules and standards and that sort of thing, but weve always been able to work those out professionally and amicably and the projects get done, Wood said.

Assistant Town Manager Mark Moore also said there is typically a certain level of partnership between the town and property owner that has not been present regarding 325 Franklin Street because Bane doesnt seem to believe the rules that all property owners must follow apply to him.

At an April 7 Rocky Mount Board of Zoning Appeals meeting, Wood described what he called a pattern to Banes development efforts.

The rules have not been followed, permits have not been obtained, theyve been obtained after construction started, Wood said.

That assertion is backed up by public records.

Demolition at 325 Franklin Street began in 2020  more than a year before Franklin County issued a demolition permit for the property  and knocked broken glass and debris onto the sidewalk, street and parked cars.

In early 2022, the town noted that new walls had been built on top of the buildings existing roof and parapets, adding between 3 and 12 feet of height to the building. The town never received or approved plans to add height. Moreover, adding height violated the towns zoning codes, which state that central business district-zoned buildings, like 325 Franklin Street, may not exceed two stories in height with a maximum height of 45 feet from grade and parapet walls may not project more than four feet above the roof.

Elsewhere in the project, the results did not match the plans that were approved: In August 2021, the town found that the sidewalk on the Claiborne Avenue side of the building had been left too narrow following the installation of a ramp and handrail. The sidewalk did not comply with Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) requirements and federal accessibility standards, and failing to do so could endanger some of the funding the town receives from VDOT, so the town issued Bane a zoning violation.

In both cases, Bane went to the town Board of Zoning Appeals to get after-the-fact permission for the work. Against the recommendations of town staff and the wishes of town council, the BZA  led by Chairman and Rocky Mount mayoral candidate Holland Perdue  granted Banes requests.

Wood and Moore said they still had concerns, based on conversations with the towns engineers, about the added height and whether the building would hold up to the extra weight or if wind shear might cause parts of the walls to fall onto the street.

On May 4, Rocky Mount Town Attorney John Boitnott appealed the BZAs decision to allow the added height with the Franklin County Circuit Court.

Our purpose in filing the appeal was to ask the court to  require them to provide all of that engineering detail and all of that engineering certification that would be required for any building, Wood said.

The town withdrew its appeal once the county assured the town that it would require revised plans before lifting its stop work order. Bane submitted new plans Sept. 12 but had not received approval from the county as of Sept. 15.

Its not the first time Bane has faced issues over a property.

Online court case information available at eapps.courts.state.va.us/ocis/search shows that, in 1997, the state took Bane to court in Roanoke County over an unsafe structure criminal misdemeanor charge. He was found guilty and paid a $1,000 fine.

In 2005, in Roanoke County, the state also brought several felony charges against Bane for failure to pay sales taxes. The cases were dismissed but Bane received unsupervised probation and had to pay more than $1,500 in fines and costs, according to case documentation.

Rather than appeal the BZA decision on the sidewalk, the town is looking into correcting the situation on its own dime. Doing so may affect the adjacent on-street parking spots.

Not just because of the VDOT funding, but because we feel people should be able to use public facilities like sidewalks,  we are going to put the necessary time and money into fixing the sidewalk that was altered and made non-compliant by what Mr. Bane did, Wood said.

Then, at the BZAs Aug. 4 meeting, Perdue moved to change the minutes from the meeting on the sidewalk, eliminating a section summarizing questions from BZA Vice Chairwoman Susan Hapgood about the sidewalks impact on the towns VDOT funding.

This reads to me like we didnt take into consideration VDOT funding, Perdue said Aug. 4.

Hapgood said the minutes were an accurate reflection of the discussion and moved to accept them as presented. Her motion died for lack of a second and Perdues motion to change the minutes carried in a 2-1 vote, with Hapgood dissenting.

All were there to do is determine whether there was a violation or there was not, Perdue said when The Roanoke Times asked him about the change. That language had nothing to do with the finding.

Later, Perdue added he felt the original minutes were picking and choosing parts of the conversation and he wanted them to be more streamlined.

About the downtown structure, Bane said: None of the building was  really my motivation for running.  I dont want anyone to go through what I went through.  Town administration has opened the people of Rocky Mount up to excessive litigation  and we cannot afford to keep government by litigation.  They do not care about the people of Rocky Mount. For them its all about the ego.  The town council is supposed to represent us.

The belief in a need for change on the town council has been shared by other local candidates, including Perdue.

Theres a lot of people around here that feel like their voices arent heard by the current mayor and council.  Small businesses tend to have harder times when theyre coming to the area  Ive seen it first hand.  Weve got to be proactive, weve got a lot of empty buildings downtown, Perdue said.

Although several of the candidates have made comments about needing a change on town council, Bane said he is not running with anyone else.

Were not running together. I think we each have our own ideas, Bane said.
Several hacktivist groups are using Telegram and other tools to aid anti-government protests in Iran to bypass regime censorship restrictions amid ongoing unrest in the country following the death of Mahsa Amini in custody.

"Key activities are data leaking and selling, including officials' phone numbers and emails, and maps of sensitive locations," Israeli cybersecurity firm Check Point said in a new report.

The company said it has also witnessed sharing of proxies and open VPN servers to get around censorship and reports on the internet status in the country, with one group helping the anti-government demonstrators access social media sites.

Chief among them is a Telegram channel called Official Atlas Intelligence Group (AIG) that's primarily focused on publishing data associated with government officials as well as maps of prominent locations.

Calling itself the "CyberArmy," the group is said to have commenced its operations in May and has also advertised a wide range of services in the past, such as data leaks, DDoS attacks, and remote access to organizations. It's also known to voluntarily hunt and dox pedophiles.

According to Cyberint, the cyber mercenary actor also claims to have "connections with people in several law enforcement entities in Europe who can deliver sensitive information about certain individuals exclusively."

A second group of interest is ARVIN, which consists of about 5,000 members and shares news reports about the ongoing protests along with providing a list of Open VPN servers to circumvent internet blockades.

RedBlue, a 4,000-member group on Telegram, has also pitched in with similar efforts, in addition to sharing hacking conversations and guides.

Privacy-focused messaging app Signal, for its part, has reached out to its community to set up a proxy that will help people in the country use the service on Android.
Grand Island Area Coalition on Trafficking is being relaunched.

A luncheon for GIACT members held at CHI Health St. Francis Wednesday brought together representatives from multiple local agencies, including Hall County Attorneys Office, Grand Island YWCA, Willow Rising, Heartland United Way and more.

GIACTs mission is to coordinate efforts as community partners, educate and raise awareness about human trafficking.

The coalition, formed in 2018, hopes to increase community participation following a period of only limited activity due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Human trafficking involves exploitation through the use of force, fraud or coercion to obtain some type of favor or commercial gain, explained Allie Trautman of Hastings-based enCourage Advocacy Center.

Trafficking isnt how its shown in movies and on TV, said GIPD Crime Analyst Jessica Hoback at Wednesdays event.

A woman isnt suddenly swept into a van and transported to Russia, for example.

Hoback and GIACT are working to change such pervading misconceptions.

There are social media posts about, Oh, my gosh, I was followed from the store and I thought I was going to be trafficked. And the same is posted the day before in a different city, with a different store, said Hoback. Those are the things that spread like wildfire. That makes its difficult for us.

Such fearmongering makes Hoback cringe, she said.

Some of those things that have been shared on social media have been investigated by the police and been found to be untrue, she said. If someones following you around the store, they might just need the same cereal as you. It doesnt mean youre going to be trafficked.

This misinformation can have a real effect.

I know women who will not come to Grand Island without their husband because they dont want to be trafficked, said Hoback. To me, thats heartbreaking because Grand Island is not that dangerous of a community. I feel very safe living here.

GIACT focuses on both sex trafficking and labor trafficking, said Trautman.

With labor trafficking, anybody can be a victim, she said. Same with sex trafficking, though we do see that women are a more vulnerable population. Such as with race, people who are minority groups are more often targeted for both sex and labor trafficking.

With sex trafficking, younger individuals are initially recruited, explained Trautman. For the majority of people brought into trafficking, it is done through family members or by an intimate partner.

Its people who have access to that person, not strangers, she said. Im not saying it cant happen, but we need to be aware because we need to be protecting those people from the people who are closest to them.

In Hall County recently, sex traffickers were successfully prosecuted and sentenced to 20 to 40 years in prison, said Hoback.

Recent cases prosecuted by GIPD have not involved advertising for prostitution.

Two recent convictions were based on victims who were provided or fed drugs for their addiction, said Hoback.

When someone asks, Why didnt you just leave? You werent locked up in a basement. That was their source for the drug they needed for their addiction, so they stuck around, she said. Were not seeing people locked up in basements and being sold in an alley, like you might see on TV.

People who witness strange or alarming activity should report the information directly to their local law enforcement agencies, said Nebraska State Patrol Lt. Brent Bockstadter.

The National Human Trafficking Hotline (at 1-888-373-7888) does not always forward tips and information to local agencies.

Their fine print says, unless there is active force or an active force, or the victim has consented to the hotline to release the information to law enforcement, thats not getting funneled to law enforcement, said Bockstadter.

He added, If you see something, you need to call local law enforcement.

A new tipline is being readied by NSP, said Bockstadter, which will serve the entire state.

GIACT meetings are open to the community.

For more information, visit www.heartlandunitedway.org/grand-island-area-coalition-trafficking or email grandislandact@gmail.com.

Those interested can also visit facebook.com/GrandIslandACT.
Omaha World-Herald

Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri and South Carolina signed on to the lawsuit, which was filed in federal court in Missouri. The states requested the court immediately enact a temporary stay on any relief sought through the program. Bidens forgiveness program will cancel $10,000 in student loan debt for those making less than $125,000 or households with less than $250,000 in income. Pell Grant recipients, who typically demonstrate more financial need, will get an additional $10,000 in debt forgiven.

The White House estimates that about 232,100 borrowers in Nebraska, including 136,000 Pell Grant recipients, would be eligible for the one-time debt relief.

The lawsuit requests a temporary stay because federal officials indicated they may begin canceling student loan debt as early as next week, according to a press release form Nebraska Attorney General Doug Petersons office. Nobody with debt will be disadvantaged by the stay, Petersons office argues, because federal student loan repayments have been on pause since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, and will continue through the end of this year.

The lawsuit is the second this week challenging the program. A libertarian advocacy group filed a similar complaint in an Indiana federal court on Tuesday.

The Thursday complaint alleges that Biden is overreaching his executive power in cancelling student loan debt  a power given to Congress.

Determined to pursue across-the-board debt cancellation and stymied by repeated failures to achieve that goal through legislation, the Administration resorted to the now-concluded COVID-19 pandemic and a federal law that applies in the context of military operations or national emergencies as its justification for taking this dramatic action, states the press release from the Nebraska Attorney Generals Office.

According to the complaint, the Biden administration has justified the program citing the Higher Education Relief Opportunities For Students Act of 2003, which was signed into law in 2003 by President George W. Bush, and is meant to provide federal student loan relief for active duty military, those residing or working in a disaster area, or people who have suffered economic hardships due to wars, military operations or national emergencies.

Biden has pointed to the COVID-19 pandemic as a national emergency warranting the relief, but the complaint claims the law was never intended for relief of this magnitude.

Since it was first announced in August, the presidents plan has drawn strong opposition from Republicans, including Nebraskas congressional delegation and Gov. Pete Ricketts. Among other arguments, critics contend the plan is fundamentally unfair and will benefit the well-off.

In a statement Thursday, Ricketts thanked the attorney general for stepping up with these other states to hold the Biden-Harris Administration accountable to the law.

President Bidens student loan forgiveness scheme is fundamentally unfair and would harm the American families forced to pay for it, the governor said. Additionally, the Executive branch does not have unilateral authority to impose a sweeping student loan cancellation plan..

The White House has said that nearly 90% of relief dollars will go to those earning less than $75,000 per year and no relief will go to any individual or household in the top 5% of incomes in the U.S.

Republicans have also seized on the plans price tag. The Congressional Budget Office said this week that the program will cost about $400 billion over the next three decades. The White House countered that the CBOs estimate of how much the plan will cost just in its first year, $21 billion, is lower than what the administration initially believed.

This report includes material from the Associated Press.
Student Safety

Rave Mobile Safety to Provide Anonymous Tip App to All Oklahoma Public and Charter Schools

Rave Mobile Safety, which provides safety communication solutions to education and industry, announced it has partnered with all Oklahoma public and charter schools to provide its AppArmor anonymous tip program made possible by a grant from the Department of Homeland Security. The Oklahoma School Safety Institute and Oklahoma School Division made the decision to use the program for the remainder of the grant period until the end of 2023.

In Oklahoma, 1,845 K12 public and charter schools, representing 92.4 percent, already use the Rave Panic Button, a safety app that communicates with 9-1-1, school staff, and first responders in an integrated manner during emergencies. In addition, nearly 88 percent of school personnel have set up geo-fenced adding buildings and staff members into the system.

The AppArmor custom-branded app allows students, staff, and parents to download the software to their phone or other device and works on the If you see something, say something principle of allowing users to share concerns confidentially with campus security or other emergency responders. There are over 50 features available, including realtime chat with police and security, a request for assistance while walking home, tip reporting, access to instructions during an immediate threat, push notifications from schools or agencies, and more. To understand how the app works and what it can provide, an online demo is available here.
President Joe Biden has decided to ban Russian oil imports, toughening the toll on Russia's economy in retaliation for its invasion of Ukraine. The United States generally imports about 100,000 barrels a day from Russia, only about 5% of Russia's crude oil exports, according to Rystad Energy. Last year, roughly 8% of U.S. imports of oil and petroleum products came from Russia. Gas prices have been rising for weeks due to the conflict and in anticipation of potential sanctions on the Russian energy sector. The U.S. national average for a gallon of gasoline soared 45 cents a gallon in the past week and topped $4.06 on Monday, according to auto club AAA. Should the US ban Russian oil imports over Ukraine war?

You voted:
MURPHYSBORO  Tim Strongin was researching the 78th Ohio Volunteers for a book he was writing. The 78th Ohio Volunteers eventually joined the 31st Illinois Infantry in the Civil War.

The research led Strongin to one man from Southern Illinois, Gen. John A. Logan. It also led him and his wife to visit Southern Illinois to learn more about Logan.

Strongins book, which is in the final editing phases, is called Better Angels.

The book weaves together the stories of historical characters with a few fictional characters

One of the historical characters included is Mary Ann Bickerdyke, a nurse who studied homeopathy and started hospitals to care for Civil War soldiers.

Another one is Logan.

His story is fascinating, Strongin said. Logan came to Santa Fe during the Spanish-American War. He got there just after the revolt.

Following Logan, Strongin learned how Logan changed.

If you met Logan in 1858, you wouldnt have liked him. If you met him in 1866, you would have loved him, he said.

Strongin said he needed a couple fictional characters to move the story along. His fictional characters include Mathan Knapp and Rachael Ball, Bickerdykes niece.

The book ends with the characters at Vicksburg, Mississippi, and it ends with a plot twist. Strongin said he wanted to throw in the plot twist to draw people to a second book.

Strongin is a psychologist. He spent 33 years in the military with 10 years of active service and 23 years of reserves.

He wrote and edited the book himself and sought the opinions of family and friends. He also reached out to Mike Jones of the Logan Museum. Jones gave him some feedback on the book.

After reading the feedback and doing a little more work on his manuscript, Strongin is working with his niece on final editing. He said his plans are to finish the book before Christmas. His niece will do the final word edit.

Some copies of the final edition of the story will be donated to the museum to sell. Money from the sale of those books will go to the Logan Museum.

The second book will follow the characters from Vicksburg campaign to Jackson. Book three follows them through Atlanta to Bentonville. He has already started writing the second book.

He also has taken up painting as a hobby. He said it is a lot easier than writing and a lot quicker. A painting can be finished in a couple days. Writing takes a lot longer.

Strongin is enjoying his first visit to Southern Illinois. He and his wife will visit Civil War sites in Ohio and back around to Nashville, ending their trip with a family event.

This is such a remarkable place. It is the intersection between north and south, between prairie and commerce, Strongin said.

Strongin and his wife enjoy travelling, but he says another way to travel is to read a book. When you read, you travel with the characters and in their time.
CARBONDALE  Dr. Corey Wiggins, DRA federal co-chairman, visited Southern Illinois University on Thursday morning to announce $1.4 million in grants from the States Economic Development Assistance Program (SEDAP).

SEDAP provides direct investment into community-based and regional projects to support basic public infrastructure, transportation infrastructure, workforce training and education, and small businesses development with an emphasis on entrepreneurship.

Grants went to: Randolph County, Vienna, Shawneetown, Sesser, Southeastern Illinois College, and SIU.

Lynn Andersen Lindberg, executive director of innovation and economic development at SIU, said they will build a 1,600 square foot, ultra low temperature freezer with the help of DRA and Greater Egypt Regional Planning and Development Commission.

She explained that the idea came from one of the tenants of the Small Business Development Center. Some businesses have faced supply chain issues and have to drive long distances to lease such a facility.

The investment by DRA will be added to about $350,000 in funding from SIU and Federal partners and $150,000 in private investments for the project.

The freezer will be located just east of the Dunn-Richmond Center.

Im so excited Im probably going to jump in the freezer, SIU Chancellor Austin Lane said.

He added that there are great people in Southern Illinois doing great things for the area.

Some people had to travel 100 miles to get storage for their business. To be able to help businesses flourish is phenomenal, Lane said.

Wiggins said people like to see things happen. These grants will give them projects to see that DRA is funding.

It (the SIU project) is so important in many ways including supply chain issues and access to food, Wiggins said, adding that is also brings opportunity for partnerships.

Wiggins has been to Southern Illinois twice. He said his main job is to get out to the communities and to listen.

Brandi Bradley, designee for Gov. J.B. Pritzker to the Delta Regional Authority Board of Governors, said announcing SEDAP grants is always a good day. It is good to announce funding for Southern Illinois projects.

Marc Kiehna, chairman of Randolph County Board, said they will use their grant to turn part of the Randolph County Care Center into a behavioral health center. It will have rooms for counseling and beds for inpatient care, something that is needed in the region.

Wiggins also suggested that anyone who might be interested in DRA grants can sign up for alerts at dra.gov. It will help them know when to apply for grants.
A 21-year-old Denmark man was found dead in the drivers seat of his car on Wednesday night.

Tony Nimmons Jr. was shot at least once, according to Bamberg County Coroner Wallace Hicks Jr.

An autopsy is scheduled for Friday in Newberry, Hicks said.

The S.C. Law Enforcement Division is investigating Nimmons death at the request of Denmark Police Chief Leroy Grimes.

Grimes said dispatchers sent an officer to the area of Plum Alley and Peterkin Street after someone reported seeing a suspicious vehicle go through the intersection and stop at 9:27 p.m.

An officer discovered the car and noted it had tinted windows, Grimes said.

The officer didnt initially see anyone in the car because of the tinted windows, but then saw someone in the drivers seat.

The officer believed the driver had passed out, so he knocked on the window to try to wake him. The officer then contacted Bamberg County EMS.

In the meantime, the officer discovered a bullet hole in the vehicle.

Medics arrived and determined the man was dead.

Anyone with information about Nimmons death is asked to call Crimestoppers at 1-888-CRIME-SC.

Callers dont have to give their names.

Thursdays shooting incident was the fourth one in the town this year.
Heavy rain and flash flooding will be the largest threats to The T&D Region when Ian arrives in South Carolina on Friday morning.

Wind gusts could possibly reach a tropical storm force speed of 39 mph, according to the National Weather Service.

We have been watching the storm. Orangeburg County has been through a lot of storms, ice storms, flood, tornadoes, you name it, Orangeburg County Administrator Harold Young said during a County Council meeting on Wednesday.

We have a process," he continued. "We have good people in place and we have one of the best emergency services teams and public works teams in the state. We always put ourselves back together with our local resources. Just trust us and trust the process.

We have been doing this for 11 years now and we try to do everything by the book and in the right direction, Young said. We will be OK as Orangeburg County, but prepare yourself because there may be some issues or some damage.

The National Weather Service said Wednesday that there is still some uncertainty on the final track and strength of the storm once it reaches the region.

Tropical storm force wind gusts could push down trees weakened by saturated grounds. As a result, residents can expect power outages.

Tropical storm force winds could arrive Friday. The National Weather Service states that it will remain windy at times into Saturday, but should improve Saturday evening and Saturday night.

Theres a 30 to 50 percent chance The T&D Region will see tropical storm force winds, with the most eastern parts of Orangeburg County and Bamberg County having greatest chance of seeing such winds.

There is about a 5 percent to 10 percent chance the region will see winds greater than 58 mph. Hurricane force winds are not forecast at this time.

There is also a potential for tornadoes, but mostly along the coast.

Rainfall totals across the region are forecast to be between 3 inches and 6 inches, although higher amounts are possible in isolated areas.

The height of the storm  combined winds and rainfall  is forecast to be between 2 p.m. and 9 p.m. Friday.

Direct impacts from Ian will begin to be felt Thursday night, with about a 50 percent chance of rain and wind gusts at about 33 mph.

Rain chances increase to 90 percent Friday and 80 percent Friday night. Heavy rains and windy conditions will peak during this time period.

The chance of rain drops to 60 percent Saturday and will further decrease on Sunday.

Orangeburg County Councilwoman Deloris Frazier asked Young what the county is going to do for residents at Malibu Apartments to prevent them from getting flooded again during the coming storm. The apartment complex frequently floods during heavy rain events.

I am concerned about them and their welfare. A couple of them have kids living up there, she said.

Young said, Through our emergency services and working with DPU and the city, they have identified the units who have the propensity to flood and those people will be notified about the upcoming storm and they will be given the opportunity to do something to help prevent that.

Young said the city will take the lead on the project. The county and city, working with engineers, have identified the flooding issues, he said.

The only thing you can do is to take those three units out of commission because, if not, they will flood again anytime that embankment overflows, Young said.

Frazier asked the county to be included in anything that is done for the apartments.

Orangeburg City Administrator Sidney Evering spoke with the owner of Malibu Apartments and was informed by the owner that residents who have had consistent issues with flooding in the past may be provided alternative lodging, according to city spokeswoman Jennifer Van Cleave.

The owner is also purchasing sandbags to place around apartments that have issues with flooding, Van Cleave said.

The T&D Region is under a tropical storm watch, meaning tropical storm force winds are possible within the next 48 hours.

The NWS issued a special weather statement about the increased fire danger through Thursday as a high pressure system in the Southeast will direct dry air into the region.

This, combined with Ian to the south, will create a strong surface pressure gradient, increasing wind speeds from the northeast with peak wind gusts expected of about 30 mph.
UNITED NATIONS (AP)  Some of the West's fiercest critics made their cases in the closing hours of the U.N. General Assembly meeting of world leaders, as Syria and North Korea on Monday accused the United States and its allies of trying to impose their will on the world.

Syrias top diplomat called for a U.S.-led military coalition to get out of his country, a North Korean ambassador said his nation wouldn't yield to U.N. demands to give up its nuclear weapons program, and both condemned sanctions against their countries.

If the messages weren't exactly new, they carried the extra weight of a once-a-year chance to speak from the same famous podium as the leaders of other nations, including their adversaries. U.S. President Joe Biden addressed the assembly last week, making no direct mention of Syria but briefly complaining that North Korea continues to blatantly violate U.N. sanctions over its nuclear activities.

North Korean U.N. Ambassador Kim Song retorted Monday that Biden picked on us, and Kim shrugged off his message.

To put it clearly, we have never recognized such resolutions of the United Nations that impose pressure" because North Korea views them as U.S. aims given an international imprimatur, Kim said.

We will not recognize them in the future, either, he added.

He said relations were potentially heading into a much more dangerous phase  potentially the shakiest since World War II  because of the high-handedness and arbitrariness of some countries" that he said were trying to overwrite the international system with Western values.

Syria Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad also took aim at sanctions, which the the U.S., some other countries and the European Union have imposed on his country's government, oil industry and more. He said his country has been economically besieged by powers bent on getting their way and retaining their wealth.

The war against Syria, ultimately, was an attempt by the West to maintain control over the world, he said.

The civil war began in 2011 with anti-government protests demanding that President Bashar Assads government make democratic reforms, but the situation quickly escalated into fighting that has killed hundreds of thousands of people and displaced millions. Amid the chaos, the Islamic State militant group took over significant parts of Syria. In 2019, the group lost the last sliver of land its fighters controlled, but its sleeper cells are still active.

To Syria's frustration, hundreds of U.S. troops are stationed in the country's east to help the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces to fight the militants. Mekdad said the coalitions presence contradicts international law and should end immediately, without conditions.

Fighting terrorism does not happen through an illegitimate international coalition that violates Syrias sovereignty and destroys towns and villages, he said, arguing that battling terrorism cant work without coordination with Assads government.

Syria also wants compensation for $107 billion in direct and indirect losses in its oil and gas sector during the war, Mekdad said. The American forces and the SDF currently control much of the oil fields in eastern Syria.

The U.S. didn't immediately respond to the remarks from Mekdad and Kim. They spoke on the closing day of the annual debate that brings presidents, monarchs, premiers and cabinet ministers to the assembly's podium.

Russias war in Ukraine has taken up much of the discussion this year, but the six days of speeches still formed a mosaic of global issues, national priorities, regional rivalries and don't-forgets. Monday was no exception.

Mauritanian Foreign Minister Mohamed Salem Ould Merzoug called for debt cancellation for African countries. His Canadian counterpart, Melanie Joly, told the world's women that her country would speak up for your rights and dignity  no government, no politician, no judge, no one, can take that away from you."

Bhutan's foreign minister, Tandi Dorji, said he overhauled his speech after getting a letter from a 7-year-old girl in his Himalayan homeland. She worried that her small community would be flooded by melting snow and glaciers in a warming world, he said, reading from the letter.

I would request your excellency to kindly convey this small message to the world leaders and big and rich nations to help and save our tiny village from global warming, she wrote. I am sure if we all come together, we can not only save our tiny village but also make our Earth safe for all living beings.

The high-profile speeches began last week with countries that sent heads of state and government. By Monday, foreign minister- and ambassador-level speakers were taking the podium, and the colossal security cordon around the United Nations headquarters had been largely dismantled.

On the final day, many speakers still spoke emphatically about how important the global organization remains in a fragmented world.

We need more of the U.N., not less," Joly said.

As the last country to weigh in, Nauru took stock of a world that has been buffeted by the Ukraine war, the coronavirus pandemic and climate change, all at once. But diplomat Josie-Ann Dongobir closed with hope "that this year allows us to be open to the transformation we seek.

Associated Press writers Bassem Mroue in Beirut and Ted Anthony at the United Nations contributed. For more AP coverage of the U.N. General Assembly, visit https://apnews.com/hub/united-nations-general-assembly
MONCKS CORNER  The Pinopolis lock on Lake Moultrie at Santee Coopers Jefferies Hydroelectric Station was closed on Thursday afternoon ahead of the arrival of Hurricane Ian.

Once weather conditions improve, Santee Cooper team members will assess when to reopen the lock.

For updates on lock availability, boaters can follow Santee Cooper on Facebook and Twitter, and can call 843-899-LOCK (5625).

The lock, part of the Santee Cooper Hydroelectric and Navigation Project, has been in service since 1942, when Santee Cooper first began generating electricity. Santee Cooper manages lakes Marion and Moultrie, South Carolinas largest freshwater resource.
COLUMBIA, S.C.  The National Hurricane Center recently issued a hurricane warning for portions of the South Carolina coast. Forecasters now believe Ian, which is currently a tropical storm, will make landfall somewhere near Charleston as a Category One hurricane. Everyone should finalize their storm preparations today and continue to check the frequently changing forecasts from the Hurricane Center and local weather outlets.

If you havent yet made plans for every contingency, this afternoon is the time to do so, said Gov. Henry McMaster. We can expect to experience a lot of rain throughout the state along with dangerous storm surge in low-lying coastal areas. With the potential for hurricane force winds along our coast, its important for South Carolinians to plan now.

While we will not see the full force of Hurricane Ian the way Florida did, we could see high winds, rain, flash flooding and even tornadoes, S.C. Emergency Management Director Kim Stenson said. Flooding due to storm surge and rain could be a major concern. Over the next day, it will be vital for everyone to be prepared to act if told to do so by your local public safety officials.

Residents in low-lying areas prone to flooding, particularly along the coast, should have a plan to move to higher ground if their homes become unsafe.

Local agencies are opening emergency shelters based on need and storm conditions. Shelter locations, when open, will be posted on the South Carolina Emergency Management Divisions website and mobile app.

While finalizing storm preparations, keep in mind the following:

Be aware of potential flash flooding and storm surge. If there is any possibility of a flash flood, move to higher ground. Do not wait to be told to move.

If time allows, prepare your home for a flood by moving essential items to an upper floor, bring in outdoor furniture, disconnect electrical appliances and be prepared to turn off the gas, electricity and water.

Do not walk through moving water. Six inches of moving water can make you fall. If you have to walk in water, walk where the water is not moving. Use a stick to check the firmness of the ground in front of you.

Do not drive into flooded areas. If floodwaters rise around your car, abandon the car and move to higher ground if you can do so safely. You and the vehicle can be quickly swept away.

Have several ways to get emergency information. Examples include NOAA Weather Radio, CodeRED notifications, Wireless Emergency Alerts for mobile devices and others. Make sure your devices have back up batteries and extra chargers.

If a high wind or tornado warning is issued for your area, get indoors to a pre-designated shelter area such as a basement, storm cellar or the lowest building level. If there is no basement, go to the center of an interior room on the lowest level (closet, interior hallway) away from corners, windows, doors and outside walls.

All official recommendations concerning personal safety will be based on the best available information from the NHC, local National Weather Service offices and in coordination with local and state public safety officials.

Governor McMaster will be joined by state officials for a media briefing today, Thursday, September 29 at 4 p.m. The governor will update the public on Hurricane Ians potential impact on South Carolina.

WHO: Gov. Henry McMaster, state officials

WHAT: Media briefing regarding Hurricane Ian and its potential impact on South Carolina

WHEN: Today, Thursday, September 29 at 4 p.m.

WHERE: South Carolina Emergency Operations Center, 2799 Fish Hatchery Road, West Columbia, S.C.

Note: The press conference will be streamed live on SCETVs website at scetv.org.
Inauguration comes from the Latin verb inaugurare, meaning to consecrate by augury. In ancient Rome, an augury was the rite or ceremony held by an augur  a kind of soothsayer or priest whose job was to interpret omens to guide decisions.

Today, it is more described as the formal ceremony of conferring the authority and symbols of high office. For centuries in academic tradition, investitures have been held with the same pomp and circumstance as commencement or convocation and usually during a presidents first year in office.

Successful leaders learn about their schools histories and former leaders and will do well to understand their tenures. The best lessons can come from each. State Agricultural and Mechanical College to South Carolina State University has had great earlier presidents and Alexander Conyers has large shoes to fill.

This penmans most beloved South Carolina State president is Dr. Robert Shaw Wilkinson (1911-32), the longest serving president, giving 21 years of his life. At that time, it was still State A&M College. This blessed penman was acquainted with President Wilkinsons two children in their golden years, especially, Lula and Dr. Robert Shaw Wilkinson, Jr., a Darmouth College undergraduate and a graduate of New York University Medical School. He was a retired physician and Professor Emeritus of Clinical Medicine at George Washington University.

Miss Lula shared stories with this penman how her father worked untiringly with the S.C. legislature to get funds for State A&M. President Wilkinsons tenure was likely the most fruitful of many of the past presidents. Though probably not much taller than 5 feet, 6 inches, President Wilkinson was enormous in stature.

Miss Lula reprinted and gave to me one of her fathers speeches that he made at Voorhees Normal and Industrial Institute on Founders Day on Sunday, April 3, 1927. One of this writers favorite quotes is: We are now passing through the severest struggle. We are being tested in our patience, our forbearance, our temptations, our economy, our skill, our ability to compete, our learning, our service and our righteousness. Though Wilkinson was talking about contemporary times  times of racial oppression  these struggles are true today. Many of which President Conyers must still address.

Dr. Wilkinson also remarked, The boon of a noble human life cannot be claimed by any single nation or race. It is part of the commonwealth of the world: a treasure, a guide, and an inspiration to all men. These are the passports to all that is best in life and through them we must enter or be debarred.

Dr. Wilkinson also wrote the South Carolina State Alma Mater. The music was written by T.D. Phillips in 1927.

Miller Fulton Whittaker (1932-49), third president, remarked, I have an ideal for the college. It is this: That each student shall give evidence of high moral character and personal worth, serious intellectual effort, and understanding of his obligation to society. To this we would have this college print an indelible stamp of culture and refinement on its students. He established the law school and ROTC among other notable achievements.

Benner Creswill Turner (1950-67), fourth president, endured turmoil during his tenure as civil rights intensified and Negroes were fighting for their rights under the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

Milligan Maceo Nance Jr. (1968-86), president emeritus, became the fifth president of South Carolina State during the Orangeburg Massacre of 1968. He is credited with holding together a fractured community.

The sixth president Dr. Albert Emanuel Smith (1986-92) reminded us that, No individual is greater than South Carolina State, and he, along with Dr. Vermelle Jamison Johnson, the first woman (former contributor to The T&D editorial pages) to achieve the post of executive vice president and provost in the State of South Carolina, established the first Fall Convocation, among growing the enrollment exponentially. Smith led efforts to obtain university status for South Carolina State.

Dr. Barbara Rose Hatton (1993-95), the seventh and only woman president, is credited with the completion of the 22,000-seat Oliver Cromwell Dawson Bulldog Stadium. She led with a guiding principle of culture, community, continuity.

In his well-crafted inaugural address, Passing the Torch, Dr. Leroy Davis Sr., eighth president, most eloquently remarked, Consistently, each college generation has not only met its unique challenges but has continue to add value to our storied history. Through world wars, depressions, and recessions, civil unrest, political uncertainty, death and even tragedies of epic proportion, the eternal torch of this institution has continued to burn, giving light and hope to yet a new generation of students. Dr. Davis address was an augury for the guiding principles of service, integrity, and excellence.

Since Davis, SCSU has had four presidents with degrees of instability from the boardroom to the presidencies.

On Sept. 30, 2022, Alexander Conyers shall formally begin the 13th presidency. With a rather lengthy theme, Onward and Upward: The Journey to Success with Integrity, Commitment and Excellence, Conyers assumes the presidency with great favor and appointed as a righteous leader, according to former SCSU board Chair Rodney Jenkins. Amid the formers chair descriptor, Conyers, unlike the past presidents of old, may not have inherited the best of conditions.

As part of the Conyers augury, the hearers will listen keenly for a vision and how to achieve the journey to success through his leadership. He is blessed with indefatigable energy and youth. Conyers is also enjoying great favor. There is overwhelming and unfettered hope that must be translated into the unmatched storied successes of the past presidents, even with the challenges he has inherited.

Conyers augury must also, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables that he may run that readeth it. For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak and not lie. SCSU must run with the Conyers vision on a journey that has already begun.

Blessings and peace to President Conyers, 13th president, and Long Live South Carolina State University!
A couple who managed to buy an apartment near Luxembourg City despite only being in their 30s have decided to now act the part, wearing fine clothes and referring to each other as if they were Medicis in the Renaissance.

Sid Gorlek and Fausta Nannini, now usually known as my lord and my lady, still say they do not know how they managed to afford the one-bedroom residence, which cost the same as the entire city block where Gorlek grew up.

Will my lady taketh a negroni? said Gorlek after the two returned home from work on Tuesday, pulling out a bottle of real Campari instead of the fake stuff, which they usually use, to mark the occasion. As for myself, I shall have a magnificent Trappist beer, one suitable for a man such as myself, me, a homeowner in Luxembourg.

The one-bedroom apartment is located in a very courtly complex that was built last year between Leudelange and Betrange, and is surrounded by cows that the couple like to think belong to them.

Gentlemen must bow and ladies should curtsy, Nannini instructed friends who attended their housewarming party earlier this month after having hiked up the three flights of stairs as there is no elevator. And do kiss our feet if you wish once you have removed your shoes.

You may lavish us with praise, she added.

The 65-square-meter flat, which even the estate agent referred to as princely and regal, despite the fact that the ceilings have awkward, low angles and a mysterious crack that runs north to south, comes with a parking space that is only occasionally taken by the neighbors purple-haired girlfriend.

As we have just moved in, shall we commission an artist to paint our wall? Gortek said. Engage in some falconry? Go to the opera? Hire a jester to tell us jokes in rhyme?

As long as it costs less than 260 euros, because thats all we have left in spare cash after buying the place, at least until I get my Christmas bonus, he added. Its going to be a tight couple of months.

According to jealous sources near the patrician couple, they only arrived at this high station thanks to a mix of savings, a very sizable loan, and a small contribution from Nanninis stepfather who last year won 34,000 betting on wild boar races in Sardinia.

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The European Network of Fugitive Active Search Teams (ENFAST), with the support of Europol, has launched its campaign for 2022.

ENFAST campaigns focus on criminals who are wanted across Europe as well as members of organised crime syndicates. Over 50 profiles of fugitives with a link to organised crime have been uploaded to the Europol website this year, including four individuals who are wanted for crimes committed in Luxembourg.

All of the wanted individuals listed this year are accused of very serious crimes, including murder, human trafficking, armed robbery, terrorism, and similar crimes.

Europol mainly focusses on leaders and those at the heart of organised crime syndicates, including mafia bosses who have massacred innocent citizens, drug dealers, human traffickers, contract killers, and those involved in major money laundering schemes.

To this end, ENFAST and Europol call on all EU citizens to visit the website "Europe's most wanted fugitives" and look at the photos. The authorities hope that some criminals may be identified this way and that citizens may provide them with useful information.

Among the wanted individuals are also four men wanted by the Luxembourgish authorities for crimes that were either committed in Luxembourg or have a connection to the Grand Duchy.

Rigo Wendt



 Europol

Rigo Wendt from Germany is wanted in Luxembourg. He is suspected of human trafficking, pimping, and money laundering. The offenses have been committed between 2012 and February 2019.

Wendt is highly suspected to have set up an escort-and callgirl service which was also available in Luxembourg. He organised and coordinated the transport of the women from Germany to customers in Luxembourg. Wendt used to be the owner of three brothels in Germany, including an establishment known as "Club Pearls".

He has been wanted internationally since 25 February 2019. Tips can be forwarded to the E-mail address fast.lux@police.etat.lu as well as directly via www.eumostwanted.eu

Zarko Pijanovic

 Europol

39-year-old Zarko Pijanovic, also known as Zarko Stefanovic, was born in the city of Leskovac in Serbia. Pijanovic is considered "dangerous" by the authorities.

He is suspected of having participated in an armed robbery in a Jeweller's store in Luxembourg City on 18 July 2008. On that day, at around 10.25am, four perpetrators entered the store in Luxembourg City. The offenders were in possession of pistols. The employees and three customers in the store were threatened and forced to lie on the floor. Using an axe or similar, one of the robbers destroyed the showcases inside the shop.

64 very valuable watches worth several hundred thousand euros were stolen. The robbers then fled in a Mercedes E250, which had been stolen in the north of Luxembourg on 15 July 2008. This car was found one hour later in Luxembourg City. It appears from the investigation that the perpetrators of this robbery belonged to the "Pink Panther" gang. The group is responsible for several robberies in jewellery stores in Europe at this time.

On 20 May 2020, a European Arrest Warrant and an International Arrest Warrant were issued. Tips can be forwarded to the E-mail address fast.lux@police.etat.lu as well as directly via www.eumostwanted.eu

Edinjo Pulti

 Europol

Edinjo Pulti is suspected of attempted murder. The incident occurred at around 8.55pm on 2 August 2020 in Petange. Several people were involved in this case. The suspected offender used a knife to stab two men several times.

The main victim was hit in the abdominal area and seriously injured. Two other accomplices could already be arrested in this matter. On 21 February 2022, he was last seen in a night club in Shkodra (Albania).

On 25 January 2021, a European Arrest Warrant and an International Arrest Warrant were issued against Edinjo Pulti. Tips can be forwarded to the E-mail address fast.lux@police.etat.lu as well as directly via www.eumostwanted.eu

Abdullah Khodor

 Europol

Abdullah Khodor is suspected of having taken part in a particularly violent homejacking in Gonderange. The authorities consider him "dangerous". At around midday on 17 December 2017, a woman and her minor niece were attacked in her house by two offenders. The victims were threatened with knives. Several pieces of jewellery and a small sum of money were stolen. The perpetrators also destroyed the house phone so that they could not call the police.

On 2 December 2019, a European Arrest Warrant and an International Arrest Warrant were issued against Abdullah Khodor. Tips can be forwarded to the E-mail address fast.lux@police.etat.lu as well as directly via www.eumostwanted.eu
Keeping customer satisfaction as paramount, Edifice Travels functions on three core principles take ownership, put the guest first, and simplify. "We sell experiences to our guest and not the destination. We talk to our guest and understand their requirements, based on which we customize packages for every guest. We choose hotels based on the guests' specific need and what they would want to experience in that particular place. These hotels have no check-in & check-out time and breakfast & drinks is available 24x7. The guest is the King, and their experiences are the most important thing for us", adds K Pavithra, Head -Digital Strategy.Edifice Travels offers travelers a wide variety of packages that include family vacations, couple & honeymoon packages, group package bookings, corporate packages, and many others, each tailor-made to the specific needs of the customers. The team at Edifice is a group of travel enthusiasts who have travelled across the length & breadth of India and are very much eager to offer some thing different to their guests. One such part is where the guests are accommodated at hotels that do not have specific check-in & check-out timings, thus offering the guests the flexibility of time during their stay.The company is also one among the very few travel companies across the globe that offer a digital, e-Commerce experience to finalize & purchase the travel itinerary. Once the customer goes through the detailed itinerary and decides on the experiences & places they wish to explore, they can book/buy the package online without any human intervention. This is considered as a future growth prospect for the travel industry."We have built a network of travel partners across the globe to offer our travelers the best of the world to experience, in their own way. Travel with us, not to escape life, but to enrich it. Because great experiences transform the way you see the world. We now plan to discover new destinations in India, promote those destinations that are unexplored, and give the experience to our guests on the same", concludes Rajesh.
WHILE many central banks around the world have increased their key interest rates to dampen
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A teenager was one of two people arrested for a shotgun and seven rounds of ammunition in Pe
A community group including some current and former Pima Community College board members held a news conference Thursday to call for Chancellor Lee Lamberts resignation ahead of the colleges board election in November.

The division on PCCs Governing Board, which hires the chancellor, is no secret. As it stands now, three of the board members  vice-chair Demion Clinco, Meredith Hay and Chair Catherine Ripley  typically vote in support of Lamberts initiatives, while Maria Garcia and Luis Gonzales often dont. One example of this division was last years vote on Lamberts contract extension and salary increase when both Gonzales and Garcia dissented.

There are two seats open for re-election this November: Clincos and Hays. Hay is not seeking re-election.

As candidates have spent the past year fundraising to support their campaigns  Clinco raised more than $156,000 with big donations from local business owners  a community group known as the People4PCC (previously known as C-FAIRR) has vocalized what it perceives as Lamberts poor leadership of the college.

Luis L. Gonzales, a current PCC board member, as well as Luis A. Gonzales, a former PCC board member and state lawmaker, were in attendance at Thursdays news conference.

Why do you (Lambert) continue to spend taxpayer dollars for lawyers and various consultants to try to muzzle, intimidate and scare anyone that opposes your view? Mario Gonzales, former chair of C-FAIRR, said at the event People4PCC hosted at Dunbar Community Center.

At the news conference, Mario Gonzales and other members of the group accused Lambert of a lack of transparency in his management of taxpayer money, prioritizing the buildout of his Centers of Excellence project while eliminating other courses students need, and factionalizing three members of the board.

In short, Gonzales said, We call for the immediate resignation of the chancellor. Yes! The chancellor must go.

People4PCC has no confidence that the chancellor will suddenly wake up and smell the roses and be honest and transparent, Gonzales said. Its time for a new chancellor for PCC. A chancellor who will be transparent. A chancellor who will increase enrollment by bringing back required courses. A chancellor who will be accountable to all taxpayers, employees and students of Pima County.

In response to the groups call for Lamberts resignation, the college told the Arizona Daily Star that the People4PCCs accusations are not true.

These are old allegations that have been proven false repeatedly and are typical election year exaggerations and misinformation, a PCC spokesman said. PCCs strong enrollment growth, wise fiscal management, support from the business community and award-winning programs speak for themselves.

Lambert was hired in 2013. At that time, the college was on probation with its accreditor, the Higher Learning Commission, in part for dysfunctional leadership under former Chancellor Ray Flores.

In recent years, the college has received good standing with its accreditor, but division remains.

Last year, a former facilities employee filed a lawsuit against the chancellor alleging wrongful termination after expressing disapproval of the colleges multi-million-dollar contract with Trane, alleging that the college selected the company to do an HVAC project outside of the required request for proposal process. That same individual, William Ward, filed a complaint with PCCs accreditor, the Higher Learning Commission.

In March, an accreditation team made a focused visit to the college to determine if the board is autonomous to make decisions in the best interest of the institution in compliance with board policies and to ensure the institutions integrity.

The Arizona Daily Star has requested a copy of the accreditors report through the states public records law. The college said it expects to have the report made public within the next few weeks.
While there's no eyewitness or videotape connecting Christopher Clements to 13-year-old Maribel Gonzalez's 2014 abduction and slaying, there is a "mountain of circumstantial evidence" that points to his guilt, prosecutors said Wednesday during closing arguments at his trial.

"I cant tell you why he abducted Maribel Gonzalez on the night of June 3 and I cant tell you why he killed her... but we have proven to you over the last two weeks that he is guilty," Deputy Pima County Attorney Tracy Miller told jurors. "It is not a coincidence that all these pieces of the puzzle point directly to Christopher Clements."

Clements' trial began Sept. 13 in Pima County Superior Court. The 40-year-old convicted sex offender is charged with first-degree murder and kidnapping in connection with Maribel's death.

He's also facing charges in connection with 6-year-old Isabel Celis' kidnapping and death. That trial is slated for February. Isabel went missing in 2012. Both cases went unsolved for years until law enforcement leaders announced Clements' arrest in both in September 2018.

"Maribel should have been able to safely walk to her friends house. It's hard to imagine and wrap our heads around the idea that there are people, there is someone that would abduct a 13-year-old and murder her," Miller said, adding that from the evidence, "you know exactly who murdered Maribel Gonzalez, and that was Christopher Clements."

Miller reminded the jurors of the DNA evidence found on Maribel's body that can't exclude Clements as a suspect in her killing, cell phone records that showed Clements traveled to the vicinity where Maribel's body was left in the desert, and related searches on his computer in the years that followed her death.

Miller also brought up the testimony of Clements' ex-girlfriend, who told the jury that he left the house around the same time Maribel left her own home, returned to his house briefly on a search for bleach, and then left for the rest of the night.

The prosecution believes Clements encountered Maribel walking down the road after he left his house the first time. Some sort of struggle ensued, during which he suffocated the teen and put her body in his trunk, they contend. He returned home to get bleach, traveled to a remote desert area in Avra Valley to leave Maribel's body, and turned off his phone for several hours, Miller said.

She said this gave him plenty of time to dispose of Maribel's body, get rid of her clothing and personal evidence and remove any trace evidence from his trunk.

Miller told the jurors they can consider other evidence when deciding Clements' guilt, pointing to dozens of photos of girls on Clements' computer, some of whom were scantily clad and others whom police were able to identify in Tucson.

"The motive  being attracted to little girls  explains why he would have stopped and picked up Maribel on the side of the road. The opportunity he creates when he interacts with little girls in our community," Miller said. "The state doesnt have to prove motive, we dont have to tell you why, but we absolutely did provide you with evidence of motive in this case that you can consider."

Clements' defense attorney, Joseph DiRoberto, focused much of his closing argument on what the state hasn't proven, which he said includes that Maribel's death was even a homicide.

Her cause of death was ruled homicide by unspecified means, but DiRoberto reminded the jury his forensic expert testified that if she had quickly died of an overdose, the substance would not have had time to make its way to Maribel's spleen  the site of the sample for her autopsy toxicology screen.

If the jury believes there's a possible alternative cause of death than the prosecution's theory, that's reasonable doubt, DiRoberto said.

"If the state cannot prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Maribel was killed, murdered, how is it even possible that Mr. Clements can be guilty of intentional, premeditated murder?" DiRoberto asked. "There's no known scientific evidence that Mr. Clements committed this crime. There's no witness to this crime, no evidence, no confession."

DiRoberto challenged the validity of the state's DNA and cell phone tracking evidence, saying defense experts proved they left room for doubt. He also questioned the credibility of Clements' ex-girlfriend's testimony.

He pointed to the photos of girls on Clements' computer, saying prosecutors spent so much time on evidence that's unrelated to Maribel's death because their evidence related to the crime is "riddled with doubt."

He suggested the teen was living a "fast life" that exposed her to danger.

"She was going out on the streets of Tucson at night, a young girl.  Anything is possible and theres nothing between the time she left the apartment and the time she was found, theres nothing," DiRoberto said. "We dont know where she was, who she was with, where she got where she was. Theres this void in the evidence."

DiRoberto presented jurors with a scenario he said would help them determine if there was reasonable doubt in the case.

"Assume that you were to learn after having heard all the evidence in this case that there was a complete videotape of the incident involving Maribel," he said. "If you think youd really like to see that videotape before deciding to convict Mr. Clements, I would suggest you have reasonable doubt about Mr. Clements' guilt."

To secure a conviction of first-degree murder, the state has to prove the crime was either premeditated or considered "felony murder."

Judge James Marner explained to the jury in his final instructions before they began deliberating late Wednesday that premeditation requires a decision to kill, reflection on that decision, and acting on the decision. Felony murder in this case would be a murder committed in the course of a kidnapping, which Arizona law defines as restraining someone with the intent to do physical harm or aid in the commission of a felony.

Clements was initially facing the death penalty if convicted, but Pima County Attorney Laura Conover announced in April that she would no longer pursue the death penalty in any case, following through on a 2020 election campaign promise.

If convicted of first-degree murder, Arizona sentencing laws show Clements will receive a term of natural life or life in prison. Natural life means Clements would be behind bars until his death. A life sentence is usually a term of 25 years, but because Maribel was younger than 15, if Clements receives a life sentence, hell spend at least 35 years in prison.

Autopsy, phone-tracking evidence in Tucson murder case With the end of the trial expected Wednesday, witnesses for Christopher Clements called into question DNA and phone-tracking evidence. Clements said Tuesday he would not take the stand.

Photos of children, Google searches found on Clements' devices A digital forensic examiner told jurors about a secret app that was downloaded on iPads of Christopher Clements, who is charged with killing two Tucson girls.

Maribel Gonzalez, 13, might have been suffocated, jury told A forensic expert testified that Maribel Gonzalez may have been suffocated, despite the lack of any signs of physical injury to her body.
Willem de Koonings Woman-Ochre is home.

After nearly 37 years, the painting that was cut from its frame and stolen over Thanksgiving weekend in 1985 will once again hang in the University of Arizona Museum of Art.

Ive been thinking about this painting in terms of it reaching certain milestones, said Olivia Miller, the museums interim director. This is the most exciting milestone for us. We are just thrilled.

On Saturday, Oct. 8, the museum will host a reception to open a special welcome-home exhibition for the de Kooning. The exhibit will run through May 20 before Woman-Ochre is returned to its second floor exhibition space and kept under a case.

The painting was in that space in November 1985 when a couple visiting the museum pulled off an improbable heist, cutting the painting out of its frame and stealing it in broad daylight.

For nearly four decades, the paintings whereabouts was a mystery until that day in August 2017 when Silver City, New Mexico, antiques and furniture dealer David Van Auker called the UA to tell them he had their painting.

When I talked to them, the first thing I said was  I believe I have a piece of art that was stolen from you, Van Auker recalled of that conversation.

By late the next evening, the de Kooning was on its way back to Tucson.

But the journey had just begun.

A brazen heist, inconceivable recovery

No one was ever charged for the Nov. 29, 1985, theft. What police and UA Museum of Art officials know is that a couple came into the museum that day over Thanksgiving weekend when no one else was there. While the woman kept the lone security guard occupied downstairs, her male companion went to the second floor where the de Kooning, valued back then at $400,000, had hung since Baltimore developer Edward Joseph Gallagher Jr. had donated it in 1958 in memory of his son.

To this day, officials cant say for sure if New Mexico retired school teachers Jerry and Rita Atler was the couple who stole the painting. Their nephew found the painting among their belongings when he went to clean out the couples home after Rita Atler died in June 2017. The criminal case is officially closed, although the FBI said in an email this week that it will investigate any leads that arise.

The painting was hanging behind the bedroom door of the couples home in the tiny enclave of Cliff, New Mexico, outside of Silver City. Judging from the dust, it had hung there presumably for decades.

In August 2017, the late couples nephew reached out to Van Auker and his partners, who run the Manzanita Ridge Furniture & Antiques shop in Silver City, asking if they would be interested in buying the estate. They initially turned him down. Before the pandemic, the three partners dealt mostly in furniture resale, buying furniture and furnishing from upscale hotels. They werent in the business of estate sales.

When the nephew started name-dropping the mid-century furniture designers whose works filled the home and described the artwork on the walls, Van Auker said they decided to take a look.

The trio agreed to buy the estate for $2,000 because Van Auker was enamored by a lamp, a vase and two paintings, one of which turned out to be the missing de Kooning.

Van Auker said he wanted to hang the de Kooning in a guest house on the stores property. He had no idea that the painting was anything more than interesting  an example of post-modernism that fit the style of the guest house that had been part of a former art gallery. But when a customer tipped them off that it was valuable and rare, they started doing some research.

Van Auker googled the name and came up with an article from years earlier detailing the UA theft.

His next call, was to the UA museum.

Over the next 36 hours, Van Auker and his partners spoke with Miller and law enforcement officials about returning the painting. They assured Miller that they wanted nothing in return. She had Van Auker send her photographs of the painting and its dimensions, which convinced her they had the real deal. Miller made arrangements to retrieve the painting the next night.

Meanwhile, the partners initially locked the painting up in the stores bathroom, but as word got out around the tiny town of 10,000 that the store had a valuable piece of art, Van Auker said he worried that they would become a target for thieves.

Im thinking some meth head is going to get wind of this and they are going to kill me, he recalled during a phone interview last week from his shop.

The partners turned the painting over to a lawyer friend for safe-keeping until they could return it to Miller. The lawyer, though, thought the partners should consider asking for compensation before they handed it over. He suggested the partners could demand a million dollars or at the very least a $50,000 donation for the arts program at the local college.

I said, I dont care; were giving it back. It was stolen and it doesnt belong to us, Van Auker said.

The partners and the lawyer went back and forth for hours over the idea of profiting from the find and when things started to get heated late that evening, there was a knock on the lawyers door.

UA officials, local police and the FBI had arrived, Van Auker recalled.

Restoring a masterpiece

Olivia Miller has worked for the UA Museum for 10 years so her only exposure to the de Kooning was seeing a photograph. She had imagined a day when the painting would resurface, but never really thought it would.

Until that day.

Once they got the painting back to the UA and had authenticated it, Miller knew it would take extensive work to restore the de Kooning to its original state.

We knew that it would be an in-depth conservation project that would require the painting to leave the state, she said.

The painting had creases in it from the thief tearing the canvas from its frame and rolling it up. Paint was flecked off and the painting was missing its borders, which were left in the frame.

Miller consulted the de Kooning Foundation and other experts who recommended the UA send the painting to the Getty Museum, which has been a leader in historic art preservation since the early 1970s. The Getty has been involved in some of the biggest headline-grabbing restoration projects of works mostly dating hundreds of years including the 2010 restoration of Giorgio Vasaris 1546 painting The Last Supper, which was damaged in a 1966 flood in Italy.

The Getty restores historic works free of cost to the institutions in exchange for being able to exhibit the restored works before returning them.

In 2019, the UA sent Woman-Ochre to the Getty and Ulrich Birkmaier, the Gettys senior conservator of painting.

Birkmaier said that judging from the extensive damage to the painting, the thieves were unaware that the painting had a secondary canvas that was used to reinforce the original canvas after it was damaged in 1974. When the thief cut the painting from its frame, they likely expected the painting to slide easily from the frame, but it was still attached to something, Birkmaier said, describing the theft as an act of violence.

They must have been miffed by the fact that it was not coming out of the frame, he said. When they cut into the painting, they didnt realize it was adhered to that secondary canvas. They simply pulled the de Kooning canvas off that secondary canvas. By ripping it off, they caused all these horizontal lines where the paint flaked off where it was ripped off that secondary canvas.

That was the first issue that Birkmaier and Tom Learner, senior scientist and head of the Getty Conservation Institute, had to address. They also had to reattach the paintings original borders to the canvas. The UA museum had kept the original frame all those years with the canvas remnants still intact, which made the Gettys job a little easier, Birkmaier said.

Thankfully Arizona kept that, he said.

The Getty began the restoration in spring 2019 but was delayed a year due to the pandemic. In all it took two years and hundreds of man hours that included remarrying the cutout canvas to its original borders and painstakenly inpainting the areas where the original paint had flaked.

The work was finished in May and went on display in the Los Angeles museum from June through Aug. 28.

Just like with the Jackson Pollock Mural, the painting that was restored at the Getty some years ago, these conservation exhibitions are one of the more popular exhibitions in the museums, Birkmaier said Part of the excitement is also due to the crazy story of the theft and the recovery. We are just so happy that we are able to bring it back to life basically. It looked pretty sad when it first came to the Getty.

Homecoming party

Willem de Koonings Woman-Ochre returned home to the UA Museum of Art after sunset on Sept. 14, under heavy-armed guard. By some published estimates, the painting is valued at $160 million, although Miller would not disclose its value.

This week the painting will be hung in the main gallery where it will be on display Oct. 8 through May 20; a special fundraising homecoming reception is planned for Friday, Oct. 7.

Next spring, the painting will be rehung in its original second floor space, where it had been since 1959.

Miller said the UA is taking extra security precautions throughout the exhibit and beyond, although she would not disclose details, though she confirmed it will now be kept inside a case.

Birkmaier and his associates and Van Auker and his partners will be on hand for the homecoming event and the exhibits opening. Miller said she also invited the Atlerss nephew, but as of last week had not received an RSVP.

Birkmaier said he and his staff are thrilled to see the painting returned to the public in Arizona in its rightful place.

It is probably the greatest story Ive ever experienced pertaining to the restoration of a painting, he said. It is a bizarre story. Im just very, very happy that we were able to play a small role in the recovery of the painting.

Van Auker and his partners have visited Tucson several times since returning the painting and it never failed, whenever we were out shopping or something there was always someone who would recognize us. You guys are the de Kooning guys, arent you, he said with a laugh.

To think he and his partners had a role in this bizarre story still strikes him as surreal.

I think its going to be a movie, I really do, he said. I think it should be a movie because I am fascinated by it.
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP)  The first civil suit alleging Portland police used excessive violence against a 2020 racial justice demonstrator opened Tuesday before a jury in Multnomah County Circuit Court.

Civil rights attorneys are paying close attention because the outcome could answer questions about the potential liability the city faces over similar cases, Oregon Public Broadcasting reported.

The killing of George Floyd, a Black man, by Minneapolis police officers in late May 2020, sparked protests as part of a worldwide reckoning over racial injustice. In Portland, racial justice protesters clashed nightly with police and federal law enforcement from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the U.S. Marshals Service.

One such protester, Erin Wenzel, claims she was following police instructions on Aug. 14, 2020, when an officer ran at her and violently slammed into her with a nightstick.

According to her lawsuit, the force of the impact lifted her off the ground and she landed on her face. Wenzel says in her suit that she stood up and tried to keep walking but another officer struck her and a third knocked her down.

Wenzel broke her arm and suffered injuries to her wrist, face and torso, her lawsuits says. Wenzels complaint alleges the citys failure to discipline Rapid Response Team officers it knew to be violent encouraged officers to continue violence against protesters.

Wenzel is asking for damages totaling $500,000. The trial is expected to run through Oct. 3.

In their response to the complaint, an attorney for the city of Portland, William Manlove, said protesters  including Wenzel were wearing protective equipment including gas masks and helmets.

In court filings, attorneys for the city say police were trying to stop protesters from reaching the headquarters of the Portland Police Association, the city's police union, where break-ins and fire damage had happened during previous demonstrations. The police declared an unlawful assembly and used a loudspeaker to order the crowd to disperse.

The city does not say Wenzel threw anything at officers or broke any laws. But it does argue that any physical contact the police made "was justified and privileged as it was reasonable and necessary to carry out those employees law enforcement duties.

From May 29 through Nov. 15 last year, during the height of the social justice protests in Portland, the citys police used force more than 6,000 times, according to a U.S. Department of Justice report.
Floods trap many in Florida as Ian heads to South Carolina

FORT MYERS, Fla. (AP)  Rescue crews piloted boats and waded through inundated streets Thursday to save thousands of Floridians trapped amid flooded homes and shattered buildings left by Hurricane Ian, which crossed into the Atlantic Ocean and churned toward South Carolina.

Hours after weakening to a tropical storm while crossing the Florida peninsula, Ian regained hurricane strength Thursday evening over the Atlantic. The National Hurricane Center predicted it would hit South Carolina as a Category 1 hurricane Friday.

The devastation inflicted on Florida came into focus a day after Ian struck as a monstrous Category 4 hurricane, one of the strongest storms ever to hit the U.S. It flooded homes on both the state's coasts, cut off the only road access to a barrier island, destroyed a historic waterfront pier and knocked out electricity to 2.67 million Florida homes and businesses  nearly a quarter of utility customers.

Four people were confirmed dead in Florida. They included two residents of hard-hit Sanibel Island along Floridas west coast, Sanibel city manager Dana Souza said late Thursday. Three other people were reported killed in Cuba after the hurricane struck there on Tuesday.

In the Fort Myers area, homes had been ripped from their slabs and deposited among shredded wreckage. Businesses near the beach were completely razed, leaving twisted debris. Broken docks floated at odd angles beside damaged boats and fires smoldered on lots where houses once stood.

Russia to annex more of Ukraine on Friday at the Kremlin

KYIV, Ukraine (AP)  Russia planned to annex more of Ukraine on Friday in an escalation of the seven-month war that was expected to isolate the Kremlin further, draw more international punishment and bring Ukraine extra military, political and economic support.

The annexation  and planned celebratory concerts and rallies in Moscow and the occupied territories  would come just days after voters supposedly approved Moscow-managed referendums that Ukrainian and Western officials have denounced as illegal, forced and rigged.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters Thursday that four regions of Ukraine  Luhansk, Donetsk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia  would be folded into Russia during a Kremlin ceremony attended by President Vladimir Putin, who is expected to give a major speech. Peskov said the regions pro-Moscow administrators would sign treaties to join Russia in the Kremlins ornate St. Georges Hall.

In an apparent response, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called an emergency meeting Friday of his National Security and Defense Council.

Zelenskyy also sought to capitalize on anti-war sentiment in Russia by issuing a special video directed at Russias ethnic minorities, especially those in Dagestan, one of the country's poorer regions in the North Caucasus.

Russia opens more border draft offices amid call-up exodus

Russian authorities are opening more military enlistment offices near Russia's borders in an apparent effort to intercept some of the Russian men of fighting age who are trying to flee the country by land to avoid getting called up to fight in Ukraine.

A new draft office opened at the Ozinki checkpoint in the Saratov region on Russia's border with Kazakhstan, regional officials said Thursday. Another enlistment center was set to open at a crossing in the Astrakhan region, also on the border with Kazakhstan.

Earlier this week, makeshift Russian draft offices were set up near the Verkhny Lars border crossing into Georgia in southern Russia and near the Torfyanka checkpoint on Russia's border with Finland. Russian officials said they would hand call-up notices to all eligible men who were trying to leave the country.

Over 194,000 Russian citizens have fled to neighboring Georgia, Kazakhstan and Finland  most often by car, bicycle or on foot  since Russian President Vladimir Putin last week announced a partial mobilization of reservists. In Russia, the vast majority of men under age 65 are registered as reservists.

The Kremlin has said it plans to call-up some 300,000 people, but Russian media reported that the number could be as high as 1.2 million, a claim that Russian officials have denied.

1/6 chairman: Ginni Thomas reiterates false election claims

WASHINGTON (AP)  Virginia Ginni Thomas, the wife of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, stood by the false claim that the 2020 election was fraudulent during an interview Thursday with the House committee investigating the Jan. 6 insurrection, the panel's chairman said.

Its a work in progress, Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., told reporters after the more than four-hour interview ended. At this point, were glad she came.

The committee  comprised of seven Democrats and two Republicans  has for months sought an interview with Thomas in an effort to know more about her role in trying to help former President Donald Trump overturn his election defeat. The conservative activist texted with White House chief of staff Mark Meadows and contacted lawmakers in Arizona and Wisconsin in the weeks after the election.

Thomas answered some of the questions from congressional investigators Thursday as she sought to portray herself as among the many Americans who still believe the baseless claim that the 2020 election was stolen, according to a person familiar with the investigation who was not authorized to discuss it publicly.

But she did not provide any evidence or specific reasoning to back up her belief, the person said.

Hurricane Ian sweeps away homes, memories on barrier islands

FORT MYERS BEACH, Fla. (AP)  On the road into Fort Myers Beach, cars are left abandoned in the roadway, where they stalled when Hurricane Ian's storm surge flooded their engines and their drivers couldnt continue. Broken trees, boat trailers and other debris litter the road.

It's even worse in the seaside tourist town, much of which was flattened by the fierce winds and powerful storm surge generated by the Category 4 hurricane.

The barrier islands along the southwest Florida coast, famed for their seashells, fishing and laid-back lifestyle, took major hits from Ian when it came ashore Wednesday. Sanibel and Captiva are both cut off from vehicle traffic because the only bridge to the mainland partially collapsed. Nearby Pine Island was also ravaged.

At the Cottage Point mobile home park in Fort Myers Beach, William Goodison and his son, Kurtis, wheeled two garbage cans filled with what was left of his belongings through knee-high water Thursday. A portable air conditioner. Some tools. And a baseball bat.

But his furniture and family mementoes were gone, submerged when a 5-foot (1.5-meter) surge of water plowed across the 60-home community of retirees and working people. Goodisons single-wide trailer that he called home for 11 years  he had only one payment left  was destroyed. Because of the location, he couldnt get insurance.

Trump records probe: Tensions flare over special master

WASHINGTON (AP)  The parallel special master process spawned by the FBI search of Donald Trumps Florida estate has slowed the Justice Department's criminal investigation and exposed simmering tensions between department prosecutors and lawyers for the former president.

As the probe into the presence of top-secret information at Mar-a-Lago continues, barbed comments in recent court filings have laid bare deep disagreements related to the special master's work  not just among lawyers but judges, too. And the filings have made clear that a process the Trump team initially asked for has not consistently played to the ex-president's advantage.

A look at where things stand:

WHO IS THE SPECIAL MASTER AND WHAT IS HIS ROLE?

A federal judge in Florida appointed at the Trump team's request an independent arbiter to inspect the thousands of documents seized from Mar-a-Lago and to weed out from the investigation any that might be protected by claims of either attorney-client privilege or executive privilege.

S. Korea, US and Japan hold anti-N. Korean submarine drills

SEOUL, South Korea (AP)  South Korea, U.S. and Japanese warships launched their first anti-submarine drills in five years on Friday, after North renewed ballistic missile tests this week in an apparent response to bilateral training by South Korean and U.S. forces.

The Norths recent five missiles launches, the first such tests in a month, also came before and after U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris visited South Korea on Thursday and reaffirmed the ironclad U.S. commitment to the security of its Asian allies.

The one-day trilateral training off the Korean Peninsulas east coast is meant to cope with a North Korean push to advance its ability to fire missile from submarines, according to a South Korean navy statement.

North Korea has been building bigger submarines including a nuclear-powered one and testing sophisticated missiles that can be fired from them in recent years. Thats an alarming development for its rivals because its harder to detect underwater-launched missiles in advance.

Friday's drills involve the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan as well as U.S., South Korean and Japanese destroyers, the navy statement said. During the training, the navy ships from the three nations were to search and track a U.S. nuclear-powered submarine posing as a North Korean submarine while exchanging related information, according to media reports.

Dolphins QB Tua stretchered off with head, neck injuries

CINCINNATI (AP)  Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa sustained neck and head injuries after being slammed to the ground in Thursday's game against the Cincinnati Bengals and was stretchered from the field.

The Dolphins said Tagovailoa was conscious, had movement in all his extremities and was taken to University of Cincinnati Medical Center for further evaluation.

Tagovailoa was chased down and sacked by 6-foot-3, 340-pound Josh Tupou with about six minutes left in the first half. He was spun around and thrown to the turf. While on the ground, his hands froze in front of his face. He remained down for more than seven minutes before being loaded on a backboard, stabilized and strapped to a stretcher after his facemask was removed.

Dolphins players gathered around as Tagovailoa was rolled off the field and the crowd chanted Tua! Tua!.

Reaction came swiftly from around the NFL. Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and Broncos QB Russell Wilson promptly tweeted with concern for Tagovailoas well-being.

Study finds that climate change added 10% to Ian's rainfall

Climate change added at least 10% more rain to Hurricane Ian, a study prepared immediately after the storm shows.

Thursday's research, which is not peer-reviewed, compared peak rainfall rates during the real storm to about 20 different computer scenarios of a model with Hurricane Ian's characteristics slamming into the Sunshine State in a world with no human-caused climate change.

The real storm was 10% wetter than the storm that might have been, said Lawrence Berkeley National Lab climate scientist Michael Wehner, study co-author.

Forecasters predicted Ian will have dropped up to two feet (61 centimeters) of rain in parts of Florida by the time it stopped.

Wehner and Kevin Reed, an atmospheric scientist at Stony Brook University, published a study in Nature Communications earlier this year looking at the hurricanes of 2020 and found during their rainiest three-hour periods they were more than 10% wetter than in a world without greenhouse gases trapping heat. Wehner and Reed applied the same scientifically accepted attribution technique to Hurricane Ian.

Biden vows US commitment to Pacific Islands at summit

WASHINGTON (AP)  President Joe Biden on Thursday told visiting leaders from more than a dozen Pacific Island countries that the U.S. was committed to bolstering its presence in their region and becoming a more collaborative partner as they face the existential threat of climate change.

The president addressed the leaders who gathered in Washington for a summit as the White House looks to improve relations in the Pacific amid growing U.S. concern about Chinas growing military and economic influence.

A great deal of history of our world is going to be written in the Indo-Pacific over the coming years and decades, Biden said at the start of a meeting with island leaders at the State Department. And the Pacific Islands are a critical voice in shaping the future, and thats why my administration has made it a priority to strengthen our partnership with your countries.

Biden delivered his remarks as his administration unveiled its Pacific strategy, an outline of the White House's plan to assist the region's leaders on pressing issues like climate change, maritime security and protecting the area from overfishing. The administration also pledged that the U.S. would add $810 million in new aid for Pacific Island nations over the next decade, including $130 million on efforts to stymie the impacts of climate change.

Were seeing the consequences of climate change around the world very vividly, including in the United States right now, and I know your nations feel it acutely, Biden said.
Floods trap many in Florida as Ian heads to South Carolina

FORT MYERS, Fla. (AP)  Hurricane Ian has regained some strength after exiting Florida and taking aim at South Carolina. The National Hurricane Center said the storm spent only a few hours as a weakened tropical storm over Florida before it spun up into a Category 1 hurricane on Thursday in the Atlantic Ocean. Rescue crews were wading through water and using boats to rescue Florida residents stranded in the wake of Hurricane Ian. The Orange County fire department posted photos of crews in a flooded neighborhood in the Orlando area. At least four people in Florida were confirmed dead on the state's eastern coast. Forecasters have issued a hurricane warning for coastal South Carolina and southeastern North Carolina ahead of another landfall Friday.

Russia to annex more of Ukraine on Friday at the Kremlin

KYIV, Ukraine (AP)  Russia is planning to annex more of Ukraine on Friday. The move represents an escalation of the seven-month war that is expected to isolate the Kremlin further, draw more international punishment and bring extra support to Ukraine. An annexation ceremony is planned in the Kremlin. The annexation would come just days after voters supposedly approved Moscow-managed referendums that Ukrainian and Western officials have denounced as illegal, forced and rigged. In an apparent response, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called an emergency meeting Friday of his National Security and Defense Council.

Russia opens more border draft offices amid call-up exodus

Russian authorities are opening more military enlistment offices near Russias borders in an apparent effort to intercept Russian men of fighting age who are trying to avoid getting called up to fight in Ukraine. Saratov regional officials said a new draft office opened Thursday at a checkpoint on Russias border with Kazakhstan. Another military enlistment center was to open at a crossing in the Astrakhan region, also on the border with Kazakhstan. Earlier this week, makeshift Russian draft offices were set up near a border crossing into Georgia and on Russias border with Finland. Russian officials say they would hand call-up notices to all eligible men who were trying to leave the country.

1/6 chairman: Ginni Thomas reiterates false election claims

WASHINGTON (AP)  Virginia Ginni Thomas, the wife of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, has stood by the false claim that the 2020 election was fraudulent during an interview with the House panel investigating the Jan. 6 insurrection. That is according to Rep. Bennie Thompson, the panel's Democratic chairman. The committee has for months sought an interview with Thomas in an effort to know more about her role in trying to help former President Donald Trump overturn his election defeat. She texted with White House chief of staff Mark Meadows and contacted lawmakers in Arizona and Wisconsin after the election. Thomas' attorney says his client was solely focused on ensuring reports of voter fraud and irregularities were investigated.

Hurricane Ian sweeps away homes, memories on barrier islands

FORT MYERS BEACH, Fla. (AP)  Cars are left abandoned where they stalled on the road into Fort Myers Beach when Hurricane Ian's storm surge flooded their engines and their drivers couldnt continue. Broken trees, boat trailers and other debris litter the path. Its even worse in the seaside tourist town, much of which was flattened by the fierce winds and powerful storm surge generated by the Category 4 hurricane. The barrier islands along the southwest Florida coast are famed for their seashells, fishing and laid-back lifestyle. They took major hits from Ian when it came ashore Wednesday and residents tried to salvage what they could Thursday.

Trump records probe: Tensions flare over special master

WASHINGTON (AP)  The FBI search of Donald Trumps Florida estate has spawned a parallel special master process that has slowed the Justice Department's criminal investigation and exposed simmering tensions between department prosecutors and lawyers for the former president. The probe into the presence of top secret information at Mar-a-Lago continues. But barbed rhetoric in the past week's court filings has laid bare deep disagreements related to the special masters work and made clear that a process the Trump team initially sought has not been playing to the presidents advantage. The special master, Raymond Dearie, is a former federal prosecutor and served as a U.S. District judge in Brooklyn.

S. Korea, US and Japan hold anti-N. Korean submarine drills

SEOUL, South Korea (AP)  South Korea, U.S. and Japanese warships have launched their first anti-submarine drills in five years, after North Korea renewed ballistic missile tests this week. South Korea says Friday's one-day trilateral training off the Korean Peninsulas east coast is meant to cope with a North Korean push to advance its ability to fire missile from submarines. North Korea has been building bigger submarines including a nuclear-powered one and testing sophisticated missiles that can be fired from them in recent years. The Norths recent five missiles launches, the first such tests in a month, also came before and after U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris visited South Korea.

Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa stretchered off with head injury

CINCINNATI (AP)  Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa sustained neck and head injuries after being slammed to the ground Thursday night against the Cincinnati Bengals, and was stretchered from the field. The Dolphins said Tagovailoa was conscious and had movement in all his extremities after being taken by stretcher from the field and to University of Cincinnati Medical Center. The Dolphins said after their 27-15 loss to the Bengals that Tagovailoa was expected to be released from the hospital and fly home with the team. Tagovailoa was chased down and sacked by Josh Tupou with about six minutes left in the first half. He remained down for more than seven minutes before being loaded on a backboard, stabilized and removed via stretcher.

Study finds that climate change added 10% to Ian's rainfall

A quick study by two scientists calculates that climate change made Hurricane Ian 10% rainier than it would have been if there were no such thing as global warming. Thursday's analysis, which was not peer reviewed, is based on 20 computer simulations of a world with no climate change from the burning of coal, oil and natural gas. Scientists then compared those scenarios to what was playing out in real time with Hurricane Ian. The authors compared the highest rainfall rates over three hours.

Biden vows US commitment to Pacific Islands at summit

WASHINGTON (AP)  President Joe Biden has told visiting leaders from more than a dozen Pacific Island countries that the U.S. is committed to bolstering its presence in their region and becoming a more collaborative partner as they face the existential threat of climate change. The president on Thursday addressed the leaders who gathered in Washington for a summit as the White House looks to improve relations in the Pacific amid heightened U.S. concern about Chinas growing economic and military influence. Biden hosted the leaders for a dinner at the White House on Thursday evening.
Ian swamps southwest Florida, trapping people in homes

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP)  Hurricane Ian, one of the most powerful storms ever recorded in the U.S., swamped southwest Florida, flooding streets and buildings, knocking out power to 2 million people and threatening catastrophic damage further inland. A coastal sheriffs office reported that it was already getting a significant number of calls from people trapped in flooded homes. Some video showed debris-covered water sloshing toward the eaves of homes. The hurricane made landfall Wednesday afernoon near Cayo Costa, a protected barrier island just west of heavily populated Fort Myers. Though expected to weaken to a tropical storm as it marches inland, Ians hurricane force winds are likely to be felt well into central Florida.

Russia poised to annex occupied Ukraine after sham vote

KYIV, Ukraine (AP)  Russia has positioned itself to formally annex parts of Ukraine after occupied areas held a Kremlin-orchestrated referendum  denounced as illegal and rigged by Kyiv and the West  to live under Moscows rule. Armed troops had gone door-to-door with election officials to collect ballots in five days of voting. The results were widely ridiculed as implausible and characterized as a land grab by an increasingly cornered Russian leadership following embarrassing military losses in Ukraine. Russia is calling up 300,000 reservists to fight in the war and warned it could resort to nuclear weapons. The European Commission president urged the European Unions 27 member countries to slap more sanctions on Russian officials and trade over what he called sham referendums.

Climate Migration: Blind and homeless amid Somalia's drought

DOLLOW, Somalia (AP)  Issack is 80, Hassan 75. The two blind men are friends and as close as brothers, gripping each others hands in their mutual darkness as tightly as they hold their canes. Near the end of their lives, the most alarming drought in more than half a century in Somalia has stripped them of their animals and homes. Pastoralists and farmers who have known for generations where to take cattle, goats and camels when the usual water sources run dry have been horrified by this drought that has seen four straight rainy seasons fail. The Associated Press met the men crouching together in the dust among hundreds of new arrivals at a displacement camp.

'Gangsta's Paradise' rapper Coolio dies at age 59

LOS ANGELES (AP)  Coolio, the rapper who was among hip-hops biggest names of the 1990s with hits including Gangstas Paradise and Fantastic Voyage, has died. Manager Jarez Posey tells The Associated Press that Coolio, whose legal name was Artis Leon Ivey Jr., died at the Los Angeles home of a friend on Wednesday. The cause was not immediately clear. Coolio was 59. He won a Grammy for best solo rap performance for Gangstas Paradise, the 1995 No. 1 hit from the soundtrack of the Michelle Pfeiffer film Dangerous Minds that sampled Stevie Wonders 1976 song Pastime Paradise.

Churches defend clergy loophole in child sex abuse reporting

Clergy in 33 states are exempt from laws requiring professionals such as teachers, physicians and psychotherapists to report information about alleged child abuse to police or child welfare officials. That loophole has resulted in an unknown number of predators being allowed to continue abusing children for years despite having confessed the behavior to religious officials. An Associated Press review finds that over the past two decades, more than 130 bills have been proposed in state legislatures to create or amend child sex abuse reporting laws. After intense opposition from religious groups, the clergy privilege remained unchanged. Often, legislative efforts to close the loophole run up against lawmakers who are also church members.

Records contradict Majewski's account of military punishment

WASHINGTON (AP)  The Republican congressional candidate in Ohio who's facing criticism for misrepresenting his military service was reprimanded and demoted for drunken driving on a U.S. air base in 2001. That's according to documents from J.R. Majewskis personnel file that were provided to The Associated Press and independently authenticated. They undermine the campaign's previous explanation that he got into a fight, and that led to the disciplinary measures and ultimately to the Air Force rejecting him from reenlistment. It's another instance where the recorded history of Majewskis service diverges from what he's told voters. Majewski acknowledges he was punished for drunken driving. But he didn't explain why his campaign previously gave a different account.

Chinese tycoon Richard Liu faces civil trial in alleged rape

MINNEAPOLIS (AP)  Jury selection begins Thursday in a civil trial against Chinese billionaire and JD.com founder Richard Liu. He is accused of raping a University of Minnesota student after a night of dinner and drinks in 2018. Liu has denied that he raped Jingyao Liu after a social event with wealthy Chinese executives and prosecutors never filed charges in the case. He says there were profound evidentiary problems. But Jingyao Liu sued Richard Liu in 2019. She says she was coerced to drink before she was attacked. Jingyao Liu is not related to the billionaire and has agreed that her name can be used publicly.

VP Harris to visit DMZ after North Korean missile tests

SEOUL, South Korea (AP)  U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris plans to visit the Demilitarized Zone dividing the Korean Peninsula during the final stop on her four-day trip to Asia. The visit to the DMZ on Thursday comes amid tensions over new North Korean missile tests. Harris' trip was anchored by her attendance at the state funeral of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, but security concerns in Asia have dominated discussions. Harris denounced North Korea's illicit weapons program" and she accused China of trying to intimidate its neighbors. Before visiting the DMZ, Harris will meet with South Korean's president and hold an event focused on gender equity.

Rohingya seek reparations from Facebook for role in massacre

For years, Facebook, now called Meta, has pushed the narrative that it was a neutral platform in Myanmar that was misused by malicious people and failed to moderate violent and hateful material adequately. But a new report by Amnesty International says Facebook was not merely a passive site with insufficient content moderation. Rather, Metas algorithms proactively amplified" material that incited violent hatred against the Rohingya beginning as early as 2012. Amnesty found that despite years of warnings, the company not only failed to remove violent hate speech and disinformation against the Rohingya  it actively spread and amplified it until it culminated in the 2017 massacre.

Arizona museum exhibit marks end to de Kooning painting saga

PHOENIX (AP)  After a Willem de Kooning painting worth millions was brazenly stolen in 1985 from an Arizona museum, the staff clung to the hope that it would turn up one day. But nobody could have predicted Woman-Ochre would find its way back through the kindness of strangers in a neighboring state. The 1955 oil painting by the Dutch-American abstract expressionist is finally back home. It will be the centerpiece of an entire exhibition opening Oct. 8. The whole ordeal of the theft and its return via New Mexico will be chronicled in the show. The painting will be in the same spot it was stolen from  but under a case.
Hurricane Ian ripped part of the roof off a Port Charlotte intensive care unit, flooding the hospital ward and turning a stairwell into a waterfall.

In Fort Myers, a 10-foot storm surge tossed cars around like bath toys and left them "smashed up in the street."

The catastrophic hurricane turned cities into lakes and left a trail of destruction that defies imagination.

These are some of the stories emerging from Florida's battered west coast:

Stranded people plucked from roofs

The need for air rescue was so urgent that members of the Coast Guard started saving residents while Ian was still hammering the area.

"We didn't even wait for the passage of the storm last night. We had helicopters in the air," Coast Guard Rear Adm. Brendan McPherson said Thursday. "We rescued 13 people along the coast between Fort Myers and St. Petersburg."

That number could pale in comparison to the number of people who still need to be saved Thursday.

"We're gearing up for what's going to be a very busy day of search and rescue," McPherson said. "We currently have an aircraft in the air with the Florida National Guard actively pulling people off of roofs in Fort Myers."

'Cars are everywhere, smashed up in the street'

Scott Carlos thought he would be safe from flooding in his fourth-floor condo. He was wrong.

Ian hurled 10-foot storm surges toward his Fort Myers home, submerging large swaths of his neighborhood.

"We actually had water coming into my fourth-story condo, just from the spray ... and waves crashing into the building," Carlos said.

"The whole parking lot is completely destroyed."

At one point, he said, the water was "at least 10 feet high on the east side of us, which is right across the street from the beach."

As he surveyed his neighborhood after the storm, he noticed "debris everywhere."

"Everyone's garages basically just gave out," Carlos said. "Cars are everywhere, smashed up in the street. Most of them actually went across the street."

A river pier gets hurled blocks inland

Fort Myers Mayor Kevin Anderson said Ian was the worst storm he's ever seen.

"I'm standing on a floating cement dock in the river district of downtown. The problem is, this dock is two blocks away from the river in a middle of an intersection," Anderson told CNN on Thursday.

"This thing weighs a ton. That's how powerful the water was last night."

A hospital ICU loses part of its roof

The medical staff at a Port Charlotte intensive care unit expected a strong storm, but nothing so catastrophic.

"We had about 160 patients in house and our roof blew off -- part of the roof above the ICU," said Dr. Birgit Bodine, an internal medicine specialist.

We had torrential rains coming in, which then went down the stairwell, which then went onto other floors."

Staff members waded through murky water moving patients to a safer part of the building. Some rooms built for two people were suddenly housing three or four, Bodine said.

She said the air conditioning is not working, but backup generators have enabled all other vital systems at the hospital to keep running.

"Luckily, everybody's doing good and actually, surprisingly, in decent spirits because they can see that we're trying the best we can with what we have," she said.

'This was a totally different hurricane'

Even longtime Floridians hardened by decades of hurricanes couldn't believe Ian's destruction.

"This was a totally different hurricane," Collier County Commissioner Rick LoCastro said.

He said the storm surge topped 12 feet in parts of his district, including Marco Island and Naples.

"I had survived Irma and other hurricanes that were much more about the wind and yes, always water," LoCastro said.

"But storm surge is something that we have not seen here -- to this intensity -- ever."

The-CNN-Wire
CHICAGO (AP)  A former Chicago police officer has been indicted on a federal civil rights charge for allegedly kidnapping and sexually abusing someone while on duty, U.S. prosecutors said Wednesday.

James Sajdak, 64, of Chicago, was charged with one count of deprivation of rights under color of law, or government authority, according to an indictment unsealed Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Chicago. The charge is punishable by up to life in federal prison.

The abuse allegedly happened on March 5, 2019, the indictment said.

The Chicago Sun-Times reports that Sajdak resigned from the police department the following month after 29 years on the force, according to the department.

Sajdaks defense attorney, Timothy Grace, noted his client's decades as a police officer and told the newspaper, We look forward to confronting the evidence.

Sajdak and the city of Chicago also faced a federal lawsuit stemming from the episode, WBBM-TV reported.

A transgender woman sued Sajdak and the city in 2019, accusing Sajdak of sexually assaulting her, the broadcaster reported. The lawsuit accused Sajdak of approaching her and demanding a sex act. The Associated Press generally does not identify people who say they have been sexually assaulted.

The lawsuit also claimed the city knew or was recklessly blind to a pattern of misconduct by Sadjak. It said he had faced at least 44 misconduct complaints by 2019.
A Maryland anesthesiologist and her U.S. Army doctor spouse have been charged with trying to help Russia in its war against Ukraine with medical records that they thought Moscow could exploit, the U.S. Attorneys Office in Maryland said Thursday.

The records never made it to Moscow. But they were given to an undercover FBI agent who received information about patients, including at least five at Fort Bragg, the U.S. Army base in North Carolina, federal authorities said.

One of the patients was married to an employee of the Office of Naval Intelligence, the federal indictment said. The undercover agent was told that the spouse had a medical issue that Russia could use to its advantage.

Federal authorities identified the anesthesiologist as Anna Gabrielian, 36, of Rockville, who works at an unidentified Baltimore medical facility. She is married to Jamie Lee Henry, 39, who was a U.S. Army major and internist at Fort Bragg.

Gabrielian and Henry each face charges of conspiracy and wrongful disclosure of individually identifiable health information.

The federal indictment does not describe what ties, if any, the couple has to Russia. But according to the indictment, Gabrielian told the agent she was motivated by patriotism toward Russia to provide any assistance she could to Russia, even if it meant being fired or going to jail.

The undercover agent posed as someone from the Russian embassy and first approached Gabrielian in August, the indictment said. During their first meeting, Gabrielian said she had previously contacted the Russian Embassy by email and phone to offer her and Henry's assistance.

According to the indictment, Gabrielian said Henry could provide information regarding how the U.S. military establishes hospitals in war conditions as well as information about previous training the U.S. provided to Ukraine.

Henry later met with the agent and claimed to have volunteered to join the Russian military after the invasion but was told the Russians only wanted people with combat experience, the indictment stated. Henry also said the U.S. was using "Ukrainians as a proxy for their own hatred toward Russia.

My point of view is until the United States actually declares war against Russia, I'm able to help as much as I want," the indictment quoted Henry as saying. "At that point, Ill have some ethical issues I have to work through.

Gabrielian allegedly told the agent that if she was at risk of arrest, she wanted her and Henry's children to have a nice flight to Turkey to go on vacation because I dont want to end in jail here with my kids being hostages over my head.

Court records do not list attorneys for Gabrielian or Henry, although federal officials said both were expected to appear in court on Thursday.

Each faces a total of up to 15 years in prison if convicted, although federal sentences are typically less than the maximum, the U.S. Attorney's Office in Maryland said.
Search and rescue teams are working before dawn to respond to hours-old calls for help that came as Ian -- downgraded to a tropical storm still marching across Florida -- slammed the state's west coast as a Category 4 hurricane, its surge trapping residents and its monstrous winds and flooding rains leaving millions without power and many without drinkable water.

Collapsed buildings, flooding, downed power lines and impassable roads were reported early Thursday by survey crews in the zone around where Ian slammed the shore near Cayo Costa in southwestern Florida on Wednesday afternoon as one of the strongest storms ever to make landfall on Florida's west coast.

Rising ocean water piled up onshore -- 12 feet in some places -- and 150-mph winds whipped as Ian moved deeper inland. 911 call centers in several counties were inundated.

Thomas Podgorny was trapped in his two-story home in Fort Myers with three others, watching vehicles float away outside and worrying about others who did not evacuate, he told CNN.

"I've lost my house. I have water and gas flowing through my bottom floor," he said. "My neighbors have very little breathing room in their one-story house."

Nearly 2.5 million homes and businesses across Florida have no power Thursday morning, according to PowerOutage.us, and some drinking water systems have broken down completely or have boil notices in effect.

As Ian continues trudging northwest, heavy rain and flooding has been reported in the Orlando metro area, where 8 to 12 inches of rain had already fallen and up to 4 more inches of rain was expected.

Here are the latest developments:

 Downgraded to a tropical storm: Ian was downgraded to a tropical storm early Thursday with winds of 65 mph, the National Hurricane Center said. The center of the storm was about 40 miles southeast of Orlando at 5 a.m. ET. Ian is tied with 2004's Hurricane Charley as the strongest storm to make landfall on the west coast of the Florida Peninsula, both with 150 mph winds at landfall.

 Hurricane warnings become tropical storm warnings: Hurricane warnings along the east and west coasts of Florida were changed to tropical storm warnings when the system was downgraded. The warnings on the east coast stretched north to Cape Lookout, North Carolina.

 Record-high storm surges: The storm surge from Hurricane Ian hit up to 12 feet in some places, while multiple areas, including Punta Gorda, Port Charlotte, Fort Myers and Naples, were facing record-high storm surge of 12 to 16 feet. By Wednesday night, the storm surge along the west coast of Florida was believed to have peaked and was beginning to recede, while officials in Tampa warned residents to stay on guard.

 More than a foot of rainfall: Up to 20 inches of rain was expected in some areas, including Lehigh Acres, which received 14.42 inches of rain and Warm Mineral Springs which got 11.05 inches.

 Other states brace for Ian's destruction: The storm is expected to exit Florida and move into the Atlantic Ocean on Thursday, where governors in Georgia, Virginia, North Carolina and South Carolina have already declared a state of emergency.

Search and rescue efforts hampered as hurricane traps residents

With Ian continuing to cut a path of destruction through Florida, the state is planning a "three-pronged" search and rescue response, with crews ready to fan out and help residents from the air, ground and sea once it is safe to do, officials said.

Calls for help were coming into several counties Wednesday.

In Fort Myers -- where about 96% of the city was without power -- Fire Chief Tracy McMillion told residents to stay inside, and to stay hopeful. "We're coming for you, be encouraged," he told residents.

The city's downtown streets were flooded with almost 4 feet of water Wednesday, Mayor Kevin Anderson told CNN.

A couple in Fort Myers said they were trapped in their home when the ceiling caved in, sending water inside.

"Something is dripping on me," Belinda Collins recalled her partner saying. "He got up, and the ceiling -- the family room ceiling -- caved in.'"

The couple said they called 911 and were waiting for a call back about when it would be safe to leave.

In Port Charlotte, the roof above an ICU at a hospital was torn off by the storm while there were about 160 patients inside, Dr. Birgit Bodine, an internal medicine specialist at the facility, told CNN.

The staff moved patients to a safe place, but they couldn't evacuate yet because of the conditions outside, the doctor said Wednesday night, adding, "It's actually pretty terrible."

People in nearby Collier County were also without power and trapped in their homes, calling for help.

"Some are reporting life threatening medical emergencies in deep water. We will get to them first. Some are reporting water coming into their house but not life threatening. They will have to wait. Possibly until the water recedes," a Collier County Sheriff's Office statement said.

Complicating matters further, neighboring Lee County's 911 system was down and calls were being rerouted to Collier County, Chief Stephanie Spell told CNN. "At this point the majority of our 911 calls are water rescues," Spell added.

Elsewhere, conditions were too severe for first responders to be out.

Emergency crews in Charlotte County were not able to respond to 911 calls Wednesday due to dangerous storm conditions, county Emergency Management Director Patrick Fuller told CNN.

And in Sarasota, authorities decided Wednesday to withdraw all police officers from the street due to wind speeds and hazardous conditions, Mayor Eric Arroyo told CNN.

While other areas began rescue efforts Wednesday evening, authorities in Tampa and Orange County warned residents that the worst of Hurricane Ian had "yet to come" Wednesday night.

Curfews were in effect for residents in Collier, Lee and Charlotte counties while severe conditions continued.

Monster hurricane already leaving 'life-changing' mark on Florida

Even before the hurricane made landfall, officials knew the damage would be severe, and there will be a long road to recovery.

"Ian is going to be a life-changing event. This is a very powerful, catastrophic storm that is going to do significant damage," President and CEO of Florida Power & Light Eric Silagy, said.

There will be sections of infrastructure that crews won't be able to repair and will have to be rebuilt, which can take weeks, Silagy said.

Backup water pumps are down, town of Fort Myers Beach spokesperson Jennifer Dexter, told CNN.

"When the backup water pump system goes down, that shows you how serious it is," Dexter said.

Lee County Utilities issued a systemwide boil water notice for all customers effective immediately due to the impacts of the hurricane, according to county officials. Residents in parts of Pasco County were also asked to boil their tap water as the water distribution system in the area lost pressure and a water main ruptured.

Punta Gorda's water system is empty and boil-water notices are in effect, according to an update from the city overnight.

In Manatee County, residents were asked to limit flushing, showering, doing dishes and laundry due to power outages impacting the system.

In Cape Coral, authorities were getting reports of significant structural damage across the city, Ryan Lamb, the city's fire chief and emergency management director, told CNN.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has requested President Joe Biden approve a major disaster declaration for all 67 counties in the state, his office said in a news release. DeSantis is also requesting Biden grant FEMA the authority to provide 100% federal cost share for debris removal and emergency protective measures for the first 60 days from Ian's landfall.

Where Ian is headed next

After walloping Cuba and making landfall in Florida, Ian is expected to slowly move across the central portion of the state before exiting into the Atlantic Ocean Thursday afternoon, where it could strengthen again and affect another part of the US.

The governors of Georgia, Virginia, North Carolina and South Carolina have all declared states of emergency in preparation for the storm's potential impact.

There is a danger of "life-threatening" storm surge on Thursday and Friday along the coasts of northeast Florida, Georgia and South Carolina, according to the National Hurricane Center. Hurricane conditions are also possible in those areas.

The storm is expected to drop up to 20 inches of rain across central and northeast Florida, with some isolated areas receiving 30 inches, the hurricane center said.

Near the hurricane's core, powerful wind gusts will continue to spread across central Florida and along the east-central coast overnight.

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Attorney General Mark Brnovich filed his opposition to Planned Parenthood of Arizonas request that a judges ruling that recently reinstated a 1864 abortion ban be put on hold, roundly dismissing the organizations argument that a tangled legal landscape will cause providers to put off care, ultimately harming women.

Last week, Pima County Superior Court Judge Kellie Johnson ruled that an injunction blocking the 1864 total abortion ban is no longer relevant, after Roe v. Wade was overturned earlier this year. The injunction was implemented while Roe still protected the right to abortion.

Planned Parenthood of Arizona responded by asking the court to stay the ban while the case works its way through the appeal process, saying it was in conflict with more recent abortion legislation and the resulting legal uncertainty could lead to delayed care for women.

Brnovich disagrees, and says that new abortion legislation actually works in harmony with the territorial-era ban.

Planned Parenthood of Arizona claimed in its most recent court filing that Arizona has a 24-hour waiting period before women can undergo an abortion procedure or receive abortion medication that conflicts with the 1864 law.

But Brnovich said the ban actually works in tandem with the more recent 24-hour law. Under the reinstated ban, no abortions except for those to save the life of the mother may be performed. If there is a medical emergency, he argued, then the 24-hour limit may be ignored. If there is no medical emergency but the woman still needs an abortion to save her life, then the 24-hour rule will be obeyed.

All of this reasoning is based on the physicians good faith clinical judgment  a metric which critics of the ban have previously said is unclear and may result in providers being unwilling to perform necessary procedures for fear of scrutiny and legal consequences. The 1864 law carries with it a mandatory 2 to 5 year prison sentence.

Another argument Brnovich disagreed with is the bans purported conflict with the 15-week ban signed into law by Gov. Doug Ducey earlier this year, which went into effect on Saturday. Ducey has said it should take precedence over the 1864 ban, even after the Pima County court ruling. But, according to Brnovich, this ignores explicit language in the 15-week restriction stating that it doesnt recognize a right to abortion and doesnt repeal the territorial ban.

Instead, Brnovich said, both bans fit together to prohibit any abortion procedures  except to save the womans life. Neither includes exceptions for rape or incest.

Both [the 15-week ban] and [the 1864 ban] can (and now do) co-exist, allowing prosecutorial discretion as to which law will be charged when both are violated, reads the brief filed by the Attorney Generals Office.

That prosecutorial discretion, much like a physicians good judgment, is left up to the individual prosecutor, according to the brief. Pima County Attorney Laura Conover has vowed never to prosecute women who access abortion services or doctors who provide them  and that decision is her prerogative, Brnovich said in his filing.

The County Attorneys are free to exercise full and independent prosecutorial discretion in deciding how to enforce Arizonas various abortion regulations, says the brief.

Johnson, the Pima County judge, didnt rule on which abortion laws must be upheld or enforced, just on whether an injunction placed on the 1864 law in 1973 was still valid. If Planned Parenthood of Arizona or abortion providers in the state want more clarity, Brnovich said, theyre free to do so by bringing new legal challenges against the state or filing for declaratory relief  a legal process by which a court resolves legal uncertainties. Such cases can be wrapped up relatively quickly, Brnovich said, which nullifies Planned Parenthood of Arizonas argument that a stay is necessary because the appeals process is lengthy.

The Court did nothing to prevent PPAZ or the County Attorney from separately challenging or seeking declaratory relief with respect to the 1864 law, reads the brief filed by the Attorney General.

Brnovichs brief doesnt make direct mention of Planned Parenthood of Arizonas assertion that women will face harm, but instead points out that neither the organization nor Attorney Conover acknowledged the effect resumed abortion services will have on fetuses.
On the surface, it was just a simple lesson about the life cycle of the monarch butterfly, a celebration of the last step in a journey toward freedom, of sorts  their migration to Mexico.

Under the tutelage of STEAM Lab resource teacher Barbie Jackson, Limestone Technology Academys young students had followed that journey for a long time.

They had watched when female monarch butterflies began laying eggs by the dozens on milkweed plants, eggs that eventually hatched into baby caterpillars, or larvae.

The youngsters waited, perhaps impatiently, as those caterpillars devoured all the milkweed they could stomach to grow big and strong.

Then the students watched, no doubt wide-eyed, as the caterpillars split right down the middle and created chrysalises, in which they would spend the next couple of weeks preparing for the biggest change imaginable.

And finally the young Sandites witnessed the shocking metamorphosis when the small, jade-green nuggets broke open, and out popped butterflies, their wings wet and wrinkly from being cooped up.

Its one of the only insects that has two specific life forms, Jackson said.

Last Tuesdays release of 25 tagged monarch butterflies  17 male, eight female  was a real coming-out party at Limestone.

Jackson invited the entire student body, and the kids lined up eagerly along one side of the playground as she and second-grader Tidas Cloud unzipped the mesh terrariums containing the monarchs.

As first one butterfly escaped the cage and then others followed, a series of intermittent shrieks rose from the students.

Within three minutes, all the butterflies had been released, and the palpable excitement had declined  but only slightly  from the fever pitch of moments before.

And thats when a simple lesson about the life cycle of the monarch butterfly became something more.

Still in one of the mesh cages was an intact chrysalis, a soon-to-be monarch that would be returned to the STEAM Lab to await release another day with the other chrysalises still percolating there.

And one fully formed butterfly that was released just didnt seem ready to head to Mexico yet, alighting initially on the hand of first-grade teacher Hannah Sloan before eventually nestling into the soft grass.

Development isnt an exact science, Jackson explained to the students, and she didnt know why the one butterfly hadnt left. It wasnt damaged in any way, she said.

Maybe its just not ready. We should probably put that one in the waystation, she said.

Is it hurt? one boy asked.

I dont think its hurt, Jackson reassured him, adding that maybe the butterfly just needed a little more time and energy  and maybe a buddy  before it migrates.

Thanks to the butterflys tiny identifier tag affixed to its wing  no larger around than a pencil eraser and virtually weightless  students using a computer database might learn in a few months whether it eventually made it out of the waystation and south to Mexico.

The waystation, a bed of brightly colored flowers along one of the schools sunniest walls, is chock full of milkweed plants, nectar sources and shelter that monarchs require as they migrate.

On this day, it actually had a couple of other butterfly residents, although they wouldnt be suitable migratory travel buddies for the straggler.

Their wings, damaged since birth, will keep them from ever making that trip, and they will live out their days among the beauty and bounty of Limestones waystation.

That, too, is a lesson that Jackson stresses  that life can be good even when its not the same quality or quantity as everyone elses.

Everybodys different, she said. Even in nature.
Ever made an offer that you later wish had been received as thoughtlessly as it was presented?

Thats the premise of The Nerd, a two-act play by Larry Shue being presented Oct. 6-9 by Sand Springs Community Theatre.

Set in Terre Haute, Indiana, in 1979, the play opens as Willum Cubbert, a nice  maybe too nice  intelligent architect is trying to celebrate his birthday with friends and please his demanding client simultaneously.

Into that maelstrom lands a phone call from Rick Steadman, who, as a soldier in Vietnam, saved the life of an injured and unconscious Willum. Rick is coming to visit.

And why not? After all, when Willum was sent home from the war, he wrote a letter to Rick, telling him that if there was anything he could ever do, or if Rick ever needed a place to stay, all he had to do was ask.

What happens when you make an offer like that to a person youve never met? Join Sand Springs Community Theatre for a rollicking evening and find out.

This production, the groups first of the 2022-23 season, will be directed by Troy Sartors. Thomas Sartors is the assistant director, and Dee Dee Huffman Jones is the stage manager.

Chris Pegut stars as Willum. Aurora Kensington will play the part of Tansy McGinnis, a potential love interest for Willum, and Ryan Price will fill the role of Axel Hammond, Willums best friend, a sarcastic theatre critic for the local newspaper.

Caleb Baumgardner is Rick, the invited but perhaps not entirely welcome guest. Devin Venable and Merri Beth Purdin will play Warnock and Clelia Waldgrave, Willums wealthy, demanding client and his wife, and Dillon Taylor will play their incorrigible son, Thor.
The Oklahoma City-born music group The Flaming Lips are celebrating the 20th-anniversary of their classic 2002 album Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots with the announcement of an expansive box set that also includes B-sides, demos, remixes, radio sessions, two concerts and other assorted rarities from the era.

The CD set includes over 50 tracks never released and dozens of rare tracks. The LP box set has 40 tracks never released on vinyl and over 30 previously unreleased tracks. Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots: 20th Anniversary Edition will be available, via Warner Records, on all streaming services and as a six-CD box set (featuring 100 tracks) on Nov. 25.

A five-LP package featuring 56 tracks will land on April 14, 2023. It will be released later than the CD box set due to the long vinyl production timeline. Additionally, there will be a limited edition D2C exclusive edition of the 20th Anniversary Deluxe five-LP Vinyl box set pressed on baby pink vinyl that also will be released April 14.

Over the course of 2023, all the material released in the six-CD box set also will make its way to vinyl. The two live albums included in the set and the 25-minute demo Psychedelic Hypnotist Daydream will be available as separate vinyl releases. Additionally, the Ego Tripping at the Gates of Hell and Fight Test EPs will be released on vinyl for the first time in Spring 2023.

You can pre-order/pre-save the six-CD and five-LP box sets by going to flaminglips.com and navigating to the merch tab.

Released in July 2002, Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots remains the commercial high-water mark in The Flaming Lips four-decade journey, giving the Grammy winners their first RIAA-certified gold record.

Tulsa World Scene podcast: Johnny Carson hosting 'The Tonight Show'; 'Cheers'; 'M*A*S*H;' and ABC Afterschool Specials anniversaries
The man accused of killing three Tulsa women earlier this year will undergo a mental evaluation after his attorney raised concerns about his clients ability to comprehend reality.

Prosecutors charged Terryl Raysean Brooks, 23, with three counts of murder in early April after allegedly tracing to him three separate discoveries of dead women in east, north and midtown Tulsa.

Brooks last appeared in court in late August with his then-newly appointed attorney, Brian Boeheim, after the Public Defenders Office withdrew from the case due to an undisclosed but irreconcilable conflict of interest, according to court records.

Handcuffed and brought to court at that time from the Tulsa County jail, Brooks seemed to shake and jolt uncontrollably, which, Boeheim told a judge, was likely a side effect of his medications.

Boeheims filing for a determination of his clients competency effectively halts the criminal proceedings against Brooks in the deaths of Tyra Dakia Whitaker, Elizabeth Joyce Dillard and Rainbow Starr Dancer.

In the application, Boeheim wrote that Brooks has exhibited paranoid schizophrenic and delusional behavior during meetings and that Brooks mental state seriously interferes with his understanding of the proceedings against him and with his capability of aiding his attorney.

If found incompetent, Brooks could undergo treatment with the aim of achieving competency. If found competent, his court proceedings would continue as normal. The status of his evaluation is slated for review in December.

Brooks case remains on the preliminary hearing docket also pending the receipt of Whitakers autopsy report, the only one of the three victims currently outstanding.

Twenty-four-year-old Whitaker, Brooks girlfriend, had been reported missing since January, when Tulsa police detectives identified Brooks as a suspect in the late March and early April deaths of Dillard and Dancer.

Both Dillard and Dancer were discovered dead of gunshot wounds at their respective homes, but a searching patrol officer discovered Whitakers body buried in a shallow grave in east Tulsa in late April. The Medical Examiners Office has not yet released any reports or opinions as to her probable cause of death.

Dillard, 27, was found dead with at least three gunshot wounds to her torso on the front porch of her north Tulsa home on March 25, and Dancer, 69, was found dead with three gunshot wounds to her face inside her midtown apartment April 3, according to medical examiner records.

After his arrest, Brooks confirmed that he was in a relationship with Dillard and said he had been staying with Dancer, but he requested an attorney after police told him of their deaths, according to an arrest and booking report.

Brooks is listed as homeless in the report and jail records, and detectives wrote that they learned that Dillard had kicked Brooks out about two weeks before her death and that witnesses at Dancers apartment complex told them Dancer said Brooks had assaulted her in the days before her death.

Given the gap between Whitakers probable January death and those of Dillard and Dancer in early spring, detectives have said they cant rule out the possibility that there could be additional victims.

Brooks had been under Oklahoma probation and parole supervision since January 2021 for a second-degree robbery conviction out of North Carolina, according to Department of Corrections records.

Detectives have reached out to other police departments as far away as the Tar Heel State and Florida to see if any unsolved homicides could be a match or to follow up on leads. Thus far, they havent been able to confirm any additional killings that might be related.

Brooks is in the Tulsa County jail in lieu of $5 million bond.
OKLAHOMA CITY  After Oklahomas tribal casinos shut down amid the COVID-19 pandemic, tribal governments turned to insurance to help fill the financial void.

But in a test case decided this month, Oklahomas highest court ruled that the fine print of the Cherokee Nations insurance policy does not cover revenue lost due to a global pandemic.

The 6-3 ruling reverses a lower court decision and sets a new benchmark for COVID-19 insurance lawsuits in Oklahoma, including several similar suits filed by other tribal nations. Businesses and nonprofits have also sued for insurance coverage of lost revenue.

Insurance laws vary from one state to the next, so the question of how to deal with an unexpected pandemic has led courts to reach differing opinions, said Tom Baker, who tracks the rulings in each state and teaches insurance law at the University of Pennsylvania.

At the end of the day, this was an open question under the law of all the states, Baker said.

The Cherokee Nation case was closely watched because it was the first case to signal where Oklahomas top court stood. The state Supreme Court concluded that casinos operated by the northeastern Oklahoma tribe did not sustain any actual, tangible deprivation or damage to the property to trigger insurance payments for lost revenue.

This court cannot rewrite the policy and expand coverage for losses that fall outside the plain and unambiguous terms of the insurance contract, the Sept. 13 decision says.

In a statement issued by Cherokee Nation Attorney General Sara Hills office, the tribe said it is reviewing the ruling.

The Cherokee Nation filed suit against these insurance companies to recoup losses incurred during the COVID-19 pandemic, the statement says. It is our core mission to be good stewards of tribal funds which belong to the Cherokee people.

The ruling also affects the Muscogee and Choctaw nations, because the court joined their similar lawsuits with the Cherokee Nations case.

The Cherokee Nation is the largest tribe in Oklahoma and operates several casinos, including the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tulsa in Catoosa. It shut all gaming operations down for several weeks starting in March 2020.

The tribe contended that its insurance providers should cover the monetary losses from the shutdowns because COVID-19 made the properties unusable, which amounted to a direct physical loss under its policy.

A Cherokee County district court judge sided with the Cherokee Nation, prompting Lexington Insurance and other providers to appeal in February 2021.

Three justices disagreed with the Supreme Courts majority opinion. Justice James Edmondson argued in a dissent that the language in the tribes insurance policy did not clearly exclude losses caused by COVID-19. He also noted that coverage under the insurance policy did not explicitly exclude health hazards until the day after the Cherokee Nation filed a claim for coverage.

The argument made by the Cherokee Nation is one of the two main approaches used in similar lawsuits across the country, Baker said. The other is that direct contact with COVID-19 amounted to physical damage covered by insurance.

Its unclear whether any Oklahoma tribe may make that argument in future court proceedings. Attorneys at the Oklahoma City law firm Whitten Burrage, which has filed nearly all of the cases on behalf of the tribes, did not respond to messages regarding the decision.

Without insurance to cover the gap, federal aid has been the biggest financial resource to help tribal nations recover from COVID-19.
The past two years have been an awakening for many people like us in Tulsa. We are business women, mothers, caretakers and community volunteers. Weve been focused on building new projects, creating jobs and giving our full focus to caring for our families.

The pandemic didnt just disrupt our economy or the schooling of our children. It rattled our perspective of what our job is as a voter in Oklahoma.

Showing up at the polls is not enough to ensure good government. We all play a collective role in holding our elected officials accountable to outcomes more than just on election day.

It is why we formed Women for Tulsa where we advocate for candidates, no matter their party affiliation, and advocate for policies that serve Tulsa families, promote safety, demand excellence in our public schools, support a pro-business climate and pursue constitutional liberty.

We have worked to support Tulsa School Board members Jennettie Marshall and ELena Ashley. While we are most intentional about local elections, we are giving our overwhelming support to Gov. Kevin Stitt as he seeks re-election in November.

Stitt has proven to be a leader who we can count on for many reasons, but the chief among those is his leadership on education.

Stitt understands the need for quality teachers in Oklahomas classrooms. He has made solid progress in making teacher pay and benefits competitive, and he has vowed to provide matching state funds to secure six-figure salaries for Oklahoma teachers who will work hard to advance the success of Oklahoma students. Stitt has insisted on making education spending transparent in Oklahoma. He was the first governor in state history to call for a forensic audit of how taxpayer money is spent in TPS. Women for Tulsa are firmly behind his call to make sure education spending is in line with the students best interest.

Stitt understands that many families are trapped in failing schools. He has been an ardent advocate of empowering the caregiver, legal guardian and parent with freedom to get children into the learning system that fits their needs.

He called for and signed into law a bill to allow students access any public school of their choice without constraint of a ZIP code, He called for and signed into law an increase in the Equal Opportunity Scholarship Fund, from $5 million to $50 million annually, to help our most underserved families access education resources.

His support of family and citizen involvement in our schools is key to the future success of the students and in producing a qualified and credentialed workforce that Oklahoma needs to retain and attract job-creating businesses.

Stitt shares our values in education and has demonstrated in his first term that he is committed to governing in a way that prioritizes Oklahomas children.

Stitt isnt just talk. He has delivered on what he promised. We are confident he will keep disrupting the status quo until all of Oklahomas children are growing and accessing the best education possible.

Featured video:
FPT Semiconductor, a subsidiary of Vietnamese tech giant FPT, has officially launched its first line of integrated circuit (IC) chips indicated for use in medical equipment, a move that it hopes will push Vietnamese products into the forefront of the competitive global industry.

FPT Semiconductor debuted its first IC chips, which were designed in Vietnam and manufactured in South Korea, in August 2022, for use in Internet of Things (IoT) medical devices, the company announced in a press release on Wednesday.

The company is currently coordinating with partners to distribute its 'Make-in-Vietnam' chips to markets in Australia, Taiwan, and mainland China.

By next year, FPT Semiconductor plans to supply 25 million chips globally to meet diverse needs in telecommunications, IoT, automotive technology, energy, electronics, with Japan, Taiwan, China, and the United States targeted as its key markets.

Aside from providing 'Make-in-Vietnam' chips to foreign markets, FPT aims to become a leading supplier to domestic enterprises, a move that it hopes will help complete the supply chain for Vietnamese companies in need of manufacturing equipment between 2023 and 2025.

Vietnams semiconductor industry size is estimated to exceed US$6.16 billion by 2024, FPT Semiconductor said, citing a recent report by U.S. market research company Technavio.

With the mantra 'Chips Made in Vietnam, Made by FPT,' the company is developing and commercializing its chips for both domestic and international markets, including Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, the U.S., Europe, and China, said Nguyen Vinh Quang, CEO of FPT Semiconductor.

As an essential component in electronic devices, integrated semiconductor microchips determine work performance and remarkably influence the cost of all electronic systems, the company said.

Production of integrated semiconductor IC chips has become the mainstay for the development of electronic systems in the context that businesses all over the world are racing to digital transformation and developing their device ecosystems, FPT Semiconductor said in the media release.

Organizations and enterprises in Vietnams semiconductor chip industry are mainly concentrated within technical universities or foreign firms that invest in manufacturing plants, according to the company.

Hanoi-based FPT Semiconductor is a chip design and manufacturing company owned by FPT Software, a member company of Vietnams tech giant FPT Group.

With a total workforce of over 26,000 people in 27 countries and territories, FPT Software provides comprehensive technology services for over 1,000 global customers, including more than 100 Fortune Global 500 companies, the press release said.

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!
Check out the news you should not miss today:

COVID-19 Updates

-- Vietnams Ministry of Health reported 1,587 COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, raising the national tally to 11,476,908, with 10,589,817 recoveries and 43,147 deaths.

Politics

-- Cuban Prime Minister arrived in Hanoi on Wednesday night for his official visit to Vietnam from now to October 2 at the invitation of Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh.

Society

-- Border guards at Lao Cai International Border Gate in the namesake province in northern Vietnam received 110 illegal Vietnamese migrants on Wednesday, who had been handed over by Chinese authorities.

-- Four police officers in Soc Trang Province, located in Vietnams Mekong Delta, have been suspended from work after they were caught on camera beating up a resident earlier this week.

-- Many people in Nghe An Province, north-central Vietnam had to move their belongings to safe places on Wednesday night as heavy downpours submerged roads and houses due to the influence of Typhoon Noru, local authorities reported.

-- Police in Ho Chi Minh City have caught members of a pickpocket gang red-handed targeting patients at Cho Ray Hospital earlier this week.

Business

-- FPT Semiconductor, a chip design and manufacturing company under Vietnam's leading information technology company FPT Software, offcially released its first integrated circuits, which were designed in Vietnam and manufactured in South Korea, on Wednesday.

Sports

-- Vietnam defeated South Korea 5-1 in their Group D opener at the AFC Futsal Asian Cup 2022 on Wednesday night in Kuwait.

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!
Chinese authorities handed over 110 Vietnamese border jumpers, including one wanted suspect, to Vietnam on Wednesday.

The Border Guard Command in northern Lao Cai Province confirmed on Wednesday evening it had received 110 Vietnamese citizens from their counterparts in Chinas Hekou District.

The citizens were handed over at Lao Cai International Border Gate.

They include 69 men and 41 women aged 19 to 42 and hailing from 17 provinces across Vietnam.

Vu Cong Hai, who was wanted for gambling, is handed over by Chinese authorities in Lao Cai Province, Vietnam, September 28, 2022. Photo: Trung Dung / Tuoi Tre

Among them, 29-year-old Vu Cong Hai from northern Thai Binh Province was previously wanted for gambling.

Hai fled Vietnam to China in April 2017.

Many of the citizens had worked in China since 2016 and were unable to present valid documents during the inspection of Chinese authorities.

They were thus detained and later handed over to Vietnamese authorities.

The border guard unit in Lao Cai has conducted necessary verification and collected statements from these citizens, before transferring them to relevant authorities in accordance with the law.

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!
ABC will screen Magdas Big National Health Check in November, a 3 part factual series in which the star is on a mission to improve our health and well-being as a nation.

This has been an eye-opening experience. I was quite shocked to learn just how unhealthy we are as a nation! And also, to discover some of the unexpected external factors that can determine our health outcomes. But I was also very excited to see how many terrific initiatives are out there in the community, finding innovative and fun ways that we can help one another get healthier together! said Magda.

Magda takes a deep dive into the state of our health while reflecting on her own. Most of all Magda wants to help drive change, both in our own lives, in our community and as a nation.

Over three episodes, Magda embarks on an immersive and personal journey to discover what health looks like in Australia today. She is determined to find the answers she needs about how we can improve our chances of a healthy life in the lucky country. In her inimitable style what she discovers is astounding, meeting everyday Australians and experts who offer real hope for us all to take action!

Deeply invested, Magda identifies the biggest risks to our health  and immerses herself in finding the solutions we need. She reveals how we can work as a community towards better health  and challenges government to be part of the solution.

Magdas Big National Health Check empowers us to make our health and wellbeing a shared priority. The series covers the issues and explores simple and bold solutions for a healthier lifestyle for all Australians.

Magdas Big National Health Check is part of ABCs Your Move national conversation about our key health issues, inviting Australians to make one change for their health.

Production Credits: A Southern Pictures production for ABC in association with Film Victoria. Executive Producer: Laurie Critchley. Series Producer: Mish Armstrong. ABC Manager Factual: Julie Hanna. Acting Head of Factual and Culture: Richard Huddleston.

For more health & fitness programming visit Your Move collection on ABC iview https://iview.abc.net.au/collection/your-move

Tuesday, 1 November, 8.30pm on ABC
In Mondays Four Corners report, No Place To Call Home Louise Milligan investigates the reasons behind Australias homelessness crisis.

I dont want a handout or anythingI work all the time. All I just want is somewhere for me and the kids to call our home. Single mother

In towns and cities across Australia, the critical lack of affordable and social housing now means people with low paying jobs are struggling to find accommodation. They are the new homeless and theyre growing in number.

In 2018 we were seeing about 20 people a day coming through the service four years later were seeing around 80 people a day. Manager, homeless support service

On Four Corners, Monday, reporter Louise Milligan investigates the reasons behind Australias homelessness crisis. She meets single working mums living in motels, cars and even tents.

Ive got a tent and a swag not being able to house my son, could be that I lose my son. I could not bear to lose him. Single mother

The crisis is particularly acute in regional towns where record high rental prices combined with a lack of available houses means low-income workers have little hope of finding a home.

Theyre really struggling. They may have good references, they may have income, but theyre being declined because theres 20 other applications. Real estate agent

Louise Milligan also investigates whats being done to solve the problem.

Ive never had so many people come to my electorate office as I have in the last 12 months with similar stories, and theyre heartbreaking . . . we are trying to move as quickly as we can. Government minister

Monday 3rd October at 8.30pm.
Bank of Ireland has been fined more than 100m euro by the Central Bank for regulatory breaches affecting tracker mortgage customers.

The fine of 100,520,000 euro is the largest ever imposed by the Central Bank.

It said the penalty was imposed for a series of significant and long-running failings in respect of 15,910 tracker mortgage customer accounts affected between August 2004 and June 2022.

Bank of Ireland has admitted to 81 separate regulatory breaches.

It has apologised to customers for failures which led to customer harm and detriment, and for the length of time it took to recognise and resolve the issues which added to customer distress.

The Central Bank investigation found that Bank of Ireland failures resulted in the loss of 50 properties, including 25 family homes, which would have been avoided if it had complied with the most basic and fundamental of its consumer protection obligations.

The Central Bank investigation found that Bank of Ireland had provided unclear contractual documents to customers. It said mortgage letters of offer were unclear and ambiguous regarding customers right to a tracker rate after a fixed rate period.

It also said that Bank of Ireland repeatedly, over a period of over nine years, interpreted these unclear documents in its own favour and denied customers a tracker rate.

The investigation also found that the bank had failed to warn customers about the consequences of decisions relating to their mortgages.

It also said Bank of Ireland implemented an unfair complaints handling practice and that deficient mortgage systems and controls contributed to a significant number of operational errors.

The investigation also concluded that the bank wrongfully excluded customers from the protections of the Tracker Mortgage Examination.

Bank of Ireland has more than 169 branches (Liam McBurney/PA)

The Central Banks director of enforcement and anti-money laundering, Seana Cunningham, said: Customers are entitled to expect that they will be treated fairly and that financial institutions will act in their best interests.

Story continues

Bank of Ireland failed to meet these most basic expectations for almost 16,000 of its customers over an extended period of time.

The failings resulted in significant and, at times, devastating detriment for many of those customers.

She added: Our investigation exposed a culture in Bank of Ireland which, when faced with a choice, prioritised its own interests with little to no regard for the impacts on its customers.

There were a series of missed opportunities during which Bank of Ireland could have done the right thing by its tracker mortgage customers.

Despite these opportunities, Bank of Ireland repeatedly interpreted unclear contractual terms in its own favour and against the customer, which continued the harm and loss caused to customers over many years.

Bank of Ireland has more than 169 branches and approximately 2.2 million customers.

Gavin Kelly, interim chief executive at Bank of Ireland Group, said: Todays statement from the Central Bank of Ireland is extremely critical of Bank of Ireland.

We understand  and fully accept  why this is.

What took place in relation to tracker mortgages was wrong. It should never have happened. We are very sorry that it did.

We unreservedly apologise to all customers harmed by the tracker mortgage issue. The impacts were significant and wide-reaching, up to and including loss of homes in the most serious of cases.

Banking is based on trust, but our failures damaged that trust.

We have learned the hard lessons, and have taken steps to ensure we are a more customer-focused bank today.

This work continues. Rebuilding the confidence of both our customers and the wider society we serve will take time, but we are committed to that journey.
Gas leak at the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline - DANISH DEFENCE/AFP via Getty Images

Security around Britain's oil and gas pipelines is being urgently reviewed after Vladimir Putin was accused of sabotage following "unprecedented" damage to undersea links between Russia and Europe.

The energy industry is discussing with Government officials how to protect North Sea oil and gas rigs and pipelines after underwater explosions damaged Nord Stream 1 and 2 causing four leaks.

Industry representatives are also speaking to their peers in Norway after unidentified drones were spotted flying near Norwegian oil and gas rigs following the Nord Stream ruptures.



Four leaks have now been discovered on the Nord Stream lines near Sweden and Denmark. The cause is not yet known, but the EU, Nato and the US say they appear to have been sabotaged.

It comes amid an escalating energy war between Europe and Russia over Putins invasion of Ukraine. The Kremlin has deemed stupid suggestions it might be behind the attack.

Mark Wilson, operations director Offshore Energies UK trade group, said industry did not have any evidence of unusual activity in UK areas giving rise to any specific concern, but wanted to make sure it was prepared.

Authorities in Norway, which is Britains largest supplier of gas, on Tuesday urged oil and gas operators to be vigilant, warning drones could pose a risk of accidents or attacks. On Wednesday, the Norwegian Prime Minister said it would deploy its military to protect its oil and gas installations.

Mr Wilson said: We want to make sure that we can act in a manner that is proportionate, is pragmatic and is prepared.



So we're engaged, we are reaching out to our members, primarily the operating community, to have conversations about what control measures they currently have in place.



Well also be holding a sharing and learning session and incorporating sharing and learning from Norway, in relation to is there anything else we could and should be doing to be prepared from a physical security perspective.



If theres good practice adopted by Norway or by different operators, we are making sure we can baseline ourselves. At this moment, its about reviewing what we have in place and knowledge-sharing.

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"We have reached out and connected to the business department, who are connected with the Center for the Protection of National Infrastructure."

He added offshore rigs already have well-tested security arrangements, including 500m exclusion zones for boats.

Neither Nord Stream pipeline was in use at the time of the suspected blasts, they were filled with gas that has been spewing out and bubbling to the surface of the Baltic Sea since Monday.

The European Union on Wednesday promised a "robust" response to any intentional disruption of its energy infrastructure.
(This September 29 story refiles to fixe typo in analyst's name in 5th and 7th paragraphs)

By Ahmad Ghaddar and Rowena Edwards

LONDON (Reuters) - A heavy oil refinery turnaround season in Europe this autumn, plus French strike action, is set to push diesel prices higher and tighten supplies ahead of a European Union ban on Russian refined products which is due to come into force early next year.

In October, around 1.5 million barrels per day (bpd) of crude refining capacity is expected to be offline in Europe for planned and unplanned maintenance, Energy Aspect estimated.

This figure compares with 1.1 million bpd of offline capacity in September, and is above the 2015-2019 average for this period. In November, offline capacity is expected to reach 600,000 bpd.

The busier maintenance schedule is likely to be related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Given all the Covid-related restrictions, social distancing etc, it's likely that not a lot of extensive works were actually carried out but rather just essential maintenance," Energy Aspect's Livia Gallarati said.

Maintenance outages next month include Eni's Sannazzaro refinery in Italy, Repsol's Tarragona refinery in Spain, and Galp Energia's Sines refinery, among others.

"The European diesel market is looking a bit softer than we had expected say this time last month," Gallarati said, adding that the consultancy has softened its European demand forecast as economic pressures mount.

Europe has also been upping its diesel imports from other regions like the Middle East and Asia, with September arrivals hitting a three-year high of 1.6 million barrels per day, based on data from oil analytics firm Vortexa.

But while higher imports and a softening demand outlook are helping to ease the pressure on diesel markets, widespread refinery outages in France, partly due to strike action, could tighten supplies again.

One European trader said that while the market has priced in, and to a large extent prepared for the planned outages, it is the unplanned outages that could cause problems for the oil products market.

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"The issue is unexpected outages like the French strikes," he said.

Walkouts over pay and unplanned maintenance have resulted the temporary shutdown of four out France's six oil refineries in the week to 28 September.

This has taken offline 740,000 bpd, or over 60% of France's refining capacity.

Exxon Mobil, which operates two of the shut plants, told Reuters it had temporarily put limitations in place for customers, saying this was in accordance with the terms of its supply contracts.

Benchmark European diesel profit margins hit a two-week high of about $50 a barrel on Wednesday, based on Reuters assessments, driven by the French strikes.

Analysts expect the shutdowns to tighten refined product supply if they drag on.

"The wave of strikes in France took the market by surprise and there is uncertainty about its duration," OilX analyst Neil Crosby said.

"Overall, we remain constructive diesel cracks come Q12023 as the market will struggle to replace lost Russian supplies," Gallarti said, adding that Europe stands to lose 500,000-600,000 bpd of Russian diesel due to sanctions.

The European Union will stop buying all Russian crude oil delivered by sea from early December, and will ban all Russian refined products two months later, in protest over Moscow's invasion of Ukraine.

"We struggle to see [diesel] stocks building massively from where we are," Woodmac analyst Mark Williams said.

"We expect prices to really spike ... mid-January, probably February, but we may see a spike little bit earlier as the market starts to panic," he added.

(Editing by Jane Merriman)
DUBAI (Reuters) - The conflict in Ukraine contributed to benchmark Brent oil hitting a $14-year high of $139.13 a barrel in March, giving major crude producers a revenue boon.

The average price for Brent this year is $104.34 a barrel, compared to $66.63 in 2021.

Data on Saudi Arabia, Russia, Nigeria and Iraq shows how not all the big producers are cashing in on the oil price bonanza.

SAUDI ARABIA

The world's biggest crude exporter posted oil revenues of 434.1 billion riyals ($115.5 billion) in the first half of 2022, up 74.5% from the same period last year.

The kingdom expects to record its first fiscal surplus in nearly a decade in 2022.

Saudi Arabia's finance minister said the oil windfall could fund the Public Investment Fund, which is at the centre of plans to diversify away from oil and has doubled its assets in roughly two years, including by building massive cities in the desert.

Finance Minister Mohammed al-Jadaan said funds could also go to reserves or the National Development Fund, which supervises and links economic development funds.

The government expects economic growth of 7.4% this year and the International Monetary Fund projects it at 7.6%.

The IMF projected in April that Saudi Arabia needs an oil price of $79.2 a barrel for a balanced budget.

NIGERIA

Nigeria is not cashing in on higher oil prices, according to state oil firm NNPC's monthly federal remittance spreadsheets.

NNPC did not remit any cash to the federal account in the first eight months of 2022, despite oil and gas sales outstripping those in pre-pandemic 2020.

Nigeria is spending a huge amount on gasoline imports and losing crude revenues in the process. It is using 40% of its crude production for gasoline swaps and about 1/3 of these gasoline imports are estimated to be smuggled to neighbouring countries.

On top of this, Nigeria is also buying additional expensive spot cargoes with cash and the government is then giving NNPC subsidy repayments too.

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NNPCs remittances are the single largest contributor to the nations coffers. In February 2022, oil and gas sales were $1.26 billion but NNPC remitted $0 in March. In February 2021, Nigeria made $792 million and remitted just over $100 million.

The government had budgeted 1.8 million barrels per day of production in 2022, the countrys finance minister said, although NNPCs own data showed output averaging 1.4 million bpd since January 2021 with most of it already earmarked away from government coffers. By mid-2022, output had fallen to around 1-1.2 million bpd.

IRAQ

Iraqs revenues, which depend mainly on oil sales, were largely boosted from rising oil prices after the Ukraine war, generating $33 billion in revenues for March, April and May 2022 compared to only $17.25 billion for the same period in 2021, official oil ministry data showed.

But the windfall is not helping the country's battered economy because Iraq still has no government to authorise a 2022 federal budget as a result of a bitter deadlock in politics months after an October general election.

Whats the point of doubling oil revenues and we still cant spend one cent because we dont have a permanent government or a new budget to unlock financial allocations. We dont have enough budget to buy power and gas, said Ahmed Moussa, spokesman for Iraqs Ministry of Electricity.

RUSSIA

Russia's oil and gas budget revenues in January-August increased by 43% compared with a year ago, providing authorities with room to step up public spending aimed at limiting the impact of sweeping Western sanctions.

In January-August, Russia's oil and gas revenues totalled 7.3 trillion roubles ($121,7 billion), or 82% of such revenues it envisaged for 2022.

But in July-August, oil and gas revenues fell year on year.

The West imposed unprecedented economic and financial sanctions against Russia for what Moscow calls a "special military operation" in Ukraine that started on Feb. 24, effectively cutting off the export-dependent economy from the global financial system.

Finance Minister Anton Siluanov said in late May that Russia needed "huge resources" for its military operation in Ukraine, putting the amount of budget stimulus for the economy at 8 trillion roubles ($133 billion) on top of military spending.

Russia does not disclose the cost of its military operation in Ukraine but its overall defence spending rose nearly 40% year on year in the January-April period to 1.7 trillion roubles, according to preliminary data from the finance ministry.

Russia now faces risks of a drop in oil exports to Europe after the latest round of sanctions that envisaged a phased-in rather than an immediate embargo on Russian oil, which should give Moscow some time to re-route volumes to new customers in Asia in the next six months.

Russia can use proceeds from high oil and gas prices to increase social payments, something it has already started doing

(Reporting by Yousef Saba, Julia Payne and Ahmed Rasheed, Editing by Michael Georgy, Nick Zieminski and Alexander Smith)
By Victoria Waldersee and Emma-Victoria Farr

FRANKFURT (Reuters) -Porsche AG Chief Executive Oliver Blume said there was no timeframe planned to re-evaluate his dual role as head of the newly independent sports car maker and the Volkswagen Group, describing it as a deliberate decision.

Porsche AG shares were trading up 2.4% at 1007 GMT from their opening price of 84 euros, reaching a market capitalisation of 78.5 billion euros ($76.1 billion) - close to the 81 billion euro valuation of former parent Volkswagen.

"We are very positive about the first price. Of course we had a gut feeling - the feedback we got from investors was very positive," Blume said, speaking next to a Porsche Taycan parked outside the Frankfurt stock exchange.

Porsche AG's solid market debut came despite broadly weaker stock markets following red-hot German inflation data.

In an interview with Reuters, Blume brushed aside concerns about his dual CEO role, saying it was not unusual to lead a brand and a company simultaneously. Some investors have said holding both jobs could create conflicts of interest.

"We made this decision very consciously - there is no time horizon in which it will be re-evaluated," he said.

Though Porsche AG is targeting 80% electric vehicle production by 2030, Blume denied it was heading towards being a pure-play electric vehicle carmaker, a category that has traditionally done better on stock market lists.

"We have a very flexible strategy - we offer combustion engine cars, hybrids, and electric cars ... this mix is what defines Porsche," he said.

Looking forward, the sports car brand was focused on solving the last remaining software issues created by delays in the collaboration with Volkswagen's Cariad unit, setting out distinct strategies for Eastern and Western markets, Blume said.

"I would not rule out that we would have technology that first arrives in the Chinese market and is then rolled out in other markets," he added.

($1 = 1.0353 euros)

(Reporting by Victoria Waldersee and Emma-Victoria Farr; writing by Matthias Williams; editing by Miranda Murray and Mark Potter)
Chief Secretary to the Treasury Chris Philp walks outside Treasury building, in London

LONDON (Reuters) -Chris Philp, Britain's chief secretary to the Treasury, said he disagreed with concerns raised by the International Monetary Fund about the government's tax-cutting budget that has roiled markets, saying it would lead to long-term economic growth.

"I saw the IMF comments. I respectfully disagree," he told Sky News.

Finance minister Kwasi Kwarteng sparked turmoil in financial markets last week when he delivered a plan to cut taxes without detailing the impact on the public finances or how the government would reform the economy to spur growth.

The pound sank and British government bond yields soared, forcing the BoE to revive its bond-buying programme in an emergency move on Wednesday to shore up pension funds.

Philp said the government would stick to its plan to hold a fuller fiscal announcement on Nov. 23, when it will set out further details on how it will cut debt.

Asked if the government regretted its handling of the economy, Philp said interest rates had been rising around the world in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

(Reporting by Kate Holton and Muvija MEditing by William Schomberg)
Arnold Schwarzenegger visited Auschwitz where he said it's time to "terminate" hatred. While the message is one surely people can get behind, some seemed to be more interested in how he signed the guestbook.

Schwarzenegger, who received the inaugural Award for Fighting Hatred from the Auschwitz Jewish Center Foundation earlier this year, gave a speech alongside chairman Simon Bergson on Wednesday as a symbol of how generations can change. Both Schwarzenegger and Bergson were born in Austria, the latter born after the war as his parents survived the Auschwitz Nazi death camp.

"I was the son of a man that fought in the Nazi war, he was a soldier," Schwarzenegger shared as he stood next to Bergson. Schwarzenegger has been open that his father, Gustav, was a soldier during the war.

Arnold Schwarzenegger visits Auschwitz. His visit to the memorial site in Poland was his first and came as part of his work with the Auschwitz Jewish Center Foundation, whose mission is to fight hatred through education. (Photo: NurPhoto via Getty Images)

"And one generation later, here we are. We're almost the same age. We both are good looking," the former governor of California said, which drew laughs from the spectators. "And we have one thing in common that we both fight prejudice and hatred and discrimination... this is what unites us here today."

Bergson added: "Arnold and I are living proof that within one generation hatred can be shifted entirely. Governor, thank you for joining us here today."

Historians estimate that around 1.1 million people died in Auschwitz in the less than five years the camp existed.

Today I toured @AuschwitzMuseum with @AuschwitzJCF. This is a story that has to stay alive, that we have to tell over and over again. We can all do our part to terminate hate if we are willing do the work and educate ourselves. Never again. pic.twitter.com/FHq2VMhHZP  Arnold (@Schwarzenegger) September 28, 2022

Schwarzenegger toured the site in southern Poland, including barracks and gas chambers where the atrocities committed by Nazi soldiers occurred. He also met with a woman who, at the age of 3, was subjected to experiments by the notorious Nazi doctor Josef Mengele.

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The recipient of @AuschwitzJCF Award for Fighting Hatred @Schwarzenegger visited the @AuschwitzMuseum today to honor all the victims of the camp and deepen his knowledge about history that would help him fight against prejudices nowadays. pic.twitter.com/6tt6Nebela  Auschwitz Memorial (@AuschwitzMuseum) September 28, 2022

"This is a story that has to stay alive, this is a story that we have to tell over and over again," Schwarzenegger declared as he urged people to pay attention to how hate spreads. This marked the 75-year-old actor's first visit to Auschwitz and he vowed that it won't be his last  although how he phrased that, exactly, offended some people online.

While signing the Auschwitz Museum guestbook, Schwarzenegger referenced his iconic line from Terminator, writing, "I'll be back." The official Twitter account for the museum shared the action star's note, then subsequently followed that tweet up with an explanation for the message.

"This visit was planned to be relatively short. The inscription was meant to be a promise to return for another and more in-depth visit," the tweet read.

This visit was planned to be relatively short. The inscription was meant to be a promise to return for another and more indepth visit.  Auschwitz Memorial (@AuschwitzMuseum) September 28, 2022

Earlier this year, Schwarzenegger invoked his father's story in a plea to Russia to end its unprovoked Ukraine invasion.

"When my father arrived in Leningrad, he was all pumped up on the lies of his government, and when he left Leningrad, he was broken, physically and mentally," Schwarzenegger said in March. "He lived the rest of his life in pain. Pain from a broken back, pain from the shrapnel that always reminded him of these terrible years. And pain from the guilt that he felt."
A number of people were arrested across the UK after protesting against the monarchy

ARRESTS made during events to commemorate the death of the Queen in Scotland were not to do with protests, Police Scotland has said.

Chief Constable Sir Iain Livingstone reflected on the policing response during Operation Unicorn at a Scottish Police Authority (SPA) meeting on Thursday.

Livingstone praised the efforts of the service in ensuring events relating to the Queens death were held safely, securely and with dignity.

He said: As is so often the case in times of sadness or national challenge, duty requires policing to step forward with compassion and professionalism  individuals within the police service setting aside personal plans at extremely short notice to give public service.

READ MORE: More than 6000 sign petition calling for Prince Andrew to lose Earl of Inverness title

Police Scotland had an important role to play to ensure that significant events relating to Her Majestys death could be held safely, securely and with dignity.

As chief constable, I had a clear and express expectation that officers and staff would respond to this important and solemn occasion with professionalism and high standards, and they did.

Everyone in Police Scotland played their part. Those who planned the response over many years, those directly supporting Operation Unicorn and being operationally deployed, and others who provided effective policing right across the country during this intense period.

Livingstone confirmed 13 arrests were made across the whole of Scotland during Operation Unicorn, with offences including low-level disorder, violence, abusive and threatening behaviour, and the illegal use of drones.

One of these arrests has already seen a 74-year-old man plead guilty to breach of the peace near the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh, receiving a 350 fine.

The chief constable said there were no security breaches, no significant violence or disorder, no safety issues and relatively few arrests among countless interactions and engagements between officers and our fellow citizens over the course of the Operation Unicorn period.

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The force has come in for criticism since a number of people protesting against the monarchy were arrested while events took place.

But Livingstone told the SPA that while campaigning and protesting is a legitimate, necessary, vital part of civic life, abusive or threatening behaviour is not legitimate protest.

Deputy Chief Constable Malcolm Graham said there were no arrests made against people protesting the monarchy during the proceedings.

We are acutely aware while upholding the rights of the difference between freedom of speech and where there are instances of breaches of the law through public disorder or other offences being committed, he said.

READ MORE: King Charles welcomed to Cardiff Castle by booing and anti-monarchy protesters

There havent been any arrests for people protesting, as is clearly the case to members.

Livingstone said Police Scotland would assess any concerns raised over policing during the period.

He said: I categorically undertake, as I have done consistently since holding office as chief constable, that if we have got something wrong in a specific set of circumstances, or we could have done something better, we will acknowledge that and we will take necessary and proportionate action to put it right.

A full and thorough debrief will be carried out to reflect on lessons learned during Operation Unicorn, he added.
Five people are confirmed deceased after a mass shooting in a small town in Texas, according to officials.

Police have a suspect in custody for the killings in McGregor, Texas, Department of Public Safety sergeant Ryan Howard told reporters.

Mr Howard said the shooting occured on Thursday morning.

The main thing was an officer-involved shooting as well as another incident that took place, he said. Because that incident is still under investigation, I cant give full details about the incident that transpired.

Officials have not yet released the identity of the victims or the alleged shooter.

A GoFundMe page identifies two of the victims as mother and daughter Natalie and Lori Aviles.

Our sweet Natalie and Lori, youll forvever be in our hearts! cousin Laila Hidrogo, the organiser of the page, wrote on Facebook. None of this feels real, but we know youre rejoicing with our Father in Heaven...Please continue to keep Ezra and Zion, Loris Son, our family in your prayers.

The gunman shot his wife and her two children before being shot by police, according to an anonymous law enforcement official who spoke with KWTX.

Two other deceased women  one found in the street and another in a nearby home  were discovered at the scene, the official said.

A bystander told KXXV that police were spotted going in and out of a home crime scene in McGregor.

This terrible and senseless act of violence has devastated our town, McGregor mayor Jimmy Hering said in a statement. While the families are being notified of the details, we ask that you keep them, the officers and the community of McGregor in your thoughts and prayers. We will keep the public informed as investigative facts are confirmed.

Schools officials with the McGregor Independent School District said the shooting occured during a domestic disturbance.

There was a domestic disturbance that resulted in a shooting in McGregor this morning. As a result of that shooting, MISD locked down for about 15 minutes. Once we received an all clear from MPD, the lockdown was lifted, McGregor ISD superintendent James Lenamon said in a statement.

The Texas DPS confirmed to Fox 44 it was on hand to investigate the officer-involved shooting portion of the crime.

The Independent has contacted DPS and McGregor police for further comment.
The Justice Secretary has urged striking lawyers to carefully consider a new Government pay offer after saying the disruptive action is delaying justice for hundreds of victims.

Brandon Lewis made his comments as he was formally sworn in as Lord Chancellor during a traditional ceremony at the Royal Courts of Justice in London on Thursday.

After hailing the work of the judiciary and court staff during the Covid-19 pandemic and efforts to cut down the case backlog, Mr Lewis said: I am hopeful to now see an end to the disruptive strike action that risks undoing the progress made  and means delaying justice for hundreds of victims.

(from left) Justice Secretary Brandon Lewis, alongside Lord Chief Justice Lord Burnett and Master of the Rolls Sir Geoffrey Vos, at the Royal Courts of Justice, in central London (Yui Mok/PA)

He said the Criminal Bar Association (CBA) will be balloting its members on generous proposals from the Government.

Mr Lewis said: I am pleased to have reached an agreement with the leadership of the criminal bar today these (proposals) are generous and I would encourage CBA members to consider them carefully and positively.

A qualified barrister, Mr Lewis swore allegiance to new King Charles III in front of senior judges and lawyers during a grand ceremony in the gothic buildings Court 4.

He becomes the ninth appointee to the office of the Lord Chancellor  which can be traced back to before the Norman Conquest  since the Conservatives came to power in coalition with the Liberal Democrats following the 2010 election.

Michael Ellis KC, elected as Conservative MP for Northampton North in May 2010, was also sworn in as Attorney General, while Solicitor General Michael Tomlinson, Tory MP for Mid Dorset and North Poole, also made the official declaration for his role.

Elsewhere in his speech, Mr Lewis, wearing a wig and dressed in traditional gold and black robes, said it was a huge honour to take up his role.

He highlighted the global standing of the English legal system and its economic impact.

Mr Lewis said the legal services sector contributed over 29 billion worth of gross value add to the economy each year.

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I want to make sure that justice continues to drive our economic growth, he said.

Mr Lewis said he wanted to see a modern justice system that is built around the people who use it.

He added that he wanted to explore options for improving the probation service, adding: Im determined to make public protection the overriding factor in parole decisions.

Justice Secretary Brandon Lewis wears his ceremonial robes (Yui Mok/PA)

The Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales, Lord Burnett of Maldon, welcomed Mr Lewis to his new position and told him: Governments never have enough money to do all that they would wish.

It is perhaps not unfair to say that justice has suffered more than it should have done over the last decade.

We look forward to admiring your powers of persuasion and advocacy skills in your dealings with the Treasury.

The Lord Chief Justice added: The problems and challenges that we face in the administration of justice were exacerbated by the Covid pandemic.

Outstanding caseloads in many jurisdictions remain worrying high and a great deal of work is being undertaken to improve the throughput of cases to bring down backlogs and improve timeliness.

That work requires the calm co-operation of all the major players in each jurisdiction and, critically, the policy, legislative and political support of the Ministry of Justice and its ministers.

We have interesting times ahead, my Lord Chancellor.

A police officer carries the Mace of Lord Chancellor before the arrival of Mr Lewis (Yui Mok/PA)

Mr Lewis, whose resignation as Northern Ireland secretary piled pressure on former prime minister Boris Johnson to resign from No 10, replaced Rishi Sunak-supporter Dominic Raab as Justice Secretary.

Mr Lewis initially backed Nadhim Zahawi in the Conservative leadership race before pledging his support to Liz Truss.

He is married with two children and has served as MP for Great Yarmouth since 2010 and previously occupied ministerial roles at the Department for Communities and Local Government  now known as Levelling Up, Housing and Communities.

A former leader of Brentwood Borough Council, Mr Lewis was made a CBE for political and public service in September 2019.
Margot Robbie revealed how filming on the upcoming David O Russell movie came to an unusual end.

Robbie, Christian Bale and John David Washington star in Amsterdam, as a nurse and two soldiers who, years after an incident in the Dutch capital, find themselves at the centre of a murder investigation.

While onThe Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on Tuesday (27 September), Robbie said that the production on the movie had to be shut down after they ignored their curfew.

You get a permit to shoot somewhere. We were in Pasadena and the time was up, Robbie explained.

We were meant to clear out, but we wouldnt. And the producers were freaking out and Davids still going and Christian [Bale] is still acting. And then, eventually, the Pasadena police literally were in the set with us all being like, Stop. You have to stop. Like, you guys have to stop. Please.

Eventually, Robbie said, a police officer was the one who called an end to the filming.

Margot Robbie in Amsterdam (Focus Features)

Youre wrapped! the officer eventually yelled, according to the actor.

Honestly, everyone heard the word wrap and put down the equipment and started packing up, Robbie said. I was like, Wow. A policewoman from Pasadena just wrapped this film. It was incredible.

In a recent interview, Bale said he had to isolate himself from co-star Chris Rock because he was so bloody funny.

I found that I couldnt act, because I was just becoming Christian laughing at Chris Rock, the actor said.

The ensemble cast of the film also includes Taylor Swift, Robert De Niro, Anya Taylor-Joy and Rami Malek.

Amsterdam is released in cinemas on 7 October.
Danish military video of bubbles in Baltic Sea where Nord Stream pipeline leaked. Danish Defense Command

A natural gas pipeline, which may have been deliberately sabotaged, is spewing methane in the Baltic Sea.

Methane is a potent greenhouse gas, and leaks have been prime targets to slow the rate of climate change.

It's unclear how much methane is reaching the atmosphere, but this could be "disastrous," an expert said.

Reports that a natural gas pipeline has ruptured in the Baltic Sea are causing fears that the methane leak could negatively impact climate change, experts said.

Experts told various news outlets though it is too early to say how much methane from the Nord Stream pipelines will reach the atmosphere, the leaks have the potential to have a substantial effect on climate change.

"There are a number of uncertainties, but if these pipelines fail, the impact to the climate will be disastrous and could even be unprecedented," atmospheric chemist David McCabe, senior scientist at the non-profit Clean Air Task Force, told Reuters.

Methane is a potent greenhouse gas

Though carbon dioxide (CO2) remains the main long-term driver of the climate crisis, methane leaks have become a hot-button issue to help control the progression of the climate crisis in the short term.

That's because methane is a greenhouse gas  it very effectively traps heat from the planet in the atmosphere instead of letting it dissipate into space.

Though it is not as long-lived as CO2, which floats in the atmosphere for much longer after it is released, methane is much better at trapping heat: about 30 times better than CO2 over 100 years.

Because of this, sharp cuts to methane emissions are a vital lever to curb the rate of climate change in the short term.

If all of the methane contained in the pipelines were to reach the atmosphere, it could seriously set the world back.

The equivalent of a third of Denmark's yearly emissions are contained in both pipelines

Four leaks have now been found along the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines that cross the Baltic Sea.

The leaks are thought to be the result of "deliberate, reckless, and irresponsible acts of sabotage," NATO said in a statement Thursday.

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Though the pipelines were not being used when they were breached, they were full of natural gas  about 778 million cubic meters in total, per The Danish Energy Agency.

Seventy to 90% of natural gas is methane.

If it were all released from the pipeline, that would be the equivalent of 32% of the Danish annual CO2 emissions in 2020.

But it's not clear how much of that methane will reach the atmosphere.

Potential to be the 'one of the biggest gas leak'

How much of the methane contained in the Nord Stream pipelines will reach the atmosphere is difficult to estimate, Cooper told Reuters.

The rate of emission depends on how big the breach is and other factors, Jasmin Cooper, a research associate at Imperial College London's department of chemical engineering, told The Guardian.

Even without the pipelines emptying completely, the emissions could be substantial.

Jean-Francois Gauthier, vice president of measurements at the commercial methane-measuring satellite firm GHGSat, provided Reuters with a "conservative estimate" of emissions at the time of the breach.

He thinks altogether, the leaks likely released about 500 metric tons of methane per hour into the sea at first and are releasing less over time.

By comparison, the 2015-2016 Aliso Canyon leak released 97,000 metric tons of methane into the air in total, CNN reported.

That doesn't mean all of that methane will reach the surface. For instance, microbes are known to absorb some of the methane as it passes through the water, McCabe told Reuters.

Grant Allen, a professor of Earth and environmental science at Manchester University, told the Guardian, however, this is likely to have little effect.

"My scientific experience is telling me that  with a big blow-up like this  methane will not have time to be attenuated by nature. So a significant proportion will be vented as methane gas," Allen said.

"It has the potential to be one of the biggest gas leaks," Cooper told The Guardian.

Read the original article on Business Insider
The Queen, the nations longest-reigning monarch, died from old age, her official death certificate has revealed.

The Princess Royal has already disclosed she was with her mother during her last moments but the document confirmed what was suspected on the day  some of the late monarchs children and grandchildren tried in vain to be at her bedside.

The certificate released by National Records of Scotland noted the time of the Queens death on Thursday September 8 as 3.10pm at Balmoral.

With the world fearing the worst that day but awaiting updates from Buckingham Palace, the arrival at Balmoral after 5pm of a grim-faced Prince of Wales, Duke of York and Earl and Countess of Wessex spoke volumes.

The death certificate of Queen Elizabeth II (National Records of Scotland/PA)

The Duke of Sussex travelled separately and was driven through the gates some time later and the Queens death was announced in the early evening.

It is not known when the King and his Queen Consort arrived at Balmoral but unlike other members of the royal family they were already in Scotland.

The death certificate was released on the day well-wishers were able to see the Queens final resting place, as Windsor Castle welcomed visitors for the first time since the monarchs death.

Hundreds of people queued outside the castle to view the King George VI memorial chapel, inside St Georges Chapel, where the ledger stone inscribed with the late monarchs name lies.

William drives Andrew, with Edward and Sophie in the back passenger seat, into Balmoral (Andrew Milligan/PA)

When paying tribute to her mother, on the day her coffin returned to London ahead of lying in state, Anne revealed she was with the Queen at the end of her life.

The princess, who accompanied her mothers coffin as it travelled from Balmoral to London, via Edinburgh, said: I was fortunate to share the last 24 hours of my dearest mothers life.

Anne is named as the informant on the document and would have notified the local registrar of her mothers death.

The death certificate lists the Queens full name  Elizabeth Alexander Mary Windsor  occupation, Her Majesty the Queen, date of birth, April 21 1926, and her marital status as widowed.

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The Queens usual residence is given as Windsor Castle, and her parents King George VI and the Queen Mother are named, with the document signed by Paul Lowe, the Registrar General for Scotland.

The Queens grandchildren mount a vigil around her coffin as it lies in state (Ian McIlgorm/Mail On Sunday/PA)

Dr Douglas Glass, who had the title Apothecary to the Queen and in 2019 acted as Charles physician when he made an official visit to Germany, certified the late monarchs cause of death.

Old age is acceptable if the doctor certifying death has cared for the patient for a long time, was not aware of any disease or injury that contributed to death and had observed a gradual decline in the persons general health and functioning.

The Queen had been experiencing sporadic mobility problems during the final period of her life and used a walking stick regularly in public.

The health development came after the head of state was secretly admitted to a private London hospital for preliminary investigations in October last year  her first overnight admission for eight years.

The monarch was soon back at her Windsor Castle desk but spent the following three months under doctors orders to only conduct light duties and missed a number of prominent events including the Cop26 climate change summit in Glasgow and the Festival of Remembrance.

The bearer party from the Queens Company, 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards carry the Queens coffin into St Georges Chapel for the committal service (Jeff J Mitchell/PA)

Platinum Jubilee celebrations were staged during the extended June bank holiday weekend but the Queen made just three brief appearances on Buckingham Palaces balcony during the celebrations and attended a Windsor Castle event.

Following tradition the Queen was spending her summer break at Balmoral and a few days before she died performed one of her major duties of state and asked Liz Truss to form a Government and become her 15th prime minister.

The day before her death at the age of 96 the head of state pulled out of a virtual Privy Council meeting after doctors ordered her to rest.

On September 8, Buckingham Palace announced just after 12.30pm that the head of states doctors were concerned about her health and recommended she remain under medical supervision.

Her death was announced by Buckingham Palace in a statement issued at 6.30pm that day. It said: The Queen died peacefully at Balmoral this afternoon.

People queue to enter Windsor Castle after it reopened for the first time since the Queens death (Jonathan Brady/PA)

The Queen was laid to rest on September 19, following 70 years of service, after family, friends and the nation said a fond farewell to the late monarch.

For the woman who was never meant to be sovereign, the Queen fulfilled her pledge to serve nation and Commonwealth and came to earn the respect of many  from world leaders to the public.

Her grieving family walked behind her coffin throughout the long day of her funeral and burial, a simple but public tribute, and the emotion was clear to see on the face of Charles who travelled to Scotland soon afterwards where he has remained with Camilla.
Failure to attend could see Sadiq Khan fined or jailed for up to three months - Kirsty O'Connor/PA Wire

Sadiq Khan is to be hauled before the London Assemblys police and crime committee to answer questions about Dame Cressida Dicks resignation as the Metropolitan Police commissioner.

The Mayor of London was formally summonsed following a motion on Thursday, becoming the first sitting mayor to be compelled to face the committee under legislation available to it.

Failure to attend could see Mr Khan fined or jailed for up to three months, the Greater London Authority (GLA) Conservatives said.

The move was prompted by a damning report into the resignation of Dame Cressida in February.

The review, carried out by Sir Tom Winsor, found that Mr Khan urged her to break the law by sacking all the police officers involved in the Charing Cross racism scandal in order to protect his own political fortunes.

Sir Tom concluded that Dame Cressida was in effect constructively dismissed by the Mayor, who was also accused of intimidating her during her final weeks in the job. He found Mr Khan had not followed due process and had left her with no option but to step down.

In a scathing 116-page report, the former chief inspector of constabulary accused the Mayor of encouraging the commissioner to go beyond her legal powers and dismiss a group of Met officers accused of exchanging racist, misogynistic and homophobic WhatsApp messages.

The police and crime committee said it had invoked powers under the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011 for the first time to formally summons Mr Khan to appear on Nov 16.

Susan Hall, the leader of the GLA Conservatives who also chairs the committee, said: The Sir Tom Winsor review has raised important questions about the circumstances under which the former Metropolitan Police commissioner stood down.

The London Assembly police and crime committee has statutory powers to summons the Mayor, which we have used for the first time today.

We believe that, given the seriousness of the reviews findings, the Mayor needs to address the unanswered questions that have emerged. The public will rightly want to know what happened and what lessons need to be learned for the future.

Story continues

Earlier this month, Mr Khan dismissed Sir Toms report as one-sided and said Londoners would be able to see that it ignores the facts.

A spokesman for Mr Khan told the Evening Standard: The Mayors focus is on working with the new reforming commissioner to build a safer London for everyone, rebuild trust and confidence in the police and support Sir Mark [Rowley] to drive through the urgent reforms and step change in culture and performance Londoners deserve.

Londoners elected the Mayor to hold the Met Commissioner to account, and thats exactly what he has done. The Mayor makes no apology for demanding better for London and putting its interests first.
Joules, the crisis-hit fashion retailer, is considering turning to an insolvency procedure in a bid to slash its overheads and avert collapse.

Sky News has learnt that Joules is working with Interpath Advisory on a company voluntary arrangement (CVA) that would, if approved, pave the way for store closures, rent reductions and job cuts.

A retail industry insider said on Thursday that Joules had not yet formally decided to launch a CVA or restructuring plan - an alternative mechanism which allows troubled companies to renegotiate their liabilities - but was "seriously looking" at the possibility.

The option has emerged weeks after talks with Next about an injection of funding were abandoned.

Joules, which employs more than 1,000 people and trades from about 130 stores, said earlier this month that it continued "to assess its ongoing financing requirements and is considering alternative options, including a possible equity raise, to allow the company to strengthen its balance sheet".

Analysts and shareholders have cast doubt, however, on its ability to raise equity owing to the calamitous collapse in its share price.

On Thursday afternoon, its shares were trading at 7.48p, giving the company a market capitalisation of just 8.4m.

The details of a CVA proposal are unclear, and would require the approval of creditors.

One source suggested it would be expected to lead to a significant reduction in Joules' store footprint and workforce.

Joules said in August that it was aiming to secure an equity investment of about 15m, after warning that it would deliver a loss bigger than previous market expectations.

It also appointed Jonathon Brown, a former John Lewis and Kingfisher executive, as its new CEO.

The company has hired KPMG to assist with efforts to improve "profitability, cash generation and liquidity headroom".

It has also agreed an extension to banking facilities with its principal lender, Barclays, that would place restrictions on its ability to pay dividends.

Story continues

Joules has been listed on the London stock market since 2016, having been founded in 1989 when Tom

Joule began selling clothes from a country show stall in Leicestershire.

Mr Joule is now a non-executive director of the company.

Joules plans to announce its full-year results next month.
By Muvija M and Kate Holton

LONDON (Reuters) -British Prime Minister Liz Truss said on Thursday she would stick to her controversial plan to reignite economic growth, breaking her silence after nearly a week of financial market chaos triggered by the government's push for huge tax cuts.

A day after the Bank of England resumed its bond-buying in an emergency move to protect pension funds from partial collapse, Truss blamed the upheaval on the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which has caused inflation to spike around the world.

"We had to take urgent action to get our economy growing, get Britain moving, and also deal with inflation, and of course, that means taking controversial and difficult decisions," she told BBC radio.

"But I'm prepared to do that as prime minister because what's important to me is that we get our economy moving."

Truss, Britain's 47-year-old former foreign minister, took office on Sept. 6 after winning the governing Conservative Party's leadership contest, becoming the fourth prime minister in six turbulent years in British politics.

She defeated former finance minister Rishi Sunak by vowing to put an end to "Treasury orthodoxy" with a new economic policy that would cut taxes and regulation, funded by vast government borrowing to snap the economy out of years of stagnant growth.

She dismissed Sunak's warnings that her plans posed a threat to Britain's economic standing in the world as "negative, declinist language".

But her fiscal plan, set out by finance minister Kwasi Kwarteng on Friday, triggered a crisis of confidence in the government, hammering the value of the pound and government bond prices and jolting global markets.

Asked if the so-called mini budget had been a major economic disaster, Kwarteng told reporters the government was focussed on delivering economic growth.

"The mini budget was absolutely essential in resetting the debate around growth and focusing us on delivering much better growth outcomes," he said, during a visit to a local business in northern England.

Story continues

Huw Pill, the Bank of England's chief economist, said on Thursday there was "undoubtedly" a UK-specific component to the adverse market moves, in contrast to Truss's view that they reflected global factors rather than her budget plans.

Meanwhile, a new YouGov poll showed the opposition Labour party had surged to a record 33-point lead over Truss's Conservatives. The poll of voting intention conducted over Wednesday and Thursday showed 54% support for Labour and 21% for the Conservatives.

Ken Griffin, the U.S. billionaire founder of Citadel Securities, one of the world's biggest market-making firms, said he was worried about the damage to Britain's reputation.

"It represents the first time we've seen a major developed market, in a very long time, lose confidence from investors," he said.

UNFUNDED TAX CUTS

Truss said her government would not change course.

Having set out 45 billion pounds of unfunded tax cuts, she said it would in the coming weeks spell out reforms of everything from childcare costs to immigration, planning and financial regulation. A fuller fiscal statement on Nov. 23 will detail the cost of the borrowing and measures to cut debt.

With borrowing costs elevated and markets volatile, investors and economists have said they cannot wait another eight weeks for details.

A committee of lawmakers in Britain's parliament urged Kwarteng to bring forward the Nov. 23 statement which will include new forecasts by the country's fiscal watchdog.

As well as the risk posed to pension funds, the surge in borrowing costs has led to the withdrawal of cheaper mortgage offers and a leap in corporate lending rates.

The BoE's intervention had an immediate impact in driving bond yields sharply lower on Wednesday, but investors still see the central bank increasing its key interest rate by 1.25 percentage points to 3.50% on Nov. 3, the date of its next scheduled announcement.

That rate is seen rising further to 4.50% in December and close to 6.00% by June, levels that would likely hit house prices and offset any gains from a cut in property transaction taxes that was announced last week.

Economists mostly expect a less severe pace of rate increases.

"This is the right plan," Truss told the BBC. Asked if it was time to reverse course, she said: "No, it isn't."

Yields on British government bonds rose moderately on Thursday, having plunged a day earlier on the BoE's move to temporarily buy long-dated debt and halt a sell-off that threatened the country's pension funds.

Sterling gained almost 2% against the dollar to rise above $1.10, leaving its fall in September at just under 5% and its year-to-date decline around 18%.

Simon Wolfson, the head of major British retailer Next, warned that the plunge would create a second cost-of-living crisis in Britain after the surge in energy costs. He cut the group's forecasts after a slowdown in August.

CRITIQUED BY MARKETS

Investors, businesses and consumers are now waiting for the government to announce more details of how it plans to get the economy growing more quickly.

"Every day, every week, every month, the government will now be critiqued by markets and businesses on how serious they are about growth and about their fiscal responsibility to pay back debt," Tony Danker, director-general of the Confederation of British Industry, said late on Wednesday.

The BoE's former governor, Mark Carney, also criticized the plan, saying the release of only a "partial budget", without the accompanying scrutiny from the independent Office for Budget Responsibility, had unnerved investors.

Kwarteng and Truss must now try to calm nerves in the Conservative Party, which is due to start its annual conference on Sunday.

"There is no confidence in the Truss government right now," said Ipek Ozkardeskaya, senior analyst at Swissquote. "The problem is not fiscal spending per se, the problem is that people just don't trust what she is doing."

"We just avoided a bad sovereign debt crisis in the UK because the Bank of England changed dramatically its plans and jumped in."

(Writing by Kate Holton and William Schomberg; Additional reporting by David Milliken, Kylie MacLellan, Paul Sandle, Elizabeth Piper, Sachin Ravikumar and James Davey in London, and Bansari Mayur Kamdar in Bengaluru; Editing by Catherine Evans, Alex Richardson, Toby Chopra and Paul Simao)
An RAF Typhoon aircraft and Royal Navy frigate in action on the North Sea

MILITARY forces from 11 different nations are due to descend on Scotland for the largest maritime exercise in the UK.

The exercise, named Joint Warrior, will run across the UK for a fortnight, beginning in Scotland on October 1.

Nato forces and partner nations will train together in a safe, but realistic, environment, the Royal Navy said.

Military units from the US, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Latvia, the Netherlands, Norway, and Poland will join their British counterparts in the exercise.

Royal Navy

The first phase, from October 1 to October 5, will see activity off the West Coast of Scotland, in the Pentland Firth, and off Cape Wrath.

The Navy said that, from October 6 to 8, the activity will move to the North Sea and Irish Sea, before heading to the south coast of England for the third and final phase from October 9 to 14.

Scotland will also see activity in the air, with Merlin Mark 2 helicopters set to fly from Prestwick and RAF Typhoons and UK P-8 Poseidon aircraft due to operate from RAF Lossiemouth.

In total, some 11,500 personnel, 45 ships and submarines, and 30 aircraft from the three arms of the UKs military will participate.

Royal Navy

The Navy said that the exercise is usually held twice a year  in the spring and autumn.

The force went on: The training helps Nato partners and their allies hone their skills, practicing joint working around scenarios such as war fighting, anti-smuggling and anti-piracy operations, reconnaissance, disaster relief, anti-submarine warfare, amphibious landings, and other skills needed in the modern battle space.

Exercise planning staff have liaised with a wide variety of communities and organisations ahead of Joint Warrior to minimise the impact of military activity. Organisations consulted include: The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA); National Air Traffic Services (NATS); The Highlands and Islands Airports Authority; Scottish and Northern Irish fishery organisations; and several environmental agencies and groups.

The Joint Warrior exercise is to be coordinated and controlled from RAF St Mawgan in Cornwall.

The Navy further said that extra information on Joint Warrior, including notices to mariners and impact statements, can be found by visiting the Kings Harbour Master Clyde (KHM Clyde) website here.
Photograph: Michael Craig/New Zealand Herald

A man who was sentenced to seven years in prison for kissing a woman in the street under New Zealands controversial three strikes law has been awarded $450,000 in compensation by the government.

The man, Daniel Fitzgerald, who has significant mental health issues, was charged with indecent assault after he approached and kissed a stranger in a Wellington street. He had committed two similar crimes, and so was sentenced under New Zealands recently repealed laws, which compelled the judge to give a maximum sentence  seven years  for the offence, despite mitigating factors, unless it was manifestly unjust to do so.

In 2021, by which time Fitzgerald had been in prison for more than four years, the supreme court ruled that the three strikes law had resulted in a sentence so grossly disproportionate that it breached his rights. He was re-sentenced to six months.

The compensation, outlined in a high court decision on Thursday, is for the four years he had already served.

In her ruling, judge Rebecca Ellis said: Mr Fitzgeralds sentence was not simply disproportionate, it was grossly so, in breach of one of his most fundamental rights.

The judge also found that the Crown prosecutor, who had repeatedly declined to downgrade to lesser charges, had failed to exercise prosecutorial discretion to avoid the risk of Fitzgerald receiving a grossly disproportionate punishment.

Earlier this year, New Zealands Labour government repealed the law, which had been brought in by the previous National-Act governing coalition.

There was no evidence that it worked, the justice minister, Kiritapu Allan, said. It failed to be a deterrent to offenders, it failed the taxpayer, and it failed victims, because it ensured they were in the system for longer.

National and Act, who created the law when last in government, have said they would reinstate the law if re-elected, and that it meant that the worst repeat offenders spent longer in prison.
Juliet Stevenson in The Doctor (Manuel Harlan)

Its slightly ironic that Juliet Stevenson weathered a two-year pandemic delay to transfer Robert Ickes extraordinary play The Doctor to the West End, only to fall ill on its pre-London tour.

A chest infection kept the 65-year-old actress out of a week of performances at Richmond Theatre, prior to its transfer to the Duke of Yorks Theatre on St Martins Lane. Im so sorry I let them down, because I never think I cant manage a show, she says, fully recovered when we meet at her home. Ive performed with a temperature and a broken hand It was all the more galling as the part of the titular physician, Ruth Wolf, is the role of a lifetime.

The play is freely adapted by Icke from Arthur Schnitzlers obscure 1912 work Professor Bernhardi. It deals with the viral storm (in online terms) after a Jewish doctor stops a catholic priest administering the last rites to a girl dying from a self-administered abortion, so that she doesnt die in fear.

Its about the social media forces shaping our culture, the shifting of realities and truths to serve an agenda, everybody shouting into their own echo chambers, the silencing of public conversations, says Stevenson. The feeling now that there are some things you cannot speak to or challenge for fear of being cancelled.

(Manuel Harlan)

Wolf is spiky, arrogant, never off stage, and unusually for a female character over 40 she carries the narrative. The plays inquiry into the identities we choose or which are imposed on us  racial, sexual, political, gendered  is heightened by boldly counter-intuitive casting: women playing men, white actors playing characters of colour, and vice versa.

The original Almeida production won Icke the 2019 Evening Standard Milton Shulman Award for Best Director. Whats extraordinary is that it was written for its moment in 2019 but feels even more resonant and relevant now, says Stevenson. Black Lives Matter happened in the interim. A lot more famous people have been cancelled.

Story continues

As the play features a delicately nuanced transgender character, I assume Stevenson is talking here about JK Rowling, whos been slammed on one side and feted on the other for her supposed gender critical views. No, she clarifies, she was thinking of some theatre people, related to #MeToo. Its a measure of Ickes skill that the play can take such a multifaceted approach to hot-button issues without seeming overloaded.

Its like a prism, says Stevenson. It turns and you see a new face. And it does what theatre does so beautifully and uniquely at its best - it puts everything onto that stage which is in the fabric of our current life, a lot of which people are very frightened of or overwhelmed by. And it allows the conversation to happen with no risk to anybody.

Its also a powerful statement of the power of imagination in theatre, and the transformation involved in acting. Stevenson is not herself Jewish, though her husband, anthropologist Hugh Brody (they married last year after 30 years together) is deeply, culturally Jewish, and my mum-in-law is a refugee from Hitlers Vienna.

Juliet Stevenson at the Evening Standard Theatre Awards in 2019 (Getty Images)

Though she acknowledges that some characters require specificity  I dont think Cleopatra should ever be played by a white actor again  she decries the idea that we can only play characters who are the same as we are. That would mean British actors shouldnt do Lorca, or Chekhov, or Brecht. A robust interaction of cultures is often where art is made. She pauses, smiling. Am I sounding pretentious? I can do, sometimes.

Actually no. This is the third time Ive interviewed Stevenson and shes always passionate but never pretentious. The daughter of a teacher and an army officer, shes from the extraordinary generation of 1970s RADA graduates that included Kenneth Branagh, Imelda Staunton and Alan Rickman.

The Royal Shakespeare Company promoted her from small roles to mould-breaking lead performances in mid-Eighties productions of Measure for Measure, Troilus and Cressida and Midsummer Nights Dream, as well as new plays. The organisation was then at the height of its cultural power, nurturing but deeply sexist.

I started a campaign with my good friends Lindsay Duncan and Fiona Shaw to get a woman in there because there were 12 associate directors, all white guys, she says, claiming that then-artistic director Terry Hands responded with a memo telling her: You cant be a guerrilla in an establishment tank.

More than 30 years on, the RSC has just appointed Tamara Harvey as joint artistic director with Daniel Evans: Im a big fan of both their work, but the fact that she [Harvey] is the first woman [AD] has to be observed to be quite shocking. (Erica Whyman, the RSC deputy artistic director has been acting artistic director since Gregory Doran stepped down to look after his husband Antony Sher, who died in December)

In the late Eighties and Nineties, Stevenson had a string of incandescent stage roles: opposite John Malkovich in Burn This; in Yerma at the National; in Ariel Dorfmans Death and the Maiden, which inspired her subsequently to campaign for human rights and on behalf of refugees (she and Brody are currently sharing their home in Archway with a Ukrainian mother and her six-year-old daughter).

She also broke through in film in Anthony Minghellas Truly, Madly, Deeply, opposite Rickman, and worked with Peter Greenaway and David Hare. Back then, it was all about the work. I wanted to be things and do things in the world, she says. I mean, I fell in love and had love affairs and things, but I hated domesticity.

She has always described meeting Brody in the early Nineties as a revelation: she felt she recognised him instantly. Every single day I just cant believe my luck, to live with somebody so interesting, so inquisitive, so engaged, so funny. And not in my own profession so it helps me get a perspective on it as I am pretty obsessive

The birth of their children Rosalind and Gabriel in 1994 and 2000 led her to throttle back on stage work for several years, and also to fall out of love with acting a little. In my 40s I thought, Do I go on doing this? Surely I can do something more useful, she recalls. Added to this, two close collaborators died: Minghella in 2008, theatre director Howard Davies in 2016.

She was rejuvenated by creative partnerships from a younger generation. First with Natalie Abrahami, who buried her in sand in Becketts Happy Days and put her on a trapeze (such fun, but a crackers thing to do at 60) in Wings, both at the Young Vic.

Then in 2016, Icke cast her and Lia Williams as Elizabeth I and Mary Queen of Scots in Mary Stuart, the two of them alternating the roles depending on the nightly toss of a coin. She was Gertrude to Andrew Scotts Hamlet for Icke in 2017; then came The Doctor. She describes Icke as a visionary and adds, I can be completely myself in the rehearsal room with this generation in a way that I couldnt with my own generation who were much more hierarchical.

Shes delighted The Doctor is having its promised second life, first in the West End and then on Broadway, but returning to it has been hard. As well as identity and cancel culture, the play is about loss, including the gradual erosion of the personality that dementia brings (Ruth Wolf is working on a cure for Alzheimers, from which her partner suffers). Stevensons stepson, film-maker Tomo Brody, died suddenly in November 2020, and her mother died in May this year.

She was in her 90s and an incredible woman until two years ago when she got dementia and also psychosis which took her to the far end of paranoia. She thought at the end that I was trying to kill her. So I lost her before I lost her. And Tomo Coming back to the play, on the first day I thought it was too much, I felt like I was going to go into meltdown. But then of course on day two or day three I just thought, this is so good. And every night out there I think about mum when I talk about Alzheimers. Im so lucky to be able to channel stuff into the work.

The Duke of Yorks Theatre, from September 29 to December 11; atgtickets.com
China makes great strides in rural vitalization over past 5 years

Xinhua) 09:13, September 29, 2022

Aerial photo taken on May 24, 2022 shows farmers harvesting wheat in the fields in Xiapo Village of Linyi, east China's Shandong Province. (Photo by Wu Jiquan/Xinhua)

BEIJING, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- China has made solid progress in pushing forward rural vitalization as planned over the last five years, the country's top economic planner said on Wednesday.

In 2018, China released a five-year plan for its rural vitalization strategy, mapping out a number of major projects, programs and actions.

All 59 of the plan's key tasks, including consolidating agricultural production capacity and improving the safety of drinking water in rural areas, have been carried out steadily and have yielded good results, Wu Xiao, an official from the National Development and Reform Commission, told a press conference.

In 2021, agricultural technology progress contributed 61 percent of the sector's development, up 3.5 percentage points from 2017, Wu said. And the crop cultivation and harvest mechanization rate has exceeded 72 percent, up 6 percentage points from 2017.

As of the green development of agriculture, the application of chemical fertilizers and pesticides has experienced negative growth over the years, while the utilization rate of livestock manure has significantly increased.

The construction of rural infrastructure, such as water, electricity, road and telecommunication facilities, has been boosted, Wu said, adding that tap water is now accessible in 84 percent of rural households.

The per capita disposable income of rural residents increased by 28.9 percent in real terms from 2017 to 2021, Wu said.

(Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Hongyu)
Students who are residents of Alabama, Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee will receive in-state tuition when they attend the University of North Georgias (UNG) Gainesville campus by applying for a Border State Waiver (PDF).

U.S. New ranks UNG as the top university in Georgia on the Best Value Colleges and Least Debt lists, and it is the top-ranked Georgia school on the list of Best Colleges for Veterans among public Regional Universities in the South.

Be sure to check out our Tuition and Fees estimator to see how you can lead with a degree from UNG. Be sure to use the In-State tuition rate to see how much you will save!
As a federal enterprise, the Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH supports the German Government in achieving its objectives in the field of international cooperation for sustainable development. On behalf of the German Government, GIZ currently provides advisory services to the Government of Viet Nam in three priority areas: Vocational training, Environmental policy and sustainable use of natural resources, and Energy. For further information, please visit www.giz.de/viet-nam.

The Project strengthening the climate resilience of agricultural systems in Cambodia and Vietnam (CRAS). The CRAS plans to purchase 348,000 THA1 Coffee Seedlings.

GIZ Country Office Hanoi, under the authority of the Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Internationale Zusammnarbeit would like to annouce the Tender package for supply 348,000 THA1 Coffee Seedlings.

The eligible suppliers interested in the tender can inform us officially through the Email: question-from-bidder-pog-vn@giz.de to receive the tender dossier.

- Place of delivery: free to Son La province, Son La province

- Delivery time: Please indicate your shortest delivery time after order placement

- Payment: Payment after receipt of goods against VAT Invoice and delivery note (negotiable)

GIZ will select the most economic and efficient quotation from submitted bidders, which fullfil at least the minimum technical requirements.

Bid is to be submitted in 02 original copies with full signature and stamp, 01 in Vietnamese and 01 in English, with same validity, including following documents:

1. Letter of Interest

2. Bidding quotation (technical proposal and financial offer incl. VAT and excl. VAT). Send by two separated emails.

3. Company profile (could be in Vietnamese, incl. copy of business registration certificate or equivalent)

4. Copy of audited financial report or annual tax report of last 03 years (could be in Vietnamese, incl. balance sheet, income statement, cashflow statement, tax liquidation)

5. Proof of experience for providing similar products in the past (could be in Vietnamese, copy of similar contracts or a feasible proposal with proofs)

The documents are to be submitted to the email VN_PoG_Quotation@giz.de at the latest by 17:00 (Vietnam time) on 19.10.2022; we request you to submit the technical offer and price quotation in two separate emails with subject as "Technical offer  PO 91166098" and Price Quotation  PO 91166098 respectively.

Bids interested in the assignment are recommended to contact GIZ by sending request to the email address: question-from-bidder-pog-vn@giz.de to receive the complete tender dossier by 17:00 (Vietnam time) on 14.10.2022.

GIZ is obliged to ensure the confidentiality of all bidding documents submitted.

Note:

Bids sending not as formally required or after the deadline will be disqualified.

Only the winning bidder will be later contacted for order placement.
HA NOI  Viet Nam and India hold great potential for cooperation in establishing supply chains following COVID-19, which has seriously affected both economies over the past two years due to regional and global disruptions, according to Indian analysts.

India is trying to establish new supply chains to overcome the consequences of COVID-19 and Viet Nam is considered a partner of potential, said Sanjaya Baru, former Secretary General of Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry.

According to the Centre for the World Trade Organisation and International Trade at the Viet Nam Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Viet Nam is an attractive market due to being a signatory to a number of free trade agreements.

India and Viet Nam can work together on establishing new supply chains so that Indian exports to Southeast Asia and East Asia can be enhanced through joint ventures, Baru said.

At the Viet Nam-India Business Forum in New Delhi last December, the two countries signed 12 cooperation agreements in various fields, including human resources training in information technology, oil and gas processing and energy, and trade and investment promotion activities.

Meanwhile, Jagannath Panda, head of the Stockholm Centre for South Asian and Indo-Pacific Affairs, described Viet Nam as an important country in Southeast Asian and Indian supply chain networks.

He lauded Viet Nam-India relations, which have been progressing well and developed into a comprehensive strategic partnership in 2017.

A turning point in relations was the initiation of Indias Look East policy in 1991, aiming to cultivate extensive economic and strategic relations with Southeast Asian countries, according to Amitendu Palit, Senior Research Fellow at the Institute of South Asian Studies under the National University of Singapore.

The success of the Look East policy encouraged India to make it more action-oriented, resulting in Indias Act East policy, which was announced in 2014.

These policies have made India much more outward looking, Palit said, adding that its relations, particularly economic partnerships with Southeast Asia, have expanded rapidly.

ASEAN and India elevated their relationship to a strategic partnership in 2012 on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the ASEAN-India Dialogue Relations.

In the context of economic globalisation and regional integration, the two sides have encouraged further cooperation in support of sub-regional development within the frameworks of Mekong-Ganga Cooperation (MGC).

At the 19th consultation meeting on economic cooperation between ASEAN and India in Cambodia on September 16, participants called on the two sides to forge collective action in securing robust supply chain connectivity to maintain the flow of essential goods and services.

Within the relationship between ASEAN and India, relations between India and Viet Nam have always enjoyed a very special position, Palit said.

There are a lot of commonalities between the two countries, he added. Both have had challenges with poverty and unemployment, and now also face difficulties from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Despite the serious impact of COVID-19, Viet Nam-India trade recorded impressive growth in 2021, surpassing US$13 billion for the first time, up 36.5 per cent compared to 2020, according to the General Department of Viet Nam Customs.

Palit suggested that Viet Nam and India look closely at the possibilities for cooperation through a large number of supply chains.

What I have in mind is a large number of products and supply chains making up our production networks, where countries and businesses come together to cooperate, he explained.

He believes the two countries can discover complementarities in a number of fields, such as agriculture, chemicals, and textile and garment, and more advanced endeavours like artificial intelligence.

According to Indian analysts, following the COVID-19 pandemic, there is a lot of focus on Viet Nam and India, as both countries are critical economic zones for new supply chain connections.

They highlighted Viet Nams strategic location and its crucial role in Indias Indo-Pacific vision, which sees the region as essentially a free and open economic area with the protection of sea lines of communication.

The analysts said both Viet Nam and India can complement each other in the Indo-Pacific supply chain network.  VNS
Viet Nam has drawn up policies to attract high-quality foreign investment. Viet Nam News talked to Oliver Todd, British Consul General in Viet Nam, about Viet Nams advantages in attracting global investors, including companies from the UK.

How do you assess the growth of trade and investment between the UK and Viet Nam in recent years?

The growth of the bilateral trade relationship between the UK and Viet Nam has been profound over the last 10 years. In fact, I was recently reading statistics that show that over the last decade, Viet Nam has been the fastest growing provider of UK imports globally. This of course has been driven by Viet Nams strengths in agriculture, manufacturing and consumer goods.

In total, our bilateral trade is valued at 5.7 billion (US$6.6 billion) per annum, including over 900m in UK exports in return to Viet Nam in everything from pharmaceuticals and chemicals to high-end consumer goods and of course our strengths in services provision from companies such as Unilever, AstraZeneca and GSK.

There is plenty more I believe UK companies can bring to Viet Nam, particularly in fin-tech, innovation and education, and I am confident that we will see continued growth in the years ahead.

The UK-Viet Nam free trade agreement (UKVFTA) has been in effect for more than a year. While the bilateral trade has been increasing, foreign investment from the UK in Viet Nam is still modest compared to its potential. What are the reasons for this?

The implementation of the UKVFTA in early 2021 was a significant milestone in our ever-improving trade relationship. We almost immediately saw UK-Viet Nam trade increase by 16 per cent during the first nine months of 2021 compared to the same period in 2020 despite the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The foundations of the agreement and our shared trade policy mean that we will see this continue. 65 per cent of all tariffs have already been eliminated on UK-Viet Nam trade, with the number increasing to 99 per cent by full implementation of the UKVFTA in 2029.

In relative terms, direct UK investment into Viet Nam is not as significant as some peers from across the region. The UK invests 1.7 trillion globally, but only 932 million of that came into Viet Nam last year according to our statistics. It is worth noting that these figures probably undersell the impact of UK financial institutions in providing global finance and investment to Viet Nam, for example, HSBC and Standard Chartered, which are providing the capital needed for Viet Nams energy transition. We would want to see this grow with more regulatory reform to allow greater investment flows, particularly in energy and infrastructure.

Multinational corporations are relocating their investments to diversify their supply chains and Viet Nam is emerging as the worlds new factory. What attracts foreign investors and what more does Viet Nam need to do to attract big corporations, especially businesses from the UK?

The attraction for investors in Viet Nam, including UK ones, are many. Well located in one of the worlds most dynamic growth regions, Viet Nam has a large, well-educated workforce and is undertaking the necessary reforms to its institutions, economic management and infrastructure to continue to attract capital.

I think we all agree it has been a success following the large public announcements of companies such as Apple investing in the last year and I dont believe the current geopolitical atmosphere will affect the underlying strengths of Viet Nams economy which drive its attractiveness as an investment destination.

I think to continue to attract businesses from the UK and around the globe, Viet Nam needs to think carefully about how it makes regulation as business-friendly as possible from establishing companies in the country to licensing their operations and much more besides. This is already underway and we work closely with our Vietnamese counterparts to monitor and improve these conditions in our annual trade dialogues.

How do you appraise the quality of Vietnamese companies and human resources in collaborating with foreign partners?

In my short time in Viet Nam, I would say I have been impressed by the positive, inquisitive nature of Vietnamese businesses as they look to source the right partners and solutions for their challenges from around the globe. This covers not only their approach to business but how they manage their workforces to ensure they have the skills they need to be successful in the longer term.

UK education provision is especially important in helping Vietnamese businesses in this way and my team and I work constantly to bring more UK education providers to Viet Nam to offer training and higher education opportunities to build on existing provisions from companies such as Pearson, the Institute of Chartered Accountants of England and Wales (ICAEW) and more.

Viet Nam is gearing up for sustainable development. What do you think Viet Nam should focus on in the future?

We were delighted by Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinhs ambitious commitments at COP26 for Viet Nam to transition away from coal and towards renewables, and to achieve an economy-wide transition to net zero by 2050. Through these pledges, Viet Nam has positioned itself both as a regional leader in sustainable development, and as an attractive destination for green investment.

Viet Nams success over the last few years in developing its solar sector, now one of the largest in the region, is testament to its ambition and capability in adding renewables to the energy mix.

We know, however, from our experience in the UK, the challenges in building a viable renewable energy sector. I am confident that we have relevant expertise to share in building robust regulatory frameworks, key to enabling a viable offshore wind sector, as well as in ensuring that power transmission infrastructure is capable of absorbing renewable energy capacity.

It is exciting that Viet Nam continues to consider new and innovative means of diversifying its energy supply, including investment in new technologies such as battery storage and green hydrogen. We look forward to continuing our close co-operation and to supporting the realisation of Viet Nams ambitious COP26 targets.  VNS
HA NOI  Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on Wednesday suggested the US-based global growth investor Warburg Pincus to further its effective coordination with Vietnamese agencies to increase long-term and sustainable investment in the Southeast Asian nation.

At a reception for Charles Kaye, director general of Warburg Pincus which has invested US$2 billion in Vietnamese firms since 2013, PM Chinh lauded cooperation between Warburg Pincus and local partners.

Regarding the Viet Nam-US relations, the PM said their bilateral trade reached nearly $87 billion in the first eight months of this year, up about 20 per cent year-on-year.

The US remains Viet Nams biggest buyer, while Viet Nam is the 9th biggest trade partner of the US globally and the biggest in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

As of September 2022, the US ranked 11 out of 139 countries and territories investing in Viet Nam, he said, noting that Viet Nam has been a magnet for US tech giants like Apple, Dell and Intel.

The Vietnamese Government leader suggested Warburg Pincus, with its worldwide network of clients, continue to work as a bridge helping investors from the US and other foreign countries access Viet Nam.

Warburg Pincus should expand investment in new areas, especially renewable energy, he continued, calling on the investor to provide policy consultation for Viet Nam.

The Vietnamese Government will further improve the domestic investment environment, and support foreign investors in the country, PM Chinh pledged.

For his part, Kaye lauded Viet Nams efforts and successes in COVID-19 containment and national development, as well as its macro-economic stability given global uncertainties, and infrastructure development, particularly soft infrastructure.

Viet Nam is an increasingly attractive and important investment destination for US firms, and one of the five most important investment destinations of Warburg Pincus, he noted.

Informing the host about Warburg Pincuss recent operations, Kaye promised to invest in Viet Nam for a long term, and expressed his wish to increase investments in the country, particularly in renewable energy at industrial parks and policy consultation.

He also raised some proposals regarding investment projects in Viet Nam.

PM Chinh said a number of legal documents relating to the proposals are being complied, amended and supplemented to match international commitments and the reality in Viet Nam.  VNS
VIENNA  Viet Nam Days in Austria 2022 was held in Vienna, Austria on September 28-29, opening a series of events of Viet Nam Days Abroad 2022.

This is one of the important activities organised by the Department of Cultural Diplomacy and UNESCO Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Viet Nam and Austria (December 1, 1972  December 1, 2022).

The programme not only contributed to tightening the traditional friendship and multifaceted cooperation between the two countries, promoted trade and economic cooperation but introduced the uniqueness of Vietnamese culture to the public in Austria.

The event was attended by Vietnamese Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son on his official visit to Austria, Vietnamese Ambassador to the Republic of Austria Nguyen Trung Kien, Acting Director General of the Europe Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs o Minh Hung, representatives of related departments under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and officials of the Vietnamese Embassy in Austria.

Viet Nam Days in Austria 2022 also welcomed politicians, businesses and people in Austria including Secretary General for Foreign Affairs of Austria Peter Launsky-Tieffenthal, Vice President of the Austrian Federal Economic Chamber Amelie Gross.

Viet Nam Days in Austria 2022 comprises three main activities:

The official Opening of Viet Nam Cultural Space on September 28 at Palffy Palais

on September 28 at Palffy Palais The Ceremony of the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations establishment between Viet Nam and Austria on the evening of September 28 at Konzerthaus concert hall.

on the evening of September 28 at Konzerthaus concert hall. Viet Nam - Austria Business Forum on September 29 at the Austrian Economic Chamber

Within the framework of the programme, Foreign Minister Son cut the ribbon to officially open Viet Nam Cultural Space, co-chaired the Ceremony of the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations establishment between the two countries, and delivered his opening remarks at Viet Nam - Austria Business Forum.

Viet Nam Cultural Space provided the public with an overview of the 50-year friendship and partnership between Viet Nam and Austria, presented by an exhibition of 34 photos of high-level leaders official visits to the other country. At the same time, it offered participants a chance to experience unique traditional art forms of Viet Nam, such as Vietnamese tea art, ong Ho folk painting, lacquer painting, traditional musical instrument performance, and Ao dai fashion show.

The public in Austria, particularly young people, expressed great excitement about their first-hand experience with Vietnamese cultural promotional activities and shared highlighted moments of these events on social media.

At the Ceremony of the 50th anniversary of Viet Nam - Austria relationship establishment, delegates were invited to attend the flags saluting ceremony and national anthems sang in opera. In particular, the symphony orchestra of the Viet Nam National Academy of Music joined with Austrian artists to perform some outstanding musical works from the two countries. Some highlights are the Vietnamese folk song Trong com (Rice drum), Return to the Motherland by Nguyen Van Thuong, Die Forelle by composer Franz Schubert, Papageno&Papagena from the opera Magic flute by composer W. Mozart

The Vietnamese foreign minister said: The world we are living in is facing tremendous global challenges, such as climate change, food and energy security, which have made enormous impacts on our countries security and development.

"In that context, I believe that Viet Nam and Austria, on the basis of our traditional friendship and partnership, will further strengthen bilateral and multilateral cooperation so that we can fulfil our commitment at the UN COP26 climate change conference, join hands to build a world of peace, stability and sustainability.

At the Viet Nam - Austria Business Forum, experts and business leaders of the two countries discussed key topics on economic and business cooperation between Viet Nam and Austria, opportunities and challenges in the coming period, and the macroeconomic picture and prospects for bilateral relations.

Tran Quoc Khanh, Deputy Director General of the Department of Cultural Diplomacy & UNESCO Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, added: Viet Nam Days in Austria 2022 is an important diplomatic activity, not only strengthening the 50-year cooperation between Viet Nam and Austria, but also offering an opportunity to introduce the image of a beautiful, vibrant, and promising Viet Nam to the public in Austria, including overseas Vietnamese community.

"Viet Nam has maintained sustainable economic development, becoming an ideal and promising destination for international investors. We have coordinated closely with partners to convey those values to the overseas Vietnamese community and international friends.

Viet Nam Days Abroad 2022 is organised by the Department of Cultural Diplomacy and UNESCO Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Vietnamese embassies in Austria, India, and South Korea, and other partners including Mark&B, My Thanh, and Le Group.

Following Viet Nam Days in Austria 2022, Viet Nam Days in India 2022 is projected to be held from November 3-4 in New Delhi to mark the 50th anniversary of Viet Nam - India diplomatic relations establishment. Taking place from the end of November to the beginning of December, Viet Nam Days in Korea 2022 will be the last programme of Viet Nam Days Abroad 2022, held in Seoul to celebrate the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations establishment between Viet Nam and South Korea.

Viet Nam Days Abroad is an annual national promotion programme, assigned by the Prime Minister to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs since 2010.

The programme usually takes place on the sidelines of Vietnamese high-level Leaders official visits to other countries.  VNS
HA NOI  Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and his Cuban counterpart Manuel Marrero Cruz discussed measures to enhance bilateral cooperation more practically and effectively in many fields during their talks held in Ha Noi on Thursday.

The talks took place right after an official welcome held for the Cuban PM who is on an official friendship visit to Viet Nam at the invitation of his Vietnamese counterpart PM Chinh.

This is PM Cruzs first visit to a country outside Latin America since he took office in December 2019, and also the first to Viet Nam by a high-ranking leader of Cuba since 2018.

The two PMs agreed on measures to enhance cooperation in fields such as politics, diplomacy, national security and defence, trade and investment, agriculture, health and education and training.

They shared the target of developing the economic ties to the same level as their good political relations.

The two sides agreed on ways to stabilise bilateral trade relations and to create conditions for businesses of the two countries to do business and invest in the fields of infrastructure development for industrial zones and tourism, production of construction materials and consumer products and renewable energies as well as measures to expand cooperation to other potential sectors.

They agreed to share experience in building an independent and self-reliant economy associated with extensive and effective international integration in adaptation with global economic challenges.

PM Chinh expressed delight at the comprehensive development of Viet Nam-Cuba relations. Amid the COVID-19 pandemic during the 2020-2021 period, the two countries still maintained phone talks and bilateral visits at high-ranking levels, which reflected the special friendship between the two countries.

PM Chinh spoke highly of the development steps in cooperation between Viet Nam and Cuba over recent years, particularly in agriculture, investment and healthcare as well as the effective operation of the bilateral cooperation mechanism.

The Vietnamese Government leader thanked Cuba for its effective and prompt assistance and cooperation with Viet Nam in coping with the COVID-19 pandemic.

Cuban PM Cruz congratulated Viet Nam on the great and comprehensive renewal achievements made by the country as well as its pandemic control and socio-economic recovery and development.

He affirmed that Cuba always attaches great importance to and wishes to deepen the special traditional friendship and comprehensive cooperation with Viet Nam.

The two PMs agreed to continue maintaining dialogues and exchanges of visits of high-ranking delegations at all levels and to improve the efficiency of bilateral cooperation.

They agreed to the need to share theoretical and practical experience in building socialism in each country.

On this occasion, PM Chinh announced the decision of the Party and State of Viet Nam to present Cuban people 5,000 tonnes of rice to help Cuba address recent socio-economic difficulties.

Cuban PM Cruz thanked Viet Nam for its solidarity and support for Cuba.

The two PMs also discussed regional and international issues of common concern and agreed to continue consulting and closely coordinating and supporting each other at regional and international organisation and multilateral forums.

They shared the common stance of supporting the handling of international disputes by peaceful measures in line with international law and the UN Charter.

Viet Nam reaffirmed the consistent stance of demanding to remove unilateral economic and financial embargoes against Cuba.

After the talks, PM Chinh, on behalf of the Party and State of Viet Nam, presented Cuban PM Cruz with the Ho Chi Minh Order for his contribution to the relations between Viet Nam and Cuba.

The two PMs witnessed the signing of three bilateral cooperation documents, including a Joint Action Plan to implement a bilateral economic agenda for 2023-2025; a Memorandum of Understanding on agricultural and food cooperation; and an action plan on healthcare cooperation between the two countries.

Meeting with Party leader, NA Chairman

Cuban PM Cruz met Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong later the same day.

Party leader Trong said he believed that the Cuban PM's visit to Viet Nam would contribute to deepen the special traditional friendship and enhance the cooperation between the two Parties and the two countries.

He proposed the two sides enhance coordination and actively implement relations across all three channels: Party diplomacy, State diplomacy and people-to-people diplomacy; and effectively carry out cooperation agreements as well as support each other.

Cuban PM Cruz said achievements and experience of Viet Nam in the renewal process served as a motivation and important channel of consultancy for Cuba.

At a meeting with National Assembly Chairman Vuong inh Hue, Cuban PM Cruz affirmed that Cuba highly valued the special traditional friendship between the two countries which was laid by President Ho Chi Minh and Cuban President Fidel Castro and has been continuously promoted by leaders and people of different generations of the two countries.

Chairman Hue affirmed that the NA and people of Viet Nam always support the revolutionary cause of Cuban people and attach great importance to the solidarity, friendship and special cooperation between the two countries.

The NA of Viet Nam will continue to work closely with the Cuban NA to share experience in law building and supervision work as well as coordinate at regional and international parliamentary forums.  VNS
HA NOI  A group of foreign tourists in Hoi An Ancient Town joined residents to clean up trash and clear mud along a bridge crossing the Hoai River on Wednesday as super typhoon Noru weakened and floodwater started receding.

After the rainfall stopped and the sky cleared, foreign tourists flocked to the submerged streets to explore the town. A group of five tourists from Belgium helped local people collect fallen trees and trash.

These tourists were on their way to explore the central region but were stuck in Hoi An Town due to super typhoon Noru.

We are helping a little bit to clean up the bridge so the water can go to the other side of the city, so the city can be clean again, a tourist said.

Were on the first day in the city. Its a very beautiful city and we want to help people as they are very kind to us, so we want to do something back to them, another tourist said.

The water level in Hoi An Town is forecast to continue rising over the next few days, put many areas of the town at risk.  VNS
Located in Ho Chi Minh City, the new office extends the firms geographic footprint and highlights its commitment to the region and recently launched SEAA business unit.

A&Ms new Vietnam office aligns with the firms current operations in Singapore, Indonesia, Australia, and Malaysia. It represents the next strategic step of SEAAs growth plan and furthers the firms mission to solve complex problems for clients with a global network of boots-on-the-ground industry experts and operators.

To operate the new office, the firm has hired Vietnam-based Nidhi Thubanakere, a senior director at A&Ms Performance Improvement practice. Thubanakere brings more than two decades of experience consulting on cross-industry supply chain improvement and manufacturing optimisation. He has worked across Europe, America, the Middle East, India, and SEAA for multinational corporations, family-owned businesses, and sovereign wealth funds.

Global supply chain movements, a diverse economy with a sound investment climate, and the local market demand drive A&Ms expansion in SEAA, including Vietnam.

Under the leadership of Utsav Garg, managing director and head of A&Ms SEAA business unit, the Vietnam office will focus on key industry sectors, including industrial and automotive, consumer and retail, technology and communications, and supply chain and operations improvement.

Garg said, Vietnams business-friendly environment makes it one of the most exciting places to do business today, not only within ASEAN but throughout the entire Asia-Pacific region. A&Ms Vietnam office, along with Thubanakeres in-depth local market experience, provides another pathway for helping private equity clients assess in-country investment opportunities that maximise value for their portfolio companies.

Luis De Lucio, managing director and head of A&Ms Growth Markets Practice, said, As our clients seek to expand their operations and footprint into Southeast Asia, we continue to expand here under the leadership of Utsav Garg. A&M's proposition of tangible and fast results is being met with an overwhelming response from our clients. The local market needs to align with A&Ms results-oriented mindset and commitment to driving change.

Viatris Vietnam launches new office in Hanoi Viatris Vietnam Co., Ltd. has celebrated its first anniversary and marked the expansion of its commercial footprint by opening a new office in Hanoi.

Norbreeze Group opens new headquarters in Thu Duc city Norbreeze Group marked a milestone in its development with the opening of Norbreeze House in District 2, Thu Duc city, on September 9.
According to Frederick Burke, senior advisor at Baker McKenzie Vietnam, to mitigate disruption risks, enterprises must understand the potential risks to supply chains from making contracts, supplier delays, natural disasters, geopolitical conflicts, and more.

Various geopolitical issues have forced businesses to reorganise and restructure their scale and production processes, Photo: Shutterstock

They must be prepared for everything, especially as there has been a big shift in recent years from so-called just-in-time manufacturing to just-in-case manufacturing, Burke told VIR at the side of seminar on supply chain disruption, organised by the Hong Kong Business Association in Vietnam on September 22.

Vietnam should position itself as a player integrating deeply into the supply chain as it is a friendly country with good relationships. The whole concept of onshoring can be expanded to friend-shoring if Vietnam makes friends with other countries and mitigates the risks, according to Burke.

Vietnamese enterprises should approach technical, training, and capacity improvement programmes implemented by domestic and global advances. Small- and medium-sized enterprises must diversify their capacity and utilise all of those incentives to be more resilient, he said.

Le Trong Hieu, head of advisory and transaction Services at CBRE Vietnam, said that with the current volatile geopolitical market, business policies needed to be more flexible.

When studying the benefits of Vietnam, it is necessary to look deeper. For example, a certain trade agreement could be affected for geopolitical reasons, and Vietnamese enterprises must take advantage of other agreements to replace or reduce the risk, Hieu said.

The economic overview of Vietnam still has bright spots, but there have always been rising problems such as geopolitics, epidemics, natural disasters, and so forth. We must have a long-term vision, and at the same time be prepared and have backups in case problems arise, he added.

When choosing an investment location, businesses must expand their options and avoid saturated areas where free space is limited. This will lead to high land leasing prices in second-tier locations where the land fund remains large with lower prices and more opportunities.

The most urgent thing that businesses must ready for right now is to prepare for having a good enough market for their output. The potential market is constantly changing. There will be affected segments, but trade is going well in several segments, Hieu added.

Although the pandemic has passed its peak in Vietnam, businesses still suffer a heavy impact from the disruption of supply chains when other countries still restrict travel, not to mention the indirect impact of the Ukraine conflict, according to Hieu.

These problems have forced businesses to reorganise and restructure their scale and production process, arranging appropriate human resources to ensure safety and comply with regulations on pandemic prevention and manufacturing.

Tran Thanh Hai, deputy director general of the Ministry of Industry and Trades Agency of Foreign Trade, said that supply chain disruptions not only cause damage to businesses but also cause wider economic consequences.

Due to the lack of input materials, many businesses have had to reduce their production. The limited supply of goods has also led to escalating prices, especially for essential products and healthcare services, said Hai. The prolonged disruption of the supply chain also affects economic growth, reduces competitiveness, and affects foreign investment and the ability of Vietnam to integrate.

To ensure sustainable long-term development, Hai said the supply chain needed to constantly adapt to achieve the best performance and limit risk.

Businesses must actively plan and build appropriate business strategies, and adapt when the business environment changes. Businesses need to proactively take advantage of new trade deals to penetrate the global supply chain more deeply, Hai added.

Elaine Chew-Special counsel, ACSV Legal Enterprises should conduct a thorough review of their operations, evaluate areas of inefficiency, and, even for efficient areas, show such areas can improve. Given the trickle-down effects of global issues, one can never be too careful. It is sensible and a good habit to practice forward thinking. This includes diversification, drafting relevant policies and contingency plans, and conducting training sessions. This will enable backup plans to be executed smoothly to reduce the impact of disruptive events. Enterprises should also be open to injecting more capital into developing and utilising technology to enhance their business further. It is a small price to pay. This will enable businesses to remain competitive, and utilising appropriate technological solutions will give them visibility in the supply chain, enabling quicker identification of any unusual activities. Thao Nguyen-Leasing and asset management director GAW NPI To build resilient supply chain strategies, global business leaders should consider six risk mitigations: reliable infrastructure, extensive logistic networks, cost-efficient and optimised transport routes, evaluation of the geography of supply chains, and leverage of advanced technology and social media. Based on a McKinsey survey, the two top priorities for digitalised investment are supply and demand planning. Collaboration and supplier partnerships, and ongoing risk monitoring are needed to de-risk the supply chain. Companies should develop a network of trustworthy vendors to manage interruptions and promote business continuity. By facilitating cross-functional integration and cooperation with its ecosystem of vendors, organisations become better at predicting, reacting to, and planning for the unexpected. Last but not least, sustainability within a supply chain involves investigating not just environmental concerns but social, economic, and legal responsibilities. Based on our observation, customers are demanding more sustainable products and services.

Strong results supporting production Despite continuing supply chain complexities, domestic industrial production is looking promising for a brighter economic growth landscape.

Developers desiring simplified IZ creation While a wave of supply chain shifts into Vietnam brings many expectations for industrial zone development, attraction of capital into this segment may be harmed if legal barriers are not promptly dealt with.
Earlier this month, the United States, Vietnam, and 12 other countries participated in the inaugural ministerial meeting of the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity to chart a path forward that will create economic opportunity and promote sustainability for economies across the Indo-Pacific region.

Arun Venkataraman - US assistant secretary of Commerce for Global Markets; Director general of US and Foreign Commercial Service

As demonstrated by Vietnams commitment to the framework, trade is a crucial component of the US-Vietnam relationship. Since the establishment of bilateral relations in 1995, US-Vietnam bilateral trade has grown from $451 million to over $113 billion in 2021. As these figures suggest, the US-Vietnam commercial relationship is strong and full of potential, which is why I recently led a delegation of 12 US healthcare companies to Hanoi to foster new business relationships that will promote mutually beneficial inclusive economic growth in the United States and Vietnam. Moreover, this delegations aim was to strengthen cooperation and ties in a sector that is critical for all, healthcare.

For US participants and Vietnamese partners alike, this trade mission offered the advantages of building longstanding, person-to-person business relationships. To this end, we held individual matchmaking meetings between US mission participants and prospective Vietnamese partners, as well as networking engagements designed to build cooperative relationships. Trade mission participants also had the opportunity to speak with an audience of over 70 Vietnamese healthcare professionals including executives and procurement officials from more than 25 local hospitals.

During the trade mission, I worked to advance US-Vietnamese commercial ties through meetings with American chambers of commerce representatives, business associations, and government leaders. My meetings with the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Information and Communications, and the Central Economic Commission gave me a better understanding of the governments priorities for its people, in healthcare and beyond, and confirmed our strong belief that US companies, like those that participated in this trade mission, hold solutions that can help advance those priorities.

The trade mission was designed to support Vietnam in addressing its healthcare sector needs, including modernising and equipping Vietnams public and private hospital networks, and medical and research institutions. The mission also sought to support the countrys efforts to enhance healthcare regulatory practices and digital transformation based on international best practices. These reforms should lead to an even safer and more efficient healthcare ecosystem for current and future generations.

The US delegation met with Vietnamese counterparts to exchange information and ideas

As Vietnams continued economic development and growth of the middle-class drive increasing demand for high-quality healthcare infrastructure and services, US companies on the trade mission can meet this demand by offering innovative healthcare solutions in areas such as digital health, telemedicine, hospital systems and infrastructure, imaging equipment, in vitro diagnostics, cardiology, and genomic sequencing for precision medicine.

Many of these solutions can reduce the length of hospital stays while facilitating outpatient care and treatment, thereby contributing to lower healthcare costs while saving and extending countless lives.

Based on experience in other markets worldwide, US businesses are also well-positioned to assist Vietnam in further developing its health sector regulatory systems. For instance, in recent years, Vietnam has enacted decrees to increase oversight over the medical device sector. As these efforts progress, continued transparency with US healthcare stakeholders is critical to benefit from the sectors learned experience in those other markets. The United States appreciates that Vietnam is the sixth-largest economy in Southeast Asia, and an important strategic and economic trading partner for the United States. Moreover, US businesses are increasingly looking towards the Vietnamese market as a key component of their Asian growth strategies.

Overall, the benefits of US trade and investment with Vietnam are significant, resulting in thousands of new jobs, increased revenues, and innovations in both markets. Since the implementation of the US-Vietnam Bilateral Trade Agreement commenced in 2001, bilateral merchandise trade has increased from $3 billion in 2002 to $112.9 billion in 2021  an increase exceeding 3,600 per cent. Vietnam is also currently the United States 10th largest goods trading partner in total two-way trade.

Refocusing and further expanding the US-Vietnam long-term trading partnership is even more important now due to challenges caused by logistics, shipping, and supply chains, as well as energy shortages and regional security issues. Significant events like the pandemic underscore the importance of strengthening bilateral commercial partnerships for our respective businesses and citizens.

This trade mission helped to open new markets for the participating US companies and led to win-win outcomes for both our countries as we work to increase our commercial engagement and improve healthcare outcomes for Vietnamese patients. For all Vietnamese businesses and organisations interested in finding US goods and services suppliers, I encourage you to work with the US commercial team in Vietnam. Now, its time to get down to business.

US launch ramps up regional pledge A brand new cross-border economic cooperation framework is expected to drive investment and trade ties forward between Vietnam and the United States.

United States and Vietnam to strengthen ties in climate change adaptation The United States and Vietnam are determined to accelerate the energy transition and enhance cooperation in climate change adaptation.
Marko Walde, chief representative of the Delegation of German Industry and Commerce in Vietnam (AHK Vietnam)

Relations are shaped by many different intersocietal contacts. Germany and Vietnam regard themselves as partners in endeavours to uphold the rules-based order, respect international law, multilateralism, global free trade and investment, and environmental and climate protection. Presently, there are 120,000 Vietnamese living in Germany and around 120,000 other Vietnamese were trained in Germany, live in Vietnam, and often work in key positions in business, administration, and politics.

In terms of economic cooperation, Germany is the most important partner of Vietnam in the European Union. In addition, the establishment of the Vietnam-Germany Strategic Partnership in 2011 was a historical milestone, opening a new chapter in the relationship between the two countries. After a decade of implementation, the two countries have made great strides in many fields, and there is still plenty of room to develop bilateral relations. Political relations continue to be consolidated through delegation exchanges at all levels and high-level contacts at multilateral forums.

Bilateral trade volume has quadrupled in the past 10 years, reaching 14.4 billion ($14.1 billion) in 2021, making Vietnam Germanys second most important trading partner among ASEAN countries. Thanks to the free trade agreement with the EU, we expect the German-Vietnamese trade volume to increase to around $20 billion over the next two to three years. Germany is one of the top three EU investors in Vietnam, with 422 effective projects, registered at a total of more than $2.3 billion until May, according to a report by the Ministry of Planning and Investment. This created around 50,000 jobs in Vietnam, and about 500 German companies are currently doing business in Vietnam, with over 4,000 German companies already exporting to Vietnam.

Regarding manufacturing investment, there are 83 manufacturing sites of German companies located in Vietnam. Although Germany is the country of car and machinery manufacturers, most companies in Vietnam are active in apparel.

Furthermore, 18 chemical companies are invested in Vietnam. While many other industries mostly use Vietnam as an export and manufacturing hub, these chemical enterprises typically supply local customers, with family-owned Messer Group being the largest one.

Because Vietnam did not have local car producers until recently, German companies have so far not developed a broad supplier base. However, with Schaeffler, Bosch, and Mercedes-Benz, the industry contributes some of the biggest German investments in Vietnam.

The most significant German investments have been implemented by Bosch (automotives), Stada-Pymepharco (medical equipment), and Messer Group (chemicals). Bosch is deploying a major manufacturing complex for push belts in the southern province of Dong Nai while also operating a research and development centre in Ho Chi Minh City. Stada-Pymepharco manufactures pharmaceuticals in its factory in south-central province of Phu Yen. Messer is supplying gas to local customers such as Hoa Phat from its main production hub in Hai Duong and Quang Ngai provinces.

Business barriers and trends

German businesses are still facing challenges due to global instability. This makes businesses more concerned about business development in the coming year. This has been shown in the AHK WBO Spring 2022 report, according to which the biggest risks are raw material prices, energy prices, and a shortage of skilled workers. As a result of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, rising energy and raw material costs along with supply chain and logistics disruptions are the most concerning problems. Additionally, although the workforce in Vietnam is young and abundant, many of them are lacking needed essential practical skills in the market.

Understanding this, since 2013, AHK Vietnam has been assisting German companies to establish a comparable, quality-assured German Dual Vocational Education and Training programme in Vietnam based on the German DIHK standards. This initiative aims to impart practical skills that meet the businesses desired hiring and production requirements.

Moreover, there is a shortage of local enterprises in the supporting industry to strengthen cooperation with German enterprises. According to economic experts, the supporting industry in Vietnam is only in its infancy and has not met the requirements of the manufacturing and assembling industry, especially for enterprises and corporations with foreign investment.

In addition, the number of enterprises specialising in supporting industries is small and the level of ability is only average compared to the region and many countries in the world. This is a big obstacle to the stable and sustainable development of Vietnams economy in the process of deepening integration.

Regarding the China+1 trend, Vietnam is expected to be an ideal investment hub for German businesses since the country holds many advantages. Due to its proximity to China, along with low export tariffs implemented by the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA), Vietnam has become a promising destination. Additionally, supply chain diversification is a crucial element. German investors can reduce manufacturing costs while minimising disruption or delays to current supply chains and managing risks by localising production close to traditional hubs in China.

Catching up with the trend, Kurz  a manufacturer of pressed coating products based in Furth  has just broken ground on a new production facility in Quy Nhon city of the south-central province of Binh Dinh.

Meanwhile, tape manufacturer Tesa, a subsidiary of Beiersdorf Group, announced an investment of 55 million ($54 million) in 2020, with a new factory in the northern city of Haiphong expected to open next year.

Free trade and sustainability

The EVFTA took effect in 2020, opening great opportunities in the bilateral relations between both partners. It is anticipated to significantly increase bilateral trade and open new opportunities for German companies to access markets in Vietnam for goods, services, and investment by eliminating bilateral tariffs and export taxes and reducing non-tariff barriers affecting cross-border exchanges of goods, services, and investment.

Trading between the two parties has witnessed steady growth and is expected to continue in the future, which will be advantageous for German and Vietnamese exporters in various industries. Traditional commodities like machinery and measuring equipment will probably benefit German exporters the most. Due to a generalised system of preferences, many positions on the Vietnamese side already had low tariff rates. However, more tariff reductions will take effect, further opening chapters for processed foods, footwear, and agricultural products.

After two years of implementation, the import-export rate of Vietnam and Germany has reversed and grown strongly compared to the previous years. Many key export products of Vietnam have also taken advantage of opportunities from EVFTA, such as machinery and equipment, transport vehicles and spare parts, iron and steel, and computers and electronics.

In the opposite direction, enterprises are also considered to have advantages when importing German products thanks to the EVFTA, especially vehicles, electrical machinery and equipment, pharmaceuticals, plastic products, and milk and dairy products, among others.

Sustainable energy is a global movement. In the past 10 years, cooperation in the field of sustainable energy has always been one of the top priorities in the relationship between Vietnam and Germany as the former has shown a strong determination for the development of renewable energy with a long-term vision of sustainable energy transition. Vietnam is also regarded as a global partner under the new Green Growth Strategy of the German federal government.

Additionally, the German Supply Chain Due Diligence Act, passed in June 2021, will come into force in 2023 and includes stricter standards for businesses participating in the German supply chain. The objective of this act is to improve human rights protection in global supply chains and prevent child labour, forced labour, and the prohibition of substances harmful to humans and the environment.

Anti-discrimination, living wages, and decent working hours are also at the heart of the act.
The industry space has approximately 25,000 manufacturing enterprises in Vietnam which is set to show significant development potential in the forthcoming years.

MTA Hanoi 2022 will officially open to visitors from October 12-14 at I.C.E - International Centre for Exhibition, Hoan Kiem district, Hanoi.

The exhibition takes place amid an exciting backdrop, with numerous programmes to support the growth of the industrial area in the north. While Bac Ninh province promotes the development of supporting industries, Hanoi focuses on business alliances locally and within the scope of the wider country.

Additionally, Hung Yen intends to integrate into the global supply chain gradually. Long-term plans are also being fully rolled out in provinces and cities such as Vinh Phuc, Thai Nguyen, and Haiphong, where the manufacturing industry is developing robustly.

Strong shifts in the global supply chain have forced many multinational corporations to pay attention to and promote investment in the Vietnamese market. However, given that Vietnam's industrial areas are still limited, many cannot adapt technological advancements to the manufacturing process, which severely restricts the industry from taking part in international value chains.

The 8th International Precision Engineering, Machine Tools and Metalworking Exhibition and Conference  MTA Hanoi 2022

MTA is an international exhibition series which has been a prestigious and reputable playground for Vietnam's engineering and manufacturing community for almost 20 years.

It has successfully established itself not only in the southern market but also in the north. After seven memorable editions, MTA Hanoi has become an inseparable part of the community.

During this exciting exhibition, trade visitors will once again meet familiar brands in the industry, such as Sodick, Mitsubishi, Hiwin, Tinh Ha, and Hwacheon, among others.

After seven memorable editions, MTA Hanoi has become an inseparable part of the engineering and manufacturing community.

This is also the first time new brands such as Kamogawa, Cominix, Durma, Jinan Bodor, and VPIC will foray into the northern market.

With more than 60 per cent of international exhibiting companies from industrial powerhouses including Germany, UK, Australia, Turkey, Japan, China, Taiwan, Korea, Singapore, Israel, Malaysia, Thailand, and many big suppliers from Vietnam, MTA Hanoi 2022 is grabbing great attention in the engineering and manufacturing community.

With the long-standing strengths, the 8th edition of the international exhibition in the field of Precision mechanics, Machine tools, and Metalworking will introduce visitors to special product showcase in areas such as Metal-cutting, Metal-forming, Sheet Metal-cutting, Metrology, Test and Measurement, Cutting Tool and Tooling Systems, Ancillary and Supporting Equipment, and Automation Technology Machines.

The manufacturing and engineering community enthusiastically participate in the seminar series

The exhibition not only serves as a platform for individuals and businesses in the engineering and manufacturing industry to network with leading suppliers and to trade and expand business connections but also serves as the foundation for getting up-to-date knowledge of the industry and future related conferences.

MTA Hanoi 2022 is delighted to partner with MESLab to organise a series of seminar programmes on smart manufacturing, which will take place for three days over the exhibition.

These programmes will continue in the journey of improving the level and digitalisation in the production chain.

Experienced experts will lead seminars on accessing and implementing smart production projects, and attendees will have a chance to approach three seminar topics: Smart Manufacturing on October 12 from 2pm-5pm; 3D Metal Printing on October 13 from 9am-5pm; and Digital Design on October 14 from 9am-12am.

Register here:

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/MTVH22-CONF-1

The online pre-registration portal is open for visitors until October 7.

Please register in advance:

https://register.informamarkets-info.com/Registration/Default.aspx?fid=1082&lang=vi

to avoid queuing when visiting the exhibition.

Hanoi exhibition features dialogue between calligraphy, graffiti An exhibition named Calligraphy  Graffiti Dialogue opened at Hanois Van Mieu-Quoc Tu Giam (Temple of Literature) relic site on August 26.
Earlier in September, AEON Vietnam launched the fast fashion brand My Closet at AEON Binh Tan in Ho Chi Minh City, marking the first step into the fast fashion field in Vietnam.

AEONs new low-cost fashion brand hopes to compete with the raft of other options in Vietnam

Despite being a rookie, My Closet also has clear development orientations, focusing on young customers, particularly female customers aged 16-24. The main products will be everyday fashion items like t-shirts and shorts with diverse designs and bright and youthful colours. AEON introduced My Closet to Vietnam as most popular global brands are already present, which could be seen as a somewhat risky move. Whether this brand can establish itself among giants like H&M, Zara, and Uniqlo in the current market remains to be seen.

We aim to make it AEONs first foray into fast fashion, Yasuyuki Furusawa, general director of AEON Vietnam, told international media.

Yasuyuki explained, Vietnams fashion market has a lot of potential as the population is young and loves new fashion trends. AEON Vietnam also wants to meet the changing tastes and needs of young people.

My Closet tries to compete with established brands in the market with pricing and its available ecosystem. Its products are priced from $6-9, which is up to half of the asking price of popular Western brands.

The production of My Closet is carried out by local manufacturers. In order to meet the changing tastes of customers, we regularly update new models and take advantage of the distribution system between our stores to reduce production costs, enabling us to offer goods at competitive prices, Yasuyuki said.

In addition to My Closet, AEON is also developing other private labels for accessories, sports, and home appliances.

According to data from the Vietnam Retailers Association, there are currently more than 200 foreign fashion brands present here, accounting for more than 60 per cent of the market share and ranging from affordable to high-end goods.

After five years, Swedish brand H&M owns 12 stores in five major cities in Vietnam. Elsewhere, Zara  owned by the worlds largest fashion group, Inditex  has been present in Vietnam since 2016, with two stores in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.

Combined, the two Zara stores have brought in more revenues than high-end fashion retail chains such as Tam Son Fashion  which distributes Hermes, Bottega Veneta, and Boss  and MaiSon International Retail, which sells Mango, Topshop, Charles & Keith, and other brands.

Following Zara Vietnams success, Mitra Adiperkasa Group  Inditexs partner in Indonesia and also the distributor of Zara in Vietnam  has brought other fashion brands to the country such as Massimo Dutti, Pull & Bear, and Stradivarius.

Meanwhile, Japanese brand Uniqlo has had an impressive expansion rate. Since its debut in Ho Chi Minh City in 2019, Uniqlo has increased the total number of stores to 11, including the largest one in Southeast Asia.

Tadashi Yanai, president of Uniqlo owner Fast Retail Group, said at the opening event of the first Uniqlo store that it plans to open 100 stores in the next 10 years.

In addition to easily recognised names, the fast fashion market has also recorded the presence of new brands such as Cotton On and Muji, along with international fashion brands that acquired domestic brands. And in 2020, Global Fashion, the owner of shoe and handbag brand Vascara, officially merged into Stripe International from Japan.

However, the market has also witnessed the retreat of new names, such as AVA Fashion of Mobile World Group (MWG) after just six months of launching. Similar to AEON, the company also outsourced products to a number of domestic companies. While AVA Fashions website is now closed, MWG has also launched shops for sportswear, mother and child products, and jewellery.

MWG CEO Doan Van Hieu Em admitted, AVA Fashion initially planned to follow the path of Zara and H&M. However, things did not go smoothly as Vietnamese consumers did not get excited about the new brand.

According to Statista, the apparel market in Vietnam is forecast to reach $7.33 billion by 2025 and there is still plenty of room for exploitation. Data from the Vietnam National Textile and Garment Group shows that every year, Vietnamese people spend about $4.3 billion on clothes, and the rate is expected to increase steadily by about 10 per cent annually.

Asian retail giants seize on expansion Several major international groups are planning to expand operations in Vietnam in a wide range of sectors including retail, consumer goods, and foodstuffs.
In the opinion of the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO), the quality of Vietnams human resources has contributed significantly to the smooth operations of enterprises since the pandemic peak passed.

Vietnam is doing well in securing human resources and promoting employees. We witness more Vietnamese managers, directors, and executives within Japanese firms, highlighted Nakajima Takeo, representative of JETRO, at last weeks conference between the prime minister and foreign-invested enterprises (FIEs).

Photo: Duc Thanh

At German tech services supplier Bosch, human capital development and upskilling of the local labour force are decisive factors for the company to develop sustainably, and for Vietnam to stay competitive in luring foreign direct investment (FDI).

Managing director Dominik Meichle said that several months ago the company initiated the Bosch Embedded Academy, which offers 90 training hours in engineering and IT at partner universities, focusing on building student competence with practical industry knowledge and increasing their readiness for the job market.

We appreciate efforts so far and recommend the government to continue its efforts on vocational education. We are looking forward to preparing the workforce to take full advantage of opportunities brought about by Industry 4.0 and digital transformation, said Meichle.

Since 2013, Bosch has offered a German-standard programme of Technical Industrial Apprenticeship in collaboration with LILAMA2 and the German Chamber of Commerce and Industry. There have now been nine classes with over 200 students enrolled and 134 graduates, of which 97 per cent continue to work at Bosch.

Elsewhere, aiming to develop Vietnam as an aeroplane manufacturing hub, Boeing is also interested in human resources development. Country director for Vietnam Michael Nguyen said at last months forum on aerospace in Hanoi that the company had met with more than 10 universities in the country to discuss cooperation on aerospace research, education, and providing scholarships, as well as technologies.

Boeing will work with key suppliers to support and welcome local enterprises through training employees, improving skills, technologies, and manufacturing standards to ensure and enhance the quality of products and services of Vietnams aviation sector, said Nguyen.

Meanwhile, in order to shift its business field to further value-oriented and strengthen our competitiveness, one of Panasonics critical challenges is a lack of human resources, especially in the IT/AI and design fields.

Those core areas will decide future competitiveness for both Vietnam and Panasonic, but its not enough to realise a drastic increase only by enterprises. So we need the strong support of the government to strategically increase the number of IT and design fields human resources, said Marukawa Yoichi, managing director of Panasonic Vietnam.

Yoichi suggested developing Vietnams future leaders by expanding the number of IT faculties and providing opportunities for programming and other courses. Panasonic will continue to contribute to childrens educational activities through online seminars, Yoichi emphasised.

In fact, compared to other countries in the region and over the world, Vietnam still has a low percentage of trained workers at 26.2 per cent (in the second quarter of 2022). In 2015-2020, two-thirds of workers have upper secondary education; 80 per cent of workers in enterprises are vocationally trained (mainly self-trained by companies); 43 per cent of workers are retrained; one-quarter of workers are high-skilled; and more than 7 per cent of workers can speak foreign languages and use computers.

In the view of foreign business associations, there are some issues in managing human resources. Kim Young Chul, vice chairman of the Korean Chamber of Commerce and Industry, is concerned about manpower shortages.

There has been a case in Vietnam where FIEs collectively attract research and development (R&D) personnel who have been painstakingly nurtured. If this manpower is outflowed, there will be no incentive for FIEs to train R&D manpower or expand it in Vietnam, and there is concern that it will hurt attracting and expanding investment in Vietnam, explained Chul.

He suggested that Vietnam needs a more open visa policy to become a global tourism powerhouse and attract more FDI.

The issuance of visa-related documents for those who work or invest in Vietnam is an obstacle to investing because the documents they prepare for obtaining a status of residence in Vietnam are so complex and numerous. If this part is resolved, it is believed that more investment will be attracted to Vietnam, he added.

Torben Minko, vice chairman of the European Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Eurocham), proposed to extend visas to 30 days for EU countries, which should be added to the list of visa-exempt countries.

Especially for foreign experts who come to Vietnam for technical support, visa windows should be extended to three or six months. For European high-tech businesses, this is crucial, Minko said, while adding that simplified work permit procedures are also necessary.

In the opinion of the Ministry of Labour, Invalids, and Social Affairs (MoLISA), Vietnams policies on mobilising and managing foreign experts are suitable for international practices.

Currently, there are over 112,600 foreign employees working in Vietnam. We consider foreigners working in Vietnam as one of the very important factors, providing a skilled labour source to FIEs, said MoLISA Minister Dao Ngoc Dung. Our consistent policy is to create favourable conditions for experts, managers, and highly-skilled workers to work in Vietnam for the interests of investors and corporations.

Minister Dung confirmed that lecturers and high-qualified teachers for short-term teaching do not have to be granted work permits if being confirmed by authorities on education. In order to recruit employees for managers, experts, and high-tech workers that Vietnam has not yet met and Vietnamese workers cannot apply, FIEs should consider carefully in association with training and employing Vietnamese people, ensuring harmony and efficiency, said Minister Dung.

He reaffirmed that the ministry has facilitated to grant work permits by authorising provinces departments and some industrial zones. The deadline is a maximum of five working days from receiving the dossier, and businesses should get feedback via email if there is something wrong with the dossier, said Minister Dung.

According to the 2019 Labour Code, the work permit period for workers is two years. After this time, they can extend the work permit for the next two years. At the end of these four years, if required, the MoLISA can grant a new one. Thus, there are no difficulties for foreign experts and there are no barriers for foreign workers to work in Vietnam for several years, Minister Dung urged.

Vietnam needs skilled workforce to become upper-middle-income economy by 2035: WB Vietnam will need a skilled workforce to transform itself into an upper-middle-income economy by 2035, the World Bank has suggested in its recently-released report named Taking Stock: Educate to Grow.
Within the framework of the congress, Vijay Subramaniam, general manager for Imaging in ASEAN, South Korea, Australia, and New Zealand at GE Healthcare shared the trends of AI applications in radiology and how GEs technologies can contribute to transforming the healthcare sector in Vietnam.

What are some advantages that AI applications will bring to hospitals and their patients?

The number one advantage of AI is to augment productivity for healthcare professionals. This is particularly true for emerging markets which are facing a growing shortage of human resources in the healthcare sector.

By incorporating AI into the healthcare system, we enable medical devices to be used more intelligently, which means we can complete more examinations faster with fewer errors. AI technology also enables better diagnosis in the sense that it always provides a first-level interpretation of the diagnosis. Thus, it facilitates the radiologists to confirm the outcome of the diagnosis in a timely manner.

Another advantage is that AI can play a role in prioritising images in the context of data explosion. AI can assist in determining which images need to be read first when the emergency rooms are crowded with patients.

An AI-based imaging system can automatically detect a patient's problems and give precedence to patients who need to receive urgent care. Without AI, clinicians have to proceed one case at a time if there are numerous cases piled up, which in turn reduces the chance for the patients to receive timely urgent care.

We have identified four main classes of medical device purchasers who have the potential to take advantage of new technologies like AI.

The largest are government-funded hospitals, which account for 84 per cent of the market. Foreign-owned hospitals and clinics are also large purchasers, however, these facilities usually purchase supplies from their sponsoring country. Local private hospitals will show the strongest growth, while research and educational institutions will also account for some of the demand.

How do you see Vietnam's healthcare sector benefiting from AI-powered equipment?

The Vietnamese government is committed to rolling out universal healthcare in the country, with efforts to reach 95 per cent of the Vietnamese population by 2025. This will continue to shape the healthcare sector.

Vietnamese public hospitals rely on a state budget to upgrade their facilities, equipment, and services. The total budget for the health sector has increased but is still exceeded by the fast-growing demand. At the same time, hospitals are facing a shortage of well-qualified and experienced medical staff to meet the rising needs for healthcare.

By implementing AI-powered medical technology, Vietnam's healthcare system can provide quicker and faster access to diagnosis scans. AI technology can augment the skill and productivity of the users, thereby alleviating the shortage of healthcare workers.

In addition, the adoption of AI can help the government to spend in a more cost-effective way. In the past, if the government had to invest in the same scans as today, they had to make more purchases. An AI-powered medical device will help improve diagnostic speed and confidence, encourage collaborations across the clinical space, and improve productivity, efficiency, and patient experience.

What are the opportunities for US providers like GE Healthcare to supply cutting-edge medical devices with AI applications in Vietnam?

Demand for better healthcare in Vietnam over the past years has greatly contributed to the growth of the medical device market. According to the Ho Chi Minh City Medical Equipment Association, in 2017 Vietnam spent $1.1 billion on medical equipment imports. These were mainly comprised of diagnostic imaging equipment such as X-rays, ultrasound technology, magnetic resonance imaging technology, and computed tomography scanners, as well as equipment used for surgery.

The Vietnamese medical device market is expected to reach around $1.8 billion by the end of 2022, recording growth at a compound annual rate of 9.6 per cent during the 2017-2022 period.

The health IT sub-sector presents growing opportunities and holds high potential for US suppliers of IT hardware and electronic health record software. In March 2019, the Ministry of Health stipulated that health facilities began the process of replacing paper versions with electronic medical records. However, at present, the level of IT application is still low and uneven among hospitals. Data connection is still difficult and the process of implementing electronic records faces many obstacles.

In addition, the growing healthcare sector in Vietnam provides opportunities for US suppliers of design, engineering and management, and medical training services since local suppliers are still new to these sub-sectors and are not yet able to provide the same level of sophisticated services as international suppliers.

GE Healthcare has a plan to launch our AI applications to contribute to the development of Vietnams healthcare sector. Some AI-powered equipment is expected to be available in Vietnam from next year onwards. In general, all of our new AI-based applications will enable improvements such as better image quality and better diagnosis across the entire imaging portfolio.

What is GE Healthcares vision to transform the radiology segment with AI technology?

There are several tasks to complete before the scans, including patient positioning, data placement, and examination planning, among others. GE is simply recognising the possibility of incorporating AI across modalities. We employ AI to boost outcomes in pre-scan and employ deep learning through the entire scanning process to produce images of higher quality. Indeed, GE has made a concentrated effort to integrate AI into each stage of the examination.

Innovations in this field are also done by small companies, which are working constantly on image processing. However, to adopt AI applications, hospitals need certain training in areas including network security and data privacy. They need a really trusted vendor to enjoy the innovations and ensure the AI-based system is secure. There is an opportunity for GE to contribute to the development of these ecosystems.

Specifically, GE creates the engine for providing the full infrastructure to connect to the network, scan patients' data, protect patient data, and use AI across the platform.

The Edison Digital Health Platform developed by GE Healthcare is a central part of this approach. Edison connects the healthcare workflow across operations, development, data flows, and the use of AI-powered analytics, thereby improving the workflow and productivity of healthcare workers.

We share our customers mission to improve diagnoses for better patient outcomes and we believe AI-powered medical devices can help radiologists to fulfil their tasks with better results and less effort.

GE brand trio to shape the future of key industries GE on July 19 announced the brand names of the three future companies it will create through its planned separation into healthcare, energy, and aviation.

Digital technology  new future for Vietnamese healthcare Digitalisation has opened up exciting new possibilities in medical care and capacity building. Especially, in the case of uncertainties like the COVID-19 situation, the concept of healthcare provider and practice will undergo a significant shift from the conventional setting to a more fluid application that flexes with the needs of the community. Son Pham, country manager for GE Healthcare Vietnam and CEO of GE Vietnam, shares his ideas on the role of digital technology in the Vietnamese health sector and the future.
An Anphabe survey reported in June stated that 62 per cent of Generation Z in Vietnam switch jobs within the first year, which poses difficult problems for recruiters.

Gen Z demand flexible, digital-led work environment - illustration photo / freepik.com

Phuong Thanh, 22, a finance and accounting graduate, has changed her job three times since she finished university a little over a year ago. Thanh is typical of her generation (employees born between 1997-2012) in terms of her thinking and job requirements.

She quit her first job because she could not adapt to the company culture. Working as an accountant at a second company, she quit after finishing her probation period as she felt pressured to work traditional hours. The graduate is currently a freelancer with the same income as when she worked at the office but with more freedom.

I feel satisfied with my current choice, Thanh said. Many young people around me have also given up office jobs to switch to part-time or freelance work. Our way of working is different from previous generations.

Nguyen Thi Lan Huong, director of GapoWork, said that younger workers have increasingly strict requirements for employers. Aside from salary, remuneration, and working environment, Generation Z prefer high-tech companies as they were born and grew up in the technology boom,

We can see the difference clearly, Huong said. My generation easily adapts and integrates into the existing conditions of the business, but Gen Z is more demanding.

According to Do Danh Thanh, deputy general director of Digital Transformation and IT Strategy at Deloitte Vietnam, the younger generation like to work in a virtual reality environment, so businesses should build digital workplaces to help improve the employee experience and attract and retain talent.

Gen Z will care about the company with the environment, working tools that meet their needs. They will pay less attention to traditional work modes with 8-9 hour workdays at the office, said Deloittes Thanh.

Since the pandemic, favoured work patterns have changed, even for non-Gen Z workers, with 89 per cent of employees in Vietnam saying the ability to work from anywhere has made them happier and 76 per cent saying they want a combination of a remote and in-office hybrid working model in the future, according to a survey in May of over 1,000 people in Vietnam by IT conglomerate Cisco.

The change in interests and working habits has led to a shift in human resource needs between industries. Businesses operating in fields related to technology, retail, or environments with flexible working hours have become more attractive than the remaining traditional companies.

In just half a year, Mobile World was able to recruit more than 8,000 employees, not to mention thousands of freelancers, as it is seen as a modern, dynamic company. As of June, the number of its employees reached 78,600 and continues to grow.

FPT is an enterprise with a solid rate of staff expansion and a working environment appreciated by young workers for its dynamism, creativity, and flexibility. The number of FPT employees has increased by 2,100 in the last six months, bringing the total number of employees to over 39,000.

In contrast to industries with flexible working conditions, which the younger generation prefers, labour-intensive sectors such as textiles and garments, construction, and banking saw a decline in employee numbers, with young people in particular not keen to join them.

These are businesses that are forced to give employees annual leave of 3-4 days per month, or just wait to employ people when they receive orders, and then on the regional minimum wage, said Pham Xuan Hong, chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City Association of Garments, Textiles, Embroidery, and Knitting.

According to the General Statistics Office, by 2025, Gen Z is expected to take up 30 per cent of Vietnams workforce.

Gen Z  the breakthrough generation or the disruptors? At the recent launch of the Top 50 Best Employers of Choice by Vietnam Students 2020, Anphabe provided exclusive talent insights into Gen Z, the next generation of workers.
Nguyen Cuong from Hanoi is currently studying at Hoga Hotel, a vocational school specialising in hospitality training in Villingen-Schwenningen in southern Germany. Three years ago, Cuong decided to quit studying at a university in Vietnam to go to Germany as a trainee. He currently works at a local hotel in Villingen with a salary of around $900 per month.

Cuong said that he intended to return to his home country to work after completing the 4-year trainee programme. With the degree and work experience accumulated in Germany, he said he would be confident to find a good job in Vietnam.

Many Vietnamese trainees have joined the same batch as me and also found good study and job opportunities. I feel lucky about this choice, said Cuong.

Illustrative image (Source: VNA)

Along with a good diplomatic relationship with Vietnam for nearly half a century, Germany is one of the closest partners in vocational education and training, especially in industries such as tourism-hotel management, electronics, renewable energy, and IT. There are currently nearly 170 scientific research cooperation projects between German and Vietnamese universities aimed at promoting the exchange of both knowledge and technology between the two sides, according to data from the Ministry of Education and Training.

During a meeting earlier this year with Dr. Philipp Rosler, who became Vietnams honorary consul to Switzerland, Minister of Education and Training Nguyen Kim Son said that the demand for highly qualified human resources in Vietnam will increase.

Vietnamese students need to enhance their practical working ability, career skills, and understanding of technology. Vietnam wants to learn more about the dual vocational education model  a model that combines learning and practice, which is being successfully implemented by Germany, said Son.

He also hoped that Rosler would support the establishment of joint research groups between professors and experts from Vietnamese, German, and other European universities to promote scientific progress.

In order to further promote cooperation in vocational training, many schools and training institutions in Vietnam have recently cooperated with Germanys states and vocational schools to train professionals with in-depth knowledge of some of the occupations that are in high demand.

At Vietnamese-German University in the southern province of Binh Duong, all courses are conducted in cooperation with German partner universities with similar requirements. Graduates receive a German bachelors or masters degree and have good job prospects in the international job market. According to statistics by the university, the percentage of students who have a job after three months of graduation reaches 96 per cent, the highest in Vietnam.

Hessen, one of the states with years of cooperation with Vietnam, has provided scholarships at undergraduate, master, and doctoral levels in IT, electrical engineering, mechatronics, energy reproduction, printing and communication technology, and education management and quality, among others for disadvantaged Vietnamese students at state universities.

At the end of August, a representative of the German city-state of Bremen also came to Vietnam to discuss opportunities for cooperation in training workers in Bremen in the fields of cars and automation, shipping, logistics, and other related areas.

Germany transferred to Vietnam 22 sets of vocational training textbooks related to those professions that it hopes to recruit from Vietnam, according to information from Truong Anh Dung, director general of the General Department of Vocational Education.

After completing the training programme, students will be awarded a Vietnamese college diploma and a German equivalent according to the German national qualification framework, Dung asserted.

In addition to receiving support from Germany, Vietnam has also become one of the main sources of labour for Germany in fields such as healthcare. About 17,500 nursing positions were vacant between July 2020 and June 2021 in Germany, according to statistics from the German Nursing Association. Statistics also showed that the labour market demand for nurses in Germany is currently at about 60,000 people.

Meanwhile, Vietnam has only brought about 1,600 workers to Germany to study and work in the nursing field since 2012, according to data provided by the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs of Vietnam.

Le Duc Thien, deputy head of the Training Department of the Dong A Institute of Economics and Technology in Ho Chi Minh City  which implements cooperation programmes in education and training between Vietnam and Germany  said that the road to Germany has never been as favourable as it is today because the country is always willing to create conditions for nurses to work long-term, and at the same time encourages settlement to develop careers.

The gross salary that Vietnamese nurses can receive in Germany is about VND70-90 million ($3,000-3,900) per month, not to mention additional incomes. This is considered a strong attraction for nurses to choose Germany for their career path, besides the social security indicators that are among the highest in the world, said Thien.
The Consulate General of India in Ho Chi Minh City, in coordination with the Investment and Trade Promotion Centre of Ho Chi Minh City (ITPC), has co-organised a B2B meeting titled India-Vietnam Cooperation in Engineering Sector on September 29.

The event has created a platform for the Indian and Vietnamese sides to explore possibilities of investment and business cooperation in engineering areas, including agricultural machinery, auto components, electrical and electronic equipment, food processing machinery, and others.

Madan Mohan Sethi, consul general of India in Ho Chi Minh City, stated that the year 2022 will be a significant year in the bilateral relationship between India and Vietnam, as both countries will be reaching the milestone of 50 years of diplomatic relations.

He further added that India is one of Vietnam's three comprehensive strategic partners. He shared that almost 400 companies from India have visited Ho Chi Minh City in the last one month, and now there is an opportunity for Vietnamese companies to explore partnerships and business with the 17 engineering companies that manufacture products for different industries like automotive, plastics, food processing, leather, and agriculture.

Vietnam offers vast potential for Indian engineering suppliers as the country is looking to bolster its supporting industries.

Bui The Lu, deputy director of the Investment and Trade Promotion Department at ITPC further shared that India has always been a strategic trade partner of Vietnam, and the two sides still have a lot of potentials to exploit.

Both Vietnam and India are focusing on technical and manufacturing aspects and aim to engage deeply in the global value chain. The municipal leaders are committed to creating favourable conditions for foreign businesses, including Indian companies, to invest in the city in priority fields, such as smart cities, technical infrastructure development, digital economy development, high-tech industry, and agriculture.

Foreign suppliers have accounted for the major market share in Vietnam's engineering sector over the past decade.

Significant exporters of machinery to Vietnam are Asian markets like China, South Korea, Japan, and Taiwan. Other notable exporters have been ASEAN, the United States, Germany, and Italy. With incentive support as prescribed in the Law on Investment and Decree No.111/2015/ND-CP for supporting industrial products, there is a bright outlook for other foreign suppliers including those from India to increase market share in Vietnam's engineering sector.

Vietnam is the largest destination for Indias engineering exports among the ASEAN nations. Indias engineering exports to Vietnam have grown by around 45 per cent from $1.8 billion in the 2020-2021 period to $2.6 billion during 2021-2022

India's key export products to Vietnam include iron and steel, aluminium, auto components and parts, electric machinery and equipment, industrial machinery, and lead.

Vietnam and India eagerly explore partnerships in healthcare and pharmaceuticals Vietnam's fast-growing healthcare and pharmaceutical market is fertile land for Vietnamese and Indian businesses to explore partnership opportunities.

Investment opportunities for automotive component manufacturers The leading 25 automotive component manufacturers from India arrive in Vietnam from August 21 to 26 to look for investment opportunities.
Thai Binh 2 Plant

The Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT) has reviewed the list of thermal power plant projects to report to the government, which is a requirement for approving the Power Development Plan VIII.

At present, five projects are in the preparation process but the investors reported that they face many difficulties. Four projects have foreign capital namely Song Hau 2, Nam Dinh 1, Vinh Tan 3, and Quang Tri 1, while Cong Thanh is invested by a local investor.

According to the MoIT, despite problems, the investors remain determined to develop these projects.

At the Vinh Tan 3 thermal power plant, its investors involve Vietnam Electricity, Pacific Group, and OneEnergy Asia Ltd., a partnership of Hong Kongs CLP Holdings and Japans Mitsubishi Group.

In February this year, Mitsubishi withdrew from the Vinh Tan 3 thermal power plant in the central province of Binh Thuan due to increasing global concerns about climate change.

At the Nam Dinh 1 thermal power plant, in July 2017, a consortium of Saudi Arabian ACWA Power and South Korean Taekwang Power Holdings Co., Ltd. officially received an investment certificate for the $2.3-billion Nam Dinh 1 thermal power project. However, ACWA Power withdrew from the project.

The Quang Tri 1 thermal power plant, which is invested by EGAT International Co., Ltd. (EGATi), has the total investment capital of $2.39 billion. In November 2019, EGATi kicked off the construction of the plant; however, the construction has yet to be implemented because the investor is waiting for the approval of the Thai government to invest overseas.

The $3.5 billion Song Hau Coal-fired power plant II is invested by Toyo Ink Group. The project's construction is expected to commence in 2023. At present, the investor is delaying paying fees for land clearance and compensation costs due to difficulties in arranging capital.

The remaining project is the Cong Thanh thermal power plant, which is invested by the Cong Thanh Thermal Power JSC. The investor is face difficulties in mobilising capital.

According to MoIT, despite problems, the investors remain determined to develop these projects.

Currently, there are 39 thermal power plants in operation. Several projects are now under construction, such as Thai Binh 2, Long Phu 1, Quang Trach 1, Van Phong 1, Vung Ang 2, An Khanh, and Na Duong 2.

Thai Binh 2 thermal power plant to start operations by May 10 All employees and managers are making an effort to put the first turbine of the Thai Binh 2 thermal power plant into operation by May 10. According to information from the projects managing board, the construction is currently 92 per cent complete and the fire prevention system is almost completed.

EVN asked to take over Phu My 2.2 and Phu My 3 thermopower plants The Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT) asked the prime minister to assign EVN to handle Phu My 2.2 and Phu My 3 thermal power plants once the 20-year contract terminates.

$2-billion Song Hau 1 thermal power plant inaugurated The inauguration of the $2-billion Song Hau 1 thermal power plant in the Mekong Delta province of Hau Giang will contribute to ensuring national energy security.

Suggested removal of 14,120MW of thermal power The Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT) has proposed removing 14,120MW of thermal power from the draft of the National Power Development Plan VIII to match the governments net-zero targets.
Swiss-based drug giant Novartis in August announced its plan to completely spin off its generics and biosimilars division Sandoz in 2023 to create a new publicly-traded standalone firm.

By separating generic and biosimilar divisions, multinationals can concentrate on other areas, Le Toan

For Novartis, separating from Sandoz will further strengthen its strategy of building a focused innovative medicines company, with depth in five core therapeutic areas and strength in technology platforms. Last year, Sandoz generated sales worth $9.6 billion and served more than 100 markets across the globe.

Novartis and Sandoz are developing well in Vietnam, providing branded pharmaceuticals, generics, and biosimilars amid growing local demand. Novartis is intensifying cooperation with the Ministry of Health (MoH) and public-run hospitals to increase the supply of innovative pharmaceuticals for local patients. Last week, Novartis Vietnam signed an MoU with K Hospital on cancer treatment.

Vietnam is considered as one of the fastest-growing markets in Asia for Sandoz, with the firm growing its team to 180 employees and attaining consistent double-digit growth.

The trend of separating a generics division among multination corporations (MNCs) is increasingly popular. Viatris previously separated from US-based Pfizer to become a standalone company focusing on branded-generic drugs, while Pfizer focuses on innovative drugs.

In July, Viatris Vietnam opened a new office in Hanoi, marking it the second facility following the first in Ho Chi Minh City last year.

Talking to VIR, a representative of Viatris said that the company is developing well and expects growth in the future, driven by growing demands and supporting policies from the government. We plan to provide more high-quality branded generics and off-patent originators, as well as focusing on localisation efforts through technology transfer as a way to contribute to the development of the local health sector, the representative said.

Elsewhere, Merck, known as MSD outside the United States and Canada, completed the spinoff of Organon in 2021 to boost its focus on growth areas. As a separate company, Organon now focuses on enhancing womens health and currently has a portfolio of about 60 treatments and products.

The move is part of MSDs strategy to establish two patient-focused companies with an improved operational focus, streamlined operating models, enhanced capital structures, and financial profiles. A representative of MSD said that with leadership in growth pillars and a robust pipeline, Merck is well-positioned for strong long-term growth, with scientific innovation remaining the source of its value creation.

Meanwhile, British drugs giant GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) in July demerged its newly-named consumer healthcare unit Haleon. As a standalone company, Haleon aims to be a world leader in consumer health with a portfolio of top brands including Sensodyne, Voltaren, Panadol, and Centrum.

GSK is also expanding further into the field of vaccines, having snapped up US biopharmaceutical firm Affinivax in May for up to $3.3 billion. Also this year, it spent $1.9 billion on US group Sierra Oncology, a specialist in medicines for rare forms of cancer.

Vietnams government targets to develop the local pharma industry, with the goal of making Vietnam a life and science hub for ASEAN in the next 10 years. Last year the government issued Decision No.376/QD-TTG approving the programme to develop the pharmaceutical industry until 2030, with a strong focus on local manufacturing and technology transfer.

A more holistic national strategy for the development of the pharmaceutical industry vision for 2045 is being drafted, which is expected to be the foundation for pharma-policy development and investment incentives in the future.

Despite growth potential, the path for MNCs remains tough due to some legal barriers in the healthcare sector. For instance, controversial rules on marketing authorisation (MA) renewal are causing difficulties for MNCs and the healthcare sector itself, which is suffering from a lack of drugs. Under existing rules, pharmaceuticals and ingredients must get MA from the MoH before being used in treatment or pharma production activities in Vietnam. The first MA provides a product with a registration number and validity of 3-5 years. After that, it will then have to be renewed for further use. Many MNCs want this regulation, which is deemed not in alignment with international practices, to be revised.

The other threat to foreign-invested enterprises with branded and high-quality generic drugs is that local drugmakers are proposing that health authorities change tender rules for groups of generic drugs  which may include branded and high-quality as well as locally-made drugs  into one group for tender. If this happens, such enterprises will face more challenges because generic drugs would be equated the same in quality and price.

Novartis and Ministry of Health sign MoU on portfolio of affordable COVID-19 medicines At the Switzerland-Vietnam Business Summit in Bern, Switzerland, Novartis and Vietnams Ministry of Health have signed an MoU to provide affordable medicines without a profit margin for the treatment of severe COVID-19 symptoms that help stabilise critically ill patients during the pandemic.

Answers around corner for market authorisation renewal A steady supply of medicines coming into Vietnam could be ensured imminently after the government announced the deadline for amendments to existing drug registration rules in order to facilitate business operations.
Marco Civardi, CEO of JAS China & Hong Kong

What is your assessment of the shifting of manufacturers from China and other countries into Vietnam?

The main drivers for foreign investment to justify the shift of manufacturing activities out of China are quite a few beyond labour advantages: to reduce over-dependency from China in the light of the recent harsh lockdowns; to reduce suffering from tightening regulations on doing business and facilitate work permits; to avoid financial pressure deriving from sanctions; and to create a valuable source of supply alternative from a risk management standpoint and eventually also broadening market expansion in Asia.

Its clear that China will continue to be seen in the dual role as a production centre as well as a consumer market, therefore its attractiveness wont fade away.

From a supply standpoint, Vietnam is a very natural alternative for a number of reasons such as being culturally close to China, having a productive workforce and an already established industrial environment. Its worth mentioning that not only are foreign multinational corporations rebalancing their exposure to China, but Chinese firms themselves are also looking for alternative sources of growth in Asia. Perhaps it can be a sign that China wont be seen anymore as the only place to be in Asia.

When analysing such a near-shoring trend in a global context, China retains the lions share of low-end global manufacturing, hence it will never be replaced in its entirety as such. Although we can observe the production shift of textiles, furniture, and low-end electronics to ASEAN markets, chiefly with Vietnam as a prime location, we cant agree on the notion of an exodus of manufacturing activities out of China.

Rather, we can concur that a China+1 trend is recently accelerating on the back of pandemic policy constraints in China and the enhanced need for firms to diversify the geographical exposure of their sourcing activities.

How can Vietnams logistics system compete with the likes of Singapore and Hong Kong?

Vietnam is relatively far from being a regional hub like Singapore and Hong Kong. The capacity and maturity of its port and airport operations associated with high standard storage and dispatch facilities made Hong Kong and Singapore credible to receive and ship goods from all over the world.

An important parameter is the timing/complexity it takes to complete the processes for importing and exporting goods. Having a fully online process, streamlined paperwork, automated and efficient port operations, enough capacity to avoid queuing, decent road connectivity, and storage operations to welcome any kind of goods is fundamentally what is still missing for Vietnam to compete with Singapore as a regional hub. In simple terms, a significant reduction of red tape would be needed.

Looking forward, with political determination and with substantial capital to upgrade the infrastructure and its processes, Vietnam could become a credible ASEAN hub in the coming few years. Importantly, Vietnams government is planning to invest by increasing capacity in airports, ports, and road connectivity. Therefore, with such aims, we can be confident that the transition to a more modern logistics system in Vietnam is on its way.

Moreover, the overall capacity in Vietnam is yet not fully utilised due to available convertible land for industrial usage and the workforce in the agriculture sector which could shift to coastal areas. Therefore, logistics capacity expansion perfectly fits with the increasing demand for sourcing/shipping projected for Vietnam in the years to come.

What can Vietnam learn from other markets in attracting more foreign investment into manufacturing?

There are a few items that could constitute valuable learnings for Vietnam starting from a comparison of red tape with other ASEAN countries to ensure Vietnam is the most investor-friendly country.

What appears to be needed are improvements in the transparency of the licencing processes, generation of a higher calibre talent pool, enhancing a more consistent experience at a provincial level to support the development of the less developed area, and granting ease of access from foreign talents into Vietnam.

The ongoing shift from low-end manufacturing to more value-added manufacturing in Vietnam is probably the most important battle to win which points to specialisation in complex manufacturing tasks in order to reduce its appeal mainly due to labour arbitrage advantages.
In-Depth

Why Integrated Security Tools Are Crucial for Cybersecurity Defense

Over the last couple of years, I've written several articles here about different security tools from Microsoft. I've looked at Entra Permissions Management, Defender for Business (for SMBs), Defender for Identity, Microsoft Sentinel, eliminating bad passwords and Defender for Cloud Apps along with others.

This mimics my own journey as an IT consultant and trainer over the last five years. Asked to deliver training (in New Zealand and Singapore -- both wonderful countries to visit) on security-related Microsoft technologies starting in 2018, I had to quickly upskill. In parallel my clients were either asking for, or I was seeing, that they needed to up their security game considerably.

So now, toward the end of 2022, I have three clients on Microsoft Sentinel and one on the full Microsoft 365 E5 Security stack (with another in the works), MFA enabled for all admin accounts and for most users, and I'm not only supporting their traditional IT needs, but I'm also their one-man Security Operations Center (SOC).

In this article I'll talk about the MITRE ATT&CK framework, the cybersecurity kill chain, modern security threats and why an integrated suite of security tools is crucial for defense today.

The State of Play

You can always tell how mature a business vertical in the world is by how quickly it changes and how many new startups pop up regularly. IT overall is still a young industry (late teens?) with growing pains and as you know, it changes very quickly. But cybersecurity (as a subset of IT) is still probably pre-teens as it's changing even faster and has more startups that you can throw a VC round at.

Simultaneously, businesses are more vulnerable and major hacks are weekly (daily?) news. This morning I found out that the second-largest telco in Australia has lost potentially 9.8 million user account details, including physical addresses and driver's license details, most likely including my own.

So, if big businesses can't protect themselves, what chance do medium and small ones have? Well, as it turns out, they actually have quite a good chance, because they can be more agile, but they need awareness and understanding to get there.

ATT&CK -- A Common Language

The MITRE not-for-profit business provides many different services, across many different areas but specifically for cybersecurity they offer the free ATT&CK framework. There are matrices for Enterprise, Windows, macOS, Linux, Cloud, Network and Containers, Android, iOS and ICS systems. The most famous one is the Enterprise Matrix, which represents the different phases a cyber attack ("kill chain") might take, from Reconnaissance to Exfiltration. Each phase has numerous techniques, and sub-techniques to help you understand the different types of vulnerabilities and tactics that attackers will use.

[Click on image for larger view.] MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise Matrix

I learned about the ATT&CK framework in an excellent, free course by AttackIQ at their free AttackIQ Academy. The matrix is a great way to convey to non-technical people, including executives that a "hack" isn't just a single event that happens, it's a series of steps, and while it's important to not think of this is a list that an attacker will always follow, there are definitely choke points where you can make your defenses stronger and slow down or thwart the attackers.

The matrix also shows up in security products. Microsoft Sentinel, for instance, will categorize analytics rules, which looks for signs of attacks in log data, with the different tactics detected.

[Click on image for larger view.] Microsoft Sentinel Rule Tactics and Techniques

This then lets you use a workbook (=visualization dashboard) in Sentinel to ascertain which Tactics, Techniques and Procedures (TTPs) your rules cover -- and more importantly, which ones they don't. Here you can see the coverage in one of my client's Sentinel deployments.

[Click on image for larger view.] MITRE ATT&CK Analytics Rule Coverage in Sentinel

MITRE also tracks known groups and their TTP usage, which can be useful for attribution. It's a natural instinct to want to know who's "after you," but just be aware that it's not that important compared to making sure they're evicted and minimizing the damage.

Too Many Screens, Not Enough Eyes

Gartner recently said that 75 percent of organizations are pursuing security vendor consolidation in 2022 (compared to 29 percent in 2020), but they're not doing this primarily to drive down cost, rather to improve their security posture.

I think this is due to the simple fact that adding more security services and products doesn't necessarily make you more secure, even if a product is market leading and protects against a specific threat type. It takes time to build up expertise in each product and it takes experience to configure it correctly, and even if you do those two, the product probably doesn't integrate easily with the rest of your defenses. This last point is the crux -- attackers move too fast for defenders to manually correlate alerts in different systems: "This tool told me that this malicious links was clicked, and the email hygiene service now let me know that they'd let through these emails thinking they were OK, and the endpoint protection tool just alerted me to a malicious script running on this endpoint, and the Domain Controller tells me a weird looking Kerberos ticket was created." This is the whole point of eXtended Detection and Response (XDR), the concept of extending Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) to different protection areas in an integrated way. There are several XDR tools on the market, either presenting as an integrated suite or as a glue between different systems to make them act as if they're integrated.

The Defender Family

A large business with a security team and budget can spend the time and effort to pick the best products for their particular threat model and integrate them and continuously improve the detections. I don't have that luxury, but I've come to know the Microsoft Defender family of product, and as mentioned earlier, this is an already-integrated suite that works for my clients.

Let's pick one client that has E5 licensing (actually, A5 since this is a K-12 school) they get:

Defender for Endpoint P2

Defender for Office 365 P2

Defender for Cloud Apps

Defender for Identity

And I've also deployed Microsoft Sentinel for them. They've got two physical Windows 2019 servers, running Hyper-V with five VMs in total, two Domain Controllers, file/print server, LOB server and Windows Server Update Services server. The servers are in separate buildings and the VMs are replicated from one to the other for DR. They use Microsoft 365 for office and collaboration, Adobe Creative Cloud for creative tools and several other cloud and on-premises applications.

There are approximately 100 laptops running Windows 10, plus 40 iPads. All of them, plus the servers, are running Defender for Endpoint, which is a complete EDR and anti-malware solution. Incoming emails are first filtered by Exchange Online Protection (EOP), which all Office 365 tenants are protected by, followed by attachment detonation in Defender for Office 365 (MDO) to ensure that malicious attachments aren't delivered. Links in emails and Teams are also scanned by MDO before a user is allowed to go to the site.
Waco's diverse arts scene takes the spotlight  and stages, activity tents and outdoor market  this weekend as the Waco Cultural Arts Fest marks its 18th annual appearance at Indian Spring Park and the Waco Convention Center.

The long-running festival actually is several overlapping festivals, each with a distinct emphasis and related activities, all held in the span of a weekend.

For founder, organizer and president Doreen Ravenscroft, the annual fest offers contact with the arts on multiple levels, from children's hands-on painting, mask making and wood sculpture, and live performances from local bands, dance schools and theaters.

Continuing renovation work at the Waco Suspension Bridge will constrain the area available for the festival's visual arts activities, with musical, dance and stage performances held at the Main Stage of the park's amphitheater.

Missing from this year's arts emphases are the {254} Dance Fest due to a booking conflict at the convention center and the African Film Festival. The artist marketplace also is roughly one-third its pre-pandemic size. Ravenscroft said those have been slow to recover from pandemic disruptions that affected travel and participation.

Children's arts activities, a leading festival draw particularly for hundreds of local families, will offer easel painting, mask making, wood sculpture and face painting, though space limitations will mean no clay or paper sculpture activities.

This year's music lineup, organized by Keep Waco Loud's Jacob Green, is heavy on local acts.

Friday will feature one-hour sets from Fenix Theory and American Merit starting at 6 p.m. before rock and rhythm-and-blues headliner the Scott Strickland Band from Austin plays at 8 p.m. Saturday's music starts at 2 p.m. with Mariachi Azteca, then a six-hour block kicking off at 4 p.m. with Smooth Nature, followed by King Azule Diablo, Cory Ironside, Big R, Sunn, Nigel Cole and Suede before Kam KT wraps up the music at 9 p.m.

Sunday's live music pays tribute to beloved longtime musician Classie Ballou, who died earlier this year. The festival's Main Stage will be named for Ballou in his honor with several Ballou family musicians bringing their bands to play. Cam'ron Ballou & Darkers Shade of Zydeco will begin at 11 a.m., with Ballou's Cats at noon and CaCean Ballou & the Dirty Crawfish closing the afternoon's music at 3 p.m. Rounding out the Sunday music are Sanger Heights Blues Allstars at 1 p.m. and Home At Last at 2 p.m.

WordFest, which showcases poetry, writing and spoken word performances, brings Texas poet d. ellis phelps to Waco for the weekend. Phelps, founder of Moon Shadow Sanctuary Press and author of four books of poetry and one novel, will lead Saturday afternoon workshops in "Silence & Sound: Poetic rock & roll." Saturday evening will feature readings from this year's WordFest anthology, which features 72 contributors from the United States and overseas.

Sunday's WordFest schedule offers a performing poetry workshop by Rae Denton and Gary Heck with an afternoon open mic session featuring Native American flute musicians, rhythm instruments and poets.

ScienceFest, with a lineup of science-related displays and demonstrations, including several by local robotics students on the high school and collegiate level, will run Saturday and Sunday at the Waco Convention Center.
McLennan Community College officials are closely following a proposal that would tie state aid to colleges such as theirs to student outcomes, such as how many students move on to four-year college, earn degrees or land jobs.

Meanwhile, officials with Waco-based Texas State Technical College say they already have been operating under similar guidelines for several years, with promising results.

The new proposal comes from the Texas Commission on Community College Finance, a legislative commission charged with revamping how Texas pays for community colleges.

The commission this fall is fine-tuning recommendations to base state funding formulas on outcomes rather than enrollment numbers. The commission is also weighing more grants and financial support for low-income students. The commission next meets Oct. 18 with a final report due Nov. 1. The Texas Legislature is expected to take up the issue in its spring 2023 session.

What those changes would mean for MCC is unknown, but President Johnette McKown finds the direction encouraging in that the suggested plan could reduce competition for a fixed amount of state funding while letting colleges focus more on student outcomes.

Were excited about the possibilities of the new model, she said. The details are being worked out ... but on the surface, we have no reason not to be supportive.

The commission, whose members include legislators, business executives and college presidents, released a draft of its proposals earlier this month. They call for several major shifts in how the state funds community colleges, which roughly amounts to about a quarter of most colleges revenue, the balance coming from local property taxes and student tuition.

Under the recommended outcomes-based plan, community colleges would find their state revenue based in large part on how many students are successful in going on to four-year colleges or jobs, with incentives for employment in high-demand fields.

For now, student enrollment and credit hours determine the majority of state revenue a community college receives, with more allocated for success points awarded for students completing degrees or certifications. The state also provides a basic level of support for all schools.

Community college enrollment here and statewide has been declining in recent years. The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board reports that from 2010 to 2021, enrollment in academic and continuing education workforce programs had dropped by 113,180 students at a time when statewide demand for trained workers has been increasing.

MCC has seen its enrollment decline in recent years, even outside of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, with fall enrollment this year at 7,158 students, down from last years 7,742 total.

Tying state money to student achievement would allow community colleges to concentrate more on helping students succeed at what they need to move into the workforce, independently of what other colleges are doing.

We would be working against ourselves, so to speak, and thats a good thing, McKown said.

The commission draft also proposed:

Increasing state support for low-income college students. Texas Educational Opportunity Grants currently serve about 28% of eligible students; the commission proposes expanding that to 70% of eligible two- and four-year college students.

Guaranteed funding for community colleges with low tax bases.

Incentives to boost training for jobs in high-demand fields.

Encouraging shared services between colleges to lower operational and administrative costs.

Financial aid for dual credit students.

McKown noted that MCC already covers or defrays dual credit tuition for low-income students in some local school districts. Some larger colleges offer dual credit classes for free, while others rely on dual credit tuition as revenue, which may shape the commissions final dual credit recommendation.

The MCC president welcomed possible state support for student services not directly tied to academics.

Texas Higher Education Commissioner Harrison Keller believes the timing may be right to position Texas community colleges for the future.

Weve got strong momentum to drive some historic change in our community college finance system, he told the Texas Tribune for a Sept. 9 story.

Public schools

A move to outcome-based funding for community colleges would continue a general trend in the states support of both K-12 public schools and higher education.

A major part of public schools annual accountability ratings hinges on how many students go on to college, jobs or the military after finishing high school, even though those ratings dont affect state school funding.

Its 40% of our rating so its a heavy part of our accountability, explained Denise Bell, Waco Independent School District director of accountability systems and data analysis.

The Texas Education Agency provides much of the post-graduation data for students with districts responsible for whats required to get students to their next step beyond high school.

Districts College, Career and Military Readiness rating isnt broken down into its individual components, but combined into a single figure.

Waco ISD starts reminding students in their junior year what they need to finish by graduation, such as classwork, testing, industry certification and the like. Students then draw up a plan at the beginning of their senior year that will outline the path to complete those CCMR requirements, Bell said.

WISDs accountability ratings released last month show the district scoring 76 out of 100 for CCMR. With high school graduation rates improving, district officials will look at improving its CCMR numbers, Bell said.

TSTC's view

The shift from enrollment-driven funding to an outcome-based model is one that the Texas State Technical College system navigated almost a decade ago. In 2015, TSTC went through a system overhaul, part of which included a funding model dependent on the jobs and salaries of its graduates.

The transition was painful, particularly at TSTC campuses with broader general education offerings, such as Harlingen, recalled TSTC vice-chancellor and CFO Jonathan Hoekstra.

TSTC officials cut 13 degree and certification programs, some with high enrollment, in order to focus on skills training that would lead to higher paying jobs. System enrollment dropped roughly 25% to about 9,000 students.

Moving to an outcomes-driven model, however, sharpened TSTCs focus on its mission of workforce training in the state. Training programs are honed to provide students with whats needed for the workplace and not much beyond that. New ones are added only if they point to well-paying jobs in high demand fields.

It did affect us in a profound way, Hoekstra said. When you shift to quality of placement and quality of earnings (as outcomes), we begin everything with an end in mind.

The value-added accountability funding formula used for TSTC goes beyond the percentage of graduates getting good jobs. State funding hinges on how much those jobs pay above the average minimum wage for that position and students are tracked for five years beyond graduation by the Texas Workforce Commission, including those who take nine or more credit hours, but dont finish a program.

The result is a jobs- and skills-training TSTC system with a measurable impact on the Texas economy. The latest cohort of TSTC graduates tracked by the state are earning more than double than the first cohort after the funding change, Hoekstra said. Were contributing to the Texas economy in a much bigger way, he said.

System officials continually evaluate Texas labor market data to determine whats needed in terms of workforce training, and while funding formulas drive them to prioritize higher paying employment, they also can adjust to a changing Texas economy and an ever-growing demand for skilled labor, Hoekstra said.

The need (for trained workers) is absolutely overwhelming and theres an extraordinary skills gap, he said. Theres significant spending on infrastructure. Companies are relocating to Texas. All of that requires manpower. This funding formula works very well for us.
CHICAGO (AP)  A judge on Wednesday set bail at $500,000 for a man suspected of pointing guns at Chicago police officers after he climbed a fire escape and through an open fifth- floor door of a building where they were training.

Donald Patrick's appearance in bond court before Cook County Judge Maryam Ahmad came a day after he was charged with eight felony counts  including five counts of aggravated assault on a peace officer  in connection with an incident at police facility in Homan Square on the city's West Side.

Patrick, 47, of Waukegan, suffered a non-life threatening gunshot injury to his face during the chaotic scene Monday morning in which officers going through SWAT training suddenly found themselves scrambling to confront an armed suspect in their midst.

A court proffer provided by Cook County State's Attorney's office that outlines the incident does not include a clear explanation of Patrick's actions. Though evidence and property belonging to people who have been arrested by the city's police department is stored at the facility, Patrick, according to the proffer, was told when he initially entered the building that none of his property was there because he'd never been arrested by Chicago police.

But Patrick does admit, according to the proffer, that after he was told none of his belongings were in the building, he went outside, pulled down a ladder to a outside fire escape and climbed to the fifth floor. Then, after he went through an open door he grabbed automatic pistols on a table in the area where officers were training.

The guns were either empty or loaded with pellets that sting but do not cause serious injury or death, Police Superintendent David Brown told reporters Monday afternoon. Brown said he did not know if Patrick attempted to shoot officers.

In the proffer, prosecutors say only that Patrick, who had put one of the guns in a pocket, pointed the other two guns at officers before one officer fired as many as seven times at him, striking him once in the face.

Patrick was represented by an attorney from the county's public defenders office. The office did not immediately return a call for comment after the hearing.
CEDAR FALLS  Dave Krejchi was the kind of guy who made everyone feel like a best friend.

Thats the biggest compliment I can give him, said long-time friend Garland Angove of Waterloo. He never knew a stranger. He was a terrific businessman who treated people the way you should. Its a tremendous loss to the community.

Krejchi, 62, died Tuesday at his home on Cottage Row Road after a lengthy battle with cancer. He owned and operated Dalton Plumbing, Heating, Cooling, Electric and Fireplaces for 20 years, retiring in July 2021.

Funeral Mass will be 2 p.m. Friday at St. Patrick Catholic Church. Visitation is from 4 to 7 p.m. Thursday at Richardson Funeral Service. Friends are invited to celebrate Krejchis life at the Island Park Beach House on Friday immediately following Mass.

We were more like brothers than best friends, said Steve Husome, founder and CEO of Husome Strong Foundation. We met at Holmes Junior High School and have been friends for 50-plus years. We were very close and shared all our trials and tribulations, the ups and downs in our lives, our marriages, the births of our children, the loss of loved ones  we shared our lives, he explained.

Husome described his friend as a generous, loving and caring person. He had such an infectious smile and pretty much anyone who came in contact with him became instant friends. He was always the life of party.

Krejchi was community-minded, as well. In 2008, he was appointed to the Hawkeye Community College board of directors in Waterloo and successfully ran to retain the seat twice against challengers before stepping down in 2017. The businessman was instrumental in developing HCCs HVAC trade program.

In addition, he was board chairman of the Cedar Falls Chamber of Commerce and helped facilitate the merger of the Waterloo and Cedar Falls chambers in 2007 as the Greater Cedar Valley Alliance & Chamber. It eventually became Grow Cedar Valley.

He was very much a leader in recognizing the need to combine these organizations to create a more powerful and effective face moving forward. Dave was instrumental in the collaboration that created this organization, said Cary Darrah, CEO and president of Grow Cedar Valley.

Krejchis fingerprints are evident throughout the Cedar Valley community. Thats the way we should continue to be active and contribute and lead in our community and hope to be as effective as Dave was, she explained. In all the years I was around Dave Krejchi, I never heard a negative comment. He was always constructive and positive. When he spoke to you, he looked you in the eye and gave you his attention and made to feel like you were the only one in the room.

Krejchi mentored Billy Pierce, who bought Dalton when he retired. Dave treated me like a son, and said I was like another son to him. He cared, he listened, and he was always willing to help. He wanted me to succeed, said Pierce, who worked for Krejchi for seven years.

Dave cared about Dalton, the brand, the people who work here and the people we serve. He wanted to make sure whoever took over would carry on that legacy. He cared about the community, Pierce explained.

Krejchi was a member of the Cedar Falls Lions, Eagles Club, Elks Club and served as president of the Cedar Falls Jaycees. Active in the North Shore Boat Club, Krejchi led the fund drive to rebuild the Island Park Beach House after the 2008 flood, and his business also assisted flooded residents and businesses.

Krejchi and Husome served together on the Cedar Basin Jazz Festival board for a number of years, with Krejchi serving as president. With Angove, Krejchi was one of the seven original members of Frozen Peppers, a close-knit group of friends who enjoyed taking motorcycle trips together. Krejchi served as president.

We were in Sturgis, S.D., on a motorcycle ride when Dave turned 60. He came out of his motel room wearing a tiara. It was absolutely hilarious and everywhere we stopped, wed sing Happy Birthday and hed put on that tiara, Angove recalled.

In late 2021, Krejchi and his wife, Joni, gave a check for $43,325 to the MercyOne Cancer Center in Waterloo to assist with the centers ongoing care for area cancer patients. Funds were raised at a Knock Out Cancer event organized by Husome and the Husome Strong Foundation.

I just miss talking to him. We always shared everything. Its a great loss, Husome added.

David Krejchis obituary appears on page A4 of todays Courier.
WATERLOO  A proposed change in how inmate fees from the Black Hawk County Jail are spent gained no traction this week in a contentious Board of Supervisors discussion.

But the topic could be revisited at a later point by officials.

A resolution to make the change was shot down in a 4-1 vote with only Supervisor Dan Trelka, who spearheaded the discussion, in favor.

Currently, 60% of fees brought in from sentenced inmates for their room and board can be used for jail functions. The remaining 40% is used by the Black Hawk County Sheriffs Office. Trelka wants to discuss rerouting that money to become unrestricted county funds.

Under Iowa code, the board has complete control over how the 40% fee revenue is spent.

The issue was brought to the boards attention after officials learned some counties in Iowa operate this way, rather than allowing the sheriffs office to use the money. Assistant County Attorney Michael Treinen said the issue had also been on the radar of the two former finance directors.

Sheriff Tony Thompson said about 80% of the sheriffs in the state function the way Black Hawk County currently does.

Its interesting that this has been looked at since April but the sheriffs office hasnt been engaged in this conversation at all, Thompson said. We certainly invite the conversation because it gives us the opportunity to take a look at something thats been in practice for over 30 years.

Trelka said the timing is right to discuss the issue.

Were getting ready to enter our budget discussions, were hiring a finance director; this is a perfect step to initiate, Trelka suggested. Theres gonna be many more conversations and much more dialogue that were going to have, this is just the first step in that process.

He said the resolution is just reaffirming that were going to follow the law.

Work sessions between (April) and now probably would have been more appropriate, Thompson said, of the place to discuss the matter.

He noted that the 40% fee revenue has been used to buy things such as weapons, tactical equipment and carpeting so it wouldnt come out of taxpayers wallets.

Trelka said he was worried about some expenses such as bouncy houses and cotton candy machines that were used for the sheriffs office family night. Trelka pointed out that for the employees night put on by the supervisors, a bake sale was used to fundraise money.

Thompson responded that every Tuesday during supervisor meetings, expenditures are approved.

After about 30 minutes of discussion, others chimed in about the topics sudden appearance on the board agenda.

The first time I became aware of this was back in April when the finance director took it to me, attorney Michael Treinen said. Since then, the first time it was brought to my attention was Thursday of last week. If people have questions, maybe we dig into those questions before we try and take the action first.

Supervisor Linda Laylin seconded this, saying she wants to feel more comfortable in the issue.

Laylin was joined by Supervisors Tom Little, Chris Schwartz and Craig White in voted against the resolutions approval.

Little said he voted no because it would give him the option to bring the issue back up at a later board meeting.
DES MOINES  MidAmerican Energy is sending an emergency response team to Georgia to assist with Hurricane Ian restoration efforts.

At the request of Georgia Power, MidAmerican sent an emergency response team consisting of nearly 80 employees, including line crews, supervisory and support teams, as well as utility trucks and equipment.

Team members, who work across MidAmericans service area, volunteered for the assignment.

Crews departed from the Quad Cities early Wednesday morning and will travel to a staging location in the Atlanta area Friday morning. Its not yet clear how long crews will be in hurricane-impacted areas, though they are prepared for a two-week effort, if needed.
WATERLOO  Tributes to the Cedar Valleys veterans are beginning to pop up in downtown.

Main Street Waterloo showcased the first Veterans Way signage earlier this week. A ribbon cutting ceremony was held with officials from the city of Waterloo, Main Street Waterloo, Experience Waterloo, the Waterloo Exchange Club and Nagle Signs.

Any opportunity we have to support veterans  is absolutely important, Mayor Quentin Hart said during the ceremony. This is just one piece of work.

At least 60 banner signs on light poles along Fourth Street will honor local veterans, said Jessica Rucker, Main Street Waterloos executive director. The signs, produced by Nagle Signs, will feature the veterans names and how they served the country.

Members of the community can apply at waterlooveteransway.com starting in October to sponsor signs. The Waterloo Exchange Club will continue taking applications until March. The banners will then go up from Memorial Day to Veterans Day. The cost to sponsor one is still being determined.

Each year, different veterans will be featured on the signs.

Theres so many we want to honor, Rucker said. In addition, there will be gift certificates available for Christmas to buy a banner.

The installation of the first banner signs coincides with construction underway at the Waterloo Convention Center. The Five Sullivan Brothers memorial is currently being installed.

Veterans Way includes the Iowa Veterans Museum at 503 South St., Veterans Memorial Park on Cedar Street, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Monument on East Fourth Street and the location of the Sullivan Brothers home at 98 Adams St.

Other projects along the route downtown are also taking place. The Fourth Street Bridge river lighting project is set to be complete sometime in October.
The woman in charge of leading the federal disaster response to Hurricane Ian is drawing upon years of experience coordinating emergency efforts on Covid-19, wildfires, flooding and other crises.

Deanne Bennett Criswell, who has been leading the Federal Emergency Management Agency since April 2021 as its first female administrator, has been warning of the looming dangers of Ian since it began pummeling Florida.

"Hurricane Ian is and will continue to be a very dangerous and life-threatening storm, and this is going to be for the days ahead," Criswell said at a news conference Wednesday morning.

FEMA has search and rescue coordination teams staged in Miami and 128,000 gallons of fuel ready for rapid deployment, and the agency has moved in a variety of generators of all sizes and types to restore power to critical infrastructure and medical facilities, Criswell said.

Coordinating the federal response to Ian's wrath will be among the toughest assignments of Criswell's career.

As the head of FEMA during the Biden administration, she's created initiatives to support the US health care system in the age of Covid and, more recently, was tasked with aiding the federal response to the water crisis in Jackson, Mississippi.

Prior to that, she was the commissioner of the New York City Emergency Management Department for two years, a time that overlapped with the coronavirus outbreak. At times in the earliest days of the outbreak, personal protective equipment was so scarce that city officials were using rain ponchos and garbage bags instead of surgical gowns.

"Us all being 'in it together' meant we were all competing for the same resources," Criswell said when she recounted her experience earlier this year. "Necessity drove innovation and there wasn't a problem in front of us that didn't require a do-it-yourself solution."

Criswell started her emergency management career in Aurora, Colorado, as head of the city's emergency management and dealt with the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina as she worked to secure housing for evacuees and reunite families.

She served in the Colorado National Guard for more than two decades and was deployed to Kuwait and Qatar, according to her official FEMA biography. She also worked as a firefighter.

During the Obama administration, Criswell worked at FEMA leading one of the Agency's National Incident Management Assistance Teams, where she was in charge of response and recovery for flooding, hurricanes and wildfires, according to the agency.

Criswell obtained her bachelor's degree in technology education and training at Colorado State University in 2003. According to the school, she attended with hopes of becoming the first college graduate in her family. Criswell went on to get her master's degree in public administration from the University of Colorado in 2006.

She also holds a master's degree in Security Studies from the Naval Postgraduate School, Center for Homeland Defense and Security, according to her FEMA biography.

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DES MOINES  Jerry Foxhoven, the former head of the Iowa Department of Human Services, filed an appeal this week with the Iowa Supreme Court to reconsider his wrongful termination lawsuit against Gov. Kim Reynolds and the state of Iowa.

A Polk County District Court judge appointed by Reynolds in 2018 dismissed Foxhovens suit last month. Foxhoven alleges he was fired by Reynolds in June 2019, after two years on the job, because he refused to engage in Medicaid fraud.

According to the suit, Foxhoven objected to paying a portion of the salary of a former DHS employee who transferred to the governors office, which he believe was a false claim for payment of Medicaid funds, as the employee no longer performed duties related to Iowa Medicaid.

Foxhoven alleges he told Reynolds staff he planned to report the issue to the Iowa Attorney Generals Office, but was terminated before he had the chance.

In her Aug. 31 ruling, District Court Judge Sarah Crane wrote that as an officer of the state in one of the highest positions in state government, Foxhoven served at the pleasure of the governor.

Foxhoven, in his suit, claimed protection as a whistleblower under both state and federal law. Crane, however, ruled that Foxhoven could not bring a claim under the False Claims Act. The statute allows whistleblowers to sue people or entities that are defrauding the government and recover damages and penalties on the governments behalf.

Crane, though, wrote that federal courts have held the statute was intended to ensure independent contractors could sue and was not intended to allow suits against a state and state officials acting in their official capacity.

Des Moines attorney Thomas Duff, who is representing Foxhoven, argues the district court determined Reynolds was entitled to discretionary function immunity, but never commented on the factual merits of the lawsuit.

These are all purely legally defenses having nothing to do with the merits of the case, Duff told The Gazette. No one has ever said that what the governors and her staffs conduct on firing him was in any way legitimate or correct. We just havent gotten that far.

Reynolds office declined to comment on Foxhovens appeal.

FEDERAL GRANT AWARDED: Iowas Vocational Rehabilitation Services will receive a federal grant of $13.8 million over the next five years to support increasing access to well-paid jobs for people with disabilities.

Iowa is one of 14 states receiving a combined $177 million in grants from the federal Department of Education to provide employment opportunities at industry-standard wages to people with disabilities.

Federal labor law allows employers in some cases to pay people with disabilities less than minimum wage or below the prevailing wage for the job, if the disability affects the persons productivity in the job.

According to a news release, the grants will help decrease the use of subminimum wages and increase access to more competitive employment for workers with disabilities, where they will work alongside non-disabled workers. Job opportunities afforded by the grants include green jobs, essential industries, transportation and the arts.

Our Real Pay for Real Jobs Initiative is about Building a more equitable, inclusive workforce that thrives on the talents of Americans of all abilities. These grants will support innovative efforts underway across the country to provide educational opportunities to youth and adults with disabilities so they can secure better-paying jobs, build economic security, and lead more fulfilling, independent lives, U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona said in the news release.

JUDICIAL APPOINTMENT: Erik Howe, assistant Polk County Attorney from Polk City, has been appointed a district associate judge by Gov. Kim Reynolds. Howe will serve as an associate judge in Judicial Election District 5C, which is in Polk County.

Howe fills a vacancy created by the addition of new district associate judge positions created this year by state lawmakers and Reynolds.

WEBSITE FOR VOTERS: The state website with information for Iowa voters has been given a makeover just in time for this falls general election.

Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate announced that voterreadyiowa.iowa.gov has been updated and has all the information Iowa voters need, including how to register to vote, download an absentee ballot request form, track the status of an absentee ballot request, find where to vote, and learn important dates and deadlines for the November 8 election.

Pate said his office is promoting the website on myriad media platforms with the goal of informing Iowa voters about the upcoming election.

The Nov. 8 general election is less than six weeks away and voters are already requesting their absentee ballots. Lets keep Iowas great track record of being one of the best states in the nation for voter participation, Pate said in a news release.

IAB HEARING: The Iowa Utilities Board has scheduled an oral argument to clarify the scope of a petition for a proposed underground electric transmission line filed by SOO Green HVDC Link ProjectCo, LLC. The hearing will be 9 a.m. Dec. 15 at 1375 E. Court Ave. in Des Moines.

SOO Green has proposed a 174-mile electric transmission line that would cross through Allamakee, Cerro Gordo, Chickasaw, Clayton, Dubuque, Floyd, Jackson, and Winneshiek counties in Iowa.
Moscow insists on a probe into the circumstances of unprecedented attacks on Russian Nord Stream and Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, the Russian embassy to the United States said on Wednesday.

We note the attempts by some U.S. legislators to put blame on Russia for the incidents that occurred on Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 gas pipelines, it said.

Perhaps, they have a better view from the top of Capitol Hill. But if that is the case, they must also have seen the U.S. warships activities at the very site of the Russian infrastructure disruption just the day before. Or noticed drones and helicopters fly over there. Or observed U.S. Navy exercises with underwater explosives that have been conducted in the same area some time ago. Finally, they should have recalled the promises made by President Biden to bring an end to the Nord Stream 2 project.

What is obvious to us is that those who ponder about the incident seem to forget to ask the main question: who benefits from the pipelines rupture?

The answer is on the surface. The decades-long energy trade between Moscow and Europe has long turned into an eyesore for Washington strategists. Unable to offer a decent alternative to reliable and, no less importantly, cheap supplies of gas, the U.S. decided to squeeze out Russia as a competitor using non-market methods and sanctions, the embassy noted.

Washington is trying hard to get its allies hooked on an expensive and environmentally unfriendly LNG needle.

For our part, we insist on the need for a comprehensive and objective examination of the circumstances of the unprecedented attacks on Russian pipelines. To discuss this issue, the Russian Federation will convene an extraordinary meeting of the UN Security Council,

WtR
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When the free ferry that connected Fay Farons Algiers Point community to New Orleans French Quarter found itself on the chopping block, the former private investigator used her skills to research the history of the service and to organize protests against its demise. In her work to keep the ferry going, especially for the hospitality workers who use it to commute to their jobs, Faron, 73, often dressed as the Ferry Godmother to call attention to the cause. Heres how Farons role evolved.

Fay Faron: In 2001, I sold my detective agency in San Francisco and moved to Algiers Point, a quiet New Orleans neighborhood that was a short, free ferry ride from the French Quarter. A lot of my new neighbors depended on the ferry to get to work. After Hurricane Katrina, the state transportation department announced that it would be cutting the ferrys hours  stopping service at 10 p.m. That would have left a lot of restaurant workers unable to get to their shifts, since the hospitality business runs 24/7. So I decided to rally some neighbors to protest the cuts, and we got the state to back down. Thats how our nonprofit, Friends of the Ferry, got started.

Fast-forward to 2013, and the ferry system itself was on the chopping block due to budget cuts. I just knew it had to be saved. The service had been started in 1827, so it wasnt just a practical way to cross the river. It was our history and our heritage.

I started using my detective skills to get access to public records so we could arm ourselves with information. A reporter friend advised me to turn our protests into spectacles. When the news media comes out, she said, public officials come out too. So we protested in crazy costumes. Sometimes Id wear a midnight-blue dress and a tiara: the Ferry Godmother. Wed talk to people about what losing the ferry would mean, how it would increase traffic on the bridges. The ferry came within two weeks of being completely defunded, which was scary, but in the end, a solution was found: The state turned operations over to the city, which started charging a modest fee of $2 per ride, or $1 for students and seniors.

Being the Ferry Godmother is an ongoing volunteer job for me. I organize an annual fundraiser for the ferry, and I cook dinner for the crew every year on Christmas Day. I also field dozens of calls a week from people with questions about ferry service. And Im working to expand high-speed ferry service. We could be so much more connected.

People often run into roadblocks and think, Thats it. Its over. But Ive learned that as long as you keep trying, youre still in the middle of a process. If you want to win, just keep going.


Update on Loyalty Options Offer

Perth, Sep 28, 2022 AEST (ABN Newswire) - As announced by BPH Energy Limited ( ASX:BPH ) on 18 August 2022, it is the Company's intention to undertake a Loyalty Options Offer of one (1) loyalty option (Loyalty Option) at a subscription price of $0.004 for every eight (8) Shares held by all Shareholders with a registered address in Australia or New Zealand on the record date (Loyalty Options Offer). The Loyalty Options will have an exercise price of $0.03 and expire on 30 September 2024.



Holders of existing Options will not be entitled to participate in the Loyalty Option issue in respect of any existing Options that they hold, unless those existing Options have been validly exercised (and resulting Shares are allotted and issued) before the Record Date.



The Directors wish to amend the proposed timetable that was released on 18 August 2022 for the Loyalty Options Offer, such that the lodgment of the prospectus and Record Date will be deferred for a short period of time, and the balance of the timetable will be adjusted accordingly.



The Company will further announce to the market once the revised indicative timetable for the Loyalty Options Offer is finalized.





About BPH Energy Limited





BPH Energy Limited (ASX:BPH) is an Australian Securities Exchange listed company developing biomedical research and technologies within Australian Universities and Hospital Institutes.

The company provides early stage funding, project management and commercialisation strategies for a direct collaboration, a spin out company or to secure a license.

BPH provides funding for commercial strategies for proof of concept, research and product development, whilst the institutional partner provides infrastructure and the core scientific expertise.

BPH currently partners with several academic institutions including The Harry Perkins Institute for Medical Research and Swinburne University of Technology (SUT).
The Kirtland Partnership Committee, along with key members of the state of New Mexico and local business leaders, have made it easier and more desirable for military personnel to transition to the great state of New Mexico with their families by relieving the burden and red tape associated with transferring professional licenses from other states.

On Aug. 19, the New Mexico Supreme Court adopted a military spouse limited law license for spouses of active duty service members stationed in New Mexico. This was the final profession of nine focused on by the U.S. Air Force that scored red to receive expedited licensure and reciprocity of licensure for military spouses in the state of New Mexico. The law license change takes effect Oct. 1.

The success of this effort has been reflected in the U.S. Air Force report card on military installations. All N.M. Air Force bases have previously scored yellow in a Red/Yellow/Green scoring criteria concerning the reciprocity of licensure area. Changes approved in HB 120, HB 30 and the approval of Military Spouse Law License have pushed New Mexico to a green score and further opened the door of opportunity for our military bases to continue growing, but, most importantly, to support our military families.

The U.S. Department of Defense has been clear in its assessment of how local communities hosting military installations will be evaluated for future mission assignments. The DOD and U.S. Air Force are focused on enhancing quality of life for military members and their families, affordable and quality off-base housing, availability of childcare, quality of education for military children, and reciprocity of licensure for spouses and their families. The ability of military spouses to quickly get licensed to support the family is so very important to the morale, recruitment and retention of military staff. New Mexico has the honor to host three U.S. Air Force bases in New Mexico, including KAFB in Albuquerque. Since military personnel are typically in our state for two to three years, the ability to get a license within 30 days is essential. Military spouses are a resource in New Mexicos workforce; they include attorneys; medical staff, including doctors and nurses; and teachers and educational support staff, among many professions. The effort to recognize the professional licenses of existing military spouses will benefit any branch of the DOD and improve the quality of life of military families no matter their branch of service.

The effort to establish reciprocity has been ongoing, with legislators working with military officials, state officials and community leaders for more than eight years. We have finally seen the product of everyones hard work and determination pay off in a big way. New Mexico has taken the lead on licensure reciprocity for military spouses, and other states are taking notice. The approval of the military spouse attorney limited license by the New Mexico Supreme Court will ensure our military bases are retaining and recruiting military personnel by providing them the means to have the best quality of life for their families, while sustaining the militarys economic presence in the state of New Mexico.

The core of this effort will ensure that our military members and their families are taken care of, and that our military bases have the opportunity to bring more military personnel to our communities. Expediting and waiving fees for licensures of spouses, dependents and veterans in New Mexico shows the states and community members commitment to our military installations and service members.
I took the Rail Runner recently for the first time. My eyes have long forgotten the beauty of New Mexico, as it is easy to just focus on the troubled parts.

I was impressed by the whole operation: the cleanliness of the station (Montano), the cleanliness of the train (three levels!) and the friendliness of the staff. There were even hipsters sitting at the tables with their coffee and laptops and many bicycle people talking about concerts and hikes. It made me think I had somehow been sent back in time and was living in Portland again. However, the best part were the tourists.

Tourists? Really? People actually plan, save up money and look forward to their trip to New Mexico? Why? Did they somehow miss all the negative news?

As the trip began, it was hard not to start seeing New Mexico through a tourists eyes. I heard the many comments about the ever-present Sandia Mountains, which are truly majestic, the clear blue sky with the one perfect little puffy cloud, the exoticness of passing through so many pueblos on our short trip  What is Tewa? Honey, get a picture of the Sandia Pueblo sign!

A large group of beautiful kids got on the train at the Sandia stop. They were all so engaged in listening to one of the older kids telling some random story that you could feel the familiarity, safety and connection they felt toward each other.

I heard comments about the beauty of the art our graffiti artists have left behind. When we passed the obligatory cows and horses, which was often, they all looked content and healthy.

The kids grew excited about going through the various tunnels situated along our route, even though the longest one is like 30 seconds max. I heard the surprise in peoples voices as we passed several lakes along our route; I was actually surprised as well. I heard a kid say Where are the cowboys and dinosaurs? Dont they live in rocks like that?

Finally we entered Santa Fe, The City Different  a moniker that always made me want to gag  realizing, holy cow, it is different. That got me thinking about how New Mexico is different and unique in so many beautiful and positive ways, so full of culture and art and community that its easy to forget about it all when we are constantly reminded of the negatives.

I must say it was worth every penny of the $2.25 I paid for my little adventure.
Imagine having to rely on hand-pumped wells, windmills, earth dams and snowdrifts to gather enough water  untreated at that  to drink, cook, bathe, water livestock.

Such has been the stark reality for many indigenous New Mexicans living in the northwest corner of the state, though that is changing thanks to a major water infrastructure project that got rolling during the Obama administration and has recently benefited from the $1 trillion infrastructure deal Congress passed last year.

The Bureau of Reclamation announced Friday it awarded a $73 million contract for two pumping plants on the Navajo-Gallup Water Supply Project, near the Navajo community of Sanostee in San Juan County. They will be part of a network of pipelines and pumping stations to deliver treated water from the San Juan River to chapters on the Navajo Nation and Jicarilla Apache reservation and Gallup.

Ground water levels for the city of Gallup have dropped approximately 200 feet over the past 10 years, and more than 40% of Navajo Nation households rely on hauling water to meet their daily needs, according to the bureau. Inadequate water supply also impacts the ability of the Jicarilla Apache people to live and work outside the reservation town of Dulce, N.M.

The project was authorized for construction by the Omnibus Public Lands Management Act of 2009 as a major component of the Navajo Nation San Juan River Basin Water Rights Settlement in New Mexico. Its expected to be completed by the Bureau of Reclamation in 2027 with a final price tag near $1 billion.

It is shocking that in 2022 people in our state still lack access to clean water, and will for the next five long years. If the pandemic taught us nothing else, it is that access to clean water is essential for everyones health.

This editorial first appeared in the Albuquerque Journal. It was written by members of the editorial board and is unsigned as it represents the opinion of the newspaper rather than the writers.
Copyright  2022 Albuquerque Journal

The Albuquerque Police Department released the name of a man who was shot by police after allegedly firing at officers overnight Monday at an apartment off East Central.

APD spokeswoman Rebecca Atkins said 26-year-old Oron Newson is recovering from his injuries at a hospital and once released will be facing multiple felony charges.

Atkins said police were called to a dispute between Newson and a neighbor at the Whispering Sands complex when he barricaded himself inside an apartment.

She said when police tried to negotiate with Newson he fired at officers and one officer fired back.

Initially, officers thought (Newson) was not wounded, Atkins said. SWAT was called out to assist and upon (Newson) surrendering the wound was found and (he was) taken to the hospital to be treated.

Police Chief Harold Medina said the incident began with an argument over a parking spot at the complex, exacerbated by alcohol and a gun.

Court records show Newson has been charged three times since 2018 with pointing a gun at someone, twice while intoxicated. Two of those cases have been dismissed due to witnesses not cooperating.

Two of the cases happened in the past several months and Newson had a warrant out for his arrest in one of the incidents when the police shooting occurred, according to court records. In that case, on July 30, a tenant at the Whispering Sands apartments told police a neighbor  later identified as Newson  walked into his apartment and pointed a gun at him.

The man told police, according to court records, he tried to de-escalate but Newson tried to fight him before leaving with the gun. Police identified the neighbor as Newson by distinct tattoos viewed on the victims Ring camera.

The police shooting happened at the same complex months later.

Chase Jewell, an APD spokesperson, said in an initial release that police responded around 11 p.m. to the complex for a dispute. He said one of the people involved in the dispute, identified as Newson, then barricaded inside an apartment.

While officers were working on negotiating with this individual, shots were fired, Jewell said. It was reported that this individual had fired at police and at least one officer had discharged their firearm.

Ivonne Wilson, Newsons grandmother, said his family loves him and she is glad hes going to be OK.

Im just sorry it happened, she said. Like a lot of young people, hes young and just trying to find his way and things happen.
Copyright  2022 Albuquerque Journal

Authorities have arrested an Albuquerque man in the death of his infant daughter earlier this year.

Adam Garcia, 24, was charged late last month with child abuse in the March 16 death of 5-month-old Trinity Garcia.

U.S. Marshals arrested Garcia on Wednesday and he will be booked into the Metropolitan Detention Center, said Rebecca Atkins, an Albuquerque police spokeswoman. Its unclear who Garcias attorney will be.

Nicole Dimas, Trinitys mother, told the Journal that she was so excited when she found out she was having a girl last year. She and Garcia, her long-time boyfriend, had two young sons but she couldnt wait to have a daughter.

My pregnancy with her was very difficult and long awaited, Dimas said I was very happy when I finally had her, and then I didnt have her for very long.

On Feb. 13, officers were called to the University of New Mexico Hospital after Dimas brought Trinity in because the baby had trouble breathing, according to the complaint. Doctors discovered the girl had a brain bleed and inexplicable bruising to her face.

Dimas told police Trinity had been sick for 10 days but had been her usual playful self the day before and nobody had dropped the baby. She said Garcia had recently been staying with her at the familys home in Southeast Albuquerque.

Dimas told police she didnt allow Garcia to be alone with Trinity due to a previous incident where he shielded himself from police with one of their children, according to the complaint.

Garcia previously faced charges of child abuse and domestic violence. According to court records, he was charged with battery against a household member in November and the charge was dismissed through a diversion program. A year earlier, Garcia was charged with child abuse, battery against a household member and criminal damage to property but those charges were dismissed by prosecutors. The specifics of those cases were unclear and no charging documents were available.

Police said Dimas told them Garcia left her when she was pregnant with Trinity citing his inability to handle and lack of desire for an additional child. She also said she didnt believe Garcia harmed Trinity but called him and asked if anything happened when he laid her down.

Dimas mother told police Garcia would spank the children but she never saw him excessively discipline them.

When he was interviewed, Garcia told officers Trinity could have been injured when she was placed into her crib, first saying I but changing the pronoun to we, according to the complaint. He said the bruising on Trinitys face could have come from scratching in her sleep.

Police said Trinitys condition was rapidly deteriorating and she died from her injuries on March 16. An autopsy found Trinity died from blunt head trauma and listed the death as a homicide.

Detectives searched Dimas phone and found messages she sent to Garcia, accusing him of killing their daughter and saying he was in for a rude awakening, according to the complaint.

Dimas told the Journal that taking her daughter off life support was an excruciating decision. She said she was by her daughters side every day during her month-long stay in the hospital.

One day my daughter was my daughter and the very next day she was literally brain dead, she said. Its crazy how it happened. My daughter was fine and then overnight she was not herself anymore.

Dimas said Trinity loved unicorns and Minnie Mouse and that she would dress her daughter in bows like the cartoon character.

Dimas said in her daughters short life Trinity had an impact on those around her, including the doctors and nurses who cared for her in the hospital.

She didnt have to do anything at all but just be there, the love that was in her was so strong she made everyone love her, Dimas said. On the very last day every single doctor and nurse came to pay their respects and wore unicorns.
Copyright  2022 Albuquerque Journal

WATERFLOW  The cawing of crows filled the air on Wednesday morning at the coal-fired San Juan Generating Station outside of Farmington.

Normally, workers must wear earplugs as they walk through the plant because the machinery is so noisy. But in the final hours before the generating station completely shut down on Wednesday, parts of the facility were nearly silent, making it easy to hear the echoey calls of birds roosting in the cavernous plant.

Five years ago, there were almost 300 workers at San Juan. By the end of this week, just 60 will remain, and they too will depart next month after safely shutting everything down.

You went out there back in the day  those big parking lots were full, said Shannon Fitzgerald, former plant worker and now assistant business manager for the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 611. It looked just like someone kicked an anthill.

The generating station has continuously provided electricity for Public Service Company of New Mexico and other utilities for 50 years.

But with the costs of coal generation hovering way above the declining costs for renewables, plus local and national pressure to transition to carbon-free resources, PNM and other plant co-owners agreed to completely close San Juan in 2017.

Two of the plants four generating units closed in December 2017, and a third unit shut down in June. The final unit remained online until this week to help PNM avoid blackouts during this summers heat waves.

Its the end of an era for many workers in Farmington and surrounding communities.

Power plant jobs used to be a career, Fitzgerald said. You can work there until you retire.

Fitzgerald knows the names of just about everyone at the plant. He worked there for 38 years before volunteering to be laid off in June, making his paid position at the union his new career going forward.

This week, hes witnessed the layoff of 50 other union members.

For five decades San Juans doors have never been locked. The plant ran 24/7 as workers rotated through 12-hour shifts.

But management has let the plants coal and chemical resources steadily deplete in anticipation of closure, said operations manager Curtis McGee. As of Wednesday, San Juan was down to its last pile of coal from the nearby San Juan Coal Mine, which itself shut down on Sept. 13. And on Wednesday morning, workers shoveled the last scoop of limestone, which is used to scrub out sulfur.

We have about a day or two of coal on the ground, McGee said. We just got this itty-bitty pile out there Its very unnerving to see that.

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Workers displaced

All San Juans laid-off workers must find new jobs, either within PNM or elsewhere, or retire. PNM is investing $20 million in economic development in the San Juan region, as well as $20 million for worker assistance. Its already spent more than $10 million in severance packages and $1.3 million in job training for affected employees, including 88 who received education funding assistance, said PNM spokesman Ray Sandoval.

Plant Director Rodney Warner saw San Juan being built in the 1970s. He started working there in 1979, and now hell retire as the plant shuts down.

Thats where I started my career, Warner said.

Neither Warner nor McGee plans on leaving Farmington. McGee has an elderly father who lives in Farmington and who he helps care for.

Ultimately, for me, it comes down to my family, McGee said.  I could have gone forward with PNM and probably found a place to land there. But I chose family over that.

McGee will open a small business after his last day on Sept. 29. But first, he plans to go hunting, he said.

Jack Dowdy is one of 48 employees that will take advantage of PNMs retraining programs and transfer within the utility rather than being laid off.

Dowdy moved to Farmington from Cloudcroft in 2003, and started working at the plant four years later as a contractor. He became a PNM employee in 2013.

He has deep roots at the San Juan. Both his grandfather and grandmother worked at the plant and retired from PNM. And his father was a supervisor there.

Dowdy himself planned to retire from the plant. He called it gut-wrenching to learn in 2017 that the plant would eventually close.

He transferred within PNM and moved to Albuquerque in 2019.

I didnt want to be competing against all my friends (for jobs) when the closure actually came, Dowdy said.

Although Dowdys wife and kids moved with him to Albuquerque, his dad remained in Farmington. Moving to a bigger city, away from his extended family, has been a difficult transition for Dowdy and his family.

Its definitely a change of environment, a change of pace, definitely a completely different animal for me to get used to, said Dowdy, who was promoted to PNM craft supervisor last year.

But he enjoys his work at PNM. He said hes able to learn new things every day, and plans to work for the company as long as theyll have me.

End of an era

Fitzgerald said that although many union workers want to stay in Farmington, there arent a lot of comparable jobs in the region that could utilize their skills or that offer similar pay.

Theres economic impacts all throughout, but the biggest economic impact is to each one of those guys that are working out there and getting displaced, Fitzgerald said.  Those members are my guys.

Although McGee and Warner both expressed pride in the work they and other employees have done at the plant, they said the end is bittersweet.

The hardest thing to walk away from, its not the facilities, its the people  the people and the relationships, McGee said.
Copyright  2022 Albuquerque Journal

Los Ranchos de Albuquerque trustees voted 3-0 to extend until the end of December a moratorium on applications for the villages Pilot Project and Conservation Development program, which requires a developer to give a percentage of a project site to the village for use as open space.

The vote, taken during a special trustees meeting on Wednesday, is the latest ripple in a controversy that has been boiling since village residents became aware this past summer that four high-density development projects  one of which had received final approval  were in the works for the Fourth and Osuna area.

That news was unacceptable for many residents of a village incorporated in 1958 in an effort to retain a rural and agricultural lifestyle. More than 600 residents signed a petition requesting that the mayor and trustees impose a moratorium on high-density projects.

Im not anti-development, but we would like quality development, not quantity development, said Joe Craig, president of the Friends of Los Ranchos. The identity of Los Ranchos is cranes and geese. We have open space and we have trails. And Im all for that.

On Aug. 15, village trustees responded by voting to put a moratorium on conservation development program applications until Sept. 30 and a moratorium on high-density developments in the villages retail commercial zones until Nov. 30.

During Wednesdays brief meeting, Village Administrator Ann Simon expressed the need to extend the moratorium deadline for conservation development applications.

The village is looking at changes in the ordinance and this just gives us more time to get it right, she said.

The moratoriums, however, affected only one of the four controversial projects which include:

 The Palindrome Development on the southeast corner of Fourth and Osuna, approved by village trustees in 2020, includes a three-story hotel; three apartment complexes, each three stories high; a 14,000-square-foot specialty grocery store; and up to 60 houses.

 Nijmegen Plaza Development, a 12-unit residential project at Willow and Fourth.

 Sandia View Development, apartment units on Sandia View, just west of Fourth.

 Chavez-Guadalupe Trail Cluster Development, 21 homes on 9.26 acres at the southwest corner of Chavez and Guadalupe Trail.

The Sandia View project is subject to the retail commercial zone moratorium because developers did not file an application with the village before the moratorium was imposed.

And the Nijmegen project, which met all village ordinance requirements as they now stand, was approved by trustees at the Sept. 14 meeting.

The massive Palindrome project is underway. Buildings which had occupied the project site have been demolished. However, the project is the target of a complaint filed in the 2nd Judicial District Court earlier this month on behalf of the Friends of Los Ranchos. The complaint states that the village acted improperly in designating the project site as blighted and selling the property to Palindrome, a Portland, Oregon, development company, for $1 per parcel.

It did not meet the definition of blight or slum, Craig said. If it did, you would have to blight the whole North Valley.

The Chavez-Guadalupe project is scheduled for review at a future trustees meeting. The project is the first and to date only applicant for the villages conservation development program, but despite the required percentage of open space, villagers decry turning a grassy 9 acres of bird and animal refuge into cluster housing.

Everyone is in favor of conservation, but not high-density development in the guise of conservation, said Robert Chavez of Keep Los Ranchos Rural.
WASHINGTON  Jill Biden on Tuesday hosted a reading by this years group of National Student Poets, including one from New Mexico, allowing each one to read their winning work in a White House room set up to mimic a coffee house.

Jesse Begay of the New Mexico School for the Arts in Santa Fe was among those who listened as the first lady said she herself has turned to poetry to find joy in other peoples words at times, including when shed lie awake consumed by worry or when she felt lost.

In the words of others, I found the contours of my own joy, she said. I found a place to lay down my fears. I found a compass that would lead me through the darkest of woods. And on the page, tangled in hurried lines, in smudges of ink, I found myself.

So its truly special to be able to welcome the 2022 National Student Poets, she said as the five high school poets sat behind her on high stools.

In the State Dining Room, books and knickknacks were stacked on the fireplace mantle beneath a portrait of Abraham Lincoln. A sandwich board advertised a poetry reading at 4:30 p.m. Votive candles flickered on round tables where some 60 guests had taken seats.

Ada Limon, the 24th poet laureate of the United States, called each student up to read their winning work. Biden congratulated the students after the reading and hugged each one.

Were not just celebrating poetry, Limon said. Were celebrating the future of poetry.

Aside from Begay, the 2022 National Student Poets, and their schools, are:

 Vidhatrie Keetha, Horace Mann School, Bronx, New York.

 Emily Igwike, University School of Milwaukee, Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

 Winslow Hastie Jr., Charleston County School of the Arts, North Charleston, South Carolina.

 Diane Sun, Interlake High School Bellevue, Washington.

Biden also recognized this years 10th anniversary of the National Student Poets Program, which was created in 2012. The program selects and provides scholarships annually to five student poets  one from each of the five U.S. geographical regions  to serve as literary ambassadors in their communities.
KYIV, Ukraine  Russia planned to annex more of Ukraine on Friday in an escalation of the seven-month war that was expected to isolate the Kremlin further, draw more international punishment and bring Ukraine extra military, political and economic support.

The annexation  and planned celebratory concerts and rallies in Moscow and the occupied territories  would come just days after voters supposedly approved Moscow-managed referendums that Ukrainian and Western officials have denounced as illegal, forced and rigged.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters Thursday that four regions of Ukraine  Luhansk, Donetsk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia  would be folded into Russia during a Kremlin ceremony attended by President Vladimir Putin, who is expected to give a major speech. Peskov said the regions pro-Moscow administrators would sign treaties to join Russia in the Kremlins ornate St. Georges Hall.

In an apparent response, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called an emergency meeting Friday of his National Security and Defense Council.

Zelenskyy also sought to capitalize on anti-war sentiment in Russia by issuing a special video directed at Russias ethnic minorities, especially those in Dagestan, one of the countrys poorer regions in the North Caucasus.

You do not have to die in Ukraine, he said, wearing a black hoodie that read in English Im Ukrainian, and standing in front of a plaque in Kyiv memorializing what he called a Dagestani hero. He called on the ethnic minorities to resist mobilization.

The U.S. and its allies have promised to adopt even more sanctions than theyve already levied against Russia and to offer millions of dollars in extra support for Ukraine as the Kremlin duplicates the annexation playbook it followed when it incorporated Ukraines Crimean Peninsula in 2014.

Putin early Friday issued decrees recognizing the independence of the Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions, steps he had taken in February regarding Luhansk and Donetsk and earlier for Crimea.

Ukraine has repeated its vows to recapture the four regions, as well as Crimea. For its part, Russia pledges to defend all its territory  including newly annexed regions  by all available means, including nuclear weapons.

Heightening the tensions are Russias partial military mobilization and allegations of sabotage of two Russian pipelines on the Baltic Sea floor that were designed to feed natural gas to Europe. Adding to the Kremlins woes are Ukraines success in recapturing some of the very land Russia is annexing and problems with the mobilization that President Vladimir Putin acknowledged Thursday.

Ukraines Western supporters have described the stage-managed referendums on whether to live under Russian rule as a bald-faced land grab based on lies. They say some people were forced to vote at gunpoint in an election without independent observers on territory from which thousands of residents have fled or been forcibly deported.

In unusually strong language, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told reporters Thursday in New York that Russias annexation would violate the U.N. Charter and has no legal value. He described the move as a dangerous escalation and said it must not be accepted.

Any decision by Russia to go forward will further jeopardize the prospects for peace, Guterres said.

As a veto-wielding permanent member of the U.N. Security Council, Russia bears a particular responsibility to respect the U.N. Charter, the secretary-general said.

U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said Guterres conveyed the message to Russias U.N. ambassador, Vassily Nebenzia, on Wednesday.

The European Union also objected strongly.

Its absolutely unacceptable, said Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky, whose country holds the European Union presidency. We reject such one-sided annexation based on a fully falsified process with no legitimacy.

Lipavsky described the pro-Russia referendums as theater play and insisted the regions remain Ukrainian territory.

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said Russias moves were the opposite of peace.

As long as this Russian diktat prevails in the occupied territories of Ukraine, no citizen is safe. No citizen is free, he said.

In what would be a major blow to Moscows war effort, the Washington-based Institute for the Study of War said Ukrainian forces may soon encircle Lyman, 160 kilometers (100 miles) southeast of Kharkiv, Ukraines second-largest city.

The collapse of the Lyman pocket will likely be highly consequential to the Russian grouping in the northern Donetsk and western Luhansk regions and may allow Ukrainian troops to threaten Russian positions along the western Luhansk region, the institute said, citing Russian reports.

Elsewhere on the battlefront:

 Rescuers pulled a sleeping 12-year-old girl alive from rubble after a Russian missile attack on Dnipro, local administrator Valentyn Reznichenko said.

 Moscow-installed officials in Ukraines northeastern Kharkiv region reported that about 30 people were killed when the Ukrainian military shelled a refugee convoy.

 A Russian rocket attack on Kramatorsk, an eastern Donetsk city that Ukraine still holds, wounded 11 people and inflicted damage, Mayor Oleksandr Honcharenko said.

 More fighting near the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant  Europes biggest  was another source of concern. Russian forces occupy the plant, but Ukrainian technicians are running it. A suspected land mine explosion on the plants perimeter fence, likely triggered by wild animals, damaged electrical lines, according to Ukraines atomic power agency, Energoatom.

Russias partial mobilization has been chaotic and unpopular, triggering protests and violence. Russian men have formed miles-long lines trying to leave the country, and Moscow set up draft offices at its borders to intercept some of those fleeing.

In an apparent effort to calm the population in the face of domestic criticism and confusion, Putin told Russias Security Council on Thursday that mistakes had been made in the mobilization. He said Russian men mistakenly called up should be sent home and that only reservists with proper training and specialties should be summoned to serve.

Multiple reports have surfaced of Russian men outside the eligible categories being forced to serve, and of reservists being provided inadequate training and equipment.

British military intelligence claimed the number of Russian military-age men fleeing likely exceeds the forces Moscow used to invade Ukraine in February, and said many of those leaving are well educated, causing a brain drain.

Finland closed one of the last ways out for Russians. Its banning Russian citizens with tourist visas from entering the country starting Friday. With the exception of Norway, which has only one border crossing with Russia, Finland has provided the last easily accessible land route for Russian holders of Schengen visas, which allow free movement across much of Europe.

Regarding the sabotage that hit Russian gas pipelines to Europe this week, Peskov claimed Thursday it looks like a terror attack, probably conducted on a state level.

Its a very dangerous situation that requires a quick investigation, he said, dismissing media reports about Russian warships detected in the area as stupid and biased, claiming that many more NATO aircraft and ships have been spotted there.

NATO warned Thursday that it would retaliate for any attacks on the critical infrastructure of its 30 member countries and joined other Western officials in citing sabotage as the likely cause of the pipeline damage.

___

Andrew Katell in New York and Edith M. Lederer at the United Nations contributed to this report.

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Follow the APs coverage of the war at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine
BANGKOK  A court in military-ruled Myanmar convicted former leader Aung San Suu Kyi in another criminal case Thursday and sentenced Australian economist Sean Turnell to three years in prison for violating Myanmars official secrets act, a legal official said.

Suu Kyi received a three-year sentence after being convicted with Turnell under the secrets law, said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he is not authorized to release information about the case.

Three members of her Cabinet were also found guilty, each receiving sentences of three years.

Turnell was also convicted of violating immigration law, for which he was given a three-year sentence to be served concurrently with the term for violating the secrets law. The 20 months he has already spent in detention will be deducted from his sentence, leaving him less than a year and a half to serve.

Turnell, 58, an associate professor in economics at Sydneys Macquarie University, had served as an adviser to Suu Kyi, who was detained in the capital Naypyitaw when her elected government was ousted by the army on Feb. 1, 2021.

Family and friends expressed hope he will soon be freed and deported, as has occurred with other foreigners in Myanmar convicted of political offenses, though less serious ones.

Its heartbreaking for me, our daughter, Seans 85-year-old father, and the rest of our family to hear that my husband, Professor Sean Turnell, was convicted and sentenced to 3 years imprisonment, his wife Ha Vu, also an economist, said on her Facebook page. Sean has been one of Myanmars greatest supporters for over 20 years and has worked tirelessly to strengthen Myanmars economy.

My husband has already been in a Myanmar prison for almost 2/3 of his sentence, she added. Please consider the contributions that he has made to Myanmar, and deport him now!

Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wongs office rejected the courts ruling and called for Turnells immediate release. Decrying that he had been unjustly detained, her office said Australian diplomats were denied access to the court hearing for the verdict.

We will continue to take every opportunity to advocate strongly for Professor Turnell until he has returned to his family in Australia, it said in a statement.

Tim Harcourt, a longtime friend, said Turnell is a great economist, nice bloke and a great human being. His main cause in life is to reduce poverty around the world and hed developed particular expertise in Myanmar.

Hopefully common sense and justice can prevail and Sean can return to his wife and family in Australia soon, said Harcourt, a professor at the University of Technology Sydney.

Turnell was arrested five days after the military takeover by security forces at a hotel in Yangon, the countrys biggest city. He had arrived back in Myanmar from Australia less than a month before that to take up a new position as a special consultant to Suu Kyi. As director of the Myanmar Development Institute, he had already lived in Naypyitaw for several years.

The day after the militarys takeover, he posted on Twitter: Safe for now but heartbroken for what all this means for the people of Myanmar. The bravest, kindest people I know. They deserve so much better.

The five co-defendants were charged on the basis of documents seized from Turnell. The exact details of their offense have not been made public, though state television said last year that Turnell had access to secret state financial information and had tried to flee the country.

Turnell and Suu Kyi denied the allegations when they testified in their defense at the trial in August.

Myanmars colonial-era official secrets act criminalizes the possession, collection, recording, publishing, or sharing of state information that is directly or indirectly, useful to an enemy. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 14 years in prison.

The trial, like the others involving Suu Kyi, was held in a purpose-built prison courtroom and was closed to the media and the public. Defense lawyers were barred by a gag order from revealing details of the proceedings.

The multiple criminal cases brought against the 77-year-old Suu Kyi are widely seen as an effort to discredit her and to prevent her return to politics.

She had already been sentenced to 20 years imprisonment after being convicted of illegally importing and possessing walkie-talkies, violating coronavirus restrictions, sedition, election fraud and five corruption charges.

Suu Kyi is still being tried on seven counts under the countrys anti-corruption law, with each count punishable by up to 15 years in prison and a fine.

Defense lawyers are expected to file appeals in the secrets case in the coming days for Turnell, Suu Kyi and three former ministers: Soe Win and Kyaw Win, both former ministers for planning and finance, and Set Aung, a former deputy minister in the same ministry, the legal official said.

Australia has repeatedly demanded Turnells release. Last year, it suspended its defense cooperation with Myanmar and began redirecting humanitarian aid because of the military takeover and Turnells ongoing detention.

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, when he visited Myanmar in January this year, asked for Turnells release in a meeting with the leader of ruling military council. Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing replied that he would consider it positively.

The U.N. Special Envoy on Myanmar Noeleen Heyzer said she conveyed a specific request from Australia for Turnells release when she met with Min Aung Hlaing in August. Myanmars government said the general replied that, should the Australian government take positive steps, we will not need to take stern actions.

According to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, a rights monitoring organization, 15,683 people have been detained on political charges in Myanmar since the army takeover, with 12,540 of those remaining in detention. At least 2,324 civilians have been killed by security forces in the same period, the group says, though the number is thought to be far higher.

Myanmar has been in turmoil since the takeover, which led to nationwide protests that the military government quashed with deadly force, triggering armed resistance that some U.N. experts now characterize as civil war.

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Associated Press writer Rod McGuirk in Canberra, Australia, contributed to this report.
VATICAN CITY  The Catholic Churchs decades-long sex abuse scandal caught up with a Nobel Peace Prize winner Thursday, with the Vatican confirming that it had sanctioned the East Timor independence hero, Bishop Carlos Ximenes Belo, following allegations that he sexually abused boys there during the 1990s.

The Vatican admission came a day after a Dutch magazine, De Groene Amsterdammer, exposed the claims against the revered Catholic bishop, citing two of Belos alleged victims and reporting there were others who hadnt come forward in East Timor, where the church wields enormous influence.

Spokesman Matteo Bruni said the Vatican office that handles sex abuse cases received allegations concerning the bishops behavior in 2019 and within a year had imposed the restrictions. They included limitations on Belos movements and his exercise of ministry, and prohibited him from having voluntary contact with minors or contact with East Timor.

In a statement, Bruni said the sanctions were modified and reinforced in November 2021 and that Belo had formally accepted the punishment on both occasions.

The Vatican provided no explanation, however, for why St. John Paul II allowed Belo to resign as head of the church in East Timor two decades early in 2002, and why church authorities permitted him to be sent to Mozambique, where he worked with children.

News of Belos behavior sent shock waves through the heavily Catholic, impoverished Southeast Asian nation, where he is regarded as a hero for fighting to win East Timors independence from Indonesian rule.

We are here also in shock to hear this news, an official at the archdiocese of Dili in East Timor said Thursday, speaking to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.

Others said they would stand with Belo for his contributions to the country and its struggle for independence.

We accept and submit to any decision issued by the Vatican on the allegation against Bishop Carlos Ximenes Belo, whether it is right or wrong, said Gregoriu Saldanha, who chairs the November 12th Committee, a youth organization established after a massacre at Santa Cruz during Indonesias occupation of East Timor.

He said at a news conference in Dili that we will still stand with Bishop Belo, because we realize, as a human being, Belo has weaknesses or mistakes like others. If he does wrongdoing, its his individual fault, nothing to do with the religion.

He added that We cannot ignore his kindness and what he has fought for the people of East Timor. Belo is part of our struggle for independence. As a leader of the Catholic church, he has provided supports and solidarity for the peoples struggle.

De Groene Amsterdammer said two alleged victims, identified only as Paulo and Roberto, reported being abused by Belo and said other boys were also victims. It said its investigation showed that Belos abuse was known to the East Timorese government and to humanitarian and church workers.

The bishop raped and sexually abused me that night, Roberto was quoted as telling the magazine. Early in the morning he sent me away. I was afraid because it was still dark. So I had to wait before I could go home. He also left money for me. That was meant so that I would keep my mouth shut. And to make sure I would come back.

Belo won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1996 with fellow East Timorese independence icon Jose Ramos-Horta for campaigning for a fair and peaceful solution to conflict in their home country as it struggled to gain independence from Indonesia, a former Dutch colony.

The Norwegian Nobel Committee, in its citation, praised Belos courage in refusing to be intimidated by Indonesian forces. The committee noted that while trying to get the United Nations to arrange a plebiscite for East Timor, he smuggled out two witnesses to a bloody 1991 massacre so they could testify to the U.N. human rights commission in Geneva.

The Nobel Committee declined to respond to the allegations, other than to say it generally doesnt comment on past laureates. In a recent exception, the committee rebuked its 2019 winner, the Ethiopian prime minister, over the war and humanitarian crisis in the Tigray region.

Ramos-Horta went on to become president of East Timor, a former Portuguese colony. Upon his return Thursday from the United States, where he addressed the U.N. General Assembly, Ramos-Horta was asked about the allegations against Belo and deferred to the Vatican. I prefer to await further action from the Holy See, he said.

The United Nations called the allegations truly shocking, and said they must be fully investigated, according to a statement from U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric.

Belo, who was believed to be living in Portugal, didnt respond when reached by telephone by Radio Renascenca, the private broadcaster of the Portuguese church.

Belo is a priest of the Salesians of Don Bosco, a Roman Catholic religious order that has long had influence at the Vatican. The Portuguese branch of the Salesians said Thursday that it learned with great sadness and astonishment of the news.

The branch distanced itself from Belo, saying he hadnt been linked to the order since he took charge in East Timor. However, Belo is still a Salesian bishop, listed in the Vatican yearbook by his Salesian initials SDB at the end of his name.

As regards issues covered in the news, we have no knowledge that would allow us to comment, the Salesian statement said.

It said the Portuguese Salesians took in Belo at the request of their superiors after he left East Timor in 2002 and because he was highly regarded, but said he had done no pastoral work in Portugal.

The Dutch magazine said its research indicated that Belo also abused boys in the 1980s before he became a bishop when he worked at an education center run by the Salesians.

Paulo, now 42, told the Dutch magazine he was abused once by Belo at the bishops residence in East Timors capital, Dili. He asked to remain anonymous for the privacy and safety of himself and his family, the magazine said.

I thought: This is disgusting. I wont go there any more, the magazine quoted him as saying.

Roberto, who also asked to remain anonymous, said he was abused more often, starting when he was about 14 after a religious celebration in his hometown. Roberto later moved to Dili, where the alleged abuse continued at the bishops residence, the Dutch magazine reported.

It is unclear whether or when any alleged victims ever came forward to local church, law enforcement or Vatican authorities.

St. John Paul II accepted Belos resignation as apostolic administrator of Dili on Nov. 26, 2002, when he was 54. The Vatican announcement at the time cited canon law that allows bishops under the normal retirement age of 75 to retire for health reasons or for some other grave reasons that make them unable to continue.

In 2005, Belo told UCANews, a Catholic news agency, that he resigned because of stress and poor health. Belo had no other episcopal career after that, and Groene Amsterdammer said he moved to Mozambique and worked as a priest there.

Belo told UCANews he moved to Mozambique after consulting with the head of the Vaticans missionary office, Cardinal Cresenzio Sepe, and agreed to work there for a year and expected to return to East Timor.

I do pastoral work by teaching catechism to children, giving retreats to young people. I have descended from the top to the bottom, UCANews quoted Belo as saying.

Efforts to reach Sepe, who is now retired, were not successful.

By 2002, when Belo retired as head of the church in East Timor, the sex abuse scandal had just exploded publicly in the United States and the Vatican had just begun to crack down on abusive priests, requiring all cases of abuse to be sent to the Vatican for review.

Bishops, however, were exempted from that requirement. Only in 2019 did Pope Francis pass a church law requiring all sexual misconduct against bishops to be reported internally, and providing a mechanism to investigate the claims, suggesting the new law triggered the Vatican to take action in Belos case.

It is possible that Belos sexual activity with teens was dismissed by the Vatican in the early 2000s if it involved 16- or 17-year-olds, since the Vatican in those years considered such activity to be sinful but consensual. Only in 2010 did the Vatican raise the age of consent to 18.

Belo is not the only church official in East Timor accused of abuse. A defrocked American priest, Richard Daschbach, was found guilty last year by a Dili court of sexually abusing orphaned and disadvantaged young girls under his care and was sentenced to 12 years in prison, the first such case of its kind in the country.

___

Meilana reported from Dili, East Timor. Alves reported from Lisbon, Portugal. Mike Corder in Amsterdam and Edith Lederer at the United Nations contributed.
PANMUNJOM, Korea  In a show of defiance, North Korea fired two short-range ballistic missiles into the sea on Thursday, hours after U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris flew home from a visit to South Korea during which she traveled to the Demilitarized Zone separating the two Koreas and emphasized the ironclad U.S. commitment to the security of its Asian allies.

It was the third round of missile launches by North Korea this week, extending a record pace in weapons testing as it accelerates a push to expand its arsenal and pressure Washington to accept it as a nuclear power.

South Koreas Joint Chiefs of Staff said the missiles were fired nine minutes apart from an area just north of the capital, Pyongyang, and flew toward waters between the Korean Peninsula and Japan.

Japans military said it also detected the launches. North Korea fired two short-range ballistic missiles on Wednesday, while Harris was in Japan, and one before she left Washington on Sunday.

Harris earlier capped her four-day trip to Asia with a meeting with South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and a stop at the Demilitarized Zone, where she addressed the threat posed by the increasingly hostile North.

There are concerns that North Korea may soon conduct a nuclear test, which would move the country closer to being acknowledged as a full-fledged nuclear power.

Visiting the DMZ has become something of a ritual for American leaders hoping to show their resolve to stand firm against aggression.

At the DMZ, Harris went to the top of a ridge, near guard towers and security cameras. She looked through bulky binoculars as a South Korean officer pointed out military installations on the southern side. Then an American officer pointed out some of the defenses along the military demarcation line, including barbed-wire fences and claymore mines. He said American soldiers regularly walk patrols along a path.

Its so close, Harris said.

Harris then visited one of a row of blue buildings that straddle the demarcation line, where an American officer explained how the buildings are still used to conduct negotiations with North Korea. Sometimes they pass messages back and forth and sometimes they use a megaphone, he said.

Thats high tech, Harris joked, before adding, Weve stepped into history.

Its still going, the colonel said.

Harris agreed. The past and present are happening every day.

She then walked out of the building and up to the demarcation line. On the North Korean side, two figures dressed in what appeared to be hazmat suits peeked out from behind a curtain in a second-floor window. Then they disappeared back inside.

Harris described this weeks missile launches as provocations meant to destabilize the region and said the United States and South Korea remain committed to the complete denuclearization of the North.

I cannot state enough that commitment of the United States to the defense of the Republic of Korea is ironclad, she said.

In the South, we see a thriving democracy. In the North, we see a brutal dictatorship, she said before flying out of the border on a U.S. military helicopter.

Earlier, Harris met with President Yoon at his office in Seoul and reaffirmed the U.S. commitment to defend the South with a full range of its military capabilities in the event of war, Yoons office said.

They expressed concern over North Koreas threats of nuclear conflict and pledged an unspecified stronger response to major North Korean provocations, including a nuclear test.

Harris and Yoon were also expected to discuss expanding economic and technology partnerships and repairing recently strained ties between South Korea and Japan to strengthen their trilateral cooperation with Washington in the region. Their meeting also touched on Taiwan, with both reaffirming their countries support for peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, according to Yoons office, which didnt elaborate.

Harris trip was organized so she could attend the state funeral of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, but her itinerary was dominated by security concerns, a reflection of fears about Chinas growing power and North Koreas ramped-up testing activity.

In every meeting, Harris tried to lay to rest any fears that the United States was wavering in its commitment to protect its allies, describing American partnerships with South Korea and Japan as the linchpin and cornerstone of its defense strategy in Asia.

Yoon, who took office earlier this year, had anchored his election campaign with vows to deepen Seouls economic and security partnership with Washington to navigate challenges posed by the North Korean threat and address potential supply chain risks caused by the pandemic, the U.S.-China rivalry and Russias war on Ukraine. But the alliance has been marked by tension recently.

South Koreans have decried a new law signed by President Joe Biden that prevents electric cars built outside of North America from being eligible for U.S. government subsidies, undermining the competitiveness of automakers like Seoul-based Hyundai.

During their meeting, Harris told Yoon that Washington will try to address South Korean concerns as the law is implemented, Yoons office said.

Scott Snyder, an analyst at the Council on Foreign Relations, said the dispute over electric vehicles has swiftly become a firestorm that U.S. officials cannot ignore, although there may not be a simple solution.

Its taking on a level of urgency thats making it into a political problem that requires management, Snyder said. I dont know that its going to be easy for the Biden administration to do that.

There are indications North Korea may up its weapons demonstrations soon. South Korean officials said last week that they detected signs North Korea was preparing to test a ballistic missile system designed to be fired from submarines.

The U.S. aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan was to train with South Korean and Japanese warships in waters near the Korean Peninsula on Friday in the countries first trilateral anti-submarine exercises since 2017 to counter North Korean submarine threats, South Koreas navy said Thursday.

U.S. and South Korean officials also say North Korea is possibly gearing up for its first nuclear test since 2017. That test could come after China holds its Communist Party convention the week of Oct. 16, but before the United States holds its midterm elections Nov. 8, according to Seouls spy agency.

In Japan, Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada expressed concern that North Korea was improving its weapons technology through its unprecedented testing spree.

The South Korean and Japanese militaries said the missiles launched Thursday traveled 300 to 350 kilometers (180 to 217 miles) and reached a maximum altitude of 50 kilometers (30 miles).

The low-altitude flight path resembled that of the short-range ballistic missiles North Korea fired earlier in the week.

Some analysts say those launches likely involved a new solid-fuel weapon modeled after Russias Iskander missiles, which travel at relatively low altitudes and are designed to be maneuverable in flight, making them harder to be intercepted by missile defenses. The missiles are part of a growing arsenal of nuclear-capable short-range systems North Korea has been developing since 2019 as it expands its arsenal targeting rival South Korea.

North Korea has punctuated its testing activity with repeated threats of nuclear conflict. Its rubber-stamp parliament this month authorized the preemptive use of nuclear weapons in a broad range of scenarios where its leadership comes under threat.

Nuclear diplomacy between the U.S. and North Korea remains stalled since 2019 over disagreements over easing crippling U.S.-led economic sanctions against North Korea in exchange for the Norths disarmament steps.

___

Kim reported from Seoul, South Korea. Associated Press writers Mari Yamaguchi in Tokyo and Hyung-jin Kim in Seoul contributed to this report.
Copyright  2022 Albuquerque Journal

SANTA FE  Facing efforts to force him out, state Sen. Daniel Ivey-Soto resigned on his own from a powerful committee post Thursday after meeting with the top two Democrats in the Senate.

His decision to step down as chairman of the Senate Rules Committee came as Senate President Pro Tem Mimi Stewart this week accelerated the push to remove him, citing sexual harassment allegations and the need to maintain a safe environment at the Roundhouse.

In a one-page resignation letter, Ivey-Soto, a Democrat, thanked Stewart and Senate Majority Leader Peter Wirth for meeting with him earlier this week to discuss public service and how we in the Senate may best serve the State of New Mexico.

Ivey-Sotos four-year term as a senator representing part of Albuquerque runs through the end of 2024, and he said serving the constituents of District 15 is his priority, not titles.

In the letter, Ivey-Soto said he didnt want to be a distraction or harm the Senate as an institution.

I know I still have much to learn about being a servant leader, and I commit myself to improvement in that area, Ivey-Soto said. The problems we face are too great, and we must all work together.

A Senate committee meeting had been set later Thursday to weigh Stewarts recommendation that Ivey-Soto be removed as chairman of the Senate Rules Committee, a panel that vets elections and ethics legislation and holds confirmation hearings for executive appointees.

The meeting was canceled Thursday.

It isnt clear who will replace Ivey-Soto. As president pro tem, Stewart has influence over the composition of Senate committees, but the chambers full approval is required for changes.

The next 60-day session of the Legislature is set to begin in January.

In a brief interview, Stewart said the makeup of Senate committees is like a jigsaw puzzle, and she hasnt yet settled on a recommendation. It isnt as simple as moving up the longest-serving member of the committee, she said.

Im just looking for the best person, Stewart said. Im not going to be bound by seniority.

As it stands now, the committees vice chairman is Democrat Leo Jaramillo of Espanola.

Shortly after this years legislative session, Ivey-Soto was accused by lobbyist Marianna Anaya of groping and pinching her in 2015, and of sexual harassment and abusive behavior this year. She levied the allegations in an open letter in February, called on Ivey-Soto to resign and filed a harassment complaint with the Legislature.

A month later, a coalition of advocacy groups accused Ivey-Soto of a pattern of abusive behavior against women.

Ivey-Soto has vigorously denied the allegations. Earlier this month, he said his attorney had been notified that the investigation into the harassment complaint had been suspended indefinitely  with no determination of probable cause by an investigative subcommittee that would trigger public hearings and potentially discipline.

The subcommittees decision has not extinguished calls for Ivey-Soto to be expelled from the Senate, as a coalition of progressive advocacy groups held a news conference outside the Roundhouse this week calling for his ouster and an overhaul of the Legislatures anti-harassment policy.

Jessie Damazyn, a spokeswoman for the coalition, urged the Senate on Thursday to take broader steps to fix the broken reporting and investigatory process and to ensure safety at the Roundhouse moving forward.

She also said Ivey-Soto doesnt belong in elected office, period.

Ivey-Soto, now in his 10th year in the Senate, has given no indication that he intends to leave before his term is up. All 42 senators are on the ballot in 2024.

Stewart said she appreciated Ivey-Soto for taking the actions he has to ensure we can move forward together.

Our job, she said in a written statement, is complex and can be very difficult but its important that everyone feel equally included and able to engage in the process.

Wirth, the majority leader, said Ivey-Soto made the right decision.

Today marks a difficult but important step in the right direction for the State Senate and our caucus, Wirth said.

A panel of high-ranking legislative leaders, the Legislative Council, began discussing a proposal this week to revise the anti-harassment policy. Lawmakers are also weighing plans to introduce legislation next year that would lift some of the secrecy provisions now built into the law.

Dan Boyd of the Journal Capitol Bureau contributed to this article.
CATCHES OF THE WEEK

Xavier Hernandez of Grants caught a 35-inch tiger muskie at Bluewater Lake using a Whopper Plopper lure Sept. 20. of Grants caught a 35-inch tiger muskie at Bluewater Lake using a Whopper Plopper lure Sept. 20.

Mike Murphy of Albuquerque caught a 19-inch, 5.1-pound largemouth bass at Conchas Lake using a Z-Man Gobi Ned Rig on Sept. 19.

Nathaniel Sierra of Albuquerque caught a 24-inch, 7.5-pound largemouth bass at Elephant Butte Lake using a chartreuse 12 to 15-foot diving crankbait Sept. 21.

Omarie Chrisman of El Paso caught a 25-inch, 7-pound catfish at Lake Roberts using chicken pieces Sept. 13.

Eric Chavez of Albuquerque caught 31 smallmouth bass and six largemouth bass on ranging in size from 9-19 inches on the Pecos River using a 3-inch paddle-tail swimbait near Santa Rosa on Sept. 17.

Mike Jozwiakowski of Santa Fe caught and released a 19-inch brown trout on the Rio Grande using a black Woolly Bugger fly in the upper box Sept. 22.

If you have a catch of the week story, send it to funfishingnm@gmail.com

NOTES FROM GAME & FISH

Northeast fishing report

Cabresto Lake had no reports from anglers this week.

Fishing for trout at Charette Lakes was good using corn and salmon, peach PowerBait.

Streamflow on the Cimarron River near Cimarron on Monday morning was 35 cubic feet per second (cfs). Fishing for trout was good using spinners and prince nymph flies.

Fishing for catfish at Clayton Lake was fair to good using chicken liver and homemade dough bait.

Fishing for largemouth bass at Conchas Lake was fair to good using Ned Rigs.

At Costilla Creek, the department is implementing the final phase of a project to expand Rio Grande cutthroat trout in 120 miles of the Costilla watershed in northern New Mexico. The final phase involves the removal of fish within a designated area (Rio Costilla from Costilla Dam downstream to the Valle Vidal Boundary, including all tributaries and Comanche Creek from the road culvert crossing on Forest Road 1950 downstream to its confluence with Rio Costilla and all tributaries). Tentative stocking of Rio Grande cutthroat trout is set for spring 2023.

Cowles Ponds had no reports from anglers this week.

Coyote Creek had no reports from anglers this week.

Fishing for rainbow trout at Eagle Nest Lake was good using Pistol Pete spinner flies, Woolly Bugger flies and Joes Flies. Fishing for pike was good using gold Double Cowgirl spinners.

Fishing for trout at Eagle Rock Lake was good using pink PowerBait Mouse Tails.

National forest closures have been in place restricting fishing access including Gallinas River. Visit the Santa Fe National Forest webpage or call the Santa Fe National Forest office at 505-438-5300 for the latest closure information.

Fishing for trout at Hopewell Lake was good using ginger flies and green Pistol Pete spinner flies with a water-filled bobber.

Fishing for catfish at Lake Alice was fair using nightcrawler worms.

Fishing for trout at Lake Maloya was good using Trout Magnet lures, garlic PowerBait and worms.

Fishing for trout on the Los Pinos River was fair using Panther Martin spinners and nymph flies.

Maxwell Lake 13 had no reports from anglers this week.

Monastery Lake has reopened to the public and had no reports from anglers this week.

Morphy Lake State Park has reopened to the public and had no reports from anglers this week.

Streamflow on the Pecos River near Pecos on Monday morning was 54 cfs. Fishing for trout was good using 3-inch brown trout-pattern Rapala lures, copper beadhead flies and worms.

Streamflow on the Red River below the Red River Hatchery on Monday morning was 66 cfs. Fishing for trout was fair to good using salmon eggs and beadhead nymph flies.

Streamflow on the Rio Grande below the Taos Junction Bridge on Monday morning was 429 cfs. Fishing for trout was fair to good using black Woolly Bugger flies.

Streamflow on the Rio Hondo near Valdez on Monday morning was 33 cfs.

Streamflow on the Rio Mora near Terrero on Monday morning was 27 cfs.

Streamflow on the Rio Pueblo near Penasco Monday morning was 17 cfs.

Fishing for trout at the Santa Cruz Reservoir was good using chartreuse PowerBait.

Fishing for trout at the Shuree Ponds was fair to good using caddis dry flies and beadhead nymph flies.

Springer Lake had no reports from anglers this week.

Storrie Lake had no reports from anglers this week.

Stubblefield Lake had no reports from anglers this week.

Fishing for walleye at Ute Lake was slow. Fishing for white bass was fair using deep-diving lures while trolling. Fishing for smallmouth bass and largemouth bass was fair using swimbaits, spinnerbaits and topwater lures. Fishing for crappie was slow. Fishing for catfish was fair using punch bait and nightcrawler worms. The main lake water surface temperature was in the low 70s and the water clarity was clear.

Northwest fishing report

Fishing for smallmouth bass and catfish at Abiquiu Lake was slow to fair using live worms.

Streamflow on the Animas River below Aztec on Monday morning was 435 cfs.

Albuquerque Area Drains had no reports from anglers this week.

Fishing for tiger muskie at Bluewater Lake was fair to good using Whopper Plopper lures, Rat-L-Trap lures and homemade streamer flies.

Fishing for trout on the Brazos River was good using hopper dry flies and black and gold Panther Martin spinners.

Fishing for trout at Canjilon Lakes was good using worms, Pistol Pete spinner flies and orange PowerBait.

Fishing for catfish at Cochiti Lake was fair using chicken liver and cut bait.

El Vado Lake can be accessed at Hargroves Day Use Area off State Road 322 and the Main Park area off State Road 112. The Rio Chama can be accessed at the North El Vado Day Use Area on State Road 95, 10 miles west of U.S. Highway 84. Lake levels are steady but expected to drop as crews work on the El Vado Dam. The Dam Day Use Area is closed due to the ongoing construction. State Road 112 over the dam will experience periodic closures. For more information, visit El Vado Lake State Parks webpage or call 575-588-7247.

Fishing for trout at Fenton Lake was good using leech-pattern flies and Woolly Bugger flies.

Grants Riverwalk Pond has dried up due to pump failure. The city is planning to repair the pumps but is taking this opportunity to dredge the pond. They expect the pond to be offline for at least two to three months. Fish stockings will be discontinued until all work is done.

Heron Lake had no reports from anglers this week.

At the Jemez Waters, streamflow near Jemez Springs on Monday morning was 32 cfs. Fishing for trout was fair to good using mop flies and worms.

Fishing for trout at Laguna del Campo was fair to good using silver spinners and orange PowerBait.

Lagunitas Lakes had no reports from anglers this week.

Lake Farmington had no reports from anglers this week.

Stocking efforts have been suspended due to extremely low water levels and unstable ground conditions at McGaffey Lake. Conditions will be monitored and stocking will resume once conditions improve.

Fishing for smallmouth and largemouth bass at Navajo Lake was fair using Ned Rigs. Fishing for pike was slow to fair using jerkbaits. Fishing for kokanee salmon was slow.

Streamflow on the Rio Chama below El Vado Lake and below Abiquiu Lake on Monday morning was 103 cfs and 404 cfs, respectively. Fishing for trout below El Vado Lake was good using nightcrawler worms and small Rapala trout pattern lures. Fishing for trout below Abiquiu Lake was fair using worms and PowerBait. Please remember, from the river-crossing bridge on U.S. Highway 84 at Abiquiu upstream 7 miles to the base of Abiquiu Dam is special trout waters with a bag limit of two trout only.

Rio Grande had no reports from anglers this week.

Riverside Park Pond (Aztec Pond #1) had no reports from anglers this week.

San Gregorio Lake had no reports from anglers this week.

Streamflow on the San Juan River near Archuleta on Monday morning was 497 cfs. Fishing for trout in the quality waters was good using midge dry flies and midge emerger flies. Fishing for trout in the bait waters was fair to good using orange glitter PowerBait and worms.

Fishing for trout at Seven Springs Brood Pond was good using chartreuse split tail soft plastic baits on a gold jighead.

Tiger Park Reservoir had no reports from anglers this week.

Fishing for catfish at Tingley Beach was slow using hot dogs.

Fishing for trout at Trout Lakes was good using olive leech pattern flies.

Southwest fishing report

Fishing for bass at Alumni Pond was fair using small perch-pattern diving lures, jointed swimbaits and flies. Fishing for catfish was slow using worms.

Fishing for all species was slow at Bear Canyon Lake.

Bill Evans Lake had no reports from anglers this week.

Fishing for crappie at Caballo Lake was slow to fair using white grubs. Fishing for bass was slow to fair using crankbaits. Fishing for white bass was fair using small crankbaits. Fishing for catfish was good using live shad and gizzard shad cut bait.

Fishing for catfish at Elephant Butte Lake was good using shad and cut bait. Fishing for largemouth and smallmouth bass was fair to good using chartreuse 12 to 15-foot diving crankbaits. Fishing for white bass was good using white and chartreuse curly-tail grubs. Fishing for crappie was slow to fair using grubs and live minnows. Fishing for walleye was slow to fair using nightcrawler worms.

Escondida Lake had no reports from anglers this week.

Streamflow on the Gila River near Gila on Monday morning was 104 cfs. Fishing for catfish was good using cut bait.

Glenwood Pond had no reports from anglers this week.

Fishing for trout at Lake Roberts was fair to good using chartreuse PowerBait and flies. Fishing for catfish was fair to good using chicken pieces and nightcrawler worms.

Percha Dam had no reports from anglers this week.

Quemado Lake had no reports from anglers this week.

Rancho Grande Ponds had no reports from anglers this week.

Streamflow on the Rio Grande below Elephant Butte Dam on Monday morning was 0 cfs.

Snow Lake had no reports from anglers this week.

Fishing for bass at Trees Lake was fair using nightcrawler worms.

Fishing for all species was slow at Young Pond.

Southeast fishing report

Fishing for trout at Alto Lake was fair using peach PowerBait. Fishing for catfish was fair using live worms. Fishing for bass was fair to good using live worms.

Fishing for catfish at Bataan Lake was fair using shrimp, worms and chicken liver.

Berrendo Creek had no reports from anglers this week. Please visit the Open Gate webpage for more information on this property.

Streamflow on the Black River at Malaga on Monday morning was 5 cfs.

Blue Hole Park Pond had no reports from anglers this week.

Bonito Lake is closed until further notice by the City of Alamogordo due to fire damage.

Bosque Redondo Lake had no reports from anglers this week.

Bottomless Lakes had no reports from anglers this week.

Fishing for longnose gar at Brantley Lake was fair using cut bait. Fishing for catfish was fair using cut bait.

Carlsbad Municipal Lake had no reports from anglers this week.

Chaparral Park Lake had no reports from anglers this week.

Corona Pond had no reports from anglers this week.

Fishing for largemouth bass at Eunice Lake was good using blue and silver Roostertail spinners.

Fishing for catfish at Green Meadow Lake was fair using hot dogs.

Greene Acres Lake had no reports from anglers this week.

Fishing for trout at Grindstone Reservoir was fair using PowerBait. Fishing for catfish was fair to good using nightcrawler worms.

Jal Lake had no reports from anglers this week.

Fishing for catfish at Lake Van was fair using nightcrawler worms and shrimp.

Fishing for catfish at Oasis Park Lake was fair using homemade garlic dough bait.

Streamflow on the Pecos River below Sumner Lake on Monday morning was 99 cfs. Fishing for smallmouth and largemouth bass was good using 3-inch paddle-tail swimbaits.

Fishing for catfish at Perch Lake was fair using nightcrawler worms and stink bait.

Rio Bonito had no reports from anglers this week.

Streamflow on the Rio Ruidoso at Hollywood on Monday morning was 5 cfs.

Rock Lake Hatchery Kids Pond had no reports from anglers this week.

Santa Rosa Lake had no reports from anglers this week.

Sumner Lake had no reports from anglers this week.

Timberon Ponds had no reports from anglers this week.

Source: New Mexico Department of Game and Fish
WASHINGTON  Six Republican-led states are suing the Biden administration in an effort to halt its plan to forgive student loan debt for tens of millions of Americans, accusing it of overstepping its executive powers.

Its at least the second legal challenge this week to the sweeping proposal laid out by President Joe Biden in late August, when he said his administration would cancel up to $20,000 in education debt for huge numbers of borrowers. The announcement, after months of internal deliberations and pressure from liberal activists, became immediate political fodder ahead of the November midterms while fueling arguments from conservatives about legality.

As the lawsuit was being filed, the Biden administration quietly scaled back eligibility rules for the debt relief, eliminating a relatively small group of borrowers who are the subject of legal debate in the suit. Those borrowers, whose loans are backed by the federal government but owned by private banks  a relic of defunct lending programs  are now ineligible for Bidens debt cancellation, the Education Department said.

In the lawsuit, being filed Thursday in a federal court in Missouri, the Republican states argue that Bidens cancellation plan is not remotely tailored to address the effects of the pandemic on federal student loan borrowers, as required by the 2003 federal law that the administration is using as legal justification. They point out that Biden, in an interview with CBS 60 Minutes this month, declared the COVID-19 pandemic over, yet is still using the ongoing health emergency to justify the wide-scale debt relief.

Its patently unfair to saddle hard-working Americans with the loan debt of those who chose to go to college, Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge, who is leading the group, said in an interview.

She added: The Department of Education is required, under the law, to collect the balance due on loans. And President Biden does not have the authority to override that.

The states of Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska and South Carolina joined Arkansas in filing the lawsuit. Iowa has a Democratic attorney general, but the states Republican governor, Kim Reynolds, signed on the states behalf. The states argue that Missouris loan servicer is facing a number of ongoing financial harms because of Bidens decision to cancel loans. Other states that joined the lawsuit argue that Bidens forgiveness plan will ultimately disrupt revenue to state coffers.

In particular, the suit alleges that Missouris loan servicer will lose revenue from loans it owns through the Federal Family Education Loan Program  a program that allowed private banks to issue and manage federally backed student loans until the program was disbanded in 2010.

The Education Department updated its website Thursday saying borrowers with federal loans that are owned by private banks, including the FFEL program and Perkins loans, will now be ineligible unless they already consolidated their loans into the governments direct lending program before Thursday. The change will reverse eligibility for about 770,000 borrowers, the department said.

Our goal is to provide relief to as many eligible borrowers as quickly and easily as possible, and this will allow us to achieve that goal while we continue to explore additional legally-available options to provide relief to borrowers with privately owned FFEL loans and Perkins loans, the department said in a statement.

Still, the administration has long said it was confident the forgiveness program would survive court challenges.

Republican officials from these six states are standing with special interests, and fighting to stop relief for borrowers buried under mountains of debt, White House spokesman Abdullah Hasan said Thursday. The president and his administration are lawfully giving working and middle class families breathing room as they recover from the pandemic and prepare to resume loan payments in January. 

Bidens forgiveness program will cancel $10,000 in student loan debt for those making less than $125,000 or households with less than $250,000 in income. Pell Grant recipients, who typically demonstrate more financial need, will get an additional $10,000 in debt forgiven.

The administration also said it would extend the current pause on federal student loan repayments  put on hold near the start of the pandemic more than two years ago  once more through the end of the year.

The administration faced threats of legal challenges to its plans almost immediately, with conservative attorneys, Republican lawmakers and business-oriented groups asserting that Biden was overstepping his authority in taking such sweeping action without the assent of Congress.

Democratic lawmakers battling in tough reelection contests also distanced themselves from the student loan plan, as Republican officials called it an unfair government giveaway for relatively affluent people at the expense of those who didnt pursue higher education.

In their lawsuit, the Republican attorneys general also contend that the forgiveness program violates the Administrative Procedure Act, which lays out how federal agencies should make regulations in order to ensure executive branch policies are well-reasoned and explained.

The president does not have the authority to put himself in the place of Congress, Rutledge said in the interview. These actions must be taken by Congress and he cant override that.

To justify the plans legality, the Biden administration is relying on a post-Sept. 11, 2001, law meant to help members of the military that the Justice Department says allows Biden to reduce or erase student loan debt during a national emergency. But Republicans argue the administration is misinterpreting the law because, in part, the pandemic no longer qualifies as a national emergency.

Another lawsuit against Bidens student loan program was filed this week in an Indiana federal court by the Pacific Legal Foundation, a libertarian legal advocacy group that employs a lawyer who says he would be harmed by the forgiveness plan. The lawyer, Frank Garrison, says erasing his current debt load will trigger a tax liability from the state of Indiana, which is among at least a half dozen states where the forgiven loan amounts will be subject to state taxes.

A federal judge on Thursday rejected Garrisons request to temporarily block Bidens plan, saying theres no evidence he will be irreparably harmed by the cancellation. Garrison was given until Oct. 10 to revise his argument.

The White House dismissed the lawsuit as baseless because any borrower who does not want the debt relief can opt out. The Education Department is still on track to unveil the application for the forgiveness plan in early October, and it sent an email to borrowers Thursday explaining how to prepare to apply. The email noted that applicants do not have to submit any supporting documents.

Republicans have also seized on the Biden plans price tag and its impact on the nations budget deficit. The Congressional Budget Office said this week that the program will cost about $400 billion over the next three decades. The White House countered that the CBOs estimate of how much the plan will cost just in its first year, $21 billion, is lower than what the administration initially believed.

___

Associated Press writer Collin Binkley contributed to this report.
Copyright  2022 Albuquerque Journal

SANTA FE  The chief justice of New Mexicos Supreme Court told lawmakers Thursday the states judicial branch will seek changes during the upcoming 60-day legislative session to a 2021 law that mandates small-level cannabis convictions be expunged from criminal records.

Specifically, Supreme Court Chief Justice Shannon Bacon said the law, which was enacted when lawmakers legalized recreational cannabis sales, has placed a heavy burden on judicial staffers who have had to sift through voluminous criminal records to determine which convictions qualify to be purged.

Instead of putting the onus on the judicial branch to identify and expunge cannabis-related convictions, it should be up to affected individuals to file applications for such action, Bacon said.

A similar process is already in place for those seeking to purge their record of arrests for other types of criminal offenses in cases that did not result in convictions.

We think theres a more straightforward and simplistic way to handle this that will take what has been an incredibly onerous process off the judiciary and put the control in the hands of the person thats had the conviction, Bacon said during a meeting of the legislative Courts, Corrections and Justice Committee.

Supporters of the marijuana expungement bill insisted during last years debate it would help New Mexicans who have faced challenges finding housing and jobs due to past cannabis possession offenses on their record.

But critics argued the legislation was flawed and said removal of public records would leave businesses with less information to make hiring decisions.

In practice, Bacon said the mandate to review criminal records for expungement eligibility has proven cumbersome since most individuals with cannabis-related convictions were also convicted of other crimes.

She also said many prosecutors and law enforcement agencies, especially in southeast New Mexico, have used an objection provision included in the law to try to block cannabis convictions from being expunged from some individuals records.

Judges are spending untold hours addressing objections to this process, whether theres a cannabis charge or not, Bacon said.

Barry Massey, the spokesman for the state Administrative Office of the Courts, said there is no data available yet as to exactly how many New Mexico residents have had their past cannabis-related convictions expunged since the law took effect. He also said there was no data as to the number of objections filed by prosecutors in advance of a July 1 deadline.

Under the expungement law, criminal convictions for trafficking or possession of large amounts of marijuana  more than 2 ounces  are not eligible to be expunged since purchase and public possession of such an amount of cannabis remains illegal under the states cannabis legalization law.
Today, the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) has announced Natasha Kaplinsky OBE as its new President. The newsreader, presenter and journalist is a recognised figure in British public life and is passionate about issues affecting childrens rights and welfare. Natasha will take up the new position in October and will replace current President, Patrick Swaffer, who has held the post since 2012.

As President of the BBFC, Natasha will be a member of the Board of Directors and will chair the Board of Classification, which meets monthly. The Board of Classification is responsible for overseeing all matters relating to classification, including the most complex and controversial of cases.

The President also chairs the BBFCs Advisory Council on Childrens Viewing (APCV), which was established in 1999 and which meets three times a year. The APCV advises the BBFC on issues concerning children and young people. Its members provide a wide range of skills and expertise connected with child welfare, and contribute to the development of BBFC policy.

The President brings a high-level approach and independence to difficult cases and policy issues. Working with a wide range of external stakeholders across Westminster, Whitehall and the media, Natasha will help to raise awareness of the trusted guidance that the BBFC delivers to UK families. She will also be championing its year-round Education and Outreach activity, and will be meeting with the BBFC Youth Panel in the coming months.

Natasha will provide a sounding board to Chief Executive, David Austin, as the BBFC continues to adapt to deliver its core mission of helping everyone choose content that is right for them and avoid what's not. Natasha and David will work in close collaboration to uphold the positive culture of the organisation and promote staff engagement.

Throughout her career, Natasha has held purposeful roles across public, private and non-profit sectors. With over 20 years of experience, Natasha has worked within both philanthropic and commercial businesses to support vulnerable people and communities around the world. She is skilled at working in tandem with national institutions as well as local charities, understanding the importance of strong partnerships to create an impact.

Amongst other pro-bono roles, Natasha is currently President of Barnardos and an Ambassador for Save the Children, travelling widely for the organisation. In December 2020, Natasha founded the UK Womens Network, giving women and girls the opportunity to leverage their talents and resources. Natasha is also patron for a number of charities, including The Bevern Trust, a charity that cares for young adults with learning difficulties.

Natasha has an extensive record of achievements, including being awarded an OBE in the Queens 2017 Birthday Honours List for services to Holocaust Commemoration. In 2014, Natasha became a member of the Prime Ministers Holocaust Commission, and in 2015, she was appointed by the Prime Minister to the United Kingdom Holocaust Memorial Foundation advisory board.

Natasha Kaplinsky OBE said: Im delighted to be joining the BBFC in October as the new President. The BBFC is accountable to the Government, Parliament, local authorities, and to people across the UK. It is clear that it takes its accountability seriously, alongside the impartial nature of its role. For over a century, the BBFC has done fantastic work to help families have a positive viewing experience, wherever and however they watch content. Its crucial that childrens welfare is at the forefront of policy decision-making and this is central to the BBFCs efforts in the Online Safety space. I am really excited to bring my knowledge and experience to help guide the BBFC in its 110th year and beyond. The challenges that young people face now in the UK are greater than ever before - and I am committed to giving voice to their needs. I cant wait for the opportunities that this next chapter will bring.

David Austin, Chief Executive said: We are so pleased that Natasha has been appointed as our next President. She brings a wealth of expertise and a profound understanding of our core audience of parents, carers and families. With Natasha at the helm, I am looking forward to seeing how the business will continue to evolve to improve our offer to meet the needs of our industry partners and UK audiences. The influence, media insight, and vision that she will bring will really help to shape the future of the BBFC. He added: Id also like to take this opportunity to thank Patrick for his invaluable and long-lasting contributions across his ten years as President and the support he has given me as CEO.

Patrick Swaffer, outgoing President said: As I reflect on the last decade, I am immensely proud of everything we have achieved. The modernisation of the organisation, particularly with the introduction of our cloud-based compliance platform, Horizon, has enabled us to work more flexibly and effectively than ever before. Public trust in the BBFC remains extremely high and as a result we have seen our widely recognised age ratings extend beyond our statutory responsibilities; as encouraged by the Government in their response to the consultation on audience protection standards on VOD services. We now work with 29 online UK services to provide age ratings for content on a voluntary best practice basis, which is a remarkable achievement. As we look ahead, Natasha is the perfect candidate to lead the BBFC through what I'm sure will be yet another transformational phase fully supported by David and the excellent staff at the BBFC who have made my time as President such a pleasure.
Xavier Institute of Management, Bhubaneswar has been instrumental in developing business leaders for the last 35 years. The institution is known for its exemplary service to the field of academics, industry, and society at large. The contributions and collaborative efforts of the management, students, and the entire XIM fraternity have been the driving force for this monumental success.

Commemorating this achievement, XIM, Bhubaneswar, will convene a Business Excellence Summit spanning over three days, from 29th September to 1st October 2022. This occasion is a platform for the institute to reflect on its past achievements, celebrate the present and share its vision for the future.

The summit would be graced by leaders and stalwarts from various backgrounds and industries. The purpose is to encourage a fruitful exchange of ideas, hold discussions about relevant issues, reflect on the opportunities and collaborate for the collective upliftment of all. The theme for Business Excellence Summit 2022 is "Transcending Boundaries." This is in line with the forward-looking and action-oriented vision of XIM, Bhubaneswar.

The speakers' who will be gracing the occasion are Nishita Ballarsingh  Founder (Nexus Power), Shefali Vijaywargiya  Brand Manager (Amul Kool), Sahithi Divi  Director (Mohanam), Manoj Kumar Swain  Founder (SOCH), Shailesh Paul  Vice President (Visa), Shubham Singh  CEO, Founder (Craste), Rajesh Srivastav  Author, Sarbani Sengupta  Vice President  Customer Service at DHL Express (DHL), Swatee Sarangi  CHR (Dr. Reddy), Vivek Atray  IAS, A L Jagannath  Head of Marketing (ThoughtWorks), Debendra N Kar  Chief Commissioner of Income Tax, Chennai, Rajeev Bharwan, Retired Colonel (Indian Army  Special Forces), Rohit Kilam  CTO (CMS Info Systems), Subhash Bhutoria  Partner (DSK Legal), Prema Suresh  Director and COO (Technip Energies), Ashish Garg  Managing Director (Group G).

The event will comprise of leadership talks, panel discussions and engaging activities for the students. The XIM fraternity has always endorsed the confluence of business and society. Business Excellence Summit 2022 would reflect this ideology. Whilst XIM, Bhubaneswar has many accolades to its name, the opportunities for growth are always ample. This will only be possible with the long-term collaboration and collective efforts of all stakeholders.
The Coca-Cola Company, the worlds leading beverage maker, today announced the launch of its first-ever global meals experience platform Coke is Cooking. The launch marks the beginning of a long-lasting asset, designed to celebrate and encourage the passion for food in each city across the globe. It is an extension of Coca-Colas global brand platform - Real Magic  which invites everyone to celebrate the real magic of togetherness.

The platform has first been launched in India, with Kolkata being the first city across the world to experience the magic of Kolkata is Cooking. The platform will further be scaled globally, and Coca-Cola aims to host Coke is Cooking festivals in one city in the world every week of the year in 2024. With this launch, the Company aims to leverage consumers passion points of music and food, to connect and engage with them on a deeper level.

Coca-Cola India culminated its first Is Cooking festival in Kolkatas Eco Park on 24th & 25th of September, which celebrated the culinary wonders that the city has to offer. The festival, called Pet Pujor Pandal also witnessed the presence of a sensational panel of musicians featuring Shreya Ghoshal, Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy, Fossils, Anupam Roy, Arko Mukherjee, and Coke Studio Bangla artists, who serenaded audiences with their magical tunes as the city savored mouth-watering delicacies. Coke Studio is a quintessential platform known to elevate Indias diversity and culture by bringing together artists from varying backgrounds, and this is the first time the Coke Studio Bangla line-up performed internationally.

Speaking at the first-ever Coke is Cooking event in Kolkata, India, Aabir Chatterjee, Manager, Marketing, Coke Meals, Coca-Cola India, said, The Is Cooking meals experience is an opportunity to celebrate the magic of eating together. This experience is for our consumers to enjoy delicious food over a chilled Coke & great company  thats how we believe real magic happens everyday!

Dipanjan Saha, Manager, Frontline Marketing, East CBO & East/Central/South FBO, Coca-Cola India, added, The timing of the first-ever Is Cooking event in Kolkata worked out beautifully for us, as it coincided with Pujo celebrations and Kolkatas renowned love for food. And we saw this opportunity to bring this story to life through our Coke Pet Pujor Pandal.

The festival was infused with a diverse inclusion of food stalls from iconic Kolkata-based restaurants including Mitra Cafe, Arsalan, 6 Ballygunge Place, Aminia, and over 40 more renowned names.

In the coming months, the Is Cooking platform will be taken to cities across Vietnam, Africa, and beyond.
Fortune Foods released its next Durga Pujo campaign in 2022 on the 24th of September 22, as part of its yearly Pet Pujo series that started in 2017. It celebrates the love for food and the essence of the festival through the lens of a person reuniting with their friends and family after two years of being stranded away from home.

The campaign, conceptualised by Social Beat, will run from the onset of Pujo till Dashami. Through this series, Fortune seeks to communicate with its audience on relatable grounds as they stir emotion by tastefully displaying the smallest nuances of how Bengalis celebrate Durga Pujo. It intends to not only empathise with Bengalis returning to their homeland but also capture the happiness of their loved ones upon their return.

Durga Puja, now a UNESCO world heritage title, becomes the first Asian festival to receive this prestigious recognition. It has left a mark on the world and has made its way to the list of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. This year, as Bengalis await the Sarbojanin (the-all-embracing) Durga Puja with bated breath, Fortune Foods tries to capture Bengalis reminiscing and reliving even the smallest of moments as they used to during Pujo.

With the farewell of the two-year-long travel restrictions, for us, Homecoming became the concept of Fortunes Pet Pujo this year. We saw this as an opportunity to celebrate traditions and bring alive the food culture prevalent during the Pujo festival. The classic dishes- from muri ghonto to shokto, from shorshe pabda to mutton kosha, and much more- are incomplete if its not made at home. So, this pujo, Fortune celebrates the homecoming of a bandhu who wants to relive the festivities and the food just like good old times.", added Panisa Shah, Director - Creative, Social Beat.

In this commercial, the characters are seen celebrating the festival as the story captures all the things the quintessential Bengali indulges in. From hopping pandals together on one scooter to enjoying the bhog and lip-smacking home-cooked delicacies together, Fortunes 2022 Pet Pujo campaign celebrates the food, the warmth and the coming together of Bengalis.

Furthermore, the making of the campaign allowed a deep exploration and understanding of the culture to the minds behind it. Exhibiting the love for food, Fortune once again cooks up a delicious story amid pujo celebrations which makes the people of Bengal feel an instant connection in their hearts.

We, as a brand, always try communicating with the people through relatable content that they can really connect with and feel attached to. And the Pet Pujo 2022 campaign was special as this time Durga Puja would be just like old times when there were no pandemic restrictions. Seeing the campaign come together so beautifully with the messages and everything, just feels complete., added Sanjay Adesara - Head Media & Digital, Adani Wilmar Limited.
Mivi, Indias leading home-grown electronics company, has signed Samantha Ruth Prabhu as their new Brand Ambassador. The Instagram and Twitter trending hashtag #SamanthaForMivi has garnered quite the attention in the past few days as it was an unusual way for a company to choose their brand ambassador. Mivi with an interesting turn of events found their perfect fit for a Brand ambassador with the help of their own community of users, also known as Mivians.

The community predominantly chose Samantha as the new face of the brand. The campaign received an overwhelming number of tweets, comments, and re-shares on different social media platforms in which 10,000+ number of responses were in favor of #SamanthaForMivi.

The Instagram and Twitter campaign started off as an exciting unveiling done on Mivis Instagram page for their brand ambassador. The brand actively engaged with its audience through quirky posts and stories to make them curious about the brand's new face. They then reached out to their trusted community of Minivans for suggestions of who should be Mivis brand ambassador. With a thunderous response, Mivians chose Samantha Ruth Prabhu as their brands new face.

Commenting on the campaign, Midhula Devabhaktuni, Co-founder and CMO, Mivi, said: We are more than grateful to our users and community for choosing such a perfect fit for the brand. We are beyond excited to start this new journey with our new face and leading South Indian actress. Samantha resonates well with Mivi as she is well known for her elegance and her active lifestyle, both factors which are crucial to Mivi as well. Keep following us for all the new content we have planned for all of you and keep supporting us through this journey.

Samantha Ruth Prabhu, A-listed celebrity, said: I am elated to be collaborating with such a wonderful homegrown Indian brand. In this growing economy for AtmaNirbhar India, a brand like Mivi is setting a great example for other brands as well, which is all the more reason to be part of this great brand.

The company owned by the husband-wife duo Midhula Devabhaktuni and Vishwanadh Kandula is an adherent believer of Made-In-India products, they manufacture and assemble all their products in India which was something that impressed the young sensational actress. The actor will be appearing in a multi-platform advertising campaign in the region for the group which is to be unveiled in the coming weeks. Follow Mivi on their social media handles to know more about this interesting yet fruitful partnership.
Momspresso.com, rolled out a unique anthem for PNB MetLife through Momspresso STUDIO, an in-house video production team that helps Brands engage with customers through 42 formats of videos in 10 languages. The anthem is a reiteration of the brands purpose statement Karo Bade Sapno Ki Tayyari to encourage audiences to overcome limiting thoughts and dream big.

Created in tandem with the brand tagline Milkar Life Aage Badhayein, the anthems overarching goal is to reassure customers that they are financially secured with PNB MetLife and can go ahead and chase bigger dreams. The anthem features PNB MetLife employees on a typical work day ensuring that they deliver the best customer outcomes at every step of the way.

Speaking on the announcement, Pragya Bhatnagar, Creative Head, Momspresso.com said, When we heard PNB MetLifes vision for their anthem, our creative juices started flowing immediately. BadeSapnoKiTayyariHai anthem is an expression of pure encouragement for employees as well as customers to start paving the path to making their most cherished dreams a reality. The anthem was conceptualized to help customers have bigger dreams, goals, and milestones in life.

Understanding a brands message and delivering it in the most exciting and impactful manner is what we love to do. Planning and executing this anthem at the Momspresso Studio was a delightful experience, and were excited to roll it out., she added

Commenting on the brand anthem launch, Mr. Ashish Kumar Srivastava, MD & CEO, PNB MetLife said, PNB MetLife has always been focused on building a more confident future for our customers and our employees. Our new brand anthem BadeSapnoKiTayyariHai is a true reflection of our overall brand purpose, our core values, and the promises we make, and keep. It is a source of continuous inspiration for our employees to always do the right thing for our customers.

PNB MetLife is also hosting a contest themed #MyBigDream for participants to share their big dream and get a chance to meet Indias star shuttler and two-time Olympic Medallist PV Sindhu on 12th October 2022. Apart from this, lucky winners will also win exciting brand merchandise. The panIndia contest will run from 25th September - 4 th October 2022 across 55 radio stations in 20 cities and on PNB MetLifes Facebook (@PNBMetLife) and Instagram (PNB MetLife) pages.
Wake up to the flavourful breakfast cereals options and gear up for the day. Quaker, one of Indias leading brands in the oats segment, has entered the Ready-to-eat (RTE) cereal segment with a new delicious, innovative, and modern breakfast offering  Quaker Oats Muesli. Packed with the nutritious goodness of 5 grains and 22% fruit, nuts and seeds, Quaker Oats Muesli offers a crunchy, multi-textural, and wholesome breakfast experience in two flavourful variants  Fruit & Nut and Berries & Seeds.

Muesli is increasingly becoming a popular breakfast option and the easy-to-make Quaker Oats Muesli is developed to provide Fuel for the Real Fit, first thing in the morning. A delightful combination of grains (oats, wheat, corn, barley, and rice) and inclusions such as fruits, nuts and seeds, the product gives a delicious taste experience with convenience and is a source of protein & fibre that gives a good start to the day.

A Euromonitor International and Quaker report highlighted that 44% of urban millennials skipped breakfast and delayed their meals due to increased household chores and late start to the day. The study has further outlined the significance of having meals on time and consuming nutritious breakfast options. However, in spite of consumers skipping the first meal of the day, nutrition-conscious consumption has turned out to be the choice across the genders and generations. Quaker seeks to address this by introducing Quaker Oats Muesli that aims to become an unskippable part of their daily breakfast. Consumers increasing affinity towards nutritious, scrumptious, and convenient breakfast options makes Quaker Oats Muesli as one of the ideal breakfast options for health-conscious even during hectic morning schedules.

Expressing her thoughts on the launch, Sonam Bikram Vij, Associate Director and Category Head - Quaker, PepsiCo India, said, Convenience is key in a post-pandemic environment, and the need for convenience foods is on the rise. For todays nutrition-conscious consumers, it is all about striking a balance between ones active lifestyle and consuming nutritious food. Eating a wholesome breakfast that is easy to make and has numerous benefits is an important emerging trend. Complementing this trend is the fact that the ready-to-eat cereal market has been witnessing an upward growth trend in India, with demand for muesli constantly increasing. As a nutrition brand, we are looking to provide consumers with more options, and we see a clear role for Muesli in India. With our offerings, we will continue to encourage consumers to have their breakfast on time and stay on track with their nutritional needs.

Quaker Oats Muesli  Fruit & Nut is available in 700g for INR 440 and Quaker Oats Muesli  Berries & Seeds in 700g for INR 460 on leading retail and e-commerce platforms across key markets in India. The launch will be followed by a robust TVC campaign and surround plan.
Reliance Retail, Indias largest retailer, today announced the launch of its fashion & lifestyle departmental store format, Reliance Centro. The first Reliance Centro store was launched today in Vasant Kunj, Delhi.

Reliance Centro is aimed at democratizing fashion in India, by strengthening its reach & connect with consumers in India  right from categories like apparels, footwear, cosmetics, lingerie, sportswear to luggage and accessories with over 300 Indian and International brands!

Reliance Centros core offerings are curated to make it the one stop fashion destination for all the fashion conscious mid-premium segment customer. For the fashionistas of New Delhi, Reliance Centro is sure to appeal to their evolving tastes and meet the need for high definition fashion, through all seasons and for all ages.

Reliance Centro store at Vasant Kunj embraces modern looks and ambience featuring an exciting range of good quality and fashion merchandise that is relevant to todays consumers. With wide variety of brands and style options available across key lifestyle categories the offering is designed to cater to every occasion  from parties to festivals to wedding, making Reliance Centro the preferred fashion destination for all needs.

Shoppers in Delhi can now look forward to a uniquely special and superlative shopping experience for trendy fashion with a wide range of products catering to Women, Men and kids.

This 75,000 sq. ft. store, which is one of its kind store in this region, is a complete departmental store with range of over 300 brands and more than 20,000 style options for the entire family.

This new shopping destination has a special inaugural offer for its customers, besides great relevant fashion at amazing prices. The inaugural offer to get Rs 1500 off on shopping worth Rs.3999 or get Rs.2000 off on shopping worth Rs Rs.4999 and above.

Residents can head to the Reliance Centro store at Vasant Kunj for the joy of a great shopping experience!
STARZ announced today that its premium international streaming service, STARZPLAY, will rebrand as LIONSGATE+ in 35 countries, coinciding with a new brand look with graphics package, rolling out globally tomorrow, September 29th.

The new brand look with graphics package, color palette and design elements will deploy in the U.S. and begin rolling out in the majority of STARZ's 63 country footprint. STARZPLAY will rebrand to LIONSGATE+ in 35 STARZ markets excluding the U.S. and Canada where it will remain STARZ. Brand names for STARZPLAY ARABIA along with South and Southeast Asia's LIONSGATE PLAY will also remain in place.

"We recognized the potential of the global OTT market early, and over the last few years we have built an incredible global streaming service, which has become a destination for audiences seeking premium, provocative programming," said Jeffrey Hirsch, President and CEO of STARZ. "Operating under LIONSGATE+ internationally brings a distinct and differentiated identity in an increasingly crowded international marketplace and builds on the brand equity in the Lionsgate name that our extensive research has proven is strong around the world. Even with the separation of STARZ and the Lionsgate studio business, the Lionsgate brand will continue to be valuable to the ongoing success of our international platform."

"Our commitment to deliver bold, curated stories where we push boundaries and defy expectations remains the same," said Superna Kalle, President, International Networks for STARZ. "We have built strong relationships with our viewers and look forward to continue providing them premium storytelling as LIONSGATE+."

LIONSGATE+ subscribers have access to a vast library of exclusive, premium content that includes original series premiering globally on the same day as the U.S. such as political thriller, "Gaslit," sumptuous period dramas in its Royal Collection including the upcoming series "Dangerous Liaisons," along with a series set in the universe of the blockbuster "Power" franchise. LIONSGATE+ is also home to Spanish language original series such as the critically acclaimed drama "Senorita 89," sci-fi thriller "El Refugio" and crime drama "Express," and offer some of the most sought-after first run series on television including the genre-bending series "The Great," and the action-thriller series "Gangs of London," plus a huge collection of blockbuster fan-favorite movies added to the platform every month.

STARZ established itself as one of the first U.S. linear channels to enter the global market upon launching its global SVOD service, now LIONSGATE+, in 2018 offering audiences access to bold, curated storytelling. Since its initial launch, coupled with its STARZPLAY Arabia joint venture, STARZ's global footprint has expanded into 63 countries throughout Asia, Canada, Europe, Latin America, MENA and South and Southeast Asia.

With the rebrand in effect, below is the breakdown of service names across the 63 countries where the SVOD has a presence.

Separately, Lionsgate today filed a Current Report on Form 8-K with the Securities and Exchange Commission updating shareholders on its progress toward separating STARZ and its Lionsgate studio business.

LIONSGATE+ BRANDED MARKETS

Europe: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Finland, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK

Latin America: Argentina, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Venezuela

APAC: Australia and Japan

MARKETS WITH UNIQUE SERVICE BRANDING

Asia: South and South East Asia (Lionsgate Play)

North America: U.S. and Canada (STARZ)

MENA: All territories (STARZPLAY Arabia*)

*Joint venture between Lionsgate and local partners
Zenith India, the media agency under Publicis Groupe India, has appointed Trishul Bhumkar as its Managing Partner. Bhumkar will be reporting into Jai Lala and will spearhead business growth and momentum for Zenith India and its clients. He will strengthen client relationships further and mobilise with agility Publicis Media services, including Content, Data, Analytics, Activation and Trade, in order to maximise opportunities, visibility and ROI for brands.

He brings with him a wide spectrum of experience on pedigreed brands, including Coca-Cola, Vodafone, Marico, Danone, Pepperfry and Disney. His previous stints include Madison, erstwhile Maxus and GroupM Motivator and most recently saw him as Strategic Business Unit (SBU) Head for Motivator (West.).

Commenting on the appointment, Jai Lala, CEO, Zenith India, said, Trishul is a dynamic leader with a track-record that speaks for itself. He has been instrumental in new business success, fortifying relationships with clients and partners and driving exceptional growth and ROI for brands. In an ever-evolving market scenario, he brings strong thought leadership, strategic insights and substance to every brand conversation and is perfectly placed to partner me in leading the agency into the next phase of growth and expansion.

On joining Zenith, Bhumkar said, I am delighted at the opportunity. This is an exciting time to be joining Zenith India, when the agency is witnessing strong momentum on new business and delivering an outstanding performance on existing client businesses. I look forward to building further on the scale of operations, client delivery andleveraging Zenith Indias unique strengths in data, technology, content, analytics in order to bring in unsurpassed growth for brands.

Zenith with its strong ROI focus and approach brings in integrated and personalised brand experiences, across the entire spectrum of media communications.
Overseas warehouses help Chinese enterprises go global

People's Daily Online) 09:45, September 29, 2022

With cross-border e-commerce booming in recent years, many Chinese enterprises have built overseas warehouses in order to better meet the needs of overseas customers.

Photo shows a HiBREW coffee maker. (Photo couresty of AliExpress)

Nowadays, many overseas customers are buying a wide range of Chinese products, such as cosmetics, clothes, furniture and vehicles on Chinese cross-border e-commerce platforms. Jalila from Bahrain recently bought a Chinese coffee maker called HiBREW online. "I placed the order on Sept. 19 and received it just two days later," she said. "I'm very satisfied with it as it's very easy to use and the taste of the coffee is great." Similarly, Saleh, a customer in Saudi Arabia, who bought a coffee maker from the same brand online and also received it two days later, was impressed by the speedy delivery service.

"Both of the orders were dispatched from the overseas warehouses in Saudi Arabia," said Zeng Qiuping, an executive at HiBREW. Zeng added that HiBREW started to use overseas warehouses in July 2020, and has built similar warehouses in 12 countries and regions including Saudi Arabia, Dubai and Spain.

Overseas warehouse refers to storage facilities established overseas. Domestic enterprises establish warehouses and store commodities in target market countries, transport commodities there in bulk, and then, according to local sales orders, directly sort, package and distribute the goods to local customers from these warehouses.

"In the past, we used to send the commodities from warehouses in China after receiving the orders, which was time-consuming and not cost-effective. Now, we transport our goods to overseas warehouses first, and then deliver them from the warehouses directly after we receive the orders. This helps slash the time for delivery, making it popular with customers. Since July 2020, our orders have surged by 80 percent," Zeng explained.

Photo shows AliExpress's warehouse in Spain. (Photo couresty of AliExpress)

"Overseas warehouses built along the route of the Belt and Road Initiative have helped Chinese brands like HiBREW go global," said Zeng. Now, HiBREW is a household name in the Middle East."

China had built over 2,000 overseas warehouses by the end of 2021, with a total area of more than 16 million square meters, according to Chinas Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM). A recent meeting of China's State Council called for more efforts to build overseas warehouses.

The overseas warehouse is a new business model of China's foreign trade and an important global infrastructure project supporting new trade models in the future with cross-border e-commerce as the mainstay," observed Li Mingtao, chief e-commerce expert at China International Electronic Commerce Center. A well-developed overseas warehouse system allows Chinese cross-border e-commerce companies to enhance their capability and better serve local clients, while greatly cutting logistic and storage costs, Li added.

In addition, buyers can return items and make exchanges at overseas warehouses, which is much more convenient than before, according to Hong Yong, an associate research fellow at an e-commerce research institute under MOFCOM.

This is evidenced by AliExpress, a Chinese cross-border e-commerce platform. Together with Cainiao, the logistics arm of Alibaba Group, it has built over 20 overseas warehouses with a total area of more than 860,000 square meters in more than 11 countries and regions. Now, buyers can return or exchange products within 15 days. Furthermore, AliExpress can deliver commodities to clients in a minimum of two days in European countries, and it will make the delivery time in major countries in Europe and America a maximum of five days in the second half of the year.

Moreover, overseas warehouses are also taking on more roles, such as making financing more accessible and affordable for small and medium-sized firms. Zongteng Group, a leading cross-border logistics service provider for e-commerce sellers in China, has accumulated a great deal of information through the building of overseas warehouses, and can help match up companies that need financing with capital providers, lowering financing costs for businesses.

(Web editor: Hongyu, Liang Jun)
Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema addresses the opening ceremony of the China-Zambia Trade and Investment Forum in Lusaka, Zambia, Sept. 28, 2022.(Photo by Martin Mbangweta/Xinhua)

LUSAKA, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- The first China-Zambia investment forum opened Wednesday in Lusaka, the capital of Zambia, with the two countries pledging to deepen trade and investment relations.

Being held under the theme "China-Zambia Trade and Investment Forum in the New Era: All-weather, All-Dimensional and High Quality Friendship," the opening ceremony was attended by Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema and Chinese Ambassador to Zambia Du Xiaohui, government officials from the two countries as well as Chinese and Zambian companies.

More than 300 Chinese and Zambian companies are participating in the two-day event with another 90 participating online.

In remarks delivered during the ceremony, the Chinese envoy said the hosting of the forum was meant to build a new platform to explore new possibilities for practical cooperation.

He said it was China's long-term and firm strategic choice to build solidarity and cooperation with Zambia. According to him, the two countries should further develop political mutual trust and cooperate more closely despite challenges such as the COVID-19 pandemic.

"The two countries will actively increase trade and investment, tighten our practical cooperation and never forget to uphold international fairness and justice," he said.

He said China was prepared to collaborate with Zambia to actively carry out the Belt and Road Initiative, the Global Development Initiative, and the Global Security Initiative.

Zambian President Hichilema said the forum seeks to stimulate direct interaction between the private sector and the business communities of the two countries through the promotion of trade and investment cooperation.

While saying China remains Zambia's major trading partner, President Hichilema stressed that the increased Chinese investment must be encouraged to continue and promised that his government will continue to provide a conducive environment for investment.

He also said there was a need to promote joint ventures and encourage partnerships between Zambia and Chinese enterprises in order to stimulate value addition and industrialization.

The two countries also signed an agreement on duty-free treatment for Zambian products corresponding to 98 percent of tariff lines. 

Participants attend the opening ceremony of the China-Zambia Trade and Investment Forum in Lusaka, Zambia, Sept. 28, 2022.(Photo by Martin Mbangweta/Xinhua)
SUVA, Sept. 29 (Xinhua) -- The China Cultural Center in Fiji hosted two art exhibitions on Thursday to help boost the cultural exchanges and cooperations between China and Fiji.

The two exhibitions, namely the "Guest Exhibition of Famous Chinese Animation Artists" and "Dancers in the Sky -- Caring for Nature," have shown 14 short animation films and a collection of 60 photographs on birds respectively.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the exhibitions, Wang Xuguang, counsellor of Chinese Embassy in Fiji, hailed the flourishing cultural exchanges and cooperations between China and Fiji in recent years, which have "deepened the mutual communication, understanding and friendship between our two peoples."

"The two exhibitions today are a new testimony. I'm fully confident that with joint efforts of our both sides, we could expect more fruitful cultural exchanges in the years to come, which will bring us even closer," he said.

Collin Yabaki, director of Fiji's Department of Heritage and Arts, and Sandeep Singh, director of the Department of Environment, also spoke highly of the exhibitions.

The event is another reflection of the strong diplomatic ties between Fiji and China, Collin said, adding that it is also a reflection of the collaboration and common interest in culture, art, environment and climate change between the two countries by protecting natural environment.

For her part, Singh said the photo art exhibition builds on a common platform to raise awareness on the importance of nature and birds, and it also presents both sides with a unique opportunity to showcase and appreciate both Fiji and China's diverse range of bird species.

Meanwhile, Han Xiaoyan, director of the China cultural center, told Xinhua that as China and Fiji are to celebrate the 73rd anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China and the 52nd anniversary of Fiji's independence in October respectively, the two exhibitions will also help boost the cultural exchanges and cooperations between the two countries. 
Malaysia's Deputy Minister of Higher Education Ahmad Masrizal Muhammad speaks at the Malaysia-China Digital Economy Forum 2022 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Sept. 29, 2022. The development of Malaysia's digital economy could be fueled by the Belt and Road Initiative and cooperation with China would serve as a springboard, a Malaysian official said here on Thursday. (Photo by Chong Voon Chung/Xinhua)

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept. 29 (Xinhua) -- The development of Malaysia's digital economy could be fueled by the Belt and Road Initiative and cooperation with China would serve as a springboard, a Malaysian official said here on Thursday.

The digital economy, the fourth industrial revolution and the adoption of sustainable development are the three "domains with untapped economic potentials" in the bilateral trade between Malaysia and China, Deputy Minister of Higher Education Ahmad Masrizal Muhammad said in his officiating speech at the Malaysia-China Digital Economy Forum 2022.

"This forum presents a golden opportunity for us to engage with the world's leading digital technology players from China and Malaysia. It is my hope that the participants, especially the government officials, could grab this opportunity to draw inspiration from today's forum," he said.

"The ministry will actively seek collaboration with industry players both in Malaysia and abroad, for advanced technological exchange to aid in the realization of our nation's goal," he added.

The forum was organized by the Malaysia-China Business Council (MCBC) with the theme "Bridging the Malaysia-China Digital Economy Ecosystems" to promote mutual technology development and cooperation to drive the future of the digital economy ecosystems between Malaysia and China.

Chinese Ambassador to Malaysia Ouyang Yujing said in his speech that the Chinese government gives high priority to digital economy development. Steady increase and impressive achievements have been seen in scale, quality and strength in the development of digital economy in recent years.

"China continues to deepen cooperation with its international partners in the digital economy. China has been actively contributing to international digital governance by getting involved in rules and regulations setting," he said.

China-Malaysia cooperation in digital economy is well grounded and closely knitted. Chinese companies have been cooperating well with their Malaysian local partners. A number of joint projects and programs being implemented and run quite well in Malaysia, such as the cloud data center, e-commerce free trade zone and artificial intelligence industrial park, Ouyang said.

"I have full confidence that today's forum will be a big push to further the China-Malaysia digital cooperation. It will help to figure out new ideas, forms and models of cooperation, so as to explore new growth points and development paths in the long run," Ouyang said.

The one-day forum attracted hundreds of officials, experts and business leaders in digital economy from both countries. Renowned companies like Huawei, Tencent, Hikvision and Alibaba Cloud showcased the latest technologies, products and services and business models to highlight the advanced digital transformation tools from China.

MCBC's Chief Executive Officer Samuel Lee said that China is always willing to expand its cooperation with Malaysia in potential emerging industries, such as the digital economy, green development, e-commerce and cybersecurity. Malaysian companies are overflowing with local talents, which have been engaging internationally, especially with China.

"I hope this digital economic forum could be a vital opportunity for both the Malaysian government and private sectors to learn from China's digital economy," he said. 

People attend the Malaysia-China Digital Economy Forum 2022 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Sept. 29, 2022. The development of Malaysia's digital economy could be fueled by the Belt and Road Initiative and cooperation with China would serve as a springboard, a Malaysian official said here on Thursday. (Photo by Chong Voon Chung/Xinhua)

Chinese Ambassador to Malaysia Ouyang Yujing speaks at the Malaysia-China Digital Economy Forum 2022 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Sept. 29, 2022. The development of Malaysia's digital economy could be fueled by the Belt and Road Initiative and cooperation with China would serve as a springboard, a Malaysian official said here on Thursday. (Photo by Chong Voon Chung/Xinhua)

Guests visit the Malaysia-China Digital Economy Forum 2022 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Sept. 29, 2022. The development of Malaysia's digital economy could be fueled by the Belt and Road Initiative and cooperation with China would serve as a springboard, a Malaysian official said here on Thursday. (Photo by Chong Voon Chung/Xinhua)
COPENHAGEN, Sept. 29 (Xinhua) -- The government of Denmark considers the Nord Stream gas pipeline leaks "deliberate actions," Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said here on Tuesday.

"It is the clear assessment by authorities that these are deliberate actions. It was not an accident," Frederiksen told journalists.

On Monday, Danish and Swedish officials said that leaks had been identified in two natural gas pipelines -- Nord Stream 1 and its twin, Nord Stream 2 -- under the Baltic Sea off the coast of Denmark's Bornholm island, near the exclusive economic zones of Denmark and Sweden.

Frederiksen said that "two explosions" have been registered, but she refused to speculate as to who might be responsible.

Dan Jorgensen, minister for climate, energy and utilities, said that "The gas pipes lie at a depth of 70 to 90 meters and consist of over 12-centimeter thick layers of steel and concrete, respectively. The nature of the leaks indicates that there are such large holes that it cannot have happened by accident."

He said that the leaks are not expected to cause supply security issues in the short term.

Citing Denmark's foreign intelligence service, Defense Minister Morten Bodskov said that it did not see any increased military threat against Denmark after the leaks.

"I would like to emphasize that the defense intelligence service does not consider that there is an increased military threat to Denmark," Defense Minister Morten Bodskov said.

He added that no advance warnings had been received, but that there had been an increase in tensions around the Baltic Sea.

"This is a serious matter. The defense is increasing its presence around Bornholm," he said.

Bodskov has a previously scheduled meeting dedicated to the Nord Stream pipelines with Jens Stoltenberg, secretary general of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) on Wednesday morning.





Produced by Xinhua Global Service
States and the federal government should mandate balanced teaching of history and the social sciences in both public schools and universities that accept taxpayer support (state or federal). That's because of what is being taught to American youth about socialism and communism is as dangerous to our Republic as the pseudo-science of eugenics and racialist philosophies of the past, seeping into the national consciousness of the western world leading up to World War II and the genocide at the hands of the Nazis and their collaborators.

After watching the three-part series on the U.S. and the Holocaust (a joint project by Ken Burns, Lynn Novick, and Sarah Botstein), which dramatized how the Roosevelt administration was blind to the plight of European Jews seeking asylum from Nazi persecution, one thing stood out  that the underlying cause of Nazism was not just historical anti-Semitism in Germany and other Christian countries, but the various philosophies and junk sciences coming out of the Enlightenment, one of which was eugenics.

Eugenics preached that some ethnic groups and races were superior to others  and those on the top were mainly Aryan northern Europeans. In the course of the century that followed, it gave a scientific rationale for racism and government enforcement of racist policies the progressive-era movement to improve the genetic makeup of the population.

In an interview in the documentary, which ran on PBS the week of Sept. 18, one historian said eugenics believers felt there were mental and physical differences among even white ethnics like different breeds of dogs.

Science has disproven this, (only after the murder of some 10 million subhumans by the Nazis in the name of eugenics) but it was settled science to use Dr. Faucis words in the years leading up to Hitlers takeover in Germany in 1933. Genetic research in recent years has proven that despite skin color and facial differences, all humans are biologically the same.

As such, Jews were considered an inferior race, as were Romani (gypsies), while southern and eastern Christian Europeans were not as advanced as northern ones (Aryans). Hitler believed blacks were not even human and griped about their presence on the U. S. 1936 Olympic team.

Put in the hands of a totalitarian state that preached it was the Master Race in order to boost population morale and find scapegoats for their post World War I doldrums, eugenics had lethal consequences.

Initially, Jews lost their rights in Nazi Germany, in an attempt to drive them out (and there was really no nation that would accept them). And by 1945, six million had been murdered in the Holocaust.

But the eugenics genie also had negative consequences in the democracies, which included the U.S.

Eugenics led 30 states in the 1920s and 30s to enact sterilization laws, that allowed prisons to sterilize prisoners and the mentally ill so that they would not spawn future generations of inferior people dependent on government help (the Nazis took the next step with state-sponsored euthanasia of the handicapped and mentally ill). Margaret Sangers efforts to liberalize abortion bans in this period was a veiled eugenics effort (she was one of their advocates, as stated in the documentary).

And, heinous medical procedures like lobotomies and the Tuskegee experiments also were consequences of thinking.

Anti-Semitic conspiracies about Jews (my religion) controlling banks, the media, and Hollywood, led by the German propaganda machine, infiltrated the minds of Americans and thought leaders. Charles Edward Coughlin, known as Father Coughlin, an anti-Semitic Roman Catholic priest, who called it "social justice," had one of the largest audiences on radio in the 1930s.

The fear of additional immigrants adding to the burden of the state during the Great Depression in the 1930s was an underlying reason for the State Department, led by the Princeton-educated Roosevelt pal, assistant secretary Breckenridge Long, limited visas from German Jews seeking asylum -- even after Kristallnacht in 1938, up until the creation of the War Refugee Board in 1944.

And, as Burns, Novick, Botstein reported, FDR was conflicted about helping Jewish refugees for fear of being labeled too pro-Jewish.

In recent years, it was learned there were more slots available to German Jews to emigrate before Hitler cut off emigration in December 1941, and Long and other Jew-haters in the State Department didnt use them, fearing Nazi spies were posing as Jews.

Documentarians being liberal, the trio of directors ends the series with footage of Donald Trump espousing anti-immigrant rhetoric, images of the 2017 Charlottesville Unite the Right protest and of course, the Jan. 6, 2021 Capitol assault.

In the minds of the leftist intelligentsia, we conservatives and those who backed Trump or still do are the brown shirts of old. To them, there is no problem with anti-Semitism on the left (i.e., Rashida Tlaib and the university-based efforts to boycott Israel), just on the right, and MAGA Republicans are the threat to democracy, as Joe Biden said in his recent speech.

Just as Hitler, Stalin, Mao and other murderous dictators preached their statist philosophies would bring a better world, todays social-justice Marxist critical theory has inspired social justice movements think that they, too, have a mission to create paradise on Earth.

Despite the fall of communism in Eastern Europe, academia is filled with professors who preach a one-sided view of communism and socialism. The failure of Republican presidents dating back to Ronald Reagan and GOP leaders in Congress to address this has allowed cancel culture to result and now its efforts to stamp out free speech.

Today, employers will not hire people who oppose homosexuality, even on religious grounds. Statues are torn down and new heroes like the drug addict George Floyd are now heralded. Folks in academia or government can have their lives ruined for failing to pay fealty to woke

policies much like Mao and Stalin purged suspected capitalists  murdering millions.

Millions of college and public school students know little about the 100 million people who died at the hands of communist and socialist regimes over an 80-year period. Rather, they are spoon-fed anti-American textbooks by socialists such as Howard Zinn (A Peoples History of the United States) and Nicole Hannah-Jones 1619 Project.

In the documentary, we learned that not only did German police sympathetic to the Nazis look the other way while Jews were beaten or killed by Nazi brown shirted thugs, so did anti-Semitic police in the U.S. as gangs harassed and beat Jews.

Today, we have police who are ordered by elected officials to stand down when rioters burn police stations, buses, cop cars and businesses. And, Orthodox Jews are regularly attacked by thugs (many black and Hispanic) in New York City , who are released due to liberalized bail laws.

So, why isnt democracy threatened by these people and ideas? Why arent ANTIFA and BLM the new brown shirts, aided on by wild-eyed student Progressives?

The problem is that academia, notably the public schools of late, have become bastions for teaching kids that they need to be woke and progressive, and must champion climate change and other Leftist causes, or the world will come to an end.

We cannot stop the teaching of certain lethal isms. In fact, I think its good if high school seniors and college students learn different interpretation of history, politics and sociology. So, they can decide for themselves. However, getting just one side of the story is bad news for our country  as we saw the consequences of accepting eugenics as settled science long ago.

Fortunately, a number of states are beginning to act. At least eight have banned CRT-derived curricula in public schools and Gov. Glenn Youngkin here in Virginia is reversing liberal LGBTQ policies and you can comment on the rule here.

The consequence to our society of not having fair and balanced education of the social sciences may not be death camps but given what is happening of late should make us concerned.

Ken Reid is a 35-year journalist, GOP activist, and former Republican office holder in Virginia.

Correction: An earlier version of this failed to credit Ken Burns' co-creators.

Image: AtviraKlaipedia.it, via Picryl // public domain
On August 3, 2022, Jackie Walorski, a congresswoman from Indiana, was one of four people tragically killed in a head-on collision. Despite her being a Republican, Joe Biden issued an official statement about his and Jills shock and sadness at her untimely passing. Then, today, Joe Biden stood at a podium and tried to find Walorski in a crowd. Later, his official spokesmoron tried to make this appear normal.

It makes headlines when a sitting congressperson dies unexpectedly, especially when it happens during a deadly car accident that kills her two young aides and the other driver. No wonder, then, that Biden immediately issued a statement upon learning of Rep. Walorskis death. Its a nice statement, too:

Jill and I are shocked and saddened by the death of Congresswoman Jackie Walorski of Indiana along with two members of her staff in a car accident today in Indiana. Born in her beloved South Bend as the daughter of a meat-cutter and firefighter, she spent a lifetime serving the community that she grew up in  as a journalist, a nonprofit director, a state legislator, and eventually as a Member of Congress for the past nine and half years. We may have represented different parties and disagreed on many issues, but she was respected by members of both parties for her work on the House Ways and Means Committee on which she served. She also served as co-chair of the House Hunger Caucus, and my team and I appreciated her partnership as we plan for a historic White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health this fall that will be marked by her deep care for the needs of rural America. (Emphasis added.)

Image: Glitchy Joe Biden. Twitter screen grab (edited).

You can read the rest here. Summed up: A person whom Biden had known personally died in a sadly memorable way, and Biden officially noticed her passing.

The White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health took place today. Biden was there to open the conference and decided to honor the people who had been working on the project...including Jackie Walorski:

"Jackie are you here? Where's Jackie?"



Rep. Jackie Walorski (R-IN) died in a car accident in August pic.twitter.com/cHc3b7zPmE  Charlie Spiering (@charliespiering) September 28, 2022

Did you note that bit at the end? He didnt catch himself and say something about Walorskis untimely passing. Instead, he mumbled, I guess she must not be here. Well, at least he got that rightand I guess we should be happy that he didnt say something along the lines of I see dead people. After such a troubling show of confusion, it was inevitable that someone in the press would ask what happened. Karine Jean-Pierres answer was less than comforting:

Reporter: "What happened when Biden said where is Jackie Walorski?"



Jean-Pierre: "The president was acknowledging her incredible work."



Reporter: "He said 'Jackie, Jackie, where is Jackie?'"



Jean-Pierre: "She was clearly on top of his mind." pic.twitter.com/y1TljVg1BW  Greg Price (@greg_price11) September 28, 2022

She was clearly on top of his mind. That was obvious to all. Whats troubling is that Biden seems to have no memory of the fact that the woman on top of his mind has died, something that was not inconsequential but was, instead, headline news when it happened.

As we get older, we do get memory glitches. However, its not a glitch when someone erases entirely a memorable event. Thats a manifestation of dementia (a word that has its roots in the Latin for loss of the mind). Biden had lost that part of his mind in which Walorskis death should have resided.

I called Jean-Pierre a spokesmoron, which was unkind. The reality is that I find her an exceptionally stupid woman and I believe she was chosen as press secretary for that reason. A smarter person would have tried harder to spin what happened and made things worse. When it comes to Jean-Pierre, we expect nothing more from her, which allows her huge latitude in offering non-responsive, inane, and dishonest answers to serious questions.
According to James 1:8, A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.

Christians must never abdicate biblical responsibilities upon entering the voting booth. While we render to Caesar what is Caesars, we must first render to God what is His. God instituted religion and politics; therefore, he has Supreme Authority over both. The Christian who attempts to separate the influence of faith over politics, forgets that Caesar is subject to God as are we.

For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. 2 Timothy 1:7

The biblically minded will not cast votes based on political party preferences, but based on biblical precepts and our commanded interest to spread the gospel and enlarge Gods Kingdom. Unfortunately, many believers have been swayed by the Separation of Church and State fallacy. The intent of Jeffersons Danbury Baptist letter was to assure the Danbury Baptist that the federal government would not infringe on their form of worship.

Thomas Jefferson was not advocating the removal of religion from political thought. He appealed to the Creator and Supreme Judge of the world in the Declaration of Independence; thereby, acknowledging in our countrys founding document, that Gods sovereignty has no limits. No wall can block God. The wall of separation Jefferson spoke of could only block governments influence on the church, not the churchs influence on government.

Consistency demands that our vote agrees with our voice. We must continue to speak against abortion, transgenderism, sodomy, drag queen story hour and other cultural abnormalities. We must vote for people who refuse to support those abominations. The United States is a representative republic. The politicians we vote for are required to represent our interest. If they fail to provide proper representation, we must replace them with politicians who will. If we knowingly vote for politicians who proclaim their opposition to biblical mandates, they are not in error, we are.

Samuel E. Tolley III, Retired CPM, B.A.,M.A. in Theology, Speaker & Author,

email inhimfirst@outlook.com

Image: Public Domain Pictures
A few years ago, Frank Burke wrote a wonderful post here about President Obama's managerial style. He wrote that the abdicative manager flees from responsibility, is always out to lunch or away from the office when a tough decision has to be made. He is the boss in title only!

Let's look at Mayor Eric Adams of New York City. He was elected on a get tough with crime agenda. Unfortunately, he is distracted traveling to Puerto Rico and showing up at fancy parties. Back home, the crime that he promised to tackle is out of control and residents keep getting a voice mail when they call the mayor.

Mayor Adams needs to focus on crime as Michael Goodwin wrote:

Plain for all to see, he is taking his focus off the crucial war against crime that got him elected and is putting his attention on turning the city into a vast welcoming mat for foreign migrants. With about 15,000 in New York already, he talks about having as many as 75,000 migrants living here and is building an enormous tent city at Orchard Beach in The Bronx. Supposedly, new arrivals will stay there only for a few days until space opens in a city homeless shelter. But that verges on delusional when there already are 58,000 people living in the shelters scattered around the city, a population that usually grows as the weather turns colder.

Why is Mayor Adams talking about migrants rather than crime? Yesterday, I spoke with a friend in New York, who voted for Adams and who is totally disappointed. He concludes that Mayor Adams is frustrated with a city council on board with the left-wing policies protecting criminals rather than citizens. Furthermore, the governor won't fire the DAs who are putting these people back in the street. So the mayor won't fight the city council or even a very unpopular governor. My guess is that many New Yorkers would love to see a little backbone from a mayor who fights for them, not one who loves parties.

He has fled from responsibilities and focuses on issues that did not get him elected. He looks like a man who wants another job.

P.S. Check out my blog for posts, podcasts and videos.

Image: VINnews
One of Hunter Bidens working relationships was with a man Hunter characterized as Chinas spy chief. Thats why its concerning that he allowed the secretary of that same spy chief to occupy so much of his time and give him advice on personal and political matters. Even without evidence of an affair (making her the rare woman Hunter may not have bedded), his lack of judgment and the fact that this happened so close to Joe Bidens orbit is concerning.

The Daily Mail is still ferreting through Hunter Bidens hard drive and finding interesting material. One of the things it found is how close Hunter became to a woman named JiaQi Bao.

In 2017, Hunter went into business with Patrick Ho, CEFCs secretary general. CEFC, in turn, was a vast (and corrupt) Chinese oil company with close ties to both the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and the partys Peoples Liberation Army. In emails, Hunter described Ho as the spy chief of China.

Image: Hunter Biden partying in Malibu (from his laptop).

If youre wondering why someone who was both an American citizen and the son of a highly placed American politician would want to consort with the spy chief for a repressive dictatorship, Im not surprised. Long ago, when I was a yuppie in Dallas, my friends loved going to a horrible pizza place because of the rumor that it was a money laundering place for the mob. I thought that it was appalling to support the mob; they thought it was cool, edgy, and exciting. For a man like Hunter, already unanchored to any morality, Hos status probably just made the whole deal more fun.

JiaQi Bao, a Chinese-American woman, was Hos assistant. According to the Daily Mail, she began her work with Hunter doing standard assistant tasks: booking flights, hotels, and doctors appointments. However, as time went on, although theres no evidence that they had an affair, the Daily Mail says the relationship changed dramatically, with Bao performing more substantive tasks for Hunter:

At first, emails show the New York-based Bao diligently scheduled flights, hotels and even doctors appointments for the presidents son. But mysteriously, the young assistant also sent him opposition research to help Joe Bidens 2020 election bid, urged him to take cash from the joint ventures accounts as the business collapsed and wrote flirty and personal messages and even ended up with Hunters military dog tags in her New York apartment  the same tags he can be seen wearing in home-made porn videos he recorded on his laptop.

Incidentally, were not talking about little notes or musings. Bao sent Hunter a three-page long, single-spaced, detailed email on all these subjects. Additionally, she wrote the email at roughly the same time that Hunter was collecting naked videos of himself during an utterly debauched 2018 party in Malibu, complete with hookers, group sex and, of course, drugs.

The Daily Mail acknowledges that theres no evidence that Bao was a spyand she hasnt responded to any requests for commentbut the fact is that her employer and his company were a problem:

A Senate probe highlighted links between Hunters Chinese backers and the countrys spy machine, and reported that his dealings with the Chinese raise criminal financial, counterintelligence and extortion concerns.

The Daily Mail has a lot more information which you may find interesting. The outlines of Hunters activities vis-a-vis Bao and CEFC still need to come into focus, but its clear that both the current president and his son knew that CEFC was allied with the government of Americas chief economic and geopolitical adversary...and didnt care. Moreover, given Hunters uncontrolled behavior, if Bao was indeed a Chinese agent, she held him in the palm of her hand.

I sincerely hope that someone in Washington finally takes all this seriously, investigates it carefully and, if appropriate, metes out serious punishment to the people involved.
Just yesterday, Joe Biden was speaking at a conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health conducted at the White House.

As he concluded his remarks, he expressed his gratitude to a bipartisan group of lawmakers who, he said, pushed the White House to organize the event.

Among the names was Indiana Rep. Jackie Walorski.

"Jackie, are you here? Where's Jackie? I think she was going to be here," Biden said looking for Rep. Walorski in his audience.

"Jackie are you here? Where's Jackie?"



Rep. Jackie Walorski (R-IN) died in a car accident in August pic.twitter.com/cHc3b7zPmE  Charlie Spiering (@charliespiering) September 28, 2022

Sadly, Rep. Jackie Walorski died in a car accident last August, along with two staffers.

Biden had even paid tributes to Walorski upon the news of her passing in August.

At the time, Biden issued a statement mourning her death pic.twitter.com/87QzWUMgdt  Charlie Spiering (@charliespiering) September 28, 2022

In fact, a video paying generous tributes to Warloski was already played at the very conference where Biden was speaking.

A tribute video honoring the late Rep. Jackie Walorski (R-Ind.) will play during the White House conference on hunger, nutrition and health today. She was a major advocate for the effort and among a handful of Rs who stuck behind it, even when the politics grew tough.  Meredith Lee Hill (@meredithllee) September 28, 2022

In addition, the Senate passed legislation naming a Veterans Affairs clinic in Indiana after Walorski, and that legislation will soon be signed by Biden.

During the same event, the following also happened:

Biden just had a random outburst.

Biden confused his Agricultural secretary with a senator:

Finally, a reporter during yesterdays White House Press briefing asked an elementary question about the obvious, which has become an act of bravery in today's times. For a change, it wasnt the fearless Mr. Doocy.

"She was at top of mind..."



That's how the Biden White House is attempting to explain away Joe Biden's inquiry about the whereabouts of Republican Representative Jackie Walorski who passed away in early August. pic.twitter.com/kL6pswJfGC  Townhall.com (@townhallcom) September 28, 2022

White House Press Secretary Karin Jean-Pierre did what she always does -- she beat aimlessly around the bushes, mentioning occurrences unrelated to the answer.

She mentioned the importance of food insecurity and that Biden was naming the congressional champions on this issue and oh, by the way, was acknowledging Walorskis incredible work.

She added that Biden had planned to welcome the congresswomans family to the White House on Friday where a bill will be signed in her honor.

She added that Walorski was of top of mind for Biden.

Surprisingly the reporter was not willing to let go, she pressed Jean- Pierre again about Biden looking for Walorski.

Jean-Pierre merely stuck to the claim that she was on top of Biden's mind, She then proceed to repeat exactly what she claimed earlier.

The Democrat mouthpiece the New York Times and the Washington Post reported these as honest mistakes, obviously.

Now for a look at the past.

Over a week ago, at the Global Fund's Seventh Replenishment Conference in New York, Biden seemed lost on stage following his address. See the video here.

A few months ago, at the White House, following an appearance alongside President Obama, Biden looked baffled. See the video here.

Biden even wandered around the White House lawn despite being directed by his security detail. See the video here.

A while back, Biden shook hands with a ghost. See the video here.

Biden even struggled to put on his jacket and needed assistance from his wife Jill. See the video here.

At times, Biden has trouble recalling words from the English language and fumbles. See the video here.

At times, Biden struggles to recall or remember names. See the videos here and here.

Biden even struggles while reading from his teleprompter. See the video here.

At times, he even reads the instructions off a teleprompter. See the video here.

Biden frequently makes claims that need to be walked back by the White House.

Biden recently claimed that the pandemic is over, but his handlers rejected the claim. See the video here.

An easy way to verify Bidens decline is to watch videos of him during his tenure as vice president from 2008 to 2016.

Biden wasnt exactly the most eloquent of speakers, but he was at least able to string together coherent sentences and exit a room.

He was always prone to gaffes.

As vice president, Biden paid premature condolence to Irish then-prime minister, Brian Cowen, on the death of his mother. Unlike Walorski, she was very much alive. See the video here.

Some of Bidens ardent admirers may attempt to compare that decade-old premature tribute to Biden looking for Rep Jackie Walorski, attempting to make it look like a careless or innocent gaffe.

But that would be an unfair comparison.

Biden merely confused the passing of the Irish premiers father with his mother. During the rest of his remarks, it was amply clear Biden was in full control of his cognitive and mental faculties. It was an insensitive and careless mistake perhaps emanating from apathy towards his job.

Also, the Irish premier wasnt his colleague whom he met frequently, it is easy to forget details about his parents. Walorski was a sitting representative and her passing made headlines, especially in Washington. She was in the news recently following the legislation passed in her memory. Anybody with a functioning mind would remember this.

But Bidens frequent listless displays are not mistakes, they are a result of a mind that is obviously not functioning fully. See the video here.

Bidens rapidly declining cognitive abilities were obvious to anyone watching since he launched his presidential bid.

Even his fellow Democrats taunted him during a primary debate. See the video here.

Despite that, someone in the Democrat party leadership saw this as a boon. They saw Biden as the empty vessel where they could pour their far-left agenda that alters America forever.

Biden struggles to remember his way around the White House lawn, so the notion of his legacy is never going to cross his impaired mind.

The Democrat lackeys who masquerade as late-night comics and the Saturday-night comics are either too compromised or too cowardly to make fun of Biden.

Hence comedians from Saudi Arabia have stepped in.

Is there more freedom of expression in Saudi Arabia than in the U.S.?

So what do we have now?

The nation is struggling on myriad fronts due to Bidens misgovernance. The world is in chaos with a never-ending war ravaging Ukraine and Afghanistan back in control of ISIS and al-Qaida.

How should the GOP react?

The GOP, irrespective of the midterm outcome, must compel Biden to take a thorough cognitive test. The test must be administered in the presence of Dr. Ronny Jackson and Dr. Rand Paul in addition to Bidens team of doctors. The test results must be made public.

If the Democrats could secure the appointment of a Special Counsel while the GOP held the Senate, the House, and the White House, in 2017, the GOP can surely compel Biden to take such a test.

In fact, there is no reason to wait till the midterms, a test must be conducted as soon as possible.

If Biden falls short he must be relieved from his duties, immediately.

The first alternative is the 25th Amendment where the vice president and the majority of the presidents Cabinet determine the president is unfit for office. Congress then approves that process by a two-thirds vote in both chambers.

But this is unlikely to happen.

Firstly the vice president and Bidens cabinet are Democrats.

Secondly, nobody wants Kamala Harris as president.

The second alternative is impeachment.

Biden will not be convicted in the Senate, but the impeachment in the House will be a symbolic statement.

Also, if it is established that Biden is mentally compromised, it will cause public pressure.

Installing a puppet and running a government by proxy are tactics used by the deep state of third-world totalitarian regimes. This must never be allowed in one of the worlds leading democracies.

The least the nation deserves is a physically and mentally fit leader.

Time for the absurdity to end now!

Over to you, Republicans.

Image: Twitter video screen shot
There are those who believe progressives are not really progressive.

They refer to them as regressive, without understanding exactly how progressive is defined politically, compared to conservative. From a purely political viewpoint, progressives are not regressive. Conservatives would be closer to regressive that progressive.

Politically, there are distinctions between conservatives and progressives that place them at opposite sides of the political spectrum. Neither are inherently positive nor negative. It depends on the form of root government that exists in any given country.

According to Merriam-Webster, conservative has the political definition of:

2 a: tending or disposed to maintain existing views, conditions, or institutions

A conservative wants to conserve the government based on the root form of how a current government was founded. As a result of that definition, conservatives vary from one nation to another. People can be conservative all over the world with very different views on conserving governments.

An American conservative wants to conserve the Republic as the American Constitution is written, complete with limitations on government with no royals of any kind. An English conservative wants to conserve their Democratic Monarchy, something no American conservative would ever want. Both are equally conservative with very different views on monarchy being a positive or negative force.

According to Merriam-Websters, progressive has the political definition of:

1 b: one believing in moderate political change and especially social improvement by governmental action

Progressives are politically opposite of conservatives since they want to use government to alter the existing form of government into something else. Just like conservatives can vary by country, so toocan progressives.

Republicans in England want to do away with the monarchy through political means. They are every bit as progressive as progressives in the United States with different goals. Both want to alter the foundation of their governments into something they believe preferable.

American conservatives have nothing in common with American progressives, right from the beginning of their movement that started with Teddy Roosevelt and carried through to many of the Democrats of today. Conservatives believe limited government governs best. Progressives believe bigger and stronger government is needed.

As a result of wanting to restore government as intended, conservatives are regressive. Doing away with changes put in place by progressives is to be regressive, which is no more a positive or negative thing than being conservative or progressive.

I am an American conservative who does want the government to regress to only what the Constitution allows. I want my county to have limited government with equal justice for all, and individual liberties respected.

American progressives are the ones who expanded government through legislation that is not Constitutional, along with progressive judges who ignored the Constitution in favor of activism. Politically, I am regressive and have no problem with regressing all the way back until only the Constitution and limited powers of government remain.

Bob Ryan is a writer who has an MBA. He is an American Christian Zionist who staunchly supports Israel's right to exist as a Jewish state. He has been a weekly blogger at the Times of Israel since 2019.

Image: Pixabay / Pixabay License
TEHRAN, Sept. 29 (Xinhua) -- The Iranian nuclear chief said Thursday that Tehran has always facilitated inspections by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) of its activities and will continue to do so in the future, according to official news agency IRNA.

Mohammad Eslami, president of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI), was quoted as saying that Tehran is always committed to observing the IAEA's safeguards regulations as well as the Non-Proliferation Treaty.

He noted that Iran has always prepared the ground for the continuation of cooperation with the IAEA in a reliable manner.

Commenting on his participation in the 66th Session of the IAEA General Conference in the Austrian capital of Vienna, Eslami said he had voiced Iran's "explicit and legal" positions as well as the country's expectations from the agency.

Eslami said he also discussed the remaining unresolved issues and cooperation between the AEOI and the agency on the sidelines of the meeting with IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi and his deputies.

On Sept. 26, Eslami and Grossi exchanged views on the clarification of "outstanding" safeguards issues, as attempts to revive a 2015 nuclear deal have stalled.

The IAEA has recently reiterated that Tehran had not provided "technically credible explanations" for uranium particles found at three undeclared sites.

The talks on the revival of the nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), between Iran and the other sides have paused with no optimistic outlook on the horizon.

By signing the JCPOA, Iran had agreed to curb its nuclear program in return for the removal of the sanctions on the country.

However, former U.S. President Donald Trump pulled Washington out of the agreement in 2018 and reimposed unilateral sanctions on Tehran, prompting the latter to drop some of its commitments under the pact.

The talks on the JCPOA's revival began in April 2021 in Vienna. 
I flew on Virgin Atlantic only once, several years ago. I hated the experience. The pilot flew the plane well, the flight attendants responsibly handed out and collected food and drinks, the seats were no more cramped than usual, and the restrooms functioned. What made me completely uncomfortable about the experience was that the planes interior was bathed in an ugly purple light that made it look like a sleazy bar in a run-down casino in Vegas. Now that Virgin Atlantic has embraced gender madness, my imagination has added the word gay in between sleazy and bar.

Per the Washington Times:

The company announced its updated gender identity policy in a Tuesday press release, which will let LGBT employees of the airline choose between the bright red blazer and skirt formerly donned only by its female employees or the dark burgundy suit and tie that its male staff had worn exclusively before. Its so important that we enable our people to embrace their individuality and be their true selves at work, Juha Jarvinen, Virgin Atlantics chief commercial officer, said in the release. It is for that reason that we want to allow our people to wear the uniform that best suits them and how they identify and ensure our customers are addressed by their preferred pronouns.

Image: Some of Virgin Atlantics cross-dressing flight attendants. YouTube screen grab (cropped).

The madness doesnt stop there. Staff can wear pronoun badges, and even passengers can get those little badges when they check-in for their flight or use the Virgin Atlantic lounge. Passengers can also use their imaginary identities when buying tickets. According to a poll in the UK, allowing people to express themselves makes everyone happy.

I have my doubts about this claimed happiness. If I see a bearded man in a dress behind the controls of the airplane, Im going to start wondering whether hes one of the so-called transgender people with a much higher suicidal ideation than the general population. Suicidal airline pilots are a really bad idea. And if you look at the people profiled in Virgin Airlines proud announcement video, I dont get happy vibes. I get narcissistic and weird vibes:

When I buy tickets, I usually try to get the cheapest flight possible. So far, since my long-ago experience in the sleazy lounge that was a Virgin Airlines flight, Virgin Airlines has never been the cheapest flight. Now, though, even if its the cheapest to my destination, Im picking a different airline. Ill feel safer traveling with a different airline, one that has employees expressing themselves less and focusing on their work more.
One of the most dangerous and daring illusions that a magician can attempt is the famed bullet catch trick. There are several variation to the trick, but it usually goes like thisthe magician produces an old-fashioned muzzle-loading gun and proceeds to load it with gunpowder. He drops a bullet into the barrel and uses a ramrod to push the bullet up against the gunpowder. He then hands the gun to an assistant (or a member of the audience) and invites him to shoot at the magician. The assistant complies. But instead of dropping down dead, the magician apparently catches the bullet with his hand, or dramatically produce it from between his teeth.

As with anything involving guns, the illusion is extremely dangerous because it has the potential to go terribly wrong. Many magicians have lost their lives attempting to catch the bullet. One of the best documented instance of a performer being killed while performing the gun trick is Chung Ling Soo, who was shot dead when the firearm malfunctioned in London in 1918.

Despite his name, Chung Ling Soo was not Chinese, but an American born to Scottish parents. His real name was William Ellsworth Robinson. William's father worked in traveling minstrel shows, performing hypnotism, impersonations, ventriloquism and magic tricks, all of which he taught his son.

Robinson performed his first magic show at the age of 14 and began performing professionally on the vaudeville circuit shortly thereafter. He initially performed under the name Robinson, the Man of Mystery, but later took on another stage name, Achmed Ben Ali, which closely resembled the stage name of German magician Max Auzinger, which was Ben Ali Bey. In fact, Robinson had copied not only the name but also his tricks, but as Auzinger never toured the United States, the resemblance went largely unnoticed at the time.

William Ellsworth Robinson before he took on his Chinese disguise. Photo: Didier Morax. C. Fechner Collection

In 1898, a Chinese magician named Ching Ling Foo began touring the United States. He stunned the audience by pulling 15-foot-long poles from his mouth, and beheading his servant boys who then walked off the stage headless. One of his best-known tricks was to produce a huge bowl of water from out of an empty cloth, and then pull a small child from the bowl. To drum up publicity for his shows, Foo offered a prize of $1,000 to anyone who could successfully duplicate his water bowl illusion. Robinson claimed that he had figured out how the illusion worked. Fearing that Robinson would reveal the trick, Foo withdrew the challenge and refused to meet him, which upset Robinson.

Two years later, when Robinson heard that an agent was looking for a Chinese magician to perform at Paris, he created a new identity for himself. He put on Chinese attire, shaved his facial hair and wore his hair in a queue. He began to call himself Chung Ling Soo (a variation of Ching Ling Foo's name). Robinson claimed that he was the son of a Scottish missionary who married a Cantonese woman. His story went that he was orphaned at 13 and raised by a Chinese magician, who taught him the secrets of Chinese magic tricks. Robinson never spoke onstage, claiming he spoke no English and always used an interpreter when he spoke to journalists. An American woman acted as his assistant, who also disguised herself as Soos Chinese wife, "Suee Seen".

Ching Ling Foo.

Robinson's new persona became a hit and he quickly became a popular stage magician in Europe and eventually became one of the highest-paid performers on the vaudeville circuit.

In January 1905, Chung Ling Soo and Ching Ling Foo were performing in London at the same timeSoo at the Hippodrome and Foo at the Empire Theater. Foo was aware that Chung Ling Soo was actually William Robinson and that he had copied virtually Foos entire act. Sick of the imposter, Foo announced that he would duplicate at least half of Chung Ling Soo's illusions to prove that he was the real Original Chinese Conjurer. But the press was not interested in Soos real identity. His act was as good as the original, and for the tabloids, it was all that mattered. Enduring public humiliation, Foo withdrew the challenge.

Soos most famous act, which he also stole from Foo and copied to near perfection, was Condemned to Death by the Boxers. In this trick, Soos assistants appeared on stage dressed as members of the Chinese secret society known as the Yihequan (Righteous and Harmonious Fists) or, as the English called them, Boxers. Several members of the audience were called upon the stage to mark a bullet that was loaded into a muzzle-loaded gun. The gun was then fired at Soo, who appeared to catch the bullet from the air and drop it into a plate. An audience member would inspect the bullet and declare that it was the same bullet that was marked and dropped into the barrel. In reality, the marked bullet never went into the gun but was slipped into Soos palm. What went into the muzzle was a substitute. The gun was also specially built to have two chambers, one that was loaded and the empty chamber below, which was ignited.

Chung Ling Soo next to his fake wife Suee Seen and an assistant child.

On March 23, 1918, while performing at the Wood Green Empire in London, Soos modified gun misfired and the bullet struck his lung. He fell to the ground and exclaimed, Oh my God. Somethings happened. Lower the curtain, speaking in English for the first time in public since he adopted his Chinese persona. He died the following day.

After Soos death, his true identity was revealed and the public was shocked to learn that he was not Chinese, although many professional magicians already knew that. A year before Soo's death, magician Will Goldston commented in an interview that the public did not question Soo's identity because he has always presented to the public that which they like and not which he might prefer.

Christopher Priests book The Prestige, and later its movie adaptation by Christopher Nolan, might have been inspired by the rivalry between Chung Ling Soo and Ching Ling Foo. In fact, Chung Ling Soo is a character in the film played by Chinese-born actor Chao Li Chi, and is seen producing a large bowl of water from a clotha trick made famous by Ching Ling Foo. Unfortunately for Nolan, he too fell for Soos ruse attributing the classic illusion to the imposter rather than to the original creator.
(ANSA) - ROME, SEP 29 - Italy registered around 161,000 new COVID-19 cases in the September 21-27 period, an increase of 34% on the previous week, the GIMBE medical foundation said Thursday in its weekly coronavirus monitoring report.

It said Italy had registered an average of almost 23,000 new cases a day over the last week.

The foundation said all of Italy's regions registered increases, from Sicily with a 5.9% rise to Veneto with a 50,9% increase.

It said COVID admissions to ordinary hospital wards were up by 4.5% in one week.

But it added that the number of coronavirus sufferers in intensive care dropped by 14.7% and COVID-linked deaths fell by 8.1%.

The foundation said the incoming centre-right government needed to give "clear recommendations to combat the pandemic".

"It is urgent that the elderly and fragile are protected with fourth doses (of COVID vaccine) and facemasks are used responsibly in crowded and-or poorly aerated enclosed spaces," it added. (ANSA).


Bulgaria: conservative GERB is leading in polls The election day on Oct, 2. Toward a fragmented parliament

(ANSA) - SOFIA, SEP 29 - The Conservative GERB party is leading in polls ahead of early parliamentary elections scheduled for Sunday in Bulgaria, the fourth in a year and a half. Local analysts envisage a tight battle involving political forces that will confirm a still divided and fragmented assembly.



Vying for the 240 seats in Bulgaria's unicameral parliament will be 22 parties and six coalitions. Voters are about 6.5 million out of just over 7 million inhabitants.



The system of voting is proportional, combined with a majority quota. A 4 percent threshold must be exceeded to enter the parliament. The parliamentary crisis and early elections were due to a no-confidence vote and the resignation in June of the ruling coalition led by Kiril Petkov, leader of the liberal 'Let's Continue the Change' (PP) party, which remained at the helm of the country for just over seven months. According to the latest poll issued by the Market Links agency, six political forces would enter the new parliament. The conservative Gerb, which had ruled the country for nearly a decade, would take first place with 23.7 percent of preferences, while the Pp would get 16.9 percent. The third force would be the Turkish minority party Dps with 12.3 percent, followed by the Socialists (Bsp) given 9.9 percent, the party nationalist Vazrazhdane ('Rebirth'), with 8.7 percent, and the right-wing 'Democratic Bulgaria' party attested at 7.8 percent.



The agency analysts had underlined that after the elections, the 'red lines' dividing the different political forces would blur to form a stable government for at least a year.



The mandate of the Bulgarian parliament is four years. The forecast is for a low voter turnout, between 40 and 45%. (ANSA).





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ISTANBUL - "If the United Nations Security Council will act in a fair manner, we will speed up this process", stated Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, during an interview with CNN Turk, while discussing the request of international recognition of the Turkish part of Cyprus, advanced by Turkey.



Last night, Ankara let it be known that it issued requests "to all countries" for the recognition of "the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus". The northern part of the island, is predominantly inhabited by ethnic Turks. It was occupied by Ankara in 1974 after a coup of the military junta of Athens. The northern part of Cyprus is only officially recognized by Turkey as Turkish.



Erdogan stated that the United States' decision to remove the arms embargo to the Greek-Cypriot administration of Nicosia "is inexplicable in terms of content and timing". "Everyone should know that this last move will not be met without a response and that we shall take all the necessary precautions for the security of Turkish Cypriots", added Erdogan.




Guido Reni's 'Atalanta and Hippomenes' returns to the Prado The restored work of art 'one of our most important ones'

(di Francesco Rodella) (ANSAmed) - MADRID, 29 SET - Guido Reni's oil on canvas painting "Atalanta and Hippomenes" is back at the Prado at its central gallery in Madrid, Spain. Following comprehensive restoration, the seventeenth century painting of the Italian painter from Bologna can now be seen by the public again. It will remain on exhibit at the Prado until the beginning of November, when it will be brought to Frankfurt for a temporary exhibit at the Stadel Museum. It will return to Spain at the beginning of 2023, just in time for an entire exhibition dedicated to Reni's work. "We are before one of the most important works of art of this museum", explained on Wednesday, Andres Ubeda, adjunct director of the Prado.



It is believed that the painting was realized in the years 1618-1619 and it depicts the mythical scene of Atalanta. It was subsequently included in a collection of Gaspar Bracamonte and later of Guzman, Viceroy of Naples between 1654 ad 1658. The painting was part of the Prado since its establishment in the first half of the XIX century.



According to museum curators, the work of art constitutes "a fundamental piece" of Reni's work, considered, as explained by Ubeda "one of the most important names" of the "shared culture" with "Europe and Italy". Another version of the painting, always attributed to Reni, is at the Capodimonte museum in Naples, Italy.



Speaking to ANSA, the head of the Italian painting section at the Prado until 1800, David Garcia Cueto, explained that the "Atalanta and Hippomenes" in Madrid "is one of those works of art that, in itself, unites the genius of an entire city and time: the city of Bologna and the baroque period. Guido Reni unites and represents this genius in one single masterful work of art".



The restoration work - curated by the specialist Almudena Grandes and supported by the Iberdola Foundation- last approximately "a year and a half", added Garcia Cueto, and offered a new interpretation of the painting, distancing itself from its Caravaggio-like air it had taken on over the years without any restoration work. Now Reni's works appears as a work "filled with light and strong expressive impact". (ANSAmed).




Erdogan calls on UN for recognition of Turkish Cyprus "We'll take precautions after US embargo arms sales removal"

(ANSAmed) - ISTANBUL, 29 SET - "If the United Nations Security Council will act in a fair manner, we will speed up this process", stated Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, during an interview with CNN Turk, while discussing the request of international recognition of the Turkish part of Cyprus, advanced by Turkey.



Last night, Ankara let it be known that it issued requests "to all countries" for the recognition of "the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus". The northern part of the island, is predominantly inhabited by ethnic Turks. It was occupied by Ankara in 1974 after a coup of the military junta of Athens. The northern part of Cyprus is only officially recognized by Turkey as Turkish.



Erdogan stated that the United States' decision to remove the arms embargo to the Greek-Cypriot administration of Nicosia "is inexplicable in terms of content and timing". "Everyone should know that this last move will not be met without a response and that we shall take all the necessary precautions for the security of Turkish Cypriots", added Erdogan. (ANSAmed).




ACCRA, Sept. 29 (Xinhua) -- Ghanaian Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia has said that the country was committed to achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2070.

Bawumia made the commitment Wednesday in his virtual address during the opening of the three-day 2022 Ghana International Petroleum Conference.

Even though Ghana was committed to reducing emissions, "We are of the view that a balance must be struck and maintained in the context of our socio-economic and environmental requirements," he said.

"As a country, we are fully committed to achieving zero net carbon emissions by 2070. But we shall also have to take steps to accelerate the production and utilization of our oil and gas reserves for economic development," said the vice president.

"Fossil fuels, especially natural gas, would continue to be part of Ghana's energy mix in the short term," he added.

Bawumia signaled that energy transition could come with challenges, including lower demand in the downstream petroleum sector. He urged players in the downstream sector on the African continent to focus on innovation and diversification to thrive and mitigate the impact of the transition. 
LAMPEDUSA - More than 300 students from Italy and other European countries, a total of 22 associations, journalists and Members of the European Parliament (MEP) will join tomorrow on the island of Lampedusa to talk about shelter, inclusion and human rights. This will take place on occasion of the "Day of remembrance and shelter", which will last until 3 October, the day on which in 2013, the first big shipwreck took place. A total of 368 migrants lost their lives on that occasion. The survivors were 155, among them 41 were children. Workshops and round tables will take place during these days.



Within the "Porta d'Europa" project, the 3 October Committee, the Marconi high school of Pesaro (as project leader), the Education Center of Agrigento (Cpia), the Pirandello comprehensive institute in Lampedusa and the Anne Frank institute in Agrigento launched the "Welcome Europe" project.



The aim is to promote opportunities for young European generations to engage in learning activities and intercultural education. "Welcome Europe" will contribute to develop a culture of solidarity, shelter and dialogue based on the full respect and awareness of human rights.



The agenda for the first day of activities, tomorrow at 8 pm, includes a meeting with the Italian journalist and writer Roberto Saviano. On 2 October, from 2:30 pm until 4:30 pm, the Pirandello institute will host a meeting with the shipwreck survivors of the 3rd and 11th of October of 2013. On 3 October, at 9:00 am, there will be a 'traditional' march from the Castello square to Gateway to Europe, the monument that was created in remembrance of migrants who lost their lives at sea.



A moment of silence will take place there together with the shipwreck survivors and the students. Kheit Abdelhafid will take part at the ceremony, the Imam of the City of Catania and president of the Islamic Community of Sicily, as well as MEP Domenec Devesa of the Constitutional Affairs Committee (AFCO) , MEP Pietro Bartolo, vice-chair of the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE) at the European Parliament. MEP Bartolo is known as "the doctor of the migrants", for his role from 1992 until 2019 as the main doctor responsible for visiting the migrants who reached the island.



The Mayor of the Pelagie islands (Lampedusa is one of these islands), Filippo Mannino and the president of the Italian Chamber of Deputies, Roberto Fico. At 10:00 am a reef of flowers will be placed at sea. The civil rescue ship, Mare Jonio, used by Mediterranea Saving Humans for rescue mission in the Central Mediterranean, will also be present.
TEL AVIV - The Palestinian Authority (PA) Ministry of Health has denounced the death, near Bethlehem in the West Bank, of a 7 year old boy "who fell from a height while he was being chased by the [Israeli] occupation forces". The Palestinian Wafa news agency reported that Israeli soldiers "were chasing students of the Khirbet al-Deir area in Tekow, as they were going back home after school. This is what brought about the fall and death of the boy". Rayan Suleiman's heart- this was his name- had already stopped beating when he arrived at the hospital. The Israeli army stated it is investigating the episode and, according to sources from the Defence, a first investigation would show that the soldiers had arrived at the boy's family home to interrogate them in reference to stones thrown against them for that area.
BEIRUT - The first Parliamentary session to elect the next Lebanese President, did not succeed in finding a successor to Michael Aoun, whose term will end on 31 October.



The Speaker of the lebanese Parliament, Nabih Berri, two days ago summoned the session, despite the fact that the different political and confessional groups were far from reaching a consensus on the name of the presidential candidate.



For the election of the head of State, which custom (not the Constitution) attributes to a Christian Maronite, requires on the first session a qualified majority vote of two thirds of the members of Parliament (meaning 86 over a total of 128). Starting from the second session of voting, only a simple majority of 65 votes is necessary. This morning 122 members of Parliament participated. Of these, 63 voted a blank ballot paper, while 36 expressed their favor for the election of the independent candidate Michael Moawad, hailing from one of the elite families of the Lebanese political tradition.



Other votes were scrapped, one was for Mahsa Amini, the young Iranian woman killed by the Iranian police.



Speaker Berri closed the session stating that he will be schedule another session when "an agreement will be reached on a President". The candidate to be elected will need to receive only 65 votes.




Arrests made during events to commemorate the death of the Queen in Scotland were not to do with protests, Police Scotland has said.

Chief Constable Sir Iain Livingstone reflected on the policing response during Operation Unicorn at a Scottish Police Authority (SPA) meeting on Thursday.

Sir Iain praised the efforts of the service in ensuring events relating to the Queens death were held safely, securely and with dignity.

He said: As is so often the case in times of sadness or national challenge, duty requires policing to step forward with compassion and professionalism  individuals within the police service setting aside personal plans at extremely short notice to give public service.

Police Scotland had an important role to play to ensure that significant events relating to Her Majestys death could be held safely, securely and with dignity.

Police lined the route of the Queens coffin throughout Scotland (Jane Barlow/PA)

As chief constable, I had a clear and express expectation that officers and staff would respond to this important and solemn occasion with professionalism and high standards, and they did.

Everyone in Police Scotland played their part. Those who planned the response over many years, those directly supporting Operation Unicorn and being operationally deployed, and others who provided effective policing right across the country during this intense period.

Sir Iain confirmed 13 arrests were made across the whole of Scotland during Operation Unicorn, with offences including low-level disorder, violence, abusive and threatening behaviour, and the illegal use of drones.

One of these arrests has already seen a 74-year-old man plead guilty to breach of the peace near the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh, receiving a 350 fine.

The chief constable said there were no security breaches, no significant violence or disorder, no safety issues and relatively few arrests among countless interactions and engagements between officers and our fellow citizens over the course of the Operation Unicorn period.

The force has come in for criticism since a number of people protesting against the monarchy were arrested while events took place.

Thousands of people lined the streets as the Queens coffin travelled through Edinburgh in the days following her death (PA)

But Sir Iain told the SPA that while campaigning and protesting is a legitimate, necessary, vital part of civic life, abusive or threatening behaviour is not legitimate protest.

Deputy Chief Constable Malcolm Graham said there were no arrests made against people protesting the monarchy during the proceedings.

We are acutely aware while upholding the rights of the difference between freedom of speech and where there are instances of breaches of the law through public disorder or other offences being committed, he said.

There havent been any arrests for people protesting, as is clearly the case to members.

Sir Iain said Police Scotland would assess any concerns raised over policing during the period.

He said: I categorically undertake, as I have done consistently since holding office as chief constable, that if we have got something wrong in a specific set of circumstances, or we could have done something better, we will acknowledge that and we will take necessary and proportionate action to put it right.

A full and thorough debrief will be carried out to reflect on lessons learned during Operation Unicorn, he added.
Plans for Edinburghs Christmas festival have been disrupted after the company awarded the contract to deliver it pulled out.

Angels Event Experience Limited was awarded the contract in June to deliver the event, due to run from November 18 until January 3 2023.

However the City of Edinburgh Council said it has been informed the company is not able to fulfil the contract.

The council said the event has not been cancelled and discussions are under way about how it can be delivered.

Last years event featured a Christmas market (Jane Barlow/PA)

It is understood that Unique Events and Assembly, which are delivering Edinburghs Hogmanay festival, have been approached by the council.

Council leader Cammy Day said: Were hugely disappointed that Angels Event Experience Ltd have been unable to deliver on their contract to produce Edinburghs Christmas.

Were in positive ongoing discussions around ensuring that Christmas events can be successfully delivered for the city this year.

Plans for this years Christmas festival had not yet been revealed.

Historically the event has taken place over a six-week period from around the third weekend in November to around January 6 and has featured activities including a market, fairground, family attractions and an ice rink.

Angels Event Experience Limited was in June awarded the contract to deliver Edinburghs Christmas festival for a period of three years with two optional 12-month extensions, at a total estimated rental income value to the council of 5,473,500.
An epileptic driver has been jailed for more than four years for killing a toddler and injuring her father when his car mounted the pavement and crashed into them.

Lee Burford, 44, had ignored medical advice and continued to drive his Renault Clio before the tragic incident in Eastcote Road, Ruislip, west London, on October 25 2020.

Twenty-two month old Zhaoxi Wang, known as Xi Xi, died in the crash and her father Qi Wang was injured.

On Thursday, Burford, from Harrow, pleaded guilty to causing her death by dangerous driving and was jailed for four years and two months.

He was handed concurrent sentences for causing injury by dangerous driving and fraudulently failing to declare he suffered from fits to gain employment as a driver in 2017.

The defendant was also disqualified from driving for seven years and one month.

Opening the facts, Catherine Pattison told the Old Bailey: The tragic nature of the case is perhaps even more significant because had he notified the DVLA of a seizure he suffered four months earlier on June 22 2020, then Mr Burford would not have had a driving licence at all.

The prosecutor said the defendant had disregarded advice of medics not only about his epilepsy but also non-prescription drugs and had continued to drive regardless.

She said: It would appear he consumed a quantity of cocaine some time before getting behind the wheel of October 25 2020, the date of the fatal collision.

The crash happened at about 4.20pm on a stretch of road with a 30mph speed limit.

Mr Wang was pushing his daughter in a pushchair accompanied by his wife on their way home from a park.

Ms Pattison said: At the time of the collision Zhaoxi was strapped into her pushchair. She was facing forward.

Burfords Clio mounted the pavement and struck Mr Wang and the pushchair.

Mr Wang was thrown sideways towards a low wall and the pushchair was thrown into the air and landed onto the road.

The vehicle continued on the pavement, hit a telephone exchange box and sign post before coming to a stop in the road, the court heard.

Mr Wang suffered a broken arm and his young daughters injuries were too serious and she died at the scene, the court was told.

In a victim impact statement Mr Wang said losing their daughter had been absolutely devastating for us and he was left feeling angry and helpless.

He said: What I would like to say to the defendant is; you should have stayed away from driving.

You will never know how it feels to be in this situation. To be in our shoes.

We were trying to be responsible, good citizens, abiding by the law but of course we had no control over other people. You did the opposite.
Liz Truss is set to attend a meeting of the European Political Community, after days of weighing up whether to attend the summit in Prague.

The PA news agency understands that the Prime Minister wanted to attend because energy and migration, both on the agenda of the meeting, are two of her priorities and that she sees the need to work with other European leaders to resolve the issues.

The move to attend the meeting of the group  French President Emmanuel Macrons scheme to bring together EU nations and countries outside the bloc  will raise eyebrows given Ms Trusss explicit scepticism about the project only a few months ago as foreign secretary.

The meeting will take place in early October and the decision to attend comes as the Prime Minister faces political and economic turmoil at home after Chancellor Kwasi Kwartengs mini-budget spooked markets and shocked mainstream economists over its 45 billion of tax cuts.

Britains new prime minister has the chance to rebuild bridges to the European Union. But it is unclear whether she will seize the opportunity writes @CER_Granthttps://t.co/cV19PZWmAv  CER (@CER_EU) September 29, 2022

It has been reported that Number 10 had been pondering whether to attend the meeting in recent weeks, with European Union ambassador Joao Vale de Almeida using an appearance at a fringe meeting at the Labour Party conference in Liverpool to urge Ms Truss to attend.

News website Politico, which first reported Ms Trusss planned attendance, also she was willing to host the next summit of the political group in London.

The decision to attend comes with the EU and the UK still deadlocked over the Northern Ireland Protocol, with the Governments plan to rip up the post-Brexit arrangements in the region causing major ill-feeling between London and Brussels.

Ms Truss is seeking to strike a rapport with European leaders including European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen and Mr Macron after meeting the pair at a UN summit in New York.

It comes after Ms Truss courted controversy during the Tory leadership contest by answering the jurys out on whether Mr Macron was friend or foe.

As foreign secretary in June, she also said she did not buy into a Europe-wide political community.
Long-term use of antidepressants could increase the risk of heart disease, according to a study, but experts have warned people not to stop taking the drugs.

Researchers at the University of Bristol found concerning associations between taking the pills over 10 years and increases in heart disease, death from cardiovascular disease and earlier death from any cause.

The researchers said they could not be sure it was not depression itself pushing up the risks of heart issues, which was echoed by other experts who said people should not be alarmed by the findings.

Experts looked at eight antidepressants including selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) citalopram, sertraline, fluoxetine and paroxetine.

They also looked at four other antidepressants: mirtazapine, venlafaxine, duloxetine and trazodone.

Published in the British Journal of Psychiatry Open, the data included 220,121 people from the UK Biobank aged 40 to 69 whose GP records could be examined. Just over half were women.

SSRIs were the most commonly prescribed antidepressant (around 80%).

People taking antidepressants were compared with those not on the drugs.

Following up after 10 years, those on SSRIs had a 34% increased risk of heart disease, an almost doubled risk of cardiovascular death and a 73% higher chance of death from any cause.

For the other antidepressants, all the risks were around double.

The researchers said: Antidepressants, and especially SSRIs, may have a good safety profile in the short term, but are associated with adverse outcomes in the long term.

This is important because most of the substantial increase in prescribing in the past 20 or more years is in long-term repeat prescribing.

The study also found that antidepressants, and particularly SSRIs, were associated with a 23% to 32% lower risk of developing high blood pressure and diabetes, though more research is needed.

The experts sought to control for factors that could influence the results, such as pre-existing issues that increase the risk of heart disease.

Dr Narinder Bansal, the studys lead author, said people should not stop taking their drugs suddenly and should speak to their GP if concerned.

She added: While we have taken into account a wide range of pre-existing risk factors for cardiovascular disease, including those that are linked to depression such as excess weight, smoking, and low physical activity, it is difficult to fully control for the effects of depression in this kind of study, partly because there is considerable variability in the recording of depression severity in primary care.

This is important because many people taking antidepressants such as mirtazapine, venlafaxine, duloxetine and trazodone may have a more severe depression.

This makes it difficult to fully separate the effects of the depression from the effects of medication.

Further research is needed to assess whether the associations we have seen are genuinely due to the drugs, and if so, why this might be.

Meanwhile, our message for clinicians is that prescribing of antidepressants in the long term may not be harm-free.

She called for proactive cardiovascular monitoring in patients who are on antidepressants long term, given that both have been associated with higher risks.

Glyn Lewis, professor of psychiatric epidemiology at University College London (UCL), told the PA news agency that people should not be alarmed or worried by the findings, or stop taking their medication.

He said the study could not conclude whether it was depression increasing health risks or the use of antidepressants.

There is a lot of evidence, from other research, that depression is associated with increased cardiovascular disease, he said.

Clearly, theres behavioural things (associated with depression), where people might not look after themselves as well, and there may also be hormonal changes and metabolic changes which might increase risk of physical illnesses in the longer term.

Without a (randomised controlled trial), its always going to be really, really difficult to make any inference about whether its antidepressants or the depression leading to these kinds of associations.

Prof Lewis said experts should remain alert to the possible long-term effects of antidepressants as they are a commonly used drug, but he added: We wouldnt want people to stop their medication on the basis of this kind of result.

These results on their own should not lead to people thinking they should stop their antidepressants. This kind of study isnt robust enough to be able to make that kind of conclusion.

David Osborn, professor of psychiatric epidemiology at UCL, said: We have known that depression and anxiety are associated with raised rates of cardiovascular disease for many years.

This explains the findings in this interesting paper but there is no evidence here of a causal role for antidepressants. Proving causation would require more elaborate research methods.

However the paper highlights that people with depression should receive holistic treatment including their physical health.

Professor Martin Marshall, chairman of the Royal College of GPs, told PA: Existing evidence shows that antidepressants can be an effective treatment for the distressing and often-debilitating symptoms of anxiety and depression when used appropriately.

GPs are highly trained to have open and sensitive conversations with their patients, and when discussing mental health concerns they will consider various treatment options based on the unique needs of the patient, and if prescribing antidepressants, it will generally be at the lowest dose and for the shortest amount of time.

This is an interesting study and as outlined by the authors, further research is needed in this area.

However, its really important that patients do not stop taking their prescribed antidepressants as a result of this research, but if they are concerned, they should discuss this at their next medication review.

Professor Carmine Pariante, from the Royal College of Psychiatrists, said: The most important finding from this study  and one that we fully support as psychiatrists  is that the use of antidepressants should be reviewed regularly, and multiple attempts should be made to stop them after prolonged periods of established wellbeing.

Long-term use of antidepressants should only be considered for people that have recurrent depression and repeated, severe relapses after stopping antidepressants.

For those patients, the beneficial effects of continuous use of antidepressants are more likely to balance the potential risks.

NHS figures published in July showed that 8.3 million patients received antidepressants in 2021/22 in England, a 6% rise from 7.9 million the previous year.

In 2019, research looking at around 1,000 existing studies, published in JAMA Psychiatry, concluded that antidepressants are generally safe.
NAIROBI, Sept. 29 (Xinhua) -- Kenya Swimming Federation (KSF) stakeholders will have a meeting with world governing body FINA on October 6 as the country seeks to have its international ban from the sport lifted.

Francis Mutuku, secretary general of the National Olympic Committee of Kenya (NOCK), said on Thursday this intervention is aimed at resolving the long-running crisis that has seen the KSF fail to hold its elections, with the exercise delayed yet again this week.

Mutuku noted that the meeting is geared towards knowing what the world swimming governing body requires for Kenya to get back to normalcy as far as swimming is concerned and to be in good standing with international standards of the sport.

"As it is, Kenyan swimmers have been gracing events but not under the Kenyan flag, and stakeholders would want this to change," Mutuku said in a press statement.

FINA banned Kenya indefinitely from all swimming activities in May after KSF served a two-year suspension for failing to conduct elections within three years.

Kenya is not permitted to participate in the FINA Congress and other FINA non-sporting events. 
Mark Hamill has been recruited by Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky to help fundraise for his countrys military efforts in the ongoing conflict with Russia.

The Star Wars actor said he was honoured to take on the role of ambassador for the United24 platform.

His role will include raising funds to support Ukrainian defenders, the Drone Army, a project set up by the Ukrainian government to procure unmanned drones to assist the war effort.

The Army of Drones will be used to monitor the 2,470km front line and provide an effective response to enemy attacks, the projects website said.

Sharing a picture of himself in a virtual meeting with Mr Zelensky, Hamill wrote: Honoured to be an ambassador for the Army of Drones and to help President Zelensky and the people of Ukraine in any way possible.

The presidents official Instagram page also shared the news, writing: American actor who played Luke Skywalker in Star Wars, Mark Hamill became the ambassador of the UNITED24 fundraising platform.

He is the first ambassador to help raise funds to support our defenders, the Drone Army.

This is a difficult yet very important mission. Mark, we are sure you will definitely handle it. Thank you for supporting the Ukrainian people in our struggle for freedom.

It comes following news that Russia will formally annex occupied parts of Ukraine, where it claims that residents had voted to live under Moscows rule, on Friday.

The Ukrainian government and the West have denounced the Kremlin-organised ballots as illegal, forced and rigged.
Rebel Wilson has encouraged up-and-coming talent in the film industry to get out there and make things yourself.

The 42-year-old Australian actress is best known for her comedic roles in films including Pitch Perfect and Bridesmaids.

Speaking at the British Film Institute (BFI) Luminous fundraising gala, Wilson told the PA news agency: My tip for up-and-coming talent is to just get out there and make things yourself.

I came up before this digital era. So what I did is I produced my own plays and I worked in a shopping centre and made two thousand dollars and put that into my first production and just put it on and employed my friends and then thats how I got noticed and thats how I first got on TV.

So I think, just try to make something. I know its hard when youre starting out and youre scraping money together, but that would be my best advice to get seen.

Wilson also spoke candidly about being offered more serious acting roles since she lost a considerable amount of weight.

She said: I kind of feel like transitioning into different kinds of roles and into more dramatic roles and its really awesome. Of course Ill still be doing comedies as well!

But I think it will kind of change the roles that people see me being cast in.

Elsewhere on the red carpet at the BFI gala in London, filmmaker Edgar Wright also shared his advice with aspiring filmmakers, telling them to be sincere in what youre making.

Rebel Wilson also spoke about the new opportunities she is being offered since her weight loss (Doug Peters/PA)

The 48-year-old, best known for his work on the so-called Three Flavours Cornetto trilogy, told PA: Be sincere in what youre making. I always think its a good idea to make a movie that you want to see, not the movie you think you ought to make.

Its always just about risk taking really, and thats not down to the filmmakers, its more down to the people who make the movie to take a chance on new voices, thats always the thing.

When I made Shaun Of The Dead we had been turned down by a lot of companies, and we were very, very fortunate that one person takes a chance on you.

So youre aware of what a kind of slim chance of success there is. So I feel forever grateful that person took a chance on me. So then, I think within the industry, its about taking a chance on new talent coming through.

He added that he would definitely like to reunite with the stars of the Three Flavours Cornetto trilogy  Simon Pegg and Nick Frost  on a new project if they found the right thing.

Edgar Wright also shared his advice with aspiring filmmakers (Suzan Moore/PA)

Speaking about the importance of the BFI Luminous gala, the institutes chief executive Ben Roberts said it is a really big deal because of the opportunities it provides.

He said: Its one of the opportunities that we have to celebrate the work of British filmmakers and the BFI. But also, its a way in which we can raise funds for critical education work and the work we do to support talent development.

Mr Roberts also addressed the UK Governments recent mini-budget and its effect on creative industries.

He said: The creative industries are a growth story. Were a growing industry, weve got more film and television production happening in the UK now than we ever have in the past.

Were employing people around the country, were training people, were developing new skills. So we contribute to the economy.

All our conversations with Government have been very encouraging and actually that will continue as a growth story.
People are being urged to join the hunt for artworks created by children of the Stolen Generations in Australia ahead of an exhibition of their work in Scotland.

Curators are hoping to find more of the art created by Australian First Nations children who were forcibly taken from their families in the 1940s in the hope of reconnecting the work with their relatives.

A selection of the collection created by Aboriginal children, who were interned at the remote Western Australian settlement of Carrolup in the 1940s, will be on show at the University of Glasgow Memorial Chapel from October 6 to November 10, having been on show in Manchester.

People are being urged to check their cupboards and attics for similar pictures, which may be in pastel or chalk, and might show Australian landscapes and animals such as kangaroos.

Kathleen Toomath, left, and Michelle Broun hope to find more artworks (Sam Proctor/PA)

The John Curtin Gallerys Carrolup manager, Kathleen Toomath, whose late mother, Alma, was the last-known surviving Carrolup artist, said reconnecting missing artworks with relatives of the child artists would represent a powerful step towards reconciliation for the wrongs of the past.

She said: Imagine if your grandmother or grandfather, who you never got to meet and there are no known photographs of, created one of these works during a deeply traumatic time in your familys history.

Finding something so precious and rare, an artwork so historically significant that it can almost transport you back to that time and offer a glimpse into their world view, would mean so much.

That artwork could be the only physical connection a family has with their ancestors, so its a critical part of the reconciliation process and a tangible step towards making tomorrow better through the power of art.

Goreng Noongar elder Ezzard Flowers in 2015, with artwork by Barry Loo (Brad Coleman/John Curtin Gallery/PA)

It is the first time this selection of artworks has returned to the UK in 70 years, after Florence Rutter, London Soroptimist Club founding president, first met the artists and arranged exhibitions in Edinburgh, Glasgow and other cities in the UK during the 1950s.

She recognised the significance of the works after visiting Carrolup in 1949, where teachers Noel and Lily White had found a way into the hearts of the children through art.

Chris Malcolm, John Curtin Gallery director, is calling on communities, organisations and people across the country to help find any other missing works created by the children of Carrolup.

He said: We are encouraging people across Scotland to help our global search for these culturally significant drawings by checking their attics, cupboards and households for any similar artworks.

The key clues that people need to be looking out for include the use of chalk or pastel on paper and many depict the Australian landscape and wildlife, including kangaroos.

We would urge everyone to see for themselves at the new exhibition in Glasgow, which tells this incredible story.

Since 2013, the John Curtin Gallery at Australias Curtin University, in partnership with indigenous elders, has been the custodian of the Herbert Mayer Collection of Carrolup Artwork, which provides an insight into the lives and experiences of the children who are now known as Australias Stolen Generations.

John Curtin Gallerys Australian First Nations Art curator, Michelle Broun, said: As the curator spending time with the artworks, I am in the childrens world for a moment.

As the daughter of a stolen child, the childrens artworks and their stories resonate with me.

I understand the pain on the childrens faces and hear their voices in their letters, but the drawings belie this pain and speak to our humanity.

The child artists overcame adversity through art  they are the heroes of the exhibition.

Anyone across the globe who thinks they may have found one of the Carrolup childrens artworks can contact the gallery via the website.
TV doctor Dr Chris George is backing a campaign to educate people on lung cancer symptoms after his mother was diagnosed with the condition.

He was joined at the launch of the Lets Talk Lung Cancer Roadshow by Cathy Brokenshire, whose husband, former Cabinet minister James Brokenshire, died of the disease last year aged 53, and who is now ambassador for the Roy Castle Lung Foundation.

NHS England is touring the country with a pair of walk-through inflatable 12-foot lungs as Health Minister Will Quince declared more must be done to tackle lung cancer deaths.

Dr George said: Speaking as a GP, I cannot stress enough how important it is to contact your GP practice if you are experiencing a persistent cough for three weeks or more.

Whilst its probably nothing serious, a cough for three weeks or more could be a sign of lung cancer and finding cancer earlier makes it more treatable. Your NHS is here and we want to see you.

The lungs, which are expected to raise eyebrows, will be taken to shopping centres and high streets across England to try to help improve cancer detection rates.

It comes as a new survey showed less than two-thirds of the public recognised a key symptom of the disease.

The roadshow will launch in the North West next week before travelling around the rest of the country in October.

Cathy Brokenshire and Dr Chris George at the launch of the Lets Talk Lung Cancer Roadshow (Yui Mok/PA)

It will visit 26 locations, including Blackpool, Sunderland, Bradford, and Dudley, with the tour ending in London. NHS data shows these areas have significantly higher rates of lung cancer.

The inflatable lungs are large enough for visitors to step inside, where they can learn about the impact of smoking, while volunteers will encourage those with symptoms to visit their GP.

According to a recent survey, only 57% of the public recognised a cough for more than three weeks as a possible sign of lung cancer.

Just over half (55%) said they would contact their doctor in this situation, while around a quarter (24%) said they would do nothing or wait.

Lung cancer kills nearly 27,000 people each year in England, and we must do more to fight this disease, Mr Quince said.

Former Cabinet minister James Brokenshire, a non-smoker, died of lung cancer last year aged 53 (Aaron Chown/PA)

Raising awareness of the main symptoms is crucial, and this new NHS Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation campaign will encourage people to open up about their health.

The number of people coming forward for lung checks has now returned to pre-pandemic levels, with more than 10,000 referrals taking place over a two-month period.

A life-saving diagnosis can begin with a simple conversation, and the NHS is doing everything it can to bring lung cancer to the forefront of peoples minds, said Dame Cally Palmer, NHS national cancer director.

Our targeted campaigns have been extremely successful in the past, catching hundreds of cancers early in communities which traditionally are less likely to come forward for checks.

This novel scheme will no doubt raise eyebrows, but it will also raise awareness of early cancer detection, ultimately meaning a better chance of successful treatment.
MacKenzie Scott in 2018. Jorg Carstensen/picture alliance via Getty Images

MacKenzie Scott has filed for divorce from her second husband, Dan Jewett.

The news came after Jewett was quietly removed from her online posts about her charitable giving.

Scott, who's worth $27.8 billion, married Jewett in 2021 after divorcing Jeff Bezos.

MacKenzie Scott and her second husband, Dan Jewett, are getting divorced.

Scott, a philanthropist and the ex-wife of the Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, filed a petition for divorce Monday in King County Superior Court in Washington. Scott and Jewett, a former science teacher, have been married since early 2021.

The New York Times was the first to report the news Wednesday.

News of the filing came after a report from The Times pointing out that Jewett had been quietly deleted from several of Scott's online posts about her philanthropic endeavors, including on the Giving Pledge website, in a Medium post about her charitable giving, and on her Amazon author bio.

Scott is worth $27.8 billion, the Bloomberg Billionaires Index estimates. Her divorce from Bezos in 2019 made her a billionaire, mainly because of her 3% stake in Amazon.

Over the past three years, Scott has become one of the nation's leading philanthropists, a mission she appeared to share with Jewett, who was a chemistry teacher at Lakeside School, a Seattle-area private school that Scott's children attended. Scott and Jewett announced their marriage in March 2021 via a post on the Giving Pledge's site  Jewett had signed on to Scott's commitment to give away at least half her wealth during her lifetime or shortly after her death.

"I am married to one of the most generous and kind people I know  and joining her in a commitment to pass on an enormous financial wealth to serve others," Jewett wrote beside a photo of himself and Scott.

Now, Scott's Giving Pledge page contains a new headshot of her and no mention of Jewett. Recent recipients of grants from Scott have thanked only her, while in the past, they thanked both her and Jewett, The Times reported.

Scott announced in March that she'd donated about $3.9 billion to 465 nonprofits in the previous nine months, bringing her total to over $12 billion. She recently donated two Beverly Hills, California, mansions worth roughly $55 million to the California Community Foundation, a Los Angeles-area charity  in a statement about the gift, the foundation's CEO thanked Scott alone.

Read the original article on Business Insider
The Prime Minister has warned she will not allow the impasse over the Northern Ireland Protocol to drift.

Liz Truss reiterated that the UK remained open to a negotiated solution with the EU on issues with the contentious post-Brexit arrangement which has created economic barriers on trade between Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

However, Ms Truss again stressed that she would act unilaterally to address problems with the protocol, by way of domestic legislation at Westminster, if a deal with Brussels proved elusive.

The Governments Northern Ireland Protocol Bill, which is progressing through Parliament, would empower ministers to rip up parts of the protocol without the approval of the EU.

Brussels says it would represent a breach of international law and could prompt retaliatory action.

Powersharing in Northern Ireland is on ice because the regions largest unionist party, the DUP, is blocking the formation of a devolved executive in protest at the protocol.

The Prime Minister said the problem needed to be sorted out one way or the other, as she made clear the absence of a regional government at Stormont was not sustainable.

In an interview with BBC Northern Ireland, Ms Truss said: Weve always been clear that we want to resolve the issues with the Northern Ireland Protocol, ideally with a negotiated settlement, but we have put through the Northern Ireland Protocol Bill because we hadnt been able to achieve a negotiated settlement.

We will remain open to a negotiated settlement. But there are some fundamental principles that we have to achieve.

We are open to a negotiated solution, but we are progressing with the Northern Ireland Protocol Bill as we stand, because what we cant allow is this situation to drift.

Ms Truss said she had encouraged all parties in Northern Ireland to get back into devolved government.

Im very clear that I want to see all parties part of the Assembly and the Executive, she said.

I have made it clear to everybody Ive spoken to that I want to see the Executive and the Assembly operating. The people of Northern Ireland need a government.

What Im about is making sure we restore the primacy of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement. Thats whats important  that we are treating both communities in Northern Ireland fairly.

So that means having free-flowing east-west trade, as well as free-flowing north-south trade. It means making sure that the people of Northern Ireland can benefit from the same tax benefits as the people of Great Britain. So these are fundamental principles that we need to fix in order to resolve the situation in Northern Ireland.

Im determined to fix those. We put through the Northern Ireland Protocol Bill to fix those problems. Im very clear that Im open to negotiate a solution, provided it fixes the problems that weve identified.

I want to see the (Stormont) parties working together. I want to see that government back up and running. Thats my priority.
Two Lexington developers have purchased a 28-acre tract in a fast-growing part of northwest Lexington and plan to build a $60 million shopping complex on the site.

The Webb and Greer companies, which also developed City Centre in downtown Lexington, announced Thursday they had purchased land at the corner of Citation Boulevard and Georgetown Road for $10 million from the estate of William Gatton, a long-time philanthropist with strong ties to the University of Kentucky.

The planned development, called Citation Centre, will include a grocery store, pharmacy, fast-food and sit-down restaurants, professional office space and medical offices, according to a press release.

The companies said the tenants of the new project will announce in coming weeks their intent to locate to the new shopping plaza.

The area of Georgetown and Citation has seen rapid growth in recent years. Residents in the area have long complained about a lack of grocery stores and other amenities in the largely residential area.

The demographics in that area have changed so much, said Dudley Webb, of the Webb Companies. Its one of the most under-served areas in our community.

Webb said the parcel is already zoned for a shopping area and a zone change is not needed. The Webb and Greer companies will have to file a development plan, which is in the works, Webb said.

Construction will likely take between 18 and 24 months, he said. No economic incentives will be needed to develop the new shopping plaza, Webb said.

The property was once part of a lawsuit between Gatton and the Haymaker Development Company. In the lawsuit, Haymaker argued that theres an ongoing agreement between Haymaker and Gatton regarding the development of land purchased in the Hamburg area and at the intersection of Georgetown Road and Citation Boulevard. A Gatton attorney said the land in question belongs solely to Gatton, and theres no documented agreement that said Gatton has to sell that land to Haymaker for development.

A federal judge ruled in February that Gatton owned the land and did not have to continue to work with Haymaker to develop the land.
FILE PHOTO: Antonio Garcia, head of the delegation of National Liberation Army (ELN) for formal peace talks with Colombian government, talks to the media during a news conference in Caracas

BOGOTA (Reuters) - The top commander of Colombia's National Liberation Army (ELN) rebel group, which is exploring a resumption of peace talks with the leftist government, told Reuters any process must seek profound change for all of society and not political power for a few guerrilla commanders.

New President Gustavo Petro, a former member of the M-19 urban guerrillas, has promised to seek "total peace" by fully implementing a 2016 peace deal with the now-demobilized FARC rebels, restarting ELN talks and dialoguing with crime gangs.

"What is essential for a peace process is to overcome the causes which originated the armed conflict, to even think they are overcome with a few (congressional) seats for a handful of rebels would be miserly," said Eliecer Herlinto Chamorro, better known by his nom de guerre, Antonio Garcia.

He was answering questions sent by Reuters about whether the ELN will become a political party after a peace deal.

The FARC deal saw the demobilization of its 13,000 members and the creation of political party Comunes, which has 10 seats in congress guaranteed until 2026 which have been assigned to former guerrilla leaders.

"It's about achieving real change for the good of all society, real and participative democracy for communities and social organizations, making Colombian society more equitable, with social justice, respect for human rights, that political persecution of those who protest for just rights and the murders of leaders end definitively," said Garcia.

Lack of land access, deep economic inequality, historic persecution of leftists and lack of democratic participation are considered the principal causes of Colombia's six-decade conflict between the government, leftist rebels, right-wing paramilitaries and drug gangs, which has killed at least 450,000 people.

UNITED FRONT

Garcia, 66, said the demobilization of the ELN - accused of forcibly recruiting minors, drug trafficking, murders, kidnappings and bombing attacks - will be resolved at the negotiating table.

Though Petro has said talks should be carried out quickly, the quality of any agreements will be a variable when determining the negotiations' timeline, Garcia said.

The most recent talks with the ELN collapsed under Petro's predecessor, after the group refused to suspend armed action and killed 22 police cadets in an early 2019 bombing.

Other attempts at dialogue have failed to bear fruit because of a diffuse chain of command and dissent within the ranks of the ELN, which was founded by radical Catholic priests in 1964 and counts some 2,400 fighters.

There is precedent for rebel resistance to peace deals - several top FARC commanders reject that deal and remain armed in dissident groups, with whom Petro also wants to dialogue.

But Garcia said the eight ELN units operating in the jungles and mountains of Colombia are united with their negotiators - many of them elderly, unlike most fighters - who remained in Cuba after the collapse of previous talks.

"The ELN remains united by political identity and its democratic methods to construct policy in a constructive way and try to solve differences," he said, echoing recent comments by the group's head negotiator in Havana. "We will stay united, that is the decision of the last (rebel) congress, and we will face any challenge united."

Garcia said profound changes are needed in Colombia - where about half the population lives in some degree of poverty - but those in power must first be held to account.

"Even though the country requires adjustments to its fundamental laws, what most affects us is the lack of compliance with laws by those who hold power," he said.

(This story adds dropped word 'be' in third paragraph)

(Reporting by Luis Jaime Acosta; Writing by Julia Symmes Cobb; Editing by Alistair Bell)
NEW YORK (AP)  Former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo is taking his biggest steps yet to return to public life, more than a year after resigning in the wake of a bevy of sexual harassment allegations.

In a video posted online Wednesday, the Democrat said hes forming a political action committee and a gun safety organization, and also plans to host a weekly podcast.

"I have fought the good fight in government and politics my whole life, and I am not done fighting yet, he said.

Cuomo said his time away from politics  which he said has included attempting to fix a Harley-Davidson motorcycle, among other activities  has changed his perspective, and he decried the deep partisanship affecting current political discourse.

He criticized the inability of Congress to pass meaningful legislation, using a recent failed effort to get an assault weapons ban passed as an example. He said his PAC will seek to elect people who will fight for change and get results" and not be afraid to take the heat that goes with leadership."

Cuomo resigned in August 2021, during his third term, a week after New York's attorney general released a report that concluded he had sexually harassed at least 11 women.

Cuomo denied the allegations and slammed the investigation as being politically motivated, and said at the time he was stepping down to let government get back to governing.

This month, Cuomo filed an ethics complaint against Attorney General Letitia James that questioned the investigation's credibility, noting that James briefly ran for governor after Cuomo resigned.

Also this month, a former aide sued Cuomo, claiming he sexually harassed her and then smeared her reputation after she publicly accused him of misconduct. Through his attorney, Cuomo denied harassing anyone.

Debra Katz, an attorney for former aide Charlotte Bennett, said of Cuomo Wednesday, I think the world would be a better place if he just stayed at home and worked on his motorcycle.

Cuomo has made more public appearance this year, and even suggested in the spring he might gather petition signatures to try to get on the ballot to get his old job back, though ultimately he didn't do so.

In Wednesday's video, Cuomo said his intention in hosting the podcast is to address people's concerns and present the facts  not Democratic facts, or Republican facts, but actual facts."
Update: Garland Nelson entered his plea in court on Friday. That story is posted here.

Garland J. Nelson, a northwestern Missouri farmer accused of murdering two brothers from Wisconsin over a cattle contract and trying to cover up their disappearance, is expected to enter a guilty plea in the states murder case.

Court records filed this week in the Johnson County, Missouri, case show a newly-scheduled plea hearing set for Friday. It is scheduled to be held at 10 a.m. in Cass County Circuit Court.

The Missouri Public Defenders Office declined comment on the upcoming hearing. But a motion filed this week by federal prosecutors in a related criminal case says Nelson is anticipated to plead guilty on two counts of first-degree murder in the killings of Nicholas and Justin Diemel.

The long-running investigation began with a missing persons report in 2019 after the Diemel brothers, cattle ranchers from the Green Bay, Wisconsin area, abruptly disappeared. Both boarded a flight to Kansas City and rented a pickup truck for the purpose of a face-to-face meeting with Nelson over a raw business deal, authorities have said, and neither made the return flight home.

Nick Diemel, 35, and his wife Lisa are pictured on the left. Justin Diemel, 25, and his longtime girlfriend Taylor Moeller are pictured on the right.

Nine days after they were reported missing, Clinton County Sheriff Larry Fish announced that human remains had been discovered on Nelsons family farm in Braymer, Missouri. The remains had been burned and buried under a manure pile.

A DNA analysis would later show that remains matched one of the missing men. Months later, remains of the other brother were discovered in a livestock trailer in Lincoln County, Nebraska that had been purchased from a Missouri seller.

Misleading explanations

Nelson was initially charged with motor vehicle tampering in connection with the Diemels recovered rental truck, which was found running with the keys in the ignition in a parking lot off Interstate 35 in Holt. Suspicions centered on Nelson as investigators learned that he owed about $250,000 to the Diemels through a business arrangement where Nelson was supposed to raise livestock for them.

Authorities have said Nelson made certain admissions about his role in covering up the disappearances, but also offered a series of misleading explanations that were believed to be intended to thwart the investigation.

During a police interview, Nelson allegedly told detectives two bodies were put inside a 55-gallon barrel under a pole barn on the family property. He also said they were moved with a skid loader to a nearby pasture and set aflame.

Authorities have also alleged Nelson admitted to moving the rental vehicle to Holt, and that he disposed of the Diemels cell phones.

Clinton County Sheriff Larry Fish, left, and Collaway County Sheriff Jerry Galloway, right spoke during the investigation of the Diemel brothers disappearance.

Cattle fraud schemes

Over the past three years, Nelson has been investigated by state, county and federal law enforcement in connection with the case. In May 2021, Nelson was also charged separately under a federal indictment on one count of mail fraud stemming from his business with the Diemels.

Under the business arrangement, Nelson was entrusted with hundreds of heads of livestock. Witnesses later told investigators Nelson did a poor job with that, as dozens of calves died under his care due to starvation and other neglect.

Authorities say Nelson faked documents to keep up appearances with the Diemels. For example, Nelson intentionally damaged a $215,000 check made payable to the Diemels, which served as a lulling technique to have the men meet him personally as part of a plot to kill them, federal authorities allege.

In 2015, Nelson pleaded guilty to a separate cattle fraud involving the sale of livestock that did not belong to him. He was sentenced to two years in federal prison and was released in March 2018.
ISLAMABAD, Sept. 29 (Xinhua) -- Pakistan is committed to the preservation of its green marine environment and greener shipping through the advancement of eco-friendly technologies, Pakistani Minister for Maritime Affairs Syed Faisal Ali Subzwari said.

Despite contributing less than 1 percent of the global greenhouse gases, Pakistan is the fifth most vulnerable country to climate change, yet the country has been doing utmost efforts to make shipping green and protect the marine environment, the minister said in his message on the World Maritime Day, which falls on Thursday.

Noting that about 90 percent of the world's trade is transported by sea, Subzwari said that the global shipping industry is coming under increasing pressure to cut the pollution created by the world's merchant fleet, highlighting the enormous cost to the environment due to the industry.

Pakistan's shipping industry contributes immensely to the national economy as 95 percent of its overall trade is carried via ocean freight, he said, adding that to promote green shipping, the country has adopted mandatory measures to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases.

In efforts to ensure a clean marine environment and shipping security, the minister said that Pakistan has been using diesel oil for crafts as compared to heavy fuel oil to reduce emissions, carrying out shipping activities in the shortest possible time to avoid extra running of main engines and generators, maintaining oil and garbage record books, and ensuring no emission of fumes and gases. 
LAS VEGAS (AP)  Police have arrested a convicted bombmaker who escaped from a Nevada prison where he was serving a life sentence for a deadly 2007 explosion outside a Las Vegas Strip, authorities said.

Las Vegas police said they received information Wednesday night that a person matching the description of Porfirio Duarte-Herrera was in the area. Officers took the man into custody, confirmed he was Duarte-Herrera and arrested him, the department said in a statement.

Additional information wasn't immediately released by Las Vegas police.

Gov. Steve Sisolak had earlier ordered an investigation into the escape after he said late Tuesday his office learned the escapee had been missing from the medium-security prison since early in the weekend.

Officials didn't realize until Tuesday morning that Duarte-Herrera, 42, was missing during a head count at Southern Desert Correctional Center near Las Vegas.

This undated photo shows Porfirio Duarte-Herrera, who was sentenced to life in prison for a deadly 2007 explosion at a Las Vegas Strip parking structure. (Nevada Department of Corrections via AP)

Duarte-Herrera, from Nicaragua, was convicted in 2010 of killing a hot dog stand vendor using a motion-activated bomb in a coffee cup atop a car parked at the Luxor hotel-casino.

Records show his co-defendant, Omar Rueda-Denvers, remained in custody. The 47-year-old from Guatemala is serving a life sentence at a different Nevada prison for murder, attempted murder, explosives and other charges.

A Clark County District Court jury spared both men from the death penalty in the slaying of Willebaldo Dorantes Antonio, whom prosecutors identified as the boyfriend of Rueda-Denvers ex-girlfriend.

Prosecutors said jealousy was the motive for the attack on the top deck of a two-story parking structure. The blast initially raised fears of a terrorist attack on the Strip.
Dave Coles, a middle school teacher in Nampa, normally likes to dress up when he goes to work.

But this year, he had to make an exception. The HVAC unit for his classroom at West Middle School broke as temperatures in the Treasure Valley topped 100 degrees. Despite the multiple fans he set up, his classrooms temperature rose above 80 on some days, he said. So Coles wore shorts.

Coles experience is one shared by many across the district. During the first month of school, more than 200 HVAC units across the Nampa School District went down, said Cortney Stauffer, executive director of operations with the district.

The outages forced the district to come up with contingency plans that included bringing in fans and portable AC units, and, in the most extreme cases, moving students to other areas of the building where it was cooler.

Most of the units are working again now, but the district is still waiting on the fix for some.

We kind of had the perfect storm I believe, where we have an aging infrastructure, as well as the hottest summer on record that complicated our whole system, Stauffer told the Idaho Statesman.

Some units outside their time expectancy

Some of the schools that struggled most with broken units were older buildings, Stauffer said. The record-breaking temperatures over the summer meant units were used more heavily, which may have expedited some of the issues the district saw this year.

It was our more outdated systems that were being challenged and having problems keeping up with the heat, Stauffer said.

Some of the systems, he added, are definitely outside their time expectancy, and the district plans for some buildings to be upgraded. The typical life expectancy is around 20 to 30 years, but the oldest units are nearly 50 years old.

One elementary school in the district that was built in 1976 still has its original unit. The district is no longer able to get parts for that particular unit, so it had to order a new one that is expected to take months to arrive. The district was able to patch some of the units that went out, but had to replace others.

The outages impacted a very large percentage of students, Stauffer said. Some of the units that went out are classroom units and some are multi-classroom units, depending on the building.

The district worked to keep classrooms as comfortable as possible and said they were able to mitigate much of the impact.

HVAC outages a result of aging buildings

Nampa schools typically have outages, Stauffer said, but not to this extent.

This was just extremely abnormal, he said.

Normally, the district services 20 to 30 units a month  but most of those are not completely breaking down like what the district saw this year, Stauffer said.

The costs to repair and replace the units have topped $150,000, but that is expected to rise as the district processes pending invoices, Stauffer said. Because so many units went down, the district also brought in third-party services for some of the work. The district only has two HVAC personnel on the team.

Stauffer said he didnt have a staff equipped to handle so many units in need of fixing.

The outages illustrated a larger issue: the difficulty in maintaining older buildings, he added.

Now were starting to see the struggles of maintaining aging buildings, Stauffer said. I do think that that is a component to the Nampa School District.  You get to a point in time where were having to look at, what is the next step? How do we keep buildings to the standard that we have and (that) our community expects?

For Coles, it wasnt the first time he had issues with the HVAC system. Last year, he said, he lost heat in his classroom for about a week during the winter.

He said hes tried to keep a positive attitude despite the heat, and his students have done well. Class periods are just under an hour, so students arent sitting in a hot classroom all day, he said.

Coles is still waiting on the replacement part to come in for the unit to be fixed, but he praised the districts maintenance staff for doing everything possible to make it as comfortable as possible.

He said hes grateful he wasnt teaching his students the thermal energy unit, when, on the last day of the unit, he gets out propane burners and lets his class make smores. Thats perfect for winter, he said.
KYIV (Reuters) - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy will hold an emergency meeting with top security, political and defence officials on Friday, following the Kremlin's announcement of plans by Russia to annex four Ukrainian regions.

The Kremlin said on Thursday that Russian President Vladimir Putin would sign documents on Friday proclaiming Moscow's annexation of regions where Russia organised what Kyiv and the West said were sham referendums staged at gunpoint on Russian-held Ukrainian territory.

"President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has called an urgent meeting of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine for tomorrow. The agenda and other details will be announced later," presidential spokesperson Serhiy Nykyforov wrote on Facebook.

Zelenskiy has said repeatedly that the so-called referendums were illegal and warned of a robust Ukrainian response.

"The territorial integrity of Ukraine will be restored. And our reaction to recognition of the results by Russia will be very harsh," Zelenskiy's office quoted him as telling Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi during a phone call on Thursday.

The National Security and Defense Council includes, among others, the commander-in-chief of the armed forces, the defence, foreign and prime ministers, and the head of the Ukrainian Security Service. It is tasked with working with the president on developing and coordinating national security policy.

(Reporting by Max Hunder, Editing by Timothy Heritage)
Vice President Kamala Harris made an unfortunate gaffe during her speech at the Korean Peninsula's Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) on Thursday, saying that the U.S. has a "strong alliance" with "the Republic of North Korea."

"It is an alliance that is strong and enduring," she added, intending to refer to the Republic of Korea, which is South Korea's official name.

The vice president then continued her remarks by professing the U.S.' support for South Korea's defense against the increasingly aggressive North Korean government.

"I cannot state enough that the commitment of the United States to the defense of the Republic of Korea is iron-clad, and that we will do everything in our power to ensure that it has meaning in every way that the words suggest," Harris said.

VP KAMALA HARRIS VISITS JAPAN TO DISCUSS TAIWANESE SECURITY SITUATION: OFFICIAL

The heavily fortified DMZ, a buffer zone that separates North and South Korea, was Harris' final stop on her diplomatic trip to Asia. The gesture of visiting the DMZ is designed to illustrate America's "rock-solid commitment" to regional security, according to White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre.

Harris began her visit by stopping at the Camp Bonifas Dining Facility and thanking American service members. She used binoculars to observe the DMZ, which is roughly 160 miles long and 2.5 miles wide. The vice president then headed to Observation Post Ouellette to give her speech about her commitment to South Korea's security.

Shortly before the DMZ visit, Harris met with South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol and praised the U.S.-South Korean alliance as a "linchpin of security and prosperity." She and Yoon also discussed South Korea's economic and technology partnerships with the U.S. earlier on Thursday, in addition to a gender equity roundtable.

The visit comes a day after North Korea fired a third ballistic missile into the sea in an act of provocation by Kim Jong-un. The country has previously fired two short-range ballistic missiles during Harris' stay in Japan.

North Korea also made a similar gesture in June by firing a trio of missiles before President Biden's visit to Seoul that month.

Harris condemned North Koreas "illicit weapons program" during a Wednesday speech at United States Fleet Activities Yokosuka, a U.S. Naval base.

Jean-Pierre said North Korea's missile test was "not unusual" on Wednesday, while affirming that it would not dissuade Harris from visiting the DMZ.

"As you know, North Korea has a history of doing these types of tests," she said.

CONSERVATIVES SLAM VP HARRIS VISIT TO KOREAN BORDER AS ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION SURGES IN US: 'AMERICA LAST'

South Korean activists were seen protesting against Harris' visit near the Presidential Office in Seoul on Thursday. The protesters wore masks showing the faces of Harris and President Yoon as they demonstrated against the U.S.-South Korean alliance.

Harris' visit has also drawn criticism from Republicans who claim she has neglected the migrant crisis at the U.S.-Mexico border.

After the DMZ visit, Harris departed from Osan Air Base to fly back to Joint Base Andrews in Maryland.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
BALTIMORE (AP)  The family of a young woman who was killed in 1999 will appeal a Baltimore judges recent decision to overturn the conviction of Adnan Syed, the man imprisoned for decades for Hae Min Lee's death, according to an attorney for the family.

Syed, whose case was examined in the popular true-crime podcast Serial, was released earlier this month after prosecutors told a judge they had uncovered doubts about the fairness of the investigation. Syed has always maintained that he never killed Lee, his ex-girlfriend.

But on Wednesday, Young Lee, the victim's brother, filed a notice of appeal, alleging violations of the familys right to meaningfully participate in the Sept. 19 hearing in which Syed secured his release, according to attorney Steve Kelly. Its the first step in seeking the Maryland Court of Special Appeals review of the potential violations of victims rights statutes, Kelly said.

Syed was serving a life sentence after he was convicted of strangling Lee, whose body was found buried in a Baltimore park. He was 17 at the time of her death.

Circuit Court Judge Melissa Phinn's order to release Syed and vacate his murder conviction came after State's Attorney Marilyn Mosby asked the judge to vacate the conviction, saying a lengthy investigation conducted with the defense had uncovered new evidence that could undermine the conviction.

During the hearing, Young Lee spoke to the court via videoconference, saying he felt betrayed by prosecutors since he thought the case was settled.

This is not a podcast for me. This is real life, he said.

Prosecutor Becky Feldman told the judge in the hearing that she contacted Young Lee before the motion was filed, and went over the motion with him. A day before the hearing, Young Lee indicated by text message that he would attend virtually, Feldman said. But that evening the Lee family hired Kelly, who filed a motion to postpone the hearing for seven days so Young Lee could attend in person. Phinn denied that motion, but paused the hearing by more than 30 minutes so that Lee, who was at work, could join the call.

Kelly said at the time that prosecutors shut the family out of the legal process, calling it inexcusable and a violation of Maryland law. The family is interested in the truth and might have supported Syeds release if they had understood the basis, he said.

The family is disappointed with the way that they were treated. Theyre disappointed with the process. They want more than anybody to have the person who killed Hae Min Lee brought to justice, Kelly said. If that is not Mr. Syed then theyre open to the possibility of anybody else who actually did it being prosecuted.

The Office of the Public Defender declined Thursday to comment on the notice of appeal. Syed's case captured the attention of millions in 2014 when the debut season of Serial focused on Lees killing and raised doubts about some of the evidence prosecutors had used.

Mosby, who entered office in 2015, has applauded the judge's decision and has said investigators are awaiting the results of DNA analysis before determining whether to seek a new trial date or throw out the case against Syed and certify his innocence.

State's Attorney's Office spokesperson Zy Richardson said in a statement that they empathize with Lee's family, who believed they had resolution and are now being re-traumatized by the misdeeds of the prior prosecutors, but they must ensure that the right person is held accountable, news outlets reported.

"We refuse to be distracted from this fundamental obligation and will never give up in our fight for the Lee family, she said.

Feldman, who led a unit reexamining cases in which juvenile defendants were given life sentences, found notes written by a predecessor describing two phone calls in which people gave them information before Syeds trial about someone with a motive to harm Lee. That information wasnt given to the defense at the time, according prosecutors, an omission that Phinn said violated Syed's rights.

In a new Serial episode released a day after Syed was freed, host Sarah Koenig noted that most or all of the evidence cited in prosecutors motion to overturn the conviction was available since 1999. The case against Syed involved just about every chronic problem in the system, Koenig said, including unreliable witness testimony and evidence that was never shared with Syeds defense team.
U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris, center left, stands next to the demarcation line at the demilitarized zone (DMZ) separating the two Koreas, in Panmunjom, South Korea Thursday, Sept. 29, 2022. (Leah Millis/Pool Photo via AP)

PANMUNJOM, Korea (AP)  In a show of defiance, North Korea fired at least one ballistic missile into the sea on Thursday, hours after U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris flew home from a visit to South Korea during which she emphasized the ironclad U.S. commitment to the security of its Asian allies.

It was the third round of missile launches by North Korea this week, extending a record pace in weapons testing as it accelerates a push to expand its arsenal and pressure Washington to accept it as a nuclear power.

South Koreas Joint Chiefs of Staff didnt immediately confirm what type of missile was launched Thursday or how far it flew. Japan's military said it also detected a launch. North Korea fired two short-range ballistic missiles on Wednesday, while Harris was in Japan, and fired one before she left Washington on Sunday.

Harris earlier capped her four-day trip to Asia with a meeting with South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and a stop at the Demilitarized Zone dividing the Korean Peninsula, where she addressed the threat posed by the increasingly hostile North.

There are also concerns that North Korea may conduct a nuclear test, which would move the country closer to being acknowledged as a full-fledged nuclear power. Visiting the DMZ has become something of a ritual for American leaders hoping to show their resolve to stand firm against aggression.

At the DMZ, Harris went to the top of a ridge, near guard towers and security cameras. She looked through bulky binoculars as a South Korean officer pointed out military installations on the southern side. Then an American officer pointed out some of the defenses along the military demarcation line, including barbed-wire fences and claymore mines. He said American soldiers regularly walk patrols along a path.

Its so close, Harris said.

Harris then visited one of a row of blue buildings that straddle the demarcation line, where an American officer explained how the buildings are still used to conduct negotiations with North Korea. Sometimes they pass messages back and forth and sometimes they use a megaphone, he said.

Thats high tech, Harris joked, before adding, Weve stepped into history.

Its still going, the colonel said.

Harris agreed. The past and present are happening every day.

She then walked out of the building and up to the demarcation line. On the North Korean side, two figures dressed in what appeared to be hazmat suits peeked out from behind a curtain in a second-floor window. Then they disappeared back inside.

Harris described the North Korean missile launches as provocations meant to destabilize the region" and said the United States and South Korea remain committed to the complete denuclearization" of the North.

I cannot state enough that commitment of the United States to the defense of the Republic of Korea is ironclad, she said.

In the South, we see a thriving democracy. In the North, we see a brutal dictatorship, she said before flying out of the border on a U.S. military helicopter.

Earlier, Harris met with President Yoon at his office in Seoul and reaffirmed the U.S. commitment to defend the South with a full range of its military capabilities in the event of war, Yoons office said.

They expressed concern over North Koreas threats of nuclear conflict and pledged an unspecified stronger response to major North Korean provocations, including a nuclear test.

Harris and Yoon were also expected to discuss expanding economic and technology partnerships and repairing recently strained ties between South Korea and Japan to strengthen their trilateral cooperation with Washington in the region. Their meeting also touched on Taiwan, with both reaffirming their countries support for peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, according to Yoons office, which didn't elaborate.

Harris trip was organized so she could attend the state funeral of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, but her itinerary was dominated by security concerns, a reflection of fears about Chinas growing power and North Koreas ramped-up testing activity.

In every meeting, Harris tried to lay to rest any fears that the United States was wavering in its commitment to protect its allies, describing American partnerships with South Korea and Japan as the linchpin and cornerstone of its defense strategy in Asia.

Yoon, who took office earlier this year, had anchored his election campaign with vows to deepen Seouls economic and security partnership with Washington to navigate challenges posed by the North Korean threat and address potential supply chain risks caused by the pandemic, the U.S.-China rivalry and Russias war on Ukraine. But the alliance has been marked by tension recently.

South Koreans have decried a new law signed by President Joe Biden that prevents electric cars built outside of North America from being eligible for U.S. government subsidies, undermining the competitiveness of automakers like Seoul-based Hyundai.

During their meeting, Harris told Yoon that Washington will try to address South Korean concerns as the law is implemented, Yoons office said.

Scott Snyder, an analyst at the Council on Foreign Relations, said the dispute over electric vehicles has swiftly become a firestorm that U.S. officials cannot ignore, although there may not be a simple solution.

Its taking on a level of urgency thats making it into a political problem that requires management, Snyder said. I dont know that its going to be easy for the Biden administration to do that.

After meeting Yoon, Harris, the first woman to serve as U.S. vice president, held a roundtable with female leaders on gender equity issues.

Yoon has faced criticism for the lack of female representation in government and his downplaying of broader inequalities.

If we want to strengthen democracy, we must pay attention to gender equity, said Harris, who also raised the issue with Yoon.

There are indications North Korea may up its weapons demonstrations soon as it attempts to pressure Washington to accept it as a nuclear power. South Korean officials said last week that they detected signs North Korea was preparing to test a ballistic missile system designed to be fired from submarines.

The U.S. aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan was to train with South Korean and Japanese warships in waters near the Korean Peninsula on Friday in the countries first trilateral anti-submarine exercises since 2017 to counter North Korean submarine threats, South Koreas navy said Thursday.

U.S. and South Korean officials also say North Korea is possibly gearing up for its first nuclear test since 2017. That test could come after China holds its Communist Party convention the week of Oct. 16, but before the United States holds its midterm elections Nov. 8, according to Seoul's spy agency.

North Korea has punctuated its testing activity with repeated threats of nuclear conflict. Its rubber-stamp parliament this month authorized the preemptive use of nuclear weapons in a broad range of scenarios where its leadership comes under threat.

Nuclear diplomacy between the U.S. and North Korea remains stalled since 2019 over disagreements on easing crippling U.S.-led economic sanctions against the North in exchange for the Norths disarmament steps.

___

Associated Press writers Tong-hyung Kim and Hyung-jin Kim in Seoul, South Korea, contributed to this report.
Coolio touched the world with his talent and will be missed profoundly following his death aged 59, his management have said.

The US rapper, responsible for 1990s hit song Gangstas Paradise, died on Wednesday afternoon.

Coolios manager at Trinity Artists International, Sheila Finegan, confirmed the death to the PA news agency.

As well as a successful music career, Coolio came third in the sixth series of UK Celebrity Big Brother in 2009 (PA)

We are saddened by the loss of our dear friend and client, Coolio, who passed away this afternoon, the agency said in a statement shared with PA.

He touched the world with the gift of his talent and will be missed profoundly.

Thank you to everyone worldwide who has listened to his music and to everyone who has been reaching out regarding his passing.

Please have Coolios loved ones in your thoughts and prayers.

The rapper was found unresponsive on the bathroom floor of a friends house in Los Angeles, according to US media outlet TMZ.

As well as for his successful music career, Coolio became well known in the UK for his appearances on Channel 4 reality show Big Brother.

The rapper came third in the sixth series of UK Celebrity Big Brother in 2009, losing out to broadcaster Terry Christian, who was the runner-up, and presenter and model Ulrika Jonsson, who won.

But along with Jonsson he went on to join the cast of Ultimate Big Brother the following year in 2010, the last series of the show to air on Channel 4.

Jonsson told PA that his death was a shock but the pair had shared so many laughs together.

I spent a fair bit of time with Coolio  he was a misogynist, broke wind a lot; he fancied himself as a cook but my God, we had so many laughs, she said.

The rapper was born in Pennsylvania, but later moved to Compton, California, where he released his first single in 1987.

He recorded Gangstas Paradise for the 1995 film Dangerous Minds, starring Michelle Pfeiffer, and it went on to become one of the most successful rap songs of all time.

The track topped the US Billboard Hot 100 for three weeks and won Coolio the Grammy award for best rap solo performance in 1996.

The US rapper, real name Artis Leon Ivey Jr, died on Wednesday, his manager confirmed to the PA news agency (Yui Mok/PA)

Pfeiffer said she was heartbroken to hear the news of his death, adding that she remembered him as nothing but gracious when they worked together.

Heartbroken to hear of the passing of the gifted artist @coolio, she wrote on Instagram, sharing a clip of the film featuring the track.

A life cut entirely too short.

I remember him being nothing but gracious. 30 years later I still get chills when I hear the song.

Sending love and light to his family. Rest in Power, Artis Leon Ivey Jr.

Gangstas Paradise was also parodied by US musical comedian Weird Al Yankovic, as Amish Paradise, though at the time it was claimed that Coolio had not given him permission to do so.

However, Coolio stated in interviews that the pair had since made amends.

Yankovic paid his respects to Coolio with a short tribute on social media.

Sharing a picture of the pair embracing, he wrote: RIP Coolio.

After news of his death broke, officials at Wrigley Field in Chicago played the hit song as well as Coolios Fantastic Voyage throughout the stadium, as the hometown Cubs hosted the Philadelphia Phillies

Coolio was nominated for five other Grammys during a career that began in the late-1980s.

Heavyweights from the rap world, including Snoop Dogg, Ice Cube and MC Hammer, paid their respects to him after the news was shared on social media.

Former NWA star Ice Cube said he had witnessed Coolios grind to the top of the industry in his own tribute.

This is sad news, the rapper and actor wrote on Twitter.

I witnessed first hand this mans grind to the top of the industry. Rest In Peace @Coolio.

MC Hammer described Coolio as one of the nicest dudes Ive known as he shared a picture of the pair together with Tupac and Snoop.


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WELLINGTON, Sept. 29 (Xinhua) -- New Zealand is looking to a promising future of its winemaking industry as Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has officially opened New Zealand Wine Center on Thursday in Blenheim.

Funding of 3.79 million NZ dollars (2.15 million U.S. dollars) for the Marlborough Research Center to build a national wine center was announced in 2020.

The winemaking industry continues to grow economically over time and are now one of the country's biggest export earners, while Blenheim is where 75 percent of New Zealand's wine is produced.

New Zealand's wine exports, which currently nearly 2 billion NZ dollars (1.13 billion U.S. dollars) a year, will only continue to grow as the new Free Trade Agreements with Britain and the European Union come into force, providing even greater economic security to Kiwis, said Economic and Regional Development Minister Stuart Nash.

"The winemaking sector has a huge impact on the national and regional economy, and accounts for one in five jobs in the Marlborough region," Nash said, adding the job growth for the wine industry has been projected to be 17 percent. 
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 29, ARMENPRESS. The France-Armenia Friendship Group of the French Senate will present the current difficult situation of Armenia and the aggressive policy of Azerbaijan to the international community. According to French Senators, the Russian-Ukrainian conflict greatly impacts the geopolitics of the Caucasian region, but they add that Armenia should not be affected from this war.

Speaking to ARMENPRESS, members of the France-Armenia Friendship Group, who are in Yerevan these days, presented how the French Senate could help Armenia, what is their position on the latest escalation on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border and what kind of support Armenia could expect from France.

France-Armenia Friendship Group Chairman Gilbert-Luc Devinaz said they have arrived in Yerevan to express their solidarity with Armenia. The delegation includes Senators Brigitte Devesa ( Bouches-du-Rhone), Pierre Ouzoulias (Hauts-de-Seine) and Etienne Blanc (Rhone).

The visit of the Friendship Group to Armenia was aimed at getting acquainted with the activities of French local self-government bodies, French associations and foundations in Armenia. But, as Gilbert-Luc Devinaz says, when Azerbaijan attacked Armenia, their visit was already under question, but after consulting with the French Ambassador to Armenia, they decided not to cancel this visit but made some changes in the program.

Since morning of September 27, we have had meetings with the authorities of Armenia, we met with Speaker of Parliament Alen Simonyan, President Vahagn Khachaturyan. Meetings are expected also with Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan and Mayor of Yerevan Hrachya Sargsyan [interview was conducted before these meetings], he said.

Asked what is the position of France and what concrete steps should be taken to stop Azerbaijans aggression against Armenia, the French Senator said that on September 26 French President Emmanuel Macron, during the meeting with Armenias Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, has reaffirmed the position of France in observing the ceasefire and keeping the borders, stating that the Azerbaijani forces must return to their initial positions as set by the 2020 November 9 agreement. The French President has clearly mentioned the name of the aggressor which is Azerbaijan.

In his remarks President Macron named the aggressor which has not been done before. And the Armenian PM recalled that by saying borders we understand the internationally recognized borders after the collapse of the Soviet Union. And as you know, France and the United States operate in the international platform. During our visit in May the Armenian authorities were talking about the OSCE Minsk Group, stating that it should be re-launched. Today Russia has backed down, and it remains for France, US and perhaps Germany to again find in that structure ways for peace. There is also one more border problem, Azerbaijan is urged to return to the initial positions as agreed on November 9, 2020, which is not being done. The French President proposes to deploy a peacekeeping force on the border by the UN or other structure, but it is currently being rejected by Russia, he said.

They said as Senators they are concerned for Armenia. The Senator says that Armenia and the sovereign Republic of Artsakh are two examples of democracy, and Turkey and Azerbaijan are authoritarian regimes that harm these two democracies. And if we allow it today, the other democratic regimes of Eastern Europe will have difficulties tomorrow, Gilbert-Luc Devinaz said.

Senator Etienne Blanc made three observations over the issue: The first one is that during the visit we managed to get acquainted with the power of the only democracy in the region  the democracy of Armenia which is living in these difficult diplomatic, military and political conditions. And we, as bearers of a very old tradition of protection of fundamental freedoms, are really impressed by what Armenia is doing today in these difficult conditions which it faces.

Secondly, a few weeks ago the President of the European Commission announced an agreement between Azerbaijan and Europe. Many Senators condemned that agreement, stating that the supply of gas or oil could weaken the position of Europe, France in supporting Armenia.

And thirdly, under the influence of the Ukraine war we re-find the indirect consequences that this war could have on the defense of Armenia. And if we are here, it means we dont want Armenia to be a tool for the Russian-Turkish diplomacy which could sign agreements behind Armenias back. And this is something that is very important to us. The Ukraine war has a great impact on the geopolitics of this region, and our visit here means that Armenia must not be affected as a result of this war, he said.

Senator Pierre Ouzoulias also called Europe a hypocrite as, he said, it continues buying a Russian gas through Azerbaijan.

Azerbaijan is supplying additional oil to Europe through the gas pipeline stretching to the Turkish port in the Mediterranean Sea, and we know that a part of this oil comes from Russia. Europe once again forgets about its moral principles to take care of its oil needs. And today Europe has finally accepted the fact that Armenia is ceding a part of its territorial integrity. And Armenia is forced to negotiate with Azerbaijan around a corridor connecting Nakhijevan with Azerbaijan. And our role is to present all this to the European community, Pierre Ouzoulias said.

As for the possible sanctions on Azerbaijan, Gilbert-Luc Devinaz said that instead of sanctions Europe is buying gas and oil from Azerbaijan which is coming from Russia.

Today there are no sanctions, quite the contrary, Europe is buying gas and oil from Azerbaijan which is coming from Russia. I think there are two issues for France: it is an EU member where not all states share the position relating to Armenia, he said, adding that the important here is by whom the states are governed.

The Senator also highlighted the inter-parliamentary cooperation between Armenia and France.

We are always in touch with Chairman of the Armenia-France Friendship Group Vladimir Vardanyan. These exchanges are important in a sense that for example in France they are talking a lot about Ukraine, and we are concerned that the issue of Armenia remains under shadow. And as Etienne Blanc said he will share this information with his party colleagues after returning to France. And we are going to do the same.

Thus, its very important to talk about what is happening in Armenia. And we must not forget about the Armenian Diaspora in France. Connection with the Diaspora must be maintained because it is connected with Armenia as a homeland, for which Armenia is a state with its geopolitical difficulties. Therefore, we pay great attention to the cooperation in education sector, because the education of youth in Armenia is important for us. We also attach importance to the presence of the French University in Armenia which is preparing new French-speaking cadres, Gilbert-Luc Devinaz said.

And asked how the Senate could help Armenia, Senator Brigitte Devesa said their role is also to be consistent with the implementation of decentralized cooperation programs which boost the development of provinces.

In my province I will present the importance of the decentralized cooperation because with this activity we could support Armenia. We are fully mobilized over the situation faced by Armenia, and you can rely on our support in any case, Brigitte Devesa said.

Interview by Karen Khachatryan

Photos by Hayk Manukyan
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 29, ARMENPRESS. Secretary of the Security Council of Armenia Armen Grigoryan met with the United States Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Russia, Ukraine and Eurasia, Laura Cooper, in Washington D.C., the Office of the Security Council said.

At the meeting, Armen Grigoryan presented in details the large-scale aggression launched by Azerbaijan against Armenias sovereign territory on September 13 and its consequences.

The sides discussed the development prospects of the bilateral relations. Particularly, they both highlighted the activities aimed the democracy governance of the Armenian Armed Forces, and increasing the level of transparency and accountability.
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 29, ARMENPRESS. Armenian filmmaker Ara Mnatsakanyans The American Good Samaritans was named winner of the Best Humanitarian Feature Film category at the Cannes World Film Festival.

Produced by Manvel Saribekyan in the United States of America, Lebanon, Greece and Iran, the film is his second documentary, the first of which was called The Map of Salvation and honoured the stories of European Missionaries who saved thousands of Armenian lives.

The American Good Samaritans is a compelling Armenian Genocide documentary retelling the story of extraordinary American missionaries who saved thousands of Armenians, Assyrians and Greeks during the 1915 Armenian Genocide.
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 29, ARMENPRESS. Russian Ambassador to Armenia Sergei Kopyrkin says that the withdrawal of troops to their initial positions could be the only reliable basis for solving the existing issues between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

During the visit to Armenias Gegharkunik province, the Ambassador told reporters that the military clashes cannot lead to solving the existing problems. We believe that only the political and diplomatic efforts could bring a solution, he said.

The Ambassador stated that Russia does everything in its power for the political settlement process, that was launched by the 2020 November 9 trilateral statement, to continue despite all the problems and contradictions. We continue working in this direction, we assist the sides in reaching common approaches. Thats not easy and requires big efforts, but we have done it and plan to do in the future as well, he added.

In response to the question about the arms supply by Russia to Armenia, the Ambassador said that he is not ready to comment on the topic given its sensitivity. It should be done by professionals, but thats an area which is a part of our allied relations, Sergei Kopyrkin said.
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 29, ARMENPRESS. The Armenian Ministry of Defense released the names of the three Armenian soldiers who were killed in action when Azerbaijani troops attacked their positions on September 28.

The fallen troops are Lt. Colonel Nahapet Margaryan, Sergeant Hovhannes Sukiasyan and Private Edward Hovhannisyan.

The Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Armenia shares the grief of loss and offers condolences to the families, friends and comrades of the fallen troops, the ministry said.
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 29, ARMENPRESS. Newly-appointed Ambassador of Slovakia to Armenia Miroslav Hacek presented his credentials today to President Vahagn Khachaturyan, the Presidential Office said.

Congratulating Miroslav Hacek on his appointment as the first resident Ambassador of Slovakia in Armenia, the President wished him success in his responsible mission.

The Ambassador said that he will make all efforts to boost the relations between the two countries at different levels, implement joint programs and expand the mutual partnership.

Touching upon the directions for cooperation, the sides highlighted in particular energy, high-tech, agriculture and healthcare spheres. They both emphasized the necessity for activating business ties and contacts between the two peoples.

During the meeting President Khachaturyan highlighted the establishment of peace and stability in the region and the support of partner countries and international organizations in this context.
VIENTIANE, Sept. 29 (Xinhua) -- Thousands of people in the southern provinces of Laos have been affected by flooding from Tropical Storm Noru.

The storm caused devastation in the southern provinces of Attapeu, Sekong and Champasak, with local authorities being ordered to evacuate people stranded, according to a report by Lao National Radio on Thursday.

In Sekong province, 28 villages experienced flooding after the Sekong River burst its banks. Two roads became impassable and landslides were reported on nine other roads, while electricity and water connections were cut off in several villages.

Rescue operations and emergency relief efforts have begun as authorities battle to assist those in need.

Lao Ministry of Labor and Social welfare has instructed local authorities to provide assistance to displaced families or those who lost their possessions in the floods.

Sanxay and Sanamxay districts in Attapeu province are among the worst affected areas and local authorities are trying to help people who are stranded by floodwaters.

In response, the Provincial Disaster Management Committee has ordered rescue teams to use boats, vehicles and personnel at their disposal to help affected villagers.

Local authorities are monitoring river levels and formulating plans to cope with the situation.

In Champasak province, 73 villages were reported to be affected, with power lines down in Champasak district and numerous houses and other properties inundated.

People living on the banks of the Mekong have been particularly affected by flooding and authorities have warned of the possibility of landslides in hilly areas.

Meanwhile, people are trying to rescue their livestock and move them to higher ground.

Local authorities were continuing to collect information about the extent of the damage.

Heavy rainfall in Laos in August triggered floods that damaged houses and infrastructure and inundated hundreds of hectares of farmland in many provinces and Lao capital Vientiane. 
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 29, ARMENPRESS. North Korea has fired a suspected ballistic missile off its east coast, its first known test since June, BBC reported citing South Korean military officials.

It came after a US aircraft carrier arrived in South Korea to participate in joint drills, and ahead of a planned visit by US Vice President Kamala Harris.

Seoul said the launch was an "act of grave provocation".

The UN prohibits North Korea from ballistic and nuclear weapons tests.

South Korea's military said it detected a short range missile fired at just before 07:00 local time (23:00 GMT) close to Taechon, more than 100 km (60 miles) north of Pyongyang. It said it flew about 600 km at an altitude of 60 km.

Japan's coast guard confirmed the launch, warning ships to "be vigilant". Tokyo's defence minister Yasukazu Hamada said the missile reached a maximum altitude of around 50 km, falling in waters off North Korea's eastern coast, and outside Japan's exclusive economic zone.
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 29, ARMENPRESS. During the recent Azerbaijani aggression the Sotk mine was shut down and is now re-launched only with 40% capacity, the Governor of Gegharkunik Province Karen Sargsyan told foreign ambassadors in Vardenis.

The mine was shut down during the military action. The mine didnt work for three days afterwards. Now the mine is working but only with 40% capacity, he said, adding that the safety of workers is ensured.

However, employees have fears that the Azerbaijani forces could target the mine.
President Vladimir Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the annexation would be formalised at a ceremony in the Kremlin

A policeman guards at the edge of Red Square in central Moscow on September 29, 2022, as the square is sealed prior to a ceremony of the incorporation of the new territories into Russia. (Photo: AFP)

MOSCOW: Russia will formally annex four regions of Ukraine its troops occupy at a grand ceremony in Moscow on Friday, the Kremlin has announced, after it suggested using nuclear weapons to defend the territories.

The threats from senior Russian officials have not deterred a sweeping counter-offensive from Kyiv, which has been pushing back Russian troops in the east and is edging nearer the Donetsk region city of Lyman that Moscow's forces battered for weeks to fully capture.

President Vladimir Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the annexation would be formalised at a ceremony in the Kremlin. The Russian leader will make a "major" speech, he added.

"Tomorrow in Saint George's Hall at the Grand Kremlin Palace at 15:00 (1200 GMT) a signing ceremony will take place on the incorporation of the new territories into Russia," Peskov told reporters.

The Kremlin-installed leaders of the four regions were gathered in the Russian capital on Thursday, a day after pro-Moscow authorities had appealed to Putin directly to integrate the territories into Russia.

Their nearly simultaneous requests to the Kremlin came after the four regions claimed residents had unanimously backed the move in hastily organised referendums that were dismissed by Kyiv and the West as illegal, fraudulent and void.

Ukraine advances in Donetsk

Ukraine after the so-called referendums said the only appropriate response from the West was to hit Russia with more sanctions and to supply Ukrainian forces with more weapons to keep reclaiming territory.

"Ukraine cannot and will not tolerate any attempts by Russia to seize any part of our land," President Volodymyr Zelensky said late Wednesday.

The four territories -- Kherson and Zaporizhzhia in the south; Donetsk and Lugansk in the east -- create a crucial land corridor between Russia and the Crimean peninsula, annexed by Moscow in 2014.

Together, all five make up around 20 percent of Ukraine, whose forces in recent weeks have been clawing back ground.

Kyiv's army in particular has been showing progress in the eastern Kharkiv region and recapturing territory in Donetsk, and military observers say Kyiv's forces are close to capturing Lyman.

"The enemy is carrying out regular attempts to encircle the city," a pro-Russian official in the Donetsk region, Alexei Nikonorov, told state TV on Thursday.

"At the moment, our units manage to repel all attacks," he claimed.

'I don't want to kill people'

Still, Russian forces are striking out along the entire frontline of Ukraine and officials in Kyiv said Thursday that Russian bombardments had killed three in the Dnipropetrovsk region, five in Donetsk and wounded seven in the Kharkiv region.

Along with threats to use nuclear weapons, Putin announced a mobilisation of hundreds of thousands of Russian men to bolster Moscow's army in Ukraine, sparking demonstrations and an exodus of men abroad.

On a bright morning in Mongolia's capital Ulaanbaatar, a young Russian fleeing Moscow's first military call-up since World War II had a stark answer for why he had left: "I don't want to kill people."

"It was very difficult to leave everything behind -- home, motherland, my relatives -- but it's better than killing people," the man in his 20s told AFP, speaking on condition of anonymity.

The exodus from Russia into Mongolia follows a similar trend in ex-Soviet countries like Georgia, Kazakhstan and Armenia.

EU member Finland is also affected and announced Thursday it would be shuttering its border to Russians with Schengen tourist visas beginning the next day.

Russia's move to annex the Ukrainian territories was met with the announcement from the United States of a new package of weapons and supplies worth $1.1 billion, including precision rocket systems, ammunition, armoured vehicles and radars.

And the European Commission proposed fresh sanctions targeting Russian exports worth seven billion euros, an oil price cap, an expanded travel blacklist and asset freezes.
The founder of Open Doors passed away at the age of 94. He was nicknamed Gods Smuggler after he started to smuggle Bibles into Eastern Europe in 1955. During his life he visited 125 countries to be on the side of those who suffer because of their faith.

Milan (AsiaNews)  Anne (Andrew) van der Bijl, the Dutch Evangelical activist known as Brother Andrew, has died.

Founder of Open Doors, an international organisation active all over the world in support of persecuted Christians, he titled his autobiography "Gods Smuggler in reference to the millions of Bibles he was able to get across even the tightest borders to deliver the Gospels message.

After studying at the WEC Missionary Training College in Glasgow, Scotland, he came to a turning point in his life in 1955.

As a member of the Dutch delegation, he travelled to Communist Poland for the World Festival of Youth and Students where he discovered a Church behind the Iron Curtain, oppressed and persecuted, in desperate need of Bibles.

From that moment, helping those who suffer because of their faith in Christ became his lifelong mission. To that end, he set up a foundation, which he called Open Doors, that every door may always be open to the Gospels message.

Speaking of himself, he said: I hope that my life demonstrates that there is no more exciting mission than following Jesus wherever He leads us.

Over the years, he crossed many a frontier. In the 1960s, he managed to get inside the People's Republic of China at the height of the Cultural Revolution.

More recently, he was one of the loudest voices speaking out in defence of Christians victims of Islamic fundamentalism in the Middle East and South Asia. Yet, he often liked to repeat that for him the word Islam was an acronym for I Sincerely Love All Muslims.

Married for 59 years to his wife Corry, who passed away in 2018, he leaves five children and eleven grandchildren.

In the past few years, he was no longer in an active leadership role in Open Doors, which continues its activity following in his footsteps.

One of his best-known initiatives was the World Watch List, which issues an annual report that ranks countries according to their level of persecution of Christians.

Photo: Jako Jellema/Flickr
Prime Minister Narendra Modi wants hi-tech companies to include NavIC in their smartphones, but the latter are reluctant because of costs. Meanwhile, the government is offering financial incentives to enable India to replace China as a manufacturing hub.

New Delhi (AsiaNews/Agencies)  Apple moved production of its new iPhones to India hoping not to encounter any problems, but did not consider Prime Minister Narendra Modis nationalism and superpower ambitions.

Recently, Indian authorities have been putting pressure on the US technology giant, as well as Samsung and Xiaomi, to make their smartphones compatible with NavIC,[*] India's own satellite navigation system. The hi-tech giants are reluctant because of the high costs.

Following Prime Minister Modi's drive for self-reliance, India has expanded the use of NavIC since 2018 and limited the use of foreign navigation systems, the best known being the US-based Global Positioning System (GPS). The European Union, Russia, and China have their own satellite navigation systems.

For India, the goal is to become a superpower on a par with these countries, but in the case of NavIC its use is limited to the domestic market, mandated in public vehicle location trackers. Only 20 mobile phone models use it.

To fulfil its aspirations for grandeur, the government increased financial incentives to laptop and tablet companies (starting with Apple) as part of a strategy to replace China as top manufacturing hub.

A plan was proposed last year but failed to attract large hi-tech companies due to inadequate incentives (US$ 900 million).

In a series of meetings in August and September, India offered the support of the Indian space agency to modify smartphone hardware ready for sale in January 2023, but Apple, Samsung and Xiaomi declined.

Nevertheless, the matter is not over. India noted that systems like the USs GPS and Russias GLONASS are operated by those countries defence agencies , making it possible for civilian service to be interrupted.

In China, over 90 per cent of China-made smartphones include the local BeiDou Navigation Satellite System.

Since Apple's website claims that its mobiles are compatible with all navigation systems, the more the reason for India to insist that NavIC be added.

The main stumbling block is the higher cost of dual band chipsets installed to make smartphones compatible with both NavIC and GPS.

For this reason, Samsung and Xiaomi  who together account for 38 per cent of India's smartphone market, especially in the under US$ 200 models  are reluctant to spend more for small add-ons that, at least for now, promise no big returns.

[*] Navigation with Indian Constellation.
Today's headlines: Hong Kong: activist Ted Hui sentenced in absentia; The US will invest $ 860 million in the South Pacific; India continues to pay for Russian oil in dollars; New conviction for Aung San Suu Kyi; First deaths in Ukraine among new soldiers mobilised by Putin; Patriarch Kirill supports annexations of Ukrainian territories.

IRAN-IRAQ

Iranian Pasdaran bombed Kurdish rebel positions in the autonomous region of Iraqi Kurdistan yesterday. Missiles and attack drones were used: nine people were killed, including civilians. Local and central authorities in Baghdad condemned the attack.

HONG KONG-CHINA

The city high court today sentenced Ted Hui in absentia to three and a half years in prison. The charge is contempt of court. In November 2020, the democracy activist had fled to Australia while free on bail on nine criminal charges. Authorities later also charged him with threatening national security.

US-SOUTH PACIFIC

During a summit in Washington, the US announced that it had reached an agreement for a partnership with the South Pacific island nations. The US pledge is to invest more than USD 860 million in the region. The aim is to stem the growth of Chinese influence and meet the demands of local leaders to combat climate change.

INDIA-RUSSIA

Kremlin's attempts to circumvent Western sanctions for the war in Ukraine have been dealt a hard blow: Indian refineries continue to buy Russian oil in dollars. Moscow asks its partners for payments in roubles or other currencies other than the US banknote. A request to use the UAE dirham in transactions has failed.

MYANMAR

A military court today sentenced Aung San Suu Kyi and one of her former Australian economic advisers, Sean Turnell, to three years in prison. The charge against them is violating state secrets. Since the military coup in February 2021, the former leader of Burma's civilian government has been convicted several times by courts accountable to the ruling junta.

RUSSIA

The first call-ups from the mobilisation ordered by Putin were sent to the front in Ukraine, without adequate preparation and armaments, to defend the villages of Svatovo, Lyman and Kupjansk, in the Kharkiv region. Some of them died immediately, several were taken prisoner and one has already been shown by Ukrainians on social media in a state of terror.

RUSSIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH

In a liturgy at the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour, Patriarch Kirill called for the 'spiritual mobilisation' of all believers, expressing the hope that this would help achieve full peace between Russia and Ukraine. Kirill then bestowed the patriarchal symbol of "church builder" on former deputy premier Dmitry Rogozin, who was appointed curator of the Ukrainian territories to be annexed by Russia.
They will close at least 175 'pogo' casinos that had their licences expired or revoked. The Chinese government supports the decision. Several Philippine senators had also asked President Marcos Jr to restrict gambling activities because they attract crime.

Manila (AsiaNews/Agencies) - The Philippines has decided to repatriate 40,000 Chinese workers employed in casinos, which are locally called 'pogo' (an acronym for offshore gambling operators). The decision by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. comes after pressure from some senators who in recent days had highlighted the illicit trafficking associated with gambling.

Already in 2020, the Philippines Anti-Money Laundering Council had highlighted the high vulnerability of the sector to financial crime. A report by Philippine lawmakers released in January this year had found 'clear links' to human trafficking and recommended prosecution of immigration officials involved.

Senator Koko Pimentel argued that pogo shops - even legal ones - facilitated the entry of unwanted citizens: 'So what is the best way to solve this problem? Simplify it. Ban pogos,' he told CNN.

Said and done: from October, 175 casinos that had received approval from the previous Rodrigo Duterte-led government in 2016 will be closed. As in other Southeast Asian countries, the sector has grown exponentially thanks to the ban on gambling in China, where it has been outlawed since the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949. According to Justice Department spokesman Jose Dominic Clavano, the pogo parlours that will close had their licences revoked or expired. 'The crackdown was triggered by reports of murders, kidnappings and other crimes committed by Chinese citizens against their compatriots,' he pointed out.

The Chinese government, which had repeatedly called on Manila to curb gambling activities, was in favour of the repatriation of compatriots, which will begin next month.

Recently, Senate Majority Leader Joel Villanueva had introduced a law against online gambling under which gamblers risk six months in prison and fines of up to USD 8,170. Critics argue that these are extreme measures: figures from the Ministry of Finance show that casino tax revenues reached USD 122 million in 2020. As the pandemic hit the Philippines hard, many operators moved to Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam.

The following year, Manila imposed a 5% tax on betting revenue and a 25% income tax on foreigners employed in the industry. As a result, even more operators left the Philippines. In many South-East Asian countries, casinos are synonymous with forced labour and online scams. Malaysia recently announced the creation of a commission to recover migrants who become victims of online scams in the Mekong region.

Property consultancy firm Leechiu Property Consultants estimates that a complete closure of pogo shops in the Philippines would leave 1.05 million square metres of office space empty and deprive the country of 1 million in annual rent. Casinos provide .2 billion annually to the Philippine economy and employ about 201,000 Chinese and 111,000 Filipinos.
by Vladimir Rozanskij

Thousands of Russians flee the call to arms and take shelter in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan. Tensions with the local populations, mindful of the discriminatory treatment suffered by their own migrants in Russia. Many, however, show compassion for those who arrive.

Moscow (AsiaNews) - The mass exodus of Russians from military mobilisation to the countries of the Caucasus and Central Asia is revealing a resounding paradox in the historical habits of these territories.

Former and post-Soviet Asians have always been Russia's 'labour migrants', treated as second-class people and often the object of derision and vaguely racist epithets, the 'darkies' (cernota) or the 'narrow-eyed' (uzkoglazye) who were often barred access to certain clubs and hotels ('please do not enter people of Asian appearance'). Now, in revenge, many Kazakh or Kyrgyz bars and restaurants hang the sign 'no white people allowed'.

Over the past week, more than 50,000 Russians have crossed the borders of Kazakhstan, passing through the northern 'Russian' regions of Uralsk and Petropavlovsk. Many locals are actually ready to welcome the fugitives, while others are preparing picket lines to prevent them from crossing, because 'they do not integrate with us', 'they do not respect our culture', and 'they are not fleeing from the war, but from conscription, they just want to save their skins'.

Radio Azattyk collected various testimonies from the field to understand the climate of these chaotic days in Central Asia. According to Marzan from Almaty, 'these individuals have been sitting on the sofa eating peanuts since February, and they only moved when we started to address them directly... they run away from us leaving their wives and children behind, they are afraid to go out on the streets and protest'. From these arrivals 'there will be no benefit for us, better to close the borders'.

Many Kazakhs are trying to help the Russians, organising humanitarian initiatives for them, arousing the reaction of others for whom 'there is a lack of work here and students are sleeping in the streets, because they can't pay the rent, other than giving houses and work to the Russians'. Others fear that 'now they come here crying, then they will send tanks because we did not serve them in fluent Russian'. The arrival of the Russians has already caused steep increases in rents and food, especially alcohol.

Another interviewee insists that 'those who arrive are not refugees, they are not bombing their homes, they are just cowards, let's put them on Russian military ships'. Umay from Biskek explains that 'the Russians who have arrived in Kyrgyzstan can be divided into two waves, starting with those who left immediately after the start of the invasion in Ukraine, mostly young people of liberal orientation and humanitarian activists, who call themselves the "relocated" (relokanty). The second wave is that of the defectors, there is no other way to call them, a catastrophe befalling us'.

The 'relocated' have somehow tried to fit into the new context, asking locals for advice on how to behave and also participating in joint actions of protest against the war and the Russian 'colonial occupation' itself. The 'defectors' are only provoking strong social tensions, with the mentality of those who consider the local population 'a bunch of nomads who should go back to their yurts [tents] and leave the houses to the whites'.

The Kazakhs spread many negative reactions to the descent of the Russian fugitives on social media, but Alina from Karaganda argues that 'we are not all like that, there are many Kazakhs who know the meaning of compassion and welcome, and understand that if the situation were reversed, we would all have fled to Russia'. Many freely welcome Russians into their homes, overcoming mistrust and perplexity rooted in history and current events, and showing the best face of humble and proud peoples, but rich in humanity and spiritual values.

As Tamerlan from Biskek says: 'Spontaneously, you say 'you cooked this soup, now eat it'; we have our own problems, they attack us from Tajikistan... then a Russian on the run, a friend of my mother's, came to our house, we talked for a whole night, and now we start living a new life together'.
From 3 to 6 November, the pontiff will visit a country in the Vicariate of North Arabia for the first time. Bishop Hinder: a message of peace, at a time when many are experiencing "various forms of conflict, hostility and wars". A reign of light and shadow in terms of rights, violations and abuses against the Shia opposition.

Manama (AsiaNews) - In the wake of the historic visit to the United Arab Emirates (a first in the Gulf countries) in February 2019, the Holy See yesterday made official the news of Pope Francis' apostolic trip to Bahrain from 3 to 6 November.

The local Church has already launched a website dedicated to the event (www.bahrainpapalvisit.org), where it is possible to find highlights and information on the local community led by Msgr. Paul Hinder, apostolic administrator of northern Arabia (Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Bahrain).

Rumours about the visit had already circulated in recent weeks, particularly during the press conference on the return flight from Kazakhstan, where the pontiff had attended the World Religions Congress. Yesterday the Vatican note underlined that "accepting the invitation of the civil and ecclesial authorities" the Pope "will go to Bahrain from 3 to 6 November". Francis will visit 'Manama and Awali on the occasion of the Bahrain Forum for Dialogue: East and West for Human Coexistence'.

The theme of the trip, as Msgr. Hinder explains in a video message, is "Peace on earth to men of good will", a passage taken from the Gospel of Luke. A "very appropriate" theme at a time in history when many in the world experience "various forms of conflict, hostility and wars" and "look to Heaven with a sincere cry for peace". In addition to attending the conference, the Pontiff will celebrate a solemn Mass at the Bahrain National Stadium on Saturday 5 November "in which the Catholics of Bahrain and the other nations of the Vicariate of North Arabia are invited to participate". Bishop Hinder concluded by entrusting the visit to the intercession of "Our Lady of Arabia", patroness of the Arabian Peninsula, to whom the cathedral built in Awali and inaugurated in December 2021 is dedicated.

There have been established relations between the Holy See and Manama for years, with the first meeting in the Vatican between Pope Francis and King Hamad bin Isa al Khalifa in May 2014. During the audience, the two leaders discussed peace in the Middle East and dialogue between different components, as well as the contribution of Christians in the country. The visit to Bahrain will also be an opportunity to participate in the Awali Dialogue Forum, focusing on 'East and West for Human Coexistence', at which the Imam of al-Azhar Ahmad al-Tayyeb will be present - in the wake of the 2019 event in Abu Dhabi on Human Brotherhood.

The official religion is Islam and the country is governed by Sharia, Islamic law, the source of law. Catholics, about 80,000 out of a total population of 1.7 million (10% Christians), were originally migrants from Iraq and Iran. After the oil boom, hundreds of thousands of Christians arrived from Sri Lanka, India, Lebanon, the Philippines and various western countries. At Christmas and Easter, the churches in Bahrain - a country where there are also Jewish and Hindu communities - also host many Christians from Saudi Arabia, where any religion other than Islam is forbidden.

However, in the country that invites the pontiff and extols dialogue, there are also elements of concern and violations of rights. Bahrain, in fact, is a monarchy ruled by a Sunni dynasty in a country where the majority of the population (at least 60-70%) is Shia and has long been calling for constitutional changes and social and economic rights. In 2011 in the wake of the Arab Springs, there were uprisings that the king - allied with Washington and supported by Riyadh - defeated with Saudi troops.

In recent years, the authorities have arrested and convicted Shia activists and religious leaders and suspended the activities of Al-Wefaq, the main Shia opposition group, on charges of "terrorism, extremism and violence" as well as links with Iran. In January 2019, the kingdom's Supreme Court had upheld the life sentence for Shia opposition leader Sheikh Ali Salman in a final ruling. Yesterday, a prominent Shia cleric, Sheikh Abduljalil Al-Miqdad, founder of the opposition group Al Wafaa and also sentenced to life imprisonment, was the victim of attacks and violence in prison, while prison authorities denied him medical treatment.
South Africa: Expropriation Bill not intended to seize land - De Lille

Public Works and Infrastructure Minister, Patricia de Lille has moved to assure South Africans that government has no intention of using the Expropriation Bill to arbitrarily seize land from private owners.

She was speaking during a National Assembly debate on the bill on Wednesday evening.

The bill was passed in the house on Wednesday, 14 years after it was first introduced and is aimed at replacing the Apartheid era Expropriation Act of 1975.

I am certain we can agree [arbitrary expropriation] is not the kind of pain and injustice that democratically elected representatives will subject South Africans to again. It is our responsibility to correct the historic injustice of land ownership patterns in South Africa.

It is extremely dangerous to suggest that government will arbitrarily take peoples property such as their homes. [Land] is an emotive issue. Across the country, there is still great pain being felt by people of colour who were stripped of their homes and denied the right to own property under the Apartheid regime.

We can debate our points but what is wrong is to instil fear mongering and distort the facts in a debate about land and this is done all too often. Many times, those against the Expropriation Bill have been people who were never subjected to laws that stripped people of their property or rights to own property, de Lille said.

De Lille, however, emphasised that the injustices of the past must be corrected in democratic South Africa.

We must remember that still, today, mainly people of colour live on the outskirts of our towns and cities, far away from economic opportunities and do not own any land, thanks to the apartheid regimes draconian laws.

It is our responsibility to correct this historic injustice. These are the wrongs of our past that we have been working to remedy since the advent of South Africas democracy in 1994, she said.

She explained that the new bill has been drafted in order to ensure that legislation is in line with Section 25 of the Constitution.

The 1975 Act is inconsistent with the Constitution in many respects. The current bill proposes to bring the law in line with the Constitution.

The Constitution provides that compensation for expropriation must be just and equitable having regard to all relevant circumstances.

The bill outlines circumstances when it may be just and equitable for nil compensation to be paid. It does not prescribe that nil compensation will be paid in these circumstances. The bill provides that the amount of compensation will be determined by the courts, she said.  SAnews.gov.za

This story has been published on: 2022-09-29. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
Erdogan, Zelensky discuss Ukraine crisis over phone

Xinhua) 09:57, September 29, 2022

ANKARA, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky on Wednesday discussed the recent developments of the Russia-Ukraine conflict over phone.

In a statement from the Turkish presidency, Erdogan said he was glad that the prisoner exchange between Russia and Ukraine had been carried out successfully after a long time of preparation.

Russia and Ukraine exchanged 200 prisoners of war under the mediation of Turkiye last week.

Talking about the successful functioning of the agreement on Ukrainian grain shipment through the Black Sea, Erdogan said that a similar approach can be taken with regard to the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant.

Erdogan reiterated Turkiye's offer to act as a mediator and facilitator in the establishment of a demilitarized zone around the power plant, according to the statement.

Zaporizhzhia, one of Europe's largest nuclear power plants, has been controlled by Russian forces since early March, while its Ukrainian staff continued to operate it.

In recent weeks, the site of the plant has been attacked by shelling, sparking international concerns about its safety.

(Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun)
PHNOM PENH, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- After completing a training course under Huawei's "Seeds for the Future" program, Seang Vilya, a sophomore in the major of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) at a university in Phnom Penh, expressed her confidence that the course would add professional weight to her resume when looking for a job after graduation.

Vilya is among 12 Cambodian university students who had completed a three-week online and offline training course in Thailand and in Singapore with other 108 students from 15 other countries in the Asia Pacific region.

"The 'Seeds for the Future' program has not only played a vital role in helping develop ICT talents in Cambodia, but also served as a bridge to promote the bond of friendship between Cambodia and China," the 20-year-old student from the American University of Phnom Penh told Xinhua while attending the Seeds for the Future 2022 closing ceremony.

She said the program was very useful for Cambodian university students to get new knowledge in ICT. Moreover, it gave an opportunity for the participants to understand the latest developments of ICT in China as well as the richness of Chinese culture and tradition.

"Through this course, we got insights into the latest developments in the global ICT industry, and also learned about the latest developments in Artificial Intelligence (AI), cloud computing, 5G, and the Internet of Things," Vilya said.

"In the future, I want to be a data scientist as well as a business analyst," she added.

Tep Keven, a senior ICT student at the state-run Royal University of Phnom Penh, said the course also offered an opportunity to experience virtual tours of Huawei's campuses in China and take part in virtual visits to Chinese historical sites.

"I hope the knowledge I learned from this program will be very useful to help advance the ICT sector in Cambodia," he told Xinhua. "In the future, I want to be a software developer."

"I'd like to thank Huawei for initiating and supporting this program, which is crucial to developing skilled ICT professionals, not only for Cambodia but also for many countries around the world," Keven said.

Cambodia's Minister of Post and Telecommunications Chea Vandeth congratulated all candidates for fruitfully completing this program.

"I expect that our students will become key pioneers for digital innovation in their respective countries, the region, and the world," he said at the event.

"I would like to express my strong appreciation and support for the government and the people of China, as well as Huawei Cambodia, for continuing to foster digital talents and digital development between countries, people, especially between students in our Asia region," he added.

The minister said the global experience and effort to fight against COVID-19 have shown clearly that digital technology is an integral part of the daily lives of people around the world.

Chinese Ambassador to Cambodia Wang Wentian said the "Seeds for the Future" is vital to helping Cambodian youths learn the cutting-edge technologies and that the ICT accounts for an even more significant portion of economic activity around the globe, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic.

"China and Cambodia are now building a community with a shared future, and ICT increasingly becomes an important field of cooperation between the two countries," he said.

"As is the name of this program, our young participants are the 'seeds' of the China-Cambodia friendship and are bound to flourish," Wang said. "I encourage you to aim high and work hard, and I hope that you will carry forward the building of a community with a shared future."

Launched in 2016 in Cambodia, the Seeds for the Future program of Huawei, a global tech giant, has been providing training opportunities for Cambodian youths to upgrade their ICT knowledge and skills.

Yao Yuya, CEO of Huawei Technologies Cambodia, said the younger generations are the hope of digital transformation and prosperity of every country.

"Huawei deeply values that and has trained over 1,000 ICT talents via projects like Seeds for the Future, university collaborations, scholarships and internship opportunities," he said.

"We will continue to work with various stakeholders to nurture Cambodia talents with Chinese culture and technology innovations, and to make greater contributions to the development of digital Cambodia," he added. 
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XTVs have to be powerful, solid, and reliable, which is why strapping an electric motor to them might not be seen as the smartest decision. Even though the amphibious 8X8was just introduced, people are still somehow skeptical about spending their money on it.So far, Argo hasnt received the best feedback on social media, with people not being convinced that the Atlas has it in it to come back from any remote place you might drive it to. The main concerns expressed are related to the fragility of the electric system and the range capabilities of the vehicle , with the general consensus being that it is safer to stick with the loud and proud engines of fossil-fuel powered XTVs, to put it in the exact words of a commenter on Argos Facebook page.But Argo is confident that its innovative EV will be a success and will make a splash with very little noise. We dont have the complete specs for the 8X8 electric XTV just yet, but we do know that it can operate as a two-seater in the water and as a four-seater on land.The all-electric Atlas XTV packs a 48V electric system, with the single drive motor generating 107 ft-lbs (145 Nm) of torque. The amphibious vehicle is powered by a 28battery pack and offers up to 60 miles (96.5 km) of range or up to six hours of runtime per charge, as specified by Powersports Business . Theres also an onboard charger that supports both Level 1 and Level 2 charging and optimized recharge rates as low as three hours.An interactive, 12 touch screen display inside the cockpit keeps passengers up to date with the EVs status and health. The 8X8 Atlas has adjustable front seats, can fit two passengers in the back, features steer-by-wire technology, regenerative braking, and an internally recessed 3,000 lb (1,360 kg) winch.Argos Atlas EV is now available to reserve for a $500 deposit. Contacting the manufacturer will give you more details on its pricing and scheduled delivery date.
EV

The Tychy factory also manufactures the Lancia Ypsilon , the car that keeps the once proud Italian brand alive while, a last attempt to save it will arrive in the next few years. Lancia will make three new electric cars in the next five years: a new Ypsilon, Delta, and Aurelia. It is very likely that the Ypsilon will remain in Tychy.Although the Fiat 500e is produced in Turin, it uses a platform FCA developed before joining with PSA to form Stellantis. The new Ypsilon will use a new generation of the eCMP architecture. Thats the same architecture that underpins the Jeep Avenger, which should start to be produced in Tychy soon. If the Avenger will be made there, so should the new Ypsilon.Producing 12.5 million vehicles in 51 years is an impressive number, but Fiat has a factory with better numbers. Founded on July 9, 1976, the Betim plant has produced more than 16 million cars to date  46 years later. That shows how Fiat made Brazil become its most relevant market. For Stellantis , the goal is to sell as many cars as possible, regardless of the brand.Apart from the 12.5 millionth vehicle, the Tychy plant also praised the vehicle made right before it and the next one. The 12,499,99th car made there was a Lancia Ypsilon Hybrid, sold to an Italian customer. The 12,500,001st vehicle was an Abarth 695 Tributo 131 Rally, which is heading to Germany.As successful as the Fiat 500 is, Tychy is probably thanking the opportunity to make the Jeep Avenger. It must be just the firstproduced by the Polish factory. Expect to see Stellantis announce new ones to that vital plant.
The companies in question are Pininfarina and De Simoni Yacht Design , and their first joint effort is called simply X2, which stands for EXplore X Experience. Described as an innovative research project, X2 will be unveiled in full in the coming days, at the 2022 Monaco Yacht Show, where Pininfarina is also bringing a scale model of its superb concept Kairos , developed in partnership with Oeanco.For the time being, we have only a few renders that serve as teasers for the X2, and they seem to hint that the final design will keep the promise mentioned in the first paragraph: this is a vessel unlike any other, one that will ditch the design book in a brave attempt to set new trends in naval design. The focus of X2 is to place the individual back at the center of the experience, hence the double X in the name, and it will do so by means of plenty of areas for rest, relaxation and getting back in touch with nature.X2 blends elements of automotive design and contemporary architecture, creating a genuine floating oasis that is both stunning and, one assumes, functional. Renders show an all-glass salon that could very well double as viewing lounge thanks to its position and the expansive glazing, as well as an infinity pool connected to the same area by relaxing water features.The vessel is described as an exclusive place where moments of exploration and conviviality find space, guaranteeing, at the same time, a performance of the highest level. Exclusivity is perhaps the first word that comes to mind when looking at it, as it seems to ooze luxury without verging into tacky territory.With great pleasure, I promoted the collaboration with Pininfarina, an important automotive brand, to combine the passion for cars with that of nautical, Fulvio De Simoni, founder of De Simoni Yacht Design says in a statement. By combining our complementary competencies, we can respond effectively to the needs of ship-owners and shipyards, proposing innovative solutions, Kevin Rice, Chief Creative Officer of Pininfarina, adds.One such innovative solution is the X2, and were only days away from seeing whether it lives up to the hype.
COLOMBO, Sept. 29 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lanka will launch a national program in implementing the Paris Agreement on climate change, Presidential Adviser on Climate Change Ruwan Wijewardene said on Thursday.

Local media reported that Wijewardene said after a related meeting that Sri Lanka will seek international assistance in carrying out its national program.

The South Asian country needs to tackle problems stemming from the impact of climate change on sectors including agriculture, irrigation and fisheries, according to him.

Wijewardene said the Sri Lankan government wants to minimize the effect of climate change in the country and prepare to face future related challenges, and called on the government to take into account climate change issues when making development policies. 
EV

NIOs first German battery swap station is located on the busy A8 highway between Munich and Stuttgart. The Chinese company still needs time to conduct final testing and calibration before opening it to the public. But since NIO is a Chinese company, they like festive events and reporting things ahead of schedule, so theres that.The battery swap station project started in June when NIOs local installation partner TSG Germany broke ground. The station was supposedly delivered from NIOs new factory in Hungary , as revealed in the previous reporting. In fact, the first Made-in-Europe power swap stations will arrive in Germany, even though NIO has sold electric vehicles in Norway for quite some time.Unlike European and Americanmakers, NIO thinks battery swapping is better than waiting to charge the battery. The Chinese company is already operating over 1,100 battery swap stations, most of them in China. They also have around 2,000 charging stations in China but are yet to start building a charging network in Europe.NIOs Power Swap Station is the size of a double garage and can operate up to 312 battery swaps per day. NIO says the station in Germany can charge up to 13 batteries with 40 kWh to 80 kW of power in a grid- and battery-friendly manner without causing typical peaks in the power grid. A complete battery swap takes about five minutes, much less than any charging session for a regular electric vehicle. NIO is expected to launch the ET7, ET5, and ES7 during the NIO Berlin event on October 7, along with the power swap station in Zusmarshausen. The German swap station is more advanced than the first-generation stations NIO has so far deployed in China. By comparison, those stations can only hold up to five battery packs and have a maximum daily capacity of 120 swaps.
Folks, you may have heard about that time when Bugatti , the supercar manufacturer, decided to give the green light on a bicycle project that would ultimately lead to one of the most expensive cycle lineups on the planet, the Bugatti PG bike. It was unveiled back in 2017 at the Geneva International Motor Show, and since then, it seems that no one has heard a dang thing about this bike.Nonetheless, this doesn't stop us from exploring precisely what Bugatti and PG were charging upwards of $75,500 (77,500 at current exchange rates) for. Yes, custom jobs were rumored to reach as high as $75K, sometimes more, depending on the sort of attention you chose. If you weren't as financially endowed as an oil tycoon, you could still pick up a standard version for under $40K (41,000 at current exchange rates).But what the hell would you have gotten for this sort of cash? Clearly, the name Bugatti on your two-wheeler should have been enough to raise the price of this bike well into the thousands, but in all reality, there is so much more than meets the eye with this one.Sure, quite a bit of that price is all based on brand prestige and history, but once I got into the thick of things, I realized that PG, the luxury cycle developer from Germany, brought their best work to the table. After all, that's what this crew is known for achieving; the design was theirs and Bugatti's doing. Another group involved in the work is also from Deutschland, Kussmaul , which, you know, has had extensive run-ins with Bugatti, and if you happen ever to buy this - as it seems you still can , for at least $55K - this is where your two-wheeler will be built.As you would expect from a machine priced well into the tens of thousands, it is built out of nothing more than carbon fiber. A whopping 95% of the entire bike is made from the stuff, including that carbon drive belt. I think the belt sprockets are just about the only thing that isn't carbon. Other than that, the saddle, the frame, the seat stay, cranks, fork, rims, spokes, all of it, nothing but carbon fiber.The result? A rather visually stunning and stylishly clean machine. Look at it, for god's sake, and I mean really look at it. Have you noticed how there's only one seat stay and only one chain stay? Have you remarked the inverted triangle tube shape of the entire frame? What about that rather bulky fork that probably weighs as much as the fork you eat your noodles with? I mean it. In all, this entire contraption weighed less than 5 kilograms (11 pounds). That's lighter than some bicycles designed to bring home gold medals, and this puppy was built to ride around town.Yes, it is nothing more than an urban bike, but considering its price, it comes across as a two-wheeler that I'd never ride. Ok, maybe once, but after that, it's up on the wall with this one, preferably sealed in an airtight chamber to keep it as pristine as possible.Just think about it; how many people do you think bought one of these buggers? Hell, with a price that could reach $75K or more, it's the sort of bicycle that is well out of the average human's reach. I'm sure some oil sheik picked up one of these, but the average Joe, like myself, would be happy just touching this beauty I have but one request: if you, the reader, happen to know of the existence of one of these bikes, please let me know. There needs to be an interview, as the owner probably owns a Bugatti ride too, and that's worthy of autoevolution news.
When it launched in 2016, Dilbar was the most expensive megayacht in the world, with a reported price tag of well over $600 million. It was also among the biggest by volume and offered such luxurious amenities that it instantly became an urban legend. The fact that it was owned by a Russian oligarch, steel billionaire Alisher Usmanov, helped with its transition to legend status.Dilbar has come on to hard times, and the timing coincides with Usmanovs inclusion on international sanctions lists in March this year. Today, the megayacht is in the hands of German authorities, after it was arrested that same month at the Blohm + Voss shipyard in Hamburg. Last week, Dilbar was moved to Bremen as a dead ship, and from there, to Berne, while inside the worlds largest floating dock, Dock 10.Amid reports that Usmanov might try to hand over ownership of Dilbar to his now-un-sanctioned sister, German police have conducted an extensive, two-day raid onboard, local publication NDR reports. Over 60 police officers, assisted by Marines, were part of the operation, whose goal was to recover proof of tax evasion and money laundering, of which Usmanov is accused. Several other properties in Germany were also raided, as part of the investigation.The General Prosecutors Office in Frankfurt confirms for NDR that data carriers and documents were recovered from Dilbar and that the next step is for them to be evaluated. The raid was carried out inside the floating dock in Berne, where shipyard Lurssen has a long-term storage facility.Lurssen built the 156-meter (511.8-foot) vessel as a custom one, and because it was a private commission, specifics about it were never made public. What is known is that it has two helipads and the worlds largest pool ever installed on a yacht and that it still holds the title of the worlds largest bespoke yacht. With so many accolades to it, no wonder Usmanov is (reportedly) desperate to get it back.
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Indias The Economic Times daily reported on Thursday that the landmark deal was arranged by the governments of the two nations and signed in September. The weapons will be delivered to Armenia over the coming months, it said, citing unnamed sources.

According to the New Delhi-based paper, they include the Pinaka multiple-launch rocket systems designed and manufactured by Indian firms and increasingly used by Indias armed forces. There was no word on the number of such systems commissioned by Yerevan.

Pinaka was first supplied to the Indian army two decades ago and has been repeatedly modernized since then. Two of its existing variants have an estimated maximum range of 40 and 60 kilometers. Armenia would be the first foreign buyer of these weapons.

Armenias government and Defense Ministry did not comment on the report which came amid Yerevans and New Delhis efforts to deepen bilateral ties. Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan and his Indian counterpart Subrahmanyam Jaishankar have held four face-to-face meetings over the past year.

Visiting Yerevan in July this year, another senior Indian diplomat said the two sides are discussing long-term military cooperation.

Armenian military officials reportedly visited India in June. The Mumbai-based news service dnaindia.com said that they came armed with a shopping list.

Indias arch-foe Pakistan strongly supported Azerbaijan during the 2020 Armenian-Azerbaijani war over Nagorno-Karabakh. But it denied reports that Pakistani soldiers participated in the six-week war on the Azerbaijani side.

By contrast, India has backed Karabakh peace efforts spearheaded by the United States, Russia and France and has effectively sided Armenia with in its intensifying border dispute with Azerbaijan.

The dispute escalated on September 13-14 into large-scale fighting on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border which left more than 200 Armenian soldiers dead. Officials in Yerevan complained afterwards about the Armenian armys lack of modern weapons, responding to opposition claims that Prime Minister Nikol Pashinians administration has done little to rebuild the Armenian armed forces after the 2020 war.

In an apparent reference to Russia, Pashinian claimed in this regard on Thursday that our allies have failed to deliver weapons to Armenia despite contracts signed with them in the last two years.

We have cases where hundreds of millions of dollars have been paid but contractual obligations towards Armenia are not being fulfilled, including by allied countries, he said without elaborating.

Russia has long been the principal supplier of weapons and other military equipment to Armenia.
Zas met with Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian. According to an unusually short Armenian readout of the meeting, he briefed Pashinian on the work of a CSTO fact-finding mission led by him.

Zas last week inspected some of the sections of the Armenian-Azerbaijani border where heavy fighting broke out late on September 12. He was due to meet with Pashinian during that trip.

The meeting did not take place, however, fuelling media speculation that Pashinian snubbed the CSTO head because he was upset with a lack of support for Armenia shown by the military alliance of Russia and five other ex-Soviet states. Officials in Yerevan and Moscow blamed its cancellation on a scheduling conflict.

Pashinian flew to New York on September 21 for an annual session of the UN General Assembly. Zas arrived in Yerevan the previous evening.

Armenia appealed to the CSTO for military aid just hours after the outbreak of the large-scale hostilities. The other CSTO member states effectively declined the request, deciding instead to send to fact-finding missions tasked with studying the situation on the ground and submitting policy recommendations.

Armenian officials criticized the blocs reluctance to openly side with Yerevan. Addressing the UN General Assembly on September 22, Pashinian complained that some of our international partners are silent about the Azerbaijani aggression.

In what may have been a related development, Armenia decided not to participate in CSTO military exercises which began in Kazakhstan on Monday. The Defense Ministry in Yerevan said the decision was made in view of the situation on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border.
Erdogan was the first to speak about the possibility of such a meeting at the end of his visit to New York last week. He did not clarify whether it was proposed by Ankara or Yerevan.

Such a meeting could indeed take place, said Ruben Rubinian, a deputy parliament speaker representing Armenia in normalization talks with Turkey. The Armenia-Turkey normalization process would be on its agenda.

Pashinian has yet to officially confirm his participation in the Prague summit scheduled for October 6-7. He has never met with Erdogan.

Erdogan said in September 2021 that Pashinian offered to hold face-to-face talks with him. He appeared to make the talks conditional on Armenia meeting Azerbaijans key demands.

The two leaders spoke by phone in July this year after four rounds of normalization talks held by Rubinian and Turkish diplomat Serdar Kilic. They called for a quick implementation of agreements to open the Turkish-Armenian border to citizens of third countries and to allow mutual cargo shipments by air.

Rubinian revealed that Turkish and Armenian officials were scheduled to meet at the closed border between their states on September 14 to discuss practical modalities of the agreed arrangements. The Turkish side cancelled the meeting because of large-scale fighting that erupted on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border late on September 12, he told RFE/RLs Armenian Service.

Turkey has blamed Armenia for the two-day hostilities that left at least 280 soldiers from both sides dead. Its National Security Council reaffirmed this stance in a statement issued late on Wednesday after a meeting chaired by Erdogan. The statement voiced full support for Azerbaijan and accused Yerevan of not fully complying with agreements with Baku.

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu made clear in August that the Turkish-Armenian normalization talks launched early this year cannot be delinked from the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Echoing Bakus demands, Cavusoglu said Yerevan must recognize Azerbaijani sovereignty over Karabakh and open a land corridor to Azerbaijans Nakhichevan exclave

Pashinian and his political allies say they want an unconditional opening of the Turkish-Armenian border and establishment of diplomatic relations between the two neighboring states. Their political opponents claim that Pashinian is ready to make sweeping concessions to both Ankara and Baku.
PHNOM PENH, Sept. 29 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia currently has 5,104 Buddhist pagodas with 70,905 monks, Ministry of Cults and Religions secretary of state Seng Somony said here on Thursday.

Monks comprise two sects: one is the Mohanikaya Buddhist sect and the other is the Thammayut Buddhist sect.

Speaking at a press conference, Somony said the Mohanikaya Buddhist sect has 4,843 pagodas with 68,476 monks, while the Thammayut Buddhist sect has 261 pagodas with 2,429 monks.

"A total of 95 percent of the Cambodia's population are Buddhists," he said.

Buddhism, which is the state's religion, has played a crucial role in educating people to behave well and to walk on the right way in the society, he added.

The Southeast Asian nation is also home to hundreds of thousands of Muslims and Christians, Somony said. 
The Armenian government appealed for Russian military assistance just hours after Azerbaijani forces reportedly went on the offensive at various sections of the Armenian-Azerbaijani border on the night from September 12-13. It asked Russia to put into action relevant articles of a Russian-Armenian treaty on mutual defense.

Moscow avoided military intervention in the two-day hostilities that killed more than 200 Armenian soldiers. While describing Armenia as a close friend and strategic ally of his country on September 22, Russian President Putin stopped short of voicing support for Yerevan and urged both sides to show restraint.

Moscows seemingly neutral stance prompted criticism from senior Armenian officials.

I dont agree that Russia is not providing assistance, Kopyrkin told journalists. Of course, in this tragic situation there can be different expectations. We understand that. But Russia is doing everything it can to ensure that the political settlement process that began with the statement of November 9, 2020 continues regardless of all problems and differences.

The ambassador referred to the Russian-brokered ceasefire that stopped the Armenian-Azerbaijani war in Nagorno-Karabakh.

Armenian leaders have also complained about what they see as a lack of Russian arms supplies to Armenia. In an apparent reference to Russia, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian claimed earlier on Thursday that our allies have failed to deliver weapons to Armenia in breach of their contractual obligations. He did not elaborate.

On Wednesday, an Armenian pro-government lawmaker, Gagik Melkonian, said that the Armenian army has received no Russian weapons since the 2020 war.

Commenting on such criticism, Kopyrkin said: This is a delicate question which must be answered by professionals.

Kopyrkin spoke to the press as he and a group of other Yerevan-based foreign diplomats visited two border villages in Armenias Gegharkunik province which were heavily shelled by Azerbaijani forces on September 13-14. Most of their civilian residents, notably women and children, are still scared of returning to their homes.

The damage caused to one of those villages, Sotk, was particularly severe. About 150 of its houses were fully or partly destroyed by the shelling.

Of course, all this is really tragic, said Kopyrkin, who toured on Wednesday two other Armenian provinces also affected by the border clashes. I saw the same picture in Jermuk and Goris. This further reinforces Russias position that the use of force is a path that cannot solve problems.
This image released by the Orange County District Attorney's Office shows Hannah Star Esser, who authorities have charged with killing a man by ramming her car into him after accusing him of trying to run over a cat in the street. Esser, 20, was charged with one count of murder in the death of 43-year-old Luis Anthony Victor and is detained on $1 million bail, the Orange County District Attorney's office said in a statement Wednesday.
Russian President Vladimir Putin warns that he wont hesitate to use nuclear weapons to ward off Ukraines attempt to reclaim control of Moscow-occupied areas that the Kremlin is about to annex
Authorities say the Southern California man who was accused of killing his estranged wife and abducting their 15-year-old daughter had been living with the teenager out of his pickup truck and hotels for weeks before the violence
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Lois Henry is the CEO and editor of SJV Water, a nonprofit, independent online news publication dedicated to covering water issues in the San Joaquin Valley. She can be reached at lois.henry@sjvwater.org. The website is sjvwater.org.
ATHENS, Sept. 29 (Xinhua) -- Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis called for resolving differences between states through dialogue based on international law.

"Every Greek woman and every Greek man feel that their safety is in good hands. That is why they close their ears to fireworks and threats, listening only to the voice of justice, but also of history which teaches that whoever violates border is finally punished," the Greek PM said during the naming ceremony of the newly built Rapid Guided Missile Patrol Vessel "VLAHAKOS" of Greek Navy at Skaramangas shipyards near Athens.

Panagiotis Vlahakos was one of three Greek officers killed when a helicopter crashed in Imia islets in the Aegean Sea during a military crisis between Greece and Turkiye in 1996.

"I will repeat this one more time: problems are solved peacefully and in accordance with international law," Mitsotakis said, according to Greek national broadcaster ERT.

Relations between Greece and Turkiye, both members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), have long been tense over a series of issues, including maritime and energy disputes in the Aegean and Mediterranean Sea. Lately they have exchanged strong remarks over many incidents. 
Its one of the most closely watched races in the country as Republicans attempt to win back the U.S. House of Representatives, and Democrats 
Murder charges for two teenage boys were dismissed this week after they were accused of setting fire to Porterville Public Library in 2020, wh
Women's Group to Hold Prayer Vigil and Demonstration in Support of Iranian Women at the Interests Section of the Islamic Republic of Iran NEWS PROVIDED BY

Stanton Public Policy Center/Purple Sash Revolution

Sept. 29, 2022



WASHINGTON, Sept. 29, 2022 /Christian Newswire/ -- The event will take place on Thursday, September 29, at 6:00 p.m. at the Interests Section of the Islamic Republic of Iran which is located at 1250 23rd St NW, Washington, DC 20037.



The event is being organized by Stanton Public Policy Center/Purple Sash Revolution which is an international women's advocacy and educational organization that works on issues of human rights and justice which empower and inspire women.



"The protests, now in their 12th day, were triggered by the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, who died in a hospital three days after being apprehended by the morality police in Tehran and taken to a 're-education center' for not abiding by the state's hijab rules. Protests have since taken place in more than 40 cities, including the capital Tehran, with dozens reportedly killed in clashes with security forces. At least 1,200 were arrested, according to state-backed media." -- CNN.



Stanton Public Policy Center/Purple Sash Revolution will be praying for the people of Iran, especially women, and calling for equality and human rights.



Stanton will also be bringing their influence to bear on the Biden Administration and members of Congress to stand with the women of Iran and to encourage them to bring pressure on the Iranian government to stop killing innocent demonstrators and ensure human rights for all.



Saghar Erica Kasraie, Iranian American Human Rights Activist, states: "One day the world will tell the story of the bravery of Iranian women who stood up for their rights and answered hate with dance. Women who became the leaders of a movement that aimed to stop more than four decades of injustice.



"One day the world will tell the story of a nation that was raised from ashes! We must make sure Masha Amini did not die in vain." Brandi Swindell, Founder and CEO of Stanton Public Policy Center/Purple Sash Revolution, states: "We will be gathering to pray and stand in solidarity with the heroic women of Iran, as they take to the streets of their own country, crying out for human rights, equality and freedom!



"We will be asking God to protect these protesters and bring regime change to a nation that has experienced decades of oppression and tyranny. The faith community and free nations of the world cannot be silent in the face of this historic revolution for freedom.



"Stanton Public Policy Center will also be calling for the Biden Administration and Congress to support women of Iran and call upon the Iranian government to stop killing innocent demonstrations and ensure human rights for all. The world must remember Mahsa Amini." For more information or interviews contact:

Rev. Patrick Mahoney at 540.538.4741



SOURCE Stanton Public Policy Center/Purple Sash Revolution



CONTACT: Rev. Patrick Mahoney, 540-538-4741



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The Association of Southeast Asian Nations says it welcomes the U.S.s role as an important partner but Washington should respect the existing regional architecture.

Lim Jock Hoi, a Bruneian who serves as the blocs current secretary-general, conveyed the message during an appearance at a think-tank in Washington this week, as ASEAN and the United States marked the 45th anniversary of their relationship while looking to elevate it.

While Americas presence in Southeast Asia is important, it should complement existing regional architecture that is open and inclusive, Lim said during an event and webinar hosted by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) as part of its ASEAN Leadership Forum.

Peace and stability has always been a primordial concern of ASEAN since it was founded in 1967, Lim told the forum on Monday.

U.S.-led initiatives such as the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF) could provide opportunities to ASEAN countries, he said, but they have to be in line with ASEANs outlook [on the] Indo-Pacific.

We stress, among others, ASEAN centrality, openness, transparency, inclusivity, making sure that all relevant actors in the region are included, Lim said.

Lim Jock Hoi, secretary-general of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), attends a meeting on climate action, clean energy, and sustainable infrastructure with U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris, U.S. cabinet members and ASEAN leaders as part of the U.S.-ASEAN Special Summit, in Washington, May 13, 2022. [Reuters/Elizabeth Frantz]

In May, the Biden administration announced the launch of the IPEF which comprises 13 nations but not China. Beijing has criticized the framework as a U.S. tool to coerce regional countries.

The U.S. meanwhile continues to be the largest source of foreign direct investment in ASEAN and the blocs second largest trading partner, with bilateral trade reaching U.S. $364 billion last year.

China has remained ASEANs number one trading partner for 13 consecutive years, according to the Chinese governments Information Office. Trade between China and ASEAN reached $544.9 billion in the first seven months of this year.

We see both are important for ASEAN. We hope that both major powers discuss constructively in order to make the region more conducive to trade and investment and create opportunity for all of us, Lim said.

ASEANs neutrality

ASEANs leadership so far has been careful not to take sides in the U.S.-China rivalry in their backyard, said Kasit Piromya, former foreign minister of Thailand who has been active in ASEAN political circles.

ASEAN should continue to maintain dialogue partnerships with both, reflecting that ASEAN is friendly and cooperative with all, he said.

Officials from both ASEAN and the U.S. are working on the establishment of a so-called Comprehensive Strategic Partnership later this year. It is unclear how far-reaching the new form of partnership will become but the U.S. needs to think more and do more in terms of working with ASEAN, in Kasit Piromyas opinion.

I don't think that the U.S.-ASEAN relations have matured because there is no common base or foundation as such, unlike the U.S. relations with Japan, South Korea and Taiwan which are based on democracy, he said.

There seems to be no sense of real purpose and enthusiasm on the part of the U.S. side to really forge a more intensive and robust relationship with ASEAN in spite of the Indo-Pacific strategy and IPEF, the former top Thai diplomat said.

Critics say that the ASEANs centrality was overlooked and bypassed when the U.S. put more efforts into other regional groupings such as the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, or the Quad, which also includes Australia, India and Japan.

ASEAN was also not alerted or informed in advance of the setting up of AUKUS, the trilateral security pact between Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

These Indo-Pacific security groupings are widely seen as countering Chinas rising influence and assertiveness in the region.

The U.S. has not fully utilized the inherent belief and desires of many of the ASEAN member states for its continued presence in the region, Kasit said, adding, Washington cannot fail to realize that all the countries in the region are afraid of China.

South China Sea disputes

The U.S. has provided over U.S. $12.1 billion in development, economic, health, and security assistance to Southeast Asian allies and partners since 2002, according to a U.S. State Department fact sheet.

The United States supports the international rules-based order in the South China Sea, and in close cooperation with our allies and partners, the United States promotes a free and open Indo-Pacific in which the freedoms of navigation and overflight are enjoyed and respected by all states in accordance with international law, the fact sheet reads.

China and several ASEAN member states hold conflicting claims over parts of the South China Sea but Beijings claims are the most expansive, up to 90 percent of the sea.

Ships from the U.S. Navys Ronald Reagan Carrier Strike Group conduct operations in the South China Sea on Oct. 6, 2019. [U.S. Navy]

There was only a brief reference to the South China Sea disputes in the ASEAN secretary-generals speech at CSIS on Monday, when Lim Jock Hoi listed maritime security as one of the challenges that the region has been facing for the longest time.

Efforts towards the conclusion of the Code of Conduct on South China Sea, one [that] is mutually acceptable to all parties concerned, [have] effectively and consistently been pursued, Lim said without mentioning the United States.

Some analysts believe that policy differences between ASEAN members in dealing with South China Sea issues led to a divisive approach to the role the U.S. could play.

The U.S. Navy, and maritime forces from the 10 ASEAN countries held the first ASEAN-U.S. Maritime Exercise in Thailand in 2019 but the drills have not occurred again.

China has been warning against what it sees as interference by external actors in South China Sea disputes.

Sometimes, the U.S. has come across as a little too keen to help, prompting concern among some claimants that it might inadvertently trigger an escalation of tensions or an unwanted incident in the South China Sea that Southeast Asian countries will have to bear the brunt of, said Elina Noor, director of Political-Security Affairs at the Asia Society Policy Institute in Washington.

Noor said that the U.S. side could try to have more effective communication and coordination with Southeast Asian partners so that their presence and shows of force dont trigger misunderstanding.

And, according to Nguyen The Phuong, a Vietnamese defense analyst, ASEAN does not have common foreign policy goals, so member states have their own say regarding maritime cooperation.

Some want more cooperation [with the U.S.], some want less, he said.

There are also opinions that those countries which wish to cooperate more with the U.S. in the field of maritime security could set up a smaller group, unofficial of course, within ASEAN to bolster their cooperation, he added.

In May, U.S. President Joe Biden announced a new Indo-Pacific Partnership for Maritime Domain Awareness (IPMDA) that would provide better access to space-based, maritime domain awareness to countries across the region.

Its new, but a rising cooperation area, the Vietnamese analyst said.

Radio Free Asia (RFA), an online news services affiliated with BenarNews, produced this report.
Papua Gov. Lukas Enembe (left) speaks with Usman Hamid (right), executive director of Amnesty International Indonesia Usman Hamid, during a meeting in Jakarta, May 27, 2022.

The Indonesian government on Thursday threatened to deploy the army to remove supporters of the Papua governor who have gathered outside his house to stop his potential arrest as a suspect in a bribery case.

Hundreds of residents in the restive province in Indonesias far east, who have rallied in recent days in support of Gov. Lukas Enembe, say the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has targeted him with trumped-up charges.

If they are under the influence of Lukas Enembe, the TNI [the Indonesian Armed Forces] may need to be deployed if necessary. What else can we do? Presidential Chief of Staff Moeldoko told reporters in Jakarta.

Enembe had failed to answer two summonses from the KPK in connection with a case in which he is charged with accepting 1 billion rupiah (U.S. $65,798) in bribes tied to a government project, according to Mohammad Mahfud MD, the coordinating minister for political, legal and security affairs.

Enembes lawyers said he did not answer the summonses because he had been ill, adding the governor had had strokes, and heart and kidney problems. Moeldoko said Enembe should respect the legal process instead of mobilizing his supporters to obstruct the investigation.

On Wednesday, President Joko Jokowi Widodo urged Enembe to respect [the] summons and the legal process at the KPK after Enembe failed to show up for questioning for a second time.

This is a purely legal issue, not political. Anyone must be held accountable before the law. There are no exceptions, Moeldoko said.

One of Enembes attorneys, Stefanus Roy Rening, said Tuesday that charges against his client were politically motivated. He added that his client had rejected a candidate for vice governor proposed by two close aides of Jokowi after his deputy died last year.

A spokesman for Enembe did not immediately respond to a request for comment. KPK spokesman Ali Fikri said investigators would again summon Enembe for questioning. We hope that the suspect will cooperate, Ali said.

Ali said if Enembe was ill as claimed by his lawyer, he still could still come to Jakarta and undergo medical checks with supervision from the Indonesian Medical Association.

Separately, the Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Center (PPATK) said it had frozen 71 billion rupiah (U.S. $ 4.7 million) in Enembes bank accounts after it found that U.S. $55 million had been transferred through overseas casinos in a suspected money laundering scheme.

Enembes lawyers have dismissed the accusations as fabricated.

The public statements by Mahfud MD and the PPATK chairman are tantamount to defamation against Governor Lukas Enembe and are hoaxes, Enembes legal team said in a statement Monday.

Last week, thousands of people took to the streets of the provincial capital Jayapura in a show of support for Enembe.

Papua has been the scene of a separatist insurgency since the mainly Melanesian region was incorporated into Indonesia in a United Nations-administered ballot in the late 1960s.

Only about 1,000 people voted in a 1969 U.N.-sponsored referendum, which locals and activists said was a sham. But the United Nations accepted the result, essentially endorsing Jakartas rule.

Human rights groups have accused Indonesian authorities of intimidation, arbitrary arrests, torture, extra-judicial killings and mass forced displacement in Papua.

An inappropriate threat

Moeldokos statement was not well thought out and could fuel hostilities against Jakarta among Papuans, according to Ujang Komarudin, a lecturer in political science from Indonesias Al Azhar University.

Moeldoko did not consider his statements carefully. It was an inappropriate threat, Ujang told BenarNews.

Although I think deploying troops is unlikely, it can increase negative perceptions of the government. Relations between Papua and the government can become increasingly uncomfortable, he said.

Another analyst criticized Moeldokos poor communication.

The [statement] about deploying troops may be spontaneous, but it is a bit excessive because it is vulnerable to politicization, Wasisto Raharjo Jati, a political analyst at the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), told BenarNews.

In addition, officials shouldnt have been commenting publicly on Enembes case, said Adnan Topan Husodo, an activist with NGO Indonesia Corruption Watch.

Now its getting more chaotic because some members of the elite in Jakarta have waded into the legal matter, resulting in strong reactions in Papua, he told BenarNews.
Authorities escort arrested cybersex suspect Anselmo Ico (center) after he was presented to the media at a news conference in Manila, March 9, 2018. Officials said Norwegian and U.S. authorities had helped the Philippines capture Ico, who allegedly exploited children into joining sex shows with him then showing the lewd video online to paying foreign clients.

Filipino authorities have arrested and are set to deport a convicted British sex offender from the southern Philippines for allegedly running a child sex website, they said Thursday.

Immigration Commissioner Norman Tansingco said John Crotty, 64, was placed on an immigration blacklist effectively barring him from re-entering the country. The British Embassy declined to comment on the arrest.

These predators pose a serious threat to our women and children and there is no place for them here. Tansingco said, adding they would prioritize the arrest and deportation of sex offenders preying on vulnerable victims online.

Crotty had moved in February to the Philippines, a nation where child molesters flock to, having spent nearly a decade in a British prison, officials had said. He was arrested two weeks ago at his apartment in the city of Tangub, a remote area in the southern Mindanao region.

Immigration intelligence chief Fortunato Manahan Jr. said in a statement that gathered evidence showed Crotty had distributed obscene photos of underage Filipino girls through his website and social media accounts.

A report released in May by the United States-based International Justice Mission identified the Philippines as a global hotspot for sexual exploitation of children in cyberspace, with cases rising three-fold over the past three years, or during the pandemic.

It noted that 149 of every 10,000 Internet Protocol (IP) addresses linked to child sexual exploitation in 2017 originated in the Philippines  three times higher than the rate of 43 of every 10,000 in 2014.

UNICEF, in 2020, reported a 260 percent increase in reports of online child abuse materials from March to May when the Philippines was under a strict lockdown. The United Nations agency warned there was a growing market for the production and distribution of sexual abuse materials such as videos and photographs.

In February last year, an American named Easton Scot Sanderson, 33, and three of his female companions were detained on suspicion of operating a cybersex ring in Angeles, a city north of Manila. If convicted, the four suspects face a maximum sentence of six years in prison for each count.

And in 2018, a court in Cagayan de Oro, a city in the southern Philippines, sentenced an Australian man, Peter Gerard Scully, and his Filipina partner to life in prison for operating a cybersex ring that abused children.

Jeoffrey Maitem in Cotabato City, southern Philippines, contributed to this report.
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NEW ASHFORD  A winner of the Top Chef Amateurs cooking show and her husband are transforming the former Mill on the Floss Restaurant into a community culinary space.

Farah Momen and her husband, Matthew Trisic, have created Bondhu and will host supper clubs, private dinner parties, cooking classes, corporate events and weddings at the former restaurant at 342 Route 7. Their first supper club event is at 6 p.m. Saturday. A multi-course murder mystery show is Oct. 28.

A supper club is a restaurant that also functions as a social gathering. The menu is limited and often includes homemade items. Momen describes Saturdays event as an elevated dinner party the public can attend by purchasing a ticket.

It will include a seven-course meal that tells a story about her familys history, with ingredients that reflect her heritage in Bangladesh. The word bondhu means friend in Bengali, the main language spoken in Bangladesh.

On her LinkedIn page, Momen describes Bondhu as a hospitality business with a social mission to nurture reflection, dialogue, and connectivity through food on individual and community levels.

This is a space that I hope to share with the community in the Berkshires, said Momen. She is co-founder of the Now Exchange, which facilitates access to health information, discussions and resources for women and girls in Bangladesh.

Originally from the New York City area, Momen attended college in Montreal and worked in tech in both Toronto and Boston before arriving in the Berkshires this spring.

Quote "Like any entrepreneur will tell you, I got the nagging feeling that I wanted to do it myself." Farrah Momen

I was an entrepreneurship advisor, she said. Entrepreneurship had always been a passion of mine. As I was working with them to help them achieve their dreams, like any entrepreneur will tell you, I got the nagging feeling that I wanted to do it myself.

The couple purchased the former Mill on the Floss from Jane Champagne, who had owned the fine dining establishment since 1973. They paid $520,000 for the property n April.

Jane and her husband, Maurice, a classically trained French chef, had worked for the Mill and the Floss for 21 years before purchasing the property, after having helped establish it as a fine dining destination in the early 1960s. The Mill on the Floss closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.

The Mill on the Floss opened in 1938 as a seasonal tavern in a 19th-century Colonial farmhouse. Momen is aware of the restaurants tradition.

I took a space that was cherished by the community, she said. A lot of people told me what it meant to them.

Momen appeared last year on the first season of Top Chef Amateurs, a spinoff of the Top Chef reality cooking show, shortly after earning a master of arts degree in law and diplomacy from The Fletcher School at Tufts University. Her occupation is listed as recent grad student on the shows website. The show, broadcast on Bravo, was filmed in Portland, Ore., in the fall of 2020 and aired in July 2021. She beat six competitors to win the title.

I was graduating right when COVID was hitting and I was looking into applying for jobs online when I came across the casting call, she said. It was an awesome experience.

I think for me that whole experience represented validation for what it took to cook at that level, she said. I didnt go to culinary school.

It was on the plane ride back from filming that I decided to do this, she said of opening a place like Bondhu.

Momen believes a community culinary space will be a better fit in a rural area than in a city.

A lot of cities are saturated with food businesses, she sad. I havent spent a lot of time here, but in a lot of ways it feels like where I grew up.

Momen and Trisic live on the sites second floor, and are operating their community culinary space on the ground floor, where the restaurant used to be. The couple list their living quarters on Airbnb as a lush, boho, foodie Berkshire paradise.

Theyve spent about $20,000 on renovations so far and have made the dining area a little more modern, she said.

Its ongoing, Momen said of the renovations. Were keeping things minimal.
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.
GREAT BARRINGTON  All Great Barrington police will wear body cameras by Friday, with each officer assigned their own. The department is the first in Berkshire County to order bodycams, and with full support of the police union.

In the days ahead, officers will get used to the new technology, as well as follow rules to protect the privacy of people who interact with police.

Quote "We're willing to accept the learning curve that's going to go with it." Great Barrington Police Chief Paul Storti, on privacy concerns raised by the use of body cameras

Police Chief Paul Storti believes use of bodycams will be a game-changer in terms of transparency  transparency that cuts both ways. I think a lot of good will come from it, Storti said. Its going to help with our cases. When we go to court we're going to have more evidence. Right now, we write reports based on observations out in the field.

Storti said it will also help the department with officer training and in responding to citizen complaints against officers.

Other area towns also are securing a state grants, mixed some town funds, to pay for the cameras. For Great Barrington and its 22 officers, the price tag was just under $59,000 for the cameras and five years of data storage.

Sheffield and Stockbridge are next  those departments have the equipment on order. Pittsfield police do not yet have body cameras, and are exploring policies regarding their use. A number of people in the city called for cameras after a city man was shot by police this year in what was later deemed a justified use of force  but only after a complex investigation.

All state police in Massachusetts have been equipped with cameras since last year.

How it works

Great Barrington officers will power on their camera at the start of each shift, then hit a record button at the beginning of any interaction, as long as it is in public, Storti said. Once the button is pressed, it will record both audio and video from that moment forward.

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The camera passively records video all the time, but only records both audio and video when activated.

The data is stored in a cloud-based platform that cant be edited or changed, Storti said. The data is kept for no more than 37 months.

Storti said the department adopted regulations issued last month in a report from the states Law Enforcement Body Camera Task Force. The report goes over standard operation, and also covers privacy concerns.

These include giving people the option of not being recorded if the interaction is somewhere they expect privacy  like in their homes.

The report also says the cameras should not be equipped with facial recognition software, and the footage obtained from BWCs should not be subject to facial recognition technology, except as permitted and following the procedures established under state law.

Those measures are designed to prevent video captured on bodycams from being used in ways that compromise privacy.

An American Civil Liberties Union Massachusetts report adds that body cameras should not be used to gather information based on First Amendment-protected speech, association, or religion, or to surveil activists.

Storti says his officers won't be doing that. "If there was a protest and we have to interact [with someone] then we have to record it, not to identify them but because it's a police interaction," Storti said. "[The bodycam] also helps protect them to ensure that we're allowing them their freedom of speech."

He said it is these complex privacy and First Amendment concerns that, in part, account for why many police departments shy away from body cameras.

"There's a lot of unanswered questions," he said. "We're willing to accept the learning curve that's going to go with it."

Storti said two members of the department wore the cameras this week to test them. By Friday, all officers on duty will be wearing them.

While they aren't hard to operate, they are yet another thing to think about. Its just remembering to turn them on, Storti said.
Virginia "Ginni" Thomas, wife of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, visits Capitol Hill in March 2010, when she was head of a lobbying group aligned with the Tea Party movement, to lobby against health care reform legislation.
Pittsfield state Senator Adam Hinds named CEO of Edward M. Kennedy Institute State Sen. Adam Hinds has been named CEO and executive director of the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate.

Adam Hinds, who represented the Berkshires in the Massachusetts Senate for six years, is trading electoral politics for civic advocacy as he takes the helm at the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate. The Boston-based nonprofit institutes mission  educating the public about the U.S. Senates role in government, encouraging participatory democracy and invigorating civil discourse  has never been more difficult or more critical.

Mr. Hinds ran for lieutenant governor earlier this year, although his campaign was cut short at the state Democratic convention when the headwinds that push against even the most qualified candidates from this end of the commonwealth kept him off the primary ballot. Its good to see this public servant with Berkshire roots bounce back by seizing the opportunity of this role, which will amplify a strong and well-versed voice from Western Massachusetts in an organization with national reach.

The Kennedy Institute must really hear something in that voice. Its board chairman said Mr. Hinds was one of 160 considered for the job of CEO and executive director. Were not surprised he stood out, given his experience inside legislative institutions and elsewhere. Before representing the states westernmost Senate district on Beacon Hill, he was an aide to former U.S. Rep. John Olver, led two Berkshire-based nonprofits and served nearly a decade as a Mideast-based United Nations negotiator. That unique toolkit along with a broad range of policy and personal perspectives offer much to an institute whose guiding principles are needed more than ever.

Mr. Hinds said what drew him to the position was the same thing that drove the Kennedy Institute to redouble its efforts: the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot and the dire need to reduce the threat of political violence from not only grinding the gears of democracy but tearing the republic apart at the seams. Indeed, Mr. Hinds and the Kennedy Institute have their work cut out for them. Recent polling indicates a dismal 23 percent of the country approves of how Congress is handling its job  a sad high point for that measure so far this year. Many Americans view the U.S. Senate as both chaotic and sclerotic though rarely productive  and theyre not entirely wrong. Meanwhile, in Berkshire communities and beyond, our national political climates toxic precipitation trickles down to local politics, often sharpening the discourse and blunting the prospects for participatory democracy.

We must recognize those ills, though we need not accept them as given. We all have our parts to play, but groups like the Edward M. Kennedy Institute must embrace the crucial project of upgrading our nations civic education and democratic discourse. Its a tough job, but we are glad to see a capable and familiar figure take a position on the front line. If anyone has the background and the backbone to lead that campaign for a more decent democracy and a more productive polity, we believe its Adam Hinds. We wish him luck and success in this new chapter of public service.
Have you ever heard someone ask about the Bible verse, enter His gates with thanksgiving? What are the gates? How can we enter with thanksgiving if life is full of trouble and despair? As Christians, we place our hope in God. Yes, tough times will come. When life is filled with turmoil and when life is filled with joy, enter His gates with thanksgiving.

Where Does the Bible Say Enter His Gate with Thanksgiving?

The book of Psalms in the Old Testament is where Scripture shares this important statement:

Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name (Psalm 100:4 NIV).

Psalm 100 is credited to King David, although some biblical scholars believe various people wrote the book of Psalms. The words are directed to everyone in the community.

This psalm is sometimes called a guide or hymnal for worship and prayer. Although only five verses, this powerful message reminds us to give thanks to God. Trials and troubled times will come in life, but we have the opportunity to continue praising God and giving thanksgiving to God always.

What Are Gods Gates?

Biblical scholars refer to Gods gates as when we come into the presence of God. In other words, whenever we worship God, we enter His presence. When we pray to God, we enter into a personal relationship with the Father. Whether we pray to give thanksgiving or cry out with sadness, the gates of His presence are open to His children.

Christians acknowledge there is one God, and we are His creations. Know that the Lord is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture (Psalm 100:3 NIV).

How Do We Enter His Gates?

Prayer opens the door to conversation and relationship with God. Prayer is personal time shared with God. When we pray, we know God hears. Beginning prayer by focusing on God and not the self is the way to enter His gates. Enter with praise and thanksgiving. Begin the prayer by thanking God for His steadfast love and forgiveness.

Acknowledge the need for forgiveness. Repent of all sins. Praise God for His forgiveness. Give thanks to God.

Scripture tells of the narrow gate and the wide gate. Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it (Matthew 7:13-14 NIV).

His gates are open, and yet some people refuse to enter.

Entering through the narrow gate will take dedication and the desire to have a personal relationship with God. Live for God. Share His love with others. Share His message and help others know Him.

In the book of John, when Thomas told Jesus that the disciples didnt know where Jesus was going and wondered how they could know the way. Jesus responded with an important statement.

Jesus answered, I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him (John 14:6-7 NIV).

How Do We Offer God Thanksgiving Today?

Thanksgiving is not something we give only on a Thursday in November or other certain days of the year. Thanksgiving to God is an act of worship we can do every moment. Waking in the morning and giving thanks for a glorious day can allow the day to begin with Gods presence. Sharing conversations and saying prayers throughout the day can bring comfort and peace. Preparing for rest in the evening and giving thanks in our nightly prayers can deepen our faith. Every moment is an opportunity to give thanks to God.

We can offer God thanksgiving through our words and actions today and every day. Show others His love by sharing His Word. Perhaps there is an opportunity to volunteer in church or community. Show patience, humility, compassion, and kindness in every situation.

Whatever is happening in life, give thanks to God. Know that in good times and bad times, God never leaves. He will guide us through every moment.

What to Do When Giving Thanks is Difficult

Life is hard at times. Perhaps you are journeying through a stressful and desperate time, and giving thanks tends to be difficult. What if you are having a hard time giving thanks to God?

First, remember God knows the heart of His children. God loves you and understands every emotion.

If giving thanks is hard, go to God in prayer. Share concerns, worries, and fears. Ask God to bring the peace and comfort only He can give.

In prayer, share with God any difficulties you may have with giving thanks. Seek His guidance for the situation. Go to God with a servants heart.

Ask for His forgiveness. Rest in His promises. Release your difficulties to Him.

Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened unto you. (Matthew 7:7 NIV)

10 Prayers to Enter His Gates With Thanksgiving

1. God of creation, may we come to You now with humble hearts and minds. Thank You for the many blessings You provide. Amen.

2. Heavenly Father, thank You for loving and caring for us, even when we fail. Your love comforts us when we are hurt. Amen.

3. God, I dont know what to pray for, and I need guidance. Help me to remember Your steadfast love and forgive me when I am not thankful. I need You. Amen.

4. Dear Lord, I enter Your gates with thanksgiving. I sing Your name with joy. I am thankful for Your love and forgiveness. Amen.

5. Father, I come before You now with a humble heart and thanksgiving. Your mercies are new each day. Thank You, Father. In the name of Your Son, Amen.

6. God of creation, I enter Your gates with thanksgiving. Thank You for loving me even when I doubt and have fear. Thank You for the comfort You bring. Amen.

7. Dear God, I am thankful for the opportunity to pray with thanksgiving. Amen.

8. Father God, my heart is filled with thanksgiving to You. I am a sinner, and I repent of all sins. Thank You for loving and forgiving me. Amen.

9. God, I rejoice with thanksgiving. Your promises are forever. Amen.

10. Dear God, thank You. Amen.

5 Scriptures about Giving Thanks to God

1. Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say rejoice. (Philippians 4:4 NIV)

2. Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for love endures forever! (Psalm 107:1 NIV)

3. The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and he helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise him. (Psalms 28:7 NIV)

4. Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 NIV)

5. Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. (Colossians 4:2 NIV)

Today and every day, give thanks to God. Rest in Him.

In His Name,

Melissa Henderson

Photo Credit: Unsplash/Jasmin ne

Award-winning author Melissa Henderson writes inspirational messages sometimes laced with a bit of humor. With stories in books, magazines, devotionals, and more, Melissa hopes to encourage readers.

Melissa is the author of Licky the Lizard and Grumpy the Gator. Her passions are helping in the community and church. Melissa is an Elder, Deacon, and Stephen Minister.

Follow Melissa on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and at http://www.melissaghenderson. com

This article is part of our larger resource library of popular Bible verse phrases and quotes. We want to provide easy to read articles that answer your questions about the meaning, origin, and history of specific verses within Scripture's context. It is our hope that these will help you better understand the meaning and purpose of God's Word in relation to your life today.

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Im married, but how do I make that truth manifest to others? I could carry my marriage certificate around with me, but that would be cumbersome and well, silly. When my husband and I married, we exchanged rings. The rings are a symbol of our union, and when others see the perfect circles, it is clear to them we are married to one another.

Bloggers manifest their beliefs and causes through what they write online. Musicians manifest their songs by recording them. Christians manifest their faith in many different ways, which we will examine within this article.

What Does "Manifest" Mean?

As a part of speech, manifest is sometimes an adjective, therefore it modifies an object (e.g., she had a manifest lack of belief). Synonyms are apparent, evident, clear, and visible. As a verb, an example is, They chose to manifest their dissatisfaction with authority. Other verbs which may be used for manifest include demonstrate, display, reveal, and show, certify. Used as a noun, a manifest might be a list of passengers.

What Does Scripture Have to Say about Manifesting?

Regarding God

When we read about how God manifests Himself in the Scriptures, we see it is a revelation of His glory (Ezekiel 28:22), and His holiness (Exodus 20:41). The first time the word manifest is used in the ESV is as a verb (Exodus 20:40-41), where God tells the house of Israel they will serve Him in the land He is giving them. He said Hed accept them as He gathers them from where they have been scattered. He said, And I will manifest my holiness among you in the sight of the nations. God will reveal His holiness among them so all the other nations can see it.

As used in the Ezekiel passage, the Lord is speaking a judgment against Sidon through His prophet, Ezekiel. The Lord God said, I will manifest My glory in your midst. The purpose was so they would know He is the Lord.

Regarding Jesus Christ

Johns fourteenth chapter is a wellspring of learning about how Jesus did and will manifest Himself. In John 14:21, Jesus said whoever knows His commandments and obeys them loves Him. He followed that by saying the Father will love whoever loves Jesus, as will Jesus, who will manifest Myself to him. As with the Father, Jesus reveals Himself (1) because He is God, (2) because He is worthy of all worship, and (3) to give us the way to manifest Him through our lives.

Judas (not Iscariot) asked Jesus in John 14:22 how He would manifest Himself to the disciples and not to the world. But Jesus, in answering Him, indicated the Fathers words, presence, and peace would fill them with the coming of the Holy Spirit. He closes the conversation by telling His disciples He does what the Father commands Him so that the world may know that I love the Father (John 14:31). His manifestation in this sense is a revelation to the world both through His atoning work and through His disciples (see also John 17).

Regarding the Holy Spirit

Jesus, in John 14:26, told Judas the Holy Spirit will come in His name (as sent by the Father). The Holy Spirit would manifest Christ to them by teaching and helping them remember all Jesus said to them.

John Piper describes manifestation using 1 Corinthians 12:1-13, that's the connection between you and God. God is manifested in your life. God, the Spirit, becomes visible through you. You are to show the Spirit. Professor Don Carson of Trinity Seminary wrote a whole book on just these three chapters (1214) and he titled the whole book on the basis of this one verse: Showing the Spirit. To him that is what the whole section is about. I would say that is what the whole Bible and all of life is about  showing God, making God as seen as an invisible God can be seen.

How Does the World Know God?

As of now and until Jesus comes in glory, the world (that is, the moral world) is veiled (hidden) to His glory. 2 Corinthians 3:17 tells us, when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. We who belong to Christ are privileged to the unveiling of God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. We are able to behold the Lords glory as He transforms us from one degree of glory to another. This comes from the Spirit (2 Corinthians 3:18).

But Romans 1:18-32 states men have no excuse, For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. God has made Himself manifest to the world by His general revelation. Psalm 19 also tells us how God makes manifests Himself to His creation.

How Do We Reveal Ourselves as Christians?

Christians are to walk with Christ, manifesting His presence through our actions (every human communicable attribute). Through the Spirits presence and work in us (John 15:26, Ephesians 1:13-14), we are able to provide unbelievers (and believers, too) with a visible manifestation of Christianity. When we display the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23), we reveal His work in us. Christs love has been made manifest in us (1 John 4:9). 1 Corinthians 3:13 tells us God will reveal our works by fire, and the fire test discloses everything.

Can We Manifest Things through Faith?

A contemporary heretical belief says if we are positive enough in our thinking, anything is possible. Such a belief is all about self and has nothing to do with glorifying God as we are commanded to do.

Revealing Gods glory as He works in and through believers is what we mean when we speak of manifesting things through faith. It is not anything we do. Its all God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit and its all for His glory.

When we pray for someone, we have faith God will act in some way, whether His answer is yes, no, or wait, He still acts. We wait on Him, not on ourselves. What we have is not an expectation He will do what we ask. Instead, we have a confident expectancy He will act according to His character and in His time.

Proverbs 15:29 says God hears the prayers of the righteous (believers). James 5:16 tells us the prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working. A righteous person is someone who seeks Gods glory first and foremost.

1 Peter 3:12 is very comforting to believers. For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and His ears are open to their prayer. But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.

All this being said, we can do nothing, but God, if He so chooses, can do anything.

How Should We Pray When We Want Something, or Are Hopeful for Something?

Psalm 37:4 is a great look at our heart attitudes when praying. The first thing we are to do is delight in the Lord. Delighting in Him means we study our Bibles and get to know the Author in all the ways He manifests Himself through His Word. The Scriptures are our go-to resource for how to pray. When we couch every prayer in seeking Gods glory, we will pray according to His will and not out of selfish motives.

- Confess your sins, repent, and come to God with a clean heart (1 John 1:9).

- Dont be afraid to speak your heart. One look at Davids psalms will show you its okay to cry out to God (Psalm 51).

- Rejoice in God, knowing He hears you and wants the best for you (Romans 8:28).

- The freedom that comes from time before the Lord is a peace that surpasses all understanding (Philippians 4:7).

You will then rest in Him. Whatever comes will be because He ordains it or allows it.

As believers, trusting God manifests His goodness to those who surround us.

The greatest manifestation of the Spirit within us involves the Great Commission. We are, as Christ-followers, to share the Gospel, for by doing so, we are manifesting Jesus to the world. We are used of God Himself as His ambassadors. The Bible says Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making His appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God (2 Corinthians 5:20). That fact should excite us and spur us to action as we share Gods goodness with this lost and dying world. It should also scare us a little if we have been complacent about speaking the truth to people we love.

The Bible also tells us to work out our salvation with fear and trembling (Philippians 2:12). Making much of Jesus is manifesting Him to others. The Apostle Paul follows the above verse with this treasure, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure. Remember, we can do all things through Christ. Its not our power; its His power working in and through us. Thats some good news!

Photo credit: Getty Images/ipopba

Lisa Loraine Baker is the award-winning author of Someplace to Be Somebody (End Game Press, February 2022). Lisa writes fiction and nonfiction and is currently co-writing a Christian living book with her husband, and a suspense novel.

Lisa is a member of Word Weavers, Intl (as a critique partner and mentor), AWSA, ACFW, Serious Writer Group, and BRRC.

Lisa and her husband, Stephen, inhabit their home as the Newlyweds of Minerva with crazy cat, Lewis.
LEWISTON - Walleye have spread throughout the Columbia River basin following an unauthorized introduction to Lake Roosevelt in the mid-20th century. These fish have remained downstream of Idahos salmon and steelhead rivers until recently. Data collected at the Lower Granite Dam adult fish trap has shown that walleye have been moving through the fish ladder and likely passing over this dam since at least 2016 (2016=2; 2017=11; 2018=49; 2019=20; 2020=45; 2021=75).

The adult fish trap is located halfway up the fish ladder and allows biologists to trap and handle a portion of fish moving through the ladder. Because the adult trap collects only a portion of fish moving up the ladder, the numbers represent a fraction of what has actually passed upstream of the dam over the last handful of years. Fish and Game estimates that 160 walleye in 2020 and 294 in 2021 passed over Lower Granite Dam, and passage in 2022 is shaping up to be the largest yet. Additionally, anglers are encountering walleye in Idahos anadromous waters with increasing frequency, including one fish caught over 80 miles up the Salmon River near Riggins.

Walleye are effective and opportunistic predators that will prey on emigrating salmon and steelhead smolts. Juvenile salmonids in Idaho rivers and streams are already affected through predation by native and non-native birds and fishes, and as more walleye continue to move and colonize upstream of Lower Granite, predation rates will continue to rise. Researchers downriver have estimated that the average walleye eats around 2.5 smolts per day in the spring (McMichael and James 2017), and that non-native predators, including walleye, might be eating up to 17% of certain populations of juvenile emigrants (Harnish et al. 2014). This scale of mortality can reduce adult returns.

Angling encounters with walleye will only increase as more of these fish pass above Lower Granite, so it might be time to brush up on your walleye identification skills. Generally speaking, walleye have a dark green back, that transitions into a gold side, and a light white belly. The walleye is closely related to the yellow perch, but lacks the dark vertical bars that you would see on the side of a perch. Walleye have a long and slender shape with a tapered head, somewhat similar to the overall shape of a northern pikeminnow. However, these two species can easily be differentiated by remembering just a couple of key characteristics. Walleye have two distinct dorsal fins (the first fin has spiny rays and the second has soft rays), while northern pikeminnow only have a single, soft-rayed dorsal fin. Additionally, walleye have sharp and obvious teeth, while northern pikeminnow have no teeth (dont try to grab a walleye by the lip!). If you have any questions about identifying walleye and other species in Idaho, consult pages 58-61 of the 2022-2024 IDFG fishing regulations.

Within Idahos anadromous waters (Clearwater River, Salmon River, and the Snake River below Hells Canyon) there are no restrictions on the daily bag, size, or possession limit of walleye. The average walleye that weve sampled from the ladder at Lower Granite over the last few years has been almost 18 inches and just under two pounds, with the largest fish coming in at 23 inches and four and a half pounds. Fish and Game officials say if you happen to find one at the end of your line, you are encouraged to keep it and enjoy it as a meal.
BOISE - Mikayla Rowland, a 7th grade student at Prairie Junior High School, is one of 13 public school students from across Idaho who have been selected for this year's Student Advisory Council, created by Idaho Superintendent of Public Instruction Sherri Ybarra.

The thirteen students selected for this year's Student Advisory Council will gather in Boise on October 3 for their first meeting.

Launching a Student Advisory Council last year was among the best decisions Ive made as superintendent, and our quarterly meetings were a tremendous source of energy, insight and ideas, Superintendent Ybarra said. So this past spring I put out a call for a second group of applicants and was delighted by the enthusiastic response.

The students making up the second ever Student Advisory Council hail from districts from all regions of the state, representing grades 5 through 12.

Like their predecessors, these new council members are highly engaged and passionate about issues from social media influence to the condition of school buildings and from mental and emotional health to advanced opportunities and STEAM activities, Superintendent Ybarra said. They are eager to learn more about Idahos government and education system, and they are committed to doing what they can to help schools and students live up to their potential.

The full list of newly appointed members of the Superintendents Student Advisory Council are listed below.

Koharu Nomura, grade 5, A.B. McDonald Elementary, Moscow School District

Daphne Talbot, grade 6, Alturas Preparatory Academy, Idaho Falls

Mikayla Rowland, grade 7, Prairie Junior High, Cottonwood School District

Caiden Lee, grade 7, Gooding Middle School, Gooding School District

Natalie Coronado, grade 8, South Middle School, Nampa School District

Elliott Marshall, grade 8, Marsh Valley Middle School, Marsh Valley School District

Carys Haroldsen, grade 8, Mackay Jr. Sr. High School, Mackay School District

Emmaleigh Wright, grade 9, Kuna High School, Kuna School District

Daniel Hutchison, grade 10, Middleton High School, Middleton School District

Nicholas Mendez, grade 10, Caldwell High School, Caldwell School District

Allie Gulden, grade 11, Highland High School, Pocatello/Chubbuck School District

Rachel Wakelin, grade 12, North Idaho STEM Charter Academy, Rathdrum

Emma Brulotte, grade 12, Canyon Ridge High School, Twin Falls School District

"To understand and address the needs of our schools, it is essential to get feedback and ideas from the people most affected by those needs and education policies  our students, Superintendent Ybarra said. Student Advisory Council members, each representing their peers, are in a great position to influence the course of their education  both by what they learn and by what they share with me, the State Department of Education, and other state leaders.
BOISE  A Boise man has been sentenced to 175 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and the unlawful possession of a firearm, according to the U.S. Attorney's office.

According to court records, on November 12, 2021, law enforcement attempted to conduct a traffic stop on a vehicle driven by Anthony James Wylie, 32, of Boise, for a traffic infraction. Wylie failed to pull over and led law enforcement on a high-speed chase. During the pursuit, Wylie threw a case from his vehicle containing hundreds of fentanyl pills and over $1,500. Wylie abandoned his vehicle and fled on foot. Inside the vehicle, investigators located a .32 caliber handgun. Wylie was eventually located and arrested hiding in a nearby residence. Investigators also recovered over two pounds of methamphetamine that Wylie possessed during the chase.

Wylie has lengthy criminal history that includes convictions for grand theft, possession of a controlled substance, and the unlawful possession of a firearm. Wylie was on federal supervision at the time of the instant offense.

Chief U.S. District Judge David C. Nye also ordered Wylie to serve five years of supervised release following his prison sentence. Wylie pleaded guilty to the charges on July 1, 2022.

U.S. Attorney Hurwit thanked the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Ada County Sheriffs Office, and the Nampa Police Department for their work on the case.
The 14th edition of FICCI Healthcare Excellence Awards on the theme Inspire. Change. Together was also announced

The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI) has announced its 16th annual healthcare conference- FICCI HEAL 2022 from October 10 to 12, 2022. The conference supported by the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (MoHFW), Government of India, will be held physically at FICCI, New Delhi. This year's conference is an endeavour to converge all stakeholders- national and international, and provide a forum for sharing of learnings and experiences.

Emphasising the significance of healthier citizens build a healthier nation, the theme of FICCI HEAL 2022 is Healthcare Transformation: Driving Indias Economic Growth. The conference will deliberate on the opportunities for transforming our healthcare systems, underscoring its significance for economic growth.

Dr Mansukh Mandaviya, Union Minister of Health & Family Welfare; and Chemicals and Fertilisers, Government of India, will inaugurate the conference and Dr Sunil Kumar, Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs, Johns Hopkins University, USA will deliver the keynote address. Other dignitaries invited to the conference include, Dr VK Paul, Member, NITI Aayog, GoI; Dr RS Sharma, CEO, National Health Authority, GoI; Dr VG Somani, Drugs Controller General of India; Roli Singh, MD (NHM), MoH&FW; Dr Manohar Agnani, Addl Secretary, MoH&FW; Lav Agarwal, Addl Secretary, MoH&FW; Maj Gen (Prof) Atul Kotwal, Executive Director, NHSRC, MoHFW; Prof Minu Bajpai, Honorary Executive Director, NBEMS and Head of Department of Pediatric Surgery, AIIMS- New Delhi; Dr Shankar Prinja, Executive Director (HP&QA), National Health Authority, GoI.

FICCI has also announced the 14th edition of FICCI Healthcare Excellence Awards on the theme Inspire. Change. Together. Smriti Irani, Union Minister, Ministry of Women and Child Development and Ministry of Minority Affairs, Government of India will be the Chief Guest for the ceremony. The participants will be evaluated by a high-level independent jury panel Chaired by CK Mishra, Former Secretary, MoEFCC and MoHFW, Government of India.

The three-day conference will include keynote addresses, panel discussions as well as plenary sessions covering the entire spectrum of healthcare delivery- primary healthcare, quality in care, healthcare workforce strengthening, infrastructure for NCDs with a focus on cancer care, health insurance, digital health as well as diagnostics and medical technologies. This year FICCI has also brought back the pre-conference Master Classes on specialised subjects like Design Thinking and artificial intelligence.

The conference will entail insightful deliberations on several important topics under healthcare through the below sessions:
Corporate social investors, grantmakers, donors and philanthropists are starting to understand the value of measuring the impact and return of their investments, programmes and the organisations they fund.

Measuring impact is different to evaluation. Whereas evaluation focuses on the outcomes of a single programme, impact assessment takes a broader view. It considers who was impacted, in what way, for how long and to what extent. It also identifies the dimensions of impact, whether economic, environmental, social, short lived or long term, positive or negative, intended or unintended, significant, combined and blended.

The value of impact analysis is multidimensional. It allows investors and implementing organisations not only understand the cost-effectiveness and benefits of their interventions, but also provides meaningful and valuable insights for future investments and programme design to achieve even greater impact.

However, because impact management and measurement are universal, there are several standards, guidelines and principles to consider. And this affects how data is collected, managed, analysed, verified and reported on.

Next Generation is presenting its Impact Management and Measurement Masterclass from 2527 October in Johannesburg, and participants can look forward to learning more about:

Designing impact strategies, portfolios and programmes for impact



Managing and measuring impact including impact frameworks and indicators



Data and stakeholder management as well as reporting



Impact analysis, verification, standards and benchmarks



Guest speakers who have travelled the impact journey will also share their experiences and a wide range of best practice case studies, tools, templates and guidelines will also be shared.

For more information and registration contact: az.oc.noitarenegtxen@ofni.




Fondly known as the place of the rising sun, Mpumalanga has astounding beauty, breathtaking wildlife and many irresistible tourist attractions.

Image by Nomvelo Masango: Ziplining is part of the adventure in Mpumalanga

This past weekend, the Mpumalanga Department of Tourism, in collaboration with Jakada Holdings (Pty) Ltd, hosted the second annual Mpumalanga Tourism Expo at Riverside Mall in Nelspruit.

The two-day event was an opportunity for businesses in the province to showcase their products and services, ultimately reviving tourism in the province by shining the light on all which Mpumalanga has to offer.

Although the province is known for its most popular tourist attractions such as Kruger National Park and Gods Window, there is plenty more for party animals, adrenaline junkies and lifestyle lovers to enjoy.

Here are just a few hidden gems to explore when visiting Mpumalanga.

A tour of caves that rock!

Being one of the oldest caves in the world, the Sudwala Caves formed about 240 million years ago and are set in Precambrian dolomite rock. It is said that the caves were used as refuge by King Somquba and his followers during times of conflict around the 1860s.

Being exposed to other different aspects and formations of the caves such as the Screaming Monster formation and the Weeping Madonna all bring an interesting and educational aspect to the tour.

Image supplied by Sudwala

My personal favourites were The Amphitheater, where legendary musicians including Elvis Blue and the late Miriam Makeba are said to have once performed, as well as the colourful Fairyland which lights up ever-so-beautifully. Having a helpful tour guide who is more than happy to explain everything and answer questions makes the experience even more worthwhile. Visiting the caves is a definite must-do for all who are interested in all things nature and history.

Pumping adrenaline at the zipline

If youre searching for an adrenaline rush, the Sudwala zipline is for you. It all begins with friendly and certified guides ensuring you are strapped in all the relevant safety gear. From there, you clip on, push off and soar 430 meters across the Houtbosloop valley in the Mankele mountain range.

Zip lining for the first time? Fear not, as no zip-lining experience is necessary. The guides are there to ensure your safety and to assist you every step of the way.

As someone zip lining for the first time, I appreciated the courtesy and professionalism of the guides as this made me feel that I was in safe hands, thus lessening my fear.

The activity is suitable for the whole family and is an unforgettable experience. After all, whats better than an ariel view of the breathtakingly beautiful valley?

To reward yourself for your bravery, you can grab a scrumptious meal and a refreshing drink at the restaurant on the premises after your successful adventure.

Good vibes at The Prestige Lifestyle Grand

For a tasty shisanyama, good vibes and great music, The Prestige Lifestyle Grand is the place to be.

While enjoying a few cold ones, you will be entertained by some of the province's best DJs. Occasionally, some of South Africas biggest artists are brought in.

This past weekend, in particular, award-winning amapiano sensation Focalistic set the stage on fire.

The Prestige Lifestyle Grand is undoubtedly a must to try out and enjoy. At the end of it all, whats a getaway without good vibes and the opportunity to dance your feet off?
In this two-part series, we outline the skills that will be required by present-day HR professionals - for now and into the future.

Jaen Beelders, Director and Head of Analytics Business Stream at 21st Century

Skills required by all contemporary HR professionals

Due to the increasing automated and digitalised world in which HR professionals need to serve their stakeholders, as well as the added intricacy of a VUCA environment, all HR professionals will need to upskill and reskill themselves to meet the challenges of this Future World of Work.

This article discusses the seven skill sets required by all contemporary HR professionals.

Skill set 1  Digital literacy

HR professionals must become more digitally inclined and analytical to deliver more value to all business stakeholders. As HR technology is becoming more specialised and entwined in HR processes, HR departments are taking control of their own technology strategy in partnership with ICT departments. For this reason, HR professionals need to understand how HR systems (eg. front-end, back-end, databases) work and how systems integrate with one another.

Additionally, as workplace demographics change from baby boomers and Gen X towards Gen Z and millennials, a wide range of HR processes and employee experiences are expected to be available online to accommodate the digital customer experience that younger workers tend to prefer. HR professionals need to be proficient in working with different systems being deployed on various platforms (laptop, tablet, smart phone).

Skill set 2  Data analytics

HR departments already deal with excessive amounts of data. In a few years time, when all HR processes have been digitalised and artificial intelligence has entered mainstream HR, the volumes of data will only increase further. Therefore, HR professionals must become highly literate in data management and data hygiene, learning the necessary skills to process, produce, sanitise and leverage digital information.

More importantly, HR professionals also need to learn how to exploit data to support better decision making within the business. This requires advanced data analytics skills, including advanced Microsoft excel skills. Although advanced people analytics will be the responsibility of the HR data scientists, every HR professional will be required to create and interpret their own reports applicable to their role and department.

Skill set 3  Commercial awareness

Future HR professionals must be able to directly contribute to the strategy and financial success of the organisation. They must have a clear understanding of their organisations business model and the challenges it faces. Beyond understanding profit and loss, HR professionals must understand the strategic direction and the economic and social environment in which the organisation operates.

By having an in-depth knowledge of the organisations intended strategic direction, the organisation creates value. HR professionals must have the skills to deploy the entire employee lifecycle to increase this value for both internal and external stakeholders.

Skill set 4  Critical thinking

A study by the World Economic Forum report has found that business leaders believe that critical thinking is one of the most important skills for the Future of Work. Two applications of critical thinking are particularly important for HR professionals.

Firstly, they must have the necessary skill sets to objectively analyse and evaluate proposed business strategies and present new insights by making connections between employee behaviour and business success that other departments might have missed.

Secondly, as custodians of the organisations most important asset  people  HR professionals must employee design thinking to ensure that every business process is human-centred at its core. Through design thinking, HR professionals will be able to continuously improve HR processes, policies and procedures by focusing on the people for which all of this is created for.

Skill set 5  Situational judgment and ethics

It is true that HR must always deal with the tricky situations that line management want to avoid. From dealing with inappropriate behaviour, such as sexual harassment or bullying in the workplace, to managing an increasingly diverse workforce made up of people from different cultures, religions and generations  HR professionals need the situational judgment and ethical skills required to meet these challenges successfully.

Skill set 6 - Stakeholder management

As the HR function is moving away from an administrative role into a strategic role, it requires HR professionals to strengthen the skills employed to influence decisions and manage stakeholders, such as:

Proposal writing



Report writing



Advanced PowerPoint



Presentation & facilitation skills



Managing online meetings



Skill set 7  Marketing

Although this skill set is particularly relevant for HR professionals that are involved in talent acquisition and employee engagement, all HR professionals need these skills to successfully engage candidates and employees.

Understanding how to position the employer brand and Employer Value Proposition (EVP) in an attractive way is vital for anyone responsible for attracting new talent into the organisation. This involves understanding brand management principles and copywriting, as the responsibility involves writing content such as job advertisements. Additionally, marketing principles such as market segmentation (identifying the right candidate target market) and understanding how to use the various channels available to the University to get its message out to its target market (including job portals and social media) is a vital skill. HR professionals should have.

The HR professional will need to leverage the connection between Employee Experience (EX), Customer Experience (CX), and User Experience (UX) is another marketing skill that allows HR to successfully engage and retain talent within their organisations. Learning the skills necessary to ensure that every employee interaction, whether an email or a face-to-face meeting, contributes positively to the employer brand is of vital importance.

The second article in this series will present the skills required to capacitate HR staff to comfortably manage their HR analytics reporting.
Google's annual Search On event was held yesterday, 28 September, to announce new features and developments in Search, revealing how machine learning advancements are helping people to gather and explore information in new ways.

Here's a closer look at some of the announcements:

1. Multisearch is expanding

Each month, people use Lens to answer more than eight billion questions, using their camera or an image, and earlier this year, Google introduced multisearcha major milestone in how people search for information.

With multisearch, you can take a picture or use a screenshot and then add text to it  similar to the way you might naturally point at something and ask a question about it. Multisearch is available in English globally, and will now be rolling out in 70 languages in the next few months.

2. Multisearch near me

Multisearch near me, which was previewed during Google I/O earlier this year, supercharges multisearch capability, allowing you to take a screenshot or a photo of an item, and then find it nearby.

So if you have a hankering for your favourite local dish, all you need to do is screenshot it, and Google will connect you with nearby restaurants serving it. Multisearch near me will start rolling out in the US later this year.

3. Translation in the blink of an eye

One of the most powerful aspects of visual understanding is its ability to break down language barriers. With Lens, Google has gone beyond translating text to translating pictures- with Google translating text in images over one billion times per month, in more than 100 languages.

With major advancements in machine learning, Google is now able to blend translated text into complex images, so it looks and feels much more natural. For example, if you point your phone at text on a poster, the translated text will be realistically overlaid over the pictures underneath.

Google has also optimised their machine learning models to do all this in just 100 milliseconds  shorter than the blink of an eye.

This uses generative adversarial networks (also known as Gan models), which is what helps power the technology behind the Magic Eraser on Pixel. Google has announced that the improved experience is launching later this year.

4. Google for iOS updates

Google is putting some of its most helpful tools right at your fingertips on iOS. From now on, youll see shortcuts right under the search bar to shop your screenshots, translate text with your camera, hum to search and more.

5. Even faster ways to find what youre looking for

Google is working to make it possible to ask questions with fewer words- or even none at all- and still help you find what you are looking for. In the coming months, when you begin to type a question, Google will start providing relevant content right away, before youve even finished typing.

And for those who dont know exactly what theyre looking for until they see it, Google will help you to specify your question. So if youre looking for a holiday destination in Kenya, Google will provide keyword or topic options like best cities in Kenya for families so you can find results that are most relevant to you.

6. New ways to explore information

Google is reinventing the way it displays Search results to better reflect the ways people explore topics. So youll start to see the most relevant content, from a variety of sources, no matter what format the information comes in  whether that's text, images or video- including content from creators on the open web.

So if youre searching for topics like cities, you may see visual stories and short videos from people who have visited, tips on how to explore the city, things to do, how to get there and other important aspects you might want to know before you embark on your travels. These new updates will be rolled out in the coming months.
According to Nonie Mokose, South Africa needs to amplify the policies of transformation to empower Black female farmers and force the gender agenda into the mainstream through deliberate actions. Mokose serves as an independent trustee and chairperson of the investment committee at the Kgodiso Development Fund - an independent fund founded by PepsiCo Sub-Saharan Africa.

Nonie Mokose, independent trustee and chairperson of the investment committee at the Kgodiso Development Fund - an independent fund founded by PepsiCo Sub-Saharan Africa

Looking at the different metrics of gender transformation, it is evident that South Africa has performed relatively well in closing the gender-parity gap. However, we must continue to be deliberate in implementing a broad range of transformation initiatives to deal with issues affecting women and the youth, such as land tenure and property rights, and also changing gender roles for women in the agricultural sector, says Mokose.

She believes that for the country to progress the agriculture transformation agenda, it has to provide Black women (and other previously disempowered people) with access to productive land and other resources for sustainable development and farming activities.

Struggle to access funding

She explains that many Black farmers without land struggle to access funding from formal financial institutions because they dont possess collateral. Land access provided to farmers, as a solution employed by the government, does not work as collateral because farmers in some instances are leasing this. This constrains Black farmers from growing and participating in mainstream markets and competing with and participating as commercial farmers.

During her career, Mokose has taken part in a number of strategic initiatives aimed at empowering smallholder farmers and facilitating their transition into the mainstream of the agricultural economy. It is this track record in agriculture and its associated services that allows Mokose to speak with authority on what is required to transform South Africas agricultural economy.

Im excited to be part of the Kgodiso Development Fund and hence mandated to look at creating shared value solutions that ultimately help build a sustainable food system. We are looking to increase inclusivity in agriculture, create local employment opportunities, and boost local procurement and supplier diversity within the PepsiCo supply chain, she comments.

'Takes a village'

Mokose adds that, Sustainable food systems cannot be established and maintained by any one entity or sector. It literally takes a village. Partnerships between the private sector, governments, NGOs, and the communities in which all operate are required to work together to create these by transforming the way we grow, process and consume.

The Kgodiso Development Fund has ringfenced R300m to support Black emerging farmers. But importantly, it is not just about funding. The partnerships the fund is leveraging provide mentoring, and technical skills, innovation in farming techniques and access to markets to these emerging farmers. The combination of which is set to transform our countrys food systems, concludes Mokose.

The Kgodiso Development Fund aims to support and advance the broad socioeconomic imperatives of education, SMMEs, emerging farmers and enterprise development across PepsiCos value chain.
New unified experience combines the deepest intelligence with the most powerful engagement within the Talkwalker and Khoros platforms.

Khoros, an award-winning leader in digital-first customer engagement software and services, and Talkwalker, a leading consumer intelligence and deep listening company, today announced their partnership to provide brands with a world-class social media management, intelligence, and deep listening experience. The strategic relationship will equip brands with the tools they need  from insights to action  to remain attuned, responsive, and adaptive to market trends and audience shifts.

As each is a leader in a Forrester reportTalkwalker, a leader in The Forrester New Wave: AI-enabled Consumer Intelligence Platforms, Q3 2021, and Khoros, a leader in The Forrester Wave: Social Suites, Q3 2021  brands now have the advantage of an integrated enterprise solution delivered in one seamless buying and user experience. Ultimately, this allows brands to reduce costs, increase revenue, and deliver better customer experiences.

Khoros customers are now equipped with in-depth insights through deep listening. Additionally, Talkwalker customers can leverage an integrated social media management solution with tools to take action on insights at scale and the ability to thoughtfully engage with and meet customers wherever they are. Through unified workflows, the partnership provides the following advantages:

Holistic view of all customer conversations: With visibility across owned and earned conversations, closely monitor buying behavior, conversations around competitors, and a real-time understanding of brand health to remain competitive.



With visibility across owned and earned conversations, closely monitor buying behavior, conversations around competitors, and a real-time understanding of brand health to remain competitive. Powering thoughtful engagement: By combining the ability to monitor and respond to customers all in one place, brands can more quickly foster strong customer relationships by delivering relevant content and creating authentic real-time conversations.



By combining the ability to monitor and respond to customers all in one place, brands can more quickly foster strong customer relationships by delivering relevant content and creating authentic real-time conversations. Unmatched data coverage: Data is gathered across more sources (e.g., social, print, TV, online, first/third party, etc.) with 90% data accuracy to make critical business decisions.



Data is gathered across more sources (e.g., social, print, TV, online, first/third party, etc.) with 90% data accuracy to make critical business decisions. Actionable insights with leading AI: Brands can act on the strongest insights delivered through customizable dashboards, simplified filtering, powerful reports, and sophisticated visualization in real-time.



Brands can act on the strongest insights delivered through customizable dashboards, simplified filtering, powerful reports, and sophisticated visualization in real-time. Expert reporting & strategy: With Khoross Strategic Services team, brands can get the support they need to track competitors, optimize audience targeting, and improve their digital care strategy.



Having the best of both social listening and customer engagement technologies together means that brands have unprecedented capabilities to understand customers more than any other solution on the market, said Lokdeep Singh, CEO at Talkwalker. Marketers can tap into the deepest and most reliable data coverage allowing them to get closer to consumers more than ever before, at every point of the consumer journey.

"We're proud to partner with Talkwalker to help brands stay one step ahead in competitive markets and a rapidly changing digital landscape," said Chris Tranquill, CEO at Khoros. "Deep listening insights are key to tracking competitor activity and audience shifts, informing campaigns, and providing brand reputation management. Adding this to our digital engagement platform with publishing, content management, and moderation capabilities creates a powerful social marketing solution, and we're excited to build upon our partnership."

Learn more about Khoross and Talkwalkers partnership. For additional information about Khoross digital customer engagement software and services, visit khoros.com. To learn about Talkwalkers consumer intelligence platform, visit talkwalker.com.

About Talkwalker

Talkwalker is the #1 Consumer Intelligence Acceleration platform for brands to drive business impact. Recognized as a Leader in Consumer Intelligence and Social Listening, the platform combines a multitude of internal and external data sources with AI-powered by Blue Silk technology, for the most expansive view of consumers. Talkwalker Activate professional services team can augment, accelerate, or fully service brands insights needs to increase their ROI from the Talkwalker platform. With offices around the globe, Talkwalker helps over 2,500 brands to maximize profits with actionable consumer intelligence.

To discover more about Talkwalker, please visit www.talkwalker.com.

About Khoros

Over 2,000 global brands, including one-third of the Fortune 100 companies, leverage the power of Khoross award-winning customer engagement platform to create customers for life. Our innovative enterprise solutions, including over 20 patented technologies, ensure success across digital customer service, messaging, chat, online brand communities, and social media management. Combined with our industry-leading services, Khoros enables brands to connect with customers throughout their entire digital journey.

Khoros powers more than 500 million daily digital interactions and leverages AI to turn these interactions into insights and action. Recognized nationally and locally as one of the Best Places to Work, Khoros has 11 offices globally and Vista Equity Partners is its lead investor. For more information, visit khoros.com.




Sasol will announce partnerships over the next few weeks with local mining companies to supply green hydrogen for their mining operations, a senior company executive said on Wednesday, 28 September.

Sasol's synthetic fuel plant in Secunda, north of Johannesburg. Source: Reuters/Siphiwe Sibeko

A major part of government's aim to cut climate-warming gas emissions is tied to the private sector's use of green hydrogen for buses, taxis and heavy-duty vehicles such as hauling truck and forklifts in the mines.

"There are a few mining partners that we are talking to that we will announce shortly to supply green hydrogen for mining vehicles," Sarushen Pillay, vice president: environment sustainability at Sasol, told Reuters.

Green hydrogen is produced when renewable electricity is used to split water into hydrogen and oxygen.

The company expects to sign memorandums of understanding to initially supply green hydrogen for forklift trucks at the site of mining companies, he said, and the gas could be used to transition their worker bus fleet and hauling trucks for minerals.

Green hydrogen to be consumed locally

Sasol will start producing 3.5 tonnes per day of green hydrogen from its Sasolburg plant in South Africa in the second half of 2023, rising to six tonnes a day depending on the demand. All of it will be consumed locally, Pillay said.

Sasol plans to export almost 400,000 tonnes of green hydrogen by 2028-29. The company is in the process of signing power purchase agreements with independent renewable power producers instead of depending on grid-based renewable supply, Sasol said in its climate change report published last month.
Global cruise line MSC Cruises is bringing two ships to South Africa's shores for the 2022/2023 cruise season. This will mark the first time that two MSC Cruises ships of different classes, the MSC Orchestra - which is part of the Musica class and MSC Sinfonia - which is part of the Lirica class, will be deployed in the country simultaneously providing additional cruise capacity to cater for the demand for cruise holidays in South Africa.

MSC Sinfonia. Source: Supplied

The 2021/2022 local cruise season saw MSC Cruises carry in excess of 40,000 guests to various destinations with new health and safety regulations to ensure the safety of guests. MSC has now confirmed that both unvaccinated and vaccinated guests are now able to cruise and stipulated the following conditions:

Vaccinated guests are no longer required to provide a Covid-19 test before departure

Unvaccinated guests five years and older are still required to provide a negative Covid-19 PCR test, 48 hours prior to departure in accordance with the local government regulations in South Africa

Children under age 5 are not required to provide a Covid-19 test

Investing in Africas tourism industry

MSC Cruises said that its plan to bring two ships to South Africa in 2022 is part of the companys commitment to investing in South Africa and African tourism at large.

The cruise lines focus on improving South Africas tourist infrastructure has been particularly noteworthy in its development of the Durban port terminal over the past few years. The R300m terminal was designed, developed, constructed and financed by the Kwa-Zulu Cruise Terminal Consortium, in partnership with the South African chapter of MSC Cruises and empowerment investment entity Africa Armada Consortium.

This project is a significant undertaking for the consortium and represents MSC Cruises commitment to the South African economy, the company said. It is hoped that the terminal will help promote the countrys image among cruise passengers and provide jobs to many citizens.

"In addition to our commitment, our investment has included infrastructure development in Mozambique  a popular cruising destination for South Africans  and continued collaboration with the Namibian government, as Walvis Bay is one of the ports that MSC Cruises sails to. There are also knock-on benefits for the tourist industries in the destinations that MSC Cruises sails to, which have been enhanced by increased passenger volumes," MSC Cruises noted.

Variety of cruise holiday options

MSC Orchestra, a well-known vessel by local cruisers, will return to South African waters in November 2022, with approximately 40 sailings to Mozambique and to local destinations. Alongside MSC Orchestra is MSC Sinfonia, which will operate approximately 22 sailings out of Cape Town to Namibia and other local destinations.

The itineraries will vary from two to seven-night cruises, offering guests a wider choice of options to book their cruise holiday. The ships will alternate routes, providing South African cruisers with a wider choice of options to suit their holiday needs with more cruise destinations and packages on offer.

We are delighted to be bringing two ships to South Africa this upcoming season and we reaffirm our commitment to affordable and safe cruise holidays for South Africans, explained Ross Volk, MD for MSC Cruises South Africa.

Our dedication to playing our part in the recovery of the tourism sector in South Africa, has made it possible for us to create a second cruising hub in Cape Town. MSC Sinfonia will be permanently positioned in Cape Town for the duration of the cruise season and will serve our guests seeking a more cultural experience with our cruises to Namibia.

For guests wanting to explore more of our South African destinations we have cruises to Mossel Bay and for guests simply wanting to take time to rest and relax, our 'no-destination' cruises at sea provide the perfect getaway to enjoy the Indian and Atlantic Ocean sunrises and sunsets, continued Volk.

Guests wishing to experience an MSC Cruises holiday in the 2022/2023 season can already book any cruise on any of the two vessels.

We continuously strive to bring bigger and better offerings to this country, enriching our itineraries and making cruising more accessible, to more South Africans who are realising that a cruise is an affordable, convenient and exciting holiday option, concluded Volk.
According to chairperson of the Makuleke Communal Property Association (CPA), Mavis Hatlane, the community lived through a painful history when members who formerly inhabited the Kruger National Park were forcefully removed from the land in 1969. As a result, community members initially opposed the notion of conservation because of the racist approach that saw their removal.

Source: Supplied

Today, however, the Makuleke community is at the forefront of cutting-edge, socially conscious conservation. The Makuleke region of the Kruger National Park is firmly on a mission to harmonise the protection of biological diversity with the interests of the community.

Fine balance required

Maintaining the conservation of protected lands and heritage sites in land reform requires a fine balance as land remains a highly emotive issue, says Peter Setou, chief executive of the Vumelana Advisory Fund, a non-profit organisation that works with land reform beneficiaries to make their land productive by facilitating partnerships between communities and investors.

Conservation of restituted land and the need to develop the land for communities should not be mutually exclusive, but should complement each other, argues Setou. Communities should be able to reap the economic benefits from their ancestral land while maintaining the integrity of the land and the value of heritage sites, he adds.

The Makuleke CPAs land claim was finalised in 1998 and the CPA now owns 24,000ha in the Kruger National Park.

Since the finalisation of its claim, the community has benefitted from tourism projects in the Kruger National Park, Hatlane says.

With better understanding of conservation requirements, the community has been able to use the proceeds from tourism to develop community projects. The youth have also benefited from the land as they are involved in various capacity-building and skills-development programmes within and around the Kruger National Park.

Photographic tourism

When the land was returned to the community, the CPA sought advice from a number of organisations. Several suggestions were made based on the lands biodiversity status with options varying from hunting to farming to mining. After thorough consideration, we resolved to get involved in photographic tourism, Hatlane says.

The decision was not a seamless one, Hatlane notes, as there were a number of niggling issues to deal with including differences in interests with some community members wanting to pursue hunting and others farming.

However, she explains, the community came to a consensus and now has a co-management agreement with SANParks. As part of the agreement, the CPA and SANParks have a joint management board, with three members from each organisation. The board deals with strategic decisions with a focus on both conservation and business opportunities on the land.

Private-sector partners

The community has also established partnerships with private partners, Hatlane says. This came after the joint management board had looked into the matter, taking into consideration that the private partners would retain the conservation status of the land while at the same time contributing towards improving the livelihoods of community members.

SANParks role is to ensure the conservation of the land, and the community can use the land for commercial purposes while taking care to maintain conservation measures, Hatlane explains.

The community has come a long way in this process, and it has been crucial for the Makuleke Traditional Council to find a balance in meeting the needs of the community members while at the same time ensuring the protection of a biodiverse zone  bearing in mind that the land the community owns is a central part of the greater ecosystem of the Kruger National Park.

Benefits for generations to come

It is important that the Makuleke land is considered an ecozone and part of a transfrontier park, because that would be an acknowledgement that they have done the right thing by choosing tourism and that this will yield benefits for generations, Hatlane says.

The Makuleke CPA currently has two lodges, Return Africa and The Outpost, and a training institution, Makuleke Eco-Training. Some 70% of the workers at these three facilities come from the local community.

The CPA has also established partnerships with training institutions that focus on conservation and hospitality. These include the South African College for Tourism which offers hospitality training; the Southern African Wildlife College which provides field ranger and conservation-related studies like community-based natural resource management and responsible resource use; and the Tracker Academy which focuses on field guiding.
Representative of Chinese gov't attends former Japanese PM Abe's funeral in Japan

Xinhua) 10:06, September 29, 2022

Wan Gang (L), representative of the Chinese government and vice chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, shakes hands with former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's wife Akie Abe during the appreciation ceremony hosted by the Japanese government and Abe's family in Tokyo, Japan, Sept. 27, 2022. (Xinhua/Zhang Xiaoyu)

TOKYO, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- Wan Gang, representative of the Chinese government and vice chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, attended the state funeral of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and the appreciation ceremony hosted by the Japanese government and Abe's family in Tokyo on Tuesday.

Wan told the Japanese side that after the passing away of former Prime Minister Abe, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang sent messages of condolence to Prime Minister Fumio Kishida respectively, and Xi and his wife, Professor Peng Liyuan, sent a message of condolence to Abe's wife Akie Abe.

Wan said Abe made contributions to pushing forward improvement and development of China-Japan ties when serving the Japanese prime minister.

He said that on behalf of the Chinese government, he was in Tokyo to attend the funeral and extend condolences to the Japanese side.

Wan Gang (R), representative of the Chinese government and vice chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, shakes hands with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida during the appreciation ceremony hosted by the Japanese government and former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's family in Tokyo, Japan, Sept. 27, 2022. (Xinhua/Zhang Xiaoyu)

Wan Gang (R), representative of the Chinese government and vice chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, meets with Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno in Tokyo, Japan, Sept. 28, 2022. (Xinhua/Zhang Xiaoyu)

Prime Minister Kishida and Abe's family members talked with Wan, and thanked the Chinese government for sending representatives to attend the funeral.

When meeting with Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno on Wednesday, Wan said that leaders of the two countries reached an important consensus last year on building a China-Japan relationship that meets the requirements of the new era.

He said the two sides should take the consensus as a guidance, and the commemoration of the 50th anniversary of normalization of China-Japan diplomatic ties as an opportunity to promote the sound and steady development of bilateral relations.

Matsuno said Japan attaches great importance to developing ties with China, and is willing to work with China to implement the important consensus reached by leaders of the two countries, thus developing constructive and stable bilateral relations.

(Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun)
he Biden administration announced $1.1 billion in additional security assistance for Ukraine on Wednesday, bringing the U.S. commitment to more than $16.2 billion since Russias invasion in late February.

The announcement of the upcoming aid package, the 22nd such installment, follows referendums held in four Russian-occupied regions of Ukraine that are backed by Russian President Vladimir Putin. The votes, widely viewed as rigged and illegitimate, are to determine if Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson should become part of Russia. Theyve been criticized as a scheme by Putin to pave the way for Moscow to announce it has annexed more of Ukraine by the end of the week.

Earlier this week, the White House said the U.S. would never acknowledge the results of the sham referendum and would continue providing Kyiv with military and humanitarian support.

The latest U.S. security package consists of 18 High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems, or HIMARS, as well as munitions for those systems, 150 armored multipurpose vehicles, 150 tactical vehicles to tow weapons, 40 trucks and 80 trailers to transport heavy equipment, two radars for unmanned aerial systems, 20 multi-mission radars as well as secure communication systems and body armor.
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Despite privacy being one of the main concerns citizens have about central bank digital currencies (CBDCs), the heads of the United States (US) Federal Reserve and European Central Bank (ECB) have confirmed that their respective CBDCs will not be anonymous.

During an appearance at a Banque de France (Bank of France) event, the chairman of the Federal Reserve, Jerome Powell, said if the US were to pursue a central bank digital currency (CBDC), it would be identity verified and not anonymous.

We would be looking to balance privacy protection with identity verification, whichhas to be done, of course, in todays traditional banking system as well, Powell added.

The President of the European Central Bank (ECB), Christine Lagarde, acknowledged that privacy was one of the main concerns Europeans had about the European Unions (EUs) proposed CBDC, the digital euro. Despite these concerns, she confirmed that there would not be complete anonymity as there is withbank notes when using the digital euro.

There would be a limited level of disclosure and certainly not at the central bank level, Lagarde added.

Lagarde also noted that the ECB will decide whether to move into the prototype phase for the digital euro in 2023 and discussed the important characteristics of a potential digital euro. One of these characteristics would seemingly give the ECB the power to limit individual user balances.

We also believe that there should be well-designed safeguards that either would include limitations to the holdings or would include a sophisticated tiering system in terms of remuneration, in order to prevent that the digital euro become a very attractive investment more than a mean of payment, Lagarde said.

Powell and Lagardes comments reflect the concerns that citizens have raised about CBDCs as governments around the world are pushing to introduce them. The lack of anonymity erodes privacy because governments can see all of their citizens account balances and transactions while the safeguards that Lagarde referenced give governments an unprecedented level of control over how citizens spend and save their money.

Before these comments were made, the US had increasingly embraced the idea of a digital dollar and the EU had outlined its plans for a full rollout of the digital euro by 2026. Other countries, including the United Kingdom (UK) and Canada, have also started exploring CBDCs.

Even without the never before seen level of financial control that CBDCs would give to governments, some countries have already demonstrated that theyre willing to use their financial systems to target protestors. One of the most prominent examples of this was the Canadian governments actions against the Freedom Convoy which was protesting vaccine mandates. The Canadian government froze the bank accounts of protesters and their family members and gave protestors permanent records.

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European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen confirmed the Nord Stream pipeline system leaks were caused by "sabotage," and warned of the "strongest possible response" should active European energy infrastructure be attacked.

Spoke to @Statsmin Frederiksen on the sabotage action #Nordstream.



Paramount to now investigate the incidents, get full clarity on events & why.



Any deliberate disruption of active European energy infrastructure is unacceptable & will lead to the strongest possible response.  Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) September 27, 2022

Earlier, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen described the three separate leaks on NS1 and NS2 as "deliberate acts," adding: "Its hard to imagine that its accidental."

On Monday, Swedish seismologists reported the detection of underwater explosions - shortly after which large patches of roiling gas could be seen on the surface in the same area.

As rumors swirl over who is responsible for the incident, one message it sent was clear - vital systems are vulnerable to attack.

"The most important message that somebody wants to send, is what one is capable of doing with an offline pipeline can also be done with active pipelines, or undersea cables, or other infrastructure," said Julian Pawlak, a researcher at the German Institute for Defense and Strategic Studies, in a statement to the NY Times.

In response, Denmark and Norway announced increased security around their energy infrastructure, and Norway, now Europes most important producer of gas and oil, called for increased vigilance by all operators and vessel owners. In a statement, Norways energy minister, Terje Aasland, cited reports of increased drone activity around its coast, and said that much of what he had learned of the Nord Stream incidents indicates acts of sabotage. -NY Times And while Poland's former Defense Minister appeared to thank the United States for the attack (a perfectly good explanation for which we're sure is will be offered), Poland's PM, Mateusz Morawiecki, laid the blame on Russia for targeting the pipelines - suggesting that the attack was an attempt to escalate the Ukraine conflict. "We do not know the details of what happened yet, but we can clearly see that it is an act of sabotage," said Morawiecki, adding "An act that probably marks the next stage in the escalation of this situation in Ukraine."

* * *

Update (1445ET):

German magazine Spiegel said the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) recently warned Berlin about the increasing signs of a possible planned attack on the Nord Stream pipeline system.

Spiegel reported, citing unnamed sources, that the CIA tipped off Berlin in the summer about possible attacks on NS1 and NS2.

CIA warned Germany weeks ago of coming attack on natural gas pipelines Nord Stream I & II (from Russia to Germany), reports Der Spiegel.



Russia could have pulled off such an attack but It is difficult to see whether Russia or Ukraine could have an interest in such an incident pic.twitter.com/7jZWvYdhgI  Michael Shellenberger (@ShellenbergerMD) September 27, 2022

From Ukraine's point of view, the permanent interruption of gas supplies from Russia to Germany would be a possible interest in the room. On the contrary, there would be immense political disadvantages that could arise from an attack. pic.twitter.com/qziRb1gFUF  Michael Shellenberger (@ShellenbergerMD) September 27, 2022

* * *

Update (1415 ET):

Prime Minister of Denmark Mette Frederiksen told reporters Nord Stream pipeline system damage to NS1 and NS2 "are deliberate actions, not an accident."

"It is now the clear assessment by authorities that these are deliberate actions. It was not an accident. "There is no information yet to indicate who may be behind this action, Frederiksen said, adding that authorities don't see NS1 and NS2 damage as a military threat against Denmark.

Danish gov speaking live now on Nord Stream leaks.



PM Mette Frederiksen "These are deliberate actions, not an accident." pic.twitter.com/UMw4MOUgc9  Carl Fridh Kleberg (@FridhKleberg) September 27, 2022

* * *

Update (1215ET):

CNN's White House and national security reporter Natasha Bertrand said the Biden administration "is not going to speculate on the cause" of the Nord Stream pipeline system damage to NS1 and NS2.

"The US stands ready to support European partners' efforts as they investigate," Bertrand said.

Another CNN national security reporter, Kylie Atwood, tweeted that US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said it would be "in no one's interest" if NS leaks were confirmed as the result of an attack or sabotage.

Sec Blinken cites initial reports that the nord stream leaks may be the result of an attack or sabotage, which he says are not confirmed. But if they are confirmed he says such an attack is in no ones interest.  Kylie Atwood (@kylieatwood) September 27, 2022

Remember what Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs Victoria Nuland said earlier this year...

January 27, 2022 VICTORIA NULAND: If Russia invades Ukraine, one way or another, Nord Stream 2 will not move forward. pic.twitter.com/gYSaMd0yJc  AZ  (@AZmilitary1) September 27, 2022

* * *

Update (1025ET):

AFP News reported the US is 'ready to provide support' to Europe after the Nord Stream pipeline system leaks.

There was no further information on what type of support, but one can only imagine it would involve increased LNG cargo shipments to the EU.

There's only one issue...

And then watch these floating hindenburgs encounter unexpected if catastrophic "events" as they sail to Europe https://t.co/aoMOWxWDry  zerohedge (@zerohedge) September 26, 2022

* * *

Update (0932ET):

Swedish broadcaster SVT reported that the Swedish National Seismic Network detected two underwater explosions near the Nord Stream pipeline system on Monday.

"One of the explosions had a magnitude of 2.3, and was registered at as many as 30 measuring stations in southern Sweden," SVT said.

Bjorn Lund, a professor in seismology and director of the Swedish National Seismic Network, said these two seismic events were explosions.

Here's a map of the three leaks on the Nord Stream pipeline system.

All blasts seem to be just outside territorial waters (though within EEZ) - that has potential legal implications regarding interference with sovereignty



Also interesting is whether sheer size of methane bubbles (1km diameter) moves it back inside Danish territory... https://t.co/a3l0q0bByk  David Sheppard (@OilSheppard) September 27, 2022

Bloomberg's Javier Blas said the size of the "gas leak is huge."

The size of the Nord Stream pipeline gas leak is huge.



According to the Danish armed forces, it measures about 1 kilometer in diameter. The smaller circle in the center is approximately 200 meters wide https://t.co/7FJQNN5hNg  Javier Blas (@JavierBlas) September 27, 2022

So the question remains what (or who) caused the blasts?

Remember what President Biden said weeks before Russia invaded Ukraine:

"If Russia invades...then there will be no longer a Nord Stream 2. We will bring an end to it."

No biggie, just a major gas leak in Nordstream 2 and suspected sabotage, its a real mystery whats going on  https://t.co/azIM4DF58T  Kyle Becker (@kylenabecker) September 27, 2022

* * *

Update (0920ET):

Swedish daily newspaper Aftonbaldet quoted the Swedish Defense Force's chief of operations, Michael Claesson, who said it's not ruled out that there's a connection to the gas leaks and Russia's mobilization last week.

Claesson then told the paper that the incident was a "military matter."

* * *

Update (0910ET):

Danish Defense Forces published the first images of the gas leaks from the Nord Stream pipeline system near the exclusive economic zone southeast of Bornholm island, according to the Swedish daily newspaper Aftonbaldet.

The first images show a large surface area of gas bubbles in the Baltic Sea.

Here are more images of one of the leaks.

Another leak was reported by the Danish Defense Forces to be 1 kilometer in diameter on the surface water.

UPDATE - The surface area of the largest Nord Stream gas leak shows a "disturbance" of well over 1 kilometer in diameter, according to the Danish armed forces. pic.twitter.com/u0r4cGjImo  Disclose.tv (@disclosetv) September 27, 2022

This is an absolutely massive leak.

A handful of EU officials suspect the pipelines were sabotaged.

* * *

Update (0842ET):

Swedens government held a crisis management meeting with other public authorities over the damage to the Nord Stream pipeline system, Swedish daily newspaper Aftonbaldet said, citing comments from Foreign Minister Ann Linde.

Linde said Sweden may discuss the pipeline damage with Denmark later today.

Denmark is tightening security around all energy assets as some European officials speculate the NS pipeline system was sabotaged.

* * *

The plot thickens about what caused damage to three lines of the Nord Stream gas-pipeline system under the Baltic Sea to Europe as some European officials now suspect sabotage.

Nord Stream AG, the operator of the NS pipeline system, published a statement Tuesday that read, "the destruction that happened within one day at three lines of the Nord Stream pipeline system is unprecedented ... and impossible now to estimate the timeframe for restoring operations of the gas shipment infrastructure."

On Monday, NS2 gas pipeline and two NS1 lines reported rapid pressure drops, with gas leaks reported by Swedish and Danish authorities in the Baltic Sea near the exclusive economic zone southeast of Bornholm island.

A more in-depth view of the incident area.

Pressure drops in the NS gas-pipeline system could be the biggest signal that flows via NS1 might not resume this winter. Germany and surrounding countries are investigating the incident. NS2 cannot impact flows to the EU because the controversial idled conduit was never operational after German Chancellor Olaf Scholz canceled it after Russia invaded Ukraine earlier this year.

Klaus Mueller, the president of the German energy network regulator, tweeted that the market situation remains "tense," but Germany and the EU are no longer dependent on NS supplies.

Nord Stream AG issued an outage message that is active until Oct. 26, while the German economy ministry said it's investigating the incident.

Dutch front-month gas, the European benchmark, was up nearly 10% at 190.50 euros per megawatt-hour on Tuesday morning.

The simultaneous pressure drop of the NS lines suggests some market participants may watch for any indication of sabotage.

Denmark's Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said it was hard to imagine NS gas leaks were caused by a "coincidence."

Frederiksen didn't rule out sabotage, though she said it was too early to draw any conclusions, according to Reuters, quoting public broadcaster DR during a visit to Poland.

A German security official told Bloomberg that NS damage appears to be the result of "sabotage."

The evidence points to a violent act, rather than a technical issue, according to a German security official, who asked not to be identified because the matter is being probed. -Bloomberg

German daily newspaper Tagesspiegel reported that "the Nord Stream pipelines may have been damaged by targeted attacks and leaked as a result."

A source close to the government, quoted in the newspaper, said, "everything speaks against a coincidence."

"We cannot imagine a scenario that is not a targeted attack," the source said.

Die Welt, another German newspaper, reported the timing of the NS damage may suggest sabotage and was unlikely to be an accident.

Reporters asked Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov if the NS system's pressure drop could be due to sabotage. He responded: "It is impossible to exclude any options."

There appears to be no immediate end to the gas leak from NS pipelines, according to the Danish national daily newspaper Berlingske, which quoted Danish Energy Authority.

DANISH ENERGY AUTHORITY: GAS LEAKS FROM NORD STREAM PIPELINES WILL CONTINUE FOR DAYS -NEWSPAPER BERLINGSKE  zerohedge (@zerohedge) September 27, 2022

The energy authority said, "a lot of gas is coming out, so it is not a small crack, it's a really big hole. Nord Stream leaks can be a deliberate act, but it can also be something else, it's just extremely rare that something like this happens."
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The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has increased its investment in digital ID projects through part of a $1.27 billion package to support global health and development projects. Part of the funding, $200 million, will go to digital public infrastructure, including civil registry databases and digital ID.

The announcement followed the annual Goalkeepers Report, an annual assessment report on the UNs Sustainable Development Goals (UN SGD). The UN set a goal (goal 16.9) for a global legal identity by 2030, and the report said that the world will not make that deadline. A podcast is available on the plans here.

To achieve that goal, digital identity programs are supposedly needed.

The 2019 Goalkeepers Report touted biometrics as one of the technologies needed for the equitable redistribution of resources in developing nations.

The $200 million will also support data sharing systems and interoperable payments systems.

The Gates Foundation supports several digital ID-related programs, including the MOSIP, an open-source digital ID platform.
In so many of the little places of everyday life in which life is lived out, somehow democracy doesn't exist. And one of the creeping hands of totalitarianism running through the democracy is the Federal Bureau of Investigation Because why does the FBI do all this? To scare the hell out of people They work for the establishment and the corporations and the politicos to keep things as they are. And they want to frighten and chill the people who are trying to change things.Howard Zinn, historian

Discredit, disrupt, and destroy.

That is how the government plans to get rid of activists and dissidents who stand in its way.

This has always been the modus operandi of the FBI (more aptly referred to as the Federal Bureau of Intimidation): muzzle anti-government sentiment, harass activists, and terrorize Americans into compliance.

Indeed, the FBI has a long history of persecuting, prosecuting and generally harassing activists, politicians, and cultural figures.

Back in the 1950s and 60s, the FBIs targets were civil rights activists, those suspected of having Communist ties, and anti-war activists. In more recent decades, the FBI has expanded its reach to target so-called domestic extremists, environmental activists, and those who oppose the police state.

Back in 2019, President Trump promised to give the FBI whatever they need to investigate and disrupt hate crimes and domestic terrorism, without any apparent thought for the Constitutions prohibitions on such overreach.

That misguided pledge sheds a curious light on the FBIs latest nationwide spree of SWAT team raids, surveillance, disinformation campaigns, fear-mongering, paranoia, and strong-arm tactics.

For instance, just before dawn on Jan. 25, 2019, the FBI sent 29 heavily armed agents in 17 vehicles to carry out a SWAT-style raid on the Florida home of Roger Stone, one of President Trumps longtime supporters. Stone, charged with a political crime, was taken away in handcuffs.

In March 2021, under the pretext of carrying out an inventory of U.S. Private Vaults, FBI agents raided 1400 safe deposit boxes in Beverly Hills, seizing more than $86 million in cash as well as gold, jewelry, and other valuables from property owners who were suspected of no crimes.

In April 2021, FBI agents raided Rudy Giulianis home and office, seizing 18 electronic devices. More than a year later, Giuliani has yet to be charged with any crimes.

In June 2022, Jeffrey Clark, a former Justice Department official under the Trump Administration, was led out of his home in pajamas while federal law enforcement officials raided his home.

In the summer of 2022, FBI agents wearing tactical gear including body armor, helmets and camouflage uniforms and carrying rifles raided multiple homes throughout Little Rock, Ark., including a judges home.

In August 2022, more than a dozen FBI agents searched Mar-a-Lago, the winter home of Donald Trump.

And in September 2022, 25 to 30 armed FBI agents raided the home of an anti-abortion activist, pointing guns at the family and terrorizing the mans wife and seven children.

Politics aside, the message is clear: this is how the government will deal with anyone who challenges its authority.

Youre next.

Unfortunately, while these overreaching, heavy-handed lessons in how to rule by force have become standard operating procedure for a government that communicates with its citizenry primarily through the language of brutality, intimidation and fear, none of this is new.

The government has been playing these mind games for a long time.

As Betty Medsger, an investigative reporter for The Washington Post, noted in 1971, the FBI was engaged in practices that had never been reported, probably were unconstitutional, and were counter to the publics understanding of the agencys purpose.

The objective: target anti-government dissenters for wide-scale harassment, widespread surveillance and intimidation in order to enhance their paranoia and make them think there was an FBI agent behind every mailbox.

Medsger, the recipient of stolen government files that provided a glimpse into the workings of the nations most powerful law enforcement agency, would later learn that between 1956 and 1971, the FBI conducted an intensive domestic intelligence program, termed COINTELPRO, intended to neutralize domestic political dissidents.

The explicit objective, according to one FBI memo: expose, disrupt, misdirect, discredit, or otherwise neutralize perceived threats to the governments power.

As Congressman Steve Cohen explains, COINTELPRO was set up to surveil and disrupt groups and movements that the FBI found threatening many groups, including anti-war, student, and environmental activists, and the New Left were harassed, infiltrated, falsely accused of criminal activity .

Sound familiar? The more things change, the more they stay the same.

Those targeted by the FBI under COINTELPRO for its intimidation, surveillance and smear campaigns included: Martin Luther King Jr., Malcom X, the Black Panther Party, Billie Holiday, Emma Goldman, Aretha Franklin, Charlie Chaplin, Ernest Hemingway, Felix Frankfurter, John Lennon, and hundreds more.

Among those most closely watched by the FBI was King, a man labeled by the FBI as the most dangerous and effective Negro leader in the country. All told, the FBI collected 17,000 pages of materials on King.

With wiretaps and electronic bugs planted in his home and office, King was kept under constant surveillance by the FBI with the aim of neutralizing him. He even received blackmail letters written by FBI agents suggesting that he either commit suicide or the details of his private life would be revealed to the public. The FBI kept up its pursuit of King until he was felled by a hollow-point bullet to the head in 1968.

John Lennon, a vocal peace protester and anti-war activist, was another high-profile example of the lengths to which the Deep State will go to persecute those who dare to challenge its authority.

Lennon was singled out for daring to speak truth to power about the governments warmongering, his phone calls monitored and data files illegally collected on his activities and associations.

For a while, at least, Lennon became enemy number one in the eyes of the U.S. government.

Years after Lennons assassination, it would be revealed that the FBI had collected 281 pages of files on him, including song lyrics.

J. Edgar Hoover, head of the FBI at the time, directed the agency to spy on the musician. There were also various written orders calling on government agents to frame Lennon for a drug bust. The FBIs files on Lennon  read like the writings of a paranoid goody-two-shoes, observed reporter Jonathan Curiel.

As the New York Times notes, Critics of todays domestic surveillance object largely on privacy grounds. They have focused far less on how easily government surveillance can become an instrument for the people in power to try to hold on to power. The U.S. vs. John Lennon  is the story not only of one man being harassed, but of a democracy being undermined.

Indeed, all of the many complaints we have about government todaysurveillance, militarism, corruption, harassment, SWAT team raids, political persecution, spying, overcriminalization, etc.were present in Lennons day and formed the basis of his call for social justice, peace and a populist revolution. As Adam Cohen of the New York Times points out, The F.B.I.s surveillance of Lennon is a reminder of how easily domestic spying can become unmoored from any legitimate law enforcement purpose. What is more surprising, and ultimately more unsettling, is the degree to which the surveillance turns out to have been intertwined with electoral politics.

The Church Committee, the Senate task force charged with investigating COINTELPRO abuses in 1975, echoed these concerns about the governments abuses:

Too many people have been spied upon by too many Government agencies and too much information has been collected. The Government has often undertaken the secret surveillance of citizens on the basis of their political beliefs, even when those beliefs posed no threat of violence or illegal acts on behalf of a hostile foreign power.

The report continued:

Groups and individuals have been harassed and disrupted because of their political views and their lifestyles. Investigations have been based upon vague standards whose breadth made excessive collection inevitable. Unsavory and vicious tactics have been employedincluding anonymous attempts to break up marriages, disrupt meetings, ostracize persons from their professions, and provoke target groups into rivalries that might result in deaths. Intelligence agencies have served the political and personal objectives of presidents and other high officials.

Fifty years later, were still having this same debate about the perils of government overreach.

For too long now, the American people have allowed their personal prejudices and politics to cloud their judgment and render them incapable of seeing that the treatment being doled out by the governments lethal enforcers has remained consistent, no matter the threat.

The lesson to be learned is this: whatever dangerous practices you allow the government to carry out now, rest assured, these same practices can and will be used against you when the government decides to set its sights on you.

All of the excessive, abusive tactics employed by the government and its henchmen today will eventually be meted out on the general populace.

At that point, when you find yourself in the governments crosshairs, it will not matter whether your skin is black or yellow or brown or white; it will not matter whether youre an immigrant or a citizen; it will not matter whether youre rich or poor; it will not matter whether youre Republican or Democrat; and it certainly wont matter who you voted for in the last presidential election.

At that pointwhen you find yourself subjected to dehumanizing, demoralizing, thuggish behavior by government bureaucrats who are hyped up on the power of their badges and empowered to detain, search, interrogate, threaten and generally harass anyone they see fitremember you were warned.

Frankly, as I point out in my book Battlefield America: The War on the American People and in its fictional counterpart The Erik Blair Diaries, we are long past the point where we should be merely alarmed.

These are no longer experiments on our freedoms.

These are acts of aggression by a government that is no friend to freedom.

WC: 1676
According to a report by German magazine Der Spiegel, the CIA warned Berlin about a potential attack on gas pipelines in the Baltic Sea weeks ago.

Citing several people familiar with the matter, the publication reports that a tip from the US spy agency was received in Berlin during the summer.

As we highlighted yesterday, Germanys initial response to the incident was that it was likely to be a targeted attack carried out by either Russia or Ukraine.

German investigators concluded that attack had to be deliberate because it would have been carried out by special forces, navy divers or a submarine which were able to reach the bottom of the sea and place mines or explosives.

Although not ruling out that the attack could have been a Russian false flag, the only perceived motive would have been to blame other parties for the incident, Der Spiegel reported, while acknowledging that a permanent interruption of gas supplies from Russia would be in Ukraines interest.

CIA warned Germany weeks ago of coming attack on natural gas pipelines Nord Stream I & II (from Russia to Germany), reports Der Spiegel. Russia could have pulled off such an attack but It is difficult to see whether Russia or Ukraine could have an interest in such an incident pic.twitter.com/7jZWvYdhgI  Michael Shellenberger (@ShellenbergerMD) September 27, 2022

Ukraine has inevitably blamed Russia, although why Moscow would sabotage two pipelines that werent even transporting gas to Europe remains a mystery.

Others have suggested the U.S. is to blame, including former Polish Defense Minister, Radek Sikorski, who appeared to thanks Washington for carrying out the attack in a tweet.

As Chris Menahan explains, Sikorski is married to arch-neocon Anne Applebaum and attended the Bilderberg meeting earlier this year, meaning he is very much part of the global elite.

If the CIA bombed these civilian pipelines thats an insane act of war that will further devastate Europes economy and risk a full-blown war with Russia, he writes.

However, Polands Secretary of State, Stanislaw Zaryn, accused Sikorki of amplifying Russian propaganda.

Authenticating the Russian lies at this particular moment jeopardizes the security of Poland. What an act of gross irresponsibility! wrote Zaryn.

Russian #propaganda instantly launched a smear campaign against Poland, the US and Ukraine, accusing the West of aggression against #NS1 and #NS2. Authenticating the Russian lies at this particular moment jeopardizes the security of Poland.

What an act of gross irresponsibility! pic.twitter.com/S9YJKRCv9B  Stanisaw Zaryn (@StZaryn) September 27, 2022

Others have pointed to Joe Bidens promise that he would bring an end to Nord Stream 2 if Russia attacked Ukraine.

Pres. Biden: "If Russia invadesthen there will be no longer a Nord Stream 2. We will bring an end to it." Reporter: "But how will you do that, exactly, sincethe project is in Germany's control?" Biden: "I promise you, we will be able to do that." https://t.co/uruQ4F4zM9 pic.twitter.com/4ksDaaU0YC  ABC News (@ABC) February 7, 2022

Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs Victoria Nuland also previously insisted, If Russia invades Ukraine, one way or another, Nord Stream 2 will not move forward.

January 27, 2022 VICTORIA NULAND: If Russia invades Ukraine, one way or another, Nord Stream 2 will not move forward. pic.twitter.com/gYSaMd0yJc  AZ  (@AZmilitary1) September 27, 2022

Denmark became the latest country to announce that it had detected seismic blasts immediately before the leak, adding it believed deliberate actions by unknown perpetrators were responsible.

It is the authorities clear assessment that these are deliberate actions - not accidents, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said.
The major foreign investor in Santos Barossa gas export project could lose $506 million of South Korean government funding unless the emissions-heavy project embraces carbon capture and storage or it buys millions of tonnes of carbon offsets.

If no carbon reduction action is taken, the Export-Import Bank of Korea will consider it a breach of contract and take action to recover the $US330 million ($506 million) it loaned SK, which owns 37.5 per cent of Barossa, according to a response from the bank to a question from a South Korean parliamentary representative.

Santos must cease drilling in the Barossa gas field north of the Tiwi Islands, a court has ruled. Credit:Santos

SK, one of South Koreas largest family-run conglomerates or chaebols, together with Japanese power generator JERA and Santos, committed to build Barossa in March 2021 for $US3.6 billion.

SK oil and gas subsidiary SK E&S also received a $US330 million loan from the Korea Trade Insurance Corporation.
Less than two years after announcing their intention to give away a vast fortune together, billionaire philanthropist MacKenzie Scott and her husband, Dan Jewett, a former science teacher, are parting ways.

Scott filed a petition for divorce in the King County Superior Court in Washington state on Monday, according to a copy of the filing. The breakup punctuates an eventful period for Scott, who in less than four years got divorced from her longtime husband, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, gave away more than $US12 billion ($18.4b) to non-profits and married an instructor at the prestigious school attended by her children.

Mackenzie Scott. Credit:AP

Court records show Jewett did not contest the divorce. The petition says any division of property is laid out in a separation contract, agreed to by the couple, which is not public. Both still live in King County, the filing says, which includes the city of Seattle.

Their marriage, which garnered significant public attention after Scotts divorce from the worlds richest man, had also been a philanthropic partnership, with Jewett publicly promising to join her in donating their enormous fortune to good causes.
Trouble is, the police say they never saw any CCTV footage, that their request for the material was refused, and they were also perplexed by the claims of powers that be driving the activities of the Colac cops, with Victoria Police telling CBD that the officers showed up at Riordans office in response to calls from the public. Maybe, before producing their report, somebody from the committee should have called the cops. LAW PROFILE Christian Porter is a hard man to find. The former attorney-general, whose meteoric rise was haunted by the future prime minister tag, and whose political career unravelled after a historical sexual assault allegation (which he firmly denies), is keeping a low profile out west. After setting up a company  Henley Stirling Lawyers  of which hes sole director earlier this year, and quitting politics at the election, Porters managed to land a smattering of legal work.

Christian Porter has returned to the law in Perth. Credit:Nine News Perth Most prominently, he joined underworld figure Mick Gattos legal team for a High Court defamation battle with the ABC, alongside Guy Reynolds, SC, and former George Brandis legal advisor Daniel Ward. He also appeared as defence counsel in a Perth gun heist trial. And most recently, CBDs spies spotted him rushing into the Perth Magistrates Court on Wednesday, to do battle with a senior police constable. Its quite the step-down from the ministerial wing. But those hoping to avail themselves of Porters legal mind might have trouble. His name doesnt appear on the WA Bar Associations list of barristers, or with any of Perths chambers. No address or phone number is easily available for Henley Stirling, unless you go through the rigmarole of a paid Australian Securities and Investments Commission search, which turns up office space in a building shared with a cafe, beauty salon and massage parlour.

The point is, if you want Porter, youd better know the right people. Looks like Gatto did. AFTERLIVES Staying with lives after politics, former member for Goldstein Tim Wilson was recently spotted getting takeaway coffee at Peregian Beach near Noosa. And he said it wouldnt be easy under Albanese! Then theres Dave Sharma, the only Liberal to lose Wentworth twice, whose LinkedIn describes him as a stay at home dad. Hes done what any self-respecting bored wonk might, and joined the much-hyped newsletter platform substack. Loyal followers of the one-term MP and former diplomat will be able to read his analysis of the weeks most significant global developments.

FRONTING UP On Thursday, Rupert Murdochs The Australians front page had a very spicy story about the sordid world of organised crime. That story has now disappeared, scrubbed from history after the paper realised it had made a huge mistake, and published details in breach of a non-publication order. So desperate was The Oz to airbrush the error that the online version of the print paper now has a completely new front page. When contacted by CBD a spokesperson for News Corp said: The Australian acted responsibly in taking down the article from its website once it was put on notice of the non-publication order today. The Australian had no knowledge or notice of the non-publication order until today, after the article had been published.

We hear the whole thing was an unfortunate administrative error. Very unfortunate indeed, given breaching a such an order can put a publication at risk of criminal proceedings for contempt of court. In a different context, thats something Australian news outlets, including this very masthead, know all too well, after fines were doled out over reporting on Cardinal George Pells now-quashed criminal conviction that breached a Victorian suppression order. The moral of the story here? Always read the fine print. JUDGE PRIVATE CBD was delighted to hear of Jayne Jagots appointment to the High Court on Thursday morning. Its been a long time coming, with the 14-year Federal Court veteran considered a contender to fill the last few vacancies. It means our High Court, a male-only institution until 1987, is now a majority female one. But that bit of history might be about all we get to know about the judge, described at her 2008 swearing-in by soon-to-be Federal Court colleague Anna Katzmann as exceedingly private.

Your Honour guards your privacy so tightly that even your closest friends dont know who you are, Katzmann said. This got me thinking that your Honour was part of an elaborate witness protection program. Justice Jayne Jagot has been appointed to the High Court. Credit:Peter Rae Katzmann then joked that Jagot had an alter ego as Lorelei, author of The Mistress Manual: The Good Girls Guide to Female Dominance because her written submissions were, like the manual, well-thought-out and easy to follow. Jagot, who is married to former judge and child sex abuse royal commission chair Peter McClellan in yet another of those legal fraternity power couples, is also described by Katzmann as having never been seen in a frock.
Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size Its not often that laundry troughs and washing powder are elevated to the status of art, but a new show opening at NGV on October 6 casts the humdrum act of cleaning clothes in a new light. La ropa sucia se lava en casa (Dirty clothes are washed at home), 2022, by Mexican architect Tatiana Bilbao, is a vast mixed-media installation that includes a mural depicting laundry scenes, 16 large concrete troughs, and patchwork textiles that might well be hanging from a backyard Hills Hoist. Bilbaos celebration of this traditionally female chore is the first of five annual joint commissions by MECCA and the NGV that will celebrate the work of women designers. We think of architecture as shelter protecting the body, but the first physical layer of protection of our body is clothes, Bilbao tells me, via Zoom from Mexico City. In order for us to have clean clothes, to be able to protect our body from anything, theres a labour involved in it that is often disregarded. It was really important to speak about laundry because it involves these two things. Architect Tatiana Bilbao: Care should be the primary concern of all buildings. Credit: Architecture is not just about the most interesting kind of somersault jump that structure can do, she declares. Care should be the primary concern of all buildings. We live in this fiction that in order for us to exist, we need to produce. The city is completely, totally designed and surrendered for production. Renowned for inspirational low-cost social housing projects in Mexico, alongside collaborations with international architect Jacques Herzog and artist Ai Weiwei, Bilbaos work is held by the Centre Pompidou, the Carnegie Museum of Art and the Art Institute of Chicago. Former New York Times architecture critic Nicolai Ouroussoff lists her among a small and important group including international Pritzker prizewinners Shigeru Ban and Alejandro Aravena that has sought, cautiously at first, to retrieve some of architectures spirit of social responsibility. La ropa sucia se lava en casa (Dirty clothes are washed at home), 2022. Credit:Tatiana Bilbao

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NGV design curator Simone LeAmon describes La ropa sucia se lava en casa as both a provocation and call to action. [Its designed] to engage the public with how architecture is informed around attitudes, beliefs, historical agendas and society in any given moment. Its also an opportunity to speak to the profession and say why arent you interrogating this site? Its not implausible to reconceive the laundry. It was a radical gesture to go to open-plan living and tear down walls. Now we adore it. The debate about how domestic spaces impact on the lives of women goes back decades. A comfortable concentration camp is how author Betty Friedan witheringly described the postwar single-family home. Walled up in the suburbs [women] sometimes seemed as infantile as their children. These hothouses nurtured anxiety and a sense of inferiority among women, slave to what the pioneering second-wave feminist termed a feminine mystique. Loading Late-20th century feminists werent the first to rail against domestic constrictions and patriarchal constructions. A century earlier first-wave feminists were rethinking the design of domestic work spaces. In her book The Grand Domestic Revolution, urban theorist Dolores Hayden outlines the work of the material feminists, who designed spaces in which child-rearing, kitchen and laundry duties would be shared. Somewhat surprisingly their ideas were indebted to a man  utopian socialist Charles Fourier. He not only coined the term feminism but believed the [isolated] household could never represent the best development of human sociability, talent and culture. Nevertheless, the single family home prevailed and suburbs proliferated, supercharged in the postwar era by industrialists retooling their wartime manufacturing to pump out a plethora of must-have white goods and labour-saving devices. The mural at the heart of La ropa sucia se lava en casa busts women out of the home and into shared spaces, from communal laundries to fountains and riverbanks. Created using Bilbaos signature working process of collage, it is spread across the NGV design gallerys four walls, depicting laundry scenes from Mexico, centring on the 18th century communal laundry located in the town of Huichapan, Hidalgo. A stylised approximation of the laundry, with 16 large concrete troughs configured in pairs, runs the length of the gallery space, along with typologies of washing lines  from the Hills Hoist to balcony clothing lines. Draped across them are six large patchwork textiles designed in workshops Bilbao conducted in Mexico City, Berlin and Melbourne.

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Tatiana asked participants to bring an item that carries some great significance to the individual, that evokes a strong memory of a person that once washed the clothing, or an item they washed on numerous occasions for another loved one, Le Amon says. Cut, reconfigured and stitched together to form a patchwork, each textile is interwoven with an annotated ribbon bearing the name of the maker and the person to whom the piece of cloth is connected. If the wall collage of laundresses rekindles traditions of Mexican muralism valorising noble workers, the quilts recall the 1970s feminist collages of artists such as Miriam Schapiro. Tatiana Bilbao leads a workshop in Mexico City. Credit: While Bilbao is all in with 70s feminist activist roots, she acknowledges that its disappointing to still need to strive for equality. As a teacher at Yale School of Architecture, Bilbao sought counsel from Hayden, its emerita professor. She explained that if we belong to a system that is absolutely dependent on exploiting something or someone, this is never going to change, Bilbao says. Its not only not getting better, its getting worse. Bilbao believes that if households were redesigned, these essential tasks could be shared with more people and valued. In Mexico, too, the tradition of shared laundry has been lost, she says. People dont have time. They need to produce. Yet as COVID lockdowns highlighted, when we have time out and government financial support, people participate more in their community, even while domestic stereotypes prevail. During COVID, mens [domestic] work increased but women had increased more again, says Professor Lyn Craig, a domestic labour expert at the University of Melbourne. Also it was much more commonly the woman who was trying to work online at the kitchen table with the kids in the same room. Men [tended to have] first claim on the study or bedroom where you could work uninterrupted.

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Whether design changes can also change societal stereotypes will be a work in progress. How locals are sharing the load Feminists werent alone in experimenting and reconfiguring the home around shared tasks. In the US  and to a lesser extent Australia  co-housing emerged in the 1980s as an antidote to both sustainability concerns and housing unaffordability. Local examples range from the pioneering Murundaka at Heidelberg Heights, which opened in 2011, to the recent Urban Coup in Brunswick. Winc in Daylesford comprises a determined group of older women, potential role models to their peer group  the fastest growing demographic of homeless people in Australia. The defining feature of co-housing is they are intentional communities who are controlling the outcome, they are the project initiators and the managers of the building, says housing diversity advocate Andy Fergus. The common area at Murundaka. Credit:Paul Jeffers Fergus believes Bilbaos radical provocation of kitchen-less, laundry-less households has niche appeal. The reality of that type of living is its happening in corporatised co-living and student accommodation more than its happening in co-housing. Most co-housing projects in the Australian context have the choice: a fully functioning private dwelling and an exceptional additional facility. Rather than the intensity of co-living, co-housing finds a sweet spot in 25-30 discrete households sharing a large common house containing a commercial kitchen and communal lounge at Murundaka. Without it, you cant really call yourself co-housing, co-founder Giselle Wilkinson says. Its everybodys extra bit of lounge-room. Weve shrunk our individual footprints in lieu of the extra space we get through the common facilities and amenity.

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Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size I was 10 when Xanadu was released. Rated one of the worst films made, the story was thin and the acting even worse, but there was nothing better than the disco pop soundtrack and the love scenes on wheels. Olivia Newton-John and her white skates kickstarted my skating obsession. Rollerskating was huge when I was a teenager, and skating skills coveted, backwards skating being the greatest test of them all. It was featured in many films; among my favourites are the opening scene of Cant Stop the Music, with Steve Guttenberg rollerskating through the streets of Manhattan; the science fiction film Rollerball featuring James Caan, and Miss Piggys chase scene through Central Park in The Muppets Take Manhattan. No matter the context, rollerskating became synonymous with freedom and independence. At the Bayswater Roller City rink in 1980, I learned to skate in white Redstones with red wheels and long red laces that Id knot together so I could sling them over my shoulder. I had a variety of outfits that rivalled Rollergirl in Boogie Nights. Tiny skirts, tiny shorts, tiny everything. I wasnt as smooth as she was, and I did at least take my skates off when I left the rink, but skating was everything to me. At Roller City, I always wished I was a little older so I could couple-skate. From left, Olivia Newton-John in Xanadu, Elliot Page in Whip it and Heather Graham as Rollergirl in Boogie Nights. Instead Id skate for hours with my best girlfriend, talking non-stop: one of us skating backwards so the conversation wasnt interrupted. We had endless crushes and witnessed fights to the soundtrack of our favourite Countdown songs that wed later tape from the radio at home, missing the beginning when we didnt press the record button in time. Years later, in 2010, another film gave me a new perspective on skating. I was recovering at home after having my gallbladder removed. Mum was staying over to help look after me and the kids while my partner was working interstate. One afternoon, when my two-year-old son was napping, Mum and I lay in bed with a bowl of slightly burned popcorn and argued over what to watch. Pulling the patient card, I chose Drew Barrymores directorial debut, Whip It, about a small-town misfit who finds her true passion in a roller derby team. I was still sore from the operation, so a film about tough women skaters smashing bodies and breaking bones may have been an odd choice. Mum groaned at the idea of watching a coming-of-age film about derby, but within minutes we were both taken with the mother-daughter storyline, the hapless team of losers who do good, and the teenage girl desperate to break out of narrow expectations.

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Loading Whip It wasnt massive at the time but has since found limited cult success, and it should be remembered because of the world it depicts, and because its a witty, smart and inclusive story of women being applauded for being brutally physical. Watching the cast of Whip It skate with purpose and violence offered a stark contrast to the glamour of Olivia Newton-John in Xanadu. As I watched Elliot Pages character fall in love with the sport in the film, I wanted nothing more than to be on skates, busting through a line of bodies, avoiding an elbow to the face, and doing it all while wearing fishnet stockings, tattoos and a face full of make-up. Roller derby started in America in the 1930s, at a time when women were not encouraged to participate in professional sports. Male and female teams played by the same rules, and it was quickly dominated by women. I like to think it was the appeal of being aggressive with their bodies that attracted so many women. We now applaud AFLW as a contact sport, but roller derby was happening for women long before Aussie rules. I like to think it was the appeal of being aggressive with their bodies that attracted so many women. When my son was invited to a birthday party at Skaterz in Eltham eight years later, I went along. I hadnt skated since the 80s, but when I strapped on those hire skates, and took to that rink, it didnt take many laps for my body to remember. I couldnt do crossovers any more, or skate crouching down, but I managed to keep up. Even though I was older and more fearful, worried about injuring myself, the joy of it came rushing back. I felt like I was back at Roller City, long hair in a side ponytail, wearing denim shorts and long socks, dancing on red wheels. The real world of roller derby is not as violent as whats depicted in Whip It. Credit:Tim Bauer After two hours zipping around on skates, my son was smitten. Soon after the party I tracked down a northside juniors roller derby club not far from our house. Being a boy, hed just been banned from the mixed netball team hed been part of since he was eight, but derby was happy to have him.

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My derby knowledge was limited to what Id learned from a 90-minute film, so I quickly immersed myself in the world. The real sport is not as violent as the exaggerated version they depict in Whip It, but its just as exciting. Even the injuries are treated with respect, as the players huddle together to create a screen around whoever is hurt, and audience drop their heads until the injured player is escorted from the track. Loading With players adopting nicknames that might be tough, funny or a pun, it is a sport that comes with its own sub-culture. It is not just about speed, but about how you play, how you respect each other, how hard you go and how skilled you are at juking and dodging. At first, my son wanted to play derby because he liked skating fast. Now he plays because its not like other sports. At derby he can be himself. Its inclusive, open to everyone, and not bound by body types or size. It is also full of theatre and laughs and serious hours of practice. The more I watch him train in a big old warehouse in Preston, the more it feels like I am part of the cast of Whip It. If I cant play derby, I can at least watch it. Credit: My latest middle grade novel, The Jammer, is set in the world of derby. Its a world of lifelong friendships, tough women, and kids embracing a sport that embraces them back. The Jammer is my love letter to a sport Ill never play, a sport I discovered that afternoon in 2010 when it hurt just to laugh. And the more I watch it, the more I learn, and the more it seems like Drew Barrymore was trying to tell me something all along. The Jammer is published on October 4.
On stage, Hollick has a calm, confident manner, yet she rarely takes herself too seriously. Her demeanour might stem partly from meditation but her self-assuredness has evolved over many years of writing, recording and performing. Ballarat plays a major role in the 33-year-olds life. Its still home and her close-knit family live nearby. Its where her love of music blossomed  from discovering Elvis Presleys gospel leanings to the early Americana style of Gene Clarks No Other album, which made such a profound impact that Hollick tattooed the title on her left shoulder. In the years since finding her own voice, she has played alongside some of country musics brightest stars, including the late Justin Townes Earle. A dream of recording in America gradually took shape and a grant from Creative Victoria helped make it a reality. Before The Real World, Hollick released albums in 2014, 2016 and 2018. For the past decade  excluding COVID-19 lockdowns  she has juggled two or three hospitality jobs at a time, while finding precious moments to write songs. Theres a certain level of grit that comes about when you really work hard for something, she says. A certain level of I earned this and that feels good.

Hollick has been through huge changes since her debut album. There was a relationship breakdown, global pandemic, a change of management and a record label shift, she says. And my daughter, who is seven-and-a-half now, was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. So its been a long, arduous time but theres also been an undercurrent of joy. Ive grown so much since we started recording this album and its a huge feeling of relief, of standing in my power and staking my claim in the world. After writing the songs, The Real World started taking shape at David Catchings Rancho De La Luna studio in Joshua Tree, where Iggy Pop, Arctic Monkeys, Kurt Vile and many others have recorded since 1993.

Hollick was joined in the studio by Lucinda Williams band, Buick 6, during a week of recording. It was a carefully orchestrated plan that fell into place when her funding was approved. I hadnt had a holiday in years and I was coming back home after a week off, back to my cafe job, when my phone dinged, and it was a message saying youve received a grant to go to Joshua Tree, she says. I was crying, I couldnt believe it was happening. The bones of the record happened there ... the rest of the record needed a lot more work when we came back, but having guys like [Buick 6 guitarist] Stuart Mathis and [drummer] Butch Norton in the studio, out in the desert, was incredible and theyre the nicest guys. When lockdowns were finally over, I knew it was time to get out there and do some gigs: Freya Josephine Hollick. Credit:Maximum Person The albums release was put on hold as the pandemic brought touring to a shuddering halt.

Hollick used the downtime to rework several songs, while releasing Impossible to Love, the achingly cool Vivian, June, Dolly & Jolene, plus Me and Mine as singles. I watched friends release their albums into the wind during that time and I was like I cant afford to do that, I have to release this properly, she says. I wanted to be as proud [of the album] as I could possibly be and then release it. Ive been impatient in the past and the lesson Ive learned through meditating was to steel your resolve. It will happen when its supposed to happen. Theres a swag of new, yet to be recorded songs tucked away too, meanwhile Hollick is rapt to be back on stage with her band. Loading

When I was pregnant, I stopped writing songs, she says. Through lockdowns I did the same. I just thought this is the life for me. Im going to grow veggies in the garden, write poetry, meditate and never leave my house again. When lockdowns were finally over, I knew it was time to get out there and do some gigs. Performing again  and writing  has been cathartic. Songwriting is something Ive been doing since I was five, she says. The words are the most important part, for me. The Real World is out on Cheersquad Records.
However, bills are already rising and the Commonwealths top policy adviser, the Energy Security Board, said on Thursday massive physical investment and purposeful, co-ordinated policy reform with an unrelenting focus on cost discipline is required to ensure an orderly transition. Climate Change and Energy Minister Chris Bowen said coal-fired power stations would continue to close and the government had secured an agreement with state governments to co-ordinate priority infrastructure projects to roll out more renewables. But opposition climate change and energy spokesman Ted OBrien said there was no guarantee what new infrastructure would be delivered. Labor is gambling on the premature closure of power stations to drive the uptake of renewables without any guarantees of replacement generation, OBrien said.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk announced on Wednesday the state would end its regular reliance on coal by 2035, aided by a $62 billion package to boost renewable energy supply. Queensland has the youngest coal plants in the country, with the latest closure date listed as 2050 for the Millmerran plant. AGL has been under shareholder pressure to shut its coal-fired power stations in the 2030s since a campaign by billionaire businessman and major shareholder Mike Cannon-Brookes forced a backdown on plans to split its coal-fired power stations from its retailing and renewable energy assets. The company on Thursday outlined a $20 billion investment plan to phase out coal and deliver 12 gigawatts of renewable energy generation such as wind and solar farms, and firming capacity such as batteries and pumped hydropower by 2036. AGL chair Patricia McKenzie said the new strategy was designed to meet shareholder expectations for greater climate action to reduce greenhouse emissions.

Our decarbonisation and energy investment strategy sets a clear pathway for the companys future and its leading role in Australias energy transition, she said. AGL is the nations biggest greenhouse gas emitter, generating about 40 million tonnes a year or roughly 8 per cent of the national total. Its emissions will fall to zero in 2035 when it shuts Loy Yang A. Mike Cannon-Brookes, a major shareholder in AGL, has been agitating for change within the company. Credit:Dhiraj Singh Cannon-Brookes has outlined a vision for AGL to become a clean energy powerhouse and is backing four new board members for election  former Energy Security Board chair Kerry Schott, CSL board member Christine Holman, Professor John Pollears and former Tesla director Mark Twidell. When asked if AGLs plans were based on Cannon-Brookes plans, McKenzie said the reins are very clearly held by the board and the management team.

A spokesperson for Cannon-Brookes Grok Ventures welcomed AGLs announcement but reiterated it needed additional skills around its board table to assist its transition. While this is a positive step in the right direction, as the largest emitter, and the leading energy company in Australia, AGL needs to assume a leadership position to achieve a Paris goal of below 1.5 degrees, they said. Steve Dodd, the secretary of the Gippsland Trades and Labour Council, said his organisation had not been consulted, though it was aware the company was undertaking an asset review that would be finished at the end of September. We are disappointed that AGL hasnt seen fit to consult with the people who are most affected, Mr Dodd said. But this does give us some time to plan and engage with workers about where they are going next.

Environment groups broadly welcomed the accelerated closure but questioned the companys claim it would bring its emissions in line with the Paris climate targets, which aim to keep the world to below 1.5 degrees of global warming. Loading This timeline doesnt meet the expectations of AGL shareholders who voted last year to demand the company adopt Paris-aligned climate targets, Environment Victoria spokesperson Bronya Lipski said. Greenpeace Australia Pacific head David Ritter said the coming months represented a test for AGLs new leadership. This is a change which will make a real difference to the climate  the commitment to close it by 2035 has a real, tangible benefit to Australia and the world, he said.
Fashion and beauty icon Iris Apfel celebrated her 101st birthday in August this year, but you wouldnt know it. A New York native, her career has included a stint at Womens Wear Daily, a home design deal with the White House that spanned nine presidencies, and a contract with global modelling agency IMG at 97.

Style icon Iris Apfel has launched a beauty collection with Ciate London, and believes that beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

Today, she shares her kooky style and sense of humour with her 2 million Instagram followers. I dont know why theres this mad obsession to look years younger than you are, Apfel tells The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age. If youre lucky and God gives you extra years, I should think youd want to flaunt it and not hide it. I think you can be attractive at any age. I think trying to look like a spring chicken when youre not makes you look ridiculous.

Apfel this week launched a collection with London beauty brand Ciate. The line, available exclusively in Australia with Mecca, includes an eyeshadow palette, lipsticks, and nail decals. Its the second make-up collaboration for Apfel, who worked with MAC in 2011 on a 20-product range of colourful lipsticks, eyeshadows, eyeliners, and nail polishes, inspired by rare birds.

Asked what her favourite product is from the new line, she says, I couldnt possibly choose just one, its like saying who is your favourite child!
I have a success to report: Ive managed to draw my tiny grandson into one of my own great obsessions. Not Elvis, not yet. Not tea-making, hes too young to handle the boiling water. Its composting.

Pip, apple of my eye, has now been appointed assistant manager of our household composting facility. Hes taken to the new role with gusto. Eating a banana at the kitchen table, he peels off just one section of skin and then demands it be immediately placed in the compost. The skin cannot afford to wait. It must begin the process of decomposing as soon as possible.

We walk towards the back fence, place the sections of peel into the spinning thing, return inside, remove the second bit of skin, and then head out again. A single banana can take half an hour to peel.

When it comes to compost, Pip is the spitting image of his Pa. Hes a chip off the old bloke.

Pip is now the full Costa, by which I mean he is a total nutcase about compost. He eats a banana as soon as he arrives at our place. His point of interest is the skin. I see him pretty much forcing down the food  just to liberate the sections of skin.
The NSW government is facing the threat of a class action from homeowners in Sydneys inner suburbs who claim their properties have been damaged due to construction of the multibillion-dollar WestConnex motorway.

Law firm Dentons is investigating the potential lawsuit which it says could be joined by thousands of residents living above or near the route of the 33-kilometre tollroad - touted as Australias biggest infrastructure project.

Construction on the WestConnex motorway, designed to make it easier to travel around Sydney by car, is due to finish in 2023. Credit:Dean Sewell

Residents along the network of mostly tunnels burrowing towards the city from the south and west have expressed frustrations over shrinking tunnel depths, construction noise, vibrations, and cracking damage.

Dentons partner Ben Allen, a class action specialist, said there had been an amazing amount of interest in a possible class action following a letterbox drop to about 6000 homes and online town hall meeting this week.
Perth man facing drug charges in Bali

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A man has died after losing control of his electric scooter on a Brisbane street overnight.

Police believe the 37-year-old man was riding the e-scooter along Stanmere Street in Carindale in the citys south just after midnight on Thursday when he crashed.

Stanmere Street in Carindale on Brisbanes southside. Credit:Google Maps

According to the Queensland Ambulance Service, two passers-by found the man unconscious. They gave him CPR while phoning triple-zero, and paramedics took over resuscitation efforts when they arrived.

However, the man, who lived in the neighbouring suburb of Mansfield, suffered significant head injuries and was declared dead at the scene.
A new free bus will from early 2023 run for 12 months through inner-city Brisbane to tempt people out of their cars as big construction projects ramp up.

The free bus will run a triangular loop at South Brisbane, along Vulture Street past Brisbane State High School as far as Tribune Street, around to Grey Street and back towards Kurilpa Point, then down Montague Road until it meets Vulture Street again.

A new free bus will run through the major arts, retail and residential areas of South Brisbane and West End from 2023 as a 12-month trial. Credit:Brisbane City Council

It will allow residents, students and workers to get to local primary and secondary schools, to the popular West End Markets, Queensland Museum, the State Library of Queensland, the Queensland Performing Arts Complex and South Bank Parklands.

The 10-minute loop also runs past West Ends main retail centre on Boundary Street.
Direct research on the hearts of COVID-19 patients who have died from the disease has revealed they sustained DNA damage in a way completely unlike how influenza affects the body.

The finding gives researchers clues about exactly how severe COVID-19 is affecting the body, and also a potential way to detect who will be seriously affected by the disease in the future.

Australian researchers have for the first time discovered COVID-19 causes DNA damage to the heart, giving clues to why the diseases causes heart complications in some people. Credit:iStock

The work was an international collaboration led by researchers from Australia, with Dr Arutha Kulasinghe from the University of Queenslands Diamantina Institute and Ning Liu from Victorias Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research co-lead authors.

Kulasinghe said the research is only a preliminary step because the sample size was so small  the hearts of just seven COVID-19 patients from Brazil were studied for the paper, along with hearts from people who had died from influenza and a control group.
Western Australias biggest Billie Eilish fans are already in line to secure their place at the front of the crowd to watch the alternative pop sensation perform the last leg of her world tour at RAC Arena across Thursday and Friday night.

At the front of the queue, second only to her daughter Jess, mum Mandy Syrkiewicz said the duo had travelled from Karratha to see Eilish, arriving in line at midday on Tuesday along with her daughters boyfriend.

To secure a spot in the front of the queue, dedicated fans lined up at midday on Tuesday, camping out over two nights. Credit:Holly Thompson

We didnt want to be out here on our own at nighttime, so we put a few things out on Instagram and stuff that we were here, and then other people started coming, she said.

I thought Id be bored stupid, but I havent even opened the book I bought. Its been entertaining watching people come ... and getting to know people, even though Im not the typical age demographic here.
The majority of High Court justices will be women for the first time in its 121-year history after the Albanese government announced Federal Court Justice Jayne Jagot would be elevated to the bench.

Jagot will replace retiring High Court Justice Patrick Keane and will start on October 17, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus said in a joint statement on Thursday.

Newly-appointed High Court Judge Jayne Jagot in her Federal Court chambers in Sydney on Thursday. Credit:Peter Rae

Justice Jagot is the 56th justice of the High Court and the seventh woman appointed to the court, Albanese and Dreyfus said.

This is the first time since federation that a majority of justices on the High Court will be women.
Early in his new book about the 2022 federal election he unexpectedly helped to shape, Simon Holmes a Court tells a story about the savage bullying he witnessed and suffered at Geelong Grammar at the hands of the sons of the Melbourne establishment during the 1980s.

In his recollection the bullies were rewarded rather than punished, and he writes that years after the abuse he ran into one of his former tormentors in a restaurant and asked him why hed behaved that way.

Simon Holmes a Court became an outsider on the inside. Credit:Kristoffer Paulsen

He said it was because I was self-righteous, Holmes a Court writes in The Big Teal, published on Saturday by Monash University Publishing as part of its In the National Interest series of extended essays.

From his time at Geelong Grammar, Holmes a Court writes, he learnt a resilience that served him well as a political novice at the heart of a firestorm.
Every day before work, Alia De Savery was so anxious she would vomit.

An apprentice at an inner-city restaurant and TAFE student, De Savery said she was underpaid and taken advantage of. Shes now part of a campaign calling for an overhaul of apprenticeships.

Alia de Savery was an apprentice chef who said she thinks the entire system needs to be overhauled. Credit:Simon Schluter

I thought it would be a three-year learn-on-the-job model; you supplemented it with TAFE, you were supported. I knew it would be hard, but I thought it would be reasonable, De Savery said.

Instead, she said she was working 60-hour weeks and paid a predatory junior apprentice wage of $12.12 an hour. Aged 18, she was barely able to afford rent and food.
Singapore/Denpasar: An Australian man caught bringing heroin into Bali is aware he could face the death penalty and is extremely remorseful, according to a renowned fixer who worked with Schapelle Corby and has been hired by his family.

Surfing and diving instructor Jeffrey Welton was shaking and sweating as he was paraded in handcuffs, wearing an orange detainee shirt at a press conference in Bali on Thursday by Indonesian National Narcotics Agency (BNN).

Jeffrey Welton in custody in Bali. Credit:Amilia Rosa

The 52-year-old has been in custody on the island since being found with eight grams of heroin and 0.34 grams of methamphetamine after stepping off a plane from Vietnam to Denpasar on September 5.

The article he is being held under states that he could face a penalty of between five years in jail and the death sentence, which in Indonesia can be meted out for the trafficking of non-plant based drugs over five grams.
Singapore: Foreign Minister Penny Wong has slammed the conviction and jailing of Australian economist Sean Turnell in military-ruled Myanmar, calling for him to be released as his wife pleaded with the junta to deport him.

An adviser to overthrown civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi, Turnell was found guilty on Thursday of breaching Myanmars secrets laws and sentenced to three years in prison.

Sean Turnell with Aung San Suu Kyi before the military coup.

The conviction came almost 20 months after he was first detained in the days after the military seized power of the South-East Asian nation in a coup, throwing out Suu Kyis government and embarking on a deadly campaign to stamp out a pro-democracy resistance movement.

Turnells Sydney-based wife Ha Vu, who is also an economist, said the news was heartbreaking for her, their daughter, Turnells 85-year-old father and the rest of their family.
Latest News Major banks shake up fixed rates They take action even before the RBA's announcement...

Broker market share hits all time high There is one caveat to the success, however

The rise of non-banks in Australia is continuing as mortgage brokers turn to those who provide alternative, better suited offerings for their clients.

With a forecasted sixth rate rise looming, non-banks are considered a financial crutch to Australian borrowers as the lending marketplace becomes increasingly competitive. The push to refinance has seen a 20% growth in household credit given by non-bank lenders as borrowers cast their net wider for more bespoke lending options.

Sydney mortgage director and broker David Sutantyo (pictured above), of lending firm Twelve Grains Capital, said misinformation was a major barrier to more Australians being considered for credit.

The sector is on the rise, although widely held misconceptions around non-bank lending are one of the key barriers preventing more Australians from looking beyond bank lending, Sutantyo said

This is because non-traditional lenders take on more risk than the big banks and are often misunderstood. The unfortunate perception we still encounter in the community is that non-bank lending is a second-tier option reserved for those with a poor credit rating.

Read more: Better Choice Home Loans expands SME offering

Sutantyo said the realty was that non-bank, or private lending, was a great option for borrowers across the board.

This includes those who are perfectly eligible for bank-lending or those who may be non-conforming due to being newly self-employed, recently re-entering the job market, or having incomplete financials, he said.

Education is vital to ensuring more Australians have the opportunity to be considered for credit.

Sutantyo said one of the top misconceptions regularly encountered around non-bank lending was non-bank lenders were less trustworthy than major banks.

Non-banks must comply with the same consumer credit rules and regulations as any major bank, he said. They offer borrowers an alternative to getting a loan from a bank, which gives people more choice and often an opportunity they might otherwise not have.

Read more: ORDE Financial helps brokers spring into action

Sutantyo said another misconception people had is that non-bank lending was riskier than with banks.

The concern over risk, or loss of money, is negated by the structure of non-banks, he said.

Their funding comes purely from the wholesale money market, not funds deposited by customers. When you borrow from a non-bank, you are not actually depositing any of your money with them, you are only repaying the loan amount you have been approved for.

Sutantyo said some people thought non-bank lending options were only for people with poor credit scores or things to hide.

Borrowers can often be turned down by major banks for failing to meet certain checkbox criteria and this may be the case for self-employed individuals who dont have extensive PAYG summaries to provide, or for business owners who took a significant hit during COVID-19, he said.

Non-bank lenders arent as rigid in their frameworks as major banks, so they can take all aspects of your financial situation into consideration, rather than applying blanket rules for approval.

Sutantyo said non-bank lenders should not only be considered for niche circumstances.

While it is true that non-bank lenders have a much wider range of products suited to different markets, they are also a prominent lending choice for common loan types such as home loans, he said. According to AUSTRAC, non-banks currently have a 10% share of Australias commercial real estate lending market, with this figure expected to grow by 10% a year through to 2024.
Latest News Major banks shake up fixed rates They take action even before the RBA's announcement...

Broker market share hits all time high There is one caveat to the success, however

The share of mortgages written by mortgage brokers between October 1, 2021, and March 31, 2022 has reached a record high of 69.5%. Meanwhile, the value of residential home loans settled during this period set a new benchmark of $177.07 billion.

In the previous quarter (April 1, 2021, to September 30, 2021), the Mortgage & Finance Association of Australia (MFAA) reported mortgage brokers market share was 66.9% and the broker channel settled $165.96 billion in residential home loans.

The MFAA has now released the Industry Intelligence Service (IIS) report 14th edition, drawing on data supplied by 11 of the industrys leading aggregator brands and providing broker and industry performance and demographic data for the six-month period from October 1-March 31.

Read more: Brokers break home loan settlement record

Through the data in the IIS report, we can clearly see that mortgage and finance brokers are trusted by Australian consumers to guide them through what is arguably one of the most significant financial decisions they will make, said MFAA CEO Anja Pannek (pictured above).

The IIS highlights the continued customer focus of the industry, with brokers at the forefront in finding lending solutions for Australian homebuyers and business owners.

The report found the number of mortgage brokers also writing commercial loans continued to reach new highs during the period, indicating brokers are diversifying their service offering to their customers.

Nationally the average total broker remuneration, prior to costs, rose 20.78% year-on-year to $195,534. This figure is made up of an average in up-front commissions of $123,892 and $71,642 in average trail commissions.

The major banks and regional banks owned or aligned by the major banks both saw a drop in market share during the March quarter, reducing to 42.6%, or 3.2 percentage points, and 10.6%, or 1.2 percentage points, respectively.

Read more: New MFAA CEO seeks greater broker market share

Despite these positive trends, the report found the gender diversity of the industry continues to stall as the proportion of female brokers was 25.5% during the period, the lowest on record.

While women are joining the industry, it is not at the same rate as men. To compound this, we are seeing women leave the industry at a greater rate than men, she said. These observations highlight that we need to continue our efforts to support women and diversity more broadly to both recruit and, more importantly, retain talent in the industry.
Latest News Major banks shake up fixed rates They take action even before the RBA's announcement...

Broker market share hits all time high There is one caveat to the success, however

The new Regional First Home Buyer Guarantee Scheme has been welcomed by major banks.

Launching on October 1, the scheme will allocate up to 10,000 guarantees each financial year to June 30, 2025, to regional first-time buyers with a deposit of as little as 5%. It is designed to assist eligible first home buyers in regional Australia to help them into their first home sooner.

In order to qualify, applicants can apply as an individual or couple, must be Australian citizen(s) at the time of entering the loan, be at least 18 years of age, earning up to $125,000 for individuals or $200,000 for couples, intending to be owner-occupiers of the purchased property and be first home buyers who have not previously owned, or had an interest in a property in Australia.

NAB has helped more than 15,000 first home buyers through the Home Guarantee Scheme, including 4,000 first home buyers in regional locations, said NAB executive home ownership Andy Kerr (pictured above).

Read more: nMB welcomes expansion of New Home Guarantee scheme

Kerr said NAB had seen first-hand how the Government schemes helped thousands of Australians purchase a home earlier than they thought possible.

We expect strong demand for places in the Regional First Home Buyer Guarantee, he said.

Regional Australian locations definitely became popular at the start of the pandemic with people moving for a green change and this scheme will be pivotal in making the move a permanent one for many.

Kerr said NABs latest data showed that regional areas remained appealing for first home buyers.

Locations like Sunbury in Victoria, Dapto in New South Wales or Bunbury in Western Australia continue to be hotspots for first home buyers, he said. We know that affordability has been a concern for many first home buyers. This scheme will be critical to providing more opportunities for buyers to enter the market in regional townships.

Read more: Brokers, first home buyers enjoy updated scheme

Commonwealth Banks executive general manager home buying Dr Michael Baumann said under the Governments entire Home Guarantee Scheme, the Commonwealth Bank had helped thousands of Australians realise their property ownership ambitions sooner rather than later.

We want to support buyers right across the country and the new Regional First Home Buyer Guarantee is another way we can help Australians navigate the current environment to secure their first home and invest in their future, Baumann said. Australias property landscape had evolved since the pandemic and Australians are reconsidering where they live and work.

Baumann said as cost-of-living pressures also increased, some Australians were faced with the prospect of having to delay their homeownership ambitions.

This announcement will come as a welcome relief to those regional first home buyers who have wanted to get their foot on the property ladder but havent previously been able to do so, he said.

There are over 30 participating lenders offering the Home Guarantee Scheme to eligible homebuyers. These include Bendigo Bank, Beyond Bank Australia, Great Southern Bank, Newcastle Permanent Building Society, Queensland Country Bank and The Mutual Bank.
Latest News Major banks shake up fixed rates They take action even before the RBA's announcement...

Broker market share hits all time high There is one caveat to the success, however

Westpac Group has updated the list of health professions that are eligible for its lenders mortgage insurance (LMI) waiver.



From Oct. 2, eligible registered nurses and midwives with a 10% deposit can avoid the additional upfront expense of LMI across all Westpac brands if they earn over $90,000 per annum in gross salary.



Nurses and midwives provide an incredible service to our communities, so we are delighted to help them buy a home sooner by waiving thousands of dollars in lenders mortgage insurance, said Chris de Bruin, Westpac consumer and business banking chief executive.

De Bruin added that the two professions typically attract a larger proportion of women, and that it would help more women buy their own homes.

Australians work hard to achieve the dream of owning their own home but saving for a deposit and paying LMI remains a huge challenge, he said. Women can also face financial setbacks during their lifetime, such as taking time out of the workforce to care for children, and gender pay gaps. By extending our LMI waiver to a broad range of health professions, our ultimate goal is to ease some of the challenges people face when buying a home so more Australians can build financial security and independence over their lifetime.

Other professions covered by the LMI Waiver eligibility, subject to minimum income threshold, were dentists, general practitioners, hospital employed doctors, optometrists, pharmacists, veterinary practitioners, medical specialists, audiologists, chiropractors, occupational therapists, osteopaths, physiotherapists, podiatrists, psychologists, radiographers, sonographers, and speech pathologists.
The government on Thursday deferred until October 2023 the implementation of norms mandating six in all cars, giving the industry a one-year extension.

The ministry of road transport and highways (MoRTH), earlier this year, had made it mandatory for six to be installed in all passenger that can carry up to eight people. The rule was to kick in from October 1, 2022.

The latest decision comes despite the governments prioritisation of passenger safety irrespective of vehicle cost or variants, said Union Road Transport Minister .

Considering the global supply chain constraints being faced by the auto industry and its impact on the macroeconomic scenario, it has been decided to implement the proposal mandating a minimum of six in passenger (M-1 Category) w.e.f 01st October 2023, he said.

Manish Singhania, president of Federation of Automobile Dealers Association (FADA) said its a sense of comfort for the industry which struggles with a supply crunch of semiconductors and chips.

By deferring implementation of the norm, the government has recognised genuine concerns of the automobile industry, Maruti Suzuki India Chairman R C Bhargava told PTI.

Bhargava had earlier said a slowdown in growth of the automobile sector due to overshooting costs caused by the rule could have an adverse impact on macroeconomic growth as the industry was one of the largest creators of employment.

Even with the extended deadline, there are concerns over the rules impact on costs, as India is a price-sensitive market. However, consumers have adapted to changes provided the benefits outweigh the additional costs, Singhania said.

We consider this an initial setback, particularly in the entry level category, but over time, if customers comprehend and become aware of the benefits, they will embrace the change as they have in the past when it comes to accepting new technologies.

Gadkari, until recently, had said the government would implement the regulation regardless of concerns raised by about the impact on the cost of manufacturing four-wheelers, claiming that manufacturers can no longer prioritise profits over safety.

The same company, when it exports those cars, puts in six airbags but when they make them for the locals, they only put four. Are the lives of the poor not worthy of being saved? said Gadkari at an event recently.

The six- rule is one of the many regulatory changes introduced by the government to reduce road accident fatalities. MoRTH introduced the Bharat New Car Assessment Programme (BNCAP) earlier this year to assign independent crash test ratings to Indian . Moreover, after the death of former Tata Sons chairman Cyrus Mistry, the ministry also notified a change in automobile standards to mandate the installation of a rear-seatbelt alarm in all cars.
While 93 per cent of employees in India say they are productive at work, a whopping 91 per cent of leaders feel the shift to hybrid work has made it challenging to have confidence in employees being productive, a Microsoft study showed on Thursday.

This hyper-focus on productivity is impacting health and wellbeing as 47 per cent of employees and 58 per cent of leaders in India report that they're already burnt out at work.

Nearly 93 per cent of leaders in India say getting employees back to the office in-person is a concern.

The data makes it clear that hybrid work has created a growing disconnect between employees and leaders.

They're at odds about what constitutes productivity, how to maintain autonomy while ensuring accountability, the benefits of flexibility and the role of the office, according to India findings of Microsoft's '2022 Work Trend Index Pulse Report'.

However, more than 9 in 10 (91 per cent) of Indian employees are willing to work from the office if they can socialise with co-workers.

To bridge the gap, "a new approach is needed that recognises work is no longer just a place, but an experience that needs to keep employees engaged and connected, no matter where they are working from", said Bhaskar Basu, Country Head-Modern Work, Microsoft India.

The data showed that only 44 per cent of rarely, if ever, collect employee feedback.

Only 56 per cent of employees in India can confidently say that their company solicits employee feedback at least once a year.

"This means that just under half of the in India hear about their employees' experiences at work (44 per cent versus a global average of 57 per cent)," the findings showed.

Nearly 60 per cent of employees in India say there are not enough growth opportunities in their company to stay long term, according to the report.

--IANS

na/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.)
Enterprises (AEL), which will build part of the Meerut- Expressway, has secured finances for the project nine months after winning the contract, it said on Thursday.

The company has secured debt worth Rs 10,238 crore and will make a capital infusion of Rs 6,826 crore. The company was the lowest bidder for the 464-km stretch of the expressway, quoting Rs 5,996 crore in viable gap funding (VGF) for the work. Altogether, the project will be built for Rs 23,060 crore.

The State Bank of India has underwritten the entire debt requirement of INR 10,238 Crore for the Projects (BHRPL, HURPL and UPRPL). With this facility from the SBI, we have moved a step closer to providing our country and the state of UP with another landmark infrastructure, said K P Maheshwari, chief executive officer of AELs road business.

AEL set up three special purpose vehicles (SPV) for the project--Budaun Hardoi Road Private Ltd (BHRPL), Hardoi Unnao Road Private Ltd (HURPL) and Unnao Road Private Ltd (UPRPL)--for three separate stretches, comprising 80 per cent of the 594-km .

The projects were awarded to AEL in December last year on a design-build-finance-operate-transfer (DBFOT) basis, with a concession period of 30 years. The initial estimate of the project, when introduced by the government, was reportedly Rs 17,085 crore.

will have six lanes (expandable to eight-lane), it will be access-controlled and it is one of Indias most expensive road projects. It consists of four stretches: AEL is building three and IRB Infrastructure a 129-km stretch.

AELs portfolio comprises 18 road projects with more than 6,400 lane km and an asset value of more than Rs 44,000 crore. It spreads over ten states: Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Kerala, Gujarat, West Bengal, and Odisha.

The company recently acquired four toll roads in Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh from Macquarie Asia Infrastructure Fund for Rs 3,110 crore.
Tata Group-owned full-service carrier has reduced by half the discount offered on basic fares to and students in the economy class on its flights, according to its website.

The revised discount on basic fares is effective from September 29.

took control of the loss-making from the government on January 27, this year.

"... (under senior citizen and student concession) for tickets issued on/after 29th September 2022, 25 per cent (discount) of basic fare will be applicable on select booking classes in economy cabin," as per the website.

earlier was offering 50 per cent discount on select booking classes in economy cabins of its aircraft to these two categories of travellers, according to the website.

Separately, in a circular dated September 28, the airline said "it has been decided to revise the concessionary fares with effect from 29th September 2022. The changes are applicable for tickets issued on/after 29th September 2022."



According to the circular, the revised concession for stands at "25 per cent of basic fare".

The private airline, however, in a statement defended the steep reduction in such concessionary fares, saying, "Even after this adjustment, the discount on base fares for both students and will be nearly double when compared to other private airlines."



"Considering the overall market situation and dynamics, we have decided to rationalise our fares in line with the broad industry trend," an Air India spokesperson added in the statement.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Apeejay Surrendra Group on Thursday said it has raised Rs 300 crore through issuance of debentures for expansion of its and industrial parks business.

In a statement, the company said the Rs 300 crore fund has been raised through the Non-Convertible Debentures (NCD) route.

The fund will fuel the ongoing expansion drive of Apeejay Surrendra Group's realty division Apeejay Real Estate.

BPEA Credit, a leading private alternative investment firm in Asia, has invested in the NCD issued by the Apeejay Surrendra Group.

Karan Paul, chairman of Apeejay Surrendra Group, said, "The government projection to reduce costs in the sector by 10% in the next 5 years, unified policy, and a regulatory environment for end-to-end services make the logistics and warehouse more and more promising. Backed by the government policy and with funds coming in, we are now on a rapid expansion drive."



Apeejay Real Estate has a diverse portfolio including logistics and industrial parks, residential, commercial, hospitality, co-working spaces and business centres, service apartments, cultural and educational institutions, and retail across multiple locations.

Its logistics and industrial parks are located in cities like Delhi-NCR, Kolkata, Dankuni, Haldia, and Kalinganagar.

Priti Paul, director, Apeejay Surrendra Group, said: "We believe that the Indian warehousing real estate sector is poised for a meteoric rise..."



The major drivers are government policies, rising demand from third-party logistics and e-commerce players, shifting of users toward larger modern storage space, consumers preferring on-demand solutions and demand for fulfilment centres from omni-channel retailers, she said.

"The funds would augment our current logistics and industrial parks, as well as build new facilities across the country. We are creating Grade-A warehouses with ESG compliance and setting new standards in specifications as well as building built-to-suit as per clients' requirements," she added.

Incorporated in 1910, Apeejay Surrendra Group is a leading business conglomerate with a diversified portfolio including shipping, hospitality, real estate, financial services, knowledge centres, marine clusters and tea.

Apeejay Real Estate is developing over five million square feet of area.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Eighty per cent of employees in India want a better reason to return to the office beside the company's expectations, a report revealed on Thursday. However, they would be motivated to work from the office for other reasons.

Ninety-one per cent of the employees want to go to the office if they are allowed to socialise with their co-workers, and 92 per cent would work from the office on the prospect of building team bonds, findings from the 2022 Work Trend Index Pulse Report released by showed.

The report further showed a growing disagreement between the leaders and the employees on the issue of hybrid work and .

Ninety-three per cent of employees said that they are productive at work. On the other hand, 91 per cent of leaders believed that hybrid work has made it difficult to have confidence in employees' productivity.

"To bridge this gap, a new approach is needed that recognises work is no longer just a place, but an experience that needs to keep employees engaged and connected, no matter where they are working from," Bhaskar Basu, country head for Modern Work at Microsoft, said.

Due to the "hyper focus" on productivity, 47 per cent of employees and 58 per cent of leaders reported that they are "already burnt out" at work.

The findings of the report further revealed that more and more employees are looking for opportunities for learning and growing while working.

"90 per cent of employees in India say that they'd stay at their company longer if they could benefit more from learning and development opportunities," it said. Globally, this average is 76 per cent.

Underlining the relationship between skill development and attrition, the report said, "66 per cent of employees in India say the best way to develop their skills is to change companies".

"Thriving employees are what will give organisations a competitive advantage in today's ever-evolving economic environment," Basu added.

Further, 44 per cent of employees in India said their do not solicit feedback.

"It's imperative that leaders need to create clarity and alignment around company goals, eliminate busywork that doesn't support those goals and listen to their people," the report added.
New LML is not primarily focused on generic features like price and range while developing its electric two-wheelers. It is, instead, aiming to be a experiential brand, LML Emotion Managing Director Yogesh Bhatia said on Thursday.

LML Emotion, revamped brand under the new ownership, on Thursday unveiled the concept of its first three electric two-wheeler vehicles  Star (e-scooter), Moonshot (e-hyperbike) and Orion (e-bike)  under the theme Reimagining the Legend.

We are nowhere saying that please buy the LML Emotion product because this is cheaper, or because this is what the range (mileage) it gives, he said. While Orion will be launched in the first half of next year, Star and Moonshot will be launched in the second half of 2023.

The company has not worked on price or range since Day 1 as it does not want to focus on generic features, he said, adding that LML Emotions route path is going to be completely different as compared to other brands.

When asked about mileage and price of the vehicles, he replied: We dont want to become a claimed brand. We are trying to create an experiential brand.

The company is targeting to earn Rs 300 crore revenue in the first year after launching the first vehicle, Bhatia noted. It plans to invest Rs 350 crore in the first phase of its growth. He said the first phase was going on and it had been entirely self-funded till now.

In the second phase of growth, the company will invest between Rs 400-500 crore and investors are expected to participate in it.

LML was incorporated in 1972 as Lohia Machineries to manufacture machinery for the synthetic fibres industry. In 1983, the company commenced production of 100-cc scooters in technical collaboration with Italian company Piaggio.

The partnership was terminated by the Italian company in 1999. After losing market share for many years, LML finally shut its operations in 2018.

Orion will be launched in the first half of 2023, starting with sales from US and European countries, then followed by other developed countries, Bhatia noted. Bhatia and his family owns SG Corporate Mobility that acquired the LML brand last year from the Singhania family. To start with, we are not targeting e-bike Orion for IndiaE-bike is a totally different segment, he noted.

The market in Europe and the US are ready and developed for Orion, he said, adding that the customers do not have to be educated there about the product category. He said Star and Moonshot will be first launched in India and then in other countries.

The company is working on developing products that are focused on fun, fitness and leisure, he mentioned.

Bhatia said the e-hyperbike Moonshot has been made slim and thin so that every customer  irrespective of the gender  would like to drive it. E-hyperbike is a crossover between electric scooter and e-bike.

There will be a pedal-assist feature in e-hyperbike.

You start the vehicle through throttle but then all the rider has to do is touch the pedal to increase the speed, he said.

LML Emotion has signed a contract manufacturing agreement with Saera Electric Auto to use its facility in Bawal, Haryana, to produce EVs.

The entire plant is available to us. The capacity of that plant is 225,000 units per year, Bhatia noted. The company is also in talks with various states to establish its own manufacturing facility that will be able to produce 1 million units per annum.

LML wants to become a global brand and dont just want to remain in India and compete and fight and talk about price and mileage, Bhatia said.

I want to be clear in saying that other industry partners should complement and handhold us so that India becomes a nation that is flag-bearer for electric two wheeler manufacturing, he added.

According to retail sales data of Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations (FADA), the sales of electric two-wheelers increased by 463 per cent in FY22. FADA said 231,338 electric two-wheelers were sold in FY22, compared to 41,046 that were sold in FY21.

However, electric two-wheeler sales are miniscule in comparison to internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicle sales. According to FADA, 11.53 million and 11.91 million ICE two-wheelers were sold in India in FY21 and FY22, respectively.
The infrastructure investment trust (InvIT) is planning to raise Rs 2,000 crore from investors to acquire two to three road assests from its parent firm the (NHAI), reported Livemint.

Set up last year by the NHAI, are collective investment vehicles that allow direct investments from individual and institutional investors in infrastructure projects, and give them a small portion of the income in returns.

InVIT was set up by the to monetise its assets and raise funds to build highways. has raised Rs 6,000 crore through its InVIT, in which CPP Investments and Ontario Teachers Pension Fund picked up 25 per cent each as anchor investors.

 is planning to transfer 2-3 new to the InvIT and, for this, they are planning to raise fresh funds of Rs 1,500-2,000 crore," a person aware of the development told Livemint.

The person added, "NHAI plans to reach out to new investors including other Canadian pension funds as well as domestic institutional investors for the fundraise, which is expected to be launched next month."

A second person, aware of the development, added, For global investors such as pension funds which want to invest large sums of capital in long-term yield generating assets, Indian infrastructure is a very attractive opportunity. These investors are looking to deploy large cheques in roads and renewable assets in India, and have become a popular investment route for them," quoted Livemint.

The initial portfolio of InvIT comprised five spread across Gujarat, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana with an aggregate length of 390 km. The tolling revenue for FY21 of the investment trust stood over Rs 460 crore and The enterprise value stood at Rs 8,011.5 crore.
A "hyper focus" on is hurting the well-being of Indian IT companies' and causing attrition, said a report on Thursday, revealing views over the uses of hybrid working.

As many as 47 per cent of and 58 per cent of their leaders said they feel burnt out at work, according to Microsofts global Work Trend Index Report 2022. As many as 93 per cent of Indian said they were productive at work. Only 9 per cent of managers believed that the hybrid work model can give them confidence that employees are productive.

Indian are nudging employees to return to office. have introduced higher variable pay and employee-engagement budgets as they cut down internet allowance. The report said 80 per cent of employees needed a better reason to attend office beside the companys expectations. As many as 93 per cent of managers said getting employees back to the office was a cause of concern.

Employers are "hyper-focused" on productivity, but 66 per cent of employees think changing was the best way to improve their skills. As many as 90 per cent of employees said that they would switch jobs if they could benefit more from learning and development opportunities.

In a portion called "end paranoia", the report said its imperative that leaders create clarity about the companys goals, "eliminate busywork that doesnt support those goals and listen to their people".

More than 90 per cent of employees agreed that the promise of socialising with co-workers and rebuilding team bonds could motivate them to return to the office.

The annual report is based on an external study of 20,000 information workers, managers, and business decision-makers from 11 countries, drawing on an analysis of data from Microsoft 365 signals, LinkedIn labour trends, and Glint People Science insights. It recommended better leadership practices, re-skilling, and flexibility to meet the needs of a digitally connected, distributed workforce.

Thriving employees are what will give organizations a competitive advantage in todays ever-evolving economic environment, said Bhaskar Basu, country head  Modern Work, Microsoft India.

A new approach is needed to bridge this gap that recognizes work is no longer just a place, but an experience that needs to keep employees engaged and connected, no matter where they are working from, he said.
TotalEnergies SE Chief Executive Officer Patrick Pouyanne is bullish on pushing his company into renewable energy even as the Russian invasion of Ukraine shakes up the global energy market.



The French oil major is increasing spending on renewable energy and on reducing its emissions next year to 33% of annual capital expenditure, compared with 25% going into clean power this year, the company said Wednesday in a presentation.

The plan comes against a backdrop of record oil and gas earnings for the worlds biggest energy this year, which has made them star performers amid a broader malaise across equities markets. Europes energy crisis and its scramble to replace Russian supplies has also fueled a debate over whether energy security should be prioritized over environmental targets.



Also Read | Energy crisis: Recession clouds gather in Germany, Europe's largest economy

Pouyanne said in an interview with Bloomberg in New York that oil and gas remain vital to the energy mix. But the CEO added that if he didnt also push a transition towards carbon-free energy, his successor would regret it.

I dont want my company to disappear, he said. We have embarked into a strategy to diversify out of a pure oil and gas business model to add an electricity one.

Pouyanne also said that as TotalEnergies builds out its solar and wind generation, he wants 30% of the portfolio to be unsecured, with no power price agreements. Thats potentially more profitable than relying on long-term contracts, he said. TotalEnergies has set a goal of 100 gigawatts of renewable power generation capacity by 2030.

To be sure, TotalEnergies has also made significant investments in oil and . Gas and liquefied investments represent about a quarter of capital spending between 2022 and 2025.

Pouyanne said the company would seek to grow its LNG business in countries such as the US as doubts linger over its Russian operations. While TotalEnergies still receives LNG from Russia -- fuel that, as Pouyanne is keen to emphasize, is vital to European needs -- he said its increasingly challenging to get the companys cash out of the country.

The CEO also said buying a utility to accelerate its energy transition is not on the agenda today. TotalEnergies prefers to continue building the companys own power and renewable business step by step, including through some selective acquisitions, he said.

These European utilities are considered by governments as national bodies, so its not so easy to make any M&A, he said. The companys power business is agile while these utilities have legacy assets.
Two and three-wheeler major has signed a memorandum of understanding with The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office to offer Chevening Scholarships to candidates who show great potential to become decision-makers, the company said on Thursday.

The Chevening Programme, is a programme that aims to attract select students around the world who demonstrate greatest potential to become leaders, decision-makers in their own country.

The United Kingdom government's global programme is awarded to those individuals with strong academic backgrounds who can also demonstrate their leadership potential, a company statement said here.

"At it has been our endeavour to create future leaders and support them in their journey. Our collaboration with FCDO and the Government of United Kingdom is a testimony to this commitment," TVS Motor Company MD, Sudarshan Venu said.

"This partnership is an unique opportunity for the talented and dynamic minds in the country and we are excited to be a part of their growth," he said.

According to the British High Commissioner to India Alex Ellis, with TVS Motor Company's support the Chevening programme in India, already the largest in the world, will get bigger still.

"I am delighted that TVS Motor Company is partnering with the Chevening Programme. Chevening offers a unique fully funded opportunity to experience the UK and study in some of the best institutions in the world," 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.)
Softbank-backed B2B e-commerce firm Udaan has started delivering stocks to pharmacies four times a day across six cities and plans to scale up the service to other places after six to eight months, the company said on Thursday.

The 4X4 delivery service' has been rolled out after a pilot programme and receiving extensive feedback from pharmacies in select cities, which required enhanced delivery capabilities.

During the pilot phase, the business witnessed a 45 per cent rise in orders in the select cities.

"As part of the new service offering, Udaan will provide medicine delivery to pharmacies every 4-hour with 4 delivery slot options in a day to order medicines across six cities - Kolkata, Jaipur, Indore, Ahmedabad, Bengaluru and Pune. Udaan plans to scale the '4X4 delivery service' to more cities and towns in the next 6-8 months," the company said in a statement.

Udaan Business head for Pharma Category Sanjay Sharma said the company will leverage for the convenience and faster delivery of medicines to the pharmacies.

"Our Pharma business has evolved massively towards a chemist-centric model over the past 3 years based on the needs of the buyers and pharmacists.

"We believe this industry-first initiative will enable us to cater to the daily needs of pharmacies in a more efficient manner, who in turn will be able to offer quick and better service to their end customers. The 4X4 delivery service has been made possible due to our extensive logistics and distribution network capabilities," Sharma said.

Udaan has a network of over 3 million retailers, chemists, Kirana shops, HoReCa, farmers and 25-30,000 sellers across more than 1,200 cities in the country covering more than 12,000 pin codes.

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An 11-year-old boy was killed and nine other supporters were injured in a head on collision between their e-rickshaw and an SUV in West Bengal's Malda district, police said on Thursday.

The supporters were returning from a protest rally over price rise on Wednesday night when the happened at Sripur in Pukuria police station area, they said.

The driver of the SUV, which was heading to Sripur from Lashkarpur, was allegedly drunk and not able to control the vehicle, he hit the e-rickshaw coming from the other side, they added.

Six of those injured were admitted to the Chanchol Hospital, while four others were sent to the Malda Medical College and Hospital (MMCH), police said.

The boy, who was undergoing treatment at MMCH, died on Thursday morning, they said.

The driver of the SUV has been apprehended, and the vehicle seized, police said.

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Amid the country's growing and expanding aircraft fleet, fatigue among seems to be a dark cloud with senior captains and pilots' groupings stressing on the need for more serious efforts to address the concerns.

While regulations on flight duty time limitations and specific rest periods are in place, a more scientific approach as well as a better fatigue reporting system will help in tackling the "silent danger of fatigue", according to the senior captains.

In signs that fatigue is a worrying factor for the fast growing Indian aviation space, a recent survey of 542 by NGO Safety Matters Foundation showed that majority of them admitted to falling asleep without planning/ consent of the other crew or experienced micro sleep.

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) -- a global grouping of airlines, including from India -- said fatigue has long been identified as a potential safety risk and the industry has developed extensive Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs) around managing fatigue risk.

A senior captain who wished to be anonymous said the silent danger of fatigue needs to be addressed more aggressively as it affects one's cognitive abilities and psychological conditions.

For instance, doing two consecutive nights of duty in multiple sectors most of the time results in fatigue and the existing fatigue reporting system is not popular among pilots, the captain associated with a leading airline told PTI.

Under the fatigue reporting system, a pilot can report to the safety department of the airline concerned and the report is then sent to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).

Echoing similar views, a senior pilot and an office bearer at ICPA said there is a lot of fatigue among and it is also tiring to do two consecutive nights.

The pilot also said the fatigue reporting system is not good and emphasised on the need for having a scientific study by DGCA to address the situation.

The Indian Commercial Pilots' Association (ICPA), which represents around 900 pilots of narrow-body aircraft at Air India, on September 12 wrote to DGCA urging the regulator to do away with all the current regulations related to fatigue management for flight crew and formulate new norms.

Airline Pilots' Association of India President Captain Sam Thomas told PTI that a serious view about the issue of fatigue management among pilots has not been taken in India, including on the need to ensure adequate rest for pilots.

He stressed that fatigue risk management is not an isolated thing and fatigue issues are likely to be more with the expansion of the aviation sector.

"Flight safety should be the key priority for the regulator as well as the airlines".

ALPA India has around 500 members and is the Indian arm of the International Federation of Airline Pilots' Association (IFALPA).

Thomas also said there should be discussions between pilots, regulator and airlines, among other stakeholders on having a proper fatigue risk management framework.

DGCA was not immediately available for comments on the issue of pilots' fatigue.

When contacted, Vistara said the airline follows all standard processes and norms to give the crew and pilot timely breaks and leaves.

Recently, the carrier introduced a fully automated crew rostering solution. It enables the crew and pilots to indicate their lifestyle preferences which are then automatically factored into their individual flight rosters.

Queries on the issue sent to IndiGo, Air India, Air India Express and SpiceJet remained unanswered.

Senior pilot Captain C S Randhawa, who has also served at the DGCA, said the rest period for pilots is defined in the Civil Aviation Requirement (CAR) and is also based on a medical study.

He also pointed out that if a person is saying that he is fatigued, it could also mean that the person has not utilised the rest period properly.

"The provision for extending the duty hours is there in the CAR but accordingly the rest period also increases... if (some) pilots say that the FDTL (Flight Duty Time Limitation) has been fixed without any scientific study, then those pilots should prove (it)," he said.

Mark Searle, Global Director, Safety at IATA, said fatigue has long been identified as a potential safety risk and the industry has developed extensive SARPs around managing fatigue risk.

He emphasised that SARPs are based upon extensive and evolving body of research, including continuous feedback from safety critical workers and that these SARPs are reviewed as more scientific data become available.

"Crew fatigue, and in particular, ensuring crew are fit to fly is a focal point of any operation and, especially during busy summer schedules," he told PTI.

Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia had in August said India's civil aviation sector is poised for a phenomenal and healthy growth in terms of air passengers, aircraft fleet and airports in coming years.

By 2027, as many as 40 crore air travellers, both domestic and international, and nearly 1,200 planes are expected in the country.

Meanwhile, the survey of 542 Indian pilots also found that 54.2 per cent of the respondents suffer from severe excessive daytime sleepiness while 41.4 per cent pilots self assessed moderate daytime sleepiness.

"The effect of fatigue on flight safety can be analysed by 66 per cent respondents admitting that they have fallen asleep without planning/consent of the other crew or experienced micro sleep. 31 per cent of pilots also responded that they had a close call while flying which could have led to an incident attributable to fatigue," the survey said.

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Liquor businessman Sameer Mahandru, arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in connection with the Delhi excise policy money laundering case, earned Rs 50 crore as "proceeds of crime" in less than a year by violating the provisions of the liquor scheme, the agency told a local court.

Mahandru, the managing director of an alcoholic beverages manufacturing company called Indospirit, was taken into custody by the federal agency around 9 am on Wednesday and the court of special judge M K Nagpal later sent him to the Enforcement Directorate custody till October 6.

He was questioned by the agency overnight at its headquarters in central Delhi, sources said.

The agency claimed before the court that "proceeds of crime" in crores were generated and "major violations" were done by the accused involved in the case.

The excise policy 2021-22 has now been scrapped after the Delhi lieutenant governor ordered a probe into its planning and implementation.

"Though the prime object of the said policy was to eliminate the cartelisation between wholesellers and retailers and keeping government control on the highly sensitive liquor trade, but during the course of implementation of policy and due to policy violations, the said objective was intentionally forgotten and it resulted in huge losses to the government exchequer and illegal profits to liquor manufacturers, retailers as well as public servants," the ED told the court while seeking Mahandru's remand.

The agency said it was "one of the major objectives of the excise policy that manufactures and retailers have to be different persons and identities, but it has been alleged that the accused (Mahandru) was one of major beneficiaries of these violations as he was not only running a manufacturing unit for alcoholic beverages (Indospirit) but was also given a wholesale licence (L1) and some retail licenses (L7) in the name of his relatives".

The agency said Indospirit manufactures a wine cooler called 'Bro Code' and a Japanese whiskey called 'Enso'.

"It is thus alleged that the accused (Mahandru) had earned an amount of approximately Rs 50 crore as profits of his above manufacturing unit during a period from 17.11.2021 to 31.08.2022 after deduction of taxes, and this entire amount is claimed to be proceeds of crime generated out of the criminal activities...as it is stated to have been earned because of irregularities and violations of the excise policy," it said.

The ED told the court that it was seeking Mahandru's custody "to ascertain the exact volume and extent of the laundered proceeds of crime".

The agency said it has undertaken as may as 103 search operations in this case and that it wanted to confront Mahandru with "huge digital and physical records" seized during the raids.

The ED said it wants to question the businessman to ascertain the quantum of loss caused to the government exchequer and to identify the complete modus operandi of the offences of this case and to unearth entire proceeds of crime laundered by the accused.

It said it wanted to go to the root of cartelisation and volume of kickbacks alleged to have been paid to the government servants involved in drafting and implementation of the above public policy and the process of laundering of the said amounts.

The ED said it filed a money laundering case to probe these alleged irregularities on August 22 after taking cognisance of an August 17 CBI FIR that has named Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia as the accused no. 1 apart from senior bureaucrats of the and others.

Mahandru's lawyers opposed the ED plea for custodial interrogation saying he has deposed before the agency for questioning six times and has disclosed all information known to him.

His lawyers countered the ED's charge of non-cooperation during questioning saying "simply because the accused had not replied to the questions put by the investigating officer...in a particular manner, it cannot be said he had not cooperated in the investigation."



While granting the custody to the ED, the court directed the agency to get his medical examination done every day, allow meeting with his lawyers for half-an-hour each day during which he can also talk to his mother and wife apart from allowing his family to give him certain homeopathic medicines.

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Minister of State for electronics and IT will visit vendor Pegatron's mobile manufacturing facility in Chennai on Friday for its inauguration, an official statement said on Thursday.

Taiwanese firm is the third vendor to have set up a factory in India after Foxconn and Wistron.

"Taiwanese electronics major Pegatron's new mobile phone manufacturing facility, set up under Centre's popular Production Linked Incentive scheme (PLI), in an industrial park in Chengalpattu near Chennai, will be inaugurated tomorrow. The Union Minister of State for Electronics and Information Technology, Shri Rajeev handrasekhar will be attending the event as a guest of honour," the statement said.

Pegatron has been running trial production of iPhone since last six to eight months.

The company has committed to invest around Rs 1,000 crore and produce mobile phones worth about Rs 1 lakh crore in India under production linked incentive scheme.

"Pegatron's India subsidiary Pegatron India, which will be operating the facility, has committed an investment worth crores during the tenure of the scheme and expected to generate thousands of direct jobs in the sector. It will be manufacturing and assembling mobile phones thereby augmenting mobile phone manufacturing and exports from the state of Tamil Nadu," the statement said.

Mobile phone production, which had sunk to Rs 18,900 crore in 2014-15 is now up over 14 times to Rs 2,75,000 crore, of which 28 per cent jump of Rs 60,000 crore was recorded within the first year of the PLI Scheme.

Mobile phone exports from India in 2015-16 were near zero, the statement said. "Propelled by the PMP (phased manufacturing plan) and PLI Schemes, they reached Rs 27,000 crore in 2019-20, and within the first year of PLI Scheme, saw a 66 per cent increase to Rs 45,000 crore. In a YOY comparison for the first 5 months of April-August, mobile exports are up 140 per cent to Rs 25,000 crore from Rs 10,300 crore," the statement said.

Apart from Pegatron, Foxconn Hon Hai Technology India Mega Development Private Limited, Dell, Ascent Circuits, and Bharat FIH have also committed crores of investments in Tamil Nadu under Centre's PLI scheme to ramp up their capacities to make in India for the world.

"The new Pegatron facility at Chengalpattu is expected to add to the momentum -- both in terms of capacity and employment for the people of Tamil Nadu which has emerged as one of the major electronics hardware manufacturing states, with 20 per cent of India's production," the statement said.

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The ED has frozen Rs 9.82 crore worth funds kept in merchant IDs with certain online payment gateways as part of an ongoing money laundering investigation against a "Chinese-controlled" investment token app.

This is the second time that the ED has frozen funds kept in merchant IDs with certain online payment gateways.

"Various Chinese-controlled entities like Comein Network Technology Private Limited and others, in service agreements with various NBFCs (non banking financial companies) were also operating multiple suspicious loan/other apps such as Cashhome, Cashmart, Easyloan etc. and they indulge in receiving funds from public on pretext of operating these apps (mobile applications)," the federal agency said in a statement.

The app-based token under investigation in this case is HPZ and the entities whose funds have been frozen under the anti-money laundering law include Comein Network Technology Private Ltd, Mobicred Technology Private Ltd, Magic Data Technology Private Ltd, Baitu Technology Private Ltd, Aliyeye Network Technology India Pvt Ltd, Wecash Technology Private Ltd, Larting Private Ltd, Magic Bird Technology Private Ltd and Acepearl Services Private Ltd.

"Account balances worth Rs 9.82 crore of various Chinese-controlled entities maintained with payment gateways, in respect of an investigation relating to the misuse of app-based token named HPZ and other similar applications by several entities, have been frozen," the ED said.

The had earlier this month undertaken a similar operation and frozen funds worth Rs 46.67 crore. These funds were stated by the agency to be belonging to certain merchant entities and held in payment gateways like Easebuzz, Razorpay, Cashfree and Paytm.

These companies had said that the funds did not belong to them and they were extending full cooperation to the ED in this investigation.

HPZ was an app-based token which promised users of large gains against investment by declaring the same as investing in mining machines for Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies.

"The modus-operandi of the fraudsters was to first lure the victims to invest in their companies on the pretext of doubling /multiplying their investment through the HPZ token and other similar applications," the agency said.

The money laundering case stems from an October, 2021 FIR filed against the accused company and its linked persons by the cyber crime unit of the Kohima Police in Nagaland.

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In a signiificant development the ruled that denying abortion rights to unmarried women who conceive out of a live-in relationship under the Medical Termination of Rules is unconstitutional, on Thursday.

"All women are entitled to safe and legal abortion", the court observed.

"If Rule 3B(c) is understood as only for married women, it would perpetuate the stereotype that only married women indulge in sexual activities.This is not constitutionally sustainable.The artificial distinction between married an women cannot be sustained. Women must have autonomy to have free exercise of these rights", Justice Chandrachud said.



Section 3(2)(b) of the MTP Act allows women to undergo abortion after 20-24 weeks. Therefore, including only married and excluding unmarried woman will be violates Article 14 of the Constitution, the court noted.

"The rights of reproductive autonomy give an unmarried women similar rights as a married women", the Court added.





The bench led by Justice DY Chandrachud, in the same judgment, also ruled that the meaning of rape must include "marital rape" for the purpose of the Medical Termination of Act and Rules.

According to the court ruling, married women, who conceived out of forced sex by their husbands, will also come within the ambit of "survivors of sexual assault or rape or incest" mentioned in Rule 3B(a) of the Medical Termination of Rules.

"Married women may also form the part of the class of survivors of sexual assault or rape. The ordinary meaning of the word rape is sexual intercourse with a person without consent or against their will. Regardless of whether such forced intercourse occurs in the context of matrimony, a woman may become pregnant as a result of non-consensual sexual intercourse performed upon her by her husband," Justice Chandrachud said while reading out from judgment.



However, the court also noted, "The meaning of rape must therefore be understood as including marital rape solely for the purpose of the MTP Act and any other rules and regulations ramed thereunder. Any other interpretation would have the effect of compelling a woman to give birth to and raise a child with a partner who inflicts mental and physical harm upon her."



The case came up when a 25-year-old unmarried woman approached the Delhi High Court to get her pregnancy of 23 weeks and 5 days terminated. The women had appealed to the court that the pregnancy came out of consensual relationship, but she can't keep the fetus as her partner had refused to take responsibility.

However, a division bench of Delhi High Court comprising Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma and Justice Subramonium Prasad had refused interim relief to her.





The High Court had observed that unmarried women, whose pregnancy arose out of a consensual relationship, are not covered under the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Rules, 2003.

On August 23, a bench comprising Justices D.Y. Chandrachud, A.S. Bopanna and J.B. Pardiwala had reserved judgment in the case.




Prime Minister on Thursday said once the Diamond Research and Mercantile (DREAM) city project is completed, will emerge as the safest and convenient diamond trading hub in the world.

Addressing a rally after laying the foundation stone and inaugurating a host of projects here in Gujarat, Modi said in the last 20 years has progressed by leaps and bounds.

Remembering the struggle to get an airport in city, Modi said they (when he was the chief minister of Gujarat) got tired in explaining the need for an airport here to the then UPA government.

Now, many people come and go from the airport here and it has helped in the city's development. This is the benefit of the double engine government, he said.

Modi said many families are dependent on the diamond and textile industries of Surat.

"Surat will emerge as the safest and convenient diamond trading hub in the world once the DREAM city project is completed," Modi said.

He also said that more than four crore people have got free medical treatment under the Ayushman Bharat Scheme in the country, and out of these 32 lakh are from including 1.25 lakh from Surat.

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Even the Mumbai 26/11 attacker and convict Ajmal Kasab had a fair trial; it is the fairness of our judicial system, argued senior counsel for Delhi Cabinet Minister .

It was also argued that his case is not worse than Kasab's.

On the other hand, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) contended that the doctors and jail authorities were managed as the accused earlier had the Health and Jail Department portfolio as Delhi Cabinet Minister.

These arguments were made before the Delhi High Court on Wednesday. After hearing the arguments, the bench of Justice Yogesh Khanna listed the matter for clarification/order on October 1.

moved Delhi High Court challenging Principal District and Sessions Court of Rouse Avenue Court order allowing ED Petition for transfer of his case to another judge.

During the rebuttal argument, Senior Advocate Rahul Mehra argued that there is no material to show biasedness on the part of the judge.

Rahul Mehra referred to the application moved by ED seeking transfer of the case to another judge which said that the agency is not casting any aspersions but there is a grave likelihood, and reason to believe that issues were premeditated.

Mehra raised a question to ED, "Who are you to raise to cast these aspersions? Still, you are saying you are not casting aspersions."

He also submitted, "You (ED) are an agency of the central government and you are saying that the doctors were sold out. How can you say that? Some of the doctors in LNJP are Padma Shri and even Padma Vibhushan. They are life savers. You asked the High Court to direct the jail authorities to admit the petitioner to AIIMS which is under your direct control."

Mehra argued, "You are going to set as an example that if you go against the agency if you ask a question, that will send a message that we (ED) will cast aspersion on you and would seek transfer of the case. This will have a chilling effect on the institution. We have to protect it."

He asked a question, "Is asking a question by the court making its mind, is it biased? Why then is there a pretence of a fair trial? It is shocking and it pricks our conscience."

The senior counsel argued, "there may be a bias between the accused and jail authorities, where the judge came into this? Even Ajmal Kasab had a fair trial in this country, it is the fairness of our judicial system."

He submitted that a cost should be imposed on the respondent to send a message to society.

At the outset of the arguments in the morning, it was argued by Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal on behalf of Jain that the ED sought a transfer of the case after my rejoinder on the bail application was over. Though, all the facts mentioned in the transfer application were in the knowledge of the prosecution agency.

Sibal submitted that one of the grounds in the application moved on 19 September, was that some of the submissions by the counsel for the agency were not answered by the judge. There was a probable apprehension of bias.

The second ground was that the judge did not agree to call for an independent report from AIIMS, Safdarjung or any independent hospital. There was the third ground that the doctors of LNJP hospital advised the accused to avoid the jerky movement. The petitioner was allowed to appear before the court through video conferencing. These are the grounds of bias according to the agency.

The senior advocate Sibal argued that there was not a single order in favour of the petitioner. They were granted full 14 days of custody to interrogate him. They had all the information even on August 6, they did not raise any objection. They raised their objection after the completion of arguments on the bail application on September 15.

The judge on July 19 said, " The court will consider their objection when I get the medical report from LNJP," Sibal argued. If there was a bias, then why not move an application earlier? Even no objection was not mentioned in the reply on the interim bail application."

They showed their apprehension on September 15 and moved an application on September 19. The application was kept pending. Then the Supreme Court directed the District and Sessions Judge to decide it in a day.

Thereafter the application was decided and the case was transferred to another court. It is the first case where a prosecution agency sought a transfer. There was no allegation of bias till September 13.

The uncommon species are ruling the country nowadays, Sibal said during his arguments.

On the other hand, Additional Solicitor General S V Raju said, "The accused was manipulating the jail authorities and Hospital. He was taken to RML hospital on June 13, during ED custody. There was no complaint, no headache, no corona-related effect, and his chest was clear. Till ED custody his condition was good."

After the ED custody, he was remanded to judicial custody, where he complained and was admitted to the jail hospital. It was recorded that he had fever and headache, sleeping apnea and other problems. It was also said that his oxygen level was fluctuating. While in ED custody his Oxygen level was at 96, ASG argued.

He also submitted that the objection was raised before the trial court that this report is fishy and an independent report may be called from an independent hospital. The judge had said that the report is not before me, let it come. It was submitted that not only the report but the entire system is false. Jail authorities were won over.

ASG also submitted that the petitioner was allowed to appear through video conferencing. When the IO went to the hospital to make arrangements for the VC, he saw that the petitioner was there without any cannula on his hand or oxygen mask on his mouth. Even his wife was also there in the hospital.

He also submitted that the jail doctor's conduct was fishy. The conduct of the LNJP doctor was also fishy. A fake certificate was issued. He was shifted to the LNJP hospital from the jail hospital. He was a minister with a health portfolio. There was the apprehension of influence. His name was on the website and he had inaugurated many facilities there.

The Principal District and Sessions Judge Vinay Kumar Gupta on September 23 agreed to transfer the money laundering case to another judge and listed the matter afresh for hearing today itself.

According to the order the case was transferred to Special Judge Vikas Dhull. Earlier it was heard in length by Special Judge Geetanjali Goel.

Earlier on Thursday, during arguments of ED, Additional Solicitor General (ASG) SV Raju submitted that there was an attempt to seek medical bail by using false medical reports.

"Satyendar Jain was also the Jail Minister. He spent most of the time in the hospital during judicial custody, the medical report was given fake. We have all the documents to the court, but nothing happened. He has been handling the Delhi Prisons too as a Minister and can use power, money, and influence," ASG Raju added.

Appearing for Satyendar Jain, Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal submitted that he was shifted to LNJP Hospital and as per the jail manual no violation was held.

"When the same judge granted remand to Satyendar Jain then it was fine. The ED plea seeking the transfer of the case to another is clearly showing a malafide contention. The ground taken by the ED is totally vague," Advocate Sibal said.

Earlier the court of District Judge had stayed Satyendar Jain's trial after ED plea had sought the transfer of the case and issued notices to all the accused persons.

All three accused, Satyendar Jain and the co-accused Ankush Jain and Vaibhav Jain are currently in Judicial Custody.

Senior Advocate N Hariharan, appearing for Satyendar Jain, expressed his displeasure with Special Judge Geetanjali Goel and submitted, "It's really unfair. Totally uncalled for. They are preempting things. We'll oppose it tooth and nail."

The ED had arrested Satyendar Jain and two others in a money laundering case based on a CBI FIR lodged against the AAP leader in 2017 under the Prevention of Corruption Act. The minister was accused of having laundered money through four companies allegedly linked to him.

On September 16, the ED quizzed Jain inside the Jail in relation to the Excise policy case.

Special Judge Geetanjali Goel allowed the application moved by the ED seeking permission to question Satyendar Jain in the excise policy case.

Recently the court also took cognizance of the chargesheet filed by the ED against Satyendar Jain, his wife, and eight others including four firms in connection with the money laundering case.

The ED on June 6 claimed to have seized Rs 2.85 crore in cash and 133 gold coins weighing 1.80 kg from Satyendar Jain's aides during its day-long raid conducted at various places across Delhi and the Capital Region (NCR). During these raids, the agency also seized various incriminating documents and digital records.

The ED had initiated the money-laundering investigation on the basis of a First Information Report (FIR) registered by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on August 24, 2017.

The FIR was registered under Section 13(2) and 13(1)(e) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 against Satyendar Jain, Poonam Jain, Ajit Prasad Jain, Sunil Kumar Jain, Vaibhav Jain and Ankush Jain.

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India has reportedly reached out to Iraq, Saudi Arabia, UAE, and the US to secure liquified natural gas (LNG) at affordable prices. The decision comes as supplies from Russia's have been declining, according to a report in Mint.

In 2018, Marketing and Trading Singapore (GMTS), a subsidiary of Gazprom, signed a pact with the Gas Authority of India Ltd (GAIL) to supply 2.5 million tonnes of for 20 years.

But since the start of the war in Ukraine, the supplies from GMTS have been dwindling.

India's consumption of has been rising on the back of Centre's decision to diversify its energy sourcing.

Currently, gas comprises 6.2 per cent of India's energy needs. The government is planning to take it up to 15 per cent by 2030, Mint added.

India is also largely dependent on imports for meeting its oil and gas needs. Eighty-five per cent of the local oil demand and 55 per cent of the local gas demand is met by imports in India.

A government spokesperson was quoted by Mint as saying that the centre is trying to acquire gas from wherever possible at "best-suited prices".

"As of now, availability of gas is not an issue, only the price is. Today, gas is available everywhere, including in the UAE and US. We are trying to negotiate to get a good deal wherein we can get gas at an affordable price. We are looking at Saudi Arabia, the US, UAE and Iraq," another official said.

The report further added that India may not pursue arbitration against but may deal with the issue bilaterally "at the highest level of the Indian government".
Indian Oil Corporation Ltd (IOCL) has signed a long-term agreement with Brazil's Petroleo Brasileiro SA (Petrobras) and Colombia's Ecopetrol SA to get crude oil. This has been done to boost India's energy security, according to a report by Mint.

On September 24, Bharat Petrol Corporation Ltd (BPCL) also signed a pact with to source crude oil from South American nations.

IOCL's pact was signed during petroleum secretary Pankaj Jain's visit to Brazil last week. will supply 1.7 million tonnes per annum to IOCL, according to Mint.

On September 23, the petroleum and natural gas ministry tweeted, "@Secretary_MoPNG had productive discussions with CEO Petrobras, Mr Caio Paes de Andrade on mutually beneficial arrangements for #CrudeOil export to India from Brazil & export of #petroleum products to Brazil. He also discussed collaboration in the refining, bio-fuels & EP sectors."

The ministry also tweeted that an agreement between BPCL and was signed during Jain's visit.

tweeted on September 27, "#IndianOil is committed to strengthening Indias energy security! Keeping with that goal, we signed a Term Contract with the Colombian national oil company Ecopetrol in Singapore today as a part of our continued efforts to diversify our crude oil sourcing."

In July, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) approved the additional investment by the BPCL and Petrobras' joint company Bharat PetroResources Ltd (BRPL) to develop BM-SEAL-II project in Brazil. Originally, BRPL allocated $1.6 billion for the project.
Police on Wednesday detained a woman after a suspected IED was recovered in Jammu and Kashmir's district, officials said.

On a reliable input, police, along with other security agencies, recovered an IED- like substance in Poonch, they said.

A woman suspect was detained for questioning in connection with the recovery, they said.

Further investigation is going on, they added.

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will soon be included in the International Map, said Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Wednesday, read a statement from Chief Minister's Office (CMO).

Speaking at a function organised in connection with the release of the Policy (revised) for the year 2020-26 and distribution of incentive for the registered tourist guides in Vidhana Soudha banquet hall, he said, "We need to increase the number of people visiting from the current 30 lakh to one crore in the next three years. The footfall of tourists has increased. More foreign tourists must be attracted to give jobs to locals."

CM Bommai said that has the best tourist places which are ideal for the promotion of .

"The forts of Kalburagi and Bidar are fantastic. All these are our property and there is a big scope for tourism if these assets are improved. We have got all these from their ancestors and it must be introduced to the whole world. The government is doing the job of recognising them," he added.

The CM said, that the departments of Revenue, Good and PWD must work as a team along with the Tourism Department. The existing places of tourist will be fully utilised to promote tourism. The CM said that Saint Kanakadasa was born in Shiggaon taluk and it was also the karma bhumi of Saint Shishunala Sharif but these places are not developed.

"The excavation by the Department of Archeology has discovered a small palace. There is a fort of Kanakadasaru and a palace. Efforts are made to keep the saint alive by constructing a 4D studio and other measures. Now thousands of people from other states visit these places every year," he added.

Bommai said that Anand Singh after becoming Tourism Minister, has chalked out new plans for the promotion of tourism. "Revival of Yaana, ropeway in Chikmagalur and hotels have been taken up. New circuits are formulated and Singh has a major role in this endeavor. More improvement will be made in tourism with private and public participation in the coming days," he added.

He called upon the tourist guides to work with dedication and honesty, and they must never lie or mislead tourists.

"The Karnataka tourist guides must become number one and every tourist must talk about their honesty in guiding visitors. The officials of the Tourist Department must become active and make optimum use of their capacity to improve tourism."

"In fact, the hotel industry has a lot of opportunities in the tourism industry. Sigh has started the construction of three-star hotels in Hampi, Badami and Belur. Lots of development are taking place and we must make use of it. The local youths should get jobs and Karnataka has to become world-famous," he added.

The CM said technology has brought in changes in the tourism sector and this industry has been a main focus in some of the countries in the world.

"It is growing in the country too. Both government and private sectors must create good infrastructure for the development of tourism. Tourists expect good boarding, good food and good services. More jobs are created because of this industry. Karnataka is blessed with the wonders like Hampi, Belur, Halebid, Golgumbaz and Jain Basadis created by kings."

"By protecting these historic monuments, we can attract tourists," he added.

CM Bommai said that these architectural marvels must be introduced to the people.

He pointed out that UNESCO has already identified Hampi as a World Heritage Centre and shortly Belur and Halebid are expected to be included in that list.

"The Badavi caves and Ajanta Caves are old and important but tourists do not know much about it," he added.

Bommai said two tourist circuits are being worked. One is Belur, Halebid, Somanathapur and surrounding places and is called 'Mysuru Circuit', and another circuit includes Badami, Pattadakal and Hampi, and called 'Hampi Circuit'.

"The plan is being readied to take these two circuits to the international level. Visiting this website will give the complete information about those places and both the circuits are expected to function in the next two months. The government has also given importance to temple tourism, nature tourism. Rupees 100 crore has been earmarked for the development of Jog Falls and Anjanadri Hill, and a 600-room tourist dormitory will be constructed. Since the government of India has given concession to Coastal Regulation Zone for the development of coastal areas," he concluded.

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Supreme Court on Thursday in a landmark judgement held that all women are entitled to safe and legal abortion. A bench headed by Justice DY Chandrachud said that the meaning of the rape must include marital rape for the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act. The SC said that the distinction between married and unmarried women for the purposes of the MTP Act is "artificial and constitutionally unsustainable" and perpetuates the stereotype that only married women indulge in sexual activities.

Senior leader Digvijaya Singh on Wednesday night left Kerala for Delhi and is likely to file his nomination for the election to the party president's post on Thursday, sources said. AICC general secretary (organisation) K C Venugopal was also in the same flight from Kerala to Delhi. Singh and Venugopal were participating in the party's Bharat Jodo Yatra which was currently in Kerala. Singh will hold a meeting of his supporters at night and is likely to file his nomination papers on Thursday, the sources added.



The on Wednesday slammed the government for bringing a confidence motion in the state Assembly and said its MLAs won't be attending the House Thursday as the ruling outfit "betrayed" the Governor and running away from discussion on burning issues. Addressing the media here, chief Ashwani Sharma said he along with another party MLA will not attend the session on Thursday. Chief Minister had moved the confidence motion on Tuesday, the opening day of the state Assembly session, which will continue till October 3.
Deputy Chief Minister on Wednesday said the government has fixed the target of installing two lakh solar agricultural pumps in the state.

Fadnavis, who also holds the charge of Energy Department, held a review meeting at its headquarters in Mumbai.

Speaking to reporters later, he said, "The state government has set the target of installing two lakh agri solar pumps in the coming months. While one lakh will be set up by the Energy Development Authority (MEDA), the remaining ones will come from the State Electricity Distribution Company Ltd (MSEDCL)."



The Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan (KUSUM) will cover necessary parts of this programme of installing the solar agri pumps, he said, without giving details of how many pumps have been installed so far in the state.

"The state government is also taking steps towards agri feeders to be converted on solar energy to benefit farmers. I have asked the officials to take efforts in reduce the transmission losses," he said.

The state government has also given its approval for a wind energy project at Uran near Mumbai, Fadnavis said.

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Prime Minister held a roadshow here on Thursday as part of his two-day visit and waved to people standing on road sides since early morning to greet him.

PM Modi will inaugurate or lay foundation stones for various projects worth Rs 29,000 crore during the two-day visit to his home state, where the Assembly elections are due in December this year.

After landing at the airport in the morning, Modi led a 2.5 kilometre roadshow from Ghodadara to Limbayat area of the city.

The prime minister, while sitting inside his car, waved to people who were standing on both sides of the road since early morning to greet him.

is slated for the Assembly elections later this year and the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is making all out efforts to retain power in the state.

From Surat, PM Modi will go to Bhavnagar to launch various projects, including the stone laying of the world's first CNG terminal and a brownfield port in Bhavnagar, a state government release said.

Before addressing a gathering in the Jawahar Chowk area of Bhavnagar city, the PM is also scheduled to lead a two-kilometre-long road show in the city, the release said.

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The home department on Thursday released an order empowering the state police to act against the Popular Front of India (PFI) and other similar organisations.

The order was released following the Centre's notification banning the PFI and affiliates for five years.

The department has ordered the Director-General of Police, Additional Director-General of Police (Anti-Terror Squad and Special Operations Group), commissioners of Jaipur and Jodhpur, Inspector General range and Superintendents of Police and district courts to act against these organisations under sections of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA).

In a notification issued late on Tuesday night, the Union Home Ministry said the central government is of the opinion that the PFI and its affiliates have been involved in subversive activities, thereby disturbing public order and undermining constitutional set up of the country and encouraging and enforcing a terror-based regressive regime.

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India's leading group, Association for Protection of Democratic Rights (APDR), on Wednesday, demanded the withdrawal of the ban for five years imposed on Popular Front of India (PFI) and its affiliate organisations, by the Union Home Ministry.

According to APDR general secretary, Ranjit Sur, PFI, with its declared objective to work for the achievement of socio-economic, cultural and political empowerment of the deprived, downtrodden and the nation at large, claims to work with minorities and historically marginalised.

"Its political wing, the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) has participated in elections from the level of Parliament to the local bodies and some of its representatives are being elected as well," Sur pointed out.

He also said that APDR strongly believes that every organisation in this country has the right to uphold its ideology which can be contested ideologically and politically only.

"Banning an organisation can never be the answer to an ideological and political issue, and the Union government should issue a white paper on what it has achieved in past by banning organisations and what can be achieved by this latest banning. Therefore, in irrevocable terms, APDR demands immediate withdrawal of the banning notification and unconditional release of all political prisoners arrested in this connection," he said.

Meanwhile, on Wednesday evening, the Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) general secretary, Dipankar Bhattacharya, while interacting with the media persons, said that the ban on is a ploy to "terrorise the Muslim population in the country".

--IANS

src/pgh

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Police have denied permission for an processions on October 2 at 51 locations across the state to maintain law and order in the wake of the Centre's move to ban the Popular Front of India (PFI), sources said.

Police sources told IANS that the decision was taken to avoid the possibility of violence during the march

The had earlier sought permission to conduct the processions and the Madras High Court on September 22 allowed it.

Another major reason pointed out by the police is the recent petrol and kerosene bomb attacks on the residences of senior functionaries of the .

The police do not want any such attack during the processions which can turn the situation volatile, the sources added.

Sources in the RSS told IANS that the organisation would again move the Madras High Court against the order of the Police.

--IANS

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As many as 55 new cases of have been detected in Maharashtra's district, taking its tally of infections to 7,44,961, a health official said on Thursday.

With the addition of the latest numbers on Wednesday, the district currently has 364 active COVID-19 cases, he said.

The death toll in remained unchanged at 11,962.

The recovery count has reached 7,33,347, the official said.

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A 52-year-old Chintalbasti resident died of a heart stroke that he suffered after a scuffle with four youngsters who were boozing outside his residence. (Representational image)

HYDERABAD: A 52-year-old Chintalbasti resident died of a heart stroke that he suffered after a scuffle with four youngsters who were boozing outside his residence on Monday night. The police said that when the victim, K. Vidyasagar, who worked as a clerk at the Padmaraonagar post office, he is taken to a hospital, the drunks blocked his vehicle for about 10 minutes.

Vidyasagar was declared dead on Tuesday at a city hospital. The victim was a heart patient and was disturbed by the ruckus being created by the accused on the day of the incident, police said.

The police arrested the four accused persons, including a juvenile, on Wednesday. They are all students and cousins.

Police said that at about 11.45 pm on September 26, Vidyasagar asked the four persons to move elsewhere to drink. He threatened he would file a police complaint, following the accused thrashed him, the Saifabad police said.

After Vidyasagar returned home, he suffered a stroke. His son K. Shashidhar and nephew L. Lingam shifted him to their car and were transporting him to a hospital when they were allegedly waylaid by the drunk persons.

The gang did not allow the car to pass for about 10 minutes, questioning Vidyasagar for trying to stop them from drinking. On Vidyasagars family pleading with them for about 10 minutes, the gang allowed them to move. Upon arrival, the hospital declared that he had died. Shashidhar said. My father was calm and never got into an argument. The youth were heavily intoxicated and I hold them responsible for my fathers death, he said.

The accused were identified as Gaddam Akshith, Gaddam Rohit and Gaddam Nikhil. The fourth accused was not named as he is a minor.

The family members of the accused said that someone else might have created the nuisance and blamed the youngsters. My nephew completed his graduation and works with a private firm. He never argues with elders. Someone else is pinning blame on him and others, said Gaddam Naresh, uncle of Nikhil.

However, the police said that the CCTV footage and eyewitness accounts corroborated the allegations of the victims family.

We have investigated the case, checked the CCTV footage and spoke to eyewitnesses. The youngsters were boozing in front of Vidyasagars house and they physically assaulted him, Saifabad inspector K. Sattaiah said.

The four were booked under the Indian Penal Code for causing culpable homicide not amounting to murder and for wrongful restraint and produced in court.
Relief for automakers as govt defers six rule to Oct 2023

The said on Thursday it is deferring until October 2023 the implementation of norms mandating six in all cars, giving the industry a one-year extension.

The decision comes despite the governments prioritisation of passenger safety irrespective of vehicle cost or variants, said Union minister for road transport . Read more

Won't contest election for president: Gehlot after meeting Sonia

Chief Minister on Thursday announced that he will not contest the as he took moral responsibility for the political crisis in his state.

After meeting party president Sonia Gandhi, Gehlot told reporters that he apologised to her for the developments on Sunday when MLAs supporting him defied the central observers and thwarted their move to hold a meeting of party legislators. Read more

Putin to preside over ceremony adding 4 Ukrainian areas to Russia: Kremlin

President will on Friday begin formally annexing 15% of Ukrainian territory, presiding at a signing ceremony to add four Ukrainian regions to Russia.

spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the ceremony would take place at 1500 Moscow time (1200 GMT) on Friday "on agreements on the accession of new territories into the Russian Federation." Read more

SoftBank cuts about 150 staff globally, including at Vision Fund: Report

Corp. has started laying off employees at its loss-making Vision Fund, with cuts expected to exceed 20% of its staff, according to people familiar with the matter.



The Tokyo-based company informed some staff Thursday and at least 100 workers will likely be affected, said the people, asking not to be named as the information is not public. The Vision Fund unit, headquartered in London, had about 500 employees including Latin America funds staff. SoftBank had planned staff cuts of at least 20%, Bloomberg News reported earlier this month. Read more
A former president of World Window India Impex was arrested for allegedly misappropriating funds worth Rs 30 crore and cheating the company authorities, police said on Wednesday.

Accused Ajay Khera worked as executive director of Central Warehousing Corporation and he took voluntary retirement to join as president at World Window India Impex -- a group company of Seagull Maritime Agencies, they said.

A probe was initiated by the Economic Offences Wing of Police after the director of Seagull Maritime Agencies lodged a complaint against Khera, police said. The company deals in freight forwarding business in India.

Ravindra Singh Yadav, Special Commissioner of Police (Crime), said, "In 2010, Seagull started a branch in the USA. The accused (ex-employee of Group Company) who was working with the company as legal consultant, requested the ex-promoters of Seagull to employ his son (Siddharth Khera) to look after the USA branch of Seagull. Accordingly, Siddharth Khera was appointed as Business Development Manager at the USA branch of Seagull. Seagull was running its business smoothly. However, it was noticed that the revenue per annum of Seagull declined steadily from the highs of 2018 to the severe low in July 2021."



The officer said on analysing the reason, it was revealed that the accused persons had incorporated two companies named Azure Freight and Logistics LLP (November 2020) and Azure International LLC (June 2020) and started parallel business by taking away clientele of Seagull through misrepresentation and forgery.

Further enquiry in the case revealed that Khera and his son forged bills of invoices and funnelled payments to their companies, he said.

While resigning, the accused persons also replaced the original hard drives of their computers. Using this modus operandi, they caused a wrongful loss of Rs 30 crore or more to the complainant company and wrongful gain to themselves, the officer added.

During investigation, documents and other information was analysed. Police found that the accused had siphoned off a huge sum of money to their companies' accounts, he said.

According to police, a team was sent to arrest Khera who lived in Mayur Vihar.

Police said he was the executive director at CWC and took voluntary retirement. He then joined the complainant's company as its head.

His son has not been arrested yet, they said.

Police said they are investigating the matter as they suspect that the father-son duo worked in connivance with some officials at Seagull.

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Indias (CAD) is expected to more than double sequentially to over $30 billion in the first quarter of financial year 2022-23 (Q1FY23) to rise above 3 per cent of (GDP) from $13.4 billion, or 1.5 per cent of GDP, in the previous quarter.

The gap between exports and imports has widened primarily because of the sharp rise in commodity prices in Q1 as a result of the Russia-Ukraine war and supply chain disruptions. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is expected to release data on the current account balance and balance of payments by Friday.

There has been a sea change on the trade balance front in the past 12 months. The current account balance was at a surplus of $6.5 billion in Q1FY22, a period marked by the adverse impact of the second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic on economic activity.

Imports surge

The surge in imports witnessed in Q1 has continued, which could push the CAD to an even higher level in Q2FY23.

According to ICRA estimates, Indias CAD may have crossed $30 billion in Q1 (3.6 per cent of GDP), the equivalent of 80 per cent of the full-year CAD of FY22. The deficit is likely to be similar to the levels seen during the taper tantrum episode in Q3FY13, when it was $31.9 billion.

Concurring with ICRAs estimates, Madhavankutty G, group chief economist of Manappuram Finance, said the CAD for Q1 may be between $30 billion and $35 billion.

This is because oil imports almost doubled from $31 billion in Q1FY22 to $59 billion in Q1FY23, and non-oil imports increased by $35 billion, he said. The rise in non-oil imports indicates a revival of domestic demand.

These pressures have gathered steam in Q2 amid a slowdown in the global . The surge in imports witnessed in Q1 has continued even after July, possibly pushing the CAD even higher.

Based on the trends for July and August, ICRA said, the CAD could surge further to an all-time high of $41-43 billion in Q2, which would be a massive 5 per cent of .

Meanwhile, India Ratings highlighted the impact of global headwinds in Q2, saying merchandise exports, which touched a record high of $121.2 billion in Q1, could slow to about $104 billion in Q2, growing by a meagre 1.4 per cent year-on-year (YoY).

As a result, the CAD could reach an all-time high of $120 billion, or 3.5 per cent of in FY23, much higher than the $38.7 billion seen in FY22, which was 1.2 per cent of . Nevertheless, as a proportion of GDP, the FY23 CAD is expected to be much lower than the levels seen in FY13 of 4.8 per cent, said Aditi Nayar, chief economist of ICRA.

The has maintained that India can sustain the CAD in the 2.5-3 per cent range without getting into an external sector crisis.
After recent clashes between Armenian and Azerbaijan troops, India will export missiles, rockets and ammunition, including indigenous Pinaka multi-barrel rocket launchers, to to help defend the nation against the neighbour Azerbaijan.

DefenceIndia signed an order for the arms export through a government-to-government route, through which the two nations inked contracts for the supply of arms and ammunition to earlier this month, reported The Economic Times on Thursday.

The government has not revealed the value of the contracts, however, according to the report, India will supply weapons worth more than Rs 2,000 crore over the coming months.

In a first, India will also export indigenous Pinaka multi-barrel rocket launchers. Pinaka has been developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and manufactured by indigenous private sector firms.

is also set to get anti-tank rockets as well as a range of ammunition from India under the bundled deal, the report stated.

This development comes in a bid to push the government's efforts to increase weapons exports, with policy reforms and active support of the government to secure overseas orders, reported ET. The Centre has set a target to sell weapon systems worth Rs 35,000 crore abroad by 2025.

The last year stood close to Rs 13,000 crore, mainly driven by the private sector.

However, this is not the first time India has exported weapons to Armenia. The central government first supplied four Swathi radars to the Asian nation in 2020 for an estimated Rs 350 crore.
Union commerce & industry minister, Piyush Goyal, on Thursday, called upon industry to invest in the India story.

Addressing the India Economic Conclave organised by the Bengal Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Goyal said, As India is receiving unprecedented support across the world and the world is looking up to India to provide a solid alternative manufacturing base, we should take the initiative and with confidence invest in India.

Goyals comments come after Union Finance Minister, Nirmala Sitharaman, recently asked India Inc what is stopping them from investing.

Goyal outlined areas where the industry could help accelerate Indias economic growth and recommended investment in newer cities like tier 2 and tier 3, which he believes would become the next big drivers for the Indian economy.

Simultaneously, I would urge you to invest in emerging technologies, indigenisation, innovation and research and development, the minister who joined virtually said.

The minister also said that the must be promoted and called for increased interaction between the government and industry.

I would urge you to extensively participate in our negotiations for which we are regularly consulting with export promotion councils, sectoral industry associations and all concerned parties to help us improve our negotiations and get a good deal for all of you, he said.

The next 25 years, Goyal said, would be the brightest phase for the Indian economy. With the collective effort of 130 crore Indians we can surely reach a $30 trillion GDP by 2047 when we celebrate 100 years of independence and script Indias growth story for the world.

Growth drivers

Listing the growth drivers for India at a later session at the conclave, to mark the chambers annual general meeting, Atanu Chakraborty, chairman, HDFC Bank, said that the banking sector was in the pink of health because capitalisation had been restored and NPAs were low.

The capex cycle had again started, he said.

However, he said, how the capex cycle would turn out would depend on how the demand scenario plays out and what kind of asset people end up investing in.

But the economy is far more formalised today, Chakraborty said, courtesy demonetisation, GST and also digitalisation of the economy.

K V Kamath, former chief of the New Development Bank of countries, said that the next 25 years are going to be Indias and he expects India to be a $25 trillion economy by then.

Kamath said that he had not seen a cleaner balance sheet from banking or industry in his career. Which means they have the ability to invest and grow.

He also said that digital architecture will be the biggest employment provider going forward.
To give a boost to small units in Rajasthan, the state government has approved financial assistance of Rs 100 crore for the Laghu Udyog Protsahan Yojana, or the small industries promotion scheme.

This scheme was announced in the state 2022-23 to promote micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), and give loans on easy terms for small businesses and investors.

For this, a provision of Rs 150 crore was made. The scheme will remain effective till March 2024.

Loans under this scheme are being given for manufacturing, services, and business other enterprises through financial institutions such as nationalised commercial banks, private-sector banks, scheduled small finance banks, regional rural banks, Financial Corporation, and .

In this scheme, a loan up to Rs 10 crore is given for new manufacturing and services enterprises and Rs 1 crore for units going for expansion, diversification, or modernisation.

They will be composite loans, term loans, and working capital loans (including the cash credit limit).

According to guidelines, collateral security will not be needed for loans up to Rs 10 lakh.

Applications for loans of more than Rs 10 lakh will be forwarded to the bank after the District Level Task Force Committee has scrutinised them.



The state government also provides interest subsidies on these loans.

Rajasthans first MSME Policy-2022 was released recently. It will give pace to industrial development in the state and will increase employment for craftsmen and artisans.

More than 90 per cent of the enterprises in the state fall in the MSME category. These are spread across sub-sectors like carpet manufacturing, textiles, mining, agro, metal craft, and footwear.

To support large manufacturers and harness the potential of the MSME sector, effective measures are required to ensure their sustainable development in . Through this policy, the state government desires to usher in an era of growth for its MSMEs, a state government official said.

The official said the policy aimed to enhance the contribution of to the states GDP.
The Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) is set to allow confidential pre-filing of offer documents to safeguard sensitive business information, says a report in the Economic Times (ET).

Currently, countries like the US and Canada allow confidential pre-filing with regulators.

The board also aims to relax open offer pricing norms for the disinvestment of public sector undertakings (PSUs); and seek enhanced disclosures from startups in offer documents on the issue price for companies holding initial public offerings (IPOs), Economic Times reported.

The board meet scheduled for September 30, will also clear a proposal to bring buying and selling by mutual funds under insider trading rules. The Franklin Templeton episode in which some executives were accused of insider trading is behind the regulator's decision to take this step.

For pre-filing, the companies need to make a public announcement that they have pre-filed offer documents with and exchanges.

The issuer company also has to clarify that pre-filing doesn't necessarily mean it will hold an .

A few months of data confidentiality will be significant for high-growth firms compared with more mature ones that have steady state revenues and margins.

may also approve a proposal to ease certain provisions in takeover code for disinvestment of PSUs. The board is likely to do away with the provision to take into account the 60 day, volume weighted average market price for calculating the open offer price for disinvestment of PSUs in case of an indirect acquisition of a company with stake.

The regulator also said that information about a strategic disinvestment becomes public at the time of cabinet approval and subsequent announcements are made at different stages, which in turns affects the market price of the concerned .
The first compressed natural gas (CNG) Terminal in the world will be built near Gujarat's Bhavnagar port for an estimated cost of Rs 4,000 crore by a consortium of the Mumbai-based Padmanabhan Mafatlal Group and the UK's Foresight Group, according to Financial Express.

On Thursday, Prime Minister will lay the foundation for the project. The massive Terminal project has a cargo handling capacity of 1.5 million metric tonnes per annum (MMTPA). The Maritime Board (GMB), which is currently managing the Bhavnagar Port will also support the project as it would be developed using a (PPP) approach.

According to a senior GMB official, the upcoming Terminal will have the fourth largest lock gate system in the world in addition to an ultra-modern container terminal, a multipurpose terminal, a Ro-Ro terminal, and a liquid terminal. The official added that the future brown field project will also have direct door-step connectivity to the existing roadway and railway network connecting to the largest industrial zones, the Dedicated Freight Corridor, and the northern hinterland of India.

In order to expand and other terminals, extensive modifications to the Bhavnagar port's current infrastructure would also be required, according to the official, which includes dredging in the port basin's water channel, building two lock gates, and off-shore infrastructure for CNG transportation. He further said that the construction of the port is expected to commence in the first half of 2023 and the port will be operational in 2026. The official said to Financial Express, In addition to the CNG Terminal, upgradation of the Bhavnagar port will also cater to the future needs and demands of Bhavnagar district for upcoming projects such as vehicle scrapping yard, container manufacturing, Dholera Special Investment Region and other mega projects.

In December 2019, the group led by Foresight Group presented a project proposal to GMB for the construction of a CNG terminal and additional terminals on the north side of the current Bhavnagar Port. In response, GMB sent the consortium a Letter of Intent (LOI) in September 2020 on behalf of Bhavnagar Port Infrastructure Private Limited (BPIPL), a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) established for the project's development. In January 2019, at the ninth edition of the government's biennial investment event Vibrant Global Business Summit, a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for the project was signed with the Gujarat Maritime Board.

With more freight handled at lesser inland distances, the proposed port will also produce a number of economic benefits and cost savings. The port will also help increase ancillary port-related services and contribute to the creation of almost 1,100 direct employment opportunities. The promoters and RAK Gas, Ras Al Khaimah, UAE, have already signed a contract for the supply of CNG and construction of the CNG Export Terminal.
After posting a 34 per cent increase in exports during 2021-22, Indias largest garment hub Tiruppur is staring at a 30-40 per cent fall in export demand during the current financial year. This has been triggered by the in the US and war-effects in Europe.

While some units have shut down for short periods, the majority of them reduced total working days from seven to four-five days. They are also working on single shifts.

Tiruppur contributed to around 54.2 per cent of the countrys exports last financial year.

A decline is expected in exports, despite clocking Rs 15,800 crore during the April-August period, higher than the last financial year. During financial year 2021-22, exports from Tiruppur increased to Rs 33,525 crore from around Rs 25,000 crore in 2020-21.

Despite higher prices, there was an increase in demand during the first five months. Now, we are seeing a higher decline in orders for the coming months. We expect a 30-40 per cent fall in total exports for the year due to the ongoing global scenario, said Raja M Shanmugam, president of the Exporters Association (TEA).

The peak period in the region for export orders is expected to start from the current month.

According to TEA, the US contributed to around 40 per cent of exports from the region, while for Europe it was 35 per cent last year.

Raw material prices have increased and the war between Russia and Ukraine has seriously affected demand from Europe. And, the US is also causing trouble for advance orders, said M P Muthurathinam, president, Tiruppur Exporters and Manufacturer Association (TEAMA).

According to manufacturers, the domestic market is also seeing a grim situation due to consumption decline.

Total purchasing power is less in the Indian market. In addition, hitting our profits, yarn prices also increased from around Rs 220 per kg in 2020 to around Rs 400 per kg now, Muthuraman added.

Yarn mills, too, are feeling the pinch due to a similar rise in cotton prices, which is yet to stabilise.

Due to a dip in demand, the industry is not taking yarn and our stocks have increased. People are not ready to take the stock. Similarly, higher cotton prices are also a cause for concern, K Venkatachalam, chief advisor, Tamil Nadu Spinning Mills Association (Tasma), said.

From around Rs 1 lakh a candy, cotton prices reduced to around Rs 75,000 now. However, the rates are much higher than the Rs 46,000 a candy during the beginning of 2021.

Though India is the largest cotton-producing country in the world, it stands only sixth in garment exports  behind China, Bangladesh, Vietnam, Cambodia and Sri Lanka.

The main problem is that the government is not giving priority to micro small and medium enterprises (MSMEs). All the schemes are being lined up for big corporates. Unless our issues are addressed, we will be heading for bigger trouble with global demand down, Muthuraman said.
India's central bank is unlikely to extend a Friday deadline for businesses to set up an additional layer of security for consumers' credit card data even after some concerns remain over payments failing and revenue losses, say bankers and merchants.

Despite a demand by smaller merchants to delay the compliance date, there has been no indication so far by the central bank that there is likely to be an extension in deadline, three banking and merchant sources with knowledge of the matter told Reuters.

The (RBI) did not respond to an email request for comment.

"The general sense is that banks, card networks and (bigger) merchants are better prepared and so the push from the ecosystem side for an extension has also not been massive and we haven't received any indication to suggest an extension either," said a banker with a large state-owned bank.

"If it happens, it will be a surprise," he added.

Three years ago, India embarked on a mammoth exercise to secure card data by requiring businesses to tokenise cards by Sept. 30.

Tokenisation is a process by which card details are replaced by a unique code or token, generated by an algorithm, allowing online purchases without exposing card details, in a bid to improve data security.

The RBI first introduced the norms in 2019 and after several extensions has ordered all companies in India to purge saved credit and debit card data from their systems by Oct. 1, 2022.

While banks, card companies and large retailers are prepared, smaller merchants may face trouble which they say could lead to revenue losses for them in the short-term.

Merchant associations have also reached out to the central bank to see if they can be given more time.

Some merchants and bankers also fear card-related transactions may drop in the short-term after tokenisation norms are introduced.

"The moment an additional layer or friction is introduced, payments seem to drop. And there are concerns that initially we may see recurring drop by similar levels to what we had seen," said Rohit Kumar, Founding Partner of TQH Consulting, a public policy consulting firm.

When the previous tokenisation deadline was nearing, recurring payments were failing by 10-15%, according to merchants.

Apart from payments, other things that need to be stress tested include what happens when a product is returned and other post-transaction flows as card data will not be stored on the merchant servers, said Rajaram Suresh of Boston Consulting Group.

Unlike India where it has been made mandatory, European stakeholders have been encouraged to tokenise cards for security benefits, Suresh added.

However, analysts argue that at a time when digital payments are expected to reach the $10 trillion mark by 2026, tokenisation is imperative. Fraud concerning card or internet transactions have been on a rise and made up 34.6% of total number of fraud cases in FY21, according to central bank data.

"People are used to one-click checkout so adoption may take more time and some people may shift to cash but considering that this makes online transactions more secure, customers will adopt this faster without much chaos this time around," said Jagdish Kumar Senior Vice President of Worldline India.

(Reporting by Nupur Anand; Editing by Josie Kao)

(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.)
VIJAYAWADA: Principal secretary (Health) M.T. Krishna Babu on Wednesday expressed concern over poor performance of 108 services in the state. He directed authorities concerned to improve their services within two weeks time.

The senior official had been reviewing functioning of 108 and 104 ambulance services with health commissioner J. Nivas and Aarogyasri Trust chief executive officer Harinidar Prasad here. He asked why the IT wing of 108 services is unable to support the services properly when they had been quite efficient in the past. He directed Aarogyasri CEO to arrange a new IT partner to streamline the services.

Krishna Babu questioned private agency representatives on measures taken to improve 108 services. He wondered why there has been an inordinate delay in getting these ambulances repaired. Further, of 748 ambulances, 164 did not have the GPS facility. He ordered private operators to provide services as per the tender agreement.

The top official also asked why 108 ambulances are not available on call. He underlined that sufficient number of them must be available, so that they can be made available on call during emergencies.

Krishna Babu directed Aarogyasri CEO to go for retendering of 108 services if the present agency is unable to perform well.
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has approved two Russian banks, Sberbank and JSC VTB, to open special Vostro accounts for trade. The approval came months after India's central bank announced its norms for trade.

In early September, UCO Bank had also received RBI's approval to open Vostro accounts with Russia's Gazprom.

What is a Nostro account?

A Nostro account is an account held by a bank in another bank. It allows the customers to deposit money in the bank's account in another bank. It is often used if a bank has no branches in a foreign country.

Let's presume bank "A" does not have any branches in the US, but bank "B" does. Now, to receive the deposits in the US, "A" will open a Nostro account with "B".

Now, if any customers in the US want to send money to "A", they can deposit it into A's account in "B". "B" will transfer the money to "A".

The main difference between a deposit account and a Nostro account is that the former is held by individual depositors while foreign institutions hold the latter.

What is a Vostro account?

A Vostro account is just another name for a Nostro account. It is an account held by a bank that allows the customers to deposit money on behalf of another bank.

A Nostro account is a Vostro account for the bank that opens the account.

In the above example, the account will be called a Vostro account for bank "B". The Vostro account accepts the payments on behalf of the account holder's bank.

If a person deposits money in the Vostro account, it will be transferred to the account holder's bank.

Nostro and Vostro accounts are held in a foreign denomination.

In the case of Sberbank and JSC VTB, these two will now be allowed to open Vostro accounts that will accept payments on behalf of the Indian banks, in Indian rupees, by the traders in .

The traders will no longer be required to send the payments to India in US dollars. They can now simply deposit the money, in Rupee, in the Vostro accounts in the two .

These two will then transfer the money to the account holder banks in India.
At least 122 security members and 11 protesters were injured in clashes as the Iraqi Parliament reconvened after nearly two months of suspension amid a political deadlock.

In a statement on Wednesday, the Iraqi Joint Operations Command (JOC) said the clashes erupted in the afternoon after hundreds of protesters, most of them supporters of the Shia cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, rallied in Tahrir Square in Baghdad, before they managed to remove concrete blocks to cross to the nearby al-Jumhouriyah Bridge in an attempt to make their way to the fortified Green Zone, which houses Parliament, other government buildings and foreign missions.

The clashes came as Parliament held a session, during which 222 lawmakers voted against the resignation of Mohammed al-Halbousi from his post as Speaker, reports Xinhua news agency.

During the session, three rockets landed at about 3.30 p.m. in the Green Zone, injuring seven people, the JOC said in its statement.

Yahia Rasoul, spokesman of the commander-in-chief of the Iraqi forces, said that one of the three rockets landed in front of the Parliament building, damaging nearby vehicles and buildings.

Wednesday's development took place after Parliament had suspended its sessions on July 30 after thousands of al-Sadr's supporters started an open sit-in in the building premises.

In the recent past, the continued disputes among the Shia parties have hampered the formation of a new Iraqi government, making it unable to elect a new President by a two-thirds majority of the 329-seat Parliament.

--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.)
President on Wednesday warned oil and gas companies against increasing prices for consumers as Ian neared landfall along Florida's southwest coast.

Do not, let me repeat, do not use this as an excuse to raise gasoline prices or gouge the American people, Biden said at the start of a conference on hunger in America.

Biden said that the provides no excuse for price increases at the pump and if it happens, he will ask federal officials to determine whether price gauging is going on.

America is watching. The industry should do the right thing, Biden added.

There are few signs that average gas prices have jumped significantly in Florida as the began to approach. AAA put the statewide average at just under $3.40 a gallon, six-tenths of a cent higher than a week ago.

A 99-day run of falling pump prices nationally ended recently, and the 14-week decline was the longest streak since 2015. The nationwide average price had risen past $5 a gallon and $6 in California in June as the economic recovery and an increase in travel boosted demand for gasoline and Russia's war in Ukraine caused a spike in oil prices.

Gasoline prices mostly reflect trends in global oil prices, and crude both the U.S. benchmark and the Brent has been slumping since mid-June on growing fears of a global recession that would reduce demand for energy.

Many energy analysts believe prices are more likely to rise than fall in the next few months. But changes in sentiment about the economy, Russia's war against Ukraine, and even hurricane season always a threat to disrupt refineries along the Gulf Coast make predictions uncertain.

A spokeswoman for the American Petroleum Institute, an group, said the industry is focused on delivering fuels where they are needed most while ensuring the safety of our workforce'' during the hurricane.

Gasoline prices are determined by market forces - not individual companies -- and claims that the price at the pump is anything but a function of supply and demand are false, spokeswoman Andrea Woods said.

The hurricane was lashing the state with heavy rain and pushing a devastating storm surge after strengthening to the threshold of the most dangerous Category 5 status. Ian grew to a catastrophic Category 4 hurricane overnight with top winds of 155 mph (250 kph), according to the National Hurricane Center. The storm trudged on a track that would have it making landfall north of the heavily populated Fort Myers area, which forecasters said could be inundated by a storm surge of up to 18 feet (5.5 meters).

(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.)
European companies are ramping up security around pipelines and energy prices are climbing again as the suspected sabotage of two pipelines that deliver natural gas from Russia underscored the vulnerability of Europe's energy infrastructure and prompted the EU to warn of possible retaliation.

Some European officials and energy experts have said Russia is likely to blame for any sabotage it directly benefits from higher energy prices and economic anxiety across although others cautioned against pointing fingers until investigators are able to determine what happened.

Russia has sharply curtailed natural gas shipments to in retaliation for sanctions that the West put in place after its invasion of Ukraine. On Wednesday, Russian energy giant Gazprom increased the pressure, threatening on Twitter to cease dealing with a Ukrainian company that controls one of the two remaining pipelines that ship Russian gas to .

Coming on top of the apparent sabotage to the Nord Stream gas pipelines, that means a major escalation and readiness to escalate, said Agata Loskot-Strachota, senior fellow in energy policy at the Center for Eastern Studies in Warsaw.

Seismologists say explosions rattled the Baltic Sea before unusual leaks were discovered Tuesday on the two underwater pipelines running from Russia to Germany.

All available information indicates those leaks are the result of a deliberate act, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said in a statement on behalf of the bloc's 27 members. Any deliberate disruption of European energy infrastructure is utterly unacceptable and will be met with a robust and united response.

Three leaks were reported on the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines, which were filled with natural gas but not delivering fuel to Europe ever since Russia stopped the flow to apply economic pressure on the continent.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said allegations that Russia would have sabotaged its own pipelines were predictable and stupid.

Yet as fears of further disruptions loomed, European energy companies and governments said Wednesday they have already begun to fortify energy infrastructure.

Norwegian state oil company Equinor said it raised the level of preparedness on all of its facilities, according to national broadcaster NRK. Norway's energy exports have surged as European countries scramble to find alternatives to Russian supplies.

What happened in the Baltic Sea is very serious, Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stre told a press conference in Oslo.

Before the pipeline leaks discovered Tuesday, natural gas prices in Europe had dropped from their all-time peak in late August because countries have filled storage facilities to 87% of capacity ahead of winter, when demand for the fuel soars to heat homes and generate electricity.

But Europe's natural gas prices have spiked about 14% since the pipeline ruptures rattled nerves about energy security.

Natural gas prices are roughly three times higher than just before Russia invaded Ukraine. An energy crisis driven by the war is threatening rationing, business closures and recession in Europe. The continent's ability to get through winter will be deeply affected by how cold it is and whether they can find supplies to make up for what's been lost from Russia.

Another major source of Russian income oil has fallen sharply in price from June peaks of over $120 per barrel. On Wednesday, Brent crude futures traded at $87.40 per barrel, up more than 5% since Monday.

The extent of the pipeline damage, along with the political ramifications, raises serious doubts about the future of the Nord Stream project, which was launched so that Russia could deliver gas directly to Germany. The project has been heavily criticized by the West because it only increased Europe's reliance on Russian gas imports.

The head of the Danish Energy Agency, Kristoffer Bttzauw, said Wednesday it wasn't clear when it would be safe for investigators to examine the damaged pipes, which he said are made of 12 centimeter (5 inches ) thick steel coated with concrete. The pipelines lie on the seabed between 70 and 90 meters (230 feet and 295 feet) deep.

Sweden's domestic security agency said Wednesday it was investigating the pipeline ruptures and that it couldn't be ruled out "that a foreign power is behind it.

Polish Foreign Minister Zbigniew Rau was more direct, suggesting Tuesday that the leaks could be part of Russia's campaign to apply pressure on the West for supporting Ukraine.

The explosions took place very close to Danish territorial waters, but not inside them, because that would have meant NATO territory, Rau said during a discussion at the Center for Strategic and Studies in Washington.

This could mean that someone is trying to intimidate the countries of the Baltic Sea," he said.

The U.N. Security Council has scheduled an emergency meeting Friday afternoon at Russia's request to discuss the suspected pipeline sabotage.

Even with eyes turning toward Russia, Anders Puck Nielsen, a researcher with the Center for Maritime Operations at the Royal Danish Defence College, said that it would be hard to establish who is responsible, and just as tough to prevent similar incidents.

We have pipelines, we have communication cables like the internet. We have just power lines running on the seabed. All of this is vulnerable and our societies are very dependent on it. And it's very, very difficult to monitor what's going on and to prevent a case of sabotage, he told The Associated Press.

A spokesman for German Chancellor Olaf Scholz declined to respond to media reports that the CIA had warned Germany earlier this summer that the pipelines could be attacked. But let me say that according to our findings, there is no evidence that there is a natural cause for the pressure drop in the pipelines, spokesman Steffen Hebestreit told reporters.

Simone Tagliapietra, an energy policy expert at Bruegel, said Russia's latest threat to disrupt natural gas that flows through Ukraine is not having as much impact as it might have hoped.

Its announcements are now having lower impact on prices, as both market and governments have internalized and got prepared for a full interruption of Russian gas to Europe, Tagliapietra 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.)
As Floridians board up their homes and businesses brace for Ians impact, environmental groups worry theres one big hazard thats been left exposed to storm damage: pools and stacks that contain a toxic fertilizer byproduct.



is home to much of Americas production of phosphate fertilizer and Ians current trajectory has its sights set east of Tampa, where Mosaic Co. has the bulk of its phosphate facilities. Environmental experts worry the possibility of storm damage poses a serious risk for a toxic spill due to the way phosphate is produced and its byproducts are stored.

Protecting the environment and the communities around our sites in is a top priority, especially during Ian, a spokesperson for Mosaic said Wednesday by email. Weve made many improvements throughout years of storms to help prevent any potential problems.

The company added that all of its Florida locations have been secured, with some fully evacuated while minimal staff remain at other sites.

In the production of phosphoric acid-based fertilizer, a radioactive and toxic byproduct called phosphogypsum is created in large quantities and stored in stacks -- or big mounds -- that can be hundreds of acres wide and hundreds of feet tall.

If you have lots of flooding, lots of rain, you could see the toxic waste go into our waters just like it did with Piney Point, said Jaclyn Lopez, an Environmental Law Professor at Stetson University. The halflife of a phosphogypsum stacks radioactive decay is 1,600 years, so this is going to be a problem for me, my kids and their kids. With the increasing strength and frequency, its a real big concern for Tampa Bay.

In 2021, the nearby Piney Point phosphogypsum stack suffered a catastrophic failure due to severe rainfall, causing a red tide that killed approximately 1,800 pounds of marine life and forced evacuations in nearby towns.

One concern is environmental, the impact it might have, because that water is going to flow back in other places, Florida Republican Senator Marco Rubio said on CNN.

Current production methods cause a lot of vulnerabilities in the event of a major storm, said Ragan Whitlock, staff attorney at the Center for Biological Diversity in St. Petersburg. Hazardous wastewater is stored in large, open-air ponds that can overflow into Tampa Bay if heavy rainfall overwhelms their capacity, he said.

Mosaic said it has made many improvements at its sites to help prevent any issues, including creating a more comprehensive internal dike system to break up ponds of water at the top of Gypstacks and reduce wave action and has also lowered its standing water level by 25 feet to reduce risk.

Were deeply concerned at this point, Whitlock said. We think it has the potential to be a catastrophic issue.
After rapidly intensifying over warm waters in the Gulf of Mexico, Ian slammed into southwestern yesterday as a massive Category 4 with winds of up to 155 miles (250 kilometers) per hour. That means its one of the strongest storms to ever make landfall in the state as well as in the whole US.

As of Thursday morning, more than 2 million people were without power across the state. Videos and pictures circulating on Twitter showed water surging past beach-front properties into neighboring streets in Fort Myers, Bonita Springs, and Sanibel Island. Cars and even homes were sighted floating in flood waters, while power lines and trees were downed, according to early reports. Before reaching the US, the knocked out Cubas power grid.

Ian is proving to be a disaster for the history books  and though it slowed to 90 miles an hour overnight, weakening into a Category 1 on the Saffir-Simpson scale, its nowhere close to done.



Thats because Ian is the type of that weather experts have long warned could strike the western coast of Florida, where development and population numbers have boomed in recent decades despite the risk. Its a triple threat, walloping a large area with catastrophic winds, heavy rainfall and storm surge  when strong winds and low pressure push walls of ocean water ashore.

And make no mistake that had something to do with it. Rising sea levels are boosting storm surges, while warmer air and water are causing storms to become rainier and to intensify faster.

As Ian bears down on Florida, we already know its stronger and will dump a lot more rain than the same hurricane would have a hundred years ago, tweeted climate scientist Katharine Hayhoe of Texas Tech University and the Nature Conservancy on Monday.

Samantha Montano, an assistant professor of emergency management at Massachusetts Maritime Academy, said the powerful winds may not do the worst damage. Certainly, the wind threat is significant with this storm, said Montano. But I think its definitely from the flooding, both the storm surge and rainfall, thats going to cause the majority of the damage we will see.

Storm surge was predicted to reach up to 18 feet in some places along the coast, while areas far inland could see more than 20 inches of rain by the time the storm is over, the National Hurricane Center said yesterday. Its going to take a while for a lot of this water to drain out, Montano said.

With Ian still live and expected to scoot up the East Coast later in the week, it could take days, perhaps weeks, to get a full accounting of the damage left in its wake. The initial response will be focused on search and rescue. Thousands of flights were cancelled, schools were closed, and millions of people in the storms path were urged to evacuate. But its unclear exactly how many actually left home.

From ruined orange farms to pummeled homes, Ian may cause upwards of $67 billion in damages, according to Enki Research disaster modeler Chuck Watson.

Meanwhile, environmentalists have warned about the possibility of a chemical spill at facilities storing a fertilizer byproduct. is home to much of Americas production of phosphate fertilizer, and the company Mosaic Co. has several phosphate plants east of Tampa.

Recovery from Ian is going to take years, said Montano. As that gets started, she added, we want to make sure that were building communities in a way that they are ready for future climate impacts  whether sea-level rise or hurricanes or some other hazard.
Amazon owner Jeff Bezos' former wife MacKenzie Scott has filed for from her second husband, Dan Jewett, two years after they got married.

On Monday, Scott, a billionaire philanthropist, filed for in Washington State's King County Superior Court, per the New York Times, Page Six reported.

According to the report, Jewett, who works as a high school science teacher, did not contest the and the division of property has already been determined in a prenuptial agreement.

Scott and Jewett got married in March 2021. The news about their marital problems first came out in pubic when the science teacher's name suddenly disappeared from Scott's philanthropic pledges.

Scott's divorce comes three years after she and announced they were splitting following 25 years of marriage.

"We want to make people aware of a development in our lives," Bezos, the world's second richest person, tweeted at the time. "As our family and close friends know, after a long period of loving exploration and trial separation, we have decided to divorce and continue our shared lives as friends."

He continued, "We feel incredibly lucky to have found each other and deeply grateful for every one of the years we have been married to each other. If we had known we would separate after 25 years, we would do it all again."

Scott shares four children with Bezos.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
US Vice President will arrive in on Thursday just a day after North Korea fired two short-range ballistic missiles amid an escalation of Pyongyang's continued nuke testing.

Harris, who is travelling to from Japan, will make her first visit to the country as Vice President, reports Yonhap News Agency.

The last time a US Vice President visited was in February 2018, when Mike Pence led a delegation to the PyeongChang Winter Olympic Games.

Harris is scheduled to meet President Yoon Suk-yeol shortly after her arrival in Seoul.

On Wednesday night, North Korea fired two short-range ballistic missiles into the East Sea in apparent protest of an ongoing South Korea-US military exercise involving an American aircraft carrier.

The North had also conducted a similar short-range ballistic missile test on Sunday.

During her day-long trip, Harris will underscore Washington's commitment to the defence of its ally, a senior administration official in Washington told reporters earlier.

"The key messaging that she's talking about on this trip is how our defence commitments are ironclad," the official said of the visit, which will include a stop in the Demilitarized Zone that separates the two Koreas.

Harris' visit to the DMZ comes less than two months after US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi went there.

--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.)
Just weeks after Queen Elizabeth IIs death, is already hinting it might not replace her with on its five-dollar banknotes when theyre eventually reprinted.



Treasurer Jim Chalmers said Wednesday hed mull the best way of redesigning the widely-used currency following the Queens passing, using language that left the door open for someone besides her 73-year-old son to be depicted. Previous polls suggest the population is roughly split about breaking from .

I dont see a massive rush to change, Chalmers said in Canberra. But nor do I think it should be especially controversial for a country like ours to consider and consult on what we want to do with the five-dollar note going forward.



Also Read | Banknotes featuring King Charles III will be in circulation by 2024: BOE

Chalmers said hed work with Reserve Bank of Governor Philip Lowe on tackling the best way to make any changes. He didnt give a time frame for when a decision might be reached.





Along with Canada, New Zealand and other former colonies of the British Empire, still counts the monarch as its head of state. A referendum in 1999 to become a republic was narrowly defeated, yet the debate has simmered as Australias stature as a regional power and globally significant economy has grown.

The government has already announced the kings profile will appear on Australian coins at some point in 2023, however multiple ministers have suggested a different design may be chosen for the five-dollar note. When asked about a change prior to the funeral for the monarch, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said he believed it was disrespectful to consider the issue at that time.

We will deal with these issues appropriately, in an orderly way, in a way that is respectful, he said.

Albanese has previously suggested he would like to see a national referendum on Australia becoming a republic during his time in office, making an Australian the head of state.

Britains Royal Mint has already said it would begin the slow process of switching the late queen with the king on UK currency and stamps.
Long lines of Russians trying to escape being called up to fight in Ukraine continued to clog highways out of the country on Wednesday, and reportedly set up draft offices at borders to intercept some of them.

North Ossetia, a Russian region that borders Georgia, declared a state of high alert and said that food, water, warming stations and other aid should be brought in for those who have spent days in queues. Volunteers on the Georgian side of the border also have brought water, blankets and other assistance.

North Ossetia restricted many passenger cars from entering its territory, and set up a draft office at the Verkhy Lars border crossing, Russian news agencies said. Some media outlets released photos at the crossing showing a black van with military enlistment office written on it.

Another such draft checkpoint was set up in along the Finnish border, according to the independent Russian news outlet Meduza.

Tens of thousands of Russian men have fled in the week since President Vladimir Putin announced a mobilization to bolster struggling Russian forces in Ukraine. Although Putin said the callup was partial, aimed at calling up about 300,000 men with past military service, many Russians fear it will be much broader and more arbitrary than that. There are numerous reports of men with no military training and of all ages receiving draft notices.

Aleksandr Kamisentsev, who left his home in Saratov for Georgia, described the scene on the Russian side of the border.

It's all very scary tears, screams, a huge number of people. There is a feeling that the government does not know how to organize it. It seems that they want to close the border, but at the same time they are afraid that protests may follow, and they let people leave, he told the AP.

He said he decided at the last moment to leave because I am not going to kill my Ukrainian brothers or go to prison.

Protesters carrying Georgian and Ukrainian flags and signs like Kills greeted Russians at the border Wednesday. Giga Lemonjava of the political party Droa, which organized the protest, said the evacuees threaten Georgia's security and economy.

One protester, Helen Khoshtaria, tweeted: We organized a protest at the border today so that the incoming Russians know how we feel about their 'Russian world.'



Russians have been crossing by car, bicycle, scooter and on foot.

There also are long lines at the border with Kazakhstan, which has taken in more than 98,000 Russians in the past week.

has land borders with 14 countries.

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Number of China-Europe freight train trips made via border ports in Xinjiang rises by average of 68 pct annually

People's Daily Online) 10:09, September 29, 2022

A freight train from the China-Europe Railway Express arrives at a land port in Urumqi, Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region. (Photo provided to China Daily)

The number of China-Europe freight train trips made via railway border ports in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region accounts for 52.2 percent of such trips made via border ports across the country and has grown at an average annual rate of 68 percent since the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) was proposed in 2013, Xinjiang Daily reported on Sept. 27.

Over the past years, with the number of China-Europe freight train trips and the routes for these trains increasing year by year, the trains have become an important driving force for the development of the BRI and a backbone of international logistics and transportation in Eurasia.

As the western passage of the China-Europe freight trains, Xinjiang has played an increasingly important role in the development of the China-Europe freight train service.

In particular, Xinjiang's Alashankou and Horgos railway ports, key links in the trains transportation network, have made continuous efforts to improve their services. By optimizing train schedules, increasing train passage efficiency, and implementing capacity expansion and transformation projects, among other efforts, the border ports have increased their number of cross-border train trips on an annual basis.

"There has been a marked increase in the number of inbound and outbound China-Europe freight train trips, which couldn't have happened without factors such as Xinjiang's location advantage, economic vitality, continuously intensified efforts put into infrastructure construction, and improving efficiency of customs clearance," said Li Xing, deputy head of the freight department of the China Railway Urumqi Bureau Group Co., Ltd.

Xinjiang has made continuous efforts to improve its infrastructure. The region has a built a railway network with the Lanzhou-Xinjiang Railway linking Lanzhou, capital of northwest China's Gansu Province with Urumqi, capital of Xinjiang, as the main line, and the Golmud-Korla Railway linking northwest China's Qinghai Province and Xinjiang and the Linhe-Hami Railway stretching from north Chinas Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region to Xinjiang as auxiliary lines.

With the Afuzhun (Altay-Fuyun-Zhundong) Railway and the Hotan-Ruoqiang Railway in Xinjiang being put into operation, the region has completed two circular railway lines encircling its Junggar Basin and Tarim Basin, respectively.

As of June this year, the total length of railways in Xinjiang had reached 9,091 kilometers, laying a solid foundation for the smooth operation of inbound and outbound China-Europe freight trains in the region.

(Web editor: Hongyu, Liang Jun)
Two tourism circuits known as Mysuru Circuit and another Hampi Circuit will be made functional in the next two months to boost tourism: Karnataka chief minister Basavaraj Bommai (Photo: ANI)

BENGALURU: Two tourism circuits known as Mysuru Circuit and another Hampi Circuit will be made functional in the next two months to boost tourism, and the Circuits will enable tourists to access information required online, said Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Wednesday and hoped that in the coming days, the State will occupy a prominent place at the global tourism map.

While the Mysuru Circuit will cover Belur, Halebeedu, Somanathapura, among other tourist attractions, the Hampi Circuit will include tourist centres such as Vijayapura, Badami, Hampi and surrounding places, the Chief Minister said attending a function as part of World Tourism Day at Banquet Hall of Vidhana Soudha in Bengaluru. Temple tourism and Nature tourism will also be given significance, he added.

Asking tourism officials to make efforts to tap tourism potential in the State, Bommai said annually, the State records about 30 lakh tourists and steps will be initiated to the numbers reach a crore in coming days and called upon the officials concerned of departments of revenue, food and civil supplies and public works to work in tandem to increase the number of visitors to the State.

Tourism will also help in addressing employment issues and generate jobs locally,'' he said. Bommmai said tourism will be developed in the State by joining hands with the private partnership and suitable steps will be taken in this regard.

The use of technology has brought changes in the field of tourism, and the tourism industry in the country is growing in leaps and bounds, he observed and said that to improve basic amenities, the onus is on both Government and private parties.

Listing out various monuments of erstwhile rulers and calling for their conservation, the Chief Minister, in particular, rued over the Badami caves on par with Ajanta Caves of Maharashtra lacked publicity. Badami Caves are much older and much more significant than Ajanta Caves.

In an advice to the tourist guides, Bommai asked not to mislead the tourists and discharge their duties with honesty and wished that Tourists should hail Karnataka guides as number 1.
A high-level security meeting in on Wednesday approved the formation of a high-powered committee to probe the embarrassing audio leaks from the Prime Minister's Office that have triggered a controversy and demands for Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's resignation.

A slew of audio recordings featuring confidential conversations of the prime minister with high-government officials surfaced on social media last week, raising questions about the security of the highest office of the country.

Prime Minister Sharif on Wednesday chaired the meeting of the National Security Committee (NSC) on the issue.

Ministers for defence, energy, information, interior, finance, human rights and planning along with services chiefs, the national security adviser and senior officers attended the meeting.

According to a statement issued by the Prime Minister's Office (PMO), the heads of the intelligence institutions gave a detailed briefing to the meeting on the security of the PM's house and other important places.

The meeting approved the formation of a high-powered committee to investigate the issue of audio leaks. Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah Khan will head it.

It said that after consultation, the NSC's participants directed the Law Ministry to prepare a legal framework related to cyber security.

The meeting was told that an investigation is being conducted on the issue of the audios circulating on social media. It was briefed about certain aspects related to the security of the Prime Minister's House and the fool-proof arrangements taken to remedy them, it read.

The meeting's participants were informed that emergency measures were being taken to ensure the security of the Prime Minister's House and other important places, buildings and ministries to avoid any such situation in the future.

The participants also agreed to review the safety and security of government communications keeping in mind the current changing environment of modern technology and cyberspace to ensure security and security systems are not breached.

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Pakistan's Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi continued his hate-mongering rhetoric against the Ahmadiyya community in Pakistan, saying that his party (PML-Q) plans to build a mosque that would be a replica of Istanbul's Blue mosque where "Qaidanis" will not be allowed.

Qaidanis is a religious slur used to refer to Ahmadi Muslims in .

He added that Ahmadiyyas will be given the rights as given to other minorities. As per his statement, the government has already finalized the deal with the engineers of Turkey's Blue Mosque and the work is likely to start soon.

Elahi continued saying that the only difference between the two mosques will be that in Pakistan's Blue Mosque there will be a signboard that would display that "Qaidanis are not allowed".

Meanwhile, a Federal Minister and Member of the National Assembly of Pakistan, Mian Javed Latif has launched a fresh hate-filled campaign against the persecuted Ahmadiyya Muslim Community in Pakistan, using religion to score political points, a press release by Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights read.

On Wednesday September 15, Latif appeared on Pakistani State TV Television Corporation (PTV) to utter falsehoods and propaganda against the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, which is already under immense threat and subjected to cruelties and state persecution.

Pakistan's media regulatory body - the Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) has been criticised for not sanctioning television channels from airing such hate-filled rhetoric.

The use of religion is not new in Pakistani politics but the airing of such rhetoric on mainstream state media is a serious and shocking use of state television and risks furthering an already vile hate campaign against Pakistan's most persecuted community.

The Ahmadi Muslim Community is being used as a scapegoat to score political points and malign political opponents, without any regard for the risk of life and the hatred it spreads.

At the cost of further endangering the lives of Ahmadis in Pakistan, this level of hate speech in mainstream media and social media is shocking and inexcusable and likely to radicalise people further against innocent Ahmadis.

As a result of such hate campaigns, an Ahmadi, Mr Naseer Ahmed was killed last month on August 12 by an extremist radicalised by hate-filled religious clerics, the press release read.

Another Pakistani politician, Federal Railway Minister Khawaja Saad Rafique similarly stoked the fire of enmity against the Ahmadis Muslims. He tweeted the anti-Ahmadi trope and baseless allegation that Ahmadis were a conspiracy against Islam and a seditious group.

This format of hate speech and incitement which falsely blame the country's ongoing instability on Ahmadi Muslims has a history of triggering violent attacks against innocent Ahmadis.

On July 13, 2021, UN human rights experts expressed their deep concern over the lack of attention to the serious human rights violations perpetrated against the Ahmadiyya community around the world and called on the community to step up efforts to bring an end to the ongoing persecution of Ahmadis.

It urged the community to impress upon the Government of to honour its responsibility to provide effective protection and freedom of religious practice to Ahmadis and that perpetrators of such vicious actions should be brought to justice, to bring its laws and practices in conformity with standards.

(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.)
India's External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar has said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent remarks to Russian President - that "today's era is not of war" - in the context of the invasion of Ukraine were consistent with the existing Indian position and they were perceived differently globally only because they were delivered in a face-to-face meeting of the two leaders.

Addressing reporters on Wednesday at the conclusion of his 10-day tour of the US that took him first to New York for the UN General Assembly (UNGA) meetings as head of the Indian delegation and then to Washington DC for bilateral talks, Jaishankar also said that the UN Security Council reforms and counterterrorism will be the focus of India's presidency of the elite world body in December, which will also be the last month of its eighth term as a non-permanent member.

The minister's Washington DC visit was packed with back-to-back meetings with officials - including a working dinner at Secretary of State Antony Blinken's home, lawmakers, business leaders and policy mavens, but it was marked most starkly by considerable excitement on the American cite over Modi's remarks to Putin on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization's summit in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. It was seen - from the White House and the larger administration to US congress - as a major reversal in India's position, from sitting on the from fence-sitting to truth-talking.

Jaishankar sought to tamp down the excitement somewhat, noting that India had been conveying the same message to for a while, but privately. "The position that the Prime Minister took was consistent with a position that we have been taking earlier," he said.

India has been expressing "concern about the conflict, about the urgency for early cessation of hostilities, about the need for dialogue and diplomacy. So there has been a steady refrain," he said further.

He added the remarks were possibly "received and perceived in a way because it was a a face to face meeting... I think it's understandable that a physical meeting made a stronger impact, than sort of a second hand report."

Prime Minister Modi told President Putin on September 16, "I know that today's era is not of war and we have spoken to you many times on the phone that democracy, diplomacy and dialogue are such things that touch the world." It was characterised in the West as a "rebuke" of the Russian leader in a "clear reversal" of India's position.

Secretary Blinken was effusive in his response to a question about it at a press availability with Minister Jaishankar on Tuesday. He said that Modi's remarks "captured, as well as anyone I've heard, fundamentally what this moment is about. As he said, this is not an era, this is not a time for war. We could not agree more".

Asked for the reason why Modi publicly stated what India had been saying to Putin privately on phone, the minister said it was natural for the subject to come up between the two leaders as they were meeting face-to-face for the first time since December 2021.

The Russian invasion of Ukraine had led to some difficult conversations between India and the US as New Delhi refused to condemn it as robustly as the US-west wanted, and, also, Indian not only continued to buy Russian oil but it stepped up its purchases to take advantage of the discounted rates on offer. Western government felt that India - and China - softened the sanctions imposed on .

Earlier at the UNGA meetings, Mexico suggested that Prime Minister Modi be named to a panel to end the Russia-Ukraine war, along with Pope Francis. The Mexicans did not say if their proposal was linked to the Samarkand statement, but it did come in the aftermath suggesting a causal link. A response is awaited from Mexico's permanent mission to the UN.

At the UN, India plans to use its rotational presidency of the Security Council in December to focus on reforms of the body that has made no real progress despite years of efforts. US President Joe Biden's commitment to make it a priority has given India, which is seeking a permanent seat on the reformed council, and other advocates of change a great amount of hope. The Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov also spoke of UNSC reforms in his UNGA speech and named India and Brazil as deserving to be among the permanent members.

"The position President Biden put forward is the most explicit and specific articulation of the US support for reform of the UN including the Security Council," Jaishankar said, when asked if the US was serious about reforms. "I don't think it's kind of business as usual," he added.

But the minister said it's not for any single country to carry through the reforms and, he noted, India has been very clear-eyed about the prospects, that it will not be easy. And then there are those that oppose it. "You also know where the reluctance comes from," he said without naming any country.

--IANS

yashwant/shs

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Queen Elizabeth II, who passed away peacefully in her summer residence of Balmoral Castle three weeks ago, succumbed to old age, according to an extract of the late monarch's death certificate released on Thursday.

The document, released by the National Records of Scotland, notes Britain's longest-serving monarch died at 3.10 pm local time on September 8 due to "old age".

The Queen's daughter, Princess Anne, is named as the "informant" on the document as it would have been her who notified the local registrar of her mother's death.

When paying tribute to her mother, the Princess Royal revealed that she was with the head of state in her last moments. Anne, who accompanied her mother's coffin as it travelled from Balmoral to London via Edinburgh, said: "I was fortunate to share the last 24 hours of my dearest mother's life."



The Queen was laid to rest at St. George's Chapel in Windsor Castle in a private burial ceremony following a state funeral attended by around 100 presidents and heads of government from around the world including President Droupadi Murmu at a grand and sombre ceremony in Westminster Abbey on September 19.

The death certificate was released while hundreds queued at Windsor Castle in Berkshire as it reopened to the public for visits for the first time since the death of the late monarch earlier this month.

For the first time this week, visitors will be able to view the ledger stone inscribed with the name of the late monarch in the George VI Memorial Chapel at St. George's Chapel, where she was buried beside her husband Prince Philip last week.

On September 19, was laid to rest in the George VI Memorial Chapel, an enclave commissioned by her within the castle's St. George's Chapel.

Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh's coffin was then moved from the chapel's Royal Vault to be placed in the same enclave, which also houses the coffins of the Queen's parents, father George and mother Elizabeth.

Last week, Buckingham Palace released an image of the new chapel stone engraved with the Queen's name, which replaces a black slab naming King George VI and Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, to include all four names.

The stone set into the floor now reads: "George VI 1895-1952" and "Elizabeth 1900-2002", followed by a metal star of the Order of the Garter and then "Elizabeth II 1926-2022" and "Philip 1921-2021".

Princess Margaret, the Queen's sister who died in 2002, was cremated as per her wishes and her ashes were also moved to the George VI memorial chapel with her parents' coffins after the death of the Queen Mother later the same year.

Members of the public will be able to visit the site from Thursday, as Windsor Castle reopens for visitors as the official residence of "His Majesty the King Charles III".

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President will begin formally annexing four Ukrainian regions to Russia on Friday in a move that the United Nations warned would mark a "dangerous escalation" of the conflict and which should be condemned.



Moscow's planned annexation of 15% of Ukraine's territory confirms that Putin is doubling down on his war against Russia's neighbour despite suffering a major military reversal this month.



Ukrainian troops on Thursday were moving to capture the Russian-held eastern town of Lyman, threatening a new setback for Putin's campaign in the Donbas even as he prepares to declare the region part of Russia.



"Any decision to proceed with the annexation of Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions of Ukraine would have no legal value and deserves to be condemned," United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres told reporters.



The planned annexation follows what Kyiv and Western countries say were phoney referendums staged at gunpoint on Russian-held Ukrainian territory, captured illegally in the war.



Ukrainian President Volodymr Zelenskiy summoned his security and defence chiefs for an emergency meeting to be held on Friday, and promised a robust response to a step he says has killed off chances of reviving peace talks.



The votes "are worthless and do not change reality. The territorial integrity of Ukraine will be restored. And our reaction to recognition of the results by Russia will be very harsh," Zelenskiy said in a statement.



Putin's annexation ceremony will be held in one of the Kremlin's grandest halls with the pro-Russian figures Moscow considers to be leaders of the four Ukrainian regions. Russia says the referendums were genuine and showed public support for the move.



Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov said agreements will be signed "with all four territories that held referendums" and Putin would deliver a major speech.



A big concert will be held on Friday on Moscow's Red Square, where a tribune with giant video screens has already been set up, with billboards proclaiming "Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, Kherson - Russia!"



Peskov did not say whether Putin would make an appearance at the concert. He did so at a similar event in 2014 after Russia proclaimed it had annexed Ukraine's Crimea region.



A political adviser to the Ukrainian president said on Thursday the ceremony "does not make legal sense" and would be a "Kremlin freak show."



Washington and the European Union are set to impose additional sanctions on Russia over the annexation plan, and even some of Russia's close traditional allies, such as Serbia and Kazakhstan, say they will not recognise the move.



Putin publicly backed the annexation plans in a speech last week in which he also announced the call-up of hundreds of thousands of Russian reservists, and warned he could use nuclear weapons to defend Russian territory if necessary.



With tens of thousands of Russian men fleeing abroad to escape Putin's military call-up, Finland shut one of the few remaining routes to Europe, saying it would no longer let Russians enter by land with EU tourist visas.



The head of the upper house of the Russian parliament has said the chamber could consider the incorporation of the four regions on Oct. 4, three days before Putin's 70th birthday.



What Russia is billing as a celebration comes after Moscow has faced its worst setbacks of the war, with its forces routed in recent weeks in Ukraine's northeast.



Some military experts say Kyiv is poised to deliver another major defeat, gradually encircling the town of Lyman, Russia's main remaining bastion in the northern part of Donetsk province.



Its fall could open the way for Ukrainian forces to launch attacks on swathes of territory that Russia now aims to annex.



"The situation looks increasingly precarious for Russian forces in Lyman as Ukrainian forces are about to cut them off," Carl Bildt, a former Swedish prime minister, said on Twitter.



"Another painful defeat for the Russian invasion forces is looming."



Kyiv has so far held back from disclosing details of the situation in Lyman. Russia's Defence Ministry said a day earlier that a Ukrainian offensive on Lyman had failed, with 70 Ukrainian soldiers killed.



NUCLEAR UMBRELLA



Russian government officials have said that the four regions will fall under Moscow's nuclear umbrella once they have been formally incorporated into Russia.



The United States has unveiled a $1.1 billion weapons package for Ukraine that includes 18 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) launchers, accompanying munitions, various types of counter drone systems and radar systems. The announcement brings the U.S. security aid to $16.2 billion.



Mystery continued to swirl over an apparent attack on the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines under the Baltic Sea, built to carry Russian gas to Europe though already shut.



At least three explosions which sent hundreds of thousands of tonnes of methane gas jetting to the surface this week have left the pipes severely damaged, possibly permanently. Sweden's coast guard said it found a fourth leak.



Western countries have called the incidents sabotage while stopping short of openly ascribing blame. Russia, which has denied involvement, said the incidents looked like acts of state-sponsored terrorism and the United States stood to gain.

An EU official said the bloc's leaders would discuss the issue next week, adding that the apparent sabotage had changed the nature of the conflict in Ukraine fundamentally.





may borrow $194 bn for gas price surge is preparing to borrow as much as 200 billion ($194 billion) to finance a plan to limit the impact of soaring energy costs on Europes biggest economy, a move that risks keeping consumption high as shortages loom this winter.

Chancellor Olaf Scholzs administration will redeploy a fund created to help offset the impact of the coronavirus pandemic and bolster it with additional funds to put a lid on gas prices. The government is also working on measures to rein in electricity costs.

Prices must go down, Scholz said at a press conference in Berlin. To reach this goal, we are opening a big umbrella.

is especially vulnerable to the surge in energy costs triggered by the war in Ukraine due to a heavy reliance on imports of Russian gas. Higher prices are prompting companies to rein in production and sapping consumer spending power, but containing prices could keep demand high.

The countrys network regulator earlier warned that households and companies used too much gas over the past week as temperatures dropped and said savings of at least 20% are needed to avert a shortage of the fuel this winter.

Fourth leak reported on Nord Stream pipelines in Baltic Sea A fourth leak on the Nord Stream pipelines has been reported off southern Sweden, the Swedish coast guard said.

We have leakage at two positions off Sweden, coast guard spokesperson Mattias Lindholm. There are two more off Denmark, he said.

Two of the leaks are on the Nord Stream 1 pipeline that recently stopped supplying gas, while the other two are on Nord Stream 2 that never started operating. Although they were not running, both pipelines were filled with gas, which has escaped and bubbled to the surface.PTI

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Bollywood superstar on Wednesday lit up the screen on the world's tallest building, the Burj Khalifa, to narrate the inspiring story of a UAE-based conglomerate owned by an businessman.

The event marked the launch of an integrated brand campaign by Burjeel Holdings, one of the largest healthcare service providers in the UAE.

Khan is the face of the group that owns 39 hospitals and medical centers under the Burjeel, Medeor, LLH, Lifecare, and Tajmeel brands in the UAE and Oman.

The campaign launch event highlighted Khan's strong connection to the UAE.

In the campaign video screened on Wednesday, the actor narrates the inspiring story of the healthcare group.

The video begins with Khan's tribute to the UAE's heroic martyrs. The 1:10 minute video also showcases the iconic Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque and the group's flagship facility, Burjeel Medical City.

Shamsheer Vayalil, Chairman of Burjeel Holdings, said: We are proud to launch the campaign with superstar that epitomises the values we cherish. It symbolises Burjeel Holdings' ambition to become a global leader in healthcare based out of a country that has inspired the world with its fascinating growth story.

(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.)
Group Corp. has started laying off employees at its loss-making Vision Fund, with cuts expected to exceed 20% of its staff, according to people familiar with the matter.



The Tokyo-based company informed some staff Thursday and at least 100 workers will likely be affected, said the people, asking not to be named as the information is not public. The Vision Fund unit, headquartered in London, had about 500 employees including Latin America funds staff. had planned staff cuts of at least 20%, Bloomberg News reported earlier this month.

A spokesman for the Vision Fund didnt immediately respond to requests for comment.

Founder Masayoshi Son, the billionaire founder of the group, had said in August he would implement cost cuts at his conglomerate and the Vision Fund investment arm after a record $23 billion loss. Most of the losses came from a plunge in the valuations of portfolio companies, including South Korea Coupang Inc. and DoorDash Inc. also reported a $6 billion foreign exchange loss because of the weaker yen.

SoftBank Pledges Sweeping Cost Cuts After $23.4 Billion Loss

The Japanese entrepreneur said he would take defensive steps to navigate a prolonged tech downturn. SoftBank said last month that it had raised more than $17 billion by selling forward contracts on Alibaba Group Holding Ltd., the Chinese e-commerce company whose meteoric growth cemented Sons reputation as a startup investor.

Son is trying to wait out the technology slump so that he can pull off a successful initial public offering for Arm Ltd., the chip designer that SoftBank bought for $32 billion. The CEO is planning an initial public offering for Arm next year and has said he aims to make the offering the biggest-ever for a chip company.
Sri Lankan lawmakers will debate next week on the 22nd Amendment to the aimed at empowering Parliament over the executive president.

Party leaders agreed to take up the debate on the 22nd Amendment in Parliament on October 6 and 7, Communications Department of Parliament said on Thursday.

The decision was taken at the Business Committee meeting held at Parliament Complex on Thursday morning chaired by Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena.

If enacted, the amendment would come to be known as the 21st Amendment to the of which was first adopted in 1978.

Earlier this month, the Supreme Court ruled that the bill seeking the 22nd Amendment to the can be adopted with a two-thirds majority in the House but some clauses will require a nationwide referendum unless some of the clauses inconsistent with the Constitution are left out of the Bill.

The government responded then saying that debatable clauses would be left out for its adoption in Parliament.

The draft bill on the 22nd Amendment was approved by the Cabinet and gazetted last month. The amendment was formulated amid the ongoing economic turmoil in the country which also caused a political crisis.

It is meant to replace the 20A adopted in 2020 that had given unfettered powers to ex-President Gotabaya Rajapaksa after abolishing the 19th Amendment. With protests raging calling for Rajapaksa's resignation since March end, the need to reform the Constitution to reduce absolute power in the office of the President was brought forward by the protest movement.

Rajapaksa had reversed through 20A the features of the 19A which had empowered Parliament over the presidency.

Rajapaksa was ousted in mid-July through the popular uprising against him for mishandling the country's economy.

His successor Ranil Wickremesinghe pledged reforms to address the demands of the protesters.

Several features, including curbing the Sri Lankan President's power to sack the Prime Minister and the Cabinet, have been included in the draft of a constitutional amendment bill that seeks to reduce the concentration of power in one person.

However, think-tank Centre for Policy Alternatives (CPA) in a critique of the amendment noted that the 22A does not curtail the powers of the President nor introduce checks and balances in any meaningful manner, contrary to the demands of the protest movement.

The CPA said while changes have been made to the President's powers to appoint ministers, no change has been made in the President's power to determine the number of ministers and ministries and the assignment of subjects and functions to such ministries.

Furthermore, the President will be able to appoint all secretaries to ministries on his own discretion. This again protects the executive power concentrated in the office of the President. The Bill also provides that the President shall hold the Defence Ministry and that he can assign to himself any other portfolio and function on the advice of the Prime Minister. Thus it does little to address the concentration of powers with the Executive President, it said.

Bill is not in any sense a meaningful contribution to the necessary institutional reform that must be part of Sri Lanka's economic recovery. It is at best an exercise in window-dressing to show the government is initiating token reforms to appease some with no significant positive impact for and Sri Lankans," the CPA said.

is facing the worst economic crisis since independence in 1948 which has led to an acute shortage of essential items like food, medicine, cooking gas and fuel across the country.

The street protests had been triggered across the country over the poor handling of the economic crisis and the lack of accountability to it.

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Water up to waist-high flooded some river front neighbourhoods and other areas of on Thursday after a tropical depression dumped heavy rains and knocked down trees, causing at least one death.

The heaviest rainfall, about 22 centimetres (8.5 inches) in 24 hours, was recorded in the northeastern province of Ubon Ratchathani where more than 5,000 people were moved to shelters on higher ground.

One person was reported killed and two injured by falling trees in Sisaket province.

The remnants of Tropical Storm Noru advanced into overnight after hitting central Vietnam, causing blackouts and blowing off roofs and billboards. No casualties were immediately reported in Vietnam.

In Thailand, more than 10,000 households have been affecting by flooding, according to the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation.

Rescue workers waded through waist-high water to distribute food and care packages to people trapped inside their houses.

In Nonthaburi province, adjoining the capital Bangkok, overflow from the Chao Phraya River flooded several riverside neighbourhoods.

Officials said more sandbags will be made available to help contain the floodwaters.

The Meteorological Department said Noru is weakening further but warned that seasonal monsoon rains will continue, adding to the already waterlogged situation in much of the country.

As rain continued to fall, several dams released water to prevent overflow, affecting low-lying agricultural lands and communities downstream.

Before hitting Vietnam, Noru was a powerful typhoon that caused eight deaths in the Philippines, including five rescuers who drowned while trying to save people from rising floodwaters.

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is determined to reclaim territory that Russia is likely to annex following stage-managed voting in occupied areas and takes seriously Moscow's threats to use nuclear weapons in the war with its neighbor, an adviser to Ukraine's president said Wednesday.

In an interview with The Associated Press in Kyiv, presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak insisted that nothing would change on the battlefield if Russia moves to incorporate four regions of southern and eastern in the coming days, as is widely expected.

We will liberate our territory by military means," Podolyak said. And for us, our actions depend not so much on what the Russian Federation thinks or wants, but on the military capabilities that has.

Ukraine and its Western allies have denounced the Kremlin-orchestrated referendums that ended Tuesday as as illegal and a sham, noting that many residents remain displaced by the seven-month war. They also said Moscow-installed local officials had announced the passage of the measures by suspiciously high margins after armed troops had at times gone door-to-door collecting ballots.

Pro-Russian officials in the Donetsk, Kherson, Luhansk and Zaporizhzhia regions said they would ask Russian President Vladimir Putin to incorporate their areas into Russia. Annexation would allow Moscow to treat the Ukrainian regions as official Russian territory and defend them accordingly.

Podolyak said it was vital that Ukraine retake all of its land that was seized by force. He characterized the goal as important not just for his country but for its European neighbors as well.

Otherwise, Russia will feel that it has the right to blackmail the world, raise the stakes, escalate the conflict, and see itself as the victor in what they will see as a grievous war against Europe, he said. "In order to ensure stability in Europe as a whole ... we must liberate our territory in full. Only this is a safeguard for the further development of the war.

Russian officials have increasingly threatened to resort to nuclear weapons to defend their national interests a threshold that has not been crossed in wartime in more than seven decades.

Ukraine is not discounting those warnings as bluster.

Of course, Ukraine takes this seriously, because we understand what kind of country we are dealing with, Podolyak said.

Russia's threats are not only a concern for Ukraine, he said, because a preemptive nuclear strike by Moscow could set a precedent for other countries the world over.

Once the nuclear weapon is used today in the 21st century, we will not close this Pandora's box again," Podolyak said. Because there are many unstable political regimes that will take advantage of this situation and start speculating on nuclear weapons and try to use it in one form or another, because they will think that it is possible to do."



Podolyak, who was part of the Ukrainian negotiating team during earlier rounds of peace talks, held out dim hopes for meaningful negotiations in the near future.

He expressed doubt that Moscow is willing to engage in good faith and said Russian officials only want to buy time to regroup and reinforce their position on the battlefield.

There is no positive development, no negotiation process," Podolyak said. Russia constantly talks about negotiations in an ultimatum style but only speaks for an external audience, because it wants to ensure pressure on Ukraine from our partners saying that they are ready to conduct negotiations.

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HYDERABAD: A military delegation from the United Kingdom led by Major General Jonathan Swift, General Officer Commanding (GOC), Regional Command, visited the Artillery Centre, Hyderabad, on Wednesday. The visit was part of a three-day visit to boost cooperation with the Indian Army.

The delegation was received by Brig Jaydeep Yadav, Commandant, Artillery Centre and briefed upon various training activities. Maj Gen Swift paid his respects to the Fallen Soldier by laying a wreath at the war memorial.

The delegation visited training facilities in the centre and the simulator complex and went to the artillery museum, which showcases the legacy of the artillery gun. The tour culminated with a visit to the Azdaha Paikar cannon, which dates back to the period of Emperor Aurangzeb and is on display on one of the bastions of Golconda Fort.
The US will provide an additional USD 1.1 billion in aid to Ukraine, with funding for about 18 more advanced rocket systems and other weapons to counter drones that has been using against Ukrainian troops, the Biden administration announced Wednesday.

The latest package is being provided under the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, which funds contracts to purchase weapons and equipment. And it brings the total of US aid to Ukraine to nearly USD 17 billion since the Biden administration took office.

The aid announcement comes as moves to annex parts of Russian-occupied Ukraine that held Kremlin-orchestrated referendums on living under Moscow's rule. The votes were denounced by Kyiv and the West as illegal and rigged.

We will not be deterred from supporting Ukraine, we will continue to stand with the Ukrainian people, and provide them with the security assistance they need to defend themselves, for as long as it takes, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said.

Since the funding is for contracts for weapons and equipment, it is aimed at helping Ukraine secure its longer-term defense needs. It could take a year or two for Ukraine to get the systems. The US has used Pentagon drawdown authority to provide weapons more immediately, and another announcement for that Defense Department aid is expected early next week.

The package includes funding for 18 of the High-Mobility Artillery Rocket System, or HIMARS, and ammunition for them, and 12 Titan systems, which are used to counter drones. Officials have said the HIMARS and other similar systems were key to Ukraine's battle successes in recent weeks. And the Russians have been using Iranian-made drones to target Ukrainian forces, underscoring the need for more systems to counter that threat.

Also in the package is funding for about 300 vehicles, dozens of trucks and trailers to transport heavy equipment, a variety of radars, communications and surveillance equipment, and other gear for soldiers. It also will include funding for equipment to detect explosives and for maintenance and training.

The war, now in its seventh month, has shifted to a new phase, as tries to rebound from recent combat losses and use the referendums to politically solidify the gains it had made in the four occupied regions in the south and east.

Pro-Russia officials in Ukraine's Donetsk, Kherson, Luhansk and Zaporizhzhia regions said Wednesday they would ask Russian President Vladimir Putin to incorporate their provinces into Russia. It wasn't immediately clear how the administrative process would unfold.

Jean-Pierre said the U.S. has determined that Russia falsified the results of the referendums, which it said showed overwhelming support for annexation.

These so called referenda have been an exercise in coercion and disinformation, executed by puppet authorities following orders from Russia, she said.

Jean-Pierre signaled that the White House was preparing new sanctions against Russia in response to the referendums, saying the U.S. and its allies planned to impose a "severe economic cost on Russia when they move forward with annexation.

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Capital regulator on Thursday allowed Foreign Portfolio Investors (FPIs) to participate in the exchange-traded commodity derivatives segment, a move that will further increase depth and liquidity in the market.



The new guidelines, came after Sebi's board approved a proposal in this regard in June, will come into force with immediate effect.



The regulator has already allowed institutional investors such as Category III Alternative Investment Funds (AIFs), Portfolio Management Services and Mutual Funds to participate in the Exchange Traded Currency Derivatives (ETCD) market. In a circular, the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) said it has decided to allow foreign investors to participate in Indian ETCDs subject to certain conditions.



To begin with, FPIs will be allowed to participate in cash settled non-agricultural commodity derivative contracts and indices comprising such non-agricultural commodities, said in a circular.



FPIs desirous of participating in ETCDs will be subject to risk management measures applicable, from time to time.



With regard to position limits, said that FPIs other than individuals, family offices and corporates can participate in eligible commodity derivatives products as clients. They will be subject to all rules and position limit norms.



Further, FPIs belonging to categories -- individuals, family offices and corporates -- will be allowed a position limit of 20 per cent of the client level position limit in a particular commodity derivative contract.



Also, the regulator said that stock exchanges and clearing corporations can specify additional safeguards to manage risk and ensure orderly trading in ETCDs.



The existing Eligible Foreign Entity (EFE) route, which required actual exposure to Indian physical commodities, has been discontinued.



In October 2018, the regulator had permitted EFEs having actual exposure to Indian commodity markets, to participate in the commodity derivative segment of stock exchanges for primarily hedging their exposure.



"Considering the non-participation by such EFEs in ETCDs in spite of more than three years since the EFE framework came into force, based on the representations of the market participants and recommendations of commodity derivatives advisory committee of Sebi, it has been decided that the existing EFE route be discontinued," the regulator noted.



Considering that more than 10,800 FPIs are presently registered in India, even if a tenth of them participates in the Indian commodity derivatives market, the same may bring considerable liquidity in the Indian ETCDs segment.



In addition, their participation may help bring down the transaction costs in the commodity futures segment, owing to economies of scale.



EFEs and FPIs both relate to the participation of foreign entities, with different nomenclature and status assigned to the foreign investors.

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The Sensex and Nifty indices are looking to open higher on Thursday amid strong global cues. At 07:30 am, the SGX Nifty quoted at 17,055, indicating an opening gain of around 200 points on the Nifty index.



Globally, all Asian indices treaded higher this morning, while US staged a strong comeback overnight, rising upto 2 per cent.

That said, here are some out for in trade today:

Zomato: Launched as a pilot in areas of South Delhi and Gurugram a few weeks ago, food aggregator has extended its Intercity Legends service to Bangalore as well. is also confident that the offering will be profitable as it scales. Read here

Hindustan Copper: Shareholders of the state-owned company on Wednesday approved a 23.2 per cent dividend for the financial year ended in March 2022. The company would make a total dividend payout of Rs 112.17 crore as approved in the 55th Annual General Meeting. Read more

Krsnaa Diagnostics: Pune headquartered company, primarily a public-private partnership (PPP) and business-to-business (B2B) player, is now set to enter the business-to-consumer (B2C) segment with a chain of 600 diagnostic centres across the country. Krsnaas entry into the B2C space is likely to change the industry dynamics on pricing, felt analysts. Read here

Patanjali Foods: The company plans on building a strong distribution led export portfolio of fast-moving consumer goods and fast moving health goods products and also will launch new products with high margin and high growth, the company said in a presentation on exchanges. Read more

Nykaa: The companys board meeting will be held on October, 3 to consider and approve the issuance of bonus shares.

Ramco Cements: The company has commissioned its fifth cement plant at Kolumigundla, Andhra Pradesh. The plant has a clinkerisation capacity of 2.25 million tonnes per annum. The project cost of the plant is Rs 3,000 crore.

Express: The company has announced average shipment price increase of 9.6% for 2023 as compared to 2022. The general price increase will be effective from January 1, 2023.

Supriya Lifescience: The company has received a Certification of Suitability (CEP) for Diphenhydramine hydrochloride, API in anti-histamine therapy, from European Directorate for the Quality of Medicines and HealthCare (EDQM).

Anupam Rasayan India: The company has opened its qualified institutional placement issue on September 28 after the approval of preliminary placement document. The floor price has been fixed at Rs 762.88 per share. It may offer a discount of up to 5 per cent on the floor price.

BHEL: The company has secured the order for setting up the 2x660 MW Talcher Thermal Power Project Stage-lll in Odisha through International Competitive Bidding. The project is located at Talcher in Angul district of Odisha.

Genesys Interational:Bentley Systems and Genesys International have collaborated to provide 3D mapping capabilities for major cities across India.

Intellect Design Arena: CRISIL has upgraded the rating Long term rating to CRISIL A+/Stable from CRISIL A/Stable.

RDB Realty and Infra: The company has acquired 100 per cent equity shares of RDB Real Estate Construction. In the view of the above, RDB Real Estate Construction has become a wholly owned subsidiary of the company.

Essar Shipping: The company said the Board of Directors approved the appointment of Vipin Jain as Chief Financial Officer of the company. The appointment will be effective from October 1, 2022. Ranjit Singh has decided to step down from the post of Chief Executive Officer due to personal occupancy.

Torrent Pharma: The US FDA inspected the firm's manufacturing facility at Indrad, Gujarat from Sep 19-28 and it has issued a Form 483 with 3 observations. None of these observations were related to data integrity.

Stocks in F&O ban: Vodafone Idea.
Arman Financial Services advanced 1.86% to Rs 1,319.75 after the NBFC announced that the board of directors has approved the allotment of securities worth Rs 115 crore to marquee investors on a preferential basis.

The company alloted 6,24,388 unsecured compulsorily convertible debentures (CCDs) on preferential basis to investors belonging to non-promoter category. The total amount raised aggregated to 76.80 crore. Some of the marquee investors include funds controlled by Singapore based Sixteenth Street Capital and USA based Seven Canyons Advisors. Other investors include both domestic and foreign individuals.

The company also allotment of 3,10,972 optionally convertible redeemable preference shares (OCRPS) on preferential basis belonging to non-promoter investors. The total amount raised stood at Rs 38.25 crore. The investors include a mix of individuals and family offices.

Jayendra Patel, vice-chairman and managing director said, The mix of Tier I & II equity capital will be used to fund our targeted growth plans of approximately Rs 2500 crore with a healthy capital adequacy and debt-equity ratio by leveraging our presence in the MFI, MSME, twowheeler, and other loan segments which will enable us to achieve a sustained growth momentum in the coming few quarters.

Arman Financial Services is a category 'A' Non-Banking Finance Company (NBFC) active in the 2-wheeler, MSME, and microfinance lending business. The group operates primarily in unorganised and underserviced segments of the economy. It mainly serves niche rural markets in Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Uttarakhand, Rajasthan, Haryana & Bihar through its network of 286 branches.

On a consolidated basis, the company's net profit jumped 340.1% to Rs 15.71 crore on 58.8% increase in total income to Rs 78.90 crore in Q1 FY23 over Q1 FY22.

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At meeting held on 29 September 2022

The Board of Arman Financial Services has approved the allotment of securities worth Rs 115 crore to marquee investors on a preferential basis.

1). Allotment of 6,24,388 Unsecured Compulsorily Convertible Debentures (CCDs) on preferential basis to Investors belonging to non-promoter category. The total amount raised is approximately Rs. 76.80 crore. Some of the marquee investors include fund(s) controlled by Singapore based Sixteenth Street Capital and USA based Seven Canyons Advisors. Other investors include both domestic and foreign individuals.

2). Allotment of 3,10,972 Optionally Convertible Redeemable Preference Shares (OCRPS) on preferential basis belonging to non-promoter category. The total amount raised is approximately Rs. 38.25 crore. The investors include a mix of individuals and family offices.

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The appointment will be effective from 1 October 2022.

The board of Essar Shipping at its meeting held on 28 September 2022, approved the appointment of Vipin Jain as chief financial officer of the company with effect from 1st October 2022.

Jain is a chartered accountant with more than 16 years of experience. He is associated with Essar Shipping since October 2010, currently working as general manager finance. Prior to joining Essar Shipping.

Meanwhile, Ranjit Singh has decided to step down from the post of chief executive officer due to personal occupancy with effect from 30 September 2022.

Further, Ketan Shah has tendered his resignation from the post of chief financial officer due to his transfer to another group company with effect from 30 September 2022.

Essar Shipping is an integrated supply chain solution provider with investments in sea transportation and contract drilling services. It has a fleet of 12 vessels with a total capacity of 1.12 million DWT.

On a consolidated basis, Essar Shipping reported net loss of Rs 15.71 crore in Q1 June 2022 as against net loss of Rs 311.43 crore in Q1 June 2021. Net sales declined 88.67% to Rs 15.67 crore in Q1 June 2022 over Q1 June 2021.

Shares of Essar Shipping fell 2.60% to Rs 8.61 on Wednesday (28 September 2022).

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Lupin has received a warning letter from the U. S. FDA for the Company's Tarapur, Maharashtra (India) facility.

The U. S. FDA had inspected the Lupin Tarapur site from 22 March 2022 to 04 April 2022.

The Company does not believe that the warning letter will have an impact on disruption of supplies or the existing revenues from operations of this facility.

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C.E. Info systems (MapMyIndia) gained 1.03% to Rs 1339.15 after the company entered into a MoU with Government of National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi to develop a web-application tool for ensuring effective sighting of EV charging stations.

According to the memorandum of understanding (MOU), this tool will supplement the planning and deployment of an accessible and connected network of EV charging stations within the city.

The web-application is equipped to identify locations of existing Government buildings, housing complexes, shopping centres, hospitals and nursing homes which have high dwell time for vehicles. As EVs are charged when they are idle, these locations can be assessed for setting up charging points to support the charging requirement of electric vehicles in the city.

This information can be further detailed with a layer of affluency to determine income levels of residents and use it to determine the vehicle profile and therefore charging requirements of the people in an area, said the company.

The principal secretary-cum-commissioner (transport), Ashish Kundra said, This partnership will allow the Department of Transport to support the development of a customizable tool for decision making. The tool could be used for planning and identifying locations for deploying charging stations in the city.

He added, Moreover, the tool will also have the potential to map information with regards to average distance/movement of the vehicles, which can be instrumental to provide accessible public charging stations/battery swapping infrastructure for vehicles with high utilisation for instance, vehicles operated by fleet operators and fleet aggregators.

Rohan Verma, CEO and ED of MapmyIndia said We are very grateful for the opportunity to contribute to Delhi's march towards becoming the EV capital of India, and for Delhi to become a cleaner, greener and better place. MapmyIndia Mappls mGIS maps & technology platform will be used to provide a decision-making tool to enable the same.

C.E. Info Systems (MapMyIndia) is engaged in provides digital map data, GPS navigation and location-based services, software and customizing its products to customers (combined) through royalty, annuity, subscription.

The company's consolidated net profit rose 17.5% to Rs 24.19 crore on a 50% increase in net sales to Rs 65.01 crore in Q1 FY22 over Q1 FY21.

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For developing app dedicated to EV charging network

The Government of National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi and MapmyIndia Mappls signed a Memorandum of Understanding today to develop a web-application which will be a geo spatial decision-making tool to ensure effective sighting of EV charging stations. The tool will supplement the planning and deployment of an accessible and connected network of EV charging stations within the city.

The Delhi Electric Vehicle Policy envisions to achieve 25% of all new registrations to be EVs by 2024. Considering the Policy's focus on mass adoption of electric 2 and 3 wheelers vehicle segment, it is critical for the city to provide for an accessible and adequate network of charging infrastructure. So far, Delhi has 2552 charging points across 1985 charging locations and 234 swapping stations operational in Delhi. Furthermore, the city will add approximately 900 public charging points and 100 swapping stations across 100 locations. EV charging at these stations can be availed for INR. 2.50 per unit of electricity.

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In state of Andhra Pradesh

Rail Vikas Nigam has been awarded contract for Construction of 4 Lane highway from Samarlakota to Achampeta Junction (for 12.25 km) by National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) as a part of Kakinada port to NH - 16 connectivity in the State of Andhra Pradesh under Bharatmala Pariyojana on EPC mode at a total awarded cost of Rs. 408 crore.

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VIJAYAWADA: Bharatiya Janata Party MP G.V.L. Narasimha Rao slammed Chief Ministers Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy of Andhra Pradesh and K. Chandrashekar Rao of Telangana for failing to resolve bilateral issues through amicable discussion.

Speaking with media persons on Wednesday, Narasimha Rao did not spare former AP chief minister N. Chandrababu Naidu either, claiming that there was a lack of initiative on the part of both Naidu and Reddy to meet the Telangana CM.

He questioned the Andhra Pradesh CM for failing to take any action despite the state being subjected to a lot of injustice in the aftermath of the bifurcation. He called on the YSR Congress to set aside its selfish interests and resolve the issues at the earliest.

Narasimha Rao bemoaned that the issue continued to drag on despite the Centre organising 29 meetings between the two Telugu states since 2014 for the purpose.

He also said that he would speak to the Railway Board chairman to clarify the issue of a railway zone for Andhra Pradesh, which was previously approved by the Union Cabinet.
TVS Motor Company today signed an MoU with The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) to offer Chevening TVS Motor Company Scholarships.

The Chevening Programme is a prestigious scholarship programme that aims to attract and select students from around the world who demonstrate the greatest potential to become leaders, decision-makers, and opinion-formers in their own countries. This is the United Kingdom Government's global scholarship programme, by which scholarships are awarded to those individuals with strong academic backgrounds who can also demonstrate their leadership potential.

The Chevening TVS Motor Company Scholarships will be open to nationals of India, who are residents of India and are based in the country at the time of applying.

The Scholarships programme will start in the UK academic year of 2023/24 (for which applications are currently open) and will continue in effect for a three-year period. A maximum of five Chevening TVS Motor Company Scholarships will be available under this Chevening Partnership for each academic year covered by this MOU.

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NASAs DART (Double Redirection System) Mission is a rare blue sky science project, which directly addresses a long-standing nightmare of mass extinction. It tests proof of concept for a planetary defence system, which could prevent a large from smashing into the Earth, or making a close fly-by with disastrous consequences. It is known that approximately 66 million years ago, a very large meteorite crashed into the Yucatan region of Mexico and caused the extinction of a large number of animal and plant species. It caused tsunamis and led to a nuclear winter that lasted a long time. It is estimated that the object was around 10 km in diameter and it caused a crater thats 180 km wide and 2 km deep. Something similar almost happened in 1908, when a large meteorite smashed into an uninhabited part of Siberia with a force equivalent to a large nuclear bomb. Even a large meteorite burning up in the lower atmosphere could damage the ozone layer, or release enough energy to cause damage similar to a nuclear explosion.
The ruling in on Wednesday announced a campaign to eradicate untouchability in the state.

Minister for Social Welfare Kota Srinivas Poojari made the announcement in Kolar district of the state, referring to an incident in which a Dalit family was boycotted, and made to pay Rs 60,000 as fine for touching a Hindu deity.

"The government is all set to take up a mega campaign to eradicate untouchability in the state. It is unfortunate that the situation exists where one human being can't touch another.

"Our party is committed to ensure equality in leading lives in the society," Poojari said.

"It will also be ensured the Dalit family which has gone under trauma gets all the facilities that are due from the government," he said.

He further said stated that the district administration has already sanctioned land for the Dalit family, and Rs 1.5 lakh special grant will be increased to Rs 5 lakh towards construction of house.

"I have spoken to the district in-charge minister and he has committed to take care of the higher education of the Dalit boy," he said.

Six persons have been arrested in connection with the case of imposing fine of Rs 60,000 on Dalit boy's family for touching a Hindu god idol.

The accused had beaten up Dalit boy Chetan for touching the idol that was being readied for procession.

The incident had taken place on September 8 in Ullerahalli village.

The authorities initially turned a blind eye to the incident but later swung into action.

They broke open the lock of the temple and allowed Dalit families to take darshan of the deity.

The Dalit organisations have hoisted a blue flag on the temple, stirring a controversy.

--IANS

mka/pgh

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Senior leader on Wednesday night left Kerala for Delhi and is likely to file his nomination for the election to the party president's post on Thursday, sources said.

AICC general secretary (organisation) K C Venugopal was also in the same flight from Kerala to Delhi.

Singh and Venugopal were participating in the party's Bharat Jodo Yatra which was currently in Kerala.

Singh will hold a meeting of his supporters at night and is likely to file his nomination papers on Thursday, the sources added.

Nominations for the president's election can be filed till September 30.

The former Madhya Pradesh chief minister is the latest entrant in the fray for the party chief's election, even as the fate of Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot contesting the party chief's election is uncertain.

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More than 10 legislators from will reach Delhi to be the proposers for veteran leader when he files his nomination for the president's election, a party leader said on Thursday.

Singh, who arrived in Delhi late Wednesday night leaving the Bharat Jodo Yatra midway, collected the nomination papers on Thursday for the party president's election. He is likely to file his nomination on Friday.

Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Dr Govind Singh is among the MLAs who will go to the capital.

Asked if he will go to Delhi along with 10 other MLAs to be the proposer for Digvijaya Singh's candidature as the party president, Govind Singh said Not just 10, more legislators will be going."



I will go via Gwalior as there is a programme in that city, he said.

told reporters at the AICC headquarters in Delhi that he has taken the nomination papers and will most probably file his nominations on Friday.

Asked if he was acting at the behest of the party leadership, he said, "I am responsible for myself."



Wait till the date of withdrawal, Singh said when asked if he will remain in the fray.

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chief on Thursday took a swipe at the Bharatiya Janata Party and the faction headed by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde by stating the saffron flag needs to be in one's heart and not just in one's hands.

The and Shinde faction have often accused Thackeray of compromising on the ideals of Hindutva by joining hands with the Congress and Nationalist Congress Party for the sake of power.

Speaking to his party workers at his residence, Thackeray said, "This is an opportunity given to us by God to save democracy in the country and preserve Hindutva. The saffron flag does not have to be just in one's hands, it has to be in one's heart. It is in my heart."



Thackeray asked his party workers to come in a disciplined way to the Dussehra rally, which he will address at Shivaji Park on October 5.

On the ongoing case in the Supreme Court and the Election Commission on which faction of the Sena is the original one, Thackeray said "we need to win this battle in court as well as before the EC".

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Even as president Akhilesh Yadav mounted a blistering attack on the Yogi government, accusing it of misusing the government machinery in recent Assembly elections, the hit back saying that the SP would get decimated for the fourth time again in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

state president Bhupendra Chaudhary said, "The SP is not able to find anyone else to head the party. It is the biggest example of nepotism."

It is noteworthy that Naresh Uttam Patel was re-elected as state president on Wednesday and Akhilesh is set to be re-elected as the national president on Thursday during the party's two-day convention.

"The SP convention is based on the foundation of lies and hoax. The allegations levelled by its leaders will not have any impact on the people in the next election. The SP has become a brand ambassador of corruption, anarchy and communal appeasement," said Chaudhary.

He said that the people have witnessed four regimes of the SP government and they lacked security in their own governments. He accused the of patronising miscreants, mafias and rioters.

"Today when the state government is acting against criminals, the SP chief is feeling the pain," he said and lauded the Yogi Adityanath government for changing the image of significantly.

--IANS

amita/dpb

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Rajasthan Chief Minister on Thursday announced that he will not contest the presidential polls as he took moral responsibility for the political crisis in his state, and said the decision on whether he would remain CM would be taken by party chief .

After meeting the party president at her 10 Janpath residence, Gehlot told reporters that he apologised to Gandhi for the developments on Sunday when MLAs supporting him defied the central observers and thwarted their move to hold a meeting of party legislators.

Instead, they held a parallel meet to pitch for Gehlot's continuation or the guarantee that his bete noire Sachin Pilot does not replace him.

Gehlot, a three-time state chief minister, described himself as a disciplined soldier of the party and expressed his sadness over the turn of events in the state.

Asked if he will continue as chief minister, Gehlot said Gandhi will decide on the issue.

"In the last 50 years, I have worked as a loyal soldier from the time of Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi, Narasimha Rao and Sonia ji, be it becoming a central minister or state unit chief, general secretary or CM for the third time, I cannot forget that. The events that happened (on Sunday) has shaken all of us. Only I know how hurt I am because a message went that I want to remain CM," Gehlot said.

"I have apologised to Sonia ji because a simple resolution, which is our tradition and which we always pass, a situation emerged that it could not be passed. I, as a CLP leader, whatever the reasons, could not get the resolution passed," he said.

He also said that in the aftermath of the events, he has decided that he will not fight the party president polls.

Meanwhile, senior leader Digvijaya Singh, who is likely to file his nomination for the Congress president's post on Friday, met Shashi Tharoor, who said they agreed that theirs is "not a battle between rivals but a friendly contest" among colleagues.

Singh met the party MP from Thiruvananthapuram on Thursday after collecting nomination papers for the polls.

"Received a visit from Digvijaya Singh this afternoon. I welcome his candidacy for the Presidency of our Party," Tharoor said in a tweet.

"We both agreed that ours is not a battle between rivals but a friendly contest among colleagues. All we both want is that whoever prevails, @incIndia will win!" he said.

Tharoor has already declared that he will file his nomination for the post of Congress president on Friday, the last day of the nomination process.

Polling for the post will take place on October 17 while the result will be announced on October 19.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
New Delhi [India], September 29 (ANI/SRV): XU Exponential University, Germany's leading university to focus exclusively on digitization and technology, is open for registrations for their M.A program in Digital Transformation Management for the Summer intake in April 2023. The standard period of study for this program is one year equal to two semesters. Furthermore, the university is also open for registration for its Master's program in Data Science for intake in September 2023.

In today's time, when the advancement of digitization and technology is changing the world and the future of work depends on new, digital skills, the need for change in the education system also arises. The high demand for digitization experts in the global market explains the need for educational programs related to areas such as Digital Transformation, Digital Management, Digital Organization, and Digital Human Resources.

Experts and companies work together with the students in Project-Based-Learning (PBL) settings and in some cases enable the latter to obtain further jobs. Through PBL, students gain insights into the digitization industry. Additionally, the companies provide scholarships for deserving students.

XU Exponential University offers innovative and accredited study programs which pivot around Digitization. Their curriculum is designed in a way that prepares the students, both interactively and practically, for the real demands of a digital economy.

After graduating from XU, the average starting salary of the former students is 40-60,000 euros per year. XU's curriculum is thematically very innovative and designed in a way to meet the standards of the future requirements.

Sharing his thoughts on the future of digitization, the president of the university, Prof. Dr. Filipe De Castro Soeiro says: "Studying at XU Exponential University means applied project work, experimentation, and prototyping. You will be supported by our global network of experts. Our M.A program in Digital Transformation Management offers a wide range of job prospects because the demand for well-trained experts who can develop and implement digital strategies is high and it is the future."

Dr Beate Wilhelm, Managing Director and Chancellor of XU Exponential University says: "At XU Exponential University, students will be educated by leading practitioners from corporations and start-ups as well as the best minds from technology, science, and research." She further added, "Studying at XU Exponential University gives you access to first-hand knowledge and up-to-date market insights from professionals. As a result, you get exactly the skills you need for your career so that you can put your revolutionary ideas to work."

Located in the city of Potsdam, near Berlin, Germany, XU Exponential University is a newly established start-up tech university that focuses specifically on the education, advancement, and networking of future heroes of digital change. Berlin is currently the start-up and tech hub in Germany and the perfect sport for networking with like-minded.

The University has been officially accredited by the German state by the Ministry of Science, Research and Culture of the State of Brandenburg in 2018. The accreditation was carried out by the Central Evaluation and Accreditation Agency, which confirmed the development of future-oriented and innovative degree programs at the university. Furthermore, the university has also partnered with the EUGateway, a Pune based Higher education abroad consulting firm, to guide students with applications and admission process and market its well-designed programs across India.

For more information about the application and admission procedure, visit: | (http://www.eugateway.in) | (https://meetings.hubspot.com/laveen/one-on-one-consultation) Book Consultation Call

This story has been provided by SRV. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content in this article. (ANI/SRV)

DISCLAIMER

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
IT shares have been among the worst performers on the bourses this year as hawkish global central banks continue to risk global growth prospects.

Amid rapidly rising fears of a recession in the West, the is down over 30% so far this year as against a 2% cut in the Nifty benchmark index. Top losers from the IT index include Wipro, Tech Mahindra, Coforge and Mphasis, which have corrected 39-44% during this period.

While the near-term outlook remains volatile, analysts still see the sector as a good contrarian bet from a long-term perspective. This, they say, will be aided by cheaper valuations and the sharp depreciation of the rupee against the US dollar.

Gaurang Shah, Head Investment Strategist, Geojit Financial Services says, IT remains a preferred bet from one-year perspective. Sector correction healthy; valuations attractive. Add stocks in a staggered manner amid market consolidation, he says. His top picks are TCS, Infosys, HCL Tech and Tech Mahindra.

While some pressure could continue on IT companies margins in the next few quarters, analysts expect this to improve by the next fiscal. This could be driven by reduced and/or frozen variable staff payments by companies to slash their employee costs.

As per Elara Capital, the variable payout cuts hold the potential to lend material margin support. These can translate into operating margin support of 220-400 basis points for Infosys and Wipro. Further, consensus estimates have factored in an average EBIT margin improvement of around 80 bps in FY24 for large-cap IT firms, it says.

Sharing a similar view, Apurva Prasad of HDFC Securities believes that the margins for the industry have bottomed out in Q1FY23 amid moderation in attrition.

Apurva Prasad, Research Analyst, HDFC Securities says, investotrs should have a constructive view on IT. Some core verticals like look fairly strong. Indicators by large-end clients remain firm. Demand likely to stay resilient.

That said, may exhibit volatility today on account of the monthly F&O expiry, and the Street's reaction to the minutes of RBIs last meeting released on Wednesday.




HYDERABAD: In light of the national award for the state governments flagship project Mission Bhagiratha, finance minister T. Harish Rao on Thursday demanded that the Centre release funds to assist states such as Telangana that are performing well. He also accused the Union government of having a dual nature by recognising the state governments projects on the one hand and its leaders criticising the same projects on the other.

Mission Bhagiratha had won the national award from the Jal Jeevan Mission for providing safe drinking water to all rural households on Wednesday.

Harish Rao thanked the people for their faith in Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao and his vision to improve lives and develop the state. Harish Rao, who spoke alongside panchayat raj minister Errabelli Dayakar Rao at a press conference on Thursday, said the national award for Mission Bhagiratha demonstrated the Chief Minister's vision of providing long-term solutions to problems rather than short-term fixes.

The finance minister said that the Niti Aayog had recommended granting Rs. 19,000 crore to Telangana for Mission Bhagiratha, but the Centre had failed to honour the recommendations. Instead of merely criticising the state, even after the Centre, the Niti Aayog, and their own colleagues praised Telangana in Parliament for our schemes and programmes, they should ensure that funds promised to the state by the Niti Aayog and the 15th Finance Commission are released, he demanded of local BJP leaders.

"Perhaps the people of Telangana may look at you a bit kindly if you can secure the Rs. 19,000 crore grant recommended by the Niti Aayog for the state. The people of this state are intelligent, and they understand how the TRS government led by Chandrashekar Rao has ensured the state's development and welfare," he said, referring to the BJP leaders.

Telangana got the award for Mission Bhagiratha for exemplary performance in 'quantity, quality, and regularity' of drinking water supply, demonstrating that the programme is consistently delivering on its promise of providing safe drinking water to every household, he remarked. While Mission Bhagiratha covers all 23,890 habitations in the state, he claimed that the Centre had only reached about half of all households in terms of safe drinking water supply.

BJP ministers from the Centre who were visiting Telangana should learn from the initiatives of the Chief Minister and the TRS government. The Centre has already copied a few, including Mission Bhagiratha, which was adopted as the Har Ghar Jal scheme under the Jal Jeevan Mission, and Rythu Bandhu as PM Kisan Yojana, he said.
achin Pilot, who is seen as the choice of the party high command to replace Gehlot, met Mrs Gandhi at her residence late on Thursday evening. (PTI)

NEW DELHI: The Rajasthan Congress rebellion has hit the state Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot hard. After meeting party chief Sonia Gandhi and apologising for the Sunday rebellion, Gehlot ruled himself out of the Congress presidential race.

According to sources, Gehlot even offered to resign from the CMs post.

On being asked whether he will remain CM he said that decision will be taken by Mrs Gandhi.

Shortly after the meeting between Mrs Gandhi and Gehlot, senior party leader K.C. Venugopal said that a decision on the matter of change in leadership in Rajasthan will be taken in a day or two.

Another Congress Legislature Party meeting is expected to take place soon in Rajasthan with central observers. This will, in a one-line resolution, authorise the Congress president to take a decision regarding the leadership change in the state.

Interestingly, Sachin Pilot, who is seen as the choice of the party high command to replace Gehlot, met Mrs Gandhi at her residence late on Thursday evening.

After meeting the Congress president, Pilot said, "I met the Congress president today. She listened to me calmly. We held a detailed discussion on whatever happened in Jaipur. I told her my sentiments, my feedback. All of us want to win the 2023 polls (in Rajasthan) by working hard. We'll have to work together."

On the question of leadership change in Rajasthan he said, "Whatever decision has to be made in the context of Rajasthan, will be taken by her (Mrs Gandhi). I am confident that in the next 12-13 months we will once again make a Congress government through our hard work." He is expecting a decision soon by the party high command about the goings on in the state Congress.

After meeting Mrs Gandhi, Gehlot said that the incident that happened on September 25 "shook all of us".

He said, "A message went across the country that I wanted to remain as chief minister and that is why (all that) happened. I have apologised to Sonia Ji."

Gehlot further added, "One simple resolution one-line resolution it is our tradition to pass that one-line resolution (authorising the Congress president) when a decision is to be made on a CM. Unfortunately, that resolution could not be passed. As CM and CLP leader it was my moral responsibility."

Gehlot was seen to be the Gandhis' first choice for Congress president, until the rebellion by the Rajasthan Congress MLAs loyal to him damaged his chances. The MLAs said they would not accept Pilot.

The Congress wanted Gehlot to step down as Rajasthan CM before running for the Congress president's post, while Gehlot wanted to play a double role, one in Rajasthan and one in Delhi. However, Rahul Gandhi dashed Mr Gehlots hopes when he reminded everybody about the Udaipur declaration of one man, one post.

During the day, Gehlot met with Mukul Wasnik and A.K. Antony. Sources say that Wasnik may also be in the running for the post of Congress president. He has held various positions in the party organisation. His name was also mentioned in 2019, when Gandhi had resigned. Wasnik is one of the letter writers to the party demanding sweeping changes in its functioning.

Meanwhile, G-23 leaders, including Bhupinder Singh Hooda, Manish Tewari and Prithviraj Chauhan met at Anand Sharmas house on Thursday evening to chart out their plan in the upcoming Congress president elections. The nominations for the post of Congress president will close on Friday. So far, senior leaders Digvijaya Singh and Shashi Tharoor have declared their intention to run for office and have collected the nomination papers. In all likelihood, it is going to be a Singh vs Tharoor contest unless a wild card entry does not enter into the race by Friday evening.

Earlier on Thursday, Singh after collecting nomination papers for the polls met Tharoor, who said they agreed that theirs is "not a battle between rivals but a friendly contest" among colleagues.

"Received a visit from Digvijaya Singh this afternoon. I welcome his candidacy for the Presidency of our Party," Tharoor tweeted.

"We both agreed that ours is not a battle between rivals but a friendly contest among colleagues. All we both want is that whoever prevails, @incIndia will win!" he said.

Responding to Tharoor's tweets, Singh said, "I agree @ShashiTharoor we are fighting the communal forces in India. Both believe in the Gandhian Nehruvian Ideology and shall fight them relentlessly, come what may. Best wishes."

Tharoor has already declared that he will file his nomination for the post of Congress president on Friday, the last day of the nomination process.

Polling for the post will take place on October 17 while the result will be announced on October 19.
A policeman guards at the edge of Red Square in central Moscow on September 29, 2022, as the square is sealed prior to a ceremony of the incorporation of the new territories into Russia. (Photo: AFP)

MOSCOW: Russia will formally annex four regions of Ukraine its troops occupy at a grand ceremony in Moscow on Friday, the Kremlin has announced, after it suggested using nuclear weapons to defend the territories.

The threats from senior Russian officials have not deterred a sweeping counter-offensive from Kyiv, which has been pushing back Russian troops in the east and is edging nearer the Donetsk region city of Lyman that Moscow's forces battered for weeks to fully capture.

President Vladimir Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the annexation would be formalised at a ceremony in the Kremlin. The Russian leader will make a "major" speech, he added.

"Tomorrow in Saint George's Hall at the Grand Kremlin Palace at 15:00 (1200 GMT) a signing ceremony will take place on the incorporation of the new territories into Russia," Peskov told reporters.

The Kremlin-installed leaders of the four regions were gathered in the Russian capital on Thursday, a day after pro-Moscow authorities had appealed to Putin directly to integrate the territories into Russia.

Their nearly simultaneous requests to the Kremlin came after the four regions claimed residents had unanimously backed the move in hastily organised referendums that were dismissed by Kyiv and the West as illegal, fraudulent and void.

Ukraine advances in Donetsk

Ukraine after the so-called referendums said the only appropriate response from the West was to hit Russia with more sanctions and to supply Ukrainian forces with more weapons to keep reclaiming territory.

"Ukraine cannot and will not tolerate any attempts by Russia to seize any part of our land," President Volodymyr Zelensky said late Wednesday.

The four territories -- Kherson and Zaporizhzhia in the south; Donetsk and Lugansk in the east -- create a crucial land corridor between Russia and the Crimean peninsula, annexed by Moscow in 2014.

Together, all five make up around 20 percent of Ukraine, whose forces in recent weeks have been clawing back ground.

Kyiv's army in particular has been showing progress in the eastern Kharkiv region and recapturing territory in Donetsk, and military observers say Kyiv's forces are close to capturing Lyman.

"The enemy is carrying out regular attempts to encircle the city," a pro-Russian official in the Donetsk region, Alexei Nikonorov, told state TV on Thursday.

"At the moment, our units manage to repel all attacks," he claimed.

'I don't want to kill people'

Still, Russian forces are striking out along the entire frontline of Ukraine and officials in Kyiv said Thursday that Russian bombardments had killed three in the Dnipropetrovsk region, five in Donetsk and wounded seven in the Kharkiv region.

Along with threats to use nuclear weapons, Putin announced a mobilisation of hundreds of thousands of Russian men to bolster Moscow's army in Ukraine, sparking demonstrations and an exodus of men abroad.

On a bright morning in Mongolia's capital Ulaanbaatar, a young Russian fleeing Moscow's first military call-up since World War II had a stark answer for why he had left: "I don't want to kill people."

"It was very difficult to leave everything behind -- home, motherland, my relatives -- but it's better than killing people," the man in his 20s told AFP, speaking on condition of anonymity.

The exodus from Russia into Mongolia follows a similar trend in ex-Soviet countries like Georgia, Kazakhstan and Armenia.

EU member Finland is also affected and announced Thursday it would be shuttering its border to Russians with Schengen tourist visas beginning the next day.

Russia's move to annex the Ukrainian territories was met with the announcement from the United States of a new package of weapons and supplies worth $1.1 billion, including precision rocket systems, ammunition, armoured vehicles and radars.

And the European Commission proposed fresh sanctions targeting Russian exports worth seven billion euros, an oil price cap, an expanded travel blacklist and asset freezes.
Ballots in Nigeria AA Images

Governing All Progressive Congress Ahmed Tinubu, Peoples Democratic Party's Atiku Abubakar, Labour Party's Peter Obi are main contenders

MAIDUGURI, Nigeria (AA) - Eighteen candidates vying for Nigeria 's presidency started on Wednesday their nationwide campaigns ahead of next year's general elections.

"Presidential campaigns start on 28th September 2022," Nigeria s Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) revealed in its timetable.

Nigeria ns will go to polls in February 2023 to elect their new president for a four-year term.

Three leading contenders included Ahmed Tinubu, a former governor of Lagos state and candidate of the governing All Progressive Congress, opposition Peoples Democratic Party's Atiku Abubakar, Former Vice President and Labour Party's candidate Peter Obi.

" Nigeria ns expect the presidential candidates to be transparent; to open up to electorates who they are. We want them to open up the book; electorates deserve to know more about what is happening in government," Malam Nuhu Tahir, a media consultant and radio manager in northwestern Kano city, told Anadolu Agency.

Ebenezer Arifalo, a retired university professor and traditional ruler of the southwestern Ondo state, said each of the contestants ought to have a clear approach to education, security and economy.

By Olanrewaju Kola/AA
Bloc refuses to recognize results of 'sham' referendums, 'illegal' annexation of Luhansk, Donetsk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia regions

BRUSSELS (AA)  The European Union is ready to make the Kremlin pay a hefty price for the latest escalation of the conflict in Ukraine by announcing the annexation of four regions, an EU official said on Thursday.

The remarks came after Moscow announced earlier on Thursday that it will officially annex the Ukrainian regions of Luhansk, Donetsk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia.

The European Union will not accept these sham referendums organized by Russia in Ukraine and will never accept any annexation of territory or any land by Russia, Dana Spinant, the European Commissions deputy chief spokesperson, told a daily news briefing.

Referring to EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrells recent announcement on the blocs eighth sanctions package against Russia, she asserted that the EU is ready to make the Kremlin (pay) a hefty price for this new escalation.

The EU also asked UN nations to follow its example and not recognize this illegal annexation, as Russia is stepping up from its escalation to actually grabbing territories from Ukraine, added Peter Stano, lead spokesperson on foreign affairs.

The EU's latest draft sanctions would add new entries to its individual sanctions list, targeting those who are responsible for the recently announced military mobilization of over 300,000 Russian citizens, and the holding of referendums in the Ukrainian regions.

On Tuesday, Ukraines separatist regions of Donetsk and Luhansk and Russian-controlled parts of Zaporizhzhia and Kherson concluded five days of referendums on joining Russia.

Since the beginning of Russias war on Ukraine in February, EU sanctions have targeted, among others, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, banned the trade of certain goods and commodities with Russia, and excluded Russian and Belarusian banks from the SWIFT international payment system.

By Agnes Szucs/AA
Photo: The Canadian Press

A group of Black civil servants is filing a complaint to the United Nations Commission for Human Rights accusing the federal government of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and intolerance.

NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh and Amnesty International Canada are supporting the latest move from workers who filed a class-action lawsuit against the federal government in 2020 alleging systemic discrimination in how it hires and promotes thousands of public servants.

It has become clear that the federal government is not acting in good faith on the issue, says Nicholas Marcus Thompson, executive director of the Black Class Action Secretariat, the organization that is leading the lawsuit.

"The reason why we're elevating this issue is because Canada continues to delay, it continues to utilize its vast resources to deny Black workers in the court," he said.

"Black Canadians are going to wait a very long time for justice within Canada, so we have turned to the international community to hold Canada accountable to international obligations."

Mona Fortier, president of the Treasury Board, is slated to meet with Thompson this week. In a statement, she said far too many Black Canadians still face discrimination and hate.

"The government is actively working to address harms and to creating a diverse and inclusive public service free from harassment and discrimination. We passed legislation, created support and development programs, and published disaggregated databut know there is still more to do," the statement said.

The lawsuit filed in Federal Court alleges that some 30,000 Black civil servants have lost out on "opportunities and benefits afforded to others based on their race" going back to the 1970s.

The statement of claim says the lawsuit is seeking damages to compensate Black public servants for the mental and economic hardships they faced. Plaintiffs are also asking for a plan to finally diversify the federal labour force and eliminate barriers that even employment equity laws have been unable to remove.

Critics including Singh and Thompson say the federal government is purposely dragging its heels in court. "This Liberal government continues to say one thing to Black Canadians, and then do another when it comes down to it," said Singh.

In her statement, Fortier said the court has sent out the next steps and timeline in the court process. "The government will respect these requirements," she said.

Ketty Nivyabandi, Amnesty International's secretary general in Canada, said Canada is violating its international human rights commitments, including the right to non-discrimination, by not addressing systemic racism.

"Under international law, Canada has a positive obligation to address discrimination. This means that Canada must take special and concrete measures to eliminate discrimination in employment," she said.
Tajikistan leading cement importer in Uzbekistan

ICR Newsroom By 29 September 2022

The State Committee of Uzbekistan on Statistics said the country receives the largest part of its cement imports from Tajikistan, which exported in the 8M22 approximately 625,000t of cement into Uzbekistan. Tajikistan produced 2.9Mt of cement in the January-August 2022 period.



Other key importers include Kyrgyzstan and Kazakstan, which exported 458,000t and 409,000t, respectively to Uzbekistan.

Published under
The Tutt/Heard home at 413 Pine St. at the foot of Cameron Hill was long a Chattanooga social center.

Benjamin Franklin Tutt, who was born in Georgia about 1830, made his way early to Chattanooga and married Sarah Elizabeth "Lizzie" Rawlings in 1852. She was a daughter of Daniel Ritchie Rawlings, who came to Chattanooga by steamboat in 1851. Her brother was the druggist John Goodwin Rawlings. A sister, Mary Miller Rawlings, married Z.C. Patten. The Tutts were originally from Augusta, Ga.

Ben Tutt was a city alderman in 1856.

He sold his drug store in 1863 to David V. McCorkle.

The Tutt children included Mary Ailene who married Lawrence McMurphy of Augusta, Ga., Ida who married Isaac Reese of Nashville, and Edward Franklin Tutt.

Lillie Tutt, another daughter of Ben and Lizzie Rawlings Tutt, in 1875 married George M.D. Heard, who had come down in 1870 with O.K. Brooks from Cleveland, Ohio, to set up an extensive crockery firm. The business partners had a new building put up for the purpose on lower Market Street on the east side before they brought their merchandise to town.

The wedding of Lillie Tutt was said to be "the most elaborate that Chattanooga had ever seen up to that time, and many of the witnesses hold that there has never been one since which eclipsed it in decorations and exquisitely gowned attendants." It was held at the old Episcopal Church at the corner of Eighth and Pine and was presided over by Rector Henry Harrison Sneed.

Among the bridesmaids were Mrs. Charles E. James (Kate Webster), Mrs. J.B. Parham (Mary Ruohs), Mrs. T.N. Trigg (Mary Kirkpatrick), Mrs. H.M. Hope (Mary Green), and "the lovely Miss Mary Stewart who never wed."

Heard was born in Cleveland in 1844, the eighth of 10 children of Charles W. and Caroline Goldsmith Heard. Charles Heard was a prominent architect who had moved the family from New York. He built many fine homes in Cleveland and superintended some of the city's most prominent buildings. His wife was a descendant of Oliver Goldsmith. G.M.D. Heard left school and joined the Union Army in 1862.

The newlyweds occupied the "quaint, old-fashioned but charming house at 413 Pine. It eventually became one of the landmarks of Chattanooga. It was said that "its rooms have been the scene of many lovely and elaborate parties and many happy gatherings. Perhaps no other home in the community had a more brilliantly full calendar back of it."

Their children growing up in the house were Clio, Rawlings Walton, Charles Wallace and Lois Goldsmith Heard.

Elizabeth Patten, whose mother had died early in her married life, was a niece of Lillie Tutt Heard and a frequent visitor at 413 Pine. It was said that as a girl Elizabeth resided with her grandmother, Mrs. Tutt, at the house. It was said that "she became like a daughter in the home and many of the most cherished memories there are connected with her." Elizabeth Patten later married John T. Lupton, who became one of the richest men in the South following his investment in Coca-Cola bottling.

G.M.D. Heard served one term as city school commissioner. He was a vestryman at St. Paul's Episcopal Church nearby their home. In 1884, he purchased "Beauclair, at the head of Whiteside Street (South Broad Street) in St. Elmo. It was described as "the most beautiful natural location for a residence in the county." However, the Heards stayed on at Cameron Hill.

Dec. 2, 1924, was a sad day at 423 Pine St. when the Tutts and Heards moved out after 53 years in their homeplace. Lizzie Rawlings Tutt had reached 87 and had been an invalid for about 20 years. She also had lost much of her eyesight. However, her "frail fingers were always busy with knitting needles." It was arranged that she move to the Elizabeth Apartments on Georgia Avenue along with Mrs. Heard and her daughter, Mrs. Orton Patterson. Mrs. Heard planned a trip to the Philippines to visit her son, Capt. Roy W. Heard.

It was said that there had already been three offers made for the house - one of them of 10 years standing. J.S. Frazier and J.I Skinner were living there in 1927. Mrs. Eva Whitaker was living there in 1930.

The large house was split into several apartments by the mid-1930s. In 1933 J.W. Givens was the main occupant with three people on the top floor and one living in the rear. The next year it was Mrs. G.H. Givens and four others in the big house.

The next year it was gone.

A photo of the Tutt/Heard house has not yet been located.
A woman on Pembrook Lane told police she met a guy named Tyree on the Facebook dating app. She invited him to her apartment and watched a movie with him, her roommate and her roommate's boyfriend. She said she went to sleep in her room and left her purse in the living room where the man still was and was awake. She didn't think anything of this until she noticed the next day that she had fraudulent charges made on her Visa card. She checked her bank statements and found three separate charges made which totaled $296. The money was charged to an Apple Cash account that she believes is linked to the man. The woman was able to dispute the charges and received her money back from the bank. She gave the information she had on the man to police. She wants to make sure this doesn't happen again and is undecided on prosecution at this time. Police were unable to locate any real information on the man.

* * *

Police were dispatched to a possible intoxicated person near Walgreens on Rossville Boulevard and E. 48th Street. An officer spoke with the man and he didnt appear intoxicated and didnt commit any offenses.

* * *

An employee at Red Roof Inn at 7014 Shallowford Road told police a homeless man was panhandling and disturbing guests and staff. The employee said when she asked him to leave, he became aggressive. She wanted to have him trespassed. An officer spoke with the man and informed him he was trespassed.

* * *

The business owner of Mattress Firm at 7200 Shallowford Road said a homeless woman was on the property and he wanted police to ask her to leave. An officer spoke with and identified the woman. She said she had permission to be there but could not provide proof. She was asked to leave and did so.

* * *

Police responded to a crash at 3200 Amnicola Hwy. The driver of an 18-wheeler told police a white Yukon fled before police arrived. The driver said there was no damage to her semi and she didnt need to make a crash report.

* * *

A man on McBrien Road told police his white 2010 BMW 750 had been vandalized. He said someone threw several rocks at his car and shattered the window. He didnt have any suspect information.

* * *

An officer saw a white Jeep displaying California tags enter Highway 153 northbound from the Shallowford Road on-ramp at a high rate of speed. Police attempted to catch up with the Jeep traveling in excess of 78 MPH in a 55 MPH zone. Once police were able to catch up to the Jeep, emergency lights were activated in an attempt to perform a traffic stop. The vehicle sped up to flee from police and exited off of Bonny Oaks Drive exit ramp, weaving in and out of traffic at high rates of speed, almost causing several collisions. Police lost sight of the vehicle around the Highway 58 area. The Jeep information was BOLO'd.

* * *

A man on W. Martin Luther King Blvd. told police he heard someone knock on his door and call his name repeatedly. Police conducted a search of the area and nothing was found.

* * *

An employee of Springhill Suites at 495 Riverfront Pkwy. told police she didnt want a woman on the property. An office spoke with the woman and told her she has been trespassed. She left without incident.

* * *

An officer checked out a suspicious vehicle at 5500 Highway 153. The Honda Accord was not occupied and did not come back as stolen. A report was done to document this.

* * *

While on routine patrol, officers came upon a suspicious vehicle at Sams Club, 6100 Lee Hwy. The car was a black 2003 Mitsubishi Outlander. No one was in or around the vehicle. Officers took a look around the vehicle and surrounding area to see if anyone was nearby, but didn't find anyone.

* * *

A man on Cherry Street and E. 7th Street told police a woman had poked him in his face. The woman claimed that the man bought her a drink and became offended when she denied it. The woman claimed the man wouldnt stop following her and her friend in the parking lot and was verbally harassing them. The friend claims the man followed them and shoved the woman. Another man was passing by and said he saw the woman hit the man but couldnt tell where on his body. None of the people involved wished to press charges. Everyone was told to leave the area and all complied.
A Chattanooga man has been given a 140-month federal prison sentence for his role in the overdose death of Mark Elliot in 2019.

David Jerel Jennings, 36, appeared before Judge Curtis Collier.

His attorney, Gianna Maio, said his sentencing range was 37-46 months were it not for his falling into the Career Criminal category. Jennings' record includes two prior felony drug charges as well as an attempted aggravated robbery.

She called Dr. Steven Cogswell of the Medical Examiner's Office to state that the 58-year-old victim was overweight and in ill health prior to the overdose of heroin, cocaine and alcohol.

Attorney Maio said because of the Career Criminal law that Jennings could be in a range as high as starting out at 180 months.

Chattanooga Police Department officers responded at 10 a.m. on Dec. 2, 2019 to a drug overdose at The Homeaway Suites located at 1949 Northpoint Boulevard. In Room 132, officers located the victim unresponsive.

Nicole Cimini was in the room with Elliot. Cimini told investigators that Elliot intravenously injected half a point of heroin, turned blue, and passed out. Cimini stated she and Elliot purchased the heroin from Joshua Johnson. She stated she initially requested the heroin from Milton Patrick, but Patrick asked Johnson to serve them on his behalf.

Investigators interviewed Johnson. Johnson stated he sold Cimini and Elliot two points of heroin for $43. He stated Patrick arranged the deal. Text messages in Johnsons phone corroborated his and Ms. Ciminis statements. Investigators later interviewed Patrick, and he stated he arranged the deal between Ms. Cimini and Johnson.

Johnson told investigators he purchased the heroin that he sold Cimini and Elliot from D, one day prior. Johnson stated that he and Jeff Scealf met D at a gas station across the street from McDonalds in Red Bank and purchased 20 points of heroin, which they split. Investigators identified D, as the defendant, David Jerel Jennings. Video surveillance from the HiTech Fuel Corner Store located at 1998 Dayton Boulevard, Red Bank, captured Johnson and Scealf meeting with the defendant at approximately 5:15 p.m. on Dec. 1, 2019.

On Dec. 3, 2020, investigators located the defendant at his residence at 800 Lullwater Road. The defendant consented to a search of his vehicle and residence. Investigators located a green insulated cup with a pill bottle inside on the sidewalk of the residence. The label of the pill bottle was partially torn but the first name David was visible. There were two bags of heroin under the pill bottle inside the cup. Detectives located a small amount of heroin, digital scales, baggies, and $4,696 in U.S. currency inside the residence. The heroin recovered from the sidewalk and residence were analyzed at the DEA Laboratory. The results showed the total amount of substance recovered to be 53.878 grams of heroin.

The defendant was transported to the CPD Narcotics Office where he admitted to selling 20 points of heroin to Johnson and Scealf on Dec. 1, 2019, at the Hi-Tech Fuel Corner Store located at 1998 Dayton Boulevard, Red Bank. The defendant stated the heroin located on the sidewalk and inside his residence was his.
The Chattanooga Green Prix is back on the riverfront. The event helps regional students, ages nine-18, design and build electric cars they race at a two-day event.

Local nonprofit green|spaces will host these races on the Chattanooga Riverfront, across from the Southern Belle on Oct. 28 and 29.

"The Green Prix could not happen without the support of its title sponsor EPB, as well as the support from the Lyndhurst Foundation, the Fullgraf Foundation and Gestamp," organizers said. "However, additional sponsors and volunteers are still needed to make the event a success."

This year, the Go Green sponsorship level was announced. For $1,000-$2,500 sponsors can support students as they race through a slalom course or duke it out in a drag race. In return, Go Green Sponsors are promoted on race day by the announcer, are featured in the event program and green|spaces website for both the fall and spring races, and have a vendor table at both races.

"Volunteers are another crucial component of this multi-day event," organizers said. "Volunteers can help assemble the racetrack, register the teams, judge the races and more. This is an excellent event for those interested in engineering, cars, sustainability, technology or community organizing."



The Chattanooga Green Prix not only supports our schools. It supports our local economy. says green|spaces Communications and Outreach Coordinator Jaclyn Lewis. Students gain skills in electrical wiring, mechanics and engineering through the program. In addition, they attain an aptitude for problem-solving, perseverance and teamwork. These skills are increasingly important as Tennessee is home to four EV manufacturers and many supporting businesses.



Those interested in sponsoring a team can find more information on the website or contact Wayne Brown at wayne@greenspaceschattanooga.com. Volunteers can sign up at https://bit.ly/EVVol or reach out to Jaclyn Lewis at jaclyn@greenspaceschattanooga.com.
Angela Rice Johnson, 62, of Rossville, Georgia went to be with her beloved husband of 44 years, Darvin Johnson and her Savior on Wednesday, September 28, 2022.

Angie was born in Chattanooga, Tn. to the late Mr. Jim Rice and Mrs. Agnes Brock Roddy.

Angie was a devoted wife, and loving mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. Her love for her husband, Darvin, and family was tangible to everyone who knew her. She carried that love for people with her into her profession as a CNA, caring for others who needed her. Angie loved flowers of all kinds and enjoyed shopping. Most of all, she loved spoiling her 14 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren. Angie will certainly be missed by all those who knew and loved her.

She is preceded in death by her parents, and husband.

Angie is survived by her five children, Michelle (Billy) Dahnan, Dustin Johnson, Quinton (Lacresha) Johnson, Lacy Johnson and Davona Smith; and sisters, Shawn Hollis, Tina Osborn, and Valerie Duran.

A celebration of Angies life will be conducted in the chapel of Lane Funeral Home and Crematory South Crest Chapel on Saturday, Oct. 8, at 2 p.m.

The family will receive friends at Lane Funeral Home and Crematory on Oct. 8, from noon until the service hour.

Please visit www.lane-southcrestchapel.com to leave online condolences for the family.

Lane Funeral Home and Crematory South Crest Chapel is honored to serve Angies family in this most difficult of times.


Tennessee Governor Bill Lee, Lieutenant Governor Randy McNally and Speaker Cameron Sexton on Thursday announced a decisive step to accelerate the hiring process for 25 additional forensic lab positions at the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation. Taking this action ahead of the regular budget process will expedite the TBIs efforts to expand testing capacity and reduce the turnaround time for sexual assault kits.

New forensic lab positions, including scientists, technicians and administrative support, will be added in each Grand Division in Tennessee:

Jackson Lab - 8

Nashville Lab - 11

Knoxville Lab - 6



Recurring funding for these additional forensic lab positions will be included in the states upcoming Fiscal Year 2023-2024 budget. In the interim, the TBI will utilize existing funds in the FY 2022-2023 budget.

Since 2019, the Lee administration and Tennessee General Assembly have made historic investments to support the TBI, totaling $42 million and funding 150 new positions. FY 2022-23 marked the single largest TBI investment in the Bureaus history and included funding for 25 new forensic lab positions.

For several years, Tennessee has made historic investments to support the TBIs mission so that law enforcement can do its job and combat violent crime," said Governor Lee. "As our nation faces rising crime, we are taking this additional step to eliminate bureaucratic hurdles, increase the TBIs capacity and reduce testing turnaround times as quickly as possible. Im grateful for the partnership of Lieutenant Governor McNally, Speaker Sexton and the General Assembly in this important action, and our efforts to strengthen public safety will continue.

While there is absolutely more to do, I am pleased that we are able to take this additional step towards eliminating this backlog," said Lt. Governor McNally. "We have to get these violent criminals off the streets and keep them off. We cannot do that if we cannot identify, arrest and incarcerate them. Rape is a particularly egregious and heinous crime. The current turnaround times for rape kits are clearly unacceptable. I am grateful to Governor Lee, Speaker Sexton and the TBI for quickly identifying and approving these additional resources to help close the gap as soon as possible.

This is an important step in a series of steps as we continue working together to eliminate the backlog of rape kits while enhancing our support for the TBI, and law enforcement communities throughout the state, said Speaker Sexton. Innocence or guilt delayed due to a backlog of DNA testing only compounds the pain and suffering for everyone; I appreciate Governor Lee, Lt. Governor McNally, the General Assembly, and the TBI for their commitment to addressing this issue quickly.

I am glad we are able to quickly provide additional resources to address the TBI backlog of sexual assault kits," said Senator Bo Watson. "It is critical our criminal justice system can swiftly remove rapists from the streets to protect victims and ensure these despicable criminals cannot further terrorize the community. The move today is a step in the right direction. I appreciate the work of Governor Lee, Lt. Governor McNally and the TBI to eliminate this backlog and streamline the process. The Finance Committee has always been committed to working with the TBI to ensure they have the resources necessary to meet their goals.

To keep Tennesseans safe, we must continue holding violent criminals accountable and ensuring swift justice for victims," said State Rep. Patsy Hazlewood. "These new forensic lab positions will help expedite that process by addressing the alarming backlog of sexual assault kits in our state. I applaud Gov. Lee, Lt. Gov. McNally, and Speaker Sexton for providing additional resources to local and state agencies, and guaranteeing our communities are better protected.

We have been searching for solutions to these challenges for several years now, and we are thankful for Governor Lee and leaders of both houses in continuing to hear our concerns and work with us toward permanent fixes, said TBI Director David Rausch. The commitment to fund additional positions will help us get a jump on the necessary training time to get new scientists prepared to perform their duties. This is a critical step in the process. In addition to this, we have collaborated with the Governor and leadership in both houses to prepare to do several things to immediately improve our turnaround times in our Forensic Biology units, to include: providing overtime to our current scientists and technicians to work pending cases, expanding operations to include weekends, outsourcing as many eligible kits as we can to private laboratories, and contracting with retired TBI special agent/forensic scientists to assist in training new employees to free up current scientists who are pulled from case work to train new scientists. Were confident these steps will bring us closer to more efficient turnaround times and put us in a position, within the next year, to be closer to our goal of 8 to 12 weeks for all evidence. We also look forward to continuing the conversation with the Governor and the General Assembly to ensure the Bureau  and its workforce  meet the needs and expectations of the state and its residents.
Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation Commissioner David Salyers and department staff from across the state joined forces with Cash Daniels, the Conservation Kid his younger brother and his mom, to kick off the 34th annual Tennessee River Rescue Thursday at Harrison Bay State Park.Teams of volunteers tackled trash at two locations along the parks approximately 40-miles of shoreline onChickamauga Lake.Some of the most common items found Thursday include plastic bottles, remnants of Styrofoam containers, beer bottles, tires and cigarette butts."Park Rangers do a great job of keeping the park trails and shorelines clear, but the water washes items from boatsashore frequently," officials said.The Tennessee River Rescue is an annual community-led clean-up of the Tennessee River and some of its tributaries.This event occurs on the first Saturday of October every year. It began more than 30 years ago with a group of Chattanooga residents who were motivated to spur a community-led effort to clean up the river. The River Rescue has grown to include more than 20 sites spanning four counties, with nearly 800 volunteers on average.Representatives from 2KB Energy Services and WaterWays also joined the effort Thursday morning.If you would like to volunteer this Saturday to help with the River Rescue 2022 effort, find a link to the sites and the point of contact here and a list of frequently asked questions here Wear clothing and footwear you do not mind getting dirty. Some boating sites require you to bring your own; contact a site leader to confirm whether boats will be provided.
Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story: How Much of Tony Hughes Story With Dahmer is True in the Series?

Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story is a hot topic of discussion as the Netflix series tells the various stories of Dahmers victims. The series retells the chilling story of a gruesome serial killer and reenacts the public trials and events. One of Dahmers victims was Tony Hughes, a deaf aspiring African-American male model. Unlike other victims, Hughes story in Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story was tweaked to give more dramatic details that may not have been true.

[SPOILER ALERT: Spoilers ahead regarding DAHMER  Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story.]

Who was Tony Hughes before he met Jeffrey Dahmer?

Audiences developed a bond with Hughes in Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story as they followed every milestone in his life from birth and aspirations before meeting Dahmer. According to Esquire, Hughes was not born deaf on August 26, 1959. Due to the medication he received as an infant, the side effects resulted in his hearing loss. Regardless, his mother and family embraced it and learned ASL to communicate with Hughes. He was also mute.

His mother, Shirley, described her son as outgoing, jolly, happy. He could easily make friends, according to AP News. Hughes soon moved to Madison, Wisconsin, to attend college and dreamed of becoming a professional model. Like Dahmers previous victims, Hughes was also gay.

RELATED: Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story: Errol Lindseys Sister Shares 1 Positive Thing to Come From the Netflix Series

Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story heavily details Hughess backstory before and after he met Dahmer. But the series alludes to the two having formed a friendship that became an attraction before Dahmer decided to kill him. Seeing as the series changed the details of a few characters, Hughess story has some true and fabricated details.

Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story has Tony Hughes know his killer for some time before his death

In the Netflix series, Hughes met Dahmer in the same way as the killers previous victims. Episode six gives backstory into Hughes looking for a genuine and loving relationship where the person accepts him for who he is. During a night out dancing at the bar, he locks eyes with Dahmer. The series does accurately portray how the two met, but what happens next needs some further investigation.

Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story shows that Dahmer did not drug and kill Hughes right away like his previous victims. Despite communicating through a notepad, Dahmer found a connection with Hughes. Audiences saw scenes of Dahmer attending Hughess photoshoots and sharing flirty moments. The series makes the assumption that the two knew each other for a lot longer than speculated and possibly had a relationship.

In Dahmers statement, he said he met Hughes, danced together, took him home, drugged him, and killed him. But according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinal, witnesses claim otherwise as a friend of Hughes told police that Dahmer and Hughes had been friendly for more than a year, coming to her house six times from October 1989 to December 1990 looking for Hughes.

RELATED: DAHMER  Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story: Why the Netflix Series Advertised the Killer With Yellow Eyes

Hughess mother also told The Associated Press that her son had taken a modeling job two weeks prior. Al she knew was the mans name was Jeffrey. Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story likely dived into Hughess story more than the other victims due to its break in pattern for Dahmer.

Why did Jeffrey kill his 12th victim?

Details of Hughess death are scarce in the official reports. But the Netflix series alludes that Dahmer killed Hughes for the same reason he killed his other victims.

Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story depicts that Hughes had to reluctantly leave for a modeling job and would return the following week. In Dahmers statement about his victims, he often feared them leaving him alone. It resulted in Dahmer killing them and keeping their bones and body parts.

The series shows that Dahmer was angered by Hughes leaving and retrieved a weapon. While hiding the weapon behind his back, Hughes was able to calm him and leave. In a twist, Hughes returned to retrieve something he forgot, leading Dahmer to kill him.

Dahmers testimony does not mention this happening and instead explains his typical Modus Operandi.

RELATED: Evil: Michael Emerson Discusses Leland Townsends Content Wickedness: I Think Leland as an Operative for Evil With a Small E
Sister Wives star Mykelti Padron, and her husband, Tony Padron, are getting ready to welcome their twin boys in just a matter of weeks. Mykelti just gave birth to her first daughter, Avalon Asa Padron, on Sister Wives Season 17 at home. In a pregnancy update, Mykelti reveals her birthing plan for her twins in a rare update on her Instagram.

Tony and Mykleti Padron, Sister Wives | TLC

Mykelti gives birth to Avalon in home birth on Sister Wives Season 17

In the September 25 episode of Sister Wives, Christine went to Utah to assist her daughter, Mykelti, in the birth of her first child. The 26-year-old first-time mom went through over 24 hours of active labor during her medication-free home birth in her St. George, Utah home. With the help of her husband, Tony, her mother, Christine, and her midwife, she was joined by her fathers fourth wife, Robyn Brown, via video call.

Mykeltis home birth became dangerous when Avalons umbilical cord was wrapped around her neck multiple times, causing the babys heart rate to drop. With encouragement from her moms and her husband, Mykelti successfully gave birth to her healthy baby girl on April 5, 2021.

Mykelti reveals her birthing plan for her twins in an Instagram update

On September 28, Mykelti gave her Instagram followers an update on her pregnancy with her twin boys. It was so wonderful seeing family and friends this past weekend, Mykelti captions the post.

Im 31 weeks pregnant now and Ive been counting down the days. The boys are healthy and doing well. I have anywhere from 3-7 weeks left to cook these kids, she concludes. Check out Mykeltis Instagram post below:

Of course, one of the major questions Mykeltis followers wanted to know was her birth plan for the twins. It appears that for this birth, Mykelti will go to the hospital. One fan asks: Will you be able to have another home birth? To which Mykelti replies, Unfortunately Im not able to with twins.

As for whether or not she will give birth without medication, Mykelit is not sure if she will be able to do that either. Just watched Avalon birthday ur amazing. Will the boys be born natural? A follower asks. Depends on the doctors recommendation, Myketlti replies.

The Sister Wives mothers history of natural home births

While Tony wasnt as comfortable with Mykelti giving birth naturally at home, it has always been a dream of hers to do. Its become a longstanding tradition in the Brown family to give birth at home. After Kodys mother got interested in home births, the rest of the family followed suit.

All of the sister wives have had home births. Meri had Leo at home with a husband and wife midwife team. Christine had five of her children at home. Janelle had three at home and three of her children at the hospital. And Robyn had all five of her children at home.

Janelle explained, So before I met Kodys family, I didnt even know you could have a baby at home anymore. Still, that seemed like an olden days, kinda pioneer thing. However, she admits that after giving birth at home, she recommends it over giving birth in a hospital in terms of recovery.

Christine and the rest of the Brown family are eager to meet the twin boys. Christine is expected to give birth anytime between now and her predicted delivery date in December 2022.

New episodes of Sister Wives Season 17 air Sundays at 10 p.m. EST on TLC.

RELATED: Sister Wives: All of the Places the Browns Have Lived in Since the 90s
Travis Scott Is Celebrating His Las Vegas Residency as the Music Industry Seemingly Moves On From the 10 Deaths at Astroworld

Ever since the Astroworld 2021 tragedy happened, rapper Travis Scott has maintained a low profile. Fans havent heard new music from the rapper in a while, and even after he apologized for what happened, some netizens still bashed him for negligence.

It appears as though the Butterfly Effect rapper is ready to get back to entertaining. Scott is celebrating his Las Vegas residency as the music industry seemingly moves on from the 10 deaths at Astroworld.

Travis Scott | Alexander Tamargo/Getty Images

An investigation was conducted following the Astroworld 2021 tragedy

The pandemic shut down a lot of industries, including the live music industry, which is why when 2021 rolled around, fans were more than happy to buy concert tickets when restrictions were lifted. Scott was one of the artists who held a music festival named after his eponymous album.

The concert, Astroworld, was held in the rappers hometown at Houstons NRG Park and was attended by nearly 50,000 people. During his performance, the crowd became increasingly tight, and given the energy-fueled activities and the packed nature of the crowd, some people ended up passing out.

Still, this didnt deter Scott from performing as he carried on with his performances while ambulances ferried some attendees from the venue. By the time the festival wrapped up, 10 people had died due to compassion asphyxia, while nearly 5,000 people were injured, according to Rolling Stone.

A task force consisting of law enforcement, music industry execs, and event safety experts was then formed to investigate the deaths. The special Texas Task Force on Concert Safety released its findings in April 2022, following months of investigation. Most of the Astroworld task forces report focused on the event permitting rules within the unincorporated areas of Texas.

The task force also found that there wasnt a designated occupancy load. According to the report, had the festival obtained consistent permits, it could have helped established jurisdiction and authority over ultimate event shut down in the face of a life-threatening incident, Pitchfork reports.

Travis Scott signed a multi-year deal and a Las Vegas residency

Travis Scott showcased features from Kid Cudi, Future and Pharrell at his 'Road To Utopia' experience in Las Vegashttps://t.co/vuEoib8LFR  NME (@NME) September 20, 2022

Less than a year after the horrors at Astroworld, Scott and the music industry seem to be moving on as the rapper inked a lucrative deal. According to Metro, the 31-year-old was confirmed for a seven-show performance at Zouk Nightclub in Las Vegas Resorts World in a multi-year deal.

The Road To Utopia residency began on September 17, when Scott was able to showcase his new music. A press release by the rappers team stated that he will put on a mind-bending first-of-its-kind nightclub residency experience.

The residency comes shortly after his performance at Nevadas Day N Vegas festival was scrapped for a multitude of reasons. The festival was scheduled to kick off on September 2nd through 4th but was canceled due to production issues, logistics, and timing.

Everything Travis Scott has done to address the Astroworld tragedy

After the tragedy, Scott issued an apology to everyone affected, but many fans werent sold on it, calling the apology insincere. Several lawsuits were filed against him and the event organizers. Scott has also taken some measures to try and remedy the situation.

In March 2022, the rapper shared a safety initiative he was pioneering to prevent another tragedy like Astroworld 2021. My team and I created Project HEAL to take much-needed action towards supporting real solutions that make all events the safest spaces they can possibly be, he said via Instagram.

He also supported the families of those who died by offering to pay for their funerals. The rapper has also shown a change in his shows as he recently had to stop a performance to urge some fans whod climbed up a lighting truss to get down.

RELATED: Travis Scott, Dior Collaboration Postponed Indefinitely After Astroworld Tragedy
Zambia, China hold forum to deepen trade, investment ties

Xinhua) 10:10, September 29, 2022

LUSAKA, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- The first China-Zambia investment forum opened Wednesday in Lusaka, the capital of Zambia, with the two countries pledging to deepen trade and investment relations.

Being held under the theme "China-Zambia Trade and Investment Forum in the New Era: All-weather, All-Dimensional and High Quality Friendship," the opening ceremony was attended by Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema and Chinese Ambassador to Zambia Du Xiaohui, government officials from the two countries as well as Chinese and Zambian companies.

More than 300 Chinese and Zambian companies are participating in the two-day event with another 90 participating online.

In remarks delivered during the ceremony, the Chinese envoy said the hosting of the forum was meant to build a new platform to explore new possibilities for practical cooperation.

He said it was China's long-term and firm strategic choice to build solidarity and cooperation with Zambia. According to him, the two countries should further develop political mutual trust and cooperate more closely despite challenges such as the COVID-19 pandemic.

"The two countries will actively increase trade and investment, tighten our practical cooperation and never forget to uphold international fairness and justice," he said.

He said China was prepared to collaborate with Zambia to actively carry out the Belt and Road Initiative, the Global Development Initiative, and the Global Security Initiative.

Zambian President Hichilema said the forum seeks to stimulate direct interaction between the private sector and the business communities of the two countries through the promotion of trade and investment cooperation.

While saying China remains Zambia's major trading partner, President Hichilema stressed that the increased Chinese investment must be encouraged to continue and promised that his government will continue to provide a conducive environment for investment.

He also said there was a need to promote joint ventures and encourage partnerships between Zambia and Chinese enterprises in order to stimulate value addition and industrialization.

The two countries also signed an agreement on duty-free treatment for Zambian products corresponding to 98 percent of tariff lines.

(Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun)
This piece was adapted from Russell Moores newsletter. Subscribe here.

Just as some North Americans are explicitly claiming the label of Christian nationalism, the ideology is advancing around the world.

The ongoing near merger of the Russian Orthodox Church with Vladimir Putins authoritarian government made headlines when the churchs patriarch declared that dying in Ukraine as part of Putins invading army washes away all sins. At the same time, yet another populist leader employing Christian nationalist rhetoric won an electoral victory in Italy.

With these in mind, perhaps the worlds evangelical Christians should remind ourselves that Christian nationalism cantand wontsave the world.

Analyzing Giorgia Melonis win, commentator Damon Linker noted that her Brothers of Italiy partywith roots in the World War II remnants of the fascist strongman Benito Mussolinis political movementhas significantly moderated its rhetoric in recent years. Some might view that with suspicion given Melonis post-election speech in which she blamed financial speculators for robbing Italians of their roots and identitylanguage that throughout history has almost always been equated with Jews.

Regardless of just how illiberal the new Italian government might be, Linker calls attention to the demographics behind this electoral upset, which have implications for the rest of the Western world. The populist movement, as represented by the triumphant party, is cemented with a particular form of religionnamely, those who declare themselves to be religious but are not practicing.

For some people, such a category sounds like those who declare themselves employed but have no income. And yet, as historian Adam Tooze observes, this group is not just the largest segment but the majority of the Italian populationat 52 percent. They are the people, Linker writes, who treat religion as a symbol or identity-marker without actually believing in or practicing it.

Linker warns those who, like him, are on the center-left or center-right that if they cannot win back working-class people, they will continue to lose to populist and nationalist movements. But he also makes the case that no one can win if they cannot appeal to the nominally religious.

In terms of political science, Linker is no doubt correct. And even if democracy and global stability were the only things at stake, this would still be a debate worth having. For evangelical Christians, though, much more is at stakenamely, what we mean when we say Christianity in the first place.

The term Christian nationalism refers to the use of Christian words, symbols, or rituals as a means to shore up an ethnic or national identity. As with every other ideology, it exists along a spectrum.

On the (so far) less extreme end are people who, like the populist leaders in Italy and France and Germany, claim Christianity as a key aspect of their national or ethnic identityand as a way to distinguish their group from those they define as outsiders (Muslims, globalists, etc.). At the more extreme end are people who make explicit theological pronouncements as a prop for ethnic and nationalist authoritarian illiberal aggressionas Russian Orthodox patriarch Kirill did in seeking to quell protests against the war by saying that sacrifice in the course of carrying out your military duty washes away all sins.

In terms of the world order, one side of the spectrum clearly does more immediate damage. Kirills comments are synonymous with, if not identical to, radical jihadist Muslim clerics telling suicide bombers that upon death they will be greeted by virgins in paradise. That sort of promise might not only motivate desperate people to commit atrocities against the testimony of their own consciences but also give unquestionable authority to those commanding such atrocities. Indeed, in the authoritarians view, such an alliance of religious and political authority seems to grant him the keys of the kingdom, where whoever is drafted on earth is drafted into heaven.

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This dynamic is hardly new. In the Book of Revelation, the political power of the Beast is propped up by the False Prophet, who had performed the signs on its behalf. With these signs he had deluded those who had received the mark of the beast (Rev. 19:20). Revelation, after all, came to John amid a Roman Empire where the caesars claimed divine status for themselves.

Such hubris would be bad enough sociologically, but what if the Bible is right about hell? What if the judgment of God comes not just against nations but against individuals? And what if sin is defined as a lack of conformity not to the group or the country but to the holiness of God? What if Jesus was right when he said that no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again (John 3:3)?

If so, then Kirills claim that nationalist militarism can save a person is not just manipulative but blasphemous. It empowers not just national injustice but also personal damnation.

Additionally, the truth of the gospel according to Jesus means that less bloody forms of Christian nationalism are also one birth short of the kingdom of God.

Indeed, the argument of the entire New Testament is that people cannot stand before God on the basis of ethnic, cultural, or even moral solidarity (Luke 3:89; Col. 2:1622). No one stands justified even by the works of the law given by God, much less by the flesh of ones temporal ethnic or national identity (Gal. 3:1516). Each person must be joined to Christ by personal repentance and personal faithnot by living in a culture conformed to some external definition of Christian values.

Jesus taught us that nothing coming in from the outside can defile a person; rather, its what is within a persons heart defiles him or her (Mark 7:1423). Thats why he specifically walked away from those who wanted to use his gospel for political liberation (John 6:15) or for material prosperity (vv. 2627).

Despite their self-perceived opposition to the social gospel of old, Christian nationalists embrace the exact same view of the gospel. For the social-gospel-oriented left wing, Christianity exists to build a social order in step with the upward progress of humanity. For the Christian nationalist right wing, Christianity exists to build a social order in step with national or ethnic identity. The gospel is a means for a forward-looking utopianism in the one case and a backward-looking nostalgia in the other. Christian nationalism is a liberation theology for white people.

And thats not the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Christian nationalism is a kind of Great Commission in reversein which the nations seek to make disciples of themselves, using Jesus authority to baptize their national identity in the name of the blood and of the soil and of the political order.

The gospel is a means to no other end than union with the crucified and resurrected Christ who transcends, and stands in judgment over, every group, identity, nationality, and culture.

Christian nationalism might well work in the short term by cementing bonds of cultural solidarity according to the flesh.

Yet apart from the shedding of blood, there can be no forgiveness of sins. Apart from the Holy Spirit, there can be no newness of life.

Christian nationalism cannot turn back secularism, because it is just another form of it. In fact, it is an even more virulent form of secularism because it pronounces as Christian what cannot stand before the judgment seat of Christ.

Christian nationalism cannot save the world; it cannot even save you.

Russell Moore is the editor-in-chief at Christianity Today.
When Gods smuggler came to the Middle East, he went through the front door. Once known for hiding Bibles in the back of his Volkswagen when crossing behind the Iron Curtain, Brother Andrew instead simply handed them to terrorists. Coupled with his devotion to the Palestinian church, the founder of Open Doors shook the Western Christian status quo.

Arab evangelicals loved him for it.

He had a soft heart for those in pain, the persecuted, and those usually considered on the other side, the enemy, said Jack Sara, general coordinator for the Middle East and North Africa Evangelical Alliance. He was willing to step into a difficult place and talk with difficult people, but never compromise the message of the gospel.

The news of Anne van der Bijls death Tuesday at age 94 shook participants during the second general assembly of the World Evangelical Alliances (WEA) Arab world region. David Rihani, president of the Jordan Evangelical Council, recalled the words of his father who received the Dutch evangelical frequently.

This man is an example of a real Christian leader, the first Jordanian evangelical pastor told his son. He writes books, he shares knowledge, and he cares about everyone without discrimination.

Rihani praised Brother Andrews ecumenical cooperation. Developing relationships with traditional Catholic and Orthodox leaders in the region, for decades Open Doors has chronicled persecution against all Christian denominations. And as the groups advocacy across 60 countries grew to include the plight of believers in other religious traditions, the Bible smuggler won respect in the wider human rights community as well.

He advocated tirelessly for religious freedom, a source of hope to persecuted Christian communities around the world, tweeted US Ambassador-at-Large Rashad Hussain, a Muslim. Im grateful his legacy will live on in the work of @OpenDoors.

But it was his literature that originally established Brother Andrews worldwide fame. Gods Smuggler, written in 1967, sold more than 10 million copies and was translated into 35 languagesincluding Arabic.

Image: Open Doors International

Maher Fouad, president of the General Society for Iraqi National Evangelical Churches, was touched most by And God Changed His Mind (1990). Calling Andrew a blessed saint, he recalled reading the book in 1991 when he headed the prayer ministry of the National Evangelical Church of Baghdad.

It redirected me completely, Maher said. He knew how to slowly enter the presence of God, and only then find answers to prayer.

The publication of Light Force in 2004 highlighted to the world Brother Andrews increased attention to the Muslim world. Acclaimed to be as captivating as Smuggler, his dependence on prayer was on display in practical concern for the Middle Eastern church.

My purpose is to encourage and strengthen the local believers to be a Light Force, he wrote, an alternative to military might.

But first he modeled it himself.

In 1992, when 415 militants from Hamas were expelled by Israel to the side of a mountain in southern Lebanons Marj al-Zohour, Brother Andrew saw an opportunity to practice Matthew 25. He delivered tents, food, and medicine.

There are no terroristsonly people who need Jesus, he later wrote in Light Force. As long as we see any personMuslim, Communist, terroristas an enemy, then the love of God cannot flow through us to reach him.

Brother Andrews activism rattled many Christiansboth local believers and Western supporters. He was frequently critical of US evangelical support for the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, seeing it as their lack of faith in the power of missions. He advocated for refugees, and prayed for Osama bin Ladenwhose killing he called a murder.

He also condemned the assassinations of his friends in Gaza. In 2004, the Israeli military killed Sheikh Ahmad Yassin, the founder of Hamas, who seven years earlier had welcomed the Open Doors founder into his home. It was only the gospel of love, Brother Andrew consistently preached, that could answer the stalemate of Middle East conflict.

Image: Open Doors International

The best way I can help Israel, he countered his critics in Light Force, is by leading her enemies to Jesus Christ.

And by doing it with local believers. Striving for local Christians to escape their victim mentality, he also helped build the people and institutions which could lead others to Christ.

We thank God for putting such a great person in front of us, and inviting us to imitate him, said Bassem Fekry, president of the Fellowship of Evangelicals in Egypt. He is now among the great cloud of witnesses.

Fekry recalled Brother Andrew telling his Bible smuggling stories to the crowd at Salvation of Souls Church in the dense urban Cairo neighborhood of Shubra. In his early 20s at the time, the Egyptian leader was inspired into a life of service.

Andrew was always on the hunt for new rebels and radicals willing to go to the darkest places on earth, at the risk of death, to change the world, wrote David Curry, CEO of Open Doors USA, in tribute this week. And he was grateful for everyone who joined his cause.

Sara is one such man. Brother Andrew regularly visited his church in Jerusalem, both when Sara was a young believer in 1992 and later when he led the same congregation. But in between, when the Open Doors founder heard from the pastor that the poor believers had pledged to send Sara to the Philippines for seminary education, he pulled out all the money he had in his pocketwhich exactly matched the funding gap.

Sara only discovered this two years later, when he asked where the money came from. Regular gifts continued to develop the ministry of Bethlehem Bible College (BBC)which carried on the Dutchmans controversial Palestinian ministry through regular Christ at the Checkpoint conferences.

In every corner of BBC there is a touch of Brother Andrew, said Sara, now the colleges president. He cared about the witness of Christians in our community.

Image: Courtesy of Jack Sara

Another individual is Salim Munayer, founder of the Jerusalem-based Musalaha ministry. Returning from Fuller Seminary in 1985 to be the first local professor hired at BBC, his vision to spark Christ-centered reconciliation between Messianic Jews and Palestinian evangelicalslater expanding to all of Holy Land societyreceived early funding from Open Doors.

Later, he joined Brother Andrew and BBC founding president Bishara Awad for a tense, backroad taxi ride to Hebron. Under Israeli curfew at the time, Munayer had loaded a boxful of Bibles and Arabic translations of Smuggler into the hired second vehicle. The first, learning of the destination, turned down the fare.

Upon arrival in the West Bank city, a crowd of over 100 Hamas supporters gathered at the sight. The local leader quieted them, saying Brother Andrew had once come to them in their time of need. Distributing the literature and preaching on how the love of God demands love also of the brother, Munayernow a network coordinator for the WEAs Peace and Reconciliation Networkrecalled how the Dutchman spoke clearly about the cross.

He was one of the few people who could say to the leaders of Hamas: I am a Christian and a follower of Christ, and I help people in distress, he said. He developed a record of trust with them.

Image: Open Doors International

Brother Andrew went on to gain Yasser Arafats permission to open a Bible bookshop in Gaza, and spoke on Christianity at the coastal enclaves Islamic University.

Hanna Massad, who served 12 years as pastor of the Gaza Baptist Church, called him a hero of faith. It was Brother Andrews genuine care that won him the right to speakfar from naive about local realities.

If we did not go to them with Christs love, Massad recalled of the evangelists conviction, they would come at us with their weapons.

But Brother Andrews interest was not only in good relations. Secret Believers, published in 2007, was subtitled: What Happens When Muslims Believe in Christ.

To the end of his life, Curry said, Brother Andrew maintained this passion. At the age of 90 he traveled to Pakistan, seeking to meet leaders of the Taliban. The man who before his own conversion once gunned down innocent Muslims in Indonesia while a soldier in the Netherlands army was determined to demonstrate love to this generation of extremists.

Brother Andrew could see what others could not, said Munayer, and with a prophetic voice he not only proclaimed the truth, but lived it out, faithfully.
Over the past several years, the headlines have been filled with stories about Christian leaders who were ultimately untrustworthy, whether that be in their relationships, their running of an organization, or their own spiritual lives. Unfortunately, this kind of dishonesty exists in many institutions, nonprofits, and Christian companies.

Many people have responded to this slew of news with skepticism, scrutinizing those who claim the name of Jesus and questioning whether any individual or institution is worth wholehearted support. Others have buried their heads in the sand, blinded by loyalty and unwilling to consider an exercise in discernment.

Neither of these responses is sufficient for Christians who want to learn from past ministry failures, make wise choices in the present, and participate in Gods future work. Fortunately, experts in ministry health say that there are clear red flags to look for before financially supporting an organization .

Not Giving Can Be the Wisest Choice

Warren Smith, president of MinistryWatch.com, says that there are some red flags that should be considered absolute non-negotiables, such as an organization:

Refusing to share their Form 990 publicly

Lacking an independent board

Failing to meet the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountabilitys Seven Standards of Responsible Stewardship

According to Smith, if an organization fails in any of these three areas, it would be unwise to support them financially. Learning whether or not a ministry meets these standards requires that potential givers follow Smiths most important piece of advice: Dont give to any organization that you dont know.

This may seem like an obvious statement, but consider the giving patterns in our congregations. Its common for mercy-motivated believers to have an emotional response to hearing about compelling programs and projects that align with their core values. Combine that feeling with a belief in Scriptures call to be generous, and, oftentimes, thats enough for a Spirit-led Christian to make a donation without due diligence.

But its incomplete theology to believe that Christians should give to a ministry simply because it claims to do good work. Thats not taking into account the full counsel of Scripture, says Smith. God gave us a mind as well as a heart, and we should be open to what the Holy Spirit is doing in our minds and our hearts as donors.

Additional red flags that should be considered dealbreakers include an organization lacking a statement of faith and failing to provide senior leader compensation information to inquiring donors. Donors should also steer clear of ministries that claim IRS status of churches if they are not performing the true functions of a local church, such as preaching, baptism, and the sacraments.

Keep an eye out for whats known as founder syndrome, as well. Founder syndrome occurs when loyalty to an organizations founder trumps making decisions that are in the best interest of an organization. Symptoms of founder syndrome include a board that is composed of the founders friends and family members or an organization that is named after the founder.

Researching an organization and its leaders isnt cynicalits spiritual. This kind of investigation is an act of faithfulness because it demonstrates your commitment to generosity by giving only to those organizations and causes that exhibit stewardship.

Some Red Flags Mean Keep Learning

While major red flags are reason enough to walk away from an organization entirely, Smith also says there are indicators that should encourage potential donors to keep researching an organization.

Calvin Edwards, founder and CEO of a consulting firm that provides philanthropic counsel, agrees. Edwards points out that some red flags should prompt thoughtful questions, and the answers offer clarity for donors.

If an organizations board isnt gathering regularly, for example, it may be because the members agreed to keep in communication by email rather than meetings. The lack of meetings is a red flag, but the fact that the board consistently communicates is positive. Potential givers may then determine whether the email system seems effective enough, or they may feel that regular meetings should not be replaced by technology.

Other potential red flags that require further investigation may include a high rate of staff turnover, a poor rating by a watchdog organization like Charity Navigator, or inconsistent communication with donors.

By talking to ministry leadership about the red flags they see, potential givers have the opportunity to learn about the organizations posture and humility. If leadership is defensive in the face of questions or suggestions, its likely they are leaving other behaviors and processes unexamined as well. Organizational leaders who respond to questions with openness, listen to advice with grace, and welcome further discussion communicate volumes about their organizations character.

Looking for red flags isnt a technique to encourage frugality, says Edwards. But rather this due diligence minimizes risk, and its also a blessing to ministries to have these items confronted. As prospective donors hold organizations accountable, ministry leaders can learn and grow from the wisdom of outside perspectives, empowering them to serve with greater impact.

Do you want to give wisely but dont know what questions to ask or information to seek? The experienced donors at Strategic Resource Group can help you learn more about stewardship, generosity, and how to identify trustworthy ministries. Interested in learning more? Email impact@srginc.org.
Calling on the American Nazarites

This November election in the United States can bring about dramatic political and spiritual changes. In addition to the heated congressional races, local school board elections are hotly contested.



Like many other people, my husband and I got very involved in local politics after the endless restrictions from COVID, talks of oversexualized health education, and the dramatic decline of basic public education. In our district, the two school board incumbents we are trying to vote out have the support of our local union body, the Association of Placentia-Yorba Linda Educators [APLE]. APLE is under the Orange Service Center Council of the California teachers Association [CTA-OCC]. Their website reads in part, The California Teachers Association (CTA), with nearly 300,000 members, is the largest organization representing educators within California ... National Education Association (NEA), representing nearly 3,000,000 educators throughout the United States, is the largest labor organization in the US. Educators who join their local chapter are members of all three organizations  local, CTA, and NEA. Coordination of policies and programs between the affiliates and the CTA/NEA is carried out with the assistance of primary contact, UniServ, and regional staff members.

I explain the connection between the local and national labor unions because it is the same in every state in the nation. Local union endorsement means the candidate supports the policies and programs of the entire union network. As the largest labor organization in the country, NEA profoundly impacts what most of our children are learning. Recent news reports exposed some alarming claims about what the NEA promotes through its NEA-LGBTQ caucus. Teachers are encouraged to purchase and wear badges with the Title Im Here, which had a QR code from which their students could access horribly explicit resources on sex education. Since the news broke, some of the most disturbing material links are hidden from the NEA-endorsed website but are still accessible here. The booklet entitled Queering Sex Ed described disgusting sexual acts geared at enticing teens to experiment. It claims, We want to empower youth. To have better access to information than a standard that was set 20 years ago. The material was so vulgar it was hard to stomach. As a sex crimes detective, my husband said he used to arrest people for far less. A rational person could only reach one conclusion: dark, demonic forces are clearly at work.

Every Bible-believing Christian should ask how we can help fight the evil and wickedness of our day. We know labor unions are notorious for having unscrupulous ways of dealing with detractors. Yet, we cannot shrink from the responsibility of speaking out against them when they engage in such vile actions. The battle against immorality and depravity is fierce. We know persecution is increasing when a pro-life activist gets arrested by the FBI in front of his seven children. However great the opposition, we must stay the course.

I recently came across a relatively lesser-known biblical tradition called the Nazarite vow. The root word Nazir in the original Hebrew means to separate oneself and is described further in Numbers 6:1-6:

And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, Speak to the people of Israel and say to them, when either a man or a woman makes a special vow, the vow of a Nazirite, to separate himself to the Lord  they must abstain from wine  no razor may be used on their head ... the Nazirite must not go near a dead body. Throughout the period of their dedication, they are consecrated to the Lord.

Here God extends an invitation to any woman or man who desires to take a vow of intense consecration and separation to Himself. Though there were lifelong Nazarites like Samuel, Samson, and John the Baptist, most people took their vow for a specific length of time.

The Prophet Samuel, consecrated from birth, was a great prophet and anointed the first two kings of Israel: Saul and David. Samson was also set apart from birth and had great power to deliver Israel from the hands of the Philistines. In the New Testament, the consecration of John the Baptist gave him the prophetic insight to lead the people of Israel to repentance. He was a forerunner spirit that prepared the way for the first coming of Jesus. There also is an indication the Apostle Paul took a Nazarite vow on two occasions. All these men accomplished great things for the Kingdom of God and willingly took on additional rules and restraints to draw near to God.

Clearly, this requires a level of dedication that is beyond just going to church once a week. Even though all believers are redeemed by the blood of the lamb and are members of the royal priesthood, not all choose to walk through the narrow door of self-denial and consecration to the Lord.

Modern-day Nazarites commit to following the commands of Jesus and hold themselves publicly accountable. It is evident from how they treat other people, how they fight sin, and the courage they display in standing for Gods truth, regardless of the consequences. Yet the modern Nazarite is not focused on outward devotions with a bankrupt heart like a Pharisee. They have a devotion created by the fire of intimacy with the Lord. The battle of the flesh is one we fight until our Lord returns, but being set apart in this capacity is a choice to be made daily.

Remember the warning from Paul to Corinth, which repeats Gods warnings to the Israelites who were continuously disobedient:

For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?... What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God said,[] Come out from them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you (2 Corinthians 6:14-18 [in part])

Our nation is on the brink of losing Gods blessing due to moral decay and reckless disregard for His commandments. Now is a critical time to raise a remnant of American Nazarites. Lets all pray the Lord brings about such a harvest.
CNN warns of 'rapture anxiety,' claims ex-Christians struggle with 'trauma' over End Times teaching

Could teaching what's described in the Bible as a blessed hope actually be a source of anxiety and trauma?

An article published by CNN Tuesday with the headline, For some Christians, rapture anxiety can take a lifetime to heal, depicts the eschatological doctrine of the imminent return of Jesus Christ for His Church as a chronic problem.

The article also describes the teaching as "recognized by some faith experts and mental health professionals as a type of religious trauma."

Featuring a stock photo with the caption, Some Christians develop fears related to teachings of the rapture, the article profiles two women who have battled so-called rapture anxiety, including April Ajoy, who recalled waking up to a quiet home as a 13-year-old girl and fearing she had missed the prophetic End Times event.

The article reads in part: Ajoys mind began churning, trying to remember, trying to make plans. When was the last time she had sinned? Should she refusethe mark of the beast? At least, she thought, if she was put to the guillotine during the time of tribulation, it would be a quick death.

Describing the event as when righteous Christians ascend into heaven, while the rest are left behind to suffer," CNN adds, However it happens, it is something to be both feared and welcomed, to be prayed about and prepared for every moment of a believers life."

Another woman, Georgia resident Chelsea Wilson, told the cable news outlet that she grew up in the Evangelical community and believed the End Times teaching was akin to a scary campfire story.

CNN points to social media chatter from exvangelicals  former Evangelical Christians who have since turned to unbelief  who were subjected to violent rapture-themed films or spent their childhood years crying themselves to sleep thinking about people and pets that would be left behind when the end finally came.

The article  which was not categorized as an opinion piece on CNNs website  also appears to take aim at Evangelical churches by describing the rapture as a fringe teaching of dispensational premillennialism, adding that such teaching is not prevalent in Catholic or mainline Protestant denominations like Episcopalianism or Presbyterianism, and is most commonly adhered to in Evangelical and fundamental churches.

For analysis of the doctrine and its impact on believers, CNN reached out to Darren Slade, president and CEO of the Global Center for Religious Research, a "non-religiously affiliated academic society and publishing house."

Slade, whose website states certain religious contexts have also been responsible for a number of traumatic experiences for people all around the globe, told CNN that rapture anxiety is a real thing and a chronic problem.

This is a new area of study, but in general, our research has revealed that religious trauma leads to an increase of anxiety, depression, paranoia and even some OCD-like behaviors: I need to say this prayer of salvation so many times, I need to confess my sins so often, he was quoted as saying.

But on Slades own website, he acknowledges that the academic study of religious trauma remains in its infancy when compared to other studies in mental health.

Sadly, this means that there is no actual empirical data to support what we have seen and experienced in the tens of thousands: that religious trauma exists and is a chronic problem within many religions, the statement continues.

The Christian Post reached out to both CNN and Slade for comment, but their responses were not received by press time.

Known more commonly as the Rapture, the doctrine stems from the word harpazo in the Greek, the original language of the New Testament, and literally means to seize by force; snatch up, suddenly and decisively.

The word is used in oft-cited verses such as 1 Thessalonians 4:17, which is often cited as a proof text by Rapture proponents.

Others point to verses such as Titus 2:13, where the Apostle Paul describes the "blessed hope" of Christians everywhere as "the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ."

While certainly a topic of rigorous debate among theologians and other Christian thinkers, can the Rapture  which essentially teaches that Jesus will remove Christians from the world prior to what will be the most disastrous period in human history  actually be a source of trauma?

I think if its taken out of context or taught to young kids without the full context of what Jesus promised, what our hope is as believers ... it can be a little scary, said Christian author Todd Hampson, who's also the co-host of the popular Prophecy and Pros Podcast.

I dont know if Id call it trauma. Thats probably a pretty extreme word, I havent heard it put that way before, Hampson told The Christian Post.

He said suggestions such as CNNs statement that the Rapture teaching didnt emerge until the 1800s are flat-out false, pointing to early Church documents showing all Christians were awaiting what they believed was the imminent return of the Lord.

In addition to the passages cited by CNN, Hampton also pointed to Jesus promise to receive His disciples to Himself upon His return in the 14th Chapter of the Gospel of John.

While Rapture works of fiction such as the Left Behind series have brought the doctrine into the cultural mainstream, Hampson said even fictional accounts of Bible prophecy have done way more good than harm.

What its done is turned a lot of believers back to the Bible to study what Scripture actually says about those events, he said.

But what about the CNN article suggesting that interpretations about the Rapture vary widely and may be merely a poetic metaphor"?

Hampson said when it comes to Bible prophecy, you can either allegorize it or receive it at face value.

God says what He means and means what He says, he added. If we come to Scripture with a belief that is inspired by God and He put it together, then every word is intentional.
Dozens more Christians killed, many others critically wounded in Nigeria

ABUJA, Nigeria  Continuing attacks earlier this month in Benue state, Nigeria, suspected Fulani herdsmen and other terrorists killed dozens of Christians last Friday and Wednesday, sources said.

The terrorists attacked six predominantly Christian villages in Benue states Togo County on Friday, destroying lives, houses and farms and looting homes for food, area residents said.

These attacks by the herdsmen have left dozens of Christians dead and several more with gunshot injuries and machete attack wounds, area resident Ukan Kurugh told Morning Star News in a text message.

Survivors of these herdsmen attacks have been taken to some hospitals, and they need urgent medical attention but lack the funds to pay for their medical bills. Some of them need urgent surgeries but they cant afford to pay for the charges.

Attacked were the villages of Tse Ikyem, Tsav, Tse Ijoho, Tse Ikyaan, Anawah, and Mou in Togo County, residents said. Mou was also attacked on Wednesday, as was Mchia, in the same county.

Our people have have suffered immensely in the hands of these marauding herdsmen, Kurugh said.

Local resident Moses Teryima identified 12 of the Christians slain in Fridays attacks as Aandohemba Msugh Aondo, Oliver Toryima Chion, Innocent Shinku Ngimsho, Mchivga Utume, Joseph Msugh Aondo Gwa, Bemdou Hundu, Luther Mchivga, Sunter Achiwan, Aondohemba Msughve, Hemhsnger Teryuega, Japheth Kwaghaondo Pinega, and Vihishima Mbanomso.

An area community leader, Joseph Anawa, confirmed that the six villages had been attacked on Friday. The Rev. Akpen Leva, chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Benue State Chapter, said in a press statement that attacks against Christians and by herdsmen and other terrorists in the state have been ceaseless.

Armed herdsmen and terrorists have not stopped their unprovoked attacks on Christians in Benue state, Leva said. These attacks are aimed at killing defenseless Christians and to force them out of their communities.

Pastors and denominational leaders were among the victims of the attacks, he said.

We condemn in strong terms these unprovoked attacks and loss of lives in these affected Christian communities and call on security agencies to rise up to the challenge in order to curtail the activities of these bloodthirsty herdsmen, Leva said.

Catherine Anene, spokesperson for the Benue State Police Command, said police received reports of the attacks from the divisional police officer of Logo.

Our personnel have been deployed to the area to contain the situation, she said.

15 Christians Killed

In the same county last Wednesday, suspected herdsmen and other terrorists killed 15 Christians and wounded 15 others in attacks on two villages, area residents said.

Predominantly Christian Mou and Mchia villages were attacked at about midnight. Fulani herdsmen, who are predominantly Muslim, killed 12 Christians in Mchia village, said area resident Peter Terseer.

Aside from the 12 Christians who lost their lives in Mchia village, eight other Christians were injured during the attack, Terseer told Morning Star News in a text message. Theyre being treated at the Anyiin hospital.

In Mou village, resident James Akiga said three Christians died and seven were wounded in the attack by a band of terrorists and herders.

The victims have gunshot wounds and machete cuts, Akiga said in a text message to Morning Star News.

Paul Hemba, Benue state special adviser on security matters, confirmed in a press statement that 12 Christians were killed at Mchia village and three at Mou village on Sept. 21 at about midnight. He also confirmed that 15 Christians were wounded in the assaults.

Also on the night of Wednesday, Sept. 21, some other Christian communities in Guma Local Government Area were attacked by the terrorists and herdsmen, but they were repelled by security agencies who were drafted there, Hemba said. No life was lost, nor anyone injured, in the Guma attacks.

Military authorities in the area confirmed the attacks on the Logo and Guma areas.

Our troops are managing the situation in Logo  some attacks had been happening around that area before now which made us to conduct a weeklong operation there about two weeks ago, Maj. Gen. Kevin Aligbe said in a press statement. These terrorists have killed between two and four people every three to four days. Most times we received reports that they, bandits, have attacked and retreated.

Nigeria led the world in Christians killed for their faith last year (Oct. 1, 2020 to Sept. 30, 2021) at 4,650, up from 3,530 the previous year, according to Open Doors 2022 World Watch List report. The number of kidnapped Christians was also highest in Nigeria, at more than 2,500, up from 990 the previous year, according to the WWL report.

Nigeria trailed only China in the number of churches attacked, with 470 cases, according to the report.

In the 2022 World Watch List of the countries where it is most difficult to be a Christian, Nigeria jumped to seventh place, its highest ranking ever, from No. 9 the previous year.

This article was originally published by Morning Star News.
Hurricane Ian leaves 2.5 million without power in Florida; Orlando sees record-breaking rainfall Humanitarian aid group Samaritan's Purse responds to the disaster

More than 2.5 million homes were without power in Florida amid catastrophic floods and life-threatening storm surge early Thursday, hours after Hurricane Ian made landfall near Cayo Costa as a Category 4 storm with maximum sustained winds of 150 mph. The international Evangelical relief group Samaritans Purse is preparing its disaster response teams to help clear debris from homes.

Ians winds weakened to 65 mph early Thursday, downgrading the system to a tropical storm as it moved over central Florida, but extremely dangerous conditions continued, according to The Weather Channel, which also said all hurricane warnings had been dropped but a hurricane watch extended from northeast Floridas coast to Charleston County, South Carolina.

The storm made landfall on Floridas west coast at about 3 p.m. Wednesday as a Category 4 hurricane, leaving over 2.5 million customers without power, mostly in the states southwest and central regions, according to PowerOutage.us.

About 90 minutes later, the hurricane made a second landfall, south of Punta Gorda with 145 mph winds, Fox Weather reported.

Extreme rain triggered significant flooding in parts of central Florida, The Weather Channel said.

Orlando had a record-breaking rainfall of 11.94 inches from 4 a.m. Wednesday through 4 a.m. Thursday, weather historian Christopher Burt was quoted as saying. Up to 14 inches of rain has already fallen in parts of the state.

The tropical storm was forecast to continue lashing Florida for most of Thursday before making a likely second landfall on the Atlantic Coast Friday.

Early Thursday, strongest winds were recorded along the coast of northeast Florida, where some gusts had topped 60 mph in Daytona Beach. Gainesville, Jacksonville and Orlando had gusts over 50 mph, and over 30 mph gusts had already worked their way along the coasts of Georgia and South Carolina.

Georgia, Virginia, North Carolina and South Carolina are bracing for the storms impact.

Over 10 inches of rain is possible, mainly in areas between Savannah, Georgia and Charleston, South Carolina, Fox News said.

Samaritans Purse said it's mobilizing disaster response specialists and tractor-trailers packed with relief equipment to the affected areas.

The Christian relief organization, headed by evangelist Franklin Graham, said it's closely tracking the storm and working with local authorities and church partners to determine the greatest areas of need.

Hurricane Ian is going to impact the lives of millions of people, Graham said in a statement shared with The Christian Post. We are praying for everyone in its path and already mobilizing our team to respond in Jesus Name.

Samaritans Purse said it will need teams of volunteers from across the country to help families by mudding out flooded homes, tarping damaged roofs and clearing debris.

Early Tuesday, Ian made landfall southwest of the town of La Coloma in western Cubas Pinar del Rio province, with maximum sustained winds of 125 mph, NBC News reported, adding that, by the evening, the entire island was without power.
Dante Bowe exits social media after Maverick City Music halts ties over 'inconsistent' behavior

Worship leader Dante Bowe is no longer a member of the Grammy Award-winning worship group Maverick City Music for the time being due to "behavior inconsistent" with what the band says is their "core values and beliefs."

Via an announcement on Instagram, Maverick City Music stated Tuesday they are putting a "pause" on their relationship with Bowe.

"Decisions like these are not easy because of the level of nuance, both professionally and personally, but we felt it necessary to address," the statement read.

The worship group does not give any details on the behavior that led to the decision. However, the Instagram statement adds, "Dante is a brother in Christ and as such he has our full commitment and unwavering support as he continues to navigate his path forward."

On Instagram, Bowe announced his intention to take a break from social media.

For a short while this week, Bowe's social media accounts were not accessible as his Facebook account was disabled. His Instagram account was set to private temporarily but now appears to be reactivated as a public account.

"In light of recent events and opinions, Ive talked to some of the wisest leaders and brothers around me. Ill be taking time off social media to rest mentally and physically," Bowe wrote on Tuesday.



"Years ago, when I dreamt of all I would accomplish one day, I didnt account for the pressure and opinions that would come with it. Its important for everyone to know when to step back and refocus. Hope yall understand and support. Ill hit you up when Im back."

Bowe has received criticism for some of his actions.

Most recently, he was scrutinized for sharing a video of himself inside of a party bus listening to secular artist Bad Bunny and dancing to a song with overtly sexual lyrics. During the Grammys, he also raised eyebrows for saying he hoped to see openly gay rapper Lil Nas X perform at the award show.

Bowe, who has gone from being homeless to a platinum artist, had a difficult upbringing. His grandparents were ministers, and much of his Christian influence came from them. He has written hits for Ciara, Tasha Cobbs and Maverick City Music, which is where he gained most of his notoriety.

The artist recently announced "Joyful the Tour" featuring Social Club Misfits. But it is unclear if he will move ahead with the tour.

The Christian Post reached out to Bowe for a comment, but a response was not immediately received.
Museum of the Bible leaders travel to Greece, return 1,000-year-old handwritten manuscript

Leaders from the Museum of the Bible in Washington, D.C., traveled to Greece this week to formally return a 10th-century, handwritten Gospel manuscript looted by Bulgarian troops in 1917.

The manuscript, known as "Evangelistary Manuscript 220," is one of the world's oldest hand-lettered Gospels and was among hundreds of priceless objects looted from the Theotokos Eikosiphoinissa (Kosinitza) Monastery in Greece during World War I.

A formal return ceremony was held Thursday at the historic monastery near the town of Drama in northern Greece and was officiated by Archbishop Elpidophoros of America. Among those who attended the event was Agathangelos Siskos, archivist of the Ecumenical Patriarchate; and Museum of the Bible Founder Steve Green, the president of the craft store chain Hobby Lobby.

The manuscript was purchased by the Green Collection of Oklahoma City and donated to the museum in 2014.

After the doxology service, Green was awarded the "Grand Cross"  the highest honor of Metropolis of Drama  by Metropolitan Panteleimon of Xanthi.

Green was joined in traveling to the event by the museum's Chief Curatorial Officer Jeffrey Kloha, Associate Curator of Medieval Manuscripts Brian Hyland and Museum of the Bible board member Elizabeth Prodromou.

"We are honored to partner with the Ecumenical Patriarch on a permanent exhibition of biblical manuscripts and religious objects connected to the Bible," Green said in a statement sent to The Christian Post.

In a statement, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I, the world leader of the Eastern Orthodox Church, thanked the museum for returning the manuscript.

"It is a true blessing for the monastic sisterhood and the Christian world to see the religious artifacts that were removed from the Monastery officially return to their natural home and used hereafter for the spiritual edification of the faithful, and by art and history scholars," the patriarch said in a statement.

The manuscript had been used for hundreds of years in religious services before it was stolen.

Kloha said the manuscript is important as part of the history of the New Testament in Greek, "but it also tells of at least two communities that used it for prayer and devotion century after century and of the day of violence and sacrilege over a century ago."

"Now, this manuscript can tell a new story," the curator added, "a story of reunion and hope that the pages of this manuscript will continue to give light, even though many have tried to extinguish that light."

In 2020, the museum informed Patriarch Bartholomew about the intended return of the manuscript, which entered the museum's collection in 2014.

The patriarch allowed the museum to display the manuscript in October 2021, in time for the patriarch's apostolic visit last year.

The patriarch also loaned three more manuscripts "as part of the collaboration in a permanent exhibit at the museum as a gesture of gratitude for the Gospel manuscript's return."

The museum has investigated its collections in recent years and "hopes that other collections in the U.S. that also possess manuscripts from the monastery will likewise voluntarily return them to their rightful home."

In January 2021, the Museum of the Bible transferred control of 5,000 disputed manuscripts and bits of papyrus to the U.S. government, which then repatriated the artifacts to Egypt, where the items were thought to have been illegally shipped during the Arab Spring.

The artifacts included manuscript fragments, funeral masks, parts of coffins and the heads of statues.
Episcopal church pays voluntary tax to indigenous tribes as form of land acknowledgment

An Episcopal church in Wisconsin has included in its budget a voluntary tax on its property to give to the state's Native American tribes to acknowledge that it stands on land that "used to be someone else's homeland."

St. Dunstan's Episcopal Church in Madison added a budget line in 2022 for a $3,000 "amends" property expense payment, which was presented in August to the Wisconsin Inter-Tribal Repatriations Committee, Episcopal News Service reported. The payment represents 1% of the church's overall expenses.

Located on Madison's west side, the church sits on land that historically was home to members of the Ho-Chunk Nation.

The payment comes after the church spent years studying the region's indigenous history and how tribes lost land to settlers through a land acknowledgment task force.

According to a statement on the church's website, the land first came under the ownership of the U.S. Government after the 1832 Black Hawk War, a conflict between the U.S. government and Native Americans led by Sauk leader Black Hawk.

The war resulted in local native tribes being largely "exterminated or pushed westwards, after being forced to cede their land in southern Wisconsin."

"Anticipated development failed to occur and the indigenous Ho-Chunk continued to return, despite their' official removal' in 1832, to hunt, fish, and grow corn at traditional camps on the north shore of Lake Mendota and Pheasant Branch. Speculators lost interest in and money on the surrounding property, and eventually Wisconsin Governor William Farwell purchased O'Neill's parcel," the website reads.

The property that became the site of the church was a former farm on the edge of town with a red-brick farmhouse owned by Joseph and Anton Heim, immigrants who were among the many who came to the U.S. during a failed revolt in the Germanic states in 1848. The Heims farmed the property for years and got involved in local politics.

"The farm shrank over the years as Middleton began to grow and farmland was sold off to be developed," the website explains. "Several families owned the farmhouse over the years. A couple of photos in the Wisconsin History Museum collection show it in 1952."

The website concludes: "St. Dunstan's is mindful that we gather to worship on Ho-Chunk land, taken unjustly. We don't know what it looks like to make peace with that history, but we wonder."

According to the church's rector, Rev. Miranda Hassett, the church's research and statement needed to be accompanied by "restorative actions" to "make amends" and be "better allies."

"It would feel wrong getting that statement out there without having the meat of what that means to us," Hasset told Episcopal News Service.

Many other Episcopal congregations are researching and developing land acknowledgments to foster reconciliation.

For example, a plaque installed on the pavement outside the door of St. John's Episcopal Church in Chicago states: "You are standing on the land of Native peoples."

In July, the denomination's 80th General Convention passed a resolution encouraging land acknowledgments. Each Episcopal diocese will complete audits "of all Indigenous peoples whose ancestral and territorial homelands its churches and buildings now occupy."

The resolution also encourages the dioceses "to begin a process of implementing land acknowledgment liturgies and prayers to begin any public meetings or worship and to provide resources to their churches to do the same."

In Washington, the Seattle-based Diocese of Olympia passed a similar resolution in 2019.

"Though it begins as an effort to understand the history of an individual church, it can soon develop into an exploration of the history of our entire country and even the world," the diocese says on its website. "All are connected, for good or ill, in the story of who we are as a people, as a nation, as Episcopalians, and as Christians."

Other dioceses are also encouraging churches to consider land acknowledgments. The Episcopal Church's Virginia Theological Seminary Building Faith ministry offers churches guidance for writing land acknowledgments.

"One of the ways the church begins the road to reconciliation with siblings who identify as Indigenous/Native American, is to acknowledge that all churches sit on Native Land," the guidance states. "It was 'purchased' through treaties that were constantly broken. It was stolen through lies. Tribal nations were violently forced from ancestral lands to distant reservations."
Oklahoma U. medical facilities to halt certain gender medicine services amid legislative pressure

Medical facilities tied to the University of Oklahoma have agreed to discontinue what they describe as "certain gender medicine services" in response to pressure from state lawmakers.

OU Health released a statement Tuesday stating it would discontinue the services after lawmakers threatened to block as much as $108.5 million in federal funding for the Oklahoma-based University Hospitals Authority and Hospitals Trust, reported Tulsa World.

Legislators made discontinuing "gender reassignment medical treatment" for children under 18 a stipulation for the medical facilities to receive funds from the federal American Rescue Plan Act. The act allocated about $39.4 million for a children's behavioral health hospital in Oklahoma City.

"The funding will modernize our technical infrastructure, bring National Cancer Institute-level cancer care to northeast Oklahoma and allow us to deliver the most advanced inpatient and outpatient resources in the country for young people who need mental and behavioral health care," stated OU Health, as quoted by Tulsa World.

"The Legislature restricted the use of the funds from benefiting facilities performing certain gender medicine services. The new mental and behavioral health facility was never intended to provide such care."

The statement added that the "OU Health Senior Leadership team is proactively planning the ceasing of certain gender medicine services across our facilities and that plan is already under development."

It is not immediately clear what "gender medicine services" OU Health has offered and what it will discontinue.

The Oklahoma chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union denounced the effort to condition funding on discontinuing body-mutilating gender reassignment procedures and other gender identity clinic services, such as cross-sex hormones and puberty blockers.

ACLU Oklahoma Policy Director Cindy Nguyen said in a statement Tuesday that the effort is an attack on the "bodily autonomy" of LGBT individuals.

"Transgender youth are a part of Oklahoma, and they deserve the same privacy, access to treatment, and evidence-based health care from trained medical professionals as any other Oklahoman," stated Nguyen.

"This legislation displays a fundamental ignorance about the medical treatment for transgender youth and undermines the prevailing recommendations of every major medical association."

The Oklahoma legislature is considering a bill that would ban anyone under the age of 21 from getting gender reassignment surgeries in Oklahoma.

State Sen. Warren Hamilton, who filed the bill during the 2021 legislative session but never received a hearing, expressed concern about the long-term effects of experimental treatments like puberty blockers and reassignment surgeries.

"My concern is that these procedures and transitions are life-altering, and this decision shouldn't be made by those unable to see the long-term effects of such treatments," Hamilton stated, as quoted by the Oklahoma City-based Fox 25.

"The problem is, once they become adults, those surgeries and the effects of the hormones cannot simply be undone. My legislation will help preserve the physical and mental health of a young person who may not fully understand the life-long ramifications of these treatments and surgeries."

There has been much national debate in recent years surrounding the ethics of prescribing puberty-blocking drugs and cross-sex hormones to children suffering from gender dysphoria, even though organizations like the American Academy of Pediatrics approve of the practice.

The use of puberty-blocking drugs has not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration to be used to delay puberty in children suffering from gender dysphoria. Some doctors warn that using drugs for that purpose should be treated as experimental because the long-term effects have not been thoroughly studied.

Critics accuse the American Academy of Pediatrics of silencing debate on the matter and ignoring evidence from studies that have led some European countries to place more restrictions on medical transitions for minors.

AAP President Moira Szilagyi contends that AAP "advises pediatricians to offer developmentally appropriate care that is oriented toward understanding and appreciating the youth's gender experience."

In its policy statement, "Ensuring Comprehensive Care and Support for Transgender and Gender-Diverse Children and Adolescents," AAP states that the decision to "initiate gender-affirmative treatment is personal and involves careful consideration of risks, benefits, and other factors unique to each patient and family."

Earlier this month, the World Professional Association for Transgender Health removed a section from its guidelines on the minimum age requirements for children to obtain puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones or undergo body-altering surgeries.

Amy Tishelman, the author of the "Child" chapter in the World Professional Association for Transgender Health's Standards of Care 8th Edition guidelines, told WPATH's annual conference that the age guidelines for "gender-affirming" hormones and surgeries were removed to protect doctors from liability.

"What we didn't want to do was create a chapter that would make it more likely that practitioners would be sued because they weren't following exactly what we said," she said.

Several detransitionsers  individuals who transitioned to the opposite biological sex and then detransitioned back after regret  have opened up about how they felt misled or unable to comprehend the potential consequences of surgical and hormonal transitions as teens and young adults.

The CBS program "60 Minutes" aired the stories of detransitioners in a segment earlier this year, which drew considerable pushback from transgender advocacy groups.

"I didn't get enough pushback on transitioning. I went for two appointments and after the second one, I had my letter to go get on cross-sex hormones," one young man named Garrett from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, said on the show.
Hurricane Ian Makes Landfall In Florida, New Italian PM Defends God And Family, Covenant Eyes Privacy Concerns

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After leaving 11 million people without power in Cuba, Hurricane Ian became a catastrophic Category 4 hurricane early Wednesday with winds up to 155 mph as it moves closer to Port Charlotte and the southwestern coast, where it's expected to make landfall by the afternoon and is predicted to cause life-threatening flooding.

Italy has elected Giorgia Meloni, its first female prime minister, whose focus on protecting the institution of the family and national identity has caused some media outlets to compare her ideology to "fascism."

Derwin Gray has rejected the idea of being "colorblind" and instead wants churches to focus on the "race of grace" that all people should belong to.

After an unflattering article in WIRED, Covenant Eyes acknowledged it has many of the same concerns and says churches shouldn't use its program to spy on congregants.
FBI, DOJ face pushback over arrest, prosecution of Catholic pro-life activist

The Federal Bureau of Investigation is facing criticism over its early-morning arrest of a pro-life activist, which critics claim is an example of overreach and double standards by federal law enforcement officials.

On Friday, the U.S. Department of Justice released a statement announcing the indictment Mark Houck of Kintnersville, Pennsylvania. He is charged with a violation of the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act. The law subjects any person who "intentionally injures, intimidates, or interferes with or attempts to injure, intimidate or interfere with any person" seeking to "provide reproductive health services" to federal charges.

The DOJ indicated that "the defendant is alleged to have twice assaulted a man because he was a volunteer reproductive health care clinic escort." The federal agency maintained that "the defendant forcefully shoved" the clinic escort to the ground on two separate occasions at a Philadelphia Planned Parenthood clinic on Oct. 13, 2021, one of which required him to receive "medical attention."

If convicted, Houck faces up to 11 years in prison, three years of supervised release and up to $350,000 in fines. Court documents reveal that a grand jury agreed with the federal government's analysis of what happened that day and indicted Houck for violating federal law on Tuesday, three days before his arrest.

A fundraiser for Houck on the crowdfunding platform GiveSendGo tells a slightly different story about what happened on Oct. 13, 2021, suggesting that "Mark's 'crime' was protecting his 12-year-old son from an aggressive Planned Parenthood escort in downtown Philadelphia."

"Last year, Mark and his son were praying in front of the PP at 12th and Locust. When one of the escorts began harassing Mark's son they walked down the street away from the entrance to the building. The escort followed them, and when he continued yelling at Mark's son, Mark pushed him away."

As of Tuesday morning, the fundraiser has raised more than $240,000. Proceeds from the fundraiser will go to "help the family with any necessary expenses" as they endure what organizers of the effort characterize as a campaign of "fear and intimidation." The fundraiser also provided additional details about Houck's arrest Friday morning.

"At 7 am on Friday, September 23, 20 SWAT team members burst into the home of Mark Houck," the fundraiser stated.

"These agents had guns drawn and shields up in the faces of Mark, his wife, and their seven young children. Mark was handcuffed in front of his family and arrested."

Ryan-Marie Houck, Houck's wife, elaborated on what happened at the Philadelphia Planned Parenthood clinic and the events that unfolded Friday morning in an interview with LifeSite News.

She told the news outlet that the clinic escort directed derogatory language at their then-12-year-old son, including an assertion that "your dad is a fag."

Ryan-Marie Houck reported that when the clinic escort remained in her son's face, her husband "shoved him away from his child, and the guy fell back." She added, "he didn't have any injuries or anything, but he tried to sue Mark."

While the clinic escort's legal challenge against Houck was unsuccessful in the lower courts, the Department of Justice resurrected the case in federal court last week.

"They started pounding on the door and yelling for us to open it," Ryan-Marie Houck recalled of the FBI's descendence on her home last week.

While her husband informed the agents of his intention to open the door and pleaded with them to quiet down because he had "seven babies in the house," the law enforcement officials "just kept pounding and screaming." She classified the experience as "scary and traumatic," stressing that "the kids were all just screaming."

"I've already reached out to some psychiatrists or psychologists to try and help us through this. I don't really know what's going to come of it when you see guns pointed at your dad and your mom in your house when you wake up."

In a statement to Fox News, an FBI spokesperson pushed back against the Houcks' depiction of the raid, classifying parts of it as inaccurate.

"There are inaccurate claims being made regarding the arrest of Mark Houck. No SWAT Team or SWAT operators were involved. FBI agents knocked on Mr. Houck's front door, identified themselves as FBI agents and asked him to exit the residence," the spokesperson said. "He did so and was taken into custody without incident pursuant to an indictment."

Ryan-Marie Houck stated to LifeSiteNews that when she asked the FBI agents to provide a warrant, they replied that they "were going to take him whether they had a warrant or not." After she protested that "you can't just come to a person's house and kidnap them at gunpoint," they presented the warrant for her husband's arrest to her.

Houck is the founder and president of The King's Men, which the organization's website describes as a ministry to "build up other men in the mold of leader, protector, and provider through education, formation, healing and action."

A bio on the website notes that Houck, a "passionate Catholic," has "written numerous articles, brochures and publications on the topics of pornography, homosexuality, abortion, teen sexuality, parenting and masculine spirituality."

The early-morning raid on Houck's home received swift condemnation from leaders in the pro-life movement.

Bill Donohue of The Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights wrote a letter to Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, the ranking member of the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee, seeking an investigation into Houck's arrest. Donohue accused the FBI of a double standard when enforcing the law based on whether a person supports or opposes abortion.

"There seems to be much interest in pursuing alleged wrongdoing by pro-life activists, yet little interest in pursuing alleged wrongdoing by abortion-rights activists," Donohue lamented in the letter published Monday. "This kind of overreaction to a minor infraction of the law is deeply troubling, and it becomes even more troubling when paired with the underreaction by the Department of Justice when the pro-life side is targeted."

Donohue reflected on the letters he had previously written to U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland urging investigations into the violence directed at pro-life pregnancy centers and churches following the leak of the U.S. Supreme Court's draft decision in the case of Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization. The leak revealed a majority of justices were poised to overturn the Roe v. Wade decision that legalized abortion nationwide.

Vandalism and firebomings on pro-life organizations continued after the Dobbs decision was released on June 24.

"Not only did I not receive a response from the attorney general, but there have also been no news stories on SWAT teams crashing the homes of abortion-rights terrorists," he wrote. "Yet there have been many instances of violence that make 'shoving' someone look like child's play."

Doug Mastriano, the Republican candidate in Pennsylvania's upcoming gubernatorial election, condemned Houck's arrest as an example of "the continued weaponization of the FBI and persecution by Joe Biden's DOJ against ordinary Americans." He accused federal law enforcement of going after "political enemies" of President Joe Biden.

Houck was released from custody Friday on $10,000 bail.

Under the terms of his release, Houck must surrender his passport and firearms and cannot travel outside the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, where the federal case against him is taking place unless he is given special permission to do so.

Additionally, he must refrain from protesting and sidewalk counseling at the Philadelphia Planned Parenthood where his encounter with the clinic escort took place.

Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, a national grassroots advocacy organization that opposes abortion, condemned Houck's arrest as an example of federal law enforcement being used to go after opponents of the Biden administration.

The Biden-Harris administration has dangerously politicized the Justice Department to punish political enemies and protect the abortion industry that spends millions to elect pro-abortion Democrats, said SBA Pro-Life America President Marjorie Dannenfelser.

[Vice President] Kamala Harris tactic of raiding the homes of journalists who exposed Planned Parenthoods role in trafficking baby body parts is now policy at the highest levels of government. President Bidens repeated failure to denounce pro-abortion violence by name and characterization of pro-life Americans as threats to democracy have consequences  fueling scores of attacks on pregnancy centers, pro-life nonprofits and houses of worship, as well as an assassination attempt against U.S. Supreme Court justices."

Dannenfelser lamented that there have been "no arrests in at least 17 cases of pro-abortion terrorism tied to Janes Revenge.'"

Now a pro-life family has found the guns of the FBI aimed at them and their children at home, pregnancy centers in Michigan and Colorado have been vandalized in recent days, and an elderly pro-life volunteer has been shot in the back while peacefully canvassing," Dannenfelser stated.

"We join our allies in Congress in demanding a full account from Attorney General Garland of what is being done to investigate and prosecute these attacks, which are unacceptable in a country founded on equal justice under the law.
Dept. of Veterans Affairs performs first abortion under new Biden admin. rule

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs medical system performed its first abortion a few weeks after the Biden administration announced it would provide abortions for eligible veterans and beneficiaries in light of the Supreme Court's overturn of Roe v. Wade in June.

During his testimony before the Veterans Affairs Committee last week, VA Secretary Denis McDonough confirmed that one of the department's medical centers carried out an abortion. McDonough provided the answer in response to a question from Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., regarding how many abortions have occurred at VA facilities.

As NBC News reported, a spokesperson for the department did not disclose the name of the woman who underwent the abortion or where it was performed, citing privacy reasons.

The VA did not immediately respond to The Christian Post's request for comment on the matter.

The VA secretary testified before the committee about a new rule allowing the VA to offer abortions in cases of rape, incest or if the woman's life is in danger, with the VA currently serving about 300,000 women of childbearing age.

According to McDonough, the Department of Justice reviewed the new rule and found it to be a "lawful exercise of VA's authority." McDonough cited a supremacy clause in the Constitution, claiming it prevents state officials from penalizing VA workers for "performing their federal functions."

"The principle that led us to take this step is our veteran patient safety," McDonough said. "We take that very, very seriously, and every decision we make flows from that principle."

Earlier this month, the department announced the submission of an interim final rule to the Federal Register to authorize the VA to commit abortions in some cases. McDonough asserted that the move is a "patient safety decision."

"Pregnant veterans and VA beneficiaries deserve to have access to world-class reproductive care when they need it most," he said. "That's what our nation owes them, and that's what we at VA will deliver."

The document justified the policy based on the Supreme Court's decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, which overturned the 1973 ruling that legalized abortion nationwide. The decision returned the issue to the states, restoring their authority to determine abortion laws. Several states have enacted restrictions on abortion.

According to the proposed rule: "VA is acting to help ensure that, irrespective of what laws or policies States may impose, veterans who receive the care set forth in the medical benefits package will be able to obtain abortions, if determined needed by a health care professional, when the life or the health of the pregnant veteran would be endangered if the pregnancy were carried to term or the pregnancy is the result of an act of rape or incest."

The VA's Undersecretary of Health Dr. Shereef Elnahal said that the department came to this decision after listening to VA healthcare providers and veterans who "sounded the alarm that abortion restrictions are creating a medical emergency for those we serve."

Prior to the announcement, two dozen congressional Democrats urged McDonough to amend the agency's regulations to permit VA hospitals to provide abortions. The lawmakers wrote in a July letter that the Veterans Health Care Eligibility Reform Act of 1996 established the VA's authority to provide care to veterans.

According to the lawmakers, the statute requires the agency to "furnish hospital care and medical services which the Secretary determines to be needed" for a particular group of veterans.

Republicans and pro-life advocates, such as Sen. James Lankford, R-Okla., have argued that the proposed rule violates federal law.

In an Aug. 26 letter to McDonough, Lankford cited Section 106 of the Veterans Health Care Act of 1992, which prohibits the VA from providing abortions, among other services.

"Abortion is not and will never be healthcare," Lankford wrote.

"Healthcare protects life. Abortion takes life. Instead of promoting the taking of human life, I would challenge you, and others within the VA, to respect the dignity of our veterans and all of their family members, including unborn children, by ensuring services provided and funded by the VA are focused on true healthcare consistent with federal law."
Pro-life volunteer, 83, shot after 'heated conversation' while canvassing Michigan neighborhood

An elderly pro-life volunteer is recovering after she was shot during an apparent dispute while canvassing a Michigan neighborhood.

The 83-year-old woman from Ionia County was passing out pamphlets on behalf of Right to Life of Michigan (RLM) on Sept. 20 when police say she was shot in the shoulder after an alleged verbal altercation at a home in the area.

The woman then drove herself to the Lake Odessa Police Department and reported the incident, according to Michigan State Police. She was transported to an area hospital and was later released, authorities said.

According to a statement from RLM, the victim was shot while leaving a residence during a heated conversation by a man who was not involved in that conversation.

The victim does not know the identity or motive of her shooter, according to the statement.

While RLM Education Coordinator Chris Gast could not provide much additional info, he said the victim  who has been a pro-life volunteer for a very long time  is recovering and in good spirits.

She hasnt mentioned returning to door-to-door activities, but she was asking me about when our yard signs come in, so shes clearly still engaged, Gast told The Christian Post.

Michigan State Police are investigating the case and will turn over the investigations results to Ionia County prosecutors.

The woman was among a group of volunteers who were going door-to-door to inform residents about Proposal 3, titled Right to Reproductive Freedom Initiative, a state measure which, if approved by voters, would allow abortion to take place up to and including the moment of birth.

By prohibiting state discrimination against enforcement of Proposal 3, the measure also would allow people without medical training to assist with an abortion procedure without fear of prosecution.

While Michigan law currently requires parental consent for virtually all medical procedures for underage children, Proposal 3 would allow for children as young as 12 to undergo an abortion without parental consent.

Gast said Proposal 3 would dramatically impact dozens of state laws.

It would remove basic health and safety regulations from abortion clinics; it would allow minors to take hormone-blocking pills, undergo sex changes, and have abortions without notifying their parents; it would allow abortions until birth, he said. Theres a long list of other problems it would create.

The Michigan attack comes as pro-life activists, pregnancy centers, and others are being increasingly targeted by abortion activists after the U.S. Supreme Court overturnedRoe v. Wade in June.
See You at the Pole leaders pray for students' boldness and courage on campuses worldwide Romans 12

Students across the United States and worldwide gathered in prayer Wednesday morning as ministry groups work to ensure that Christian outreach on school campuses lasts the whole year.

The 33rd annual See You at the Pole event held today was a student-organized "global movement of prayer."

Each year, students gather in a circle around their school's flagpole to pray together on the fourth Wednesday of September. Students can participate in elementary, junior high and high schools, as well as at universities worldwide.

Adults can also participate by praying at the same time at their work, church or at their local city hall.

The theme of this years See You at the Pole event was Aflame, specifically focusing on the Bible verse Romans 12:11-12 proclaiming, Never let the fire in your heart go out. Keep it alive  PRAY!

Student activists affiliated with the group Claim Your Campus hosted a livestream featuring prompts for participants in See You at the Pole to consider. They called on students to turn this moment into a movement, pointing to the ministrys app and free campus prayer guide as tools to continue to gather with your friends to pray for change in your school.

Following each prompt, participants had 90 seconds to reflect in prayer. The first prompt asked students to pray for what God is doing in us, receive Gods joy in our own hearts so that we may experience revival in our own lives and ask Jesus for a fire and passion so that we may surrender to what God has called each of us to do this year.

After participants had a chance to reflect on the prompt, Aondover from Michigan led a prayer requesting that God will fill us up with a fire and a passion for you. He also prayed that our schools will be changed and that He will give us boldness and courage this upcoming school year, expressing a desire that we may be as lights in our hallways, that we may be the salt of the Earth.

The second prompt encouraged students to pray around us for our schools. Brayden from Kansas, who led the prompt, urged participants to know that God is using you to be a light on your campus and a light to everyone that you meet.

Be patient as you pray for change [at] your school. God is working even when we cant see it. Pray for all the things you want to see differently on your campus, entrust in God that it will happen in His time, not in your time, he added.

Following a 90-second pause, Brayden prayed to God that everyone at all the campuses, all the schools around our nation will just be filled with you and they will all come to know you. Additionally, he prayed for all of the tough things that people are going through in our schools, that it will just end and that all the struggles, all the depression, all the anxiety will subside because you will reign over our schools. He concluded by reiterating his hope that See You at the Pole participants can be a light in their school sharing the love of Jesus with everyone.

The third prompt, led by Kristiana of New York, encouraged participants to think of those who are sick, neglected, forgotten and unreached and continue to pray for what is going on in our world, our nation and our communities. She also asked students to think outwardly, pray big and pray without giving up because God has not given up on the world.

Following the 90 seconds set aside for reflection, Kristiana offered a prayer of thanksgiving for Gods mercy, graciousness and goodness in addition to the ability that we as believers have to come before you in prayer. She prayed that God would intervene on behalf of those who have yet to hear your Gospel, requesting that He change their lives as youve changed the lives of so many people.

The annual event dates back to 1990, when a high school youth group in Burleson, Texas, felt compelled to go to the flagpoles at schools in their area and pray for their friends, schools and leaders. Shortly thereafter, youth leaders across the state envisioned simultaneous, student-led events at school flagpoles statewide. The first See You at the Pole event occurred on Sept. 12, 1990, with 45,000 teenagers at schools in four states participating.

The following year, the movement expanded to include approximately 1 million students nationwide. In the past 30 years, See You at the Pole has spread to 64 countries and about 1 million students take part each year.

While See You at the Pole does not have an official sponsor, the Baptist General Convention of Texas has the rights to the trademarked phrase See You at the Pole and Student Discipleship Ministries in Burleson, Texas, creates and distributes promotional materials for the event such as videos. The National Network of Youth Ministries handles media relations for the event.

See You at the Pole is not the only event held annually to encourage students to share their faith. Bring Your Bible to School Day, scheduled to take place on Oct. 6 this year, empowers Christian students of all ages to speak Gods grace and truth into the culture around them, starting with two simple steps  bringing their Bibles to school and sharing what Gods word means to them.
Why the Church needs to get back to practicing church discipline

I once read a viral post on Facebook that read:

Church folk this is NOT the way ... Nope. Its things like this that hinders our witness. Im having a hard time finding the 'love' in this. Weve got to do better.

Below these words was an image of a letter that a church member received from her elders urging her to repent after multiple attempts to discuss her failure to attend the assembly of the Church and her engagement in a sinful living arrangement.

The authors of the letter emphasized their obligation as shepherds to watch for her soul (Hebrews 13:17) and protect the congregation by keeping them away from every brother or sister who walks in idleness (2 Thessalonians 3:6). If a church member did not repent, the elders noted that her membership would be withdrawn.

This is called church discipline, and it is biblical.

Jesus Himself lays out the standard for this process in Matthew 18:15-20:

If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered in my name, there I am among them.

From rebuke to repentance to restoration

The Church has been given authority by God to call its members to repentance if they are in sin. The purpose is to restore fellowship with God and other believers. For the Christ follower, biblical rebuke leads to repentance which ultimately leads to restoration, and this is crucial for both the believer and the Church as a whole.

In 1 Corinthians 5, Paul is writing to the church of Corinth to discipline them for their sexual immorality. This resulted in excommunication, or purging the evil person, from the church. Paul explains that sin is like yeast: If it is allowed to exist in the church, it spreads as a little leaven leavens the whole lump. If a little unrepentant sin goes without correction, it will spread throughout and infect the entire church body. For the sake of Christs bride, it must be confronted and corrected.

Churches are called to discipline their members if they are found to be continuously guilty of sin and refuse to repent. The goal is not to humiliate, peer pressure, or ostracize a church member, but to bring them to repentance in order that they may be reconciled to Christ and the rest of the church body. If they refuse, they can no longer be a part of the body of Christ because their refusal to repent is evidence that they are not saved. Only the one who is truly saved will be drawn to repentance because only the one in whom the Holy Spirit dwells will be given a pure and contrite heart.

Pastors, like the authors of the letter cited in the Facebook post, are responsible for the spiritual well-being of their flock. In fact, they are held to a higher standard for this reason and are judged more harshly (James 3:1). They have been entrusted by God to steward and shepherd the souls of those who are in Christ and belong to the church body, and it is their obligation to rebuke and correct where they are able to maintain the purity of the congregation.

Biblical love requires discipline

This is what biblical love looks like. It requires discipline. It requires calling one another to repentance. To stand by in silence while a brother or sister is wandering astray, living in sin for which they will one day be judged, is the most unloving thing we could do. We wander astray because we are like sheep, and we desperately need a shepherd to steer us in the right direction. Thankfully, the Good Shepherd has raised up faithful men of God to shepherd us in the Church  to point us to truth, to rebuke us when we are in sin, and to call us to repentance so that we may be reconciled to Christ and Christs bride may remain pure and holy before Him.

And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons? My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him. For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives. It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons.  Hebrews 12:5-8

About this passage, missionary and preacher Paul Washer said:

If you can live in sin, live in the world, with all your worldly friends doing all your worldly things, and you can get away with it with no conviction of the Spirit and there is no discipline from God, it is evidence that you are an illegitimate child; you are not a child of God.

For far too long, American churches have strayed away from practicing church discipline, and the product of that has been sexual assault allegations, greed, heresy from the pulpit, normalization of divorce and premarital sex, cowardice when it comes to confronting sin in our culture, biblical illiteracy, and more. Because a little leaven has been allowed within these churches, the whole lump has been leavened, and illegitimate children of God have maintained fellowship with true Christ followers, tainting the purity of the Church.

So, yes, the Church should practice church discipline. It is never enjoyable or desired to do so, but it is absolutely necessary, it is loving, and it is commanded by God. For this reason, for the sake of the believer, the Church, and her purity, we must prioritize biblically calling our brothers and sisters to repentance.

Originally published at the Standing for Freedom Center.
New Italian prime minister vows to protect 'God, family, country' as media tie her to 'fascism'

Italy has elected Giorgia Meloni, its first female prime minister, whose focus on protecting the institution of the family and national identity has caused some media outlets to compare her ideology to "fascism."

The 45-year-old Meloni, the leader of the Brothers of Italy party, is slated to become Italy's next prime minister after her party won 26% of the vote in Sunday's Italian general election.

As of Tuesday, Brothers of Italy has captured 119 out of 400 seats in the Chamber of Deputies, Italy's equivalent of the U.S. House of Representatives, and 65 out of 200 seats in the Italian Senate. This marks a substantial change from the previous Italian government, where the Brothers of Italy had only 32 seats in the Chamber of Deputies.

Brothers of Italy, a party with roots dating back to the post-World War II post-fascist Italian Social Movement, is part of the center-right coalition that will form the next government. The center-right coalition will hold 115 out of 200 seats in the Italian Senate and 237 out of 400 seats in the Chamber of Deputies.

Responding to her victory in a statement, Meloni said "the Italians have entrusted us with an important responsibility."

"Now it will be our task not to disappoint them and do our utmost to restore pride and dignity to our nation," she said.

Gli italiani ci hanno affidato una responsabilita importante. Ora sara nostro compito non deluderli e fare il massimo per restituire dignita e orgoglio alla Nazione. pic.twitter.com/JCMaZO8y2z  Giorgia Meloni ???????? ? (@GiorgiaMeloni) September 26, 2022

The politician's supporters see her as committed to upholding the values of God, family and country as European leaders increasingly embrace cosmopolitan and secular values of supranational organizations like the European Union as opposed to individual nation-states.

However, mainstream media outlets have tied Meloni and her party to fascism.

As conservative political commentator Ann Coulter pointed out, a New York Times article used the word "fascist" or "fascism" 28 times when discussing the possibility of a Meloni victory.

The New York Times article published Saturday stated that Meloni's "proposals, characterized by protectionism, tough-on-crime measures and protecting the traditional family, have a continuity with the post-Fascist parties, though updated to excoriate L.G.B.T.' lobbies' and migrants."

Coulter also reported that in the years following World War II, the Italian left assigned the "fascist" label to "any range of political enemies until the term was drained of much of its meaning."

A CBS News report recalled the rise of fascist dictator Benito Mussolini 100 years earlier, "marching the country into two decades of dictatorship and alongside Hitler, into World War II."

"The 45-year-old firebrand insists she's no fascist, just a proud conservative and nationalist, comfortable neverttheless with some of the hallmarks of Italian fascism, like this motto: God, fatherland and family," CBS' Chris Livesay reported.

Livesay asked a supporter of Meloni why the flag of the Brothers of Italy party has "the very symbol that's on Benito Mussolini's tomb" if "there's no connection with fascism."

Alberto Mingardi, a professor of history and political thought at IULM University in Milan, and Nicola Rossi, a professor of political economy at Tor Vergata University in Rome, contend that there is "no risk of authoritarianism" in Italy's future under Meloni.

"The victory has made Ms. Meloni, 45, the object of widespread international perplexity and even abuse. She has been portrayed as the heir of Benito Mussolini and the harbinger of a new fascism," they wrote in an op-ed for the Wall Street Journal. "Yet whatever Italian democracys many faults, it isnt toppling, and there is no risk of authoritarianism. Ms. Meloni, a career politician, has been vocal in defending Parliaments prerogatives against encroachments by the executive branch."

Meloni has elaborated on her philosophy in multiple speeches over the past few years.

In a speech at the World Congress of Families in 2019, she asked, "Why is the family an enemy? Why is the family so frightening?"

Italys new Prime Minister, Giorgia Melos speech is inspiring. ????



She just wants to be able to call herself a woman, a mother, a Christian, an Italian.



Ironically, identity politics destroys our identities. Everything that defines us is now an enemy.pic.twitter.com/tvDmHSAIpI  Fr Calvin Robinson (@calvinrobinson) September 26, 2022

"There is a single answer to all these questions," she suggested. "Because it defines us. Because it is our identity. Because everything that defines us is now an enemy for those who would like us to no longer have an identity and to simply be perfect consumer slaves."

Meloni lamented what she viewed as attacks on "national identity," "religious identity," "gender identity" and "family identity." She expressed concern that "I can't define myself as Italian, Christian, woman, mother" but instead must define herself as "citizen x, gender x, parent 1, parent 2."

"I must be a number. Because when I am only a number, when I no longer have an identity or roots, then I will be the perfect slave at the mercy of financial speculators," she added.

Meloni stated that her opposition to serving as "the perfect slave at the mercy of financial speculators" is why "we inspire so much fear."

Meloni vowed to "defend the value of the human being," stressing that "each of us has a unique genetic code that is unrepeatable."

"That is sacred. We will defend it. We will defend God, family and country, those things that disgust people so much," Meloni said.

The Italian politician cited the defense of God, family and country as necessary to "defend our freedom" and ensure that "we will never be slaves and simple consumers at the mercy of financial speculators."

She shared a quote from G.K. Chesterton predicting that "fires will be kindled to testify that two and two make four" and that "swords will be drawn to prove that leaves are green in summer," declaring "that time has arrived."

At a speech at the Conservative Political Action Conference this year, an annual gathering of conservatives in Orlando, Florida, Meloni said "everything we stand for is under attack."

"Our individual freedom is under attack. Our rights are under attack," she said. "The sovereignty of our nation is under attack. The prosperity and well-being of our families are under attack. The education of our children is under attack."

"People understand that in this age, the only way of being rebels is to preserve what we are," Meloni insisted. "The only way of being rebels is to be conservatives."

Meloni declared, "we're not going to care about the labels they stick upon us," and maintained that "so-called progressives use the power and the arrogance of their mainstream media to force their political opponents to change to be allowed into their inner circles."

"Once right-wing men and women are admitted into progressive inner circles, they will have changed so much that conservative people will no longer recognize them and will stop supporting them, and that's exactly what they want," she stated.

Meloni drew parallels between the surge in illegal immigration at the U.S.-Mexico border and the situation on the Italian island of Sicily, where "thousands of migrants [are] allowed to enter without permission." She contended that migrants in Italy were "cutting the salaries of our own workers and in many instances, engaging in crime."

Meloni condemned "the woke ideology destroying the foundations of the traditional family, attacking life, insulting religion, changing words and even imposing new graphic signs."

Another speech featured Meloni declaring, "Yes to the natural family, no to the LGBT lobby, yes to sexual identity, no to gender ideology, yes to the culture of life, no to the abyss of death, no to the violence of Islam, yes to safer borders, no to mass immigration, yes to work for our people."

"Yes to natural families, no to the LGBT lobby, yes to sexual identity, no to gender ideology, yes to the culture of life, no to the abyss of death, no to the violence of Islam, yes to safer borders, no to mass immigration, yes to work for our people

pic.twitter.com/xvxH1UbLO2  Ryan James Girdusky (@RyanGirdusky) September 25, 2022
Tracey Emins painting Like A Cloud of Blood, offered to support her new artists studio complex in Margate

A searingly personal vision of Emins recent experience with cancer, the work will be sold to help fund studio spaces and courses for artists in her home town and make something happen for the future

For the first six months following Tracey Emins treatment for bladder cancer, she couldnt paint. I couldnt hold a tea tray, I couldnt pour a pot of tea, I couldnt move a chair, let alone move my canvases around or paint. It was really frustrating, she says. When the artist was finally able to pick up a paintbrush again, there was an outpouring of emotion: It was fantastic. I realised I was alive. As she says in the short film above, the paintings she made in those first few weeks were like an explosion. The surgery Emin underwent saved her life. I wasnt supposed to survive, she says. It made me think about the future. That future, the artist decided, would be in Margate, the childhood home she has written and spoken about so movingly in the past. Although she left the Kent coastal resort in 1982 to study at Maidstone College of Art and then the Royal College of Art in London, Margate remained integral to her work, emerging in paintings, poems and installations in all its tarnished glory.

In her autobiography Strangeland, written in 2005, Emin recalled both the beauty and the challenges of growing up in a derelict seaside town. She wrote bitter-sweet accounts of endless summers of swimming, listening to Buddy Holly and the Beach Boys, wearing star-spangled plimsolls, watching The Banana Splits, but also told of encounters and experiences that were sometimes traumatic. However, the artist has never been afraid of confronting the past, and now, 40 years later, she is back with plans to help transform the town into an artists enclave  her legacy to the place where she grew up. Ive been all the way around the world, in all directions, and come back again. And this is what Ive chosen, she says. Since the 1970s, Margate has changed too. Attracted by low rents, artists have been moving to the area from London over the past 20 years, and the Turner Contemporary gallery opened in 2011. Theres a very strong community here, says Emin. Its such a nice, creative, brilliant place to be. She was recently presented with the keys to Margate, an accolade she is very proud of. Only four women in history have been given the freedom of the town, she says. I think it means I can drive my sheep up and down the high street. The gesture is important: Its about the fact that where I come from has honoured me and appreciated what Im doing, and thats a really great thing.

Open a larger version of this image Tracey Emin working on Like A Cloud of Blood, 2022. Photo: Harry Weller. Courtesy of the artists studio. Artwork:  Tracey Emin, DACS 2022

TKE Studios (the initials are an abbreviation of her name, Tracey Karima Emin) will open this month in a former bathhouse near Margate beach. It offers 12 subsidised studios for professional artists, as well as a residency programme (beginning in January 2023) of free lectures, tutorials and studio space for 15-20 students. To help fund the project, Emin is selling the work Like A Cloud of Blood (2022) in the 20th/21st Century London Evening Sale on 13 October 2022. The painting, one of the first she made following her illness, is a vigorous expression of anxiety and euphoria that captures the frailty of the human form.

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The summers final Live on the Waterfront concert was held Wednesday evening at Prince Arthurs Landing. The popular series in Thunder Bay has completed nine weekly shows that began on July 13. Wednesdays concert was unique as it was held one hour later in the evening to mesh with the 10 p.
Canada invites 3,750 candidates in the most recent Express Entry draw CRS score slightly lower than last draw, at 504 Edana Robitaille Aa Accessibility Font Style Serif

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Canada held its most recent all-program Express Entry draw on September 28, 2022. This was the seventh all-program draw since they resumed on July 6.



IRCC issued invitations to 3,750 candidates with minimum Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score of 504. As this was an all-program draw, invitations were issued to eligible candidates from the Canadian Experience Class (CEC), Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) and the Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP), all programs that operate under the Express Entry system.

This draw is the third in a row in which there was an increase of 500 invitations issued over the previous draw. The September 14 draw invited 3,250 candidates and the August 31 draw invited 2,750. It is also the lowest minimum CRS since all-program draws resumed. CRS scores have been decreasing in increments from 557 on July 6. Over the first five draws, scores decreased by eight or nine points for each draw. The September 14 draw saw a decrease of only six points and this weeks draw was the same.

Express Entry all-program draws were paused for over 18 months starting in December 2020 due to a backlog in applications caused COVID-19 related travel restrictions. During the pause, only candidates from the CEC or Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) were issued invitations to apply. In September 2021, IRCC also paused draws for the CEC.

Get a Free Express Entry Assessment

Backlog is decreasing

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has recently released data that says the backlog for all applications has decreased from 2.7 million to 2.6 between July and August 31. This includes a dent in the number of Express Entry applications that are waiting to be processed. In late July, there were 51,616 persons in the Express Entry inventory. As of Aug 31, that number has reduced to 40,180, a decrease of over 10,000 applications in approximately six weeks.

Over half the applications currently in the inventory are from applicants in the PNPs. This is notable because several PNPs are aligned with Express Entry programs, known as enhanced nominations. According to IRCC, the backlog of applications under enhanced PNPs has decreased. However, there was an increase in applications for PNPs in which candidates apply directly to a provincial government (base PNPs).

Express Entry inventory

Immigration program Persons as of August 31 Federal Skilled Workers (EE) 11,669 Canadian Experience Class (EE) 5,214 Skilled Trades (EE) 299 Provincial/Territorial Nominees (EE) 22,998 Total 40,180

So far in 2022, Canada has issued invitations to 28,039 immigrants through Express Entry programs. This is part of the Immigration Levels Plan 2022-2024 in which Canada is targeting some 432,000 new immigrants by the end of this year. So far, it appears Canada is on track to hit this target as over 300,000 newcomers, across all lines of business, have been welcomed.

Job vacancies at an all-time high

Canadas high immigration targets, including those through Express Entry programs, stem from several factors including a job vacancy rate that currently stands at 5.7%. There is also notable shortage of skilled workers that will be further increased as the largest demographic of working age Canadians, baby boomers, reaches the retirement age of 65 in the coming decade.

As a response to the labour shortage, Express Entry will be changing in 2023. IRCC will soon have the authority to issue ITAs to candidates with specific work experience, education or language abilities that are well-positioned to support Canadas economy and labour force. This change will impact the importance of high a CRS for candidates as there may be targeted draws that weigh other factors more heavily.

What is Express Entry?

Express Entry is the application management system for three Canadian immigration programs: the Canadian Experience Class (CEC), the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP) and the Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP). Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) candidates in the Express Entry pool are already eligible for at least one of these programs.

Express Entry uses a points-based system, the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS), to rank candidates profiles. The top-scoring candidates receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA) and can then apply for permanent residency.

After the candidate applies, an IRCC officer reviews the application and makes a decision. The officer will ask for biometrics and may set up an interview or request more documents. Once this is complete, if approved, the candidate is now a permanent resident of Canada and one step closer to becoming a Canadian citizen.

Get a Free Express Entry Assessment

 CIC News All Rights Reserved. Visit CanadaVisa.com to discover your Canadian immigration options.
The Hungarian Foreign Minister is not willing to follow the EU authoring sanctions aimed at hobbling the Russian nuclear industry. This comes as Washington and Brussels are desperate to make Moscow feel the effects of punitive measures on Russia.

Russian Sanctions Can Bring Down the Euro-sphere

The FM of Hungary, Peter Szijjarto, indicated in a meeting in Vienna with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) that some vested interests in the bloc are trying to stop the nuclear investments of members in the form of sanctions to make it hard on members, reported Euractiv.

Budapest requires Russian energy sources, but some EU entities are determined to make it difficult for members to disagree on punitive measures. Following the weekend discussions on the 26th, Hungary informed the EU leadership on Monday that it would not proceed with its plans, noted CE Energy News.

Szijjarto stated that it should be clear that all actions are taken into account, but he emphasized that no one has the right to halt the construction of nuclear power plants, which is an attack on sovereignty.

The landlocked country in central Europe is excluded from the partial EU import ban on Russian oil and dismisses calls for new sanctions on the Russian nuclear industry, such as indirect sanctions on areas like building projects, technology, and information systems.

But, according to the Hungarian Foreign Minister, limiting investment in nuclear infrastructure is where Budapest draws the line. Speaking to the United Nations nuclear watchdog, he added that the European Union has no right to interfere in state affairs.

Read Also: Vladimir Putin: 3 Facts You Didn't Know About Russia's President - From His Judo Records to His KGB Pseudonym

He also stated that no support for punitive measures affecting the country's energy supply would be tolerated.

Budapest Seeks EU Support To Allow Nuclear Reactors

For years, nationalist Prime Minister Victor Orban has been a vocal supporter of Russian President Vladimir Putin. He has been a vocal critic of the European Council and has refused to agree with EU leaders on punitive measures against Russia.

He frequently accuses many EU leaders of acting against the bloc's interests and harming it, as Washington has been obvious in Euro-affairs, citing AP News.

Rosatom, the Russian conglomerate, will construct several nuclear reactors at its Paks nuclear power plant. It will be added to the four existing atomic reactors, which run on uranium sourced from Russia and provide roughly half of the nation's electricity.

Hungary is looking for approval to extend the operation of its present reactors, FM Szijarto said last Monday on his Facebook page.

Several EU states, including the Baltic States and Ireland, as well as Warsaw, have been persuaded by Brussels to end nuclear cooperation with Moscow. There is no consensus from the 27 bloc members mentioned by a European diplomatic source, said an outlet.

Bulgaria, which has lost access to Russian energy supplies because the previous centrist government refused to pay in roubles, is also extremely worried regarding talk of broadening the energy embargo.

Hungary gets a third of its power from its only single-operating nuclear power plant. At one point, Orban said the EU was shooting its foot with a disastrous energy policy.

The Hungarian Foreign Minister called out the EU for sanctions against the Russian nuclear industry, which are national concerns, not a prerogative of Brussels to decide.

Related Article: Hungarian PM Encourages Lifting of Russian Sanctions Which Caused EU Problems

@ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Explaining the purpose and goal of Canadas Labour Market Impact Assessment, including why it exists and whom it affects in the Canadian employment space.

Examining what a Labour Market Impact Assessment is Explaining the purpose and goal of Canadas Labour Market Impact Assessment, including why it exists and whom it affects in the Canadian employment space.

Examining what a Labour Market Impact Assessment is Explaining the purpose and goal of Canadas Labour Market Impact Assessment, including why it exists and whom it affects in the Canadian employment space.

Examining what a Labour Market Impact Assessment is Explaining the purpose and goal of Canadas Labour Market Impact Assessment, including why it exists and whom it affects in the Canadian employment space. Vimal Sivakumar Aa Accessibility Font Style Serif

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Canadian employers may need to get a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) before hiring a foreign worker.

An LMIA is an employer-requested document that companies looking to hire temporary foreign workers under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP)  a program designed to employ foreign nationals and temporarily address labour shortages at times when no qualified Canadians are available to work such positions. Employers will submit as proof that their hiring of foreign employees will not have a negative effect on the Canadian labour force.

It is vital to Canadas maintenance and growth that the country preserves a strong and developing naturalized Canadian workforce, which necessitates the use of LMIAs to aid in achieving this goal.

Schedule a Free Work Permit Consultation with the Cohen Immigration Law Firm

Basics of an LMIA

Understanding the concept of Labour Market Impact Assessments requires an initial understanding of how they are facilitated.

Before addressing a few nuances of LMIAs, here are a few general factors that are pertinent to these assessments. As part of this process, employers must:

Prove that no qualified Canadians were passed over for the job in favour of a foreign worker

Guarantee that the hired foreign worker will be paid a wage and provided benefits that meet federal and provincial standards

Prove that they have tried, prior to seeking out a foreign employee, to find a Canadian citizen or permanent resident for the vacant position

LMIAs are also not as cut-and-dry as they may seem. In other words, employers cannot just simply apply for an LMIA immediately when a job at their organization is open. Canada requires that employers advertise a vacant job opportunity for a minimum of four weeks prior to applying for an LMIA. In those four weeks, the employer must also have advertised the position using at least three recruitment methods  one specifically being the Canada Job Bank.

Nuances regarding the LMIA process

The variance, or nuance, that exists regarding the LMIA process surrounds whether the foreign worker that a company is looking to hire will be classified as a high wage or low wage employee.

The primary difference between LMIAs for these two classifications is the added requirement of a transition plan, but that will be addressed in each of the following sections, as required.

LMIAs for high-wage workers

A transition plan will be mandatory as part of the LMIA submission process if an employer will be paying the hired foreign worker at a rate equal to or above the median provincial/territorial wage.

Designed to ensure that there is a progressively decreasing reliance on temporary foreign workers, transition plans aid the Canadian government in determining that a companys hiring practices regarding foreign employees align properly with the goals and intentions of the TFWP.

As mentioned previously, the Canadian government prioritizes giving Canadian nationals the first chance at available jobs. Transition plans assist with this goal by proving that the TFWP is being utilized in a limited capacity and as a last resort to fill employment gaps temporarily when no other options exist.

LMIAs for low-wage workers

Conversely, the LMIA process for hiring foreign workers that will be paid under the median wage for a particular province or territory  otherwise classified as low wage workers  does not necessitate the submission of a transition plan.

In its place, and largely to restrict the exploitation of the TFWP by an employer, the Canadian government has capped the number of temporary foreign workers that a business can employ under this low-wage worker category. Any company with 10 or more employees can have no more than 20% of their workforce be classified as low-wage temporary foreign workers.

Moreover, not all low-wage occupations are eligible for LMIA processing.

Additionally, there are still certain requirements that employers hiring low-wage workers must fulfill in place of submitting a transition plan.

Employers hiring low-wage foreign workers must:

Pay for the workers round-trip transportation

Ensure affordable housing is available

Pay for private health insurance until workers are eligible for provincial coverage

Register the temporary foreign worker with the provincial/territorial workplace safety board

Provide an employer-employee contract

Schedule a Free Work Permit Consultation with the Cohen Immigration Law Firm

 CIC News All Rights Reserved. Visit CanadaVisa.com to discover your Canadian immigration options.
Data Governance that Works for the CISO and CDAO

More than ever, Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs) and Chief Data & Analytics Officers (CDAOs) need to join forces around governance. Traditionally, the CISO needed to be concerned with perimeter security, not data directly. And the CDAO, usually could assume that others, mainly in IT, were concerned with data security. But today, the CISO must take an active role in defining an enterprises posture in collaboration with the CDAO to agree on data security strategy.

New data security categories from Gartner

In the Gartner Data Security Hype Cycle, Gartner shows two relative newcomers  Data Security Governance (DSG) and Data Security Platforms (DSPs)  in the early part of the Hype Curve. So, what exactly are these newcomers?

Data security governance: DSG is part of the larger data governance landscape that focuses on data security. Gartner defines it as data security, identity management, and application security. The other parts of data governance have to do with metadata management, data catalogs, data lineage, master data management, and data quality. Metadata management and catalogs are mainly focused on describing the data, while DSG is all about action such as enforcing security and policies.

This definition of DSG is the keystone to our point of view that the CISO and CDAO must align.

Data security platform: The DSP is the vehicle with which to achieve the data security component of DSG. Both Gartner and Forrester define DSPs as the convergence of data classification, access controls, masking, encryption, risk insights, workflows, and automation. A few drivers for convergence are:

Data needs to be secured across its entire lifecycle, from ingestion to in-motion and then at rest.

A comprehensive policy framework is needed across relational as well as semi-structured file systems.

A single control plane is needed across your hybrid cloud landscape.

A change of perspectives

Getting the CDAO and CISO on the same page is imperative. Traditionally, the CDAO has focused on data consumption, driving data literacy, and getting value from data. In the on-premises world, data was in the data warehouse and secured via perimeter and application security.

Cloud disrupts this approach with disappearing perimeters. On top of that, the proliferation of data service choices (e.g. storage, compute, processing) means security enforcement is becoming a larger-than-life effort competing for scarce admin resources.

The end result? The CDAO has fast become a critical stakeholder in the effort to secure a new cloud of data assets.

What about CISOs? Theyre focused on securing the perimeter and applications. But now, zero-trust frameworks are becoming the last mile of defense, and every user should only have access to the data theyre allowed to see. This modern stance means even if a user credential is compromised, the keys to the data kingdom are not compromised.

DSG provides a framework for CDAOs and CISOs to collaborate on delivering transformational business value from data while remaining compliant with the growing list of internal and external mandates.

5 practical initiatives for collaboration

Jointly agree on security requirements throughout the entire data lifecycle. Prioritize business risks through a comprehensive data security framework. Define key performance indicators to ensure business value and security requirements. Establish a framework for holistic data policy creation and establish an approach to implement, simplify, and automate across your entire data estate. Build out phased implementation, rolling-out an initial use case, with plans to expand across the rest of the data estate.

Comprehensive data security and access governance platform

Privacera was founded on the vision to maximize the value enterprises get from data, balancing two key concepts:

Empower analysts and data scientists with rapid self-service access to data. Maintain compliance with all privacy and security mandates.

Privacera manages security and access to all data throughout its entire lifecycle. Key capabilities include:

Data discovery and classification

Data access controls through fine-grained access policies

Data masking

Encryption

Data security and risk insights

Workflows, policy orchestration, and automation

Learn more about the only open standards-based data security platform.
To be a truly data-driven enterprise, organizations today must go beyond merely analyzing data. Rather, business experts and IT leaders must transform relevant data into compelling stories that key stakeholders can readily comprehend  and leverage to make better business decisions.

This vital skill is known as data storytelling, and it is a key factor for organizations looking to surface actionable information from their data, without getting lost in the sea of charts and numbers typical of traditional data reporting.

Following is a look at what data storytelling entails and how IT and analytics leaders can put it to work to make good on datas decision-making potential.

What is data storytelling?

Data storytelling is a method for conveying data-driven insights using narratives and visualizations that engage audiences and help them better understand key conclusions and trends.

But thats often easier said than done.

Telling stories with data can be difficult, says Kathy Rudy, chief data and analytics officer at global technology research and advisory firm ISG.

For Rudy, data storytelling begins with knowing your audience.

Remember to start with who your main characters are, that is, the audience for your data story. What information is most important to them? Structure your data story so you anticipate the next question the audience will have by thinking like the reader of the story, says Rudy, adding that, in her 20 years in benchmarking and data analytics, she has had to learn to tell a clear and concise story using data to validate ISGs recommendations.

The first hurdle most data storytellers face is gaining acceptance for the validity of the data they present, she says. The best way to do this is to hold data validation and understanding sessions to get the question of data validity out of the way.

The goal of the data storyteller is to clear up all questions as to the source of the data, the age of the data, and so on, so that in subsequent views of the data, the storyteller isnt continually defending the data, Rudy says.

Dont get overly technical or you will lose the audience, she advises. In the case of IT benchmarking, they dont want to know about the technology stack, just that the data is relevant, secure, current, comparable, and accurate.

Elements of data storytelling

Data storytelling consists of data visualization, narrative, and context, says Peter Krensky, a director and analyst on the business analytics and data science team at Gartner.

With visualization, a picture is worth a thousand words, he says. How are you making the story visually engaging? Are you using a graphic or iconography? That doesnt mean it cant be a table or very dry information, but youd better have a visual component.

The narrative is the story itself  the who, what, where, why. Its the emotional arc, Krensky says. If its about sales forecasting for the quarter, are we doing great, or are people going to lose their jobs?

Context is what the people hearing this story need to know. Why one sales representative is always outperforming all the other sales reps is an example of the context for a data story, Krensky says.

Grace Lee, chief data and analytics officer at The Bank of Nova Scotia (known as Scotiabank), says blending context and narrative requires a keen understanding of what makes a story compelling.

The way that we think about stories, if we remove the data term, it needs a plot that you care about, it needs characters that you root for, and it requires a destination or an outcome that you believe in and aspire to, she says.

Being able to put the data into context in the form of a narrative allows people to care more and to understand what the action is that comes out of it, Lee says. In addition to focusing on storytelling as a discipline, Lees team is also working to create more storytellers across the organization.

The way were educating people around storytelling is really around action orientation, helping people create those narratives, providing more of the context, and allowing people to see the clear line between the data, the insight, and the action to come, she says.

Lee sees the role of Scotiabanks data and analytics organization as the storyteller for the enterprise because its only in the data that some of the insights about what customers need and want appear.

Key steps in data storytelling

Lars Sudmann, owner of Sudmann & Co., a Belgium-based consulting and management training network, offers insight into the steps that go into data storytelling.

Identify the aha insights: One of the greatest pitfalls of data-based presentations is the data dump. Rather than overwhelm the audience with data and visualizations, CIOs and data analytics officers should identify one to three key aha insights from the data and focus on these. What are the surprising, absolutely key things one needs to know? Identify them and build your presentation around them, Sudmann says. Share the genesis story of the data: To tell a good story with data, a good starting point is the genesis, i.e., the origin of the data. Where does it come from? This is especially important when storytellers present data sets for the first time. Transform surprising turning points into engaging transitions: When storytellers present data and facts, they should share where the data/graphs/trendlines make surprising moves. Is there a jump? Is there a turning point? Doing so can provide compelling transitions to deeper analysis, for example: Normally we would think the data does X, but here we see that it declined. Lets explore why this happened. Develop your data: One of the biggest issues in giving presentations today is that people throw heavy data on the screen and then play catch-up, with words, such as This is a crowded slide, but let me explain. This might be difficult, but Instead, storytellers should develop their data step-by-step. I am not a fan of fancy animations, but for instance in PowerPoint there is one animation that I recommend: the appear animation, Sudmann says. With it one can harmonize what one sees and what one says and with that a data story can be built step-by-step. Emphasize and highlight to bring your story to life: Once storytellers have identified the flow and key aspects of their data stories, its important to emphasize and highlight key points with their voices and body language. Show the data, point to it on screen, walk to it, circle it  then it comes to life, Sudmann says. Have a hero and a villain: To make stories more engaging, data storytellers should also consider developing a hero, e.g., the good tickets, and a villain, e.g., the bad tickets raised because of not reading the FAQs, and then show their development over time, in different departments, as well as the heros journey to success, Sudmann advises.

Data storytelling tips for success

Rudy is a firm believer in letting the data unfold by telling a story so that when the storyteller finally gets to the punch line or the so what, do what there is full alignment on their message.

As such, storytellers should start at the top and set the stage with the what. For example, in the case of an IT benchmark, the storyteller might start off saying that the total IT spend is $X million per year (remember, the data has already been validated, so everyone is nodding).

The storyteller should then break it down into five buckets: people, hardware, software, services, other (more nodding), Rudy says. Then further break it down into these technology areas: cloud, security, data center, network, and so on (more nodding).

Next the storyteller reveals that based on the companys current volume of usage, the unit cost is $X for each technology area and explains that compared to competitors of similar size and complexity, the storytellers organization spends more in certain areas, for example, security (now everyone is really paying attention), Rudy says.

You have thus led your audience to the so what part of the story, namely, that there are areas for improvement, she says. The next question in your audiences mind is mostly likely, Why? And finally, So what do we about it?'

The rest of the story leverages a common understanding of the validity of the data to make recommendations for change and the actions necessary to make those changes, according to Rudy. Data in this story created the credibility necessary to establish a call to arms, a reason to change that is indisputable.

And taking the old adage if a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound? into consideration, its crucial for data storytellers to consider the medium various individuals are using to consume information and what times theyre accessing this information.

The pandemic has definitely helped in the shift of allowing thought workers to work from home, says Kim Herrington, senior analyst for data leadership, organization, and culture at Forrester Research. And a lot of times youre communicating with thought workers that are across the globe. So its important to think about the communication software that youre using and the communication norms that you have with your team.
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Ankara lodged complaints about how Athens has authored the alleged militarization of two islands in the Aegean. The reported movement of US armored units in the Grecian islands of Lesbos and Samos is the latest diplomatic clash point between Turkey and Greece.

Turkey-Greece Strife

Turkey has long charged Greece with militarizing the Eastern Aegean islands in violation of international treaties signed following World Wars I and II, reported Middle East Eye.

As reported by the state-owned Anadolu news agency, the Turkish foreign ministry notified the Greek ambassador to Istanbul last Monday and asked him to cease the infringements on the islands located off the coast of western Turkey as well as reestablish their non-military designation, noted France 24.

In a protest note to the US, Ankara insisted in a protest note to the US that it honors the status of the Eastern Aegean Sea and takes measures to prevent the use of armaments.

According to a report by Anadolu last Sunday, Turkish army UAVs monitored Athens's rollout of military vehicles on the islands on September 18 and 21, violating international law.

Following the details, the outlet showed a video of a landing craft with armored units from the United States; the islands of Lesvos and Samos alleged militarization were the sites of the operation, citing AA.

US-Donated Military Vehicles Arrive in the Aegean Islands

As said by security sources, Turkish drones captured two landing vessels ready to travel to the isles, with naval vessels transporting 23 tactical wheeled military vehicles to Lesbos as well as 18 to Samos.

Read Also: Mark Zuckerberg Net Worth 2022: How Did Facebook Founder Lose $30 Billion in 1 Day?

Both countries have been involved in disputes with each other, such as maritime influence over Aegean Sea islands, natural gas sources, and ever-changing airspace limits. Notwithstanding a brief detente following Russia's incursion into Ukraine, the two NATO countries have lately been mired in a verbal war.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has threatened to strike back against Greece because of what he asserts are acts of aggression.

However, Greece sent letters to the military alliance, the European Union, and the United Nations, declaring that Erdogan was prepared to risk another military conflict in the Mediterranean Sea.

A month ago, Turkey insisted that Greece had used a Russian-made air defense system to target their jets dangerous while on a recon mission. But a counter from Greece says that Turkey overflew illegally.

Erdogan Tells Greece To Back Off

Greek is not synonymous with Turkey, and attempting to do so will result in disaster, according to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. He admonished Greece for reportedly invading and occupying its archipelago of islands, per RT.

The actual objective of Athens' aggressive stance against Turkey is to thwart the country's advancement forward into greatness, he said in a speech after a meeting of the Turkish cabinet last Monday.

He accused Greece of attempting to engage in trickery and confrontation and warned that such a conflict with Turkey would be devastating for the Greeks.

Furthermore, recalling how his country defeated expeditionary forces from Greece during the Turkish War of Independence around a century ago was a historical lesson to Athens.

Ankara is not pleased with the alleged militarization of two Aegean islands that Greece has occupied, threatening another conflict.

Related Article: Ankara Angers Brussels After Turkish Firms Trade With Moscow

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Barbara Keeley was appointed as Labours shadow minister for arts and civil society in March, when charities were starting to recover from nearly two years of the Covid-19 pandemic.

At the time, Keeley said that she was committed to working with the sector to ensure it can support people whom statutory bodies find hard to reach.

Keeleys biggest concern now is the impact the cost-of-living crisis is having on the charity sector as well as her constituents in Worsley and Eccles South, which has a high prevalence of deprivation.

She recently argued that charities should be key influencers in government decisions on policy and legislation as they have incredibly valuable insights and experience of the communities and people they work with and advocate for.

I do believe that a strong relationship between civil society and politicians is more critical now than ever before, she says.

Politicians need to recognise civil societys expertise

Over the last decade, central funding to local government has been slashed, leaving many charities to pick up the pieces.

As Peter Foster, public policy editor at the Financial Times, recently put it, charities now are baked into the social safety net.

In its 2019 manifesto, the Labour party pledged to review the roles of ministers across government to ensure that the needs of civil society are always taken into account.

Keeley criticises a lack of government engagement with the sector. Recent research from the Law Family Commission on Civil Society found that charities were well represented on advisory groups to the departments for levelling up and culture, but less so on those with responsibility for economic issues.

Its up to us politicians to listen, weve got to recognise the expertise within civil society, and see charities as holding the solution to many of the problems that we see every day, says Keeley.

Public procurement rules need changing

Keeley argues that public procurement should be reformed as it currently does not incentivise charities to bid for contracts.

Procurement is actually a key step to building up community wealth and wellbeing. [] Its quite clear that theres an awful lot wrong with the way it happens. In some cases, procurement happens just with not-for-profits.

Contracts for social care have really gone over to the private sector. We now have an awful lot of hedge funds and private equity companies owning chains of care homes and so on. That has totally changed what is a publicly funded good. Theres a lot of concern about childrens services, for instance, being in the private sector.

One of the levers you have in government is that you can change the way public procurement happens. The role of not-for profits would actually change very substantially with a Labour government.

The role of charities in social care provision

The issue of social care is close to Keeleys heart. She has spent more than 20 years trying to improve social care delivery and look for solutions to tackle the crisis.

She acknowledges that there is an opportunity for charities to be more involved in social care provision.

It ties in with their charitable aims and they want to do that, she says. Its my experience that some of the very best outcomes Ive seen are in [the charity sector]. For instance, Methodist Homes, a provider of care, have done a remarkable job in the way they provide care. Weve got some very poor, substandard quality care homes which are run by private enterprises.

Keeley points out that not all care homes run by the private firms have poor outcomes, but reckons that there should be a more diverse pool of providers. I dont think it would all be charities. There may be some going back to local government running its own services.

Disappointment at mini budget

Last week, the chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng delivered a mini-budget , announcing that Gift Aid will be maintained at its current level until April 2027.

He also announced the creation of 38 tax-cutting investment zones, which aim to accelerate development by releasing more land for housing and commercial development, and that the government will review, replace or repeal retained EU law by December 2023.

Keeley is appalled at the impact the plans could have on the environment, a concern shared by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds. In a Twitter thread , the environment charity warned that the moves could tear up the most fundamental legal protections of the countrys wildlife.

So much was left out of the growth plan. We also have to think that parts of the charity sector are environmental charities, who are absolutely and utterly livid. Environmental charities are very important in this country. They have very substantial followers [who are] absolutely livid and up in arms about the governments plans. The government is trying to create areas in which planning regulations wouldnt be the same, theyd be a kind of free-for-all in the use of land, she says.

Its quite clear that there was no consultation. The governments going to find that some charities are going to be mobilising, theyve very substantial membership resources against the plans.

Having got rid of the social care levy, [it is not clear] where the money for social care is going to come. Thats a real worry. Besides the growth plan, there was also the Retained EU Law bill, where protections have built up over the years. Certainly, for wildlife and the environment it would just be thrown away. When that bill goes through, well be losing the vast amounts of protection. Theres a lot to disagree with in terms of the approach and the growth plan, but they have very specific impacts on those parts of the charity sector.

Charities need to step up their lobbying and advocacy efforts

In recent months, some charities have expressed concerns over the public order bill and the Elections Act, warning they could limit their ability to campaign.

Keeley says that charities must be empowered to campaign in these challenging times.

What we need is a civil society and a charity sector that challenge government on the policy decisions because theyre the voice of the people who are their beneficiaries. They understand and have expertise, which is lost if they dont lobby and advocate.

So we can hope that despite the chilling effect of what the government has done in legislation to try and stop charities campaigning [charities will continue to do so].

A Labour government would empower community organisations and civil society to advocate and to lobby and to provide challenge on policy issues.

Our focus would be on listening and empowering

For Keeley, it is crucial that politicians like herself continue to listen to the sectors ideas and problems in order to make political decisions that allow charities to thrive.

The hardest thing is that its very difficult for people to think past the last 12 years, with the conservative-led government, back to a time when a Labour government had a totally different relationship with civil society and the charity sector.

It would be a totally different relationship. Our focus would be on listening and empowering. That would change so much. [We would] look at what funding is available, wherever funding is available, and make sure that its supporting the sector in the way that it should and that its not unfair, that certain parts of the country have better social safety networks than others.

I think civil society organisations will see that the approach of a Labour government would be very different. We need to spend the next 18 months to two years working out exactly how that difference is going to happen.

sign up to receive the Civil Society News daily bulletin here . For more news, interviews, opinion and analysis about charities and the voluntary sector,
In June, BuzzFeed News published an investigative report based on leaked audio from more than eighty internal meetings at TikTok, the popular Chinese-owned video-sharing app. In the report, labeled The TikTok Tapes, Emily Baker-White of BuzzFeed wrote that the recordingsalong with fourteen statements from nine TikTok employeesrevealed that China-based employees of the company repeatedly accessed nonpublic data about US users of the video-sharing app between September 2021 and January 2022. As Baker-White pointed out, this directly contradicted a senior TikTok executives sworn testimony in an October 2021 Senate hearing, in which the executive said that a world-renowned, US-based security team decided who would have access to US customer data.

The reality illustrated by BuzzFeeds recordings, Baker-White wrote, was exactly the type of behavior that inspired former president Donald Trump to threaten to ban the app. Although that proposed ban never materialized, Trump did issue an executive order banning US corporations from doing business with ByteDance, TikToks parent company, while elected officials struck down the order last summer but also directed the Commerce Department to conduct national-security reviews of apps with links to foreign adversaries, including China.

On Monday, the Times reported that the Biden administration and TikTok had drafted a preliminary agreement to resolve national security concerns posed by the app. The two sides have more or less hammered out the foundations of a deal in which TikTok would make changes to its data security and governance without requiring its owner, ByteDance, to sell it, the Times wrote, adding that the Biden government and TikToks owners were still wrangling over the potential agreement. According to the Times, US Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco has concerns that the terms of the deal are not tough enough on China, and the Treasury Department is skeptical that the proposed agreement can resolve security issues. The Biden administrations policy toward Beijing, the Times notes, is not substantially different from the posture of the Trump White House, reflecting a suspicion of China.

Under the proposed agreement, TikTok would store the data it holds about American users on servers located in the US, and likely run by Oracle, a cloud-computing company based in the US, instead of on servers in Singapore. (In the wake of the June BuzzFeed article, TikTok said this had already been put in place.) An external US entity like Oracle would monitor TikToks recommendation algorithms, to ensure that they arent suggesting or censoring content in an attempt to influence the American public. (There have been reports in the past that TikTok removed specific kinds of content at the request of the Chinese government, including content related to pro-democracy protests in China.) The agreement would also require TikTok to appoint a board of American security experts to oversee its operations.

Some critics of TikTok and its influence are unlikely to be satisfied with the agreement, the Times notes. In August, a number of members of Congress sent a letter requesting an intelligence briefing about TikToks new Elections Center, which the company announced as part of its preparations for the midterm elections. The group said they were concerned that the initiative could allow the Chinese Communist Party to interfere in US elections and collect sensitive data on US political activity, including voter-registration information, the National Review reported. In a recent statement to the Times about the preliminary agreement, Senator Marco Rubio of Florida, the top Republican on the Senate Intelligence Committee, said that anything short of a complete separation from China-based ByteDance will likely leave significant national security issues regarding operations, data, and algorithms unresolved.

While TikTok has attempted to downplay its ties to the Chinese Communist Party, the Review wrote, ByteDance has collaborated with security bureaus in Xinjiang to cover up Beijings mass atrocities targeting minorities, including the Uyghurs. The members of Congress who requested an intelligence briefing said that, according to an assessment released by the director of national intelligence, China probably continued long-standing efforts to gather information on American voters and public opinion, political parties, candidates and their staffs and senior government officials during the last election.

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Not everyone is convinced that TikToks owners are trying to influence American attitudes and social mores, or that the apps data-handling practices are any more of a threat than those of other social media platforms. Instead of focusing on broader privacy and consumer protection laws, which would affect US platforms like FB, critics of TikTok scapegoat and fear monger over the platform, Taylor Lorenz, a technology columnist for the Washington Post, recently wrote. Its an intentional distraction from real, comprehensive data/privacy reform and ppl should see it for what it is.

Heres more on TikTok:

Hyperventilating : Karl Bode, writing at Techdirt, said that there isnt much substance to criticisms from people who hyperventilate about TikTok. The claim that China is directly controlling TikTok, and that it will use the app to spy on or influence Americans in nefarious ways, is mostly fearmongering, Bode writes. Actual evidence of TikTok being uniquely dangeroushas been sorely lacking, but that doesnt stop folks from heading to the fainting couches. Even if TikTok were to be banned completely, Bode argues, China could hoover up location, browsing, and behavior data from an ocean of completely unaccountable and hugely shady data brokers and middlemen.

The Wild West : Jem Bartholomew of Columbias Tow Center spoke recently with Becca Ricks, a senior researcher at the Mozilla Foundation, whose investigative work highlighted how partisan influencers are evading TikToks weak political-ad policies. What we found doing our investigation is it prompted more questions than answers, she said. Sometimes we ourselves were asking the question: Would this violate TikToks policies? It raised questions of how do you define violations, how you define political advertising? Most ad policies at social platforms are equipped to deal with traditional ads, Ricks said, but a lot of that doesnt exist for influencer advertising. Its the Wild West.

Feeling fine : In the UK, TikTok is facing a fine of almost thirty million dollars for failing to protect the privacy of children, according to a report from The Guardian . An investigation conducted by the Information Commissioners Office found the video-sharing app may have breached data protection law between May 2018 and July 2020, the paper wrote. The ICO issued a notice of intent, which is a precursor to handing down a fine. If the fine is twenty-nine million dollars, it would be the largest in the history of the Information Commissioners Office, exceeding a record fine of twenty-two million dollars handed to British Airways two years ago after a data-hacking incident in 2018.

Other notable stories:

The Vietnamese government is tightening its control over who is allowed to disseminate news on social media, Reuters reports . The rules, which sources said were not finalized but were anticipated by the end of the year, would establish a legal basis for controlling news dissemination on platforms like Facebook and YouTube. A source told Reuters the government wants to address what it believes to be the misleading of users into thinking that social media accounts are authorized news outlets.

Philippe Vasset, a French journalist, has launched a new weekly publication called Glitz Paris, which calls itself the first investigative publication dedicated to the global luxury sector. Vasset told the New York Times that the newsletter will report on stories that cut through various universes, such as the connection between luxury watches and arms dealers. Glitz plans to hire fifteen reporters and will be funded by subscriptions.

Fast Company shut down its website on Tuesday after the publication said it was hacked. The hackers sent offensive notifications including racist language to Apple News subscribers. Fast Company said on Twitter that it is investigating what happened, and that its website will be suspended until the issue is resolved. The Verge reported that a message on Fast Company s site claimed the hackers got access to the site via a password that was shared across many accounts.

The proposed Journalism Competition and Preservation Act could benefit far-right publications, The Hill reports . The legislation was intended to help small newspapers by allowing them to negotiate with social platforms to get payment for their news. The Hill says a clause in the bill would prohibit the platforms from discriminating against outlets due to views expressed by the eligible digital journalism providers content, and publications like Breitbart, NewsMax, and InfoWars could all use this clause to demand their links get featured. CJR wrote about the JCPA here .

Reuters reports that a range of advertisers ended advertising campaigns on Twitter after ads appeared alongside tweets soliciting child pornography. Brands ranging from Walt Disney, NBCUniversal, and Coca-Cola to a childrens hospital were among more than 30 advertisers that appeared on the profile pages of Twitter accounts peddling links to the exploitative material, according to a Reuters review of accounts identified in new research about child sex abuse online from cybersecurity group Ghost Data.

The Independent reports on a new study by SumOfUs , a nonprofit public advocacy group, that alleges that Youtube and Facebook are promoting a disinformation campaign that favors Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro ahead of Brazilian elections on October 2. The platforms have added rocket fuel to Brazils stop the steal movement, helping Bolsonaro copy Trumps playbook to the letter, and causing incalculable damage to Brazilian democracy, Vicky Wyatt, SumOfUs campaign director, remarked.

The Robert R. McCormick Foundation announced that it is providing a total $7.5 million in funding to Block Club Chicago, Capitol News Illinois, Injustice Watch, and Northwestern Universitys Medill School of Journalism, Media, and Integrated Marketing Communications. In a statement, the foundation said it was committed to strengthening and scaling impactful reporting in Chicago and Illinois.

Has America ever needed a media watchdog more than now? Help us by joining CJR today

Mathew Ingram is CJRs chief digital writer. Previously, he was a senior writer with Fortune magazine. He has written about the intersection between media and technology since the earliest days of the commercial internet. His writing has been published in the Washington Post and the Financial Times as well as by Reuters and Bloomberg.
DALL E, 2022

Executive summary

In 2018, the technology reporter Taylor Lorenz predicted journalists would adopt influencer tactics to grow their own audiences and directly distribute content to their followers. Since then, journalists have continued to experiment with using digital platforms as part of their career activities. These digital tools provide journalists with the opportunity to capitalize on and monetize their personal brands and skills. In 2020, Lorenz followed up her prediction, anticipating that we will now begin to see the dark side of this movement. While independence provides journalists with new career opportunities, it also presents challenges as they risk burnout, precarity, audience pressures, and backlash for their independent work.

The media is often studied as either institutional news work or social media activity. However, on digital platforms journalists increasingly blur the lines between personal and professional, institutional and independent, and reporting and commentary. Opportunities to monetize online content, connect with new audiences, and pursue creative and multimedia projects expand the ways in which journalists can piece together their careers.

Thus, questions arise about how journalists structure and conceptualize their work when working on digital platforms. Why and how do journalists use these tools? What do journalists see as the tools strengths and weaknesses, and how do they fit into the broader media ecosystem? In what ways do they complement or contradict journalistic norms and standards?

This report draws on a case study of journalists who use the digital newsletter platform Substack to understand how such platforms impact their work, careers, and identities. Through a combination of computational and qualitative methods, I seek to understand who uses Substack, why journalists use the platform, how they use it, and how Substack relates to the broader media ecosystem.

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I identify three dominant themes that explain how journalists use and interpret Substack. Each theme carries implications for how journalists structure their careers, produce media content, and conceptualize their identity.

Journalists who view newsletters as a career resource use Substack to enhance their work within the traditional legacy media industry. They use their newsletters to create a persona as an expert on a niche topic, publicize their work, practice professional skills, and build a loyal audience in hopes of achieving career advancements. Most in this group tend to offer their newsletters for free; however, some who view themselves as experts in the topics on which they write charge a subscription fee. They seek to continue to uphold journalistic norms of objectivity, fairness, and balance even when embracing the freedom of work on digital platforms. In this way, these writers rely on ties with institutional media outlets to which they seek to link their careers. Strong ties to the media industry and value of journalistic norms strengthen their identification as journalists as a core aspect of their sense of self.

Alternatively, some pursue newsletters as an alternative media model . These journalists critique dominant media outlets, highlighting experiences of precarity, inefficiencies, and the ways in which norms of objectivity exclude personalized forms of information production and audience engagement. Within their newsletters, these writers strive to produce alternative stories that they feel dominant media institutions do not support or incentivize. Paid subscription models offer a new funding stream that grants writers independence to capitalize on their positionality and personal experiences as a legitimate source of content production. Thus, these journalists express broadened conceptions of their professional identity defined by innate qualities and skills as they seek to build careers unconstrained by institutional norms and barriers.

Finally, a third subset of journalists defines their newsletter as a lifeboat . For these journalists, their newsletters serve as stopgaps when they lack other career opportunities and resources. These journalists are critical of the economic feasibility, informational quality, and role of technology companies in newsletter media models. In this way, they remain skeptical of Substack and do not plan to use the platform for a prolonged period. Feelings of hopelessness with the media industry led these writers to distance themselves from their professional identity as journalists.

These three themes illustrate how digital tools expand the ways in which journalists pursue careers and conceptualize their work. By highlighting the multiple ways in which a digital platform impacts the careers and structure of journalism, the report emphasizes the ambiguous implications of technological change, rather than representing it as predetermining changes or affecting those who use digital tools all in the same way. The report concludes with a discussion of the implications of the diverse uses of digital platforms for journalists on the trustworthiness and consistency of information in the public sphere.

Introduction

Ben started writing about hip-hop as a freelance journalist in 2014. He gradually built up connections with major outlets, producing articles picked up by business and culture magazines. However, Ben felt dissatisfied by the transactional nature of his work. It didnt really feel like I was making a true impact beyond getting an occasional check, he explains. Ben wanted to make more of an impact with his writing. He wanted to build a relationship with his readers, rather than writing for the editors to make a living.

In 2017, Ben started an email newsletter focused on the artists, producers, and fans innovating the business of hip-hop. The newsletter allowed him to build an ongoing and direct relationship with his readers and capitalize on his expertise in his niche topic.

He describes his motivation to start the newsletter:

It was the opportunity to take advantage of the changing landscape in digital media, but also have an opportunity to elevate and have a proper home for the type of things that I was writing.  I saw what a few other early writers were doing in this space, where they were taking advantage of the tools and the platforms to create a home for their writing, and in many ways, being able to build a sustainable career and enterprise off that. It was taking advantage of the niche economics that I think are possible with the internet today, where because of how cheap it can be to get something started, you dont necessarily need to have a vast user base. You can have a publication that appeals to a pretty small base, but a passionate base of readers, and then just build a business model around that.

Bens newsletter has grown into his full-time occupation, with more than 10,000 paying subscribers. He expresses pride in the entrepreneurialism of his pursuits and hopes to see more independent media own their particular niches through which writers can succeed to do what they want to do full-time.

Bens story exemplifies how digital technologies are creating opportunities for journalists and information producers to structure their careers to produce and distribute content in new ways. Traditionally, dominant professional institutionsmost notably legacy media publications and more recently digital news outletsstructured journalistic norms and dictated career success. These institutions served as gatekeepers that enabled insular professional groups to maintain control over the production and distribution of legitimate knowledge and information. They promoted techniques, such as the norms of reporting, sourcing, and fact-checking, as methods of producing objective information. Additionally, through the creation of explicitly professional spaces and publications, they intended to separate journalists professional roles as revealers or communicators of external facts from their private roles as subjective individuals with their own worldviews and values.

In contemporary media work, digital technologies and online platforms allow journalists to use a variety of tools to produce and distribute content. Digital tools offer journalists new opportunities and constraints. Online platforms challenge the clear boundaries between professional and personal forms of content production. Furthermore, digital platforms, direct distribution channels, and diverse forms of information communicationpodcasts, liveblogs, newsletters, etc.blur the line between professional journalism and the increase of other types of digital creatives and content producers. Digital tools thus require journalists to combine networks and strategies from professional journalism with entrepreneurship, microcelebrity, influencer culture, research, and academia. Additionally, digitization creates new incentives for news work and ways of defining success, including a focus on audience engagement, circulation metrics, and digital attention. Lastly, as journalists engage in independent forms of online content production, technology companies serve an increasingly central role in structuring how journalists produceand audiences accessnews and information.

Simultaneously, journalists face challenges in legacy media work due to increasing employment precarity and distrust of mainstream institutions. Dominant media outlets increasingly favor part-time, contingent, or contract-based work. In 2021, the Pew Research Center reported that newsroom employment has fallen 26 percent since 2008. Employment precarity incentivizes or necessitates journalists to seek alternative career opportunities, such as using digital platforms. Additionally, Americans remain skeptical about journalists and media companies ability to communicate quality information. The percentage of Americans who say they have a great deal or a fair amount of trust in the mass mainstream media fell from 53 percent to 40 percent between 2002 and 2020, according to a Gallup poll. That distrust contributes to news consumers seeking alternative sources of content outside of standard outlets and publications.

This report focuses on journalists who write independent email newsletters on Substack within the context of the changing status and role of legacy and digital news work. I draw on 52 interviews with journalists who write email newsletters to offer a content analysis of their professional backgrounds and newsletter texts. I focus on how the prevalence of platform technologies and the changing role of media institutions impacts the ways in which journalists navigate career opportunities, conceptualize their goals, produce content for their audiences, and define their professional identities. This includes understanding journalists motivation for working on digital platforms: how they distinguish career transition points and define success, produce content, perceive their audience and networks, and incorporate digital tools into their careers.

The report proceeds in three additional sections. In section one, I describe the Substack case study and outline my research methodology. Section two presents the findings of the report in two subsections. First, I use computational data to explore newsletter writers on the platform and the network structure of newsletter content. I then use my core findings to draw on qualitative data to discuss three dominant themes that emerged from my interviews and explain how interviewees use and understand Substack: using newsletters as a (i) career resource, (ii) alternative media model, or (iii) lifeboat. Each of these themes relates to distinct goals, strategies for content production, and conceptions of professional identity. Finally, the report concludes with a discussion about how the varied ways in which journalists approach and interpret newsletter production relate to phenomena such as the crises of expertise, informational distrust, and post-truth politics.

Case Study and Method

Substack

This report focuses on journalists who use or have used the newsletter platform Substack. Focusing on a single platform allows comparisons of how journalists use the same digital tool.

Substack started in 2017 as an alternative media space in reaction to critiques of institutional and social media production. The company provides the infrastructure to write and distribute digital newsletters, giving creators control over their email subscription lists, archives, and intellectual property. Substack also focuses on writing as the main output versus requiring other technical or digital skills. The company targets journalists, writers, experts, and visual content creators geared toward discursive output, although it has been expanding its focus and functionality. Journalists who use Substack largely do so for the purpose of sharing and producing textual information.

Substack was created by media insiders with the goal of using technology and entrepreneurship to help independent writers make a living by providing a direct distribution and subscription product. In doing so, Substack seeks to present an alternative to ad-supported media. The company contrasts its platform with those of advertisement-based media models that offer incentives toward shallow clickbait and fake news. Instead, Substack frames itself as a resource for free speech, democratizing discourse and producing personal and trustworthy content. Substack describes itself as a platform that enables content without dictating it, in contrast to a publisher that maintains content moderation discretion. However, the company has attracted controversy due to questions about content moderation and responsibility and accountability for discourse that is produced and distributed using the platform. In response to criticism over free speech and writer precarity, the company has added new features for its users, such as access to legal advice, writer office hours, and community building resources.

As of 2021, Substack reported millions of users and more than 1 million paying subscribers. Its top ten writers reportedly earn more than $7 million in annual revenue. The company is a venture-backed start-up. Additionally, the company typically takes 10 percent of paid subscription fees, which range from approximately $5 to $50 per month but are not required. The most popular writers on Substack can make six-figure salaries and more yearly income than in standard media jobs; however, some writers often do not consider newsletter writing as a form of full-time work and thus may balance it with other professional commitments. Given its semiprofessional nature, Substack provides an ideal case study to understand how new career resources offered on digital platforms impact the goals, strategies, and identities of journalists.

Data

The report includes computational and qualitative data to assess journalists on Substack. Computational data include large-scale queries of information drawn directly from the platform, such as writer topics, professional backgrounds, and network patterns. These data provide an overview of who uses the platform and the subjects they cover to help inform the subsequent thematic analysis.

The reports core findings are based on qualitative data from interviews with 52 journalists who write digital newsletters; analysis of their newsletter content, particularly About pages and initial posts that describe their newsletters content, purpose, and structure; and online information on their professional background, such as their LinkedIn page, Muck Rack profile, or personal website. Interview subjects were recruited from multiple points of contact to reflect a range of journalists using the platform. (See appendix A for descriptive statistics.)

Initial respondents were identified using searches on Google and Substack. Additional respondents were recruited using snowball sampling. Respondents were identified as journalists based on how they self-describe in their newsletter profile, or by using information about their broader professional background available online. The sample captures journalists with a variety of careers that include both independent and institutional forms of work.

Professionals most strongly associated with institutions are employed by a news media company and receive a sustainable salary from their place of employment. In contrast, independent workers take on freelance work with no primary employer and/or self-describe as independent. Interview questions were focused on the subjects professional life, including how they go about their work, balance professional opportunities, and describe their goals and objectives. The research uses qualitative data to illuminate the ways in which digital platforms impact the practices and understandings of journalists, but does not provide a representative or generalizable sample. Textual data, including the About pages of each newsletter and the LinkedIn, Muck Rack, or personal website of interview respondents, supplement interview data to understand respondents backgrounds and trajectories. Conclusions are based on how interviewees describe the goals, content, and motivations for their newsletter connected to the structure of their careers and professional identities.

Findings

The findings proceed in two subsections. First, the report draws on computational data to generate a layout of the Substack platform. The computational data provide a map of what topics newsletter writers focus on, what types of writers use the tool, and how their newsletters fit within the broader media landscape. The report then draws on qualitative interview and content analysis data focused specifically on how and why these journalists use Substack.

A Computational Layout: writers on Substack

Using computational methods, a co-researcher, Nick Hagar, and I explore the types of writers and content available on Substack. Substack maintains a discovery feature that sorts newsletters by categories. When this research was collected in 2021, it maintained 19 topical categories and has since added six more. Using the search feature, we approximated the landscape of the most active newsletters on the platform and their categorical labels.

Table 1 provides an overview of how many active newsletters appear within each category through the Substack search function. At the time of our research our analysis identified 2,686 unique active newsletters, a breakdown of which is presented in Table 1.

Unsurprisingly, most Substack newsletters focus on broad and standard categories of media production, such as culture and politics. After 2021, the introduction of new categories of music, comics, crypto, parenting, fiction, and podcasts shows that niche sections of the platform are growing. Additionally, the prevalence of technology as the most active category points to the types of stories and topics most accessible as an independent media source. Writing about technology needs only a computer and internet connection, meaning it requires fewer resources than field reporting. Later in the report, journalists discuss their ability to establish their expertise writing about digital media, making it a lucrative category for newsletter production.

We manually classified the 2,686 active newsletters to understand the professional background of the authors on the platform. Information on authors professional background was gleaned from writer biographies, as well as general information available on the web.

Table 2 represents the background classifications based on the nine most common professional backgrounds found on Substack.

Once again, unsurprisingly writers and discursive content creators made up most newsletter producers, as well as professionals who use newsletters to capitalize on and share specific expertise. The data suggest that journalists account for about 20 percent of content producers on Substack.

Lastly, we looked at the relationship between newsletters and other forms of media by comparing hyperlinking citation patterns. We include newsletters that published more than one public post between 2020 and 2021, published posts at a cadence of at least one every thirty days, and published at least one post that included a hyperlink to another webpage (all newsletters in our sample met this criteria). We were only able to access free posts, so our sample does not include paywalled content. This produced a sample of approximately 1.1 million hyperlinks across 139,353 posts from 2,553 active newsletters.

The results show that writers most commonly cite major media and platform domains such as Twitter, YouTube, and The New York Times (Table 3). For example, 77 percent of newsletter writers in the sample have linked to YouTube, and 5 percent of writers have linked to The New York Times. Furthermore, while there is large overlap in linking domains, at most, the same unique URL appears in only 2 percent of newsletters. The infrequency with which newsletters link to each other or to the same news story highlights the siloed nature of newsletter production on Substack. Rather than structurally representing an alternative media environment, writers arguably show a strong reliance on institutional news and established platforms.

Hyperlinking patterns in newsletters match the broader structure of digital attention and influence on the web, relying on common platforms and domains that are viewed as legitimate, relevant, and likely to generate attention. Thus, these results indicate that newsletters may be framed as an alternative or independent career resource, but are highly referential to and dependent on dominant media and technology platforms and publications. In this way, digital newsletters represent an element of an integrated and interdependent media environment that journalists must navigate to build their careers.

Journalists uses and interpretations of Substack

Analysis of the qualitative data reveals three dominant themes in interviewees rationales for starting and maintaining Substack newsletters. Journalists I interviewed engage with and understand Substack as a (i) journalistic resource, (ii) alternative media model, or (iii) career lifeboat. Each use corresponds with different career goals, strategies of content production, and conceptions of professional identity.

Newsletters as a Journalistic Resource

Interviewees who use their digital newsletters as a career resource describe the ways in which they offer an outlet to establish a specialized portfolio, house a holistic body of work, practice the craft of writing, and secure additional career opportunities. One national political reporter describes how advice from a veteran journalist whom she admires to build your quote-unquote personal brand and make a name for yourself inspired her to start a newsletter. Such journalists saw newsletters as helpful in achieving career transitions.

An early-career journalist who works for a digital outlet started a newsletter in hopes of acquiring a book deal:

I wanted to write a book proposal  but I didnt have a body of writing on [the topic].  Once it became clear that I was not going to be able to build out the bulk of that body of writing at my current job, I started looking for a new job, and I started working on this Substack, which I also hope gets me a new job at some point down the line. I think that [it is helpful] if I have something I can point to, to prove I can write about this, people are interested in it, and react to it when I write about it, and you can read it all in one place.

By housing a body of work on the specialization she desires to write about, this journalists newsletter serves as a resource to showcase her ability to write, report, and think critically about that topic.

Journalists in this subset thought newsletters were particularly advantageous to build a specialization and gain credibility on niche topics. While they could not always control the topics they wrote about for institutional publications, they could tailor their newsletters to their interests and hopes for their future careers.

Another early-career journalist describes how he uses his newsletter to build credibility writing about the media:

I knew that I needed to establish an authority in this field and the process of writing something every week and being in conversation with other people and reading all the time. Its a really virtuous cycle in the sense that by doing it, I make other people aware of me and my thoughts and my credibility.

The newsletter helps him maintain a schedule and structure. He advertises the success of his newsletter by listing major institutional news outlets that have cited his work, such as Vox, Nieman Lab, and Poynter. In this way, his newsletter serves as a tool to connect him with major outlets and media figures that model his career goals, using Substack as a career resource to build expertise and connections.

This subset of journalists also sees Substack as a resource to practice and experiment with writing. Many interviewees mention writing as one of their favorite aspects of their career, but lament barriers to writing on the job.

A journalist recently employed as a breaking news reporter describes frustrations that detract from her enjoyment of the work:

As a writer, its hard. You want to do your thing, to be reporting and writing, but theres all these barriers. You cant get a job. You cant get paid. You might be sending lots of freelance pitches, but editors are just saying No, no, no. It feels like you can never just get the work done. This was a great opportunity for me to start doing the creative work and thinking and hold myself to my journalistic standards and practices.

She describes her newsletter as her passion project, to report it out for myself to have the learning experience, to write about it, and really think about something on a little bit of a higher level than in my day-to-day breaking news role.

Other interviewees similarly describe their newsletters as outlets for creativity, a tool for professional development, or a learning experience. In this way, these journalists use their newsletters as an outlet to indulge aspects of their career that they feel are unfulfilled in other jobs. Newsletters also allow journalists to deepen skills such as writing, reporting, and critical thinking central to their careers.

Most interviewees who use their newsletters as a professional resource offer free subscriptions. These journalists believe that keeping their newsletters free allows more readers to access their content and helps them publicize their work. As one interviewee describes: Sneaking in my stories throughout my newsletter on Substack has been a really great way to get that into peoples inboxes and actually clicked on. However, a few journalists who said they use the newsletter as a career resource do charge subscription fees. They view themselves as established experts on the topics that they write about, rather than using the newsletter as a resource to build expertise.

An editorial director at a business and culture magazine describes her expertise based on her extensive work experience of more than a decade in multiple newsroom roles. Her newsletter, focused on the craft of journalism, has a monthly subscription fee. She decided to paywall the content because she was putting time and effort into it and thought it was worth something.

Many journalists who consider themselves experts write on the media, news industry, and digital culture in their newsletters. In this way, the structure of journalistic work using digital tools creates opportunities for journalists to specialize and write about their experiences and knowledge of media and internet trends.

Journalists using their newsletters as a career resource balance personalization and professional norms within their content. One journalist who specializes in audience engagement and new media innovation notes that keeping that personal note is really important, especially to connect with and build a loyal audience.

Another journalist, who writes about the intersection of gender and politics for a prominent American magazine, notes that the personal nature of the newsletter lessens hierarchical divides between writer and reader:

Im much more open in the Substack than you could be in a traditional magazine article.  When you do a  review for a mainstream newspaper there is more of a status divide.

Thus, newsletters give these writers the opportunity to build more dialogic relationships with their readers and express more personalized viewpoints.

While interviewees recognize that newsletters offer a more personal outlet, they remain careful to uphold professional norms of journalistic production. They do so by differentiating their newsletters from their formal career writing, and by integrating the role of their personal experience and voice within journalistic standards.

A journalist who runs the culture and economics section of a digital outlet uses her newsletter to write articles related to, but separate from her formal career: The newsletter is connected to the interests of [my section], but not really something we would ever do. She describes her newsletter as janky because it does not contain original reporting  its mostly Googling. The purpose of the newsletter is to write something thats my own, that has nothing to do with the job. In this way, she separates the personal and playful nature of her newsletter from the standards and rigor associated with the journalistic norms important for her professional work.

Other writers uphold journalistic standards by incorporating the personal nature of the newsletter with journalistic norms. A national political reporter describes how he thinks the objectivity of a journalist involves not coming into a story as a blank slate, but in the method that they report the story, and the fairness with which they report the story. He says his personal identity influences how he relates to politics without compromising journalistic standards:

I grew up as a Midwesterner, and so I have opinions about the unique identities of states like Michigan versus Ohio, or Indiana versus Illinois. I have preconceptions about the states, but as Im reporting on them, I do think its possible to be cognizant of those preconceptions and use the method of reporting journalism to be open-minded and fair and balanced in the actual reporting about those states.

For him, the journalistic method of reporting neutralizes preconceived and personal perceptions to create fair and balanced information.

Overall, however, these interviewees express concern about how newsletter production may impact journalistic standards without the enforcement of norms and gatekeeping provided by media institutions. Two interviewees explain their worries that newsletters cannot provide the same quality of information.

The first, who writes for a prominent American magazine, claims:

[Newsletters are] great for comment. If you want to have strong opinions on established facts, then thats something that newsletters can do very well. But who is the person doing the hardest bit of journalism, which is establishing the facts in the first place? There are no shortcuts for that, which takes a really long time and costs a lot of money.

The second journalist, who focuses on audience engagement for a national publication, agrees:

I think about all the rigorous editing and the rigorous reporting that goes into more traditional outlets that is not done on the personal level, which I dont think is bad all the time. But I do think that when we see personal reporters with their own newsletters pursuing ambitious stories, I think a lot of times there may be issues of accuracy.

For these interviewees, journalistic norms of reporting, objectivity, and accuracy remain valuable and important standards. Newsletters prove useful as a tool for commentary, essaying, or, as one veteran reporter describes, writing off the newsusing traditional news stories as a jumping-off pointbut newsletters cannot stand in for the types of reporting core to journalistic norms and identity. Indeed, these journalists strongly identify with their professional roles. As one journalist describes: Its through me like a stick of rock. I dont know what I would be if I didnt do this job.  I would have to radically rethink my life and start all over again. In this way, journalists use their newsletter in connection to dense networks and ties to the media industry that continue to structure journalistic careers, norms, and identity.

Newsletters as a Journalistic Alternative

Interviewees who use Substack as their main career activity consider the platform to be an innovative, entrepreneurial venture to structure alternative career paths. They critique the structures and norms of institutional media, noting the ways in which Substack provides a new media model. Notably, they point to connections with corporations and reliance on advertising that corrupt the quality of information in the media. A beauty writer critiques the connection between beauty publications and the commercial beauty industry: Publications typically work hand in hand with brands to create content, such as product reviews and stories with favorable PR angles. Similarly, a political reporter critiques advertising media models for incentivizing clickbait and feeding polarization:

In the news world, most journalists, media outlets, television networks, and podcasts survive on advertisement revenue. Ad revenue is driven by viewership. That means the more people see an advertisement, the more valuable it is. This incentivizes reporters, editors, radio hosts, television stations, and news outlets to make their content as viral, explosive, and sensational as possible.  It also creates conflicts of interest between publishers and the people paying them to run their advertisements.

The writer describes how he feels his newsletter offers a transformed product:

[My newsletter] is entirely subscriber supported. By asking my readers to support this newsletter instead of advertisers or investors, I am incentivized to create good content  not content that is clickbait or designed to go viral or make an advertiser happy.

By capitalizing on the subscriber model, he seeks to change the relationship between reader, writer, and journalistic content. Paid subscriptions directly connect him to his readers, making him accountable to and empowering his audience, rather than attracting investors or advertisers. In this way newsletters offer an alternative structure to produce news and information.

Journalists in the study also critiqued the hassle, inefficiency, and precarity of journalistic careers, incentivizing them to focus more on their newsletters as outlets in which they feel they have more control and freedom over their work. A veteran reporter describes how she experienced a decline in opportunities to write for major publications:

The media is shrinking  the traditional media that Ive written for, like the Washington Post, the Wall Street Journal, all of these, they cant afford freelancers. They dont have space; they dont have staff.

A Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist similarly describes frustrating experiences working within institutional media:

Its an annoying way to work and it doesnt pay great.  I would race to get a piece done, and then the publication would be like, Oh, were actually not going to run it for the next 24 hours because this other thing happened.  You end up playing email tag with an editor: its like, Hey, did you get the piece that I sent you? And then the news peg passes, and then you have to look for a new news peg, and then you have to rewrite the piece because time has gone by  then, like, having to rewrite it 400 times because the news peg passed in the time that it took them to write you an email.

Starting a newsletter appealed to him because he can do it on my own schedule. He can directly distribute content to his readers when he feels his pieces are ready, rather than wait on the whims of a publications news cycle. Thus, newsletters offer an alternative that gives journalists freedom, independence, and control over their workflow.

Given the formalized nature of Substack as a career path, these journalists describe the importance of subscribers for their livelihood and as an economic model for their careers. An award-winning investigative journalist describes how his subscriber base serves as a career resource:

I can create a subscription base that will be portable, and maybe in some ways more durable, or no less durable, than actually getting a job at a big institution.

Another long-form journalist describes how he was inspired by the success of subscription podcasts to build his own newsletter:

For example, the Chapo Trap House guys who were making so much money on Patreon.  I was like, Wow. It never occurred to me to do that.  It was like, So you can put something out in the world and people will pay you four, five, six bucks a month just because they like it. And you can make a lot of money that way. I looked at that type of business model, and thats what the Substack does.

In this way, digital platforms serve as a tool to actualize transactions between writers and readers. Subscriber models incentivize content quality by the necessity of attracting readers. Thus, from this perspective, subscriptions ensure newsletter integrity despite often lacking the traditional fact-checkers or editors found in traditional media.

Lastly, these interviewees critique power structures in institutional news that they feel limit the range of legitimate perspectives included in news content. A music writer describes his experience at a culture magazine that led him to quit and focus on his newsletter, where he can highlight different voices, perspectives, and stories. People around me [at the magazine] were more interested in perpetuating misogyny and bigotry and marginalization of anybody thats not a man, essentially, or identifies as a man, he says.

Similarly, a food writer describes her dissatisfaction with institutional food media given the exclusion of multiple perspectives and political ideas:

When I was writing for food magazines it was very much centered on a middlebrow white American gaze. Youre writing for middle America, and dont upset them. That was the perspective.  There is just a lack of interest in systemic problems outside of talking about racial representation or gender representation. Theres an idea of diversity as just different skin colors and genders, and not political ideas. So thats what Im able to actually present in my newsletter.

She now focuses almost exclusively on her newsletter, where she writes about the intersection of food, ethical consumption, economics, and sustainability, hoping to inform readers that food decisions arent made in a vacuum. She values the fact that the Substack platform allows her to own my own time and create the thread of my own thought to produce alternative content and arguments she felt institutional publications did not accept.

Newsletters can offer an alternative space to produce content outside journalistic norms. Instead of adhering to norms of objectivity, journalists in this survey describe their methods of content production as intentionally incorporating subjectivity as a different basis to produce information.

A journalist with a background in reporting on tech, markets, and fashion describes how when he worked for institutional publications, he felt tokenized as a reporter of color and forced to write about certain topics and narratives. In his newsletter, he embraces his full identity to center his point of view:

If you come from an underrepresented or overlooked or underserved community, its difficult to not bring all of you into a story and [keep] different parts of yourself siloed off to tell a story. Thats a bit dehumanizing. I think part of making roles and creating space for as many storytellers and journalists and reporters as possible is to really get rid of this idea that you cant be fair or accurate if you have a point of view. I think that the idea of objectivity and leaving your identity at the door, all that does is serve patriarchal white supremacy. It serves the people who have always gotten to tell the stories.  I just try to tell stories that matter to me  I write from my point of view.

He challenges journalistic norms of objectivity by drawing on his own perspective as a legitimate alternative to inform his work.

In this way, newsletters shift journalistic identity to incorporate individual experience and traits traditionally conceptualized as separate from professional roles. Rather than describe their professional titles or learned skills as core to their identity, these journalists reference innate qualities such as curiosity, empathy, deep thinking, and skepticism as defining professional traits and identities. As one says: Journalism for me is not a professionits a personality disorder. Im nosy. Ive got a big mouth. Im aggressive and pushy. She identifies as a journalist as a personality trait and intrinsic part of her identity, rather than attaching the identity to a professional position, skill, or role. Journalistic status composes both a personal and professional identity. Journalists in the study continue to see themselves as professionals across contexts or roles, rather than within specific career positions or performing certain job skills.

Newsletter as a Journalistic Lifeboat

A third group of interviewees describes using Substack as a temporary tool when they lack other career opportunities or resources. These journalists tended to gravitate to the platform after losing employment at other media outlets. As such, Substack offers a way for them to structure their time, pursue their writing, maintain their journalistic identities, and continue in their professional field. The platform provides a free, accessible, but temporary outlet for journalists who hope to transition to other platforms or opportunities.

These interviewees tended to be the most skeptical about Substack as a media model and platform. They do not see newsletter writing as a sustainable career activity or resource. Fundamentally, these journalists critique the financial model of newsletter writing and the difficulty of amassing subscribers without a preestablished reputation, digital following, or institutional ties to legacy media.

A freelancer who decided to end his Substack newsletter describes the financial feasibility of the pursuit at length:

If you start a newsletter without a preexisting fan base, or at the very least a large and active Twitter following, building an audience  is very tricky. You basically need to churn out posts and hope a couple of them go viral on Twitter so you get a ton of more subscribers.  But the economics of this are pretty unfriendly. If you got 500 subscribers to pay you $5 a month, youd be making $2,500 a month, or, oops, actually $2,250 after Substack takes its cut. And youre writing at a minimum a post a week, probably more than that. If youre doing two posts a week, say eight a month, youre actually only making $281.25 an article. That isnt that bad, but then you consider that the burger place down the street pays $19 an hour. You really arent in livable wage territory from a Substack alone until you have thousands of paid subscribers. And if youre using Substack to supplement income from freelancing or a day job, its a lot of work.  Once you put up a paywall, you have the additional problem of a lot of your content now being hidden from public view, i.e., it cant go viral and attract new subscribers.

He laments that subscription media models are unfeasible for most writers, as well as illogical, given the tension between paywalling content and attracting new subscribers. Furthermore, rather than newsletters serving as an outlet for alternative narratives or in-depth thoughts, he describes them as aimed toward virality and produced on a fast-paced timeline. Overall, by comparing Substack writing to service work, he highlights the low status and financial difficulties of the pursuit.

These writers, like many others, describe growing their subscriber base as the most challenging part of producing a newsletter. Across the three categories of journalistic work, no writers felt they had figured out the best newsletter media model. All felt uncertainty in the best way to balance growth, financial viability, and content accessibility. The difficulty in monetizing their newsletters proved particularly detrimental to writers without other income streams. Thus, journalists relying on Substack as a lifeboat expressed the most frustration because they remain in precarious professional positions.

A veteran reporter at a major urban paper lost his job when the publication went through layoffs. He started a Substack newsletter as sort of my best option as far as employment. However, after a few months he was disillusioned with the platform:

Its not sustainable. Its been very difficult, frankly, to increase subscriptions. I pretty much hit a wall about two months ago and havent been able to increase it. So Im pretty down on the Substack model. I think theres just too many things out there, too many subscriptions, and its too hard.

Newsletter writing becomes economically unsustainable without a substantial reader base. Indeed, interviewees described the most successful writers on the platform as those who already had these huge Twitter followings or already have a brand, already have a name, and already have a reach. In this way, these journalists see newsletter writing as supporting existing structures of power and privilege within the media, rather than providing an alternative environment.

Furthermore, these journalists argue that subscription newsletters do not incentivize quality information. Rather than newsletters serving as outlets for journalists to write about their passions, deepen their writing skills, or produce content from an alternative perspective, they feel as if newsletters do not allow for the types of meaningful content they strive to produce.

A political reporter describes how creating newsletter content became less of a priority

Write a new newsletter gradually slipped to the bottom of my to-do pile. I did less reporting for the newsletter and treated it more like a place to put my thoughts about the stuff I was working on and reading.  I dont really want to write these kinds of stories anymore.  The conversation often seems to consist of a gaggle of pundits and Twitter addicts nodding in agreement with one another.

Furthermore, other journalists in the survey describe Substack subscription models as seeming to prioritize sensationalist and potentially viral content to attract readers and generate attention. A culture writer who now works as part of a bundled newsletter cooperative describes such incentives:

The discursive oxygen around the site has been allocated or has been sucked up by people who are using it in a way to stoke rage, or stoke anger, outrage, that sort of thing. When you create those feelings, they become powerful feelings that make people want to subscribe.

In contrast, she aims to contextualize, analyze, and do some reporting and actually talking to people in her work. To her, anger and outrage do not equate to meaningful content production, even if they garner more attention or subscribers.

Some interviewees also critique Substack as a platform and business that participates in the media environment given the uneasy relationship between media and technology companies. One writer describes his worries about the power that technology companies play in structuring what digital content gains visibility:

A lot of stuff with Big Tech and Facebook and Google is kind of scary these days, with a lot of alternative media locked out or at least buried in Google searches. Im worried about Silicon Valleys influence in the media.

Such critiques led interviewees to desire that Substack take more responsibility for the content produced and promoted on the platform. To them, it functioned like a publisher that curates and distributes content, rather than as a neutral digital tool.

Another collection of young journalists who experimented on the platform but since moved their writing to an independent site critiqued Substacks policies:

Substack could have been a great place for experimentation that breaks away from the bigoted speech thats dominated American newspapers during pivotal moments of social transformation (see how newspapers framed integration, interracial marriage, and gay marriage). Instead, its more of the same. Substack isnt the future of media. Its just a content management system run by a company that aims to prioritize profit over peoples lives.

From this perspective, rather than representing a hopeful or useful media model, Substack represents the perpetuation of the faults of traditional and institutional media. Thus, this subset of journalists views newsletter writing as an unsustainable pursuit and problematic media model.

A veteran international reporter sums up this view with his critique of the current media ecosystem in which smaller publications and opportunities struggle to exist, as well as Substacks role within it:

If you consolidate a business into big players and then that sucks up all the talent, then everything else becomes nothing more than an audition. So your book is an audition, and your big article somewhere is an audition, and your leadership of a midsized managers room is an audition, and your Substack is certainly an audition. The only place youre going to get quality editing, good access, some imprimatur that matters under a living wage, is going to be, like, three places. That doesnt feel sustainable to me. Im suspicious of the Substack model, because it seems to be based on the idea of a lifeboat more than on the idea of an actual legitimate setting.

These journalists feel frustrated by a lack of opportunities in institutional media and hopeless about the promise of independent digital tools. Such pessimism leads them to express distance from their journalistic identity. As the international reporter continues: My current job is to pay my mortgage and feed my kid in an industry that has done its best to die over the past decade.

Conclusion

This report presents a case study of the digital newsletter platform Substack to explore how journalists use and incorporate it into their careers and how it relates to the broader media environment. Rather than falling prey to technological determinism, willful optimism, or dispiriting pessimism about the role of technology in the future of news, the report highlights some of the ways in which digital technologies can be used and understood.

In particular, I identify differences between journalists who use Substack to (i) complement their work for other publications and outlets, (ii) create an alternative media environment, and (iii) keep them connected to their professional field when they lack other opportunities and resources.

Each journalists use of Substack is associated with specific career goals, strategies of content production, and conceptions of journalistic identity. By focusing on the practices, intentions, and understandings of digital newsletters expressed by the journalists themselves, the report highlights how structures of news work may influence journalistic careers, as well as how journalists shape the role, use, and understanding of digital tools.

My findings point to an increase in the range of methods and logics journalists rely on to produce information as they access expanded resources to build their careers. As communication technologies continue to evolve, journalists confront ever more opportunities and tools to shape their work and careers. We see journalists experimenting not only with newsletters but with mediums such as podcasting and texting, and structures such as publishing work as a collective and hosting live events. Such opportunities expand the types of work journalists produce, incorporating new skills, forms of expertise, audience relationships, and methods of reporting. At the same time, these experimentations present themselves as public facing toward an audience as journalists seek to publicize and monetize their work and brands. As journalistic careers evolve to include a wider variety of styles, tools, and methods, the opportunities also grow for audiences to access diverse content.

While these trends expand the modes of and voices able to contribute to public conversations, they also contribute to phenomena such as the crises of expertise, ontological insecurity, and post-truth politics without common norms that structure the flow, distribution, and norms of producing and accessing news and information. Readers increasingly access a high-choice media environment via newspapers, websites, tweets, podcasts, and newsletters, among others. Such a buffet of content can overwhelm and segment media consumers, limiting the amount of shared content and perspectives available to audiences. While structures such as newsletters can allow journalists to capitalize on niche audiences and produce content through a greater variety of means and mediums, these trends also present challenges for creating shared understandings of facts and narrativesone of the traditional functions of journalism as a pillar of civil society. It raises the question of the relationship between an increase in media content and the health and robustness of the media environment. Thus, newsletters and digital platforms offer new media opportunities, as well as challenge some of the core functions of news work.

Furthermore, we see the interrelationships and dependencies between digital technologies and traditional media institutions. While digital tools are often touted as offering independence, the ways in which alternative technologies impact structures of power and privilege within the media remain limited.

Interviewees employed by traditional media institutions often sought to uphold objective norms and climb traditional career hierarchies. In contrast, interviewees more focused on digital platforms embraced the freedom to create content on their own timelines, based on their own inclinations, and incorporating their own perspectives. In this way, they articulated alternative goals of expressing themselves, garnering attention online, building community, and connecting directly with their audiences.

These styles and goals contrast with the more authoritative voice of professionalism backed up by journalistic norms and traditionally displayed in dominant media publications. However, journalists working on digital platforms must confront limits to their independence, counternormative trends, and creation of alternative media spaces. Even when working independently on digital platforms, journalists rely on dominant professional outlets and publications to publicize their work, gain visibility, and source content.

The computational portion of this report showed that newsletter writers most often link their work to existing dominant outlets. This creates webs of media production that include both institutional and independent forms of news work centered on select core publications, themes, and figures. Furthermore, within that web, digital platforms themselves become central players as their tools, algorithms, and support shape the types of content produced and made visible. Thus, the report highlights how an expanded media environment that includes an array of journalistic opportunities presents both new potentials and pitfalls for empowering journalists and supporting their careers.

In conclusion, I highlight several potential avenues for future research.

Journalistic careers: How are journalists using other digital tools? How do these opportunities enhance or mitigate employment precarity? How sustainable is journalistic work on digital platforms, and newsletter writing in particular? What types of opportunities and careers do journalists hope for that can be supported by new technological tools?

Political economy of news work: How do subscriber-based funding models of news work change the incentives for journalistic production? What role do technology companies play in supporting the production and distribution of journalism? How should these platforms and companies be regulated and/or held accountable for worker livelihoods and the content produced using their tools?

Audiences: What attracts readers to journalistic outlets, mediums, and writers? How do readers interpret journalistic writing distributed through various means? How do they relate to the readers of similar and/or different outlets and content? How do readers evaluate information from different sources and distributed on different platforms? How do these sources interact in ways that are complementary and/or contradictory in shaping audience views?

Challenges to professional norms: How are journalistic norms of objectivity, balance, and fairness being challenged by new opportunities for journalistic production? What alternative norms are journalists using as an epistemological basis for their work? How do these norms differ across platforms, publications, and individuals? How are institutional newsrooms reacting to and incorporating new norms of information production?

The media industry will continue to evolve, and journalists will continue to experiment with new tools, ideas, and career paths. While each development brings challenges, unanticipated impacts, and controversies, the journalists in our study remain committed to their work. Some even find hope within the complexity and failure of these supposed media solutions. As one reporter remarks: Its good a lot of people are experimenting  the industry is now being fully shaken up.

Appendix A: Interview Demographics

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Shira Zilberstein is a doctoral student in the department of sociology at Harvard University. Her research focuses on cultural sociology, political-economy and science and technology studies using computational and qualitative methods. She is interested in the production, circulation and interpretation of ideas. To this end, she has conducted research on grassroots artists, international non-governmental organizations and American college students. Currently, she is researching how journalists navigate and conceptualize their careers on new media platforms and the implications of digital platforms for the dissemination of information, legitimation of cultural goods and the structure of the public sphere.
BOSTON (AP)  Federal workplace safety regulators have proposed fining a subcontractor nearly $1.2 million in connection with the death of a worker during the demolition of a downtown Boston parking garage.

The worker was operating an 11,000-pound excavator in the Government Center Garage on March 26 when an upper floor gave way and he fell 80 feet to his death, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration said in a statement Tuesday. It was his first day on the job.

The worker has previously been identified as Peter Monsini, 51, of Easton.

An investigation found that JDC Demolition Co. Inc. violated the demolition plan by placing heavy equipment on partially demolished floor bays, OSHA said.

JDC also failed to adequately train its workers on the demolition plan and safety management systems, OSHA said. In total, JDC was cited for 11 alleged violations.

JDC Demolition Company Inc. knew the heavy equipment on the partially demolished floors were over the weight limits and still allowed a worker, unaware of the hazards, to do demolition work, OSHA Regional Administrator Galen Blanton said in a statement.

OSHA also proposed more than $58,000 in fines for John Moriarty and Associates Inc., the projects general contractor, for four alleged violations, including failing to ensure that partially demolished concrete floors were of sufficient strength to support mechanical equipment.

The companies have 15 business days to pay the penalties, request a conference with OSHAs area director, or contest the findings.

JDC in a statement said it has an excellent safety record, cooperated with the investigation, and is reviewing the citations.

JDC Demolition takes the safety and security of their employees extremely seriously and remains deeply saddened by the tragic loss of a team member, spokesperson Lizzy Guyton said.

Moriarty said it followed all safety protocols.

While the events of March 26th are tragic, our jobsite has consistently exceeded the requirements of both city ordinances and OSHA guidelines, Moriarty said. As a result, we will be appealing the citations.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
CHICAGO  The gun-maker Smith & Wesson illegally targeted young men at risk of violence with ads for firearms  including the 22-year-old gunman accused of opening fire on an Independence Day parade in suburban Chicago and killing seven people, according to several lawsuits filed Wednesday in Illinois.

The lawsuits filed by people wounded while attending the Highland Park parade and the estates of several victims are the latest bid by victims of mass shootings to hold gun manufacturers accountable, despite broad protections for the industry in federal law.

Liz Turnipseed is among those filing lawsuits in Lake County on Wednesday against the gun manufacturer, the accused shooter and his father, along with two gun sellers.

In an interview with The Associated Press, Turnipseed said she had recently arrived at the parade with her husband and 3-year-old daughter, pointing out to the girl instruments in the high school band. She fell to the ground after being shot in the pelvis and remembers seeing her daughters stroller on its side and asking her husband to get their daughter to safety.

Turnipseed said she required weeks of intense wound care, expects to need a cane for some time and is in therapy for post-traumatic stress disorder. She also was forced to delay an embryo transfer scheduled for July 12; her doctors now fear its dangerous for her to become pregnant.

Despite her physical and emotional burdens, the Highland Park resident said she became determined to speak for those who did not survive mass shootings in the U.S., particularly the 19 children and two teachers killed at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, in late May.

I had a unique opportunity to help put a real face on what these guns do to people and  give it a first-person perspective, Turnipseed said. Because there arent that many of us that survive. Because theyre that deadly.

The Chicago Sun-Times first reported on other victims and families of those killed who filed similar lawsuits Wednesday.

Prosecutors have said Robert E. Crimo III admitted to the parade killings once police arrested him hours after the attack.

Turnipseeds lawsuit largely focused on the company that produced the M&P 15 semiautomatic rifle that authorities identified as Crimos weapon.

Smith & Wesson officials should have known that its advertising campaigns would appeal to a dangerous group of customers  namely impulsive young men with hero complexes and/or militaristic delusions attracted to using the particularly high lethality of AR-15 style weapons  to effectively execute their fantasies, her attorneys argue.

Representatives for Smith & Wesson, based in Springfield, Massachusetts, did not immediately respond to messages seeking comment Wednesday.

In the suit, Turnipseed alleges that Smith & Wesson ads mimic the shooters-eye view popularized by video games, use imagery of apparent military or law enforcement personnel and emphasize the M&P 15s combat features.

Advertising text bills the rifle as capable of handling as many rounds as you are and providing pure adrenaline. One ad shows the M&P 15 on a dark background above the phrase kick brass in a bold red font and capital letters.

The advertisements and marketing tactics described above demonstrate that Smith & Wesson knowingly marketed, advertised, and promoted the Rifle to civilians for illegal purposes, including to carry out offensive, military style combat missions against their perceived enemies, her attorneys argue.

The strategy mirrors the approach used by relatives of victims of the 2012 Sandy Hook school killings, who in February reached a $73 million settlement with the firearm company that produced the rifle used in that attack. That was believed to be the largest payment by a gun-maker related to a mass killing.

The Sandy Hook families accused Remington of violating Connecticut consumer protection law by marketing its AR-15-style weapons to young men already at risk of committing violence, successfully circumventing federal law that has given gun-makers broad protection from past lawsuits.

Ari Scharg, one of the attorneys representing Turnipseed, said lawyers for the Highland Park victims are determined to go further by getting their cases before a jury. He has a unique motivator; the attorney wound up hiding in a strangers basement with his 7-year-old daughter once shots rang out at the July Fourth parade.

Theres certainly a long path, and its an uphill battle, Scharg said. But I think this is the most important case in the country being litigated right now  and were going to see it through to the end.

Attorneys with Brady, the national anti-gun-violence group, are part of the team representing Turnipseed, two years after the organization called on the Federal Trade Commission to investigate Smith & Wessons marketing of assault rifles in reaction to the killings of 17 people at a high school in Parkland, Fla.

Erin Davis, senior counsel of trial and appellate litigation with Brady, said every suit brought by victims of gun violence is an opportunity to send a message to the industry.

Turnipseed is also suing the accused gunman for assault and battery and intentional infliction of emotional distress and his father, Robert Crimo Jr., for negligence, particularly for sponsoring his sons application for a state firearms license in 2019 within months of the 19-year-old attempting to kill himself and threatening family members.

Crimo III faces 21 counts of first-degree murder, 48 counts of attempted murder and 48 counts of aggravated battery, representing those killed and wounded during the parade in Highland Park.

Lake County prosecutors have not filed any criminal charges against his father and have repeatedly declined to discuss the possibility that Crimo Jr. could be charged in the future.

Crimo III is represented by the Lake County public defenders office, which does not comment on ongoing cases. An attorney for Crimo Jr. did not immediately respond to a request for comment Wednesday.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Minnesota county reportedly kept old voters lists from last elections instead of dumping them, according to an election integrity group. They are concerned over the intentions why the list has not been purged which are suspect who it might benefit.

Fears of Vote Manipulation Like the 2020 Elections

To correct the situation, one group filed a case for the officials to act and officially remove these lists, reported the Epoch Times.

J. Christian Adams, the president of the Public Interest Legal Foundation (PILF), is a former civil rights attorney with the U.S. Department of Justice.

He also expressed concern about duplicate registrants left standing on the voter rolls in Minnesota counties. Each duplicate registration allows a person to vote on multiple occasions. Minnesota's election results will become more reliable by removing redundant registrations, noted Conservative News Daily.

The PILF portrays itself as the nation's sole public interest law firm devoted entirely to election reform. It is a nonprofit organization that exists to assist states and others in facilitating the cause of campaign reform and the battle against chaos and violence in American elections.

Under the federal Help America Vote Act (HAVA), states are mandated to establish an automated statewide registration list that is accurate and eradicates old duplicate voter lists for election integrity.

Adams says that PILF is now using state implementation regulations in HAVA, which have never been utilized for 20 years.

Read Also: Donald Trump Children: What You Need to Know About the 5 Trump Kids

He indicated that Wisconsin, and a handful of states, were excluded from the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 (NVRA), also known as the Motor-Voter law since it permitted individuals to register to cast a ballot relatively quickly at motor vehicle agencies and federal offices.

NVRA Used by Minnesota To Circumvent the HAVA

According to Adams, it has been challenging to get Minnesota to start cleaning up its voter registration rolls since the state cannot be compelled to do so under the NVRA.

However, the legal counsel discovered that HAVA includes a section enabling states to decide how to enforce this specific law, as other states ignored it. The state in question used state law to resolve the issue by enabling cases for HAVA noncompliance.

Based on the PILF representative, they are filling a case, and duplicate voter registration, including a proven sex offender casting votes twice in 2020, are in the records.

Furthermore, he stated that Minnesota has remained unaffected in its ability to deceive elections now that the tool to sweep it clean is available. It will be used extensively, much to the chagrin of those who intend to cast illegitimate votes.

On September 27, PILF filed a complaint against Dakota County, which maintains these suspect voter rolls; the Minnesota secretary of state's office is aware of it.

Based on the group of spurious voters, 73 people on Dakota County's voting list show up to have two different voter registration numbers but have the same year of birth and address.

One of the PILF reports shows that 2,000 voters from New Jersey were 105 years old or more. Previous elections show dead people voting in several states. PILF is concerned that old duplicate voter lists are dangerous to election integrity that must be eliminated.

Related Article: Georgia Fulton County Election Takeover Planned Following Controversy of Electoral Irregularities

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The United States government announced new $1.1 billion additional security assistance for Ukraine on Wednesday, bringing the total amount of funding for the war against Russia to more than $16.2 billion since February.

The most recent aid package is the 22nd such installment announced by the Biden administration and follows referendums held in four Russian-occupied regions of Ukraine. The referendums are backed by Russian President Vladimir Putin.

New Weapons Package for Ukraine

The votes, which are largely viewed as rigged and illegitimate, are to determine whether or not Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson, should become part of Russia. The referendums have been criticized as part of a scheme by the Russian strongman to pave the way for Moscow to announce that it has annexed more of Ukraine by the end of the week.

The White House said earlier this week that the United States would never actually acknowledge the results of the "sham referendum." Authorities added that they would continue to provide Ukraine with military and humanitarian support in the midst of Russia's invasion, as per CNBC.

The Biden administration's latest package includes 18 High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) as well as munitions for those systems, 150 armored multipurpose vehicles, 150 tactical vehicles to tow weapons, 40 trucks and 80 trailers to transport heavy equipment, two radars for unmanned aerial systems, 20 multi-mission radars as well as secure communication systems, and body armor.

Unlike similar packages, the recent assistance to Ukraine is authorized through the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI), which uses funds appropriated by Congress. The USAI is responsible for financing America's defense industry to scale up the country's arms production.

According to Reuters, the aid package comes as the United States is closely monitoring the situation in Ukraine. White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said that the American government will not be deterred from supporting Ukraine. She added that the U.S. will continue to stand with Kyiv and its people while providing them security assistance.

Read Also: Nord Stream Pipeline Leak: Russia Calls Sabotage Accusations 'Stupid,' New Videos Show Major Damage

Russia-Ukraine War

With a focus on contracts for weapons and equipment, the latest package seeks to help Ukraine secure its longer-term defense needs against Russian forces. It could take roughly a year or two for Ukraine to get the systems.

The United States has also used Pentagon drawdown authority to provide weapons quicker and another announcement for that Defense Department aid is expected to come early next week. Various officials argued that the HIMARS and other similar systems were crucial to Ukraine's war against Russia.

A senior defense official was the one who said that the weapons and equipment would take anywhere between six months to two years to get to Ukraine. He added that the HIMARS will take "a few years" more.

The official noted that the HIMARS is being given to Ukraine as an investment in the European country's future defense. He added that the contract does not rule out other U.S. efforts to provide additional systems faster through the Pentagon drawdown program. Various officials spoke under the condition of anonymity on Wednesday to provide details of the package, the Washington Post reported.

Related Article: Donald Trump Warns of World War 3 Threat, and It Could Start in Ukraine or Taiwan

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Former Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva widens his lead against his rival, President Jair Bolsonaro, in the country's contested presidential elections.

Despite Bolsonaro and his allies working tirelessly to transform the country's fast-growing evangelical churches into the bedrock of his political base, the campaign this year has highlighted the limits of that electoral strategy.

Brazil's Tense Presidential Elections

After the president won the evangelical vote two-to-one in 2018, many more evangelicals, most notably poorer women, are weighing their votes for Lula. The latter's legacy of generous social programs speaks tremendously to Brazil's less affluent evangelical voters.

The two politicians were running neck-and-neck among evangelical voters until just a few months ago, based on data from pollster Datafolha. This came despite Bolsonaro building up an advantage over Lula in the heat of the campaign as he struggled to break past 50% of the evangelical vote in recent surveys.

The Workers Party (PT), looking to bolster the "shy" Lula vote among evangelicals, is now partnering with leftist pastors, including Paulo Marcelo Schallenberger, whose sermons aim to counter the party's "demonization" in evangelical circles, as per Reuters.

In a statement, Schallenberger said that they received huge numbers of people in the church who were going to vote for Lula but did not admit it. Because if they did, they will be persecuted by their churches and cast away. Schallenberger reflected on his own experience of being ostracized by colleagues for his politics.

Many of Brazil's evangelical churches and their high-profile pastors are known to embrace Bolsonaro, who defends traditional family structures. The president has also vowed to fight abortion rights and casts rivals as communist "demons" in Cold War-style rhetoric.

According to the Miami Herald, Lula winning the presidency will result in the majority of Latin America being ruled by the left. A potential Lula win will make the region's seven biggest economies, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Peru, and Venezuela, will be run by leftist and ultra-leftist leaders.

Read Also: Russia-Ukraine War: US Commitment to Ukraine Reaches $16.2 Billion After Latest $1.1 Billion Weapons Pledge

Lula's Lead Over Bolsonaro

Furthermore, several smaller economies, including Bolivia, Nicaragua, and Honduras, are also ruled by leftist or far-left presidents. The average results of recent polls show that Lula will be the victor in Sunday's election with at least 45% of the vote, followed by Bolsonaro who has 33%.

If none of the candidates receive 50% of the vote in the first-round election, poll results suggest that Lula will most likely be the winner in a runoff held on Oct. 30. On the other hand, President Bolsonaro is centering his campaign on Lula's conviction on corruption charges last 2017. The latter received a 12-year-sentence but served only 19 months when a federal judge ordered him to be released.

Brazil remains in a state of political tension in the advance of the upcoming vote and experts raised concerns over election-related violence should Bolsonaro refuse to accept his defeat.

In recent months, the former army captain has criticized the Supreme Court's leading justices, and alleged, without providing evidence, that the country's electronic voting system is vulnerable to widespread fraud, Aljazeera reported.

Related Article: Nord Stream Pipeline Leak: Russia Calls Sabotage Accusations 'Stupid,' New Videos Show Major Damage

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Feature: Huawei's training program helps develop ICT talents for Cambodia

Xinhua) 10:12, September 29, 2022

PHNOM PENH, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- After completing a training course under Huawei's "Seeds for the Future" program, Seang Vilya, a sophomore in the major of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) at a university in Phnom Penh, expressed her confidence that the course would add professional weight to her resume when looking for a job after graduation.

Vilya is among 12 Cambodian university students who had completed a three-week online and offline training course in Thailand and in Singapore with other 108 students from 15 other countries in the Asia Pacific region.

"The 'Seeds for the Future' program has not only played a vital role in helping develop ICT talents in Cambodia, but also served as a bridge to promote the bond of friendship between Cambodia and China," the 20-year-old student from the American University of Phnom Penh told Xinhua while attending the Seeds for the Future 2022 closing ceremony.

She said the program was very useful for Cambodian university students to get new knowledge in ICT. Moreover, it gave an opportunity for the participants to understand the latest developments of ICT in China as well as the richness of Chinese culture and tradition.

"Through this course, we got insights into the latest developments in the global ICT industry, and also learned about the latest developments in Artificial Intelligence (AI), cloud computing, 5G, and the Internet of Things," Vilya said.

"In the future, I want to be a data scientist as well as a business analyst," she added.

Tep Keven, a senior ICT student at the state-run Royal University of Phnom Penh, said the course also offered an opportunity to experience virtual tours of Huawei's campuses in China and take part in virtual visits to Chinese historical sites.

"I hope the knowledge I learned from this program will be very useful to help advance the ICT sector in Cambodia," he told Xinhua. "In the future, I want to be a software developer."

"I'd like to thank Huawei for initiating and supporting this program, which is crucial to developing skilled ICT professionals, not only for Cambodia but also for many countries around the world," Keven said.

Cambodia's Minister of Post and Telecommunications Chea Vandeth congratulated all candidates for fruitfully completing this program.

"I expect that our students will become key pioneers for digital innovation in their respective countries, the region, and the world," he said at the event.

"I would like to express my strong appreciation and support for the government and the people of China, as well as Huawei Cambodia, for continuing to foster digital talents and digital development between countries, people, especially between students in our Asia region," he added.

The minister said the global experience and effort to fight against COVID-19 have shown clearly that digital technology is an integral part of the daily lives of people around the world.

Chinese Ambassador to Cambodia Wang Wentian said the "Seeds for the Future" is vital to helping Cambodian youths learn the cutting-edge technologies and that the ICT accounts for an even more significant portion of economic activity around the globe, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic.

"China and Cambodia are now building a community with a shared future, and ICT increasingly becomes an important field of cooperation between the two countries," he said.

"As is the name of this program, our young participants are the 'seeds' of the China-Cambodia friendship and are bound to flourish," Wang said. "I encourage you to aim high and work hard, and I hope that you will carry forward the building of a community with a shared future."

Launched in 2016 in Cambodia, the Seeds for the Future program of Huawei, a global tech giant, has been providing training opportunities for Cambodian youths to upgrade their ICT knowledge and skills.

Yao Yuya, CEO of Huawei Technologies Cambodia, said the younger generations are the hope of digital transformation and prosperity of every country.

"Huawei deeply values that and has trained over 1,000 ICT talents via projects like Seeds for the Future, university collaborations, scholarships and internship opportunities," he said.

"We will continue to work with various stakeholders to nurture Cambodia talents with Chinese culture and technology innovations, and to make greater contributions to the development of digital Cambodia," he added.

(Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun)
Head of Donetsk and Luhansk asked Russian President Vladimir Putin to claim the four breakaway provinces that are ready to be part of Russia. This was reported as the referendums swung to Moscow's side after eight years.

Donbas Now Under Russia

In a discussion with the state-run news agency TASS, Denis Pushilin, spokesperson of the separatist officials of the Donetsk province, stated that he was making a trip to Moscow with the final procedure of a referendum vote on uniting with Russia "to concretize integration," reported AA.

Individually, Leonid Pasechnik, the head of the self-proclaimed Luhansk People's Republic, informed TASS that he planned to also go to the Russian capital to complete the processes of uniting with Russia.

Another is the separatist civil-military administration of the Zaporizhzhia region chief, Evgeny Balitsky, who is also heading to Moscow, and the leader of Kherson, Vladimir Saldo, who also requested the annexation of his province on Telegram.

Even though the international community has broadly repudiated the election results in Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, Donetsk, and Luhansk as a "total farce," the United States and other European countries disclosed that 98% of voters chose to join Russia as a consequence of the plebiscites.

Donbas Referendum Results Finally Disclosed

All the local election commissions reveal that most of the DPR and LPR have decided to vote in favor of Russia, not Ukraine, after eight years of unrelenting attacks by Kyiv's forces, noted Daily Telegraph.

According to initial official statistics, upwards of 99% of the DPR voter base favored the idea of having to join Russia.

Read Also: Vladimir Putin: 3 Facts You Didn't Know About Russia's President - From His Judo Records to His KGB Pseudonym

Similar outcomes were achieved in the LPR referendum, in which more than 98% of the voting public prioritized potential integration. As seen by local authorities, every one of the votes has already been tallied in both autonomous regions.

Between September 23 and September 27, polls were taken in the states as well as in the Kherson and Zaporozhye regions of Ukraine, which are under the direct authority of Moscow.

These places had declared seceding from Ukraine when the Maidan coup in 2014 and the hostilities in eastern Ukraine followed soon. All the votes were more than 80% for the official plebiscite base on the results.

Beijing told the west to accept the sovereignty of the referendum China reaffirmed on Tuesday that the sovereignty of all nations must be treated with respect in the context of Russia's plebiscite in the four regions of Ukraine, citing Yenisafak.

In a comment given at a media briefing in Beijing, Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin stated, "China always sustains the sovereign and territorial sovereignty of all regions and must be respected."

He added that the aims and fundamentals of the UN Charter should always be adhered to, the reasonable security issues of all nations should always be treated seriously, as well as all initiatives to remedy whatever crisis peaceably must be backed, speaking to an outlet.

The provinces of Donetsk and Luhansk want to be part of Russian territory, as the referendum shows, as its leader goes to Moscow and meets Putin soon.

Related Article: Hungarian FM Attends the UN General Assembly, Affirms the Conflict in Ukraine Must be Stopped

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Former New York governor Andrew Cuomo on Wednesday unveiled his strategy for emerging from the political wilderness a year after quitting in disgrace: he intends to launch a political action committee, host a weekly podcast, and create a gun-safety campaign.

Andrew Cuomo, a once-dominant Democrat who quit over sexual harassment claims last year, explained in an eight-minute video that his time away from politics had given him a fresh perspective on the political gap in the country was being repaired, he said.

Former NY Gov. Cuomo Forming PAC

He painted a gloomy picture of a deeply divided society while mocking cancel culture and the mob. Andrew Cuomo gave few details about his intended objectives. He mentioned his newly established political action group just once. Andrew Cuomo gave little details about his upcoming plans.

He simply stated that the goal of his new political action committee will be to elect the proper individuals in office, adding that "we do not need more panderers, we need creators." It is unknown at this time whether he will try to use some of the $10 million that are still in his campaign account to kickstart the committee.

However, Cuomo promised that he would tell the complete truth, unvarnished because sadly, nowadays we are short on facts and long on opinion. The former governor did not specify when he would begin his podcast or what its subject would be, as per New York Times.

Cuomo also spoke for eight minutes into the camera about his recent exile and his future ambitions in a video that was released online and forwarded to reporters by his spokeswoman. Ironically, Cuomo said while wearing an open-collar dress shirt and blazer, "I had a lot to make up for," adding that being removed from office allowed him to spend time engaging in something called life.

But Cuomo, who has denied all accusations, without expressing the slightest regret or apology to his numerous victims added, "The past several months offered me a new perspective on politics, on people, and even on life," according to New York Post.

The 'Gun Safe America Project', which is also led by the former governor, will soon release additional details, he promised. Cuomo criticized the Twitter mob, which he claimed had stalled progress in Washington and that "many politicians and journalists are reluctant to oppose... lest the mob turn on them," The Hill reported.

Read Also: US Vice Pres. Kamala Harris Adds Korean Demilitarized Zone in Her Itenirary Despite Nuclear Threat From North Korea

Cuomo's Sex Scandal

Recent allegations of sexual harassment and discrimination against the former governor were made in a federal complaint filed by Charlotte Bennett, a former Cuomo staffer and one of his first accusers. Throughout the controversies that have engulfed his administration, Cuomo has maintained his innocence.

Meanwhile, Andrew Cuomo criticized Democrats in Washington for not putting an assault weapons prohibition up for a vote in the Senate as he introduced his Gun Safe America Project.

In what might be interpreted as a dig at Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, one of many prominent New York politicians to call for Cuomo to resign last year, he acknowledged the body's recently passed bipartisan gun legislation but pointed to its limitations and said Democrats needed a new approach on the matter.

US President Joe Biden stated in a speech a few weeks ago that he was determined to enact a ban on assault weapons, but the Senate just passed a gun package that had neither a ban nor any restrictions on the number of weapons that could be owned, according to Cuomo.

"To demonstrate that the Republicans are preventing passage, the Democrats wouldn't even bring the assault gun ban bill to the floor with all Democrats in favor. Then, at least, we could explain the situation to Americans. I have some thoughts for a fresh strategy that we require," he said. Cuomo went on to say that some of those viewpoints will be expressed via the upcoming weekly podcast he will host, as per CNN.

Related Article: Joe Biden Speaks to Ron DeSantis After US President Received Backlash for Not Reaching Out to GOP Governor Amid Hurricane Ian Issue

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That two-hour window is based on the operator looking to discharge the battery as fast as [they] can, Edify Energy CEO and founder John Cole says.

If you want to trickle it out, then you can provide energy [to those 100,000 homes] over a longer duration, he adds.

When completed, the Riverina battery will be one of the largest utility-scale grid-forming batteries in Australias National Electricity Market (NEM). Grid-forming technology is pivotal in maintaining grid stability, supporting the reliable dispatch of renewable energy. The projects location should also support this functionality, Cole says.

Lying alongside the Murrumbidgee River, the small town of Darlington Point is already home to one of the largest solar farms connected to the NEM, and is strategically located near existing electricity infrastructure.

With plans to come online in the first half of next year, the Riverina Battery will utilise Teslas Megapack Storage System and was partially financed by CommBank  making it only the second battery to be financed by a commercial bank in Australia.

Financing the transition

Neil Fraser, CommBanks Executive Director of Natural Resources and Energy, says commercial banks have so far only financed two of these projects due to a lack of offtake contracts to support revenues.

Offtake contracts protect both sides from market volatility, but also provide battery operators with revenue security, allowing banks to be quite aggressive with the amount of debt they put against the project. This is because they have greater surety the project will have stable cashflow to service the loan, Fraser says.

Edify Energy signed long-term supply agreements, or offtakes, with Energy Australia and Shell Energy to cover 10 out of the 15 years of the projects financed life.

We view energy storage as being crucially important to the transition of the energy market over the next 10 to 15 years and we think there will be a lot of batteries coming into the market in the future, we're very eager to support the introduction of this technology into the National Electricity Market, Fraser says.

To that end, the Riverina battery is the first time a battery has been financed by commercial banks with a merchant tail  as during the final five years of the repayment profile, the batterys revenue will depend on market prices. As the battery market continues to develop and new grid-forming services are increasingly monetised, operators will see their revenue streams increase, Fraser says. The Riverina battery will likely operate across nine different energy markets by the time its loan period passes the 10-year mark, Fraser says.

And after extensive conversations with Edify Energy regarding the merchant tail, Fraser says this first instance of such a deal will undoubtedly pave the way for similar ones in the future.

We have financed batteries offshore in North America and in Europe, so we've been able to take some of the learnings from over there and apply them here as well.

And as the market develops and we see increased penetration of renewable generators, these batteries are going to be crucial in supporting the stability of the grid and firming the variable renewable energy, Fraser says.

For investors, part of the appeal of Edify Energys latest project is the calibre of the businesses it is working with. Stephen Panizza, head of renewable energy at the projects majority owner Federation Asset Management, notes that 100% of the capacity of the project has been contracted to high quality counterparties for substantial periods. This is a key business attraction, he says.

Having security of revenue from high quality counter-parties via offtakes, provides surety to us as investors on the long term potential of the deal. So from Federations perspective, we have a good developer, good technology, confidence in the engineering, procurement and construction and then contracting for the offtake, Panizza says.

He adds that grid-forming batteries  those that help stabilise and strengthen the NEM as the power generation mix continues to shift to renewables  are especially important for Australias future. The opportunity to support the roll-out of grid-forming battery technology across the country added to the appeal for Federation.

We anticipate that the advanced inverter technology is a better solution to integration issues in the grid than legacy technologies such as synchronising condensers. Providing this solution to the system can not only bring economic benefits to our investors, but support higher levels of renewable penetration, thus we are keen to utilise this capability, says Panizza.

The Darlington Point battery facility, comprising three independent but co-existing batteries, is testament to Edify Energys position as leader in this space. The project has attracted $6.6 million in funding from the Australian Renewable Agency (ARENA), as well as $6.5 million from the NSW Government.
The US will deepen its unofficial connections with Taiwan and back its right to self-defense, according to US Vice President Kamala Harris, who also accused China of attempting to disrupt the status quo in the Taiwan Strait.

On Wednesday, Harris said Beijing had undermined the international system of rules-based order and flexed its military and economic might to coerce and intimidate its neighbors while speaking to American soldiers aboard the USS Howard, an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer based in Yokosuka, Japan.

Kamala Harris Blasts China's 'Disturbing' Actions

The US will continue to operate in the region undaunted and unafraid, she stated adding that stability and peace in the Taiwan Strait are important features of a "free and open Indo-Pacific." As tensions rise following US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit to the island, President Joe Biden stated last week that the nation would support Taiwan if it were invaded by China.

Beijing considers the self-governing island to be a part of its territory and has never ruled out the use of force to try to bring it under its control. Last week at the UN General Assembly, China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi underlined his country's resolve, stating that only unification will bring peace to the Taiwan Strait and threatening conflict with the US if it continues to meddle, as per SCMP.

By the One China policy, the US accepts China's assertion that Taiwan is a part of China, but it has never formally acknowledged the Communist Party's claim to the 23 million-person island that is self-governing. However, the US has carefully avoided saying whether it would use force to defend Taiwan against an assault by China.

Taiwan receives defense armaments from the US. Harris reminded US troops that the US has a deep stake in the future of the Indo-Pacific and that their presence there is in pursuit of peace and stability, and to help our allies and partners.

Harris is in the area to meet with government representatives from Japan, South Korea, and Australia. He is also leading a presidential delegation to the state burial of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, which was held on Tuesday. The US vice president is scheduled to visit the demilitarized zone between South Korea and North Korea on Thursday after arriving in South Korea from Japan, according to CNN.

Read Also: Joe Manchin Folds on His Energy Plan After Senators Tank Permitting Reform Bill

North Korea Fires Ballistic Missile Ahead of Harris' DMZ Visit

One day before Harris is scheduled to visit the DMZ, separating the two countries, South Korea's military stated that North Korea had launched a ballistic missile into the Sea of Japan. The second missile launched by the pariah state in four days, according to South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff, was launched from North Korea into its eastern waters. No further information was provided.

As North Korea continues to develop its military capabilities, it has increased its testing activities to a record level since the beginning of 2022, launching more than 30 ballistic weapons, it will also launch its first intercontinental ballistic missiles in 2017.

However, Vice President Harris will be the first senior member of President Joe Biden's administration to visit the DMZ tomorrow, less than 24 hours after today's missile launch. US and South Korean officials said that trip is intended to highlight the alliance between Seoul and Washington in the face of any threats posed by North Korea.

North Korea views the combined maritime military exercises that the US and South Korea are now conducting as invasion rehearsals, even though both countries' claim that they are purely defensive. As South Korea's spy service issued a warning that the North has finished its nuclear weapons test preparations, it suggested a three-week window from October 16 to November 7 as a potential time frame for its execution.

This would be the North's first nuclear test since 2017 and represent a depressing turning point in the nuclear diplomacy standoff between Pyongyang, Seoul, and Washington. On Thursday, Harris will pay a visit to the DMZ, joining a lengthy list of dignitaries and visitors who have come to see reclusive North Korea.

Despite its name, the DMZ is heavily guarded against coast to coast with razor wire, heavy weapons, and tank traps on either side of a mile-wide clearing. It was created as a result of the 1950-1953 Korean War, which concluded in an armistice rather than a peace treaty.

Presidents of the United States and other prominent countries have traveled to the area, frequently donning military-style coats and bringing with them messages of support for the partnership that retains close to 30,000 American soldiers stationed in South Korea, Daily Mail reported.

Related Article: US Expresses Openness To Accept Russian People Seeking Asylum Amid Vladimir Putin's Mobilization Order

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The Queensland man claiming to be the son of Charles and Camilla exchanged his farewell letters with the late Queen Elizabeth II as Australia paid tribute to her on the National Day of Mourning.

After publishing the final letter he wrote to the Queen, Simon Dorante-Day, 56, is stirring up controversy online once more. In the letter, he begged the late monarch for assistance and urged her to come forward and resolve this issue, regarding his true parentage to stop the global assault he is currently experiencing.

Dorante-Day's Last Letter to Queen Elizabeth II

The private letter was published last November, according to 7News, and its contents were never made available to the general public. In the letter, Dorante-Day goes into great detail about his appearance and claims that during his childhood, his appearance was changed on purpose to hide his real identity.



Following a letter to Queensland's Governor General Dr. Jeantte Young asking for her help in his search for answers, Dorante-Day felt moved to contact the Monarch, according to his message. In November 2021, Dorante-Day contacted the Queensland Governor after a well-placed and trusted advisor, advised him to get in touch with Dr. Young.

Dr. Young's Official Secretary, writing on the Governor's behalf in response to Dorante-letter, Day's advised him to write Her Majesty secretly and confidentially. Before Queen Elizabeth passed away, Dorante-Day had already contacted her once. The tenacious grandfather, who had endured several attacks from online trolls, addressed an open letter to Her Majesty requesting assistance.

A fresh image from April 12, 1996, purports to support the accusations made by the supposed love child of King Charles and Camila Queen Consort, whose claims have recently taken social media by storm. Even Dorante-Day addressed the image in a 7News interview. There, he began by noting that, in his opinion, it's quite significant that Camilla spent so much of the time leading up to his birth away from the social scene.

Long before they started having an affair, according to Dorante-Day, King Charles III and Camilla were 17 and 18 when they became pregnant with him in 1965. He has never had his improbable allegation corroborated, but he's determined to put an end to it.

He informed 7News that he intended to file additional legal claims to get the new King to submit to DNA tests. Given that he was born earlier than Prince William, Dorante-Day thinks the DNA test will establish that he is the legitimate heir to the throne.

Prince William's appointment as the next Prince of Wales, a title granted to male heirs to the throne, was described by him as a kick in the face. King Charles is unlikely to agree to a DNA test on his initiative and cannot be forced to do so by a British judge because, as King, he is now virtually above the law, as per News.

Read Also: Are Brad Pitt and Emily Ratajkowski Dating? Here's What Angelina Joie Says About Rumors!

King Charles' Alleged Love Child to Camilla Drops DNA Bombshell

Many years ago, Dorante-Day expressed his wish for the royal family to consent to a DNA test to establish his genetic history. He has even obtained senior legal counsel after another letter he wrote to the Queen outlining his situation failed to receive a respectful reply.

The Australian reiterated his resolve to pursue legal action to get the King to submit to a paternity test. On April 5, 1966, Dorante-Day was born in Portsmouth, United Kingdom. He was adopted at the age of eight months, and his family eventually relocated to Australia.

Dorante-Day alleges his adopted grandma informed him he was the son of King Charles III and Queen consort Camilla and that both of his adoptive grandparents had worked for the Queen and Prince Philip in one of their royal houses.

King Charles III and Queen consort Camilla allegedly started dating in 1965, a year before Dorante-birth Day's certificate indicates he was born, according to the Dorante-Day lawsuit. King Charles, was dispatched on a vacation to Australia nine months before his birth, and Queen Consort Camilla was not present at any social events in Britain.

Dorante-Day maintains Camilla kept him until he was eight months old, keeping him hidden from the public with the aid of the royal family and protection officials, and asserts that she was told the adoption required that his names, Simon and Charles, were kept the same.

He alleges that Camilla withheld the child from the public until he was eight months old while working with the royal family and protective personnel. She further asserts that she was instructed that the adoption agreement included a requirement that the child's names, Simon and Charles, remain the same.

Additionally, Dorante-Day said that discrepancies in his name and birth certificate are additional proof that he is a royal descendant. However, his chronology of events conflicts with official records, which state that the future King and Camilla first met five years after the birth of Dorante-Day.

Dorante-Day claimed that his research showed that King Charles and Camilla began to get close in 1965 following their unexpected meeting at Winston Churchill's funeral. However, it's widely accepted that Charles and Camilla met for the first time in 1970 at a polo match in Windsor Great Park. She married Charles at last in 2005, ten years after divorcing Andrew Parker Bowles, Daily Mail reported.

Related Article: Prince Andrew To Serve as "Dogwalker" Under King Charles III While Prince Harry, Meghan Markle Fall to Bottom of Royal Family Website

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One of the strongest hurricanes ever recorded in the US, Hurricane Ian, blasted ashore in southwest Florida on Wednesday. It cut electricity to 2.25 million people and turned streets into rivers.

From Englewood to Bonita Beach in the southwest, destructive waves battered the coastline, including Charlotte Harbor in Punta Gorda, which is north of Fort Myers.

Florida Loses Power as Hurricane Ian Moves Inland

In addition to coastal surges, Hurricane Ian is forecast to bring 12 to 18 inches of rain as it makes its way slowly across Florida over the next 24 hours. A sheriff's office on the coast said it received reports from people stranded in flooded homes.

On social media, a number of residents begged for assistance by posting videos of debris-covered water rushing toward their homes. A doctor who works there said that the storm surge in Port Charlotte overwhelmed a lower-level emergency room and that the fourth-floor critical care unit's roof was partially torn off by high winds.

We were in the eye wall of Cat. 4 #Hurricane #Ian for over 5 hours and the back side was the worst.

I haven't experienced anything close to this in over 30 years @weatherchannel pic.twitter.com/wfEqcuEBAm  Mike Seidel (@mikeseidel) September 29, 2022

Ron DeSantis, the governor of Florida, recommended residents to stay inside and that the upcoming few days will be awful, according to Independent. The storm's peak wind speeds came close to putting it in the most severe category, Category 5, on the Saffir-Simpson scale, which is reserved for storms with maximum sustained winds of at least 157 mph.

Probably the worst footage yet of #HurricaneIan in Fort Myers. Buildings underwater. pic.twitter.com/m0HyiLs2ZE  Hurricane Ian Footage (@IanFootage) September 28, 2022

Since the beginning of the storm, there have been more than 2 million power outages in the state, and curfews have been implemented. DeSantis claimed that Ian had caused life-threatening storm surges, which in some spots reached heights of up to 12 feet and sent waves of wind-driven saltwater spilling along the coast.

To give people an idea of how horrible Hurricane Ian is in Bonita Springs and the second wall of the hurricane hasnt hit yet. pic.twitter.com/PvpGuv9QYL  Not Lacy. (@Laceybnai) September 28, 2022

Videos shared on social media and local TV stations an hour after landfall showed water fueled by a storm surge flowing through many neighborhoods and almost reaching rooftops. Nearly all of Fort Myers Beach was submerged by floodwaters, and cars and the wreckage of abandoned houses could be seen floating downstream. Incredible footage of three swimmers jumping into the surf to ride waves was taken by Fort Myers pie.

First-person view of storm surge from Hurricane Ian in Fort Myers Beach, Florida



The camera is 6 feet off the groundpic.twitter.com/bQSF3MkaPT  UberFacts (@UberFacts) September 28, 2022

Views of Sanibel Island showed the ocean flowing into a resort hotel's swimming pool and rushing over a seawall. An image of Sanibel Island showed the ocean crashing through a seawall and into a swimming pool of a vacation hotel. Images from the island also showed palm trees bent sideways in a deluge of nearly blinding rain and wind as waves slammed up a beach and into a road, and roads submerged by the storm surge climbing to the tops of street signs.

Hurricane Ian was one of the fiercest storms to hit the US mainland recently based on sustained wind speeds, which peaked at 155 mph before impact. According to the Weather Channel, Hurricane Ian made landfall in the exact same spot on Cayo Costa where Hurricane Charley, a Category 4 storm, made landfall in 2004. At landfall, both hurricanes had 150 mph winds.

Authorities issued a warning to residents that it was too late for anyone who had not yet evacuated to do so safely as Hurricane Ian pounded Florida's Gulf Coast in its closing hours before it came ashore.

Read Also: SNAP Benefits Update: One State Is Boosting Its Food Stamp Payments Up to $281 Per Resident

Millions of Americans Advised to Evacuate

Authorities ordered more than 2.5 million residents to leave earlier this week. One of the residents who decided to disregard the warnings and remain in place was Doug Coe of Venice. On Wednesday morning, Coe acknowledged that he had never experienced a storm of this size. He was walking through rain, as per Mirror.

Authorities issued warnings of catastrophic storm surges, which happen when water is pushed inland from the ocean and may result in significant flooding, as Ian got closer to Florida. In a tweet sent out earlier on Wednesday, The Weather Channel said that Hurricane Ian's storm surges had caused floodwaters to reach heights of nearly 7 feet, shattering the previous record established by Hurricane Keith in 1988.

As Ian moves further north, more surges will occur along the beaches of northeast Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina, the National Hurricane Center's (NHC) Storm Surge Unit said earlier on Wednesday on Twitter.

According to the center's latest tweet, southwest Florida could experience catastrophic surges, damaging waves, and floods that reach 12 to 18 feet above ground level in areas from Englewood to Bonita Beach. The National Hurricane Center (NHC) stated on Wednesday night that Ian had downgraded to a Category 3 storm, but it was still very dangerous due to its slow 8 mph movement, News Week reported.

#Ian has become a record-breaking hurricane for Fort Myers as storm surge flooding has eclipsed 7 feet and rising!



The impact of this storm is truly life-threatening. Don't venture into flood waters, stay informed and stay safe! pic.twitter.com/iFsNxtdU7E  The Weather Channel (@weatherchannel) September 28, 2022

Related Article: Hurricane Ian Rapidly Intensifies With Almost Category 5 Strength As It Moves Closer To Florida

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NAIROBI, Kenya, September 29, 2022 (Morning Star News)  A 23-year-old Muslim woman in eastern Uganda who converted to Christianity on Sept. 18 was poisoned to death that night, sources said.

Namata Habiiba attended a church service on Sept. 18 at the invitation of a friend in Wakawaka village, Bugiri District and put her faith in Christ, the friend said.

Habiiba, who lived with her Muslim stepmother after her parents were killed in a vehicle accident in 2019, returned home from the church service with her friend, and her stepmother asked why she had returned so late. Habiiba told her she had attended a church service and converted to Christianity, causing her stepmother, Namu Sauya, to stop talking to her, according to the friend, whose name is withheld for security reasons.

Sauya prepared and served food for them and then left the room, said the friend, who was fasting that day and did not eat. Within minutes, Habiiba started complaining of severe stomach pain and began to vomit, the friend said.

The friend shouted for Sauya, but there was no response, she said. Soon neighbors arrived, but Sauya had disappeared, Habiibas friend said.

They rushed Habiiba to a hospital in Bugiri, where a doctor gave her medication, but she soon died, the friend said. A postmortem, she said, determined she had died from ingesting rat poison.

Habiiba leaves behind a 3-year-old child, an area resident said. The father is a married Muslim who had planned to take her as his second wife, the source said.

Local officials and other villagers condemned the killing and have undertaken a search for Sauya, who remains missing, the resident said.

Habiibas body was laid to rest on Saturday (Sept. 24) in Musubi village, where her father was buried.

Mother Beaten for Her Faith

In central Ugandas Bamusuta village, Kiboga District, a Muslim beat and left his wife after learning she had converted to Christianity.

Falida Nazziwa, 42, on Sept. 10 attended an all-night prayer vigil at an undisclosed church in Kiboga town while her husband was away in his work as a truck driver, she said. A secret Christian, Nazziwa expected her husband, Saidi Mudogo, to return late in the day on Sept. 11, but he had returned home when she arrived that morning, she said.

In the morning as I went back home, I found my husband very furious on the compound, and he asked about where I slept, Nazziwa told Morning Star News. I told him the truth that I had gone for an overnight prayer in the church. After hearing the words overnight prayer, he just jumped on my neck shouting, Prayers, not in my house, and started beating and strangling me while shouting, Allah akbar [God is greater]! Kafir, kafir[infidel]!

Two men heard Nazziwas cries and rushed over to rescue her, but Mudogo chased her and her two younger children away, and they took refuge at an undisclosed location, she said. The couple has three other older children who were away at the time.

The church pastor, unnamed for security reasons, said Nazziwa has received treatment at a medical clinic in Kiboga. She was taking medication for swelling and had internal injuries causing severe pain, he said.

The husband has disappeared since then, but we shall get him, the pastor told Morning Star News. I have reported the incident at the Kiboga police station. We hope the assailant will be arrested and justice given for the ailing mother.

The attacks were the latest of many instances of persecution of Christians in Uganda that Morning Star News has documented.

Ugandas constitution and other laws provide for religious freedom, including the right to propagate ones faith and convert from one faith to another. Muslims make up no more than 12 percent of Ugandas population, with high concentrations in eastern areas of the country.

If you would like to help persecuted Christians, visit http://morningstarnews.org/resources/aid-agencies/ for a list of organizations that can orient you on how to get involved.

If you or your organization would like to help enable Morning Star News to continue raising awareness of persecuted Christians worldwide with original-content reporting, please consider collaborating at https://morningstarnews.org/donate/?

Article originally published by Morning Star News. Used with permission.

Photo courtesy: Getty Images/Giggle
Google will soon start alerting people if their personal information, such as phone numbers, home addresses, or e-mails show up in search results as part of its "results about you" tool.

This came as the search giant began rolling out the tool, which allows people to easily create takedown requests for results showing personal information.

The tool began appearing for some users in the last week.

Using this tool, people could see personal information posted on websites by Googling their names. If they see a site publishing personal information, they can click or tap on the three dots, and they should see a prompt to remove the information.

The tool, however, hasn't been rolled out to all users yet. When it is available, the tool will be able to request that the website be scratched off search results.

New Google Notification Feature Allows Users to Know if Search Results Bear Personal Info

Meanwhile, the upcoming feature will also allow users to opt into alerts for search results bearing their contact information so they can quickly request their removal. These notifications will be available early next year. Google also says the notification system will be opt-in. However, such a tool is something not what most people will still have to turn on. The tool is definitely best suited for individuals who hold high-profile positions or public figures targeted by harassment campaigns.

Read Also: Scared of Having Your Personal Data Appear Online? Google Search Has You Covered

For the users who can access the tool, opening the Google app on Android and tapping your profile avatar in the top-right corner reveals a new "Results about you" menu item. This takes users to a page that shows how they can request the removal of Google Search results that contain phone number, home addresses, emails, or other personal information.

This tool is an addition to Google's efforts to safeguard the personal information of its users.

These include tools to delete your web and tracking information and a tool to blur your house on Google Street View.

These are notable attempts by Google, but since the information will stay online, someone can find your name, address, email address, and phone number using another internet browser. Many websites publish information gathered from public records, including past mailing addresses and phone numbers.

Notably, though, Google will only take down search results, not the content on the website itself. The information will still reside on whatever site publishing it. This information will just be more difficult for people to find.

Google Has Allowed People to Send Takedown Requests for a Long Time Now

Google has been allowing people to make takedown requests for these kinds of search results for a while now, and the ability to take down results that were intentional harassment or threats were available even longer, but it's seeking to have the process significantly easier to do. The results about you tool allow users to flag results with their personal info with a few simple button taps instead of looking for Google's specific help article carrying the link to the form.

It also offers users the ability to track such requests. When notifications for it are released next year, it'll be even more powerful because users don't have to manually seek out those harmful results to report them.

Related Article: Get Better Google Search Results by Using These 5 Overlooked Tips
Joe Gebbia, who is best known for being an Airbnb co-founder, has officially joined Tesla's board of directors on September 25, as per CNBC.

A regulatory filing notes that Tesla has appointed Gebbia as an independent member of the automaker's board. Likewise, according to Reuters, Tesla released a statement on Gebbia's appointment.

Gebbia Waives Any Entitlement to Cash Compensation

According to TechCrunch, Gebbia's appointment as one of Tesla's boards comes just a few months after he left his post at the operations of Airbnb.

Currently, he serves as advisor and one of the boards at Airbnb. He is also part of the board of Airbnb.org, a nonprofit organization that provides housing to people displaced in times of crisis.

The inclusion of Gebbia in the board at Elon Musk's automaker company comes after Oracle chair and chief technology officer Larry Ellison departed the company.

Ellison's departure from Tesla was was announced in June. The following month, it was finalized after a shareholders' proxy vote.

In 2018, Ellison joined Tesla's board together with former Walgreens exec Kathleen Wilson-Thompson.

The addition of Ellison and Wilson-Thompson to the board was made in compliance with the terms of a settlement agreement with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Tesla and Musk were charged by the SEC with civil securities fraud. This was after he tweeted that "he was considering taking Tesla private for $420 per share and had funding secured to do so," as per CNBC.

The filing posted on Wednesday said that Gebbia has decided to waive any entitlement to cash compensation. Likewise, the new independent board also waived equity compensation until July 2023, as per TechCrunch.

Moving forward, the board will make a decision on "what appropriate equity compensation will look like for each member."

Read Also: Tesla Phone Rumored Specs, Price, and Release Date Leaks

Gebbia Takes an Advisory Role at Airbnb

Gebbia, who is estimated to be worth $7 billion, accepts Tesla's appointment after making a statement in July that he would "take on an advisory role at Airbnb." At that time, he decided to step away from his full-time role at the company.

According to Electrek, there is no known relationship between Gebbia and Tesla or its CEO. As of writing, there is no information yet whether Gebbia invested in the company.

Gebbia is a designer by training. He had been a part of Airbnb since the short-term rentals' early days back in 2007. In July, he decided to stepped down from his operating role.

As of writing, no Tesla board committee has been assigned to Gebbia yet.

Gebbia joined other Tesla's other non-executive board members including Chair Robyn Denholm, and Ira Ehrenpreis, founder of the venture capital investment firm DBL Partners.

Former Japanese pension fund executive Hiro Mizuno, who is the UN's special envoy on innovative finance and sustainable investing, media entrepreneur James Murdoch, and restaurateur Kimbal Musk, who is CEO Elon Musk's brother, are also part of the board.

Tesla will be able to avoid further conflict with SEC now that there is a new independent board in the company. Previously, SEC has initiated multiple probes to know whether Musk and Tesla are still complying with their agreement.

Related Article: Tesla Recalls 130,000 Vehicles With Overheating AMD Ryzen CPUs
The University of Oregons Fraternity and Sorority Life hired two new staff members to serve as assistant directors. Previously, FSL only had three staff members for 16 fraternities and 11 sororities.

The director of FSL since 2017, Caitlin Roberts has spent four months searching for new hires to fill these positions, she said.

Assistant directors counter day-to-day challenges, teach about responsibility and work with each executive board of chapters and improve the function of FSL, Roberts said.

Previously, two members of FSLs had left, and it had to cut back on some programming, Roberts said.

We were unable to do some things that we typically do. It was a new adventure, but I was able to refocus and establish my vision for the community, and where we want to take UO FSL, Roberts said.

Throughout the summer, Roberts conducted interviews for potential delegates. Eventually, she decided to hire Leo Serrato and Drelin Julkes at the end of July.

Serrato is coming from Indiana University, where he worked as assistant director of conduct and compliance in FSL. Serrato will be in charge of the Interfraternity Council and honorary society. IFC is the body of all fraternities on campus.

Wherever I go, I want my community that I'm working with to be the best. We are going to work to get this community to be premier in the fraternity and sorority realm, Serrato said. I'm so happy I get to work with IFC because my goal is to make them absolutely amazing.

Julkes worked as a graduate assistant for the diversity center prior to working as a graduate assistant to FSL at Mississippi State University. Julkes will be focusing on the Panhellenic Association, Multicultural Greek Council and National Pan-Hellenic Council  which are historically Black fraternities and sororities.

Im huge on diversity, equity and inclusion and justice, so making sure that people are accepted into the different places that typically you wouldnt see happen, Julkes said. I just want to make sure as a community, we are staying accessible to different people that may not think [FSL] is a forefront for student involvement.

Serrato and Julkes hope to work on alumni outreach, recruitment structuring and academic support to the students involved.

Both of them are just so positive and enthusiastic, and share my vision for making us the best community in the country, and are really ready to put in the work to do that, Roberts said. We dont want to have to say, No we cant do that. We want to say, Lets explore that idea.

Fall IFC recruitment is taking place Sept. 27 to Oct. 9. Fall PHC recruitment is from Oct. 6 to 11. All three staff members believe UO will see record numbers of involvement in Greek life this year, they said.

As fraternity and sorority advisors, we are not only there to help support you in the social aspect that you typically see with fraternities and sororities, but also there to support you through your personal professional journey as well, Julkes said.
Dunamu CEO Lee Sirgoo delivers a keynote speech during the American Chamber of Commerce in Korea's (AMCHAM) blockchain seminar at Conrad Seoul, Thursday. Courtesy of AMCHAM



AMCHAM hosts blockchain seminar for balanced regulations



By Park Jae-hyuk



Dunamu CEO Lee Sirgoo urged politicians to reform the current regulations on digital assets in line with international standards, without hesitating to express his concerns over lawmakers and government officials maintaining negative views concerning blockchain and cryptocurrencies.



"I was summoned to next Thursday's National Assembly audit as a witness to answer questions on how to protect consumers amid the rapid growth of the virtual assets market and how to prevent accidents similar to the Terra-Luna crisis," Lee said in his keynote speech during the American Chamber of Commerce in Korea's (AMCHAM) blockchain seminar, Thursday. "I have attended National Assembly audits several times, but I have always been unable to explain the industry's position to lawmakers."



The head of the company operating Upbit, the nation's leading cryptocurrency exchange, added that it has been difficult for him to convince financial and legal authorities who see his company's business model as a scam.



"Although I could meet with some lawmakers, most of them hardly understood blockchain technologies," he said. "Former Minister of Health and Welfare Rhyu Si-min described bitcoin as the 'most elegant fraud in history,' and his perspective has been shared by regulators."



Lee noted that such views have made it difficult for the Korean government to cope with the significant volatility in the cryptocurrency market during the pandemic, as the authorities had not prepared proper countermeasures after a sharp decline in the bitcoin price in 2018.



He also pointed out that Korea's unreasonable regulations have hindered domestic blockchain companies from utilizing their technologies to compete with rivals in the global market.



For Korea to utilize its leading blockchain technologies and become one of the global economic hubs, the Dunamu CEO proposed a new categorization of various crypto assets.



"Crypto assets are developed to perform diverse tasks, and therefore can be classified under a few different types of categories such as payments, securities, network and various utilities," he said. "Categorizing asset types will fill the regulatory blind spots."





Participants in the American Chamber of Commerce in Korea's (AMCHAM) blockchain seminar pose at Conrad Seoul, Thursday. Seventh from left are Rep. Yun Chang-hyun, chair of the virtual assets committee for the ruling People Power Party, AMCHAM Chairman James Kim, Financial Supervisory Service Governor Lee Bok-hyun and Dunamu CEO Lee Sirgoo. Courtesy of AMCHAM
The trouble at London Zoo shows no sign of letting up. It all started five years ago, when the Boa Constrictor was reportedly deeply upset at rumours being spread about that he was poisonous.

Lawyers for the Boa Constrictor immediately released a statement on his behalf. Anyone who knows the Boa will testify to the fact that he is entirely non-venomous.

From time to time, he may have swallowed monkeys, pigs and ocelots with a single gulp, but that is neither here nor there. He has always treated them with the greatest respect. Why else would they have queued up to be swallowed? And to this day, they remain close to his heart.

But a senior monkey, who wishes to remain anonymous, claimed a close relation who had been swallowed in this way would never have agreed to this procedure in advance. She was a happy-go-lucky monkey with so much to offer. The last thing she would have wanted would have been to be gulped down.

awyers for the Boa Constrictor immediately released a statement on his behalf. Anyone who knows the Boa will testify to the fact that he is entirely non-venomous

Elsewhere in the zoo, there were other fall-outs between animals. In the aquarium, a new monkfish was reportedly devastated after a visitor was overheard describing her as plug ugly.

Friends say she hid behind a large rock in the aquarium for a number of days, only venturing out after closing time, once the visitors had gone home.

It now seems that the monkfish suspected that the insult had been circulated by a popular exotic fish in a neighbouring tank.

They were meant to be colleagues, but this exotic male fish, the Arowana, had had it in for the monkfish from the very start, reveals a reliable source. So the monkfish had no option but to hire her own top PR.

This PR had previously been employed by a senior shark, who hoped to restore his public image following an unfortunate incident with a one-legged visitor, whose lawyers say he had entered the zoo with both legs intact.

At first, the monkfishs PR initiative produced some notable results, including a 15-page spread in Hello! magazine, headed Beautiful Monkfish Welcomes Us Into Her Charming Home.

Full-colour photographs showed the monkfish in various flattering poses against exotic backdrops.

In the accompanying piece, the monkfish was said to have laughed at the idea she and the Arowana had fallen out. We may be on different paths at the moment, but I will always be there for him.

She was a happy-go-lucky monkey with so much to offer. The last thing she would have wanted would have been to be gulped down.

Elsewhere in the zoo, a war of words has broken out between a veteran giraffe called Grizelda and a chimpanzee called Tommy.

The giraffe was reportedly upset and mortified that Tommy had described her neck as much too long. First, Grizelda tried walking around in a polo neck, but she found visitors pointing at her neck even more. At this stage, Grizelda hired a top PR at some expense. Stories soon began to appear in celebrity-based magazines about how short and sweet and discreetly beautiful her neck now was.

In 2021 Grizelda the Giraffe was surprised and delighted to win the annual Shortest Neck Of The Year Award from Safari magazine, though it was later discovered that six months earlier she had anonymously donated 25,000 to the magazines charity appeal.

The giraffe was reportedly upset and mortified that Tommy had described her neck as much too long'

It was only when Tommy the Chimpanzee began reading stories about his appalling table-manners that the war between the two former colleagues began to get out of hand.

Tommy immediately contacted top PR Matthew Freud, whose second-in-command was, as it happens, also a chimpanzee. His name was Brutus, and he was well-known for masterminding career-boosting A-list tea parties.

Within weeks, Tommy the Chimpanzee was seen welcoming top celebrities including David and Victoria Beckham, Lord Sugar, Joan Collins, Phillip Schofield and Carol Vorderman to his star-studded tea party at the Savoy Hotel.

Specially-filmed videos, showing Tommy graciously passing a cup-cake to Downton Abbey creator Julian Fellowes and pouring tea for the Duchess of York, gained more than 250,000 likes, and rumours soon sprang up that he would be nominated for an MBE  the first chimpanzee to be honoured in this way for more than 30 years.

By now, an estimated 40 per cent of animals in London Zoo, including three sealions, a spider and a porcupine had all been in touch with public relations companies, intent on boosting their public images.

Where would it all end? I shall continue this extraordinary story in my next column.
After the terrorist attack which knocked out the Nord Stream gas pipeline, widely blamed on Russia, does anyone in Whitehall still think it's a good idea to import electricity from Morocco?

There are already fears that Putin might target Britain's North Sea energy infrastructure, in retaliation for our support of Ukraine. A third of this country's gas supply currently comes via two pipelines from Norway. North Sea oil and gas rigs are at risk, too, according to defence experts.

Russian submarines could also sabotage undersea communications cables which service the international banking industry. Against this background it would be insane to go ahead with plans to lay four 2,300-mile long cables from Morocco to Devon, designed to bring 'sustainable' solar and wind power from the Sahara Desert.

Never mind Mad Vlad, the 18 billion project would be an irresistible target for Islamist terror groups in North Africa, desperate to strike a blow against the Little Satan.

There are already fears that Putin might target Britain's North Sea energy infrastructure, in retaliation for our support of Ukraine. A third of this country's gas supply currently comes via two pipelines from Norway. North Sea oil and gas rigs are at risk, too, according to defence experts

Ministers wedded to the Fantasy Island Net Zero agenda are attracted to the scheme for two reasons. Electricity generated in Morocco would be half the price of nuclear energy produced in Britain.

And unlike our own intermittent War Of The Worlds windmills, Saharan turbines are guaranteed to operate 20 hours a day. With energy bills going through the roof, politicians are desperate for any source of cheap, green electricity.

Labour's solution, unveiled at its conference this week, is to create a new, publicly owned organisation called Great British Energy.

Keir Starmer says it will be a stand-alone company and he's ruling out full re-nationalisation of the energy sector, even though that's what most of his activists want.

He says it would have a budget of 8 billion to invest in renewables and emerging technologies.

Sounds suspiciously to me like the failed policy of governments 'picking winners' before pouring billions of pounds of taxpayers' money down a black hole, never to be seen again.

Keir Starmer says it will be a stand-alone company and he's ruling out full re-nationalisation of the energy sector, even though that's what most of his activists want

Politicians, especially Labour politicians, have a dismal record when it comes to backing successful enterprises. They have no business running companies.

These are the same kind of people who brought you British Leyland, British Steel, the Meriden Motorcycle Co-operative and Upper Clyde Shipbuilders, all of which collapsed. My guess is Great British Energy would suffer the same fate.

And where would this 8 billion come from? Apparently, it would be drawn from a yet-to-be-established National Wealth Fund. What 'wealth'? Last time anyone looked, Britain was drowning in debt, after borrowing hundreds of billions to beat Covid.

I wouldn't trust Labour to run a bath, let alone an energy company.

We've been here before.

When I was an industrial correspondent, the energy market was controlled by the government. It was a disaster. The unions ran the companies, which lost money hand over fist. Supply was frequently interrupted by strikes. Power cuts were commonplace.

When I was an industrial correspondent, the energy market was controlled by the government. It was a disaster. The unions ran the companies, which lost money hand over fist. Supply was frequently interrupted by strikes. Power cuts were commonplace

The problem we face now is price, which is set not domestically but globally. Admittedly, the private energy companies can be arrogant. Some are poorly run, but they are a vast improvement on what came before.

Back in the bad old days before privatisation, the utilities were run entirely for the benefit of those who worked for them.

In fairly recent memory  to an old git like me, at least  you could only buy a cooker from the gas or electricity board and then had to wait weeks for a unionised fitter to come round and plug it in. It could take six months to get a telephone installed.

Competition put a stop to that. We now live in an age of bewildering choice. Yet, curiously, it is younger people used to instant gratification via mobile apps, internet shopping, same-day delivery and Ubers on demand, who frequently say they are in favour of nationalisation. Be careful what you wish for, kids.

Sadly, far too many of my generation have been lulled by Covid into thinking government should and must provide the answer to all life's problems.

Which is why Starmer thinks he's on to a winner with Great British Energy. He says, with some justification, that for too long we've been paying our energy bills to companies with overseas owners, such as France's EDF.

Gordon Brown promised British jobs for British workers. Starmer promises British energy for the British people.

The easiest way to do it would be to support the recent decision to lift the ban on fracking. But Starmer is committed to reversing that. He's also pledging to end the use of fossil fuels for energy generation by 2030.

Good luck with that.

If successive governments hadn't turned their backs on gas and oil in pursuit of the elusive Net Zero, we wouldn't be in this mess today.

That's why the Truss Government is right to green-light fracking and encourage further extraction in the North Sea.

For now, we are at the mercy of Putin, although fortunately we are better placed than most other European countries.

The answer is to drill, baby, drill. Not come up with hare-brained schemes to import electricity from the Sahara Desert.

If ever a plan could properly be called a pipe dream, this is it.

Speaking of gender fluidity (see Virgin below), Daniel Craig nearly became the first 007 to transition in Casino Royale.

Remember that excruciating scene where he's strapped stark naked to a hollowed-out chair, while arch-villain Le Chiffre, played by Mads Mikkelsen, sets about his undercarriage with a knotted rope.

That was in 2006. Now producer Barbara Broccoli intends to emasculate Bond for real. She wants whoever succeeds Craig to play a superwoke, sensitive 007. 'Bond is evolving just as men are evolving,' she told a magazine.

Oh dear, is the world ready for a non-binary secret agent, driving a Prius and drinking an alcohol-free herbal infusion, stirred, not shaken?

The name's Bond, Jane Bond.

Following Tuesday's column about the Old Bill ordering thousands of XXL trousers  sizes 40 to 56in waists  I heard from Roger Graham, a retired West Midlands DCI. He wonders what size they're buying for the men.

Footnote to Tuesday's mention of the 1980 Iranian Embassy siege. I hadn't realised  or, more likely, had forgotten  the only surviving gunman was still here. On his release in 2007 from a 'life' sentence, his lawyers argued that to send him back to Iran would be a breach of his yuman rites because he may have faced torture or death. Oh, dear, how sad, never mind. Even though the Home Office said Britain doesn't give refugee status to convicted terrorists, he now lives in South London under an assumed name. Makes you proud to be British.

There will be no statue of Queen Elizabeth on the fourth plinth in Trafalgar Square, says London's Labour mayor Genghis Khan.

Thank heaven for that. Her Maj deserves a far more fitting memorial than being stuck on a pedestal which has been home to a selection of avant-garde tat over the past few years.

Nothing less than a magnificent statue on The Mall or in Hyde Park will do. Perhaps Wee Burney could unveil one outside Bute House in Edinburgh, too.

Virgin Atlantic has announced that cabin crew will be able to wear whichever style of uniform they choose 'no matter their gender, gender identity or gender expression'.

The official launch featured a male flight attendant modelling a red pencil skirt and high heels.

As a regular Virgin customer, I couldn't care less what they wear, provided they remember to put enough ice in my large VAT. I could have sworn I saw a male steward wearing nail varnish last time I flew.

Anyway, I beat them to it. Last year, after a Vietnamese airline featured stewardesses in bikinis, I suggested it was only a matter of time before Richard Branson followed suit.

I joked that I was sure he'd have no trouble talking his more flamboyant male trolley dollies into wearing Borat-style mankinis.

Brace positions, everyone!
Alicia and Austin noted that they couldn't thank Danielle enough for making their 'dreams come true'

Austin admitted the situation was a 'little awkward' but he was grateful for Danielle helping him and Alicia welcome a second child

Alicia suffers from polycystic ovary syndrome  a condition that affects the ovaries and may cause infertility - and was extremely thankful for Danielle's help

Danielle Blair, 28, from Pennsylvania, decided she wanted to become a surrogate for her best friend after she learned the couple wasn't able to get pregnant

A woman who struggled for six years to conceive a second child was left in awe when her best friend stepped up to the plate by donating her eggs and even carrying her longtime friend's baby, helping to make her dreams of having another baby come true.

Alicia Ward, 34, and her husband Austin, 33, from Ohio, had been struggling to have a second child after welcoming their son, Declan, six years ago, which inspired Alicia's best friend Danielle Blair, 28, from Pennsylvania, to step in and help the couple achieve their dream.

After learning that Alicia suffered from polycystic ovary syndrome  a condition that affects the ovaries and may cause infertility - Danielle knew she had to help.

Danielle decided to make a grand gesture and went to her best friend with an amazing offer, offering to carry Alicia and Austin's child for them as a surrogate.

Alicia Ward, 34, (right) and her husband Austin, 33, from Ohio had been struggling to have a second child, which inspired Alicia's best friend Danielle (left) to step in

Danielle Blair, 28, from Pennsylvania, decided she wanted to become a surrogate for her best friend after she learned the couple wasn't able to get pregnant

In an interview with South West News Service, Alicia explained: 'She phoned me and said: "Let me have your baby for you,"' while admitting she 'didn't think [her friend] was serious.'

'But a few weeks later she called me again, and said, "I'm serious about this. If you want to, let's do it," I was shocked someone was willing to do such an amazing thing for us.'

Danielle became the couple's traditional surrogate and had her egg fertilized with Austin's sperm, which Alicia admitted she struggled with.

'I was really nervous. This child was only going to be a half-sibling to my son and might not look like him. But I was extremely thankful for Danielle,' Alicia said.

Danielle, who already has two children, became pregnant in January 2019 through intrauterine insemination.

When the 28-year-old found out she was having a baby girl, she knew she had to surprise her best friend with the news.

'[Danielle] came to visit and handed me this egg that she had wrapped up and inside was a note asking my son to get a bag from the hall.

'He opened the bag and inside was a little pink outfit. I was so excited, I was going to have a little girl,' Alicia described to South West News Service.

Danielle gave birth to the baby, who Alicia named Maisie, on October 1, 2019.

On the day Maisie was born, Alicia received a call from Danielle and rushed to the UPMC Women's Hospital in Pennsylvania with Austin.

Maisie was born one hour after the doctors induced Danielle to break her water.

Alicia (pictured with her new baby Maisie) suffers from polycystic ovary syndrome  a condition that affects the ovaries - was extremely thankful for Danielle's help

After learning that Alicia suffered from polycystic ovary syndrome Danielle knew she had to help (Maisie and Alicia's son Declan pictured)

The condition that caused Alicia to struggle having another child: What is polycystic ovary syndrome According to Mayo Clinic, Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a problem with hormones that happens during the reproductive years.

If you have PCOS, you may not have periods very often, or may experience periods that last many days. You may also have too much of a hormone called androgen in your body.

The complications of PCOS include, infertility, miscarriage and depression. Advertisement

'I was holding Danielle's leg and all of a sudden I could see the baby's head

'Then in one push she came right out,' Alicia said.

And just after her baby girl was born, Alicia was able to hold her for the first time.

'It was magical, it felt no different to when I held my son for the first time.'

Despite the excitement of having a second child, Alicia was worried about how she would interact with Maisie.

Alicia admitted: 'I was worried about bonding with Maisie and worried that she would miss Danielle. But when I first held her that all washed away.'

Once Alicia wrapped her arms around her new baby girl, she said she 'instantly' felt the connection.

Alicia added: 'Now she's a mommy's girl, she definitely prefers me over her dad.'

Alicia and Austin noted that they couldn't thank Danielle enough for making their 'dreams come true.'

She added: 'Danielle was already my best friend, but her doing this incredibly selfless act for us has brought us so much closer together.'

Alicia and Danielle immediately connected when they met on Facebook when they were both pregnant with their first children and have been best friends ever since  despite living nearly two hours away from each other.

Alicia and Austin revealed they would tell Maisie how she was born when she got older and could understand.

Alicia and Austin noted that they couldn't thank Danielle enough for making their 'dreams come true'

Austin admitted the situation was a 'little awkward' but he was grateful for Danielle helping him and Alicia welcome a second child

'I will tell her from an early age how she was made and I want it to be normal  not a surprise.

'She is no different, just because she doesn't have my DNA.

'Danielle is always going to be in her life and I am so thankful that she could give us the second child we always wanted. I never thought it would be possible.

'It was definitely a rollercoaster of emotions but once they are in your arms it's all worth it.'

As far Danielle, she revealed she never questioned her decision and always knew she wanted to make her best friend's dreams come true.

Danielle said: 'There was never a doubt in my mind that this was something I wanted to do for her.

'Seeing her reaction to the positive test and seeing Maisie for the first time on the ultrasound was so indescribable.'

Austin even chimed and noted he only felt a 'little awkward', but was happy to have a baby girl.

Austin said: 'It never felt any different to me than our son. She was ours from the start.

'It was a little awkward watching our friend give birth, but I wouldn't change it for anything.'
A mother with 13 kids has revealed that she was pregnant at the same time as her daughter - and is now a grandma at age 36.

Veronica Merritt, from New York, has become well known on social media for sharing an inside look at her life as a mother-of-13 - which involves spending three hours on preparing dinner, driving around in a school bus, and color-coding their clothes.

Now, she has expanded her family once again, but this time, it was her daughter who gave birth - just two months after she did.

Her oldest child, Victoria, 22, welcomed her first baby, a little girl named Maddie, six weeks ago, and she said it was 'pretty cool' to be pregnant at the same time as her mom, who gave birth to a baby boy eight weeks earlier.

A mother (top row, second from right) with 13 kids has revealed that she was pregnant at the same time as her daughter (standing to the left) - and is now a grandma at age 36

Veronica Merritt, from New York, has become well known on social media for sharing an inside look at her life as a mother-of-13

Now, she has expanded her family once again, but this time, it was her daughter who gave birth - just two months after she did. The mother-daughter duo are seen with their kids

'It was pretty cool and our kids can be besties,' she told Truly recently, with Veronica adding, 'I think it's fabulous, I think it's so cute that they're gonna grow up together.

Her oldest child, Victoria (pictured), 22, welcomed her first baby, a little girl named Maddie, six weeks ago, and she said it was 'pretty cool' to be pregnant at the same time as her mom

'Being pregnant at the same time as my daughter isn't something that I ever thought was gonna happen but I think it's pretty cool.'

Veronica previously explained to The Sun that she became pregnant for the first time when she was just 14 years old.

Victoria was born in 1999, and five years later, she and her first husband welcomed their son Andrew, 17.

After they divorced, she married her second husband Marty, 38, and they went on to have eight more children together.

They're now parents to Adam, 16, Mara, 14, Dash, 13, Darla, 11, Marvelous, nine, Martalya, seven, Amelia, five, Delilah, four, Donovan, two, and Modie, three months. She also recently adopted a son, named Michel, 16.

According to Veronica, she can't take birth control because she suffers from kidney disease and it makes her too sick.

Veronica previously explained to The Sun that she became pregnant for the first time when she was just 14 years old (pictured), welcoming Victoria in 1999

After they divorced, she married her second husband Marty, 38, and they went on to have eight more children together. She is pictured with her first husband

They're now parents to Adam, 16, Mara, 14, Dash, 13, Darla, 11, Marvelous, nine, Martalya, seven, Amelia, five, Delilah, four, Donovan, two, and Modie, three months

She also recently adopted a son, named Michel, 16 (pictured)

'I have kidney disease and lost my kidney last year,' she told the outlet back in August.

According to Veronica, she can't take birth control because she suffers from kidney disease and it makes her too sick

'Some of the children were planned, but I can't take hormonal birth control because my illness means I am prone to blood clots.'

While speaking to Truly, Veronica admitted that the family is often met with stares from strangers when they're out in public - who will say things like, 'Wow you have your hands full,' or, 'Are they all yours?'

She has also received some backlash from people on the internet, who have slammed her for having so many children.

'I get a lot of mixed reactions on my TikTok and Instagram. A lot of them are super supportive, but there's a lot of negativity as well,' she admitted.

'There's a lot of hate for pretty much no reason. We're really nice people and if people took the time to get to know us, they would know that.'

Veronica explained to Truly that being a mom to 13 kids involves spending three hours on preparing dinner, driving around in a school bus, and color-coding their clothes

Veronica (seen with her two youngest kids) admitted that the family is often met with stares from strangers when they're out in public

She said she has also received some backlash from people on the internet, who have slammed her for having so many children

'I think you shouldn't bully people just because they live a little differently than you.'

Back in December, Veronica came under fire after she admitted she made 'no effort' in making her kids' meals because she was too 'tired and cranky' in a TikTok video

Back in December, Veronica came under fire after she admitted she made 'no effort' in making her kids' meals because she was too 'tired and cranky' in a TikTok video - giving them things like mac and cheese, ramen noodles, and cereal.

'Today, I made no effort to cook anything fancy for my 11 kids,' she wrote in a now-viral video, while showing some of her kids eating Fruit Loop cereal.

'I know it was all sugar, salt, and junk but I'm tired, pregnant, and cranky. Go ahead and hate on me, I don't care, I'm human, I have off days. At least the kids ate!'

Throughout the clip, viewers also saw some of them eating ramen noodles, and others eating macaroni and cheese.

People quickly flooded the comment section with their thoughts, with one telling her that she shouldn't have had so many kids, another reminding her, 'They are not toys,' and a third calling it 'irresponsible.'

The mom-of-13 has also claimed that people have accused her of using the children to get free food, as she receives assistance from the government.

Throughout the clip, viewers saw them eating cereal, ramen noodles, and macaroni and cheese

Viewers slammed her in the comments, with one telling her that she shouldn't have had so many kids, another reminding her, 'They are not toys,' and a third calling it 'irresponsible'

'One thing I hate is how people go on and on about how we get food assistance,' she told Truly, while discussing some of the hateful comments she has gotten.

'I can't stress this enough - I didn't have kids because I wanted food assistance. That's an absolutely ridiculous thing that people have been accusing me of.

'We don't even get enough to cover a full month of food. It's such a silly thought, why would I give myself more work and more year-round expenses to save money on groceries?'

The mom previously revealed she uses a color-coded system to keep track of the kids' stuff, meaning each of them is assigned a color - and she buys all their clothes and toys in that color, that way they can always tell who it belongs to.

'The color-coding system is incorporated into almost everything,' she explained to The Sun.

The mom previously revealed she uses a color-coded system to keep track of the kids' stuff, meaning each of them is assigned a color - and she buys all their clothes and toys in that color

The family lives in a nine-bedroom fixer-upper home that they bought for $20,000, and Veronica drives her kids around in a school bus

According to Veronica, she's reached her limit and doesn't plan on having any more. She said: 'This is the end, this time I'm done... Probably.' Some of her 13 kids are seen above

'Anything I can find in their color I'll buy - their clothes, their toys, their sheets, towels, toothbrushes, cups, and plates. It's almost obsessive.'

The family lives in a nine-bedroom fixer-upper home that they bought for $20,000, and Veronica drives her kids around in a school bus.

As for why she loves having such a big family, the influencer explained to Truly, 'I've met a lot of people in my life, and not everyone is chill and cool and awesome and my kids are.

'I think it's really awesome and great that they're going to have each other. I believe the most awesome thing in life is to have people to love who love you back.'

And according to Veronica, she's reached her limit at 13 children and doesn't plan on having any more.

'This is the end, this time I'm done... Probably,' she joked.
The Danish royal household has hit back after Prince Joachim claimed his four children were only given five days' notice that they would be stripped of their titles by their grandmother Queen Margrethe.

The palace said in a statement today that there are a 'lot of emotions' but that the decision had been a 'long time coming' and was designed to 'future-proof' the monarchy.

It came after Prince Joachim, 53, the youngest of Margrethe's two sons, said his children Nikolai, 23, Felix, 20, Henrik, 13, and Athena, 10, had been 'harmed' by the news that they will have prince and princess removed from their titles, and will no longer be able to use His or Her Royal Highness.

'We are all very sad. It's never fun to see your children being harmed. They are been put in a situation they do not understand,' he said in an interview with Danish news outlet Ekstra Bladet today.

Prince Joachim, who is sixth-in-line to the throne behind his brother and his children, was speaking outside the Danish Embassy in Paris, where he lives with his second wife Marie and their children Henrik and Athena. Nikolai and Felix, who are both models, are the product of his first marriage to Alexandra, Countess of Frederiksborg.

Alexandra, 58, who was married to Prince Joachim for 10 years until 2005, said the news came like a 'bolt out of the blue' and her sons now feel 'ostracised' from their family. Her spokesperson also claimed Joachim learned the news through a royal aide, rather than from his mother directly.

Margrethe's other four grandchildren - Prince Christian, 16, Princess Isabella, 15, and 11-year-old twins Prince Vincent and Princess Josephine - born to her eldest son and heir Crown Prince Frederik will maintain their titles.

The move has created an 'icy' atmosphere within the Royal Family, according to one local media report, and has driven a wedge between a seemingly united family. 'There has never been a public conflict between the Queen and Prince Joachim,' Danish royal reporter Kenth Madsen told FEMAIL.

Indeed, they put on a united front just weeks ago when they celebrated Queen Margrethe's Golden Jubilee.

Prince Joachim of Denmark has said his four children have been hurt by their grandmother Queen Margrethe's decision to strip them of their royal titles as he spoke for the first time since the bombshell announcement

Prince Joachim (right back), 53, the youngest of Margrethe's two sons, said he was only given five days' notice that Nikolai (left), 23, Felix (second from left), 20, Henrik (far right), 13, and Athena (second from right), 10, will have prince or princess removed from their titles, and will no longer be able to use His or Her Royal Highness. Pictured with their grandmother Queen Margrethe (centre) and Princess Isabella (behind Princess Athena)

Speaking at a function at the National Museum in Copenhagen last night, pictured, Margrethe said: 'It is a consideration I have had for quite a long time and I think it will be good for them in their future. That is the reason'

Front: Queen Margrethe, Middle Row (left to right): Prince Vincent, Princess Josephine, Princess Athena, Prince Henrik. Back row (left to right): Princess Benedikte, Princess Isabella, Crown Princess Mary, Crown Prince Frederik, Prince Christian, Prince Joachim, Princess Marie, Prince Felix and Prince Nikolai in a portrait celebrating Queen Margrethe's Golden Jubilee

The move is said to have driven a wedge between Margrethe and her four grandchildren. Pictured, the Queen (centre) with sons Joachim (left) and Crown Prince Frederick (right). Also pictured: Crown Prince Frederick's wife, Crown Princess Mary (right) and son Prince Christian (in his lap) and Prince Nikolai and Prince Felix (left) who will be affected by the change

Prince Nikolai of Denmark, 23, walks runway during the Dior Pre-Fall 2019 Men's Collection show on November 30, 2018. He has also appeared on the cover of Vogue Scandinavia

Prince Joachim's children Nikolai, 23, Felix, 20, Henrik, 13, and Athena, 10, will all be losing their titles on January 1 2023

Queen Margrethe, 82, who attended the funeral with her eldest son Crown Prince Frederick, said she hoped the move would allow her grandchildren to 'shape their own lives without being limited by the special considerations and duties' that come with a formal affiliation with the Danish Royal Family.

The statement also hinted that it is a move designed to streamline the monarchy - in echoes of King Charles' desire for the British Royal Family, and those of other European royal households.

Queen Margrethe last night defended her decision, saying at an event in Copenhagen: 'It is a consideration I have had for quite a long time and I think it will be good for them in their future. That is the reason.'

It had been reported that Prince Joachim was first informed of the decision in May, however he has claimed this morning that he was only informed of the decision five days ago.

Prince Nikolai and Prince Felix's mother says she's 'in shock' by move to strip them of their royal titles Alexandra, Countess of Frederiksborg - Prince Joachim's ex-wife and mother to Prince Nikolai and Prince Felix - said she is in shock over Queen Margrethe II of Denmarks decision to strip her sons of their royal titles. Nikolai, 23, and Felix, 20, along with their younger siblings Prince Henri, 13, and Princess Athen, 10, from their fathers second marriage, will all have their titles of prince and princess removed from January 1 2023, the palace announced yesterday. We are all confused by the decision. We are saddened and in shock, Alexandra said in a statement from her press advisor Helle von Wildenrath Lvgreen, reported Danish magazine Se og Hr. Earlier this month, Alexandra attended Queen Margrethe's Golden Jubilee celebrations at the Danish Royal Theatre in Copenhagen (pictured) The statement continued: This comes like a bolt from the blue. The children feel ostracised. They cannot understand why their identity is being taken away from them. Earlier this month, Alexandra attended Queen Margrethe's Golden Jubilee celebrations at the Danish Royal Theatre in Copenhagen. Prince Joachim married his second wife Princess Marie in 2008, and they later welcomed Prince Henrik and Princess Athena. Advertisement

'I was given five days' notice to tell them. In May, I was presented with a plan which, by and large, was that when the children each turned 25, it would happen.

'Now I had only five days to tell them. Athena turns 11 in January,' he clarified.

His ex-wife, Countess Alexandra, added in a statement to Danish magazine Se og Hr: 'This comes like a bolt from the blue. The children feel ostracized. They cannot understand why their identity is being taken away from them.'

Her spokesperson Helle von Wildenrath Lvgreen told another news organisation that Joachim learned of his children's fate via an aide.

Queen Margrethe spoke neither to her sons nor her grandchildren, it is claimed.

'The children have received the message that they are losing their titles, delivered by their father, just as Countess Alexandra was told by Prince Joachim,' the spokesperson added.

This afternoon the Royal Household released another statement, saying: 'As the Queen stated yesterday, the decision has been a long time coming.

'We understand that there are many emotions at stake at the moment, but we hope that the Queen's wish to future-proof the Royal Household will be respected.'

Under the agreement, Nikolai, Felix, Henrik, and Athena will be known as either His Excellency Count of Monpezat or Her Excellency Countess of Monpezat from January 1, 2023.

However they will maintain their positions in the order of succession.

They are currently seventh, eighth, ninth and tenth, but would move down if any of Crown Prince Frederick's children were to have children.

The bombshell announcement was made in a statement released yesterday by the Danish Royal Household.

It read: 'In April 2008, Her Majesty the Queen conferred the titles of Count, Countess and Comtesse of Monpezat on her sons, their spouses and their descendants.

'In May 2016, it was also announced that His Royal Highness Prince Christian, as the only one of the Queen's grandchildren, is expected to receive an annuity from the state as an adult.

'As a natural extension of this, Her Majesty has decided that with effect from 1 January 2023, the descendants of His Royal Highness Prince Joachim can only use their titles as Count and Countess of Monpezat, as their previous titles as Prince and Princess of Denmark will lapse.

'Prince Joachim's descendants will henceforth have to be addressed as Excellencies.

'The Queen's decision is in line with similar adaptations that other royal houses have implemented in different ways in recent years.

'With her decision, Her Majesty the Queen wants to create the framework for the four grandchildren to be able to shape their own lives to a much greater extent without being limited by the special considerations and duties that a formal affiliation with the Royal House of Denmark as an institution involves.

'All four grandchildren maintain their places in the order of succession,' concluded the statement.

Margrethe, who is the world's longest serving queen and celebrates her Golden Jubilee this year, is affectionately known as 'aunt Daisy' by European royals due to her close personal ties with many reigning monarchs.

Prince Nikolai, from left, Princess Marie, Prince Joachim and Prince Felix arrive for the command performance at the Danish Royal Theatre to mark the 50th anniversary of Danish Queen Margrethe II's accession to the throne in Copenhagen, Saturday, September 10, 2022

Prince Nikolai of Denmark celebrated his 23rd birthday in August at home with his parents and siblings in Copenhagen. Pictured left with Prince Felxi, 20, Prince Henrick, 13 and Princess Athena, ten

Nikolai with his stepmother Princess Marie, siblings, and father Prince Joachim, on the balcony of Amalienborg palace during the Danish Queen's 78th Birthday in April 2018

Out of a title: The four grandchildren who will no longer be TRHs Nikolai of Denmark, 23: The Copenhagen Business School student and model regularly tops lists of the world's most eligible bachelors. He lives in Denmark but has jetted around the world to walk for designers in Paris and London. Nikolai has also appeared on the cover of Vogue Scandinavia. Felix of Denmark, 20: Following in his brother's footsteps, Prince Felix has also had success as a model and has starred in an advertising campaign for Georg Jensen. He had a short stint at the Royal Danish Military Academy but quit after two months because it 'wasn't for him'. Henrik, 13, and Athena, 10, of Denmark: The youngest of Prince Joachim's four children, Henrik and Athena are the product of his second marriage to Princess Marie. They live with their parents in Paris. Advertisement

She is a first cousin of Sweden's King Carl XVI Gustaf and a second cousin of Norway's King Harald V.

She enjoyed a close relationship with the Queen, a distant cousin, and the Duke of Edinburgh, and shared deeply personal tributes following their deaths.

She was joined by her son Crown Prince Frederick at the Queen's funeral earlier this month.

The Queen seemingly enjoys a close relationship with both sons and all eight of her grandchildren, and makes regular appearances with both families.

However there is now said to be an 'ice-cold air' between the Queen and her grandchildren.

'There is ice-cold air between Queen Margrethe and her grandchildren after she decided that they will lose their titles as prince and princess from the New Year,' leading Danish publication Ekstra Bladet reported.

'The news, which has crushed both the four children and their parents, was not delivered by the queen herself.

'They have not been called to Amalienborg for a cold coke and an explanation as to why they must henceforth be addressed as counts and countesses. Not even that far.'

Queen Margrethe has a well-cushioned allowance, with the Danish Civil List granting her 800,813 a month, or 9.6 million for the year to run the royal household - including staff, properties and administration, according to Business Insider.

Meanwhile, Celebrity Net Worth lists her net worth at around 37million.

Around 183,750 per month is reportedly given to the Queens children. Crown Prince Frederik receives the largest amount of this money, of which 10 per cent is given to his wife, Princess Mary.

Many of the Danish Royal Familys properties are owned by the state, and run by the Agency for Palaces and Cultural Properties.

Both of Margrethe's grandsons turned to modelling in their late teens. Pictured with their grandmother in May 2021

Felix made his modelling debut in February by posing in a series of moody snaps for jeweller Georg Jensen's new Reflect collection

Nikolai modelling a short and gloves and a leather bumbag for Dior during Paris fashion week in 2020

Left Nikolai wearing a pastel suit for Dior in 2018 at Paris Fashion Week. Right: The royal strutting his stuff on the runway in January 2020

This includes the main residence of Amalienborg, their spring home of Fredensborg palace, their summer house of Grasten Palace and the hunting lodge Eremitageslottet .

The Danish Queens personal properties include Marselisborg Castle, Chateau de Caix in France, and the royal hunting lodge in Jutland at Trend.

Prince Joachim lives with his second wife Princess Marie in Paris, where he has been working as a Defense Attache at the Danish Embassy since September 2020 - but when he returns home to Denmark it is sometimes to the Schackenborg Castle in southern Jutland.

The estate was the prince's private residence from 1993 to 2014, before he sold the property.

But since Prince Joachim and Princess Marie are on the board of the Schackenborg Castle Foundation, they occasionally return to live there for short periods of time.

In the summer of 2020, Prince Joachim suffered a stroke while holidaying in France with his family and had to be rushed into hospital for emergency brain surgery.

Prince Joachim's eldest sons, Felix and Nikolai, are Margrethe's eldest grandsons and have embraced a life in the public eye.

The 20-somethings, who both live in Denmark, both enrolled in the National Military Academy but dropped out before completing their studies.

They have enjoyed flourishing careers as models, posing for several advert campaigns and on the cover of magazines.

Nikolai caught international attention in 2018 when he walked in the Burberry show at London Fashion week, before a front row that included Kate Moss, Naomi Campbell, Michelle Dockery, Naomi Watts, Zendaya, and Idris Elba.

He is signed to Scoop Models agency in Denmark and has been multiplying his modelling gigs.

Nikolai in a loose, tailored suit on the runway during the Dior Homme Menswear Spring/Summer 2019 in Paris in 2018

Nikolai has become a runway staple at every fashion show after making his debut for Burberry in 2018, left. Right, pictured walking for Dior Homme Menswear that same year

The grandson of Queen Margrethe made royal swoons in his official birthday portraits, pictured, before taking to modelling

Extending an olive branch? Danish Royal Court shares photo of Princess Marie - hours after announcing her children will be stripped of their titles This morning, the Danish Royal Court's official Instagram account posted a photo of Marie Agathe Odile Cavallier, the second wife of Prince Joachim. The post was to acknowledge French-born Princess Marie's appearance on Danish television to mark the country's national Food Waste day. Her Royal Highness spoke to the Danish schoolchildren at the Save Food event from her kitchen in Paris in a pre-recorded video message. The Instagram photo caption read: 'Her Royal Highness Princess Marie, who for a number of years has been engaged in the fight against food waste, sent a video greeting to school children from her kitchen in Paris.' Princess Marie was featured on the official Instagram account just a day after Queen Margrethe revealed the children she shares with Prince Joachim, Henrik, 13, and Athena, 10, were to be stripped of their Prince/Princess titles and would no longer be referred to as His/Her Royal Highness. Princess Marie of Denmark appeared on the Danish Palace's official Instagram account today as she appeared via video message at a food waste event from her home in Paris Advertisement

He sent royal fans into a frenzy in February when he graced the cover of Vogue Scandinavia.

The 22-year-old oozed sophistication when appearing in the magazine and looked effortlessly stylish in a matching pink Dior jacket and trousers as he posed in front of a number of colourful flowers.

When he is not modelling, Nikolai is studying Business Administration and Service Management at the In 2019, Prince Nikolai began his B education at Copenhagen Business School.

Last year he was living in Paris as part of a school exchange, and could see his younger siblings and his dad more easily.

At the end of last year, he started training at the Royal Danish Military Academy to become an Army Lieutenant, but in October it was announced that he'd quit after just two months because it 'wasn't for him'.

Prince Felix chose to make his modelling debut for jeweller Georg Jensen, appearing in pictures and an advert promoting the new Reflect collection of necklaces, earrings and rings.

The royal is further down the line of succession, pursuing his own career path rather than being a 'working royal' was expected choice for Felix even before his grandmother's announcement, and modelling is certainly a popular choice for minor royals across the globe.

While they are growing to be their own person, Felix and Nikolai do attend royal events on occasion.

They both looked very dapper as they attended the celebrations for their grandmother's golden jubilee with their parents in early September.

Princess Marie with Prince Joachim, Prince Felix, Prince Nikolai, Princess Athena and Prince Henrick with Joachim's first wife's Alexandra, Countess of Frederiksborg in 2020

Queen Margrethe and Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark at the State Funeral of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. Margrethe tested positive for Covid-19 only 24 hours after Queen Elizabeth II's funeral on Monday September 19

Queen Margrethe was pictured out and about for the first time on Monday after testing positive for Covid-19 last week. She attended a gala dinner at the Grand Hotel in Oslo after receiving the Nordic Association's Language Award

Queen Margrethe of Denmark, 82, attended the 'reception of the century' at Buckingham Palace, which was hosted by King Charles and Camilla before Queen Elizabeth II's funeral

Margrethe tested positive for Covid-19 last Tuesday, just 24 hours after attending Queen Elizabeth II's funeral and mourning events in London.

She was in attendance at Westminster Abbey along with her son Crown Prince Frederik, and the two went on to the Queen's Committal Service in Windsor afterward.

The royal also paid her respects to the Queen by visiting her coffin in Westminster Hall the night before the Queen's funeral, and attended the Buckingham Palace 'reception of the century' where she was pictured chatting closely with King Charles.

On Monday, the monarch made her first appearance since she tested positive for Covid, joining Queen Sonja of Norway at a literary event in Oslo.

Queen Sonja of Norway presented the Nordic Associations annual language award to Queen Margrethe of Denmark at Nordens Hus before they attended a gala at the Grand Hotel.

Margrethe wore a vibrant long pink skirt for the gala dinner, which she paired with a navy blue lace top.

She pinned her hair tightly back and was pictured with a navy shawl over her shoulders as she arrived at the Grand Hotel.
Windsor Castle has reopened for the first time after the Queen's death, meaning the public can visit the final resting place of the great monarch.

The palace has been closed since the Queen passed away peacefully at Balmoral Castle, in Scotland, on September 8.

People are able to visit the Queen's final resting place and the stone slab inscribed with her name in the George VI Memorial Chapel after the Castle opened its doors at 10am today.

Visitors can see the chapel as part of a ticket to Windsor Castle, which costs 26.50 for adults during the week and 28.50 on Saturdays.

Tickets for children cost 14.50 in the week and 15.50 on Saturday.

Windsor Castle has reopened for the first time after the Queen's death, meaning the public can visit the final resting place of the great monarch. Pictured: The Union flag over Windsor Castle returned to full mast as the mourning period ended

The ledger stone in the Chapel is made from Belgian black marble and has the Queen's name inscribed in gold lettering, alongside the Queen mother 's, the former King and the Duke of Edinburgh , who died aged 99 in April 2021

Her Majesty was interred alongside her husband, Prince Philip, and her parents King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother. Pictured: The stone before the death of Queen Elizabeth II

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

The money will go to the Royal Collection Trust (RCT), a charity that looks after the monarchy's art collection and suffered a 30million deficit as a result of the pandemic.

Her Majesty has now been reunited with her beloved husband, loving parents, and dearest sister in the King George VI Memorial Chapel in St George's Chapel after her interment.

The ledger stone in the Chapel is made from Belgian black marble and has the Queen's name inscribed in gold lettering, alongside the Queen mother's, the former King and the Duke of Edinburgh, who died aged 99 in April 2021.

The coffin of Queen Elizabeth II being carried by the right pallbearers leaving the State Funeral held at Westminster Abbey

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

Members of the public threw flowers and bouquets which covered the royal hearse as the Queen arrived in Windsor on September 19

King Charles III places the Queen's Company Camp Colour of the Grenadier Guards on Her Majesty's coffin at Monday's committal service

In list form, the stone reads: 'George VI 1895-1952' and 'Elizabeth 1900-2002' before a metal Garter Star and then 'Elizabeth II 1926-2022' and 'Philip 1921-2021'.

As 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 for the first chance to see her final resting place.

However, an RCT spokesman stressed that only a limited number of castle tickets are sold each day in timed, 15-minute slots.

An RCT spokesman added visitors would not be able to bring flowers inside the castle.

A sea of people, holding flags and bunting, lined the route into Windsor as Her Majesty made her final journey on September 19

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 today

The working royals started official duties again after the mourning period for Her Majesty ended on September 27.

On Tuesday the Prince and Princess of Wales arrived for their first official visit to the country since receiving their titles.

Meanwhile, the Royal Family's social media accounts have marked the end of the mourning period and a new era following the death of Queen Elizabeth II.

Accounts for the Royal Family and the Prince and Princess of Wales, which had displayed the royal crest as their profile pictures following the Queen's death, have now been changed to show pictures of the reigning monarch King Charles with Queen Consort Camilla, and Kate and William.


Leaders should learn new skills, celebrate small wins for digital transformation in legacy newsrooms



By Kim Yoo-chul



Over the last few decades, media organizations have been pursuing a so-called "red ocean strategy," a business plan involving competition in an existing industry. The primary goal of this strategy is to beat the competition and exploit present demand. Food and media industries, for example, are considered to be the active followers of this strategy as there are a lot of smaller companies also competing for market share.



In fact, media organizations are being increasingly threatened due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which has forced legacy and old media to thoroughly rethink the way they do business. Legacy newsrooms, for example, are feeling pressured to defend their bottom lines amid the continued fall in newspaper circulation and flattening advertising sales. This situation makes it pretty obvious to them that change is needed if they intend to evolve or simply stay afloat.



But the pandemic itself hasn't led to a sharp fall in readership numbers. In fact, exactly the opposite has happened. Overall, the media industry has displayed solid growth in terms of content consumption over the last few years.



Leading media organizations here saw an increase in the number of digital subscribers, creating momentum to move forward with detailed, digital-oriented strategies at an even faster pace.





Maryam Daryabegi / Courtesy of Innovation Bazar

Now, a New York-based digital strategist and entrepreneur said the successful transition from old and legacy media to digital requires strong management skills and a mindset geared for improvement in every area of the business.



"The media industry has gone through a lot of changes in the past decade and will go through more changes in the coming years. Old (legacy) media companies need to grow with their audience. They need to make efforts to invest in new business models to better connect with their users on multiple touch points and to generate more revenue. Most media companies are shifting towards a more digital model and if they don't make changes now, they will fall behind," Maryam Daryabegi, a design thinking professor at New York University (NYU), said in a recent interview with The Korea Times.



Daryabegi, who is also an educator for the executive certificate course in digital business strategy at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's (MIT) Sloan School of Management, added it is imperative for legacy media companies to leverage data-driven capabilities and transform digitally to achieve sustainable growth.



"In the old days, media companies operated in a slower environment, which required much more planning and investment. Whereas transitioning into digital, enables faster experimentation, testing and iterations in short cycles," the expert, also an Inaugural Forbes Women Nominee in 2021, added.



Asset mix, channel strategy: ideas for small market players



The digital transition of legacy media might seem difficult, time consuming and expensive. This process also includes improving the work culture, reassessment of journalism and expanding business models.



In Korea, the news content ecosystem is largely dominated by several major vernacular dailies and dozens of TV channels. Small market players, therefore, are forced to limit their ability to produce quality journalism in already constrained market conditions.



Daryabegi, who helped transform some of the most successful firms including IBM, Pfizer, JPMorgan, Bank of America, Credit Suisse, BASF and Neiman Marcus, presented several applicable and actionable strategies that could be executed by traditional media companies with small market shares.



"The best applicable strategies that will help old media organizations with small market share get digital capabilities are _ identify channel strategy, invest in premium content, review the asset mix, redefine data-driven content and change the structure but gradually," she said, adding small market players could leverage a customer-first approach to create sustained growth.





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Grand Designs viewers have blasted the design of a 1.5 million house which they think resembles a US high-security prison.

Married couple Sarah and Mike set out to build a farming longhouse in the Derbyshire Dales where they could live alongside each of their parents, which they hoped would cost 900,000 to construct but actually coming in at 1.2 million.

The farming longhouse is a centuries-old house design which is meant to protect both farmers and livestock from the elements as wind and rain batter the land.

Viewers slammed the house built by Mike and Sarah in the Derbyshire Dales on this week's episode of Grand Designs

Mike and Sarah built a huge farming longhouse which had an open-plan kitchen, dining and living area

The house also contained separate living quarters for Mike's parents, Jean and Robin, and Sarah's mother, Sylvia

Sarah and Mike (pictured) revealed at the end of the episode that their project had cost nearly 1.5 million including the 250,000 they had spent on purchasing the land

However after seeing Sarah and Mike's modernised version of the traditionally bricked style, viewers expressed their disappointment on Twitter, likening their family home to a 'Miami mega-jail'.

At the beginning of the programme, presenter Kevin McCloud also hinted at his scepticism over the idea, saying it was 'quite romantic in a way' but adding 'it's not an idea you want to repeat in the 21st Century'.

Mike and Sarah, who were living on a cul-de-sac in Derby when they first embarked on the project, said they were at a crossroads after both their daughters, Francesca and Isabella, had gone off to university and moved away after graduating.

However, having bought a small farm holding several years earlier and taking on the flock of sheep that came with it, the couple decided it was time to build their own home on the swathe of land, which would also provide a home for Mike's parents, Jean and Robin, and Sarah's mother, Sylvia.

While speaking to Kevin, the couple said they had paid 250,000 for the land in the first place and were looking at an estimated 900,000 to build the house they wanted - adding up to nearly 1.2million in total.

A year and nine months after they began the project, Kevin went back to visit Sarah and Mike, who were living in the property with their parents

Viewers blasted the design of the house as looking like a 'Miami mega jail' or a 'supermax prison' seen in US crime documetaries

Inside the house, the vast space included a dining room with a high ceiling that allowed light to come into the living area

Mike and Sarah bought the small farming space several years earlier and, with no prior experience, took on a flock of sheep

However, from the savings the pair already had, plus the money they were due to receive from the sale of their cul-de-sac home, the couple believed they had the cash to make it happen. They also hoped the project would be completed in around a year.

'We were complete novices - we don't come from farming families or anything,' Sarah admitted at the beginning of the episode.

However, Mike admitted there was a huge obstacle standing in the way of their vision, as there had previously been 26 planning applications put in to build a residential property on the site - all of which had been rejected.

In order to ensure their planning application was accepted, the couple had to submit plans for a house of 'exceptional architectural quality' that could become part of the landscape.

However in 2020, two years after submitting their application, Mike and Sarah were informed it had been accepted.

Explaining the plans for their 500sq m house to Kevin, Mike said: 'It is a beautiful design.'

Mike and Sarah were only granted planning permission for the house after applying to build a home of 'outstanding architectural quality' - which viewers disputed

Kevin was shown around the almost-finished product by Mike and Sarah in August 2022, one year and nine months after they started building

Viewers were left unimpressed by the design of the house and took to Twitter to air their opinions on it

The original design included an open plan kitchen, dining and living area, plus an accessible bedroom and bathroom for Mike's parents.

It also included private living quarters for Sylvia on the other side of the porch.

Mike and Sarah also made space within their extravagant design for an orchard and a space to grow fruit and vegetables, as well as plenty of resources for their livestock.

However, when Kevin went back to visit the couple in August 2022, a year and nine months after first meeting them and after the family had moved into the home, viewers took to Twitter to express their distaste at the finished product.

One person joked the cubic design of the house resembled a 'Miami mega-jail' from a Louis Theroux documentary.

Others agreed, with one person joking: 'I want a house that looks like a supermax prison.'

One viewer thought the design of the house looked more like a 'cross between a primary school and a health centre' - but agreed it was nothing like a family home.

After the couple admitted at the beginning of the episode they had been granted planning permission to build a house of 'outstanding architectural quality', one viewer joked on Twitter they had actually built an 'Amazon warehouse'.
As Danish princes, Nikolai and Felix were given a charmed start in life.

The eldest grandsons of Queen Margrethe and Henrik, the King Consort, the boys, 23 and 20, grew up in the royal residences of Copenhagen, holidayed in the royal family's European properties, and enjoyed all the privileges that came with their titles and the doors it opened.

Even after the divorce of their parents, Prince Joachim and Alexandra, Countess of Frederiksborg, in 2004, the royals enjoyed the finer things in life, living between the Danish capital and Paris, where their father relocated with his new wife, Princess Marie, in 2020.

However, their grandmother the Queen took her family by surprise yesterday when she stripped four of her grandchildren of their royal titles.

Under the agreement, Nikolai, Felix, Henrik, and Athena will be known as either His Excellency Count of Monpezat or Her Excellency Countess of Monpezat from January 1, 2023. However they will maintain their positions in the order of succession.

Both of Margrethe's grandsons turned to modelling in their late teens. Pictured with their grandmother in May 2021

Nikolai modelling a short and gloves and a leather bumbag for Dior during Paris fashion week in 2020

The royal looked casual in a knitted sweater and leather trousers as he modelling silver jewellery for the shoot

Nikolai and his mother Alexandra, Countess of Frederiksborg, on the day of his brother Felix's christening in Moegeltoender church in southern Jutland in 2002

Prince Christian, Princess Isabella, Prince Vincent and Princess Josephine, left, the children of Crown Prince Frederick, will retain their royal titles. Meanwhile, Nikolai, Felix, Henrik and Athena, right, will not be called Princes and Princess anymore, but 'His or Her Excellencies'

Joachim married Countess Alexandra in Copenhagen in 1995 after a whirlwind courtship, and the couple welcomed Nikolai in 1999, and Felix in 2002.

Their sons were raised between the buzz of Copenhagen - the heart of the Danish royal family - and their parents' residences in Europe, notably The Chateau de Cayx, near Toulouse, in France, where the family liked to spend their summer holidays.

The couple and their children also lived in several of the Danish royal family's grand palaces, including Schackenborg Castle, in Sourthern Jutland, where Joachim settled from 1993 to 2014.

Nikolai studied at Krebs School like his father, before attending the prestigious Herlufsholm School in Nstved until his late teens.

Prince Nikolai of Denmark celebrated his 23rd birthday in August at home with his parents and siblings in Copenhagen. Pictured left with Prince Felix, 20, Prince Henrik, 13 and Princess Athena, ten

Felix was also educated at Krebs School, before completing is upper secondary education at Gammel Hellerup Gymnasium. He was the first member of the Danish royal family to attend a public upper secondary school.

Joachim and Alexandra split in 2005 in what was the Danish family's first divorce since 1846.

At the time, Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen expressed his Government's "great regret" at the news in a statement.

'It is a difficult and deeply personal decision that the prince and princess have had to make together,' he said. 'It is a big decision that we must all respect and understand.'

The couple remained amicable and have come together on several occasions to support their children or mark family milestones.

Countess Alexandra was given the curtesy to retain the title 'princess' upon remarrying.

The grandson of Queen Margrethe made royal swoons in his official birthday portraits, pictured, before taking to modelling

Nikolai with his stepmother Princess Marie, siblings, and father Prince Joachim, on the balcony of Amalienborg palace during the Danish Queen's 78th Birthday in April 2018

Prince Joachim remarried in 2008, to Marie Cavalier, who is now known as Princess Marie.

The advertising exec was born and raised in Paris, and met the Danish prince in 2005.

Their courtship lasted two years before their engagement was made official, with their wedding taking place in 2008.

Joachim had two more children with Marie, Henrik, 13, and Athena, 10, who live in Paris with the couple.

After leaving high-school, Nikolai started a two-year military program at the Royal Danish Army's Sergeant School, but dropped out after two months, feeling a career in the military would not suit him.

He took to the runway instead.

Prince Felix looking moody in a modelling shot. The royal is just starting his modelling career after having quit his military training last year

Nikolai and Felix with their parents, Princess Marie and Prince Joachim, during the celebrations of the 50th anniversary of the Queen's accession to the throne on September 10

Nikolai caught international attention in 2018 when he walked in the Burberry show at London Fashion week, before a front row that included Kate Moss, Naomi Campbell, Michelle Dockery, Naomi Watts, Zendaya, and Idris Elba.

He is signed to Scoop Models agency in Denmark and has been enjoying high profile modelling gigs ever since. In February, he sent royal fans into a frenzy when he graced the cover of Vogue Scandinavia.

The 22-year-old oozed sophistication when appearing in the magazine and looked effortlessly stylish in a matching pink Dior jacket and trousers as he posed in front of a number of colourful flowers.

When he is not modelling, Nikolai is studying Business Administration and Service Management at the In 2019, Prince Nikolai began his B education at Copenhagen Business School.

Last year he was living in Paris as part of a school exchange, and could see his younger siblings and his dad more easily.

His younger brother Felix has since then followed into his footsteps and posed in a series of moody snaps for jeweller Georg Jensen's new Reflect collection in February this year.

The handsome royals have grown up in the spotlight, thanks to being the Queen's grandsons, but they were always expected to be working royals

Growing up, Felix and Nikolai were never afraid to show their cheeky side in front of the cameras

At the end of last year, he started training at the Royal Danish Military Academy to become an Army Lieutenant, but in October it was announced that he'd quit after just two months because it 'wasn't for him'.

Prince Felix chose to make his modelling debut for jeweller Georg Jensen, appearing in pictures and an advert promoting the new Reflect collection of necklaces, earrings and rings.

The royal is further down the line of succession, pursuing his own career path rather than being a 'working royal' was expected choice for Felix even before his grandmother's announcement, and modelling is certainly a popular choice for minor royals across the globe.

The two handsome royals are naturals at making fans swoon by showing off their good looks in snaps

Nikolai in a loose, tailored suit on the runway during the Dior Homme Menswear Spring/Summer 2019 in Paris in 2018

Left Nikolai wearing a pastel suit for Dior in 2018 at Paris Fashion Week. Right: The royal strutting his stuff on the runway in January 2020

No further detail was given about his plans for the future, but it now seems the youngster is eyeing up a career in modelling.

While they are growing to be their own person, Felix and Nikolai do attend royal events on occasion.

They both looked very dapper as they attended the celebrations for their grandmother's golden jubilee with their parents in early September.

But it is not known how their change of status will impact their public appearances as royals.

Nikolai has become a runway staple at every fashion show after making his debut for Burberry in 2018, left. Right, pictured walking for Dior Homme Menswear that same year

Nikolai showing off his royal smoulder in a floral jacket while posing for Vogue Scandinavia in February

Queen Margrethe, 82, announced the move in a statement yesterday, saying she hoped it would allow her grandchildren to 'shape their own lives without being limited by the special considerations and duties that comes with a formal affiliation with the Danish Royal Family.

The four children of Margrethe's eldest son and heir Crown Prince Frederik, and his Australian-born wife Crown Princess Mary - Prince Christian, 16, Princess Isabella, 15, and 11-year-old twins Prince Vincent and Princess Josephine - will maintain their titles.

It is seen as a move to streamline the monarchy - in echoes of King Charles' desire for the British Royal Family, and those of other European royal households.

A statement released yesterday by the Danish Royal Household read: 'In April 2008, Her Majesty the Queen conferred the titles of Count, Countess and Comtesse of Monpezat on her sons, their spouses and their descendants.

Nikolai sent royal fans into a frenzy when he posed on the cover of Vogue Scandinavia in February

Felix quit his military training last October because it 'wasn't for him' and set his sights on modelling, a suiting career for the good-looking royal

Felix made his modelling debut in February by posing in a series of moody snaps for jeweller Georg Jensen's new Reflect collection

'In May 2016, it was also announced that His Royal Highness Prince Christian, as the only one of the Queen's grandchildren, is expected to receive an annuity from the state as an adult.

'As a natural extension of this, Her Majesty has decided that with effect from 1 January 2023, the descendants of His Royal Highness Prince Joachim can only use their titles as Count and Countess of Monpezat, as their previous titles as Prince and Princess of Denmark will lapse.

'Prince Joachim's descendants will henceforth have to be addressed as Excellencies.

'The Queen's decision is in line with similar adaptations that other royal houses have implemented in different ways in recent years.

'With her decision, Her Majesty the Queen wants to create the framework for the four grandchildren to be able to shape their own lives to a much greater extent without being limited by the special considerations and duties that a formal affiliation with the Royal House of Denmark as an institution involves.

'All four grandchildren maintain their places in the order of succession,' concluded the statement.
A nanny who 'really hated' her boss while she looked after his children has revealed they ended up having an unlikely romance, despite their 20-year age gap.

Krystle Romano, 30, from New York, started working as a nanny for single father-of-three, Ben Romano, 50, who works in real estate, in October 2014.

She looked after his children, Francesca, then 14, Juliana, then 12, Salvatore, then 10, for a few months and initially said she didn't like her new boss but stayed because she loved his children.

In fact Krystle admits she found her employer 'rude and arrogant' as he avoided contact with her and only communicated through his eldest daughter.

Krystle Romano (left) hated her husband Ben Romano (right) when she first started working for him in 2014 as a nanny to his three children

Meanwhile Ben's first impression of Krystle wasn't much better, as she arrived 12 hours early for her job interview after mistaking 7pm for 7am.

'She was not a good nanny - she did the bare minimum, she never cooked homemade meals,' Ben said.

'She would usually turn up at 6.30am looking like she had been at the disco the night before, she wore high heels and short dresses, her hair was a mess.'

The father-of-three admitted that at first he kept his distance - however his head began to turn when she arrived at work one day 'dressed up really nice'.

He recalled: 'I thought "No Ben, don't mix business with pleasure".'

Krystle Romano, 30, did not like her employer when she started work as a nanny. The mother-of-one, New York, loved Ben Romano's, 50, children but not him. Pictured L-R: Frankie, 22, Ben Romano, 49, Kashton, 10, Krystle, 29, Sal, 17 and Julianna, 19

Still, he was unhappy with the job Krystle was doing and told his children they needed to find a new nanny.

His eldest, Francesca, would reply: 'But daddy she makes me so happy, she does my make up.'

Ben gave Krystle the benefit of the doubt and after one fateful night of late-night texting, three months into her employment, their relationship became intimate.

Krystle is mother to 10-year-old Kashton (pictured right), who was thrilled when he was told that she was marry Ben (left)

Ben kept his distance from Krystle at first, until one night of texting sparked their romance. Four months later he invited the nanny and her son to Christmas. Ben Romano, 49, with his wife Krystle, 29, (left) who is with her son Kasthon. And Ben's three children to his left, Frankie, Sal and Julianna

They embarked on a secret relationship for four months and Krystle, who grew up in a strict religious household, initially enjoyed the excitement of sneaking around and didn't think it would materialise into anything serious.

However the mother-of-one, who has a 10-year-old son, Kashton, from a previous relationship - quickly fell head-over-heels for Ben and their relationship became intense.

Krystle, who now works as an eyelash technician, said: 'Honestly, we really hated each other, I don't know how it turned into love.

Ben kept telling his children that they needed a new nanny as Krystle wasn't good at her job but his children loved her. She is pictured here with Julianna 19. Ben's eldest daughter Frankie, 22, is only seven years younger than her stepmother

'At first, I just enjoyed being naughty for the first time ever in my life.

'I texted him when his kids went to Florida to check they had gotten there safely but the next thing I know we were texting until 4am.'

When Christmas came around in 2014, Ben invited Krystle and her son to celebrate with his family and it soon became clear that their relationship was developing into something more serious.

Before the children knew about the relationship, they even joked their fahter should date their nanny.

When they did eventually reveal the romance to their loved ones, Krystle's family was thrilled - but Ben's took a little more convincing due to Krystle being 20 years his junior.

Despite initial jokes, Ben's children took some time to warm to the relationship - however they are accepting now, and want their father to be happy.

Ben proposed to Krystle on a gondola in Venice, Italy, in July 2016 and the pair tied the knot in an extravagant ceremony in front of 300 guests in Long Island, New York City, US, in November 2017.

Ben Romano proposing to Krystle in Venice, Italy back in July 2016, two years after the pair first met

Krystle Romano with husband Ben on their wedding day in 2017. The pair held an extravagant ceremony in front of 300 guests in New York

It took a bit of time for Ben's children to warm up to the idea of Ben and Krystle being together, but they are pictured here smiling on their wedding day in 2017. L-R: Sal, Kashton, Ben, Krystle, Juliana and Frankie

Ben said: 'At first I was apprehensive because I didn't want to mess up the household dynamic, but we complement each other so well and she has never done anything wrong in my eyes, she is a solid good person.'

People accused Krystle of being a 'gold-digger' and using Ben for his money.

Someone once commented: 'When he's 70 and you're changing his diaper - you'll see how you feel.'

In the beginning people even mistook Ben for Krystle's dad - but now people are aware they are in a romantic relationship and she has learnt to laugh off negative comments.

Without make up, Krystle says she looks like a teenager, so their age gap is even more obvious, but it doesn't bother them in the slightest.

The family are all happy together and Krystle hopes to have another baby, but Ben is yet to be swayed

'We just laugh it off, you can't really listen to what other people think, it will put a huge strain on your relationship,' Krystle said.

Ben added: 'I quickly realised she's a good person and she has a good heart, she has never let me down.

'Everyone was sceptical at first because she's a young woman and they didn't think it would last.'

The couple joke they are complete opposites because Ben is the young party animal and Krystle's idea of fun is a good night's sleep.

Krystle is hoping to have another baby, but Ben is yet to be swayed.

'We really are best friends, besides partying, we like to do the same things, we love going on holiday and trying new food,' said Krystle.

'I think we balance each other out and that's what makes us work so well.'
Prince Nikolai and Prince Felix's mother is 'in shock' after Queen Margrethe II of Denmark yesterday announced that her grandchildren - Prince Joachim's sons and daughter - would be stripped of their titles.

Alexandra, Countess of Frederiksborg, 58, claimed the decision came 'like a bolt from the blue', adding that the children now feel 'ostracised'.

According to a statement from her press advisor Helle von Wildenrath Lvgreen to Danish outlet Se og Hr, Alexandra - who is Prince Joachim's ex-wife and shares Nikolai and Felix with the royal - said they are 'saddened' by the choice.

She added: 'We are all confused by the decision. The children...cannot understand why their identity is taken from them.'

The queen, 82, announced the move in a statement yesterday, saying she hoped it would allow her grandchildren to 'shape their own lives without being limited by the special considerations and duties' that come with a formal affiliation with the Danish Royal Family.

Prince Nikolai and Prince Felix's mother (pictured with her sons) is 'in shock' after Queen Margrethe II of Denmark yesterday announced that her grandchildren would be stripped of their titles

The queen, 82 (pictured with Felix and Nikolai in 2021), announced the move in a statement yesterday, saying she hoped it would allow her grandchildren to 'shape their own lives

Nikolai, 23, Felix, 20, Henrik, 13, and Athena, 10, will have prince and princess removed from their titles, and will no longer be able to use His or Her Royal Highness.

The children of Prince Joachim, 53, the youngest of Margrethe's two sons, will be known as either His Excellency Count of Monpezat or Her Excellency Countess of Monpezat from January 1, 2023.

Meanwhile Joachim has said his four children have been 'harmed' by their grandmother's decision as he spoke for the first time since the bombshell announcement.

The children of Prince Joachim, 53, the youngest of Margrethe's two sons, will be known as either His Excellency Count of Monpezat or Her Excellency Countess of Monpezat from January 1, 2023. Pictured, Nikolai

'We are all very sad. It's never fun to see your children being harmed. They are been put in a situation they do not understand,' he said in an interview with Danish news outlet Ekstra Bladet today.

Joachim, who is sixth-in-line to the throne behind his brother and his children, was speaking outside the Danish Embassy in Paris, where he lives with his second wife Marie and their children Henrik and Athena.

Nikolai and Felix, who are both models, are the product of his first marriage to Alexandra, Countess of Frederiksborg.

The queen's decision is seen as a move to streamline the monarchy - in echoes of King Charles' desire for the British Royal Family, and those of other European royal households.

Nikolai, 23, Felix, 20, Henrik, 13, and Athena, 10, will have prince and princess removed from their titles, and will no longer be able to use His or Her Royal Highness

Nikolai (far right) Felix (far left) Henrik (second from right) and Athena (third from right) all pictured with Prince Joachim (third from left) and Princess Marie (second from left)

Queen Margrethe last night defended her decision, saying at an event in Copenhagen: 'It is a consideration I have had for quite a long time and I think it will be good for them in their future. That is the reason.'

It had been reported that Prince Joachim was first informed of the decision in May, however he has claimed this morning that he was only informed of the decision five days ago.

'I was given five days' notice to tell them. In May, I was presented with a plan which, by and large, was that when the children each turned 25, it would happen.

'Now I had only five days to tell them. Athena turns 11 in January,' he clarified.

Prince Joachim (right back), 53, the youngest of Margrethe's two sons, said he was only given five days' notice that Nikolai (left), 23, Felix (second from left), 20, Henrik (far right), 13, and Athena (second from right), 10, will have prince or princess removed from their titles, and will no longer be able to use His or Her Royal Highness. Pictured with their grandmother Queen Margrethe (centre) and Princess Isabella (behind Princess Athena)

Alexandra's spokesperson Helle von Wildenrath Lvgreen told another news organisation that Joachim learned of his children's fate via an aide.

Queen Margrethe spoke neither to her sons nor her grandchildren, it is claimed.

'The children have received the message that they are losing their titles, delivered by their father, just as Countess Alexandra was told by Prince Joachim,' the spokesperson added.

However, despite the stripping of their titles, the prince's children will maintain their positions in the order of succession.

Nikolai and Felix, who are both models, are the product of his first marriage to Alexandra, Countess of Frederiksborg (pictured)

Out of a title: The four grandchildren who will no longer be TRHs Nikolai of Denmark, 23: The Copenhagen Business School student and model regularly tops lists of the world's most eligible bachelors. He lives in Denmark but has jetted around the world to walk for designers in Paris and London. Nikolai has also appeared on the cover of Vogue Scandinavia. Felix of Denmark, 20: Following in his brother's footsteps, Prince Felix has also had success as a model and has starred in an advertising campaign for Georg Jensen. He had a short stint at the Royal Danish Military Academy but quit after two months because it 'wasn't for him'. Henrik, 13, and Athena, 10, of Denmark: The youngest of Prince Joachim's four children, Henrik and Athena are the product of his second marriage to Princess Marie. They live with their parents in Paris. Advertisement

They are currently seventh, eighth, ninth and tenth, but would move down if any of Crown Prince Frederick's children were to have children.

The bombshell announcement was made in a statement released yesterday by the Danish Royal Household.

It read: 'In April 2008, Her Majesty the Queen conferred the titles of Count, Countess and Comtesse of Monpezat on her sons, their spouses and their descendants.

'In May 2016, it was also announced that His Royal Highness Prince Christian, as the only one of the Queen's grandchildren, is expected to receive an annuity from the state as an adult.

'As a natural extension of this, Her Majesty has decided that with effect from 1 January 2023, the descendants of His Royal Highness Prince Joachim can only use their titles as Count and Countess of Monpezat, as their previous titles as Prince and Princess of Denmark will lapse.

'Prince Joachim's descendants will henceforth have to be addressed as Excellencies.

'The Queen's decision is in line with similar adaptations that other royal houses have implemented in different ways in recent years.

'With her decision, Her Majesty the Queen wants to create the framework for the four grandchildren to be able to shape their own lives to a much greater extent without being limited by the special considerations and duties that a formal affiliation with the Royal House of Denmark as an institution involves.

'All four grandchildren maintain their places in the order of succession,' concluded the statement.

Margrethe, who is the world's longest serving queen and celebrates her Golden Jubilee this year, is affectionately known as 'aunt Daisy' by European royals due to her close personal ties with many reigning monarchs.
The Danish Royal Court posted a photo of Prince Joachim's wife, Princess Marie, on it's official Instagram account today after the Prince hit out at the Queen's decision to strip his children of their royal titles.

The Det Danske Kongehus account posted the photo of Marie Agathe Odile Cavallier as she appeared via a pre-recorded video message at a food waste event in Denmark, which was attended by schoolchildren in Year 6.

The caption read: 'Her Royal Highness Princess Marie, who for a number of years has been engaged in the fight against food waste, sent a video greeting to school children from her kitchen in Paris.'

The Danish Royal Court Instagram account posted a photo of Princess Marie, the second wife of Prince Joachim and mother of his two youngest children, this morning

L-R: Princess Marie, Prince Joachim, Princess Athena, Prince Felix, Prince Henrik and Prince Nikolai at Queen Margrethe's Golden Jubilee earlier this month

Some royal fans may consider the post an olive branch after Queen Margrethe of Denmark announced Princess Marie's children with Prince Joachim would be stripped of their royal titles as of 1 January next year - which her youngest son claimed had 'harmed' them.

Speaking to Ekstra Bladet this morning, Prince Joachim said he and his children, Nikolai, 23, Felix, 20, Henrik, 13, and Athena, 10, were 'all very sad' about the decision.

He told the outlet: 'It's never fun to see your children being harmed. They are been put in a situation they do not understand.'

The Prince added that, despite reports he had been informed of the Queen's decision in May, he actually only had five days to come to terms with the news before passing it onto his children.

He said: 'I was given five days' notice to tell them. In May, I was presented with a plan which, by and large, was that when the children each turned 25, it would happen.

The children of Prince Joachim, Nikolai, Felix, Henrik and Athena, from his two marriages, will be stripped of their prince/princess titles

'Now I had only five days to tell them. Athena turns 11 in January,' he clarified.

Prince Joachim, who is sixth-in-line to the throne behind his brother and his children, was speaking outside the Danish Embassy in Paris, where he lives with his second wife Marie and their children Henrik and Athena.

Prince Nikolai and Prince Felix's mother says she's 'in shock' by move to strip them of their royal titles Alexandra, Countess of Frederiksborg - Prince Joachim's ex-wife and mother to Prince Nikolai and Prince Felix - said she is in shock over Queen Margrethe II of Denmarks decision to strip her sons of their royal titles. Nikolai, 23, and Felix, 20, along with their younger siblings Prince Henri, 13, and Princess Athen, 10, from their fathers second marriage, will all have their titles of prince and princess removed from January 1 2023, the palace announced yesterday. We are all confused by the decision. We are saddened and in shock, Alexandra said in a statement from her press advisor Helle von Wildenrath Lvgreen, reported Danish magazine Se og Hr. Earlier this month, Alexandra attended Queen Margrethe's Golden Jubilee celebrations at the Danish Royal Theatre in Copenhagen (pictured) The statement continued: This comes like a bolt from the blue. The children feel ostracised. They cannot understand why their identity is being taken away from them. Earlier this month, Alexandra attended Queen Margrethe's Golden Jubilee celebrations at the Danish Royal Theatre in Copenhagen. Prince Joachim married his second wife Princess Marie in 2008, and they later welcomed Prince Henrik and Princess Athena. Advertisement

His oldest children Nikolai and Felix, who are both models, are the product of his first marriage to Alexandra, Countess of Frederiksborg.

Alexandra, 58, who was married to Prince Joachim for 10 years until 2005, said the news came like a 'bolt out of the blue' and her sons now feel 'ostracised' from their family'. Her spokesperson also claimed Joachim learned the news through a royal aide, rather than from his mother directly.

In a statement to Danish magazine Se og Hr she added: 'This comes like a bolt from the blue. The children feel ostracized. They cannot understand why their identity is being taken away from them.'

Her spokesperson Helle von Wildenrath Lvgreen told another news organisation that Joachim learned of his children's fate via an aide.

Queen Margrethe spoke neither to her sons nor her grandchildren, it is claimed.

'The children have received the message that they are losing their titles, delivered by their father, just as Countess Alexandra was told by Prince Joachim,' the spokesperson added.

A spokesman for the Danish Royal Household said today: 'As the Queen stated yesterday, the decision has been a long time coming.

'We understand that there are many emotions at stake at the moment, but we hope that the Queen's wish to future-proof the Royal Household will be respected.'

Queen Margrethe, 82, announced the move to remove the Prince and Princess and HRH titles from Prince Joachim's children in a statement yesterday, saying she hoped it would allow her grandchildren to 'shape their own lives without being limited by the special considerations and duties' that come with a formal affiliation with the Danish Royal Family.

The four children of Margrethe's eldest son and heir Crown Prince Frederik, and his Australian-born wife Crown Princess Mary - Prince Christian, 16, Princess Isabella, 15, and 11-year-old twins Prince Vincent and Princess Josephine - will maintain their titles.

It is seen as a move to streamline the monarchy - in echoes of King Charles' desire for the British Royal Family, and those of other European royal households.

The full statement read: 'In April 2008, Her Majesty the Queen conferred the titles of Count, Countess and Comtesse of Monpezat on her sons, their spouses and their descendants.

'In May 2016, it was also announced that His Royal Highness Prince Christian, as the only one of the Queen's grandchildren, is expected to receive an annuity from the state as an adult.

'As a natural extension of this, Her Majesty has decided that with effect from 1 January 2023, the descendants of His Royal Highness Prince Joachim can only use their titles as Count and Countess of Monpezat, as their previous titles as Prince and Princess of Denmark will lapse.

'Prince Joachim's descendants will henceforth have to be addressed as Excellencies.

'The Queen's decision is in line with similar adaptations that other royal houses have implemented in different ways in recent years.

'With her decision, Her Majesty the Queen wants to create the framework for the four grandchildren to be able to shape their own lives to a much greater extent without being limited by the special considerations and duties that a formal affiliation with the Royal House of Denmark as an institution involves.

'All four grandchildren maintain their places in the order of succession,' concluded the statement.
Zara Tindall's husband also revealed they were his MBE and Jubilee medals

Said he 'hates' wearing them but 'can't control it' as there is a 'strict dress code'

Mike Tindall admitted the heat he got online was 'unnecessary' his latest podcast

Mike Tindall admitted he 'hates' wearing medals to formal royal engagements after coming under fire for sporting his honours at the Queen's funeral events.

The ex-England rugby ace wore his MBE and Diamond and Platinum Jubilee medals as he joined his wife Zara Tindall at the Queen's state funeral earlier this month.

He faced some criticism online from people who questioned why he was wearing medals when he hadn't served time in the military.

Speaking on The Good, The Bad and The Rugby podcast he admitted he 'hates' wearing them but he 'can't control it'.

The ex-England rugby ace wore his MBE and Diamond and Platinum Jubilee medals as he joined his wife Zara Tindall at the Queen's state funeral earlier this month

Speaking on The Good, The Bad and The Rugby podcast he admitted he 'hates' wearing them but he 'can't control it'

He said: 'It has been an interesting one, we've had this discussion on the fact that I hate wearing them anyway.

'I think you would be the same because you class medals as a military honour.

'Any serviceman, I am deeply appreciative of your service and I have not served anywhere and actually haven't done anything to achieve those medals apart from being in the family.

'So the Jubilee medals, obviously I got married in 2011, so 2012 was her Diamond Jubilee and you get a medal if you're part of the family.

'The people who work in her household get a medal, and if you've been serving in the armed forces for five years, and you're actively in service you get one too.

Mike, who is married to Princess Anne 's daughter Zara Tindall, revealed the heat he received was 'unnecessary' as he was wearing his MBE, awarded after his triumph in Australia, and his Diamond and Platinum Jubilee medals

'So it's harder for [people in the] military to actually get a Jubilee medal unless they served for a long time.

'There's been a lot more as you get a lot more celebrations later in life, so 50, 60, 70, thats where I got one, and the other one was my MBE.'

After his fellow podcast hosts James Haskell and Alex Payne raised the topic of the online controversy surrounding the medals Mike said it was 'unnecessary' because there is a 'strict dress code' and he 'can't control it.'

He said: 'I did get a lot of unnecessary... you don't have to shout at me on social media by the way. You can just ask and if you just ask I'll probably reply to you, as one person did.

'I can't control it, you get a uniform list and it says the dress code is strict, you wear a morning suit unless you're military.

Mike admitted he 'can't control' what he wears saying 'you get a uniform list' and their is a strict dress code (Pictured left, James, Viscount Severn, Lady Louise Windsor and Mike at Westminster Abbey)

Tindall previously reflected on his relationship with the Queen in a special episode of his podcast

In a previous episode he spoke of how the Royal Family 'came together overnight' following the death of the Queen.

Mike also admitted he is 'full of regret' for not asking the Queen more questions during his time with her.

Tindall reflected on his relationship with the Queen in a special episode of his podcast after he death.

He said: 'It's been sad, emotional but happy. In some ways amazing. To see the family come so close together overnight.

'You never predict it. A 96-year-old lady, you know it's going to happen but you're never ready for when it does.

'Watching what Zara had to go through, obviously she loved the Queen beyond everything else. Their connection with horses, they had a real bond around that.

'It's like the world has lost its grandmother in some way.'

He continued: 'I also have loads of regrets about not asking her so many more things Having nervousness when you sit there get that lucky seat of being sat next to her.

The ex-England rugby ace also revealed he is 'full of regret' for not asking the Queen more questions during his time with her

James Haskell (left) admitted he woke up with a 'dull ache' in the days following the Queen's death and even shed tears over the news

'Going back through history and everything she's possibly seen; 15 prime ministers, I don't know how many presidents.

'To go through everything when she's meeting dictators she has to stay neutral she has to perform her duty.'

Later in the podcast, he said the Royal Family had been 'blown away' by tributes from members of the public.

'You expect an outpouring of love but I think how it was, the world leaders that came in accepted their invitation without question. Immediately came back and said 'yeah we're coming',' he said, adding there was 'no jostling for positions' between the hugely important guests.

Talking about the Queen's funeral arrangements, which she was consulted on before her death, Mike revealed he had been told a story (although he could not verify it) about the plane that was due to fly Her late Majesty's coffin from Scotland back to London.

He said the plane that was originally intended to carry her was too small, and instead officials had suggested a larger plane that had been used to carry the bodies of servicemen back from Afghanistan.

Upon hearing this, the Queen reportedly wrote a note that said: 'If it's good enough for my boys, it's good enough for me.'

Mike Tindall officially became part of the Royal Family in 2011 (pictured on his wedding day to Zara) but he revealed he first met the Queen at school in 1992

Mike added: 'It sort of sums her up that it was 'her boys'.'

As other podcast hosts James Haskell and Alex Payne admitted they had shed tears following the Queen's death, James said he 'woke up every single morning with... a dull ache internally' that someone so remarkable had passed away.

He added: 'For me she was the greatest role model and she was the best of us.'

Speaking about the Queen's state funeral which was attended by some 2,000 world leaders, foreign royals and civilians, Mike admitted the family didn't necessarily realise how big the televised event - watched by an estimated 4 billion people worldwide - was until he switched on the highlights later on.

He added it was 'positive' to be a part of the funeral because so many people showed unity in lining up to pay their respects to Her late Majesty.

Mike also praised the Queen's strength in keeping some parts of herself private from the rest of the world - using the example of how Her late Majesty sat alone at the funeral of her beloved Prince Philip.

He said: 'Because of where the pandemic was at that time, she made the real statement to everyone else - unfortunately our government wasn't watching - of how he needed to be.'

The ex-England star appeared to be referring to reports a party was held in 10 Downing Street the night before the Duke of Edinburgh's funeral.

Although Mike officially joined the Royal Family in 2011 when he married Zara, he revealed he had actually met the Queen 19 years earlier in 1992, when she came to visit his school, Queen Elizabeth Grammar, on its 400th anniversary.

'I think I was in a science class and she came in... got the Bunsen burner on,' he said. 'I got to say hello to her then.'

As the Royal Family and the nation gets used to the new monarch, King Charles, Mike revealed old habits die hard.

'I almost curtseyed to the King the other day,' he said. 'I was just following behind my wife, I saw her curtsey and fortunately didn't... it was a lower bow.'

He added he 'styled it out alright' and hopefully got away with it.
Queen Margrethe of Denmark and her son Prince Joachim put on a united front and have 'never' had a rift in public, according to a Danish royal reporter - after the monarch stripped his four children of their royal titles.

Kenth Madsen told FEMAIL: 'There has never been a public conflict between the Queen and Prince Joachim.'

The reporter added: 'There has also been no evidence that the population is against the Queen's decision. The people love their Queen and Crown Prince Frederik (who is heir to the throne).'

However, Prince Joachim, 53, the youngest of Margrethe's two sons, said his children Nikolai, 23, Felix, 20, Henrik, 13, and Athena, 10, had been 'harmed' by the news that they will have prince and princess removed from their titles, and will no longer be able to use His or Her Royal Highness.

The move has created an 'icy' atmosphere within the Royal Family, according to one local media report, and has driven a wedge between a seemingly united family.

It comes as the Danish royal household hit back after Prince Joachim claimed his four children were only given five days' notice that they would be stripped of their titles by their grandmother Queen Margrethe.

The palace said in a statement today that there are a 'lot of emotions' but that the decision had been a 'long time coming' and was designed to 'future-proof' the monarchy.

Prince Joachim, who is sixth-in-line to the throne behind his brother and his children, commented on the bombshell announcement outside the Danish Embassy in Paris, where he lives with his second wife Marie and their children Henrik and Athena. Nikolai and Felix, who are both models, are the product of his first marriage to Alexandra, Countess of Frederiksborg.

'We are all very sad. It's never fun to see your children being harmed. They are been put in a situation they do not understand,' he said in an interview with Danish news outlet Ekstra Bladet today.

Alexandra, 58, who was married to Prince Joachim for 10 years until 2005, said the news came like a 'bolt out of the blue' and her sons now feel 'ostracised' from their family. Her spokesperson also claimed Joachim learned the news through a royal aide, rather than from his mother directly.

Margrethe's other four grandchildren - Prince Christian, 16, Princess Isabella, 15, and 11-year-old twins Prince Vincent and Princess Josephine - born to her eldest son and heir Crown Prince Frederik will maintain their titles.

Front: Queen Margrethe, Middle Row (left to right): Prince Vincent, Princess Josephine, Princess Athena, Prince Henrik. Back row (left to right): Princess Benedikte, Princess Isabella, Crown Princess Mary, Crown Prince Frederik, Prince Christian, Prince Joachim, Princess Marie, Prince Felix and Prince Nikolai in a portrait celebrating Queen Margrethe's Golden Jubilee

The Danish public is not against their beloved Queen Margrethe's (pictured) decision to strip four of her grandchildren of their royal titles, a royal commentator has suggested - after the palace said the move had 'been a long time coming'

Prince Nicolai, Prince Felix, Prince Henrik and Princess Athena attend a service to mark the 50th anniversary of Queen Margrethe II of Denmark's accession to the throne, at the Copenhagen Cathedral, on September 11, 2022

Prince Joachim of Denmark has said his four children have been hurt by their grandmother Queen Margrethe's decision to strip them of their royal titles as he spoke for the first time since the bombshell announcement

Prince Joachim (right back), 53, the youngest of Margrethe's two sons, said he was only given five days' notice that Nikolai (left), 23, Felix (second from left), 20, Henrik (far right), 13, and Athena (second from right), 10, will have prince or princess removed from their titles, and will no longer be able to use His or Her Royal Highness. Pictured with their grandmother Queen Margrethe (centre) and Princess Isabella (behind Princess Athena)

The move is said to have driven a wedge between Margrethe and her four grandchildren. Pictured, the Queen (centre) with sons Joachim (left) and Crown Prince Frederick (right). Also pictured: Crown Prince Frederick's wife, Crown Princess Mary (right) and son Prince Christian (in his lap) and Prince Nikolai and Prince Felix (left) who will be affected by the change

Prince Nikolai of Denmark, 23, walks runway during the Dior Pre-Fall 2019 Men's Collection show on November 30, 2018. He has also appeared on the cover of Vogue Scandinavia

Prince Joachim's children Nikolai, 23, Felix, 20, Henrik, 13, and Athena, 10, will all be losing their titles on January 1 2023

Indeed, they put on a united front just weeks ago when they celebrated Queen Margrethe's Golden Jubilee.

Queen Margrethe, 82, who attended the funeral with her eldest son Crown Prince Frederick, said she hoped the move would allow her grandchildren to 'shape their own lives without being limited by the special considerations and duties' that come with a formal affiliation with the Danish Royal Family.

The statement also hinted that it is a move designed to streamline the monarchy - in echoes of King Charles' desire for the British Royal Family, and those of other European royal households.

Queen Margrethe last night defended her decision, saying at an event in Copenhagen: 'It is a consideration I have had for quite a long time and I think it will be good for them in their future. That is the reason.'

It had been reported that Prince Joachim was first informed of the decision in May, however he has claimed this morning that he was only informed of the decision five days ago.

Prince Nikolai and Prince Felix's mother says she's 'in shock' by move to strip them of their royal titles Alexandra, Countess of Frederiksborg - Prince Joachim's ex-wife and mother to Prince Nikolai and Prince Felix - said she is in shock over Queen Margrethe II of Denmarks decision to strip her sons of their royal titles. Nikolai, 23, and Felix, 20, along with their younger siblings Prince Henri, 13, and Princess Athen, 10, from their fathers second marriage, will all have their titles of prince and princess removed from January 1 2023, the palace announced yesterday. We are all confused by the decision. We are saddened and in shock, Alexandra said in a statement from her press advisor Helle von Wildenrath Lvgreen, reported Danish magazine Se og Hr. Earlier this month, Alexandra attended Queen Margrethe's Golden Jubilee celebrations at the Danish Royal Theatre in Copenhagen (pictured) The statement continued: This comes like a bolt from the blue. The children feel ostracised. They cannot understand why their identity is being taken away from them. Earlier this month, Alexandra attended Queen Margrethe's Golden Jubilee celebrations at the Danish Royal Theatre in Copenhagen. Prince Joachim married his second wife Princess Marie in 2008, and they later welcomed Prince Henrik and Princess Athena. Advertisement

'I was given five days' notice to tell them. In May, I was presented with a plan which, by and large, was that when the children each turned 25, it would happen.

'Now I had only five days to tell them. Athena turns 11 in January,' he clarified.

His ex-wife, Countess Alexandra, added in a statement to Danish magazine Se og Hr: 'This comes like a bolt from the blue. The children feel ostracized. They cannot understand why their identity is being taken away from them.'

Her spokesperson Helle von Wildenrath Lvgreen told another news organisation that Joachim learned of his children's fate via an aide.

Queen Margrethe spoke neither to her sons nor her grandchildren, it is claimed.

'The children have received the message that they are losing their titles, delivered by their father, just as Countess Alexandra was told by Prince Joachim,' the spokesperson added.

Under the agreement, Nikolai, Felix, Henrik, and Athena will be known as either His Excellency Count of Monpezat or Her Excellency Countess of Monpezat from January 1, 2023.

However they will maintain their positions in the order of succession.

They are currently seventh, eighth, ninth and tenth, but would move down if any of Crown Prince Frederick's children were to have children.

The bombshell announcement was made in a statement released yesterday by the Danish Royal Household.

It read: 'In April 2008, Her Majesty the Queen conferred the titles of Count, Countess and Comtesse of Monpezat on her sons, their spouses and their descendants.

'In May 2016, it was also announced that His Royal Highness Prince Christian, as the only one of the Queen's grandchildren, is expected to receive an annuity from the state as an adult.

'As a natural extension of this, Her Majesty has decided that with effect from 1 January 2023, the descendants of His Royal Highness Prince Joachim can only use their titles as Count and Countess of Monpezat, as their previous titles as Prince and Princess of Denmark will lapse.

'Prince Joachim's descendants will henceforth have to be addressed as Excellencies.

'The Queen's decision is in line with similar adaptations that other royal houses have implemented in different ways in recent years.

'With her decision, Her Majesty the Queen wants to create the framework for the four grandchildren to be able to shape their own lives to a much greater extent without being limited by the special considerations and duties that a formal affiliation with the Royal House of Denmark as an institution involves.

'All four grandchildren maintain their places in the order of succession,' concluded the statement.

Margrethe, who is the world's longest serving queen and celebrates her Golden Jubilee this year, is affectionately known as 'aunt Daisy' by European royals due to her close personal ties with many reigning monarchs.

Prince Nikolai, from left, Princess Marie, Prince Joachim and Prince Felix arrive for the command performance at the Danish Royal Theatre to mark the 50th anniversary of Danish Queen Margrethe II's accession to the throne in Copenhagen, Saturday, September 10, 2022

Prince Nikolai of Denmark celebrated his 23rd birthday in August at home with his parents and siblings in Copenhagen. Pictured left with Prince Felxi, 20, Prince Henrick, 13 and Princess Athena, ten

Nikolai with his stepmother Princess Marie, siblings, and father Prince Joachim, on the balcony of Amalienborg palace during the Danish Queen's 78th Birthday in April 2018

Out of a title: The four grandchildren who will no longer be TRHs Nikolai of Denmark, 23: The Copenhagen Business School student and model regularly tops lists of the world's most eligible bachelors. He lives in Denmark but has jetted around the world to walk for designers in Paris and London. Nikolai has also appeared on the cover of Vogue Scandinavia. Felix of Denmark, 20: Following in his brother's footsteps, Prince Felix has also had success as a model and has starred in an advertising campaign for Georg Jensen. He had a short stint at the Royal Danish Military Academy but quit after two months because it 'wasn't for him'. Henrik, 13, and Athena, 10, of Denmark: The youngest of Prince Joachim's four children, Henrik and Athena are the product of his second marriage to Princess Marie. They live with their parents in Paris. Advertisement

She is a first cousin of Sweden's King Carl XVI Gustaf and a second cousin of Norway's King Harald V.

She enjoyed a close relationship with the Queen, a distant cousin, and the Duke of Edinburgh, and shared deeply personal tributes following their deaths.

She was joined by her son Crown Prince Frederick at the Queen's funeral earlier this month.

The Queen seemingly enjoys a close relationship with both sons and all eight of her grandchildren, and makes regular appearances with both families.

However there is now said to be an 'ice-cold air' between the Queen and her grandchildren.

'There is ice-cold air between Queen Margrethe and her grandchildren after she decided that they will lose their titles as prince and princess from the New Year,' leading Danish publication Ekstra Bladet reported.

'The news, which has crushed both the four children and their parents, was not delivered by the queen herself.

'They have not been called to Amalienborg for a cold coke and an explanation as to why they must henceforth be addressed as counts and countesses. Not even that far.'

Joachim, the Queen's youngest son, lives in Paris with his wife Princess Marie and has been working as a Defense Attache at the Danish Embassy since September 2020.

In the summer of 2020, he suffered a stroke while holidaying in France with his family and had to be rushed into hospital for emergency brain surgery.

Both of Margrethe's grandsons turned to modelling in their late teens. Pictured with their grandmother in May 2021

Felix made his modelling debut in February by posing in a series of moody snaps for jeweller Georg Jensen's new Reflect collection

Nikolai modelling a short and gloves and a leather bumbag for Dior during Paris fashion week in 2020

Left Nikolai wearing a pastel suit for Dior in 2018 at Paris Fashion Week. Right: The royal strutting his stuff on the runway in January 2020

Prince Joachim's eldest sons, Felix and Nikolai, are Margrethe's eldest grandsons and have embraced a life in the public eye.

The 20-somethings, who both live in Denmark, both enrolled in the National Military Academy but dropped out before completing their studies.

They have enjoyed flourishing careers as models, posing for several advert campaigns and on the cover of magazines.

Nikolai caught international attention in 2018 when he walked in the Burberry show at London Fashion week, before a front row that included Kate Moss, Naomi Campbell, Michelle Dockery, Naomi Watts, Zendaya, and Idris Elba.

He is signed to Scoop Models agency in Denmark and has been multiplying his modelling gigs.

Nikolai in a loose, tailored suit on the runway during the Dior Homme Menswear Spring/Summer 2019 in Paris in 2018

Nikolai has become a runway staple at every fashion show after making his debut for Burberry in 2018, left. Right, pictured walking for Dior Homme Menswear that same year

The grandson of Queen Margrethe made royal swoons in his official birthday portraits, pictured, before taking to modelling

Extending an olive branch? Danish Royal Court shares photo of Princess Marie - hours after announcing her children will be stripped of their titles This morning, the Danish Royal Court's official Instagram account posted a photo of Marie Agathe Odile Cavallier, the second wife of Prince Joachim. The post was to acknowledge French-born Princess Marie's appearance on Danish television to mark the country's national Food Waste day. Her Royal Highness spoke to the Danish schoolchildren at the Save Food event from her kitchen in Paris in a pre-recorded video message. The Instagram photo caption read: 'Her Royal Highness Princess Marie, who for a number of years has been engaged in the fight against food waste, sent a video greeting to school children from her kitchen in Paris.' Princess Marie was featured on the official Instagram account just a day after Queen Margrethe revealed the children she shares with Prince Joachim, Henrik, 13, and Athena, 10, were to be stripped of their Prince/Princess titles and would no longer be referred to as His/Her Royal Highness. Princess Marie of Denmark appeared on the Danish Palace's official Instagram account today as she appeared via video message at a food waste event from her home in Paris Advertisement

He sent royal fans into a frenzy in February when he graced the cover of Vogue Scandinavia.

The 22-year-old oozed sophistication when appearing in the magazine and looked effortlessly stylish in a matching pink Dior jacket and trousers as he posed in front of a number of colourful flowers.

When he is not modelling, Nikolai is studying Business Administration and Service Management at the In 2019, Prince Nikolai began his B education at Copenhagen Business School.

Last year he was living in Paris as part of a school exchange, and could see his younger siblings and his dad more easily.

At the end of last year, he started training at the Royal Danish Military Academy to become an Army Lieutenant, but in October it was announced that he'd quit after just two months because it 'wasn't for him'.

Prince Felix chose to make his modelling debut for jeweller Georg Jensen, appearing in pictures and an advert promoting the new Reflect collection of necklaces, earrings and rings.

The royal is further down the line of succession, pursuing his own career path rather than being a 'working royal' was expected choice for Felix even before his grandmother's announcement, and modelling is certainly a popular choice for minor royals across the globe.

While they are growing to be their own person, Felix and Nikolai do attend royal events on occasion.

They both looked very dapper as they attended the celebrations for their grandmother's golden jubilee with their parents in early September.

Princess Marie with Prince Joachim, Prince Felix, Prince Nikolai, Princess Athena and Prince Henrick with Joachim's first wife's Alexandra, Countess of Frederiksborg in 2020

Queen Margrethe and Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark at the State Funeral of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. Margrethe tested positive for Covid-19 only 24 hours after Queen Elizabeth II's funeral on Monday September 19

Queen Margrethe was pictured out and about for the first time on Monday after testing positive for Covid-19 last week. She attended a gala dinner at the Grand Hotel in Oslo after receiving the Nordic Association's Language Award

Queen Margrethe of Denmark, 82, attended the 'reception of the century' at Buckingham Palace, which was hosted by King Charles and Camilla before Queen Elizabeth II's funeral

Margrethe tested positive for Covid-19 last Tuesday, just 24 hours after attending Queen Elizabeth II's funeral and mourning events in London.

She was in attendance at Westminster Abbey along with her son Crown Prince Frederik, and the two went on to the Queen's Committal Service in Windsor afterward.

The royal also paid her respects to the Queen by visiting her coffin in Westminster Hall the night before the Queen's funeral, and attended the Buckingham Palace 'reception of the century' where she was pictured chatting closely with King Charles.

On Monday, the monarch made her first appearance since she tested positive for Covid, joining Queen Sonja of Norway at a literary event in Oslo.

Queen Sonja of Norway presented the Nordic Associations annual language award to Queen Margrethe of Denmark at Nordens Hus before they attended a gala at the Grand Hotel.

Margrethe wore a vibrant long pink skirt for the gala dinner, which she paired with a navy blue lace top.

She pinned her hair tightly back and was pictured with a navy shawl over her shoulders as she arrived at the Grand Hotel.
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Jeff Bezos and his girlfriend Lauren Sanchez enjoyed a romantic date night together - hours after it was reported that his ex-wife, Mackenzie Scott, had filed for divorce from her second husband.

The former Amazon CEO, 58, and his girlfriend-of-three-years, 52, seemed in good spirits as they left the lavish celebrity hotspot Nobu, in Malibu, California, on Wednesday evening.

Sanchez left little to imagination during the outing, as she donned a tiny, strapless, black dress; the revealing gown was covered in sparkling gems, and came to just above her thighs, showcasing her long legs.

She paired the look with matching heels, a small, black clutch, and dark Aviator sunglasses. Bezos, for his part, looked dapper in a pair of dark jeans and a black polo shirt.

Jeff Bezos and his girlfriend Lauren Sanchez enjoyed a romantic date night together - hours after it was reported that his ex-wife, Mackenzie Scott, had filed for divorce from her second husband

The former Amazon CEO, 58, and his girlfriend-of-three-years, 52, seemed in good spirits as they left the lavish celebrity hotspot Nobu, in Malibu, California, on Wednesday evening

Sanchez left little to imagination during the outing, as she donned a tiny, strapless, black dress

The revealing gown was covered in sparkling gems, and came to just above her thighs, showcasing her long legs

She paired the look with matching heels, a small, black clutch, and dark Aviator sunglasses

Bezos, for his part, looked dapper in a pair of dark jeans and a black polo shirt

The couple chatted and giggled to one another as they made their way out of the expensive eatery hand-in-hand, smiling from ear to ear as they walked to their waiting car.

The couple chatted and giggled to one another as they made their way out of the expensive eatery hand-in-hand

At one point, Sanchez stopped and fix her shoe, as it appeared to slip off during their walk, while Bezos stopped and waited for her.

Nobu is a popular place among many A-list celebrities, including the Kardashians and Jenners, Justin and Hailey Bieber, Kanye West, George and Amal Clooney, Heidi Klum, Angelina Jolie, and the Beckhams, among others.

The sushi restaurant offers a wide range of rolls and dishes including a lobster salad for $70, roasted king crab for $98, and a prime New York strip steak for $92.

The intimate evening comes just after news hit the web that Scott, 52, was splitting from her second husband, science teacher Dan Jewett.

Bezos and Scott met while they were both working for D. E. Shaw in 1992. They married one year later, and welcomed four children together - before splitting in 2019 after it was reported that he was having an affair with Lauren.

Their romance was exposed by the National Enquirer in January 2019, and soon after, the businessman divorced from his wife-of-over-25-years and the mother of his four children.

Sanchez was also married when her relationship to Bezos was outed, and it was her husband - co-CEO of Hollywood powerhouse agency WME, Patrick Whitesell, 56 - who reportedly introduced the two lovers in the first place.

The pair smiled from ear to ear as they walked to their waiting car

At one point, Sanchez stopped and fix her shoe, as it appeared to slip off during their walk

Bezos stopped and waited for his girlfriend as she repaired the fashion mishap

Nobu is a popular place among many A-list celebrities, including the Kardashians and Jenners, Justin and Hailey Bieber, Kanye West, George and Amal Clooney, Heidi Klum, Angelina Jolie, and the Beckhams, among others

The sushi restaurant offers a wide range of rolls and dishes including a lobster salad for $70, roasted king crab for $98, and a prime New York strip steak for $92

The intimate evening comes just after news hit the web that Scott, 52, was splitting from her second husband, science teacher Dan Jewett. Scott and Jewett are pictured together before their divorce

Bezos and Scott finalized their divorce in April 2019, which was the same month that Sanchez and Whitesell also ended their marriage.

Bezos and Scott (seen in 2017) met while they were both working for D. E. Shaw in 1992. They married one year later, and welcomed four children together - before splitting in 2019 after it was reported that he was having an affair with Lauren

Bezos - who is the third richest man in the world and has a net worth of $165 billion - and Sanchez then made their first public appearance together in May of that year, and have been happily in love ever since.

Months later, Scott announced that she had remarried - in March 2021 - through the website Giving Pledge, when she added Jewett's name to her vow to donate the majority of their wealth to charity.

At the time, the school teacher, 47, posted a note to the website regarding the pledge, in which he wrote, 'I am married to one of the most generous and kind people I know - and joining her in a commitment to pass on an enormous financial wealth to serve others.'

She has since removed all mention of him from the site, and the New York Times reported on Wednesday that she had filed for divorce in Washington State two days earlier.

According to court records, a division of property will be 'laid out in a separation contract' that Scott and Jewett agree upon and Jewett did not contest the divorce.

Their romance was exposed by the National Enquirer in January 2019, and soon after, the businessman divorced from his wife-of-over-25-years and the mother of his four children

Sanchez was also married when her relationship to Bezos was outed, and it was her husband - co-CEO of Hollywood powerhouse agency WME, Patrick Whitesell, 56 - who reportedly introduced the two lovers in the first place

Bezos and Scott finalized their divorce in April 2019, which was the same month that Sanchez and Whitesell also ended their marriage

Bezos - who is the third richest man in the world and has a net worth of $165 billion - and Sanchez then made their first public appearance together in May of that year, and have been happily in love ever since

Months later, Scott announced that she had remarried - in March 2021 - through the website Giving Pledge, when she added Jewett's name to her bio on the site. She has since removed all mention of him

New York Times reported on Wednesday - hours before Bezos and Sanchez went on their night out - that she had filed for divorce in Washington State two days prior

The attorney who represented Scott in her 2019 divorce from Bezos declined to answer questions from the Times, and did not immediately respond to an inquiry from DailyMail.com on Wednesday afternoon

Bezos and Sanchez were the epitome of a happy couple as they exited Nobu on Wednesday night

They clung to one another as they walked out of the restaurant

The attorney who represented Scott in her 2019 divorce from Bezos declined to answer questions from the Times, and did not immediately respond to an inquiry from DailyMail.com on Wednesday afternoon.

Following her divorce from Bezos, Scott became one of the richest women in the world, with a four per cent stake in Amazon.

Bloomberg's real-time Billionaires Index ranked her as the 41st richest person in the world on Wednesday, with an estimated fortune of $27.8 billion.

Since 2020, she has donated at least $12.8 billion to charity, according to a recent tally from the Chronicle of Philanthropy.

Though Scott is widely recognized as one of the most generous philanthropists on the planet, she maintains a low public profile.

Hours before their dinner date, Sanchez was pictured touching down in LA on Bezos' private jet

She dressed casually in a pair of jeans, a white crop top, and sneakers

She accessorized with the same shades she wore to Nobu and a baby pink and gold purse

Sanchez was escorted by an unidentified man, as she crossed the tarmac and got into a waiting SUV

She carried a folder - but it's unclear what was inside of it

It's unclear where Sanchez was flying in from

Bezos owns two different luxury jets - both of which are worth hundreds of millions of dollars

According to Cheatsheet , he owns two Gulfstream G-650ERs, which together cost about $150 million

Scott and Jewett have rarely been seen together, and he quietly resigned from his teaching job at a private high school in Washington last year, saying at the time that he did not want to create a distraction there.

Hours before their dinner date, Sanchez was pictured touching down in LA on Bezos' private jet. She dressed casually in a pair of jeans, a white crop top, and sneakers.

She accessorized with the same shades she wore to Nobu and a baby pink and gold purse. She carried a folder - but it's unclear what was inside of it.

Sanchez was escorted by an unidentified man, as she crossed the tarmac and got into a waiting SUV.

Bezos owns two different luxury jets - both of which are worth hundreds of millions of dollars. According to Cheatsheet, he owns two Gulfstream G-650ERs, which together cost about $150 million.
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The Princess of Wales cut a sophisticated figure when welcoming Royal Navy sailors to Windsor Castle in a surprise engagement.

Kate, 40, oozed elegance in a navy Alexander McQueen suit and a 149 white Holland Cooper bodysuit as she met the Royal Navy's ship company of HMS Glasgow at the Berkshire residence on Thursday.

A 'delighted' Kate was appointed the sponsor of HMS Glasgow in June 2021, and the mother-of-three's recent meeting was to 'learn more about their roles and whats next on the route to getting her in the water,' according to a statement made on Twitter today by the Princess and Princess of Wales' account.

The Princess of Wales cut a sophisticated figure when welcoming Royal Navy sailors to Windsor Castle in a surprise engagement

Kate, 40, looked elegant in a navy Alexander McQueen suit and white bodysuit as she met the Royal Navy's ship company of HMS Glasgow at the Berkshire residence

'A pleasure to meet some of the @RoyalNavy Ships Company of HMS Glasgow, learning more about their roles and whats next on the route to getting her in the water,' a selection of images were captioned.

The City Class Type 26 frigate is currently under construction in Govan, Scotland. Kate spoke with dozens of sailors about how the ship's build is going and what life is like in the Royal Navy.

She was seen smiling while chatting with the group, before posing for a picture with them.

It was a huge honour to be invited to Windsor Castle and to meet Her Royal Highness The Princess of Wales, said Darran Sullivan, the ship's Executive Warrant Officer.

He added: The appointment of sponsor signals an enduring connection between the ship's crew and Her Royal Highness. It is clear from meeting her that she has a real interest in HMS Glasgow and in the lives of those who will serve onboard.

Petty Officer Colin Chalmers, who joined as one of HMS Glasgow's Marine Engineers last month, echoed the sentiment: It was amazing meeting The Princess of Wales, particularly as there was such a small group of us in attendance. The moment she walked into the room her enthusiasm and genuine interest in us really shone through and put us immediately at ease.

HMS Glasgow is an advanced anti-submarine warship, designed to provide essential protection to the UK's nuclear deterrent and aircraft carriers. It is fitted with a world class low frequency active and passive towed array sonar, used to detect, classify and track submarines.

The ship is also capable of embarking helicopters which can carry torpedoes and depth charges to attack submarines at longer ranges. It is one of three being constructed at the shipyard, on the banks of the River Clyde, the other two being the HMS Cardiff and HMS Belfast. They will be based at Devonport Naval Base in Plymouth.

During a visit to Glasgow in June 2021, Prince William, 40, announced that his wife had become the sponsor of the Royal Navy frigate and would officially name her after the late Queen approved her appointment to the role.

He announced: 'Her Majesty the Queen has approved the appointment of my wife Catherine as sponsor of the superb ship we see taking shape outside - HMS Glasgow. I know that Catherine will be delighted to join you here in Glasgow for the naming ceremony in due course.'

The Princess of Wales' outing comes after she made a rare foray into politics when speaking of the need for food banks as millions of families struggle with the cost-of-living crisis.

The mother-of-three's visit was to 'learn more about their roles and whats next on the route to getting her in the water,' according to a statement made on Twitter by the Princess and Princess of Wales' account

'A pleasure to meet some of the @RoyalNavy Ships Company of HMS Glasgow, learning more about their roles and whats next on the route to getting her in the water,' a selection of images were captioned

Kate made the comments about the importance of community services during a discussion with volunteers and members of the congregation at St Thomas Church in Swansea on Tuesday - her first visit to Wales since inheriting her new title.

Over the last two years the church has been transformed into a community hub, which includes a food bank, facilities for homeless people, and a not-for-profit cafe and community training kitchen.

The site is also home to the Swansea Baby Basics baby bank, a volunteer-led project that distributes essentials to vulnerable mothers and their newborn babies across the city.

During the visit with husband William, Kate said: 'With the cost of living crisis, there are a lot of desperate people out there.' The royal said that the food bank was a 'lifeline to so many people' particularly after the pandemic and amid the soaring cost of living.

A Kensington Palace spokesperson told MailOnline: 'Given the number of visits and conversations that take place during these, we are unable to verify specific comments that are reported upon.'

The Princess of Wales' outing comes after she made a rare foray into politics when speaking of the need for food banks as millions of families struggle with the cost-of-living crisis. Kate made the comments about the importance of community services during a discussion with volunteers and members of the congregation at St Thomas Church in Swansea (pictured) - her first visit to Wales since inheriting her new title

The Prince and Princess of Wales visit St Thomas Church, a redeveloped church in Swansea on Tuesday

Hard at work: The Prince and Princess of Wales meet centre volunteers during a visit to St Thomas Church, in Swansea

Chatting with a group of elderly worshippers, she added: 'What's so wonderful about this place is that there is such a good mixture of young and old. It's extraordinary. You have 90-year-olds as well as youngsters. It's a real family organisation.

Royal protocol on talking about politics and when it's been breached By convention the royal family do not comment on political issues out of respect for the monarch's constitutional role, but the conversation is not without precedent. In March of 2016 the Sun ran a splash headline claiming the 'Queen backs Brexit', which was slammed by the watchdog Ipso for being inaccurate, although the paper stood by its reporting. It was later alleged Micheal Gove was the source of the story, which was linked to Her Majesty speaking to then-deputy PM Nick Clegg about the EU. The Queen also put out a message on the eve of the Scottish referendum in which she advised: 'I hope people will think very carefully about the future' which was broadly interpreted as support for the Union. It was later revealed Downing Street and Palace sources had carefully negotiated the exact language after the Queen let it be known she was 'minded' to speak on the issue. And FOI requests revealed 'black spider memos' written by Prince Charles to government ministers in his distinctive handwriting - including lobbying Scottish First Minister Alex Solmand for help restoring a decaying Scottish castle. Advertisement

'We need places like this to bring people together, places where people can come and engage. It's what we need post Covid and with the cost of living crisis.

'Lots of people are too scared to come an engage so it's wonderful that you go out to see them too.

'Places like this are so needed. They bring people together, help them to connect, it's what we have missed since Covid. All gathering together under one roof.

'We all could do with a church like this where we live. I must come to a service once day. It's so remarkable here.'

She added: 'There is amazing work going on here. Keep up the hard work.'

Well-wishers lined the streets to get a glimpse of the couple as they visited Anglesey and Swansea on Tuesday, in their first appearance in the country since taking on the titles of Prince and Princess of Wales.

Pat Hughes, one of the women who runs the food bank, said: 'It was lovely to chat with the Princess and it's something we won't forget.'

The couple arrived in St Thomas Church in Lewis Street at around 3pm, and greeted volunteers at the hub as well as some members of the public outside.

They were spotted speaking to Rachel Bunting, who is married to Reverend Steven Bunting of the church and is the organiser of the food bank, as well as their two-year-old daughter Charlotte.

They also spoke to Leah Rees, 30, and Francesca Cardone, 44, who have both been community nursery nurses in Swansea for the past seven years.

The pair work with parents who may not be prepared for a baby, and refer them to Rachel at the baby bank, who in turn prepares any items they may need, such as baby baths and clothing.

The Princess appeared especially interested in the work being done by the baby bank and listened intently.

The Royal couple were stopped in their tracks by a special note written by Rachel that is given to all mums who access the baby bank - and may be the only card some mothers get.

The note addressed to one mother, which was shown to the Royal couple, read: 'These items are a gift from the mothers of Swansea. We know how hard these first few weeks can be and we want you to have all you need. Here at Baby Basics we believe that God loves you and your son and we want to share that love with you.'

The Prince said the note was 'very nice' and 'would go a long way' for mothers accessing the support.

Before their visit to Swansea, the pair started their day by arriving at RNLI Holyhead Lifeboat Station around 12.20pm where they met crew, volunteers, and people who have been helped by the charity.

The Prince of Wales watched as his wife the Princess of Wales was presented with a posy of flowers by four-year-old Theo Crompton, at the start of their visit.

The Prince and Princess, who used to live in Anglesey, walked from the lifeboat station to the Holyhead Marine and Cafe Bar where they met locals including representatives of small businesses and organisations including the Coastguard and Sea Cadets.
Kotb admitted she is someone who tries to do everything herself, but the trip made her realize that 'life is better when you ask for help'

The mother of two said she had people offer to help with her bags, and one dad agreed to watch Haley on the train while she took Hope to the bathroom

Kotb recalled having to lug two car seats that were in backpacks, a rolly bag, and her backpack, saying Haley almost fell over trying to carry one of the backpacks

The co-anchor and her daughters, Haley, five, and Hope, three, took a train to meet her mother, Sameha, and sister, Hala, at the beach

Kotb opened up about her weekend getaway to Rehoboth Beach in Delaware on the Today show, saying it was her first time traveling with her children alone

Hoda Kotb has revealed the lesson she learned after her first solo trip with her young daughters as a single mom, saying she realized 'life is better when you ask for help.'

The Today co-anchor, 58, opened up about her getaway to Rehoboth Beach in Delaware on the morning show this week after she and her daughters, Haley, five, and Hope, three, spent last weekend with her mother, Sameha, and her sister, Hala.

Kotb explained that it was her first time traveling with her children alone following her split from her ex-fiance, Joel Schiffman, and she 'learned a lot.'

'I had two car seats that are in backpacks, a rolly bag, and my backpack. So I was like, "OK, girls, everyone's gonna pitch in,"' she told her co-host Jenna Bush Hager of lugging all of their gear onto the train.

Hoda Kotb, 58, opened up about her weekend getaway to Rehoboth Beach in Delaware on the Today show this week, saying it was her first time traveling with her children alone

The co-anchor and her daughters, Haley, five, and Hope, three, took a train to meet her mother, Sameha, and sister, Hala, at the beach

'So I took the backpack with the car seat and put it on Haley, and she was like, "Ahhh..." Like literally almost knocked her down.'

Kotb noted that her daughters also had 'slight fevers' and 'weren't feeling their best' when she was trying to figure out how to take care of everything herself.

'I learned how nice people are. How people help,' she said, recalling how she had to take Hope to the bathroom while Haley was cuddled up in her seat.

'I looked on the train [and said], "Who has kids?" And the guy said, "I have a four-year-old." I go..."You watch her. I'm taking her to the bathroom. If she says, 'Where's mom?' I'm right here, OK?" He was like, "Got it."'

Kotb told her co-host Jenna Bush Hager that she had to lug two car seats that were in backpacks, a rolly bag, and her backpack, saying Haley almost fell over trying to help her

The mother of two said she had people offer to help with her bags, and one dad agreed to watch Haley on the train while she took Hope to the bathroom

Kotb said it was an eye-opening experience for her because she isn't someone who likes to ask for help in her day-to-day life.

'People were so kind and amazing. When you struggle, people help. And I'm often a person who's like, "I got it, I got it, I got it." You know what? Here's my takeaway: Ask for help,' she advised.

'Don't sit there and think, "I'm gonna be a martyr, and I'm gonna do it. I'm gonna lug them on my back. I'll carry one kid here." Why?'

Kotb also had a Hertz employee offer to help her with all of her bags when she was picking up her rental car in Delaware.

Kotb admitted she is someone who tries to do everything herself, but the trip made her realize that 'life is better when you ask for help'

'My girls were just so happy to be with my mom,' Kotb added. 'We had so much fun'

'It takes a lot for me to ask for help, and I realized on this trip life is better when you ask for help and you realize how kind everybody is,' she said.

The mother of two shared photos of the trip on the show, including a sweet snapshot of her daughters curled up in their seats on the train.

Kotb had also taken a family selfie on the beach and a picture of Haley and Hope posing with their grandmother.

'My mom, my sister, and I, we had the finest time. We enjoyed the weather,' she said of the trip. 'My girls were just so happy to be with my mom. We had so much fun.'

Kotb is co-parenting her adopted daughters with her ex-fiance, Joel Schiffman, following their split in January after eight years together

'He's a great dad - but I also know I'm on the right road,' Kotb told People earlier this month

Kotb shares her adopted daughters with Schiffman, and she recently opened up about how they co-parent in a 'healthy' way following their breakup.

They were together for eight years and engaged for two when she announced their split on the Today show in late January. After more than six months of co-parenting, the journalist said they 'have it down.'

'He'll have a Saturday, and I'll do the Sunday. We switch each week. He'll take the girls and do some fun things, and I'll take some quiet time. It's a healthy mix, and the kids love it. He's a great dad,' she told People magazine.

Kotb credited their open line of communication and the help of their two nannies for allowing them to navigate their busy schedules while raising their daughters together.

'"Does that work for you?" "Do you need me to change that?" We're very open about fixing things so that everybody's needs are being met,' she explained, adding: 'He's a great dad  but I also know I'm on the right road.'
In the left photo, Joseon General Eo Jae-yeon's "sujagi" flag is captured by the U.S. Navy during the U.S.' 1871 military engagement in Joseon, called "Sinmiyangyo." In the right photo, the flag is on display at the National Palace Museum of Korea in 2007 after it was repatriated on loan from the U.S. / Courtesy of Cultural Heritage Administration



By Kwak Yeon-soo



The loan period for a rare Joseon-era flag, which had been captured by U.S. naval forces during the 1871 military action against the Joseon Kingdom and was returned to Korea on a lease, has been extended for another year.



The Ganghwa War Museum confirmed, Wednesday, that it has recently signed an agreement with the U.S. Naval Academy Museum in Annapolis, Maryland, for a one-year extension on borrowing the military flag named "sujagi" for display. The loan period had been scheduled to expire at the end of September.



"The U.S. Naval Academy Museum agreed recently to extend the loan period until Oct. 1, 2023, after months of negotiations," a museum official told The Korea Times, Wednesday.



U.S. naval forces captured the flag 151 years ago in 1871 in what it called the "Expedition to Korea," which is referred to in Korean as "Sinmiyangyo" (Western disturbance in the Sinmi year). It belonged to a commander of the Korean forces, General Eo Jae-yeon (1823-71), who led a secret army to defend Korea from the U.S. invasion. He died in battle during the military incident at Gwangseongbo Fortress on Ganghwa Island.



The Americans, after killing Eo, captured the military flag as a trophy. The sujagi had remained in the custody of the U.S. Naval Academy Museum until it was returned to Korea in 2007 on a 10-year loan.



Following its special display at the National Palace Museum in Seoul, the item was moved out in 2009 to the Ganghwa History Museum on Ganghwa Island, where Sinmiyangyo took place.



Even throughout the 10-year loan, the Korean and the U.S. side continued negotiations about the loan period every two years. But in 2015, they agreed on a five-year loan and another two-year one in 2020. This time, an additional one-year deal has been made.



Korea has demanded the U.S. return the flag permanently on the grounds that it had been taken illegally. However, the U.S. museum claimed it is unable to return the cultural artifact citing a relevant U.S. law.



"To date, (during the negotiations since 2007) we've had no requests from our U.S. counterpart to return the sujagi. Thus, we will continue to negotiate in good faith," the official said.



Asked if there are plans to pursue a long-term loan again in the future, the official said the terms of the deal may change during the negotiation process. "It depends on the circumstances that will occur in the future," she said.


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Sasha Obama turned her school's campus into her own personal catwalk as she headed to class on Wednesday in a button-down white blouse and baggy jeans - after spending time with her dad, former President Barack Obama, over the weekend.

The USCstudent, 21, looked fashionable in the loose, collared shirt, which was partly tucked into her trousers. She paired the look with a pair of fluffy, yellow sandals and accessorized with a bright gold-pendant necklace.

Sasha carried her belongings in a tie-dyed blue and green tote bag; she also wore many rings and bracelets, as well as a pair of glasses.

The youngest daughter of the former president seemed somber as she made her way to class in her effortlessly chic look.

Sasha Obama turned her school's campus into her own personal catwalk as she headed to class on Wednesday in a button-down white blouse and baggy jeans - after spending time with her dad, former President Barack Obama, over the weekend

The USC student, 21, looked fashionable in the loose, collared shirt, which was partly tucked into her trousers. She paired the look with a pair of fluffy, yellow sandals and accessorized with a bright gold-pendant necklace

Sasha carried her belongings in a tie-dyed blue and green tote bag; she also wore many rings and bracelets, as well as a pair of glasses

She starred down at her phone as she walked, and wore a pair of AirPod headphones in her ears.

The youngest daughter of the former president seemed somber as she made her way to class in her effortlessly chic look

Sasha, who recently started her final year of college, went makeup free and kept her long, dark locks loose around her face.

The spotting comes just days after she was pictured hanging out with her dad, Barack, 61, and older sister, Malia, 24, as the trio was seen enjoying a swanky dinner in Los Angeles, California, on Saturday evening.

The family visited the pricey sushi restaurant Hamasaku, where eight-piece sushi rolls cost $50 and specialty rolls go for more than $20 each.

Hamasaku boasts a fusion of traditional Japanese sushi with a taste of California, and features a plethora of dishes containing salmon, lobster, crab, tuna, yellowtail and other tasty seafood.

While Barack dined with his daughters, his wife, former First Lady Michelle Obama, 58, was across the country in Seneca Falls, New York, being inducted in the National Women's Hall of Fame.

Both Sasha and Malia are currently living in Los Angeles, with Sasha transferring to the University of Southern California from the University of Michigan earlier this year.

As for Malia she moved to the West there last year, after graduating from Harvard, to pursue a career as a screenwriter, and she is working on Donald Glover's upcoming unnamed Amazon show.

In March, Donald revealed that he had given the 24-year-old her first job as a writer on his new series, which is reportedly about 'a Beyonce-type character,' with the actor calling her 'amazingly talented' and 'really focused' at the time.

'Shes just like, an amazingly talented person,' Donald, 38, who is also known by his stage name Childish Gambino, told Vanity Fair at the time. 'Shes really focused, and shes working really hard.'

He did not share how Malia - who previously interned on Lena Dunham's HBO series Girls in 2015 and at The Weinstein Company in 2017 - landed the job after she graduated from college but he added that he believed she has a promising future in the industry.

She starred down at her phone as she walked, and wore a pair of AirPod headphones in her ears. Sasha, who recently started her final year of college, went makeup free and kept her long, dark locks loose around her face

The spotting comes just days after she was pictured hanging out with her dad, Barack, 61, and older sister, Malia, 24, as the trio was seen enjoying a swanky dinner in Los Angeles, California, on Saturday evening

Both Sasha and Malia are currently living in Los Angeles, with Sasha transferring to the University of Southern California from the University of Michigan earlier this year

Both of Michelle and Barack's daughters appear to be in relationships at the moment - DailyMail.com exclusively revealed in April that Sasha was dating Clifton Powell Jr., 24, who is the son of Ray actor Clifton Powell.

Clifton Jr. and Sasha are understood to have met after she relocated to California, and it appears that he is already close with the family - as he has been seen hanging out with Malia a few times in recent months.

Malia, on the other hand, is currently in a relationship with Ethiopian DJ Dawit Eklund. They were first linked on July 26, when the two were caught grabbing takeout food together, and since then, they have been pictured side-by-side on numerous occasions.

Dawit, 33, is the son of retired State Department officer Jon Eklund, 72, who worked at several US embassies in Africa and his Ethiopian wife Yeshi, 66.

He co-founded Washington, D.C.-based record label 1432 R, which specializes in Ethiopian music, and graduated from George Washington University, where he studied International Development in Africa.
Prince Nikolai said that he is sad, shocked and confused after his grandmother Queen Margrethe stripped him and his siblings of their titles 'for their own good' as his mother 'says there's no good reason' for the move.

The prince, 23, will no longer be able to use the title His Royal Highness, after he and his three siblings were told by their grandmother the Queen that removing their titles will be 'good for them in the future'.

It comes as his mother Countess Alexandra's press secretary questioned why the change could not have waited until their wedding day, when they would 'lose their titles anyway'.

Prince Nikolai said that he is sad, shocked and confused after his royal title was stripped 'quickly'. Pictured modelling during the Dior Pre-Fall 2019 Men's Collection show on November 30, 2018 in Tokyo

Countess Alexandra's press secretary questioned why the change could not have waited until their wedding day, when her sons would 'lose their titles anyway'. Pictured, Alexandra Countess Of Frederiksborg

'My whole family and I are of course very sad. We are, as my parents have also stated, in shock at this decision and at how quickly it has actually gone,' Prince Nikolai, Prince Joachim's eldest son, told Danish newspaper Extrabladet.

'I am very confused as to why it has to happen like this,' he told reporters from outside the Copenhagen apartment where he lives with his girlfriend.

Countess Alexandra, mother to Prince Nikolai and Prince Felix, 20, is also 'very sad' and 'shocked' about the decision.

'She can't believe why and why now, because there's no good reason.' Helle von Wildenrath Lvgreen, press secretary to Countess Alexandra told CNN.

'They would lose their titles anyway when they get married one day. Her sons are young men so maybe they might get married in the near future so why shouldn't it wait until that day so that the titles would disappear on a happy day?'

On Thursday morning, the Danish royal household hit back after Prince Joachim claimed his four children were only given five days' notice that they would be stripped of their titles by their grandmother Queen Margrethe.

The palace said in a statement today that there are a 'lot of emotions' but that the decision had been a 'long time coming' and was designed to 'future-proof' the monarchy.

Prince Joachim, 53, the youngest of Margrethe's two sons, said his children Nikolai, Felix, Henrik, 13, and Athena, 10, had been 'harmed' by the news that they will have prince and princess removed from their titles, and will no longer be able to use His or Her Royal Highness.

'We are all very sad. It's never fun to see your children being harmed. They are been put in a situation they do not understand,' he said in an interview with Danish news outlet Ekstra Bladet.

Prince Joachim of Denmark has said his four children have been hurt by their grandmother Queen Margrethe's decision to strip them of their royal titles as he spoke for the first time since the bombshell announcement

Front: Queen Margrethe, Middle Row (left to right): Prince Vincent, Princess Josephine, Princess Athena, Prince Henrik. Back row (left to right): Princess Benedikte, Princess Isabella, Crown Princess Mary, Crown Prince Frederik, Prince Christian, Prince Joachim, Princess Marie, Prince Felix and Prince Nikolai in a portrait celebrating Queen Margrethe's Golden Jubilee

Speaking at a function at the National Museum in Copenhagen last night, pictured, Margrethe said: 'It is a consideration I have had for quite a long time and I think it will be good for them in their future. That is the reason'

Prince Joachim, who is sixth-in-line to the throne behind his brother and his children, was speaking outside the Danish Embassy in Paris, where he lives with his second wife Marie and their children Henrik and Athena.

Nikolai and Felix, who are both models, are the product of his first marriage to Alexandra, Countess of Frederiksborg.

Alexandra, 58, who was married to Prince Joachim for 10 years until 2005, said the news came like a 'bolt out of the blue' and her sons now feel 'ostracised' from their family. Her spokesperson also claimed Joachim learned the news through a royal aide, rather than from his mother directly.

Margrethe's other four grandchildren - Prince Christian, 16, Princess Isabella, 15, and 11-year-old twins Prince Vincent and Princess Josephine - born to her eldest son and heir Crown Prince Frederik will maintain their titles.

The move has created an 'icy' atmosphere within the Royal Family, according to one local media report, and has driven a wedge between a seemingly united family. 'There has never been a public conflict between the Queen and Prince Joachim,' Danish royal reporter Kenth Madsen told FEMAIL.

Indeed, they put on a united front just weeks ago when they celebrated Queen Margrethe's Golden Jubilee.

Prince Joachim (right back), 53, the youngest of Margrethe's two sons, said he was only given five days' notice that Nikolai (left), 23, Felix (second from left), 20, Henrik (far right), 13, and Athena (second from right), 10, will have prince or princess removed from their titles, and will no longer be able to use His or Her Royal Highness. Pictured with their grandmother Queen Margrethe (centre) and Princess Isabella (behind Princess Athena)

The move is said to have driven a wedge between Margrethe and her four grandchildren. Pictured, the Queen (centre) with sons Joachim (left) and Crown Prince Frederick (right). Also pictured: Crown Prince Frederick's wife, Crown Princess Mary (right) and son Prince Christian (in his lap) and Prince Nikolai and Prince Felix (left) who will be affected by the change

Nikolai modelling a short and gloves and a leather bumbag for Dior during Paris fashion week in 2020

Prince Joachim's children Nikolai, 23, Felix, 20, Henrik, 13, and Athena, 10, will all be losing their titles on January 1 2023

Queen Margrethe, 82, who attended the funeral with her eldest son Crown Prince Frederick, said she hoped the move would allow her grandchildren to 'shape their own lives without being limited by the special considerations and duties' that come with a formal affiliation with the Danish Royal Family.

The statement also hinted that it is a move designed to streamline the monarchy - in echoes of King Charles' desire for the British Royal Family, and those of other European royal households.

Queen Margrethe last night defended her decision, saying at an event in Copenhagen: 'It is a consideration I have had for quite a long time and I think it will be good for them in their future. That is the reason.'

Prince Nikolai and Prince Felix's mother says she's 'in shock' by move to strip them of their royal titles Alexandra, Countess of Frederiksborg - Prince Joachim's ex-wife and mother to Prince Nikolai and Prince Felix - said she is 'in shock' over Queen Margrethe II of Denmark's decision to strip her sons of their royal titles. Nikolai, 23, and Felix, 20, along with their younger siblings Prince Henri, 13, and Princess Athen, 10, from their father's second marriage, will all have their titles of prince and princess removed from January 1 2023, the palace announced yesterday. 'We are all confused by the decision. We are saddened and in shock,' Alexandra said in a statement from her press advisor Helle von Wildenrath Lvgreen, reported Danish magazine Se og Hr. Earlier this month, Alexandra attended Queen Margrethe's Golden Jubilee celebrations at the Danish Royal Theatre in Copenhagen (pictured) The statement continued: 'This comes like a bolt from the blue. The children feel ostracised. They cannot understand why their identity is being taken away from them.' Earlier this month, Alexandra attended Queen Margrethe's Golden Jubilee celebrations at the Danish Royal Theatre in Copenhagen. Prince Joachim married his second wife Princess Marie in 2008, and they later welcomed Prince Henrik and Princess Athena. Advertisement

It had been reported that Prince Joachim was first informed of the decision in May, however he has claimed this morning that he was only informed of the decision five days ago.

'I was given five days' notice to tell them. In May, I was presented with a plan which, by and large, was that when the children each turned 25, it would happen.

'Now I had only five days to tell them. Athena turns 11 in January,' he clarified.

His ex-wife, Countess Alexandra, added in a statement to Danish magazine Se og Hr: 'This comes like a bolt from the blue. The children feel ostracized. They cannot understand why their identity is being taken away from them.'

Her spokesperson Helle von Wildenrath Lvgreen told another news organisation that Joachim learned of his children's fate via an aide.

Queen Margrethe spoke neither to her sons nor her grandchildren, it is claimed.

'The children have received the message that they are losing their titles, delivered by their father, just as Countess Alexandra was told by Prince Joachim,' the spokesperson added.

This afternoon the Royal Household released another statement, saying: 'As the Queen stated yesterday, the decision has been a long time coming.

'We understand that there are many emotions at stake at the moment, but we hope that the Queen's wish to future-proof the Royal Household will be respected.'

Under the agreement, Nikolai, Felix, Henrik, and Athena will be known as either His Excellency Count of Monpezat or Her Excellency Countess of Monpezat from January 1, 2023.

However they will maintain their positions in the order of succession.

They are currently seventh, eighth, ninth and tenth, but would move down if any of Crown Prince Frederick's children were to have children.

The bombshell announcement was made in a statement released yesterday by the Danish Royal Household.

It read: 'In April 2008, Her Majesty the Queen conferred the titles of Count, Countess and Comtesse of Monpezat on her sons, their spouses and their descendants.

'In May 2016, it was also announced that His Royal Highness Prince Christian, as the only one of the Queen's grandchildren, is expected to receive an annuity from the state as an adult.

'As a natural extension of this, Her Majesty has decided that with effect from 1 January 2023, the descendants of His Royal Highness Prince Joachim can only use their titles as Count and Countess of Monpezat, as their previous titles as Prince and Princess of Denmark will lapse.

'Prince Joachim's descendants will henceforth have to be addressed as Excellencies.

'The Queen's decision is in line with similar adaptations that other royal houses have implemented in different ways in recent years.

'With her decision, Her Majesty the Queen wants to create the framework for the four grandchildren to be able to shape their own lives to a much greater extent without being limited by the special considerations and duties that a formal affiliation with the Royal House of Denmark as an institution involves.

'All four grandchildren maintain their places in the order of succession,' concluded the statement.

Margrethe, who is the world's longest serving queen and celebrates her Golden Jubilee this year, is affectionately known as 'aunt Daisy' by European royals due to her close personal ties with many reigning monarchs.

Prince Nikolai, from left, Princess Marie, Prince Joachim and Prince Felix arrive for the command performance at the Danish Royal Theatre to mark the 50th anniversary of Danish Queen Margrethe II's accession to the throne in Copenhagen, Saturday, September 10, 2022

Prince Nikolai of Denmark celebrated his 23rd birthday in August at home with his parents and siblings in Copenhagen. Pictured left with Prince Felxi, 20, Prince Henrick, 13 and Princess Athena, ten

Nikolai with his stepmother Princess Marie, siblings, and father Prince Joachim, on the balcony of Amalienborg palace during the Danish Queen's 78th Birthday in April 2018

Out of a title: The four grandchildren who will no longer be TRHs Nikolai of Denmark, 23: The Copenhagen Business School student and model regularly tops lists of the world's most eligible bachelors. He lives in Denmark but has jetted around the world to walk for designers in Paris and London. Nikolai has also appeared on the cover of Vogue Scandinavia. Felix of Denmark, 20: Following in his brother's footsteps, Prince Felix has also had success as a model and has starred in an advertising campaign for Georg Jensen. He had a short stint at the Royal Danish Military Academy but quit after two months because it 'wasn't for him'. Henrik, 13, and Athena, 10, of Denmark: The youngest of Prince Joachim's four children, Henrik and Athena are the product of his second marriage to Princess Marie. They live with their parents in Paris. Advertisement

She is a first cousin of Sweden's King Carl XVI Gustaf and a second cousin of Norway's King Harald V.

She enjoyed a close relationship with the Queen, a distant cousin, and the Duke of Edinburgh, and shared deeply personal tributes following their deaths.

She was joined by her son Crown Prince Frederick at the Queen's funeral earlier this month.

The Queen seemingly enjoys a close relationship with both sons and all eight of her grandchildren, and makes regular appearances with both families.

However there is now said to be an 'ice-cold air' between the Queen and her grandchildren.

'There is ice-cold air between Queen Margrethe and her grandchildren after she decided that they will lose their titles as prince and princess from the New Year,' leading Danish publication Ekstra Bladet reported.

'The news, which has crushed both the four children and their parents, was not delivered by the queen herself.

'They have not been called to Amalienborg for a cold coke and an explanation as to why they must henceforth be addressed as counts and countesses. Not even that far.'

Queen Margrethe has a well-cushioned allowance, with the Danish Civil List granting her 800,813 a month, or 9.6 million for the year to run the royal household - including staff, properties and administration, according to Business Insider.

Meanwhile, Celebrity Net Worth lists her net worth at around 37million.

Around 183,750 per month is reportedly given to the Queen's children. Crown Prince Frederik receives the largest amount of this money, of which 10 per cent is given to his wife, Princess Mary.

Many of the Danish Royal Family's properties are owned by the state, and run by the Agency for Palaces and Cultural Properties.

Both of Margrethe's grandsons turned to modelling in their late teens. Pictured with their grandmother in May 2021

Felix made his modelling debut in February by posing in a series of moody snaps for jeweller Georg Jensen's new Reflect collection

Left Nikolai wearing a pastel suit for Dior in 2018 at Paris Fashion Week. Right: The royal strutting his stuff on the runway in January 2020

This includes the main residence of Amalienborg, their spring home of Fredensborg palace, their summer house of Grasten Palace and the hunting lodge Eremitageslottet .

The Danish Queen's personal properties include Marselisborg Castle, Chateau de Caix in France, and the royal hunting lodge in Jutland at Trend.

Prince Joachim lives with his second wife Princess Marie in Paris, where he has been working as a Defense Attache at the Danish Embassy since September 2020 - but when he returns home to Denmark it is sometimes to the Schackenborg Castle in southern Jutland.

The estate was the prince's private residence from 1993 to 2014, before he sold the property.

But since Prince Joachim and Princess Marie are on the board of the Schackenborg Castle Foundation, they occasionally return to live there for short periods of time.

In the summer of 2020, Prince Joachim suffered a stroke while holidaying in France with his family and had to be rushed into hospital for emergency brain surgery.

Prince Joachim's eldest sons, Felix and Nikolai, are Margrethe's eldest grandsons and have embraced a life in the public eye.

The 20-somethings, who both live in Denmark, both enrolled in the National Military Academy but dropped out before completing their studies.

They have enjoyed flourishing careers as models, posing for several advert campaigns and on the cover of magazines.

Nikolai caught international attention in 2018 when he walked in the Burberry show at London Fashion week, before a front row that included Kate Moss, Naomi Campbell, Michelle Dockery, Naomi Watts, Zendaya, and Idris Elba.

He is signed to Scoop Models agency in Denmark and has been multiplying his modelling gigs.

Nikolai in a loose, tailored suit on the runway during the Dior Homme Menswear Spring/Summer 2019 in Paris in 2018

Nikolai has become a runway staple at every fashion show after making his debut for Burberry in 2018, left. Right, pictured walking for Dior Homme Menswear that same year

The grandson of Queen Margrethe made royal swoons in his official birthday portraits, pictured, before taking to modelling

Extending an olive branch? Danish Royal Court shares photo of Princess Marie - hours after announcing her children will be stripped of their titles This morning, the Danish Royal Court's official Instagram account posted a photo of Marie Agathe Odile Cavallier, the second wife of Prince Joachim. The post was to acknowledge French-born Princess Marie's appearance on Danish television to mark the country's national Food Waste day. Her Royal Highness spoke to the Danish schoolchildren at the Save Food event from her kitchen in Paris in a pre-recorded video message. The Instagram photo caption read: 'Her Royal Highness Princess Marie, who for a number of years has been engaged in the fight against food waste, sent a video greeting to school children from her kitchen in Paris.' Princess Marie was featured on the official Instagram account just a day after Queen Margrethe revealed the children she shares with Prince Joachim, Henrik, 13, and Athena, 10, were to be stripped of their Prince/Princess titles and would no longer be referred to as His/Her Royal Highness. Princess Marie of Denmark appeared on the Danish Palace's official Instagram account today as she appeared via video message at a food waste event from her home in Paris Advertisement

He sent royal fans into a frenzy in February when he graced the cover of Vogue Scandinavia.

The 22-year-old oozed sophistication when appearing in the magazine and looked effortlessly stylish in a matching pink Dior jacket and trousers as he posed in front of a number of colourful flowers.

When he is not modelling, Nikolai is studying Business Administration and Service Management at the In 2019, Prince Nikolai began his B education at Copenhagen Business School.

Last year he was living in Paris as part of a school exchange, and could see his younger siblings and his dad more easily.

At the end of last year, he started training at the Royal Danish Military Academy to become an Army Lieutenant, but in October it was announced that he'd quit after just two months because it 'wasn't for him'.

Prince Felix chose to make his modelling debut for jeweller Georg Jensen, appearing in pictures and an advert promoting the new Reflect collection of necklaces, earrings and rings.

The royal is further down the line of succession, pursuing his own career path rather than being a 'working royal' was expected choice for Felix even before his grandmother's announcement, and modelling is certainly a popular choice for minor royals across the globe.

While they are growing to be their own person, Felix and Nikolai do attend royal events on occasion.

They both looked very dapper as they attended the celebrations for their grandmother's golden jubilee with their parents in early September.

Princess Marie with Prince Joachim, Prince Felix, Prince Nikolai, Princess Athena and Prince Henrick with Joachim's first wife's Alexandra, Countess of Frederiksborg in 2020

Queen Margrethe and Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark at the State Funeral of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. Margrethe tested positive for Covid-19 only 24 hours after Queen Elizabeth II's funeral on Monday September 19

Queen Margrethe was pictured out and about for the first time on Monday after testing positive for Covid-19 last week. She attended a gala dinner at the Grand Hotel in Oslo after receiving the Nordic Association's Language Award

Queen Margrethe of Denmark, 82, attended the 'reception of the century' at Buckingham Palace, which was hosted by King Charles and Camilla before Queen Elizabeth II's funeral

Margrethe tested positive for Covid-19 last Tuesday, just 24 hours after attending Queen Elizabeth II's funeral and mourning events in London.

She was in attendance at Westminster Abbey along with her son Crown Prince Frederik, and the two went on to the Queen's Committal Service in Windsor afterward.

The royal also paid her respects to the Queen by visiting her coffin in Westminster Hall the night before the Queen's funeral, and attended the Buckingham Palace 'reception of the century' where she was pictured chatting closely with King Charles.

On Monday, the monarch made her first appearance since she tested positive for Covid, joining Queen Sonja of Norway at a literary event in Oslo.

Queen Sonja of Norway presented the Nordic Association's annual language award to Queen Margrethe of Denmark at Nordens Hus before they attended a gala at the Grand Hotel.

Margrethe wore a vibrant long pink skirt for the gala dinner, which she paired with a navy blue lace top.

She pinned her hair tightly back and was pictured with a navy shawl over her shoulders as she arrived at the Grand Hotel.
Princess Anne has stepped out in Edinburgh today - after it was revealed she was named as the 'informant' on the Queen's death certificate.

Her late Majesty's only daughter, 72, was seen at St James Quarter were she unveiled a foundation stone during a VIP tour.

The Princess Royal looked typically chic in a tailored grey coat which she paired with a matching skirt.

It comes after the publication of the Queen's death certificate today which confirmed that some of the monarch's children and grandchildren including the Prince of Wales, Duke of York, Earl and Countess of Wessex and Duke of Sussex, tried in vain to be at the 96-year-old's bedside.

Princess Anne, 72, was seen at St James Quarter were she unveiled a foundation stone during a VIP tour in Edinburgh on Thursday

Her late Majesty's only daughter stepped out for her first royal engagement since it was revealed she was named as the 'informant' on the Queen's death certificate

The document released by National Records of Scotland this afternoon disclosed that Her Majesty died from 'old age' on Thursday September 8 at 3.10pm at the Balmoral estate in Aberdeenshire - more than three hours before the world was told of her passing.

It is not known when the King and his Queen Consort arrived at Balmoral, but unlike other members of the royal family they were already in Scotland, at Dumfries House in Ayrshire.

Princess Anne, who was already at Balmoral having been carrying out public engagements, is named as the 'informant' on the document and would have notified the local registrar of her mother's death.

After the death of her mother, Anne accompanied the Queen on her final journeys as she travelled with the monarch's coffin back to London from Balmoral.

The royal looked typically chic in a tailored grey coat which she paired with a matching skirt and a leather handbag

She enjoyed a view of the city during the tour while she appeared in great spirits as she was gifted a tartan scarf

Princess Royal viewed a model of St James Quarter during the VIP tour of St James Quarter today

In a statement earlier this month Anne told how she was 'fortunate to share the last 24 hours of my dearest mother's life'.

She said the love and respect shown to the Queen on her journey from Balmoral to Edinburgh and onto London had been 'both humbling and uplifting'.

Anne also thanked the nation for the 'support and understanding offered to my dear brother Charles' as he takes on his duties as King.

She ended her statement with the words: 'To my mother, The Queen, thank you.'

Managing Director of Development, Europe Nuveen Real Estate, Martin Perry, and Lord Provost, Cllr Robert Aldridge greeted Princess Anne

Anne unveiled the foundation stone at St James Quarter in front of a crowd of on-lookers at the event

Anne chatted with Ed Webb, Director of Development Management and Martin Perry at W Edinburgh

Her tribute was shared to the Royal Family's Instagram account along with a photo of Anne and the Queen, which was first released to mark the late monarch's 90th birthday in 2016. The mother and daughter posed on a sofa in the White Drawing Room of Windsor Castle .

The princess was in Scotland when the Queen was taken ill, and stayed at her bedside at Balmoral Castle, as senior royals rushed to say their final farewells.

Elizabeth II - the nation's longest reigning monarch - died peacefully on September 8.

Earlier today, Princess Anne cut a relaxed figure as she met with Martin Perry, Director of Development Nuveen and the Lord Provost, Cllr Robert Aldridge.

She enjoyed a view of the city during the tour while she appeared in great spirits as she was gifted a tartan scarf.

The Princess Royal appeared to say a few words at a podium after unveiling the foundation stone.
It was previously expected the production would be aired in December, following The Crown in November

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex hope to delay its release 'until next year', multiple sources have stated

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Prince Harry and Meghan Markle reportedly want to edit their docuseries with Netflix and delay its release 'until next year' after the Queen's death, multiple sources have told Page Six.

The Duke, 38, and Duchess, 41, of Sussex, who now live in their $14million Montecito mansion with their two children, Archie, three, and one-year-old Lilibet - are working on a documentary as part of their $100 million deal with the streaming service.

It was previously expected that the production would be aired in December, following the fifth season of The Crown on November 9, according to the publication.

However, sources claimed the couple now want to make edits to the series, which would possibly delay its release until later in 2023, as they look to 'downplay much of what they have said about King Charles III, Queen Consort Camilla, and the Prince and Princess of Wales'.

One Hollywood industry source said: 'A lot of conversations are happening. I hear that Harry and Meghan want the series to be held until next year, they want to stall.

'I wonder if the show could even be dead in the water at this point, do Harry and Meghan just want to shelve this thing?,' they added.

A Netflix insider also claimed: Netflix has been keen to have the show ready to stream for December. Theres a lot of pressure on (Netflix CEO) Ted Sarandos, who has the relationship with Harry and Meghan, to get this show finished.

It comes after The Mail on Sunday reported that 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.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle (pictured at the Queen's funeral) reportedly want to edit their docuseries with Netflix and delay its release 'until next year' after the Queen's death, multiple sources have told Page Six

The Duke, 38, and Duchess, 41, of Sussex (pictured with Prince William and Kate in Windsor on September 10, 2022), who now live in their $14million Montecito mansion with their two children, Archie, three, and one-year-old Lilibet - are working on a documentary as part of their $100 million deal with the streaming service

Revealed: Doctor who signed Queen's death certificate had served her for 34 years Dr Douglas James Allan Glass The Queen's death certificate was signed by a Scottish doctor who has worked for the monarchy for more than 30 years, it can be revealed. Dr Douglas James Allan Glass - who once saved the late Queen Mother's life when she choked on a fish bone - began his role as Apothecary to Her Majesty's Household at Balmoral on March 30 1998. His title became official during a special presentation at Buckingham Palace just a few days later on April 5 the same year. The incident with the Queen Mother occurred when a fish bone lodged in her throat while staying at Balmoral in May 1993. She eventually had to have surgery under general anaesthetic to remove it at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, where she spent several days. Dr Glass's role is similar to that of Dr Timothy Evans, who looked after the late monarch's health at the royal household in Windsor. Dr Glass also works as a GP in the Highlands village of Aboyne, around 20 miles from Balmoral Castle, where the Queen died aged 96 on Thursday September 8. He was listed as working at the Braemar Health Clinic until at least July 2020, although it is not clear if he still works there. He signed the death certificate of Her Majesty on Monday (September 26), confirming that she had died of old age. Advertisement

The memoirs had been signed off ready for an expected autumn release, but the Duke  who is writing the book as part of a near 40million three-title deal  has asked to make some significant alterations.

His request may be seen as a sign that he is ready to take a more conciliatory approach to the rest of the Royal Family, but could cause problems for his publishers.

'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. It's not a total rewrite by any means. He desperately wants to make changes. 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.

MailOnline has contacted a representative for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex for comment.

Last month, Meghan hinted that the documentary she and Prince Harry are currently filming for Netflix could focus on their 'love story'.

Speaking in an interview with The Cut, the Duchess said her five-year-long romance with Prince Harry is one of the 'pieces of her life' that she has not yet been able to share with the public.

The couple's production company, Archewell Productions, signed a reported $100million deal with the streaming giant in 2020 but there has yet to be a release.

A documentary series about the Invictus Games has been confirmed. Meghan's planned animated children's series was scrapped as part of wider Netflix cutbacks.

It had previously been rumoured that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex were planning a fly-on-the-wall documentary series, in the style of Keeping Up With The Kardashians.

However it appears it might be closer to a look back on the royal romance.

'The couple has directly smashed rumors of a reality show, both in statements made to publications and in conversation with me,' journalist Allison P. Davis noted in the article.

'But, Meghan explains, theres a difference between a historical documentary and a reality docuseries.'

King Charles III, Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Princess Anne, Princess Royal arrive at the Committal Service held at St George's Chapel in Windsor Castle on September 19, 2022

It was previously expected that the production would be aired in December, following the fifth season of The Crown on November 9, according to the publication. Pictured, Harry and Meghan at the Queen's lying in state on September 14, 2022, in London

They have been spotted with a film crew at a number of engagements, including the Invictus Games earlier this year

Cameras were also following Meghan and Harry during a visit to New York in September 2021, pictured

The Duchess continued: 'The piece of my life I havent been able to share, that people havent been able to see, is our love story.'

The Duke and Duchess have been filming the Netflix documentary for more than a year after signing a widely reported $100million deal with the streaming service.

They have been spotted with a film crew at a number of engagements, including the Invictus Games earlier this year. The filming is believed to have taken place for their confirmed docu-series Heart of Invictus.

Last night, a royal biographer claimed Harry and Meghan may be worried that they are being edged out of the Royal Family after they were moved to the bottom of the Palace website alongside the disgraced Prince Andrew.

Links taking readers to pages dedicated to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex had previously been placed around halfway down the page - below senior royals and above minor members of the family.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have been moved to the bottom of the Royal Family website alongside Prince Andrew

MAY 19: Links taking readers to pages dedicated to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex had previously been placed around halfway down the page - below senior royals and above minor members of the family

Queen Elizabeth II: A timeline of how her death was announced and how her family raced to be by her side Thursday, September 8 12.10pm: Liz Truss is informed in the Commons that the Queen is ill 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.' 1.55pm: 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. 2.39pm: Prince William, Prince Andrew, Prince Edward and Sophie Wessex take off from RAF Northolt. 3.10pm: The Queen is pronounced dead 3.50pm: The jet carrying William and other royals lands at Aberdeen 4.14pm: A news alert by the Press Association (PA) said that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex were travelling to Balmoral 'separately' from other royals. 4.30pm: Liz Truss is informed of the Queen's death 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'. 5pm: Prince William, Prince Andrew, Prince Edward and Sophie Wessex arrive at Balmoral 5.35pm: Prince Harry takes off from Luton 6.30pm: The Royal Family announces via social media site Twitter that Queen has died 'peacefully' at Balmoral at the age of 96. 6.46pm: Prince Harry lands at Aberdeen Airport on a private jet from Luton 7.52pm: The Duke of Sussex arrives at Balmoral Advertisement

But after the webpage was updated following the death of the Queen earlier this month, Harry and Meghan have been moved down below the likes of Princess Alexandra and the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester.

Prince Michael of Kent and his wife Marie-Christine, neither of whom are working royals, have been removed from the page entirely.

'Harry and Meghan must be worried that they are slowly being eased out of the royal picture,' royal biographer Phil Dampier told The Sun.

'King Charles seems to be hesitating on whether to grant Prince and Princess titles to Archie and Lilibet. And the fact that they have been "demoted" on the Palace website is another indicator that they are not seen as working royals.'

It comes as King Charles is widely reported to be planning a 'slimmed-down' monarchy during his reign, believing the public does not wish to pay for an ever-expanding Royal Family.

Meanwhile, Princess Alexandra, the Duke of Kent and the Duke of Gloucester, the Queen's cousins, all remain on the page as they are still working members.

The Kents have carried out more than 200 public engagements, all funded by the Prince's own household as opposed to taxpayers.

The Sussexes were first moved down the page around 15 months ago, having previously sat below the Prince and Princess of Wales, to below the Wessexes and the Princess Royal.

It follows allegations that the Queen was forced to put her foot down over Megxit and told the Sussexes they were 'either in or out' at the crunch Sandringham summit where the royals decided Harry and Meghan's future.

The explosive extracts of the forthcoming book, Courtiers: The Hidden Power Behind the Crown by Valentine Low, were published by The Times.

Mr Dampier believes that King Charles and the Prince of Wales may also 'feel the same way'.

Mr Low wrote that it was the monarch herself who felt that unless the couple were willing to follow the rules which apply to all working royals, they would 'not be allowed to carry out official duties'.

'There was a very clear view: you can't be in and out,' a source told Mr Low. 'And if you've got such clarity of view, it's very difficult to say, "Why don't we go 10 per cent this way instead of 20 per cent?"'

This meant that compromise was taken off the table by the Queen, the author said.

Mr Dampier believes that the website change will make it clear the Sussexes are not working royals 'and cant pose as semi-official royals'.

It is understood that the website changes now reflect the roles within the Royal Family as opposed to the line of succession.

Royal biographer Angela Levin said that the change shows what Harry and Meghan are 'not doing', and how it is valued in the Royal Family.

The couple are still waiting on whether their two children will be given titles of prince and princess.

Following the death of the Queen, the Sussex children are entitled to prince and princess and the HRH titles as grandchildren of the monarch.

But despite William and Kate's titles having been updated to the Prince and Princess of Wales, Archie and Lilibet's have not yet changed.

A Buckingham Palace spokesperson said: 'Updating live on a website doesn't quite work. We will be working through updating the website as and when we get information.'

A royal mystery: The Queen died of old age at 3:10pm. So, asks REBECCA ENGLISH, why did it take more than three hours to tell Prince Harry?

ByRebecca English Royal Editor For The Daily Mail

The Queen died at Balmoral of old age, it was revealed yesterday  the first time a monarchs death certificate is believed to have been made public.

But the document also raises intriguing questions after details on it confirmed that Prince Harry was not informed of his grandmothers death for more than three hours.

Only her two eldest children  King Charles and his sister, Princess Anne  were with their mother when she died at 3.10pm on September 8. Prince Edward and his wife, Sophie, as well as Prince Andrew and Prince William, were all on a plane heading for Scotland at the time and are believed to have been informed mid-air.

Prince Harry, meanwhile, had not even made it to an airport amid apparent confusion over whether he should travel up to Aberdeenshire with his wife Meghan. He finally got a private jet from Luton at 5.35pm, landing at Aberdeen at 6.47pm.

The Queen died at Balmoral of old age, it was revealed yesterday  the first time a monarchs death certificate is believed to have been made public

It has already been confirmed by palace sources that his father only managed to contact his son mid-air at 6.25pm  just five minutes before the news the world had been dreading was officially announced.

Charles had insisted all afternoon on telling his youngest son personally before any official statement was released by Buckingham Palace.

He had already rung both Harry and his brother, William, earlier in the day to tell them to get up to Scotland as quickly as possible because their grandmother was rapidly fading. He then returned to the Queens bedside.

But that leaves a crucial two hours and 25 minutes between the Queen dying and Harry taking to the air, when it appears there was no communication between the prince and his family.

In contrast, the Prime Minister, Liz Truss, was informed at 4.30pm. Palace officials declined to comment last night, while other royal sources were unable to explain the discrepancy. But insiders stressed that the old-fashioned King does not have a mobile phone and his diary is such that calls between himself and his family normally have to be scheduled in.

Family members have to resort to calling staff or even one of his police bodyguards to try to get an urgent message to him.

Others said it was likely the King wanted to tell his son personally, but with the clock ticking for the release of an official announcement, simply ran out of time.

But that leaves a crucial two hours and 25 minutes between the Queen dying and Harry taking to the air, when it appears there was no communication between the prince and his family. Pictured: Prince Harry arriving at Balmoral shortly after Queen Elizabeth passed away

Sources with intimate knowledge of Operation London Bridge  the plan to manage the aftermath of Queens death  also stressed that as well as the dealing with the inevitable grief of the situation, there would have been a mass of administration to cope with.

Im sure, as with everything, there is a meticulous plan on paper but then the chaos of actual life happens amid the trauma of their personal grief, said one.

Another source explained that few people in the family were regularly in touch with Harry any more and that he could also be incredibly hard to reach.

Whatever the truth, it highlights the complexity of the relationship between the Royal Family and Harry, which saw him leave Balmoral on the first possible fight out of Aberdeen the morning after his grandmother died.

He remained in the UK until the day after the funeral, and was seen publicly at a walkabout at Windsor with his brother and their wives, and at the funeral itself. He was also seen at the vigil.

The possibility of behind-the-scenes family ructions have already been raised after it emerged that the plane containing Edward, Andrew and William up to Scotland was delayed by an hour. It had been scheduled for 1.30pm but did not take off until 2.39pm.

Just before 2pm that day a spokesman for the Sussexes announced that both Harry and Meghan would be travelling to Scotland together.

This came as a surprise to many as only close family members would be expected to be present, aside from the Countess of Wessex and Princess Annes husband Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, to whom the Queen was close. Kate, the then-Duchess of Cambridge decided to stay at Windsor with her and Williams three children.

Half an hour after their initial announcement, a spokesman for the Sussexes issued a correction, saying that only Harry intended to travel. The discrepancy was later explained away as a mistake.

Sources with intimate knowledge of Operation London Bridge  the plan to manage the aftermath of Queens death  also stressed that as well as the dealing with the inevitable grief of the situation, there would have been a mass of administration to cope with

Harrys team hurriedly chartered a private jet  at an estimated cost of 30,000  from Luton. It was later claimed by The Sun that Harry missed the RAF flight due to a row over Meghan after his father told him it was not appropriate to bring her.

It has also been claimed that, although Charles did try to call his son to tell him that his grandmother had died, the phone call did not actually go through. It is said that, although Harry knew his father was trying to speak to him, the prince actually read a breaking news announcement online before they could work the technology to speak.

This has been disputed by the palace, however, with a spokesman for the King has insisting the announcement of the Queens death was not made until all family members had been informed.

The Queens death certificate was finally released the Scottish Registrar General, Paul Lowe, exactly three weeks to the day after she died. By law it should be registered within eight days. The certificate records that Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor, a widow, died at Balmoral Castle in Ballater, Aberdeenshire, at the age of 96.

It lists her usual residence as Windsor Castle and her occupation as Her Majesty The Queen.

The certifying registered medical practitioner was Douglas James Allan Glass. He has been Apothecary to Her Majestys Household at Balmoral since 1998.

The doctor, who is the GP in the village of Braemar, close to Balmoral, told The Times that he was present at her death and it was not unexpected. He said: We have been concerned about the Queens health for several months.

The cause of death, old age, is the same as that given for Prince Philip in April 2021. In Scotland, it should not be recorded as a sole cause, although there are exceptions, including the certifying doctor having personally cared for the deceased over a long period and observing a gradual decline.
The brand has now released a hydrating SPF 50 sunscreen with aloe vera

But over the years as cosmetics have developed she has changed her tune

Australian beauty guru Zoe Foster-Blake is the brains behind the $36million-dollar skincare brand Go-To - and she never used to be a fan of chemical sunscreens.

In 2013 the 42-year-old wrote a blog post warning others that the chemical filters in sunscreen can 'mess with your hormones', The Sydney Morning Herald claims.

But since then the busy mum-of-two has released a string of sunscreen products - the latest being a hydrating SPF 50 formulated with Kakadu plum and aloe vera to nourish the skin. It also contains a number of active chemicals.

Australian beauty guru Zoe Foster-Blake (pictured) is the founder of Go-To Skincare and she never used to be a fan of chemical sunscreens

But over the years as cosmetic products and ingredients have changed, Zoe has changed her believes around chemical sunscreens. Now she's released her own chemical SPF product dubbed 'Nifty Fifty'

Dubbed the 'Nifty Fifty' hydrating sunscreen, which costs $45 for a 50mL bottle, it's designed to protect the skin from damaging UVA/UVB radiation.

In a blog post shared last month, Zoe wrote: 'Since we began working on sunscreen back in 2013, there have been astonishing advances in UV filters.

'To ignore these and stick with zinc oxide would be not only ignorant, but unfair to our customers and every other face-owner out there.'

She continues by explaining how the goal was to encourage customers to wear sunscreen every day, all while creating a lightweight product that doesn't leave a 'thick white cast' on your skin.

And with that the hydrating sunscreen was developed, despite it being a chemical sunscreen.

'To be blunt, the reasons I championed mineral filters for so many years are no longer relevant in lieu of new chemical filters,' she wrote.

The 'Nifty Fifty' hydrating sunscreen (pictured), which costs $45 for a 50mL bottle, is designed to protect the skin from damaging UVA/UVB radiation

On a blog post shared last month, Zoe wrote: 'Since we began working on sunscreen back in 2013, there have been astonishing advances in UV filters. 'To ignore these and stick with zinc oxide would be not only ignorant, but unfair to our customers and every other face-owner out there.'

The 'Nifty Fifty' product is intended to be used before applying makeup and being exposed to the sun.

It's formulated with Kakadu plum to protect the skin against ageing, CoQ10 for 'skin smoothing effects' and aloe vera for hydration.

Zoe confirmed the product doesn't contain 'nasty' chemical UV filters, such as oxybenzone, avobenzone and octisalate, and is suitable for sensitive skin.

Go-To has also previously released Zincredible SPF 15, which was discontinued in 2020.
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Cara Delevingne is nothing if not one of the most sought-after models around, so it's little surprise she's struck a fashion deal with the best of the best. That is, she has created a collaboration with late designer Karl Lagerfeld, a designer she adored.

Cara made sure she appeared to promoted the collection during Paris fashion week and already, the range is flying off the shelves.

Specifically, we're loving the belted blazer coat that she modeled for the event, but there are bi-color poplin shirts, skinny jeans and combat boots worth checking out too.

The collection is gender neutral and sustainable so there's zero guilt if you pull proverbial trigger.

So chic! Model Cara Delevingne modeled her collaboration with brand Karl Lagerfeld and the upshot is tailored perfection. The best part is that we can all shop the look

Pick up Cara's belted blazer coat now, or shop from the other lookalikes we've rounded up. We've assembled options from I SAW IT FIRST, Alo, NaaNaa, Nasty Gal and Superdown, all budgets and styles covered.
SHOPPING: Products featured in this article are independently selected by our shopping writers. If you make a purchase using links on this page, DailyMail.com will earn an affiliate commission.

Rachel Brosnahan was interviewed by Town & Country and spoke to the magazine about her early career. The actress has been portraying Miriam 'Midge' Maisel on the series The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.

For the magazine spread, the actress wore a number of fall must-haves that shot to the top of our shopping lists, specifically Miu Miu's argyle vest that can be yours for $1390.

We love the argyle pattern that instantly brings us back to the classroom. We can see this versatile piece topping a white poplin button-down shirt, or by itself under a blazer.

Click through to make it yours by hitting the "Shop" button.

Cozy and cool! Rachel Brosnahan was photographed for Town & Country in a series of fall pieces, including wool houndstooth shorts, knit sweaters and, what caught our eye, this argyle vest. Happily it can be yours by the quick click of a mouse

Or scroll through our lookalikes to pick up knit tank top and vests that will have you in Rachel's style tout de suite. We've rounded up options ranging from Joseph to Forever 21, all styles and budgets covered.
Simon Charles Dorante-Day (pictured) was born in Portsmouth, UK, on April 5, 1966 and was adopted at eight months old before his family later settled in Australia

A British-born Aussie who believes he is the lovechild of King Charles III and Camilla has released the last letter he sent Queen Elizabeth II before she passed away.

Simon Charles Dorante-Day, 56, was adopted at eight months old and maintains that his adoptive grandmother told him on her deathbed that he was the 'secret son' of Charles and Camilla.

The father-of-nine deems now to be the best time to share what he wrote to Her Majesty.

'I've kept the contents of the letter confidential until now, but with her passing I think it's appropriate to share my last correspondence with her,' Mr Dorante-Day told 7News.

'When she passed away, I was disappointed that she had died without responding to my message. That was my first thing - just sad, because that window of opportunity has closed.'

The father-of-nine deems now to be the best time to share what he wrote in his last letter to Her Majesty the Queen before she died

Mr Dorante-Day (centre) has gone viral by frequently posting images comparing photos of himself and his children alongside members of the British royal family - in this case the King himself (left)

Prior to contacting the Queen in November last year, Mr Dorante-Day approached Queensland's Governor General Dr Jeanette Young to discuss the case and addressed this in the letter itself.

'Your Majesty, firstly I hope this letter finds you well and in good spirits approaching the festival season,' he wrote.

'I take the liberty of approaching you via the Governor's Office however, given the position with which my family and I find ourselves, we feel this action is justified.'

He then claims medical procedures were undertaken during his childhood to alter his appearance.

'I can certainly understand, and to some degree forgive, actions that have been taken in the past in relation to my existence, but I cannot forget what has occurred,' he wrote.

'These actions I believe were undertaken to conceal my true identity.'

Mr Dorante-Day contacted Her Majesty in November 2021 and believes now is the 'perfect time' to release the letter he wrote (pictured). He claims medical procedures were undertaken during his childhood to alter his appearance

'Furthermore, over the years of residing with the Day family, my adopted grandparents Winifred and Earnest Bowlden often spoke about the time they worked for the Royal household,' Mr Dorante-Day continued.

'Then on my last visit to the United Kingdom in 1998, my adopted grandmother Winifred told me herself, that my birth parents were your son Charles and his wife Camilla.'

He added how it would be 'naive' to think the Queen wasn't aware of the claims made or that she hadn't been following the events closely.

Mr Dorante-Day concluded the formal letter by asking for assistance with his case.

'Subsequently, you will all be aware of the actions I have recently commenced and the level of attention this has already received,' he wrote.

'I am writing on behalf of my family and I to ask for your assistance in coming forward and resolving this issue and stopping this global assault.

'May God give you the strength to come forward.'

When the Queen passed away Mr Dorante-Day told 7News he was 'disappointed that she had died without responding' to the message

For years Mr Dorante-Day has spoken of his desire for the royals submit to a DNA test to prove his genetic heritage and has even sought senior legal advice

For years Mr Dorante-Day has spoken of his desire for the royals to submit to a DNA test to prove his genetic heritage and has even sought senior legal advice after another letter penned to the Queen speaking of his plight was not dignified with a response.

'It's hard not to take Charles naming William as the Prince of Wales as anything other than a kick in the face,' Mr Dorante-Day previously told 7News.

'I don't want to feel that way, but I do. I just think, the least Charles can do is give me an answer - acknowledge me. He gives William a title like that, well where's my answer? Where's my DNA test? If you are not my father, then prove you're not.'

The Aussie also reaffirmed his commitment to pursuing legal action in an attempt to force the King into a paternity test.

'There has been a discussion in there between a judge and myself and his barrister about the legal standing of Charles, and whether the monarch is protected by the law or is above the law,' Mr Dorante-Day explained.

'And the answer to that was no - they told me that we don't see any reason why he is. And secondly, Camilla and her family are certainly not above the law. So that argument's already been had and settled.'

King Charles III and Camilla, Queen Consort, arrive at Writer's Square ahead of a service of reflection in memory of Queen Elizabeth II at St Anne's Cathedral on September 13, 2022

Mr Dorante-Day's case alleges King Charles and Queen consort Camilla began their close relationship in 1965, a year before his birth certificate says he was born

Mr Dorante-Day was born in Portsmouth, UK, on April 5, 1966 and was adopted at eight months old before his family later settled in Australia.

Both of Mr Dorante-Day's adoptive grandparents had worked for the Queen and Prince Philip in one of their royal households and he claims his adoptive grandmother told him he was the son of Charles and Camilla.

Mr Dorante-Day's case alleges King Charles and Queen consort Camilla began their close relationship in 1965, a year before his birth certificate says he was born.

He claims that Queen consort Camilla was absent from the British social scene and King Charles was sent on a trip to Australia nine months before he was born.

Mr Dorante-Day insists that Camilla kept him until he was eight months old, hiding him from the world with the help of the royal family and protection officers, and claims to have been told it was a condition of the adoption that his names Simon and Charles were not changed.

However by eight months he was growing too big to hide and it was arranged for the daughter of a royal household staff member - Mr Dorante-Day's adoptive grandmother - to take him under her care.

Mr Dorante-Day believes inconsistencies on his birth certificate and his name also prove he is of royal blood.

But his timeline of events contradicts official records that say the new King and Camilla met each other five years after Mr Dorante-Day's birth.

Mr Dorante-Day claimed his research suggests Charles and Camilla first became close in 1965, meeting at Winston Churchill's funeral in January of that year.

However, Charles and Camilla are widely reported to have met at a polo match in Windsor Great Park in 1970.

Legend has it that she introduced herself with the line: 'You know, sir, my great-grandmother was the mistress of your great-great-grandfather - so how about it?' - a reference to Edward VII and his mistress, Alice Keppel.

She eventually married Charles in 2005, 10 years after her divorce from Andrew Parker Bowles in 1995.

Mr Dorante-Day believes King Charles III and Queen Consort Camilla are his biological parents after he was adopted at eight-months old

Mr Dorante-Day last week shared a tribute to his supposed grandmother in the wake of Queen Elizabeth II's death.

He said his daughter Meriam told him Her Majesty had died when he woke up on Friday.

'Like everyone on the planet it would be hard not to be affected and saddened by her passing,' he wrote.

'Since finding out about the loss of my grandmother aka Lilibet, I've been inundated with messages of condolence for the loss. Thank you all for your kind words, thoughts, and concern.'

Mr Dorante-Day said the death of the monarch also marked the loss of him 'pleasantly' being able to get to the bottom of his biological heritage after she never responded to a letter he wrote to her.

Mr Dorante-Day shared a photo of him next to the Queen during her younger years

However, he vowed to continue his efforts to try and determine conclusively that the new sovereign and his wife are his true parents.

'As many of you have expressed my family and I are mourning not just the loss of Her Majesty but the loss of another opportunity to resolve this issue pleasantly, the right way,' he said.

'So, despite the lost opportunity of getting to personally hear her version of events, and the great sadness we all feel at her passing, on a personal and public scale it will be business as usual.'

Mr Dorante-Day previously said he feels the Queen is now 'free' to do what she wishes in the afterlife without any judgement 'like she had her entire reign' and that she has now been 'reunited with her greatest love and closest friend', the late Duke of Edinburgh.

He said that he does not think she would want anyone to feel sad for her, and instead 'she would rather we all celebrate and remember her for what she stood for and the changes that she was able to make during her reign'.
Queen Margarete stripped four grandchildren of their royal titles - but not Mary's

The Danish Royal Family hours ago announced some changes in titles

Crown Princess Mary of Denmark was beaming as she stepped out to attend the Danish Industry Award 2022 on Tuesday night - after news her mother-in-law did not remove any of her children's royal titles.

Mary, 50, looked ever-so-chic in a grey checked blazer and matching trousers by Alexander McQueen as she entered the Royal Arena in Copenhagen.

She paired the sophisticated power suit with a simple blue ribbed shirt, Mulberry handbag, understated jewellery and grey suede pumps.

Crown Princess Mary of Denmark was all smiles as she attended the Danish Industry Award in Copenhagen on Tuesday night

Mary, 50, looked ever-so-chic in a grey checked blazer and matching trousers by Alexander McQueen as she entered the Royal Arena

She paired the sophisticated power suit with a simple blue ribbed shirt, Mulberry handbag understated jewellery and grey suede pumps

The Aussie-born royal made a speech at the ceremony, presented the night's main award and attended panel discussions and corporate presentations.

According to the Danish Royal Family's Instagram page, more than 2,000 guests applauded as Mary announced the winner of the DI Award which recognises one company that 'has made special effort within a topical theme in business and society'.

Her appearance comes as the royal family announced that Queen Margrethe stripped four of her grandchildren of their royal titles - but Mary's kids were lucky enough to keep theirs.

The Aussie-born royal made a speech at the ceremony, presented the night's main award and attended panel discussions and corporate presentations

According to the Danish Royal Family's Instagram page, more than 2,000 guests applauded as Mary announced the winner of the DI Award

The monarch, 82, removed prince and princess as well as 'His/Her Highness' titles from Nikolai, 23, Felix, 20, Henrik, 13, and Athena, ten.

A statement on Wednesday said Queen Margrethe hopes the move will allow the siblings to 'shape their own lives without being limited by the special considerations and duties' that a formal affiliation with the Danish Royal Family involves.

The children of Prince Joachim, her second son, will be known instead by His Excellency Count of Monpezat or Her Excellency Countess of Monpezat starting on January 1, 2023.

Queen Margrethe of Denmark has stripped four of her grandchildren of their royal titles, the Danish royal household has announced. Pictured, Prince Joachim and Princess Marie with Prince Nikolai, Prince Felix, Prince Henrik and Princess Athena of Denmark in September

The monarch (pictured in September 2022) has removed prince and princess as well as 'His/Her Highness' titles from Nikolai, 23, Felix, 20, Henrik, 13, and Athena, 10

The siblings, who are currently seventh through tenth in the line to the throne, will maintain their places in the order of succession.

Nikolai and Felix, who are both models, are the sons of Prince Joachim and his first wife, Alexandra, Countess of Frederiksborg. Prince Joachim remarried Princess Marie in 2008, and the pair share Henrik and Athena.

Queen Margrethe's decision does not impact the four children of Crown Princess Mary and Crown Prince Frederik, who is heir to the throne.

Prince Christian, 16, Princess Isabella, 15, and 11-year-old twins Prince Vincent and Princess Josephine will all continue to hold royal titles and be part of the royal household.

Prince Nikolai, from left, Princess Marie, Prince Joachim and Prince Felix arrive for the command performance at the Danish Royal Theatre to mark the 50th anniversary of Danish Queen Margrethe II's accession to the throne in Copenhagen, Saturday, September 10, 2022

Prince Nikolai of Denmark celebrated his 23rd birthday in August at home with his parents and siblings in Copenhagen. Pictured left with Prince Felxi, 20, Prince Henrick, 13 and Princess Athena, ten

The statement said: 'In April 2008, Her Majesty the Queen conferred the titles of Count, Countess and Comtesse of Monpezat on her sons, their spouses and their descendants.

'In May 2016, it was also announced that His Royal Highness Prince Christian, as the only one of the Queen's grandchildren, is expected to receive an annuity from the state as an adult.

'As a natural extension of this, Her Majesty has decided that with effect from 1 January 2023, the descendants of His Royal Highness Prince Joachim can only use their titles as Count and Countess of Monpezat, as their previous titles as Prince and Princess of Denmark will lapse.

Nikolai with his stepmother Princess Marie, siblings, and father Prince Joachim, on the balcony of Amalienborg palace during the Danish Queen's 78th Birthday in April 2018

Princess Marie with Prince Joachim, Prince Felix, Prince Nikolai, Princess Athena and Prince Henrick with Joachim's first wife's Alexandra, Countess of Frederiksborg in 2020

'Prince Joachim's descendants will henceforth have to be addressed as Excellencies. The Queen's decision is in line with similar adaptations that other royal houses have implemented in different ways in recent years.

'With her decision, Her Majesty the Queen wants to create the framework for the four grandchildren to be able to shape their own lives to a much greater extent without being limited by the special considerations and duties that a formal affiliation with the Royal House of Denmark as an institution involves.

'All four grandchildren maintain their places in the order of succession,' concluded the statement.
The couple now feel closer than ever and made their relationship work

She would drive 16 hour round-trips every month to see him for one hour

The 23-year-old stood by her partner Dayne even though he was 700km away

Aussie mum Caity Phelan was shattered when her partner was thrown in jail

An Aussie mum-of-two says she feels closer than ever with her partner after he was thrown in jail.

Caity Phelan, 23, was devastated when her partner Dayne, 25, was incarcerated 700km away for seven months after making a 'bad decision'.

But the young eyelash technician from Mackay, Queensland, stood by her partner and made their relationship work - and now they're stronger than ever.

The couple had only been dating for seven months when the incident occurred, leaving Caity completely 'shattered'.

Caity Phelan (pictured) was devastated when her partner Dayne, 25, was incarcerated 700km away for seven months after making a 'bad decision'

But the young eyelash technician from Mackay, Queensland, stood by her partner and made their relationship work - and now they're stronger than ever (pictured together, right)

'As his partner I naturally want to support him through any obstacles in life. I stuck by him because I want to contribute in helping him in his rehabilitation to becoming a better person,' she told news.com.au.

During his time behind bars, Caity could only see Dayne once or twice a month and would drive 16 hour round-trips for just a one-hour visit.

The pair would also have virtual conversations to catch up and see each other.

'It is very true when they say you don't know what you have until it's gone. It's allowed us to express our thoughts better because he has all the time in the world to think in there,' Caity said.

At the time she also was pressured by others to leave Dayne but never considered it for a second.

During his time behind bars, Caity could only see Dayne once or twice a month and would drive 16 hours round-trip for a one-hour visit

The two have known each other for 10 years and were friends as they went to the same high school before they started dating

The two have known each other for 10 years and were friends as they went to the same high school before they started dating.

Caity said being the girlfriend or wife to someone who has gone to prison takes courage and resilience and 'isn't for everyone'.

She added that the whole experience has opened their eyes to show just how much they love each other.
U.S. embassy in Moscow urges Americans to depart Russia to avoid being conscripted

Xinhua) 10:16, September 29, 2022

WASHINGTON, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. embassy in Moscow has urged American nationals residing in Russia to depart the country immediately, citing what it claimed to be possibility that Russia could conscript dual nationals for military service.

"Russia may refuse to acknowledge dual nationals' U.S. citizenship, deny their access to U.S. consular assistance, prevent their departure from Russia, and conscript dual nationals for military service," read an alert posted on the embassy's website Tuesday.

"U.S. citizens should not travel to Russia and those residing or travelling in Russia should depart Russia immediately while limited commercial travel options remain," it added.

The advisory came roughly a week after Russia announced a partial mobilization amid the conflict with Ukraine.

(Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun)
In this provided photo taken in 2019, actor and UNHCR goodwill ambassador Jung Woo-sung, center in a white T-shirt, poses with Rohingya refugees at Kutupalong Refugee Camp in Bangladesh on World Refugee Day. Courtesy of United Nations Human Rights



By Lee Hae-rin



Actor Jung Woo-sung, who serves as goodwill ambassador for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), will visit Poland to meet Ukrainian refugees on Oct. 3, UNHCR's Seoul office said, Wednesday. This will be Jung's eighth trip as a Korean representative for the humanitarian aid agenda.



Since his appointment as UNHCR goodwill ambassador in May 2014, Jung has visited refugees and displaced people in Nepal, South Sudan, Iraq, Bangladesh, Djibouti and Malaysia. Due to border restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic, his missions abroad have been halted for three years.



"Although there have been restrictions to visit the field for the last three years due to the COVID-19 pandemic, I was concerned about the growing number of refugees," Jung said in a statement released by the UNHCR. "I hope for this mission to Poland to be an opportunity to increase Koreans' awareness of displaced people and to convey the message that anyone can be forced to flee."



During his visit to Poland, Jung will meet Ukrainian refugees and volunteers at Lublin train station where refugees continue to arrive by train. One of the refugee support centers there is operated by the UNHCR, the group said.



Jung has been a vocal advocate of human rights for refugees and displaced people. In 2018, the actor spoke up for the Yemeni refugees who arrived on Jeju Island seeking refugee status.



In February 2019, he spoke for the refugees at a policy forum at the National Assembly. The actor shared his experiences with meeting refugees and displaced people while expressing concerns for baseless stories about Yemeni refugees that were spreading quickly online and inciting hatred and Islamophobia. He also called for a revision of the Refugee Act.



In 2019 he also published a memoir, titled "If you could see what I have seen," which reflects his journey with the UNHCR since 2014 on Refugee Day, which falls every year on June 20. All of the proceeds from the book's sales are donated to the UNHCR.



According to the UNHCR, more than 13 million Ukrainians have been forced to flee their home country and crossed borders to seek asylum. Poland has received more than 1.3 million Ukrainian war refugees, many of whom are women and children, elderly and disabled.


Kayleigh revealed they had been engaged for three years before the ceremony

One couple, Kayleigh Forward and Brady Pengally-Martin, spoke to FEMAIL

The couples were spoiled with a fully catered event by radio station B105

Twenty five love-struck couples have said I do in a Vegas-style wedding after deciding they couldn't wait any longer to tie the knot.

Kayleigh Forward was amongst the blushing brides on the big day and told FEMAIL she couldn't have gotten married any other way.

The wedding ceremony was hosted by Brisbane-based radio personality and registered celebrant Abby Coleman, who describes herself as a 'sucker for love'.

25 couples came together on Wednesday to get married - courtesy of Brisbane radio station B105

Radio host and self-confessed 'sucker for love' Abby Coleman, pictured in pink, officiated the ceremonies as she is a registered celebrant

Kayleigh Forward, 30, and Brady Pengally-Martin, 36, were among the couples to get hitched on the big day

She was joined by her co-hosts Maty Acton, who turned up in a sequin jacket, and Stav Davidson who dressed like Elvis for the ceremonies.

Abby wore a stunning pink gown as she officiated each of the couples' vows on Wednesday - before all 25 couples sat down to share their first meal as husbands and wives.

The love-loving radio host suggested she put on a big-batch wedding ceremony live on air and 'the phones went nuts' with couples hoping to be included on the day.

Kayeleigh said she called her partner Brady Pengally-Martin as soon as she heard the plan for a radio-hosted wedding - and he quickly agreed it would make for a memorable day.

She called the station and her details were put on the long list of other hopeful brides.

'I was so excited they chose me to be part of the day,' she said.

The brides looked stunning, and wore everything from summer dresser to coloured gowns and traditional wedding dresses on the day

Kayleigh and her husband Brady had been engaged for three years before they were married on Wednesday.

'My husband wanted the big wedding whereas I never thought I would get married,' she said.

'We were going to go to New Zealand and elope but Covid ruined that, and I didn't want to waste any more money,' she added.

Kayleigh was given two months notice for the big day, enough time for her to find a $70 dress and for Brady to buy a good suit.

Each couple were greeted by Abby and her co hosts Stav and Matty on the day - Kayleigh listens to the hosts every morning and said it was a 'dream come true

'I was so anxious and stressed leading up to it,' she said.

'But on the day everything felt so right. I couldn't wipe the smile off face, and I was actually squealing with excitement. It was like a volcano eruption of happiness,' she said.

It was perfect for Brady too. The groom 'melted' as he watched Kayleigh step through the doorway and walk down the aisle.

'He had this murky smile on his face, he just lit up watching me,' Kayleigh said.

The couples were given 15 minutes to walk down the aisle, exchange their vows to make everything official, share a kiss and sign their paperwork.

Each bride and groom had 15 minutes to walk down the aisle, say I do and sign the paperwork before beginning their lives as a married couple

Each couple was given a cake and a gift - there were 25 couples involved in total

Kayleigh is a superfan of the network and says seeing Matty, Abby and Stav on her wedding day was 'a dream come true'.

The radio station, B105, covered each couple's hair, makeup, flowers, music, food, drinks, photographer and of course the celebrant for the day.

Each bride and groom took home a present on the day, with Kayleigh and Brady gifted a Smeg blender.

The couple spent about $2000 in total including outfits, some much-needed visits to the hairdresser and for a photographer who helped them capture pictures with family after the ceremony.

Kayleigh won a JetStar voucher on the radio previously so the couple plan to use the voucher to take trips around Australia for their honeymoon.
A 60-year-old woman suffered 'debilitating' lesions on her tongue after receiving Pfizer's Covid vaccine  with each shot making her symptoms worse.

Her side effects, which also included a dry mouth and inflammation, were so painful she was left unable to eat.

Doctors struggled to find the culprit for nine months, during which she lost 17 pounds (8kg).

By the time she was finally diagnosed, her swollen tongue had began to split open leaving deep, agonizing sores.

She was diagnosed with Sjogren's syndrome, a condition that sees the immune system go haywire and damage healthy parts of the body.

Her symptoms were finally cured with a six-week course of topical steroids.

Doctors chronicled the rare side effect in a report published last month in the American Journal of Case Reports.

The unidentified patient, from Australia, received three vaccine doses in total  two of which formed the initial course, as well as a single booster.

Similar symptoms were also documented in patients infected with coronavirus, which led to the condition being dubbed 'Covid tongue'.

A 60-year-old woman experienced severe tongue lesions and swelling after receiving doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID vaccine

The woman experienced swelling of the tongue and extreme discomfort caused by lesions. She could barely eat, and lost 17 pounds as a result

Oral sores are not a new phenomenon after a vaccine and have been spotted in people following flu, hepatitis B and papillomavirus jabs.

But only a handful of cases have been reported after Covid vaccines, despite billions of doses being administered worldwide.

What is Sjogren's syndrome, and how could a Covid vaccine trigger it? Sjogren's syndrome is an autoimmune condition that causes the body's immune system to attack healthy cells that produce saliva and tears. People of any age can develop Sjogren's syndrome, but it is most often diagnosed in women over 40 The causes of Sjogren's syndrome are unknown but research suggests some people are genetically more inclined to get it. Symptoms include dry mouth and eyes, fatigue, and joint pain While the Covid vaccines currently in use are highly safe and effective, there is always the risk that vaccination will trigger an autoimmune response. Advertisement

The unnamed patient developed sores in her mouth about three days after receiving the first dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine.

Her symptoms had partially abated before she received the second dose, after which the symptoms returned still more severely.

She underwent a cadre of blood tests to rule out other diagnoses such as HPV and other infections.

She was referred to an outpatient rheumatology clinic with suspected Sjogren syndrome, an autoimmune disease which causes the immune system to attack glands that produce moisture in the eyes, mouth, and other parts of the body.

Doctors first prescribed a topical version of clonazepam, a benzodiazepine that when ingested orally, can treat burning mouth syndrome.

When that did little to alleviate her symptoms, doctors prescribed an oral steroid which caused symptoms to improve 60 per cent, but treatment stopped because it was causing the woman abdominal pain.

Doctors finally settled on a lower dose topical iteration of the steroids dissolved in water and taken consistently for about six weeks until symptoms abated.

The condition was not easily diagnosed and doctors were puzzled at first. While oral symptoms can be associated with the Pfizer vaccine, they are uncommon and likely under recognized by providers who do not specialize in oral healthcare.

Writing in the journal, the doctors said: 'A subsequent review of the timeline of history and medications, including vaccinations, identified a clear relationship between the exacerbation of oral symptoms after each [Pfizer-BioNTech] vaccination.'

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) database for Covid vaccine side effects does not include oral symptoms.

A major caveat is that reporting the adverse effects is voluntary and therefore cases may be underreported.

'This case demonstrates that oral symptoms can be associated with BNT162b2 vaccination, which is likely under-recognized by practitioners outside the field of oral health,' the doctors said in the case study.

They advised the medical community to be on the lookout for similarly unusual effects of vaccination:

Roughly 68 per cent of the U.S. population - nearly 225 millions people - is fully vaccinated against Covid, meaning the have received the prescribed two doses of vaccines.

Nearly 110 million Americans have received their first booster shot. Roughly 35 per cent of the U.S. population over 50, the subset of people who are eligible, have received their second booster doses.

The most common side effects of receiving a COVID vaccine include pain at the injection site, headaches, fatigue, dizziness, nausea, chills, and fever.
Long-term antidepressant use could raise the risk of suffering and dying from heart disease, scientists say.

University of Bristol researchers discovered patients who had been taking the drugs for more than 10 years were up to twice as likely to be diagnosed with and die from heart disease.

Around one in six adults in England and one in five in the US take the drugs, which are thought to raise levels of chemicals in the brain that boost mood.

Despite the finding, academics today urged millions taking the pills not to panic and insisted they were still safe to take.

The link they spotted may be down to depression itself pushing up the risk of heart problems, rather than the drugs themselves.

Researchers at the University of Bristol found that those who had been taking the drugs for more than 10 years were more likely to be diagnosed with and die from heart disease

The team, led by Dr Narinder Bansal, compared the health of those taking antidepressant against those who were not over a 10-year period. They looked at eight types of the drug, all of which are dished out by the NHS. These included selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) citalopram (top picture), sertraline (second picture), fluoxetine and paroxetine. Around eight in 10 people on antidepressants in the UK take one of these drugs

WHAT IS DEPRESSION? While it is normal to feel down from time to time, people with depression may feel persistently unhappy for weeks or months on end. Depression can affect anyone at any age and is fairly common  approximately one in ten people are likely to experience it at some point in their life. Depression is a genuine health condition which people cannot just ignore or 'snap out of it'. Symptoms and effects vary, but can include constantly feeling upset or hopeless, or losing interest in things you used to enjoy. It can also cause physical symptoms such as problems sleeping, tiredness, having a low appetite or sex drive, and even feeling physical pain. In extreme cases it can lead to suicidal thoughts. Traumatic events can trigger it, and people with a family history may be more at risk. It is important to see a doctor if you think you or someone you know has depression, as it can be managed with lifestyle changes, therapy or medication. Source: NHS Choices Advertisement

To determine whether antidepressant use impacted heart health, the researchers examined data on 220,121 people aged 40 to 69 in the UK Biobank  a database containing the health records of half a million Britons.

The team, led by Dr Narinder Bansal, compared the health of those taking antidepressants against those who were not over a 10-year period.

They looked at eight types of the drug, all of which are dished out by the NHS.

These included selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) citalopram, sertraline, fluoxetine and paroxetine.

Around eight in 10 people on antidepressants in the UK take one of these drugs.

They also looked at four other antidepressants: mirtazapine, venlafaxine, duloxetine and trazodone.

The results, published in the British Journal of Psychiatry Open, show that those taking SSRIs were 34 per cent more likely to develop heart disease, compared to those not taking any antidepressants.

Users were nearly twice as likely to die from cardiovascular disease and 73 per cent more likely to die early from any cause.

For those taking the other four antidepressants, the risks were around twice as high as those not taking the drugs.

The team also spotted that antidepressants, particularly SSRIs, were linked with a 23 to 32 per cent lower risk of developing high blood pressure or diabetes. However, they noted that more research was needed into this finding.

The researchers said: 'Antidepressants, and especially SSRIs, may have a good safety profile in the short term, but are associated with adverse outcomes in the long term.

'This is important because most of the substantial increase in prescribing in the past 20 or more years is in long-term repeat prescribing.'

However, Dr Bansal urged people not to suddenly stop taking their drugs  advising them to speak to their GP if they are concerned.

She noted that the researchers took a wide range of risk factors into account  including that those with depression are more likely to be overweight, smoke and do less exercise.

But Dr Bansal said it is 'difficult to fully control for the effects of depression'.

'This makes it difficult to fully separate the effects of the depression from the effects of medication,' she said.

For example, those taking the four antidepressants that are not SSRIs 'may have more severe depression', which could explain their higher rates of poor health.

Dr Bansal added: 'Further research is needed to assess whether the associations we have seen are genuinely due to the drugs, and if so, why this might be.

'Meanwhile, our message for clinicians is that prescribing of antidepressants in the long term may not be harm-free.'

She called for 'proactive cardiovascular monitoring' in patients who are on antidepressants long term, 'given that both have been associated with higher risks'.

NHS figures show 8.3million patients in England were prescribed antidepressants last year, a six per cent rise from 7.9million one year earlier.

Prescriptions for antidepressants among teens have risen by a quarter in England in 2020 compared to 2016. The greatest growth was seen among 13 and 19-year-olds where prescription rates rose by about a third

Young adults, who are often leaving home for the first time and starting their careers also saw antidepressant prescription rates boom by about 40 per cent

In 2019, research looking at around 1,000 existing studies, published in JAMA Psychiatry, concluded that antidepressants are generally safe.

Professor Glyn Lewis, a psychiatrist at University College London said people should not be 'alarmed or worried' by the findings, or stop taking their medication.

He said the study could not conclude whether it was depression increasing health risks or the use of antidepressants.

'There is a lot of evidence, from other research, that depression is associated with increased cardiovascular disease,' he said.

'Clearly, there's behavioural things (associated with depression), where people might not look after themselves as well, and there may also be hormonal changes and metabolic changes which might increase risk of physical illnesses in the longer term.

'Without a (randomised controlled trial), it's always going to be really, really difficult to make any inference about whether it's antidepressants or the depression leading to these kinds of associations.'

Professor David Osborn, psychiatrist at UCL, said: 'We have known that depression and anxiety are associated with raised rates of cardiovascular disease for many years.

'This explains the findings in this interesting paper but there is no evidence here of a causal role for antidepressants. Proving causation would require more elaborate research methods.'

Professor Martin Marshall, chairman of the Royal College of GPs, said: 'Existing evidence shows that antidepressants can be an effective treatment for the distressing and often-debilitating symptoms of anxiety and depression when used appropriately.

'GPs are highly trained to have open and sensitive conversations with their patients, and when discussing mental health concerns they will consider various treatment options based on the unique needs of the patient, and if prescribing antidepressants, it will generally be at the lowest dose and for the shortest amount of time.

'This is an interesting study and as outlined by the authors, further research is needed in this area.

'However, it's really important that patients do not stop taking their prescribed antidepressants as a result of this research, but if they are concerned, they should discuss this at their next medication review.'
Everyone feels lonely from time to time.

While the crushing feeling can be isolating, it is far different to chronic loneliness, a rapidly growing problem described as a public health emergency.

Its devastating impact on mental well-being  that it raises the risk of depression, anxiety and stress  has been widely known for decades.

But studies are now starting to show that it damages physical health, too.

The topic was thrust into the limelight this week, after researchers claimed it ages people quicker than smoking.

Here, MailOnline analyses the mounting evidence surrounding loneliness's knock-on effects on your health.

From ageing you quicker than smoking to increasing the risk of dementia by up to 40 per cent, loneliness has been shown to have a crippling effect on our bodies. It can also increase your risk of diabetes, heart disease and obesity, as well as cause clinical depression

Ageing you quicker than smoking

Being lonely and unhappy can age you quicker than smoking, a study suggested this week.

A collaboration of researchers from Stanford University and the Chinese University of Hong Kong claimed the negative emotional effects of social isolation sped up people's biological clocks more than cigarettes.

Feeling lonely, unhappy and hopeless was found to add up to an extra year and eight months onto someone's age  five months more than smoking.

Experts believe the chronic inflammation, caused by being unhappy, damages cells and vital organs.

The study, published on Tuesday in the journal Aging-US, drew on data from 12,000 Chinese adults.

Everyone has a chronological age  the amount of time they've physically been alive for.

Researchers, including scientists at Stanford University, in California, estimated how many years were added to someone's life by the above. They used biological years, or how old a person 'seems' based on factors including blood, kidney status and BMI. This differs from the chronological age, or how long someone has been alive. Rural areas likely raised someone's age because of a lack of access to hospitals, while never getting married has long been thought to raise someone's risk of an earlier death

But people also have a biological age, which estimates the body's decline based on factors including bodily functions and lifestyle.

Using blood samples, surveys and medical data, experts generated an aging model to predict participants' biological age.

Participants were then matched by their chronological age and gender and had their results compared, to establish which were aging fastest.

Researchers did not specify how they defined loneliness.

But chronic loneliness is not the same as temporarily having no friends or little social contact. Many sufferers live happy, solitary lives, while others can feel isolated even if they are in a loving relationship or have a big family.

The condition is about feeling misunderstood or uncared for, and is particularly prevalent in older people who have retired or are bereaved.

Laurie Theeke, an expert from George Washington University who was not involved in the study, told DailyMail.com that it was 'no surprise' that loneliness led to faster aging than smoking.

'I have been studying this since 2002, and there are many national datasets that show loneliness leads to a shorter lifespan, higher mortality and more co-morbidities  so this doesn't surprise me at all.'

She said lonely people tended to have higher inflammation and anxiety levels than others, and also be less active, both contributing to worse health.

How does being lonely affect health? About a third of Americans are lonely, estimates suggest, with younger adults most likely to say they feel this. But there are mounting warnings from scientists that loneliness  a feeling of sadness due to a lack of company  can harm health. In older adults, the National Institute on Aging says being lonely raises the risk of them being admitted to a nursing home or ER. They warn people who are lonely may get too little exercise, drink too much alcohol, smoke and often struggle to sleep. They may also experience emotional pain, which activates the same stress response inthe body as physical pain. This leads to release of the stress hormone which, over time, triggers chronic inflammation raising the risk of several diseases. These include high blood pressure, heart disease, obesity, weakened immune system, anxiety, depression, cognitive decline and dementia. Source: NIA Advertisement

Increasing the risk of dementia by up to 40 per cent

Loneliness has also been linked to dementia.

A study by Florida State University suggested it might increase the chances of getting dementia by around 40 per cent.

They believe the greater risk of depression, worse cardiovascular health and physical inactivity could be behind the relationship.

All three have been proven to increase the chances of the memory-robbing disease, with the latter two potentially starving the brain of oxygen by narrowing arteries.

But the researchers also claimed the increased levels of stress caused by loneliness could also be boosting the risk.

High levels of the stress hormone cortisol has been linked to impaired memory and the wearing away of the part of the brain associated with remembering.

The research, published in the Journal of Gerontlogy in 2020, tracked nearly 12,000 people of 10 years.

Loneliness was defined based on whether participants said they had felt lonely in the last two weeks at the start of the study.

Writing in the journal, Dr Angelina Sutin and colleagues said: 'Loneliness has recently been identified as a significant public health problem but one that can be addressed with financial and institutional support.

'The research highlights one poor outcome associated with loneliness: Individuals with loneliness are more likely to develop dementia than less lonely individuals.

'Addressing this psychosocial risk factor will likely have a broad range of positive outcomes, including lowering risk and prevalence of dementia.'

Doubles the risk of type 2 diabetes

Loneliness could double a person's risk of developing type two diabetes because it can create a 'long-lasting state of distress', experts say.

Scientists believe that such distress can activate the body's stress response.

While experts are not clear exactly how stress causes diabetes, high levels of cortisol have been shown to bring on temporary insulin resistance.

When people eat carbohydrates, the food is broken down into blood sugar. This tells the pancreas to release insulin, which allows glucose to enter the body's cells.

But over time, high blood sugar levels can cause insulin resistance.

Because the insulin isn't as effective at breaking down the sugars, it causes the body to produce more and more of it.

Eventually, this leads to the pancreas becoming worn out, sending the system out of whack and causing blood sugar levels to stay high.

The Norwegian team analysed health information of more than 24,000 people, 1,179 of whom went on to develop type two diabetes, via population surveys between 1995 and 2019.

Loneliness was gauged using a survey that asked respondents whether they had felt lonely over the past two weeks on a four-point scale of 'no', 'a little', 'a good amount' and 'very much'.

The findings, published in the European Association for the Study of Diabetes's journal Diabetologia this week, showed that higher levels of loneliness were strongly associated with a higher risk of type two diabetes when measured 20 years later.

After adjusting for age, sex and education level the team found that participants who responded 'very much' were twice as likely to develop type two diabetes than those who did not feel lonely.

Writing in the study, the team at Western Norway University of Applied Sciences in Bergen, said: 'This study suggests that loneliness may be one factor that increases the risk of type 2 diabetes.

'We recommend that loneliness should be included in clinical guidelines on consultations and interventions related to type 2 diabetes.'

Loneliness could be linked to heart disease in older women, ten-year research project shows Loneliness increases the risk of older women developing potentially deadly heart problems, a study has found. Scientists looked at data from 57,000 women over the age of 65 who were followed for nearly a decade. The subjects were asked about their level of loneliness and social isolation, and this was compared with rates of heart disease. The study found that women who were both lonely and isolated were between 13 and 27 per cent more likely to be diagnosed with heart disease. The research, published in the journal Jama, warned that increased isolation caused by Covid-19 and lockdowns may have put more older women at risk of heart problems Advertisement

Boosts the chances of heart disease and stroke by up to a third

Ensuring people are less lonely could also help reduce their risk of heart problems, such as stroke.

British researchers found having poor social relationships increased the chance of coronary heart disease (CHD) by 29 per cent.

And it boosted the risk of stroke by 32 per cent.

The team from the University of York said their observational study could only prove loneliness was linked to the two conditions, not behind them.

But previous research has also linked heart disease to stress and inflammation  a collateral effect of loneliness.

The team behind the latest research said public health policy should aim to address social isolation to prevent the two deadly diseases.

Their review, published in the journal Heart in 2016, looked at 23 studies, 11 of which focused on heart disease and eight on stroke.

The studies measured social isolation and loneliness in participants.

The researchers said: 'The main finding of our review, that isolated individuals are at increased risk of developing CHD and stroke, supports public health concerns over the implications of social relationships for health and well-being.

'Our work suggests that addressing loneliness and social isolation may have an important role in the prevention of two of the leading causes of morbidity in high-income countries.'

Associated with higher levels of obesity

Because of some of the problems mentioned already, research has shown loneliness can be as great a health risk as obesity.

But some studies have also shown it is associated with people putting on too much weight, as well.

Understandably, people can resort to ditching exercise or comfort eating when feeling sad and alone.

This can lead to them putting on weight and becoming obese, increasing the risk of the knock-on effects of being fat.

However, the relationship can also work the other way. Some research has suggested that obese people are more likely to become isolated.

Extremely obese people can often feel stigmatised, increasing how lonely they feel or causing them to be less social.

A review of six papers looking into obesity and loneliness or self-isolation found an association between the two in some  but not all  studies.

The review was published in the journal Diabetes, Metabolic Syndrome and Obesity: Targets and Therapy last year.

The team from the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf in Germany said the studies presented a mixed picture.

They said: 'While some studies point to an association between obesity and increased loneliness levels, it should be acknowledged that findings are mixed.

'Further research is required to shed further light on these associations.'

'Moderately significant effect' on depression

Loneliness has consistently been linked to depression, too.

Being on your own and feeling uncared for produces immediate feelings of sadness and low mood.

If this feeling persists for weeks or months, it could be a sign of clinical depression, which can also be accompanied by hopelessness, poor concentration and suicidal thoughts.

But much like with obesity, the link to loneliness is murky and could actually be caused the other way round.

When someone is depressed, they are more likely to stay inside and stop seeing their friends, increasing their chances of loneliness.

It means the two issues can result in a never-ending cycle without treatment.

A large-scale review by Turkish researchers found loneliness has a 'moderately significant effect on depression'.

The review, published in the International Journal of Social Psychiatry in 2018, looked at 88 studies.

In total, around 40,000 participants were analysed.

Results showed loneliness impacted depression in everyone studied, but especially carers, hospital patients, students and the elderly.

Dr Evren Erzen, of Artvin Coruh University, and colleagues said a sense of not belonging may indirectly lead to depression.

Writing in the journal, they said: 'Society leaves patients, carers and elderly alone with their problems and they distance from daily life, experiencing depression.

'In addition, problems experienced in the period of puberty leads teenagers who believe that no one understands them to experience feelings of loneliness which may cause depression.

'The need to feel a sense of belonging may be seen as the common characteristic between these two groups with very different age profiles and social environments.'
One in five children who started primary school a healthy size are leaving overweight or obese, damning figures reveal.

Boys were more likely than girls to pile on the pounds, data shows. Overweight boys were also more likely to move into the severely obese category by 11, according to the National Child Measurement Programme report.

Some 22.3 per cent of boys and 17.2 per cent of girls had moved up a weight category to overweight or obese by the end of year 6. Of those who started overweight, obese or severely obese, 75.9 per cent of them remained this way. One in 50 were already severely obese by the time they started school.

Among ethnic minorities, three in ten Bangladeshi and Pakistani children and around a quarter of black pupils were an unhealthy weight by year 6. This compared with one in ten white British children.

Overweight boys were also more likely to move into the severely obese category by 11, according to the National Child Measurement Programme report

Experts said the issue was a national disgrace. Tam Fry, of the Child Growth Foundation, said we were failing our children. The Government says it is committed to halving childhood obesity by 2030.

Cllr David Fothergill, Chairman of the Local Government Associations Community Wellbeing Board, called for greater powers to restrict take-aways and ban junk food advertising near schools.

He said: New powers and funding for councils are needed to build on this, including tackling the clustering of existing takeaways and restricting junk food advertising near schools.

We need to expand access to Healthy Start Vouchers to ensure more families on low incomes can access fresh fruit and vegetables as well as expanding access and increasing the eligibility criteria of Free School Meals.

Investment in councils public health services now will reap benefits for everyone longer-term, including for the NHS as we look to build back better from the pandemic and level up the future health chances of the next generation.

A government spokesperson said: We are committed to halving childhood obesity by 2030 by supporting families through schemes such as Healthy Start and helping schools to provide healthy, nutritious meals to all pupils.
A 96-year-old woman battling pneumonia was left on a trolley in A&E for 40 hours.

Pensioner Evelyn Gaw could not be moved to a ward because of a lack of beds, the Health Secretary was told yesterday.

In the latest shocking example of NHS chaos under the SNP, the former headmistress was left 'frightened, crying, breathless and disorientated' in a draughty corridor at an Ayrshire hospital.

The case was described as 'morally abhorrent' to Health Secretary Humza Yousaf, who faced demands to tear up and rewrite his NHS recovery plan.

During a Holyrood debate on the health service crisis, Scottish Tory health spokesman Dr Sandesh Gulhane raised the case of the great-grandmother, who was taken to A&E by ambulance after collapsing last Thursday.

Her son, a GP of 39 years, said his mother felt that she had 'lost her dignity' because of the 'disastrous and completely unacceptable' situation at University Hospital Crosshouse in Kilmarnock.

Pensioner Evelyn Gaw could not be moved to a ward because of a lack of beds at University Hospital Crosshouse in Kilmarnock (pictured), the Health Secretary was told yesterday

While the latest case of NHS chaos occurred in Scotland, NHS England is facing its own crisis. NHS figures show 6.8million patients were in the queue for routine hospital treatment in July, equivalent to one in eight people. Nearly 380,000 have been waiting for over one year

Emergency unit data shows that three in 10 people in England were forced to wait longer than four hours in A&E departments in August, while nearly one thousand per day waited for 12 hours

Ambulance response times in England recovered slightly in August but the time taken for paramedics to arrive on the scene was still well above targets

Cancer patients starting treatment within two months of an urgent referral increased from 59.9 per cent in June to 61.6 per cent in England in July. But the figure is below the 85 per cent standard, which hasn't been hit since 2014

During a Holyrood debate on the health service crisis, Scottish Tory health spokesman Dr Sandesh Gulhane (pictured) raised the case of the greatgrandmother, who was taken to A&E by ambulance after collapsing last Thursday

Dr Norrie Gaw added: 'She's usually fit as a fiddle and lives alone with the help of wonderful carers but suddenly developed a chest infection that wiped her off her feet.

Pinched, taunted and even SLAPPED: Secret BBC Panorama probe uncovers 'toxic culture' at one of UK's biggest NHS mental health hospitals Staff working at one of Britain's biggest mental health hospitals pinched, taunted and even slapped patients, according to a damning BBC investigation. A 'toxic culture' at Edenfield Centre in Prestwich, Bury, saw nurses humiliate vulnerable people suffering with schizophrenia, autism and other conditions. An undercover reporter for Panorama, who spent three months working there, witnessed staff swearing at patients, inappropriately restraining and even behaving sexually towards them. Patients at the hospital are held under the Mental Health Act and are deemed at serious risk of harming themselves or others. Some of them have committed crimes, including murder. Whistle-blowers had claimed staff were behaving poorly and infringing the safety of people living at the institution, which prompted the secret probe. Police have now opened an investigation into the hospital, which has a capacity for 150 patients, after being shown the harrowing footage. Officers looking through the evidence said anyone caught committing a crime will be prosecuted. The investigation, which aired last night, showed nurses swearing at patients, calling one who was suicidal a 'fat c***' and joking about her slitting her own throat. Patients were kept in tiny seclusion rooms designed for short-term isolation, some of which smelled of sewage and were mouldy, for months at a time. Experts said the staff behaviour was dangerous and 'really concerning', adding they acted 'like a gang, not a group of health care professionals'. Advertisement

'When she got to A&E a diagnosis was made within 90 minutes and she needed a hospital bed but there were absolutely no beds available.

'The staff were clearly utterly exhausted but fantastic and very apologetic, but she had to be taken on a trolley to wait in a corridor because of the lack of beds.

'It was absolutely lined with patients, and this is not an exception  this is now the norm.'

He said Mrs Gaw, who has six grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren, 'grabbed my hand and didn't want me to leave her side'.

He added: 'She hated it. She was totally distressed, frightened, crying, breathless and disorientated.

'It was horrible to see, and horrible to have to leave her.'

Last week, figures showed Scotland's A&E waiting times were the worst since records began, with 36.5 per cent of patients not seen within the four-hour target.

Mr Yousaf was condemned for lauding a marginal improvement in this week's figures, with Dr Gulhane branding him 'unfit to be in charge of health'.

Both Nicola Sturgeon and Mr Yousaf have attempted to deflect blame by claiming the NHS in England and Wales is performing worse.

Despite Dr Gulhane challenging him to respond, the Health Secretary failed to acknowledge Mrs Gaw's traumatic experience.

Dr Gaw said: 'Humza Yousaf was asked whether he regarded this as morally abhorrent and he completely ignored it. I think that just shows the policy is to ignore the facts and ignore there is a crisis in the health service.

'It's indicative of the denial from him and the First Minister, and until they recognise that, they are not going to put in place measures that work.'

Mrs Gaw, who worked at Hayocks Primary in her home town of Stevenston, Ayrshire, has since been moved to a ward with 'fabulous staff' and her condition is improving.

Dr Gulhane accused Mr Yousaf of 'clinging on to his flimsy NHS recovery plan, which isn't working and needs to be rewritten ahead of winter'.

He added: 'Workforce planning is poor. Nursing vacancies are up 25 per cent in a year and stand at over 6,000. In the past year, around 15,000 workers left the NHS - the highest number in a decade.'

Labour health spokesman Jackie Baillie accused Mr Yousaf of 'dangerous incomtotal petence', adding: 'It's almost 500 days since this Cabinet Secretary took office.

'His performance in that time has unfortunately been woeful and the consequences have been devastating for our NHS, for the hard-working staff and for patients.'

Across Scotland, 26,403 patients attended A&E in the week ending September 18. A of 8,931 waited four hours or more to be seen, with 2,697 waiting more than eight hours and 998 longer than 12 hours.

Mr Yousaf said Dr Gulhane had not mentioned Covid, 'the biggest shock our NHS has ever faced'. He added: 'To deny the severe impacts of the pandemic... is quite frankly to deny reality.

'I accept that it's cold comfort for people waiting excessively for A&E treatment but this is not a uniquely Scottish problem - health services right across the world are facing this challenge.

'Scotland's A&E performance continues to be the best in the UK, not by a small margin but by quite a margin.

'But I accept, again, that more has to be done.'

NHS Ayrshire & Arran said it could not comment on a specific case due to patient confidentiality but added: 'Unfortunately, sometimes patients have waited significantly longer than we would wish and we unreservedly apologise for that.'
He was suffering excruciating ear pain and died within days from a brain abscess

The family of the law student believe he would not have died if he had been seen face-to-face by a GP

A law student died after wrongly being denied a face-to-face GP appointment, the NHS has admitted.

David Nash, 26, from Nantwich in Cheshire, had four phone appointments with GPs and nurses between October and November 2020.

He was denied an in-person consultation, despite telling practice staff that he was suffering excruciating ear and neck pain and slurring his words.

Mr Nash tested negative for Covid on the same day he was finally due a face-to-face appointment, only for it to be cancelled anyway.

Medics told him to re-test and prescribed him painkillers, in what one GP described as 'a breach of duty'.

He died from a brain abscess two days after his last contact with his GP surgery. Relatives say it was triggered by an ear infection.

An internal NHS England probe into Mr Nash's death concluded that 'a face-to-face assessment should have been offered or organised'.

Mr Nash's parents, who are convinced he would be alive if he was seen in-person, have spoken out about the 'appalling care' their son received, accusing the health service of 'completely' letting him down.

David Nash, 26, (pictured) had four remote consultations with doctors and nurses at a Leeds GP practice over a 19-day period before he died from a brain abscess on November 4, 2020

WHAT IS MASTOIDITIS? Mastoiditis is a serious bacterial infection that affects the mastoid bone behind the ear. Most people with mastoiditis recover quickly and have no complications as long as the condition is diagnosed and treated quickly. Its symptoms include redness, tenderness and pain behind the ear, swelling behind the ear that causes it to stick out and discharge from the ear. Sufferers may also have a high temperature, a headache and hearing loss. They are advised to see a GP as soon as possible if they have symptoms or an ear infection that does not get better with treatment. The infection develops if the mastoid cells become infected or inflamed, often following persistent middle ear infections. Cholesteatoma can also cause mastoiditis. This is an abnormal collection of skin cells inside the ear which may prevent the ear draining properly, leading to infection. GPs need to examine the inside of the ear and refer a patient to a ear, nose and throat specialist for further tests for mastoiditis to be diagnosed. This usually includes a blood test and testing discharge from the ear for a bacterial infection. Mastoiditis should be diagnosed and treated quickly with antibiotics. Surgery may be required in severe cases to drain the middle ear or remove part of the mastoid bone. Although most people with mastoiditis do not experience serious complications, treatment is not always easy and the infection may come back. If the mastoid bone is severely infected and is not removed, it can cause hearing loss and life-threatening health complications such as a blood clot, meningitis and a brain abscess. Source: NHS Advertisement

Mr Nash had been in touch with his surgery on four occasions between October 14 and November 2 2020.

Recordings of his four calls were obtained by BBC Newsnight and will be broadcast tonight, with the permission of his family.

They reveal that he was due to be seen at his surgery for a blood test on the day of his fourth and final call to his GP.

Mr Nash, who was studying law at the University of Leeds, told of debilitating neck pain and was slurring his words.

He told a nurse: 'Pretty much every time my heart beats I'm getting these pains.'

Mr Nash had tested negative for the coronavirus on a gold-standard PCR test, which was being carried by an estimated around 600,000 people in England at the time.

But the nurse cancelled his appointment for later that day and asked him to test again before coming to the surgery.

He was prescribed codeine for his neck pain.

That same day, after five calls to NHS 111, Mr Nash was taken to hospital in an ambulance.

He died at at Leeds General Infirmary November 4 from brain abscess, his family say. Relatives last year said he also had meningitis at the time of this death.

The NHS, which launched an investigation into his death, found that 'the overarching benefit was less than the risk with going ahead with blood tests'.

According to a finding seen by Newsnight, it said: 'A face-to-face assessment should have been offered or organised to confirm the diagnosis and initiate definitive management'.

Relatives said medics failed to spot that he had developed mastoiditis  a serious bacterial infection of the mastoid bone behind the ear that is usually treated with antibiotics.

Most sufferers recover quickly and have no complications as long as the condition is diagnosed and combatted quickly.

However, if the bone is severely infected and is not removed, it can cause life-threatening complications, such as a brain abscess and meningitis.

Parents Andrew and Anne suspect that the mastoiditis could have been spotted and treated with antibiotics if their son had a face-to-face examination at his first appointment last year.

His parents said he was left alone in A&E despite being in a confused and in a serious state, and fell, suffering an injury to his head.

Airline pilot Andrew said: 'What we know now, is that a couple of days previously, he more than likely started to develop a brain abscess that was triggered by his ongoing infection in his ear.

'Two and a half hours after that call, David took a selfie of himself to send to a friend.

'I have no formal medical training other than first aid. But if I was to identify a picture of someone who was dying...'

And his mother said: 'It's been appalling care. I think they've completely let David down.

'I am absolutely convinced as David's mum, that if he'd been seen on that last consultation, he would still be with us today.'

Parents Andrew and Anne suspect that the mastoiditis could have been spotted and treated with antibiotics if their son had a face-to-face examination at his first appointment last year

An inquest into Mr Nash's death is set for early 2023. It is expected to delve into what his family says are significant failures after he had been admitted to hospital.

An independent GP, who was shown documents on Mr Nash's case, said there were 'several points in time where David should have been reviewed face to face'.

Dr S L Brown  a GP since 1984  said he could not determine whether Mr Nash would have lived if he was seen earlier.

However, he labelled the decision to prescribe pain relief when he was so unwell 'a breach of duty'.

Professor Martin Marshall, chair of the Royal College of General Practitioners, said: 'We know that bad things have happened.

'We know that mistakes have been made. And that's desperately sad when that has happened.'

He pointed to the GP crisis, with six in 10 doctors warning that their mental health has deteriorated in the last 12 months.

Rising numbers of the workforce are reducing their working days, which is piling more pressure on the service, Professor Marshall warned.

'So we're in a situation now where the service is not stable and is untenable. It can't carry on like this,' he added.

In a statement, the GP surgery where Mr Nash was treated said: 'We would like to again extend our condolences to Mr Nash's family, and our thoughts are with them at this difficult time.

'It would not be appropriate to comment further as the inquest is ongoing.'

NHS England for Yorkshire and Humber said it had 'investigated the family's complaint regarding their son's treatment within primary care and provided them with a response'.

The full report airs on BBC Two's Newsnight at 10:30pm tonight.
But authorities said there were no concerns about meat supplies for Christmas

One said thousands of Christmas dinners were already gone due to turkey culls

Farmers say they are terrified more cases could come as birds migrate to Britain

Traditional Christmas dinners could be at risk as bird flu rips through poultry farms in England and Wales, farmers have warned.

Britain is currently grappling its biggest ever outbreak of avian influenza, with over 3million chickens, turkeys and ducks culled over the past year to halt the spread of the highly infectious disease.

Devon, Cornwall, Suffolk and Norfolk, as well as parts of Somerset and Essex, have already been declared avian influenza prevention zones, meaning strict biosecurity rules have been imposed on all bird keepers.

This includes housing and isolating birds away from wild populations and restricting access to farms by visitors.

Stricter curbs could be on the way, amid fears of another uptick in cases when flocks of migratory birds arrive in the UK in the coming weeks.

One farmer confessed they were 'terrified' of the weeks ahead.

Another claimed many Christmas dinners 'have already gone' following turkey culls.

Under Government orders, almost 65,000 turkeys will be culled at one affected Norfolk farm.

This map shows the parts England currently under extra biosecurity measures to prevent the spread of bird flu

Britain is grappling with is biggest ever outbreak of avian influenza which has seen millions of domestic poultry being culled and thousands of wild birds, like this gannet, also killed by the disease

BIRD FLU: EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW What is it? Bird flu is the source of all human flus, as far as we know. It often passes through another animal, such as a pig, in the process of mutating and adapting to infect us. Wild birds are carriers, especially through migration. As they cluster together to breed, the virus spreads rapidly and is then carried to other parts of the globe. New strains tend to appear first in Asia, from where more than 60 species of shore birds, waders and waterfowl, including plovers, godwits and ducks, head off to Alaska to breed and mix with various migratory birds from the Americas. Others go west and infect European species. What strain is currently spreading? H5N1. So far the new virus has been detected in some 80million birds and poultry globally since September 2021  double the previous record the year before. Not only is the virus spreading at speed, it is also killing at an unprecedented level, leaving some experts to say this is the deadliest variant so far. Millions of chickens in the UK have been culled and last November our poultry industry was put into lockdown, heavily affecting the availability of free-range eggs. Can it infect people? Yes, but just 864 people have been infected with H5N1 globally since 2003 from 20 countries. The risk to people has been deemed 'low'. But people are strongly urged not to touch sick or dead birds because the virus is lethal, killing 53 per cent of people it does manage to infect. Should I be concerned? Not particularly. Poultry farmers and people who handle wild birds are most at risk. Scientists say there is a tiny chance a double infection of avian and seasonal flu could allow the current bird flu strain to adapt to be able to spread between people, but it remains highly unlikely. Advertisement

Britain's turkeys were sent into a full-blown lockdown last winter to control the spread.

It involved keeping them cooped up indoors for several weeks.

The Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), which manages outbreaks of animal diseases in the UK, could reimpose a similar policy if cases spiral out of control.

Current rules in Britain's bird flu hotspots say bird owners should keep their flocks isolated from wild birds, with their food and water contained in covered areas where wild species cannot access it.

Ducks and geese, which are particularly susceptible to avian influenza, must also be kept separate from other birds.

Bird keepers must also follow strict infection prevention control measures cleaning and disinfecting equipment, footwear and vehicles between different sites and pens.

Visitors to farms and other locations where birds are kept, with the exception of zoos, must also be kept to a minimum.

Some experts have even predicted a human outbreak of the virus could be 'on the horizon'.

Alaistaire Brice, of the Havensfield Happy Hens farm in Hoxne, Suffolk told the BBC that poultry producers faced an almost impossible task in preventing the disease reaching their flocks.

'You can't stop birds flying overhead and landing on our chicken range,' he said.

He claimed thousands of turkeys have been culled in the region in the past few days, despite already being in enclosed buildings.

Referencing the knock-on effects of the culling, Mr Brice said: 'That's an awful lot of Christmas dinners gone.

'So even with the very best biosecurity in the world you can't necessarily prevent it.'

The 65,000 turkeys in Norfolk are among 3.1million birds humanely killed by DEFRA authorities since October last year to control the spread of the disease.

Similar outbreaks hit turkey farms in Devon and Yorkshire in late August.

DEFRA said, so far, 310,000 turkeys had been culled in Britain during the current outbreak.

It added that it was not currently concerned about Christmas supplies given the UK produced 15million turkeys each year and consumes 10million.

Turkeys destined for Christmas dinners hatched in June and are now in the process of bulking up ahead of being slaughtered for the festive season.

National Farmers Union poultry board chair James Mottershead said the sector had been hit hard by the virus.

'Turkey producers are working hard to maintain production in the face of avian influenza , as well as soaring energy and input costs, to ensure there remains an ample supply of British turkeys this Christmas,' he said.

'We will continue to work with the government to minimise the impacts of any future outbreaks of avian influenza so that we do not experience another year like this one.'

A spokesperson for the UK's Traditional Farmfresh Turkey Association said farmers were concerned about bird flu but were following biosecurity measures to ensure supplies of animals were secure for winter.

'Farms are following DEFRA guidelines to protect their turkeys from the risk of avian influenza, prevent its spread and ensure everyone who wants a quality turkey for Christmas can order one,' they said.

Previous outbreaks of bird flu in Britain have been linked to the annual migration of birds from the continent in the winter months.

But this year's outbreak has seen the virus persist in native bird populations during the summer months, with Government experts calling the situation 'unprecedented'.

Mark Gorton, of Traditional Norfolk Poultry in Shropham, Norfolk said farmers were 'terrified' ahead of the annual migration that traditionally brings the virus to the UK.

'We're absolutely terrified what's going to happen when the big numbers of the ducks and geese do start to migrate in,' he said.

'We're concerned it could make things a lot worse than it already is.'

He is calling for domestic poultry to be vaccinated against the virus.

This is something that DEFRA has ruled out over fears it would reduce signs of illness in birds, allowing the virus to spread before they could be culled.

A DEFRA spokesperson said the birds killed are a fraction of the 1billion consumed by the British public annually.

They insisted there are 'no concerns' about Christmas meat supplies.

This map shows bird flu outbreaks detected in poultry farms and backyard flocks since October last year. Triangles with black dots indicate the most recent cases

This map shows the density of bird flu cases detected in wild birds, darker red areas indicate higher numbers of cases with black dots showing the most recent cases

Wild bird populations have also been hit by the virus, with 1,672 cases recorded by DEFRA as of September 21, the majority in swans, geese and gannets.

The British public have been advised to avoid the carcasses of wild birds over fears of catching the virus.

While bird flu can be deadly in people, the risk of catching it from birds or poultry products like eggs or meat is considered low.

Poultry farmers and those who handle dead birds, like slaughterhouse workers, are deemed to be most at risk.

Devon man Alan Gosling, 79, was forced to quarantine for three weeks after catching bird flu in the closing weeks of 2021.

He eventually made a full recovery but was heartbroken after a flock of ducks he kept inside his house had to be culled after contracting the virus.
The proportion of people seeing their GP face-to-face has risen to its highest level since the start of the pandemic, official figures show.

Two-thirds of appointments with family doctors in England last month were in-person, according to the latest data from NHS Digital. The 66.1 per cent figure is still well below the 80 per cent average before the pandemic struck.

However, it is the highest rate since March 2020, when the UK was plunged into its first national lockdown as the coronavirus swept across the country.

Campaigners and the Government have long-demanded that GPs return to pre-pandemic levels.

Meanwhile, nearly half of appointments last month lasted less than 10 minutes in some practices  including some in Leicester, Nottingham and Suffolk.

Appointments are supposed to last 10 to 15 minutes, with an NHS review finding that patients feel they are unable to cover their health problems in a shorter timeframe.

It warned that this could lead to patients booking additional appointments, clogging up the availability of family doctors.

Two-thirds of appointments with family doctors in England last month were in-person, according to the latest data from NHS Digital. The 66.1 per cent figure is still well below the 80 per cent average before the pandemic struck. However, it is the highest rate since March 2020, when the UK was plunged into its first national lockdown as the coronavirus swept across the country

Some 48.5 per cent of appointments in August were with family doctors, while the same proportion were with other practice staff, such as nurses. The mode was not logged for three per cent of consultations

Law student, 26, died after wrongly being denied a face-to-face appointment with his GP, NHS officials say A law student died after wrongly being denied a face-to-face GP appointment, the NHS has admitted. David Nash, 26, from Nantwich in Cheshire, had four phone appointments with GPs and nurses between October and November 2020. He was denied an in-person consultation, despite telling practice staff that he was suffering excruciating ear and neck pain and slurring his words. Mr Nash tested negative for Covid on the same day he was finally due a face-to-face appointment, only for it to be cancelled anyway. Medics told him to re-test and prescribed him painkillers, in what one GP described as 'a breach of duty'. He died from a brain abscess two days after his last contact with his GP surgery. Relatives say it was triggered by an ear infection. An internal NHS England probe into Mr Nash's death concluded that 'a face-to-face assessment should have been offered or organised'. Mr Nash's parents, who are convinced he would be alive if he was seen in-person, have spoken out about the 'appalling care' their son received, accusing the health service of 'completely' letting him down. The family of the law student believe he would not have died if he had been seen face-to-face by a GP Advertisement

The health service data shows that 26.5million people in England attended a GP appointment in August.

The proportion of patients seen in-person jumped one per cent between July and August, from 65.4 to 66.1 per cent.

Nearly 8million (30 per cent) were conducted over the phone  the lowest rate since the start of the pandemic  while 200,000 were a home visit (0.8 per cent).

Some 150,000 were video calls (0.6 per cent), while the mode was not logged 670,000 consultations (2.5 per cent).

The rate of in-person appointments fell to a low of 46.7 per cent in April 2020, as Britons were ordered to stay at home in the early days of the crisis.

But it has been trending upwards since, reaching 60.1 per cent in January.

Campaigners have demanded ministers act to bring levels back up, warning virtual consultations risk missing tell-tale symptoms of serious illnesses.

The data also revealed that more than four in 10 appointments lasted less than 10 minutes last month.

At the worst hit surgeries  located in Leicestershire and Rutland, Nottinghamshire and Suffolk and North East Essex  up to 43.5 per cent of appointments were over within that timeframe.

Doctors warn that squeezing in too many appointments raises the risk of missing diseases and prescribing the wrong drugs.

The NHS says most GPs offer 10 to 15 minute appointments, which gives them enough time to see a patient, complete the consultation and deal with any admin.

Meanwhile, 48.5 per cent of appointments were with family doctors, while the same proportion were with other practice staff, such as nurses.

Ruth Rankine, director of primary care at the NHS Confederation, said NHS staff have made 'significant strides' in 'recovering and restoring access to general practice'.

She said: 'Primary care teams continue to carry out record levels of appointments.'

Ms Rankine added: 'As we approach what we know will be a particularly difficult winter where the UK Health Security Agency is urging over 30million people to get a Covid and flu vaccine to boost protection levels, it is now more important than ever that the Government starts supporting primary care services so they can deliver these vital programmes.'

'This includes fully resourcing its workforce and providing the capital investment general practice desperately needs.'

The new data comes after shadow health secretary Wes Streeting pledged that patients would find it easier to see GPs under a Labour government.

Mr Streeting said he would seek to force GPs to provide appointments in their surgeries to every patient that requests one.

He also pledged to make booking appointments simpler to end the 8am rush to win a slot.

He told the Labour Party conference in Liverpool: 'Patients deserve better than a two-week wait to see a GP.

'I have higher standards for patients. When we were in government, Labour guaranteed appointments within two days.

'So Labour will give all patients the ability to book online, the opportunity to self-refer to specialist services where appropriate, and a wider range of choice so that we can choose whether we want to see someone face-to-face, or on the phone, or via a video link.

'The days of waiting on the phone at 8am to book an appointment with your GP will be over and we will bring back the family doctor.'

Health Secretary Therese Coffey last week set out plans for patients to see a GP within two weeks, and said people will be able to see how well their GP practice performs compared with others, potentially allowing them to join a different one.

But Ms Coffey said the new target was an 'expectation' and GPs who fail to offer appointments to patients within two weeks will not face any sanctions.

It comes as the NHS admitted that a law student died after wrongly being denied a face-to-face GP appointment.

David Nash, 26, from Nantwich in Cheshire, had four phone appointments with GPs and nurses between October and November 2020.

He told practice staff that he was suffering excruciating ear and neck pain and slurring his words but was denied an in-person consultation.

He died from a brain abscess two days after his last contact with his GP surgery. Relatives say it was triggered by an ear infection.

An internal NHS England probe into Mr Nash's death concluded that 'a face-to-face assessment should have been offered or organised'.
Ministers today faced fresh calls to crack down on vapes being sold to children after a Government-commissioned report concluded the gadgets are 'very unlikely to be risk-free'.

King's College London researchers said using e-cigarettes is 'substantially' safer than smoking traditional tobacco in the short- to medium-term. It is much safer for adults hooked on cigarettes to switch to vapes, the team ruled.

But experts have no idea how harmful vaping is in the longer term, according to the major review released today  two days before the start of Stoptober.

Better studies are needed to thoroughly assess the dangers of vaping among people who have never smoked or vaped before, the team ruled.

It comes amid warnings that Britain is sleepwalking into a vaping public health crisis, with a generation of children having quietly become hooked on the devices. Almost twice as many children vape now than they did two years ago, shock data released earlier this month revealed.

E-cigs, which can cost just 5 each, are sold in a variety of colours and child-friendly names and flavours, such as bubble-gum, jelly babies and strawberry milkshake.

The KCL researchers called for an investigation into the 'advertising, packaging and marketing of disposable products to young people'.

They said rules banning their sale to under-18s need to be enforced better to reduce children's access.

Ministers have faced fresh calls to crackdown on vapes being sold to children after a Government-backed report found they are 'very unlikely to be risk-free'. Newer, disposable e-cigarettes are increasing in popularity, in part because they cost around 5 each and come in a wide range of fruity flavours

A survey of children, carried out for Action on Smoking and Health (ASH), found the proportion of children aged 11 to 17 currently vaping jumped from 4 per cent in 2020 to 7 per cent in 2022. In 2013, just 3 per cent of children aged 11 to 15 had ever vaped, but this rose to 8 per cent in 2020 and 10 per cent in 2022

The survey found a new generation of disposable vapes known as 'puff bars'  which contain nicotine  have come on to the market over the last year. Graphs show: The increased popularity of disposable vapes (green) this year

NHS Digital, which quizzed nearly 10,000 students aged 11 to 15 on their smoking, drug and drinking habits last year, found that nine per cent currently vape  the highest rate logged since the survey began in 2014

EVERYTHING NEED TO KNOW ABOUT VAPING What are e-cigarettes? E-cigarettes are devices that allow you to inhale nicotine in a vapour rather than smoke. They do not burn tobacco or produce tar or carbon monoxide  two of the most harmful parts of tobacco smoke. The devices work by heating liquid that contains nicotine and flavourings. They can come as vape pens  which are shaped like a pen or small tube with a tank to store e-liquid and batteries  or pod systems that are rechargeable and often shaped like USB sticks. Officials are considering making e-cigarettes prescription-only for smokers trying to quit. Are they dangerous? E-cigarettes are not risk-free but are believed to cause less harm than smoking. However, its liquid and vapour contain harmful chemicals that are also found in traditional cigarettes, but it much lower levels. These chemicals have been linked to lung inflammation, chronic coughs, shortness of breath and lung disease. There have also been cases of e-cigarettes exploding or catching fire. Can children buy them? A law came into force in 2011 which made it illegal to sell e-cigarettes to under-18s in the UK. However, there has been reports of children buying them directly from shops. What action do experts want? Campaigners have called for more funding to enforce the laws against underage sales, action on child-friendly packaging and labelling, as well as promotion on social media. And a Government-commissioned review published in June recommended a review of vape flavours to ensure they don't appeal to young people. The paper, by former children's charity chief Javed Khan, also recommended that cartoons and images on vaping products be banned. Have other countries already taken action? The US Food and Drug Administration banned all products sold by e-cigarette company Juul in June. It found that there was not enough evidence to confirm its products did not harm public health. However, the FDA then paused its decision in July while it carries out an additional review on the company's products. The US regulator had already banned fruity flavours of e-cigarettes. Advertisement

Research published in July found the proportion of children vaping is on the rise, with many being influenced by social media sites such as TikTok.

While it is illegal to sell vapes to under-18s, social media carries posts from teenagers showing trendy disposable vapes and discussing flavours such as pink lemonade, strawberry banana and mango.

A survey of children, carried out for Action on Smoking and Health (ASH), found a new generation of disposable vapes known as 'puff bars'  which contain nicotine  have come on to the market over the last year.

The poll found the proportion of children aged 11 to 17 currently vaping jumped from 4 per cent in 2020 to 7 per cent in 2022.

In 2013, just 3 per cent of children aged 11 to 15 had ever vaped, but this rose to 8 per cent in 2020 and 10 per cent in 2022.

The new King's College study raised concerns about the increasing numbers and called for an investigation into vape packaging.

It said: 'The dramatic increase in young people using disposable vaping products should be monitored with improved regulatory oversight.

'Also, the advertising, packaging and marketing of disposable products to young people should be investigated and, where appropriate, proportionate action taken to reduce appeal to young people.'

When it comes to selling vapes to under-18s, the study said local authority trading standards efforts 'have been scaled down and compliance with regulations is not enough to prevent underage sales and access to illicit products'.

It added that 'more frequent surveillance of single-use disposable vaping products', which are popular with children, is now needed.

Despite the warnings about child use, the study concluded that smokers who switch to vapes will have a substantial reduction in their exposure to toxins that promote cancer, lung disease and cardiovascular disease.

Researchers found using e-cigarettes exposes users to around 95 per cent fewer cancer-causing chemicals than smoking traditional tobacco.

The figure was previously reported by Public Health England in 2015 and came under criticism, but the experts say they feel 'vindicated' by the new results.

The Department of Health-commissioned review also found vapes appear to cause less physical damage than cigarettes.

But experts admitted more research needs to be done on the the long-term impact of the devices.

It said people who have never smoked should not take up vaping as it was not free from risks.

Lead author Professor Ann McNeill, a professor of tobacco addiction at King's College London, said: 'Smoking is uniquely deadly and will kill one in two regular sustained smokers, yet around two-thirds of adult smokers who would really benefit from switching to vaping don't know that vaping is less harmful.

'However, the evidence we reviewed indicates that vaping is very unlikely to be risk-free.

'So we strongly discourage anyone who has never smoked from taking up vaping or smoking.'

The report looked specifically at the risks of vaping versus not vaping at all and found that exposure to carcinogens (substances that can cause cancer) was similar, or in some cases higher, for vaping.

This was true for exposure to NNK (NNAL), which have been found to be 'powerful pulmonary carcinogens in animals and humans', the study said.

When it came to toxicants affecting the respiratory system, the risks were similar for vapers and non vapers.

And there were far fewer harmful chemicals in e-cigarettes than traditional tobacco cigarettes.

Dr Debbie Robson, senior lecturer in tobacco harm reduction at King's and one of the report's authors, said the evidence was clear that vaping was less harmful than smoking.

She added: 'Helping people switch from smoking to vaping should be considered a priority if the Government is to achieve a smoke-free 2030 in England.'

While the e-cigarette rate has soared  jumping 50 per cent in three years  the proportion lighting up traditional cigarettes has flatlined. One in 33 pupils now smoke tobacco, compared to a peak of one in four in the 1990s

Dr Jeanelle DeGruchy, deputy chief medical officer for England, said: 'Every minute someone is admitted to hospital in England due to smoking.

'Every eight minutes someone dies a smoking-related death.

'Vaping is substantially less harmful than smoking so the message is clear, if the choice is between smoking and vaping, choose vaping.

'If the choice is between vaping and fresh air, choose fresh air.'

Deborah Arnott, chief executive of ASH, said: 'The Government has now published five independent reports which together provide the best available evidence to underpin the UK's policies on vaping.

'With Stoptober just starting, it's important that smokers are aware that the evidence is clear that vaping poses a small fraction of the risk of smoking.'

There are currently around 6million smokers in England and about 3.8million vapers.

Officials are considering make e-cigs prescription-only for smokers trying to quit.

Independent experts hailed the report for helping 'debunk the myths' of vaping.

Dr Sarah Jackson, a tobacco and alcohol expert at University College London, said: 'This rigorous report provides a comprehensive update on the health risks associated with using e-cigarettes and should provide reassurance to smokers, policy makers, and clinicians.

'Many smokers are unsure whether e-cigarettes are a safer alternative to smoking but, as this report shows, the evidence is clear.

'If you're a smoker, you can substantially reduce the risks to your health by switching completely to e-cigarettes and continuing to use them for as long as you need to avoid relapse to smoking.

'If you don't smoke, it is safer for you not to start vaping.'

So, why are teens vaping in the first place?

MailOnline has spoken to several teenage vapers across the country about their experiences and why they took up the habit.

One 18-year-old, from Northern Ireland, said they started shortly before their 16th birthday out of curiosity because their friends were doing it.

Asked what it is about vaping they enjoy, they said: 'I like having something in my hands and my mouth and I just enjoy the habit  and I like all the flavours.'

But after more than two years of use, they have started to suffer breathing difficulties and need to use an inhaler on some mornings when they wake up.

Despite the health impacts, they struggle to go more than a few hours without a puff and would regularly vape in the school toilets.

'It really affects my mood and I plan around when I am to get more. If I don't have any I get realty stressed then smoke more when I have got it.'

A 17-year-old, from Inverness in Scotland, told MailOnline they regularly suffer coughing fits in the morning after vaping for just over year.

'I can't be 100 per cent [vaping is to blame] but the coughing only really started in the last six months.'

Almost every high street in the country now has a designated vape shop and e-cigarettes are sold for as little as 5 in virtually all newsagents (one shown in Bristol)

Advertised as a healthier alternative to smoking, e-cigs allow people to inhale nicotine in a vapour  produced by heating a liquid, which typically contains propylene glycol, glycerine, flavourings, and other chemicals

They said they hated the smell and taste of traditional cigarettes and 'probably wouldn't' have become a smoker if it wasn't for the fruity flavours of vapes.

Asked how the Government could crack down on their use among teens, he said: 'If they made them taste as minging as fags (cigarettes).'

A third teen, 18, from South London, told MailOnline he noticed a rapid deterioration in his fitness within a year of regularly vaping.

The keen rugby player took the habit up in 2020 during the pandemic because 'all my friends vape' and boredom through lockdowns.

'I stopped sport because of the pandemic and vaping was just sort of something to do. But when I started playing rugby again I noticed my fitness was worse.

'I used to be one of the fittest in the team  I won the cross country race for the team  but I was struggling when I came back, worse than everyone else.'

AND IT'S NOT JUST KIDS! Vaping hits record level with 4.3m Britons using e-cigarettes Vaping has reached record levels  with an estimated 4.3million Britons now using e-cigarettes, a report shows. The figures suggest 8.3 per cent of adults in England, Wales and Scotland use vapes, up from 1.7 per cent, or around 8,000 people, ten years ago. Action on Smoking and Health, which compiled the report, said there has been a 'vaping revolution', with the proportion of vapers who've never smoked cigarettes rising from 4.9 per cent last year to 8.1 per cent this year. Of the 4.3million vapers, around 2.4million are ex-smokers, 1.5 million are current smokers and 350,000 have never smoked. The figures, shared with PA and based on a YouGov survey of 13,000 adults, show 35 per cent of vapers also smoked, and one in five said they used a vape to help them quit. Vapers reported that the main reason they used e-cigarettes were for quitting smoking, to prevent them from returning to smoking and 14 per cent said they used vapes 'because they enjoy it'. Most vapers reported using refillable tank systems but the report points to a rise in disposable e-cigarettes - up from 2.3 per cent of vapers using these in 2021 to 15 per cent this year. The authors suggested that younger adults are driving the increase in the disposable vapes, with 48 per cent of 18 to 24-year-old vapers using this type of device. Advertisement

He had now kicked the habit for 'health reasons' but looking back he thinks it could be even more addictive than smoking normal cigarettes.

'The thing about vaping is you don't have the smell you get with cigarettes or having to ash, so you can just vape all day. I noticed I was doing it all day and just felt I had to stop.

'And you have all the colours and flavours. It's basically like smokeable Fanta.'

He added: 'They're very easy to get, even if you're underage. I know shops selling to underage people right now.

'Some only take cash so there's no proof of transaction that they're selling to kids. All the kids want to get their hands on them.

'And it's easy online too. You can always get someone to order them for you and there's not very much verification needed to prove your age either.'

Friends Rosie Bird, 19, and Jess Hastings, 19, from Bristol both vape - but for entirely different reasons.

Rosie said: 'I don't smoke cigarettes, so for me it's just to have something you know?

'Anxiety is another reason to be honest and just to fit in  everyone does it.'

Jess, who works as a customer assistant at Tesco, explained she vapes because of 'boredom' and due to the devices costing significantly less than cigarettes.

She said: 'Elf bars are easier and cheaper than rolling a fag. They also taste good and it's nice to have in your hand.'

But both agreed they were certain vapes were harmful for their health, saying: 'We know they aren't good for us.'

Jess said: 'I don't know how or why, and personally I haven't experienced anything bad relating to my health because of vapes  but sadly I don't think it's going to stop anyone.'

College student Joe Carne, 18, from Bristol, said he chooses vapes over cigarettes because they are cheaper.

'With everything going on I just want the cheap option,' he said.

'Also they are so popular now, even if I didn't buy them a lot of my mates do, so I would smoke them anyway.'

When asked about the appearance of vapes and whether this plays a role in influencing him to purchase them, Joe said: 'I don't care about the colours.

'I just like smoking them to be honest, they taste nice  so yeah, I guess the flavours do help. Cigarettes taste gross in my opinion so I would choose a vape over a ciggy any day.'

But a vape shop worker in Bristol, who wished to remain anonymous, admitted to MailOnline that e-cigarette marketing was behind the surge in underage use.

'As much as I don't want to say it, the colours and sweet flavours do a play a role in their sales to underaged kids.

'I think the flavours help to a degree because they don't taste like cigarettes  so the children who want to smoke cigs to "look cool" or because they are addicted to nicotine from smoking cigarettes can now do so but with a sweet substance that doesn't taste gross.

'There are so many corner shops that don't even know the laws behind tobacco  let alone vaping and selling vapes to those under 18.

'A lot sell them under the counter and there are no consequences for them at all.'
The file image of North Korea's KN-23 short-range ballistic missile released by Pyongyang's Korean Central News Agency in 2021. Yonhap



The United States reaffirmed its "ironclad" commitment to the defense of South Korea and Japan on Thursday, hours after North Korea fired two ballistic missiles in its latest provocation.



North Korea launched what appeared to be two short-range ballistic missiles into the East Sea on Thursday (Seoul time).



"We are aware of the two ballistic missile launches and are consulting closely with our allies and partners," U.S. Indo-Pacific Command said in a released statement.



"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 the DPRK's unlawful WMD and ballistic missile programs," it added, referring to North Korea by its official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.



Thursday's missile launch marked the third of its kind in less than a week.



Pyongyang fired a short-range ballistic missile on Sunday, followed by the launch of an additional two ballistic missiles fired on Wednesday.






HISTORY

ABYSS: THE CUBAN MISSILE CRISIS 1962

by Max Hastings (William Collins 30, 576pp)

The schoolmaster was not just angry, he was white with fear. 'Don't you stupid boys know how serious this is?' he yelled. 'At any minute, we could all be dead.' It was October 1962 and the news was grim. Apocalyptically so.

The U.S. had imposed a blockade of its troublesome and defiant Caribbean neighbour, Fidel Castro's Cuba, in order to stop the Soviet Union, Cuba's communist ally, delivering any more nuclear missiles to the island  just 100 miles away across the Florida Straits and now threatening the U.S. in its own backyard.

Out at sea, Russian ships were approaching the exclusion zone. Would they stop? And if not, would the American warships tracking them blow them out of the water, triggering World War III and nuclear oblivion?

As the clock counted down, we 14-year-olds sang out mockingly (and nervously): 'We'll all go together when we go, yes, we'll all' That was when the teacher burst in and told us to shut up.

President John F. Kennedy pictured meeting with U.S. Army officials during the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962

But what else was there to do at this incomprehensibly precarious moment in our short lives and in the whole of human history?

We were a boys-only school but apparently in mixed-sex schools partners were being eyed up for a desperate last (and probably first) fling if and when the warning came that Russian missiles were heading in Britain's direction.

All this came back to me as I read Abyss, Max Hastings's superb reconstruction of the Cuban Missile Crisis. We all know the outcome  thankfully common sense prevailed after 13 days of tension and the world breathed again  yet this still reads like a thriller, as the gripping drama of Cold War power politics plays out behind closed doors in Washington, Moscow and Havana.

When the Americans first spotted missiles with nuclear warheads on the ground in Cuba, President John Kennedy and his advisers were in almost continuous session in the White House.

Tapes of those sessions are Hastings's primary source, following every twist and turn as some of America's keenest minds (and some pretty dumb ones as well) tried to fathom what Russian leader Nikita Khrushchev  Stalin's short, podgy, tub-thumping, crude, hard-to-read successor  was really up to in daring to arm his protege Castro in this way. They assumed he must have a master plan, otherwise why risk nuclear war and Armageddon, the obliteration of his own country along with the rest of the world?

Russian president Vladimir Putin pictured chairing a Security Council meeting via a video link in Moscow this month

A group of protesters from Women Strike for Peace pictured holding placards in New York, in 1962

Was it West Berlin  the free half of the former German capital marooned inside communist East Germany  he was after? Was he looking for a trade-off? Or was the old fox just testing the mettle of America's young, charismatic but inexperienced president?

What particularly riled Kennedy was Khrushchev's blatant lying. For weeks he had been denying any plans for Cuba while secretly sending in the first of the missiles, along with a 50,000-strong Soviet army to man them and bolster the island's defences. Kennedy took this deception personally.

Concluding that war had broken out, he ordered the nuclear torpedo to be armed

Plenty of his advisers were leaning on him to meet aggression with aggression, led by the military, whose gung-ho attitude  put simply, let's bomb the hell out of Cuba and then nuke the Ruskies if we have to, go, go, go  was an unrelenting pressure on him.

But he tempered his initial belligerence and decided on the blockade, to buy time. Five-star generals such as the war-monger air force chief Curtis LeMay  with his 1,436 nuclear-armed bombers and 134 ballistic missiles at Defcon 2 alert, one below the order to go  went ape, deriding him for ducking the fight.

The president was proved right when all 16 Russian ships carrying missiles turned back and confrontation at sea was averted, but they still pressed him for seven days of air strikes followed by invasion to ensure the missiles already in Cuba were neutralised.

And even when Khrushchev backed down completely and in full view pulled his missiles and his soldiers out of Cuba, some never-trust-a-commie generals still wanted to send in the Marines to check that nuclear weapons were not being hidden among the sugar cane.

Kennedy, proclaiming that 'the military are mad', bravely resisted their constant hankering to go to war and damn the consequences, summed up by the general who argued that, in the event of nuclear war, 'if there are two Americans and one Russian left at the end, we win'. As for the Soviet leader, the irony was that he never had the master plan that the Americans tied themselves in knots trying to discover. He wasn't interested in West Berlin and he was, it turned out later, never going to risk nuclear confrontation, for all his public threats and violent language.

Fidel Castro pictured giving a radio and televised speech during which he spoke about the measures taken by the U.S. regarding Cuba

For him, arming Cuba with missiles was an adventure. Let's poke the bear to see what happens. He had not bothered to think it through and when everything threatened to escalate out of control, he was scared and even more desperate than Kennedy to find a peaceful solution.

There was a quid pro quo: the U.S. had a small battery of nuclear missiles in Turkey, virtually on its border with Russia. Khrushchev used to complain they were deliberately pointed at his dacha on the Black Sea. But Washington now considered them obsolete, and Kennedy was happy to pull them out if Khrushchev would do the same in Cuba.

The deal was done  though it remained a highly guarded secret for more than a quarter of century because neither leader wanted to risk wrath at home that they had compromised with the devil.

As Khrushchev's missiles and his weary troops returned to Russia, leaving Castro fuming that he had been dumped on and betrayed, the world had no doubt who had come out on top in the crisis. Kennedy had stood his ground. Khrushchev had blinked.

Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND) demonstrators pictured in Whitehall, London, in October 1962

But with the Turkey deal, the Soviet leader had the face-saver he needed to keep sweet the back-stabbers in the politburo in Moscow, never keen on his Cuban folly, not least because he hadn't consulted them. (It didn't work for long. Two years later they knifed him anyway and he was gone.)

The crisis was, thankfully, over. But it is chilling to read how close to the brink the world came.

The slowness of communications back then was a major problem. It was taking four hours for the U.S. Navy to decrypt messages from its ships at sea.

Meanwhile, the Soviet ambassador in Washington was reduced to cabling coded updates to Moscow via the local Western Union office. 'They would send a messenger on a bicycle,' he recalled.

But the greatest danger of all was not so much in the head-butting and eye-balling between Kennedy and Khrushchev but the question posed afterwards by that wise head, U.S. Defence Secretary Robert McNamara: 'What about the Second Lieutenant?'

In a hair-trigger situation with many moving parts, uncontrollable escalation can be sparked by just one stressed-out individual panicking  such as the captain of Soviet submarine B-59, tracked by U.S. warships for two days and nights and bombarded with grenades that rocked its hull.

President Kennedy pictured discussing the surveillance of Cuba. When the Americans first spotted missiles with nuclear warheads on the ground in Cuba, the president and his advisers were in almost continuous session in the White House

The sub finally had to surface to recharge its batteries and take in fresh air for its gasping crew  only to find itself in the glare of searchlights from an American destroyer. And a low-flying American anti-submarine plane roared over dropping explosive incendiary devices.

The exhausted captain flipped. Concluding war had broken out, he ordered the sub's nuclear torpedo to be armed. Mercifully, he was talked out of firing by one of his officers. But if he had pressed his button, there is every chance that thousands more buttons would pretty soon be pushed and the world would be incinerated.

That's how close we came.

In the end, we survived. But did the world learn its lesson about the dangers of brinkmanship? As we watch another Russian leader chancing his arm by invading Ukraine, it seems not. In my head I can hear my boyhood voice again: 'We'll all go together...'
HISTORY

THE SHORTEST HISTORY OF THE CROWN

By Stephen Bates (Old Street 12.99, 288pp)

The British monarchy continues by means of consent as well as tradition  and many believe it always will. To date, the British people have shown no appetite for a President Blair or Lineker; the polls consistently show republicans at 22 per cent.

What is it about these small islands that the crown still holds sway? Very soon Netflix will start its fifth season of The Crown, gluing audiences worldwide to the schlocky soap opera true monarchists (like me) may refuse to watch.

Better to race through the easily digestible The Shortest History Of The Crown. Stephen Bates  formerly royal correspondent of The Guardian  tells a lively tale of monarchy in the UK, from Saxon warlords to William and Harry.

For at least 1,500 years, the British Isles have had monarchical rulers: the central figures of a changing, often fractious nation (or nations), and enduring objects of fascination in the 21st century.

Stephen Bates  formerly royal correspondent of The Guardian  tells a lively tale of monarchy in the UK, from Saxon warlords to William and Harry

In spite of family feuds, usurpation, battles, murder and mayhem, the monarchy has endured.

How? Bates has no doubt: 'The British Monarchy has survived and thrived due to its flexibility, its eventual willingness to share and then cede executive power, and also because, for most of its existence, it has presided over a relatively stable, homogeneous society.'

Unlike the unbending traditionalists of other royal houses, our monarchs have understood about sharing power. Or they've been forced to; several monarchs have been sacked, a few discreetly murdered. Yet only once, for 11 years in the mid-17th century, did anyone consider doing without the institution  and then Oliver Cromwell strutted like a king.

Our history has been shaped by the power on the throne and the powers around it: Church, nobles, Parliament and, most recently, media.

Yet you don't have to be a flag-waver to view the long story that unfolds in these brilliantly succinct pages as evidence of intriguing exceptionalism.

Bates points out that, 'unlike France, Germany or Russia, Britain has experienced neither the trauma of total defeat in war, nor of violent revolution'. This matters, as does our geography, insulated from invasion by the sea  a 'sceptred isle' indeed.

In 1019, King Canute's Letter to the People of England promised: 'I will be a gracious lord and a faithful observer of God's rights and just secular law.' On her 21st birthday in 1947 Queen Elizabeth II pledged her life, 'whether it be long or short shall be devoted to your service . . .'

Queen Elizabeth II pictured with now Queen Consort Camilla and current King Charles III in June

Along the way monarchs good and bad made and broke solemn vows, yet there is an inescapable sense of awe when reading the noble words of Elizabeth I in 1601: 'I was never so much enticed with the potent name of a king, or the royal authority of a queen, as delighted that God has made me his instrument to maintain his truth and glory and save this kingdom from dishonour, damage, tyranny and oppression.'

The daughter of a monstrous tyrant knew what she was talking about. More than 420 years later our King must be painfully aware of the terrible tyranny of public opinion, arguably made more powerful and lethal now due to the internet than in previous centuries.

Well might Shakespeare's Henry IV say: 'Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown'  and that before Charles I was to lose his in an act of shocking regicide.

Although courtiers may have quaked at the power of rulers, the crown has always had to compromise. The Anglo-Saxon Aethelred promised his nobles that he'd 'rule justly' if they let him return from exile. William of Orange accepted limited powers in return for an army to help him defeat France. In the end, even kings have to climb down. After all, it was a powerful coalition of Parliament and the Press which was to make Elizabeth II pay income tax.

When King Charles III and the newly created Prince of Wales shook countless strange hands during the period of mourning for their mother and grandmother, they knew it was their duty.

George I was horrified to learn his royal duties included touching people with scrofula and banned a practice that had endured since Saxon times.

But walkabouts and handshakes are now essential, like the bright colours the late Queen always wore. She knew monarchs must be seen to be believed. But as this fascinating, fact-packed book shows, they must also be seen to adapt to the wishes and needs of a populace which ultimately calls the shots.
Strout revels in the claustrophobic tension of domestic life, so the pandemic provided the perfect stage for this fourth book

LUCY BY THE SEA

by Elizabeth Strout (Viking 14.99, 304 pp)

Strout revels in the claustrophobic tension of domestic life, so the pandemic provided the perfect stage for this fourth book starring Lucy Barton and follows on from Strout's Booker-shortlisted Oh William!

Mourning her beloved dead husband, Lucy has maintained a scratchy friendship with her first, serially unfaithful spouse, William, a scientist who insists she come with him from New York to a rented coastal cottage in Maine when Covid strikes.

The terrible damage from novelist Lucy's impoverished and abusive childhood is never far from the surface, but now she finds that the whole world is as insecure and disconnected as she is.

As Lucy and William, undergoing his third divorce, tentatively negotiate this unfamiliar world, they forge new friendships and explore long-suppressed pain and secrets, each trying to be more understanding.

It is in the detail  the casual carelessness or small acts of kindness that characterise long relationships  that Strout excels and although this certainly isn't her finest, it nevertheless has beautifully observed moments.

The crime plot is almost incidental to the vivid and atmospheric post-war world Atkinson paints. It's Soho, 1926, and nightclub owner Nellie Coker is released from a six-month prison stretch

SHRINES OF GAIETY

by Kate Atkinson (Doubleday 20, 448 pp)

It's Soho, 1926, and nightclub owner Nellie Coker is released from a six-month prison stretch during which her enemies, including bent coppers, have been plotting to seize her empire. Juggling six children, Nellie is never more dangerous than when threatened.

Liberated by a legacy, former librarian and World War I nurse Gwendolen Kelling arrives from York searching for two runaway girls and teams up with decent, disappointed DCI John Frobisher, who's investigating the unexplained deaths of several young women.

Gwendoline attempts to infiltrate Nellie's dark and dangerous world, where the matriarch's eldest, war-veteran son proves an unexpected attraction.

The crime plot is almost incidental to the vivid and atmospheric post-war world Atkinson paints, bristling with toffs and tarts, drink and drugs, heartbreak and humour as a heady cocktail of characters spiral towards a somewhat abrupt ending where, as in real life, not everyone gets their just reward. Highly enjoyable.

The most terrifying of dystopias are ones so close to reality they feel possible  as in Ng's latest chilling novel

OUR MISSING HEARTS

by Celeste Ng (Little, Brown 20, 352 pp)

The most terrifying of dystopias are ones so close to reality they feel possible  as in Ng's latest chilling novel.

After years of economic unrest known as the Crisis, America enforces the PACT law (Preserving America Culture and Traditions) that prohibits any dissent, particularly in books, and blames the Chinese/Asian community for the Crisis.

Under PACT, children of suspected 'un-American' parents can be removed and rehomed, which is why 12-year-old Bird's Chinese-American poet mother, Margaret, selflessly left her son and husband three years earlier, after an innocent poem of hers became a rallying cry for protesters.

No one knows where Margaret is, but when Bird receives a coded letter obviously from his mother, he sets out to find her and discovers an underground network of librarians who try to trace the missing children.

A lyrical and touching testimony to maternal love, it's also a salutary reminder of how easily freedoms can be lost and of the power of words to change lives, clearly inspired by recent American politics.
HSBC could quit its global headquarters in Canary Wharf.

In a memo sent to staff, the bank said it wanted to assess its best future location in London ahead of its lease expiring at 8 Canada Square, a 45-floor tower, in 2027.

HSBC, which is defending itself against calls for a break-up from its top investor, has been urged by some stakeholders to shift its HQ to Asia, where it makes the majority of its profits.

London HQ: HSBC's lease at the 45-floor tower at 8 Canada Square expires in early 2027. In a memo sent to staff, the bank said it wanted to assess its 'best future location in London'

The bank said the review would include the option of staying and renovating the tower, but it would keep its global HQ in London.

It has occupied the building, one of the tallest buildings in Canary Wharf and an icon of Britains banking industry, since 2002.

The skyscraper has been home to up to around 8,000 staff, some of whom refer to it as the Tower of Doom.

HSBC confirmed the contents of the memo.
His Majesty and his Queen Consort are visiting Dunfermline to mark the former town becoming a city as part of Her Majesty's Platinum Jubilee celebrations in June - and the monarch said the event would 'gladden my dear mother's heart, as it certainly gladdens mine'. Charles and Camilla were welcomed to Fife by community groups including a local pipe band and schoolchildren - with the UK's new monarch stopping to speak to crowds and shake their hands. Thousands gathered in Dunfermline to see the royal couple and other VIPs including First Minister Nicola Sturgeon - who was greeted by cheers and boos. But there was clapping and cries of 'God Save the King' when Charles, wearing a blue tartan kilt, arrived. His Majesty and his wife attended an official council meeting at the City Chambers where the King formally marked the conferral of city status on Dunfermline and made a short speech. It is their first joint public engagements since royal mourning ended last Tuesday. In the ceremony the King said he was 'delighted' when it was announced the town would become a city. He said he hoped people would feel a 'real sense of pride in this new chapter'. He said: 'That would, I know, gladden my dear mother's heart, as it certainly gladdens mine. As you celebrate your well-deserved status as Scotland's new City, I can only offer my warmest congratulations, and my heartfelt wishes for the years to come'. He added: 'There could be no more fitting way to mark my beloved mother's extraordinary life of service than by granting this honour to a place made famous by its own long and distinguished history'.
A Perth teenager has revealed the shocking question a 'rude' manager asked her during the 'worst job interview' she ever had.

Phoebe Holmes, 19, said she had applied for a job at Boost Juice, a popular juice and a smoothie bar with 580 stores worldwide, back in 2020.

She said she was asked to come back for a 'second interview' but when she arrived at the store, the manager announced it would actually be her trial shift.

In a now-viral TikTok video, Ms Holmes explained she had worn black leggings and a black top to show what she would wear at work at the initial group interview.

She then wore a denim skirt and a 'nice top' to the second 'solo' interview because her mum had said her leggings weren't proper 'interview attire'.

'Instead of pulling me over to the chair, she asked me to come into the kiosk,' the teenager said.

Phoebe Holmes, 19, (pictured) said she had applied for a job at Boost Juice, a popular juice and smoothie bar with 580 stores worldwide, back in 2020 but had failed to get the job

'So I go into the kiosk, and she kind of just looks me up and down'.

'And she dead*** goes: "What are you wearing? You're not ready to work".'

Ms Holmes said the manager agreed to do the interview but was 'rude' and didn't ask her any work-related questions.

'She's asking me what I'm doing after this, no proper interview questions,' she said.

'I just wanted to be like, what is your problem, I know I haven't done anything wrong, you messed it up, but you're not going to admit that and blame me.'

The 19-year-old said the manager stopped the interview after just two minutes.

'I never heard from her again. If that was who was going to be my boss I'm glad I didn't work there,' she said.

A Boost Juice spokesman told Daily Mail Australia that Ms Holmes' interview experience was an 'unacceptable way to be treated' at Boost.

'We genuinely work hard to create positive experiences with potential employees, so it is especially disappointing when we don't live up to our expectations,' he said.

'We have many thousands of happy Boosties, and will take this as an opportunity to reinforce the importance that everyone should have the same positive experience in our network.'

Ms Holmes said the manager agreed to do the second interview but was 'rude' and didn't ask her any work-related questions (pictured, a Boost Juice store that was not involved in the incident)

TikTok users were quick to share their own job interview horror stories.

'I had a phone interview and then they rang me back and said to come back for a group interview,' one woman wrote.

'Rocked up the group interview and was told we would be there for two hours. Not once did they mention it would be two hours. My poor mum was waiting outside'.

'I had a interview at Boost Juice. It went for literally 10 minutes and the guy got a phone call two minutes in and got another girl working to interview,' another said.

'Always ask for things in writing for this reason. You can ask nicely: "a second interview sounds great, can you please email me the details",' a third advised.

However, employment no longer seems to be an issue for Ms Holmes who launched her own online business, Shop Better Boutique, earlier this week.
Hundreds of thousands of tons of natural gas are leaking into the Baltic Sea after the sabotage of the Nord Stream gas pipeline and all fingers are pointing at Vladimir Putin.

The Russian president stands accused of blowing up the underwater gas link between Russia and Germany with two explosions.

In this video, Mail Online's Chris Pleasance explains how it could be a terrifying attempt to intimidate the west or the next stage of Russia's economic warfare on Europe.
Haart broke away from an 'ultra-orthodox' Jewish community in 2013 and made a popular Netflix documentary about it: My Unorthodox Life

Haart and Scaglia have been fighting over the terms of their divorce and the fate of their modeling company, Elite

Scaglias lawyers doubled down in response calling Haart a con artist and her suit a publicity stunt by a desperate and sad litigant

In the defamation suit she called Bill Clinton's former attorney and Hillary champion Lanny Davis 'a reckless publicist and notorious sleaze-merchant'

Netflix's My Unorthodox Life star Julia Haart is suing her 'billionaire' estranged husband and Bill Clinton's former lawyer for defamation, in the latest front of the ex-couple's courtroom war.

In the fiery filing Haart claims former billionaire Silvio Scaglia used a team to smear her in the tabloids, calling him 'a profligate schemer and liar' and Lanny Davis, Bill Clinton's attorney and Hillary champion 'a reckless publicist and notorious sleaze-merchant.'

Scaglias lawyers hit back with an equally incendiary response, telling DailyMail.com that Haart is a con artist and calling her suit a publicity stunt by a desperate and sad litigant.

Haart, 51, and Scaglia, 63, have been fighting over the terms of their divorce and the fate of their modeling company, Elite, in New York and Delaware courtrooms, both slinging stinging accusations of lies, deceit and financial foul play.

In a complaint filed in New York on Wednesday, Haart accused Scaglia of orchestrating a 'malicious campaign' to paint her as a 'seductress' who 'frivolously squandered [Elite's] cash and other assets behind his back'.

Haart even claimed the Swiss businessman once threatened to 'kill [her] in a second' if she ever challenged him.

Netflix's My Unorthodox Life star Julia Haart is suing her 'billionaire' estranged husband Silvio Scaglia and Bill Clinton's former lawyer for defamation

In the filing she called Bill Clinton's former attorney and Hillary champion Lanny Davis 'a reckless publicist and notorious sleaze-merchant'

Haart and Scaglia (pictured together in 2017) have been fighting over the terms of their divorce and the fate of their modeling company, Elite, in New York and Delaware courtrooms

The Netflix star claims Scaglia and Davis concocted a story about her paying a friend to introduce her to the billionaire in 2015 so she could seduce him, and that she defrauded their company Elite World Group (EWG) to pay for her own plastic surgery and clothes.

Haart starred in the popular Netflix series last year, which focused on her rise in the fashion industry after she left her strict religious household at age 42

She claims that instead she steered the company from financial ruin to a billion-dollar valuation, and that her ex is the one who used company cash for personal expenses.

Haart, 51, broke away from the 'ultra-orthodox' Haredi Jewish community in 2013 and made a popular Netflix documentary about it: My Unorthodox Life.

She became a successful fashion designer and married Scaglia, 63, in 2019.

He originally made his fortune through telecom company Fastweb, and bought modeling agency Elite World Group (EWG) in 2011.

Haart claims that Scaglia had lost nearly all his money by the time they married, but that she 'transformed EWG from a failing modeling agency to a global media company', taking its valuation from $70million in 2018 to between $700million and $1.1billion, according to a 2021 investment bank assessment.

In other ongoing court battles Haart claims he promised her half the shares in the company in lieu of full pay as EWG's CEO. Scaglia says his wife mischaracterized the deal, it never went through, and that Haart now owns 'less than 0.01 percent' of the company  and judges have so far sided with his version.

In February this year Haart also asked for a restraining order against Scaglia and accused him of spousal abuse. Last month a New York family court dismissed the claims, saying they were 'misleading' and her statements 'not credible'.

In the fiery legal filing obtained by DailyMail.com Haart claims Scaglia used a team to smear her in the tabloids, calling him 'a profligate schemer and liar'

Judge Douglas Hoffman said in a 29-page ruling that Haart's testimony 'changed in a meaningful manner from pleading to pleading and affidavit to affidavit.'

Haart had claimed the Swiss businessman once threatened to 'kill' her if she ever challenged him. But Hoffman concluded the threat, 'I will kill you in the public eye', was over her reputation, not a threat of violence.

In the latest front of their legal war, Haart is now accusing Scaglia of spreading lies about her.

Among the defamation Haart says she is a victim of, is a February 2022 press release issued by Davis accusing her of an 'unauthorized transfer' of $850,000 of their company's cash that was 'illegal' and 'possible criminal conduct'.

Haart says the money was 'owed to her as management fees' and she was authorized to withdraw it.

She claims Scaglia himself or one of his team told the New York Post that Haart had taken his Bentley 'without permission' and that she was 'wanted by police for allegedly stealing a car'.

She says that the car was leased jointly by the estranged couple, that Scaglia had his own second Bentley, that she regularly used the luxury vehicle, and that NYPD found 'no criminal conduct' when they investigated.

Haart is suing Scaglia, claiming he defrauded her out of half of their $700million modeling agency business

Haart claims Scaglia defamed her again in July by allegedly getting one of his team to tell the Post she was a 'con artist' who 'misrepresented herself' and paid a friend to introduce her to Scaglia in 2015 so she could seduce him.

'She flew all the way [to Tokyo] just to meet me and I know now that she paid people to be introduced to me,' Scaglia was quoted saying in the July Post story. 'This was all to make me fall in love with her.'

In her lawsuit Haart claims that in fact she had arranged a meeting with Elite co-investor Louis Pong for a deal to get her shoe designs into the Asian market and it had nothing to do with Scaglia.

'At the time Haart was first introduced to Scaglia in 2015, she had only left the insular ultra-Orthodox Jewish community in Monsey, New York two years earlier and she was still relatively naive to the outside world,' her lawsuit said.

'It was Scaglia who was unfaithful to his first wife long before he ever met Haart, and it was Scaglia who had an affair with Haart's predecessor at EWG, Stefania Valenti, the CEO of EWG immediately prior to Haart.'

However, Scaglias attorney Robert Wallack doubled down in a response to her defamation filing, telling DailyMail.com: This is nothing more than a publicity stunt by a desperate and sad litigant.

Ms. Haart IS a con artist who paid to be introduced to Mr. Scaglia, she DID refuse to return the companys Bentley, and she DID take $850k in corporate funds without permission. And the Court already found that Mr. Scaglia NEVER threatened to kill her, Wallack said.

Ms. Haart lost the corporate case, she lost the family offense case and now shes losing in the divorce. Courts in two states have ruled that shes a liar, and her filing yet another frivolous lawsuit doesnt change that fact.

If Ms. Haart thinks these antics will rehabilitate her image or make her relevant, shes wrong, because shes already been exposed for what she is - a fraud.

Haart claims Scaglia had already hired her as creative director for their fashion line La Perla when their romantic relationship started.

They split in 2021 but agreed to delay the divorce until after they took EWG public or sold it privately.

But the lawsuit says Haart canceled their agreement and filed for divorce after Scaglia allegedly siphoned off $1.5million from their shared management company in February this year  after which she says his 'defamatory' smears began.
The Orange County District Attorney's Office are unable to confirm that the cat was definitely involved in the crime

A 20-year-old woman in California has been charged with murder after ramming her car into a father-of-five she accused of trying to run over a cat, said prosecutors.

After a verbal altercation in Cypress on Sunday evening, Hannah Star Esser got into her Honda Civic and accelerated towards Victor Anthony Luis, 43, causing his body to 'flip several times before landing in the street,' said prosecutors.

The disagreement arose when Esser was driving along Graham Road and stopped to get out of her car and confront Luis.

She believed her alleged victim - who lived close to where he was killed - was trying to run over a cat with his SUV, a statement from the district attorney's office said.

It remains unclear if there was a cat on the scene at the time, and if any animals had been hurt during the incident.

Hannah Star Esser, 20, who authorities have charged with killing a man by ramming her car into him after accusing him of trying to run over a cat. Esser was charged with murder and is detained on $1 million bail

The two got out from their cars and had a dispute which Esser filmed on her phone, said prosecutors.

Esser then got back in her car before making a U-turn and accelerating towards Luis, striking him with the front right side of her car.

Luis was launched onto the hood and windshield before being flipping several times and landing on the street, according to Orange County district attorneys.

At around 8.30pm the father-of-five was pronounced dead at the scene.

Victor Anthony Luis, 43, was killed on Sunday after prosecutors say he was struck by a car driven by Esser. Luis had five daughters and was expecting to become a grandfather this fall

Esser was arrested after Cypress Police Department Officers arrived at the scene and taken to Orange County Jail where she was charged with murder. Bail was set at $1million and she faces a sentence of 25 years to life if convicted.

A GoFundMe has been set up by the family of Luis who said: 'On Sunday September 25th, we lost Victor Anthony Luis in a tragic and senseless act of violence. He was a gentle soul as well as a loving son, father, and brother who did not deserve this.'

Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer said: 'This action showed a complete disregard for human life.'

The 9700 block of Graham Street in Cypress where Esser has been accused of fatally striking Luis with her vehicle. The incident occurred on Graham Street adjacent to Oak Knoll Park, according to a statement from the Cypress Police Department

Luis was expecting his first grandchild this fall according to his family, who said in a statement: 'This senseless act of violence has robbed the world of a bright light who will never be forgotten.'

Kimberley Edds, a spokesperson for district attorney's office said it was not clear whether the cat was actually involved in the crime, and said that an investigation is ongoing.

Esser made an initial appearance in court on Tuesday, according to court records, and is due to appear again at Westminster Superior Court on October 13, 2022.
Glen Ellis rushed to aid of several residents fleeing rising waters with belongings

An Australian cameraman has stopped filming in the middle of a live cross to help rescue people trying to flee rising waters during one of the worst storms on record.

Hurricane Ian has made landfall and smashed the US state of Florida overnight, leaving millions without power and destroying hundreds of homes.

Reaching 'catastrophic' winds of up to 240km/h, it's one of the largest hurricanes on record and has been described by authorities as 'life threatening' after it earlier caused fatalities in Cuba.

Sunrise crossed live to Channel Seven US correspondent Tim Lester in the city of Naples on the Gulf of Mexico in south-west Florida early Thursday morning.

As Lester described the harrowing conditions, his cameraman Glen Ellis abruptly stopped filming and rushed to the aid of people struggling to wade through the rising floodwaters.

One was holding the hand of a child while carrying belongings.

'Keep going, keep going,' Lester tells him.

Glen Ellis (right) helped several hurricane victims carry their possessions to higher ground as Hurricane Ian hits Naples in south-west Florida

Sunrise host David Koch asks if they're okay.

'It's an enormous storm, yes we're fine,' Lester continues.

'We are just helping some people through the water here, that is our camera operator, Glen, out there. I think you can see he is trying to help people who are moving away from their homes.'

As Lester continues reporting, Ellis is seen helping more hurricane victims carry their belongings away from the rising waters.

'We have spoken to a couple of them and they tell us already that their houses have been lost in the water, they have flooded right through and they have had to abandon them,' Lester explained.

'They just have no other way of doing it. But they are trying to get out and obviously what we have here, is a relatively high ground, so we are lucky enough to be able to talk to you.'

Channel Seven cameraman Glen Ellis stopped filming during a Sunrise live cross to race out to help residents fleeing rising waters

Hurricane Ian has been described by authorities as one of the worst storms on record. Pictured is the damage in Fort Myers, Florida

Locals are reporting that hundreds are stranded on their rooftops, with the population of the town being made up mostly of elderly residents.

More than 1.3 million citizens are without power with the damage bill tipped to exceed $45billion.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis warned citizens in an evening address that the worst may be yet to come.

'This storm is doing a number on the state of Florida,' the governor said, adding that citizens to expect the storm to move through the state today and 'much of tomorrow,' he said.

He urged residents who decided to brave the storm to stay in their properties or emergency bunkers while the hurricane blasted the coastline at close to Category five strength.

It comes just days after Cuba was tormented by the vicious hurricane, which left millions of dollars of damage and at least two people dead.

Hurricane Ian is forecast to remain at hurricane strength for the next 24 hours as it sweeps across Florida.

'Right now we're expecting it to eventually weaken below hurricane strength sometime overnight tonight or early Thursday morning,' National Hurricane Centre's Michael Brennan told CNN.

'It's going to take some time for that circulation to spin down.'




Prime Minister Han Duck-soo on Thursday called for officials to swiftly carry out containment measures against the African swine fever, with the nation having reported two new outbreaks of the disease.







The disease was confirmed at two separate pig farms in Gimpo and Paju, Gyeonggi Province on Wednesday, marking the first outbreaks in the province since October 2019.







The authorities slaughtered around 3,715 pigs in the two cities combined to try to stem the spread of the disease, and issued a 48-hour standstill order on the pig farms and related facilities through 5 p.m. Friday.







So far this year, the country reported six ASF cases, including Wednesday's cases.







During a virus response meeting, Han said that the situation in Gyeonggi Province "is more stringent than ever because many pig farms are concentrated."







Han instructed the agriculture ministry to swiftly implement containment measures, and urged tight vigilance in areas where the disease has recently been reported, or adjacent to affected farms.







South Korea reported two cases of African swine fever at separate farms in Gangwon Province earlier this month, which led to the culling of some 15,000 pigs.







The disease does not affect humans but is deadly to pigs. There is currently no vaccine or cure for the disease. (Yonhap)






Ned Fulmer, the former star of the popular YouTube show The Try Guys, and his wife look as if they are working on their marriage after being spotted wearing their wedding rings in the wake of a cheating scandal.

Fulmer, 35, is married to Ariel Fulmer, who has made frequent appearances on the YouTube show with more than eight million subscribers.

Both were seen wearing wedding rings on Wednesday as well as being spotted walking out of their house together, while taking kids on the school run in separate cars.

Ned Fulmer was exposed as cheater as he was pictured kissing his producer Alexandria Herring when a sharp-eyed clubgoer recorded the pair making out.

He has since been removed from the popular YouTube channel which has almost eight million subscribers after pictures were released that showed him bring intimate with the producer in a nightclub in New York City.

Both Ned and Ariel Fulmer were seen wearing wedding rings on Wednesday as well as being spotted walking out of their house together

Ariel Fulmer appeared to still be wearing her engagement ring and wedding ring in this photo of her holding the steering wheel of her car

Likewise, Ned Fulmer was also still sporting his wedding ring on his ring finder on Wednesday

Ned's wedding ring appeared to catch the sunlight as he went for a jog in his neighborhood

Ariel Fulmer could be seen still wearing ring on her ring finger as she drove her black Honda SUV

Ned Fulmer was spotted in Los Angeles still wearing his wedding ring after being caught cheating on his wife Ariel

Ned Fulmer, left, with his wife Ariel before being caught cheating in a New York City club with a producer of his Try Guys show Alexandria Herring

Wife Ariel released a statement soon after Ned got the sack in which she requested privacy as they deal with the fallout.

'Thanks to everyone who has reached out to me - it means a lot. Nothing is more important to me and Ned than our family, and all we request right now is that you respect our privacy for the sake of our kids.'

The couple also hosted a podcast together called Baby Steps - an unvarnished look at how they raise their 'Instagram-worthy family'. The couple have two children together.

The scandal appears to have unfolded particularly quickly after a fellow clubgoer spotted Ned Fulmer with his arms around Herring.

Ariel Fulmer appeared to be putting on a brave face for the cameras as she got out of her car

There appeared to be a little distance between the couple on Wednesday morning

Ned Fulmer also appeared to be putting on a brave face as he walked out of his home with his wife carrying an apple and some Tupperware

The couple could be seen leaving the home with a degree of tension hanging in the air

Ned Fulmer and wife Ariel put on a united front following Ned's firing amid cheating news

The couple took on the school run but went in separate cars

Ariel Fulmer appeared to put on a brave face as she got into a Tesla car on Wednesday

The couple have both released statements on their Instagram including this one from Ned

Ariel Fulmer posted her own statement in which she requested privacy

The clubgoer contacted a Reddit user who appears to be Herring's fiance, Will Thayer. He then posted the messages he received to prove that Fulmer and Herring were making out.

'So basically I went out to Niagara the club last night and saw her making out with Ned from the try guys, I have video if needed,' said the unnamed accuser in messages to Thayer.

Thayer then asked the person where it occurred before being told 'the entire time they were making out. He was touching her too all that stuff.'

Fulmer was exposed cheating with his producer Alexandria Herring (pictured with her fiance Will Thayer) when when a sharp-eyed clubgoer recorded the pair making out

Herring's fiance posted the messages he received on Reddit to prove that she had cheated on him with married Fulmer

While the posts to Reddit only show grabs from the video and not the videos themselves, this was apparently enough for Thayer to conclude his fiance had been unfaithful with Fulmer.

Thayer then said he spoke to Fulmer's wife Ariel for an hour about the allegations before he deleted all pictures with Herring from his Instagram and made his account private.

Much of it appeared to be unproven speculation until recently when the Try Guys released an official statement on their Instagram confirming Fulmer was no longer with the group.

Will Thayer (right), the ex-fiance of The Try Guys producer Alex Herring who had an affair with married Try Guy Ned Fulmer, toasts to the end of his engagement following revelations about the scandal

'Ned Fulmer is no longer working with The Try Guys. As a result of a thorough internal review, we do not see a path forward together. We thank you for your support as we navigate this change,' the statement read.

The statement from the group, which boasts over 7.8 million subscribers on YouTube, was backed up by a following statement from Fulmer, who admitted the affair.

'Family should have always been my priority, but I lost focus and had a consensual workplace relationship. I'm sorry for any pain that my actions may have caused to the guys and the fans but most of all to Ariel,' Fulmer said.

'The only thing that matters right now is my marriage and my children, and that's where I am going to focus my attention,' he continued.

The pair were seen loved-up across their content and co-host a podcast together called Baby Steps - they even released a cookbook last year together called 'The Date Night Cookbook.'

Fulmer, pictured here with Ariel, was known for consistently talking about his wife in his content

The group started at Buzzfeed in 2014 and was co-founded by Fulmer, Keith Habersberger, Zach Kornfeld and Eugene Lee Yang

The Try Guys released a statement Tuesday evening about Fulmer's abrupt departure following revelations about the affair

Fulmer and his wife share two sons: Wesley, who was born in April 2018, and Finley, born in November 2020.

The group, which started at Buzzfeed in 2014 when the four men including Fulmer, Keith Habersberger, Zach Kornfeld and Eugene Lee Yang were employees at the publication and started creating videos trying new things.

Herring starred in a separate YouTube show called Food Babies but also served as a producer for the Try Guys.

Ned and Ariel on a recent Mexican vacation. The pair has found myriad ways to commodify their ultra instagramable marriage

Ned Fulmer and wife Ariel Fulmer share two young sons

Prior to confirmation of the affair and Fulmer's release from the company, online speculation about the extra-marital scandal snowballed for days.

Fans of the show noticed something was suspicious when Fulmer did not appear in recent Try Guys videos, missed out on podcast episodes and even appeared to have been edited out of some videos.

Ariel also missed out on recent episodes of You Can Sit With Us, a podcast comprised of each of the Try Guys' wives.

Try Guys began in 2014 when the members, who were then employees at Buzzfeed, began making content centering around them trying new things

A progression of DMs from an anonymous account reveal to Herring's former fiance Will Thayer that she was at a club, making out, with Fulmer

The account sent Thayer video and photographic evidence of the salacious encounter, which he posted online to expose the pair

Herring and Fulmer were out late at a downtown NYU bar after a concert earlier in the evening
Donald Trump's former campaign manager Corey Lewandowski has made a deal with Nevada prosecutors after he was charged with misdemeanor battery, stemming from allegations that he made unwanted advances to a political donor.

In a police report filed last year, Trashelle Odom said married Lewandowski touched her repeatedly while seated next to her at an event at a Las Vegas hotel, followed her around, touched her leg and buttocks, and 'stalked' her throughout the evening.

Odom, the wife of Idaho construction executive and major GOP donor John Odom, also accused Lewandowski of throwing a drink at her.

Court documents show the charge was filed earlier this month in Clark County, Nevada.

And Lewandowski, 49, agreed to a deal that includes eight hours of 'impulse control' counseling, 50 hours of community service, and a $1000 fine.

It did not require an admission of guilt and the charges will be dismissed if he stays out of trouble for a year, according to Politico which obtained the filing.

Corey Lewandowski reached a deal with Las Vegas prosecutors, it emerged Wednesday, after he was accused of misdemeanour battery after an event for donors at a hotel

In her complaint to police, Trashelle Odom said Lewandowski followed her around, touched her leg and buttocks, and 'stalked' her throughout the evening

Odom with former President Donald Trump and her husband John Odom

'A misdemeanor case was filed, but we are pleased to say that the matter has been resolved,' his lawyers said.

'The resolution did not require any admissions by Lewandowski. The court set conditions that Lewandowski will fulfill and the case will ultimately be dismissed.'

Lewandowski was Trump's first campaign manager when he launched his presidential run in 2015. Although he was replaced a year later he remained part of Trump's circle of informal advisers.

However, he was jettisoned by Trump's Super Pac and other roles with Republican campaigns when Odom's allegations surfaced.

According to her statement to Idaho cops, Lewandowski repeatedly remarked about the size of his genitals. He also 'described his sexual performance and showed Odom his hotel room key.'

Odom was one of around two dozen major Republican Party donors at the event which took place during an event at the Westgate Las Vegas hotel for the Victoria's Voice Foundation, which focuses on substance abuse.

She said Lewandowski swore while speaking about sex as he repeatedly approached her.

'Those statements, coupled with his demeanor and aggressive behaviors,' made Odom 'intimidated and frightened and fearful for my safety and that of my family members,' Odom said in a statement to police.

'It was as if he thought he had a sense of ownership over me, from the start,' she added.

The alleged events took place at the Westgate hotel in Las Vegas

A group of GOP donors gathered at the Westgate's Benihana restaurant for the event last year

At the time a lawyer for Lewandowski, who has been married since 2005 and has four kids, dismissed the allegations as 'rumors'.

Odom also alleged Lewandowski claimed he wielded enormous power thanks to his connections to the former president and said he had committed violent acts earlier in his life.

She went public with a statement.

'I am coming forward because he needs to be held accountable,' Odom said. 'I am blessed to have a loving husband and family behind me.

'I want other women to know that you can be heard, too, and together we can stop terrible things like this from happening.'

S added was afraid upon reaching her hotel room because Lewandowski's room was right next to hers. She described how she timed her departure the following day to ensure she did not run into him.

'I went into my room crying and trembling as I did not know if I had just ruined everything that my family had worked so hard to grow,' Odom said in the statement.
Shocking photos show the extent of devastation left by Hurricane Ian as it raged across southwest portion of Florida on Sunday, bringing with it historic flooding and widespread power outages.

The stark before and after images show the catastrophic flooding as the historic storm heads north to the central part of the state, causing nearby Virginia, Georgia, and North and South Carolina to issue their own state of emergencies.

Fort Myers was one worst battered by Ian, with apocalyptic photos showing homes decimated by its wrath as roads turned into rivers with the tsunami of floodwater.

Naples and nearby Sanibel Island were also rocked by the hurricane, with images of the latter showing a beachside pool overwhelmed by water as the region saw winds in the excess of 155mph.

The images show the current, embattled condition of the Sunshine State's southwest coast, with now nearly two million out of power and forced to their home's rooftops as water levels are still on the rise.

The hurricane has since been downgraded to a Category-1 storm, with officials still warning that further flooding and even tornados are possible in yet-to-be-hit central Florida.

 Slide me  BEFORE AND AFTER: Shocking photos show the extent of devastation left by Hurricane Ian as it raged across southwest portion of the state Sunday, bringing with it historic flooding and widespread power outages. Pictured is flooding seen at a Sanibel Harbor Resort this morning

A before image shows a pool and several houses near Estero Blvd in Fort Myers before the storm rocked the city Photos show the pool was already submerged by noon Wednesday, in a coastal portion of the city known as Estero Island A few hours later, levels rose even further, leaving several houses entirely submerged, with none of the pool and gate visible

On Sanibel, an island just west of Fort Myers and northwest of Naples, photos show flooding at the city's Sanibel Harbor Resort, where water levels reached more than 12 feet.

Gale force winds of up to 155mph, meanwhile, ripped out trees and shattered windows of houses on the island, which is home to roughly 6,400 Floridians.

The island served as the first locale in Florida's southwest to be hit by the storm, which at that point had reached Category-4 status.

Some more snaps show parts of the nearby area prior to the widespread flooding - which started in Fort Myers in the late morning Roughly two hours later, the street was almost completely underwater, as winds of up to 155 mph ripped entire trees out of the earth By 2pm, the coastal area was virtually unrecognizable, with it almost entirely submerged by more than six feet of water

The storm would proceed to move through nearby across the narrow channel of sea that separates the island from Fort Myers, where it wrought even worse destruction.

Photos show a pool and several houses on the city's coastal Estero Blvd before the storm rocked the city. Further images show the pool was already submerged by noon Wednesday, in a coastal portion of the city known as Estero Island.

A few hours later, levels rose even further, leaving several houses almost entirely submerged, with none of the pool and its gate visible.

Another set of images show a shopping center to the right of the pool before the rampant flooding began By the time made landfall in the city, cars had already been submerged by rising water levels that would surpass 12 feet Water levels were even higher more than five hours later, shortly before officials downgraded the storm to a Cat-2 threat

Water levels in Fort Myers are still extremely high more than five hours after the hurricane - which was downgraded to a Category 1 storm Wednesday evening - made landfall.

Still-strong winds on the tail-end of the hurricane, meanwhile, are pushing the surge onshore as of Wednesday night, keeping the land flooded.

As of 9pm, the water level has only dropped about eight inches, meaning the pictured areas all still underwater.

Photos show the coastal city in the morning hours before the full extent of the storm was felt. Levels have since surpassed 6 ft. Hours later, many parts of the island - a channel that juts off the rest of the city and into the Atlantic - were underwater By noon, the devastation in the area was irrefutable - with homes destroyed and debris strewn across the submerged streets

More photos show the coastal city in the morning hours before the full extent of the storm was felt before many parts of the de facto island - a channel that juts off the rest of the city and into the Atlantic - found itself almost completely underwater.

By the afternoon, the devastation in the area was irrefutable - with homes destroyed and debris strewn across the submerged streets.

Earlier in the day, other more southern cities saw similar conditions, with officials invoking a 10pm curfew in Collier County, including Naples. That curfew is set to expire by 6am, when the worst of the storm is expected to subside.

However, despite this, DeSantis and other weather officials warned Wednesday to be wary of standing water and downed power lines in the coming days, due to the fact that many hurricane casualties come in the 'post storm' span.

Naples in Florida has been completely submerged by floodwater as the coastal town continues to be battered by Hurricane Ian

In the meantime, Downtown Naples, Fort Myers, and Sanibel Island are all hopelessly flooded, with officials now preparing rescue efforts for citizens that have been reported stranded by flooding.

Those efforts, said Kevin Guthrie, Florida's Department of Emergency Management director, will range from land, air, and sea.

The announcement came during a news conference held with Governor DeSantis

'This storm is doing a number on the state of Florida. It is going to continue to move through the state today and much of tomorrow. And theres going to continue to be a number of adverse effects,' DeSantis told citizens at the event.

It comes as lawmen in flooded cities such as Naples have reported a number of locals trapped in or atop their residences as water levels continue to rise.

Guthrie asked citizens in flooded areas to not take their own boats for their own rescues.

Cars can be seen floating in the 18ft storm surge in Fort Myers, with thousands of homes being submerged underwater as winds batter the trees

LAST MOMENTS OF SANIBEL ISLAND SURGE PACK: Unfortunately, our @cyclonePORT was taken by the extreme winds and storm surge just moments ago. Here are the last moments on camera. @ryanhallyall pic.twitter.com/02a8hl4x2L  RadarOmega (@RadarOmega) September 28, 2022

One family home had the first story submerged up to it's roof, with the residents surviving Charlie and Irma safely and refused to evacuate for Ian because they had impact windows and hurricane shutters

Meanwhile, nearly 2 million citizens are without power - up from 1.3 million seen earlier in the evening, when Governor Ron DeSantis warned citizens in an evening address that the worse may have yet to come.

'This storm is doing a number on the state of Florida,' the governor said, telling citizens to expect the storm to move through the state today and 'much of tomorrow.'

The Florida governor further urged residents who decided to brave the storm to stay in their properties or emergency bunkers while the hurricane blasted the coastline and neared on Category 5.

The storm has since been downgraded to Category 1, despite the still present flooding and recorded winds of up to 105 mph.

Fort Myers, Naples and Sanibel Island have already been flooded, with the beach in Fort Myers currently underwater as stronger rainfall and winds are set to hit

Charlotte Harbor is bracing for the brunt of the water levels, and could see between 12ft to 18ft of surge storm as the eyewall continues to move across the state

A swimming pool and parking lot in Fort Myers has now been completely covered by the flood water as cars are now floating past

Naples Fire Rescue department showed a firefighter battling the undercurrents as he attempted to carry gear into the fire station as the water reached waist height

Roofs were damaged and trees flattened vehicles as emergency services rushed to help those in need in Naples, Florida, as Hurricane Ian hit the coast

Utility trucks are staged in a rural lot in The Villages of Sumter County, Florida - in a move to protect the vehicles against the high winds

Properties up and down the coastline have been partially destroyed as the 155mph winds hit, with no major injuries currently being reported as of Wednesday morning

Planes at North Perry Airport in Pembroke Pines were flipped over by a tornado as several tropical storm warnings were in place across the state

A tree in Sarasota was uprooted and strewn across the street as lashings of rain and wind hit the city

Charlotte Harbor is bracing for the brunt of the water levels, and could see between 12 to 18ft of surge storm as the eyewall continues to move across the state

Residents in Key West, Florida, cross a bridge as a boat floats next to the handrails amid the rising water levels as wind batters the area

An uprooted tree, toppled by strong winds from the outer bands of Hurricane Ian, rests in a parking lot of a shopping center, in Cooper City, Florida

Pictures show water receding from Tampa Bay, due to the movement of the hurricane, as the same phenomenon happened just before Hurricane Irma hit

DeSantis warned those in Collier, Charlotte and Sarasota county that it was 'too late' to leave and urged anyone still out on the roads to get to a 'safe place as soon as possible'

Emergency vehicles are the only ones to brave the extreme weather on the Sunshine Skyway over Tampa Bay which has seen extreme flooding

Water is rapidly receding at Hubbard's Marina as the eye of the hurricane has hit Florida at Charlotte Harbor on the western coastline
One third of students say free speech is threatened on campus and many perceive a chilling effect that discourages open debate, a study has found.

Researchers at Kings College London found 34 per cent now feel this way  up from 23 per cent in 2019.

In addition, 32 per cent of students feel academic freedom is threatened at their institution, compared with 20 per cent three years ago.

The findings come after a string of incidents in which speakers have been banned from campuses and academics bullied out of their jobs.

Last year, Kathleen Stock was hounded out of her role at Sussex University by activists because she questioned transgender ideology.

Incredibly, 41 per cent of students think academics who teach material that offends some students should be fired.

A study found that 32 per cent of students feel academic freedom is threatened at their institution. Pictured: Cambridge University

And 39 per cent think students unions should ban all speakers that may cause offence.

The study of more than 2,500 students by the Policy Institute at Kings also found there is a growing perception of cases where freedom of expression has been violated.

A quarter of students now say they often hear of incidents at their university where free speech has been inhibited  compared with 12 per cent in 2019.

Almost half  48 per cent  said controversial speakers were avoided at their university because it was difficult to get those events agreed  up from 37 per cent. And 49 per cent think universities are becoming less tolerant of a range of viewpoints.

The belief that ideological tolerance is declining in higher education is much more common among Conservative-voting students  65 per cent  than Labour-voting  37 per cent.

Kathleen Stock was hounded out of her role at Sussex University by activists last year because she questioned transgender ideology

But the study authors said perceptions of a chilling effect on speech are increasing for both Right-wing and Left-wing voters.

Half of students now feel that those with Conservative views are reluctant to express them at university, compared with 37 per cent who said the same in 2019.

For Left-wingers, it was 36 per cent, compared to 14 per cent.

A total of 51 per cent of all students now think the climate at their university prevents people from saying things because they might offend others.

Self-censorship among students was particularly marked when it came to key controversial topics.

A third have held back their views on gender identity, while a quarter did so on the British Empire, because they feared what others might think of them.

A fifth held back due to concerns for their safety if they expressed their opinions openly. Director of the Policy Institute Professor Bobby Duffy said: This major new study reveals two main patterns  firstly, that the large majority of students think their universities are protecting their freedom of speech, but secondly, that increasing minorities of students feel this is under threat and have heard of examples of free speech being inhibited.
Do you know more? Please email stephen.gibbs@mailonline.com

Ms Maxwell and Reverend Robinson were both married and she has two children

Luisa Maxwell departed the school first, now followed by Reverend Tim Robinson

chaplains at Sydney's Knox Grammar have quit the school after relationship

Chaplain Luisa Maxwell quit Knox Grammar on Sydney's north shore after it was revealed she was having a relationship with fellow chaplain Reverend Tim Robinson

Two married chaplains have quit the exclusive Knox Grammar School on Sydney's north shore after it was revealed they had a romantic relationship.

Luisa Maxwell resigned from Knox in 2019 shortly after the prestigious Wahroonga boys' school became aware of her relationship with Reverend Tim Robinson.

She then went to work at nearby Barker College in a similar role.

Reverend Robinson has now also left Knox, where parents pay up to $35,000 for a year's tuition, in the latest drama to rock the school community.

Last month it was revealed students at the Uniting Church institution had been discussing rape fantasies and making racist, sexist and homophobic comments in a vile online chat room.

Reverend Robinson and Ms Maxwell's relationship was revealed by The Daily Telegraph which reported the pair became involved with each while working together at the school.

Ms Maxwell, a mother-of-two, resigned from her latest role as chaplain at Barker, which headmaster Phillip Heath confirmed in a statement to Daily Mail Australia.

'I can confirm that the staff member has made us aware of her personal circumstances and has recently resigned from the position as Assistant to the Chaplain at Barker College, following a period of leave,' Mr Heath said.

'Such matters are deeply personal and sensitive and the School is supportive of all concerned.'

Reverend Tim Robinson has now also left Knox, where parents pay up to $35,000 for a year's tuition, has resigned from the Uniting Church school after his relationship with Luisa Maxwell was revealed

Knox Grammar confirmed Reverend Robinson had parted ways with the college but would not comment further on his departure. The Wahroonga school is pictured

Knox confirmed Reverend Robinson had also parted ways with the college but would not comment further on his departure.

'Chaplains are employees of the Uniting Church in Australia, not of Knox Grammar School,' it said in a statement.

'However we can confirm the individual concerned resigned and no longer has a presence at the school.

'We would remind you that you are making public assertions about real people and real families, and we ask you to be respectful and sensitive.'

Ms Maxwell is a qualified personal trainer who previously taught religion at Ravenswood School for Girls.

An online profile states she has 'a passion for sharing the good news of Jesus in the communities that she has worked and lived in throughout her career.'

Knox was rocked by the online chat room revelations in which students used aliases including 'n*****removalservice' and 'Fa**othater3000'.

In a letter sent home to parents (pictured), Knox Headmaster Scott James said the students involved posted 'inappropriate messages and engaged in offensive commentary in private chat rooms'

Knox Grammar has suspended several students for their participation in the group and have launched an internal investigation (pictured, a mock-up of some of the Discord messages)

'I hate fems I hate gays, jews, people who don't play fortnite, furries, n*****s, I love titties, feet abortion, rape, drugs,' one of the disturbing messages read.

One message saw a student feigning support for Adolf Hitler, and another claiming to be a 'maniacal pedophile who rapes babes for a living'.

'Why was I not invited to the gang rape party,' read another.

'If I get a girl pregnant and I wore a condom I'm f***ing reaching my hand in her stomach,' read another disturbing message.

A police review found the chat room contained no child abuse material.

The messages are a mixture of sexist, racist and anti-Semitic sentiments coupled with several extreme anti-abortion statements (pictured, a mock-up of the Discord messages)

Knox conducted an internal review and principal Scott James told parents he had identified 74 handles used in the chat room.

Mr Scott also revealed 20 students faced disciplinary action with some suspended and expelled.

New South Wales Education Minister Sarah Mitchell said at the time there would be no tolerance for those involved in the chatroom.

'I was shocked and appalled to learn of the activities within these chat groups,' she said.

'This is far from the behaviour we expect from students in NSW. I have asked NSW Education Standards Authority to closely monitor the situation at Knox and follow appropriate procedures.'
She assured Daily Mail Australia she was joking and says the man isn't her type

Wondered whether wanted man was single and joked everyone likes bad boys

Amanda Goff, formerly known as Samantha X, weighed in on viral manhunt

A former high-profile sex worker has cheekily weighed on the police manhunt for an accused criminal whose 'wanted' photo featuring his distinctive forehead tattoo has gone viral.

The desperate hunt continues for Jaimes Sutton, who NSW Police are seeking on an outstanding warrant after being released on bail over domestic violence and property damage charges.

Bearing a distinctive tattoo with 'Beast' inked across his forehead, Sutton's unique facial features promptly went viral as he became the subject of shock and laughter online on Wednesday.

The police appeal also caught the attention of journalist and author Amanda Goff, an ex-escort formerly known as Samantha X.

'Is he single?' she tweeted with a smiling emoji.

A police appeal which went viral caught the eye of former sex worker Amanda Goff (pictured)

The former escort formerly known as Samantha X cheekily commented on the police appeal for information about Jaimes Sutton

When asked by someone if he was her type, Goff quipped: 'We all like a bad boy'

Others joked Goff would need to join the queue of potential suitors as the manhunt for Sutton continued on Thursday. He's known to frequent the Deniliquin area near the NSW-Victoria border.

Goff has assured Daily Mail Australia she was joking.

'He's definitely not at all my type, I go for blondes,' she laughed.

'Being single, I thought I'd put it there as a joke. I'm surprised the tweet got so many comments.'

Goff recently reverted back to her original identity after almost a decade under the alias Samantha X.

'My life has been a thrilling ride with creative highs, but also fraught with crashing lows,' the mother-of-two announced in July.

'Ill always be a big advocate of the adult industry, my clients & the amazing sex workers. Samantha I thank you. But from now, my real name is Amanda Goff.'

The police manhunt continues for Jaimes Sutton (pictured) who has a distinctive tattoo

Amanda Goff has since confirmed she was joking and says the wanted man isn't her type

The Sydney-based influencer made headlines in 2014 with her surprise career change and was once described as Australia's highest-paid sex worker.

Earlier this week, Goff announced she had teamed up with screenwriters to co-create an eight-part television series about her life.

'I am honoured for my life to be interesting enough for a TV series!' she said.

'Director of Mondo Studio Films Ruth Borgobello, along with screenwriter and author Lisa Portolan are part of the talented female team wanting to explore the adult industry through the lens of 'female desire and identity'.

'This eight part series will be largely fictionalised, based on my life, in all its gritty authenticity: bi polar, addiction, and of course the colourful industry.

'Ill be going back to my journalistic roots (no pun intended) as one of the co-creators Stay tuned!'
Defence chiefs are investigating the death of a Gurkha soldier who was trying to join the Special Air Service.

Corporal Navin Thapa Magar was undergoing exhaustive tests in Brunei used to select troops for Special Forces units.

Extreme heat is understood to have been a factor in his death, which is being investigated by military police. However, defence sources suggested it was not the only factor.

No other soldiers are thought to have been involved in the incident last month.

The Ministry of Defence has refused to disclose any further details.

Cpl Navin is understood to be the first soldier killed during the SAS selection process since 2013, when three reservists died on a march in the Brecon Beacons. At least 21 troops have died on these tests since 1984.

Corporal Navin Thapa Magar was a soldier with the Gurkhas (above). File photo

Cpl Navin, from Tanahun, western Nepal, joined the Army in 2013, completing his basic training at Catterick, North Yorkshire, the following year.

He served on operations in the Balkans with the Royal Gurkha Rifles and on numerous overseas training exercises.

Armed forces minister James Heappey said: 'It is clear from his colleagues Cpl Navin was a dedicated, professional soldier who was held in the highest regard.

'He was a shining example of what Britain's armed forces stand for. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and loved ones at this terrible time.'

Cpl Navin is understood to be the first soldier killed during the SAS selection process since 2013, when three reservists died on a march in the Brecon Beacons (file photo)

Cpl Navin had successfully passed the first phase of SAS selection, which takes place in the Brecon Beacons and is known as 'the hills'.

Candidates must complete test marches of up to 40 miles carrying packs weighing 70lb (32kg).

Only if they complete these marches within a certain number of hours can they proceed to the jungle phase of the course, known as 'the trees'.

This takes place in Brunei twice a year. Due to the extreme heat and humidity of the jungle environment many candidates collapse from exhaustion.

On average, nine out of ten fail the course. An Army spokesman said: 'It is with great sadness the Ministry of Defence must confirm the death of Corporal Navin Magar.

He died during a non-operational training incident on August 11. 'Cpl Navin was a sociable, energetic and trusted friend.

His abilities and his constant pursuit of excellence propelled him toward even greater challenges.

'His loss is felt deeply among all those who knew him. He leaves behind his mother and father and his elder brother and sister.'
A Cambridge don has claimed people who oppose paying slavery reparations are displaying ignorance and stupidity.

The Revd Dr Michael Banner, a dean at Trinity College, believes a lack of education in schools is leading to a backlash against reparations. The academic has called for both Britain and Cambridge University to pay money to make amends for the past.

Some other academics disagree, arguing that most white Britons are descended from poor disenfranchised workers, not those who were made rich from slaves.

But yesterday Dr Banner told a slavery conference at Cambridge he was tired of knee-jerk opposition to his idea. He said: Reparations are due to the West Indies from the United Kingdom.

In the absence of government action, a responsibility devolves [to] the bodies and institutions which benefited from links with enslavement, to act.

The Revd Dr Michael Banner, a dean at Trinity College, Cambridge (pictured) believes a lack of education in schools is leading to a backlash against reparations

He said Trinity College, where he is director of studies in theology, should lead, given a recent inquiry showing Cambridges links to slavery. Last week, the university published a report showing it benefited from the practice.

Dr Banner added: A somewhat knee-jerk repudiation of the case for reparations, in Britain at least... depends on an ignorance of the very depth and breadth of this countrys  and its institutions  connections with slavery.

He said even books used in schools today omit details of Britains involvement in slavery.

He even claimed fellow dons at Cambridge had a lack of knowledge on the matter. What is common is the almost absolute ignorance on the subject, he said. Im not going to name names, but people youd have thought would know about it know absolutely nothing.

[There are] stupid responses to reparations, very many stupid, knee-jerk responses to reparations, that theres no case for them.

The three-day conference, titled Envisioning reparations: historical and comparative approaches has been branded it propogandist and fanatical by critics.
The tents are in addition to 6,000 hotel rooms with a second location planned

Eric Adams, the mayor of New York, has said the aim of the encampments are for migrants to stay there for just 96 hours before being moved on

The first enormous structures are being built in the parking lot of a beach in the Bronx as New York City attempts to deal with the unexpected new flow of migrants.

The tents are part of the city's plan to accommodate 13,000 asylum seekers who have been bused into the city as part of a campaign by Republican governors to disrupt federal border policies.

Housing the migrants in tents is among an array of options put forward by Mayor Eric Adams' team - from using cruise ships to summer camps.

Cherry pickers were seen hoisting the giant metal framework into place while workers heaved the massive tarps into position to provide a shelter from the elements.

The construction has occurred particularly quickly given that the idea for the Orchard Beach revamp was apparently only floated last week by Eric Adams.

The first site has been constructed at Orchard Beach with a second site yet to be determined

Workers install a hangar-sized tent in the parking lot of Orchard Beach in the Bronx, New York

The city is erecting tents as temporary shelter for thousands of international migrants who have been bused into the Big Apple by Republican governors to disrupt federal border policies

Large tents are constructed in a parking lot at Orchard Beach in the Bronx

Workers install lights inside the tents at the newly built structures at Orchard Beach

Workers erect a structure as New York City prepares to open an emergency center to process and temporarily house adult migrants arriving by bus to New York from Texas

Residents look at large being constructed in a parking lot at Orchard Beach in the Bronx

The temporary tents will be used to house some of the estimated 13,000 migrants who have been bussed since August into the city from Texas

'This is not an everyday homelessness crisis, but a humanitarian crisis that requires a different approach,' Mayor Adams said in a statement last week.

New York City's huge system of homeless shelters has been straining to accommodate the unexpected new flow of migrants seeking asylum in the United States.

The first few tents are being erected at Orchard Beach in a remote corner of the Bronx, where public transportation is limited. Officials are also said to be looking into other areas.

Workers in hardhats were seen carrying metal poles that were delivered on trucks - as others drilled into the ground with the framework of the tents now visible.

Workers pull on ropes to pull the tarps over the tents. The Migrant tent city at Orchard Beach in The Bronx will have a total of 7 structures to house men and women only, not families

Workers assemble emergency tents to house some of the many migrants arriving to the city in the parking lot of Orchard Beach in the Bronx

The temporary tents will be used to house some of the estimated 13,000 migrants who have been bussed into the city from Texas since August

Workers heave on ropes in order to pull up the material that will cover the entire structure

Construction workers in the Bronx were continuing on Wednesday to build the first of two tent cities

New York City shelters are currently at capacity leaving little room for the migrant community that continues to arrive in the city weekly

A land surveyor walks by large tents being constructed in a parking lot at Orchard Beach in the Bronx on Wednesday

Once complete, rows and rows of cots will be set up with the tent heated, as cooler autumn nights in the city take hold

Once complete, rows and rows of cots will be set up with the tent heated, as cooler autumn nights in the city take hold.

City officials said the facilities - which they call 'humanitarian emergency response and relief centers - would only house migrants for up to four days while the city arranged other types of shelter.

Immigration advocates have said the plan was not well thought out.

'While we recognize there is urgency in meeting the very real needs of asylum seeking families while our shelter system remains over-burdened, we believe that any effort to open a temporary relief camp at Orchard Beach is ridiculous and likely to cause more harm than good, especially as the fall turns into winter,' said Murad Awawdeh, the executive director of the New York Immigration Coalition.

'We fear that what was meant to be a temporary solution will become an inadequate permanent one,' he said.

Groups advocating for the homeless said they were reserving judgment.

'We just don't have enough detail to about what their plan is to form an opinion,' said Josh Goldfein, a staff attorney with the Legal Aid Society. 'If the goal here is to sort of quickly assess what people need and get them connected to services that will help them, then that will be great.'

The tarp was gradually pulled across the metal frames on Wednesday

The tents have been constructed extremely quickly given the idea was only mooted last week

Metal beams are first laid out on the ground before being hoisted into position

One of the huge metal frameworks skeletons can be seen before being covered by material

The National Guard arrives at the tent city in order to assist with their construction

The first of New York's tent cities is being constructed at Orchard Beach, on the peripheries of the city

Mayor Eric Adams declared a humanitarian crisis last week with city services stretched thin and shelters overwhelmed with new arrivals yearning to breathe free in the Big Apple

'All we know, is a location, and a picture of a big tent,' he said. 'We don't know what's going to be in it - or who.'

In a joint statement, the Legal Aid Society and the Coalition for the Homeless said it was working with city officials to come up with 'a viable solution that satisfies New York's legal and moral obligation to provide safe and adequate shelter to all who seek it, including asylum seekers.'

Earlier this month, Adams had floated the idea of housing hundreds of migrants on cruise ships.

Critics pounced on that idea, saying he needs to offer more lasting solutions to a problem that has long vexed the city: How to find permanent shelter for the city's unhoused - not just new migrants but for the considerable population of the homeless.

Overall, the number of people staying nightly in New York City's homeless shelters had fallen in recent years, partly due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

That led city officials to reduce shelter capacity, leaving the system unprepared for the sudden surge in people needing help.

A land surveyor works next to large tents being constructed in a parking lot at Orchard Beach

Work has begun in earnest on a tent city in the parking lot of Bronxs Orchard Beach designed to accommodate the overflow of migrants coming to New York

Crews lugged beams, screwed nails, and drove trucks filled with what will be the tents coverings, all in anticipation of thousands of migrants being dropped off in New York City

NYC Mayor Eric Adams recently announced the planned tent accommodations, which are expected to take two weeks to complete, as a way for the city manage needing to provide some sort of shelter to the large number of migrants being bused north by Republicans

An aerial photo taken with a drone shows workers assemble emergency tents to house some of the many migrants arriving to the city in the parking lot of Orchard Beach, with the skyline of Manhattan in the background

Construction workers in the Bronx were continuing to build the first of two tent cities

The tent city starts to take shape as the roof was erected on one of the tents

This is how the parking lot looked before the construction began

An artists impression of how the site will eventually look once all the tents are operational

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
U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris holds talks with a group of Korean female leaders at the official residence of U.S. Ambassador to Korea Philip Goldberg in Seoul, Sept. 29. Yonhap



U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris met with Korean women leaders from various walks of life in Seoul on Thursday to discuss gender equality, a key focus of the Joe Biden administration's domestic and foreign policies.



Hours after flying here from Japan, Harris held a "groundbreaking women roundtable" at the residence of the U.S. ambassador in central Seoul, where she displayed her excitement at the stories of Korean women having achieved parity with male rivals in their respective fields.



The participants included figure skating champion Kim Yuna, Naver CEO Choi Soo-yeon, Oscar-winning actress Youn Yuh-jung and Baik Hyun-wook, head of the Korean Medical Women's Association.



Gender equality has been a policy priority for the Biden administration as seen in its release last year of the country's first-ever national strategy to achieve gender equality, which includes ambitious goals for women not only in the U.S. but also abroad.






Ms Credlin says the Voice is really about power rather than recognition

She argues Indigenous people already have ample say through elected MPs

Peta Credlin says those pushing it are trying to shame Australians into voting yes

Conservative commentator says the Voice to Parliament is being kept vague

Australians are being 'morally shamed' into voting for an Indigenous Voice to Parliament, a conservative columnist argues.

Peta Credlin, the former chief-of-staff for Liberal prime minster Tony Abbott, said the proposed Voice will be a race-based body that is more about 'power than recognition' but this is not how it is being sold.

'It will be pitched to voters in oversimplified terms: as being for or against Aboriginal people,' Ms Credlin wrote in The Australian.

Peta Credlin argues that Voice to Parliament advocates are trying to 'morally shame' Australians into voting yes

The Voice is a proposed body of representatives from First Nations peoples across Australia that will advise federal parliament on matters concerning Indigenous people.

Its creation will require a change to the Australian Constitution that will have to be brought in by a successful referendum vote.

As an example of 'oversimplification' Ms Credlin pointed to the launch this week of what she called the 'big business' campaign for a 'yes' vote, which is backed by the Uluru Statement Group.

The ad features Indigenous playwright and actor Trevor Jamieson telling rapt children the hopeful story of how First People are allowed a 'say' in matters affecting them, which they haven't had.

'The "feel-good" yarning to children around a campfire, is a sign of things to come,' Ms Credlin wrote of the minute-long commercial, which will be mainly targeted at online audiences.

She noted that for previous referendums the federal government had funded campaigns both for a yes and no vote, but Ms Credlin doubted that would be done this time by the Albanese government.

'Labor will rely on big corporations to deluge us with the Yes message and hope, without the millions to match them, that no one picks up the arguments of the No side,' she said.

Ms Credlin accused those pushing for a Voice of being deliberately vague about what the body will do.

Ms Credlin argues that the Albanese government is relying on big business to fund the yes campaign, as in this image from the online ad launched last week, while hoping the no arguments get drowned out

'The voice has to make a difference or what's the point of having it?' she wrote.

'Yet that difference can't be spelled out without almost certainly dooming it to defeat, hence the lack of detail.'

Ms Credlin believed Indigenous people already have a substantial say in the nation's affairs, pointing to the number of MPs who identify as Indigenous.

Poll Do you agree with Peta Credlin that Voice to parliament campaigners are trying to 'morally shame' Australians into voting yes? Yes No Don't know Do you agree with Peta Credlin that Voice to parliament campaigners are trying to 'morally shame' Australians into voting yes? Yes 544 votes

No 26 votes

Don't know 8 votes Now share your opinion





'Why establish a separate Indigenous voice to the parliament when it already includes 11 individual Indigenous voices that were elected in the usual way, without any affirmative action or race-based selection criteria?' she wrote.

'Why give one group of people, based on race, a special say over the actions of our parliament and our government that's denied to everyone else?'

She argued the Voice was really a grab for power.

'There's abundant reason to be cautious about entrenching in our Constitution a race-based body that even Malcolm Turnbull once described as a third chamber of the parliament,' she wrote.

'Its easy to see where this could end up going  down the path of co-governance.'

Mr Albanese has indicated the model pictured would form the basis of the Voice's design and be refined as the debate evolved

Ms Credlin said the Voice had not really been 'thought through' and the danger is that Australians would be morally shamed into voting a 'race-based' Voice 'based on a vibe'.

'A couple of decades ago, we would have marched in the streets about a race-based body in our Constitution,' she wrote.

'Now were told were all but racist if we dont support it.'

Will Australians vote for an Indigenous Voice to Parliament? A poll by the Australia Institute in July found strong support for the Voice to be added to the Constitution. The poll found 65 per cent would vote yes, up from 58 per cent when the same poll was run in June. Some 14 per cent said they would vote no, with the other 21 per cent undecided. Support was highest among Greens voters, but even 58 per cent of those Coalition aligned would vote yes. Some 59 per cent of One Nation voters would cast a yes ballot, despite its leader Pauline Hanson leading the charge against it. This was up from 35 per cent in June. For a referendum to succeed, a majority of the states must also vote yes, but the poll showed that was also easily covered. All of the four biggest states had comfortable majorities with Victoria on 71 per cent, Queensland 66 per cent, WA 63 per cent and NSW 62 per cent. Support was highest at 85 per cent for Australians aged 18-29 but those over 50 were still above 50 per cent yes. Advertisement

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has indicated the Voice referendum question is likely to be: 'Do you support an alteration to the Constitution that establishes an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice?'

Three lines would be added to the Constitution to create the advisory body; one stating it may 'make representations to parliament' on issues concerning Indigenous Australians; and that Parliament may legislate how it works.

To succeed a referendum must both get an overall majority of votes and a majority of voters in the majority of states.

Polls conducted in July indicated Australians strongly support the Voice to parliament with 65 per cent of respondents saying they would vote yes.
The 436-year-old property is now up for sale for offers above 4.75 million

The Duke of Gloucester, a first cousin of the late Queen Elizabeth, is selling his former manor house.

Richard Gloucester, who is King Charles' first cousin once removed, has put the magnificent Barnwell Manor, in Northamptonshire, on the market for the best offer above 4.75 million.

Aside from its eight-bedroom Tudor manor house, Barnwell has a gatehouse with twin round towers and ancient stone walls  the remnants of Barnwell Castle, built in 1266.

Inside, there is a total of 40 rooms including four reception rooms, six bathrooms, and 2,500 acres of outdoor space.

The royal couple lived at the sprawling Grade II-listed property but moved to Kensington Palace in 1995 after reportedly being unable to afford to live there any longer.

The Duke of Gloucester is selling his former home Barnwell Manor, in Northamptonshire, with an asking price of 4.75million

The manor has been the home of one of Britain's leading antique dealers since 1999

Prince Richard and his wife Birgitte, the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester. The Duke is a cousin of the late Queen, his father Prince Henry was the younger brother of King George VI

Items from the house were put up for auction last month with an eye-watering guide price of between 1.1 million to 1.7 million

The manor was the home to the Duke And Duchess Of Gloucester and their children (left to right) Alexander Windsor, Earl of Ulster, Lady Davina Windsor and Lady Rose Gilman, until they moved out in 1995 after running costs became too high

This bewitching setting was the childhood home of the Duke and his older brother, Prince William of Gloucester, who died tragically aged 30 while competing for the Goodyear International Air Trophy in 1972.

The Duke's mother, Princess Alice, who was widowed two years later, remained at Barnwell, which held a special place in her heart. It had been granted to her family, the Montagus, by Henry VIII and, in her childhood, was owned by her grandfather, the 6th Duke of Buccleuch, until he sold it in 1913.

Princess Alice returned to Barnwell 25 years later, when her husband  third son of George V  bought it for the princely sum of 37,000, using much of the money his father bequeathed him.

After the grievous loss of her elder son and her husband, she had the consolation that her younger son, who had succeeded his father as Duke of Gloucester, lived with her at Barnwell, together with his Danish wife, Birgitte, and their three children.

Prince Richard, The Duke of Gloucester looks on behind his cousin, the late Queen Elizabeth II

A George III figured mahogany serpentine commode from the house, in the manner of Thomas Chippendale, circa 1770 - worth between 20,000 to 30,000

An Irish George II carved mahogany centre table from the home, circa 1750, was tipped to sell for 30,000 to 50,000

But, in 1995, the cost of maintaining the house became too much. Rather than selling, the Duke let Barnwell to an antiques firm, while he and his family moved to Apartment 1 at Kensington Palace.

Despite Barnwell's impending sale, it is believed the Gloucesters hope to continue their association with the area.

In 2018, they moved to a smaller property in Kensington Palace, so Apartment 1 could be used by Prince Harry and Meghan. But the Sussexes now live in California.

Earlier this month, 343 items in the house were put up for auction and given an eye-watering guide price of between 1.1 million to 1.7 million.

Kevin Smith has run Windsor House Antiques for the past 23 years from the house and has been collecting antiques for more than 60 years.

A spokesman for auction house Dreweatts spokesperson said: 'What is clear is Kevin's compulsive and affecting desire to form and collate a collection which is unapologetic in its breadth, depth and evident quality.

'This insatiable appetite for collecting pieces of quality and historical importance has given rise to a cornucopia of objects, from over 60 years of experience and assiduous collecting.'

Dreweatts head of sale, Ben Brown, said, 'Having admired the business and its highly curated collection for many years, I am proud for Dreweatts to have been entrusted with the Windsor House Antiques sale.

'It represents a cross section of the style and quality Kevin has offered for over sixty years and illustrative of a passion and compulsion for beautiful things I am sure many can recognise in themselves.'
A judge has allowed a Wisconsin man accused of killing six people and injuring dozens more when he allegedly drove his SUV through a Christmas parade represent himself at trial.

It was found that Darrell Brooks, 40, suffers from a personality disorder and that while he could face an uphill battle against an experienced prosecutorial team, he is mentally fit.

Waukesha County Circuit Judge Jennifer Dorow's decision leaves Brooks in the unusual position of defending himself against a score of charges, including six counts of intentional homicide.

His trial is scheduled to begin Monday with jury selection.

The 40-year-old has a high school equivalency diploma but did not attend college. Dorow said he has a constitutional right to act as his own attorney if he's mentally competent.

Dorow said she reviewed evaluations four psychologists conducted of Brooks and agreed with their findings that while he has a personality disorder and is disruptive, he is intelligent and articulate enough to defend himself.

A judge has allowed a Wisconsin man, Darrell Brooks, accused of killing six people and injuring dozens more when he drove his SUV through a Christmas parade represent himself at trial

Judge Jennifer Dorow (right) decided Brooks (left) could represent himself at trial which is scheduled to begin on Monday with jury selection

It has been found that while he suffers from a personality disorder, and he could face challenges against an experienced prosecutorial team, he is mentally fit to represent himself

Judge Dorow's decision leaves Brooks in the unusual position of defending himself against a score of charges, including six counts of intentional homicide

She warned him that he will have problems understanding the rules of evidence, when to object to rulings and how to examine witnesses without any training, but she can't stand in his way.

'This court has warned Mr. Brooks what he's getting into,' Dorow said.

According to prosecutors and investigators, Brooks drove his SUV through a Christmas parade in downtown Waukesha on Nov. 21 2021.

Its alleged that he refused commands to stop and kept driving, running people down, even as police officers shot at his vehicle, according to a criminal complaint.

He would face life in prison if convicted of any of the homicide charges.

He faces 71 additional counts, including 61 counts of felony reckless endangerment. Each one of those counts carries a maximum sentence of 12 and a half years in prison.

Brooks was charged after he drove his SUV through the Waukesha Christmas parade (pictured) on November 21 2021

Brooks' lengthy rap sheet includes felonies for bail jumping, battery, drugs offenses, weapons offenses and domestic abuse but he has never spent a significant amount of time in prison

Those counts also have a use-of-a-dangerous-weapon penalty enhancer, which would add another five years on each count.

He initially pleaded not guilty by reason of mental disease but withdrew that plea earlier this month and filed a motion seeking to represent himself.

He told Dorow in court on Tuesday that his public defenders, Jeremy Perri and Anna Kees, haven't explained the nature of the charges to him.

Dorow questioned him repeatedly about whether he understood what he was doing, to which Brooks insisted that he was aware but didn't understand.

Dorow grew so frustrated with him that she adjourned the hearing and continued it Wednesday.

Their exchanges were just as combative on Wednesday - Brooks constantly interrupted Dorow as she tried to explain the ramifications of his decision again and warned him that she likely wouldn't assign an attorney to the case if he asks for one as the trial progresses.

The judge warned him that if he continues to interrupt during the trial, she will admonish him in front of the jury.

'That's fine,' Brooks responded.

What it looked like when Brooks drove his SUV into a crowd of people at the Christmas parade

Candles were lit at a memorial at Veterans Park for the victims of a deadly Christmas parade crash in Waukesha on November 23, 2021
Comes just weeks after South Australian mum won $40million division one prize

One lucky Australian could become an overnight millionaire if they win tonight's whopping $20million Powerball.

The draw comes just weeks after a South Australian mother became an overnight millionaire after winning the entire $40million division one prize.

The Snowtown mother, who lives in the state's Mid North, said she planned to use the money to go on a worldwide holiday after a 'tough few months'.

Entries for Powerball Draw 1376 will close at 7.30pm AEST, with the lucky winner due to be announced at 8.30pm AEST.

Hopeful Aussies will be given the chance to win a whopping $20million in Thursday night's major Powerball (stock image)

Earlier this year, lotto organisers revealed the simple tricks that can increase your chances of winning the cash, including lucky numbers and locations.

From the main barrel, the most frequently drawn winning numbers are 17, 7, 2, 9 and 25. The least frequently drawn numbers are 31, 6, 33, 15 and 34.

For the separate Powerball barrel, the most frequently drawn numbers are 19 and 3, while 18 and 16 are least frequently drawn.

'There have been six Powerball division one winning entries so far in 2022 that have collected more than $226.6million,' The Lott spokesman Matt Hart said in May.

'Three of these wins have been in New South Wales, with one each in Queensland, Victoria and Western Australia.

'Two-thirds of those winning entries were QuickPick, where the numbers are chosen for you by computer when you purchase a ticket.'

The winner of Powerball Draw 1376 will be announced at 8pm (stock image)

Mr Hart also said that syndicates had performed well this year, with one-third of division one winners being part of a group.

Also accounting for a third of 2022 wins were the unique Powerhit entries, which guarantee one of your numbers is the important Powerball.

Mr Hart recommended entrants have an online account where you can check your numbers directly after the draw - rather than going to the newsagent or waiting for Powerball to contact you.

Last year, 14 Powerball entrants from across the country took home more than $550million in prize money.
The Biden administration on Wednesday said it would waive a 100-year-old law designed to protect the U.S. shipbuilding industry to allow a foreign-registered ship to deliver 300,000 barrels of diesel to hurricane-ravaged Puerto Rico.

Local leaders had been pushing Washington as a BP tanker was halted for days off the island amid legal wrangling.

The result was growing anger at the way the 1920 Jones Act prevented desperately needed fuel from reaching Puerto Rico and its shattered energy grid.

'In response to urgent and immediate needs of the Puerto Rican people in the aftermath of Hurricane Fiona, I have approved a temporary and targeted Jones Act waiver to ensure that the people of Puerto Rican have sufficient diesel to run generators needed for electricity and the functioning critical facilities as they recover from Hurricane Fiona,' said Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas on Wednesday afternoon.

'The decision to approve the waiver was made in consultation with the Departments of Transportation, Energy, and Defense to assess the justification for the waiver request and based on input from the Governor of Puerto Rico and others on the ground supporting recovery efforts.'

The storm knocked out hundreds of power lines and left hundreds of thousands of residents without power last week.

In response, a ship carrying 300,000 barrels of diesel left Texas City and was scheduled to dock at Guayanilla, Puerto Rico on Sunday night.

But the Marshall Islands-flagged vessel fell foul of the Jones Act, which requires that goods shipped between ports in the United States be carried on U.S.-flagged ships.

It left the vessel, the GH Parks, delayed by days despite growing calls from the Governor of Puerto Rico Pedro Pierluisi, advocates and members of Congress.

Eight lawmakers, led by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, wrote an open letter to Homeland Security Sec. Alejandro Mayorkas as early as last week requesting the waiver.

The Governor of Puerto Rico Pedro Pierluisi, advocates and members of Congress, had been pushing for days to get the Biden administration to grant a waiver

After the storm knocked out hundreds of power lines and left hundreds of thousands of residents without power, a ship carrying 300,000 barrels of much-needed diesel fuel left Texas City and was scheduled to dock at Guayanilla, Puerto Rico on Sunday night

Due to a 100-year-old law known as the Jones Act, the ship has been left idling in the waters off the storm-ravaged island

Asked about waiving the act on Tuesday, press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said the White House is 'doing everything we can' to support Puerto Rico and is still 'closely evaluating' waivers requests.

'When it comes to the specific situation we're committed to doing everything we can within our legal authority to support Puerto Rico,' she said. 'The Biden administration is closely evaluating any waivers requests that come in including this particular one.'

The Jones Act requires all goods shipped between U.S. ports to be carried by ships built and operated by Americans. The law is supported by labor unions and fits in with President Biden's 'Made in America' agenda, but now Puerto Ricans are demanding the Biden administration issue a waiver for the ship, which is flying under the flag of the Marshall Islands.

Ports Authority Executive Director Joel Piza Batiz confirmed a request for a waiver to the Jones Act had been submitted to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). He added that Puerto Rican officials stood ready to provide any information to DHS needed for the exemption.

The ship has not been granted authority to dock in Puerto Rico

Men ride their motorcycles through the flooded streets of Toa Baja, Puerto Rico last week

A handout satellite image made available by Maxar Technologies shows a submerged bridge in the Rio Grande de Arecibo river after flooding caused by Hurricane Fiona, in Arecibo, Puerto Rico, 21 September 2022.

A man rides a horse in a flooded street after the passage of hurricane Fiona, in Toa Baja, Puerto Rico, 19 September 2022

As news of the holding ship began to spread, Sens. Mike Lee, R-Utah, and Marco Rubio, R-Fla., added their voices to the calls for a waiver.

'@WhiteHouse must immediately grant this Jones Act waiver and provide much-needed relief to the people of Puerto Rico,' Lee wrote on Twitter.

A Biden administration official told the Washington Post that waiving the act requires an interagency process to determine the legality of doing so.

For emergency one-off requests like the one for the BP ship, DHS aims to complete the review process in two days. Waivers requests must show that the items being shipped are necessary for national defense and cannot otherwise be obtained in the U.S.

The American Maritime Partnership, a coalition that represents U.S.-flagged vessels and unions that benefit from the Jones Act, wrote to Mayorkas on Friday explaining why the act should not be waived in the aftermath of Fiona.

The group argued that domestic ships were ready and available to help haul supplies to Puerto Rico and that waiving the Jones Act would support foreign shippers more than Puerto Ricans.
The Opposition Leader praised a Labour councils green energy housing scheme to cut fuel bills in his conference speech  but failed to mention the eye-watering cost.

He said the pilot project to retrofit eight council houses in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, with the latest energy-saving insulation and fittings had saved residents over a grand on their winter fuel bill.

But retrofitting each house cost around 60,000. It means doing the same for the nations 1.6million council houses would cost 96billion.

John OConnell of the TaxPayers Alliance said: Taxpayers cannot be expected to pay for the retrofitting of every council house when they can barely afford to heat their own homes.

The Opposition Leader praised a Labour councils green energy housing scheme to cut fuel bills in his conference speech  but failed to mention the eye-watering cost

Retrofitting each house on Abbey Road, Huddersfield cost around 60,000, which means doing the same for the nations 1.6million council houses would cost 96billion

Starting in August last year the houses were thermally insulated with loft, cavity and external wall insulation. Heat pumps replaced gas boilers, new roofs were fitted along with triple glazed windows, chimneys removed and solar panels installed.

The council said the green technology had reduced carbon emissions by 50 to 75 per cent and last March estimated tenants saved between 190 to 350 a year on their energy bills.

Sir Keir told conference that insulating homes in this way would be part of a Green Prosperity Plan.

He recalled visiting the project where the Labour council had the good Yorkshire foresight to do a real job on insulation.

He said he visited in January in freezing weather and was invited into a warm house. Sir Keir said: The energy bills were next to nothing, and the tenants were grinning from ear to ear. And why not: over a grand off your winter fuel bill - whats not to like!

Kirklees Council said it would be monitoring the performance of the properties to inform future schemes we carry out.

Councillor Will Simpson, Cabinet Member for Greener Kirklees, said: Earlier this year we estimated the costs at 60,000 per property.
Deaf jurors needing a sign language interpreter have served in trials for the first time.

It comes after changes to the law allowed interpreters to be present in the jury deliberation room to carry out their work.

The Ministry of Justice disclosed yesterday that two trials have already had deaf people take part.

In the first, a juror known only as Karen deliberated in a racially aggravated harassment case at Croydon Crown Court, south London.

The Ministry of Justice disclosed yesterday that two trials have already had deaf people take part. In the first, a juror known only as Karen deliberated in a racially aggravated harassment case at Croydon Crown Court (pictured), south London

She was also chosen by the other jurors to act as the jury foreman, who is responsible for announcing the verdict.

Karen said it had been an excellent and amazing opportunity, adding that it went smoothly and exceeded my expectations.

Another deaf juror named Paul served on a serious sexual assault case at Norwich Crown Court.

He said taking part had been a dream of mine and he was deeply touched by the efforts court staff made to accommodate his needs. British Sign Language (BSL) interpreters rotated every 20 minutes to assist them.

The Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act, passed earlier this year, allowed BSL interpreters into the jury deliberation room. Interpreters had to take an oath swearing not to influence, interfere with or disclose the jurys deliberations.

Justice minister Gareth Johnson said: We are breaking down the barriers for deaf people carrying out jury service, ensuring they can fully and equally participate.

I am delighted the door is now open to thousands more potential jurors as we establish a more accessible and inclusive justice system for all.

Deaf people who do not require an interpreter have been able to serve on juries previously.
Australians heading to Bali for a holiday have been warned to watch out for a venomous beetle leaving travellers with scars that take 'years to heal'.

A woman posted a photo of three painful burns she acquired during a recent trip to the popular holiday destination and asked for advice on how to treat them.

The painful bites are caused by rove beetles, known locally as Tomcats, which contain venom that is poisonous to humans and cause nasty burn-like blisters.

A woman posted a photo of three painful burns she acquired during a recent trip to the popular holiday destination and asked for advice on how to treat them (pictured, the burns)

'Would love to know other people's experience who have been burnt by a tomcat insect in Bali and if their burn mark completely healed?,' the woman asked members of Aussie Facebook group 'Bali Bogans'.

The woman explained she had been bitten over a fortnight ago and that even the burn remedy she used on the affected area just made it worse.

'Even though the burn has mostly peeled, I'm still left with burnt looking skin underneath,' she wrote.

'Would love to know of anything to put on it to help because everything I'd usually use on a burn is just flaring it up again!'

Members recommended the woman use vitamin E oil and aloe vera to help soothe the burns, while others shared their own horror stories in the comments.

Members recommended the woman use vitamin E oil and aloe vera to help soothe the burns while others shared their own horror stories in the comments

Another woman shared before and after images of her rove beetle burns from when she received them in Bali and six weeks later (pictured)

One woman said it had taken a 'couple years' for her scars to heal while another said they had named their burn their 'Bali tattoo'.

How to avoid a rove beetle burn: Blow or wash beetles off your skin. Minimise lighting in infested areas at night. Wear long-sleeved and long-legged clothing to minimise exposed skin. Keep insect screens closed on tents to keep the beetles out of bedding. Have bottles of soapy water handy for first aid. Use the buddy system to keep a lookout for beetles on others. Source: NSW Health Advertisement

'Seven weeks and counting. Mine was quite bad. Now just looks like a bruise,' another shared.

'No treatment after the inflammation went down. Slowly healing.'

'You just helped me figure out how I got my burns in Bali six weeks ago,' another said.

NSW Health said rove beetles could be found in eastern parts of Australia as well as Indonesia and lived near 'drainage lines and watercourses'.

'Rove beetles do not bite or sting, but their blood contains a strong toxin called pederin that can cause skin and eye irritations,' it said.

If the beetle is crushed, the toxin is released and absorbed by the skin and can cause conjunctivitis, severe dermatitis and serious skin irritation.

It is recommended to wash the skin with soapy water soon after contact is made and avoid touching the beetles when removing them from the skin.

They warn the area may remain blistered, irritated and sore for ten days.

It comes as Australians revealed what they loved the most about Bali, including the low prices, the friendliness of the Balinese people and stunning beaches.

Many people online lamented that Australian beach communities have too many bureaucratic restrictions and called for relaxing council rules.

The painful bites are caused by rove beetles, known locally as Tomcats, which contain venom that is poisonous to humans and cause nasty burn-like blisters

Bali is the second most popular tourist destination for Australians, just behind New Zealand but well ahead of the United States in third place (stock image)

'There's much red tape in Australia. That's why I love Bali, back to basics and commonsense,' one man agreed.

Bali is the second most popular tourist destination for Australians, just behind New Zealand but well ahead of the United States in third place.

But arguably, Bali is more loved, for its ultra-affordable lifestyle, cheap flights and accommodation and its beaches: things NZ holidays don't have in their favour.

Between 1.2million and 1.4million Australians visited Bali in 2019, and Balinese authorities are optimistic that number can be matched in 2022 as the island fully reopens after Covid.
Do you know more? Email charlotte.karp@mailonline.com

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A wanted man whose unique face tattoos set the internet alight seriously considered his life-changing ink very carefully, over many years, extraordinary photos reveal.

Jaimes Sutton's mugshot was released on social media by NSW Police on Wednesday in an attempt to flush him out of hiding after he skipped bail in Deniliquin, near the NSW-Victorian border.

The 24-year-old dad - who has 'BEAST' tattooed in bubble font on his forehead - is wanted on an outstanding warrant after being released on bail over domestic violence and property damage charges.

The DV charge resulted in police filing an apprehended violence order (AVO) against him on behalf of a young woman.

Despite the allegations, it was his elaborate full-face tattoo that captured the attention of Australians.

While many were quick to ridicule his unique look, a series of photos posted online between 2014 and 2021 show he very slowly transitioned from baby-faced teen to heavily-inked crook.

2014 to now: Jaimes Sutton was a fresh-faced teen eight years, but decided to get a number of extreme body tattoos over the course of eight years

By 2018, Jaimes Sutton had multiple black shapes inked on his face, neck, arms and stomach (pictured). 'Sutto's guilty' was inked across his stomach

Images from 2014 show Sutton's baby-face was relatively clear, aside from a few unintelligible tattooed scrawls on his neck.

By 2018, he had a series of black shapes and words on his arms, legs, chest, stomach and cheeks.

The initial outlines of BEAST could be seen on his forehead, 'Sutto's guilty' was written in large letters over his stomach, and 'game over' was written across eight of his fingers.

Three years later, Sutton decided to go all-in with a blue tattoo gun.

The black markings on his face were covered with denim-blue ink, along with most of the skin on his cheeks and forehead.

The only untouched areas were sections above his top lip and near his jowls, circles around his eyes, and the areas inside the bubble font on his forehead.

In 2014, Jaimes Sutton (pictured) was face tattoo-free, with only a few unintelligible black scrawls inked on the side of his neck

Jaimes Sutton is pictured in 2018 with numerous tattoos on his body, while holding two cans of rum and Coke

Daily Mail Australia can also reveal Sutton is no stranger to the justice system. He has a criminal record dating back to 2014 in courts across Wagga Wagga, Leeton and Deniliquin - each in regional NSW.

Just two weeks ago, Sutton was due to face Deniliquin Local Court on three counts of driving with a disqualified licence, and one count of driving under the influence of drugs.

He pleaded guilty to all four charges in June, but failed to show up to his the sentencing in September and was slapped with a year-long licence suspension and a $900 fine.

In June, he made an appearance in the same court and pleaded not guilty to one count of common assault and one count of assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

The fresh AVO against him was sustained, and is up for mention in Deniliquin Local Court in March next year.

When the mugshot was released online, many took to social media to comment on his bizarre appearance.

'When your toddler gets hold of a permanent marker,' one person tweeted.

By 2021, Jaimes Sutton's whole face was denim-blue, aside from a few areas around his mouth, eyes and upper lip

The former escort formerly known as Samantha X cheekily commented on the police appeal for information about Jaimes Sutton

A police appeal which went viral caught the eye of former sex worker Amanda Goff (pictured) who jokingly asked whether Jaimes Sutton is single

Another said: 'If they can't find a bloke looking like this, they should be sacked,' one man wrote.

A woman joked: 'He's with Beauty Castles in the area need to be searched. As I'm sure she's hiding him.'

'If only they would release some sort of a description so the public could keep an eye open and assist them,' said another social media user.

The police appeal also caught the attention of journalist and author Amanda Goff, an ex-escort formerly known as Samantha X, jokingly asked whether he was single.

When asked by someone if he was her type, Goff quipped, 'we all like a bad boy'

However, she assured Daily Mail Australia she was not being serious.

'He's definitely not at all my type,' she joked.

'I go for blondes.'
TikTok user Meetwally shared how he avoided having to pay a $231 speeding fine

A newly discovered hack that could see Aussies avoid having to pay speeding fines has been hailed by social media users.

TikTok user Adam Metwally stunned viewers after taking to the social media site to reveal how he managed to dodge a speeding fine.

The TikToker, who describes himself as an entrepreneur, said he was fined $231 after doing 68km/h in a 60km/h zone.

He showed a picture of the fine before showing a letter from Fines Victoria that stated the fine had been withdrawn.

Instead, he received a written warning for his speeding offence.

TikToker showed that if you were less than 10km/h above the speed limit, then you are able to defend yourself against the fine

In the video, watched more than 800,000 times, he explained how he managed to pull off the trick.

He said he went to fines.vic.au/requestareview before entering details of the notice he had received.

Afterwards, he clicked on a link that said official warnings to reveal a set of extenuating circumstances.

The page showed that if you were less than 10km/h above the speed limit, then you are able to defend yourself against the fine.

Defences include exceptional circumstance or extenuating circumstance, such as a medical emergency.

The TikToker, who describes himself as an entrepreneur, said he was fined $231 after doing 68km/h in a 60km/h zone

The third defence, which Mr Metwally user selected for his case, is a previous good driving record.

To use that defence, you need to have not had any demerit points in the last two years.

He then showed off the letter he had sent to the Fines Victoria.

The letter included: 'I would like to request an official warning for this fine due to the following factors:

'I've not had a speeding fine in a very long time. The speed was under 10km.The road in question is an extremely wide, basically country road, that is very dimly lit and difficult to see signange.'

Each state has different rules, in NSW, if you are caught at less than 20km/hr over the limit and have had a blemish-free driving record for a decade, you could be let off in a review.

However, you would still need to reasonably explain why you were speeding and if the fine was issued in a school zone, you may not be successful.

There are no provisions under Queensland legislation to offer leniency based on a good driving record or because youve never had a ticket before.

However, exceptional medical emergencies could be considered if evidence is provided.

In WA and the NT, you can ask for the agency who gave you the fine.
Presidential Chief of Staff Kim Dae-ki speaks during a briefing in the presidential office in Yongsan District, Seoul, Thursday. Yonhap









By Kang Hyun-kyung







Presidential Chief of Staff Kim Dae-ki showed his disdain for the fact that the media had reported on President Yoon Suk-yeol's private conversation with Foreign Minister Park Jin in New York last week, which were caught on camera.







In an unusually strong tone, Kim claimed Yoon had been misquoted and alleged that the media outlet reports that quoted Yoon saying "Biden" were "fake news."







"I myself and other presidential office staff view this case as no more than fake news and we believe that fake news should not be tolerated," he told reporters during a briefing in the presidential office on Thursday. "Developed countries despise and dislike fake news, but here in Korea, we have been a little too tolerant, so we have had many such cases before, such as the mad cow disease conspiracy theory (when the government resumed U.S. beef imports)."







Kim added that such fake news can make society sick and drive a wedge between people, saying that is why he and the other presidential office staff took the case "very seriously."







The presidential chief of staff claimed that the media outlets that reported what he calls "fake news" had "fabricated" what had happened in order to destabilize the Korea-U.S. alliance.







Kim was also critical of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) for pushing for the passage of a motion to impeach Foreign Minister Park Jin to take responsibility for what the DPK says was a "diplomatic disaster," namely Yoon's recent trip to the United Kingdom, the United States and Canada.







The motion was approved later in the day after the DPK tabled it and 168 lawmakers voted in favor of dismissing the foreign minister. The motion is not binding.







Kim likened the foreign minister currently in the hot seat to a military general fighting against the enemy on the battlefield.







"Politicians are trying to dismiss such a military general of a nation at war, which I think is suicidal. This is regrettable, and I hope that things like that don't happen again in the future," he said.







Kim's comments reflect what seems to be a shared belief among ruling party members that the DPK's push for the dismissal of the foreign minister is part of its tactic to deal a blow to the Yoon government.







On Thursday, the ruling People Power Party (PPP) filed a complaint with the prosecution against broadcaster MBC for having quoted President Yoon as having said "Biden" and "the Congress" in the video footage of his private conversation with Foreign Minister Park.







The presidential chief of staff said that what Yoon had actually been caught saying on hot mic is "unclear," as it happened so fast, but said there is no way that he had said "Biden."







The PPP characterized MBC's report on Yoon as "a scandal of fabricating subtitles," and accused MBC of having fabricated Yoon's quotes, as the broadcaster had added subtitles to the video footage of the president's remarks when reporting it.







"I understand that MBC has all high-tech equipment enabling them to figure out what narrators said but they put 'Biden' in the subtitles, something President Yoon didn't say. I wonder if this is what a national broadcaster like MBC is supposed to do," Rep. Choi Hyung-du of the PPP said in a KBS radio show on Thursday. "I presume that they did so intentionally, to destroy the Korea-U.S. relations. Otherwise, they would not have done that."







Earlier in the day, National Assembly Speaker Kim Jin-pyo encouraged the DPK floor leader to sit down with his ruling party counterpart to agree on the voting of the motion. They sat down but failed to reach an agreement.







Yoon holds the key to the fate of the foreign minister as he can veto the motion even if it is passed by the National Assembly.







The president showed his stalwart support for Park.







"Minister Park is a person with outstanding abilities and no one can question his credentials as a top diplomat," he said in the morning when asked to comment on the DPK's plan to table the motion to impeach Park. "He is so busy and travels all around the world for the national interest. I am worried about his health."







Yoon said, "I think the people will know for themselves what is right and what is wrong," hinting at his will to veto the motion even if it is approved in the legislature.










Did King Charless alacrity at appointing William Prince of Wales the day after the death of the Queen prompt Prince Edward to wonder when he would succeed his father Philip as Duke of Edinburgh? A source whispers that Charles may be considering making Princess Anne Duchess of Edinburgh, a title last held by her mother. As a Knight of the Thistle she already has Scotlands highest order of chivalry. Charles is determined to promote his sister and the late Queens pointless awarding of the earldom of Forfar to Edward in 2019 hinted that the dukedom was not a done deal. Could Charles give Anne Edinburgh to consolidate her position as the designated Royal for Caledonia?

A source whispers that Charles (left) may be considering making Princess Anne (right) Duchess of Edinburgh, a title last held by her mother

A Channel 5 documentary about Westminster Abbey reveals that the 700-year-old Coronation Chair is undergoing renovation in preparation for the crowning of King Charles III. Im cleaning the seat, which is covered with 18th and 19th century graffiti from visitors and Westminster schoolboys, says conservator Krista Blessley. There is one saying, P. Abbott slept in the chair 5th to 6th July 1800!

Has news of Williams scaled-down Prince of Wales investiture reached the late Lord Snowdons celestial haven? As organiser of Charless 1969 ceremony, Princess Margarets husband designed for himself a tight, bottle-green uniform with brass buttons and fancy frogging. Prince Philips verdict? You look like Buttons.

Amol Rajans criticism of accent bias and posh voices among BBC news presenters prompts raised eyebrows among colleagues at Radio 4s Today where former anchor  now World at One presenter  Sarah Montague, married to an Old Etonian baronet, is Lady Brooke.

Martha Kearney, pictured  privately educated at George Watsons Ladies College, Edinburgh  mischievously announces during the shows newspaper review: Well, Ill try not to talk too posh when I read out the papers!

Suspended Labour MP Rupa Huq has form. Appearing on Channel 4 News in 2018 she startled host Krishnan Guru-Murthy by mimicking Boris Johnson, saying: Oh sorry, I just s***ged your wife! Didnt realise! As her sister, ex-Blue Peter presenter Konnie, didnt say: Heres one faux pas I made earlier!

Bake Off winner Nadiya Hussain tells Yours magazine she will not make any of her three children follow her example and have an arranged marriage, explaining: Id like to think well have raised three well-rounded human beings who are able to pick the right person for themselves. I mean  what if I picked the wrong person? I wouldnt be able to deal with that.

Celebrity armed robber John McVicar, who has died, had to pay athlete Linford Christie 40,000 after wrongly claiming he used anabolic steroids. During the 1995 libel action there was laughter in court when Mr Justice Popplewell inquired: What exactly is Linfords lunchbox?
'I don't think anybody would look at the things that he's done and said and say that his mind is as sharp as it used to be.'

He did acknowledge, however, that 'a nice way of putting it' is that Biden is forgetful, due to his age

Walorski told the New York Post Biden is 'doing the best he can do with what he's got right now' and he feels sorry for the president

The brother of late Representative Jackie Walorski was graceful toward President Joe Biden after the Commander in Chief erroneously called out for her at a speech in Washington on Wednesday.

Keith Walorski said that he was not angry at the president for the gaffe and added that he spoke with Biden after his sister was killed in a car crash on August 3, 2022.

Walorski pitied the President - and said that Biden is 'doing the best he can do with what he's got right now.

He added that it's 'par for the course' for the 79-year-old.

Keith did acknowledge, however, that 'a nice way of putting it' is that Biden is forgetful, due to his age.

Walorski told the New York Post: 'I don't think anybody would look at the things that he's done and said and say that his mind is as sharp as it used to be.'

The late Representative's brother noted that Biden was 'very sincere' when he called the family after his sister was killed, noting that Biden himself has been through that process.

The brother of late Representative Jackie Walorski was graceful toward President Joe Biden after the Commander in Chief erroneously called out for her at a speech in Washington Wednesday

Keith Walorski said that he was not angry at the president and added that he spoke with Biden after Walorski (pictured in Washington with her husband) was killed in a car crash on August 3, 2022.

'All I'm saying right now about the president is bless his heart for trying. Yeah, it was a big mess-up today. Inexcusable? No. Unforgivable? No. I'm not gonna hold it against him. I just feel sorry for him.'

Biden asked the crowd gathered for the White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health in Washington, D.C. where Walorski was located as he thanked lawmakers for their work on a plan to end hunger in the U.S. by 2030.

He interrupted his own remarks to ask: 'Jackie, are you here?'

'Where's Jackie? She must not be here,' Biden concluded. It came after he also praised Senators Mike Braun, a Republican, and Cory Booker, a Democrat, on the bipartisan initiative.

The White House launched a confusing and nonsensical explanation for why President Joe Biden was looking for late Representative Jackie Walorski during an event after she was killed in a car crash in Indiana last month  and claimed she was 'at top of mind.'

The briefing room devolved into shouts as Biden's Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre sent reporters into a tizzy during Wednesday's briefing when she repeatedly suggested that the president did not forget Walorski was dead when calling out for her during his remarks earlier in the day.

Jean-Pierre insisted that it's 'not unusual' for people to say the names of deceased individuals when they are 'at top of mind,' a phrase she continued to repeat throughout her briefing Wednesday during questions from multiple outlets including CNN, CBS and The Washington Post.

'I don't find that confusing,' she said when asked if having her at 'top of mind' also means that the president thinks Walorski is living and in the room.

'I mean I think many people can speak to sometimes when you have people top of mind, they are top of mind,' she said.

The reporter got snarky with Jean-Pierre, looking for an answer by saying: 'I have John Lennon top of mind just about every day but I'm not looking around for him.'

'When you sign a bill for John Lennon as president then we can have this conversation,' she said, launching the briefing room into confusion and shouting over each other.

The botched excuse ended up garnering even more negative attention than the initial remarks from Biden.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell's Press Secretary Doug Adres seemed exacerbated with the way Jean-Pierre handled the gaffe, tweeting: 'just admit he misspoke!! good grief'.

A spokesperson for Texas Senator Ted Cruz said the day will go down in history as the first time members of the press recognized Biden is mentally unfit.

'Remember where you where on September 28,2022,' Steve Guest tweeted. 'It's the day it finally became ok for the White House Press pool to acknowledge that Joe Biden is senile.'

Walorski's family plans to meet with Biden at a White House on Friday, another reason that Jean-Pierre claims she was on the president's mind during the event.

White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre repeatedly said that Joe Biden was only calling out for late Representative Jackie Walorski on Wednesday because she was 'at top of mind'

'I think the American people out there who, you know, watch the briefing from time to time, maybe at this moment , will understand when someone is at top of mind,' Jean-Pierre said.

'I don't think it's all that unusual to have someone top of mind, especially as there's a big event  two big events  today and also Friday that is going to occur,' she said. 'And so he is going to see her family, they're going to honor her, they're going to celebrate her.'

The White House was scheduled to play a video tribute to Walorski during the event.

Walorski, who was 58 at the time of her death, was among the four people killed in a head-on collision on August 3, 2022 when returning from a ribbon-cutting ceremony in Claypool, Indiana.

The other deceased were the driver of the other vehicle as well as two staffers in the lawmaker's office, communications director, Emma Thomson, 28, and her district director, Zachery Potts, 27.

Biden released a statement on her passing at the time and announced that White House flags would fly at half-staff in her honor.

Jean-Pierre said that the comments needed to be taken into context so they made more sense, rather than admitting Biden made a mistake by forgetting Walorski was killed in the crash last month.

After being questioned on the mishap five times during the briefing, reporters began shouting over each other to try and get Jean-Pierre to answer the question more directly and give a more reasonable explanation.

This caused Jean-Pierre to shush and shut down Al Jazeera reporter Kimberly Halkett and call her 'rude.'

'I'm sorry, somebody was yelling over,' Jean-Pierre said when trying to redirect to a reporter asking an unrelated question.

'It is not your turn to speak and you're being rude to your colleagues,' the press secretary shot toward Halkett.

'You're yelling over your colleagues so that is incredibly rude so can you ' Jean-Pierre said as the reporter said she was trying to get an answer to the question several members of the press asked throughout the briefing.

President Joe Biden asked a crowd at a hunger conference to point out Republican Rep. Jackie Walorski - almost two months after she was killed in a car crash in Indiana

Walorski died in a car crash in Indiana with two of her staffers in August. Biden released a statement at the time saying he was 'shocked and saddened' by her death

The latest gaffe will raise more questions about his mental acuity. A majority of voters told an Insider/Morning Consult poll last week that he is unfit to serve in public office.

Republican Representative Vicky Hartzler demanded that President Biden apologize to Walorski's family.

'Truly an awful and disgraceful blunder,' the Missouri lawmaker noted. 'Jackie was a selfless leader and a dear friend. Her family deserves better than this. Biden and the entire White House staff should apologize.'

Representative Jim Banks, who introduced the bill to rename a Veterans Affairs clinic after Walorski, which Biden is signing on Friday, told DailyMail.com that the blunder was 'embarrassing.'

Congressman Andy Biggs also jumped on the comments and tweeted with a clip of the video: 'Your daily reminder that Biden is mentally unfit to be the President of the United States.'

The president could have slipped up in his remarks or there could have been a mistake with the speech on the teleprompter.

One reporter asked if the White House would release the remarks as they were prepared, which is typical with the president's public speeches. While Jean-Pierre was receptive to the question, she also cast doubt over why it was necessary to specifically have these remarks as she continued to downplay the latest gaffe by the president.

Biden's statement at the time of Walorski's death read: 'Jill and I are shocked and saddened by the death of Congresswoman Jackie Walorski of Indiana along with two members of her staff in a car accident today in Indiana.

'Born in her beloved South Bend as the daughter of a meat-cutter and firefighter, she spent a lifetime serving the community that she grew up in  as a journalist, a nonprofit director, a state legislator, and eventually as a Member of Congress for the past nine and half years.

'We may have represented different parties and disagreed on many issues, but she was respected by members of both parties for her work on the House Ways and Means Committee on which she served.

'She also served as co-chair of the House Hunger Caucus, and my team and I appreciated her partnership as we plan for a historic White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health this fall that will be marked by her deep care for the needs of rural America.

'We send our deepest condolences to her husband, Dean, to the families of her staff members, Zachery Potts and Emma Thomson who lost their lives in public service, and to the people of Indiana's Second District who lost a representative who was one of their own.'

Walorski was among the four people killed in a head-on collision on August 3, 2022 when returning from a ribbon-cutting ceremony in Claypool, Indiana

Biden, 79, named the late congresswoman while thanking lawmakers from both parties for their efforts in helping his plan to end hunger in the United States

The latest mishap has brought up previous questions regarding President Biden's mental and physical fitness for office amid a series of verbal gaffes and incidents  including falling off his bike and up the stairs.

The most recent before his gaffe on Wednesday was last week at the 7th Global Fund Replenishment Conference, which was held in New York and is aimed at fighting AIDS, HIV, tuberculosis and malaria.

Following his remarks, he appears to get 'lost' when exiting the stage  engaging in a few awkward starts and stops and appearing to ask people in the audience how to get off stage. The scene was described as 'terrifying' and 'sad' by observers on social media.

Other awkward encounters have also been caught on camera over the last nearly two years as president, including two different instances where Biden stuck out his arm to shake hands with an invisible person.

At a White House event fresh out of his COVID quarantine, Biden appeared to forget that he already shook hands with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, sticking his hand out for a second time with a confused look on his face as the New York Democrat turned away.

It happened again in April after wrapping a speech in North Carolina where he turned to his right and stuck out his hand while staring into space and wandering around the stage before exiting.

Many have also pointed to Biden's mishap in August when he struggled for nearly a minute trying to put on his suit jacket  and continued to have issues even with the help of first lady Jill Biden  as more evidence of his declining physical condition.

He then proceeded to drop his sunglasses leading to an overall awkward disembarkment from Marine One after surveying the storm damage in Kentucky.

One of the biggest embarrassments for Biden happened during a bike ride on his Rehoboth Beach vacation in Delaware where he completely fell off his bike and crashed to the ground.

Earlier this month during his 60 Minutes interview, Biden shot down suggestions he was too old or unfit to run again in 2024 - and said 'watch me'.

Investigators determined that the SUV driven by Zachery Potts, 27, (left) crossed the centerline for unknown reasons in a rural area near the town of Wakarusa. Walorski communications director Emma Thomson (right) was also killed

President Biden and first lady Jill released a statement in August following the death of Walorski and her two staff members

During his speech Wednesday, Biden addressed Hurricane Ian and warned gas and oil companies not to use it as an 'excuse' to raise prices at the pump.

He asked Floridians to abide by evacuation orders as the Category 4 storm approaches the gulf shoreline.

'And if you forgive me I want to add one more warning,' Biden said. 'That's a warning to the oil and gas industry executives: Do no, let me repeat, do not, do not use this as an excuse to raise gasoline prices or gouge the American people.'

Biden pointed out that while the price of oil has remained relatively low, gas prices should be going down.

In recent days, the price at the pump has ticked up again.

He added that less than 2 percent of oil production in the U.S. will be impacted - and only briefly - by the hurricane.

'This small temporary storm impact on oil production provides no excuse, no excuse for price increases at the pump. None,' he said. 'If gas companies try to use this storm to raise prices at the pump, I will ask officials to look into whether price gouging is going on.'

'For Americans watching, the industry should do the right thing,' the president added.

Biden also relayed that he had spoken to Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, a thorn in his side on immigration and other matters in recent months, in a phone call Tuesday night.
Marjorie Taylor Greene's husband is filing for divorce from the controversial 48-year-old Georgia Republican congresswoman.

Her husband, Perry Greene, filed for a formal split on Tuesday after nearly three decades of marriage - and just weeks before November's midterm elections.

The pair were married in August 1995, whilst Greene, 48, was still a student at the University of Georgia.

The couple had three children together, all of who are now adults.

Although the divorce documents do not reveal explicitly what led to the couple's split, Perry Greene states that the pair had separated in the past.

Marjorie Taylor Greene's husband, Perry Greene, is filing for divorce from the 48-year-old Georgia congresswoman

QAnon adherent Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene is seen with husband Perry Greene in one of her Facebook photos.

The petition for divorce was filed in Floyd County in Georgia on Wednesday

He also asks for the court to split their assets and debts equally.

'Marriage is a wonderful thing and I'm a firm believer in it. Our society is formed by a husband and wife creating a family to nurture and protect.

'Together, Perry and I formed our family and raised three great kids. He gave me the best job title you can ever earn: Mom. I'll always be grateful for how great of a dad he is to our children,' Greene said in a statement to TMZ.

The petition to file for divorce comes months before the Midterm - in which Greene is standing for reelection.

Earlier this year, there were questions on her eligibility to run after voters in the Georgia congresswoman's district said Greene helped facilitate the January 6, 2021 insurrection that disrupted certification of President Joe Biden's victory.

They claimed it made her ineligible for reelection under a rarely cited section of the 14th Amendment dealing with 'insurrection or rebellion.'

But Greene  who, the day before the Capitol riot, proclaimed on TV that this is 'our 1776 moment'  testified that she's never endorsed violence.

Greene will appear on the ballot and has been endorsed by former President Donald Trump. She has repeatedly denied aiding or engaging in an insurrection.

Last year, it was revealed how Greene had begun divorce proceedings against her husband while having an affair with a tantric sex guru.

The Republican had a fling with polyamorous sex guru Craig Ivey, 43, in 2012 after meeting him at her gym in Alpharetta, Georgia.

The couple had three children together, all of whom are now adults

DailyMail.com then revealed how she moved on to a longer affair with gym manager Justin Tway.

Court papers obtained by DailyMail.com detailed how Greene planned to dump husband Perry in July 2012 but reconciled with him two months later after having a change of heart.

Divorce papers filed in Atlanta show Taylor Greene blamed the marriage breakdown on their relationship being 'irretrievably broken' and demanded half of the couple's assets, as well as custody of their three children.

According to the papers, construction company boss Perry agreed to all of her demands and was willing to move forward with the divorce until it was abruptly halted in September 2012.

The court papers note that the pair had been able to reconcile  possibly because her affairs with Ivey and Tway had come to an end.

The 48-year-old was elected to Congress in November and boasts on her social media of her love of 'family values' and being a 'strong, conservative, Christian.'

But the embattled politician has also proved controversial thanks to her belief in the QAnon conspiracy theory which maintains that the Democrats are controlled by a shadowy cabal of pedophiles who have even been known to eat children.

The mom-of-three also faced criticism when it emerged that she had questioned whether the 9/11 attacks were real and had insisted that the Sandy Hook and Parkland shootings were 'false flag' operations designed to boost support for gun control.

She was also vilified when a video emerged of her harassing Parkland survivor David Hogg, now 20, outside the Capitol building in Washington D.C.

Marjorie's men: The mother of three had an affair with polyamorous tantric sex guru Craig Ivey (left) before moving on to gym manager Justin Tway (right) while working at a gym in Alpharetta in 2012

DailyMail.com revealed in 2021 that Taylor Greene planned to leave husband Perry in July 2012 but reconciled with him two months later, according to court documents

Despite her alleged belief in family values, Taylor Greene was notorious in her native Alpharetta for having multiple affairs, despite being married to Perry since 1995.

'It wasn't a secret. Everyone who moved in her circles knew about both the affairs,' one man who worked closely with Taylor Greene told DailyMail.com.

And her boss, billionaire's grandson Jim Chambers, added: 'She socialized a lot with us. I remember one particular pool party where she was lying draped over Craig's lap drinking a beer.

'She was quite open about it,' he added. 'We all thought her marriage was falling apart.

'But then I took my son to her son's birthday party and things seemed totally normal between her and her husband - even if they were a little lukewarm.'

Neither man denied the affairs when approached by DailyMail.com.

Taylor Green and Ivey are understood to have begun their affair shortly after starting work together at Chambers' Alpharetta gym.

Ivey's profile picture on his Facebook page shows him standing stark naked by a waterfall. He has now set up a gladiator bootcamp called The Ludus

Insiders said Taylor Greene's affair with Tway seemed to have designs on a more long-term relationship

'I know about it because I was a member of the gym,' said one man who asked not to be identified.

'Certainly she was screwing around. Guys talk and I know there was definitely sex involved. People don't make up stuff like that.

'They were spending a lot of time together, turning up at the gym in the same car. When I would suggest going out, Craig would say he had things to do with Marjorie.'

When the fling with Ivey ended, Taylor Greene moved onto Tway who was going through a divorce of his own at the time.

'This seemed much more serious than the affair with Craig,' said Chambers. 'That was more of a flirty thing. But with Justin she seemed to have designs on a more long-term relationship.

'My impression is that she knew he might take over the gym and she wanted to be there right alongside him.'

Tway is now happily married to wife Sherrie  who he met long after his affair with Taylor Greene  and still runs a gym in Atlanta.
Australia's practice of deporting Kiwi-born criminals back 'home' has been a sore point in trans-Tasman relations but New Zealand has been accused of using the Pacific Islands as its own 'rubbish dump' for released prisoners.

New Zealand's deportation of 400 criminals to Pacific Islands in a five-year period from 2013 has fuelled violent crime and gang culture in those places, a report by Australian think-tank the Lowy Institute said earlier this year.

Many of those deported have little or no connection with the place they were born, which is the complaint often made by New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern about Australia's policy of deporting 'Kiwi' criminals.

Sione Moli was deported to Tonga directly from a New Zealand jail cell despite not living there since he was a young child

Sione Moli is typical of the deportees being exiled from New Zealand.

After migrating to New Zealand as a child he became embroiled in Islander gang culture and ended up serving three years in jail for a violent assault.

He was deported to Tonga the minute his prison sentence had ended.

'I didn't even get out. They just deported me from jail,' Moli said in the 2019 Vice documentary Gangsters in Paradise.

'I came with the police, I had an escort. It's a shameful ordeal, and you've got to walk through the whole (airport) terminal.

'Everyone is looking at you, walking through with handcuffs because you will be the first one that goes in with the police officer and you guys will sit at the back.

Tonga's Prisons Commissioner Sione Falemanu said New Zealand, as well as Australia, treat the Pacific Islands as their human 'rubbish dump'

Deportees of Tonga: Sione Moli "It's like crabs being stuck in a bucket scratching to get out," says Sione Moli who was deported to Tonga six years ago. He dreams of one day returning to his family in New Zealandhttp://bit.ly/2SB26cZ Made with the support of NZ On Air. Posted by VICE New Zealand on Sunday, May 26, 2019

'The police officer goes, because you are already in Tonga there's no way you can get back.'

Moli has a wife and children in New Zealand but his partner does not want to live in Tonga, so they only get together on visits.

'I've been here (Tonga) for about six years, I probably haven't seen my family a year out of those six years,' Moli said.

'It's going to be hard trying to explain, especially to my oldest son.

'I tell him what happened, I did a crime, I did something bad.

'I went to jail and I served my time but this is what the New Zealand government wants, they want me back here (Tonga) and he doesn't get it.'

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said he would consider his New Zealand counterpart Jacinda Ardern's request to review Australia's deportation laws

Tonga's Prisons Commissioner Sione Falemanu told the documentary that armed robbery had surged in the Pacific Islands because of deportees from New Zealand, Australia and the US.

'When they come over straight away there's no hope, no family,' he said.

'Every week we have news, there's a robbery ... and I think that's what they (native Tongans) learn from the deportees.'

Mr Falemanu accused the deporting nations of not being concerned that the people they were sending are 'human beings'.

'It's simply like 'rubbish dumping' everywhere, dumping to Tonga, dumping to Samoa, dumping to Fiji,' he said.

About 2,000 New Zealanders were deported between 2014 and 2020. Most had lived in Australia since they were children. Pictured: A Kiwi is deported from Australia in September 2020

Auckland University lecturer in politics Timothy Fadgen told the New Zealand Herald earlier this year that while the Ardern government employs 'moralistic rhetoric' about Australia's deportation policy, it does something 'substantially similar' in the Pacific.

After a meeting between the two leaders in July Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said he will consider Ms Ardern's request to stop deporting criminals with Kiwi passports when they have lived in Australia for a long time.

Despite looking like paradise there are rising problems with violent crime in Tonga (pictured) and other Pacific islands, which some are blaming on deportees from New Zealand and other countries

Ms Ardern, who had clashed with Scott Morrison over the issue, declared a 'reset' in relations between the two nations now Mr Albanese is in charge.

'I do see this as an opportunity for a reset because there were obviously some points of friction. There are obviously still issues to be worked through,' she said.

On a trip to Australia in 2020, Ms Ardern told the former prime minister: 'Do not deport your people and your problems.'

About 2,000 New Zealanders were deported from Australia between 2014 and 2020. Most had lived in Australia since they were children.

New Zealand publication Newshub revealed that criminals deported from Australia committed 8,000 offences since 2015, including 57 sex crimes and 861 drug and antisocial behaviour crimes.

Ms Ardern has previously said the deportation policy 'unquestionably' increases gang violence in New Zealand. Pictured: Comanchero bikies

Ms Ardern has claimed Australia's policy 'unquestionably' increases gang violence in New Zealand.

'New Zealand is not asking for Australia to remove their deportation policy. We never have,' she said.

'New Zealand, of course, deports individuals who have been in New Zealand for a short time and who have acted outside our expectations for anyone who chooses or wishes to stay as a resident.

'But there are those who are being deported from Australia who, for all intents and purposes, are Australian.

'Often zero connection to New Zealand. Sometimes not even having stepped foot there. That's the place that we're asking for that consideration to be given.'
A furious Optus customer has disputed the telecommunications giant's claim that financial information was not accessed in its mass data breach after her bank blocked her credit card when it was used by an alleged hacker.

Almost 10million Australians remain at risk of having private and sensitive information sold online after a hacker infiltrated Optus' system and raided the details of its current and former customers.

They have spent the last week scrambling to replace driver's licences, passports and changing their passwords in the wake of Australia's biggest ever data breach.

Optus insists no financial information or passwords were accessed, a claim challenged by customers who alleged they've had bank cards blocked and online passwords compromised in the data breach.

Queensland-based Irish expat Jessica claimed someone tried to use her credit card the same day she received the email from Optus confirming her personal details had been compromised.

Jessica is among 10million Optus customers who received an email following the data breach

'Yet the same day, I get a text message from [the] bank saying my credit card has been used somewhere else,' she explained on TikTok.

She shared texts sent by the bank advising her card had been blocked due to an attempted transaction and that a fraud officer would be in touch.

'This is all in probably in the space of 10 minutes of getting the email, I get this text message,' she continued.

'So f*** Optus!'

Jessica ended the clip by 'highly suggesting' current and former Optus customers impacted join a potential class action set up by law firm Slater and Gordon.

The video has attracted more than 300,000 views within 24 hours with viewers sharing similar stories.

'I havent been able to access my money cause my bank froze my account for 5 days cause 'suspicious' use,' one woman commented.

Another added: 'My bank card was used in San Francisco for an Uber. I live in Australia so it certainly wasn't me.'

Jessica posted to TikTok after Melburnian Toby Rozario shared a similar video showing a message advising his Facebook password had appeared in a data leak, which placed the account in 'high risk of compromise.'

Jessica shared texts from her bank confirming her credit card had been blocked due to attempted transactions

'We should have all received this email being a past or current customer of Optus,' Mr Rozario said.

'In one part in the second par they state no financial information or passwords have been accessed.

'So if that's the case, how come I got this message when trying to go onto Facebook on my laptop? Cheers Optus!'

Daily Mail Australia has contacted Optus for comment on the claims.

Federal Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus has said he will look at what privacy law reforms could be introduced to parliament by the end of the year.

'It is certainly not just simply about increasing penalties, although that will be part of the reforms we are going to look at,' he told reporters on Thursday.

'We need to make sure that companies who are keeping Australians' data pay absolute attention to keeping that data safe.'

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has demanded Optus pay for the cost of replacing passports for affected customers and hopes the saga will be a wake-up call to corporate Australia.

'We've written to Optus making clear the Government's view, which is that taxpayers shouldn't pick up the bill here,' he told Adelaide radio station FiveAA on Thursday.

'That's what the Coalition called for, and I found that rather extraordinary. That here we have a clear failure to ensure that people's personal details were kept secure, and the taxpayers shouldn't pay for this.

'Companies need to be held to account here. And that's something that my Government is determined to do.'
The Department of Transport and Main Roads are investigating how it occurred

Motorists noticed the sign misspelt the town of Goondiwindi as 'Goodiwindi'

A spelling error has been discovered on a road sign in south-east Queensland

A spelling error on a road sign has caught the eye of passing motorists who have uploaded pictures of the fault to social media.

The sign was recently erected on the approach to the intersection of the Cunningham and New England highways near Warwick in southeast Queensland.

It provides road users with the distance to certain towns heading south towards New South Wales.

But the new sign misspelt the rural town Goondiwindi, with the first 'n' missing.

Motorists have noticed a road sign with a spelling error in south-east Queensland. The sign spells the rural town of Goondiwindi as 'Goodiwindi'

A spokesperson from the Department of Transport and Main Roads said the organisation was aware of the error and was investigating.

'We apologise for the error and are looking into how it occurred,' they told Daily Mail Australia.

'We are working to replace the sign as soon as possible.'

Australians were quick to call out the mistake on social media.

'The amount we pay for these things, you'd think there would be literally ANY quality assurance. Apparently not,' one wrote.

'This generation can't spell,' another Aussie declared.

'This is as a result of poor schooling. Someone who is unable to read or spell adequately has been promoted into a job beyond his/her/its competence.'

'Someone clearly cannot spell, so how did they get the job?'

One joked: 'Should of gone to Specsavers.'

It's not the first time Australian town names have been misspelt on road signs this year.

A sign in the Moreton Bay area misspelt the suburb Narangba.

The sign, which was informing motorists about the M1 exit, had Narangba written as 'Nerangba'.

The sign was installed near New Settlement Rd, which is roughly a three-hour drive north east from the previous misspelt sign in Warwick.

It has since been replaced with a sign with the correct spelling.
A teenage girl who was 'abducted' by her father and died following a shootout with police in California's high desert did in fact shoot back at police herself, investigators now believe.

Savannah Graziano, 15, was killed after her father Anthony John Graziano, 45, had allegedly murdered his estranged wife the day before and abducted his daughter.

Investigators had issued an Amber Alert after Graziano fled. He was described as armed and dangerous.

San Bernardino County Sheriff have now revealed that the 15-year-old was a 'participant in shooting' at deputies when she charged at the cops. She was wearing tactical gear at the time.

An emergency caller reported seeing the suspect's Nissan Frontier around Barstow, according to the sheriff's department.

Deputies located the pickup truck and chased it on the highway for around 45 miles.

Throughout the chase, Graziano  and possibly also his daughter  was 'constantly shooting back at the deputies' through the truck's rear window, San Bernardino County Sheriff Shannon Dicus said.

Savannah was killed after getting out of the truck during the fire-fight and running towards the deputies while wearing tactical gear, police said.

Savannah Graziano was reportedly abducted by her father and an amber alert was issued. Police said the girl was shot when she exited a truck's passenger side wearing tactical gear

Savannah Graziano, 15, has been killed in a shootout along with her father following a shootout with police in California's high desert

Graziano had allegedly killed his estranged wife the day before and abducted their daughter

While giving chase, the gunman put several rounds through a patrol car's windshield and later disabled a second pursuing vehicle.

The pickup truck became disabled on the shoulder of a highway in the city of Hesperia, and the firefight ensued.

Sheriff Dicus said the girl was wearing tactical gear as she exited a truck's passenger side and ran towards the sheriff's deputies.

She fell to the ground amid the gunfire.

The deputies did not initially realize it was the girl who was running toward them, Sheriff Dicus said, because she was wearing a helmet and a military-style vest that can hold armored plates.

She was taken to hospital, where she was pronounced dead.

Her father was found in the driver's seat and pronounced dead at the scene. A rifle was found inside the car.

One deputy was injured by shrapnel during the firefight, Sheriff Dicus said.

Graziano allegedly killed Tracy Martinez, 45, on Monday morning in a domestic violence event in the city of Fontana, near San Bernardino, according to Fontana police.

Family members told investigators that the couple had been going through a divorce. Ms Martinez was rushed to hospital, where she was pronounced dead.

Fontana is about 35 miles south of Hesperia, on the other side of the San Gabriel Mountains.

This undated photo provided by the City of Fontana Police Department shows, 45-year-old Anthony John Graziano, believed to have been the suspect

Officers responding around 7:30am Tuesday to reports of gunfire found the victim with multiple gunshot wounds at a home in Fontana, police said in a statement

The two were spotted before the shootout at Sierra Avenue and Valley Boulevard in Fontana yesterday, after an Amber Alert was issued for the teen.

Officers responded at around 7:30am Tuesday to reports of gunfire, and found the victim with multiple gunshot wounds at a home in Fontana, police said in a statement.

The woman, believed to be the wife of the suspect, was rushed to a hospital where she was pronounced dead.

Another victim was reportedly almost hit during the shooting. MailOnline could not immediately verify their identity.
A wanted suspect was shot dead by police in Arizona after he aimed a gun at a police dog's head.

Shocking bodycam video released by the Tucson Police department recorded the moment police tracked down Francisco Javier Galarza, who was wanted in connection with a bank robbery and home invasion.

Galarza, 49, was spotted coming out of a Circle K convenience store when officers ordered him to get down on the ground.

'Runner, runner, runner, runner,' one officer yells.

Authorities released body camera footage of an incident, during which a police officer shot at a wanted suspect, Francisco Javier Galarza

Tucson police were conducting surveillance on the 49-year-old who was wanted in connection with a home invasion and several robberies in the area

Galarza was tackled by a K-9 police dog named Kiro who brought him to the ground

Galarza, 49, was wanted in connection with a home invasion and several robberies in the area

As Galaza refused their orders, he was tackled by a police dog named Kiro who ran for the man's legs.

Within an instant, Galaza whipped out a handgun and aimed in at the K-9's head before also aiming it at other police.

Officers in turn aimed at the man before firing off five shots and killing him.

Police could be heard yelling 'Police! Get down!' several times at Galarza as he ran away. Officer Barry Peterson, a 15-year veteran, then released Kiro.

Galarza took out a gun and aimed it at the head of a police dog

Galarza then appeared to aim his gun at officers

Officers and SWAT team members confronted Galarza as he was leaving the Circle K convenience store

Galaraza was warned that a gun was about to be fired before the deadly shots are released.

Several agencies are now reviewing the footage in order to determine whether the deadly use of force was warranted.

Galarza has a lengthy criminal history record according to News13.

In 1992, Galaraza was sentenced to three years in prison. Two years on he was convicted of drug possession and was sentenced to four years.

In 2000, Galarza was convicted of vehicle theft. In 2001 he was convicted of six counts of armed robbery and jailed for 11 years. After his release he was convicted once again for armed robbery for another seven-and-a-half years.

Galazrza was ordered to stop and show his hands, but ran away pulling a black handgun out of a bag he was carrying

Galarza pointed his gun at the K9 and officers before they fired back at him
A New York man who went on a spree of sexual crimes after receiving a sweetheart plea deal in a rape case involving his teenage relative appeared in court on Wednesday.

Justin Washington at last appeared in Manhattan Criminal Court after 'progressive' Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg previously refused to throw him behind bars.

Washington, 25, was previously given a light 30-day sentence and five years of probation after he pleaded guilty in August to a charge of coercion in his rape case, though the charge carries a maximum penalty of 16 months to four years.

Despite the horrific crime he was accused of, DA Bragg allowed him to be released on bail before the sentencing - which was when the further five sex attacks allegedly happened.

The teenage relative of Washington told police he raped her as the two watched television together.

The survivor told the New York Post last week that she 'can't sleep' and added that 'If I hear anything, I get up and look around. I get nervous. I get anxiety.' She also said that Washington appeared 'not mentally stable'

A New York man who went on a spree of sexual crimes after receiving a sweetheart plea deal in a rape case involving his teenage relative appeared in court Wednesday

Justin Washington at last appeared in Manhattan Criminal Court after 'progressive' Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg previously refused to throw him behind bars

Washington, 25, was given a light 30-day sentence and five years of probation after he pleaded guilty in August to a charge of coercion in his Manhattan rape case, though the charge carries a maximum penalty of 16 months to four years

A teenage relative of Washington told police he raped her as the two watched television together

A week before Washington was set to be sentenced for that, he engaged in a horrifying spree of sexual assaults with his last days of freedom that affected four women and one man

He was originally hit in February with charges of first-degree rape, first-degree sexual abuse and forcible touching and thrown in jail with a $25,000 cash bond

Washington's charges were later downgraded to third-degree rape from the much more serious offenses he'd been initially accused of

Prosecutors did not believe they had enough evidence, and Washington was freed from jail on a $12,000 bond

A week before Washington was sentenced for that crime, he engaged in a horrifying spree of sexual assaults with his last days of freedom that affected four women and one man.

He was originally hit in February with charges of first-degree rape, first-degree sexual abuse and forcible touching and thrown in jail with a $25,000 cash bond, but those charges were later downgraded to third-degree rape.

Prosecutors did not believe they had enough evidence, and Washington was freed from jail on a $12,000 bond according to the Post.

The rampage began at 8.20am when Washington snuck into an 18-year-old man's apartment window, put his hands in the man's underwear and gripped his buttocks while asking 'Can I get a dollar, bro?'

When the victim offered a dollar, Washington refused the bill before saying 'Never mind, you're not understanding' before fleeing through the window.

Under an hour later, Washington reportedly made his way up the fire escape of an apartment building and began knocking on the window of a 26-year-old woman's apartment, who was home with her nine-month-old child at the time.

When the woman drew her curtains back, she was met with the horrifying scene of Washington masturbating on the fire escape.

30 minutes later he entered another woman's apartment in the same building and attempted to rape her, court records show.

Justin Washington, 25, is seen here after sneaking into a woman's apartment building where he attempted to rape her, among a series of horrifying sexual assaults

The rampage began at 8.20am when Washington snuck into an 18-year-old man's apartment window, put his hands in the man's underwear and gripped his buttocks

One NYC cop reportedly fumed 'The DA should be coming up with programs for victims, not criminals.' Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg is pictured here

He pushed the 49-year-old woman onto her bed, pulled up her nightgown and masturbated, once again asking 'Can I get a dollar?'

He pried the woman's legs apart and smelled them, but she bravely bit his hand and scratched him before knocking him on the head with a hammer, causing him to flee.

Washington then went to another apartment building and managed to force his hand through a woman's bathroom window, grabbed her underwear and once again began masturbating.

The final victim of his reign of terror was a homeless woman sleeping in the lobby of an apartment building.

Washington was allegedly caught on surveillance cameras pulling down the woman's pants, touching her buttocks and masturbating, prosecutors say.

He was nabbed for the crimes two days later when NYPD's Bronx warrant squad picked him up at a homeless shelter and charged him for the spree including attempted rape, burglary, forcible touching and sexually motivated felony.

Despite the nature of his original crime against his relative, a spokesperson for Bragg's office defended the decision to offer Washington a plea deal.

'Our experienced sex crimes prosecutors conducted a thorough investigation and were in regular contact with the survivor's family throughout this case,' said spokesperson Emily Tuttle.

'Based on the evidence, we determined that this was an appropriate plea to spare the young survivor from having to testify, while holding Washington accountable for his conduct,' Tuttle continued.

But after Washington's terrifying crime spree, Tuttle said 'the investigation into this week's extremely disturbing allegations in the Bronx continues, we will determine whether to ask for a lengthier jail sentence.'

Cops were outraged about the incidents, with one Manhattan cop reportedly saying 'How does a man who rapes an innocent teenage girl walk the streets to sexually attack [five] more innocent [people], including a homeless woman?'

'These were very traumatizing crimes and he shouldn't have been allowed to walk the streets. What about the teenager?' another cop reportedly fumed, and added 'The DA should be coming up with programs for victims, not criminals.'
A $2 coin from a 2017 set of Australian coins is selling for up to $3,000 online as collectors scramble for the unique design.

The coins are part of the 10-piece Planetary Collection set from 2017 that show each of the planets, including the Sun and dwarf-planet Pluto.

The 10 coins range from one cent to $5 and were originally priced at $170 - but there is one coin that is driving the whole set up in value.

The coins (pictured) range from one cent to $5 but there is one that is driving the whole set up in value

The Mars-themed coin (pictured) is worth half the solar-system set's asking price at $3,000

The Mars-themed coin is worth half the set's asking price at $3,000.

Australian coin expert Joel Kandiah (pictured) said he has never seen anything like the popularity of the Mars $2 coin

Australian coin expert Joel Kandiah said demand for this coin has shot through the roof.

'This is the big one - it is the most saleable $2 that's out there and I've honestly never seen anything like it,' he told 7News.

He said demand for $2 coins has been growing since 2020, when collectors were hunting for every single different version.

But the Mars $2 coin within the new set is the one that people are keenest to get their hands on.

Joel Kandiah said people started buying the entire sets (pictured) to get their hands on the Mars $2 collectors' items

'People started buying up the entire sets because it's still relatively affordable. And that started pushing demand up for that coin specifically in a short space of time,' the social media influencer said.

Halfway through last year the sets were selling between $1,800 to $2,000.

'It's purely down for people's attraction to the $2 Mars coin. To see its value increase nearly 30-fold in five years is beyond ridiculous,' Mr Kandiah said.

The 2012 Red Poppy and 2013 Purple coronation $2 coins are also spiking in value.

The demand for the $2 coins has shot up even more after the death of Queen Elizabeth II.

The coins in the box set were never intended to be used in circulation, so shoppers should not expect to find one as they pass through the cash registers.
U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris, second from left, visits the demilitarized zone (DMZ) separating the two Koreas in Panmunjeom, Thursday. Yonhap



U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris said Thursday that Washington will do "everything in our power" to ensure its security commitment to South Korea, amid growing North Korean nuclear and missile threats.



Harris made the remarks after a tour of the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) separating the two Koreas. She arrived here from Japan earlier in the day, following two rounds of North Korean missile launches this week.



"I cannot state enough that the commitment of the U.S. to the defense of the Republic of Korea is ironclad, and that we will do everything in our power to ensure that it has meaning in every way the words suggest," she told reporters.



Harris reaffirmed America's extended deterrence to its Asian ally, which she said is supported by the "full range of U.S. military capabilities."






Covid cases and hospitalisations have been declining in Australia since August

NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet will be calling for an end to mandatory Covid-19 isolation periods at Anthony Albanese's national cabinet meeting being held on Friday.

Australians currently need to isolate for five days after testing positive for the virus.

But on Thursday, the premier said it was time Australia moved away from public health orders and back to normal life.

NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet (pictured) will be pushing for an end to mandatory Covid isolation periods at Friday's national cabinet meeting

'I believe we need to get to a point where if you're sick you stay at home, and if you're not, you get out and about and enjoy life,' he said.

'It's always a balance between the public health, broader health issues like mental health, social wellbeing and economic and financial issues facing people across our state'.

Mr Perrottet revealed that he had already spoken to other state premiers about scrapping the isolation period but didn't reveal who, if any, supported his stance.

'I certainly think if we can do that, in a way where we find consensus amongst state premiers, that is the best approach.'

He said he would 'see tomorrow' if any premier backed his position at the national cabinet meeting.

The number of Covid cases, hospitalisations and deaths has been slowly declining across the country since early August.

The push to scrap the isolation period comes as week after NSW lifted the mask mandate on public transport (pictured, people seen wearing masks in Sydney)

In NSW, there were 14,170 infections recorded this week compared to 17,229 in the previous week.

In the past week, 69 people died from Covid-19, while 1176 people were in hospital, including 24 in ICU.

It comes a week after NSW ended the mask mandate for public transport.

They are now only required to be worn in public hospitals, private health facilities, residential aged care facilities and hostels.

National cabinet recently agreed to reduce the mandatory isolation period in Australia from seven days to five days.
Walt Coulston (pictured) was charged with gun possession

A wealthy property developer whose wife was allegedly stabbed in the chest by a friend says he has been charged with gun possession over a family heirloom.

Walt Coulston was hit with four weapon and ammunition charges this week after police allegedly found a shortened firearm inside his $4.5million Dover Heights home, in the city's eastern suburbs.

He was charged with possessing a shortened firearm, possessing ammunition without a licence, not keeping a firearm safely and possessing an unregistered firearm.

However, on Thursday, Mr Coulston told Daily Mail Australia the alleged firearm is a 'relic more than 50 years' old'.

'It belonged to my father and when he died in 1991 when we were living in country NSW, it was part of a box of sentimental pieces that my Mum gave to me,' he said.

'It was indeed an oversight to have it improperly stored.'

'However, the police tested it and confirmed there is no evidence it had ever been fired and also confirmed I can apply to have it returned.'

His matter will be mentioned in Waverley Local Court on October 11.

It comes almost two months after his wife, Helen Coulston, was allegedly stabbed in the chest on the doorstep of their family home.

Pictured: Walt and Helen Coulston on their wedding day. In August this year, their former best friend allegedly stabbed her in the chest

Police allege his former best friend Matthew Brian Ramsay turned up at their home and allegedly plunged a 20cm knife into Mrs Coulston's chest.

Matthew Brian Ramsay, 46, appeared in Waverley Local Court on September 2 via audio-visual link, charged with causing a wound or grievous bodily harm with intent to murder.

Ramsay allegedly attended the Coulstons' home while Mrs Coulston was home alone.

He is accused of plunging a knife into the mother-of-two's chest, and then swinging at her a second time, but missing, the court heard.

Helen Coulston was allegedly stabbed outside her $4.5million Dover Heights home (pictured) while she was home alone on August 8

Walt Coulston (pictured after his wife's alleged stabbing) was hit with four weapon and ammunition charges this week

Court documents said that sparked a fierce struggle between the pair that was interrupted by a tradesperson, who was working on a building site across the road.

Ramsay then allegedly fled.

During a bail application, the court was told Ramsay was captured on bodycam after his arrest telling police: 'I didn't mean to hurt her, I just meant to scare her'.

The 46-year-old had ingested some 120mg of Valium prior to the alleged incident, the court was told. The therapeutic dose is 40mg.

Pictured: Matthew Brian Ramsay, who allegedly stabbed Helen Coulston, the wife of his former best friend

Mrs Coulston survived the incident.

The court heard father-of-one Ramsay had been struggling with 'significant mental health issues' for years, with numerous past stays in rehabilitation.

The magistrate granted bail saying he believed the tight restrictions could mitigate any risk to the community or alleged victim.

He ordered Ramsay not to enter the eastern suburbs unless attending court, and to not contact the Coulstons.
A so-called 'family-friendly drag show' at a Tennessee Pride event has created outrage and controversy after a child appears to touch a performer below the waist.

The clip was posted by several conservative influencers, including right wing journalist Andy Ngo, from the 'Pride Youth Day' drag show at Wanderlinger Brewing Company.

A portion of the video shows a child approaching a performer dressed as Ariel from The Little Mermaid and puts her hand on the performer's crotch area.

The clip shows the youngster appearing to want to feel the texture of the costume they were wearing to approximate the Disney princess.

A spokesperson for Chattanooga Pride told NewsChannel 9 that the performer is a biological woman and has performed for children in the area several times. They noted that all of the Disney Princess impersonators who performed at the show were biological women.

A so-called 'family-friendly drag show' at a Tennessee Pride event has created outrage and controversy after a child appears to touch a performer below the waist

The clip was posted by several conservative influencers, including right wing journalist Andy Ngo, from the 'Pride Youth Day' drag show at Wanderlinger Brewing Company

A portion of the video shows a child approaching a performer dressed as Ariel from The Little Mermaid and puts her hand on the performer's crotch area

They also claim that the video is out of context and doesn't show the performer going on to move the child's hands away from her and stand further away from her after the video ends.

Their complete statement adds: 'Her tail was made out of a reversible sequin fabric, which is why the younger child was touching it. What the video did not show was the performer redirecting the child by shifting to the side.'

They also claim that the video includes clips - including one performer spreading their legs to reveal their underwear - from events where children were not allowed to attend.

Since the tweet, the spokesperson says they and the organization have received death threats.

Conservatives have been angered by the clip, with activist Robby Starbuck saying: 'I think it's clearly wrong.

The clip shows the youngster appearing to want to feel the texture of the costume they were wearing to approximate the Disney princess

'If you look at even some of the biggest drag queens in the world, they're no stranger to admitting the fact that this is a very sexual, you know, sort of, we'll call it an art form.'

A writer for the right wing site Law Enforcement Today went further, saying the event was: 'Yet another disgusting display of child brainwashing and grooming of innocent children by the hands of sexualized drag queens.'

Natalie Green, who took her three young children to the event, defended the moment, having said: 'The princesses were not drag performers, those were cisgender women. Nobody is forcing that child to do anything. She's like, three, she saw something that was shiny.'

She added that she and her son watch RuPaul's Drag Race together and wanted to see a drag show in person.

A spokesman for the bar - which claims it hosts everything from LGBTQ+ to church-related events - said in a statement: 'The families in attendance voiced no issues and supported the activities happening related to the event and have supported the promoter on social media defending their choice, their children and Chattanooga Pride.'

Hamilton County Mayor Weston Wamp appeared disgusted by the video, saying, 'This isn't hard. Parents shouldn't take kids to drag shows and business owners shouldn't host drag shows aimed at children.

'It's a shame this is happening on Ironman weekend when the best of our area is on display. For those visiting: no, these aren't our values.'

He appeared to walk back his comments somewhat in a tweet that said that while he wouldn't take his children to a drag show, that 'any hate speech or threat of violence is despicable.'

In a statement on Facebook, the Chattanooga Pride Board wrote that they are adding security to further events during their celebration but that they will go on as scheduled.

They wrote, 'The 2022 Chattanooga Pride Board stands firm against all forms of prejudice, bigotry, racism, homophobia and transphobia. To the allies and supporters of our community: thank you. Thank you for standing by us. Your support does not go unnoticed.'

Hamilton County Mayor Weston Wamp appeared disgusted by the video

He appeared to walk back his comments somewhat in a tweet that said that while he wouldn't take his children to a drag show, that 'any hate speech or threat of violence is despicable'
A Myanmar court has handed three-year sentences to Australian economist Sean Turnell and the country's former leader Aung San Suu Kyi for violating Myanmar's official secrets act, a legal official says.

The pair were tried and convicted under the secrets law, said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he is not authorised to release information about the case.

Three members of Suu Kyi's former Cabinet were also found guilty, each also receiving sentences of three years.

Sean Turnell (pictured with iconic political leader Aung San Suu Kyi) was arrested five days after the military takeover by security forces in Yangon, Myanmar last February

Turnell (pictured, in Insein prison in Yangon last year) has been in detention for almost 20 months

Turnell, an associate professor in economics at Sydney's Macquarie University, had served as an adviser to Suu Kyi, who was detained in the capital Naypyitaw when her elected government was ousted by the army on February 1, 2021.

He has been in detention for almost 20 months. He was arrested five days after the military takeover by security forces at a hotel in Yangon, the country's biggest city, while waiting for a car to take him to the city's international airport.

He had arrived back in Myanmar from Australia to take up a new position as a special consultant to Suu Kyi less than a month before he was detained. As director of the Myanmar Development Institute, he already had lived in Naypyitaw for several years.

The day after the military's takeover, he posted a message on Twitter that he was: 'Safe for now but heartbroken for what all this means for the people of Myanmar. The bravest, kindest people I know. They deserve so much better.'

Turnell had served as an adviser to Aung San Suu Kyi (pictured), who was detained in the capital Naypyitaw when her elected government was ousted by the army on February 1, 2021

He was charged along with Suu Kyi and the three former Cabinet ministers on the basis of documents seized from him. The exact details of their offence have not been made public, though state television said last year that Turnell had access to 'secret state financial information' and had tried to flee the country.

Turnell and Suu Kyi denied the allegations when they testified in their defence at the trial in August.

Turnell was also charged with violating immigration law, but it was not immediately clear what sentence he received for that.

Myanmar's colonial-era official secrets act criminalises the possession, collection, recording, publishing, or sharing of state information that is 'directly or indirectly, useful to an enemy.' The charge carries a maximum penalty of 14 years in prison.

All sessions of the trial, held in a purpose-built courtroom in Naypyitaw's main prison, were closed to the media and the public. The defence lawyers were barred by a gag order from revealing details of the proceedings.

The exact details of the pair's offences have not been made public (pictured, Sean Turnell when he worked as an economist at Sydney Macquarie University in 2005)

The same restrictions have applied to all of Suu Kyi's trials.

The case that concluded on Thursday is one of several faced by Suu Kyi and is widely seen as an effort to discredit her to prevent her return to politics.

She had already been sentenced to 20 years' imprisonment after being convicted of illegally importing and possessing walkie-talkies, violating coronavirus restrictions, sedition, election fraud and five corruption charges. The cases are widely seen as being concocted to keep the 77-year-old Suu Kyi from returning to active politics.

Suu Kyi is still being tried on seven counts under the country's anti-corruption law, with each count punishable by up to 15 years in prison and a fine.
After months of arm-twisting Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk will add the single word 'Paralympics' to her job title after an open letter from athletes.

Despite quickly adopting the title 'Minister for the Olympics' after Brisbane won the right to host the 2032 Games, Ms Palaszczuk had stonewalled on adding the word 'Paralympics' to the description.

But an open letter from Paralympic athletes urging her to do so led to a rapid about-face.

The Premier's tweet saying she 'was happy' to make the change was sent about half-an-hour after the open letter became public, but that Olympian speed won't necessarily be reflected in the actual amending of her title.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has made an Olympian backflip by announcing she would add the word Paralympics to her second job title

Ms Palaszczuk tweeted out her change of mind approximately 30 minutes after the open letter from the Paralympians became public

'Paralympians have asked me to add 'Paralympics' to my title,' the premier tweeted.

'I'm happy to do that and it will be changed by the end of the year.'

Dual gold medallist Paralympian Geoff Trappett tweeted his appreciation for the Premier's about-face

Paralympian dual gold-medallist Geoff Trappett tweeted his approval in reply.

'Respectfully asked for by the athletes commission and respectfully enacted. Is it a small thing in the grand scheme?' he tweeted

'Sure, but when building trust in community each small thing adds up.'

Despite the Olympics Minister not setting herself a particularly challenging pace to make the change before midnight on December 31, the move will come as a relief to those whose private lobbying efforts had been previously been in vain.

Paralympics Australia president Jock O'Callaghan said he was dismayed it took an open letter from Paralympians for the Queensland Premier to change her mind

Paralympics Australia president Jock O'Callaghan said it shouldn't have taken the open letter to make the change happen.

'As the leader of the Paralympic movement in this country I'm really quite dismayed that they need to speak out publicly to one of the most senior leaders in the country for recognition in such a simple but symbolic way,' he told the Courier Mail.

Kurt Fearnley, perhaps Australia's best known Paralympian, has been given the job of chairing the National Disability Insurance Agency

'This is very uncomfortable for them and it simply shouldn't be. I am feeling for the athletes, because they shouldn't have reached the point where they felt they were being ignored, and where they felt like they had no other choice.'

The open letter, which was published late on Wednesday, argued a change in title would 'reflect the Queensland Government's commitment to promote greater inclusion, diversity, and accessibility in the planning and delivery of these Games'.

Ms Palaszczuk previously insisted that Australian IOC member John Coates had told her to have the shorter job title

The letter argued adding Paralympics to the ministerial title would 'reflect the importance of both events for Brisbane 2032'.

Ms Palaszczuk created the Minister for the Olympics job for herself in October last year.

She previously rejected the call to include 'Paralympics' in the title by saying that Australian Olympic Committee boss John Coates had insisted she call herself 'Minister for the Olympics'.

However, the Australian Olympic Committee told the Courier Mail it had no issue with the change and it was a 'matter for the state government'.

This week it was announced that three-time Paralympic gold medallist Kurt Fearnley will be the new chair of the National Disability Insurance Agency.
Australia's biggest carbon emitter, AGL Energy, will go net-zero in what it says is an 'incredible step forward'.

The nation's largest electricity generator on Thursday announced the shutdown of all coal-fired generation by the end of fiscal year 2035, with annual greenhouse gas emissions to reduce from 40 million tonnes to net zero.

Incoming interim CEO Damien Nicks conceded on a conference call that the new strategy would have 'a very serious impact on our people and communities'.

But as AGL turns off coal, former coal plant sites in NSW, Victoria and South Australia will be turned into industrial hubs powered by renewable energy.

'We've all got a shared ambition in delivering this, both federally and states and shareholders,' Mr Nicks said.

'This announcement is an incredible step forward ... this is a strategy over the next 12 years.'

The company described the decision as an 'incredible step forward' in its move to net-zero

Steam billowing from the cooling towers of the Loy Yang coal-fired power station, operated by AGL Energy. The energy giant on Thursday announced it would shut down the power station in the Latrobe Valley by mid-2035, up to 10 years sooner than planned

Chair Patricia McKenzie said AGL will be net-zero from operations following the closure of the Liddell and Bayswater power plants in NSW and the Loy Yang power station, which provides almost one-third of Victoria's power.

Shares in AGL underperformed in a sharply higher market on Thursday, gaining one cent to $6.61 in afternoon trade as investors seek more details.

AGL revealed it would take a $700 million writedown on fast-tracking the Loy Yang exit by a decade, and said it would review dividend payouts.

There has been no decision on the exact date it will close the Loy Yang coal mine.

Nor were details available on spending up to $20 billion by 2036 on big batteries, solar and wind farms.

This shopping list includes a new interim target to have up to five gigawatts of renewables in place by 2030, up from a planned 3.2GW pipeline of projects.

This year billionaire shareholder Mike Cannon-Brookes scuppered the energy giant's planned demerger, which would have created a power retailer and hived off ageing coal-fired operations that would have operated for longer.

Atlassian billionaire Mike Cannon-Brookes scuppered AGL's plans for a demerger

Seeking more urgent change, his Grok Ventures investment firm put forward four independents for election to the board: former energy regulator Kerry Schott, sustainability expert Christine Holman, Tesla's Mark Twidell, and experienced board chair John Pollears.

'There is a monumental amount of work ahead,' a Grok spokesperson said.

'While this is a positive step in the right direction, as the largest emitter and the leading energy company in Australia, AGL needs to assume a leadership position to achieve a Paris goal of below 1.5 degrees.'

Ms McKenzie said the board planned to appoint more directors to oversee the major program of work, and would soon make a recommendation on the Grok nominations.

David Ritter, CEO at Greenpeace Australia Pacific, said AGL has been a 'corporate muppet-show ignoring obvious trends in the sector'.

He said the clean energy transition in Australia requires closing the Loy Yang plant in 2030, shutting the Bayswater coal-burning power station by the same date, and helping households switch off toxic gas.

The AGL power station in Adelaide

Liddell in NSW was already scheduled to close by next year and the Upper Hunter Valley's Bayswater by 2030-33, so the fast-tracking strategy only applies to Loy Yang.

'We need Bayswater in the market until 2033,' Mr Nicks said.

Advocacy group Environment Victoria says the coal exit by 2035 is 'an improvement, but it is still not credible' and falls short of the Paris-aligned plan AGL shareholders demanded last year.

AGL also released updated guidance, saying earnings would remain 'resilient', with the generator well-positioned to benefit from higher electricity prices.

But AGL said the current economic environment of high costs 'remains challenging' for the company's gas-fired Torrens Island power station, which is more than 50 years old and is South Australia's largest plant.

AGL also published its first climate transition plan, with shareholders to vote on it and new directors on November 15.
Telstra has denied taking a sly swipe at its under-fire competitor Optus with an ad for online security it ran during the TV broadcast of last weekend's AFL grand final.

The hugely expensive 30-second commercial shows a woman on her phone getting a text, as words appear across the screen saying: '1 text from the boss' and '3 malicious messages blocked'.

Many assumed the ad was a deliberate attempt by Australia's largest telco to take advantage of the massive data breach Optus was hit with just days earlier.

Telstra, in a statement to Daily Mail Australia, admitted it was a deliberate call from the company's top brass to run the commercial during the Geelong vs Sydney match - which drew almost three million viewers.

But the telco added it was only their intention to highlight the need for malware protection following the nation's largest-ever hacking scandal - and not to disparage Optus.

'We took the decision to run these ads during the Grand Final in light of the heightened interest in cyber security,' Telstra revealed.

'We have been very conscious not to criticise Optus in any way and would not wish this on anyone.'

Telstra ran a cyber security ad (pictured) during the AFL grand final last weekend, but said it was not having a dig at Optus' data breach

Many social media users, however, saw it as a thinly-veiled swipe at its closet competitor.

One Twitter user asked 'Did you see the Telstra advertisement during the AFL grand final? Was all about how they are secure and safe?

'I could nearly hear Telstra's senior mgt LOLing at Optus during the advertisement.'

Telstra said the ad campaign has been running since July 'to educate customers on cyber safety and highlight the work we have done to proactively protect our customers from SMS scams and malicious websites'.

Technology expert Trevor Long said whatever its intention, Telstra and other telcos will benefit greatly from the Optus debacle, even if only temporarily.

'When Telstra talks about its unique selling point in the market, they've been very strong on anti-spam and anti-scam,' he said.

'All that SMS blocking they're doing has been a big thing for them for the last 12 months.'

Cyber security was becoming an increasing concern even before the Optus data breach. Pictured is a stock image of a cyber hacker

Other telcos have not put out any announcements since the Optus hack, and with good reason.

'There is no guarantee Telstra, Vodafone (or other companies) are not going to get some sort of data breach,' Mr Long said.

'No one would have 100 per cent certainty of that. It's almost impossible to guarantee, so no one would want to publicly have (an ad targeting another company's data breach) come back on them.'

It comes as droves of Optus users have threatened to leave the service provider having lost faith in the company after their personal information including passports, licences and Medicare details were stolen.

'It's an interesting thing, because in reality there's no point leaving Optus. The horse has bolted,' Mr Long said.

But he added that those who do leave are sending a message to the company.

A tech expert said 'It's important that Optus gets the message that they have upset people.' Pictured is an Optus shop front

'It's important that Optus gets the message that they have upset people,' he said.

'Australians are super loyal to Telstra, to Optus, to all the telcos. That's why we don't switch.

'I can almost guarantee you there's a better deal out there for everyone, but most people are too loyal to switch.'

Mr Long made a comparison to what people said after data breaches at Facebook.

'Everyone said they were going to leave Facebook. They didn't. A few people did, but it did not ruin the company,' he said.

'The same will happen here. People will talk about leaving, but they won't, or the number that do won't affect their overall stats and numbers.'

Telstra said it will not be running an identical ad during Sunday's NRL grand final.

Daily Mail Australia has contacted Optus for comment.
Four men have been arrested after allegedly attempting to smuggle cocaine concealed inside a 'Bluey' the blue heeler toy.

Police intercepted a package sent from Batemans Bay, in New South Wales, to Queensland last month, with officers finding white powder hidden inside the toy from the international smash hit children's show on the ABC.

Six homes across the NSW south coast and ACT were then raided in relation to the shock discovery with cops allegedly seizing firearms, ammunition, a hydraulic pill press and two poker machines.

Four men have been arrested after allegedly attempting to smuggle cocaine concealed inside a 'Bluey' plush toy (pictured)

Officers from Strike Force Wirrinda - a team setup to investigate the drug supply emanating from the state's south - first uncovered the alleged drug ring last month.

At around 8am on Wednesday, South Coast Police raided four Batemans Bay homes and allegedly discovered a cache of illegal paraphernalia.

Members from the Australian Federal Police and ACT Policing's Drug and Organised Crime Team also visited homes in Braddon and Mitchell.

They allegedly recovered seven firearms, gel blasters, a replica handgun, a kilogram of tobacco, steroids, cannabis, a crystalised substance believed to be MDMA, a prohibited laser pointer and $1,600 cash.

Four men, aged between 23 and 45, were arrested and charged with a string of serious offences.

Police intercepted a package sent from Batemans Bay to Queensland last month, with officers finding white powder hidden inside the toy from the popular children's show

Four men, aged between 23-45, were arrested on Wednesday (pictured) after police executed four warrants at homes across Batemans Bay and the ACT

The youngest, a 23-year-old man, was hit with a lengthy list of offences including five counts of supplying a prohibited drug and participating in group criminal activity.

He was not granted bail.

Another man, 24, was slapped with seven counts of supplying a prohibited drug and possession of an unauthorised firearm. He was granted a conditional bail.

The 26-year-old man arrested at a home in Braddon, ACT is the alleged ringleader of the group and was charged with knowingly/recklessly directing a criminal group, among other charges.

He was extradited to Queanbeyan Police Station where he was charged with four further offences. The man is the member of an outlaw motorcycle gang.

Police also arrested and charged a 45-year-old man from North Batemans Bay with a number of offences related to illegal firearms, ammunition and possessing a gaming machine that isn't approved. He was also granted a conditional bail.

Firearms (pictured) were seized by police during search warrants

Steroids (pictured) were also seized from the homes by cops on Wednesday

The Crime Manager of the South Coast Police District said the arrests showed the success of the newly appointed strikeforce in the region.

'This goes to show that we will use all resources available from both NSW and the ACT in order to disrupt and prevent crime,' Acting Inspector Ian Griffin said.

'We will continue to work alongside ACT Policing to keep illicit substances off our streets, and our communities safe.'
Man says alcohol and cocaine drove him to shocking attack on woman

The man who attacked a woman while she was on an afternoon jog said pints of beer, shots of Sambuca and snorting cocaine drove him to commit the horrific crime.

Dudley Pederson-Sullivan, 24, violently assaulted a petite woman on a dark street in Subiaco in July last year, putting her in a choke hold before putting his hand over her mouth.

He appeared in Perth District Court on Thursday after admitting to strangling and deprivation of liberty in a shocking attack that lasted just under a minute.

Dudley Pederson-Sullivan (pictured) violently assaulted a small woman on a dark street in Subiaco in July last year, putting her in a chokehold and putting his hand over her mouth

Details of Pederson-Sullivan's violence were revealed by prosecutor Ashton Garrett, who said it was nearly dark when he pounced on the woman adjacent to Railway Parade, The West reported.

He ran at her from behind, putting his victim in a choke hold.

Pederson-Sullivan squeezed her so hard she struggled to breathe while she attempted to flee his clutches.

He then used his other arm to strengthen his grip around her.

The two fell to the ground as the victim screamed for help. Pederson-Sullivan then put his hand over her mouth to quieten her cries.

She was able to flee a few moments later despite Pederson-Sullivan grabbing and ripping her jacket.

The attacker was identified by a cigarette lighter he left at the scene.

Pederson-Sullivan blamed his shocking behaviour on an alcohol and drug-fuelled bender he had been on in the days prior to the shocking attack

Pederson-Sullivan's defence lawyer Roseymary Myers said her client had been on an alcohol and drug-fuelled bender in the days leading up to the violent assault.

Earlier that afternoon he had consumed a cocktail of beer, Sambuca and cocaine.

The prosecution conceded Pederson-Sullivan was motivated by stress about a recent relationship breakdown rather than anything sexual.

'He has found a way to lash out,' Ms Myers said.

It was also revealed in court he had been issued an order by a NSW court just months earlier, which the prosecutor said involving 'not similar but relevant' offending.

The court heard the 24-year-old 'struggled to believe' he had committed the crime.

He has been remanded in custody and will be sentenced on October 3.
Middle-class and educated Russians have managed to escape the order and flee to neighbouring countries

Putin is trying to bolster his troops by sending old and inexperienced conscripts to the front lines

Silver-haired and balding reservists are heading to the front lines less than a week after mobilisation order

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Humiliating photos show how Putin has resorted to sending a 'Dad's Army' of ageing reservists to the Ukrainian front lines in the latest embarrassment to the Kremlin.

The desperate Russian tyrant ordered the mobilisation of 300,000 extra troops last week in a bid to reverse the fortunes of his botched invasion, in a move which spooked thousands who fled the country.

But other hardy civilians decided to join the war effort despite their age, health and limited training, to bolster troop numbers after Kyiv's stunning counter-offensive.

In Sevastopol in Crimea, silver-haired and wrinkled recruits stood in line in their uniforms at a ceremony before they took a much-needed cigarette break and then made their way to the front lines.

The images, taken on Tuesday less than a week after Putin's order, shows how rushed the mobilisation has been, compared to the six months' minimum training usually provided.

Humiliating photos show how Putin has resorted to sending a 'Dad's Army' of ageing reservists to the Ukrainian front lines in the latest embarrassment to the Kremlin

Ageing reservists drafted during the partial mobilisation attend a departure ceremony in Sevastopol, Crimea, before heading to the front lines

The desperate Russian tyrant ordered the mobilisation of 300,000 extra troops last week in a bid to reverse the fortunes of his botched invasion

Putin announced on September 21 a mobilisation of hundreds of thousands of Russian men to bolster Moscow's army in Ukraine

Hardy civilians decided to join the war effort despite their age, health and limited training, to bolster troop numbers after Kyiv's stunning counter-offensive

In Sevastopol in Crimea, recruits stood in line in their uniforms at a ceremony before they took a much-needed cigarette break and then made their way to the front lines

Reservists drafted during the partial mobilisation smoke next to buses as they depart for military bases

After a counteroffensive by Ukraine this month dealt Moscow's forces heavy battlefield setbacks, Putin called up 300,000 reservists to join the fight

The men drafted into the war effort are among the working class rural communities who have been unable to join the masses escaping over the border into neighbouring Georgia, Kazakhstan and Finland.

The number who have fled now likely exceeds the number of troops in Putin's original invasion forces, military intelligence suggests.

The British Ministry of Defence said in its daily update today: 'In the seven days since President Putin announced the 'partial mobilisation' there has been a considerable exodus of Russians seeking to evade call-up.

'Whilst exact numbers are unclear, it likely exceeds the size of the total invasion force Russia fielded in February 2022.

'The better off and well educated are over-represented amongst those attempting to leave Russia.

'When combined with those reservists who are being mobilised, the domestic economic impact of reduced availability of labour and the acceleration of 'brain drain' is likely to become increasingly significant.'

Those sent to war were already lamenting the outdated equipment and poor morale just weeks after the outbreak of war, an investigation by the New York Times claims.

A reservist drafted to the war effort during the partial mobilisation bids farewell to his adult son as he heads to the front lines

That partial mobilization is deeply unpopular in some areas, triggering protests, scattered violence, and Russians fleeing the country by the tens of thousands

The men drafted into the war effort are among the working class rural communities who have been unable to join the masses escaping over the border

The number who have fled now likely exceeds the number of troops in Putin's original invasion forces, military intelligence suggests

Elderly wives and mothers say goodbye to their loved ones in an emotional farewell during the departure ceremony

Unauthorised phone calls made by soldiers to their families in March via shared cell phones among units near Bucha were intercepted by Ukraine and translated by the Times.

Many troops revealed the Kremlin had lied about the purpose of the war, showing an early insight into the reality on the ground.

One man named Sergey told his girlfriend: 'Some guys took armour off of Ukrainians' corpses and took it for themselves. Their NATO armour is better than ours.'

Another named Roman told his friend: 'Everything here is ancient. It's not modern like they show on Zvezda [state TV].'

A different Sergey told his mother: 'There were 400 paratroopers. And only 38 of them survived. Because our commanders sent soldiers to the slaughter.'

The dire situation for the troops has led to Putin's mobilisation order, which came as Ukrainian forces dealt heavy battlefield setbacks to Moscow.

The mass exodus has created miles-long lines for days at some borders, and local Russian authorities on one area along the border with Georgia said they would start providing food, water, warming stations and other aid to those in line.

The dire situation for the troops has led to Putin's mobilisation order, which came as Ukrainian forces dealt heavy battlefield setbacks to Moscow

On the battlefield, the U.K. Ministry of Defence said Ukraine's counteroffensive is advancing slowly, meeting a stouter Russian defence

The images, taken on Tuesday less than a week after Putin's order, shows how rushed the mobilisation has been, compared to the six months' minimum training usually provided

Moscow also reportedly set up draft offices at borders to intercept some of those trying to leave.

The mobilisation prompted the U.S. Embassy in Moscow to warn Americans in Russia to leave immediately because 'Russia may refuse to acknowledge dual nationals' U.S. citizenship, deny their access to U.S. consular assistance, prevent their departure from Russia, and conscript dual nationals for military service.'

Previous embassy security alerts issued during the war also advised Americans to leave.

The Institute for the Study of War, a Washington-based think tank, cited an online video by a man who identified himself as a member of Russia's 1st Tank Regiment, visibly upset, saying he and his colleagues wouldn't receive training before shipping out to Russian-occupied parts of the Kherson region.

'Mobilised men with a day or two of training are unlikely to meaningfully reinforce Russian positions affected by Ukrainian counteroffensives in the south and east,' the institute said.

Meanwhile, the EU expressed outrage over the suspected sabotage Tuesday of two underwater natural gas pipelines from Russia to Germany, and warned of retaliation for any attack on Europe's energy networks.

'All available information indicates those leaks are the result of a deliberate act,' EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said. Perpetrators have not been identified.

People arriving from Russia wait at the Mongolian border checkpoint of Altanbulag as they flee conscription

Relatives and taxi drivers wait for Russian tourists crossing over to Georgia from Verkhni Lars customs checkpoint

The borders with Kazakhstan and Mongolia have been overwhelmed an influx of Russian nationals

Kremlin spokesman Peskov said allegations that Russia could be behind the incidents were 'predictable and stupid,' saying the damage has caused Russia huge economic losses. A U.N. Security Council meeting was called for Friday at Moscow's request.

The damage makes it unlikely the pipelines will be able to supply any gas to Europe this winter, according to analysts.

On the battlefield, the U.K. Ministry of Defence said Ukraine's counteroffensive is advancing slowly, meeting a stouter Russian defence.

Local Ukrainian officials reported Russian attacks in the partially occupied Donetsk region that killed five people, and artillery strikes in the southern Ukrainian city of Nikopol.

That city saw 10 high-rises and private buildings hit, as well as a school and power lines, said Valentyn Reznichenko, the head of the local military administration.

A Ukrainian soldier walks past a destroyed Russian tank on the front line with Russian troops in Donetsk region

Ukrainian rescue workers and police examine the result of overnight Russian rocket strikes on a railway passenger train maintenance and repair depot in Kharkiv

Western leaders also fear Putin is planning a huge escalation of Russia's faltering invasion with a deadly nuclear strike or an attack on European interests.

British and American spies believe there is 'credible intelligence' to suggest the Russian president is preparing an attack that will turn the war effort in his favour after coming to the realisation that the war was 'a colossal mistake'.

Putin is understood to be planning land-grab of four regions said to have voted overwhelmingly to join Russia after sham referendums in which residents were marched to the ballot box at gunpoint.

Hastily arranged votes had taken place over five days in the four areas - Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson - that make up about 15 per cent of Ukrainian territory.

But there is concern that Putin is planning a nuclear attack west of the regions that would create a radiation dead zone and put a halt to Ukraine's so far successful counter-offensives.

Another fear is that Russia is preparing a strike on western interests such as maritime communications cables.
Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon speaks during a briefing on the city government's plan to improve air quality held at Seoul City Hall, Wednesday. Yonhap



By Lee Hyo-jin



A recent proposal made by Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon to allow foreign nationals to work as babysitters seems unrealistic considering the country's wage system, according to immigration experts.



The mayor shared the proposal on social media.



"Parenting should now be respected in society. And there should be a system enabling mothers and fathers to raise their children together," Oh wrote on Facebook, Tuesday. "Hiring foreign babysitters is a policy focusing on childrearing. It will be welcome news to those who have been reluctant to employ babysitters due to financial reasons or a lack of supply."



Oh wrote that Hong Kong and Singapore have adopted the system since the 1970s, and both countries have seen a rise in women's economic activities.



"It costs two to three million won a month to hire a babysitter in Korea, but it costs 380,000 to 760,000 won in Singapore," he added, implying that an influx of foreign workers into the local market would lower employment costs.



Saying that he made the proposal during a cabinet meeting held earlier in the day, the mayor hoped the topic would be discussed at a soon-to-be launched pan-government task force aimed at tackling the country's demographic crisis.



The current immigration laws allow only foreign nationals with permanent residency, those married to Koreans and ethnic Koreans from China to be employed as babysitters.



Amid the pandemic, the demand for domestic workers who can offer childcare and other housework services has rapidly risen. According to job portal operator Mediawill Networks, the number of job ads for domestic workers surged 322.4 percent between February 2020 and January 2021, compared to before the pandemic, while supply declined, resulting in an increase in costs to hire such workers.



Against this backdrop, further opening the market to foreign nationals has emerged as a possible solution to tackle the imbalance between supply and demand and bring down employment costs.



However, experts observed that bringing in foreign nationals could be a premature move. To make it work, they said Korea would need to overhaul its wage system as well as eradicate extensive discrimination against foreign workers here.



"Discussions should begin from asking whether Korea is really prepared to welcome foreign nannies. Considering that discrimination against foreign workers is still prevalent in society, I'm worried that foreign nannies may face extremely harsh working conditions and low wages," Moon Byung-ki, head of Korean International Migration Studies Association, told The Korea Times.



Regarding Oh's remarks that nannies in Singapore are paid 380,000 to 760,000 won a month, Moon said, "I don't think those figures are accurate. I believe they are paid more than that. But anyways, low employment costs are possible in Singapore because there is no minimum wage system there."



Under Korea's labor laws, foreign workers are guaranteed the minimum wage and are covered by the Labor Standards Act.



If the authorities are considering introducing a "different" minimum wage system for foreign nannies to lower employment costs, such a system would be discriminatory, said Moon.



"Also, it doesn't seem like a good idea for the government to create a new visa category to attract foreign nationals to fill low-skilled jobs shunned by Koreans," the expert said, explaining that migrant workers have already largely replaced Koreans in the so-called 3D (dangerous, difficult and dirty) jobs as well as on farms in rural regions.




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Russian Navy ships and submarines were spotted not far from the Nord Stream pipelines before they were blown up in an act of suspected sabotage by Moscow.

European security officials saw the Russian Navy support ships on Monday and Tuesday in the vicinity of where four leaks in the Nord Stream gas pipes have since emerged.

Russian submarines were also seen not far from the area in the Baltic Sea last week, CNN reports. European security officials said it is as-yet unclear whether any of those craft were involved, but say the possibility is being investigated as the sightings cast further suspicion on Russia being behind the attacks.

A second hole has been found in the Nord Stream pipe today, close to a larger hole discovered in Nord Stream 1 a few days ago. It means there are now two holes in each pipe, two of which are located in Swedish waters and two in Danish waters, Sweden's coastguard said today.

Emergency crews are continuing to inspect the gas lines ahead of a mission below the waves to try and stop them leaking thousands of tons of gas into the Baltic Sea and work out what exactly happened - though that is unlikely to happen before next week. Finding answers will take longer still.

There is little doubt among European diplomats or NATO allies that Russia is responsible, according to reports, but without hard evidence none except Ukraine has ventured to say so out loud. In the absence of facts, conspiracy theories have proliferated.

NATO said the explosions looked like a reckless and irresponsible act of sabotage, and that any deliberate attack against infrastructure of countries in the Western alliance would be met by a 'united and determined response'.

Taken at face value, it seems unlikely that Russia would attack its own multi-billion dollar pipes - but those familiar with Moscow's 'hybrid' style of warfare say it is likely Kremlin mind game to sow uncertainty and a warning to back off Ukraine. 'It's all part of the Russian style of political warfare,' Bryan Clark, a former US navy strategic planner now at the Hudson Institute think tank, said. 'It's about sowing doubt, creating just enough fog of uncertainty.'

European leaders are now rushing to shore up defences around their own undersea pipes and data cables, amid fears they are also vulnerable to attack. A renewed energy crisis, recession, or financial crash could all result if those crucial networks were disrupted, experts and analysts warned.

Russia is widely suspected to be behind the Nord Stream gas explosions which caught the West off - guard, as experts rush to try and explain how Putin might have done it. Explanations range from divers to spy subs, and underwater drones

Norway has deployed the military to protect its gas and oil fields amid fears Russia is preparing attacks, suggesting that the UK - which has two major pipes linked to Norway and dozens of offshore rigs nearby - is also at risk

Gas 'sabotage' could show Putin is readying for 'global war', expert says Putin's motivation for allegedly targeting his own pipelines could be to cause an all-out global war, an academic has claimed. Dr Stepan Stepanenko, research fellow at the Henry Jackson Society, told MailOnline it shows the Kremlin wants to stop offering energy to its potential enemies. He said: 'Although the Kremlin has not taken responsibility for Nord Stream, the global finger of blame is pointing firmly in one direction. 'At first glance, this act equates to cutting one's nose off to spite the face, as Putin severs gas supply in the onset of a cold winter, he also cuts the revenue stream from it, harming his war effort. 'However, to understand why Russia would do this, we have to look at it in the context of the sham referenda taking place in Ukraine. 'Putin is fast running out of options, he needs to end the conflict with a tangible territorial gain before Russians twig what the rest of the world already knows, he lost the war. 'By conducting these sham referenda and moving the boarder to make these regions Russian territory, he is backing the West into an ultimatum; liberate these regions and you are directly attacking Russia. 'In this context, if Nord Stream was indeed targeted by Moscow then we can't avoid seeing it as Putin's preparing for a global war, in which supplying gas to Europe would be directly aiding his enemy.' Advertisement

Professor Damien Ernst, an energy systems researcher at the University of Liege in Belgium, told The Times: 'Our infrastructure is not very well protected and it is extremely difficult to secure them over thousands of kilometres.

'If gas supplies from Norway to Europe were cut off, we would see a terrible recession. We would not even be able to heat ourselves and produce electricity.

'The fears are very serious and well-founded. Europe has no more room for manoeuvre and we cannot exclude that things will deteriorate very significantly in the coming months.'

An IT security source who spoke to MailOnline added that 'pretty much all forms of communication' would be at risk if data cables were attacked, including those that allow business and banking to run smoothly.

The source added: 'Trading stocks between regions relies heavily on very low latency responses to requests - we're talking milliseconds. If enough cables were cut and that latency started to creep up, which it would, there's a possibility trading would have to pause until that was fixed. That could cause huge damage to the global economy.'

Military analysts meanwhile speculated about what exactly could have caused two explosions that were detected by seismologists before the pipes burst.

While Russia does possess a large fleet of nuclear-powered spy submarines that are designed to sabotage underwater networks, a direct attack on the pipes has been largely ruled out based on the assumption that it would have been spotted taking place.

NATO spy planes equipped with extremely sensitive radar and sensors have been flying near-constant missions over the Baltic since war broke out in Ukraine, and there is no indication they saw anything suspicious.

That leaves the possibility that some kind of explosive device was either laid next to the pipe well in advance - perhaps dropped by special forces on a disguised boat - and then remotely activated, or else inserted into the pipe from the Russian end.

Yves D'Eer, and emergency planning coordinator, speculated online that a device called a 'pipeline integrity gauge' - a robot that can be inserted into a gas line to inspect them from the inside - could have been laden with explosives and then sent down Nord Stream before being detonated when it arrived in the right spot.

Mystery surrounding how exactly the attack was pulled off has spooked European governments who now face the daunting task of defending their own infrastructure from an unknown threat.

NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg was in Denmark yesterday for talks which he said 'addressed the protection of critical infrastructure'. Jonas Gahr Stoere, Norway's prime minister, said the military would be visibly deployed around oil and gas rigs to protect them.

That suggests the UK - connected to Norway via two major pipelines which carry a third of this country's gas - is also at risk. Britain's largest oil and gas fields, which are dotted with dozens of rigs and criss-crossed by pipes, also sit close to Norwegian waters.

A Ministry of Defence spokesman said: 'We constantly observe our areas of responsibility and interest, this includes protecting critical infrastructure such as underwater cables and offshore structures.'

Mark Galeotti - a Russia expert, former adviser to the foreign office, and now at the Council on Geostrategy - told MailOnline that Putin is 'likely' behind the Nord Stream attack and intended it 'as a warning'. 'They blow up their own pipeline to remind the West that if it really pushes Putin into a corner, amongst his options are attacks on infrastructure,' he said.

'A pipeline from Norway to Poland has just been inaugurated, after all. Just as seriously, he could target undersea internet cables, which would not 'break' the internet but would certainly degrade it.'

The Kremlin has denied any involvement in the explosions, dismissing the suggestion as 'stupid '. But Russia does have the capacity to carry out such an attack.

Putin commands the world's largest fleet of spy submarines including one - the Belgorod - that was specifically designed to attack undersea cables, and has easy access to the Baltic via Kaliningrad and St Petersberg, where its newly-developed fleet of underwater drones is also based.

It comes as the despot digs in his heels in Ukraine by illegally annexing occupied territory while trying to warn off the West with nukes and - it would seem - new threats to energy and information networks.

As Dr Stepan Stepanenko, research fellow at the Henry Jackson Society, told MailOnline: 'At first glance, this act equates to cutting one's nose off to spite the face [but] to understand why Russia would do this, we have to look at it in the context of the sham referenda taking place in Ukraine.

'Putin is fast running out of options, he needs to end the conflict with a tangible territorial gain before Russians twig what the rest of the world already knows: He lost the war.

Thousands of tons of natural gas is now leading into the Baltic Sea, causing a dangerous swell that has disrupted shipping and may cause an environmental catastrophe if the leak cannot be stopped

Coast guard now say there are four leaks in the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipes - two in each line - which were likely caused by explosions that happened late Monday and were picked up by seismologists

Vladimir Putin has been attempting to seize back the initiative from Ukraine after his forces suffered a humiliating battlefield defeat in Ukraine that left his army facing the prospect of defeat

'By conducting these sham referenda and moving the border to make these regions Russian territory, he is backing the West into an ultimatum; liberate these regions and you are directly attacking Russia.

'In this context, if Nord Stream was indeed targeted by Moscow then we can't avoid seeing it as Putin preparing for a global war, in which supplying gas to Europe would be directly aiding his enemy.'

Lieutenant Colonel Geir Hagen Karlsen, one of Norway's leading military officers, warned that his country - which is now Europe's most-important gas supplier after Russia was sanctioned - needs to take the threat serious, particularly after unidentified drones were seen flying low over rigs in recent days.

'Norway's gas supply is probably the biggest and most strategically important target for sabotage in all of Europe right now,' he told national broadcaster NRK.

Viktorija Cmilyte-Nielsen, speaker of Lithuania's parliament, added: 'These incidents show that energy infrastructure is not safe . . . It can be interpreted as a warning.'

It came as German officials warned that Nord Stream has been so badly damaged by the blasts that it will likely never work again.

German security services said the explosions left three of four undersea tubes so severely damaged they are now beyond repair, Tagesspiegel reported.

Ursula von der Leyen, head of the EU Commission, this morning vowed the 'strongest possible response' to what she called 'sabotage' of the pipelines - but stopped short of directly blaming Russia.

Charles Michel, the EU Council President, added: 'Nord Stream sabotage acts appear to be an attempt to further destabilise energy supply to [the] EU.'

Gas is now leaking into the Baltic from three holes, scientists have confirmed, with safety concerns leading to a five-mile exclusion zone being imposed around the affected area.

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has said her government believes the leaks were caused by 'deliberate actions', adding that the gas supply pipeline will be out of action for around a week.

She said on Tuesday evening: 'It is now the clear assessment by authorities that these are deliberate actions. It was not an accident. There is no information yet to indicate who may be behind this action.'

Her Energy Minister Dan Jorgensen also said the size of the holes in the pipelines indicate that the leaks could not have been caused by an accident such as getting hit by an anchor. The damaged pipelines are at a depth of 70-90 meters below sea level, he added.

The remarks were backed by Sweden's PM Magdalena Andersson, who has said informations suggests the blasts were likely sabotage.

She said her government was in close contact with partners such as Nato and neighbours such as Denmark and Germany concerning the developments.

Ms Andersson continued: 'We have Swedish intelligence, but we have also received information in our contacts with Denmark, and based on this concluded that this is probably a deliberate act. It is probably a matter of sabotage.

'It is not a matter of an attack on Swedish or Danish territory. But that said, the government is taking what happened very seriously, not the least in light of the current security situation on our close proximity.'
The shooting took place Wednesday at Rudsdale Newcomer High School, a school for recent immigrants to the USA in East Oakland, California

Police are hunting a gunman on the loose after six adults were wounded in a shooting Wednesday near a California school that serves recent immigrants who have fled violence in their home countries.

The incident took place around 12:45pm Wednesday at the combined campus of Rudsdale Continuation and Newcomer high schools at the King Estate campus in the Oakland Unified School District, authorities said, with at least some of the victims found inside the school.

Three victims were taken to Highland Hospital in Oakland. Two were in critical but stable condition, having suffered gunshot wounds. The third was stable.

Those three victims are aged 18, 19, and 58 years old. Another three people were rushed to Eden Medical Center in Castro Valley, where one was treated and released, one is pending release and another is in stable condition.

'The victims were affiliated with the school, and we are determining the affiliation at this time,' Oakland Assistant Police Chief Darren Allison said, although he declined to say whether any students or teachers were involved.

Allison said police were seeking at least one suspect but did not have anyone in custody. They were also trying to determine the motive.

The school serves recent immigrants ages 16-21 who have fled violence and instability in their home countries, according to its website. It is one of four adjacent schools located on a block in east Oakland.

At least six people have been injured following a shooting at Rudsdale Newcomer High School in East Oakland, California, where law enforcement closed off the scene

The shooting occurred at a building on Fontaine Street - a location where there are multiple schools - including Bay Area Technology School, Rudsdale Newcomer High School, and Sojourner Truth Independent Study

Tonyia Carter (right), a Senior Violence Interrupter, comforts a city aide at St. Cuthbert's Episcopal Church where staff have gathered

Victim Jason Arbuckle was reportedly grazed by a bullet as he was hanging a trophy display case

The shooting occurred at a building on Fontaine Street - a location where there are a number of other schools, including Bay Area Technology School and Sojourner Truth Independent Study.

Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf confirmed that all the victims were adults.

Police are looking for one suspect, however, there may be others involved. A parent told KTVU she witnessed five potential gunmen.  Cops said that they do not have anyone in custody.

A cellphone video from inside the school captured audio of a student telling officers who just arrived at the scene that there were seven shots.

Bay Area Technology School put out an Instagram post stating that their campus security guard was injured in the shooting, but the wound was not serious.

Jason Arbuckle, a carpenter with Oakland Unified, told ABC7 that a bullet grazed his head and left some fragments behind. He and a crew were hanging a trophy display case when the shooting broke out, they report.

Other parents described a second victim who rushed to help after shots were fired.

'Our heartfelt sympathies are extended to the families and friends of the six individuals who were injured during a shooting which took place near our campus this afternoon,' they wrote.

They added that they commended their staff for 'jumping into action' and putting their lockdown protocols into effect once they realized an active shooter was on campus.

'We also want to thank each of our students for the tremendous way they handled the safety protocols. They are superstars! Please hug them tightly for us.'

Rudsdale Newcomer High School says that its students, all recently arrived immigrants fleeing violence and instability, are working to support themselves and their families while also pursuing a high school diploma.

'Due to their migration experiences, our students have faced a lot of trauma,' the school says on its website.

Alameda County Sheriff's Office confirmed deputies called to help Oakland Police at the complex Wednesday afternoon.

Children and parents are seen being taken out of the school following the shooting

Parents rush to park up and collect their children after the harrowing shooting

One woman told local news CBS Bay Area that she heard the gunshots ring from the buildings just after midday

The children - who are believed to be as young as kindergarten age and as old as 18 - were then evacuated from their buildings.

Treva Reid, a council member and candidate for Oakland mayor, said investigators told her the shooting may be tied to rising 'group and gang violence.'

Reid went on to say that the shooting is proof that the city has not invested enough in programs and initiatives to help children succeed.

'We've disinvested in them, so children are taking matters into their own hands,' she said.

'They're doing things in ways that are not healthy to resolve conflict and that's what we're seeing today.'

Community activist Nina Carter says that, despite all the rhetoric around school funding, the situation won't change if Oakland students can't relate to those in charge.

'You have to have in these schools and on these campuses that these kids (can relate to). You can't just have anybody dealing with these types of trauma that these kids face. You have to come from that,' explains Carter.

Carter is part of a Violence Interrupters team that mediates conflicts between groups and gangs.

The shootings come a day after Oakland Police Chief LeRonne Armstrong announced new measures to tackle gun violence.

One woman told local news CBS Bay Area that she heard the gunshots ring from the buildings just after midday.

Other horrified parents described their panic after finding out that their children's schools were put into lockdown. One mother said after hearing the gunshots: 'I was thinking the worst.'

School staff gather at St. Cuthbert's Episcopal Church as police and investigators work at the scene of the shooting. No one has been arrested as yet

The Oakland Unified School District said in a statement: 'There was an incident today at the King Estate campus on Fontaine Street, which houses the co-located Rudsdale Continuation and Newcomer high schools, BayTech Charter School, and the headquarters of Sojourner Truth Independent Study, which has no students at the site.

'The campus is near Oakland Academy of Knowledge (OAK), but it is important to note the incident was NOT at OAK, nor did it have anything to do with that elementary school.

'We currently do not have any information beyond what Oakland Police are reporting.'

John Sasaki, a spokesperson for Oakland Unified School District, said in a statement that counselors were being made available for students.

Television footage showed dozens of police cars and yellow tape on the street outside the school and students leaving nearby campuses.

James Jackson, chief executive of Alameda Health System, also noted an increase in violence.

'We've seen almost a doubling of the violent crimes victims that we're seeing here at our facility (Highland Hospital). So something has changed,' Jackson said.

City Council Member Loren Taylor, who was outside the school, declined to confirm any details about the incident, telling KTVU-TV, 'Guns were on our school campuses where our babies were supposed to be protected.'
Cabinet Office staff at the heart of Government are being allowed to self-identify their gender under a new system women's rights campaigners warn is 'ripe for abuse'.

Records for employees at the Government Digital Service no longer require them to state whether they are male or female.

Instead staff can simply type in what gender identity they want for it to be added to their documents.

MailOnline can disclose the GDS - which is part of the Cabinet Office - quietly rolled out the new system over the past few months.

Women's rights campaigners have previously warned self-identification could be a pathway to abuse from predatory individuals.

And it appears completely at odds with some Ministers' views on the need for biological sex to be recorded accurately.

Just days ago Home Secretary Suella Braverman publicly castigated Sussex Police after it defended a legally-male trans paedophile when women called him a man.

Caroline Ffiske from Conservatives for Women told MailOnline: 'Sex does matter for the safety, dignity, privacy, as well as life-long opportunities, for women and girls.

Government Digital Service no longer gets staff to say if they are male or female (stock pic)

Caroline Ffiske, left, said the 'safety, dignity and privacy' of women would be eroded by system

The new system was quietly introduced by the Government Digital Service in recent months

The team - part of the Cabinet Office - says workers don't need to say what sex they are

'It sounds like under this new system, for data management purposes civil servants will not need to record their sex at all.

'Men will be able to 'self-identify' as women and women as men. Civil servants will be able to come up with any new 'self-identification' descriptions they like whether that be pansexual or wombat.'

The GDS's new system lets employers refuse to say what biological sex they are and write what gender they consider themselves to be.

It said it had introduced the new system after staff feedback and consulting its LGBT+ group, but it is not clear who signed off the new procedure.

One government source told MailOnline the department made decisions that were not necessarily in total chime with accepted policy.

In the GDS's new forms people are asked if they identity with the sex they were assigned at birth.

Home Secretary Suella Braverman publicly castigated Sussex Police after it defended a legally-male trans paedophile when women called him a man

The Cabinet Officer department said it implemented the system change after staff requests

Police force slammed for calling it 'hateful' to say transgender paedophile is a man wants to be able to record criminals' details using gender neutral title 'Mx' A police force who said it was 'hateful' to call a legally-male trans paedophile a man wants a system where criminals can be recorded as no-gender or other identities. Sussex Police released a humiliating apology last night after it sparked a row defending Sally Anne Dixon, 58, when the sex offender was called a man by women online. But MailOnline can reveal the under-fire constabulary has loftier plans that would cut out both male and female terminologies. The police force - which has its own gender identity and expression page - says it wants to go beyond binary options. Instead it says it is putting into place new crime recording systems that will go beyond the biologically-recognised sexes. A Sussex Police document declares: 'The Home Office require us to capture demographic information which they use to monitor crime trends. 'Therefore we record the gender of people that interact with us. Often we are only able to record binary options of male or female in our systems. 'We are making changes where we can to include other gender identities as well as using the gender neutral honorific, 'Mx'.' After the furore sparked by Dixon, who has no Gender Recognition Certificate, there was disbelief after the police plan emerged. Advertisement

Options available are 'Yes', 'No' or 'Prefer not to say', which then leads to a separate section.

If the question is answered as 'No', users can enter any free text they want about their gender identity.

This is then added to their employee records on the government system.

Ms Ffiske added: 'The new system also uses the fantastical notion of sex being 'assigned at birth'. That is obviously silly - but also profoundly serious: our very civil service is undermining the anchoring of our society in science.

'If our sex doesn't matter, then clearly single sex services and spaces don't matter.

'Well, women aren't accepting this and we are pushing back, working together across old political allegiances.'

Women's rights campaigner Kellie-Jay Keen agreed the system was rife for abuse: 'I think something like this can go to serious harm where men can operate as females for all intent and purposes.

'There is certainly an issue here in terms of females spaces if people can just self-identify a women.

'I don't think the public is particularly served by this at all.

'We have indexes and measurements of certain quotas for employers and if the civil service is a good employer of women. Something like this makes that impossible to measure - how many people are legally men, but now identify as women?'

MailOnline contacted the Cabinet Office asking about this new system and how widespread it was.

A spokesman said this evening of the page announcing the new system: 'This blog post does not reflect the Government's approach and has now been removed.

'The Gender Recognition Act sets out the process which allows people to change the way their legal sex is recorded, and we believe the balance struck in the Act is the right one, which includes proper checks and balances in the system.

'We have been clear on the important principle that spaces reserved for women and girls are maintained, in line with the equality act.'

Previously in response to one comment over the new development, the GDS had insisted: 'This change takes does not conflate sex and gender.

'We do not require that people share whether they are male or female.

'However, we recognise that people may not perceive themselves in alignment with the sex they were registered as at birth, and give them the room to express this (gender), based on feedback from staff.

'They can confirm, deny or refuse to answer the question. Such responses could make us aware that we employ staff who may fall under the protected characteristic of gender reassignment, and ensure that we prevent their discrimination.'
A huge increase in Airbnbs fueled by the trend for staycations has left renters with an 'impossible choice' to move away, spend their savings or facing homelessness, a think tank reports.

The Bevan Foundation revealed that holiday lets have surged by 53% from 13,800 in 2018 to 21,718 in May of this year, putting pressure on the housing market.

The situation is also getting worse as landlords have no incentives to rent homes outside of Airbnb as they earn an average weekly 710.14 for a one-bedroom property and 2,175.71 for a four-bedroom property in Wales.

This means that landlords make in 10 weeks - or 4.8 weeks on Anglesey, where Airbnb prices are among the highest, - the same income as they would get through local housing allowance rates.

The returns are even quicker for four-bedroom properties where it takes less than six weeks to get the same income as over a year.

Local villagers have protested the trend saying people are 'living in caravans or chalets on their parents' land' as it's 'almost impossible' to get a house locally.

To tackle the issues, from next year, second homeowners in Wales will face a 300 per cent tax hike in a bid to stop locals being priced out of the country's property market.

But holiday cottage landlords have called the move a 'horribly blunt tool' and 'counter-productive'.

King Charles III is also 'getting in on the surge in prices for holiday lets' by renting out two of his Llwynywermod estate cottages.

The Bevan Foundation revealed that holiday lets have surged by 53% from 13,800 in 2018 to 21,718 in May of this year, putting pressure on the housing market. Pictured: The amount of properties broken down by the ones with the most, Gwynedd, Pembrokeshire, Powys and least, Blaenau Gwent and Torfaen

Pictured: Coloured houses overlooking the harbour in Tenby, Pembrokeshire, Wales

Dr Steffan Evans of the Bevan Foundation also explained it is a recipe for homelessness as just 60 properties across the whole of Wales in August were offered at 'affordable' rents  meaning those who are on benefits can afford them.

He said: 'With so few homes to rent for low income households, people are faced with an impossible choice: move out of their community, move into poor quality housing, try to plug the gap between their rent and their benefits by cutting back on food and heating, or become homeless.

What are the new measures set to come into effect next year? The maximum level at which local authorities can set council tax premiums on second homes and long-term empty properties will be increased to 300 per cent, effective from April 2023. This will allow councils to decide the level that is appropriate for their individual local circumstances. Councils will be able to set the premium at any level up to the maximum, and they will be able to apply different premiums to second homes and long-term empty dwellings. Premiums are currently set at a maximum level of 100 per cent and were paid on more than 23,000 properties in Wales this year. Local authorities opting to apply premiums have access to additional funding, and the Welsh Government has encouraged councils to use these resources to improve the supply of affordable housing. The criteria for self-catering accommodation being liable for business rates instead of council tax will also change from next April. Currently, properties that are available to let for at least 140 days, and that are actually let for at least 70 days, will pay rates rather than council tax. The change will increase these thresholds to being available to let for at least 252 days and actually let for at least 182 days in any 12-month period. Advertisement

'If we are to find a long-term solution to Wales' housing crisis it is vital that work is undertaken to regulate the holiday let sector as well as the private rental sector.'

Another key problem is the size of the LHA - the money received by low-income families to cover their rents.

It continues to dwindle relative to rents, meaning people must plug the gap out of their own pockets - if they can. 'It is clear that this gap is both causing and exacerbating homelessness,' said the Bevan Foundation.

As other holiday rental operators were not included in the study, the true scale of the problem is likely to be worse.

Anecdotally, landlords are said to be fleeing the private residential rental sector in search of bigger profits in the short-term holiday rental sector.

The latter is also less regulated, a key incentive. 'If landlords switch on a large scale, the pool of available for residential letting shrinks further, increasing the pressure on low-income renters,' said the Bevan Foundation.

Airbnbs rents are highest in Cardiff but as private rents are higher too, the problem is less acute than somewhere like Anglesey.

In August the Welsh Government launched its Commission for Welsh-speaking Communities to explore problems caused by second homes and short-term holiday lets.

The Bevan Foundation said this must also focus on the rental crisis as well as the lack of affordable homes for people to buy.

It stressed the rental crisis was not just affecting mainly Welsh-speaking communities such as Gwynedd and Anglesey.

Morfa Nefyn villager on the Llyn peninsula, Gwynedd, Mared Llywelyn, protested against the issue last year.

She told the BBC: 'People such as myself, and my friends - it's almost impossible for us to afford a house locally.

'I live with my parents, and I know a lot of people who live in caravans or chalets on their parents' land.

'They are being pushed out of their communities because the gap between local wages and house prices is enormous.'

Gwion Llwyd, who runs Dioni, a booking and management service for holiday cottages in north Wales, said: 'I understand the problem - we have two daughters in their early twenties, and they and their friends are finding it really hard to get on the housing ladder,' he said.

'But I think some of these measures are a horribly blunt tool to try and fix the problem, and could even be counter-productive.'

Pictured: A row of coloured houses along the coast in Beaumaris on the Isle of Anglesey

Mark Drakeford's government has declared it is increasing the maximum level that local authorities can set council tax premiums on second homes and long-term empty properties by up to four times next year, potentially up to 300 per cent

Communities in Conwy and Powys are also likely to be affected, said the report, adding: 'Any solutions proposed by the Commission should not be limited in their implementation to just those local authorities in Wales that are predominantly Welsh speaking.'

Second homes in Wales: Explained How many second homes are there? And which part of Wales has the most second homes? Official figures show there were 24,873 second homes in Wales registered for council tax purposes in January 2021. But the number could be much higher, depending on the exact definition of a second home, officials warned. This is because this number does not include holiday units, like AirBnbs and holiday lets, which are registered for businesses rates rather than those under second homes. Gwynedd has the highest number of second homes at 5,098  20 per cent of all second homes in Wales. This is followed by Pembrokeshire with 4,072, Anglesey with 2,112 and Ceredigion with 1,735, according to council and Welsh government figures for 2020. In Llanengan, near Abersoch in Gwynedd, nearly 40 per cent of all homes were second homes, according to figures from 2016. Under the broader definition of second homes to include holiday lets, these made up 46 per cent of homes in Abersoch, 43 per cent in Aberdyfi and 34 per cent in Beddgelert. And the coastal village of Abersoch sees its population of 600 skyrocket to 30,000 in the summer months. Why are people angry about second homes? Campaigners are concerned that second homes are causing a rise in house prices in seaside and rural communities which is pricing out locals. The Welsh Housing Justice Charter campaign group said it receives calls from nurses, teachers, firefighters and those working on lifeboats who could not afford to live near where they work and volunteer. But some second homeowners said they feel 'discriminated against' and called on councils to halt tax increases on second homes. Others said they feel like they are being scapegoated for what they branded Welsh government failures on affordable homes. Advertisement

Increasing LHA payments may help in some areas but not all, especially those in Airbnb hotspots, said the Bevan Foundation. Moreover, further controls on the private rental sector, without tackling the holiday rental market, could deepen the crisis.

The report concluded: 'The short-term holiday rental sector does bring several benefits to communities across Wales.

'For these benefits to maximised, it is vital that action is taken to ensure that a balance is struck between ensuring an adequate supply of accommodation for visitors and for people wishing to live in their communities.'

In response to planned Welsh Government action on holiday lets, via the planning system, Airbnb tentatively welcomed the proposals and said they were an 'opportunity to.... clamp down on speculators that drive housing concerns and overtourism'.

Airbnbs only make a small proportion, 1%, of the total number of rental properties in Wales where holiday lets are concentrated in small areas.

Gwynedd has the highest proportion of its dwelling stock listed on Airbnb, where 2,885 properties, 4.6% of its total dwelling stock, that could be used as long-term are listed on the site.

Most Airbnbs also appear to be commercial enterprises rather than individually managed by hosts.

Just seven agencies manage 26% of all Airbnb listings, making up hundreds of properties across Wales.

While a total of 56% of Airbnb hosts that have two or more properties listed and 17% comes from from outside Wales.

Charles's 90 acre royal residence in Myddfai, Carmarthenshire, which could soon go to his son William, the new Prince of Wales, recently put one cottage that sleeps four people up for rent at 2,350 a week and another six-bed up for 2,750, according to ITV.

The listing reads: 'Sitting within a courtyard range adjoining the Welsh royal residence of Llwynywermod, North Range is a charming barn conversion available for occasional holiday let.

'North Range forms part of a courtyard attached to Llwynywermod Farmhouse and is beautifully furnished to suit the style of the property, with a mixture of period and contemporary furniture including many Welsh pieces and local fabrics.'

Meanwhile, Mark Drakeford's government declared in March short-term holiday lets are increasing the maximum level that local authorities can set council tax premiums on second homes and long-term empty properties by up to four times.

It means that, from April 2023, councils will be able set the premium at any level up to the maximum, depending what is appropriate for their local circumstances. Some may choose to apply different rates for second homes and long-term empty dwellings.

Currently, the maximum premium councils can charge is 100 per cent  so the new policy constitutes a possible tax rise of 200 per cent.

Campaigners against second homes marching in Caernarfon, Gwynedd

Ministers claimed the change is intended to provide a clearer demonstration that the properties concerned are being let regularly as part of genuine holiday accommodation businesses that are making a substantial contribution to the local economy.

However, one homeowners' group has furiously branded the move 'morally indefensible'. Jonathan Martin, a spokesman for the Home Owners of Wales Group, told BBC Radio Wales Breakfast in March: 'Where do they think we're going to get this 300 per cent from?

'I can't afford it, that's for sure and I'm quite sure a lot of other people can't afford it. It's just astounding.'

The measures are part of a wider move to address the issue of second homes and lack of affordable housing facing many communities in Wales, as set out in the Co-operation Agreement between the Welsh Government and Plaid Cymru in 2021.

Official figures show there were 24,873 second homes in Wales registered for council tax purposes in January 2021.

But the number could be much higher, depending on the exact definition of a second home, officials warned.

This is because this number does not include holiday units, like AirBnbs and holiday lets, which are registered for businesses rates rather than those under second homes.

Gwynedd has the highest number of second homes at 5,098  20 per cent of all second homes in Wales.

This is followed by Pembrokeshire with 4,072, Anglesey with 2,112 and Ceredigion with 1,735, according to council and Welsh government figures for 2020. In Llanengan, near Abersoch in Gwynedd, nearly 40 per cent of all homes were second homes, according to figures from 2016.

Under the broader definition of second homes to include holiday lets, these made up 46 per cent of homes in Abersoch, 43 per cent in Aberdyfi and 34 per cent in Beddgelert.

And the coastal village of Abersoch sees its population of 600 skyrocket to 30,000 in the summer.

Campaigners are concerned that second homes are causing a rise in house prices in seaside and rural communities which is pricing out locals.

The Welsh Housing Justice Charter campaign group said it receives calls from nurses, teachers, firefighters and those working on lifeboats who could not afford to live near where they work and volunteer.

But some second homeowners said they feel 'discriminated against' and called on councils to halt tax increases on second homes.

Others said they feel like they are being scapegoated for what they branded Welsh government failures on affordable homes.

In the 2022-23 tax year, nine authorities will charge a premium  from 25 per cent in Conwy and Ceredigion, 50 per cent in Anglesey, Flintshire, Denbighshire and Powys, and 100 per cent in Gwynedd, Pembrokeshire and Swansea.

Both Pembrokeshire and Gwynedd have the largest number of second homes that are subject to a premium, at 3,746 and 3,794 respectively.

Mr Martin, who lives in Altrincham and has a second home in Gwynedd, said most of the group visit their homes regularly.

Pictured: A view of coloured houses overlooking Tenby harbour in Pembrokeshire

He added: 'They love Wales, they love Welsh people, they love the Welsh language, they love the Welsh culture. That's why they have a home there.'

He also criticised the timing following the pandemic and amid the rising cost of living.

'I think the biggest threat to the Welsh government will be that we've been advised it's absolutely unlawful,' he claimed.

'So I don't know where we go from that but we'll have to have a big discussion as a group. We're financially able to take on the Welsh government if they forced this through without further acquiescence with us.'

Welsh Tories accused Drakeford's ministers of 'punishing aspiration and investment'.

Janet Finch-Saunders, who speaks for the Welsh Conservatives on housing, accused Labour of 'pandering to their nationalist coalition partners and punishing aspiration and investment in Wales'.

She raged: 'The housing crisis is a direct result of years of successive Labour-led governments failing to provide opportunities and build enough houses, with housebuilding falling below levels before devolution.'

Finch-Saunders added there were 'more empty homes in Wales than there are second homes' and this was not being addressed by ministers.

She called on the administration to 'get a grip' and 'address the housing shortage in Wales'.

Climate change minister Julie James said: 'We want people to be able to live and work in their local communities, but we know rising house prices are putting them out of reach of many people, exacerbated by the cost-of-living crisis we are facing.

'There is no easy answer or quick-fix solution. This is a complex problem that requires a wide range of actions.

'We continue to carefully consider further measures that could be introduced, and these changes are the latest steps we are taking to increase the availability of homes and ensure a fair contribution is made.'

Finance minister Rebecca Evans added: 'These changes will give more flexibility to local authorities and provide more support to local communities in addressing the negative impacts that second homes and long-term empty properties can have.

'They are some of the levers we have available to us as we seek to create a fairer system.'

The criteria for self-catering accommodation being liable for business rates instead of council tax will also change.

At the moment, properties that are available to let for at least 140 days and that are actually let for at least 70 days will pay rates rather than council tax.

But from April, the threshold will increase for properties available to let for at least 252 days and actually let for at least 182 days in any 12-month period.

Sian Gwenllian MS said: 'It is clear that we as a country are facing a housing crisis. So many people cannot afford to live in their local areas, and the situation has worsened during the pandemic.

'These changes will make a difference, enabling councils to respond to their local circumstances and start to close the loophole in the current law. It's a first but important step on a journey towards a new housing system that ensures that people have the right to live in their community.'
A female lout has been forced to pay a rail conductor damages after threatening to track her down on Facebook and kill her when she was accused of fare dodging on a train.

Part-time DJ Jade Leech, 28, left female conductor Elle Stacie with no choice but to hide in the driver's cabin fearing for her life after she endured terrifying abuse.

Leech was simply asked to show a ticket but reacted in a vile manner as she told Miss Stacie she had made a mental note of the conductor's name for her staff ID badge.

The foul-mannered woman proceeded to shout 'I will stab you, I will kill you. I'm going to track you down on Facebook and kill you.'

Miss Stacie, who was working on a train from Liverpool South Parkway, said after the terrifying event that she had just been trying to do her job but was left 'physically shaking following the confrontation'.

'I was fearful for my safety so much that I locked myself in the cab as I was unsure if she would carry out the threat she had made towards me,' she said.

'I returned to my duties the next day and did my best to put this out of my mind but I was left emotionally exhausted. I just wanted to go home and curl up in a ball.'

At Sefton Magistrates' Court, Leech, of Woolton, Liverpool admitted using threatening behaviour and was ordered to pay Miss Stacie 250 in compensation.

The abusive rail passenger was also sentenced to 16 weeks in prison suspended for 12 months with a requirement that she participate with 20 days of rehabilitation activity with the probation service.

Part-time DJ Jade Leech (pictured), 28, was ordered to pay damages to rail conductor Elle Stacie after threatening to track her down on Facebook and kill her when she was asked to show a ticket

Leech, appearing at Sefton Magistrates' Court, was also handed a 16-week suspended prison sentence after her abusive rant

Prosecutor Callum Bryce told the court that Leech has been a passenger on a train out of Liverpool around 1.50pm on January 7 when she was approached by Miss Stacie for her ticket.

He said that Miss Stacie had recognised the defendant as she had previously had dealing with her.

'She'd not had a ticket to travel on the train. She asked to see her ticket and she said 'I'm on the phone, come back,' Mr Bryce said.

'Miss Stacie said she needed to see the ticket then said, "You have done this before."

'The defendant then said, "I remember you, you have kicked me off before." The conductor explained that she needed to see the ticket but the defendant started shouting at her, saying "You are a 'f***ing b****", "I will stab you", and "I will kill you".

The prosecutor continued to describe how Leech persisted to ask for her name before she read her name badge, Elle Stacie.

He added: 'She said "I'm going to track you down on Facebook and kill you, that is a silly f***ing name".'

'Miss Stacie went straight to the cab. She said she was scared and frightened. She did not know if the defendant had a knife. She was unsure of what she was capable of.

'She said she was scared that if she did have a knife that she would try to kill her.

'The train driver stopped at the station and kept the doors closed so that Ms Leech could be taken off by police. The driver also said that Miss Leech was aggressive and agitated. She was shouting "If you do not open that door, I'm going to stab somebody."'

Leech's defence lawyer said that she duffers from a personality disorder and anxiety and had actually been on the phone to a doctor at the time Miss Stacie approached her

'He was also concerned. Miss Stacie genuinely feared that she might be stabbed. Fear was also caused to the train driver. This happened on a moving train that people cannot get out of.'

Leech had 59 previous offences on her record including shoplifting, criminal damage, affray, and public order offences, and also for threatening somebody with a blade.

In mitigation defence lawyer Martin Saxon said Leech suffers from a personality disorder and anxiety and that she had been on the phone to the doctor at the time the conductor spoke to her.

'She was in a heightened emotional state and she just exploded,' the solicitor said.

'It was a very impulsive way that she acted on the train. Her mother was also very ill having been diagnosed with cancer. It all came on top of her on that day.'

Sentencing Leech, District Judge Paul Healey told her: 'It is a serious matter when there are people on the train and staff are carrying out their job to check tickets.

'It is an enclosed environment and it was totally unacceptable that they are threatened with violence. It's frightening for them and disturbing for other passengers in the area.

The abusive rail passenger had 59 previous offences on her record including shoplifting and threatening somebody with a blade

'You have a significant record for offences of this type and you've been to prison for similar behaviour. You have extensive criminal convictions.

'I understand that around this time you were struggling to cope with difficult news regarding your mother's health. I sympathise with that. It is something that we all have to go through and it's difficult.

'But you have a significant history of disorder and threats of violence and I have to consider whether to give you an immediate term of imprisonment.

The judge proceeded to tell the court that he was 'encouraged' by the probation report which showed Leech had taken steps to address her behaviour.

He added: 'You have personality issues, you have mental health conditions and you are cooperating with mental health services.

'You've taken steps to avoid similar situations, especially on trains.'

The judge said that he wanted to review her case in November to make sure that she was cooperating with the probation and mental health services to address her issues, otherwise she risked being sent to prison.

'If you commit any other offence in the next 12 months, you will almost inevitably go to prison,' he said.
A killer who murdered a disabled man in his home is on the run for a second time after escaping from an open prison.

Lee Nevins and his accomplice Mark Lang were jailed for life for the sadistic killing of disabled 20-year-old Lee Jobling at his Gateshead home in 2006.

Less than two years into his life sentence, Nevins escaped while being taken from Frankland Prison in County Durham to Sunderland Royal Hospital for treatment of a hand injury.

A huge manhunt was launched and he managed to spend a week on the run before finally being arrested in Scotland.

The violent criminal, now 39, is once again at large after absconding from an open prison in Derbyshire, nearly 16 years after being convicted of the murder.

Convicted murderer Lee Nevins (left) is on the run for a second time, after absconding from an open prison in Derbyshire. Right: Victim Lee Jobling

A Prison Service spokesperson said: 'HMP Sudbury is working with police to recapture Lee Nevins quickly and on capture he faces longer behind bars.'

HMP Sudbury in Ashbourne is a Category D prison, meaning it has a more relaxed regime and houses prisoners defined as 'those who can be reasonably trusted not to try and escape, and are given the privilege of an open prison.'

Nevins and Lang battered Lee to death in his own home after gatecrashing a party.

The horror killing came after years of Lee overcoming the odds to survive a childhood blighted by tragedy.

He was just six when his mum Shirley, who was divorced from his dad, died suddenly from a brain hemorrhage.

Lee and his two brothers went to live with his aunt and uncle, Angela and Garry Knotts, at their home on Gateshead's Leam Lane estate.

Then, at just 15 years old, Lee suffered serious head injuries after falling from a bridge while out playing with friends and spent two weeks in a coma.

The accident left Lee with brain injuries, walking with a limp and suffering from memory problems.

With the support of his family, Lee battled on and, although he was not well enough to work in the months before he died, he had moved into his own flat not far from his aunt's.

On Saturday, April 8, 2006, Lee invited friends to his flat, on Cotemede, for some drinks.

Lee Jobling (pictured above) died after a brutal attack from Nevins and his accomplice Mark Lang

However, word of the gathering spread to the local pub and Nevins and Lang made their way to his home after closing time.

High on drink and drugs, the pair, who did not even know Lee, did not leave with the other guests, but stayed in the flat, where they launched their prolonged attack in the early hours.

Nevins and Lang taunted and mocked Lee before repeatedly punching and kicking him in the head.

When paramedics forced their way into Lee's home, they found him lying unconscious, his face covered in blood.

He suffered multiple injuries, including fatal brain damage and died in hospital 19 days later.

Nevins, then 23, of Leam Lane, and Lang, then 24, of Harlow Green, Gateshead, were eventually charged with murder.

They pleaded not guilty but, after a two week trial at Newcastle Crown Court in which both killers tried to blame each other, they were both convicted of the brutal crime.

Judge John Milford gave them both life sentences, ordering that Nevins, who had previous convictions for violence, serve a minimum of 17 years, and Lang at least 16.

He told them: 'For your own amusement, you bullied him, setting on him and causing his legs to be tied with wire.

'Later you set about him again, striking no fewer than 12 blows aimed at his head.

'The attack was prolonged and he was left in a dreadful state.

'You attacked him so you could derive pleasure from his suffering and suffer he did, of that I am sure. I have observed you throughout this case. Neither of you has shown an iota of remorse.'

He warned they would only be released when it was considered safe to do so and both would remain on licence for life.

After Nevins' first escape in 2008, a damning report revealed a series of blunders by prison staff that allowed it to happen.

A Prison Service investigation found guards failed to search the killer or even securely attach handcuffs or restraints.

Nevins was also able to smuggle his address book and paper clips from his cell to help make his getaway.

Bungled attempts to track him down meant he roamed free on the streets for nearly a week.

The killer was also aided by the fact he had been allowed to visit the hospital in civilian clothing, not prison uniform.

During Nevins' days on the run, Newcastle Central Station was put into lockdown for for 40 minutes after a tip-off that turned out to be a false alarm.

A 1,000 reward was also offered for information leading to Nevins' capture and several people were arrested.

Northumbria Police Superintendent, Gordon Milward, however, insisted that Nevins was not a danger to the general public.

He said: 'My current assessment is that he does not pose a danger to the public at large, but there is clearly a need to return him to prison.

'We are treating this as a matter of emergency, and we are looking specifically at individuals who were involved in him being put in prison. I want to make sure that there is not a direct threat.

'We will take whatever measures we feel are necessary.

'And we are doing everything to ensure he doesn't leave the country.'

Nevins was eventually arrested after he was spotted by a police officer in Tillicoultry, near Stirling, in Scotland.

Police said he gave himself up without a fight and was taken to a police station in Scotland.

Supt Milward announced: 'An officer spotted him, identified him and arrested him.'

Nevins later admitted escaping lawful custody at Peterborough Crown Court and was given a 12 months prison sentence to run concurrently with his previous sentence.
Three schoolgirls who went missing together yesterday have been found safe and well in London.

Tiffany, 12, Layla, 14, and Paige, 13, were last seen yesterday at around 4pm in High Wycombe before travelling to London.

Thames Valley Police launched an urgent public appeal to find the girls and pleaded with them to get in touch with their worried families.

Tiffany, from Amersham, Layla, from High Wycombe, Paige, from Prestwood caused panic after they disappeared.

Tiffany (right), 12, Layla (left), 14, and Paige, 13, were all last seen yesterday at around 4pm in High Wycombe

Thames Valley Police has urged the girls to get in touch with their worried families and has said they are 'not in trouble at all'. Pictured: Paige, 13

Thames Valley Police launched an urgent public appeal to find the girls and pleaded with them to get in touch with their worried families.

'Following a widespread appeal for help in tracing three missing girls from High Wycombe, Amersham and Prestwood, we're pleased to report that they have all now been located safe and well in London.'

It is not clear why the girls disappeared and travelled to London but they are now safe.
A mother is raising funds for surgery after a friend's dog tore off her seven-year-old daughter's bottom lip and cheek in a horror attack which left her scarred for life.

Amanda Ellison, 27, was visiting a friend with her daughters, seven-year-old Delani Brown and five-year-old Serenity Brown, before she settled them down at the kitchen table to eat lunch.

The mother-of-four from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania closed the kitchen baby gate to ensure her friend's Labrador was kept away as they ate, while she helped her friend clear boxes nearby.

After finishing her meal, Delani got up from the table, opened the baby gate and carried her empty plate away.

But the dog slipped past her through the open baby gate and approached Serenity, who was still eating, and when Delani tried to shoo the pooch away from her sister, he attacked.

He sunk his teeth into Delani's lower face, tearing off her bottom lip and a chunk of her right cheek.

Delani Brown (pictured), 7, was visiting friends of her mother Amanda Ellison, 27, with her mother and sister Serenity, 5, but was bitten by the dog in a horror attack

The dog sunk his teeth into Delani's lower face, tearing off her lip and a chunk of her right cheek. Pictured: Delani after receiving surgery at Hershey Medical Center in Pennsylvania

The horrified mother rushed into the kitchen as she heard a growl and the 'snap' of the dog's jaws, before seeing her daughter Delani stunned with blood pouring down her face and a chunk of her lip on the floor.

The intensive case manager rushed Delani to Hershey Medical Center in central Pennsylvania where she stayed for five days before undergoing plastic surgery to repair her bottom lip.

A month on from her ordeal on August 5th, Miss Ellison says her daughter Delani is healing, but requires further reconstructive surgery and counselling sessions.

They are currently trying to raise $3,000 to cover their medical expenses. You can donate to the fundraiser for Delani's surgeries here.

The incident was reported to police and Miss Ellison said the dog was put down. The investigation is ongoing.

Miss Ellison said: 'I heard the growl and snap, and I can still hear it in my head.

'When I heard it, I just ran immediately towards her and saw blood pouring from her face.

'You could see the artery in her cheek pulsating. I actually found the piece of her lip on the kitchen floor.'

She was reassured by her friend that the dog would be 'ok' around the girls before the attack.

Miss Ellison said: 'At our house, when Delani's done eating, she's supposed to get up from the table and go and find something to do until her siblings have finished eating.

'So out of habit she got up and opened the baby gate to go into the living room, and the dog went into the kitchen.

'He went over to Serenity and was acting a little weird  he wouldn't sit and wouldn't leave the kitchen.

'He didn't move, so Delani reached out to him and as soon as she put her hand out, he jumped up at her and bit her.

Ellison shared horrifying pictures of her daughter's bottom lip and cheek after she was attacked by a friend's dog, scarring her

'Later on she said "I remember when the dog was shaking my head from side to side".'

After rushing her daughter to the medical centre, doctors immediately got to work treating the bite marks.

Miss Ellison said: 'Delani didn't cry the whole way to the hospital.

'That's partly down to shock but it's kind of her personality too  she was as calm as could be.

'The only time she cried was when they put her to sleep for her surgery.

'They asked her if she wanted pain medicine and she said no the entire time right up until after her surgery, which was after a week.

'She had a huge facial wound and for five days they packed it with wet-to-dry dressing, then she had to have [ear, nose and throat] ENT specialists and plastic surgery.

'The doctor did a wonderful job  they got her bottom lip and stretched it over to the corner of her mouth and stitched up there, because she had enough bottom lip for them to do that.

'She's still going to need another two surgeries  one to finish repairing the corner of her lip, and some scar removal surgery.

Delani is pictured in happier times, petting a goat on a warm day

The mother said she still has to pay for the two further surgeries, the trauma counselling, the anaesthesia bill, as well as travel to New York to see a specialist.

She will also have to take time off work, missing out on some of her salary, as well as paying childcare for her other three children.

'Now my daughter has to go through all this pain and suffering, and she was so upset that she couldn't go to school on the first day because of the surgery,' she continued.

'She doesn't really understand what trauma is  obviously that's a hard concept for them to grasp.'

Although Delani is healing well, Miss Ellison said she's now very self-conscious at people looking at her.

Miss Ellison said: 'She's right at that age where she's starting to be conscious of herself and now she's second-guessing people.

'I took her to the park last week and she asked me if we could go home. I asked why and she said "I think that girl's staring at my face".

'She's okay at home because we treat the scar as normal, but we've been in Walmart with grown adults staring at her and making faces.

Delani shows off her scar, which has healed well in spite of the ordeal, doctors told the family

She said she has had to pull aside people 'and explain it to them [it] is just not appropriate or okay.'

Incredibly, Miss Ellison says her daughter doesn't hold any fear or grudges against dogs, even requesting to see the hospital's therapy pooch.

Miss Ellison said: 'Delani doesn't hold any fear or grudges, which really surprises me, it shows a lot about her character.

'She still loves dogs. At the hospital there was a therapy dog, and I told her that if she didn't want the dog to come in to just let me know.

'She said, "I want the doggy to come see me" and she was there because of a dog bite.'

Pennsylvania State Police confirmed they attended an address on August 6th for reports of a dog bite on a young female that occurred on August 5th.

A Pennsylvania State Police spokesman said: 'The case is still open, no charges have been filed.'

The fundraiser link for the surgeries is included here.
He appears to ask his friend to smash a sledgehammer on his arm

Gruesome footage from Russia allegedly shows a friend breaking the arm of a Russian reservist with a sledgehammer so he cannot be sent to the front lines of the Ukraine war.

Kremlin officials have warned against conscripts mutilating themselves or asking others to break their bones after Putin imposed partial mobilisation last week to bolster his troops on the ground.

While some reacted by immediately fleeing the country, others resorted to drastic measures and tried to injure themselves to avoid the horrors of war.

Gruesome footage from Russia allegedly shows a friend breaking the arm of a Russian reservist with a sledgehammer

Kremlin officials have warned against conscripts mutilating themselves or asking others to break their bones

The video shows a man wielding a long-handled sledgehammer which he appears to smash into the arm of the would-be mobilised reservist.

The draftee holds his left arm out on a bench, and covers his face with his other hand as the heavy blow is struck.

After the hit he gets up and swears while hanging his arm down limp, while the friend who struck him vanishes.

The man who struck him is then heard saying: 'Kolyan, is everything all right? F***, yeah?'

A woman's voice says: 'Why did he run away?'

The draftee says: 'He promised to strike me.'

Two women then inspect his limp arm as one asks: ' Was it hard? [But] did he fail to break your arm?'

After the hit he gets up and swears while hanging his arm down limp, while the friend who struck him vanishes

It is not clear in the end if the arm was broken by the heavy-looking blow nor whether any injury saved him from being called up to Putin's army

The sledgehammer man is heard asking: 'What do you mean? I didn't..?'

It is not clear in the end if the arm was broken by the heavy-looking blow nor whether any injury saved him from being called up to Putin's army.

Other Russian men are seeking to flee their homeland to countries as far afield as Finland, Georgia, Kazakhstan and Mongolia.

After a counteroffensive by Ukraine this month dealt Moscow's forces heavy battlefield setbacks, Russia said it would call up 300,000 reservists to join the fight.

It also warned it could resort to nuclear weapons.

That partial mobilization is deeply unpopular in some areas, however, triggering protests, scattered violence, and Russians fleeing the country by the tens of thousands.

Humiliating photos show how Putin has resorted to sending a 'Dad's Army' of ageing reservists to the Ukrainian front lines in the latest embarrassment to the Kremlin

People arriving from Russia wait at the Mongolian border checkpoint of Altanbulag as they flee conscription

Relatives and taxi drivers wait for Russian tourists crossing over to Georgia from Verkhni Lars customs checkpoint

The borders with Kazakhstan and Mongolia have been overwhelmed an influx of Russian nationals

The mass exodus has created miles-long lines for days at some borders, and local Russian authorities on one area along the border with Georgia said they would start providing food, water, warming stations and other aid to those in line.

Moscow also reportedly set up draft offices at borders to intercept some of those trying to leave.

The mobilization prompted the U.S. Embassy in Moscow to warn Americans in Russia to leave immediately because 'Russia may refuse to acknowledge dual nationals' U.S. citizenship, deny their access to U.S. consular assistance, prevent their departure from Russia, and conscript dual nationals for military service.'

Previous embassy security alerts issued during the war also advised Americans to leave.

Ukraine's military and Western analysts said Russia is sending troops with hardly any training to the front line.

The Institute for the Study of War, a Washington-based think tank, cited an online video by a man who identified himself as a member of Russia's 1st Tank Regiment, visibly upset, saying he and his colleagues wouldn't receive training before shipping out to Russian-occupied parts of the Kherson region.

'Mobilized men with a day or two of training are unlikely to meaningfully reinforce Russian positions affected by Ukrainian counteroffensives in the south and east,' the institute said.
A Welsh fine art dealer has been order to repay more than 110,000 he raised in the name of a cancer charity by a High Court after it was found he used the money to campaign for a giant 200-ft dragon statue to be built instead.

Simon Wingett, 66, was taken to court by the Charity Commission over allegations that he used the money donated to the Frank Wingett Cancer Relief Fund, of which he was sole trustee, to fund his tourist attraction project instead.

Mr Wingett claimed the building of the Welsh Dragon statue, dubbed a rival of the Angel of the North, would result in eventual fundraising for local cancer charities. No statue has been built to date.

It was found he had funneled 410,000 into the statue project, with no payments being made to local cancer services since 2011.

The charity's shop in Wrexham closed in 2018, but its last charitable donation was paid to Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board in 2011 and amounted to 4,500.

He has now been ordered to repay 117,100.32 which, subject to recovery, will be distributed by the Commission to local charities supporting the relief of cancer patients treated in Wrexham.

He was also ordered to pay almost 10,000 to cover the Commission's legal costs.

Simon Wingett, 66, pictured with a model of his vision for the statue, which has never been built

Mr Wingett previously claimed that the dragon statue would eventually raise money for cancer charities across Wrexham

The Frank Wingett Cancer Relief Fund was set up for cancer patients in Welsh hospitals in the Wrexham area, and was supposed to raise money for medical and surgical equipment and facilities.

It was named after Mr Wingett's father, the founder, who died from throat cancer in 1988.

But an investigation by the Commission was launched in 2017 after it was revealed funds had been used to support the building of a 210-ft statue of a Welsh dragon near the A5 in Chirk, Wales instead.

At this point the charity had not filed its annual reports for three years.

Mr Wingett, who is employed as a fine art dealer and advisor, claimed that should the statue be built, it would deliver around 1.5million in charitable donations for local cancer charities.

But according to the Commission, the statue 'has no connection to advancing the charity's aims and to date, no statue has been built.'

Following the investigation Mr Wingett was disqualified from acting as a trustee or senior manager in any charity in England or Wales for 10 years.

The Charity Commission has since pursued the recovery of misappropriated funds and it was announced today that it had succeeded in a High Court case earlier this month.

To date, Mr Wingett has been director of five different companies associated with the dragon statue which have since been dissolved. These include Dragon Sculpture Ltd, The Dragon Foundry Ltd and The Dragon Experience Ltd.

He remains the director of The Dragon Clothing Co LLP and Great Welsh Dragon Ltd. Great Welsh Dragon Ltd lists no employees since 2020.

Its latest company accounts, registered in January 2022, show payments owed of 15,336 to S Wingett and S J Wingett for profits made by the company.

Tracy Howarth, Assistant Director of Casework at the Charity Commission, said: 'Charity trustees hold important positions of trust. We  and the public  expect trustees to ensure financial decisions are taken in the best interests of the charity and those it serves to benefit.

'Mr Wingetts significant misuse of funds was an abuse of the trust placed in him by the many donors to the charity.

'This ruling will ensure the charitable proceeds raised are now directed to the benefit of those in the local community they were intended for.'

Mr Wingett has been the driving force behind a campaign to build the giant Welsh dragon, billed as a tourist attraction, since 2010.

The project was valued at around 6million in 2010.

Mr Wingett has been contacted for comment.
This photo, provided by the Korean Navy, shows sailors engaging in a Korea-U.S. naval exercise in the East Sea, Sept. 28. Yonhap





South Korea, the United States and Japan will hold trilateral anti-submarine drills in the international waters of the East Sea later this week for the first time in more than five years, Seoul officials said Thursday, amid evolving North Korean military threats.







The three countries are set to stage the training Friday, as Pyongyang has been pushing to develop submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs) while codifying an assertive nuclear policy that leaves open the possibility of preemptive strikes in a contingency.







The countries last held such trilateral maritime drills in April 2017.







For this year's edition, they mobilized an array of warships, including South Korea's Munmu the Great destroyer; the USS Ronald Reagan aircraft carrier and members of its strike group; and Japan's Asahi-class destroyer.







"The training is part of the defense ministry's steps to restore military cooperation among South Korea, the U.S. and Japan to a level before 2017, so as to respond to North Korea's nuclear and missile threats," the ministry said in a statement sent to reporters.







The training focuses on detecting, identifying and tracking North Korean submarines equipped with capabilities to launch SLBMs, according to the ministry.







"We have chosen the international waters of the East Sea as the training area in consideration of North Korea's SLBM threats and key areas of submarine activities," the ministry said.







In a separate release, the U.S. military said that three-way operations "concretely demonstrate our shared, unwavering commitment to upholding regional security and stability."







"Exercises, such as this, forge a trilateral relationship between Japan, Republic of Korea and the United States that is forward-leaning, reflective of our shared values, and resolute against those who challenge regional stability," reads a statement posted on the U.S. 7th Fleet's website.







It added, "This exercise will promote interoperability, tactical and technical coordination, and efficient communications between the three countries."







Meanwhile, Seoul's defense ministry said it is "very regrettable" that the plan for the training, which requires a "considerable level of security," had been leaked in advance of an announcement through a private social media account, in a reference to the disclosure by Rep. Ahn Gyu-back of the main opposition Democratic Party.







The previous day, Ahn wrote on his Facebook account that the drills are set to take place just around 150 kilometers away from South Korea's easternmost islets of Dokdo, over which Japan has persistently claimed sovereignty. (Yonhap)










Taliban forces today clashed with women shouting 'life, freedom' as Iranian protests over Masha Amini's death in morality police custody spread to Afghanistan.

Mahsa Amini, 22, died in custody after she was detained in Tehran by Iranian morality police who believed she was wearing her hijab too loosely.

The group of around 25 Afghan women protested against her death in front of Kabul's Iranian embassy before they were dispersed by Taliban forces firing in the air.

Powerful images show the woman holding banners high in the air while many bowed their heads, reflecting.

The banners read 'Iran has risen, now it's our turn!' and 'From Kabul to Iran, say no to dictatorship!'

But Taliban forces snatched and tore them in front of the protesters.

An organiser of Thursday's protest, speaking anonymously, said it was staged 'to show our support and solidarity with the people of Iran and the women victims of the Taliban in Afghanistan'.

Taliban forces today clashed with women shouting 'life, freedom' as Iranian protests over Masha Amini's death in morality police custody spread to Afghanistan. Pictured: The women protest outside the Iranian embassy in Kabul

It comes as protests continue across neighbouring Iran, pictured, in defiance of a warning from the judiciary, with violent unrest having spread to at least 46 cities, towns and villages across the country following Amini's death

Powerful images taken in Afghanistan, pictured, show the woman holding banners high in the air while many bowed their heads, reflecting. The banners read 'Iran has risen, now it's our turn!' and 'From Kabul to Iran, say no to dictatorship!'

Mahsa Amini, 22, pictured, died in custody after she was detained in Tehran by Iranian morality police who believed she was wearing her hijab too loosely

It comes as protests continue across neighbouring Iran, in defiance of a warning from the judiciary, with violent unrest having spread to at least 46 cities, towns and villages across the country following Amini's death.

Since the unrest began after her death on September 16, hundreds of activists, demonstrators and journalists have been arrested.

At least 41 people have died- including both demonstrators and some members of the Islamic republic's security forces - according to an official toll, although other sources say the real figure is higher.

Oslo-based group Iran Human Rights (IHR) said the death toll was at least 57, but noted that ongoing internet blackouts were making it increasingly difficult to confirm fatalities in a context where the women-led protests have in recent nights spread to scores of cities.

Echoing a warning the previous day by President Ebrahim Raisi, judiciary chief Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei 'emphasised the need for decisive action without leniency' against those organising the 'riots', the judiciary's Mizan Online website said.

At least 41 people have died since the protests began - including both demonstrators and some members of the Islamic republic's security forces - according to an official toll, although other sources say the real figure is higher. Pictured: Iranian demonstrators in Tehran

Oslo-based group Iran Human Rights (IHR) said the death toll was at least 57, but noted that ongoing internet blackouts were making it increasingly difficult to confirm fatalities in a context where the women-led protests have in recent nights spread to scores of cities. Pictured: Protesters in Tehran

Iran has summoned the British and Norwegian ambassadors over what it called interference and hostile media coverage of the nationwide unrest. Pictured: Demonstrators in Iran after Amini's death

Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian also criticised US support for the 'rioters' amid a security crackdown and curbs on internet and phones.

Iran has summoned the British and Norwegian ambassadors over what it called interference and hostile media coverage of the nationwide unrest.

Amini, whose Kurdish first name was Jhina, was detained for allegedly breaching the rules that mandate tightly-fitted hijab head coverings and which ban, among other things, ripped jeans and brightly coloured clothes.

Pictured: Protests in Iran as people denounce the death of Mahsa Amini in police custody

Elsewhere, in Afghanistan, women's rights activists have staged protests in Kabul and some other cities since the Taliban seized power last August.

The protests, banned by the Taliban, contravene a slew of harsh restrictions imposed by the hardline Islamists on Afghan women.

In the past, the Taliban have forcefully dispersed women's rallies and warned journalists against covering them.

They have also detained activists helming organisation efforts.

Pictured: Afghan women rally to demand Jobs, food, education and better living conditions under the Taliban rule during a protest in Kabul on December 28, 2021

The protests, banned by the Taliban, contravene a slew of harsh restrictions imposed by the hardline Islamists on Afghan women. Pictured: A demonstration in Afghanistan on December 28, 2021

Girls have been banned from secondary school education and women have been barred from many government jobs since the Taliban returned to power.

The Taliban have also ordered that women cover themselves fully in public, preferably with a burqa.

And the group have so far dismissed calls to remove curbs on women, particularly the ban on secondary school education.

The 'severe restrictions' were on Tuesday slammed by a United Nations report, which called for them to be reversed.

Internationally, the community has insisted that lifting controls on women's rights is a key condition for recognising the Taliban government, which no country has so far done.
An unrepentant head teacher today refused to back down after kicking pupils out of classes for wearing the wrong sort of black socks.

Alun Ebenezer said he was 'determined to raise standards' at the Deepings School in Lincolnshire, which Ofsted inspectors have twice rated as 'requiring improvement'.

On Monday, 50 children were put into isolation for breaching the school's strict uniform code.

These included students who wore the wrong kind of black socks, with some told they were too short, even though no skin appeared to be showing in pictures taken by one father.

Furious parents have hit out at the school and accused Mr Ebenezer of being 'heavy handed' and running a 'police state'.

But the head - who previously ran Fulham Boys School where a Rastafarian boy was asked to shave off his hair if he wanted to attend lessons - defended the zero-tolerance policy, saying any slips in discipline 'leads to carnage'.

He told MailOnline: 'The school requires improvement and I'm determined to raise standards and make it one of the best schools in the area. I believe passionately in standards around uniform, behaviour, appearance and attitude.

'The policy says pupils should wear clear black socks or black tights and I'm now enforcing that. I sent this out in a letter at the start of term, and we gave them the first few weeks to get it sorted, then sent a couple of reminders. I invited parents to come and talk if they wanted and around 100 came along.

'Ninety-six per cent of the school are In immaculate uniform, but four per cent are not and we put them in isolation. We have to enforce these standards.

A pupil was excluded from lessons because her socks apparently didn't meet the school's uniform policy

Mr Ebenezer - who was previously head at a school where a Rastafarian boy was asked to shave off his hair if he wanted to attend lessons - defended the zero-tolerance policy, saying any slips in discipline 'leads to carnage'

The Deepings School in Lincolnshire has become a battleground between parents and staff, with headteacher Alun Ebenezer refusing to let students in for flouting the strict dress code

'Teachers are saying it's fantastic the way pupils are responding, but obviously you're going to get a minority who don't engage.

'Little things matter and I'd argue if a pupil is wearing bright or white socks, you do notice. We've got people at our school from vastly different backgrounds and I want a uniform that everyone identifies with and not one where you can tell who is more well-off.

'The difference in behaviour and attitude when having these standards is tangible. It translates to pride in school and more aspiration. I don't want pupils with an array of multi-coloured socks making them look scruffy.

'You might think the little things  like the type of socks or a pair of trousers  don't matter, but when you put it all together, pupils look immaculate and it's a better experience for everyone.

One father, who asked not to be named, said he was 'baffled' by the decision to exclude his daughter.

'Apparently her plain black ankle socks and long trousers did not conform with the rules,' he said.

'The rules apparently state that socks must not be ankle socks and must sit above the ankle.

'The actions taken are completely unreasonable and have served only to disrupt my daughter's education.

'This is the last thing that is needed at a critical point in her schooling, especially after the disruption of the Covid pandemic.

'I know there has to be standards but the punishment needs to be proportionate.

'Uniform is a minor infringement - they should just have a word with the pupil and then escalate the matter if it continues.'

A second father, who also didn't want to be named, stormed: 'My son was hauled out of lessons for having non-regulation socks on.

'It's crazy. They're black socks with a very faint line in the design but apparently they weren't 'plain enough' despite being hidden under trousers.

'It's not just heavy-handed - it's like some kind of police state.'

Another said: 'My son, who is really doing his best to improve his grades, was sent out of lessons when the teacher said his socks were 'too short'.

'Apparently socks must sit above the ankle and no skin must be showing under the hem of the trouser. It really would be laughable if it wasn't true.'

The excluded pupils at the school, which caters for 1,449 children aged 11-18, were ordered to spend the day in the 'behaviour inclusion centre'.

Ofsted inspectors have twice rated the school in Stamford, Lincs., as 'requiring improvement'.

Mr Ebenzer said: 'We had our best-attended open evening ever this week because people are attracted by these high standards. It was the same when I was at Fulham, we had pupils who could have gone to Eton but they came to us.

'We are talking about 1,500 pupils, and the overwhelming majority want high standards, that's why people feel safe and happy and can thrive at our school. Of course there will be some that don't want to do that but we've tried to engage and point out that if it's an issue with money, we can help.'

Ofsted inspectors have twice rated the school in Stamford, Lincs., as 'requiring improvement'

Chikayzea Flanders, right, pictured with his mother Tuesday, left, won case against Fulham Boys School, where Mr Ebenezer was previously the head teacher, which was found to have discriminated against the 12-year-old by insisting he should cut of his deadlocks

Mr Ebenezer said he also wants to improve standards in pupils' manners, posture, speech and body language at the school

Mr Ebenezer said he also wants to improve standards in pupils' manners, posture, speech and body language.

He added: 'I have excluded quite a lot of pupils so far, just for a day, and they come to school the next day with their parents and we have a chat.

'At the start it felt like I was excluding a pupil every half-an-hour just to get the point across.

'If I'm still doing that after half-term there will be a problem, but I don't think that will happen.

'I have told the teachers that the first half-term will be tough, but the culture will have changed by the time the school opens after the holidays. Then it will just be a hardcore left.

'There are just pockets of bad attitude which we are trying to change.

'With a significant number there is this idea that 'I won't do anything that I don't want to do'.

'The most serious thing is open defiance because if everyone did that there would be carnage.'

Mr Ebenezer was previously head at Fulham Boys School, where Rastafarian schoolboy Chikayzea Flanders was told his dreadlocks went against its uniform policy and was asked to shave off his hair if he wanted to attend lessons.

After a landmark legal battle, the Church of England free school, in West London, backed down and admitted to indirect discrimination and was ordered by the County Court to pay litigation costs and reach a settlement with the pupil and his mother.

Mr Ebenezer said following the case's conclusion in 2018: 'We received a complaint last year concerning a boy who is no longer on roll at our school. The complaint has be dealt with. We continue to rigorously enforce our uniform policy which is on our website.'
Liz Truss endured an awkward radio interview this morning as she was challenged over her removal of the ban on fracking.

The Prime Minister insisted that 'local community support' would be needed before the extraction of oil or gas from shale rock can take place in parts of Britain.

But she stuggled to set out how consent would be sought among local communities.

Ms Truss was also forced to admit she had never visited a Lancashire site where fracking had previously been attempted, before it was abandoned over concerns about tremors.

The PM defended her bid to revive fracking in the UK as part of efforts to boost the country's domestic energy supply following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

She insisted that Britain should not be left vulnerable to Vladimir Putin 'exerting pressure' through Russia's gas supplies to Europe.

But she issued a slapdown of Jacob Rees-Mogg, the Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Secretary, after he last week suggested opponents of fracking were 'luddites' and dismissed concerns about the extraction process as 'hysteria'.

Liz Truss this morning stuggled to set out how consent would be sought among local communities for fracking

The PM was also forced to admit she had never visited the Preston New Road site in Lancashire site where exploratory fracking has previously taken place

Ms Truss insisted that Britain should not be left vulnerable to Vladimir Putin 'exerting pressure' through Russia's gas supplies to Europe

'We will only press ahead with fracking in areas where there is local community support for that and the Business Secretary has been very clear about that,' Ms Truss told BBC Radio Lancashire.

'Fracking is carried out perfectly safely in various parts of the world and the Business Secretary will make sure that any fracking that takes place is safe.

'Because it's very important for me as Prime Minister that any fracking has local community consent.'

The PM insisted ministers 'simply don't want to be in that position' where Britain is vulnerable to Mr Putin 'exerting pressure' through Russia's gas supply to impact global energy prices.

'What I want to see is more home-grown energy in the UK,' she added.

'That means using resources in the North Sea, it means more renewables, it means more nuclear and it also means fracking in areas where there is local support.'

Ms Truss was challenged about a lack of support for fracking in Lancashire - including from local Tory MPs and the local council - as she promised the Government would be 'laying out in more detail' how consent would be sought.

Pressed on why she couldn't today rule out fracking in Lancashire due to widespread opposition in the county, Ms Truss replied: 'I don't accept the premise of your question.

'What I have said is, if there's local consent, we will go ahead. We need to explore where there is local consent and where there isn't and we're still doing that work.

'I don't think we should rule out the whole of Lancashire.'

The PM was then forced to admit she had never visited the Preston New Road site, around seven miles from Blackpool, where exploratory fracking took place before being abandoned after her predecessor Boris Johnson banned the extraction process in 2019.

Radio host Graham Liver compared the site to the location of fracking sites in America where it occurs 'in the middle of nowhere'.

'I don't think I've been to that site in the past,' Ms Truss responded.

Asked if she should visit Preston New Road, the PM added: 'As I've said, we will only go ahead with projects where there is local consent. I'm very, very clear about that.

'We will make sure that local consent is in place and if there is a concern about a particular site, those concerns will of course be looked at and taken into account.'

On Mr Rees-Mogg's criticism of fracking opponents as 'luddites', Ms Truss said: 'I wouldn't have expressed it like that, I can assure you.'

In response to the PM's local radio interview, the Liberal Democrat's accused Ms Truss of showing 'contempt' for rural communities'.

Wera Hobhouse MP, the party's energy and climate change spokesperson, said: 'Liz Truss's excruciating inability to answer even the most basic questions shows her talk of local consent is a sham.

'From Surrey and Sussex to Somerset and Shropshire, people are anxious that they will soon be part of a hair-brained experiment, with no say at all.

'Her own scientists refuse to say it's safe, her own Chancellor says it won't bring down prices and we all know it will only worsen the climate emergency.

'Why is the PM determined to impose such destruction on the British public?'
A retired grammar school teacher - hailed as 'true gentleman' by his former students - has died after he was allegedly attacked in the street.

Grandad Peter Ormerod, 75, was taken to hospital with serious injuries after the alleged attack on Saturday night.

But in a heartbreaking update, police said beloved Mr Ormerod - a respected former maths teacher - died from his injuries on Wednesday.

Detectives investigating the incident in waterside town of Burry Port, South Wales, at 10.45pm have already arrested a suspect.

Grandad Peter Ormerod, 75, was taken to hospital with serious injuries after the alleged attack on Saturday night. The retired teacher died of his injuries in hospital on Wednesday

Pictured is Station Road, in Burry Port, where Mr Ormerod was allegedly attacked on Saturday evening

Hywel Williams, 39, has appeared in court charged with grievous bodily harm and police are yet to say whether he will be charged with any further offence.

Williams, of Grangetown, Cardiff, was remanded in custody at Llanelli Magistrates Court.

News of widower Mr Ormerod's death sent shockwaves across the local community.

In a tribute, Mr Ormerod's family said: 'Peter was a well-respected teacher and member of the community a very loved and loving father, grandfather, brother and friend.'

Mr Ormerod previously taught at Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School for Boys in Carmarthen, and at the welsh language school Ysgol Bro Myrddin.

Mr Ormerod's death shocked his family and former students, who have all paid tribute to the beloved and 'well-respected' teacher

Former students described him as a 'fantastic' teacher and a 'true gentleman'.

Writing on social media, one said: 'So sad. He got me through 5 years of math in 6 months to pass O Level which I needed to get to college where other teachers had failed miserably!'

Another added: 'I had to resit my maths GCSE because my maths teacher was awful, he always sat us down and made sure we understood everything before he moved on. He was such a lovely man.'

A third wrote: 'Amazing teacher with time to help anyone. Deepest condolences to his family and friends.'
Suggested the vision could include axing the Duke of York from royal events

Believes William and Charles are 'on the same page' over the monarchy's future

Prince William and King Charles have been 'brought closer' by Megxit, while Prince Andrew will be axed from royal events after losing the 'protection' of the Queen, a royal author claimed today.

Katie Nicholl, author of The New Royals: Queen Elizabeth's Legacy and the Future of the Crown, said the heir to the throne chats with his father 'almost every day', with the pair 'on the same page' over the future of the monarchy.

She said their vision includes preventing Andrew from maintaining a visible role in the Royal Family in an attempt to move on from 'scandals past and present'. This was a reference to his relationship with paedophile US billionaire Jeffrey Epstein and claims - which he has long denied - that he sexually assaulted Virginia Giuffre when she was 17.

Ms Nicholl told Lorraine: I think Megxit inevitably brought William and Charles closer together. Charles already has the plan for his first five years ready to go and hes ready to hit the ground running and impress us as King.

Now Charles and William holiday together and speak on the phone almost every day. They are also on the same page on the future of the monarchy.'

Scroll down for video.

Katie Nicholl, author of The New Royals: Queen Elizabeth's Legacy and the Future of the Crown, said the heir to the throne chats with his father 'almost every day'

Asked about the Duke of York, she said: 'I think the Queen was protecting him. I had sources very close to the Queen who said she asked Andrew what had happened and put him on the spot.

'He said he was innocent, and as a mother as well as the Queen she did stand behind him until the end.

What will happen now is interesting. Weve seen Andrew be a key part of the royal mourning period but I dont think were going to see much of him  if anything  now.

'Charles is focused on the future of the Royal Family and his reign. Hes not going to want that to be affected by scandals past or present. There will be a real streamlining that we will see played out in real time.

In a more lighthearted moment of the interview, Ms Nicholl claimed that King Charles and Queen Consort Camilla had previously watched episodes of the Crown.

The Netflix show has long been criticised for painting a largely fictionalised portrait of royal life without a corresponding disclaimer for viewers.

Ms Nicholl said Prince Andrew would no longer appear at royal events during Charles' reign

The Prince and Princess of Wales visit St Thomas Church, a redeveloped church in Swansea on Tuesday

Ms Nicholl said: The Duchess has a wonderful sense of humour. They did watch the last series, I think the King stopped at a point.

'But the Duchess watched it and took it with a pinch of salt. Whether theyll be watching the next series, I guess now.

King Charles and wife Camilla made their first public appearance since the Queen's funeral on Sunday - greeting well-wishers at church.

The couple looked pensive as they were driven to Crathie Kirk, the Scottish parish church close to the Balmoral estate.

Charles, 73, wore black while Camilla, 75, appeared to be wearing black, grey and red check tartan under her sombre black coat.

King Charles and wife Camilla made their first public appearance since the Queen's funeral on Sunday - greeting well-wishers at church

Ms Nicholl told Lorraine: I think Megxit inevitably brought William and Charles closer together. Charles already has the plan for his first five years ready to go and hes ready to hit the ground running and impress us as King'

They looked serious but managed a smile for a small crowd of well-wishers as they arrived at the church.

It was the first time they had been seen in public since the State funeral for Queen Elizabeth II last Monday.

She attended services at Crathie Kirk regularly when she spent summers at Balmoral Castle, where she died earlier this month.
A British passenger has been found dead by his wife on board a flight from the UK to Cyprus.

The tourist, 63, lost consciousness on the flight to the city of Paphos on the southwest coast of the Mediterranean island.

He never regained his consciousness and his wife on the same flight alerted the crew.

The tourist, 63, lost consciousness on the flight to the city of Paphos on the southwest coast of the Mediterranean island (pictured: Paphos airport)

He was rushed to Paphos General Hospital by ambulance upon landing at 11pm local time yesterday.

But doctors at the hospital could only pronounce him dead on arrival.

A police source told the Cyprus Mail: 'We can confirm that he passed away during the flight but at the moment there's not much more we can say.'

They added they are not considering any criminal activity or anything suspicious about the death.

At the same airport last night, a 73-year-old woman travelling from Glasgow was seriously injured after falling from the plane's ladder upon arrival.

She was rushed to hospital in a serious condition with a head injury, broken collarbone and broken ribs.

Doctors say she is not in danger despite the horrific injuries.
Australians scored the deal of a lifetime thanks to an apparent glitch with a major airline and a booking website - securing return flights to Europe in summer for less than $300.

Return airfares from Sydney to Berlin in July normally cost around $3,000 - but on Thursday night social media was set on fire after someone found a roundtrip for a few hundred dollars.

The person discovered a flight with Etihad through SkyScanner for peak summer in 2023 - with the advertised flight plummeting in price when booked through the airline rather than a third-party.

Despite listing prices between $2,000 and $3,000, once through to payment the cost of the return trip fell to around $300.

The message was widely circulated on Facebook Messenger, with dozens of people jumping on the glitch before the company caught on and Etihad flights were removed from SkyScanner.

Flights from Sydney to Berlin Brandenburg for the extraordinarily low price of $300 return were available throughout the warm months

The message was widely circulated on Facebook Messenger, with dozens of people jumping on the glitch before the company caught on

Flights from Sydney to Berlin Brandenburg for the extraordinarily low price of $300 return were available throughout the warm months next year - representing a stunning coup for Aussie travellers.

Dozens of people reported grabbing the deal before it was removed from SkyScanner's website, finding fares from May through to August.

'I couldn't believe it, a mate shared the message with me and a few minutes later I'd booked it,' a man who wished not to be named told Daily Mail Australia.

'I had a European summer wedding anyway, so this is a crazy deal for me.'

The extremely cheap flights were with Etihad, one of the world's best airlines

Another traveller, who wished not to be named, said they had been looking at flights well over $3,000 for the same time.

'You barely get to Melbourne for $300 return these days,' the woman told Daily Mail Australia.

'To fly to Europe with a top airline in the middle of summer is madness. I can't believe it.'

The glitch was online for about an hour on Thursday night before all Etihad flights were removed from SkyScanner's website.

Etihad Airlines has been contacted for a comment.
Figures reveal a third of trials due to start in April, May, June were 'ineffective'

It means 'further investment of 54 million in the criminal bar and solicitors'

The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) has made a proposal on pay to end court walk outs

Barristers have slammed the Justice Secretary for announcing the deal to end its 25 weeks of strikes as 'premature' as their members still need to vote on the proposals.

Newly appointed Brandon Lewis has proposed reforms to legal aid advocacy work fees and an investment of 54 million in the criminal bar and solicitors after saying the 'disruptive' action is 'delaying justice for hundreds of victims'.

But the Criminal Bar Association (CBA) said the Government, in their view, had jumped the gun by releasing information on this latest package which is not a 'good start' to getting agreement from its members who will be balloted on the proposals as they continue their strike action.

It could still be some time before the backlog at the Crown Court is closed - which deal with the most serious offences like murder, rape and armed burglary accusations  as nearly 60,000 cases are still waiting to be heard, the highest number since Covid.

'A lack of defence advocate availability has become the primary reason,' the Ministry of Justice said in a report today, citing the CBA action.

If strikes continue there are fears criminal suspects could be released after High Court judges yesterday ruled that those on trial may not be kept in custody on remand after November if industrial action continues.

The Law Society - which represents solicitors - is also considering advising members not to undertake criminal defence work, meaning that there could be no lawyer at police stations and so suspects would not be interviewed, also in a pay dispute.

Barristers (pictured striking on September 6) will be asked to vote on whether to end strike action in the wake of fresh Government proposals in the row over pay, the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) said.

The Criminal Bar Association (CBA) has agreed to ballot members again but the barrister body said that it is not a 'good start' that the Government in their view had jumped the gun by releasing information on their latest package and talks

Criminal barristers from the Criminal Bar Association (CBA), demonstrates outside the Royal Courts of Justice in London, as part of their ongoing pay row with the Government on

Outstanding Crown Court cases, which deal with the most serious crimes are surging

Mr Lewis said: 'I greatly value the criminal bar and solicitors and the work they do every day in our crown and magistrates courts. They are crucial to reducing the backlog.

'My priority in these discussions has been to ensure that victims aren't forced to wait longer to see justice done.

Inside the barrister strike: Lawyers demand more than their 15% fee rise Barristers in England and Wales are taking part in a continuous walkout after the dispute over conditions and Government-set fees for legal aid advocacy work intensified. Prior to that, they had striking on alternate weeks and have refused to carry out certain types of work. Criminal barristers are due to receive a 15% fee rise from the end of September, meaning they will earn an extra 7,000 per year. But there has been anger the proposed pay rise will not be made effective immediately and will apply only to new cases, not those already sitting in the backlog waiting to be dealt with by courts. Justice Secretary Brandon Lewis has proposed further reforms to Government-set fees for legal aid advocacy work and an investment of 54 million in the criminal bar and solicitors', the MoJ said. Advertisement

'These are generous proposals, and I would strongly urge all members of the Criminal Bar Association to consider carefully, end their strike and work with me to deliver better outcomes for victims of crime.'

The Ministry of Justice will make 3million of funding available for case preparation like written work and special preparation.

A further 4 million will be allocated to defence barristers involved in pre-recorded cross-examinations, which are used to reduce the trauma of a trial for vulnerable victims and witnesses.

The Ministry of Justice is also proposing a 5 million uplift per year for fees in the youth court, from the 2024/25 financial year, expected to benefit both solicitors and some junior barristers.

The CBA said on Twitter: 'The members of the CBA will be balloted on suspending action on the basis of an interim package.

'The details are being discussed with our members. It is not a good start that the Lord Chancellor Brandon Lewis has insisted on going ahead with a premature press release.

'The CBA leadership has always maintained to members, since action started in April that should any material improvement come from government towards meeting our six balloted demands made clear end February and balloted on in March, all to address unpaid work done by criminal barristers, then we would put such material improvements to CBA members in a fresh ballot where it would be for them to decide on whether or not to suspend any action pending any interim package and lasting settlement.'

A body spokesman added: 'The CBA leadership has always maintained to its criminal barrister members since the action started in April that should there be any material improvement from Government to meet our six balloted demands [..] to address payment for all work done by criminal barristers, then we would put this to members in a new ballot where it would be for them to decide whether or not to suspend any action, pending any lasting settlement.

'That moment has not yet come but constructive talks have accelerated.'

But the strike action has already devastated the system where it now takes 13 months for a Crown Courts - where the most serious crimes are tried - to deal with a case where the defendant pleads not guilty, MoJ figures reveal.

The industrial action has already made almost one-third of Crown Court trials that were due to start in April, May and June 'ineffective'.

The outstanding caseload increased in a year by 2% and has moved in 2022 from 58,398 at the end of March to 59,687 in June.

Outstanding trials are up from 27% in the previous quarter and at their highest level seen

However, magistrates' court - where people do not always appear with a barrister but the Crown does - saw 333,887 outstanding cases at the end of July 2022.

This represents a 2% decrease on the previous quarter (342,056) and a 21% decrease on the series peak seen at the start of 2020 (422,169).

The time from offence to completion at the magistrates' court fell by 4%, to 189 median days, but remains above pre-Covid levels.

The MoJ said the 15% pay increase will now apply to the 'vast majority of cases currently in the crown court' as well as provide a pay rise for solicitors, with further measures due to be announced in the coming weeks.

The CBA and the Bar Council have also 'committed to working together with the Government to reduce the courts backlog and increasing diversity among barristers', the department said.

Measures designed to reduce delays for victims - such as increasing early resolution of cases, reducing the number of ineffective trials and progressing cases between magistrates' courts and the crown court - will be explored, a MoJ spokesman added.

Mr Lewis becomes the ninth appointee to the office of the Lord Chancellor - which can be traced back to before the Norman Conquest - since the Conservatives came to power in coalition with the Liberal Democrats following the 2010 election

Meanwhile Law Society president Stephanie Boyce said today. 'The criminal justice system is in crisis and the government is falling way short of addressing it. You cannot fix the problems in the system unless you fund all parts of it effectively.'

'Reaching a compromise with criminal barristers but not providing parity for solicitors is short-sighted given it is solicitors who make up the greater part of the criminal defence sector. The independent review the government commissioned made clear solicitors are in an even worse financial situation than their counterparts.

'Solicitors are the backbone of the criminal justice system, advising their clients from the first moment at the police station, through to passing of a sentence.

'They are not taking short-term disruptive action. They are simply leaving the profession permanently, in ever greater numbers because the work is not financially viable.

'And yet the government is currently proposing only a 9% rate increase for solicitors, 40% less than the 15% being offered to barristers, and far less than the bare minimum the Bellamy report concluded was needed for criminal defence solicitors' firms to remain economically viable.

'Either the government thinks Lord Bellamy, who is now a minister, was wrong to insist on a 15% uplift for solicitors or they have simply decided to ignore him.

'Trust in the criminal justice system is in real jeopardy and a system collapse would embolden criminals.

'We are meeting ministers urgently today.'

After hailing the work of the judiciary and court staff during the Covid-19 pandemic and efforts to cut down the case backlog, Mr Lewis said: 'I am hopeful to now see an end to the disruptive strike action that risks undoing the progress made [...] and means delaying justice for hundreds of victims.

He said the Criminal Bar Association (CBA) will be balloting its members on 'generous' proposals from the Government.

Mr Lewis said: 'I am pleased to have reached an agreement with the leadership of the criminal bar today [...] these [proposals] are generous and I would encourage CBA members to consider them carefully and positively.'

A qualified barrister, Mr Lewis swore allegiance to new King Charles III in front of senior judges and lawyers during a grand ceremony in the gothic building's Court 4.

He becomes the ninth appointee to the office of the Lord Chancellor - which can be traced back to before the Norman Conquest - since the Conservatives came to power in coalition with the Liberal Democrats following the 2010 election.

Justice Secretary Brandon Lewis, alongside Lord Chief Justice Lord Burnett and Master of the Rolls Sir Geoffrey Vos, are pictured at the Royal Courts of Justice, in central London, ahead of his swearing in ceremony as Lord Chancellor

Michael Ellis KC, elected as Conservative MP for Northampton North in May 2010, was also sworn in as Attorney General, while Solicitor General Michael Tomlinson, Tory MP for Mid Dorset and North Poole, also made the official declaration for his role.

Elsewhere in his speech, Mr Lewis, wearing a wig and dressed in traditional gold and black robes, said it was a 'huge honour' to take up his role.

He highlighted the global standing of the English legal system and its economic impact.

Mr Lewis said the legal services sector contributed 'over 29 billion worth of gross value add' to the economy each year.

'I want to make sure that justice continues to drive our economic growth,' he said.

Mr Lewis said he wanted to see 'a modern justice system that is built around the people who use it'.

He added that he wanted to explore options for improving the probation service, adding: 'I'm determined to make public protection the overriding factor in parole decisions.'

The Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales, Lord Burnett of Maldon, welcomed Mr Lewis to his new position and told him: 'Governments never have enough money to do all that they would wish.

'It is perhaps not unfair to say that justice has suffered more than it should have done over the last decade.

'We look forward to admiring your powers of persuasion and advocacy skills in your dealings with the Treasury.'

Newly appointed Brandon Lewis (pictured today, at the Royal Courts of Justice, in central London, ahead of his swearing in ceremony as Lord Chancellor) has proposed 'further reforms to Government-set fees for legal aid advocacy work and an in vestment of 54 million in the criminal bar and solicitors', the Ministry of Justice said

The Lord Chief Justice added: 'The problems and challenges that we face in the administration of justice were exacerbated by the Covid pandemic.

'Outstanding caseloads in many jurisdictions remain worrying high and a great deal of work is being undertaken to improve the throughput of cases to bring down backlogs and improve timeliness.

'That work requires the calm co-operation of all the major players in each jurisdiction and, critically, the policy, legislative and political support of the Ministry of Justice and its ministers.

'We have interesting times ahead, my Lord Chancellor.'

Mr Lewis, whose resignation as Northern Ireland secretary piled pressure on former prime minister Boris Johnson to resign from No 10, replaced Rishi Sunak-supporter Dominic Raab as Justice Secretary.

Mr Lewis initially backed Nadhim Zahawi in the Conservative leadership race before pledging his support to Liz Truss.

He is married with two children and has served as MP for Great Yarmouth since 2010 and previously occupied ministerial roles at the Department for Communities and Local Government - now known as Levelling Up, Housing and Communities.

A former leader of Brentwood Borough Council, Mr Lewis was made a CBE for political and public service in September 2019.

Earlier this month, crown court judges' Peter Blair and Tina Landale refused to extend the custody time limits of defendants after their trials were delayed due to ongoing industrial action by members of the Criminal Bar Association (CBA).

The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Max Hill KC then brought a challenge against the two separate cases made in Bristol and Manchester which involve an alleged rapist, two men accused of causing grievous bodily harm and an alleged sexual offender.

The crown court judges' Peter Blair (on left, who sits at Bristol) and Tina Landale (right, who sits in Manchester) refused to extend the custody time limits after their trials were delayed due to ongoing industrial action by members of the Criminal Bar Association (CBA)

Dame Victoria Sharp and Mr Justice Chamberlain from the High Court then ruled on Wednesday that the judges in those cases 'fell into legal error' when refusing to keep defendants behind bars.

However, they warned that, if the dispute between the CBA and the Government continues beyond the end of November then it is 'unlikely' to remain a valid reason.

They also refused to overturn the decisions not to extend the custody time limits, as they have now expired, meaning there is no power to extend them but did say there is 'good' reason to continue to keep defendants in jail.

It comes as hearings across England and Wales in recent weeks have been adjourned as the CBA demands a 25 per cent pay rise in legal aid fees to curb an exodus of young barristers.

Yesterday, the CBA did say discussions with the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) are 'progressing at pace and remain constructive' after they met new Justice Secretary Brandon Lewis last week.

However its industrial action resumed on Wednesday morning so members could air their concerns about the 'obvious and critical' crisis in the criminal justice system, the body said.

The High Court judges added that the question of whether such adjournments do represent a sufficient cause for extending a time limit 'will be case-specific' and require the consideration of a number of factors in cases.

Both judges said that, for the time being, adjournments to trials resulting from the unavailability of defence counsel 'may' be a 'good and sufficient cause' to extend custody time limits.

But they then added that the 'relevant point at which the unavailability of legal representation can properly be described as chronic or routine is likely to be reached by the last week in November 2022'.

But Dame Victoria Sharp and Mr Justice Chamberlain from the High Court (pictured) ruled on Wednesday that the judges in those cases 'fell into legal error' when refusing to keep defendants behind bars

This is due to it being three months on from the announcement of the CBA's indefinite strike action.

The judges added: 'Once this point is reached, the absence of legal representation in the context of the CBA action is unlikely to be capable of supplying a sufficient reason for extending custody time limits.'

They also described the current strike action as 'unprecedented' and warned Crown Court judges they must 'refrain from endorsing the position of either side' in the ongoing dispute - but that did not mean they had to 'ignore reality'.

They said: 'Indeed, they must scrupulously avoid doing so, whatever their own personal views about the merits. In short, they must not enter the fray.

'This does not mean, however, that judges are required to ignore reality. If, as a matter of fact, the effect of the CBA action is to make representation unavailable in a large proportion of cases, that fact must be confronted.'

The CBA demands a 25 per cent pay rise in legal aid fees to curb an exodus of young barristers - but the Government has refused to negotiate on its 15 per cent offer

Their ruling said it was not necessary for judges 'to inquire into the root causes of the present dispute' and that 'attribution of fault is irrelevant'.

At a hearing earlier this week, lawyers representing Mr Hill argued the Crown Court judges were 'wrong' to express views over the merits of the pay dispute between the Government and lawyers.

The judges had concluded that the unavailability of defence barristers, due to ongoing industrial action by members of the CBA was not a 'good and sufficient cause' to keep the defendants locked up on remand while their trials were delayed.

Tom Little KC, representing the DPP, argued in written submissions at a hearing in London on Monday that it was 'inappropriate for applications for extensions to custody time limits to be determined based on the individual views of judges as to the competing arguments in the dispute'.

He added: 'While it is invidious for any view at all to be expressed on the merits of the industrial action, the prospect that judges will reach different conclusions on the issue is one which will lead to inconsistent and unfair results.'

Criminal barristers gathering in protest at the Supreme Court on September 6 amid strike action (today, the Royal Courts of Justice) across England and Wales

In recent weeks, court hearings across England and Wales have been put off due to the unavailability of some barristers who are taking part in the continuous walkout.

Mr Hill has previously described the issues raised by the cases at the centre of his challenge as 'a matter of the greatest importance to the running of the criminal justice system in the next few weeks'.

Judge Peter Blair KC, sitting at Bristol Crown Court earlier this month, ruled that the absence of a lawyer arose out of the 'chronic and predictable consequences of long-term underfunding', highlighting that the Government had 'many, many months' to resolve the pay dispute.

Mr Little argued that Judge Tina Landale, who reached the same view in a separate case in Manchester, placed 'tacit reliance' on Judge Blair's ruling, with her judgment's wording being 'either identical or similar'.

He told the court that 'properly analysed, these two respective decisions involved a view being expressed as to fault'.

He added: 'In other words, this is the Government's fault.' Mr Little added: 'The judges formed a view which they expressed in the course of their ruling which was one, we submit, should not have been formed.'

David Hughes, representing a Bristol defendant - who is an interested party to the High Court challenge, along with the two defendants in the Manchester case - said Judge Blair said 'nothing [...] that was wrong, improper or inaccurate' and made 'no error of law'.

The barrister said Judge Blair was not expressing a view but 'just expressing what the reality of the situation is', including that the dispute has been going on for many months.

Benjamin Knight, representing one of the Manchester defendants, said that Judge Landale 'did not stray into assessing the merits of the CBA action' but had noted it was 'foreseen and foreseeable... that such a problem would arise'.

Criminal barristers from the Criminal Bar Association (CBA), demonstrate yesterday morning outside the Royal Courts of Justice in London, as part of their ongoing pay row with the Government

Barry Grennan, representing the other Manchester defendant, argued that the barrister pay dispute had become a 'predictable and persistent problem' that dated back to April.

Bruno Min, legal director at Fair Trials, a criminal justice campaign organisation, said: 'It is unjust to hold people awaiting trial in prison for extended periods of time because of failings within the criminal justice system.

'But thousands of legally innocent people have been held in prison for over six months because of the long-standing backlog of criminal cases.

'Instead of challenging judges' decisions to release people, the Government should be taking urgent steps to tackle the underlying causes of the crisis within the criminal justice in England and Wales.'

According to Manchester Evening News, the alleged rapist, the two men accused of causing grievous bodily harm and the alleged sexual offender have been released on conditional bail.

A Ministry of Justice spokesperson said: 'We welcome the judgment which recognises that the ongoing strike action does give sufficient cause to extend custody time limits.

'Judges make bail decisions independently of Government but protecting the public will remain our top priority.'

Meanwhile, CBA chair Kirsty Brimelow KC told striking barristers gathered outside the Royal Courts of Justice in London on Wednesday that they launched the industrial action to 'highlight the justice system being on its knees and the appalling rates of pay that our junior barristers are expected to work under'.

Criminal barristers from the Criminal Bar Association (CBA), which represents barristers in England and Wales, outside Manchester Crown Court on the first of several days of court walkouts earlier this year

Demonstrations also took place outside Liverpool and Exeter crown courts as the action continued for its 25th week despite calls from Mr Lewis for barristers to return to work.

Telling how junior barristers earn an average income of 12,200 in the first three years, Ms Brimelow said: 'We continue to fight for our criminal justice system and for one of which we once again want to be proud.

'We share the same vision as the Ministry of Justice of having a world class criminal justice system. We can no longer speak about a justice system that is anything other than broken.'

Anoushka Twining, a junior barrister who has been practising for just over 18 months, said the work that she and colleagues were doing was 'not sustainable' because many hours largely go unpaid and they effectively earn a rate that is 'less than minimum wage'.

Talented barristers were being put off the job as a result, with juniors leaving the profession because 'they simply cannot sustain themselves, their households, if they have young families, and that's causing a problem now,' she said.

She added: 'This is going to be a problem in three years, it's going to be a problem in 30 years when we don't have enough prosecutors and enough defence barristers to do the most serious work the criminal justice system requires of us. That will be a devastating thing for this country.'
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Hundreds of royal fans are queuing outside Windsor Castle as it opens to members of the public for the first time since the Queens death.

It is the first opportunity the public have had to view Her Majesty's final resting place and see the ledger stone in the George VI memorial chapel which is inscribed with her name.

Wrapped up in coats and jumpers, crowds waited patiently in the chilly autumnal morning, with bright sunshine beaming down.

Anne Daley, 65, from Cardiff, and Grace Gotharg, from Ghana but who lives in London, were the first people in the queue, having arrived at Windsor Castle at 7.30am.

Ms Daley said she felt emotional about entering, adding: 'The castle feels like empty, gloomy. Nobodys living in it. You know, youve lost the Queen, youve lost the duke, you lost the corgis.

'Its like when youve sold your house and all the history is gone.'

In scenes that replicated the lines to see the Queen lying-in-state in London earlier this month, queues stretched across the grounds of Windsor Castle this morning

The enormous line stretched right the way through Windsor today as tourists flocked to become among the first people in the world to visit the Queen's resting place after it was opened

Royal fans have been queuing in line since 7.30am today as Windsor Castle reopens to the public for the first time since the Queen's death

The ledger stone in the Chapel is made from Belgian black marble and has the Queen's name inscribed in gold lettering, alongside the Queen mother 's, the former King and the Duke of Edinburgh , who died aged 99 in April 2021

Hundreds of people have been patiently waiting their turn to view Her Majesty's final resting place and see the ledger stone in the George VI memorial chapel

Members of the public walked slowly past the Queen's tomb, but they did not stop, as they had been instructed not to do so by members of staff.

Grace Gogharg and Anne Daley looking solemn while leaving after visiting Windsor Castle and St George's Chapel this morning

Both Ms Daley and Ms Gotharg had been supporters of the monarchy for a long time.

Ms Daley said: 'My father was in the Irish Guards and he did the coronation. So I had an interest from when I was a little girl.'

Ms Gotharg added: 'I am from the Commonwealth so I knew the Queen before I came here.

'She did a good job as head of the Commonwealth. She was a good woman and a good mother. Everybody loves her.'

The pair, who became friends at the unveiling of the Diana, Princess of Wales statue outside Kensington Palace in July 2021, were among the first people to see the Queen lying in state in Westminster Hall.

Ms Daley said: 'We waited at Lambeth Bridge on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, when we eventually got in at 5pm.'

Darren Martin, 43, from near Melbourne in Australia, was the next person in the queue.

Crowds were wrapped up in coats and jumpers as they waited in the chilly autumnal air to catch a glimpse of the beloved monarch's tomb this morning

Once inside the Queen's final resting place, the crowd shuffled round the walls of the chapel, passing the tombs of other monarchs and the main seating area.

Darren Martin, 43, from near Melbourne in Australia, is a royal super fan and used to 'fantasize' about his grandmother being the Queen. He was part of the crowds in Windsor today

Royal super fans Sky London and John Lowry were wearing Union flag-themed hats and 'Queen' T-shirts as they waited to walk into St George's Chapel

Soldiers from the Scots Guards, in their distinctive bearskin hats, treated visitors to a photo opportunity as they marched into Windsor Castle on Thursday morning

Inside the grounds of Windsor Castle, the queue into St George's Chapel was long, running the whole way along the outside of the building. Signs saying 'no photography' were plastered on many posts and pillars.

He travelled to the UK two weeks ago because of the Queens death.

Mr Martin said: 'I arrived in time to do the queue and camped out for the funeral. Ive driven all the way to Balmoral, Holyroodhouse and Sandringham.

'I then had a little bit of a holiday in Sussex and Cornwall. Ive come here today for my final send-off before I go back home.

'She was somebody that I admired very much for her service, everything that she did and everything she stood for.

'My grandparents liked the royal family. My grandmother reminded me of the Queen. As a child I fantasised about my own grandmother being the Queen and that stood with my throughout my life.'

In 2013 Mr Martin brought his two 85-year-old grandparents to the UK and they visited many of the royal sites.

He said: 'Its been quite an emotional experience coming back, but I think it was just something I felt really deeply and strongly about doing.

Line for the last full day of The Queen's lying-in-state in London

Members of the public wrapped in blankets wait in the queue to pay their respects

Members of the public file past the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II, draped in the Royal Standard with the Imperial State Crown and the Sovereign's orb and sceptre, lying in state on the catafalque in Westminster Hall

People queue to pay their respects to the Queen lying in state at the Palace of Westminster

A satellite image shows queues of people waiting to pay their respects to Queen Elizabeth while she was lying in state

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

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

'It wouldnt have been the same just sitting at home watching everything on TV. I felt strongly enough to be here in person.'

Inside the grounds of Windsor Castle, the queue into St George's Chapel was long, running the whole way along the outside of the building.

Signs saying "no photography" were plastered on many posts and pillars.

Once inside, the crowd shuffled round the walls of the chapel, passing the tombs of other monarchs and the main seating area.

After looping round the front of the building, they entered the back part of the chapel.

There, on the left, in a tomb behind a black railing, lies Queen Elizabeth II.

Her gravestone is black with gold writing and several wreaths with flowers of various colours remain on top and around it.

Members of the public walked slowly past the tomb, but they did not stop, as they had been instructed not to do so by members of staff.

The queue then proceeded slowly through the chapel, past the altar and over tombstones of other previous monarchs.

Ms Gotharg and Ms Daley said it was 'sad' and 'emotional' to see the Queens gravestone.

Ms Gotharg said: 'It was sad to see her lying down there, like we saw in Westminster. It was so emotional.

'Im so glad Ive seen her for the last time.'

Ms Daley added: 'Thats finality, seeing the gravestone. It confirms to you that thats it over and done. Elizabeth II... thats her reign finished.'
Tens of thousands of Russians have been flooding into Finland this week

The government said the influx of tourists is damaging its international relations

Russians on tourist visas will not be able to enter Finland after midnight

Finland is closing its borders to Russian tourists from midnight tonight after a huge influx of military aged men fled the country after Putin's mobilisation order.

Passenger traffic on the border will be significantly limited, with Russian civilians on tourist visas no longer allowed to enter the Nordic country.

Foreign minister Pekka Haavisto said: 'The decision in principle aims to completely prevent Russian tourism to Finland and the related transit through Finland.'

The government justified its decision by saying that continued arrivals of Russian tourists in Finland is endangering the country's international relations without specifying further.

Entry for family visits, as well as for work and studies, will still be permitted, he added.

Vehicles coming from Russia wait in lines at the Vaalimaa border check point between Finland and Russia in Virolahti

Finnish border guards check the cars at the Vaalimaa border check yesterday amid the mass exodus

Fearing the border may close 'forever' after the Russian President's mobilisation order for the war in Ukraine, Russians are rushing to flee across Finland's Vaalimaa border crossing

Haavisto said the mobilisation order had a 'significant impact' on his decision.

At the start of the month, Finland slashed the number of visas - including for tourism purposes - issued to Russian citizens.

Only a tenth of the usual number of visas were issued in a move seen as a show of solidarity with Ukraine.

Around 200,000 Russians are believed to have fled the country in the past week, rushing to Georgia, Finland, Kazakhstan and Mongolia to escape a potential call-up to the front lines of the war.

The Interior Ministry of Georgia said over 53,000 Russians have entered the country since last week, while Interior Ministry officials in Kazakhstan said 98,000 crossed into that nation.

People entering Finland reach the passport control area while border guards officers check the vehicles this morning

At the start of the month, Finland slashed the number of visas - including for tourism purposes - issued to Russian citizens

The Finnish Border Guard agency said over 43,000 arrived in the same period. Media reports also said another 3,000 Russians entered Mongolia, which also shares a border with the country.

The number who have fled now likely exceeds the number of troops in Putin's original invasion forces, military intelligence suggests.

The British Ministry of Defence said in its daily update today: 'In the seven days since President Putin announced the 'partial mobilisation' there has been a considerable exodus of Russians seeking to evade call-up.

'Whilst exact numbers are unclear, it likely exceeds the size of the total invasion force Russia fielded in February 2022.

'The better off and well educated are over-represented amongst those attempting to leave Russia.

Viktor Zakarov, a 35-year-old scientist from Saint Petersburg, holds one of his three children after passing the passport check

Foreign minister Pekka Haavisto said: 'The decision in principle aims to completely prevent Russian tourism to Finland and the related transit through Finland'

'When combined with those reservists who are being mobilised, the domestic economic impact of reduced availability of labour and the acceleration of 'brain drain' is likely to become increasingly significant.'

The mass exodus has created miles-long lines for days at some borders, and local Russian authorities on one area along the border with Georgia said they would start providing food, water, warming stations and other aid to those in line.

Moscow also reportedly set up draft offices at borders to intercept some of those trying to leave.

Fearing the border may close 'forever', Russians have in the past week been rushing to flee across Finland's Vaalimaa crossing.

'Many people are afraid,' says Oleg, a bar owner from Moscow who crossed over to the Finnish side.

'The mobilisation is a first sign that something worse might happen.'

People entering Finland walk towards the waiting area after passing the passport control

Passenger traffic on the border will be significantly limited, with Russian civilians on tourist visas no longer allowed to enter the Nordic country

He fears the border might 'close forever' and Russians 'will live in a totalitarian state where they can't do anything at all'.

'I live in a country which sinks a little more every day,' he explains.

Finland said on Monday that more Russians came to the country over the weekend than any other weekend so far this year.

Viktor Zakharov - who arrived in Finland with his partner and their three children - says he has five friends who have left Russia since the mobilisation.

While the 35-year-old scientist from Saint Petersburg does not have a military background and is not part of the mobilisation, he is worried the situation might change.

'If you are not fit today you can be tomorrow and be in the army,' he says, as the travellers wait patiently for their vehicles to be inspected by Finnish border guards.

Zakharov - who is headed for Israel - drove his fully packed SUV through the Russian side in 30 minutes and then spent one-and-a-half hours making his way through the Finnish crossing.

The borders with Kazakhstan and Mongolia have been overwhelmed an influx of Russian nationals

Relatives and taxi drivers wait for Russian tourists crossing over to Georgia from Verkhni Lars customs checkpoint

People arriving from Russia wait at the Mongolian border checkpoint of Altanbulag as they flee conscription

A group of Russians walk after crossing the border at Verkhny Lars between Georgia and Russia in Georgia, Tuesday, Sept. 27, 2022

A group of Russian men walk with their bicycles after crossing the border at Verkhny Lars between Georgia and Russia in Georgia, Tuesday, Sept. 27, 2022. Long lines of vehicles have formed at a border crossing between Russia's North Ossetia region and Georgia after Moscow announced a partial military mobilisation

Queues of traffic have been growing on Russia's borders with neighbouring countries. This satellite image shows traffic at the Khyagt border post on Russia's border with Mongolia on September 23

Despite being in Finland, 'the feeling of freedom has not come yet because of the sleepless nights and the packing, and to be honest it's not clear yet,' he explains as he hands pieces of candy to his children.

State employee Vadim arrived by bus. He left his mother in charge of looking after his apartment in Moscow, and hopes to return soon.

'I have heard about many cases of young men being deported and not being able to cross because of the mobilisation,' he says.

'I can't say I'm happy, I can't with the world's situation.'

In July, Finland passed new amendments to its Border Guard Act to facilitate the construction of sturdier fences on the Nordic country's 800-mile eastern border with Russia.

As it stands, Finland's borders are secured primarily with light wooden fences, mainly designed to stop livestock from wandering to the wrong side.

On Tuesday, the Finnish border guard said it believes it will be necessary to build 150 miles of barriers in high-risk areas.

'The physical barrier itself is indispensable in a large-scale entry situation, acting as a barrier and an element of diversion for potential crowds,' the border guard said in a statement.

The fence still requires a political decision.




The Supreme Court on Thursday finalized a seven-year prison term handed down to a noncommissioned Air Force officer for sexually abusing a female colleague who later took her own life.







The master sergeant, only identified by his surname Jang, was charged with groping Lee Ye-ram, then a 23-year-old female master sergeant affiliated with the Air Force's 20th Fighter Wing, in March 2021. Jang was also accused of blackmailing her not to report the case to the authorities while sending threatening text messages.







The case drew intense public fury as Lee took her own life two months after the case.







A military court initially sentenced Jang to nine years in prison, but the military appellate court commuted the jail term to seven years, saying that he cannot be solely responsible for Lee's death.







Following Thursday's ruling, Lee's family expressed regret, saying that the lower courts could not convict Jang of threatening charges due to the lack of evidence.







Earlier this year, the National Assembly unanimously passed a bill mandating an independent special counsel probe into the case, including whether any defense ministry and Air Force officials attempted to cover it up.







Special prosecutor Ahn Mi-young wrapped up the investigation earlier this month and indicted five Air Force officers and two others on charges of attempting to cover up the abuse case or defaming the victim. (Yonhap)


Kamala Harris continued an embarrassing week for the White House by mistakenly touting the U.S. alliance with 'the Republic of North Korea'  just one day after President Joe Biden called out for a dead congresswoman at an event on ending hunger.

The vice president concluded her trip through Asia with a visit to the Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) on Thursday where she made the gaffe confusing the communist North Korea with U.S. ally nation of South Korea.

'The United States shares a very important relationship, which is an alliance with the Republic of North Korea,' Harris said during a speech at the DMZ Thursday, intending to refer to the Republic of Korea, the official name of South Korea.

'It is an alliance that is strong and enduring,' she continued, not appearing to recognize her mistake.

A communications advisor for Texas Senator Ted Cruz called Harris a 'flat out moron' for her remarks.

'I cannot state enough that the commitment of the United States to the defense of the Republic of Korea is iron-clad, and that we will do everything in our power to ensure that it has meaning in every way that the words suggest,' Harris added in her remarks.

'In the South, we see a thriving democracy,' she added. 'In the North, we see a brutal dictatorship.'

Her remarks professing U.S. support for South Korea's defense came as North Korea launched yet another missile on Thursday in the face of the vice president's trip to Asia.

The mix up between the North and South Korean nations came on the heels of a disastrous clean-up by the White House to try and explain away Biden forgetting that Representative Jackie Walorski died in a car crash last month.

Vice President Kamala Harris uses binoculars at the military observation post as she visits the demilitarized zone separating the two Koreas, in Panmunjom, South Korea on Thursday as she wraps her four-day trip through Asia

During remarks at the conclusion of her visit to the DMZ, Harris touted the alliance the U.S. has with 'the Republican North Korea'  an embarrassing gaffe on the heels of President Joe Biden asking the crowd to identify a decease congresswoman the day prior

Harris looked through chunky binoculars as she toured the DMZ between U.S. ally nation of South Korea and communist North Korea

The stenographer's transcript for the vice president showed the word 'North' crossed out for her remarks despite Harris not correcting her mistake in real-time during the speech. This is common practice for the White House stenographers when fact-checking transcripts

Biden, 79, asked a crowd gathered Wednesday for the White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health in Washington, D.C. where Walorski was located as he thanked lawmakers for their work on a plan to end hunger in the U.S. by 2030.

He interrupted his own remarks to ask: 'Jackie, are you here?'

'Where's Jackie? She must not be here,' Biden concluded.

The White House engaged in a confusing and nonsensical explanation for why Biden was looking for the late congresswoman, claiming she was 'at top of mind.'

Biden's Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre insisted that it's 'not unusual' for people to say the names of deceased individuals when they are 'at top of mind,' a phrase she continued to repeat throughout her briefing Wednesday during questions from multiple outlets including CNN, CBS and The Washington Post.

Now, the vice president has made a gaffe within 24 hours of the president's mess up by confusing which country the U.S. has a 'strong alliance'.

Texas Representative Troy Nehls hopped on both Harris' mistake and the White House's excuse for Biden's gaffe in one tweet Thursday.

'Everything's fine!' he sarcastically wrote along with a video of the vice president. 'North Korea was just 'top of mind' for the Vice President.'

Harris capped her four-day trip to Asia with a stop at the Demilitarized Zone dividing the Korean Peninsula as she emphasized U.S. commitment to the security of its Asian allies in the face of an increasingly hostile North Korea.

The visit comes on the heels of North Korea's latest missile launches and amid concerns that the country may conduct a nuclear test, which would be the seventh since 2006 and first since 2017.

Harris' speech at the DMZ comes as North Korea conducted yet another missile test off its nation's eastern coast. Pictured: A TV screen shows a file image of a North Korean missile launch after South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff said the neighbors to the north conducted a third round of missile tests

Harris toured the DMZ with an American officer, who pointed out some of the defenses along the military demarcation line. 'It's so close,' Harris said

The communist nation fired two short-range ballistic missiles on Wednesday, while Harris was in Japan; fired one before she left Washington on Sunday; and yet another one off its east coast on Thursday, according to South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Harris described the North Korean missile launches as provocations meant to 'destabilize the region' and said the U.S. and South Korea remain committed to the 'complete denuclearization' of the North.

The launches contribute to a record level of missile testing this year that is intended to move North Korea closer to being acknowledged as a full-fledged nuclear power.

Visiting the DMZ has become something of a ritual for American leaders hoping to show their resolve to stand firm against aggression  Donald Trump traveled there during his presidency and met with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.

At the DMZ, Harris went to the top of a ridge, near guard towers and security cameras.

She looked through bulky binoculars as a South Korean officer pointed out military installations on the southern side.

Harris stands next to the demarcation line at the demilitarized zone (DMZ) separating the two Koreas  on the heels of North Korea launching yet another missile Thursday in the face of her four-day Asia trip

An American officer pointed out some of the defenses along the military demarcation line, including barbed-wire fences and claymore mines. He said American soldiers regularly walk patrols along a path.

'It's so close,' Harris said.

She then visited one of a row of blue buildings that straddle the demarcation line, where an American officer explained how the buildings are still used to conduct negotiations with North Korea. Sometimes they pass messages back and forth and sometimes they use a megaphone, he said.

'That's high tech,' Harris joked, adding, 'We've stepped into history.'

'It's still going,' the colonel said.

Harris agreed. 'The past and present are happening every day.'

She then walked out of the building and up to the demarcation line. On the North Korean side, two figures dressed in what appeared to be hazmat suits peeked out from behind a curtain in a second-floor window. Then they disappeared back inside.

Earlier, Harris met with South Korean president Yoon Suk Yeol at his office in Seoul and reaffirmed the US commitment to defend the South with a full range of its military capabilities in the event of war, Yoon's office said.

They expressed concern over North Korea's threats of nuclear conflict and pledged an unspecified stronger response to major North Korean provocations, including a nuclear test.

Harris and Yoon were also expected to discuss expanding economic and technology partnerships and repairing recently strained ties between South Korea and Japan to strengthen their trilateral cooperation with Washington in the region.

Their meeting also touched on Taiwan, with both reaffirming their countries' support for 'peace and stability' in the Taiwan Strait, according to Yoon's office, which did not elaborate.

Kamala Harris and South Kore's president Yoon Suk Yeol shake hands during a bilateral meeting in Seoul

Harris' trip was organized so she could attend the state funeral of former Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe, but her itinerary was dominated by security concerns, a reflection of fears about China's growing power and North Korea's ramped-up testing activity.

In every meeting, Harris tried to lay to rest any fears that the United States was wavering in its commitment to protect its allies, describing American partnerships with South Korea and Japan as the 'linchpin' and 'cornerstone' of its defense strategy in Asia.

Yoon, who took office earlier this year, had anchored his election campaign with vows to deepen Seoul's economic and security partnership with Washington to navigate challenges posed by the North Korean threat and address potential supply chain risks caused by the pandemic, the US-China rivalry and Russia's war on Ukraine. But the alliance has been marked by tension recently.

South Koreans have decried a new law signed by US president Joe Biden that prevents electric cars built outside of North America from being eligible for US government subsidies, undermining the competitiveness of carmakers like Seoul-based Hyundai.

During their meeting, Harris told Yoon that Washington will try to address South Korean concerns as the law is implemented, Yoon's office said.

Scott Snyder, an analyst at the Council on Foreign Relations, said the dispute over electric vehicles has swiftly become a firestorm that US officials cannot ignore, although there may not be a simple solution.

'It's taking on a level of urgency that's making it into a political problem that requires management,' Snyder said. 'I don't know that it's going to be easy for the Biden administration to do that.'

Harris spoke with Yoon and his staff during a bilateral meeting in Seoul, South Korea

After meeting Yoon, Harris held a roundtable with female leaders on gender equity issues.

Yoon has faced criticism for the lack of female representation in government and his downplaying of broader inequalities.

'If we want to strengthen democracy, we must pay attention to gender equity,' said Harris, who also raised the issue with Yoon.

There are indications North Korea may up its weapons demonstrations soon as it attempts to pressure Washington to accept it as a nuclear power.

South Korean officials said last week that they detected signs North Korea was preparing to test a ballistic missile system designed to be fired from submarines.

The US aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan was to train with South Korean and Japanese warships in waters near the Korean Peninsula on Friday in the countries' first trilateral anti-submarine exercises since 2017 to counter North Korean submarine threats, South Korea's navy said on Thursday.

US and South Korean officials also say North Korea is possibly gearing up for its first nuclear test since 2017. That test could come after China holds its Communist Party convention the week of October 16, but before the United States holds its midterm elections on November 8, according to Seoul's spy agency.

North Korea has punctuated its testing activity with repeated threats of nuclear conflict. Its rubber-stamp parliament this month authorised the preemptive use of nuclear weapons in a broad range of scenarios where its leadership comes under threat.

Nuclear diplomacy between the US and North Korea remains stalled since 2019 over disagreements on easing crippling US-led economic sanctions against the North in exchange for the North's disarmament steps.
His body was never found, an inquest will hear from the state coroner in October

Location data places him below a cliff at the bottom of the area's lighthouse

Mr Hayez went missing on may 31, 2019, while backpacking in Byron Bay, NSW

The devastated family of Theo Hayez have shared heartbreaking family photos to commemorate his 22nd birthday.

The Belgian backpacker was was last seen at the popular Cheeky Monkeys bar in Byron Bay on May 31, 2019 when he was 18-years-old.

Police were alerted to his disappearance six days later after he failed to return to his hostel and could not be contacted.

A massive search search saw the entire area scoured but the only potential trace of Mr Hayez found was a hat.

Investigators believe he fell from the rugged clifftops at Tallow Beach but many others including his family suspect he may have been murdered.

His dad, Laurent, was the first to post a photo of Mr Hayez on the Facebook page Looking for Theo Hayez.

Theo Hayez (right) went missing on May 31, 2019, while backing in Byron Bay after he was thrown out of the Cheeky Monkeys bar at 11pm

His heartbroken father Laurent shared a photo of Mr Hayez and his cousin Lisa (above) to mark his 22nd birthday

Mr Hayez's mother Vinciane shared a photo taken just hours after he was born (above) to celebrate his 22nd birthday

The photo shows the missing backpacker as a child with his cousin, Lisa.

'Today is Theo's 22nd birthday. Laurent would like to share this beautiful photo of Theo and Lisa as children, as well as a song they used to listen to together, Unintended by Muse,' the post said.

'Thank you everyone for your ongoing support and kindness on our journey to find Theo. He is so deeply loved and missed.'

His mother, Vinciane, also shared a baby photo of Mr Hayez to the page just an hour later.

'A very special photo of baby Theo, only a few hours old, from Vinciane with sadness on his 22nd birthday,' she said.

An inquest into Mr Hayez's disappearance will hear State Coroner Teresa O'Sullivan findings on October 21, offering his distraught family a measure of closure.

A widespread search of the Byron Bay area for any trace of Theo Hayez only found a hat (pictured, police searching the hills around the Byron Bay lighthouse)

Their hopes were raised after private investigator Ken Gamble told the public in May a $500,000 had lead to 'credible leads'.

'I am very thankful to everyone who has provided information. Some investigations are still ongoing,' he told 7News at the time.

'The recent $500,000 reward offered by the NSW government has brought forward new leads that are also being thoroughly investigated.

'I am still very hopeful that the case will be solved.'

Mr Hayez's family have long-held the belief their son was with another unidentified person on the night he disappeared.

'Every day Theo is missing is as difficult as the last as we navigate our endless and ambiguous grief and continue to seek answers to what happened to our boy,' they said in a statement.

Mr Hayez's devastated family (above) believe he was with another person the night he disappeared in Byron Bay

An inquest into Mr Hayez's (above) disappearance will hear from the NSW State Coroner on October 31

'As with all families of missing people, we are unable to properly grieve and heal, as we don't have a conclusion.

'A key question we are seeking to address is whether he was with someone on the night of May 31, 2019  which we strongly believe to be the case considering the circumstances.

'Walking into the bushland and climbing up the grassy side of the Cape Byron cliff alone at night is something we believe Theo would never have done unless he was with someone at the time.'

Earlier this year, the inquest heard evidence that places Mr Hayez on a steep headland below Byron Bay's famous lighthouse around midnight on the night of his disappearance.

Data from Google location services and his mobile phone connection shows Mr Hayez walked to a local sporting field after being kicked out the bar.

Family and friends say Mr Hayez (left) was responsible, not a big drinker, kind and risk-avoidant

Police believe Mr Hayez tried to climb a cliff below the Byron Bay lighthouse and was swept out to sea (pictured, police searching the area)

He then made his way through the Arakwal National Park to the beach below the headland, before climbing the steep ascent towards the lighthouse.

The phone tracking stops there.

Police believe Mr Hayez made his way up the beachside cliffs and dropped his phone before falling himself and being swept out to see.

However, his family insists he would never be reckless enough to scale cliffs in the middle of the night, especially after having a few drinks.

His friends backed-up his family's account of Mr Hayez's responsibility and told the inquest Mr Hayez was kind, responsible and didn't take drugs or drink excessively.

Other people believe Mr Hayez could have been disorientated due to intoxication or was trying to find a beach party in Cosy's Corner with an unidentified person.
The car enthusiast has a fleet of expensive cars, and shares photos of them on social media regularly

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This is the moment a brand new McLaren P1 worth over $1million is swept down the street in Naples by flood waters as catastrophic Ian continues to pummel Florida.

The monster storm has been ravaging the state for the last 24 hours, leaving a trail of complete destruction in its wake.

Authorities in Florida have warned that fatalities will be 'in the hundreds' as scores of people remain trapped on the roofs of their flooded homes and 2.5million are without power.

One Florida man by the name of Ernie, who was affected by the storm shared footage of his own heartbreaking loss as his newly purchased McLaren P1 was engulfed in flood waters, swept out of his garage and down the mansion-lined street which now resembles a raging river.

Dramatic footage shows a heart wrenching moment for car lovers as a Florida man's McLaren P1 is swept away down the street by flood waters as catastrophic Ian continues to pummel Florida

Another video shows the McLaren P1 being down the mansion-lined street which had turned into a raging river

The car enthusiast appears to have a fleet of luxury cars - which he shows off regularly on his Instagram account.

But the McLaren P1 has dominated the last 12 posts of Ernie's account with the first starting a week ago when he posted that the car only had 300 miles on it. It was reportedly priced at over $1 million when it first went on sale.

On Wednesday evening, Ernie shared photos of his hurricane-ravaged Florida neighborhood in Naples where streets had turned into rivers. His garage - where the McLaren P1 and Rolls Royce were housed - was completely flooded and both vehicles were submerged in water.

In his most recent post, only the top of the bright yellow McLaren P1 could be seen as it floated down the street. His caption read: 'Car went thru the garage.'

His followers shared in his heartbreak, and wrote messages of support in his comments. Many reminded him that cars are replaceable and sent out thoughts and prayers that everyone was OK.

One user said: 'Stay safe, cars are replaceable.'

Another wrote: 'Hope everyone is alright.'

'I'm so sorry, that's heartbreaking,' a third person added.

Another user wrote: 'I'm so sorry... most important that you and your family are safe. Sending prayers.'

Ernie posted other photos and videos to his Instagram stories that showed the devastation to his neighborhood.

Ernie shared photos of the McLaren P1 and Rolls Royce submerged in water in his Florida home garage

A before look at the McLaren P1 and Rolls Royce before Hurricane Ian ripped through the state

On Wednesday , Ernie shared photos of his hurricane-ravaged Florida neighborhood where streets had turned into rivers

Before the hurricane struck, Ernie had posted a photos of the car with the caption 'My hurricane supply car #p1'

Snarky comments later popped up on his previous posts - one in particular about prepping for the storm.

In a post from hours before the hurricane struck, he shared a photo of the McLaren P1 with the doors open showing off a couple of grocery bags inside. The current caption reads: 'My hurricane supply car,' but has been edited, it showed.

One user commented: 'This didn't age well...'

Another wrote: 'It's the hurricane's car now.'

A third said: 'Moments before disaster.'

Before the hurricane struck, Ernie had posted a photos of the car with the caption 'My hurricane supply car #p1'

The McLaren P1 has dominated the last 12 posts of Ernie's account with the first starting a week ago when he posted that the car only had 300 miles on it. It was reportedly priced at over $1 million when it first went on sale

The car enthusiast appears to have a fleet of luxury cars - which he shows off regularly on his Instagram account

Hurricane Ian blasted ashore with catastrophic force on Wednesday afternoon as a Category 4 storm, but has since been downgraded to a tropical storm by the National Hurricane Center in an update early on Thursday.

It is located around 35 miles southwest of Cape Canaveral, with maximum speeds of 65mph, and is moving northeast at around 8 mph.

However it could be nearing hurricane strength again when it approaches the coast of South Carolina on Friday, which is set to be it's second US landfall.

Experts are expecting the damages to cost up to $260billion, though the clean-up efforts are currently unable to get underway as swathes of Florida remain underwater.

Hurricane Ian blasted ashore with catastrophic force on Wednesday afternoon as a Category 4 storm, but has since been downgraded to a tropical storm by the National Hurricane Center in an update early on Thursday
Crossings of the English Channel in small boats have resumed today after weather put a five-day halt to people trafficking operations.

A group of people was brought to shore in Dover, Kent this morning following a small boat incident in the Channel, the world's busiest shipping lane.

People, including a small number of children, were wrapped in blue blankets and carrying their belongings in black bin bags as they walked through the Border Force compound in Dover.

This follows five days with no Channel crossings, likely due to poor weather.

The news comes as the total number of people making the dangerous crossing so far in 2022 has passed 32,000, according to analysis of Ministry of Defence figures.

Crossings of the English Channel in small boats have resumed today after weather put a five-day halt to people trafficking operations

A group of people was brought to shore in Dover, Kent this morning following a small boat incident in the Channel, the world's busiest shipping lane

People, including a small number of children, were wrapped in blue blankets and carrying their belongings in black bin bags as they walked through the Border Force compound in Dover

This follows five days with no Channel crossings, likely due to poor weather

The news comes as the total number of people making the dangerous crossing so far in 2022 has passed 32,000, according to analysis of Ministry of Defence figures

A group of people thought to be migrants walk through the Border Force compound in Dover

Some 650 people crossed the Channel in 14 boats on Friday, September 23, bringing the year's total to 32,308.

August 22 was the date with the highest number of people brought to the UK so far this year, with 1,295 people rescued in the Channel.

A total of 1,160 people were brought to shore on September 4, and 1,142 were rescued on September 22.

There have been 27,040 crossings since the announcement of the Rwanda deal by then-home secretary Priti Patel.

Speaking to BBC Radio Kent about the Rwanda deal this morning, Prime Minister Liz Truss said: 'We are (sticking with the Rwanda policy) and what we will make sure is that UK courts can't be overruled by the European Court of Human Rights so we are able to deal with the small boats crisis, and the Home Secretary is determined to get on with that.'

Dover MP Natalie Elphicke has said: 'With these shocking record numbers of illegal crossings, getting the small boats crisis under control should be a key priority.

'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.'

Border Force vessels are now using a newly constructed docking station in an area of the port which was a former jetfoil terminal away from public areas. A large fence has also been put up to screen the area off from the public.
A fire at a South Carolina apartment complex has killed one and injured several others, according to local law enforcement.

At least 36 units at the Summerville complex were destroyed in the fire, which reportedly began just before 3am Thursday.

Town spokesperson Mary Edwards said more than 50 firefighters were dispatched to the scene, including units from stations outside Summerville, like North Charleston and Dorchester.

It took crews over three hours to extinguish the fire.

One person died in the fire at the Summerville, South Carolina, apartment complex, while several others were injured

The fire began just before 3am Thursday and took firefighters over three hours to extinguish

Over 50 firefighters were dispatched to the scene, including units from outside the town, according to a Summerville spokesperson

A cause of the fire is still under investigation by both state and local officials

Flames were seen early Thursday shooting from a building at Summerville Station Apartments, located on Old Trolley Road.

When firefighters arrived, they discovered many apartment residents standing outside with burn injuries, Edwards added.

After searching the buildings afterward, firefighters discovered one resident who had died.

Those injured include four residents and three police officers who responded to the scene.

Local authorities are asking people to avoid the area between Old Trolley Road near Midland Parkway.

The blaze was seen shooting out from the Summerville Station complex, located near Old Trolley Road

The American Red Cross arrived later to the scene and assisted those impacted by the blaze

Shortly after authorities arrived at the scene, the intersection between Travelers Boulevard and Midland Parkway at Old Trolley Road was closed off.

All of the injured residents and police officers were transported to a local hospital to treat their injuries.

The American Red Cross arrived later to provide those impacted with food, water, blankets, and financial assistance.

The identity of the deceased victim has not been released by authorities, who are continuing to investigate the cause of the fire.

The Office of State Fire Marshal and agents from the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division are assisting local authorities with the investigation.
Anne Heche's son is arguing that the 2011 email his mother sent to ex James Tupper naming him executor of her estate is not a valid will.

Earlier this month, DailyMail.com revealed a prescient email Heche sent to Tupper in 2011 naming him executor of her estate. The email was included in Tupper's legal filing as he battles Heche's son Homer Laffoon, 20, for control of her estate.

'FYI in case I die tomorrow and anyone asks,' Heche's cut and dry email begins. 'My wishes are that all of my assets go to the control of Mr. James Tupper to be used to raise my children and then given to the children.'

But Laffoon is now fighting back in a new filing obtained by DailyMail.com, claiming that the email is not a legally recognized will because Heche did not sign the document.

'Mr. Tupper repeatedly refers to the email as a ''will'' however  as a matter of law  the email does not qualify as either a holographic will or formal witnessed will,' Laffoon's filing states.

'The email was not signed by [Heche] and does not have two witnesses who signed the document during [her] lifetime.'

Anne Heche's eldest son Homer Laffoon (right) is arguing that the 2011 email his mother sent to ex James Tupper naming him executor of her estate is not a valid will. Heche's younger son Atlas is pictured left

Earlier this month, DailyMail.com revealed a prescient email Heche sent to Tupper in 2011 naming him executor of her estate. Heche and Tupper pictured in 2010

Homer is now fighting back in a new filing obtained by DailyMail.com, claiming that the email is not a legally recognized will

Laffoon filed a petition to be in charge of his mother's estate and that he and his half-brother, 13-year-old Atlas Heche Tupper (whose father is James Tupper), be listed as her sole heirs.

Laffoon says his mother, who tragically died last month, failed to leave behind a will.

'Without a will, there can be no nomination of an executor,' Laffoon states, adding that he is 'legally entitled to appointment as administrator.'

However, Tupper, 57, claims that Heche's email from January 25, 2011 makes it clear that all assets be controlled by him.

Tupper claims in his filing that Laffoon 'is not suitable' to run the estate because he is too young, unemployed and was estranged from his mother at the time of her death.

The actor goes on to accuse Laffoon - who is the son of real estate broker Coleman Laffoon - of changing the locks on the apartment Heche shared with Atlas, allegedly preventing the younger brother from getting his belongings.

Tupper has said that the two half-brothers have not had any contact since the day Heche died.

In the new filing, Laffoon calls Tupper's claims 'unfounded personal attacks' and 'frivolous legal claims.'

Tupper claims the 2011 email proves that he should be in charge of the estate. 'FYI in case I die tomorrow and anyone asks,' Heche's email begins. 'My wishes are that all of my assets go to the control of Mr. James Tupper to be used to raise my children and then given to the children'

'Without a will, there can be no nomination of an executor,' Laffoon's new filing states, adding that he is 'legally entitled to appointment as administrator'

The email from Heche has the subject line 'WILL' and is addressed to Tupper and copied to attorneys Kevin Yorn and Melodie Moore.

Anne Heche's emailed 'will' names James Tupper as executor Kevin and Mel, FYI in case I die tomorrow and anyone asks. My wishes are that all of my assets go to the control of Mr. James Tupper to be used to raise my children and then given to the children. They will be divided equally among our children, currently Homer Heche Laffoon and Atlas Heche Tupper, and their portion given to each when they are the age of 25. When the last child turns 25 any house or other properties owned may be sold and the money divided equally among our children. If all of my family, James Howard Tupper, Atlas Heche Tupper and Homer Heche Laffoon die together my assets will go to Eliot Bergman, my nephew, to be divided among my nieces and nephews equally. Thanks so much. May this go into my records as my word until further papers are drawn up. Thanks so much, Anne Heche Advertisement

'My wishes are that all of my assets go to the control of Mr. James Tupper to be used to raise my children and then given to the children.'

It says that her assets will be divided equally among her two sons and that their portions are given to them at 25 years old.

In the event that her two sons and Tupper all pass, Heche turned her assets over to her nephew Eliot Bergman, to be divided equally among her nieces and nephews.

'May this go into my records as my word until further papers are drawn up,' Heche ends the email.

It appears no further paperwork was ever filed.

Heche's eldest son claims Tupper is manipulating him and his half-brother to seize control of their mother's will.

Laffoon has hit back against Tupper, claiming the actor is keeping him away from Atlas by controlling the 13-year-old's phone.

Laffoon's attorneys told TMZ that they are confident the oldest son will be the winner in court after it appointed him temporarily in charge of the estate.

In his original petition to the court, Laffoon says that it is unclear how much money or property Heche, 53, had to her name before she died.

In the filing, Laffoon lists his mother's personal property and her annual income as 'unknown.'

He is also asking the court to be named as the legal guardian of his brother.

The court will have to dig into Heche's finances to determine the value of her estate and what properties she owned.

In 2021, it was reported that she was selling her Los Angeles Silver Lake Cottage for around $2million with co-star and ex-partner Thomas Jane.

It was also previously reported that she owned another home in the Hancock Park-Wilshire area of Los Angeles - a mansion priced at around $4million.

A photo before the August 5 crash shows Heche at the wheel with a bottle in the cup holder

Heche died from injuries sustained in a fireball car crash last month in Los Angeles

Heche died after an August 5 crash in Los Angeles. The actress slammed her Mini Cooper into a house, causing an explosion.

Blood tests showed that the actress had cocaine and fentanyl in her system when the high-speed crash occurred, but officials confirmed that she had not been drinking alcohol - despite being pictured with a vodka bottle in her cupholder.

She was left badly burned and in a coma.

Heche's life support machine was turned off on August 14, and she was cremated on August 18.

A coroner ruled on August 17 that Heche died from inhalation injury and burns, and the death was ruled an accident.

The mother-of-two also had a fractured sternum caused by 'blunt trauma,' according to information on the website of the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner.

The Emmy-winning film and television actor was removed from life support at a burn center.
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Storm-battered Cubans have taken to cooking food in oil drums over fires after the entire island of 11 million people lost its electrical power after being hit by Hurricane Ian.

In Havana, images have surfaced of Cubans taking the streets to use fiery oil drums to cook traditional Cuban meals. Most are using candles or light from their phones to guide their culinary practices in the dark.

The island's 11 million residents were plunged into darkness by Ian on Tuesday, which made landfall as a Category 3 storm on the island's western end where two deaths occurred. Tens of thousands of people were evacuated and others fled ahead of Ian's arrival.

Initially just 1 million Cubans lost power, but hours later the entire power grid failed. Cuba has been struggling with an economic crisis that has caused frequent power outages over the last several months.

Ian later smashed into Florida's Gulf Coast, with Fort Myers and Tampa worst-affected. One local sheriff fears hundreds of Sunshine State residents may have been killed by the huge floods that ensued.

A man uses a mobile phone to check a pot of caldosa, a typical Cuban stew as a celebration of the 62nd anniversary of the Committees for the Defense of the Revolution (CDR), during a blackout in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian in Havana, Cuba, September 28, 2022

A family has dinner during a blackout in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian in Havana, Cuba, September 28, 2022

Cuba remained in the dark early Wednesday after Ian knocked out its power grid and devastated some of the country's most important tobacco farms when it hit the island's western tip as a major storm.

A soldier works to clear debris in the wake of Hurricane Ian in Havana, Cuba, Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2022. Tobacco farms that yield product for the island's iconic cigars were damaged in the storm.

The most significant damage Ian wrought was to Cuba's power grid, telecommunications network and its agricultural sector, according to Cuba's government.

In Pinar del Rio city, where the fatalities occurred, tobacco farms that grow much of the product used in Cuba's iconic cigars were damaged.

Videos circulating online showed downed power lines and blocked roads in the provinces of Pinar del Rio, Artemisa and Mayabeque.

'In the shortest time possible, we will move forward,' tweeted Prime Minister Manuel Marrero on Wednesday morning.

It remains to be seen whether damage brought about by Ian will further encourage Cubans to flee their native land and head to the United States.

So far this year, close to 200,000 Cubans have been intercepted by US border officials. The number is the largest migration from the socialist island.

Reports out of Cuba this year indicate that food is scarce and the country's once storied medical system is being strained to the breaking point.

Since hitting Cuba, Ian strengthened and moved to southwest Florida where it hit Wednesday afternoon bringing with it significant damage.

In Florida, 2.5 million Floridians remain without power and hundreds are estimated to be dead.

Mass casualties are expected from 'tsunami-style' flooding and 155mph winds that battered the coastline before the monster storm blew inland.

Meanwhile, southwest barrier islands including Sanibel have been cut off from the mainland after bridge collapses due to the force of the tempest.

On Thursday, Governor Ron DeSantis called the storm a '500-year flood event.'

Since walloping southwest Florida Tuesday, Ian has weakened and is headed to parts of northeast Florida, coastal Georgia and the Lowcountry of South Carolina.

Images from International Space Station on Monday showed Hurricane Ian just before it hit Cuba
Hundreds throughout the Sunshine State are now feared to be dead as search efforts continue

Fire rescue teams even live streamed their efforts to save a woman from the floodwaters

Another video showed a man rescuing a cat who had sought shelter on top of an air conditioner and photos from Orange County show the rescue efforts in Rio Pinar

Meanwhile, in Naples, a firefighter was filmed breaking a woman free from her submerged white sedan

A group of Good Samaritans were caught on camera rescuing an elderly man who was stranded in his flooded car in Bonita Springs on Thursday, and carrying him through waist-deep waters

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A group of Good Samaritans were caught on camera rescuing an elderly man who was stranded in his flooded car as residents throughout Florida step up to save their neighbors from the feet-deep floodwaters.

The video, posted online, shows two men grabbing their elderly neighbor from his submerged car in Bonita Springs and carrying him through waist-deep waters.

A third man could be seen carrying what appears to be another person, in an attempt to bring them to safety.

'We saw an elderly man struggling in his car and we knew he needed help,' a man identified as Benny from the Collier County Cowboys Instagram page said.

'The guys all maintained to grab the door and pry it open. He was a bit in shock so he didn't want to let go so we assured him we were there to help him. The guys carefully picked him up out of the car, and brought him to shore, away from the current.'

Meanwhile, in Naples, a firefighter was filmed trying to break the glass of a submerged white sedan.

He eventually reaches inside, apparently able to unbuckle the female driver, as he asks his colleagues for a life vest to provide the woman as they lead her through the water.

BONITA SPRINGS: A group of Good Samaritans were filmed pulling an elderly man out of a submerged car on Thursday

BONITA SPRINGS: Two of the men carried their elderly neighbor through the waist-deep waters to safety

BONITA SPRINGS: The Collier County Cowboys wrote on Instagram that they were able to get the man away from the current

NAPLES: A Naples fire fighter was seen trying to break the glass of a submerged white sedan in an attempt to rescue a woman stuck inside the car

NAPLES: He was eventually able to open the back driver's side door and reach across to the driver, apparently unbuckling her

NAPLES: With the help of another firefighter, he was able to get the woman out of the vehicle and to safety

Another video posted online showed a man in shorts and a red t-shirt approaching a cat huddled above an air conditioner as a woman off-screen cries, 'Look at the kitty, poor kitty.'

The man slowly approaches the cat, and scoops it up as water continues to rush by.

Photos posted by the Orange County Fire Rescue also show crews carrying and ferrying residents to safety as they brought boats out onto the flooded streets.

And in Naples, the fire rescue live streamed a water rescue with firefighters carrying a woman by her arms and into the station, while in Fort Myers, Coast Guard teams are in the process of rescuing residents stranded on rooftops.

'We didn't even wait for the passage of the storm last night, we had helicopters in the air,' Rear Admiral Brendan McPherson told CNN, adding: 'We rescued 13 people along the coast between Fort Myers and St Petersburg.

'We currently have an aircraft in the air with the Florida National Guard, actively pulling people off of roofs in Fort Myers.'

RIO PINAR: The Orange County Fire Rescue continued their efforts on Thursday morning, carrying residents to safety

RIO PINAR: Rescue crews could be seen in Rio Pinar ferrying a family away from their flooded home

RIO PINAR: The Orange County Fire Rescue was out in Rio Pinar, taking boats out on the flooded waters

RIO PINAR: The crews helped families get out of the deep waters and onto more shallow ground

Residents now say they were not prepared for the devastation brought by the Category 4 storm, that left hundreds dead in its wake.

'We weren't prepared for quite a storm of this magnitude,' Joe Orlandini, of Fort Myers Beach, told Good Morning America. 'We were hoping it would dodge us. It didn't. It got worse.'

His wife, Shannon, posted a video on Facebook showing the debris from a house just across the street caught up in the flood waters.

'There's a bed, I could see a door,' Orlandini said.

Authorities say they fear the fatalities will be 'in the hundreds' as the hurricane continues to barrel its way across the state, leaving a 'life changing' trail of complete destruction in its wake.

Scores of people remain trapped on the roofs of their flooded homes as 2.5million are without power, with officials warning evacuees not to return home after the Sunshine State was battered by 150mph winds and 18ft storm surges.

As of 10am EST, more than 2.6 million residents throughout the state remained without power.

Lee County Sheriff Carmine Marceno, whose area covers Fort Myers, which has been one of the worst affected by the monster storm, confirmed that he was expecting hundreds of fatalities in his jurisdiction alone.

He told GMA: 'While I dont have confirmed numbers, I definitely know the fatalities are in the hundreds.

'Thousands of people are waiting to be rescued, I cannot give a true assessment until we are on scene assessing each scene and we cant access people that is the problem.

'This will be a life changing event for the men and women who are responding. This is a life-changing event for all of us.'

Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood also predicted the recovery effort for the tsunami-life waves hitting the state will be like something we've not seen in this county ever.

Sanibel Island appears to have been cut off from mainland Florida as shocking photos show the Causeway Bridge collapsed into the Gulf of Mexico, as President Biden declared a major disaster.

KINGS POINT: Emergency services are battling to keep people safe as the storm is intensifying and likely to cause more than $45billion in damage

FORT MYERS: People walked through the destruction brought by Hurricane Ian on Thursday

ORLANDO: The wind gusts were so heavy they were able to take down a stoplight pole in downtown Orlando

NAPLES: A McLaren P1, worth around $1.2million, was flooded out of a garage and into the road alongside a Rolls Royce Phantom, destroying the super car as it was washed away in Naples, Florida

Hurricane Ian blasted ashore with catastrophic force on Wednesday afternoon as a Category 4 storm, but has since been downgraded to a tropical storm by the National Hurricane Center in an update early on Thursday.

It is located around 35 miles southwest of Cape Canaveral, with maximum speeds of 65mph, and is moving northeast at around 8 mph.

However it could be nearing hurricane strength again when it approaches the coast of South Carolina on Friday, which is set to be it's second US landfall.

Experts are expecting the damages to cost up to $260billion, though the clean-up efforts are currently unable to get underway as swathes of Florida remain underwater.
The family of a US airman who was killed when his bomber ploughed into an English farm have visited the crash site where the tragedy unfolded after it was discovered 77 years later.

Lieutenant William Montgomery has been lost ever since his B-24 Liberator came crashing down on land near Arundel, West Sussex, in June 1944 but his family have valued the importance of visiting the site.

They revealed that they visited in honour of Lt Mongomery's brother John who never found out what had actually happened.

The bomber had been shot up by anti-aircraft flak during an attack on a German airfield in northern France.

It limped back across the English Channel before it began losing height off the Sussex coast.

Seven of the ten-man crew bailed out of the bomber while 24-year-old Lt Montgomery, co-pilot John Crowther and engineers, Sgt John Holoka remained on board to try and recover the situation.

But the stricken plane would crash into a ball of flames just minutes later. Sgt Crowther's body was discovered at a later time but the others were never to be seen again.

Tracey Kirchoff, the great niece of Lt Montogomery, paid her respects to her late relative and laid flowers at the site.

Miss Kirchhoff, from North Carolina, explained her grandfather, Tom, was fighting with the US Army in Europe at the time he was told his brother was missing in action.

She said: 'This visit is so important to me and my family. In part, I'm doing this for my grandfather - William's brother, John - who never knew what had happened to William.

'He was just told that they thought he'd gone down in the English Channel. He never knew. That makes me so sad, because he died in 2010 - not knowing.

The family of Lieutenant William Montgomery (circled) have visited the site where the US airman was killed after his bomber came crashing down onto an English farm

Tracey Kirchoff (pictured), the great niece of Lt Montgomery, valued the importance of visiting the site in honour of the airman's brother John, who never found out what actually happened

There have been two excavations in 2019 (pictured) and 2021 where along with mangled wreckage, human remains likely to be of Lt Montgomery and Sgt Holoka were found

'And knowing where he fell, and that somebody was looking for his brother, would have meant so much to him.'

Amateur historian Andy Saunders had looked into the fate of the bomber in the 1970s and found the most likely location was the Arundel farm.

But nothing was done until about ten years ago when he happened to mention it to an officer with the US Defence POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) at a conference.

Their research prompted two excavations in 2019 and 2021 where along with the mangled wreckage, human remains were also found.

Although these are still being DNA tested in the US, they are almost certainly the remains of Lt Montgomery and Sgt Holoka.

Archaeologists embarked on a mission to search the land where the bomber landed in Arundel, West Sussex

Lt Montgomery and Sgt Holoka are the only two members of the ten-man crew that set off from the base in Halesworth, Suffolk, who are still Missing in Action (MIA)

In fact, Lt Montgomery's college graduate gold signet ring was also unearthed.

The discoveries have already resulted in a memorial tablet being laid at the crash site. It reads: 'On the 22nd June 1944 USAF Liberator B24H Liberator crashed in front of thi plaque. Three lives were lost.

'For our lost heroes, long gone but not forgotten. Your sacrifice ensured the freedom of the world.'

Mrs Kirchhoff met with Mr Saunders when she visited the war grave along with family members who travelled from the US.

They also met with James Seller, the farmer and fellow historian Mark Khan who were members of the archaeological team who excavated the crash site.

Mr Saunders said: 'There is absolutely no doubt it was their aircraft that crashed at this site.

A B-24 Liberator with the 489th Bombardment Group was shot up by anti-aircraft fire during a bombing raid on a German airfield near Versailles on June 22, 1944, and managed to limp back across the English Channel before it started losing height off the Sussex coast

Handout photo issued by the US Air Force of a Consolidated B-24 Liberator taken in the 1940s

'Apart from William Montogomery's gold ring, a number of aircraft machine guns were found and the numbers on them matched the numbers on the gun on that same aircraft.

'The three men would have been contained in the cockpit together at the time of the crash.

'The human remains there were found on the second excavation could have been all mixed up.

'There can't be any absolute certainty until we get the DNA results back but clearly the relatives will hope to be able to hold a proper burial in time. For now, at least they know what happened to these men.

'This felt like helping the family to some sort of closure. And although the DNA results are not yet confirmed, we now know this was where William died.

'It was extremely moving and it really felt as though we were giving William back to his family'.

Archaeologists and American Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency staff work to recover the remains of an American bomber crew in 2021

Despite its condition, the pilots and crew managed to nurse the aircraft back to the English coast, but for reasons unknown it crashed in a farmer's field near Arundel

US veterans with the American Veterans Archaeological Recovery (AVAR) teamed up with the University of York in 2021 in an effort to recover any human remains from the crash site so that they can be repatriated to America

Lt Montgomery and Sgt Holoka were part of 844 Squadron of the United States Air Force stationed in RAF Halesworth, Suffolk, during the war.

The squadron took part of strategic bombing missions of Normandy before, during and after D-Day.

On June 22, 1944 the ill-fated bomber, which took off from its base at Halesworth, took part in a raid on an airfield near Versailles when it was peppered by flak.

Crew member Lt Demoyne Henderson later wrote in a statement: 'Just a few seconds after bombs were away we were hit hard by flak. We managed to stay in the vicinity of he formation until the French coast was reached.

'I went to the flight deck and only one rudder and one elevator was in working order. We were in the rear of the ship until almost at the English coast when the order came to bail out.

'Just after my chute opened I heard the whine of the plane going down.

'The first four of us landed about four miles out in the Channel and were rescued quickly. The navigator landed on the beach and the other two landed a mile inland.

'We were not allowed to visit the plane but it was a total loss.'

The rest of the crew who successfully bailed out were Lt Herbert King, Sgt Joseph Foley, Lt D.M Henderson and Staff Sergeants Edwin Sumner, Pearl Toothman Jnr, Richard Rodriguez and Aaron Roper.
North Korea has test fired its third ballistic missile in less than a week just hours after US Vice President Kamala Harris left the South after a visit to the DMZ.

Seoul's military confirmed the launch today, just a day after a similar test which came only three days after another.

'North Korea fired an unidentified ballistic missile into East Sea,' Seoul's Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement, referring to the waters more commonly known as the Sea of Japan.

North Korea has test fired its third ballistic missile in less than a week just hours after US Vice President Kamala Harris left the South after a visit to the DMZ (file image)

While in South Korea, Harris toured the country's heavily fortified border with the nuclear-armed North

Japan's coast guard also confirmed a possible ballistic missile launch from North Korea, citing information from Tokyo's defence ministry.

While in South Korea, Harris toured the country's heavily fortified border with the nuclear-armed North, part of a trip aimed at strengthening the security alliance with Seoul.

Speaking at the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), Harris said US commitment to South Korea's defence was 'ironclad', adding that the allies were 'aligned' in their response to the growing threat posed by the North's weapons programs.

Washington has about 28,500 troops stationed in South Korea to help protect it from the North, and the allies are conducting a large-scale joint naval exercise this week in a show of force.

A man watches a television screen showing a news broadcast with file footage of a North Korean missile test, at a railway station in Seoul on September 28

People watch a television screen showing a news broadcast with file footage of a missile test on September 25

Pyongyang conducted two banned ballistic missile launches in the days before Harris's arrival, continuing a record-breaking streak of weapons tests this year.

The North fired a short-range ballistic missile (SRBM) on Sunday and two SRBMs on Wednesday, Seoul and Tokyo said.

Under Seoul's hawkish new President Yoon Suk-yeol, Seoul and Washington have boosted joint military exercises, which they insist are purely defensive.

North Korea sees them as rehearsals for an invasion.

Seoul announced Thursday that it would hold trilateral anti-submarine drills with Japan and the US, the first such exercises since 2017.

South Korean officials said this weekend they had detected signs Pyongyang could be preparing to fire a submarine-launched ballistic missile.
Inspectors exit the basement of Hyundai Premium Outlet in Daejeon's Yuseong District, where a fire broke out Monday, after completing an inspection on Tuesday. Yonhap



Forensic, police investigations intensify after 7 workers died



By Ko Dong-hwan



Police and forensic inspectors on Thursday continued their investigation into a deadly mall fire earlier this week in Daejeon. They have been searching for evidence that the fatal incident could be a result of mismanagement of the mall's fire prevention systems. If that turns out to be the case, Hyundai Department Store Group, the mall's operator, will most likely face prosecution.



After a fire started at an unloading area in a basement level of Hyundai Premium Outlet in Daejeon's Yuseong District on Monday morning, Daejeon police inspected the accident site to identify the cause of the fire. The fire had been completely extinguished by Monday afternoon after about eight hours.



Investigators looked for clues to determine whether a smoke control system in the mall's basement level operated properly when the fire broke out. The system was technically supposed to ventilate smoke to the outside and protect anyone inside from suffocating. The investigators found that the installation of the smoke control system in the basement wasn't mandatory according to the mall's safety guidelines.



The authority also checked if the sprinklers were working properly and if the water tank connected to the sprinklers had been filled with enough water when the fire erupted.



On Wednesday, officials confirmed that the water tank, which is refilled automatically when the water level gets low, had enough water at the time of the fire. Some firefighters reported seeing some sprinklers not working properly during the fire. But several mall employees contradicted the reports, saying water had pooled on the basement floor, which they argued was caused by the sprinklers. The officials said they will examine the electronic logs connected to the operation of the sprinklers to see whether there are any records of the sprinkler system working properly at the time of the accident.



The investigators also checked security cameras that recorded footage of a 1-ton freight truck at an unloading area where the fire first started on Monday morning. The video showed that the fire had started near the truck shortly after the driver stepped out. They suspect that the truck's hot exhaust pipe may have set fire to paper boxes stacked nearby.





A fire-damaged truck is being loaded onto a truck on Wednesday to be taken to the National Forensic Service for a close-up examination to see whether the truck had anything to do with starting the fire on a basement unloading dock of Hyundai Premium Outlet in Daejeon on Monday. Yonhap
Two elderly brothers cheated death after a dramatic rescue that saw each brother airlifted by helicopter after their small plane crashed into a cluster of trees in Washington state.

Kyle Allyn and his brother - 78 and 79 years old - were behind the wheel of the Cessna aircraft when their plane hit the trees and went down in Skagit Valley near Lake Cavanaugh.

After the crash the brothers miraculously survived and were able to climb out of the aircraft with no injuries. Both men walked nearly a mile along a creek bed in the woods to safety before calling 'mayday' on their handheld radio, according to the Snohomish County Sheriff's office.

Snohomish County Search and Rescue team were able to locate the men on a logging road Monday morning less than 12 hours after they took off from Concrete Airport en route to Snohomish.

The man (pictured) with helmet was the first brother rescued by helicopter by members of the Snohomish County Search and Rescue team were hoist-extracted from the wooded area they were

In this photo, the second brother, who did not have a helmet on was seen airlifted by the search and rescue team in the area near Lake Cavanaugh in Washington State

The Skagit County Sheriff's Office was alerted to a missing plane with two men aboard on Sunday night around 7:50pm. The plane was that had Concrete airport at 2:12pm on Sunday and was headed to Arlington

Dramatic footage shows rescuers from the Snohomish County Search and Rescue meticulously airlift both men to safety. Only one of the brothers still had his helmet on his head.

As rescuers were bringing up brother number two, the other brother, already seated comfortably in the helicopter gave a thumbs up.

Officials said the plane did not incur significant damage. However, both men were reported to be exhausted from the ordeal.

Allyn said they weren't going particularly fast when their plane hit the trees, the news outlet reported.

The airplane enthusiast and experienced pilot gave his reason for the crash: 'small plane, big mountain,' he said, and explained that it was too late to turn around, KIRO7 News reported.

Shortly after the two brothers were safe and back on solid ground they were reunited with their families.

Allyn said, he learned his lesson, the news outlet reported.

This photo is similar to the plane that the brothers were flying a Cessna -Fixed Wing Single-Engine aircraft. According to the FAA, the plane the brothers were flying was built in 1953

The second brother is seen being reeled into the helicopter that airlifted both men to safety

The brothers miraculously survived and were able to climb out of the aircraft and did not sustain any serious injuries but officials said they were both exhausted

One of the brother's is seen clinging onto his safety vest as he is brought into the helicopter for safety

The Snohomish County Sheriff's Search and Rescue unit was notified of a missing single-engine plane with two men aboard - one pilot and one passenger - on Sunday night around 7:50pm.

It was reported that the plane had left Concrete airport on Sunday around at 2pm and headed to Snohomish later that afternoon. The plane never arrived and was last seen by another pilot near Sedro Woolley, according to the Snohomish County Sheriff's office.

WSDOT Aviation Emergency Services flew a Cessna over the area on Sunday and late into the evening attempting to locate a signal from the plane. Officials said that WSDOT picked up a a locator beacon signal near Lake Cavanaugh.

The Sheriff's Office SAR team was requested to perform a more thorough search during daylight. Wildfire smoke in the area prevented a low-level night search, officials said.

When both brothers saw the SnoHawk10 flying overhead they directed the helicopter rescue team to their location via radio. Both men were then hoist-extracted from the heavily-wooded site.

Once on the ground, they were both evaluated by medics from Snohomish Regional Fire & Rescue, and greeted by family members, officials said.

According to the FAA, the fixed-wing single engine plane the brothers were flying was manufactured in 1953.The cause of the crash is being investigated by the NTSB.
Schoolgirl Molly Russell liked more than 2,000 images about depression, suicide and self-harm before taking her own life but Instagram and Pinterest were 'ignorantly blind' to their part in her death, an inquest heard today.

The 14-year-old from Harrow, northwest London, died in 2017 after hiding her 'demons' from her family while viewing thousands of harrowing posts and videos.

Molly saved and 'liked' 16,300 images on her Instagram account, 2,100 of which related to depression, self-harm and suicide in the last six months of her life.

Since her death, Molly's family have campaigned for better internet safety and stronger rules over suicide and self-harm-related content.

The family's barrister Oliver Sanders KC told North London Coroner's Court: 'Academic papers show that this type of harmful material promotes, encourages and normalises negative self-beliefs and worthlessness.

'It encourages a false sense of belonging to a community that certainly can't do anything to help.

'The platforms did not know her age and did not know what the content was, they were ignorantly blind, without thought, without control.

'We submit that this caused her harm and contributed towards her death.'

Mr Sanders highlighted the unique opportunity the findings of the inquest will provide.

Coroner Andrew Walker is to prepare a report aimed at preventing future tragedies after he draws his final conclusions about Molly's death.

Molly Russell died at the age of 14 after viewing thousands of distressing images containing content related to self-harm and suicide online

The family's lawyer today described Molly's social media as a 'ghetto' due to the disturbing nature of many of the posts she had liked

'We have a uniquely detailed picture of Molly's internet use. It is wrong to think that future inquests would be able to do the same, so we must take the opportunity to make detailed findings.'

If Molly had not logged on to her emails on a family computer, her parents would not have been able to access any information from her Instagram account.

It took more than 1,000 hours to review, collate and triangulate the online evidence for Molly's inquest, the family's lawyer said.

Mr Sanders suggested to the coroner that he find that the material Molly viewed was 'manifestly unsafe' and 'on the balance of probabilities it caused or contributed to her death'.

He told the court content she viewed included a 'litany of self-hate' which was 'reflected in her notes almost word for word', suggesting it 'shaped her actions'.

Some of the material she viewed was so disturbing that it left child psychologist Dr Navin Venugopal 'unable to sleep for a few weeks.'

Speaking on Monday, Dr Venugopal described the impact looking through the material Molly viewed had: 'I had to see it over a short period of time and it was very disturbing, distressing.

'There were periods where I was not able to sleep well for a few weeks so bearing in mind that the child saw this over a period of months I can only say that she was (affected) - especially bearing in mind that she was a depressed 14-year-old.

'It would certainly affect her and made her feel more hopeless.'

Dr Venugopal added: 'I am of the opinion that it is likely that Miss Russell was placed at risk through accessing self-harm material on social media websites and using the internet.

'There was a risk to Miss Russell's health and mental state by looking at self-harm related content.'

Mr Sanders told the court today that while looking through Molly's social media use, 'We were working at all times through what was described as a 'ghetto'.'

Coroner Andrew Walker said: 'This is an opportunity to make this part of the internet safe and we must not let it slip away. We must do it.'

Condemning the actions of social media companies like Meta, Mr Sanders said they were ignorant about the real world.

'We have also seen that the understanding of the risks among social media companies is limited and this lack of understanding is made even more serious by the same companies developing new technologies.

'We've seen it in the unsafe factory conditions of the industrial revolution.

'We see it on social media platforms of the digital revolution. And in both conflicts the victims are children.

'This case is of course about child safety. Fourteen-year-old girls like Molly are very much in the eye of this storm.'

Mr Sanders also criticised Meta and Pinterest's complacency.

'Two of the largest social media platforms did not understand the risk they were creating and do not fully understand their role and responsibilities.

'Meta and Instagram in particular sees itself as a given; part of the infrastructure of human life, an essential part of human life that cannot be withdrawn.

'There is an implication that Molly's experience was somehow akin to a Sylvia Plath poem or a performance of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. It is utterly staggering.

'There is also a bizarre belief that Molly's experience involved her sharing and having conversations about self-harm online. She was doing no such thing.'

Yesterday the inquest heard from Molly's headteacher, Sue Maguire, from Hatch End High School in Harrow.

She highlighted the difficulty in spotting when a child such as Molly is unwell and spoke of the challenges of big social media platforms.

'There is a level where I want to say it is almost impossible to keep track of social media, but we have to try to react as speedily as possible,' she said.

Sue Maguire, headteacher at Hatch End High School in Harrow, northwest London

Asked by the Russell family's lawyer, Oliver Sanders KC, whether the school was aware of the suicide and self-harm related content available to students like Molly on sites such as Instagram, Ms Maguire said: 'At the time, we were shocked when we saw it.

'But to say that we were completely shocked would be wrong because we had been warning young people about the dangers of social media for a long time.'

Asked about whether more information would help, Ms Maguire said: 'It is getting better, but as soon as that information comes out it will be another platform that's set up, it will be another risk.

'It presents challenges that they didn't really have maybe 10 years or 15 years ago.'

Molly was described as a 'quiet and reflective student' with a 'small but close friendship group'.

Ms Maguire said: 'There were a whole range of different issues [discussed with Molly] but they would have been deemed normal conversation.

'Molly's suicide was a complete and terrible shock to the school.'

Since Molly's death the school has tightened its message to students that; 'it's okay to not be okay'.

'We have always tried to give that impression that there is always somebody to talk to. We're very conscious we spoke to all the year groups.'

Mr Walker added today: 'It used to be the case that when the child came through the front door of their home it was to a place of safety.

'With the arrival of the internet, we brought into our homes a source of risk and we did so without appreciating the extent of that risk.

'If there is one benefit that can come from this inquest it must be to recognise that risk and ensure and to take action to make sur that risk that we have so embraced in our homes can be kept away from children completely.'

Mr Walker outlined a range of concerns about platforms, which were: a lack of separation of children and adults on social media; age verification and the type of content available and recommended by algorithms to children; insufficient parental oversight for under 18s.

He told the court he would prepare a report aimed at preventing future deaths after he draws his final conclusions about the teenager's death.

Representing Meta, Caoilfhionn Gallagher KC said the company 'is ready to listen carefully to any concerns' while Pinterest's lawyer, Andrew O'Connor KC, said the platform was 'committed to make improvements in this area'.

The Russell family's lawyer, Oliver Sanders KC, compared also the 'unsafe practices' of the industrial revolution to the 'digital revolution', adding 'it is children who are the victims'.

He also requested the coroner gives detailed findings of fact when he makes his conclusion on Friday, because there was a 'particularly strong public interest' in the case.

The head of health and well-being at Instagram's parent company Meta and the head of community operations at Pinterest have both apologised at the inquest for content Molly viewed.

Meta executive Elizabeth Lagone said she believed posts which the Russell family argued 'encouraged' suicide were safe when the teenager viewed them.

Pinterest's Judson Hoffman told the inquest the site was 'not safe' when Molly used it.

The coroner adjourned the inquest until 11am tomorrow when he will give his findings.

If you are affected by the issues raised by this article, you can contact the Samaritans for free on 116 123, or go to samaritans.org.
Donald Trump's legal team complains in a new legal filing about the pace of sorting through 200,000 pages of material seized from Mar-a-Lago  and is resisting an order asking the former president to vouch for the accuracy of the inventory.

Trump's team takes repeated shots at the government in its latest filing posted Wednesday night, as the 'special master' it requested shepherds the process of going through materials seized in an FBI search.

A three judge U.S. appeals court has ruled that the Justice Department's investigation can continue while the special master goes through material to sort out Trump's privilege claims.

'DOJ continues to mistake itself as having judicial authority. Its comments are not argument, but proclamations designed to steamroll judicial oversight and the Plaintiffs constitutional rights,' Trump's lawyers wrote.

Former President Donald Trump's lawyers are resisting a special master's push that they vouched for an inventory of the material seized by the FBI at Mar-a-Lago

'Along those lines, by participating in this litigation, the Plaintiff has not waived, and cannot be deemed to have waived, his rights under the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure and the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure, or any of his rights and immunities arising under the Constitution of the United States,' they wrote.

Brooklyn-based federal Judge Raymond Dearie asked Trump's lawyers to say whether the inventory of material was accurate  after Trump made repeated public claims that the FBI planted documents, without offering evidence.

An assertion of accuracy by his lawyers would appear to contradict that claim.

Dearie included the order in a new 'case management plan' for processing through some 11,000 documents  and follows Trump repeatedly making the allegation publicly without offering evidence of FBI misconduct.

'No later than September 30, 2022, Plaintiff shall submit a declaration or affidavit that includes each of the following factual matters,' the judge wrote, including 'a list of any specific items set forth in the Detailed Property Inventory that Plaintiff asserts were not seized from the Premises on August 8, 2022.'

FBI agents searched Mar-a-Lago on August 8 in search of government material

A new filing contains Trump's complaints about the volume of material

'Did they drop anything on those piles? Or did they do it later? Theres no chain of custody here with them,' Trump told Fox News host Sean Hannity

Documents seized during the search of Trump's estate on August 8 are pictured on August 30. Trump's lawyers have declined to say in legal filings whether Trump had ordered them declassified while he was in office and had the authority

In a letter to Dearie and subsequent filing, Trump's lawyers pushed back on the requirement 'because the Special Masters case management plan exceeds the grant of authority from the District Court on this issue.'

They said Trump 'has no means of accessing the documents bearing classification markings, which would be necessary to complete any such certification by September 30, the currently proposed date of completion.'

Trump lawyer Jim Trusty signed the document. The latest legal eagle to join Trump's team, Christopher Kise, who reportedly got paid a $3 million advance, was not on it.

The lawyers also complained about the volume of material in the 11,000 pages removed by the FBI, claiming the government didn't reveal the full extent.

'The problem is compounded by the fact that when Plaintiffs counsel referred to either 11,000 pages or even 11,000 documents during the status conference (we are still awaiting the transcript), the Government chose not to interject with an accurate number. In conversations between Plaintiffs counsel and the Government regarding a data vendor, the Government mentioned that the 11,000 documents contain closer to 200,000 pages,' according to the filing.

Trump lawyer Jim Trusty signed the latest legal filing in the case

CNN reported on the Sunday letter, which is referenced in the filing.

They also complained about the schedule, amid accusations Trump is seeking to stall the proceedings with the request for a special master, a move that Trump-appointed federal judge Aileen Cannon ordered.

'In short, seasoned IT professionals who routinely work on large-scale document productions with the Government cannot meet the Governments proposed schedule, and it was never realistic for the Government to suggest such a narrow timeframe,' they wrote.

Trump made allegations of planting evidence, which would be a crime, in an appearance on Fox News, telling host Sean Hannity that perhaps the FBI was looking for Hillary Clinton's deleted emails during the search.

'The problem that you have is they go into rooms  they wont let anybody near  they wouldnt even let them in the same building,' he said of his own attorneys.

'Did they drop anything on those piles? Or did they do it later? Theres no chain of custody here with them,' Trump said.
Pope Francis has revealed he was involved in efforts to release 300 Ukrainian prisoners of war held by Russia.

The head of the Catholic Church said he received 'Ukrainian emissaries' at the Vatican, including a military chief who brought with him a list 'of more than 300 prisoners'.

He made the remarks on September 15, a week before Russia and Ukraine carried out an unexpected prisoner swap, the largest since the war began and involving almost 300 people.

The pope said, according to the Italian Jesuit magazine Civilta Cattolica: 'They asked me to do something so that an exchange could be made.

'I immediately called the Russian ambassador to see if something could be done, if an exchange of prisoners could be expedited,' he added, without providing any further details.

Pope Francis has revealed he was involved in efforts to release 300 Ukrainian prisoners of war held by Russia

Ukrainian soldiers released in a prisoner exchange between Russia and Ukraine hold the Ukrainian flag close to Chernihiv last week

Francis has been trying since the start of the invasion to open a path of dialogue with Moscow, while condemning a 'cruel and senseless war'.

Last week's prisoner swap came as a surprise, hours after he escalated the war by announcing a partial mobilisation and threatening nuclear warfare.

President Volodymyr Zelensky said the swap - which involved help from Turkey and Saudi Arabia - had been under preparation for quite a long time and involved intense haggling.

Under the terms of the deal, 215 Ukrainians - most of whom were captured after the fall of Mariupol - were released.

In exchange, Ukraine sent back 55 Russians and pro-Moscow Ukrainians and Viktor Medvedchuk, the leader of a banned pro-Russian party who was facing treason charges.

Prisoners of war from the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics leave the military plane as they arrive at an unknown location in Russia

'This is clearly a victory for our country, for our entire society. And the main thing is that 215 families can see their loved ones safe and at home,' Zelensky said in a video address.

'We remember all our people and try to save every Ukrainian. This is the meaning of Ukraine, our essence, this is what distinguishes us from the enemy.'

Zelensky thanked Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan for his help and said five senior Ukrainian commanders would remain in Turkey until the end of the war.

Kyiv had a long and difficult fight to secure the release of the five, he said.

They include Lieutenant Colonel Denys Prokopenko, commander of the Azov battalion that did much of the fighting, and his deputy, Svyatoslav Palamar.

Under the terms of the deal, 215 Ukrainians - most of whom were captured after the fall of Mariupol - were released

Also freed was Serhiy Volynsky, the commander of the 36th Marine Brigade.

The three men had helped lead a dogged weeks-long resistance from the bunkers and tunnels below Mariupol's giant steel works before they and hundreds of Azov fighters surrendered in May to Russian-backed forces.

'We're proud of what you've done for our nation, proud of each and every one of you,' Zelensky said in a video call with the five which was released by his office.

The head of the U.N. human rights mission in Ukraine said earlier this month that Russia was not allowing access to prisoners of war, adding that the U.N. had evidence that some had been subjected to torture and ill-treatment that could amount to war crimes.

Russia denies torture or other forms of maltreatment of POWs.
Airports will continue to reopen only if no damage is reported

A wave of canceled flights continued Thursday as more than 2,000 flights were grounded nationwide, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.

These flights follow a day of over 2,100 flights canceled Wednesday, as several international Florida-based airports remain closed, including Jacksonville International Airport.

As of Thursday morning, nearly 900 flights had already been canceled for Friday. More cancellations for Friday are expected to be announced as the day unfolds.

Miami International and Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International airports have since opened, but are experiencing delays and some cancellations.

It is not known when Jacksonville International will reopen, though it will not do so until airport staff ensures 'there's no damage and evacuated staff can get back safely,' according to a Good Morning America report.

Each airport is currently working with travelers affected by the cancellations to rebook flights.

Pictured: Delta Airlines workers cover check-in kiosks at Orlando International Airport, which is among several Florida airports that remain closed Thursday

Over 2,100 flights were canceled Thursday as a result of Hurricane Ian, according to the Federal Aviation Administration

More cancellations are expected to continue going into Friday, as 900 have already been canceled

Pictured: Florida airports listed by the FAA as closed on Thursday

The FAA said it is 'closely monitoring Hurricane Ian and its path' in a statement.

'Before any storm hits, we prepare and protect air traffic control facilities and equipment along the projected storm path so operations can quickly resume after the hurricane passes to support disaster relief efforts.'

More future flights are expected to be affected by Hurricane Ian as it moves north toward Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina.

Many airlines have set deadlines for affected travelers to make changes to their travels, though others have been more flexible.

Several international airports announced they are started assessing damage, like Tampa International and Orlando International.

The US Department of Transportation says all flights canceled as a result of the storm are eligible for refunds.

Joining in on the rebooking and refund surge, Walt Disney World announced all tickets originally purchased to visit the park this week are valid through September 2023.

All affected airports and airlines are expected to reach out to travelers to help rebook or refund flights

The new wave of canceled flights follows over 2,100 canceled flights on Wednesday

Walt Disney World announced tickets purchased to visit the park during the week Hurricane Ian hit Florida are valid through September 2023

Some airports began damage assessment Thursday, as more plan to reopen Friday
He made 330-mile round trips and turned up at local church events she went to

An infatuated old man of 77 who hounded an elderly widow with gifts, marriage proposals and a card wishing her a 'horrible birthday' has walked free from court.

Welshman Douglas Dabb made 330-mile round trips to pester Wendy Winstanley, also 77, in her home town.

Dastardly Dabb - who met Wendy on a Saga-style holiday - would turn up unannounced at her local church whenever she was volunteering at events.

Mrs Winstanley rebuffed Dabb's advancers but the retired Hitachi worker sent her abusive messages and cards wishing her a 'horrible birthday.'

He followed this up with a letter where he wished her ill health and hoped she would fall victim to a serious road traffic accident.

During her ordeal Mrs Winstanley of Sandbach, Cheshire, had to ask fellow parishioners to act as lookouts for her in case he turned up at church services or fayres.

She was so fearful of her unwanted admirer she was said to be 'white as a sheet' and sobbing to her local vicar when Dabb managed to sneak inside the building whilst she stood in the pews area.

At Warrington magistrates court, Dabb who lives in the former coal mining village of Cwmaman near Aberdare, South Wales admitted stalking Mrs Winstanley and was fined 288.

Welshman Douglas Dabb, 77, met widow Wendy Winstanley on Saga-style cruise holiday trip

Dobbs met Wendy Winstanley (pictured), 77, on holiday five years ago and continued to meet over several more. They were never in a relationship and were only friends, with Mrs Winstanley 'making it clear she wasn't interested in anything more', the court heard

Laura Simpson, prosecuting, said: 'The defendant and the victim met on a cruise approximately five years ago, whereby they struck up a friendship. He visited her on one occasion for a sightseeing tour before going back to his home in South Wales.

'There were a number of incidents which have caused distress to the victim. In June 2021, the victim began a relationship with another male.

The defendant queried if he could stay over and she said she didn't feel it was appropriate with the new relationship.

'The defendant's behaviour then changed towards the victim, 'He sent her a birthday card with nasty comments, wishing her bad health and wishing her a horrible birthday. He left flowers and a card taped to a gate post.

'In October, she warned her church group about the defendant. She was concerned about what he may do next. Then in November, she was managing a stall at her church fair when she saw the defendant. This is in Sandbach - the defendant lives in South Wales.

'She was distressed and broke down in front of the vicar. She was frightened by the defendant's behaviour. Later that day he hand-delivered a package to her home and also later sent another letter regarding the package.

Douglas Dabb is seen outside Warrington Magistrates Court where he escaped a jail sentence

Dabb wearing his hat at earlier court case over his campaign of stalking Wendy Winstanley

'At Christmas time he sent her a card, and in February another envelope containing tea bags. She believes this relates to a conversation she had with the defendant on the cruise where she said that she did not like tea.

'In March, she was at the church when she saw the defendant. He was asked to leave but he only did so when police were called.

'It made her distressed and she cried. 'In interview, the defendant made full admissions to the harassment.'

Dabb had no previous convictions. Asking for a restraining order, Mrs Simpson said that there was 'high culpability' due to the offence taking place over a 'prolonged period' and harm was caused to the victim due to the distress she suffered.

In mitigation for Dabb, defence solicitor Taryn Reay said: 'He was a man of previous good character and unfortunately he loses that before the court today. He's 77 years of age and has never been in trouble with the court before. He has led a trouble free life and I am as sure as I can be that he will not trouble the courts again.'

Miss Reay added: 'He met the complainant on a group holiday and they were friends. They went on at least 12 holidays, some alone and some as a group. The friendship was very good. Not overly good, they were just good friends.

'Then he asked to stay on her sofa. She had offered previously but he felt that if she was in a relationship he would back away. 'He asked several times 'Are you in a relationship?' but she did not tell him she was in a relationship. This is not an excuse because, regardless of whether she had told him or not, his behaviour was inexcusable.

'But it simply explains why a man of 77 years of age who has never been in trouble before behaved in this way. What he wanted was for her to say 'I am in a relationship' and whether he should be in contact or not. He understands that there cannot be any more contact and to his credit there has not been any contact since March 20. This was a friendship that was good that went incredibly wrong on behalf of Mr Dabb.'

Dabb had worked between 1964 and 2000 for Hitachi and after retiring he cared for his mother for seven years. 'Following her passing away, given that he was retired, he started travelling, and this is where the holidays started to happen,' Miss Reay said, 'He likes to go on sleeper trains to travel to different parts of the country.'

Dabb was also ordered to complete 25 days of rehabilitation activity with the probation service as part of an 18-month community order and was ordered to pay costs and victim surcharge of 215.

'You can appreciate that this type of behaviour, getting to 77 and causing distress to this person, is not acceptable, is it?' Chairman Alf Bean said, 'It is really a pity that you have blotted your copy book and got yourself a criminal record.'

No order for compensation was made, nor was a restraining order put in place.
A pensioner has been jailed for at least 30 years after murdering his lover and their three-year-old son more than 45 years ago in Britain's longest-running missing persons case.

William MacDowell, 80, was convicted by a jury at the High Court at Inverness of killing both Renee MacRae and their infant son Andrew in November 1976.

Police have never found the bodies of the 36-year-old mother or her son, three, with officers now urging the killer to disclose what he did with them so they can be 'provided with the dignity they deserve'.

Passing sentence after MacDowell was found guilty of murder at the High Court at Inverness, judge Lord Armstrong told him: 'These murders appear to have been premediated, planned and carried out in the most calculated way - not a spontaneous event or spur of the moment.'

He added: 'These appear, in effect, to have been executions. You murdered your victims and then disposed of their bodies and personal effects, including the boy's pushchair. You then took steps to conceal the crimes you had committed.'

As well as being convicted of the murders of Renee and Andrew MacRae, MacDowell was also found guilty of attempting to defeat the ends of justice by disposing of their bodies and personal effects.

Mrs MacRae, who was separated from her husband, had been having an affair with married MacDowell at the time she and Andrew disappeared.

However, MacDowell's wife, Rosemary, stood by him for decades and even pushed him into court earlier today in his wheelchair.

The sister of Renee MacRae has told how their family is still haunted by the 'terror' the mother-of-two and her young son must have felt before being murdered.

Morag Govans said she could 'never comprehend' why William MacDowell killed the pair in 'such a calculated and callous manner'.

And after 80-year-old MacDowell was convicted of their murder at the High Court in Inverness, she made a plea to him to reveal the whereabouts of their bodies.

Police investigations have so far failed to recover the remains of either Mrs MacRae or her three-year-old son, Andrew.

Ms Govans said if MacDowell has 'a shred of decency in his body, he will now reveal where they both lie'.

William MacDowell with wife Rosemary at Inverness court today before the jury delivered its verdict

William MacDowell, 80, has been found guilty murdering 36-year-old Renee MacRae (left) and their son Andrew (right) at a layby south of Inverness on November 12, 1976

The High Court in Inverness has previously been told by Alex Prentice KC, prosecuting, that the now 80-year-old William MacDowell (pictured) was the only man with the motive to kill because of the risk of his more than four-year affair with Mrs MacRae being exposed and him losing everything

The court heard that MacDowell, of Penrith, Cumbria, had killed or abducted Mrs MacRae and her son at a layby on the A9 near Dalmagarry on November 12 1976.

Their BMW car was discovered on fire in a lay-by near Dalmagarry later that evening. Neither Renee nor Andrew have been seen since and their bodies have never been found.

MacDowell was arrested in September 2019 after an extensive review and re-investigation carried out by detectives from Police Scotland's Major Investigation Team and local officers, building on decades of work carried out since 1976.

The enquiry also involved a major operation in 2019 to drain and forensically search Leanach Quarry near Inverness for evidence.

This involved removing more than 100,000 tonnes of material, with more than 5,000 tonnes subject to a thorough search by specialist officers over a five month period.

However, no evidence was found at the site.

On behalf of the family, Morag Govans, Renee's sister and Andrew's aunt, said: 'Almost 46 years on, the pain of losing Renee and Andrew in such a cruel and brutal fashion never fades.

'Today there is finally justice for them. It's a day we feared would never come.

'They were both so precious to us and a day never passes without them both in our thoughts.

'Renee was a compassionate and caring mother. Both Andrew and his elder brother Gordon were her life. She adored them and was so proud of her boys.

'Andrew would be 48 today, he was never given the chance to build his own life.

'The passage of time has not eased the anguish we feel, we have never been able to lay Renee and Andrew to rest or properly mourn their loss.

'Not knowing where their remains lie only compounds the pain.

'Thinking of the terror they both must have felt before they died continues to haunt us.

'We will never comprehend why their lives had to be taken in such a calculated and callous manner by William MacDowell.

'If he has a shred of decency in his body, he will now reveal where they both lie.'

William MacDowell alongside his wife Rosemary MacDowell at the High Court at the Inverness Justice Centre. He has been sentenced to life in prison with a recommendation that he serve a minimum of 30 years for killing Renee and Andrew MacRae in November 1976

Renee Macrae and her son Andrew who have been missing since 1976. MacDowell was today convicted of their murders

William MacDowell (left) and his wife Rosemary (right). He was today convicted of the murders of Renee and Andrew MacRae

Detective Chief Inspector Brian Geddes said: 'Renee and Andrew's family, and friends, have waited decades for justice and I hope that the outcome in court today can provide some form of closure for them.

'They have carried themselves with absolute dignity throughout and they are very much in my thoughts today.

'The murders of Renee and Andrew MacRae have had a significant impact on people in Inverness, and beyond for decades.

'It is fitting to know that despite the passage of time, justice has finally been served.'

He added: 'Although justice has now been done, Renee and Andrew's bodies have not been found and I would urge anyone who may have information about where they are to come forward so they can be provided with the dignity they deserve.

'In particular I would appeal directly to William McDowell to speak to us and allow to bring closure to their family.'

The now 80-year-old killed Mrs MacRae, whom he admitted repeatedly lying to during their four-year affair, and their child Andrew at a layby near Dalmagarry on the A9, about 12 miles south of Inverness.

A huge police investigation was launched after their disappearance, with road blocks set up on the busy road in an attempt to find as many witnesses as possible.

But despite this, and investigations in 1986, 2004 and 2018, the remains of Renee and Andrew have never been found.

Operation Abermule, the latest investigation, was set up to find the murderer and to discover the resting place of the pair's bodies almost 46 years after the crime.

So far, it has only achieved one of its aims - with MacDowell convicted of the two murders.

But Mr Geddes said he would 'remain optimistic' that the bodies could still be found.

He said: 'We set out with that as our objective and we, the organisation, whoever comes after me, will not give up on that until there is no longer any hope.

'And there is hope at the moment, so we'll remain optimistic.'

Debris taken from the emptied Leanach Quarry near Inverness which was searched as part of the investigation into the mother and son's disappearance

The next step will be to 'attempt some re-engagement' with MacDowell and 'see if he's willing to speak', the officer added.

MacDowell, who was married while having a relationship with Mrs MacRae, who was separated from her husband, had been trying to keep their affair secret.

Mr Geddes said: 'The motive we have was because the pressure was increasing on his lifestyle, or at least the circumstances that might affect his lifestyle as it was at the time, and that he had to take action to maintain that lifestyle and maintain that standard of living he had which was clearly a good standard of living at the time.'

He added: 'We'd love to know more answers for the sake of the family, whether they want to know the details of what happened down there.

'But, as an investigator, we'd love to know every fact and every part of the circumstances that happened.'

The latest investigation, and subsequent court case, has involved more than 1,500 witnesses, many of them either deceased or no longer able to give evidence in court.

'There is no doubt that the team that we had from 2018 onwards uncovered evidence that hadn't been focused on before,' Mr Geddes said.

'We have certainly improved the known circumstances around Friday November 12 and beyond.

The police officer said he could 'sympathise with lots of frustrations why it's taken so long' for a conviction.

But he stressed: 'We have now achieved what we set out to achieve in 2018.

'And that's in no small measure to what was carried out in 1976, 1987, 2004 onwards. That all helped us get to this point.'

Lord Armstrong had earlier told the jury if they find MacDowell not guilty - or that the case is not proven - the 80-year-old will not be able to be tried again unless there are exceptional circumstances.

MacDowell lodged two special defences - one of alibi, that he was elsewhere at the time, including in the Mercury Motor Inn with three colleagues before going home.

The other, incrimination, alleges that if the murders did happen, they were committed by Mrs MacRae's estranged husband Gordon MacRae acting with others.

Lord Armstrong, who sent the jury out just after 10.10am, told them: 'What you must now do is consider all the evidence the Crown relies upon and submissions made to you by the Advocate Depute, and equal consideration to the defence and what's said by Mr (Murray) Macara on behalf of William MacDowell.'
The family of Hae Min Lee, the 18-year-old whose death was covered in the popular podcast Serial, are appealing a Baltimore judge's decision to release Adnan Syed.

Syed, now 41, had been in prison for over 23 years for strangling Lee and burying her body in a shallow grave, before prosecutors vacated his conviction on September 19 and he was released.

Attorneys for the Lee family filed a notice to appeal his release on Wednesday morning, they told The Baltimore Sun, saying they were not given proper warning to prepare.

'The fact that makes it hard for them to swallow is the fact that they were kept in the dark,' Lee family attorney Steve Kelly told CBS Baltimore. 'They trusted the state, and the state took such an abrupt turn without sitting down and explaining it to them.'

Young Lee, Hae's brother, had requested that the court push the hearing back so that he could fly in from California, but the court did not grant his request.

He instead appeared virtually during the hearing, speaking to the judge and the prosecutors over Zoom.

'Going through it again is like a living nightmare,' Young Lee said during hearing - cameras are not allowed in Maryland courtrooms, but reporters were present.

Hae Min Lee, 18, was murdered in Baltimore in 1999. The man convicted for her killing, Adnan Syed (right) was released from prison on Monday in a hearing which the Lee family said was sprung on them with little warning

Kelly said the family's appeal is 'the first step in seeking the Maryland Court of Special Appeals' to review 'potential violations of Maryland's victim's rights statutes in connection with the hearing.'

'Young Lee filed the notice of appeal based on violations of his family's right to meaningfully participate in the Sept. 19, 2022 hearing on the motion to vacate Adnan Syed's conviction.'

The Lee family received notice of Syed's September 19 hearing on September 16, less than one full business day out from when he would go before the judge. Young Lee had requested that the court push the hearing back so that he could fly in from California, but the court did not grant his request.

Lee's family claims that they were not given a 'reasonable' amount of time to prepare, bringing on litigation the day before the hearing.

According to Kelly, the swift proceeding violated the victims' rights law in Maryland.

Exactly much time a family should be given before a hearing, however, is not specified in the law.

Syed is greeted by supporters outside of the courtroom after his conviction was vacated

Syed, center, leaves the Cummings Courthouse on Septemeber 19 after a judge ordered his release

Marilyn Mosby, the state attorney for Baltimore City, says that the Lee family had a 'reasonable' amount of time to prepare for Syed's hearing on September 19

Prosecutors denied the claims made by Kelly, saying that they gave the family advance notice of the hearing and had been in contact with them before the motion had even been filed.

'We reached out to the family last week, we spoke with the brother of Hae Min Lee, we provided a copy of the motion, my attorney gave her cell phone number-- we provided counseling service,' said Baltimore State's Attorney Marilyn Mosby in an interview with TMZ.

'We then followed through and gave them, once we found out on Friday, when the hearing was set which was on Monday - the court set it in for Monday - we alerted them,' Mosby said. 'And not only did we go so far as to alert them so that they could appear, but we went and we asked the judge for a Zoom link so that they could be a part of the process.'

Syed, who dated Hae Min Lee while in high school, had been in prison since being convicted of the teenager's murder in 2000.

The now 41-year-old's case made major headlines in 2014 with the 'Serial' podcast, which examined the evidence both in support of his innocence and against it.

Syed was convicted of strangling Lee (with him above at prom). The two were high school classmates who had dated

Prosecutors now have 30 days to either dismiss the charges against Syed or continue with a new trial ordered by Judge Phinn.

Mosby said last week that they are waiting on DNA evidence to come back before officially dismissing the charges against the Maryland man.

According to a press release from Mosby's office, the newly tested DNA evidence includes touch-DNA from places such as fingernails, fingernail clippers, pubic hairs, underwear, bra and shirt.

The release indicated that 'trace-level male DNA' was found from some of these tests, but that 'no useful typing results were obtained from this analysis.'

Additionally, DNA tested from the shirt swab was ' so minimal it would not likely produce any results.'

Adnan Syed was just 17-years-old when he was arrested for the murder of Hae Min Lee, his ex-girlfriend

'If that DNA comes back inconclusive, I will certify that he's innocent,' Mosby told Baltimore station WJZ News. 'If it comes back to two alternative suspects, I will certify that he's innocent. If it comes back to Adnan Syed, the state is still in a position to proceed upon the prosecution.'

The DailyMail.com reached out to prosecutors about the status of any new DNA tests that could yield a decision on whether to start a new trial, but did not immediately receive a response.

If exonerated, Syed could be entitled to compensation from the state after serving more than 23 years in jail.

All of this is in relation to new evidence, including the identification of two new suspects in Hae Min Lee's murder. One of the two suspects at one point even threatened to kill a prosecutor on the case.

That information was never shared to Syed's defense attorney, which ultimately prompted the motion to vacate to be filed.

Immediately following the decision to vacate Syed's conviction, the Lee family through Kelly issued a statement saying that they were 'disappointed' by the swiftness of the hearing.

'The Lee family is deeply disappointed that today's hearing happened so quickly and that they were denied the reasonable notice that would have permitted them to have a meaningful voice in the proceedings,' Kelly said in a statement.

On September 20, the creator of 'Serial' said that she felt a mix of emotions over how long it took authorities to act on evidence that has long been available.

The local prosecutor started a unit to review sentencing and a new Maryland law relating to juvenile sentencing provided a mechanism for reexamining the case - all after the Serial podcast in 2014 turned the details of the case into an obsession for countless amateur sleuths.

Mosby immediately applauded the judge's decision as a victory for justice, but Syed's win came as a bittersweet reminder to those who had been aware of the gaps in the case for years.

State's Attorney Marilyn Mosby addressing the media following the judge's ruling

In a new episode of 'Serial' released on Tuesday, host Sarah Koenig noted that most or all of the evidence cited in prosecutors' motion to overturn the conviction was available since 1999.

'Yesterday, there was a lot of talk about fairness, but most of what the state put in that motion to vacate, all the actual evidence, was either known or knowable to cops and prosecutors back in 1999,' Koenig said.

'So even on a day when the government publicly recognizes its own mistakes, it's hard to feel cheered about a triumph of fairness.

'Because we've built a system that takes more than 20 years to self-correct. And that's just this one case.'

Sarah Koenig, producer and host of the podcast Serial, is seen in 2015

Koenig argued that the case against Syed involved 'just about every chronic problem' in the system, including unreliable witness testimony and evidence that was never shared with Syed's defense team.

On Monday, Circuit Court Judge Melissa Phinn in Baltimore ordered Syed's release after overturning his conviction for the 1999 murder of Lee, a high school student and Syed's ex-girlfriend.

Syed has always maintained his innocence but in 2019 the state's highest court had rejected his appeal for a new trial.

Mosby, who entered office in 2015, filed a motion in early September to vacate Syed's conviction, a filing that Koenig described as a 'firework' coming from the same office that asked a jury to convict Syed years ago.

Key to Monday's outcome was evidence uncovered by a unit that Mosby's office launched to reexamine cases in which juvenile defendants were given life sentences.

That worked in tandem with a 2021 Maryland law that enables someone convicted as a juvenile to seek a reduced sentence after serving at least 20 years.

Syed was 17 when Lee was killed.

Syed, now 40, is serving a life sentence plus 40 years after he was convicted in 2000 of strangling Lee and burying her body in a shallow grave

Prosecutor Becky Feldman led the unit and found notes written by one of her predecessors describing two phone calls in which people gave them information before Syed's trial about someone with a motive to harm Lee.

That information was not given to the defense at the time, according to prosecutors - an omission that Phinn said violated Syed's rights.

Koenig noted that she knew who these two new potential suspects were - and so did detectives who investigated Syed two decades ago - but declined to name them because they have not been charged.

'One of (the suspects) was investigated at the time, submitted to a couple of polygraphs. The other was investigated also, but not with much vigor, as far as I can tell,' she said.
Mick Edwards, 62, discovered the medieval coin while on a trip to Etchilhampton

A metal detectorist has sold a huge 600-year-old Portuguese gold coin he unearthed in a Wiltshire field for almost 20,000.

Mick Edwards, 62, was detecting while on a trip with his wife to the village of Etchilhampton to celebrate their 35th wedding anniversary.

The unique find sold for a hammer price of 16,000 at auctioneers Noonans of London in their two-day sale of coins and historical medals this week.

With added fees, the total paid by the winning bidder was 19,840.

Mick, a civil servant from Peterlee, County Durham, will split the proceeds with the owner of the pasture field where he discovered the hidden gem.

A gold coin (pictured) from the reign of King Manuel I of Portgual (1495-1521) was uncovered in a Wiltshire field in July

Metal detectorist Mick Edwards (pictured) stumbled upon a coin which he has now sold for 20,000

The early riser made his discovery during a morning session of metal detecting on July 5.

After little luck, uncovering only a few worthless crotal bells - used on animals and horse-drawn vehicles from the early medieval period - he was on the verge of giving up.

After deciding to make one last push to the top of the field before breakfast, suddenly his machine gave off a strong signal.

He dug down about ten inches and used a probe to locate the signal, before spotting the edge of the treasure.

Expecting to find copper, he was blown away when he discovered a large, 33mm-wide coin from Portugal.

The 600-year-old coin is a 10 Cruzados piece from the reign of King Manuel I of Portugal between 1495 and 1521, and is the first of its kind to be found in Britain.

The land on which he found the treasure belonged to the Ernle family, who are English landed gentry, from 1489 to 1928.

The obverse - the side of the coin bearing the head or principal design - features a cross of the Portuguese Order of Christ Cross with the Latin words: 'In this sign shall we conquer.'

The flipside of the coin depicts the country's royal coat of arms and a test-punch had clearly dented the top right of the coin.

The team at Noonans told Mick the gold was struck in Lisbon using gold plundered by Vasco de Gama in Africa during the country's age of exploration.

De Gama was a 15th Century explorer, and in 1497 became the first person to sail from Europe to India.

At over 35g, it is more than double the weight of the largest British coin of the time, meaning it was once worth more than 2.

The gold coin weighs more than 35g, making it more than double the weight of the largest British coin of the time

Nigel Mills, specialist at Noonans added: 'The coin features the crowned royal arms of Portugal on the obverse with the cross of the order of Christ on the reverse with the Latin legend translated 'In this sign shall we conquer,' with a test punch on the reverse.

'In England at this time, the largest gold coin was a Sovereign which weighed 15.3g so this coin is more than double that in weight, so would have had a value greater than 2.'

Mick said: 'I was staying on the farm near Etchilhampton in Wiltshire with my wife after celebrating 35 years of marriage from the day before.

'It was 6am and until then I had only found some broken crotal bells, so I walked to the top of the field for a final effort before breakfast.

'Taking just three more steps, I received a clear signal which sounded like a large copper coin.

'I was dumbstruck and just sat looking at the coin unable even to breathe.

'I could see the cross on the coin and thought it was probably Spanish but later found out it was Portuguese from the Kings name Manuel.'

Mick has been metal-detecting for a decade to help recover from a painful illness affecting his kidneys, caused by diabetes.

Because of the pain, he can't sit down for long and metal detecting keeps him mobile.

Just before he made his lucrative discovery, had bought a Deus II detector.
A Russian executive has been found dead on the balcony of his Moscow home - just the latest in a series of 'suicides' that appear suspicious.

Pavel Pchelnikov, 52, a PR manager for the Russian Railways, was found shot dead at his home in the leafy Kolomenskaya Embankment neighbourhood early Wednesday.

It makes him at least the tenth high-profile Russian to have met their death in mysterious circumstances since Putin invaded Ukraine back in February.

Pavel Pchelnikov, 52, a railways PR executive, has been found dead at his home in Moscow in what has been deemed a 'suicide'

Pchelnikov had been on holiday with his family recently (left) and his death has been branded suspicious, just the latest in a line of 'suicides' among Russia executives that raise questions

Pchelnikov had boasted about being 'the most experienced PR manager in Russian Railways company' and went on holiday with his family just a month ago.

He had uploaded smiling images of himself while on vacation to social media in the weeks before he died.

A preliminary investigation concluded that Pchelnikov had killed himself, but gave no details and did not explain his motive. A full investigation is underway.

On 1 September, oil tycoon Ravil Maganov, 67,fell to his death from the sixth floor window of a Moscow hospital.

One report says the chairman of Lukoil - Russia's second largest oil company - was 'beaten' before he was 'thrown out of a window', however this is not confirmed officially.

His company had voiced opposition to the war in Ukraine.

Strangely, Putin arrived at the elite Central Clinical Hospital very soon after Maganov's body was found to pay his last respects to final Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, who had died at the hospital.

In July, Yuri Voronov, 61, head of a transport and logistics company for a Gazprom-linked company, was found dead in his swimming pool, with a leading friend who is a top criminologist warning of foul play.

Two more deaths of Gazprom-linked executives were reported in elite homes near St Petersburg amid suspicions that apparent suicides may have been murders.

Ivan Pechorin, 39, was managing director of Putin's Far East and Arctic Development Corporation, responsible for the development of Russia's resources in the Arctic and the air industry in eastern Russia

Igor Nosov, CEO of the Corporation for the Development of the Far East and the Arctic, also died earlier this year in his early 40s, reportedly from a 'stroke'

Ravil Maganov, chairman of Russian oil giant Lukoil, died after falling from a window at Central Clinical Hospital, Moscow (pictured with Vladimir Putin in 2019)

Alexander Tyulakov, 61, a senior Gazprom financial and security official at deputy general director level, was discovered by his lover the day after war started in Ukraine in February.

His neck was in a noose in his 500,000 home .

Yet reports say he had been badly beaten shortly before he 'took his own life', leading to speculation he was under intense pressure.

In the same elite Leninsky gated housing development in Leningrad region three weeks earlier, Leonid Shulman, 60, head of transport at Gazprom Invest, was found dead with multiple stab wounds in a pool of blood on his bathroom floor.

Billionaire Alexander Subbotin, 43, also linked to Kremlin-friendly energy giant Lukoil where he was a top manager, was found dead in May after 'taking advice from shamans'.

One theory is that Subbotin - who also owned a shipping company - was poisoned by toad venom triggering a heart attack.

In April, wealthy Vladislav Avayev, 51, a former Kremlin official, appeared to have taken his own life after killing his wife Yelena, 47, and daughter, 13.

He had high level links to leading Russian financial institution Gazprombank.

Friends have disputed reports that he was jealous after his wife admitted she was pregnant by their driver.

There are claims he had access to the financial secrets of the Kremlin elite.

Yuri Voronov, 61, was found dead in August

Two more deaths of Gazprom-linked executives were reported in elite homes near St Petersburg, stoking suspicions that the deaths may well have been murders

Billionaire Alexander Subbotin, 43 former top executive with energy giant Lukoil, died in May

Several days later multimillionaire Sergey Protosenya, 55, was found hanged in Spain, after evidently killing with an axe his wife Natalia, 53, and their teenage daughter, Maria.

He was a former deputy chairman of Novatek, a company also closely linked to the Kremlin.

There have also been questions over the death of Putin's point man for developing Russia's vast Arctic resources who 'fell overboard' to his death from a boat sailing off the country's Pacific coast.

Ivan Pechorin, 39, had recently attended a major conference hosted by the Kremlin warmonger in Vladivostok.

The high-flyer was managing director of Putin's Far East and Arctic Development Corporation.

And in another case a mobile phone multi-millionaire and his wife were found stabbed to death, with the official version of events raising questions.

Naked Yevgeny Palant, 47, and his wife Olga, 50, both Ukrainian-born, were found with multiple knife wounds by their daughter Polina, 20.

Immediate briefing to the media claimed the woman took her own life in a jealous rage after Palant said he was leaving her.

Yet this was strongly disputed by the couple's best friend.

Former Kremlin official and Gazprombank vice-president Vladislav Avayev, 51, appeared to have taken his own life after killing his wife and one of his daughters in April

Russian gas tycoon Sergey Protosenya (pictured), his wife Natalya, 53, and their teenage daughter Maria were found dead in their Spanish mansion, in Lloret de Mar, on April 19
Macao hosts forum to build green infrastructure platform

Xinhua) 10:44, September 29, 2022

MACAO, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- The 13th International Infrastructure Investment and Construction Forum kicked off Wednesday in China's Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR), with a view to building a platform for deepening international cooperation in green infrastructure.

More than 1,300 participants from government departments, enterprises and financial institutions worldwide are expected to discuss the direction of policies, financial innovation, environmental, green and low-carbon development, and digital application in infrastructure investment and construction, according to the Macao Trade and Investment Promotion Institute, a joint organizer of the event.

Li Fei, assistant commerce minister of China, said in a video speech that China is committed to deepening international cooperation in green infrastructure in an all-round manner, and playing a leading role in the development of new infrastructure by supporting enterprises in fully leveraging green, low-carbon, environmental protection technologies, as well as big data, the Internet of Things, and artificial intelligence (AI).

Lou Qiliang, president of China's leading train maker CRRC, said his company looked forward to deepening pragmatic cooperation with rail transport users, and upstream and downstream enterprises in the industry chain around the world, and working with different sectors to develop infrastructure and connectivity in countries and regions along the Belt and Road.

(Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun)




Dutch artist Florentijn Hofman's giant yellow rubber duck is back in Korea for the first time in eight years, with organizers saying it is meant to uplift the mood of the people amid the pandemic.







The 18-meter-tall inflatable plastic duck will be installed over the waters of Seokchon Lake in eastern Seoul from Sept. 30 to Oct. 31. The project was organized in partnership between Lotte Group's property management arm, Lotte Property Development, and the Songpa Ward office.







Special friends of the supersized duck have joined this year. A number of miniature versions of the duck dressed in Halloween costumes will be hidden inside Lotte World Tower and Lotte World Mall, it said.







An event to celebrate the rubber duck's return was held in front of the installation Thursday, attended by Lotte officials and its creator, Hofman.







"The whole COVID-19 situation in the world was also here in Seoul of course and made me to have 'no doubt' to bring it again. Of course the sad happenings of the flooding also made me say 'yes' to immediately bring it back," Hofman said at the event.







"The rubber duck relieves tensions and makes people happy again, and also the people of Korea can benefit from that."







The "Rubber Duck" public art project, created by Hofman, has been exhibited in 16 countries since its creation in 2007.







The project landed in South Korea in 2014 and garnered over five million visitors. (Yonhap)














A hurricane warning is now in effect for the entire coast of South Carolina as tropical storm-force winds reach as far north as Myrtle Beach

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Emergency crews were seen evacuating elderly residents from an Orlando nursing home on Thursday as a one-in 1,000-year storm continues to batter the theme park capital of the United States before it makes its way to South Carolina.

Hurricane Ian blasted the Sunshine State with catastrophic force on Wednesday afternoon as a Category 4 storm, knocking out power to more than 2.6 million residents as thousands remain trapped in their homes and hundreds of people are feared dead.

Rescue operations are now continuing throughout the state, but officials say they are only 'scratching the surface' of the thousands of people who are stranded or missing in the aftermath of the catastrophic water damage and 155 mph winds.

And in Orlando, the storm caused life-threatening and catastrophic flooding in the city of 2.7 million residents, the Wall Street Journal reports, leaving people to kayak through the streets to safety as all the highways into Orlando  and even the international airport  remain closed.

The feet-deep water was even strong enough to stop an ambulance in its tracks, as Orange County Fire and Rescue were seen trying to evacuate elderly residents from the Avante at Orlando nursing center.

The department posted a series of videos on Twitter Thursday morning showing crews entering the facility wearing knee-length jackets. They then came out carrying elderly residents in stretchers and bringing them to nearby buses, where they would reportedly be brought to nearby shelters.

As the fire rescue crews moved into the nursing home, wind from the storm could be seen picking up.

Officials said they evacuations were being conducted as a precaution as floodwaters continue to rise in the city, according to WFTV.

Ian, which was downgraded to a tropical storm earlier on Thursday, is now expected to once again reach hurricane force strength as it makes its way up to South Carolina, where authorities have already issued a hurricane warning for the entire coast as tropical storm-force winds reach as far north as Myrtle Beach.

Life-threatening conditions are now possible across the area, the National Weather Service says, as storm surges are expected to reach up to seven feet.

ORLANDO: The Orange County Fire and Rescue evacuated residents from the Avante at Orlando nursing home early Thursday morning as floodwaters continued to rise

ORLANDO: Rescue crews were pictured transporting some of the elderly residents out of the nursing home on stretchers

ORLANDO: Authorities say they are conducting the evacuations of the Avante nursing home as a precaution as floodwaters continue to rise

ORLANDO: The residents of the Avante nursing home are reportedly to be taken to nearby shelters

Ian is now expected to regain strength as it moves north to South Carolina, where a hurricane warning is already in effect

The storm has already caused massive damage in Florida, where experts are expecting the damages to cost up to $260billion, though the clean-up efforts are currently unable to get underway as swathes of Florida remain underwater.

Hundreds of people are now feared dead, as 50 National Guard helicopters are starting the search and rescue for thousands who are stranded or missing in the aftermath of the catastrophic water damage and 155mph winds.

But rescuers this morning admitted they are only 'scratching the surface' and the actual number of victims could soar even higher.

Thousands are also trapped on their homes and some were forced on to their roofs to escape rising floodwater that swallowed two-story homes.

ORLANDO: Videos posted online by the Orange County Fire Rescue show crews bringing the residents to buses parked in front of the facility

ORLANDO: Winds seemed to pick up from the now tropical-storm as crews tried to evacuate the residents

ORLANDO: The entire exterior of Disney World's Swan and Dolphin Resort was flooded Wednesday night

Photos and video posted to social media show just how devastating the storm was in Orlando, as it battered central Florida on Thursday.

Other residents, meanwhile, could be seen kayaking through the streets as Orlando officials warn everyone to stay off the streets.

And another video posted on social media shows that at least one bridge in the city crumbled, with water continuing to rush over the concrete.

All of the highways leading into the city  and even its international airport  remain closed, with Disney World and Universal Orlando Studios seeking new ways to entertain the guests at their hotels.

Tropical-storm force winds have reached as far north as Myrtle Beach, South Carolina on Thursday

Parts of South Carolina could see storm surges reaching up to seven feet, according to the National Weather Service

In a statement on Thursday, Walt Disney World officials said: 'We are thinking of our neighbors across Florida. We will get through this together and will be there to help our cast members and community.

As we keep safety in mind, our theme parks and other operating areas remain closed today while crews assess the impact of the storm and clear debris.

'Thank you to all of our cast members who continue to care for the thousands of guests currently staying at our Disney Resort hotels.'

The statement comes after a Twitter user posted a video of massive flooding outside the Disney Swan and Dolphin Resort Wednesday night.

And on Thursday, video obtained by FOX News showed residents wading through knee-deep water at Universal Orlando Resort.

This flooding is actually picking up in Orlando. #HurricaneIan pic.twitter.com/YJbIBxu9DW  JaiHawkFLY (@JaiHawkFly) September 29, 2022

ORLANDO: A man is pictured walking near park benches near Lake Eola in the city's flooded downtown on Thursday

ORLANDO: Vehicles were submerged in the parking lot at the Palm Isle apartments in the aftermath of the devastating storm

ORLANDO: Ian's winds were strong enough to knock down a traffic light in the city's downtown

ORLANDO: Residents are urged to stay off the streets. A neighborhood is seen here completely flooded in the aftermath of the storm on Thursday

Hundreds of people are now feared dead, even as the storm continues its onslaught on its way to South Carolina.

Ian blasted ashore with catastrophic force on Wednesday afternoon as a Category 4 storm, but has since been downgraded to a tropical storm by the National Hurricane Center in an update early on Thursday.

But the National Hurricane Center is reporting it will be a Category 1 hurricane when it approaches the coast of South Carolina on Friday - which is set to be its second US landfall.

At around 11am EST, the National Hurricane Center reported maximum wind speeds of 70mph, making Ian a high-end tropical storm and close to hurricane-strength.

When it reaches wind speeds of 74 mph or greater, it will be considered a Category 1 hurricane.
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Several houses in Fort Myers burst into flames and were left to smolder as firefighters were unable to get to the destruction in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian that caused catastrophic damage and left 2.7million people without power.

Horrifying footage captured on video showed black smoke billowing into the sky and flames leaping from the structures in the coastal Florida town that remain surrounded by water from the storm surge that swooped in Wednesday afternoon.

It is not clear exactly what caused the fires to break out, but there have been reports that the blaze could have been sparked by damaged power cables, lightning strikes or generators being destroyed by the storm.

Rescue workers and some residents began picking up the pieces from the scores of wrecked homes on Thursday after the monster storm tore through the area with howling winds, torrential rains and raging surf and caused massive power outages.

One of the mightiest storms to hit the U.S. mainland in recent years, Ian flooded communities before plowing across the peninsula to the Atlantic seaboard. The storm is now projected to regain hurricane strength as it crosses Florida and head north with its aim at the Carolinas.

Homes in Fort Myers were on fire on Thursday as the area continues to be devastated in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian

Dozens of homes are still underwater and many more buildings are badly damaged in the Fort Myers area a day after Hurricane Ian ripped through the state, according to new photos released by the US Coast Guard.

In one of the photos, part of what appears to be an entire neighborhood is underwater. In another section, debris covers the ground around homes.

Fort Myers Fire Department shared a post on their Facebook page where they revealed how they navigated around fallen trees and possible electrical hazards to fight a fire on Katherine Street.

The post read: '#Engine13 noted smoke coming from a two-story residential structure and had to navigate pulling a hose line around fallen trees and possible electrical hazards.'

'Crews quickly performed an aggressive fire attack, search of the residence, and ventilation.'

Fort Myers Fire Department shared a post on their Facebook page where they revealed how they navigated around fallen trees and possible electrical hazards to fight a fire on Katherine Street

House fires - including this one on Katherine Street - have been reported across Fort Myers and other areas of Florida

Ian blasted ashore at the barrier island of Cayo Costa on Wednesday afternoon as a Category 4 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 150 miles per hour.

It rapidly transformed Florida's southwestern shoreline, dotted with sandy beaches, coastal towns and mobile home parks, into a disaster zone as it swept seawater into waterfront homes.

Governor Ron DeSantis said that Lee and Charlotte counties, home to more than 900,000 people, were 'basically off the grid.'

'The impacts of this storm are historic and the damage that was done was historic,' DeSantis said during a news briefing. 'We have never seen a flood event like this. We have never seen storm surge of this magnitude.'

There were two unconfirmed storm-related fatalities, DeSantis said. The extent of deaths and injuries was unclear on Thursday morning as rescue workers were only starting to respond to calls after not being able to go out during the treacherous conditions.

DeSantis said 28 helicopters were performing water rescues. He also said the bridge to Sanibel Island - a barrier island on the Gulf coast - was severely damaged and impassible. Two area hospitals were evacuated, with patients moved to higher ground.

Homes in Fort Myers have been decimated by the storm, with properties washed away - some crashing into other buildings

Dozens of homes are still underwater and many more buildings are badly damaged in the Fort Myers area a day after Hurricane Ian ripped through the state, according to new photos released by the US Coast Guard

In one of the photos, part of what appears to be an entire neighborhood is underwater

Debris in a lake near damaged properties in Fort Myers, Florida, being pushed to one side by the 155mph storm winds

The extreme damage can be seen in aerial photographs, with homes swept towards the water in Fort Myers

In the early morning hours after it passed, residents and rescue workers in hard-hit areas like Venice, located in Sarasota County about 75 miles south of Tampa, hunted for family and friends as trees, debris and power lines covered roads and standing water washed over the ground.

Kurt Hoffman, sheriff of Sarasota County, told residents in a Twitter post that there were more than 500 calls for help and that they are 'triaging' them for the most urgent.

'Patrol deputies resumed operations a few hours ago & are responding to the highest priority calls first,' Hoffman wrote. 'Sit tight, we know many of you need help.'

The search for loved ones was made more difficult as cellphone services were often cut.

'A lot of down trees, a lot of flooding everywhere. We are trying to get a hold of my daughter,' said Terri Byrd as she sat in a vehicle in a Walmart parking lot trying to get cell service after spending the night at an elementary school in Venice.

Ian, now a tropical storm, slackened as it trekked across Florida but was still producing strong winds, heavy rains and storm surge, including in Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said.

The storm, packing maximum sustained winds of 65 mph, was about 40 miles southeast of Orlando, the Miami-based forecaster said.

Aerial shots show the level of devastation caused by Hurricane Ian, as mobile homes and other less secure structures can be seen strewn across the floodwater

NAPLES: Emergency services in Naples have already begun rescue missions for residents who are trapped in their homes

It was expected to reach the Atlantic Coast on Thursday afternoon, unleashing drenching rains and threatening to bring more extensive flooding. Up to 30 inches of rain was forecast to fall on parts of central Florida, the hurricane center said.

President Joe Biden spoke to DeSantis on Thursday, saying his administration was committed to continue close coordination and that Federal Emergency Management Agency Director Deanne Criswell will be in Florida on Friday.

Biden also approved a disaster declaration, making federal resources available to the counties impacted by the storm.

The damages caused by Ian will turn out to be catastrophic and FEMA is preparing for potentially thousands of people to be displaced in the long-term, Criswell told CNN.

'I don't think that we can quantify it yet,' Criswell said when asked about damages from the storm. 'But I can tell you that it is going to be catastrophic.'

She said FEMA was preparing for thousands of long-term displaced people in the region, as large population centers were hit as well as families living in mobile homes.

Some utilities had started to restore power for customers now that the storm has passed southern Florida but the number of outages increased as the storm moved across Florida.

Florida Power & Light Co (FPL) mobilized more than 13,000 personnel to support power restoration efforts.
He accused West of trying to provoke 'revolutions' in states - with no evidence

Vladimir Putin has accused the West of being ready to provoke 'revolutions' and a 'bloodbath' in any country.

In comments lacking any evidence, the Russian President also claimed that conflicts in countries of the former USSR, including Ukraine, are the result of the collapse of the Soviet Union.

'It is enough to look at what is happening now between Russia and Ukraine and what is happening on the borders of some other CIS (Commonwealth of Independent States) countries.

'All this, of course, is the result of the collapse of the Soviet Union,' Putin said in a virtual meeting with intelligence chiefs of former Soviet Countries.

His comments come after the Kremlin confirmed the Russian leader will formally annex occupied regions of Ukraine to Moscow in a major speech tomorrow, as he attempts to regain the initiative after his forces suffered a humiliating rout earlier this month.

Russian-backed proxy governments in Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions held sham referendums earlier this week on whether to go ahead with the move.

Armed Russian soldiers taking ballot boxes door-to-door left the results in no doubt, and Ukraine along with its Western allies have vowed not to recognise the results.

But it still marks a turning point in the war because it will allow Putin to spin the lie to his own people that any attack on those regions is an attack on Russia itself - paving the way for him to escalate, possibly as far as using nukes.

Ukraine has vowed to defy that threat is continuing to attack into those regions today, with a key town in Donetsk now all-but surrounded.

Vladimir Putin today accused the West of being ready to provoke 'revolutions' and a 'bloodbath' in any country - without providing any evidence

'It is enough to look at what is happening now between Russia and Ukraine and what is happening on the borders of some other CIS (Commonwealth of Independent States) countries. 'All this, of course, is the result of the collapse of the Soviet Union,' Putin said in a televised meeting with intelligence chiefs of former Soviet Countries

It comes as Russian forces in the town of Lyman, in the eastern Donbas region, face being surrounded with Ukrainian forces continuing to advance

Footage of Ukrainian troops attacking in the area shows a Russian camp containing 15 soldiers being captured, as Kyiv claimed two majors were among them

FOURTH leak found in Nord Stream pipes A fourth leak has been uncovered in the Nord Stream gas pipes which are thought to have been blown up in an act of Russian sabotage earlier this week. The newest leak has been located in the Nord Stream 2 pipe, close to a larger hole discovered in Nord Stream 1 a few days ago. It means there are now two holes in each pipe, two of which are located in Swedish waters and two in Danish waters, Sweden's coastguard said today. Emergency crews are continuing to inspect the gas lines ahead of a mission below the waves to try and stop them leaking thousands of tons of gas into the Baltic Sea and work out what exactly happened - though that is unlikely to happen before next week. Finding answers will take longer still. Heavy early suspicion has fallen on Russia, bolstered today by sightings of Kremlin ships and submarines in and around the area of the blasts over the last week, CNN reports. European security officials said it is as-yet unclear whether any of those craft were involved, but say the possibility is being investigated. There is little doubt among European diplomats or NATO allies that Russia is responsible, according to reports, but without hard evidence none except Ukraine has ventured to say so out loud. In the absence of facts, conspiracy theories have proliferated. Taken at face value, it seems unlikely that Russia would attack its own multi-billion dollar pipes - but those familiar with Moscow's 'hybrid' style of warfare say it is likely Kremlin mind game to sow uncertainty and a warning to back off Ukraine. 'It's all part of the Russian style of political warfare,' Bryan Clark, a former US navy strategic planner now at the Hudson Institute think tank, said. 'It's about sowing doubt, creating just enough fog of uncertainty.' European leaders are now rushing to shore up defences around their own undersea pipes and data cables, amid fears they are also vulnerable to attack. A renewed energy crisis, recession, or financial crash could all result if those crucial networks were disrupted, experts and analysts warned. Advertisement

Lyman, which sits close to the Donets river, is being flanked from northwest and southeast, with Kyiv's troops having cut off all escape routes bar one, according to both Ukrainian sources and pro-Russian military bloggers.

Putin's forces are facing 'imminent defeat' in the town which is a key supply hub for troops in the region, respected think tank Institute for the Study of War said overnight.

Taking the town would clear the way for Ukraine to attack into neighbouring Luhansk province - which is almost completely under Russian control.

Putin maintains that the ultimate goal of his 'special military operation' is the liberation of both Donetsk and Luhansk, and defeats there would make it impossible to spin the war as a success.

It comes off the back of a devastating Ukrainian counter-attack east out of Kharkiv earlier this month that returned thousands of square miles to Kyiv's control and buckled Russia's frontline.

Putin's men have been struggling to restore control ever since and, given their position in Lyman, appear to still be struggling.

Dmitry Peskov, Putin's spokesman, said today: 'Tomorrow in the Georgian Hall of the Grand Kremlin Palace a signing ceremony will take place on the incorporation of the new territories into Russia.'

Putin will make a speech during the event, he added, which will also feature Russian-backed puppet leaders from the occupied regions signing them over to Moscow.

Peskov spoke out as huge TV screens were wheeled into Red Square in anticipation of the address, suggesting a major rally will also be taking place.

Around the screens were digital banners saying: 'Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, Kherson - Russia!', in case there was in any doubt about Putin's intention.

The move mirrors Russian tactics in Crimea during the last invasion in 2014, during which Putin marched troops across the border after the pro-Moscow government was ousted in a coup.

Russian soldiers - with their insignia removed - occupied the peninsula and its key naval base before Moscow announced a referendum.

The result, predictably, showed massive support for becoming part of the mainland and Russia has claimed rights over it ever since.

Western countries responded by imposing sanctions, and have never recognised the result of the vote.

The US and its allies have repeated that criticism following the latest set of sham referendum results, saying they come nowhere close to meeting standards for free and fair elections.

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock on Thursday said: 'Under threats and sometimes even (at) gunpoint people are being taken out of their homes or workplaces to vote in glass ballot boxes.

'This is the opposite of free and fair elections,' Baerbock said. 'And this is the opposite of peace. It's dictated peace. As long as this Russian diktat prevails in the occupied territories of Ukraine, no citizen is safe. No citizen is free.'

Russian soldiers stand on Red Square in central Moscow as it is sealed off ahead of a speech and rally by President Putin announcing occupied Ukraine will be annexed

Banners reading 'Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, Kherson - Russia!' are displayed alongside large television screens in Red Square, ahead of Putin's speech

Women with young children speak to a guard at the edge of a cordon in central Moscow ahead of a major speech by President Putin on Friday

Ukraine too has dismissed the referendums as illegitimate, saying it has every right to retake the territories, a position that has won support from Washington.

The referenda and Putin's speech come as he tries to regain the initiative in Ukraine, after his military suffered a humiliating rout two weeks ago.

Ukrainian troops re-took thousands of square miles of territory east of Kharkiv in a rapid advance that caused the Russian frontline to collapse.

That advance continues, with the city of Lyman now all-but surrounded according to both Ukrainian and Russian sources.

The advance is significant, because it is taking place in the Donbas region - even as Putin says capturing it is the main goal of his war.

Facing defeat, the despot has instead doubled down: Caving in to hardliners calling for an escalation by mobilising hundreds of thousands of men into the army.

He has also threatened to use nuclear weapons, both against Ukraine and its Western backers, which ally Dmitry Medvedev has reiterated several times since.

Russian forces escort Ukrainians to vote in the bogus ballots at gunpoint

Election officials carrying a clear ballot box (left) are let into an apartment block in occupied Ukraine accompanied by armed Russian cops (right)

Russia is also suspected to be behind two explosions on the Nord Stream pipes in the Baltic Sea which have crippled a key gas route into Europe.

The purpose of the attack, analysts and experts say, is a warning to the West that its own infrastructure could be targeted unless it backs down.

But there appears to be little sign of that taking place, as the US announced another $1billion in military aid for Ukraine - with another $12billion package currently making its way through Congress.

As part of the new package, Ukraine will get 18 additional HIMARS systems which have proved devastatingly effective against Russia.

Also included will be 150 armoured vehicles, 150 vehicles to tow artillery guns and other weapons, radar, communications equipment, body armour, and other items.

It comes after new UK Prime Minister Liz Truss pledged the UK will maintain or increase its support to Ukraine next year, meaning at least another 2.3billion.
A CEO of a Florida-base company where Hurricane Ian is raging asked her employees to bring their pets and children into work and invited them to stay overnight as she wanted to 'have a good end of quarter'.

Employees of PostcardMania, a marketing firm headquartered in Clearwater, were encouraged to attend a Zoom call where CEO and founder Joy Gendusa made a few remarks.

But those who might have anticipated being sent home early in light of the hurricane ravaging the state were disappointing.

Instead, employees were invited to come into the office where others would 'start blowing up those air mattresses' as the hurricane hit.

Soon after, a post from the firm's Instagram emerged showing the company's announcing that it would be closing its offices over Wednesday and Thursday, but not before comments from social media had flooded in criticizing the CEO's call.

PostcardMania founder and CEO Joy Gendusa encouraged employees of her Florida-based company to come and work in the office with their children and pets because she wanted 'a good end of quarter'. Pictured: Gendusa poses with her dog and company mascot Lulu at her Clearwater office

'It's really not going to be that scary,' said Gendusa, who said she didn't want to stop production as she wants 'to have a great end of quarter'.

Gendusa has lived in the area for 33 years and 'the media always makes it worse than it ever has been', she is reported to have said.

Every time they plan for disaster, she reportedly said, it's 'always a nothing burger'.

She appears to have claimed the office building would protect them from the hurricane, calling it 'probably the safest place to be in Florida'.

'My house was built in 1925 and it's still standing,' the CEO allegedly explained, assuring her employees that the storm would probably pass.

Gendusa made the call on Monday but the transcript has only come to light recently after employees at the marketing firm allegedly leaked the comments to journalist Jonah Furman, who posted them on Twitter.

By Thursday Florida Governor Ron DeSantis was warning of fatalities after footage showed entire homes broken up by the strong winds and residents fleeing for safety.

Biden declared a 'major disaster' in Florida early Thursday morning. The clear up bill is set to cost billions.

Images show near-darkness in the eye of the storm, a category 4 hurricane

'There is no company worth sacrificing for,' said one of PostcardMania's employees, speaking to The Washington Post. 'I wouldnt give my life [or my belongings] for any company.'

Nearly two million homes and businesses statewide were without power early this morning.

Hurricane Ian churned ashore on Florida's mainland after killing residents in Cuba, with slightly diminished winds topping out at 145 mph.

The storm's peak wind speeds put it just shy of a Category 5 designation on the Saffir-Simpson scale, the maximum classification.

DeSantis said Ian had generated life-threatening storm surges  waves of wind-driven seawater rushing in along the coast  of up to 12 feet in some places.

Forecasters also warned of intense thunderstorms and possible tornadoes.

The firm later said on Instagram that it would be transitioning its building into a hurricane shelter, while its remote staff handed communications.

PostcardMania did not respond to MailOnline's request for comment before publication.

Boat are partially submerged at a marina in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian in Florida, Sept 29
Anti-monarchy protesters arrested during the Queen's commemoration events were held for 'threatening behaviour' and not for 'legitimate protest', a police chief has said.

Chief Constable Sir Iain Livingstone confirmed 13 arrests were made across the whole of Scotland during Operation Unicorn, with offences including 'low-level disorder, violence, abusive and threatening behaviour, and the illegal use of drones'.

The police came under fire for their 'excessive' shutdown of anti-monarchy protests in the days following Queen Elizabeth II's death aged 96 at Balmoral Estate on September 8.

These included a 22-year-old man who was charged with 'breaching the peace' after he heckled the disgraced Duke of York during a procession that included King Charles, the Princess Royal and the Earl of Wessex as they followed behind their mother's coffin in Edinburgh on September 12.

During a Scottish Police Authority (SPA) meeting, Sir Iain, 55, said that while campaigning and protesting is a 'legitimate, necessary, vital part of civic life', abusive or threatening behaviour is not 'legitimate protest'.

Anti-monarchy protesters arrested during the Queen's commemoration events were held for 'threatening behaviour' and not for 'legitimate protest', a police chief has said. Pictured: a heckler being pulled to the floor during the procession through Edinburgh

The chief constable said there were 'no security breaches, no significant violence or disorder, no safety issues and relatively few arrests among countless interactions and engagements between officers and our fellow citizens over the course of the Operation Unicorn period'.

Protesters held a 'free speech' demonstration outside St Giles's Cathedral on the Royal Mile as the Queen lay in state after the arrest on September 12.

Another protest on September 11 saw a woman, 22, who had been seen holding a sign that said 'F**k imperialism, abolish monarchy' during the accession proclamation for the King also being charged 'in connection with a breach of the peace'.

Police took her away as the crowd applauded and one person shouted 'have some respect'.

A 22-year-old man was charged with 'breaching the peace' after he heckled the disgraced Duke of York in a procession with the Queen's coffin up the Royal Mile to St Giles's Cathedral in Edinburgh

Meanwhile in Oxford, a 45-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of 'disorderly behaviour' after shouting 'Who elected him?' as Charles was proclaimed King. He was later de-arrested, Thames Valley Police said.

And in London, a woman holding a sign bearing the message 'Not my King' outside the Palace of Westminster on Sept 12 appeared to be moved on by police before the arrival of King Charles III - while another man in the same location tweeted footage of police asking him for details after he held up a blank piece of paper. Neither was arrested.

One arrest has already seen a 74-year-old man plead guilty to breach of the peace near the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh, receiving a 350 fine.

Sir Iain, who has been chief constable since August 2018, praised the efforts of the service in ensuring events relating to the Queen's death were held 'safely, securely and with dignity'.

He added: 'As is so often the case in times of sadness or national challenge, duty requires policing to step forward with compassion and professionalism - individuals within the police service setting aside personal plans at extremely short notice to give public service.

'Police Scotland had an important role to play to ensure that significant events relating to Her Majesty's death could be held safely, securely and with dignity.

Chief Constable Sir Iain Livingstone confirmed 13 arrests were made across the whole of Scotland during Operation Unicorn

'As chief constable, I had a clear and express expectation that officers and staff would respond to this important and solemn occasion with professionalism and high standards, and they did.

'Everyone in Police Scotland played their part. Those who planned the response over many years, those directly supporting Operation Unicorn and being operationally deployed, and others who provided effective policing right across the country during this intense period.'

Deputy Chief Constable Malcolm Graham said there were no arrests made against people protesting the monarchy during the proceedings.

'We are acutely aware while upholding the rights of the difference between freedom of speech and where there are instances of breaches of the law through public disorder or other offences being committed,' he said.

'There haven't been any arrests for people protesting, as is clearly the case to members.'

Protesters hold a free speech demo opposite St Giles' Cathedral in Edinburgh

Sir Iain said Police Scotland would assess any concerns raised over policing during the period.

He said: 'I categorically undertake, as I have done consistently since holding office as chief constable, that if we have got something wrong in a specific set of circumstances, or we could have done something better, we will acknowledge that and we will take necessary and proportionate action to put it right.'

A 'full and thorough' debrief will be carried out to reflect on lessons learned during Operation Unicorn, he added.

Mr Aldworth, the former national co-ordinator for UK counter-terrorism policing, said: 'There was an inappropriate overprotectiveness towards the dignity of the event. And I think the Met has come out very strongly and said ''no, that's not right.''

'The nature of cops and the military is we all swear an oath of allegiance and I think sometimes we forget that part of allegiance is upholding what the Crown would want.

'I met the Queen on countless occasions across my career and the one thing I'm pretty certain about was that she was an advocate of democracy and she would not want that level of disruption and interference with legitimate protest. They didn't act appropriately, it's overzealous.'

Andrew (second from right) with King Charles, Princess Anne and the Earl of Wessex on the streets of Edinburgh on September 12

Ruth Smeeth, chief executive of Index on Censorship, said the arrests were 'deeply concerning', adding: 'The fundamental right to freedom of expression, including the right to protest, is something to be protected regardless of circumstance.

'People across the country and beyond continue to mourn the loss of the Queen, a loss felt keenly by so many. However, we must guard against this event being used, by accident or design, to erode in any way the freedom of expression that citizens of this country enjoy.'

Silkie Carlo, director of Big Brother Watch, said: 'If people are being arrested simply for holding protest placards then it is an affront to democracy and highly likely to be unlawful. Police officers have a duty to protect people's right to protest as much as they have a duty to facilitate people's right to express support, sorrow, or pay their respects.

'As millions come together to respect Britain's traditions and national identity, it is important to remember that the right to freedom of speech is the foundation of British democracy and to disrespect it at this moment, when our country is under an international lens, would be to flagrantly disrespect the values that define our country.'

Jodie Beck, policy and campaigns officer at Liberty, said: 'Protest is not a gift from the State, it is a fundamental right. Being able to choose what, how, and when we protest is a vital part of a healthy and functioning democracy.

'Whoever you are, whatever your cause, it is vital you are able to stand up for what you believe in without facing the risk of criminalisation. It is very worrying to see the police enforcing their broad powers in such a heavy-handed and punitive way to clamp down on free speech and expression.'

Labour MP Bell Ribeiro-Addy said on Twitter: 'People are being arrested for expressing their opposition to unelected, hereditary power.

'If this was happening in Russia, the Government would be denouncing it on the international stage. Instead, they're pushing ahead with further legislation to curb our right to protest.'
Henry allegedly tried to volunteer to fight for Russia against Ukraine, but was rejected because the doctor had not combat experience

Gabrielian was allegedly fueled by her patriotism for Russia, and told Henry not be a 'coward' when she expressed concerns about violating HIPPA

The base is home to 52,000 active duty soldiers, as well as the US Army's Delta Force and Special Operations Forces

The files included medical records of senior military officers at North Carolina's Fort Bragg and of their families

The wife of the US Army's first trans officer told her to stop being a 'coward' and to overlook 'ethical issues' when the couple tried to hand over medical records of senior military officers and their families to the Russian government.

Major Jamie Lee Henry, 39, and Johns Hopkins Dr. Anna Gabrielian, 36, were accused of using their secret security clearance at North Carolina's Fort Bragg to steal the records from the base's hospital, according to the Department of Justice.

Fort Bragg is among one of the most populated military installations in the world, housing about 52,000 active duty soldiers. The base is home to the US Army's Delta Force and Special Operations Forces.

The couple, from Rockville, Maryland, had communicated and met with an undercover FBI agent who they believed was from the Russian embassy in order to deliver files that the Kremlin 'could exploit.'

According to the indictment, which was unsealed on Thursday, Gabrielian said she was motivated by her patriotism to Russia, with Henry using her clearance as a staff internist to help secure the files.

'My point of view is until the United States actually declares war against Russia, I'm able to help as much as I want,' Henry allegedly told the undercover agent when they met to set up the deal in August. 'At that point, I'll have some ethical issues I'll have to work through.'

'You'll work through those ethical issues,' Gabrielian allegedly replied, adding that Henry was a 'coward' over fears of breaking HIPPA.

Major Jamie Lee Henry, the Army's first trans officer, and her wife were indicted for attempting to pass medical records of senior military officers and their families to the Russian government in an FBI sting operation

Dr. Anna Gabrielian, an anesthesiologist at Johns Hopkins, said her actions were fueled by her patriotism to Russia as she sought to hand over files the Kremlin 'could exploit'

Henry allegedly used her clearance as an internist at Fort Bragg (pictured) to steal medical files of patients at the base's hospital

The base is home to the US elite Special Forces (headquarters pictured), with Gabrielian claiming Henry could get information about how the US was training its military to provide assistance to Ukraine. Gabrielian said she was fueled by her patriotism to Russia

According to the indictment, Gabrielian an instructor of anesthesiology and critical care medicine at Hopkins, told the undercover agent on August 17 that 'she was motivated by patriotism toward Russia to provide any assistance she could to Russia, even if it meant being fired or going to jail.'

Gabrielian Johns Hopkins profile shows that she speaks Russian and earned her medical degree at the University of Pittsburg School of Medicine in 2012.

She married Henry in 2015, the same year the major officially came out as transgender.

Gabrielian allegedly told the agent that Henry had not only access to medical information at the military base, but also insight on how America was training the military to provide assistance to Ukraine.

During that meeting, Henry allegedly told the agent that she had tried to enlist to fight for Russia against Ukraine.

'Henry explained to the [undercover agent that they were] committed to assisting Russia, and he had looked into volunteering to join the Russian Army after the conflict in Ukraine began, but Russia wanted people with 'combat experience,' and he did not have any,' the indictment said.

'Henry further stated: 'The way I am viewing what is going on in Ukraine now, is that the United States is using Ukrainians as a proxy for their own hatred toward Russia,'' the charging document alleged.

By August 31, Gabrielian met a the agent in a hotel in Gaithersburg, Maryland, offering medial records of a spouse from a service member in the Office of Naval Intelligence and of a relative from an Air Force veteran.

'Gabrielian highlighted to the [undercover agent] a medical issue reflected in the records of [the military member's spouse] that Russia could exploit,' the indictment reads.

During the August 31 meeting, Henry also handed over medical information on five patients at Fort Bragg, including that of a retired Army officer, a Department of Defense employee and spouses of active and deceased veterans, according to the indictment

The couple also allegedly spoke with the agent about contingency plans for their family should the operation be exposed.

'Gabrilelian suggested a cover story for their interactions, and a plan for Gabrielian and Henry's children flee the US quickly if Gabrielian and Henry were told to act in a way that could expose their communications and actions to the US government,' the indictment reads.

The anesthesiologist allegedly told the agent to help their children get 'a nice flight to Turkey to go on vacation because I don't want to end in jail here with my kids being hostages over my head.'

The pair were ultimately charged with conspiracy and wrongful disclosure of individually identifiable health information.

They face up to 15 years in federal prison if convicted of both charges.

In a statement, a spokesperson for Johns Hopkins said: 'We were shocked to learn about this news this morning and intend to fully cooperate with investigators.'

Representatives for the Army and Department of Justice did not immediately respond to DailyMail.com's request for comment.

Henry (left) attending a pride event in 2015 after becoming the Army's first trans officer

Henry has been treating US service members as a doctor and internist for 17 years

In 2015, Henry was reported to be the first known active-duty Army officer to come out as transgender.

In May of 2015, the Army granted Henry's request to officially change her name and gender, with the army using female pronouns in its filings.

It was a first for the Army, which had long maintained that being transgender or being diagnosed with gender dysphoria is incompatible with the military and grounds for dismissal.

Henry had joined ROTC at age 17, and has been treating service members as a doctor and internist for 17 years since her first rotation at Walter Reed.

The major had previously touted the Army and its leadership for accepting her identity as a transgender woman.

'My commander said, 'I don't care who you love, I don't care how you identify, I want you to be healthy and I want you to be able to do your job,'' Henry told Buzzfeed.

'I was blown away  because of the stereotypes that I held, growing up in the South, growing up in a fundamentalist Christian family, that he would automatically think I was a freak, he would automatically think, 'You need to be discharged just like the regs recommend.''
A Met Police officer accused of telling a female colleague if youre asleep you cant say no has been found guilty of misconduct.

Luis Tickner allegedly suggested he would engage in sexual activity without the womans consent and grabbed her arm to stop her from leaving his flat.

The 5ft 3in woman, referred to as Ms A, told the hearing she suffered a panic attack after he kissed her, put his hand on her throat and implied he would rape her.

He denied all the allegations at the Met Police misconduct hearing at Empress State Building in Fulham and insisted he did not stop her from leaving his flat in south London.

Luis Tickner (pictured) allegedly suggested he would engage in sexual activity with his then-colleague without her consent

The panel decided that Tickner had made an inappropriate sexual remark to Ms A, which amounted to misconduct, but cleared him of the other allegations he faced.

A Met Police spokesperson said today (thurs): A misconduct hearing for a former police officer has concluded that his behaviour breached the standards of professional behaviour.

Former PC Luis Tickner, who was attached to the South West Command Unit, was found to have breached standards in relation to an allegation of discreditable conduct.

On 14 February 2021, while off duty, Tickner invited a woman back to his home address where they drank alcohol.

The panel found that Tickner had made an inappropriate sexual remark to the female.

The hearing deemed former PC Tickners behaviour amounted to misconduct.

Additional allegations were not proven.

Tickner was a serving PC at the time of the incident on 14 February last year but he is no longer in the force after resigning last December.

The tribunal heard that Ms A went over to Tickners flat in Tooting while they were both off duty to watch a film.

Giving evidence, Ms A told the panel that she went over because Tickner had messaged her to say he and his girlfriend had broken up and he was going to hurt himself.

She went on: At some point...Luis kissed me. That was consensual. I didnt mind that. But then he almost immediately pushed me away.

And then he pulled me back and then he kissed me again and then he pushed me away again and then he continued.

At times he would push me away, I would sit upright, I would think okay hes clearly uncomfortable.

He is then said to have told a female colleague if youre asleep you cant say no and grabbed her after she refused to have sex with him last year

He would then pull me back again and it started to get quite repetitive and uncomfortable for me.

At one point I had said that it was quite late and that I [should] probably think about going home and he said that I could stay at his house.

I thought about it and I agreed because I didnt really want to pay the Uber price to get home.

I said to him if I was staying that nothing like sexual would happen and he, I dont remember the exact words that he used, but he said words to the effect of: If youre asleep you cant say no.

Asked if she ever tried to leave, Ms A replied: At one point I think he kissed me and he put his hand on my throat and I pulled his hand away and told him not to do that and he started screaming and shouting at me to not touch him like that to not pull his hand away like that.

I started to have a panic attack because he was shouting at me and I got up off the bed and I went to like the corner of the room and had this panic attack.

I sat back down on the bed and started to put my shoes on and I said to him I was leaving and he grabbed my arm and he said that I couldnt leave and then he pulled me back down and he said I cant leave dont leave.

The way he was saying it he was shouting it and I just felt like there was no option but to just do what he wanted.

Then-cop Luis Tickner told a female colleague if youre asleep you cant say no and grabbed after she refused to have sex with him last year, his misconduct hearing heard on Wednesday. Tickner was a serving PC at the time of the incident last year but he is no longer in the force after resigning last December. He denies all the allegations against him

So I started to think of options of things that I could do and thought, Hes quite drunk, hes going to fall asleep at some point if I stay awake I can wait until he falls asleep I can find a way to get my phone and get an Uber.

And thats what I did.

Ms A did not report what had happened until May that year because she did not trust her line manager to do anything about it, the panel heard.

Tickner told the tribunal the woman made the incident up.

Asked if she invented her account, the former officer said: To be frank Sir, I dont want to come across as rude but yeah it didnt happen.

Questioned on why she would have waited months to report it, he said: The only thing I could say is it was around about the time that I got back with my now wife.

Summarising his version of events, Tickner said: I then kissed her a couple of times. Two or three times.

I then said to her, look I dont think I can go any further with a relationship or anything like that.

And then we chatted a little bit more.

And then I basically nodded off and fell asleep.

At no point did I tell her she couldnt leave.

The door was open the whole time as well.

He said he never physically restrained her and denied ever stopping her from leaving.

During cross-examination, Tickner insisted that he did not say or do anything that would have distressed her.

He further denied saying words to the effect of: If youre asleep you cant say no.

There is no thought in my mind that I would ever say those words or insinuate that. If I did, I wouldnt be in the police force.

The former officer insisted that no one has ever accused him of rape, calling it a horrible thing.

John Greaney, for Tickner, said it was not the defence case that she was a woman scorned, but that Ms As PTSD was triggered that night and led to these untrue allegations.

You have got a lady who even if she is not concocting stuff deliberately has a pretty unusual set of circumstances, a pretty specific trigger point.

Mr Greaney said that it was thought that lens that Ms A thought about and reported the incident, adding that her account has been inconsistent.

ends

MEMO: It was alleged that on 14 February 2021 whilst off duty, former PC Tickner invited Ms A to his home address.

It was also alleged that they drank alcohol and watched a film together before Ms A wanted to leave and former PC Tickner prevented her from doing so.

It is further alleged that former PC Tickner suggested that he would engage in sexual activity without Ms As consent causing her to be fearful of her safety.

His conduct was said to have breached the Standards of Professional Behaviour in respect of discreditable conduct.
A woman and a man have been arrested following the launch of a murder probe after a 'vulnerable' pensioner was found dead in her own home.

Police found the body of Susan Hawkey, 71, in Neasden, north west London, on Monday after concerns were raised about her welfare.

A woman, 27, and a 22-year-old man were arrested yesterday on suspicion of murder, theft of a bank card and fraud. They remain in custody.

Police discovered the 71-year-old's body after being called to her home in Aylesbury Street on Monday morning.

Police found the body of Susan Hawkey (pictured), 71, in Neasden, north west London, on Monday after concerns were raised about her welfare

Police discovered the 71-year-old's body after being called to her home (pictured) in Aylesbury Street on Monday morning

They believe she was 'specifically targeted'.

Detective Chief Inspector Neil Rawlinson, who is leading the investigation, said: 'The circumstances of this murder are particularly tragic.

'An elderly, vulnerable female appears to have specifically targeted.

'I am appealing to members of the public who may have known or recognise Susan, to come forward with any information that may assist in building a picture of her life.

Police believe the 'vulnerable' pensioner (pictured) was 'specifically targeted'

A murder probe was launched after Ms Hawkey was found dead in her own home (pictured)

'I also appeal to anyone with information who may be able to help in bringing the offenders of this horrific crime to justice to come forward.'

Superintendent Neil Holyoak, of the Met's North West Command Unit, added: 'We are doing everything we can to support our colleagues in Specialist Crime as they investigate this terrible incident.

'I know it will cause concern in the community; we share that concern and urge anyone who has information that could assist investigators to contact police immediately.

'The support and assistance of our communities could prove invaluable in bringing Susan's family justice.'
The State Department announced Wednesday that Monica Medina, the wife of White House Chief of Staff Ron Klain, would be the country's first Special Envoy for Biodiversity and Water Resources.

President Joe Biden's signing off on a plants and animals diplomat comes the same week that State Department vacancies have been highlighted due to Italy electing its most right-wing leader in decades, Giorgia Meloni.

Italy remains the last major European country - with three European countries outstanding - where Biden has not yet announced an ambassador pick.

President Joe Biden's (left) State Department announced Wednesday that Monica Medina (right) would be the country's first Special Envoy for Biodiversity and Water Resources

The White House did not respond to DailyMail.com's request for comment on why there was a delay - and if the nomination would be forthcoming due to the Italian election result.

On Wednesday, The Daily Beast reported on speculation that the job was being held open for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, should Democrats lose control of the lower chamber come November.

Monica Medina (right) is the wife of White House Chief of Staff Ron Klain (left)

A spokesperson for Pelosi later knocked down that narrative, saying Pelosi has no interest in the position, nor has ever spoken to the White House about it.

Pelosi had made no commitment to retire and is running for re-election in her San Francisco district.

Axios reported in February that financier Stephen Robert was under consideration for the Italian post - and Pelosi was pushing for him to be named.

However, no nomination was ever made.

As for Medina's new post, she was already serving as the assistant secretary of State for Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs and will take on the envoy duties in addition to her current role, an announcement from Secretary of State Antony Blinken said.

Rep. Yvette Herrell, a Republican from New Mexico, indicated Thursday that she believed Monica Medina's appointment showcased the Biden administration's misplaced priorities

Her appointment comes just weeks before a biodiversity conference is to take place in Montreal.

'There's a direct connection between biodiversity loss and instability in a lot of parts of the world,' Medina said in a phone interview with The Washington Post. 'It's not just about nature for nature's sake. I think it is about people.'

But at least one Republican lawmaker saw the appointment as a sign of the administration's misplaced priorities.

'Americans: can we have a secure border, safe communities, and lower cost of living? Biden: here's a special envoy to asparagus,' tweeted Rep. Yvette Herrell, a Republican from New Mexico.
Three gangsters have been jailed for at least 29 years for the murder of their friend nicknamed 'Billy the Kid' following a landmark trial.

Billy McCullagh, 27, was killed by gang rivals as his side's revenge ride-out ended in 'crushing defeat'.

He was shot twice in the back amid a hail of bullets and was left to die in a street on the Stonebridge Estate in Harlesden, north-west London, in the early hours of July 16 2020.

The person or people who fired the fatal shots were never identified, leading prosecutors to charge members of his own side who initiated the shoot-out with his murder.

In August, an Old Bailey jury convicted Issa Seed, 26, Adel Yussuf, 25, and Daniel Mensah, 32, from north-west London, of murder.

The home-side homicide case is believed to be the first of its kind to be brought in England and Wales.

The convictions were on the basis that the men engaged in a shoot-out with the opposition in which both sides agreed to shoot and be shot at - so they fired their own guns knowing it was a virtual certainty that the other side would fire back.

Billy McCullagh, 27, was shot dead in 2020 after a shoot-out ended in a crushing defeat for his gang

On Friday, Seed, Yussuf and Mensah were each jailed for life with a minimum term of 29 years for murder.

They were handed concurrent sentences of life with a minimum term of 16 years for conspiracy to cause grievous bodily harm and a determinate sentence of 15 years for possession of a firearm.

Sentencing, Judge Philip Katz KC told them: 'Billy McCullagh died a very public death, gunned down in a hail of bullets on the Stonebridge estate.

'You had agreed that at least one person would be shot in the street and at least caused really serious harm.

'As soon as you got to your destination the obvious risk that any number of people would be killed is one you were prepared to take.'

What followed must have been 'completely terrifying' for anyone caught up in the violence, the judge said.

He added: 'I accept that the three of you never realised you would end up in the dock accused of Billy McCullagh's murder.

'But anyone in this country who willingly participates in a gun battle in the street should not be surprised if the law holds him accountable for any loss of life as a result.'

Fellow gang members of 'Billy the Kid' (left to right: Issa Seed, Daniel Mensah and Adel Yussuf) were jailed for his murder because they drove him to a firefight with a rival gang where he was killed

Police at the scene of the shooting in July 2020 - no members of the rival gang were shot and the member who hit McCullagh with two fatal bullets was never found

Judge Katz noted the victim had 'two sides' to him, a caring and thoughtful father-to-be - who never lived to meet his baby daughter - and Billy the Kid, the gangster.

Mr McCullagh was a prominent member of a gang collective identified by red colours and was principally associated with the Harrow Road Boys who were 'at war' with the blue side, the Thugs of Stonebridge.

The court heard that Mr McCullagh's death was part of ongoing gang war between the blue and red sides, with incidents dating back to 2018.

Between 2018 and 2020 there were at least seven shootings involving the rival gangs in the case.

A gun used in a previous murder in a case of mistaken identity was used to kill Mr McCullagh and has never been recovered, the court heard.

On the day of his death, Mr McCullagh travelled from St Raphael's Estate in Brent in a stolen vehicle with Seed, Yussuf and Mensah armed with at least two guns.

The plan was to launch a 'surprise attack' on the rival gang in retribution for the fatal stabbing of a friend the day before but instead they encountered a 'gun fight'.

Jurors were told that bullets 'flew in all directions' with at least eight 9mm rounds fired at the stolen Land Rover containing Mr McCullagh and the defendants.

Four bullets hit the vehicle, two rounds went into Mr McCullagh's back, and one struck Seed in the leg.

Afterwards, Seed was taken to hospital, the vehicle was burnt out and the guns hidden.

Police pieced together events by a combination of phones, CCTV and forensic evidence.

Mr McCullagh was later 'memorialised' in an online music video that was a 'brazen and provocative celebration of his gang lifestyle', Judge Katz said.

The judge said: 'Police perceived that video as a threat and tried to have it taken down - without success.'

He added: 'There can be little confidence that this war has ended.'

Following the verdicts, the Metropolitan Police vowed to continue the search for those who fired the fatal shots.




The Supreme Court on Thursday ordered the state to pay compensation to former sex workers at now-defunct brothels for American troops, recognizing the state's responsibility for brokering or conniving at prostitution.







Upholding a lower court's ruling, the top court ordered the state to pay between 3 million and 7 million won ($2,086-$4,866) in compensation each to a total of 95 former sex workers from such brothels at villages around U.S. military bases, known as "base villages" or "Gijichon" in Korean.







They filed the suit in 2014, claiming the government established such villages and encouraged prostitution.







A district court in 2017 ruled partially in favor of the government, ordering it to pay a compensation of 5 million won to 57 of the complainants, who were illegally put into an isolation camp by the government for carrying venereal diseases.







In a dramatic turn for the complainants in 2018, the Seoul High Court acknowledged the government's responsibility in mediating or encouraging prostitution inside the base villages. The court then ordered the government to pay compensation ranging from 3 million won to 7 million won to each of the plaintiffs.







"The government not only turned a blind eye to and tacitly condoned prostitution inside the villages but also encouraged and justified it," the appeals court then said, adding the victims had been used as a tool to achieve a state purpose.







On Thursday, the Supreme Court confirmed the appellate ruling and finalized the compensation order.







"The government's formation and operation of the military base villages, and encouraging and justifying prostitution inside them constitute a violation of the duty to honor human rights," the Supreme Court noted. (Yonhap)










A fake online car dealership which defrauded victims out of thousands of pounds for second hand cars has been exposed.

Auto-Promotions used fake pictures of cars and directors to lure customers into purchasing fake cars - which did not actually exist - from their seemingly legitimate website.

They advertised hundreds of second-hand vehicles at bargain prices and took car details from other legitimate online dealerships.

The website was active from March 2022 to early September when it was shut down by police following a BBC investigation.

Auto-Promotions used fake pictures of cars and directors to lure customers into purchasing fake cars - which did not actually exist - from their seemingly legitimate website

The name Auto-Promotions was reportedly taken from a former legitimate car dealership to appear convincing, the BBC investigation revealed.

The legitimate car dealership, run by a family company, had nothing to do with the fake website under investigation, but is still listed on Companies House.

Online vehicle fraud is on the rise, with almost 3,000 reports in 2021 - a rise of 21 per cent on 2019, Action Fraud said.

Pietro Pagliuca from West Yorkshire, transferred almost 4,000 to Auto-Promotions for a second-hand Nissan Qashqai after his old one broke down, according to the BBC.

After a phone call with someone purporting to be the sales director, Mr Pagliuca made a deal to purchase the car.

Scammers would pretend to be a sales director when trying to sell cars to various customers

He remained reassured when he was sent an invoice with what he believed to be a company stamp.

'I honestly didn't have doubts about them. It all looked legit, and a lot of companies deliver stuff these days,' he told the BBC.

He planned to use the car to take out his elderly mother, who has mobility issues - the pair had pooled their entire savings. But the car never arrived.

'It's just really upsetting. I feel let down, annoyed and a bit embarrassed,' Pietro said.

He reported the online transaction to his bank and earlier this month they gave him half of the money back.

National Trading Standards described the Auto-Promotions website as sophisticated due to the level of detail involved.

In addition to using the name of a legitimate former car dealership, the address on the scam website was a real garage based in Fife, Scotland.

The former legitimate dealership that Auto-Promotions also took its name from the company that was once based at that garage.

This meant the details matched those listed at Companies House.

Harry Cairney, who runs the Fife garage whose address Auto-Promotions falsely listed as its own, says hundreds of people have called and visited in recent months, enquiring about vehicles advertised on the fake company's website

Reports also suggest that all the advertised second-hand cars had MOTs - increasing its appeared legitimacy.

The scam website included professional headshots of 'staff' - who were actually people that had no idea their images were being used as fake identities until the BBC contacted them.

One was a former journalist for the Financial Times and another was a Hollywood actor.

There were 2,969 reports of online vehicle fraud in England, Wales and Northern Ireland in 2021, up 21 per cent from 2,459 reports in 2019, Action Fraud, the UK's national reporting centre for fraud and cybercrime, said.

This cost consumers almost 9.5m last year.

National Trading Standards said that consumers looking for a bargain due to the cost of living crisis, coupled with new car supply problems, meant criminals have identified a demand which they will look to exploit.

Mike Andrews, head of eCrime at the organisation, told the BBC this was the first website of this nature and scale the consumer body had encountered.

'Normally we're used to seeing the odd car for sale on other platforms but to have an entire website set up to defraud consumers is very unusual,' he said.

The defrauded consumers were not the only victims.

Harry Cairney, who runs the Fife garage whose address Auto-Promotions falsely listed as its own, says hundreds of people have called and visited in recent months, enquiring about vehicles advertised on the fake company's website.

Mr Cairney said he has been confronted by angry customers, which has taken a toll on him and his business.

In response, he has put up an alert on his garage's Facebook page.

Libin Vidhyadhar - a student based in Preston - was on the verge of buying a Mini Cooper advertised on Auto-Promotions for 3,900 last month.

'It was too good to be true, so I had to check out the address,' he says.

At the garage he met Mr Cairney, who informed him of the scam.

'I was so grateful I didn't waste my money,' he said.

While news of the website's closure is welcomed by those who have lost money, Mike Andrews from National Trading Standards warns that does not mean the end of the fraud.

'The criminals will often quickly have another website up and running in a matter of days. It's a constant game of cat and mouse,' he says.
The story of Dahmer and Edwards has been made into a Netflix drama 'Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story'

Dahmer was arrested once Edwards alerted local police and sentenced to 15 life sentences for the murder of over 15 boys and men

Edwards's account captures the horrors he experienced before he was able to break free, and he ultimately ended Dahmer's killing spree

The only surviving victim of Milwaukee cannibal Jeffrey Dahmer has spoken about the moments before his escape from the serial killer's apartment where he was told: 'I'm going to cut your heart out.'

In an account shared by Radar Online, Tracy Edwards described how he was handcuffed to the floor as the serial killer put his head to his chest, listening for his thumping heart during the July 1991 encounter.

Edwards, who was 31-years-old at the time, said: 'I was lying face up on his bedroom floor. He had slapped handcuffs on my left wrist, pulled my arm under my back, and pressed a 12-inch knife to the crotch of my pants.'

In the account Edwards mentions how while trapped in Dahmer's apartment he could see a human head in the bedroom, hands hanging in the closet and body parts in the refrigerator.

Tracy Edwards photographed in July 1991 (left) and taking the stand to give testimony in 1992 (right)

Dahmer killed and dismembered 17 men and boys between 1978 and 1991. Edwards would have been the 18th, with his escape ultimately leading to Dahmer's arrest.

In Edwards account of his escape he mentions how on the walls of the apartment there 'were various pictures of young men without shirts.'

It was Edwards's successful escape from Dahmer and flagging down of cops that ultimately ended the killer's horrific spree.

Just hours earlier Edwards claims he met Dahmer in a Milwaukee shopping mall, where the killer introduced himself and invited Edwards back to his flat to drink beers.

'I went with him  and it was the biggest mistake of my life,' said Edwards in the account.

Edwards described that despite 'the stench of rotten flesh' in the apartment, it was fairly clean and tidy.

'His three-room apartment was clean and neat, with a beige carpet and couch in the living room area,' said Edwards.

When he tried to leave the apartment he was drugged and handcuffed with a knife pointed into his chest.

He was then taken to a bedroom and made to watch The Exorcist. Dahmer pulled out a human head and started stroking it in front of Edwards.

'I talked him into taking me back to the living room but on the way, we stopped in the kitchen, where he opened the refrigerator to reveal a bloody mass of flesh inside,' he said.

Eventually Edwards made for the front door, striking Dahmer in the jaw, and opening both of its locks at the same time. Once free he was able to flag down a police car with handcuffs dangling from his wrists and have Dahmer arrested once they found the human remains in his house.

A mug shot of Dahmer captured by the Milwaukee Police Department in July 1991

Dahmer gained notoriety for targeting gay men, particularly at bars, and committed his first murder at just 18-years-old when he picked up a hitch hiker.

He then attended college but dropped out due to alcoholism.

His father then forced him to enroll in the army where he served as an army medic from 1979 to 1981.

He then began frequenting gay bars where would meet men that he would later drug and rape. After a second murder in September 1987 his killings became increasingly common.

Dahmer became known for the particularly disturbing things he would do with corpses. He would keep them for intercourse, dismember them and even photograph the process.

The notorious serial killer and cannibal Jeffrey Dahmer as portrayed by Evan Peters in the new Netflix series 'Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story'

The front door of Dahmer's apartment, 213 of the Oxford Apartments, 924 North 25th Street in Milwaukee, Wisconsin

The Oxford Apartments where Dahmer murdered and dismembered a number of his victims. The building was knocked down shortly after he was caught

'I spent five hours in hell,' said Edwards.

After his escape from Dahmer Edwards had future run-ins with the law and was arrested for drug possession and theft. In 2011 he was arrested for homicide and faced a murder charge of his own.

Edward's escape from Dahmer's apartment and the eventual arrest of the killer has been dramatized in a recent Netflix television series, 'Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story'.

The series covers Dahmer's various killings through his confession, exploring various aspects and stages of his life.

Dahmer was beaten to death by another inmate in Columbia Correctional Institution in Wisconsin in 1994.
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The publication of the Queen's death certificate today paints a new picture of the extraordinary 24 hours that changed the monarchy - and Britain's ancient history - forever.

The document released by National Records of Scotland this afternoon disclosed that Her Majesty died from 'old age' on Thursday September 8 at 3.10pm at the Balmoral estate in Aberdeenshire - more than three hours before the world was told of her passing.

Crucially, the certificate confirmed what was suspected on the day - that some of the monarch's children and grandchildren, including the Prince of Wales, Duke of York, Earl and Countess of Wessex and Duke of Sussex, tried in vain to be at the 96-year-old's bedside.

It is not known when the King and his Queen Consort arrived at Balmoral, but unlike other members of the royal family they were already in Scotland, at Dumfries House in Ayrshire. The Princess Royal, the Queen's daughter Princess Anne, is named as the 'informant' on the document and would have notified the local registrar of her mother's death.

The document raises fresh questions about when Prince Harry was told about his grandmother's death, having travelled separately from his brother William and uncles Andrew and Edward - who also did not manage to reach Balmoral before Her Majesty's passing - and landing in Aberdeen some 15 minutes after Buckingham Palace announced the death.

Palace aides reacted angrily to claims that Harry had been given just five minutes notice of his grandmother's passing before it was made public, with a spokesman for the King stressing that the public was 'only informed after every family member had been informed'.

The Mail understands that while it is true that Harry was told shortly before the news became public, the reason for this was because he was on a flight to Scotland and therefore not contactable.

The death certificate lists the Queen's full name - Elizabeth Alexander Mary Windsor - occupation, 'Her Majesty the Queen', date of birth April 21, 1926, and her marital status as widowed. The Queen's usual residence is given as Windsor Castle, and her parents King George VI and the Queen Mother are named, with the document signed by Paul Lowe, the Registrar General for Scotland.

Dr Douglas Glass, who had the title Apothecary to the Queen and in 2019 acted as Charles' physician when he made an official visit to Germany, certified the late monarch's cause of death.

The last photo of the Queen before her death, taken on September 6, 2022 in the Drawing Room at Balmoral where she invited Liz Truss to become Prime Minister and form a new Government

The Queen's death certificate says the monarch died of 'old age'. The document, that was signed by Princess Anne as the 'informant', says that she passed away at 3.10pm on Thursday, September 8

10.30am: Charles boards a helicopter from Dumfries House after receiving a warning from doctors about the Queen's health

Shortly after 10.30am, the Queen's eldest son Charles boards a helicopter from Dumfries House in Ayrshire to the Balmoral estate, after the senior royal received a warning from doctors about Her Majesty's health.

At about 6.02pm the night before, Buckingham Palace announced that the Queen had postponed her virtual Privy Council meeting after being advised by royal doctors to rest.

The proceedings would have seen Prime Minister Liz Truss take her oath as First Lord of the Treasury and new Cabinet ministers would have been sworn into their roles, and also made privy counsellors if not already appointed as one in past.

10.30am: Prince Charles boards a helicopter from Dumfries House to Balmoral

Though the advice did not involve a hospital stay, the announcement instantly raised fresh fears for Her Majesty's health, who had been having mobility issues for several months and had previously cancelled a number of appearances at high-profile public events including the Platinum Jubilee celebrating her 70 years on the throne.

It had been reported that the future King Charles III had been making regular morning visits to see his mother, with the unplanned visits considered highly unusual. She missed the Braemar Gathering highland games, which she usually attended each year.

A Palace spokesman said: 'After a full day yesterday, Her Majesty has this afternoon accepted doctors' advice to rest. This means that the Privy Council meeting that had been due to take place this evening will be rearranged.'

12.15pm: Prime Minister Liz Truss receives news that the Queen is gravely ill and will pass away 'within hours, not days'

Britain's new Prime Minister Liz Truss was giving a statement in the Commons about her proposed 150billion energy bailout to tackle soaring housing costs fuelled by Putin's war in Ukraine when Cabinet Minister Nadhim Zahawi passed her a note confirming what she already knew - that the Queen was unlikely to survive the day.

The newly anointed Conservative leader had known that the monarch was gravely ill and would pass away in a 'matter of hours, not days' for more than two hours before rising to her feet to address MPs at 11.40am.

As aides located black clothing and cancelled an evening phone call with French President Emmanuel Macron, the PM - who was barely into her second day in Downing Street - was driven the short distance to Parliament, where she gave no hint of the unfolding drama as she announced that the Government would cap household annual energy bills at 2,500 until 2024.

12pm: Prime Minister Liz Truss giving a statement to the Commons on her 150billion energy bailout

The Prime Minister turned to look at Mr Zahawi with a look of consternation, while across the aisle Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer appeared to be informed of developments by his deputy Angela Rayner.

Rumours then quickly spread through the chamber and Parliament, forcing Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle to interrupt the speech of SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford during the energy debate to tell MPs: 'I know I speak on behalf of the entire House when I say that we send our best wishes to Her Majesty the Queen and that she and the royal family are in our thoughts and prayers at this moment.'

He added: 'If there is anything else, we will update the House accordingly.'

12.35pm: Buckingham Palace announces that the Queen is under medical supervision

The Palace then issued a statement at 12.35pm on Thursday announcing that the Queen was 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.'

People gather at Buckingham Palace. At 12.35pm on September 8, they announced the Queen was under medical supervision

12.39pm: BBC One interrupts its regular programming and Huw Edwards presents live coverage of news of the Queen's health, dressed in black

BBC One suspended its regular programming schedule following the announcement, and instead aired a BBC News Special presented by Huw Edwards - who was dressed in a dark suit, white shirt and black tie, in line with the BBC's dress code for when a member of the Royal Family dies as a mark of respect.

The channel One interrupted Bargain Hunt at 12.39pm to deliver the statement from the Palace which said royal doctors were concerned for health.

12.47pm: Royal households announce Charles and William are travelling to Balmoral

Clarence House announced that Charles and Camilla were travelling to Balmoral - while a minute later Kensington Palace said that Prince William was flying to the Aberdeenshire estate.

The then Duke and Duchess of Cornwall had been staying in Scotland close to Her Majesty.

1.38pm: Royal sources confirm Princess Anne is at Balmoral

At 1.38pm, royal sources confirmed to the Press Association that The Princess Royal was already at Balmoral with Charles.

1.55pm: Spokesperson for Harry and Meghan announce couple are 'travelling to Scotland'

At 1.55pm, a spokesperson for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex confirmed that the couple would be 'travelling to Scotland' - without directly making 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.

2.39pm: Prince William flies from RAF Northolt to Aberdeen airport with Prince Andrew and the Earl and Countess of Wessex

The RAF flight at Northolt carrying William, Andrew, Edward and Sophie to Aberdeen at around 2.30pm

Meanwhile the Queen's grandson William left Windsor and flew from RAF Northolt with Prince Andrew, Prince Edward and his wife Sophie, Countess of Wessex. William's wife Kate remained at Windsor to stay with their children Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis - who started a new school that week.

The RAF jet had been scheduled to leave at 1.30pm. The reason for the last-minute hold-up is not yet known.

3.10pm: The Queen dies of 'old age'

The Queen died at 3.10pm of 'old age', according to her death certificate released by National Records of Scotland.

The time of death on the document, which gives the monarch's occupation as 'Her Majesty The Queen', reveals that King Charles and his only sister were by their mother's side when she passed away. The informant of Her Majesty's death was the Princess Royal.

3.50pm: RAF flight carrying William, Andrew, Edward and Sophie lands at Aberdeen

The RAF flight carrying William, Andrew, Edward and Sophie landed at Aberdeen airport at around 3.50pm - 40 minutes after the Queen's death. It is not clear when exactly they were told of the passing.

The BBC initially reported that it was carrying up to seven royals and that it may also be carrying the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. However, the Press Association confirmed that the RAF plane that landed in Aberdeen was carrying the Duke of Cambridge, the Duke of York and the Earl and Countess of Wessex - and neither Harry nor Meghan.

The RAF flight carrying William, Andrew, Edward and Sophie lands at Aberdeen airport at around 3.50pm

4.14pm: PA news alert says Harry and Meghan are travelling to Balmoral 'separately' from other royals

A news alert by the Press Association said that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex were travelling to Balmoral 'separately' from other royals.

4.30pm: Cabinet Secretary Simon Case tells Liz Truss that the Queen has died

The Prime Minister's official spokesman says Ms Truss was informed of the Queen's death at 4.30pm by Cabinet Secretary Simon Case - who then begins to prepare a statement before a public declaration of the death two hours later, at 6.30pm.

The Prime Minister's aides praised the 'superb' performance of Mr Case, who holds the rare advantage of high-level experience in both the political and royal worlds: before taking up his role as Boris Johnson's most senior civil servant, he worked as Prince William's Private Secretary.

Along with Nick Catasaras, Ms Truss's Principal Private Secretary, and Sir Edward Young, the Private Secretary to the Queen, Mr Case is part of the so-called 'golden triangle' of officials who manage the interface between Whitehall and Buckingham Palace.

4.39pm: Sources confirm that Meghan is not travelling to Balmoral with Harry

At 4.39pm, the Press Association issued another news alert, quoting an unnamed source, saying that Meghan would not travel to Balmoral with Harry. The source said that Harry would be making the trip by himself, and that Meghan could potentially join him in Scotland at a later date, following what PA described as a 'change of plan'.

Then at 4.44pm, Omid Scobie, a journalist 'friendly' towards the Duke and Duchess of Sussex and who often quotes unnamed sources close to the couple, tweeted that Meghan had not flown up to Scotland.

The post said: '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 Telegraph claims that this was due to logistics, and that spouses, including the Duchess of Cambridge, were not going to Balmoral.

A source familiar with how the day unfolded told the paper: 'It was just a mistake. This wasn't about causing or taking offence, it was simply the protocol and they [the Sussexes] were always going to respect that.'

5pm: William, Andrew, Edward and Sophie arrive at Balmoral

5pm: William, Andrew, Sophie and Edward arrive at Balmoral Castle

A fleet of cars carrying the Duke of Cambridge, Duke of York and the Earl and Countess of Wessex arrives at Balmoral just after 5pm - nearly two hours after the Queen's death.

William drove his two uncles in a Range Rover as part of the cavalcade of cars, with the Duke of York in the passenger seat, while the Earl and Countess of Wessex were sitting in the back.

5.35pm: Harry's private flight from London Luton takes off

Prince Harry took a private jet from London's Luton airport at at around 5.35pm.

The duke is said to have missed the RAF flight from Northolt because he was 'so busy trying to get Meghan to Balmoral and rowing with his family'.

It is not clear when the duke was told of the Queen's death. However, 10 days ago Buckingham Palace aides reacted angrily to claims that Harry had been given just five minutes notice of his grandmother's passing before it was made public.

It came after a newspaper report claimed that the devastated royal had been the last to know about her passing - and was even told by his father after the Prime Minister.

The Telegraph suggested this was a further example of the rift between the prince and his family following his decision to quit royal duties and throw a string of accusations about the way he and Meghan were supposedly treated.

But there was clear irritation at Buckingham Palace that such claims had emerged on the eve of the Queen's funeral, which was considered hugely disrespectful in the circumstances.

In a rare statement on such a private matter, a spokesman for the King stressed: 'The public was only informed after every family member had been informed.'

The Mail understands that while it is true that Harry was told shortly before the news became public, the reason for this was because he was on a flight to Scotland and therefore not contactable. The original story was later taken down from The Telegraph's website.

6.30pm: Buckingham Palace announces the Queen's death

Buckingham Palace announces the Queen's death.

In a statement, courtiers said: 'The Queen died peacefully at Balmoral this afternoon. The King and The Queen Consort will remain at Balmoral this evening and will return to London tomorrow.'

The flag at Buckingham Palace was subsequently lowered to half mast, as people among the crowd gathered outside the gates began crying and taking pictures as a single helicopter circled the skies above - while armed police gathered in the palace grounds.

Her Majesty the Queen - Britain's longest-reigning monarch - dies peacefully at Balmoral aged 96

6.36pm: Flags in Downing Street are lowered to half mast

The flags in Downing Street were lowered to half mast at 6.36pm following Buckingham Palace's announcement.

And staff carried a podium onto Downing Street as Ms Truss prepared to pay tribute to the nation's longest-reigning monarch outside No10.

A wide shot of Downing Street, where the Union Flag was flown at half mast after the announcement of the Queen's death

The Union Flag above Downing Street was flown at half mast

6.38pm: BBC's Huw Edwards delivers the news of the Queen's death

Broadcaster Huw Edwards delivered the news of the Queen's death live on BBC One.

After an image of the flag at Buckingham Palace was shown at half mast, he told viewers: 'A few moments ago Buckingham Palace announced the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.'

Edwards then read out the statement from Buckingham Palace which announced the news, before BBC One played the national anthem, showing a photograph of the Queen, followed by a royal crest on a black background and the words Queen Elizabeth II.

Reflecting on the example of leadership the Queen set as he announced her death, he said: 'A lifetime of service to people in the United Kingdom, throughout the Commonwealth and in many parts of the world. An example of leadership which didn't stray into the realm of politics and for lots of people the ideal symbol of what a constitutional monarchy should be like. Well, now the world has been told and the official notice has been posted.'

Huw Edwards announced the news solemnly, looking into the camera to repeat Buckingham Palace's statement twice

6.46pm: Harry lands at Aberdeen 15 minutes after Buckingham Palace statement

Prince Harry landed at Aberdeen Airport on a private jet. The Duke of Sussex's flight had been due to land at 6.29pm, a minute before the statement. But it was 20 minutes late taking off from London's Luton Airport.

7.06pm: Charles pays tribute to 'cherished Sovereign and a much-loved Mother'

Charles, who became King on the death of his mother, said: 'We mourn profoundly the passing of a cherished Sovereign and a much-loved Mother.

'I know her loss will be deeply felt throughout the country, the Realms and the Commonwealth, and by countless people around the world.'

King Charles III released this poignant statement reacting to the death of his 'beloved mother' as he took the throne today

7.07pm: Liz Truss praises 'extraordinary' Queen and concludes address by saying 'God save the King'

Prime Minister Liz Truss stepped out of No10 and to the podium on Downing Street at 7.07pm, dressed in black, to address the nation following the Queen's death.

Paying tribute to Her Majesty's 'extraordinary' life in public service, the Tory leader said the Queen was 'loved and admired by the people in the United Kingdom and all around the world' and called her 'a personal inspiration to me and to many Britons'.

Referring to Charles, the new King, as King Charles III, Ms Truss said: 'Today the Crown passes, as it has done for more than a thousand years, to our new monarch, our new head of state, His Majesty King Charles III.'

She added that it was 'the passing of the second Elizabethan age' and concluded her address by saying 'God save the King'.

The Prime Minister said the devastating' event marked the end of the second Elizabethan age

7.24pm: William and Kate's Twitter account @KensingtonRoyal refers to couple as Duke and Duchess of Cornwall and Cambridge

From 7.24pm, William and Kate's Twitter account @KensingtonRoyal referred to the couple as The Duke and Duchess of Cornwall and Cambridge.

7.45pm: Harry and Meghan's Archewell website homepage is blacked-out

At 7.45pm, Harry and Meghan's Archewell website homepage became a blacked-out landing page with the words: 'In loving memory of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 1926-2022.'

7.52pm: Harry arrives at Balmoral four hours after the Queen's death

The Duke of Sussex arrived at Balmoral at 7.52pm, four hours after the Queen's death and nearly 90 minutes after Buckingham Palace announced the passing.

By the time he landed at Aberdeen at 6.46pm, it was 16 minutes after the palace had made the announcement.

Harry then faced a lonely drive to the castle, finally arriving at 7.52pm where he joined other members of the Royal Family in mourning the Queen's death.

7.52pm: The Duke of Sussex joined other members of the Royal Family in mourning the Queen's death

He looked ashen-faced on the back seat of the Range Rover as it swept into the Balmoral estate. As well as losing a beloved grandmother, he may have been reflecting on his future without her as monarch. She remained fond of him, in spite of recent challenges, and he was said to have retained an ability to make her laugh.

Harry stayed for just 12 hours before returning to Windsor to be with his wife, having apparently 'refused' to have dinner with his father and brother after Meghan was banned from joining the family at Balmoral on the day the Queen died, it was claimed last week.

The Sun reported that Harry was invited to dine at Birkhall, his father's home on the Balmoral estate, with the King, William and Camilla, Queen Consort. But he was said to have instead remained at Balmoral Castle with the Earl and Countess of Wessex and the Duke of York.

A source told the newspaper: '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...

'And he got out of Balmoral at the earliest opportunity to catch the first commercial flight back to London.'

Harry left Balmoral at around 8am the next morning to catch a plane for Heathrow Airport before being reunited with his wife at their UK residence Frogmore Cottage in Windsor.

Revealed: Doctor who signed Queen's death certificate had served her for 34 years after being personally appointed as Apothecary to Her Majesty's Household at Balmoral during Buckingham Palace ceremony in 1988

The Queen's death certificate was signed by a Scottish doctor who has worked for the monarchy for more than 30 years, it can be revealed.

Dr Douglas James Allan Glass - who once saved the late Queen Mother's life when she choked on a fish bone - began his role as Apothecary to Her Majesty's Household at Balmoral on March 30 1988.

His title became official during a special presentation at Buckingham Palace just a few days later on April 5 the same year.

The incident with the Queen Mother occurred when a fish bone lodged in her throat while staying at Balmoral in May 1993.

She eventually had to have surgery under general anaesthetic to remove it at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, where she spent several days.

Dr Douglas James Allan Glass began his role as Apothecary to Her Majesty's Household at Balmoral on March 30 1998 (Pictured: Dr Douglas Glass and his now ex-wife Suzanne at their romantic hillside wedding overlooking Royal Deeside near Ballater in April 1996)

What does it mean to die of 'old age'? Is it a common cause of death? It's common to hear that someone has died of 'old age' - but official advice states that doctors should avoid only using 'old age' on death certificates. The description is only accepted if the patient is over 80 and if the doctor has personally cared for the patient for a long period, observing a gradual decline. It also can only be used if doctors are unaware of any identifiable disease or injury that contributed to the death. The phrase refers to the 'lifetime sum total of injury' to the body's tissues and organs, doctors say. However, other experts argue that you can't truly die of old age. Instead, they claim age simply makes someone more susceptible to heart or kidney disease, two illnesses that can kill. Advertisement

Dr Glass's role is similar to that of Dr Timothy Evans, who looked after the late monarch's health at the royal household in Windsor.

Dr Glass also works as a GP in the Highlands village of Aboyne, around 20 miles from Balmoral Castle, where the Queen died aged 96 on Thursday September 8.

He was listed as working at the Braemar Health Clinic until at least July 2020, although it is not clear if he still works there.

He signed the death certificate of Her Majesty on Monday (September 26), confirming that she had died of old age.

However at the time of Queen Elizabeth II's death, her top royal doctor was Professor Sir Huw Thomas, who is Head of the Medical Household and Physician to the Queen and has also delivered some of the younger royals.

Prince Philip, who died at Windsor Castle, had 'old age listed as his cause of death by Sir Thomas but the Queen died in Scotland.

He previously made the news in 2006 when he separated from his wife after discovering she was pregnant by her guitar tutor, who she had been seeing behind his back.

The Queen's death certificate, released today by National Records of Scotland, revealed the late monarch had died at 3.10pm - more than three hours before the public was informed.

The informant of her death was the Princess Royal, Queen Elizabeth II's daughter Princess Anne.

The historic document, which gives the monarch's occupation as 'Her Majesty The Queen, reveals that only King Charles and his only sister were by their mother's side when she died in Aberdeenshire.

Prince William, Prince Andrew, Prince Edward and his wife, Sophie Countess of Wessex, were in the air when the Queen passed away.

Dr Douglas James Allan Glass began his roles as Apothecary to Her Majesty's Household at Balmoral (pictured) on March 30 1998

They had been racing to Balmoral took off from RAF Northolt in South Ruislip, west London, at 2.39pm, landing an hour later.

Prince Harry was not on the plane with his brother and had to make his own journey to Scotland on a jet from Luton, after his grandmother had died. He landed in Aberdeen at 6.46pm, 16 minutes after the Palace made its announcement.

Old age was the only cause of death listed, with no other contributing factors. It was the same cause of death as on her husband Prince Philip's death certificate.

Paul Lowe, the Registrar General for Scotland, confirmed that the Queen's death was registered in Aberdeenshire on September 16 2022.
President Joe Biden says there is a 'substantial loss of life' as six are already confirmed dead

Residents of Sunshine Mobile Village returned to find the majority of the 180 mobile homes destroyed

'I've lost every damn thing I own,' said 93-year-old retiree Tom Hinkle. 'I've lived in my home for 22 years and it's gone. My car is even under water'

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Survivors of Hurricane Ian tell how they clung to roofs and walls and prayed for salvation as the Sunshine State awoke to heartbreaking scenes of devastation.

The category four storm pulverized southwestern coastal cities with 155mph winds and swept an 18ft 'tsunami' ashore, engulfing homes, businesses and transforming whole neighborhoods into hazardous swamps.

DailyMail.com arrived in Fort Myers Thursday morning to find desperate locals begging for help as they returned home to begin the grim job of salvaging possessions and securing their water-ravaged properties.

'I've lost every damn thing I own,' said 93-year-old retiree Tom Hinkle, as he stared out at the murky-broken floodwater making it impossible to reach his two-bed retirement home a thousand yards or so from the Gulf of Mexico.

'I've lived in my home for 22 years and it's gone. My car is even under water,' he added, with tears in his eyes.

Hinkle made it out alive thanks to Good Samaritan Ray Remillard, 62, who gathered four elderly neighbors from the Sunshine Mobile Village, several miles from Fort Myers Beach, and took them to his company's apartment further inland.

They returned Thursday to find the majority of the 180 mobile homes completely beyond salvage.

Worse still, several residents, including a pregnant woman, are unaccounted for, according to locals.

Residents of Sunshine Mobile Village returned to find the majority of the 180 mobile homes destroyed

'I've lost every damn thing I own,' said 93-year-old retiree Tom Hinkle, as he stared out at the murky-broken floodwater making it impossible to reach his two-bed retirement home a thousand yards or so from the Gulf of Mexico

Badly shaken and caked in mud, a woman in her 90s looked in disbelief at the floodwater as she was carried out and placed in an ambulance

DailyMail.com arrived in Fort Myers Thursday morning to find desperate locals begging for help

'Everyone is distraught. They just want to get back to their homes but there are no homes to get back to,' one resident explained

Some residents heeded warnings to flee their homes while their neighbors chose to stay behind

President Biden has declared the event a 'major disaster' in Florida which makes federal funding available

Search and rescue teams from the McGregor Fire Department took to the water in dinghies

A woman in her 90s was ferried to safety Thursday morning as search and rescue teams from the McGregor Fire Department took to the water in dinghies.

Badly shaken and caked in mud, she looked in disbelief at the floodwater as she was carried out and placed in an ambulance.

'Everyone is distraught. They just want to get back to their homes but there are no homes to get back to,' Remillard explained.

'When the winds came there wasn't much protection. There are homes that just floated away. The car ports are gone, the roofs peeled off.

'We have physically challenged people here, others with dementia. They didn't ignore the warnings they just didn't have any place to go.'

Ian transformed Fort Myers and the surrounding communities of Iona and McGregor into a maze of fallen trees and debris with cars flipped upside down, roofs torn from homes and 'hundreds' feared dead along the coast.

Whole streets and intersections remain under several feet of floodwater with returning residents doing their best to edge through the swell, with no working traffic signals or stop lights.

Ian transformed Fort Myers and the surrounding communities of Iona and McGregor into a maze of fallen trees and debris with cars flipped upside down, roofs torn from homes and 'hundreds' feared dead along the coast

Good Samaritan Ray Remillard gathered four elderly neighbors from the Sunshine Mobile Village, several miles from Fort Myers Beach, and took them to his company's apartment further inland

Resident Samuel Martinez braved the storm but ended up clinging to an exterior wall for dear life in Ionia Duplex close to Fort Myers Beach

A baby clings on to her barefoot mother outside as all their belongings are strewn along the sidewalk

Whole streets and intersections remain under several feet of floodwater

Some residents were seen kayaking through what used to be streets of their Fort Myers neighborhood

Resident Daniel Suarez told DailyMail.com of his neighbors, 'The water was so strong they couldn't push the front door open so they had to break through the drywall on to the stairwell then climb up and break into our apartment to get to safety'

Daniel Suarez, 39, and his wife Heather, 37, heeded warnings to flee their second floor apartment but their downstairs neighbors chose to stay behind.

'Around 3pm their place was completely flooded. Their vehicle was floating around in the parking lot,' Daniel told DailyMail.com.

'The water was so strong they couldn't push the front door open so they had to break through the drywall on to the stairwell then climb up and break into our apartment to get to safety.

'I left the guy my keys but in all the hullabaloo he must have dropped them into the water.'

Samuel Martinez, 39, said he and his family were lulled into a false sense of security when they saw Ian tracking north towards Tampa.

By the time it has turned east, barreling straight towards them, it was too late to get a hotel.

'The Governor said it was too late to flee so we just had to hunker down in our home,' said the Mexican native, who has lived in the States for 12 years.

A man is seen pushing his bike through the waters that once were his street

Authorities have warned that fatalities will be 'in the hundreds' as people are still unaccounted for

Water began trickling into the one-story, Iona home around 8am. Ten minutes later it was up to two feet. It would eventually reach around 10ft high.

Martinez and his four cousins tried to take shelter on the roof but the winds were too powerful. They ended up clinging to an exterior wall for dear life.

'It was up to our necks,' he said. 'We clung on for what seemed like hours praying the water would stop rising.

'The home is completely trashed but we are alive. But I'm worried for my neighbors, one of them is a pregnant woman.'

Martinez's elderly relative Luis Rios, 79, has lived through dozens of storms during his three decades as a Florida resident - but nothing with the ferocity of Ian.

'I clung on to that wall with everything I had. It was very, very ugly,' he said. 'I've never experienced anything like it.'
A surveillance camera at a gas station in the southeastern Brazilian state of Sao Paulo captured the clumsy moment a pair of thieves crashed into a pit where mechanics change the oil on vehicles.

The suspects rode up to the station located in the city of Alambari on Monday and asked one of the attendants to refuel their motorcycle before announcing the robbery.

The camera later shows the assailant who is sitting in the back brandishing a gun as he escorts an employee into a store.

Still image from a surveillance camera shows the robbery suspects moments before they crash into a pit as a gas station in Sao Paulo, Brazil, on Monday

The suspects climb out of the pit they fell into while they were fleeing from the Sao Paulo, Brazil, gas station they robbed Monday before they were arrested

He searches the counter and removes the cash from a drawer, placing it in his bag.

A minute would elapse before gunman is seen sitting in the back of the motorcycle as his accomplice accelerates and drives around the pump.

However, he fails to notice the large, uncovered area where the mechanics provide oil changes and other services to vehicles.

One of the two robbery suspects keeps his gun on the right hand and uses his left hand to place the cash he had taken from the register cabinet into his bag before escaping

An armed robber looks on as his cohort positions himself to remove the motorcycle from the gas station pit they had crashed into after they tried to escape

The suspects crash into pit, which appeared to be about five feet below ground level, and both look at each other in shock before the driver jumps back into the pit.

They were eventually able to remove the motorcycle and continued to their getaway, but encountered another ditch along the road and crashed, the military police said.

Both suspects were arrested nine miles away in the Sao Paulo town of Ipatetininga.
President Joe Biden warned Florida it could be facing the deadliest hurricane in its history on Thursday, as he praised emergency workers and warned gas companies not to use the devastation to raise prices.

And he tried to scotch stories about any rivalry with Florida's populist Republican governor, insisting he had a good relationship with Ron Desantis.

'This is not about anything having to do with our disagreements politically,' he told a reporter during a visit to the Federal Emergency Management Agency headquarters in Washington, D.C.

'This is about saving people's lives, homes and businesses.'

Hurricane Ian made landfall a day earlier, flooding both of Florida's coasts, knocking out power supplies and killing at least one person.

Biden said that could be just the start.

'This could be the deadliest hurricane in Florida history,' he said during a visit to the Federal Emergency Management Agency headquarters in Washington, D.C.

'The numbers of still are still unclear, but we're hearing early reports of what may be substantial loss of life.'

The 1928 Okeechobee hurricane killed 2500 people - most of them in Florida.

President Joe Biden warned Florida it could be facing the deadliest hurricane in its history on Thursday, as he praised emergency workers during a visit to Federal Emergency Management Agency headquarters in Washington, D.C.

Biden snapped back at questions about his relationship with Republican Governor Ron DeSantis (pictured here delivering a hurricane briefing on Thursday), saying this was not about politics but about saving lives in a humanitarian emergency

Damaged homes are seen in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian, Thursday, Sept. 29, 2022, in Fort Meyers Beach, Florida

Hurricane Ian hit Florida as Category 4 hurricane, leaving much of coastal southwest Florida in darkness and triggering 'catastrophic flooding'

President Joe Biden approved a 'major disaster declaration' in Florida on Thursday morning to free up federal funding to assist with damage incurred by Hurricane Ian. He posted an image to Twitter of him speaking with Governor Ron DeSantis

Orlando nursing home residents are carried out one-by-one after historic Ian hits central Florida Emergency crews were seen evacuating elderly residents from an Orlando nursing home on Thursday as a one-in 1,000-year storm continues to batter the theme park capital of the United States before it makes its way to South Carolina. In Orlando, the storm caused life-threatening and catastrophic flooding in the city of 2.7 million residents, the Wall Street Journal reports, leaving people to kayak through the streets to safety as all the highways into Orlando  and even the international airport  remain closed. The feet-deep water was even strong enough to stop an ambulance in its tracks, as Orange County Fire and Rescue were seen trying to evacuate elderly residents from the Avante at Orlando nursing center. The department posted a series of videos on Twitter Thursday morning showing crews entering the facility wearing knee-length jackets. They then came out carrying elderly residents in stretchers and bringing them to nearby buses, where they would reportedly be brought to nearby shelters. As the fire rescue crews moved into the nursing home, wind from the storm could be seen picking up. Officials said they evacuations were being conducted as a precaution as floodwaters continue to rise in the city, according to WFTV. Advertisement

The emergency has been seen as a test of Biden's relationship with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who has positioned himself as a populist Republican with designs on the White House.

Biden snapped at a reporter who asked how their Thursday morning phone call went, saying the question was 'totally irrelevant.'

'But I'll answer it,' he said. Okay. Fine, very fine.

'He complimented me.

'He thanked me for the immediate response we had.

'He told me how much he appreciated it. Said he was extremely happy with what's going on.'

DeSantis has been one of the most prominent voices in the Republican Party's culture war attacks on the Biden administration.

He delighted supporters by chartering two planes to fly migrants from Texas to Martha's Habour, an island enclave off the coast of Massachusetts famous for its well-heeled visitors including the Obamas.

Earlier Biden declared the emergency to be a 'major disaster,' freeing up billions of dollars in assistance.

'That means the federal government will cover 100 percent of the cost to clear debris and for all the cost the state has to engage in and expend to save lives,' said Biden during his visit.

'The federal government will also cover the majority of the cost of rebuilding public buildings like schools and state fire stations.

'And folks in Florida who have destroyed or damaged homes, [if] you don't have enough insurance, it means the federal government will provide individual assistance of $37,900 for home repairs another $37,900 for lost property.'

The cost of repairing and reconstructing homes from the storm damage could cost up to $260 billion, according to property experts CoreLogic.

Biden warned oil and gas companies not to use the devastation for profiteering.

'My experts informed me the production of only about 160,000 barrels a day has been impacted by this storm.

'That's less than two percent of our country's daily production.

'[This] small and temporary impact on oil production provides no excuse. No excuse for price increases at the pump. Period.'

A drone photograph shows the damage caused in Fort Myers. It came ashore as Category 4 hurricane, according to the National Hurricane Center

He said he would direct officials to investigate any reports of 'price gouging.'

Biden also said he planned to visit Florida and meet with DeSantis in person when 'conditions allow.'

He added that he planned to visit Puerto Rico, which was devastated by Hurricane Fiona earlier in the month.

'We know many families are hurting,' he said.

'Our entire country hurts with them.'

He urged those affected by Ian to take seriously the warnings from local officials to stay safe and remain indoors.

'Don't go outside unless you have to,' Biden said.
Charlotte County Sheriff Bill Prummell said that thousands of Floridians ignored evacuation orders ahead of Hurricane Ian after becoming 'complacent' about storm warnings.

Prummell spoke to the Fox & Friends hosts Thursday morning about the severe damage that the hurricane brought to Charlotte County, Florida - located just about Lee County, which encompasses Fort Myers, where the storm hit hardest.

'Right now, Charlotte County is just going to need a lot of support and a lot of prayers,' said Prummell, who would not speculate on the potential number of fatalities caused by the storm.

'I believe a lot of people did stay behind. Here in Florida, we watch these hurricanes come and go every year and they always go by us and miss us and people become complacent, saying it's not going to happen here, it's not going to hit us. And this one did... We haven't had a hurricane since 2004 when Charley came through and Charley was devastating. This one was even worse,' he said.

Prummell refused to be drawn on a possible death toll, after an earlier warning that hundreds may have died across the Sunshine State. So far, the death toll stands at six.

About two-thirds of Charlotte County - roughly 120,000 people - was put under mandatory evacuation orders at least 48-hours prior to the storm hitting, including a handful of barrier islands that were ravaged by the storm.

The Charlotte County Sheriff's Office has also instituted a 9.00pm-6.00am curfew until further notice. Violation of the curfew could result in a misdemeanor charge.

Charlotte County Sheriff Bill Prummell tells Fox & Friends that some Floridians in evacuation zones became 'complacent'

Pictured Thursday morning: Flood damage caused by Hurricane Ian in Port Charlotte, Florida

'I believe a lot of people did stay behind. Here in Florida, we watch these hurricanes come and go every year and they always go by us and miss us and people become complacent, saying it's not going to happen here, it's not going to hit us. And this one did,' Pullman told Brian Kilmeade

Ian is expected to slow down off of west central Florida, potentially extending impacts. Charlotte County is under a Tropical Storm Warning. 4 to 7 feet above ground level of surge expected at the coastline. 7 to 12 of rain expected with isolated totals of 20 possible. pic.twitter.com/rPKBAoHxxp  Charlotte County Emergency Management (@CCOEM) September 27, 2022

Sept. 28 2 p.m. Update | Hurricane Ian is approaching Charlotte County. We are bracing for life-threatening storm surge, damaging winds, heavy rainfall and flooding. You should not be outside at this time. All residents should be sheltering in place and be off the roads. pic.twitter.com/lkQjNcR29H  Charlotte County Emergency Management (@CCOEM) September 28, 2022

Stay indoors! You should not be outside at this time. All residents should be sheltering in place and be off the roads until we are no longer experiencing hazardous conditions. pic.twitter.com/Weej0dPHIH  Charlotte County Emergency Management (@CCOEM) September 28, 2022

Residents of Charlotte County were given at least 48 hours to leave under mandatory evacuation orders

Charlotte County residents were warned of the severity of the storm online, on TV and radio, and via repeated announcement from local government offices sent to phones.

Storm shelters were opened Tuesday morning for those who cannot evacuate.

Rideshare giant Uber also offered free $30 rides to hurricane shelters in Sarasota, Charlotte, and Lee Counties.

Some Floridians in evacuation zones chose not to evacuate for a variety of reasons, including storm fatigue - every year Floridians are issued warnings during hurricane season, only sometimes are the storms as severe as they were told.

Search and rescue efforts are already underway in both Charlotte and Lee counties.

Residents and officials will soon begin the arduous rebuilding process that, for some, will involve securing insurance claims on homes, offices, and vehicles.

'We've requested a lot of assets to come in from the state. We actually already have a federal search and rescue team. And so we are combining our search and rescue teams with theirs, and we're starting to hit the road,' said Prummell.

'We got people that are stranded in their vehicles in the water. We got people who are trapped in their homes. Our air unit is up right now getting our eyes in the sky to try and get an overall assessment of the county. And they are reporting back to people on their roofs. So we're working with our search and rescue teams and trying to get into those areas.'

Pictured Thursday morning: A National Guard vehicle patrolling HWY 41 in Charlotte County, Florida

Pictured Thursday morning: Flooding caused by Hurricane Ian in Port Charlotte, Florida

About two-thirds of the Charlotte County population were ordered to evacuate in the 48 hours before Ian hit

Hundreds of people in Florida are feared dead, as 50 National Guard helicopters are starting the search and rescue for thousands who are stranded or missing in the aftermath of the catastrophic water damage and 155mph winds.

The better part of 2.7 million Floridians remain without power, and many without cell phone service on Thursday.

Lee County's Sheriff raised fears it was one of the worst natural disasters since Katrina with hundreds dead, but he later tempered his comments after DeSantis and FEMA insisted the death toll is not known.

Thousands are also trapped on their homes and some were forced on to their roofs to escape rising floodwater that swallowed two-story homes.

Horrifying footage shows flames and black smoke coiling into the sky in Fort Myers as homes were suddenly being engulfed by the blaze.

Ian is set to unleash more devastation as it whips up sea water in the Atlantic before targeting South Carolina after battering Florida this morning and overnight.

The monster tempest is expected to recharge from a tropical storm back into a Category 1 hurricane as it angles northwards towards the top of the Sunshine State, the south of Georgia and South Carolina.

The region is also braced for more storm surges that could see huge quantities of water dumped on major cities such as Jacksonville, Savannah and Charlotte.
When Waffle House closes, you know it's bad.

As Hurricane Ian barreled across Florida on Wednesday, the 24-hour breakfast chain known for staying open - even during many natural disasters - temporarily closed 35 of their locations.

Waffle House has been known to brave storms and stay open in order to provide resources to emergency crews and the community.

So this week's closures were a tell-tale sign of severity of the monster Category 4 storm that has left a devastating trail of destruction in its wake.

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has historically used the unofficial term 'Waffle House Index' to help measure damage in disaster areas.

If the eatery shutters or limits menu items during or after a hazard  they know the community took a major hit.

A closed Waffle House in Punta Gorda, Florida on Tuesday before Hurricane Ian made impact with Florida's coast. The eatery has been known to stay open to provide resources to emergency crews and the community but 35 were still closed on Thursday

TAMPA: Floridians are sharing photos to social media of crowded Waffle House locations

As of Thursday, there were approximately 35 locations closed in Florida, Njeri Boss, vice president of public relations at Waffle House, told PEOPLE. But that number will fluctuate quite a bit, she said.

'We are in the process of reopening restaurants, depending on power availability, safety and staffing, among other issues.'

'We are working diligently to continue to serve the communities in which we are located,' she added.

The term 'Waffle House Index' was coined by Craig Fugate, former FEMA Administrator, during the 2004 hurricane season to measure the effect of a natural disaster on an area.

There are three levels based on the amount of service that the restaurant can provide right after a bad storm:

GREEN: Full menu; the restaurant sustained little or no damage and has full power YELLOW: Limited menu; the restaurant is running out of food or has limited power RED: The Waffle House is closed due to severe flooding or damage

There are three levels based on the amount of service that the restaurant can provide right after a bad storm

More than 30 Waffle House locations closed ahead of Hurricane Ian - a tell-tale sign of severity of the monster Category 4 storm that has left a devastating trail of destruction in its wake

People wait in line at a Florida Waffle House on Thursday afternoon as some are starting to open back up following Hurricane Ian

'If a Waffle House can serve a full menu, they've likely got power (or are running on a generator),' FEMA wrote on its blog in 2017. 'A limited menu means an area may not have running water or electricity, but there's gas for the stove

What is the Waffle House Index? Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has historically used the unofficial term 'Waffle House Index' to help measure damage in disaster areas. The index has three color-coded levels: GREEN: Full menu; the restaurant sustained little or no damage and has full power YELLOW: Limited menu; the restaurant is running out of food or has limited power RED: The Waffle House is closed due to severe flooding or damage 'The Waffle House test just doesn't tell us how quickly a business might rebound  it also tells how the larger community is faring,' FEMA said. Advertisement

'The Waffle House test just doesn't tell us how quickly a business might rebound  it also tells how the larger community is faring,' FEMA said in a 2011 blog post.

'The sooner restaurants, grocery and corner stores, or banks can re-open, the sooner local economies will start generating revenue again  signaling a strong recovery for that community.'

'If a Waffle House store is open and offering a full menu, the index is green,' according to the FEMA.

'If it is open but serving from a limited menu, it's yellow. When the location has been forced to close, the index is red'.

The code doesn't just show FEMA how quickly a business might rebound, but it also shows it how the larger community is doing.

'The sooner restaurants, grocery and corner stores, or banks can re-open, the sooner local economies will start generating revenue again - signaling a stronger recovery for that community,' FEMA said in a previous blog post.

Waffle House CEO Walt Ehmer joined 'Fox and Friends' on Thursday and said the restaurant did everything it could to prepare, but still has locations with significant damage.

'Somehow it took on a life of its own, and it's something a lot of people ask us about this time of year,' he said.

'We closed everything that was in harm's way before the storm,' he added.

'Now we are in the process of trying to access where we have power, where we can get people, how we can get people started.'

Ehmer said the company is working hard to open as many locations as possible.

Locations that sustained damage - like broken windows and toppled over signs - include stores in and near Port Charlotte, Fort Myers, Punta Gorda and Naples.

'As soon as I'm done with this, it's back to the grill,' he said.

Homes in Fort Myers have been decimated by the storm, with several properties being washed away and crashing into other buildings

The extreme damage can be seen in aerial photographs, with homes swept towards the water in Fort Myers as trees and buildings lay broken

In 2018 during Hurricane Florence, Waffle House closed 20 locations and 90 during Hurricane Irma in 2017.

The restaurant chain takes its role very seriously. In 2018, it activated its 'Storm Center' to monitor Hurricane Florence.

'If we are open quickly after the storm, that means the community is coming back and folks are out, we are getting back to that sense of normalcy,' a Waffle House spokesman said at the time.

'After a storm, they're really looking to us to be there to help them out because they're used to us being there the rest of the year.'

Hurricane Ian is set to unleash more devastation as it whips up sea water in the Atlantic before targeting South Carolina after battering Florida this morning and overnight.

Waffle House, especially the locations in areas that get a lot of hurricanes, has a reputation for its effective handling of disasters

The monster tempest is expected to recharge from a tropical storm back into a Category 1 hurricane as it angles northwards towards the top of the Sunshine State, the south of Georgia and South Carolina.

The region is also braced for more storm surges that could see huge quantities of water dumped on major cities such as Jacksonville, Savannah and Charlotte.

It comes as Joe Biden warned Ian could be the 'deadliest' hurricane in Florida's history with a 'substantial loss of life' - as hundreds are feared dead after many refused to evacuate their homes.

Meanwhile Ron DeSantis said the tsunami-like flooding is a 'once in a 500-year' event and revealed it has left 2.7million without power across his state.

He has scrambled 50 National Guard helicopters to search for survivors and rescue the thousands still stranded, missing or stuck in their homes following extensive damage from the torrent of water and 155mph winds.

Eight people are confirmed to have been killed as a result of the storm in Charlotte County, County Commissioner Chris Constance told CNN.

Good Samaritans are seen in Orange County trying to keep children from wading through the flash floodwater as Hurricane Ian continues to cross the state

Many emerged from their bunkers on Thursday morning to witness the devastation to their communities, with some bursting into tears at the sight of their belongings destroyed.

Lee County's Sheriff raised fears it was one of the worst natural disasters since Katrina with hundreds dead, but he later tempered his comments after DeSantis and FEMA insisted the death toll is not known.

Yet he did not row back on the claims, simply saying they were preliminary, as he also warned that 'looting and violence' in the aftermath would not be tolerated.
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Stunning aerial photos lay bare the devastation Hurricane Ian left in its wake after it barreled through the Sunshine State, bringing windspeeds of up to 155mph and leaving communities flooded.

Ian came ashore with catastrophic force near Cape Coral Wednesday afternoon as a Category 4 storm, knocking out power to more than 2.6 million residents within just a few hours.

It then cut a path from the southwest corner of the state to the east, before it went off-shore once again near Orlando as it once again gains speed on its way to South Carolina.

Along the way, it brought a combination of wind, rain and storm surges that destroyed hundreds of homes, while closed roads and downed power lines made it impossible to escape Ian's wrath.

Many communities were left flooded in the wake of the excruciatingly strong storm, with Gov. Ron DeSantis declaring it a 'biblical 500-year flood event.'

In some areas, CNN reports, storm surges hit up to 12 feet on Wednesday, with a storm-surge warning  meaning that storm surges could be life-threatening  in place for a stretch of northeastern Florida into an area north of Charleston, South Carolina.

Experts expect the damages to cost up to $260billion, though the clean-up efforts are currently unable to get underway as swathes of Florida remain underwater.

Thousands remain trapped inside their homes, waiting desperately to be rescued, with some forced on to their roofs to escape rising floodwater that swallowed two-story homes.

National Guard crews are now traveling around the state looking for those who are still stranded or were reported missing in the aftermath of the storm.

But officials say they are only 'scratching the surface,' as hundreds are feared dead.

PORT CHARLOTTE: Much of Port Charlotte remained under several feet of water as storm surges reached up to the second story of some homes

FORT MYERS: Some houses were completely leveled in the 155mph winds when the storm struck Wednesday afternoon

SANIBEL ISLAND: Coast Guard crews were working on Thursday to rescue people from flooded areas of the island

FORT MYERS: The heavy winds even damaged some roofs, as experts estimate the damages to cost up to $260billion

FORT MYERS: An aerial photo from a drone shows yachts piled up against each other along the shore

FORT MYERS BEACH: Hurricane Ian brought heavy winds that caused several homes in the Sunshine State to collapse

SANIBEL ISLAND: The main bridge connecting Sanibel Island to Florida's mainland was destroyed in the hurricane

FORT MYERS BEACH: Thousands remain trapped inside their homes, waiting desperately to be rescued, with some forced on to their roofs to escape rising floodwater that swallowed two-story homes

SANIBEL ISLAND: A section of the damaged bridge is pictured here, leaving the island impassable

In southwest Florida, officials are already reporting that at least a dozen people have died as a result of the storm.

CNN reports that one person who was in hospice care died in Osceola County, about five people are believed to have died in Lee County and six deaths were reported in Charlotte County.

Photos and videos from that area show buildings collapsed in the storm, power lines were down  and even a major bridge connecting Sanibel and Captiva's islands to Florida's mainland was destroyed.

In one video posted to Twitter by Lee County Sheriff Carmine Marcino, roads were completely obscured by feet-deep waters as smoke billowed from some of the homes that were destroyed.

'We are devastated,' he wrote. 'Our hearts go out to every resident who is impacted.

'The Lee County Sheriffs Office is mobile, and will stop at nothing to help our residents.'

Speaking to CNN afterwards, Marcino said 'there's really no words that I can say to tell you what I've seen.

'The Fort Myers Beach area, buildings, major, major homes and buildings completely washed away with vehicles in the water, vehicles in the bay, boats are upside down,' he said.

Meanwhile, the Naples area, just to the south, was slammed with feet of water that submerged streets, nearly swallowed vehicles and rushed into the first-floor of homes and businesses.

Lehigh Acres, near Fort Myers, also reported 14.42 inches of rain, and in Orlando  which was hit last before the storm moved off-shore  eight to 12 inches of rain had already fallen Thursday afternoon, though four more inches were expected.

Meteorologists say some areas could have received more than 30 inches in the devastating storm.

SANIBEL ISLAND: A Coast Guard helicopter is pictured flying over destroyed homes on Sanibel Island on Thursday

FORT MYERS: Lee County Sheriff Carmine Marcino said he saw 'buildings, major, major homes and buildings completely washed away with vehicles in the water, vehicles in the bay, boats are upside down'

FORT MYERS BEACH: Damaged ships crashed into nearby businesses, leaving debris floating in the ocean

FORT MYERS: At least a dozen people have died in the powerful storm, which Gov. Ron DeSantis called a 'once in 500-year' event

FORT MYERS: Debris was strewn about the street, leaving roads impassable for residents

FORT MYERS: Ian came ashore near Fort Myers as a Category 4 storm with windspeeds of up to 155mph

FORT MYERS BEACH: Streets were flooded with nearly four feet of water on Thursday as cleanup efforts began

Roads are now pictured littered with washed-out vehicles, debris from fallen homes and downed telephone poles.

'Everybody's garages basically just gave out,' said Scott Carlos, who rode out the storm in his fourth-floor Fort Myers condo, where streets were flooded with nearly four feet of water.

'Cars are everywhere, smashed up in the street,' he said. 'There's debris everywhere.'

In Naples, officials said on Wednesday that at least half the streets were impassable because of the high water levels as they tried to rescue people stuck inside their homes.

'Some are reporting life-threatening medical emergencies in deep water. We will get to them first,' the Collier County Sheriffs Office posted on Facebook Wednesday night.

'Some are reporting water coming into their house, but not life-threatening  they will have to wait possible until the water recedes.'

To make matters more complicated, Lee County's 911 system went offline during the storm, and emergency calls were being rerouted to Collier County.

And in Sarasota County, sheriff's deputies and fire crews had a backlog of more than 500 calls for help as of Thursday morning.

Deputies said they were 'responding to the highest priority calls' that were still in the queue Thursday morning.

Hurricane Ian is now gaining strength as it moves north to South Carolina, where a storm-surge warning is now in effect

Meteorologists believe some areas of Florida saw more than 30 inches of rain from the storm, with high storm surges

President Joe Biden has now declared a 'major disaster declaration' for the state, freeing up billions of dollars in assistance.

'That means the federal government will cover 100 percent of the cost to clear debris and for all the cost the state has to engage in and expend to save lives,' the president announced on Thursday.

'The federal government will also cover the majority of the cost of rebuilding public buildings like schools and state fire stations.

'And folks in Florida who have destroyed or damaged homes, [if] you don't have enough insurance, it means the federal government will provide individual assistance of $37,900 for home repairs another $37,900 for lost property.'

At the same time, DeSantis' wife, Casey, 42, pledged her commitment to removing obstacles for residents and businesses to receive funds to help them recover from the damage from the storm after Lee County Sheriff Marceno 'confirmed' that fatalities are 'in the hundreds.'

'The people across the state and the country have stepped up big to support our Florida Disaster Fund. So far, in less than 24 hours since we launched the fund, we've raised $1.6 million,' Mrs. DeSantis announced.

She also said that she is in constant contact with those who will help distribute the funds and get it to people that need it.

'Thank you for stepping up and please continue to do so,' she said.
Germany has vowed not to follow Britain into a financial crisis in a swipe at Liz Truss, following a disastrous week for the UK economy.

The German government unveiled a 200 billion (177 billion) package to help consumers and businesses as surging energy prices due to the war in Ukraine push Europe's largest economy into a looming recession.

Chancellor Olaf Scholz said his government was reactivating an economy-stabilising fund previously used during the global financial crisis and the coronavirus pandemic.

The fund will limit the price of natural gas used to heat homes, generate electricity and power factories.

The German government will also drop a previously proposed surcharge on natural gas intended to spread the rising cost of purchasing the fuel on the global market.

'One can say this is a double whammy,' Scholz said, speaking at a news conference by video link because he is isolating due to a COVID-19 infection.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz's government unveiled a 200 billion support package to deal with the soaring cost of gas following Russia's invasion of Ukraine

Christian Lindner, Germany's finance minister, said: 'Our relief package is effective we don't want to follow the UK's path'

Christian Lindner, the country's finance minister, said: 'Germany is showing its economic strength in an energy war.'

He added: 'Our relief package is effective we don't want to follow the UK's path.'

Olaf Scholz said Russia's decision to cut back natural gas to Europe and the recent leaks on the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines running from Russia to Germany showed that further Russian energy supplies couldn't be expected in the near future.

European officials say gas reductions by state-owned exporter Gazprom are energy blackmail aimed at pressuring European governments over their support for Ukraine and for sanctions against Moscow.

'We're well prepared for this situation though,' Scholz said. 'We have taken decisions that allow us to deal with this changed situation.'

Leading economists warn Germany faces a recession because high prices for food, fuel, electricity and heating are leaving people with less money to spend on other things.

'We are sliding into a recession and will only come out of recession next spring,' said economist Torsten Schmidt from the Leibniz Institute for Economic Research. 'The main burden is currently being felt by private households, which are suffering a massive loss of purchasing power.'

Liz Truss has come under fire after the value of the pound and UK stock markets tanked this week following the government's mini-budget last Friday

Germany has been heavily dependent on cheap gas from Russia for years, with German businesses hit hard by Gazprom's recent cutbacks.

The government and utilities have turned to more expensive liquefied gas that comes by ship from suppliers including the U.S. and have filled the country's underground storage to 91 per cent ahead of the winter heating season.

A gas shortage should be avoided if the winter is average.

Still, the government could be forced to ration energy to businesses if there is an exceptionally cold winter, a scenario that could cause a further sharp drop in the economy.

Even now, high prices are making steel and fertilizer makers shut down production, saying it's not profitable due to the cost.

Finance Minister Christian Lindner insisted that the fund would not entail further regular borrowing, saying Germany is 'expressly not following Great Britain's path.'

The U.K. government recently announced tax cuts funded by borrowing despite plans to spend billions shielding homes and businesses from soaring energy prices, resulting in a sharp fall of the pound this week.
Lee Yang-hee, chief of the ruling People Power Party's ethics committee, attends a committee meeting at the National Assembly in western Seoul, Sept. 28. Yonhap



The ruling People Power Party (PPP) decided to hold an ethics committee meeting next week to decide on an additional penalty for former Chairman Lee Jun-seok over his harsh criticism of President Yoon Suk-yeol and the party, officials said Thursday.



The PPP held an ethics panel meeting Wednesday, but only suspended the party membership of Rep. Kim Sung-won for making insensitive remarks over flooding in Seoul and elsewhere caused by heavy rains last month.



The panel also decided to open a disciplinary process against former floor leader Rep. Kweon Seong-dong for holding a drinking party at the PPP's workshop last month despite the party's abstinence order and arousing criticism.



But the decision on the extra penalty for Lee was postponed to the next committee meeting set for next Thursday, according to committee chief Lee Yang-hee.



The committee launched a new disciplinary procedure against the former Chairman Lee last week, saying he used "insulting, reprehensive" expressions against party members and lawmakers "without objective grounds" and undermined unity and the party's prestige.



Observers say the committee may decide to expel Lee from the party at worst.



"I cried up wine and sold vinegar," Lee said in a press conference last month, referring to his advocacy for Yoon during the presidential election campaign.



In a handwritten petition to the court, Lee was also found to have referred to Yoon as "shingunbu," a term that was used to refer to a private group of military officers led by former President Chun Doo-hwan, who came to power through a coup and suppressed democracy movements.



The remarks came as Lee has openly gone up against President Yoon and his core associates since the PPP suspended Lee's party membership in July for six months over allegations of sexual bribery and an attempted cover-up.



Last week, police decided to drop the sexual bribery charges against Lee, citing the expiration of the statute of limitations.



Police, however, were continuing to look into charges that Lee tried to cover up the case.



Lee has claimed Yoon and his key associates plotted the suspension against him and filed a string of lawsuits to block the PPP from launching an emergency leadership committee, which automatically removes him from office. (Yonhap)


Andrew C. Adams, a Manhattan federal prosecutor who heads a task force pursuing crimes by Russian oligarchs, said in a release that Deripaska had lied and evaded US

Only one of the four charged in the indictment - Olga Shriki, 42, of New Jersey - was in custody

Deripaska has been among Russias wealthiest men for decades

He was placed on a US sanctions list in 2018 along with the conglomerate he controls

Oleg Deripaska, 52, has been indicted for allegedly evading US sanctions

A Russian billionaire was criminally charged in New York with violating U.S. sanctions in an indictment unsealed Thursday that also charges three others in a scheme to ensure his child was born in the United States.

The Russian oligarch, Oleg Deripaska, 52, has faced economic sanctions since 2018, when he was designated for them by the U.S. Treasury Department, which said he had acted for or on behalf of a senior Russian official and had operated in the energy sector of the Russian economy.

Andrew C. Adams, a Manhattan federal prosecutor who heads a task force pursuing crimes by Russian oligarchs, said in a release that Deripaska had lied and evaded U.S. sanctions as he sought to benefit from life in America 'despite his cozy ties with the Kremlin and his vast wealth acquired through ties to a corrupt regime.'

Adams said: 'The hypocrisy in seeking comfort and citizenship in the United States, while enjoying the fruits of a ruthless, anti-democratic regime, is striking.

'That Deripaska practiced that hypocrisy through lies and criminal sanctions evasion has made him a fugitive from the country he so desperately wished to exploit.'

Russian metals magnate Oleg Deripaska attends a meeting of Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, outside St. Petersburg, Russia, Aug. 9, 2016

The indictment included demands that Deripaska and his codefendants forfeit assets in the United States

Only one of the four charged in the indictment - Olga Shriki, 42, of New Jersey - was in custody.

Shriki was charged in part with trying to help another woman charged in the case - Ekaterina Olegovna Voronina - to get into the United States to give birth to Deripaska's child.

Shriki's lawyer, Bruce Maffeo, declined comment.

Authorities said Deripaska spent hundreds of thousands of dollars to make it possible for his child to be born in the United States so the child could take advantage of the U.S. health care system and benefits of a U.S. birthright.

The child, upon birth, received U.S. citizenship.

Following the birth, Deripaska's three co-defendants conspired to conceal the name of the child's true father by slightly misspelling the child's last name, the indictment said.

According to the indictment, Deripaska was the owner and controller of Basic Element Limited, a private investment and management company used to advance his various business interests.

The indictment included demands that Deripaska and his codefendants forfeit assets in the United States - including a Washington, D.C. property and two Manhattan properties.

Only one of the four charged in the indictment - Olga Shriki, 42, of New Jersey - was in custody
It is widely suspected that the sabotage was an attack orchestrated by Russia

Russian President Vladimir Putin called the damage to the Nord Stream gas pipelines 'unprecedented sabotage' and 'an act of international terrorism'.

The cause of the leaks along the a major undersea pipelines is yet unknown but Nato have said the incidents were the result of 'deliberate, reckless and irresponsible acts of sabotage'.

There are now two holes in each pipe, two of which are located in Swedish waters and two in Danish waters, Sweden's coastguard said today.

Despite Putin's remarks today in phone call with his Turkish counterpart Tayyip Erdogan, the attack is widely thought to have been orchestrated by Russia.

NATO said the explosions looked like a reckless and irresponsible act of sabotage, and that any deliberate attack against infrastructure of countries in the Western alliance would be met by a 'united and determined response'.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said: 'This looks like an act of terrorism, possibly on a state level.

'It is very difficult to imagine that such an act of a terrorism could have happened without the involvement of a state of some kind'.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said the 'sabotage' against Nord Stream is an 'act of international terrorism'

Thousands of tons of natural gas is now leading into the Baltic Sea, causing a dangerous swell that has disrupted shipping and may cause an environmental catastrophe if the leak cannot be stopped

Norway has deployed the military to protect its gas and oil fields amid fears Russia is preparing attacks, suggesting that the UK - which has two major pipes linked to Norway and dozens of offshore rigs nearby - is also at risk

Russia is widely suspected to be behind the Nord Stream gas explosions which caught the West off - guard, as experts rush to try and explain how Putin might have done it. Explanations range from divers to spy subs, and underwater drones

European security officials saw the Russian Navy support ships on Monday and Tuesday in the vicinity of where four leaks in the Nord Stream gas pipes have since emerged.

Russian submarines were also seen not far from the area in the Baltic Sea last week, CNN reports. European security officials said it is as-yet unclear whether any of those craft were involved, but say the possibility is being investigated as the sightings cast further suspicion on Russia being behind the attacks.

Taken at face value, it seems unlikely that Russia would attack its own multi-billion dollar pipes - but those familiar with Moscow's 'hybrid' style of warfare say it is likely Kremlin mind game to sow uncertainty and a warning to back off Ukraine.

'It's all part of the Russian style of political warfare,' Bryan Clark, a former US navy strategic planner now at the Hudson Institute think tank, said. 'It's about sowing doubt, creating just enough fog of uncertainty.'

There are fears that pipelines, rigs and undersea cables that countries including Britain rely upon for energy, banking, stock trading and business could now be targeted, as German interior minister Nancy Faeser today warned leaders to prepare for 'previously unimaginable' threats to their nations.

Some have already begun scrambling to shore up their defences, with NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg in Denmark today for talks which he said 'addressed the protection of critical infrastructure'. Jonas Gahr Stoere, Norway's prime minister, said the military would be visibly deployed around oil and gas rigs to protect them.

Mark Galeotti - a Russia expert, former adviser to the foreign office, and now at the Council on Geostrategy - told MailOnline that Putin is 'likely' behind the Nord Stream attack and intended it 'as a warning'.

Coast guard now say there are four leaks in the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipes - two in each line - which were likely caused by explosions that happened late Monday and were picked up by seismologists

Putin's motivation for allegedly targeting his own pipelines could be to cause an all-out global war, an academic has claimed.

Dr Stepan Stepanenko, research fellow at the Henry Jackson Society, told MailOnline it shows the Kremlin wants to stop offering energy to its potential enemies.

He said: 'Although the Kremlin has not taken responsibility for Nord Stream, the global finger of blame is pointing firmly in one direction.

'At first glance, this act equates to cutting one's nose off to spite the face, as Putin severs gas supply in the onset of a cold winter, he also cuts the revenue stream from it, harming his war effort.

'However, to understand why Russia would do this, we have to look at it in the context of the sham referenda taking place in Ukraine.

'Putin is fast running out of options, he needs to end the conflict with a tangible territorial gain before Russians twig what the rest of the world already knows, he lost the war.

'By conducting these sham referenda and moving the boarder to make these regions Russian territory, he is backing the West into an ultimatum; liberate these regions and you are directly attacking Russia.

'In this context, if Nord Stream was indeed targeted by Moscow then we can't avoid seeing it as Putin's preparing for a global war, in which supplying gas to Europe would be directly aiding his enemy.'
The United States confirmed that one of its citizens was killed in Iranian strikes on Iraqi Kurdistan today - as it separately announced fresh enforcement of sanctions on Tehran's oil sales.

Iran's clerical state on Thursday carried out cross-border strikes, with 13 reported dead - amid unrest at home sparked by the death in custody of an Iranian Kurdish woman by the notorious morality police.

'We can confirm that a US citizen was killed as a result of a rocket attack in the Iraqi Kurdistan region' on Thursday, State Department spokesman Vedant Patel said.

Citing privacy laws, he declined further details. But he reiterated US denunciations of the strikes.

Smoke rises from the Iraqi Kurdistan headquarters of the Kurdish Democratic Party of Iran, after Iran's Revolutionary Guards' strike on the outskirts of Kirkuk

This video grab taken from footage provided by the Iranian military to Farsnews agency social media on Thursday 29 September 2022, reportedly shows a missile launch from the Iranian Kurdistan region directed towards Sulaimaniyah in Iraq's autonomous Kurdistan region

Smoke billows on the horizon in the village of Altrun Kupri, in the Sherawa region in Iraq's Kurdistan, after Iranian strikes on September 28, 2022

'We continue to condemn Iran's violations of Iraq's sovereignty and territorial integrity,' Patel told reporters.

Asked if there would be retaliation, Patel said the United States has 'a number of tools and a number of lines of efforts to continue to hold Iran accountable for its destabilizing actions in the region.'

The United States has imposed sanctions on the morality police - accused by protesters of killing in custody 22-year-old Mahsa Amini after she violated the Islamic republic's strict rules on women's dress - and has worked to support restoration of internet access inside Iran.

The unrest following Amini's death on September 16, which has killed dozens, came as President Joe Biden's administration negotiates indirectly through the European Union on returning to a 2015 nuclear deal scrapped by his predecessor Donald Trump.

If Tehran agrees to the terms for returning to compliance with the deal, known formally as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, the United States would lift its unilateral ban on other nations buying Iranian oil.

The Biden administration made clear Thursday it was enforcing sanctions for now, announcing punitive measures over Iranian oil trading of companies in China, India and the United Arab Emirates as well as Iran.

'As Iran continues to accelerate its nuclear program in violation of the JCPOA, we will continue to accelerate our enforcement of sanctions on Iran's petroleum and petrochemical sales under authorities that would be removed under the JCPOA,' Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement.

Smoke billows as an ambulance drives in the area of Zargwez, 15 kms outside the Iraqi city of Sulaimaniyah

A wounded member of the Kurdish Democratic Party is transported to a hospital following strikes by Iran on the village of Altun Kupri, south of the capital Arbil, in Iraq's autonomous Kurdistan region

Smoke rises over the headquarters following an attack in the Koy Sanjaq district of Erbil, Iraq
The Royal Mint said the effigy has been personally approved by Charles

The image will first appear on a commemorative coin range for his mother

The portrait sees Charles facing left, in line with tradition as Queen looked right

People will start to see the coins with new King Charles III on from December

New coins with the profile of King Charles III have been unveiled by the Royal Mint - as the 50p is set to go into circulation before Christmas.

People will start to see the King's image in their change from around December, as 50p coins depicting Charles gradually enter circulation to meet demand.

In the meantime, the Mint will release a memorial coin range on Monday October 3 at 9am to commemorate the life and legacy of Queen Elizabeth II.

The King's portrait will first appear on a special 5 Crown and 50p commemorating the Queen.

The new coins with the profile of King Charles III have been unveiled by the Royal Mint. The 50p coin is set to go into circulation before Christmas

The King's effigy has been created by sculptor Martin Jennings, and has been personally approved by Charles, the Royal Mint said

In keeping with tradition, the King's portrait faces to the left, the opposite direction to Queen Elizabeth II

Nicola Howell, chief commercial officer at the Royal Mint, said: 'We expect customers will start to be able to receive the commemorative range from October and then we expect the 50p memorial circulating coin to be appearing in people's change probably from December.'

The King's effigy has been created by sculptor Martin Jennings, and has been personally approved by Charles, the Mint said.

In keeping with tradition, the King's portrait faces to the left, the opposite direction to Queen Elizabeth II.

Chris Barker from the Royal Mint Museum told PA: 'Charles has followed that general tradition that we have in British coinage, going all the way back to Charles II actually, that the monarch faces in the opposite direction to their predecessor.'

The exception to this was King Edward VIII, who preferred his portrait to face to the left. The tradition was restored when King George VI - Elizabeth II's father - came to the throne.

The King's portrait will first appear on a special 5 Crown and 50p commemorating the Queen

Mr Barker described the new portrait as: 'Dignified and graceful, which reflects his years of service.'

The Latin inscription surrounding the effigy reads: 'CHARLES III. D. G. REX. F. D. 5 POUNDS. 2022' which translates to: 'King Charles III, by the Grace of God, Defender of the Faith'.

The effigy will start to appear on circulating and commemorative coins produced by The Royal Mint over the coming months.

The reverse of the commemorative 5 coin features two new portraits of Queen Elizabeth II.

The design was created by artist John Bergdahl in collaboration with the Royal Mint and will form part of a wider memorial coin collection.

The reverse of the 50p features a design that originally appeared on the 1953 Coronation Crown.

The last photo taken of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II - two days before she died when she met Liz Truss and asked her to form a government

It was struck to commemorate Queen Elizabeth II's coronation at Westminster Abbey, and includes the four quarters of the Royal Arms depicted within a shield.

In between each shield is an emblem of the home nations; a rose, a thistle, a shamrock and a leek.

Based in Llantrisant, South Wales, the Royal Mint has depicted the Royal Family on coins for over 1,100 years, documenting each monarch since Alfred the Great.

Anne Jessopp, chief executive officer of the Royal Mint, said: 'The Royal Mint has been trusted to make coins bearing the monarch's effigy for over 1,100 years and we are proud to continue this tradition into the reign of King Charles III.

'Although technology has progressed, we continue to honour British craftsmanship passed down through the centuries.

'Our team of skilled modellers, tool makers and engravers will ensure that the King's effigy will be faithfully replicated onto millions of coins.

'Her Late Majesty ruled with heart and devotion for 70 years, and this memorial collection commemorates her remarkable legacy as Britain's longest-serving monarch.

'To ensure everyone can hold a piece of history in their hand, the 50p will also enter circulation in the UK.'

Buckingham Palace released a picture of the new King carrying out official government duties on September 23

Mr Jennings said: 'It is a privilege to sculpt the first official effigy of His Majesty and to receive his personal approval for the design.

'The portrait was sculpted from a photograph of the King, and was inspired by the iconic effigies that have graced Britain's coins over the centuries.

'It is the smallest work I have created, but it is humbling to know it will be seen and held by people around the world for centuries to come.'

All UK coins bearing the effigy of Queen Elizabeth II will remain legal tender and in active circulation.

Historically it has been commonplace for coins featuring the effigies of different monarchs to co-circulate, helping to minimise the environmental impact and cost.

There are around 27 billion coins currently circulating in the UK bearing the effigy of Queen Elizabeth II.

These will be replaced over time as they become damaged or worn and to meet demand for additional coins.

During Her Majesty's reign, there were five representations of the Queen on coins in circulation, released in 1952, 1968, 1985, 1998 and 2015 (pictured with commemorative coin from the Queen's 95th birthday on the right)

All UK coins bearing the effigy of Queen Elizabeth II will remain legal tender and in active circulation

Dr Kevin Clancy, director of the Royal Mint Museum, said: 'Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II has graced more coins than any other British monarch in a reign that lasted for 70 years.

'As we move from the Elizabethan to the Carolean era it represents the biggest change to Britain's coinage in decades, and the first time that many people will have seen a different effigy.

'Over the coming years it will become common for people to find coins bearing His Majesty and Queen Elizabeth II's effigy in their change, engaging new generations in the story of Britain's Royal Family.'

There have also been commemorative coins, such as for the Queen's Platinum Jubilee in June

Queen Elizabeth II died 'peacefully' at Balmoral Estate aged 96 on September 8.

Her death certificate revealed she passed away at 3.10pm, with the cause of death listed as 'old age'.

During Her Majesty's reign, there were five representations of the Queen on coins in circulation, released in 1952, 1968, 1985, 1998 and 2015.

There have also been commemorative coins, such as for the Queen's Platinum Jubilee in June.

The British monarch only started to feature on bank notes in 1960.
A baby girl has been left fighting for her life after she was allegedly assaulted at a nursery, police have said.

Greater Manchester Police arrested a woman in her 30s on suspicion of assault and child cruelty after the seven-month-old toddler became critically ill at Kids Around The Clock nursery in Oldham.

The force said the girl was taken to hospital at around 3.45pm on September 21, where she remains in a serious condition.

Police arrested a woman in her 30s on suspicion of assault and child cruelty after the seven-month-old toddler became critically ill at Kids Around The Clock nursery in Oldham

A woman was quizzed by officers before being released on bail with strict conditions, police added.

GMP said the child's parents are being kept updated and are being supported by their investigation team.

Detectives from the Oldham Child Protection Unit are now working closely with with Oldham Council and Ofsted 'to establish the circumstances of how the child's condition deteriorated'.

A spokesperson for GMP said: 'We are conducting an investigation with support from partners at Oldham Council and Ofsted relating to a suspected incident at a nursery on Main Road in Oldham after a child became critically ill last week.

Detectives are now working closely with with Oldham Council and Ofsted 'to establish the circumstances of how the child's condition deteriorated' (stock image)

'A woman in her 30s has been arrested on suspicion of section 18 assault and child cruelty. She has since been interviewed before being released on bail with strict conditions.

'We were initially called by colleagues at NWAS at 3.45pm on 21 September to a report that a seven-month-old girl was critically ill and being taken from the nursery to hospital - where she remains in a serious but thankfully stable condition.

'The child's parents are being kept updated and are being supported by our investigation team at this distressing time.

'Extensive enquiries continue to be conducted to establish the circumstances of how the child's condition deteriorated.'

Anyone with any concerns can contact us on 0161 856 8851 quoting incident 2285 of 21/09/2022.
There has been a moratorium on federal student loan repayment since March '20

The Biden administration quietly announced a change in its student debt forgiveness program on Thursday that could exclude up to 4 million borrowers with loans owned or backed by private companies.

The u-turn by the federal government comes after the first legal challenges were filed to the policy and following criticism of the huge costs to taxpayers. Critics also claimed the plan is an illegal use of President Joe Biden's executive power.

The Education Department announced that privately-held loans won't qualify for the relief plan, which the Congressional Budget Office said earlier this week could cost $400billion over a decade.

The scale back on Perkins and Federal Family Education Loans - which are bank loans backed by federal guarantees - is over concerns the companies could challenge the Biden administration in court, Politico reported.

They used to be a major component of federal student loans, but were stopped in 2010 after a major Obama administration overhaul shifted to direct government loans.

Nevertheless, about four million people still have FFEL loans, according to government data identified in the report. Forty-five million Americans owe student loans.

The Biden administration's latest policy backtrack is likely to affect 770,000 people, an official told CNN.

The administration had initially allowed those with FFEL loans to reorganize so they were eligible to receive the $10,000 to $20,000 of relief per borrower.

The Biden administration has quietly announced a change in their student debt forgiveness program that could exclude four million borrowers after the first lawsuits were filed against the plan and following criticism of the huge costs to taxpayers

But as of Thursday, those who hadn't made the changes were no longer able to benefit.

According to the report, the businesses that hold the loans are the greatest legal threat to the program.

They face losses as borrowers consolidate their loans and move them to one owned directly by the government.

The initial policy stated that FFEL and Perkins loans qualified.

The Department of Education guidance updated on Thursday stated: 'As of Sept. 29, 2022, borrowers with federal student loans not held by ED cannot obtain one-time debt relief by consolidating those loans into Direct Loans.'

The Department is 'assessing' whether 'there are alternative pathways to provide relief' to these borrowers, and is 'discussing this with private lenders,' it said.

An Education Department spokesperson said: 'Our goal is to provide relief to as many eligible borrowers as quickly and easily as possible, and this will allow us to achieve that goal while we continue to explore additional legally-available options to provide relief to borrowers with privately owned FFEL loans and Perkins loans, including whether FFEL borrowers could receive one-time debt relief without needing to consolidate .'

Experts told NPR that private banks who were subject to losing business could potentially sue to stop the loan forgiveness program by claiming they suffered harm.

The plan allows tens of millions of borrowers to wipe away $10,000 in student loan debt. Pell grant recipients can get $20,000 in relief

The first lawsuit against the program, filed this week, relied on a plaintiff who demonstrated harm by residing in one of six states where loan forgiveness is taxed like income  a move that will leave people on the hook for a tax bill even while saving thousands in debt.

The government has already countered that the program is voluntary, and the plaintiff can forego the $20,000 in relief.

A second suit, filed Thursday by six GOP-led states, challenges the program by citing President Joe Biden's comment to '60 Minutes' that the pandemic is 'over.'

Biden has used the pandemic multiple times to extend the March 2020 student loan moratorium first put in place by Donald Trump. He extended it a final time through the end of December to give people time to transition back to repayment.

The moves in the courthouse come as the price tag of the plan is still coming into focus, with a new Congressional Budget Office estimate this week saying the plan to cancel student loan debt will cost $400 billion over a decade.

The White House attempted to downplay the hefty price tag with a memo pointing out that the estimate is based on 90 percent of eligible people enrolling in the program - far more than administration officials projected.

'CBO called its own estimate highly uncertain. We agree,' the White House said.

'CBO assumes that 90% of eligible borrowers take the necessary steps to claim relief. We would be thrilled if 90% of eligible middle- and low-income Americans applied for this program. But unfortunately, thats unlikely based on the data from other programs.'

Chief of Staff Ron Klain tweeted this week: 'If you want apples-to-apples, note that this is a THIRTY year score; most often, CBO estimates a program's cost over its first TEN years.'

And Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, a self-proclaimed Democratic Socialist, hit back at renewed GOP criticism of the bill in comments to Newsweek.

'I didn't hear the Republicans worry about the deficit when they provided a trillion dollars in tax breaks to the 1%, large corporations,' Sanders said on Thursday morning.
A man is in police custody after allegedly killing five people, including his wife and her two children, authorities said Thursday.

The shooting occurred in McGregor, Texas, a city located just outside of Waco in East Texas.

Two other victims were also found nearby, according to reports. One woman's body was located in the street near the home where three of the victims were found, while another was found dead inside another home.

Police were initially called to the scene to respond to a 'domestic disturbance.'

Top law enforcement officials spoke with KWTX, telling the local news station that they were called to the scene of the 900 block of Monroe Street around 8 a.m.

The five victims have yet to named or identified in any way, as law enforcement is still in the process of notifying family members.

A man is in police custody after allegedly killing five people, including his wife and her two children inside a house in McGregor, Texas, just outside of Waco. Law enforcement still surrounded the house Thursday afternoon

In addition to the man's wife and her two children, two other victims were also found nearby. One woman's body was located in the street near the home where three of the victims were found, while another was found dead inside another home

'This is saddening information to actually have to put out, and stand up and give you today and thoughts and prayers and hopes for successful healing for the McGregor community,' Sgt. Ryan Howard with DPS said during a Thursday afternoon press conference.

'We have learned an update in the case, and currently working this case we have five people that are confirmed deceased from the incident that transpired this morning.'

The gunman was reportedly shot by police and taken to the hospital, where he is in police custody, but officials did not share what the status of his injuries are.

#LIVE: Press conference in McGregor in response to shooting #BREAKING: A top law enforcement official confirmed to KWTX that five people are dead following a shooting this morning in McGregor and a suspect is in custody. INFO: kwtx.com/2022/09/29/authorities-investigating-reported-shooting-mcgregor/ Posted by KWTX News 10 on Thursday, September 29, 2022

The Texas Department of Public Safety confirmed to Fox 44 that they have been brought in to investigate the officer-involved shooting, as well as multiple deaths.

Texas Rangers are also involved in the investigations at this time.

A 'heavy police presence' remains at the scene in a residential neighborhood, as officers and law enforcement investigate.

The reasoning behind the carnage is unknown.

McGregor Independent School District officials announced to local news outlets that they were canceling all Thursday night activities for students and that events for Friday

Top law enforcement officials told local news that they were called to the scene of the 900 block of Monroe Street around 8 a.m. to respond to a 'domestic disturbance'

Evidence is collected near a home involved in the shooting that left 5 dead in McGregor, Texas

The school district was briefly shut down following reports of the disturbance in the city. Schools were placed in 'secure setting' from just after 8 a.m. Thursday until noon.

'There was a domestic disturbance that resulted in a shooting in McGregor this morning. As a result of that shooting, MISD 'locked down' for about 15 minutes. Once we received an all clear from MPD, the lockdown was lifted,' the McGregor ISD superintendent said in a statement.

'This is a very fluid situation. Details are coming in rapidly and the gravity of the situation, and the required response, will change many times before the day is out. We will update you throughout the day as appropriate,' the superintendent said, according to reporting from KWTX.

Sgt. Ryan Howard with Texas DPS said that the matter remains under investigation at this time

'Rest assured, that the mental and physical well-being of every student and staff member is our top priority. We will be here today, and in the days to come, to meet the needs our your children.'

DailyMail.com reached out to officials with the Texas Department of Public Safety for further comment on the investigation but did not receive a response by the time of publication.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as we receive them.
Police have charged three people with the murder of a 35-year-old woman found dead at her home in west London.

Scotland Yard launched a murder probe after Shakira Spencer was discovered at a property on Holbeck Road in Hanwell, Ealing on Monday afternoon after concerns were raised for her welfare.

Officers forced open the front door and found her body just after 4.30pm on September 25.

The day after the death, five suspects were arrested as part of the Metropolitan Police's murder probe.

A 25-year-old man and two women aged 37 and 43 have been charged with murder this evening, and will appear at in custody at Westminster Magistrates' Court tomorrow.

Undated Metropolitan Police handout of Shakira Spencer, who was found dead at her home

Officers were called to Holbeck Road in Hanwell on Monday

A 40-year-old man and a woman, 78, were also arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender with both being released on bail while the investigation continues.

Detective Chief Inspector Brian Howie, from the Met's Specialist Crime Command, said: 'I am pleased that we have secured charges against these three individuals as we continue to work to get justice for Shakira's family.

'They are understandably devastated and specialist officers are continuing to provide them with whatever support we can.

'Charging suspects is just part of our role. It is now vitally important that we build as thorough a picture as we can about Shakira's recent movements and her life in the months and potentially years before her death.

'I am appealing for any information about Shakira specifically in the period between Friday, 9 September and Friday, 16 September.

Scotland Yard launched a murder probe after Shakira Spencer was discovered at a property on Holbeck Road in Hanwell, Ealing

'Did you see her out and about? Did you have contact with her in any way? If so, did she speak about any concerns she had? I would urge anyone with information, no matter how insignificant you think it may be, to get in touch with my team.

'I also want to hear from anyone who knew Shakira in any capacity, not just in the immediate past, so we can build a comprehensive picture of her life.'

Anyone with information, no matter how insignificant it might be, is urged to call police on 101 giving the reference 59/26SEP.

Information can also be provided to Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111. Crimestoppers are a charity. They take anonymity incredibly seriously, they do not ask for names and they cannot trace calls or IP addresses.

Information, images and video can also be uploaded to the dedicated police major incident page for this case.
The FBI arrested and charged a former NSA employee who was attempting to sell classified documents to the Russian foreign service, according to documents made public this week.

Jareh Sebastian Dalke, 30, of Colorado Springs, had worked for the National Security Agency for less than a month when he reached out to an individual he believed was a representative of the Russian government.

But the contact was actually an undercover FBI agent, according to an indictment filed Thursday.

Dalke began communication on July 29, 2022 via encrypted email with an individual he believed was associated with the Kremlin, but who was actually an FBI agent.

Dalke worked for just one month as an Information Systems Security Designer from June 6 of this year to July 1. In late July, however, he told the undercover FBI agent that he was still in the employ of the US government.

Though he was not employed by the NSA during the time he was communicating with the undercover FBI agent, he re-applied to the NSA in August as he was actively attempting to sell US secrets.

He first requested payment via an undisclosed form and amount of cryptocurrency and in late August requested $85,000 for additional information.

Pictured: NSA headquarters in Fort Meade, Maryland. Dalke worked for the NSA for just one month during summer 2022 before attempting to sell Top Secret US information to Russian adversaries

The exchanges confirm that Dalke told the individual he had taken highly sensitive information relating to US targeting and cyber operations and that he wanted to sell it.

He stands accused of attempting to send classified documents to the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service.

Allegedly, Dalke reached out to the FBI's online covert employee, who he thought was an agent of Russia, and said he'd 'recently learned that my heritage ties back to your country, which is part of why I have come to you.'

He continued his traitorous messages by saying he was reaching out because he has 'questioned our role in damage to the world in the past and by mixture of curiosity for secrets and a desire to cause change.'

In order to prove he had access to sensitive information, Dalke sent excerpts of several classified documents to the undercover agent - one at the Secret level and two at the Top Secret level.

He also expressed financial need during the communications.

Dalke was arrested on September 28 in Denver, Colorado, where he had agreed to meet the FBI agent to hand over classified information.

The FBI says Dalke was a volunteer with the Colorado Rangers, a reserve law enforcement agency.

In his own resume, Dalke described himself as a lieutenant and commander of the digital crimes unit of the Colorado Rangers, according to CBS.

He has been charged with three violations of the Espionage Act, under which it is a crime to transmit or attempt to transmit National Defense Information to a representative of a foreign country with reason to believe the information could be used to harm the US.

If convicted, Dalke could face any number of years in prison up to a life sentence or the death penalty.
Flying from London to New York in 80 minutes could become a reality in the future with jaw-dropping ideas for a new supersonic nuclear-powered plane.

The Hyper Sting concept has been dreamt up by Spanish designer Oscar Vinals who has said that in years to come it could fly 170 passengers at more than three times the speed of sound, or 2,486mph - nearly twice that of Concorde.

A 'cold fusion nuclear reactor' is a theoretical concept at the moment, but he explained that this innovative system would enable a Mach 3.5 capability, which would power two ramjet engines and four next gen hybrid turbojets.

The Hyper Sting would be much bigger than Concorde, with a length of 328ft, which is over 100ft longer than Concorde, and a wingspan of 169ft, compared to Concorde's 85ft.

Flying from London to New York in 80 minutes could become a reality in the distant future with jaw-dropping ideas for a new supersonic plane

The Hyper Sting concept has been dreamt up by Spanish designer Oscar Vinals who has said that in years to come it could fly 170 passengers at more than three times the speed of sound, or 2,486mph - nearly twice that of Concorde

The Hyper Sting would be much bigger than Concorde, with a length of 328ft, which is over 100ft longer than Concorde, and a wingspan of 169ft, compared to Concorde's 85ft

Mr Vinals explained: 'Concorde was a brilliant piece of machinery, a noble experiment, but it put too much emissions in the environment, too much noise into our communities, and was too expensive to operate.

'A new era of supersonic flight might be just around the corner, but there are challenges to overcome when it comes to flying faster than the speed of sound.

'The Hyper Sting is a new concept for future supersonic commercial airplanes.

A view of the interior of the theoretical Hyper Sting aircraft

The design's name comes from the shape of the aircraft, as Mr Vinals explained: 'The fuselage would have the shape of a "big sting" with a very sharp "nose"'

While he believes his dream could become a reality, the Barcelona designer is aware that there would first need to be some advances in technology

'Today, there are some projects for a new era of supersonic flights from different private and public initiatives, some of those are well underway and could become in few years in a real concept.'

The design's name comes from the shape of the aircraft, as Mr Vinals explained: 'The fuselage would have the shape of a "big sting" with a very sharp "nose", that would have the function to control the front airflow (pressure/speed), in order to redistribute it over the central part and over the wings.'

While he believes his dream could become a reality, the Barcelona designer is aware that there would first need to be some advances in technology.

He said: 'Supersonic flights will return, but in this case due to some very innovative systems, like the cold fusion reactor, the date of a possible production, would be over 2030 and the cost would not be cheap.'




The ruling People Power Party (PPP) on Thursday called on the government to ease antivirus curbs, such as a virus test for inbound travelers, and an indoor mask mandate for toddlers and children, amid signs that the virus wave is slowing down.







The virus wave, triggered by the spread of a highly contagious Omicron variant, has been on a decline after a resurgence in July that later peaked above 180,000 cases in mid-August. As part of efforts to curb the public's inconvenience, the government lifted all outdoor mask mandates starting this week.







"While many people are wearing masks both indoors and outdoors as part of personal antivirus measures, there are growing voices questioning the effectiveness of wearing masks," Rep. Joo Ho-young, the PPP's floor leader, said during the party's policy consultation meeting with government health officials.







"Some experts view that wearing masks stunt children's speaking, and negatively affect their social and emotional developments. Many disabled people have also spoken about their inconveniences," Joo said, urging the government to find the right balance between easing people's inconveniences while fending off the virus.







Rep. Sung Il-jong, the PPP's chief policymaker, proposed scrapping a mandatory PCR test within the first 24 hours of entry into the country, noting how Korea and China are the only countries that conduct such a test after entry.







Government officials pledged to look into ways to flexibly adjust antivirus measures in place.







"Going forward, we will improve antivirus measures that are seen as less effective based on the feedback of experts, resurgence trends and policy feasibility," Peck Kyong-ran, Commissioner at the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, said.







Peck, however, voiced caution against a possible resurgence of the virus in the winter and pledged to seamlessly carry out additional vaccinations. (Yonhap)


A New York City EMT was stabbed to death while rendering aid to a patient in Queens on Thursday as crime in the Big Apple continues to spiral out of control.

Police say the 61-year-old medic was rendering aid to a patient in the Astoria neighborhood at around 2.30pm, when an emotionally disturbed relative of the patient stabbed her multiple times in the neck.

The EMS lieutenant, who has worked for the Fire Department of New York for more than 20 years, was then rushed to Mount Sinai Queens, where she was pronounced dead at 3.06pm.

Law enforcement officials later told NBC New York the EMT was wearing civilian clothes after leaving her station when the assailant stabbed her from behind.

The suspect then escaped authorities and barricaded himself inside a nearby building before riot crews went in and were able to arrest him.

A 61-year-old EMS lieutenant was stabbed while rendering aid to a patient in Queens

Police were seen remaining on the scene of 20th Avenue near 41st Street Thursday afternoon as they took a suspect into custody.

In a tweet posted at 3.20pm, Mayor Eric Adams' press secretary, Fabien Levy, said the mayor has been 'initially briefed' on the stabbing and 'is enroute to Mt. Sinai Hospital in Queens.'

He is expected to provide a news conference about the situation, as dozens of emergency workers gathered outside the hospital, consoling each other.

In the meantime, authorities are asking the public to avoid the area of Steinway Street and 20th Avenue.

Authorities say the incident happened at around 2.30pm in the Astoria neighborhood

Police say the woman was killed by a mentally ill relative of the patient she was treating

The unidentified 61-year-old later succumbed to her injuries at a local hospital

Police remained on the scene of 20th Avenue near 41st Street Thursday afternoon

A large contingent of law enforcement and FDNY was seen gathered after the stabbing

The incident comes as crime in the Big Apple is up over 33 percent from last year.

Driving the increase is a more than 37 percent increase in the number of robberies, and a 32.4 percent increase in burglaries.

Felony assaults are also up 16.6 percent over last year, while grand larcenies are up a whopping 43 percent.

But the mayor had fled the crumbling city over the weekend to visit hurricane-ravaged Puerto Rico, which he refers to as New York's 'sixth borough.'

Adams arrived in Puerto Rico on Saturday night to survey the damage from Hurricane Fiona and reassured the people there that New York City is ready to provide immediate assistance.

He returned from the trip on Tuesday, after telling San Juan Mayor Miguel Romero that Puerto Rico is the 'sixth borough of New York. We're tied at the hip.'

But Adams' words were criticized on social media by many New York residents who said the mayor should be focusing on the city's five boroughs instead.

And a woman who was punched to the ground by a homeless career criminal at a Queens subway station lashed out at the mayor for the trip as the city's crime wave continues.

'When we're out there, we're by ourselves, we're fighting these battles by ourselves, and what they do, they go try to help other countries that have nothing to do with what we're going through in our own place,' Elizabeth Gomes, 33, told the New York Post.

She added: 'Our city needs major help. We're going through a lot here.

'I remember hearing that they would have cops posted on platforms, riding the trains, cops down in a subway. Mayor Adams said especially in the subway,' she said of Adams' proposal to increase patrols.

But she said she now believes her injuries are proof that the mayor hasn't put more cops in subway stations, saying 'Obviously, the government or nobody is doing anything for us.'

Elizabeth Gomes (pictured), a security guard at JFK Airport was savagely beaten by a homeless career criminal at the airport subway station lashed out at New York City Mayor Eric Adams and local politicians for failing to stop the Big Apple's crime wave

New York City Mayor Eric Adams arrived in Puerto Rico on Saturday to survey the damage from Hurricane Fiona and reassured the people there that New York City is ready to provide immediate assistance

Adams tours a village outside Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico, which was damaged by Hurricane Fiona

The mother of five children said that 'my life has changed, everything changed' and that she's 'scared to even leave my house' and doesn't 'even want to take the train.'

She said of her decade-long service at John F Kennedy Airport: 'You know, I love my job so much, and part of me, like, doesnt want to go back because Im scared.'

Her husband, Clement Tucker, echoed Gomes' previous worries that she may lose her eyesight in one eye.

Gomes arrived at the Howard Beach station in Queens, New York City, at around 5:15am on September 20.

Waheed Foster, 41, tried to start a conversation, but when she ignored him he flung himself at her - dragging her to the ground then kicking and punching her.

Foster, who was arrested for murdering his 82-year-old foster grandmother in a brutal beating at the age of 14, rained blows down Gomes as she cowered on the floor.

One man tried to come to Gomes's aid, but Foster chased him away and then resumed attacking her.

He then walked away, leaving Gomes on the floor. The vagrant was arrested shortly after.

Gomes is seen being grabbed from behind by Waheed Foster, 41 - who she had ignored as he tried to speak to her when she got off the train

Foster, who beat his foster grandmother to death when he was 14, grabbed Gomes

Foster then kicked her as she lay on the ground, trying to shield herself

She said doctors told her she may lose her sight in her right eye, and she said she has been unable to sleep, left with a throbbing head.

'Every day is an incident in the subway,' she said. 'What happened to all these police officer they said they will have there to protect us? There's like nobody to be found. I don't understand.'

She said Foster was muttering about Satan when he attacked her.

'He's talking about the devil. He's talking about a whole bunch of nonsense,' Gomes said.

Foster has been charged with felony assault.

He has two other pending criminal cases against him, on charges of criminal mischief and minor theft.
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The Sanibel Causeway, which provides the only link to Sanibel and Captiva Island off Fort Myers, will have to be rebuilt after Hurricane Ian wiped out multiple sections.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said on Thursday that the Causeway, as well as nearby Pine Island Bridge, is completely impassible after suffering severe damage in the Category 4 storm.

'Sanibel Island is destruction ... it got hit with really biblical storm surge. It washed away roads. It washed away structures,' DeSantis said during a news briefing as he described the damage.

Sanibel and neighboring Captiva are popular family vacation destinations, known for their pristine beaches and the rich trove of seashells that wash ashore, attracting shell hunters from around the world.

However, the two islands are linked to the mainland only by the three-mile long Sanibel Causeway, which suffered catastrophic damage in the storm.

Photos show multiple sections of the bridge completely wiped out and toppled. The destroyed bridge spans were updates installed in 2007 at a cost of $137 million.

The mainland approach and Bridge A of the Sanibel Causeway are seen decimated following Hurricane Ian

A damaged causeway to Sanibel Island is seen in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian on Thursday

Sanibel and Captiva are linked to the mainland only by the three-mile long Sanibel Causeway, which suffered catastrophic damage in the storm

'Sanibel Island is destruction ... it got hit with really biblical storm surge. It washed away roads. It washed away structures,' DeSantis said during a news briefing as he described the damage

Military helicopters conducted search and rescue on Sanibel Thursday with the only ground link severed

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said on Thursday that the Causeway, as well as nearby Pine Island Bridge, is completely impassible after suffering severe damage in the Category 4 storm

The Causeway was originally constructed in 1963, and consists of three spans of bridge linking the mainland with two man-made causeway islands, before connecting with Sanibel Island.

Bridge A, which is closest to the mainland, was partially wiped out in Wednesday's storm, as well as the mainland approach.

Sanibel has an permanent population of roughly 6,000 people. Captiva, a smaller and more exclusive enclave, has a permanent population of just 300.

Also cut off from the mainland was Pine Island, the largest island on Florida's Gulf Coast, and home to many commercial fishermen. Pine Island has a population of about 9,000 people.

The islands were under mandatory evacuation orders well before Ian made landfall, but it's unclear how many residents may have remained.

The US Coast Guard began search and rescue operations on the barrier islands as daylight broke on Thursday, DeSantis said.

A Sanibel Island resort is seen following the destructive impact of Hurricane Ian

Aerial photo of the damaged Sanibel Causeway that connects Fort Myers to the island community seen in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian

Photos show multiple sections of the bridge completely wiped out and toppled. The destroyed bridge spans were updates installed in 2007 at a cost of $137 million

Broken pavement lies flat leading to the Sanibel Island causeway in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian

Ian, one of the strongest storms ever to hit the U.S. mainland, flooded Gulf Coast communities before plowing across the peninsula to the Atlantic Ocean, where it was expected to recoup some of its depleted power before making a second landfall in South Carolina on Friday.

The extent of deaths and injuries remained uncertain, as rescue workers were only starting to respond to calls after not being able to go out sooner during the treacherous conditions.

President Joe Biden, speaking at Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) headquarters in Washington, said Ian could prove to be the deadliest in Florida history.

'The numbers are still unclear, but we're hearing early reports of what may be substantial loss of life,' Biden said.

More than 2.6 million homes and businesses in Florida remained without power, according to utility companies. Governor Ron DeSantis said that Lee and Charlotte counties, home to more than 900,000 people, were 'basically off the grid.'

Ian blasted ashore at the barrier island of Cayo Costa on Wednesday afternoon as a Category 4 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 150 miles per hour.

The storm transformed Florida's southwestern shoreline, dotted with sandy beaches, coastal towns and mobile home parks, into a disaster zone as Ian swept seawater into waterfront homes.

A home burns on Sanibel Island in the wake of Hurricane Ian on Thursday

Damaged buildings on Sanibel are seen after Hurricane Ian passed through the area. The hurricane brought high winds, storm surge and rain to the area causing severe damage

A damaged causeway to Sanibel Island is seen in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian on Thursday

Broken pavement lies flat leading to the Sanibel Island causeway in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian

Sanibel has an permanent population of roughly 6,000 people. Captiva, a smaller and more exclusive enclave, has a permanent population of just 300

DeSantis said earlier that 28 helicopters were performing water rescues and that the bridge to the island was impassable.

'There have been a number of people identified and brought off the island safely, and those efforts are ongoing,' he said.

Two area hospitals were evacuated, with patients moved to higher ground.

By midday on Thursday, residents in hard-hit areas like Venice, located in Sarasota County about 75 miles (120 km) south of Tampa, hunted for family and friends while rescue crews worked to reach people trapped in flooded homes.

Kurt Hoffman, sheriff of Sarasota County, told residents in a Twitter post that there were more than 500 calls for help.

'Sit tight, we know many of you need help,' Hoffman wrote.

The search for loved ones was made more difficult as cellphone services were often cut.

'A lot of down trees, a lot of flooding everywhere. We are trying to get a hold of my daughter,' said Terri Byrd in a vehicle in a Walmart parking lot trying to get cell service after spending the night at an elementary school in Venice.

Across the region, officials and residents spent the morning assessing the damage.

In Punta Gorda, a town directly in the hurricane's path, trees, debris and power lines covered roadways, though many buildings remained standing, having withstood the storm's onslaught better than many had feared.

'It was insane,' local landscaper Jeffrey Chambers, 53, said, noting the storm brought sideways rains and white out conditions. 'I was like 'Please stop already, just stop.' And it kept going and going.'

In the Orlando area, some 170 miles northeast from where Ian made landfall, emergency workers waded through waist-deep water carrying residents and pets to dry land, video clips on Twitter showed.
Meta is planning reduced budgets across most company teams, including lay-offs in some departments

The company previously had cut plans to hire engineers by 30 percent

Mark Zuckerberg told employees that the company is going to 'plan somewhat conservatively' because the economy has not stabilized

Meta Platforms is enacting a hiring freeze and some financial restrictions amid the company's largest budget-cutting move since the founding of Facebook in 2004, Mark Zuckerberg announced to employees.

Zuckerberg told Meta employees he expects the company to be smaller in 2023 than it was in 2022 during a Q&A session this week, according to a report by Bloomberg.

Plans for downsizing throughout the company are the first in the company's 18-year history.

'I had hoped the economy would have more clearly stabilized by now, but from what we're seeing it doesn't yet seem like it has, so we want to plan somewhat conservatively,' Zuckerberg said.

Meta shares have fallen 60% this year, following a decision by the company to cut a plan to hire 30 percent more engineers this year.

'For the first 18 years of the company, we basically grew quickly basically every year, and then more recently our revenue has been flat to slightly down for the first time,' he said.

Meta Platforms Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg told employees that the company is planning for its first-ever round of downsizing in its 18-year history

Meta previously cut a plan to increase its number of engineers by 30 percent in 2022

Meta joins Google, Snap Inc. and Twitter in announcing its hiring freeze

'We want to make sure we're not adding people to teams where we don't expect to have roles next year,' Zuckerberg said about the freezing hire.

In a first-quarter earnings call, Meta said expenses in 2022 would be $3 billion lower than projected.

Funding presented for the creation and building of a camera watch was also canceled.

Other budgeting-cost decisions for other teams will be sorted out in a case-by-case basis, as individual teams will sort how to handle downsizing.

A first-quarter earnings call suggested Meta's expenses would be $3 billion lower than projected in 2022

Zuckerberg told employees during his weekly Q&A that the new financial decisions are a result of an uncertain economy

The downsizing will happen as a result of empty positions not being filled, shifting employees from one team to another, or a process to 'manage out people who aren't succeeding.'

Meta joins other tech companies in enacting hiring freezes.

Twitter started its freeze in May while urging its employees to be wary of expenses and reduce travel and marketing costs.

Google's Alphabet Inc. announced a slower hiring process toward the end of 2022 as Snap Inc. dropped 20 percent of its workforce in August.
Daniel Andrews will lobby for free dental care and examine the merits of a four-day working week if re-elected as Victorian Premier for a third consecutive term.

A policy document detailing Labor's secret plans to entice voters has been leaked ahead of the November 26 state election.

The draft document was recently emailed to rank-and-file party members to get their feedback before the policies are finalised and publicly unveiled next month.

It details plans to consider the social and gender equity benefits of a reduced working week with no loss of income.

Labor could also reinstate the Workers Family Picnic Day and declare Christmas Eve after 6pm a public holiday, The Age reported.

A four-day work week trial by some employers has already seen higher staff satisfaction and no drop in productivity in workplaces across the globe, with one Australian employer claiming there was 'no way' his company would go back to five-day weeks.

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews (pictured with wife Catherine) hopes to be re-elected to power for a third term

Fast-food and retail workers could also benefit from a re-elected Labor government which will look to ensure 15 per cent of parking spaces remain free for them.

The party would also lobby the federal government for universal dental care and advocate a national social housing agreement.

Labor would reserve gas for local use to ensure production 'directly serves the interests of Victorian households and businesses'.

It will also work with the federal government to bring the Outer Metropolitan Ring Rail Line, a proposed freeway connecting the Hume Freeway north of Melbourne to the Princes Freeway south-west of the city to fruition.

The leaked policies have already been marred by controversy due to the furious response from unions and rank-and-file members.

'The Labor Party is the democratic sum of its membership and its affiliated unions. Its policy platform should not be written by faceless advisers who clearly have little regard for union members,' Transport Workers Union secretary Mem Suleyman wrote to Labor officials.

The United Firefighters Union claimed it wasn't consulted as officials slammed the drafting and contents of the policy document.

A re-elected Labor government in Victoria would look at the benefits of a four day working week (pictured, a barista in Melbourne)

A Victorian Labor government would lobby their federal counterparts for universal dental care (stock image)

'The UFU was not contacted, and was not provided an opportunity to comment, on the draft that was released  despite the UFU being affiliated to the Labor Party since the 1930s,' union secretary Peter Marshall told The Age.

The leaked policy document comes as companies across the world are trialling a four-day work week as part of a program started by 4 Day Week Global, a not-for-profit set up by businessman and founder of New Zealand trustee company Perpetual Guardian, Andrew Barnes.

Mr Barnes began trialling a four-day work week at Perpetual Guardian in 2018 and established the global movement upon discovering higher staff satisfaction levels and productivity benefits.

Denis Moriarty, the founder of the Australian social enterprise Our Community, has trialled a four-day work week since August.

The state government is expected to unveil its finalised policies to voters next month (pictured, hospitality workers in Melbourne)

He said staff were happier thanks to the extra day off and still 100 per cent productive.

'They're loving it. They've got their lives back,' he told Daily Mail Australia.

'It's been good for the workplace, good for employees and the company.'

The managing director said his staff were spending their extra day off with family or taking up a new hobby.

'There is no way we will go back to five days,' Mr Moriarty said.

Our Community has operated with the new schedule by reducing and shortening meetings.

Denis Moriarty (pictured) is trialling a four-day work week at his company, Our Community. He told Daily Mail Australia his employees are 'loving it' and he has no plans to revert back to five days once the trial period ends

Our Community still pays employees the same wage despite reducing their hours by 20 per cent.

Some companies operate on four day weeks with longer hours, but Mr Moriarty believes it's not ideal to force more hours in.

'I don't think you should be calling it a four day work week if you cram more hours in those four days.'

He added that it was time for reform in workplaces after years of little change.

In the global trial run by 4 Day Week Global, companies were sent questionnaires about their experiences with their reduced work weeks.

In the global trial, 88 per cent of companies said there were 'extremely likely' or 'likely' to continue on with a four-day work week after the trial ended (stock image)

Of the 41 firms that responded, 88 per cent said the four-day week was working 'well'; 46 per cent said productivity was the same; 34 per cent said it had 'improved slightly'; and 15 per cent said it had 'improved significantly'.

But the most surprising result was that 88 per cent of companies said they were 'extremely likely' or 'likely' to continue on with a four-day work week after the trial ended.

Other benefits from a four-day work week included a reduction in carbon emissions and improved staff mental health.

An Australasian trial is currently being run and overseen by researchers at the University of Sydney, Boston College, the University of Cambridge, the University of Oxford and the University of Queensland.
Former President Bill Clinton said the U.S. has a 'limit' to how many migrants it can take into the country and said there are are some who 'game' the system.

'There is a limit to how many migrants any society can take without severe disruption and assistance, and our system is based much more on an assumption that things would be more normal,' the former president said, referencing record border crossings.

Border agents have encountered more than 2.1 million border crossings this fiscal year, the highest number ever recorded in Department of Homeland Security (DHS) history. There were 203,000 crossings in August.

On a CNN podcast with host Fareed Zakaria, Clinton recalled immigration of his youth, when Mexican migrants would crossed back and forth at the border to work in agriculture, and it 'worked for people.'

Former President Bill Clinton said the U.S. has a 'limit' to how many migrants it can take into the country and said there are are some who 'game' the system

Is the economy working for enough people? What can we do about America's broken refugee-asylum system?



Part 3 of my interview w/ former Pres. @BillClinton: pic.twitter.com/mRcReMwZXr  Fareed Zakaria (@FareedZakaria) September 18, 2022

'It's an old story, but now you've got the largest number of refugees since World War II because of Syria and now Ukraine and other problems,' he said.

He also noted the rise in migrants from Venezuela, while firing off shots at Texas Gov. Greg Abbott for busing migrants to Washington, D.C., New York and Chicago.

'What's happening in Venezuela, more than 2 million refugees pouring into first Colombia then nearby countries, has created unprecedented new challenges and meanwhile provides opportunities for stunts like Gov. Abbott's  sending his refugees to some place that he thinks is advocating for a broad-minded policy that it doesn't have to live with,' he said.

Texas has bussed more than 10,000 migrants to blue cities, and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey have followed suit.

The Democratic former president also took a shot at DeSantis' chartered plane that brought 50 migrants to Martha's Vineyard.

Clinton also noted the rise in migrants from Venezuela, while firing off shots at Texas Gov. Greg Abbott for busing migrants to Washington, D.C., New York and Chicago.

Venezuelan migrants prepare to walk along the U.S. Border fence after crossing the Rio Grande from Mexico to turn themselves in to the U.S. Border Patrol on September 22

Venezuelan migrants hug as they reach the U.S. border fence to turn themselves in to the U.S. Border Patrol after crossing the Rio Grande from Mexico

'DeSantis sending those people to Martha's Vineyard was amazing. That may come back to haunt him a little bit,' Clinton predicted.

Clinton, 76, has long been further to the right on immigration - and a number of other matters- than most Democrats of today.

He said in his 1996 state of the union address: 'There are some areas that the federal government should not leave and should address and address strongly. One of these areas is the problem of illegal immigration. After years of neglect, this administration has taken a strong stand to stiffen the protection of our borders. We are increasing border controls by 50 percent. We are increasing inspections to prevent the hiring of illegal immigrants. And tonight, I announce I will sign an executive order to deny federal contracts to businesses that hire illegal immigrants.'
Memphis billionaire heiress Eliza Fletcher died of a gunshot wound to the back of her head and blunt force trauma, an autopsy report has confirmed.

The mother-of-two was kidnapped and violently bundled into the back of an SUV by while out jogging on a pre-dawn jog at 4.30am on September 2.

Convicted felon Cleotha Abston-Henderson, 38, has been charged with kidnapping and murdering the 34-year-old after allegedly forcing her into his GMC terrain.

Her disappearance sparked a four-day search, which led officers to several wooded areas across Memphis.

She was discovered by the steps of a dilapidated one-story property just yards from where police last spotted the vehicle she was forced into.

Memphis billionaire heiress Eliza Fletcher died of a gunshot wound to the back of her head and blunt force trauma, an autopsy report has confirmed

Fletcher was last seen about 4.20am when she was jogging (right) in Memphis and a man approached her and forced her into an SUV after a brief struggle, police said

Convicted felon Cleotha Abston-Henderson, 38, has been charged with kidnapping and murdering the 34-year-old after allegedly forcing her into his GMC terrain

After a four-day search in September, Eliza Fletcher's body was discovered near a dilapidated home, just yards from where police last spotted the vehicle she was forced into

Fletcher's disappearance sparked a four-day search, which led officers to several wooded areas across Memphis. She was discovered by the steps of a dilapidated one-story property just yards from where police last spotted the vehicle she was forced into

A bloodstain remained at the bottom of the stairs next to the patch of dirt where her body was found, with flies still swarming the area and locals reporting a 'stench of decay'.

The autopsy report was released by the West Tennessee Forensic Center on Thursday, according to ABC24 Memphis.

The report found that she died of a gunshot wound and blunt force injury to the back the head. Her manner of death was ruled a homicide.

She also had blunt-force injuries to her leg and jaw fractures, according to the autopsy completed by the West Tennessee Regional Forensic Center in Memphis.

At the time Fletcher, an elementary school teacher was found, her body was in a moderate to advanced stage of decomposition.

A toxicology report also revealed that 10ng/ml of fentanyl was found in Fletcher's system, according to Action5News.

Henderson pleaded not guilty to the murder but has not yet answered the rape charges

Abeston was seen swaying from side to side in court as he was brought in, and turned around to look at those attending court for his hearing

In the criminal complaint against Cleotha Abston, witnesses were quoted as saying they saw the suspect at his brother's home behaving strangely and washing the carpet of this 2013 GMC Terrain

Fletcher was out running on the University of Memphis campus when she was forced into a vehicle after a struggle about 4am on September 2.

Police said her body was found September 5 behind a vacant home after a massive police search lasting more than three days

In the case of Fletcher's abduction, Cleotha Abston-Henderson was identified as a suspect in just 18 hours, after a sandal left at the crime scene came back with a match to his DNA.

His DNA was already in police databases due to a prior felony conviction.

Henderson previously served 20 years in prison for a kidnapping he committed at age 16.

Henderson has been charged with first-degree murder and kidnapping in the case. He has not entered a plea, and his lawyer has declined requests for comment.

The disappearance of Eliza Fletcher September 2, 4.30am: Fletcher, 34, goes for a jog near the University of Memphis campus and is bundled into a dark SUV 7.45am: Officers are dispatched after husband Richard reports her disappearance. They find her water battle and smashed cell phone in front of a home near the scene September 3: Cops tow her family car from her home. Investigators were also seen to label a pair of garden shears and a computer as evidence. They scour a local park and release CCTV of GMC Terrain Cleo Abston, 38, is arrested with especially aggravated kidnapping and tampering with evidence. He was identified as the owner of the black SUV. He was apprehended after he was involved in a car wreck with an Alcohol Tobacco Firearms vehicle on Saturday night. It is later revealed he was recently released from a 20-year sentence for a similar crime September 4: Abston is charged with especially aggravated kidnapping and tampering with evidence September 5: Cops search pond and park. New charges are filed against Abston of identity theft, theft of property and fraudulent use/illegal possession of credit/debit card of $1000 or less A body is found near Abston's brother's home. It has not been confirmed as Fletcher's Advertisement

The case sparked a nationwide outpouring of sadness and anger.

Earlier this month, in cities across the country, hundreds of joggers met at the same morning hour Fletcher was kidnapped, to 'finish her run' in her honor and make clear that 'women should be able to run safely any time of day.'

To those who say Fletcher was tempting fate by going out alone so early, in a city considered unsafe, 'it's time to stop blaming women for getting murdered while running,' said Christa Sgobba in a story in Self Magazine.

Melissa A. Sullivan, a marathon runner, described in The Washington Post how she was tired of constantly having to be on alert.

'Like so many other women, I'm angry. I'm frustrated. I'm exhausted by the expectation that the onus to prevent the harassment and intimidation of female runners is, should be and always will be on us,' she wrote in an op-ed.

The violent death of Fletcher, a mother with a big smile who has been described as an exemplary Christian, was quickly branded by some right-wing commentators as a sign of social decay under the left's leadership.

Tucker Carlson, a star anchor at conservative-favored Fox News, made Fletcher an allegory for 'the fall of Memphis, law and order.'

Conservative influencer Candace Owens, known for denouncing 'wokeness' among other things to her four million Instagram followers, urged Fox News viewers living in inner city areas to flee, insisting those neighborhoods are infested with criminals.

'This is not a joke,' she said. 'Do not wait for politicians to rescue you. Rescue yourself, and get out of these Democrat-controlled cities.'

For some conservatives, Fletcher's case is a reflection of the 'culture wars' brewing in the United States in the wake of the 2020 Black Lives Matter movement.

Fletcher was white, but her suspected killer, Cleotha Henderson, is black.

Apart from these debates, Fletcher's death has also resurfaced a recurring problem in the United States: a DNA sample from an unrelated rape case turned out to match Henderson.

The rape occurred in September 2021, but the sexual assault kit was only processed in June.

Missing mother Eliza Fletcher pictured with her husband Richie and their two children

Fletcher's disappearance triggered a four-day hunt for her and her kidnapper, which ended on Tuesday

The scene showing the search for Fletcher just prior to the announcement of the grisly discovery
President Joe Biden promised on Thursday that the United States will never recognize the results of what he said was a 'sham' referendum on the future of Russian-occupied Ukraine.

It came after the Kremlin said it was pressing ahead with plans to annex four regions of Ukraine with a ceremony on Friday.

Voters supposedly approved Moscow's plans by huge majorities in referenda that Western leaders have condemned as illegal and rigged.

Biden used a speech to Pacific Island leaders to denounce the plans.

'I'd also like to briefly address the shameless and transparent effort by Russia to annex parts of neighbour Ukraine,' he said.

'The United States - I want to be very clear about this - the United States will never, never, never recognise Russian claims on Ukraine sovereign territory.

'The so called referenda was a sham, an absolute sham.'

Russia says the votes were genuine and demonstrated support for the annexation.

President Joe Biden promised on Thursday that the United States will never recognize the results of what he said was a 'sham' referendum on the future of Russian-occupied Ukraine

Vladimir Putin will give a speech on Friday announcing the annexation of four occupied regions of Ukraine into Russia, the Kremlin has confirmed

Voting was held in four Russia-backed regions of eastern Ukraine. Western leaders condemned Moscow's plans to annex the regions and dismissed the results as illegal

The results showed overwhelming support for Russia in the four regions

Tass, the Russian state news agency, published the results a day earlier. It said they showed 98 percent of voters in Luhansk supported joining Russia; 87 percent support in Kherson region; 93 percent in Zaporizhzhia; 99 percent in Donetsk.

Nonsense, said Biden.

'The results were manufactured in Moscow and the true will of the Ukrainian people is evident every day as they sacrifice their lives to save their people and maintain the independence of their country,' he said.

'Russia's assault on Ukraine in pursuit of Putin's imperial ambitions is a flagrant, a flagrant violation of the UN Charter, and the basic principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity.'

In some places Russian-installed official took ballot boxes from house to house alongside armed henchmen.

Putin is expected to attend the annexation ceremony in one of the Kremlin's grandest halls.

His spokesman said agreements will be signed 'with all four territories that held referendums' and Putin would deliver a major speech.

It comes as Russian forces in the town of Lyman, in the eastern Donbas region, face being surrounded with Ukrainian forces continuing to advance

The United Nations chief said it would mark a dangerous escalation.

'Any decision to proceed with the annexation of Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions of Ukraine would have no legal value and deserves to be condemned,' Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told reporters.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is expected to hold an emergency top-level meeting on Friday.

Biden's message was echoed in a statement by his Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

'The Kremlins sham referenda are a futile effort to mask what amounts to a further attempt at a land grab in Ukraine,' he said.

'To be clear: the results were orchestrated in Moscow and do not reflect the will of the people of Ukraine.'
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Merseyside Police have made their tenth arrest as they investigate the shocking murder of nine-year-old Olivia Pratt-Korbell in her home in Liverpool last month.

The schoolgirl died in the city's Alder Hey Children's Hospital after being shot in her home in Knotty Ash when a gunman who was chasing convicted burglar and drug dealer Joseph Nee burst into the property about 10pm on August 22, firing indiscriminately.

Olivia's mother Cheryl Korbel was hit in the wrist as she desperately tried to shut her front door, but the bullet also struck her daughter who was standing behind her. The youngster was rushed to hospital but could not be saved. Neither the gunman or his target had any links to Olivia's family. Nee remains in hospital.

Detectives have now made their tenth arrest in connection with the attack but, so far, no one has been charged with Olivia's murder as detectives said anyone withholding information in case is 'protecting the killers' amid a code of silence within Liverpool's gangs.

In a statement today, the force said: 'Detectives have arrested at 34-year-old man on suspicion of the murder of Olivia Pratt-Korbel on 22 August 2022. The investigation into Olivia's murder is ongoing and we continue to appeal for people with information to come forward to assist us in bringing those responsible to justice.

'Anyone with information is asked to DM @MerPolCC or contact @CrimestoppersUK on 0800 555 111.

'If you have any CCTV/dashcam/smart doorbell footage that could help our inquiries they can be downloaded on the dedicated public portal for Olivia's murder, which will go straight through to the investigation team. Footage can be submitted here Public Portal (mipp.police.uk).'

Olivia Pratt-Korbel, the nine-year-old Liverpool girl who was shot dead in her home in Liverpool last month

Olivia Pratt-Korbel's coffin is carried out of St Margaret Mary's Church on September 15, 2022

This is the killer caught on CCTV. Police are sure he is being protected as they try to find the guns he was carrying

Police and forensic officers at the property in Kingsheath Avenue, Knotty Ash, Liverpool, where nine-year-old Olivia Pratt-Korbel was fatally shot

Crimestoppers: Information about Olivia's death - and the 200,000 reward - cannot be traced back to whistleblowers Crimestoppers is independent of the police and takes information about crime completely anonymously. The charity's chief executive, Mark Hallas, said: 'If you're too scared to speak to the police, please remember that our charity, Crimestoppers, is here to help you do the right thing. 'Tell Crimestoppers what you know whilst staying completely anonymous. Please understand: Crimestoppers has kept its promise to protect your identity since we started back in the late 1980s 'You can contact us via our website or call our UK Contact Centre on 0800 555 111. Details about how to claim this reward are available online (www.crimestoppers-uk.org). 'When you contact Crimestoppers we never ask for or store personal details. All we ask is that you tell us what you know about who killed Olivia so that there can be some slow healing for her mother, her family, the city of Liverpool and everyone who has been touched by this truly awful murder.' Advertisement

Merseyside Detective Chief Superintendent Mark Kameen said: 'This occurred in the middle of summer in an area where innocent local people would have been enjoying the park. Once again, as with the first time this weapon was used in our communities, we find that those in possession of it have no care, thought or loyalty for anyone else or their safety.

'Once again, they do not deserve anyone's loyalty.'

DCS Kameen appealed for patience as the force investigates the murder of nine-year-old Olivia. Nine people have been arrested so far but all have been released under investigation.

Speaking at a press conference earlier this month, he said: 'I recognise that people will wonder and question why no one has been charged despite those arrests. If I could reassure you that this is normal practice in any complex investigation, the threshold for arresting somebody is far lower than that of charging someone. Please be patient with us. The investigation is progressing.

'The detectives involved in bringing justice for Olivia and her family are working tirelessly with real care and passion to achieve the objective of securing those charges against everyone involved in her murder. No matter how small their role.'

Officers in the investigation have worked more than 15,000 hours, trawled through thousands of hours of CCTV and investigated more than 400 piece of intelligence passed on by the public.

Two weeks ago, Mrs Korbel, 46, spoke to a packed congregation of mourners at St Mary Margaret's Church in Knotty Ash.

Hundreds of people, many of them wearing a 'splash of pink' at Olivia's family's request, lined the streets as the youngster's coffin was brought to the church by a white, horse-drawn carriage.

Dressed in a black jacket with a pink ribbon, Mrs Korbel told the congregation Olivia, known to family and friends as Liv, had been born six weeks early and spent nine days in a special baby unit.

'She was so small yet even as a newborn she had her own mind,' Mrs Korbel said.

She described Olivia's 'cheeky smile' and how she loved animals and to sing and dance. The mother-of-three added: 'Olivia was very chatty and bubbly and would talk for England, to the point we thought she had Duracell batteries inside her somewhere.

'She would have made a great lawyer as she had an answer for everything.'

Ending the eulogy, Mrs Korbel said: 'Liv touched so many people's hearts and was loved and adored by everyone. She will never be forgotten. I will never say goodbye but what I will say is goodnight, love you, see you in the morning.'

A eulogy from Olivia's father, John Francis Pratt, was read by parish priest Father Roy Cooper. He described 'our very own little diva' and said Olivia was kind, caring and helpful.

Olivia's sister Chloe also gave a reading during the hour-long service.

In a eulogy, Olivia's mother Cheryl Korbel (pictured holding a pink teddy) said: 'Liv touched so many people's hearts and was loved and adored by everyone. She will never be forgotten'

Crimestoppers is offering a record 200,000 reward for information that leads to the conviction of those responsible for the murder of nine-year-old Olivia Pratt-Korbel in Liverpool

Olivia's white coffin, with butterflies painted on the side, was topped with lilies. Unicorn and teddy bear-shaped floral tributes were placed alongside it in the carriage.

Rebecca Wilkinson, Olivia's headteacher at St Margaret Mary's Catholic Junior School, which is next door to the church, attended the funeral.

Pupils have decorated the school railings with pink ribbons, while Olivia's name has been spelled out in pink hearts in the windows. Her classmates also painted their nails pink in her memory and watched her favourite film, Matilda, instead of having lessons.

In his homily, Archbishop Malcolm McMahon said Olivia was a 'gift to her family and all who knew her'.

He said he had faith that 'Olivia's untimely death will lead to a community here in Liverpool without violence, that it will become a place of peace and justice.' Amazing Grace was sung as Olivia's coffin was carried out of the church.

Her family hugged and wiped away tears while mourners applauded as the cortege left for a private family burial.

People can contact Crimestoppers anonymously us via its website or on 0800 555 111
Deep beneath the Baltic Sea, a remotely controlled submarine releases a mine which nestles beside a gas pipeline.

Other mines are laid at critical junctures along hundreds of miles of piping connecting Russia and Germany. They contain the equivalent of hundreds of pounds of TNT.

When they are detonated  either by a timing device or remotely from a secret control room  the aftershocks are felt 800 miles away and seismologists liken the blasts to earthquakes.

Within seconds Nord Stream 1 and 2 begin to leak. Within days, millions of cubic metres of natural gas have been released into Danish and Swedish waters.

Mission accomplished for whoever instigated this unprecedented act of industrial terrorism.

But was it also the staggering act of self-sabotage by Vladimir Putin that the world assumes it to have been?

After all, the president who threatened to end Nord Stream earlier this year resides not in the Kremlin but the White House. US President Joe Biden could not have been clearer when, in early February, he promised to bring Nord Stream to an end should Russian troops and tanks enter Ukraine.

US President Joe Biden could not have been clearer when, in early February, he promised to bring Nord Stream to an end should Russian troops and tanks enter Ukraine

A photo from the Danish Ministry of Defence shows the site of the Nord Stream pipeline gas leak

The invasion happened. So did Mr Biden take revenge as he promised to?

At the time he dismissed suggestions such an operation would be too complicated to carry out or too damaging diplomatically given Nord Stream 2 was controlled by Germany. To the doubters, he added: We will, I promise you. We will be able to do it.

These remarks have proved a propaganda gift to the Kremlin in the aftermath of the leaks.

Russias foreign ministry mouthpiece Maria Zakharova mocked the blunder-prone US President, challenging him to account for his words and actions.

It may appear fanciful to look anywhere other than Moscow to find the perpetrators. However, these incidents occurred in areas of the Baltic Sea belonging to the USs allies Denmark and Sweden.

While Russian vessels are entitled to enter these exclusive economic zones, the US and its friends would be expected to closely monitor their activity. Perhaps the US stood by, permitting the plot to be actioned?

The thinking in Washington DC might have been that such an incident would convince those European states with the greatest reliance on Russia for energy supplies to redouble their efforts to achieve energy-independence.

Was this the staggering act of self-sabotage by Vladimir Putin the world assumes it to have been?

It is no coincidence that these states, such as Germany, have been the most reluctant to actively challenge Russias military supremacy in Ukraine and the keenest for President Volodymyr Zelensky to negotiate with President Putin.

Certainly there is consternation in continental Europe following the attack on the pipelines. The natural gas being released is 90 per cent methane, a key driver of global warming. So Putin, or whoever, has weaponised pollution.

Denmark has said the discharge could account for a third of its greenhouse gas emissions. Norway put its oil and gas facilities on alert for attacks. Lithuania boosted security at its liquefied natural gas import terminal.

But whose long-term strategic goals are achieved by the attacks, Russias or the USs? The plot thickened on Tuesday when a former Polish minister thanked the US for the Nord Stream explosions.

On Twitter Radoslaw Sikorski posted a picture of a massive methane gas spill on the surface of the Baltic Sea with the comment: Thank You USA. The hawkish MEP later tweeted that if Russia wants to continue supplying gas to Europe it must talk to the countries controlling the gas pipelines.

Whatever did he mean? Both Russia and the US have the technology and the wherewithal to pull off such an attack, while surveillance of the North Sea and Baltic Sea is said to be patchy.

Many Russian surface naval vessels carry miniature submarines such as the Harpsichord unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV), the Klavesin and the Losharik. These intelligent marine robots can be used for deep-sea surveillance and delivering explosive payloads.

Historically, submarine warfare has been a Russian strong suit, a tradition which continues today. These UUVs are equipped with precision navigation and communication equipment and their dive capability puts the bottom of the Baltic Sea within their reach.

The attacks also highlighted the vulnerability of the underwater cable networks relied on by Britain and other countries.

Retired Rear Admiral Chris Parry told the Daily Mail, the UK is wide open to a similar attack.

He sounded a shocking warning last night, saying: The protection and defence of these vital energy and communication arteries have been neglected, even as military and civilian technologies and platforms, both manned and unmanned, capable of disrupting and damaging them have multiplied significantly. It is not just the UK that is at risk in this regard, but the whole international community.

Fears of internet and mobile phone blackouts this winter have intensified recently  as Europe does not have enough back-up systems to rely upon in the event of power cuts.

By targeting key infrastructure a hostile state  particularly one that like Russia has suffered setbacks on the battlefield  can bring another state to a standstill. Cutting energy supplies is just one way of achieving this.

Russia, or whoever, has put Britain and Europe on high alert for further attacks, perhaps to sub-sea data cables which carry financial information across the Atlantic  which would play havoc with stock markets.
The Queen died at Balmoral of old age, it was revealed yesterday  the first time a monarchs death certificate is believed to have been made public.

But the document also raises intriguing questions after details on it confirmed that Prince Harry was not informed of his grandmothers death for more than three hours.

Only her two eldest children  King Charles and his sister, Princess Anne  were with their mother when she died at 3.10pm on September 8. Prince Edward and his wife, Sophie, as well as Prince Andrew and Prince William, were all on a plane heading for Scotland at the time and are believed to have been informed mid-air.

Prince Harry, meanwhile, had not even made it to an airport amid apparent confusion over whether he should travel up to Aberdeenshire with his wife Meghan. He finally got a private jet from Luton at 5.35pm, landing at Aberdeen at 6.47pm.

The Queen died at Balmoral of old age, it was revealed yesterday  the first time a monarchs death certificate is believed to have been made public

It has already been confirmed by palace sources that his father only managed to contact his son mid-air at 6.25pm  just five minutes before the news the world had been dreading was officially announced.

Charles had insisted all afternoon on telling his youngest son personally before any official statement was released by Buckingham Palace.

He had already rung both Harry and his brother, William, earlier in the day to tell them to get up to Scotland as quickly as possible because their grandmother was rapidly fading. He then returned to the Queens bedside.

But that leaves a crucial two hours and 25 minutes between the Queen dying and Harry taking to the air, when it appears there was no communication between the prince and his family.

In contrast, the Prime Minister, Liz Truss, was informed at 4.30pm. Palace officials declined to comment last night, while other royal sources were unable to explain the discrepancy. But insiders stressed that the old-fashioned King does not have a mobile phone and his diary is such that calls between himself and his family normally have to be scheduled in.

Family members have to resort to calling staff or even one of his police bodyguards to try to get an urgent message to him.

Others said it was likely the King wanted to tell his son personally, but with the clock ticking for the release of an official announcement, simply ran out of time.

But that leaves a crucial two hours and 25 minutes between the Queen dying and Harry taking to the air, when it appears there was no communication between the prince and his family. Pictured: Prince Harry arriving at Balmoral shortly after Queen Elizabeth passed away

Sources with intimate knowledge of Operation London Bridge  the plan to manage the aftermath of Queens death  also stressed that as well as the dealing with the inevitable grief of the situation, there would have been a mass of administration to cope with.

Im sure, as with everything, there is a meticulous plan on paper but then the chaos of actual life happens amid the trauma of their personal grief, said one.

Another source explained that few people in the family were regularly in touch with Harry any more and that he could also be incredibly hard to reach.

Whatever the truth, it highlights the complexity of the relationship between the Royal Family and Harry, which saw him leave Balmoral on the first possible fight out of Aberdeen the morning after his grandmother died.

He remained in the UK until the day after the funeral, and was seen publicly at a walkabout at Windsor with his brother and their wives, and at the funeral itself. He was also seen at the vigil.

The possibility of behind-the-scenes family ructions have already been raised after it emerged that the plane containing Edward, Andrew and William up to Scotland was delayed by an hour. It had been scheduled for 1.30pm but did not take off until 2.39pm.

Just before 2pm that day a spokesman for the Sussexes announced that both Harry and Meghan would be travelling to Scotland together.

This came as a surprise to many as only close family members would be expected to be present, aside from the Countess of Wessex and Princess Annes husband Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, to whom the Queen was close. Kate, the then-Duchess of Cambridge decided to stay at Windsor with her and Williams three children.

Half an hour after their initial announcement, a spokesman for the Sussexes issued a correction, saying that only Harry intended to travel. The discrepancy was later explained away as a mistake.

Sources with intimate knowledge of Operation London Bridge  the plan to manage the aftermath of Queens death  also stressed that as well as the dealing with the inevitable grief of the situation, there would have been a mass of administration to cope with

Harrys team hurriedly chartered a private jet  at an estimated cost of 30,000  from Luton. It was later claimed by The Sun that Harry missed the RAF flight due to a row over Meghan after his father told him it was not appropriate to bring her.

It has also been claimed that, although Charles did try to call his son to tell him that his grandmother had died, the phone call did not actually go through. It is said that, although Harry knew his father was trying to speak to him, the prince actually read a breaking news announcement online before they could work the technology to speak.

This has been disputed by the palace, however, with a spokesman for the King has insisting the announcement of the Queens death was not made until all family members had been informed.

The Queens death certificate was finally released the Scottish Registrar General, Paul Lowe, exactly three weeks to the day after she died. By law it should be registered within eight days. The certificate records that Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor, a widow, died at Balmoral Castle in Ballater, Aberdeenshire, at the age of 96.

It lists her usual residence as Windsor Castle and her occupation as Her Majesty The Queen.

The certifying registered medical practitioner was Douglas James Allan Glass. He has been Apothecary to Her Majestys Household at Balmoral since 1998.

The doctor, who is the GP in the village of Braemar, close to Balmoral, told The Times that he was present at her death and it was not unexpected. He said: We have been concerned about the Queens health for several months.

The cause of death, old age, is the same as that given for Prince Philip in April 2021. In Scotland, it should not be recorded as a sole cause, although there are exceptions, including the certifying doctor having personally cared for the deceased over a long period and observing a gradual decline.




The ruling People Power Party (PPP) filed a complaint against MBC TV with the prosecution Thursday, accusing the broadcaster of misreporting President Yoon Suk-yeol's remarks made during a trip to New York last week.







The PPP filed a complaint against MBC's CEO Park Sung-jae and the company's editor in chief with the Supreme Prosecutors' Office on charges of defaming Yoon by misrepresenting his remarks.







Yoon came under fire after he was caught on video appearing to use foul language while talking to aides in New York last week. Though the recording of Yoon's remarks was not clear due to noise, many thought he was talking about the U.S. Congress and U.S. President Joe Biden.







But Yoon's office rejected the claim, saying he was referring to Korea's opposition-controlled National Assembly without mentioning U.S. Congress or Biden. The PPP also claimed people misheard Yoon's remarks because MBC TV included a subtitle that misrepresented them.







"How can a company with expensive voice analysis equipment put the words 'U.S.' and 'Biden,' which were never spoken, on their subtitle so conclusively?" PPP Rep. Choi Hyung-du said in a radio interview with KBS, calling the report "reckless."







The PPP also claimed there could be a possible collusive tie between the MBC and the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), saying the DPK floor leader had known about the video footage before the embargo was lifted.







Earlier this week, MBC issued a public statement saying most local news outlets delivered the same report on the incident but the presidential office only pressed MBC to explain the report. (Yonhap)


District Court Judge Aileen Cannon has ruled in favor of Donald Trump after his lawyers sought to avoid a special master's requirement that they vouch for the accuracy of an inventory of material the government seized from Mar-a-Lago.

Another judge, special master Raymond Dearie, had told Trump's lawyers to provide the assertion as part of a new management plan for poring over the trove of documents.

That order came as Trump and some of his surrogates have repeatedly claimed that the FBI planted material at his private club in Florida during the search, without providing evidence.

It would have required his legal team to either align with or depart from that claim, with their own reputations on the line, after the Justice Department revealed it seized about 100 documents marked classified from the president's private club.

In her new order, Judge Cannon wrote: 'There shall be no separate requirement on Plaintiff (Trump) at this stage, prior to the review of any of the Seized Materials, to lodge ... objections to the accuracy of Defendants Inventory, its descriptions, or its contents.'

Former President Donald Trump's lawyers are resisting a special master's push that they vouched for an inventory of the material seized by the FBI at Mar-a-Lago. District Court Judge Aileen Cannon ruled

'The Courts Appointment Order did not contemplate that obligation,' she wrote, noting that the government has complied with its own requirement to attest to the inventory and that 'the parties and the Special Master now are situated to proceed forward with the review process pending exchange of the actual materials.'

She did allow that should 'additional matters surface' during the review that required reconsideration of the inventory, parties should tell the special master.

She also extended a deadline for reviewing the deadline until December 16, well after the November elections, yielding to Trump complaints about the pace of review.

Trump's team had tried to avoid the requirement of objecting to anything in the inventory, or stating explicitly that Trump didn't have it in his possession, saying it needed to look at the documents first. The government argued 'such an objection is necessary to commence the review process,' Judge Cannon noted.

Cannon, who was nominated by Trump and confirmed after the 2020 election, ruled in the government's favor on another matter in the intensely fought case.

She ruled that the government could seal its Affidavit Regarding Detailed Inventory.

The government's National Security Division Deputy Chief Julie Edelstein filed a motion seeking the redaction, saying it 'will protect the identity of an FBI agent working on this investigation. This limited sealing is necessary because a number of the government personnel working on this investigation have, once their identities have been revealed publicly, been subject to threats and harassment.'

She ruled in favor of the motion, and said the affidavit would remain under seal 'until further order.'

The rulings came after Trump's legal team complains in a new legal filing about the pace of sorting through 200,000 pages of material seized from Mar-a-Lago  and made plain it was resisting the order asking the former president to vouch for the accuracy of the inventory.

Trump's team takes repeated shots at the government in its latest filing posted Wednesday night, as the 'special master' it requested shepherds the process of going through materials seized in an FBI search.

A three judge U.S. appeals court has ruled that the Justice Department's investigation can continue while the special master goes through material to sort out Trump's privilege claims.

'DOJ continues to mistake itself as having judicial authority. Its comments are not argument, but proclamations designed to steamroll judicial oversight and the Plaintiffs constitutional rights,' Trump's lawyers wrote.

'Along those lines, by participating in this litigation, the Plaintiff has not waived, and cannot be deemed to have waived, his rights under the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure and the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure, or any of his rights and immunities arising under the Constitution of the United States,' they wrote.

Brooklyn-based federal Judge Raymond Dearie asked Trump's lawyers to say whether the inventory of material was accurate  after Trump made repeated public claims that the FBI planted documents, without offering evidence.

An assertion of accuracy by his lawyers would appear to contradict that claim.

Dearie included the order in a new 'case management plan' for processing through some 11,000 documents  and follows Trump repeatedly making the allegation publicly without offering evidence of FBI misconduct.

'No later than September 30, 2022, Plaintiff shall submit a declaration or affidavit that includes each of the following factual matters,' the judge wrote, including 'a list of any specific items set forth in the Detailed Property Inventory that Plaintiff asserts were not seized from the Premises on August 8, 2022.'

FBI agents searched Mar-a-Lago on August 8 in search of government material

A new filing contains Trump's complaints about the volume of material

'Did they drop anything on those piles? Or did they do it later? Theres no chain of custody here with them,' Trump told Fox News host Sean Hannity

Documents seized during the search of Trump's estate on August 8 are pictured on August 30. Trump's lawyers have declined to say in legal filings whether Trump had ordered them declassified while he was in office and had the authority

In a letter to Dearie and subsequent filing, Trump's lawyers pushed back on the requirement 'because the Special Masters case management plan exceeds the grant of authority from the District Court on this issue.'

They said Trump 'has no means of accessing the documents bearing classification markings, which would be necessary to complete any such certification by September 30, the currently proposed date of completion.'

Trump lawyer Jim Trusty signed the document. The latest legal eagle to join Trump's team, Christopher Kise, who reportedly got paid a $3 million advance, was not on it.

The lawyers also complained about the volume of material in the 11,000 pages removed by the FBI, claiming the government didn't reveal the full extent.

'The problem is compounded by the fact that when Plaintiffs counsel referred to either 11,000 pages or even 11,000 documents during the status conference (we are still awaiting the transcript), the Government chose not to interject with an accurate number. In conversations between Plaintiffs counsel and the Government regarding a data vendor, the Government mentioned that the 11,000 documents contain closer to 200,000 pages,' according to the filing.

Trump lawyer Jim Trusty signed the latest legal filing in the case

CNN reported on the Sunday letter, which is referenced in the filing.

They also complained about the schedule, amid accusations Trump is seeking to stall the proceedings with the request for a special master, a move that Trump-appointed federal judge Aileen Cannon ordered.

'In short, seasoned IT professionals who routinely work on large-scale document productions with the Government cannot meet the Governments proposed schedule, and it was never realistic for the Government to suggest such a narrow timeframe,' they wrote.

Trump made allegations of planting evidence, which would be a crime, in an appearance on Fox News, telling host Sean Hannity that perhaps the FBI was looking for Hillary Clinton's deleted emails during the search.

'The problem that you have is they go into rooms  they wont let anybody near  they wouldnt even let them in the same building,' he said of his own attorneys.

'Did they drop anything on those piles? Or did they do it later? Theres no chain of custody here with them,' Trump said.
A man was been arrested over the fatal shooting of a much-loved Australian fitness trainer in Los Angeles.

Former Sydneysider Azuma Bennett, 30, was allegedly shot up to eight times outside a marijuana dispensary in Windsor Hills on August 12.

He was found lying in the doorway of the building and couldn't be revived.

The Los Angeles County Sheriffs department has confirmed an arrest was made six weeks after the trainer's death.

An arrest has been made over the death of Australian trainer Azuma Bennett (left) in LA

Personal trainer Azuma Bennett (pictured) was raised in Sydney before following in the footsteps of his late father, a martial arts expert

'Homicide Investigators worked diligently to identify and apprehend Azuma Bennett's killer,' a statement read.

'On September 22, 2022 investigators arrested Gabriel Alvarado, a Hispanic male from the Los Angeles area, for the murder of Azuma Bennett.

Alvarado was remanded in custody and will appear in Airport Courthouse on November 21.

Mr Bennett grew up in Sydney with his father, a martial arts expert who died in 2017, and mother Victoria Milton, who still lives in the city.

'Azuma had a strong character, positively touching the lives of so many - family, friends, colleagues,' his mum said.

'Plus the youth and children he trained in our Sydney Kung Fu Academy.

'He lived well, and I am so proud of him.'

'The kind of man who was close to his grandmothers both in the US and Australia and brought them so much love and joy.'

Azuma Bennett (pictured) had celebrated his 30th birthday five months earlier

Mr Bennett was just three weeks away from flying home and being reunited with his family when he was allegedly gunned down.

An online fundraiser has been kickstarted and has already collected more than $42,000.

The money will go towards returning Mr Bennett's body to Australia, taking care of his beloved dog Keyshia and flying his family over for his Los Angeles memorial held at his workplace Fortune Gym.

'An outstanding athlete, fighter, teacher trainer, and friend/mate to so many. We lost one of the best ones out there,' the online fundraiser states.

'He did not deserve this. He was kind to all that he met and always engaged everyone in the gym with his positive energy and engaging personality'.

Fortune Gym livestreamed the memorial service for friends and family back home in Australia to watch online.

US actor Frank Grillo (pictured), who trained with Mr Bennett at Fortune Gym, paid a heartfelt tribute at the time as homicides in LA reached a 15-year high

US actor Frank Grillo, who trained with Mr Bennett at Fortune Gym, paid a heartfelt tribute at the time as homicides in LA reached a 15-year high.

'He made everybody feel good about training,' he told NBC News.

'I don't know what's happened to Los Angeles that a beautiful guy like this gets shot and killed over nothing.'

Mr Bennett was raised in Sydney, attended Waverley College, a private eastern suburbs school, and worked at Mosman's Fitness First between 2012 and 2018.

He also trained people at Bondi Boxing when the venue opened in 2015.

'Azuma was part of the fabric at Bondi Boxing Club and we will miss the days when he would come in with that smile that would brighten the whole gym no matter how bad your day was,' the gym posted in August.
The plan masterminded by Dereck and Beverly Joubert is set to cost 5million

They will be moved 566 miles for 19 hours to their new home from parched Save

An extraordinary rescue operation is under way in the parched bush of the Save valley in southern Zimbabwe.

A helicopter swoops low over a family of elephants and a sharpshooter, sitting with his legs dangling out of its open door, aims his gun.

A sedative dart is fired towards the matriarch of the herd. Its a hit. A team on the ground rush towards the stumbling animal, ready to catch all four tons of her as she falls to the ground  ensuring she doesnt squash a calf on her way down.

Then, once the rest of the herd has been darted and sedated, each animal is lifted by a crane to be weighed on giant scales, so that the team can ensure that they use the correct dose for their ongoing sedation.

Then they are hoisted on to flatbed trucks  hanging upside down to prevent their weight from crushing their vital organs  to be driven across the bush and loaded on to bigger lorries.

An extraordinary rescue operation is under way in the parched bush of the Save valley in southern Zimbabwe. An elephant family are tracked from a helicopter as they trek through the parched Zimbabwe game reserve searching for ever-dwindling resources of food and water

Great care is taken to keep each elephant family together, before they are transported 566 miles, for 19 hours, across Zimbabwe to a new home.

This is Project Rewild: a rescue mission to rival Noahs Ark in terms of its scale and logistical challenges  only this time the animals are being saved not from flood but drought.

Climate change has left food and water scarce in Save, once a haven for elephants, giraffes, lions, zebra, impala and countless other wildlife. There are too many animals for the now-starved landscape to support. Without help, thousands of these animals will be condemned to death by starvation or thirst.

Its a different story in northern Zimbabwe. The Great Plains Sapi Reserve on the Zambezi river, a former hunting concession on the border with Zambia, has enough food and water to sustain its own wildlife and more.

Sedated: A marksman targets them with his sedation dart gun

And so a plan was hatched. In a relocation exercise unprecedented in its scale, 400 elephants, 2,000 impalas, 70 giraffes, 50 buffalo, 50 zebras, 50 elands (African antelope), ten lions and ten wild dogs were to be moved from Save to Sapi.

A simple idea, but not cheap. The immense operation, masterminded by Dereck and Beverly Joubert, is set to cost 5 million (each elephant alone costs 9,100 to move).

The couple are award-winning filmmakers and co-founders of the Great Plains Foundation, which organises projects to conserve and expand wildlife habitats across Africa. Work on moving the animals began in June using the foundations existing funds. A further 2.5 million is still urgently required from donors around the world.

Loaded and checked: The group are carefully secured for their journey - elephants' internal organs can be crushed by their own weight and the handlers also keep them cool and make sure airways in their trunks stay open

But, says Beverly: Its a story of hope. Instead of letting 3,000 animals die, we are saving them and there are so many compassionate people who want to assist us.

So far, 101 elephants and 184 impalas have been successfully relocated. Zimbabwes summer is, however, now in full blast, rendering it too hot to transport any more animals. So the project has been paused until May when temperatures will drop.

The process is fraught with obstacles  and to overcome them requires meticulous planning.

Driven across the country: The family are transferred onto larger lorries for the 566-mile trip to safety

With the elephants, for instance, sometimes a young bull is spooked by the helicopter overhead and runs away. Drones are therefore required to locate stragglers. If this fails, the rest of the herd will be revived and released and the process must begin again.

Sedated elephants require a team, including vets, to monitor their vital signs, keep their airways open (with twigs in the trunk) and spray water behind their ears to keep them cool. The ears are placed over their eyes to protect them from the sun.

Along the entire 566-mile route, meanwhile, the roads have been reinforced to support the 32-tonne lorries and their vast cargoes.

Released: Slowly allowed to wake, the elephants emerge into their lush new home

The same procedure is followed for all the animals, though elephants have been given priority since they are the bulkiest to manoeuvre.

Fundraising and preparation continues for the next phase. This, says Beverly, will present fresh challenges. Elephants are relatively calm customers, but the more highly strung species could go into shock when theyre being moved, she says. Zebras and elands are tricky, while giraffes are particularly challenging  theyre very sensitive.

But if anyone can pull it off, its the Mr and Mrs Noah of the 21st century.

To donate to Project Rewild click here.
Republican Rep. Jim Jordan is accusing the FBI of purging conservatives and whistleblowers who have come forward to expose political bias.

Fox News Digital reported Thursday that Jordan wrote a letter to FBI executive assistant director of the Human Resources branch Jennifer Moore to highlight cases of alleged retaliation and demand she sit for an interview with House Judiciary Committee Republicans.

'During the course of this investigation, we have received protected whistleblower disclosures that the FBI is engaging in a "purge" of employees with conservative views by revoking their security clearances and indefinitely suspending these employees,' Jordan told Moore.

Republican Rep. Jim Jordan is accusing the FBI of purging conservatives and whistleblowers who have come forward to expose political bias

The Republicans on the House Judiciary Committee are investigating political bias at the FBI

She was subjected to his letter, Jordan explained, because 'many of the formal notices' had been signed by her.

He told Moore he had information indicating she had 'retaliated against at least one whistleblower who has made protected disclosures to Congress.'

Jordan told Fox that individual shared with Judiciary Committee Republicans that the Justice Department was labeling some parents who showed up to school board meetings a threat allowing the DOJ to 'prosecute them when appropriate.'

'As we informed Director Christopher Wray, we take whistleblower retaliation seriously and we therefore require that you appear for a transcribed interview as soon as possible,' Jordan warned.

Republicans have pointed to a letter from the National School Boards Association to Attorney General Merrick Garland last fall that warned some of the threats school officials were receiving 'could be the equivalent to a form of domestic terrorism.'

In turn, Garland directed the DOJ to look into threats, but didn't use the 'terrorism' language.

Jordan had previously disclosed that he had heard from whistleblowers that the bureau was 'deliberately manipulating' how case files related to January 6 are maintained to fit the 'political narrative' that domestic extremism is on the rise in the U.S.

The Ohio Republican referenced those revelations in his interview with Fox Thursday.

'We refer to that as juicing the numbers - its pressure that is existing at the FBI to satisfy this narrative from President Biden, where he called half the country fascist and extremists,' Jordan said, pointing to Biden's recent string of speeches where he's called out 'MAGA Republicans' especially for their role in January 6.
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Vladimir Putin's Russia took a dangerous and irreversible step by recognising two regions of war-torn Ukraine as independent states ahead of the biggest military annexation of European territory since the Second World War - after Moscow staged a series of fake referendums there and rigged the results at gunpoint.

The Kremlin dictator last night signed decrees recognising Kherson and Zaporizhzhia in the country's south and east as states independent of Volodymyr Zelensky's Government - a precursor to Putin's deranged plot to illegally absorb 15% of Ukrainian territory into the Russian Federation.

Under an amendment to the Russian constitution made in 2020, Putin and his predecessors are forbidden from ceding any territory once acquired - meaning once the annexation is completed today, it will be irreversible unless Ukraine can successfully recapture the stolen land. Even a partial withdrawal as part of a future peace deal with Kyiv will become impossible.

At an official ceremony in St George's Hall in the Grand Kremlin Palace today, where marble plaques engraved in gold commemorate Russian military heroes, Putin will preside over a treaty-signing proclaiming the annexation of four regions of Ukraine - the breakaway People's Republics of Luhansk and Donetsk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia. The Russian annexation will then be followed by planned celebratory concerts and rallies in the occupied territories and Moscow's Red Square, where Putin is expected to outline his view on why Ukraine has no right to an independent existence.

The stage-managed exercise follows a bogus five-day voting process across Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, Donetsk and Luhansk that was entirely rigged in favour of becoming part of Putin's Russia. Moscow's proxies in the occupied regions claimed majorities of up to 99% in favour of joining. However, Ukraine and Western governments described those votes as bogus, illegitimate and conducted at gunpoint.

MPs in the Duma, Russia's puppet parliament, are expected to rubber stamp the move next week. It is a carbon copy of Moscow's approach in 2014 when it held a fake referendum in Crimea as a pretext for moving in and seizing the Ukrainian peninsula.

It also marks a dramatic escalation of Putin's seven-month war, taking it into an unpredictable new phase that could involve the use of nuclear weapons.

But despite the triumphal setting, the annexation comes at a perilous moment for Putin. After months of grinding, attritional warfare, Ukraine seized the initiative this month by routing Russian forces in the northeastern Kharkiv region. And Putin last week declared an unpopular partial mobilisation, prompting thousands of fighting-age men to flee the country. Even staunch Kremlin allies have criticised the chaotic nature of the call-up, while Putin himself said yesterday 'all mistakes must be corrected'.

Kyiv said that the annexation votes will not stop their armed forces from trying to retake its illegally stolen land, vowing a 'harsh' response. For its part, Russia pledges to defend all its territory - including newly annexed regions - by all available means, including nuclear weapons.

Ukraine's Western supporters have described the stage-managed referendums on whether to live under Russian rule as a bald-faced 'land grab' based on lies. They say some people were forced to vote at gunpoint in an election without independent observers on territory from which thousands of residents have fled or been forcibly deported.

It comes amid allegations of sabotage of two Russian pipelines on the Baltic Sea floor that were designed to feed natural gas to Europe.

As the Ukraine war takes another dangerous turn:

Rescuers pulled a sleeping 12-year-old girl alive from rubble after a Russian missile attack on Dnipro, local administrator Valentyn Reznichenko said.

Moscow-installed officials in Ukraine's northeastern Kharkiv region reported that about 30 people were killed when the Ukrainian military shelled a refugee convoy.

A Russian rocket attack on Kramatorsk, an eastern Donetsk city that Ukraine still holds, wounded 11 people and inflicted damage, Mayor Oleksandr Honcharenko said.

More fighting near the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant - Europe's biggest - was another source of concern. Russian forces occupy the plant, but Ukrainian technicians are running it. A suspected land mine explosion on the plant's perimeter fence, likely triggered by wild animals, damaged electrical lines, according to Ukraine's atomic power agency, Energoatom.

President Vladimir Putin chairs a Security Council meeting via a video link in Moscow

At an official ceremony in St George's Hall in the Grand Kremlin Palace today, where marble plaques engraved in gold commemorate Russian military heroes, Putin will preside over a treaty-signing proclaiming the annexation of four regions of Ukraine - the breakaway People's Republics of Luhansk and Donetsk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia

Konstantin Ivashchenko (left), former CEO of the Azovmash plant and appointed pro-Russian mayor of Mariupol, visits a polling station as people vote in a referendum in Mariupol

People make preparations for a concert at the Red Square, with constructions reading the words ''Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, Kherson, Russia'', and the St. Basil's Cathedral and Lenin Mausoleum on the background, in Moscow

Referendum committee members empty a ballot box to start counting them, at a polling station in Luhansk

Members of an election commission count ballots after voting during a referendum at a polling station in Donetsk

A man casts his ballot at a polling station during a referendum in the Donetsk People's Republic

Police officers walk at Red Square in front of constructions reading the words ''Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, Kherson, Russia'', with the St. Basil's Cathedral and Lenin Mausoleum in the background, ahead of a planned concert in Moscow

A policeman stands in front of barriers that block access to Red Square with St Basil's Cathedral in the background

Putin calls 'unprecedented sabotage' that destroyed Nord Stream gas pipeline an act of 'international terrorism' Russian President Vladimir Putin called the damage to the Nord Stream gas pipelines 'unprecedented sabotage' and 'an act of international terrorism'. The cause of the leaks along the a major undersea pipelines is yet unknown but Nato have said the incidents were the result of 'deliberate, reckless and irresponsible acts of sabotage'. There are now two holes in each pipe, two of which are located in Swedish waters and two in Danish waters, Sweden's coastguard said today. Despite Putin's remarks today in phone call with his Turkish counterpart Tayyip Erdogan, the attack is widely thought to have been orchestrated by Russia. NATO said the explosions looked like a reckless and irresponsible act of sabotage, and that any deliberate attack against infrastructure of countries in the Western alliance would be met by a 'united and determined response'. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said: 'This looks like an act of terrorism, possibly on a state level. 'It is very difficult to imagine that such an act of a terrorism could have happened without the involvement of a state of some kind'. Advertisement

While it holds the vast majority of Luhansk and Kherson regions, Russia controls only about 60% of Donetsk and 70% of Zaporizhzhia, where fighting has raged close to Europe's biggest nuclear plant.

The hurried annexations mean front lines will now run through territory that Russia is declaring as its own, and which Putin has said he is ready to defend with nuclear weapons if necessary.

Some Western politicians called that a bluff - something Putin explicitly denied. The US says it has warned Russia of catastrophic consequences if it did use a nuclear weapon.

Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak said on Thursday that the Kremlin event was a 'freak show', and legally meaningless. 'Non-existent entities cannot enter a country which is disintegrating,' he said on Twitter.

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said if Moscow proceeded, it would have 'no legal value and deserves to be condemned'.

Kirill Stremousov, a Russian-installed official in Kherson region, published a video of himself next to Red Square, declaring: 'Victory is ours. We are Russia.'

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky warned: 'They are worthless and do not change reality. The territorial integrity of Ukraine will be restored. And our reaction to the results by Russia will be very harsh.'

President Joe Biden pledged that the US will never recognise Russia's claims on Ukraine's sovereign territory, while United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres said that if Russia moves ahead with its plans to annex the four Ukrainian regions, it will mark a 'dangerous escalation'.

Outgoing Italian premier Mario Draghi said 'Italy will not recognise' what he described as 'illegal referendums'. Sources close to Brothers of Italy leader Giorgia Meloni, expected to be appointed the country's next prime minister in a month's time, said she would also refuse to recognise the results.

Putin has been under pressure to demonstrate to an increasingly sceptical Russian public that his invasion of Ukraine is yielding results.

The surprise decision to order the country's first mass conscription since World War Two, of at least 300,000 people, led to a surge of Russian men fleeing across its borders.

In unusually strong language, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told reporters Thursday in New York that Russia's annexation would violate the UN Charter and has 'no legal value.' He described the move as 'a dangerous escalation' and said it 'must not be accepted.'

'Any decision by Russia to go forward will further jeopardize the prospects for peace,' Guterres said.

As a veto-wielding permanent member of the UN Security Council, Russia bears 'a particular responsibility' to respect the UN Charter, the secretary-general said.

UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said Guterres conveyed the message to Russia's UN ambassador, Vassily Nebenzia, on Wednesday.

Russian forces escort Ukrainians to vote in the bogus ballots at gunpoint

Election officials carrying a clear ballot box (left) are let into an apartment block in occupied Ukraine accompanied by armed Russian cops (right)

Biden clams Putin's referendum in occupied parts of Ukraine as an 'absolute sham' and US will never recognize them or the results 'manufactured in Moscow President Joe Biden promised on Thursday that the United States will never recognize the results of what he said was a 'sham' referendum on the future of Russian-occupied Ukraine. It came after the Kremlin said it was pressing ahead with plans to annex four regions of Ukraine with a ceremony on Friday. Voters supposedly approved Moscow's plans by huge majorities in referenda that Western leaders have condemned as illegal and rigged. Biden used a speech to Pacific Island leaders to denounce the plans. 'I'd also like to briefly address the shameless and transparent effort by Russia to annex parts of neighbour Ukraine,' he said. 'The United States - I want to be very clear about this - the United States will never, never, never recognise Russian claims on Ukraine sovereign territory. 'The so called referenda was a sham, an absolute sham.' Advertisement

The European Union also objected strongly.

'It's absolutely unacceptable,' said Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky, whose country holds the European Union presidency. 'We reject such one-sided annexation based on a fully falsified process with no legitimacy.'

Lipavsky described the pro-Russia referendums as 'theater play' and insisted the regions remain 'Ukrainian territory.'

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said Russia's moves were 'the opposite of peace.'

'As long as this Russian diktat prevails in the occupied territories of Ukraine, no citizen is safe. No citizen is free,' he said.

In what would be a major blow to Moscow's war effort, the Washington-based Institute for the Study of War said Ukrainian forces may soon encircle Lyman, 100 miles southeast of Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-largest city.

'The collapse of the Lyman pocket will likely be highly consequential to the Russian grouping' in the northern Donetsk and western Luhansk regions and 'may allow Ukrainian troops to threaten Russian positions along the western Luhansk' region, the institute said, citing Russian reports.

Russia's partial mobilisation has been chaotic and unpopular, triggering protests and violence. Russian men have formed miles-long lines trying to leave the country, and Moscow set up draft offices at its borders to intercept some of those fleeing.

In an apparent effort to calm the population in the face of domestic criticism and confusion, Putin told Russia's Security Council on Thursday that mistakes had been made in the mobilization. He said Russian men mistakenly called up should be sent home and that only reservists with proper training and specialties should be summoned to serve.

Multiple reports have surfaced of Russian men outside the eligible categories being forced to serve, and of reservists being provided inadequate training and equipment.

British military intelligence claimed the number of Russian military-age men fleeing likely exceeds the forces Moscow used to invade Ukraine in February, and said many of those leaving are well educated, causing a 'brain drain.'

Finland closed one of the last ways out for Russians. It's banning Russian citizens with tourist visas from entering the country starting Friday. With the exception of Norway, which has only one border crossing with Russia, Finland has provided the last easily accessible land route for Russian holders of Schengen visas, which allow free movement across much of Europe.

Regarding the sabotage that hit Russian gas pipelines to Europe this week, Peskov claimed Thursday it 'looks like a terror attack, probably conducted on a state level.'

'It's a very dangerous situation that requires a quick investigation,' he said, dismissing media reports about Russian warships detected in the area as 'stupid and biased,' claiming that many more NATO aircraft and ships 'have been spotted' there.

NATO warned Thursday that it would retaliate for any attacks on the critical infrastructure of its 30 member countries and joined other Western officials in citing sabotage as the likely cause of the pipeline damage.

Who DID blow up the Nord Stream gas pipelines... Russia or America? Finger of blame is now being pointed at President Biden amid riddle of blasts in the Baltic

Deep beneath the Baltic Sea, a remotely controlled submarine releases a mine which nestles beside a gas pipeline.

Other mines are laid at critical junctures along hundreds of miles of piping connecting Russia and Germany. They contain the equivalent of hundreds of pounds of TNT.

When they are detonated  either by a timing device or remotely from a secret control room  the aftershocks are felt 800 miles away and seismologists liken the blasts to earthquakes.

Within seconds Nord Stream 1 and 2 begin to leak. Within days, millions of cubic metres of natural gas have been released into Danish and Swedish waters.

Mission accomplished for whoever instigated this unprecedented act of industrial terrorism.

But was it also the staggering act of self-sabotage by Vladimir Putin that the world assumes it to have been?

After all, the president who threatened to 'end' Nord Stream earlier this year resides not in the Kremlin but the White House. US President Joe Biden could not have been clearer when, in early February, he promised to bring Nord Stream 'to an end' should Russian troops and tanks enter Ukraine.

US President Joe Biden could not have been clearer when, in early February, he promised to bring Nord Stream 'to an end' should Russian troops and tanks enter Ukraine

A photo from the Danish Ministry of Defence shows the site of the Nord Stream pipeline gas leak

The invasion happened. So did Mr Biden take revenge as he promised to?

At the time he dismissed suggestions such an operation would be too complicated to carry out or too damaging diplomatically given Nord Stream 2 was controlled by Germany. To the doubters, he added: 'We will, I promise you. We will be able to do it.'

These remarks have proved a propaganda gift to the Kremlin in the aftermath of the leaks.

Russia's foreign ministry mouthpiece Maria Zakharova mocked the blunder-prone US President, challenging him to account for his words and actions.

It may appear fanciful to look anywhere other than Moscow to find the perpetrators. However, these incidents occurred in areas of the Baltic Sea belonging to the US's allies Denmark and Sweden.

While Russian vessels are entitled to enter these 'exclusive economic zones', the US and its friends would be expected to closely monitor their activity. Perhaps the US stood by, permitting the plot to be actioned?

The thinking in Washington DC might have been that such an incident would convince those European states with the greatest reliance on Russia for energy supplies to redouble their efforts to achieve energy-independence.

Was this the staggering act of self-sabotage by Vladimir Putin the world assumes it to have been?

It is no coincidence that these states, such as Germany, have been the most reluctant to actively challenge Russia's military supremacy in Ukraine and the keenest for President Volodymyr Zelensky to negotiate with President Putin.

Certainly there is consternation in continental Europe following the attack on the pipelines. The natural gas being released is 90 per cent methane, a key driver of global warming. So Putin, or whoever, has weaponised pollution.

Denmark has said the discharge could account for a third of its greenhouse gas emissions. Norway put its oil and gas facilities on alert for attacks. Lithuania boosted security at its liquefied natural gas import terminal.

But whose long-term strategic goals are achieved by the attacks, Russia's or the US's? The plot thickened on Tuesday when a former Polish minister thanked the US for the Nord Stream explosions.

On Twitter Radoslaw Sikorski posted a picture of a massive methane gas spill on the surface of the Baltic Sea with the comment: 'Thank You USA'. The hawkish MEP later tweeted that if Russia wants to continue supplying gas to Europe it must 'talk to the countries controlling the gas pipelines'.

Whatever did he mean? Both Russia and the US have the technology and the wherewithal to pull off such an attack, while surveillance of the North Sea and Baltic Sea is said to be patchy.

Many Russian surface naval vessels carry miniature submarines such as the Harpsichord unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV), the Klavesin and the Losharik. These intelligent 'marine robots' can be used for deep-sea surveillance and delivering explosive payloads.

Historically, submarine warfare has been a Russian strong suit, a tradition which continues today. These UUVs are equipped with precision navigation and communication equipment and their dive capability puts the bottom of the Baltic Sea within their reach.

The attacks also highlighted the vulnerability of the underwater cable networks relied on by Britain and other countries.

Retired Rear Admiral Chris Parry told the Daily Mail, the UK is 'wide open' to a similar attack.

He sounded a shocking warning last night, saying: 'The protection and defence of these vital energy and communication arteries have been neglected, even as military and civilian technologies and platforms, both manned and unmanned, capable of disrupting and damaging them have multiplied significantly. It is not just the UK that is at risk in this regard, but the whole international community.'

Fears of internet and mobile phone blackouts this winter have intensified recently  as Europe does not have enough back-up systems to rely upon in the event of power cuts.

By targeting key infrastructure a hostile state  particularly one that like Russia has suffered setbacks on the battlefield  can bring another state to a standstill. Cutting energy supplies is just one way of achieving this.

Russia, or whoever, has put Britain and Europe on high alert for further attacks, perhaps to sub-sea data cables which carry financial information across the Atlantic  which would play havoc with stock markets.
A hero Emergency Medical Service Lieutenant (EMS) and World Trade Center first responder has died after being stabbed to death by a man who slammed her to the ground while she was out grabbing lunch.

Alison Russo-Elling, 61, was killed on duty at about 2.20pm on Thursday in what has been described a 'vile and barbaric' stabbing, by a person allegedly known to the patient she was helping.

The deadly incident took place in broad daylight when a male, 34, wearing a light grey shirt and dark pants brandished a knife and viciously stabbed her numerous times about her body.

It's believed the mother was out 'getting food nearby' when she was knifed to death.

Mayor Eric Adams said tonight that the suspect has been arrested and 'will be held accountable for his actions.'

Tributes flowed for the FDNY front line worker as flags have been lowered half-mast to honor the courageous woman.

One person wrote: 'DAMM STRONG WOMAN. Thank you for your service. It was a privilege to work with you back since the 90's!

Emergency Medical Service Lieutenant and World Trade Center first responder, Alison Russo-Elling (pictured), 61, has died after being stabbed while rendering aid to a patient in Queens

Russo-Elling's picture was released by colleagues on Thursday evening by the New York City Fire Department detailing her long career as a front line worker

The EMS lieutenant, who was also known for her work as a World Trade Center first responder, was then rushed to Mount Sinai Queens, where she was pronounced dead at 3.06pm

New York City Mayor Eric Adams (center) gave his condolences to the city of New York, Russo-Elling's family and friends and colleagues

Acting Fire Commissioner Laura Kavanagh called the incident heart breaking and 'barbaric'

'I'm angry your life was taken from you so young, working so hard. You dedicated your life to service of all humans, through COVID, through mental health, through all trauma and illness putting your life on hold for others.

'You deserved better, your daughter deserved more time with you.'

Another said: 'Killed while serving the people of NYC. After serving as a volunteer EMT since the 90's and serving the people of New York City for almost 25 years.

'She didn't deserve this.'

In an official statement from the New York City Fire Department Russo-Elling's death has been used as a stark reminder of the dangers faced by emergency services workers.

'The death of Alison Russo is a tragic reminder of the dangers faced by each and every member of the FDNY and uniformed services,' the statement read.

'Her senseless killing brings sorrow to every member of the FDNY. We stand in solidarity with our brothers and sisters in the Department with bowed heads, and we will forever be here to support our FDNY family in this unspeakably difficult time.

'We extend our deepest sympathies and condolences to Alison's family, loved ones, and colleagues.'

New York City Mayor Eric Adams gave his condolences at a press conference at Mount Sinai Hospital to the city of New York, Russo-Elling's family, friends and colleagues.

'We lost one of our heroes she provided a service for this city for over 24 years,' he said.

'Her assailant has been apprehended and will be held accountable for his actions.

'She was on duty at the time she was brought here to Mount Sinai Hospital where she passed away due to her injuries.'

She posted multiple pictures with her mum (left) and dad (right) on social media and was beloved by her family

In an official statement from the New York City Fire Department (FDNY) Russo-Elling's death has been used as a stark reminder of the dangers faced by emergency services workers

She was known for many acts of bravery in her time as a front line responder including her work with the World Trade Center

Russo-Elling was described to be a beloved colleague, friend and family member

The Mayor's office say they lowered 'all flags' to half mast in Russo-Elling's honor

Tributes from colleagues were seen across Facebook to remember the 'courageous' EMS member

Acting Fire Commissioner Laura Kavanagh called the incident heart breaking.

'At 2.20 pm today Lieutenant Alison Russo was on duty at station 49 while outside her station she was stabbed multiple times in a barbaric and completely unprovoked attack,' she said.

'Members of EMS serve only to help and save other people's lives to be attack and killed in the course of others is both heart breaking and enraging for our department in ways I cannot describe.

'Lieutenant Russo exemplified FDNY EMS she served the city for 25 years she was a World Trade Center first responder and was sighted multiple times for her bravery and lifesaving work and she was absolutely beloved in this job.'

Russo-Elling was the 1,158th member of the FDNY to die in the line of duty and the second member of EMS to die in the line of duty in the past 5 years.

She is the 1158 member of the FDNY to die in the line of duty and the second member of EMS to die in the line of duty in the last 5 years.

Preliminary information shows that the suspect, who was spotted by two witnesses who knew the perpetrator, was seen running to his home where he barricaded himself inside.

Once inside his home the man was talked out of his residence before being taken into police custody.

Police say Russo-Elling was rendering aid to a patient in the Astoria neighborhood at 2.20pm, when the emotionally disturbed relative of the patient stabbed her multiple times in the neck.

The EMS lieutenant, who has worked for the Fire Department of New York for more than 20 years, was then rushed to Mount Sinai Queens, where she was pronounced dead at 3.06pm.

The chief of detectives for the New York Police Department, James Essig, said at a news conference that the EMS worker had been on a break just minutes before being stabbed.

'Today at approximately at 2:15 pm an on duty at the corner of 20th avenue and 41st street an on duty EMS FDNY lieutenant was viciously assaulted with a knife causing her demise,' he said.

'At 2:10 pm that EMS lieutenant was on her break and was going to get food nearby.

'She was assigned to an EMS station approximately one half block away and was attired and clothed which clearly indicated that she worked as an FDNY EMT.'

Police were seen remaining on the scene of 20th Avenue near 41st Street Thursday afternoon as they took a suspect into custody.

Police cordoned off the area in which the 61-year-old EMS lieutenant was stabbed while rendering aid to a patient in Astoria, Queens

Authorities say the incident happened at 2.20pm in the Astoria neighborhood

Police say the woman was killed by a mentally ill relative of the patient she was treating

The incident comes as crime in the Big Apple is up over 33 percent from last year.

Driving the increase is a more than 37 percent increase in the number of robberies, and a 32.4 percent increase in burglaries.

Felony assaults are also up 16.6 percent over last year, while grand larcenies are up a whopping 43 percent.

But the mayor had fled the crumbling city over the weekend to visit hurricane-ravaged Puerto Rico, which he refers to as New York's 'sixth borough.'

Adams arrived in Puerto Rico on Saturday night to survey the damage from Hurricane Fiona and reassured the people there that New York City is ready to provide immediate assistance.

He returned from the trip on Tuesday, after telling San Juan Mayor Miguel Romero that Puerto Rico is the 'sixth borough of New York. We're tied at the hip.'

But Adams' words were criticized on social media by many New York residents who said the mayor should be focusing on the city's five boroughs instead.

And a woman who was punched to the ground by a homeless career criminal at a Queens subway station lashed out at the mayor for the trip as the city's crime wave continues.

The 61-year-old later died due to her injuries at a local hospital

Police remained on the scene of 20th Avenue near 41st Street most of Thursday afternoon

A large contingent of law enforcement and FDNY was seen gathered after the stabbing

'When we're out there, we're by ourselves, we're fighting these battles by ourselves, and what they do, they go try to help other countries that have nothing to do with what we're going through in our own place,' Elizabeth Gomes, 33, told the New York Post.

She added: 'Our city needs major help. We're going through a lot here.

'I remember hearing that they would have cops posted on platforms, riding the trains, cops down in a subway. Mayor Adams said especially in the subway,' she said of Adams' proposal to increase patrols.

But she said she now believes her injuries are proof that the mayor hasn't put more cops in subway stations, saying 'Obviously, the government or nobody is doing anything for us.'

The mother of five children said that 'my life has changed, everything changed' and that she's 'scared to even leave my house' and doesn't 'even want to take the train.'

She said of her decade-long service at John F Kennedy Airport: 'You know, I love my job so much, and part of me, like, doesn't want to go back because I'm scared.'

Her husband, Clement Tucker, echoed Gomes' previous worries that she may lose her eyesight in one eye.

Elizabeth Gomes (pictured), a security guard at JFK Airport was savagely beaten by a homeless career criminal at the airport subway station lashed out at New York City Mayor Eric Adams and local politicians for failing to stop the Big Apple's crime wave

New York City Mayor Eric Adams arrived in Puerto Rico on Saturday to survey the damage from Hurricane Fiona and reassured the people there that New York City is ready to provide immediate assistance

Adams tours a village outside Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico, which was damaged by Hurricane Fiona

Gomes arrived at the Howard Beach station in Queens, New York City, at around 5:15am on September 20.

Waheed Foster, 41, tried to start a conversation, but when she ignored him he flung himself at her - dragging her to the ground then kicking and punching her.

Foster, who was arrested for murdering his 82-year-old foster grandmother in a brutal beating at the age of 14, rained blows down Gomes as she cowered on the floor.

One man tried to come to Gomes's aid, but Foster chased him away and then resumed attacking her.

He then walked away, leaving Gomes on the floor. The vagrant was arrested shortly after.

Gomes is seen being grabbed from behind by Waheed Foster, 41 - who she had ignored as he tried to speak to her when she got off the train

Foster, who beat his foster grandmother to death when he was 14, grabbed Gomes

Foster then kicked her as she lay on the ground, trying to shield herself

She said doctors told her she may lose her sight in her right eye, and she said she has been unable to sleep, left with a throbbing head.

'Every day is an incident in the subway,' she said. 'What happened to all these police officer they said they will have there to protect us? There's like nobody to be found. I don't understand.'

She said Foster was muttering about Satan when he attacked her.

'He's talking about the devil. He's talking about a whole bunch of nonsense,' Gomes said.

Foster has been charged with felony assault.

He has two other pending criminal cases against him, on charges of criminal mischief and minor theft.
Transgender charity Mermaids was last night being investigated by the charity watchdog following concerns about its approach to safeguarding young people.

The Charity Commission opened a regulatory compliance case following claims that Mermaids has been sending breast-flattening devices to girls behind their parents backs.

The charity helps children and teenagers transition to a different gender. The Daily Telegraph reported that it sent girls as young as 13 the devices which can cause breathing difficulties, chronic back pain, changes to the spine and broken ribs. An investigation by the newspaper found that Mermaids staff agreed to send a breast binder discreetly to a girl they believed was only 14 after being told repeatedly that her mother would not allow her to use one.

The Charity Commission said earlier this week that it was assessing the allegations and has now confirmed that it has opened a case. A spokesman said: Concerns have been raised with us about Mermaids approach to safeguarding young people.

Transgender charity Mermaids was last night being investigated by the charity watchdog following concerns about its approach to safeguarding young people. Pictured: Susie Green, CEO of Mermaids

We have opened a regulatory compliance case and have written to the trustees. We now await their reply.

The Metropolitan Police described breast flattening  also called breast ironing  as child abuse.

On its website, it said: Young girls breasts are damaged over time to flatten them and delay their development. It added: Sometimes, an elastic belt, or binder, is used to stop them from growing.

Responding to reports this week, the force said: The supply of a breast binder on its own is not a criminal offence. However, if an individual case of someone using a breast binder or undergoing the practice of breast ironing is reported to police, it would be investigated jointly with social services as potential child abuse.

The same approach would be taken regardless of culture or community.

The Charity Commission opened a regulatory compliance case following claims that Mermaids has been sending breast-flattening devices to girls behind their parents backs

A Mermaids spokesman said: We have received a letter from the Charity Commission and will be responding in due course. We wont be making further comment at this stage. Maya Forstater, co-founder of the Sex Matters campaign group, said: We have heard from parents, teachers and therapists who are concerned about the actions of Mermaids and we would encourage them to write directly to the Charity Commission and give evidence of their concerns.

Mermaids, which is led by chief executive Susie Green, has reportedly received over 20,000 of taxpayers money in grants and more than 500,000 from the National Lottery recently. In 2019, the Crown Prosecution Service updated its guidelines on breast ironing and said it should be prosecuted as a form of child abuse.

Jaswant Narwal, of the CPS, said at the time: Our message is simple  breast ironing is child abuse.

The practice inflicts serious damage on young girls and can leave them scarred physically and mentally for the rest of their lives. Although this abuse often occurs in a family setting, the CPS is clear that a crime is committed when actual harm is caused to a girl  regardless of consent. It is not possible to consent to serious assault.

The practice is seen as a form of female mutilation and is common in Cameroon, for example, where family want to prevent unwanted sexual attention towards girls.

The commission investigation comes as Mermaids is trying to remove the charity status of the LGB Alliance, which campaigns for gay, lesbian and bisexual rights.

Mermaids says it excludes trans people and is seeking to undermine the work for transgender rights.
Police chiefs across Britain will be urged to send officers to every burglary, the head of police training has promised.

College of Policing boss, Chief Constable Andy Marsh, has vowed to write to every chief constable and crime commissioner, insisting it was the right thing to attend every break-in.

Mr Marsh said that evidence showed that house visits reduced burglaries and discouraged raiders from targeting the same area more than once.

His comments come after Scotland Yards new commissioner, Sir Mark Rowley, announced that his officers would attend every domestic raid in an unprecedented blitz on burglary.

Mr Marsh said that evidence showed that house visits reduced burglaries and discouraged raiders from targeting the same area more than once

Sir Mark warned courts across the capital to brace themselves for a massive surge in cases  as he instructs officers to take burglars, robbers and wanted suspects off the streets in a 100-day crackdown.

And Mr Marsh  who was the chief constable at Hampshire and Avon and Somerset constabularies before his appointment last summer  echoed the need to prioritise burglaries, arguing that the same approach should be rolled out across the UK.

Speaking at the Police Foundations John Harris memorial lecture in central London on Wednesday, he said: This week I will be writing to all chief constables and police and crime commissioners setting out the evidence about what works to cut crime and prevent burglary. And actually there is evidence that turning up and conducting house-to-house [inquiries] reveals evidence you might not otherwise find.

There is evidence that if your house is burgled then a house within four metres of you becomes much more likely to be burgled in the next two weeks. And you are not going to prevent that unless you do house-to-house reassurance and gather evidence.

A Police Foundation Strategic review found that detection rates have almost halved in seven years

Victims of burglary often suffered severe psychological trauma that should be taken into consideration when prioritising crimes, Mr Marsh said.

Our home is our castle and an intrusion into it is a very personal thing.

So we should be able to attend every burglary; its the right thing to do and the evidence backs this up.

Police officers across the country had often lost sight of the basics and were under-performing as a result, Mr Marsh said, during the lecture at the Royal Society of Arts. For me, getting the basics right means delivering what the public expect... the prevention and detection of crime by officers and staff exercising the highest professional standards, he added.

A Police Foundation Strategic review found that detection rates have almost halved in seven years.

In the year to March 2021 just 9.3 per cent of all recorded police crime resulted in a charge or summons, compared to 17 per cent in 2014.

The public just dont think that is good enough. Neither should we, Mr Marsh said.
A heavily-tattooed bikie associate has been murdered in a daring daylight execution in a shooting believed to be linked to the outlaw motorcycle gang wars with the killer still on the run.

Western Australia Police were called to a workshop in the Perth suburb of Gnangara just after 4pm on Thursday to reports a 34-year-old man had been shot in the stomach and the chest.

The man has since been identified as Joe Versace, with tributes flowing for the Perth local on Facebook.

'I'm lost for words ... I've had goosebumps ever since my last phone call ... I can't believe it,' one friend wrote.

'Joe Versace my heart goes out to you and your beautiful mother and family an amazing daughter. I love you Jojo, I'm so sorry.'

When another friend asked what happened, the woman who posted the original tribute wrote 'Joey got shot and died'.

Joe Versace, 34, has been confirmed as the man who was shot dead in a daylight execution

Versace was shot twice, once in the chest and once in the stomach, with paramedics unable to save him when they arrived at the scene on Thursday afternoon

Paramedics attempted first aid after finding Versace 'lying on the ground' but he was unable to be saved, police said.

Photos from Versace's various social media accounts showed the heavily-tattooed man working out, going for a walk with his dogs and appearing to urinate on a police vehicle.

Versace also appeared to be a fan of his namesake brand, posting a photo of a thick, gold Versace chain with its iconic Medusa head logo.

The 34-year-old leaves behind one young daughter.

Versace walking with his dogs in Perth

Versace used his Facebook to post photos of his daily life, including this picture of a Versace chain

Detective Senior Sergeant Keith Neubronner said police did not believe there was a risk to the public but urged locals to stay 'vigilant'.

'We do not believe that the shooter poses a threat to the community  because at this point we believe the shooting was targeted,' he told reporters at the scene.

'We're still collecting information and intelligence with regards to the identity of the person or persons involved.

'We know who the victim is but we're trying to ascertain his connections to other people.

'We ask for the community to be vigilant and keep an eye out on exactly what's going on, and if they need to report anything to report it on Crime Stoppers.'

Versace is believed to have been killed in a targeted shooting

The man was shot and killed in Gnangara, in Perth's northern suburbs

Security has been tight around the area with residents of nearby Lakelands Lifestyle Village only allowed to go into their homes by providing proof of address.

Senior WA Rebels member Joseph Raimondi was spotted at the scene, hugging fellow mourners outside the police roadblock.

Raimondi (pictured right) was spotted at the scene consoling other people

Tributes are already flowing for Versace after he was murdered yesterday

Homicide detectives arrived at the workshop around 7pm on Thursday with forensic teams surveying the grisly scene.

Police are urging the public to provide any relevant CCTV or dashcam footage of the hours leading up to and after the shooting.

It has been almost two years since top Rebel member Nick Martin and one of Raimondi's closest friends was assassinated by a sniper while out in Perth.

Martin, the long-term president of the Rebels, was shot dead by a hired assassin as he watched drag racing at Perth Motorplex in December 2020 with his family.
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Controversial conspiracy congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene cheated on her husband with a polyamorous tantric sex guru, DailyMail.com has learned.

Then after ending her affair with him, the mom-of-three moved on to a gym manager behind her husband's back.

But despite the tawdry flings, Taylor Greene stuck with her husband Perry as she made her unlikely rise that has turned her into the most talked-about Republican in Washington, D.C.

Neither man denied the affairs when approached by DailyMail.com.

Craig Ivey, the tantric sex practitioner, said: 'I will not respond to anything about this,' while the other man, Justin Tway, said: 'I have no interest in talking about anything to do with that woman. Everything with her comes to no good.'

But others say the new representative from Georgia's 14th Congressional District was brazen about her affairs which she carried on a decade ago while working in gyms in Alpharetta, Georgia, some 35 miles north of Atlanta.

Embattled congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Green openly cheated on her husband Perry Greene (pictured) with men at her fitness gym, DailyMail.com has learned

Marjorie's men: The 46-year-old mother of three had an affair with polyamorous tantric sex guru Craig Ivey (left) before moving on to gym manager Justin Tway (right) while working at a gym in Alpharetta in 2012

'It wasn't a secret. Everyone who moved in her circles knew about both the affairs,' one man who worked closely with Taylor Greene told DailyMail.com.

And her boss, billionaire's grandson Jim Chambers, added: 'She socialized a lot with us. I remember one particular pool party where she was lying draped over Craig's lap drinking a beer.

'She was quite open about it,' he added. 'We all thought her marriage was falling apart.

'But then I took my son to her son's birthday party and things seemed totally normal between her and her husband - even if they were a little lukewarm.'

In response to DailyMail.com's request for comment, Taylor Greene called the story ridiculous tabloid garbage spread by an avowed Communist, and another attempt to smear my name because Im the biggest threat to the Democrats Socialist agenda.

Her attorney L. Lin Wood, has previously said that an article about the allegations published by the New Yorker magazine was 'intended to smear her with false accusations, half-truths, misrepresentations, out-of-context statements, and agenda driven lies.'

Taylor Greene, 46, has become notorious since being elected to Congress. She calls herself a 'strong conservative Christian,' who planned to take her 'family values' to Washington.

On Instagram, Ivey calls himself The Tantric Warrior, describing himself as 'Living a warrior lifestyle while finding tantric love'. He also participates in reenactments of medieval battles and teaches sword fighting. Above, he is seen dressed as Zangief' a character from video game Street Fighter II

Since his affair with Taylor Greene, Ivey, 42, has moved to Washington State. His social media photos show his political views are polar opposite to that of the Georgia Republican

Ivey's profile picture on his Facebook page shows him standing stark naked by a waterfall. He has now set up a gladiator bootcamp called The Ludus

Ivey, pictured wearing South Park pajama pants while pumping gas near his Seattle-area home, refused to address his affair with Greene when approached by DailyMail.com

But she has been slammed for her belief in conspiracies linked to the group QAnon which claims former president Donald Trump was sent by God to oust Democrats who are involved in a nationwide ring that traffics, abuses, kills and even eats children.

She has also said that the Parkland and Sandy Hook school shootings were 'false flag' operations aimed at tightening gun control, harassed Parkland survivor David Hogg on the streets and questioned whether the September 11 terrorist attacks were real.

Congress voted last week to remove her from her committee assignments due to her outrageous beliefs and actions.

Rumors of Taylor Greene's affairs have been around since she hit the headlines in the summer by winning the Republican primary for her seat, which covers a wide swath of rural north west Georgia.

Chambers even tweeted out at the time: '@mtgreenee so when you worked for me at CrossFit Alpharetta in 2012, the extramarital affairs you had with Justin and Craig, those were Jesus-approved, right?'

Rumors of Taylor Greene's affairs began to resurface in the summer when she won the Republican primary for her seat. Her former boss at the gym, Jim Chambers, referenced her relationships with Justin and Craig in a tweet in June

He then added: 'I would never choose to doc someone's infidelities...unless they're this person,' and linked to a Marjorie Taylor Greene for Congress page

He then added: 'I would never choose to doc someone's infidelities...unless they're this person,' and linked to a Marjorie Taylor Greene for Congress page.

A New Yorker profile of her said a reporter had seen texts in which Taylor Greene admitted sleeping with one man outside her marriage.

Chambers, whose grandmother Anne Cox Chambers was the richest person in Georgia until she died last year, bought two gyms in the early 2010s.

He really only wanted one in downtown Atlanta, but the previous owner insisted on selling the Alpharetta gym as part of a package. That is where Taylor Greene was already working.

'She was part of the staff I inherited,' Chambers, 36, told DailyMail.com. 'She wasn't someone who needed a paycheck. She was working as a trade - she got free membership and access and the opportunity to learn the business.'

Soon it became apparent that she and Craig Ivey had started an affair.

'I know about it because I was a member of the gym,' said one man who asked not to be identified. 'Certainly she was screwing around.'

Taylor Greene shares three children, Lauren, Taylor and Derek, with husband Perry. Insiders said they believed Greene's marriage was falling apart in the 2010s due to her brazen infidelity, but the pair has remained together

The fitness fanatic had previously worked for Jim Chambers, the grandson of billionaire Anne Cox Chambers, at CrossFit Alpharetta in 2012

'Guys talk and I know there was definitely sex involved. People don't make up stuff like that. They were spending a lot of time together, turning up at the gym in the same car.

'When I would suggest going out, Craig would say he had things to do with Marjorie.'

Soon after, Chambers brought in a new manager for his Alpharetta gym. Justin Tway moved to Georgia from Colorado, to take over with the understanding that he might end up buying it and taking it off Chambers's hands.

Taylor Greene soon set her sights on him, said both Chambers and the second source.

'This seemed much more serious than the affair with Craig,' said Chambers. 'That was more of a flirty thing. But with Justin she seemed to have designs on a more long-term relationship.

'My impression is that she knew he might take over the gym and she wanted to be there right alongside him.'

Former lover Justin Tway told DailyMail.com he had 'no interest in talking about anything to do' with Taylor Greene, adding: 'Everything with her comes to no good'

Insiders said Taylor Greene's affair with Tway seemed to have designs on a more long-term relationship

Tway, 42, still lives in Alpharetta with his wife Sherrie, whom he met long after his affair with Taylor Greene had ended

Tway was pictured at his gym outside Atlanta with his dogs Briggs and Salo on Monday

Eventually Taylor Greene did buy another gym in Alpharetta.

The second source said: 'With Marjorie it always seemed to be a power thing. If anyone was a leader or in a position of power, she would gravitate to them, and that is what it was like with Justin.'

Chambers - whose far-left politics are as opposed to Taylor Greene's views as they could possibly be - said he thought she even might have had designs on him as he was going through a divorce at the time. But he insists nothing happened between them.

Congress voted last week to remove her from her committee assignments due to her outrageous beliefs and actions

Taylor Greene, 46, has become notorious since being elected to Congress due to her controversial views and posts touting QAnon conspiracy theories

She has been slammed for her belief in conspiracies linked to the group QAnon which claims former president Donald Trump was sent by God to oust Democrats

The second source added: 'I don't know whether she was after Jim, you'd have to ask him that one.'

'What I do know is that she was a lot different then to what she is now. I worked out with her a lot and she certainly wasn't saying the insane things she is now. If she had been, I would have had nothing to do with her.'

Since his affair with Taylor Greene, Ivey, 42, has moved to Washington State. He worked in at least two CrossFit gyms in Seattle and has now set up a gladiator bootcamp called The Ludus.

He participates in reenactments of medieval battles and teaches sword fighting.

Ivey's profile picture on his Facebook page shows him standing stark naked by a waterfall.

On Instagram he calls himself The Tantric Warrior, describing himself as 'Living a warrior lifestyle while finding tantric love.'

She calls herself a 'strong conservative Christian,' who planned to take her 'family values' to Washington

In an undated video, Taylor Greene was seen dragging a cardboard cutout of Donald Trump on stage and then rubbing its crotch as she says how great he is

Taylor Greene had shared videos on social media of her doing some deadlifting and captioned: 'Congress is broken ... not working for the American people!It's time to lift the dead weight and kick Pelosi's Congress to the curb in November!'

Medical News Today defines tantric sex as a 'slow, meditative form of sex where the end goal is not orgasm but enjoying the sexual journey and sensations of the body.'

Rocker Sting is its most famous practitioner, claiming he and wife Trudie Styler have seven-hour lovemaking sessions.

Ivey is currently living in a trailer in Renton, Washington, but along with a girlfriend and another couple, he has bought a house in Buckley, an hour south of Seattle, which he says he wants to turn into a polyamorous commune.

When approached by DailyMail.com, Ivey said: 'I have made myself very clear, I will not respond to anything about this again.

He also threatened to call the police on a reporter. 'Please stay away from me and anyone connected with my life,' he said in a text message.

Tway, also 42, still lives in Alpharetta with his wife Sherrie, whom he met long after his affair with Taylor Greene had ended.

The couple run a gym in the city, often taking their 'gym pups', Briggs and Salo, along with them.

Taylor Greene and her husband along with their three children, Lauren, Taylor and Derek, moved from Alpharetta last year when they bought a $610,000 home in Rome, Georgia, so she could live inside her congressional district.

They still own their previous house in Alpharetta, where Perry runs a construction and renovation company that was founded by Marjorie's father.
By Shelton Bumgarner





I arrived in South Korea for the first time on July 23, 2004, at the tender age of 31. I had no idea of the adventures that awaited me for the next five or so years as I lived in the Land of the Morning Calm as an expat.



Now, as I approach 50, I find myself thinking back about how significant my time in South Korea was in my life overall. I learned a lot about myself, specifically that I'm far more creative than I ever imagined. Had I managed to stay in South Korea longer, I might have become something of an expat rock star.



However, it was not to be. Things did not work out and I came home, thinking I would never return to South Korea. And, yet, I find myself missing Seoul and wondering if anyone remembers me. I was something of a larger-than-life character while I was there. I also wonder if any of the students I taught English to remember me as well.



These days, I find myself drawing upon my time in South Korea as I continue to struggle to write my first novel. It's a lot of fun, but I really need to finish it one way or another. I'm not going to live forever and getting it published in the first place would be a lot like winning the lottery.



The key thing about approaching 50 is you really begin to take stock of your life. You realize how you have a limited amount of time on God's green earth and if you do not squeeze what you can out of your remaining days, you may shuffle off this mortal coil with a lot of regrets.



As such, I hope to return to South Korea one last time. I don't know when I will do it  or if I will ever do it  but it's something I dream about a lot these days. It's been so long since I was in South Korea that I'm sure much has changed. Korea is very dynamic, changing on a day-to-day basis, and the COVID-19 pandemic probably only accelerated such change.



Yet, despite all that, I hope to return to South Korea for a short visit at some point between now and the 20th anniversary of my first arrival. It will be a lot of fun to see my old stomping grounds and maybe run into a Korean or two I knew back in the day. We'll see I guess. While there's life, there's hope.





Shelton Bumgarner (migukin@gmail.com) was the publisher of the expat journal, ROKon Magazine, and a DJ at Nori Bar in Sinchon 2006-2007.




A bizarre prehistoric seabeast with a neck longer than a giraffe's, and a crocodile-like head has been uncovered 70 million years after it stalked the oceans.

The skeleton of the 23-foot creature was discovered in the Pierre Shale in the US state of Wyoming, where there was once a huge inland sea.

Now the predator, whose name Serpentisuchops literally translates to 'snakey crocodile-face' has been documented by scientists for the first time.

Scott Persons, the lead author of the new study and a geology professor at the College of Charleston, painted a strange picture as he described the creature's appearance.

'Imagine a lizard about the size of a cow,' he said.

'Now, replace its legs with flippers, stretch out its neck by two-and-a-half meters and give it a long, narrow mouth  like a crocodile's.'

A bizarre prehistoric seabeast with a neck longer than a giraffe's, and a crocodile-like head has been uncovered 70 million years after it stalked the oceans

The predator, whose name Serpentisuchops literally translates to 'snakey crocodile-face' has been documented by scientists for the first time

The skeleton of the 23-foot creature was discovered in the Pierre Shale in the US state of Wyoming, where there was once a huge inland sea

Plesiosaur was first discovered 200 years ago The first complete skeleton of a plesiosaur was found by English fossil hunter Mary Anning in Lyme Regis, Dorset, in 1823. The prehistoric reptile had a small head, long neck, and four long flippers. It was named 'near lizard', because it more closely resemble modern reptiles than icthyosaurus, which had been found in the same rock strata a few years earlier. It lived from the late Triassic Period into the late Cretaceous Period, around 215 million to 66 million years ago, before being wiped out with the dinosaurs. Plesiosaurs inspired reconstructions of the Loch Ness Monster, but were traditionally thought to be sea creatures. Advertisement

It's a description that might bring to mind plesiosaurs, the prehistoric seabeast often taken as a model for the mythical Loch Ness Monster.

But even among these, the Serpentisuchops pfisterae is an oddball.

Dr Persons said: 'When I was a student, I was taught that all late-evolving plesiosaurs fall into one of two anatomical categories.

'There are those with really long necks and tiny heads, and those with short necks and really long jaws.

'Well, our new animal totally confounds those categories.

'This new animal has both a long crocodile-like snout and a long neck with 32 vertebrae.

'For comparison, your own neck has a mere seven vertebrae.'

At over eight feet long, it's a neck that dwarfs even the mighty giraffe's  at seven feet.

And in the teeming prehistoric sea that once covered much of modern North America, it may have provided an evolutionary advantage over the competition.

'The long, thin jaws and long, flexible neck were probably adaptations for rapidly striking sideways through the water,' said Dr Persons.

'It would have been exceptional at snagging small but swift swimming fish.'

So strange is the creature, that scientists are now being urged to revisit already-documented plesiosaurs.

The long, thin jaws and long, flexible neck were probably adaptations for rapidly striking sideways through the water

When the animal died, its body sank to the seafloor where it was buried by fine sediment for 70 million years. Pictured: Scott Personswith the fossil

The creature was unearthed in 1995 on land belonging to Anna Pfister (pictured), who is honoured in the second part of the creature's biological name, pfisterae

Dr Persons said: 'Paleontologists have generally assumed that if a plesiosaur has long jaws, then it also must have a short neck.

'Serpentisuchops proves this assumption is not necessarily true.

'We need to be careful and multiple older plesiosaur species now need to be reassessed to make sure these animals' neck sizes haven't been underestimated.'

The study was aided by the remarkable preservation of the neck skeleton.

This was possible because, when the animal died, its body sank to the seafloor where it was buried by fine sediment for 70 million years.

It was only unearthed in 1995 on land belonging to Anna Pfister, who's honoured in the second part of the creature's biological name, pfisterae.

Since then, it's been at the Glenrock Paleon Museum where a team of volunteers has been chipping away at the rock encrusting the bones.

It wasn't until the present study, published in the journal iScience, that it was scientifically documented.
Meta has permanently banned Pornhub from Instagram for 'repeatedly violating' its policies on nudity, adult content and sexual solicitation.

The move comes three weeks after the porn website's official account was disabled, which operators assumed was temporary.

Pornhub has responded by posting an open letter on Twitter, arguing that the platform's policies have been 'opaque, discriminatory and hypocritical'.

It cites the image of Kim Kardashian where her rear end is exposed that remains on Instagram as an example of the latter.

The site also claims that the removal of its account is 'profoundly damaging' to the independent creators who utilise Instagram as a 'vital marketing tool'.

Meta has permanently banned Pornhub from Instagram for 'repeatedly violating' its policies on nudity, adult content and sexual solicitation

Pornhub released its letter on rival social media platform Twitter, where it slams Instagram for 'censoring' the porn industry. It said: 'Denying us an ability to promote our brands and grow our businesses while continuously erasing, silencing, and censoring the presence of sex workers and adult brands is violent and profoundly damaging'

WHY HAS META BANNED PORNHUB FROM INSTAGRAM? The official Pornhub Instagram account was first disabled on September 2 for 'not following [its] terms. Anti-trafficking organisation the National Center on Sexual Exploitation claim this was because it had sent evidence of its criminality to Instagram. On September 27, Meta revealed via Motherboard that the ban was permanent for repeated policy violations in adult content, nudity, and sexual solicitation. An example of the latter was given to The New York Post as Pornhub encouraging users to leave Instagram and visit a porn site. Advertisement

The Pornhub account, which had over 13 million followers at the time, was initially disabled on September 2.

According to a screenshot shared with The New York Post, Instagram sent Pornhub a message saying: 'Your account has been disabled for not following our terms.

'You won't be able to log into this account and no one else will be able to see it.'

The message also contained a list of content that is banned on Instagram, including 'hate speech' and 'graphic... depictions of sexual assault', but did not include any mention of sexual solicitation.

A spokesperson for the site told Motherboard this was temporary and a routine move on Meta's part.

However, shortly after the account came down, anti-trafficking organisation the National Center on Sexual Exploitation (NCOSE) came forward taking credit for the action - a claim that was later refuted by Pornhub.

A Pornhub spokesperson said: 'Anti-porn crusaders like NCOSE intentionally misled reporters about why Pornhub's Instagram profile was disabled, and actively misled people into believing they were responsible.

'Instagram does not take business dictation from anti-porn zealots, especially ones with noted histories of propagating false information and extremist policies against sex workers.

'In actuality, our account was temporarily disabled, as has happened many times in the past due to Instagram's overly cautious censoring of the adult industry, a fact that thousands of adult performers deal with everyday despite not violating any of Instagram's terms of service.

'We look forward to our account being reactivated, as it always has.'

In response, the NCOSE told Motherboard it had been 'sharing evidence of criminality on Pornhub with Instagram' before requesting the account be taken down.

Pornhub went on to write that Instagram permits mainstream celebrities and brands to post explicit content without repercussion. It used Kim Kardashian as an example, who posted an image of herself on an Interview Magazine cover with her bum is fully exposed (pictured)

On Tuesday evening, a spokesperson for Meta - the company that owns Instagram as well as Facebook and WhatsApp - announced via Motherboard that the ban was permanent.

'We've permanently disabled this Instagram account for repeatedly violating our policies,' the spokesperson said.

They did not specify which policies it violated, however they did point to its terms of use regarding adult content, nudity, and sexual solicitation.

As an example of the latter, the spokesperson told The New York Post that Pornhub was encouraging users to leave Instagram and visit a porn site.

They added that the infractions had been accrued by the account over a ten-year period, although they did not specify how many there had been.

Pornhub responded by releasing its letter on rival social media platform Twitter, where it slams Instagram for 'censoring' the porn industry.

It said: 'Denying us an ability to promote our brands and grow our businesses while continuously erasing, silencing, and censoring the presence of sex workers and adult brands is violent and profoundly damaging.

'Combined with the regular financial discrimination those in the adult industry face, it is dangerous and threatening to our livelihoods.'

The letter was endorsed by sex workers, models and activist organisations like the Free Speech Coalition and Adult Performance Artists Guild.

However, on Tuesday evening, a spokesperson for Meta - the company that owns Instagram as well as Facebook and WhatsApp - announced via Motherboard that the ban was permanent

Pornhub went on to write that Instagram permits mainstream celebrities and brands to post explicit content without repercussion.

It used Kim Kardashian as an example, who posted an image of herself on an Interview Magazine cover with her bum fully exposed.

The letter said: 'Kim Kardashian has posted her fully exposed ass to her 330 million followers without any restrictive action from Instagram.

'We are happy to see that Kim and the artistic team behind the image are free to share their work on the platform, but question why we are denied the same treatment.

'While Kim's photo continues accumulating likes and making headlines, members of the adult community run the risk of deplatforming if Instagram decides our pants look a bit too tight to meet its arbitrary and selectively-enforced 'standards'.

The group representing Pornhub feel sex workers and performers are 'unfairly targeted' by Instagram, despite 'taking extra care not to violate Instagram's Community Guidelines'.

They go on to demand an explanation as to why the accounts are continuously deleted and posts are removed even when they do not breach the app's rules.
Christie's has already hosted the sales of dinosaur remains including a T. rex fossil that sold for $31.8 million

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A 40-foot T. rex skeleton known as Shen could fetch up to $25 million when it goes up for auction in Hong Kong in November.

Shen  which was unearthed in the Hell Creek Formation, in McCone County, Montana in 2020  lived during the Cretaceous Period, around 68-66 million years ago.

The 'scientifically-important' and rare skeleton has since been reassembled in an accurate pose 'epitomising the T. rex's infamous ferocity'.

The auction, set to take place on November 30, will be the first time a T. rex skeleton has ever been offered at auction in Asia.

Staff at auction house Christie's expect the sale price to be in the region of HK$120 million to HK$200 million (14 million to 23.4 million, or $15 million to $25 million).

The winning buyer could potentially be a multi-millionaire private collector who wants to display Shen in their massive mansion  something that has proved a point of contention with paleontologists.

A 40-foot T. rex skeleton known as Shen could fetch up to $25 million when it goes up for auction in Hong Kong. It will be the first time a T. rex skeleton has ever been offered at auction in Asia

The 'scientifically-important' complete skeleton has been reassembled in a an accurate pose 'epitomising the T. rexs infamous ferocity'

Shen, which was unearthed in the Hell Creek Formation, in McCone County, Montana, would have lived during the Cretaceous Period, around 68-66 million years ago

T. rex is a species of dinosaur that lived between 68 million to 66 million years ago in what is now the western side of North America.

The skeleton will be physically on view at the Victoria Theatre & Concert Hall in Singapore, before being displayed and auctioned at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre

WHAT WAS T. REX? Tyrannosaurs rex was a species of bird-like, meat-eating dinosaur. It lived between 6866 million years ago in what is now the western side of North America. They could reach up to 40 feet (12 metres) long and 12 feet (4 metres) tall. More than 50 fossilised specimens of T.Rex have been collected to date. The monstrous animal had one of the strongest bites in the animal kingdom. Advertisement

Shen the T. rex has been researched by palaeontologists Dr David A. Burnham at the University of Kansas and Dr John R. Nudds at the University of Manchester.

'T. rex are incredibly rare,' said Dr Nudds. 'Just one in 80 million T. rex dinosaurs were preserved as a fossil. Only two have ever sold at auction. T. rex is the greatest of all dinosaurs and Shen is one of the best.

'T. rex is the epitome of evolution for meat-eating animals. It had the strongest bite force, the largest orbits for any vertebrate and a brain that was remarkably advanced for dinosaurs.'

The skeleton, which is currently owned by a private collector, will be physically on view at the Victoria Theatre & Concert Hall in Singapore between October 28-30.

It will then be transported 1,600 miles southwest and displayed and auctioned at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, ahead of the in-person auction.

'It is an honour to be entrusted with the first auction in Asia of a T. rex skeleton - a groundbreaking moment for the market in the region,' said Francis Belin, president of Christie's Asia Pacific.

'This is a world class specimen for museums and institutions, and its auction in Hong Kong in November offers an unprecedented opportunity for APAC collectors to own an exceptional piece of our global natural history.'

Shen the T. rex measures a colossal 43 feet long, 16 feet high and 7 feet wide (12.2 metres long, 4.6 metres high and 2.1 metres wide) and weighs 1,400 kg.

Christie's said the specimen will be auctioned with 'full rights', so the lucky buyer will officially be able to rename the specimen.

Close-up of the specimen's ferocious teeth. T.rex was a notorious meat-hungry hunter and had one of the strongest bites in the animal kingdom

Shen the T. rex measures a colossal 43 feet long, 16 feet high and 7 feet wide (12.2 metres long, 4.6 metres high and 2.1 metres wide) and weighs 1,400 kg

Francis Belin, president of Christie's Asia Pacific, said: 'This is a world class specimen for museums and institutions, and its auction in Hong Kong in November offers an unprecedented opportunity for APAC collectors to own an exceptional piece of our global natural history'

Two dinosaur skeletons have already been auctioned at Christie's in New York  Stan the T. rex, which sold for a record breaking $31.8 million in 2020, and more recently this May, The Raptor, which sold for $12.4 million.

At the time, the $31.8 million for Stan nearly quadrupled the previous highest price for a dinosaur at auction.

'We have witnessed a growing demand in the region for objects of historical significance,' Belin said.

'We sincerely look forward to engaging museums, institutions, collectors and the general public around the world for this remarkable opportunity.'

Two dinosaur skeletons have already been auctioned at Christies in New York, including Stan the T. rex (pictured), which sold for a record breaking $31.8 million in 2020

In May 2022, The Raptor (pictured) sold for $12.4 million at Christies in New York. Paleontologists have slammed the act of selling dinosaur remains to private collectors

Meanwhile, a 10-foot-tall Gorgosaurus skeleton was sold to an anonymous bidder at auction in July for $6.1million at Sotheby's in New York.

And the remains of a Triceratops nicknamed Big John sold at Paris Drouot for $7.4 million in October 2021.

Paleontologists have slammed the act of selling dinosaur remains to private collectors, with one telling Dailymail.com that it's akin to 'the last copy of a book being thrown into the fire'.

Another said priceless remains are becoming 'little more than toys for the rich', like a piece of fine art or old bottles of whisky.
Webb and Hubble snapped timelapses of impact in different wavelengths of light

The stunning aftermath of NASA's mission to deliberately smash a spacecraft into an asteroid at 14,000mph has been caught on camera by two of the world's most powerful space telescopes.

Hubble and the US space agency's new super space observatory, James Webb, both captured views of the first ever planetary defence experiment, which saw the Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) attempt to knock a space rock off course.

It was the world's first test of a kinetic impact mitigation technique, using a spacecraft to deflect an asteroid that poses no threat to Earth, and modifying the object's orbit.

On Monday, at 19:14 ET (00:14 BST Tuesday), DART intentionally crashed into Dimorphos, the asteroid moonlet in the double-asteroid system of Didymos.

Both Webb and Hubble simultaneously observed the same celestial target from afar and NASA has now released timelapse footage and images of the impact, with one expert calling it an 'unprecedented view of an unprecedented event'.

The stunning aftermath of NASA's mission to deliberately smash a spacecraft into an asteroid at 14,000mph has been caught on camera by two of the world's most powerful telescopes. Hubble's image in the visible light is pictured left and Webb's in infrared is shown right

James Webb captured views of the first ever planetary defence experiment, which saw the Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) attempt to knock a space rock off course

It was the world's first test of a kinetic impact mitigation technique, using a spacecraft to deflect an asteroid that poses no threat to Earth, and modifying the object's orbit. Pictured is the aftermath snapped by Hubble at 22 minutes, five hours and 8 hours after impact

WHAT IS THE NASA DART MISSION? DART will be the world's first planetary defence test mission. It is heading for the small moonlet asteroid Dimorphos, which orbits a larger companion asteroid called Didymos. When it gets there it will be intentionally crashing into the asteroid to slightly change its orbit. While neither asteroid poses a threat to Earth, DART's kinetic impact will prove that a spacecraft can autonomously navigate to a target asteroid and kinetically impact it. Then, using Earth-based telescopes to measure the effects of the impact on the asteroid system, the mission will enhance modelling and predictive capabilities to help us better prepare for an actual asteroid threat should one ever be discovered. Advertisement

Although this asteroid posed no threat to Earth, the hope is that if the mission is a success  as believed  then it could work as a strategy for defending our planet against future threats from space.

'Webb and Hubble show what we've always known to be true at NASA: We learn more when we work together,' said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson.

'For the first time, Webb and Hubble have simultaneously captured imagery from the same target in the cosmos: an asteroid that was impacted by a spacecraft after a seven-million-mile journey.

'All of humanity eagerly awaits the discoveries to come from Webb, Hubble, and our ground-based telescopes  about the DART mission and beyond.'

The coordinated Hubble and Webb observations are more than just an operational milestone for each telescope  there are also key science questions relating to the makeup and history of our solar system that researchers can explore when combining the capabilities of these observatories.

Observations from Webb and Hubble together will allow scientists to gain knowledge about the nature of the surface of Dimorphos, how much material was ejected by the collision, and how fast it was ejected.

The pair captured the impact in different wavelengths of light  Webb in infrared and Hubble in visible.

Observing the impact across a wide array of wavelengths will reveal the distribution of particle sizes in the expanding dust cloud, helping to determine whether it threw off lots of big chunks or mostly fine dust.

Combining this information, along with ground-based telescope observations, will help scientists to understand how effectively a kinetic impact can modify an asteroid's orbit.

The last complete image of asteroid moonlet Dimorphos, taken by the DRACO imager on the DART mission from 7 miles (12 kilometers) from the asteroid and two seconds before impact

The Double Asteroid Redirection Test was launched last November ahead of a year-long journey to crash into the small asteroid Dimorphos, which orbits a larger one called Didymos

Webb took one observation of the impact location before the collision took place, then several observations over the next few hours.

Images from Webb's Near-Infrared Camera (NIRCam) show a tight, compact core, with plumes of material appearing as wisps streaming away from the center of where the impact took place.

Observing the impact with Webb presented the flight operations, planning, and science teams with unique challenges, because of the asteroid's speed of travel across the sky.

As DART approached its target, the teams performed additional work in the weeks leading up to the impact to enable and test a method of tracking asteroids moving over three times faster than the original speed limit set for Webb.

'I have nothing but tremendous admiration for the Webb Mission Operations folks that made this a reality,' said principal investigator Cristina Thomas of Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff, Arizona.

'We have been planning these observations for years, then in detail for weeks, and I'm tremendously happy this has come to fruition.'

Scientists also plan to observe the asteroid system in the coming months using Webb's Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI) and Webb's Near-Infrared Spectrograph (NIRSpec).

Spectroscopic data will provide researchers with insight into the asteroid's chemical composition.

Webb observed the impact over five hours total and captured 10 images, while Hubble made observations of the binary system ahead of the impact, then again 15 minutes after DART hit the surface of Dimorphos.

James Webb (pictured) observed the impact over five hours total and captured 10 images

Hubble, a joint project of NASA, the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Canadian Space Agency (CSA), has been observing the universe for over 30 years

Images from Hubble's Wide Field Camera 3 show the impact in visible light, with a fanned-out spike of ejecta seen to the left of the asteroid in the general direction from which DART approached.

Some of the rays appear to be curved slightly, but astronomers need to take a closer look to determine what this could mean.

In the Hubble images, astronomers estimate that the brightness of the system increased by three times after impact, and saw that brightness hold steady, even eight hours after impact.

Hubble plans to monitor the Didymos-Dimorphos system 10 more times over the next three weeks.

These regular, relatively long-term observations as the ejecta cloud expands and fades over time will paint a more complete picture of the cloud's expansion from the ejection to its disappearance.

'When I saw the data, I was literally speechless, stunned by the amazing detail of the ejecta that Hubble captured,' said Jian-Yang Li of the Planetary Science Institute in Tucson, Arizona, who led the Hubble observations.

'I feel lucky to witness this moment and be part of the team that made this happen.'

Hubble captured 45 images in the time immediately before and following DART's impact with Dimorphos. The Hubble data was collected as part of Cycle 29 General Observers Program 16674.

'This is an unprecedented view of an unprecedented event,' said Andy Rivkin, DART investigation team lead of the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Maryland.
Scientists have discovered new evidence that suggests there could be liquid water on Mars - a breakthrough in our longtime efforts to determine if the Red Planet once hosted life.

The University of Cambridge-led study provides the first independent evidence that uses data other than radar that there's liquid water beneath Mars' south polar ice cap.

Dr. Frances Butcher, second author of the study from the University of Sheffield, said in a statement: 'This study gives the best indication yet that there is liquid water on Mars today because it means that two of the key pieces of evidence we would look for when searching for subglacial lakes on Earth have now been found on Mars.'

Scientists have discovered new evidence that suggests there could be liquid water on Mars - a breakthrough in our longtime efforts to determine if the Red Planet once hosted life

'Liquid water is an essential ingredient for life, although it does not necessarily mean that life exists on Mars,' she added in his statement.

'In order to be liquid at such cold temperatures, the water beneath the south pole might need to be really salty, which would make it difficult for any microbial life to inhabit it.

'However, it does give hope that there were more habitable environments in the past when the climate was less unforgiving.'

The international research team, which also included scientists from the University of Nantes and University College Dublin, used spacecraft laser-altimeter measurements of the shape of the upper surface of the ice cap to identify subtle patterns in its height.

Dr. Frances Butcher, second author of the study from the University of Sheffield, said in a statement: 'This study gives the best indication yet that there is liquid water on Mars today because it means that two of the key pieces of evidence we would look for when searching for subglacial lakes on Earth have now been found on Mars'

The international research team, which also included scientists from the University of Nantes and University College Dublin, used spacecraft laser-altimeter measurements of the shape of the upper surface of the ice cap to identify subtle patterns in its height. ABOVE: Mars' south polar cap is seen in the new study's topography analysis

They then showed that these patterns match computer model predictions for how a body of water beneath the ice cap would affect the surface.

Mars has thick water ice caps at both of its poles, like Earth, which are roughly equivalent in combined volume to the Greenland Ice Sheet.

However, unlike Earth's ice sheets, which have large subglacial lakes and water channels beneath them, Mars' polar ice caps have been thought to be frozen solid all the way to their bedrock due to the Red Planet's frigid climate.

Temperatures on Mars average a bone-chilling -81 degrees Fahrenheit but can drop as low as -220 degrees Fahrenheit in winter at the poles.

The researchers' results, reported today in the journal Nature Astronomy, agree with earlier ice-penetrating radar measurements that were originally interpreted to show a potential area of liquid water beneath the ice.

Unlike Earth's ice sheets, which have large subglacial lakes and water channels beneath them, Mars' polar ice caps have been thought to be frozen solid all the way to their bedrock due to the Red Planet's frigid climate. Temperatures on Mars average a bone-chilling -81 degrees Fahrenheit but can drop as low as -220 degrees Fahrenheit in winter at the poles

'It does give hope that there were more habitable environments in the past when the climate was less unforgiving' ABOVE: Scatter plots of residuals from the trend surface shown in Fig. 1d against modelled elevation changes within 20 kilometer radius of the center of the Mars region containing the inferred water

MARS: THE BASICS Mars is the fourth planet from the sun, with a 'near-dead' dusty, cold, desert world with a very thin atmosphere. Mars is also a dynamic planet with seasons, polar ice caps, canyons, extinct volcanoes, and evidence that it was even more active in the past. It is one of the most explored planets in the solar system and the only planet humans have sent rovers to explore. One day on Mars takes a little over 24 hours and a year is 687 Earth days. Facts and Figures Orbital period: 687 days Surface area: 144.8 million km Distance from Sun: 227.9 million km Gravity: 3.721 m/s Radius: 3,389.5 km Moons: Phobos, Deimos Advertisement

'The combination of the new topographic evidence, our computer model results and the radar data make it much more likely that at least one area of subglacial liquid water exists on Mars today, and that Mars must still be geothermally active in order to keep the water beneath the ice cap liquid,' professor Neil Arnold, from Cambridge's Scott Polar Research Institute, who led the research, explained.

The team used a wide variety of techniques to examine data from NASAs Mars Global Surveyor satellite of the surface topography of the part of Mars south polar ice cap where the radar signal was identified.

Their analysis revealed a 10-15 kilometer-long surface undulation comprising a depression and a corresponding raised area, both of which deviate from the surrounding ice surface by several meters.

This is similar in scale to undulations over subglacial lakes here on Earth.

Scientists then tested if the observed undulation on the ice's surface could be explained by liquid water at the bed.

They then ran computer simulations of ice flow that were adapted to the specific conditions of Mars.

Next, they inserted a patch of reduced bed friction in the simulated ice sheet bed where water, if present, would allow the ice to slide and speed up.

Their experiments generated undulations on the simulated ice surface that were similar in size and shape to those the team observed on the real ice cap surface.

The similarity between the computer model produced undulation and the actual spacecraft observations, along with earlier ice-penetrating radar evidence, suggest that there's an accumulation of liquid water underneath Mars' south polar ice cap.

The findings also suggest that magnetic activity occurred relatively recently in the planet's subsurface to enable enhanced geothermal heating needed to keep the water in a liquid state.

'The quality of data coming back from Mars, from orbital satellites as well as from the landers, is such that we can use it answer really difficult questions about conditions on, and even under the planets surface, using the same techniques we also use on Earth,' said Arnold.

'Its exciting to use these techniques to find out things about planets other than our own.'
Tyson Fury has claimed his fight with Anthony Joshua is off again - for a second time in a week - after initially hinting the bout could be resurrected, as he called his rival 'a s***bag coward' and accepting a fight with Mahmoud Charr instead.

The Gypsy King has been goading Joshua into signing his contract to set up a blockbuster Battle of Britain clash in Cardiff on December 3, but the WBC champion grew tired of waiting for him and told him the fight was off after missing the 5pm deadline he set on Monday.

The showdown looked dead in the water until Fury revealed his promotion company Queensbury were still in talks to stage the bout - urging Joshua to sign the contract today after broadcasters DAZN, BT Sport and ESPN all came to an agreement - but has now claimed the Watford-born star has 'ducked his way out' once again.

Tyson Fury has again claimed his fight with Anthony Joshua is off after giving hope that their Battle of Britain showdown could be resurrected

Fury gave Anthony Joshua a deadline to sign the contract for their battle of Britain clash on Monday but he missed it - before giving him another chance to agree a deal

Speaking on an Instagram story, Fury said: 'Mahmoud Charr, it seems now that AJ is finally out, he's ducked his way out and a s***tbag, coward, and you're the man who wants to fight, so I like that.

'I like the fact you're very vocal and you're calling for a fight like a man should do. Any man who wants to fight a man should call him out as you've been doing to me. So I accept your challenge Mahmoud Charr, let's get it on motherf****er.'

His latest rant comes hours after his personal plea to Joshua to sign his contract, U-turning on his decision to scrap the fight and telling him 'the ball's in your court'.

'Anthony Joshua, where do we start,' Fury said in a video message on Twitter. 'The deadline was Monday. Frank Warren asked me and convinced me to let it carry on for a few more days.

Joshua was labelled 'a s***bag coward' by Fury after a continued delay in contract talks

'Today is Thursday. And even though I knew you wouldn't sign this contract, I allowed Frank to continue doing meetings with your team and your broadcasters and all that, and now we have BT, DAZN and ESPN all on the same page. They are happy with everything. they're all happy, ready to rock 'n roll.

'You guys asked for a lot of stuff. You wanted to be co-promoters when you're a voluntary challenger. Guess what, I said give it to 'em. Let them be co-promoters.

'You wanted full transparency even though you're not an equal shareholder in this party. Do you know what I said? Give him full transparency. I've got nothing to hide. I'm not trying to rob anybody. I've never robbed anybody of a penny in my life. So now you've got full transparency, everything is clean and fair.

'The ball is really in your court, son. Everybody is done. If you were really a man, and you had any sort of dignity and pride about you, you'll get this contract signed today.

'This is it. There are no more days, weeks and months. You've had the contract for over two weeks and you still haven't signed it. Show the public that you really are a big coward - that I know you are - and don't sign it. I don't care either way, if you sign it or you don't it makes no difference to me.

Fury has now turned his attentions towards fighting German heavyweight Mahmoud Charr

Fury's promoter Frank Warren (R) has been locked in talks to secure the Joshua fight all week

'You're a beaten man and I'm a world champion. I'm chucking you a massive bone, but I know I can punch your face in so I'm willing to give you an opportunity.

'There's nothing more to do, everyone is happy, get your team onto mine, they'll be available all day like they have been the past two weeks. Get this contract signed today you big p**** and give the British fans what they want.

'There's no more running, you have to fight me. You cannot escape. The Fury is coming... B****'.

The latest saga caps of a chaotic week of back and forth between Fury and AJ's camp that had left the heavyweight landscape up in the air.

Fury first gave Joshua the chance to battle for his WBC belt in September, with negotiations delayed initially by the death of Queen Elizabeth II.

Tensions that started to grow after Fury claimed Joshua had spent 10 days with the contract without sending it back - and while ringside at Joe Joyce v Joseph Parker he vowed to walk away in 48 hours if there was no answer from him by then.

Joshua's promoter Eddie Hearn hit back at the comments made by Fury over the past week

After setting a 5pm deadline for Monday and seeing it pass with nothing from AJ's camp, Fury announced the fight was off - calling him an 'idiot bodybuilder' and wishing him luck with the rest of his career.

He has since called out Joyce himself as well as Charr - while Joshua's promoter Eddie Hearn claimed he had even approached Dereck Chisora over a fight this week, just 24 hours before setting Joshua another deadline.

Hearn said he has been left baffled by Fury's behaviour and said his constant deadline setting is not helping while the two camps hold talks.

He told Behind the Gloves: 'He's just offered a fight to Derek Chisora yesterday and then he says today "ok AJ I'll give you until today". It ain't going to get done today.'

Hearn also hit back at the claims that have been made by Fury over the past week.

'To be honest we are quite baffled by this situation,' Hearn told Sky Sports.

'Firstly, when we agreed terms for the fight it took us over a week to receive a draft contract. We have not have that contract for 14 days.

'Over the next week we've worked tirelessly and had a number of meetings with Queensbury to get the contract in some kind of decent shape.

Fury has said he will be fighting on December 3, and is now set to fight an alternative opponent

'Last Monday we sent our final draft of the contract only to see that Tyson Fury had publicly pulled out of the fight and that it was no longer on the table.

'Yesterday we then received comments from Queensbury on a final draft of our agreement which is now being reviewed.

'I'm not sure why Tyson Fury keeps setting unrealistic deadlines while also offering the fight to a number of other heavyweights for the selected date.'

Hearn continued: 'If he's serious about the fight being made I suggest he allows Matchroom and Queensbury to keep working hard to make the fight of which everyone has been trying hard to do.

'You can't publicly keep pulling out of a fight and then restart negotiations when there has been so many positive conversations had. We'll see what happens from here.'
Tyson Fury has given promoter Frank Warren leave to continue pressing Anthony Joshua to confirm their blockbuster world heavyweight title fight.

The Gypsy King has set Joshua a number of deadlines for signing on the dotted line to meet him under the roof of Cardiffs Principality Stadium on December 3 - and on Thursday called off the fight for a second time in a week.

Tyson has become very frustrated by Joshuas delays, says Warren. But hes authorised us to keep talking because he knows that unless this huge domestic fight isnt made now it may never happen.

Frank Warren has hit out at Anthony Joshua's camp for including 'nonsensical' alterations in their contract to face Tyson Fury

Fury has continually set deadlines for Joshua to return his contract - and called off their fight for a second time in a week on Thursday after tiring of delays

It took Joshua and his team including his promoter Eddie Hearn almost two weeks to respond to our contract which guarantees him 40 per cent of the take, which is more generous than Tyson is obliged to offer as the WBC champion.

They finally came back with alterations which were mostly nonsensical. But we immediately made adjustments and again we are waiting on a reply.

We hope we are wrong in suspecting that someone on their side wants to block this fight and does not want Joshua to risk a fourth defeat in five fights, which could be damaging at this stage of his career.'

Hearn has complained about Fury putting alternative opponents on stand by, notably Mahmoud Charr the German-Lebanese former WBA champion, but Warren says: We have to have a fall back position in case Joshua pulls out. Tyson will fill Cardiff whoever he fights. And December 3 gives him time to prepare to fight Olexsandr Usyk for the undisputed world title early next year.

'For clarity, we are well into negotiations for that massive fight and there is no doubt it will happen.

Warren (left) criticised Joshua's promoter Eddie Hearn (right) for the length of time taking to return the contract

Joshua may find himself with no alternate avenue to go down if his Fury fight collapses

There is no reason why Joshua should not come to terms. TV rights were said to be the obstacle but the fact is that BT Sports, DAZN and ESPN in America are all on board with shared pay-per-view broadcasting.

Fury says: They keep complaining about lack of transparency but we have offered them co-promotion and participation in every bit of the deal. What could be more transparent than that?

Warren insists: We want the fight. They say they want the fight but it is time for them to prove it. He adds: Im still confident we can get Joshua over the line but this is a big event which will need time to promote.

The dilemma for Joshua is that if he baulks at Fury there is no other fight of comparable magnitude or money to which he can turn. Usyk, for one, has played down speculation of a third fight with AJ, who he has defeated twice in succession in claiming and then defending the WBA, IBF, WBO and Ring magazine belts.
Manchester City are planning talks with Bernardo Silva to thrash out his future, after the midfielder expressed a desire to leave the Etihad for Spain in each of the last two summers.

Barcelona have shown interest in the 28-year-old but no formal bids came in and City are keen to determine if the Portugal star will again seek to leave the club at the end of this season.

The Premier League champions and manager Pep Guardiola want Silva, who has two-and-a-half years remaining on his contract, to remain at the club.

Manchester City are planning talks with Bernardo Silva to thrash out his future

But City would not stand in his way if the Portugal international still wanted to leave and they received an offer of more than 80million.

After joining from Monaco in 2017, he has proven one of Guardiola's best signings and a fans' favourite.

Silva has said in recent weeks that while he 'loves' Manchester, he yearns for the culture back in Iberia.

Both the club and player have appreciated the honesty in previous discussions and there is a realisation that they will need clarity early on this term.

City boss Pep Guardiola wants Silva, who has two-and-a-half years left on his contract, to stay

Talks with Silva, expected to take place over the coming months, will go some way to dictating City's strategy in the summer transfer window.

They are still on the lookout for a full back but are expected to make a significant investment into the midfield area.

Borussia Dortmund's Jude Bellingham has admirers at City - particularly after an eye-catching display in the Champions League earlier this month - although a host of elite clubs, including Liverpool and Real Madrid, are vying for his signature.

Sporting director Txiki Begiristain is drawing up a list of a few potential replacements for Silva, while captain Ilkay Gundogan's contract expires at the end of the campaign.

Gundogan, impressive since assuming the armband from the departed Fernandinho, has previously refused to rush decisions on his future.
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Talk about a high-steaks contest.

The winners of the 2022 World Steak Challenge have been revealed in a ceremony at Dublins Mansion House, following a full days technical judging at the citys nearby Fire Steakhouse and Bar.

A melt in the mouth Japanese Wagyu steak was crowned the overall winner, also scooping the prize for Worlds Best Sirloin and Worlds Best Grain-Fed.

A melt in the mouth Japanese Wagyu steak (pictured) has been named the world's best steak at the 2022 World Steak Challenge

The winning steak, which is a first-time entry from Japan, is A4 grade, which signifies ultra-premium quality beef in Japan. Produced by Starzen Co, a company that exports Japanese steaks around the world, the Akune Gold steak is carefully cultivated, resulting in the highest quality Wagyu steak, according to a statement.

The cow was a 30-month-old that was raised with a warm climate and abundant water in the Kagoshima region on the island of Kyushu.

The gong for Worlds Best Rib-Eye, meanwhile, went to a Wagyu steak by Australian beef producer Jacks Creek made from a 32-month-old pure-bred cow that had been grain fed.

Judges praised the piece of meat as tender, juicy and full of buttery flavour. Jacks Creek has form when it comes to bagging prizes  last year it took the award for Best Fillet, Best Rib-Eye and Best Grain-Fed.

The winning Japanese steak was from a 30-month-old cow that was raised with a warm climate and abundant water in the Kagoshima region on the island of Kyushu

A full days technical judging for the contest took place at Dublin's Fire Steakhouse and Bar

The prize-winning steaks were revealed in a ceremony at Dublins Mansion House

Elsewhere in the awards, the winning fillet steak was revealed as a steak produced by Italian company MFC Carni thats well-known for its intense flavours, sweet aroma and unique tenderness. The steak was yielded from a cow from Poland that was grain fed and obtained by a cross breed of Polish Holstein and Black Angus cows.

The award for the Best Grass-Fed steak in the world went to a steak from a full-bred Dexter  an Irish breed of cattle - from Linden Foods in Northern Ireland. Sold in Marks & Spencer, this 30-day matured rib eye steak was described by judges as being very tender and rich.

Now in its eighth year, this years competition received more entries than ever before from steak producers and suppliers worldwide.

Overall, Ireland took the most medals with a total of 54 gongs, followed by England with 36 awards and Finland with 28 prizes.

This years competition received more entries than ever before from steak producers and suppliers worldwide

The awards were judged blind by a panel of over 60 independent experts including Richie Wilson, the TV chef and executive chef of Fire Steakhouse, and Ioannis Grammenos, executive chef and meatologist of Heliot Steak House in London.

This years awards took place in conjunction with the official host partner, Bord Bia, which is an Irish government agency that promotes the countrys food; the equipment partner, Synergy Grill Technology; and the judging partner, Fire Steakhouse.

Commenting on the awards, Ed Bedington of World Steak Challenge said: We are thrilled to have a new winner for this years World Steak Challenge. It is very exciting to have our first Japanese entry and consequently the winner of Worlds Best Steak. The vast number of entries from across the globe truly showcases the quality of steak on an international scale.

Overall, Ireland took the most medals with a total of 54 gongs, followed by England with 36 awards

The awards were judged blind by a panel of over 60 independent experts

Mark Zieg, Beef Sector Manager at Bord Bia, said: We are proud to welcome all the producers from around the world here to Ireland, where grass-fed and sustainable farming practices [are] core to our beef industry.

'We export 90 per cent of our beef to over 50 markets around the world, even as far as Japan and the USA, so it is very important to get our origin known and be recognised on the basis of quality and taste. In an environment like the World Steak Challenge with top producers, chefs and judges we feel it is the ideal opportunity to share our values in producing top quality beef.

Richie Wilson, Culinary Director of Fire Steakhouse, added: It was a privilege to welcome the World Steak Challenge to Ireland and to have Fire Steakhouse and Bar as the venue of choice for the 2022 judging process. To have the world's best beef cooked and served by our excellent team to a panel of industry experts was an absolute honour - a massive congratulations to all of the 2022 winners!
After taking fans on her in vitro fertilization (IVF) journey with Travis Barker in the first season of The Kardashians, Kourtney Kardashian gave fans an update in the second Season 2 episode.

Kourtney, 43, and Barker, 46, took a little getaway in Santa Barbara, California when Kris Jenner and Corey Gamble joined them for dinner one night.

Gamble asked over dinner how their 'scrambled egg' was going, as Kourtney reveals one follicle did make it to an embryo.

Kourt and Trav: After taking fans on her in vitro fertilization (IVF) journey with Travis Barker in the first season of The Kardashians, Kourtney Kardashian gave fans an update in the second Season 2 episode

Joined: Kourtney, 43, and Barker, 46, took a little getaway in Santa Barbara, California when Kris Jenner and Corey Gamble joined them for dinner one night

'We don't know. We haven't gotten an answer yet,' Kourtney says, as Travis adds, 'I thought for sure today was going to be the day, babe.'

Kourtney says in confession, 'After eight months of our IVF journey, we took a break and wanted to try things naturally.'

'The doctors had told us that we still had some really good looking follicles and it was the best they had seen,' she added.

No answer: 'We don't know. We haven't gotten an answer yet,' Kourtney says, as Travis adds, 'I thought for sure today was going to be the day, babe'

Break: Kourtney says in confession, 'After eight months of our IVF journey, we took a break and wanted to try things naturally'

'Everyone involved, including our actual doctors, felt we should give it one more shot with an IVF retrieval,' Kourtney added.

'And so we did one final egg retrieval, and we are just waiting on the genetic testing results, but it has made it to an embryo,' Kourtney explains.

Kourtney tells Kris and Corey that everything is as good as it's ever been but now they're just waiting on the testing.

Babies: He told them that they did have a 'good follicle' and they could make 'multiple babies' from that alone

Waiting: Kourtney tells Kris and Corey that everything is as good as it's ever been but now they're just waiting on the testing

The couple made their way to San Diego to see Dr. Wood about IVF in the first season of The Kardashians, though they weren't having the best of luck.

Kourtney explained in confession that they were, 'super excited' because it's the first time they have made it to an egg retrieval in six months.

He told them that they did have a 'good follicle' and they could make 'multiple babies' from that alone.

San Diego: The couple made their way to San Diego to see Dr. Wood about IVF in the first season of The Kardashians, though they weren't having the best of luck

However, Kourtney revealed in a September Wall Street Journal interview that she had stopped her IVF journey with Travis.

'We started an IVF journey, but I stopped. It was a lot. I took a break to just focus on our wedding and getting married,' Kourtney said.

Kourtney and Travis tied the knot back in May in the Italian village of Portofino, following both a Las Vegas ceremony and a courthouse ceremony in Santa Barbara, California.


By Landry Signe





WASHINGTON, D.C.  Africa is on the cusp of an economic transformation. By 2050, consumer and business spending on the continent is expected to reach roughly $16.1 trillion. The coming boom offers tremendous opportunities for global businesses  especially U.S. companies looking for new markets. But unless African policymakers remove existing barriers to regional trade and investment, the continent's economy will struggle to reach its true potential.



Two major trade agreements  the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA)  will make it easier for African countries to trade with one another, and with the United States. Together, the agreements promise to remove longstanding impediments to industrialization.



AGOA, passed by the U.S. Congress in 2000, gives countries in Sub-Saharan Africa preferential trade access, allowing them to export tariff-free products to the U.S. Although it will expire in 2025, U.S. President Joe Biden's Sub-Saharan Africa strategy, unveiled in August, highlights its positive impact and promises to work with Congress on ways to proceed after AGOA lapses.



AfCFTA, on the other hand, is an intra-African trade agreement with no expiration date. Established in 2018, its goal is to deepen trade ties between African countries by removing tariff and non-tariff barriers.



Although these agreements' scope, focus, beneficiaries, and structure differ significantly from each other, they are essential to strengthening African regional integration. Rather than viewing them as separate or competing agreements, policymakers and investors should recognize how they can complement each other in creating, sustaining, and transforming value chains across the continent.



Value creation is critical to Africa's economic transformation. In 2014, manufactured goods accounted for about 41.9 percent of the trade between African countries, compared to 14.8 percent of their exports to the rest of the world. Greater regional integration will provide Africa with a larger supply market, which will accelerate manufacturing specialization and make African producers more competitive globally.



More robust manufacturing industries will provide jobs for low-skilled workers  particularly those not currently integrated into the formal economy. This, in turn, will increase average household incomes, boost domestic demand, spur innovation and diversification, and help protect local economies against external shocks.



AGOA has already created some opportunities for cross-border value chains. Yet despite some success stories like Madagascar's apparel industry, which relies on an extensive regional supply chain, such opportunities remain limited. While integration has improved since AGOA's implementation, particularly since 2015, it remains somewhat superficial: less than 17% of Africa's commercial value is currently generated through intra-African trade.



The real game changer is the AfCFTA. By removing tariffs for a wide range of products across the continent, it will lower production costs and shift foreign direct investment toward manufactured goods, while also reducing transit costs and shortening supply chains  major benefits in a globalized economy.



The International Monetary Fund projects that, under the AfCFTA, Africa's expanded goods and labor markets will become more efficient, driving a significant increase in African countries' competitiveness. By creating a true continental market that increases intra-African trade and impels African countries to participate in "production sharing" at a higher rate, the AfCFTA will likely provide a further incentive to U.S.-based multinationals, which will be able to access a larger market and establish a major global hub. AGOA has already spurred many companies to invest in Africa, and the successful implementation of the AfCFTA will strengthen this trend.



The challenge for policymakers is to accelerate this process and ensure that the two programs complement each other. One way to do this is to deepen and broaden communication channels between Africa and the U.S., making it easier for investors interested in doing business in Africa to be better prepared for the expected growth in demand for regionally-sourced products. Supporting individual countries in implementing the AfCFTA would also help streamline the process.



A key problem that remains to be addressed is AGOA's eligibility criteria, which are set on a country-by-country basis. These criteria can be detrimental to regional integration, as one country's removal could affect another country's supply inputs, thereby creating a ripple effect. For example, when Madagascar was removed from the AGOA-eligible list in 2010 following a coup detat, the five African countries from which it had been sourcing apparel inputs were also punished. Considering the broader effect of country-specific sanctions will help prevent unintended investor risk.



Effective regional integration is essential for Africa. Without it, the continent will continue to be overlooked and outpaced globally in manufacturing, information technologies, and agriculture. When considering the future configuration of both AGOA and the AfCFTA, policymakers should regard them as complementary mechanisms for ensuring Africa's long-term economic development.





Landry Signe, a professor and executive director at Thunderbird School of Global Management at Arizona State University in Washington, D.C., is a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution and a distinguished fellow at Stanford University. This article was distributed by Project Syndicate (www.project-syndicate.org).


Paige Thorne and Adam Collard have brushed off reports they have split with a united front.

In photos obtained exclusively by MailOnline, the Love Island couple look happy and relaxed as they walk hand-in-hand around London's Canary Wharf on Wednesday afternoon.

Last week Adam, 26, hit out at rumours he'd been unfaithful to Paige, 24, when video emerged of him wrapping his arms around a girl in McDonalds - insisting he left the fast food outlet with '60 nuggets and nothing else'.

Still going strong: Paige Thorne and Adam Collard have brushed off reports they have split with a united front, pictured hand in hand on Wednesday afternoon

Dismissing reports that she had asked Adam to give her space, Paige was seen gazing up at her boyfriend as they stopped by a coffee shop close to their London hotel.

A source claimed to The Sun on Wednesday that Paige 'is really upset by everything that has gone on and feels like she is being humiliated.

'She believes Adam didn't do anything and knows women throw themselves at him. But it doesn't mean she doesn't find it difficult when people start gossiping about their relationship and share it on social media.

'Paige had told Adam she needs a break and to spend some time away from him.'

MailOnline has contacted Paige and Adam's representatives for comment.

Working things out: In photos obtained exclusively by MailOnline, the Love Island couple look happy and relaxed as they walk hand-in-hand around London's Canary Wharf

Awkward: In a recent video that emerged on social media, the personal trainer, 26, was recently spotted with his arm around another girl after ending up in McDonald's

The couple, who appeared on both season four and eight of Love Island, became official back in August after leaving the famous villa.

In a recent video that emerged on social media, personal trainer Adam was spotted with his arm around another girl after ending up in McDonald's after a boozy night out.

Adam's rep told The Sun: 'Adam headed to McDonald's after a night out with friends.

'His friends were alongside him when a group of girls asked for photos and Adam being his friendly self was open to posing and chatting to the girls, alongside other fans who wanted to chat in the same video.

'Adam understands how this video looks but wants to state that he left the restaurant with his friends and a box of 60 nuggets (with nothing or no one else) with the intention of getting home safely.

'Adam and Paige are currently dating and Adam only has eyes for her.'

Hitting back: Last week Adam, 26, hit out at rumours he'd been unfaithful - insisting he left the fast food outlet with '60 nuggets and nothing else'

Adam was a controversial figure during his first stint in the villa, with some of his scenes even sparking concerns with bosses at domestic abuse charity Women's Aid.

Adam locked horns with his then partner Rosie Williams in an explosive confrontation, during which he was widely-criticised by viewers for smirking throughout the argument and later leaving her in hysterical tears.

Voicing concern over Adam's actions, which saw him move on to Zara, Katie Ghose, Chief Executive of Womens Aid, said: 'On the latest series of Love Island, there are clear warning signs in Adams behaviour.'

Adam was a late arrival into the villa and was initially paired with Kendall Rae-Knight before Rosie was his next partnership.

Adam's rep said: 'Adam understands how this video looks but wants to state that he left the restaurant with his friends and a box of 60 nuggets (with nothing or no one else)'

The business owner maintained a 'player' reputation after his stint on the show but Paige recently revealed that the ITV producers pushed her to give him a chance.

Speaking on FUBAR radio with Bobby Norris and Stephen Leng, the former contestant confessed that she 'didn't even know' who the bombshell was - despite being warned he was a 'massive player' by the other girls in the villa.

She explained: 'All the girls were like Paige this is Adam, I was like, 'Why are you saying his name like that? I don't know who he is."

On-screen: Paige and Adam, who appeared on both season four and eight of Love Island, became official back in August after leaving the famous villa

'They gave me the lowdown and they were rinsing him, proper giving me the insights on what he used to be like,' she continued.

'Then I was like, "Well, if he was like that then what is he doing in here? He's just going to be a little s**t stirrer. I was going off."'

But the paramedic, who was paired with Jacques O'Neill prior to his exit, then revealed that producers had pulled her aside to try and persuade her to give Adam a chance.

'I got pulled aside and they [producers] were like, "Paige why are you already writing him off before you've had a chance?"' she added.

'I was like, "Because of what the girls have been saying. I don't need to have a chat with him to know there's not going to be a difference."

'And they were like, "No, be open-minded and just talk to him and give him a chance." I was just like, "What is the point, he's just going to be a massive player I'm not in here for a player, I'm here for something serious."

Speaking of their relationship, Paige added: 'It's been so good. This boy, I promise you, he's simping and it's great, I love it. We see each other when we've got time off.

'Obviously, I'm living in Swansea and he's in Newcastle and when we are away, we just keep in touch and text and whatever. But then what we tend to do when we come together, is have proper quality time. So, it works really well in our favour.'

'Me and Adam know where we stand with each other, we know where we are at, we know what were feeling, and we're just not really bothered about anyone else's opinions.'
Sean Penn has joined the cast of the new Stan Original series C*A*U*G*H*T, a satirical comedy series that will begin filming in Sydney later this year.

The six-episode series, directed by actor and filmmaker Kick Gurry, follows four Australian soldiers sent on a secret mission to a war-torn country.

They are captured by freedom fighters after being mistaken for Americans and produce a hostage video that goes viral.

Sean Penn (pictured), 62, has joined the cast of the new Stan Original series C*A*U*G*H*T, a satirical comedy series that will begin filming in Sydney later this year

When the soldiers reach celebrity status, they realise that being caught might just be the best thing that could've happened to them.

Penn, 62, will star in the show and also executive produce alongside producers John Schwarz and Michael Schwarz from Deeper Water Films.

'Kicks brand of irreverence is so charged by an enthusiasm for all things considered inappropriate,' Penn said.

The six-episode series, directed by actor and filmmaker Kick Gurry (pictured), follows four Australian soldiers sent on a secret mission to a war-torn country

Also joining the cast is an array of Australian stars, including Lincoln Younes (left) and former Home and Away star Rebecca Breeds (right)

'From ball-sacks, to fame, idiots and intellectuals, and finally to that creepy-crawly continuum of war.

'C*A*U*G*H*T captures the comedy that is generally confined to foxholes.'

Also joining the cast is an array of Australian stars, including Ben OToole (Detroit), Lincoln Younes (Last King of the Cross), Alexander England (upcoming Stan Original Series Black Snow), Mel Jarnson (Mortal Kombat), Fayssal Bazzi (Stateless), Dorian Nkono (The Twelve) and Rebecca Breeds (Blue Water High, Home and Away).

Black Snow's Erik Thomson (left) and Bloom's Bryan Brown will also star in the series. Production for C*A*U*G*H*T is under way and the series will premiere in 2023

Matthew Fox (Last Light), Bella Heathcote (Bloom), Bryan Brown (Bloom) and Erik Thomson (Black Snow) will also star in the series.

Production for C*A*U*G*H*T is under way and the series will premiere in 2023.

It comes after Penn and his Australian ex-wife Leila George reunited in Sydney for New Year's Eve.

The former couple sparked reconciliation rumours when they were seen with Gurry watching the world-famous fireworks display from a mansion in Point Piper.

It is understood Penn quietly flew into Australia in December. He did not announce his arrival and has kept a low profile on social media.

He and George, 30, have since finalised their divorce.

C*A*U*G*H*T a Stan Original Series is coming soon only to Stan.
Emily Ratajkowski looked stunning in a carousel of images shared on Instagram Wednesday of herself and Son, Sly in the city where she spent time as a child, Sant Juan.

The brunette bombshell looked incredible in baggy green pants and a short black T-shirt as she posed next to a green door. In the second image, the model is in front of the same door while on her father's shoulders as a baby.

These images were shared just after the siren was romantically linked to 58-year-old movie star Brad Pitt.

Childhood spot: Emily Ratajkowski looked stunning in a carousel of images shared on Instagram Wednesday of herself and Son, Sly in the city where she spent time as a child, Sant Juan

Same green door: The brunette bombshell looked incredible in baggy green pants and a midriff, black T-shirt as she posed next to a green door. In the second image, the model is in the same location in front of the same door while on her fathers shoulders as a baby

The My Body author wrote on her Instagram caption, 'As I walked Sly around, this lovely man (third slide!) pulled over in his car and came up to me holding Mi Cuerpo (my book in Spanish!) He told me that him and his daughter have read it. Talk about a full circle, universe coming together, magical moment.'

The Blurred Lines music video muse added an image of the man holding her book as well as childhood photos of herself in that area feeding a goat, listening to music and playing outside in a shower.

The mini vacation with her son was likely a much-needed timeout for the i-Carly alum who has paved her way in recent years as a style icon on and off the runway.

As a child: Young Emily is pictured on a man's shoulders, probably her father, as she touches the same green door she posed in front of with her son, Sly

Magical moment: The My Body author wrote on her Instagram caption, 'As I walked Sly around, this lovely man (third slide!) pulled over in his car and came up to me holding Mi Cuerpo (my book in Spanish!) He told me that him and his daughter have read it. Talk about a full circle, universe coming together, magical moment'

The Vogue model seems to be enjoying her new life and personal time as a single mother-of-one after ending a four-year marriage to Sebastian Bear-McClard amid rumors that he had cheated on the supermodel.

And now it looks as if the star has a new love interest.

Emily and Pitt have reportedly been spending time together.

Beautiful girl: The Blurred Lines music video muse added an image of her younger self holding a fan

Future supermodel: The 58-year-old Bullet Train actor and the supermodel have been seeing each other but are not 'officially dating'

On Monday morning PageSix claimed that the 58-year-old Bullet Train actor and the supermodel have been seeing each other but are not 'officially dating.'

According to People, the Oscar-winning actor and the model can't seem to get enough of each other.

'They are spending a lot of time together,' the insider told the site.

New love?: According to People , the 58-year-old Oscar-winning actor and the 31-year-old My Body author can't seem to get enough of each other. 'They are spending a lot of time together,' the insider told the site

Happy kid: The mother-of-one brought her son to the same town where she grew up and shared memories of her time there as a kid, in one image feeding a baby goat with a baby-bottle

Last week there was chatter on social media that the brunette bombshell and the veteran actor were seeing each other, but there was no proof.

The PageSix source shared, 'People have been speculating about this for a while. Brad is not dating anybody. They [Pitt and Ratajkowski] have been seen a couple times together.'

PageSix did not say what city the two have been spending time in, but she has been in New York lately and then last week went to Italy for the Versace show. On Sunday Pitt was in Paris.

Could this be real? Brad Pitt and Ratajkowski have reportedly been spending time together. On Monday morning PageSix claimed that the 58-year-old Bullet Train actor and the 31-year-old Versace supermodel have been seeing each other but are not 'officially dating'

But it looks like Emily is not the only one, as the insider said that he has also 'been seen with other people' in recent months.

And then it was added that he is not really dating 'anyone in particular.'

In August OK magazine also claimed Pitt was getting close to Ratajkowski: 'He asked her out, and she said yes. Shes always thought Brad was cute, and the way she saw it, what did she have to lose?'

Jet setter: The cover girl has been in New York lately and then last week went to Italy for the Versace show (pictured)

Meanwhile, Pitt is divorced from Angelina Jolie but he is still arguing with her over custody of their kids.

Two of the kids are adults - Maddox is 21 and Pax is 18. But there are four other kids: Zahara, 17, Shiloh, 16, and twins Vivienne and Knox, 14.

One of the only women he seems to have dated since Jolie is model Nicole Poturalski.
She is known for her impeccable sense of style and chic on-camera wardrobe.

But Carrie Bickmore's brightly coloured outfit on Wednesday's episode of The Project left viewers scratching their heads.

The 41-year-old wore a one-shouldered dress with a neon swirl print, leaving some fans questioning whether her stylist had the night off.

Carrie Bickmore's brightly coloured outfit on The Project left viewers scratching their heads

In contrast, Bickmore's co-hosts Waleed Aly, Rachel Corbett and Peter Helliar all wore professional black suits.

Twitter trolls said her frock looked like it belonged at a house party instead of a current affairs program, while others said she stuck out like a sore thumb next to her modestly dressed colleagues.

'I'm not sure who chose Carrie's dress, but it looks more like she's going to a fluro house party or something,' one viewer tweeted.

The 41-year-old wore a one-shouldered dress with a neon swirl print, leaving some fans questioning whether her stylist had the night off

Her co-hosts Waleed Aly, Rachel Corbett and Peter Helliar all wore professional black suits

'Me too... unfortunately she looks ridiculous next to the professionally dressed team. Such a pity because she used to wear lovely suits and chic dresses,' another agreed.

It comes just a day after Bickmore was forced to apologise for making multiple blunders while hosting The Project on Tuesday night.

The journalist stammered and stumbled over her lines several times, with her fellow panelists remarking on her strange and erratic behaviour.

Twitter trolls said her frock looked like it belonged at a house party instead of a news program, while others said she stuck out like a sore thumb next to her modestly dressed colleagues

After the chaotic broadcast, she posted a compilation of her gaffes on Instagram and apologised to viewers for her mistakes.

'I lost the plot on tonight's show and this is only a small sample of the mayhem I blame [co-host] Kate Langbroek. Sorry, everyone!' she wrote.

Her first mistake came when she repeatedly slipped over her words while trying to introduce Guardian Australia political reporter Amy Remeikis.

It comes just a day after Bickmore was forced to apologise for making multiple blunders while hosting The Project on Tuesday night

'She joins us ow - now,' she stuttered. 'Sorry, I'm really struggling tonight!'

She later asked Remeikis: 'Amy, what do you think - do you think this has the capacity to see some big head roll - some big heads roll?'

After this gaffe, she buried her head in her hands in embarrassment.

The 41-year-old stammered and stumbled over her lines several times, with her fellow panelists remarking on her strange and erratic behaviour

Helliar later joked that an alarm in the background of the taping was coming from the 'minibar' in Bickmore's dressing room.

Daily Mail Australia is not suggesting Bickmore was under the influence of alcohol.

Also during the show, Bickmore blurted out to Langbroek and guest panelist Dr Chris Brown that she'd 'never found a lost dog'.

After the chaotic broadcast, she posted a compilation of her gaffes on Instagram and apologised to viewers for her mistakes

Bickmore burst out laughing, which prompted Helliar to joke again: 'Our producers are telling us pre-show drinks are cancelled! No more, no more.'

Langbroek, who was filling in for Aly, wrote on Instagram after the show: 'Im still not sure what happened tonight.'

Fox FM presenter Fifi Box commented, 'This is sooooooooooo funny,' while KIIS FM host Jackie 'O' Henderson added: 'This is the best, Carrie!!!!'
Kanye West teased Balenciaga's upcoming runway show for their Summer 2023 collection with his Instagram following on Wednesday.

The 45-year-old rapper, who previously collaborated with the luxury fashion house, shared an image of a dirty old sedan that had the details scrawled on the window and hood.

It read 'Balenciaga' followed by 'Summer 23 collection. Oct. 2nd, 2022 11:30 AM ET on Balenciaga.com.'

Coming soon: Kanye West teased Balenciaga's upcoming runway show for their Summer 2023 collection with his Instagram following on Wednesday

Kanye shared the photo to his Instagram story during the afternoon.

The businessman previously collaborated with Balenciaga on the 'Yeezy GAP engineered by Balenciaga' collection, which released its second drop last week.

Sweaters, puffy jackets and other pieces/accessories from the collection retail for upwards of $80, according to the website.

Balenciaga designer Demna Gvasalia worked alongside the rapper, now known as Ye, to deliver 'his vision of utilitarian design for all,' as per Vogue Business.

The line was released back in July though Kanye recently announced an end to his contract with Gap. It was supposed to be a 10-year deal, but he ended the partnership last week after just two years, as reported by Entrepreneur.

The 45-year-old rapper, who previously collaborated with the luxury fashion house, shared an image of a dirty old sedan that had the details scrawled on the window and hood

Supermodel: Kanye's ex-wife Kim Kardashian also has ties to Balenciaga as she recently appeared in the campaign for the brand's Winter 2022 collection

'I'm sorry, I am not going to argue with people that are broker than me about money,' he said to CNBC.

Kanye's ex-wife Kim Kardashian also has ties to Balenciaga as she recently appeared in the campaign for the brand's Winter 2022 collection.

Despite public tensions between the pair, he notably showed support by sharing an image from Kim's campaign to social media in February.

Kanye's recent social media post came shortly after it was reported he hired Melinda Gates' lawyer to handle a dispute with his ex-wife Kim Kardashian.

Bigwig: Kanye's recent social media post came shortly after it was reported he hired Melinda Gates' lawyer to handle a dispute with his ex-wife Kim Kardashian; Kanye seen in May

Slowing things down? At the time West switched representation from Melcher to Spector, Kardashian's lawyer Laura Wasser said that West had been 'strategically' switching lawyers in an effort to slow down the legal process in the split, Mirror reported (Kim and Kanye pictured 2016)

Robert Stephan Cohen, who has also previously represented Rupert Murdoch and Chris Rock, has become Kanye's sixth divorce attorney, according to TMZ.

As Cohen is in New York and Kanye's legal separation being waged in Los Angeles, the rapper has also retained Beverly Hills based attorney Nicholas A Salick of Salick Family Law Group, APLC as counsel in California, reports the site.

Cohen marks the sixth attorney Kanye has hired in his divorce from Kim. Kanye is still working on settling custody and property issues with his ex-wife.

Last month, Kanye's fifth divorce lawyer, Samantha Spector, withdrew from the case due to an irreconcilable breakdown with the rapper.

Prior to Spector, West relieved attorney Chris Melcher of his duties in the case, TMZ reported in March.

Insiders told the outlet at the time that West had been indecisive in his dealings with Melcher, at some times looking to settle and other times looking to battle her in court.

At the time West switched representation from Melcher to Spector, Kardashian's lawyer Laura Wasser said that West had been 'strategically' switching lawyers in an effort to slow down the legal process in the split, Mirror reported.

Bringing out the big guns: Robert Stephan Cohen, who has also previously represented Rupert Murdoch and Chris Rock, has become Kanye's sixth divorce attorney

Split: Cohen represented Melinda during her divorce from Bill Gates, her husband of 27 years

Kardashian filed to divorce West in February of 2021 after more than six years of marriage and four children together.

She began dating comic Pete Davidson last fall, but they split up after nine months together in August.

Kim has had a contentious co-parenting relationship with Kanye since their split.

Family matters: Kim shares daughters North, nine, Chicago, four, and sons Saint, six, and Psalm, three, with West

Several weeks ago, Kanye accused Kim and Hulu, the Kardashian family's streaming giant partner, of railroading him when choosing where the kids go to school.

He compared himself to a sperm donor without a say, and fumed over the fact that the kids were attending a posh private school in L.A. when he wanted them to go to his school, the Donda Academy, set up in honor of his late mother.

In an apparent sign of victory - or at least peace with Kim - he recently shared videos of his two oldest children North, nine, and Saint, six, at his school - the Donda Academy. They appeared happily singing and dancing with a group of other children and teachers.

In a recent interview with Good Morning America, Kanye - who now goes by just Ye - explained that as he and Kim warred over the kids' upbringing, he was also battling Adidas and Gap over creative control of his Yeezy products.

Splitsville: Kardashian filed to divorce West in February of 2021 after more than six years of marriage and four children together

'These little nuances... there were parallels at Gap, at Adidas and in my home. It was kind of a disregard for the voice I have in something I co-created. I co-created the children, I co-created the product at Gap and I co-created the product at Adidas,' he said.

'I want my kids to go to Donda and I have to fight for a say so.

He however said he had a 'new respect' for Kim, and that he always wanted her to be 'calm'.

'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. I need this person to be less stressed and of the best, sound mind and as calm as possible to be able to raise those children at the end of the day,' he said.
George Clooney revealed one of the biggest mistakes he made with his wife Amal, when it comes to their five-year-old twins Alexander and Ella: teaching them Italian.

The 61-year-old actor was joined by his 44-year-old wife on CBS Mornings on Wednesday, to promote their new awards show, the Clooney Foundation for Justice's inaugural Albie Awards.

Host Gayle King asked what 'delights' them at that age, when the actor revealed they didn't realize what a mistake teaching them Italian would be.

Mistake: George Clooney revealed one of the biggest mistakes he made with his wife Amal, when it comes to their five-year-old twins Alexander and Ella: teaching them Italian

Mistake: Host Gayle King asked what 'delights' them at that age, when the actor revealed they didn't realize what a mistake teaching them Italian would be

Casual chic: The star wore a black blazer, matching button-down shirt with two buttons undone at the top and a pair of matching slacks

'We made a terrible mistake. We taught them Italian... but we don't speak Italian,' Clooney explained.

'We've armed them with a language they can harm us with, and we don't really know what they're saying,' Clooney admitted, adding they also speak French.

The actor also joked that he's from Kentucky and, 'English is my second language, while Amal revealed their son Alexander is taking after his old man as a prankster.

Mistake: 'We made a terrible mistake. We taught them Italian... but we don't speak Italian,' Clooney explained

Armed: 'We've armed them with a language they can harm us with, and we don't really know what they're saying,' Clooney admitted, adding they also speak French

'Our son is now a big prankster. You've taught him all of these lessons and now he's pranking his dad back,' Amal added.

George added that Alexander's favorite superhero is Batman, though he doesn't seem too impressed that his father once played the Caped Crusader.

'I go, "You know, I was Batman," and he goes, "Yeah, but not anymore," Clooney joked, referring to his portrayal in 1997's Batman and Robin, adding, 'If only he knew how true that was.'

Son: 'Our son is now a big prankster. You've taught him all of these lessons and now he's pranking his dad back,' Amal added

Favorite: George added that Alexander's favorite superhero is Batman, though he doesn't seem too impressed that his father once played the Caped Crusader

Clooney was in Los Angeles earlier this month, opening the Roybal School of Film and Television Production Magnet in downtown Los Angeles, where he also joked about his twins.

When asked about how he'd feel about his own children - 5-year-old twins Alexander and Ella - pursuing a showbiz career, Clooney joked they're already smarter than him.

'They can do whatever they want. My guess is that they're a little smarter than me, so, they'll probably do something -- they already speak three languages, so, I'm still working on English,' Clooney quipped.

School: George added that Alexander's favorite superhero is Batman, though he doesn't seem too impressed that his father once played the Caped Crusader

Genius kids: 'They can do whatever they want. My guess is that they're a little smarter than me, so, they'll probably do something -- they already speak three languages, so, I'm still working on English,' Clooney quipped

Happy: He was all smiles as he left the TV studio afterwards

Hunk: He sported facial hair and looked as handsome as ever

Fans: He greeted people as he left in the car

Bronzed: He sported a tan

He also discussed the inaugural Clooney Foundation for Justice's inaugural Albie Awards, with presenters such as Meryl Streep, Oscar Isaac, Dua Lipa and Michelle Obama.

Amal revealed the awards, which King said, 'shines a light on individuals who are devoting their lives to justice at great personal risk to themsleves,' are named after South African lawyer and activist Albie Sachs, who she described as a, 'human rights hero.'

'When we were thinking of who we wanted to win the Lifetime Achievement Award and who we wanted to name the entire ceremony after, he was the first name that came to mind and we couldn't think of anyone better,' Amal said.

Award: He also discussed the inaugural Clooney Foundation for Justice's inaugural Albie Awards, with presenters such as Meryl Streep, Oscar Isaac, Dua Lipa and Michelle Obama
Ree Drummond posted a series of images on Instagram Wednesday showing off her new sleepwear collection.

She also enlisted the help of her two gorgeous daughters. The Pioneer Woman, 53, modeled her vibrant designs along with her girls Paige Drummond, 22, and Alex Drummond Scott, 25.

The affordable line of satin robes, knit sleep gowns, and cozy two-piece pajamas, available at Walmart, all run under $20 dollars and feature a wide variety of floral prints.

Pioneer PJs: Ree Drummond looked radiant as she modeled her colorful new collection of affordable sleepwear in new images shared this week

Proud mother: The Food Network star glowed with pride while promoting her new business venture

'Jammies!!' captioned the lifestyle maven. Ree went on to describe her new sleepwear collection as 'so cute, comfy, and kinda luscious.'

'Hope you find a cute set or two that you love!' she declared to her 4.2 million Instagram followers. The proud mother of five beamed in the images while her two daughters positively glowed in their mother's latest creations.

The resemblance between the three is quite striking as the only difference between Ree and her daughters appears to be the redheaded matriarch's famous hair color. Both girls seem to be incredibly close with their superstar mom, with Alex even helping to manage her mother's many thriving businesses.

Pajama party: Alex, left, and Paige, right, proved that they are as close as can be while helping their famous mother promote her vibrant designs

The next generation: Alex, 25, has followed in her mother's footsteps by helping to run various aspects of Ree's ever-expanding business empire

'I kind of just help her out with a lot of different things,' explained Alex over Instagram Live last year. 'So I work for my mom, I help out with the show, I help out with some of her marketing and PR efforts.'

'My boss is really strict,' she joked. Ree herself has gone on to talk about working with her oldest daughter. 'One thing's for sure,' she wrote in a blog post, 'Alex's job is never boring! There's always something going on!'

Alex married her husband Mauricio Scott last year on the family ranch in Pawhuska, Oklahoma. Mauricio works for a technology consulting company and the couple divide their time between Oklahoma and Dallas, Texas. 'He's a hard worker!' Alex proudly declared over Instagram Live.

New graduate: Paige, 22, overcame a minor brush with the law back in 2019 to graduate from college in May of this year and enter the workforce as a thriving adult

The bond between Alex and her younger sister seems to be strong since Paige served as Alex's maid of honor. A recent graduate of the University of Arkansas, Paige earned her bachelor's degree in May of this year and she is currently holding down her first job as an associate at a management consulting firm.

This successful launch into adulthood comes after a minor brush with the law back in 2019 when Paige was arrested in her home state of Oklahoma for public intoxication. The Food Network star's daughter paid over $400 dollars in court fees and the district attorney later approved a request to dismiss both charges, expunging the crime from Paige's record.

Through it all, Ree has weathered the ups and downs of parenting to raise a closely connected family. 'I make them hug a lot,' she blogged back in 2020. Both of her daughters seem to be in firm agreement that Ree is an amazing mother. 'Thank you God for moms!!!' Alex captioned a Mother's Day tribute on Instagram this year. 'I don't know what I would do without you,' wrote Paige. 'I wish I could celebrate the mother that you are everyday!'
Bella Hadid showcased her edgy sense of style as she stepped out in Paris during Fashion Week on Wednesday.

The model, 25, looked incredible in a plunging leather top as she stepped out hand-in-hand with her boyfriend Marc Kalman.

She teamed the red halterneck with a pair of skin-tight trousers and knee-high boots for her evening out in in the French Capital ahead of her catwalk appearances.

Racy: Bella Hadid, 25, showcased her edgy sense of style as she stepped out in Paris during Fashion Week on Wednesday

Bella completed her ensemble with an oversized biker jacket and leopard print handbag.

She pushed her brunette locks away from her face with a thin headband and opted for a bronzed makeup palette.

Marc put on an equally edgy display in a graphic printed top and washed out cargo trousers.

Loved-up: The model looked incredible in a plunging leather top as she stepped out hand-in-hand with her boyfriend Marc Kalman

Stunning: Bella looked in good spirits during her busy week as she smiled and waved at photographers

He topped off his outfit with a pair of Dr Marten brogues as he appeared to have colour coordinated his look with his beau's.

Bella looked in good spirits during her busy week as she smiled and waved at photographers.

The appearance comes after Bella walked in the Burberry Fashion Show on Monday in London.

Incredible: She teamed the red halterneck with a pair of skin-tight trousers and knee-high boots for her evening out in in the French Capital ahead of her catwalk appearances

Stylish: Bella completed her ensemble with an oversized biker jacket and leopard print handbag

Radiant: The model opted for a bronzed makeup palette to enhance her complexion

Bella has been joined on her Fashion Week tour by her boyfriend, who was also spotted with her in London on Tuesday night.

She started dating Marc back in 2020 after ending her on-again, off-again relationship with The Weeknd.

Earlier this year, the five-foot-nine beauty spoke about her relationship with her boyfriend and praised Marc's hard work ethic, adding they had grown very close over their romance.

'I'm really proud of Marc, who's like my emotional support bunny and is incredibly talented at everything he does,' she said.
They had VIP seats in the front row at the star-studded Balmain show during Paris Fashion Week earlier in the evening.

And the party continued for Nicola Peltz and her husband Brooklyn Beckham on Wednesday night as they hit the town in Paris.

Nicola changed into another chic look as the couple departed the Peninsula Hotel. hand in hand, heading for drinks at the famous Costes Hotel Bar.

Partying in Paris: The party continued for Nicola Peltz and her husband Brooklyn Beckham on Wednesday night as they hit the town in Paris after enjoying the Balmain show at PFW

The actress put on a leggy display in a racy red leather mini skirt and matching jacket for her night out.

She showed off her long legs in the skirt which was teamed with semi-sheer tights and black platform heels.

A chic black poloneck jumper and flawless makeup completed her Parisian look.

Brooklyn meanwhile let his wife steal the limelight, keeping his look low key with loose-fitting jeans and a black sweater.

Leggy: Nicola changed into another chic look as the couple departed the Peninsula Hotel. hand in hand, heading for drinks at the famous Costes Hotel Bar

Earlier in the evening Nicola looked sensational in a leather crop top and structured mini skirt that showed off her tiny waist, as the couple hit the Balmain runway show alongside the likes of Kylie Jenner.

The couple could be set for a family reunion later in Paris Fashion Week as Brooklyn's mother Victoria prepares to show her latest collection in the city.

Sources have recently claimed that there is an ongoing familial rift between Nicola and her mother-in-law.

Quick change: The actress put on a leggy display in a racy red leather mini skirt and matching jacket for her night out

Night out: Earlier in the evening Nicola looked sensational in a leather crop top and structured mini skirt that showed off her tiny waist, as the couple hit the Balmain runway show

Victoria has been preparing for Paris Fashion Week and shared her excitement before heading to the French capital.

On Tuesday she shared the first official announcement of the show, posting on her social media that her self-titled brand's first appearance at Paris Fashion Week will be streamed across Instagram stories, TikTok, YouTube and her website.

She also posted on her Instagram on Monday to her 30.2million followers: '#ParisFashionWeek is calling! I'm so excited for a busy week ahead of my #PFW debut... a bientot,', which translates to 'See you soon.'

Love: The couple have been sharing their time at Paris Fashion Week with a series of loved-up Instagram snaps
Dami Im is 'overjoyed' with being a new mother, but there is one thing in particular that makes her swoon over her baby boy Harrison Kim.

The X Factor Australia winner, 34, told The Australian Women's Weekly (on sale now) it's very difficult to make her infant son laugh, but when she does she feels like she will 'explode' with joy.

'All day you can see me, Noah [her husband] and my parents working so hard to make him smile,' she said.

Dami Im, 34, (left) is 'overjoyed' with being a new mother, but there is one thing in particular that makes her swoon over her baby boy Harrison Kim. (Both pictured here with Dami's husband Noah Kim)

She continued: 'And when he does, we're all like, "Ahhh!" We are overjoyed. I feel like I am going to explode from so much joy just watching my baby smile.'

Dami and Noah Kim welcomed their first child together on May 12.

She shared photos of the newborn to Instagram to announce the birth, and captioned the reel: 'My burrito, welcome to this world. 12.05.22. Harrison Noah Kim.'

The X Factor Australia winner, 34, revealed it's very difficult to make her infant son laugh, but when she does she feels like she will 'explode' with joy

In the images, Harrison is wrapped up tight, first in a lion motif blanket and then in a white swaddle with a pastel design.

Dami revealed last December she was expecting her first child with Noah, sharing her sonogram on Instagram.

'I got a gig booked in Brisbane for May 2022 at the maternity ward,' she wrote.

Dami and Noah Kim (right) welcomed their first child together on May 12

The former reality star married husband Noah in Seoul, South Korea, in 2012.

A year later she would become an overnight star by winning The X Factor Australia.

Dami, who is known for songs including Sound of Silence and Super Love, performed at the Eurovision Song Contest in 2016, placing second overall.

She recently made a comeback with new album My Reality which was released on October 29 and peaked at No. 12 on the ARIA album chart.

She shared photos of the newborn to Instagram to announce the birth, and captioned the reel: 'My burrito, welcome to this world. 12.05.22. Harrison Noah Kim'


By Lee Jae-woong



It has been more than seven months since the war in Ukraine broke out. Europe is suffering from the most tragic conflict since World War II. There has been no tangible progress on diplomacy, and no one knows when the war will end. As Russia countered the sanctions by cutting its supplies of oil and gas to European countries, people in Europe are worrying about stiff rises of the prices of heat and electricity in the coming winter.



Adding insult to injury to countries in Europe, there are concerns that the Balkan region  traditionally tagged as a powder keg region in Europe in the early 20th century  may fall into another crisis caused by the ongoing conflict between Serbia and Kosovo.





Korean Ambassador to Serbia Lee Jae-woong
The Irwins have shared a message of support for Florida residents affected by Hurricane Ian, which just made landfall on the state's south-western coast.

Bindi, whose husband Chandler Powell is from Florida and has relatives there, issued a statement via Instagram on behalf of her family on Thursday.

'Sending strength to everyone in Florida during the enormous events of Hurricane Ian,' the 24-year-old conservationist wrote.

The Irwins have shared a message of support for Florida residents affected by Hurricane Ian, which just made landfall on the state's south-western coast. (Pictured: Bindi, centre, with mother Terri, husband Chandler, brother Robert and daughter Grace)

'Our friends, family and everyone in Florida at this time - know our hearts are with you,' she continued.

She also shared a photo of an American alligator, which is native to Florida.

Many of Bindi's Floridian followers thanked the wildlife warrior for her kind words.

Bindi, whose husband Chandler Powell (left) is from Florida and has relatives there, issued a statement via Instagram on behalf of her family on Thursday

One fan wrote 'thanks from Jacksonville FL,' while a Tampa resident said they were also 'sending love to Australia'.

Hurricane Ian plowed into Florida's Gulf Coast with catastrophic force on Wednesday, unleashing howling winds, torrential rains and a treacherous surge of ocean surf which made it one of the most powerful U.S. storms in recent years.

Ian made landfall at 3:05pm EDT near Cayo Costa, a barrier island just west of Fort Myers, as a Category 4 hurricane, with sustained winds of up to 150 mph (241 kph).

She also shared a photo of an American alligator, which is native to Florida

Governor Ron DeSantis said Ian had generated life-threatening storm surges - waves of wind-driven seawater flooding along the coast - of up to 12 feet (3.7 metres) in some places.

Forecasters also warned of intense thunderstorms and possible tornadoes, with up to 2 feet of rain expected in parts of central Florida as the storm moved further inland.

'This is a storm we will talk about for many years to come, a historic event,' said Ken Graham, director of the National Weather Service.
Doc Martin

RATING: ****

Nine Perfect Strangers

RATING: **

Next patient, please! As Martin Clunes prepares to hang up his stethoscope on Doc Martin (ITV), his surgery is busier than ever.

Caitlyn the publican has eczema. Joe the village bobby is suffering with his feet... nothing to do with his clodhopper boots but because a fish pedicure has left infection between his toes. And the local herbalist's baby has caught mumps (the mother refused to let her children have the MMR jab).

Next patient, please! As Martin Clunes prepares to hang up his stethoscope on Doc Martin (ITV), his surgery is busier than ever

That's all before this week's guest star, Lesley Nicol (cook Mrs Patmore from Downton), collapses because her wild-swimming wetsuit is too tight around the neck.

In earlier series, any one of these ailments might have sustained us through an entire episode. Now the curmudgeonly GP barely has time to make his diagnosis before the next crisis hits.

His former receptionist Janice is violently ill over a date night supper of scallops. And Chicken the dog has detected that Ruth (Dame Eileen Atkins) has a potentially fatal deep-vein thrombosis  which serves her right for going on long-haul flights at her elderly age, grumbles Dr Ellingham.

The actor may have run out of steam but the drama clearly hasn't yet. Not only are there countless undiscovered rare diseases blowing around Cornwall, but big names are queuing up to appear

It's as though we're cramming for an end-of-show examination, recapping every illness that might have been overlooked in the past 18 years. 'I think we've done everything,' Clunes told the Mail's Weekend magazine earlier this month. 'It'd be great to carry on but I don't think we could keep it as good.'

The actor may have run out of steam but the drama clearly hasn't yet. Not only are there countless undiscovered rare diseases blowing around Cornwall, but big names are queuing up to appear.

We've already seen Fay Ripley, and now her Cold Feet co-star Hermione Norris has breezed in, as the Doc's ex-girlfriend. Next week promises an appearance from Kenneth Cranham, while earlier this month we enjoyed a madly eccentric visit from Ben Miller.

Earlier this month we enjoyed a madly eccentric visit from Ben Miller. Ben may hold the remedy Doc Martin needs

Ben may hold the remedy Doc Martin needs. When he announced he was quitting Death In Paradise, the Caribbean detective show simply brought in an identikit replacement  same personality, same clothes, different actor.

And then it happened again... and again. What seemed a highly improbable plot device has become a much-loved TV stalwart.

Perhaps all we need to restore Doc Martin to full health is another taciturn bloke with a world-weary frown. And since he's just left Shetland, I believe Douglas Henshall might be available.

Nicole Kidman won't be, because she's busy appearing in every TV adaptation of Liane Moriarty's novels.

After her superb performance as a frustrated school-gates mother in Big Little Lies, she's now hamming it up with a ludicrous Russian accent, in a lavish version of Moriarty's bestseller Nine Perfect Strangers (C4).

Nicole Kidman plays Masha, a guru who claims she died in a shooting but was somehow resurrected

A bizarre mix of kooky Californian satire and chilling creepiness, this eight-part series was first streamed online last year and is now airing for free.

Kidman plays Masha, a guru who claims she died in a shooting but was somehow resurrected. As proof, she has a birthmark on her breastbone, like a trickle of blood.

The 'nine strangers' are the pampered clientele at her 'wellness retreat', where she feeds them fruit smoothies blended to match their biometric profiles (that's the satire) and taunts them about past traumas (that's where it gets creepy).

After her superb performance as a frustrated school-gates mother in Big Little Lies, Kidman is now hamming it up with a ludicrous Russian accent, in a lavish version of Moriarty's bestseller Nine Perfect Strangers

'You have all come here to die,' she tells them, 'and I will bring you back.' As a straightforward set-up for a horror movie, that could work. But the script keeps dragging in laboured jokes about influencers, embarrassing dads and the menopause.

Ignore the title: this concept is far from perfect.
Damian Lewis put on a cosy display with his new girlfriend Alison Mosshart as they attended The Big Pink's album launch in London on Wednesday.

The actor, 51, has embarked on a new romance with the American musician, 43, following the tragic death of his wife Helen McCrory to cancer in April 2021.

The new couple made another public appearance at The House of KOKO, just more than a month after they confirmed their relationship.

Loved-up: Damian Lewis, 51, put on a cosy display with his new girlfriend Alison Mosshart, 43, as they attended The Big Pink's album launch in London on Wednesday

Damian looked smart in a dogtooth blazer and matching trousers that he paired with a grey T-shirt.

He topped his look off with a coordinating baker boy hat and brown brogues as he pulled Alison in close for a photo.

The musician showed off her eclectic sense of style in a vibrant green printed shirt with a pair of pink trousers.

Sweet: Damian looked smart in a dogtooth blazer and matching trousers that he paired with a grey T-shirt

Adorable: He topped his look off with a coordinating baker boy hat and brown brogues as he pulled Alison in close for a photo

She wore her blonde locks loose with a hint of a wave and added a feline flick of black eyeliner.

They have made a number of public appearances together in recent days as they were last seen out-and-about exploring New York City.

The couple are thought to have met through mutual friends while in London and have grown increasingly fond of one another, Mosshart's mother Vivian, 76, told DailyMail.com.

Party: The couple were joined by Robbie Furze and Jamie Hince of The Big Pink as they celebrated the launch of their new album The Love That's Ours

Speaking exclusively from her home in Florida, she said: 'I don't know how much flak I'm going to get for all of this but of course we are excited for her.

'They have mutual friends. I don't know exactly how they met but I'm fine with it. If she's happy, we are happy. I'm yet to meet him but certainly I'd like to.'

The pair were first photographed together in July at a swanky fundraising party for London's National Gallery.

A fellow passenger, who spotted the pair travelling to the event by train, told The Mail on Sunday that the two looked '100 per cent romantically involved  like they were on a hot date'.

Guests: Also in attendance at the event was Rafferty Law and Andrew Radix

VIP's: Kevin Bishop, Paul Rowe, Marley Mackey and Noel Gallagher (L-R) stepped out to celebrate the album launch

They were seen again at the Serpentine Gallery's annual summer party - one of the highlights of the British capital's social season.

The pair were once more snapped at the British Formula One Grand Prix at Silverstone, with Alison taking to Instagram afterwards to write: 'The absolute thrill. I'm still floating at 200 miles per hour.'

They then confirmed their relationship during an appearance at private members' club The House of KOKO's summer party in July, during which Damian wore his wedding ring.

Smart: Matt Smith opted for an all-black ensemble with a long trench coat

Couple: Frontman Robbie Furze was joined by his wife Lady Mary Charteris as they posed for a photo together

Damian's late wife, Peaky Blinders actress Helen, tragically died after a secret battle with breast cancer last year.

Following her death, he revealed how his late wife had urged him to find love again, telling him and their children that she wanted 'Daddy to have lots of girlfriends'.

Damian said in a social media post: 'She died as she lived. Fearlessly. God we love her and know how lucky we are to have had her in our lives. She blazed so brightly. Go now, Little One, into the air.'

Stylish: Dynamo opted for a Palace bomber jacket with a hoodie and black jeans

In a moving eulogy, Damian further revealed how his late wife had urged him to find love again, telling him, their son Gulliver, 14, and daughter Manon, 15, not to dwell upon her passing.

'Her generosity has extended to encouraging us three to live. Live fully, take opportunities, have adventures,' he wrote.

'She said to us from her bed, 'I want Daddy to have girlfriends, lots of them, you must all love again, love isn't possessive'.

'But you know, Damian, try at least to get through the funeral without snogging someone.'
The stars of the long-awaited film The Good House were out for a special screening at The Robin Williams Center in New York City on Wednesday.

Morena Baccarin, who's among the main cast of the comedy-drama, attended the event with her husband, actor Ben McKenzie, by her side.

In the movie, Sigourney Weaver plays a New England real estate agent who understands all of her neighbors' problems, all while being in denial about her own issues, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Special event: Ben McKenzie, 44, played the role of supportive husband when he attended a special screening of the film The Good House alongside wife and star Morena Baccarin, 43, at The Robin Williams Center in New York City on Wednesday

Ahead of the showing, Baccarin, 43, stepped out for her red carpet moment decked out in a gorgeous strapless black and burgundy gown.

She accessorized with a matching bracelet and necklace combination, along with an assortment of rings and dangling earrings.

On this night, she opted to have her raven tresses pulled back off her face in a sleek bun.

McKenzie, 44, looked handsome in a black-patterned suit that he matched with a white dress shirt and black leather shoes.

He too went with the slick-back look for his short dark brown hair.

Stunner: Baccarin looked elegant in a black and burgundy gown that she accessorized with a matching bracelet and necklace combination, along with an assortment of rings and dangling earrings and her dark locks pulled back in a slick-back style

Stylin': McKenzie , who's best known for his roles in The O.C., Southland and Gotham, looked handsome in a black-patterned suit and white dress shirt

Main role; In the film, Baccarin plays one of the the main unhappily marrieds

Weaver, 72, who's best known for her iconic roles in the Alien film franchise, would eventually hit the red carpet in a black dress, white blazer, black sandals, and her brown tresses just shy of shoulder-length.

Directed by Maya Forbes and Wally Wolodarsky from a screenplay the duo co-wrote with Thomas Bezucha, The Good House is based on the 2013 novel of the same name by Ann Leary.

Leary, 60, was on hand for the event in a black-patterned dress alongside her husband, actor and comedian Denis Leary, 65.

Going strong: McKenzie and Baccarin celebrated their fifth wedding anniversary this past June

Leading ladies: Baccarin also struck a pose along side the film's lead, Sigourney Weaver

Comedy and drama: In the film, Weaver plays a New England real estate agent who understands all of her neighbors' problems, all while being in denial about her own issues, according to The Hollywood Reporter

The team: Weaver and Baccarin also posed for photos with the film's co-writers and co-directors, Wallace Wolodarsky and Maya Forbes

Couples night out: Ann Leary, who wrote the book in which the film is based on, wore a black-patterned dress for the event; she's seen with her husband, actor Denis Leary

Striking a pose: Co-star Kathryn Erbe and producer Aaron Ryder were also on the for the special screening

The film, which has Kevin Kline opposite of Weaver, made its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival in September 2021.

There appeared to be some sort of issues with the sale of the film to a distributor, so it wasn't picked up by Lionsgate and Roadside Attractions until June 2022, which was just days before its premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival.

For the film, Weaver plays Hildy Good, an alcoholic whos pretending to be in recovery, who 'makes every exasperated glance, incisive put-down and dissembling excuse absolutely magnetic,' according to THR.

The brains: Forbes and Wolodarsky directed the film from a screenplay they wrote with Thomas Bezucha that was based on the 2013 book of the same name by Ann Leary

Film: Directed by Maya Forbes and Wally Wolodarsky from a screenplay the duo co-wrote with Thomas Bezucha, The Good House is based on the 2013 novel of the same name by Ann Leary

New: The film, which has Kevin Kline opposite of Weaver, made its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival in September 2021

Coming soon: The Good House is set to make its official premiere in theaters on September 30

Plot: For the film, Weaver plays Hildy Good, an alcoholic whos pretending to be in recovery, who 'makes every exasperated glance, incisive put-down and dissembling excuse absolutely magnetic,' according to THR

Kline has received high praise for his role as Hildy's old high school flame Frank Getchell, who eventually reconnects with her.

Maccarin, Kelly AuCoin, Rob Delaney and Laurie Hanley are among the people portrayed as unhappily married people who are at the center of Hildy's tough martial assessments.

The cast also includes the likes of Beverly D'Angelo, David Rasche, Rebecca Henderson, Molly Brown and Kathryn Erbe, among others.

The Good House is set to make its official premiere in theaters on September 30.
Casey Affleck's, 47, dramatically younger girlfriend Caylee Cowan, 24, enjoyed a night on the town solo in Los Angeles this Wednesday.

The Willy's Wonderland actress was attending the star-studded premiere of an upcoming western called Dead For A Dollar.

Decked out in a sleek black trouser suit that plunged to showcase her cleavage, she struck an assertive pose for the shutterbugs.

There she is: Casey Affleck's, 47, dramatically younger girlfriend Caylee Cowan, 24, enjoyed a night on the town solo in Los Angeles this Wednesday

Caylee, whose romance with Casey went public last November, wore her blonde hair in an elegant bob and accentuated her features with a slick of scarlet lipstick.

A number of the film's stars were also in attendance, including Oscar-winner Christoph Waltz, whose work includes Inglourious Basterds and Django Unchained.

Four-time Oscar nominee Willem Dafoe, who co-stars with Christoph and Rachel Brosnahan in the film, flashed his unmistakable smile for the cameras.

A slew of recognizable names paraded across the red carpet, from Nashville actor Keith Carradine to Law And Order alum Benjamin Bratt.

Place to be: The Willy's Wonderland actress was attending the star-studded premiere of an upcoming western called Dead For A Dollar

Silver fox: A number of the film's stars were also in attendance, including Oscar-winner Christoph Waltz, whose work includes Inglourious Basterds and Django Unchained

What a night: A slew of recognizable names paraded across the red carpet, from Nashville actor Keith Carradine (left) to Law And Order alum Benjamin Bratt (right)

The New Adventures Of Old Christine actor Hamish Linklater, who is also a part of the cast of Dead For A Dollar, could be spotted at the premiere as well.

Law And Order actress Jill Hennessy rocked a sheer black dress studded with metallic accents while former Bond girl Talisa Soto glowed in a silver trouser suit.

New Hollywood screen queen Jacqueline Bisset was agelessly elegant as she brought her timeless glamour to the evening's festivities.

Draping her petite frame in a plunging white top and a shimmering pair of matching trousers, she added a pop of color with a burnt-orange shawl.

Acclaimed: Four-time Oscar nominee Willem Dafoe, who co-stars with Christoph and Rachel Brosnahan in the film, flashed his unmistakable smile for the cameras

So many stars: Law And Order actress Jill Hennessy (left) rocked a sheer black dress studded with metallic accents while former Bond girl Talisa Soto (right) glowed in a silver trouser suit

Jacqueline, whose western bona fides include the 1972 film The Life And Times Of Judge Roy Bean, wore her brown locks down.

She balanced expertly on a pair of white heels, accentuating her features with makeup and lending her outfit a dash of glitz with a gold necklace.

While on the red carpet, she posed with Dead For A Dollar director Walter Hill - who wrote the screenplay for her 1973 comedy film The Thief Who Came To Dinner.

His movie's big night: The New Adventures Of Old Christine actor Hamish Linklater, who is also a part of the cast of Dead For A Dollar, could be spotted at the premiere as well

With a top-flight cast that includes The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel star Rachel Brosnahan, Dead For A Dollar is due out in theaters this Friday.

Meanwhile after the Me Too movement took off, Casey commented on the 2010 allegations of sexual harassment against him that had reentered the public eye.

Producer Amanda White and cinematographer Madalena Gorka, who worked with Casey on the 2010 film I'm Still Here, had accused him of sexual harassment. Both filed suit, and the cases were settled in 2010.

New Hollywood screen queen: Jacqueline Bisset was agelessly elegant as she brought her timeless glamour to the evening's festivities

Old connections: While on the red carpet, she posed with Dead For A Dollar director Walter Hill - who wrote the screenplay for her 1973 comedy film The Thief Who Came To Dinner

Casey told the Associated Press in 2018 that 'it was an unprofessional environment and, you know, the buck had to stop with me being one of the producers and I have to accept responsibility for that and that was a mistake.'

He stated that 'I contributed to that unprofessional environment and I tolerated that kind of behavior from other people and I wish that I hadnt. And I regret a lot of that.'

Casey added: 'I really did not know what I was responsible for as the boss. I dont even know if I thought of myself as the boss. But I behaved in a way and allowed others to behave in a way that was really unprofessional. And Im sorry.'
Kid Cudi's eighth studio album, Entergalactic, serves as the musical component to his new adult animated television special of the same name that premieres on Netflix on September 30.

Ahead of the double drop, many of the star-studded cast who voiced their roles in the animation attended the premiere event held at The Paris Theater in New York City on Wednesday, which included Laura Harrier.

In the special, Kid Cudi (born Scott Ramon Seguro Mescudi), voices Jabari, a charming, streetwear-clad artist on the cusp of real success who has to figure out whether he can make space for love in his life after meeting his cool new neighbor, Meadow (Jessica Williams).

Shining star: Laura Harrier, 32, stunned when she attended the premiere for Netflix's adult animated music television special held at The Paris Theater in New York City on Wednesday

Harrier, who plays Carmen, Jabari's ex-girlfriend, hit the red carpet portion of the event decked out in a skin-tight black-patterned jumpsuit.

The shiny off-the-shoulder number hugged her statuesque 5ft9in figure from top to bottom.

At a certain points the newly engaged actress and model, 32, added a brown furry coat to her ensemble, which she wore hanging off her shoulder for the most part, along with matching heels.

On this night, Harrier had her raven tresses styled straight and sleek, about shoulder-length, with a part in the middle.

The newly engaged actress and model would add a brown furry coat to go along with her skin-tight jumpsuit and matching heels

Originally intended be a television series, the format for Entergalactic would eventually be changed to a television special.

Along with Cudi, Harrier and Williams, the voice cast also includes the likes of Timothee Chalamet, Tyrone Griffin Jr., Vanessa Hudgens, Christopher Abbott, Daniella Balbuena, Jaden Smith, Keith David, Teyana Taylor, Arturo Castro, Macaulay Culkin and Maisha Mescudi.

Back in July 2019, Cudi announced that he and Ian Edelman would write and produce what was originally going to be an adult animated music TV series adaptation of Cudi's studio album.

Main roles: Harrier voices the role of Carmen (right), the ex-girlfriend of Jabari, who's voiced by creator and hip hop star Kid Cudi

Matching the switch: Harrier began her career as a model at the age of 17, but made the transition to acting after appearing in several commercials and student films

Major transformation: The Netflix television special was originally intended to be a series

In an interview with Esquire this past August, Cudi revealed he recorded the music first  'a suite of songs on the beauty of being freed by love'  and worked backward to storyboard the narrative before hiring a writing team to script it.

But then, later in August, it was announced that Entergalactic would be released as a television special, directed by Fletcher Moules, instead of a series.

The studio album version of Entergalactic has several high-profile record producers such as Dot da Genius, Plain Pat, Take A Daytrip, and features guest appearances by Ty Dolla $ign, 2 Chainz, Steve Aiko and Don Toliver.

Again, both Netflix television special and album are scheduled to be released on September 30.

Harrier confirmed her engagement to fashion consultant Sam Jarou in September, during an interview with Cosmopolitan.

Promo mode: Harrier, a Chicago native, also shared the spotlight of the red carpet with co-star Jessica Williams and co-star and creator Kid Cudi

Team work: Both the television and studio album are scheduled to drop September 30; Harrier is pictured in between Jessica Williams, Kid Cudi, Teyana Taylor and Ty Dolla $ign
Love Island Australia star Tayla Damir has hit back at a troll who branded her 'too skinny' to wear a low-cut dress.

The influencer, 25, received the nasty comment on Instagram after she posted a photo of herself dolled up next to her AFL star fiance Nathan Broad.

She looked sensational in the plunging black number, which her future husband had bought for her from the luxury retailer Harrolds.

Love Island Australia star Tayla Damir (pictured with her AFL star fiance Nathan Broad) has hit back at a troll who branded her 'too skinny' to wear a low-cut dress

While the photo was flooded with mostly kind comments praising her look, one critic said: 'I don't think the front of the dress fits her physique. Not flattering. See bones.'

Tayla responded bluntly: 'If you have nothing nice to say, don't say anything.

'I hope you wouldn't walk up to a random in public and tell them you don't think a dress suits them. In saying this, don't comment on a random's post saying that either.'

The influencer, 25, received the nasty comment on Instagram after she posted a photo of herself dolled up next to her AFL star fiance Nathan Broad

'If you have nothing nice to say, don't say anything,' Tayla responded, before telling the troll to refrain from making comments online that they wouldn't be prepared to say in real life

It comes after Tayla shined on the red carpet at the Brownlow Medal ceremony earlier this month, accompanied by Nathan.

She also recently threw a luxurious weekend-long hen's party at Crown Melbourne.

No expense was spared as she rented out a $1,400-per-night suite for all her friends, before going for high tea at the Crystal Club.

She looked sensational in the plunging black number, which her future husband had bought for her from the luxury retailer Harrolds. (Pictured: Tayla with a friend)

It comes after Tayla shined on the red carpet at the Brownlow Medal in Melbourne earlier this month, accompanied by Nathan

The girls also indulged in a ritzy dinner at the Koko restaurant, where they dined on Japanese Teppanyaki cuisine.

The model announced her engagement to the three-time premiership player in June.

At the time, she posted a video to Instagram of the moment Nathan proposed at their Melbourne home.
A slew of musical luminaries came together in Los Angeles on Tuesday evening to pay tribute to late Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins, with Queen's Brian May revealing a heartfelt request that was made.

The Los Angeles show - held at the Kia Forum - was actually the second tribute, with the first held in London, where May performed Queen's 1975 hit Love Of My Life.

The 75-year-old guitarist revealed on stage at the event that he wasn't originally planning on playing the song that night, until he got a message from Taylor's widow, Alison Hawkins.

Request: A slew of musical luminaries came together in Los Angeles on Tuesday evening to pay tribute to late Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins, with Queen's Brian May revealing a heartfelt request that was made

Message: The 75-year-old guitarist revealed on stage at the event that he wasn't originally planning on playing the song that night, until he got a message from Taylor's widow, Alison Hawkins

When May took the stage at the Kia Forum, he revealed why he decided to play this song to the audience.

'I wasnt going to sing this song tonight because we all decided this was a party, and this was a time to celebrate, right? Then something happened,' May revealed.

'I sang this song in Wembley (where the U.K. tribute was held) when we did this a couple weeks ago and its a song written by a young man called Freddie Mercury,' May continued.

On stage: When May took the stage at the Kia Forum, he revealed why he decided to play this song to the audience

'And I wasnt going to do it, but then I got a message from Alison Hawkins,' he said of Taylor's widow.

'And she said, "Brian, I want you to do this song. I want everybody to do this song for me. I want you to do it for me and Taylor because it was our song. It was played at our wedding. It was our wedding album,"' May explained.

He added that Alison, who married Hawkins in 2005, requested that May also, 'get everybody to sing it as my gift to the love of my life.'

Widow: 'And I wasnt going to do it, but then I got a message from Alison Hawkins,' he said of Taylor's widow

He then asked the crowd, 'Shall we do it? Everybody needs to do it with me though, OK? If you dont know the words you can hum, alright?'

After the emotional performance, Alison took to the stage with daughters Annabelle, 13, and Everleigh, 8, as she blew a kiss to the audience.

Love Of My Life was one of 50 songs performed during the six-hour tribute concert at the Kia Forum.

Shall we: He then asked the crowd, 'Shall we do it? Everybody needs to do it with me though, OK? If you dont know the words you can hum, alright?'

The full lineup for the concert included music legends such as Travis Barker, Joan Jett, Kesha, Lars Ulrich, Mark Ronson and many more.

There will also be a number of sons of rock legends with Wolfgang Van Halen (Eddie Van Halen's son) and more.

Taylor Hawkins passed away in a Bogota, Colombia hotel room in March, at just 50 years of age.

Lineup: The full lineup for the concert included music legends such as Travis Barker, Joan Jett, Kesha, Lars Ulrich, Mark Ronson and many more
Newly announced Australian Idol judge Meghan Trainor has revealed she is trying to get pregnant with twins and could conceive them Down Under.

The Massachusetts-born pop star, 28, says she wants to have a large family with her husband Daryl Sabara.

'Im banking on twins, I want a farm. Were in Australia for the whole of October and I'm trying to get pregnant at the same time,' she said on Nova's Smallzy's Surgery.

Newly announced Australian Idol judge Meghan Trainor has revealed she is trying to get pregnant with twins and could conceive them Down Under. The Massachusetts-born pop star, 28, says she wants to have a large family with her husband Daryl Sabara

The mother-of-one said hopefully it won't be long until her fans notice a baby bump.

'Hopefully on the second half of the trip, youll see a belly,' Meghan said.

The Lip Are Movin' hitmaker added she has been so focused on conceiving she turned down a Christmas tour.

Meghan was recently announced as a judge in Seven's upcoming Australian Idol reboot on which will screen in 2023

It comes after Meghan experienced difficulties giving birth to her son Riley in February last year.

She said her newborn boy had trouble breathing and staying awake long enough to feed and had to be admitted to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.

After spending five days in the hospital, Riley was sent home - but for the first month of his life, Meghan was worried something bad was going to happen to him.

Meghan and Daryl are proud parents to one-year-old son Riley (pictured)

She said her pregnancy wasn't easy either.

Meghan revealed she had gained '15 COVID pounds' beforehand and she felt 'massive.'

Meghan was announced earlier this month as a judge in Seven's upcoming Australian Idol reboot on which will screen in 2023.
Jeremy Cameron has had a huge week.

The Geelong Cats star celebrated his AFL Grand Final win and now he has announced he's expecting his first child with partner Indiana Putra.

The 29-year-old and his sweetheart both shared the exciting news with their followers on Thursday, posting photos of a sonogram as they posed with their dog.

Geelong Cats star Jeremy Cameron has revealed he is expecting his first child with his partner Indiana Putra after his big AFL Grand Final win

Standing in a grassy field together, the athlete captioned his photo: 'Just because this week wasnt big enough we are very excited to share our little secret. Bubba due March 2023 - couldnt be happier!'

Meanwhile, Indiana, who is the sister of Jasmine Griffen, married to former Bulldogs and GWS star Ryan Griffen, wrote alongside her snap: 'Mum & Dad - little bebe arriving March 2023.'

Jeremy, who hails from a farm in the Victorian town of Dartmoor, went all out as he celebrated the Cats' massive win against the Sydney Swans on the weekend.

He was the centre of attention when he rocked up to the Mad Monday celebrations dressed as a chicken in honour of his hen which had finally laid eggs.

The 29-year-old and his sweetheart both shared the exciting news with their followers on Thursday, posting photos of a sonogram as they posed with their dog

Such was the dominance of the Cats in their 81-point victory, commentators already remarked it was 'party time' during the third quarter - and it appears that carried on until at least 4.30am for some players.

After the side presented the Cup to fans outside the MCG and had an official club function, Jeremy continued partying on his farm with some joyous mates.

In a barn that has been converted into a bar, Jeremy posted a video of him and four friends, including former Cats ruckman Dawson Simpson, raising glasses of beer.

Jeremy, who hails from a farm in the Victorian town of Dartmoor, went all out as he celebrated the Cats' massive win against the Sydney Swans on the weekend

He filmed one of his friends pouring a beer out of a tap installed at the converted barn, saying: 'Might be late tomorrow.' The video was timestamped at 4.18am.

It got even wilder from there.

The next video on Cameron's Instagram story hilariously showed him chasing after a small herd of calves and admitting 'we've done something silly here'.

Such was the dominance of the Cats in their 81-point victory, commentators already remarked it was 'party time' during the third quarter - and it appears that carried on until at least 4.30am for some players

The star full forward pointed to one of the calves, which was wearing his grand final winner's medal around its neck.

'Can I have my medal back?' Cameron asked the cow, before suggesting it could keep wearing it for the night. 'Let him have it for the night, get out there, enjoy it, it's for all of us.'

Jeremy, who kicked two goals in the grand final, was up again at 7am, posting a shot of a glass of beer in front of a Geelong-emblazoned firepit.


By Gwynne Dyer





Vladimir Putin's desperation was plain to see in the emergency measures he declared last week: immediate mobilization of at least 300,000 more troops, the sudden decision to use fake referendums to turn all the occupied parts of Ukraine into Russian territory, and more explicit threats than usual about nuclear weapons. "This is not a bluff," Putin warned.







It probably isn't. The Russian president's normal pattern, when he runs into a major setback, has been to escalate, so he is not acting out of character. However, he is clearly misinformed by his own generals, or just not listening to them.







The notion that 300,000 reservists (limited military training years ago) and technical specialists of various sorts (no military experience whatever) can be turned into a useful fighting force in a couple of weeks, or even a couple of months, is bizarre. It shows just how ignorant Putin is about military affairs.







The Russian army does not have the equipment to arm all these people, or even enough trainers not already at the front to turn them into real soldiers. When these mostly unwilling conscripts are fed piecemeal into an already demoralized army, they will make the chaos even worse.







Then there's the "referendums." Having postponed plans to stage referendums about joining Russia in the four provinces it partly controls, Putin suddenly put them back on the schedule after the big Ukrainian advances in mid-September. Voting began in Russian-occupied parts of Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhiya and Kherson provinces last Friday.







Armed Russian soldiers went door-to-door with ballot boxes, asking if people want to join Russia. The soldiers wrote the answers down (one for the entire family), and then put them in the box.







The fix was already in; the question is why they bothered with this charade at all. Obviously, Putin needed to distract Russians from the recent military disaster, but he may also have had another reason to hurry the vote and annex all the land his troops now hold.







If the conquered regions became "Russian territory," then he could claim that any further attempt by Ukraine to recapture them is an attack on Russia itself. The Ukrainians would obviously ignore this legal flimflam  but it would allow him (under Russian rules) to initiate the use of nuclear weapons.







Putin knows that the West knows how the Russian rules on nuclear weapons work, so he may hope that this will make his threats of nuclear war more plausible. It probably won't, but what do you get when you call the bluff of a man who doesn't bluff?







Maybe he's just trading on that reputation now, and he really is bluffing this time, but there's no point in following him down that rabbit hole. Let's consider what we know for certain.







Russia is currently losing the war in Ukraine, albeit slowly, and there's little chance that its army can turn that around. And 300,000 more ill-trained, resentful conscripts won't make much difference when the vessel they must be poured into, the Russian army, is already broken.







Putin's position and perhaps his life is at risk if there is another big Ukrainian victory. He may not realize this yet, but he will eventually understand that his survival depends on a negotiated peace that does not utterly humiliate him and Russia  for example, a ceasefire that returns both sides to the pre-2014 ceasefire lines.







His problem will be that the Ukrainians are full of confidence at the moment, and not inclined to give him that. They want all their stolen territory back, and the only lever that might change their minds (and those of their Western supporters) is a nuclear strike on Ukraine.







All it would take is one very small (sub-kiloton-range) "tactical" nuclear weapon delivered on sparsely populated land or off the Ukrainian coast. It couldn't be more than that, because the generals in the Russian chain of command would not accept orders for a bigger strike that might start a full nuclear war. They may be corrupt, but most of them love their families.







They might go for just one nuke, especially if Putin could persuade them that it was a reasonably safe diplomatic ploy aimed at forcing the Ukrainians or even NATO to the negotiating table. So what should the latter parties do if this happens?







The key fact to keep in mind is that the same Russian generals would probably not escalate further if NATO made no nuclear response to that single Russian nuke. They'd just wait for the terror and revulsion sweeping through Russia and every other country to take Putin down.







Can I guarantee that would happen? Of course not, but it probably would play out like that. And what would be lost by waiting to see if it does happen?







) is the author of "The Shortest History of War."



Gwynne Dyer ( gwynne763121476@aol.com
Brendan Fevola revealed his gruesome surgery scar on Thursday after he was rushed to hospital a few weeks ago when he ruptured his Achilles tendon.

The former AFL star, 41, took off the dressing and showed off the graphic wound following the removal of his stitches.

He posted the bloody image to Instagram with the caption: 'Cast off stitches out. Healed up well.'

Brendan Fevola revealed his gruesome surgery scar on Thursday after he was rushed to hospital a few weeks ago when he ruptured his Achilles tendon

The injury was originally believed to be a broken leg after he uploaded a picture of his leg in a cast along with the caption: 'Who said footy was fun?'

In the picture, he was seen lying in a hospital bed with his injured limb elevated as he watched Nine News.

Brendan was rushed to hospital in July for emergency surgery on his forearm, again after playing footy.

The former AFL star, 41, took off the dressing and showed off the graphic wound following the removal of his stitches

The athlete spoke about the terrifying ordeal on his radio show Melbourne's 101.9 The Fox Fifi, Fev & Nick.

He said he injured his arm after getting 'belted' during a footy game.

Brendan initially thought his arm was badly bruised but after unbearable throbbing for almost a whole week he decided to get it looked at.

The injury was originally believed to be a broken leg after he uploaded a picture of his leg in a cast along with the caption: 'Who said footy was fun?' In the picture, he was seen lying in a hospital bed with his injured limb elevated as he watched Nine News

'It didn't really hurt, I thought it was just bruising and it will go down. Thursday night I couldn't sleep, and it was just throbbing,' he said.

He went for an ultrasound and X-ray on a Friday, before being rushed to the ER hospital an hour later.

'The pressure in my arm, I thought it was going to explode,' he said.

Brendan was rushed to hospital in July for emergency surgery on his forearm, again after playing footy. Brendan initially thought his arm was badly bruised but after unbearable throbbing for almost a whole week he decided to get it looked at

It turns out that Brendan was suffering from compartment syndrome - 50 percent of his muscle was dead, he had torn ligaments and torn muscles all in his forearm.

At the time, Brendan posted a photo from his hospital bed and reassured his fans he was resting following the surgery.

'Operation complete. Time to tuck into some great food, absolutely starving,' Brendan captioned his post.
Phoebe Burgess has revealed she could 'write a book on celibacy' because she's the 'most boring woman in Australia' after giving up sex and booze.

The former WAG, 33, added on her podcast Under the Gloss that she 'misses sex' but has revaluated her relationship since her divorce.

In May, the mother-of-two revealed she's not had sex since her bitter split from her NRL star husband Sam in 2019.

Phoebe Burgess has revealed she could 'write a book on celibacy' because she's the 'most boring woman in Australia' after giving up sex and booze

Now, in a chat with podcaster Felicity Harley, the beauty director of Body & Soul, and Alison Izzo, she's revealed she's still not slept with anyone.

'I could write the book on celibacy,' she said.

'Earlier this year celibacy started trending on social media, attracting more than a billion views on TikTok.

'People said abstaining from sex by choice gives them a clear mind.

The former WAG, 33, added on her podcast Under the Gloss that she 'misses sex' but has revaluated her relationship since her divorce. Pictured here with her two children: Poppy, four, and Billy, two

'If that's the case, I'm the clearest woman in Australia!'

She added that she 'misses sex'.

'Am I the most boring woman in Australia?' she joked before explaining she doesn't have sex or drink alcohol because she 'doesn't know where she fits on the spectrum'.

'Alcohol pops up, it's a really important part of Aussie culture.

In May, Phoebe confessed she was emerging from her cocoon as a 'horny butterfly' after years of not dating

'And it makes people really uncomfortable, when you don't drink, people think you're on the other end that you have a problem with drinking'.

In May, Phoebe confessed she was emerging from her cocoon as a 'horny butterfly' after years of not dating.

'I've never been one for casual sex, I've never had a one-night stand before,' Phoebe admitted during the lively chat on her podcast.

She said the last time she was dating 'Tinder wasn't a thing' so she has been forced to deal with the world of technology.

Listen: The full interview is available on Vogue's Under the Gloss podcast

'[Do I put on my Tinder profile] Single, 33, living with my parents, two kids, a bit of emotional baggage. So sexy right. Call me boys,' Phoebe joked.

The conversation soon turned to more serious topics with Phoebe explaining how emotionally difficult it was for her to readjust to dating post-marriage.

She said once she was married she had thought any body insecurities were behind her, only to now be dealing with them again after she 'gave herself to making a family'.

'[My body] definitely has changed. I made children in here,' Phoebe said.

'I think the emotional difficulty is that when you give yourself to making a family, you think ''phew I never have to worry about getting naked in-front of anyone else ever again''.

'But meeting someone new with stretch marks and breasts that aren't potentially as perky as they once were cause they have fed humans. This comes back to that body positivity, sex positivity message.'

Phoebe admitted sometimes she feels like she is 'still in a relationship' and she has been forced to emotionally readjust to her new life.

Phoebe's ex husband Sam appeared on the last season of SAS Australia where he admitted infidelity with a woman in Melbourne in 2017.

Body: Phoebe said once she was married she had thought any body insecurities were behind her, only to now be dealing with them again after she 'gave herself to making a family'

The couple married in 2015, separated in late 2018 and resumed their relationship in early 2019.

They split permanently on October 2 that year and later divorced. The former couple share daughter Poppy, four, and Billy, two.

Phoebe told The Daily Telegraph prior to the launch of the podcast she intended on sharing her way back to healing.

'Everything I've been through is this amalgamation of who I am now,' she told the publication.

'There is something on the other side, I haven't necessarily found that completely yet but that's the hope that I guess, you move through life,' she went on.

'I just want them to know it's not all glamorous. It's not perfect, but there is life after pain,' Phoebe said of her listeners.
Kendall Jenner enjoyed some rare downtime on Wednesday as she was spotted grabbing an early dinner with a friend in West Hollywood.

The supermodel, 26, looked casual-cool by going braless in a black tee styled with flared trousers.

She cinched in her already trim waist with a beige leather belt and she kept a black baguette bag tucked under her arm.

Out and about: Kendall Jenner enjoyed some rare downtime on Wednesday as she was spotted grabbing an early dinner with a friend in West Hollywood

Kendall's silky brunette hair cascaded down her back and chest in loose tendrils.

As for makeup, the runway maven sported a full-glam look complete with a glossy nude lip and sexy smokey eyeshadow.

Kendall looked jovial while strolling with her gal pal as they made their way back to their cars.

Casual-cool: The supermodel, 26, looked casual-cool by going braless in a black tee styled with flared trousers

Good mood: Kendall looked jovial while strolling with her gal pal as they made their way back to their cars

They were accompanied by several buff security guards.

Kendall is back in LA after enjoying a quick trip to the Bahamas this weekend.

The KUWTK alum was spotted exiting a private jet with her close pal Fai Khadra.

Brunette beauty: Kendall's silky brunette hair cascaded down her back and chest in loose tendrils

Prior to her tropical getaway, Kendall was busy promoting her 818 Tequila brand in Miami and taking care of business in New York City.

Despite being one of the world's top models, Kendall decided to skip out on this year's Milan Fashion Week which ran from September 20 to September 26.

Though it's only three days in, Kendall has also been noticeably absent from Paris Fashion Week.

PFW, which is being attended by her younger sister Kylie Jenner as well as her older half-sisters Kim and Khloe Kardashian, will run til October 4.

Getaway: Kendall is back in LA after enjoying a quick trip to the Bahamas this weekend. The KUWTK alum was spotted exiting a private jet with her close pal Fai Khadra

Busy gal: Prior to her tropical getaway, Kendall was busy promoting her 818 Tequila brand in Miami and taking care of business in New York City

Kendall recently reflected on walking her very first-ever high fashion runway show at the age of 18.

Speaking to Vogue as part of the magazine's famous Life In Looks segment - which covered her style from 2007 until now - she discussed the Marc Jacobs 2014 show where she wore a transparent brown top on the runway.

'I was pretty chill, even though my boobies were out,' she revealed adding that she told her agent: 'I'm game, I don't mind. I'm all good with the nipple.'

MIA: Despite being one of the world's top models, Kendall decided to skip out on this year's Milan Fashion Week which ran from September 20 to September 26. Though it's only three days in, Kendall has also been noticeably absent from Paris Fashion Week; Kendall seen on September 9

'It didn't make me any more nervous, I genuinely was just like, dope, whatever they want. It's their vision, so let's do it.'

The runway phenomenon explained: 'This was my first high fashion show,' she said, adding, 'I actually could not believe that I was there.'

However, she wasn't nervous and chalked it up to having 'relatively flat shoes' instead of heels.
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James Bond movie memorabilia fetched a total of more than 6million at a London charity auction celebrating sixty years of the popular franchise, with 007's Aston Martin DB5 selling for nearly 3million alone.

The two-part charity sale was held by Christie's auction house on Wednesday evening and saw 25 in-demand movie props and memorabilia made available to commemorate the 60th anniversary of James Bond.

The auction saw a staggering total of 6.1million raised for selected charities, with the specially built stunt car driven by Daniel Craig in his final Bond movie No Time To Die fetching an impressive 2.92million alone.

Impressive: James Bond movie memorabilia fetched a total of more than 6million at a London charity auction celebrating sixty years of the popular franchise, with 007's Aston Martin DB5 (pictured) selling for nearly 3million alone

Wow! The auction saw a staggering total of 6.1million raised for selected charities, with the specially built stunt car driven by Daniel Craig in his final Bond movie No Time To Die fetching an impressive 2.92million alone

The replica of the Aston Martin DB5 was only expected to sell for up to 2million, but surpassed estimates and became the top selling lot as eager fans put in their bids at part one of the live auction, led by EON Productions.

The replica, one of eight specially designed and manufactured for the 2021 film, comes fitted with imitation machine guns behind the headlights and is the only DB5 stunt car put up for sale by Aston Martin and EON productions, according to Christie's.

A Triumph Scrambler stunt motorcycle, which was used in No Time To Die, was also among the popular lots as it sold for an impressive 138,600 - after only being expected to fetch up to 30,000.

Elsewhere at the auction, a Q Jet Boat, used in Piers Brosnan's 1999 Bond epic The World Is Not Enough, also raised a staggering 126,000 for charity, despite low estimates of just 30,000.

007: Items commemorated the six actors to have played Bond, including Sean Connery, Pierce Brosnan, and Daniel Craig. Representing Roger Moore, a Swarovski crystal-mounted prop egg used in 1983 film Octopussy sold for 327,600

Driving in style: A Triumph Scrambler stunt motorcycle, which was used in No Time To Die, was also among the popular lots as it sold for an impressive 138,600 - after only being expected to fetch up to 30,000

Included in the lots were items commemorating each of the six actors to have played Bond, including Sean Connery, Pierce Brosnan, and Daniel Craig.

A Christie's spokesman said: 'The final six items that will be up for auction will each represent one of the six Bonds, and the money will go to the charity chosen personally by each one.'

Representing Roger Moore, a Swarovski crystal-mounted prop egg used in 1983 film Octopussy was up for grabs and sold for a staggering 327,600, with the money going to UNICEF.

In the name of Timothy Dalton, there was a black, single-breasted tuxedo that he wore in Licence to Kill in 1989, signed on the inside jacket lining, which raised 25,200 for the National Youth Theatre.

Staggering: An Omega Seamaster diver 300m watch (left), used in the latest Bond film No Time To Die, also fetched an impressive 226,800, and a No Time To Die Omega Seamaster aqua terra watch (right) also sold for 119,700

Unique: The replica, one of eight specially designed and manufactured for the 2021 film, comes fitted with imitation machine guns behind the headlights and is the only DB5 stunt car put up for sale by Aston Martin and EON productions

HOW MUCH DID JAMES BOND MEMORALIBIA FETCH AT AUCTION? No Time To Die Aston Martin DB5 replica stunt car: 2.92million

No Time To Die Aston Martin V8: 630,000

No Time To Die Aston Martin DBS Superleggera: 403,200

Swarovski crystal-mounted prop egg used in Octopussy: 327,600

No Time To Die Omega Seamaster diver 300m watch: 226,800

No Time To Die pre-production Land Rover: 189,000

007 60th Anniversary Land Rover Defender 100 V8: 163,800

No Time To Die Triumph Scrambler stunt motorcycle: 138,600

The World Is Not Enough Q Jet Boat: 126,000

No Time To Die Omega Seamaster aqua terra watch: 119,700

Set of two Omega Seamaster watches: 119,700

No Time To Die fractured mask and costume with bullet holes worn by Rami Malek: 107,100

No Time To Die 26 behind-the-scenes black and white photographs: 88,200

No Time To Die Tom Ford single breasted dinner jacket worn by Daniel Craig: 81,900

No Time To Die Range Rover sport SVR stunt car: 75,600

No Time To Die tactical costume worn by Daniel Craig: 75,600

Five black silk bow ties worn by Daniel Craig: 52,920

Five-night stay at the Fleming Villa at Goldeneye: 52,920

No Time To Die Spectre Agent Primo's bionic eyeball: 44,100

No Time To Die Michael Lo Sordo 'Alexandra' gown worn by Ana De Armas: 37,800

No Time To Die Jaguar XF stunt car: 37,800

Signed No Time To Die clapperboard: 27,720

Black single breasted dinner jacket worn by Timothy Dalton in Licence To Kill: 25,200

No Time To Die sheet music, signed by Billie Eilish and Finneas O'Connell: 18,900

No Time To Die tactical costume worn by Lashana Lynch: 11,340 Advertisement

An Omega Seamaster diver 300m watch, used in the latest Bond film No Time To Die, also fetched an impressive 226,800, while other items including props, vehicles, costumes and signed items were also up for grabs.

Among the top lots was also an Aston Martin V8, which sold for 630,000, and an Aston Martin DBS Superleggera, which was taken home for 403,200. Both vehicles were used in the hit film No Time To Die.

Other vehicles that were sold at the auction were a No Time To Die pre-production Land Rover, which fetched 189,000, and a 007 60th Anniversary Land Rover Defender 100 V8, sold for 163,800.

A No Time To Die Omega Seamaster aqua terra watch also sold for 119,700, while a set of two Omega Seamaster watches also fetched 119,700.

High tech: The Aston Martin DB5 is fitted with 'Q Branch' modifications, with the headlights moving down to reveal guns at the front

Specially equipped: The car is fitted with racing seats and metal bars inside to ensure the safety of the driver and passenger

Clothing: The fractured mask and costume worn by Rami Malek (right) in No Time To Die was also sold for 107,100

Iconic: An Aston Martin V8 Vantage from the films, which sold for 630,000, was seen outside Christie's auction house in central London for the Sixty Years of James Bond sale

Suits you: A Tom Ford single breasted dinner jacket worn by Daniel Craig in his last Bond movie was taken home for 81,900

The fractured mask and costume worn by Rami Malek in No Time To Die was also sold for 107,100, while a Tom Ford single breasted dinner jacket worn by Daniel Craig in his last Bond movie was taken home for 81,900.

Other costumes that were up for grabs included a 75,600 tactical costume worn by Daniel Craig, and a Michael Lo Sordo 'Alexandra' gown worn by Ana De Armas in the 2021 Bond film - sold for 37,800.

A tactical costume worn by Lashana Lynch also sold for 11,340 on the lower end of the lots, while No Time To Die sheet music signed by Billie Eilish and Finneas O'Connell, fetched 18,900.

Although 25 items have already been snapped up, the second part of the special live auction remains open for bidding until October 5 at 4pm - well-known as James Bond day.

With love: The staff at the auction house took great care to keep the care safe and clean before the sale

Perfect sheen: The car was polished into perfect condition ahead of the sale in a bid to raise the most amount of money for charity

Special edition: 007 60th Anniversary Land Rover Defender 100 V8 went on sale and sold for 163,800 - raising funds for the British Red Cross

Big bucks: An Aston Martin DBS Superleggera sold for 403,200. The money will be donated to The Royal Foundation of The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge

Iconic: In the name of Timothy Dalton, there was a black, single-breasted tuxedo that he wore in Licence to Kill in 1989, signed on the inside jacket lining, which raised 25,200 for the National Youth Theatre

Big bucks: Set of two Omega Seamaster watches sold for 119,700 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the film On Her Majesty's Secret Service

Another 36 items of memorabilia - including one-of-a-kind posters, props and costumes - will be up for grabs and more than 45 charities will benefit from the sales from across the two-part auction.

The proceeds will go to The Prince's Trust in its work with young people; The Prince of Wales's Charitable Fund in support of charities assisting serving and former members of the UK Intelligence Agencies; and three charities supporting serving and former members of the UK Special Forces.

The last three official Christie's 007 auctions have raised 4,812,525, and this year they are hoping for just as much success.

The high-profile auction was attended by an array of celebrities and stars, including Sean Connery's granddaughter Saskia and Miss Moneypenny actress Samantha Bond.

Up for grabs: Five silk bow ties worn, and now signed, by Daniel Craig on display ahead for the forthcoming James Bond is Back charity sale. They sold for 52,920

Nice ride: Triumph Scrambler 1200 XE, the specially modified stunt bike has a major role in the pre-credit sequences in the film No Time To Die (sold for 138,600)

In action: Daniel Craig is seen riding the Triumph Scrambler 1200 XE in the action film

Memorabilia: The egg is seen sitting in front of two limited edition OMEGA Seamaster watches, which come in a cover signed by George Lazenby

In the detail: The egg features a small golden carriage sitting inside which is visible as the upper half is lifted up

They looked glamorous as they led the way at the star-studded Sixty Years Of James Bond charity auction hosted by EON Productions and Christie's in London.

Saskia - whose late grandfather Sean was the first actor to play James Bond in the movies, starring in seven Bond films from 1962 to 1983 - looked glamorous as she arrived at the event, wearing a black jacket which she teamed with a pair of matching leggings and a ruffled white shirt.

Screen star Samantha, 60 - who portrayed the character of Miss Moneypenny in four Bond films during the Pierce Brosnan years between 1995 and 2002 - wore a chic black and white floral print dress and a white jacket.

Sale on: The second half of the Christie's London online sale is now open for bidding ahead of James Bond Day on 5 October

Making music: In the second half of the auction, a special edition Duesenberg 007 electric guitar, signed by producers and artists performing in the Sound of 007, will be up for grabs

On show: A camera in a box signed by Daniel Craig is presented during a media preview of 60 years of James Bond at Christies Auction House in London. The camera will be available in part two of the auction until October 5

Memories: Other costumes and props associated with the 25th film No Time To Die are also yet to go on sale

Samantha - who starred in 1995's GoldenEye, 1997's Tommorrow Never Dies, 1999's The World Is Not Enough and Die Another Day in 2002 - completed her look by opting for a pair of black heels to add a few inches to her stature.

She opted for a palette of natural hues for her make-up and accessorised a delicate gold chain necklace and subtle pendulum earrings.

Saskia's grandfather Sean died at the age of 90 after a long illness in 2020, with the legendary actor appearing in Dr. No in 1962, From Russia with Love in 1963, Goldfinger in 1964, Thunderball in 1965, You Only Live Twice in 1967, Diamonds Are Forever in 1971 before making his final appearance in Never Say Never Again in 1983.

Glamour pusses: Sean Connery's granddaughter Saskia (left) and Miss Moneypenny actress Samantha Bond (right) looked glamorous as they led the way at the star-studded Sixty Years Of James Bond charity auction in London on Wednesday

In style: Screen star Samantha, 60 - who portrayed the character of Miss Moneypenny in four Bond films during the Pierce Brosnan years between 1995 and 2002 - wore a chic black and white floral print dress and a white jacket

In the detail: She opted for a palette of natural hues for her make-up and accessorised a delicate gold chain necklace and subtle pendulum earrings

Fashion focus: Saskia wore a black neck tie for the evening to match her edgy black clutch purse with silver studs and went for a glamorous look with her make-up, including a bold red lip

Family affair: Saskia's grandfather Sean died at the age of 90 after a long illness in 2020, with the legendary actor appearing in seven James Bond films (pictured in 2010)

Roles: Sean appeared in Dr. No in 1962, From Russia with Love in 1963, Goldfinger in 1964, Thunderball in 1965, You Only Live Twice in 1967, Diamonds Are Forever in 1971 before making his final appearance in Never Say Never Again in 1983 (pictured in Diamonds Are Forever)

Screen star: Samantha appeared as Miss Moneypenny in a number of James Bond films alongside actor Pierce Brosnan, who played 007 (pictured in 2002 movie Die Another Day)

Saskia wore a black neck tie for the evening to match her edgy black clutch purse with silver studs.

She boosted her height by wearing a pair of black heels and went for a glamorous look with her make-up, including a bold red lip.

The pair were joined by the likes of British actress Maryam d'Abo, 61, who portrayed Bond girl Kara Milovy in the 1987 007 film The Living Daylights.

Bond girls: Maryam d'Abo, 61 (left), who portrayed Bond girl Kara Milovy in the 1987 007 film The Living Daylights, stepped out to the event with Carole Ashby, 67 (right), who appeared alongside Roger Moore in two James Bond films

Movie magic: Screenwriter and film producer Michael G. Wilson, 80, known for his association with the Bond films, and producer Barbara Broccoli, 62, were seen posing along one of the classic cars from the films

Travelling in style: Michael arrived to the auction at Christie's in the Rolls-Royce Phantom III from the film 1964 Goldfinger

Stepping out: Barbara looked chic in an all-black outfit while Michael looked dapper in a navy blue suit, grey shirt and blue tie for the evening

She looked stylish in a pair of black pinstripe suit which she teamed with a smart white shirt, and a black coat and hat to match the rest of her outfit.

Elsewhere, Carole Ashby, 67, who appeared alongside Roger Moore in two James Bond films, Octopussy in 1983 and A View to a Kill in 1985, wore a black dress which finished just above the knee and a sheer cover up.

Screenwriter and film producer Michael G. Wilson, 80, known for his association with the Bond films, and producer Barbara Broccoli, 62, were seen posing along one of the classic cars from the films before heading inside.

Barbara looked chic in an all-black outfit while Michael looked dapper in a navy blue suit, grey shirt and blue tie for the evening.

All stars: Motorcyclist Paul Edmondson and professional stunt driver Martin Craven (left) made an appearance, while former chairman of the auction house Christie's UK David Armstrong-Jones was joined by Christie's president Anthea Peers (right)

Out on the town: Screenwriter Neal Purvis (left) was joined by Robert Wade at the bash
Daniel Johns has launched an extraordinary attack on men's lifestyle magazine GQ Australia.

The 43-year-old former Silverchair frontman used his social media to slam the publication for ignoring him after the release of his latest solo album, FutureNever, which came out in April.

Johns, together with his bandmates from Silverchair, graced the cover of GQ Australia in 2007 as 'Men of the Year', at the height of the band's best-selling fame.

Daniel Johns (pictured) has launched an extraordinary attack on men's lifestyle magazine GQ Australia. The 43-year-old former Silverchair frontman used his social media to slam the publication for ignoring him after the release of his latest solo album, FutureNever

Posting to his Instagram stories, the star noted that GQ had run stories on him and Silverchair in 2003, 2007 and 2015.

He included pictures from the articles in his post and captioned the message: 'And yet GQ Australia treats me like I don't exist.'

The troubled music legend also posted a picture of the 'Men of the Year' cover from 2007 and included a graphic of a three-star rating in the picture.

Johns, together with his bandmates from Silverchair, graced the cover of GQ in 2007 as 'Men of the Year', at the height of the band's best selling fame

Johns appears to be upset that the lifestyle magazine has ignored him

Elsewhere, John claimed a new sauna blanket product was receiving rave reviews from GQ - and that he was receiving unwanted promotions for the item.

He posted a picture of the ad for the product in his Instagram story and added a scathing caption.

'Literally reviewing f**king sauna blankets and targeting me with sponsored posts to really rub it in,' he messaged.

The Instagram story from Johns' post

He added the hashtags: 'bulls**t,' 'scoundrel', 'gimme my 3 stars,' and 'I would probably take 2.'

Johns received support from a fan for his spray and added it to his stories.

Featuring a digitally designed bust of Johns, the follower added a three-star rating graphic and captioned the image: 'GQ Australia, give this man the love he deserves.'
Chloe Sims looked incredible as she stepped out in Mayfair on Wednesday afternoon to film for her new reality show House Of Sims.

Since leaving TOWIE, the 40-year-old television personality has kept herself busy with her new ventures including a 1million deal with OnlyFans.

The Essex native turned heads in an eye-catching candy pink vinyl jacket which she teamed with a pair of leather thigh-high boots.

Hot pink! Chloe Sims looked incredible in a PVC candy coloured jacket as she stepped out in Mayfair on Wednesday to film for her new reality show House of Sims

Going all out for the occasion, Chloe added a pair of leather opera gloves to finish off the outlandish look while toting her belongings in a Balenciaga bag costing an eye-watering 1,900.

Chloe sleeked her blonde tresses back in a chic high bun revealing a large pair of gold hoop earrings.

The star completed her stunning look with a radiant palette of makeup including a pink lipstick and some quirky looking sunglasses.

Wow: The Essex native turned heads in an eye-catching pink latex jacket which she teamed with a pair of leather thigh-high boots

Stunner: Chloe added a pair of leather opera gloves to finish off the outlandish look while toting her belongings in a Balenciaga bag costing an eye-watering 1,900

Later in the afternoon, she was joined by her sisters Frankie and Demi who commanded attention as she strutted their stuff through central London.

Frankie, 27, kept to the all-black theme, donning a clinging strapless leather dress and studded biker jacket.

The brunette beauty layered two pearl necklaces to accessorise her stunning look.

Her lengthy chocolate brown tresses were kept straight, while her makeup looked glowy, finishing off her face with a glossy nude lip.

Beauty: Chloe sleeked her blonde tresses back in a chic high bun revealing a large pair of gold hoop earrings

Demi on the other hand dressed down, stepping out in an all-beige look.

The 26-year-old looked comfy in a cargo pants and kitted jumper while wearing a padded jacket off her shoulders.

She finished the look wearing one of her signature beanie hats and a pair of Nike Air Jordan's.

The famous sisters looked in great spirits as they sipped on some takeaway coffees as they turned heads in the swanky neighborhood.

Reality star: Frankie, 27, kept to the all-black theme, donning a clinging strapless leather dress and studded biker jacket

Dressed down: Demi on the other hand dressed down, stepping out in an all-beige look

Giggles: The famous sisters looked in great spirits as they sipped on some takeaway coffees as they turned heads in the swanky neighborhood

Sister act: Frankie, Demi and Chloe enjoyed a quick coffee break in between scenes

The Sims family's initial deal with the OFTV platform is a 'six-figure' sum set to rise to millions with extra add-ons and earnings, MailOnline has been told.

The new show is slated to be broadcast around the start of next year on the free viewing app.

Publicity pictures for the series features them decked out in leather outfits and look similar to some of the Kardashians' famous shoots.

Just like that hit, this series will follow the principal family The Sims as they attempt to 'go global' away from Essex and on their travels in the USA.

Taxi for one: Chloe arrived to Mayfair on her own as she got ready for a busy day of filming

Black cab: The three sister gathered together as they got a taxi home to Essex

The series will go out on the free OFTV app, which - unlike the parent site - features no nudity and can be watched on a smart TV.

And as part of the deal, the family will also open OnlyFans accounts, but will feature Instagram-style pictures, with no explicit content.

Chloe told MailOnline: 'I get people will want to compare this to TOWIE, but this is a different concept; this will be a fly-on-the-wall insight into our lives as a family, currently calling it House of Sims as a working title. It will be completely real, and we're really excited to bring our viewers along on a big unfiltered adventure.

'We're proud to be The Sims, but being compared to the Kardashians all the time is a big compliment to us as a family. We want to see where this new show can take us and plan to go global.'
The world learned on Wednesday that Hollywood legend Bruce Willis, 67, would retire due to his diagnosis of aphasia, a potentially devastating condition that causes a person to lose communication skills.

Willis' family announced that the condition would cause the Die Hard star to step away 'from the career that has meant so much to him.'

Around one million Americans suffer from the condition, the National Institutes of Health reports, and around 180,000 people are diagnosed with it every year.

It can manifest itself in multiple ways, and is often either the result of a head injury, a stroke, a tumor or other brain deterioration.

Aphasia can be devastating as well, with experts saying it causes depression in over a third of cases, can lead to personality shifts and can even alienate friends and family from the affected person.

Other famous examples of aphasia include former Arizona Congresswoman Gabby Giffords and Game of Thrones star Emilia Clarke.

'Imagine being dropped in a country where you do not speak the language - cannot understand, read, write or speak. It would impact all of your interactions - this is what it is like to have aphasia,' Darlene Williamson, president of the aphasia association, told DailyMail.com.

While it is impossible to say for Willis in particular how drastically the condition has effected him and his behavior, Williamson reports that it can often be devastating for patients.

'The consequences of living with a language impairment can alter someone's behavior and outlook on life,' Williamson said.

'Approximately 35 percent of individuals with aphasia experience some depression.'

The cause of the condition, which is often some sort of traumatic brain injury or a stroke, can lead to massive personality shifts.

'[Aphasia is] difficulty with language that comes about from some kind of injury to the brain. The most common source is stroke but it could come from any other type of damage, Dr Brenda Rapp, a cognitive scientist at Johns Hopkins University, told DailyMail.com.

Certain infections that impact the brain's language centers can cause aphasia to form as well, along with cognitive decline and deterioration associated with dementia.

The condition can make it very hard for an actor like Willis to continue in his career, as just the process of speaking out lines can become a challenge.

'It would surely be difficult,' Williamson said about attempting to continue acting while afflicted with the condition.

'Aphasia affects comprehension of language, speaking, as well as reading and writing. There are varying levels of severity which would be another determining factor. It may not be impossible, but acting would require extra accommodations.'

Dr Rapp said that despite communication failures caused by the condition, people who suffer the condition still have the same thoughts, and are internally the same person. While the experience can be alienating, loved ones should remember that the person has not changed. Pictured: Willis with family and friends after a 'roast' event in 2018

There are four common types of aphasia that make up a vast majority of cases: fluent - often called Wernicke's; non-fluent - known as Broca's; anomic; and Primary Progressive Aphasia.

Rapp explained that there are different forms of the condition because each represents a different type of breakdown in the process of communication.

Whether it is the ability to translate thoughts into proper words, the ability to physically say words, or the ability to interpret and understand speech from others, each part of communication is a complex process, and even slight brain damage can cause issue.

While the condition does cause communication failures, Rapp notes that the person themselves is still the same.

Their thoughts, beliefs and feeling towards their loved ones remain, even if it can be frustrating and alienating for both the aphasia patient and those around them to deal with this condition.

Willis' family did not reveal what type he was facing, or how severe of a case he had, or what was the root cause found for the condition.

According to the Stroke Association, a UK based group, those who suffer Wernicke's aphasia have the ability to string together long sentences of words, but will often say things in a way that they do not make sense, or even use made up words.

They will also suffer from impaired reading and writing ability, and may have trouble understanding clear verbal communication towards them.

One example used by Rapp is that a person may misunderstand the sentence 'John kicked the dog'.

Dr Brenda Rapp, a cognitive scientist at Johns Hopkins University, explains that aphasia is often caused by a stroke, and can manifest itself in many different ways

While the average person would clearly understand who kicked who in that scenario, a person dealing with this type of the condition may struggle to figure out whether John or the dog was the person that did the kicking.

Broca's aphasia will often cause a person to forget words or put together a proper string of words even when their brain can fully understand what they want to say.

A person suffering from this type of the condition will often use simple, short, sentences to get across speech as they are unable to properly say what they want to at times.

The Stroke Association says that these sentences will often be of around four words or less.

A person suffering from Broca's aphasia will also struggle with writing, but their reading ability is left unaffected.

Someone suffering from anomic aphasia may suffer to find specific verbs and nouns that they need to get their point across, and will speak very vaguely.

This may also translate into their writing, where they will just not be able to generate the correct words necessary to say what they would like to say.

Primary Progressive Aphasia aphasia damages a person's ability to communicate in virtually every single way.

A person suffering from this version of the condition will have trouble speaking, reading and writing.

Their ability to process and understand someone that is speaking to them is damaged as well.

Doctors can often detect aphasia via either an MRI or CT scan, and will be able to pinpoint the exact part of the brain that is causing the issue.

There is no way to fix or cure the condition entirely, but patients will often undergo speech therapy to help rebuild their language skills.

Theres not a lot of progress [with medication for the condition] the treatment for aphasia is speech therapy,' Rapp said.

She noted that in some cases a person may undergo electric stimulation therapy alongside speech therapy in order to 'get the most' out of the experience.

Williamson said that 'strong family support is a critical piece of living successfully with aphasia.'

It is not always permanent, though, and how long it lasts and how severe it is often depends on how bad the damage to the brain is.

Stroke victims in particular that suffer aphasia can regain their speech, and often within only a few weeks.
Married At First Sight UK's Whitney Hughes and Matt Murray defended their relationship on Wednesday's episode as they asked to stay in the experiment as a new couple.

After they opted to 'leave' their current partners Duka Cavolli, 31, and Gemma Rose, 34, the duo came under fire from their fellow castmates in an explosive commitment ceremony.

Their controversial romance came to light during the couples' retreat, during which time Whitney, 31, and Matt, 32, spent their first night together.

Sorry, not sorry: Married At First Sight UK's Whitney Hughes (pictured) said she wasn't sorry for her actions in pursuing Matt Murray as the pair asked experts to stay as a new couple

Discussing the new romance, Whitney said: 'Matt and I's connection happened like that, 'cause I look at him and I've got butterflies. And that's embarrassing to say. I've got butterflies at my 31-year-old age looking at this man.'

Matt added: 'There has been looks exchanged across the kitchen and I've had to check like a schoolchild with her friend whether I'm seeing what I think I'm seeing,' referring to April Banbury, who smiles as she watches on.'

His wife Gemma then cut in: 'We had to witness it unfold. Whether Matt likes to know it or not, there were feelings involved on my side, and you don't just forget that in the few days when you've had an argument.'

But Whitney defended her potential-new-beau: 'I think every girl has been there when they've held on a little bit longer to something. You know the guy has checked out but you still hold on for a little bit longer. We've all been there.'

Miles apart: An explosive commitment ceremony on Wednesday night saw Gemma Rose, 30, and husband Matt (pictured together) at loggerheads as they argued about his actions

Gemma then discussed how the dinner party unfolded the episode previous, when Matt had confessed to finding Whitney attractive.

After learning of the pair's intentions, an emotional Gemma flew into a fiery rage, hitting out at her 'husband' as she accused him of 'robbing her of the chance to start a family' while saying his actions made her feel 'disgusting'.

'To have that sprung on me in a group setting made me feel very uncomfortable...' Gemma told the experts. 'It got to the point where everyone had already heard rumours about it and no one had come to me. I felt disrespected.

'To top it off they've shared a bed not actually giving a s**t about how that would actually make me feel.'

Stuck: Experts Mel Schilling, Paul Brunson and Charlene Douglas (pictured) were left with the decision on whether to keep Matt and Whitney in the experiment together

Matt responded: 'I very specifically did not share a bed with Whitney until everything was made aware.'

But Gemma argued: 'Until you two leave, that's not acceptable. Not in my opinion.'

Whitney's husband Duka then cut in to say: 'Gemma I agree with you wholeheartedly.

'Everything should have been done afterwards when the two couples wrote "leave". My guy code is that if you dealt with an ex in the past I would never touch that.'

Leaving: Gemma and Matt both voted to leave after their explosive relationship came to an end when Matt cheated with co-star Whitney

Matt chimed in once again: 'My feeling was that this relationship was at the point of no return, so when I felt what I have felt I acted upon it.'

His co-stars were not pleased with the responses he gave to an emotional Gemma, with Zoe Clifton, 30, who is partnered with Jenna Robinson, 32, calling Matt a f*****g d******d under her breath.

Zoe then told Matt: 'You signed up to a process, you're sat here now waiting to give the thing to say you're going to leave which means that you understand the rules of this.

'So you've signed up to it. And by signing up to it, you knew that you couldn't leave until you said leave. By doing that, you know that you're still married until you leave this process.

'Therefore, you've disrespected Duka, you've disrespected Gemma, and you've disrespected the process.'

Not working out: Duka Cavolli, 31, pictured with wife Whitney (right) voted to leave after hearing of her infidelity

Matt brushed off the comments and tells her he doesn't value her opinion and that he 'doesn't need to answer anything' from her.

When asked by expert Charlene Douglas if she felt she has done anything wrong, Whitney says: 'No. No I don't.

'We're all aware that this has been dead in the water for a long time. I don't not have empathy and understanding.'

Not happy: His co-stars were not pleased with the responses he gave to an emotional Gemma, with Zoe Clifton, 30, calling Matt a f*****g d******d under her breath

Expert Mel Schilling then asked the looming question of whether to leave or stay: 'There's no question there has been a lot of volitility, a lot of pain and anguish.

'And I hope that with this discussion we have had tonight there has been some insight for you guys.

'From a formality point of view we need to go to the decision.' Duka, Whitney, Gemma and Matt then all vote to leave.

Mel continued: 'We now have a new, burgeoning relationship, so I want to throw it to the two of you - to hear from you about where to from here.'

Defending: Zoe tells Matt: 'You've disrespected Duka, you've disrespected Gemma, and you've disrespected the process'

Matt then said: 'It would be nice to get the experiment with Whitney and see how that can develop. I'd be absolutely frickin' insane and stupid to not pursue it.'

Mel added: 'So to be clear, the two of you are saying you want to pursue this relationship here inside the experiment?' - and the pair agree.

The rest of the group were riled up by the suggestion with them all arguing that it undermined the process and other people's relationships.

Whitney added: 'Matt and I, we're fresh, we could have the help of the experts and find out whether this is something that we should put our lives and our times and our hearts into. That would be amazing.'

Jilted: After learning of the pair's intentions, an emotional Gemma said her husband's actions were 'disgusting'. Pictured right, a jilted Duka

It came after Whitney and tattooed Matt spent the night together during a couples' retreat getaway despite their respective partners being under the same roof.

The infidelity rocked the cast with Gemma breaking down in tears after the betrayal comes to light in dramatic scenes on the E4 series.

Whitney and Duka married in the show's first episode, but their relationship was doomed from the start.

Personal assistant Whitney was on the hunt for a 'massive brick house of a man' but described her husband Duka as a 'shed.'

Cheek: Co-stars of Matt and Whitney couldn't believe the pair wanted to stay in the experiment as a new couple

She was met by criticism from viewers after she failed to give Duka a chance, even confessing at the altar that she was tempted to 'run.'

Whitney said: 'I'm hoping when I walk down the aisle I see a massive brick house of a man, he's got to be tall, have a thick, luscious beard, I'm not going to settle for anything less than perfect

'I wanted a man to tower over me like massive, like a brick house, compared to a house maybe he's like a shed.'

New romance: Whitney and Matt finally made news of their romance public and shared their first kiss before enjoying a steamy night together

Wednesday night's episode also saw Adrian Sanderson hinting at more trouble behind the scenes of George and April's relationship during a fiery Commitment Ceremony last night.

The digital designer, 37, who is married to Thomas Hartley, 31, a mental health care assistant, told the group he 'had something to say for weeks' after George Roberts took to the expert's couch expressing his desire to make his relationship with April work.

'I don't trust April yet with all of my insecurities and that's not April's fault,' George told the experts. 'I guess it's a fear of rejection or humiliation of letting somebody into your life and them disappearing again. But I feel like they're outside factors causing a problem.'

Not so happy couple: Married At First Sight UK contestant Whitney cheated on her husband Duka (pictured together on their wedding day) with co-star Matt

April added: 'A lot of people were calling me fake and our relationship fake. It really hurt.'

George continued: 'Let's put it straight, one particular person has decided to make known and voice his opinion between the group and I've had enough of it.'

Paul asked: 'Who are you talking about? Just so we know.'

George frustratingly said 'Thomas,', while Thomas put his hand up with a fake grin and says 'Me!', leaving Paul to ask what April's issue was, responding that Thomas was 'telling everyone else that I was fake and I felt attacked'.

When asked if he wanted to respond, Thomas shook his head and said 'I've got nothing to say.'

Happy days: Gemma and Matt married on the show - but cracks soon started to form and he has since cheated on his partner with co-star Whitney

But Adrian put his hand up to say that he had something to say instead: 'You know what I've actually had something to say for weeks.'

George immediately piped up and firmly said 'Adrian,' who says 'No George, we sat and we had this conversation,' but George continues to tell him 'Leave it!'

Adrian said: 'When George wasn't in a good spot with April, he wanted my ear. He wanted to listen. I absolutely supported him and I was thanked for that.'

Again, George cut him off and said: 'Well Adrian I've got something that I want to fight for.'

April cuts in and said: 'Guys, I'm not here for this drama, I want to focus on our relationship,' to which Thomas quips: 'You're a liar April.'

Thomas stormed off after George calls his outburst 'The Thomas Show', telling the group: 'I've got too much stuff going on in my personal life to listen to this liar, I've had enough. You're a liar, your relationship is fake and I've had enough.

Once again, Adrian tried to tell the group something but is cut off by George who gives him a firm look as he interrupts him while saying 'Can I please say this because this is... right hang on, OK so let me finish.'

Expert Paul Brunson quickly calls time on that argument - leaving audiences in the dark as to what information Adrian was about to divulge about George: 'You can continue to do this but you are going to respect the forum, and on top of it if you don't want to you can leave just like Thomas did.'

George, a financial advisor from Worcester, has confided in Adrian a few times during the process and the pair seem to have a strong friendship.

Nervous: Married At First Sight UK's Adrian hinted at more trouble behind the scenes of George Roberts, (pictured) and April's relationship during a fiery Commitment Ceremony

On Tuesday's episode George was in tears as he sat on Adrian's sofa describing how upset he was about April's 'lies' regarding her ex-boyfriend.

The ex-beauty queen, 33, and George got into multiple arguments after he found out she lied about her ex-boyfriend Ryan Darvill who she met on ITV reality show The Cabins.

George found out she had missed key details in her relationship history with Ryan after he said he 'Googled her date of birth' to find her Wikipedia page detailing their three-month love affair - but she described it to him as just a fling.

Upset with not knowing the ins and outs of her past love life, George and April came to blows - leaving him to confide in Adrian and gain advice on how to deal with the situation.
He loves to wear designer labels which make him stand out from the crowd.

And on Thursday, Lewis Hamilton, 37, showed off his tattooed chest as he stepped out wearing an unzipped patchwork cardigan by Kenzo which is yet to be released.

The blue and yellow knitwear was a cropped style and he teamed it with a pair of cream chinos by the same label.

Granny called... Lewis Hamilton showed off his tattooed chest under a unzipped patchwork cardigan and chinos on Thursday ahead of the Singapore Formula One Grand Prix

Making his own style rules: The blue and yellow knitwear was a cropped style and he teamed it with a pair of cream chinos by the same label

He wore Kenzo Smile boots which cost 760 and Nanushka sunglasses which retail at 275.

Lewis was pictured arriving at the Marina Bay City Circuit ahead of the Singapore Formula One Grand Prix which is scheduled to be held on October 2.

The outing comes as it was revealed that Alex Albon will take part in this weekend's Grand Prix, three weeks after he suffered respiratory failure and was left on a ventilator.

Doing his thing: Lewis was pictured arriving at the Marina Bay City Circuit ahead of the Singapore Formula One Grand Prix which is scheduled to be held on October 2

Details: He wore a series of necklaces for the outing

Accessorize all areas: He wore Nanushka sunglasses which retail at 275

The London-born Williams driver endured complications from surgery when he was sidelined from the last round in Italy with appendicitis.

But the 26-year-old insists he is ready to return to his Williams cockpit, despite Sunday's race in the humidity of Singapore considered among the hardest challenges of the year.

'My preparation for Singapore has been a little different than normal, but I'm feeling good and I've done everything possible to get ready for one of the most physical races on the calendar,' said Albon.

Return: Alex Albon is ready to return for the Singapore Grand Prix after suffering respiratory failure

'I am not underestimating how big of a challenge this is going to be, but I am looking forward to hitting the track on Friday and getting back driving.

'It's a great street circuit and the closest race to home for me in Thailand, so I'm really excited to be here and to see the fans that have turned out.

Albon, who races under the Thai flag because of his mother Kankamol's nationality, fell unwell in Monza and was replaced by the team's reserve driver and Formula E champion Nyck de Vries.

The Dutchman, 27, finished an impressive ninth to score points on his F1 debut.

De Vries is on standby if Albon is unable to race on the sport's first return to Singapore since the pandemic.
Hailey Bieber dressed to impress as she attended the PAP women's show during Paris Fashion Week on Wednesday evening.

Hailey, 25, showcased her lithe model pins in a beige one shoulder mini-dress which she teamed with a double breasted wool blend coat.

The socialite elevated her frame in a towering pair of strappy heels as she turned heads walking through the city's idyllic streets.

Chic: Hailey Bieber dressed to impress in a cream one-shoulder dress and matching coat as she attended the PAP women's show during Paris Fashion Week on Wednesday evening

Hailey slicked her dark tresses back in a bun as she hid behind a pair of chic black sunglasses.

The model stopped traffic with the look as she sported a bronzed makeup look that accentuated her pretty features.

The outing comes after Hailey candidly discussed her sex life with her husband of four years, two-time Grammy winner Justin Bieber, revealing they prefer to make love in the evenings.

Stunner: Hailey, 25, showcased her endless model pins in a beige one shoulder mini dress which she teamed with a double breasted wool blend coat

'But I do like morning [sex] too,' the 25-year-old IMG Model confessed on Wednesday's Call Her Daddy Podcast. 'I really like doggy style.'

However, threesomes 'wouldn't work' for Hailey and the 28-year-old Canadian crooner even though she admitted the idea is 'really fun and sounds exciting.'

'I think sometimes for some people it does...I think the second you make the decision to do that there's never going back from that, and I just don't know that I would ever be willing,' Bieber explained to host Alex Cooper.

'But I do like morning [sex] too,' the 25-year-old IMG Model confessed on Wednesday's Call Her Daddy Podcast. 'I really like doggy style

'We've worked very hard to be in the space that we're in now and trusting each other. There's such a beautiful trust and bond that I don't think that's something I would be comfortable with. Or him, for that matter.'

All the sex talk made the Arizona-born beauty feel 'weird' because she realized her parents, Stephen and Kennya Baldwin, were 'going to listen to this.'

'There's something that feels so cringe about your parents [hearing this],' Hailey said.

'There's never going back from that': However, threesomes 'wouldn't work' for Hailey and the 28-year-old Canadian crooner even though she admitted the idea is 'really fun and sounds exciting' (pictured August 3)

Bieber explained to host Alex Cooper: 'We've worked very hard to be in the space that we're in now and trusting each other. There's such a beautiful trust and bond that I don't think that's something I would be comfortable with. Or him, for that matter'

'So cringe!' All the sex talk made the Arizona-born beauty feel 'weird' because she realized her parents, Stephen and Kennya Baldwin, were 'going to listen to this'

'I can ask him about any person, any past girl': Hailey also said 'there's nothing I don't know' about Justin's prior sexual experiences (pictured June 3)

'I also have this theory that people don't care about married people sex.'

Bieber also said 'there's nothing I don't know' about Justin's prior sexual experiences.

'I can ask him about any person, any past girl anything,' the Rhode founder noted.

'He doesn't have a problem being explicit and I think that's made me trust him a lot because there's nothing I don't know.'

Ex files: That includes Grammy nominee Selena Gomez (L, pictured in 2012), who finally ended her on/off eight-year relationship with Bieber in March 2018 - three months before he rekindled his 2015 romance with Hailey

Bieber said of cheating rumors: 'When him and I started hooking up, or anything of that sort, he was not in any relationship. It's not my character to mess with someone's relationship. I was raised better than that'

That includes Grammy nominee Selena Gomez, who finally ended her on/off eight-year relationship with Bieber in March 2018 - three months before he rekindled his 2015 romance with Hailey.

'I understand how it looks from the outside,' Bieber said of cheating rumors.

'When him and I started hooking up, or anything of that sort, he was not in any relationship. It's not my character to mess with someone's relationship. I was raised better than that.'

Premieres November 4 on Apple TV+! Hailey's comments came a week after Selena unveiled the first teaser for Alex Keshishian's documentary on her called My Mind And Me

Some might not be aware that the Honest hitmaker originally met the Who's in my Bathroom vlogger at the TODAY Show in 2009 - the same exact year he met the 30-year-old pop star.

Hailey's comments came a week after Selena unveiled the first teaser for Alex Keshishian's documentary My Mind And Me, which premieres November 4 on Apple TV+.

The film spans four years, including Gomez's split with Justin as well as her career, kidney transplant due to Lupus, and mental health struggles.
Historical issues hinder security cooperation



South Korea will hold trilateral anti-submarine drills with the United States and Japan in international waters off the East Sea on Friday to cope with growing military threats from North Korea more effectively, the Ministry of National Defense said Thursday. The maritime exercise is the first of its kind since April 2017.



The drills come right after Seoul and Washington conducted a combined naval exercise in the East Sea from Sept. 26 to 29 in response to North Korea's nuclear and missile threats. Early this month, the North promulgated a law that enables Pyongyang to make a preemptive nuclear strike in a contingency. Its leader Kim Jong-un has vowed not to give up his nuclear arsenal under any circumstances.



The defense ministry said that the three-nation drill will focus on detecting, identifying and tracking submarines. The exercise is expected to help keep the capabilities of North Korea's submarines and its submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs) in check. The North has been making efforts to develop and deploy SLBMs which could be installed with nuclear warheads, while pushing to develop new submarines. Pyongyang is reportedly preparing to test-fire an SLBM soon as well as conduct its seventh nuclear test anytime.



Against this backdrop, it is timely for the three countries to stage the joint drills. South Korea's Munmu the Great destroyer will join the USS Ronald Reagan aircraft carrier and members of its strike group, as well as Japan's Asahi-class destroyer. South Korea needs Japan's cooperation as the Asian neighbor has the largest number of P-3C maritime patrol aircraft after the U.S. that can detect and trace submarines.



The drills also carry significance as there is a growing need for trilateral security cooperation among Seoul, Washington and Tokyo amid the emerging new Cold War, which renders North Korea, China and Russia to align themselves. The U.S. has been adamant in letting Japan play a greater role to ensure security in the Indo-Pacific region, particularly when America is engaging in the ever-intensifying great power rivalry with China.



In this situation, more active trilateral security collaboration is inevitable whether we like it or not. President Yoon Suk-yeol, who is seeking to mend frayed Seoul-Tokyo ties, said recently that there is no reason to avoid the three-way framework which is designed to deal with North Korea's nuclear threats and settle peace in Northeast Asia. As such, it is necessary for the three countries to hold regular drills to increase their preparedness.



Yet, Seoul and Tokyo should make efforts to improve their relations in order to boost trilateral security cooperation with Washington. The two countries still have to go a long way to break the diplomatic deadlock over the South Korean top court's rulings, which ordered Japanese firms to pay compensation to surviving Korean victims of Japan's wartime forced labor.



Yoon is under severe criticism for holding only "informal talks" with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly in New York last week. Regrettably, the Kishida administration has yet to show any signs of compromise. Anti-Japanese sentiment still runs deep among Koreans. There is no national consensus on stepping up military cooperation with Japan. So we should not hurry to let Japan assume a bigger role in the region until both sides restore mutual trust and amity.


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Holly Willoughby, Amanda Holden and Davina McCall led the stars attending the BGC Partners Charity Day in London on Thursday.

This Morning star Holly, 41, looked autumn chic in a red roll neck jumper and high-waisted checked skirt for the event.

She looked great in her outfit and wore her blonde tresses in loose waves over her shoulders while opting for natural makeup to show off her pretty features.

Event: Holly Willoughby (pictured), Amanda Holden and Davina McCall led the stars attending the BGC Partners Charity Day in London on Thursday

Meanwhile Britain's Got Talent judge Amanda, 51, cut a glamorous figure in a fuchsia shirt and a matching pair of trousers.

The radio host added height to her frame with a matching pair of heels as she joined Davina, 54, on the red carpet.

Letting her blonde locks fall loose down her shoulders, the star added to her look with a light palette of makeup as she cuddled a cute pooch.

Former Big Brother host Davina cut a trendy figure in a black midi dress with a white collar and matching cuffs.

All pink: Meanwhile Britain's Got Talent judge Amanda, 51, cut a glamorous figure in a fuchsia shirt and a matching pair of trousers

Confident: Holly cut a stylish figure in a red roll neck jumper and high-waisted checked skirt for the event.

Heels: Holly boosted her height with nude heels as she answered the phone

Radiant: She looked great in her outfit and wore her blonde tresses in loose waves over her shoulders while opting for natural makeup to show off her pretty features

Star: Damian Lewis attends the BGC Partners Charity Day

Suave: He wore a smart leather jacket

Outfit: He completed his look with dark jeans and trainers

The presenter also sported a pair of black kitten heels and added to her outfit with white ankle socks.

Laura, 37, opted for a dark green blazer for the event, pairing it with matching high-waisted trousers.

The former Love Island host also wore a white 'Choose Love' T-shirt and added height to her frame with a pair of heels.

Getting involved: She didn't shy away from the action

Fun: She was getting fully involved

Glowing: She looked as pretty as ever

Cause: Amanda and Davina McCall also made an appearance at the event

Fashion: Laura opted for a dark green blazer for the event, pairing it with matching high-waisted trousers

Pals: Laura looked in good spirits as she posed on the red carpet with Rio Ferdinand and Sadie Frost

Getting ready: Amanda shared this snap to her Instagram on Thursday and wrote: 'Getting in some exercise for my big charity challenge next week'

Wearing her blonde tresses loose, the star looked in good spirits as she posed on the red carpet with Rio Ferdinand and Sadie Frost.

BGC Partners' annual charity day commemorates those whose lives were lost on 9/11 by providing their global revenues to hundreds of charities.

It comes after Davina admitted that she is experiencing a 'second spring' after the changing responsibilities that have come with getting older have enabled her to go out with her friends into the small hours once again.

Heartwarming: Davina and Amanda looked in good spirits as they posed with a pair of pooches on the red carpet

Radiant: Britain's Got Talent judge Amanda cut a glamorous figure in a fuchsia shirt and a matching pair of trousers

Pals: Davina and Amanda were seen giving each other a hug at the event

The star has spoken openly about ageing and going through the menopause, and she says as her children Holly, 21, Tilly, 19, and Chester, 16, get older, she has been able to get back in touch with her more youthful side.

She told woman&home: 'So many of my friends are going out dancing again. I used to, maybe once a year, but now I go out a lot and get home at 2am.

She said: 'I can sleep until 10am because my kids sleep until midday, and I enjoy it.

'It's like being given a new lease of life. The Chinese call it the second spring and that's a really nice concept. You don't ever need to become old.

'I think there's been a shift in expectations from society about women of a certain age. There is no 'certain' age any more. We can do whatever we want.'

Good cause: The BGC annual charity day at Canary Wharf is in commemoration of BGC's 658 colleagues and the 61 Eurobrokers employees lost on 9/11

Impressive: Over the past 18 years, approximately 192 million US Dollars has been raised as a direct result of the charity day

Pose: Former Love Island host Laura also wore a white 'Choose Love' T-shirt and added height to her frame with a pair of heels

Candid: It comes after Davina admitted that she is experiencing a 'second spring' after the changing responsibilities that have come with getting older have enabled her to go out with her friends into the small hours once again

Davina said the menopause was an amazing rebirth for her, adding 'we all owe it to younger women to go out there and live our best lives'.

It comes after Davina opened up about feeling 'unattractive' while suffering from severe menopause symptoms.

The former Big Brother host, who now takes HRT to help manage her symptoms, recalled when she was suffering from night sweats, dry skin and brain fog and admitted she didn't 'feel sexy' anymore.

Davina, who was perimenopausal at 44, spoke to The Sun's Fabulous Magazine about how the changes to her body had an impact on her sex drive as she was constantly 'exhausted' from waking up in the night as a result of her symptoms.

Family: The star has spoken openly about ageing and going through the menopause, and she says as her children Holly, 21, Tilly, 19, and Chester, 16, get older, she has been able to get back in touch with her more youthful side

Davina told woman&home: 'So many of my friends are going out dancing again. I used to, maybe once a year, but now I go out a lot and get home at 2am'

She said: 'I can sleep until 10am because my kids sleep until midday, and I enjoy it. 'It's like being given a new lease of life'

Davina told the publication: 'I lost something of myself. I changed. I couldn't quite pinpoint how I'd changed, but I'd definitely changed. I didn't feel myself.

'I felt spectacularly unattractive during my sweaty nights and my sore, dry vagina and my dry skin  and my brain fog. None of this made me feel sexy.

'Being menopausal can be a very lonely place. You can start feeling like you are the only person in the world who feels this way, and that no one understands what you are going through.'

Davina explored the menopause in a documentary entitled Sex, Mind and the Menopause - the follow-up to her 2021 programme Sex, Myths and the Menopause.

The show further explored more of the burning issues raised in her first documentary  including menopause myths and the taboo around HRT.
Cindy Crawford and Rande Gerber met with Helena Christensen for dinner in New York City on Wednesday evening.

The 56-year-old supermodel and her husband, 60, were spotted while taking a short stroll with the fashion industry personality after finishing up their meal.

The latter of the two was also pictured as he hugged the 53-year-old former Victoria's Secret Angel as they spent time outside of the eatery.

Party of three: Cindy Crawford and Rande Gerber met with Helena Christensen for dinner in New York City on Wednesday evening

Still a 10: Christensen stood out in a flowing sleeved red dress that showcased her toned legs and was contrasted with a sizable gray jacket. The supermodel also wore a set of jet-black sandals and accessorized with a sizable crimson purse

Crawford looked lovely in a leather jacket that was paired with a white button-up shirt while enjoying the company of her husband and good friend.

The fashion industry mainstay tucked her top into a pair of jeans that conformed tightly to her toned legs.

The runway regular donned a set of knee-high high-heeled boots and accessorized with several articles of jewelry.

Her voluminous brunette locks cascaded onto her shoulders and paired well with the neutral tones of her outfit.

Stylish: Crawford looked lovely in a leather jacket that was paired with a white button-up shirt while enjoying the company of her husband and good friend

Close pals: Here Cindy is seen leaning on Helena who showed off her long legs

Christensen stood out in a flowing sleeved red dress that showcased her toned legs and was contrasted with a sizable gray jacket.

The supermodel also wore a set of jet-black sandals and accessorized with a sizable crimson purse.

Her gorgeous dark brunette hair was cut short and fell towards her shoulders for the length of her outing.

Gerber opted for a black button-up shirt that was worn underneath a slightly darker zip-up jacket.

Va va voom: Christensen stood out in a flowing sleeved red dress that showcased her toned legs and was contrasted with a sizable gray jacket

The entrepreneur also wore a pair of dark gray jeans and a set of shoes that matched the color of his tops.

Crawford and her husband previously tied the knot during a wedding ceremony that was held in the Bahamas in 1998.

The actress was formerly married to Richard Gere, and the two went their separate ways in 1995.

The model and her husband went on to start a family with the birth of their son Presley, aged 23, in 1999, and they added a daughter named Kaia, aged 21, to their lives two years later.

Family matters: The model and her husband went on to start a family with the birth of their son Presley, aged 23, in 1999, and they added a daughter named Kaia, aged 21, to their lives two years later; they are seen with their children in 2017

The happy couple's children have also followed their parents into the fashion industry.

Crawford occasionally shares photos of her husband to her Instagram, and his most recent appearance on her account was last month, when she posted a set of shots that had been taken during a Canadian getaway.

She also penned a lengthy message where she expressed that 'we had a chance to redefine our relationship to lake living and also just enjoy each other.'

The supermodel added: 'This life journey certainly isnt a straight line and its filled with ups and downs, but I am grateful to be trying to figure it out with this guy by my side.'
She jetted to England on Monday to walk in Burberry's delayed London Fashion Week show.

And after gracing the runway for the brand, Bella Hadid continued to showcase her modelling skills as she posed for a series of racy snaps taken by their Chief Creative Officer Riccardo Tisci.

Daring to go topless for the raunchy snapshots, the 25-year-old supermodel put her phenomenal figure on full display.

Sizzling: After gracing the Buberry runway, Bella Hadid continued to showcase her modelling skills as she posed for a series of snaps taken by their Chief Creative Officer Riccardo Tisci

Bella flashed plenty of underboob while posing in an open black Burberry coat, using the belt to protect her modesty.

She teamed the garment with a black pleated midi skirt layered over long trousers.

Bella cheekily winked for the camera while posing in the doorway of a home in London.

Wow: Daring to go topless for the raunchy snapshots, the 25-year-old supermodel put her phenomenal figure on full display

Sizzling: Bella flashed plenty of underboob while posing in an open black Burberry coat, using the belt to protect her modesty

The Vogue cover girl then moved inside for some more snaps, this time donning a cropped white shirt that she wore unbuttoned to showcase her toned abs.

She added to the look with a boxy jacket and trousers in the British brand's iconic check print and donned black gloves.

The brunette beauty finished off the look by slicking her tresses back into a tight bun and accessorising with gold shades.

Gorgeous: The Vogue cover girl then moved inside for some more snaps, this time donning a cropped white shirt that she wore unbuttoned to showcase her toned abs

Chic: She added to the look with a boxy jacket and trousers in the British brand's iconic check print and donned black gloves

Trendy: She layered up with a black coat in one of the stunning snaps

Earlier this month Burberry announced they would reschedule their runway show as a mark of respect for Queen Elizabeth II.

The British heritage brand had originally planned to showcase their SS23 line on September 17 but ended up doing the presentation on September 26.

Bella looked incredible at the show as she walked the runway in a baby blue bodysuit with a glamorous train that flared out behind her.

The glamorous jet-setter then made her way to France in time for Paris Fashion Week.

Blue-tiful: Bella looked incredible at the show as she walked the runway in a baby blue bodysuit with a glamorous train that flared out behind her

Bella has been joined on her Fashion Week tour by her boyfriend Marc Kalman.

She started dating Marc back in 2020 after ending her on-again, off-again relationship with The Weeknd.

Earlier this year, the five-foot-nine beauty spoke about her relationship with her boyfriend and praised Marc's hard work ethic, adding they had grown very close over their romance.

'I'm really proud of Marc, who's like my emotional support bunny and is incredibly talented at everything he does,' she said.
She always manages to look effortlessly chic.

And Ashley Roberts pulled another fashionable look out of the bag as she headed to work at Heart FM on Thursday.

The presenter, 41, cut a chic figure in a satin blouse and paperbag trousers after another day of announcing the celebrity gossip on the breakfast show.

Glam: She always manages to look effortlessly chic. And Ashley Roberts pulled another fashionable look out of the bag as she headed to work at Heart FM on Thursday

Ashley opted for a mocha 425 blouse by Nanushka that complemented her tanned complexion.

She teamed the garment with a pair of khaki Sandro trousers that skimmed over her patent heeled boots.

The Pussycat Doll completed the look with a small Gucci belt and micro Birkin handbag, as well as rectangular shades.

Chic: The presenter, 41, cut a chic figure in a satin blouse and paperbag trousers after another day of announcing the celebrity gossip on the breakfast show

Striking: Ashley opted for a mocha 425 blouse by Nanushka that complemented her tanned complexion

Last month, it was revealed Ashley was left shaken by a 'stalker who became fixated with her' and turned up at her London home before being arrested.

The star went to a central London police station and had her private protection bolstered amid concern about the man's appearance at her home.

Police in London have now arrested a man in connection with stalking the Heart FM DJ.

Eye-catching: She teamed the garment with a pair of khaki Sandro trousers that skimmed over her patent heeled boots

Managers at Heart's parent company Global personally ensured greater security for Ashley, The Sun reported at the time.

An industry source told the paper: 'It has been a concerning time for Ashley, but she has stayed calm, level-headed and focused on her work going about her day-to-day life.

'Global have been excellent in providing security to escort Ashley in and out of the building as her safety is paramount.

'She is grateful for the support of the police after they responded efficiently to her reports. She has lots of great friends around her.'
Olivia Jade Giannulli celebrated her 23rd birthday on Wednesday over lunch at The Ivy in West Hollywood with her big sister Bella.

The YouTube vlogger wore a strapless berry-print top as she enjoyed a glass of white wine at the upscale Robertson boulevard restaurant where a plate of ravioli costs $48.

Olivia - who's dating Euphoria star Jacob Elordi - received at least two birthday bouquets.

Rich: Olivia Jade Giannulli celebrated her 23rd birthday on Wednesday over lunch at The Ivy in West Hollywood with her big sister Bella

Giannulli's Instagram post received glowing comments from Dancing with the Stars dancers Lindsay Arnold Cusick and Gleb Savchenko as well as Zoe Church founder Chad Veach.

The DWTS #30 contestant - who boasts 3.5M social media followers - gushed via Instastory: 'Thank you for the bday wishes! I see all of your sweet messages and it means the world.'

On Tuesday, Olivia was spotted buying an iced matcha green tea from Alfred Tea Room in West Hollywood while toting a Gucci bag and sporting Balenciaga sneakers.

Giannulli - who vlogs for a living - still lives at her parents' six-bedroom $9.5M Hidden Hills mansion inside the gated Ashley Ridge neighborhood.

Cheers! The YouTube vlogger wore a strapless berry-print top as she enjoyed a glass of white wine at the upscale Robertson boulevard restaurant where a plate of ravioli costs $48

'Beyond!' Olivia - who's dating Euphoria star Jacob Elordi - received at least two birthday bouquets

'HBD fam!' Giannulli's Instagram post received glowing comments from Dancing with the Stars dancers Lindsay Arnold Cusick and Gleb Savchenko as well as Zoe Church founder Chad Veach

The DWTS #30 contestant - who boasts 3.5M social media followers - gushed via Instastory: 'Thank you for the bday wishes! I see all of your sweet messages and it means the world'

Back in January 2021, the fame-hungry influencer promised to 'donate a percentage of my adsense on all videos going forward' to a mystery charity she never named.

On August 29, Olivia uploaded a vlog demonstrating '90s Sitcom Star Glam' - which was inspired by her disgraced mother, college admissions scandal ex-con Lori Loughlin.

'As most of you know my mom was on a nineties sitcom called Full House,' Giannulli explained.

'So I wanted to, like, emulate her a little bit and I couldn't have done it without Dyson so thank you so much for sponsoring this video!'

Out and about: On Tuesday, Olivia was spotted buying an iced matcha green tea from Alfred Tea Room in West Hollywood while toting a Gucci bag and sporting Balenciaga sneakers

Vlogger: Giannulli still lives at her parents' six-bedroom $9.5M Hidden Hills mansion inside the gated Ashley Ridge neighborhood (pictured Saturday)

'I wanted to emulate her': On August 29, the fame-hungry influencer uploaded a vlog demonstrating '90s Sitcom Star Glam' - which was inspired by her disgraced mother, college admissions scandal ex-con Lori Loughlin

In 2020, the 58-year-old Daytime Emmy nominee and her second husband Mossimo Giannulli pled guilty to paying a $500K bribe to ensure both their daughters would be accepted into USC.

Olivia and Bella even pretended to be rowing recruits by posing for fake crew photographs as part of their applications, which proved they were culpable in their parents' conspiracy to commit mail fraud/money laundering.

Lori served nearly two months at the FCI Dublin in California in 2020, and she paid a $150K fine and performed 150 hours of community service.

The 59-year-old Mossimo designer served five months at FCI Lompoc in California in 2020-2021, and he paid a $250K fine and performed 250 hours of community service.

2018 family portrait: In 2020, the 58-year-old Daytime Emmy nominee (2-L) and her second husband Mossimo Giannulli (2-R) pled guilty to paying a $500K bribe to ensure both their daughters would be accepted into USC

Smoking gun: Olivia and Bella even pretended to be rowing recruits by posing for fake crew photographs as part of their applications, which proved they were culpable in their parents' conspiracy to commit mail fraud/money laundering

Operation Varsity Blues: Lori served nearly two months at the FCI Dublin in California in 2020, and the 59-year-old Mossimo designer served five months at FCI Lompoc in California in 2020-2021 (pictured in 2019)

The Elemis partner attempted to do damage control with a tone deaf appearance on Facebook Watch's Red Table Talk in 2020.

Olivia blatantly contradicted herself to host Jada Pinkett Smith by saying she first 'felt so ashamed and hid for four months' and then later said she first 'didn't really understand what's wrong with this.'

'In the bubble that I grew up in, a lot of kids' parents were donating to schools,' Giannulli defended.

'It's not and it's not right but it was happening. So at first I was like, "I don't really understand what's wrong with this. I was like, "this is what everybody does and my parents work really hard."'
Courtney Stodden attended the premiere of the Universal film Bros at Regal LA Live in Los Angeles on Wednesday.

The star donned a patterned green and black crop top with a matching mini skirt for the event.

Courtney, 28, carried a yellow hued hand bag with platform high heels to round out the stylish look.

Striking: Courtney Stodden attended the premiere of the Universal film Bros at Regal LA Live in Los Angeles

The star opted to rock loose tresses, adding smokey eye makeup and glossy pink lipstick.

The movie Bros, is a romantic comedy that centers around the character Bobby Lieber, played by Billy Eichner.

Bobby, who is a museum curator living in New York City, is hired to write a romantic comedy about a gay couple.

During the process, he falls in love with lawyer Aaron.

Gorgeous: The star donned a patterned green and black crop top with a matching mini skirt for the event

All love: Courtney, 28, carried a yellow hued hand bag with platform high heels to round out the stylish look

Billy also serves as a co-writer with Nicholas Stoller, who also directed as well; Billy, Nicholas and Joshua Church produced the film.

In 2021, Courtney came out as non-binary, and announced the news on Instagram, writing: 'They/them/theirs. I don't identify as she or her. I've never felt like I ever fit in anywhere.'

'I was bullied horribly in school because I was different. The other girls never understood me. It got so bad that my mom pulled me out of school. And still, I don't fit in. I never really connected with anyone my age.'

Strike a pose: The star opted to rock loose tresses, adding smokey eye makeup and glossy pink lipstick

Beaming: Courtney pictured at the premiere on Wednesday night in LA

'My spirit is fluid with a kaleidoscope of color,' adding hashtags #bekind #beopen #loveyourself.'

At the time, Courtney told People magazine: 'When I look at myself in the mirror, I see a human being so far away from norms, misogyny & labels. I live by my own rules now.'

'I'm excited to show the world all of the sides to who I am on this new journey in music.'
Claire Danes is clearly still very in love with her husband of 13 years, Hugh Dancy.

When at the New York Ballet's 10th Annual Fall Fashion Gala on Wednesday night, the Homeland actress not only put her arm around her spouse, but she also placed a hand on his chest while posing for photos.

The two have been wed since 2009 and have two children together: Rowan, age four, and Cyrus Michael, age nine.

I heart you: Claire Danes is clearly still very in love with her husband of 13 years, Hugh Dancy. When at the New York Ballet's 10th Annual Fall Fashion Gala on Wednesday night, the Homeland actress placed a hand on his chest while posing for photos

That loving look: The two have been wed since 2009 and have two children together: Rowan, age four, and Cyrus Michael, age nine

Claire showed off her slender figure in a floor length sleeveless gown that had a champagne beige background with colorful flowers embroidered.

Her hair was worn down and stick straight in a short bob which showed off her many earrings, which included an ear cuff.

Hugh looked dapper in a classic black suit with a black-and-white tie.

In May Dancy said he was 'really glad' Danes had an 'inadequate' one-night stand.

Holding him firm: In this image, the TV star put his arm around his then held her hand so that he could not get loose

The actress recently recalled how she had a brief fling with an unnamed man shortly before realizing how she felt about the Hannibal star and the 44-year-old actor joked he's relieved the other guy didn't wow her in the bedroom or things could have been very different.

Sirius XM host Michelle Collins said: 'Do you have a response to your wife, who I'm sure is in the next room, about having to sleep without someone else to realize that you, lovely Hugh Dancy, is the one she wants to spend the rest of her life with?'

Hugh replied: 'I can only say, I'm really glad that my wife chose to have a one night stand with an inadequate lover.

She shines in floral: Claire showed off her slender figure in a floor length sleeveless gown that had a champagne beige background with colorful flowers embroidered

'We were not in a relationship when that happened. She was single. I was single. We were both clearly thinking about it.'

Claire previously recalled how, when she met Hugh on the set of 2007 movie Evening, it came at a time she had vowed to stay single, having been 'in relationships from the moment puberty hit'.

However, she went on a date with an unnamed guy and they had a one-night stand and, after her 'palate was cleansed', she realized her feelings for her co-star were more than just what they were depicting on screen.

Refined on the red carpet: Her hair was worn down and stick straight in a short bob which showed off her many earrings, which included an ear cuff

The star recalled returning to set and thinking: 'Oh s**t! I think I'm going to marry this person.'

Hugh co-starred in the final season of Homeland and his wife found it 'so hot' watching him work, she used to visit the set on her days off.

She previously admitted: 'That was such a nice way to end the show. I didn't have a single scene with him, but on my days off, I would go to his set.

'He's very good. I don't exactly forget that, but we don't talk about acting much, so it was a really nice reminder. [Watching your partner do something they are really good at], is so hot.'

Sarah Jessica Parker abruptly left the Gala on Wednesday night, where she was being honored, due to a 'devastating' family emergency

Also at the Wednesday gala was Sarah Jessica Parker who abruptly left.

She was being honored but had to leave due to a 'devastating' family emergency.

The 57-year-old actress was being recognized at the gala but had to leave moments after arriving.

An onlooker told Page Six that it was announced from the stage that the Sex and the City star had left due to a 'sudden devastating family situation,' but didn't share any further details.

The star-studded gala, thrown by the organization in which she serves as the vice chair of the Board of Directors, was held at the David H. Koch Theater at the Lincoln Center in New York City.

Regardless of the Hocus Pocus 2 star's absence, the gala was attended by many other stars including Julia Fox (pictured)

Dailymail.com has reached out to Parker's reps for comment and has yet to hear back.

The exquisite event has been a smashing success for the ballet as it has earned $24 million since its inception in 2012, according to Page Six.

Parker was set to be honored for 'her vision and leadership of the Fall Fashion Gala,' in addition to a number of Fall Fashion Gala designers and choreographers.

Regardless of the Hocus Pocus alum's absence, the gala was attended by many other stars including Julia Fox and Solange Knowles - who made history after becoming just the first Black woman to score a ballet for the organization.

The event celebrated the 10th Anniversary of the Fall Fashion Gala, which pairs 'acclaimed choreographers with some of the fashion world's most exciting talents and, in the process, has led to the creation of nearly 30 ballets that have reinvigorated the artform.'

Unfortunately, it's unclear what went wrong with SJP, as the star is notoriously private about her family.

The gala comes one day after she attended the New York premiere of Hocus Pocus 2 with her husband, Matthew Broderick, and her twin daughters Tabitha and Marion, 13, for a rare appearance.

Cutting a dapper figure in a sharp grey suit, Matthew could also be seen standing with Parker and their daughters, as they all posed together for some group shots.

Unfortunately, no other details have been shared about what went wrong with SJP, and the star is notoriously private about her family

The gala comes one day after she attended the New York premiere of Hocus Pocus 2 with her husband, Matthew Broderick, and her twin daughters Tabitha and Marion, 13

Matthew wore a grey suit, while the 13-year-olds, who have mostly stayed out of the spotlight, donned a silver, sparkly gown and a black dress for the evening

The 13-year-olds, who have mostly stayed out of the spotlight, donned a silver, sparkly gown and a black dress for the evening.

Parker, for her part, looked stunning in a white and purple floral Kimono-style top with pink pants and matching heels.

Parker and Broderick married in May 1997, and she gave birth to a son, named James, in 2002.

They then expanded their family by welcoming the twins via surrogate in 2009.

'Meeting your children rather than giving birth to them, it's as if, um, it's suspended animation,' the movie star previously said of using a surrogate.

'The gestational experience is gone... it's so different, and equally extraordinary But it's amazing.'

She also revealed that her daughters were big fans of her Halloween movie Hocus Pocus in the past, explaining that they were 'so excited' when they found out she would be returning for a sequel.

'They started watching this movie, I'm going to say about three years ago,' she told People earlier this year.

'They were so excited to meet Bette [Midler] and Kathy [Najimy]. Loretta kept asking me, 'But wait, are we going to meet them as [their characters] Winnie and Mary? Or are we going to meet them as Bette Midler and Kathy Najimy?''
On Thursday, Paramount Network unveiled the second trailer for the 14-episode fifth season of Yellowstone, and the two-hour premiere airs November 13.

Two-time Oscar winner Kevin Costner executive produces and stars as Yellowstone Dutton Ranch owner John Dutton, who's seen swearing in as the Governor of Montana.

Dutton's love interest, the exiting Governor Lynelle Perry (Wendy Moniz), warns him: 'You have no friends in this building John. You're going to have to bring your own.'

'Power has a price': On Thursday, Paramount Network unveiled the second trailer for the 14-episode fifth season of Yellowstone, and the two-hour premiere airs November 13

'My land. My rules': Two-time Oscar winner Kevin Costner executive produces and stars as Yellowstone Dutton Ranch owner John Dutton, who's seen swearing in as the Governor of Montana

The first move John makes in his new position is firing his entire gubernatorial staff and hiring his daughter Beth (Kelly Reilly) as his new chief of staff.

'I love Montana but I'm doing this for our family,' Dutton says.

John is seen meeting with Chief Thomas Rainwater (Gil Birmingham), who wants to reclaim the Yellowstone Dutton Ranch for his people at the Broken Rock Indian Reservation.

Dutton's love interest, the exiting Governor Lynelle Perry (Wendy Moniz), warns him: 'You have no friends in this building John. You're going to have to bring your own'

'You're all fired': The first move John makes in his new position is firing his entire gubernatorial staff (pictured) and hiring his daughter Beth as his new chief of staff

Dutton says: 'I love Montana but I'm doing this for our family'

'We need to talk': John is seen meeting with Chief Thomas Rainwater (Gil Birmingham), who wants to reclaim the Yellowstone Dutton Ranch for his people at the Broken Rock Indian Reservation

Dutton's adopted son, attorney Jamie, is then seen warning his sister: 'They will fight you. They will fight you dirty'

Dutton's adopted son, attorney Jamie, is then seen warning his sister: 'They will fight you. They will fight you dirty.'

Beth replied: 'Is there any other way?'

When Jamie warns his father that 'signing this order is a declaration of war,' he coldly replies: 'We're already at war.'

Beth (Kelly Reilly) replied: 'Is there any other way?'

When Jamie warns his father that 'signing this order is a declaration of war,' he coldly replies: 'We're already at war'

Two-time Oscar nominee Jacki Weaver is back as Market Equities CEO Caroline Warner, who throws a glass against a wall and screams: 'This f***ing family!'

The new villain! 'I love it when she gets mad,' corporate shark Sarah Atwood (Dawn Olivieri) states. 'It means I'm going to make a lot of money'

Moving into the main house: Taylor Sheridan and John Linson's neo-Western drama also features Cole Hauser (L), Luke Grimes, Josh Lucas, Q'orianka Kilcher, Kathryn Kelly, and Jen Landon

Two-time Oscar nominee Jacki Weaver is back as Market Equities CEO Caroline Warner, who throws a glass against a wall and screams: 'This f***ing family!'

'I love it when she gets mad,' corporate shark Sarah Atwood (Dawn Olivieri) states. 'It means I'm going to make a lot of money.'

Taylor Sheridan and John Linson's neo-Western drama also features Cole Hauser, Luke Grimes, Josh Lucas, Q'orianka Kilcher, Kathryn Kelly, and Jen Landon.
Nearly one week after his sudden passing, actor Robert Cormier's death has been revealed as the result of a bad fall, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Cormier, known for his role as Finn Cotter on the show Heartland, died at age 33 at a hospital in Etobicoke, Canada as he succumbed to injuries he sustained in the accident.

The TV star died on Friday, September 23, according to his obituary, but no details were revealed about his cause of death at the time.

Gone too soon: Robert Cormier, who played Finn Cotter on the Canadian television series Heartland, has died at 33. Cormier died on Friday, according to his obituary, which didn't specify a cause of death

In a statement to People Robert's family said, 'Robbie passed away as the result of a tragic accident.'

It continued, 'Robbie was loved by many and his unexpected death has left us devastated. While we are broken-hearted, we take comfort in the overwhelming love and support shown to our family by Robbies friends, colleagues and fans.'

Taking a moment to recognize the staff at the hospital where he was treated, they added, 'Our family would like to thank everyone at the Critical Care team in Toronto for the compassionate care they provided Robbie and the kindness they showed our family. We will be forever grateful.'

Saying goodbye: Following news of his death, UPtv, an American network that airs the CBC series, paid tribute to the rising star; pictured with costar Amber Mitchell

Following news of his death, UPtv, an American network that airs the CBC series, paid tribute to the rising star.

'Robert Cormier, aka Heartland's Finn, was an amazing talent, gone too soon. We are deeply saddened to learn of his passing. Our sincere condolences go out to his friends, family, and co-workers,' the network wrote, adding a dove emoji.

The actor was pictured in a still taken from Heartland.

Cormier's obituary notes that he was an 'athlete, an actor, and a great brother.'

It also highlighted his dedication to others and insatiable ambition. 'He had a passion for helping others and was always looking to achieve more,' the tribute read.

Cormier appeared on Heartland's 15th season as a new love interest for Amy, played by Mitchell (pictured)

Cormier was said to have enjoyed 'movie nights with his family,' and he 'looked up greatly to his father' Robert.

The obituary added that his 'passion for art and film' would endure past his death.

According to his IMDb biography, Cormier was born in Toronto, Canada, and he was the first actor in his family.

After heading south to get a degree in Fire and Engineering Extension Services at Texas A&M, he then attended a graduate program at Toronto's York University in World Economics.

But he left before completing it to enroll in film school, which he did complete.

Swan song: His final Instagram post from late August showed him surrounded by Heartland scripts, suggesting he may be featured on season 16, which premieres on October 2

Striving for great things: 'He had a passion for helping others and was always looking to achieve more,' his obituary said

Heartland's own Instagram account paid tribute to the late actor.

'We are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Robert Cormier. He was a beloved member of the Heartland cast the last two seasons,' the post read. 'On behalf of the Heartland cast and crew, our thoughts are with him and his family, who have asked for privacy during this difficult time.'

Cormier's final Instagram post from late August showed him lying on the ground with his AirPods in while surrounded by scripts for the upcoming season of Heartland.

He began appearing on the series for its 15th season, when he became a new love interest for Amy, played by Amber Mitchell, who was featured with him in stills from the show.

Rising star: His other major roles include Winston on the Starz series American Gods, based on the novel by Neil Gaiman, and the Shudder original series Slasher

His bevy of scripts suggest that he was set to appear in the 16th season, which premieres on October 2, though it's not clear how prominent his character will be.

His other major roles include Winston on the Starz series American Gods, based on the novel by Neil Gaiman, and the Shudder original series Slasher.

Cormier is survived by his father Robert and mother Lisa, along with his sisters Brittany, Krystal, and Stephanie, as well as his grandmother Joanne.
Angelina Jolie visited Pakistan to support flood victims in the wake of the storm's devastation last week.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) ambassador, shared her experience on social media.

'Last week I was in Pakistan with the local organizations, to witness the devastation caused by severe flooding which submerged 1/3 of the countrys land,' the actor penned.

A humanitarian effort: Angelina Jolie visited Pakistan to support flood victims in the wake of the storm's devastation last week

'I've never seen anything like this and I have been to Pakistan many times,' she previously shared.

'I am absolutely with you in pushing the international community to do more. I feel that we say that often... we speak of aid appeals, relief and support but this is something very, very different,' she added.

She concluded, 'Push governments to understand that lack of fair trade, rising emissions and failure to address conflicts are causing more death and suffering to millions of families around the world.'

'I think this is a real wake-up call to the world about where we are at,' she told a meeting of civil and military officials in the capital Islamabad.

Speaking with the victims: 'I've never seen anything like this and I have been to Pakistan many times,' she previously shared

The Hollywood star has also shown her support for the women and protesters in Iran.

On Wednesday, the actress and humanitarian shared a series of photos from the wave of protests in the country following the death of Masa Ammini at the hands of morality police.

'Respect to the brave, defiant, fearless women of Iran,' Jolie wrote in the caption. 'All those who have survived and resisted for decades, those taking to the streets today, and Mahsa Amini and all young Iranians like her.'

A call for action: 'I think this is a real wake-up call to the world about where we are at,' she told a meeting of civil and military officials in the capital Islamabad

Unity and equality for all: The Hollywood star has also shown her support for the women and protesters in Iran

'Women don't need their morals policed, their minds re-educated, or their bodies controlled. They need freedom to live and breathe without violence or threats,' Jolie, 47, continued.

'To the women of Iran, we see you #WomanLifeFreedom #MahsaAmini,' Jolie added.

Iranian women have been burning their hijabs or cutting their hair in protest.

Jolie is still in the middle of a custody battle with her ex-husband Brad Pitt.

He is reportedly dating model Emily Ratajkowski.
S.Korea says DPRK fires 2 ballistic missiles into eastern waters

Xinhua) 10:49, September 29, 2022

SEOUL, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) fired two short-range ballistic missiles into its eastern waters, South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said Wednesday.

The JCS said in a statement that it detected two short-range ballistic missiles, launched by the DPRK from the Sunan area in Pyongyang between 6:10 p.m. (0910 GMT) and 6:20 p.m. (0920 GMT) local time toward the eastern waters.

It noted that the South Korean military strengthened its monitoring and vigilance while maintaining its full readiness posture in close cooperation with the United States.

It came just three days after the DPRK launched a short-range ballistic missile into the eastern waters on Sunday.

In 2022 alone, the DPRK test-fired ballistic missiles 18 times and cruise missiles two times, respectively.

(Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun)
Suzie Kim, left, country manager of Unity Technologies Korea, and Kim Seon-jeong, CTO of LG CNS, pose for a photo after the two companies signed a partnership in this photo on Thursday. Courtesy of LG CNS



By Baek Byung-yeul



LG CNS has forged a partnership with U.S.-based game engine maker Unity Technologies so that the two sides will perform businesses in emerging metaverse businesses such as virtual offices, virtual factories and virtual distribution, they said Thursday.



LG CNS is the IT service arm of LG Group. Recently, the company has been concentrating on digital transformation-related business activities.



It said it signed a Global Platinum Authorized Channel Partnership, saying this is the first time that Unity has signed the partnership with a Korean company. The platinum rating is a qualification granted only to companies that have a large number of digital transformation-related experts and operate a sales professional organization with their own digital transformation businesses, LG CNS said.



"To have the platinum partnership, Unity's partners need to be able to apply Unity's new services to customers and have enough capability to provide technical support," LG CNS said. Through this partnership, the two companies will innovate their customer experience with metaverse services such as virtual factories, virtual logistics and metaverse offices.



LG CNS has built up its relevant experiences as it has built smart factories for LG affiliates. Virtual Factory technology can run a factory operation in a virtual space. LG CNS also established logistics centers for customers such as Coupang, SSG and Market Kurly and has the largest share of the logistics automation market.



Using Unity's 3D engine, LG CNS will virtualize the space and facilities of manufacturing facilities. By linking various data of factories to the virtual space, the company will establish a metaverse environment, enabling it to predict facility failures and optimize its manufacturing processes.



For the virtual logistics business, LG CNS will establish a virtual logistics center using Unity's engine. Also, in a metaverse office, virtualized using Unity's platform, customers will be able to perform various business activities such as video conferencing with more than 1,000 participants. LG CNS plans to apply the metaverse service to its in-house office first and will later expand the service to its customers.



LG CNS CTO Kim Seon-jeong said, "We will innovate the customer experience in smart factory, smart logistics and metaverse and lead the ecosystem in collaboration with Unity, the world's No.1 company in the 3D platform industry."



Suzie Kim, country manager of Unity Technologies Korea, also said "By providing our technological capability, which is used to build a metaverse ecosystem globally, to LG CNS so that our partner will be able to build an advanced metaverse environment for its AI, digital twin, big data and cloud computing businesses."


Scarlett Johansson co-founded the skincare brand called The Outset.

And the movie star, 37, chatted about her skin issues she dealt with in her twenties.

'I still look back at photos of me on the red carpet in my twenties, and I'm like, "I remember that pimple,"' the mom of two said in an interview with People.

Reflecting: Scarlett Johansson co-founded the skincare brand called The Outset. And the movie star, 37, chatted about her skin issues she dealt with in her twenties; seen in 2005

Scarlett revealed that when she would get stressed out while filming a movie because of her acne outbreaks.

'It was terrible. I would cover my acne before I even got to the makeup chair just so that I didn't feel so exposed. It really does affect how you feel about yourself and you just want to scrub it away.'

Adding that at the time, the star tried 'every kind of acne peel and mask and resurfacing polish' before she realized' that those particular products were too harsh for her skin.

She ended up starting a routine of just cleansing, toning and moisturizing.

Speaking out: 'I still look back at photos of me on the red carpet in my twenties, and I'm like, "I remember that pimple,"' the mom of two said; seen February 9, 2020 at the 92nd Annual Oscars in Hollywood

Throwback: Scarlett revealed that when she would get stressed out while filming a movie because of her acne outbreaks; Scarlett seen on January 16, 2005 at the Golden Globes

Scarlett co-founded the brand The Outset with Kate Foster, launching it in March of this year.

The brand is vegan and cruelty free with six products, the latest ones being their Exfoliating Caffeine Micro Polish.

The Outset also features the restorative niacinamide night cream, smoothing vitamin C eye + expression lines cream, gentle micellar antioxidant cleanser, firming vegan collagen prep serum and the nourishing squalane daily moisturizer.

Entrepreneur: Scarlett co-founded the brand The Outset with Kate Foster, launching it in March of this year

Scarlett was asked by People what makes her brand stand out versus other celebrity beauty brands, to which she said: 'I always anticipate that there's going to be some level of skepticism because I've experienced it in my movie life too.'

'But I feel confident about our products - they're just so reliable. The transparency of what's in the line and what's it doing sets it apart.'

The blonde beauty also revealed that she enjoys a 'deep, painful massage' as a way to relax, and that she is very high-maintenance when it comes to organization.

Skincare: The brand is vegan and cruelty free with six products, the latest ones being their Exfoliating Caffeine Micro Polish

'I'm very organized. I tend to organized. I tend to organize other people's belongings, which my daughter and my husband have told me multiple times to stop doing. They're not fans of it.'

Scarlett is married to SNL star and co-head writer Colin Jost, 40; they started dating in 2017, got engaged in 2019 and wed in October 2020.

They share son Cosmo, born August 2021.

Scarlett has a daughter named Rose, eight, with ex-husband Romain Dauriac.
She's been getting stuck into work over the last few weeks while filming for season five of Brassic.

And Michelle Keegan appeared in high spirits on Thursday as she took to the comedy-drama's Huddersfield set to reprise her role as Erin Croft.

The actress, 35, sported a pair of camouflage utility-style cargo trousers with a black bomber jacket for the scenes.

Michelle Keegan, 35, put on a cheery display on Thursday in camouflage utility trousers and a bomber jacket while she filmed for season five of Brassic in Huddersfield

She kept warm in the outdoorsy ensemble, matching a silky hairband with a scarf print to the look.

Michelle's lengthy chocolate locks were left to fall freely in a soft wave as the accesory kepy them away from her face.

While the beauty sported a natural yet glowing palette of makeup for the day of filming.

Beauty: Michelle's lengthy chocolate locks were left to fall freely in a soft wave as a scarf printed hairband kepy them away from her face

Dewy: She sported a natural yet glowing palette of makeup for the day of filming

The star completed her look with a pair of chunky black boots, in the typical style of her single mother character.

Michelle was snapped having a laugh with cast and crew on set, as they filmed a scene involving a car transporter driver being confonted by character Vinnie O'Neill (Joseph Gilgun).

While Lee Mack, who is joining the show for it's fifth season, took on the driver role - being pulled out of his truck in the scenes.

Finishing touch: The star completed her look with a pair of chunky black boots, in the typical style of her single mother character

Fun on set: Michelle appeared in high spirits as she was snapped having a laugh with cast and crew on set

Tension: They filmed a scene involving a car transporter driver (Lee Mack) being confonted by character Vinnie O'Neill (Joseph Gilgun)

Comedy-drama Brassic follows Vinnie and his five friends, one of which is Michelle's character, Erin.

The group struggle to get by in the fictional town of Hawley, and often resort to petty crime for money.

The BAFTA-nominated series began back in 2019, as season four of the show was released earlier this month on Sky Max and Now TV.

In October last year, Michelle admitted she had banned her family from watching one episode of the show due to a raunchy sex scene, she told Radio Times.

Backseat: Michelle's character, Erin, stepped to the side as Vinnie had it out with the driver

Storyline: Comedy-drama Brassic follows Vinnie and his five friends, one of which is Michelle's character, Erin

'That first episode, I didn't let my family watch until 15 minutes in, and we all know why!' she said with a laugh.

And she has certainly been kept busy with her portfolio of acting gigs, as she is set to star as a young nurse named Kate in the six-part period BBC drama Ten Pound Poms.

She has returned home to the UK after four months of filming for the show in Australia, which follows a group of Brits as they leave dreary post-war Britain in 1956 to embark on a life-altering adventure on the other side of the world.

Criminals: The group struggle to get by in the fictional town of Hawley, and often resort to petty crime for money

Going strong: The BAFTA-nominated series began back in 2019, as season four of the show was released earlier this month on Sky Max and Now TV
Damian Lewis cut a dapper figure in a black leather jacket as he attended the BGC Partners Charity Day in London on Thursday.

The actor, 51, was all smiles as he answered phones at the charity event and met with his co-workers for the day.

The star dressed smart as he teamed his jacket with a grey V-neck T-shirt and a pair of dark blue jeans and trainers.

All smiles: Damian Lewis cut a dapper figure in a black leather jacket as he attended the BGC Partners Charity Day in London on Thursday

Damian was joined by several children as he cut a large cake alongside author Edie Lutnick.

Also in attendance at the event was Holly Willoughby, Amanda Holden, Rio Ferdinand and Davina McCall.

BGC Partners' annual charity day commemorates those whose lives were lost on 9/11 by providing their global revenues to hundreds of charities.

Charity day: The actor, 51, was all smiles as he answered phones at the charity office and met with workers

Dapper: The star dressed smart as he teamed his jacket with a grey V-neck T-shirt and a pair of dark blue jeans and trainers

The appearance comes after Damian put on a cosy display with his new girlfriend Alison Mosshart as they attended The Big Pink's album launch in London earlier this week.

The actor has embarked on a new romance with the American musician, 43, following the tragic death of his wife Helen McCrory to cancer in April 2021.

The new couple made another public appearance at The House of KOKO, just more than a month after they confirmed their relationship.

Looking good: The actor slicked his light tresses back out of his face as he beamed while on the phone

They have made a number of public appearances together in recent days as they were last seen out-and-about exploring New York City.

The couple are thought to have met through mutual friends while in London and have grown increasingly fond of one another, Mosshart's mother Vivian, 76, told DailyMail.com.

Speaking exclusively from her home in Florida, she said: 'I don't know how much flak I'm going to get for all of this but of course we are excited for her.

Incredible: Damian was surrounded by children and workers at the event as he made the appearance

'They have mutual friends. I don't know exactly how they met but I'm fine with it. If she's happy, we are happy. I'm yet to meet him but certainly I'd like to.'

The pair were first photographed together in July at a swanky fundraising party for London's National Gallery.

A fellow passenger, who spotted the pair travelling to the event by train, told The Mail on Sunday that the two looked '100 per cent romantically involved  like they were on a hot date'.

Pals: Damian posed alongside author Edie Lutnick who looked chic in an all black number which she teamed with layered gold necklaces

High spirits: Damian was joined by several children as he cut a large cake alongside author Edie Lutnick

They were seen again at the Serpentine Gallery's annual summer party - one of the highlights of the British capital's social season.

The pair were once more snapped at the British Formula One Grand Prix at Silverstone, with Alison taking to Instagram afterwards to write: 'The absolute thrill. I'm still floating at 200 miles per hour.'

They then confirmed their relationship during an appearance at private members' club The House of KOKO's summer party in July, during which Damian wore his wedding ring.

Amazing: BGC Partners' annual charity day commemorates those whose lives were lost on 9/11 by providing their global revenues to hundreds of charities

Damian's late wife, Peaky Blinders actress Helen, tragically died after a secret battle with breast cancer last year.

Following her death, he revealed how his late wife had urged him to find love again, telling him and their children that she wanted 'Daddy to have lots of girlfriends'.

Damian said in a social media post: 'She died as she lived. Fearlessly. God we love her and know how lucky we are to have had her in our lives. She blazed so brightly. Go now, Little One, into the air.'
Halle Bailey cut a stylish figure on Thursday as she got stuck into Paris Fashion Week, heading to a string of events in the French capital.

The actress, 22, flashed her toned midriff in a navy mini dress while heading to the Off-White Womenswear Spring/Summer 2023 show.

While she kept with the blue theme earlier in the day, opting for a bold patterned denim two-piece while stepping out for a Roger Vivier bash.

Stylish: The Little Mermaid's Halle Bailey, 22, flashed her midriff on Thursday in blue mini dress and cool co-ord as she headed to a string of Paris Fashion Week shows

Beaming at Off-White's runway event, Halle's dress featured a statement circular cut-put on the torso - while a geometric pattern graced the dress.

With a high collar and unzipped detailed, the figure hugging piece showed off The Little Mermaid actress's gorgeous phsyique.

She teamed the number with a pair of double-strapped heels and diamond drop earrings to add a spot of glamour.

Halle's locks were swept away from her face in a ponytail, swinging around to rest on her shoulder.

Stunner: Halle's locks were swept away from her face in a ponytail for the Off White show, swinging around to rest on her shoulder as she sat alongside beau DDG

Famous front row: The pair sat alongside supermodel Naomi Campbell, who stunned in a white maxi dress, and singer-songwriter Erykah Badu

Inside the show, Halle joined her boyfriend, DDG, in the front row -wrapping his varsity-style jacket over her shoulders to shield from the cold.

The rapper, real moniker Darryl Dwayne Granberry Jr, opted for a cream knitted jumper with white straight-leg trousers.

The couple sat alongside supermodel Naomi Campbell, who stunned in a white maxi dress, and singer-songwriter Erykah Badu.

Earlier in the day, Halle and DDG walked hand-in-hand to the Roger Vivier press day at Fondation Cino et Simone del Duca.

Details: Halle teamed her mini dress with a pair of double-strapped heels and diamond drop earrings to add a spot of glamour

Loved-up: Earlier in the day, Halle and DDG walked hand-in-hand to the Roger Vivier press day at Fondation Cino et Simone del Duca

She stood out from the crowd in a bra top that she teamed with a bold denim jacket and matching wide leg jeans.

Halle looked incredible in the turquoise ensemble, opting to boost her height with a pair of black mule shoes.

She wore her hair in a stylish updo and enhanced her flawless complexion with minimal makeup.

DDG looked lovingly at Halle as they strolled to the event, he chose to wear a black hooded jacket that featured leather sleeves.

Loved-up: She was beaming as she walked hand-in-hand with her rapper boyfriend DDG to the event at Fondation Cino et Simone del Duca

It comes after Halle admitted that she felt under 'pressure' to do the best possible job after taking on the iconic role of Ariel in an upcoming live-action remake of The Little Mermaid.

The actress has been a lifelong fan of the 1989 Disney original - based on Hans Christian Andersen's Danish fairytale - and didn't want to disappoint fans with her portrayal of the redheaded mermaid.

But her casting sparked an inevitable outcry from a minority of fans, with some claiming she was unsuitable for the role because of her ethnicity.

Stylish: Halle looked incredible in the turquoise ensemble, opting to boost her height with a pair of black mule shoes

She told E! News: 'I definitely think that because I love this movie so much, and I've treasured it since I was a little girl, I did put a bit of pressure on myself.

'Just because I want to deliver all of the feels that I saw when I was a little girl.'

Halle also insisted that she gave her '110% percent' to the film and is proud of herself and her performance in the forthcoming adaptation.

The film, which also stars Jonah Hauer-King, Art Malik, Noma Dumezweni, Javier Bardem and Melissa McCarthy, goes on general release from May 26, 2023.

Under pressure: It comes after Halle admitted that she felt under 'pressure' to do the best possible job after taking on the iconic role of Ariel in a remake of The Little Mermaid

Just days after the first trailer for movie brought waves of racist trolls out of the woodwork, Halle found support from another big-screen mermaid in Daryl Hannah.

The blonde beauty, 61, played the mermaid Madison in the 1983 smash hit movie Splash, alongside Tom Hanks, and she showed her support for the young actress on Twitter.

'The little mermaid is black/I met her/there!' Hannah tweeted along with the hashtag #dontbearacistdork.
Pretty Little Liars alum Shay Mitchell posed with six exotic dancers at Crazy Horse Paris on Monday night.

The legendary cabaret is known for its stage shows performed by nude female dancers as well as magicians, jugglers, and mimes.

The Canadian 35-year-old flashed her ample assets in a sexy Mugler cut-out blazer corset with matching The Sei mini-skirt selected by stylist Tina Leung.

Wigging out! Pretty Little Liars alum Shay Mitchell posed with six exotic dancers at Crazy Horse Paris on Monday night

Shay (born Shannon) also made sure to wear $18 polka-dot Calzedonia tights in honor of the Italian leg-wear brand's celebration at the Palais Brongniart.

Hairstylist Ricky Mota coiffed Mitchell's locks into an elaborate updo and make-up artist Ivan Nunez fully contoured her flawless complexion.

On Sunday, the Cleaning Lady executive producer was in Milan doing some sightseeing with her publicist, Align PR brand strategist Cait Bailey.

Shay wore a leather duster coat over a matching black ensemble, which coordinated with Cait's yellow leather duster.

Hotspot: The legendary cabaret is known for its stage shows performed by nude female dancers as well as magicians, jugglers, and mimes

Dare to bare: The Canadian 35-year-old flashed her ample assets in a sexy Mugler cut-out blazer corset with matching The Sei mini-skirt selected by stylist Tina Leung

'Such a fun night!' Shay (born Shannon) also made sure to wear $18 polka-dot Calzedonia tights in honor of the Italian leg-wear brand's celebration at the Palais Brongniart

Ready for her close-up! Hairstylist Ricky Mota coiffed Mitchell's locks into an elaborate updo and make-up artist Ivan Nunez fully contoured her flawless complexion

Mitchell was spotted inside a Yves Saint Laurent boutique where she deciding whether to buy a large black leather quilted bag.

The Dollface star and her pal on the payroll also looked at smaller purses on the French luxury fashion house's shelf.

It's hard to believe it's only been four months since Shay welcomed her second child, a daughter, whose name has not been published.

Mitchell will next celebrate her daughter Atlas Noa's third birthday on October 20.

Tourist: On Sunday, the Cleaning Lady executive producer was in Milan doing some sightseeing with her publicist, Align PR brand strategist Cait Bailey (R)

Twinning! Shay wore a leather duster coat over a matching black ensemble, which coordinated with Cait's yellow leather duster

Yay or nay? Mitchell was spotted inside a Yves Saint Laurent boutique where she deciding whether to buy a large black leather quilted bag

Shopping spree: The Dollface star and her pal on the payroll also looked at smaller purses on the French luxury fashion house's shelf

On July 22, the Beis founder posted a funny TikTok video where she 'tricked' her babydaddy - Dreamcrew CBO Matte Babel - into slipping an engagement ring on her finger.

Last year, Shay said she was in 'no rush to marry' the Canadian 41-year-old, whom she began dating in January 2017.

'I don't really know if that's in the cards of us. I think we both agree, maybe it's just me,' Mitchell told E! News Daily Pop.

Mother-of-two: It's hard to believe it's only been four months since Shay welcomed her second child, a daughter, whose name has not been published (pictured September 12)

Her princess: Mitchell will next celebrate her daughter Atlas Noa's third birthday on October 20 (pictured August 12)

'Marry me!' On July 22, the Beis founder posted a funny TikTok video where she 'tricked' her babydaddy - Dreamcrew CBO Matte Babel - into slipping an engagement ring on her finger

'There's no pressure here. I love it. I love the fact that we come home and every day I'm like, "I choose you and you choose me." It keeps us on our toes. I'm like, "Hey, I can walk out. I don't need to go through a lawyer, I can just walk out." And same with him. It keeps it sexy.'

The Punk'd guest star next plays a mystery role in Daryl Wein's rom-com Something from Tiffany's - premiering December 9 on Amazon Prime Video - alongside Kendrick Sampson, Zoey Deutch, and Ray Nicholson.

Oscar winner Reese Witherspoon's Hello Sunshine and Amazon Studios produced the engagement ring flick, which is based on Melissa Hill's 2011 novel.

'Shooting #somethingfromtiffanys': Mitchell (R, pictured February 21) next plays a mystery role in Daryl Wein's rom-com Something from Tiffany's - premiering December 9 on Amazon Prime Video - alongside Kendrick Sampson (L), Zoey Deutch, and Ray Nicholson
Winnie Harlow oozed confidence as she stepped out to the star-studded Off-White Spring / Summer 2023 show during Paris Fashion Week on Thursday.

The model, 28, joined Naomi Campbell, 52, who wowed in an elegant ribbed white maxi dress at the event.

Opting to go braless beneath a sheer lace top, Winnie added a pair of cream leather trousers and layered over a matching trench coat to complete her outfit.

Stylish: Winnie Harlow, 28, oozed confidence as she stepped out to the star-studded Off-White Spring / Summer 2023 show during Paris Fashion Week on Thursday

She accessorised with a pair of angular sunglasses and boosted her height with some metallic heels before adding a pop of colour with an electric blue handbag.

Taking her seat on the front row, Naomi posed up a storm in her figure-hugging white dress that featured a high neck and long sleeves.

Her raven locks were styled into a sleek straight look whilst she shielded her eyes a pair of square sunglasses.

Front row: The model joined Naomi Campbell, 52, who wowed in an elegant ribbed white maxi dress at the event

Stunning: Opting to go braless beneath a sheer lace top, Winnie added a pair of cream leather trousers and layered over a matching trench coat to complete her outfit

Also in attendance was Mia Regan, 19, who opted for a leather mini dress with chunky boots, knee-high socks and a long trench coat.

The Little Mermaid star Halle Bailey, 22, wowed in a midriff-baring cut-out dress that zipped up the front.

Winnie rose to fame and became one of the fashion industry's top models following her appearance on America's Next Top Model in 2014.

Stylish: She accessorised with a pair of angular sunglasses and boosted her height with some metallic heels before adding a pop of colour with an electric blue handbag

Pals: Taking her seat on the front row, Naomi posed up a storm in her figure-hugging white dress that featured a high neck and long sleeves as she joined Erykah Badu

Loving life: Naomi seemed in high spirits as she settled in to watch the runway show

She became part of the modelling competition show's 21st cycle after being discovered on Instagram by supermodel Tyra Banks, who served as a judge, host and executive producer on the show.

The 18 & Over actress gave a TEDx talk in 2014 called How I Define Beauty. The video has been viewed more than a million times.

Since then, Winnie has appeared in runway shows for lingerie giant Victoria's Secret, as well as for luxury fashion designers like Jean Paul Gaultier and Christian Cowan.

Stunning: Also in attendance was Mia Regan, 19, was looked as radiant as ever

Sensational: She opted for a leather mini dress with chunky boots, knee-high socks and a long trench coat

Now a household name and a fashion fixture, Winnie made the shift into the beauty space by launching Cay Skin earlier this year.

Naomi's outing comes after Naomi revealed that she has a 'great baby whisperer' as she gave a rare insight into motherhood with her 14-month-old daughter.

The stunner detailed that her child, whose name is still unknown, is growing up to become 'very tough'.

Quirky: Erykah Badu donned a striking pair of tasseled boots and a riding hat

Chic: Adut Akech opted for a plunging checked blazer and matching mini skirt

Incredible: The Little Mermaid star Halle Bailey, 22, wowed in a midriff-baring cut-out dress that zipped up the front

Dressed to impress: Tina Kunakey donned a long white coat dress for the show

Sitting pretty: Anna Wintour settled in on the front row clad in a scarlet leather coat

Dapper: Will Poulter paired jade trousers with a sky blue coat and black jumper

Speaking to BBC News after receiving an honorary doctorate from the University of the Creative Arts (UCA), Naomi said: 'She's very tough. She falls down, she doesn't cry. She doesn't cry very much at all.'

When asked if her daughter is a 'good sleeper', she added: '12 hours [sleep]. We got her on 12 hours when she was like two months. I have a great baby whisperer.'

Naomi has been extremely private about her daughter and did not reveal she was expecting a child until announcing her arrival in an Instagram post.

In an interview with British Vogue, Naomi insisted her daughter was not adopted while revealing her face for the first time.

VIP's: Naomi's outing comes after Naomi revealed that she has a 'great baby whisperer' as she gave a rare insight into motherhood with her 16-month-old daughter
In the wake of rapper Coolio's sudden death, 90s rapper Vanilla Ice has spoken out about his friend.

Ice - real name Robert Matthew Van Winkle - told TMZ he lost sleep Wednesday night over the news and was 'still in shock and freaking out' by Thursday.

'My heart goes out to all the family. I'm truly devastated. He was a great friend,' he told the publication.

Grieving: In the wake of rapper Coolio's sudden death, 90s rapper Vanilla Ice has spoken out about his friend

The musician, whose real name is Artis Leon Ivey Jr, was found unresponsive on a bathroom floor of a friend's house in Los Angeles at around 4pm.

The two music artists had spent the last six years touring their I Love The 90s show for audiences around the world, performing as recently as last week in Cyprus, Texas.

Robert, known for his 1990 hit Ice Ice Baby, said during the Friday night concert Coolio came onstage and freestyled.

After the show they spent time in his dressing room with Coolio showing no signs of bad health. 'See you tomorrow, homie,' was the last thing Coolio said to him.

Close friends:

EMTs pronounced Coolio dead on the scene and an autopsy is now underway to establish the official cause of death - though law enforcement sources shared that 'no drugs or drug paraphernalia were found at the scene' and they do not suspect foul play.

Paramedics suspected he suffered a cardiac arrest, according to the star's longtime manager, Jarez.

Another collaborator of the hip hop star, actress Michelle Pfeiffer, paid tribute to him on Instagram on Thursday.

Pfeiffer, 64, shared the music video for Gangsta's Paradise after working with the musician on the video, with the song being the cornerstone of the soundtrack for her 1995 film Dangerous Minds.

The track topped the US Billboard Hot 100 for three weeks and won Coolio the Grammy award for best rap solo performance in 1996.

Heartbroken: Michelle Pfeiffer has led tributes to the rapper Coolio, best known for his chart-topping song Gangsta's Paradise, after he died on Wednesday at the age of 59

Tragedy: The musician, whose real name is Artis Leon Ivey Jr, was found unresponsive on a bathroom floor of a friend's house in Los Angeles at around 4pm

Pfeiffer shared the music video for Coolio's smash hit Gangsta's Paradise, from their iconic 1995 film: 'Heartbroken to hear of the passing of the gifted artist @coolio. A life cut entirely too short.'

'As some of you may know I was lucky enough to work with him on Dangerous Minds in 1995. He won a Grammy for his brilliant song on the soundtrack - which I think was the reason our film saw so much success.'

'I remember him being nothing but gracious. 30 years later I still get chills when I hear the song. Sending love and light to his family. Rest in Power, Artis Leon Ivey Jr.'

In May, Pfeiffer reminisced as she shared an image taken in 1995 when the two worked on the music video for Gangsta's Paradise.

Pfeiffer was the star of the film, playing former Marine LouAnne Johnson who goes to work at a high school as a teacher in a rough neighborhood in California.

Coolio provided the smash hit song, and was awarded a Grammy for Best Rap Solo Performance, two MTV Video Music Awards for Best Rap Video and Best Video from a Film and a Billboard Music Award for the song/album.

Passing: EMTs pronounced Coolio dead on the scene and an autopsy is now underway to establish the official cause of death - though law enforcement sources shared that 'no drugs or drug paraphernalia were found at the scene'

Gone too soon: The musician - famous for his hit song Gangsta's Paradise - was visiting a friend on Wednesday afternoon when he was found dead (Pictured 10 days ago)

The latest: Helicopter reporter for ABC7 Eyewitness News Chris Cristi Tweeted a photo of police officers outside the house where the rapper was found dead

Rapper Ice Cube took to Twitter after hearing the sad news and paid tribute to Coolio, writing, 'This is sad news. I witness first hand this man's grind to the top of the industry. Rest In Peace.'

Sean Evans shared a photo of a Coolio CD, writing, 'First CD I ever bought in may life and the most legendary Wing 10 Last Dab these eyes have ever seen RIP Coolio.'

Snoop Dogg referenced the world-famous track in his own tribute, writing: 'Gangstas paradise. R I P.'

He also shared a picture of the two on Instagram, posing on the set of the music video for their collaborative track Gangsta Walk, released in 2006.

Questlove shared a black and white picture of the rapper on Instagram, writing: 'Peaceful journey brother.'

New York rapper Flava Flav lamented the loss of Coolio, writing: 'Coolio was the West Coast Flavor Flav,,, He loved telling everyone that.

'We was supposed to perform together this Tuesday. RIP my friend. Rest in Gangstas Paradise my friend.'
Rebel Wilson showcased her incredible figure in a bright pink silk mini dress as she attended the BFI Luminous Fundraising Gala at The Londoner Hotel in London on Thursday.

The Australian actress, 42, looked sensational in the stylish off the shoulder number which boasted rushed detailing.

The star elevated her frame in a pair of nude pointed toe heels as she posed for cameras on the red carpet.

Stunning: Rebel Wilson showcased her incredible figure in a bright pink silk mini dress as she attended the BFI Luminous Fundraising Gala at The Londoner Hotel on Thursday

She was all smiles as she carried her belongings in a chic black dazzling handbag and flashed a chunky silver ring.

The Senior Year actress added a glamorous makeup look, including flawless pink glittering eye shadow and a glossy lipstick.

She styled her blonde tresses in a glamorous curly low ponytail as she left her fringe to frame her face.

Glamorous: The Australian actress, 42, looked sensational in the stylish off the shoulder number which boasted rushed detailing

Incredible: The star elevated her frame in a pair of nude pointed toe heels as she posed for cameras on the red carpet

Rebel has lost an impressive 35kg (77lbs) over two years after she declared 2020 her 'Year of Health'.

It comes after Rebel hinted that she may be moving her career in a different direction by writing a tell-all book.

Rebel recently hosted a Q&A session with her Instagram fans and asked them, 'If I was writing a book, what stories would you be interested in?'

Looking good: She was all smiles as she carried her belongings in a chic black dazzling handbag and flashed a chunky silver ring

Fashionista: She styled her blonde tresses in a glamorous curly low ponytail as she left her fringe to frame her face

Her 11.2 million followers were quick to offer interesting suggestions with the top one being a motivational book about her incredible weight loss journey.

The Bridesmaid actress agreed it was a great idea and responded enthusiastically 'this sounds good!'

Another fan suggested she write a book about how she met and fell in love with her 'princess' Ramona Agruma, 38, earlier this year.

Radiant: The Senior Year actress added a glamorous makeup look, including flawless pink glittering eye shadow and a glossy lipstick

Selfies: The actress beamed for selfies as she greeted fans on the red carpet

Looking good: The beauty flashed a large smile as she posed with a pal at the event held at Leicester Square

Smart: Rebel's pal looked dapper for the occasion in a black velvet dinner jacket teamed with a crisp white shirt and bow tie

The Sydney-born actress loved the suggestion but told her followers, 'I will have to let Ramona read these chapters before anyone else though.'

Rebel's newfound interest in writing a tell-all book follows some significant life changes over the past few years.

The blonde star declared she had set clear fitness goals for herself in 2020 and through a combination of exercise and healthy living managed to shed 35kg.

And earlier this year she admitted she was dating Agruma on June 9.

Exciting: Rebel signed autographs for fans who lined the streets in London
Chaney Jones appeared on Instagram on Thursday with a slew of new sexy images for her 629,000 fans to gawk over.

The 25-year-old socialite, who had a short-term relationship with Kanye West, posed up in a black thong bodysuit with cutouts. She wrote in the caption: 'Angel eyes but giving em hell.'

The outfit looked like something Kanye's ex-wife Kim Kardashian has worn in the past.

Sultry: Chaney Jones appeared on Instagram on Thursday with a slew of new sexy images for her 629,000 fans to gawk over. She has a habit of copying Kim Kardashian, right

In the set of outtakes Jones showed off her unbelievable figure, which was adorned with tattoos in some areas.

She topped the belly-baring one-piece with an altered blazer that had shoulder pads and several cutouts.

The young woman, who's the COO of a business called First State Behavioral Health, struck various poses in front of a clean white backdrop.

Some shots were edited to have the effect of film, with the quality of them being purposely fuzzy.

Hot stuff: The 25-year-old socialite, who had a short-term relationship with Kanye West, posed up in a black thong bodysuit with cutouts

Throwback device: Jones incorporated the use of a retro VHS camcorder in one of the shots, a common internet trend

Her raven hair was styled in a wet and wavy look, dusting her collarbone as it fell loosely in a long bob cut.

She teamed her fierce look with a pair of thigh-high tights and she showed off a long, pearly nude manicure.

Chaney's voluptuous curves were on full display, with the itty bitty outfit accentuating her teeny waistline.

The Instagram model's face was fully made up, highlighted in dewy cosmetics that gave her a glow.

Details: She teamed her fierce look with a pair of thigh-high tights and she showed off a long, pearly nude manicure

Smoldering: Her raven hair was styled in a wet and wavy look, dusting her collarbone as it fell loosely in a long bob cut

Kimmy did it first: Kim has become a style setter; here is one of her looks from last year

It's over: West and Jones, 20 years his junior, were reported to have split back in July, after just months of dating; seen in March 2022

Her eyebrows were carefully shaped with a slight arch, creating a pristine frame for her visage.

And her big, brown eyes were set off with the addition of fluttery lashes and heavy black liner around the rims.

Chaney, who often draws comparison to Kim Kardashian, gave her cheeks dimension with a soft contour and blush.

Finally, she completed the makeup look with a nude lip, brown liner, and a glossy finish.

Texture: In some photographs Chaney switched up the background, setting up in front of a white-tiled backdrop with thin black lines

Intentional grain: Some shots were edited to have the effect of film, with the quality of them being purposely fuzzy

In some photographs Chaney switched up the background, setting up in front of a white-tiled backdrop with thin, black lines.

In the final upload from the carousel of snapshots Chaney posted a collection of Polaroids set against the smooth tile blocks.

The post is the latest of other very similar highlights from the same shoot, which she shared earlier in the week.

Chaney was first linked to Kanye at the beginning of this year, regularly making headlines for a striking similarity to his ex-wife.

Blueprint: Jones seems to emulate the reality TV star and mogul, whether intended or not

Last shot: In the final upload from the carousel of snapshots Chaney posted a collection of Polaroids set against the smooth tile blocks

West and Jones, twenty years his junior, were reported to have split back in July, after just months of dating.

It came days after the 44-year-old rapper was pictured at the movies with a mystery woman, who fans believe was the glamorous influencer Monica Corgan.

The former duo reportedly ended things after a trip to Japan, but it's unclear who broke up with who, TMZ reported over the summer.
Married At First Sight UK's Matt Murray and Whitney Hughes were allowed to re-enter the dating experiment as a brand new couple during Thursday evening's episode.

The pair, 32 and 31, who both decided to leave with their former spouses during the previous episode, begged the show's panel of dating experts to stay together and see out the process.

It comes after an explosive 'couples retreat' week - which saw the pair spend the night together, despite being under the same roof as Matt's wife Gemma Rose and Whitney's husband Duka Cavolli.

They're back! Married At First Sight's Matt Murray, 32, and Whitney Hughes, 31, were allowed to re-enter the dating experiment as a new couple

During the previous episode, late arrivals Matt and his wife Gemma decided to leave the process after a rocky journey - which came to blows following the revelation of his romantic feelings for Whitney.

While legal PA Whitney similarily voted to leave with her husband Duka, after repeatedly branding him 'fake' throughout the process as they failed to connect.

But the pair weren't done with the experiment as a whole, begging the show's panel of dating experts to continue the process together, which raised the eyebrows of fellow contestants.

New romance:It comes after an explosive 'couples retreat' week - which saw the pair spend the night together, despite being under the same roof as Matt's wife Gemma Rose and Whitney's husband Duka Cavolli

Purting up a fight: Despite leaving just one day prior, the pair weren't done with the experiment, begging the experts to stay together

Experts Paul C. Brunson, Mel Schilling and Charlene Douglas appeared sceptical to allow the pair back in - with it being a first in Married At First Sight history - but gave the couple a chance to plead their case.

With Paul admitting he didn't want to let them back in, the dating guru asked Matt and Whitney to 'tell me why you should be allowed to stay'.

Admitting the experts have helped her emotionally thus far in the process, Whitney detailed her desire to continue developing her relationship with Matt with their help.

And it turned out that the experts, like with every couple on the show, had even checked Matt and Whitney's scientific compatibility - revealing that they were a match on paper.

Unsure: Experts Paul C. Brunson (centre), Mel Schilling (right) and Charlene Douglas (left) appeared sceptical to allow the pair back in - with it being a first in Married At First Sight history - but gave the couple a chance to plead their case

Close: Matt and Whitney remained hand-in-hand as the experts decided to give them a chance to prove the romance

'We can see that there is something real here, the science backs it up, and we are willing to let you back into the experiment as a new couple. Not as a married couple but as a dating couple,' explained Mel.

Clutching onto each other's hands, Matt and Whitney beamed at one another upon learning the good news.

And it comes as the pair have been sharing cryptic hints to their Instagram - with Whitney posting a series of snaps to Instagram from real life that appear to be with Matt.

Not so happy couple: Whitney was paired with husband Duka in the beginning of the experiment - but the pair failed to make a connection, as she repeatedly branded him 'fake' (pictured together on their wedding day)

Happy days: Gemma and Matt came as a late arrival, and appeared a great match initially, before their romance quickly took a tumble

But their co-stars may not be best pleased to see them at the next dinner party, after the scandal of their relationship left other contestants accusing them of disrespect.

'You've disrespected Duka, you've disrespected Gemma, and you've disrespected the process,' exclaimed Zoe Clifton during Wednesday's episode - as she branded Matt a f*****g d******d under her breath.

Whitney and tattooed Matt spent the night together during a couples' retreat getaway in this week's episodes, despite their respective partners being under the same roof.

The infidelity rocked the cast with Gemma breaking down in tears after the betrayal comes to light in dramatic scenes on the E4 series.
Rural Development Administration (RDA) Administrator Cho Chae-ho, center, talks about RDA's accomplishments through official development assistance in the agriculture field during a press conference held at the Korea Press Center in Seoul, Wednesday. From left, RDA Director General of Cooperation Bureau Kwon Taek-ryoun, Cho, and RDA director of International Technology Cooperation Center Kim Hwang-yong. / Korea Times photo by Kim Hyun-bin



By Kim Hyun-bin



The Rural Development Administration (RDA) hosted the "Korean Culture and Information Service (KOCIS) Policy Forum with the Administrator of RDA" at the Korea Press Center in Seoul, Wednesday, highlighting the RDA's official development assistance (ODA) in agricultural technology, future direction and its accomplishments.



"With the experience accumulated in the past 60 years, RDA will focus on achieving self-sufficiency for developing countries and work proactively with the international community to resolve globally common issues through cooperation and solidarity," RDA's administrator Cho Chae-ho said.



RDA addressed three core strategies to overcome the global food crisis. First, disseminating country-specific specialized crops and innovative technologies through private-to-public cooperation along with the cooperation of other ministries. Second, secure momentum for food security in different parts of the world through strategic cooperation including with international research institutes, and support the innovation of agricultural technology in developing countries utilizing smart IT applications. Lastly, by expanding cooperation with international organizations such as the FAO and World Bank to resolve common agricultural issues such as assistance in digital agriculture and the use of edible insects.



The administration is promoting R&D-based agricultural technology cooperation to improve productivity and is currently in cooperation with more than 150 research institutions in 52 countries around the world.



With the help of the Korea Project on International Agriculture (KOPIA), Cambodia developed its own variety of corn for the first time; Ecuador succeeded in the production of seed potato technology from Korea which contributed to the increase of its production and Paraguay discovered a rice variety highly resistant to pests.


Robert Irwin choked back tears as he spoke of his 'wonder woman' mother Terri in a rare solo interview on ABC's One Plus One on Thursday.

The 18-year-old conservationist appeared visibly moved when he discussed Terri's strength as a single mother, and her choice not to sell Australia Zoo after the shock death of his father, Steve.

'She could have sold the zoo and just raised us. And we could have just squirrelled away and lived a little hidden life,' Robert said.

Robert Irwin choked back tears as he spoke of his 'wonder woman' mother Terri in a rare solo interview on ABC's One Plus One on Thursday

Robert admitted that wouldn't have been the 'wrong thing to do', but Terri instead chose to carry on Steve's treasured work.

'She could see this legacy and knew that it could continue to grow and get bigger and better every single year and she did just that,' he added.

'She raised us. She kept the zoo going through some tough times. I get emotional just thinking about it. She's an absolute wonder woman.'

Robert went on to call her the 'force of nature' behind Australia Zoo, much like his father was prior to his death.

'She could have sold the zoo and just raised us. And we could have just squirreled away and lived a little hidden life,' Robert said. 'She raised us. She kept the zoo going through some tough times. I get emotional just thinking about it. She's an absolute wonder woman.'

'Everyone saw dad as this larger-than-life character. Which he was in real life. 120 per cent every single day. But mum is the one who kept it going, it's pretty special.'

Elsewhere, Robert reflected on his admiration for Terri, saying he never fully grasped the roles she was forced to play after his father died.

'I don't think I really fully understood, fully grasped what a powerful human being and brave human being she is, and was, until I really started to kind of step into adulthood,' he said.

'Everyone saw dad as this larger-than-life character. Which he was in real life. 120 per cent every single day. But mum is the one who kept it going, it's pretty special,' he added

'I don't think I really fully understood, fully grasped what a powerful human being and brave human being she is, and was until I really started to kind of step into adulthood,' he said. Pictured: Robert and Terri with Hollywood actor Chris Hemsworth. Here: October, 2019

'I realise now and only now what she has been through,' Robert said.

'I mean raising children, for mum to do that, without dad, to lose this sounding board and the person who you count on. I mean, the rug is just taken out from under you.'

Steve Irwin, known to the world as the 'Crocodile Hunter', died aged 44, on September 4, 2006, after being pierced in the chest by a stingray.

He is survived by wife Terri, daughter Bindi, and son Robert.
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Shin Dong-bin, center, chairman of Lotte Group, poses for a photo during the groundbreaking ceremony of the Thu Thiem Eco Smartcity project in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, Sept. 2. Courtesy of Lotte Group



By Baek Byung-yeul



Lotte Group is investing 7 trillion won ($4.87 billion) in Southeast Asia, the United States and Europe, following its announcement to invest 37 trillion won in the Korean market, the group said, Thursday.



Chairman Shin Dong-bin recently visited Indonesia's LINE investment project and the groundbreaking ceremony of Vietnam's Thu Thiem Eco Smartcity project to inspect the conglomerate's investments overseas.



The LINE project is being pursued by Lotte's chemical arm, Lotte Chemical. With a total investment of $3.9 billion, which is the largest among Lotte's overseas investments, Lotte Chemical will build a new ethylene production factory in Banten Province. Once completed in 2025, the facility will have an annual production capability of 1 million tons of ethylene, 0.52 million tons of propylene and 0.25 million tons of polypropylene.



After the completion of the LINE project in Indonesia, Lotte Chemical will be able to produce 5.5 million tons of ethylene at its Korean and overseas facilities per year and solidify its status as the largest ethylene producer here.



The LINE project will also be Indonesia's first naphtha cracking center, contributing to the development of the Southeast Asian country's petrochemical industry. Indonesia currently relies on imports to meet about 50 percent of its total demand for petrochemical products.



The Thu Thiem Eco Smartcity project in Vietnam is also gaining attention, shedding light on Lotte E&C's capability as an urban site developer.



Located in Ho Chi Minh City, the project is worth about $900 million. Lotte will develop a large complex that has offices, hotels, residences and movie theaters. It will have five basement levels and 60 floors above ground on a 50,000-square-meter site.



In 2023, Lotte will also open Lotte Mall Hanoi, in which the group invested 330 billion won to build. The shopping mall will house shopping areas, movie theaters, hotels and residences.



In order to capture a bigger slice of the global market for electric vehicle materials, Lotte Group's subsidiaries are also investing in the U.S. and Hungary. Lotte Chemical and Lotte Aluminum are investing a total of 330 billion won in the U.S. to establish an aluminum foil manufacturing unit called Lotte Aluminum Materials USA. Lotte Aluminum also injected 110 billion won into its Hungarian factory to double aluminum foil production capacity.


An image grab from a video released by state-run Iran Press news agency shows Iran's President Ebrahim Raisi speaking during a televised interview in the capital Tehran on Sept. 28. AFP-Yonhap



Iran's President Ebrahim Raisi condemned Wednesday the "chaos" sparked by a wave of women-led protests over the death of Mahsa Amini while in the custody of the Islamic republic's morality police.



"Those who took part in the riots must be dealt with decisively, this is the demand of the people," said Raisi in a televised interview.



"People's safety is the red line of the Islamic republic of Iran and no one is allowed to break the law and cause chaos," he said.



"The enemy has targeted national unity and wants to pit people against each other," added the ultraconservative president, accusing Iran's archfoe the United States of stoking the unrest.



Amini, a 22-year-old Kurdish woman, died on Sept. 16, three days after she had been arrested for allegedly breaching Iran's strict rules for women on wearing hijab headscarves and modest clothing.



Raisi said the nation had felt "grief and sorrow" over her death, and that forensics and judiciary experts would soon present a final report, but also warned that "protests are different to riots".



"Woman, Life, Freedom!" the protesters have chanted in Iran's biggest demonstrations in almost three years, in which women have defiantly burned their headscarves and cut off their hair.



Their actions have been matched in solidarity protests worldwide, with British-Iranian Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, who spent six years in jail in Iran, cutting her hair in a video shared on the BBC Persian service.



Amini's bereaved parents have filed a complaint, demanding "a thorough investigation" and the release of "all videos and photographs" of her while in custody, said their lawyer Saleh Nikbakht.



An Iraq-based cousin of Amini, who is a member of a Kurdish nationalist group, charged that she died after a "violent blow to the head" and that one officer had vowed to "instil the rules in her and teach her how to wear the hijab and how to dress".



As the Iranian protests have flared for 12 nights in a row, Iran's police command vowed its forces would confront them "with all their might", in a crackdown that one rights group says has already killed at least 76 people.







People take part in a protest against the death of Iranian Mahsa Amini, in Lausanne, Switzerland, Sept. 28. EPA-Yonhap
Hyderabad: For the Gujarati community, Navaratri is one of the most important and celebrated festivals. The festival of nine nights celebrated in the glory of the Goddess Ambe Maa (Durga), also known as Shakti, is a time of celebration throughout the country. Gujaratis celebrate it the most intensely.

Gujaratis show their eternal reverence to Ambe Maa through dance and devotion. Every night of the festival, the traditional Ras-Garba is performed with hand-held wooden sticks to the playful and vibrant rhythms of dhol and dandiya. For Gujaratis, the garba and dandiya are not just any form of dance; it is a form of worshipping Ambe Maa.

Most Gujarati households sing special worship songs every night. Every day, at least five to nine 'garba' songs must be sung, followed by two 10-minute special aartis. Gujaratis believe the Goddess enjoys playing 'garba' and 'dandiya,' and that by singing these songs and playing darba and dandiya, they invite the Goddess to join in the festivities.

The festivities also involve daily poojas and fasting for nine days, either spartan eating once a day or consuming only fruits, water, and milk. "We don't even eat or cook anything with onion or garlic. We perform pooja every day and prepare a 'maha prasad' for all nine days, which we distribute to our near and dear ones," said Manisha Dave, a homemaker.

There are a few families who perform poojas by placing an earthen pot called 'garbo' in their homes before the pooja begins for the nine days. The earthen pot is colourful and beautifully decorated. 'garbo' has several holes in it and few people believe that the earthen pot signifies the womb. A small lamp is lit inside the 'garbo,' symbolising a baby in the womb, and Goddess Ambe Maa protects all of her children. It also represents life; how a person is born and grows as an individual, according to Bina Mehta, a businesswoman.

The eighth day, 'Asthami,' has special significance because most families fast all day and break it at night after grand poojas are performed at each community hall known as 'Havan.' According to Madhuri S., Havan is significant because it is believed that Ambe Maa accepted all of her devotees' worship on that day. "During Ashtami, special Gujarati cuisines such as potato curry, kachori, khandavi, samosa, undhyu, chapati, rice, kheer, and sweets are prepared. We are a family of 15, but no matter how busy everyone is, we always make time to break the fast together," she explained.

On the ninth day, a small tradition known as 'feeding the Goinis' is observed, in which nine young girls who have not yet begun menstruating are invited for lunch and given gifts such as nail polish, head bands, bindis, bangles, and other items. Easha Hindocha, a fashion blogger, has been doing this for over ten years and always prepares a special lunch for the 'Goinis' on Navami. Each day represents a different manifestation of the Goddess. Thus, on the ninth day, nine girls are chosen to represent the avatar of 'Nav Durga.'

The 'garbo' is placed right in the middle of the ground in many community halls where the 'Navarati Utsav' is held, and people dance around it. As a result, menstruating girls are not allowed to participate in the utsav for the first three days because it is against the culture. However, because there are so many organisers and the utsav is held in so many different locations throughout the city, there is no 'garbo' on the ground and everyone participates in the utsav. Most Gujarati women host at least one day of utsav at their homes and celebrate the festival with family and friends.
Under the new rules, 85 per cent of these 1,120 seats, or 952, will be reserved for Telangana students. The remaining 168 seats, or 15 per cent, would be open to both students from Telangana and from other states. (Representational image: iStock)

HYDERABAD: In good news for Telangana students, the health department reserved 85 per cent of B category or management quota seats in private medical colleges for merit students. This releases 1,068 MBBS and Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) seats in 24 private medical colleges.

The health department issued GOs 129 and 130 to amend the admission rules to facilitate this,

The state has 20 non-minority and four minority private medical colleges which offer 3,750 seats. The seats in non-minority colleges number 3,200 seats and the B category seats used to account for 1,120 seats, or 35 per cent, in previous years. Till now, students from all states were eligible for these 1,120 seats.

Under the new rules, 85 per cent of these 1,120 seats, or 952, will be reserved for Telangana students. The remaining 168 seats, or 15 per cent, would be open to both students from Telangana and from other states.

There was no reservation for Telangana students in management quota seats in the state until now. As a result, students from other states took up the majority of MBBS seats in the state's colleges. Harish Rao, health minister, had directed the officials concerned to study the procedure implemented in other states and submit a report on it.

Officials found that several other states, including Maharashtra, Gujarat, Kerala, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, and Punjab, had changed admission rules so that all or most medical seats were filled by local students. As a result, Telangana students were finding it tough to get a seat in their own state as well as in other states, prompting the state government to take this decision

A healthy move

GO 129 issued to amend admission rules for minority institutions

GO 130 pertains to non-minority institutions

Total: 3,750 seats

In 20 non-minority and 4 minority private medical colleges reserved for TS students

Non-minority colleges

B-category accounts for 35% of 3,200 seats or 1,120 seats

Of the 1,120 seats, 952 seats or 85 per cent seats reserved exclusively for Telangana students

Minority colleges
The Telangana High Court directed the state government to fill up all the vacant secondary grade teacher posts (File Photo: PTI)

HYDERABAD: Taking up the long standing DSC-2008 issue, the Telangana High Court on Thursday directed the state government to take steps to fill up all the vacant 3,500 secondary grade teacher (SGT) posts with those who had qualified through the District Selection Commitee of 14 years ago.

A division bench comprising Justice Abhinand Kumar Shavili and Justice Kaja Sharat was dealing with a batch of petitions filed by DSC-2008 candidates, who had qualified but were not selected due to various reasons, the most important being amending the selection process after the notification was released and the written exams were conducted.

Senior counsel L. Ravichander, Bobbili Srinivas and other counsel argued the case of the petitioners before the Telangana High Court bench. After hearing the contentions from both sides, the bench, without going into its merits, directed the government to fill up the SGT posts immediately.

The then state government of undivided Andhra Pradesh had issued the DSC-2008 notification on December 6, 2008, to recruit 52,655 teachers, including 30,558 special grade teachers.

During the selection process, a government order, GO Ms No. 28 dated Janauary 29, 2009, was issued, reserving 30 per cent posts about 10,200  of the notified 30,558 SGT posts. It said that for the remaining 70 per cent SGT posts, both BEd and DEd candidates were eligible. Following this, many candidates missed out on selection.

Challenging GO Ms No. 28, some BEd candidates approached the state Administrative Tribunal, which dismissed their petitions. Aggrieved by the same, some candidates from Telangana state and Andhra Pradesh approached the High Court.
HYDERABAD: The Telugu community celebrates womanhood by inviting goddess 'Bathukamma,' also known as Goddess Gowri, into their homes for nine days during the Navaratri.

While Gujaratis worship Durga as 'Ambe Maa', the Telugu community worships her as Gowri or Lakshmi. Telugus consider Bathukamma as mother, the giver of life, and source of energy. The Telugu community worships Goddess Gowri during the festival by building conical turmeric mounds called 'gauramma' atop the Bathukamma's flower shrines. It is worth noting that the nine-day Bathukamma celebrations coincide with the nine-night festival of Navaratri, or "nine nights".

The Bathukamma festival is marked by women making flower shrines in honor of Bathukamma as Gauramma or Gowri devi. Bathukamma shrines are surrounded by women singing and dancing, while tales of the goddess are told in a distinctive Telangana dialect. "We perform our traditional Bathukamma dance and sing special songs while dancing around the flower basket (Bathukamma). People from our building and neighbourhood gather in a common area to celebrate the festival together," explained M. Sujata, a mathematics teacher at a city private school.

Special flower baskets, representing Bathukamma, are worshipped for nine days before being immersed in waterbodies on the ninth day.

On the first day, a small Bathukamma is prepared and on the ninth a larger one is prepared, which is decorated with seasonal flowers. On top of the Bathukamma, some people place an idol of Goddess Mahalakshmi. Every day during the Bathukamma festivities, women worship Nava Durga or the nine 'avatars' (manifestations) of the goddess, mainly Durga, Lakshmi, and Saraswati.

On each of the nine days, special prasadam is prepared. Every day, the women wear a different colour and dress according to the goddess' avatar. Traditional clothing like half-sarees and pattu sarees are worn by women during the festival. Younger girls who are unmarried usually wear half sarees, while older women prefer pattu sarees, said T. Samatha, a government school teacher who celebrates the festival every year and prepares Bathukamma every year.

Additionally, women apply turmeric on their feet to symbolize purity."During the celebrations, women also apply turmeric to their faces. Bangles, bindis, and kumkum are distributed to women," said mental health expert Eswari Vadlamudi.

Aside from dancing around the Bathukamma, which is also a form of worship for the goddess, the men of the family pluck special leaves known as 'Shami Patra' leaves on the tenth day, known as Dasara. Family members present these leaves to the elders in order to obtain the blessings of fortune. The elders then return the leaves to them as a form of blessing," said Abhinav Ravichander, senior technical writer.

He mentioned that many south Indian families prepare the 'Golu,' which is the decoration of several smaller idols of gods. Different day-to-day life situations in villages are also depicted in the Golus known as Bommala Koluvu in Telangana. Every year during Dasara, Abhinav celebrates the Bommala Koluvu in his home.

A parent stated that earlier children were interested in learning about Telugu traditions and were curious about Bathukamma, as well as wanting to prepare the flower basket themselves. However, now that the garba and dandiya nights are being organised, children are losing interest in their own tradition, which is disappointing. "It's good to learn about other cultures, but it's bad to forget or disrespect your own," the parent explained.
HYDERABAD: MIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi termed the Centres banning of the Kerala-based outfit Popular Front of India (PFI) a dangerous step, claiming that the draconian ban would allow for the arrest of Muslim youth without reason.

Owaisi said that although he was opposed to the PFIs approach, he could not support the ban.

Actions of few individuals who commit crime do not mean that the organisation itself must be banned. SC has also held that mere association with an organisation is not enough to convict one. The way Indias electoral autarky is approaching fascism, every Muslim youth will now be arrested with a PFI pamphlet under Indias black law, UAPA, he tweeted.

The Hyderabad MP said, I will always oppose all actions under UAPA. It runs afoul the principle of liberty. How come PFI is banned but organisations associated with convicts of Khaja Ajmeri bomb blasts arent? Why has the government not banned right-wing majoritarian organisations?

He also referred to the case of Siddique Kappan, a journalist who was behind bars under UAPA for two years before getting bail. This case will follow the timeline of Kappan, where any activist or journalist is randomly arrested and takes two years to even get bail, he said.
Allegations to the banned outfit are baseless says Minister of Ports Mr Ahammad Devarkovil (Photo: Twitter)

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Kerala unit of BJP has demanded the resignation of Minister of Ports Mr Ahammad Devarkovil for his alleged connection with the banned Rehab Foundation.

BJP state president K. Surendran alleged that the head of the banned organisation and the leader of the ruling LDF's constituent Indian National League (INL) to which the minister belongs are the same. Mohammad Suleiman, the head of Rehab Foundation, is also the chief of INL, the BJP leader alleged and urged chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan should sack Mr Devarkovil.

Rehab Foundation is one of the organisations which has been banned for five years by the Centre along with PFI.

The minister, however, rejected the allegations of Surendran. The BJP leaders allegations are ridiculous and baseless. He has come out with the accusation to grab news headlines and nothing else, Mr Devarkovil said. He challenged the BJP leader to provide evidence linking him with the Rehab Foundation.

The Minister said his party INL and the ruling LDF were against all forms of terror organisations.
This file photo taken on Nov. 3, 2019 shows Myanmar's State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi attending the 10th ASEAN-UN Summit in Bangkok, on the sidelines of the 35th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit. AFP-Yonhap





A court in military-ruled Myanmar convicted former leader Aung San Suu Kyi in another criminal case Thursday and sentenced Australian economist Sean Turnell to three years in prison for violating Myanmar's official secrets act, a legal official said.







Suu Kyi received a three-year sentence after being convicted with Turnell under the secrets law, said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he is not authorized to release information about the case.







Three members of her Cabinet were also found guilty, each receiving sentences of three years.







Turnell, 58, an associate professor in economics at Sydney's Macquarie University, had served as an adviser to Suu Kyi, who was detained in the capital Naypyitaw when her elected government was ousted by the army on Feb. 1, 2021.







He has been in detention for almost 20 months. It was not immediately clear if that time would be deducted from his sentence.







Family and friends expressed hope he will soon be freed and deported, as has occurred with other foreigners in Myanmar convicted of political offenses.







''It's heartbreaking for me, our daughter, Sean's 85-year-old father, and the rest of our family to hear that my husband, Professor Sean Turnell, was convicted and sentenced to 3 years' imprisonment, his wife Ha Vu, also an economist, said on her Facebook page. ''Sean has been one of Myanmar's greatest supporters for over 20 years and has worked tirelessly to strengthen Myanmar's economy.''







''My husband has already been in a Myanmar prison for almost 2/3 of his sentence. Please consider the contributions that he has made to Myanmar, and deport him now!''







Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong's office rejected the court's ruling and called for Turnell's immediate release. Decrying that he had been ''unjustly detained,'' her office said Australian diplomats had been denied access to the court hearing for the verdict.







''We will continue to take every opportunity to advocate strongly for Professor Turnell until he has returned to his family in Australia,'' it said in a statement. ''Professor Turnell is internationally respected for his work to support the people of Myanmar and their economic development.''







''He's a great economist, nice bloke and a great human being. His main cause in life is to reduce poverty around the world and he'd developed particular expertise in Myanmar,'' Tim Harcourt, a professor at the University of Technology Sydney and longtime friend, said of Turnell. ''Hopefully common sense and justice can prevail and Sean can return to his wife and family in Australia soon.''







Turnell was arrested five days after the military takeover by security forces at a hotel in Yangon, the country's biggest city. He had arrived back in Myanmar from Australia less than a month before that to take up a new position as a special consultant to Suu Kyi. As director of the Myanmar Development Institute, he had already lived in Naypyitaw for several years.







The day after the military's takeover, he posted on Twitter: ''Safe for now but heartbroken for what all this means for the people of Myanmar. The bravest, kindest people I know. They deserve so much better.''







The five co-defendants were charged on the basis of documents seized from Turnell. The exact details of their offense have not been made public, though state television said last year that Turnell had access to ''secret state financial information'' and had tried to flee the country.







Turnell and Suu Kyi denied the allegations when they testified in their defense at the trial in August.







Turnell was also charged with violating immigration law, but it was not immediately clear what sentence he received for that.







Myanmar's colonial-era official secrets act criminalizes the possession, collection, recording, publishing, or sharing of state information that is ''directly or indirectly, useful to an enemy.'' The charge carries a maximum penalty of 14 years in prison.







The trial, like the others involving Suu Kyi, was held in a purpose-built prison courtroom and was closed to the media and the public. Defense lawyers were barred by a gag order from revealing details of the proceedings.







The multiple criminal cases brought against the 77-year-old Suu Kyi are widely seen as an effort to discredit her and to prevent her return to politics.







She had already been sentenced to 20 years' imprisonment after being convicted of illegally importing and possessing walkie-talkies, violating coronavirus restrictions, sedition, election fraud and five corruption charges.







Suu Kyi is still being tried on seven counts under the country's anti-corruption law, with each count punishable by up to 15 years in prison and a fine.







Defense lawyers are expected to file appeals in the secrets case in the coming days for Turnell, Suu Kyi and three former ministers: Soe Win and Kyaw Win, both former ministers for planning and finance, and Set Aung, a former deputy minister in the same ministry, the legal official said.







Australia has repeatedly demanded Turnell's release. Last year, it suspended its defense cooperation with Myanmar and began redirecting humanitarian aid because of the military takeover and Turnell's ongoing detention.







Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, when he visited Myanmar in January this year, asked for Turnell's release in a meeting with the leader of ruling military council. Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing replied that he ''would consider it positively.''







The U.N. Special Envoy on Myanmar Noeleen Heyzer said she conveyed a specific request from Australia for Turnell's release when she met with Min Aung Hlaing in August. Myanmar's government said the general replied that, should the Australian government take positive steps, ''we will not need to take stern actions.''







According to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, a rights monitoring organization, 15,683 people have been detained on political charges in Myanmar since the army takeover, with 12,540 of those remaining in detention. At least 2,324 civilians have been killed by security forces in the same period, the group says, though the number is thought to be far higher.







Myanmar has been in turmoil since the takeover, which led to nationwide protests that the military government quashed with deadly force, triggering armed resistance that some U.N. experts now characterize as civil war. (AP)














BENGALURU: Leader of Opposition and former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday drew the attention of the State Government over the increase in unemployment in the State and wanted immediate steps to address the problem of unemployment.

A senior Congress party leader, Siddaramaiah, in a statement, stated that unemployment among graduate females is about 40 per cent while it is about 40 per cent among graduated males. Apprising the State Government that the rise in unemployment is alarming, he said, for a post invited, there are about 3,000 applicants waiting. Siddaramaiah wanted Chief Minister Basavraj Bommai to initiate suitable steps to address the issue of unemployment among youths of the State.

Regarding the scam in teachers' appointment, Siddaramaiah stated that seven persons in custody for their alleged involvement in the scam were appointed during the tenure of Bharatiya Janata Party government run by former Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa in 2019 and at that time BJP leader Suresh Kumar was the Minister for Primary and Secondary Education.

The other persons accused in the scam, Siddaramaiah said, were appointed to the posts when the coalition government was in the State. Giving details on the posts filled-up during various tenures, Siddaramaiah wanted the State Government to initiate stringent action against the accused persons if charges were proved for their involvement in fraudulent activities.

The Congress leader said in the statement that he had given details on teachers' appointments with documents on September 23 at a press conference in Bengaluru. He appealed to the State Government not to mislead the public on teachers' scam by issuing false news to media persons and asked the investigating agency to keep the public updated with facts and figures on the scam.
HYDERABAD: Race to the Congress party top post keeps getting interesting even as the party readies itself for the first presidential polls in over two decades. With Digvijaya Singh, the former chief minister of Madhya Pradesh entering the fray, the contest among colleagues has heated up.

Though Gandhi family loyalist, Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot was the favourite in the race, a rebellion by his loyalists over the post of chief minister made him bow out of the contest.

Mr. Gehlot took moral responsibility for the political crisis in his state and told reporters that he apologised to her for the developments when MLAs supporting him defied the central observers and thwarted their move to hold a meeting of party legislators.

Meanwhile, Digvijaya Singh, who was in Kerala, taking part in Congress partys Bharat Jodo Yatra, has met Shashi Tharoor who was the first one to get nomination form collected from the partys election authority chairman Madhusudhan Mistry .

Tweeting a photograph of their meeting, MP Shashi Tharoor said in post I welcome his candidacy for Congress Presidency. We both agreed that ours is not a battle b/w rivals but a friendly contest among colleagues. All we want is that whoever prevails, Cong will win! (sic.)

I agree Shashi Tharoor we are fighting the Communal Forces in India. Both believe in the Gandhian Nehruvian Ideology and shall fight them relentlessly come what may. Best wishes replied Digvijaya Singh to Shashi Tharoors tweet.

The process of filing nominations for party top boss role will end on September 30 and the scrutiny of nomination papers will be done on October 1 with October 8 being the last date for withdrawal of nominations.

While the polling will be held on October 17, the day of counting, which all Congress loyalists across India will be looking forward to, will be on October 19 as both counting of votes and declaration will happen on the same day .
It is a measure of disarray in governmental thinking that the newly-created post of Chief of Defence Staff was not filled right away as a matter of routine after the tragic death in December last year of former Army Chief Gen. Bipin Rawat, who had been made the countrys first CDS immediately upon retirement as Chief of Army Staff. To make matters worse, the Narendra Modi government has taken as long as nine months to fill the vacancy and announce the name of Lt Gen. Anil Chauhan (Retd) to succeed Gen. Rawat.

This facilitates the reopening of the question: Does India really need a CDS after all? Since the question was answered in the affirmative  clumsily and unsatisfactorily  in 2020 after a debate lasting 15 years, it may just be worth re-considering it. There is a fundamental reason for this, namely that Indias armed forces are defensive in nature, rather than expeditionary, such as those of the United States and some leading Western countries, or, for that matter, Russia.

For expeditionary forces it is necessary to have theatre commands in far-flung areas in which the different branches of the military operate in the spirit of jointness and under a common command. Setting up the infrastructure for theatre commands calls for infinitely greater spending than has been the case in India, historically.

Will budgetary spending of that magnitude be available? There is an important question tied to this: What is Indias strategic vision as far as our armed forces go? Is it to make the Indian military ready for battle in the skies or over land or the seas in foreign territories and the global commons? If that is indeed the case, there has been no national debate on so vital a matter. And if the recent experience of action on the ground is concerned, then it can be said that the Indian armed forces have shown no inclination to take the battle outside of our own perceived frontiers. In the case of eastern Ladakh, even that is in some doubt as India has virtually been coerced by China into not patrolling up to its own perception of where the Line of Actual Control (LAC) lies.

In India, there is a further complication. Of the three services, the Army and the Indian Air Force do not appear to be on the same page on the conceptual aspects of jointness in theatre command situations. The late Gen. Rawat had once called the IAF a support service, eliciting a pungent reply from the then Air Chief. The IAF has since presented the government a brief on its role in combat in theatre conditions. It remains to be seen to what degree the response of the Air Force induces changes in official thinking as to the concept, structure and management of the envisaged theatre commands.

The choice of a retired lieutenant-general as CDS is also an intriguing one. The officer in question had retired in May last year. He had been overlooked for the position of Army Chief. This three-star general now resurfacing in the role of a four-star general, with overriding powers over the current chiefs of the three services, is tailor-made to set off unhappy undercurrents in the top structures of our armed forces. This can hardly be said to be of any use in the satisfactory running of military affairs.
Bajrang Dal workers late Tuesday night thrashed several youths from a particular religion reportedly for trying to enter a 'garba' venue in Ahmedabad. Videos being circulated on social media show some youths being questioned about their religious identities and beaten up by the saffron brigade.

One of the videos shows a person being stripped, punched, and kicked by half-a-dozen men in saffron scarves amidst the busy traffic. The person identifies himself as Salman Shaikh, and while pleading that he be allowed to go, says that he won't come back. The police said that they were verifying the authenticity of videos.

Also Read | Madhya Pradesh govt asks Garba pandals to check ID cards after minister raises 'Love Jihad' concerns

"We are aware of the videos and in the process of verifying those. As of now, there is no case filed since no one has come forward to lodge a complaint," B U Jadeja, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Zone 7, Ahmedabad told DH.

According to Bajrang Dal, the incident happened at R K Party Plot at Sindhu Bhavan Road in Ahmedabad on Tuesday night while they were "checking" identities of revellers in order to keep non-Hindus away from 'garba' venues. The nine-day Navratri festival began on Monday and like for the past several years, Bajrang Dal activists have been warning non-Hindus to stay away from 'garba' venues.

Confirming the incident, president of north Gujarat, Bajrang Dal, told DH, "Our workers spotted these people from R K Party Plot on Sindhu Bhavan Road. While applying 'tilak' to everyone entering the 'garba' venue, we spotted four Muslims. I heard that there were some fights."

Also Read | Garba pandals sites of 'love jihad', says MP minister, calling for ID proofs to be produced

The saffron brigade claims that non-Hindus going to 'garba' is nothing but part of "love jihad". The organisation has submitted memorandums to district authorities in various parts of Gujarat for not allowing non-Hindus into 'garba' venues.

R K Party Plot owner Nirav Patel told DH that he was not aware of the incident as he had only rented his plot to an event management firm -- Sky Events. When contacted, Vedik Shah, who runs Sky Events, said that he did come to know about some fights last night but "it didn't occur at his event".
The governments move to deny chairmanship of some parliamentary standing committees to the Congress and the Trinamool Congress is wrong, and goes against the best parliamentary traditions. While the Congress is set to lose chairmanship of the standing committee on home affairs, the TMC may lose its position as chairman of the committee on food and consumer affairs. The Congress heads three parliamentary panels, including the one on home affairs. The other two are the panel on information technology headed by Shashi Tharoor and the committee on environment, science and technology headed by Jairam Ramesh. It is reported that there is a move to remove Tharoor from his role as the head of the IT panel. Congress leaders in both Houses have protested against the move. Five members of the IT panel, including a BJP MP, have sought retention of Tharoor as the chairperson.

The government has told the Congress that the reason for the denial of the positions to the party is the fall in its strength in the Rajya Sabha from 34 to 31. In the case of the TMC, it is said to be in retaliation for the way the Trinamool constituted committees in the West Bengal Assembly. Denial of the chairmanship of committees may seem to be a minor matter. But considering the importance of the committees in parliamentary business and the need to respect existing conventions, the ruling party should be more accommodative in its treatment of the Opposition. Parliament is not all about numbers. The Opposition is an important part of the House even when it is small. The government should ensure that the presence of the Opposition is felt and its voice heard because only then can it check its own complacency and perform its legislative duties well.

The government is not known for its accommodation of the Opposition inside and outside parliament. But it should realise what it, and the country, might lose in the process. Parliamentary panels are important forums where upcoming legislations are scrutinised. This is necessary in view of the difficulties related to detailed examination of bills in parliament. By closely and critically examining bills in committees and making suggestions and recommendations on them, Opposition members make the bills better and stronger. Many bills have in the past benefitted from such consultation. At present, the Opposition does not have much representation in parliament and on its panels. The ruling party should not deny it whatever presence it has. It is not enough to give the position to a friendly Opposition party either, because the need is to get informed and critical perspectives on laws moved by the government.
Released: September 29, 2022

The Foundation for Delaware County filed a petition seeking an emergency injunction from the Delaware County Court of Common Pleas to suspend Prospect Crozers planned closure of Delaware County Memorial Hospital (DCMH).

The Court has ordered that a hearing be held on Friday, October 7 to decide the matter.

Both the County and the Foundation agree that the September 21 Prospect Crozer announcement regarding its intention to close DCMH within 60 days and transition the facility to an outpatient behavioral health center with reduced services and a greatly reduced staff was not only damaging to the public health of County residents, but also not in accordance with the terms of the agreement signed by Prospect.

While Delaware County and a number of county stakeholders and local elected officials oppose Prospect Crozers plans to close a hospital that has served Delaware County residents for more than 100 years, it is The Foundation for Delaware County which holds legal standing, due to the terms of the July 1, 2016 sale of the Crozer-Keystone Health System to the California-based Prospect Crozer.

Per the terms of the sale, Prospect Crozer committed to operating DCMH for a period of no less than 10 years, and the Foundation has the authority to enforce the agreement.

Closing Delaware County Memorial would be catastrophic for our residents that have depended on its services for generations, said Delaware County Council Chair Dr. Monica Taylor. And, over 300 high-quality jobs would be lost due to this hastily announced plan, developed without input from the County. It is an unacceptable course of action by Prospect Crozer, and the County remains committed to ensuring that the public health needs of our residents are a priority over the financial considerations of a for-profit corporation.

The plan outlined by Prospect Crozer constitutes a public health emergency that would subject the residents of Delaware County to seriously degraded health servicesespecially those residents in eastern Delaware County, including those in Upper Darby, who would find it more difficult to access an emergency room.

The planned closing will also adversely impact a total of 334 employees. A letter sent by Prospect Crozer to its employees includes a target date of November 26, meaning that many employees may face termination on the Saturday of the Thanksgiving holiday.

The County and the Foundation continue to support all local leaders in an effort to bring about a positive solution to address Crozer Healths long-term operational and financial viability.
A second inquest into the death of a man shot by the SAS is set to be heard next April, 13 years after the fresh probe was ordered.

Coroner Peter Irvine said he intends to get the inquest for Francis Bradley up and running as soon as possible.

Mr Bradley, 20, was shot dead by soldiers in disputed circumstances near Toomebridge, Co Derry, in 1986.

At the time of the killing, the IRA said Mr Bradley was not a member. However, his name was later added to the organisations roll of honour.

The family of the Co Derry man have welcomed the development in the long-running case.

In 2010, then attorney general John Larkin ordered a fresh inquest into the controversial killing.

Mr Irvine, who is also a judge, told a preliminary hearing in Belfast on Thursday that he wants legal parties to work towards a target date for starting the inquest on Monday April 24 next year.

Everything is going to revolve around that particular date with the management of this particular inquest, he said.

He added that it is important that outstanding preparatory work for the probe, such as the process of security vetting and disclosing sensitive state files, is done appropriately and in time.

Karen Quinlivan KC, representing the Bradley family, said they had been waiting a long time for the inquest to begin.

They are very anxious that the matter moves forward, she said.

Joanne Hannigan KC, representing the PSNI and MoD, sounded a note of caution on the proposed timetable, as she highlighted the substantial number of legacy inquests already set to be heard in the first half of next year.

She said she wanted to make the court aware that preparatory work for those probes was creating significant resource pressures.

The coroner asked to be updated on progress on the outstanding preparatory work at another preliminary hearing on November 15.

After Thursdays hearing, the family of Mr Bradley welcomed the move to set an inquest date.

The familys solicitor, Fearghal Shiels of Madden & Finucane, said: This was the very first inquest to be ordered by the Attorney General for NI in May 2010.

The family have waited a very long time for a substantive hearing to be fixed and they are pleased that matters are now moving in the right direction.
Evolve Clothing is delighted to announce that it has won the Fashion/Apparel or Footwear eCommerce Website of the Year award at the e-Comm Awards 2022.

The e-Comm Awards celebrate excellence in eCommerce and recognise and reward the organisations, teams and individuals who are helping shape the thriving internet retail industry across Ireland. This year's award ceremony took place in the Mansion House in Dublin and was hosted by Kevin Traynor.

Each year the Fashion/Apparel or Footwear eCommerce Website of the Year award is given to the website that has demonstrated excellence in terms of product selection, customer experience and overall innovation.

Evolve Clothings website (evolveclothing.com) was praised for its amazing selection of clothing and footwear, as well as its top-notch customer experience.

The judges were also impressed by the companys innovative approach to eCommerce. After the setbacks that all retailers experienced during the pandemic lockdowns Evolve is proud to be pushing forward with international growth.

On winning the award Evolve Clothings Owner, Mark McCloskey, said: It is testament to our online team and the work they do each day, above and beyond that makes it even possible to win an award of this scale. We were honoured just to be nominated alongside such top tier Irish eComm businesses.

"Since launching our new site in late 2018 we have had many challenges and victories. Each which we learned from, moved on and improved!

"Big shout out to our team IRP Commerce & Built For Growth Digital who help us each day move towards our goals!

Evolve Clothing is a fashion retailer that specialises in stylish, high-quality clothing, footwear and suits. The company offers free shipping on all orders over 80, and has a hassle free returns policy. Visit www.evolveclothing.com to shop.

Congratulations to Evolve Clothing on this amazing achievement!




Finland will close its border to Russian tourists from midnight local time, which is expected to lead to a significant drop in cross-border traffic, the government said on Thursday.







The inflow of Russians is now seen as endangering Finland's international relations, Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto told a news conference.







Entry for family visits, as well as for work and studies, will still be permitted, he added.







The Finnish government, wary of being a transit nation into western Europe's passport-free Schengen zone, on Friday said it planned to halt tourism from Russia and that a decision would be finalized in the days that followed. (Reuters)


Church leaders in Ireland have expressed urgent concern regarding what they described as the challenges facing the most vulnerable in society.

Speaking on the Feast Day of Saint Vincent de Paul (Tuesday) the Northern Catholic Bishops said multiple economic pressures had converged to create life threatening levels of deprivation and fear for individuals and businesses.

The Northern Catholic Bishops comprise, Archbishop Eamon Martin, Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All-Ireland and Apostolic Administrator of Dromore; Bishop Donal McKeown, Bishop of Derry; Bishop Noel Treanor, Bishop of Down and Connor; Bishop Larry Duffy, Bishop of Clogher; and, Bishop Michael Router Auxiliary Bishop of Armagh.

Their statement continued: For the poorest in our society, this is an emergency, not a crisis. We call on everyone, from public representatives to parishioners in our parishes, to come together in a spirit of solidarity and active concern for those who are in need among us at this time.

Every day seems to bring news of dramatic and unplanned increases in the cost of basic essentials such as food, fuel and heating. More and more low and middle income families, older people and vital businesses in our economy, are gripped with fear as they think about what lies ahead this autumn and winter.

The recent Westminster budget has done little to lift this fear and the absence of an Executive at Stormont is unquestionably impeding the effort to respond to the depth and urgency of the situation. We therefore urge a combined effort from all those in Church, politics and society to help address this crisis now; to act justly, to promote the common good and to show solidarity with the many thousands of families who are enduring hardship and worry.

Politicians have a particular duty to ensure the basic needs of citizens are being met and to reassure those in need that serious, meaningful help is on its way. What has been offered to date, does not go far enough to meet that need. Indeed, the fiscal plan presented last week to the Westminster parliament represents an unjust distribution of resources which will benefit the richest but bring little comfort to those hardest hit and most at risk in these trying times.

The Bishops said the recent Westminster budget highlighted the need for working devolved politics in Northern Ireland that could deliver for the real needs of people, especially lowest income families and many small and medium businesses, key employers on this part of the island, on the brink of collapse.

Despite political differences about the Protocol and a future border poll, the most urgent duty on our local MLAs, of all parties, is to prioritise concrete actions that will address the life or death situation many people and businesses face now, and in the months ahead.

Of particular concern, is the fact that in Northern Ireland, one in four children are living in poverty - one of the highest levels of child poverty of any population in Europe. This is despite the fact that a Child Poverty Strategy has been promised for years now - most recently in the New Decade New Approach agreement - but has not yet been delivered, 25 years on since the Good Friday Agreement.

Recent research from our Marriage Care Service, ACCORD, also points to the intensifying pressure the financial crisis is having on families, with 81% of those surveyed reporting that worries concerning money are a primary point of family and relationship pressure. It is known that many families here already have less than 100 per month in disposable income.

"We also know that, in comparison with other parts of these islands, more people here are reliant on social security, more people are in fuel poverty, more people are in absolute poverty and we have some of the highest levels of working poor. This means that the impacts of this emergency will be felt most acutely here.

We accept that there is also much that we in the Churches can do to help. The amazing positive response at parish and community level during the Covid-19 pandemic shows what can be achieved when people work together. We commend and thank the many charitable organisations and partnerships that are already delivering help to people on the ground, as they have always done. A similar effort is now needed.

The Bishops called on all parish communities to be alert for those most impacted by the current emergency, recognising that hardship is often hidden and that many people suffer in silence, being reluctant to go out and seek help.

They added: We invite our congregations, like St. Vincent de Paul and after the example of Jesus himself, to put the poorest and most vulnerable among us first, and to reflect in prayer on what more they can do to help ordinary families and those in need over coming weeks and months.

Food banks, Saint Vincent de Paul Conferences and other charitable outreaches urgently need new volunteers and more resources due to the unprecedented demand which is likely to get worse as winter approaches. Parish Pastoral Councils might consider extending their existing parish hall activities or providing warm spaces, hot meals, fuel vouchers or other helpful initiatives in response to this urgent situation.

Psalm 34 reminds us that The Lord hears the cry of the poor. At a personal level, let us all be open to hearing and responding to the cry of the poor in our midst - both at local and global level. And if we are fortunate enough to have sufficient resources to keep ourselves warm and nourished this winter, let us think of others who are struggling simply to survive.

A time like this calls us to examine our own relationship with the material goods of this earth in light of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, friend of the poor.

"The Word of God challenges us today to give as generously as possible; to be especially conscious of any waste of food, energy, or other resources that we sometimes so easily take for granted; and, to join our voices with those who call for real change in government policy and priorities so that social injustice, inequality and poverty can be eliminated here, and everywhere.

The Bishops encouraged Parish communities to reflect prayerfully on the pact signed in Assisi on Saturday last by Pope Francis together with young people from all over the world:

We, young economists, entrepreneurs, and changemakers, called here to Assisi from every part of the world, aware of the responsibility that rests on our generation, commit ourselves today, individually and all collectively to spending our lives so that the economy of today and tomorrow becomes an economy of the Gospel.

We believe in this economy. It is not a utopia, because we are already building it. And some of us, on particularly bright mornings, have already glimpsed the beginning of the promised land.
Unarmed Derry man, Patrick Duffy, was shot up to 14 times in the back and side by an undercover British army unit on November 24, 1978.

Mr Duffy was shot at 2, Maureen Avenue in the city by what is believed to have been SAS members dressed in civilian clothes, who secreted themselves in the attic of the house before the killing.

A fresh inquest into the killing of Mr Duffy in 1978 is one of 10 inquests earmarked for hearing in 2023.

The fresh inquest was directed by the Attorney General, Mr John Larkin QC, on March 22, 2019.

In directing the inquest the Attorney General stated there was no objective justification for the killing of Mr Duffy.

The coroner presiding over the inquest has listed the case for a preliminary hearing on Wednesday, October 5, 2022 at 1pm.

According to Harte Coyle Collins Solicitors and Advocates, which is acting for Mr Duffys family, his next of kin hope a date for the substantive opening of the inquest can be fixed as soon as possible.

The legal firm said: Mr Duffy was shot up to 14 times in his back and side by an undercover army unit.

He was unarmed at the time of the shooting and posed no threat to the soldiers.

A unit of two undercover soldiers had been secreted in the upstairs and attic area of the house at 2 Maureen Avenue before the killing. The soldiers were dressed in civilian clothes.

The family of Mr Duffy believe the undercover army unit were SAS members. The army unit was immediately removed by other military from the house in Maureen Avenue after the shooting.

Martina Duffy, daughter of Mr Patrick Duffy and family representative, said: We are delighted that the Coroner has agreed to list the fresh inquest into our fathers death for a Preliminary Hearing next week on October 5, 2022. We have asked the Coroner to consider opening the inquest as soon as possible. We look forward to having the circumstances of our fathers brutal killing scrutinised by the Coroners Court.

Lawyer for the family, Patricia Coyle of Harte Coyle Collins, Solicitors and Advocates, aded:  We have recently provided the Coroner with a copy of an expert engineer report on the layout of 2 Maureen Avenue commissioned by our clients in 2003.

They have campaigned long and hard for this fresh inquest. We also confirmed to the Court that our clients, the four surviving children of Mr Duffy, are available and willing to provide statements of evidence as soon as possible to assist the inquest.

We therefore welcome the decision of the Coroner to fix this inquest for a Preliminary Hearing on the October 5, 2022 and look forward to receiving a date for the substantive opening of the inquest as soon as possible.
Health Minister Robin Swann said he is considering options for the future role of Muckamore Abbey Hospital in Co Antrim.

He was commenting on an independent review of the learning disability resettlement programme in Northern Ireland.

The review was commissioned to examine oversight arrangements for resettling patients from Muckamore and other learning disability hospitals.

The hospital, for adults with severe learning disabilities and mental health needs, has been at the centre of the UKs largest police investigation into the alleged abuse of vulnerable adults.

A public inquiry is also currently ongoing into allegations of abuse at Muckamore.

Mr Swann said: As the resettlement programme at Muckamore Abbey progresses, the reducing number of in-patients at the hospital will inevitably raise questions about the future configuration of services on the site.

I am considering options for the future role of the hospital, and I will make a further statement on this in the coming weeks.

It is increasingly clear that the time when a large isolated specialist hospital of this kind was the correct model has passed.

Decisions will have to be made, sooner rather than later, to secure a better future.

He added: My priority continues to be the safety and well-being of all those who use the services provided on the Muckamore site, and any decisions about the future of these will only be taken in consultation with patients and their families.

The resettlement programme review examined the rate of progress towards delivering resettlement outcomes for patients whose discharge has been delayed.

It found that policy and strategy in Northern Ireland for people with learning disabilities and their families is in urgent need of updating, and that an updated strategy should consolidate the long-standing goal that no-one should call a hospital their home.

Mr Swann said the review must act as a catalyst to radically improve the rate of progress on resettlement and said he had accepted all of its recommendations.

He said he had agreed to the establishment of a regional resettlement oversight board, to be chaired by Dr Patricia Donnelly.

Dr Donnelly previously took charge of Northern Irelands Covid-19 vaccination programme.
It is hoped energy support payments will be made in Northern Ireland in November, the regions Economy Minister has said.

The Energy Support Scheme will see a 400 energy bill discount from government administered by the energy companies.

An energy price cap for homes has also been announced for Northern Ireland.

Gordon Lyons said good progress has been made in the last few days over the Energy Support Scheme payments.

The energy suppliers are coming to a legal agreement and a mechanism to allow that money to be paid, he said.

I had previously said that that money would be delivered in November/December time, and that will still be the case. Were still hoping that that will be November time.

We will still get it in one payment, whereas in the rest of the United Kingdom that is going to be over a period of six months. We will get all of our money in Northern Ireland before the rest of the UK.

So were getting that money, using our influence to make sure that comes as quickly as possible to those who need it.

Meanwhile, households which use oil-powered heating are to be offered 100 to contend with rising costs.

Mr Lyons said that is not enough, adding that he has been speaking to officials and ministers about that.

Over 65% of people in Northern Ireland have home heating oil, I dont want them to be left out, and thats why I have been engaging with government to try to tell them why its so important that that 100 is increased. It is not going to be enough for those who are struggling this winter, he said.

In terms of the mini-budget earlier this week, Mr Lyons said he was disappointed that government did not announce a VAT cut for hospitality.

That would have made a real difference for tourism more generally and that hospitality sector in particular, and it is disappointing that that hasnt happened, he said.
Dill Mill Gaye Actress Shilpa Anand Feels Brother-In-Law Is Forcing Sister To Jail Her Mother Amid Pandemic
'5G is here' is a favorite catchphrase for telecom operators and smartphone brands. Well, they have done their part as the rollout is going to take place in most parts of the country and the leading phone companies have all been launching 5G-ready phones in India for a while now. The chances are that you may have a 5G phone and in time, your network provider will also start providing 5G plans. But then, an important question that may come to your mind would be whether you need a new 5G SIM or if the current 4G SIM would suffice. The short answer is  yes your 4G SIM is enough to get 5G service, once the latter is available.

However, theres more to it. Going forward when standalone 5G (SA) is here in India, then, you will require a 5G SIM for a better experience. We will get to what this better experience means, but first, we must understand what this Standalone 5G is and how is it different from Non-Standalone 5G which will be what India gets in the initial phase.

So, lets clear up any confusion around the new 5G SIM once and for all.

Are existing 4G SIM cards from Jio, Airtel, and Vi compatible with 5G phones?

Yes, 4G SIMs are forward compatible with 5G which means they will work with 5G phones and connect to the 5G network.

Speaking of which, there are primarily two types of 5G networks namely NSA (Non-Standalone Access) and SA (Standalone Access). Having support for both of them is called Dual Mode 5G.

Many phones shipping with Qualcomm Snapdragon X50 Modem or later come with support for both these network types, ie; they are dual-mode 5G compatible phones.

Now coming to what these two network types mean 

SA vs NSA 5G: Whats the difference and which of these require a 5G SIM?

Source: Qualcomm

Non-Standalone Access 5G network makes some changes to the existing 4G network infrastructure. The result is 5G-level better speeds and bandwidth but the latency improvement will be modest, at best.

network makes some changes to the existing 4G network infrastructure. The result is 5G-level better speeds and bandwidth but the latency improvement will be modest, at best. Standalone Access 5G, on the other hand, is a 5G infrastructure built from the scratch. The procedure is costlier but you get far better latency and other 5G prowess that are the promising 5G benefits that both enterprises and consumers would appreciate.

NSA 5G works with a 4G SIM but to get the best SA 5G service, you must have a 5G SIM.

In India, at least in the early years of 5G expansion, we will have NSA 5G infrastructure, and hence a 4G SIM from Jio, Airtel, and Vi will get you 5G service.

But, once we have Standalone 5G in India, you would be asked by the telecom brands to get a new 5G SIM. So do that then.

For now, you need not change your 4G SIM to a 5G SIM and you can enjoy 5G without a 5G SIM.

We hope that clears the confusion.

For more technology news, product reviews, sci-tech features and updates, keep reading Digit.in.
Google Search is getting reimagined for multi-search capabilities including support for more languages, and media formats all in an endless scrolling search engine result page. With all of these new Google Search features, the company aims to offer new ways of exploring information and search outside the box.

5 best Google Search features and improvements to look forward to

1. Google Search shortcuts on iOS

Google is going to place advanced methods of searching like Solve homework with camera and Identify song by listening right on the Google home page. You could tap on these shortcuts to use Googles search prowess in varied ways.

2. Discussions and Forums on Google Search

You dont have to suffix Reddit to your search queries anymore as if you ask Google an open-ended question, it will show you results from a variety of popular forums and online discussions across the web like Reddit, Quora, Stackoverflow, etc.

3. Google Results About You tool

Early next year, you'll also be able to opt into alerts if new results appear with personally identifying information, so you can quickly request their removal from Google Search pic.twitter.com/AFQy8bpAkX  Google SearchLiaison (@searchliaison) September 28, 2022

If you find your personal information is on the Google Search results, you can ask Google to take it down. This process will be easier with the forthcoming results about you tool that not only intimates you when your details pop up on the search results and also accepts a takedown request from you. This will be available starting early next year.

4. Google Search bar suggestions

Similar to Spotlight suggestions on iOS, Google Search will start showing links to websites and query refinements.

5. Endless Google multi-search with a lot more Web Stories

In a future update of Google Search, when you look up something, the results could show multimedia results including web stories along with text results.

Google Shopping results will show you complementary clothing suggestions. You could use it if you are in a pinch.

These are the 5 best new Google Search features that we are looking forward to trying. But, Google has also announced the ability to translate Google News from the Search itself, an improved shopping experience with product insight, outfit inspiration, and buying guides, etc in the mix that may interest you.

For more technology news, product reviews, sci-tech features and updates, keep reading Digit.in.
NEWS RELEASE Release Number: 2022-74 Date: September 28, 2022

California Labor Commissioners Office Cites Home Health Care Placement Agencies Nearly $2 Million for Misclassifying 66 Workers

Long BeachThe Labor Commissioners Office has cited Angel Connection Nursing Care and Angel Connection Nursing Services for improperly misclassifying 66 home health care workers as independent contractors. Investigators determined that Annabelle Ricasata, the owner of Angel Connection Nursing Care, is a full-time employee of Angel Connection Nursing Services, and that she misclassified the employees as independent contractors to avoid paying required wages, workers compensation insurance and payroll taxes.

The two Long Beach-based companies must pay more than $1.8 million for the wage theft violations, including failure to pay 22 workers overtime wages, nine of whom were also not paid minimum wages due. One of the businesses also failed to maintain workers compensation insurance or provide proper itemized wage statements for the misclassified employees.

When workers are misclassified as independent contractors, there is a damaging domino effect that impacts all levels of our economy. In this case, caretakers were systematically denied minimum wage, overtime, and other legally required working conditions, said California Labor Commissioner Lilia Garcia-Brower. Workers are often unaware they are being misclassified and denied basic rights. My office collaborates with trusted partners who bring these cases forward that would otherwise go unreported. Unscrupulous employers who misclassify workers do so not only to dodge obligations but also to gain an unfair business advantage over employers who comply with the law.

The Labor Commissioners Office opened its investigation into Angel Connection Inc. (dba Angel Connection Nursing Services) and J Jireh Group (which uses the name Angel Connection Nursing Care) after receiving a referral from the Pilipino Workers Center and Bet Tzedek Legal Services.

Angel Connection Nursing Services exercised control over the wages, hours and working conditions of Angel Connection Nursing Cares employees who were misclassified as independent contractors.

Angel Connection Nursing Care owner Ricasata and Angel Connection Nursing Services owners Merjilyn Chu and Joseph Fortunato are jointly and severally liable for the $1,021,393 due to workers, which includes $213,163 in unpaid minimum wages, $283,058 in liquidated damages, $329,515 in overtime wages, $14,123 contract wages, and $181,534 in interest.

Angel Connection Nursing Care is also liable for $330,000 for the misclassification of 66 workers, $171,000 for failure to provide itemized wage statements, and $357,046 for a Stop Order Penalty Assessment for failure to provide workers compensation insurance.

Enforcement investigations typically include a payroll audit of the previous three years to determine minimum wage, overtime, and other labor law violations and calculate payments owed and penalties due. When workers are paid less than minimum wage, they are entitled to liquidated damages that equal the amount of underpaid wages plus interest.

Misclassification occurs when an employer improperly classifies their employees as independent contractors to avoid paying minimum wage, overtime or payroll taxes. Misclassification also undermines businesses that play by the rules. A misclassified worker is denied the legal right to workers compensation coverage if injured on the job, the right to family leave, the right to unemployment insurance, the right to organize or join a union, and protection against employer retaliation.

California law requires civil penalties to be transferred to the States General Fund when collected.

The Department of Industrial Relations Division of Labor Standards Enforcement, also known as the California Labor Commissioners Office, combats wage theft and unfair competition by investigating allegations of illegal and unfair business practices.

The Labor Commissioners Office in 2020 launched an interdisciplinary outreach campaign, Reaching Every Californian. The campaign amplifies basic protections and builds pathways to affected populations so workers and employers understand legal protections, obligations and the

Labor Commissioners enforcement procedures. Californians can follow the Labor Commissioner on Facebook and Twitter.

Media Contact: Communications@dir.ca.gov, (510) 286-1161

Employers with Questions on Requirements May Contact: MakeItFair@dir.ca.gov
StoryBuilt moves to Georgetown

With its main office in Austin, Texas, StoryBuilt has been active in our market since 2015. It counts many townhouse projects among its local developments. And it has a Columbia City apartment project, the 364-unit Josephine, that's nearing a master use permit. With another half dozen smaller projects also in varying phases of development, the firm's local headcount has risen to 31 employees. And they have a new home in the Original Rainier Brewery complex. Ben Rutkowski leads the local office, and said in a statement, We're thrilled to move into our new office space in Georgetown, a neighborhood that we know and love. We are betting big on Seattle, and the new office provides us the space we need to collaborate and continue to grow the team.




Coldwell Banker Bain

Burns

A 20-year veteran at the company, Coldwell Banker Bain's Robert Burns has been appointed president, the firm recently announced. He's held multiple titles with the brokerage over the years, and has most recently served as regional vice president of the greater Chicago area. He started selling real estate in Minnesota, at the age of 20. CBB didn't say if he'd be based in its Bellevue headquarter or not. Greg Macres is the executive vice president for the Western Region; he praised Burns' passion for agent growth, strong business ethic and vast cross functional expertise.




This screengrab taken from handout video footage released by The Mechanism for International Criminal Tribunals (MICT) on Thursday, shows Felicien Kabuga, an alleged financier of the 1994 genocide in Rwanda, on trial in The Hague, where he is facing charges of genocide and crimes against humanity. AFP-Yonhap



A U.N. tribunal in The Hague opened the genocide trial on Thursday of a Rwandan businessman captured two years ago after decades on the run, with judges saying the hearing must go on despite the suspect's decision to boycott it from his jail cell.



Felicien Kabuga, a former businessman and radio station owner, is one of the last suspects sought by a U.N. tribunal prosecuting crimes committed in the 1994 genocide, when ruling Hutu majority extremists killed more than 800,000 minority Tutsis and Hutu moderates in 100 days.



"Mr Kabuga is this morning well but has decided not to attend the hearing this morning either in person or via video link," Judge Iain Bonomy said. "The trial must proceed" with the opening statement of the prosecutor, judges decided.



Kabuga is in his mid-to-late 80s, though his precise date of birth is disputed. He was arrested in May 2020 in Paris between COVID-19 lockdowns and extradited to The Hague where he has entered a not-guilty plea.



Prosecutors have charged the former coffee and tea tycoon with three counts of genocide and two counts of crimes against humanity, primarily for promoting hate speech through his broadcaster, Radio Television Libre des Milles Collines (RTLM).



He is also accused of arming ethnic Hutu militias.



"In support of the genocide, Kabuga did not need to wield a rifle or a machete at a road block. Rather, he supplied weapons in bulk and facilitated the training that prepared the Interahamwe (Hutu militias) to use them," U.N. prosecutor Rashid Rashid said in his opening statement.



Rashid added that Kabuga had founded a radio station that "broadcast genocidal propaganda across Rwanda".



Prosecutors said the genocide charges covered rapes and sexual assaults as well as killings. Hutus were encouraged in RTLM broadcasts to "taste" Tutsi women, they said.



U.N. prosecutor Serge Brammertz told journalists after Thursday's hearing that Kabuga's no-show was "a strategic decision from his side" but said it would not affect the proceedings.



Because of Kabuga's advanced age and fragile health the court will only sit for six hours a week, divided over two days. Brammertz said the prosecution case will take several months.



"Time is essential here so we hope this trial can proceed as fast as possible, " Brammertz said.



The defence is due to make its opening statement when the trial resumes on Friday. (Reuters)


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SEATTLE  Three small old commercial buildings recently sold for just over $4.9 million, according to King County records. The seller, via three LLCs, was a local family that owned the properties for two decades or more.

The buyer was Catera Holdings LLC, which is associated with two Eastside families. Public records indicate a loan from Sound Credit Union.





. . .
Adani pips Tatas to emerge India's most valued group

Adani Group has become India's most valuable business conglomerate in terms of market capitalisation, overtaking the Tata Group, thanks to the acquisition of Ambuja Cement and ACC.

At the close of market on Friday, Adani Group companies, including the newly-acquired Ambuja and ACC, had a combined market capitalisation Rs22.25 lakh crore against the total market value of all Tata Group firms of Rs20.81 lakh crore.

On Friday, the nine listed firms of Adani group lost a total of Rs40,000 crore in market value while Tata Group's market cap declined by about Rs60,000 crore.

Adani Group's m-cap, excluding that of ACC and Ambuja Cement, increased by nearly Rs10.16 lakh crore this year while the Tata Group lost Rs2.57 lakh crore in market cap hammered by a 17 per cent decline in its flagship company Tata Consultancy Services.

Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Industries is in third place with a market cap of Rs17.07 lakh crore.

Adani Group, which on Friday completed the acquisition of Ambuja Cements and its listed subsidiary ACC, gas committed a further Rs20,000 crore of funds through a record preferential allotment of stock, demonstrating is intent to remain at the top of Indias building-materials industry.
Reliance Retail to acquire Sephora business from Arvind

Reliance Retail is acquiring the India franchisee business of Sephora from Arvind Fashions, reports citing sources familiar with the development said on Tuesday.

Sephora is a French multi-brand beauty products chain owned by the worlds top luxury goods retailer LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton. Arvind Fashions Ltd. operates brands such as USPA, Tommy Hilfiger, Flying Machine, Arrow, Calvin Klein and Sephora in India.

Further, the reports also quoted some industry executives as saying that Reliance Retail has already informed various malls about its acquisition of Sephora and has sought changes in the lease agreements accordingly.

Reliance is expected to announce the deal in four weeks time, the reports said.

This is the third time LVMH-owned Sephora would be changing hands in India. Seven years ago, the French luxury giant had snapped its franchisee agreement with Genesis Colors to partner with Arvind.

Prior to its 2015 tie-up with Arvind, Sephoras rights rested with DLF Brandsthe retail arm of real estate company DLF Ltd. Its operations were also managed by New Delhi-based Genesis Colours. The tie-up however was strained in 2013.

Reliance Retail will now inherit a chain of Sephora-branded beauty and cosmetics chain in India that sells multi-branded products.

According to Arvind Fashions Ltds FY21 annual report, Sephora has 24 stores in India in 12 cities. Globally, the beauty retailer known for retailing premium cosmetics and perfumes such as Bobbi Brown, Benefit Cosmetics, Lancome, etc is present in 35 countries with over 2,700 stores.

The move comes as Reliance Retail sets its eyes on the beauty and personal care market in India after dominating the apparel retail segment in the country. Indias beauty retail market is expected to reach Rs2 lakh crore by 2025 driven by a higher propensity to shop online owing to increased internet penetration as well as a large millennial and gen-Z populations with aspirations and growing disposable incomes, Motilal Oswal Financial Services Limited (MOFSL), said in a 2021 report.

Reliance Retail is getting into a multi-brand beauty retail format in order to better compete with the likes of omni-channel beauty retailer Nykaa.
Rummy online becomes real business with Rs21,000 cr GST impost

Bengaluru-based online gaming startup Gameskraft Technology has received a Rs21,000-crore tax demand from the Directorate General of GST Intelligence (DGGI) for evading taxes on a turnover of Rs77,000 crore.

Gameskraft Technology (GTPL), which runs several online games like Rummy Culture, Gamezy, Rummy Time, etc, refuted allegations claiming that it followed all rules.

"GTPL was engaged in the betting by allowing its players/gamers to place bets in the form of money stakes on outcome of card games played online," the tax authorities noted.

The DGGI has asked Gameskraft to pay GST at 28 per cent on a betting amount totalling Rs77,000 crore between 2017 and 30 June 2022, the biggest ever tax demand issued to any firm in connection with indirect tax evasion.

The GST notice came after a forensic examination by the DGGI revealing that Gameskraft did not issue any invoices to customers and submitted either fake or backdated invoices to the department. The probe also found that once a customer added money to their wallet, the firm did not allow the customer to quit.

Online gaming that doesn't require the application of any skill is taxed at 28 per cent and the taxable amount includes the winning amount as well.

The gaming firm, however, issued a statement claiming that Rummy has been recognised to be a skill game like horse racing, bridge and fantasy games and are therefore, legally protected activities as per the Supreme Court.

"As a responsible startup with Unicorn status in the online skill gaming sector, we have discharged our GST and Income Tax liabilities as per standard industry practice, which is now over a decade old. We are confident that we will be able to respond to this notice to the full satisfaction of the authorities since they have sought to apply 28 per cent tax applicable to games of chance and lottery, instead of the 18 per cent applicable to online platforms of games of skill," the company' spokesperson said.

"Games of skill are a constitutionally protected activity per the Supreme Court and various High Courts across the country. Rummy is one such game declared to be a skill game like horse racing, bridge and fantasy games. Therefore, the notice is a departure from the well established law of the land," the spokesperson added.

It refuted the claim of any violation of the GST and income tax liabilities. Gameskraft said that they will respond to the notice to the full satisfaction of the authorities.

Moneycontrol had last year reported that Gameskraft Technologies had bought five apartments in the city for around Rs32 crore, citing documents accessed by Zapkey.com.

The agreement of sale was registered on August 26, 2021. The five apartments, together worth Rs 31.49 crore, are of size 6,950 sq ft (super built-up area) each and are located in the Savyasachi Sarayu project on First Main Road, Jayamahal Extension, Bengaluru, according to the report.
Louth County Council has announced the appointment of Building Design Partnership Ltd (BDP) as the Lead Urban Design Consultants for the Dunleer Town Centre Masterplan.

In December 2021, the Minister for Rural and Community Development, Heather Humphreys TD, announced 2.6 million in funding for local authorities to deliver the first-ever Town Centre First Plans under the Governments new Town Centre First Policy. This policy aims to tackle vacancy, combat dereliction and breathe new life into Irish town centres.

Louth County Council has been allocated 100,000 from the Department to support the development of a Town Centre First Plan (masterplan) for a selected town. Following a successful application for funding Dunleer was selected for County Louth.

With funding now secured, Louth County Council will work closely with local community organisations, the business community and other relevant stakeholders through the creation of a new town team in the preparation of the masterplan. The new masterplan will focus on Dunleer town centre and immediate surrounds. It will create a vision and set out specific objectives and interventions to help revitalise the town centre.

Joan Martin, Chief Executive, Louth County Council, said: Louth County Council was delighted to select Dunleer as the recipient of Department funding to re-imagine the town centre. Council will work with consultants, local businesses, and community members to implement a plan to improve Dunleer as a place to visit, work, and live.

Once the masterplan is delivered, national funding streams, through the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund (RRDF) and the Town & Village Renewal Scheme, will be accessed to assist in the delivery of the Plans specific objective and interventions.
A new reading guide from Childrens Books Ireland celebrating picture books and illustration is now available in every branch library in Louth.

Picture This features over 230 recommended reads for children and young people aged 018, which have been reviewed by experts in childrens literature.

The guide aims to break down barriers to childrens reading, making books of all kinds accessible to children across Louth, including those who may have reading difficulties or whose first language may not be English or Irish.

Each review is accompanied by a Read also recommendation, bringing the total of books included to over 450.

Picture This focuses on books with strong visual narratives, including wordless or silent books, graphic novels and comics, picture books for all ages and graphic diary-style texts.

The guide aims to highlight books, series and texts to encourage reluctant readers or those with language barriers to engage with reading.

Commenting on the launch of the Picture This Elaina Ryan, CEO of Childrens Books Ireland, said:

Pictures are important. They are rich and expressive and joyful and complex. As a child, theyre our first dip into the world of storytelling  but theyre not something to be left behind once a child is comfortable reading text. Pictures on the page arent just a stepping stone, theyre a journey in themselves.

Presenting an alternative route to the linear progression from picture books to chapter books, we want Picture This to give children and young people in Louth just a little bit of space to discover a love of reading at their own pace, to read stories in formats they never knew about or would never have considered, to come back again and again to an illustration, experiencing the joy of finding something new each time.

We particularly hope that these stories will have special appeal for young readers with reading difficulties, or those whose first language may not be English or Irish.

Irish Language Books

Testament to the increased visibility of excellent books for children as Gaeilge, the guide, whose Irish name Amharc! Breathnaigh! Feach!, translates to Look! Look! Look!, features 29 Irish language books.

These include new releases, such as An Slipear Gloine by Fearghas Mac Lochlainn and Paddy Donnelly, and family favourites such as Geansai Otto by Sadhbh Devlin and Tarsila Kruse. All books from Irish authors, illustrators, publishers or those written in the Irish language are highlighted in the guide with a shamrock.

Picture This is now available for free in every library authority in Ireland and in sixty participating bookshops island-wide. The guide is also free to download from the Childrens Books Ireland website: childrensbooksireland.ie.
Taoiseach Micheal Martin was in Dundalk today to make a keynote address to the Centre for Cross Border Studies Annual Conference held in the Crowne Plaza Hotel.

The Taoiseach spoke of his Governments commitment to work with all communities on the island to build consensus around a shared future, underpinned by the Good Friday Agreement.

The Conference focused on Commitment, Resilience and Perseverance: New challenges and approaches to cross-border cooperation, mobility, and relations, bringing together government officials, policy experts and leaders of civic society and academia.

The Taoiseach also spoke of the long shadow of Brexit but said that there was a way forward that would benefit people on both sides of the border and would allow businesses in Northern Ireland to reap the full opportunities that the Protocol presents, and it would support the development of a more positive and cooperative relations between the EU and the U.K.

He further spoke of the need for all Ireland economic cooperation to bring economic benefits to the border region.

Sitting here in Dundalk you know only too well that balanced regional development requires us to work together on a cross border basis to fully develop the North West, the Central Border Region, the Newry / Dundalk axis, and the entire Dublin-Belfast corridor.

Above all, sharing this island requires us to continue our journey of patient and careful work building relationships and partnerships across the island.

He continued:

At a regional level also we are seeing exciting developments. The North West City Region is now a vibrant integrated partnership with strong people-to-people links, economic and environmental relationships.

Over here on the east coast the links between Newry and Dundalk have always been strong and new exciting partnerships are being developed along the Dublin-Belfast corridor.

He also stated his belief that civil society on both sides of the border had a role to play in building stronger North South connectivity and cooperation on the island.

More than 120 million has already allocated by Government from the Shared Island Fund over the last two years.

Backed by the Shared Island Fund, the Government is now moving forward with delivery of the Ulster Canal, and the Narrow Water Bridge here in County Louth.

Two major cross-border infrastructure projects that have been talked and talked about for decades.

In moving from commitment to action, we are not only delivering these landmark sustainable tourism and recreation assets for the central and east border regions.

The British Ambassador to Ireland, Paul Johnston, and Bernadette McAliskey also addressed the conference.

A business breakfast and three panels focused on cooperation, mobility and relations will take place with a gala dinner tonight that will have Brian Rowan (author and former BBC correspondent) as a guest speaker.

A technical workshop focused on practical issues affecting cross-border and all-island organisations will be held tomorrow.

Director of the Centre for Cross Border Studies, Dr Anthony Soares said:

Today is the pinnacle moment of the Centre for Cross Border Studies calendar. Our conference is an opportunity for policymakers and decision-makers to discuss ideas and address pertinent issues on the island of Ireland, the UK and the EU.

As we approach the 25th anniversary of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement our hope is that today will serve as a starting point for the restoration of mutual dialogue, based on the ethos of the Agreement, to solve the problems surrounding the current political crises in our institutions.

The Centre encourages anyone interested in taking part in this conversation to work with us to gain a deeper understanding of our rooted interdependence and need for co-operation on a variety of fronts.
Digital artwork of campaigner Vicky Phelan has been projected on to the front of one of Dublins most famous buildings ahead of the launch of a feature documentary about her life.

The image of the Limerick mother-of-two appeared on the front of the GPO ahead of the release of Vicky in cinemas next week.

Ms Phelan grabbed the attention of the Irish public after bringing a High Court case over how her cervical smears were handled, which ultimately prompted a series of reviews of Irelands cervical cancer screening programme CervicalCheck.

Her case prompted other women to come forward, and raised questions about the quality of the programme, about how women should be involved and informed about their own healthcare, and the issue of open disclosure.

Despite receiving a terminal cervical cancer diagnosis, Ms Phelan has been actively campaigning for better healthcare and better accountability when mistakes are made in Irelands healthcare system.

She has also supported the passage of the Dying with Dignity Bill, which aims to legislate for assisted dying in Ireland, through the Irish parliament.

I never want to see this happen to another woman in Ireland Watch the trailer for the powerful documentary VICKY, which tells the story of the incomparable latter-day warrior queen Vicky Phelan.#VickyTheFilm in Irish cinemas October 7 @ScreenIreland pic.twitter.com/o37ObQeHR4  Volta Pictures (@VoltaPictures) September 7, 2022

Ms Phelan was awarded the freedom of Limerick earlier this year, and was named as one of the BBCs 100 most inspiring and influential women around the world in 2018.

Directed by Sasha King, Vicky was voted Best Irish Documentary by the Dublin Film Critics Circle at this years Dublin International Film Festival, and was nominated for an Irish Council of Civil Liberties Human Rights Award.

The documentary appears in Irish cinemas on Friday October 7.
Concerns over the proposed concrete levy, skeletal remains found in Cork, and guilty pleas in connection with the Regency Hotel shooting are among the top stories covered in the papers on Thursday.

The Irish Times and Irish Examiner both report on resistance from TDs over the levy on concrete products in order to fund the Mica Redress Scheme, with warnings the added expense will push construction costs even higher.

The IT also covers the ongoing turmoil in the UK following the unveiling of the government's mini-budget on Monday, reporting that the Bank of England is set to act in an attempt to "avert economic crisis".

The Examiner also covers an unfolding story in East Cork after the skeletal remains of a baby were discovered in the Killeagh area.

The Echo, meanwhile, leads with: 'CUH 'intolerable'' as the latest figures from the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) show 88 patients were waiting on trolleys  a new overcrowding record for the hospital.

The Irish Sun's main headline reads: 'Pair admit Regency killing plot' after a former Sinn Fein councillor and his father pleaded guilty to facilitating the murder of David Byrne at the Regency Hotel in 2016.

Finally, the Irish Daily Mail covers news that a new drug has been hailed as a 'historic moment' for Alzheimer's treatment.

For all this and lots more, pick up a copy of Thursday's Irish Daily Mail. pic.twitter.com/PZ37ugLo0m  The Irish Daily Mail (@irishdailymail) September 29, 2022

In the UK, the fallout from the British prime minister and chancellors economic plans continues to dominate the mastheads.

The Bank of England launched an emergency government bond-buying programme to prevent borrowing costs from spiralling out of control and stave off a material risk to UK financial stability, says the Financial Times, The Daily Telegraph, Daily Express and The Guardian.

Thursdays FINANCIAL Times: Bank of England unleashes 65bn bid to avert crisis in debt markets #TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/DWJbn0lUZo  Allie Hodgkins-Brown (@AllieHBNews) September 28, 2022

 The front page of tomorrow's Daily Telegraph:



'Pension funds crisis forces 65bn bailout by Bank'#TomorrowsPapersToday



Sign up for the Front Page newsletterhttps://t.co/x8AV4O6L2Y pic.twitter.com/877a7YpWfa  The Telegraph (@Telegraph) September 28, 2022

Thursdays Daily EXPRESS: Banks 65bn To Protect Pensions In Day Of Turmoil #TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/Kw9FY1wviS  Allie Hodgkins-Brown (@AllieHBNews) September 28, 2022

The intervention is cast by The Sun in its headline as squeaky fund time, while i reports public sector cuts will follow under efficiency plans to cut the deficit.

On tomorrow's front page: 1trillion of Brits pensions narrowly saved from collapse as Truss and Kwarteng accused of going AWOL during meltdownhttps://t.co/pKvr3RdfTP pic.twitter.com/poE3B2xyj5  The Sun (@TheSun) September 28, 2022

Thursdays i - Emergency help from Bank saves pensions - with public sector cuts to follow #TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/ct31C3bNrW  Allie Hodgkins-Brown (@AllieHBNews) September 28, 2022

Liz Truss has gone missing since the mini-Budget announcement, according to The Independent, which along with a full-page photo of her asks its readers: Have you seen this PM?

The Daily Mirror describes Ms Truss as clueless and blunder Truss and Metro says ex-chancellor Rishi Sunak, who warned against the kind of measures recently unveiled, will skip the Tory party conference to give the prime minister all the space she needs.

Tomorrow's Paper Today 



LET LIZ OWN THE MOMENT



 Sunak to miss Tory party conference to give new PM 'All the space she needs'

 Former chancellor had warned of economic chaos if Truss was made premier#TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/LB9wfFbvjE  Metro (@MetroUK) September 28, 2022

The Daily Star reports the central bank was forced to step in to save Kwasi Kwarteng.

Thursdays Daily STAR: So, does ANYONE have a clue what Im doing? #TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/kR5WGtnkCX  Allie Hodgkins-Brown (@AllieHBNews) September 28, 2022

And one of Stephen Lawrences killers has had a smartphone found inside his body with an x-ray, according to the Dail Mail.
By Michelle Devane, PA

Children with special needs have been failed by the State, the Dail has heard.

Sinn Fein TD Pearse Doherty said youngsters have been left in limbo by long delays in being assessed.

He said there are 17,000 children waiting on initial contact with a childrens disability team and 2,500 awaiting or overdue an assessment of needs.

The situation is dire and it is continuing to get worse year after year under your Government, he said, addressing the Tanaiste.

The number of these assessments carried out by the HSE has plummeted.

Pearse Doherty described the situation as dire, and warned it is worsening (PA)

Thousands of children have been failed by the state, left in limbo while they wait for care that theyre entitled.

Your ministers were out this week with announcements in the budget that sound impressive on the glossy surface.

But when you scratch beneath the budgetary spin, it is clear that you havent responded adequately to the situation.

The vast majority of money that you announced this week is to stand still, not speed up the delivery of assessments or the badly needed services that should follow these assessments.

Your own disability capacity review made it clear the levels of funding that were required to meet the needs of children and adults across the state.

You provided a fraction of what was required, and in doing so Tanaiste, once again  just like last year, and the year before  you will fail the children and many others like them.

Tanaiste Leo Varadkar said funding is not the only solution to the problem (Damien Storan/PA Wire)

In response, Tanaiste Leo Varadkar said the system where children have to undergo an assessment of need before being given the therapies they require must be revisited.

He said there are a lot of delays in assessments and fixing the matter is not just about funding.

Mr Varadkar said: Weve seen a huge increase in spending on health and disability in recent years. But money doesnt just solve problems.

You need to recruit and retain staff, which is a challenge here and everywhere around the world at the moment.

And also you need to be able to make sure that your systems work well. And I think perhaps we need to consider a change of approach here.

The system we have at the moment, which is you wait for your assessment of need before you get the interventions, perhaps isnt the best one.

Where it is obvious that a child needs a particular intervention or a particular therapy, why dont we just provide that straightaway?

I think we need to provide additional resources, which is happening, additional staff, which is a challenge, but perhaps you also need to look at the system, the approach that weve taken to date and whether that could be improved.
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.

The central banks of the U.S., EU and UK have all been linked to deforestation and ecosystem destruction in Brazil.

Thats the finding from a Global Witness report released Wednesday called Bankrolling Destruction, which outlines how the U.S. Federal Reserve, the European Central Bank and the Bank of England bought bonds from three agribusiness companies accused of land-clearing in Brazil: Archer-Daniels-Midland Company (ADM), Bunge Ltd Financial Corp and Cargill, Inc.

At a time when the climate crisis is ravaging countries across the world, it is unacceptable that the biggest central banks are bankrolling companies linked to the destruction of forests and its associated human rights abuses, Global Witness Forest Team Leader Veronica Oakeshott said in a statement. If we are to have any hope of limiting climate change we need those forests standing. Whatever their corporate bond purchase schemes were set up for, it surely wasnt this.

Our investigation finds that @federalreserve the @ecb and @bankofengland despite making public statements against the #ClimateCrisis, have invested in companies linked to #deforestation.



We need banks to take urgent action on deforestation. https://t.co/7LhacfXhXh  Global Witness (@Global_Witness) September 28, 2022

The report focused on a practice called quantitative easing in which central banks purchase corporate bonds in order to stimulate the economy. This practice became common during the 2008 recession and then again during the coronavirus pandemic. The idea is that the central banks can generate economic activity by buying company debt when private banks arent willing to lend.

However, Global Witness found thatthrough these bond purchasing programsthe banks were also potentially funding deforestation.

The U.S. Federal Reserve bought $16 million in bonds from ADM, Bunge Ltd Financial Corp and Cargill, Inc. since 2020. The European Central Bank purchased an unspecified amount of debt from Bunge Finance Europe B.V. The Bank of England bought an undisclosed share in a 150 million Cargill bond after 2016.

All three of these companies have been linked to deforestation and land-clearing in their business practices. Cargill promised to end deforestation in its supply chain by 2020, but was caught in 2021 buying soy from cleared land in Brazils vitally important Cerrado grassland. Bunges Brazilian soy farms were connected to nearly 17,000 fire alerts in 2020. Another Global Witness investigation found that almost 40 percent of the Indonesian palm oil mills used by both Bunge and ADM were linked to environmental destruction and the violation of local communities rights, including violence against land defenders. Another Global Witness investigation found that all three companies bought soy from farmers engaged in human rights abuses against Indigenous communities in Brazils Bahia state. Finally, all three were represented by trade groups that lobbied the EU to weaken its anti-deforestation regulations during the COP26 climate conference.

Having government banksand, by extension, taxpayersfund these harmful activities sends the wrong message at a time when financial institutions are coming to recognize the risks posed by the climate crisis.

[O]ur analysis raises questions about how far these bond purchases are in the public interest or align with climate concerns, the report authors wrote. For instance, the Bank of England is expected to operate for the good of the people of the United Kingdom  but by purchasing bonds from a deforestation-risk company, it is effectively subsidising that company by making it cheaper for it to borrow money  and indirectly enabling forest destruction.

Cargill said it was committed to ending deforestation in its supply chain in a statement to The Guardian, while Bunge said it worked to follow all regulations and its own environmental policies. ADM did not provide a statement. Of the banks, the Federal Reserve said it was phasing out the borrowing program, which was a special case in response to the pandemic, while the Bank of England said the focus on its Cargill purchase was extremely narrow. The European Central Bank said it would work to slowly decarbonize the bonds it held.

Overall, London School of Economics professor of sustainable financing Nick Robins said the report offered a useful guidepost for central banks as they work to respond to the threat of climate change.

I think this report is a very useful piece of analysis which highlights the need for central banks to look at their exposure to deforestation in their portfolios, he told The Guardian. 2022 really is the year that central banks recognised nature risk as a threat to institutions. The focus up to now has been on the energy sector but this is another signal that deforestation and land use needs to be put at the heart of climate scenarios.

To that end, Global Witness offered four recommendations.

Central banks should divest from bonds from companies with ties to deforestation. Central banks should adopt a policy of not investing in deforestation in any way. Central banks should consider.deforestation risk along with other climate-related risks when it analyzes the private financial sector. Governments should regulate financial institutions so that they do not fund deforestation.

Given the rate at which the financial system needs to decarbonise, if we are to have any chance of keeping global heating below 1.5 degrees Celsius, legislators and the key banks central and private  must take urgent action on deforestation, the report authors wrote.
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.

Many bird species are sensitive to temperature fluctuations, especially the extreme ones that come with climate change. Global heating is especially difficult for birds, who need shade, cool water and breezes to cool down.

A new study by the Oregon State University College of Forestry suggests some bird species can get relief from climate change from old-growth forests and forests that have old-growth characteristics, a press release from Oregon State University (OSU) said.

We have two hypotheses for this benefit, both of which received some support in our recent paper: (1) old-growth forests are cooler during the breeding season, which has a benefit for birds associated with colder climates. This effect could be due to either (a) a direct physiological advantage (the birds dont overheat), or (b) (more likely) there is a positive effect on food availability. (2) Old forests tend to have greater vegetation diversity, which means greater insect diversity (more food to choose from) and longer periods of insect availability, Matthew Betts, who is a professor in the Department of Forest Ecosystems and Society and one of the studys co-authors, told EcoWatch in an email.

The study, Forest microclimate and composition mediate long-term trends of breeding bird populations, was led by Hankyu Kim, a former doctoral student at OSU, and published in the journal Global Change Biology.

The study builds on previous research by Betts, according to the press release. Betts research demonstrated that mature forests with large trees of a variety of species and sizes can provide protection to some bird species that are vulnerable to the effects of planetary warming.

Of course, old growth forests are beneficial for birds in ways that dont relate to climate. They tend to have more dead wood (good for cavity nesters like woodpeckers and nuthatches), and greater diversity in vertical structure (think: many canopy layers), Betts told EcoWatch.

The researchers said their findings have crucial significance for determinations regarding the conservation of older forests.

The study examined the microclimates  fine-scale climatic conditions of a particular region that are different from the adjacent free air environment  above the forest canopy. Microclimates have a tendency to be most noticeable in regions with diverse terrain and forest types, like mountains, islands and coastal areas. The researchers conducted their study in the H.J. Andrews Experimental Forest in Oregons Cascade Range.

To my knowledge, this is the first empirical evidence of any microclimate effect on songbird populations, and of the insurance effect on free-ranging birds, said Kim, who is now a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, in the press release. Each species may have a slightly different range of thermal optima  the range of thermal conditions they feel comfortable with  and it could be the same for the interaction between forest ecosystems and birds.

The research team, which included associates from the United States Forest Service and OSU, looked at eight years of data on the abundance of breeding birds in a watershed at the H.J. Andrews forest. The authors also examined temperature readings of the forest subcanopy based on vegetation data from the ground and Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) laser measurements.

The way the current trend of global warming affects the forest ecosystem is beneficial to some birds, while others find it difficult to breed due to less available food and physiological challenges.

The team came to the conclusion that certain species of birds were liable to fare better in cooler microclimates. They called this tendency the buffering effect.

Of the 20 bird species the scientists studied, population trends for five of them  the Swainsons thrush, hermit warbler, red crossbill, chestnut-backed chickadee and Wilsons warbler  tended to be either steady or less adverse in microclimates with cooling effects.

Trends of abundance of five species declined at greater rates in warmer locations than in cooler areas, said Kim in the press release. That suggests microclimates within forested landscapes do provide refugia for those species. Declining species that are sensitive to warm conditions, like the Wilsons warbler, hermit warbler and chestnut-backed chickadee, seemed to benefit the most from refugia effects.

Certain bird species did better in forested areas that were more diverse, which the researchers called the insurance effect. They used this term because due to the forests diversity there were likely to be insects for the birds to feed on during their breeding season, when they needed energy and nutrients the most.

If plants leaf out earlier in warm microclimates, causing arthropods to emerge earlier, there is a danger of migratory birds mistiming their breeding with peak food availability, said Betts in the press release. Since leaf-out timing varies by plant species, forests with more plant diversity often have a longer period of insect availability.

The adverse effects of climate warming for two of the species  the red crossbill and the Wilsons warbler  were lower in forests that were more diverse.

There is little doubt that climate change will continue to affect bird species into the future. The losers will be higher elevation and higher latitude birds that are not well adapted to warm climates. Weve already seen quite negative effects after only ~1 degree C temp rises, Betts told EcoWatch. With projected 1.5  2 degree rise in the future, we could see strong climate-related declines for a number of species. This, in turn, will likely influence the ecosystem services these birds provide (e.g., insect control, recreational benefits, pollination).

The other 14 birds the researchers looked at for the study were the hermit thrush, McGillivrays warbler, dark-eyed junco, Pacific-slope flycatcher, golden-crowned kinglet, brown creeper, black-throated gray warbler, hairy woodpecker, Hammonds flycatcher, red-breasted nuthatch, red-breasted sapsucker, yellow-rumped warbler, Pacific wren and western tanager.

What can humans do to help protect bird species in the face of climate change?

First, try to limit climate change by altering our practices (burning fossil fuels)! Second, keep old-growth forests around as they seem to have this buffering capacity for bird populations, Betts said.
Interview: COVID-19 infections not to end, lessons should be learned -- medical expert

Xinhua) 10:49, September 29, 2022

LONDON, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- The coronavirus will continue to circulate for years and COVID-19 infections will not end, a leading British medical expert has said, calling on the global community to learn lessons from the pandemic.

The end of COVID-19 infections is not in sight, and "this is an infection that's going to stay with us forever," Paul Hunter, a professor in medicine at the Norwich Medical School at the University of East Anglia in Britain, told Xinhua in a recent interview.

In the view of Hunter, who specializes in microbiology and infectious diseases, an end of the COVID-19 pandemic does not mean an end of the virus. "By and large, I think this was clear from the summer of 2020 that this was the virus that was going to be with us forever."

He citied a survey of Nature in early 2021, in which more than 100 immunologists, infectious disease researchers and virologists working on the coronavirus were asked by the magazine whether it could be eradicated.

The study showed that almost 90 percent of respondents think that the coronavirus will become endemic, which means it will continue to circulate in pockets of the global population for years to come.

"To me, the end of the pandemic is the point where the virus no longer causes major problems for society and for the health services. It doesn't mean that the virus goes away because the virus is not going away ever, certainly not in the lifetimes of any people around now," the professor added.

Hunter believes there is likely to be a problem this winter with COVID-19, but he does not think it will be as bad as last winter.

As the deadly virus is still spreading across the world, the professor suggested that the human race learn lessons from the COVID-10 pandemic, such as making vaccine distribution more equal, paying more attention to vulnerable people and taking a more science-based attitude toward the virus as well as control measures.

He blamed some Western countries for not offering vaccines to people in low-income countries that are still at risk of the severe disease. "I think that is a very damning indictment on Western society, and is something that we need to address when further pandemics occur," he said.

"There are still people in society who are vulnerable to COVID-19, and because of that, we need to still look out for those people and make sure that they have appropriate treatment," the expert added.

(Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun)
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.

A Nord Stream gas pipeline leak causes bubbles on the surface of the water at sea in Sweden on Sept. 29, 2022. Swedish Coast Guard / Handout / Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

The methane leaking from Nord Stream pipes into the Baltic Sea may be one of the worst natural gas leaks in history, scientists say. Although the breached pipes were not in operation, they still contained natural gas when they were damaged. The leaking natural gas primarily consists of methane, a leading contributor to global warming.

North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) has said in a statement that the damage is believed to be a deliberate act of sabotage. The pipelines run between Russia and Germany, and some officials and energy experts say Russia is to blame. Investigations are underway.

The damage to the Nordstream 1 and Nordstream 2 pipelines in international waters in the Baltic Sea is of deep concern. All currently available information indicates that this is the result of deliberate, reckless, and irresponsible acts of sabotage, NATO said. These leaks are causing risks to shipping and substantial environmental damage. We support the investigations underway to determine the origin of the damage.

While the amount of gas leaking from the pipes is still unknown, scientists estimate it to be around 100,000 and 350,000 metric tons of methane so far, as reported by The Guardian.

There have been three explosions causing the damage, the first recorded on Monday, but it still remains to be seen if there are multiple holes, how large the openings are and how much gas is leaking. There are at least four leaks, though, with the fourth just discovered by Sweden. Nord Stream 2 may have contained 300 million cubic meters of gas before the project was stopped by Germany days before Russia invaded Ukraine.

It has the potential to be one of the biggest gas leaks, Jasmin Cooper, a research associate at Imperial College Londons Department of Chemical Engineering, told The Guardian. The climate risks from the methane leak are quite large. Methane is a potent greenhouse gas, 30 times stronger than CO2 over 100 years and more than 80 times stronger over 20 years.

While this leak will not have an impact on marine life the way an oil spill does, the vast volume of natural gas leaking could be devastating for the atmosphere. According to the Danish Energy Agency, over half the gas in the pipes has leaked, and the rest of the gas is expected to emit into the atmosphere by Sunday, October 2.

If 250,000 metric tons of methane leak from the pipes, it could have a climate impact equivalent to 1.3 million cars driving on roads for one year.
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.

Queensland, Australia, is in the midst of a climate emergency. In the past two years, the state in the countrys northeast corner has experienced both extreme wildfires and extensive flooding. And off its coast lies the Great Barrier Reef, which has suffered six mass bleachings since 1998 as the climate crisis elevates ocean temperatures.

Despite all this, Queensland is one of Australias most coal-producing states, according to Reuters. But that might change. The government announced a $40 billion plan Wednesday to transition its coal-fired plants to renewable energy by 2035.

Climate change is real. Its impacts are real. Its effect on the future of Queensland now and into the future are real, Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said in a statement Wednesday. But we need to do more  much, much more  than understand the effects of climate change. We need to do much more than talk about it. We need to act and we need to act in a revolutionary way.

By 2035, government-owned coal-fired power stations will transform into clean energy hubs.



Climate change is real so were moving to cleaner, cheaper energy.



And workers wont be left behind. pic.twitter.com/KDwaKx8Hfv  Annastacia Palaszczuk (@AnnastaciaMP) September 29, 2022

Palaszczuk said the state would up its renewable energy targets, from 50 percent by 2030 to 70 percent by 2032 and 80 percent by 2035, according to Reuters.

These goals will be backed by two major infrastructure projects, according to Australias ABC News: a supergrid linking renewable energy generators, transmission lines and batteries and the worlds largest hydro storage facility near Mackay. Experts say the plan may help the state  which was at risk for not meeting its previous 50 percent renewable energy goal  pick up the slack.

What we have seen is a radical increase in ambition backed up by a number of specifically-funded projects, University of Queensland economist John Quiggin said. Its a big change in the picture of electricity supply in Queensland. It could certainly end the stages of Queensland lagging.

The plan also includes goals of building at least 2,000 more wind turbines and 35 million more solar panels by 2030, The Guardian reported. For former-coal plant workers, the government is promising a $150 million job security guarantee.

That ensures workers will have the opportunity to continue careers with publicly owned energy businesses or elsewhere in the public sector, Palaszczuk said in Wednesdays speech.

Queensland currently has eight state-owned coal-fired plants and coal still provides 65 percent of its electricity, according to The Guardian.

This is an incredibly significant day in our nations history, Queensland Energy Minister Mick de Brenni told The Guardian. Today Queensland commences the transition in an orderly way so that theres no reliance by 2035 [on coal].

Queensland is currently the highest-emitting state in Australia, and its overall emission-reduction goals still fall behind other states like New South Wales and Victoria. It has promised to cut emissions by 30 percent of 2005 levels by 2030 instead of 50 percent.

Its goals do put it on track to achieve net-zero by 2050, as the broader Australian government has pledged to do, according to Reuters. Australias Clean Energy Council also said the plan would make it possible for Queensland to meet its goal of reducing electricity emissions by 90 percent by 2035-2036.




Fish processors in Senegal go to court to urge for shutdown of fishmeal plant

A case taken by a community coalition in Senegal to close a fishmeal plant could have implications for the expansion of production in the region, which has seen major expansion by, specifically, Chinese operators, alongside plants built by European, Russian and Turkish operators.

Members of the Taxawu Cayar Collective, made up of female fish processors and artisanal fishers  along with community and environmental representatives  went to the High Court in Thies, Senegal, to request an injunction to temporarily close the Touba Proteine Marine fishmeal factory, which was previously owned by Spanish firm Barna before being bought out by local management

Maitre Bathily, the collective's lawyer, said the litigation was a first for Africa and a "historic test" of local institutions. He said his case will also shed light on how fishmeal factories are licensed in Senegal. According to Bathily, the factory has "repeatedly broken environmental codes, and the environmental impact assessment conducted before it opened clearly had enormous flaws."

The court case has been adjourned until October 6. Maty Ndao, a Taxawu Cayar Collective member, said the collective was taking a stand against abuses carried out on her community by the fishmeal and fish oil industry.

The Marine Ingredients Organization (IFFO), a trade body which represents the fishmeal and fish oil sector, said its membership is not well-represented in the West Africa region and it had no comment on the situation regarding TPM fishmeal plant.

"IFFO cannot comment on specific cases, but wants to make it clear that its priority is to ensure that food security for local populations is not undermined. Proven overfishing or any IUU practices are not acceptable," an IFFO spokesperson said.

- SeafoodSource


In a 2019 vector alert, WHO identified the spread of Anopheles stephensi as a significant threat to malaria control and elimination  particularly in Africa, where the disease hits hardest. A new WHO initiative, launched today, aims to stop the further spread of this invasive mosquito species in the region.





Originally native to parts of South Asia and the Arabian Peninsula, An. stephensi has been expanding its range over the last decade, with detections reported in Djibouti (2012), Ethiopia and Sudan (2016), Somalia (2019) and Nigeria (2020). Unlike the other main mosquito vectors of malaria in Africa, it thrives in urban settings.





With more than 40% of the population in Africa living in urban environments, the invasion and spread of An. stephensi could pose a significant threat to the control and elimination of malaria in the region. But large-scale surveillance of the vector is still in its infancy, and more research and data are urgently needed.





We are still learning about the presence of Anopheles stephensi and its role in malaria transmission in Africa, said Dr Jan Kolaczinski, who leads the Vector Control and Insecticide Resistance unit with the WHO Global Malaria Programme. It is important to underscore that we still dont know how far the mosquito species has already spread, and how much of a problem it is or could be.





WHOs new initiative aims to support an effective regional response to An. stephensi on the African continent through a five-pronged approach:





- increasing collaboration across sectors and border;

- strengthening surveillance to determine the extent of the spread of An. stephensi and its role in transmission;

- improving information exchange on the presence of An. stephensi and on efforts to control it;

- developing guidance for national malaria control programmes on appropriate ways to respond to An. stephensi

- prioritizing research to evaluate the impact of interventions and tools against An. stephensi




Palo Alto, CAJotham S. Stein, author of the award-winning book Negotiate Like a CEO: How to Get Ahead with Lessons Learned from Top Entrepreneurs and Executives, was interviewed by Vanessa Denha Garmo on "It's Your Community" on Detroit's WJR. (Listen to the interview here: https://negotiatelikeaceobook.com/ )

What does it mean to negotiate like a CEO? How important are employment agreements? How can you learn to protect yourself and your family if the worst does happen? These are all questions that Jotham S. Stein addresses in his book Negotiate Like a CEO, with the goal of equipping individuals with the tools they need to safeguard themselves in business and employment.

Negotiate Like a CEO isn't afraid to get into the weeds about what you need to do to help your career. Stein peppers each chapter with captivating stories of employees who have found themselves in tight situations with their employerstories that many readers will find familiar. He follows each example with insider insights on how to navigate the situation and save yourself from heartache.

"Jotham has helped me throughout my career, from setting up strong employment agreements to securing stock compensation to protecting the management team during the sale of my company. Jotham is a guy you want in your corner. His book should be required reading for anyone who thinks 'this could never happen to me'." Andy Cohen, founder and former CEO, Caring.com

"As a hi-tech Silicon Valley attorney Stein is brutally honest in assessing a situation and advising his clients. In Negotiate Like a CEO you'll learn to be aware, to recognize potential employment pitfalls, and how to protect yourself. You'll also learn that you may have more leverage than you might think, either now or as you advance in your career." Grady Harp, Amazon Top 100 Hall of Fame Reviewer

"As a CEO and multi-time Silicon Valley executive, I was very fortunate to learn from Jotham early in my career the great importance of the protective employment offer letter. Employment law is very complex and with this book you can learn from the best." Bonnie Crater, co-founder and CEO, Full Circle Insights; former SVP salesforce.com; former SVP Genesys; former VP Oracle; former VP Netscape

Watch the book trailer at https://bit.ly/NegotiateLikeaCEOtrailer





About: Jotham S. Stein, author of the award-winning book Negotiate Like a CEO, is the principal of the Law Offices of Jotham S. Stein P.C. He has more than two decades of experience representing entrepreneurs and C-Suite executives, board members, venture capitalists, private equity principals, and investment bankers as well as less senior employees of all size companies.

Stein is a graduate of Stanford Law School and Princeton University. He is admitted to practice in California, Illinois, New York, Colorado, and the District of Columbia as well as the United States Supreme Court, and several United States Courts of Appeals and United States District Courts. He is also a member of multiple bar associations, including the American Bar Association. Stein is the author of Executive Employment Law: Protecting Executives, Entrepreneurs and Employees, a how-to guide for practitioners.

Stein's new book, Negotiate Like a CEO, is an enthralling look at how top entrepreneurs and executives protect themselves and how you can too. You can find out more about Jotham Stein at NegotiateLikeaCEO.net.

Negotiate Like a CEOASIN: B09TG125BQ, Published by Political Animal Press, Feb. 24, 2022, 294 pages, available on Kindle and paperback on Amazon.

Media Contact: For a review copy of Negotiate Like a CEO or to arrange an interview with Jotham S. Stein, contact Scott Lorenz of Westwind Communications Book Marketing at scottlorenz@westwindcos.com or by phone at 248-705-2214. Reach Lorenz on twitter @abookpublicist
Area payments have hobbled the farming tenanted sector in England and Wales for over 15 years, according to the latest data.

The Central Association of Agricultural Valuers (CAAV) surveys show that in each year since 2007, activity has only been between 30 and 40% of the 1999 level.

And the number of new Farm Business Tenancies (FBTs) has only been around 25% of the number in 1999, its Agricultural Land Occupation Survey for 2021 shows.

The latest data is part of a series of surveys going back to the late 1970s showing decisions about the letting of land.

They also review the varied lengths of FBTs being granted and the reasons for them, showing how good use can be made of their freedom of contract to suit business circumstances.

Amid current policy discussions concerning agriculture and as Basic Payment is lost, making full use of the tenanted sector is an important part of the changes required to tackle the productivity challenge, says CAAV secretary Jeremy Moody.

Access for proficient farmers, existing and new, to land is a key constraint on raising productivity," Mr Moody says.

"The CAAV is actively looking at ways to tackle the stasis in land occupation reported in our surveys, with answers lying in areas such as taxation and housing.

"We are pleased to continue to contribute on these themes to the work of Defras Agricultural Productivity Task Force and elsewhere.

While the average length of all FBTs, including seasonal grazing and specialist rotational cropping, was three years, the average for FBTs let for more than a year was 4.7 years.

That simple average hides more interesting and consistent patterns with larger units let for longer  tenancies over 200 acres were let for an average of 6.4 years

And fully equipped units let for longer  tenancies with a dwelling were let for an average of 9.6 years.

New work in the survey has found that in a quarter of lettings there were case specific reasons for the length chosen, from the tenants retirement date, investment plan or need to enter a scheme, to the landlords family plans or development expectations.

Other cases typically followed established practice and previous agreements. Owners and farmers have generally wanted flexibility in uncertain times but tenancy length is also influenced by it being seen as normal for FBTs to be short, despite them often being repeated, says Mr Moody.

It appears that the more FBTs are described as short, the more they are let for short terms," he explains.

Yet, a tenant needing the Slurry Investment Grant will need a longer term as would a situation where the owner and farmer want to see soils improved. People need to understand the variety of options with FBTs.

"If it is seen as normal to let for a longer term, they will do so, based on business needs, not habits. FBTs offer great flexibility and that should be used.

Periods of policy uncertainty are when many tenancies get shorter, adds Mr Moody. We saw the lettings market disrupted for the Single Payment when access to land was access to payment.

"The negotiations for the 2013 Basic Payment regulations saw lettings shorten for the same reasons. This has happened again since 2018 as owners and farmers have tried to protect their position for future policies, including the lump sum and de-linking.

The survey saw the lowest area of newly let land in 10 years - 1,538 acres, while only half of Agricultural Holding Act tenancies ending without a successor were re-let on FBTs.

This is the lowest proportion seen in recent years, and consistent with policy uncertainty, says Mr Moody. Yet the sector needs new land balance losses and to grow.

Tenants perceived as new entrants by those contributing to the survey obtained 7.7% of all lettings and 28% where the change in tenancy saw a new occupier.

New entrants tend to be offered longer tenancies with nearly a third of all lettings for a term of more than five years.

Mr Moody says: As the Basic Payment becomes less significant in farm finances, so more farmers may focus on the business issues that could, with the right measures to support change, unlock a fresh wave of lettings.
Offering healthcare services at livestock marts will help remove the farming community's stigma about seeking help, a new study suggests.

Farmers, particularly men, can frequently be resistant to seeking support, the research says, but putting doctors and nurses in a place where they meet and work with others can help break down barriers.

Those who took part in the research said masculine traits, including pride, fear of being judged, or stoicism linked to their farming identity, also prevented them seeking support.

Removing barriers such as time constraints, the need to change out of work clothes, the need to book and travel to an appointment, and thus take time off work, and other barriers such as mistrust of practitioners could help encourage farmers to get healthcare.

As part of the study, researchers from the University of Exeter interviewed 90 people at 17 livestock marts in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.

This included 42 farmers, 27 auction operators, 15 individuals from support initiatives and six other mart stakeholders, such as chairpersons or trading standards officers. The age of farmers ranged from 25 to 83, and six were women.

Nurses, auction operators and farmer support groups said they believed that by aiding farmers to bypass the more structural issues, such as inconvenience, time constraints, work commitments, they would no longer act as a barrier to help-seeking.

Most farmer interviewees said an illness or injury must be extremely bad before they looked for help. However, the majority viewed the placing of health hubs at auction marts positively.

Several spoke proudly of the fact that farmers are known for not seeking help, with some saying they had continued to work for several hours with injuries later diagnosed as broken bones or torn ligaments.

And some farmers who were interviewed were reported to have continued to work for days before seeking help.

Many interviewees said farmers often went to the doctor because of pressure from a female relative. Those who were older - over 55 - were considered more likely to delay help-seeking.

Several farmers across a range of age groups, as well as auction operators, admitted to having experienced challenges with their mental health.

Many stated a preference to talk to a rural chaplain, friends or family members before a professional.

Many of those interviewed lived in rural or semi-rural locations and had to travel to local towns or villages to see a health professional.

Because of the long hours they worked they were unable to take time out from animals or land.

Some said the time and effort of having to change out of dirty work clothes was also off-putting, and doctors surgery opening hours did not match with the erratic nature of farming. They were more likely to put the welfare of their animals before their own.

Several commented on the lack of availability of appointments, particularly in the case of mental health services.

Dr Caroline Nye, of the University of Exeter said: Livestock auction marts continue to be entrenched in tradition but can also be spaces where outdated and potentially harmful behaviour can be challenged.

"We need to stop those in the agricultural community feeling reluctant to seek help and remove any shame or stigma they associate with seeing a doctor or nurse.

Putting services in livestock marts can help to create positive attitudes towards health services. They can be used to show masculine behaviour not to see a doctor is not healthy through peer to peer persuasion in the places where farmers feel at home and part of their community.

Often farmers will not go to the doctor for a multitude of reasons, but if the healthcare professional is brought to them then fewer barriers remain to their seeking help.

Professor Matt Lobley said a lot of research on mental health in the farming community focused on the extent and cause of problems.

"This is one of few pieces of work that considered how mental health support can be delivered to members of the farming community in a manner that is meaningful and accessible to them and which moves away from urban-centred models of health care support.
A labour scheme modelled on Canada's system has been proposed by the Scottish government to help farm and rural workforce shortages.

This proposal calls for the establishment of a Scottish Rural Community Immigration Pilot (SRCIP), which would represent a new community-driven approach to local migration.

The scheme, modelled on the successful Canadian Atlantic Immigration Program, would allow rural and remote communities to attract migrants in line with their distinct needs.

Participating employer-sponsors within designated geographic areas, referred to as Community Pilot Areas, would advertise vacancies using bespoke entry criteria.

The proposal has been jointly developed by the Scottish government, local authorities and representatives from employers based within rural communities.

However, it requires implementation by the UK government. Rural Affairs Secretary Mairi Gougeon has written to Number 10 setting out the proposals, saying they could work in Scotland 'just as they have worked in Canada'.

We are calling upon the UK government to make the required reforms to its one size fits all immigration system with immediate effect, to avoid ongoing and further damage being done to Scotland.

The impact of the ongoing labour crisis, affecting both permanent and seasonal staff, is being widely felt among the Scottish farming industry.

A recent survey of NFU Scotlands soft fruit and vegetable growers estimated that there is a 20 percent shortfall in seasonal workers.

Theona Morrison, chair of Scottish Rural Action, welcomed the proposals: Rural communities across Scotland have demanded specific responses.

We have been encouraged to see that the SRCIP has been designed to reflect the needs of individual communities.

We hope that the UK government considers this proposal and acts upon it in ways that support the flourishing of rural and island communities in Scotland.

Under the proposals, employers and communities would be able to assess prospective candidates, before recommending chosen candidates to the Home Office for final approval and security checks.

Once a decision is approved, community partners  including employers, local statutory, and third sector services  would offer a package of integrated settlement support services for newcomers.

Participating employers, in collaboration with Scottish government and UK government organisations, would also have responsibility for ensuring that terms and conditions of the scheme continued to be met.

The Migration Advisory Committee highlighted evidence from the Scottish government on remote communities in their report of May 2019, and recommended the UK government pilot a scheme to attract and retain migrants in remote areas.
Shropshire dairy worker Lianne Farrow, who is not from a farming background, has been named this year's Dairy Industry Woman of the Year.

Lianne beat off stiff competition from fellow finalists Gaynor Wellwood from Leicestershire and Bex Heywood from Devon to become the sixth woman to win the prestigious award.

The award, by Women in Dairy, a Royal Association of British Dairy Farmers (RABDF) initiative, aims to celebrate the achievements of women in the sector.

It is presented to an individual who has demonstrated the core values of 'connect, share, and inspire'.

Lianne comes from a non-farming background and, after beginning her farming experience in New Zealand 17 years ago, now heads up the calf rearing at the Downes family farm in Shropshire.

Passionate about dairy farming and genuinely believing in the principles of Women in Dairy, Lianne set up the successful Shropshire Women in Dairy Group.

With the help of her colleague Sophie Tedesco, the group has gone from strength to strength.

Lianne's passion lies in educating the public and the next generation about dairy farming, and is responsible for hosting farm tours for schools and their local Beaver Cub Scout groups.

The farm has also been put forward for Senior School Development Days, where the farm showcases what it's like working within the dairy industry. Lianne is also training to become a Teaching Assistant.

Judges this year were Grace O'Dwyer, Regional Agriculture Director at HSBC; Becca Cavill from WID sponsors Boehringer Ingelheim and last year's winner Sophie Gregory.

Ms O'Dwyer said: "Lianne's obvious and infectious enthusiasm for the sector came across in abundance.

"She has navigated a path where, despite challenges, she has significantly added value to the farm. It is great to see how a new entrant with drive and energy can achieve a fantastic balance."

Ms Cavill said: "Lianne epitomizes enthusiasm, her motivation to change her life and become an integral part, not only of the farm she works on but the wider community of the British dairy industry is phenomenal.

"As women in agriculture, we are often found precariously juggling career and family life and Lianne is a fantastic ambassador for women attempting this within the dairy industry.

Ms Gregory added: "Lianne's passion for the industry struck me from the second she started talking. She was humble but proud of her impact in the dairy sector, which includes everything from hosting mental health support for local men to Open Farm Sunday.

"Not coming from a farming background, Lianne's had to dig deep to follow her dreams while supporting her husband. She is continually developing herself and is a great asset to the industry.

This year's Women in Dairy Conference, which took in Worcestershire on 28 September, attracted over 100 delegates and was focussed on motivation for change.
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Warrenton, VA (20186)

Today

Showers early, then cloudy in the afternoon. High near 55F. Winds N at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 50%..

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Cloudy with occasional rain showers. Low 46F. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 50%.
As we are aware that Pakistan is going through the worst ever flood calamity since June 2022. The floods have made huge losses in terms of human lives, property, infrastructure, loss of cattle and corps.

More than 35 million people have been displaced and most of them are without shelter. The Government of Pakistan, alongwith the United Nations and other International relief agencies, is working in the flood affected areas to provide the food, shelter and medicines to the affectees.

The High Commission of Pakistan is grateful to the Government of Mauritius, who has announced donation of 5 million Mauritian Rupees for flood victims in Pakistan.

The High Commission is pleased to announce the following bank account details for the people of Mauritius, Madagascar, Seychelles and Comoros to contribute their donations for the flood relief activities in Pakistan: 

Customer Name/Title: PRIME MINISTERS FLOOD RELIEF FUND 2022

Bank Name: SBM (Mauritius) Ltd., Port Louis

Account Number: 50300000993599

IBAN: MU97STCB1101000000993599000MUR

Swift: STCBMUMU

The High Commission of Pakistan in Mauritius APPEALS to our brothers/sisters from Mauritius, Madagascar, Seychelles and Comoros to make maximum donations in above mentioned dedicated bank account and assist the flood affectees in Pakistan.

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Sri Lanka'shas pledged support to the ILOs Better Work initiative demonstrating the industrys deep commitment to prioritising people and their well-being. The ILO recently launched Better Work (BW) with the objective of strengthening the resilience of industry using Better Works extensive experience, tools and partnerships exemplifying a human-centered recovery and growth.

Recognising that the apparel sector in Sri Lanka starts from a relatively high bar, the BW programme for Sri Lanka is not a roll out of the programme done in other countries but is bespoke to Sri Lanka allowing companies to build on the work already done in this area.

One of the industries in focus in Better Work is the apparel industry, Sri Lankas largest exporter employing nearly one million both directly and indirectly across 350 manufacturing plants island wide. Better Work concentrates on occupational safety and health, gender diversity and inclusion including leadership skills training and career development for women workers, empowering Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) with leadership and financial literacy training and an SME factory improvement toolkit, JAAF said in a media release.

The apparel industrys internationally acclaimed trust and reputation is anchored in the unique niche of prioritising ethical labour practices and JAAF believes strongly that Better Work is an opportunity to partner with local and international stakeholders to strengthen the commitment of ensuring decent work environments built on gender equality, safety, health, inclusion and holistic empowerment.

Speaking at the formal launch of the event, minister of labour and foreign employment, Manusha Nanayakkara extended government support to the initiative stating, The programme is a significant step in promoting better OSH practices and standards so that the already high standards of the apparel sector could be further elevated. This will in return send a strong message to the key stakeholders of the industry ecosystem about our commitment to the apparel industry.

With the onset of the pandemic and the subsequent economic crisis, the apparel industry implemented an expansive range of initiatives to ensure that the welfare of workers and their families were a top priority. These included providing additional meals for employees to take home in order to feed their families, distribution of dry rations, and provision of school books for children, free medical facilities and transport and customised food packages for expectant women. These initiatives were extended to those in the SME sector as well.

The industry encourages plants to implement welfare measures to best suit the requirements of their workers from as early as June of 2022. Approximately 80 per cent of apparel manufacturers made cost-of-living adjustments to salaries over and above their annual increments. In some instances, these represent a 25 per cent increase from 2021.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (RR)
Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
Continuing on its mission to bring flexible deal sourcing solutions for clients in the financial and business sectors, OutFlow has announced an expanded range of services for M&A advisors and private equity professionals.

Boise, Idaho--(Newsfile Corp. - September 28, 2022) - Deal origination platform OutFlow has announced an expanded deal sourcing and pipeline management solution designed to increase lead generation efficiency for M&A advisors and private equity firms.

More details can be found at https://outflow.agency





To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8814/138644_58bf52b8c4e5faa9_001full.jpg

The announcement aims to meet the need for reliable, predictable, and scalable opportunity sourcing strategies, offering modern M&A and private equity firms an accessible way to generate and manage a steady stream of leads.

OutFlow has created a versatile platform that combines verified lead generation with hands-off appointment securing opportunities. The process substantially reduces client time investment in the early stages of the opportunity sourcing process, with clients only stepping in to close the deals.

The expanded deal origination solution provides M&A advisors and private equity firms with access to a steady stream of qualified leads.

"We generate the volume of opportunities, on a consistent basis, with the right targets, so you can focus on what you do best," said company CEO Matt Curie. "No more waiting on referrals or experiencing a 'roller coaster' of deal opportunities. We generate a consistent number of appointments, meetings and conversations or our help is free."

OutFlow's experts work closely with each client to identify their preferred prospect industry, geographic region, company size, and other factors. Based on these criteria, OutFlow uses precise targeting to connect clients with their ideal prospects.

The company initiates contact and undertakes the preliminary steps of discussing prospect needs and securing meetings. All opportunities are verified to ensure they are a good match for the M&A advisor or private equity professional they will be connected with.

The recent expansion is part of the company's commitment to offering proactive deal origination and pipeline management solutions for clients ranging from investment banks and exit planners to M&A advisors and brokers and private equity firms. With over 200 successful clients in the financial and business sectors, OutFlow continues to invest in the development of efficient opportunity finding services adapted to the needs of its clients.

Interested parties can find more information at https://outflow.agency

Contact Info:

Name: Jason Dodd

Email: jason@outflow.agency

Organization: OutFlow

Address: 500 S 8th St, Boise, Idaho 83702, United States

Website: https://www.outflow.agency

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/138644
Digital-first healthcare company grows leadership team to continue to amplify its presence in key markets.

Babylon (NYSE: BBLN) today announced the hiring of Andrew Hine as Vice President of the Go-to-Market team. Hine joins Babylon's Go-to-Market leadership team from Ernst Young. In this role, Hine will lead the company's sales efforts in Asia and EMEA and he will work closely with Paul-Henri Ferrand, Babylon's Chief Operating Officer (COO), to oversee the execution of Babylon's overseas expansion.

As Babylon continues to strengthen its capabilities and enhance its presence in new and existing markets, Hine will lead the company's growing network of contracts, collaborations, and partnerships, as well as increase the scale of Babylon's service delivery and offerings.

"We are delighted to have Andrew on board," said Paul-Henri Ferrand, COO of Babylon. "Andrew's impressive experience and expertise in healthcare transformation will help further Babylon's mission as we build an integrated digital first primary care service that can manage global population health at scale."

Hine's extensive healthcare background spans 30 years, 13 of which were spent as an NHS Operational Manager and Trust Board Director. He has led service delivery at the frontline in tertiary and secondary acute care, primary care, and mental health care services. Following his tenure with the NHS, Hine joined KPMG where he established and led its UK healthcare business as a consulting partner for 13 years, leading client engagements across the UK, Europe and the Middle East, particularly focusing on the strategic design, operational improvement and leadership of health services, organizations and systems.

After KPMG, Hine joined Ernst Young as the company's Head of Health for the Middle East and North Africa. He spent the last four years working extensively across Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates.

"I have been fortunate to work at the frontline of healthcare delivery and within different health systems in various countries. These experiences have provided me with a profound understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of current healthcare delivery models around the world, the problems that need to be addressed, and the potential for new care models, processes, and technologies to dramatically improve the quality, accessibility, and costs of care," said Andrew Hine. "I believe Babylon is making a significant impact within the healthcare space by providing better quality, more convenient, and lower cost care globally."

For more information, please visit https://www.babylonhealth.com/press.

About Babylon

Babylon is one of the world's fastest growing digital healthcare companies whose mission is to make high-quality healthcare accessible and affordable for every person on Earth.

Babylon is re-engineering how people engage with their care at every step of the healthcare continuum. By flipping the model from reactive sick care to proactive healthcare through the devices people already own, it offers millions of people globally ongoing, always-on care. Babylon has already shown that in environments as diverse as the developed UK or developing Rwanda, urban New York, or rural Missouri, for people of all ages, it is possible to achieve its mission by leveraging its highly scalable, digital-first platform combined with high quality, virtual clinical operations to provide integrated, personalized healthcare.

Founded in 2013, Babylon's technology and clinical services is supporting a global patient network across 15 countries and is capable of operating in 16 languages. In 2021 alone, Babylon helped a patient every 6 seconds, with approximately 5.2 million consultations and AI interactions. Importantly, this was achieved with a 93% user retention rate in our NHS GP at Hand service and 4 or 5 star ratings from more than 90% of our users across all of our geographies.

Babylon is also working with governments, health providers, employers and insurers across the globe to provide them with a new infrastructure that any partner can use to deliver high-quality healthcare with lower costs and better outcomes. For more information, please visit www.babylonhealth.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220928005831/en/

Contacts:

press@babylonhealth.com
Amsterdam/'s-Hertogenbosch, the Netherlands, 29 September 2022

Industry pension fund BPF Schilders will appoint Kempen Capital Management, the investment management arm of Van Lanschot Kempen, as its new fiduciary manager. The 8 billion pension fund, assisted by Montae & Partners, carried out a comprehensive and thorough selection process over the past year. Van Lanschot Kempen's services will comprise a full fiduciary management mandate.



BPF Schilders manages the pensions for employees and employers in the decorating, painting, building finishing, and glazing industry. In total, it oversees the pensions of more than 100,000 members and has assets under management of over 8 billion.

Dick Vis, Employer Chairman of BPF Schilders: 'After a thorough and careful selection process for a new fiduciary manager, we have decided to select Van Lanschot Kempen. From the very start of the outsourcing process, there was a good professional match between both parties. We came to be impressed by the proactive and innovative approach used by Van Lanschot Kempen, especially as our fund aims to remain a front-runner in sustainability. While the new Dutch pension agreement means that there are challenging times ahead, as a pension fund, we are confident that we have found the right, future-proof partner in Van Lanschot Kempen.'

Erik van Houwelingen, Member of the Management Board of Van Lanschot Kempen, responsible for Investment Strategies & Solutions: 'We are proud that BPF Schilders has selected us as its fiduciary manager. Following a detailed outsourcing process, we were very impressed by the professionalism and expertise demonstrated by the board of the pension fund. We will dedicate ourselves to ensuring the continuity of the pension fund in the years ahead and look forward to establishing a long term partnership with BPF Schilders, as we jointly make the transition towards the new Dutch pension system.'



Media Relations: +31 20 354 45 85; mediarelations@vanlanschotkempen.com

Investor Relations: +31 20 354 45 90; investorrelations@vanlanschotkempen.com



About Van Lanschot Kempen

Van Lanschot Kempen, a wealth manager active in Private Banking, Professional Solutions, Investment Management and Investment Banking, with the aim of preserving and creating wealth, in a sustainable way, for both its clients and the society of which it is part. As a sustainable wealth manager with a long-term focus, Van Lanschot Kempen proactively seeks to prevent negative impact for all stakeholders and to create positive long-term financial and non-financial value. Listed at Euronext Amsterdam, Van Lanschot Kempen is the Netherlands' oldest independent financial services company, with a history dating back to 1737. To fully leverage the potential of the Van Lanschot Kempen organisation for its clients, it provides solutions that build on the knowledge and expertise across its entire group and on its open architecture platform. Van Lanschot Kempen is convinced that it is able to meet the needs of its clients in a sustainable way by offering them access to the full range of its products and services across all its businesses.

For more information, please visit vanlanschotkempen.com

About Kempen Capital Management

Kempen Capital Management is a specialist investment manager with a focused approach and a clear investment philosophy. We believe in long-term stewardship for our clients and other stakeholders. Kempen provides sustainable returns, fiduciary management services, manager selection, portfolio construction and monitoring, alongside a number of actively-managed investment strategies. As of 30 June 2022, Kempen Capital Management had a total of 80.6 billion in client assets under management.

Kempen Capital Management (UK) Ltd is licensed as a manager and subject to supervision by the Financial Conduct Authority. Kempen Capital Management, part of Van Lanschot Kempen, is a specialist and independent wealth manager. Kempen Capital Management NV is licensed as a manager of various UCITS and AIFs and authorised to provide investment services and as such is subject to supervision by the Netherlands Authority for the Financial Markets.

For more information, please visit: Kempen.com

Disclaimer

This press release does not constitute an offer or solicitation for the sale, purchase or acquisition in any other way or subscription to any financial instrument and is not a recommendation to perform or refrain from performing any action.

This press release is a translation of the Dutch language original and is provided as a courtesy only. In the event of any disparities, the Dutch language version will prevail. No rights can be derived from any translation thereof.

Attachment
LONDON, UK / ACCESSWIRE / September 29, 2022 / Orosur Mining Inc. ("Orosur" or "the Company") (TSXV:OMI)(AIM:OMI) announces its audited results for the fiscal year ended May 31, 2022. All dollar figures are stated in thousands of US$ unless otherwise noted. The audited financial statements of the Company for the year ended May 31, 2022; the related management's discussion and analysis ("MD&A"); and Forms 52-109FV1 have all been filed and are available for review on the SEDAR website at www.sedar.com. The financial statements and the MD&A are also available on the Company's website at www.orosur.ca.

A link to the PDF version of the financial statements is available here:

http://www.rns-pdf.londonstockexchange.com/rns/0781B_1-2022-9-28.pdf

A link to the PDF version of the MD&A is available here:

http://www.rns-pdf.londonstockexchange.com/rns/0781B_2-2022-9-28.pdf

HIGHLIGHTS

Colombia

On July 6, 2021, the Company announced the assay results from nine additional diamond drillholes including multiple high-grade gold intersections with associated silver and zinc - including 59.55m @9.16g/t Au and 61.75m @2.05g/t Au.

Also as set out in the above mentioned news release, work commenced on regional mapping and sampling across the wider lease holding in Colombia. A large program of BLEG sampling commenced, which should provide vectors to more targeted programs in following quarters. Initial results have been promising, with two new prospect areas identified and named Pepas and Pupino for future reference..

On November 9, 2021, the Company announced drill results from five additional diamond drill holes, MAP-092 to MAP-096. The most significant result was 51.55m @ 1.32g/t Au in hole MAP-096.

The Company commenced work on converting the last of its secure license applications to granted status so that they can be accessed for exploration work later in 2022.

As announced on September 7, 2021, the Company was informed by its Colombian Joint Venture ("JV") partner, Minera Monte Aguila SAS ("Monte Aguila") that it had elected to exercise its right to assume operatorship of the Anza Project in Colombia. Monte Aguila is a 50/50 JV between Newmont Corporation ("Newmont") (NYSE:NEM, TSX:NEM) and Agnico Eagle Mines Limited ("Agnico") (TSX:AEM), and is the vehicle by which these two companies jointly exercise their rights and obligations with respect to the Exploration Agreement with Venture Option ("Exploration Agreement") over the Anza Project.

On November 9, 2021, assay results from an additional five holes were announced. Thick anomalous zones of mineralisation were intersected including gold, silver and zinc. More mapping and sampling was also being carried out at Pepas and Pupino in anticipation of future drilling.

On March 8, 2022, the Company reported the results of assays from four additional holes - MAP- 097, 098, 099, 100.The holes encountered high grade gold intersections - 6.06m @ 2.72g/t Au, 14.2m @ 1.84 g/t Au, 8.35m @ 14.27 g/t Au, and 59.15m @ 0.91 g/t Au and including a potential new area at depth in Anza. In addition it was reported that plans and permitting were being advanced for drilling new targets at Pepas and Pupino, which have been drilled post the year end - further details set out below.

On April 25, 2022, it was announced that drilling had commenced at Pepas. Since October 2020, when drilling recommenced at the central APTA area, a total 15,195 metres had been drilled. Two more drills were being imported to test deeper zones, including at APTA, Pepas and Pupino.

Subsequent to the year end, on June 27, 2022, assay results from five additional holes in APTA were announced. Reasonable grades of gold were intercepted in two of the holes and the other holes showed lower levels of gold but high-grade copper and zinc evident at depth. As planned, drilling focus was then shifted to Pepas and Pupino.

On September 6, 2022, after the year end, the Company announced assay results from the Pepas prospect to the north of Anza, including assay results from PEP001 which returned a substantial, high-grade intersection of 150.9m @ 3.00g/t Au (from surface). Also announced on that day, that Monte Aguila had informed the Company that it had met its expenditure of US$4m for the year.

On September 8, 2022, the Company's JV partner, Monte Aguila provided the Company with a Phase 1 Earn-In Notice, having completed all of the Phase 1 obligations, including investing US$10 million in the Anza Project. The Company and Monte Aguila will begin the process of forming a new mining company ("Mining Company") that will hold title to the Anza Project's concessions and applications. The Company was also notified by Monte Aguila that in accordance with the Exploration Agreement, it will enter Phase 2 following negotiation and execution of a joint venture agreement to govern the operations of the Mining Company. Once the Mining Company is formed, which is expected to take several months, Orour will initially have 49% ownership and Monte Aguila, 51% ownership in the Mining Company, which will be managed by Monte Aguila.

Brazil

On January 14, 2022,. the Company announced that it had signed a JV agreement with Meridian Mining UK Societas ("Meridian") (TSXV: MNO) in relation to the Ariquemes tin project in the State of Rondonia in western Brazil. The Ariquemes project comprises a large collection of granted tenements and applications, totalling almost 3,000km2, in Rondonia State, western Brazil. The licenses were all accumulated and owned 100% by Meridian (via its local subsidiary) and represent the dominant land position in the Rondonia Tin Province, one of the world's most significant tin regions. Under the JV terms, the Company can earn an equity interest of 75% in the tin project by spending US$3m over a four-year period, in two phases: Phase 1 - earn 51% interest by spending US$1 million over a 24-month period. Phase 2 - earn an additional 24% interest by spending US$2 million over a subsequent 24-month period. Following this point, the two parties would jointly fund the project on a pro-rata basis or dilute to a net smelter royalty. The JV will require the establishment of a new corporate structure to hold and manage the assets. Post period end, the required Canadian holding company was incorporated. This will be followed by the incorporation of the necessary local Brazilian operating company.

Argentina

On February 15, 2022, the Company announced that it had signed a JV agreement with private Argentinean company Deseado Dorado SAS and its shareholders ("Deseado") in relation to the El Pantano Gold/Silver Project in the Province of Santa Cruz in Argentina.The agreement covers nine licences owned by Deseado that, combined, total 607km2 in the prolific Deseado Massif region of Santa Cruz Province in southern Argentina, roughly 45km from Anglo Gold's Cerro Vanguardia mining camp. The terms of the agreement allow for the Company to earn 100% equity in the project by investing US$3m over five years in two phases: Phase 1, earn 51% by investing US$1m over an initial 3-year period. Phase 2, move to 100% ownership by investing an additional US$2m over a subsequent 2-year period and granting Deseado a residual 2% net smelter return royalty on the project.

On May 3, 2022, the Company announced positive results from the first soil sampling program at the Esfinge prospect at El Pantano, returning highly anomalous results in gold and several other pathfinder elements, over a 3.3km strike length, including gold results in excess of 100 ppb Au from soil samples from the western half of La Esfinge; and more moderate level anomalism over an additional 3.4km of the target. As a result of these positive results a short in-fill program would be carried out.

As a follow on from the above, on June 28, 2022, the Company announced further positive results from the in-fill program, confirming previous work and results. High levels of gold soil anomalies, over 1 km, including 150 ppb, plus pathfinder elements over a wider area are suggestive of a major epithermal system. This work has defined a high priority target to be followed up in after the winter recess.

Uruguay

In Uruguay, the Company's wholly owned subsidiary, Loryser, continues to focus its activities on the implementation of the Creditors Agreement and the sale of its Uruguayan assets. Loryser is also continuing with the reclamation and remediation of the tailings dam which is nearing completion.

During the course of the year, Loryser agreed and paid for the settlements with all of its former employees, with the proceeds received from the sale of certain of its assets.

Certain progress is being made on the sale of Loryser's other assets including plant and equipment. The proceeds from all of these sales will be used to pay liabilities in Uruguay in connection with the aforementioned Creditors Agreement.

Financial and Corporate

The consolidated financial statements have been prepared on a going concern basis under the historical cost method except for certain financial assets and liabilities which are accounted for as Assets and Liabilities held for sale (at the lower of book value or fair value) and Profit and Loss from discontinuing operations. This accounting treatment has been applied to the activities in Uruguay and Chile.

On October 15, 2022, the Company announced that it had received approval to transfer its listing from the TSX to the TSX Venture Exchange. The Company believes that the transfer will provide it with operational efficiencies, with lower costs and with a reporting regime which is closer to that of the AIM market, whilst allowing shareholders to have continued trading liquidity in Canada.

On March 11, 2022, the Company granted an aggregate of 4,120,000 stock options, of which 2,400,00 were granted to the Directors of the Company, at an exercise price of CDN$0.22 (a premium of 22% to the then share price) with an expiration date of March 11 th , 2027. The options vested 50% immediately and 50% on March 11, 2023.

, 2027. The options vested 50% immediately and 50% on March 11, 2023. On May 31, 2022, the Company had a cash balance of $4,221 (May 31, 2021 $6,958). As at the date of this announcement the Company had a cash balance of $3,390.

Louis Castro, Executive Chairman of Orosur said:

"Our principal project at Anza in Colombia continues to be a major success story, with strong results, in particular from the new area of Pepas, with more prospects to be drilled in the coming year.

The handing over of operational control at Anza in late 2021, and a strong balance sheet, have freed up our skilled South American team to examine investment in new projects. The addition of our Ariquemes tin project in Brazil, and of the El Pantano gold/silver project in Argentina have transformed the Company into a well-balanced minerals exploration company.

The Company will continue to build its project portfolio with other high-quality assets."

Consolidated Statements of Financial Position (Expressed in thousands of United States dollars) As at As at May 31, 2022 May 31, 2021 ASSETS Current assets Cash and cash equivalents $ 4,221 $ 6,958 Restricted cash 353 1,367 Accounts receivable and other assets 186 201 Assets held for sale in Uruguay 1,160 2,314 Total current assets 5,920 10,840 Non-current assets Property, plant and equipment 113 124 Exploration and evaluation assets Colombia 5,441 5,148 Total assets $ 11,474 $ 16,112 LIABILITIES AND (DEFICIT) Current liabilities Accounts payable and accrued liabilities $ 389 $ 486 Liabilities of Chile discontinued operation 2,058 2,047 Warrant liability 168 1,734 Liabilities held for sale in Uruguay 13,134 16,830 Total current liabilities 15,749 21,097 Deficit Share capital 69,339 69,333 Shares held by Trust - (165) Contributed surplus 10,540 8,591 Currency translation reserve (2,125) (1,826) Deficit (82,029) (80,918) Total deficit (4,275) (4,985) Total liabilities and deficit $ 11,474 $ 16,112

Consolidated Statements of Loss and Comprehensive Loss (Expressed in thousands of United States dollars) Year Ended Year Ended May 31, 2022 May 31, 2021 Operating expenses Corporate and administrative expenses $ (1,792) $ (1,206) Exploration expenses (143) (29) Share-based compensation (887) (1,048) Other income 23 21 Net finance cost (19) (187) Gain on fair value of warrants 1,566 627 Foreign exchange (loss) gain net (193) 110 Net (loss) for the year for continued operations $ (1,445) $ (1,712) Other comprehensive (loss) income: Cumulative translation adjustment $ (299) $ 190 Total comprehensive (loss) for the year from continued operations (1,744) (1,522) Income (loss) from discontinued operations 334 (171) Total comprehensive (loss) for the year (1,410) (1,693) Basic and diluted net (loss) per share for continued operations $ (0.01) $ (0.01) Basic and diluted net income (loss) per share for discontinued operations $ 0.00 $ (0.00) Weighted average number of common shares outstanding 188,432 173,825

Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (Expressed in thousands of United States dollars) Year Ended Year Ended May 31, May 31, 2022 2021 Operating activities Net loss for the year for continued and discontinued operations $ (1,111) $ (1,883) Adjustments for: Depreciation / Write downs (121) 356 Share-based payments 887 1,048 Payments for environmental rehabilitation (705) (708) Labor provision adjustments (1,177) (1,472) Obsolescence provision (1,240) 443 Fair value of warrants (1,566) (627) Accretion of asset retirement obligation (140) 4 Gain on sale of property, plant and equipment (462) (379) Foreign exchange and other 335 440 Changes in non-cash working capital items: Accounts receivable and other assets 30 73 Inventories 1,723 247 Accounts payable and accrued liabilities (2,203) 480 Net cash used in operating activities (5,750) (1,978) Investing activities Increase (decrease) in the restricted cash 1,014 (1,367) Proceeds received for sale of property, plant and equipment 462 758 Purchase of property, plant and equipment (3) (59) Proceeds received from exploration and option agreement 1,365 4,659 Exploration and evaluation expenditures (1,780) (3,087) Net cash provided by investing activities 1,058 904 Financing activities Issue of common shares - 5,154 Proceeds from the sale of treasury shares 1,228 1,879 Proceeds from exercise of options 4 455 Proceeds from exercise of warrants - 308 Net cash provided by financing activities 1,232 7,796 Net Change in cash and cash equivalents (3,460) 6,722 Net change in cash classified within assets held for sale 723 (546) Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of year 6,958 782 Cash and cash equivalents, end of year $ 4,221 $ 6,958 Operating activities - continued operations (4,565) (1,766) - discontinued operations (1,185) (212) Investing activities - continued operations 596 146 - discontinued operations 462 758 Financing activities - continued operations 1,232 7,796

For further information, please contact:

Orosur Mining Inc

Louis Castro, Chairman,

Brad George, CEO

info@orosur.ca

Tel: +1 (778) 373-0100

SP Angel Corporate Finance LLP - Nomad & Broker

Jeff Keating / Caroline Rowe

Tel: +44 (0) 20 3 470 0470

Turner Pope Investments (TPI) Ltd - Joint Broker

Andy Thacker/James Pope

Tel: +44 (0)20 3657 0050

Flagstaff Communications

Tim Thompson

Mark Edwards

Fergus Mellon

orosur@flagstaffcomms.com Tel: +44 (0)207 129 1474

The information contained within this announcement is deemed by the Company to constitute inside information as stipulated under the Market Abuse Regulations (EU) No. 596/2014 ('MAR') which has been incorporated into UK law by the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018. Upon the publication of this announcement via Regulatory Information Service ('RIS'), this inside information is now considered to be in the public domain.

About Orosur Mining Inc.

Orosur Mining Inc. (TSX:OMI; AIM:OMI) is a minerals explorer and developer focused on identifying and advancing projects in South America. The Company currently operates in Colombia, Brazil and Argentina and has discontinued operations in Uruguay.

Forward Looking Statements

All statements, other than statements of historical fact, contained in this news release constitute "forward looking statements" within the meaning of applicable securities laws, including but not limited to the "safe harbour" provisions of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and are based on expectations estimates and projections as of the date of this news release.

Forward-looking statements include, without limitation, the exploration plans in Colombia and the funding from Minera Monte Aguila of those plans, Minera Monte Aguila's decision to continue with the Exploration and Option agreement, the ability for Loryser to continue and finalize with the remediation in Uruguay, the ability to implement the Creditors' Agreement successfully as well as continuation of the business of the Company as a going concern and other events or conditions that may occur in the future. The Company's continuance as a going concern is dependent upon its ability to obtain adequate financing and to reach a satisfactory implementation of the Creditor's Agreement in Uruguay. These material uncertainties may cast significant doubt upon the Company's ability to realize its assets and discharge its liabilities in the normal course of business and accordingly the appropriateness of the use of accounting principles applicable to a going concern. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate. Actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements. Such statements are subject to significant risks and uncertainties including, but not limited, those as described in Section "Risks Factors" of the MD&A and the Annual Information Form. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events and such forward-looking statements, except to the extent required by applicable law.

This information is provided by RNS, the news service of the London Stock Exchange. RNS is approved by the Financial Conduct Authority to act as a Primary Information Provider in the United Kingdom. Terms and conditions relating to the use and distribution of this information may apply. For further information, please contact rns@lseg.com or visit www.rns.com.

SOURCE: Orosur Mining Inc

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/718070/Orosur-Mining-Inc-Announces-Full-Year-2022-Results
Small and medium-sized business owners can access a new ERTC rebate program launched by Let Hutch Help in partnership with Bottomline Concepts to claim their pandemic relief funds with no up-front fees, and no risk.

Englewood, Colorado--(Newsfile Corp. - September 29, 2022) - Let Hutch Help's recently announced partnership with Bottomline Concepts is intended to help employers claim their pandemic relief funds and maximize their rebates for wages paid in 2020 and 2021.

More information about pandemic relief fund eligibility and the ERTC claim process can be found at https://claimemployeeretentioncredit.com





ERTC Consultation & Tax Rebate Service For SMBs Launched By Let Hutch Help

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8814/138836_d1bee41bc47968a8_001full.jpg

The new rebate program by Bottomline Concepts has been introduced to allow businesses that were affected by the recent pandemic to claim up to $26,000 per employee in relief funds through the Employee Retention Tax Credit (ERTC) program. The program helps employers find out if they are eligible for government funding, determine which fiscal quarters they qualify for and how much they can claim.

The new rebate program allows employers to take advantage of several updates to the ERTC program, including expanded eligibility requirements and increased maximum claim amounts. While the ERTC program initially only allowed businesses to enroll if they had 100 employees or less, the mechanism is now open to employers with up to 500 full-time W-2 employees.

To qualify for a rebate, a business must have been in operation prior to February 15, 2020, and have been affected by the pandemic either financially or through government orders. This can include full closures due to lockdowns, operating at a reduced capacity or for reduced hours, or an inability to complete certain tasks due to working remotely.

The new rebate program also gives businesses that have already received a loan through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) the opportunity to claim tax credits following changes to the eligibility requirements that were passed in the Consolidated Appropriations Act. Unlike the funds provided by the PPP, ERTC rebates are a one-time payout that is not a loan, never requires repayment, and have no restrictions on how it can be spent.

Bottomline Concepts CEO, Josh Fox is hosting a no cost webinar for employers who want to learn more about the ERTC program, the eligibility requirements, or how to maximize their rebates.

A spokesperson for Bottomline Concepts says, "Our dedicated team of experts has helped clients receive refunds from $100,000 to $6 Million. And they can help you do the same by guiding you and outlining the steps you need to take so you can maximize the claim for your business."

Join Josh Fox on a no cost webinar at https://claimemployeeretentioncredit.com/webinar-registration

Contact Info:

Name: Ryan Hutchison

Email: support@lethutchhelp.com

Organization: Let Hutch Help LLC

Address: 3531 S Logan St D334, Englewood, Colorado 80113, United States

Website: https://www.lethutchhelp.com

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/138836
NOT FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION OR DISTRIBUTION, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, INTO OR WITHIN AUSTRALIA, CANADA, HONG KONG, JAPAN, SOUTH AFRICA, THE UNITED STATES OR ANY OTHER JURISDICTION IN WHICH THE DISTRIBUTION OR RELEASE WOULD BE UNLAWFUL

Oslo, Norway (29 September 2022) - Reference is made to the stock exchange announcement on 29 June 2022 regarding the recommended voluntary exchange offer (the "Offer") by TGS ASA ("TGS" or the "Offeror", OSE: TGS) to acquire all shares in Magseis Fairfield ASA ("Magseis Fairfield" OSE: MSEIS) and to the stock exchange announcement on 24 August 2022 regarding the formal launch of the Offer. Reference is also made to the offer document for the Offer dated 24 August 2022 (the "Offer Document"), and to the stock exchange announcements on 21 September 2022 regarding the extension of the offer period until 28 September 2022, on 22 September 2022 regarding the update on acceptances, and on 23 September 2022 regarding amendment of the minimum acceptance level.

The acceptance period for the Offer expired at 16:30 hours (CEST) on 28 September 2022. At the time of expiry, and subject to customary verification, the Offeror had received acceptances of the Offer for a total of 204,712,377 Magseis Fairfield shares, equaling approximately 75.34% of the outstanding shares and votes in Magseis Fairfield (on a fully diluted basis).

The calculation of the number of shares tendered in the Offer is preliminary and remains subject to potential adjustments through a verification process currently being undertaken by the receiving agent for the Offer. The final result of the Offer will be announced once confirmed by the receiving agent.

Completion of the Offer remains subject to the fulfilment or waiver by the Offeror of the conditions for completion of the Offer as set out in Section 3.3.4 (Conditions for completion of the Offer) of the Offer Document, other than the conditions relating to regulatory approvals (see Section 3.4.10 (Regulatory approvals) of the Offer Document) and the minimum acceptance level (see Section 3.3.4 (Conditions for completion of the Offer) of the Offer Document and announcement on 23 September 2022, which have already been satisfied.

Advisors:

ABG Sundal Collier ASA acts as financial advisor to TGS and receiving agent for the Offer. Advokatfirmaet Schjdt AS acts as legal advisor to TGS. Arctic Securities AS acts as financial advisor and Advokatfirmaet Thommessen AS acts as legal advisor to Magseis Fairfield.

Contact:

TGS: Sven Brre Larsen, CFO

Tel: +47 909 43 673

Email: investor@tgs.com

About TGS:

TGS provides scientific data and intelligence to companies active in the energy sector. In addition to a global, extensive and diverse energy data library, TGS offers specialized services such as advanced processing and analytics alongside cloud-based data applications and solutions.

Important notice:

This information is subject to the disclosure requirements pursuant to section 5-12 of the Norwegian Securities Trading Act.

It may be unlawful to distribute this announcement in certain jurisdictions. This announcement is not for distribution in Australia, Canada, the Hong Kong special administrative region of the People's Republic of China, Japan, South Africa, the United States or to any other jurisdiction where such distribution would be unlawful. The information in this announcement does not constitute an offer of securities for sale in such jurisdictions. Persons into whose possession this release comes should inform themselves about and observe any such restrictions. Any failure to comply with these restrictions may constitute a violation of the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. This announcement does not constitute an offer for sale of, or a solicitation of an offer to purchase or subscribe for, any securities in the United States.

The Offer or Consideration Shares referred to in this release have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act"), or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to U.S. Persons unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws or an exemption from such registration is available. The information contained in this announcement is for informational purposes only and does not purport to be full or complete. TGS does not intend to conduct a public offering in the United States. The Consideration Shares will only be sold to persons outside the United States in accordance with Regulation S of the U.S. Securities Act. For U.S. persons or to persons that are otherwise subject to the securities laws of the United States, the Consideration Shares will only be sold to "accredited investors," as defined in Rule 501(a) under Regulation D under the U.S. Securities Act, pursuant to the exemption from registration provided by Rule 506(c) under such U.S. Securities Act. Copies of this announcement are not being, and should not be, distributed in or sent into the United States.

In the United Kingdom, this announcement is for distribution only to and is directed only at persons who (i) have professional experience in matters relating to investments which fall within Article 19(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005 (as amended, the "Financial Promotion Order"), (ii) are persons falling within Article 49(2)(a) to (d) ("high net worth companies, unincorporated associations etc") of the Financial Promotion Order, or (iii) are persons to whom an invitation or inducement to engage in investment activity (within the meaning of section 21 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000) in connection with the issue or sale of any securities may otherwise lawfully be communicated or caused to be communicated (all such persons together being referred to as "relevant persons").

This announcement is directed only at relevant persons and must not be acted on or relied on by persons who are not relevant persons. Any investment or investment activity to which this announcement relates is available only to relevant persons and will be engaged in only with relevant persons. This announcement has been prepared on the basis that any offer of securities in any Member State of the European Economic Area which has implemented the Prospectus Regulation (EU) (2017/1129, as amended, the "Prospectus Regulation") (each, a "Relevant Member State") will be made pursuant to an exemption under the Prospectus Regulation, as implemented in that Relevant Member State, from the requirement to publish a prospectus for offers of securities. Accordingly, any person making or intending to make any offer in that Relevant Member State of securities, which are the subject of the offering contemplated in this announcement, may only do so in circumstances in which no obligation arises for TGS to publish a prospectus pursuant to Article 3 of the Prospectus Regulation or supplement a prospectus pursuant to Article 16 of the Prospectus Regulation, in each case, in relation to such offer. Neither TGS nor any of the advisors have authorised, nor do they authorise, the making of any offer of the securities through any financial intermediary, other than offers made by TGS which constitute the final placement of the securities contemplated in this announcement. Neither TGS nor any of the advisors have authorised, nor do they authorise, the making of any offer of securities in circumstances in which an obligation arises for the company to publish or supplement a prospectus for such offer.

This release contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the securities laws and regulations of various international, federal, and state jurisdictions. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included herein, including without limitation, statements regarding the Offer or the future plans and objectives of TGS or Magseis Fairfield are forward-looking statements that involve risk and uncertainties. There can be no assurances that such statements will prove to be accurate and actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements.

Neither TGS, Magseis Fairfield nor any of their advisors and/or any of their affiliates or any of their respective directors, officers, employees, advisers, agents or any other person(s) accept any responsibility or liability whatsoever for, or make any representation or warranty, express or implied, as to the accuracy, completeness or fairness of the information or opinions in this announcement (or whether any information has been omitted from this announcement) or any other information relating the Offer, TGS or Magseis Fairfield.

The issue, subscription or purchase of shares in TGS is subject to specific legal or regulatory restrictions in certain jurisdictions. Neither TGS, Magseis Fairfield nor their advisors assume any responsibility in the event there is a violation by any person of such restrictions.
Companies forge strategic partnership to develop Arabic-speaking omnichannel virtual agent unique to the Middle Eastern market

ZURICH, Switzerland, Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Omantel, the leading telecommunications provider in Oman, Spitch, the global leader in Conversational AI solutions, and Datalyticx, an Omani-based startup, will be launching Virtual Assistants to ensure better customer service and boost efficiency in Omantel contact centers. This strategic partnership to develop an Arabic-speaking Omnichannel Virtual Agent is unique to the Omani and broader Middle East market.

Omantel and its customers will benefit from the Virtual Assistants' ability to provide information and handle large volumes of customer calls automatically without having to wait on the line.

"Omantel is on a mission to provide unparalleled communication solutions and this partnership will enable our customers and employees to be on the forefront of Conversational AI and the benefits it provides," notes Aladdin Abdullah Hassan Baitfadhil, Chief Commercial Officer at Omantel.

The Spitch omnichannel approach helps ensure that customers do not have to repeat their requests when switching from one channel to another. Flexibility has been built into the system, enabling customers to connect with an Omantel agent live at any time they want. Another value added is that information is always accurate thanks to an integration mechanism that enables the Virtual Assistants to communicate with Omantel's backend systems in real time.

"Engaging with Omantel and Datalyticx on this strategic initiative will result in a better customer experience and greater flexibility in the contact center thanks to automated handling of omnichannel interactions. Spitch is thrilled about this partnership," comments Piergiorgio Vittori, International Managing Director at Spitch.ai. "The Middle East is a strategic market for Spitch, and we are honored to be part of such a great project."

This solution also includes a quality check functionality delivered by Datalyticx. This Omani startup provides a SaaS integration platform to ensure greater accuracy in understanding both meaning and sentiment of customers' interactions across all the channels. "We have developed AI models that are able to understand most of the Arabic dialects spoken throughout the MENA region, with particularly high accuracy in Omani dialects. We are delighted to partner with Spitch.ai and jointly provide Omantel's contact center users with great customer experience improvements," says Ahmed Al Balushi, CEO of Datalyticx.

Contact us to learn more about this and other similar solutions.

About Spitch.ai

Spitch is a global provider of B2B and B2C Conversational AI solutions, headquartered in Switzerland since 2014 with a presence in many countries across Europe and now in North America. Spitch helps enterprises to better understand and serve their customers using Natural Language Processing (NLP), Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning. Spitch has more than 50 customers worldwide, including Samsung, Etihad, Swisscard, Versicherungs Kammer Bayer, Baloise Insurance, PostFinance, Gruppo Reale, Migrosbank and others.

Media Inquiries:

Europe contact:

Mikhail Shamanin

Marketing Director Spitch

mikhail.shamanin@spitch.ch

US contact:

Renee Maler

Philosophy PR + Marketing

510.499.9746

renee@philosophypr.com

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Our new name "Molecure" reflects expansion of scope of small molecule targets from novel proteins to mRNA in discovery & development of breakthrough therapies for multiple diseases

Worldwide rights regained to novel, dual chitinase inhibitor OATD-01 following a strategic review by Galapagos enabling first administration to sarcoidosis patients in a Phase II PoC study in mid-2023

Dr Samson Fung appointed as Chief Medical Officer to lead global clinical development, translational science and regulatory strategies

Strong progress across proprietary pipeline with two key clinical trials planned with OATD-01 and OATD-02 respectively

First administration of OATD-02 to oncology patients expected at end of 2022

WARSAW, Poland, Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Molecure S.A. ("Molecure": WSE: MOC) a clinical stage biotechnology company that uses its world leading medicinal capabilities to discover and develop first-in-class small molecule drug candidates that directly modulate RNA and unexplored protein targets to treat multiple incurable diseases, announces interim results for the six months ending 30 June 2022. The full report in Polish can be found here https://molecure.com/pl/informacje-dla-inwestorow/

Marcin Szumowski, CEO and President of the Management Board of Molecure commented: "The last 6 months has been a period of significant transformation for Molecure. We unveiled our new identity in April as Molecure (formerly OncoArendi Therapeutics). This significant change reflects and highlights our growing ambition, passion and ongoing commitment to discover and develop novel small molecule therapies for millions of people with serious and incurable diseases.

"I am pleased with the progress that the team has made to advance and expand our portfolio of products including establishment of a new mRNA discovery platform. We intend to build on our balanced pipeline and accelerate its progress in the remainder of 2022 and beyond.

"Molecure is entering a very exciting stage in its development with a number of potential near-term value creating milestones set to be achieved from its pipeline portfolio. These include regulatory clearance and launch of a Phase II proof-of-concept study for OATD-01 in sarcoidosis patients in mid-2023. We believe that OATD-01, a novel chitinase inhibitor with first-in-class potential has a key role to play in multiple inflammatory and fibrotic diseases. It is also a front-runner in creating future value for our shareholders and the start of the Phase II trial will be a significant corporate milestone. Following the strategic review by Galapagos, Molecure now retains all global commercial rights to this molecule.

"We have also made excellent progress with OATD-02, a first-in-class dual arginase inhibitor for the treatment of cancer that has recently successfully completed preclinical development. A CTA was filed for OATD-02 with the Polish regulator on August 11 with a decision expected in late October, paving the way for us to start Phase I clinical trials in December 2022.

"We are also continuing to explore and optimize our mRNA platform that aims to generate small molecule RNA-binding drugs that can address a range of difficult to drug targets.

"Our value generating strategy is based on a diverse set of growth opportunities and I am confident that our expertise in medicinal chemistry and the biology of low-grade inflammation leading to tissue remodeling, and cancer will enable us to generate disease modifying treatments to improve the lives of many people."

Investor presentation

The Molecure leadership team will host a live online/in-person presentation relating to the interim results via a live webcast on 29 September 2022 at 2:30pm CET. The presentation and recording will be available on the Company's YouTube channel: Molecure SA.

Commercial & Operational Highlights

Rights regained to 0ATD-01, following Galapagos strategic pipeline review

Data generated to date shows attractive benefit-risk profile and together with the scientific advice received from the EMA are highly supportive of further progressing OATD-01 into Phase II clinical trials expected to start in mid-2023



Sarcoidosis has been chosen as the initial indication for the Phase II study



Further potential in several other respiratory indications, other ILDs and NASH

CTA for OATD-02 filed with Polish regulator in August, following successful completion of preclinical studies

OATD-02 is an oral, potent and selective first-in-class, dual arginase inhibitor (ARG1 and ARG2) for the treatment of cancer



Following CTA approval, Molecure plans to initiate a Phase I clinical trial at the end of end 2022 to assess safety of OATD-02 in patients with advanced and/or metastatic solid tumors.

Rapid development of USP-7 inhibitors program

Continued development of program, selected lead molecule with high in vitro activity confirms its in-vivo effectiveness in the syngeneic colorectal cancer model showing a dose-dependent inhibition of tumor growth

Further development of mRNA platform

Continued development of platform, as Molecure applies a range of analytical techniques to confirm the secondary structure of 6 most promising regions



Currently, work is being carried out on modeling the tertiary structure of these identified mRNA fragments, which in the next stage will allow for the launch of work aimed at discovering compounds that bind these targeted regions

Key organizational changes to drive the Company through its next phase of evolution

Internal team members appointed to the Management Board: Dr. Adam Golebiowski, Dr. Zbigniew Zaslona and Agnieszka Rajczuk-Szczepanska

Appointment of Samson Fung , M.D., PhD, as Chief Medical Officer to lead global clinical development, translational science and regulatory strategies. Dr Fung will lead the advancement of 0ATD-01 and OATD-02 into Phase II and Phase I clinical trials respectively

, M.D., PhD, as Chief Medical Officer to lead global clinical development, translational science and regulatory strategies. Dr Fung will lead the advancement of 0ATD-01 and OATD-02 into Phase II and Phase I clinical trials respectively Supervisory board expanded to include Nancy Van Osselaer , Paul van der Horst and Pawel Trawkowski as its new members

Important Post-period Highlights

Significant progress made on OATD-02, an oral, potent and selective first-in-class, dual arginase inhibitor (ARG1 and ARG2) for the treatment of cancer expected to enter the clinic in late 2022.

Publication* (17th August) titled, "OATD-02 Validates the Benefits of Pharmacological Inhibition of Arginase 1 and 2 in Cancer". This is the first study validating the benefits of pharmacological inhibition of ARG2 in cancer and demonstrates OATD-02 as a potent dual ARG1/ARG2 inhibitor with a cellular activity (necessary for targeting ARG2) exhibiting immunomodulatory and direct antitumor efficacy in animal models

* https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/14/16/3967

First Half Financial Highlights

Operating income totaled PLN1.25 million (US$275,000) , an increase of PLN0.69 million (US$129,400) due to subsidies received from public grants

, an increase of PLN0.69 million due to subsidies received from public grants Operating expenses totaled PLN8.66 million ( US$1.91 million ), an increase of PLN3.07 million (US$451,800) . This was mainly due to higher R&D costs as the company's pipeline advances, the cost of external services, wages and rebranding activities

), an increase of PLN3.07 million . This was mainly due to higher R&D costs as the company's pipeline advances, the cost of external services, wages and rebranding activities Net loss for the 6 months ended 30 June 2022 totaled PLN7.06 million ( US$1.55 million ). This was due to higher operating expenses as above

totaled PLN7.06 million ( ). This was due to higher operating expenses as above As of June 30, 2022 Molecure had cash of PLN82.78 million ( US$18.2 million )

Molecure had cash of PLN82.78 million ( ) Current funds are expected to fund the company's operating expenses and capital expenditure requirements into mid-2024.

US$/PLN exchange rate 4.54 as 30 June 2022

US$/PLN exchange rate 3.84 as 30 June 2021

For further information, please contact:

Molecure S.A. (PR & IR)

Marta Borkowska

Email: m.borkowska@molecure.com

+(48) 728 728 143

MEDiSTRAVA Consulting (Financial PR)

Frazer Hall, David Dible, Sandi Greenwood, Eleanor Perkin

molecure@medistrava.com

+44 (0)203 928 6900

About Molecure

Molecure is a clinical stage biotechnology company that uses its world leading medicinal chemistry and biology capabilities to discover and develop first-in-class small molecule drug candidates that directly modulate the function of RNA and underexplored protein targets to treat multiple incurable diseases.

Molecure has generated a diverse pipeline of eight distinct programs with the support of leading academic life science institutions globally, including Yale University, Rutgers University, the Flemish Institute for Biotechnology (VIB) in Ghent, the University of Michigan and the International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology in Warsaw (IIMCB).

Molecure's most advanced in-house drug candidate is OATD-01, a first-in-class dual chitinase inhibitor for the treatment of interstitial lung diseases, such as sarcoidosis and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, that is Phase II ready. A Phase II trial in patients with sarcoidosis is expected to start in 2023.

Our second proprietary candidate is OATD-02, an oral, potent and selective first-in-class, dual arginase inhibitor (ARG1 and ARG2) for the treatment of cancer, which is expected to advance to Phase I clinical development in the second half of 2022.

Molecure's headquarters and laboratories are located in Warsaw, Poland with an additional laboratory facility in Lodz. The company is listed on the Warsaw Stock Exchange (ticker: MOC).

For more information, please visit molecure.com/en/

LinkedIn: Molecure | Twitter: @molecure_sa | YouTube: Molecure SA

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The similarity analysis function will enable Tenchijin COMPASS users to search for optimal business locations by comparing location characteristics such as temperature and rainfall

Tenchijin COMPASS is a web-based land evaluation application which analyzes characteristics and risks of various locations by using satellite data and AI. It supports its users by searching for optimal business locations in industries such as agriculture, urban development, infrastructure management, energy, and carbon credit.

Tenchijin COMPASS is regularly upgraded by adding new functionalities. Tenchijin COMPASS users can use the similarity analysis function to compare any two locations in the world by analyzing their characteristics such as land surface temperature and rainfall data. The users can search for optimal locations to cultivate specific crops, install renewable energy facilities, find comfortable places to live, and much more.

Tenchijin COMPASS users can calculate the degree of similarity between two specific locations. The users can select the criteria to calculate the degree of similarity such as its comparison period, day/night land surface temperature, and precipitation. To ensure higher accuracy, Tenchijin COMPASS users are recommended to specify a comparison period of at least a year long.

Usage example:

Identify one optimal location anywhere in the world to grow a specific crop

Identify multiple potential locations in your vicinity to grow the crop

Compare the locations using the Tenchijin COMPASS similarity analysis function

Filter out locations with lower degree of similarity and select the optimal location

Tenchijin COMPASS can be used for free by creating an account on the Tenchijin website.

URL: https://tenchijin.co.jp/compass/?hl=en

Language: English, Japanese

Browsers: Google Chrome (recommended), only PC

The similarity analysis function is beta version. It is also possible to customize the similarity index according to the needs of customers.

If you are interested in customizing Tenchijin COMPASS or consulting on data analysis, please contact us at info-compass@tenchijin.co.jp

Access here for the details: https://tenchijin.co.jp/?hl=en

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220927005696/en/

Contacts:

Tenchijin, Inc.

Yasuhito Sakuraba

info@tenchijin.co.jp
Dubai, United Arab Emirates--(Newsfile Corp. - September 29, 2022) - World Blockchain Summit (WBS), the largest global series of blockchain, crypto and web3 events, is coming back to Dubai on October 17-18 at the Atlantis the Palm.





World Blockchain Summit, Dubai



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Held under the patronage of HH Sheikh Juma Ahmed Juma Al Maktoum, member of the ruling family of Dubai, WBS Dubai is hosting the most influential thought leaders on blockchain, Crypto, NFT, Web 3.0, and the metaverse to explore the market's effects on commerce, banking, gaming, culture, and community development.

Dubai is known for its welcoming stance on crypto and blockchain technology. This is evident in its ease of regulations for crypto and blockchain technologies making it great for foreign companies looking to set up shop. This is further backed by the recent approval of the Dubai Virtual Asset Regulation Law providing for a more 'Crypto-friendly' structure that fosters investment and growth in blockchain adoption. With over 6000 millionaire residents, the country's private wealth has risen to over $40 billion making it a hotspot for investments too.

"Dubai is the right place for innovation in the blockchain space. We are happy to be working with WBS to achieve the vision set by the government of Dubai on its Blockchain and Metaverse Strategy." Commented Furqan Rassul, CEO of Elite Partner Investment.

WBS will bring enlightening sessions discussing the blockchain and crypto space in response to some of today's most pressing questions in the current industry. It will also feature panel discussions, industry highlights, use-case-studies, fireside chats and more.

Mohammed Saleem, Founder and CEO of WBS noted "Dubai has positioned itself perfectly as one of the most crypto and blockchain friendly destinations in the world. With all the recent announcements around new crypto licenses being issued, Dubai Metaverse Strategy and more, we are super excited to be bringing WBS back to Dubai this October as we host some of the world's leading experts to share their insights and showcase the latest innovations in the space."

Speakers in focus include:

FURQAN RASSUL, CEO, Elite partner Investment LLC.

DR MARWAN ALZAROUNI, CEO, Dubai, Blockchain Center

RALF GLABISCHNIG, Founder, Crypto Oasis, CV VC

TALAL TABBAA, Chief Executive Officer, CoinMENA

PAUL VERADITTAKIT, Partner, Pantera Capital

DR JEMMA GREEN Co-Founder & Executive Chairman Powerledger

SABINIJE VON GAFFKE Founder, IMPACTFULNESS Ventures Head of Sustainability, Nibiru Software AB

SHERAZ AHMED, Co-Executive Director | Head of Business Development, Crypto Valley Association

"The landscape of trust is changing and blockchain is arriving to fill the gaps" added Dr Jemma Green, Cofounder and Chairman of Powerledger.

Luna PR is WBS' official PR Partner, whilst some of the global blockchain and web3 experts sponsoring the event are DIG (Decentralised Investment Group) as Headline Sponsor, Coinstore and Aura Dogs as Silver Sponsors and Dreamster as Exhibitor. Crypto Oasis is the Ecosystem Partner, whilst Media Partners at the event include Bitcoin World, BinBits, Coinspeaker, CoinTelegraph MENA, Cointelegram, Coinveestasi, Crypto-Academy, Regtech Times, Security Middle East, The Cryptonomist and The Jordan Times.

About Elite Partner Investment

Elite Partner Investment is a UAE-based Investment Management company with interests in technology, mining, energy, and real estate chaired by HH Sheikh Juma Ahmed Juma Al Maktoum. Areas of the group's interest include early-stage technology and creating value through innovation and synergies. His Highness enables the company and its partners to access and work at the highest level with government and leading multinationals around the globe; enabling them to grow, expand and access new markets.

About World Blockchain Summit

World Blockchain Summit (WBS) is a global series of blockchain, crypto, web3 and metaverse focused events that has brought together over 20,000 industry influencers, investors, enterprise decision makers and Government stakeholders through physical events hosted in over 16 countries.

WBS is dedicated to fostering the growth of the decentralised economy through community development, boosting technological innovation with access to capital, and enabling enterprise and Government adoption of web3 technologies through deal facilitation. Each summit features enterprise and government use-cases, inspirational keynotes, panel discussions, tech-talks, a blockchain exhibition, startup pitch competitions, and a host of networking opportunities.

Other upcoming platforms organised by WBS Events in 2022 include the World Metaverse Show taking place on October 5-6 in Dubai, the World Blockchain Summit Toronto, taking place in November, and the World Blockchain Summit Bangkok in December.

For more information and tickets, visit www.worldblockchainsummit.com

Contact details:

Elisha Patel, Luna PR

elisha@lunapr.io

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/138839
XI'AN, China, Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Li Zhenguo, founder and president of LONGi Green Energy Technology Co., Ltd. (LONGi), virtually attended the 8th World Conference on Photovoltaic Energy Conversion that kicked off in Milan, Italy, on September 26. Speaking at the conference that will continue until September 30, he called for focusing on technological innovation to support the sustainable development of the PV industry. "At the crossroads of the global energy transition, every decision we make now has a bearing on the future of a livable planet," Li Zhenguo said.





Significant breakthroughs have been made in the technological sector and photovoltaic power generation over the past decade, and photovoltaic power has become the most cost-effective source of electricity for most countries in the world. Coupled with a global consensus on carbon neutrality, the world is accelerating the deployment and use of renewable energy.

"As the fastest growing renewable energy source in the world, photovoltaic will continue to increase its share in the energy mix and play a key role in the process of energy transition, helping to achieve the global carbon neutrality goal," Li Zhenguo said.

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres once said that "with climate action going backwards, renewable energy efforts must now triple". Driven by climate action and energy transformation, by 2030, the world's newly increased photovoltaic installed capacity needs to reach 1500GW-2000GW to effectively support the global energy transition. "Such periodic product renewal will also bring huge stock replacement, and will form a 'Terawatt Class' sustainable market," Li Zhenguo added.

At present, 177 countries in the world have announced or are considering joining the teams of net zero emission commitments, demonstrating their determination to develop the renewable energy industry. The energy transformation during the next 30 to 40 years is already a certainly.

"In the face of the arrival of the 'Terawatt Era', the photovoltaic industry should return to the main track of conversion efficiency improvement, strengthen the R&D investment of new cell materials and technologies, lay the foundation for scientific and technological innovation, commit to reducing costs and increasing benefits, improve the competitiveness of the photovoltaic industry, and promote the large-scale application of clean energy," Li Zhenguo said.

From a technical perspective, with the application of advanced photovoltaic technology and the advances in new photovoltaic technology, the efficiency of commercial c-Si solar cell will continue to improve. "Over the next decade, the c-Si solar cell will remain the mainstream technical route for the photovoltaic industry, but to achieve a cell conversion efficiency higher than 28%, it is still necessary to deeply understand the factors that affect the photovoltaic conversion efficiency of cells and explore ways to effectively control these factors," Li Zhenguo said.

With the continuous increase of the proportion of photovoltaic energy in the entire grid system, the intermittent and discontinuous characteristics of photovoltaic power in a certain region will bring increasing challenges to the energy system. To overcome this issue, multi-energy complementary systems with photovoltaic and other renewable energies (hydropower, wind power etc.) are being adopted.

"With the continuous cost reduction of photovoltaic energy, the PV-EC route is expected to become the cheapest method for green hydrogen production," Li Zhenguo added, noting that the huge demand for green hydrogen in the future will create significant development opportunities for the photovoltaic industry and further reduce the cost of photovoltaic energy. In the long run, the "photovoltaic+" system, in which green hydrogen is deeply involved, will be the key to deep decarbonization and sustainable development of the entire society. Li Zhenguo said he firmly believes that "green electricity + green hydrogen" is a powerful weapon against climate change.

An international forum for photovoltaic researchers and industry experts, the World Photovoltaic Energy Conversion Conference is held every four years. It not only provides an international platform for the industry to exchange ideas, but also gives practical guidance and suggestions for the transformation and upgrade of energy and industrial structure.

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COPENHAGEN (dpa-AFX) - Denmark's business confidence declined in September after improving in the previous month, figures from Statistics Denmark showed on Thursday. The industrial confidence index fell to -9 in September from -2 in August. The overall business confidence also dropped notably to 94.3 in September from 100.1 in the previous month. The confidence index in the construction sector worsened to -19 in September from -16 in the prior month. Companies in the construction industry are anticipating falling turnover, employment, and tender prices, and an increasingly insufficient backlog of orders, the survey said. The morale in the services sector lost 3 points to 2 in September from 5 in the preceding month. Meanwhile, the retail sector confidence index improved to -21 in September from -23 in the previous month. Copyright(c) 2022 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
Leaders in ID verification are enabling the charity's faster distribution of support among Ukrainian citizens in need

LONDON, Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- UK-based Shufti Pro , a leader in identity verification solutions, today announced its partnership with a global charitable foundation, Team4UA , to provide time-efficient, leading-edge solutions to authenticate the identities of the volunteers they are taking on in Ukraine.

Since the outbreak of the war in Ukraine, an estimated 10 million people have been forced to flee their homes, resulting in an increase in violence and trafficking across the country. With the goals of providing care and humanitarian aid to citizens in need, Team4UA was greatly concerned about ensuring the safety of the people they help. Running ID and background checks on volunteers applying to work with the charity was key to reducing the possibility of malicious interference. Through their partnership with Shufti Pro, Team4UA was able to streamline their hiring process, which in turn is helping to accelerate the charity's distribution of support in Ukraine.

Shufti Pro is the fastest service of its kind on the market. It is designed to provide seamless end-to-end verification in a reactive manner and is defined by its speed and ease of integration. Equally importantly, the Shufti Pro platform was available for use in Ukraine, a region where many competitors were not operating.

Jean-Cristophe Bonis, Founder and Chairman of the Board at Team4UA explained: "Given that we'reworking with already endangered people, it is vital to know exactly who is volunteering with us, particularly as we need to have a large operating team on the ground. We needed a secure system that was both highly accurate and time-saving."

Bonis continued "Shufti Pro eliminated the need for our staff to implement extensive, manual ID verification processes and instead gave us the opportunity to focus on our two main goals in Ukraine - to deliver humanitarian aid support to as many people as we can, and to expand the charity capacity so we can help even more people."

Since launching the charity foundation at the beginning of the war, Team4UA has provided support for 400,000 Ukrainian citizens. Now that the charity has the capability to verify potential volunteers quickly and effectively, Bonis expects that this will hit 500,000 in the next 2 months.

Victor Fredung, CEO of Shufti Pro, believes that this is the perfect example of how a security system can have a transformative effect in sectors where time is of the essence. He said: "Shufti Pro's inclusive approach gives organisations the ability to verify the IDs of anyone across the globe in a time-saving manner, leaving them with the confidence and time to focus on their core work. In this instance, Shufti Pro is supporting Team4UA by putting time back in their hands which they can use to make a difference in peoples' lives."

About Shufti Pro

Shufti Pro is an identity verification service provider offering KYC, KYB, and AML services to help global businesses onboard legitimate customers. The UK-based company has 5 regional offices and launched 17 different IDV products since its inception in 2017. With the ability to verify 1000's of ID documents in 150+ languages, Shufti Pro is serving customers in 230+ countries and territories.

About Team4UA

Team4UA is a global humanitarian foundation operating in Ukraine since February 2022. The foundation supported up to 100,000 beneficiaries with information and transportation solutions while delivering 8,000 tons of humanitarian aid and became the WFP's official partner starting from August 2022. Team4UA aims to introduce disruptive technologies into humanitarian emergency response via adapting IT solutions to manage humanitarian activities, and 3D printing of essential housing and administrative buildings.

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Launch of an 18-page report

GENEVA, Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- On Tuesday 27 September, the issues of human rights and political oppression in Benin were raised at the 51st session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, composed of 47 member states, in which Benin is occupying a seat until 2024.

An oral statement co-sponsored by two NGOs, CAP/ Liberte de Conscience (France) and Human Rights Without Frontiers (HRWF) expressed their deep concerns about the ongoing backsliding of democracy and human rights in Benin since President Patrice Talon came to power in 2016.

On the same day, HRWF launched its report about the situation in Benin in which the Brussels-based NGO focused on several topics of particular concern, and primarily the grip of President Talon on all the state institutions to the benefit of his party.

Other issues are also investigated by the report, such as

The massive arrests of peaceful demonstrators, political opponents and party leaders in 2021

The loss of independence of the judiciary

The creation of a special court for the prosecution of economic crimes and terrorism (CRIET) instrumentalized by President Talon to prosecute political rivals on fabricated charges

The sentencing of two candidates of the 2021 presidential election, Reckya Madougou and Joel Aivo, respectively sentenced to 20 and 10 years in prison

The general detention conditions in Benin , also denounced in the 2021 of the US State Department on Human Rights Practices in Benin

, also denounced in the 2021 of the US State Department on Human Rights Practices in The abuse of pretrial detention and the use of torture, already denounced in 2019 by the UN Committee Against Torture

The lack of freedom of the media, journalists and bloggers

The breaches of freedom of assembly and police violence

In their oral statement, the two NGOs recalled that in May 2021, the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights adopted a Resolution in which it declared to be deeply concerned by the restrictions on civic space and the crackdown on demonstrations by the army resulting in loss of lives, abuses and violations.

Last but not least, HRWF report also mentions a call of the New York Center for Foreign Policy Affairs to the US at the end of a 73-page study to recommend the nomination of President Talon and his supporting associates for sanctions under the Global Magnitsky Act.

On the same lines, HRWF also recommends the nomination of President Talon and his associates for sanctions under the EU Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime.

For more information, visit HRWF.

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Bold Innovation driving new categories and product platforms with E-Bikes. Hyper. Mid Maxi Scooter.

NEW DELHI, Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- LML one of India's most admired and revered global two wheeler brand is all set to make a grand comeback in style with an all new futuristic electric product line up. To commemorate the company's 50th anniversary and kick off a year of celebrations and declarations a special global event is being planned on September 29, 2022 during which three new categories and product platforms would be showcased - A super premium E-bike, A cross over E2W - Hyper. A Mid Maxi Scooter. All three epitomise LML's ability to question the norms and push the boundaries of innovation and engineering and pave the road to the brand's comeback to the global markets and open the door for a long-awaited entry into the rapidly expanding US and European markets for electric vehicles.

The global event promises to be a kaleidoscope of design, innovation, engineering and re-imagination of a timeless classic. The concept products would provide a sneak peek into the brand's plan and vision for their upcoming EV models, including the new design, features, technology, and smart functionality. The event would also focus on revealing the new brand identity for the brand which is all set to rewrite the rules of sustainable urban personal mobility.

According to Dr. Yogesh Bhatia, MD & CEO, LML Electric, "We are thrilled as we gradually move closer to the date of LML's comeback across the globe. The concept unveiling of our first 3 electric vehicles is scheduled for September 29, where we will be highlighting all essential product details and how we aim to make a difference in today's era of electrification. Our upcoming products are packaged with the best-in-class technology and features, and we are confident that they will strengthen the already evolving trust and love of global consumers toward EVs."

The concept's unveiling will mark the beginning of LML's journey toward an sustainable/ electric future. These product concepts will be refined, strengthened, and thoroughly tested before they are released to the global EV market. LML is focused to enhance its product solutions that are innovative and relevant for global commuters by leveraging the strengths of EV technology which will be better and superior to today's existing technology.

About LML

Incorporated in 1972, LML (formerly Lohia Machinery Ltd) is a leading Indian two-wheeler manufacturing company, engaged in the production and sale of scooters, motorcycles, mopeds as well as spares and accessories. Headquartered in Kanpur (India), the company exports its products across various countries of the world including US, Africa, Latin America, New Zealand and others. Since its inception, LML has been widely known and acknowledged for its innovation, engineering, and unique range of products. With a clear focus on strengthening urban mobility, the company is planning to return to the Indian market in the form of an electric two-wheeler company.

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Sysdata is an Italian leading business and technology consultancy company with an impressive client and service portfolio. With this acquisition, Globant will land in Italy to expand its footprint of clients and propel the relationship with Sysdata's long-standing ones.

BOLOGNA, Italy, Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Globant (NYSE: GLOB), a digitally native technology services company, announced today that it had acquired Sysdata, an Italian business and technology consultancy focused on delivering digital transformation. The company has developed a robust service offering and a prosper customer portfolio since it was founded in 1980.





With this acquisition, Globant lands in Italy and reinforces its strong presence in Europe. At the same time, it will continue to accelerate its global leadership in delivering digital and cognitive transformation for some of the most renowned brands in the world.

Founded in Bologna, Italy, with 300+ professionals, Sysdata provides advisory services and end-to-end digital transformation projects to blue-chip companies in key industries such as Banking, Insurance, Automotive, Energy, and Retail. Sysdata has proven solid capabilities in Data Analytics, Marketing Technology, Business Intelligence, Enterprise Architecture, and Mobile Applications.

"We are thrilled to welcome the Sysdata team to the Globant family. Given their strong culture of innovation, quality and agility, they are the perfect partner to continue expanding Globant's footprint in Europe. Together, we will be able to continue offering a top-notch portfolio of services and products to keep reinventing businesses," said Martin Migoya, Co-Founder and CEO Globant.

"I am proud of the successful track-record of Sysdata and I am sure that Globant is the best partner to take it to the next level. I want to thank all the clients that have believed in us for the last 40 years and let them all know that from today, together, we will be able to offer them a unique and strengthened offering," said Roberto Vecchione, Founder of Sysdata.

Roberto Vecchione, founder of Sysdata, will retire from daily operations of the Company but remains as a key advisor to it. Gianmarco and Guido Vecchione will remain committed to executing the expansion plan in Italy alongside Marco Santulli, Gianluca Pogliani and the rest of the Sysdata team.

"Sysdata joins Globant to consolidate our expansion in Europe. We were impressed by their long-standing portfolio of customers in some of Italy's more significant industries, such as Banking, Insurance, and Automotive. Globant will complement these and other offerings to keep on supporting successful digital transformations," said Martin Umaran, Co-Founder of Globant and President of EMEA.

About Globant

We are a digitally native company that helps organizations reinvent themselves and unleash their potential. We are the place where innovation, design and engineering meet scale.

We have more than 25,900 employees and we are present in 20 countries working for companies like Google, Electronic Arts and Disney, among others.

We were named a Worldwide Leader in CX Improvement Services by IDC MarketScape report.

We were also featured as a business case study at Harvard , MIT , and Stanford.

, , and Stanford. We are a member of The Green Software Foundation (GSF) and the Cybersecurity Tech Accord.

Contact:pr@globant.com

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For more information, visit www.globant.com.

This press release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The expectations related to the businesses of Globant and Sysdata may differ from their actual results and consequently, you should not rely on these forward looking statements as predictions of future events. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terminology such as "believe," "may," "will", "estimate," "continue," "anticipate," "intend," "should," "plan," "expect," "predict," "potential," or the negative of these terms or other similar expressions. These forward-looking statements include, without limitation, expectations with respect to the anticipated benefits of this acquisition. These forward-looking statements involve significant risks and uncertainties that could cause the actual results to differ materially from the expected results. Most of these factors are outside of the control of Globant and Sysdata and are difficult to predict. Factors that may cause such differences include, but are not limited to: (1) the risk that disruption from the transaction materially and adversely affects Sysdata's business and operations; (2) Globant's ability to recognize the anticipated benefits of this acquisition, (3) costs related to this acquisition, (4) Globant's ability to successfully grow Sysdata's business; (5) potential adverse reactions or changes to business relationships resulting from the announcement and completion of this acquisition; (6) the ability of Globant to retain and hire key Sysdata employees; (7) changes in applicable laws or regulations, (8) the demand for Sysdata's services together with the possibility that Sysdata may be adversely affected by other economic, business, and/or competitive factors; and (9) other factors discussed under the heading "Risk Factors" in our most recent Form 20-F filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission and any other risk factors included in subsequent reports on Form 6-K. Because of these uncertainties, you should not make any investment decision based on these forward-looking statements. Except as required by law, we undertake no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statements for any reason after the date of this press release whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.Forward Looking Statements





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Cranbrook, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - September 29, 2022) - DLP Resources Inc. (TSXV: DLP) (OTCQB: DLPRF) ("DLP" or the "Company") announces receipt of drill results for the first 172.90m for the Aurora porphyry copper-molybdenum project in southern Peru (Figure 1). Hole A22-001 intersected 123.50m of 0.49% Cu, 36.49ppm Mo and 4.20ppm Ag from 22.45m to 145.80m (Table 1).

Aurora Cu-Mo Project - Summary of Initial Drill Results

Hole A22-001 was drilled to the NE of the mapped porphyry and hornfels contact at an angle of 70 degrees towards an azimuth of 170 degrees (Table 2, Figures 2,3 and 4). The hole to a depth of 172.90m intersected:

Partially leached polymictic breccia from 0.5m to 22.45m.

Mixed limonitic zone of partially leached sulphides consisting mainly of chalcopyrite and pyrite with copper oxides and secondary covellite and chalcocite on fractures in polymictic breccia with occasional quartz-eye-feldspar porphyry down to 61.60m.

Mixed limonitic zone of partially leached sulphides (chalcopyrite and pyrite) in silicified siltstone, hornfels and brecciated hornfels with secondary covellite and chalcocite on sulphides and fractures down to 124.30m. Narrow 1-4m thick porphyry rock units cross-cut hornfels.

Quartz-eye-feldspar porphyry from 124.30m to 135.33m with limonite after chalcopyrite and pyrite and chalcocite and native copper at base of oxidation zone around 128.80m.

Silicified siltstone and hornfels with occasional porphyry intervals from 128.80m down to 172.90m with chalcopyrite and pyrite and secondary copper sulphides along fractures. A fault zone extends from approximately 145.80m to 172.90m.

Table 1. Summary of Initial Drill Results for Diamond Drill Hole A22-001. All grades are length-weighted averages of samples within the interval reported.

Hole From To Interval1 Description Cu (total) Mo Ag Cueq* ID m m m

% ppm ppm % A22-001 0.50 22.45 0.5 Partially Leached 0.12 51.23 2.98 0.17

22.45 145.80 123.35

Oxidized/Mixed 0.49 36.49 4.20 0.54 Includes 100.35 145.80 45.45 Enriched 0.64 17.41 3.40 0.68 Includes 100.35 124.30 23.95 Enriched 0.87 23.70 3.43 0.91 Includes 108.65 124.30 15.65 Enriched 1.09 32.75 3.00 1.10

145.80 172.90 21.10 # Fault zone/Mixed 0.23 68.79 1.16 0.27

172,90 388.00 215.10 Results Awaited



Note: *Copper equivalent grades (CuEq) are for comparative purposes only. Calculations are uncut and recovery is assumed to be 100% for the first 145.80m as the project is at an early stage of exploration and there is insufficient metallurgical data for estimation of metal recoveries.

# From 145.80m to 172.90m core recovery is estimated to be 78% of interval due to the fault zone and is "incomplete" and "not representative" of metal grades reported. Cueq value for this interval is "not representative".

Copper-equivalence is calculated as: CuEq (%) = Cu (%) + [3.55  Mo (%)] + [0.0095  Ag (g/t)], utilizing metal prices of Cu - US$3.34/lb, Mo - US$11.86/lb and Ag - US$21.87/oz.

1 Intervals are downhole drilled core lengths. Drilling data to date is insufficient to determine true width of mineralization. Assay values are uncut.

Table 2: A22-001 Diamond drill hole location, depth, orientation and dip.

Hole Easting Northing Elevation Length Azimuth Dip ID



m m Degrees Degrees A22-001 190,082 8,566,230 2801 388 170 70

Co-ordinates are in WGS84 Zone 19S

Mr. Gendall President and CEO commented: "We are extremely encouraged with the initial results reported for the first 173m at Aurora and we look forward to receipt of results for the remainder of the hole. It is encouraging to see that we have encountered a well mineralized porphyry copper-molybdenum-silver system close to surface. Further drilling to 600m is planned for A22-002 to determine primary copper-molybdenum and silver grades at depth. We look forward to reporting the remainder of the results for A22-001 later in October."

Quality Control and Quality Assurance

DLP Resources Peru S.A.C a subsidiary of DLP Resources Inc. supervises drilling and carries out sampling of HTW and NTW core. Logging and sampling are completed at a secured Company facility situated on the project site. Sample intervals are nominally 1.5 to 2m in length. Drill core is cut in half using a rotary diamond blade saw and samples are sealed on site before transportation to the ALS Peru S.A.C. sample preparation facility in Arequipa by Company vehicles and staff. Prepared samples are sent to Lima by ALS Peru S.A.C. for analysis. ALS Peru S.A.C. is an independent laboratory. Samples are analyzed for 48 elements using a four-acid digestion and ICP-MS analysis (ME-MS61). In addition, sequential copper analyses are done and reports, soluble copper using sulphuric acid leach, soluble copper in cyanide leach, residual copper and total copper. ALS meets all requirements of International Standards ISO/IEC 17025:2005 and ISO 9001:2015 for analytical procedures.

DLP Resources independently monitors quality control and quality assurance ("QA/QC") through a program that includes the insertion of blind certified reference materials (standards), blanks and pulp duplicate samples. The company is not aware of any drilling, sampling, recovery or other factors that could materially affect the accuracy or reliability of the data reported to 145.80m. From 145,80m to 172.90m core recovery is estimated to be 78% of the total sampled interval and data maybe considered to be "incomplete" and "not representative" for this interval.

Aurora Project

Aurora Project as an advanced stage porphyry copper-molybdenum exploration project in the Province of Calca, SE Peru (Figure 1). The Aurora Project was previously permitted for drilling in 2015 but was never executed. Thirteen historical drill holes, drilled in 2001 and 2005 totaling 3,900m were drilled over an area of approximately 1000m by 800m, cut significant intervals of copper and molybdenum mineralization. From logging of the only three remaining holes DDA-01, DDA-3A and DDA-3 and data now available, it appears that only three of the thirteen holes tested the enriched copper zone and only one hole drilled deep enough to test the primary copper and molybdenum zone (see DLP news release of May 18, 2021).

Salient historic drill hole data of the Aurora Project are:

190m @ 0.57% Cu, 0.008% Mo in DDA-1 with a high-grade intercept of 20m @ 1.01% Cu related to a supergene enrichment zone of secondary chalcocite;

142m @ 0.5% Cu, 0.004% Mo in DDA-3;

71.7m @ 0.7% Cu, 0.007% Mo inDDA-3A (see historical Focus Ventures Ltd. news release July 11, 2012); and

One of the historical holes ABC-6 drilled on the edge of the system intersected 64m @ 0.49% Cu and 0.087ppm Mo (Figure 2)

A review of the historical drilling indicates that the majority of the thirteen holes were drilled in the leached and partially leached zones of the porphyry system. Ten of the thirteen holes never fully tested the oxide and secondary enrichment zone and/or the primary copper zone at depth encountered in DDA-01. Copper-molybdenum mineralization is hosted by quartz-feldspar porphyries intruded into slates-hornfels and pelitic sandstones belonging to the Ordovician (439 - 463 ma) Sandia Formation.





Figure 1: DLP Project areas in Peru with Aurora Project Shown

To view an enhanced version of Figure 1, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/6456/138793_0b9e754df47c6afc_001full.jpg





Figure 2. Aurora Project - Simplified geology showing historic drilling and A22-001 location

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Figure 3. Aurora Project - Simplified diagram showing historic drilling and proposed DLP drill holes with A22-001 and A22-002

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Figure 4: Aurora porphyry copper-molybdenum project - Drill core mineralization from A22-001

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Qualified Person

David L. Pighin, consulting geologist and co-founder of DLP Resources, is the qualified person of the Company as defined by National Instrument 43-101. Mr. Pighin has reviewed and approved the technical contents of this news release.

About DLP Resources Inc.

DLP Resources Inc. is a mineral exploration company operating in Southeastern British Columbia and Peru, exploring for Base Metals and Cobalt. DLP is listed on the TSX-V, trading symbol DLP and on the OTCQB, trading symbol DLPRF. Please refer to our web site www.dlpresourcesinc.com for additional information.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:

DLP RESOURCES INC.

Ian Gendall, CEO & President

Jim Stypula, Executive Chairman

Robin Sudo, Chief Financial Officer and Corporate Secretary

Maxwell Reinhart, Investor Relations

Telephone: 250-426-7808

Email: iangendall@dlpresourcesinc.com

Email: jimstypula@dlpresourcesinc.com

Email: robinsudo@dlpresourcesinc.com

Email: maxreinhart@dlpresourcesinc.com

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information

This release includes certain statements and information that may constitute forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws. Forward-looking statements relate to future events or future performance and reflect the expectations or beliefs of management of the Company regarding future events. Generally, forward-looking statements and information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "intends" or "anticipates", or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "should", "would" or "occur". This information and these statements, referred to herein as "forward-looking statements", are not historical facts, are made as of the date of this news release and include without limitation, statements regarding discussions of future plans, estimates and forecasts and statements as to management's expectations and intentions with respect to drilling on Aurora Project in Peru.

These forward-looking statements involve numerous risks and uncertainties and actual results might differ materially from results suggested in any forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, among other things drill results expected from the Aurora Project in Peru.

Although management of the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements or forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements and forward-looking information. Readers are cautioned that reliance on such information may not be appropriate for other purposes. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statement, forward-looking information or financial out-look that are incorporated by reference herein, except in accordance with applicable securities laws. We seek safe harbor.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/138793
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - September 29, 2022) - Kodiak Copper Corp. (TSXV: KDK) (OTCQB: KDKCF) (FSE: 5DD1) (the "Company" or "Kodiak") today reports results for five drill holes from the fully funded 25,000 metre 2022 drill program at the 100% owned MPD copper-gold porphyry project in southern British Columbia.

The Company's initial work in 2022 focused on additional drilling at the Gate Zone and testing look-alike geophysical targets nearby. New high-grade copper-gold-silver intercepts reported herein infill a 170 metre gap at the south end of Gate. In addition, drill-testing geophysical anomalies northeast of Gate has identified a 400 metre long, parallel mineralized trend at the nearby Prime Zone.

Claudia Tornquist, President and CEO of Kodiak said, "The Gate Zone has delivered further impressive drill intercepts as we continue to increase the size of mineralized envelope which now extends to a kilometer in north-south direction and a depth of 900 metres. We also commenced testing geophysical targets with coincident copper-in-soil signatures in the wider area around the Gate Zone and are pleased that we were able to delineate a parallel mineralized trend at the Prime Zone. This new mineralized trend crystalizes further size potential and validates our model of a large multi-centric porphyry system at MPD. The Company has now expanded its exploration efforts to other high-priority areas like as Dillard and Man and we look forward to this next promising phase of work which should lead to more new discoveries like Gate and Prime across the 147 square kilometre MPD Project area.

"I would also like to take this opportunity on behalf of the Kodiak team and ahead of tomorrow's National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, to share our support to the ongoing healing, hope and reconciliation efforts with Indigenous communities. We will continue to build relationships based on mutual trust and respect, and are grateful for the opportunity to work together in a positive and collaborative manner."

Highlights

New drill holes MPD 22-006, MPD-22-008 and MPD-22-05 at the southern end of Gate encountered significant chalcopyrite +/- bornite mineralized intervals, infilling 170 metres of strike and extending the Gate Zone by an additional 50 metres to 900 metres depth . The Gate Zone remains open to depth. Figure 1 and 2

MPD-22-006 intersected 117 metres of 0.69% Cu, 0.46 g/t Au and 2.22 g/t Ag (1.03% CuEq) within 735.4 metres of 0.24% Cu, 0.14 g/t Au and 0.71 g/t Ag (0.34% CuEq). Table 1, Figures 2 and 4

MPD-22-008 intersected 59.9 metres of 0.33% Cu, 0.25 g/t Au and 1.77 g/t Ag (0.52% CuEq) within 585 metres of 0.18% Cu, 0.09 g/t Au and 0.71 g/t Ag (0.25% CuEq). Table 1, Figure 2

MPD-22-005 extended the Gate Zone mineralization to depth and intersected 190.2 metres of 0.19% Cu, 0.12 g/t Au and 1.07 g/t Ag (0.29% CuEq) within 715.2 metres of 0.13% Cu, 0.07 g/t Au and 0.65 g/t Ag (0.19% CuEq). Table 1 Figure 2

Drilling continues to demonstrate a strong correlation between coincident copper-in-soil anomalies and underlying bedrock copper mineralization, with new copper mineralization discovered adjacent to the Gate Zone at the Prime target . This confirmation is important as new, compelling copper-in-soil targets with coincident geophysical signatures similar to the Gate Zone will be tested by Kodiak through its ongoing, fully-funded drill program in 2022 and 2023. Targets include Dillard, Man, Blue and the 1516 Zones.

Holes MPD-22-013 and MPD-22-017 intersected a new mineralized trend northeast of, and adjacent to Gate now called the Prime Zone . When combined with historic work, drilling at Prime has identified porphyry-related alteration and copper-gold-silver mineralization over 200 metres width, with 400 metres of strike and down to 550 metres depth .

MPD-22-013 intersected 180 metres of 0.15% Cu, 0.10 g/t Au and 0.61 g/t Ag (0.22% CuEq) within 330 metres of 0.11% Cu, 0.09 g/t Au and 0.55 g/t Ag (0.17% CuEq). Table 1, Figure 3

MPD-22-017 intersected 183 metres of 0.16% Cu, 0.07 g/t Au and 0.76 g/t Ag (0.21% CuEq). A second, deeper interval extended into the Gate Zone at 764 meters depth, with 96 metres of assaying 0.28% Cu, 0.14 g/t Au and 0.81 g/t Ag (0.38% CuEq). Table 1, Figure 3

The extension of the Gate Zone and delineation of the new Prime Zone confirm that recent 3D Induced Polarization (3D IP) surveys are an effective tool for targeting host geology and discovering prospective porphyritic mineralization on the MPD Project. Further work to extend both the Gate and Prime Zones is warranted.





Figure 1: Plan map showing all Kodiak drilling and new 2022 assay results (yellow trace). Background is historic copper-in soil data. Porphyry mineralization at Gate has been traced down to 900 m depth, across a width of 350 m (east-west) and over 1 km in length (north-south). The new Prime Zone trend has been drilled down to 550 m depth, across 200 m width (east-west) and over 400 m length (north-south).



To view an enhanced version of Figure 1, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/3803/138815_0068cdb434b409d2_002full.jpg





Figure 2: Gate Zone north-south long section at 681400mE. See results Table 1 for new drill infill holes MPD-22-005, MPD-22-006, and MPD-22-008

To view an enhanced version of Figure 2, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/3803/138815_0068cdb434b409d2_003full.jpg





Figure 3: Prime Zone north-south long section at 681800mE. See results Table 1 for new drill holes MPD-22-013 and MPD-22-017



To view an enhanced version of Figure 3, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/3803/138815_0068cdb434b409d2_004full.jpg

Table 1: Weighted assay intervals for holes MPD-22-006, MPD-22-008, MPD-22-005, MPD-22-013 and MPD-22-017. See Figures 1, 2 and 3

Hole ID From (m) To (m) Interval** (m) % Cu Au g/t Ag g/t %CuEq* Gate Zone MPD-22-006 67.7 803.0 735.4 0.24 0.14 0.71 0.34 includes 438.7 791.0 352.3 0.40 0.24 1.12 0.57 includes 587.0 704.0 117.0 0.69 0.46 2.22 1.03 includes 587.0 650.1 63.1 0.82 0.56 3.13 1.24















MPD-22-008 212.0 797.0 585.0 0.18 0.09 0.71 0.25 includes 306.5 734.0 427.5 0.20 0.09 0.79 0.27 includes 404.0 464.0 60.0 0.28 0.07 0.71 0.34 includes 674.1 734.0 59.9 0.33 0.25 1.77 0.52















MPD-22-05 206.0 921.2 715.2 0.13 0.07 0.65 0.19 includes 731.0 921.2 190.2 0.19 0.12 1.07 0.29 Prime Zone MPD-22-013 261.0 591.0 330.0 0.11 0.09 0.55 0.17 includes 363.0 543.0 180.0 0.15 0.10 0.61 0.22 and 693.0 732.0 39.0 0.11 0.20 0.70 0.25















MPD-22-017 275.0 458.0 183.0 0.16 0.07 0.76 0.21 and 764.0 860.0 96.0 0.28 0.14 0.81 0.38

*Copper equivalent grades (%CuEq) are for comparative purposes only. Calculations are uncut and recovery is assumed to be 100% as no metallurgical data is available. Metal prices are US$3.50/lb copper, US$1,700/oz gold, and US$19/oz silver, using the formula: %CuEq = Cu grade + (Au price x Au grade + Ag price x Ag grade)/31.104/(Cu price*22.046)

**Intervals are downhole drilled core intervals. Drilling data to date is insufficient to determine true width of mineralisation

Table 2: 2022 MPD Drill Collar Information - MPD Project

Hole ID Easting

(UTM Z10) Northing

(UTM Z10) Elevation

(m) Azimuth

(degrees) Dip

(degrees) EOH

(m) Zone Reported MPD-22-001 681105 5514934 1176 210 -60 468 Gate 2022-06-29 MPD-22-002 681105 5514934 1176 65 -67 628 Gate 2022-06-29 MPD-22-003 681105 5514934 1176 120 -67 836 Gate 2022-06-29 MPD-22-004 681278 5515080 1203 90 -75 830 Gate 2022-06-29 MPD-22-005 681278 5515080 1203 70 -70 921 Gate 2022-09-29 MPD-22-006 681344 5515246 1197 157 -75 803 Gate 2022-09-29 MPD-22-008 681341 5515247 1198 134 -76 944 Gate 2022-09-29 MPD-22-013 682055 5515445 1335 310 -60 849 Prime 2022-09-29 MPD-22-017 682030 5515615 1318 248 -58 860 Prime/Gate 2022-09-29





Figure 4: Example of core from 2022 drilling at Gate Zone, hole MPD-22-006. Quartz vein with centerline of chalcopyrite and bornite in hornblende-phyric diorite host rock at 696 metres. Core is within a 117 metre intercept reporting 0.69% Cu, 0.46 g/t Au and 2.22 g/t Ag from 587 to 704 metres

To view an enhanced version of Figure 4, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/3803/138815_0068cdb434b409d2_005full.jpg

Holes MPD-22-005, 006 and 008 were drilled at various azimuths and inclinations from two pads at the south end of Gate (Table 2). These holes infilled a 170 metre gap between previous set-ups, while investigating higher grade mineralization and the correlation with 3D IP responses down dip to the east.

Holes MPD-22-013 and MPD-22-017 were drilled westward from sites 400 metres east of the Gate Zone (Table 2). These holes were drilled to test 3D IP responses at depth and along strike of trenches and shallow drilling on historic Prime claims. New drilling confirmed the continuation of significant copper-gold mineralisation plunging south and dipping to the east, similar to Gate. This trend is called the "Prime Zone" and when combined with previous work, measures 200 metres wide (east-west), with over 400 metres of strike (north-south) and has been drilled down to 550 metres depth. Hole MPD-22-017 continued drilling westward past the Prime Zone and intersected the Gate Zone at 764 meters depth, ending in mineralization at 860 metres downhole.

Ongoing Exploration Program

Drilling for 2022 is on schedule and the Company has completed 33 holes totalling 21,300 metres as of September 26. Drilling has transitioned to testing high priority targets in the Dillard area and the program will continue evaluating additional copper-gold drill targets across the MPD property throughout the fall.

A new 3D IP geophysical survey currently underway will be completed next month, covering nine square kilometres and extending southward from the Gate Zone to the Man and Dillard target areas.

Soil geochemical surveys covering 7.5 square kilometres follow-up previously unknown kilometre-scale copper-gold anomalies and new prospects discovered in 2021. This work is now complete and both core and soil samples have been shipped to ALS Canada Ltd. in North Vancouver, BC for analysis.

MPD is a large, 147 square kilometre land package located near several operating mines in the southern Quesnel Terrane, British Columbia's primary copper-gold producing belt. It is situated between the towns of Merritt and Princeton, with year-round accessibility and excellent infrastructure nearby. Following Kodiak's Gate Zone discovery in 2020, ongoing drill programs in 2021 and 2022 have significantly expanded the size and depth of known mineralization at the Gate Zone to one kilometre of strike length, 350 metres width and 900 metres depth. In addition, the Company's first two holes at the Dillard target in 2021 intersected better copper-gold results than any historic results reported from the Dillard area.

QA/QC Procedures

NQ size core was split and sampled over approximately three metre intervals. All core samples were sent to ALS Canada Ltd. (ALS) in North Vancouver, BC for preparation and analysis. ALS meets all requirements of International Standards ISO/IEC 17025:2005 and ISO 9001:2015 for analytical procedures. Samples were analyzed using ALS's Fire Assay Fusion method (Au-AA24) with an AA finish for gold and by a 33 or 48 element four acid digest ICP-AES analysis (ME-ICP61 or MS61) with additional analysis for Ore Grade Elements (ME-OG62) and Ore Grade Cu (Cu-OG62). In addition to ALS Laboratory quality assurance / quality control (QA/QC) protocols, Kodiak implements an internal QA/QC program that includes the insertion of sample blanks, duplicates, and standards in the field.

Jeff Ward, P.Geo, Vice President Exploration and the Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101, has reviewed, and approved the technical information contained in this release. Kodiak believes historic results referenced herein to be from reliable sources using industry standards at the time. However, the Company has not independently verified, or cannot guarantee, the accuracy of this historic information.

On behalf of the Board of Directors

Kodiak Copper Corp.

Claudia Tornquist

President & CEO

For further information contact:

Nancy Curry, VP Corporate Development

ncurry@kodiakcoppercorp.com

+1 (604) 646-8362

About Kodiak Copper Corp.

Kodiak is focused on its 100% owned copper porphyry projects in Canada and the USA. The Company's most advanced asset is the MPD copper-gold porphyry project in the prolific Quesnel Trough in south-central British Columbia, Canada. MPD has all the hallmarks of a large, multi-centered porphyry system. Kodiak has made the Gate Zone discovery of high-grade mineralization within a wide mineralized envelope, and MPD hosts several other targets with similar discovery potential. Kodiak also holds the Mohave copper-molybdenum-silver porphyry project in Arizona, USA, near the world-class Bagdad mine. Kodiak's porphyry projects have both been historically drilled and present known mineral discoveries with the potential to hold large-scale deposits.

Kodiak's founder and Chairman is Chris Taylor who is well-known for his gold discovery success with Great Bear Resources. Kodiak is also part of Discovery Group led by John Robins, one of the most successful mining entrepreneurs in Canada.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Forward-Looking Statement (Safe Harbor Statement): This press release contains forward looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws. The use of any of the words "anticipate", "plan", "continue", "expect", "estimate", "objective", "may", "will", "project", "should", "predict", "potential" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward looking statements. In particular, this press release contains forward looking statements concerning the Company's exploration plans. Although the Company believes that the expectations and assumptions on which the forward-looking statements are based are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on the forward-looking statements because the Company cannot give any assurance that they will prove correct. Since forward looking statements address future events and conditions, they involve inherent assumptions, risks and uncertainties. Actual results could differ materially from those currently anticipated due to a number of assumptions, factors and risks. These assumptions and risks include, but are not limited to, assumptions and risks associated with conditions in the equity financing markets, and assumptions and risks regarding receipt of regulatory and shareholder approvals.

Management has provided the above summary of risks and assumptions related to forward looking statements in this press release in order to provide readers with a more comprehensive perspective on the Company's future operations. The Company's actual results, performance or achievement could differ materially from those expressed in, or implied by, these forward-looking statements and, accordingly, no assurance can be given that any of the events anticipated by the forward-looking statements will transpire or occur, or if any of them do so, what benefits the Company will derive from them. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this press release, and, other than as required by applicable securities laws, the Company disclaims any intent or obligation to update publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/138815
Throughput Capacity Expanding Threefold From Current Levels

TORONTO, Sept. 29, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- TRX Gold Corporation (TSX:TNX) (NYSE American:TRX) (the "Company" or "TRX Gold") is pleased to announce that Buckreef Gold's 1,000+ tonne per day ("tpd") oxide mill circuit has been commissioned and is currently ramping up production. This mill expansion?from its original 360 tpd capacity?was planned less than 12 months ago at a capital cost of US$4 million.



First ore has been introduced to the expanded processing plant and the team is ramping up throughput over the next month in order to reach nameplate capacity by the end of October. When operating at nameplate capacity of 1,000+ tpd, the operation is expected to produce an average of 15,000-20,000 ounces of gold annually over the life of the oxide mine plan. Approximately 10% of Buckreef Gold's total mineral resource consists of oxide mineral resources.

The Buckreef Gold project has been transformed into a low-cost, high margin operation enabling the execution of TRX Gold's growth-oriented business strategy. The Company's focus is to utilize current gold production to fund value-accretive activities, such as mineral resource development, exploration and future processing plant expansions.

Image: Buckreef's Expanded Plant At The Forefront, With The 360 tpd Plant in The Background

The Company wishes to thank its local employees, government, consultants and suppliers for their efficiency and dedication to this project, which has enabled the Company to deliver this project on time and budget.

"This is another great milestone at Buckreef Gold. We are very proud of the dedication and hard work accomplished by our Tanzanian colleagues. Over the last 18 months we have taken the Buckreef Gold project from a negative cash flow test plant, to a high margin, cash flow positive operation that continues to have near-term expansion opportunities," explains Stephen Mullowney, TRX Gold CEO.

About TRX Gold Corporation

TRX Gold is rapidly advancing the Buckreef Gold Project. Anchored by a Mineral Resource published in May 2020, the project currently hosts an NI 43-101 Measured and Indicated Mineral Resource of 35.88 MT at 1.77 g/t gold containing 2,036,280 oz of gold and an Inferred Mineral Resource of 17.8 MT at 1.11g/t gold for 635,540 oz of gold. The leadership team is focused on creating both near-term and long-term shareholder value by increasing gold production to generate positive cash flow. The positive cash flow will be utilized for exploratory drilling with the goal of increasing the current gold Resource base and advancing the Sulphide Ore Project which represents 90% of current gold Resources. TRX Gold's actions are led by the highest ESG standards, evidenced by the relationships and programs that the Company has developed during its nearly two decades of presence in Geita Region, Tanzania.

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/c7d24e72-4da6-4946-b89a-b0f9c601d160

Investors

Christina Lalli

Vice President, Investor Relations

TRX Gold Corporation

+1-438-399-8665

c.lalli@TRXgold.com

www.TRXgold.com

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains certain forward-looking statements as defined in the applicable securities laws. All statements, other than statements of historical facts, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are frequently, but not always, identified by words such as "expects", "anticipates", "believes", "hopes", "intends", "estimated", "potential", "possible" and similar expressions, or statements that events, conditions or results "will", "may", "could" or "should" occur or be achieved. Forward-looking statements relate to future events or future performance and reflect TRX Gold management's expectations or beliefs regarding future events and include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to production at anticipated levels, operating its 1,000+ tpd mill at nameplate capacity, operating at low-costs with high-margins, funding value accretive activities, expansion, estimation of mineral resources, ability to develop value creating activities, recoveries, subsequent project testing, success, scope and viability of mining operations, the timing and amount of estimated future production, and capital expenditure.

Although TRX Gold believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance. The actual achievements of TRX Gold or other future events or conditions may differ materially from those reflected in the forward-looking statements due to a variety of risks, uncertainties and other factors. These risks, uncertainties and factors include general business, legal, economic, competitive, political, regulatory and social uncertainties; actual results of exploration activities and economic evaluations; fluctuations in currency exchange rates; changes in costs; future prices of gold and other minerals; mining method, production profile and mine plan; delays in exploration, development and construction activities; changes in government legislation and regulation; the ability to obtain financing on acceptable terms and in a timely manner or at all; contests over title to properties; employee relations and shortages of skilled personnel and contractors; the speculative nature of, and the risks involved in, the exploration, development and mining business. These risks are set forth in reports that TRX Gold files with the SEC. You can review and obtain copies of these filings from the SEC's website at http://www.sec.gov/edgar.shtml .

The information contained in this press release is as of the date of the press release and TRX Gold assumes no duty to update such information.
To date, Fisker's production partner Magna Steyr has produced 95 prototypes of the Fisker Ocean SUV.

Fisker will use these vehicles for testing, marketing, service, and manufacturing training.

After a visit to the plant, the quality of vehicles and improved production line speed impressed Fisker CEO Henrik Fisker.

Fisker Inc. (NYSE: FSR) ("Fisker") passionate creator of the world's most sustainable electric vehicles and advanced mobility solutions is achieving manufacturing milestones as 95 prototype Fisker Oceans have already rolled off partner Magna Steyr's production system. Fisker will use the early-run vehicles to train service workers, conduct rigorous testing, and showcase the five-passenger, all-electric SUV across nine launch markets.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220929005291/en/

Fisker CEO Henrik Fisker inspects prototype all-electric Fisker Ocean at Magna Steyr production facility in Graz, Austria. Magna produced 95 prototype vehicles for marketing, service and manufacturing training. (Photo credit: R. Reiter)

"It's fantastic to see the quality of the Fisker Oceans currently being manufactured, and to also see them incrementally improving on every visit," Chairman and CEO Henrik Fisker said. "It's rewarding to observe the continuous improvements to manufacturing speed on the assembly line. Our marketing and service teams are thrilled to get their hands on cars before the official production starts so they can thoroughly prepare for deliveries and promote the Fisker Ocean in our launch markets. This phase of assembly marks the onset of improvement and refinement for start of production and through ramp-up."

Fisker continues developing its retail network, constructing Fisker Lounges in Los Angeles and Munich and Fisker Center+ locations in Copenhagen and Vienna, with plans for additional Lounges and Center+ spots in other key cities. In addition, the company's industry-leading warranty will be supported by service centers throughout its nine launch markets, offering at-home vehicle pick-up or Fisker Mobile Service for customers who prefer skilled technicians to come to them.

The Fisker Ocean, the ground-breaking five-passenger all-electric SUV, is available in four trim levels: One (limited edition), Extreme, Ultra, and Sport. The top trims of Fisker Ocean One and Fisker Ocean Extreme travel 350 miles (U.S.) 1 on a single charge, with dual-motor, all-wheel-drive, three driving modes, Revolve 17.1" rotating screen, SolarSky roof, California Mode, Smart Traction, all for $68,9992 in the U.S. As of today's release, Fisker has over 60,000 reservations and orders for the Fisker Ocean, including 5,000 sold out Fisker Ocean Ones, each secured by a $5,0003 deposit.

Fisker is on target for a start of production on November 17, 2022. Prior to SOP, Fisker will bring the Fisker Ocean to the Paris International Motor Show (Mondial de l'Auto) from October 17-23, 2022, and the Oslo Motor Show from October 28-30, 2022.

About Fisker Inc.

California-based Fisker Inc. is revolutionizing the automotive industry by developing the most emotionally desirable and eco-friendly electric vehicles on Earth. Passionately driven by a vision of a clean future for all, the company is on a mission to become the No. 1 e-mobility service provider with the world's most sustainable vehicles. To learn more, visit www.FiskerInc.com and enjoy exclusive content across Fisker's social media channels: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube and LinkedIn.

Download the revolutionary new Fisker mobile app from the App Store or Google Play store.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release includes forward-looking statements, which are subject to the "safe harbor" provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements may be identified by words such as "feel," "believes," expects," "estimates," "projects," "intends," "should," "is to be," or the negative of such terms, or other comparable terminology and include, among other things, the quotation of our CEO, the statements regarding the planned launch timing, pricing and estimated range of the Fisker Ocean, the anticipated timing of deliveries of the Fisker Ocean, the Company's future performance and other future events that involve risks and uncertainties. Such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements contained herein due to many factors, including, but not limited to: Fisker's limited operating history; Fisker's ability to enter into additional manufacturing and other contracts with Magna or tier-one suppliers in order to execute on its business plan; the risk that OEM and supply partners do not meet agreed upon timelines or experience capacity constraints; Fisker may experience significant delays in the design, manufacture, regulatory approval, launch and financing of its vehicles; Fisker's ability to execute its business model, including market acceptance of its planned products and services; Fisker's inability to retain key personnel and to hire additional personnel; competition in the electric vehicle market; Fisker's inability to develop a sales distribution network; and the ability to protect its intellectual property rights; and those factors discussed in Fisker's Annual Report on Form 10-K, under the heading "Risk Factors," filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"), as supplemented by Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, and other reports and documents Fisker files from time to time with the SEC. Any forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which they are made, and Fisker undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statement to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this press release.

1 Based on Fisker simulations utilizing EPA standards. Actual results vary with conditions such as external environment, wheel size and diameter, and vehicle use. Official EPA and WLTP ratings forthcoming.

2 Pricing shown is for the continental U.S. and excludes delivery, finance, and government charges. Maintenance is not included. Pricing depends upon specifications and options chosen by customers as they configure the actual vehicle closer to production. Pricing does not include various state and federal incentives and benefits which may be available.

3 Or local currency equivalent.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220929005291/en/

Contacts:

U.S. Media

Fisker@GODRIVEN360.com

European Media:

Press.europe@fiskerinc.com

Customer service:

Support@fiskerinc.com

Fisker Inc. Communications:

Matthew DeBord

Sr. Director, Communications Strategy Storytelling

mdebord@fiskerinc.com

Rebecca Lindland

Director, Communications

rlindland@fiskerinc.com

Investor Relations:

Frank Boroch,

VP of Investor Relations

fboroch@fiskerinc.com
Will brings a strong track record of creating value through company-building, deep relationships with capital markets and rare disease drug development and commercialization experience

Other appointments include VP of Business Development and VP of U.S. Operations to oversee global clinical and regulatory operations

Company advancing several synthetic rescue-based programs for intractable genetic diseases, both in-house and in collaboration with GSK

Adrestia Therapeutics, a leader in synthetic rescue therapies for genetic diseases, today announced that it appointed William H. Lewis, J.D., M.B.A. as Chair of its Board of Directors, Jennifer Millian, M.S., M.B.A. as VP of U.S. Operations, and Philip Coxon, Ph.D., as VP of Business Development. This extends Adrestia's presence to the United States and deepens its drug development capabilities as it moves its emerging pipeline of first-in-class therapeutics towards the clinic.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220928005044/en/

Will Lewis, Adrestia Chairman

"Adrestia's leading synthetic rescue platform is systematically mining the human genome to find new ways of treating patients with currently intractable diseases" said Lewis. "The team unites world-class biology and drug discovery leadership with an exciting vision for genetic medicine. We are discovering new biology that opens fresh ways of thinking about tackling devastating diseases. Embracing the full complexity of human biology enables us to move on from 'one disease, one target' thinking, to instead using one drug to treat clusters of related diseases with related root causes. This platform is delivering, and I'm thrilled to help make this revolutionary new approach a reality for patients."

"Adrestia welcomes Will, Jen and Phil as we execute on our vision: building a fully-integrated company that efficiently discovers, develops and commercializes new drugs for people suffering from rare and prevalent diseases with a genetic component," said Robert Johnson, Chief Executive Officer of Adrestia. "Will's track record of creating value through company-building is a precise fit for us, and his experience will be invaluable at this time of transformational progress for our company. Similarly, both Phil and Jen are seasoned functional specialists who will maximize the impact of our platform and steer our pipeline to the clinic."

Will Lewis serves as Chair and Chief Executive Officer of Insmed, a global commercial-stage biopharmaceutical company based in New Jersey, U.S. Will is the former Co-Founder, President, and Chief Financial Officer of Aegerion Pharmaceuticals, which was acquired by Amryt in 2019. He previously spent more than 10 years working in investment banking in the U.S. and Europe at JP Morgan and Robertson Stevens. He also previously worked for the U.S. government. Will holds an MBA and a Juris Doctor with honors from Case Western Reserve University. He serves as the Chair of BioNJ, the life sciences association for New Jersey, and as a member of the Board of Trustees of Case Western Reserve University. He previously served as a member of the board of uniQure, a Netherlands-based biopharmaceutical company focused on gene therapy.

Jennifer Millian has 20 years' experience of genetic disease drug development. She most recently served as VP of Program and Alliance Management at Boston, U.S.-based gene therapy developer Affinia Therapeutics developing novel neurologic and neuro-oncologic AAV-based gene therapies. Prior to that, she served in similar roles at uniQure and Sanofi Genzyme, where she worked for nearly 16 years after beginning her career in scientific roles. Jennifer holds an MBA from Nichols College and a Master's degree from Worcester State College.

Dr. Phil Coxon brings nearly 15 years' of business development experience within the Life Sciences sector. He joins from AstraZeneca where he was Senior Director of Transactions in Global Oncology Business Development and Licensing. Prior to that, he held various business development and alliance management roles in Global Business Development Strategy at Teva Pharmaceuticals across all its therapeutic areas of interest, including neurology. He began his career in business development at LifeArc, a leading U.K. medical research charity. Phil received his Ph.D from The Institute of Cancer Research in London, where he also conducted post-doctoral work.

These appointments follow the recent addition of Professor John R.B. Perry as Adrestia's Vice President, Human Genetics. His focus at Adrestia is translating his expertise in large-scale human population genomic analyses to identify and validate new targets emerging from Adrestia's experimental biology platform. Dr. Perry is a world-renowned expert in human population genetics at the University of Cambridge who was involved in discovering many key genetic drivers of diverse complex diseases including obesity, Type 2 diabetes, reproductive disorders and aspects of behavior.

About Adrestia's synthetic rescue platform

Adrestia has developed a leading synthetic rescue drug development platform, which has already identified completely new approaches to treating intractable genetic diseases. The platform includes multiple components, each designed to yield new insights into how every gene in the human genome modifies a particular disease's cellular phenotype. These insights are married with human genetic datasets to provide robust validation of new druggable targets and build an ever-growing synthetic rescue 'Atlas' of the human genome. As the Atlas expands, the opportunities to use synthetic rescue drugs to treat both rare and common diseases continue to grow.

This scalable platform builds on decades of research by Professor Steve Jackson's laboratory at the University of Cambridge into synthetic rescue and the related concept of synthetic lethality for the treatment of cancer. The Jackson Laboratory's work has yielded a wealth of concepts, techniques, and know-how, now translated into Adrestia's platform.

About Adrestia

Adrestia is a leader in synthetic rescue therapies for genetic diseases. As many directly causative mutations are not druggable, synthetic rescue embraces the much broader target set represented by functionally connected genes, to correct the effects of the causative mutations and 'rescue' health. Adrestia is creating a synthetic rescue 'Atlas' of the human genome and advancing a portfolio of first-in-class therapies, initially for neurologic, neuromuscular and cardiomyopathic diseases. Adrestia's platform and in-house programs are complemented by a target discovery alliance with GSK and a Huntington's disease collaboration with noted researchers including Dr Sarah Tabrizi at University College London.

Adrestia was co-founded by Professor Steve Jackson and the deep technology investment fund Ahren Innovation Capital, which co-led Adrestia's Series A financing along with GSK. Jackson co-originated the first synthetic lethality drug, olaparib, which was the first drug approved to treat cancers caused by inherited mutations. For further information, visit: www.adrestia.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220928005044/en/

Contacts:

Investors

Robert Johnson

investors@adrestia.com

Media

Tom Donovan

tom@lyrebird.bio

+1 857 559 3397
The 2022 ABGA & Klaytn Gaming Hackathon officially selected top 8 teams from a series of competitions.

Singapore, Singapore--(Newsfile Corp. - September 29, 2022) - The Blockchain Gaming Hackathon 2022 Finals and Awards Ceremony, organized by the ABGA (Asia Blockchain Gaming Alliance) and Klaytn, successfully took place on September 26 at the Sands Expo and Convention Center in Singapore. Out of 84 projects, the top 8 ranked were selected from a series of competitions since June 20. In addition to investment rewards, they will earn a $90,000 cash award from Klaytn and ABGA.

2022 ABGA & Klaytn Gaming Hackathon event a big success, 8 Top Teams Emerged

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8814/138847_393bb4a984dd2b2a_001full.jpg

ABGA & Klaytn Hackathon aims to unleash the potential of the gaming industry through blockchain technology, empowering and unlocking untapped potential beyond the Blockchain Gaming circuit, metaverse and NFT. ABGA hopes to accelerate the development of Web 3.0 while promoting the gaming ecosystem.

The on-site judge group were comprised of Web3 industry-renowned institutions. The list of judges were as follows: Sunny (CEO at Krystal), Jim Cho (Head of Operations at Pro Gamer DAO), Yannan (Terrence) Wang (Partner at ZhenFund), Evans (Head of Investment at Huobi Ventures), Michael (Co-Founder at Lead Capital), Jin Hong (Business Lead at Marblex), Junbo Yang (Investment Manager at Hashkey Capital), Zinan (Investment Director at KuCoin Ventures), Kelly (Founding Partner at True Global Ventures), Johnson Yau (Investment Manager at MEXC Pioneer), and Sarah Zhang (Investment Director at BKEX Labs).

Simon Li, Co-founder and Vice President of ABGA, Founding Partner of Chain Capital, made opening remarks. In his speech, Li encouraged all Hackathon teams and introduced the history of the ABGA, founding principles, membership, and the event organization situation.

Yoshi, Game Partnership Lead at Klaytn, introduced Klaytn, starting with the existing Web3 gaming landscape and the gaming industry business structure. Officially launched in June 2019, Klaytn is an open-source Layer 1 public chain devoted to metaverse, gamefi, and the creator economy. Klaytn is a dominant public chain in South Korea and is now undergoing global business expansion.

Demo Day Finals began at 2:20 pm. The top 8 teams presented to the audience and were judged from various angles, including project introduction, software development, economic model, team introduction, and roadmap. Ranking as follows:

SavannaSurvival: Gold Winner

SavannaSurvival is set to inspire gamers on wildlife, conservation & blockchain education in a very fun way!

Cyberpop Metaverse: Silver Winner

Cyberpop is an open-world UGC blockchain metaverse game combined with multi-play modes. It is the world's first open-world MMO-RPG metaverse game with cyber style.

Horizon: Silver Winner

Horizon is a near-future open world and independent economic system.

FindTruman: Bronze Winner

FindTruman is the First Alternate Reality Game in Metaverse. Players can join the co-creation procedure of the story and IP, or a transformation of these stories/ IPs into Web2 games.

GamePhylum: Bronze Winner

GamePhylum is a game Information data aggregation platform that is built for the new wave of future Web3 games. It incentivizes gamers to write strategies and like strategies.

Multiverse Play: Bronze Winner

MVP is a global-leading decentralized NFT management platform, which efficiently connects all Web3/GameFi users and assets.

ZiberBugs: ABGA's Choice

ZiberBugs is a PvP-focussed, competitive auto battler created for gamers with a 'fun first' principle.

The Wake: Klaytn' s Choice

The Wake is the world's first and largest isometric multiplayer role-playing (MMORPG) game to feature Norse mythology in the metaverse.

ABGA Blockchain Gaming Summit Welcome Dinner with Hackathon Awards Ceremony hosted numerous blockchain industry professionals, institutions, businesses, and organizations. The winning teams received the grand award from guests, followed by the "New Trend in Blockchain Gaming" Round Table. Guests were as follows: Alex Mukhin (Co-founder and Managing Partner at Cryptomeria Capital), Prakash (CEO at Enjinstarter), Gagan Palrecha (CEO of NFTStar), Yoshi (Game Partnership Lead at Klaytn), Calvin (General Partner of Plutus V.C), and Shan Liu (Head of XT incubator). The panel was moderated by Alex Mukhin, summarizing the 2022 ABGA & Klaytn hackathon and discussing more possibilities for the Web3 gaming future.

The 2022 ABGA & Klaytn Gaming Hackathon officially ended after two months of the tournament. More than 3,000 blockchain industry practitioners, top enterprises, and institutions registered, attracting nearly 100 game development teams from around the world involved in this grand competition, resulting in several creative Web3 projects and standards for gaming technology. ABGA will keep an eye out for great start-up teams in the future and offer the required technical and resource support to strengthen the Blockchain gaming track.

Contact Info:

Name: Melody Chan

Email: admin@abga.asia

Organization: ABGA Asia

Website: http://www.abga.asia/

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/138847
Following are the latest Corporate Social Responsibility news releases and story ideas available from Business Wire. These recaps, curated by Business Wire, provide reporters and bloggers around the globe instant access to the latest news releases, providing relevant and trending content to share with their audiences. Discover more news via Business Wire's Hot Topic recaps or create a custom news feed specific to your needs here. This service is provided at no charge to members of the media and financial communities.

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DALLAS -- Ryan Named to PEOPLE Companies that Care List for Second Consecutive Year Issuer: Ryan

NEW YORK -- Pfizer Invites Public to View and Listen to a Webcast of Pfizer Discussion on Climate Action Issuer: Pfizer Inc.

TEL AVIV, Israel -- ICL Launches Groundbreaking Biodegradable Coated Fertilizer Technology Issuer: ICL Group LTD

AARHUS, Denmark -- Paul van Lennep appointed Head of ESG Sustainability at Stibo Systems Issuer: Stibo Systems

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- ESFM Launches Team to Expand Self-Performed Sustainability and Energy Solutions Issuer: ESFM

ATLANTA -- Lendmark Financial Commits to Raising $10M in 10 Years for Childhood Cancer Research Issuer: Lendmark Financial Services

AMSTERDAM -- Telink Introduces Energy Harvesting Multi-protocol Wireless Connectivity Module, Powered by Nowi, to Enable Batteryless Solutions Issuer: Nowi

LONDON -- Conference of the People, Powered by PUMA Puts Gen Z Voices Front and Centre Issuer: PUMA

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. -- IMPACT Parks Launches Nationwide Issuer: IMPACT Parks

DUBLIN -- Horizon Therapeutics plc Named One of PEOPLE's 100 Companies That Care Issuer: Horizon Therapeutics plc

WATSONVILLE, Calif. -- Granite Joins Asphalt Pavement Net Zero Initiative "The Road Forward" Issuer: Granite

DEERFIELD, Ill. -- Walgreens Boots Alliance Names Alethia Jackson Senior Vice President, ESG and Chief DEI Officer Issuer: Walgreens Boots Alliance

ENGLEWOOD CLIFFS, N.J. -- Meeting the Need: Unilever Supports America's Food Banks at a Time of Surging Demand Issuer: Unilever

NEW YORK -- pulsESGTM Announces Pilot Program with Clayton, Dubilier Rice to Advance ESG Reporting and Measurement Issuer: pulsESG, Inc.

AUSTIN, Texas -- SoftServe Releases 2021 Sustainability Report Issuer: SoftServe

PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- UNFI Foundation Announces More Than $1 Million in Grant Funding to Further Its Mission to Inspire Better Food Systems and Promote Food Equity in Communities Nationwide Issuer: United Natural Foods, Inc.

DALLAS -- Mary Kay Announces Outcomes of SDG Pilot Village Project in China (2017-2021) With Release of Impact Report and Video Issuer: Mary Kay Inc.

DEERFIELD, Ill. -- Baxter Broadens Efforts to Increase Awareness, Education and Support of Kidney Health in Black Communities Issuer: Baxter International Inc.

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Molitor International Conseil specializes in (RPO - Recruitment Process Outsourcing) Solutions

New York, New York--(Newsfile Corp. - September 29, 2022) - Molitor International Conseil, a top-ranking French recruitment company by Forbes, is pleased to announce its expansion to New York and planned for the opening of a new office in January 2023 as Molitor International Partners. The firm specializes in various recruitment services while taking advantage of a high-tech sourcing system that combines artificial intelligence with experienced headhunters. Molitor International Conseil is rapidly expanding its presence in new markets like the US.





French Recruitment Outsourcing (RPO) Molitor International Conseil Announces its Expansion to New York

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8814/138832_3bcee30c84a5eb25_001full.jpg

The company, having been in the recruitment space and having experienced radical growth within the last few years, draws from its experience and data insight to provide an effective Recruiting Process Outsourcing Solution. For nearly 5 years in R&D, the company has developed a unique project management solution, with a dedicated project manager, smart dashboard, and precise monitoring of KPIs that help business owners to save 40 to 50% of recruitment costs.

For more information, kindly visit: https://molitor-international.com/nos-services/solution-rpo/

The company's immediate growth plan involves increasing market share in New York, in addition to its existing client based in Paris.

The firm understands the importance of finding the right qualified talent and is able to offer different tailor-made recruitment solutions for each business's needs. As one of the major players in RPO, the team will help deploy and manage all client recruitment outsourcing projects using three unique methods: the sourcing division, the strategic pole, and full outsourcing.

"Molitor International has been cited as the recruitment model of the future by Challenges," said Darrell Mbow, the CEO "The team has much experience after working with large corporations. To date, over 1460 plus recruitments have been completed, and the team is showing no signs of stopping."

Get in touch with the team here for any questions on the recruitment process.

About Molitor International Conseil

Molitor International Conseil, in 2018 in Paris is a recruitment firm that specialised in RPO mixing the know-how of experienced headhunters and artificial intelligence. The company has been ranked by Forbes Magazine as one of the top 100 companies in France. Molitor International Conseil provides various recruitment services to clients and they use various different tools to help secure the best candidate.

Contact Info:

Name: Ishaq Cisse

Email: ishaq@molitor-international.com

Organization: Molitor International Partners

Address: 524 Broadway, New York 10012.

Phone: +33 1 80 20 92 78

Website: http://www.molitor-international.com

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/138832
TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / September 29, 2022 / Forward Water Technologies Corp. ("Forward Water" or the "Company") (TSXV:FWTC) announces that Mr. Grant Thornley, Vice-President of Engineering Sales as well as Alessandra Rodriguez, Research Engineer will be exhibiting live at WEFTEC in New Orleans from October 8 to October 12, 2022.

Date: October 8 - October 12, 2022

Location: New Orleans Morial Convention Center, Booth #4047 in Hall F in the Canadian Pavillion

Link: https://www.weftec.org

WEFTEC 2022 is an event where water professionals from around the world showcase the best in water quality education, the latest technologies, and trends. The Company is proud to present its patented forward osmosis solution that has the potential to significantly reduce water usage in many industrial use applications at this water quality event. Vice-President of Engineering Sales, Mr. Thornley comments "We are excited to be exhibiting at WEFTEC this year, as it provides us the opportunity not only to promote our technology and solution offerings but also to meet with our representatives and to network with industry experts".

About Forward Water Technologies Corp.

Forward Water Technologies Corp. is a publicly traded Canadian company dedicated to saving the earth's water supply using its patented Forward Osmosis technology. The Company was founded by GreenCentre Canada, a leading technology innovation centre supported by the government of Canada. The Company's technology allows for the reduction of challenging waste streams simultaneously returning fresh water for re-use or surface release. The Company's mandate is to focus on the large-scale implementation of its technology in multiple sectors, including industrial wastewater, oil and gas, mining, agriculture and ultimately municipal water supply and re-use market sectors. For more information, please visit www.forwardwater.com .

About the WEFTEC Water Quality Event 2022

The WEFTEC is celebrating its 95th annual Technical and Exhibition Conference this year in New Orleans. This is the largest water/wastewater conference in North America, providing access to the most cutting-edge technologies in the field. With thousands of water and wastewater professionals from around the world in attendance each year, sharing their experience with trends, water quality and proven solutions. For more information, please visit https://www.weftec.org.

Mr. Howie Honeyman, Ph.D., President & Chief Executive Officer

Forward Water Technologies Corp.

howie.honeyman@forwardwater.com

For further information please contact:

Kayla.ferderber@forwardwater.com

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.

Forward Looking Statements

Certain statements contained in this news release constitute "forward-looking information" as such term is used in applicable Canadian securities laws. Forward-looking information is based on plans, expectations and estimates of management at the date the information is provided and is subject to certain factors and assumptions, including, that the Company's financial condition and development plans do not change as a result of unforeseen events and that the Company obtains any required regulatory approvals.

Forward-looking information is subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause plans, estimates and actual results to vary materially from those projected in such forward-looking information. Some of the risks and other factors that could cause results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to the need to obtain required approvals from regulatory authorities; stock market volatility as well as the other risks and uncertainties applicable to the Company as set forth in the Company's continuous disclosure filings filed under the Company's profile at www.sedar.com . The Company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements, other than as required by applicable law.

SOURCE: Forward Water Technologies Corp.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/718059/Forward-Water-Technologies-to-Exhibit-at-WEFTEC-Water-Quality-Event-2022
LONDON (dpa-AFX) - UK car production increased for the fourth straight month in August but volumes still remained below the pre-pandemic levels, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders or SMMT said Thursday. Car output logged a strong annual growth of 34.0 percent in August to 49,901 units. Nonetheless, the volume remained 45.9 percent below the pre-pandemic levels. The latest increase follows a very weak performance in August 2021 when production stoppages and extended summer shutdowns caused by the global chip shortage saw volumes plummet to historic lows. Production for domestic market advanced 33.1 percent and cars built for exports increased 34.2 percent. Year-to-date, overall production remained 13.3 percent down on the first eight months of 2021 at 511,106 units. The lobby observed that energy is now the single biggest concern for UK automotive manufacturers, with almost seven in 10 SMMT members worried about the impact of onerous cost increases on their business operations. With energy costs expected to more than double again next year, and with some manufacturers anticipating even steeper increases, longer term solutions must be found to assure the viability of the sector beyond the end of the cap in six months' time, the SMMT added. In a separate communique, the SMMT said the commercial vehicle production gained 92.9 percent to 6,132 units, marking the best August since 2012 and the eighth consecutive month of growth. Copyright(c) 2022 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.
Sappi Limited announced today that it has concluded an agreement with AURELIUS Investment Lux One S.a.r.l. ("AURELIUS") regarding the divesture of its Maastricht Mill in the Netherlands, its Stockstadt Mill in Germany and its Kirkniemi Mill in Finland (the "Transaction").

Steve Binnie, CEO of Sappi Limited commented: "We are very happy to have reached agreement with AURELIUS to take ownership of the three mills. Although they no longer fit in Sappi's portfolio, they are strong assets with good people.

"The decision to sell these mills follows a detailed and thorough strategic review by Sappi in line with our group Thrive25 strategic focus. This includes reducing exposure to the graphic paper segment while expanding Sappi's presence in segments including packaging and speciality papers, pulp and biomaterials. Recent investments across our South African, American and European operating businesses demonstrate this priority."

Sappi received binding offers from several parties. Following due process, the board of Sappi agreed to proceed with the offer from AURELIUS, a pan-European multi-asset manager group. The sale will be subject to various standard suspensive conditions. The sale is expected to close in the first calendar quarter of 2023 once all these conditions have been fulfilled. A transitional services agreement will also be entered into to ensure a smooth transition of the businesses between the parties.

The enterprise value of the sale amounts to approximately 272 million. The consideration consists of cash proceeds and retained receivables (212 million) as well as retained liabilities (60 million). The proceeds will be used to reduce debt further and continue to increase Sappi's focus on the identified growth segments. The net loss after tax attributable to the net assets of the three mills for the last twelve months ended 31 March 2022 was 6,5 million. Given the current volatile market conditions the EBITDA for the same period for the three mills was 58 million. As a comparison, the EBITDA for the pre-Covid period of twelve months to September 2019 for the three mills was 40 million.

Marco Eikelenboom, CEO of Sappi Europe explained: "Going forward Sappi's focus in Europe as regards graphic paper will be on the stronger commercial print market. In addition, in the packaging and specialities segment, the European business will predominantly focus on the flexible packaging, functional papers, self-adhesives including glassine, labels as well as dyesublimation categories.

"We believe this sale will help unlock potential value at each mill which would be best pursued by a new owner. Our strategic focus is on market segments not served by these mills."

"The market for pulp and paper products is of particular interest to AURELIUS considering our industrial sector expertise. We combine a proven track record in complex carve-outs with a deep understanding of how to identify and unlock value creation potential. Given these key traits, this transaction offers ample opportunity to unleash the full potential of these production sites", states Dr. Dirk Markus, Founding Partner of AURELIUS.

The mills included in the sale:

Sappi Maastricht Mill produces 260,000 ton per annum (tpa) of coated woodfree paper and paperboard mainly sold to printers and packaging converters globally

Sappi Stockstadt Mill is an integrated pulp and paper mill located in Germany, producing 145,000 tpa of pulp which is used to produce 220,000 tpa of coated and uncoated woodfree paper mainly sold into the European print market.

Sappi Kirkniemi Mill is an integrated pulp and paper mill located in Finland, producing 300,000 tpa of bleached mechanical pulp which is used to produce approximately 750 000 tpa of a variety of coated mechanical paper grades used in the print publication industry globally.

About Sappi

A global leader in dissolving pulp and paper-based solutions, Sappi Limited is headquartered in Johannesburg, South Africa; has over 12,000 employees; manufacturing facilities on three continents, in ten countries (ten operations in Europe, four operations in North America and five operations in South Africa) and customers in over 150 countries worldwide

Sappi works closely with customers to provide relevant and sustainable dissolving pulp, paper (speciality, packaging and graphic), paper pulp, and biomaterial products and related services and innovations. Our market-leading range of paper products includes: flexible packaging, label, release liner, containerboard, graphic papers, casting release papers and in our Southern African region newsprint, uncoated graphic and business papers. These products serve the fashion, FMCG and industrial sectors. Our dissolving pulp products are used worldwide by converters to produce viscose fibre, pharmaceutical products as well as a wide range of household and consumer products.

Sappi drives product innovation and the development of new uses for its renewable resource (woodfibre) as well as for the biomass and other residues from its production processes. One such area is in the field of biomaterials (cellulose composites, nanocellulose and lignins), biochemicals including hemi-cellulose sugars and bio-energy forest products materials which Sappi believes will play a key role in its future range of products, both as commercial products and for applications within Sappi.

We continue to grow into a profitable and cash-generative diversified business with an exciting future in woodfibre, a renewable resource. www.sappi.com

About AURELIUS Group

AURELIUS is a pan-European alternative investment firm. Deep operational expertise and experience enable AURELIUS to accelerate value creation within its portfolio companies. The Group has offices in London, Luxembourg, Munich, Amsterdam, Stockholm, Madrid, Milan, and Dusseldorf.

https://aurelius-group.com/

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220929005571/en/

Contacts:

For further information



Andre F Oberholzer

Group Head Corporate Affairs

Sappi Limited

Tel +27 (0)11 407 8044

Mobile +27 (0)83 235 2973

Andre.Oberholzer@sappi.com

Tracy Wessels

Group Head Investor Relations and

Sustainability

Sappi Limited

Tel +27 (0)11 407 8391

Mobile +27 (0)83 666 6589

Tracy.wessels@sappi.com

Kirsty Hector

Regional Communication Manager

Sappi Europe

Tel 32 (0) 2 676 97 00

Mobile 32 (0) 496 390 889

Kirsty.hector@sappi.com
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - September 29, 2022) - Los Andes Copper Ltd. (TSXV: LA), (OTCQX: LSANF) ("Los Andes" or the "Company") is pleased to report on progress on its Vizcachitas large-scale copper project in Chile.

The Pre-Feasibility study, ("PFS") continues to advance with the completion of the initial resource model for mine plan optimization. General engineering work, infrastructure planning, plant design and environmental considerations are all on track with the plan to complete the PFS in Q4 2022. The team of internal technical experts and the independent engineers at Tetra Tech are working towards the optimized operational mine plans. The successful drilling completed in 2022 has been incorporated into the resource model and opportunities to increase the potential project mining rate are being assessed. The restrictions on production rates in the current preliminary economic assessment, ("PEA") relate to the rate of opening the pit and principally the primary comminution and both these aspects are the subject of current engineering focus. The PEA has a 45-year life of mine so accelerating production would be a benefit to the project.

Environmental, and social aspects of the project are also a key considerations of ongoing design work for a modern mine. Bringing high pressure grinding rolls ("HPGR") and dry stacking of tailings have been incorporated into the mine design process cutting the planned water and energy use considerably. In addition, recently the Company has entered into a Letter of Intent for the procurement of desalinated water with plans to add to regional water infrastructure benefitting the project and the community.

R. Michael Jones, CEO of Los Andes, said: "The detailed engineering for the PFS is designed to take advantage of the successful drilling we have completed and the modern technology that allows for a reduced environmental footprint to bring out copper which the world will need in the years ahead.

Drilling is planned to resume soon with the objective of expanding the resources beyond those currently considered in the PFS. Large scale intercepts from 860 to 1,000 meters of mineralization announced previously in 2022 are not closed off in the deposit model. Following the July 2022 ruling, the Company promptly started the preparatory work to resume drilling which included the field work and filings. On September 28, 2022, the Environmental Court clarified the conditions to begin drilling, requiring agency approval of certain filings. As a result, we expect drilling to resume within 4Q 2022."

About Los Andes Copper Ltd.

Los Andes Copper Ltd. is a development company with a 100% interest in the Vizcachitas Project in Chile. The Company is focused on progressing the Vizcachitas Project, which is located along Chile's most prolific copper belt, into production.

Vizcachitas is a copper-molybdenum porphyry deposit, located 120 km north of Santiago, Chile, in an area of good infrastructure. The National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43-101") compliant report titled "Preliminary Economic Assessment of the Vizcachitas Project" (the "PEA"), dated June 13, 2019, prepared by Tetra Tech, highlights that the Vizcachitas Project has a post-tax NPV (8% discount rate) of approximately USD$1.8 billion and an IRR of 20.77%, based on a USD$3 per pound copper price. The Vizcachitas Project has a Measured Resource of 254.4 million tonnes at a grade of 0.439% copper and an Indicated Resource of approximately 1.03 billion tonnes at a grade of 0.385% copper. The PEA can be found on the Company's SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com.

The PEA is preliminary in nature, it includes inferred mineral resources that are considered too speculative geologically to have the economic considerations applied to them that would enable them to be categorized as mineral reserves, and there is no certainty that the PEA will be realized.

Los Andes Copper Ltd. is listed on the TSX-V under the ticker: LA.

Qualified Persons

Antony Amberg CGeol FGS, the Company's President and CEO, is the qualified person under NI 43-101 who has reviewed and approved the scientific and technical information contained in this news release.

For more information please contact:

R. Michael Jones , P.Eng CEO

rmj@losandescopper.com

Tel: +44 203 4407982

E-Mail: info@losandescopper.com or visit our website at: www.losandescopper.com

Follow us on Twitter @LosAndesCopper

Follow us on LinkedIn Los Andes Copper Ltd

Certain of the information and statements contained herein that are not historical facts, constitute "forward-looking information" within the meaning of the Securities Act (British Columbia), Securities Act (Ontario) and the Securities Act (Alberta) ("Forward-Looking Information"). Forward-Looking Information is often, but not always, identified by the use of words such as "seek", "anticipate", "believe", "plan", "estimate", "expect" and "intend"; statements that an event or result is "due" on or "may", "will", "should", "could", or might" occur or be achieved; and, other similar expressions. More specifically, Forward-Looking Information involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company, or industry results, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such Forward-Looking Information. Such Forward Looking Information includes, without limitation, the use of proceeds from the issuance of the Convertible Debenture. Such Forward-Looking Information is based upon the Company's assumptions regarding global and Chilean economic, political and market conditions and the price of metals and energy, and the Company's production. Among the factors that have a direct bearing on the Company's future results of operations and financial conditions are changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined, a change in government policies, competition, currency fluctuations and restrictions and technological changes, among other things. Should one or more of any of the aforementioned risks and uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from any conclusions, forecasts or projections described in the Forward-Looking Information. Accordingly, readers are advised not to place undue reliance on Forward-Looking Information. Except as required under applicable securities legislation, the Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise Forward-Looking Information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/138873
SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The global virtual cards market size is expected to reach USD 60.06 billion by 2030, expanding at a CAGR of 20.7% from 2022 to 2030, according to a new study conducted by Grand View Research, Inc. The increasing usage of digital payment platforms is creating the demand for virtual cards worldwide, which is anticipated to drive the growth of the market. In addition, various types of virtual cards offer the consumer a particular set of benefits, such as efficiency and convenience, which also bodes well for the growth of the market.





Key Industry Insights & Findings from the report:

The credit card segment is expected to witness the fastest growth during the forecast period. The growing e-commerce businesses worldwide is expected to drive the demand for virtual credit card among consumers, thereby contributing to the segment's growth.

The B2C remote payment virtual cards segment is expected to witness significant growth during the projected period. The growth of the segment can be attributed to the increasing real-time digital disbursements in mobile platforms worldwide.

The business use segment is anticipated to dominate the market during the forecast period. Businesses across the globe are adopting virtual card payments to streamline their payment processes and meet their evolving customer needs, which is one of the vital factors that propelled the segmental growth in 2021.

The Asia Pacific regional market is expected to witness the fastest growth during the projected period. The increasing internet penetration across the region is expected to play a decisive role in driving regional market growth.

Read 150-page market research report, 'Virtual Cards Market Size, Share & Trend Analysis Report By Card Type (Credit Card,Debit Card), By Product Type (B2B Virtual Cards), By Application (Business Use, Consumer Use), By Region, And Segment Forecasts, 2022 - 2030', published by Grand View Research.

Virtual Cards Market Growth & Trends

Virtual cards are changing the financial landscape by introducing a new level of protection for everyone involved in the payment transaction. Hospitality is one industry that has endorsed the use of virtual cards. Moreover, virtual cards are creating the possibility of making payments more dynamic during the check-in and check-out process for the consumers.

The investments being raised by virtual card solution providers are expected to create new possibilities for the growth of the market during the projected period. For instance, in May 2022, MasterCard and fintech company OPay announced their collaboration, paving the way for access to financial services and economic prosperity by bringing digital commerce to thousands of people in the Middle East and Africa. With this collaboration, OPay consumers and merchants in this region will be able to engage with brands and businesses anywhere in the world.

The COVID-19 pandemic is expected to play a crucial role in driving the growth of the market during the forecast period. People are opting for contactless and digital payments due to the pandemic outbreak, thereby opening new opportunities for the growth of the market. Furthermore, these cards offer contactless payment solutions and are widely accepted at most of the payment gateways and mobile applications such as PayPal and Google Pay which is projected to drive the market growth post-pandemic.

Virtual Cards Market Segmentation

Grand View Research has segmented the global virtual cards market based on card type, product type, application, and region:

Virtual Cards Market - Card Type Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2017 - 2030)

Credit Card

Debit Card

Virtual Cards Market - Product Type Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2017 - 2030)

B2B Virtual Cards

B2C Remote Payment Virtual Cards

C2B POS Virtual Cards

Virtual Cards Market - Application Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2017 - 2030)

Business Use

Consumer Use

Virtual Cards Market - Regional Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2017 - 2030)

North America

U.S.



Canada

Europe

Germany



U.K.

Asia Pacific

China



India



Japan

Latin America

Brazil

Middle East & Africa

List of Key Players in Virtual Cards Market

American Express Company

BTRS Holdings, Inc.

Wise Payments Limited

JPMorgan Chase & Co.

Marqeta, Inc.

Mastercard

Skrill USA , Inc.

, Inc. Stripe, Inc.

WEX, Inc.

Adyen

Check out more related studies published by Grand View Research:

Payment Processing Solutions Market - The global payment processing solutions market size is expected to reach USD 98.01 billion by 2027, registering a CAGR of 14.5% from 2020 to 2027, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. The market growth can be attributed to the emergence of digital technology and customers' demand for immediacy of transactions. The customers are looking for faster and convenient money transfer options, thereby driving the adoption of payment processing solutions.

The global payment processing solutions market size is expected to reach by 2027, registering a CAGR of 14.5% from 2020 to 2027, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. The market growth can be attributed to the emergence of digital technology and customers' demand for immediacy of transactions. The customers are looking for faster and convenient money transfer options, thereby driving the adoption of payment processing solutions. Digital Payment Market - The global digital payment market size is expected to reach USD 361.30 billion by 2030, expanding at a CAGR of 20.5% over the forecast period, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. The market growth can be attributed to the growing volume of cashless transactions worldwide. According to PwC, a consulting company, the global volume of cashless payments is expected to increase by more than 80% between 2020 and 2025, to nearly 1.9 trillion by 2025 from nearly 1 trillion transactions in 2020. The rising demand for digital payments has encouraged several smartwatch providers to introduce enhanced smartwatches capable of making contactless payments.

- The global digital payment market size is expected to reach by 2030, expanding at a CAGR of 20.5% over the forecast period, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. The market growth can be attributed to the growing volume of cashless transactions worldwide. According to PwC, a consulting company, the global volume of cashless payments is expected to increase by more than 80% between 2020 and 2025, to nearly 1.9 trillion by 2025 from nearly 1 trillion transactions in 2020. The rising demand for digital payments has encouraged several smartwatch providers to introduce enhanced smartwatches capable of making contactless payments. Dual Interface Payment Card Market - The global dual interface payment card market size is expected to reach USD 23.66 billion by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 16.2% from 2022 to 2030, according to a new study conducted by Grand View Research, Inc. The market is anticipated to witness growth due to the increasing usage of payment cards across the globe. For instance, in June 2021 , according to the Smart Payment Association (SPA), payment cards consist of 40-60% of total online payments made, either directly or indirectly. At the same time, the strong emphasis of payment service providers on offering enhanced payment solutions to their customers is expected to propel growth.

Browse through Grand View Research's Next Generation Technologies Industry Research Reports.

About Grand View Research

Grand View Research, U.S.-based market research and consulting company, provides syndicated as well as customized research reports and consulting services. Registered in California and headquartered in San Francisco, the company comprises over 425 analysts and consultants, adding more than 1200 market research reports to its vast database each year. These reports offer in-depth analysis on 46 industries across 25 major countries worldwide. With the help of an interactive market intelligence platform, Grand View Research Helps Fortune 500 companies and renowned academic institutes understand the global and regional business environment and gauge the opportunities that lie ahead.

Contact:

Sherry James

Corporate Sales Specialist, USA

Grand View Research, Inc.

Phone: 1-415-349-0058

Toll Free: 1-888-202-9519

Email: sales@grandviewresearch.com

Web: https://www.grandviewresearch.com

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Intelligence Company Working with Ministry of Digitalization of Ukraine and National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine

KIEV, Ukraine and BOSTON, Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Recorded Future, the world's largest intelligence company, today announced a hiring initiative in Ukraine with the support of the Ministry of Digitalization of Ukraine and the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine. Before 2025, the company is committed to hiring up to 100 personnel in Ukraine.





Ukraine has a long standing and strong IT industry with superb developers of software. Recorded Future has been very impressed with the quality of the Ukrainian software, DevOps, and quality assurance engineers that the company has used extensively for a long time and recognize that there is a huge opportunity for Ukraine to continue to build on this strength. The parties expect that this agreement will lead to important competency development in large scale cloud development, intelligence collection, artificial intelligence and other intelligence and defense software technologies in Ukraine.

"Building a strong Ukrainian software/IT industry with global impact will be instrumental in the rebuilding of Ukraine. The future is internet centric and Ukraine has an opportunity to build an industry with global reach for the next 100 years, based on our strong educational system and engineering traditions. Collaborating with a SaaS leader such as Recorded Future is the start of much to come." - Yegor Dubynskyi, Deputy Minister of Digital Transformation of Ukraine

"Fighting a modern war is inherently internet centric - be it on the battlefield, in public information space, or in cyber/IT space, and having access to the very best intelligence to help deter and defeat the adversary is critical. We're looking forward to continuing our deep collaboration with Recorded Future in the defense of our country." -Serhii Demediuk, Deputy Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine

As we have continuously stated, Recorded Future is not neutral regarding the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The company has applied, and will continue to apply, its full resources and capabilities to help Ukraine through the dissemination of its intelligence, threat briefings, and intelligence collaboration with entities within the Ukrainian public sector. The company is seeking to expand its presence in Ukraine with roles such as software developers, engineers, data scientists and intelligence analysts, among others.

"In order to provide the best intelligence to secure the free world, companies need to choose where and how to operate. Recorded Future's mission is to empower organizations with intelligence so that they can proactively defend against threats at the speed and scale of the internet. I am confident that the will of the Ukrainian people, when augmented with the assistance of its allies and the community, will ultimately prevail to secure their sovereignty and peace in their rightful borders." - Dr. Christopher Ahlberg, CEO and Co-Founder, Recorded Future

For information on open positions at Recorded Future, visit https://www.recordedfuture.com/jobs .

About Recorded Future

Recorded Future is the world's largest intelligence company. Recorded Future's Intelligence Cloud provides complete coverage across adversaries, infrastructure, and targets. By combining persistent and pervasive automated data collection and analytics with human analysis, Recorded Future provides real-time visibility into the digital landscape and empowers clients to take proactive action to disrupt adversaries and keep their people, systems, and infrastructure safe. Headquartered in Boston with offices and employees around the world, Recorded Future works with over 1,500 businesses and government organizations across more than 64 countries. Learn more at recordedfuture.com .

Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/705622/Recorded_Future_Logo.jpg

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/recorded-future-partners-with-ukraine-for-hiring-initiative-301636787.html
NOTTINGHAM, England, Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Oxilio, a pioneering drug development company repurposing existing drugs to address unmet needs in cancer treatment, and Quotient Sciences, a drug development and manufacturing accelerator, today announced an update on the development of Oxilio's OXL001 product.

Oxilio is pleased to announce that it has received approval from the UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and Research Ethics Committee (REC) for its first Clinical Trial Application (CTA) with OXL001.

Following initial formulation development by Oxilio in collaboration with its partner company, TRx Biosciences, Quotient Sciences' integrated Translational Pharmaceutics platform has been used to carry out the technical transfer and scale-up activities associated with this program and will continue to be used to support clinical trial material manufacturing and the investigation of the pharmacokinetics and safety of OXL001 in healthy volunteers.

Mark Egerton, PhD, CEO of Quotient Sciences, said: "We are delighted to be able to continue to assist Oxilio with their OXL001 program. By leveraging our unique, integrated Translational Pharmaceutics platform, Oxilio will have the flexibility to adjust doses based on emerging clinical data within their study, enabling us to improve their likelihood of success, reduce their development time, and ultimately get new medicines to patients faster."

Dr Simon Yaxley, Director of Oxilio, added: "Utilizing Quotient Sciences Translational Pharmaceutics platform has enabled us to successfully achieve this important milestone of receiving regulatory approval to undertake our first Phase 1 clinical trial with OXL001. We look forward to commencing this study within the next few weeks."

About Quotient Sciences

Quotient Sciences is a drug development and manufacturing accelerator providing integrated programs and tailored services across the entire development pathway. Cutting through silos across a range of drug development capabilities, we save precious time and money in getting drugs to patients. Everything we do for our customers is driven by an unswerving belief that ideas need to become solutions, and molecules need to become cures, fast. Because humanity needs solutions, fast. For more information, please visit quotientsciences.com.

About Oxilio

Oxilio is a pioneering pharmaceutical drug development company improving cancer treatment through rapid, cost-effective drug development. Our mission is to identify, repurpose, and commercialize existing drugs to address unmet needs in cancer therapy. We find new uses for old drugs, a proven approach that involves less risk, time, and cost to bring a drug to the marketplace. Through repurposing, reformulation, and gold-standard modeling and simulations, we are fast-tracking disruptive drug development at speed and at low cost.

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/oxilio-and-quotient-sciences-announce-regulatory-approval-for-oxilios-oxl001-development-program-301636734.html
Half-year revenues at 8.3 million (-14% vs. H1 2021) and gross margin rate at 35% vs. 43% in H1 2021, unfavorable seasonal revenue effect concerning the contract with Linde, which should be recovered in H2 2022

Continued rebalancing of the business model towards direct sales, representing 36% of new orders in H1 2022 vs. 19% in 2021

Order intake at 11 million, up 25% vs. H1 2021

Increased Sales Marketing investments to support the development of the direct sales model

Linde is signing a new order commitment contract for 11.5 million for 2023

Regulatory News:

BALYO (FR0013258399, Ticker: BALYO, PEA-PME eligible) (Paris:BALYO), a technology leader in the design and development of innovative robotic solutions for industrial trucks, today announces its results for the first half of 2022, approved by the Board of Directors on September 21, 2022.

Pascal Rialland, CEO of BALYO, said: "The first half of 2022 is marked by the speed-up of direct sales and increased investments, particularly in sales teams, in order to boost the development of the direct sales channel. 18 months after the start of marketing BALYO solutions in direct sales, the Company must continue to build its commercial and operational independence over the coming months. In 2023, BALYO will be able to rely on a final order commitment from Linde of 11.5 million. After this date, the partnership will remain, but without any hard commitment from Linde as historical partner. With the strong commercial momentum of direct sales, BALYO expects significant growth in its order intake in 2023. In this respect, the Company will disclose early next year its sales and operating profit targets. In the nearer term, revenues for the second half of 2022 should benefit from the commitment of orders from Linde and the growing share of direct sales. As a result, the Company expects a loss slightly higher for the whole 2022 fiscal year compared to the one recorded for the first half of 2022."

First half 2022 activity

As announced on the occasion of the release of the revenues for the first half of 2022, BALYO reports revenues of 8.3 million, down by -14% compared to the first half of 2021. This decrease is mainly explained by an unfavorable seasonal effect concerning deliveries made to its partner Linde Material Handling. BALYO is expecting a recovery of its revenues in the second half of 2022.

After taking into account new orders for 4.7 million in the second quarter of 2022, the order backlog1 as of June 30, 2022 amounted to 11 million, compared to 8.8 million as of June 30, 2021, a strong increase (+25%) compared to the first half of 2021. It is also important to highlight that more than 50% of direct orders were generated in the United States.

The United States thus represents now the most important commercial region for BALYO in terms of direct orders.

At the same time, BALYO has also entered into key partnerships during the past six months with leading players. The first one with Bollore Logistics, with the implementation of BALYO solutions in the Asia-Pacific zone and the support of its partner towards operational excellence. BALYO also signed a contract with Auchan to manage 2,000 of the retailer's pallets within its logistics platform located in the South-East of Paris.

2022 Half-Year financial results

In million H1 2022 H1 2021 Change Sales revenue 8.29 9.61 -14% Cost of sales -5.43 -5.50 -1% Gross profit 2.86 4.11 -30% Gross margin rate 35% 43% -19% Research and Development -2.46 -2.00 +23% Sales and Marketing -1.48 -1.07 +38% General and administrative expenses -3.68 -2.72 +35% Share-based payment expense -0.21 -0.11 +91% Operating loss -4.98 -1.70 -193% Financial expense -0.02 -0.02 Net loss -5.00 -1.72 -191% Cash position (as of June 30) 6.68 6.37

The decline in revenues during the period, together with a stable cost of sales compared to last year, resulted in a decline in gross margin to 2.9 million and a gross margin rate of 35% compared to 4.1 million and 43% in H1 2021.

Operating expenses amounted to 7.6 million, up 32% compared to the first half of 2021. This change is mainly due to higher personnel expenses related to the increase in the number of employees, travel expenses as well as external services. Expenses allocated to R&D, Sales and Marketing and General Expenses are up respectively by 23%, 38% and 35%.

At the end of June 2022, BALYO accounts 150 employees, compared to 143 employees at the end of December 2021.

After taking these items into account, the operating loss for the period sets at -5.0 million, compared with -1.7 million in H1 2021.

The financial result is stable at -0.02 million, the latest includes mainly the interest charges of BALYO.

In total, net loss for the first half of 2022 amounts to -5.0 million, compared to -1.7 million in H1 2021.

As of June 30, 2022, the Company's cash and cash equivalents position sets at 6.7 million compared to 6.4 million as of June 30, 2021. Given the information currently in its hands and as already disclosed at the beginning of the year, the Company considers that it will be able to meet its 12-month maturities at the closing date of the half-yearly accounts and does not anticipate a capital increase in 2022.

Master agreement with Linde for an order commitment of 11.5 million in 2023

Since the beginning of 2021, BALYO has been allowed to market its solutions directly in the market in order to build its commercial and operational independence. The Company had before an exclusive commercial relationship with its two industrial partners, Hyster-Yale and Linde Material Handling.

In 2021, direct orders represented 19% of new orders compared to 36% over the last six months, illustrating the fast-moving success of the transition towards this new sales model.

BALYO has just negotiated a last contract of order commitment with Linde Material Handling for 11.5 million for the year 2023. The partnership between the two companies will continue after this date, without involving each year firm annual orders.

In the coming months, BALYO plans to continue accelerating direct sales in order to be commercially independent from 2024 onwards.

Strategy and outlook

In the second half of 2022, BALYO will continue to execute its business plan with strong growth expected in direct sales, supported by the strengthening of sales and service teams, which will continue to reduce commercial dependence on historically exclusive partners.

With regard to the supply of certain electronic components and the extension of lead times, BALYO remains cautious in the current context. The increase in production costs has had an impact, still limited, on the H1 Company's margins of the robotic kits, in connection with the increase in raw material prices as well as the extension of the supply lead times of electronic components as well as the handling carts for the projects sold directly. The Company expects an impact on revenues in the third quarter of 2022 which should be partially offset in the last quarter of 2022. The Company is not yet in a position to confirm at this stage the exact impact on 2022 revenues of supply delays.

Next BALYO financial release: 2022 Third quarter sales, October 27, 2022 after market close.

BALYO has made available to the public and submitted to the Autorite des marches financiers its half-year financial report as of June 30, 2022.

The half-year financial report is available on BALYO's website at www.balyo.com, in the "Documentation" section.

ABOUT BALYO

Humans around the World deserve enriching and creative jobs. At BALYO, we believe that pallet movements in DC and manufacturing sites should be left to fully autonomous robots. To execute this ambition, BALYO transforms standard forklifts into intelligent robots thanks to its breakthrough Driven by Balyo technology. Our leading geo guidance navigation system enables robots to locate their position and navigate autonomously inside buildings without the need for any additional infrastructure. To accelerate the material handling market conversion to autonomy, BALYO has entered into two global partnerships with KION (Fenwick-Linde's parent company) and Hyster-Yale Group. A full range of globally available robots has been developed for virtually all traditional warehousing applications; Tractor, Pallet, Stackers, Reach and VNA-robots. BALYO and its subsidiaries in Boston and Singapore serve clients in the Americas, Europe and Asia-Pacific. The company has been listed on EURONEXT since 2017 and its sales revenue reached 21.8 million in 2021. For more information, visit www.balyo.com.

1 The backlog refers to all orders for projects received but not yet fulfilled. The backlog evolves every quarter following the taking into account of new orders, the revenue generated by projects during the period and the cancellation of orders

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220929005681/en/

Contacts:

BALYO

Frank Chuffart

investors@balyo.com

NewCap

Investor Relations

Thomas Grojean Louis-Victor Delouvrier

Tel: +33 1 44 71 98 53

balyo@newcap.eu
SKYGROUND is a fully independent group of fintech companies.

Zurich, Switzerland--(Newsfile Corp. - September 29, 2022) - When Alexander and Konstantin Oelfke - both of whom have decades of experience across the business, fintech, and investment worlds - noticed a disconnect in access between investors and certain financial and technology products, they immediately set about finding a solution. Now, the brothers are pleased to announce the launch of SKYGROUND (https://www.skyground.group/) - a fintech solution that creates real access to the capital markets with an innovative network of companies and brands.

Konstantin, who has an extensive background in corporate finance, operational excellence, project management, and employee engagement, explains, "We noticed that for the average person, there was no real access to certain financial technologies, and when products were available, the prices were high. Additionally, even really transparent investment vehicles can obscure the full picture. That needed to change, and we were the ones who could do it."

Alexander, with a different background and knowledge base, perfectly complements what his brother brings to the table. He is highly experienced in financial structuring, business development, online marketing, user acquisition, trading and risk management.

Together, they have the knowledge and background required to cover all aspects of a successful fintech company, backed by a strong and trusted team with experience from a range of related industries.

SKYGROUND uses innovative, stable, and secure technology to provide individuals and businesses access to financial markets and products by offering various services tailored to what clients need. These include services such as fund distribution, banking, and trading.

On a mission to make the elite funds business more accessible, they are offering a range of investments for the B2C market, by working closely with clients to structure an ideal investment vehicle and assist with the required procedures involved with setup, raising capital and B2C distribution.

Another project in the SKYGROUND ecosystem is the development of a digital bank with full access to banking, investments, and wealth management products. This will include mobile banking and trading, digital wealth management, and financial assistance in one product.

Initially, the primary focus for SKYGROUND will be the development of its client-centric trading infrastructure, which grants users access to a broad range of financial products. This includes trading and investment across global markets and B2B and B2C products. In addition, the platform has an agile licensing and operational structure that allows SKYGROUND to easily onboard clients and partners worldwide.

SKYGROUND B2B is an end-to-end turnkey solution which provides a complete trading set-up with MetaTrader 4/5 white label, Copy Trading and Web Trader. On top of that, there's additional services such as marketing, PSP introductions and onboardings, company set-up, and support with the licensing process. It is a client-centric trading platform that grants users access to a broad range of financial products.

The result is a one-stop-shop with quick and easy entry to the Forex markets using best-in-class technology and processes that are proven to work. An all-in-one package of software solutions and services that keeps costs low and lets users easily and quickly launch a new FOREX brokerage within weeks.

Alexander adds, "Our goal is to enable our clients to be self-sufficient. We will do this by providing secure access to financial markets and the tools to capitalize on possibilities. Our holistic approach and creative thinking will result in significant benefits for our clients long into the future. SKYGROUND will continue to be a source of inspiration, new experiences, and discoveries."

More information on SKYGROUND, its platform, services, and offerings, can be found on its website https://www.skyground.group/.

SKYGROUND Services Ltd. is an independent group of fintech companies. Its innovative network consists of brands and companies that create synergies and operate in a progressive manner. The group benefits from deep market knowledge and investments in profitable business enterprises, including partnerships. As a strong partner, the group ensures its portfolio companies have all the support to keep focused and achieve their business vision. The goal is to create real access to the capital market by providing clients with the tools to navigate easily and efficiently to capitalize on their financial possibilities. SKYGROUND uses innovative, stable, and secure technology to provide individuals and businesses access to financial markets and products by offering various services tailored to what the client needs. These include services and products such as fund distribution, banking, and trading.

Media contact

Hannah Frojd | Chief Marketing Officer

E hannah@skyground.group

www.skyground.group

General inquiries contact@skyground.group

Sales inquiries sales@skyground.group

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/138886
Finsbury Growth & Income Trust Plc - Transaction in Own Shares

For immediate release

29 September 2022

FINSBURY GROWTH & INCOME TRUST PLC

(the "Company")

MARKET PURCHASE OF COMPANY'S OWN SHARES

The Company announces that it has today purchased 150,000 of its own shares ("Ordinary Shares") at a price of 779.19 pence per Ordinary Share. Such shares will be held in treasury by the Company.

The transaction was made pursuant to the authority granted at the Annual General Meeting of the Company held on 9 February 2022.

Following this transaction, the total number of Ordinary Shares held by the Company in treasury is 9,003,311; the total number of Ordinary Shares that the Company has in issue, less the total number of Ordinary Shares held by the Company in treasury following such purchase, and therefore, the total number of voting rights in the Company is 215,987,992.

The figure of 215,987,992 may be used by shareholders as the denominator for calculations of interests in the Company's voting rights in accordance with the FCA's Disclosure Guidance and Transparency Rules.

For and on behalf of

Frostrow Capital LLP

Company Secretary

For further information, please contact:

Victoria Hale

Frostrow Capital LLP

Tel: 020 3 170 8732
MELBOURNE, Australia, Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Sapia.ai, creator of the world's first Smart Interviewer, has joined forces with SmartRecruiters, a global leader in enterprise recruitment software, to bring the first and only chat-based assessment tool to the SmartRecruiters integrations marketplace.

Recruiters that use Sapia's Smart Interviewer via the SmartRecruiters Marketplace will now be able to dramatically accelerate time to hire and fulfill their diversity objectives.

This new partnership will mean that Sapia's Smart Interviewer is the only fully automated apply-to-offer workflow on the market.

Sapia CEO, Barb Hyman, said that chat-based assessment is a game-changer for any company that needs to hire the best talent, quickly and at scale.

"This partnership is a win for companies needing to hire at F1 velocity, with an experience that is loved by all candidates - to date, 2 million across 47 countries," Hyman said.

"Our Smart Interviewer is an assessment, interview, and feedback tool in one that also solves inclusion and diversity issues. It's blind, untimed, and gives every candidate feedback."

Sapia's Smart Interviewer can be used for any role and any sector. Customers use the technology to assess candidates for values, scale culture, assess for competencies, or find the best people for key roles. The technology gives talent acquisition teams massive time savings and transforms employer brand.

Sapia's innovative chat technology has recently garnered global recognition for its work in mitigating gender bias and for its ethical AI. Recently, the company also won an innovation award at Vivatech Paris, claiming the 'cutting edge technologies and employee experience' category .

Sapia.ai has offices in Melbourne and Sydney, Australia, along with Chicago in the United States and London supporting the EMEA market, allowing support for companies across the globe.

About Sapia.ai

Sapia's mission is to build a fairer, more human world through ethical AI. Using the world's first Smart Interviewer, powered by the world's largest source of first-party proprietary text data and advanced Natural Language Processing, Sapia turns simple text conversations into unprecedented talent intelligence - enabling organizations to interrupt hiring bias at scale, get to the right talent fast, and give every candidate an experience they love.

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/3251241/

Twitter: @get_sapia

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SapiaAi/

Instagram: @sapia.ai

About SmartRecruiters

As a global leader in enterprise recruitment software, SmartRecruiters offers a cloud-based global Talent Acquisition Suite that allows teams to attract, select, and hire the best talent. 4,000 companies worldwide rely on SmartRecruiters to achieve hiring success - including brands like Bosch, LinkedIn, Skechers, and Visa - using recruitment marketing, CRM, AI, ATS, and a marketplace of 600+ connected vendors all within one scalable platform.

For more information, visit www.smartrecruiters.com or follow @SmartRecruiters on Twitter or LinkedIn .

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/sapia-and-smartrecruiters-partnership-brings-world-first-ai-smart-interviewer-to-integrations-marketplace-301633974.html
Wilmington, Delaware--(Newsfile Corp. - September 29, 2022) - Following the successful launch of its NFT marketplace last November, Niftify is now expanding its scope and releasing an industry-leading turnkey NFT e-commerce platform. Niftify allows anyone to create and operate custom NFT stores and marketplaces, with no coding required. The Niftify platform also takes the guesswork out of licensing and regulations by ensuring that its services are compliant and secure. Seeing the potential that NFT technology holds for driving and expanding opportunities across different industries, hundreds of businesses are already on its waiting list.

The platform offers a wide variety of themed templates and style options to choose from, giving customers an easy onramp to building out their Web3 presence with a featured NFT store or marketplace. Nearly everything can be customized, including products, and terms of use, making the whole experience as simple as possible. Creating NFTs in the platform follows an intuitive step-by-step interface that supports categorization, tagging, minting multiple copies and presenting in collections.

Based on open interoperability standards, Niftify supports connecting with the most popular wallets, as well as offering a custodial wallet of its own. Niftify lets verified customers begin securely buying, selling, and swapping NFTs almost immediately. Currently Niftify operates on Ethereum and Polygon, and will expand to other networks. Multiple fiat payment options are available as well, including credit cards, ApplePay, GPay, and Samsung Pay. Niftify ensures its customers' business interactions are secure and safe by requiring verification by all NFT sellers and keeping its platform up-to-date with all legal and security requirements.

An SDK will also be forthcoming to support deeper integrations and custom implementations, as well as advanced reporting with analytics to give businesses even more insight into the performance of their stores and marketplaces.

Niftify CEO and co-founder Bruno Ver emphasized that "Niftify strives to be a complete and compliant solution to stimulate mass adoption primarily through ease of use. Launching our Platform-as-a-Service makes the infinite possibilities of NFTs and Web3 accessible to everyone."

Innovative use cases for NFTs are rapidly expanding and Niftify has already embarked on a number of partnerships, with deals signed across different industries that will be announced soon.

Visit Niftify at www.niftify.io and sign up for a free trial.

About Niftify:

Niftify is an industry-leading regulatory-compliant NFT e-commerce platform with all the tools necessary for Web2 brands to enter Web3 from their own website. With simplicity as its guiding principle, Niftify provides an innovative platform-as-a-service solution offering a seamless and all-inclusive NFT builder for custom NFT stores and marketplaces. Niftify eliminates the need for coding, blockchain development, and even licensing headaches while giving customers plenty of room to scale and maximize revenues directly from their own website.

Feel to reach out to Thiago de Marco at inquiries@niftify.io for any queries.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/136055
Edmonton, Alberta--(Newsfile Corp. - September 29, 2022) - Pacylex Pharmaceuticals has dosed 16 patients in the early phase clinical trials of the company's new cancer drug, PCLX-001. PCLX-001 is an N-myristoyltransferase (NMT) inhibitor that targets the lipid modification of proteins that initiate the signaling pathways for the proliferation and survival of cancer cells, especially in leukemia and lymphoma. The drug is a once-per-day capsule that has been dosed in 16 solid tumor and non Hodgkin's lymphoma patents to date without any dose limiting toxicities.

In September 2021, Pacylex Pharmaceuticals began a Phase 1 open label, dose escalation clinical trial of PCLX-001 at the University of Alberta Cross Cancer Institute to examine the safety and tolerability of the drug and determine the dose to be used in initial efficacy studies. In December 2021, Pacylex announced the results of the first patients dosed with PCLX-001 at the American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual meeting and Exposition. An abstract of the clinical study was also published online in the November supplemental issue of 'Blood'.

Pacylex has safely completed 4 dose cohorts reaching target drug exposure levels in patients expected to provide benefit in leukemia and lymphoma. The study has confirmed that once-per-day oral administration of PCLX-001 is sufficient to achieve target drug exposure. The company has started a 5th dose level and will continue to escalate doses as long as they are well tolerated by patients. The study is continuing to enroll patients at four Canadian cancer centers, the University of Alberta Cross Cancer Institute, Princess Margaret Hospital in Toronto, Center Hospitalier de l'Universite de Montreal (CHUM) and the BC Cancer Agency in Vancouver. The plan is to enroll 20-30 patients in the initial phase.

Pacylex Pharmaceuticals has presented its progress in the development of this new drug at professional conferences like the American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting in December 2021 and the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting in April 2022. The results of its studies and clinical trials have been published in industry journals like 'Nature Communications', and 'Breast Cancer Research and Treatment'.

What makes PCLX-001 different from other drugs used for the treatment of cancer is that it targets the origin of the signaling process used by cancer cells to rapidly proliferate and survive. By inhibiting and stopping this process right at the beginning, oral administration of the drug induces apoptosis, or cell death, in just a few days.

Commenting on the company's ambitious plans for the future, CEO of Pacylex, Dr. Michael Weickert, said, "Cancer has many different origins and causes and no silver bullet has been developed to defeat them all. But as each cancer mechanism is discovered, new strategies are developed to defeat it. Pacylex has discovered a new cancer mechanism and is developing PCLX-001 to defeat it. In in-vitro tests, PCLX-001 has been shown to eliminate leukemia and lymphoma tumors. We found that in many animal models, it also inhibits lung and breast cancer tumors. Our focus is now on proving the efficacy and safety of the drug through human clinical studies. We have already achieved our goal of drug exposure in phase one clinical trials so we will seek Series B investors to support two Phase 2 programs in leukemia (AML) and lymphoma (DLBCL), and an expansion study in solid tumor patients. The end goal is to file for initial regulatory approval in at least one indication by 2025 and make this drug widely available to indicated cancer patients worldwide at an affordable cost. The convenience of an oral, once-per-day pill also stands out in the current environment of immunotherapies and cell-based treatment strategies."

About Pacylex Pharmaceuticals

Pacylex is a pharmaceutical firm based in Edmonton, Canada, that is developing a new first-in-class therapeutic drug for hematologic and solid cancers. Pacylex began clinical studies of the drug in Canada in September 2021 and is currently seeking funds for Phase 2 of clinical trials.

Media contact

Name: Michael J. Weickert

Email address: michael.weickert@pacylex.com

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/138904
VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / September 29, 2022 / The Power Play by The Market Herald has announced the release of a new interview with Avalon Advanced Materials discussing their latest news.

The Power Play by The Market Herald provides investors with a quick snapshot of what they need to know about the company's latest press release through exclusive insights and interviews with company executives.

Avalon (TSX:AVL) signs off-take agreement for Petalite concentrates from major international glass-ceramics manufacturer

Avalon Advanced Materials (AVL) has secured a commitment to purchase petalite concentrates produced at the company's Separation Rapids Lithium Project north of Kenora, Ontario. The off-take agreement is with a major non-Chinese international glass ceramic manufacturer. President & CEO Don Bubar sat down with Daniella Atkinson to discuss the news.

For the full interview with Don Bubar and to learn about Avalon Advanced Materials, click here.

Interviews for The Power Play by The Market Herald are released daily. To learn more about the companies featured in The Power Play or to explore our other interviews visit? The Power Play by The Market Herald.

About The Market Herald

The Market Herald Canada is the leading source of authoritative breaking stock market news for self-directed investors. Our team of Canadian markets reporters, editors and technologists covers the entire listed company universe in Canada. We cover over 3,985 businesses, their people, their investors, and their customers. We write the stories that move the Canadian capital markets.

DISCLAIMER: Report Card Canada Media Ltd. ("Report Card") is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Market Herald Limited, an Australian company ("Market Herald"). Report Card is not an advisory service, and does not offer, buy, sell, or provide any other rating, analysis or opinion on the securities we discuss. We are retained and compensated by the companies that we provide information on to assist them with making information available to the public. All information available on themarketherald.ca and/or this press release should be considered as commercial advertisement and not an endorsement, offer or recommendation to buy or sell securities. Report Card is not registered with any financial or securities regulatory authority in any province or territory of Canada, will not be performing any registerable activity as defined by the applicable regulatory bodies and do not provide nor claim to provide investment advice or recommendations to any visitor of this site or readers of any content on or originating from themarketherald.ca. Market Herald and/or its affiliates and/or their respective officers, directors or employees may from time to time acquire, hold or sell securities and/or commodities and/or commodity futures contracts in certain underlying companies mentioned in this site and which may also be clients of Market Herald's affiliates. In such instances, Market Herald and/or its affiliates and/or their respective officers, directors or employees will use all reasonable efforts to avoid engaging in activities that would lead to conflicts of interest and Market Herald and/or its affiliates will use all reasonable efforts to comply with conflicts of interest disclosures and regulations to minimize any conflict. All the information on this document and/or the website - themarketherald.ca - is published in good faith and for general information purpose only. Report Card does not make any warranties about the completeness, reliability, and accuracy of this information. Any action you take upon the information you find on this document and/or website (themarketherald.ca) is strictly at your own risk. Report Card will not be liable for any losses and/or damages in connection with the use of our website. From our website, you can visit other websites by following hyperlinks to such external sites. While we strive to provide only quality links to useful and ethical websites, we have no control over the content and nature of these sites. These links to other websites do not imply a recommendation for all the content found on these sites. Site owners and content may change without notice and may occur before we have the opportunity to remove a link which may have gone 'bad'. Please be also aware that when you leave our website, other sites may have different privacy policies and terms which are beyond our control. Please be sure to check the Privacy Policies of these sites as well as their "Terms of Service" before engaging in any business or uploading any information.

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marketing@themarketherald.ca

themarketherald.ca

SOURCE:?The Market Herald

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/718228/The-Power-Play-by-The-Market-Herald-Releases-a-New-Interview-With-Avalon-Advanced-Materials-Discussing-Their-Latest-News
Calgary, Alberta--(Newsfile Corp. - September 29, 2022) - Bengal Energy Ltd. (TSX: BNG) ("Bengal") is pleased to announce that the nominees listed in the information circular - proxy statement dated August 24, 2022, were elected as directors of Bengal. The detailed results of the vote for the election of directors held at its annual and special meeting of shareholders on September 28, 2022, in Calgary, Alberta are set out below.

Election of Directors

On a vote by ballot, each of the following six nominees proposed by management was elected as a director of Bengal:

Nominee Votes For Votes Withheld Peter Lansom 410,014,998 (99.9%) 1,460 (0.01%) Chayan Chakrabarty 410,014,998 (99.9%) 1,460 (0.01%) James B. Howe 409,998,713 (99.9%) 17,745 (0.01%) Brian J. Moss 410,014,998 (99.9%) 1,460 (0.01%) Robert D. Steele 409,998,713 (99.9%) 17,745 (0.01%) W.B. (Bill) Wheeler 405,134,204 (98.81%) 4,882,254 (1.19%)

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:

Bengal Energy Ltd.

Chayan Chakrabarty, President & Chief Executive Officer

Jerrad Blanchard, Chief Financial Officer

Phone: (403) 205-2526

Email: investor.relations@bengalenergy.ca

Website: www.bengalenergy.ca

About Bengal

Bengal Energy Ltd. is an international junior oil and gas exploration and production company with assets in Australia. Bengal is committed to growing shareholder value through international exploration, production and acquisitions. Bengal's common shares trade on the TSX under the symbol "BNG". Additional information is available at www.bengalenergy.ca.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/138901
WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - After moving sharply higher in the previous session, the price of crude oil fluctuated over the course of the trading day on Thursday before closing in negative territory. Crude for November delivery slid $0.92 or 1.1 percent $81.23 a barrel after spiking $3.65 or 4.7 percent to $82.15 a barrel on Wednesday. Concerns about the outlook for energy demand contributed to the pullback by oil prices amid ongoing worries about a potential global recession. However, a report from Reuters indicating the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and its allies, known as OPEC+, are considering reducing output at a meeting next week helped limit the downside. One OPEC source told Reuters a cut was 'likely,' while two other OPEC+ sources said key members had spoken about the reducing output. Copyright(c) 2022 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX

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Mr. Richard Rosenblum, Dr. Colleen Delaney, and Mr. Charles Farrahar Appointed to the Board of Directors

Bring a Combined 75 Years of Financial and Pharmaceutical Expertise

SUWANEE, GA / ACCESSWIRE / September 29, 2022 / ViCapsys Life Sciences, Inc., (OTC PINK:VICP) ("ViCapsys" or the "Company"), today announced the appointment of Mr. Richard Rosenblum, Dr. Colleen Delaney, and Mr. Charles Farrahar to the Company's Board of Directors, effective September 22, 2022. In conjunction with these additions, Dr. John Potts and Mr. Michael Yurkowsky will be resigning from the Board of Directors. Dr. Potts will remain a board observer and advisor to ViCapsys.

"I am very pleased to announce the addition of Richard, Colleen, and Charles to the ViCapsys Board of Directors," said Federico Pier, Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of ViCapsys. "The trio brings significant financial and pharmaceutical experience that will be complementary to our existing board. Their insights will be critical to leading our organization at this transformational time. We would also like to extend our appreciation to Dr. John Potts and Michael Yurkowsky, who will be resigning from the Board of Directors after serving the Company for eight and three years, respectively. I want to thank them for their dedication to ViCapsys."

Mr. Rosenblum, Dr. Delaney, and Mr. Farrahar jointly added, "This is a pivotal time for ViCapsys as the Company looks to accelerate its strategic plan to achieve beneficial therapies for patients around the world by leveraging natural pathways in a localized manner. ViCapsys' proprietary CXCL12 technology will position the Company to improve conditions for patients in a broad range of therapeutic areas as this technology has multiple applications. ViCapsys is currently focused on curing Type I diabetes, and we look forward to collaborating with management and other members of the board to support this mission."

Mr. Richard Rosenblum is Innovative Payment Solutions Inc.'s President, Chief Financial Officer, and Director, and has served in these roles since July 22, 2021. Mr. Rosenblum has served on the Board of H-Cyte since February 1, 2022. Since its founding in 1994, Richard has served as Chief Executive Officer and Principal at Harborview Capital Advisors LLC which provides strategic advisory services in the areas of capital formation, merchant banking and management consulting. Mr. Rosenblum is the owner of Harborview Property Management where he invests and manages domestic and international commercial real-estate, and multi-family real-estate assets. From 2008 to 2014, Mr. Rosenblum was a Director, President, and Executive Chairman of Alliqua Biomedical Inc. which developed and marketed hydrogel manufacturing technology in the wound care sector. His philanthropic and community-centered activities include being a founding board member of the Dr. David Feit Memorial Foundation (DFM), which for over 15 years raised money for the benefit and support of youth activities. Since 2018, Mr. Rosenblum has served on the Board of Directors of the Chilton Hospital Foundation. Mr. Rosenblum graduated Summa Cum Laude from SUNY Buffalo with a B.A. in Finance & Accounting.

Dr. Colleen Delaney is the Scientific Founder, Chief Scientific Officer, and Executive Vice President of Research and Development at Deverra Therapeutics, Inc., a cellular therapy company focused on the development of universal donor, off-the-shelf cell therapies for patients with hematologic malignancies and other critical diseases. Additionally, Dr. Delaney is a stem cell transplant physician and an Affiliate and former Professor of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Clinical Research Division, where she was Physician Investigator (PI) of an NIH/government funded laboratory and where she established and became the Director of the Program in Cord Blood Transplant and Cord Blood Research at the Fred Hutch/Seattle Cancer Care Alliance. Dr. Delaney's research interests focus on the development of methods to expand the number of umbilical cord blood stem cells and to then direct these cells to further differentiate into mature blood and immune cells for clinical application. She has more than 20 years of experience in the development of cord blood derived allogeneic cell therapies from bench to bedside and is an inventor on numerous patents. Dr. Delaney received her MSc from Oxford University, her MD from Harvard Medical School, and is the recipient of numerous awards, including the prestigious Damon Runyon Foundation Clinical Investigator Award; the Dr. Ali Al-Johani Award in recognition of exemplary clinical medical care and compassion to patients and families; the Seattle Business Journal's Leaders in Health Care Award for Outstanding Medical Research; and the Seattle American Women in Science's Award for the Scientific Advancement and Leadership in STEM.

Mr. Charles "Charlie" Farrahar is a Certified Public Accountant with over 30 years of managerial finance, administration, human resource, investor relations, and risk management experience in the public, private and non-profit sectors. Mr. Farrahar served as the Chief Financial Officer of ViCapsys from its inception in 2014 through its merger with SSGI to become a public entity. He has served as CFO for several small biotech startups in various stages of development and has been involved with their exits or mergers. Currently he serves as CFO for a privately-held biotech company headquartered in Rochester, MN that licenses a platform technology from Mayo Clinic. In addition to his prior work with ViCapsys, Mr. Farrahar was the CFO of Credit Depot Corp, Medovex Corp, and Roadie Inc. Mr. Farrahar received his B.B.A. in Accounting from Georgia State University.

About ViCapsys Life Sciences

ViCapsys Life Sciences, Inc. focuses on the development and commercialization of VICAPSYN, a proprietary product. The company's product is applied to transplantation therapies and related stem-cell applications in the transplantation field. It also develops VYBRIN, a product based on CXCL12 for prevention of post-surgical adhesions in abdominal surgery, coating of implantable medical devices and other implants to eliminate fibrosis, and wound healing with a focus on diabetic ulcers. For more information, please visit https://vicapsys.com/.

Investor Contact

Alpha IR Group

VICP@alpha-ir.com

312-445-2870

SOURCE: ViCapsys Life Sciences

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/718244/ViCapsys-Life-Sciences-Appoints-Three-New-Board-Members
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - September 29, 2022) - McLaren Resources Inc. (CSE: MCL) (FSE: 3ML) ("McLaren" / the "Company") announces that it has closed a non-brokered private placement financing consisting of flow-through share units (the "Flow-Through Units") for gross proceeds of $420,070. The Company has issued a total of 6,001,000 Flow-Through Units under the financing. The Flow-Through Units were issued at a price of $0.07 per unit, with each Flow-Through Unit consisting of one common share in the capital of McLaren issued on a flow-through basis pursuant to the Income Tax Act (Canada) and one-half of one common share purchase warrant. Each whole warrant is exercisable at a price of $0.10 per common share for a period of 24 months from the date of issuance.

Gross proceeds from the financing will be used by McLaren for a follow-up diamond drilling program on its McCool gold property which is located in the prolific Timmins Gold Region of Northeastern Ontario, Canada where well over 70 million ounces of gold have been produced to date (see McLaren's news release announcing the completion of a 2,392 metre, six-hole, phase one diamond drilling program on the McCool gold property dated September 14, 2022).

As a result of the financing, Accilent Capital Management Inc.("Accilent"), a principal shareholder of the Company as a finder and also as a subscriber of Flow-Through Units through its affiliate Pavilion Flow-Through L.P., has increased its direct and indirect holding of the voting securities of the Company from 22.8% to 26.6% on a fully diluted basis. In connection with the financing, McLaren paid a finder's fee of 286,000 shares and 286,000 broker warrants of the Company to Accilent.

The Company also announces that it has granted options to purchase 600,000 common shares of McLaren to service providers. The common share purchase options are exercisable at a price of $0.10 per common share for a period of one year from the date of issuance.

About McLaren

McLaren has been focused on exploration work on its gold properties in the Timmins Gold Region of Northeastern Ontario. McLaren now owns a 100% interest in the past-producing, 640 ha, Blue Quartz Gold Mine property as well as the 1,650 ha McCool and 775 ha Kerrs gold properties, all located within the Abitibi Greenstone Belt along the Destor-Porcupine Deformation Zone, which is host to many of the gold deposits in the area, approximately 85 km east of Timmins city centre. McLaren also owns a 100% interest in the 408 ha Augdome gold property which is located in Tisdale and Whitney Townships immediately east of the Dome Mine owned by Newmont Corporation ("Newmont"). The Augdome property is currently under a four-year option to Newmont.

For more information, please contact:

Radovan Danilovsky, President

Phone: 416-203-6784

MCLAREN RESOURCES INC.

44 Victoria Street, Suite 1616 Toronto, Ontario M5C 1Y2

www.mclarenresources.com

The Canadian Securities Exchange has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of the press release. The Canadian Securities Exchange does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Certain statements contained in this news release constitute "forward-looking statements". When used in this document, the words "anticipated", "expect", "estimated", "forecast", "planned", and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements or information. These statements are based on current expectations of management; however, they are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements in this news release. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these statements. McLaren Resources Inc. does not undertake any obligation to revise or update any forward-looking statements as a result of new information, future events or otherwise after the date hereof, except as required by securities laws.

This news release which announces a completed financing is not for distribution in the United States.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/138931
VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / September 29, 2022 / PPX Mining Corp. (the "Company" or "PPX") announces the appointment of Mr. Brian Imrie as Executive Chairman of PPX from his current position of Chairman, effective immediately. As part of the Company's growth plans, Mr. Imrie will assume a more active role in PPX's management decisions, assisting the Company with the execution of short and long-term goals. The Board of directors of PPX welcomes Mr. Imrie's decision to accept this responsibility.

PPX also announces the appointment of Mr. Fernando Pickmann Dianderas as director of PPX, effective immediately. Mr. Pickmann is a partner at Dentons Gallo Barrios Pickmann in Peru, director of several mining companies, professor at Universidad de Lima and holds a Master in Law from IE Madrid, Spain.

Brian Imrie, Executive Chairman commented: "We are delighted that Fernando Pickmann is joining the PPX Board. Fernando brings many years of extensive experience in Peruvian corporate law, key local relationships that will facilitate the execution of the Company's plans and a solid knowledge of the Peruvian mining industry. We welcome Fernando's addition to our Board of directors.

Option Grant

The Board of directors of PPX has granted to directors and officers 15 million options to purchase the same number of common shares in the capital of the Company. Each option is exercisable into one common share at C$0.04 per share for a period of seven years from the date of grant. The options vest immediately and are granted in accordance with the Company's Stock Option Plan.

About PPX Mining Corp:

PPX Mining Corp. (TSX.V: PPX.V, SSE: PPX, BVL: PPX) is a Canadian-based mining company with assets in northern Peru. Igor, the Company's 100%-owned flagship gold and silver project, is located in the prolific Northern Peru gold belt in eastern La Libertad Department. PPX is operating the Callanquitas Mine ("Mina Callanquitas") exploiting high grade, underground-minable oxidized gold and silver ore. Based on the Company's Pre-Feasibility Study ("PFS"), PPX expects the Callanquitas Mine to produce up to 26,000 AuEq* ounces per year over a seven-year mine life at cash cost of less than US$610/AuEq* ounce (the Igor PFS is available on the Company's website and SEDAR). Increasing metal prices and mine productivity, coupled with superior toll milling contracts, have all contributed to the increasing revenue derived from operations at Mina Callanquitas. It should be noted that the decision to commence mining operations at Mina Callanquitas is based solely on the PFS referenced above, not a feasibility study. As such, there is an increased uncertainty as to the specific economic outcome of the project and a similar increase in the technical risk of failure associated with a production decision based solely on the PFS.

*AuEq is calculated as follows: AuEq ounces = Au ounces + Ag ounces/75. Per PFS, inclusive of metallurgical recovery.

Through Fiscal Q2 2022, Mina Callanquitas has produced over 174,099 tonnes of ore grading 9.65 gpt gold and 97.5 gpt silver resulting in the production of 53,519 ounces of gold and 500,525 ounces of silver from the Mineral Reserves and Measured and Indicated Resource at Mina Callanquitas as defined in the Igor PFS. The mine currently produces at a rate of approximately 134 tonnes/day with ore being processed at nearby toll milling facilities.

All scientific and technical information in this press release has been reviewed and approved by Quentin Browne M.Sc., a Certified Professional Geologist and a member of the American Institute of Professional Geologists and is a Qualified Person as the term is defined in NI 43-101. Mr. Browne is an independent consultant of PPX Mining Corp.

TSXV Disclaimer:

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

On behalf of the Board of Directors

Brian Imrie

Executive Chairman

880-580 Hornby Street,

Vancouver, BC, V6C 3B6,

Canada

+1416-433-4664

Cautionary Statement:

This press release contains forward-looking information and forward-looking statements (collectively, "forward-looking statements") as such terms are defined by applicable securities laws, including, but not limited to statements regarding the resumption of trading on the Exchange. Forward-looking statements are statements that relate to future events. In this context, forward-looking statements often address expected future business and financial performance and often contain words such as "anticipate," "believe," "plan," "estimate," "expect," and "intend,", statements that an action or event "may," "might," "could," "should," or "will" be take nor occur, or other similar expressions. Forward-looking statements are subject to a number of known and unknown risks and uncertainties, many of which involve factors or circumstances that are beyond the Company's control, and the Company's actual results could differ materially from those stated or implied in forward-looking statements due to many various factors. Such uncertainties and risks include, among others, delays in obtaining or inability to obtain required regulatory approvals in connection with the resumption of trading on the Exchange; risks associated with the mining industry (including operational risks in exploration development and production); delays or changes in plans with respect to exploration or development projects or capital expenditures. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, the Company cannot guarantee that the events and circumstances reflected in the forward-looking statements will be achieved or occur. The timing of events and circumstances and actual results could differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Accordingly, one should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made as of today's date, and the Company undertakes no obligation to update or publicly revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, unless required by law.

SOURCE: PPX Mining Corp.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/718151/Appointment-of-Brian-Imrie-as-Executive-Chairman-Appointment-of-Fernando-Pickmann-as-Director-and-the-Grant-of-Stock-Options


CANBERA (dpa-AFX) - Japan is scheduled to release a batch of data on Friday, headlining a busy day for Asia-Pacific economic activity. On tap are August figures for unemployment, industrial production, retail sales, housing starts and construction orders, as well as September results for its consumer confidence index.



The unemployment rate is expected to ease to 2.5 percent from 2.6 percent in July, with the jobs-to-applicant ratio improving to 1.30 from 1.29. Industrial production is tipped to add 0.2 percent on month and fall 1.0 percent on year after rising 0.8 percent on month and easing 1.8 percent on year in the previous month.



Retail sales were up 0.8 percent on month and 2.4 percent on year in July, while housing starts dropped an annual 5.4 percent and construction orders rose 2.8 percent on year. The consumer confidence index had a score of 32.5 in August.



New Zealand will provide August figures for building permits; in July, permits jumped 5.0 percent on month.



Australia will see August numbers for private sector credit; in July, credit was up 0.7 percent on month and 9.1 percent on year.



South Korea will release August data for industrial production and retail sales. Industrial production is forecast to have slipped 0.5 percent on month and gained 1.3 percent on year after shedding 1.3 percent on month and rising 1.5 percent on year in July. Retail sales were down 0.3 percent on month and 1.9 percent on year in July.



China will see September results for the manufacturing, non-manufacturing and composite PMIs from the National Bureau of Statistics, as well as the manufacturing PMI from Caixin. In August, the NBS manufacturing index had a score of 49.4, the non-manufacturing index was at 52.6 and the composite was at 51.7. The Caixin manufacturing index had a score of 49.5 in the previous month.



Hong Kong will provide August numbers for retail sales; in July, sales were up 1.0 percent on year.



Thailand will release August data for current account, retail sales and its coincident index. In July, the current account deficit was $4.1 billion, retail sales climbed an annual 12.1 percent and the coincident index score was 128.65.







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MACAO, Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The 13th International Infrastructure Investment and Construction Forum ("IIICF", "the Forum") opened in Macao on September 28. As the largest and most influential such forum in the world, the opening of this year's IIICF drew many major figures from the international infrastructure investment and construction community. Present at the opening ceremony were Ho Iat Seng, Chief Executive of the Macao Special Administrative Region (Macao SAR); Zheng Xincong, Director of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Macao SAR; Liu Xianfa, Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China in the Macao SAR; Wong Sio Chak, Secretary for Security of the Macao SAR; as well as heads of international contractors and financial institutions.





With the theme "Building High-standard, Sustainable and People-centered Infrastructure", the forum attracted more than 1,300 guests from over 600 institutions, including senior executives of 20 financial institutions, top leaders of more than 70 enterprises among ENR's Top 250 International Contractors, as well as decision makers from major industrial enterprises and suppliers from across the globe. With a focus on the opportunities and challenges facing international infrastructure cooperation in the post-pandemic era, the forum will look to build a broad consensus, and consolidate international cooperation for the facilitation of green infrastructure projects around the world.

As one of the event's highlights, The Belt and Road Infrastructure Development Index (2022) and the Belt and Road Infrastructure Development Index Report (2022) was launched at the forum and presented how the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has played an important role in international infrastructure investment and construction projects.

During the forum, the China International Contractors Association (CHINCA) launched the "Mechanism for International Sustainable Infrastructure Promotion" in association with the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ) and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), in a joint bid to promote the diversified, inclusive, green, low-carbon and climate-resilient development of sustainable infrastructure.

"In the post-pandemic era, countries will face unique challenges, and stressed the importance of the international community to come together to invest in infrastructure and construction, in order to fuel economic growth and development, and improve people's livelihoods," said Fang Qiuchen, Chairman of CHINCA.

For more information about the Forum, please visit: http://en.iiicf.org/.

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1910789/1.jpg

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/the-13th-iiicf-in-macao-shined-a-spotlight-on-bris-vital-role-in-international-infrastructure-301637373.html
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - September 29, 2022) - Chakana Copper Corp. (TSXV: PERU) (OTCQB: CHKKF) (FSE: 1ZX) (the "Company" or "Chakana") announces that it has granted stock options to certain of its directors, officers, employees and consultants to purchase up to 4,200,000 common shares. Each option is exercisable to acquire one common share of Chakana at a price of $0.075 until September 29, 2027. The options will vest over an 18-month period and in accordance with the Company's stock option plan and are subject to TSX Venture Exchange approval.

About Chakana Copper

Chakana Copper Corp is a Canadian-based minerals exploration company that is currently advancing the Soledad Project located in the Ancash region of Peru, a highly favorable mining jurisdiction with supportive communities. The Soledad Project is notable for the high-grade copper-gold-silver mineralization that is hosted in tourmaline breccia pipes. An initial inferred resource estimate for seven breccia pipes was announced in Q1 2022 (see news release dated February 23, 2022), with open pit and underground resources of 6.73 Mt containing 191,000 ounces of gold, 11.7 million ounces of silver, and 130 million pounds of copper. In addition, extensive multidisciplinary exploration has defined 154 exploration targets, 27 of which have been tested to date (17%), confirming that Soledad is a large, well-endowed mineral system with strong exploration upside. Chakana's investors are uniquely positioned as the Soledad Project provides exposure to copper and precious metals. For more information on the Soledad project, please visit the website at www.chakanacopper.com.

Results of an initial resource estimate and additional information concerning the Project, including a technical report prepared in accordance with National Instrument 43-101, are available on Chakana's profile at www.sedar.com.

Qualified Person

David Kelley, an officer, and a director of Chakana, and a Qualified Person as defined by NI 43-101, reviewed and approved the technical information in this news release.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD

(signed) "David Kelley"

David Kelley

President and CEO

For further information contact:

Joanne Jobin, Investor Relations Officer

Phone: 647 964 0292

Email: jjobin@chakanacopper.com

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/138963
Cipia (TASE: CPIA), a Tel Aviv, Israel-based AI computer vision in-cabin automotive solutions provider, secured over $9M (32.6M NIS) of funding via Private Investment in Public Equity (PIPE).

The round was led by Alexandre Weinstein, with participation from Cartridge Holdings Ltd, and Professor Eli Talmor.

The company intends to use the funds to continue investment in research and development of its vehicle in-cabin sensing solutions, and to strengthen its marketing and sales activities with focus on the US, European, and Chinese markets.

Led by CEO Yehuda Holtzman, Cipia is a provider of intelligent sensing solutions that use edge-based computer vision and AI for safer mobility experiences. The companys product lineup includes: Driver Sense, occupancy monitoring systems and Cipia-FS10, a video telematics and a driver monitoring solutions for telematics service providers and fleets.

Cipias OEM customers currently include an electric car manufacturer in the US, SAIC Motors, Chery, an American car brand in China, and one additional leading car manufacturer in China.

FinSMEs

29/09/2022
Flora, a San Francisco, CA-based sustainable e-commerce platform, raised $9M in Seed funding.

The round was led by Lux Capital, with participation from Correlation Ventures, Climate Capital, and Gokul Rajaram.

The company intends to use the funds to accelerate growth, expand operations and team.

Led by Co-CEOs Ugur Kaya and Ugur Kaya, Flora provides a technology-driven sustainable e-commerce platform that uses proprietary technology and algorithms to identify brands and evaluate their operational and financial performance, impact and value creation opportunities. The company acquires, reinvents, and grows sustainable brands with a mission to provide greater access to sustainable products at affordable prices.

After brands are integrated into its operating platform, Flora grows their sales and optimizes their operations by leveraging data science and technology capabilities and its expertise in sustainability, branding, marketing, advertising, supply chain, and product development.

The companys brands serve over 300 thousand customers and the company says that they save 10 thousand tons of CO2 emissions annually compared to conventional alternatives (equivalent to the impact of 400 thousand trees).

FinSMEs

28/09/2022
SecondSTAX, an Accra, Ghana and Nairobi, Kenya-based cross-border multi-asset order routing and market data portal in Africa, raised $1.6M in Pre-Seed funding.

Backers included LoftyInc Capital Management, Orbit54, and STEMeIn.

The company intends to use the funds to accelerate growth, expand operations and team.

Co-founded in 2020 by Eugene Tawiah and Duke Lartey, SecondSTAX provides access to debt and equity securities across multiple African bond and stock exchanges. The company facilitates transactions by securely routing orders onto existing mature capital markets exchange infrastructure, through sponsored broker relationships, in full compliance with local regulations.

At launch, the consolidated portal connects Ghanaian and Kenyan capital markets through sponsored broker relationships. In addition to gaining access to these capital markets, investment firms using SecondSTAX can now maintain assets in multiple currencies, reducing single currency risk and decreasing volatility in their returns, whether they are in Africa or elsewhere.

The system facilitates transactions by securely and efficiently routing orders onto existing mature capital markets exchange infrastructure, through sponsored broker relationships, in full compliance with local regulations.

FinSMEs

29/09/2022
UnityLab, a Dushore, PA-based company which specializes in building and buying brands that work for small businesses, raised $4.5M in Series A funding.

Capital for the investment, which leverages incentives from the Pennsylvania Rural Jobs and Investment Tax Credit Program, includes $2m from Advantage Capital, $2m from the Bernstein Pennsylvania Fund and $500k from the Ben Franklin Fund.

The company intends to use the funds to add as many as 150 jobs and continue to scale operations and create new jobs at its headquarters and manufacturing facility in Dushore, Pennsylvania.

Led by CEO Jonathan Benjamin, UnityLab specializes in building and buying brands that serve small businesses and to fulfill unmet customer needs. It is the company behind Hoffman-NewYorker and Unity Laundry Systems.

Hoffman-NewYorker is a manufacturer solely of specialized presses and is the result of two separate companies coming together to join their specialties, the Hoffman Pressing Machine Company, established in 1904, and the NewYorker Pressing Machine Company.

The company designs, manufactures, and markets garment/apparel presses for garment manufacturers and laundry/dry cleaning presses for retail dry cleaners and commercial laundries. In addition, Hoffman-NewYorker designs and manufactures a line of electric boilers/generators used for jewelry steam cleaning, auto trim shops, medical/dental offices, tailor shops, and saunas/fitness facilities.

Unity Laundry Systems offers customers a shop to buy a commercial appliance for their business.

FinSMEs

29/09/2022
On September 23, 2022, Special Representative Qiu Xiaoqi of the Chinese Government on Latin American Affairs attended the reception marking the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Mexico and the National Day of Mexico hosted by the Mexican Embassy in China.

In his speech, Special Representative Qiu Xiaoqi extended, on behalf of the Chinese side, warm congratulations on the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Mexico. Qiu Xiaoqi noted that on February 14, 1972, China and Mexico established diplomatic relations, joining hands across the Pacific Ocean, and ushering in a new era of bilateral exchanges. In 2013, President Xi Jinping paid a historical visit to Mexico, during which the two sides established comprehensive strategic partnership, opening a new chapter in bilateral relations. Recent years have seen deepening political mutual trust, fruitful mutually beneficial cooperation, and diversified cultural and people-to-people exchanges between the two sides. In the face of the once-in-a-century pandemic, the two countries have stood together in mutual assistance to pull through the difficult time, and have taken concrete steps to build a global community of health for all, setting a fine example of solidarity against the pandemic. The two sides have also kept close communication in international and regional affairs, and maintained coordination and collaboration in the United Nations, the G20, the China-CELAC Forum, and other important multilateral platforms, making positive contributions to safeguarding the legitimate rights and interests of the two countries and developing countries as a whole, upholding international fairness and justice, and helping the international community jointly respond to global challenges. Five decades after the establishment of diplomatic relations, China and Mexico have become good partners and endeared brothers moving forward side by side.

In his speech, Mexican Ambassador to China Jesus Seade said that over the past 50 years since the establishment of diplomatic ties, under the strategic guidance of the heads of state of the two countries, Mexico-China relations have made marked progress, with traditional friendship and mutually beneficial cooperation deepening continuously. The Mexican side sincerely thanked the Chinese side for providing staunch support for Mexico to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, and stands ready to work with the Chinese side to increase political mutual trust, strengthen strategic coordination, and promote sustained development of bilateral relations.

Before the reception, Special Representative Qiu Xiaoqi had a small group meeting with Ambassador Jesus Seade, and the two sides exchanged views on China-Mexico relations, among others.
On September 22, 2022 local time, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly session in New York.

Wang Yi said that since the meeting of the two foreign ministers in Bali, the two sides have made much progress in practical cooperation, sending positive signals and demonstrating the potential and resilience of China-Germany relations. Over the past 50 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations, China and Germany have deepened mutual understanding, and steadily advanced all-round cooperation to the benefit of the two peoples. The two countries have no fundamental conflicts of interest. It is only natural for the two sides to step up communication for better understanding. It is important that the two sides make good preparations for high-level exchanges and intergovernmental consultations, comprehensively review cooperation in various fields, and map out plans for development of bilateral relations in the next 50 years. Under the current situation, it is of great significance for China and Germany to further deepen the all-round strategic partnership. China is ready to work together with Germany to play their due role as major countries and make joint contributions to peaceful development.

Baerbock said that Germany follows the one-China policy, and attaches great importance to maintaining high-level contacts, and exchanges and cooperation in various fields with China. China is an important global force, and Germany appreciates the ambitious emission reduction targets China has set for itself, and the exemplary role it has played in dealing with climate change. Germany is ready to strengthen cooperation with China in such fields as green transformation and innovative development to show leadership in achieving the temperature targets of the Paris Agreement and other areas,and jointly address global challenges.

The two sides exchanged views on the Ukraine issue. Wang Yi expounded on the "four shoulds" proposed by President Xi Jinping, noting that China is always committed to promoting talks for peace. The international community should work in concert for a ceasefire and end of the conflict to bring about peace at an early date, while properly managing emergency humanitarian issues and the negative spillover effects of the crisis.

The two sides also exchanged views on the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue.
On September 24, 2022 local time, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly session in New York.

Wang Yi said that President Xi Jinping and President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi have maintained close communication, providing strong strategic guidance for China-Egypt relations. Bilateral cooperation in fighting the pandemic and promoting respective development has added to the strong momentum of development in China-Egypt comprehensive strategic partnership. China firmly supports the Egyptian people in exploring a development path befitting their national conditions, supports Egypts effort for national rejuvenation, and is ready to deepen mutually beneficial cooperation with Egypt. China will also enhance solidarity and coordination with Egypt on international and regional affairs to safeguard the common interests of the two countries, protect the legitimate rights and interests of developing countries, and uphold fairness and justice.

Shoukry said that Egypt and China have always respected, trusted and supported each other. Egypt is proud of the strong Egypt-China relationship, and satisfied with the achievements of Egypt-China practical cooperation. Egypt is firmly committed to the one-China principle, opposes all acts that violate the one-China principle and escalate tensions, and supports China in taking legitimate measures to safeguard its sovereignty. Egypt opposes any move to form anti-China camps or incite antagonism and confrontation. Egypt is ready to enhance coordination with China in multilateral settings to maintain solidarity of developing countries.

The two sides will promote high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, sign the implementation plan and the second five-year outline for strengthening the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries as soon as possible, and expand financial cooperation. Shoukry said that China's development is an opportunity for Egypt, and his country welcomes Chinese investment and looks forward to strengthening tripartite cooperation with China in Africa.

The two sides will strengthen cooperation in pandemic response to help Egypt build the largest vaccine storage center in Africa.

The two sides will ramp up cooperation in climate change response, and China supports Egypt in hosting a successful 27th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.

The two sides expressed concerns over the food and energy shortage caused by the spillover effects of the Ukraine crisis, and believed it important to push for political settlement of the crisis, promote early recovery of the global economy, and effectively safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of developing countries.
On September 21, 2022 local time, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with Somali Foreign Minister Abshir Omar Huruse on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

Wang Yi said that the traditional friendship between China and Somalia is an important part of China-Africa friendship. Somalia is the first East African country to establish diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China, and the two countries have always respected each other and supported each other on issues related to each other's core interests. China has always advocated that all countries, big or small, strong or weak, rich or poor, are equal, and will continue to be a trustworthy friend of Somalia, providing support and assistance to Somalia within its capacity, so as to achieve common development and prosperity.

Huruse said that Somalia and China has long enjoyed the friendship and no word can be enough to describe the friendship between the two countries. Huruse thanks China for always standing with Somalia at critical moments, especially for firmly supporting Somalia in safeguarding its sovereignty. Somalia unswervingly supports the one-China principle and opposes the interference by external forces in China's internal affairs. Somalia is proud to have China, a major country with significant international influence, as a friend. Developing relations with China is neither make-shift nor interest-driven. Although Somalia is a small country, it has never wavered in upholding its position in the international arena.

Wang Yi said that China firmly supports the governance of the new Somali government and believes that Somalia's peaceful development will continue to move forward. China appreciates Somalia's firm adherence to the one-China principle, supports Somalia in safeguarding its sovereignty, dignity and territorial integrity, and will continue to stand with Somalia in the international arena and support its legitimate demands. China is willing to strengthen solidarity with all developing countries, oppose unilateral bullying and jointly uphold non-interference in internal affairs, which is a basic norm of international relations.
CCTV: It is reported that a seminar themed on The People-Centered Philosophy, the Value Adherence of the Contemporary Chinese Perspective of Human Rights was recently held in an online-plus-offline format. Chinese and foreign experts had discussions on Chinas perspective on human rights at the event. Do you have any comment?



Wang Wenbin: The seminar you mentioned is a side event of the 51st session of the UN Human Rights Council. It is themed on The People-Centered Philosophy, the Value Adherence of the Contemporary Chinese Perspective of Human Rights. Experts and scholars from China, Russia, the US, Spain, Pakistan, Uzbekistan and other countries had discussions and exchanges by sharing their personal experiences. The participants believed that Chinas perspective on human rights reflects the people-centered approach. China has made unremitting efforts to protect its peoples rights to subsistence and development and to safeguard collective human rights, which embodies the values of fairness, justice and equality. In particular, Chinas achievements in poverty alleviation provide useful experience for countries that have yet to lift themselves out of poverty and contribute to the world human rights cause.

To protect the life, value and dignity of every individual and realize the enjoyment of human rights by all is humanitys common pursuit. Since its founding, the Communist Party of China (CPC) has rallied and led the Chinese people in fighting for, respecting, protecting and developing human rights, and successfully found a path of human rights development that conforms to the trend of the times and suits Chinas realities. The CPC always puts the peoples rights first and works to ensure the peoples right to equal participation and development, delivers the benefit of reform and development to all the people in a more equitable manner, and keeps improving its efforts to better respect and protect the basic rights of the Chinese people. We adhere to the philosophy of people-centered development, and prioritize the peoples rights to subsistence and development. Development is about improving the well-being of the people, ensuring that the people are true masters of the country, and realizing the well-rounded development of the people. China advances human rights through development. We are committed to the all-round development of human rights cause.

All countries deserve the right to independently choose their own path of advancing human rights. Different civilizations and countries need to respect, accommodate, interact with and learn from each other. Human rights protection is an ongoing process. China will continue to work with the international community to promote the common values of humanity, stay committed to the vision of equality, mutual trust, inclusiveness, mutual learning, win-win cooperation and common development, and steer global human rights governance toward greater fairness, justice, equity and inclusiveness.

Reuters: US Vice President Kamala Harris said in a speech today that Washington will continue to deepen its unofficial ties with Taiwan. Does the foreign ministry have any comment?



Wang Wenbin: I noted that Vice President Kamala Harris also said in Japan that China is undermining the international rules-based order.

Let me stress first that the US House Speaker, in disregard of Chinas four-month-long dissuasion, made a provocative visit to Chinas Taiwan region and referred to Taiwan as a country. This has seriously violated Chinas sovereignty and territorial integrity, hampered China-US relations and undermined peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.

The one-China principle is a prevailing consensus in the international community and a basic norm in international relations. It is also the political foundation for the establishment and development of diplomatic ties between China and the US. In the Shanghai Communique of 1972, the China-US Joint Communique on the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations of 1978 and the August 17 Communique of 1982, the US made clear that there is but one China and Taiwan is part of China and that the US recognizes the Government of the Peoples Republic of China as the sole legal Government of China. The US also stated clearly that it has no intention of infringing on Chinese sovereignty and territorial integrity, or interfering in Chinas internal affairs, or pursuing a policy of two Chinas or one China, one Taiwan.

Speaking of rules, keeping ones commitment is the most basic rule. If the US cannot even keep its own word, in what position is it to talk about rules and order? A country like that could only become a disruptor of international rules. We urge the US to faithfully honor its commitments and return to the three China-US Joint Communiques and the one-China principle in their true and original form, reaffirm its commitment to the one-China policy in the simple and straightforward way, and state its opposition to all Taiwan independence separatist activities with absolute clarity.

AFP: China told the United Nations Security Council on Tuesday that Ukraines territorial integrity should be respected, stopping short of explicitly condemning Russia. Why? Will this send a wrong signal to separatists in other parts of the world, especially in the Taiwan region?



Wang Wenbin: Let me first reiterate Chinas consistent and clear position on the Ukraine issue. We believe that the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries must be respected, that the purposes and principles of the UN Charter must be observed, that the legitimate security concerns of all countries must be taken seriously, and that all efforts conducive to peaceful settlement of the crisis must be supported. As a responsible major country, China has all along been committed to promoting peace talks. We are never a bystander, and we would never add fuel to the fire, still less exploit the crisis. We will always stand on the side of peace and will continue to play a constructive part in deescalating the situation.

Turning to your question, I need to stress that Taiwan is an inalienable part of Chinas territory and the Taiwan question is purely Chinas internal affair. The Taiwan question and the Ukraine issue are different in nature and are not comparable at all. The future of Taiwan can only be jointly decided by all Chinese people including our compatriots in Taiwan.

Anyone who seeks to insinuate relevance of the Ukraine issue to the Taiwan question is invariably driven by political calculations. Such insinuation would constitute a violation of the principle of respecting a countrys sovereignty and territorial integrity and serious interference in Chinas internal affairs. Anyone hoping to exploit the Ukraine issue and find a pretext for Taiwan independence will only end up nowhere.

China Daily: Markus Potzel, the UN Secretary-Generals Deputy Special Representative for Afghanistan said at the UN Security Council on September 27 that since the Taliban came into power, positive developments have been too few and too slow and are outweighed by the negatives, and patience is running out by many in the international community regarding a strategy of engagement with the Afghan Taliban. Does China agree with this assessment? What do you think of the Afghan Talibans governance?



Wang Wenbin: Since the situation in Afghanistan went through a fundamental shift in August last year, with the concerted efforts of the international community and the interim government of Afghanistan, a refugee crisis has been averted, social order has gradually improved, the process of peace and reconstruction is being advanced, and the overall situation has remained stable. This needs to be noted by the international community. That being said, Afghanistan is at a crucial stage of moving from chaos to stability. Life is still hard in the country. The threat of terrorism is still there. Much remains to be done to improve the countrys governance. The world has expressed both expectations and concerns for the country. The international community needs to continue to engage with the Afghan interim government, ramp up humanitarian and development aid, encourage and support Afghan efforts to establish a broad-based and inclusive government, adopt moderate and prudent policies, grow friendly ties with its neighbors, protect the fundamental rights of all Afghan people, including all ethnic groups, women and children, firmly combat terrorism in all forms and realize lasting peace and security in Afghanistan at an early date.

The Paper: Yesterday, Chinas National Computer Virus Emergency Response Center released a new investigation report on the cyber attacks by the US National Security Agency (NSA). The report detailed how the NSAs Office of Tailored Access Operation (TAO) controls key infrastructure facilities in China and infiltrates into Chinas Northwestern Polytechnical Universitys internal network by using servers in countries such as the Netherlands and Denmark to host cyber weapons through stepping-stone attack via Japan, Germany, the ROK and other countries. This enabled the TAO to steal sensitive data including user names and passwords, identification verification data, system logs, access information, files and documents, and network configuration, and information of people with sensitive identities. The US also secretly controls the telecom carriers of at least 80 countries and conducts indiscriminate wiretapping on global telecom users. Do you have any comment?



Wang Wenbin: This is the third investigation report issued by the relevant Chinese institution this month on the US National Security Agencys malicious cyber attack on Chinas Northwestern Polytechnical University. It has revealed more evidence of massive cyber attacks by the US security agency against China.

China has in recent weeks demanded an explanation from the US and asked it to immediately stop illegal action through various channels. So far, however, the US has been silent. The US could not have been more bombastic and motivated when propagating the lies about Chinese hackers, yet it has deliberately chosen to be blind and mute in the face of the solid evidence collected by the Chinese institution. What exactly is the US hiding from the world?

The US has long been known as the empire of hacking and champion of secret theft. With its absolute dominance in the field of Internet technology, the US has exercised indiscriminate cyber control and theft on a global scale to benefit itself politically, militarily, diplomatically and commercially. The USs bullying practices in cyberspace have become a growing concern shared across the international community.

There is ample evidence that the US is no doubt the greatest threat to global cyber security. We call on countries to unite, stand up to the USs hegemonic act which damaged cyber sovereignty and international rules and work together to create a peaceful, secure, open and cooperative cyberspace.

Reuters: A group of US lawmakers including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Republican Senator John Cornyn on Tuesday called on US President Joe Biden to issue an executive order on outbound investments to China and other countries. This could give the US government sweeping new powers to block billions of dollars worth of US investment in China. Does the foreign ministry have any comment?



Wang Wenbin: In recent years, the US has been using national security as a catch-all pretext to ramp up unjustified investment review. This has created difficulties and obstacles for foreign companies to engage in normal trade and investment cooperation, undermined international economic and trade order and trading rules and threatened the stability of global industrial and supply chains. What the politicians have been doing will only wall the US off, hurting itself and others alike.

Reuters: According to South Korean news agency Yonhap, regarding the possibility of a North Korean nuclear test in the near future, South Koreas spy agency said that if it does indeed take place, it would likely occur between October and November. So I was wondering if the foreign ministry has any comment on this?



Wang Wenbin: Chinas position on the Korean Peninsula issue remains unchanged. We hope relevant parties will follow the dual-track approach and the principle of phased and synchronized steps and seek a solution that accommodates all parties concerns in a balanced manner. The US needs to respond to the DPRKs concerns with real actions at once and create conditions for the resumption of meaningful dialogue.
On September 23, 2022 local time, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Ali Sabry on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

Wang Yi expressed, China and Sri Lanka are each other's strategic cooperative partner. The two countries have always shared weal and woe and sincerely helped each other. This year, which marks the 65th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Sri Lanka and the 70th anniversary of the signing of the Rubber-Rice Pact, is of great significance for inheriting the past and ushering in the future. China is ready to work with Sri Lanka to carry forward the traditional friendship, consolidate strategic mutual trust and deepen and expand pragmatic cooperation. Congratulations to Sri Lanka on its initial results in stabilizing the situation and easing difficulties. China has provided medicines, rice, fuel and other emergency humanitarian assistance to Sri Lanka, and will continue to offer assistance within our capacity to help Sri Lanka overcome temporary difficulties.

Sabry said that the Sri Lanka-China friendship has a solid foundation. China has provided strong support for Sri Lanka's economic and social development for a long time. In particular, China has offered timely help to Sri Lanka when it encountered difficulties. Sri Lanka will never forget that. China is an important development partner of Sri Lanka, and Chinese enterprises have made positive contributions to Sri Lanka's efforts to accelerate development. The so-called "China's debt trap" claim is an entirely groundless rumor. Sri Lanka welcomes investment from all countries, including China, and will strive to ensure the safety and reasonable returns of foreign investment. He thanked China for assisting Sri Lankan students in returning to China to resume studies.

Wang Yi said, the cooperation between China and Sri Lanka is part of South-South cooperation based on equality and mutual benefit. Certain countries created and spread the narrative of "debt trap". But by so doing, they bring developing countries an "underdevelopment trap" in essence. China and Sri Lanka will continue the understanding of and support to each other, and stand firmly together on the issues of sovereignty, independence and national dignity.

The two sides agreed to jointly advance high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, and give play to the effects of flagship projects such as the Hambantota Port and the Colombo Port City, so as to boost Sri Lanka's economic recovery.

The two sides will speed up negotiations on a free trade agreement and strive to reach a deal at an early date, so as to inject strong confidence and stable expectations into economic and trade cooperation.
On September 24, 2022 local time, State Councilor met with Maldivian Foreign Minister Abdulla Shahid on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

Wang Yi congratulated Shahid on the successful performance of his duties during his presidency of the UN General Assembly, which has made positive contributions to the development of the UN cause, addressed global challenges, and helped the Maldives to improve its international status and influence. Wang Yi said, this year marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of China-Maldives diplomatic relations. Over the past time of half a century, China and the Maldives have been upholding the spirit of friendship and neighborliness, treating each other as equals, conducting cooperation for development, supporting each other with mutual assistance and tiding over difficulties together. China highly appreciates the Maldives' long-standing understanding and support for China's just claims on issues concerning China's core interests and major concerns, and China also supports the Maldives in safeguarding its sovereignty, independence and national dignity, and will continue to uphold justice for the Maldives at the international arena.

Shahid expressed his gratitude to China for its long-standing valuable support to the Maldives in various fields such as infrastructure, education, and energy. The China-Maldives Friendship Bridge built with China's assistance has brought enormous changes to the country and greatly accelerated the economic development process of the Maldives and benefitted the Maldivian people.

Shahid stressed, the one-China principle is a firm consensus of the Maldivian government which the Maldives will consistently and firmly adhere. The one-China principle is also an international consensus confirmed by the UN General Assembly resolution, and I have released a press statement as the President of the UN General Assembly to make my position clear. I thank China for its strong support during my presidency of the UN General Assembly and look forward to continuing to strengthen coordination with China on multilateral affairs.

Wang Yi said that China and the Maldives have a tradition of mutual understanding and mutual support, and China appreciates the Maldives' adherence to the one-China principle. When it comes to the principle of sovereignty, there is no room for double standards. Since some countries now flaunt respect for national sovereignty, they should match their words with actions, must show equal respect for China's sovereignty and territorial integrity on the Taiwan question, and unequivocally oppose separatist activities for "Taiwan independence", and do not engage in any form of official contacts with Taiwan.

The two sides expressed readiness to continue to advance high-quality Belt and Road cooperation and speed up the ratification of the free trade agreement, so as to inject more stable and positive expectations for bilateral cooperation.
On September 24, 2022 local time, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with the President of the 77th Session of the United Nations General Assembly Csaba Korosi on the sidelines of the UNGA session in New York.

Wang Yi said that the UN is the core mechanism and the most important platform for safeguarding multilateralism, and China was the first country to sign the UN Charter, and always calls for and practices true multilateralism. China firmly upholds the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, firmly supports and upholds the core position of the UN in international affairs, firmly supports the UN General Assembly in playing an important role in responding to global challenges, and firmly supports the President of the UN General Assembly in his work.

Wang Yi said that the world today is far from being peaceful. President Xi Jinping puts forward the Global Security Initiative, and advocates a vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security, providing China's input to reducing the peace deficit and addressing security challenges. President Xi also puts forward the Global Development Initiative (GDI), making China's contributions to the concentrated effort to promote development and accelerate the achievement of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, thus winning positive response and support from the international community. China stands ready to step up coordination with the UN to mobilize more resources and form greater synergy.

Korosi said that as an advocate of multilateralism and an important cooperation partner of the UN, China has played a key role in the affairs of the UN General Assembly. Korosi thanked the Chinese side for providing long-standing support to the President of the UN General Assembly in fulfilling his duty, and will continue to strengthen cooperation with the Chinese side to jointly address global challenges. He noted that the important initiatives put forward by President Xi Jinping have provided visions and solutions for building up consensus and effectively responding to current challenges. Korosi looked forward to enhancing coordination with the Chinese side in areas like climate change response and water resources protection to ensure effective implementation of the Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Wang Yi stressed that sustainable development is the common cause of humanity. Briefing Korosi on the Ministerial Meeting of the Group of Friends of the GDI China chaired several days ago, Wang noted that China will take another seven measures to implement the GDI, and has presented global sustainable development data products to the UN. Wang expressed Chinas readiness to maintain communication with the Office of the President of the UN General Assembly on green development and global water resources protection, and Chinas support for the effort to hold a successful 27th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.
On September 24, 2022 local time, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with Foreign Minister Simeon Oyono Esono Angue of Equatorial Guinea on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly session in New York.

Wang Yi said that under the joint guidance of the heads of state of the two countries, China-Equatorial Guinea relations have witnessed sound and smooth development, setting a good example of relations between countries of different sizes characterized by equality, solidarity, mutual help and sincere friendship. The Chinese side stands ready to work with the Equatorial Guinean side to jointly carry forward the traditional friendship, and better synergize development strategies to the benefit of the two peoples.

Wang Yi said that China and Equatorial Guinea have maintained close communication and sound cooperation in the United Nations and other multilateral institutions. The Chinese side will continue to firmly support the Equatorial Guinean side in safeguarding its sovereignty, security and development interests on the international arena, and in playing a bigger role in regional and multilateral affairs to safeguard the common interests of developing countries, uphold solidarity and cooperation on the African continent, and jointly safeguard the "golden rule" of non-interference in others' internal affairs in international relations which also underpins the very survival of developing countries.

Oyono said that China is a reliable friend and a strong partner of Equatorial Guinea. Under the care and guidance of the heads of state of the two countries, Equatorial Guinea-China relations have progressed smoothly. Oyono thanked the Chinese side for providing valuable support to Equatorial Guinea in economic and social development, which has brought real benefits to the Equatorial Guinean people. Equatorial Guinea is firmly committed to the one-China policy, supports the policy of "one country, two systems", highly appreciates and supports the Global Development Initiative and other important visions put forward by President Xi Jinping, and looks forward to strengthening synergy between the two countries development strategies and deepening cooperation with China in various fields.
Interview: Close ties with China provide enormous benefits to Cambodia's development, students say

Xinhua) 10:50, September 29, 2022

PHNOM PENH, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- For Veng Bunheang, a 31-year-old master's student at the Royal Academy of Cambodia (RAC), Cambodia's relations with China are at the best period in history, and that has brought substantial benefits to Cambodia's development in various fields.

"I think the Cambodia-China relations are currently at an all-time high in our history thanks to the frequent exchanges between the top leaders of the two countries," said Bunheang, a master's student at the RAC's International Chinese Education and Teachers Institute (ICETI).

Bunheang said this close relationship has encouraged a lot of Chinese investors and tourists to come to Cambodia.

"Their presence has significantly contributed to Cambodia's socio-economic development and poverty reduction by generating hundreds of thousands of jobs for Cambodian people," he said.

For Veng Sreyleak, a third-year student at the ICETI, China is a key contributor to the development of every field in Cambodia.

"There are a lot of China-backed projects in Cambodia, such as expressway, airports, hydropower plants, special economic zones, stadiums, health and education (projects)," she told Xinhua.

Sreyleak said the Cambodia-China ties are based on mutual trust, respect, help and support, and should be a model for state-to-state relations.

"As the younger generation of Cambodia, we will do our best to continue maintaining and fostering Cambodia-China relations for the continuous benefits of the two countries and peoples," the 24-year-old student said.

Lim Kimheak, another third-year student at the ICETI, said China was the first country to help Cambodia in the early days of the COVID-19 outbreak, providing the Southeast Asian nation with medical equipment, experts and vaccines to fight the pandemic.

"With China's timely supply of the vaccines, Cambodia has successfully controlled the spread of COVID-19, protecting millions of Cambodian people's lives," she told Xinhua.

In education, Kimheak said China has also played a crucial role as it helped develop human capital for Cambodia by granting many scholarships to Cambodian students every year, while in agriculture, Cambodia's exports of agricultural products such as rice, banana and mango to the Chinese market have seen a steady rise from year to year.

"All in all, Cambodia and China are true friends and real brothers who have always provided mutual help, and no one can break our fraternal friendship," the 25-year-old student said.

"I believe that with the high commitment made by the top leaders of our two countries, our plan to build a community with a shared future between Cambodia and China will be achievable," she added.

(Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun)
ONE of the detained Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) Nyatsime activists, Ephrage Gwavava, is seriously ill, his lawyer confirmed.

Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum lawyer Noble Chinhanu told NewsDay that Gwavava was suffering from complications related to diabetes.

Nyatsime detainee falls sick in remand prison. He has been unwell because of his condition of sugar diabetes. The prison hospital has been assisting him, but he is saying his condition is not improving, Chinhanu said.

We have written to the officer-in-charge requesting that he be allowed private medical attention.

Writing to Harare Remand Prison officer-in-charge Chief Superintendent Charles Nyamasoka on September 26 requesting that Gwavaya be allowed access to private medical health care, the Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum said: We seek to advise that our client wishes to exercise his right to be attended to by a medical practitioner of his choice in terms of section 50 of the Constitution.

We hereby inform you of such intention that you may kindly facilitate that he sees such a private medical practitioner as he wishes.

Contacted for comment the Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services spokesperson Chief Superintendent Meya Kanyezi requested questions via email, but she did not respond to them.

Gwavava is one of 16 CCC activists, including legislators Job Sikhala and Godfrey Sithole charged with public violence and are being denied bail.

As of yesterday, over 50 000 Zimbabweans and other foreign nationals had signed a petition seeking President Emmerson Mnangagwas intervention over their continued detention. Newsday
Editor's note: This is the second of two Linn County sheriff candidate profiles. The profile of Sheriff Michelle Duncan ran Wednesday.

Jon Raymond wants to be a leader, not a manager. The deputy, 49, hopes a successful run for Linn County sheriff will result in big changes within the sheriffs office, where hes worked in for more than 20 years.

In those two decades, Raymond said hes seen a lot. And hes not happy with the direction the agency is heading.

I just kept thinking somebodys going to come along and fix this. Somebody else is going to do it, he said. Then finally it hit me one day that I am the one. Somebody has to do it, and its going to be me.

Raymond is running against incumbent Michelle Duncan, who ascended to the position via appointment. The two will face off in the countys first contested General Election sheriffs race in 26 years.

Roots in Linn County

Raymond grew up in Linn County and his ties to LCSO trace back to when he was just 14. That's when he joined the agencys search and rescue team.

After high school, he joined the U.S. Coast Guard. He returned to Linn County after his military service and was hired by LCSO as a corrections officer in the jail in 1999.

Since then, he has logged around 2,422 training hours, according to Department of Public Safety Standards and Training records.

In 2005, the agency hired him as a deputy, and hes been in the role ever since. He said he hasnt sought promotions in the past because he wanted to directly impact the county.

I wanted to serve the community. I wanted to be hands-on and be there, Raymond said. Im the guy that likes to answer the call. Moving into those administrative roles wasnt going to allow me to do that.

After some encouragement from friends, Raymond finally decided to run for office, to be in a position to make the changes he wants to see at his workplace.

Although Raymond doesnt have traditional leadership experience, he has spent decades directly interacting with citizens and learning their concerns. Being ingrained in the community should be a key part of sheriffs office operations, according to Raymond.

The sheriff's job is to know what the citizens want and make sure the sheriff's office is providing those services to the best of their ability, he said. That connection to the community has been lost a long time ago. We need to return to that connection in the community and get back into running the sheriff's office that way.

Two names on the ballot

Raymond is looking forward to giving voters in Linn County a choice in sheriff. He believes the current pattern of a sheriff retiring early and the undersheriff taking over is problematic.

I think they have manipulated a loophole in the system, Raymond said. The sheriff is an elected position, and it should be elected every time. There should not be a handoff.

Duncan has been endorsed by the five previous sheriffs. Raymond interprets this as proof there exists a good old boys club in which people are rewarded not on merit but for who they know.

Raymond may not have the support of previous sheriffs, but he has been backed by the Linn County Deputy Sheriffs Association, which represents the rank-and-file deputies.

I think it shows that the establishment is exactly the problem that were fighting, he said. Five sheriffs who havent shown their faces in our office in years now think they know who the best candidate for sheriff is.

Raymond is running for office with Deputy Travis Boshart as his intended undersheriff. Raymond said he has no intention of retiring early and handing off the job to Boshart should he assume the position. He added that Boshart is aware of this.

Boshart is the cousin of state Rep. Shelly Boshart Davis. Raymond said he wants the community to know his campaign is not solely funded by "Boshart money."

Making changes

Should Raymond be elected in November, there are plenty of goals he hopes to accomplish. One of the key phrases of his campaign has been holding criminals accountable. He also wants to open the jail to full capacity.

Raymond vows to get rid of the red tape in the sheriffs office and put more deputies on the streets instead of filling out paperwork. He said he has seen multiple deputies leave the agency because they werent happy with leadership and the culture of the sheriffs office.

There is a mindset in the sheriffs office right now that you have to wait for the sheriff to do anything. You have to wait for approval, and I need to change that mindset, Raymond said. The experts in their field need to make decisions in their field.  We dont need the sheriff to micromanage.

One of his goals is to focus on retention within the agency; better to keep the deputies than have to continually replace them.

If he becomes the countys top cop, Raymond intends on leaning on the strengths of his employees. He said his job as a leader is to put together the best team he can.

He criticized the current leadership style as not effective. He said he doesnt see Duncan as a leader but as a manager.

I feel like we need a crime-fighting sheriff, not a business and office manager, he said.

Community support

Facing off against an incumbent can be daunting, but Raymond said he feels pretty confident about his chances come November.

If he does lose, he hopes he can keep his job as a mountain patrol deputy. He loves the work, which is part of the reason he hasnt made a run for sheriff until now.

He said if the demand for "Jon Raymond for Sheriff' yard signs is any indication, he has a lot of support.

I know that people think the sheriffs election is important, and they are listening, Raymond said. Theyre looking, theyre watching. Everyday someone has donated to my campaign. Everyday somebodys contacted me about support. It makes me feel very well.

Raymond said the community support along with endorsements from current deputies means a lot to him and his campaign.

Its humbling. I know how important this is, he said. I know how important it is to the guys, but I also feel like Im just doing what I should be doing.
DUBAI, UAE, Sept. 28, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Revival of a cryptocurrency after the loss of its glory is indeed a difficult task. However, it is not impossible. Luna Classic which was once the talk of the town is now rarely heard of. To restore the lost glory of Luna Classic, a new crypto has recently made its way into the market. With dedication and honesty as its core principles, the project wishes to create a thriving and ever-lasting ecosystem for investors.

A Quick Glance at Luna Freaks

The originators and the founding community members of Luna Freaks are from the Loyal Community of Luna Classic. 5% of the tax imposed on each transaction of Luna Freaks token is utilized by the project to burn an equivalent amount of Luna Classic. The dwindling supply of Luna Classic as a result of each burn will cause an increase in the demand of the token. The ameliorating demand will reinstate Luna Classic on the list of popular cryptocurrencies.

Moreover, while the company focuses on the revival of Luna Classic at the same time it wishes to keep investors happy by offering various rewards. Developers and founders of the Luna Freaks are highly inclined toward creating a community that radiates integrity and transparency. At the same time, the creators wish to inspire other developers to continue in their footsteps and diminish the supply of Luna Classic.









An Exemplary Mission

The community aims to attain new heights through the constant burning of Luna Classic tokens together with rewarding clients every now and then. Clients can choose to HODL, buy or sell their Luna Freaks rewards.

Holders can earn rewards by simply holding their tokens. The rewards received will be in the form of LUNC ( Terra Luna Classic). The community aspires to make LUNC a trustable token again and provide benefits to all those that suffered heavy losses from the Luna crash. By bringing together the fanatics of Luna the community wishes to create a platform where working for attaining prosperity is treated with the utmost respect. The revival of $LUNC can only be brought about by burning $LUNAF. Although the Luna Classic has imposed a tax on $LUNC this shall not suffice. To attain complete revival every platform must work hand in hand.

$LUNC Burn

Luna has become a sensation these days. Although $LUNC is being burned on a small scale through the taxes that are collected each day. However, to attain quick restoration of the glory of Luna Classic, it is necessary that the token is burned on a large scale. To achieve this end, the community is getting help from its influencers to create more hype. This will help in getting larger manual burns.

A Well-planned Roadmap

Luna Freaks has divided its roadmap into 4 phases. Phase 1 includes important events such as website development, whitepaper launch, social media creations, basic marketing, contract development, and team building. Phase 2 consists of creating a community, contract audit, KYCs, influencer onboarding, aggressive marketing and AMAs. The roadmaps phase 3 includes plans for Pinksale Fair Launch, Token Launch, CoinGecko listing, CoinMarketCap listing, First LUNC Burn, and huge advertising. Phase 4, the final phase of the roadmap, includes LUNAF Staking, CEX Listing, LUNAF Swap Launch, First Community Giveaway, Strategic LUNC Burns, and even heavier advertising.

Staking and Rewards

Having a source of passive income is always relished. To keep investors and community members happy, the project offers numerous staking opportunities and rewards. By merely buying $LUNAF and holding it in their wallet, individuals can earn $LUNC as rewards. Clients can earn both $LUNAF and $LUNC as rewards following the launch of Luna Freaks DAPP in November 2022.

LUNAF SWAP

LUNAF SWAP is another innovative feature of the project. It is a decentralized exchange that permits one to swap BEP-20 tokens. Decentralized Exchange means that each transaction is conducted automatically without any third-party involvement. All the transaction fee collected via LUNA SWAP will be used to burn $LUNC.

Tokenomics and Token Allocation

$LUNAF has the following tokenomics:

Token Name: Luna Freaks

Ticker: $LUNAF

Network: Binance Smart Chain (BEP-20)

Maximum Supply: 1,000,000 $LUNAF

Presale: 37%  (370,000)

Liquidity: 18.5%  (185,000)

Staking: 15%  (150,000)

CEX Listing: 10%  (100,000)

Team: 5%  (50,000)

Marketing: 5%  (50,000)

Future Development: 5%  (50,000)

Advisors: 3%  (30,000)

Unlocked: 1.5%  (15,000)

The Buy and Sell taxes are divided in the following ways:

Buy Tax:

4% LUNC Burn

4% LUNC Rewards

4% Marketing

Sell:

5% LUNC Burn

5% LUNC Rewards

5% Marketing

Furthermore, potential investors and crypto enthusiasts interested in Luna Freaks, can visit the projects official website, or read the whitepaper.

Website | Telegram | Twitter | Discord |





References:

Audit by ContractChecker: https://github.com/ContractChecker/audits/blob/main/LunaFreaks_Token_0x66166AcC8B5ccb9a1628633Da278acBb7c010231_Smart_Contract_Security_Audit_By_ContractChecker.pdf



https://lunafreaks.org







Disclaimer:

The information provided in this release is not investment advice, financial advice or trading advice. It is recommended that you practice due diligence (including consultation with a professional financial advisor) before investing or trading securities and cryptocurrency.
English French

OTTAWA, Sept. 28, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Native Womens Association of Canada (NWAC) joined the Organization of American States (OAS) and the Trust for the Americas in announcing the Canadian launch of an outstanding digital-skills training initiative for Indigenous Peoples.



The launch event took place today, two days before the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.

The announcement of the new POETA (Partnerships for Economic Opportunities through Technology in the Americas) Digispark Canada Project will respond to the economic marginalization of Indigenous Peoples in this country. It responds to the Calls for Justice identified by the Final Report of the National Inquirys Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG). It is concrete action. The program will contribute to economic reconciliation and resilience and is designed to empower Indigenous Peoples with skills in the high-demand technology and digital-services industries. Canadas federal government estimates it will soon have 8,000 vacancies in this sector.

NWAC Chief Executive Officer, Lynne Groulx virtually joined the Trust for the Americas and the Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS). In referring to this gap in economic prosperity, Groulx stated that [O]nly 2.2% of workers in the tech workforce are Indigenous. This is unacceptable. We need to urgently fill in this gap. We need to take concrete action such as this project to end economic marginalization.

In a powerful statement from Washington, D. C, the Secretary General, Louis Almagro, spoke about the impact of residential schools and truth and reconciliation. He mentioned how this program will empower Indigenous Peoples and contribute to Indigenous skills training. I see how this project targets critical issues that affect Indigenous Peoples in the hemisphere. The success of the project should become an example of how to achieve inclusive, sustainable, social and economic development with Indigenous communities and the region as a whole.

This is a program that promotes lifelong learning and economic opportunities for Indigenous People by providing access to quality, targeted, and culturally appropriate mentorship, skills training, and collaboration spaces, said Linda Eddleman, Chief Executive Officer of the Trust.

To concreate the plan, The Trust for the Americas and NWAC have signed a memorandum of understanding that would see the Trust and NWAC partner together to pilot the program, including training in digital literacy and computer competence, those who take part will learn life skills necessary for the workplace.

The program will be offered out of NWACs new Social, Cultural, and Economic Innovation Centre in Gatineau, Que., which the Trust referred to as a healing space. The program will also be offered remotely to permit those living outside the National Capital Region to take part.

This is a historic day in advancing digital and economic equity for reconciliation. said Groulx.
Tallinn, Estonia, Sept. 28, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Embily has launched a new on-platform functionality allowing users to buy cryptocurrencies using a bank card. Bitcoin will be the first coin available.

Embilys crypto banking services are currently non-custodial in that the company does not store the users cryptocurrencies. Instead, the funds are transferred directly to the buyers wallet. The company has plans to launch a custodial wallet in Q4 2022 that will allow users to store their cryptocurrencies for added convenience.

We strive to turn Embily into a full-fledged financial ecosystem; Embilys crypto cards will be just one of the components of the system. Now we allow our customers not only to use but also to buy and manage cryptocurrencies. Step by step, we will provide a complete banking infrastructure, stated Alex Bychkov, the CEO of Embily.

The cryptocurrency purchase is available for all countries except for a few that are currently sanctioned. To take advantage of the service, users will first need to register on the Embily website and go through the standard KYC procedure. After successful verification, users can buy Bitcoin through their Embily accounts via VISA and MasterCard using any available currency.

Embily provides cryptocurrency banking services and currently operates under an Estonian licence in full compliance with legal requirements and global financial legislation. The company offers clients a wide range of convenient banking functions through VISA and MasterCard gateways, as well as an Over-the-Counter bulk cryptocurrency purchase options and ATM withdrawals.

Media Contact:

Company Name: Embily

Email: elena@embily.com

Website: https://swap.embily.com

City: Tallinn

Country: Estonia



There is no offer to sell, no solicitation of an offer to buy, and no recommendation of any security or any other product or service in this article. Moreover, nothing contained in this PR should be construed as a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any investment or security, or to engage in any investment strategy or transaction. It is your responsibility to determine whether any investment, investment strategy, security, or related transaction is appropriate for you based on your investment objectives, financial circumstances, and risk tolerance. Consult your business advisor, attorney, or tax advisor regarding your specific business, legal, or tax situation. Newsroom: abrelease.submitmypressrelease.com



Attachment
New York, US, Sept. 28, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Market Overview

According to a Comprehensive Research Report by Market Research Future (MRFR),  Chitosan Market Information by Source, Application, and Region- Forecast till 2030, the market is estimated to acquire a size of over USD 8.7 Billion by the end of 2030. The report further predicts the market to thrive at a healthy CAGR of over 25.9% during the review timeframe.

Market Scope:

Chitosan, a linear polysaccharide, is obtained by applying an alkaline material, such as sodium hydroxide, to the chitin shells of shrimp and other crustaceans. There are several potential industrial and medical applications for chitosan. Uses for chitosan include those in the food and beverage business, the pharmaceutical and nutraceutical industries, the personal care industry, and the agricultural sector. When applied to seeds or used as a biopesticide, chitosan helps plants resist fungal diseases. Chitosan is used as a fining agent and antimicrobial in the beverage industry, notably in winemaking.

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Report Scope:

Report Attribute Details 2030 Market Size USD 8.7 Billion CAGR 25.9% (20222030) Base Year 2021 Forecast Period 2022-2030 Historical Data 2020 Forecast Units Value (USD Billion) Report Coverage Revenue Forecast, Competitive Landscape, Growth Factors, and Trends Segments Covered by Source, Application, Region Geographies Covered North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and Rest of the World (RoW) Key Market Drivers Increasing demand from the cosmetics industry Rising scope of usage in waste-water treatment industry

Competitive Dynamics:

The largest companies in this field finance research into more efficient and secure manufacturing processes. Market leaders are also working to diversify their product offerings by creating a wide variety of chitosan products that vary in purity and are therefore applicable across a variety of end-use sectors. In order to have quick and simple access to supplies, most significant corporations in the globe are situated near waterways.

Primex ehf (Iceland)

Heppe Medical Chitosan GmbH (Germany)

KitoZyme S.A. (Belgium)

Advanced Biopolymers AS (Norway)

BIO21 Co., Ltd. (Thailand)

G.T.C. Bio Corporation (China)

Taizhou City Fengrun Biochemical Co., Ltd. (China)

Zhejiang Golden-Shell Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. (China)

Panvo Organics Pvt., Ltd. (India)

Xianju Tengwang Chitosan Factory (China)

Dupont Corporation (US)

Golden-Shell Pharmaceutical Co. (China)

PT Biotech Surindo. (Indonesia)

Dainichiseika Color & Chemicals (Japan)

Jinan Haidebei Marine Bioengineering Co. Ltd. (China)

Market USP:

Market Drivers

Natural components like chitosan are predicted to see increased demand as people become more conscious of the harmful effects of conventional pesticides and seek for more eco-friendly methods for managing crop diseases. The expansion of the product's potential applications in waste-water treatment and the cosmetics industry should also contribute to the market's development. New, large-scale pharmaceutical manufacturing facilities have emerged in the area as restrictive laws that had previously prevented their construction were relaxed.

The substance has numerous agricultural uses, including as a fertilizer to regulate pesticide release, a coating material for fruits and vegetables, and a seed coating material, all of which work together to boost plant resistance and yield. The product's antibacterial and antifungal qualities also make it useful for combating seed-borne diseases. Because chitosan treatments for seeds produce physical barriers (films) surrounding the seed surface, the qualities of the seed are preserved.

The expansion of chitosan's potential uses in the cosmetics and personal care industries, as well as its use in wastewater treatment, are factors that are expected to drive the worldwide chitosan market forward. The widespread application of chitosan in the food and beverage sector, as well as in the agricultural sector, is also anticipated to contribute to the expansion of the chitosan market over the coming years. The fact that it has anticoagulant characteristics is also predicted to boost demand for hemostatic dressings. A further factor that is anticipated to drive market expansion during the forecast period is the increasing demand for cosmetics that are made from natural ingredients.

However, in the event of a shortage for marine debris, there has been an increase in the number of other sources for commercial chitosan, such as fungi, snails, and other molluscs. Profitable chances for the expansion of the chitosan market may arise as a result of the widespread availability of fungal waste in agriculture and the artificial creation of fungi through inexpensive nutrients by means of straightforward chemical techniques.

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Market Restraints

However, over the projection period, the total chitosan market size is expected to be hampered by restraints such as high manufacturing cost and abundant supply of raw materials.

COVID-19 Analysis:

It's anticipated that the chitosan industry will suffer as a result of the widespread spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. An economic downturn and a tightening of borders in a number of countries have hurt sales of personal care products like cosmetics and toiletries across the board.

Market Segmentation:

By Source

Given the increasing demand for shrimp chitosan in the water treatment and food and beverage industries in 2019, this subsegment is expected to generate the biggest revenue share in 2019. When compared to other chemical products, chitosan made from shrimp cells is superior since it is safe, biocompatible, and biodegradable.

By Application

The rising need for chitosan to enhance the quality and preservation of food products of agricultural, poultry, and marine origin is driving the industry's expansion in the food and drinks sector.

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Regional Analysis:

During the projected period, the chitosan market in North America is anticipated to be the largest regional market worldwide. Chitosan's market is predicted to rise due to the increasing need for water treatment chemicals generated from natural sources. Furthermore, the presence of major industry participants utilizing chitosan in food goods and personal care products in the region is fueling the expansion of the chitosan market there. The expansion of the chitosan industry in the region is being fueled in no small part by its increasing use in baked goods and cosmetics.

Throughout the projected time frame, Asia-Pacific will show the greatest chitosan industry CAGR. The expansion of the market is spurred by the abundance of chitosan producers in Japan and China and the convenience of sourcing raw materials there. The fast industrialisation of nations like India, China, and Thailand is also predicted to contribute to the expansion of the chitosan market in the area.

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New York, US, Sept. 29, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Market Overview

According to a Comprehensive Research Report by Market Research Future (MRFR),  Cocoa Butter Alternatives Market Information by Type, Source, Application and Region- Forecast till 2028, the market is estimated to acquire a size of over USD 1,571.25 Million by the end of 2028. The report further predicts the market to thrive at a healthy CAGR of over 6.91% during the review timeframe.

Market Scope:

The majority of the plant fat blends used as cocoa butter substitutes in chocolate are based on different vegetable fats. These are substitutions for regular cocoa butter. These substitute fats are known as cocoa butter substitutes. They can be blended without affecting the physical qualities of the cocoa butter.

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Report Scope:

Report Attribute Details 2028 Market Size USD 1,571.25 Million CAGR 6.91% (2021-2028) Base Year 2020 Forecast Period 2021-2028 Historical Data 2019 Forecast Units Value (USD Million) Report Coverage Revenue Forecast, Competitive Landscape, Growth Factors, and Trends Segments Covered by Type, Source, Application, and Region Geographies Covered North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and Rest of the World (RoW) Key Market Drivers potential demand of chocolate from various industries declining production of cocoa beans

Competitive Dynamics:

The key players of the market are

Nisshin OilliO Group, Ltd. (Japan)

Fuji Oil Holdings, Inc. (Japan)

Cargill, Incorporated (US)

Bunge Ltd. (US)

Wilmar International Ltd. (Singapore)

AAK AB (Sweden)

3F INDUSTRIES LIMITED(India)

Felda IFFCO Sdn. Bhd. (Malaysia)

Musim Mas (Singapore)

The Mewah Group (Singapore)

Market USP:

Market Drivers

Demand and consumption of chocolate are rising gradually on a global scale. It seems like there is always a need for chocolate for use in baking and confectionery applications. It is projected that rising disposable income supported by emerging economies in nations like India, China, and Brazil will increase demand for chocolate. However, there is a great demand for cocoa butter substitutes in order to meet consumer demands and get around the current lack of cocoa available to make cocoa butter. A vast number of industries, including bakery, confectionery, personal care goods, desserts, seasoning, and others, heavily utilize chocolate. All of these industries offer significant growth potential for the production of cocoa butter substitutes, with a high CAGR predicted for the projected period.

The manufacturers now have a wealth of chances to design possible cocoa butter substitutes and boost sales of their products as a result of the decline in cocoa butter output. Manufacturers of oils and fats are making significant investments in R&D in order to create unique goods and launch their product line on a worldwide scale. Both plant-based and animal-based oils are the subject of extensive research as possible substitutes for cocoa butter.

Investments in R&D can also aid in the development of effective and widespread extraction methods for cocoa butter substitutes. Additionally, a strong emphasis on research should be made globally in order to address some of the primary limitations of cocoa butter substitutes, such as a tendency to bloom and rheological stability.

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Market Limitations

Lauric fatty acids are present in coconut oil and palm oil, which are frequently used as substitutes for cocoa butter. Certain nations have imposed strict usage and labeling guidelines to control the consumption of cocoa butter substitutes. For instance, in the US, the sole use of cocoa butter as the fat source is required for items to be classified as chocolate. Additionally, if substitutes for cocoa butter are used in the products, the name of the product must be changed and it cannot still be called chocolate.

Analysis of COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic outbreak and the accompanying implementation of lockdown measures in numerous nations reduced the pool of labor that was available to carry out the industrial process. Additionally, the transportation sector was also impacted by the lockdowns, which hindered the supply of vital raw supplies. However, the COVID-19-induced lockdown measures caused the world's shipping networks to be disrupted.

Marketing division

By Type

In 2020, the cocoa butter equivalents segment held the greatest market share, and throughout the forecast period, it is anticipated to see the highest CAGR of 7.14%.

By Source

The Shea segment held the greatest market share in terms of value in 2020 and is anticipated to experience the highest CAGR of 7.30% over the course of the forecast period.

By Application

The dairy & frozen desserts category is anticipated to post the greatest CAGR of 7.23% throughout the projected period, while the bakery & confectionery segment held a bigger market share of 65.55% in 2020.

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Geographic Analysis:

In 2020, North America held the greatest market share of 40.99% in the global market for cocoa butter substitutes. During the forecast period, this region is expected to grow at a 7.00% CAGR. In 2020, North America dominated the global market for cocoa butter substitutes, and it is anticipated that it would continue to do so during the forecast period. By the end of 2028, the region is anticipated to generate revenues of USD 648.70 million, up from a revenue share of 40.99% in 2020. The development of application sectors including food and beverage and personal care is a key factor propelling the market for cocoa butter substitutes in North America. Sales of cocoa butter substitutes are increasing as a result of the booming demand for chocolate and baked goods because they are less expensive and widely available. The market players in North America are being pushed to choose different cocoa butter substitutes such shea butter, palm oil, coconut oil, and others due to the fall in cocoa bean output, which is leading to the supply of cocoa butter declining.

In 2020, the Asia-Pacific region held the second-largest market share for cocoa butter substitutes, with a share of 28.82%. During the projection period, the regional market is anticipated to grow at a CAGR of 7.25 percent. Several emerging and developed nations, including Australia, India, Japan, China, and South Korea, are included in the APAC market. Sales of the regional market are anticipated to increase as a result of the expansion of various food, beverage, and personal product producers in the area. The three biggest national markets that affect the growth of the regional market are China, Japan, and India. These nations held a combined market share of 76.81% of the Asia-Pacific market for cocoa butter substitutes in 2020. The market for cocoa butter substitutes in Asia-Pacific is being boosted by rising cocoa butter prices. The regional market is expanding as a result of the lax regulatory framework regulating the use of cocoa butter substitutes in the application sectors.

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Dallas, Texas, Sept. 29, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The global pet insurance market is progressing mostly due to the rising adoption of pets and greater public awareness of pet insurance. In recent years, there has been a noticeable increase in the acceptability of animals as companions, such as dogs and cats. The most common pets are cats and dogs, both of which are good for people's physical and emotional health.

The global pet insurance market is valued at USD 7.9 billion in 2022 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 11.5% to reach US$ 39.6 billion by 2030.

Global pet adoption growth, an increase in the prevalence of various illnesses and infections in dogs and cats, and rising pet care costs are major drivers responsible for the market growth. In most homes, especially in industrialized nations worldwide, cats and dogs are the most popular pets. According to research, keeping pets nearby lowers stress, anxiety, and depressive symptoms while also boosting mood. These animals can, however, be susceptible to diabetes, ear infections, upper respiratory infections, and a number of skin conditions. The total cost of medical care rises as a result of rising disease prevalence, expensive treatments, and frequent veterinary visits.

Many organizations and businesses provide pet insurance plans and policies to lessen the strain and out-of-pocket costs. During accidents and diseases, pet insurance is a helpful health care policy because it reimburses some medical costs. In the coming years, the global pet insurance market is predicted to increase as a result of factors such as the rise in the number of companion animals, rising pet ownership propensity, and rising pet health awareness.

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Global Pet Insurance Market Scope:

Metrics Details Study Period 2020-2030 Market Size in 2030 USD 39.6 billion by 2030 Segment Covered By Policy Type, End User, By Region, Policy Type Covered Lifetime Cover: (Accident & Illness Cover, Accident Cover), Non-Lifetime Cover: (Accident & Illness Cover, Accident Cover End User Covered Dog, Cat, Horse, Exotic Pet, Others Regions Covered North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East, and Africa and South America Key Players Profiled Anicom Holdings, Embrace Pet insurance Agency, Figo Pet Insurance, Crum & Forster Pet Insurance Group, Health for Pet, Hollard, Nationwide, PetFirst Healthcare, Pethealth, Petplan, Trupanion, Agria Pet Insurance, and RACQ among others.

As pet accidents and emergencies are becoming more often, treatment and hospitalization are expensive, and pet health insurance for accidents is readily available, the accident-only market is anticipated to grow steadily in terms of revenue CAGR throughout the projection period. This insurance, up to a certain point, covers the expense of MRI scans, surgeries, and complications resulting from accidents in addition to the injuries they cover.

The pet insurance industry in Europe is anticipated to hold the highest proportion in 2021. This is because pet insurance is becoming more and more popular, more people are adopting pets, and there are more established market competitors. A lot of insurance companies are now creating programmes to encourage people to adopt dogs in Europe. These companies offer services including illness, accident, and disease plans. The market for pet insurance in North America is being driven by expanding pet ownership, an increase in the number of domestic animals, rising disposable income, and rising pet insurance awareness.

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For instance, Zoetis joined the pet insurance market in April 2020 by founding Pumpkin Insurance Services Inc., a pet insurance company with offices all throughout the United States. To pet owners, the business offers affordable preventative care plans and pet health insurance.

On the other side, PetFirst Healthcare, LLC, a company that administers companion animal health insurance, was purchased by MetLife, Inc. in December 2019. Through this acquisition, MetLife was able to broaden its product offerings, using the company's position as a pioneer in group benefits distribution channels in the United States.

Important Points from Table of Contents:



Chapter 1 Introduction

Chapter 2 Research Methodology

Chapter 3 Executive Summary

Chapter 4 Market Outlook

Chapter 5 Pet Insurance Market by Policy Type

Chapter 6 Pet Insurance Market by End-User

6.1 Introduction

6.2 Global Pet Insurance Market, by End-User 2019

6.3 Dog

6.4 Cat

6.5 Horse

6.6 Exotic Pet

6.7 Others

Chapter 7 Pet Insurance Market By Region

7.1 Introduction

7.2 Global Pet Insurance Market, by Region, 2019

7.3 North America

7.3.1 U.S.

7.3.2 Canada

7.4 Europe

7.4.1 Germany

7.4.2 UK

7.4.3 France

7.4.4 Rest of Europe

7.5 Asia Pacific

7.5.1 China

7.5.2 India

7.5.3 Rest of Asia Pacific

7.6 Latin America

7.6.1 Brazil

7.6.2 Rest of Latin America

7.7 Middle East & Africa

Chapter 8 Competitive Landscape

8.1 Overview

8.2 Strategic Initiatives

8.2.1 Collaboration/ Agreement

8.2.2 Product Launch

8.2.3 Business Expansion

8.2.4 Business Acquisition

8.2.5 Technological Development

8.2.6 Partnership

8.2.7 Investment

Chapter 9 Company Profiles

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Sydney, Sept. 29, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Proactive, provider of real-time news and video interviews on growth companies listed in Australia, has covered the following companies:



Auric Mining Ltd (ASX:AWJ) has received firm commitments to raise $1,130,200 via a share placement at $0.072 per share as it kicks off a busy period of exploration and development at Chalice West and Jeffreys Find projects in WA. Click here

Eclipse Metals Ltd (ASX:EPM) has engaged a leading European consultancy group to assist with environmental and social impact assessments (EIA and SIA) for its Ivittuut Project in Greenland. Click here

Elementos Ltd (ASX:ELT, OTC:ELTLF) has confirmed conventional and modern tin flowsheet from its pilot scale metallurgical test work program at its flagship Oropesa Project in Spain. Click here

American Rare Earths Ltd (ASX:ARR)s latest metallurgical test work from its La Paz rare earths deposit continues to prove the potential of the project. Click here

First Graphene Ltd (ASX:FGR, OTCQB:FGPHF) has gone to market with a new range of cement and concrete products aimed at reducing CO2 emissions and improving concrete durability. Click here

Great Boulder Resources Ltd (ASX:GBR) has hit a new high-grade lode with results of up to 6 metres at 25.83 g/t gold from extension drilling at Mulga Bill deposit of the Side Well Gold Project near Meekatharra in Western Australia. Click here

Havilah Resources Ltd (ASX:HAV) is encouraged by results from an ongoing open pit resource expansion drilling program at the Mutooroo Project, 60 kilometres southwest of Broken Hill, that point to potential growth in the copper-cobalt-gold resource. Click here

Alligator Energy Ltd (ASX:AGE) has kicked off a five-grid time domain electromagnetic (EM) survey at the Piedmont Nickel-Cobalt Project in the Alpe Laghetto area of Northern Italy. Click here

Creso Pharma Ltd (ASX:CPH, OTCQB:COPHF)s Canadian subsidiary Mernova Medicinal Inc has successfully actioned several growth initiatives, including introducing new strains to a range of provincial partners and launching new stock keeping units (SKU). Click here

Blue Star Helium Ltd (ASX:BNL, OTC:BSNLF) has flowed helium to the surface at its JXSN#4 exploration well, part of the Galactica/Pegasus prospect in Las Animas County, Colorado. Click here

Hawsons Iron Ltd (ASX:HIO) will welcome the Hon Tony McGrady to the board as a non-executive director, effective on October 3, 2022. Click here

Predictive Discovery Ltd (ASX:PDI) continues to intersect broad, high-grade gold from resource definition drilling at its 4.2-million-ounce Bankan Gold Project in Guinea, raising the probability of lifting the current resource estimate. Click here

Evolution Energy Minerals Ltd (ASX:EV1) is trading higher on teaming up with Yichang Xincheng Graphite Co (YXGC) to transform coarse flake concentrate from the Chilalo Graphite Project in Tanzania into value-added graphite products. Click here

Suvo Strategic Minerals Ltd (ASX:SUV) has signed a binding subscription and option agreement to acquire a 26% interest in Dingo HPA Pty Ltd, an Australian proprietary company aiming to produce high purity alumina (HPA) from recycled feedstock. Click here

Newfield Resources Ltd (ASX:NWF) has raised approximately $1 million from the issue of 2,857,143 fully paid ordinary shares at an issue price of $0.35 per share. Click here

Orthocell Ltd (ASX:OCC), a regenerative medicine company, welcomes results from a 'crossover' trial for the OrthoATI rotator cuff treatment that underscores the high success rate and long efficacy period of the treatment in comparison with corticosteroid treatments. Click here

Rumble Resources Ltd (ASX:RTR) has extended the Chinook zinc-lead prospect at Earaheedy Project in WA after uncovering a new, 2.2-kilometre high-grade feeder structure. Click here

Caspin Resources Ltd (ASX:CPN) has unearthed two broad zones of polymetallic mineralisation at the Mount Squires Project in Western Australia in first-pass reconnaissance aircore drilling, confirming the unique multi-commodity potential of the tenure. Click here

Anson Resources Ltd (ASX:ASN) expects to further boost resources at Paradox Lithium Project in Utah, USA, after discovering multiple new lithium-rich zones in resource definition drilling at Cane Creek 32-1 well. Click here

About Proactive

Proactive is a unique tech-enabled platform providing companies globally with a comprehensive investor engagement solution across their business lifecycle.

With six offices on three continents, Proactive works with innovative growth companies quoted on the worlds major stock exchanges, helping executives to engage intelligently with investors.

In 2020, Proactive featured in 809 million search results, our content was viewed over 165 million times and our readers spent over 10 million hours on our websites. Proactive has produced over 300,000 articles and 20,000 executive interviews since it was established in 2006.

For more information on how Proactive can help you make a difference, email us at action@proactiveinvestors.com
Pune, India, Sept. 29, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Europe Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) monitoring solution market size was valued at USD 779.0 million in 2021. The market is expected to grow from USD 830.6 million in 2022 to USD 1,321.4 million by 2029, exhibiting a CAGR of 6.9% during the forecast period. Increasing smart home constructions and the rising adoption of UN frameworks to reduce greenhouse gas emissions are expected to fuel market progress. Fortune Business Insights provides this information in its report titled Europe Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) Monitoring Solution Market, 2022-2029.

COVID-19 Impact:

Constant Demand for Optimum Air Quality Fueled Market Progress

The market was positively impacted during the COVID-19 pandemic due to the rising demand for optimum air quality as the sudden spike in COVID-19 infections contaminated the air. Furthermore, manufacturers opted for online retail to improve their sales and continue operations. Moreover, manufacturers opted for reduced capacities, advanced production techniques, and part-time shifts to enhance their growth prospects. These factors fueled the Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) monitoring solution industrys growth during the pandemic.

Get a Sample PDF Brochure:

https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/enquiry/request-sample-pdf/europe-indoor-air-quality-iaq-monitoring-solution-market-104674

Segments

Fixed Indoor Monitor Segment to Dominate Owing to Increasing Installations Across Industrial and Commercial Applications

By type, the market is segmented into portable indoor monitor and fixed indoor monitor. The fixed indoor monitor segment is expected to dominate owing to rising installations across industrial and commercial applications.

Residential Segment to Dominate Owing to Extensive Demand for Fresh Indoor Air Quality (IAQ)

Based on application, the market is segregated into government buildings, residential, commercial, industrial, and others. The residential segment is expected to dominate owing to extensive demand for fresh Indoor Air Quality (IAQ). Country-wise, the European market is clubbed into Germany, France, the U.K., Italy, Spain, Sweden, Russia, and the rest of Europe.

Report Coverage

The report provides a detailed analysis of the top segments and the latest trends in the market. It comprehensively discusses the driving and restraining factors and the impact of COVID-19 on the market. Additionally, it examines the regional developments and the strategies undertaken by the market's key players.

Drivers and Restraints

Rising Pollution to Fuel Industry Growth

IAQ monitoring solution refers to the air quality around building structures. Rising air pollution worldwide is expected to fuel the demand for the monitoring solution. Furthermore, poor spaces, ventilation issues, and health concerns may lead to the industrys growth. Moreover, the increasing risks of pollution among children and the elderly population are likely to foster the adoption of Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) monitoring solutions. Also, rising indoor pollutants are expected to foster the adoption of air monitoring solutions. These factors may drive the Europe Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) monitoring solution market growth.

However, high production costs associated with the air monitoring solution may hinder the industrys growth.

Browse Summary of this Research Report:

https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/europe-indoor-air-quality-iaq-monitoring-solution-market-10467 4

Regional Insights

Increasing Government Initiatives for Limiting Adverse Health Effects to Foster Growth in Germany

Germany is projected to dominate the Europe Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) monitoring solution market share due to rising government initiatives for limiting adverse health effects. The market in Germany stood at USD 172.5 million in 2021 and is expected to gain a huge portion of the market share in the coming years. Furthermore, the increasing demand for smart care products may propel the industry growth.

In Italy, the increasing development of the industrial sector is expected to foster the demand for monitoring solutions. Furthermore, rising demand for IoT-enabled IAQ sensors in commercial and residential applications is expected to propel the industry growth.

Europe Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) Monitoring Solution Market -Report Scope & Segmentation:

Report Attribute Details Market size value in 2022 USD 830.6 Million Revenue forecast in 2029 USD 1321.4 Million Growth Rate CAGR of almost 6.9% 2022-2029 Base Year 2021 Historic Years 2018 - 2020 Forecast Years 2022 - 2029 Segments Covered By Type, By Application, By Country Forecast Units Value (USD Billion), and Volume (Units) Quantitative Units Revenue in USD million/billion and CAGR from 2022 to 2029 Regions Covered North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa, Latin America and Rest of World Countries Covered Unites States, Canada, Mexico, Unites Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, China, India, Japan, South Korea, Brazil, Argentina, GCC Countries, and South Africa, among others Number of Companies Covered Testo SE & Co. KGaA (Germany), Airthings (Norway), 3M (U.S.), Vaisala (Finland), Honeywell International (U.S.), InsightAir (Bulgaria), IOT Factory (Belgium), ENVIRA IOT (Spain), Aeroqual (New Zealand), ROTRONIC AG (Switzerland) Europe Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) Monitoring Solution Market Coverage Market growth drivers, restraints, opportunities, Porter's five forces analysis, PEST analysis, value chain analysis, regulatory landscape, market attractiveness analysis by segments and region, company market share analysis, and COVID-19 impact analysis. Customization Scope Avail customized purchase options to meet your exact research needs.





Competitive Landscape

Major Players Announce Novel Products to Elevate their Brand Image

The prominent companies operating in the market announce novel products to elevate their brand image. For example, ENVIRA IOT announced its novel IAQ device in September 2020. This device showcases the transmission risk index by determining environmental conditions. It offers healthy air and monitors air quality. This strategy may allow the company to elevate its brand image and attract more consumers. Furthermore, companies devise research and development, mergers, acquisitions, partnerships, and automation to boost their market position globally.

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Key Industry Development

August 2021- Envira IoT partnered with Sinay to expand its presence in France and offer wireless monitoring air quality networks.

List of Key Players Profiled in the Report

Testo SE & Co. KGaA (Germany)

Airthings (Norway)

3M (U.S.)

Vaisala (Finland)

Honeywell International (U.S.)

InsightAir (Bulgaria)

IOT Factory (Belgium)

ENVIRA IOT (Spain)

Aeroqual (New Zealand)

ROTRONIC AG (Switzerland)

Table of Content:

Introduction Definition, By Segment Research Methodology/Approach Data Sources

Executive Summary

Market Dynamics Macro and Micro Economic Indicators Drivers, Restraints, Opportunities and Trends Impact of COVID-19 Short-term Impact Long-term Impact

Competition Landscape Business Strategies Adopted by Key Players Consolidated SWOT Analysis of Key Players Europe Indoor Air Quality Solutions Key Players Market Share Insights and Analysis, 2021

Europe Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) Monitoring Solution Market Size Estimates and Forecasts (Quantitative Data), By Segments, 2018-2029 Key Findings By Type (USD Mn) Fixed Indoor Monitor Portable Indoor Monitor By Application (USD Mn) Residential Commercial Industrial Government Buildings Others By Country (USD Mn) Germany By Application Residential Commercial Industrial Government Buildings Others France By Application Residential Commercial Industrial Government Buildings Others United Kingdom By Application Residential Commercial Industrial Government Buildings Others Italy By Application Residential Commercial Industrial Government Buildings Others Spain By Application Residential Commercial Industrial Government Buildings Others Sweden By Application Residential Commercial Industrial Government Buildings Others Russia By Application Residential Commercial Industrial Government Buildings Others Rest of Europe



TOC Continued...!

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Portable Toilet Market Size and Industry Analysis

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Indigo Diabetes Announces First Participant Enrolled in the SHINE Clinical Trial



BELGIUM  Ghent, September 29, 2022  Indigo Diabetes N.V. (Indigo or the Company), a pioneering developer of medical solutions using nanophotonics, today announces the enrollment of the first participant in Belgium in the SHINE clinical trial, which is designed to evaluate the longer-term stability of Indigos continuous multi-metabolite (CMM) device.

Indigos subcutaneously inserted CMM device is in development for the continuous measurement of glucose, ketone and lactate levels in people living with diabetes.

This first participant enrollment, an important Company milestone, has taken place at Antwerp University Hospital (UZA) and represents the first of 15 participants to be recruited in the trial across Belgium, France and Slovenia.

Indigo has recently submitted a paper on the data from its successfully concluded GLOW trial, the first-in-human clinical study of Indigos CMM sensor, to a peer-reviewed journal for publication.

Professor Christophe De Block, Principal Investigator of the SHINE trial at Antwerp University Hospital commented: Continuous monitoring of glucose levels is key in managing diabetes to prevent devastating acute and long-term complications. The possibility of monitoring other biomarkers such as ketones and lactate will take continuous monitoring to the next level. It is a privilege to lead the SHINE clinical trial to evaluate the safety and performance of this ground-breaking novel technology.

Dr. Danae Delbeke, CEO, Inventor, and Co-founder of Indigo Diabetes, added: The start of the SHINE trial is an important milestone for Indigo and follows the successful conclusion of the GLOW trial earlier this year, the results of which weve submitted to a peer-reviewed journal for publication. Many multi-metabolite monitoring devices under development sit on the skin and are highly visible, which some people do not like because they can feel self-conscious, stigmatized and uncomfortable. Indigos continuous multi-metabolite monitor is subcutaneously inserted and is designed to be inconspicuous. We look forward to seeing how it performs in this longer-term stability trial.

- Ends -

About Indigo Diabetes N.V.

Indigo Diabetes N.V. (Indigo) is a pioneering developer of medical solutions utilizing nanophotonics. Indigo was founded by Danae Delbeke and her team in 2016. Today Indigo is developing the worlds first invisible sensor for people living with diabetes to address their need for continuous accurate glucose and ketone monitoring with an improved user experience. Indigo exploits groundbreaking photonics technology responsible for revolutionizing the Internet to transform diabetes management. Indigo is based in Ghent, Belgium. Find out more at www.indigomed.com .

About Indigo Diabetess CMM sensor

Indigo Diabetess CMM sensor is a small spectrometer-on a-chip to monitor in-vivo simultaneously and continuously multiple metabolites. The inert, miniature integrated silicon photonics spectrometer chip measures the absorption of light in the interstitial fluid to quantify the concentration of multiple metabolites simultaneously without the use of enzymes or fluorophores. Once inserted under the skin the CMM sensor is invisible to the naked eye and will connect securely and wirelessly to mobile devices to show and capture the concentration profiles of the metabolites for the user. A rechargeable sensor battery powers the measurements. It is expected that the sensor will have a lifetime up to 2 years. Preclinical studies have successfully demonstrated proof of concept with promising accuracy.

Further details on the SHINE Study

SHINE is an open label, interventional, multicentre, prospective feasibility study, designed to evaluate the safety of the implantation and preliminary performance of the SHINE SYSTEM. The device will be inserted for 6 months, with the overall study expected to last 12 months from the first participant, first visit (FPFV) to the last participant, last visit (LPLV.)

Up to 15 study participants with diabetes mellitus will be recruited across the following sites: University Medical Centre Ljubljana in Slovenia, Antwerp University Hospital in Belgium, and Lapeyronie Montpellier University Hospital in France.

All subjects will participate in 8 measurement visits over the 6 months of the study duration. During these visits data will be collected on the spectra of glucose, ketones and lactate and compared with the values of metabolites analysed directly from subjects blood. Glucose levels will also be monitored by CGM device Dexcom G6.

Further details on the GLOW Study

GLOW, listed on www.clinicaltrials.gov under the identifier NCT04782934, was designed to evaluate the safety of the sensor and the short-term integration into the tissue and was a prospective, single-center early feasibility study conducted at Antwerp University Hospital, Belgium. Data was also collected from the seven study participants (three healthy subjects, and four subjects with type 1 diabetes) and used to develop the device to allow real-time, continuous measurement of key metabolite levels in adults with diabetes.

Participants receiving the CMM sensor had the sensor inserted up to 10 mm deep in the subcutaneous abdominal tissue using local anaesthetic. The sensor remained in situ for 30 days after which it was removed. Each participant had 6 measurement visits over the 30-day trial period, during which data for glucose, lactate and ketone levels was collected and compared to applicable standards under controlled circumstances (hypo/hyperglycaemia, anaerobic exercise, ketogenic conditions and during administration of potential interferents such as NSAIDS, vitamin C).

Contacts

Indigo Diabetes N.V.

Dr Danae Delbeke, CEO

Email: info@indigomed.com
AMSTERDAM, Sept. 29, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Global Anti Scam Alliance and Scamadviser analyzed 12.3 million domain names and discovered that some Internet Service Providers and countries seem to support scammers much more than others.

Of the domains analyzed, the percentage of websites having a low Trust Score (below 20 on a scale from 1 to 100) has increased from last year's 3% to this year's 8.3%. This means you are almost three times more likely to come across an online scam.

Bad Registrars

Every website ever created has a domain name, and these domain names can only be acquired through domain registrars.

GoDaddy is the world's largest domain registrar and increased its share of hosting dubious domains from 3% last year to this year's 7.5%. This, however, is still slightly less than the overall average.

What's alarming is the high percentage rate of low-score domains registered on Alibaba. Alibaba has a huge 63.8% of domains with low scores and is the highest among the top registrars. Likewise, American-based companies like NameSilo (28.2%) and NameCheap (14.8%) also do not score well.

Bad Hosting Companies

To enable businesses to make their websites accessible to the internet, an Internet Service Provider (ISP) is needed. This year's largest "hosting" company is CloudFlare with over 2.9 million websites, but 7.7% of those have a low Trust Score.

Among the biggest hosters, Namecheap has the most substandard performance. Of its 340,095 websites analyzed, 22.95% have a Trust Score lower than 20. Bodis and Sedo have the best performance with only 2% and 2.3% scammy websites.

Bad Registries

Registries are the actual owner of extensions such as .com, .uk and .shop. Everyone's favorite ".com" extension is still the most used with 6.2 million websites but 9.2% of them have low scores of less than 20.

Five registries stand out, and not in a positive way. The registries are: 1) ".xyz", 2) ".shop", 3) ".top", 4) ".site" and 5) ".online". ".top" takes home the lead with a whopping 42% of low Trust Score domains. This means that out of the 137,133 domains hosted, there is almost half the chance that they are malicious.

Bad Countries

The United States hosts a massive total of 6.7 million websites, of which 9% are considered low-score, which is slightly above the overall percentage.

Overall, the countries with the highest growth of online scams seems to be Russia and Hong Kong, both with a threefold increase of low-score domains compared to last year's data. Hong Kong, however, wins the highest hosted ratio of low score domains with 26%.

How to Fix the Internet?

This year's data shows a clear increase in untrustworthy websites, making everyone three times more likely to be scammed than last year. To find answers, GASA is organizing the Global Anti Scam Summit, bringing together governments, law enforcement, and Internet Service Providers to define concrete actions to combat online fraud more effectively and efficiently.

Contact Information:

Jorij Abraham

General Manager

jorij.abraham@gasa.org



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Dublin, Sept. 29, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "United States Security Manual Template - 2022 Gold Edition" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

Data Security and Protection are a priority and this template is a must have tool for every CIO and IT department. Over 3,000 enterprises worldwide have acquired this tool and it is viewed by many as the Industry Standard for Security Management and Security Compliance.

Policy and Procedure Manual Compliance Management Made Easy

California Consumer Privacy Act/GDPR/ISO/HIPAA/SOX/CobiT/FIPS Compliant/WFH

28 Electronic Forms that are ready to use and User Bill of Rights for Sensitive Data and Privacy

In addition it includes an MS Excel Security Audit Program and 320 job descriptions from the Internet and IT Positions Description HandiGuide. Each job description comes as a WORD file using a descriptive long file name.

Many organizations fail to realize the benefits of security information management due to the often exhaustive financial and human resource costs of implementing and maintaining the software.

However, Janco's Security Manual Template - the industry standard - provides the infrastructure tools to manage security, make smarter security decisions and respond faster to security incidents and compliance requests within days of implementation. The template provides a framework for evaluating SIM services and shows how they could be applied within your organization.

Address issues like Work From Home (WFH) operational requirements, Identify Protection and SIEM (Security Information and Event Management). It is the complete must-have tool.

Security incidents are rising at an alarming rate every year. As the complexity of the threats increases, so do the security measures required to protect networks and critical enterprise data. CIOs, Data center operators, network administrators, and other IT professionals need to comprehend the basics of security in order to safely deploy and manage data and networks.

Securing a typical business network and IT infrastructure demands an end-to-end approach with a firm grasp of vulnerabilities and associated protective measures. While such knowledge cannot stop all attempts at network incursion or system attack, it can empower IT professionals to eliminate general problems, greatly reduce potential damages, and quickly detect breaches.

With the ever-increasing number and complexity of attacks, vigilant approaches to security in both large and small enterprises are a must. The Security Manual Template meets that requirement.

Comprehensive, Detailed, and Customizable

The Security Manual is over 240 pages in length. All versions of the Security Manual Template include both the Business IT Impact Questionnaire and the Threat Vulnerability Assessment Tool (they were redesigned to address Sarbanes Oxley compliance).

In addition, the Security Manual Template PREMIUM Edition contains 16 detailed job descriptions that apply specifically to security and Sarbanes Oxley, ISO security domains, ISO 27000 (ISO27001 and ISO27002), PCI-DSS, HIPAA, FIPS 199, and CobiT.

The Security Manual has recommended policies, procedures and written agreements with employees, vendors and other parties who have access to the company's technology assets.

Value of Cyber Insurance

Cyber attacks are on the rise. C-Level management from the CEO to the CIO are looking for solutions and protection. One protection is insurance to help recover the cost of restoration and ransomware payments. Insurance may not be what is advertised as insurance companies try to minimize payouts that they have to make.

Janco's Security Manual is used by over 3,500 organizations worldwide. The Security Manual Template contains definitions for the Work From Home (WFH) users and business operations as required by the California Consumer Privacy Act (CaCPA), HIPPA, and GDPR.

Security Manual Template - containing the full editable MS WORD and pdf versions of the template;

Forms - 34 electronic forms that are needed to implement a "World Class" security infrastructure;

Job Descriptions - 7 full job descriptions in MS Word Chief Security Officer (CSO), Chief Compliance Officer (CCO), Data Protection Officer, Manager Security and Workstation, Manager WFH support, Security Architect, and System Administrator

Policies - 5 policies in MS WORD and pdf versions - Blog and Personal Website Policy - Mobile Use Policy - Sensitive and Confidential Information Policy - Server Security Policy - Travel and Off-Site Meeting policy;

eBook - with eBook versions of the Security Manual Policy and the supporting policies; and

Tools - with the Business Impact Analysis Tool, Threat and Vulnerability Assessment Tool, Security Checklist, and PCI Audit Program

HIPPA Audit Program

Cyber Insurance Requirements

Electronic Forms

The forms included are:

Application & File Server Inventory Blog Policy Compliance Agreement BYOD Access and Use Agreement Company Asset Employee Control Log Email Employee Agreement Employee Termination Procedures and Checklist FIPS 199 Assessment Internet Access Request Form Internet and Electronic Communication Employee Agreement Internet use Approval Mobile Device Access and Use Agreement Mobile Device Security and Compliance Checklist New Employee Security Acknowledgment and Release Outsourcing and Cloud Security Compliance Agreement Outsourcing Security Compliance Agreement Preliminary Security Audit Checklist Privacy Compliance Policy Acceptance Agreement Risk Assessment (pdf & docx) Security Access Application Security Audit Report Security Violation Procedures Sensitive Information Policy Compliance Agreement Server Registration Social networking Policy Compliance Agreement Telecommuting Work Agreement Text Messaging Sensitive Information Agreement Threat and Vulnerability Assessment Inventory Work From Home Work Agreement

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/48u7ej

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Dublin, Sept. 29, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Hyaluronic Acid Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report by Application (Dermal Fillers, Osteoarthritis, Ophthalmic, Vesicoureteral Reflux), by Region (MEA, EU, North America, APAC), and Segment Forecasts, 2022-2030" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.



The global hyaluronic acid market size is expected to reach USD 16.8 billion by 2030, expanding at a CAGR of 7.45%, according to this report. Factors, such as increasing concern of population regarding chemicals, desire to get quick and evident results, and shorter recovery time are high impact rendering drivers.

The industry is evolving rapidly due to the increasing adoption of aesthetic procedures in developed and developing regions. The increasing the use of hyaluronic acid surfaces in cardiovascular implants, such as stents and vascular grafts, for improving the compatibility coupled with the growing awareness about anti-aging products is fueling the growth.



The efficacy and evident results of hyaluronic acid-based dermal fillers are attracting this population base. Furthermore, the COVID-19 pandemic has changed the dynamics of many industries, with movement restrictions, social distancing, and revised practices becoming the "new normal."

As the cosmetic industry is gradually resuming its operations, a number of doctors have reported a significant increase in the inquiries for aesthetic surgeries. Moreover, the lockdown has encouraged all professionals to use video-conferencing facilities, which has made people more conscious of their looks. In some cases, it has led people to opt for cosmetic treatments; this is termed the "Zoom Boom" or the "Zoom effect."



Cosmetic surgeons across the world have witnessed a significant increase in the number of patients as a result of the pandemic, particularly in countries, such as the U.S., Australia, and Japan. North America held the maximum revenue share in 2021. Preference for short-treatment regimens, even though high-priced, and the prevalence of target diseases, such as osteoarthritis, are the key factors attributed to the high share. In 2021, the most lucrative product applications in the North America region were in the form of dermal fillers and viscos supplements for the management of osteoarthritis. Asia Pacific is anticipated to register the fastest CAGR during the forecast period.



The growing geriatric population in China and Japan provide a large customer base for anti-aging products and services. The rising awareness about product applications and efficacy also fuels the demand. In addition, increasing disposable income levels are further supporting the region's expansion. Europe has undergone impressive changes over the last 2 years. The growing demand is witnessing increasing price competition owing to new entrants. The WHO recently announced the obesity epidemic in the U.K. and Germany. The relationship between the increasing aging population and obesity is a potential driver for the Europe regional sector



Hyaluronic Acid Market Report Highlights

The osteoarthritis segment dominated the global industry and accounted for the maximum share of the overall revenue in 2021

The rising obesity resulting in osteoarthritis and joint pain has increased the demand for hyaluronic acid injections as a treatment

Hyaluronic acid acts as a shock absorber or a cushion and lubricates the joints, thus helping in proper functioning

There are a number of ophthalmic surgical products that use hyaluronan/hyaluronic acid as an active ingredient

These include Vitrax, Healon, Amivisc Plus, Amvisc, Hylan G-F20, and Opegan

The increasing prevalence of age-related eye diseases, dry eye syndrome, adult-vision impairments, and chronic diseases, such as diabetes, are major factors leading to segment growth

Market Dynamics

Market Drivers

Increasing Geriatric Population

Growing Awareness for Antiaging Products

High Prevalence of Target Diseases

Market Restraints

Associated Adverse Effects of Hyaluronic Acid

High Cost of Products and Related Services

Key Topics Covered:



Chapter 1 Methodology and Scope



Chapter 2 Executive Summary



Chapter 3 Market Variables, Trends, & Scope



Chapter 4 Hyaluronic Acid Market: Application Analysis



Chapter 5 Hyaluronic Acid Market: Regional Analysis



Chapter 6 Reimbursement Outlook



Chapter 7 Competitive Analysis



Companies Mentioned

Allergan

Sanofi

Genzyme Corporation

Anika Therapeutics, Inc.

Salix Pharmacueticals

Seikagaku Corporation

F. Hoffmann-La Roche AG

Galderma Laboratories L.P.

Zimmer Biomet

Smith & Nephew plc

Ferring B.V

Lifecore Biomedical, LLC

Htl Biotechnology

Shiseido Company, Limited

Bloomage Biotechnology Corporation Limited

Lg Life Sciences Ltd (Lg Chem.)

Maruha Nichiro, Inc.

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/hjrpuk

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CALGARY, Alberta, Sept. 29, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- If Canada followed Australias lead in several key policy areas, it could increase productivity growth and raise living standards, finds a new essay released today by the Fraser Institute, an independent, non-partisan Canadian public policy think-tank.



The similarities between Australia and Canada, economically and culturally, make it an important comparator country for Canadian policymakers, said Stephen Kirchner, senior economist at the Business Council of Australia, senior fellow of the Fraser Institute and author of The Canadian-Australian Productivity Gap: Comparative Institutions and Policy Settings.

While most advanced economies recently experienced slower productivity growth (measured by comparing the amount of goods and services produced with the amount of inputs used to produce them), Canada has consistently lagged behind Australia in recent decades due largely to Australias higher level of investment. To help close this productivity gap, Canada could learn from the Australian experience and enact key policy reforms including:

cut red tape and remove impediments to stronger private investment spending (particularly in Canadas non-housing sectors)

streamline regulation of the financial system, which would encourage more business lending

reduce and reform personal income taxes



Because productivity growth drives living standards, policymakers should work to make Canada a more attractive place to invest and do business, Kirchner said.

This is the third study in a three-part series of studies comparing the Canadian and Australian economies.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Stephen Kirchner, Senior Fellow, Fraser Institute

To arrange media interviews or for more information, please contact:

Mark Hasiuk, Senior Media Relations Specialist, 604-688-0221 ext. 517,

mark.hasiuk@fraserinstitute.org

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The Fraser Institute is an independent Canadian public policy research and educational organization with offices in Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto, and Montreal and ties to a global network of think-tanks in 87 countries. Its mission is to improve the quality of life for Canadians, their families and future generations by studying, measuring and broadly communicating the effects of government policies, entrepreneurship and choice on their well-being. To protect the Institutes independence, it does not accept grants from governments or contracts for research. Visit www.fraserinstitute.org
Dublin, Sept. 29, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Blood Transfusion Diagnostics Market Forecast to 2028 - COVID-19 Impact and Global Analysis By Product, Application, and End User" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.



The global blood transfusion diagnostics market is expected to grow from US$ 4,096.93 million in 2021 to US$ 6,483.75 million by 2028. It is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 6.9% from 2022 to 2028. The report highlights prevailing trends and factors driving the market growth.



The growth of the global blood transfusion diagnostics market is attributed to the rapid increase in chronic diseases and the need for blood transfusion due to the rise in organ transplant surgeries. However, the problems associated with blood transfusion services hinder the overall market growth.



Blood transfusion diagnostics refers to tests performed on blood and blood components before they are transfused to patients. A blood transfusion is a common procedure in which donated blood or blood components are transfused into the patient's body through an intravenous line (IV). Each unit of blood must undergo blood typing, which refers to identification of blood type and blood screening, including disease detection tests to avoid side effects or transmission of infection. Blood screening before transfusion is performed through instruments, kits, and reagents to identify various diseases, such as HIV, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, Zika, and different viruses and infections.



According to the data published by the National Institute of Cancer Prevention and Research (NICPR) and the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), the yearly prevalence of cancer in India is estimated at ~2.25 million, leading to numerous surgical procedures.



Chronic diseases, such as cancer, cardiovascular diseases, and renal disorders, are major causes of human death worldwide. These conditions are generally treated via surgical procedures, which are associated with a chance of excessive blood loss. Fresh blood is infused into patients to maintain their blood levels. Blood transfusion diagnostics are used during the blood infusion or reinfusion processes. Hence, the global blood transfusion diagnostics market is rising with the rapid increase in chronic diseases.



Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Global Blood Transfusion Diagnostics Market

The COVID-19 pandemic negatively impacted blood services operations worldwide. Blood collection was affected due to the decrease in donor availability caused by avoidance of public places, social distancing policies, and cancellation of blood drives. The negative impact on blood collection led to a reduction in blood transfusion due to insufficient blood supply.

For instance, a research conducted by RMIT University, Australia, titled "The Impact of COVID-19 on Blood Transfusion Services: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis," revealed that the average decrease in blood donations was found to be 38% in the country. To cope with the blood shortage, campaigns were implemented to appeal for blood donation, raise public awareness about the importance of blood donation, and gain donors' confidence in safe blood donation. For instance, upon Korean Red Cross Blood Services' (KRCBS) request, the Ministry of Health and Welfare (MoHW) approved the relaxation of the geographical restrictions regarding indigenous malaria, thus enabling the collection of more than 23,000 units of whole blood.



Furthermore, doctors took the initiative to control unnecessary blood transfusions. For instance, according to the news published by ABC Science, in March 2022, Australian doctors warned against unnecessary blood transfusions in Australian hospitals. Also, as medical and surgical practices were restricted, the need for blood transfusions was decreased too. Thus, the above factors and instances indicate that the blood transfusion diagnostic market witnessed a negative COVID-19 impact.



Key Topics Covered:



1. Introduction



2. Blood Transfusion Diagnostics Market - Key Takeaways



3. Research Methodology



4. Blood Transfusion Diagnostics Market - Market Landscape

4.1 Overview

4.2 PEST Analysis

4.2.1 North America PEST Analysis

4.2.2 Europe PEST Analysis

4.2.3 Asia Pacific PEST Analysis

4.2.4 Middle East & Africa PEST Analysis

4.2.5 South & Central America PEST Analysis

4.3 Experts Opinion



5. Blood Transfusion Diagnostics Market - Key Market Dynamics

5.1 Market Drivers

5.1.1 Rapid Increase in Chronic Diseases

5.1.2 Need For Blood Transfusion due to Rise in Organ Transplants Surgeries

5.2 Market Restraints

5.2.1 Problems associated with Blood Transfusion Services

5.3 Market Opportunities

5.3.1 Elevated Healthcare Expenditure in Emerging Economies

5.3.2 Growing Initiatives by Governments

5.4 Future Trends

5.4.1 Technological Developments in Blood Transfusion Diagnostics

5.5 Impact Analysis



6. Blood Transfusion Diagnostics Market- Global Analysis

6.1 Global Blood Transfusion Diagnostics Market Revenue Forecast and Analysis

6.1.1 Global Blood Transfusion Diagnostics Market Revenue Forecast and Analysis

6.1.2 Global Blood Transfusion Diagnostics Market - Market Potential Analysis, By Region

6.2 Market Share Analysis of Key Players in Blood Transfusion Diagnostics Market

6.2.1 Company Analysis

6.2.2 Growth Strategy Analysis

6.2.3 Performance of Key Players

6.2.3.1 Grifols S.A.

6.2.3.2 F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd



7. Blood Transfusion Diagnostics Market Analysis and Forecasts To 2028 - By Product

7.1 Overview

7.2 Blood Transfusion Diagnostics Market Revenue Share, by Product (2021 and 2028)

7.3 Instruments and Kits

7.3.1 Overview

7.3.2 Instruments and Kits: Blood Transfusion Diagnostics Market - Revenue and Forecast to 2028 (USD Million)

7.4 Reagents

7.4.1 Overview

7.4.2 Reagents: Blood Transfusion Diagnostics Market - Revenue and Forecast to 2028 (USD Million)



8. Blood Transfusion Diagnostics Market Analysis - By Application

8.1 Overview

8.2 Blood Transfusion Diagnostics Market Revenue Share, by Application (2021 and 2028)

8.3 Disease Screening

8.3.1 Overview

8.3.2 Disease Screening: Blood Transfusion Diagnostics Market - Revenue and Forecast to 2028 (USD Million)

8.4 Blood Grouping

8.4.1 Overview

8.4.2 Blood Grouping: Blood Transfusion Diagnostics Market - Revenue and Forecast to 2028 (USD Million)



9. Blood Transfusion Diagnostics Market Analysis - By End User

9.1 Overview

9.2 Blood Transfusion Diagnostics Market Share, by End User, 2021 and 2028, (%)

9.3 Blood Banks

9.3.1 Overview

9.3.2 Blood Banks: Blood Transfusion Diagnostics Market, Revenue and Forecast to 2028 (US$ Million)

9.4 Hospitals

9.4.1 Overview

9.4.2 Hospitals: Blood Transfusion Diagnostics Market - Revenue and Forecast to 2028 (USD Million)

9.5 Diagnostic Laboratories

9.5.1 Overview

9.5.2 Diagnostic Laboratories: Blood Transfusion Diagnostics Market, Revenue and Forecast to 2028 (US$ Million)

9.6 Plasma Fractionation Companies

9.6.1 Overview

9.6.2 Plasma Fractionation Companies: Blood Transfusion Diagnostics Market, Revenue and Forecast to 2028 (US$ Million)



10. Blood Transfusion Diagnostics Market Revenue and Forecasts to 2028 - Geographical Analysis



11. Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Blood Transfusion Diagnostics Market

11.1 North America: Impact Assessment of COVID-19 Pandemic

11.2 Europe: Impact Assessment of COVID-19 Pandemic

11.3 Asia-Pacific: Impact Assessment of COVID-19 Pandemic

11.4 South and Central America: Impact Assessment of COVID-19 Pandemic

11.5 Middle East and Africa: Impact Assessment of COVID-19 Pandemic



12. Blood Transfusion Diagnostics Market-Industry Landscape

12.1 Overview

12.2 Growth Strategies in the Blood Transfusion Diagnostics Market

12.3 Inorganic Growth Strategies

12.3.1 Overview

12.4 Organic Growth Strategies

12.4.1 Overview



13. Company Profiles

13.1 Grifols, S.A.

13.1.1 Key Facts

13.1.2 Business Description

13.1.3 Products and Services

13.1.4 Financial Overview

13.1.5 SWOT Analysis

13.1.6 Key Developments

13.2 F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd

13.2.1 Key Facts

13.2.2 Business Description

13.2.3 Products and Services

13.2.4 Financial Overview

13.2.5 SWOT Analysis

13.2.6 Key Developments

13.3 Immucor, Inc.

13.3.1 Key Facts

13.3.2 Business Description

13.3.3 Products and Services

13.3.4 Financial Overview

13.3.5 SWOT Analysis

13.3.6 Key Developments

13.4 Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc.

13.4.1 Key Facts

13.4.2 Business Description

13.4.3 Products and Services

13.4.4 Financial Overview

13.4.5 SWOT Analysis

13.4.6 Key Developments

13.5 Abbott

13.5.1 Key Facts

13.5.2 Business Description

13.5.3 Products and Services

13.5.4 Financial Overview

13.5.5 SWOT Analysis

13.5.6 Key Developments

13.6 Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc.

13.6.1 Key Facts

13.6.2 Business Description

13.6.3 Products and Services

13.6.4 Financial Overview

13.6.5 SWOT Analysis

13.6.6 Key Developments

13.7 Ortho Clinical Diagnostics (QuidelOrtho Corporation)

13.7.1 Key Facts

13.7.2 Business Description

13.7.3 Products and Services

13.7.4 Financial Overview

13.7.5 SWOT Analysis

13.7.6 Key Developments

13.8 DiaSorin S.p.A.

13.8.1 Key Facts

13.8.2 Business Description

13.8.3 Products and Services

13.8.4 Financial Overview

13.8.5 SWOT Analysis

13.8.6 Key Developments

13.9 Quotient Limited

13.9.1 Key Facts

13.9.2 Business Description

13.9.3 Products and Services

13.9.4 Financial Overview

13.9.5 SWOT Analysis

13.9.6 Key Developments

13.10 BAG Diagnostics GmbH

13.10.1 Key Facts

13.10.2 Business Description

13.10.3 Products and Services

13.10.4 Financial Overview

13.10.5 SWOT Analysis

13.10.6 Key Developments



14. Appendix



For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/i75149

Attachment
Dublin, Sept. 29, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Global Sanitary Ware Market - Forecasts from 2022 to 2027" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.



The global sanitary ware market is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 5.38% over the forecast period to reach a market size of US$47.112 billion in 2027 from US$32.645 billion in 2020.

In the past decade, major developing countries have increased their budget for building and developing proper sanitation facilities for vulnerable and indigent populations. This has led to a rise in demand that will have a positive and significant impact on the market. Major manufacturers and players are spending significant capital on developing novel and innovative composites and materials. The growth in the income of consumers in developing countries has led to the demand for premium quality sanitary ware products.

Therefore, major and key players are investing more capital in developing technological aspects and design. The growth in the real estate market will have a significant effect on the global sanitary ware market. The real estate industry is worth trillions and will continue to register significant growth in the coming years. The positive effects of globalization, students travelling to different countries for studies, growth in business-to-business interaction between people of different nations, rise in the tourism sector, and others will have a positive impact on the global sanitary ware market.



Growth in the real estate sector will have a significant impact on the Sanitary Ware Market. According to the data given by the National Association of Realtors, a North American Trade Association, 5.34 million existing homes were sold out in the year 2019 in the United States. 682,000 novel build homes were sold out in 2019. The data given by the Association of Real Estate License Law officials gave an estimate that about 2 million real estate licensees are active and working in the United States.

The emergence and growth of nuclear families, rising commercial and household income, and rapid urbanization will play a significant growth in the development of the market. 70-75% of India's GDP was projected to come from Urban Areas in 2020. The sanitary ware market is fragmented, and the significance of small, local, and regional players has risen. Major companies are working to invest and penetrate the regional market by working and collaborating with local, small, and medium players. Governments worldwide are spending a substantial sum of capital on smart city projects and urbanization infrastructure development.



Sanitation will play an indispensable role in the growth of the market. According to the World Health Organisation, 45% of the global population had access to safely managed sanitation facilities in 2017. 31% of the population worldwide had access to privately managed sanitation facilities, which were connected to sewers that were located on the spot to treat wastewater. 14% of the population worldwide used latrines or toilets where excreta were disposed of on the spot. 74% of the population had access to basic sanitation facilities.

This also hurts the overall economic growth as the effects of poor sanitation have been visible on the country's GDP. Some countries have lost billions of dollars in GDP, such as the equivalent of 6.3% of GDP in Bangladesh, 6.4% of GDP in India, and others. The losses are due to premature deaths, lost time in treating a person, and productivity in locating proper sanitation facilities.

Nevertheless, there have been recent developments in this sector as more countries are enhancing their infrastructure and eliminating diseases. The government of India announced that it had built more than 90 million toilets by February 2019 under the Swachh Bharat Mission Gramin Scheme, which was launched in 2014. The scheme has positively impacted and covered 98% of the rural areas. This has registered significant growth in the sanitary ware market.





Segmentation:

By Type

Cistern

Toilet Sink

Pedestal

Wash Basin

By Materials

Ceramic

Acrylic Plastic

Pressed Metal

By Applications

Household

Commercial

By Geography

North America

USA

Canada

Mexico

South America

Brazil

Argentina

Europe

Germany

Spain

United Kingdom

France

Middle East and Africa

Saudi Arabia

UAE

South Africa

Asia Pacific

China

Japan

Australia

India

South Korea

Indonesia

Key Topics Covered:



1. INTRODUCTION



2. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY



3. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY



4. MARKET DYNAMICS



5. GLOBAL SANITARY WARE MARKET ANALYSIS, BY TYPE (VALUE IN US$ MILLION)



6. GLOBAL SANITARY WARE MARKET ANALYSIS, BY MATERIALS (VALUE IN US$ MILLION)



7. GLOBAL SANITARY WARE MARKET ANALYSIS, BY APPLICATIONS (VALUE IN US$ MILLION)



8. GLOBAL SANITARY WARE MARKET ANALYSIS, BY GEOGRAPHY (VALUE IN US$ MILLION)



9. COMPETITIVE ENVIRONMENT AND ANALYSIS



10. COMPANY PROFILES



Companies Mentioned

LIXIL Group Corporation

Jaquar

CERA Sanitary Ware Ltd.

Eagle Ceramics

Euro Ceramics Ltd.

Duratex

Hindware Homes

Lecico Egypt

RAK CERAMICS

Villeroy & Boch AG

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/a21bou

Attachment
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Sept. 29, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Riley Gold Corp. (TSX.V: RLYG) (OTCQB: RLYGF) (Riley Gold or the Company) is pleased to announce that a 1,000-sample soil survey program, covering approximately 3.8 square kilometres (sqkm), is underway at its Pipeline West/Clipper Gold Project (PWC) located in Lander County, Nevada. Riley Golds land package consists of approximately 24.7 sqkm of unpatented mining claims and patented (fee) lands in the heart of the Cortez section of the Battle Mountain  Eureka Trend.



Soil Sampling:

Riley Golds extended review of the PWC data included historical soil and lithic sampling surveys completed by previous operators. The Company has identified that the historical surveys have open-ended gold in soil anomalies within the PWC prospective target area depicted by the red ellipse (Figure 1). As a result, Riley Gold has initiated an extensive soil sample program to complete those areas not previously covered. The new 3.8 sqkm soil grid sample area also partially overlaps the historical surveys in order to level/harmonize results and gain better information from a more modern and complete geochemical analyses. Beyond gold anomalies, there are other locally anomalous pathfinder elements in the current data set that include: thallium, mercury, antimony, and arsenic. The soil survey program is being conducted by North American Exploration, from Layton, Utah.

Additionally, the new soil survey will augment geophysical surveys (see below and Figure 2) which will aid in drill targeting expected in 2023.

Figure 1 Soil Survey Area

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/13a6da7d-09ea-4e78-ac92-688d06bea5a6

Geophysical modeling Augmented by Soil Grid:

Geophysical data review and modeling were conducted by Mr. Chet Lide, VP & Managing Geophysicist of Zonge International in Reno, Nevada, and the Riley Gold team.

One such geophysical survey that will be aided by the soil survey (Figure 2) is a historical gravity survey (ca.2005, conducted by Zonge International of Reno, Nevada). The map shows the Horizontal Gradient of the Complete Bouguer Anomaly, which emphasizes density contrasts. Warm colors denote zones of higher gradients in the gravity and are here interpreted as high angle faults or steeply dipping contacts. Note the strong northwesterly trend within the red ellipse. Overlapping, northwest-trending geochemical (soil samples) and geophysical anomalies (from Gravity, CSAMT, and Aero Magnetic survey) provide a strong indication of prospective drill targets along this 3-kilometre northwesterly trend.

Figure 2 Target Area Ellipse over Gravity survey features.

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/bcc0282f-558f-4e22-9dac-ef7360ac1ff7

About Riley Gold Corp.

Riley Gold is an exploration and development company focused in Nevada, USA. The Companys primary focus is on its two cornerstone assets: the Tokop Gold Project located within the Walker Lane Trend and the Pipeline West/Clipper Project located in the Battle Mountain Eureka Trend. Riley Golds founders and leadership team have a proven track record of maximizing shareholder value during each phase of the mining life cycle: exploration, development, and production.

Qualified Person

This news release has been reviewed and approved by Charles Sulfrian, CPG., Exploration Manager, of Riley Gold and a qualified person, as defined by National Instrument 43-101, Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:

Todd Hilditch

Chief Executive Officer

Tel: (604) 443-3831

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Cautionary statement regarding forwardlooking information

Certain disclosures in this release constitute "forward-looking information" within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation (such statements being referred to as "forward-looking statements"). Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by words such as the following: expects, plans, anticipates, believes, intends, estimates, projects, assumes, potential and similar expressions. Forward-looking statements involve risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results, performance, prospects and opportunities to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, including statements regarding the exploration program at PWC, including results of historical drilling, sampling, geophysics, interpretations and future exploration plans at PWC including the sample soil survey. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from these forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, variations in the nature, quality and quantity of any mineral deposits that may be located, the Company's inability to obtain any necessary permits, consents or authorizations required for its planned activities, and the Company's inability to raise the necessary capital or to be fully able to implement its business strategies. The reader is referred to the Company's public disclosure record which is available on SEDAR (www.sedar.com). Although the Company believes that the assumptions and factors used in preparing the forward-looking statements are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on these statements, which only apply as of the date of this news release, and no assurance can be given that such events will occur in the disclosed time frames or at all. Except as required by securities laws and the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange, the Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
INDIANAPOLIS, Sept. 29, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Poptential, a family of award-winning social studies course packages that infuse lessons with digital storytelling using pop culture references, offers an array of engaging content to help World History instructors address National Hispanic Heritage Month and Latin American Independence. Click to Tweet.



National Hispanic Heritage Month, observed yearly in the United States from September 15-October 15, marks the anniversary of Latin Americas independence from Spanish rule and recognizes the contributions and influence of Hispanic Americans to the history and culture of the United States.

Latin Americans who struggled for independence from the Spanish and Portuguese looked to revolutionary ideals that grew out of the American and French revolutions, said Julie Smitherman, a former social studies teacher and director of content at Certell, Inc., the nonprofit behind Poptential. Poptential shows the links between these movements, drawing on modern sitcoms and movies to illustrate key ideas.

The Poptential World History curriculum and digital media examples bring to life the ideas and revolutionaries that influenced Latin American independence, including:

American and French Revolutions spark a passion for freedom  Module 21 of Poptential American History volume 2 shows how American and French Revolution ideas influenced Latin American freedom fighters, and features an animated comedy short from the Mr. Peabody & Sherman movie when they visit Marie Antoinette during the French Revolution in 1789.

Enlightenment ideas spread to Latin America - The Enlightenment period led individuals across Europe and the Americas to question authoritarianism. A video clip from the popular television show The Good Place in Module 21.1 features a professor teaching students the three philosophies studied during the Enlightenment.

Latin Americas Liberators  Module 23.1 focuses on the history of Latin Americas war for Independence. By 1825, 17 countries had achieved independence from Spain. A video clip from the movie The Liberator highlights the fight for freedom led by Simon Bolivar, one of the most influential figures in Latin American history.

Poptential uses a variety of pop culture media to illustrate concepts, including those taken from sitcoms, movies, animations, cartoons, late-night shows, and other sources.

Poptential course packages are standards-based and developed by teachers. They include everything instructors need to teach a subject, including lessons, e-books, bell ringers, quizzes, and tests. All content is available via a digital platform that allows students to access lessons even in poor bandwidth environments.

Poptential course packages in American History, World History, U.S. Government/Civics, and Economics are available free at www.poptential.org.

About Certell, Inc.

Certell is a 501(c)3 nonprofit whose mission is to foster a generation of independent thinkers. More than 30,000 teachers from throughout the United States have signed up to use Certells Poptential family of free social studies courses, and thousands more students are reached through Certells college-level courses in law and economics, and SensibleSchool instruction for home-schoolers, employees, and inmates. Certell course packages have won a number of awards, including EdTech Digest Awards for Curriculum and Instruction Solution, Tech&Learning Best Tool for Back to School, Tech Edvocate Awards, Bronze Award of Excellence from the National Association of Economics Educators, and Civvys Awards. More information is available at certell.org or on Twitter @CertellOrg.

For information contact:

Mara Conklin, 847-340-6823

mconklin@teamclarus.com
TORONTO, Sept. 29, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Following the positive news that the Canadian government will lift all border and travel measures effective October 1, 2022, and amid a strong surge in customer demand for winter travel, Sunwing is pleased to announce its initial winter flight schedules for four large airports from coast to coast, with the winter lineup for various regional markets where Sunwing maintains a strong presence  from Atlantic Canada to the Prairies and Northern Ontario  to be announced over the coming weeks.



The tour operators winter schedule announcement for Toronto, Montreal, Calgary and Vancouver airports comes on the heels of customer capacity returning to 2019 levels, with winter capacity already growing by more than 140% over the previous year and expected to climb even further once border measures are removed on October 1st. Whats more, Sunwing has been increasing its hiring and recruitment efforts to meet the growing demand for winter travel, with 172 employees recalled and more than 200 new employees hired across Sunwings Canadian divisions so far this year. On the airline side, Sunwing has hired over 120 pilots and is actively recruiting for 380 cabin crew positions from coast to coast.

The increasing demand for travel is incredibly welcome news for our company and the entire Canadian travel industry, and we are delighted that the government is lifting travel measures starting in October, which will undoubtedly drive more bookings for travel to sun destinations this winter, said Andrew Dawson, President of Tour Operations for Sunwing. We are thrilled to see capacity returning to pre-2020 levels and to bring more Canadians back to the tropics this winter season, from tried and true favourites such as Cancun, Punta Cana and Varadero to new and expanding destinations such as Cayo Largo in Cuba and Melbourne in Florida. We look forward to adding even more routes and destinations to support evolving demand in the months ahead, and encourage Canadians to book their holiday and winter vacations quickly to unlock the best vacation at the best price!

Sunwings airline division has extended two aircraft leases to further support operations for the upcoming season, which includes providing flights over 30 destinations for the winter and servicing customers with more than 700 hotels, offering the largest assortment available through any tour operator in Canada.

Toronto flight schedule

Destination Peak Frequency From To Acapulco 1x weekly 04-Jan-2023 15-Mar-2023 Antigua 1x weekly 05-Nov-2022 29-Apr-2023 Aruba 3x weekly 07-Nov-2022 24-Apr-2023 Cayo Coco Daily 01-Nov-2022 30-Apr-2023 Cancun Daily 01-Nov-2022 30-Apr-2023 Cayo Largo 1x weekly 04-Nov-2022 07-Apr-2023 Freeport 1x weekly 17-Dec-2022 22-Apr-2023 Grenada 1x weekly 06-Nov-2022 23-Apr-2023 Holguin 4x weekly 01-Nov-2022 28-Apr-2023 Liberia 4x weekly 07-Nov-2022 24-Apr-2023 Montego Bay Daily 01-Nov-2022 30-Apr-2023 Orlando Daily 01-Nov-2022 30-Apr-2023 Miami 1x weekly 18-Dec-2022 30-Apr-2023 Melbourne 2x weekly 10-Dec-2022 19-Apr-2023 Manzanillo de Cuba 1x weekly 02-Nov-2022 26-Apr-2023 Mazatlan 1x weekly 01-Nov-2022 18-Apr-2023 Puerto Plata 3x weekly 01-Nov-2022 25-Apr-2023 Punta Cana Daily 01-Nov-2022 30-Apr-2023 Puerto Vallarta 2x weekly 07-Nov-2022 24-Apr-2023 Rio Hato 2x weekly 04-Nov-2022 17-Apr-2023 Roatan 1x weekly 12-Dec-2022 03-Apr-2023 Los Cabos 3x weekly 03-Nov-2022 30-Apr-2023 Santa Clara Daily 01-Nov-2022 30-Apr-2023 St. Maarten 1x weekly 03-Nov-2022 27-Apr-2023 St. Lucia 1x weekly 05-Nov-2022 22-Apr-2023 Varadero Daily 01-Nov-2022 30-Apr-2023

Montreal flight schedule

Destination Peak Frequency From To Acapulco 1x weekly 21-Dec-2022 15-Mar-2023 Cayo Coco Daily 01-Nov-2022 29-Apr-2023 Cancun Daily 01-Nov-2022 30-Apr-2023 Cayo Largo 1x weekly 04-Nov-2022 07-Apr-2023 Freeport 1x weekly 17-Dec-2022 22-Apr-2023 Holguin Daily 01-Nov-2022 28-Apr-2023 Liberia 1x weekly 07-Nov-2022 17-Apr-2023 Montego Bay 2x weekly 05-Nov-2022 30-Apr-2023 Miami 1x weekly 18-Dec-2022 30-Apr-2023 Manzanillo de Cuba 1x weekly 02-Nov-2022 26-Apr-2023 Mazatlan 1x weekly 13-Dec-2022 11-Apr-2023 Puerto Plata 4x weekly 01-Nov-2022 25-Apr-2023 Punta Cana Daily 01-Nov-2022 30-Apr-2023 Puerto Vallarta 1x weekly 18-Dec-2022 09-Apr-2023 Rio Hato 1x weekly 04-Nov-2022 31-Mar-2023 Roatan 1x weekly 12-Dec-2022 03-Apr-2023 Los Cabos 1x weekly 10-Nov-2022 06-Apr-2023 San Andres 1x weekly 14-Dec-2022 29-Mar-2023 Santa Clara Daily 03-Nov-2022 29-Apr-2023 St. Maarten 1x weekly 03-Nov-2022 27-Apr-2023 Varadero Daily 01-Nov-2022 30-Apr-2023

Calgary flight schedule



Destination Peak Frequency From To Cancun 5x weekly 01-Nov-2022 29-Apr-2023 Liberia 1x weekly 18-Dec-2022 16-Apr-2023 Montego Bay 1x weekly 07-Nov-2022 10-Apr-2023 Mazatlan 1x weekly 04-Nov-2022 14-Apr-2023 Punta Cana 1x weekly 07-Nov-2022 24-Apr-2023 Puerto Vallarta 2x weekly 06-Nov-2022 30-Apr-2023 Los Cabos 2x weekly 03-Nov-2022 29-Apr-2023 Varadero 2x weekly 01-Nov-2022 25-Apr-2023

Vancouver flight schedule



Destination Peak Frequency From To Cancun 6x weekly 1-Nov-2022 30-Apr-2023 Mazatlan 1x weekly 04-Nov-2022 14-Apr-2023 Punta Cana 1x weekly 12-Dec-2022 24-Apr-2023 Puerto Vallarta 3x weekly 06-Nov-2022 30-Apr-2023 Los Cabos 1x weekly 05-Nov-2022 29-Apr-2023 Varadero 2x weekly 08-Nov-2022 25-Apr-2023

In addition to the example flight schedules from the four airports listed above, Sunwing will be releasing winter schedules for various regions across the country from which it operates in the weeks ahead.



Sunwing customers eager to book their winter escapes to paradise can take advantage of great savings available on Sunwing.ca or by contacting their local travel agent. Plus, customers looking for even more value out of their upcoming getaways can add one of Sunwings Worry Free insurance offerings so they can vacation in the tropics with confidence this winter season.

About Sunwing

The largest integrated travel company in North America, Sunwing has more flights to the south than any other leisure carrier with convenient direct service from airports across Canada to popular sun destinations across the U.S.A., Caribbean, Mexico and Central America. This scale enables Sunwing to offer customers exclusive deals at top-rated resorts in the most popular vacation destinations as well as cruise packages and seasonal domestic flight service. Sunwing customers benefit from the assistance of the companys own knowledgeable destination representatives, who greet them upon arrival and support them throughout their vacation journey. The company supports the communities where it operates through the Sunwing Foundation, a charitable initiative focused on the support and development of youth and humanitarian aid.

For more information:

Melanie Anne Filipp

Director, Corporate Communications & Media Relations

Sunwing Travel Group

1-800-387-5602 | media@sunwing.ca

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at:

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/466dfe48-75e2-4de5-95dc-31f7ad6bacb5
New York, Sept. 29, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "Drone Analytics Market by Industry, Application, Type, Solution and Region - Global Forecast to 2027" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p05365434/?utm_source=GNW

Drones are used for pipeline and infrastructure inspection, wildlife population & activity monitoring and inspection, remote infrastructure and aircraft monitoring, agricultural yield inspection, oil & gas sector inspection, and utility inspection, among various other applications.

The drone analytics market includes major players such are ESRI (US), AgEagle (US), AeroVironment (US), Skydio (US), and Pix4D (Switzerland) are some of the leading companies in this market, among others.These players have spread their business across various countries includes North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East, and Rest of the World.



COVID-19 has affected the drone analytics market growth to some extent, and this varies from country to country.

Thermal Detection: The dominating segment of the drone analytics market, by the application. 



Based on application, the drone analytics market has been segmented into thermal detection, 3D modeling, volumetric calculations, aerial monitoring, geolocation tagging, and ground exploration. The thermal detection segment is projected to dominate the market during the forecast period.



SaaS: The fastest-growing segment of the drone analytics market, by type



The SaaS segment is projected to grow at the highest CAGR. The demand for cloud-based computing is expected to rise in the future, owing to its cost-effectiveness.



Agriculture: The leading segment of the drone analytics market, by industry. 



Based on industry, the drone analytics market has been segmented into agriculture, engineering and infrastructure, insurance, energy & power, telecommunication, transportation & logistics, maritime, public safety, retail and e-commerce, environmental & weather, and others. The others segment includes industries such as media, logistics, and wildlife.



North America: The largest contributing region in the drone analytics market.



The drone analytics market in the North American region has been studied for the US and Canada. North American countries are awarding a number of contracts to major players of the drone analytics market for the provide analytics i.e. inspection, monitoring, exploration, geolocation tagging, and etc, thus driving the growth of the drone analytics market in the region.



Breakdown of primaries

 By Company Type: Tier 150%; Tier 230%; and Tier 320%

 By Designation: C Level35%; Directors25%; and Others40%

 By Region: North America  30%, Asia Pacific  25%, Europe  20%, Middle East  10%, Rest of the World  15%

Major companies profiled in the report are ESRI (US), AgEagle (US), AeroVironment (US), Skydio (US), and Pix4D (Switzerland), among others. (25 Companies)



Research Coverage:

This research report categorizes Drone Analytics Market by Industry, Application, Type, Solution, and Region  Forecast to 2027 in these segments have been mapped across major regions, namely, North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East and Rest of the World.The scope of the report covers detailed information regarding the major factors, such as drivers, restraints, challenges, and opportunities, influencing the growth of the drone analytics market.



A detailed analysis of the key industry players has been done to provide insights into their business overviews; solutions and services; key strategies; new product launches; mergers; and partnerships, agreements, associated with the drone analytics market.



Reasons to buy this report:

The report will help the market leaders/new entrants in this market with information on the closest approximations of the revenue numbers for the overall drone analytics market and the subsegments.This report will help stakeholders understand the competitive landscape and gain more insights to position their businesses better and to plan suitable go-to-market strategies.



The report also helps stakeholders understand the pulse of the market and provides them with information on key market drivers, restraints, challenges, and opportunities.



The report provides insights on the following pointers:

 Market Penetration: Comprehensive information on drone analytics offered by the top players in the market

 Product Development/Innovation: Detailed insights on upcoming technologies, research & development activities, and new product launches in the drone analytics market

 Market Development: Comprehensive information about lucrative markets  the report analyzes the drone analytics market across varied regions

 Market Diversification: Exhaustive information about new products, untapped geographies, recent developments, and investments in the drone analytics market

 Competitive Assessment: In-depth assessment of market shares, growth strategies, products, and manufacturing capabilities of leading players in the drone analytics market

Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p05365434/?utm_source=GNW



About Reportlinker

ReportLinker is an award-winning market research solution. Reportlinker finds and organizes the latest industry data so you get all the market research you need - instantly, in one place.



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Dublin, Sept. 29, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Telecom Cloud Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report by Component (Solution, Services), by Deployment Type, by Service Model, by Application, by Enterprise Size, by Region, and Segment Forecasts, 2022-2030" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.



The global telecom cloud market size is expected to reach USD 103.6 billion by 2030, according to this report. The market is anticipated to expand at a CAGR of 19.9% from 2022 to 2030. A telecom cloud is a next-generation network architecture that integrates cloud-native technologies, network function virtualization, and software-defined networking into a distributed computing network. Orchestration and automation are essential since the computing and network resources are scattered across clouds and locations.



Telco Cloud refers to shifting communications service providers (CSPs) from vertically integrating proprietary hardware-based infrastructure networks to cloud-based technologies. It is mainly used in the telecom business to refer to multi-cloud computing. The propelling drivers of the telecom industry are increased customer satisfaction, corporate agility, cost savings, and others. Also, the usage of standard computational hardware and automation reduces CapEx and OpEx resulting in increased adoption of telco cloud in the telecommunication industry.



It also delivers innovative bespoke B2B solutions, such as telcos may bring highly customized corporate products to market rapidly and affordably. Telco cloud makes it simple to collaborate with business service partners by providing access to public cloud services from any device, at any time. Additionally, it protects your consumers and profits from competitors; for instance, the telco cloud enables operators to swiftly alter business models to test new goods, services, and pricing schemes.



It also makes setting up new consumer experiences and communication channels easier. Furthermore, the lower CapEX and OPEX needs of telco cloud, better service resilience, and capacity to respond swiftly to faults and demand changes allow operators to maintain service levels and competitive pricing. These advantages result in lower client attrition.



The top trends in the telecom cloud industry are hybrid cloud hosting, Cloud Native Network Functions (CNNF), and telecom cloud collaboration. A hybrid cloud merges private and public clouds where the software and data are interoperable and portable. It allows telcos to optimize the operations with various patterns to manage workload. It improves resource allocation, optimizes infrastructure spending, provides enhanced organizational agility, and offers the ability to scale using the public cloud and controls available in the private cloud deployment.



Also, in the case of CNNF, Software-defined networking is replaced by NFV (Network Functions Virtualization), which provides more independence from proprietary servers and hardware. It provides a cloud-native architecture that combines VNFs and CNFs while adopting 5G features. This will provide maximum market coverage to telecom businesses looking to expand their services. Moreover, telecom cloud collaboration includes partnerships between hyperscalers and telcos which constitute a major cloud computing trend transforming the business.



Cloud service providers and telecom enterprises join forces to expand edge computing collaboration and 5G. Telecom cloud service providers are increasing their connectivity with the help of technology advancement to gain a competitive edge over their peers and capture a significant market share.



Telecom Cloud Market Report Highlights

Telecom cloud computing is a software-defined structure that allows telecom businesses to process and store data remotely in their data lakes or data processing centers

In May 2022, Nokia also announced the launch of the cloud-native IMS (IP Multimedia Subsystem) Voice Core product, which will help CSPs (Communication Service Providers) to increase operational agility, simplify their network operations, and decrease the cost of managing their network

Based on the component, the solution segment accounted for the largest revenue share of over 60.2% in 2021 as it offers unified communication and collaboration, content delivery networks, and other solutions

The rising internet and mobile device penetration are driving the adoption of solutions. Additionally, exponentially expanding media content and demand for rich video content among increasing internet users and the digitalization trend among enterprises across end-user sectors drive the demand for telecom cloud solutions

The deployment type segment comprises private, public, and hybrid cloud. The private cloud segment dominated the market in 2021 and is expected to witness a significant CAGR of 56.4% over the forecast period, owing to several benefits offered by this segment such as improved control, better security & data privacy, specialized computational resources such as RAN, VNF, and edge apps and services, along with cost -efficiency

Based on the service model, the Software as a Service (SaaS) segment accounted for the largest revenue share of over 55.7% in 2021 owing to its potential to cut infrastructure expenses, shifting the cost base from capex to opex

In terms of applications, the network, data storage & computing segment dominated the overall market, gaining a revenue share of 34.4% in 2021. The dominance of this segment is owing to its ability to perform several functions such as web application development, improved scalability, batch processing, and storage, hosting, and handling of peak workloads among others

In terms of enterprise size, the large enterprises segment dominated the market in 2021 and is expected to witness a significant CAGR of 61.6% over the forecast period owing to the growing adoption of cloud-based technologies, which help small enterprises streamline their business operations cost-effectively

Key Topics Covered:



Chapter 1. Methodology and Scope



Chapter 2. Executive Summary

Chapter 3. Market Variables, Trends, & Scope Outlook

3.1. Market Segmentation

3.2. Telecom Cloud Market Size & Growth Prospects

3.3. Telecom Cloud Market - Value Chain Analysis

3.4. Telecom Cloud Market Dynamics

3.4.1. Market Driver Analysis

3.4.2. Market Restraint Analysis

3.4.3. Market Opportunity Analysis

3.5. Telecom Cloud Penetration & Growth Prospects Mapping

3.6. Telecom Cloud Market - Porter's Five Forces Analysis

3.6.1. Supplier power

3.6.2. Buyer power

3.6.3. Substitution threat

3.6.4. Threat from new entrant

3.6.5. Competitive rivalry

3.7. Telecom Cloud Market - PEST Analysis

3.7.1. Political landscape

3.7.2. Economic landscape

3.7.3. Social landscape

3.7.4. Technology landscape

3.8. COVID-19 Impact Analysis



Chapter 4. Telecom Cloud Market Product Outlook

4.1. Telecom Cloud Market, By Component Analysis & Market Share, 2021 & 2030

4.2. Solution

4.2.1. Market estimates and forecasts, 2017 - 2030 (USD Billion)

4.2.2. Market estimates and forecasts, By Region, 2017 - 2030 (USD Billion)

4.3. Services

4.3.1. Market estimates and forecasts, 2017 - 2030 (USD Billion)

4.3.2. Market estimates and forecasts, By Region, 2017 - 2030 (USD Billion)

4.3.3. Professional Services

4.3.3.1. Market estimates and forecasts, 2017 - 2030

4.3.3.2. Market estimates and forecasts, By Region, 2017 - 2030 (USD Billion)

4.3.4. Managed Services

4.3.4.1. Market estimates and forecasts, 2017 - 2030

4.3.4.2. Market estimates and forecasts, By Region, 2017 - 2030 (USD Billion)



Chapter 5. Telecom Cloud Market Deployment Type Outlook

5.1. Telecom Cloud Market, By Deployment Type Analysis & Market Share, 2021 & 2030

5.2. Private

5.2.1. Market estimates and forecasts, 2017 - 2030 (USD Billion)

5.2.2. Market estimates and forecasts, By Region, 2017 - 2030 (USD Billion)

5.3. Public

5.3.1. Market estimates and forecasts, 2017 - 2030 (USD Billion)

5.3.2. Market estimates and forecasts, By Region, 2017 - 2030 (USD Billion)

5.4. Hybrid

5.4.1. Market estimates and forecasts, 2017 - 2030 (USD Billion)

5.4.2. Market estimates and forecasts, By Region, 2017 - 2030 (USD Billion)



Chapter 6. Telecom Cloud Market Service Model Outlook

6.1. Telecom Cloud Market, By Service Model Analysis & Market Share, 2021 & 2030

6.2. Software as a Service (SaaS)

6.2.1. Market estimates and forecasts, 2017 - 2030 (USD Billion)

6.2.2. Market estimates and forecasts, By Region, 2017 - 2030 (USD Billion)

6.3. Platform as a Service (SaaS)

6.3.1. Market estimates and forecasts, 2017 - 2030 (USD Billion)

6.3.2. Market estimates and forecasts, By Region, 2017 - 2030 (USD Billion)

6.4. Infrastructure as a Service (SaaS)

6.4.1. Market estimates and forecasts, 2017 - 2030 (USD Billion)

6.4.2. Market estimates and forecasts, By Region, 2017 - 2030 (USD Billion)



Chapter 7. Telecom Cloud Market Applications Outlook

7.1. Telecom Cloud Market, By Applications Analysis & Market Share, 2021 & 2030

7.2. Network, Data Storage, and Computing

7.2.1. Market estimates and forecasts, 2017 - 2030 (USD Billion)

7.2.2. Market estimates and forecasts, By Region, 2017 - 2030 (USD Billion)

7.3. Traffic Management

7.3.1. Market estimates and forecasts, 2017 - 2030 (USD Billion)

7.3.2. Market estimates and forecasts, By Region, 2017 - 2030 (USD Billion)

7.4. Cloud Migration

7.4.1. Market estimates and forecasts, 2017 - 2030 (USD Billion)

7.4.2. Market estimates and forecasts, By Region, 2017 - 2030 (USD Billion)

7.5. Others

7.5.1. Market estimates and forecasts, 2017 - 2030 (USD Billion)

7.5.2. Market estimates and forecasts, By Region, 2017 - 2030 (USD Billion)



Chapter 8. Telecom Cloud Market Enterprise Size Outlook

8.1. Telecom Cloud Market, By Enterprise Size Analysis & Market Share, 2021 & 2030

8.2. Large Enterprises

8.2.1. Market estimates and forecasts, 2017 - 2030 (USD Billion)

8.2.2. Market estimates and forecasts, By Region, 2017 - 2030 (USD Billion)

8.3. SMEs

8.3.1. Market estimates and forecasts, 2017 - 2030 (USD Billion)

8.3.2. Market estimates and forecasts, By Region, 2017 - 2030 (USD Billion)



Chapter 9. Telecom Cloud Market: Regional Estimates & Trend Analysis



Chapter 10. Competitive Analysis

10.1 Recent Developments and Impact Analysis, by Key Market Participants

10.2 Company/Competition Categorization (Key Innovators, Market Leaders, Emerging, Niche Players)

10.3 Vendor Landscape

10.3.1 Key company market share analysis, 2021

10.3.2 Company Analysis Tools

10.3.3 Market Position Analysis

10.3.4 Competitive Dashboard Analysis



Chapter 11. Competitive Landscape

11.1. Company Profiles

11.2. Juniper Networks, Inc.

11.2.1. Company overview

11.2.2. Financial performance

11.2.3. Type benchmarking

11.2.4. Strategic initiatives

11.3. IBM Corporation

11.3.1. Company overview

11.3.2. Financial performance

11.3.3. Type benchmarking

11.3.4. Strategic initiatives

11.4. Mavenir

11.4.1. Company overview

11.4.2. Financial performance

11.4.3. Type benchmarking

11.4.4. Strategic initiatives

11.5. Affirmed Networks

11.5.1. Company overview

11.5.2. Financial performance

11.5.3. Type benchmarking

11.5.4. Strategic initiatives

11.6. Fortinet

11.6.1. Company overview

11.6.2. Financial performance

11.6.3. Type benchmarking

11.6.4. Strategic initiatives

11.7. Orange

11.7.1. Company overview

11.7.2. Financial performance

11.7.3. Type benchmarking

11.7.4. Strategic initiatives

11.8. Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd.

11.8.1. Company overview

11.8.2. Financial performance

11.8.3. Type benchmarking

11.8.4. Strategic initiatives

11.9. VMWare

11.9.1. Company overview

11.9.2. Financial performance

11.9.3. Type benchmarking

11.9.4. Strategic initiatives

11.10. Cisco

11.10.1. Company overview

11.10.2. Financial performance

11.10.3. Type benchmarking

11.10.4. Strategic initiatives

11.11. Nokia

11.11.1. Company overview

11.11.2. Financial performance

11.11.3. Type benchmarking

11.11.4. Strategic initiatives

11.12. Ericsson

11.12.1 Company overview

11.12.2 Financial performance

11.12.3 Type benchmarking

11.12.4 Strategic initiatives

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/ikxoga

Attachment
TORONTO, Sept. 29, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Psyence Group Inc. (CSE: PSYG | OTCQB: PSYGF) (Psyence or the Company) is pleased to announce that it has successfully exported medical grade psilocybin mushrooms to Psilo Pharma Inc. (Psilo Pharma), from its federally licensed ISO22000 certified production facility in Southern Africa, through its research partner in Portugal (the Research Partner).



In February 2022, Psyence received an import permit from the Portuguese regulators for the Research Partner in Portugal. It obtained the necessary, stringent permissions to commence with the export process and the psilocybin mushrooms were successfully delivered to the Research Partners facilities. Psilo Pharma will be using the mushrooms to develop extraction methodologies.

Psilo Pharmas objective is to provide the highest quality psilocybin across Europe. As David Reckeweg-Lecompte, CEO of Psilo Pharma explains, Our approach to this extremely promising healthcare segment is to (i) provide the highest quality API, (ii) supply clinical trials for drug development, and (iii) engage in development partnerships. We are preparing for the eventual commercialization of psilocybin as a crucial component for an alternative and superior treatment of mental health. In Portugal, our goal is to establish proprietary extraction methods and procedures for naturally produced psilocybin.

The export of Psyences psilocybin mushrooms to Psilo Pharmas Research Partner in Portugal is our first export to Europe and our second successful export to date. We are delighted that we have concluded two important exports as we aim to be a trusted, commercial supplier of psilocybin mushrooms for the legal, global medical market and commercial medical research market, says Dr. Neil Maresky, Psyence Chief Executive Officer. Psyences ISO22000 certified production facility is fully operational, and we are able to ramp up production in line with demand from our customers and the global medical research market.

Psyence operates one of the first federally licensed commercial psilocybin production facilities in the world. Its production facility, located in Southern Africa, is ISO22000 certified and is licensed to cultivate and export psilocybin mushrooms for the legal, global medical market and commercial medical research market. Psyences cultivation system is designed for continuous harvesting and an on-site laboratory was recently added to provide in-process analysis and extraction.

ABOUT PSYENCE GROUP: www.psyence.com

Psyence is a life science biotechnology company listed on the Canadian Securities Exchange (CSE: PSYG) and quoted on the OTCQB (OTCQB: PSYGF), with a focus on natural psychedelics. Psyence works with natural psilocybin products for the healing of psychological trauma and its mental health consequences in the context of palliative care. Our name Psyence combines the words psychedelic and science to affirm our commitment to producing psychedelic medicines developed through evidence-based research.

Informed by nature and guided by science, we built and operate one of the worlds first federally licensed commercial psilocybin mushroom cultivation and production facilities in Southern Africa. Our team brings international experience in both business and science and includes experts in mycology, neurology, palliative care, and drug development. We work to develop advanced natural psilocybin products for clinical research and development.

Our key divisions, Psyence Production, Psyence Therapeutics and Psyence Function, anchor an international collaboration, with operations in Canada, the United Kingdom, Southern Africa, and a presence in the United States and Australia.

ABOUT PSILO PHARMA: www.psilo-pharma.com

Psilo Pharma is a Canadian incorporated company, with operations based in Europe. Psilo Pharmas goal is to provide the highest quality psilocybin across Europe. Three key objectives include (i) becoming a leader in supplying the highest quality API for both naturally and synthetically produced psilocybin; (ii) providing the necessary psilocybin required for clinical trials; and (iii) engaging in drug development partnerships. Our key production partner, Dr. Reckeweg & Co., based in Germany, runs a state-of-the-art GMP certified and narcotics licensed manufacturing facility. The facility was recently expanded for the purpose of tapping into highly promising natural products markets, namely cannabis and psilocybin.

Contact information

Katherine Murphy, Investor Relations

Email: ir@psyence.com

Media Inquiries: media@psyence.com

General Information: info@psyence.com



FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS:

Certain statements in this news release related to Psyence Group Inc and its subsidiaries (collectively the Company) are forward-looking statements and are prospective in nature. Forward-looking statements are not based on historical facts, but rather on current expectations and projections about future events and are therefore subject to risks and uncertainties which could cause actual results to differ materially from the future results expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. These statements generally can be identified by the use of forward-looking words such as may, should, could, intend, estimate, plan, anticipate, expect, believe or continue, or the negative thereof or similar variations. Forward-looking statements in this news release include statements regarding the manner in which Psyence's raw mushroom materials are received and viewed internationally and the receipt of further regulatory approvals for the Companys import and export activities. These forward-looking statements are based on a number of assumptions, including the assumptions that the Companys applications for further exports of its raw materials will be successful, and that its raw materials will continue to meet international requirements. There are numerous risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results and the Companys plans and objectives to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking information. These risks and uncertainties include demand for the Companys securities being less than anticipated, fluctuations in the price the Companys common shares, and the Company not raising the amount expected, or any funds at all. Actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such information. These and all subsequent written and oral forward-looking information are based on estimates and opinions of management on the dates they are made and are expressly qualified in their entirety by this notice. Except as required by law, the Company does not intend to update these forward-looking statements.

The Company makes no medical, treatment or health benefit claims about the Companys proposed products. The efficacy of psilocybin, psilocybin analogues, or other psychedelic compounds or nutraceutical products remains the subject of ongoing research. There is no assurance that the use of psilocybin, psilocybin analogues, or other psychedelic compounds or nutraceuticals can diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease or condition. Vigorous scientific research and clinical trials are needed. The Company has not conducted clinical trials for the use of its proposed products. Any references to quality, consistency, efficacy, and safety of potential products do not imply that the Company verified such in clinical trials or that the Company will complete such trials. If the Company cannot obtain the approvals or research necessary to commercialize its business, it may have a material adverse effect on the Companys performance and operations.




Dublin, Sept. 29, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Underwater Communication System Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report by Component, by Connectivity, by Application (Environmental Monitoring, Pollution Monitoring), by End-user, by Region, and Segment Forecasts, 2022-2030" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.



The global underwater communication system market size is expected to reach USD 7.20 billion by 2030, according to this report. The market is anticipated to expand at a CAGR of 10.1% from 2022 to 2030. Underwater communication is a way of transmitting and receiving messages beneath the water surface.

The use of acoustic waves rather than electromagnetic messages distinguishes underwater acoustic communication from terrestrial communication. The worldwide underwater acoustic communication market is being driven by increased undersea research operations, notably for environmental protection.



Underwater communications are classified into two types, namely, hardwired and wireless. Data is transported by cable in a hardwired connection. By removing the impact of outside elements, hardwired communications, comparable to a landline phone, provide the highest quality and most dependable kind of underwater communications. Water is used to convey data in wireless communication. Underwater wireless communications are used for environmental monitoring, underwater exploration, and scientific data collection.



One of the primary causes for the expansion of underwater communication systems is an increase in defense spending by various countries. Threats, concerns about disputed territories, and security concerns have led to an increase in worldwide defense spending. The naval defense system relies heavily on underwater communication for safety and dependability. It is used by the military to detect incursions and perform underwater surveillance.



The following are some of the benefits of an underwater communication system:

Economy: Underwater communication systems are helpful for business applications, notably in the oil and gas industry. The ocean is rich with resources, and these systems are utilized to explore these riches. AUVs are employed in the oil and gas business, for example, to map the seabed before operations. This will keep these oil and gas professionals updated as they build pipelines and other infrastructure. This guarantees that their infrastructure is built without harming the environment.

Scientific Exploration and Data Collecting: These systems are also highly valuable to research because they are utilized for underwater exploration and data collection. It is employed in subjects such as marine biology, archaeology, and oceanology. The undersea discoveries might be valuable to the health sector as well as in the development of current innovations.

Environmental Monitoring: Underwater communication systems aid the government in environmental monitoring. The activities of corporations in the oil and gas sector can be monitored in terms of how they affect the environment. Environmental contamination may also be monitored and managed with these methods. Climate change is also detectable. Natural catastrophes can also be predicted by detecting early warning indications with these technologies. This minimizes the risk of such calamities occurring.

Autonomous underwater vehicles have also been used to locate wrecked aircraft and investigate the reasons for their crashes. The development of communication systems has led to the finding of the Titanic's wreckage as well as the discovery of hydrothermal vents in the deep ocean. These devices identify items that help in mapping and discovery underwater. They are also quite dependable for rescue operations.

Underwater Communication System Market Report Highlights

The demand for underwater acoustic sensors to analyze various concentrations of pollution from chemical, biological, and radioactive contaminants is anticipated to propel the demand for underwater acoustic communication technology. Underwater acoustic digital signal processors and communications are a growing subject of applied research

In August 2022, Stanford University researchers developed a robot capable of diving deep into sunken planes and ruins. Its operators can have the same sense as OceanOneK's underwater trips. OceanOneK's 3D camera catches the underwater environment in vivid color, and its arms and hands can reach those of a diver

The wireless segment is estimated to hold the major market share and expand at a CAGR of 10.4% from 2022 to 2030

The oceanography segment is projected to grow at the highest CAGR over the forecast period

The military & defense segment is expected to grow at the highest CAGR over the forecast period

Key players in the market include Kongsberg, L3Harris Technologies, Inc., Thales, and Saab AB

Key Topics Covered:



Chapter 1. Methodology and Scope



Chapter 2. Executive Summary



Chapter 3. Market Variables, Trends, & Scope Outlook

3.1. Market Segmentation

3.2. Underwater Communication Systems Market Size & Growth Prospects

3.3. Underwater Communication Systems Market - Value Chain Analysis

3.4. Underwater Communication Systems Market Dynamics

3.4.1. Market Driver Analysis

3.4.2. Market Restraint Analysis

3.4.3. Market Opportunity Analysis

3.5. Underwater Communication Systems Penetration & Growth Prospects Mapping

3.6. Underwater Communication Systems Market - Porter's Five Forces Analysis

3.7. Underwater Communication Systems Market - PEST Analysis

3.8. COVID-19 Impact Analysis



Chapter 4. Underwater Communication Systems Market Component Outlook

4.1. Underwater Communication Systems Market, By Component Analysis & Market Share, 2021 & 2030

4.2. Hardware

4.2.1. Market estimates and forecasts, 2017 - 2030 (USD Million)

4.2.2. Market estimates and forecasts, By Region, 2017 - 2030 (USD Million)

4.3. Software

4.3.1. Market estimates and forecasts, 2017 - 2030 (USD Million)

4.3.2. Market estimates and forecasts, By Region, 2017 - 2030 (USD Million)

4.4. Services

4.4.1. Market estimates and forecasts, 2017 - 2030 (USD Million)

4.4.2. Market estimates and forecasts, By Region, 2017 - 2030 (USD Million)



Chapter 5. Underwater Communication Systems Market Connectivity Outlook

5.1. Underwater Communication Systems Market, By Connectivity Analysis & Market Share, 2021 & 2030

5.2. Hardwired

5.2.1. Market estimates and forecasts, 2017 - 2030 (USD Million)

5.2.2. Market estimates and forecasts, By Region, 2017 - 2030 (USD Million)

5.3. Wireless

5.3.1. Market estimates and forecasts, 2017 - 2030 (USD Million)

5.3.2. Market estimates and forecasts, By Region, 2017 - 2030 (USD Million)



Chapter 6. Underwater Communication Systems Market Application Outlook

6.1. Underwater Communication Systems Market, By Application Analysis & Market Share, 2021 & 2030

6.2. Climate Monitoring

6.2.1. Market estimates and forecasts, 2017 - 2030 (USD Million)

6.2.2. Market estimates and forecasts, By Region, 2017 - 2030 (USD Million)

6.3. Environmental Monitoring

6.3.1. Market estimates and forecasts, 2017 - 2030 (USD Million)

6.3.2. Market estimates and forecasts, By Region, 2017 - 2030 (USD Million)

6.4. Hydrography

6.4.1. Market estimates and forecasts, 2017 - 2030 (USD Million)

6.4.2. Market estimates and forecasts, By Region, 2017 - 2030 (USD Million)

6.5. Oceanography

6.5.1. Market estimates and forecasts, 2017 - 2030 (USD Million)

6.5.2. Market estimates and forecasts, By Region, 2017 - 2030 (USD Million)

6.6. Pollution Monitoring

6.6.1. Market estimates and forecasts, 2017 - 2030 (USD Million)

6.6.2. Market estimates and forecasts, By Region, 2017 - 2030 (USD Million)

6.7. Others

6.7.1. Market estimates and forecasts, 2017 - 2030 (USD Million)

6.7.2. Market estimates and forecasts, By Region, 2017 - 2030 (USD Million)



Chapter 7. Underwater Communication Systems Market End-user Outlook

7.1. Underwater Communication Systems Market, By End-User Analysis & Market Share, 2021 & 2030

7.2. Marine

7.2.1. Market estimates and forecasts, 2017 - 2030 (USD Million)

7.2.2. Market estimates and forecasts, By Region, 2017 - 2030 (USD Million)

7.3. Military & Defense

7.3.1. Market estimates and forecasts, 2017 - 2030 (USD Million)

7.3.2. Market estimates and forecasts, By Region, 2017 - 2030 (USD Million)

7.4. Oil & Gas

7.4.1. Market estimates and forecasts, 2017 - 2030 (USD Million)

7.4.2. Market estimates and forecasts, By Region, 2017 - 2030 (USD Million)

7.5. Scientific Research & Development

7.5.1. Market estimates and forecasts, 2017 - 2030 (USD Million)

7.5.2. Market estimates and forecasts, By Region, 2017 - 2030 (USD Million)

7.6. Others

7.6.1. Market estimates and forecasts, 2017 - 2030 (USD Million)

7.6.2. Market estimates and forecasts, By Region, 2017 - 2030 (USD Million)



Chapter 8. Underwater Communication Systems Market: Regional Estimates & Trend Analysis



Chapter 9. Competitive Analysis

9.1. Recent Developments and Impact Analysis, by Key Market Participants

9.2. Company/Competition Categorization (Key Innovators, Market Leaders, Emerging, Niche Players)

9.3. Vendor Landscape

9.3.1. Key company market share analysis, 2021

9.4. Company Analysis Tools

9.4.1. Market Position Analysis

9.4.2. Competitive Dashboard Analysis



Chapter 10. Competitive Landscape

10.1. Company Profiles

10.2. Kongsberg

10.2.1. Company overview

10.2.2. Financial performance

10.2.3. Product benchmarking

10.2.4. Strategic initiatives

10.3. L3Harris Technologies, Inc.

10.3.1. Company overview

10.3.2. Financial performance

10.3.3. Product benchmarking

10.3.4. Strategic initiatives

10.4. Thales

10.4.1. Company overview

10.4.2. Financial performance

10.4.3. Product benchmarking

10.4.4. Strategic initiatives

10.5. Saab AB

10.5.1. Company overview

10.5.2. Financial performance

10.5.3. Product benchmarking

10.5.4. Strategic initiatives

10.6. Teledyne Marine

10.6.1. Company overview

10.6.2. Financial performance

10.6.3. Product benchmarking

10.6.4. Strategic initiatives

10.7. Ultra Electronics Holding plc

10.7.1. Company overview

10.7.2. Financial performance

10.7.3. Product benchmarking

10.7.4. Strategic initiatives

10.8. Sonardyne

10.8.1. Company overview

10.8.2. Financial performance

10.8.3. Product benchmarking

10.8.4. Strategic initiatives

10.9. DSPComm

10.9.1. Company overview

10.9.2. Financial performance

10.9.3. Product benchmarking

10.9.4. Strategic initiatives

10.10. Undersea Systems International, Inc.

10.10.1. Company overview

10.10.2. Financial performance

10.10.3. Product benchmarking

10.10.4. Strategic initiatives

10.11. Sea and Land Technologies Pte Ltd.

10.11.1. Company overview

10.11.2. Financial performance

10.11.3. Product benchmarking

10.11.4. Strategic initiatives

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/15cbld

Attachment
New York, Sept. 29, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "EDM Wire Market Forecast to 2028 - COVID-19 Impact and Global Analysis By Wire Type and Industry" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p06321034/?utm_source=GNW

In addition, areas demanding low residual stress and requiring the volume production of components, such as spare parts, use EDM wire.



The use of the wire enables manufacturers to develop complex shapes from stainless, titanium, tool steel, steels, and other hard alloys. Therefore, the rising manufacturing of small or intricate components, complex shapes, or parts demanding narrow slots is creating the demand for EDM wires.



In the wave of technological developments, automotive, healthcare, and many sectors are improving.For instance, in the healthcare industry, penetration of personal and intelligent medical devices will lead to personalized medical technologies and implantable medical devices.



Also, adopting robots in the industry is projected to enable the rollout of state-of-the-art medical solutions, such as wearable and implantable technologies.The mentioned development in the healthcare industry is projected to create lucrative growth opportunities during the forecast period for developing components and parts used in implantable medical devices.



This opportunity is predicted to fuel the EDM wire market growth in the coming years.Countries, such as the UAE and Israel, are working on reinforcing their healthcare industry by investing in robotic clinical robots and medical devices/equipment.



Similarly, the automotive industry is also witnessing a revolution. For producing large auto parts, including dual rigid linear motor axis drives and plastic dashboards, the adoption of the wires is rising. Also, with the introduction of electric vehicles, the automotive industry is transforming rapidly. The demand for EDM wires in the industry was high from earlier times and has gone up with the introduction of electric vehicles, as it ensures precise drilling and molding of small and larger parts.



Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Asia Pacific EDM Wire Market



Various economies in Asia Pacific, such as China and India, witnessed a sharp decline in their gross domestic product (GDP) in 2020 due to the sudden pause in many economic activities across the region.According to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the pandemic severely affected countries, such as India, Australia, China, and Japan.



India was the worst-hit country by the pandemic in this region.Limitations imposed by governments to control the spread of SARS-CoV-2 infection during the initial time stages of the crisis affected the production process in these countries due to the limited workforce availability, which hampered the growth of the EDM wire market in 2020.



Automobile, manufacturing, electronics, many industries were negatively affected due to the COVID-19 pandemic.However, the healthcare industry in the region has been positively growing since Q1 of 2020.



Moreover, the requirement for medical machinery increased, which led to a rise in demand for EDM wires in the healthcare industry in the region.



The North America is sub segmented into the US, Canada, and Mexico where the US is dominating country and Canada accounted for the second-largest country in the EDM wire market analysis.With rise in Canadian populous, the demand for housing units, from single-family homes to high-rise condominiums, will also rise, which is expected to boost the need for household electronic goods in the coming years.



Therefore, the demand of EDM wire would grow in the future for making components in electronic goods.In addition, rising demand for consumer electronic devices in Canada is boosting the growth of EDM wire market.



The use of smartphones, tablets, television, personal computers, and other devices is increasing tremendously.Also, the industrial sector in Canada is growing at a massive rate.



Manufacturing is one of a prominent and leading industries in Canada contributing heavily toward the GDP. With rising manufacturing business in Canada, demand for relatable products, such as EDM wires, would also rise during the forecast period.



Asia Pacific is expected to register the highest CAGR in the EDM wire market during the forecast period.Based on country, the market in Asia Pacific is segmented into Australia, China, India, Japan, South Korea, and the Rest of Asia Pacific.



In 2022, China is the dominating country with largest market share and Japan holds the second-largest EDM wire market share in Asia Pacific.



Japan is one of the leading countries across the world in the automotive industry.The country is known for its cutting-edge technologies and invigorating ideas worldwide.



Automotive manufacturing takes up 89% of the countrys largest manufacturing sector.The rising demand for hybrid and electric vehicles in the domestic and global markets is driving the growth of the automotive industry in Japan.



In 2019, the next-generation vehicles accounted for 40% of domestic new vehicle sales.This increasing demand for automotive is boosting the growth of the EDM wire market.



Moreover, Japans government is supporting the establishment of a robust supply chain through the return of manufacturing bases to the country. For instance, METIs is a program by government for promoting investments in Japan to strengthen their supply chains. The program is designed to support the return of production bases to Japan to produce products, parts, and materials of electronic devices. Thus, government support and the growing automotive industry in Japan would propel the growth of the EDM wire market in the country during the forecast period.



Berkenhoff GmbH; Hitachi Metals, Ltd.; Novotec BV; Opecmade Inc.; Oki Electric Cable Co., Ltd.; Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.; Thermo Compact; Yuang Hsian Metal Industrial Corp.; Ningbo Kangqiang Micro-Electronics Technology Co., Ltd; and JIA BAO Metal Co., Ltd. are among the players operating in the global EDM wire market and profiled in the report study.



The overall EDM wire market size has been derived using both primary and secondary sources.To begin the EDM wire market analysis research process, exhaustive secondary research has been conducted using internal and external sources to obtain qualitative and quantitative information related to the EDM wire market.



The process also serves the purpose of obtaining an overview and market forecast of the EDM wire market growth with respect to all market segments.Also, multiple primary interviews have been conducted with industry participants and commentators to validate the data and gain more analytical insights about the topic.



Participants of this process include industry experts such as VPs, business development managers, market intelligence managers, and national sales managers, along with external consultants such as valuation experts, research analysts, and key opinion leaders, specializing in the EDM wire market.

Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p06321034/?utm_source=GNW



About Reportlinker

ReportLinker is an award-winning market research solution. Reportlinker finds and organizes the latest industry data so you get all the market research you need - instantly, in one place.



__________________________
New York, Sept. 29, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "Hospital Bed Market Forecast to 2028 - COVID-19 Impact and Global Analysis By Type, Usage, Application, and End User" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p06321045/?utm_source=GNW





According to our latest study on Hospital Bed Market Forecast To 2028  COVID-19 Impact and Global Analysis  by Type, Usage, Application, and End User, the market is expected to grow from US$ 3,214.96 million in 2021 to US$ 4,688.96 million by 2028; it is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 5.7% from 2022 to 2028. The growing preference for highly equipped hospital beds with innovative features fuels the overall market growth. Further, the Increasing popularity of smart hospital beds is emerging as a key trend in the market.

According to a report by the National Institute of Health (NIH), there is a high demand for equipped, facilitated beds, which help prevent other physiological complications among patients, which include bedsores.As per a report by the Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research (MFMER), a patient suffering from bedsores has medical conditions limiting the ability to change positions in bed resulting to cause bedsores due to their spending most of their time in a bed.



Bedsores are categorized into several stages based on depth, severity, and other characteristics such as the degree of skin and tissue damage, ranging from changes in skin color to a severe injury involving muscle and bone. However, the development of information technology (IT) in healthcare, i.e., healthcare IT-based medical equipment such as smart hospital beds, involving the use of wireless sensor networks (WSNs), has resulted in easy and quick service acting as a solution to prevent bedsores in motionless and disabled patients. With simple applications (apps), hospital bed has been transformed into highly-networked appliances, which are categorized as Class 2 Medical Devices seeking electronic intelligence. For example, modern hospital beds are equipped with a monitor screen that shows the health status of patients and enables remote transmission of data to the nurse station. Additional modules include tilt accelerometers and motor drives to control the tilt of the bed, powered wheels to facilitate the movement of the patient to different areas of the hospital, USB and Ethernet ports to aid in connectivity with a PC or a hospital network, and an LCD screen and keypad for the user interface, which allow healthcare providers to offer comfort to patients.

In October 2020, Stryker launched the hospital bed named "ProCuity," which is the first wireless hospital bed and only available in the market.This newly launched product is designed to help reduce the fall of patients in hospitals, improve the efficiencies and safety of nurses, and lower hospital operating costs.



This bed can connect seamlessly to nurse call systems without the use of cables and wires. The aforementioned factors determine an increase in the need for hospital beds in various regions across the globe, which is boosting the growth of the during the forecast period.

Global Hospital Bed Market: Segmental Overview

Based on type, the global hospital bed market is segmented into semi-electric beds, electric beds, and manual beds.The semi-electric beds segment accounted for the largest market share in 2021 and is expected to register the highest CAGR from 2022 to 2028.



Based on usage, the global hospital bed market is segregated into acute care beds, long-term care beds, psychiatric care beds, and others.The acute-care beds segment led the market in 2021 and is expected to retain its dominance during the forecast period.



Based on application, the global hospital bed market is bifurcated into non-intensive care beds and intensive care beds.The non-intensive care beds segment led the market in 2021 and is expected to retain its dominance during the forecast period.



Based on end user, the global hospital bed market is segregated as hospitals & clinics, elderly care facilities, ambulatory surgical centers, and home care settings.



Global Hospital Bed Market: Geographical Overview

Europe holds the largest share of the global hospital bed market, whereas Asia Pacific is expected to register the highest CAGR during the forecast period.The increasing geriatric population and the growing prevalence of chronic diseases fuel the overall growth of the Europe hospital bed market.



As per the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Labour Force Statistics, there were 4 European countries in the top 5 of the G7 countries, and Germany was the leading country with 21.4% of the population aged 65 and above. The Group of Seven countries involve inter-governmental political forum comprising of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the UK and the US. Further, the European Commission report states that the share of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) among the total burden in Disability Adjusted Life Year (DALYs) in Europe is expected to reach 84% by 2030.

The projected growth of the hospital bed market in Asia Pacific is attributed to the accelerated economic growth of countries such as China and Japan, the growing focus of governments in these countries on the healthcare sector, the rising prevalence of chronic diseases, and increased investment from government bodies for the expansion of healthcare facilities amid the COVID-19 pandemic along with favorable regulatory reforms.



Future Trends in Hospital Bed Market

The increasing popularity of smart hospital beds would lead to significant trends in the global hospital bed market during the forecast period.According to a report by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), continuous patient monitoring during hospitalization is necessary for risk identification, and early diagnosis and treatmentresulting in reduced mortality and morbidity, and hospitalization costs.



The fall of patients from bed, and bedsores or pressure sores can seriously harm them.Pressure ulcers or bedsores can be avoided by timely, accurate mapping of pressure points for inhibiting tissue perfusion, which might lead to a patients death.



Smart hospital beds, enabled with advanced technologies, have highly developed embedded control functions and interactivity.They support new functionalities such as continuous monitoring of patients vital signs, preventing them from falling off the bed, and averting the development of pressure ulcers.



In September 2021, Baxter announced a collaboration with Hillrom, Inc. for developing smart hospital beds with Hillrom, accounting for US$ 10.5 billion. In October 2020, Stryker announced the launch of "ProCuity," which is the first and only wireless hospital bed available in the market. This newly launched product is designed to help reduce the fall of patients in hospitals, improve the efficiencies and safety of nurses, and lower hospital operating costs.

The World Health Organization (WHO), National Health Service (NHS), Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), Canadian Institute for Health Information, Mexican Institute of Social Security, and World Obesity Federation are a few of the secondary sources referred to while preparing the report on the global hospital bed market.

Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p06321045/?utm_source=GNW



About Reportlinker

ReportLinker is an award-winning market research solution. Reportlinker finds and organizes the latest industry data so you get all the market research you need - instantly, in one place.



__________________________
English French

OTTAWA, Sept. 29, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Designed with Quebec small business owners in mind, CIRAs new campaign Quand cest .ca, cest local (When its .ca, its local) highlights the best way to get a business online for a maximum impact. The choice of a domain is an effective way for entrepreneurs to showcase that they are a local business that operates locally.







The ad campaign leverages the sense of community at the heart of the province and Quebecers strong desire to support local businesses from local restaurants to stores and other services. As two in three Quebecers say they prefer a .CA domain name to a .COM, when they visit a website to support a local business, this ad campaign aims to help entrepreneurs make the right decision to reach their audience. Customers who want to support their favourite brands are on the lookout for the ones with a .CA domain as it signals they offer their services locally. With a clear and direct message, the brands first dedicated initiative in Francophone Quebec shows that .CA is the perfect fit for business owners who want to be recognized as local and attract local customers.

The eight-week campaign highlights businesses and brands operating in Quebec that use .CA for their domain. They include avril.ca, pastaga.ca, salutbonjour.ca, and several others. The Quand cest .ca, cest local digital campaign which targets small business owners in the Greater Montreal Area will begin on October 3rd and run on Quebec's major online platforms, including La Presse, Radio-Canada, Quebecor Media and Les Affaires.

Executive quotes

The resilience and creativity of Quebec entrepreneurs during these challenging times are extraordinary. An important strategy which has helped many survive and grow is the expansion of their businesses online. Our new campaign is designed to help businesses who are establishing a digital presence make the right domain name choice so they can thrive online.

Entrepreneurs and business owners who want to be recognized as a local brand should look no further than getting a .CA domain. It's clear that Quebecois love supporting home-grown businesses and a .CA is a proven, recognizable symbol of local businesses on the internet.

 Marc Fares, General Manager, .CA by CIRA





Quebec entrepreneurs often want to advertise themselves as local businesses serving local customers. This campaign reminds them that businesses, large and small, with domain names ending in .CA tell their customers that they operate here, near them."

 Eric Blais, President at Headspace Marketing Inc





Additional resources

About CIRA

CIRA manages the .CA top-level domain on behalf of all Canadians. It also develops technologies and servicessuch as CIRA DNS Firewall and CIRA Canadian Shieldthat help support its goal of building a better online Canada. The CIRA team operates one of the fastest-growing country code top-level domains (ccTLD), a high-performance global DNS network, and one of the worlds most advanced back-end registry solutions.

About Headspace Marketing

Headspace Marketing is a strategic consulting firm committed to building great brands in Quebec. We work closely with clients to address the unique challenges and opportunities they face in the Quebec market. Our deep knowledge of the Quebec consumer and our brand-building expertise provide our clients with a true competitive advantage in a market that's at times misunderstood and often underexploited.

Media Contacts

Delphine Avomo Evouna

Communications Specialist, CIRA

613.315.1458

delphine.avomoevouna@cira.ca

Eric Blais

President at Headspace Marketing Inc

416.221.3770

eblais@headspacemarketing.com

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/6f62e520-a3e6-477b-b079-bc99477cfec7
Dublin, Sept. 29, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Online Lottery Market: Global Industry Trends, Share, Size, Growth, Opportunity and Forecast 2022-2027" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.



The global online lottery market reached a value of US$ 9.61 Billion in 2021. Looking forward, the publisher expects the market to reach a value of US$ 14.35 Billion by 2027, exhibiting a CAGR of 6.91% during 2021-2027. Keeping in mind the uncertainties of COVID-19, we are continuously tracking and evaluating the direct as well as the indirect influence of the pandemic on different end use sectors. These insights are included in the report as a major market contributor.



Online lottery refers to a system of gambling that involves acquiring money by selling numbered tickets and randomly drawing numbers to provide prizes to holders of selected numbers. These games are linked to a central computer, which is further connected to a telecommunication network.

Online lottery applications can be downloaded on the desktop and smartphones or can be played through a website. The sessions are moderated by computer programs, thus eliminating all forms of physical contact and interactions. Apart from this, online lottery solutions offer multiple benefits, such as real-time experience, convenience, secure payments, easy accessibility, cashless transactions, and a safe environment.



Online Lottery Market Trends:

The rising availability of high-speed internet connectivity and the inflating sales of smartphones across the globe represent some of the key factors creating a positive outlook for the market. Consumers are widely adopting online lottery methods due to their enhanced accessibility on mobile phones and personal computers (PCs), provision of digital and mobile payments for online players, and improved betting processes, security, and reliability.

Additionally, the shifting inclination of users from traditional draw-based games to online lotteries due to a higher amount of return on lower investments is favoring the market growth. Apart from this, various advancements in technology, such as the integration of virtual and augmented reality (VR/AR), along with the introduction of connected wearables for providing an immersive gaming experience while ensuring transparency, are providing a considerable boost to the market growth.

Moreover, the increasing utilization of online payment channels that offer encryption security for protecting data related to online transactions is positively impacting the market growth. Other factors, including various promotional activities on social media, rising expenditure capacities of consumers, and the implementation of various government initiatives promoting safe practices and legalization of online lottery services, are anticipated to drive the market further toward growth.

Competitive Landscape:

The competitive landscape of the industry has also been examined along with the profiles of the key players being Camelot Group, International Game Technology PLC, Jackpot.com, Lotto Agent, Lotto Direct Limited, Lotto247, Lottoland Limited, LottosOnline, MultiLotto, OneLotto.com, Play UK Internet N.V and ZEAL Network SE.



Key Questions Answered in This Report:

How has the global online lottery market performed so far and how will it perform in the coming years?

What has been the impact of COVID-19 on the global online lottery market?

What are the key regional markets?

What is the breakup of the market based on the product type?

What is the breakup of the market based on the platform?

What are the various stages in the value chain of the industry?

What are the key driving factors and challenges in the industry?

What is the structure of the global online lottery market and who are the key players?

What is the degree of competition in the industry?

Key Topics Covered:



1 Preface



2 Scope and Methodology



3 Executive Summary



4 Introduction

4.1 Overview

4.2 Key Industry Trends



5 Global Online Lottery Market

5.1 Market Overview

5.2 Market Performance

5.3 Impact of COVID-19

5.4 Market Forecast



6 Market Breakup by Product Type

6.1 The Lotto

6.1.1 Market Trends

6.1.2 Market Forecast

6.2 Quizzes Type Lottery

6.2.1 Market Trends

6.2.2 Market Forecast

6.3 Numbers Game

6.3.1 Market Trends

6.3.2 Market Forecast

6.4 Scratch-off Instant Games

6.4.1 Market Trends

6.4.2 Market Forecast

6.5 Others

6.5.1 Market Trends

6.5.2 Market Forecast



7 Market Breakup by Platform

7.1 Desktop

7.1.1 Market Trends

7.1.2 Market Forecast

7.2 Mobile/App-based

7.2.1 Market Trends

7.2.2 Market Forecast



8 Market Breakup by Region



9 SWOT Analysis

10 Value Chain Analysis



11 Porters Five Forces Analysis



12 Price Analysis



13 Competitive Landscape

13.1 Market Structure

13.2 Key Players

13.3 Profiles of Key Players

13.3.1 Camelot Group

13.3.1.1 Company Overview

13.3.1.2 Product Portfolio

13.3.2 International Game Technology PLC

13.3.2.1 Company Overview

13.3.2.2 Product Portfolio

13.3.2.3 Financials

13.3.3 Jackpot.com

13.3.3.1 Company Overview

13.3.3.2 Product Portfolio

13.3.4 Lotto Agent

13.3.4.1 Company Overview

13.3.4.2 Product Portfolio

13.3.5 Lotto Direct Limited

13.3.5.1 Company Overview

13.3.5.2 Product Portfolio

13.3.6 Lotto247

13.3.6.1 Company Overview

13.3.6.2 Product Portfolio

13.3.7 Lottoland Limited

13.3.7.1 Company Overview

13.3.7.2 Product Portfolio

13.3.8 LottosOnline

13.3.8.1 Company Overview

13.3.8.2 Product Portfolio

13.3.9 MultiLotto

13.3.9.1 Company Overview

13.3.9.2 Product Portfolio

13.3.10 OneLotto.com

13.3.10.1 Company Overview

13.3.10.2 Product Portfolio

13.3.11 Play UK Internet N.V

13.3.11.1 Company Overview

13.3.11.2 Product Portfolio

13.3.12 ZEAL Network SE

13.3.12.1 Company Overview

13.3.12.2 Product Portfolio

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/aodjje

Attachment
TORONTO, Sept. 29, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Aleafia Health Inc. (TSX: AH, OTCQX: ALEAF) (Aleafia Health or the Company) is pleased to announce the results of the vote on the election of directors at its annual meeting of shareholders held on September 27, 2022 (the Meeting). All six nominees set out in the management information circular of the Company dated August 19, 2022 were elected to the board of directors (the Board) of the Company.



Nominee For Against Withheld Non Vote For Against Withheld Mark Sandler 67,007,871 1,632,272 0 23,208,803 97.62% 2.38% 0.00% Luciano Galasso 67,165,098 1,475,045 0 23,208,803 97.85% 2.15% 0.00% Ian Troop 67,240,952 1,399,191 0 23,208,803 97.96% 2.04% 0.00% David Pasieka 67,167,928 1,472,215 0 23,208,803 97.86% 2.14% 0.00% Jon Pereira 67,185,790 1,454,353 0 23,208,803 97.88% 2.12% 0.00% Carlo Sistilli 67,209,871 1,430,272 0 23,208,803 97.92% 2.08% 0.00%

Final voting results on all matters will be filed on the Companys SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com.

For Investor & Media Relations:

Matthew Sale, CFO

1-833-879-2533

IR@AleafiaHealth.com

LEARN MORE: www.AleafiaHealth.com

About Aleafia Health:

The Company is a federally licensed Canadian cannabis company offering cannabis products in Canadian adult-use and medical markets and in select international markets, including Australia and Germany. The Company operates a virtual medical cannabis clinic staffed by physicians and nurse practitioners which provide health and wellness services across Canada.

The Company owns three licensed cannabis production facilities and operates a strategically located distribution centre all in the province of Ontario, including the largest, outdoor cannabis cultivation facility in Canada. The Company produces a diverse portfolio of cannabis and cannabis derivative products including dried flower, pre-roll, milled, vapes, oils, capsules, edibles, sublingual strips, and topicals.
OKLAHOMA CITY, Sept. 29, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Madison Horn, U.S. Senate nominee and cybersecurity expert from the state of Oklahoma, is running against James Lankford for the U.S. Senate. She has rural roots being from Stilwell, Oklahoma, and she is a Cherokee Nation citizen. Horn is running to work towards the promise of the American dream and represent Oklahomans who have been left behind by self-serving politicians. Oklahomans for Madison says, following recent polling, Madison Horn leads among Independents, has a six-point lead in Oklahoma City, the most populous area in the state, and is tied in the second-largest urban area.

On Tuesday, Sept. 27, former President Donald J. Trump released his endorsement of Lankford.

The following is an open letter of Madison Horn's response.

"To anyone paying attention, the former President endorsing Senator Lankford should come as absolutely no surprise. After all, this is the same Senator who helped lead the disinformation campaign about the 2020 election, leading up to the moment when he had to be pulled away from the podium and whisked to safety.

"This endorsement is something Lankford has been working towards for the past 18 months, ever since he fell out of Trump's good graces. Lankford's loyalties no longer lie with Americans or Oklahomans, instead he has turned his back on them and betrayed his own moral standing by spreading disinformation, divisive rhetoric and his own extreme ideology that is only furthering this division.

"The American people are looking for a leader who can rise above the current political landscape. Politicians like Lankford have become the biggest proponents of fear-mongering and division in our society. This may give short-term gains and allow him to hold onto his limited power, but its long-term consequences are devastating. Our leaders should listen to the worries and challenges of everyday people and fight for solutions rather than spreading disinformation and division.

"A healthy democratic government operates in service of the people. Unfortunately, Lankford has lost sight of this purpose. Instead of serving his constituents and delivering real results, he is spreading harmful rhetoric and extreme ideology fracturing our country. We need elected officials who can rise above the current state of politics and restore civility and logic back into politics. I will work to increase transparency, foster collaboration, promote unity, and improve accountability at the highest levels of government while backing legislation to strengthen America's democratic foundations.

"As your next U.S. Senator, I will work to unify and apply logical solutions to the problems we face. I won't bend or break to partisan rhetoric or divisive movements."

Contact Information:

Jake LaBrue

Policy and Communications Deputy

jake@madisonhorn.com

4056576032



Frank Frantz

Campaign Manager

info@madisonhorn.com

4056183564



Related Images











Image 1: Madison Horn: U.S. Senate Nominee





Madison Horn, U.S. Senate nominee in Oklahoma, is running to bring logic back to politics and defeat extremism.









This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com.

Attachment
Not for distribution to U.S. newswire services or for dissemination in the United States

TORONTO, Sept. 29, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Giyani Metals Corp. (TSXV: EMM, GR: A2DUU8) ("Giyani" or the "Company"), developer of the K.Hill battery grade manganese project in Botswana (K.Hill Battery Manganese Project or K.Hill), is pleased to announce the results of a life cycle assessment (LCA) prepared by Minviro Limited (Minviro) based on the feasibility study for K.Hill (FS).

Highlights

The LCA assesses the global warming potential ( GWP ) of the production of one kilogram ( kg ) of high-purity manganese sulphate monohydrate ( HPMSM ) produced from manganese oxide resources, extracted at K.Hill.

) of the production of one kilogram ( ) of high-purity manganese sulphate monohydrate ( ) produced from manganese oxide resources, extracted at K.Hill. The LCA was conducted according to the requirements of relevant ISO standards, including a critical review.

Results conclude a total product GWP of 3.2 kg carbon dioxide equivalent ( CO 2 eq .) per kg HPMSM.

.) per kg HPMSM. Scope 1 and scope 2 emissions contribute 1.4 kg CO 2 eq. per kg HPMSM.

The goal of this LCA is to determine the significant project and process parameters contributing to the GWP from production of HPMSM at K.Hill. The LCA is a cradle-to-gate study, meaning the product GWP is assessed from the point of ore and waste rock extraction (cradle) to the end-gate (a set point at the end of processing, with HPMSM being ready for transport to customers), modelled in the two distinct stages of mining and processing using data developed as part of the FS.

The total GWP of 3.2 kg CO 2 eq. per kg HPMSM can be classified into scope 1, 2 and upstream scope 3 emissions:

Scope 1 (direct) emissions, which reflect greenhouse gas ( GHG ) emissions associated with the combustion of fuels on-site and emissions from reagents used in processing, total 0.2 kg CO 2 eq. per kg HPMSM;

) emissions associated with the combustion of fuels on-site and emissions from reagents used in processing, total 0.2 kg CO eq. per kg HPMSM; Scope 2 (indirect) emissions, which reflect GHG emissions from imported power, total 1.2 kg CO 2 eq. per kg HPMSM; and

eq. per kg HPMSM; and Scope 3 (indirect) upstream emissions, which reflect other GHG emissions such as the extraction and production of purchased materials and fuels, total 1.8 kg CO 2 eq. per kg HPMSM.



The LCA will support Giyani in understanding the GWP of the K.Hill Battery Manganese Project, its main drivers and inform decision-making on advancing project development. The main impact driver of the GWP is the consumption of electricity from the national grid in Botswana, corresponding to approximately 37% of total GWP. The plan, as laid out in the FS for K.Hill, includes a 4.5 MW photovoltaic solar plant and Giyani is currently assessing various options to further reduce the GWP for K.Hill and to develop a roadmap for decarbonization.

Robin Birchall, CEO of the Company, commented:

The results of the LCA confirm the potential of the K.Hill Battery Manganese Project to be a low-carbon producer of a critical battery raw material. One of Giyanis key strengths will be our ability to produce HPMSM directly from our high-grade manganese oxide ore without the need for calcining or electrorefining, both potentially significant emitters of greenhouse gases.

In addition to calculating our global warming potential, the LCA will also act as a guide to help develop a roadmap to decarbonize our operation, which is part of our long-term strategic objective. Further information on K.Hill and its development plan will be available in the FS, which is expected to be published in the coming weeks.

About Giyani

Giyani is a mineral resource company focused on becoming one of Africas first low-carbon producers of high-purity manganese sulphate monohydrate (HPMSM) precursor materials directly from manganese oxide ore, used by battery manufacturers for the expanding electric vehicle market through the advancement of its manganese assets in the Kanye Basin in south-eastern Botswana, (the Kanye Basin Prospects) through its wholly-owned Botswana subsidiary Menzi Battery Metals (Pty) Limited. The Companys Kanye Basin Prospects consist of eight prospecting licences and include the past producing Kgwakgwe Hill mine and project, referred to as the K.Hill Battery Manganese Project, the Otse and Lobatse manganese prospects, both of which have seen historical mining activities.

Qualified Persons / NI 43-101 Disclosures

Mr. Jacques du Toit CEng. PrEng. MscEng. PMP is a qualified person, as defined by National Instrument 43-101. Mr. du Toit is the Companys VP, Technical Services and has reviewed and approved the scientific and technical content contained in this press release but is not independent for the purposes of NI 43-101.

About Minviro

Minviro (www.minviro.com) is a London based and globally recognized consultancy and technology company specialized in carrying out life cycle assessments in the technology metals space. The company provides quantitative environmental and climate impact data for mineral resource projects, battery manufacturers and original equipment manufacturers to make environmentally informed decisions.

On behalf of the Board of Directors of Giyani Metals Corp.

Robin Birchall, CEO

Contact:

Robin Birchall CEO, Director

+44 7711 313019

rbirchall@giyanimetals.com

George Donne

VP Business Development

+44 7866 591 897

gdonne@giyanimetals.com

Judith Webster

Corporate Secretary

+1 416 453 8818

jwebster@giyanimetals.com

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange (the "TSXV") nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSXV) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.

The securities described herein have not been registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act"), or any state securities laws, and accordingly, may not be offered or sold to, or for the account or benefit of, persons in the United States or "U.S. persons," as such term is defined in Regulation S promulgated under the U.S. Securities Act ("U.S. Persons"), except in compliance with the registration requirements of the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities requirements or pursuant to exemptions therefrom. This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any of the Company's securities to, or for the account of benefit of, persons in the United States or U.S. Persons.

Forward Looking Information

This press release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. All statements in this news release, other than statements of historical fact, that address events or developments that Giyani expects to occur, are "forward-looking statements". Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words "expects", "does not expect", "plans", "anticipates", "does not anticipate", "believes", "intends", "estimates", "projects", "potential", "scheduled", "forecast", "budget" and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will", "would", "may", "could", "should" or "might" occur. Specific forward-looking statements and forward-looking information herein includes completion of receipt of TSXV approval for the private placement and completion of the private placement.

All such forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates of the relevant management as of the date such statements are made and are subject to certain assumptions, important risk factors and uncertainties, many of which are beyond Giyani's ability to control or predict. Forward-looking statements are necessarily based on estimates and assumptions that are inherently subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. In the case of Giyani, these facts include their anticipated operations in future periods, planned exploration and development of its properties, and plans related to its business and other matters that may occur in the future. This information relates to analyses and other information that is based on expectations of future performance and planned work programs.

Forward-looking information is subject to a variety of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which could cause actual events or results to differ from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking information, including, without limitation: inherent exploration hazards and risks; risks related to exploration and development of natural resource properties; uncertainty in Giyani's ability to obtain funding; commodity price fluctuations; recent market events and conditions; risks related to the uncertainty of mineral resource calculations and the inclusion of inferred mineral resources in economic estimation; risks in how the world-wide economic and social impact of COVID-19 is managed; risks related to governmental regulations; risks related to obtaining necessary licences and permits; risks related to their business being subject to environmental laws and regulations; risks related to their mineral properties being subject to prior unregistered agreements, transfers, or claims and other defects in title; risks relating to competition from larger companies with greater financial and technical resources; risks relating to the inability to meet financial obligations under agreements to which they are a party; ability to recruit and retain qualified personnel; and risks related to their directors and officers becoming associated with other natural resource companies which may give rise to conflicts of interests. This list is not exhaustive of the factors that may affect Giyani's forward-looking information. Should one or more of these risks and uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described in the forward-looking information or statements.

Giyani's forward-looking information is based on the reasonable beliefs, expectations and opinions of their respective management on the date the statements are made, and Giyani does not assume any obligation to update forward looking information if circumstances or management's beliefs, expectations or opinions change, except as required by law. For the reasons set forth above, investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. For a complete discussion with respect to Giyani and risks associated with forward-looking information and forward-looking statements, please refer to Giyani's Annual Information Form, all of which are filed on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.
Valhalla, N.Y., Sept. 29, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- FUJIFILM Holdings America Corporation (Fujifilm) today announced the leadership appointments of Sarah Karlgaard, Esq. as vice president, general counsel and secretary and Sean McCaffrey as vice president of operations. The new appointments strengthen the leadership team for Fujifilms Americas regional headquarters, which represents 27 subsidiaries across the United States, Canada, Brazil and Colombia.

We are very pleased to welcome Sarah and Sean to Fujifilms executive leadership team, said Jun Higuchi, president, FUJIFILM Holdings America Corporation, president and CEO, FUJIFILM North America Corporation, and chairman FUJIFILM Healthcare Americas Corporation. Both professionals bring a depth of experience in their respective areas which will help guide the continued success of Fujifilms broad and diverse businesses as well as support our future expansion through both organic growth and acquisition.

Karlgaard brings strong transactional and regulatory experience as well as expertise in government advocacy, rulemaking, and regulatory enforcement to Fujifilm. Prior to joining Fujifilm, Karlgaard most recently served as general counsel and chief compliance officer at Canon Medical Informatics. With 17 years of healthcare industry legal and policy experience, she specializes in several areas including digital health, health IT, medical devices, life sciences, fraud and abuse compliance, HIPAA/privacy, and cybersecurity. Karlgaard earned her Juris Doctor degree with high honors from Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa.

McCaffrey offers a proven track record in distribution, logistics, purchasing/procurement, and facilities management to support the needs of Fujifilms diverse business units and subsidiaries in the region. As a 22-year veteran of Cardinal Health, McCaffrey served in a variety of management roles in compliance, transportation and operations. Most recently, he held the position of vice president of pharmaceutical distribution for multiple business units. Prior to joining Cardinal Health, he held EHS management positions for industrial and manufacturing companies.

About Fujifilm

FUJIFILM Holdings America Corporation is the regional headquarters for the Americas. It is comprised of 27 affiliate companies across North and Latin America that are engaged in the research, development, manufacture, sale and service of Fujifilm products and services. The companys portfolio represents a broad spectrum of industries including medical and life sciences, electronic, chemical, graphic arts, information systems, industrial products, broadcast, recording media, and photography. For more information, please visit: https://www.fujifilm.com/us/en/about/region.

FUJIFILM Holdings Corporation, Tokyo, leverages its depth of knowledge and proprietary core technologies to deliver Value from Innovation in our products and services in the business segments of healthcare, materials, business innovation, and imaging. Our relentless pursuit of innovation is focused on providing social value and enhancing the lives of people worldwide. Fujifilm is committed to responsible environmental stewardship and good corporate citizenship. For more information about Fujifilms Sustainable Value Plan 2030, click here. For the year ended March 31, 2022, the company had global revenues of approximately 2.5 trillion yen (21 billion $USD at an exchange rate of 122 yen/dollar). For more information, please visit: www.fujifilmholdings.com.
Westford, USA, Sept. 29, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The growing demand for drug testing market is substantiated by statistic data. The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that illicit drug use is the world's most widespread problem and that more than 2% global adults aged 15-64 have used drugs at some time in their lives. The study also reveals that currently more than 270 million had used some kind of psychoactive drugs in last 12 months and over 35 million are seriously affected by consumption and are suffering various drug disorders. This trend continues to increase, as evidenced by a recent report from the National Institute on Drug Abuse which projects that by 2050, nearly 33% of adults will have used drugs at some point in their lives. And even though most people know someone who has overdosed or died as a result of using drugs, they may not really comprehend the full extent of the problem. Withdrawal symptoms can be debilitating, and addiction can lead to criminal behavior, financial instability, and other problems.

Fortunately, there are many organizations that are working to address this issue through drug testing market. Some of these services offer testing for both illegal and prescription drugs. Others offer tests for specific substances (e.g., marijuana, cocaine, etc.). Still others provide assessment and treatment services specifically designed to help people recover from drug abuse or addiction.

Get sample copy of this report:

https://skyquestt.com/sample-request/drug-testing-market

Corporates are Adding Fuel to Drug Testing Market

There is no doubt that drug testing is becoming increasingly popular with companies and organizations. Recent reports suggest that drug tests are now being conducted on a regular basis by companies such as Amazon, Walmart, Ford, Pepsi, and Starbucks. As per SkyQuest analysis, the top consumers of drug testing are law enforcement agencies and private employers. These organizations account for almost two-thirds of all drug testing spending. Other large categories include health care companies (27%), educational institutions (24%) and transportation companies (15%).

There are a number of businesses in the global drug testing market that use drug testing as part of their employment or recruitment process. The United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) suggests that in order to maintain a safe and fair workplace, employers should test employees for drugs at least annually. This is especially important when it comes to substances such as marijuana and cocaine, which have increased in popularity in recent years. Some companies go beyond just drug testing to include alcohol and nicotine testing as well. Drug testing can be expensive, so some companies may choose to invest in these additional tests in order to guarantee the best possible workforce.

Browse summary of the report and Complete Table of Contents (ToC):

https://skyquestt.com/report/drug-testing-market

The survey on drug testing market was conducted across 230 corporates offices across the US, the UK, Canada, Germany, and France. Employers were asked about their experience with urine tests for drugs other than marijuana, as well as experience with marijuana tests. Over half of those surveyed said they had conducted marijuana tests at some point, and more than one-third said they had done so in the last year. More than three-quarters of those who conduct marijuana tests believe they are effective in identifying illicit substances among employees.

Approximately 85% of companies in the US drug testing market use drug testing for health and safety reasons, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse. This includes everything from checking for drugs in the workplace to detecting use at home. Testing can be done before hiring, during probationary periods, or as part of an ongoing evaluation process.

Amazon: The online retailer has long been known for its stringent drug testing policies. In 2017, Amazon announced that it would be conducting 250,000 random drug tests per year, up from the 10,000 that it had tested previously. Recently, the company published that it would immediately end pre-employment drug screening unless it is required by the government regulations and policies.

Walmart: The largest discount store in the world has also been known for its strict drug testing policies. In 2021, the company announced that it would be conducting million random drug tests per year. This has added fuel to the US drug testing market.

Ford: One of the leading automotive manufacturers in the world, Ford has announced plans to conduct 300,000 random drug tests per year starting in 2018.

Pepsi: The soda manufacturer recently announced plans to spend millions on screening programs over the next five years. This includes expansions into new markets such as China and India.

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SkyQuest Says, Less than 49% Large Organizations Perform Random Drug Testing

SkyQuest published a report on global drug testing market and included a survey on drug testing. The survey, which was fielded among 512 CIOs in North America, Europe, and Asia Pacific in late 2021, found that nearly half (49%) of organizations conduct random drug testing of employees, up from 42% in 2018. The key reasons for conducting such tests are to promote safety and to ensure compliance with applicable regulations or policies (58%). However, 37% of respondents said the primary reason was to identify employees who are using drugs and/or alcohol at an unacceptable level.

Organizations in the drug testing market that have already implemented effective drug-testing programs have reported significant benefits including an overall reduction in alcohol and drug use (up to 33%), improved safety behaviors (e.g., fewer accidents), increased employee productivity (33%), and enhanced brand image (28%).

Overall, however, implementation challenges in the global drug testing market continue to plague organizations that engage in drug testing. Nearly half (48%) of respondents said they face significant challenges in implementing their programs effectively. These include issues such as inadequate resources or personnel (44%), a shortage of accurate testing devices or substances (42%), labor union opposition or resistance to random testing (38%), and privacy concerns (36%).

Top Players in Global Drug Testing Market

LabCorp (US)

Quest Diagnostics (US)

Abbott Laboratories Inc. (US)

Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc. (US)

Alfa Scientific Designs, Inc. (US)

OraSure Technologies, Inc. (US)

Siemens Healthineers (Germany)

Roche (Switzerland)

MPD Inc. (US)

Shimadzu (Japan)

LifeLoc Technologies (US)

Dragerwerk (Germany)

Premier Biotech, Inc. (US)

Omega Laboratories, Inc. (US)

Psychemedics (US)

Clinical Reference Laboratory (US)

American Bio Medica Corporation (US)

ACM Global Laboratories (US)

CareHealth America Corp (US)

Cordant Health Solutions (US)

Millennium Health (US)

Related Reports in SkyQuests Library:

Global Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) Market

Global Intraocular Lens Market

Global Organ Preservation Market

Global Pediatric Home Healthcare Market

Global Peritoneal Dialysis Market

About Us:

SkyQuest Technology is leading growth consulting firm providing market intelligence, commercialization and technology services. It has 450+ happy clients globally.

Address:

1 Apache Way, Westford, Massachusetts 01886

Phone:

USA (+1) 617-230-0741

Email: sales@skyquestt.com
Westford, USA, Sept. 29, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- There is no denying that social media management market has become a powerful communication tool in todays society. According to a recent study by SkyQuest, more than half of all online adults (65%) use social media sites such as Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram. This represents a significant increase from just three years ago, when only 47% of online adults used social media sites. Moreover, the growth in social media use has not been limited to young adults; 55% of adult women and 78% of adult men use social media.

With the growth of social media management market, businesses have realized the importance of having a social media management plan in place. Not only is it important to have a plan in place to ensure that the company's social media presence is managed effectively and consistent, but it has also become essential to track and analyze social media activity in order to improve marketing strategy. A well-executed social media management plan helps the businesses control the message they are putting out there, as well as identify any potential issues or gaps in their strategies.

Despite this widespread adoption, businesses are still learning how to effectively use social media in the global social media management market. In fact, our recent survey pointed out that only 36% of companies employ a full-time person to manage their social media accounts. In addition, 43% of companies consider outsourcing their social media management duties, and 24% have contracted out their social media management services.

Given the meteoric rise in demand for social media management market, it is no surprise that businesses are scrambling to find an effective way to utilize these platforms. Some businesses are beginning to realize that a mix of traditional marketing methods and social media management is the best approach.

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SkyQuest Survey Reveals 73% Organization are Using or Planning to Use Social Media Management Market

With all of the talk about social media, it's no surprise that more and more businesses are using it to connect with their customers. And one of the most popular means of communication is social media management.

This week, SkyQuest released a survey of 2,500 social media management professionals in North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and Latin America. The research found that almost three-quarters (73%) of SMM professionals have implemented or plan to implement an automated Twitter management solution in the next 12 months. Additionally, 70% use social media platforms more than eight hours per day. In terms of top organizational priorities for SMM efforts in social media management market, creating content (68%) and measuring engagement (66%) were the top two. Furthermore, 84% report achieving at least one objective they set for their organization's social media strategy with only 6% reporting a negative experience.

According to the study, while nearly two-thirds (63%) of the respondents have a formal strategy in place for managing social media activities, only 34% feel that their strategy reflects the full breadth of their companys social media presence.

A lack of alignment with overall corporate goals was cited as the main reason for this mismatch in the social media management market, with 78% of respondents saying it is difficult to track performance against objectives on social media. Additionally, only 38% believe that their employees are using social media effectively in support of company goals.

As per SkyQuest study, the top five areas where companies in the global social media management market can improve their strategy are: developing a clear business case for social media (91%); setting measurable and achievable goals (86%); developing clear lines of authority and responsibility (81%); training employees on how to use social media effectively (68%); and deploying tools and technologies that support effective use of social media (66%).

Browse summary of the report and Complete Table of Contents (ToC):

https://skyquestt.com/report/social-media-management-market

AI is Next Big Thing for Social Media Management Market

Artificial intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing social media management, making it easier and faster for companies to keep up with the latest trends and developments in the industry. According to a study by SkyQuest, AI can help social media managers cut down on the time they spend on tasks such as scheduling posts and managing followers.

In addition, AI can help identify which posts are performing well and which ones need revision in the global social media management market. This saves time and energy, as managers no longer have to comb through data to determine which posts are resonating with their audience. AI can also identify potential Issues that need to be addressed on social media platforms, such as content that offends or infringes on copyright laws.

These days, there are a variety of platforms that offer AI-assisted social media management tools. Organizations can also take advantage of these tools to improve their communication strategy.

First, lets take a look at the most popular AI-assisted tool in global social media management market: Hootsuite. This platform allows users to manage multiple accounts from one location. It also lets users post updates and respond to comments from all of their accounts in one place. Additionally, it provides a dashboard that helps analysts track the progress and performance of each individual account.

Another popular tool for managing multiple accounts is Buffer, perfect fit for small businesses. This platform allows users to easily post updates across all their social media accounts in one place.

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Spending on Social Media Management Increased By 27% in One Year

As businesses in the global social media management market continue to implement and use social media as a marketing tool, spending on social media management services continues to grow. In the past year, spending on such services has increased by an estimated 27%. This substantial increase is likely due to the large number of businesses that have yet to fully embrace social media, and those who have only begun to use it, but need assistance in managing their accounts.

The average cost for single service in the global social media management market ranges from $100 to $50,000, but the costs can go much higher depending on the level of customization and automation desired. 61% of businesses that have used a social media management service say theyve spent more than $1,000 per month on the service. The most common reasons for spending more are increased engagement (62%), and increased follower growth (61%).

One of the primary reasons for this rapid growth is that social media management services can help businesses save time and energy. For example, if a business has 50 different Twitter accounts, an online social media management service can help them manage all of them more easily and effectively. Additionally, these services can help businesses monitor their social media activity and track how its impacting their overall brand image and public relations.

Why is this social media management market being so popular? There are a number of reasons that SkyQuest study suggests. First and foremost, social media platforms are incredibly effective tools for building and maintaining relationships with customers and clients. Additionally, these platforms allow businesses to engage with their customers in a way that is both interactive and engaging. As a result, businesses that understand how to use social media correctly can achieve tremendous success in building brand awareness, generating leads, and generating sales.

Top Players in Social Media Management Market

Adobe Inc. (US)

IBM Corporation (US)

Google LLC (US)

Oracle Corporation (US)

Salesforce Inc. (US)

Sprout Social (US)

Hootsuite (Canada)

Meltwater (Netherlands)

Sprinklr (US)

Digimind (France)

HubSpot (US)

Clarabridge (US)

Khoros (US)

Falcon.io (Denmark)

Zoho Corporation (India)

NetBase (US)

Brandwatch (UK)

Sendible (UK)

MavSocial (US)

Emplifi, Inc. (US)

Synthesio Inc. (US)

eClincher (US)

Related Reports in SkyQuests Library:

Global Pure Play Software Testing Services Market

Global Patent Analytics Market

Global Customer Experience (CX) Outsourcing Services Market

Global Data Preparation Tools Market

Global Automotive Engineering Services Market

About Us:

SkyQuest Technology is leading growth consulting firm providing market intelligence, commercialization and technology services. It has 450+ happy clients globally.

Address:

1 Apache Way, Westford, Massachusetts 01886

Phone:

USA (+1) 617-230-0741

Email: sales@skyquestt.com
NEW YORK, Sept. 29, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Workers are being lured back into offices this fall with promises of community, fun, and superb perks. But unless you're working at Google, Netflix or Apple, these office perks are often far from glamorous.

Framery, the world's leading manufacturer of soundproof private spaces for open offices, has launched a new global campaign to track down "the most useless office perk in the world." The playful initiative  created in collaboration with creative agency Reaktor Creative  pokes fun at all the strange items that are left to accumulate dust in offices around the globe.

"We want to help companies see that if we're going to make employees return to the office, then we should at the very least create an environment that's actually conducive to doing work  and maybe even having fun," says Chief Executive Officer Samu Hallfors at Framery. "There's a real need to reinvent office culture."

There are already many hilarious (downright baffling!) submissions on the campaign site. Entries at perksforpods.com remain open worldwide until Oct. 31.

Three submissions will each win a premium Framery One soundproof pod, ideal for quiet working and private teleconferencing in open offices. The winning three pointless office perks will also be donated to charity for better use.

Contact Information:

Kalle Mattila

Founder, PYRY Communications

kalle@pyry.co









Related Images











Image 1: Perks for Pods





Entries for 'the most useless office perk in the world' remain open worldwide until Oct. 31 at perksforpods.com.









This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com.

Attachment
New York, Sept. 29, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "Global Security Robots Market Size, Share & Industry Trends Analysis Report By Type, By End User, By Regional Outlook and Forecast, 2022  2028" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p06322320/?utm_source=GNW

They have modern, large-capacity batteries, electric motors, and high-definition (HD) cameras.



They assist with reporting, observing, looking for intrusions, and patrolling of monitoring zones. Security personnel can use security robots to detect potential threats, acquire a close-up first look from a safe distance, as well as provide accurate information about the hazard so that preemptive measures can be done. Shopping centers, workplaces, and public spaces are all increasingly using security robots.



The fact that these robots collect significantly more data than people suggests that they are more analogous to security mobile robots than typical security guards. Despite this, they are frequently portrayed as friendly patrol bots that will potentially replace human security guards. Security robots are widely used in many establishments throughout the world, including malls, parking lots, and universities because they are dependable, incorruptible, and more affordable than security staff.



The paradigm of security and facility management is evolving across various industries as a result of the introduction of machine learning, computer vision, and robotics. More than just a collection of sensors and computations make up robots. They are essential computers that can reach out and touch the entire globe, offering both innovation and adaptability. They are made to travel across human places safely and without appearing menacing or frightening, which facilitates cultural acceptability.



COVID-19 Impact Analysis



As the infection spread, it necessitated the hiring of new staff members or lowering of safety and service standards. This led private security firms to use security robots. The pandemic pushed for the development of robots that can sanitize the whole premises. These later evolved to replace infected security personnel at various places doing security checks as well as temperature checks where needed. Most countries saw a surge in automated robot sales during the pandemic. Therefore, it is evident that the pandemic had an overall positive impact on the security robots market.



Market Growth Factors



Increasing Defense Budget Would Escalate The Demand For Security Robots



To protect the borders against undersea dangers, nations all over the world are utilizing cutting-edge technology. In the current global environment, dangers from pirates, terrorists, and sailors causing problems across maritime and land borders have increased. This results in the countrys revenue trafficking concerns. Arms and ammunition, light weapons, drugs, and people trafficking become recurring. Such concerns have legitimized the increase of defense expenditure worldwide in efforts to bring these crimes under control.



Innovation And Implementation Of Cutting-Edge Technology In Robotics



Security robots are widely used in a variety of applications because of advancements in automation and sensor technologies. These robots may learn over time and expand their usefulness due to advancements in neural network technology. Robots can analyze their environment and offer more accurate information with the aid of these sensors. The distant sensing capabilities of these robots can be employed to protect the area and find potential dangers.



Market Restraining Factors



Security Robots Unreliability In Military Operations And Functionality



In a variety of defense applications, security robot dependability is crucial. These robots malfunctions can be broken down into design, technological, manufacturing, environmental, and operating categories. In the event of a failure, effective preventative measures and backup plans are needed. Transporting the malfunctioning security robots back to the main station must be planned in advance. Security robots functional unreliability limits their usage in a variety of military and covert activities since it might lead to the transfer and loss of sensitive data and expose it to enemy forces exploitation.



Type Outlook



Based on type, the security robots market is divided into UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle), UUV (Unmanned Underwater Vehicle), and UGV (Unmanned Ground Vehicle). The Unmanned Underwater Vehicles (UUV) segment acquired a promising revenue share in the security robots market in 2021. UUVs are submersible vehicles that can function underwater without a human occupant. These are also referred to as underwater drones. Remotely operated underwater vehicles (ROUVs) and autonomous underwater vehicles are two subcategories of UUVs.



End User Outlook



Based on end user, the security robots market is categorized into defense & military, residential, commercial, and Calibration. The commercial segment recorded a substantial revenue share in the security robots market in 2021. These are robots that are primarily employed for outside security. It is mostly utilized to secure sizable spaces like workplaces, schools, and other places. These robots have a camera installed inside of them that may be able to rotate 360 degrees and provide the control center with all the data.



Regional Outlook



On the basis of region, the security robots market is analyzed across North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and LAMEA. North America garnered the largest revenue share in the security robots market in 2021. The market is growing with the expansive application of robots in this region. Given their dependability and quality, unmanned solutions are widely used by US security and surveillance services. There have been more terrorist attacks and ongoing armed confrontations in public venues like schools.



The market research report covers the analysis of key stake holders of the market. Key companies profiled in the report include Thales Group S.A., Northrop Grumman Corporation, Leonardo SpA, Lockheed Martin Corporation, Cobham Limited (Eaton Corporation PLC), Kongsberg Group, Saab AB, BAE Systems PLC, Elbit Sytems Ltd., and QinetiQ Group PLC (The Carlyle Group).



Strategies Deployed in Security Robots Market



Aug-2022: QinetiQ US took over the acquisition of Avantus Federal, a mission-focused data, cyber, and space services and solutions company. Through this acquisition, QinetiQ integrated business, core capabilities, and customer relationships to complement its distinctive offerings. This acquisition allowed the companies to grow the services and solutions that would benefit their combined global customers.



Jun-2022: Elbit Systems unveiled COPAS-L, a new Electro-Optical (EO) payload for Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition, and Reconnaissance (ISTAR). COPAS-L is a miniaturized configuration of the companys Commander Open Architecture Panoramic Sight (COAPS). This EO payload has small dimensions and weighs only 40kg. COPAS-L provides light platforms such as light tactical vehicles, UGVs, and surface vessels with AFV-level ISTAR capabilities.



Mar-2022: BAE Systems took over Bohemia Interactive Simulations (BISim), a US-based software company. This acquisition added BISims software development capabilities, and advanced military simulation and training solutions to BAE Systems digital transformation portfolio. With this acquisition, the companies would be better positioned to meet customers evolving needs in the rapidly growing market for global military training and deliver next-generation virtual systems to assist the US military and its allies effectively.



Jan-2022: Leonardo acquired HENSOLDT AG, a leading German player in the field of sensors for defense and security applications, with an expanding portfolio in sensors, data management, and robotics. This acquisition would also allow Leonardo to establish a long-term strategic presence in the fast-growing German defense market.



Nov-2021: Elbit Systems introduced ROOK, a multi-payload military 6X6 Unmanned Ground Vehicle (UGV) together with Roboteam. ROOK has a unique design and built-in autonomy suite which offers a combination of greater capacity, improved maneuverability, and field agility that is key for greater mission effectiveness. The product would assist in delivering supplies, evacuating casualties, performing intelligence gathering missions, and operating as a remote weapon system.



Aug-2021: QinetiQ collaborated with Adarga, one of the UKs leading artificial intelligence (AI) software developers. Under this acquisition, QinetiQ aimed at using AI to harness the power of data for the defense and security markets. The collaboration combined Adargas leading enterprise AI analytics platform with QinetiQs experience in helping defense and security customers.



Aug-2020: BAE Systems acquired Techmodal, a UK-based data consultancy, and digital services firm. From this acquisition, the company focused on strengthening its technology and data portfolio.



Jun-2019: BAE Systems took over Riptide Autonomous Solutions (Riptide), a Plymouth, Massachusetts-based provider of innovative, affordable unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV) technology and solutions. Through this acquisition, the company aimed at providing customers unmatched flexibility by offering a family of UUVs and integrated payload solutions capable of supporting a variety of critical missions.



Jun-2019: BAE Systems partnered with UiPath, a robotic process automation (RPA) leader. Under this partnership, the companies aimed at developing suites of software robots that their customers would be able to use to automate high-volume, repetitive business processes. As part of this partnership, BAE Systems would also work with UiPath to develop and embed new automation capabilities within its Advanced Analytics Lab.



Nov-2018: Elbit Systems acquired IMI Systems, a defense systems house specializing in the development, manufacturing, marketing, and implementation of end-to-end combat-proven solutions. This acquisition synergized the capabilities of both companies enabling them to offer an enhanced portfolio.



Scope of the Study



Market Segments covered in the Report:



By Type



 Unmanned Aerial Vehicle



 Unmanned Ground Vehicle



 Unmanned Underwater Vehicle



By End User



 Defense & Military



 Commercial



 Residential



 Others



By Geography



 North America



o US



o Canada



o Mexico



o Rest of North America



 Europe



o Germany



o UK



o France



o Russia



o Spain



o Italy



o Rest of Europe



 Asia Pacific



o China



o Japan



o India



o South Korea



o Singapore



o Malaysia



o Rest of Asia Pacific



 LAMEA



o Brazil



o Argentina



o UAE



o Saudi Arabia



o South Africa



o Nigeria



o Rest of LAMEA



Companies Profiled



 Thales Group S.A.



 Northrop Grumman Corporation



 Leonardo SpA



 Lockheed Martin Corporation



 Cobham Limited (Eaton Corporation PLC)



 Kongsberg Group



 Saab AB



 BAE Systems PLC



 Elbit Sytems Ltd.



 QinetiQ Group PLC (The Carlyle Group)



Unique Offerings



 Exhaustive coverage



 Highest number of market tables and figures



 Subscription based model available



 Guaranteed best price



 Assured post sales research support with 10% customization free

Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p06322320/?utm_source=GNW



About Reportlinker

ReportLinker is an award-winning market research solution. Reportlinker finds and organizes the latest industry data so you get all the market research you need - instantly, in one place.



__________________________
Fort Collins, Sept. 29, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Innosphere Ventures, a science and technology-focused Incubator out of Fort Collins, is attending Northern Colorados (NoCo) Trade Mission to Salt Lake City Utah. The trade mission is designed to include government, business and non-profit leaders interested in advancing the Northern Colorado economy. During the Salt Lake trip, the group will be studying the startup ecosystem, economic development strategy, venture capital landscape, and overall economic health approaches of the region. In preparation for the event, Innosphere has released a comparative analysis of the Utah and Colorado Venture Capital ecosystems, showing evidence of rapid advancement in the last decade in both states.

Over the past decade, Colorado and Utah have consistently been among the fastest-growing VC ecosystems, with both states reaching the top 15 in the national ranking for VC deployment in 2021. Colorado and Utah raised $10 billion in venture capital funding across more than 650 total deals. Emerging VC hubs such as the Denver Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) and the Salt Lake City MSA have continually led their respective states in total VC activity and provided an essential jumpstart to the VC ecosystems.

Colorado and Utah are states striving to position themselves as technology-based economic development engines. They are pursuing similar strategies: leverage university-created IP & commercialization, pursue targeted industries, and surround home-grown startups with advanced support and programming.

Each state/region has an opportunity to begin building up more locally available venture capital. This is particularly important at the angel and seed stage as this is where technology companies benefit much more from local investors, said Mike Freeman, Innosphere CEO. It is also important to continue to advance the capacity of each States research universities and federal labs to accelerate commercial activity. Each state is securing significant federal grant funding in pursuit of new technology development, and accelerating that pathway to market for those opportunities will yield real economic results.

Read the full article HERE

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Christian W. Berg, former Director at Yara Clean Ammonia, joins Amogy to lead the companys Scandinavian headquarters in Stavanger, Norway.

With its advanced ammonia infrastructure and ardent commitment to decarbonizing global shipping, Norway provides abundant opportunity for commercialization of Amogys ammonia-to-power technology.

BROOKLYN, New York and STAVANGER, Norway, Sept. 29, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Amogy Inc ., a pioneer of emission-free, energy-dense ammonia power solutions, announced today the opening of its Norway operations with the hiring of Christian W. Berg, Managing Director, Amogy Norway. Mr. Berg joins Amogy Norway from his most recent position as Director of Business Development for Yara Clean Ammonia , a decarbonization-focused subsidiary of leading global ammonia producer, Yara International ASA.

An innovative and results-driven leader with experience developing renewable fuels for the shipping industry, Mr. Berg will be tasked with accelerating Amogys effort in commercializing its ammonia-to-power technology with partners in the Scandinavian countries. Norway, known as a renewable energy and global shipping leader, has the advanced infrastructure necessary to make ammonia a viable fuel source for cargo ships as well as an ecosystem that presents strategic commercial partnership opportunities for Amogy.

Norway and its forward-thinking maritime industry recognized the immense opportunity that ammonia presents as a green fuel, which gave the country a head start in establishing the needed infrastructure, so it only makes sense for Amogy to establish a significant presence here, said, Seonghoon Woo, CEO of Amogy. With Christian W. Berg, who has significant experience in accelerating the transition to ammonia, Amogy will have the immediate on-the-ground presence we need as we connect with potential partners and build our operations in the country.

Through extensive public and private collaboration, Norway is driving the green energy transition and is already developing ammonia refueling stations for ships, or bunkering locations. In February 2021, it was also announced that the country would house Europes first large-scale green ammonia project, making it an ideal second home for Amogy.

The Company will establish its Norwegian headquarters in Stavanger, a city with a rich and active history in the oil and shipping industries that has transformed into a regional center for renewable energy production and innovation. Amogy will also open a satellite office in Stord, co-located with the Maritime Cleantech (MCT) cluster headquarters office and the Catapult Centre Sustainable Energy test center. Amogy is a member of MCT and is evaluating projects to test in Stord, where its zero-emission shipping technology would be tested in simulated real-life conditions alongside other advanced sustainable energy technologies.

Mr. Berg is a trailblazer whose understanding of ammonia as a next-generation sustainable fuel has enabled the development of clean ammonia infrastructure in Norway and around the world. Throughout his entire career working for and leading shipping companies developing newbuild vessel on alternatives fuels, Mr. Berg brings both regional and subject matter expertise to Amogy that will be monumental in meeting the companys goal in decarbonizing long-haul transportation.

Amogy, far-and-away, has the most advanced technology when it comes to commercializing a system that will make green ammonia the optimal and preferred energy solution for long-haul shipping vessels, said Mr. Berg. My thorough understanding of ammonia and just how viable a solution it is for ships, in addition to my knowledge of the Norwegian market, will allow Amogy to lead in establishing much-needed pilots for the energy transition and rapidly accelerate the commercialization of our ammonia-to-power system. Norway will be a blueprint for further showcasing the impacts of these technologies around the world.

Worldwide, transportation accounts for approximately a quarter of global carbon emissions, which is why Amogy, with its ammonia-to-power technology, aims to reduce more than five billion metric tons of CO 2 -equivalent emissions by 2040, accelerating the global journey towards Net Zero 2050. Beyond high energy density, ammonia has several key advantages that make it a suitable choice for ocean-going vessels and smaller ships. Ammonia is already a globally traded commodity, with 20 million tons of the chemical shipped each year. The presence of existing ammonia transportation and storage infrastructure also provides a ready foundation for a future zero-carbon fuel value chain in shipping. Further, Norway is pioneering production of zero emissions, renewable-generated green ammonia, which is essential for ammonias potential as a clean fuel.

Following recent successes with technology demonstrations and fundraising, Amogy is in the process of scaling its technology to decarbonize cargo ships and other heavy-duty transportation systems, some of the largest emitters of greenhouse gasses. The company will also pursue strategic partnerships in the region to further these efforts, including a recent MOU signed with Amon Maritime , an ammonia-powered shipping and technology company, to create competitive, full-scale, carbon free transportation solutions. Amogys executive and R&D facility will continue to operate out of its Brooklyn headquarters while additional business development and operations teams will be established in Norway.

About Amogy

Amogy offers ammonia-based, emission-free, high energy-density power solutions to decarbonize transportation for a sustainable future. Founded in 2020 by four MIT PhD alumni with a shared vision, Amogy aims to enable the decarbonization of the heavy-duty transportation sector, accelerating the global journey towards Net Zero 2050. The company has been invested in by Amazons Climate Pledge Fund, AP Ventures, SK Innovation, Saudi Aramco Energy Ventures and DCVC. To date, Amogys scalable ammonia-powered, zero-emissions energy system has been demonstrated with success in a drone and heavy-duty tractor. More info at: www.amogy.co .

Media inquiries:

amogy@fischtankpr.com

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/61eb688e-cd1e-473f-88ce-b9ef99102a04
Aurora, Colo., Sept. 29, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Colorado State University Global (CSU Global) President Pamela Toney has named Dr. Dawn Marie Roller as the institutions new Senior Director of Corporate Engagement. Her appointment was effective as of Aug. 15. In her role, Dr. Roller will cultivate and grow the universitys partnership portfolio, engaging corporate, non-profit, government, and academic sectors.

As a fully online university, CSU Global is dedicated to providing high-quality education to nontraditional learners, many of whom include working adults looking to level up or pivot their career. As part of its vision to develop professionals for the workforce of the future, CSU Global prioritizes strengthening and developing relationships with employers to help employees access industry-relevant knowledge and skills through programs that support them in meeting their goals.

With extensive experience in this field, Dawn brings unparalleled knowledge and skill in relationship building, negotiation, and strategic thinking to our team, said President Toney. CSU Global strives to create partnerships that meet the unique needs of each organization, delivering the best value for its employees and our students. Dawn is the right leader to not only continue fostering our existing relationships, but also drive new connections so we may help a growing number of professionals around the globe achieve their career goals.

Dr. Roller joins CSU Global with 25 years of experience in corporate partnering and 15 years in higher education. In her most recent position, she served as the Atlanta Campus President at University of Phoenix. During her time at University of Phoenix, she also served as Dean of Specialized Services and Vice President of the Solution and Strategy team in the Employer Partnership Group. Previously, she served on the Enterprise Solutions team at Apollo Education Group. Throughout her career, Dr. Roller has assisted leaders in addressing challenges with human capital management, information systems and technology, motivation, and finances.

It is my passion to connect with others and find innovative solutions that drive results, particularly when those results help connect adult learners with education opportunities to achieve their professional and personal goals, said Dr. Roller. I am thrilled to join CSU Global and advance the universitys mission of developing the workforce of the future.

In addition to her corporate roles, Dr. Roller is also dedicated to community engagement and non-profit service. She served on the leadership and founding board of SAFEE U.S., an organization committed to helping survivors of human trafficking. She is also a founding member of the Association of Contemporary Executives, a charter member for Epsilon Pi Tau  Delta Sigma Chapter, and a member of the Delta Mu Delta Business Honor Society. In other capacities, she has volunteered with the American Heart Association, Disabled Veterans of America, Shoes for Souls, Food for the Hungry, St. Jude Childrens Research Hospital, March of Dimes, American Cancer Society, and Paralyzed Veterans of Missouri. Dr. Roller earned her B.S. in Business Management and her MBA from the University of Phoenix, her PhD in Communications and her Doctor of Ministry from Liberty University, and an honorary DBA from St. Ambrose University.

If you are interested in partnering with CSU Global, please visit CSUGlobal.edu/about/partnerships or contact partnerships@csuglobal.edu.

###

About Colorado State University Global

Colorado State University Global (CSU Global) offers career-relevant bachelors and masters degree programs for working adults and nontraditional learners. As the first 100% online, fully accredited public university in the United States, CSU Global is focused on student success as its number one priority. Embracing the land grant heritage as part of the Colorado State University System, CSU Global sets the standard for quality and innovation in higher education through its expert faculty who are recognized as industry leaders and trained in working with adults in an online learning environment. CSU Global offers accelerated eight-week courses that start every four weeks. Visit CSUGlobal.edu to learn more.

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New York, Sept. 29, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "Global Flexible Heater Market Size, Share & Industry Trends Analysis Report By Industry, By Type, By Regional Outlook and Forecast, 2022  2028" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p06322010/?utm_source=GNW

Moreover, the flexible heater has a low thermal mass and can be shaped to fit the shape of the heated object. The growing use of these heaters in a variety of commercial and industrial applications has had a direct impact on the worldwide development of the flexible heater market.



Rising demand for innovative heating solutions, OEMs focus on providing novel & efficient flexible heaters due to growing demands in the electronics & semiconductor, medical, automotive & transportation, and oil & gas industries are some of the major factors driving the flexible heater markets growth.



Key flexible heater manufacturers are constantly focusing on incorporating advanced technologies in product development to enhance efficiency while lowering costs, which may impact overall market revenue maximization. Flexible heaters are increasingly being utilized in a variety of end-use industries, including food and beverage, automotive, healthcare, and even aerospace and defense. These industries stable growth and development continue to have a positive impact on the flexible heater market.



COVID-19 Impact Analysis



The outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic has had an effect on several industries, resulting in revenue declines and market growth. The demand & supply of flexible heaters has also decreased as a result of the COVID 19 pandemic. The COVID-19 outbreak resulted in lockdowns in various countries, limiting the import and export of materials and required electrical components. The COVID-19 has negatively affected the growth of the flexible heater market in terms of the supply chain, production capability, and various other factors.



Market Growth Factors



Rising Usage of Flexible Heater in the Aerospace and Automotive Industry



Flexible heaters can be used in a variety of applications, including aerospace, automotive, and transportation. Flexible heaters are used in commercial aircraft systems and various subsystems such as battery heaters, fuel tanks/pipes, and fluid delivery and control systems (for stabilizing temperature). They are also used in acquisition systems, vehicle and vessel lighting, water systems, fuel cells, pilot tubes, bulk cargo, and missile and guided munitions systems. There is a rising demand for aircraft systems as a result of various technological developments in the aerospace industry in several countries, including China, the United States, and India.



Resistance to Radiation, Oil, and Chemicals



The corrosion resistance of flexible heaters is exceptional. When exposed to oil or chemicals, they will not rust or degrade. Also, they are resistant to fungus, which can grow in dark & warm environments such as those found inside electronics and component housings, where moisture penetration is a constant concern. The material is chemical and oil inert, making it ideal for various applications where lubricants, oils, and chemicals are constantly used to keep parts operating efficiently.



Market Restraining Factors



Use of Flexible Heaters in Harsh Environments



The oil & gas industry is known for its rugged & harsh environment, whereas the healthcare industry involves delicate handling of things and relies on medical devices to provide reliable and accurate results. As a result, when designing and developing flexible heaters, manufacturers must take into consideration the needs of various industries. A good flexible heater should be tough, dependable, accurate, and resistant to moisture and chemicals.



Industry Outlook



By industry, the flexible heater market is divided into medical, automotive, food & beverages, electronics & semiconductor, aerospace, oil & gas and others. In 2021, the electronics & semiconductor segment witnessed the maximum revenue share in the flexible heater market. Flexible heaters are utilized in semiconductor manufacturing in the electronics and semiconductor industries because heat is a critical factor in the processing and testing of semiconductors. Flexible heaters are used in the telecommunications industry to keep electronics, fiber optics, and amplifiers operating at peak performance for 15 years or more in above or below-ground enclosures.



Type Outlook



Based on type, the flexible heater market is segmented into silicone rubber-based, polyimide-based, polyester-based, mica-based and others. The polyimide-based segment acquired a significant revenue share in the flexible heater market in 2021. They are used in a variety of applications, the most common of which are heat and freeze protection in processing, condensation protection, & composite bonding. Polyimide-based flexible heaters are dependable and cost-effective heat sources that can transfer uniform heat to irregular objects or flat surfaces.



Regional Outlook



Region wise, the flexible heater market is analyzed across the North America, Europe, Asia Pacific and LAMEA. The North America region accounted a substantial revenue share in the flexible heater market in 2021. The largest manufacturer of high-tech products is the United States. This includes the manufacturing of pharmaceuticals, semiconductors, computers, measuring and control instruments, and aircraft and spacecraft. All these products require flexible heaters to be equipped in them which ultimately would rise the need for flexible heaters in the region.



The market research report covers the analysis of key stake holders of the market. Key companies profiled in the report include NIBE Industrier AB, Corp., Honeywell International, Inc., Spirax Sarco Limited (Chromalox), Smiths Group PLC, Spectris PLC (Omega Engineering, Inc.), Watlow Electric Manufacturing Company, All Flex, Inc. Minco Products, Inc., Rogers Corporation (DuPont de Nemours, Inc.) and Birk Manufacturing, Inc.



Strategies deployed in Flexible Heater Market



Jun-2022: Watlow announced the acquisition of Eurotherm, a supplier of control and measurement instruments to industrial and process markets. Under this acquisition, by combining Eurotherms complementary controls technologies with Watlows focus on thermal systems, their shared engineer-to-engineer sales models & the focus on common markets would enable both the companies to better serve all of Watlows respective consumers.



Jan-2022: Watlow signed an agreement with HEATCON Composite Systems, a respected and well-established partner of leading airframe manufacturers. Through this agreement, agreement aimed to providing standard products, services, and thermal systems to the aerospace industry.



Oct-2021: Flex signed an agreement to acquire Anord Mardix, a global leader in critical power solutions. This acquisition focused on Flexs aim to move toward higher margin opportunities in rapidly growing verticals in the Reliability business. Further, the acquisition would help the company to be better positioned to capture the rising worldwide demand for data center power solutions.



Mar-2021: Minco introduced SmartHeat SLT, one of the most exciting innovative heaters in thermal management. SmartHeat consists self-limiting feature, which maintains a setpoint with no sensor or controller needed, utilizing a unique polymer innerlay for regulating temperature.



Mar-2021: Honeywell announced the acquisition of Fiplex Communications, a Miami-based company that develops in-building communications systems. From this acquisition, the company focused on expanding the in-building connectivity & communications solutions that Honeywell would provide to its consumers. Also, Fiplexs solutions would become a platform of innovation for the companys wireless technologies.



Aug-2020: Watlow signed an agreement to acquire CRC (Component Re-engineering Company), a manufacturer of wafer pedestals. This acquisition would enhance the companys wafer pedestal solutions, which are necessary for achieving the technological advances in the memory and logic segments of the semiconductor industry.



Sep-2018: Honeywell signed an agreement to acquire Ortloff Engineers, a privately held licensor and industry-leading developer of specialized technologies. Under this acquisition, the Ortloff would become part of Honeywell UOPs Gas Processing and Hydrogen business and would bring the industrys most enhanced expertise in the recovery of high-value natural gas liquids (NGLs) from natural gas streams.



Aug-2018: Watlow entered into an agreement to acquire Yarbrough Solutions Worldwide, a premier customer-focused semiconductor equipment solutions provider. The acquisition would improve Watlows ability to serve consumers through the complete semiconductor fabrication process, from the tool to the scrubber, to ensure thermal optimization of the entire system.



Jan-2018: NIBE signed an agreement to acquire BriskHeat Corporation, a global manufacturer of electrical surface heaters. This acquisition would provide the NIBE with significant synergies and growth opportunities going forward.



Scope of the Study



Market Segments covered in the Report:



By Industry



 Electronics & Semiconductor



 Medical



 Automotive



 Food & Beverages



 Aerospace



 Oil & Gas



 Others



By Type



 Silicone Rubber-based



 Polyimide-based



 Polyester-based



 Mica-based



 Others



By Geography



 North America



o US



o Canada



o Mexico



o Rest of North America



 Europe



o Germany



o UK



o France



o Russia



o Spain



o Italy



o Rest of Europe



 Asia Pacific



o China



o Japan



o India



o South Korea



o Singapore



o Malaysia



o Rest of Asia Pacific



 LAMEA



o Brazil



o Argentina



o UAE



o Saudi Arabia



o South Africa



o Nigeria



o Rest of LAMEA



Companies Profiled



 NIBE Industrier AB, Corp.



 Honeywell International, Inc.



 Spirax Sarco Limited (Chromalox)



 Smiths Group PLC



 Spectris PLC (Omega Engineering, Inc.)



 Watlow Electric Manufacturing Company



 All Flex, Inc.



 Minco Products, Inc.



 Rogers Corporation (DuPont de Nemours, Inc.)



 Birk Manufacturing, Inc.



Unique Offerings



 Exhaustive coverage



 Highest number of market tables and figures



 Subscription based model available



 Guaranteed best price



 Assured post sales research support with 10% customization free

Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p06322010/?utm_source=GNW



About Reportlinker

ReportLinker is an award-winning market research solution. Reportlinker finds and organizes the latest industry data so you get all the market research you need - instantly, in one place.



__________________________
Dallas, Sept. 29, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Celebrating five years of championing hunger relief, the HungerMitao movement announced today that it has enabled more than 50 million nutritious meals to children, seniors, veterans, and families facing hunger across the country through Feeding America and its network of over 200 Food Banks. HungerMitao is a volunteer-driven grassroots movement working to mobilize and galvanize communities, starting with the Indian American community, in the fight against hunger across the USA.

Since its inception in September 2017 by Plano-based founders Raj and Aradhana (Anna) Asava, HungerMitao has provided access to more than 15 million meals to children and families facing hunger in North Texas through donated and pledged funds as well as volunteer service hours at the North Texas Food Bank (NTFB). In the Fall of 2021, HungerMitao made a commitment of $150,000 over two years to NTFB through the sponsorship of a food distribution truck.

Through HungerMitao, the Indian American diaspora is helping bridge the hunger gap in Texas and across the country, said Raj Asava, co-founder of HungerMitao. For the 1 in 8 North Texans experiencing food insecurity, it is critical that we continue our work to provide children, adults and seniors with a hunger-free future.



As the impact of HungerMitao has grown, so too, has its reach, expanding the movements presence to food banks in the Tarrant County area of DFW, Houston, New York City, Atlanta, Seattle, and Detroit. The response from the Indian community has been tremendous and plans for additional chapters are underway, along with ongoing support from Feeding America.

Who would have dreamed that five years ago when we met with Raj and Anna Asava about supporting their idea of activating the Indian American Community to close the hunger gap in North Texas, their vision would not only expand across the country but would become a model for other groups to engage in our mission, said Trisha Cunningham, President and CEO of the North Texas Food Bank. Thank you HungerMitao for recognizing the growing issue of hunger and your continued support and commitment to addressing this complex problem.

The idea of HungerMitao arose seven years ago when the Asavas met with the mayor of Plano, Texas, and learned about the hunger issues in Plano and Collin County. They were shocked to learn that in a visibly affluent area, many children even in the schools their children attended went hungry. The scale and efficiency of the North Texas Food Bank impressed them. The Asavas decided to support the North Texas Food Bank through their personal donations as well as committing their own time to inspire and engage the Indian American community with their local food banks.

We quickly learned that many people in the Indian American community may not have been aware of the deep issue of hunger around us, so we committed to raising hunger awareness in the community. We named the movement HungerMitao, which means wipe out hunger, said Aradhana (Anna) Asava, co-founder HungerMitao. If our entire community confronted the issue in unison, we could make a significant impact against hunger. It is gratifying to see that the Indian American community has unified to make an impact and has emerged as an empathetic and influential group that also gives where they live.

Sonia Elhence, the new co-chair of HungerMitao, is excited to help grow the movement. It is a privilege to join the HungerMitao movement and be a partner in the fight against hunger in America, said Elhence. HungerMitao has seen success in mobilizing the Indian American community in North Texas, however, millions of meals are still needed as the demand in the community remains significant.

We have an entire community to thank for stepping up, joining forces and declaring a war against hunger in our adopted land, said Raj Asava. We are very appreciative of the leadership of the North Texas Food Bank for trusting us to launch and grow this first-of-its-kind community-driven model. The results speak for themselves, and we are encouraged to see other communities embracing this model.

Other culture-based affinity groups have stepped up, following in HungerMitaos footsteps. Nihao, the Chinese American diaspora, has learned from the HungerMitao model, and more recently, SinHambre, the Latino/Hispanic community has committed to the fight against hunger. For more information about the team behind HungerMitao, visit www.ntfb.org/hungermitao.

###

About HungerMitao

HungerMitao is a volunteer-driven grassroots movement focused on raising awareness about hunger in the USA, improving community engagement, as well as channeling resources and contributions of the Indian American community to fight hunger through the Feeding America network of food banks. Since its launch back in 2017, the movement has enabled over 50 million meals through Feeding America and Food Banks in North Texas, Tarrant Area, Houston, New York City, Atlanta, Seattle and Detroit. Visit www.HungerMitao.org to learn more.

About North Texas Food Bank

The North Texas Food Bank (NTFB) is a top-ranked, hunger-relief organization that sources, packages, and distributes food through a diverse network of more than 400 feeding partners, including food pantries and community organizations across 13 North Texas counties. The organization also provides food to children, seniors, and families through various direct-delivery programs, including mobile pantries.

In its last fiscal year, the NTFB provided access to nearly 137 million nutritious meals, a 9% percent increase over the prior year. In response to the ongoing elevated hunger crisis, the organization has launched a $500 million campaign, Nourish North Texas, to provide more food for today and hope for tomorrow by addressing the barriers to food security that our neighbors face.

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Lee, MA, Sept. 29, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- On September 21st, 2022, Berkshire Sterile Manufacturings (BSM) client, Fennec Pharmaceuticals Inc., received FDA approval of their drug product, PEDMARK  a sodium thiosulfate Injection with an indication to reduce the risk of ototoxicity (hearing loss) associated with cisplatin in pediatric patients one month of age and older with localized, non-metastatic solid tumors. The drug is the third product manufactured at BSM to receive FDA approval for commercial use.

It has been an honor to work on this project for the past two years, said BSM Project Manager, Alicia Rossie. I have learned a lot working with the Fennec team throughout the process, and it is particularly gratifying to know that their product could help improve the lives of children.

Fennecs PEDMARK injection is the first and only FDA-approved therapy indicated to reduce the risk of ototoxicity  hearing loss caused by a medicine  associated with cisplatin, a common chemotherapy drug in childrens cancers. The injection is indicated for pediatric patients over a month old with localized, non-metastatic solid tumors. BSM fills the medication into 100R vials on their semi-automated, isolator-based filling line.

We are thrilled for our client, and we are honored to be a part of their success story, said cofounder and Chief Technical Officer, Dr. Andrea Wagner. We manufacture several unique medicines and treatments. PEDMARK is no different. Our team understands the good that come from these drugs we manufacture and their value to the patients taking them. That is why we put so much effort into ensuring our clients get the highest-quality product achievable.

Fennec resubmitted a New Drug Application (NDA) to the FDA for PEDMARK in March of 2022, and the FDA conducted a Pre-Approval Inspection (PAI) at BSM in Lee, MA in May of 2022. The inspection concluded with no observations related to Fennecs product.

BSM Vice President of Quality Assurance, Debbie Smith, commented, This approval shows BSMs continued dedication to complying with cGMP guidelines. We have once again demonstrated our commitment and ability to meet the highest quality standards in the manufacturing of our clients products.

BSMs continuous support and commitment to quality were instrumental as part of Fennecs NDA approval of PEDMARK, said Rosty Raykov, chief executive officer of Fennec Pharmaceuticals. We look forward to a long and productive relationship with BSM.

BSM performs formulation, formulation development, sterile filling of vials, syringes, and cartridges, lyophilization, analytical development, and validation as well as a full-service array of analytical and micro-offerings. BSM quickly expanded from three cofounders in 2014 to 215+ employees today to meet demand. Berkshire Sterile invests in state-of-the-art, isolator technology to enhance the sterility and quality of the drug products it produces, and they recently installed a third isolator line to increase their capacity to 90,000 unit lots with commercial capabilities for lyophilization as well.

About Berkshire Sterile Manufacturing

Berkshire Sterile is a state-of-the-art fill/finish contract manufacturer which specializes in sterile filling of syringes, vials, and cartridges for biotech and pharmaceutical industries. BSM also offers terminal steam sterilization of syringes, specialty filling, and lyophilization of vials all within an isolator. Lyophilization development, formulation development, and method development are also offered. For more information, please visit the companys website (https://berkshiresterilemanufacturing.com/) or contact them at info@berkshiresterile.com.

About Fennec Pharmaceuticals

Fennec Pharmaceuticals Inc. is a specialty pharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of PEDMARK for the prevention of platinum-induced ototoxicity in pediatric patients. Further, PEDMARK received FDA approval in September 2022 and has received Orphan Drug Designation in the U.S. Fennec has a license agreement with Oregon Health and Science University (OHSU) for exclusive worldwide license rights to intellectual property directed to sodium thiosulfate and its use for chemoprotection, including the prevention of ototoxicity induced by platinum chemotherapy, in humans. For more information, please visit www.fennecpharma.com.

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Blagnac, France, September 29th 2022 -5h35pm,

Montreal, Canada

Provided half yearly financial report 2022

SOGECLAIR, supplier of innovative solutions with high added value for a safer and less-consuming mobility, announces that the company has published its half yearly financial report to the Autorite des Marches Financiers (AMF) for the closed semester on 30 June 2022.

The document is also available on the website of the company at the following address:

http://www.sogeclair.com/shareholdersinformation/annualreportandhalf-yearlyfinancialreport

Next announcement: turnover for Q3 2022, on November 2nd 2022 after closing of the Stock Market

About Sogeclair

Supplier of innovative, high added-value solutions for safer and more efficient mobility, SOGECLAIR brings its skills in high-quality engineering and production to a broad range of cutting-edge sectors, notably aeronautics, space, vehicle, rail and defense. Supporting its customers and partners from the design and simulation stages through to the end of the products lifetime, all along the production chain through to entry into service, the collaborators are working worldwide to offer a high-quality, proximity service to all its customers.

SOGECLAIR is listed on Euronext Paris  Compartment C  Indice Euronext Family Business -Code ISIN: FR0000065864 / (Reuters SCLR.PA  Bloomberg SOG.FP)

Contacts: Philippe ROBARDEY, President & CEO / Olivier PEDRON, Operating Chief Officer / +33(0)5 61 71 70 33

Press contact: Louise-Marie Thabard / SOGECLAIR Communication / louise-marie.thabard@sogeclair.com / +336 75 95 12 20





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Forde, Sept. 29, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Global open innovation ecosystem EarlyBirds can assist mid and large-size companies tap into the innovations in data collection, storage, and analytics that are currently being worked on by thousands of worldwide startups and scale-ups. Successful organizations can then make sense of and capitalize on their data, possibly the most important resource that they have, and turn it into a driver for sustainable growth. Readers can find out more about the opportunities of working with EarlyBirds by heading over to its website at earlybirds.io.

In 2017, an article from the Economist called data the oil of the digital era. Insight into consumer behavior such as favorite online activities, most used applications, most used features, and the kind of content that people around the world like to consume gives the companies that control such data an enormous competitive advantage. Even in the context of internal business activities, data can hold the secrets to radically boosting a companys output and its employees productivity.

Some organizations, according to a report from McKinsey, attribute 20% of their earnings to the optimizations that they were able to make due to leveraging the data they had. The same report also identified 7 key characteristics of data, leveraging which can lead to a business being truly data-driven in its day-to-day management and long-term decision-making.

The 7 data characteristics highlighted in McKinseys report can be summarized as the sheer ubiquity of data sources within a company, the granularity of data collection possible, the different types and degrees of flexibilities of current data storage paradigms needed to support the collection of the data, the need to assign ownership of the data collected to responsible and capable teams within an organization, recognizing the value of the input that Chief Data Officers can provide to the companys bottom line, setting up data sharing to encourage cross-department innovation, and dedicating resources toward ensuring that the data is secure and resiliently stored.

The Sixth Annual Gartner Chief Data Office Survey of Data and Analytics (D&A) concluded that successfully sharing data led to D&A teams that were 1.7 times more effective at showing demonstrable, verifiable value to D&A stakeholders. Sharing data across organizational silos unlocked potential avenues for D&A teams to gain unprecedented insight into their companys operations and translate these learnings to better work processes, direct profits, and better risk mitigation. The survey recommended the use of digital trust technologies such as blockchain smart contracts to ensure that the data is shared safely and securely. Startups that feel they have made an essential innovation in how enterprise data is collected, stored, and analyzed can sign up or claim the company and provide additional on the the EarlyBirds platform as Innovators at https://earlybirds.io/en/innovator.

The World Economic Forum, a non-profit which works for the betterment of public and private corporations around the world, highlighted in early 2021 how free and open data sharing could have significantly shortened the time it took for the world to bounce back from the COVID-19 pandemic. Though the opportunity was not fully capitalized on, it came away with six conclusions about how data sharing can help world governments fight real human issues around the world. The six critical problems it shortlisted were solving rare diseases, shaping healthier lives, solving humanitarian crises such as shortage of food and essential goods, shaping the future of urbanization, shaping sustainable oceans, and shaping the long-term sustainability of tourism.

EarlyBirds cofounder Jeff Penrose commented on why the Australian open innovation ecosystem is well positioned to help companies around the world in this regard by saying, EarlyBirds is the ideal partner to work with in solving data sharing and analytics challenges. We can find and introduce you to innovators who have put in the work and have built out-of-the-box solutions that are ready to go and can be seamlessly integrated into your organizations digital infrastructure. We can work with you to build the key foundation pieces needed to create and run a data-driven enterprise. This could include mapping the linked business or technical ecosystems to the required outcomes. Our Dynamic Ecosystem Map will consolidate the key themes relevant to your industry or organizations technical challenges and populate these with data from our award-winning platform. Our Innovation Maps also have the flexibility to change as the global market changes. If you want your organization to benefit from the thousands of innovations that we have curated here at EarlyBirds, sign up to our platform as an Early Adopter at https://earlybirds.io/en/early_adopter.

Companies that sign up as Early Adopters can get insights into global industry innovation capability, source, analyze, and curate global innovators including startup, scaleup and mature companies for their solutions, partnerships, and more, and search and buy innovations, such as proof of concepts and trials, in their industry and business functions based on what business outcomes they provide.

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For more information about EarlyBirds, contact the company here:



EarlyBirds

Mr Kris Poria and Mr Jeff Penrose

+61 401 287 060

support@earlybirds.io

FORDE SUITE 10, LEVEL 1, 26 FRANCIS FORDE BOULEVARD, FORDE, ACT 2914
MONTREAL, Sept. 29, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Dios Exploration (TSX-V: DOS) reports ongoing diamond drilling is well underway as planned in felsic volcanic rocks of northeastern K2 property, 10 km SW of Patwon gold discovery. Several specks of visible gold were identified while logging core.



Some seven diamond drill holes are completed for 1,550 meters mainly on Badji horizon to date (PP5 and PP6 induced polarization one-km long IP conductor) as well as on PP9 700 meters long IP conductor (Shiva horizon). See August 31, September 2 & 19, 2022 releases. Wholly-owned no royalties K2, Eeyou Istche James Bay, Quebec, is hosted in same geological formation as underlies directly adjacent Azimuts Elmer property.

M.J. Girard M.Sc. P. Geo, President of Dios, stated: "We are undertaking the rest of this drilling program with great enthusiasm in this very promising area with these IP anomalies, some of them being associated with pyrite and chalcopyrite (copper sulfide) and gold-copper-silver occurrences."

Diamond Drilling, logging and field work is under the supervision of Mr. Harold Desbiens M.Sc. P.Geo and 43-101 Qualified Person. Some 13-14 holes are planned for 2,300-2,500 meters. Dios Share Capital is pretty tight and was never restructured.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Contact information :

Marie-Jose Girard, P. Geo M.Sc., 43-101 QP

President

mjgirard@diosexplo.com

Tel. (514) 923-9123

Website: www.diosexplo.com
Boca Raton, Florida, Sept. 29, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --



Drug overdose deaths are edging close to 1 million in the United States, demonstrating the worsening nature of the addiction tragedy. TruPath Recovery, a network of addiction treatment centers in California and New Jersey, urges all Americans to join the fight by supporting National Recovery Month.

Observed every September since 1989, Recovery Month was founded by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), a division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. SAMHSAs mission is to reduce the impact of substance abuse and mental illness on local communities. In September, the agency works to raise public awareness of these issues. This years Recovery Month programs will focus on the nations growing crisis of substance misuse and overdose deaths, SAMHSA has announced.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 932,000 people have died from drug overdoses since 1999. In 2020 alone, 91,799 people died  an alarming increase of 31 percent. The CDC reports that opioids are the most significant driver of overdose deaths, responsible for almost 75 percent of all drug overdose deaths in 2020. Additionally, synthetic opioids are tied to more than 82 percent of opioid-related deaths.

The White House has joined the Recovery Month campaign, stating in an official proclamation: We owe it to the loved ones we have lost to overdose and addiction to ensure that fewer harmful substances  and particularly illegally manufactured synthetic drugs  reach our communities and that people have greater access to mental health and substance use disorder services. In the proclamation, President Biden says he is seeking more federal funding for law enforcement efforts to fight illegal drug trafficking. He also calls for a historic investment to transform behavioral health services across America and help Americans receive the (recovery) support they need and deserve.

Compassionate and effective addiction treatment is available at TruPath Recovery, which offers comprehensive behavioral health treatment programs in fully accredited facilities. TruPath seeks to help clients achieve lasting recovery from addictions to substances that include alcohol, antidepressants, benzodiazepine, marijuana, and opiates. Its network consists of three facilities in Los Angeles and one near Jersey City, New Jersey, where clients undergo a variety of inpatient and outpatient treatment programs. These include cognitive behavioral therapy and dual diagnosis treatment, in which addiction is accompanied by an emotional or psychological disorder.

TruPath also offers a unique Executive Treatment program for clients in high-level business leadership positions. Clients in this program can remain connected to colleagues and clients while undergoing residential treatment for alcohol or drug addiction. Some executive clients are even allowed to travel for business, depending on various factors such as their progress in treatment.

For all clients, TruPath approaches addiction treatment with a holistic approach that focuses on the whole person, not just their mental or physical health. It examines the physical, psychological and emotional factors feeding the clients addiction. It seeks to integrate all these aspects of treatment into one cohesive whole.

Treatment and education are the focus during Recovery Month. SAMHSA offers many sources of help for anyone who suffers from addiction or knows someone who needs help. Its 2022 Recovery Month Toolkit provides resources to help increase awareness, including articles and online resources to help facilitate conversations about recovery.

Anyone in need of help for substance abuse and addiction can visit TruPath Recovery or call (251) 501-4357 to learn more.









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For more information about TruPath, contact the company here:



TruPath

(561) 4851553

7000 West Palmetto Park Road, Suite 301

Boca Raton, FL 33433

https://www.google.com/maps?cid=4000727566601562732




DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, Sept. 29, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Early in the year, the Sologenic team announced a batch of new components to be implemented onto the ecosystem throughout the year. One of the most anticipated modules is going live today: a reliable market index for all XRPL tokens.



The XRP Ledger was the first blockchain to have a built-in DEX; by facilitating digital asset trading, a large number of tokens have been issued on the chain for multiple and different purposes. However, considering the fast-paced growth of the network, there is a lack of data curation around the projects thriving in the ecosystem behind each of these tokens.

In this vein, the Sologenic team aims to provide an accurate index with real-time metrics, and pricing of all XRPL tokens directly connected to the SOLO DEX. The index will allow users to access accurate, reliable, and up-to-date information about the most popular tokens on the Ledger on a single platform, just like in popular cryptocurrency market cap ranking pages such as CoinMarketCap and CoinGecko.

The Sologenic Market Index will also offer a user-friendly tool for projects to list their own token and provide trustworthy information that may include their roadmap, tokenomics, team members, and even airdrop schedules. This can be very beneficial for projects to gain exposure and traction since users can easily browse through the listed tokens and proceed to trade them directly on the Sologenic DEX.

Additionally, one of the new features that the index is introducing consists of a voting system designed for community members to manifest their support or express their doubts about a project in particular. This enables the community to voice their opinions about the tokens to keep an eye out for, and the tokens to avoid.

In that sense, the Trust Score feature brings two advantages. For users, it provides a reliable place to observe the opinion of the community and perform a certain grade of due diligence on the projects they wish to invest in, which is fundamental to avoiding scams. And for the projects with tokens, it showcases the community sentiment about their performance and the information provided so it can be improved with greater insight.

The team also disclosed the market index sets the path for the upcoming IDO Launchpad as both components share some modules. The launchpad is set to provide a unique opportunity for projects to raise funds, issue their own tokens, and launch their projects under one seamless process to be completed with the market index for listing purposes.

Moreover, after an eventful week in Las Vegas during the XRPL Apex Dev Summit, the Sologenic ecosystem has gained notable attention on social media as the only NFT Marketplace functioning before the XLS-20 amendment goes live. This has caught the attention of Ripples CTO, David Schwartz , who outlined in a recent tweet that he has used the platform to mint NFTs of his own with great success and that after the XLS-20 update, the marketplace will run much smoother.

About Sologenic

Sologenic is disrupting the asset trading industry by offering: Tokenized Securities, Crypto Assets and NFTs in a decentralized ecosystem. The Sologenic Development Foundation is formed by independent developers who maintain, build and expand the Sologenic ecosystem. More information can be found on www.sologenic.org

Contact

Favio Velarde

press@sologenic.org

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/9e1848c4-e16c-4a76-b3a8-f3a3932eeebe
Riyadh, Al Riyadh, Sept. 29, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- flynas, the Saudi carrier and leading low-cost airline in the Middle East, announced the launch of weekly direct flights from Riyadh and Dammam to Mumbai, starting from October 20, 2022.

Daily direct flynas flights will connect Riyadh with Mumbai, departing from King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh back and forth. In addition, four direct weekly flynas flights from King Fahad International airport in Dammam will be departing on Saturday, Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday starting from October 31, and reservations are now open through all flynas booking channels.

These routes came in light of flynas expansion strategy under the slogan launched recently under the title of "We Connect the World to the Kingdom," and after the growth achieved by the company in all its operations during the first half of 2022, in line with the strategic vision of the Civil Aviation Authority aims to double the capacity and reach 330 million passengers annually, from more than 250 destinations from around world by 2030.

flynas also announced the resumption of direct flights between Jeddah and Karachi starting from October 30 with three weekly flights, departing on Saturday, Sunday and Tuesday. Furthermore, in addition to the resumption of direct flights from Riyadh and Jeddah to the Egyptian city of Sohag by three weekly flights starting from October 30, departing on Sunday, Monday, and Wednesday from King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah, in addition to flights on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday from King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh to Sohag International Airport.

flynas succeeded in scaling up its fleet to 38 aircraft in June 2022 compared to 25 aircraft in January 2021, an increase of 52%. Meanwhile, the number of passengers on its flights increased to about 4 million passengers during the first half of 2022, up from about 1.8 million in the same period last year, an increase of nearly 120%.

The Saudi carrier connects more than 70 domestic and international destinations and, since its establishment in 2007, has transported more than 60 million passengers.

Recently, flynas was ranked as the best Low-Cost Airline in the Middle East in 2022 by Skytrax International Award for the fifth time in a row, after 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2021. Also, It has been awarded the highest rating in the non-profit organization APEX' Official Airline Rating and ranked in the 4-star low-cost carrier category, the highest category of low-cost airline among 600 companies globally.

Passengers traveling with flynas can book their flights through all flynas booking channels: www.flynas.com, the flynas app, the 24/7 call center (920001234), or travel agents.

Media Contact

Company Name: flynas

Contact Person: Waleed Ahmed

Email: woahmed@flynas.com

City: Riyadh

State: Al-Riyadh

Country: Saudi Arabia

Website: https://www.flynas.com/en

Disclaimer: There is no offer to sell, no solicitation of an offer to buy, and no recommendation of any security or any other product or service in this article. Moreover, nothing contained in this PR should be construed as a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any investment or security, or to engage in any investment strategy or transaction. It is your responsibility to determine whether any investment, investment strategy, security, or related transaction is appropriate for you based on your investment objectives, financial circumstances, and risk tolerance. Consult your business advisor, attorney, or tax advisor regarding your specific business, legal, or tax situation. For more info, please contact brandnewsproject@gmail.com.

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New York, Sept. 29, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "Hand Wash Global Market Report 2022" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p06323500/?utm_source=GNW

, Chattem Chemicals Inc., Kutol Products Company Inc., and Nice-Pak Products, Inc.



The global hand wash market is expected to grow from $10.77 billion in 2021 to $12.10 billion in 2022 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 12.4%. The hand wash market is expected to grow to $15.95 billion in 2026 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.1%.



The hand wash market consists of sales of hand wash products by entities (organizations, sole traders, and partnerships) that are used to wash hands to inhibit, destroy, or render harmless active bacteria, clean and moisturize hands in various places such as health clinics, restaurants, hotels, and in domestic use. Hand wash refers to soap or surfactant available in both liquid and powder form, generally used to remove dirt, microorganisms, and unwanted substances from the hands.



The main types of products in the hand wash are ordinary and waterless hand washes.Ordinary hand washes are a class of soaps or surfactants available in either liquid or powder form that, when mixed with water, produce foam and remove all the external contaminants such as dust, harmful bacteria, and others.



The sales channels of hand wash include hypermarkets or supermarkets, pharmacies, online channels, and other sales channels. The various end-uses of hand wash include residential and commercial, and industrial.



Asia Pacific was the largest region in the hand wash market in 2021.North America is expected to be the fastest-growing region in the forecast period.



The regions covered in the hand wash market report are Asia-Pacific, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East and Africa.



The hand wash market research report is one of a series of new reports that provides hand wash market statistics, including hand wash industry global market size, regional shares, competitors with a hand wash market share, detailed hand wash market segments, market trends and opportunities, and any further data you may need to thrive in the hand wash industry. These hand wash market research report delivers a complete perspective of everything you need, with an in-depth analysis of the current and future scenario of the industry.



The rising incidence of infectious diseases is expected to propel the growth of the hand wash market going forward.Hygiene consciousness and personnel care refer to the removal of microbes for the prevention of infectious diseases.



To prevent bacterial contamination and the spread of germs and viruses, frequent hand washing is necessary, particularly in public places.The communities, commercial units, and residential customers are increasingly investing in hygiene products including hand wash to protect themselves and communities from contagious infectious diseases.



According to the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, the reported cases of infectious diseases rose from 2.97 million cases in 2018 to 3.10 million cases in 2019, a 4% rise in cases in one year. Therefore, the rising incidence of infectious diseases is expected to boost demand for hand washes during the forecast period.



Product innovation is a key trend gaining popularity in the hand wash market.Companies operating in hand washing are developing innovative products to strengthen their position in the hand wash market.



The companies operating in the hand wash sector are investing continuous efforts to introduce new products for personnel hygiene that can reduce the risk of spreading germs and protect against microbial contamination. For instance, in April 2021, Soapy Care Ltd., an Israel-based hand washes and sanitiser manufacturer, introduced a sink embedded with a new technology known as "CleanMachine" to wash and clean hands properly.



In February 2020, Lotus Stores Malaysia Sdn. Bhd. (formerly Tesco Stores (M) Sdn Bhd), a Malaysia-based retail chain, partnered with Lifebuoy, a UK-based anti-bacterial soap and hand wash manufacturer. Through this partnership, Lifebuoy provides handwashing liquids to all of Tescos adopted schools in the wake of viral illnesses and both companies have worked together in direct response to these illnesses.



The countries covered in the hand wash market report are Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Russia, South Korea, UK, and USA.

Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p06323500/?utm_source=GNW



About Reportlinker

ReportLinker is an award-winning market research solution. Reportlinker finds and organizes the latest industry data so you get all the market research you need - instantly, in one place.



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OTTAWA, Sept. 29, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --

When: 12:00 p.m. on Tuesday, October 4th, 2022

Where: The march will begin at the Supreme Court of Canada (301 Wellington St., Ottawa, ON K1A 0J1) and finish at Parliament Hill with speeches.



What: The Association of Families of Flight PS752 Victims (the Association) will be marking the thousandth day since the downing of Flight PS752 with a march and rally in Ottawa. The event will emphasize the need to hold the Iranian regime accountable for the downing of Flight PS752 and reinforce the Associations continued demands for truth and justice.

Media are invited to join the event for photo and interview opportunities.

Additional Information

One thousand days after the tragic downing of Flight PS752, the Association of Families of Flight PS752 Victims continues to fight for truth and justice. The Association is specifically asking the Canadian government to take concrete action in the following ways:

Refer Flight PS752s case to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Designate the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organization Have Global Affairs Canada place Magnitsky Sanctions on senior members of the IRGC and Iranian regime concurrently Have the RCMP open a domestic criminal investigation into the PS752 case Write a letter of support for the Associations recent Article 15 submission to the International Criminal Court



The Association also stands with the people in Iran against the Iranian regime for its ongoing atrocities towards women and civilians. Your attendance to stand in solidarity with all those who seek justice would be appreciated.

For more information, contact:

Oliveah Numan

onuman@sussex-strategy.com

Hamed Esmaeilion

speaker@ps752justice.com



Website: https://www.ps752justice.com
CHICAGO, Sept. 29, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Relias , trusted partner to more than 11,000 healthcare organizations and 4.5 million caregivers, and Hucu.ai, the leading patient-centered secure messaging platform are now partnering to better serve their healthcare customers.

Relias is a national healthcare solutions company providing healthcare communities management and staffing solutions. Additionally, Relias helps reduce variation in care by equipping healthcare organizations with powerful insights, training materials, and practical solutions. Whether its supporting organizations with hiring and retention or helping them improve patient experiences and physician engagement at every level, Relias offers innovative solutions. Now, Relias is adding new powerful communication tools to its arsenal through Hucu.ai.

While best known as a patient-centered, HIPAA-compliant messaging platform Hucu.ai exceeds industry expectations with greater collaboration, robust analytics, and efficient care management. Hucu.ai allows care providers to easily connect and collaborate with their team, partners, external patient collaborators, patients, and patients' families in one organized platform . Additionally, Hucu.ai offers transformative solutions that allow care professionals to mitigate patient risk and prioritize caseloads conveniently within the secure mobile/web app.

As healthcare providers struggle with critical staffing shortages, Relias and Hucu.ai can help increase employee satisfaction, save time, and improve patient-centered care . Relias and Hucu.ai customers can now access optimized tools to increase visibility & transparency with powerful software and analytics across organizations to optimize workflows, retain staff, reduce hospitalizations, and scale care communities.

We are excited to partner with Relias because they are one of the leaders in high-quality healthcare solutions and together we can bring more innovation and support to the industry, said Asif Khan, Hucu.ai CEO.

Click now to download and use patient-centered communication platform by visiting Hucu.ai .

Per Mike Mutka, Relias Chief Strategy and Corporate Development Officer, Hucu.ai is exactly the kind of partner we look for to deliver real value and improved opportunities for our customers.

Were excited to expand our ability to support healthcare professionals through this partnership with Hucu.ai, Mutka said. Theres a clear need to improve physician engagement across healthcare, as seen in the staffing challenges organizations are facing. These new tools will help in addressing some of the causes of burnout and dissatisfaction at their core, benefitting physicians, practices, and patients.

About Hucu.ai: Hucu.ais mobile/web apps allow for easy messaging among teams within an organization, with outside organizations, and with patients & families (via a separate messaging mode) - all in the context of a given patient: https://www.hucu.ai/

About Relias: Relias continues to help clients deliver better clinical and financial outcomes by reducing variation in care. The Relias platform employs performance metrics and assessments to reveal specific gaps in skills and addresses them with targeted, personalized, and engaging learning. Relias helps healthcare organizations, their people, and those under their care, get better. Better at identifying problems, addressing them with better knowledge and skills, and better outcomes for all. Let us help you get better: https://www.relias.com/
Versailles, Ky, Sept. 29, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- National Midwifery Week is the first week of October, and Frontier Nursing University (FNU) is celebrating by hosting a virtual event, Empower 2022, from Oct. 3-5. Crystal Pirtle Tyler PhD, MPH, will keynote the event on Oct. 3 at 5 p.m. ET, with a session on maternal health equity. Empower 2022 is presented by Southern Cross Insurance Solutions. Those interested in participating are asked to register at Frontier.edu/MidwiferyWeek.

Dr. Tyler has more than 15 years of experience advancing reproductive and maternal health equity. She is currently the chief health officer at Rhia Ventures. In her keynote session, she will address the complex history with race and reproduction in the U.S., which has led to negative health outcomes for women and other birthing people of color.

Frontier Nursing Universitys virtual event offers three sessions on the latest practices and topics influencing nurse-midwifery care and includes a continuing education opportunity:

KEYNOTE SESSION  First Do No Harm: Advancing Reproductive and Maternal Health Equity

Monday, Oct. 3 at 5-6 p.m. ET

Presenter: Dr. Crystal Pirtle Tyler

Dr. Tyler will discuss the role of reproductive and maternal health practitioners and how to grapple with historic harms whose effects still manifest today. This talk will provide historical context on reproductive oppression and discuss the practitioners role in advancing reproductive and maternal health equity.

SoYou Want to be a Nurse-Midwife?

Tuesday, Oct. 4 at 6-7 p.m. ET

Presenters: FNU faculty members Dr. Eileen Thrower, Dr. Noelle Jacobsen and Dr. Jeneen A. Lomax

FNUs nurse-midwifery faculty will explore the roles, experiences, joys and challenges of a career as a Certified Nurse-Midwife. The presenters will discuss the path nurses can take to advanced practice nursing and what to expect once they get there.

FREE CE SESSION  The Sixth Vital Sign: Strategies to Integrate, Standardize and Normalize Depression Care

Wednesday, Oct. 5 at 6-7 p.m. ET

Presenter: FNU faculty member Dr. Ann Schaeffer

In this interactive session, Dr. Schaeffer will explore best practices for depression screening and care, application of the Screening, Brief Intervention, Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) model to normalize depression screening, and holistic treatment planning for diverse individuals using a Shared Decision-Making model.

National Midwifery Week was created by the American College of Nurse-Midwives (ACNM) to celebrate and recognize midwives and midwife-led care. ACNM and its 6,500+ midwife members, physicians and womens health organizations observe National Midwifery Week each year.

ACNMs theme this year is Midwives for Justice, because midwives are committed to equitable, ethical, accessible and quality healthcare for all. As ACNM notes, midwives are striving for justice on many fronts, from ending racial discrimination to supporting LGBTQIA+ rights and more.

Frontier Nursing University has more than 80 years of experience in delivering graduate nursing and midwifery programs. FNU has hosted the virtual event in celebration of nurse-midwives for eight consecutive years.





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About Frontier Nursing University:

The mission of FNU is to provide accessible nurse-midwifery and nurse practitioner education to prepare competent, entrepreneurial, ethical, and compassionate leaders in primary care to serve all individuals with an emphasis on women and families in diverse, rural, and underserved populations. FNU offers graduate Nurse-Midwifery and Nurse-Practitioner distance education programs that can be pursued full- or part-time with the students home community serving as the classroom. Degrees and options offered include Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP), Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) or Post-Graduate Certificates. In 2021 and 2022, Frontier was named a Great College to Work For by the Great Colleges to Work For program. To learn more about FNU and the programs and degrees offered, please visit Frontier.edu.

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Denver, CO, Sept. 29, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Scientists and physicians from the Linda Crnic Institute for Down Syndrome at the University of Colorado, Childrens Hospital Colorado (CHCO), and Childrens Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA) have teamed up to identify effective treatments for persons suffering from Down Syndrome Regression Disorder (DSRD).

This new study, which will be funded over five years by a $5.3 million grant from the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute for Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), is a first-in-kind holistic investigation into the potential causes of DSRD as well as promising therapeutic approaches for this debilitating condition affecting a small but growing percentage of adolescents and young adults with Down syndrome. The multidisciplinary team is led by Dr. Joaquin Espinosa, executive director of the Crnic Institute, Dr. Elise Sannar, assistant professor of psychiatry at CHCO, and Dr. Jonathan D. Santoro, director of neuroimmunology and assistant professor of neurology and pediatrics at CHLA and the Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California. The Crnic Institute is an affiliate organization of the Global Down Syndrome Foundation (GLOBAL) and the largest center for Down syndrome research in the world.

DSRD is a severe neurological condition with symptoms such as acute loss of speech, inability to perform activities of daily life, catatonia, hallucinations, delusions, depersonalization, insomnia, and aggression. Although rare, adolescents and young adults with Down syndrome seem to be at higher risk for this condition.

Lina Patel, PsyD, associate professor of psychiatry at the University of Colorado School of Medicine, and member of the Crnic Institute research team says, DSRD is often described as a condition whereby a person withdraws into their own inner world. Many common daily activities are suddenly disrupted, such as going to the bathroom, eating, communicating with others  it all goes away suddenly and they lose a lot of the skills theyve gained over the course of their life.

Eileen Quinn, MD, is an associate professor of pediatrics at the University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences and manages a Facebook group for families and medical professionals searching for answers about DSRD. She started the group after her own daughter Sara, who has Down syndrome, began showing signs of regression.

I was terrified, because I could tell what it was, and I knew there were no good answers.

Before experiencing regression, an evaluation from Saras elementary teacher read, Sara has a sparkly personality and, many friends who want to spend time with her. But, after starting middle school, Sara suddenly became withdrawn, unable to make eye contact and developed repetitive, ritualistic behaviors among other symptoms.

To lose her like that, so abruptly and completely it was just horrible, says Quinn.

According to Quinn, it has taken years of seeking treatment and trying numerous medications and therapies to see some improvement, but she believes Sara is not as capable as she could be with more effective treatments.

It is stories like Saras that inspired this multidisciplinary research team to develop an ambitious study of the causes and potential treatments for DSRD.

Currently, the true cause of DSRD is unknown. Until recently, it was considered a strictly psychiatric condition and was often misdiagnosed as more common conditions such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD) or early-onset Alzheimers disease in people with Down syndrome. However, emerging research from CHCO and CHLA has revealed a possible immune mechanism in some patients.

A growing body of evidence is pointing to dysregulation of the immune system as a possible mechanism underlying DSRD, says Dr. Espinosa. Research at the Crnic Institute has shown that individuals with Down syndrome experience chronic hyper-inflammation throughout their lifetimes and are highly predisposed to develop autoimmune conditions. In many ways, DSRD resembles neurological conditions where the immune system attacks the brain, such as autoimmune encephalitis.

This new research study will focus on investigating the role of the immune system in DSRD as well as comparing current treatments to find the most effective option. To do this, the team will conduct a research-intensive clinical trial to compare the safety and efficacy of three alternative therapeutic approaches: two promising immune-modulatory medicines, intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg) and the JAK inhibitor tofacitinib (also known as Xeljanz), and the psychiatric drug Lorazepam, a benzodiazepine used to treat catatonia and other symptoms of DSRD.

Dr. Santoro, a trained neuroimmunologist and leading expert in the clinical management of DSRD, has seen promising results treating the condition with multiple immuno-modulatory medicines, especially in those with patients who present diagnostic abnormalities indicative of inflammation affecting the brain.

We have seen patients with Down syndrome who had not spoken or moved in two or three years start running down the hall and speaking within weeks of treatment, said Santoro.It has completely changed our understanding and treatment of DSRD.

This is an important study that will compare three different treatments acting through diverse mechanisms and which will directly test the hypothesis that immune dysregulation underlies many cases of DSRD, Dr. Sannar added.

We are so pleased that GLOBALs advocacy work with our self-advocates, Congressional Champions and NIH has led to the establishment of INCLUDE, the trans-NIH Down syndrome research project, says Michelle Sie Whitten, President & CEO of GLOBAL. INCLUDE-funded clinical trials specifically for people with Down syndrome, such as the DSRD study, have led to a renaissance in Down syndrome research and care. We are deeply grateful to our scientists, NIH and our amazing Down syndrome community for investing in GLOBALs work to elongate life and improve health outcomes.

To learn more about this exciting study, please email DSResearch@cuanschutz.edu.

About the Linda Crnic Institute for Down Syndrome

The Linda Crnic Institute for Down Syndrome is one of the only academic research centers fully devoted to improving the lives of people with Down syndrome through advanced biomedical research, spanning from basic science to translational and clinical investigations. Founded through the generous support and partnership of the Global Down Syndrome Foundation, the Anna and John J. Sie Foundation, and the University of Colorado, the Crnic Institute supports a thriving Down syndrome research program involving over 60 research teams across four campuses on the Colorado Front Range. To learn more, visit www.crnicinstitute.org or follow us on Facebook and Twitter @CrnicInstitute.

About Global Down Syndrome Foundation

The Global Down Syndrome Foundation (GLOBAL) is the largest non-profit in the U.S. working to save lives and dramatically improve health outcomes for people with Down syndrome. GLOBAL has donated more than $32 million to establish the first Down syndrome research institute supporting over 400 scientists and over 2,200 patients with Down syndrome from 33 states and 10 countries. Working closely with Congress and the National Institutes of Health, GLOBAL is the lead advocacy organization in the U.S. for Down syndrome research and care. GLOBAL has a membership of over 120 Down syndrome organizations worldwide and is part of a network of Affiliates  the Crnic Institute for Down Syndrome, the Sie Center for Down Syndrome, and the University of Colorado Alzheimers and Cognition Center  all on the Anschutz Medical Campus.

GLOBALs widely circulated medical publications include Global Medical Care Guidelines for Adults with Down Syndrome, Prenatal & Newborn Down Syndrome Information, and the award-winning magazine Down Syndrome World TM. GLOBAL also organizes the Be Beautiful Be Yourself Fashion Show, the largest Down syndrome fundraiser in the world. Visit globaldownsyndrome.org and follow us on social media (Facebook & Twitter: @GDSFoundation, Instagram: @globaldownsyndrome)
HOUSTON, Sept. 29, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Targa Resources Corp. (NYSE: TRGP) ("Targa" or the "Company") announced today that representatives from the Company will participate in investor meetings via video conference at the Wolfe Research Utilities, Midstream & Clean Energy Conference on Friday, September 30, 2022.



A copy of the slides used for the conference meetings will be available in the Investors section of the Company's website at www.targaresources.com, or by going to https://www.targaresources.com/investors/events.

About Targa Resources Corp.

Targa Resources Corp. is a leading provider of midstream services and is one of the largest independent midstream infrastructure companies in North America. The Company owns, operates, acquires and develops a diversified portfolio of complementary domestic midstream infrastructure assets and its operations are critical to the efficient, safe and reliable delivery of energy across the United States and increasingly to the world. The Companys assets connect natural gas and NGLs to domestic and international markets with growing demand for cleaner fuels and feedstocks. The Company is primarily engaged in the business of: gathering, compressing, treating, processing, transporting, and purchasing and selling natural gas; transporting, storing, fractionating, treating, and purchasing and selling NGLs and NGL products, including services to LPG exporters; and gathering, storing, terminaling, and purchasing and selling crude oil.

Targa is a FORTUNE 500 company and is included in the S&P 400.

For more information, please visit the Companys website at www.targaresources.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements in this release are forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. All statements, other than statements of historical facts, included in this release that address activities, events or developments that the Company expects, believes or anticipates will or may occur in the future, are forward-looking statements.

These forward-looking statements rely on a number of assumptions concerning future events and are subject to a number of uncertainties, factors and risks, many of which are outside the Companys control, which could cause results to differ materially from those expected by management of the Company. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, weather, political, economic and market conditions, including a decline in the price and market demand for natural gas, natural gas liquids and crude oil, the impact of pandemics such as COVID-19, commodity price volatility due to ongoing conflict in Ukraine, actions by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and non-OPEC oil producing countries, the timing and success of business development efforts, expected benefits relating to the Delaware Basin acquisition and their impact on the Companys results of operations, and other uncertainties.

These and other applicable uncertainties, factors and risks are described more fully in the Companys filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, and any subsequently filed Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K. The Company does not undertake an obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Contact the Company's investor relations department by email at

InvestorRelations@targaresources.com or by phone at (713) 584-1133.

Sanjay Lad

Vice President, Finance & Investor Relations

Jennifer Kneale

Chief Financial Officer
Formula 1 returns to Singapore for the first time since 2019. Daniel Ricciardo is looking forward to returning to action at the circuit that has historically stood him in good stead, and hopes to come back strong after his failure at Monza.

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Ricciardo has been on the podium at the Marina Bay Street Circuit four times already and did so on behalf of Red Bull Racing, which has usually come on strong in Singapore but has not managed a win there since 2013. With McLaren, the chances of a podium finish will be smaller, but nevertheless Ricciardo is looking forward to the physical and mental challenge the circuit offers.

Ricciardo aims to come back strong in Singapore

"Ive had some good weekends in Singapore with podiums in the past and Im looking forward to the challenge the Marina Bay Street Circuit provides both physically and mentally. Its an intense weekend and you have to be on it but thats all part of the fun," said the Australian in a McLaren press release.

Ricciardo hopes to come back strong after a "frustrating Sunday" at the Italian Grand Prix, where he was hit by technical problems. He added that his team has been working hard on it and is all set to deliver a good result. "Well continue to push hard as a team to pick up more points in the final few races," said a combative Ricciardo.
South Africa: Cele to attend first court appearance of W Cape magistrate's alleged killer

The Police Department has applauded the speedy arrest of a suspect linked to the murder of magistrate Romay van Rooyen.

This comes after the 50-year-old magistrate and former State prosecutor was found dead in her home in Marina da Gama on Saturday, 10 September 2022 and her Toyota RAV4 vehicle missing.

According to a statement released on Wednesday, a multi-disciplinary operation comprising the Hawks Crimes against the State, National Priority Violent Crime Investigation, Digital Forensic Investigation and Priority Crime Management Centre has since resulted in the arrest of an 18-year-old man in Mitchells Plain on Tuesday, 27 September 2022.

According to reports, the arrested suspect is a relative of the deceased and was among the mourners at the funeral of the Vredenburg magistrate.

Police Minister Bheki Cele, together with the Provincial Commissioner of the Western Cape, Lieutenant General Thembisile Patekile, are set to attend the first court appearance of the teenage suspect on Thursday, 29 September 2022.

The accused is facing a charge of murder.  SAnews.gov.za

This story has been published on: 2022-09-29. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
Chinese, Kenyan firms jointly roll out solar-powered tablets for marginalized communities

Xinhua) 11:15, September 29, 2022

NAIROBI, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- China's Shenzhen Solar Run Energy Co. Limited and Nairobi-based Mama Layla Solar Lights in Kenya on Tuesday partnered to roll out solar-powered tablets, or "solar media" that are designed to empower marginalized communities.

Li Xia, founder and chief executive officer (CEO) of the Shenzhen-based company in south China's Guangdong Province, said that the solar media gadget comes with preloaded content in education, agriculture, health and skills development sectors that can be accessed by households without electricity and internet access.

"In the next three years, we hope to distribute the solar media to 50,000 household beneficiaries who will be empowered to boost their incomes and standards of living," Li said at Shelter Children's Home in Ngong town, about 30 km southwest of Nairobi, the capital of Kenya.

Li said that Shelter Children's Home which hosts 150 orphans and vulnerable children has successfully demonstrated the benefits of the solar media product. She revealed that the device consists of three solar bulbs and a mobile phone charger that can be used by homes and villages in rural areas.

She noted that the tablet is a revolutionary product that aims to help African countries solve the issue of lack of information for last-mile communities due to lack of access to the internet and electricity.

Hanif Ahmed Poona, CEO of Mama Layla Solar Lights, said that under the partnership his organization will provide content for the devices that are suited to local conditions and cultures.

"We will translate the content to local languages so that communities can understand the information contained in the gadget," Poona added.

He observed that the partnership with the Chinese company is ideal because it produces devices targeting the bottom of the pyramid with the latest technology.

"The devices are quality products that tap into Kenya's abundant solar energy to give access to knowledge and information to last-mile communities," Poona said.

Michael Arochi, a teacher at the Shelter Children's Home, said that the solar media device will provide learners from marginalized communities with updated educational content.

"Children without access to the internet and electricity will have the benefit of digital learning using solar technology," he added.

Jamlick Mutwiri Kimathi, a 32-year-old farm supervisor, said that he plans to improve his beekeeping skills from the information contained in the solar media device. The father of one said that the solar-powered tablet will enable him to undertake honey production as a commercial enterprise.

(Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun)
The first fully electric commuter plane Alice from Eviation Aircraft (earlier post) successfully completed its maiden flight at Moses Lake, Washington. Alice lifted off on 27 Sep at 7:10 a.m. from Grant County International Airport (MWH), flying for a total of eight minutes and reaching an altitude of 3,500 feet.





Eviation Alice is targeted at commuter and cargo markets, and will typically operate flights ranging from 150 miles to 250 miles. Cape Air and Global Crossing Airlines, both US-based regional airlines, have placed orders for 75 and 50 Alice aircraft respectively. In 2021, DHL Express announced that it ordered 12 all-electric Alice eCargo planes from Eviation, making it Eviations first cargo customer.

Our compliments to Eviation on the successful first flight of Alice! Completing its maiden flight confirms our belief that the era of sustainable aviation is here. With our order of 12 Alice e-cargo planes, we are investing towards our overall goal of net-zero emissions logistics. Alices range and capacity makes it a unique sustainable solution for our global aviation network, supporting our aspiration to make a substantial contribution in reducing our carbon footprint and ultimately, achieving net-zero emissions by 2050. John Pearson, CEO DHL Express





The all-electric Alice aircraft features a maximum operating speed of 260 knots and a maximum useful load of 2,500 lbs for passenger version and 2,600 lbs for eCargo version.

Alice is available in three variants including a nine-passenger commuter, a six-passenger executive cabin, and an eCargo version. All configurations support two crew members. The executive cabin and eCargo variations are identical to the commuter configuration, except for the interior.





magni650 EPU mounted on pylon

Alice is powered by two magni650 electric propulsion units (EPUs) from magniX, the only flight-proven electric propulsion systems at this scale. The magni650 EPU is a 850 SHP / 640 kW / 3,000 Nm  class EPU. Each EPU includes a magni650 motor, 4 X magniDrive 100, and a closed-loop integrated thermal management system.

The EPU is designed to provide the required torque and power turning at low RPMs, the same speed as the propeller. This allows a direct motor-to-propeller connection, eliminating the need for a heavy maintenance-prone gearbox.

A 43-phase architecture allows for redundancy, increased reliability and graceful degradation should a fault occur. For example, in the event of a short circuit, one 3-phase section can be turned off, allowing the pilot 75% of full power.

The magniDrive 100 is a multi-application, high-performance power electronics unit including both the inverter and motor controller functions. It is designed as bi-directional, capable of both DC/AC operation for propulsion and AC/DC operation for generation. It is suitable for HVDC networks of up to 800 VDC.

Designed for unpressurized operation, the magniDrive 100 combines high thermal performance, EMI immunity and lightning protection for metallic and composite structures. The magniDrive 100 can support both analog throttle inputs (for use in retrofits, for example) as well as Fly-By-Wire controls (for newly designed aircraft).





Other key suppliers include AVL (battery support); GKN (wings); Honeywell (advanced fly-by-wire system, flight controls and avionics); Multiplast (fuselage); Parker Aerospace (six technology systems); and Potez (doors).

Alices advanced battery system is highly efficient and endlessly upgradeable enabling range improvements as battery technology evolves. The aircraft also incorporates a fly-by-wire cockpit, providing greater reliability and systems redundancy.
Westinghouse Electric Company has signed a service agreement with the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission to bring its eVinci microreactor closer to commercialization. The agreement initiates a Vendor Design Review (VDR) which is a pre-licensing technical assessment of the eVinci small modular reactor design. Westinghouse will execute both Phases 1 and 2 of the VDR as a combined program, signaling the eVinci microreactors design and technology maturity.

The eVinci microreactor builds on decades of Westinghouse innovation, to bring carbon-free, safe and scalable energy wherever it is needed for a wide variety of applications. These include electricity and heating for remote communities and islands, industrial sites, data centers, universities, defense facilities, marine propulsion, hydrogen generation and water purification.

The eVinci microreactor is 100% factory-built, fueled and assembled before it is shipped in a container to any location.





Westinghouse e-Vinci microreactor

A single eVinci reactor can operate in a cogeneration mode producing 5MW of electricity while simultaneously providing heat and is designed to be operational for 8+ years without the need for refueling

The key benefits of the eVinci micro reactor are attributed to its solid core and advanced heat pipes.

The heat pipes enable passive core heat extractioni.e., no reactor coolant pump and all the associated auxiliary systemsallowing autonomous operation and inherent load following capabilities. The heat pipes also enable operation at higher temperatures, enabling higher efficient power conversion systems and high-grade process heat.

These advanced technologies together make the eVinci micro reactor a pseudo solid-state reactor with minimal moving parts.
A tax on frequent flying could generate revenues needed to deeply decarbonize aviation through midcentury while concentrating the cost burden on those who fly the most, according to a new study from the International Council on Clean Transportation. (ICCT)

The study comes as policymakers gather in Montreal this week to finalize a net-zero emission goal for international aviation. The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) estimates that $4 trillion in technology investment may be needed through 2050 to achieve emissions reductions compatible with a 1.75 degree C cap on global temperature. This translates to an annual investment of $121 billion.

The report explores two methods for raising this amount of annual revenue: a flat, per-flight air passenger duty (APD) at $25, and a frequent flying levy (FFL) that increases with each flight taken in a year (from $9 to $177). The FFL is designed to place an escalating tax burden on people who fly frequently.

The study found that, compared to the flat APD, an FFL would shift the tax burden from occasional fliers toward wealthier frequent fliers. Specifically, the study estimates that a global FFL would generate 81% of its revenue from frequent fliers (those who take more than six flights a year, or about 2% of global population) and 90% of its revenue from the worlds richest 10%.

If all FFL revenues were used to support technology development, the levy could also address country disparities in access to capital for clean aviation. Under an FFL, 67% of the revenue collected would come from developed countries, compared to 51% under a flat APD. This shift in cost from lower-income to high-income countries would support ICAOs goal of providing financial support for net-zero aviation in the Global South.

An FFL would also closely track each countrys historical emissions, since high-income countries emitted about 70% of aviation CO 2 between 1980 and 2019.





Percentage difference in total APD collected and total FFL collected for each country. Countries shaded in orange and red would pay more under an FFL, while those shaded in green and blue would pay less, compared to an APD. Source: The ICCT

Taxing frequent fliers regardless of their passport would align the costs of decarbonization with historical responsibility for emissions. And it could be done without distorting competition across countries or carriers. Dan Rutherford, co-author

The APD and FFL analyzed in this study would both reduce demand for flying by about 7%, but in different ways. Under an FFL, the population with the top 5% of income would reduce flying by 12%, while the impact on the bottom 80% would be negligible.

Implementing a global FFL would require significant efforts, such as creating an accurate and privacy-protected flying frequency database and establishing a governance framework for revenue usage. Regardless of whether an FFL is implemented, this study provides evidence that funds for aviation decarbonization could be raised in an equitable manner.
Bring on the pink! Its time to paint our towns.

Sweetwater Regional Cancer Center staff would like to invite the community to help kick off Paint the Town Pink as we proclaim October Breast Cancer Awareness Month. A series of events will take place including the annual decorating contests among Rock Springs and Green River businesses.

Paint the Town Pink will kick off with The City of Rock Springs on Monday, Oct. 3, with a community ribbon-tying event from 4-6 p.m. and a proclamation for the community at 5:30 p.m. at the Mayors Tree downtown. Rock Springs community members are invited to tie a ribbon to show support and learn about screenings.

The City of Green River ribbon ceremony will be Tuesday, Oct.4, from 4-6 p.m. at the clock tower downtown and proclamation at 5:30 p.m. Green River residents are encouraged to join us by tying a ribbon to our Paint the Town Pink display to support the fighters, survivors and remembering those taken by all cancers.

Additionally, both Rock Springs and Green River businesses are encouraged to participate in our annual Paint the Town Pink Breast Cancer Awareness campaign by decorating their storefronts in pink during October. Businesses with the best decorations will be awarded a trophy at the end of October, along with bragging rights for the rest of the year.

Two winners  one in Rock Springs and one in Green River  will be chosen. The public will have a chance to vote online for their favorite storefront decor in each city.

Heres how it works: Businesses decorate their storefronts promoting breast cancer prevention and awareness. An innovative display is not only a way to win the contest, but its a great way to let your customers know you support the cause.

Businesses have until midnight Monday, Oct. 19, to enter. Send one, high-resolution photo of your storefront to lwarren@sweetwatermemorial.com. Include the name of the business, street address, city, and phone number. Keep in mind, only one photo will be used in the online public voting.

Voting will be open to the public for 36 hours from Oct. 23-25. The hospital Facebook page will launch two separate contests, one for Green River businesses and another for Rock Springs businesses, at @MHSChealthcare. You will be able to simply swipe through the photos and like just one. The winners will be announced Oct. 31 and recognition and a traveling trophy will be awarded.

These events are made possible through a grant from the Wyoming Breast Cancer Initiative and support from Memorial Hospital of Sweetwater County and the Memorial Hospital Foundation.

For more information, check out the news page at sweetwatermemorial.com.
The Wyoming Game and Fish Department is seeking information on a mule deer that was illegally shot in the city of Green River.

The buck deer was found injured by elementary school students on Sept. 15 in the vicinity of Arkansas and Alabama Streets. Upon responding to the report of the injured deer, the animal was euthanized by department personnel. A necropsy was conducted in order to determine the cause of injury to the buck; department personnel determined the deer had previously been shot.

Anyone with information on this or any other wildlife violation may call the Stop Poaching Hotline at 1-877-WGFD-TIP (1-877-943-3847). Tips may be reported online at wgfd.wyo.gov, directly to game warden Justin Dodd at 307-870-8816, or by calling the Green River Game and Fish Office at-1-307-875-3223. Poaching information may also be texted; text keyword WGFD a message to TIP411 (847-411).

Any person providing information related to this or any other case may choose to remain anonymous.
BUFFALO  Wyoming Game and Fish Department officials are increasingly concerned about the discovery of adult zebra mussels in Pactola Reservoir, a body of water just 20 air miles away from the state line in South Dakotas Black Hills.

To mitigate the risk of contamination in Wyomings waters, the department will decontaminate all watercraft that have been used in South Dakota within 30 days of crossing the border.

During the decontamination process, according to the department, the inspector sprays the interior and flushes the interior compartments with scalding water to kill aquatic invasive species, followed by another inspection to ensure that the process was successful.

It takes much longer than a typical inspection, fisheries chief Alan Osterland told the Wyoming Game and Fish Commission at its meeting in Buffalo on Sept. 13. And he anticipates decontaminating more than 300 to 400 watercraft at the Beulah check station alone.

The departments previous policy applied to boats coming from waters known to be infested with zebra or quagga mussels (another invasive species).

We anticipate more waters in the Black Hills to be (contaminated) in the future, Osterland said. This is one reservoir in this chain of reservoirs.

The invasive species was discovered in July, when two spear fishermen reported to South Dakotas Game, Fish, and Parks Department that they found the mussels attached to a pair of sunglasses, Osterland said. So far, there have been two detections of adults in that water body.

Zebra mussels have not been found in Wyoming, as of press time.

Were going to have to consider some drastic measures, Brian Nesvik, director of Game and Fish, said at the commission meeting. Restrictions that are uncomfortable are going to have to be necessary. There are some people who are not going to be happy with some of the things were going to have to do.

Zebra mussels are fingernail-sized bivalves native to Eurasia. They can prevent native species from moving, feeding, reproducing or regulating water properly, according to the National Park Service.

We cannot allow this stuff to come across our eastern border, Nesvik said. We have to do everything we can to prevent it.

There is no hydraulic connection between Pactola and Wyoming waterbodies.

Watercraft are the primary mode of transport for the species.

The mussels have been migrating the Missouri River and making their way into different water bodies in South Dakota, Osterland said. Pactola is the farthest west theyve been found so far.

Game and Fish boat check data shows that a lot of boats travel west from areas in and around the Black Hills.

Since January 2021, Game and Fish has inspected 174 boats coming from Pactola. Keyhole Reservoir has been the primary destination for those, with 74, and Lake DeSmet has had six. Boats in Pactola Reservoir come from all over the country, which makes watercraft a vehicle to carry the invasive species.

Near Newcastle, LAK Reservoir has been closed to all watercraft as a precaution. The agency has also increased its AIS sampling and staff hours at inspection stations near LAK and at Keyhole Reservoir near Gillette.

As of today, we havent gotten any information back that show any findings, Osterland said.

The department is coordinating with South Dakota, other surrounding states and federal agencies. South Dakota lacks resources, both financial and manpower, so the U.S. Forest Service is sending personnel to help, Osterland said.

Staffing issues in remote locations like Beulah are a challenge for Wyoming Game and Fish, too, Osterland said.

He said that its likely the agency will have to consider options to make the job more appealing. Now that summer is coming to an end, officials are considering precautions and possible restrictions for next year in light of the infestation in Pactola.

Next year, there might need to be an inspection station at LAK.

Its a pretty straight shot on the southern route from Rapid City to LAK, Osterland said.

And the restrictions that Game and Fish may have to put in place could be significant, Nesvik said, though he wasnt specific about what they might be. One form of AIS prevention, though, is educating the public about how it can mitigate risk.

Most people want to do the right thing, Nesvik said. They dont want to be the per - son who brought something bad to our state  but it only takes one.
Letter to the Editor

Dear Editor,

There is much about Wyoming that our visitors adore. Lots of room, peace and quiet - good neighbors and a great heritage. Were the smallest state in the union - but a state of solid citizens. One of the most significant ingredients in this character is a belief in God and one of the most compelling types of evidence for that belief is the Cokeville Miracle.

Recently, I have contacted our national senators and representatives with a proposal that we share our faith by promoting and creating a national memorial remembering that event. To those not familiar with the Cokeville Miracle, it was an event that took place in Cokeville in 1986 where a perpetrator took 155 school children with their teaching staff and visitors hostage. He forced them into one small classroom and demanded a $2 million dollars per child ransom. The perpetrator years earlier had secured the job of

local constable in Cokeville and during his work became acquainted with the town and townspeople. Impressed in his mind was that the children were bright and accomplished and that their parents would do anything for them!

He was college educated and an original thinker. He attracted the confidence of fellow workers. When he told several of them, he was working on a plan that would have them flying their own jets, they were intrigued and supportive. One committed a thousand dollars and another $100.00 per month while he worked out the details. When the details of the plan were worked out, he gathered the 3 men and explained his plan. Once the plan was on the table - there were no takers? To make sure they wouldnt

reveal his plan, by gunpoint he handcuffed them to the back seat in the utility van. Only the wife and daughter remained. The daughter escaped to warn the officers at the town hall. The remaining pair entered the school and gathered all the children, teachers, and visitors into a small 30x30 foot school room holding them hostage.

The school principal was tasked with communicating the demands and responses. The hostages in the room were made miserable by the fumes of a leaking gasoline containers forming part of the bomb. The teachers tried to occupy the childrens minds with activities - TV, books, toys, games while the clock ticked. The perpetrators had designed a bomb like the one detonated in the Oklahoma City federal housing building that killed over 300 people. He threatened to start shooting children if rescue

attempts were made.

The children had been taught to pray in their families. The older class, in the presence of the perpetrator, joined for a prayer for deliverance. Deliverance came in a dramatic way. The bombs trigger consisted of pulling a cord tied around the wrist of the perpetrator and connected to the trigger of the bomb. For a moment, the hostage taker stepped away and tied the trigger cord to his wifes wrist. The discomfort of the event, the hot classroom and smell of the escaping gasoline fumes affected all the teachers. One raised her hand to get the wifes attention, the wife did likewise - pulling the bombs trigger.

Boom! The trigger was pulled and a fiery explosion filled the room with fire and black smoke. It is estimated that the escape from the room took only 45 seconds - the heat was great enough to set clothes and hair on fire and explode scattered firearms cartridges sending shrapnel into the walls. The hostages escaped to safety outside.

The explosion set the wife on fire and brought the husband out the door with a pistol in hand. He found his flaming, helpless wife and shot her. Realizing what was facing him - he took his own life.

Parents and public safety officials were outside of the school when the bomb was detonated. They went to work, identifying children, triaging injuries and providing comfort. Ambulances from surrounding areas had been prepared to take the victims to local hospitals. Nearly 80 victims were treated in area hospitals overnight for smoke inhalation and burns - most returning to their homes the next day.

Weeks later, as interviewers and counselors worked with the children, stories began to emerge. Children talked about other people, dressed in white who were in the room with them. These angels provided warnings, gave specific instructions and provided comfort. The children later identified these visitors in old photograph books. In every case the angels were ancestors who had passed on. The implications of these experiences are amazing!! Eternal family connections, the utility of prayer and heavens answers and the responsibility we have for our own lives.

I have written our state representatives requesting that they initiate legislation to create a national monument at Cokeville remembering the event and reminding a nation of Heavens willingness to assist us. We have important remembrances of great leaders and events in the neighboring state - Mt. Rushmore and Custers Battlefield and now this magnificent event in Wyoming - all worthy of memorializing.

What can you do to continue the memory of such an event? Encourage our national representatives to initiate legislation for the creation of a Wyoming state memorial. Become acquainted with the movie The Cokeville Miracle or the book, When Angels Intervene to Save the Children. The Cokeville Miracle Foundation has also published a historical record, Witness to a Miracle. Financial support can be sent to the Cokeville Miracle Foundation. C/O Mr. Sharon Dayton, P.O. Box 248, Cokeville, WY 83114.
Governor Mark Gordon has announced Lauren Schoenfeld has been selected to serve as the Wyoming Innovation Partnership (WIP) Executive Director.

Governor Gordon launched WIP to develop a resilient workforce and further focus Wyoming's economic development efforts. The innovative collaboration brings the state's higher education institutions and Community College Commission together with industry leaders and Executive branch agencies, including the Department of Workforce Services, the Wyoming Business Council and the Governor's Office.

"I am pleased to have Lauren join our staff as the Executive Direct for the WIP initiative," Governor Gordon said. "Her experience in organizational management and knowledge of Wyoming are assets that will help her skillfully coordinate a wide array of stakeholders and move the state ahead."

Schoenfeld's position will work closely with WIP institutions and partners to develop new or further develop existing relationships with businesses, policy leaders and lawmakers. The Wyoming Legislature created and funded the position for two years. Schoenfeld is a member of the Governor's policy staff.

Schoenfeld grew up in Wyoming, attended Central Wyoming College and earned her Bachelor's in communication from the University of Wyoming. Her experience includes serving as the executive director for the YMCA of Sweetwater County and, most recently, as the Organizational Change Management Lead for J.R. Simplot. She has served on the Sweetwater County Board of Commissioners since 2019.

"I am very excited to join Governor Gordon's team and look forward to collaborating across the state to continue to develop and support Wyoming's workforce and economy," Schoenfeld stated.
Microsoft has confirmed that it is now rolling out Android app support to Windows 11 users in 21 more countries. Starting Tuesday, WSA (Windows Subsystem for Android) became available for all Windows 11 users to download to enable Android app support.

Thanks to this update, more users can take advantage of a limited selection of Android apps that can be downloaded from the Microsoft Store. Microsofts states that the machine must have at least 8GB of RAM (16GB is recommended), an SSD (solid-state drive), Intel core i3 8th Gen or above, and the Virtual Machine Platform setting must be enabled as well.

If you wish to enable Android app support on your Windows machine, you can head into the Microsoft Store > download Amazon Appstore > and install Windows Subsystem for Android when prompted. Once installed, open Amazon Appstore and log in with an Amazon account to browse app. There currently arent many apps available from the Amazon Appstore, but there are ways to sideload apps to your hearts content.

WSA for Windows 11 is now rolling out to users in Andorra, Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Gibraltar, Guernsey, Ireland, Isle of Man, Italy, Japan, Jersey, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Monaco, San Marino, Spain, Switzerland, United Kingdom, United States, Vatican City/Holy See.

Source
Back in June, reliable tipster Digital Chat Station claimed that the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (SD8550) will come in a 1+2+2+3 CPU configuration, comprising one Cortex-X3, two Cortex-A720, two Cortex-A710, and three Cortex-A510 cores. But new information that's surfaced online reveals different specs.

This revelation comes from another reliable tipster Ice universe, who said the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 will come with two Cortex-A715 cores instead of Cortex-A720. The Cortex-X3 will have a maximum clock speed of 3.2GHz, whereas the Cortex-A510 will go up to 2GHz. The Cortex-A715 and Cortex-A710 cores will be clocked at up to 2.8GHz.

The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 is rumored to use an Adreno 740 GPU to handle graphically intensive tasks such as gaming and video editing, but we don't have much information about that yet.

We've also heard rumors of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 having an ultra-high frequency variant, whose prime core will be clocked at 3.4-3.5 GHz.

There's no word from Qualcomm about the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 yet, but the American chip company is hosting the Snapdragon Summit between November 15-17 in Hawaii where it will likely introduce the flagship chip.

Source (in Chinese) | Via
In this file photo, John Quito and his students took many field trips to the countryside while he was a teacher in the Japan Exchange and Training Program, in which U.S. citizens live and work in the country.
Norm Analista is the founder of Analista & Co., a Guam-based brand specializing in stand-out bespoke apparel. For more fashion content, follow @analista_co on Instagram and TikTok, and Analista & Co. on Facebook. For unpublished and behind the scenes content related to this columns topic, visit @tastemaker671 on Instagram.
A suruhanu who was twice acquitted of criminal sexual conduct has not only gotten his job back as a police officer at the Port Authority of Guam, but he will also get nearly $200,000 in back wages and legal fees.

Port Police Officer Frank Ko San Nicolas was acquitted on the second case in July.

On Thursday, the Port Authority of Guam board passed a resolution approving a settlement with San Nicolas in connection with his civil service case against the Port Authority, which terminated him in 2020.

Under the settlement agreement, San Nicolas is entitled to:

Back wages of $156,764.65, a net gross pay.

Reinstatement of sick leave hours and annual leave hours owed.

Reasonable legal fees, which the port said is about $40,000.

Remittance to Retirement Fund retirement benefits owed to him.

Rory Respicio, Port general manager, on Thursday said San Nicolas was terminated based on the magistrate complaints and court orders prohibiting him from carrying a gun.

After two separate jury trials, he was found innocent in both trials, so our Port counsel recommended we move to address the obvious next steps to avoid costly litigation if we refused to recognize that he was found innocent twice, in both instances where he was indicted. We all struggle with these decisions because of the sensitivities, and this action avoids another costly situation resulting from wrongful terminations, Respicio told Pacific Daily News.

The board directed Respicio to furnish a copy of the board-signed agreement to Public Auditor Benjamin Cruz, and to notify the Civil Service Commission about the agreement.
Four senatorial candidates on Thursday got to hone in on issues they want to tackle, from rolling back the 4% business privilege tax, to addressing homelessness  and even discussing the legalization of firecrackers by a voters initiative if it cant be done through legislation.

Republicans Tom Fisher and Bistra Mendiola, along with Democrats Sarah Thomas Nededog and Dwayne San Nicolas, were part of the second batch to take part in the Rotary Club of Guams weekly forum with senatorial candidates who havent held a senatorial post before.

Fisher

Fisher, a longtime attorney and a former Navy judge advocate general, said if elected, he would work on rolling back the 5% business privilege tax to 4% with a sunset provision every two years.

If the Legislature wants to keep this tax in place and if the Legislature wants to increase the tax, they have to tell the people of Guam by passing legislation to increase it, he said, adding that lawmakers cant just say, we tried to roll it back but the governor vetoed it.

He also considers this tax a little bit of a scam because its not the businesses that pay for it, but the consumers. Businesses pass on the tax to the consumers, he said.

San Nicolas

San Nicolas, a former school counselor, an Army combat veteran and owner of the solar panel business J. Goodman, also agrees with rolling back the business privilege tax.

San Nicolas, whos also been known for dressing up as Santa Claus to spread holiday cheer, wanted to start an initiative petition to make firecrackers legal on Guam.

In a question-and-answer with the Rotary Club, San Nicolas said a plebiscite on Guams political status should be open to everybody who pays taxes and eligible to vote.

Status quo should also be an option, the former customs officer said. The tremendous tax implications and a possibility of having Guam as a county of Hawaii are among reasons hes not for statehood.

As a former Southern High School counselor, where he learned more about poverty, crime and meth addiction, San Nicolas said some huge campuses such as Southern High School may have to be split into smaller campuses so they could be more manageable.

Mendiola

Mendiola, a businesswoman, said she will be prioritizing three issues: Promoting a lower cost of living, increasing Guams food security, and igniting new economic development. There has to be tax incentives for people and businesses to produce agricultural products and help build a sustainable Guam future, she said.

If elected, Mendiola said she already has bills aligned with these goals, waiting to be introduced on day one.

Mendiola, who at one point was selling coconuts to tourists to help feed the family and is now the owner of a multimillion dollar company, said prevention is key to addressing the drug problem, citing what Portugal did when it legalized drugs and focused on the treatment of users.

We cut off the demand, we cut off the supply, she said.

If it were up to her, she said, she would revive the Mandana Drug Task Force, a multi-agency team that used to address Guams serious drug problems. Shes also for the opening of more addiction treatment centers.AbortionOn the Rotary Clubs question about the Guam Heartbeat Act of 2022, which seeks to ban abortion once a fetal heartbeat is detected, Mendiola said shes right in the middle.

To me, giving the option to women to use abortion as a form of contraception is not only immoral but its inhumane, she said.





But at the same time, she said, shes not one to force a young woman who was a victim of rape or incest to pause her life and education to bear a child.

So Im right in the middle. I dont belong to either camp. My mind is very practical. I want to bring people together instead of separating them because I am tired of the bipolar society that we live in today, she added.

Fisher, the attorney, said he prefers that the abortion issue be resolved by referendum.

Thomas Nededog

Thomas Nededog, a former chairwoman of the Democratic Party of Guam, said being elected senator would give her more opportunity to continue her longtime work in addressing homelessness and poverty.

On addressing the illegal drug problem on Guam, she said preventive strategies start from prenatal care and on to how families raise their children, and then the schools and community.

Theres research that shows by the time kids are 10, 11 years old, you will know if theyre going to have a lifelong challenge with behavioral health issues so working with mothers, even before they get pregnant, working with them as they are pregnant and working with young families  to help put those fail safes in our families, in our communities to prevent that, she said.
The Vatican on Thursday presented another New York court decision to bolster its motion to dismiss a similar Guam case that seeks to hold the Holy See responsible for former Archbishop Anthony Apurons alleged sexual assault of a minor in school year 1994-1995.

Lawyers for the Vatican cited U.S. District Court Judge for New York J. Paul Oetkens Sept. 28 decision, which granted the Holy Sees motion to dismiss the case filed by 30 plaintiffs alleging they were victims of childhood clergy sexual abuse.

In the New York case, the judge concluded that the court lacks jurisdiction under U.S. law, the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act, which allows foreign states to avoid being sued in court.

Not the first time

Courts have treated the Holy See as the State of the Vatican, a foreign state.

This is not the first time that the Vatican legal team led by California-based attorney Jeffrey Lena brought to the Guam courts attention the decisions that other courts rendered on similar cases.

In May, the legal team cited another New York case in which the court also dismissed the case against the Holy See. That was known as the Robles vs. Holy See case. The dismissal essentially says the Holy See couldnt be sued in a court for Catholic priests sexual assaults, which affirms that the Vatican enjoys sovereign immunity.

For more than a year now, the Vatican has been seeking to dismiss the Guam case, citing lack of jurisdiction, insufficient service of process, and failure to state a claim.

Guam case

U.S. District Court of Guam Chief Judge Frances Tydingco-Gatewood is currently weighing the Vaticans motion to dismiss the Guam case.

The plaintiff in this case is identified in court documents only as D.M. to protect his privacy. D.M., in his lawsuit, said Apuron raped him when he was a minor student at Father Duenas Memorial School in school year 1994-1995. The Vatican has stripped Apuron of his title and banished him from Guam over sexual assaults of multiple minors.

Tydingco-Gatewood earlier asked the Vaticans legal team to file a formal report indicating whether they conferred with the pope on specific questions, before deciding on whether or not to dismiss the case against the Vatican.

These include whether the Vatican is amenable to accepting service of process and whether Pope Francis is inclined to meet with all the Guam plaintiffs who were allegedly abused at the hands of clergy to discuss a global settlement.

In response, the Vatican legal team said judicial inquiries directed to the pope as a head of state are improper under the doctrines of absolute immunity and personal inviolability.

Plaintiff D.M. is among more than 270 Guam clergy sexual abuse claimants in the Archdiocese of Aganas ongoing bankruptcy case.
Dave Lotz is a vocal advocate for protecting Guams unique heritage, a knowledgeable and long-time hiking enthusiast and environmental advocate, and critic of inept government. He has been a resident of Guam since 1970 and retired from the Guam Department of Parks and Recreation, Andersen AFB Environmental Flight and the National Park Service.




Haiti - FLASH : The American Embassy recommends to its citizens to leave Haiti





"The U.S. Embassy in Port-au-Prince reminds U.S. citizens that Haiti has the highest level of travel advisories (Level 4: Do Not Travel).



Due to the high levels of insecurity in Haiti, the U.S. Embassy in Port-au-Prince in a note recommends its citizens "not travel" to Haiti and "U.S. citizens in Haiti should seriously consider to return to the United States.



In the note, the Embassy recalls that "continuing insecurity and growing fuel shortages are hampering the ability of American citizens to find transportation to and from the Embassy and airports nationwide."



The Embassy points out that the US government "has an extremely limited capacity to provide emergency services to US citizens" in Haiti and that in any event, it cannot provide transportation services.



She also points out that Haitian police "lack the resources to effectively respond to requests for assistance" and that U.S. citizens should carefully consider the risks of traveling to or staying in Haiti in "light of deteriorating conditions."



The U.S. Embassy in Port-au-Prince provides emergency assistance at: +509-2229-8000 and non-emergency requests can be made by email: acspap@state.gov



If you still decide to go to Haiti :



Visit the US Embassy Covid-19 web page https://ht.usembassy.gov/covid-19-information/;



Visit the CDC's Travel and Covid-19 web page https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/index.html;



Avoid demonstrations and crowds. Do not attempt to cross roadblocks;



Arrange airport transfers and hotels in advance, or ask your host to meet you on arrival;



Do not provide personal information to unauthorized persons (i.e. persons who do not have official uniforms or credentials) in immigration areas, customs or other areas within or near an airport;



If you are followed when leaving the airport, go immediately to the nearest police station;



Travel in a vehicle to minimize walking in public;



Travel in groups of at least two people;



Always keep vehicle doors locked and windows closed when driving;



Use caution and vigilance, especially when driving in markets and other congested traffic areas;.



Do not physically resist any attempted robbery;



Buy travel insurance and medical evacuation insurance in advance;



Review travel information for high-risk areas;



Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive alerts and help you find your way around an emergency https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/before-you-go/travelers-with-special-considerations/high-risk-travelers.html ;



Follow the State Department on Facebook and Twitter;



Review the Haiti Country Security Report https://www.osac.gov/Content/Report/48bee788-0714-4b65-8523-1d59d967d4b6;



Prepare a contingency plan for emergency situations. Review the Traveler's Checklist https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/before-you-go/travelers-checklist.html



HL/ HaitiLibre






















Haiti - Justice : Poor detention conditions, threats of recourse against the State





The Citizen Protection Office (OPC), a national institution for the promotion and protection of human rights, expresses its indignation at the continued deterioration of detention conditions in Haiti following prolonged preventive detention and the persistence of the socio-political crisis.



Indeed, the prisons of Port-au-Prince, Les Cayes, Saint Marc, Jeremie, Fort-Liberte, Jacmel and Petit-Goave have been facing a severe shortage of food for several weeks. From August 23 to September 27, 2022, more than twelve deaths have been reported. According to national and international observers, malnutrition and the absence of adequate medical care are the main causes of death.



Unfortunately, the excessive use of preventive detention, associated with the inability of the judicial authorities to assume their responsibilities, to respect the procedural deadlines as provided for by Haitian laws and international instruments relating to judicial guarantees are among the major causes of prison overcrowding with a rate of more than 90% of prolonged preventive detention due to the carelessness of certain judicial authorities.



Faced with this alarming observation, the OPC recommends that urgent measures be taken in concert with international partners working in the humanitarian field in order to limit the damage while waiting for structural reforms.



The Citizen Protection Office reminds the authorities concerned that in accordance with the international instruments ratified by Haiti, any person deprived of liberty must be treated with humanity and with respect for the inherent dignity of the human person.



As a result, the OPC warns that if provisions are not adopted as soon as possible, the situation could turn into a humanitarian catastrophe with the possibility for the relatives of the deceased prisoners to open the way to appeal against the State before regional and international human rights bodies with a view to reparations for serious human rights violations. Poor conditions of detention : parents of deceased prisoners must join together to attack the State before international bodies advises the OPC.



See also :

https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-37740-icihaiti-petit-goave-the-government-commissioner-come-to-the-aid-of-the-detainees.html

https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-37727-icihaiti-petit-goave-2-detainees-die-of-starvation-5-others-in-serious-condition.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-37590-haiti-news-zapping.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-37582-haiti-news-zapping.html

https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-37260-icihaiti-health-the-national-penitentiary-on-the-verge-of-rioting.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-36480-haiti-news-zapping.html



HL/ HaitiLibre






















Haiti - News : Zapping...





The family of an police officer kidnapped

The residence of police officer Beckens Dieudonne (24th promotion) in Chateaublond, in Torcel, was attacked on the evening of September 27 by armed men from the Vitelhomme gang who kidnapped his wife, his three children and his father. His residence was set on fire and demolished by the attackers who were equipped with heavy machinery. Information confirmed by Lionel Lazarre, Coordinator of the National Union of Haitian Police Officers (SYNAPOHA). The Vitelhomme gang during the same evening proceeded to demolish the security wall built at the entrance to Belvil.



No more drinking water in Port-au-Prince

"Haiti remained paralyzed, no more fuel anywhere except a rare gallon sold at an exorbitant price on the black market. No traffic, except a rare motorcycle. Hospitals are announcing closures one after other. There is no more drinking water in most neighborhoods https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-37672-icihaiti-insecurity-dinepa-launches-an-sos.html ," said Maarten Boute on Wednesday, Chairman of Digicel.



Cap-Haitien : Looting of a super market

Wednesday, September 28 at the call of the radical opposition party "Pitit Dessalin" (Jean Charle Moise) thousands of demonstrators took the streets of Cap-Haitien to denounce once again, the high cost of living, the increase in Fuel prices and demand the resignation of Prime Minister Ariel Henry. Individuals or vandalized and looted the "Lea Market" supermarket



OPS Election : Failure of Florence Duperval Guillaume

Wednesday, September 28, 2022, election of the new director of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), at the end of the 30th Pan American Sanitary Conference, a press release revealed that it was the Brazilian Jarbas Barbosa da Silva Jr. who had been elected in this election where the former Minister of Health of Haiti, Florence Duperval Guillaume, was a candidate alongside 5 opponents.



Denial of the National Palace

Following the list circulating on social networks suggesting that these people worked for the Palace Services, the Administrative and Financial Affairs Department of the Palace, brings a formal denial concerning this false list specifying "The list is neither in conformity with reality both in terms of title, number, salary (no contract worker earns 300,000 Gourdes salary per month at the Palace), as well as the assignment and the existence or not of contract worker, some of whom appear on the list are no longer part of the institution staff and others have never worked there. All the comments that this list has provoked are therefore unfounded.



Seizure of contraband cigarettes from Haiti

On Tuesday, September 27, thanks to intelligence work carried out in the community of Monte Grande, municipal district of Capotillo (Dajabon), soldiers from the Specialized Land Borders Security Corps (CESFRONT) seized 10,000 packets of 20 contraband cigarettes of the Capital brand from Haiti.



HL/ HaitiLibre


















By William Schwartz | Published on 2022/09/28

Actor Ha Jung-woo and director Yoon Jong-bin have a special relationship. The two first worked together on "The Unforgiven" from 2005, "The Moonlight of Seoul" from 2007, "Nameless Gangster" from 2012, and "KUNDO : Age of the Rampant" from 2014. So it was no major surprise when the two agreed to team up for "Narco-Saints" on Netflix which was released on September 9th. Ha Jung-woo has had recent comments on the international crime film and his long-time collaborator.

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Ha Jung-woo claims that Yoon Jong-bin knows him better than anyone, and that Yoon Jong-bin knows best how to bring out his strongest performances. But on the flip side, Ha Jung-woo is also the actor best adapted to Yoon Jong-bin's particular directing style. Despite this, the two had not worked together for eight years. However, Ha Jung-woo claims that they had discussed the basic premise of "Narco-Saints" from all the way back then with a fifteen page synopsis.

Originally the two had wanted to make "Narco-Saints" a feature film, but Yoon Jong-bin rejected the idea as he didn't see how the story could be compacted to under two hours and thirty minutes. Yoon Jong-bin went on to make "The Spy Gone North" in 2018, and by the time that movie was released, there had been rumblings of major changes in film production. Netflix was trying to establish itself as a credible producer of serious television style dramas, and negotations began anew.

Hwang Jung-min was immediately suggested for the role of Pastor Jeon, the sinister drug lord who crosses paths with the protagonist played by Ha Jung-woo a civilian who infiltrates Pastor Jeon's gang, who must deceive or die. Ha Jung-woo claimed that Yoon Jong-bin was especially necessary as a director, because Ha Jung-woo needed to evoke the clumsy, amateurish attitude of his earlier career- and Yoon Jong-bin was the only director who knew exactly what to look for in his performance.

According to Ha Jung-woo, the earlier parts of the drama were easier for him, as his character did indeed want to go to Suriname for money, so it was logical for him to try and make a drug deal with Pastor Jeon. But later on, as his character is nestled in the organization, there was more conflict that ultimately had to be cut for the six episode constraint. Ultimately family, rather than fear, is used to establish the latter character conflict.

Written by William Schwartz

___________

"Narco-Saints" is directed by Yoon Jong-bin, written by Kwon Seong-hwi, Yoon Jong-bin, and features Ha Jung-woo, Hwang Jung-min, Park Hae-soo, Jo Woo-jin, Yoo Yeon-seok, Choo Ja-hyun. Broadcasting information in Korea: 2022/09/09, Fri on Netflix.
Published on 2022/09/29 | Source

New stills added for the upcoming Japanese-Korean documentary "Soup and Ideology" (2021)

Advertisement

Directed by Yonghi Yang

Narrated by Yonghi Yang,...

A Japanese-Korean co-production

Synopsis

The parents were vehemently opposed to the Japanese son-in-law. The mother carefully cooks stuffed chicken for her Japanese son-in-law who is greeting her for the first time in Osaka. Her family is full of incomprehensible things, but it's just amazing to the husband. One day, the mother tells her memories of her hometown, Jeju Island, which she had never told anyone. Now, with painful memories that are gradually being forgotten, they go to Jeju Island together for the first time since born eating white boiled chicken cooked by the son-in-law.



"Even if we have different opinions, let's eat together". We are a family.

Release date in Korea : 2022/10/20
News Release

Sept. 29, 2022



Contact information

Health officials concerned by increase in measles cases in state, potential for outbreak

Parents urged to make sure children are up to date on immunizations

The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) is working with local public health agencies and health care providers in the Twin Cities area to investigate 13 cases of measles that occurred June through September among several different families with unvaccinated children. Most of these children had a history of travel to a country where measles is common and circulating. The most recent case did not have a reported travel history, but investigators are still working to determine how transmission may have occurred.

All cases are in the Twin Cities area. The children have been as young as two years old to children in their early teens, and just over a third are pre-teen. Seven children were hospitalized for treatment of measles.

Minnesotas 13 cases are several times greater than the number of cases the state sees in a typical year. The higher number of cases prompted health officials to alert health care providers to watch for signs of measles in their patients, especially those with recent travel to areas where the virus is circulating.

The possibility that the most recent case could indicate that measles is spreading in the community prompted health officials today to urge parents to make sure their children are up to date on their childhood immunizations, which include the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine.

The measles virus is highly contagious and very successful at finding people who are unvaccinated, even within groups of people who may be vaccinated, said Dr. Ruth Lynfield, State Epidemiologist. Measles can be a very serious disease, causing hospitalizations and sometimes death. Thats why its so important to maintain high vaccination rates for measles.

The MMR vaccine is safe and highly effective against measles, according to Jennifer Heath, immunizations program coordinator for MDH. Because the virus itself is so contagious, Heath said, an overall vaccination rate of at least 90% in our communities is needed to keep the virus from causing large outbreaks. Minnesota saw a 3% drop in school-age immunizations during the pandemic due largely to people not getting in for routine well-child-care visits.

Even a small drop in the immunization coverage rate means there are thousands more children who could be vulnerable to disease because they are not vaccinated, Heath said. If the coverage rate in a setting like a childcare or school is significantly less than 85 or 90 percent, thats an outbreak waiting to happen, she added.

Overall, the risk to the general public from these cases is low, because most Minnesotans are vaccinated for measles through routine immunizations required for school attendance. Most of the children involved were isolated when symptoms started, so exposures were limited to health care and family settings. However, it just takes one case of travel-associated measles passing it to someone else in the community who is not vaccinated to start an outbreak in a community with lower vaccination rates, Lynfield said.

Any case of measles causes concern for health officials. Measles spreads easily by coughing, talking, or being in the same room with someone who has measles. Initial symptoms of measles include a high fever, cough, runny nose, and watery eyes followed by a rash that typically spreads from the head to the rest of the body. It generally takes 8 to 12 days from exposure to someone with measles to the first symptom, which is usually fever. The measles rash usually appears two to three days after the fever begins. If you have symptoms of measles, call your doctor or clinic and they will let you know if you need to come in for a visit.

Measles was declared eliminated in the U.S. in 2000, but it is still common in other parts of the world. In a typical year, Minnesota sees one to four cases of measles, generally in people who traveled to countries where measles is more common.

There are measles outbreaks occurring in many countries around the world and measles is common in other countries, so it is important for anyone from the U.S. traveling overseas to be vaccinated or have immunity against measles. in 2018, there were more than 140,000 measles deaths globally, mostly among children under the age of five.

We need to maintain our high vaccination rates to make sure measles does not make a comeback in Minnesota, said Margaret Roddy, section manager for vaccine preventable disease at MDH. As long as there is measles somewhere in the world and people travel, the risk to Minnesota remains. The measles vaccine is safe and effective. Without it, the risk of disease is real.

The best way to prevent measles is through vaccination. Children should receive two doses of MMR vaccine: The first at 12 to 15 months of age, and the second at 4 to 6 years of age. Children 6 to 12 months should get an early dose of MMR vaccine if they are traveling to a country where measles is common. For all ages, it is important to talk to your doctor if you are going to be traveling to another country. Your doctor can check to make sure you and your family are up to date on your immunizations and make sure you do not need any other immunizations.

MDH encourages people to check their records to confirm that they and their children have received the MMR vaccine. Minnesotans can request their vaccination records by visiting Find My Immunization Record.

For more information, visit the MDH measles website.

-MDH-

Doug Schultz

MDH Communications

651-201-4993

doug.schultz@state.mn.us
With the technical support from a number of European and Southeast Asian countries, Chinese experts were able to retrace the technical features, attack weapons and paths used in the cyber attack against China's Northwestern Polytechnical University, according to the report published by China's National Computer Virus Emergency Response Center in collaboration with internet security company 360.

China on Tuesday released a new investigation report in which it said further evidence has been found to show the U.S. National Security Agency (NSA) is behind "thousands of cyber attacks" on a Chinese university.

They have found that those attacks originated from the NSA-affiliated Office of Tailored Access Operation (TAO), which had exposed its own technical loopholes and operational missteps during the attack, the report said.

Earlier probe has found that 41 types of cyber weapons were used by TAO in the recently exposed cyber attacks against the university.

Among the 41 types of cyber attack tools, 16 are identical to the TAO's weapons that have been exposed by hacker group "Shadow Brokers," and 23 share a 97 percent genetic similarity with those deployed by TAO, said the report.

The remaining two types need to be used in conjunction with other cyber attack weapons of TAO, the report said, adding that the homology of the weapons suggests they all belong to TAO.

Technical analysis found that the cyber attackers' working time, language and behavior habits, and operation miss have also exposed their links with TAO.

The report detailed the process of TAO's infiltration into the Chinese university's internal network. TAO first used "FoxAcid," a man-in-the-middle attack platform, to hack into the university's internal host computer and servers, and then gained control over several key servers with remote control weapons. It then controlled some important network node equipment including the university's internal routers and switches, and stole authentication data.

Hiding in the university's operation and maintenance servers, TAO stole several key configuration files of network equipment, which were used to "validly" monitor a batch of network equipment and internet users.

The Chinese investigation team found that TAO captured personal information of some people with sensitive identity on the Chinese mainland. The information was sent back to headquarters of the NSA via multiple jump servers.

The report said the true identities of 13 attackers have been found out.

The report, revealing details of the U.S. cyber attacks against the Chinese university, was released to offer lessons to countries across the world so that they can more effectively identify and prevent cyber attacks by TAO.
The ban on studded tyres on Lonnrotinkatu will apply to the 900-metre section between Mannerheimintie and Hietalahdenkatu streets.

The pilot ban on studded tyres will enter into force on parts of Lonnrotinkatu street starting from 28 September 2022. The aim of the three-year pilot is to improve air quality and reduce traffic noise in the area.

The one-way Lonnrotinkatu street runs west from the city centre, serving drivers travelling from Pohjoisesplanadi towards the Ruoholahti district and to the Kamppi and Punavuori districts.

A new traffic sign that prohibits passage while using studded tyres, in accordance with the new Road Traffic Act, will be tested on Lonnrotinkatu until autumn 2025. The pilot aims to study the impact of the studded tyre ban on air quality and the popularity of friction tyres. At the same time, the City will assess the bans consequences, compliance rate and suitability.

The ban will bring in new traffic signs and monitoring devices placed along the street. The devices monitor both air quality and the use of studded tyres.

Driveways accessible even with studded tyres

The sign that bans studded tyres still allows cars with studded tyres to access the plots along the street. Similarly, the ban does not apply to professional vehicles, such as taxis.

The alternative route to Ruoholahti will be about 300 metres longer and traverse Mannerheimintie and Pohjoinen Rautatiekatu. The alternative route to Kamppi and Punavuori will be Bulevardi, which will make the trip about 200 metres longer.

The ban is assessed to have a low impact on the businesses operating on Lonnrotinkatu and its vicinity, and their accessibility by car. The effects of the ban will be assessed during the pilot, and as such, the arrangements can be changed as necessary.

The choice of tyres affects air quality

The air quality in Helsinki is generally good. However, on busy streets, the particulate matter content can be high in places. This is due to the exhaust emissions and street dust caused by traffic. It is assessed that moving from studded to friction tyres will have a significant positive impact on both air quality and traffic noise.

Street dust that decreases air quality consists of gritting and materials released from the street surface, especially when studded tyres grind on the street. The dust affects sensitive groups, such as children and persons with asthma, cardiovascular diseases or lung diseases, in particular.

The City of Helsinki aims to increase the use of friction tyres so that they would make up 70% of winter tyres by 2030.

HT

Source: City of Helsinki
Prime Minister Sanna Marin (SDP) stated that she has discussed the explosions with her counterparts from Denmark and Sweden, offering them all the support needed to investigate to investigate the incident.

THE FINNISH GOVERNMENT on Wednesday discussed a number of foreign policy issues as part of its informal weekly meeting, the so-called evening class, including the explosions in Nord Stream I.

Explosions in the Nord Stream pipeline were intentional in light of all available information. Intentionally damaging and sabotaging the pipeline could be linked to a wider effort to undermine the stability of the Baltic Sea region and incite fear in Europe, she analysed in a press conference in Helsinki.

She refrained, however, from speculating on who could benefit from such consequences. Government officials are monitoring the extremely concerning situation closely, according to Marin.

Minister for Foreign Affairs Pekka Haavisto (Greens) stated that the extent of the damage to the pipelines indicate that the explosions were caused by a state actor.

Only a state actor is capable of this kind of sabotage. This is such extensive sabotage, he said, also reminding that the methane emissions caused by the three leaks pose a threat to both the climate and sea travel.

Estimates already suggest that the leaks could cause emissions equalling one-third of the annual carbon emissions of Denmark.

Minister of Defence Antti Kaikkonen (Centre) voiced his concern about the possibility that tensions in the region increase from an already high level in the wake of the incident. Our current assessment is nonetheless that the events dont pose a military threat to Finland, he added.

Also he viewed that it is premature to tell which actor caused the explosions but called attention to the fact that the explosions coincided with the so-called referendums Russia has orchestrated in parts of Ukraine.

The explosions occurred at the same time as these so-called referendums in eastern and southern areas of Ukraine. It looks like theres an effort that violates international law to annex these areas to Russia. In my opinion this creates a new foundation for escalation in Ukraine. Ukraine mustnt be forgotten for even one second, emphasised Kaikkonen.

The Finnish government also confirmed that will iron out the final details and announce its in-principle decision to restrict the entry of Russian tourists to Finland on Thursday.

The in-principle decision well make will mean that border traffic on the eastern border will decrease significantly, summarised Minister of the Interior Krista Mikkonen (Greens).

The situation at the border, she added, has remained stable for the past couple of days. Helsingin Sanomat revealed on Tuesday that over 7,700 Russians crossed the land border into Finland on Monday.

Most of the Russians arriving in Finland  up to 80 per cent  continue their journey from Finland to other parts of Europe. It has been busy for transit travel, Mikkonen said, assuring that border officials have had the time to conduct the necessary checks.

Aleksi Teivainen  HT
The announcement of fresh sanctions was done at a press conference by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen .

European Commission on Wednesday proposed a new package of sanctions against Russia which includes "new listing of individuals and entities as well as new trade bans on Russian products depriving the country's economy of 7 billion euros in revenues."

"Russia has escalated the invasion of Ukraine to a new level and we are determined to make the Kremlin pay the price for this further escalation," she tweeted and mentioned sanctioning of "more products that can't be exported to Russia, in particular key technologies needed for its war machine."

Proposing a new package of "biting sanctions" against Russia, von der Leyen said that Russia should not benefit from European brainpower and expertise. EU Commission proposed "additional bans on providing European services" that include "prohibition for EU nationals to sit on governing bodies of Russian state-owned companies."

Furthermore, she said that there must be a legal basis for an oil price cap. "Some developing countries still need some Russian oil supplies, at low-prices. This cap will help reduce Russia's revenues and keep global energy markets stable."

"We are stepping up our efforts to crackdown on circumvention of sanctions. Therefore, we are adding a new category to be able to list individuals if they circumvent our sanctions. This will have a major deterring effect," she tweeted.

Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin asserted that the purpose of the West is to weaken, divide and ultimately destroy and he had signed a decree on partial mobilization in Russia amid the ongoing war in Ukraine.

"In order to protect our homeland, its sovereignty and territorial integrity, to ensure the security of our people and people in the liberated territories, I consider it necessary to support the proposal of the Ministry of Defense and the General Staff to conduct partial mobilization in the Russian Federation," he said during nation address today, CNN reported.

Furthermore, referendums on joining Russia were held in the Donetsk and Lugansk People's Republics, as well as the Kherson and Zaporozhye regions in eastern Ukraine.

Earlier, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy dismissed Russian plans to stage referendums in occupied regions in eastern and southern Ukraine as a "noise" and thanked Ukraine's allies for condemning the votes scheduled to start Friday.

US Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield condemned the expected referendums during a meeting with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba and reiterated the US would not recognize any attempt by Russia to "claim annexation of Ukraine's sovereign territory."

The US, along with the G7 nations and European Union (EU) has imposed severe and immediate economic costs on Russia for its "atrocities in Ukraine, including in Bucha".

HT

Source: ANI
Taking to Twitter, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia said, "#Zakharova: Russia has requested that the UN Security Council hold an emergency meeting on the provocations against #NordStream1 and #NordStream2 pipelines, to be held tomorrow, on Friday. We will push for an honest investigation."

Russia has requested the United Nations Security Council to hold an emergency meeting over the acts of sabotage on Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines.

Earlier, European Union Foreign Policy chief Josep Borrell Wednesday expressed deep concern about damage to the Nord Stream pipelines, the strategic infrastructure that links Russia to Europe.

Borrell warned that any deliberate disruption of European energy infrastructure is "utterly unacceptable and will be met with a robust and united response."

"The European Union is deeply concerned about damage to the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines that have resulted in leaks in the international waters of the Baltic Sea. Safety and environmental concerns are of utmost priority. These incidents are not a coincidence and affect us all," the top EU official said in a statement.

"All available information indicates those leaks are the result of a deliberate act. We will support any investigation aimed at getting full clarity on what happened and why, and will take further steps to increase our resilience in energy security," he added.

On Monday, Danish and Swedish officials said that leaks had been identified in Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 under the Baltic Sea off the coast of Denmark's Bornholm island.

HT

Source: ANI
"Tomorrow in the Georgian Hall of the Grand Kremlin Palace at 15:00 [1200 GMT] a signing ceremony will take place on the incorporation of the new territories into Russia," spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Thursday, as quoted by Al Jazeera.

Russia will hold a signing ceremony on Friday to incorporate the annexed four occupied regions of Ukraine at Kremlin, Moscow's President Vladimir Putin 's spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.

He further added that Putin will make a speech at this event.

The referendum by the Russian authorities on the annexation of occupied territories of Ukraine was largely seen as a "sham referendum" and has been widely criticised by various countries.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said that Germany will never accept the results of "sham" referendums on joining Russia in occupied regions of Ukraine.

According to Al Jazeera, Scholz made these remarks in conversation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Scholz reaffirmed Germany's stance saying that the country's support to Ukraine remains unwavering.

Meanwhile, Canada also said that they will not recognise Russia's attempted illegal annexation of Ukrainian territories. "Canada does not and will not ever recognise the results of these sham referendums or Russia's attempted illegal annexation of Ukrainian territories," Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said in a statement.

Serbia, too, will not recognise the results of referendums held in four regions of Ukraine partly occupied by Russian forces, President Aleksandar Vucic has said, as per the portal.

"Serbia ... will not recognise that [referendums] as it adheres to international law, the United Nations Charter and UN resolutions," Vucic said as quoted by Al Jazeera.

Meanwhile, Russia's President Putin signed a decree on Thursday authorising the government to ban some Western trucks from crossing Russian territory.

The ban, which applies to vehicles carrying goods, comes into force immediately and applies to countries with similar restrictions against Russia due to their invasion of Ukraine, according to Al Jazeera.

Looking at the escalation on the Russian side in Ukraine, European Commission on Wednesday proposed a new package of sanctions against Russia which includes a "new listing of individuals and entities as well as new trade bans on Russian products depriving the country's economy of 7 billion euros in revenues."

The announcement of fresh sanctions was done at a press conference by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. "Russia has escalated the invasion of Ukraine to a new level and we are determined to make the Kremlin pay the price for this further escalation," she tweeted and mentioned sanctioning "more products that can't be exported to Russia, in particular key technologies needed for its war machine."

Proposing a new package of "biting sanctions" against Russia, von der Leyen said that Russia should not benefit from European brainpower and expertise. EU Commission proposed "additional bans on providing European services" that include "prohibition for EU nationals to sit on governing bodies of Russian state-owned companies."

Furthermore, she said that there must be a legal basis for an oil price cap. "Some developing countries still need some Russian oil supplies, at low prices. This cap will help reduce Russia's revenues and keep global energy markets stable."

"We are stepping up our efforts to crackdown on circumvention of sanctions. Therefore, we are adding a new category to be able to list individuals if they circumvent our sanctions. This will have a major deterring effect," she tweeted.

HT

Source: ANI
A PUB landlord has won an award for his efforts during the coronavirus pandemic, delivering food to villagers.

Ted Docherty, who runs the White Hart in Nettlebed, was named best community champion at this years Brakspear Hospitality Awards.

At the height of the lockdown, the pub offered groceries and home deliveries to the local community as well as a takeaways.

This was an invaluable service to villagers, particularly the elderly or those living on their own with no one else to do their shopping.

Mr Docherty received a plaque and 1,000 in prize money at the awards ceremony, which was held at the Bull on Bell Street in Henley and attended by company chief executive Tom Davies.

He said: It feels great to receive recognition for our work during covid - winning anything feels great.

Mr Docherty launched his food delivery service in March 2020 in an attempt to get rid of stock left over after the lockdown announcement meant the pub had to close just before Mothering Sunday and lost all its bookings.

He said: We tried to get rid of what we had in the fridge from all the cancellations. Then an increase in requests and demand led to us see a market for it. There was a strain on supermarkets and supply chain algorithms led to limited stock.

Meanwhile, the catering and hospitality chains had lots of available stock. Demand pushed us in this direction and gave us a purpose during lockdown. It felt like we were in Dunkirk  we had to do everything we could to keep the village fed and keep the pub relevant without customers.

It was not profitable as we only added a 10 per cent margin, which did not cover the running costs, but it was not for profit, it was for

survival.

In a week we went from using WhatsApp for messaging customers and receiving requests to opening an online shop.

We redesigned the pub, converting the seating area into a receiving and delivery area. It was challenging but fun.

Now it is pubs themselves that are struggling to cope with the cost of living crisis and increases in energy bills.

Mr Docherty said: The problem is that most pubs are listed buildings so are not going to receive planning permission for things like solar panels in a hurry. We use LED lights but we cannot cook on candle power.

Many pubs are closing two days a week, but the fridges will still be on, which are big energy consumers.

We are one of only a few pubs that are open seven days a week, so Monday and Tuesday are not bad days for us.

At this rate, it feels like arranging chairs on the Titanic - youre looking pretty as you go down.

We are going to ride it out and hope the Government will help us as much as possible.

We are not alone in this  every business is facing the same dilemma.

Claire Wakefield, who runs the Old Bell in Bell Street, Henley, was named best newcomer at the awards.

She took over the just days before the first lockdown was announced and the pub was closed for four months. Since then, she has worked hard to build her trade back up, partly by offering cocktails.

Ms Wakefield, who has always worked in hospitality and was operations and accounts manager for a large hotel timeshare company in Bermuda before she came to Henley, said she was flattered.

She said: I do not look for or expect awards for recognition. For me, recognition comes from the people who come and enjoy my pub when they could spend their money at 11 or 12 other pubs in Henley.

Cocktails are a special part of our pub. I trained for years in

mixology.

Perhaps the best one is the apple pie martini, which came out last autumn.

I like to replace the menu every three months but customers were still asking for this in winter, so it has become a permanent drink.

It is delicious, pretty and tastes exactly like an apple pie  people really get a kick out of it.

Ms Wakefield said the Old Bell was unique.

In Henley, each pub has its own special twist but we are the old-

fashioned boozer, of which there are only a few left in the UK, she said.

Over the years, rising costs have caused many pubs to turn into gastro-pubs, which are wonderful, but the Old Bell has remained focused on drinking.

It is like a step back in time. It is a comfortable, cosy and welcoming pub solely for adults, being the only 25-and-over pub in Henley.

We offer a comfortable and welcoming atmosphere for adults who want to have a drink without any pretence.
Drifters Coffee House is closing its doors after four and a half years in business.

The cafe on Duke Street, which opened in February 2018, will open for a final time tomorrow (Friday).

Owners Millie Jeans and Talia Maguire said the decision was the result of rising bills and a surplus of coffee shops in Henley.

In an Instagram post, the couple said: The time has come to end this chapter earlier than expected. With ever increasing bills and the over saturation in our industry, we will be opening our doors for the final time this Friday 30 September.

Its with a very, heavy heart that we know we must go our own way. Thank you Henley, Ts (Talias) childhood dream was fulfilled here and youve been so good to us.

As for the next chapter? That will begin when were ready. So watch this space. Love, T + Mills.

Japanese noodle bar Pig and Eel only opened above the cafe in August, and owner Josh Marsh is unsure whether he will have to relocate.

The full story will appear in this weeks Henley Standard
Northeast China restaurant fire kills 17 people

Xinhua) 11:25, September 29, 2022

Photo taken on Sept. 28, 2022 shows the site of a fire accident at a restaurant in Changchun, northeast China's Jilin Province. (Xinhua/Zhao Dandan)

CHANGCHUN, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- Seventeen people were killed and another three injured in a restaurant fire in Changchun, capital of northeast China's Jilin Province, local authorities said Wednesday.

The local fire brigade received reports of the incident that occurred in the Changchun high-tech industrial development zone at 12:40 p.m. Wednesday. Firefighters immediately rushed to the site for rescue.

As of 3 p.m., the on-site search and rescue work had ended.

The injured are being treated in a local hospital and the cause of the incident is being investigated.

The Ministry of Emergency Management said that it had dispatched a work team to the site to provide guidance for the rescue work.

The ministry called for efforts to handle the incident in a safe and scientific manner and ascertain the causes of the fire as soon as possible.

Photo taken on Sept. 28, 2022 shows the site of a fire accident at a restaurant in Changchun, northeast China's Jilin Province.(Xinhua/Zhou Wanpeng)

(Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun)
Extending its curation credentials, Four Seasons Hotel Kuwait at Burj Alshaya announces the promotion of its former Hotel Manager, the artistically and culturally minded Martin Kipping, to General Manager.

Having joined the Hotel in 2021 - following 25 years' experience of international luxury hospitality, including 13 years with Four Seasons - Kipping has helped steer the company's Kuwaiti icon through its most challenging period to date. He is now poised to lead the Hotel into a new era of excellence, driven by Four Seasons vision of delivering modern luxury with heart, through meaningful guest experiences that honour cultural connection and support sustainability.

Kipping is one of the industry's consummate professionals. A gifted communicator who is fluent in German, English, Spanish and French, he has long been captivated by different cultures. Raised near Cologne, the cultural capital of Germany's Rhineland, Kipping spent summers exploring Europe with his family, while his love of art saw him toying with a career in architecture. An early tenure at London's The Dorchester inspired his vision of luxury leadership and led to studies at Switzerland's prestigious Les Roches School of Hospitality. Since his first Four Seasons move to Washington in 1997 as Restaurant Manager, he has crafted an extraordinary resume spanning management roles for high-end brands in North America, Latin America and the Caribbean.

The values and familial culture of Four Seasons drew Kipping back to the fold, this time to Kuwait. Set in the heart of the city centre, with an urban sanctuary vibe, the award-winning Hotel taps into the Kuwaitis' passion for luxurious - and innovative - hospitality, delivering an exquisite blend of cutting-edge design alongside a stellar international collection of contemporary art. Spectacular outdoor spaces - exciting for such an urban location - combine wide-reaching city and park views with breath-taking architecture by Gensler of San Francisco, interiors by Yabu Pushelberg of New York, and a world-class Spa and Hammam. In line with the Kuwaitis' discerning appreciation for fine gastronomy, global culinary creativity from Milan to Tokyo shines through five restaurants and lounges serving everything from innovative Far-Eastern cuisine to Arabic and Japanese specialities and fine chocolaterie.

Having worked in different environments across various cultures, Kipping is excited to merge the program-driven aspects of resort environments with the business background of city properties. Under his direction, guests can look forward to even more inspirational immersions in Arabic culture including explorations of culinary delicacies, falconry, and winter camel races, as well as Concierge partnerships that reveal Kuwait's hidden gems.

Sustainability is also key to Kipping's ethos and leadership. The Hotel is on track to make its guest rooms plastic-free by the end of the year, while further initiatives - including enhanced support of local producers and an onsite water processing site - are in the pipeline.
Sujata Devraj, Director of Development at M3, has been announced as a finalist in Atlantas Best Tech Manager category for the 2022 Timmy Awards. Now in its 8th year, the Timmy Awards, presented by Motion Recruitments community platform, Tech in Motion, recognizes the top workplaces and people across North America. Managers like Devraj are nominated due to their leadership, innovation, and positive influence. Celebrating technology leaders and visionaries who go beyond the required duties of a manager, these nominees promote career growth, ensure a great team culture, and lead their team through the unexpected, all while providing the highest quality product and service.

Managers and tech leaders have to work harder than ever to bring their teams together in an ever-changing world and empower them to be their very best selves, said Lindsay Lewis, Director of Marketing at Tech in Motions creator, Motion Recruitment. The Timmy finalists for Best Tech Manager truly value their teams and tirelessly work to help strengthen and motivate them in their professional development.

M3 is the leading provider of back-office accounting, business intelligence, and labor management solutions in the hospitality industry. With 7,500 individual hotel properties online, representing over 1,000 customers, M3 provides hoteliers and management groups of all portfolio sizes the ability to drive financial performance, save time on manual processes, and focus on what is important: hotel guests. M3 attributes its success to the people behind the platform, working day in and day out to ensure the M3 Product Suite is just what hoteliers need.

M3 works incredibly hard to ensure our employees have everything they need to succeed at work and home, said M3s Chief Operations Officer, Casi Johnson. Sujatas dedication to not only her department, but M3 as a whole helps to continuously develop and improve M3s product suite and corporate culture.

In addition to Best Tech Manager, you can vote until October 5th in other Atlanta Timmy Awards categories: Best Tech for Good, Best Tech Workplace for Diversity, Best Tech Enterprise Employer, Best Tech Startup, and Best Tech Work Culture. All regional award winners will be announced in October and go on to compete in the national categories. The 2022 Timmy Awards ceremony is on November 10th and will once again be a completely digital experience. To vote, RSVP, or learn more, visit the Timmys website.

About M3

Built by hoteliers exclusively for hoteliers, M3 is a powerful cloud-based financial platform and services company serving over 7,500 properties across North America's hospitality industry by driving cost savings, revenue enhancement, and business insight. After 23 years in business without increasing prices, M3 touts a 95 percent customer retention rate. Used by over 1,000 management groups and owner-operators and hotels of all sizes, the platform works seamlessly with other key systems and tools in the hospitality industry and offers robust accounting and financial analysis across entire portfolios with optional operations and time management features. M3's professional services team provides on-demand support for hotels of any size by offering a full range of customized accounting solutions to scale with a hotel's needs. Privately held and employee-owned, M3 continues to enhance products and services at no additional charge to its customers. For more information, visit www.m3as.com.

Haley Wolf

Marketing and Public Relations Manager

+1 770 533 0545

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Adams Arts Advisory Board Wants to Become Independent

ADAMS, Mass.  The Adams Arts Advisory Board is exploring the possibility of becoming an independent entity from the town, to have more autonomy to pursue organizational goals.

The group, formed in 2015 by the Board of Selectmen, was established to promote more opportunities for creative ventures in town. The decision to become independent, said board members, has nothing to do with them not wanting to work with town government.

"This is not about severing relationship with a town," said Melissa Silverstein. "It's also making it easier for them in terms of administration, not having another group to be like, 'Where's your minutes? Where's this? Where's that?' But it's also about building new relationships with the town, in terms of the cultural district and everything else."

The separation would give the board more autonomy as an organization, allowing it to be economically and administratively independent from the town. Board member George LeMatrie explained that the board did not realize until recently that it was officially incorporated into the town.

"I don't think anybody on the board, the original board or any of the other boards up to this point knew that we had a formal relationship with the town and that we were supposed to abide by the town rules and regulations for a committee under the town administration," he said.

Board member Yina Moore said another problem would be if the board wanted to add more members.

"The board number has to be restricted to five. So if we want to do more, and we needed more help, it is harder to expand," she said. "And then very quickly, we realized that there's limits to what we can do, given that we're all volunteers."

Selectmen Howard Rosenberg and Joseph Nowak were present for the meeting. Rosenberg said he, personally, would be in favor of the change, noting that it would give the board fewer restraints, allowing the members to focus more on what they are passionate about.

"If you remain part of the town as a board, you have to abide by all Massachusetts law; public meetings, minutes, and it would put a big burden on you," he said. "And we would set the budget for you. You could advise us about how much you needed, but at the end of the day, town meeting would have to approve it, and it'd be out of your hands."

The group plans to discuss more with Town Administrator Jay Green to determine the process of separating and gauge whether there is support for the decision among town government.

In other business, Silverstein provided an update on the group's initiative to have downtown Adams designated by the Massachusetts Cultural Council as a state-sanctioned cultural district. She said the group is waiting on the state to reopen the process to become a cultural district.

"As of right now, the portal for the state to sign up for cultural district is closed. They're looking at how they are going to do the cultural distance moving forward," she said.

Silverstein said the process can begin to move forward again once the state makes a decision.

"The key for the cultural district is to build community around it. So we have to connect with businesses and other people, build a core committee and then go from there," she said. "But there's not like any forward movement as of right now because we don't have the ability to do that."
The $30 million cancer center at BMC's Hillcrest campus is being named the Phelps Cancer Center in honor of former BHS President David Phelps who was instrumental in its development.

BMC Renaming Cancer Center After Former President, CEO

PITTSFIELD, Mass.  Berkshire Health Systems is renaming the BMC Cancer Center to honor former health system President and CEO David E. Phelps in recognition of his leadership in the development of the center and its membership in the Dana-Farber Cancer Care Collaborative.

The new name is the Phelps Cancer Center.

"Throughout Dave's nearly three decades at the helm of our organization, BHS overcame a seriously troubled financial outlook and weak quality performance to become an A-rated system financially and a nationally recognized performer in patient care, quality, and safety," said Darlene Rodowicz, president and CEO of Berkshire Health Systems. "One of Dave's greatest accomplishments during his tenure was the establishment of the cancer center at the Hillcrest Campus of BMC, which opened in fall 2013."

Phelps, who retired in January, developed a vision for a cancer care facility that would not only smoothly coordinate the highest quality care for patients in a convenient, close-to-home location, but would also offer integrated, whole-patient care for patients and their families, including social worker support, fitness, acupuncture, nutrition assistance, and other types of integrative wellness programming.

The cancer experience of a close family member led Phelps to engage with Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, and the idea of maintaining a close relationship with a leading research organization like Dana-Farber became an integral part of his plans for the future of cancer care in the Berkshires, which ultimately led to the creation of the Dana-Farber Cancer Care Collaborative, of which BMC was the first member.

"Our organization's relationships with community hospitals have allowed Dana-Farber Cancer Institute to collaborate and expand what's possible. That started here in collaboration with Berkshire Medical Center," said Elizabeth Liebow, chief integration officer and senior vice president of strategy and organizational effectiveness for Dana-Farber. "BMC and Dana-Farber have been involved in a 10-year relationship of respect and mutual learning."

As a collaborative member, Phelps Cancer Center standards and practices are validated by one of the nation's leading cancer care and research institutions. The relationship ensures that patients can have streamlined access to specialists and second opinions at Dana-Farber in Boston. It also gives them access to participate in Dana-Farber clinical trials and enables Phelps Center clinical staff to engage with Dana-Farber professional groups and other collaborative members to continue developing new ways to serve Berkshire patients.

Barton Raser, chair of the Berkshire Health Systems board of trustees, commented on the incredible value of the cancer center, stating, "Dave has given our community a priceless gift  what we have right here in the Berkshires at the cancer center is hope. And the promise that no cancer patient is ever alone. On behalf of the board and leadership of BHS, we are proud to re-name the cancer center in Dave's honor."
On September 28, 2022, India proposed retaliatory additional duty of 15 percent on 22 imports items from the UK, including blended whiskey, Scotch, cheese, etc. The move comes as a response to curbs imposed by the UK on import of 15 steel products, which caused a slump in Indian exports and resulted in loss of duty collection worth US$247.70 million.

In retaliation to the United Kingdoms move to impose restrictions on steel products, India has proposed additional customs duties of 15 percent on the import of 22 items from the UK. This retaliatory move, announced on September 28, 2022, comes as a response to the tariff-rate quotas on 15 steel product categories imposed by the UK with an out-of-quota duty of 25 percent.

In a communication to World Trade Organizations (WTO) Council for Trade in Goods, India notified the global trade body of its decision to suspend concessions or other obligations under the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) 1994 and the Agreement on Safeguards that are substantially equivalent to the amount of trade affected by the safeguards UK has put in place.

India also specified that these curbs on steel products by the UK have resulted in a decline of Indian exports to the tune of 2,19,000 tons, on which duty collection would have otherwise amounted to US$247.70 million.

Both India and UK held consultations on August 5, 2022 virtually to discuss the extensions of the safeguard by the UK on concerned steel products, originally applied by the European Union (EU). It must be noted that these extensions have been expanded several times starting October, 2020.

However, on September 1, 2022, India communicated to the WTO that if no agreement is reached between both countries on the matter of compensation, India would reserve its right to suspend concessions or other obligations substantially equivalent to the adverse effects of the measures on the UKs trade. As a consequence, India announced additional custom duty of 15 percent, equivalent to the amount of duty collected from products originating in the UK.

Which imported items from UK will face 15 percent additional duties?
Indias Northeast Region (NER) is among the poorer and less developed parts of the nation but provides investors with a strategic landscape and various greenfield opportunities. A key appeal of the states in this region is the abundance of raw materials, cheaper labor costs, and access to Southeast Asian markets. In this article, we take a closer look at investment opportunities in the NER and how the region is transitioning from a primarily agrarian economy.

Indias Northeast Region (NER) is the easternmost region of the country and represents both a geographic and political administrative division. It comprises of eight states  Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Tripura, and Sikkim.

These eight states account for an area of 262,230 square kilometers (101,250 sq mi) just larger than the UK  and almost eight percent of that of India. Interestingly, this region shares 99 percent of its borders with other countries  Bangladesh, Bhutan, Chinese Tibet, and Myanmar  and only one percent with another Indian state  West Bengal.

The region is also strategically important for Indias economic growth. The Look East policy emerged as an important foreign policy initiative for New Delhi in the post-Cold War period  connecting Northeast India to East Asia and ASEAN. Launched in 1991 by the Narasimha Rao government, the policy was created with the aim of developing political contacts, increasing economic integration, and forging security cooperation with countries of Southeast Asia. In 2014, the Narendra Modi government launched a new iteration, the Act East Policy, to promote economic cooperation, enhance connectivity and cultural ties, and develop strategic relationships with countries in the Indo-Pacific region through continuous engagement at bilateral, regional, and multilateral levels. Major ongoing projects in the region under this policy include the Kaladan Multi Modal Transit Transport Project, the India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway Project, and Port Connectivity with Thailand and Indonesia.

The NER might be one of the less developed regions of India, but it possesses huge potential in several industries and sectors. With peace established in the region, the government is also putting increasing emphasis on encouraging growth in the NER.

In the last two decades, economic growth in the NER has been impressive, with an annual growth rate in excess of 8 percent. The movement towards more productive industries plays a large part in this.

Growth industries in Northeast India

Petrochemicals

Assam has the highest recoverable reserves of crude oil and natural gas in India. The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gass (MoPNG) Hydrocarbon Vision 2030 aims to ramp up oil and gas production in the NER with the goal of contributing to overall socio-economic development.

Assam has more than 100 oil fields and 200 million metric tons of crude oil reserves. Today, Assam accounts for 15 percent of Indias crude output and 50 percent of the countrys entire onshore production of oil and natural gas. The resource has the capacity to enhance economic transformation across the state.

However, the discovery of hydrocarbon resources has also engendered intra-state squabbling over resource rights. The Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) has discovered vast reserves of hydrocarbon deposits in parts of the sensitive Kolasib district on Assams borders. It is speculated that up to 5,52,674 cubic feet of gas could be extracted from the Meidum exploration site in Kolasib, Mizoram.

There are four ONGC blocks  all of which carry tremendous potential  that fall within disputed areas along the Assam-Nagaland border, also known as the Disputed Area Belt (DAB).

Despite these challenges, the industry is developing and so are ancillary and downstream sectors. The Assam Gas Cracker Project  North-East Indias largest petrochemical project  is being implemented by Brahmaputra Cracker and Polymer Limited (BCPL). Assam also has the highest number of refineries in the country  the government says it is a testimony to the amount of oil produced in the state.

The hydrocarbon industry can also support other sectors. Earlier this year, it was announced that Assam would export methanol and formaldehyde to Bangladesh. The industry can also produce organic intermediate products, such as plastic, rubber, fiber, and other raw materials.

Renewables

While the regions hydrocarbon resources mean it could become a net-exporter in the coming years, the states also have considerable potential in renewable energy. It is estimated by the Central Electricity Authority (CEA) that the region has a total hydropower potential of 58,971 MW.

This figure is truly sizeable when considering the UK  a world-leader in renewable power  only has 25,530 MW of wind capacity in operation. This is enough to power 19 million households a year.

However, as of July 2021, only about five percent of the NERs hydro potential has been developed. And while the states have negligible potential for solar installations, the CEA says the region has estimated solar power potential of 57,360 MW.

Sikkim is a state with a strategic locational advantage in terms of hydropower with the Teesta and Rangeet  two major rivers flowing through the state and nearly a hundred tributaries. Sikkim has a considerable hydropower generation capacity, with an estimated potential of 8000 MW, according to Invest India. Meanwhile, Bangladesh-bordering Meghalaya has a hydroelectric power potential of approximately 3,000 MW.

As of June 2021, the northeastern states have an installed renewable energy capacity of 2,329 MW, representing only a small fraction of the regions capacity. 83 percent of this capacity is accounted for by hydropower plants. As such, reports suggest considerable untapped potential for renewable investment projects.

Manufacturing

The NER has a primarily agrarian economy, but manufacturing sectors are developing in line with the central governments objectives. The northeastern states are deemed to have considerable manufacturing potential, primarily for two reasons.

Firstly, the location of the region, connecting India to the Southeast Asian markets, makes the NER a truly attractive location for a potential manufacturing hub. Secondly, the region has rich social capital, cheap labor costs, and plenty of natural resources, including huge energy potential moving forward.

There are ongoing efforts to encourage skills development on a state and national level to enhance the regions attractiveness to manufacturing-related investment. Under the Skill India programs, 300,000 youths have been trained in the region over the past six years. The program, which provides free skill training and certification across various roles, is provided to improve employability.

Many existing manufacturing industries are linked to the agrarian sector, such as tea, textiles, grain mill products, and food processing. The processing of forestry products for plywood and paper are also a source of manufacturing growth.

Key sectors in Indias northeastern states

State State and economic facts Key sectors Assam Indias oldest operating oil refinery at Digboi.

Largest producer of onshore natural gas in India.

Contributes 50 percent of tea production in India. Pharmaceuticals and medical equipment

Plastics and petrochemicals

Power

River transport and port township

Information technology

Textiles and handloom Arunachal Pradesh Longest international border in North-East India bordering Bhutan to the west (160km), China to the north and northeast (1080km), and Myanmar to the east (440km).

80 percent forest cover  rich flora and fauna of the state are characterized by 601 species of orchids and 622 species of medicinal plants.

Home to Indias largest, and worlds second largest, monastery  Tawang Monastery. Power

Agriculture and forest-based industries

Textiles and handicrafts

Tourism Manipur Highest number of handicrafts units and craft persons in the NER.

Leading producer of bamboo in India.

Kachai Lemon festival celebrated every year to promote investment in the crop. Agriculture and allied activities

Horticulture

Sericulture

Bamboo-processing industries Meghalaya Producer of one of the finest varieties of turmeric  the Lakadong turmeric.

Third largest producer of strawberries in India.

Shillong: Rock capital of India is known for its music festivals. Hydroelectric power

Agriculture and horticulture

Mineral industry

Tourism and hospitality Mizoram Highest forest cover in India  85.41 percent of its geographic area.

Second largest producer of bamboo in North-East India.

Second largest producer of strawberry in India. Textiles and handloom

Fisheries

Agriculture and food processing Nagaland Third highest producer of cobalt in India.

600 million tons of crude oil reserves.

Naga tree tomato and Chakhesang shawl are registered geographical indications (GI) of Nagaland. Agriculture and allied activities

Apiculture

Mining

Sericulture Sikkim Largest producer of large cardamom in India.

Highest per capita income among northeastern states.

Home to 315 glacier lakes and worlds third highest mountain peak Mt. Kanchenjunga. Agriculture and food processing

Hydropower

Tourism

Pharmaceuticals Tripura Fifth largest tea producing state in India.

Fourth highest literacy rate among all Indian states.

Natural gas is available in non-toxic form (with ~94 percent methane). Bamboo

Tourism

Information technology

Food processing

Technology

Policies and initiatives supporting NER

The NER is one of the less developed regions of the country. It faces many challenges, the most prevalent being comparatively poor infrastructure, particularly with regards to connectivity. There are also issues around generating economic opportunity in the hilly and difficult terrain, which can lead to high operational costs. Citizens suffer from a lack of employment opportunities, and this creates the need for subsistence farming  rarely a positive marker for economic development.

However, as discussed, the region also has immense economic potential, with growth prospects in several areas, including petrochemicals, manufacturing, and renewable energy.

The central government has been touting the NER as a location for investment in recent years. In November 2021, Union Home Minister Amit Shah called on industries and businesses to invest in the northeast and said the Narendra Modi government has created a conducive environment for the industrial growth of the region.

Shah highlighted that the government has been successful in restoring peace across the region in recent years and underlined achievements in upgrading infrastructure and connectivity. Connectivity, be it road, rail, and air, is a particularly important part of the economic development process given the regions geographic positioning and its capacity to directly link India with East and Southeast Asia. The government hopes to connect all eight states by air by 2024 and seven of the eight state capitals by rail.

This commitment was demonstrated in the Prime Ministers Development Initiative for North East (March 2022). Projects within the initiative include a pilot project for construction of the bamboo link road in Mizoram and the Aizawl by-pass.

These initiatives are being complimented at state and central government levels by further policies and schemes to enhance connectivity and encourage investment. These include:

Tripura Industrial Investment Promotion Incentives Scheme, 2017

The IT, Electronics, Telecommunications Policy for the state of Sikkim

The Nagaland Startup Policy (2019)

The Meghalaya Electric Vehicle Policy (2021)

Through a wide range of policies and initiatives, New Delhi and the regional leadership aim to encourage investment into these eight states. The government will hope that investors see the unique opportunities this region offers, with access to East Asian and ASEAN markets.
Ambuja Cements said on Wednesday that it had created NDU over 50% of the shares in its subsidiary ACC Ltd as "collateral for loans taken by the firm."

According to a regulatory filing by Ambuja Cements, the company created a non-disposable undertaking (NDU) over 9.39 crore shares of ACC Ltd on September 26, 2022.

NDU is distinct from stock pledges. Unlike pledging, which forbids the selling of shares, NDU permits the sale of stocks.

Through a Mauritius-based SPV called Endeavour Trade and Investment Ltd (ETIL), which is owned by Xcent Trade and Investment Ltd., Adani bought the two companies Ambuja and ACC (XTIL).

Days after completing its USD 6.5 billion acquisition of Ambuja Cements and ACC, Adani Group announced last week that it had pledged its whole USD 13 billion share in the two companies.

On September 16, the Adani Group revealed that it had successfully acquired Ambuja Cements and ACC for USD 6.5 billion, including the purchase of Swiss industrial giant Holcim's interest in the two companies and subsequent open offers to minority shareholders.

Gautam Adani stated in a speech to shareholders following the closing of the deal that his company intended to increase its capacity for producing cement and become the most successful producer in the nation.

The ports-to-energy conglomerate has suddenly grown to be the second-largest cement maker in the nation, according to a speech given by the founder and chairman of the Adani Group on September 17 at an event to celebrate the conclusion of the acquisition.

Chairman of the Adani Group had stated on Tuesday that the company will invest USD 100 billion over the following ten years, particularly in new energy and the digital sector, which includes data centres.

Adani added as he continued to gradually divulge the group's new energy plans, "Up to 70% of this investment will be in the energy transition space."

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To lessen the nation's reliance on imports, state-owned Hindustan Copper Limited (HCL) will gradually expand mine production of the metal to 20.2 million tonnes per annum (MTPA), a top business official announced on Wednesday.

The proposed expansion of the Malanjkhand Copper Project (MCP) in Madhya Pradesh will increase the copper ore production capacity from two MTPA to five MTPA by developing an underground mine beneath the existing open pit, whose life is nearing its end, HCL CMD Arun Kumar Shukla stated at the company's AGM in Kolkata.

He claimed that due to its use in industries including electronics, construction, industrial machinery, and consumer goods, the demand for copper is anticipated to increase over the long term.

Additionally, according to Shukla, only 0.31% of the world's copper ore deposits are in India.

Only 0.1% of the world's mining production capacity comes from the country, while only 4% of the world's refined copper is produced there, he continued.

According to Shukla, phase one of the ore production expansion will take seven to eight years, after which it will be increased to 20.2 MTPA.

He claimed that due to the government's emphasis on infrastructure, defence, renewable energy, and electric vehicles, copper usage in India is predicted to increase significantly.

Production in the east will increase if mining operations at Ghatshila, Jharkhand, resume, he claimed.

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Pakistans brazen support to anti-India extremists has been exposed again with the countrys top diplomat openly coming out in support of the leaders of the banned Popular Front of India. These have been arrested for their links to terrorism.

The move comes within a week of Janbaz Khan, currently Pakistans Consul General in Vancouver, visiting two Gurdwaras in Surrey, BC, Canada to back pro-Khalistani extremists. His brazen ability to use religion and minority status as a connecting force with the Muslim-oriented PFI has now come into play after his secret parleys with radical Canada-based Sikhs.

Pakistan's love & sympathies for PFI proved that banning them is right. #PFIExposed pic.twitter.com/oaIx74EwI2  Harsh Chaturvedi BJP (@harshcha) September 28, 2022

Janbaz Khan has served two tenures in New Delhi with the Pakistan High Commission and seems to have been carefully chosen by Islamabad as he has developed links with anti-India extremist outfits. He is also familiar with Indias socio-economic milieu which enables him to comfortably interact with these groups and promote Pakistans devious anti-India agenda. Khan on Wednesday attempted to amplify a PFI tweet to oppose the ban on the terror-linked organisation.

The official Twitter handle of the PFI had said after the ban on Wednesday (Sept 28th), massive arrests are going on in the BJP-ruled states in the name of preventive custody. This is nothing but prevention of the right to democratic protests against the Central governments witch-hunt targeting PFI is quite natural and expected under this autocratic system.

Janbaz Khan, while extending support to the PFIs propaganda on social media, tagged various offices of the United Nations and its affiliated organizations, with his reply. The tweet was, however, deleted after some time but a screenshot of the same went viral on the net.

The timing of his visit to Gurdwaras in Surrey coincided with the so-called Sikh Referendum held on September 18 by extremist elements in Brampton, Ontario. The diplomat was accompanied by two of his colleagues and held secret meetings with pro-Khalistan radicals to express support for their cause. But the ostensible reason used to pass off the visit was that he wanted to thank the Sikhs for the relief material they sent for the flood-affected people of Pakistan.

Khan has now tried to amplify the PFI tweet even as Indias anti-terror organisation NIA in the last few days unearthed several documents in which prove the organisation taught its cadre how to make IEDs (explosive devices) .

A few months ago, police in Bihar said the group had circulated a document that spoke of making India an Islamic nation. The organisation also prepared an anti-India document Mission 2047 containing videos of the Islamic State.

According to a dossier compiled by the investigative agencies, the PFI aimed to have uniformed cadre training in martial arts and defensive/offensive tactics and form Action Squads to take revenge from the enemy.

The notification issued by the Union Home Ministry mentions the outfits links with banned terrorist groups such as Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI), Jamat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) and Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), and said that PFI is involved in several criminal and terror cases.

The Ministry of Home Affairs has registered a host of charges against the PFI and its members, including sedition, creating enmity between different sections of society and taking steps to destabilise India.

Investigations have also revealed that PFI has formed committees in UAE, Oman, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and other places to raise funds. Targets are given to individuals to collect cash and transfer the same to India through Hawala or camouflaged as genuine business transactions.
China has denied that the dental assistant killed on Wednesday evening in a Karachi clinic is a Chinese national. Two more Chinese nationals were injured in the shooting when a man posing as a patient opened fire in the HU Dental Clinic.

The usually quick-to-respond Chinese government did not issue a statement on the attack for a full 24-hours, neither did the State-owned media carry a news report about it.

One day after the attack, responding to an AFP correspondent, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said the victim was not Chinese. Wang said: We express condolences for the victim and sympathies to the injured. To my knowledge, the victim you mentioned was not a Chinese citizen.

However, the spokesman did not comment on the nationality of the dentist couple, reportedly possessing a dual Chinese-Pakistani citizenship.

Therere mistaken reports that victims are Chinese nationals. All have Pakistan citizenships. Dr. Hu had been practicing there for decade. They seem to be part of a small Chinese-Pakistani community that moved there aft the Partition pic.twitter.com/WdqK3xlCMs  Carl Zha (@CarlZha) September 29, 2022

Surprisingly, the vociferous Global Times and Chinese Xinhua news agency did not even carry news of the attack. In earlier attacks on Chinese nationals, the Global Times has raised the pitch asking Pakistan to take stern action against the perpetrators.

The Sindhudesh Peoples Army (SPA)  a little-known Sindhi militant group claimed responsibility for the attack. Spokesperson Suri Sindhi also warned China to stop investing in Sindh. The statement said that future attacks by the SPA will be worse.

The three Chinese origin people were shot at by a pistol-wielding patient who sat waiting for his turn and opened fire on Dr Richard Hu, his wife Mrs Phen Teyin and assistant Ronald Raymond Chou with a pistol. The husband-wife duo is in hospital while Ronald was killed in the firing.

Karachi, Pakistans industrial and financial capital, has seen a series of deadly attacks against the Chinese this year. Most of the attacks have been carried out by Baloch rebel groups seeking an independent Balochistan. However, at least one of the attacks has been carried out by a Sindhi group as well.

A bomb blast targeted at the Pakistani Coast Guard in a Karachi market in May this year had killed one person and injured 13. This was one of the few attacks believed to have been carried out by the Sindhi rebels in Karachi. Insurgent group, the Sindhudesh Revolutionary Army (SRA) which took responsibility for the blast is leading a campaign against the settling in of outsiders from other parts of Pakistan in Sindh.

Most of the other attacks in Karachi, many aimed at the Chinese, have been planned by Baloch insurgents. One of the biggest one this year was the suicide bombing on April 26 by Shari Baloch, a female suicide bomber of the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), that killed three Chinese teachers of the Confucius Institute and their Pakistani driver.

The Baloch insurgents are opposed to the $62 China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), which they term as exploitative as it allegedly mines natural wealth from their mineral-rich region for the benefit of Pakistan and China.

Regarding the Chinese dental clinic blast, Pakistans Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah called it an attack on the Chinese people and ordered extra security for the already vulnerable Chinese nationals in Pakistan.

Also Read: Balochistan, Sindhi nationalists unite to oppose Pak, China and CPEC
Russian President Vladimir Putin has once again spotlighted the presence of terrorist and extremist groups in Afghanistan which could destabilise the situation in neighbouring countries.

Addressing the heads of security agencies and intelligence services of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) in Moscow Thursday evening, Putin detailed how continuing instability in Afghanistan has wider ramifications for the entire region.

A difficult situation  you know this perfectly, better than anyone else  has developed in Afghanistan. Terrorist and extremist groups continue to operate actively there. And confirmation of this is the bloody terrorist attack that took place on September 5 near the Russian embassy in Kabul, which claimed the lives of our citizens, he told the gathering of top security officials from the former countries of the Soviet Union.

The Russian President stated that it is obvious that the international terrorists on Afghan territory can build criminal plans in relation to border countries, including the CIS states.

For example, (they will) try to recruit accomplices and create new cells or reactivate the sleepers, supply weapons to the militants. All such attempts must be responded to in a timely manner, including by actively using the potential of the CIS Antiterrorist Centre, he added in his statement made via videoconference.

Putins deep concerns about the Afghan situation came before Fridays 18th meeting of the Heads of Security Agencies and Intelligence Services of the CIS Member States on Intelligence Activities being hosted by Moscow.

The event, which will be opened by Russian Foreign Intelligence Service chief Sergei Naryshkin, is being attended by delegations from Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

On September 5, a terrorist activated an explosive device in the direct vicinity of the entrance to the Consular Department of the Russian Embassy in Kabul, killing two employees of the diplomatic mission and injuring many citizens of Afghanistan as well.

It is not the first time that Russia has urged the CIS countries to focus more on its borders due to the formation of many common security threats.

IndiaNarrative.com has previously reported about Putin admitting that terrorists on the warpath from conflict zones in Syria and Iraq are being redirected to Afghanistan after the Talibans return.

Militants with experience in waging war in Syria and Iraq are being drawn there. So, it is possible that terrorists might try to destabilise the situation in neighbouring countries, including the CIS countries, and go as far as starting to expand outrightly, Putin had said at the meeting of CIS Heads of Security Agencies and Intelligence Services last October.

Moscow remains worried that terrorists from Afghanistan can penetrate into the states of the Central Asian region, and from there into Russia through the Russian-Kazakh section of the state border.

With the number of hotbeds of military-political instability near its borders increasing, Putin, in his address, also targeted the West by accusing it of working out scenarios for fomenting new conflicts in the CIS space.

We already have enough of them. It is enough to look at what is happening now between Russia and Ukraine, what is happening on the borders of some other CIS countries. Of course, all this is the result of the collapse of the Soviet Union, this is all understandable. But the risks of destabilization are still growing, including the risks of destabilization of the entire Asia-Pacific region, he said.

Also Read: Putin warns terrorists from Syria and Iraq are pouring into Afghanistan, neighbouring countries must stay alert
Global Indigenous: Government pardons, environmental concerns and words that matter

Coverage around the world on Indigenous issues for the week ending Sept. 18, 2022
The Indian healthcare industry faced the second highest cyberattacks in the world in 2021, reports cyber security intelligence firm CloudSEK, which also provides cyber threat intelligence to Indian cyber security watchdog CERTin.



Unsplash/Representational Image

According to the CloudSEK report on Increased cyberattacks on the global healthcare sector, the Indian healthcare industry faced 7.7 per cent (71 lakh records) of cyberattacks while the US healthcare industry faced 28 per cent of the total global attacks.



According to the firm, the healthcare industry is witnessing technological advancements in the sector such as remote health monitoring, electronic health records and the Internet of Things (IoT) and cyber criminals have found this sector as an opportunity to attack for their benefit.

What is a cyberattack?

Unsplash/Representational Image

Cyber Attack is a malicious and deliberate attempt to breach the information system of any individual or organization by any individual or organization. The intention behind these attacks includes monetary gains, accessing critical information about any country, security and intelligence hacking etc.

There are many types of cyberattacks which include Malware (Ransomware, Spyware, Worms, viruses, and Trojans), Phishing, Man-in-the-middle (MitM) attacks etc. In 2017, WannaCry, a ransomware attack resulted in locking the devices of users and also prevented them to access data until a ransom amount was paid to the attackers. The Indian cities including Kolkata, Delhi, Bhubaneswar, Pune and Mumbai had also faced the attack.

India faced 3,700 cyber attacks every day

Loksabha was informed that India is the third most network attacks affected country in the world. The country reported 674,021 cyber attacks until June 2022 i.e. almost 3,700 cyber attacks every day.

Unsplash/Representational Image

Oil India in Assam is among the most serious incidents of ransomware attacks in India, in which over 200 computers of the company got encrypted and operations came to a halt for almost a week.

The health and banking sectors are severely hit by these cyber attacks.

Cyber security and Initiatives to fight cyberattacks in India

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According to the Indian Express, Cyber Security deals with the protection of cyberspace including critical information infrastructure from attack, damage, misuse and economic espionage.

In 2018, Cyber Surakshit Bharat Initiative was launched to raise awareness about cybercrime and create safety measures for Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs) and frontline IT staff across all government departments.

The Cyber Swachhta Kendra (Botnet Cleaning and Malware Analysis Centre) was launched to provide safe cyberspace under which botnet infections are detected in India and secure systems of end users to prevent future infections.

Unsplash/Representational Image

In 2019, the Online cybercrime reporting portal was launched to report cybercrimes online. It is a citizen-centric initiative that enables citizens to report cybercrimes and it particularly focuses on crimes against women, and children, particularly child pornography, child sex abuse material, online content related to rapes/gang rapes, etc.

Under the Information Technology Act, 2000, the National Critical Information Infrastructure Protection Centre (NCIIPC) was established to deal with Critical Information Infrastructure (CII). the act defines CII as, Computer resource, the incapacitation or destruction of which, shall have a debilitating impact on national security, economy, public health or safety.





For more on news and current affairs from around the world please visit Indiatimes News.
The government of Haldwani, Uttarakhand, has created a unique initiative for travelers who want to understand what it's like to be incarcerated. According to them, this is also designed for people who want to serve time to eliminate a problematic astrological alignment within their horoscope.

representational pictures

For Rs. 500 every night spent in jail, the jail administration in Haldwani, Uttarakhand, has struck up a novel technique to help people avoid "bad karma."



To accommodate "tourists" seeking a genuine "jail experience," a section of the former prison is currently being refurbished.

Not only visitors but those whose astrologers advised them to serve time in jail to avoid "Bandhan Yog" in horoscopes that forecast imprisonment.

The Times of India reported that the Haldwani prison was constructed in 1903 and is today used to house "jail guests" in a section that includes the former armory and six staff quarters.

iStock

"The jail frequently received "orders" from senior officials to allow "recommended persons" to spend a few hours in the jail barracks. These "tourist inmates" are given prison uniforms and food made in the jail kitchen," Satish Sukhija, the prison's deputy jail superintendent told TOI.



"All such cases are mainly of people whose astrologers predict that a jail term is inevitable as per the planetary positions in their horoscope. We have an abandoned portion inside the prison that can be developed as a dummy jail to accommodate such inmates' for a night for a nominal fee of  500," the jail official said.

A Haldwani-based astrologer, Mrityunjay Ojha, said,

Screengrab

"When three celestial bodies, including Saturn and Mars, are placed in an unfavorable position in one's horoscope or birth chart, it becomes an equation that predicts the person may have to undergo imprisonment. In such a situation, we usually advise the subject to spend a night in jail and have their meals provided by inmates to bypass the bad effects of planetary positions."



"I had moved a proposal regarding the matter to the inspector-general of prisons. He not only appreciated it but even asked me to send him a detailed project report," Sukhija told TOI.

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MIT Computer Science & Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL) spin-off DataCebo is offering a new tool, dubbed Synthetic Data (SD) Metrics, to help enterprises compare the quality of machine-generated synthetic data by pitching it against real data sets.

The application, which is an open-source Python library for evaluating model-agnostic tabular synthetic data, defines metrics for statistics, efficiency and privacy of data, according to Kalyan Veeramachaneni, MITs principal research scientist and co-founder of DataCebo.

For tabular synthetic data, it's necessary to create metrics that quantify how the synthetic data compares to the real data. Each metric measures a particular aspect of the datasuch as coverage or correlationallowing you to identify which specific elements have been preserved or forgotten during the synthetic data process, said Neha Patki, co-founder of DataCebo.

Features such as CategoryCoverage and RangeCoverage can quantify whether an enterprises synthetic data covers the same range of possible values as real data, Patki added.

To compare correlations, the software developer or data scientist downloading SDMetrics can use the CorrelationSimilarity metric. There are a total of over 30 metrics and more are still in development, said Veeramachaneni.

Synthetic Data Vault generates synthetic data

The SDMetrics library, according to Veeramachaneni, is a part of the Synthetic Data Vault (SDV) Project that was first initiated at MIT's Data to AI Lab in 2016. From 2020, DataCebo owns and develops all aspects of the SDV.

The Vault, which can be defined as synthetic data generation ecosystem of libraries, was started with the idea to help enterprises create data models for developing new software and applications within the enterprise.

While there is a lot of work going around in the area of synthetic data, especially in autonomous driving cars or images, little is being done to help enterprises take advantage of it, Veeramachaneni said.

The SDV was developed to ensure that enterprises can download the packages for generating synthetic data in cases where no data was available or there was a chance of putting data privacy at risk, Veeramachaneni added.

Under the hood, the company claims to use several graphical modeling and deep learning techniques, such as Copulas, CTGAN and DeepEcho, among others.

Copulas, according to Veeramachaneni, has been downloaded over a million times and models using thr technique are being used by large banks, insurance firms and companies that are focusing on clinical trials.

The CTGAN, or neural network-based model, has been downloaded over 500,000 times.

Other data sets that have multiple tables or time-series data is also supported, the DataCebo founders said.
China to pilot inclusive finance reform in three cities

Xinhua) 11:26, September 29, 2022

BEIJING, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- China will carry out pilot inclusive finance reform in three cities, the country's central bank said Wednesday.

Trials will be conducted in Tongchuan, northwest China's Shaanxi Province, Lishui in east China's Zhejiang Province, and Chengdu, capital of southwest China's Sichuan Province, according to the plans released by the People's Bank of China and seven relevant authorities.

The plans would optimize the rural financial systems and improve financial support in key areas.

Carrying out inclusive financial reform trials in the three cities will help explore an effective path for inclusive finance to foster rural vitalization, the central bank said.

The central bank and relevant departments will guide the provincial governments of Shaanxi, Zhejiang, and Sichuan to advance the implementation of the plans and ensure that all reform measures in the pilot zones are carried out in a sound and orderly manner.

(Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun)
Hundreds of thousands of Floridians faced mandatory evacuation orders earlier this week, with the storm posing a clear threat to life.

It also poses a clear threat to Floridas struggling insurance market, where six carriers have already entered insolvency this year despite Ian being the first hurricane since 2018s Michael to make landfall in the state. The litigious environment, rather than the weather, is to blame for the Sunshine States insurance woes, according to many industry commentators.

Mark Friedlander, Insurance Information Institute corporate communications director, told Insurance Business earlier this year that a hurricane this season could be catastrophic for Floridas ailing insurers  and his words may very well turn out to be prophetic.

Read more: Is the "largest private insurer failure in P&C history" coming?

Insured losses from slow moving Ian could be upwards of $20 billion, with some commentators having suggested it could hit the $50 billion mark  some have warned that Ian is less Charley, which charged across Southwest Florida in 2004, and more Harvey.

Harvey brought catastrophic flooding across populated areas of the Gulf Coast, including Houston, Texas, driving insured losses of $30 billion, according to Swiss Re. The reinsurer pegged total economic losses from the major hurricane, which struck in 2017, at $85 billion.

More than 10 inches of rain have been forecast in densely populated areas of Florida, with storm surge a major issue. Tornado warnings are in place for some counties.

Winds at landfall are expected to be near building design loads across the area, BMS SVP and senior meteorologist Andrew Siffert has said, and while some may have been rebuilt as a result of hurricanes Charley and Irma, there is a very real risk that many buildings will not be up to modern codes.

There were just over one million homes in Ians cone of uncertainty as of Monday, according to Corelogic, and the cost to reconstruct these would be some $258 billion.

As of Tuesday, Skytek had identified 23 commercial vessels, with a combined value of $1 billion, potentially in Ians path, as well as two windfarms.

There could be significant yacht exposure, Skytek said, with trackers suggesting there could be high value yachts in the area.

It also counted 78 hotels that could be in Ians path, mostly made up of four-star and five-star hotels on the coast.

Emphasis has also been placed on the risk posed by Cape Corals sprawling canal network.

In Ians aftermath, the immediate focus will, rightly, be on disaster response.

(Re)insurers will surely stomach losses as claims begin to materialise  as my colleague Bethan Moorcraft has previously written, nat cats seem to be becoming the new normal.

Read more: The storms are coming for the insurance industry

Given the state of Floridas domestic homeowners insurance market, though, there is surely a risk that some players will not survive this.

Hurricane Andrew, which touched down in the state in 1992, set records when it left eight insurers insolvent and changed the shape of the market; Swiss Re has estimated the insured loss cost had Andrew made landfall in 2022 would have been $60 billion.

The real challenge for insurers will be further down the line, because another manmade storm waits just around the corner in the form of litigation.

Read more: Florida and Louisiana in crisis  a tale of two states

With the US having skirted landfall from an Atlantic hurricane throughout August, insurers may have been gearing up for a sigh of relief, despite NOAAs above average hurricane forecast. Sadly, it looks like this could be another record-breaking year for Floridas insurers  and not in a good way.
Multi-factor authentication (MFA) has become standard practice for organizations looking to secure their corporate networks and minimize the risk of cyberattacks. Over the past two-years, as cyber insurers have grappled with significant increases in frequency and severity of losses, mostly related to ransomware, MFA has quickly become a minimum standard requirement for companies to be considered for cyber insurance coverage.

MFA requires the user to provide two or more verification methods to gain access to a resource such as an application, an online account, a corporate network, or a VPN. Standard authentication combinations include a password and a fingerprint, or a password and a verification code that is sent to the users cell phone.

It has been proven time and time again that its very difficult for threat actors to commandeer both access tools. Thats why insurance carriers lean so heavily on MFA as a precaution, because it has proven to drastically reduce the risk of infiltration into an insureds network, said Megan North (pictured), executive vice president at Amwins.

MFA is generally inexpensive  often free  to implement. Most email providers, for example, make MFA available at no additional cost; businesses simply have to know and be willing to enable it. Also, many cyber insurers are now partnering with vendors and providing discounted or value-added resources with policies to help insureds of all sizes with the implementation of MFA. This risk mitigation work is happening pre- and post-bind, depending on the individual carriers and their cyber insurance strategies.

One thing that were seeing is that insurance carriers, network security providers, the whole cyber community is recognizing that a collaborative approach is probably best for all, North told Insurance Business. The stronger we can make those entities with weaker cybersecurity, the more resilient we are as a whole. So, we are seeing a lot more collaboration across the supply chain from insurance carriers to security vendors, brokers, and insureds. Its a more holistic effort, and were all benefiting from it.

Read more: Cyber incidents  new report delves into the extent of the threat

While MFA is now considered a core security control, it does come with its challenges. Many businesses in the United States are still operating on piecemeal tech stacks after rapid SaaS adoption during the COVID-19 pandemic. Remote work has increased the number of endpoints (connected devices like desktops, laptops, and smartphones) for threat actors to infiltrate and exploit, and this environment has exacerbated the complexity and the cost of MFA implementation.

Not all companies get it right. A large US insurer recently took an electronics manufacturing services company to court for allegedly misrepresenting its use of MFA, which the insurer required to provide cyber coverage. The insured fell victim to a ransomware attack, and upon investigation, the insurer found that the company was not using MFA to the extent promised in their cyber policy application, which was signed by the CEO and head of IT security. As a result, the insurer tried to rescind coverage and any responsibility for paying losses, costs, or claims.

This relates to some shortfalls in the cyber application process, and a lack of clarity in the early days around what underwriters wanted to know about prospective insureds use of MFA, according to Dave Lewison (pictured below), executive vice president and national professional lines practice leader at Amwins. For example, if an insured had MFA enabled for one aspect of their business, such as email, they could respond Yes to the underwriter question Do you have MFA? even if the rest of their operations were unprotected.

Theres also a potential issue around whether the person filling out and signing the cyber policy application actually knows how to answer that question  Do you have MFA?  correctly. Insurers will typically ask for an executive officer of the insured to warrant that everything in the application is true to the best of their knowledge, but there have been situations where people knowingly or unknowingly misrepresent their use of MFA, Lewison explained.

Read more: Cyber trends in the wake of Russia-Ukraine war undergoing evolution

As a result, some cyber insurers have introduced stricter warranty language, forcing executives to do their due diligence internally to ensure that the application theyre signing is true and accurate. But that also brings to light the issue of timing, said North, and the fact that a warranty statement in a cyber policy application is simply a snapshot in time in what is a very fluid and ever-changing cyber risk landscape.

The warranty statement represents where the client stands at that one point in time, but we all know that cyber risk is constantly evolving, and many companies have been forced to adapt quickly to remote work and new cyber threats, said North. Those two words  quick and secure  dont typically go well together. You could have a situation where the application was true and accurate at the time of signing, but then the company grows mid policy-term, or they make an acquisition and they need some time to get their acquired company up to speed on their cybersecurity.

In this complex landscape, both North and Lewison encourage retail agents to work with cyber specialists who can provide technical consultation, market access, expert advice, resources, and partnership. North said specialist brokers can help retailers with their messaging around cyber risk and the markets posture, they can provide assistance with cyber risk mitigation, and they can present companies as a more palatable risk in the challenging marketplace. Lewison summarized: Working with a specialist is critical. People shouldnt feel helpless. If they raise their hands, there are cyber specialists ready and willing to help.
In the same collaborative spirit as IICF, the Chicago Apprentice Network works together to create career opportunities within the region and insurance industry, said Al Crook, head of HR business partners and apprenticeship at Zurich North America. Zurich has benefitted from this innovative and diverse talent pool and looks forward to expanding apprenticeship further in the years to come.

Since 2017, the Chicago Apprentice Network has grown from its three founding companies to more than 75 companies across several industries.

Were honored to be recognized by IICF alongside our Chicago Apprentice Network co-founders for our collective efforts to grow apprenticeship programs, said Kevin Johnson, North America chief operating officer at Aon. The Aon apprenticeship program has brought many talented colleagues to our firm, helping us further build a resilient and diverse workforce. We look forward to continuing to work with employers, academic institutions, and nonprofit organizations to encourage the development of apprenticeship programs that strengthen our workplaces and communities.

Read next: IICF Midwest to honor Chicago Apprentice Network

The Blazing the Trail event also featured IICF Community Grant recipients By the Hand, a Chicago-based nonprofit serving children in under-resourced neighborhoods with after-school programming, and Intentional Sports, a community partner of By the Hand that is building a professional-level facility for sports, education and wellness to close the opportunity gap for westside youth in Chicago.

IICF proudly supports nonprofit partners such as By the Hand by uniting the insurance industry in giving back to make a profound impact in the communities where we live and work, said Jeff Kroeger, president of Insureron, a division of Specialty Program Group and Hub International, and chair of the IICF Midwest Division board of directors. Vital funds are raised through the IICF Blazing the Trail, Oktoberfest and Rock for Charity and more, annual events that have become insurance industry traditions in the Midwest, allowing us to award meaningful grants to nonprofits serving the needs of our neighbors struggling with food and housing insecurity, and so many other challenges.

Since its founding in 2011, IICF Midwest has awarded more than $4 million to more than 200 nonprofits. It is one of five divisions of IICF  four in the US and one in the UK. Since its inception in 1994, IICF has granted a total of $42 million globally.
Its an area that weve been pushing quite a bit  better leveraging the data that we have from our clients, whether its the cost of risk or loss analytics, being able to not just retrospectively tell the client that something happened but tell them why it might have happened and what might happen into the future, said McIntire (pictured), chief technology officer for insurance and employee benefits broker Graham Company. It is a superpower that I dont think many have.

McIntire joined Graham Company as CTO in early 2020, just before the COVID-19 pandemic. He took on an added role as leader of Graham Companys shared services team earlier this year. Founded more than 60 years ago and independently (and employee) owned, the broker employs more than 215 people and maintains offices in Philadelphia, New York City and Washington, D.C. and conducts business in all 50 states.

Two parts

The executive describes his two-part role at Graham Company in detailed terms.

On the CTO side, McIntire focuses on client facing technology strategy for customers but also internal IT. In addition, he helps develop and oversee services, ranging from data analytics to other platforms that Graham offers clients to help them better manage their risks.

My job is to make sure were offering the right mix of [products and services] to the clients, and also making sure that [those products and services] stay relevant to the needs of clients over time, McIntire said.

The company is also building a shared services model as it continues to expand.

Were going through a pretty big growth stage so were trying to be more efficient in how we service clients, McIntire explained.

Some of those efforts involve developing software and services around data analytics or loss information.

Were applying technology to those problems and then centralizing that so that theres one or two people doing those functions, McIntire said, rather than spreading those efforts across the organization as has generally been done. We get a better kind of operational efficiency and can provide additional services to clients that do modeling.

Key tech investments

One of Graham Companys most strategic technology investments came within six months of McIntire becoming CTO: boosting cloud services.

In the first six months, as COVID was hitting, we transitioned everything out to the cloud, which has been huge on a lot of fronts, and we completed that in a very short period of time, McIntire said. It opened up the ability to be onboard with a lot of these [new products and] services rather than making sure all the old stuff was running.

Crucially, becoming an investment partner in BrokerTech Ventures (BTV) two years ago was another key investment. BTV, co-launched by broker Holmes Murphy and M3 Insurance, is an incubator for broker-centric insurtech startups that also enables seed funding and access for startups to brokers, wholesalers and carriers.

He noted that BTV has helped launch TrustLayer and others, but there has also been a soft benefit BTV carries in terms of bringing innovation into Graham Company and other partners. An infusion of newer technology has been invigorating, he said.

Before this time, the company was doing well, but it had a hard time integrating some of these new and emerging technologies, McIntire said. With this constant heartbeat every year we see dozens of new startups with new capabilities.

Graham Companys involvement with BTV has been a game changer, McIntire added.

The conversation has changed completely in the two years that Ive been here and now account management and production is much hungrier to add those [digital] services, McIntire said. We place coverage but were also providing those services  for additional fees, so being able to build those capabilities has been a huge outcome.

Solving problems

As McIntire sees it, technology serves as a critical tool to help solve problems in both business and life.

At my core, I get excitement from solving problems, and technology is first and foremost great at solving problems, whether its a business problem or other problem, McIntire said. When you wake up and youve got a problem to solve and you go to bed after solving it, thats a great feeling.

As CTO, the problems differ in scale and timeframe but the same rule applies, he said.

Theres so much opportunity for improvement around the use of technology up and down the value chain and connecting the value chain together in more profound ways to ultimately serve the client better, McIntire said. I just see so many opportunities there and I am excited to be able to try to shape some of them through the work with the startups that we do.
Offshoring, commonly defined as relocating of a business process from a companys home jurisdiction to another, began growing in popularity in the 1980s, with US and other Western companies moving their manufacturing activities to countries with lower costs of labor and other inputs.

However, the opposite process, known as reshoring, has been gaining traction in recent years, spurred by the supply chain disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, critical failures such as the Suez Canal blockage, and geopolitical conflicts, such as the Russia-Ukraine war.

Jag Lamba (pictured above), CEO of third-party risk management (TPRM) firm Certa, spoke with Corporate Risk and Insurance about the various risks and rewards businesses face when reshoring their production capabilities.

An extreme level of instability and disruption to normal supply chain activities has characterized the last few years across the globe, Lamba said. Even in countries where companies typically outsource their production activities because of high levels of stability, these disruptions are taking their toll. The pandemic, increased geopolitical tensions, trade wars and tariffs, and climate change (as well as rapidly changing regulations to help combat it) all impact the supply chain and make it more difficult for companies to meet their deadlines and consumer demand.

According to Lamba, missing deadlines and customer expectations due to supply chain interruptions can be devastating for businesses, which is why many firms do not want to take that risk.

With facilities physically distant and a number of other aspects of production (like output, timeliness, and quality) out of the companys full control when in another country, many are reshoring to keep a closer eye on the situation, he said. With even usually politically stable countries feeling a lot less calm in recent years, it feels like theres more risk than ever out there.

Lamba said that resilient supply chains are a fundamental part, not only of a single companys success, but also of overall national security and economic prosperity.

A Kearney report found that nearly four out of five executives (79%) have either already transferred a portion of their Chinese manufacturing to the United States or have plans to do so in the next three years, and another 15% are considering similar moves, Lamba said.

Major risks of reshoring

According to Lamba, there are two major risks involved with moving back production to Western shores  increased costs and timeline disruption. Companies should anticipate plenty of both before making any major moves out of any country.

First off, the US tends to have higher production costs than many countries commonly used for outsourcing  thats the whole reason companies set up out there  so operations locally will simply cost more than keeping them abroad, Lamba said. Whether those increased costs are worth the reduction in risk is up to a companys risk appetite and the calculus for that move, which needs to account for a myriad of factors like price differential, the impact a slowdown or shutdown abroad would have on the company, public perception of the move, and so on. Oftentimes, when you see a move back to the US go awry, its because there was a miscalculation brought on by overlooking something big like this.

Lamba said that companies should always take time when assessing new suppliers to properly assess each one, as sourcing and onboarding new suppliers comes with a host of security, data, and compliance risks.

Another mistake we see companies make is not adequately screening sub-suppliers  that is, the suppliers suppliers  to assess the associated risks, he said.

Mitigating reshoring risks

TPRM technology can help companies proactively identify and avoid the risks involved in reshoring businesses.

A leading platform in the space like Certa can provide comprehensive risk scores on current and potential vendors and automatically identify risks not just when a supplier comes on board, but also on an ongoing basis. Lamba said. These due diligence checks are powered by data that provides risk coverage in the areas of information security, privacy, compliance, resiliency, economic sanctions and more. Moving production from one country halfway across the world back to the US is something that inherently has a fair amount of risk. But having transparency into those risks and a clear path to prevent or address them is extremely powerful.

A powerful tool is worthless if it cant be used, so Lamba said that the Certa platform was designed to be easy to learn and use without sacrificing capability.

Theres no coding required; the drag-and-drop system allows procurement and risk professionals to quickly adapt their supplier management processes to whatever the situation may be without needing the IT team to get involved, he said. And with timelines being dragged down in major moves like these, workflow automation features are crucial to getting new suppliers up and running quickly and keeping disruptions to a minimum. A platform like Certas with the capability for parallel approvals, integrations with over a hundred enterprise and best-in-class data systems, and risk assessments that stretch across domains like privacy, compliance, and information security, is a must for companies looking to reshore.

The future reshoring landscape

Lamba cited a report by Goldman Sachs which showed that US stocks of companies connected to reshoring have been outperforming those linked to offshoring activities. This, he said, suggests that the market is confident in reshoring as an effective strategy in the medium to long term, outweighing the immediate inflation-driven cost increases of reshoring.

I expect to see selective reshoring continue for the foreseeable future. Lamba said. It wont be an all-or-nothing proposition. Firms will be taking steps to build resilience into their supply chain and ensure that every part of that chain has adequate plans in place to cope with global crisis or disruption. In some cases, that means creating the capacity for a reserve supply in the US to mitigate the risk of shipments being delayed from overseas. Others may look to spread out their risk by multi-sourcing: managing parallel supply chains, with one item of supply coming from multiple sources. In that situation, it makes sense not to bring all manufacturing back to domestic shores; having operations in multiple regions mitigates the impact if one region were to fall into crisis.
A decade after Superstorm Sandy pummeled New York and New Jersey in one of the costliest storms in U.S. history, the federal government is proposing a $52 billion plan to build movable barriers and gates across bays, rivers and other waterways in the two states hardest-hit by the storm.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said Monday it has tentatively chosen an option for the massive task of protecting the region from the type of storm surge that wrecked vast sections of shoreline and interior areas during the Oct. 29, 2012, storm.

The release of the report came as Hurricane Ian slammed into Cuba on a path that would make it a potentially catastrophic Category 4 story when it reaches Florida, where 2.5 million people have been ordered to evacuate.

The proposal includes building moveable sea gates at the Flushing and Newtown Creeks; across the mouth of Jamaica Bay and two other waterways in Queens; the Gowanus Canal; Sheepshead Bay, Coney Island and Gerritsen creeks in Brooklyn; the Arthur Kill and Kill Van Kull between Staten Island and New Jersey; and the Hackensack and Passaic rivers in New Jersey.

The gates would remain open during calm periods, and could be closed when major storms approach. But the proposed barriers have drawn opposition from property owners who worry about how they would look, and environmentalists concerned about adverse effects on water quality and natural ecosystems.

Shore-based barriers including flood walls, levees and elevated walkways would be built in Brooklyns Bath Beach; Far Rockaway in Queens, as well as parts of Lower Manhattan, East Harlem and Jersey City.

Flood walls would be built in Newark along the Passaic River, along with berms and other barriers at various points in or near the New Jersey Meadowlands region in Secaucus, Harrison, North Arlington and Kearny.

The plan also calls for integrating natural solutions such as wetlands restoration and creation of living shorelines, with features such as oyster colonies designed to blunt the force of incoming waves in several spots to complement the man-made engineering projects.

Work would not begin until 2030 at the earliest, and would not be completed until 2044.

This is a significant milestone as we move towards a more resilient New York and New Jersey coastline, said Col. Matthew Luzzatto, commander of the Army Corps New York District.

Kizzy Charles-Guzman, executive director of the New York City Mayors Office of Climate and Environmental Justice, called the study an important step towards comprehensive evaluation of coastal hazards along our harbor.

The densely populated and industrialized New York-New Jersey Harbor region is among the most at-risk in the nation to extreme storms caused by climate change, added Shawn LaTourette, New Jerseys environmental protection commissioner.

Robert Freudenberg, a vice president with the Regional Plan Association, said the proposal goes a long way toward protecting areas that are not currently protected. He cautioned that support from local communities is crucial to any plan being implemented.

The study aims to protect critical infrastructure and population centers that were inundated by Sandy.

In the instance of a large storm, storm surge barriers, navigable gates, and deployable flood barriers would help to reduce risk to vulnerable areas from flood damages relating to flooding, including the loss of human life and damage to existing infrastructure, the report read. Within areas of reduced risk are schools, parks, energy and transportation infrastructure, container and other cargo terminals, that would all see significant benefit through implementation of the study measures.

The plan unveiled this week replaces an earlier proposal for a single six-mile retractable gate running between the Rockaways in Queens to Sandy Hook in New Jersey.

The study is similar to, but much larger than, an ongoing study by the Army Corps in New Jerseys back bays, where flooding caused major damage during Sandy to areas away from the ocean.

That study proposes retractable gates and barriers across the mouths of several New Jersey inlets as well as in the center of bays to blunt the force of storm surges. It would cost $16 billion.

There is no guarantee Congress will fund any of this; it initially balked at providing $60 billion in relief for the region after Sandy hit, before relenting. But Freudenberg, of the Regional Plan Association, said Army Corps projects tend to be funded at a higher rate than other spending requests, calling this proposal as close to assured funding as you can get.

Even if funding were approved, the federal government would cover only 65% of the cost, leaving the rest to states and local communities.

Photo:  This photo shows a view of Brooklyns Gowanus Canal, July 5, 2016, in New York. A decade after Superstorm Sandy pummeled New York and New Jersey in one of the costliest storms in U.S. history, the federal government is proposing a $52 billion plan to build movable barriers and gates across bays, rivers and other waterways in the two states hardest-hit by the storm. (AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews, File)

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Windstorm
This edition of International People Moves details appointments at Canopius and Gallagher Re.

A summary of these new hires follows here.

Canopius Names WTWs Maitra as Group Head of Sustainability

Canopius Group, the global specialty re/insurer, announced the appointment of Adhiraj Maitra as group head of Sustainability, effective immediately.

Reporting to Lindsay Astor, chief of staff and head of Strategic Development, Maitra will be responsible for Canopius Groups ESG position worldwide. This will involve developing a cohesive ESG strategy to meet regulatory requirements, including a forward-looking responsible underwriting policy, a sustainable investment approach and a strategy to further develop a positive and inclusive culture.

He joins Canopius from WTW where he was the Global Head of ESG and Climate Change, for the insurance consulting business. Prior to which, Maitra spent 6 years at Lloyds of London as Senior Manager, heading up the Syndicate Capital team and before that he was an Actuarial Non-Life Advisor at KPMG. He also has prior experience in capital modelling and pricing.

Astor said: Adhirajs experience in helping insurance companies create ESG propositions and drive strategic and innovative solutions to ensure a successful climate transition will provide immense value to Canopius as we build out a robust and effective ESG strategy.

His deep understanding of analytics, underwriting and the regulatory environment makes him the perfect candidate to take on this newly created role. We are thrilled he is joining us to drive our business forward in this next critical phase of growth.

Maitra added: We are at a crucial juncture, where understanding the impact of the uncertainties around ESG and acting on it is it becoming a strategic and commercial priority for insurance companies. While there are many challenges faced by the industry, there are many opportunities as well.

Innovation and collaboration across organisations and looking beyond a one-year horizon are some of the key factors that lead to commercial success and improved resilience. Canopius has demonstrated great leadership in this in recent years and its new leadership is demonstrating the insight, drive and ambition to take the business to the next exciting stage. I am delighted to be joining the Canopius family and to be part of this change over the next decade.

***

Gallagher Re Hires Bangs and Swindell for Asia Pacific Team

Gallagher Re, the global reinsurance broker, today announces the appointments of David Bangs as head of Gallagher Re APAC UK, based in London, and Robin Swindell as executive officer, based in Tokyo.

Bangs is returning to Gallagher Re having started his career with Willis Re in London in 2005, before being transferred to Tokyo where he spent five years followed by a transfer to Singapore. Most recently, Bangs was head of Japan for AXIS Re.

Bangs brings a wealth of knowledge to Gallagher Re, having spent the past 15 years in Asia in a variety of senior roles based in both Tokyo and Singapore. In his role, he will work with Gallagher Res regional teams to serve its extensive APAC client base.

He has significant experience coordinating complex client relationships and developing opportunities across APAC. His broad relationships, coupled with extensive market knowledge, will further enhance Gallagher Res client-focused offering and bring valuable experience and continuity to its APAC network.

Concurrently, Robin Swindell, who is currently responsible for Gallagher Re APAC UK, will transfer to Tokyo, joining Japan CEO Tsuyoshi Noguchis senior management team as an executive officer. In this role, he will play a vital part in the expansion of Gallagher Res service offering for the Japanese market and the broader region. Swindell has more than 30 years of reinsurance experience at Willis Re and now Gallagher Re, primarily in the Japanese and US markets.

As we continue to invest in the depth and capability of our offering across Asia Pacific, appointments such as these ensure that Gallagher Re is positioned to serve the evolving requirements of our clients in the region, commented Mark Morley, managing director, head of Asia Pacific. Both David and Robin are vastly experienced in both Japan and regional markets. We are very pleased to see them take up their new appointments and to welcome David back to the team.

These appointments reflect our commitment to the Japanese market under Gallagher ownership and demonstrates our continued commitment to investing in our ability to provide market leading reinsurance advisory and execution services to our client base, said Noguchi.

Robin is a well-respected figure in the Japanese market combining extensive experience of global reinsurance management together with deep understanding of the Japanese business culture. Together with the appointment of David in London, he will add great strength and depth to the team, he added.

Topics A.J. Gallagher Willis Towers Watson
A federal workplace safety inspection found a Chicago, Illinois-area candy manufacturers long history of violations for machine safety requirements continues after the company exposed workers to amputation hazards and failed to utilize lockout procedures for the third time in five years at its Bellwood site.

The U.S. Department of Labors Occupational Safety and Health Administration has issued citations to Ferrara Candy Co. for one repeat violation and four serious safety violations, with proposed penalties of $201,379, after responding to an April 4, 2022, complaint of unsafe working conditions. OSHA inspectors found workers exposed to amputation hazards because the company failed to utilize energy control procedures  such as lockout/tagout  before workers cleared jams and serviced equipment.

Ferrara Candy Co. knows its workers can suffer debilitating injuries, such as amputations, when machines are not properly de-energized before servicing or maintaining them, said OSHAs Chicago North Area Director Angeline Loftus in Arlington Heights, Illinois. Yet, company personnel continue to expose employees needlessly to these hazards. OSHA will continue to hold manufacturers accountable for using safe work practices, including lockout.

In addition to citations for failing to provide specific lockout/tagout procedures, OSHA cited the company for not providing access to an eyewash station and for allowing workers to operate powered industrial vehicles while in disrepair.

Based in Chicago, the Ferrara Candy Co. manufactures nonchocolate confectionary products and employs workers at manufacturing facilities across North America.

The company has 15 business days from the receipt of its citations and penalties to comply, request an informal conference with OSHAs area director, or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.

Topics Commercial Lines Business Insurance Illinois
A federal judge has struck down the third attempt by the Iowa Legislature to stop animal welfare groups from secretly filming livestock abuse, finding once again that the law passed last year violates free speech rights in the U.S. Constitution.

The decision Monday rejected the law approved by Iowa lawmakers in April 2021 that makes it a crime to trespass on a property to place a camera to record or transmit images. The law, which had support from Republicans and some Democrats made the first offense punishable by up to two years in prison and subsequent offenses a felony.

The case is one of many so-called ag-gag laws that have surfaced in the U.S. in recent years that pit the right of farmers to protect their property from trespassers against animal welfare advocates. Farmers argue intruders could track in disease and want to unfairly portray their livestock practices, while animal welfare groups say producers dont want the public to see how farm animals are treated.

The lawsuit was filed in federal court on Aug. 10, 2021, by animal rights groups the Animal Legal Defense Fund, People For The Ethical Treatment of Animals and Bailing Out Benji. They were joined by environmental and grassroots advocacy groups Food & Water Watch and Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement.

It was the ninth lawsuit challenging ag-gag state laws around the country. In addition to the challenges to the three Iowa laws, earlier lawsuits have resulted in courts striking down similar laws in North Carolina, Kansas, Idaho, Utah, and Wyoming. A challenge to the Arkansas law is currently pending in the district court. An appeal of a district court decision striking down North Carolinas law is pending in the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals and an appeal of Iowas second law is pending in the 8th U.S. Circuit.

Iowa lawmakers have been trying to pass such laws since 2012. Significant portions have been struck down by courts while a few provisions that enhance the penalties for trespassing in farms and meat production facilities have survived.

Lawyers for the state of Iowa argued that because the 2021 law applies to speech on private property, the First Amendments protections are significantly diminished. They said the interests of the farmer override any free speech concerns of the animal rights groups involved in criminal trespass.

Judge Stephanie Rose rejected that argument, saying other courts have noted that exempting private property from any First Amendment review could result in the criminalization of core free speech, such as criticism of a politician. She also said the U.S. Supreme Court has previously invalidated laws that regulate free speech on private property.

She rejected the states motion to dismiss the lawsuit and granted the animal rights groups motion to find the law unconstitutional and block its enforcement. She gave attorneys for both sides 30 days to draft language for a permanent injunction that would prevent the state from enforcing the law.

The advocacy groups said the decision is important to farm and food processing plant workers placed in unsafe working conditions who are now protected under free-speech rights to record evidence, for advocates fighting to expose poor living conditions and treatment of dogs at breeding farms known as puppy mills and for animals raised for food.

The ability to investigate and document how our food is made is critical in ensuring a just and transparent food system that holds companies and government institutions accountable, said David Muraskin, the food project litigation director for Public Justice, a Washington-based nonprofit law firm that represented grassroots advocacy group Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement in the lawsuit.

In a heavily agricultural state like Iowa, where farmers raise millions of pigs each year for meat and chickens for eggs, protecting a huge segment of the states economy from negative publicity is a priority.

Farmers and sympathetic lawmakers say laws are needed to enforce the basic right for livestock producers to control who enters their property and barns. They say livestock farmers arent hiding anything but dont trust the activists to accurately portray how animals are treated.

The state may appeal Roses decision to the 8th U.S. Circuit. A spokesman for the Iowa attorney generals office, which represented the state, said they are still reviewing the decision.

A spokesman for Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds did not immediately respond to a message seeking a comment.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Iowa
Hewlett Packard Enterprise Co. agreed to pay $8.5 million to resolve a lawsuit that alleged it pays female employees less than their male counterparts.

The settlement funds, minus attorney fees and expenses, will go to 1,735 women who worked in the companys California offices since 2015, lawyers for the women said in a filing in state court in San Jose. Awards for each woman will range from $500 to $17,000, depending on how much each of them was allegedly underpaid.

An HPE spokesman declined to comment on the filing. Throughout the four years of litigation, the company has denied underpaying its female employees.

The parties began settlement talks last January after HPE lost its bid to have the lawsuit dismissed on appeal, according to the filing.

Lawyers for the women described the settlement as excellent and said it represented a recovery of 62% of the amount the women were underpaid. Further, this settlement sheds light on gender-based pay disparities, challenging tech companies to review their pay policies and implement pay equity protections, they wrote.

The lawyers stand to collect as much as one-third of the total settlement, or $2.8 million.

The case is Ross v. Hewlett Packard Enterprise Company, 18CV337830, California Superior Court, Santa Clara County (San Jose).

Photo: Hewlett Packard Enterprise headquarters in Houston, Texas / Bloomberg.

Copyright 2022 Bloomberg.

Topics Lawsuits
Charles Symington has been appointed to the role of executive vice president at the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America (the Big I), effective Oct. 1.

Symington joined the Big I in 2004 on the government affairs staff. Since 2016, he has served as senior vice president for external, industry and government affairs. He was named the successor to current president and CEO Bob Rusbuldt, who will retire on Aug. 31, 2023.

The Big I said Symingtons new title is an interim role as he prepares to take over as the top executive on Sept. 1, 2023.

Big I President & CEO Rusbuldt to Retire Next Year

I speak for the Big I Executive Committee and entire Board of Directors in saying that we are excited to work with Charles in this new position over the next year, and then as president & CEO after that, said Big I chairman John Costello of USI Insurance Services in Rochester, New York. Charles brings so much wisdom and experience to this new role and he will be well prepared to take over the helm of the national association next fall, ensuring a smooth transition when Bob Rusbuldt steps down.

As executive vice president, Symington will play an integral role in the day-to-day operations of the national association and in various initiatives with the Big I state associations and other affiliate organizations. He will also continue to serve on the Big I Management Operating Committee, which advises the president & CEO on general oversight and administration of the association.

Under Symingtons leadership, the Big I has had numerous legislative wins, including securing substantial small business tax relief, defending a modernized state regulatory system for insurance, preserving an effective Federal Crop Insurance Program and extending the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act (TRIA).

Charles and I have worked together at the Big I for more than 18 years, and our history goes back even further to when Charles worked on Capitol Hill on key insurance legislation, Rusbuldt says. Over the next year, we will be taking on many important priorities for independent agents and brokers across the country. There are few who know the independent agent channel and understand its unique needs better than Charles, and we will be able to steer this association together toward a seamless leadership transition. I look forward to leaving the reins of the Big I in his very capable hands.

Topics Agencies
As Louisiana continues to be plagued by a spiraling insurance crisis, with insurers leaving the state and canceling homeowner policies as thousands of claims remain unpaid following a series of hurricanes, Gov. John Bel Edwards will travel to London this week to meet with a leading insurance underwriter.

During the economic development trip, the Democratic governors sixth international trip, Edwards will also meet with high-ranking executives of major energy companies, including Shell, to discuss the companys expanding portfolio of clean energy investments. On Sunday he will attend the New Orleans Saints game, which is being played in London as part of the NFLs annual International Series.

I am excited to be able to capitalize on this opportunity to represent Louisianas economic and cultural interests on the world stage, Edwards said in a press release Tuesday. Few states are more directly impacted by the insurance underwriting and energy markets than Louisiana, which is why its so important to maintain an open dialogue with global leaders in those sectors.

Following a series of damaging hurricanes in 2020 and 2021 _ Delta, Laura, Zeta and Ida _ more than 610,000 residential property claims were filed in Louisiana, according to Louisiana Department of Insurance data. As a result, property insurers have paid out $18.4 billion in claims as of June 30, about $11 billion of that was paid to homeowners.

But as claims have piled up, nine insurance companies that wrote homeowners policies in the state have gone insolvent, The Advocate reports. Five of the firms left behind some 26,000 claims for the states bailout program to close out. In addition, at least 11 other companies have withdrawn from the state, either by canceling existing policies or announcing they wont renew them.

Thousands of Louisianans are not only still recovering from damage caused by devastating storms, but they are also dealing with unpaid claims, insurance companies folding, and problems finding new insurance coverage, Edwards said. We must find a way to solve this crisis.

Edwards, and a delegation of Louisiana business and state leaders, will meet with Lloyds of London, the worlds oldest insurance market, to discuss topics including reinsurance protection for companies doing business in the state and legislative and regulatory changes that would make Louisiana more attractive to insurers, the governor said.

As the governor prepares for his trip, Hurricane Ian tore into western Cuba Tuesday, leaving 1 million people without electricity. Ian is expected to get even stronger over the warm Gulf of Mexico, reaching top winds of 130 mph (209 kph) as it approaches the southwest coast of Florida, where 2.5 million people have been ordered to evacuate.

Edwards said that Governors Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness and other state agencies stand ready to offer assistance to Florida, or any other states that may be impacted by the Hurricane.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Louisiana Excess Surplus Lloyd's London
New York, US (PANA) - The UN chief on Wednesday paid tribute to the hundreds of victims and their families, of a 2009 stadium massacre in the capital of Guinea, Conakry, as some of the ringleaders allegedly responsible for the gruesome death of more than 150 people that day went on trial
A landslide triggered by record rainfall significantly damaged three homes, prompted the evacuation of about a dozen residents and caused power outages in downtown Juneau, Alaskas capital city.

Geological assessment teams determined that favorable weather has returned the threat level to pre-slide levels. The citys public works department was preparing to begin removing debris, city spokesperson Meredith Thatcher said.

Of the three homes, one was completely destroyed as it came down the mountain and slammed into a second home, which was significantly damaged but remains standing, she said. The extent of damage to the third home was not yet known.

Residents will be allowed to return to their homes at their own discretion. If you feel comfortable going home, you can go home, Thatcher said.

The local power company was expected to restore service after the debris has been removed to the point where crews need to work.

Damage from the Monday evening landslide was confined to the one residential street above the downtown business district in the southeast Alaska mountain community of about 32,000 residents. There were no reported injuries, city officials said.

Evan Hartung was eating dinner in his home when he heard a rumbling sound over the TV, he told the Juneau Empire. He just managed to escape the house before the evergreen tree came swooshing down onto the stairs along the outside of his home, damaging them. It then knocked his pickup on its side before coming to rest, partially on top of the vehicle.

My truck is squished, he said.

Sarah Wallace and her partner live next door to Hartung. They also heard the noise and looked out their window to see Hartung running outside without any shoes, she told the Empire. That prompted them to also quickly exit their home.

About a dozen people, either those whose homes were damaged or others who decided to self-evacuate, stayed at a shelter that was set up by the American Red Cross at a downtown fire station, Thatcher told The Associated Press.

Residents in Juneau, located in the Tongass National Forest, the nations largest, are accustomed to a persistent light rain falling, but not deluges like they experienced Monday.

We are a rain forest, so were supposed to get rain, said National Weather Service forecaster Kimberly Vaughan in Juneau. These were record rainfall amounts and some of them broke the previous records by nearly 2 inches.

Lena Point, located about 15 miles northwest of downtown Juneau, recorded 3.04 inches of rain, the highest daily amount in about 30 years of record keeping there. The previous record for precipitation in a 24-hour period was 1.14 inches in 2017.

Other daily rainfall records were recorded at the Juneau weather forecast office, with 2.59 inches (beating the previous record of 1.12 inches in 2009, and 2.22 inches at the airport, surpassing the record of 2.02 inches set in 1936.

The rains also caused the Mendenhall River to rise in Juneau, prompting some flooding advisories.

Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Answers

Is there any material with higher temperature performance than graphite?

Recently, US President Joe Biden concluded his first visit to the Middle East since taking office. During the visit, Biden said that the United States will be an active partner in the Middle East for a long time, but Middle East leaders have not clearly responded to the United States' intention to establish a regional security alliance. In addition, Biden failed to persuade Saudi Arabia and other countries to increase oil sodium silicate are still very uncertain.

Is there any material with higher temperature performance than graphite?

Boron nitride, which is a little expensive, can be bought as a ready made crucible.

Tungsten is expensive and can be processed into various shapes. It does not react with oxide melt and is not resistant to oxidation.

Zirconium boride and titanium boride have super melting points, but it is difficult to obtain dense blocks.

Beryllium oxide is very expensive and toxic.

Magnesium oxide, which is a little cheaper, does not react with metals.

How to remove titanium diboride coating on stainless steel after vacuum plating

It can be sandblasted with glass shot water,

As titanium diboride is acid resistant, it can be tested with high concentration caustic soda solution

However, it is estimated that the effect of the above two methods will not be very good

Because the chemical properties of titanium diboride are relatively stable and the hardness is very high.

If the coating is not very thick, the sandblasting effect is better.

Material properties of titanium diboride

Coefficient of thermal expansion 8.1  10-6m/m.k

Thermal conductivity/

Resistivity 14.4  .cm

Oxidation resistance temperature (in air) 

Stable in HCl and HF acids

Introduction of titanium diboride

Titanium diboride powder is gray or gray black, with hexagonal (AlB2) crystal structure. Its melting point is  and it has high hardness. The oxidation resistance temperature of titanium diboride in air can reach , and it is stable in HCl and HF acid. Titanium diboride is mainly used to prepare composite ceramic sodium silicate, please feel free to contact us and send an inquiry.

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What is the scope of application of zinc stearate emulsion?

Russian President says if the European Union imposes an oil embargo, Europe will buy energy at the most expensive price and economic activity in Europe will weaken. Rosneft needs to change its business model. Russia will help facilitate settlement and access to loans and insurance in its own currency.

According to Reuters, the European Commission will unveil a 210 billion euro plan on how Europe can end its dependence on Russian fossil fuels by 2027 and use its distance from Moscow to accelerate a shift to green energy. According to a draft document seen by Reuters, Brussels will propose a three-pronged plan to wean countries off Russian fuel: switch to importing more non-Russian gas, move more quickly to promote renewable energy, and work harder to conserve energy. The draft measures, which include EU law, non-binding plans, and possible recommendations by national governments, are subject to change before publication.

Austria is not a member of NATO and will not seek membership in the future, the Austrian Foreign Minister said in Brussels recently. He stressed that it was "their choice" for Sweden and Finland to seek NATO membership, while Austria would remain neutral.

The supply and prices of many other zinc stearate emulsion are expected to continue to be influenced by international situations.

Overview of zinc stearate emulsion
Doireann Barrett wakes up in her parents house in Tralee and is grateful to have a home, but she yearns for a place of her own.

Doireann, aged 43, has run a food and wellness business but has been hit with serious health issues and has been out of work for the past 10 months. She cannot afford to move into accommodation by herself.

She says: In 2015, I sold my house in which I had a mortgage on since 2003 because my small family unit had the opportunity to move to Australia and we had accommodation and job opportunities secured.

"But the week I handed the keys to the new owner, I got the very bad news that my health condition had dramatically declined.

The family remained in Ireland and Doireann says her relationship broke down, resulting in a one-income household while her son was growing up.

I have spent the past eight years in and out of hospital, so I haven't worked full-time in that time.

With the cost of living starting to increase, Doireann moved back in with her parents in Tralee last January and has remained there since  after having moved out of home 23 years ago.

I had major surgery in August so I haven't worked since December 2021 due to long surgery waiting lists and my health was declining rapidly while I waited.

Doireanns outgoings include health insurance, which she needs to cover specialists and scans.

Medical expenses

She has to factor in travel expenses for medical appointments in Dublin, which can include having to stay overnight in the capital.

My social welfare illness entitlements were deducted by 100 per month because I'm staying with family, even though I still have to pay for living costs and medical appointments.

"I have been living off 836 per month, so it is way below the living costs for genuine people in receipt of social welfare.

She says health costs and her inability to work because of her health made it impossible to afford a new mortgage.

Because I am single and not a first-time buyer, the deposit required for a mortgage is nearly double the amount it would be for a couple or first-time buyer.

Budget 2023 includes an extension of two years to the Help to Buy Scheme for first-timers but Doireann is outside its remit.

She feels that mortgage schemes are focused on couples: There are many single independent individuals who do not want to share a mortgage and get penalised for our single income.

"If I was to go for a mortgage now again after eight years of being unwell while contributing as a sole trader, my deposit would need to be approximately 50k to be able to get a mortgage, yet I am expected to pay 1,000 upwards in rent.

She is currently looking for somewhere to rent.

She welcomes the introduction of a vacant property tax, believing that there are too many commercial and domestic properties unused when it could alleviate the homeless crisis.
A group of Canadian siblings who are being taken by their parents to see the world before they go blind plan to include Ireland in their travels, according to their mother.

The childrens parents - Edith Lemay and Sebastien Pelletier - hope to show them some of the countrys most popular sights such as the Cliffs of Moher and the Giants Causeway, as well as our most famous castles.

My kids really love castles, Edith, whose current world trip has gone viral on social media, told the Irish Examiner from Indonesia.

Three of the couple's four children suffer from retinitis pigmentosa (RP), a rare genetic condition that causes a loss or decline in vision over time.

Leo Lemay enjoying the familys hot-air balloon ride over Cappadocia in Turkey.

Their daughter and eldest child Mia was diagnosed with RP in 2017 aged seven. Some two years later, her young brothers Colin, 7, and Laurent, 5, were also diagnosed with the condition. The fourth sibling, Leo, 9, does not have RP.

Our first reaction was disbelief and shock, Edith said.

When you have kids, you just have an idea of how their future is going to look, and what your life is going to look like.

Then, all of a sudden, in the blink of an eye, you just need to rethink all that.

Colin Lemay got to meet some of the wildlife in Livingstone, Zambia. Picture: Edith Lemay

At first you dont believe its true, you think it is a mistake, then you get angry and you are looking for answers everywhere and you get sad.

But, after a while, you just have to accept it and it is only when you accept it then you can actually move forward.

Specialists at Mias school suggested Edith and Sebastien could help her to fill her mind with visual memories, and put as many images in her head as you can.

Edith and Sebastien Lemay with their children, Mia, Leo, Colin, and Laurent. Picture: Edith Lemay

She said, for example, she can look at elephants and giraffes in a book, so once she is blind, she will have an image to refer to, Edith said.

For me that is when it clicked, and when, in 2018, I thought to myself, lets go and show her elephants and giraffes in real life  that way she would really remember it.

And from that Seb and I decided we might as well do it all-in, and wanted to fill their visual memory with as many beautiful things as we could.

The family had planned to leave in July 2020, but the trip was delayed because of the pandemic. They eventually left in March 2022.

Mia, Leo, Laurent, and Colin Lemay at the ancient Roman amphitheatre in Hierapolis near Pamukkale in Turkey. Picture: Edith Lemay

Each child created their own bucket list of things they wanted to see. These include Mia wanting to go horseback riding, and Laurent wanting to drink juice on a camel.

The trip began in Montreal in March and has seen them visit Namibia, Zambia, and Tanzania, crossing Africa from the west coast to the east coast, all the way to Zanzibar overland.

The family also spent a month in Turkey and then went to Mongolia for six weeks, before they flew to Bali.

They are currently in Indonesia, from where they will probably go to Malaysia and then Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia.

The Cliffs of Moher in Co Clare is one of the destinations the Lemay family would like to take in if a future leg of their world tour brings them to Ireland. File picture

The family plan to return to Canada at some stage and then continue their globe-trotting adventures over the next couple of years.

We are not planning to come to Ireland on this trip but one day for sure, Edith said.

My children love castles and we would be taking them around some of your best castles.

But places like the Aran Islands, the Cliffs of Moher, and the Giants Causeway would be the kind of amazing scenery we want them to see.

These and other places in Ireland look spectacular.
Burma Demands to Free Children Held by Myanmar Junta After School Attack

Several children were killed in the junta air raid on the Depayin Township school.

Around 20 civilians, including children, are still detained by Myanmars junta following the attack on the Depayin Township school in Sagaing Region.

At least 12 people, including seven children, were killed in the helicopter and ground assault on the school in the Let Yet Kone village monastery on September 16, where about 200 children were studying.

The regime claimed the school was a resistance stronghold.

Junta troops cremated the bodies and took 12 injured children and some civilians. One child, who suffered serious eye injuries, has been released and the rest remain under detention.

We talk to the children by phone and they say they are OK. We are not allowed to see them. We heard they are in Ye-U. I heard one child was sent to Yangon, perhaps for surgery, a resident told The Irrawaddy.

One of the children, Maung Zaw Ko Oo, has died in detention, according to Daw Aye Mar Swe, a teacher at the school.

She urged the international community to hold the perpetrators accountable.

No matter what material assistance is given to Myanmar, we will have to flee unless the dictatorship is defeated. Please help us to end the dictatorship. I urge the world not to ignore Myanmar, she said.

The regime claimed only two children were seriously injured in the attack and has made no statement about the condition of the detainees.

A Depayin volunteer helping displaced people called on the regime to hand over the children.

The parents are extremely concerned about their health. This cannot happen again, he said.

United Nations childrens charity Unicef and Save the Children have been criticized for only offering condolences and not blaming the regime for the attack.

Ko Bo Kyi of the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners said: NGOs must help those in need without fear or favor. It seems they are trying not to offend the regime. It is unacceptable. From their statements, we can see that they fear the regime more than Myanmars citizens do. The statements did not even mention that the junta attacked the school.

Naw Susanna Hla Hla Soe, minister for women, child and youth affairs for the civilian National Unity Government, said on Monday that her shadow ministry has not been able to contact Unicefs office in Myanmar.

The International Committee of the Red Cross has not commented on the massacre.

The organization previously mediated with the ethnic armed organizations for the release of prisoners of war and should now urge the regime to hand back the children, according to civil society organizations.
Burma Myanmar Junta Dep. Battalion Commander Killed as Resistance Seizes Base in Karen State

Members of the Special Operation Force resistance group pose with weapons seized from a military base in Kyainseikgyi Township on Wednesday. / SOF

Thirteen Myanmar junta soldiers including a deputy battalion commander were killed in Kyainseikgyi Township, Karen State on Wednesday when ethnic Karen resistance fighters and a Peoples Defense Force (PDF) group occupied a military base.

Early on Wednesday, troops from the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA), the armed wing of the Karen Nation Union, and the Special Operation Force (SOF), a resistance group, raided forces from the regimes Infantry Battalion 283 stationed in a hilltop pagoda in the township.

During an hourlong firefight, 13 junta soldiers including a deputy battalion commander were killed, a resistance officer told The Irrawaddy.

The SOF said 17 other regime soldiers fled the raid. Fifteen weapons and a quantity of ammunition were seized after resistance forces occupied the military base.

Resistance video and photos show the bodies of regime soldiers killed during the raid.

On Sept. 20, the KNLA and allied PDF groups occupied a junta outpost in Kawkareik Township, killing about 15 junta soldiers. The KNLA have seized at least five military outposts in Karen State since the military coup last year.

The KNU reported in August that it had been involved in 6,356 clashes with junta forces since the 2021 coup, killing around 5,125 soldiers and injuring an estimated 4,174. Meanwhile, it had lost 137 resistance fighters in the incidents.
Burma Myanmar Military Airstrike Kills Junta Soldiers Held Prisoner in Rakhine

A junta soldier wounded in a regime airstrike while being held by the Arakan Army. / AA

At least two Myanmar junta soldiers being held prisoner by the Arakan Army (AA) were reportedly killed in northern Rakhine state last week, while a number of others were injured, when regime jets bombed prison cells holding Myanmar military detainees, according to the AA.

On September 23 three junta jets carried out a 30 minute airstrike on a mountaintop in Maungdaw Township, hitting two prison cells where captured regime soldiers and police were being detained by the ethnic Rakhine armed organization.

Two junta troops died of injuries received in the airstrike. The AA said that some of those seriously injured have little hope of surviving, despite being treated by the AA.

Although the AA told the military to come and collect the wounded detainees for proper medical treatment, the junta did not respond.

In a video released by the AA, a sergeant wounded in the airstrike who has been in the Myanmar military for over 20 years said he felt abandoned despite his loyal service.

They [the military] dont even look at the situation we are in. I am sad, said the sergeant, who was named as Aung Aung.

Over 150 regime forces, including prisoners and those who defected or surrendered, have been detained by the AA. Some of them have since been allowed to leave for undisclosed locations.

Military regime personnel who no longer want to serve the junta have also been invited to join the AA.

After an informal ceasefire in Rakhine State broke down last November, the AA and Myanmar military have been clashing in Buthidaung, Maungdaw, Rathedaung, Kyauktaw, Minbya and Mrauk-U townships in Rakhine, as well as in neighboring Paletwa Township in Chin State.

Junta forces have reportedly lost more than 36 bases and outposts and suffered heavy casualties in the fighting.
Burma Myanmars Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, Australian Adviser, Three Ministers Jailed for Three Years

Sean Turnell and Daw Aung San Suu Kyi

A Myanmar military regime-controlled court on Thursday sentenced the countrys deposed democracy leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and members of her economic team, including Australian economist Sean Turnell, to three years imprisonment each for violating the Official Secrets Act.

The verdicts were delivered at a special court inside a prison compound in the capital Naypyitaw.

The latest three-year term means Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has been sentenced to a total of 23 years in prison so far in 12 cases filed by the junta.

Turnell, a former key economic adviser to Daw Aung San Suu Kyis National League for Democracy (NLD) government, was detained by the junta shortly after last years coup, which ousted the NLD government.

He was charged with violating the countrys official secrets law and faced a maximum penalty of 14 years in prison.

The exact details of Turnells alleged offense have not been made public, although the junta has said that he had secret state financial information in his possesssion and tried to flee the country.

In August, the economist denied the charges, saying documents used as evidence against him contained his recommendations regarding Myanmars economy, which he had presented to the NLD government in his role as an economic adviser, and were not secret, a court source said.

Since seizing power, Myanmars military regime has detained thousands of pro-democracy protesters, with many facing secret trials that rights groups have decried as politically motivated.

Turnell still faces another charge of violating the Immigration Act.

Also sentenced on Thursday were Daw Aung San Suu Kyis planning and finance ministers U Kyaw Win and U Soe Win, and her deputy planning and finance minister, U Set Aung.

Sources close to the trial said Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and the ministers would appeal the verdicts.

For Sean Turnell, its not clear how the [Australian] embassy will proceed, a source said.

All five are being held at Naypyitaw Prison, and all present at the court hearing on Thursday appeared to be in good health, the source said.
Tripoli, Libya (PANA) - The members of the UN Security Council will hold a closed consultation session on Thursday on Libya, still in the grip of its political process
Burma Rakhine Residents Trapped and Going Hungry as Myanmar Military Blockades Villages

Maungdaw Township.

Residents of northern Maungdaw Township in Rakhine State are trapped in their villages without food and medicine, as military regime forces continue to block access to the region in western Myanmar.

The blockade has intensified since ethnic Rakhine armed organization the Arakan Army (AA) seized junta outposts following fighting with the military along the Myanmar-Bangladesh border in early August.

A resident of Tamanthar Village told The Irrawaddy: We have to eat banana plants now. We ran out of cooking oil a long time ago. We cant flee to Maungdaw Town as the military checkpoint in Kyeinchaung Village wont let us pass. They are using the four cuts strategy against us.

The four cuts strategy was first developed by the Myanmar military in the 1960s and used against the Communist Party of Burma and the Karen National Union, Myanmars oldest ethnic armed group. The strategy is designed to cut access to food, funding, intelligence and recruits for rebel groups by targeting every village that is thought to have ties with them.

One resident of Nanthartaung Village said: The military told the abbot of our village monastery that we can go to Maungdaw Town, but it cant guarantee our safety while traveling. And when vehicles came to take us to town, they were stopped at the checkpoint in Kyeinchaung Village.

Teachers are also trapped in Nanthartaung Village along with locals. Villagers who fall sick are suffering as there is no medicine and they cant receive treatment at clinics and hospitals because of the blockade.

The regime has isolated all of northern Maungdaw, blocking all waterways in the area, as well as the roads linking Maungdaw and Rathedaung and Rathedaung and Ponnagyun townships.

Junta forces have also established numerous security checkpoints along the Yangon-Sittwe Road in Sittwe, Ponnagyun, Kyauktaw, Mrauk-U, Minbya, Myebon and Ann townships, and are carrying out tight checks on buses and cargo trucks. Currently, passenger buses are barely operating.

Some villagers were able to flee to Maungdaw Town on August 28 and 29, when the regime briefly opened the security checkpoint at Kyeinchaung Village.

Around 1,000 villagers are now sheltering in Maungdaw Town. With the junta not providing any supplies and a lack of aid donors, town residents are giving them food and shelter, former Maungdaw lawmaker U Maung Ohn told The Irrawaddy.

The AA and the Myanmar military have been clashing since early August along the Myanmar-Bangladesh border in northern Maungdaw.

At least two junta outposts have reportedly been seized by the AA, one at mile post No. 40 on the frontier and another one mile from the border guard police base in Kyeinchaung Village.

Regime forces have also lost five outposts to the AA near the Myanmar-India border in Chin States Paletwa Township, which borders northern Rakhine, since early August. Junta soldiers have also withdrawn from some of their outposts in Paletwa Town after being besieged by the AA.
Hurricane Ian's imminent arrival on US soil has affected many industries, including the space industry.

NASA and SpaceX have recently announced that it is delaying the launch of the latter's Crew-5 mission to the International Space Station (ISS) sometime in early October in anticipation of Hurricane Ian's arrival.

Hurricane Ian is expected to make landfall on the Florida peninsula as a Category 4 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of around 120 mph, per Fox Weather.

SpaceX Crew-5 Mission Delay Details

NASA and SpaceX mentioned in their joint announcement that due to Hurricane Ian's imminent arrival at the Florida peninsula in the next few days, it was decided to delay Crew-5's launch to either Oct. 4 or 5 at 12:23 pm.

SpaceX's Crew-5 mission was previously planned to be sent to the ISS on Oct. 3, with the astronauts arriving at NASA's Kennedy Space Center (KSC) and the company's Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon Endurance spacecraft rolled out to the launch pad around the same time on Sept. 30, per Space.com.

NASA previously anticipated the possible effects of Hurricane Ian on Crew-5's mission, with the space agency creating a contingency plan to launch the mission sometime between Oct. 4 and Oct. 7 in the event that the hurricane won't have a minor impact on the launch's proceedings, per a separate Space.com article.

Read More: American Airlines Passengers Hear Unusual Moaning, Groaning From Loudspeakers During Flights

Regardless of NASA's contingencies, the space agency rolled back SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon Endurance spacecraft back to the company's hangar at Launch Complex 39A.

Kathy Lueders, NASA's associate administrator for space operations, said in a briefing that the biggest discussion among NASA's leadership was "probably regarding weather and timing," per Space News. She also added that the space agency is still working on having the launch on Oct. 3, but they know that they've "got to work through weather conditions here at KSC."

The space agency noted that the spacecraft and rocket are mated to each other and are safely secured inside SpaceX's hangar as of the writing of this article.

As of press time, the KSC is in HURCON IV, meaning that the space center is expecting severe weather in the next 72 hours. As such, NASA is busying itself with making preparations across the KSC by securing other property and infrastructure from the coming storm.

Once Hurricane Ian has passed, the space agency will evaluate its impact on the center and determine whether another launch delay is needed to ensure a smooth launch.

Additional Effects of Crew-5's Launch Delay

Accordingly, SpaceX's Crew-4 mission's return to Earth from the ISS will be delayed as needed to allow a planned five-day direct handover between the two crews once Crew-5 has been launched.

SpaceX's Crew-5 consists of four crew members: NASA astronauts Nicole Mann and Josh Cassada, JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Koichi Wakata, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Anna Kikina.

These four astronauts will be replacing NASA astronauts Kjell Lindgren, Robert Hines, and Jessica Watkins, along with European Space Agency astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti, per a separate NASA blog post.

Related Article: Elon Musk Says SpaceX Starship Orbital Flight 'Highly Likely' to Happen in November
The data gap is one of the biggest challenges organisations face as they try to automate more activity and seek to leverage their data through AI. For large, old, and complex organisations the scale of the challenge can be daunting.

However, there are methodical ways to tackle data gaps and the big lesson seems to be that cool heads and the old builders maxim measure twice, cut once will prevail, albeit that maxim is in need of a digital expression. Perhaps it is catalogue and confirm, then automate?

I spoke with Hitachi Vantaras CTO George Dragatsis, at the 2022 Gartner IT Symposium ITXpo on the Gold Coast, about what is involved in mapping out a sound approach to close data gaps.
News and commentary on organized crime, street crime, white collar crime, cyber crime, sex crime, crime fiction, crime prevention, espionage and terrorism.
GUEST INTERVIEW: With virtual reality's future successfully rebooted due in part to the efforts of Palmer Luckey, who founded Oculus VR in 2012, designed the headset, led VR input and sold the company to Facebook in 2014 for US $2 billion, Luckey set his sights in 2017 to a much more pressing reality - delivering next-generation, cutting edge hardware, software, AI, VR, AR and more to turn US and allied warfighters into superheroes with next-level defence tech, and now in Australia, too.

Anduril. Founded in 2017, Anduril offers a family of autonomous systems that provide integrated, persistent awareness and security across land, sea and air. All systems are powered by its open operating system, Lattice.

It is also a defence products company that doesn't wait for customers to say what they need - instead, it identifies problems, privately funds its R&D, creates solutions and sells finished products off the shelf to the US, UK and now Australia.

Turning ideas into deployed capabilities in months, not years, Anduril explains it is pioneering solutions for the software-defined conflicts of tomorrow, depending less on any always welcome advances in shipbuilding and aircraft design, and more on advances in software engineering and computing.

Andruril is unlike traditional defence contractors whose primary focus is hardware, with Anduril core system is Lattice OS, an autonomous sense-making, command and control platform that serves as the core platform for the company's suite of capabilities, thus enabling it to build cutting-edge technology at speed, while genuinely saving governments and taxpayers money along the way.

Behind it all is Palmer Luckey, whose interest in VR set him onto the amazing path he is on. It was a great pleasure to speak with Palmer on a range of topics, naturally including VR, the metaverse, AR, the future, defence, Anduril and plenty more, so please watch the video below and read on - with more information on Anduril thereafter, along with a summary of the topics we spoke about:

So, what's more information on Anduril to demonstrate its next-level credentials, capabilities and impressive achievements?

Bringing together the smartest Silicon Valley engineers with veterans who have been on the front lines and have first-hand knowledge of the mission, along with top tech talent from the UK, and now its expansion in Australia, Anduril's team continues rapidly growing.

Its engineers are experts in AI, robotics, advanced sensors, secure networking, aerospace, virtual reality technology, aircraft modelling and simulation, with military veterans more than 20% of Anduril's team, using their defence experience to ensure the company's products meet the needs of servicemen and women in the battlefield.

Opening its first Australian office early in 2022, Anduril then announced its partnership with the Australian Defence Force in May 2022 for a AU $140 million co-funded program to design and develop Extra Large Autonomous Undersea Vehicles or XL-AUVs. Three prototype XL-AUVs will be delivered to the Royal Australian Navy over three years, with a manufacture-ready vehicle at the end of 2025.

The XL-AUV will be an affordable, autonomous, long endurance, multi-mission capable AUV that is modular, customisable and can be optimised with a variety of payloads for a wide range of military and non-military missions such as advanced intelligence, infrastructure inspection, surveillance, reconnaissance and targeting.

Andurils approach to development of the XL-AUV will deliver the vehicle at a fraction of the cost of existing undersea capabilities in radically lower timeframes.

The company notes its three-year XL-AUV development program has an incredibly ambitious delivery schedule, which will involve capability assessment and prototyping in record time using Andurils agile capability development systems.

Anduril states it has proven it is capable of moving much faster than traditional defence development timelines. In 2020, it became the youngest company to win a program of record with the United States Government since the end of the Korean War with its Autonomous Surveillance Towers (AST) program. Anduril also began developing an end-to-end counter-drone solution in 2019, which US Special Operations Command designated as its system of choice in a US$1B deal in 2022.

Also of note is Anduril's statement it will design, develop and manufacture the XL-AUVs in Australia.

The company is deep into will recruiting, building and retaining a highly skilled workforce, with all Australian and global jobs able to be seen here.

To support the design, development and manufacturing of the program, Anduril has begun hiring the process to find our best, for dozens of high skilled roles including maritime engineering, software development, advanced manufacturing, robotics, propulsion design, mission operations and more. In addition, Anduril is actively partnering with other Australian SMEs and the research and technology communities to source nearly all elements of the supply chain for the program.

The XL-AUV project is a significant investment in Australian industrial capabilities, said David Goodrich, OAM, Exec Chairman and CEO, Anduril Australia. Through this partnership, Anduril Australia will become a major player in the thriving defence industrial base in Australia and contribute to Australia becoming a leading exporter of cutting-edge autonomous capability to the rest of the world.

There is a clear need for an XL-AUV built in Australia, for Australia, said Palmer Luckey, Anduril Founder. The XL-AUV will harness the latest developments in autonomy, edge computing, sensor fusion, propulsion and robotics to bring advanced capability to the Royal Australian Navy.

Anduril emphasises speed and results, with a pitch to Australian tech talent that if you like building quickly and seeing your work deployed in real operational scenarios, Anduril wants you!

Indeed, the company notes it will harness Australian expertise in robotic technology, autonomy and software engineering, with Palmer looking for our best and brightest talent and stating: Too much engineering talent is currently building whimsical playthings, augmented reality emoji apps and better search engine targeting, and we need to shift this around. The next war will be won by the smartest engineers. We need the most brilliant technologists in military engineering and Im here in Australia to find them.

If you want to work in technology on interesting problems, theres no better place than Anduril. We get access to very fascinating problems, many of which are not even in the public domain. We will not take you for granted and you will have a lot of fun. It'll be spiritually fulfilling, professionally fulfilling and fiscally fulfilling.

Anduril's blog is also a great source of news and developments, with the company recently releasing its mission statement on "Rebooting the Arsenal of Democracy", and the launch of Menace, an integrated, expeditionary command, control, communications and computing (C4) platform that is optimized to bring complex software forward on the battlefield with secure and resilient comms.

It will allow warfighters to plan and execute classified missions at austere, forward contingency locations with denied, disconnected, intermittent or limited bandwidth conditions.

There's also a fascinating post which compares working on self-driving cars compared to working at Anduril.

In the video interview above, I introduced Palmer and asked him what his computer was, what got him interesting in VR as a younger and how he got started.





I then noted Palmer must have felt that starting his own company was the best way to accelerate VR as he knew it, and we discussed that.





I asked Palmer on is thoughts on how Facebook has handled VR over the past few years since he left Facebook to start Anduril.





Palmer shared his thoughts on augmented, extended and mixed realities, and his thoughts on all of the metaverses being built and yet to come.





If Palmer could wave a magic wand and change VR and presumably AR for the better, what would those changes be?





We then delved into Anduril, and why Palmer was visiting Australia, and his pitch to top Aussie tech talent.





Palmer shared his thoughts on the chance global war breaks out and the balance of power negatively changes towards dictatorships and authoritarian governments, before Anduril can tip the balance back towards governments that respect and protect freedom,





After sharing what else Palmer wanted us to know about Anduri, Palmer shared his thoughts on future evolution, super soldiers of the future, great advice received in life, and his final message to iTWire viewers and readers, and to his current and future customers, employees and partners.

So, please watch the excellent video with Palmer Luckey above to learn more!
GUEST RESEARCH: Venafi, the inventor and leading provider of machine identity management, today announced the findings of new research that evaluates the complexity of cloud environments and its impact on cybersecurity. The study found that 75% of organisations have experienced a cloud-related security incident over the last 12 months, with more than one in three (37%) suffering at least four incidents. The underlying issue for these security incidents is the dramatic increase in security and operational complexity connected with cloud deployments. And, since the organisations in this study currently host two fifths (39%) of their applications in the cloud but expect increase to 57% over the next 18 months, this complexity will continue to increase.

Half of the security decision makers (SDMs) in the study believe security risks are higher in the cloud than on premises, citing several issues that contribute to those risks. The most common cloud-related security incidents respondents have experienced are:

 Security incidents during runtime (47%)

 Unauthorised access (37%)

 Misconfigurations (41%)

 Major vulnerabilities that have not been remediated (27%)

 A failed audit (23%)

The key operational and security concerns that SDMs have in relation to moving to the cloud are:

 Hijacking of accounts, services or traffic (41%)

 Malware or ransomware (30%)

 Privacy/data access issues (33%)

 Unauthorised access (33%)

 Nation state attacks (18%)

"Attackers are now on board with business' shift to cloud computing," says Venafi vice president of security strategy and threat intelligence Kevin Bocek. "The ripest target of attack in the cloud is identity management, especially machine identities. Each of these cloud services, containers, Kubernetes clusters and microservices needs an authenticated machine identity  such as a TLS certificate  to communicate securely. If any of these identities is compromised or misconfigured, it dramatically increases security and operational risks."

The study also investigated how responsibility for securing cloud-based applications is currently assigned across internal teams. This varies widely across organisations, with operations teams responsible for cloud infrastructure (30%) the most likely to manage app security in the cloud. This is, followed by enterprise security teams (21%), a collaborative effort shared between multiple teams (22%), developers writing cloud applications (20%) and DevSecOps teams (4%). However, the number of security incidents indicates that none of these models are effective at reducing security incidents.

When asked who should be responsible for security cloud-based applications, again, there was no clear consensus. The most popular option shares responsibility between cloud infrastructure operations teams and enterprise security teams (24%). The next most popular options are share responsibility across multiple teams (23%), leaves responsibility with developers writing cloud applications (13%) and DevSecOps teams (19%).

The challenges connected with shared responsibility models is that security teams and development teams have very different goals and objectives. Developers need to move fast to accelerate innovation while security teams often do not have visibility into what development teams are doing. Without this visibility, security teams cannot evaluate how those controls stack up against security and governance policies.

"Security teams want to collaborate and share responsibility with the developers who are cloud experts, but all too often they're left out of cloud security decisions," continued Bocek. "Developers are making cloud-native tooling and architecture decisions that decide approaches to security without involving security teams. And now we can see the results of that approach: security incidents in the cloud are rapidly growing. We need to reset the approach to cloud security and create consistent, observable, controllable security services across clouds and applications. Architecting in a control plane for machine identity is a perfect example a new security model created specifically for cloud computing. This approach embeds security into developer processes and allows security teams to protect the business without slowing down engineers."

For more information about this research, please read the blog: https://www.venafi.com/blog/81-companies-have-had-had-cloud-security-incident-last-year-venafi-research.

About the research

Conducted by Sapio in July 2022, Venafi's study evaluated the opinions of 1,101 security decision makers across the United States, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Benelux (Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg) and Australia.

About Venafi

Venafi is the cybersecurity market leader in machine identity management. From the ground to the cloud, Venafi solutions manage and protect identities for all types of machinesfrom physical and IoT devices to software applications, APIs and containers. Venafi provides global visibility, lifecycle automation and actionable intelligence for all machine identity types and the security and reliability risks associated with them.

Jetstack, a Venafi company, is a cloud native products and strategic consulting company working with enterprises using Kubernetes and OpenShift.

An open source pioneer, Jetstack has achieved notable industry recognition as the creator of cert-manager, the open source industry standard for cloud native machine identity management. Jetstack's open source products and solutions protect the application environments and platform infrastructure of global banks, multinational retailing companies and defence organisations by providing enterprise platform and security teams the power to build, scale and security their cloud infrastructure.

With more than 30 patents, Venafi delivers innovative machine identity management solutions for the world's most demanding, security-conscious organisations and government agencies, including the top five U.S. health insurers; the top five U.S. airlines; the top four credit card issuers; three out of the four top accounting and consulting firms; four of the five top US retailers; and the top four banks in each of the following countries: the US, the UK, Australia and South Africa.

For more information visit www.venafi.com and www.jetstack.io.
GUEST RESEARCH: In light of recent phishing-based cyberattacks and in recognition of Cybersecurity Awareness Month, Yubico, the leading provider of hardware authentication security keys, today shared the results of its inaugural State of Global Enterprise Authentication Survey 2022 at a security thought-leadership industry summit hosted by the company in its San Francisco office.

The survey, conducted for Yubico by Censuswide, polled 16,000+ employees across a variety of enterprises in eight countries and asked about their perceptions and perceived challenges of MFA, security tools and internal security practices at their organisation, and their recent experiences with cyberattacks.

While the survey revealed numerous interesting data points, these telling cybersecurity authentication and MFA trends surfaced to the top:

Fifty-nine percent of employees still rely on username and password as their primary method to authenticate into accounts

Nearly 54% of employees admit to writing down or sharing a password

Over 22% of those surveyed still think username and password is the most secure method of authentication

Sixty-one percent of employees think their organisation needs to upgrade to modern phishing-resistant MFA and 79% of VP-level staff want their organisation to upgrade to modern phishing-resistant MFA (like hardware security keys)

More than 54% of employees are not required to go through cybersecurity training on a frequent basis

Over the last 12 months, nearly 57% admit to using a work issued device for personal use

Within the last 2 years, nearly 40% of survey respondents admits to having broken their mobile phone and nearly 30% have lost it (a device organisations commonly use to authenticate)

Cybersecurity Awareness Month brings global awareness for security hygiene, and is a good time for people and organisations to take action now to shore up their cybersecurity practices, said Yubico CEO and co-founder Stina Ehrensvard.

The results from Yubicos global survey highlight the biggest concerns, challenges and real-world scenarios that organisations are facing globally when it comes to their cybersecurity efforts  including the continued reliance on legacy MFA solutions like one-time passwords. Its a stark reminder of how far the enterprise still has to go to adopting and standardising phishing-resistant MFA tools.

The state of authentication

To further foster conversations around the importance of modern authentication, Yubico brought together cybersecurity industry leaders for its inaugural YubiSummit event in San Francisco, which included leading organisations at the forefront of security, influencers and media for in-depth discussions around the top challenges facing enterprises today.

In addition to Yubico executives CEO and co-founder Stina Ehrensvard, chief innovation officer and co-founder Jakob Ehrensvard, CISO Chad Thunberg, and vice president Derek Hanson, attendees included Brave, Union Pacific Railroad, Defending Digital Campaigns, Microsoft, Google and Rachel Tobac, ethical hacker and CEO of SocialProof Security.

Some of the topics discussed at the YubiSumit included:

Move over passwords: passkeys are the new kid in town. After the findings of the survey were unveiled, Yubicos Hanson shared information on demystifying the new term of passkeys including what they are, specific use cases and benefits, and what enterprises should consider between the use of passkeys and security keys.

Seeing the results of the survey and then contrasting that data with what were hearing is happening to companies, it only re-emphasises what we already know  that passwords are not enough and that not all MFA is created equal, said Hanson.

Were excited about the arrival of passkeys to help make FIDO authentication globally accessible. It is important to understand how passkeys will impact your organisation and what type of passkey is right for you. Passkeys by definition are passwordless-enabled FIDO credentials, but YubiKeys only create hardware-bound passkeys which are not copyable  ensuring the highest level of security for enterprises.

What the hack: advice from an ethical hacker. Tobac debuted a video with Yubico, demonstrating how cyber criminals hack by tricking people. The video highlights an attack vector seen frequently in recent news stories in which an employee is tricked into going to a malicious link, putting in their username and password and handing their 2FA codes to the attacker  all within a few seconds. She discussed the evolution of cyber attacks and the importance of deploying modern MFA, like a YubiKey, to stop attackers in their tracks during a hack.

If your threat model is elevated because you have admin access at work, are in the public eye, or being targeted/harassed, it's essential to consider FIDO security keys to prevent the most common attacks we're seeing in the news right now, said Tobac.

Our corporate responsibility: protecting those at risk around the world. Mary Mangione, Yubicos senior communications and brand manager and lead for its philanthropic program, Secure it Forward, was joined by experts from Google, Microsoft and Defending Digital Campaigns to discuss protecting high risk users across journalism, civil society, and politics. The conversation focused on the importance of companies partnering to leverage joint resources to keep these vulnerable populations secure.

Collaborating with organisations like Google, Microsoft and Defending Digital Campaigns allows us to better protect high risk users and organisations that need it most,'' said Mangione. At Yubico, our Secure it Forward program provides YubiKeys on a global scale at no-cost to help equip journalists, political organisations and non-profits with strong security.



To see the results of the survey and download the report, visit here. Learn more about the YubiKey and phishing-resistant MFA, visit here.
GUEST RESEARCH: WatchGuard Technologies, a global leader in unified cybersecurity, today announced findings from its most recent Internet Security Report, which details the top malware trends and network security threats analysed by WatchGuard Threat Lab researchers in Q2 2022. Key findings from the data include a reduction in overall malware detections from the peaks seen in the first half of 2021, an increase in threats for Chrome and Microsoft Office, the ongoing Emotet botnet resurgence, and much more.

While overall malware attacks in Q2 fell off from the all-time highs seen in previous quarters, over 81% of detections came via TLS encrypted connections, continuing a worrisome upward trend, said WatchGuard chief security officer Corey Nachreiner. This could reflect threat actors shifting their tactics to rely on more elusive malware.

Other key findings from the Q2 Internet Security Report include:

 Office exploits continue to spread more than any other category of malware. In fact, the quarters top incident was the Follina Office exploit (CVE-2022-30190), which was first reported in April and not patched until late May. Delivered via a malicious document, Follina was able to circumvent Windows Protected View and Windows Defender and has been actively exploited by threat actors, including nation states. Three other Office exploits (CVE-2018-0802, RTF-ObfsObjDat.Gen, and CVE-2017-11882) were widely detected in Germany and Greece.

 Endpoint detections of malware were down overall, but not equally. Despite a 20% decrease in total endpoint malware detections, malware exploiting browsers collectively increased by 23%, with Chrome seeing a 50% surge. One potential reason for the increase in Chrome detections is the persistence of various zero day exploits. Scripts continued to account for the lions share of endpoint detections (87%) in Q2.

 The top 10 signatures accounted for more than 75% of network attack detections. This quarter saw increased targeting of ICS and SCADA systems that control industrial equipment and processes, including new signatures (WEB Directory Traversal -7 and WEB Directory Traversal -8). The two signatures are very similar; the first exploits a vulnerability first uncovered in 2012 in a specific SCADA interface software while the second is most widely detected in Germany.

 A resurgent Emotet looms large. While Emotet volume has declined since last quarter, Emotet remains one of network security's biggest threats. One of the quarters top 10 overall and top 5 encrypted malware detections, XLM.Trojan.abracadabra  a Win Code injector that spreads the Emotet botnet  was widely seen in Japan.

WatchGuards quarterly research reports are based on anonymised Firebox Feed data from active WatchGuard Fireboxes whose owners have opted to share data in direct support of the Threat Labs research efforts. In Q2, WatchGuard blocked a total of more than 18.1 million malware variants (234 per device) and more than 4.2 million network threats (55 per device). The full report includes details on additional malware and network trends from Q2 2022, recommended security strategies, critical defence tips for businesses of all sizes and in any sector, and more.

For a detailed view of WatchGuards research, read the complete Q2 2022 Internet Security Report.

About WatchGuard Technologies

WatchGuard Technologies is a global leader in unified cybersecurity. Our Unified Security Platform approach is uniquely designed for managed service providers to deliver world-class security that increases their business scale and velocity while also improving operational efficiency. Trusted by more than 17,000 security resellers and service providers to protect more than 250,000 customers, the companys award-winning products and services offer five critical elements of a security platform: comprehensive security, shared knowledge, clarity & control, operational alignment, and automation. The company is headquartered in Seattle, Washington, with offices throughout North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Latin America. To learn more, visit WatchGuard.com.

For additional information, promotions and updates, follow WatchGuard on Twitter (@WatchGuard), on Facebook, or on the LinkedIn Company page. Also, visit our InfoSec blog, Secplicity, for real-time information about the latest threats and how to cope with them at www.secplicity.org. Subscribe to The 443  Security Simplified podcast at Secplicity.org, or wherever you find your favourite podcasts.
Security specialist Rubrik has appointed Antoine Le Tard to the role of APAC vice president.

Le Tard joins Rubrik from AppDynamics, where he served as APJC vice president following an initial stint as ANZ regional vice president.

He previously worked as ANZ general manager at RSA Security, ANZ head of strategic sales at Verizon, and sales manager at Radware.

At Rubrik, Le Tard will work closely with the company's country leaders including Scott Magill (ANZ), Koichi Ishii (Japan), and Ritesh Gupta (India).

"There is no way to stop every single cyber attack, regardless of what industry you're in," said Antoine Le Tard.

"With this in mind, the future of cybersecurity lies in turning the traditional fortress mentality on its head and making the business resilient in the wake of an attack. That's why I joined Rubrik. The company's approach to data security helps ensure potentially catastrophic incidents become minor inconveniences."
One wonders what exactly drove Optus chief executive Kelly Bayer Rosmarin to front a media session last Friday, in a bid to spin her way through a damaging development at the telco.

Had she been proficient in the technical aspects of data breaches and was willing to level with people, then it may have done a world of good. Or she could have brought along a technically competent person and let him/her explain things correctly.

But Bayer Rosmarin tried to paint the breach as a sophisticated attack, something that even a politician like Home Affairs Minister Clare O'Neil was able to shoot it down.

Optus employee Gladys Berejiklian has been asked to give a daily update on hacking numbers pic.twitter.com/PC2xP7WAI7  The Shovel (@TheShovel) September 27, 2022

Bayer Rosmarin also mentioned the word "ransomware" during her media call, even though this attack had as much to do with ransomware as I have to do with Poland.

There have been cases where CEOs have fronted the media after devastating attacks, with two recent cases being in Norway. One was aluminium maker, a publicly-listed firm that employs 36,000 people in 40 countries and reported a profit of 4.3 billion Norwegian crowns (US$505 million) in 2018, with sales topping out at 159.4 billion Norwegian crowns.

The company was totally open to the media, even conducting tours for newsmen and television cameras. Numerous press releases and videos were issued about the incident as the investigation progressed. As a result, its stock price was hardly affected by the incident.

And then there was Volue Technology, also from Norway, which went about dealing with the media with no obfuscation at all. Apart from news of what it was doing to rectify the situation, Volue also provided links to information about the Ryuk ransomware that hit the company and statistics about the attacks carried out by this strain.

Regular webcasts were also held, in Norwegian and English, to keep the media and any others who were interested up-to-date on the incident.

Bayer Rosmarin apparently does not believe in the value of being transparent. That could have been due to her preoccupations with other commitments, all wonderfully detailed today by the Australian Financial Review.

In scathing terms, the publication's Michael Roddan pointed out the "Optus job was only a part-time gig" for Bayer Rosmarin. Writing in the AFR's Rear Window section, Roddan also skewered his own employer for saying that the Optus CEO made a courageous and correct call to get in front of the media in a video call that felt strangely intimate and completely open.

He also had no kind words for The Australian, which he pointed out had empathised with Bayer Rosmarin being on the verge of tears when asked how she feels about the data breach occurring under her leadership.

But more importantly, Roddan pointed out, "... what was Bayer Rosmarin doing with her time since joining Optus as deputy boss in March 2019? Well, it turns out, a lot of her time was spent helping to govern completely different companies that were not Optus."

I won't steal his thunder, but recommend strongly that you, dear reader, cast an eye over his work. It is well worth paying for.

Optus maximum fine for breaching your data? 22c per customer. pic.twitter.com/8TxJuc7URx  Bradley Stanton (@GreensBradley) September 29, 2022

As veteran security researcher Brett Callow, who has seen his fair share of attacks during his tenure with the New Zealand-headquartered Emsisoft, told iTWire, "While I dont have access to any insider info, on the basis of whats been made public I wouldnt be at all surprised if the hack was carried out by a script kiddie who deleted the data after he went from seeing a million bucks in his future to seeing a prison cell.

"This is probably as good an outcome as Optus couldve realistically hoped for. And for its customers too. If the hacker did delete the data in a panic, at least its gone and isnt going to reappear at some later date. This doesnt help the 10,200 customers whose information had already leaked, but it does help the millions of others."

Now things are at a stage where Optus is under tremendous pressure to pick up the tab for replacing users' passports and driving licences. Given that all governments in the country are united on Optus paying for its sins, it may have to meekly give in.

Whether Bayer Rosmarin will be there next week is up in the air. Were the help of the NSA to be enlisted, it is entirely possible that the kid who tried to become rich will be shamed publicly and probably jailed for a while.

But that will be cold comfort for the CEO of one of Australia's bigger companies who appears to have made a major strategic mistake last Friday.
Yarra Valley Water has launched a pilot project to test technology which it says would enable renewable hydrogen energy to be produced at its Aurora treatment plant.

The Victorian Government has awarded $11.9 million in funding from Round 2 of the Energy Innovation Fund to build a permanent renewable hydrogen facility at Aurora Hydro Gen-1, if the pilot is successful.

Yarra Valley Water says trials will test a Victorian made high-tech electrolyser to validate its performance before developing a Victorian Government funded larger-scale facility - and it is expected there will be 10 FTE construction jobs and 4FTE ongoing jobs from Hydro Gen-1.

According to Yarra Valley Water the cleanest form of hydrogen is green and this is the only type produced using renewable energy, with zero carbon emissions.

The process uses renewable energy to separate oxygen and hydrogen molecules from water to create renewable hydrogen gas that can be used in many ways. Examples include fuel cells to generate electricity and power vehicles as well as mixing hydrogen into the natural gas network, Yarra Valley Water notes.

Yarra Valley Waters Managing Director Pat McCafferty said the trials at Aurora treatment plant would test the feasibility of developing a commercially viable green renewable hydrogen facility at the plant in Melbournes north.

This is an exciting development in our journey towards a carbon-free future and delivering our purpose to create a brighter future for communities and the natural environment, Mr McCafferty said.

The water industry is significantly impacted by climate change and were committed to doing what we can to reduce greenhouse gas emissions as part of our climate resilience planning.

Yarra Valley Water says Australia's goal is to be a major supplier of clean hydrogen by 2030 and the water industry has a critical role in providing a commercially viable renewable hydrogen future.

Recycled water and renewable energy are needed to make sustainable hydrogen and were producing both at Aurora, which is powered by green energy from our onsite food waste to energy facility. And the by-product from hydrogen production  oxygen  can potentially be used to make our sewage treatment processes more efficient.

Yarra Valley Water says that under the states water plan, Water for Victoria, the Victorian water sector is committed to leading on climate change - and earlier this month, Minister for Water Harriet Shing announced the Statement of Obligations (Emission Reduction)  a new agreement locking all 18 Victorian water corporations into reaching net zero no later than 2035. This ambitious and innovative agreement makes Victorias water sector the first in Australia to commit to net-zero emissions by 2035.

Yarra Valley Water says it had already successfully partnered with Jacobs to deliver theoretical research that found Australias domestic hydrogen market could be supported by co-located hydrogen production at wastewater treatment plants.

The Water Services Association of Australia also recommends that the urban water industry takes a co-creative role in the nations renewable hydrogen energy future.

This pilot is an extension of our work to go beyond zero carbon and play our part to help Australia decarbonise its fuel sources and decrease greenhouse gases - were proud to be at the forefront of this important shift, McCafferty said.

The project will be delivered through collaboration with Australian Gas Infrastructure Group (AGIG), one of Australias largest gas infrastructure businesses. AGIG supplies gas to over 1.4 million homes and businesses in Victoria, with operations also across every mainland state and the Northern territory.

AGIG CEO Craig de Laine said renewable hydrogen projects such as that delivered by Yarra Valley Water will be a key part of the low carbon energy transition in Victoria.

Renewable hydrogen will play a crucial role in Victorias low carbon transition, providing carbon-free gas for use in homes and businesses while also supporting the renewable electricity transition. Yarra Valleys renewable hydrogen project is an excellent demonstration of this low carbon future and shows the very significant role water businesses will likely play in the energy transition. It is a fantastic initiative that we are proud to support.
This Week in Review

A weekly review of the best and most popular stories published in the Imperial Valley Press. Also, featured upcoming events, new movies at local theaters, the week in photos and much more.
If you were looking for the Charlestown Democratic Town Committee website and ended up here, try this





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File photo Akhilesh Yadav was on Thursday unanimously elected as the Samajwadi Party President for the third consecutive term. Akhilesh Yadav was on Thursday unanimously elected as the Samajwadi Party President for the third consecutive term.



Samajwadi Party's secretary general Prof Ram Gopal Yadav said Akhilesh Yadav was the only candidate for the post.



Akhilesh became SP President for the first time at an emergency meeting of the party in January 2017 when he took over the reins of the party from his father Mulayam Singh Yadav.



In the same year, he got a second term at the party's national convention in Agra.



Akhilesh's term as party president will be for five years




Santa Paula News

Today you are you! That is truer than true! There is no one alive who is you-er than you! wrote Dr. Seuss. Blanchard Elementary School students were in for a treat when Santa Paula Police Chief Steve McLean read a Dr. Seuss book to celebrate the birthdate of the most famous of childrens authors. McLean also gave the students some safety tips. Seuss books were read across the nation on March 2, the actual birthdate of Theodor Seuss Geisel, an American writer, cartoonist, animator, book publisher, and artist best known for authoring his array of childrens books under the pen name Dr. Seuss. Born in 1904, Seuss died September 24, 1991 in La Jolla.
Today

Partly cloudy. High 71F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph.

Tonight

Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. Low 42F. Winds light and variable.

Tomorrow

A mainly sunny sky. High 71F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph.
Two Somali human rights activists and a Ukrainian human rights lawyer won Sweden's Right Livelihood Award on Thursday, which it considers an alternative to the Nobel prize.

The Right Livelihood Foundation also honoured Venezuela's Cecosesola, an organisation offering social services, and the African Institute for Energy Governance.

"In the face of failing governance and a breakdown of order -- including wars, terrorism, extractivism, massive displacement and economic crisis -- (this year's laureates) have established new, human-centric systems", the head of the foundation Ole von Uexkull said in a statement.

Somali activists Fartuun Adan and her daughter Ilwad Elman were honoured "for promoting peace, demilitarisation and human rights in Somalia in the face of terrorism and gender-based violence".

The two women run initiatives that help disarm and rehabilitate former child soldiers as well as victims of gender-based violence.

Ukrainian Oleksandra Matviichuk and her Center for Civil Liberties were honoured "for building sustainable democratic institutions in Ukraine and modelling a path to international accountability for war crimes".

The organisation also documents human rights violations and war crimes committed since Moscow's invasion of Ukraine.

Cecosesola received the award "for establishing an equitable and cooperative economic model as a robust alternative to profit-driven economies".

Finally, the African Institute for Energy Governance won for its "courageous work for climate justice and community rights violated by extractivist energy projects in Uganda".

The Uganda-based organisation provides advocacy to help poor communities influence energy policies, including lobbying against oil and gas projects harmful to the environment.

Swedish-German philatelist Jakob von Uexkull founded the donor-funded Livelihood prize in 1980 after the Nobel Foundation behind the Nobel Prizes refused to create awards honouring efforts in the fields of the environment and international development.

They were introduced "to honour and support those offering practical and exemplary answers to the most urgent challenges facing us today," according to the foundation.

The prize comes with a one-million-kronor ($88,000) cheque per laureate.
23-year-old Serhiy Steiner, the deputy commander of a military company located in the village of Totske-2, Orenburg region, 1200 km south-east of Moscow, has been in the Russian army since 2016, when he entered the Omsk Armored Engineering Institute. At the beginning of March 2022, the lieutenant and a convoy of BMP (infantry fighting vehicle) and tanks entered the village of Lukyanivka in the Kyiv region, the capital city of Ukraine.

Later, escaping from the counteroffensive of Ukrainian troops, Steiner left his tank and fled the village. It would be journalists who helped identify him, by making public his documents found in the armored car. Their investigation became part of a case file, and one of the journalists, a witness.

At the beginning of May, an international warrant was issued against the Russian soldier and at the end of that month, the Kyiv Regional Prosecutor's Office sent an indictment to the Solomyanskyy District Court for an investigation in absentia.

An in absentia trial has to follow a certain procedure: the accused is summoned to the court and after several non-appearances (making sure that the person evades justice), the judge must approve a request for special court proceedings and then proceed to the consideration of the case on its merits. The review of Steiner's case in court stretched over 4 months, taking into account the summer vacation of judge Oksana Kryvorot.

Victim and witness at Steiner's trial.  Iryna Domaschenko

At the victimss house

Steiner was tried for the violation of the laws and customs of war. According to the indictment, during the occupation of Lukyanivka, the lieutenant ordered the soldiers of the armed forces of the Russian Federation who were under his command to rob civilians. The occupiers broke into apartments, destroyed and damaged private houses, farm buildings, and ran over a car with a tank.

One resident of Lukyanivka suffered about 150,000 hryvnias (about 4,200 euros) in material damage  a gasoline generator, concrete slabs and a Volkswagen Caddy that was run over. Oleksandr Gudym had stayed with his mother in Lukyanivka, and in an interview he described how the Russian military "settled" in the neighborhood. 

I was there with them for 21 days. Life went on, only there were unwanted neighbors. They came to us, stood in the neighboring yard, and camped there. I saw them 20-30 meters away. There was a tank, the barrel was already in my yard. They ate on a neighbor's beehives. Machine gunners (or whoever) would stay on duty on a tank, and go somewhere on assignments," Gudym told us.

In court the victim gave further details.

On the first day, they spent the night outside, and did not enter [the house]. On the second day, they came in and said not to use a flashlight at night, not to make any unnecessary movements, and that if you go out somewhere, it had to be with permission, Gudym testified.

Didn't they ask for food? said the judge.

Well, they asked... but they "asked" with weapons. They didn't take it themselves, we had to give it. They "asked" for potatoes, eggs...

There were no livestock in Gudym's household, only chickens. After the shelling, the occupiers took away the beaten chickens, and chopped up the ones that were still alive. "He [a Russian soldier] used to come to my mother and say: 'Mother, two eggs will be exchanged for two dry rations.', Gudym told the court.

- And where did they wash? Asked the judge.

- At people's houses. This guy came and asked: "Where is your banya [steamed Russian public bath]? Where do you bathe?". I said the showers in the house. But he didnt understand me at all : What? Water in the house?

Eye witnesses

Prior to that, Gudym's house was damaged by the shelling. The veranda was knocked down, the roof and walls were partially destroyed. The victim also knows about one death in the village  someone who died from injuries from debris  and another man who lost an eye.

During the occupation, the Russians shot through the lock in Gudym's garage and took out the gasoline generator, concrete slabs for trenches, and seized his phone (which was later found). I understood that they had a hierarchy. There were a couple of men in charge of supply, they took firewood, they carried water. Firewood was taken by force to heat houses and their dugouts. A military man named Serhiy was giving orders to two soldiers on duty near the tank. He was their superior, the victim stated.

He recognized Steiner from a photo.

The Russian soldiers also settled at Svitlana Maruzhenkos house, a neighbor of Gudym. The woman recalls that the occupiers did not understand what she was saying, as she spoke Ukrainian. She then moved to her sisters house at the other end of the village. She testified that the leader among the Russian soldiers was addressed by the name Serhiy. She also recognized Steiner from the photo.

He talked to me more defiantly. The rest did not communicate, mainly he led the conversation, she said. Gudym told the court how on March 24, during the liberation of the village by the Ukrainian military, Russian soldiers damaged his property. While fleeing, the Russian tank drove into the depths of the village, through a fence, a car and a warehouse and into the forest. It knocked beehives over to the neighbor's apiary, damaged gas pipelines and power lines.

A journalist testifies about her investigation into soldier Serhiy Steiner.  Iryna Domaschenko

Screenshot from the Vkontakte network

Another witness in the case was Kira Tolstiakova, a journalist of the Ukrainian service of Radio Liberty. She explained to the court how their own investigation into Steiners case began.

My colleague Maryan Kushnir, who is a military correspondent, was in the village of Lukyanivka at that time. This village was liberated by the Ukrainian military and he received documents from the Ukrainian military that were found in one of the Russian tanks. He took pictures, sent them to me via messenger and asked if we were interested in studying these documents. Because I work in the investigation project, our task includes the identification of Russian servicemen. I looked at these documents - it was a bag of a soldier of the Russian Federation, which contained a medical record. In the medical book, it was written in detail who it belonged to - Steiner Sergey Dmytrovych. His age was indicated, his position and rank - lieutenant, deputy commander of the weapons company. The military unit, place of birth, and location of the military unit were also indicated. It said he is married, with his contact phone numbers. There was another document about the material transported in the tank received to fight in Ukraine, Tolstiakova explained.

Journalists found Steiner's social networks profile. They got in contact with him.

The case file shows that on March 27, while in the range of a cellular base station in the village of Lukashi, less than 6 km from Lukyanivka (a more precise address was not established during the investigation), Steiner threatened to kill a journalist in WhatsApp and Telegram messengers. But the witness did not talk about it during her examination in court.

Defense: no originals, no direct evidence

Steiner was defended by a lawyer appointed by the free legal aid center Viktor Ovsyannikov, who had also represented Russian serviceman Vadym Shishymarin, the first to be tried for war crimes committed in Ukraine. Ovsyannikov asked Tolstyakova whether she had seen the originals of the Steiner documents she was talking about. The witness said no, but that she trusts the colleague who held the originals in his hands.

The prosecutor asked for 9 years of imprisonment for Steiner. (The law provides for a prison term of 8 to 12 years.) "Taking into account the examined evidence, we can come to the conclusion that Steiner acted with direct intent, which was aimed at cruel treatment of the civilian population and other violations of the laws and customs of war," Mykola Styopin said.

Counsel Ovsyannikov drew the exact opposite conclusion. In view of the collected evidence and the information that became known during the judicial investigation, I come to the conclusion that the guilt of my client has not been proven, there is no direct evidence that he committed the crime he is charged with. There are no direct testimonies of both the victim and witnesses that would point to the specified person, he told the court.

On September 26, judge Kryvorot announced the verdict  9 years in prison. It was the first trial in absentia to come to an end in Ukraines war crimes proceedings. At the judges last words, the siren of an air raid set off.

This report is part of a series on war crimes, produced in partnership with Ukrainian journalists. A first version of this article was published on the Sudovyi Reporter website.
China urges U.S. to honor its commitment to one-China principle

Xinhua) 11:26, September 29, 2022

BEIJING, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson on Wednesday urged the United States to honor its commitment to the one-China principle in a simple and straightforward way.

Spokesperson Wang Wenbin made the remarks at a daily media briefing when commenting on U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris's remarks ealier in the day that Washington would continue to deepen its "unofficial ties" with Taiwan.

"We have also noticed that Harris said 'China is undermining key elements of the international rules-based order' during her visit to Japan," Wang said, noting that, however, the United States itself is the destroyer of international order.

The spokesperson said that U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, in disregard of China's four-month-long dissuasion, made a provocative visit to China's Taiwan region and referred to Taiwan as a "country" in August, which seriously violates China's sovereignty and territorial integrity, hurts China-U.S. relations and undermines peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.

He noted that the one-China principle is a prevailing consensus of the international community and a basic norm governing international relations, and it is also the political foundation for the establishment and development of diplomatic ties between China and the United States.

The United States has acknowledged clearly in the three China-U.S. Joint Communiques that there is but one China and Taiwan is part of China, and recognized the Government of the People's Republic of China as the sole legal Government of China, Wang said, adding that the U.S. side has stated clearly that it has no intention of infringing on Chinese sovereignty and territorial integrity, or interfering in China's internal affairs, or pursuing a policy of "two Chinas" or "one China, one Taiwan."

"Keeping one's word is the most basic rule," Wang said. "If the U.S. side doesn't even honor its own commitments, how is it qualified to talk about rules? It will only become a destroyer of international rules," Wang added.

"We urge the U.S. side to honor its commitments, return to the three China-U.S. Joint Communiques and the one-China principle in their true and original forms, reaffirm its commitment to the one-China principle in the simple and straightforward way, and state its opposition to all 'Taiwan independence' separatist activities with absolute clarity," the spokesperson said.

(Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun)
Auckland Airport is pleased to announce the appointment of Sarah Kearney, as future director, from 19 October 2022 for 18 months.

Sarah Kearney is currently the Chief Digital Officer at The Warehouse Group. She has been with the group since 2017, working to accelerate e-commerce growth and deliver a quality experience for customers through innovation, transformation and data.

Prior to her role at The Warehouse Group she was based in Singapore as Senior Vice President of Growth and Optimisation for Lazada Group, the leading eCommerce platform and flagship platform of the Alibaba Group in Southeast Asia. Sarah is originally from the UK where she started her career in the retail industry.

Auckland Airports Chair Patrick Strange said: We are delighted to welcome Sarah on board as a Future Director. With her extensive experience in ecommerce, Sarah she will bring valuable knowledge to Auckland Airport at time when we are working to transform the customer experience for the next 50 years of travel.

The Future Director Programme identifies talented New Zealanders with proven potential to succeed in a governance role and provides them with an opportunity to observe and participate in Boardroom discussions. While the aspiring directors participate in real discussions, they do not have a role in Board decision making, and Auckland Airport has protocols in place that prevent future director participants being "deemed directors.

Auckland Airport has been a strong supporter of the Future Directors programme since joining in 2013.

ENDS

AIA welcomes Sarah Kearney into Future Director Programme

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CEDARHURST, NY, Sept. 28, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE)  The securities litigation practice of Kuznicki Law PLLC is issuing this warning to shareholders of Olo Inc. (NYSE: OLO) if they sell the companys stock between August 11th 2021 and including August 11, 2022 (the Collection Period). Shareholders have up to November 28, 2022 filing the lead plaintiffs motions in the securities class action.

Shareholders are encouraged to contact us at https://kclasslaw.com/cases/securities/nyse-olo/by calling toll-free at 1-833-835-1495 or by email ([email protected]).

Kuznicki Law PLLC is committed to ensuring that companies adhere to responsible business practices and engage in good corporate citizenship. The Company seeks redress on behalf of investors who have suffered losses where false and/or misleading information or the omission of material information by a company has artificially inflated the companys shares. attorney advertising. Previous results do not guarantee similar results.

CONTACT:

Kuznicki Law PLLC

Daniel Kuznicki, Esq.

445 Central Avenue, Suite 344

Cedarhurst, NY 11516

Email: [email protected]

Phone: (347) 696-1134

Cellphone: (347) 690-0692

Fax: (347) 348-0967

https://kclasslaw.com
NEW YORK, Sept. 28, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE)  WHY: Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, is reminding buyers of Medtronic plc (NYSE: MDT) stock between June 8, 2019 and May 25, 2022, both dates inclusive (the Collection Period), of the importance November 7, 2022 Deadline for Lead Plaintiff.

SO WHAT: If you purchased Medtronic securities during the Class Period, you may be entitled to compensation without payment of expenses or costs through a contingency fee arrangement.

WHAT TO DO NEXT: To join Medtronics class action lawsuit, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=8603 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll free at 866-767-3653 or by email [email protected] or [email protected] for information about the Class Action. A class action lawsuit has already been filed. If you want to appear as lead plaintiff, you must call the court by November 7, 2022 at the latest. A lead plaintiff is a representative party acting on behalf of other group members in conducting the litigation.

WHY ROSES LAW: We encourage investors to select qualified advisors with a track record in leadership positions. Frequently, companies that issue notices do not have comparable experience, resources, or meaningful recognition from peers. Many of these law firms do not actually conduct securities class actions, but are merely intermediaries who refer clients or work with law firms who actually hear the cases. Be wise in choosing a lawyer. The Rosen law firm represents investors worldwide and focuses its practice on securities class actions and shareholder derivatives litigation. Rosen Law Firm has achieved the largest-ever securities class-action settlement against a Chinese company. Rosen Law Firm was ranked #1 in 2017 by ISS Securities Class Action Services for the number of securities class action settlements. The firm has been ranked in the top 4 every year since 2013 and has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors. In 2019 alone, the company
Finland on Thursday said it would ban Russians on Schengen tourist visas from entering the country at midnight (2100 GMT) after a surge in arrivals occurred following Moscows mobilization order.

The decision aims to completely prevent the current situation of Russian tourism to Finland and the related transit through Finland, Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto said at a press conference.

Haavisto cited damage to Finlands international relations as reason for the decision and said Russias mobilization had a significant impact on Finlands assessment.

The illegal referendums in Ukraine and the alleged sabotage of the Nord Stream pipelines in the Baltic Sea have increased concern, Haavisto said.

The restrictions include exceptions for human rights reasons, and Russians can still enter Finland to meet family, work or study.

The decision must not prevent travel for humanitarian reasons either, Haavisto added.

Interior Minister Krista Mikkonen said it was possible the restrictions would lead to an increase in asylum applications and illegal border crossings.

Mikkonen said that being called up for mobilization is not in itself a ground for asylum  unless it can be shown, for example, that the person was being coerced into committing war crimes or being disproportionately punished.

But these decisions are always made individually by the authorities, she said.

Even before Russias mobilization order, Finland had restricted the number of visas issued to Russians because tourism in its eastern neighbor had caused dissatisfaction with the war in Ukraine.

However, Haavisto noted that the restrictions in place are not sufficient in the current situation.

 Awfully uncomfortable 

Fearing that Russia may close its border forever following the mobilization order, growing numbers of Russians, many of fighting age, have rushed to neighboring Finland in recent days.

Most of them have rushed to the Vaalimaa border crossing to the south.

The number of daily crossings was around 7,000 or 8,000 this past weekend and earlier this week, but the numbers started falling on Wednesday.

I just got through it, I dont know how the others will get through. Its sad, sad, Andrei Stepanov, a 49-year-old Russian, told AFP about the new restrictions.

I feel sorry for the others, theyre already in prison there. Now its even worse, says Stepanov, who originally comes from Samara, around 100 kilometers from the Kazakh border.
The Nord Stream operator said Thursday it was unable to immediately assess damage to pipelines linking Russia to Europe and threatened an indefinite outage  after Sweden spotted a fourth leak and NATO condemned acts of sabotage. .

The Swedish Coast Guard confirmed on Thursday that there were four leaks in the pipeline in the Baltic Sea  two on the Swedish side and two on the Danish side. Three leaks were previously reported.

The Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines were at the center of geopolitical tensions as Russia cut off gas supplies to Europe in alleged retaliation against Western sanctions following Moscows invasion of Ukraine.

The Nord Stream operator said it intends to begin assessing the damage to the pipeline as soon as it receives the necessary regulatory approvals.

Access can only be allowed after the pressure in the gas line has stabilized and the gas leak has stopped.

Until the damage assessment is completed, it is not possible to predict the timeframe for restoring the gas transportation infrastructure, the operator said.

NATO said the damage was the result of intentional, reckless and irresponsible acts of sabotage and said it was supporting an investigation to determine the cause of the damage.

The Western alliance warned that it was committed to prepare for, deter, and defend against forced use of energy and other hybrid tactics.

Any deliberate attack on Allied critical infrastructure would be met with a unified and determined response, it said, adding that the leaks would pose risks to shipping and cause significant environmental damage.

Russia has denied being behind the blasts, saying a foreign state was likely responsible.

President Vladimir Putin blamed international terrorism for the leaks.

In a phone call with Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Thursday, he described it as unprecedented sabotage, according to a Kremlin ad.

The Russian Security Service has also launched an international terrorism probe into the gas leaks, saying they have caused significant economic damage to the Russian Federation.

Russia on Wednesday said Washington should respond if it was behind the leaks  a claim the United States dismissed as ridiculous.

The UN Security Council will meet on Friday to consider the matter.

Finland, which borders Russia, has made efforts to strengthen security around its critical infrastructure, with a particular focus on the power grid.

Swedens two largest nuclear power plants have raised their alert levels.

 Constant gas flow 

Operated by a consortium majority owned by the Russian gas giant Gazprom, Nord Stream 1 and 2 run from Russia to Germany.

Although the pipelines are not currently operational, they both still contained gas.

The huge leaks have caused underwater clouds of gas, with bubbles several hundred meters wide at the sea surface making it impossible to inspect the structures immediately.

Seismic institutes reported Tuesday they in all likelihood recorded explosions in the area before the leaks were discovered.

A Swedish Coast Guard search and rescue vessel was patrolling the area.

The crew reports that the gas flow visible at the surface is constant, the agency said in a statement.

Danish authorities said the leaks will continue until the gas in the pipelines is exhausted, which is expected to happen on Sunday.

Fatih Birol, executive director of the International Energy Agency, said at a symposium in Paris that it was very obvious to him who was behind the leaks.

He said post-war gas shortages in Ukraine could lead to a harsh winter in Europe.

If there isnt a big negative surprise, I think Europe can survive this winter in terms of gas with a lot of bruises on our bodies in terms of prices, economy and social issues, but we can get through this, Birol said.

According to climate associations, Nord Stream 1 and 2 contained about 350,000 tons of natural gas  methane.
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US Senator Bernie Sanders on Thursday urged Brazilians of all stripes to respect the outcome of the presidential election and reject political violence, in a message tweeted by his left-winger Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.

Former President Lula, who leads the polls, will face incumbent Jair Bolsonaro in a first round of voting on Sunday.

As the largest democracy in Latin America, your nation is an important example for the world of a stable and fair electoral system, Sanders said in a recorded message.

Its a world where both the winners and losers of elections must respect the results and where political violence or the threat of political violence is always unacceptable.

Sanders wanted to convey to Brazilians the importance of voting at a time when democracies are under attack around the world and were seeing nations moving towards authoritarianism.

On Wednesday, the US Senate passed a Sanders-backed resolution emphasizing that Washington will not support any government that comes to power by undemocratic means amid fears Bolsonaro would not accept a loss and foment violence.
The finale episode showcases the ups and downs of Red Velvet's Joy and Choo Young Woo's character as they began their long-distance relationship.

After weeks of being in the countryside of Heedong, the veterinarian needs to return to his clinic in Seoul, leaving the female officer in the small town.

'Once Upon a Small Town' Cast

Released on September 5, the 12-part episode K-drama stars Red Velvet's Joy as the local officer, Ahn Ja Young who harbors secret feelings towards the city-based veterinarian Han Ji Yul, played by Choo Young Woo.

He temporarily moved to Heedong as per the request of his grandfather to look after the hospital while he is away.

In the feel-good K-drama, "Once Upon a Small Town" also welcomes Officer Ahn's best friend, Lee Sang Hyun, portrayed by Baek Sung Chul.

'Once Upon a Small Town' Episode 12 Recap

Just when Ahn Ja Young and Han Ji Yul thought that they were busted, it turned out that a local saw Yun Hyeong, Han Ji Yul's friend dating assistant Lee.

Here, the secret couple realized that it was not just them who planned to keep their relationship a secret.

In a heart-to-heart talk, Han Ji Yul warned his friend to take things seriously with assistant Lee as she is such a nice person.

Yun Hyeong tells Han Ji Yul that he wouldn't dive into a long-distance relationship and drive for hours if he is not serious with assistant Lee.

As Han Ji Yul and Ahn Ja Young continue their relationship under wraps, they planned to have their first movie together in a nearby theater during the busiest time of the day so they wouldn't get noticed.

Unfortunately, both had immediate commitments at work to attend but Ahn Ja Young still insisted on seeing Han Ji Yul.

Out of anger, she had a little bit of alcohol and went straight to the municipal hall where Han Ji Yul was waiting for him.

However, instead of seeing Han Ji Yul, he made an announcement that they are dating and wouldn't be always available from now on.

Interestingly, the local elders revealed that they knew that you are dating even before Ahn Ja Young made the announcement.

In "Once Upon a Small Town" episode 12, it showcased the struggles of the couple being in a long-distance relationship.

Now that Han Ji Yul works in Seoul while Ahn Ja Young in Heedong, they made arrangements on how they could see each other from time to time.

Interestingly, Ahn Ja Young was surprised that Han Ji Yul had a surprise visit to the countryside. What's more interesting is that he decided to work at his grandfather's veterinary hospital for good which means no more LDR for the both of them.

KDramastars owns this article

Written by Geca Wills
Air New Zealand Limited (Air New Zealand) notes that its current NZ$50,000,000 unsecured, unsubordinated, fixed rate bonds which are quoted on the NZX Debt Market under the ticker code AIR020 (AIR020 Bonds) will mature on 28 October 2022. In connection with this, Air New Zealand confirms today that it is considering making an offer of 5.5 year, unsecured, unsubordinated, fixed rate bonds (Bonds) to institutional investors and New Zealand retail investors (the Offer).

As part of Air New Zealands post-Covid strategy, the airline is focussed on continuing to have a diverse range of debt sources. As a proudly New Zealand company the airline feels it is important for the company to support the New Zealand capital markets.

If the Offer proceeds, it will be made pursuant to clause 19 of Schedule 1 of the Financial Markets Conduct Act 2013 as an offer of debt securities of the same class as the AIR020 Bonds.

It is expected that full details of the Offer will be released in the week beginning Monday, 17 October 2022, when the Offer is anticipated to open. The Bonds are expected to be quoted on the NZX Debt Market under ticker code AIR030.

Air New Zealand has appointed Westpac Banking Corporation (ABN 33 007 457 141) (acting through its New Zealand branch) (Westpac) as Arranger, and ANZ Bank New Zealand Limited, Forsyth Barr Limited and Jarden Securities Limited, together with Westpac, as joint lead managers (JLMs) in relation to the proposed Offer.

Investors can register their interest in the proposed Offer by contacting a JLM or a financial adviser. Indications of interest will not involve an obligation or commitment to acquire Bonds. No money is currently being sought from investors and no Bonds can be applied for or acquired unless and until the Offer opens and Air New Zealand has issued the indicative terms sheet in relation to the Bonds.

Joint Lead Managers

ANZ Bank New Zealand Limited

Jarden Securities Limited

Forsyth Barr Limited

Westpac Banking Corporation (ABN 33 007 457 141) (acting through its New Zealand branch)

Ends.

Air New Zealand Limited Considers Retail Bond Offer

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U.S. Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken, left, speaks with Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Joly during a round table meeting at a NATO summit in Madrid, Spain on June 29, 2022. Joly is headed back to the U.S. capital to talk about Ukraine with Blinken. It will be the pairs second meeting in just over a week, coming on the heels of the UN General Assembly in New York. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP-Susan Walsh, Pool
The Lynwood Charlton Centre group home in Hamilton, Ont., Thursday, Sept. 29, 2022. The inquest examining the death of Devon Freeman began Monday in the Chippewas of Georgina Island First Nation, of which he was a member. Jurors have heard Freeman was reported missing from the Lynwood Charlton Centre group home in the Flamborough area of Hamilton in the fall of 2017. He was found dead near the home in April of 2018. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Peter Power
A common story shared by Vietnam War veterans is that of their return to the U.S., and the bitter environment they found themselves in after fighting in a war unpopular at home.

For years, many refrained from sharing their experiences.

Al Vittori, one of those veterans, said he was much the same way when first approached over a decade ago by a teacher who had an idea.

One day some elementary teacher asked me, Were you in the service? Vittori reflected. I said, Yeah, I dont talk about it.

That teacher wanted Vittori to talk with students about his experiences in the war, and although Vittori resisted at first, the teacher persisted. Ultimately, Vittori met with several classes, answering questions and showing off old military equipment to attentive students.

No weapons, of course, Vittori joked.

On Thursday, years after Vittoris first classroom presentations, about two dozen local veterans,  with service histories ranging from Vietnam to Afghanistan  were stationed throughout the Kenosha Civil War Museum as over 100 Harborside Academy sophomores spoke with them, sharing their perspectives and giving students a rare insight into history they typically only read about.

Khari Bell, who teaches 10th grade World History at Harborside, has been helping organize the event for five years now, but he said its been going on for well over a decade. In the past, the event was held at Harborside, but last years pandemic precautions forced them to a new space. Bell was grateful to the Kenosha Public Museum for hosting Thursdays event.

I think this gives students an opportunity to see history in the flesh, Bell said. Its better than a textbook, than anything they can read.

There were more than just combat stories to share.

One veteran, Phillip Morris, was on the second floor of the museum with a book on military aircraft and several pamphlets of airplanes he had worked on during his service. He recalled his early months at various airbases, and the strict rules for dress uniforms.

We had to starch our clothes, Morris recalled, laughing. I had a pair of pants that I could stand up like stovepipes.

John Gransee, another teacher from Harborside, enjoyed listening to what the veterans had to share, and said students often had to be repeatedly reminded when it was time to move to a new table as they listened intently to the veterans.

This is one of the best things we do at the school; kids get a lot out of it, Gransee said. Its pretty powerful.

Beside the educational benefits for the kids, Gransee said that interacting with the students and sharing their stories had benefits for the veterans as well.

I think it helps the veterans mull over things, talking about it, answering questions, Gransee said.

As students spoke with the veterans, many took diligent notes, to be used later for a class project. Students will write up the veterans stories from their interviews, to help them analysis and digest their conversations.

Bell said the veterans are also going to be invited to Harborside for a Veterans Day ceremony, to be held on Nov. 11.
The Sister Cities Association of Kenosha will host its annual meeting from 6 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 13, in the Lakeside Classroom at the Kenosha Public Museum, 5500 First Ave.

The group will begin planning an August 2023 visit from Kenoshas Sister City, Wolfenbuttel Germany, including the celebration of a delayed 50th anniversary.

Kenosha currently has Sister City relationships in Douai, France; Cosenza, Italy; Quezon City, Phillipines; and Wolfenbuttel, Germany.

The Sister Cities Association believes in strengthening peace and prosperity through person-to-person citizen diplomacy. Regular exchanges and visits occur between Kenosha and Wolfenbuttel, Germany as well as Douai, France.

The groups last exchange took place in 2019, with a trip to Cosenza. Visits involve both student and adult groups, who stay in the homes of host families and tour the community and surrounding areas.

The public is welcome to attend and learn about joining the Sister Cities Association. Annual dues are $10.

For further information about the program or meeting, contact Kenosha Sister Cities Secretary Teri Jacobson: 262-657-5336 or email jacobsont@hotmail.com
Steel & Tube Holdings Limited (NZX: STU ) is providing a trading update ahead of its Annual Shareholders Meeting being held in Auckland today at 10:30am.

2023 Financial Year (FY23) trading through July and August has been steady across most sectors with earnings supported by operational and trading disciplines.

Last year was impacted by the Nationwide Alert Level 4 Lockdown at 11:59pm on 17 August. In FY23, for the 34 days to 17 August 2022, revenue was up 15% while volumes remained at the same level as last year.

Whilst local and global economic volatility is expected to continue, Steel & Tube is well positioned to deliver through the economic cycle. Steel pricing is expected to remain elevated in the near term. Customer activity is anticipated to be steady although in some sectors will moderate off the recent extraordinary high demand levels, as is already being seen.

The company will be discussing its progress and growth strategy at todays Meeting. A copy of the presentation and speeches will be provided to the NZX at the Meetings commencement.

ENDS

Steel & Tube - Trading Update - September 2022

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Lacking a supreme being in which to place our faith, my wife and I decided to make the most difficult decision of our lives and discontinue life support. I still wonder if we made the right decision, question whether fear made us give up too early, and these chronic doubts cut with the acuity of scalpels. But I also know that certainty is a fading flame in a failing body, and in a godless universe, sometimes a best guess is all you have to go on.

Mukund Gnanadesikan is a psychiatrist.

He shares his story and discusses his KevinMD article, Certainty is a fading flame in a failing body.

This episode is sponsored by the Nuance Dragon Ambient eXperience.

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Do you know someone who might enjoy this episode? Share this episode with anyone who wants to hear health care stories filled with information, insight, and inspiration.

Hosted by Kevin Pho, MD, The Podcast by KevinMD shares the stories of the many who intersect with our health care system but are rarely heard from.
A recent JAMA Pediatrics study confirmed what I see in practice as a pediatric primary care psychologist in Texas, one of four minority-majority states. The study reported alarming gaps between Black and Hispanic kids compared to white kids in attendance at primary care wellness visitsimportant appointments where children and parents can receive preventative and developmental services, timely immunizations, and answers to common questions. The cause of these disparities is not clear. The solution, however, may be.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that kids and teens receive regular preventative wellness visits in primary care. In the study, only 53% of Black kids and 58% of Hispanic kids attended all their yearly recommended visits, compared to 68% of white kids. Attendance rates also differed by the families insurance status (31% for uninsured, 59% for publicly insured, 66% for privately insured).

These findings have major implications for kids health and wellness disparities based on race, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status.

Black and Hispanic kids and those from low-income environments report higher levels of trauma-related mental health difficulties compared to white kids and those from higher-income environments. Also, the rate of suicide in Black kids younger than 13 years is about two times higher than in white kids. CDC data on Black kids show that between 2009 and 2019, there were substantial increases in suicidal ideation (13% vs. 17%), making a suicide plan (10% vs. 15%), and suicide attempts (8% vs. 12%).

Primary care wellness visits are the opportune time for pediatricians to identify these types of mental health concerns in kids early and connect them with mental health specialists. These visits are also ideal for identifying early developmental concerns since autism screening is part of the American Academy of Pediatrics preventative wellness visit schedule.

In addition to monitoring mental health and development, wellness visits are a time to monitor a childs overall health (vision, hearing, weight, blood pressure), identify risk factors so diseases like asthma and Type 2 diabetes can be diagnosed at their earliest stages, and provide preventative care like vaccinations, and lifestyle guidance.

The more that kids attend their primary care wellness visits, the less likely they are to require acute care services, hospitalizations, and emergency room visits, which are costly to both families and society.

Researchers suggest that the racial/ethnic and economic disparities in primary care visit attendance may stem from factors not in the kids and families immediate control. These include racial bias and discrimination, a lack of diversity in health professionals affecting the patient-provider relationship, unaddressed social needs, and financial barriers.

A model called system navigation can help alleviate many of these barriers. System navigation incorporates non-clinician laypeople, such as navigators or community health workers (promotoras), into the primary care team to partner with and engage families in their health care. These individuals are trusted community members who share a common background and lived experiences with the families they serve.

Matching families and navigators by race/ethnicity, cultural, or some other lived experience can increase family engagement in their health care. Studies show that patients prefer providers who share the same race or ethnicity, yet the primary care physician workforce is less than 9% Hispanic and 5% Black, while U.S. children are 26% Hispanic and 14% Black.

When patients trust their providers, they are more likely to share their beliefs, preferences, past experiences, and current challenges. Navigators can help screen for social needs such as lack of transportation (the biggest predictor of no-shows) and, once they are aware of these needs, they can help address them. They can connect families to food pantries in the community, arrange transportation services, or help ensure families have insurance coverage.

Navigators can also help families better understand their doctors billing practices. Thanks to the preventive care provisions of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), Medicaid and most private insurance plans cover wellness check-ups for kids and teens. Still, many remain uninsured. The South and West regions include states with some of the highest rates of uninsured children, including Mississippi, Florida, Wyoming, and Texassadly, my state has the countrys highest rate of uninsured kids. And even families with insurance may still receive unexpected bills for wellness visits because of services provided during the visit that fall outside the list of ACA-mandated preventive care.

Evaluations across ambulatory medical settings show cost savings from navigation services, and these can benefit both patients and insurers. Savings are most profound when system navigation prevents unnecessary medical procedures and hospital and emergency room visits by proactively helping patients address health needs through primary care visit attendance. Because these are costs frequently borne by insurers, insurers have an incentive to invest in widespread system navigation.

So far, there is little research on whether non-clinician navigators can help close racial disparity gaps in primary care access for kids, but research on adult populations shows promising outcomes. One study found that low-income persons of color working with a navigator were three times more likely to have primary care access than those without a navigator and were significantly less likely to experience several barriers to care, such as not having insurance, not being able to pay for a visit, and not having transportation.

System navigation is not a panacea. Black and Hispanic families still face implicit and explicit bias and discrimination daily in health care settings and society through economic disadvantage, lack of safe and affordable housing, and education disparities. System navigation will not change racist and unfair systems, but it can help families navigate those systems.

Our primary care systems should be designed for all the kids and families they are intended to serve. Incorporating system navigators to support the needs of our most vulnerable families is a feasible step in the right direction.

Jeffrey Shahidullah is pediatric psychologist.

Image credit: Shutterstock.com
Brain matter was spilling out the top of the patients head in the trauma bay. It doesnt take a neurosurgeon to know that this is not normal. My pager screamed, GSW to head  ED Room 1. Gunshot wound to head  Emergency Department Room 1. As the neurosurgery resident physician on call that night, it was my job to evaluate this patient STAT. I wish I could say this was the only time Ive dealt with such a horrifying scene. Frank brain protrudes out of the skull of another human being who has either shot himself or been shot. But far from it. Ive encountered this scene over, and over, and over again. This patient shot himself in such a way that did not kill him immediately. Instead, he inflicted enough damage to make us doctors use phrases like no meaningful recovery, persistent vegetative state, ventilator-dependence, and we just dont know, while talking to the grieving family members who have to make impossibly cruel medical decisions on behalf of their loved one. I contemplated these challenging conversations that I would soon have with his family as I quickly stitched up his scalp to stop brain from leaking out. I knew stitching his scalp would do nothing to change his outcome.

Gun violence is a public health crisis in America. This is hardly news to anyone at this point. However, the news cycle often focuses on mass shootings and does not paint the whole picture. Gun violence includes homicides, unintentional shootings, assaults, suicides, and mass shootings. More than 39,000 people in America die each year as a result of gun violence, and tens of thousands more sustain non-fatal injuries. Death by firearm in America seriously outpaces that in similar countries. Of all the deaths from guns in nearly two dozen populous, high-income countries (including Australia, France, Italy, Spain, and the United Kingdom), 82 percent occur in America. In addition, 91 percent of children (ages 0 to 14) killed by guns from this group of countries were from America. While gun violence impacts us all, we know that it takes a disproportionate toll on young adults, males, and racial and ethnic minorities. In American residents aged 15 to 24, homicide is the 4th leading cause of death for non-Hispanic whites, the 2nd leading cause of death for Hispanics, and the #1 leading cause of death for non-Hispanic blacks. We have also seen time and time again how gun violence affects women and children too. Intimate-partner violence in the U.S. results in over 600 women killed each year by guns. And while most gun violence is not related to mass shootings, in 2019, there were 417 mass shootings in the U.S., which killed a total of 464 people and injured another 1,710.

In addition to the excessive number of premature deaths, gun violence in America takes a tremendous toll on society in terms of cost and repercussions. Gun violence costs Americans approximately $229 billion annually. Additional societal costs include medical and mental health services, emergency transportation and care, police and criminal justice activities, insurance claims, loss of work, and decreased quality of life. There are approximately 329 non-fatal gunshot injuries each day, which result in physical disabilities as well as emotional trauma for victims and/or their loved ones. The most frustrating part about gun violence for me as a physician is knowing that it is preventable. Gun violence across America is not inevitable. We can now take steps using a comprehensive public health approach to make America safer and healthier.

Gun violence should be declared a public health emergency, and our government should immediately enact multiple public health policies to save lives now. I implore the U.S. Senate to reinstate the federal ban on assault weapons and high-capacity ammunition magazines, which expired in 2004. On July 29, 2022, the House of Representatives narrowly voted in favor of passing new firearm restrictions. In March 2021, the House of Representatives also passed H.R. 8, the Bipartisan Background Checks Act, which would expand background checks for all firearm purchases with limited exceptions. I strongly urge the Senate to pass these important pieces of legislation without further delay. I urge more states to follow Connecticuts example of stricter gun laws, which were linked to a large drop in gun-related homicides in their state. In 1995, Connecticut enacted stricter gun laws which required citizens who wished to purchase a gun to apply for a permit, undergo a background check, and complete at least 8 hours of gun safety training. In addition, the law raised the minimum age for purchasing a gun from 18 to 21. Since this law was implemented, research from 1995 to 2005 demonstrated a significant decrease in the number of gun-related homicides in Connecticut relative to comparable states (including Rhode Island, New Hampshire, and Maryland). Connecticut demonstrated a 40 percent decrease in gun-related homicides based on these comparable states. I urge the federal government and individual states to now pass stricter gun laws to save lives.

As a neurosurgery resident working in a level 1 trauma center in the U.S., I have seen many devastating injuries and deaths due to gun violence. The afflicted patients include young men, women, children, and vulnerable populations. Gun violence disproportionately affects young men, particularly young black men. I can recall a recent global case conference with neurosurgical colleagues from other countries (one of the benefits of Zoom calls). We discussed a U.S. patient in our care affected by gun violence. It was chilling to hear our foreign colleagues say they had never treated a patient with gunshot wounds. It just doesnt happen where they work. Of course, they have plenty of challenges and problems, but gun violence is not as common as it is here. In my opinion, gun violence in America is a public health emergency. Gun violence is preventable. We cannot rest until widespread gun violence in America becomes a distant nightmare. Humbly, from a neurosurgeon-in-training, I plead that ending gun violence in America should be a no-brainer.

Kelly Chamberlin is a neurosurgery resident.

Image credit: Shutterstock.com
Tower Limited today announces the appointment of Geraldine McBride as a non-executive director to the Tower Board to fill a casual vacancy.

Ms McBride has extensive governance and technology industry experience having performed senior leadership roles internationally with SAP, Dell and IBM. Ms McBride is the founder and CEO of MyWave, a software and services company developing consumer and enterprise relationship solutions using personal cloud technologies. She also sits on the Board of Sky Network Television Limited.

Tower Chair, Michael Stiassny says the Board is delighted to welcome a director of Ms McBrides calibre.

Towers focus on delivering simple and rewarding customer experiences, coupled with its investments in digital technology and data has seen it become one of New Zealand and the Pacifics leading insurers.

The Board is confident that Geraldines considerable expertise in digital technology, customer experience and transformational leadership will contribute positively to Towers continued success and growth, he says.

Towers Board has determined that Ms McBride is independent in accordance with the requirements of the NZX Listing Rules.

Ms McBrides appointment will be effective on 1 October. Ms McBride will retire at the Annual Shareholder Meeting in February 2023 and be eligible for re-election.

In June Warren Lee advised the Board of his intention to retire from the Tower Board. Mr Lees retirement will be effective from 30 November 2022.

Mr Stiassny says, On behalf of the Board, I would like to thank Warren for his considerable contribution towards Towers transformation and growth over the past seven years.

ENDS

Appointment of Geraldine McBride to Tower Board

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General Capital held its Annual Shareholder Meeting in Auckland yesterday. The meeting was well attended and had a very positive response from shareholders and guests.

The Resolutions were decided by poll. The final results of the voting by poll were:

Resolution 1 Ordinary Resolution

Issue of Shares pursuant to a wholesale capital raising

That the Shareholders approve (for the purposes of NZX Listing Rule 4.2.1) the issue of up to $5 million of new Shares to such persons (not being Related Parties of GenCap) and in such numbers and proportions as determined by the Board in its absolute discretion and at such price and on such terms as the Board believes is fair and reasonable to GenCap and to all existing Shareholders, but at a price of not less than 5.75 cents per Share.

The votes were:

For: 63,974,720 (99.87%)

Against: 84,897 (0.13%)

Abstain: 6,996

Resolution 2 Ordinary Resolution

Auditors fees and expenses

That the Board be authorised to fix the fees and expenses of the auditors of GenCap for the financial year ending 31 March 2023.

The votes were:

For: 63,919,107 (99.78%)

Against: 143,544 (0.22%)

Abstain: 3,962

Resolution 3 Ordinary Resolution

Election of Director - Paul Zingel

That Paul Zingel be elected as a director of GenCap.

The votes were:

For: 62,614,326 (97.81%)

Against: 1,400,510 (2.19%)

Abstain: 51,777

Resolution 4 Ordinary Resolution

Election of Director  Greg James

That Greg James be elected as a director of GenCap.

The votes were:

For: 64,002,640 (99.98%)

Against: 12,196 (0.02%)

Abstain: 51,777

Resolution 5 Ordinary Resolution

Re-election of Director - Huei Min (Lyn) Lim

That Huei Min (Lyn) Lim be re-elected as a director of GenCap.

The votes were:

For: 63,980,920 (99.93%)

Against: 42,868 (0.07%)

Abstain: 42,825

Resolution 6 Ordinary Resolution

Re-election of Director - Rewi Hamid Bugo

That Rewi Hamid Bugo be re-elected as a director of GenCap.

The votes were:

For: 63,977,075 (99.9%)

Against: 45,304 (0.07%)

Abstain: 44,234

Resolution 7 Ordinary Resolution

Increase to Directors fee pool

That the maximum aggregate amount of remuneration payable by GenCap to the Directors (in their capacity as directors, as that term is defined in the NZX Listing Rules) be increased from $300,000 to $600,000 per annum, plus GST (if any), to be paid and allocated among the Directors as the Board from time to time deems appropriate and that any remuneration payable to such Directors may, at the Boards discretion, in whole or in part, be through an issue of Equity Securities (as that term is defined in the NZX Listing Rules) of GenCap.

The votes were:

For: 40,552,621 (99.18%)

Against: 333,300 (0.82%)

Abstain: 23,180,692

Meeting Announcements

1) General Finance Ltd.s Credit rating upgrade

General Finance has had an upgrade of its Credit Rating for BB- with a stable outlook to BB- with a POSITIVE outlook.

Managing Director Brent King said

This is a reinforcement of the long-term strategy that we have in place. Our strong growth and increases in margins and profits are supporting the credit rating upgrade. We are hopeful of further developments in the next review. We are finding that Depositors are now paying more attention to credit ratings and that non-rated issues are having to pay considerably more for deposits than rated issuers.

2) Update

General Capital released guidance update on anticipated results to 30/9/2022

30/9/2022 30/9/2021

Total Assets $120m to $125m $82.7m up 45%

Revenue $5.00m to $5.50m $3.30m up 51.5%

Net Profit after Tax $0.90m to $1.05m $357k up 152 %

Summary

The meeting was very successful, and the shareholders expressed their thanks for the significant progress the that had been made.

The shareholders then enjoyed a drink and birthday cake to celebrate the 25th Birthday of General Finance.

For further information contact:

Mr. Brent King

Managing Director

+64 21 632 660

Brent.King@gencap.co.nz

28 September 2022

General Capital Annual Meeting Results and Update - 28092022

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PCT - Major leasing progress at Wynyard Stage 3

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October 3rd Morning Report

Contact closes its Green Bond offer and sets margin

ATM - Share buyback to commence 5 October - 1Q23 Trading update

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Steel & Tube - Trading Update - September 2022


A Kilkenny hairdresser has been honoured for her long service in a national company.

Louise McArdle, who works at the Peter Mark salon in Market Cross, in Kilkenny City, was recognised at the company's Long Service Awards, held at Hayfield Manor, Cork. She has been a member of the local team for 15 years!

Centre Manager at Market Cross, Lesley Cleere, is delighted for Louise: "I would like to congratulate Louise McArdle on her long service here in Peter mark Market Cross, we feel very lucky to have her and it is an absolute pleasure working with Louise. Always a warm smile and professional manner creating the warm friendly atmosphere in this wonderful salon! Wishing Louise many more years of success."

Employees from salons across the island of Ireland who have worked at Peter Mark for 10 years or more attended the awards. In total, 115 Peter Mark colleagues across the country received a Long Service Award this year.

Peter ORourke, CEO of Peter Mark said: "People are at the very heart of our business and our goal is to provide our team with a lifelong career in the industry by providing continuous professional development through our world-class training programme.

"We have a strong track record in retaining our talent and I am so proud to honour 115 colleagues who have been with the business for 10 years or more. I would like to thank all our people for their continued passion, creativity and commitment to our business and I wish everyone continued success in their career.
A man in his forties who went to Dublin and bought drugs on his birthday had his case adjourned for a probation report at Kilkenny District Court.

Barry Young, 84 Glenvale, Castle Street, Ballyragget, Co Kilkenny, pleaded guilty to possession of drugs for personal use but denied having them in his possession for the sale and supply to others in Ballyragget on January 30, 2021.

Detective Garda Martin Power gave evidence that on the date in question he spoke to the defendant, who was a front seat passenger in a vehicle that was pulled in on the side of the road. The detective observed the defendant throwing a bag, containing 84 tablets out of a window.

The detective garda located 14 deals of heroin, with a value of 320, two deals of cocaine, four bags of cannabis herb, with a value of 242 and more tablets along with empty plastic bags and weighing scales. It was alleged that the defendant had the cannabis, heroin and Aprazolam for personal use and for sale and supply to others and that the cocaine was for his own personal use.

The defendant was arrested and charged and during interview he accepted responsibility for the drugs but not for the sale and supply of drugs.

During a garda interview Mr Young told gardai that he loved cannabis and had previously lived in Holland.

I moved to Holland and got a girl pregnant and stayed to raise the kid, he said.

He also told gardai that at that time of the offences he was using heroin everyday but just had the crack cocaine for that night for his birthday and that he used the tablets for sleeping.

Mr Young said that the six grams of heroin contained in the 14 bags was to keep me going.

It is to do me for the week, he added.

When gardai put it to Mr Young that the quantity of cannabis seized was more than for personal use he said that he was sick of being ripped off. He told gardai that he bought the drugs in Clondalkin and in Tallaght.

Detective Garda Power told the court that he has been attached to the drugs unit in Kilkenny for 22 years.

I have never experienced this amount of drugs for personal use. I have worked in the drugs unit in Kilkenny for 22 years. This amount of drugs exceeds that which would be used for personal use. I believe that the drugs were for sale and supply, he said adding that Mr Young had been very co-operative with the gardai.

Solicitor Chris Hogan said that at the time his client had been asked to leave the family home and that there were a lot of items of clothing in the car.

Det Gda Power said that at the time the defendant was causing a lot of difficulties for his parents who he added are very respectable people.

Mr Hogan said that on the date in question it was his clients birthday and both his client and his twin brother were in the car.

Mr Hogan said that at the time of the offences his client was an addict but that he was now back working and was off heroin for the past six months.

Mr Young also gave evidence in the case and said that he had been addicted to heroin for six months prior to the offence. He also told the court that at the time of the offences he had been put out of the house and was sleeping in the car.

The defendant said that he bought the 14 bags of heroin to survive and paid approximately 150 for it and bought the crack cocaine for fun. He also said that he paid 1 per tablet and could easily take 20 tablets in a day.

The defendant also said that he never sold drugs in his life.

I had the weighing scales to make sure I am not getting ripped off. I am being consistently been ripped off by drug dealers. The drugs have to last for the week. For any drugs you would get a better deal in Dublin, he added.

Mr Hogan said that his client is a man in his forties who was addicted to heroin at the time and was travelling up and down to Dublin to get his own supply for the week.

Inspector Alma Molloy said that at the time gardai were investigating drug dealing in the Ballyragget area when they stopped the car.

I believe that it was too much drugs for personal use and that he had them for sale and supply, she said.

Judge Geraldine Carthy convicted the defendant of having drugs in his possession for personal use and for sale and supply to othes and said that she had no doubt in her mind that the drugs were for sale and supply. She adjourned matters to February 7 for the preparation of a probation report.
People are being urged to use the banks, credit unions and post offices and not to leave large quantities of money at home.

Superintendent Derek Hughes told the Kilkenny People that storing large amounts of cash at home is not advisable and may lead to targeting by criminals.

Banks, post offices and credit unions are the best places for cash. Anyone seeking assistance or advice is urged to contact the Community Support Unit at Kilkenny Garda Station, he said.

Councillor Joe Lyons raised the matter at Mondays meeting of the Joint Policing Committee.

People are holding money at home because of the lack of banks, he said adding that rural Ireland was being adversely affected by closure of bank branches.

In Callan we had two banks and now we have one and it only offers some services. People are complaining that they are having to hold cash at home. We need to keep our banks open, he said.

Cllr Andrew McGuinness also said that he was aware of a lot of older people looking to keep more cash at home.

Chief Superintendent Padraig Dunne urged people to use local financial services:

Banks are not readily available to everyone but post offices and credit unions are, he said.

Detective Sergeant Brian Sheeran said that he was aware of jugging where an elderly person was watched going to the bank and then their home was burgled.

Local gardai were successful in making arrests and the matter is before the court.
An Bord Pleanala has granted final planning permission for Castlebanny Wind Farm, a co-development project between FuturEnergy Ireland and ART Generation. The renewable energy development, which comprises 21 wind turbines, is located in southeast Co. Kilkenny. This news comes at a time when there is increased demand for renewable energy sources to reduce dependence on imported fossil fuels and to meet climate action targets.



Castlebanny Wind Farm is expected to generate enough electricity every year to power the equivalent of around 70,000 homes annually. Every year, between 3 million and 4.4 million tonnes of CO2 are expected to be offset compared with traditional electricity generation.

Once operational, the project will support a substantial Community Benefit Fund that consists of near neighbour contributions and a wider community fund that provides direct local project funding. Based on the Governments Renewable Electricity Support Scheme (RESS), the Community Benefit Fund contributions are estimated to exceed 500,000 per annum for the first 15 years.

A boost to the local economy is also expected in the form of an estimated 1.8 million to 2.3 million in annual rates contributions to Kilkenny County Council as well as the provision of on-site recreational amenities and employment opportunities both during construction and operation.

The project will now engage with EirGrid to apply for access to the national grid system and continue with the development activities to be eligible to enter subsequent Government RESS auctions. This phase is likely to take up to two years after which construction can commence.

Paul Gallagher, FuturEnergy Ireland Portfolio Director, said: While the receipt of planning permission represents an important milestone, we recognise that there is a lot of work remaining to successfully deliver this project with our partner ART Generation. We look forward to continuing our engagement with the local communities of South Kilkenny to harness the projects potential to contribute significantly towards Irelands climate action targets and improve the countrys energy security, while providing social and economic benefits to the local area.

Richard Walshe, CEO of ART Generation, said: The world, and indeed the energy world as we know it, has changed significantly in the past seven months. The basic need for energy and the way it affects all aspects of our everyday lives has never been so apparent. This decision from An Bord Pleanala endorses and complements our most basic needs in terms of energy security and environmental sustainability for future generations. We would like to acknowledge the local community in South Kilkenny who have supported the development of Castlebanny Wind Farm over the years.

All project information is available at www.castlebannywindfarm.ie.
Minister for Rural and Community Development, Heather Humphreys TD, and Minister of State, Joe OBrien TD, have today announced funding of 20 million for community centres across the country in 2023. Under an enhanced Community Centres Investment Fund, grants will be provided for the delivery of new build community centres in targeted areas as well as upgrades to existing community centres.

The Ministers also confirmed that they have secured a further 20 million to assist small community groups with 10 million of this targeted at helping with energy bills. The measures for community centres are among the highlights of the 390 million budget for rural and community development.

The announcement was made by Minister Humphreys at a major international conference in County Cavan, which is being attended by over 400 delegates as well as Rural Development Ministers from the United States, Canada, Colombia, Czech Republic, Scotland and Slovenia. The conference, which is being co-hosted by Ireland and the OECD, has the theme, Building Sustainable, Resilient and Thriving Rural Places.

Speaking from the event in Cavan, Minister Humphreys said:

This weeks Budget provides over 390 million in funding for rural communities the length and breadth of the country.

Im really pleased that the Budget contains significant funding for our community centres, which have been so important for people of all ages as weve reconnected coming out of Covid-19.

20 million in funding will be allocated next year to groups to carry out upgrades and refurbishments to their centres. Crucially this funding will also support the delivery of a new targeted scheme to support new build community centres.

I also plan to make 20 million immediately available to support community groups impacted by the rising cost of living, with half of this targeted at assisting with energy costs. Details on this will be made available by my Department shortly.

Under Budget 2023, over 200 million in funding is available for the Departments Rural Development schemes such as Town and Village Renewal, LEADER and the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund (RRDF).

It also provides funding increases for the continued provision of lifeline transport services to our offshore islands. Some 190 million is available for the Departments Community Development Programmes.
The screening of a film about victims of Northern Irelands troubled past is intended to pressure the British Government to ditch its controversial legacy Bill, a campaigner has said.

Representatives from the British, Irish and US administrations were attending the screening of The Victims Stories at Queens University Belfast on Thursday evening.

It features eight people who lost family members in atrocities in the region, including the Omagh bomb, the Ballymurphy massacre and Bloody Sunday.

Northern Ireland Office minister Lord Caine was among those in attendance after Secretary of State Chris Heaton-Harris declined his invitation.

Victims Commissioner Geraldine Hanna was also due to attend as well as families of victims.

Campaigner Raymond McCord said the purpose of the film is to stop the British Governments legacy Bill.

The Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Bill offers an effective amnesty for Troubles crimes for people who co-operate with an information body.

Mr McCord, whose son Raymond Jr was killed by loyalist paramilitaries, said the proposed legislation rewards the murderers and punishes the victims.

They have decided they want to give the murderers amnesties, there can be no investigations, no prosecutions, no inquests and no civil actions, he told the PA news agency.

When it came out, Boris Johnson and Brandon Lewis told Parliament that it would help us move on  the only people it is going to help move on is the murderers.

We got all the political parties from across Ireland together at Belfast City Hall a year ago, they all signed a document supporting us against the legacy Bill, they didnt do that with the Good Friday.

We went to Westminster last year, got all the parties in a room, apart from the Conservatives. They signed the same document.

Now the British Government says it wants to change the Northern Ireland Protocol because it doesnt have consent of both communities  this Bill has the consent of no community, no political party.

The hypocrisy of the Conservatives is shown again.

The film will show what the truth is all about.

There is almost universal opposition to the proposed legislation which would see an effective amnesty offered for people accused of Troubles offences as long as they co-operate with a new truth recovery body.

It is also set to halt future civil cases and inquests linked to killings during the conflict.

The Bill has already been through the House of Commons and is set for consideration by the House of Lords.

A Northern Ireland Office spokeswoman said: Ahead of the passage of the Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Bill in the House of Lords this autumn, Lord Caine is this week continuing his engagement with a range of stakeholders in Northern Ireland, including with victims and survivors.

This builds on his engagement throughout the summer, and reflects the UK Governments intention to consult widely on the Bill with interested parties regarding their concerns, and how these might be addressed as the Bill proceeds through Parliament.
The K2 Black Panther



By Kang Seung-woo



Dozens of tanks and self-propelled howitzers that were supposed to be delivered to the Republic of Korea (ROK) Army will be shipped to Poland, according to a lawmaker.



In addition, some howitzers that have already been in operation for years, will also be delivered to the Central European country, raising concerns over a possible weapons shortage in the military.



Korea and Poland agreed to a framework contract in July, under which Warsaw will purchase 980 K2 tanks from Hyundai Rotem and 648 K9 howitzers from Hanwha Defense as well as 48 FA-50 light attack aircraft from Korea Aerospace Industries. The deal was among Korea's most important and largest defense orders in recent years.



In addition, the two sides inked follow-up contracts, last month that calls for the delivery of 180 K2 tanks from 2022 to 2025 and 212 K9 howitzers between 2022 and 2026.



According to Rep. Song Ok-joo of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), 32 K2 tanks and 12 K9 howitzers will be exported to Poland.



"The ROK Army plans to procure 10 K2 tanks this year, 18 in 2023 and four in 2024, all of which will be deployed to units in Gyeonggi and Gangwon provinces," she said.



The lawmaker also said the military initially planned to station the howitzers in Gyeonggi Province.



In addition, 36 howitzers that the Army has been operating for the last 14 years will be exported to Poland following the consent of the Eastern European country.



According to the lawmaker, the decision was made between the military authorities and the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) in July to meet the Polish demand amid limited domestic production capacities and tight export deadlines.



In order to avoid a shortage of military weapons in the Army, DAPA plans to ramp up production of K-9 self-propelled howtizers.





The K9 Thunder
President Yoon Suk-yeol shakes hands with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg during their meeting at the 2022 NATO Summit in Madrid, Spain, June 30. Joint Press Corps



By Nam Hyun-woo



South Korea's request to set up a mission to NATO was approved, offering greater chances for Seoul to expand its strategic and security cooperation with the largest military alliance in the world.



According to its website on Wednesday (local time), the North Atlantic Council (NAC), the top decision-making body of NATO, agreed on Monday to accept South Korea's request to designate its Embassy to Belgium as the country's mission to NATO.



"This is an important step in NATO's strong partnership with the Republic of Korea," the website read. "Since 2005, the Alliance (NATO) and Seoul have developed a strong partnership, based on shared values."



It continued that the two sides' dialogues and cooperation are being developed in areas including nuclear non-proliferation, cyber defense, counterterrorism, security-related civil science projects, interoperability and chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) defense, as well as civil preparedness, resilience and disaster relief.



South Korea's Ambassador to Belgium Yoon Soon-gu will lead Seoul's mission to NATO.



The approval came after the South Korean government announced its plan to set up the mission, on the occasion of President Yoon Suk-yeol's attendance at the 2022 NATO Summit in Madrid, Spain, in June.



South Korea is not a member of the military alliance but stands as a partner nation. Japan, Australia and New Zealand are also NATO partner countries in the Asia-Pacific region, and the three countries have already set up their own missions to the alliance.



On the sidelines of the NATO Summit, the four Asia-Pacific partner nations held a four-way summit, in which their leaders exchanged opinions on cooperation to counter security threats.



South Korea's mission to NATO will play a role in Seoul's efforts to contribute to global security matters. While proposing the plan, National Security Office Director Kim Sung-han said the mission will be "a diplomatic platform in Europe enhancing networks with allied nations and partner countries."





Ambassador Kim Gunn, Seoul's special representative for Korean Peninsula peace and security affairs, right, poses with NATO Deputy Secretary General Mircea Geoana, during their meeting at NATO headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, Tuesday (local time). Courtesy of Ministry of Foreign Affairs
A Danish military vessel is pictured at the harbor of Ronne at the island Bornholm, Denmark, Sept. 28 2022. The Danish energy agency confirmed Sept. 27 three gas leaks on the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines. EPA-Yonhap



Moscow questioned Wednesday whether Washington caused mystery undersea gas pipeline leaks in Europe, that have been blamed on sabotage, which U.S. officials bluntly called ridiculous as Russia opened a "terrorism" probe.



The three outflows from the Russia-Germany Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines have sent natural gas prices soaring, exacerbating an energy crunch in Europe as it stands on the threshold of winter also fanning geopolitical tensions.



Swedish intelligence announced it was opening an investigation into the massive leaks in the Baltic Sea, branding them "aggravated sabotage," hours after the EU called the damage a "deliberate act."



Russia's FSB security service said it had launched an "international terrorism" investigation, the Russian prosecutor's office announced, citing "intentional actions" to damage the pipelines.



Amid the claims and counter claims, the UN Security Council said it will meet Friday  at Russia's request  to discuss the leaks.



"As the current Security Council president France has informed us today that Russia has requested a meeting about the Nord Stream leaks and this meeting is being planned for Friday," Sweden's Foreign Minister Ann Linde told a press conference.



Russian representative Dmitry Polyanskiy said the meeting would take place at 3 pm (1900 GMT) at UN headquarters in New York.



The question of who is responsible has prompted high-level finger-pointing, with Moscow charging the United States had already said Nord Stream 2 was "finished" if Russia invaded Ukraine.



President Joe "Biden is obliged to answer the question of whether the U.S. carried out its threat," foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on social media.



Washington dismissed the suggestion, with a spokeswoman for the National Security Council saying: "We all know Russia has a long history of spreading disinformation and is doing it again here."



Among Western allies, suspicion for the leaks has focused on Russia, which has cut gas supplies to Europe in retaliation for severe Western sanctions over the war in Ukraine.



They "are not a coincidence", EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell stated.



"All available information indicates those leaks are the result of a deliberate act."



He warned: "Any deliberate disruption of European energy infrastructure is utterly unacceptable and will be met with a robust and united response."



EU chiefs Ursula von der Leyen and Charles Michel have also blamed the Nord Stream leaks on sabotage, as have leaders of several European countries.





A satellite image taken Sept. 26, released Sept. 27, shows a gas leak on the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline off the Danish island of Bornholm in the Baltic Sea. Reuters-Yonhap
Ceremony marking 2,573rd birth anniv. of Confucius held in Qufu, east China

Xinhua) 11:28, September 29, 2022

A ceremony marking the 2,573rd birth anniversary of Confucius is held at Confucius Temple in Qufu, east China's Shandong Province, Sept. 28, 2022. An educator and philosopher, Confucius (551-479 B.C.), who founded a school of thought known as Confucianism, profoundly influenced later generations of Chinese society. He was also the first to set up private schools in China that enrolled students from different social classes. (Xinhua/Li Ziheng)

A ceremony marking the 2,573rd birth anniversary of Confucius is held at Confucius Temple in Qufu, east China's Shandong Province, Sept. 28, 2022. An educator and philosopher, Confucius (551-479 B.C.), who founded a school of thought known as Confucianism, profoundly influenced later generations of Chinese society. He was also the first to set up private schools in China that enrolled students from different social classes. (Xinhua/Li Ziheng)

A ceremony marking the 2,573rd birth anniversary of Confucius is held at Confucius Temple in Qufu, east China's Shandong Province, Sept. 28, 2022. An educator and philosopher, Confucius (551-479 B.C.), who founded a school of thought known as Confucianism, profoundly influenced later generations of Chinese society. He was also the first to set up private schools in China that enrolled students from different social classes. (Xinhua/Li Ziheng)

A ceremony marking the 2,573rd birth anniversary of Confucius is held at Confucius Temple in Qufu, east China's Shandong Province, Sept. 28, 2022. An educator and philosopher, Confucius (551-479 B.C.), who founded a school of thought known as Confucianism, profoundly influenced later generations of Chinese society. He was also the first to set up private schools in China that enrolled students from different social classes. (Xinhua/Li Ziheng)

A ceremony marking the 2,573rd birth anniversary of Confucius is held at Confucius Temple in Qufu, east China's Shandong Province, Sept. 28, 2022. An educator and philosopher, Confucius (551-479 B.C.), who founded a school of thought known as Confucianism, profoundly influenced later generations of Chinese society. He was also the first to set up private schools in China that enrolled students from different social classes. (Xinhua/Li Ziheng)

Aerial photo taken on Sept. 28, 2022 shows a ceremony marking the 2,573rd birth anniversary of Confucius held at Confucius Temple in Qufu, east China's Shandong Province. An educator and philosopher, Confucius (551-479 B.C.), who founded a school of thought known as Confucianism, profoundly influenced later generations of Chinese society. He was also the first to set up private schools in China that enrolled students from different social classes. (Xinhua/Li Ziheng)

A ceremony marking the 2,573rd birth anniversary of Confucius is held at Confucius Temple in Qufu, east China's Shandong Province, Sept. 28, 2022. An educator and philosopher, Confucius (551-479 B.C.), who founded a school of thought known as Confucianism, profoundly influenced later generations of Chinese society. He was also the first to set up private schools in China that enrolled students from different social classes. (Xinhua/Li Ziheng)

A ceremony marking the 2,573rd birth anniversary of Confucius is held at Confucius Temple in Qufu, east China's Shandong Province, Sept. 28, 2022. An educator and philosopher, Confucius (551-479 B.C.), who founded a school of thought known as Confucianism, profoundly influenced later generations of Chinese society. He was also the first to set up private schools in China that enrolled students from different social classes. (Xinhua/Li Ziheng)

A ceremony marking the 2,573rd birth anniversary of Confucius is held at Confucius Temple in Qufu, east China's Shandong Province, Sept. 28, 2022. An educator and philosopher, Confucius (551-479 B.C.), who founded a school of thought known as Confucianism, profoundly influenced later generations of Chinese society. He was also the first to set up private schools in China that enrolled students from different social classes. (Xinhua/Li Ziheng)

(Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun)
New Delhi [India], September 29 (ANI): Online jewellery sales in India have seen rapid growth over the past few years, largely driven by demand from millennials amid growing internet penetration, World Gold Council said.

Most online sales, it said, are driven by consumers aged between 18 and 45 and while online jewellery purchases have risen, the average ticket size has, however, remained between 5 and 10 grams.

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The World Gold Council on Wednesday launched a report titled 'Jewellery market structure', as part of a series of in-depth analyses of the Indian gold market.

The report highlighted a notable shift in India's gold jewellery market over the past few years, catalysed by changes in consumer behaviour and government regulations where small independent retailers still dominate the landscape, the market share of chain stores has increased steadily over the last decade.

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The global bullion body said online buyers tend to purchase lightweight daily wear, fashion jewellery in 18-carat gold. Going ahead, it projects that the market share of online jewellery in the next five years could increase to 7-10 per cent.

"Jewellery parks, some of which have already been established, will help address concerns about ethical standards and working conditions. The same can help eliminate barriers impeding the growth of the manufacturing industry, further supporting demand positively," said Somasundaram PR, Regional CEO, India, World Gold Council,

"The bottom line is - the sector has grown but the wave of change facing the industry due to tech adoption and broader tax compliance in the economy can be a boon for those who are willing to transform and a significant risk for others whose business models continue to rest on legacy practices," the Regional CEO added.

The council in its report noted that demonetisation and the introduction of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) have helped the industry to become more organised and therefore more transparent.

However, there are still numerous challenges that threaten the retail gold jewellery industry's growth.

"The Indian gem and jewellery industry still struggles with securing bank credit. More than 20% of loans given to this sector have become non-performing assets (NPAs), resulting in the gem and jewellery industry gaining just 2.7% of India's total credit issuance," the council said.

Financing, it said, is even more troublesome for smaller independent jewellers who tend to rely on the monthly gold scheme for funding or act as money lenders.

Despite being one of the world's largest fabricators of gold jewellery, India's manufacturing industry is still highly fragmented and unorganised.

The report stated that only 15-20 per cent of manufacturing units operate as organised and large-scale facilities, less than 10 per cent about five years ago.

"Small jewellery workshops and artisans still dominate the manufacturing industry. While there is no official estimate on the number of manufacturers in India, and many operate independently as freelancers, industry estimates suggest there are 20,000-30,000 manufacturing units across the country. While 'karigars' (artisans) form the backbone of the Indian gem and jewellery industry, many still work in extremely poor conditions and are underpaid as compared to other industries." (ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Bangalore (Karnataka) [India], September 29 (ANI/GPRC): BlissClub, a homegrown consumer brand that crafts functional and incredibly comfortable activelife wear with a focus on Indian women and comfortable movement, has earned a spot on LinkedIn's Top Startups of 2022. The list, which features Indian startups that have proven growth across pillars such as employment and engagement, has recognised BlissClub as one of the top 25 in the country.

Since LinkedIn's first list in 2018, BlissClub is one of the youngest and quickest startups to feature on the list, in just 2 years of founding. It is the 1st and only apparel and women's activelife wear company to be featured. And one of the only 2 women's D2C brands to have ever made it to the list. The list over the years has mostly featured tech companies, but BlissClub breaks through as a direct-to-consumer brand.

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BlissClub was founded in 2020 by Minu Margeret as a community-first brand, and has raised a total of USD 20.25 million, through Seed and Series A funding. The company also hit 100 Cr ARR in 20 months since its first product launch, and has a customer base of over 1 lakh women in India who live active lives, with BlissClub.

Minu Margeret, founder and CEO, BlissClub says: "Having BlissClub in the LinkedIn Top Startups of 2022 is exciting not only because have we had an incredible last two years where we've been the fastest brand to hit the Rs 10 Cr ARR mark, but also that we've grown beautifully with so much love internally. In the last two years, we have solved our personal problems and those of our community - to make extremely comfortable activewear for women. Over the next few years that we build BlissClub, we look to solve this huge problem for the half a billion women in our country."

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BlissClub is a homegrown Indian, community first Consumer brand crafting incredibly comfortable ActiveLife Wear for the women of India. It was founded in 2020 by ISB alum Minu Margeret, who previously worked building brands with PhonePe, ABInBev and HUL. BlissClub has previously raised USD 2.25 million in May 2021, by Elevation Capital and angel investors Neeraj Arora (ex CBO, WhatsApp), Kunal Shah (founder, CRED), Rahul Mehta (managing partner, DST), Pam Lee (ex-Lululemon executive), Ashish Goel (founder, Urban Ladder), Chakradhar Gade (founder, Country Delight), and Good Capital. BlissClub has now raised $18 million in May 2022 by Eight Roads Ventures and Elevation Capital, along with angel investors Sriharsha Majety (CEO, Swiggy); Ghazal Alagh (co-founder, Mamaearth); Vivek Gupta and Abhay Hanjura (co-founders, Licious); Amar Nagaram (ex CEO, Myntra); Munish Varma and Sumer Juneja (among other SoftBank executives); Brennan Loh (Shopify) and Masoom Minawala (fashion influencer).

This story is provided by GPRC. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/GPRC)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Patna (Bihar) [India], September 29 (ANI): At least four people were killed and nine injured after mutliple rounds of firing in connection with illegal sand mining in the Maner in Bihta in Patna district of Patna, police said on Thursday.

Among the four dead included notorious criminal Shatrughan Rai, Patna Police said.

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The incident took place in the Diara area of Maner.

The firing reportedly took place after a fight for power between two groups over the illegal sand mining in the area. (ANI)

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(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Thiruvananthapuram/Idukki, Sep 29 (PTI) Several activists of the banned outfit Popular Front of India (PFI) were arrested or booked for protesting without permission in different parts of Kerala after the organisation was declared as illegal by the Central government.

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Two PFI activists were arrested from the Kallambalam area of the state capital on Thursday for shouting slogans in support of the outfit a day ago underneath a flagpole before unfurling their flag, police said.

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Besides the two, there are five others who were present there and whom the police are searching for, a senior police officer said.

In Nedumkandam area of Idukki district, seven PFI activists had carried out a march on Wednesday shouting slogans in support of the outfit and against RSS and a case was registered against them today for carrying out a procession without the requisite permission, police said.

No one has been arrested in that case as visuals of the incident are being perused to identify the PFI activists, police said.

Police also said 152 people were arrested from across the state today in connection with the hartal-related violence on September 23 and 352 cases have been booked till date.

The Central government had banned PFI on September 27 and on the very next day, a leader of its Kerala unit had made a statement that the outfit has been disbanded.

Hours after making the statement, Abdul Sathar, who had called the hartal when he was state general secretary of the outfit and allegedly absconded thereafter, was arrested from Kollam on Wednesday and handed over to the NIA.

Multi-agency teams, spearheaded by NIA, had last week carried out raids at 93 locations in 15 state across the country and arrested over 100 PFI leaders for allegedly supporting terror activities in the country.

The September 23 hartal was called in protest against the same.

Kerala, where the PFI has some strong pockets, had accounted for the maximum number of 22 arrests in the NIA action last week.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) [India], September 29 (ANI): Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh Jai Ram Thakur on Thursday reviewed the arrangements at Bilaspur for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit on October 5 ahead of the state assembly election.

PM will visit Bilaspur next month to dedicate AIIMS to the state and will address a public meeting at Luhnu ground of the district.

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Regarding the PM's visit, Jai Ram Thakur today presided over the meeting through video conference with the Deputy Commissioners, and Superintendents of Police.

Chief Minister said that other than AIIMS, Modi would also inaugurate Hydro Engineering College at Bilaspur's Bandla.

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Modi will also lay the foundation stones of Medical Devices Park at Nalagarh and the Four-lane project from Pinjore to Nalagarh.

The Chief Minister directed the authorities to make adequate arrangements to ensure that the general public does not face any inconvenience. He directed the State PWD authorities to ensure proper maintenance of roads leading to the Bilaspur town besides making elaborate arrangements for adequate parking for the buses and other vehicles in and around Bilaspur town. He said that smooth and uninterrupted flow of vehicular traffic must be ensured so that no inconvenience to the general public.

Jai Ram Thakur also directed the officers of Jal Shakti Vibhag to ensure an uninterrupted water supply in the town. He also directed the concerned authorities to launch a special cleanliness campaign in the town, both before and after the public meeting.

Chief Secretary R.D. Dhiman said that adequate arrangements would be made to ensure that this programme becomes a grand success.

Principal Secretary GAD Bharat Khera gave detailed information regarding the proposed visit of the Prime Minister.

MP and State BJP President Suresh Kashyap, MLA Jhundutta Jeet Ram Katwal, Political Advisor to the Chief Minister Trilok Jamwal, District BJP President Swatantra Sankhiyan, Superintendent of Police Bilaspur Diwakar Sharma attended the meeting at Bilaspur.

Later the Chief Minister also visited the AIIMS at Kothipura in the district Bilaspur. Food, Civil Supply and Consumer Affairs Minister Rajinder Garg were also present at Kothipura among others. (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 29 (PTI) Union Minister Jitendra Singh on Thursday said India and Singapore look forward to further strengthen the bilateral relationship in governance, digital economy and other areas.

The minister said this during a meeting with a high-level Singaporean delegation led by Singapore Minister in Prime Minister's Office (PMO) Loh Khum Yean, who is currently on a two-day visit to India.

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Singh, the Minister of State for Personnel, told the delegation led by Loh Khum Yean, who is also Permanent Secretary, Public Service Department (PSD), that India and Singapore are closely collaborating in cutting edge areas that will shape the future in the context of accelerating technological disruption -- fintech, information technology, cyber security, skill development, smart city solutions and renewable energy and food security.

Simon Wong, High Commissioner of Singapore in India, also attended the delegation-level talks between the two sides.

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Singh said the strategic partnership between India and Singapore has shown its resilience and both sides look forward to further strengthen this important relationship in areas like trade, defence, science and innovation, education, governance and digital economy, according to an official statement.

He said the maiden India-Singapore ministerial roundtable held in New Delhi on September 17, 2022 was envisioned by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, which he described as a path breaking initiative that is a testament to the unique India-Singapore bilateral ties and can pave the way for coordination in new areas of partnership.

Loh Khum Yean told his Indian counterpart Singh that Singapore has emerged as the top source nation in terms of foreign direct investment (FDI) equity flows into India for the financial year 2021-22.

The amount of FDI inflow from Singapore to India in fiscal year 2022 was estimated to be almost USD 16 billion, said the statement issued by the Personnel Ministry.

Both the sides also discussed to firm up the exchange programme of civil services and visit by winners of Prime Minister awards for excellence in public administration to Singaporean Institutes of Excellence, the statement said.

Earlier, the second bilateral meeting was held in New Delhi which was co-chaired by Secretary, Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG), V Srinivas and Loh Khum Yean.

During the meeting, both sides exchanged information on initiatives taken in the field of governance reforms.

In his concluding remarks, Singh said he is quite confident that both sides will continue to engage in exchanging of best practices in areas of public administration and governance reforms and will also explore the possibility of its replication.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Bandipora (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], September 29 (ANI): The Wular Lake in Jammu and Kashmir, which is known to be one of the largest freshwater lakes in South Asia, has a festive look with a large number of locals extracting chestnuts, according to a report.

The chestnuts extracted by the villagers are supplied to the vendors in Kashmir and outside the region as well.

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According to the report, the Bandipora district in northern Kashmir features in the list of the main supplier of chestnuts to the Kashmir Valley.

Among the districts, the people of which, have the licenses to extract chestnuts from the lake are Lankreshipora, Kunzpora, Kulhama, Guroora, Saderkoot, Baniyari, Laharwalpora, KaniBathi, Kunoosa, Ashtangoo, Kemma and Zurmanz which lie on the periphery of Bandipora.

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According to the official figure, the lake produces around 4 metric tons of chestnuts annually and 5,000 tons of fish of 11 different species each year.

According to the Wular conservation and management authority officials, at least 90 per cent of the water chestnuts produced in Kashmir are sourced from the Wular Lake.

"There is no systematic marketing facility available for the product extracted from Wular lake, which makes it difficult to estimate the revenue generated from the lake," the report quoted an official at Wular Conservation and Management Authority as saying.

The locals claim that as much as 80 per cent of the inhabitants are involved in extracting chestnuts from Wular to make a living.

"Chestnuts are the main source of income for the majority of people living here," the report quoted Abdul Ahad Panchoo, a resident of Suderkoot Bala as saying.

Abdul Rashid Dar of Baniyar village, who has been extracting chestnuts from the lake for the past 40 years, said that they are getting different schemes from the government for the purpose.

"All of us villagers who live on the banks of the Wular lake depend on it either directly or indirectly," he said, adding that chestnuts are the main source of income for the majority of people living here.

The Union Territory government is planning to develop a sustainable waste management model for all the peripheral villages of the lake, according to the report.

The J&K Wetland Authority has also approved the integrated management plan for the Conservation of Wular Lake to promote an integrated and multidisciplinary approach to the conservation and management of the water body.

The authorities also introduced a shikara (wooden boat) ride like in Dal Lake in Srinagar to promote tourism in Wular Lake.

The lake is also a habitat for migratory water birds. (ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Thane, Sep 29 (PTI) Navi Mumbai Police Commissioner Bipin Kumar Singh has asked officials to keep a watch on closed factories in the town to check narcotics are not manufactured there, in the wake of a number of cases of drugs seizure in neighbouring Mumbai in the recent past.

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During a meeting of the district-level narcotics committee on Wednesday, Singh said several containers arrive at Uran and the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust in Navi Mumbai, and asked the Coast Guard to keep an eye on them to prevent any movement of narcotics.

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Singh also directed the officials to check if narcotics were being manufactured at chemical factories in industrial zones in the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation limits.

He said a large stock of banned drug MD was recently seized in Mumbai and officials should check if drugs were being manufactured in the chemical and pharmacy units in Navi Mumbai.

During the meeting, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) Suresh Mengde said 20 out of the total 83 units in Navi Mumbai region have already been inspected and the others would be checked within the next couple of months.

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Mumbai, Sep 29 (PTI) The city-based Finger Print Bureau has won the first prize for the smart use of fingerprint science in its investigation into the Sakinaka rape and murder case, an official said on Thursday.

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It won the prize at the 23rd All India Fingerprint Director Conference organised by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) on September 20 and 21.

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Finger Print Bureau's Assistant Police Inspector Sarika Tilekar had presented the investigation into the rape and murder that had occurred at Sakinaka in Mumbai last year, the official said.

API Tilekar got the first prize under the smart use of fingerprint science in investigation, as evidence

submitted by her was considered as the most important in the case, he said.

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Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], September 29 (ANI): Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said Thursday that a probe has been ordered into the purchase of 18 Rapid Response Vehicles (RRVs) by the previous MVA government allegedly at an inflated price of Rs three crore each during the pandemic.

The vehicles, called "Devdoot", were purchased in 2020-21 fiscal by the relief and rehabilitation department, which was then headed by the Congress minister Vijay Wadettiwar. The vehicles are said to be equipped to respond quickly in event of a natural calamity.

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Fadnavis, who holds the finance and home portfolios in the current dispensation, told ANI that a probe has been ordered into the alleged scam after media reports said that the vehicles were purchased at a higher price than their actual cost. The total cost of the vehicles was Rs 54 crore.

"The tender was issued by the relief and rehabilitation department. In July 2020, minister Vijay Wadettiwar had written that it was very necessary to provide RRVs to 16 municipal corporations, NDRF and the SDRF," one of the sources said.

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"However, the finance department, at that time led by Ajit Pawar of the Nationalist Congress Party, objected to the purchase since the state was facing a very tight fiscal situation due to the pandemic. Despite the objection, the RRVs were purchased," the source added.

Recently, BJP leader and Maharashtra minister Sudhir Mungantiwar too had demanded a detailed inquiry into the suspected scam.

The previous Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government comprised the Shiv Sena, the Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party. It was led by former Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray. (ANI)

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Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], September 29 (ANI): Maharashtra Home Department has issued an order using powers under Section 42 of UAPA authorizing the Police commissioners and District magistrates to exercise their powers against the Popular Front of India (PFI).

"Maharashtra government home department has issued an order using powers under section 42 of UAPA and with the previous approval of MHA Central government. All the Powers under Sections 7 and 8 of UAPA will be exercised by Police commissioners and District magistrates against the PFI and other related associations," said the sources from the Home Department.

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#PBNSTeleprint 29 September 2022  03 Pm Bulletin  Latest Tweet by Prasar Bharati News Services.

The move comes a day after the Union Home Ministry imposed a ban on the Popular Front of India for "terror links".

Other states including Kerala and Tamil Nadu have passed such orders declaring the PFI as an unlawful association.

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"The power which has been directed to be exercised by the State Government under section 7 of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967, stands delegated to the District Magistrate/ Commissioner of Police/ Superintendent of Police concerned, within their jurisdiction," the order by the Kerala government dated September 28 stated.

"The power which has been directed to be exercised by the State Government under section 8 of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967, stands delegated to the District Magistrate/Commissioner of Police/ Superintendent of Police concerned, within their jurisdiction," it further added.

The order issued by the Tamil Nadu government dated September 28, it read, "The Governor of Tamil Nadu hereby directs that all the powers which are exercisable by the Government of Tamil Nadu under sections 7 and 8 of the said Act in relation to the aforesaid unlawful association, namely "Popular Front of India (PEI) and its associates or affiliates or fronts including Rehab India Foundation (RIF), Campus Front of India (CFI), All India Imams Council (AIIC), National Confederation of Human Rights Organization (NCHRO), National Women's Front, Junior Front, Empower India Foundation and Rehab Foundation, Kerala" shall also be exercised by the Commissioners of Police in the Cities and by the District Collectors elsewhere."

Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) had made the announcement through a notification issued late on Tuesday night, declaring "the PFI and its associates or affiliates or fronts as an unlawful association with immediate effect".

Along with PFI, the ban is also imposed on its fronts, including Rehab India Foundation (RIF). Campus Front of India (CFI), All India Imams Council (AIIC), National Confederation of Human Rights Organization (NCHRO), National Women's Front, Junior Front, Empower India Foundation and Rehab Foundation, Kerala as an "unlawful association".

The notification clearly mentioned that the ban has been imposed against PFI and its associates or affiliates or fronts for "indulging in unlawful activities, which are prejudicial to the integrity, sovereignty and security of the country and have the potential of disturbing public peace and communal harmony of the country and supporting militancy in the country. (ANI)

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New Delhi, Sep 29 (PTI) The Municipal Corporation of Delhi has stepped up efforts to release pending salaries of civic employees, it said.

Three corporations -- North Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC), South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) and East Delhi Municipal Corporation (EDMC) -- were merged into a new civic entity in May this year.

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"MCD has released salaries up to September 2022 of Group D employees of the SDMC, and up to August 2022 of Group D employees of NDMC and EDMC," the civic body said.

The municipal corporation is stepping up efforts for timely payment of salaries to its employees, it said.

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The MCD said it requires Rs 1,126.43 crore to pay salaries and pensions up to September this year.

"Group A, B and C employees of the erstwhile SDMC have been paid salaries up to August; and Group A, B and C employees of the erstwhile NDMC have been paid salaries up to July and Group B and C employees of the erstwhile EDMC have been paid salaries up to June this year. And, Group A employees paid salaries up to May 2022.

"Pensioners of the erstwhile SDMC have been paid up to August while the NDMC pensioners have been paid up to July, and EDMC pensioners up to April 2022, the statement said.

The MCD is facing fund crunch due to "non-payment of its share of revenues," it claimed.

Despite all hardships, the MCD is paying salaries to its employees since the unification of the erstwhile three corporations in May 2022, the civic body said.

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Indore, Sep 29 (PTI) The Bajrang Dal has caught eight Muslim youths at 'garba' venues in Indore in Madhya Pradesh over the past three days for alleged involvement in "immoral activities", a functionary of the right-wing Hindu outfit claimed on Thursday.

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He said over 400 activists have been deployed at Navratri venues here to check "love jihad".

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However, a senior Indore police official said the situation at all these venues was peaceful and no "love jihad" activity was underway in any of them.

"Love jihad" is a term used by right-wing groups and activists to allege a concerted effort by Muslim men to convert Hindu women to Islam through marriage.

Speaking to PTI, Bajrang Dal Indore unit coordinator Tannu Sharma alleged these eight youths had entered the garba venues by hiding their identities.

"We have deployed our 400 workers in various garba pandals to check love-jihad. It is their duty to check whether any person is entering these premises by hiding their real identities and indulging in immoral activities," he said.

"In the last three days, after getting information about immoral activities, these workers have caught eight Muslim youths from different localities. They had entered the venues by hiding their identities. We handed them over to the police," Sharma claimed.

He alleged these youths were shooting videos of women without permission and were also indulging in other "immoral activities".

Some purported videos of Bajrang Dal activists handing over such youth to the police have gone viral on social media.

Indore Additional Commissioner of Police Rajesh Hingankar said, in order to ensure peace, these youths were arrested under section 151 the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC).

This section allows a police official to arrest a person without orders of a magistrate or without a warrant if it appears that the commissioning of an offence cannot be prevented without such arrest.

Hingankar, however, added, "The situation in all the garba pandals of the city is peaceful. No activities like alleged love jihad is going on in them."

Meanwhile, state Congress spokesperson Santosh Singh Gautam said any person irrespective of religion must be subjected to appropriate legal action if he or she indulges in any wrongdoing.

"But we want to know whether the Bharatiya Janata Party government in MP has given a free hand to the Bajrang Dal to indulge in moral policing," Gautam questioned.

Incidentally, state home minister Narottam Mishra had, on September 27, directed organizers of garba pandals to check the identity cards of those entering the venue.

Earlier, state minister Usha Thakur had said ID cards should be checked at Navratri venues to prevent "love jihad" incidents.

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Chandigarh, Sep 29 (PTI) With cases of dog attacks reported from "many places", the Panchkula Municipal Corporation has banned the "ferocious" pitbull and rottweiler breeds of dogs as pets within the city limits, officials said on Thursday.

A decision to this effect was taken during a meeting of the MC House on Thursday, Mayor Kulbushan Goyal told reporters in Panchkula.

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He said there were 24 agenda points before the meeting and all were passed by the House.

"As far as the issue pertaining to dogs was concerned, those pet owners who do not get their dogs registered will be fined Rs 2,000. Besides, two ferocious dog breeds have been banned in the city. Pitbull and rottweiler breeds have also been banned in many other cities and in Panchkula too they have been banned," the Mayor said.

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He said there have been cases of dog attacks especially by these dog breeds at many places, and that people were bothered about this.

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Ludhiana, Sep 29 (PTI) A police constable allegedly shot dead his girlfriend with his licensed revolver on Thursday, police said.

The accused was deployed as a security personnel with a senior police officer posted at Ludhiana, they said.

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According to the police, the constable and the woman were living in a guest house for the last six-seven months in New Prem Nagar.

The reasons behind the crime were under investigation, they said.

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A case has been registered against the constable on the statement of the father of the woman, who hailed from Ferozepur, police said.

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New Delhi [India], September 29 (ANI): Using 3D printing technology, the Military Engineer Services (MES) has constructed a first-of-its-kind Runway Controller Hut at the Pune Air Force station in just 30 days, officials said Thursday.

The novel construction includes 3D printed concrete foundation and wall panels, besides the ground-floor roof using precast technology. The upper floor panels have been erected with steel girders and are empanelled with toughened glass. The upper-floor roof has been provided with Galvalume and PUF panels.

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These huts are an integral part of air traffic services and aerospace safety, providing vital inputs to the Duty Air Traffic Control Officer (DATCO) for a smooth, efficient and safe conduct of flying operations.

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The 3D printing technology is a fast-emerging way of constructing structures. It uses computer-aided design to create three-dimensional objects through a layering method.

The Runway Controller Hut also has a sanitary block, and the staircases are also 3D printed. The entire structure has been given an aesthetic yet functional set of specifications, officials said.

Indian Army's Engineer-in-chief Lt Gen Harpal Singh inspected the new structure on Wednesday.

Officials said the MES used a "hybrid approach" to speed up the construction process without compromising on quality, rather than restricting itself to a particular technology. (ANI)

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New Delhi, Sep 29 (PTI) Lawyers and activists on Thursday welcomed the Supreme Court's observation that the meaning of rape must include marital rape for the purpose of the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act, but added the order does not make it an offence which could only happen by broadening the ambit of Article 375.

In a significant ruling on the reproductive rights of women, the Supreme Court held on Thursday that all women are entitled to safe and legal abortion till 24 weeks of pregnancy under the Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP) Act, and making any distinction on the basis of their marital status is "constitutionally unsustainable".

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The top court also said the meaning of offence of rape must include marital rape for the purpose of the MTP Act.

Explaining the meaning of the Supreme Court's observation, senior lawyer Shilpi Jain said it enforces the right of a woman to choose whether she wants to carry on with her pregnancy or not and gives her the sole right and the partner does not have a say.

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"It is an extremely progressive judgement like that of never before but the observation on marital rape does not make it an offence. The observation is only in the circumstances wherein a woman can get pregnant and one of those circumstances being when a man has intercourse with a woman in marriage...nowhere making marital rape an offence," she told PTI.

"Marital rape will only become an offence when it is added to IPC. This judgement nowhere touches about broadening the ambit of rape to include cases wherein a husband has sex with his wife without her consent. It does not broaden the ambit of Article 375 that is the criminal aspect of it," she added.

Jain was the defence lawyer in the Alwar rape case wherein a foreign tourist was raped by Bitti Mohanty, the son of former Odisha director general of police B B Mohanty.

Section 375 of the Indian Penal Code defines rape as "sexual intercourse with a woman against her will, without her consent, by coercion, misrepresentation or fraud or at a time when she has been intoxicated or duped, or is of unsound mental health and in any case if she is under 18 years of age."

Marital rape comes under the exception 2 of Section 375 states that sexual intercourse or sexual acts by a man with his own wife, the wife not being under fifteen years of age, is not rape.

Ranjana Kumari, social activist and director of the Centre for Social Research, said it has reaffirmed the rights of Indian women to go for abortion but most difficult and the most substantial part of the whole judgement is recognising marital rape.

"They are talking about rape and martial rape so it is the most significant part of the judgement. It is a progressive stance that the government has taken and the SC has cleared a big bottleneck for women. Now the SC has recognised it so Parliament should also move on part of legal framework," Kumari told PTI.

Woman rights activist and founder of PARI (People Against Rapes in India) Yogita Bhayana said it is a history in making and it is a very progressive step by the Supreme Court.

"It is a beginning and they should come out with more and more progressive laws on marital rape because it is a reality," she said.

On the apex court's order on women entitlement of safe and legal abortion till 24 weeks of pregnancy under the MTP Act, Poonam Muttreja, the executive director of the Population Foundation of India, also recommended increasing the gestation period for all women as medical technological advancements have shown that abortion beyond 20 weeks is safe. Some foetal abnormalities can be detected only after 20 weeks.

"We must also address the fact that regardless of its legal status, abortion facilities are inaccessible to a large chunk of our population. After last year's amendment, the termination of pregnancy can be performed only by doctors with a gynaecology or obstetrics specialisation," the PFI said in a statement.

"A majority of the abortions are performed in the private sector. This results in high costs making the service inaccessible for marginalized communities, she said.

Politicians have welcomed the order too.

TMC MP Mahua Moitra called it a huge step forward.

"A huge step forward - SC allows abortion up to 24 weeks irrespective of marital status - says to do otherwise will be violative of Article 14. Thank you MiLords!" Moitra tweeted.

Shiv Sena MP Priyanka Chaturvedi called it a "very progressive & welcome decision from the Supreme Court, now for the society to adjust & accept the very basic idea of woman's autonomy  which is her basic right to equality, privacy, and bodily integrity".

(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 29 (ANI): The Supreme Court on Thursday reserved its judgement on the issue of whether it could exercise its vast powers under Article 142 of the Constitution to dissolve marriages between two parties even when one of the parties does not consent.

"Arguments concluded. Judgement reserved," said a five-judge Constitution bench headed by Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul.

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The bench comprising Justices Sanjiv Khanna, AS Oka, Vikram Nath, and JK Maheshwari to decide whether it could exercise its powers under Article 142 to dissolve a marriage, what were the broad parameters to exercise such power, and whether the invocation of such extraordinary powers was allowed in the absence of the mutual consent of the parties.

It will also look at whether it can exercise its powers under Article 142 of the Constitution to dissolve marriages between consenting couples without referring them to family courts.

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Article 142 of the Constitution deals with the enforcement of decrees and orders of the apex court to provide "complete justice" in just about any case before it.

Senior advocate Indira Jaising, who is assisting the court as amicus curiae, said that courts could "at best attempt a reconciliation in the public interest", but not force two autonomous people who had voluntarily entered a union to stay together despite their irreconcilable differences.

Senior advocate Dushyant Dave also assisting the court said Supreme Court was not justified in exercising its powers under Article 142 to dissolve marriages since the Parliament had in its wisdom vested the power in district courts and prescribed an appropriate procedure for it.

In 2016, a two-judge bench passed the order to refer two questions for the consideration of the Constitution bench. The first question was, "What could be the broad parameters for the exercise of powers under Article 142 of the Constitution to dissolve a marriage between the consenting parties without referring the parties to the family court to wait for the mandatory period prescribed under Section 13-B of the Hindu Marriage Act."

Section 13-B provides for divorce by mutual consent and a mandatory period of 6 to 18 months is prescribed from the time of presentation of an application for divorce to give sufficient time for the parties to reflect on their decision.

The second question referred to by the five-judge bench was "whether the exercise of such jurisdiction under Article 142 should not be made at all or whether such exercise should be left to be determined in the facts of every case." (ANI)

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Moka [Mauritius], September 29 (ANI): Union Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment Ramdas Athawale unveiled the statue of Dr Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar in the courtyard of Mahatma Gandhi Institute in Mauritius's Moka.

After Unveiling the statue of Dr Ambedkar in Mauritius Athawale held a meeting with the people associated with the Ambedkar movement living in Mauritius and hold a deep discussion on how to take Babasaheb's ideas and ideals forward in the entire world.

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"It is a matter of pride for all the countrymen that the statue of Param Pujya Babasaheb the father of the Indian Constitution is already established in different countries and in this series the statue of Babasaheb was unveiled in Mauritius by the Marathi Federation Mandal Sanstha. This effort of unveiling is commendable," he said.

He further said that Babasaheb had conceptualized a healthy ideal society and only by following the path shown by Babasaheb, we will be able to eliminate the caste system from all over the world.

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Ramdas Athawale also met with the local Indians during his visit and during the meeting also discussed in detail the continuous contribution of overseas Indians in the economic, social and political fields of the country.

Notably, Union Minister Athawale on a five-day visit to Mauritius from 26 September to 1 October. (ANI)

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In the past year, my colleagues and I have set foot on all nine provinces of the island.

Following are the excerpts adapted from the speech by the author at the event held yesterday in Colombo to celebrate the 73rd Anniversary of the Founding of the Peoples Republic of China Hosted by five major friendship organizations working for enhancing Sri Lanka  China friendship.

by Qi Zhenhong

It brings me great joy and honour to join the Glory of Friendship Reception this evening. The reception is not only a Gala for friends but also a Reunion of families. Because all the guests present tonight from all walks of life in Sri Lanka, have always been following and supporting the development of China and China-Sri Lanka relations! You are the backbone of the friendship between our two people! On behalf of the Chinese embassy in Sri Lanka, I would like to extend my sincerest greetings and most heartfelt thanks to you and your family.

File Photo: Chinese President Xi Jinping (C) talks with family members of Shi Qiwen, a villager at Shibadong Village in central China's Hunan Province, Nov. 3, 2013. (Xinhua/Lan Hongguang)

Tonight, we are gathering here to celebrate the 73rd National Day of the Peoples Republic of China. Over the past 73 years, China has gone through a long way, with continued hard-working, reforming and opening up, and has risen to the second largest economy in the world. In the past decade, under the strong leadership of President Xi Jinping, China has made great achievements in various sectors, eradicated absolute poverty, and realized the first centenary goal. All of you have witnessed, participated, and contributed to this great process in human history. At this crucial historical juncture, the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China will be held after two more weeks in Beijing. It will not only draw up a new grand blueprint for Chinas development but also bring the international community stronger confidence and higher expectation of China. Lets jointly wish Congress great success!

Tonight, we are gathering here to celebrate the 65th anniversary of China-Sri Lanka diplomatic relations, and the 70th anniversary of the Rubber-Rice Pact. In the face of the current challenging international situation, the spirit of the Rubber-Rice Pact, namely independence, self-reliance, unity and mutual support becomes ever more significant. And the traditional friendship between our two countries and two peoples is more precious. As we say, amity between the peoples holds the key to better state-to-state relations.

In the past decade, under the strong leadership of President Xi Jinping, China has made great achievements in various sectors, eradicated absolute poverty, and realized the first centenary goal.

I have been listening carefully to your speeches and stories, and deeply impressed and moved. We sincerely commemorate late Minister Philip Gunawardena and Madam Kusuma Gunawardena who pioneered the exchanges with China, and late Minister R.G. Senanayake who signed the Rubber-Rice Pact for their great contributions to China-Sri Lanka friendship; We are also highly gratified to see pupils from Devi Balika School in Colombo, Caihe No.3 Primary School in Hangzhou and many others from the younger generation, are now carrying forward our friendship in the new era. What a joy!

In the past year, my colleagues and I have set foot on all nine provinces of the island. We laid the foundation stone of Hope Village in Hambantota down the south, and distributed food packs to estate workers in the central district of Nuwara Eliya. We visited local villages and financed a housing project for underprivileged families on the eastern coast of Batticaloa, and donated fishing gear to poor fishermen in the Northern Province. I feel myself the severe challenges facing Sri Lanka at the moment, but Im also deeply touched and greatly encouraged by the positive minds of its people. Its worth mentioning that, when the Chinese Scientific Vessel Yuan Wang 5 finally docked at Hambantota Port last month, big crowd from both countries joined me and welcomed the vessel in Hambantota. It makes our belief even stronger that neither the COVID-19 pandemic, the economic crisis, the domestic political change nor the external interference can obstruct the friendly exchanges between our two peoples. Withstood all these challenges, our friendship will only grow unbreakable!

Brothers, Sisters, and friends, Challenges are only temporary, and we will work together to overcome them. Please join me in a toast, To the prosperity of our mother countries; Long live! China  Sri Lanka friendship!

Qi Zhenhong is a Chinese diplomat. After joining Beijing Service Bureau for Diplomatic Missions (DSB) in the late 1980s he worked in various capacities from an Economist to Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary in the Kingdom of Bahrain. He is a former President of the China Institute of International Studies and currently serving as the Chinese Ambassador to Sri Lanka.
Dehradun, September 29: Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Thursday congratulated Lieutenant General Anil Chauhan (retd) on being appointed as Chief of Defence Staff (CDS).

"I congratulate Anil Chauhan Ji a lot for becoming the CDS and it is a matter of pride for us that just like previous General Bipin Rawat, he too hails from Uttarakhand and has been given the responsibility of CDS," he told the mediapersons in Dehradun's Selaqui. Lt Gen Anil Chauhan Appointed New Chief of Defence Staff: All You Need To Know About Gen Bipin Rawat's Successor.

"We believe, under his leadership, the security will increase here and the army's morale will also rise here. We are hopeful that he will work selflessly for strengthening the security forces in the country," Dhami added.

The government on Tuesday appointed Lt General Anil Chauhan (retired) as the new Chief of Defence Staff (CDS). He had retired as the Eastern Army Commander in May last year and was serving as the Military Advisor to the National Security Council.

This is the first time that a retired officer has been appointed at this position for which a gazette notification was issued to announce the change in rules for the appointment. In a career spanning over nearly 40 years, Lt Gen Chauhan has held several command, staff and instrumental appointments and had extensive experience in counter-insurgency operations in Jammu and Kashmir and northeast India. Gyanvapi-Shringar Gauri Case: Muslim Side Objects to Plea Seeking Carbon Dating of Shivling Found Inside Mosque Premises.

He will also function as Secretary to the Government of India, Department of Military Affairs with effect from the date of his assumption of charge and until further orders, an official release said. Lt General Anil Chauhan (retired) will be the second CDS of the country after Gen Bipin Rawat who died in a helicopter crash in December last year in Tamil Nadu.

Born on 18th May 1961, Lt Gen Anil Chauhan was commissioned into the 11 Gorkha Rifles of the Indian Army in 1981. He is an alumnus of the National Defence Academy, Khadakwasla and Indian Military Academy, Dehradun.

The officer had also served as a United Nations mission to Angola. He superannuated from the Indian Army on 31 May 2021. Even after his retirement from the Army, he continued to contribute to national security and strategic matters.

For his distinguished and illustrious service in the Army, Lt General Anil Chauhan (retired) was awarded the Param Vishisht Seva Medal, Uttam Yudh Seva Medal, Ati Vishisht Seva Medal, Sena Medal and Vishisht Seva Medal.

The CDS is the most senior uniformed officer in rank, the first among equals -- the only four-star officers in the country are the CDS, the chiefs of the Indian Army, Indian Navy and Indian Air Force.

The post was lying vacant since December 8 last year after the death of General Bipin Rawat. When General Bipin Rawat was appointed CDS by the Narendra Modi government within six months of coming back to power in 2019, it was hailed as one of the biggest reforms in the higher military structure of the country.

The CDS is also the single point of contact for the government for giving military advice and is the senior-most bureaucrat in the defence ministry which has four major departments. The appointment comes amid efforts by the government to give a big push to indigenisation in the equipment for defence forces.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Lucknow, September 29: Samajwadi Party Chief Akhilesh Yadav alleged that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) with the help of the Election Commission machinery "snatched" away the power in Uttar Pradesh from Samajwadi Party because they are aware that without UP, they cannot remain in power at the Centre.

Elaborating further he accused the Election Commission of deliberately reducing the votes of 'Muslim' and 'Yadav' communities by 20,000 in almost every Vidhan sabha seat on the diktats of BJP and its aides. TN Tourism Minister Unveiled First-Ever Underwater Navarathri Bommai Golu Display at VGP Marine Kingdom.

"The Election Commission deliberately reduced the votes of Yadavs & Muslims by 20,000 in almost every Vidhan sabha seat on diktats of BJP & its aides. A probe can be conducted, it will be found that the names of many people were removed...," SP chief Akhilesh Yadav said.

Akhilesh, who was elected as the National President of the Samajwadi Party at the party's national conference for the third consecutive time, made a scathing attack on the BJP and said that a probe can be conducted on how the votes of Yadavs and Muslims have been reduced in almost every Vidhan sabha seat. Rajasthan Political Crisis: Congress Leader Dharmendra Rathore Calls Sachin Pilot Loyalist 'Traitor', Shows Video of His 'Meeting' with State BJP President Satish Poonia.

"This government is not made by people, even people don't believe how they again formed the government. They and their machinery snatched away the government from the Samajwadi party because they knew if they lose power in UP they'll lose power in Delhi," Akhilesh said.

Attacking the BJP, Akhilesh Yadav said, "The Gujarat businessmen and industrialists have enjoyed the maximum loan waiver. Despite forming the government twice, the current government has only increased unemployment and poverty across the state."

"Agni Veers were being recruited in Farrukhabad, lakhs of youth had come for recruitment, but the government has betrayed the country's army. The youth were coming for Army recruitment because of poverty and unemployment," he further said. "This government is playing with the reservation system. Ever since they came to power, atrocities towards Azam Khan have been unstoppable. Even the officers have been instructed that they will only get promotions if they continue to do atrocities," said Akhilesh Yadav.

The SP Chief further took a jibe at the free ration scheme of the BJP and called it an election gimmick.

"They have made ration free as elections are approaching in some states. They can make ration free but can't provide stretcher or ambulance to poor people in villages while they give huge benefits to big businessman," the SP Chief said. Earlier on September 20, Samajwadi Party led by Akhilesh Yadav, held a protest march against the Yogi Adityanath-led UP government, highlighting issues in the state before the commencement of the Monsoon Session of the state legislature.

The Leader of Opposition (LoP) Akhilesh Yadav accused the BJP government of stopping him and his party members from marching to the Vidhan Bhavan.

However, the BJP hit back at the protests and Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prashad Maurya said that the march was not related to the benefit of the common people.

(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 29 (PTI) Capital markets regulator Sebi on Thursday allowed Foreign Portfolio Investors (FPIs) to participate in the exchange-traded commodity derivatives segment, a move that will further increase depth and liquidity in the market.

The new guidelines, came after Sebi's board approved a proposal in this regard in June, will come into force with immediate effect.

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The regulator has already allowed institutional investors such as Category III Alternative Investment Funds (AIFs), Portfolio Management Services and Mutual Funds to participate in the Exchange Traded Currency Derivatives (ETCD) market.

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In a circular, the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) said it has decided to allow foreign investors to participate in Indian ETCDs subject to certain conditions.

To begin with, FPIs will be allowed to participate in cash settled non-agricultural commodity derivative contracts and indices comprising such non-agricultural commodities, Sebi said in a circular.

FPIs desirous of participating in ETCDs will be subject to risk management measures applicable, from time to time.

With regard to position limits, Sebi said that FPIs other than individuals, family offices and corporates can participate in eligible commodity derivatives products as clients. They will be subject to all rules and position limit norms.

Further, FPIs belonging to categories -- individuals, family offices and corporates -- will be allowed a position limit of 20 per cent of the client level position limit in a particular commodity derivative contract.

Also, the regulator said that stock exchanges and clearing corporations can specify additional safeguards to manage risk and ensure orderly trading in ETCDs.

The existing Eligible Foreign Entity (EFE) route, which required actual exposure to Indian physical commodities, has been discontinued.

In October 2018, the regulator had permitted EFEs having actual exposure to Indian commodity markets, to participate in the commodity derivative segment of stock exchanges for primarily hedging their exposure.

"Considering the non-participation by such EFEs in ETCDs in spite of more than three years since the EFE framework came into force, based on the representations of the market participants and recommendations of commodity derivatives advisory committee of Sebi, it has been decided that the existing EFE route be discontinued," the regulator noted.

Considering that more than 10,800 FPIs are presently registered in India, even if a tenth of them participates in the Indian commodity derivatives market, the same may bring considerable liquidity in the Indian ETCDs segment.

In addition, their participation may help bring down the transaction costs in the commodity futures segment, owing to economies of scale.

EFEs and FPIs both relate to the participation of foreign entities, with different nomenclature and status assigned to the foreign investors.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Mumbai, Sep 29 (PTI) Venture Catalysts-backed Elev8 Venture Partners on Thursday announced the launch of a USD 200 million fund to invest in tech companies.

The fund intends to invest in growth-stage, technology-driven companies in Series B and C rounds, an official statement said, adding that each bet will be between USD 5-USD 15 million.

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It will be led and co-founded by Navin Honagudi, who was working as a partner at Kae Capital for over a decade and has invested in over 50 companies, the statement noted.

Early-stage platform Venture Catalysts is an institutional backer for Elev8, which will be the fourth fund to be backed by the firm and take the total assets under management for the group to over USD 450 million.

Also Read | Apple Likely To Add Exclusive Features to Upcoming iPhone 15 Pro Max.

It can be noted that the announcement comes at a time when the entire ecosystem is going through what is being referred to as a 'funding winter' where investors are shying away from taking newer bets.

"Even though liquidity in technology investments is drying up, Elev8 has received an overwhelming LP (limited partners) interest as well as partnership avenues with seed funds, as the current vintage offers an excellent opportunity to invest in growth stage companies and earn/target attractive returns," Honagudi said.

It is in an advanced stage of discussions to establish several global partnerships, which will help portfolio companies expand beyond India during their growth phase, he added.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Washington [US], September 29 (ANI): Tech giant Google launched a campaign last month called #GetTheMessage that aimed to convince Apple to support RCS messaging on iPhones.

According to GSM Arena, Google's efforts to improve messaging between Android and iPhone users are apparent with the latest feature being tested.

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A Reddit user has spotted that the Google Messages app is testing the ability to react to messages sent from iPhones. When an Android user reacts to an SMS from an iPhone user, they will see a message showing an emoji was used to react to a message.

Basically, Google pulled an Apple. If you recall, iOS users can react to SMS messages, which send an SMS message back to the recipient (in this case an Android phone) and passes along a message of the reaction emoji, along with the quoted message text.

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Google has since made it so that its Messages app could tell which message the reaction was for, and instead shows an emoji next to the message itself. With this new implementation, Google is poking back at iPhone users, showing them a similar text-only version of a reaction to a message, reported GSM Arena.

Reacting to messages with an emoji isn't anything new. Plenty of cross-platform messaging apps including WhatsApp, Telegram, Messenger, Skype, Teams and Instagram among others, all support reacting with an emoji.

At this point, the only market where this really matters to some people is in the US, where users prefer to use the phone's default messaging experience. In Android's case, that's Google Messages with RCS, and the iMessage on the iPhone, as per GSM Arena. (ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
By Ayushi Agarwal

New Delhi [India], September 29 (ANI): As India has been at the forefront of the efforts at the UN to push for long-pending reforms of the Security Council and looking for a permanent seat at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), the Brazilian Ambassador to India Andre Aranha Correa do Lago highlighted the fact that both India and Brazil are discussing that and support each other's candidacy very strongly.

Also Read | U.S. VP Harris Visiting Seoul, Korean DMZ Hours After Kims Missile Test  Latest Tweet by Reuters.

"Brazil and India worked together in the G-4 which are four countries that believe that they would make a very- very positive contribution if they were permanent members of the Security Council. So, yes, Brazil and India are extremely close in that discussion and obviously support each other's candidacy very strongly", the Brazilian Ambassador told ANI.

At Present, four out of five permanent member nations of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) extend their support to India's candidature for a permanent seat in the top world body.

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Earlier, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar also stated that there is excellent support for India's case to be a permanent member of the UN Security Council and there is a broad global consensus over the need to reform the council.

India is also working alongside other reform-oriented countries through its membership in the G-4 (India, Japan, Brazil and Germany) and the L.69 Group (a cross-regional group of countries from Asia, Africa and Latin America).

At present, the UNSC comprises five permanent members and 10 non-permanent member countries which are elected for a two-year term by the General Assembly of the United Nations.

Further talking about the relationship between India and Brazil, the Ambassador stressed that though Brazil isn't the first country that comes to mind, hence both countries have to ensure building new bridges at this moment.

"I think that we already have very strong relations in many, many areas, but it is something that we have to insist on very much because we are neither threat nor neighbours. So, we are not the first moment when you think of other countries, you don't immediately think of Brazil. So, I think that we have to ensure the building of new Bridges at this moment. For instance, we are extremely strong on getting the two countries together in the area of energy for instance", said the Brazilian Ambassador.

"What I would love to achieve is to have more Indians to be interested and to know more about the Brazilian modernist movement because it has many elements in common with India to developing countries that wanted to reinvent themselves", he added.

India and Brazil are celebrating 74 years of diplomatic relations in 2022. They have had a strategic partnership since 2006, deepened in 2020 through the Action Plan to Strengthen the Strategic Partnership and are working together in various international forums, like BRICS, IBSA, G4, G20, BASIC, and the United Nations. (ANI)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Tokyo, September 29: North Korea launched two apparent short-range ballistic missiles on Thursday evening, just hours after US Vice President Kamala Harris met South Korean President Yoon Suk-Yeol in Seoul. Notably, the latest launch came a day after nuclear-armed North Korea fired two short-range weapons on Wednesday and one missile on Sunday, making it the fifth test in five days, The Japan Times reported.

Japanese Defence Minister Yasukazu Hamada slammed North Korea's missile tests and called it "absolutely unacceptable." He also labelled the missile test a "threat to the peace and security of our country, the region and the international community." Hamada said both missiles had hit a maximum altitude of around 50 kilometres and travelled about 300 km. Both appeared to have splashed down in the Sea of Japan, outside Japan's exclusive economic zone, which extends 200 nautical miles (370 kilometres) from its coast. North Korea Fires Ballistic Missile, Says Seoul Military.

Meanwhile, South Korea's military also confirmed the launches of two short-range ballistic missiles and even stated that they had been fired from the Sunchon area of North Korea, according to The Japan Times. On the same day, Harris visited the heavily fortified Demilitarized Zone dividing the two Koreas, highlighting what she called her country's "ironclad" commitment to protecting ally South Korea. Russia To Formally Annex Four Occupied Ukraine Regions on September 30 in Ceremony at Kremlin, Says Dmitry Peskov.

During her visit, Harris condemned the Democratic People's Republic of Korea's provocative nuclear rhetoric and ballistic missile launches, in violation of UN Security Council resolutions, and they discussed our response to potential future provocations, including through trilateral cooperation with Japan, according to the statement released by White House.

Both the leaders reaffirmed the alignment on the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) and the goal of the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. "The Vice President and the President discussed China and Taiwan and the effort to preserve peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, which the Vice President underscored is an essential element of a free and open Indo-Pacific," the statement reads.

Earlier, on Wednesday, North Korea fired two apparent ballistic missiles Wednesday evening, which was also confirmed by South Korea's military. After the missile launch by North Korea, Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida issued an instruction where it stated that one needs to dedicate maximum effort to gather and analyze the information and provide the public with speedy and adequate information. The second one was to ensure the safety of aircraft, vessels, and other assets. Lastly, "Take all possible measures for precaution, including readiness for contingencies."

The latest missile tests came as the U.S. and South Korea wrapped up joint naval exercises involving the Yokosuka, Kanagawa Prefecture-based USS Ronald Reagan aircraft carrier on Thursday and were set to hold trilateral anti-submarine drills with Japan on Friday, reported The Japan Times.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Moscow, Sep 29 (AP) Russian authorities are opening more military enlistment offices near Russia's borders in an apparent effort to intercept some of the men of fighting age who are trying to leave Russia by land to avoid getting called up to fight in Ukraine.

A new draft office opened in the Saratov region, at the Ozinki checkpoint on Russia's border with Kazakhstan, regional officials said Thursday. Another enlistment center was set to open at a crossing in the Astrakhan region, also on the border with Kazakhstan, according to the regional administration.

Also Read | North Korea Fires Ballistic Missile Hours After US Vice President Kamala Harris Met South Korean President Yoon Suk-Yeol in Seoul.

Earlier this week, makeshift draft offices were set up near the Verkhny Lars border crossing into Georgia in southern Russia and near the Torfyanka checkpoint on Russia's border with Finland. Russian officials said they would hand call-up notices to all eligible men who were trying to leave the country.

Over 194,000 Russian nationals have fled to neighboring Georgia, Kazakhstan and Finland  most often by car, bicycle or on foot  since President Vladimir Putin last week announced a partial mobilization of reservists. In Russia, all men under age 65 are automatically considered part of the army reserves.

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The mass exodus of men  alone or with their families or friends  began Sept. 21, shortly after Putin's address to the nation, and continued all this week. Airline tickets to destinations abroad have sold out days in advance, even at unprecedentedly high prices.

Long lines of cars formed on roads leading to Russia's borders. Russian authorities tried to stem the outflow by turning back some men at the borders, citing mobilization laws, or setting up draft offices at border checkpoints.

The bus stations in Samara and Tolyatti, two large cities in the Samara region, on Thursday halted service to Uralsk, a border city in Kazakhstan. (AP)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
Chennai, September 29: A dead lizard in Aavins milk packet at Pallikaranai near Chennai has caused a shock. A few days ago, customers were shocked by the fact that there was a fly in a sachet of milk sold in Madurai. Though Aavin claims that efforts are underway to improve quality, more complaints continue of contamination of milk sachets.

According to a report in TOI, a consumer in Pallikaranai claimed on Twitter on Wednesday that he was shocked to see a dead lizard in one of Aavin's half-litre milk packets. Raghu Krishnan, who took up the issue with Aavin on Twitter, said that they immediately informed the shop from where the milk was supplied as they suspected the entire batch to be contaminated. Lizard Found in Chole Bhature! Half-Conscious Reptile Seen in Dish at Sagar Ratna Outlet in Chandigarh; Health Dept Collects Food Samples

Though the Tamil Nadu Co-operative Milk Producers Federation (TNCMPF) has denied the possibility of such an incident claiming there was no way such a big foreign object could enter a sealed sachet. The TNCMPF is the manufacturer of Aavin products.

The federation sent a quality team to the premises where the lizard issue was claimed and convinced the consumers that the lizard could have been in the vessel the milk was poured into after cutting open the sachet. Lizard in Midday Meal: 50 Students Fall Ill in Government School in Bihar's Bhagalpur

Commenting on the issue, S A Ponnusamy of Tamil Nadu Milk Dealers Employees Welfare Association said that such concerns raise a serious issue with the quality of Aavins milk and they suspect whether Aavin has installed efficient adulterant detecting machines or flycatchers in their production units. Nearly 3 million people use Aavin milk in Tamil Nadu everyday.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 29, 2022 09:11 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
Lucknow, September, 29: Iftekhar Ahmed Javed, chairman of the Uttar Pradesh Madrasa Education Board, has issued directives to all madrasas affiliated to the state government to ensure six-hour education for students so that hey can be brought to the level of other schools. This order will come into effect from October 1.

According to the new time table, the students will attend classes in the madrasas from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., which is an hour more. Teachers and staff will also be on duty for at least six hours. RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat Visits Madrasa Tajweedul Quran in Delhi, Interacts With Students

"The madrasa student should not feel inferior when he is moving in the society. He must have good general knowledge, besides knowledge of math, science, English and Hindi along with religious subjects. We want to produce perfect students who can contribute to the development of the country," Javed said.

"We want madrasas to match the standards of other good schools so that even the people of the management committee can proudly admit their kids in madrasas for quality education. We must develop a respect for madrasa education first." Classes for science, math, English and Hindi will be held daily along with religious subjects like Arabic, Persian, Diniyat and Urdu, he added. Madrasa Survey Row: Darul Uloom Principal Maulana Arshad Madani Says Govt Has the Right To Conduct Survey of Madrasas

"The government also wants the teachers to work according to the new time table. The day will start with prayers at 9 a.m. followed by the national anthem. After, that classes would be held till noon. Lunch for students and staff would be from noon to 12.30 p.m. After that, classes would be held till 3 p.m. All the madrasas are directed to follow this schedule strictly," he said.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 29, 2022 10:35 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
Samantha Power says USA wants countries to be independent, shes being comic beyond belief. How many countries does the USA have military bases in, Samantha?

by Malinda Seneviratne

Sri Lanka is a resilient nation. Thats almost a given. A constant. All talk of peace, human rights, democracy, good governance, reparations and other such goodies emanating from Washington, London and other empiric capitals are disingenuous and laughable. Constant. Meddling, self-righteous and downright obnoxious North American and European diplomats: well, almost par for the course, with the US and UK specimens ensuring an above average score on such attributes.

USAID Administrator Samantha Power in a conversation with paddy farmers in Sri Lanka [ Photo  Samantha Power]





Sessions of the UNHRC. The USA and others in the global thugs club bad-mouthing Sri Lanka while Russia and China lauding the restraint shown in dealing with brigands, highway robbers, arsonist and murderers operating under the, yes, legitimate banner of agitation. Yes, the kind of restraint that the USA never exercised when dealing with protests and not just the Capitol Hill theatrics of Trumpites. Constants, all.

And India! The country that reneged on the very agreement her leaders penned and stuffed down a pliant, unimaginative and clueless J R Jayewardene demanded that Sri Lanka implement in full the illegal 13th Amendment. This is what the Indian delegate told the UNHRC: India seeks full implementation of the 13th Amendment of the Constitution, delegation of powers to Provincial Councils and holding of Provincial Council elections at the earliest. No one, not even the diehard federalists and separatists either operating as pawns of India and the rogue nations of North America and Western Europe or are downright communalists have uttered one word calling for PC elections. Not a word about democracy being challenged by elections not being held. And yet, India wants Sri Lanka to inhabit Indias version of Sri Lankan reality. Constant.

To nutshell-capture, North America, Western Europe and India closed ranks against Sri Lanka while Russia and China, despite being snubbed no end by leaders without backbone defended Sri Lanka resolutely. Constants.

We could add to that Colombots, Candle-light Ladies, Rent-a-Protest Agitators, Funded Voices and other Kolombian sects. Theyll cheer most things that carry a Western/White token. Theyll wax eloquent about colonial rule, praising accomplishments such as roads and railways, never mind that these were the yield of taxes paid and labor provided by Sri Lankans. They mourn the death of a woman who was the beneficiary and symbol of genocide and plunder. Constant.

So why bother talking about such things, one may ask. Well, certain things need to be reiterated and placed on record simply because we can forget to remember history. Simply because we can be fooled by sweet-talk. Simply because true citizenship requires us to observe, understand, share and agitate, one way or another.

A single example would do, actually. A two syllable name, actually. China. Now we know that China, a country which along with Japan owns US and Western European debt, is the No 1 target for Washingtons spin doctors. In fact US foreign policy in 2022 seems to be framed by a desperate need to vilify that country. So it should not come as a surprise that an outfit outrageously named Freedom House (it is primarily funded by USAID and the US State Department!) has found that Pro-Beijing influencers have increased their activities in the social media spaceparticularly their outreach to younger Sri Lankansand new agreements with elites, including in the think tank space, have shaped conversations in the media.

This is not outrageous, it is hilarious. When have US influencers ever held back their activities, in social and mainstream media? Washington, directly (through the Embassy) and indirectly through the latest avatar of the CIA, the notorious National Endowment for Democracy (NED) has its proverbial fingers thick in the Sri Lankan media space. Verite Research and Advocata, if they are honest, can do some insightful research on the subject.

When have US influencers ever neglected younger Sri Lankans (and young people in other countries similarly targeted)? Just the other day Julie Chang, now quite adept at putting her feet in her mouth, confusing danger with dangerous when tweeting about peacocks, was bragging about young people in the strangely named American Corner Matara. What Canada, Central America and South America would have to say about pernicious appropriation of the proper noun America we do not know, but while it is bullish to mark territory in that manner, it is not the case that US influencers have limited operations to getting a foothold in the Southern Province. They are as thick as thieves with think tanks, politicians, so-called civil society organizations and media personnel, especially outfits and individuals who believe they are at the epicenter of social change in Sri Lanka. Social change, mind you, is but an easy proxy for change sought by US paymasters.

Freedom House (sic) is upset by Chinas alleged close ties with elites. I suppose they believe the US gives local elites a wide berth. They whine about aggressive diplomatic push on social media. Maybe theyve not heard of Julie Chang and the local foot soldiers hired to do US propaganda. They are also worried about China Radio International reaching out to Sri Lankan audiences in Sinhala. Well, all it means is that the Chinese, if not less vile than the USA, are way smarter. Anyway, it is not that the US has no footprint in Sinhala media or no social media operatives either engaged in China-bashing or genuflecting before Uncle Sam. In Sinhala.

Theres more of course, but its all about the US being annoyed that China has cut in on their action. George Carlin, the US comedian once said that wars are mostly about white people killing brown people and the only reason that white nations fought Hitler (a white man who killed white people) was that he had cut in on their action. Same same.

And when Samantha Power, currently attached to USAID, says USA wants countries to be independent, shes being comic beyond belief. How many countries does the USA have military bases in, Samantha? How many countries have the USA invaded over the last two centuries, or lets say the last two decades? How many proxy wars has the USA funded? How many terrorists has the US supplied arms to, do you know? How many elections in how many countries has the USA interfered in? How about arm-twisting in multilateral agencies? How about the operations of the CIA and more recently, the NED? And you want countries to be independent? Well, lady, its simple. Just leave the room.

All this, pretty consistent with the way the world has been for decades. One difference. The USA is jittery. Now thats a good sign, not just for Sri Lanka but the entire world. And India, if it wants to do better than the USA, would do well to learn. Things pass. Regimes change. Thugs are ousted. World powers of other eras have been brought to their feet. Such things happen.

Sri Lanka is resilient. Thats a constant thats not boring. It gives us hope.

Malinda Seneviratne is a poet, critic, journalist, translator, political commentator, and activist. Known for his outspoken political views, his opinion pieces are among the most widely read in Sri Lanka. He is the Director/CEO of the Hector Kobbekaduwa Agrarian Research and Training Institute.
AAP MLA and retired IPS officer Kunwar Vijay Pratap Singh says he is dissatisfied with Punjab Police SIT probe into 2015 Kotkapura police firing incident. Also questions previous Cong govt over appointing police officer L K Yadav as head of SIT to probe incident Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) September 29, 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.)
#TamilNadu's ruling #DMK will hold the party general council meeting on October 9 to appoint its top office bearers.



In a statement, DMK senior general secretary S. Duraimurugan said that the exercise is to elect the Prez, General Secretary, Treasurer, & audit committee members. pic.twitter.com/zq1YJXJwpY IANS (@ians_india) September 29, 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.)
The #US embassy in #Moscow has urged American nationals residing in #Russia to depart the country immediately, citing what it claimed to be possibility that Russia could conscript dual nationals for military service. pic.twitter.com/220khkzEeB IANS (@ians_india) September 28, 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 has had some rather questionable ideas in his tenure as president of the United States, from nuking a hurricane to suggesting people inject themselves with bleach to fight COVID-19. However, New York Times reporter Maggie Haberman's new book revealed he had another troubling idea as president, and that was bombing drug labs... in Mexico.

It was unclear whether or not the former president knew this would cause an international incident with Mexico, as this act would challenge Mexican sovereignty.

However, an excerpt from Haberman's upcoming book, "Confidence Man: THE MAKING OF DONALD TRUMP AND THE BREAKING OF AMERICA," reveals he repeatedly asked former Defense Secretary Mark Esper if the U.S. could bomb drug labs in Mexico to stop the influx of drugs across the border. Forbes reported that Esper was repeatedly shocked by these ideas from the most powerful man on Earth.

'Confidence Man' Reveals More Disturbing Stories of Donald Trump as President

The book also talked about Trump's interactions with other world leaders. He reportedly had crass interactions with them, calling former German Prime Minister Angela Merkel "that b****." He also asked former British Prime Minister Theresa May about her views on abortion, and asked, "Imagine if some animals with tattoos raped your daughter and she got pregnant?"

However, while Trump was a bit problematic with his action toward allies, he was a lot softer with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The book detailed how Trump often complimented the Russian leader for his strength and even suggested the two countries form a joint cyber unit. However, experts pointed out that this would basically let Russians into the U.S. investigations of hacking.

According to the Washington Post, several Trump aides also tried preventing Trump from tweeting a classified photo of an Iranian facility until its classified markings can be removed. However, he did so anyway. He even said, "If you take out the classification, that's the sexy part."

READ MORE: Donald Trump Admits Taking North Korean Dictator Kim Jong-Un Letters to Mar-a-Lago When He Left the White House: New Book

Donald Trump Mistook Staffers of Color for Waiters and Other Disturbing Stories

According to Rolling Stone, which also obtained excerpts from Haberman's upcoming book, a racist incident happened when then-President Trump held a reception with top congressional leaders, including some Democrats.

The Democrats came with a racially diverse staff, though Trump just thought they were waiters and asked them to retrieve the canapes. The staffers belonged to Democratic Senator Chuck Schumer and Democratic Representative Nancy Pelosi. This prompted then-White House chief of staff, Reince Priebus, to correct the then-president and told him they were top aides to the Democrats.

In that same meeting, Trump also told the Democratic leaders that they only lost the popular vote because "illegals" voted.

The Haberman book also noted that Trump was far sicker with COVID-19 than previously indicated, as he was genuinely fearful of dying when he caught the disease in October 2020. However, this was despite aides him telling to take their masks off when he was around during the first year of the pandemic.

READ NEXT: Donald Trump Chief-of-Staff Mark Meadows in Communication With Trump Supporter Who Tried Stealing Voting Machines in Arizona, Texts Show

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Rick Martin

WATCH: Trump Reportedly Asked If U.S. Could Bomb Mexican Drug Labs, Book Says - Forbes Breaking News
Nicaragua has the EU ambassador leave the country after government officials classified the European Union's representative Bettina Muscheidt as "persona non grata."

Three diplomatic sources noted in a Reuters report the development of Nicaragua ejecting the EU ambassador.

One of the diplomatic sources said that Muscheidt was summoned to the Foreign Ministry, wherein she was declared "non grata" and was notified that she should leave Nicaragua.

Another diplomatic source, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, noted that Muscheidt is no longer welcome in Nicaragua.

Two of the diplomatic sources did not provide a detailed timeframe of the EU ambassador's departure, while one of the sources said that she was asked to leave the country on Wednesday.

Nicaragua President Daniel Ortega's government seemed to be making a move on punishing those who seemed to criticize the president after a clampdown on independent media and political opposition over the past few years.

The European Union issued a statement at the United Nations last week, wherein it urged Ortega to "restore democracy" and called for the release of political prisoners and respect for human rights.

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EU Ambassador Ejected from Nicaragua

The National News reported that former ambassador to the Organization of American States Arturo McFields tweeted that Muscheidt "has been expelled in a vulgar way." McFields resigns from his post in March.

There have been other diplomatic rejections in Nicaragua in recent months, aside from the EU ambassador's.

A nominee to serve as U.S. ambassador to Nicaragua, Hugo Rodriguez, was also denied in his post by the Nicaraguan government in June.

Vatican's ambassador to Managua, Stanislaw Sommertag, was also declared persona non grata and was ordered to leave in February.

Ortega has been trying to shut out any opposition, with nationwide protests against him erupting in 2018. It resulted in more than 300 deaths, which mostly were at the hands of police.

The Nicaraguan president's main political challengers were also all arrested during last year's presidential election while a broad assault on dissent was enforced.

Daniel Ortega on Opposition

Nicaragua's government has also taken CNN en Espanol off the air in September. The government did not provide an explanation on why the media outlet was taken out of service, CNN World News. The cable operators carrying the media outlet in the country also did not comment.

The U.S.-based service said in a statement that the government of Nicaragua pulled its television signal, denying its citizens news and information from the network.

Reuters earlier reported that CNN en Espanol was the only remaining outlet critical of Ortega, which is available to Nicaraguans.

McFields tweeted at the time that taking the media outlet off the air was a sign of "fear, clumsiness, and arrogance." He added that the country wants to have a "society of sheep that would only listen and obey the official narrative."

The media service said that Nicaraguans can still find Spanish-language news on its website.

READ MORE: Nicaragua President Daniel Ortega's Critic Edgard Paralles Picked Up by Two People Not in Police Uniform and Was Detained

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Written by: Mary Webber

WATCH: Nicaragua President Daniel Ortega Sworn in for 4th Consecutive Term - from Bloomberg Quicktake: Now


"Riverdale" and "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" actor Ryan Grantham will serve life in prison in Canada after shooting his mom, Barbara Waite, in the head in 2020. However, the convicted murderer is afraid his fellow inmates might brutalize him if he ever serves his sentence at a Canadian maximum-security prison.

His lawyer, Chris Johnson, recently told TMZ about his client's fear of being sent to prison. Johnson said that Grantham was small in stature and slight in build, standing only at 5'2" and weighing only around 100 lbs.

Because of this, Johnson said Ryan Grantham could be "physically, psychologically and sexually intimidated" inside a maximum security prison.

'Riverdale' Star Ryan Grantham's Lawyer Concerned for Client's Wellbeing

Chris Johnson also said he feels that Ryan Grantham does not belong in a maximum security facility not just because of his physicality but also because the punishment does not fit the specific crime under particular circumstances.

That was in reference to the Canadian court finding the 24-year-old actor guilty of murdering his mother and sentencing him to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole in 14 years.

According to Fox News, Grantham pleaded guilty to a second-degree murder charge. He admitted to murdering his mom to "spare her" from having to see his plot to assassinate Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

The actor's lawyer noted that due to his client's "diminutive" stature and "young-looking" appearance, he could be at a higher risk of being abused in prison. He also raised this during the trial.

British Columbia Supreme Court Justice Kathleen Ker, who presided over the case, then told corrections authorities to send Grantham to a medium-security prison instead of a maximum-security prison.

However, the lawyer said that while the judge honored his request, the judge had no final say in where the actor will be sent. The decision is up to Canadian correctional authorities. Johnson is now reportedly asking the Deputy Commissioner of Prisons to put his client in a medium-security prison.

READ NEXT: Ryan Grantham: 'Riverdale' and 'Diary of a Wimpy Kid' Star Admits Killing Mom to 'Save Her' From Seeing His Assassination Attempt on Justin Trudeau

Ryan Grantham Shot His Mother in the Back of Her Head

Ryan Grantham, who gained popularity for his role in "Diary of a Wimpy Kid," shot his 64-year-old mom while she was playing piano on March 31, 2020.

Prosecutors earlier revealed that after he shot his mom in the back of her head, Grantham recorded a video on a GoPro in which he confessed to the crime and showed his mom's lifeless body.

He reportedly said on the footage that his mom "would have known it was me." Grantham then bought beer and weed, experimented with making Molotov cocktails, and watched Netflix before he covered his mom's body with a sheet and went to bed.

Grantham also allegedly planned to kill Trudeau and loaded his car with three guns, ammunition, and 12 Molotov cocktails after killing his mom. He had camping supplies and a map with directions to Rideau Cottage, where Trudeau and his family lived.

However, the actor never made it to Trudeau's residence as he went to Vancouver police headquarters instead to turn himself in. CBC reported that two psychiatric reports showed that Grantham had been going through an "intense period of clinical depression" months before he murdered his mom.

The psychiatric reports also revealed that the actor was "experiencing urges to commit violence and kill himself." Under Canadian law, a second-degree murder charge comes with a life sentence. However, Ker ruled that Grantham could be granted parole after he served 14 years.

Ker said one of the mitigating factors she considered was Grantham's downward spiral in the months leading up to the crime. As she spoke about the actor's mental health issues, Ker noted that Grantham had been having difficulties weeks before killing his mom and had been looking at violent footage on the dark web.

Ker said the actor seemed truly remorseful in his apology and was already seeking psychiatric help in jail. Ryan Grantham reportedly appears to be showing improvement.

READ MORE: Hurricane Fiona: Puerto Rico in Total Blackout, Videos Show Scary Damage

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Written by: Rick Martin

WATCH: What's Next for Riverdale Actor Ryan Grantham After Prison Sentence - From E! News
Cuba's capital is a haven for food enthusiasts visiting the country. In Havana, vendors line up to sell various snacks across the city. Being in the Latin American region, coffee and plantain will never be placed out of the list when talking about Cuban street food.

You can enjoy your Cuban street foods while walking through the different neighborhoods of Havana. According to Insight Cuba, One can also expect traditional entrees such as cajita, which is a boxed snack of rice, beans, pork, tomato, and cabbage.

READ NEXT: Brazil: 5 Popular Brazilian Desserts That Will Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth

Cuba: 4 Popular Cuban Street Food to Try

Most Cuban street food is cheap, delicious, often fried, and ready to order. Even in making these street foods, Cuban cuisine is widely influenced by Spain, Africa, China, and the Caribbean. Here are some of the famous Cuban street foods that best represent authentic and affordable dishes from Cuba.

Cuban Coffee

Traditional Cuban coffee comes from a dark roast espresso shot mixed with copious amounts of sugar. Cuban coffee is believed to be sweeter and stronger as compared to American coffee and Italian espresso.

According to Britannica, the traditional Cuban coffee is brewed with cafeteria Moka, a stove-top espresso maker of Italian origin. The first few drops of coffee are added to a cup containing demerara sugar and whipped vigorously until it turns light brown, and a thick foam appears. It is commonly served in ceramic demitasse cups at home or in restaurants.

Coquitos

Coquitos can also be found in Cuba despite being a traditional Puerto Rican cocktail. It is usually served during the festive Christmas season and is made with a combination of coconut milk, rum, condensed milk, and vanilla.

To prepare it, all ingredients should be blended, chilled, then served in a small glass. According to Taste Atlas, it is recommended to have nutmeg garnished on its top.

Pru

Pru is Cuba's original root beer. Its root beer, originating from eastern Cuba, is a dark brown herby mix and is fermented across the island. The Cuban root beer is brewed with a flowering woody vine, Raiz de china, or roots of the woody berried climber sarsaparilla and allspice, with Cuba's cane sugar.

Locals believe it is a cure for hypertension and other ills. Scientists recently discovered that it has health-boosting detox that locals had known for years, Culture Trip reported.

Pan Con Lechon

The popularity of the Cuban street food pan con lechon has broken Cuba's borders, even reaching Miami, Florida. According to Taste Atlas, pan con lechon is a traditional sandwich that originated in Cuba and is made with Cuban bread, Lechon roasted pork, butter, onions, and mojo sauce.

The bread is cut lengthwise on both sides, then topped with roasted pork, mojo sauce, and yellow onions, which are either raw or sauteed.

READ MORE: Chile Travel Guide: Tourist Attractions and Safety Tips to Know Before Your Trip to the 'Country of Poets'

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Written by: Mary Webber

WATCH: Cuban Street Food in Havana! - From Best Ever Food Review Show
President Joe Biden has once again committed a gaffe after calling out for the late Indiana Rep. Jackie Walorski during remarks at a White House conference on Wednesday.

According to CNN, Biden was speaking at the White House conference on hunger, nutrition, and health, when he tried to acknowledge the presence of Walorski, who died in a car accident in August.

"Jackie, are you here? Where's Jackie? I think she wasn't going to be here - to help make this a reality," Biden said as he looked out into the audience and appeared to forget why Walorski was absent.

READ NEXT: Joe Biden Latest Gaffes: President Says 'Accommodate' Corrupt Russian Oligarchs in Ukraine Support Speech

White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre Defended Joe Biden on His Latest Gaffe

According to US News, the gaffe has raised a more serious concern for 79-year-old Joe Biden: Did the President misspeak at the time? Or had he forgotten that a woman whose family he will see this week to honor her had passed away?

The White House did not acknowledge that Biden had misspoken and sought to play off the strange moment by saying that Jackie Walorski was only on top of his mind as the President named the hunger conference's congressional champions.

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Biden will meet with Walorski's family on Friday at a signing of bill event where a VA clinic in Mishawaka, Indiana, will be named after her.

"There will be a bill signing in her honor this coming Friday, so, of course, she was on his mind," said Jean-Pierre.

"She was top of mind for the President... That is what he was thinking of. He was thinking about her," she added.

Jean-Pierre noted that it was not as though it occurred out of context. She said it happened at an event where Biden was calling out the congressional champions, who are committed to the issue of hunger.

Reports said Walorski, a Republican, helped organize the event. She also made fighting hunger and malnutrition a part of her work during her time in Congress.

Republicans React to Joe Biden Gaffe

According to The Hill, many Republicans had used Joe Biden's gaffe to imply that he has lost his stride and is not mentally suited for the position.

"I guess Biden forgot he issued this statement unless he didn't actually issue this statement!?!" Donald Trump Jr. tweeted, referencing the statement from the president in the wake of Walorski's death.

Another tweet from a conservative group, Tea Party Patriots, said that Biden was "not mentally fit" to serve as president.

Biden has often fought against claims that he was not fit for office by pointing to his busy schedule and his ability to handle the challenges and responsibilities of his everyday job.

In a recent interview with "60 Minutes," Joe Biden said: "If you think I don't have the energy level or the mental acuity, then, you know, that's one thing. It's another thing, you just watch and, you know, keep my schedule. Do what I'm doing."

READ MORE: Joe Biden Latest Gaffe: President Says He Contracted COVID-19 Instead of Kamala Harris' Husband Doug Emhoff

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Written by: Bert Hoover

Watch: Moment Joe Biden Asks if Late Republican Rep. Walorski Is in Crowd in Fresh Gaffe - From the Sun
The Jalisco cartel has allegedly killed a public official in Mexico's Michoacan state, together with his father, this week.

The murdered public official was identified as Omar Daniel Colin, who worked as secretary of the Ocampo municipal hall in Michoacan. His father, Juan Colin Vanegas, was also killed by the Jalisco cartel gunmen.

According to Infobae, their bodies were found inside their gray van in the municipality of Zitacuaro in Michoacan Wednesday morning. Agents of the National Guard went to the scene after receiving a report of multiple gunshots at around 7:30 a.m.

But when they arrived, they only saw the abandoned vehicle and the lifeless bodies. The vehicle reportedly had bullet holes and a narco message signed by "El Barbas," whose real name is William Edwin Rivera Padilla. El Barbas has been identified as a local leader of the Jalisco cartel in Michoacan.

The narco message, written on white cardboard, said the executions were the consequence of not paying the cartel's fees and warned that the same thing will happen to people who will do the same.

According to intelligence reports, Daniel Colin had already received a threat from the Jalisco cartel after he did not agree to pay the criminal group's fees.

READ NEXT: Mexico: 2 Bodies Found Hanging From Bridge, 3 Police Officers Killed as Mexican Drug Cartels Battle for Territory

Jalisco Cartel Threatens Santa Rosa de Lima Cartel in Mexico's Guanajuato State

Reports said another narco message from the Jalisco cartel appeared next to the body of a lifeless man wearing a motorcycle helmet, blue jeans, and a black jacket in Apaseo in Mexico's Guanajuato state on Wednesday.

The narco message, written on green cardboard, was reportedly signed by the "Elite Group," an armed wing of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel or Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generacion (CJNG) that emerged in 2019 under the command of Juan Carlos Gonzalez, alias "El 03."

In the narco message, the Jalisco cartel threatened the Santa Rosa de Lima Cartel and demanded that they stop killing innocents. The CJNG also said that the area already belonged to Nemesio "El Mencho" Oseguera Cervantes, which is currently leading the Jalisco cartel.

The victim's identity is not yet known, but a preliminary investigation indicated that he was a member of the Santa Rosa de Lima Cartel.

The Jalisco Cartel of Mexico

The Jalisco cartel is reportedly operating not just in Mexico but internationally as well. U.S. officials noted that the CJNG controls the movement of more than a third of all drugs consumed in the U.S. and has expanded into Europe and Asia, The Washington Post reported.

According to authorities, the Jalisco cartel is known for making mass graves, kidnappings, acid baths, and video recording beheadings. The CJNG had risen to power after former Sinaloa Cartel capo Ignacio Coronel, known as "Nacho," was killed in July 2010 by Mexican security forces.

Nacho's death resulted in the split of the Sinaloa Cartel into two factions - "La Resistencia" and "Torcidos." The "Torcidos" became what is now the Jalisco cartel, which has since expanded rapidly in Mexico.

El Mencho, who currently heads the Jalisco cartel, continues to evade capture. The U.S. government has already offered a $10 million reward for information leading to his arrest. El Mencho remains to be the most elusive criminal, and he is reportedly hiding in Mexico.

READ MORE: El Chapo's Sinaloa Cartel Continues to Thrive Despite the DrugLLord's Absence: Report

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Written by: Mary Webber

WATCH: Americans Warned to Avoid Travel to Mexico Due to Recent Cartel Violence - From KTLA 5
An Illinois dad allegedly killed his wife and their two children before setting their home on fire and turning the gun on himself to commit suicide.

Police said Carlos Gomez, 44, shot his 43-year-old estranged wife, Lupe Gomez, and two of his stepchildren, Briana Rodriguez, 22, and Emilio Rodriguez, 20, outside their home at Oak Forest on Friday.

People reported that Lupe was trying desperately to leave her marriage and get away from Carlos at the time of her murder. The Oak Forest Police said officers went to a home on Ann Marie Lane after receiving a call about a domestic disturbance at around 6:35 a.m.

When they arrive at the scene, police found two people shot in the driveway and a third in the road near the house. The police department said that after killing his wife and stepchildren, Carlos locked himself inside their home and set the house on fire.

Neighbor Brad Weert told the Chicago Sun-Times that about 10-foot high flames engulfed the home and sent loud popping noises in the neighborhood.

After the blaze was put out, Carlos was discovered by police inside the house. According to the medical examiner's office, the Illinois dad died from a gunshot wound to the head, and his death was ruled a suicide.

On the other hand, the other deaths were ruled homicides. Jorge Rodriguez, the father of Briana and Emilio, told ABC 7 Chicago that he's "broken" over his children's murder.

"I miss them... They were great kids. They're my life. Now, I can't right now, like my soul is not here," he noted.

READ NEXT: Suicide Rate Among Latino Men Is Rising Despite Drops in National Average, Here's Why

Illinois Dad is Abusive, Victims' Biological Father Says

Hundreds came to Oak Forest on Monday to express love and solidarity and to grieve the loss of three lives, which, according to the families involved, was a tragedy that could have been avoided.

Jorge Rodriguez claimed that there were indicators that Carlos Gomez had harmed his kids, but these red flags went unheeded during custody hearings.

"We seen the signs. It was preventable and nobody stopped it," he noted. Dawn Guerrero, his fiancee, said they tried to alert the court officials but were unsuccessful.

"When I left that courtroom, I told them that if they didn't get these children away from him... that he was going to end up killing them, and here they are, gone," Guerrero noted.

According to NBC Chicago, despite being upset and angry about their deaths, Jorge preferred talking about the people his son and daughter were becoming.

Family, Friends Remember the Victim's of Illinois Dad

As people commemorate the lives of a mother and her two children, the family's home is now walled off with a growing memorial outside. The home, where Pedro Villanueva claimed his two cousins lived with their mom and stepdad, is adorned with tributes.

"After what happened, I have it in my mind, like, who would've done that to some innocent people," Villanueva said. Lesly Palafox, who visited her close friend's house, said it was a hard truth to accept.

Palafox noted that her close friend, Briana, was an amazing person, and she could not ask for anything else with Briana by her side. ABC Chicago reported that the two youngest children of Lupe, ages 13 and 15, managed to flee the gruesome encounter.

But they are now alone without parents and siblings, and those traumatic memories taint their house. A GoFundMe has been set up to help raise money for the victims' funerals.

READ MORE: California Teen and Her Fugitive Dad Wanted for Murder of His Wife Both Killed in Shootout With Police

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Written by: Bert Hoover

WATCH: Vigil Planned After Oak Forest Man Kills Family, Sets House on Fire in Murder-Suicide - From ABC 7 Chicago
An iconic Irish flour brand begun and still based in Laois, is no longer using Irish wheat, Laois councillors have claimed.

Councillors are calling on the Government to subsidise and promote the domestic production of flour from native wheat.

Laois County Council Cathaoirleach Cllr Thomasina Connell tabled a motion, backed by her colleagues, which she says is to increase food security and reduce dependency on exports.

"Traditional Irish millers are dying off. We need to introduce a national milling drive to reduce our dependence on imports. We are importing wheat so even though it is milled in Ireland it is imported.

"I think people don't know that the product isn't from Ireland. I think people using this brand care about that. The reason I brought this motion is because I wasn't aware that Odlums are rejecting Irish wheat," Cllr Connell claimed, at the September meeting of Laois County Council.

Cllr PJ Kelly seconded her motion and is a grain grower.

He claimed that the Odlums company, which was founded in Portlaoise in 1845 and now has its only Irish mill in Portarlington, is importing wheat.

"I'm a producer of grain, mainly malt and barley for the drinks industry. I would have grown wheat. Odlums in Portarlington the main miller took in wheat but they don't take it locally any more. It is all imported. Smaller millers mainly mill oats. It is a crying shame that we have to import wheat. It happened with sugar and the same thing is happening with flour.

"A worker in Odlums told me that it is likely flour will get scarce if the Ukraine war continues. We don't have an industry producing our own flour from our own wheat," Cllr Kelly said.

Cllr Caroline Dwane Stanley recalled the panic buying of flour when the 'beast from the east' storm hit Ireland.

"In four days we were practically out of flour waiting on it to be imported. People were panic buying and couldn't get bread. The recent war in Ukraine shows how dependent we are on other countries to import wheat. It's time we start producing our own," she said.

Cllr Willie Aird recalled the Odlums mill in Portlaoise.

"I remember the weighbridge at Tower Hill. Grain was stored in the grainstores for Odlums. We should be very proud of producing our own flour. We are world reknowned for producing goods of the highest standard. It's very sad when you pick up a bag of Siucre sugar and it's probably bagged in England. I remember the Odlums flour lorry going around Portlaoise, everyone had their own delivery dates, like kegs of beer, flour going into every shop," he said.

Odlums have been contacted for comment. In 1845 the Odlums family started milling the finest quality wheat in their first flour mill in Portlaoise. In 2015, they invested over 1million in their Odlums mill in Portarlington, Co Laois for major upgrades to their manufacturing facilities.
Families from Ukraine and Direct Provision Centres were given tours of Heritage sites in Laois as part of a Heritage Council scheme.

The Heritage in Schools Scheme provides a panel of heritage specialists who visit primary schools to help children and their teachers learn more about and appreciate their local heritage.

This summer while the schools were closed three local heritage specialists working with Laois Partnership accompanied 38 Ukrainian and Direct Provision families, 105 people in total, on four whistlestop tours around some of Laois wonderful heritage sites. Their first stop involved a guided tour of the Rock of Dunamaise by heritage specialist Trudy Carmody, of Experiencing Laois and Experiencing Ireland. With the invaluable help of an interpreter, Kate Rauch, Trudy explained the rocks fascinating and bloody history.

The trips also included highlights such as Durrow Scarecrow Festival and a visit to Nancy Roberts. Mrs Roberts lives beside the ruin of the 15th Century Cullahill Castle, but Im not the queen of the castle, she told the children. She graciously invited some of the more curious children into her traditional thatched cottage and they watched a thatcher hard at work.

Families participated in pollinator workshops and took part in a walk and talk of the cultural and natural heritage of Cullahill Mountain with heritage specialists Vincent OSullivan and Edel Heeran. Finally they enjoyed a panoramic picnic at the top of the Cullahill mountain thanks to Laois Partnership.

"In all everybody was able to enjoy fun and relaxed days that hopefully deepened the families understanding and knowledge of their new home. Thanks to the Heritage Council and Laois Partnership for providing funding towards these summer heritage days," Edel Heeran said.

For booking and more information on the excellent Heritage in Schools Scheme see

https://www.heritageinschools.ie/
Almost every change wanted by Laois councillors in the next Laois County Development Plan has been forcibly reversed.

Despite local wishes, Laois must welcome more wind turbines and high rise apartment blocks, while tracts of land that councillors wanted for housing have all but one been forced back under zoning to remain undeveloped.

The county must also up its game in delivering renewable energy to the national grid, including solar farms and Anaerobic Digesters but with an emphasis on windfarms.

The Minister of State for Local Government and Planning, Peter Burke, has issued a Ministerial Directive to Laois County Council this week, telling it to undo many of the additions voted in by Laois councillors, to the draft Laois County Development Plan 2021 - 2027.

Councillors had added a 1.5km setback distance from wind turbines to property boundaries which effectively ruled out all of Laois from getting more wind turbines. This was rejected by the Minister who said it was not consistent with the National Planning Framework and Wind Energy Development Guidelines. The setback now remains at 500m.

Laois has only one windfarm in operation giving 37MW or 0.7% of wind capacity to Ireland, but three more have planning approval to offer a possible total 120MW. Five solar farms approved permission could add another 137.7MW, while a planned huge anaerobic digester could offer 4,300MW hours per year.

Councillors had added a clause that "developments should be no more than 3 storey on greenfield sites". This is now rejected, as it contravenes national guidelines on compact growth of towns and efficient use of land.

Three out of four land zoning decisions that paved the way for potentially hundreds more houses, were forced to revert because they were too far from town centres.

The Minister has changed his mind and allowed one to remain, the controversial rezoning of Rathevan lands in Portlaoise, which had been objected to by many residents and Portlaoise councillors. It is to be zoned from Strategic Reserve up to Residential 2.

The three that are not permitted include one in Stradbally and two more in Portlaoise.

The Laois County Council CEO John Mulholland had changed his original recommendation and suggested that all four zonings be permitted, given the rise in demand for housing, also citing the Ukrainian people fleeing war which was not factored into the original plan.

Mr Mulholland said the four sites totalling 15 hectares could offer 400 housing units.
An Aston Martin DB5 stunt car used in the James Bond movie No Time To Die has sold for 2.9 million at a charity auction.

The replica Aston, which is one of eight built exclusively for the film, incorporates a number of operational gadgets including a rotating digital numberplate, retractable headlights and pop-out machine guns. Its even capable of firing prop bomblets.

In the film, the DB5 is used by James Bond  played by Daniel Craig  to race through Matera, Italy, driving at high speed and deploying its many gadgets.

Its one of three special Aston Martin models included in the Christies charity auction which celebrated 60 years of the James Bond movies, with the proceeds of the sale benefitting The Princes Trust in its work with young people, The Prince of Wales Charitable Fund and three charities supporting serving and former members of the UK Special Forces.

Marek Reichman, executive vice president and chief creative officer of Aston Martin said: Aston Martin is incredibly proud to be part of James Bonds DNA and we are delighted to celebrate this 60th anniversary with the sale of a truly unique Aston Martin model that we created for No Time To Die.

#AuctionUpdate Aston Martin DB5 achieved 2,922,000! Sold by @astonmartin, with proceeds donated to @PrincesTrust, The Special Air Service Regimental Association, The Special Boat Service Association, The Special Reconnaissance Regimental Association and @theprincesfund. pic.twitter.com/7TmOXoEKKJ  Christie's (@ChristiesInc) September 28, 2022

It is fantastic that the sale of this special car will now hugely benefit several good causes which are close to our heart, playing our own part in the long-standing tradition of the James Bond franchise supporting charitable causes.

The auction also saw the sale of a 1981 Aston Martin V8 which was also driven by Daniel Craig as James Bond in No Time To Die. It fetched 630,000 to help the work of UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency. A special Aston Martin DBS Superleggera 007 Edition  one of 25 examples created  also sold for 403,200 to support the Royal Foundation of the Prince and Princess of Wales.
The Saint Conleths Conference of the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul was founded in 1922 in Newbridge. They are holdinga centenary mass on Thursday, September 29 at 8.00 pm in Newbridge daycare center to celebrate.

In 1922 money came from church collections, donations, and bequests. Members visited clients and distributed grocery vouchers. In the twenties Newbridge was a poor town and the Society struggled to raise enough funds. School absenteeism was high, and the Conference supplied cloths and shoes for children to enable them to attend school. In those days The Society like the community could be judgemental, by refusing help to a woman because she went to the picture house or help to a man because he was seen playing the tin whistle and begging on the street

Today we offer direct, personal assistance that is non-judgemental and based on the needs of the individual or family. Newbridge is a prosperous town. Money still comes from church collections, donations, bequests, and the bonus of the additional income from the very successful St. Vincent de Paul shop in the courtyard. Our main area of work is person-to-person contact with people who need help and assistance.

In addition, we provide a wide range of services for vulnerable people through our local office, shop, resource centers, housing, day-care, and holiday schemes amongst other things. The SVP Education and Training Bursary Fund has been established to support students of all ages who may financially struggle to access or stay in third-level education and training programs.

SVP Ireland is a volunteer-led organisation, and membership is spread throughout the country in over 1,201 Conferences (the basic operating unit of the Society). The society works with people experiencing poverty and disadvantage. No work of charity is foreign to the Society. Membership is open to anyone who can adopt its ethos. The society is one of Ireland's best known and most widely supported organisations of social concern and action with over 11,500 volunteers active throughout every county in Ireland. The Society of Saint Vincent de Paul (SVP) is committed to creating a safe, healthy, and inclusive environment for all, particularly, children, young people, and vulnerable adults whom we assist. The lives of hundreds of thousands of people in Ireland are affected by low income and the effects of debt, unemployment, educational disadvantage, poor health, relationship breakdown, bereavement, addiction, violence, loneliness, disabilities, overwhelming caring responsibilities, and other challenges. We are working to make Ireland a fairer place; where caring for each other and our children, older people, and people with disabilities are valued and supported.

Find out more about St. Conleths Conference Newbridge from any member. Get involved by volunteering, donating, or becoming a fundraiser. Your help will be greatly appreciated.
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Move wheelie bins, sandwich boards and other obstacles off the county's footpaths to help people with disabilities.

That's the message from Newbridge Access Group (NAG) in advance of Make Way Day 2022 which occurs tomorrow.

"September 30 is Make Way Day, a day of action to improve the access of our towns and cities for everyone. Members of Newbridge Access Group came together earlier in the week and did a walkabout to bring about awareness of the obstacles that frequently block their way. These are things that the public has control over. For example: cars/vans parked on footpaths, wheelie bins on footpaths, kegs on footpaths, sandwich boards/ signs on the footpath directly in the path of travel, overgrown hedges, bikes and scooters tied to lampposts/railings/bikes on footpaths," said a spokesperson for the group.

Cllr Peggy ODwyer MCC and Mary Kilgannon

The Disability Federation of Ireland encourages disabled people and advocates to use social media and all networks, to share the campaign materials. Whether that is re-tweeting, sharing a video on Facebook or Instagram to share their own story using the hashtag #MakeWayDay22.

As a long-time member and Chairperson of NAG, Martin Kelly has been advocating for all things accessible for blind and vision impaired along with other vulnerable folk, to get them safely around the streets.

The biggest unnecessary offenders are badly parked cars or similar vehicles on the public footpaths. Of course, as a cane user I find it hard to circulate freely on bin day as the bins are often blocking my way and are often left on the pavement for quite a while after emptying. So, I would like to appeal to shop owners and restaurants, residents and other associations to urge their members to be more careful about where they place bins, sandwich boards, coffee tables and chairs and to trim overgrown hedges and branches. If all these obstacles are removed disabled people will be able to get around more easily," he said.

Newbridge Gardai have increased monitoring of illegally parked cars on footpaths.

Cllr Peggy O Dwyer commented that unfortunately after three years absence of Make Way Day the same obstacles remain.

"Sandwich boards particularly on the narrow footpaths, industrial and household bins remaining on the paths many hours after collection or not restored at all. There is also a problem of bins no longer in use but never removed by the provider and used by others. A further problem identified by our access group is the presence of scooters on the footpaths. While legislation is outstanding on scooters there needs to be some awareness programme around their safe use as a mode of transport," she added.
The drinks industry was out in force for the global unveiling of the latest curious creation from Drumshanbo Gunpowder Irish Gin at Nolita Dublin.

Drumshanbo Gunpowder Irish Gin with California Orange Citrus didnt fail to surprise and delight and guests were thrilled to meet the world-famous Mixology stars & Tik Tok sensations, Johnny Drinks, who flew in especially from New York for the occasion.

A host of well-known faces and special guests from the top bars and venues across the country turned out for the celebrations hosted by The Shed Distillery and Dalcassian Wines and Spirits.

PJ Rigney, the Curious Mind behind Drumshanbo Gunpowder Irish Gin and The Shed Distillery brands made a rare appearance with wife Denise (co-founder and owner of the family business) & daughters Roisin & Maeve and their son Brian.

Social media star Nadia Adan, Newstalk presenters Jess Kelly and Andrea Gilligan and Youtube stars Sean Connelly & Colin Regan from the Try Channel were among the VIP guests at Nolita Dublin.

The Shed Distillery international Event Manager David Donnelly hosted a memorable evening and even donned a specially designed orange blazer in honour of the occasion. The Shed Distillery Mixology team travelled up from Drumshanbo to create very special Curious Cocktails featuring the new Gunpowder Orange Citrus Gin, including a Golden State of Mind Gin & Tonic, the Curious Cosmo with fresh lime juice & cranberries and the hugely popular Gunpowder Margherita featuring Tequila Reposado & cracked sea salt.

Drumshanbo Gunpowder Irish Gin with California Orange Citrus is the result of the Curious Minds Journey through California and features exotic layers of fresh citrus, oriental botanicals and gunpowder tea with added subtle hints of California Orange citrus.
A Fianna Fail councillor could face disciplinary action within his party after he publicly opposed local authority plans to accommodate a Traveller family in Co Galway.

Galway City Councillor Michael Crowe said the city council should not go ahead with plans to accommodate members of the Traveller community in a house it bought.

Objecting to accommodating Travellers in the property, Mr Crowe told a radio station that Traveller culture was not conducive to living with most settled communities, adding that it regularly leads to confrontation and general uneasiness.

On Thursday, Mr Crowe apologised to the Traveller community for his comments.

I would like to offer a sincere genuine apology to all members of the Travelling Community for my comments earlier this week. There is cut and thrust in politics but there is no room for the broad ranging sweeping generalisations I made about Travellers. For that, I am sorry. 1/3  MJ Crowe (@mike_mjcrowe) September 29, 2022

Traveller rights organisation, Galway Traveller Movement, has called for the councillor to be suspended pending a full investigation.

Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin said the comments were unacceptable, and that the party would be meeting with the councillor.

Theyre not in line at all with Fianna Fail policy, and the party will be meeting with the councillor, Mr Martin added.

Well be engaging with the councillor concerned because those remarks are completely unacceptable.

We will take it from there. I dont want to prejudice what outcome may transpire.

We are taking the issue seriously, very seriously, and we will engage with the councillor.

Ive seen the reported comments, but obviously due process follows in this case and the party will engage with the councillor.

There can be no tolerance for such an approach to the Traveller community. Ive met with them recently  they are facing enormous challenges, particularly young people, young Travellers in particular in terms of securing employment, in terms of education completion.

We need to do everything possible to support them in the challenges that they face.

Mr Crowe posted his apology on Twitter shortly after Mr Martins comments.

I would like to offer a sincere genuine apology to all members of the Travelling community for my comments earlier this week, he said.

There is cut and thrust in politics but there is no room for the broad ranging sweeping generalisations I made about Travellers. For that, I am sorry.

While there are difficulties in certain scenarios there is a way to deal with those and on this occasion I did not do so in a correct manner. I would also like to offer an apology to (Fianna Fail) for causing hurt to many of our members.

Im making no excuses, Im simply apologising. I was wrong.

In a statement, the Galway Traveller Movement condemned the comments, accusing the councillor of having little regard for the Traveller community.

The broad sweeping statements made by councillor Crowe have caused huge hurt and upset to members of the Traveller community and have brought us back decades in the fight for equality, the spokesman said.

Comments were made about the Traveller community on public radio by councillor Crowe that would not be tolerated if made about any other ethnic group.

He has brought the integrity of his office into disrepute by promoting anti Traveller rhetoric and discourse on the public airwaves.

Councillor Michael Crowe showed little regard for the Traveller community and made statements that in our opinion incite hatred and deny the Traveller community access to adequate protection against discrimination in Irish Society.

We are calling for CIlr Michael Crowe to be suspended from his duties pending a full investigation by Galway City Council and the Fianna Fail party into this matter.

GTM will be making formal complaints to the Fianna Fail party, the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission, the Standards in Public Office Commission, the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland and the Council of Europe committee of experts on Roma and Traveller Issues to further investigate this violation of Travellers human rights and call for justice and redress.
By September 1922 the Irish civil war had raged for nearly three months in a summer that saw the deaths of some of the Irish Revolutions most prominent leaders including Michael Collins, Arthur Griffith and Cathal Brugha.

In the relatively short period between June and September 1922, pro-Treaty Free State forces had gained the upper hand on their former comrades by taking total control of the main cities of Dublin, Cork, Waterford and Limerick.



Free State forces had also succeeded in re-capturing republican occupied towns across broad swathes of Munster and Connaught resulting in anti-Treaty forces resorting to a campaign of guerrilla warfare as they had down in the fight against crown forces between 1919 and 1921.



Despite such inroads by Free State forces, the north-west region of Sligo and north Leitrim still remained in republican hands. Here the IRAs 3rd Western Division led by Liam Pilkington fought a running battle against pro-Treaty forces.

In July 1922 the capture by republicans of the Free State forces prized possession, the Ballinalee armoured car not only caused embarrassment to government forces but wreaked havoc in military engagements across Sligo and north Leitrim. Such incidents and the failure to capture areas of the north-west prompted commander of Free State forces General Richard Mulcahy to put strong pressure on General Sean Mac Eoin, his Western Command leader, to assert government authority in the area.



In an attempt to take control of the region, Mac Eoin deployed experienced and war-hardened troops to the North Sligo-Leitrim border.

In a co-ordinated military operation, troops from Manorhamilton, Boyle and Sligo, under the command of Mac Eoin, and troops from Finner camp near Bundoran, under the command of Commandant Joe Sweeney, engaged in extensive searches which resulted in the capture of large numbers of republicans.



During Sweeneys advance south, the republican-controlled north Leitrim villages of Kinlough and Tullaghan were captured and thirty republicans surrendered at Kiltyclogher. On the outskirts of Manorhamilton, fourteen republicans in possession of arms and explosives were arrested.



In their attempts to thwart these advances, anti-Treaty forces derailed trains across the region. At Dromahair, republicans apologized to the train crew informing them that they were compelled to take such action because their comrades had been surrounded by numbers of Free State troops and it was their duty as republicans to take every possible step to checkmate the movements of the Free State soldiers.



In reaction to the rapid advance of government forces, Pilkingtons headquarters at Rahelly House in north Sligo was evacuated and republicans sought refuge in the nearby mountains.

On their way to a meeting with Pilkington at Glencar in the early morning of 20 September, IRA Divisional Adjutant Brian MacNeill, Brigadier Seamus Devins, Lieutenant Paddy Carroll and Volunteer Joseph Banks were intercepted on the slopes of Benbulben by Pro-Treaty forces and shot dead. Dublin native Mac Neill was the son of Provisional Government Minister of Education Eoin Mac Neill, and two of his brothers were Free State army officers.

The four were taken away from the main body of Free State troops and summarily executed

The nature of the killings proved controversial with claims that the four were taken away from the main body of Free State troops and summarily executed.



While official sources claimed that the men were retreating from an ambush site, pro-Treaty forces commander Captain Charlie McGoohan was accused of directing the killings after the men had surrendered. Ballinamore native McGoohan was a prominent member of the South Leitrim Brigade of the IRA during the War of Independence.



Documents unearthed in the Military Archives indicated that McGoohan had masqueraded as an IRA man, signalled the four men to join him and lured the men into a trap. The archive documents state that after surrendering, the four men were disarmed, identified and killed by a hail of machine gun fire.

Later that morning, two other members of Pilkingtons forces, Harry Benson and Tom Langan, were also intercepted by Mc Eoins forces. The bodies of both men were found eleven days later at the bottom of a ravine. Bensons body contained bullet wounds to the head and shins, while Langans body had seven bullet wounds and a bayonet wound.



The funerals of the men attracted large crowds across Sligo. As their remains proceeded through Sligo town, Free State soldiers saluted the remains of their former comrades. The body of Brian MacNeill was taken to Dublin for a private family funeral and his remains were carried to his graveside by his two Free State army officer brothers. Across Sligo and Leitrim, votes of sympathy were passed by a host of local organizations to the family of Seamus Devins, a TD for Sligo-Leitrim and county councillor, and his comrades.



Unfortunately, the controversial killings on the slopes of Benbulben were only a sign of things to come in the course of the civil war across Ireland.

Executions and extra-judicial killings continued with both sides in the conflict conducting appalling acts of terror and brutality against former comrades. Although compared to civil wars in Europe in the early twentieth century, the fatalities at over one thousand dead in Irelands civil war, were low, the conflict itself would leave a lasting imprint on the Irish political landscape for many years to come.



Dr Padraig McGarty is author of Leitrim, The Irish Revolution: 1912-23 published by Four Courts Press. As part of the Decade of Centenaries series of events, Dr McGarty will deliver a series of lectures on the civil war in Leitrim in Glenfarne on 7 October, Kiltyclogher and Manorhamilton on 8 October, Aughavas on 14 October, and Ballinamore and Drumshanbo on 15 October. Further details are available in local notes.
A seller of derivative merchandise of the presidential candidates Lula and Bolsonaro, in Rio de Janeiro, September 27, 2022. ERNESTO BENAVIDES / AFP

Brazil's elections have been overshadowed for a long time by the "clash of the titans" Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva versus Jair Bolsonaro. On Sunday, October 2, legislative and local elections will also take place in Brazil. For 156 million voters, this is an opportunity to renew all the members of the Chamber of Deputies, a third of the seats in the Senate, and all the governors and regional assemblies in the country.

This year, they have taken on the appearance of an exuberant celebration of democracy, with more than 28,000 candidates in all elections combined. Among them, the zaniest candidates are "Wolverine," "Obama," "007," "Gladiator," "mountain dwarf," "Batman pastor," "samurai cab" and so on. Some pose in bathing suits or inside a coffin. Others show themselves with a firearm, a tire, a melon or an inflatable cow.

Extreme indecisiveness of voters

Beyond these colorful distractions, these elections reflect a fundamental change in Brazilian society. The number of women running for office is on the rise, as is the number of blacks and mestizos, who are now as numerous as whites. To offset the influence of the "BBB" (beef, Bible, bullet) lobby groups that dominate the Brasilia Congress, the Articulation of Indigenous Peoples of Brazil (APIB) is even sponsoring 30 candidates of its own, who come from Indigenous peoples. The goal is to form a "forest lobby" within the country's institutions.

In the Federative Republic of Brazil (the country's official name), legislative and local elections are far from trivial. The country's 27 governors have extremely wide-ranging powers, from health to education to policing. The same is true of the 513 deputies and 81 senators in Congress, who have the power to veto the president's decisions and, if necessary, to impeach him.

Procedures vary from one election to another and predictions are difficult to make. Governors, like the president of the Republic, are elected by a two-round majority vote, compared to a single round for senators, and a proportional system weighted by a complex electoral quotient for federal and regional deputies. Proof of the prevailing confusion is the extreme indecisiveness among voters. Nearly one out of two had not yet decided on a deputy, which was revealed on September 23 in a survey by the news website Congresso em Foco (Congress in Focus).

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Read more Subscribers only Brazil election: 'Third way' candidates gain little ground against Lula and Bolsonaro

The most closely watched governorship election is in the state of Sao Paulo, the richest in the federation, which generates one-third of the country's GDP. A fierce contest is underway between Fernando Haddad, a candidate of the Workers' Party (PT) and a protege of Lula, and Tarcisio de Freitas, former infrastructure minister of Jair Bolsonaro, from the far-right Republicans. Also included is the outgoing governor, Rodrigo Garcia, local leader of the Brazilian Social Democracy Party (PSDB, right).

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With only one week to go until the BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition project deadline, BT Ireland are encouraging students to get their project entries in to be part of Irelands biggest and brightest showcase for young STEM talent.

The deadline for entries is Monday, 3rd October, at 5pm, and with the return to an in-person exhibition this year, its one not to be missed!

Students can enter across any one of four categories, including technology; social and behavioural science; biological and ecological science; or chemical, physical, and mathematical science.

Students can enter their project at www.btyoungscientist.com

Dr Tony Scott, co-founder of the Young Scientist Exhibition and judge, said:

Speaking on behalf of all judges, we cant wait to see all the applications from students across the country. I would highly encourage any students considering submitting a project into the BTYSTE 2023 to do so.

Each year the students of Ireland continue to impress with the creativity of their project entries and with the return to an in-person exhibition, we are thoroughly looking forward to meeting all these STEM stars face to face.

Participating students will be in the running to win over 200 prizes across all four categories and age groups. The overall winners will take away the top prize of 7,500 and go on to represent Ireland at the prestigious European Union Contest for Young Scientists, where Ireland has won 17 first place prizes over 33 years.

Entries must be from second-level students aged between 12 and 19 years. For more information on the BTYSTE 2023, please visit www.btyoungscientist.com.
LIMERICK schools are being encouraged to sign up for this year's Student Enterprise Programme (SEP).

The SEP is a programme that lets students become entrepreneurs and try their hand at running a business while still in school.

An initiative of the Local Enterprise Offices (LEO), the countrys largest enterprise programme for second level students begins its twenty-first year.

Over 300,000 students nationwide have taken part since it began.

Mike OByrne of LEO Limerick commented: We believe the Student Enterprise Programme is a tremendous way to get young people thinking about starting their own business later in life. The stronger the pipeline of new entrepreneurs coming through the better for our economy down the line.

Every year around 25,000 students take part from almost 500 schools all across the country, competing in the Junior, Intermediate and Senior categories.

Participants learn how to create and run their own business, picking up key skills along the way such as ideation, marketing, finance and sales and its open to all secondary schools.

Recent ambassadors for the programme have included Limerick All-Ireland Hurling winner Sean Finn, Derval ORourke and Josh Van Der Flier.

The programme is supported by Enterprise Ireland and the local authorities, with local coordinators in every area to support teachers and students throughout the year of the programme, which in turn helps foster entrepreneurship in students and gives them key skills they can bring with them into later life.

The programme is open to all secondary school students from first year through to sixth year.

Limerick has had success over the years with two of the top five finalists last year coming from Desmond College Newcastle West.

Niamh OMahoney whose business SmartArntU made the cut in the senior category and Ava Ahern, Laura Brennan, Kayla McAuliffe whose business Mela No More excelled in the intermediate category.
THERE HAS been a major development in the commercial sector in Limerick with a portfolio of prime properties valued at 10m coming to the market.

Six retail units - located close together on Bedford Row and Henry Street in the city - were offered for sale late last week.

Selling agent Gordon Kearney, managing director of Rooney Auctioneers, described them as flagship commercial properties.

Four of the six premises are occupied: Unit 10, Henry Street (Hamptons restaurant) which has a guide of 3m; Unit 5, Bedford Row (Noels Menswear) valued at 1.15m; Unit 6, Bedford Row (Schuh) with an asking price of 2m and Unit 8, Henry Street (TechStar) costing around the 750,000 mark.

Mr Kearney stresses that tenants will not be affected following the sales.

The remaining two are vacant - Unit 9, Henry Street (formerly Laura Ashley) and Unit 3, Bedford Row (previously McGoverns) with guide prices of 1.5m and 1m respectively.

The six retail units are part of the City Central portfolio - made up of the Savoy Hotel, apartments and retail built in the mid-noughties. It is understood the development was purchased from the receiver by Kirkland Investments who are now selling the retail part of the portfolio.

Mr Kearney expects interest from investors and business owner-occupiers.

There are always commercial property investors out there looking for modern, purpose-built commercial properties that are let to excellent tenants. If you go around the city nearly everything else is 200-year-old buildings that have been modified or modernised. City Central is special because these are relatively modern and is why they are going to jump out ahead of all of the other commercial properties that are in older buildings. These are turn-key.

Plus, the location - they are right in the thick of the city centre next to Dunnes multi-storey car-park, on Bedford Road with Spitjack, The Buttery, Regus, Bank of Ireland and coming up to the new OConnell Street, said Mr Kearney.

Regarding the two properties that are unoccupied the vastly experienced estate agent said there is a changed retail landscape post Covid.

It was changing prior to Covid and I think the transition to online has been accelerated during the pandemic. People that would not normally have been buying online were pushed into it during Covid. I know retailers out there are rethinking their strategies for the future. The feedback I am getting is that bricks and mortar will always play an essential part of their business. So much can be done online but people still want the shopping experience of going to town, having a coffee or a bite to eat and trying on clothes or shoes, said Mr Kearney.

The most enquiries he gets for retail units in the city are from cafes and restaurants, hairdressers and beauty salons - none of which can be physically replicated online.

An interesting dynamic is the amount of professional service providers that have enquired about ground floor retail, for example, accountancy and solicitor firms. They would traditionally have been on the upper floors but are now looking at ground floor for wheelchair accessibility, people with buggies and have a shopfront to display their wares. It could be a very different dynamic for the city centre, said Mr Kearney, who is selling the six commercial properties either in individual lots or as the entire.
IF YOU HAD to think of the most historical moment in the year of 1989, the fall of the Berlin Wall or the Hillsborough Disaster would probably come to most peoples minds.

However, if you could ask the late John E Moloney, the Chairman of the Limerick University Project Committee (LUPC) he would most likely tell you the most historical moment in 1989 was when the former Minister of Education Mary ORourke formally announced the establishment of the University of Limerick (UL).

UL became the first university established in Ireland since the country became a free state in 1922.

This year the university celebrates its 50th anniversary as it first opened on September 27, 1972 and is marking the occasion with year long events.

Mr Moloney (pictured below) has never been formally recognised for the three decades of voluntary work he conducted with the LUPC in implementing a university in Limerick.

He was born in Limerick in 1914 to Daniel and Bridget Moloney.

Tragedy first struck John Moloney when he was just 4 years of age when his father passed away due to the Spanish Flu.

Again in 1931, Mr Moloney was thrown into further turmoil at the age of 17 when his mother passed away, leaving him orphaned along with his four sisters.

Following his Leaving Certificate, John would have been a prime candidate to attend university but due to his family struggles and his financial situation, he was unable to travel out of Limerick for university.

He worked as a civil servant for years and even worked as a customs and excise officer in the bonded warehouse in the Granary in the city.

One of the things I find funniest about him is that he never touched a drop of alcohol, he had sworn off it but he spent all his time around it in the warehouse but of course its for that reason they trusted him with it I suppose, Nuala Gavin, Mr Moloneys daughter laughed.

Mr Moloney never wanted to see another child miss out on the opportunity of attending university which led him and other members of the Limerick community to set up the LUPC in August of 1959.

In 1957 the first political entity, the Mayoral Committee at Limerick City Council was set up seeking to implement a university in Limerick but they pulled out as they deemed the issue to be too political to succeed.

The Mayoral Committee in a meeting in November of 1959 voiced their full support for the newly established LUPC, under Mr Moloney to continue the battle.

Thus began a three decade fight by the LUPC to gain university status in Limerick.

The LUPC consisted of eight core members: John E. Moloney as chairperson; Dermot Hurley, deputy chairperson; Margaret Lyddy, secretary; Sean Prendergast, Paddy McCarthy, Tony Bromell, Tom Duffy and James Lyons.

[John E Moloney with his wife Evelyn (nee Creed)]

In 1961 an extremely detailed proposal was made by the members of the LUPC which contained statistics about those attending third level institutes and argued that there were enough students in second level education to warrant another university in Ireland.

This proposal was submitted at a hearing in the Four Courts in Dublin by all eight core members of the LUPC.

It took five years for the Government to get back to the LUPC about their proposal and a decision was made to introduce university facilities in Limerick however these did not meet the requirements of the LUPC as yes, it would see a third level institute being brought to Limerick but not a university.

In 1970 the Planning Board for the installation of a third level institute in Limerick was set up by the government.

Dr Ed Walsh who had been chosen as the director of the proposed third level institution was appointed chairman of the Planning Board.

He was only 29 at the time of his appointment and some members of the LUPC believed he was planted by the government to undermine the founding of a third level institution in Limerick.

This was never the case and Mr Moloney has since stated that the University of Limerick wouldnt have gotten off the ground if it wasnt for the determination of Dr Walsh.

The Planning Board consisted of eight members including two members from the LUPC, Margaret Lyddy and James Lyons.

Unusually, Mr Moloney who had every right to take a seat on the Planning Board chose to stay out of it.

For years this baffled Mr Moloneys grandson, John Gavin as he couldnt understand why the boss of the LUPC remained independent of the Planning Board.

Mr Gavin has been fascinated with the work of his grandfather for years and has conducted plenty of research into the topic.

In recent years Mr Gavin realised that his grandfather did not take a seat on the Planning Board as he was not happy with the level of status the new third level institute in Limerick was given and taking a seat on the board would interfere with his efforts in continuing the fight for university status in Limerick.

The Planning Board succeeded in establishing a third level institute and the National Institute of Higher Education (NIHE) was born in Limerick, choosing Plassey in Castletroy as its campus.

The NIHE began its first year in 1972.

Much to Mr Moloneys dismay the college was only granted to take in 100 students in its first year when over 1000 applications had been received by the NIHE.

This would further drive Mr Moloney to seek university status for Limerick because as far as he could see it the government did not grant Limerick what the LUPC had been campaigning for.

The University of Limerick was announced on January 12, 1989.

My grandfather never cared about recognition. All that he ever cared about was seeing the people of Limerick given the chance to attend university in the way that he never did, Mr Gavin said.

It also wasnt all my grandfathers work; it was a massive community effort in Limerick. The people in the local area really got behind the campaign, Mr Gavin added.

Nuala reminisced about one of her fathers proudest days: Ive never seen him happier than the day a neighbour of ours in Corbally at the time, Peter Reale graduated from the college.

According to Nuala, Peter would probably have struggled to get into university like so many people in Limerick at the time if it wasnt for the work of John Moloney, Ed Walsh and the LUPC.

John E Moloney died on April 21, 1989, just three months after the establishment of the University of Limerick.

In a speech in 1968 Mr Moloney addressed a crowd at a public meeting in Limerick City and recognised the work of three members from his committee that had passed away.

It must be some consolation to their families to know that they performed work for the Limerick area that will never be forgotten so long as any of the rest of my committee remain alive.

John E Moloney may not have gotten the recognition he deserved for his three decades of voluntary work for Limerick and all the original members of the LUPC have since passed away but not one of them has been forgotten for the tremendous work they did for County Limerick.

Current UL president Kerstin Mey is aware of the story of John E Moloney and intends to recognise him in the future and the Gavin family would like to thank her and UL for their support.
The main barrier to women getting into leadership roles and on to company boards is due to promotional bias, the Minister for Enterprise has said.

Leo Varadkar said there are fewer women working at senior levels within companies, which he said is not due to lack of opportunities.

He also told the Joint Committee on Gender Equality that barriers faced by women at lower levels are unlikely to be resolved by bringing in mandatory board quotas.

The committee discussed the recommendations of the Citizens Assembly on gender equality regarding pay and workplace conditions.

In terms of the barriers to women getting into leadership positions and getting on to company boards, I think it is probably is down to a degree of promotion bias, Mr Varadkar said.

If you look at a lot of organisations, the public service is one example, youll see a lot of women up to a certain point and then when you get to the highest tier there are fewer. There are lots of reasons for that but thats a problem.

One thing we want to avoid happening is putting in place a set of quotas, when its the same people that turn up all the time on the boards.

You need a stream of people who are getting promoted and I think there is promotional bias in business at the moment for lots of reasons but that needs to change.

He added: The progress at board level in Ireland does show what can be achieved when companies focus on making a change.

It should also be remembered that the primary reasons for the lack of women in leadership positions in business is not simply a lack of opportunity at senior levels in companies, but barriers at the lower levels that are unlikely to be resolved by mandatory board quotas.

Carefully monitored voluntary targets helped to promote cultural and strategic change at the heart of companies.

Meanwhile, Mr Varadkar also defended the method used to calculate the proposed so-called living wage.

In June, the Government unveiled plans to introduce a living wage at 60% of the median wage in any given year.

This will bring the national minimum wage of 10.50 euro per hour up to 12.17 euro per hour.

It will be phased in from next year and continue until 2026.

Mr Varadkar said the method used was put forward by the Low Pay Commission.

The worker reps, the employers reps and the independents and academics all recommended that we go forward with 60% of median then rising to 66% of median over time, the Tanaiste added.

Its backed up with a detailed research paper done by Maynooth University, all of which is published.

There is an alternative approach  the MESL which is the Minimum Essential Standard of living. That approach means that you create a basket of goods and services that you think anyone should be able to afford in order to have a dignified life.

Thats an option but theres difficulties with that option.

He said that in a recession the country could be hamstrung by that model as employers would have to cut hours and lay off people in order to keep up with the rising cost of goods.

His response came after Senator Lynn Ruane queried the method used to achieve a living wage for workers.

For me, if we go with a 60% median rate, were still going to miss some of those lowest earners, Ms Ruan added.

Sinn Fein TD Reada Cronin also queried whether the method was appropriate.

Mr Varadkar said the target is to move to 66% over the next four years from 2023 but said it could be done quicker if economic conditions improve, but warned it could take longer if conditions decline.

There is some evidence that when you go above 60%, thats when it starts to impact on employment, Mr Varadkar said.

Weve been very successful in Ireland in increasing wages and workers rights in terms of conditions for years and years and years now, without any negative impacts of employment.

He also told the committee that he thinks it appropriate that all government bodies adopt the national living wage.
Garda Commissioner Drew Harris has acknowledged the findings of a report which revealed poor behaviour surrounding the cancelling of 999 calls by gardai.

The report identified substantial shortcomings in call handling, including incidents where some call takers did not take sufficient time to assess the vulnerability of callers, and some officers specifically requesting the emergency call incident be cancelled.

Irish premier Micheal Martin called some of the findings very worrying and a serious issue.

Mr Harris acknowledged there were missed opportunities to engage with callers and could not give a complete assurance on the behaviour of call takers.

Weve also had to deal with individuals in the very recent past whose performance has not been up to scratch and provided poor performance, he said.

The Policing Authority published its final report on the forces review of the closure of computer-aided dispatch (CAD) incidents.

The authority commissioned Derek Penman to carry out an examination in July 2021, having become aware in December 2020 of issues relating to the invalid closure of CAD incidents.

Thousands of emergency calls were cancelled, meaning some victims did not receive help.

The final report was published after Mr Penman and his team listened to recordings of 210 calls made to the service to assess the quality of the response.

The report said that overall, call takers were meeting the standards of service that the public should expect, but warned there were inconsistencies both within and across the four regional control rooms.

It continued: Several incidents were identified with substantial shortcomings in call handling.

Although there was the potential for serious harm to victims due to such shortcomings, no actual harm was identified from the sample examined in the call listening phase.

However, it is not possible to determine whether serious harm occurred in incidents where callers or potential victims were not identified.

It also said there was very limited evidence of any supervisory checks over the emergency calls, and added: There are incidents where the information provided by callers was not accurately recorded.

At times, this meant that Garda Siochana members were dispatched to the wrong locations, and callers could not be re-contacted.

Although not quantified, there were occasions where the Garda Siochana was unable to provide a service, and in terms of the Garda Siochanas CAD review, some callers remain unidentified.

The issues around the ageing CAD system and other legacy technologies in use across regional control rooms are indicative of a chronic lack of investment.

However, the cancellation of calls requires a specific action on the part of a call handler in order to cancel a call and therefore the technology was not deemed to be a significant contributory factor.

Mr Penman has recommended that the Garda concludes its CAD review and concentrates its resources on improving call handling.

Policing Authority chairman Bob Collins said issues such as supervision, selection processes for specific roles and performance management should be addressed so that the public can continue to have the confidence that it needs to have in the 999 emergency call service.

At a public meeting between the Policing Authority and Mr Harris at Dublin Castle, Mr Collins said the final report revealed a very significant and important episode in the life of the organisation.

He said it showed the importance of ensuring the quality of the service provided by gardai, to ensure that the service to people at their most vulnerable is as it should be.

There is considerable work still to be done, and its a never-ending task, its not concluded by the finalisation of Mr Penmans work. It is a work of continuing, unceasing significance and importance for the public and An Garda Siochana.

Mr Harris acknowledged there were missed opportunities to engage with callers, and that the final phase of the review  the discipline process  is yet to be carried out.

[The report] obviously informs our own assessment as well that there were missed opportunities to engage with callers, even if there wasnt a crime, but certainly weve identified as well cases of poor behaviour by Garda personnel.

He said the new CAD system, training and sampling of calls had been put in place.

I cant give a complete assurance about the behaviour of those who take the calls. Even with all of that, weve also had to deal with individuals in the very recent past whose performance has not been up to scratch and provided poor performance, he said.

So we are dealing with very much, I would say, a human endeavour. The individuals within the control rooms do work hard, do work in very stressful circumstances at times, and they are very conscious of the next calls arriving in as well.

So theres just not an element of heres his standard and being ruthless around that.

We have responsibility around the welfare of those who are taking calls, often in very difficult circumstances finding that balance is about the explanation of the importance of this work, and making sure people are appropriately selected and skilled and assessed in the work they do, but also then supported going forward. because we do recognise the absolute importance of the correct handling of calls right from the start.

Mr Harris said officials would consider monitoring calls to local Garda stations, but said it would be resource-heavy.

Deputy Commissioner Anne Marie McMahon said the number of supervisors to call takers had been substantially increased after the review shone a light into the control rooms.

We have substantially increased the supervisors. Were still not where we would like to be in terms of having a two per unit, but theyre substantially increased.

Policing Authority member Shalom Binchy pointed out examples in the report that found some call-takers were rude, impatient, and lacked empathy.

Ms McMahon replied: While there were examples of very good practice, there were also examples where we didnt display that empathy and that curiosity that one would expect when somebody is calling in from a vulnerable position or a position of crisis.

Mr Martin said the reports findings were very worrying, and he expected Mr Harris to outline steps being taken to address a serious issue.

I think the public must have complete confidence in that system that when they ring a 999 call that they get an immediate and appropriate response, because obviously, in the vast, vast majority of cases people ring that number when they are in distress and in need of support, he said.
Taoiseach Micheal Martin has said he cannot confirm a report that the SDLP has officially ended its partnership with his party, Fianna Fail.

The Belfast Telegraph reported that the formal partnership between the two parties had been ended after three years.

The parties first announced a link-up in January 2019 when it was hailed by SDLP leader Colum Eastwood as the birth of a policy partnership which he said would build for a better future.

After the report that it had been ended, Mr Martin said he had spoken to Mr Eastwood on Thursday.

He told the PA news agency: Well, I cant confirm it and the SDLP certainly are not confirming it to us.

I spoke with Colum Eastwood this morning, and we will continue to work with the SDLP.

He said he believed the SDLP would clarify the issue later.

An SDLP statement did not confirm whether the partnership had been ended.

A spokesperson said: The SDLP is determined to create a social democratic new Ireland that meets the needs of all the people who share our island.

We have worked intensively and constructively with Fianna Fail over the last number of years to advance that goal and we are proud to have helped shape the priorities of the Shared Island Unit which is delivering on projects that bring our people closer together.

Colum Eastwood and Micheal Martin continue to have regular discussions about the future of this island and the challenges we face.

That will continue and we will continue to work closely with our friends in Fianna Fail and with every party in the democratic tradition on this island that is determined to deliver a new Ireland for everyone.

The link-up between the two parties in 2019 led to one of the SDLPs most high-profile members resigning the party whip in protest.

Claire Hanna, now the MP for south Belfast, also quit as the partys Brexit spokesperson.
The Chinese affiliate of Big Four accounting firm Deloitte will pay $20 million to settle regulatory claims that it outsourced some audit work to companies whose financial statements it was hired to independently review.
FRANKFURT : German businesses are growing concerned that without an energy price cap, a wave of insolvencies could wash over the country in coming weeks and disrupt the supply chains serving Germanys largest industrial sectors.
The Delhi Police is on high alert to maintain law and order situation in the city after the Centre banned the Popular Front of India (PFI) for five years. Police activity has been amplified in different areas and Deputy Commissioner of Police(DCPs) from various districts have also taken to the streets to assess the situation.

Delhi police arrested five people linked to the PFI in North East Delhi, where riots took place in 2020 while DCPs from different districts including North West District patrolled their respective jurisdictions.

DCP Sanjay Kumar said, speaking to news agency ANI, said "We are on alert mode. We are ready to handle any situation. North East district has been put under active Yellow scheme, Orange scheme and Red scheme. Today, an exercise was conducted in North East district to check the effectiveness of the Yellow Scheme which is meant to deal with any exigency in the district."

The yellow scheme moves teams of ACPs and SHOs to the place of disturbance immediately upon receiving a message while another component of the force is put on high alert and Vajra, water canon, as well as other resources, are moved to the target point.

The orange scheme is implemented once the situation worsens in one police station area and subsequently gets implemented in 3-4 police station areas. The red scheme is implemented when the whole district is affected.

As per reports, additional police forces will also be deployed in sensitive areas of the national capital so that immediate action can be taken in case of any untoward incident.

The central government issued a ban for five years on PFI and its affiliates with immediate effect on Wednesday under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. The ban came days after raids across the country on the PFI cadre by the National Investigation Agency and Enforcement Directorate which saw more than 100 PFI cadres arrested.

The central government notification also declared Rehab India Foundation, Campus Front of India, All India Imams Council, National Confederation of Human Rights Organization, National Womens Front, Junior Front, Empower India Foundation and Rehab Foundation, Kerala, as an unlawful association under sub-section (1) of section 3 of the UAPA.

Centre directed all states and Union Territories to use their power under the UAPA against the PFI and its affiliates.

A gazette notification from the Ministry of Home Affairs(MHA) banning PFI and affiliates for a period of five years read, PFI and its associates or affiliates or fronts have been indulging in unlawful activities, which are prejudicial to the integrity, sovereignty and security of the country and have the potential of disturbing public peace and communal harmony of the country and supporting militancy in the country,"

With inputs from ANI
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Wednesday said that India strives to have a relationship with China that is built on mutual sensitivity, respect and interest. He also asserted that the improvement and strengthening of the Indo-Pacific is a shared goal of New Delhi and Washington, he said, in light of Beijing's expanding military presence in the strategic region.

Jaishankar who completed his four-day visit to Washington Wednesday said, "What I have said, to my mind represents accurate policy assessment of where the state of our relations is. We continue to strive for a relationship with China, but one that is built on mutual sensitivity, mutual respect and mutual interest,"

In response to a question on how India and the US plan on dealing with a belligerent China Jaishankar said the two countries have a shared objective for the betterment and strengthening of the Indo-Pacific.

He adds, Where Indian and US interests converge, and they do, I think, is on the stability and the security, the progress, the prosperity, the development of the Indo-Pacific. Because you have seen, even in the case of Ukraine, a war fought a great distance away, has the potential, has the capability of actually creating turbulence across the world in terms of implications for the daily lives of people,"

Adding further he said, It is therefore to say that we have skin in the game is an understatement. I think we have vital stakes today in ensuring that the larger region is stable, that it is secured; that there is cooperation and that the focus is on the right things,"

I believe in defining international affairs and in positive terms, that's usually how diplomacy is done. So, I would urge you to think of it as really, betterment or strengthening of the Indo Pacific as a shared objective between us," Jaishankar noted

While informing that the current world order is very globalised, extremely interlocked, and interdependent Jaishankar said To me, in a globalised world, countries are conscious today that the world is not unipolar, its not bipolar, they need there to be multiple players, they need to work together, there are common interests at stake out here. The rest of the region actually looks at the more capable countries to pull their weight and work together. I think that's the kind of situation,"

The EAM futher added, India-US is one part of it, we have a bigger gathering, coordination in terms of the quad, but there are still bigger ones. If you look at two new initiatives, the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework and the Indo-Pacific initiative for maritime domain awareness, they extend beyond them. They are open and they have multiple players out there,"

In November 2017, the US, Australia, India, and Japan gave shape to the long-delayed proposal of establishing the Quad to develop a new strategy to maintain the independence of the critical sea routes in the Indo-Pacific, in light of China's expanding military presence in the strategic region

China claims nearly all of the disputed South China Sea, though Taiwan, the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia, and Vietnam. It has also built artificial islands and military installations in the region while also being involved with Japan in a maritime dispute over the East China sea.

With inputs from PTI
New Delhi: India and Zimbabwe on Thursday reviewed the multi-faceted bilateral relationship including political exchanges, development partnership projects, defence and security cooperation during the second round of Foreign Office Consultations held in New Delhi.

The Indian side was led by Puneet R. Kundal, Joint Secretary (East & Southern Africa) and the Zimbabwean side was led by R.M. Faranisi, Chief Director of Economic Cooperation, International Trade and Diaspora in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade of Zimbabwe.

An external affairs ministry release said the two sides undertook a comprehensive review of bilateral relations and expressed their desire to further advance these relations for the mutual benefit of both countries.

Both sides emphasized the importance of bilateral political exchanges to realise the full potential of the partnership. The delegations also discussed enhancing cooperation in a number of areas, including, trade and investment, development partnership, defence, consular issues, agriculture, health and railways, among others," the ministry of external affairs said in a statement.

Views were also exchanged on regional and international issues of mutual interest," it said.

India and Zimbabwe sides agreed to continue high level political exchanges and regular meetings of the joint institutional mechanisms to keep the partnership vibrant and mutually beneficial.

The two sides agreed to hold the next round of consultations at mutually convenient dates in Harare.
Stewart says they're expecting a successful event, but safety is on their mind and they will be watching the weather closely. She says they will post on Facebook if they decide to cancel the festival but Stewart is confident that wont happen.
Xi, Japanese PM exchange congratulations on 50th anniversary of normalization of China-Japan diplomatic relations

Xinhua) 13:55, September 29, 2022

BEIJING, Sept. 29 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Thursday exchanged congratulatory messages over the 50th anniversary of the normalization of China-Japan diplomatic relations.

In his message, Xi pointed out that 50 years ago, the then Chinese and Japanese leaders grasped the situation with foresight and made a major political decision to normalize China-Japan diplomatic relations, which opened a new chapter in bilateral relations.

He said that over the past 50 years, thanks to the joint efforts of the two governments and peoples, the two sides have successively signed four political documents and reached a series of important consensuses, and continuously deepened exchanges and cooperation in various fields, bringing important benefits to the two countries and their people as well as promoting peace and development of the region and the wider world.

Xi stressed that he attaches great importance to the development of China-Japan relations, and stands ready to work with Kishida to lead both sides to jointly build a China-Japan relationship that meets the demands of the new era by taking the 50th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic ties as an opportunity and following the trend of the times.

In his message, Kishida said that 50 years ago, the then Chinese and Japanese leaders, with strategic thinking and political courage, opened a new historic course in Japan-China relations.

During the past 50 years, Japan-China cooperation in a wide range of fields such as economy, culture and personnel exchanges, has made remarkable progress, Kishida said, adding that it is of great significance for the two sides to jointly create a new future for Japan-China relations.

The Japanese side stands ready to join hands with the Chinese side to focus on promoting the development of constructive and stable Japan-China relations as well as peace and prosperity of the two countries, the region and the world in the next 50 years, he said.

On the same day, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and Kishida also exchanged congratulations. Li said China and Japan are geographically close to each other and culturally connected, and are both important countries in the region and the international community.

China is willing to make joint efforts with Japan to work for peaceful and friendly coexistence, maintain the political foundation of bilateral relations, deepen exchanges and cooperation in various fields, properly manage conflicts and differences, and push for a healthy and stable development of China-Japan relations with the 50th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic ties as a new starting point, Li said.

(Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Bianji)
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
CNN's Pete Muntean and Gregory Wallace contributed to this report. Top image: The arrival and departures board lists numerous flight cancellations at Tampa International Airport on September 27, 2022. (Bryan R. Smith/AFP via Getty Images)
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The two new appointees to the board of the National Concert Hall both have strong Longford connections.

Peter McKenna and Niamh Murray were appointed by Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, Catherine Martin TD and they will each serve a five-year term.

Newtowncashel man, Mr McKenna is the Stadium Director of Croke Park and Commercial Director of the GAA.

His business expertise covers strategic planning, sales and marketing, innovative new business development and financial planning.

He has extensive experience in developing sponsorship relationships and fundraising. He is a recognised leader in sustainability practice in venue management. His experience also extends to the delivery of major projects.

In April of this year, Mr McKenna, officially launched The Gaelic Field, a fascinating book on the history of Longford's GAA grounds, edited by Seamus McRory and Eamonn Brennan.

Internationally acclaimed soprano, Niamh Murray is Principal of Kilmacanogue National School on secondment as Director of Blackrock Education Centre, and her late father Ciaran Murray, who died in 2001, was born in Killashee.

Her grandfather Sean Murray was Principal of Killashee national school and her great grand uncle was Tom Bannon, one of the Longford veterans of 1916, after whom Bannon Terrace is named.

Niamh performed in St. Mels Cathedral in May 2019 with the Longford County Choir in their Summer Celebration Concert and in 2016 she participated in 1916 Centenary events in Longford and Killashee.

Her great grandparents and grandparents were married in St Mels Cathedral in 1905 and 1932 respectively.
An elected member of Longford County Council said his questions on the sale of a house by Deputy Robert Troy to the local authority was not answered.

Independent Councillor Mark Casey tabled a motion calling on the council to provide members with a full breakdown of events surrounding the purchase of property from the former Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment.

This is a very sensitive motion, but the people of Longford want to know how this came about, Cllr Casey said of his reason for the motion before the September meeting of the local authority.

The Independent councillor said he wanted an explanation on the circumstances surrounding the purchase by Deputy Troy of the house at Ash Lawns, Clonbalt Woods in May, 2019 for 82,500 from a Fianna Fail councillor for Westmeath, Bill Collentine and its subsequent sale to Longford County Council.

The former Minister maintained he spent 40,000 on the property and three months later sold the property to Longford County Council for 163,000.

The council's reply to Cllr Casey said they spent another 40,000 on the property: That is a lot of money to spend to bring the house up to speed, Cllr Casey said at the meeting, This is a good opportunity to show the public that we did everything right. Was there any approach to the council about this house. At the time there were 37 house in the price range for sale, I just want to know how this one was picked.

In an outline of the details of the purchase Longford County Council said: The four-bedroom house at 26 Ash Lawns, Clonbalt Woods, Longford was advertised for sale for 169,000 on the open market by a local auctioneer in 2019. The house was independently valued at 163,000. Longford County Council purchased the house through the auctioneer for a price of 163,000 in August 2019. The house was in a good condition and Longford County Council was satisfied at the time that the purchase represented value for money.

The local authority said it was only at the contract signing stage they become aware that the owner of the house was Deputy Robert Troy.

It is Longford County Councils policy to bring purchased property up to an appropriate standard that improves the energy efficiency of the property and eliminates the need for expensive piecemeal maintenance following the letting of the property, the statement concluded.

Cathaoirleach Cllr Turlough McGovern said the Executive had given a comprehensive reply in the written statement on the matter, however Cllr Casey pushed on the details regarding why the house was selected and the amount of money spent on the house by the council: This was taxpayers money and the sale was by a member of Government who legislates for this country, he said.

Replying to the Independent councillor's query Longford County Council Chief Executive, Paddy Mahon said: The response is as outlined in the memo circulated with the agenda. The council met with members on Monday of last week which we did to update members on this matter before we responded to a number of media requests.

Cllr Casey said his query was not answered and requested that this be minuted in the records of the meeting.
A HSE pop-up vaccination centre will operate at Mullingar Primary Care Centre on Saturday, October 1 from 11:30 am 5:30pm.

Persons can walk in on the day or book an appointment online: https://www2.hse.ie/screening- and-vaccinations/covid-19- vaccine/get-the-vaccine/ booking/

The vaccination clinic will be for persons over the age of 12 years. Vaccinations will be provided to those requiring Dose 1, Dose 2, and where eligible & meeting the criteria, those identified for Booster 1 & 2 vaccinations. Vaccine on offer will be Pfizer.

Healthcare workers are eligible to attend also  please bring photo ID / letter from employer.

The aim is to maximise vaccine uptake in those who have not yet availed of, or, require Covid 19 vaccination/booster.

Nessa Lynch, Operations Manager Simonstown Community Vaccination Centre, which is providing the clinic, said: Our aim is to provide an accessible site for any persons 12 years and older who have not yet received a vaccination/booster/second vaccination to attend our pop-up clinic to avail of a vaccine. We have made great progress with our community vaccination programme throughout Midlands Louth Meath CHO and we want to build on these gains and ensure as many people as possible avail of the vaccine.

Des O Flynn, Chief Officer of Midlands Louth Meath CHO, said: Vaccines are working and helping to prevent severe illness across Ireland. Therefore, it is important that people receive their booster/second COVID-19 vaccine as soon as they can. That way we can protect ourselves, our loved ones and our wider community. We would encourage eligible people to avail of the opportunity to take up a vaccination at the pop-up clinic in Mullingar.
Crime

By Chris Boyle Published: September 29 2022

Two Victims Escaped by Jumping from the Defendants Moving Car.

On Tuesday, September 27, in federal court in Central Islip, Andrew Frey pleaded guilty before United States Magistrate Judge Arlene R. Lindsay to being a felon in possession of a firearm and obstruction of justice. Todays guilty plea follows the defendants conviction by a federal jury of the attempted sex trafficking and attempted kidnapping of two victims. The verdict in that case was returned on September 20, 2022 after two weeks of trial before United States District Judge Joan M. Azrack. When sentenced, the defendant faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years imprisonment, and up to life in prison.

Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Michael J. Driscoll, Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), and Rodney K. Harrison, Commissioner, Suffolk County Police Department (SCPD), announced the guilty plea and verdict.

Frey targeted and used violence against vulnerable members of our society seeking to exploit them for his own sexual gratification, stated United States Attorney Peace. Fortunately, the young women whom the defendant sought to victimize were able to escape. Todays guilty plea, and the jurys verdict, make clear there was no escape from justice for this dangerous defendant.

Mr. Peace also expressed his appreciation to the Suffolk County Sheriffs Office, the Suffolk County District Attorneys Office and the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives for their assistance.

The victims in this case jumped from a moving vehicle rather than risk the fate Frey had waiting for them. Based on the weapons investigators discovered, Frey's intent was dangerous, if not deadly. These women should be commended for their bravery, which we hope will serve as motivation for any other women being victimized by sexual predators to call us, stated FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Driscoll.

The defendant has proven to be a dangerous individual with a propensity for preying upon and attacking vulnerable women who refuse to bend to the will of a sexual predator, stated SCPD Commissioner Harrison. I commend the victims for taking action and coming forward to work with law enforcement to bring a violent and dangerous man to justice.

As proven at trial, the defendant attempted to traffic and kidnap two women in Suffolk County. In October 2018, the defendant lured a sex worker who was addicted to heroin into his car in Mastic, New York. When the victim refused to accompany him to a secluded location on the beach, the defendant became enraged and threatened her life. He tried to trap her inside his car by speeding, locking the doors and grabbing her neck. The victim managed to escape by jumping from his moving vehicle, suffering injuries to her back when she struck the pavement. The defendant later tracked down his victim sleeping inside of a friends parked car at a Long Island Railroad station. Armed with a knife, the defendant tried to remove the victim from the car, but her friend sped away. The defendant chased after them in his car, but the victim once again managed to escape.

In July 2019, the defendant attempted to take a second sex worker to a secluded wooded area in Coram, New York. When she refused, the defendant became enraged, screamed that he owned her and tried to prevent her from leaving by grabbing her as he was driving. The defendants second victim also escaped by jumping out of his moving car, suffering injuries to her knee.

At the time of the defendants arrest in November 2019, law enforcement officers searched the defendants car and found multiple sets of handcuffs, as well as knives, rope and other items that he could use for restraint. The defendant had installed a device in his car which allowed him to conceal his license plate with the push of a button. Additionally, law enforcement officers recovered a Glock 23 handgun and ammunition located in a safe inside of the defendants home. Because the defendant was a convicted felon and was not legally permitted to possess a firearm, he pressured his son to obtain a pistol permit to conceal that he was the true owner of the firearm.
Food, Wine, & Dining, Crime

By Chris Boyle Published: September 29 2022

AG James Leads Coalition Pushing to Protect NYC Law Requiring Just Cause to Fire Workers at Fast-Food Restaurants.

New York Attorney General Letitia James today continued her efforts to stand up for workers rights, leading a coalition of 15 attorneys general in filing an amicus brief to defend a New York City statute that requires just cause to fire or reduce the hours of a fast-food chain employee. This law, which took effect in 2021, requires fast-food chain restaurants in New York City to provide a valid reason  such as unsatisfactory performance, misconduct, or a legitimate economic concern  before firing or reducing the hours of an employee. The brief argues that the law passed by New York City does not violate the National Labor Relations Act or the Commerce Clause of the U.S. Constitution.

Hardworking New Yorkers deserve to have the peace of mind that they wont simply be fired for no legitimate reason, said Attorney General James. New York has the right to enact measures to protect our residents and their wellbeing, and this law helps protect workers from being taken advantage of by corporate powers. As Attorney General, I will always fight for hardworking New Yorkers and their families.

In the amicus brief, Attorney General James and her fellow attorneys general note that local and state authorities regularly enforce their labor laws to address violations of state minimum wage, overtime, prevailing wage, and other protections, and that this New York City statute is a part of that sovereign authority. The coalition brief, filed in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, asks the court to uphold the ruling of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, which agreed that the just cause law is not preempted by federal law and does not violate the Commerce Clause of the U.S. Constitution.

Attorney General James has consistently worked to defend workers rights and workplace protection laws, especially for low-wage workers and employees of major corporations. This past May, Attorney General James secured more than $2.9 million for hundreds of New York City Marriott workers who were denied full severance pay. In April, Attorney General James secured stolen wages for employees of a Manhattan-based pizzeria chain. Also in April, Attorney General James visited the Buffalo Starbucks which voted to unionize, to express her support for the workers as they fought for fairer pay and better working conditions from their multi-billion-dollar company. In April 2020, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Attorney General James demanded that fast-food restaurants provide personal protective equipment to their employees. In March 2019, Attorney General James joined fellow attorneys general in securing an agreement with Arbys, Dunkin Brands, Five Guys Burgers and Fries, and Little Caesars to stop using no-poach agreements, which restrict the right of fast-food workers to move from one franchise to another within the same restaurant chain.

Joining Attorney General James in filing this brief are the attorneys general of California, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Mexico, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Washington, and the District of Columbia.

This amicus brief was prepared by Assistant Solicitor General Stephen Yanni, Deputy Solicitor General Ester Murdukhayeva, and Solicitor General Barbara D. Underwood  all of the Division for Appeals and Opinions.
Business & Finance, Home & Garden

By Ls Cohen Published: September 29 2022

Take a look inside the architectural masterpiece.

Its not just a summer home.

The legendary pyramid house on Fire Island is up for sale after changing hands back in 2018. Back then, Real Estate Agent Glenn Rice was visiting with a friend on Fire Island when he happened upon the home and fell in love. Luckily it was for sale and the deal was done, according to a story in the New York Times.

Rice, the Times says, didnt just use the home at 443 Sail Walk only as a summer residence. Sometimes he rented it on Airbnb and would stay there throughout the year enjoying views through the diamond-shaped window of storms, sun, and winterscapes.

Rice, of Brown Harris Stevens, is now selling the home, asking $6.5 million.

Built in 1961 by Argentinian architect Julio Kaufman for a nephew of financier J.P. Morgan, the home was purchased in 2001 by celebrated playwright and screenwriter Paul Rudnick and his husband. The property changed hands again in 2011 bought by fashion and costume designer Jeff Mahshie. Rice then acquired the home in 2018.

The renovated 2,200-square-foot, three-bedroom, 2.5-bathroom architectural gem is winterized for year-round use and has multiple decks in the serene eastern section of The Pines, overlooking the protected dunescape of the Fire Island National Seashore, the Atlantic Ocean, and Bay.

Rice, who in addition to being a real estate agent, is a furniture and art dealer/collector. The house is being sold fully furnished with the high end mid-century furnishings Rice purchased specifically for this property.

A pool, hot tub, and three smaller pyramids (two guest cabana bedrooms and a bathroom in between) across the pool deck, round out the 2006 high-end renovation by architect Hal Hayes to add the soaring wall of glass resulting in one of the most magnificent living rooms on the market anywhere, with miles of commanding views. Also added were completely new mechanical systems and galvanized steel structural beams for an industrial level of structural stability rarely seen on Fire Island.

Ready to take the plunge on this beautiful new home on Fire Island? Click here for the listing on the Brown Harris Stevens website.

All photos: Genevieve Garruppo Photography.
(Alliance News) - Kodal Minerals PLC on Thursday said that using a lower-cost processing plant will make rapid initial development plausible at the Bougouni project in Mali.

Kodal is a mineral exploration and development company focused on lithium and gold assets. It holds a portfolio of several prospective gold projects in southern Mali and the Ivory Coast, but its primary focus is the Bougouni Lithium project, an open-pit lithium mine.

Kodal shares were 11% higher at 0.30 pence each in London on Thursday afternoon, after the company said it believed a dense media separation processing plant would be a faster and cheaper solution for processing material from the Ngoualana deposit at Bougouni.

The plant would cost an estimated USD65.0 million to build.

Kodal expects revenue from the dense media separation operation to exceed USD1.05 billion in less than four years, based on prevailing broker consensus pricing averaging USD2,080 per tonne.

Its production target is 5.5% lithium oxide spodumene concentrate, consistent with other active market producers.

Kodal's DMS proposal is based on an initial mine life of four years, while expected capital and operating costs were taken from previous deposit studies.

"At much reduced capital and operating costs, and an expected construction timeline of around twelve months, the DMS development option provides Kodal with a near-term solution to take full advantage of the continuing buoyant lithium market," said Chief Executive Officer Bernard Aylward.

By Holly Beveridge; hollybeveridge@alliancenews.com

Copyright 2022 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved.
(Alliance News) - The following is a round-up of updates by London-listed companies, issued on Thursday and not separately reported by Alliance News:

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Dolphin Capital Investors Ltd - British Virgin Islands-based investor in high-end resort developments in the eastern Mediterranean - Sells entire interest in the One&Only at Kea Island project, netting EUR17.9 million. Owns 67% of Single Purpose Vehicle Ten Ltd which, in turn, indirectly owns 50% of One&Only, giving it effective equity interest of 33%.

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H&T Group PLC - Surrey, England-based pawnbroker - Plans to raise GBP16.9 million from issue to institutional investors at 425 pence each. Says proceeds of issue will go towards growing its pledge book, given strong demand, and to fund the expansion of the store estate through the opening of up to a further 20 new stores in 2023. Notes pledge book ended August at GBP89.6 million, rising from GBP50.2 million at June 30.

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Joules Group PLC - Leicestershire, England-based country lifestyle retailer - Notes it is making "good progress" in developing its turnaround plan, which is focuses on "driving higher profitability". "The company continues to make good progress on its simplification agenda and cost management process. Interpath Advisory is assisting the board with an initial assessment of certain elements as part of the development of this turnaround plan," it adds. Continues to assess its ongoing financing requirements, including a possible equity raise.

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Allergy Therapeutics PLC - Sussex-based biotechnology firm focused on allergy vaccines - In financial year ended June 30, sinks to pretax loss of GBP12.7 million versus GBP3.7 million profit the year prior. Revenue drops to GBP72.8 million from GBP84.3 million. Research & development costs grows to GBP15.7 million from GBP12.9 million. Notes a "strategic streamlining" of older products to focus on high value growth products. Chief Executive Manuel Llobet adds: "While market conditions remain challenging for many companies, our leading core European commercial business has been resilient."

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Gulf Marine Services PLC - United Arab Emirates-based lift boat company - Signs improved contract, with a total duration of 72 months, for both an E-Class and K-Class vessel with an unnamed national oil company in MENA. The contract will come into effect in October 2022. Second contract win of the week, following new contract for an E Class vessel with an unnamed client in the Middle East and North Africa region.

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Thungela Resources Ltd - South Africa-based thermal coal exporter - Responds to an article from Bloomberg titled 'Top Coal Miners Consider Bids for South African Renewables Firm' which suggest Thungela is considering a bid for Actis LLP's BTE Renewables. Calls the article "factually incorrect". Confirms that it is not considering the acquisition of "any" renewables business". "We are not focused on diversification into the renewable energy sector," it says. Says current plans are limited to the installation of a 137-kilowatt solar plant at the eMalaheni water reclamation plant in South Africa and studies for a 4-megawatt solar photovoltaic plant at its Zibulo colliery.

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By Paul McGowan; paulmcgowan@alliancenews.com

Copyright 2022 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved.
Queen Elizabeth and her maids of honor at her coronation

Queen Elizabeth and her maids of honor at her coronation

The late monarch's formal funeral was held on September 19 after Lady Mary Russell, one of Queen Elizabeth's maids of honor on the day of her coronation, passed away the day before. She was 88.

The wife and mother of five passed away on September 18 at home with her family, according to an obituary in The Times. According to the obituary, she and her husband David had twelve grandchildren in addition to three sons, Anthony, Philip, and Jason, two daughters, Arabella, and Mariana.

More than 2,000 family members, guests, and heads of state attended Queen Elizabeth's royal burial the next day at Westminster Abbey to pay their respects to Britain's longest-reigning queen.

The youngest of the six maids of honor present during Queen Elizabeth's coronation at Westminster Abbey in 1953 was Lady Russell, who was barely 19 years old.

The six ladies carried the Queen's six-yard train past Westminster Abbey while wearing embroidered silver dresses, long silk gloves, and tiaras. The Earl of Haddington, the father of Lady Russell, was a Scottish childhood friend of the Queen Mother.

Lady Russell did not take the distinction of being chosen as a maid of honor lightly. Of all the girls our age in the country, we six girls were chosen to carry the Queen's train and that meant a great deal," she said.

The Queen's funeral

Earlier this month, Queen Elizabeth was laid to rest alongside her beloved father and mother in the King George VI Memorial Chapel at Windsor Castle.

The Queen apparently preferred to be buried next to her family rather than get a statue or memorial in her honor. There are also graves for her sister Princess Margaret and her husband Prince Philip.

"She had no wish to see a statue of herself or to even have a separate burial chamber within St. George's Chapel," historian Robert Hardman, author of Queen of Our Times: The Life of Elizabeth II.

"As her cousin Margaret Rhodes once said to me, 'She wanted to make her father proud," said the historian to People Magazine.
         Grimaldi-     Attica Group
MANZINI  Some employees of the University of Eswatini (UNESWA) have threatened to protest during the upcoming graduation ceremony, which will be held at the Kwaluseni Campus.

Members of the Association of Lecturers, Academic and Administrative Personnel (ALAAP), took to the universitys administration block to deliver a petition over grievances of no cost-of-living adjustments, demanding a forensic audit into the university, remitting of pension contributions, and the alleged high remuneration of undeserving individuals in the university. The petition delivery took place yesterday. Worth noting is that the university will be hosting its graduation ceremony on October 8. ALAAP Chairperson Sibusiso Nhlabatsi submitted that they had been hoping that the management would call them by the end of last week or early this week (Monday) to a joint negotiation forum. However, he said this was not the case.

Calculations

They said they were doing some calculations. You will recall that at first they made an offer of three per cent and they were not making an offer at all for commuting allowaces, Nhlabatsi relayed. According to Nhlabatsi, the management then said since the staff was insisting that they would rather keep the three per cent offer, it would calculate the costs. He said management was still calculating. The chairperson shared that they were informed that management would take their submissions to council yesterday, so that it could discuss the issue. Nhlabatsi said they were not sure if their issues were on the agenda or not. But what we are getting is that they are trying to avoid having a joint negotiation and the priority as you can see, is on the graduation. So its surprising that the university is always playing the money card, the bankruptcy card and fiscal crisis card, but what we are seeing is that the graduation will be hosted and it is clear that millions of Emalangeni will be spent there, he said.

The chairperson highlighted that even the administration block was being painted because the chancellor would be present and would use it during the course of the ceremony. He wondered how the university would inform him about the challenges of the university. He was of the view that the issue of fiscal crisis was neither here nor there. Instead, Nhlabatsi said it was just a rhetoric that they were playing, because they got news that the new chairman of the council was getting paid, regardless of the fact that the issue was raised. This issue was raised in Parliament.

Priority

This means to us as unions, we must up our game and confront management because its clear that to them we are not a priority. So it should be made known to them that if we dont get our demands met in time, we will attend the graduation but we will turn the graduation arena into a protest stage. We will be there for protesting, Nhlabatsi stated. He further mentioned that they would not disturb the graduation but would be there to protest, so that it could be known to the whole world that there were issues at the university. The chairperson added that the management had promised to respond to them by the end of last week on issues of commuting allowances. However, he said the response was unsatisfactory. He said it would seems as though the management was being evasive.

Meanwhile, UNESWA Registrar, Dr Salebona Simelane, said he was aware that the staff was engaged in a protest. However, he stated that he was unaware of what the grievances were.

There is a structure that they ought to follow but I dont believe they did that. I did not receive anything from them in writing, nor any communication, Simelane said.
LOBAMBA  MPs had to read the riot act to NDMA Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Russell Dlamini, who refused to answer questions, and referred to Parliament as eshashalazini.

Dlamini was questioned on why the National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA) deemed the position of chief financial officer (CFO) as redundant, a question that did not form part of the queries contained in the compliance audit report. The question was forwarded by Mtfongwaneni Member of Parliament (MP) and member of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) Roy Fanourakis, who wanted to know why the former CFO was removed from that position. His question was informed by the agencys admission that their account system was not functioning to the expected standard and they had to opt for a manual account system. The MP asked the controlling officer to explain if the non-renewal of the former CFOs contract was informed by the dysfunctional system or the agency simply did not see the need to have the vacant position filled. The issue of the dysfunctional system came to the fore when the agency was challenged to explain vouchers without requisitions amounting to E735 140. A purchase requisition creates an audit trail and helps to make the purchasing process streamlined and transparent.

Another query that magnified the glitches of the agencys account system was that of improper counting of transactions, which resulted in the subventions and COVID-19 response funds amounting to E513 469 774 put at risk of not being properly accounted for. Dlamini, when asked to respond on the issue of the position being redundant, declined to comment, stating that he was uncomfortable discussing issues that involved a person who was not present to defend themselves. He also highlighted that the question did not form part of the compliance audit report, hence it would be safe for him not to answer. He then labelled the House of Assembly as eshashalazini, which means in public. Letindzaba leti angeke ngitikhulume eshashalazini, he said in vernacular when stating the reasons why he was uncomfortable in responding to the CFO query.

Privileges

PAC Vice Chairman and Madlangempisi MP Sibusiso Scorpion Nxumalo said even though the query was not in the audit report, the CEO was compelled by the Privileges Act and if he refused to address the concerns of the committee, it could escalate to something else. Lobamba MP Allen Stewart said questions did arise as ministries responded to queries and all of the controlling officers had been attending to those mushrooming questions during the session, it did not begin with the NDMA CEO. The CEO should accord us respect by responding, it will do him a lot of good to do so, he said. Mangcongco MP Oneboy Zikalala reminded the CEO that if he was not eager to respond, the public would respond on his behalf and it wont be nice. Dlamini then apologised to the committee members for requesting not to respond to the question. He explained that they did not deem the position redundant, but they simply did not renew the contract of the previous CFO because she did not meet the requirements of a fully qualified person for the job.

He explained that when NDMA started its operations, they had a meagre budget of E5 million and at the time, the funds they had did not permit that they could use the services of a fully qualified CFO, because that person would have been underpaid. The budget then increased over the years but it would have been unfair to hire a fully qualified person for the job at the time, he said. The committee members then asked Dlamini why he did not ensure that the CFO enrolled for a course that would enable her to be a fully qualified CFO while still on the job.

Dlamini explained that the former CFO worked for the agency slightly over six years and he advised her to further her studies, which, according to the CEO, she did not do. Manzini Region MP Busisiwe Mavimbela said it was very worrying that a big entity like NDMA, which was a custodian for big government funds, did not have a CFO. Dlamini also clarified that the agency had since issued an advert for the position of CFO and they were in the process of finding a replacement. On the issue of a dysfunctional system, Dlamini said it did not mean that the agency did not have the system at all, but they had downgraded it and they were currently in the process of fixing it, hence temporarily opting for the manual accounts system currently in use.
MBABANE - I further wish to point out that during our investigations, we had serious difficulty in having people come forward to state what they know about the applicant (lawyer) and his wicked ways as they are afraid of him and the fact that he has, for a very long time, broken the law without being brought to justice.

Inspector Millicent Dlamini contended that it would not be in the interest of justice to release the lawyer on bail as same would prejudice the smooth operation of the courts. The applicant will go all out to make sure that the trial does not proceed. I re-iterate that it shall not be in the interest of justice to release the applicant on bail as he is a danger, not only to the witnesses who are his relatives who have hidden his transgressions for so long. He knows that they know the whole truth about his evil acts and he may seek to silence them and /or interfere with them, contended the investigator. It was further her argument that, in one way or the other, the applicant would get to his children once he was released on bail and their safety would very much be at stake.

Inspector Dlamini said she had been advised that the applicant could be given a speedy trial as an indictment had already been prepared in preparation for his trial. Some of the witnesses are in protective custody, meaning, that the case should be dealt with speedily so that the children can go back to school and their daily lives, she argued. The investigator told the court that, this was a very sad and sensitive matter, which she implored the court to handle delicately in ensuring that justice was done. She implored the court not to admit the application to bail but order that his trial should be expedited. I submit that admitting the applicant to bail should not even be an option, let alone that he be released on his own recognisance. The acts alleged to have been committed by the applicant are so painful and unforgivable so much that the court should not allow anyones child to be associated with the applicant, said the investigator.

The investigator averred that the applicant allegedly destroyed his own childrens future and subjected them to so much emotional havoc such that they needed to undergo counselling to ever trust a male figure again. According to Inspector Dlamini, the proportionality of their emotional trauma was not known and if they would hear that the applicant was out on bail, and actually see him living large, would destroy their newly-found confidence and relive their traumatic past. *The name of the lawyer has been withheld to protect the identity of the children.
An Army officer and his anesthesiologist wife have been charged with trying to provide the personal health information of service members to Russia, the Justice Department announced on Thursday.

Maj. Jamie Lee Henry, 39, and his wife, Anna Gabrielian, 36, were indicted by a grand jury on Wednesday for conspiracy and wrongfully disclosing health information of at least seven people, including patients at the base where Henry was stationed.

Henry was an Army doctor who was stationed at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, and held a secret level security clearance, according to the indictment. He gained public recognition in 2015 for reportedly being the first known active-duty Army officer to come out as transgender and the first service member to change names and gender on military records, before a prolonged political debate that eventually led to open service for transgender troops.

Read Next: The Army's New Fitness Test Is Here. For Real This Time. No, Seriously. But Its Future is Uncertain.

Although the BuzzFeed article that profiled Henry seven years ago used female pronouns, Military.com was told by a Department of Justice spokeswoman that Henry used male pronouns in court Friday.

Meanwhile, Gabrielian, according to the indictment, worked as an anesthesiologist at an unnamed medical institution in Baltimore. Her name is listed on a website for Johns Hopkins Medicine as an instructor of anesthesiology and critical care medicine. The site also notes that she speaks Russian.

In the indictment, federal officials allege that it was Gabrielian who hatched the plot around August when she "reached out directly to the Russian embassy by email and phone, offering Russia her and her husband Henry's assistance." The FBI sent an undercover agent who made contact with Gabrielian, and later Henry, and gathered the bulk of the evidence that would serve to charge them.

Military.com reached out to Henry's lawyer for comment and clarification on his pronoun preferences but did not immediately hear back. Gabriellan did not have an attorney listed in court records.

Believing that they were talking to a person connected to the Russian government, Gabrielian and Henry offered up private health information with the idea that the Russian government could use it "to gain insights into the medical conditions of individuals associated with the U.S. government and military [and] to exploit this information," authorities allege.

In their first meeting, Gabrielian told the FBI agent that she made her husband read "Inside the Aquarium" -- a book by Viktor Suvorov that described his recruitment and training by the Soviet Union's secret military intelligence agency -- "because it's the mentality of sacrificing everything."

For his part, Henry was more conflicted, telling the FBI agent that "until the United States actually declares war against Russia, I'm able to help as much as I want."

"At that point. I'll have some ethical issues I have to work through," he added.

Gabrielian replied: "You'll work through those ethical issues."

A week later, when Gabrielian met with the undercover agent, she called her husband a "coward" who was concerned over violating HIPAA privacy laws in their scheme to pass patient records. By contrast, she told the agent that she "had no such concerns and violated HIPAA 'all the time.'"

Ultimately, on Aug. 31, the pair met up with the agent in a hotel in Gaithersburg, Maryland, where Gabrielian offered up information on the spouse of a person working at the Office of Naval Intelligence and an Air Force veteran.

"Gabrielian highlighted to the [undercover FBI agent] a medical issue reflected in the records of [the first patient] that Russia could exploit," the indictment read.

Meanwhile, Henry provided information on five people being treated at Fort Bragg that included a retired Army officer, a current Department of Defense employee, and three spouses of Army veterans -- both living and deceased.

According to court records, the couple even thought ahead to a life on the run or in Russia.

Henry told the FBI agent that he was "committed to assisting Russia and had looked into volunteering to join the Russian Army after the conflict in Ukraine began," a Department of Justice press release explained. However, the indictment says he discovered "Russia wanted people with 'combat experience' and he did not have any."

Gabrielian, meanwhile, came up with an escape plan for the couple's children if the pair "were told to act in a way that could expose their communications and actions to the U.S. government."

"She wanted her and Henry's children to 'have a nice flight to Turkey to go on vacation because I don't want to end in jail here with my kids being hostages over my head,'" the indictment alleges.

According to the Department of Justice, both Gabrielian and Henry had their first court appearances Thursday in Baltimore.

The press release noted that, if convicted, the pair face a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison for the conspiracy, and a maximum of 10 years in federal prison for each count of disclosing health information.

-- Konstantin Toropin can be reached at konstantin.toropin@military.com. Follow him on Twitter @ktoropin.

Related: Navy Officer Sentenced After Lying About His Relationship with a Chinese Defense Firm
On Saturday, the Army's new fitness test becomes official after nearly 12 years in development, marking the first time since soldiers began training for the new standard two years ago that they will have their strength and endurance formally held up to the new benchmarks.

A staple of military service, the fitness test has effectively been sidelined as officials tuned it and soldiers got familiar with revamped, more difficult fitness routines. The test becomes official for part-time National Guard and Reserve soldiers in April.

The Army Combat Fitness Test, or ACFT, has been a heated topic among troops, the media and Congress as the service effectively developed much of the test in public, seeking feedback in real time. Soldiers initially blasted the test for being overly complicated and a logistical hurdle to set up while Congress, think tanks and Army Secretary Christine Wormuth raised concerns on the test's impact on women. And despite finally putting the test into effect, more changes are likely coming, though they are expected to be minor.

Read Next: Even More Young Americans Are Unfit to Serve, a New Study Finds. Here's Why.

"This is probably the most studied, talked-about, reviewed and scrutinized fitness test, probably in the history of the world. Certainly more than our sister countries and services," Michael McGurk, who oversaw the development for the ACFT, told Military.com.

Meanwhile, Sergeant Major of the Army Michael Grinston was constantly traveling between bases beating the drum as the test's hype man, selling a skeptical rank and file on what will be one of the most important new elements of their careers.

Active-duty soldiers take fitness tests for record twice a year while part-time troops in the reserve components take them once a year. Those scores can largely dictate their careers, playing a big role in promotions, especially in combat arms. Failing to pass can lead to being removed from the service.

For Grinston, with a year left as the service's top enlisted leader, he sees getting the test across the finish line as one of the proudest moments of his career.

"We've had three failed attempts to get the Army to change the PT test, but we did it," he told Miltiary.com in August. "It's gonna make us more lethal."

Military.com interviewed dozens of soldiers across all ranks over the past year about the new fitness test. Many had opinions on how the test can or should be tweaked. Some soldiers, especially in the Reserve and National Guard, are irritated over the heavy reliance on specialized gear and the difficulty that presents for training in civilian gyms. Some think the minimum standards are far too low while others question the purpose of a fitness test altogether.

Capt. Jerritt Larson, executive officer, 401st Army Field Support Battalion-Kuwait performs the standing power throw element of the new U.S. Army Combat Fitness Test during familiarization training at Camp Arifjan, Kuwait, Aug. 17. (U.S. Army photo by Kevin Fleming)

All sources interviewed with direct knowledge of the ACFT's development underlined just how difficult it was to launch a new fitness test in an Army that's slow to change.

Army officials have tried several times since the 1980s, but such efforts quickly crashed and burned. Yet the smoke has mostly cleared. The closer the Army got to the test going live on Oct. 1, the less soldiers voice objections in interviews. A lot have generally accepted the ACFT as a much-needed improvement over its predecessor and is broadly seen as easier to pass but much more difficult to earn a perfect score. In many cases among junior troops, it's the only test they know. But most are simply tired of the debate over scoring and which exercises should end up in the final package.

Some even think it's fun.

"It [is] much more of a social event," one noncommissioned officer told Military.com, comparing it to the previous fitness test. "It builds camaraderie. It is much less violent on your body. No more desperate thrashing of your hip flexors before a two-mile run. Frankly, I think it's the best new thing the Army ever implemented."

How It Started

The ACFT is a six-event test including deadlifts, hand-release push-ups, a plank, a two-mile run, an event which soldiers must yeet a 10-pound medicine ball as far as they can, and another event consisting of carrying 40-pound kettlebells, dragging a 90-pound sled and sprinting.

It's a far more complicated event than its predecessor, the Army Physical Fitness Test, or APFT, that the service has used since 1980. That was only a three-event test measuring push-ups, sit-ups and a timed two-mile run. The APFT was largely seen as too simple, possibly an overcorrection from other prior fitness tests that sometimes used ladders, obstacle courses and other logistically burdensome requirements.

President Theodore Roosevelt is largely credited with establishing graded fitness tests, implementing one consisting of a 50-mile walk within 20 hours, a 90-mile horseback ride in three days or a 100-mile bicycle ride to be completed within three days.

After nearly a decade into the Global War on Terrorism, it became clear to Army leaders that the service needed new fitness standards, especially after multiple major deployments to the mountains of Afghanistan.

U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Nathan Villareal, the Squad Leader of 2nd Squad, Red Platoon, does a deadlift during the Army Combat Fitness Test for the U.S. Army Forces Command Best Squad Competition at Fort Hood, Texas, August 15, 2022. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. James Alegria)

"I had a young captain who influenced me a lot in terms of thinking who spent seven months in the Korengal Valley [Afghanistan], and we talked a lot about taking direct fire every single day, every time he stepped out of the chopper or wherever he was," Whitfield East, an Army physiologist who helped develop the ACFT, told Military.com. "It was a rigorous environment."

The first major meeting on replacing the APFT was in October 2010 with Lt. Gen. Mark Hertling, who oversaw the Army's Center for Initial Military Training, or CIMT. Hertling, who has since retired, is seen as one of the main driving forces to getting a new fitness test off the ground. Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, was also a huge advocate for a new fitness test behind the scenes, according to multiple sources.

Researchers looked into a huge roster of exercises, including pull-ups, dips, deadlifts to fatigue, medicine-ball rotation workouts, crunches, sit-ups, a 400-meter sprint and a vertical jump. They even mulled allowing soldiers to fail one or two events on the test but still pass overall.

Eventually, in 2016, the name ACFT was coined.

"We first started calling it the Army Physical Readiness Test; we got about halfway through the study and got pushback from some folks about readiness because it was such a broad term," East said. "We were always going to have [the word] 'Army' in it. We were always going to have 'fitness' and we were always going to have 'test' in it. So that makes the fourth letter pretty easy."

The two major goals behind developing the ACFT were to mitigate injuries and to diversify the Army's workout routine, that until now, was largely centered around running and push-ups. Not all Army bases are equipped with state-of-the-art gyms, but some of the newer ones have all the accoutrements of a high-end CrossFit gym with rows of squat racks, plyo boxes, battle ropes, assault bikes and plenty of space to deadlift.

Yet the gear-heavy test drew the ire of some in the National Guard and Reserve. Civilian gyms rarely have enough space to throw a medicine ball or all the gear and space required to practice the Sprint-Drag-Carry event. Army officials have put out a series of workout options that do not require special equipment, though it's unclear how successful a soldier can be on the test sticking to those alternate training programs.

But a gear-heavy test wasn't part of the plan initially. At first, officials wanted a test that could be conducted anywhere at any time, which was one of the redeeming qualities of the old APFT. But relying on body-weight fitness options alone, they could only come up with a test that was marginally better than what was already the Army standard. Given the difficulty of fundamentally changing how the Army conducts physical fitness, the bang wasn't worth the buck. The service, they concluded, had to use some gear.

Sgt. 1st Class Joni Acevedo, operations noncommissioned officer in charge, S-3, 1st Theater Sustainment Command, participates in a plank during an Army Combat Fitness Test competition at Fort Knox, Kentucky, March 17, 2022 (U.S. Army photo by Pfc. Cecilia Soriano)

"We then thought if we were going to design a new PT test, we need to use equipment, but we minimize the amount of equipment we use," McGurk said. "[We wanted] to keep it as simple as possible ... and, relatively speaking, portable. It's not something you can stick in your pocket, but you can certainly set it up in a location, break it down and move it all somewhere else if needed."

That gear ended up including kettlebells, bumper plates, sleds and a hex bar, all of which are relatively portable -- a strict requirement from service leaders as it became quickly apparent that integrating any sort of obstacle courses, ropes or ladders wasn't feasible for most units. The service spent $70 million just on the initial contract with Sorinex, which was likely the largest single purchase of exercise equipment, in the military's history, but has also bought gear from Rally Fitness and Rogue.

Bout with Congress

The most difficult part of developing the test was figuring out how it should be scored. Army planners initially aimed for a gender-neutral test that would grade soldiers based on their job, the idea being an infantryman needed to carry more weight and run faster than a chaplain. That's when the test hit turbulence. Gen. James McConville, the Army's chief of staff, told lawmakers in June 2021 that he was committed to having the test grade men and women the same.

The Army started testing those standards in 2019 and smashed right into the coronavirus pandemic, effectively torpedoing the ACFT's development and delaying its final rollout. Then, the test drew scrutiny from Capitol Hill, specifically Sens. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., and Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., who were able to delay the test further in the 2021 National Defense Authorization Act, passing a requirement into law that implementation would remain on hold until a third-party study examined the test's impact on recruiting and retention -- specifically with women.

Concerns about the test were compounded when Army Secretary Christine Wormuth expressed skepticism about the ACFT during her confirmation hearing in May 2021.

Soldiers from 1-125 Field Artillery, participate in the sprint-drag-carry event of the Army Combat Fitness Test during a diagnostic on Aug. 20, 2021, Camp Ripley, Minnesota. (Minnesota National Guard photo by Sgt. Mahsima Alkamooneh)

"I have concerns on the implications of the test for our ability to continue to retain women," Wormuth told lawmakers, adding that she was also concerned over how strict fitness standards will impact high-demand jobs that are typically far from the frontlines, including cyberwarfare.

Three days before that hearing, Military.com reported on early Army data showing nearly half of the women in the service were failing the test while men breezed through it and the few women who did pass performed well.

The study mandated by Congress was conducted by Rand Corp. and publicly released in March of this year. It included damning findings on how women were performing, echoing Military.com's earlier reporting on initial test data.

Rand's report also killed one exercise, the leg tuck, which wasn't found to appropriately measure core strength. The plank took its place.

Those findings were the nail in the coffin for a gender neutral test. The Army faced an unwinnable public perception issue: Keep the standards as-is and risk having to boot women en masse, or change the grading, reversing a major justification for creating a new test and taking heat for the perception of lowering the standards.

The Army reverted back to an APFT-style grading system, assessing soldiers based on gender and age, which irked several commanders behind the scenes. Army leaders changed the idea that the test measures a soldier's ability to perform in combat to it being a "general fitness test."

Cadet William White of Bowie State University ROTC, runs his two-mile event during a diagnostic Army Combat Fitness Test on Nov. 19, 2020 on Fort Meade, Md. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. 1st Class Vanessa Atchley)

"There should be one standard for combat arms branches and it shouldn't be gender based," one female artillery officer told Military.com. "The soldiers in my platoon all have to carry artillery rounds. [High-explosive] 155mm rounds are loosely around 100lbs, that weight doesn't change based on the gender of the person carrying it. I need my soldiers to be able to carry a lot of these rounds, not just one round and then they're done."

That same month, lawmakers on the House Armed Services Committee passed an amendment into the annual defense policy bill directing the Army to establish new fitness standards for combat arms troops. It was a move that some see as a compromise between the early idea on how to grade the test while also not requiring too much of soldiers in jobs that aren't physically demanding, something the Army was already working on, one source with direct knowledge told Military.com.

"If we stumbled anywhere, it was perhaps going too far, too fast," East said. This [test] will have to go back into a cycle of revisions and updates."

Editor's Note: This story has been updated to specify that retired Lt. Gen. Mark Hertling was in charge of the Army's Center for Initial Military Training in 2010.

-- Steve Beynon can be reached at Steve.Beynon@military.com. Follow him on Twitter @StevenBeynon.

Related: For Guard and Reserve Soldiers Without Easy Access to Equipment, ACFT Training Costs Pile Up
Florida military bases hit by Hurricane Ian's destructive Category 4 winds and flooding were assessing damage Thursday as facilities in other parts of the state and the southern U.S., such as Parris Island, closely monitored the storm.

MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, which ordered a mandatory evacuation on Monday, said it was still examining the scope of damage after Ian passed over Florida's west coast on Wednesday. The base, which sits on a peninsula in Tampa Bay, advised airmen to stay at home, even if their evacuation orders have been lifted.

"We're working quickly to get you back, but need to assess the safety of the installation and roads before we can rescind the evacuation order," MacDill officials said Thursday morning in a statement posted on Facebook. "It is important to remain clear of recovery teams. Do not approach the base."

Read Next: The Army's New Fitness Test Is Here. For Real This Time. No, Seriously. But Its Future is Uncertain.

Storm surges in Key West, Florida, prompted first responders to rescue 61 residents from base housing at the Naval Air Station on Tuesday evening. Officials are still examining the damage, and some residents have since been cleared to go home.

Hurricane Ian leveled an important bridge connecting Sanibel and Captiva islands, crumbled a historic pier in Naples and flooded numerous communities throughout the state after it made landfall in Florida. The full extent of the damage, and the number of people killed, won't likely be known for days and even more havoc is possible as the storm makes its way to South Carolina.

In the early morning hours Thursday, Coast Guard search and rescue operations were underway across southwest Florida, with the service deploying 16 helicopters, six fixed-wing aircraft and 18 rescue boats and crews.

An MH-60 Jayhawk from Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater, Florida, takes off before dawn on Sept. 29, 2022, to conduct search and rescue operations in response to Hurricane Ian. (Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater photo via Facebook)

An MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew from Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater conducted four search and rescue missions throughout the evening Wednesday, saving seven who either were forced to abandon ship or their vessels had run aground.

More than 5,000 Air and Army National Guard troops from nine states were mobilizing to assist as needed on Thursday morning, according to the National Guard Bureau.

In addition to the Florida National Guard, soldiers and airmen from nine states were planning to deploy or were on standby to assist, including Louisiana, New York, Tennessee, Georgia, Indiana, New Jersey, South Carolina, Montana and Virginia, according to National Guard Bureau Chief Gen. Daniel Hokanson.

In a press release, Hokansan said as of Thursday, the Florida Guard's 146th Expeditionary Signal Battalion was providing emergency communication capabilities to civilians and first responders and had deployed helicopters, more than 1,600 high-wheeled vehicles, boats and fuel tankers to conduct search and rescue operations, clear roads and support law enforcement.

"Our concern is saving lives and getting our folks in there as quickly as possible to make a difference in that critical time to get people out of situations that may be potentially life-threatening to them," Hokanson said.

While early reports had said that "hundreds" may be dead in devastated Lee County, home to Fort Myers and Cape Coral, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said Thursday morning there had been two confirmed deaths. DeSantis added that the estimate of "hundreds" likely stemmed from the large volume of 911 calls from residents stranded in homes, and the death toll would not be known until all houses and areas could be searched.

DeSantis added that 26 states were contributing resources to assist.

"The amount of water ... is basically a 500-year flood event," DeSantis said during a news conference in Tallahassee. "We've never seen a flood event like this."

In anticipation of the storm, planes were relocated from Eglin Air Force Base, Hurlburt Field, Jacksonville International Airport, Patrick Space Force Base and Moody Air Force Base in Georgia, according to the Pentagon.

Four littoral combat ships and two cruiser-destroyers from Naval Station Mayport were relocated earlier this week as well as 71 aircraft from Naval Air Station Jacksonville and 11 aircraft from Naval Air Station Key West

All Air Force and Space Force installations in the state were being particularly cautious after Hurricane Michael's Category 5 winds caused an estimated $4.7 billion in damage to Tyndall Air Force Base on the Florida panhandle in 2018. Michael rendered base housing at Tyndall unlivable, and many of the 11,000 airmen and families received permanent change of station orders.

On Thursday, Tyndall Air Force Base issued a statement on Facebook telling service members the base was all clear.

"While the base is no longer in a heightened state of preparedness for the hurricane, members should remain vigilant and ready for a hurricane in the future during this season," Tyndall said on Facebook. "We are thinking of MacDill Air Force Base, Fort Myers and all the areas who have been impacted by Hurricane Ian."

Other Bases Brace for Ian's Remnants

After the movement of ships and aircraft out of Jacksonville, the storm moved out to sea and was predicted to make landfall again near Charleston, South Carolina, on Friday. Officials at NAS Jacksonville asked residents Thursday to remain indoors until the threat of high winds and tornadoes had passed.

"We will let you know when it is safe to go outside," base officials said in a Facebook message.

Military bases along the South Carolina coast, such as Joint Base Charleston and Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, began making preparations for Ian's possible damage.

The National Weather Service said Ian, which was downgraded to a tropical storm after traversing Florida, will regain strength in the Atlantic and become a hurricane again by Thursday evening. It has issued a hurricane warning for the entire coast of South Carolina.

Joint Base Charleston, which operates the C-17 Globemaster III, began relocating aircraft Wednesday, according to a statement.

"The aircraft are being moved, but there isn't an evacuation order from the base or the state at this time, and an evacuation order for the base is not expected at this time," the 315th Airlift Wing said in a press release.

Parris Island officials said in a statement Wednesday that no evacuation orders had been issued and they planned to go ahead with the Crucible -- the final, grueling 54-hour training exercise for recruits -- and that it should be completed prior to the storm's impacts hitting the coastal base.

As of noon Thursday, the Coast Guard had closed all ports from Hilton Head to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, in anticipation of the storm.

During an appearance Thursday at the Federal Emergency Management Agency, President Joe Biden praised the response and warned of the work ahead, adding that the federal government would fully fund cleanup and provide funds for reconstruction.

"The governor talked about how impressed he was with the Coast Guard," Biden said, referring to DeSantis's briefing earlier in the day. "These are dangerous missions, and I'm grateful for the brave women and men in the federal, state and local governments working as one team, risking their lives to save others."

-- Thomas Novelly can be reached at Thomas.Novelly@Military.com. Follow him on Twitter @tomnovelly.

-- Patricia Kime can be reached at Patricia.Kime@Military.com. Follow her on Twitter @patriciakime.

Related: At Least 9 Helicopters Damaged, Blown Over in Norfolk Storm
Naval frigate flotilla conducts all-subject training assessment

China Military Online) 14:31, September 29, 2022

Decoy flares hanging under the parachutes descend slowly in the air during an all-subject training assessment organized by a naval frigate flotilla under the PLA Southern Theater Command on September 5, 2022. (eng.chinamil.com.cn/Photo by Zhang Bin)

(Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Bianji)
MBABANE - I am further advised that the applicant (lawyer) has started pointing fingers at some of his neighbours as being responsible for calling the police on him and that he is threatening to kill this witness.

Inspector Millicent Dlamini made these startling allegations in her affidavit, where she is vigorously opposing the bail application of the lawyer who is accused of raping and impregnating his children. I wish to state that there is a high likelihood that the applicant will now evade his trial and flee to countries that have no extradition treaty with Eswatini. The evidence against the applicant is very compelling and highly likely to get a conviction, she argued. She told the court that, in light of the available evidence, there was a high possibility that the applicant would be convicted. Inspector Dlamini said: The higher the chances of conviction, the stiffer the sentence to be imposed, the greater the chances that the applicant will evade trial. She further pointed out that the applicants admission that on two occasions he was charged with similar crimes was proof that he could not keep or fulfill his bail conditions.

Abuse

The police officer said it was standard that one of the bail conditions was that he should not commit similar offences, but since the year 2008 to 2021, the applicant had allegedly knowingly and intentionally committed heinous acts of abuse against his own blood and relatives. I submit that he cannot be trusted not to commit other offences once out on bail, especially to those who have to testify against him as he is well-known to them, contended the police officer. Inspector Dlamini went on to state that the applicant had not been reporting at the police station for the offences he allegedly committed in 2008 and there was no other reason why he could not neglect them again. The applicant has the propensity to commit similar offences and I truly believe that the abuse will continue if the court does not put a stop to it by denying the applicant bail, she argued.

She informed the court that the playground was not levelled now as the evidence gathered was strong. She further disclosed that the children who were reportedly abused by the lawyer, were taken away from his homestead for their own protection and safety as the younger ones were aged between 13-15 years. It will not, therefore, be in the interest of justice to release the applicant on bail now as we have reasonable apprehension that he will go on with his wicked ways and abuse more children. His being released on bail would cement the notion that the applicant is untouchable, contended the police officer.
COPENHAGEN, Denmark  The NATO military alliance warned Thursday it would retaliate for any attacks on the critical infrastructure of its 30 member countries and joined other Western officials in citing sabotage as the likely cause of damage to two natural gas pipelines in the Baltic Sea.

The warning came as the Swedish coast guard confirmed a fourth leak on the pipelines off southern Sweden, which is in the process of joining NATO. The first leaks in the pipelines that extend from Russia to Germany were reported on Tuesday, prompting energy companies and European governments to beef up security.

The fear of further damage to Europe's energy infrastructure has added pressure on natural gas prices, which had already been soaring. Russia, a major supplier to Europe, cut off deliveries earlier this year in retaliation for sanctions imposed after its invasion of Ukraine. That has caused widespread economic pain across the continent.

NATO ambassadors said in a statement that any deliberate attack against allies critical infrastructure would be met with a united and determined response. They refrained from saying who they thought was responsible, even though some allies like Poland, and many experts, have said they believe that Russia is responsible.

All currently available information indicates that this is the result of deliberate, reckless, and irresponsible acts of sabotage. These leaks are causing risks to shipping and substantial environmental damage, the envoys said.

The rising tensions around energy security in Europe come as Russia prepares to annex four regions of occupied Ukraine, a move widely condemned by the West. Russian energy giant Gazprom heightened uncertainty around energy supplies Wednesday by threatening on Twitter to cease dealing with a Ukrainian company that controls one of the two remaining pipelines that ship Russian gas to Europe.

Rather than assigning blame to anyone specific, EU officials on Thursday said they would await the outcome of an investigation, which probably will not start in earnest until next week once the undersea pipelines are empty.

The two lines between Russia and Germany were not in operation. But they were filled with tons of methane, a major cause of global warming that is being emitted into the atmosphere and will continue to bubble to the Baltic Sea's surface, probably until Sunday, according to energy experts.

Danish Defense Minister Morten Bdskov turned to Twitter to call the NATO statement a joint condemnation and very strong signal from the alliance. But NATO has made many statements of resolve to defend its members and their territory since Russia invaded Ukraine in February.

Two of the leaks are on the Nord Stream 1 pipeline that Russia recently turned off as it ramped up energy pressure on Europe. The other two are on Nord Stream 2, which has never been used. The Danish and Swedish governments have said that they believe the leaks were deliberate actions.

According to seismologists, the leaks were preceded by explosions. A first explosion was recorded early Monday southeast of the Danish island of Bornholm. A second, stronger blast northeast of the island that night was equivalent to a magnitude-2.3 earthquake. Seismic stations in Denmark, Norway and Finland also registered the explosions.

Speaking Wednesday before the fourth leak was reported, Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson said it would have taken a large explosive device to cause the damage.

Norway was among the first countries on Wednesday to beef up the protection of its energy installations. Finnish Finance Minister Annika Saarikko said Thursday that security measures have been tightened around the Balticconnector line running in the Baltic Sea between Finland and Estonia.

Very exceptional and serious actions that point to sabotage give reason to intensify our preparations, Saarikko told reporters.

In Moscow, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Thursday that the Nord Stream pipeline incident would have been impossible without a state actors involvement.

It looks like a terror attack, probably conducted on a state level, Peskov said in a conference call with reporters.

He dismissed media reports about Russian warships spotted in the area as stupid and biased, adding that many more aircraft and vessels belonging to NATO countries have been spotted in the area.

The U.N. Security Council has scheduled an emergency meeting Friday afternoon at Russias request to discuss the suspected pipeline sabotage.

Torben rting Jrgensen, a former admiral with the Danish navy, told The Associated Press that it was "not so demanding" to carry out an operation either by using a remotely operated underwater vehicle or sending divers from a submarine or a surface vessel.

Those who carried out the operation knew they wouldn't get caught, rting Jrgensen said. Who would have thought of an operation against pipelines in the Baltic Sea?

___

Lorne Cook in Brussels and Jari Tanner in Helsinki contributed to this report.
The Navy is excitedly announcing that its newest aircraft carrier -- the USS Gerald Ford -- is about to go on its first deployment. The deployment will be truncated, although officials say it's not because of technical problems that have caused years of delays getting the ship operational.

"Next week, the Navy's first-in-class and most advanced aircraft carrier ... will embark on a short deployment alongside a coalition of allies and partner forces in the Atlantic," Vice Adm. Daniel Dwyer told the media on Monday during a conference call.

"This will be a service-retained deployment," Dywer added, employing a rarely used term reflective of the unusual nature of the short excursion for the ship.

Read Next: New Uniforms Coming for Sailors As Navy Looks to Leave Flammable Clothing Issue Behind

Essentially, the term means that the carrier is going to sea because the Navy's top admiral -- Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Mike Gilday -- has ordered it, as opposed to more traditional deployments that are done at the behest of a broader, jointly run combatant command like European Command.

"As the commander of U.S. Second Fleet, I will retain command and control of the Ford strike group across the Atlantic throughout this deployment," said Dwyer, a three-star admiral. Combatant commands are run by four-star generals or admirals.

The distinction is subtle, but it essentially boils down to the fact that the ship will not be leaving the Atlantic Ocean and sailing the more contested waters of the Mediterranean or the Indo-Pacific.

The ship's commander, Capt. Paul Lanzilotta, similarly told the media Thursday that "we're going to use the entire Atlantic as our playpen" while noting that the Navy plans for the ship to do a foreign port call.

Most Navy ships deploy for anywhere from six to eight months. However, the Ford is going out for less time than that. Dwyer noted that the deployment will be "short" in his remarks to the press.

How short is unclear. The Navy repeatedly refused to answer questions from reporters about the duration of the deployment citing operational security. One sailor made available by the Navy did note, however, that this would be his first time going out on ship for "anything over two-three weeks."

Why the Navy is choosing to go with an abbreviated and close-to-home deployment for its newest carrier is a slight mystery, especially since Lanzilotta made clear that all of the new technology aboard the carrier -- some of which was mired in delays and issues -- is now fully operational.

"We're not in test mode, we are in operating mode and all systems are go," Lanzilotta said.

The ship will have most of its full complement of planes aboard, and it recently took on more than 100,000 tons of ordnance over three days. Lanzilotta said that in addition to various maritime operations, the ship plans to practice "doing pretty much every mission ... in the portfolio for naval aviation."

According to Dwyer, the decision is typical for the Navy.

"We are following a similar model that we had used with previous first-in-class aircraft carriers," he said, specifically noting "the first deployment of the USS Enterprise and the USS Nimitz."

Despite the shorter length and curtailed operating area, the Navy is billing the deployment as an opportunity to work with allies and NATO at a critical time in the Atlantic. Dwyer explained that in addition to the ships of the strike group, the Ford will be sailing "alongside six ships from our allies and partner nations."

Lanzilotta noted that the Ford is "bringing the entire carrier strike group with us."

"That adds a level of complexity, particularly in the logistics realm, which we're looking to make sure we're good at," he explained.

The cruise also serves as an opportunity for the Navy's Second Fleet, created as a bulwark against the Russians and a way to better work with NATO, to showcase more of its abilities at a time when Russia's presence in the Atlantic has grown.

"As we demonstrated earlier this year when we surged four destroyers in the North Atlantic, Second Fleet can offer flexibility to the geographic combatant commander and reaffirm our commitment to our fellow NATO allies," Dwyer noted.

"The Atlantic ... is an area of strategic importance, not only for the U.S. and our allies ... but also for the homeland defense of North America," Dwyer explained.

The Ford's first traditional deployment is scheduled for next year. It was originally planned for 2018, but it was later pushed to fall 2022.

-- Konstantin Toropin can be reached at konstantin.toropin@military.com. Follow him on Twitter @ktoropin.

Related: Meet the Team with an Unusual Task for the Newest Carrier's Shock Trials - Preserving Marine Life
PANMUNJOM, Korea  In a show of defiance, North Korea fired two short-range ballistic missiles into the sea on Thursday, hours after U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris flew home from a visit to South Korea during which she emphasized the ironclad U.S. commitment to the security of its Asian allies.

It was the third round of missile launches by North Korea this week, extending a record pace in weapons testing as it accelerates a push to expand its arsenal and pressure Washington to accept it as a nuclear power.

South Koreas Joint Chiefs of Staff said the North Korean missiles were fired nine minutes apart from an area near the city of Sunchon, just north of the capital, Pyongyang, and flew toward waters between the Korean Peninsula and Japan. It didnt immediately release more details.

Japan's military said it also detected a launch. North Korea fired two short-range ballistic missiles on Wednesday, while Harris was in Japan, and fired one before she left Washington on Sunday.

Harris earlier capped her four-day trip to Asia with a meeting with South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and a stop at the Demilitarized Zone dividing the Korean Peninsula, where she addressed the threat posed by the increasingly hostile North.

There are also concerns that North Korea may conduct a nuclear test, which would move the country closer to being acknowledged as a full-fledged nuclear power. Visiting the DMZ has become something of a ritual for American leaders hoping to show their resolve to stand firm against aggression.

At the DMZ, Harris went to the top of a ridge, near guard towers and security cameras. She looked through bulky binoculars as a South Korean officer pointed out military installations on the southern side. Then an American officer pointed out some of the defenses along the military demarcation line, including barbed-wire fences and claymore mines. He said American soldiers regularly walk patrols along a path.

Its so close, Harris said.

Harris then visited one of a row of blue buildings that straddle the demarcation line, where an American officer explained how the buildings are still used to conduct negotiations with North Korea. Sometimes they pass messages back and forth and sometimes they use a megaphone, he said.

Thats high tech, Harris joked, before adding, Weve stepped into history.

Its still going, the colonel said.

Harris agreed. The past and present are happening every day.

She then walked out of the building and up to the demarcation line. On the North Korean side, two figures dressed in what appeared to be hazmat suits peeked out from behind a curtain in a second-floor window. Then they disappeared back inside.

Harris described the North Korean missile launches as provocations meant to destabilize the region" and said the United States and South Korea remain committed to the complete denuclearization" of the North.

I cannot state enough that commitment of the United States to the defense of the Republic of Korea is ironclad, she said.

In the South, we see a thriving democracy. In the North, we see a brutal dictatorship, she said before flying out of the border on a U.S. military helicopter.

Earlier, Harris met with President Yoon at his office in Seoul and reaffirmed the U.S. commitment to defend the South with a full range of its military capabilities in the event of war, Yoons office said.

They expressed concern over North Koreas threats of nuclear conflict and pledged an unspecified stronger response to major North Korean provocations, including a nuclear test.

Harris and Yoon were also expected to discuss expanding economic and technology partnerships and repairing recently strained ties between South Korea and Japan to strengthen their trilateral cooperation with Washington in the region. Their meeting also touched on Taiwan, with both reaffirming their countries support for peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, according to Yoons office, which didn't elaborate.

Harris trip was organized so she could attend the state funeral of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, but her itinerary was dominated by security concerns, a reflection of fears about Chinas growing power and North Koreas ramped-up testing activity.

In every meeting, Harris tried to lay to rest any fears that the United States was wavering in its commitment to protect its allies, describing American partnerships with South Korea and Japan as the linchpin and cornerstone of its defense strategy in Asia.

Yoon, who took office earlier this year, had anchored his election campaign with vows to deepen Seouls economic and security partnership with Washington to navigate challenges posed by the North Korean threat and address potential supply chain risks caused by the pandemic, the U.S.-China rivalry and Russias war on Ukraine. But the alliance has been marked by tension recently.

South Koreans have decried a new law signed by President Joe Biden that prevents electric cars built outside of North America from being eligible for U.S. government subsidies, undermining the competitiveness of automakers like Seoul-based Hyundai.

During their meeting, Harris told Yoon that Washington will try to address South Korean concerns as the law is implemented, Yoons office said.

Scott Snyder, an analyst at the Council on Foreign Relations, said the dispute over electric vehicles has swiftly become a firestorm that U.S. officials cannot ignore, although there may not be a simple solution.

Its taking on a level of urgency thats making it into a political problem that requires management, Snyder said. I dont know that its going to be easy for the Biden administration to do that.

After meeting Yoon, Harris, the first woman to serve as U.S. vice president, held a roundtable with female leaders on gender equity issues.

Yoon has faced criticism for the lack of female representation in government and his downplaying of broader inequalities.

If we want to strengthen democracy, we must pay attention to gender equity, said Harris, who also raised the issue with Yoon.

There are indications North Korea may up its weapons demonstrations soon. South Korean officials said last week that they detected signs North Korea was preparing to test a ballistic missile system designed to be fired from submarines.

The U.S. aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan was to train with South Korean and Japanese warships in waters near the Korean Peninsula on Friday in the countries first trilateral anti-submarine exercises since 2017 to counter North Korean submarine threats, South Koreas navy said Thursday.

U.S. and South Korean officials also say North Korea is possibly gearing up for its first nuclear test since 2017. That test could come after China holds its Communist Party convention the week of Oct. 16, but before the United States holds its midterm elections Nov. 8, according to Seoul's spy agency.

North Korea has punctuated its testing activity with repeated threats of nuclear conflict. Its rubber-stamp parliament this month authorized the preemptive use of nuclear weapons in a broad range of scenarios where its leadership comes under threat.

Nuclear diplomacy between the U.S. and North Korea remains stalled since 2019 over disagreements on easing crippling U.S.-led economic sanctions against the North in exchange for the Norths disarmament steps.

___

Kim reported from Seoul, South Korea. Associated Press writers Mari Yamaguchi in Tokyo and Hyung-jin Kim in Seoul contributed to this report.
Department of Veterans Affairs officials pushed back Thursday against a recent outside report that concluded the department is significantly undercounting veterans suicide deaths in its own annual suicide reports.

"I do not agree with that report," Tamara Campbell, the acting executive director for the Office of Mental Health and Suicide Prevention, said at a House Veterans Affairs Committee. "Our report is evidence-based scientific rigor."

At issue is an analysis released earlier this month by America's Warrior Partnership, a suicide prevention group, that said the veterans suicide rate may be more than double VA's official estimate when accounting for death certificate and records errors, accidental drug overdoses and unexplained deaths.

Read Next: VA to Screen All Patients for Exposure to Burn Pits and Other Environmental Toxins

Researchers for the group estimated about 24 former service members die by suicide each day. Another 20 die from accidents, accidental overdoses or undetermined causes, categories the report said fall under self-injury deaths.

That's compared to the VA's annual report, released days after the America's Warrior Partnership analysis, that found an average of 16.8 veterans died by suicide a day in 2020. The 2020 veterans suicide rate was down by nearly 10% from a peak in 2018 and the lowest level since 2006, according to the VA.

At Thursday's hearing, VA officials suggested that counting accidental overdose deaths as suicides could be problematic because it could lead to the wrong treatment, though they acknowledged both issues often "travel together."

"It is difficult to identify which one is happening at times, and at times people need different interventions specifically," said Lisa Brenner, a clinical research psychologist and director at the VA's Rocky Mountain Mental Illness Research Education and Clinical Center.

Matthew Miller, the VA's national director of suicide prevention, also stressed the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has "significant concerns" with grouping overdose deaths and suicides together, eliciting some criticism from a Republican lawmaker.

"Color me a little skeptical when listening to what the CDC or [National Institutes of Health] put out lately," said Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, who has fought against federal health officials' guidance on COVID-19.

VA officials also took issue with the America Warrior Partnership's report categorization of "former service member," which Miller argued was ill-defined compared with the VA's definition of "veteran."

"As a veteran myself sitting before you and a subject matter expert in public health and mental health, I would not be sitting in front of you if I did not have 100% confidence in the data that we present on an annual basis," Miller said.

Testifying on a separate witness panel at the same hearing, Jim Lorraine, the CEO for America's Warrior Partnership, said the report's inclusion of overdose and other accidental deaths was not meant to "couple them together" with suicide, but rather to "demonstrate the extent" of preventable deaths.

Lorraine also dinged the VA for not being more transparent with its own methodology.

"The VA must be more open and transparent about their data and share it with researchers as mandated by Congress," he testified. "The VA's numbers and methods and how they are used is not clear, and the VA has not been open in sharing this data despite repeated efforts from other organizations and ourselves."

Veterans and service members experiencing a mental health emergency can contact the Veteran Crisis Line at 988, Press 1. They also can text 838255 or chat online at VeteransCrisisLine.net.

-- Rebecca Kheel can be reached at rebecca.kheel@military.com. Follow her on Twitter @reporterkheel.

Related: VA Says Veteran Suicides Continue to Fall, But Outside Researchers Find Rates May Be Much Higher
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MBABANE - The arrest of the well-known lawyer, who is accused of raping and impregnating his children, has seemingly opened a can of worms.

Several women are reportedly coming out of the closet to report their horrific experiences allegedly at the hands of the attorney. According to the investigator of the cases, Inspector Millicent Dlamini, more charges were likely to be added against the lawyer. After he was arrested, we have had an influx of people who have come out to report some of the atrocities that he has allegedly done in the community. I can confidently state that we are investigating a number of other offences that link him to other rape allegations and that we shall, therefore, be adding new charges to the ones we already have, submitted the investigator.

Charges

She informed the court that the charges were not the same anymore and the possibility of them being amended was high, especially now that they (police) were also receiving calls informing them about the lawyers alleged criminal activities. The lawyer is alleged to have impregnated his children and forced them to take abortion tablets. Two of the minors and his helper allegedly gave birth to his children. It is alleged that one of the children fell pregnant six times and committed six abortions at the instance of the lawyer. One of his daughters, his niece and a helper, allegedly gave birth to the attorneys children after failed abortion attempts at his instance. The minors were allegedly sexually abused by the lawyer for years, beginning from when some of them were as young as 12 years old. This is just only a tip of the iceberg as there are more crimes that are surfacing in the wake of the applicants (lawyer) incarceration. We are further investigating some other allegations, submitted the investigator.

She contended that his release from custody would undermine the proper function of the criminal justice system. Inspector Dlamini, who is based at the Tshaneni Police Station, further submitted that the evidence against the applicant was overwhelming. I submit, therefore, that the acts perpetrated by the applicant to his own flesh and blood are synonymous with that of a sex pest, contended Inspector Dlamini. The investigator further told the court that she had strong and compelling evidence against the applicant, which pointed to him as the one who committed the offences he was charged with. She argued that bare denial would not suffice, as the evidence directly pointed to the applicant as the one who allegedly committed these despicable atrocities to his own children, who expected to be protected by him (their father). She further brought it to the attention of the court that the applicant did not only sexually molest his own children, but also his maid who was working in his house.

Complainants

The complainants have no reason to be just spiteful against the applicant and it has taken a lot of courage for them to come out in the clear about the heinous acts committed to them. At the time of commission of the offences they were still minors, she argued. She informed the court that the lawyer was the father to some of the complainants and he allegedly breached the relationship of trust to them. Inspector Dlamini also dismissed the allegation by the lawyer that the complainants were vexatious as the evidence allegedly showed that he was the one who committed these shrewd criminal acts. One of the survivors stated that she was in Form 1 and aged 13 years when he started touching her inappropriately and getting sexual with her. She will tell the court that this happened in 2006 and the applicant then had sexual intercourse with her almost every day, such that she then fell pregnant. The complainant was very afraid of her father and kept the sexual assault a secret, averred the investigator.

The investigator further told the court that one of the children, who was 14 years old and staying in the homestead of the applicant, also allegedly fell pregnant and he took her to South Africa for abortion. Between ages 13-16 years, the complainant will say that she fell pregnant for the applicant six times and committed six abortions. Three of those illegal abortions were committed in South Africa and the other three were committed in Eswatini, with the help of the applicants sister. I must quickly mention that we are still investigating the applicants sisters involvement in the commission of these crimes, submitted Inspector Dlamini.

Pregnant

She alleged that one of the children, who is a sister to the lawyer, fell pregnant and had his child. Another one who has the applicants child is the maid who was taking care of his children. The applicant is a danger to society and he ought to be kept in custody pending his trial. He is closely related to the witnesses and there is no way in which he cannot interfere with them. My fear is that he will threaten the crown witnesses and try to intimidate them not to testify against him, she argued. The investigator further narrated to the court that in 2016, the lawyer allegedly again sexually assaulted one of his children, who was 14 years old, and was staying at home with him until she ran away to stay with her relatives in Manzini. The bail application will be argued before Judge Zonke Magagula tomorrow. The lawyer is represented by Khumbulani Msibi while appearing for the Crown is Bhekiwe Ngwenya.
Currently, social media is buzzing with copyright infringement accusations from Ghanaian musician Kirani Ayat on government.

On Tuesday, September 27, the artist accused President Akufo-Addo and the Ghana Tourism Authority of using his video without his permission after rejecting his proposal.

The president of Ghana has used my video GUDA in this ad to promote Ghana. I was actively reaching out to the Ministry of Tourism in 2018/19 to use this video to push tourism in the North and got NO reply, yet today its in an ad and no one reached out to me for permission, he reacted.

In reaction, the Ghana Tourism Association refuted allegations of copyright breach.

The video was obtained legally from an unnamed agency, according to a statement issued by the Authority issued on Wednesday, September 28.

For the record, the footage in question was acquired legitimately from a bespoke creative agency as part of a project in 2019.

This video has thus been played severally locally and internationally without any issue. The content was used in accordance with the terms agreed with the agency and not as being alleged, a portion of the statement highlighted.

In a counter-reaction, Kirani has refuted the claim by the GTA that it procured the video from a certain agency.

In response to the statement issued this morning by the Ghana Tourism Authority, I, Kirani Ayat would like to categorically state that NO agency has any RIGHTS whatsoever to my intellectual property. I have NOT given rights to any agency to use my likeness or work on my behalf. As such, there is no agency agreement, and I find it telling that the name of this supposed agency was not revealed in the statement."

It adds likewise, the Ghana Tourism Authority has also NOT been giving any right to use my video in any of their promotional materials.

He stressed that as an independent artist and SOLE owner of the video used in the "visit Ghana" Ad campaign I have NO agreement with any government or private entity to use my intellectual property. The agency in question needs to be named, and signed documents made publically available that demonstrate clearly when, where and under whose authority the supposed agreement was signed.
Kirani Ayat has buried his intentions to sue the government of Ghana and the Ministry of Tourism for using his song without his consent.

The Northern-based rapper shared on Twitter about how the Tourism Ministry dismissed his proposal in 2018/2019 to use his song to promote tourism in Ghana. Three years later, its one of the songs featured in a government initiative.

Kirani Ayat tweeted: The president of Ghana has used my video, GUDA, in this ad to promote Ghana. I was actively reaching out to the Ministry of Tourism in 2018/19 to use this video to push tourism in the North and got NO reply. Yet, today, its in an ad, and no one reached out to me for permission.

Ayat threatened legal actions against the Ministry of Tourism if the needful was not done.

The aftermath of his tweets saw the government reaching out to solve the issue amicably.

Speaking to Giovani on the 3FM Drive on Tuesday, Ayat said his lawyers and manager are in talks with the government to solve the issue amicably.

We are in touch with the people involved, and we are working on finding a solution, he said. My manager and lawyers are speaking to them. They decided to reach out, and I think those were the best people to speak to (them).

-3news
Fuse ODG, Ghanaian musician

29.09.2022 LISTEN

The issue of unauthorised use of intellectual property has been the hottest topic following Kirani Ayats allegations against the government of copyright breach.

A day after the complaint about President Akufo-Addos tourism campaign tweet on Tuesday, September 27, the Ghana Tourism Authority cleared the air, stating that they allegedly acquired Kiranis "Guda" video legitimately in 2019.

Meanwhile, the artist, in a counter statement, denied having any sort of dealings with any agency that could bypass him to sign a contract.

One of Ghanas astute musicians, Fuse ODG, has joined the debate with a similar complaint.

A statement released from the musicians New Africa Nation record label on Thursday, September 29, sympathising with Kirani, mentioned that it is also in legal conversations over alleged usage of his New African Girl video without his managements consent.

As a company, we feel that the last few days have exposed an issue in Ghana that goes beyond the Office of the President, Ghana: The lack of respect and understanding of intellectual property.

We have sanctioned works in the past for Government use, most notably, our 2018 record, a portion of the statement read.

It added, Bra Fie" featuring Damian Marley, which was used as the theme song for the 'Year of Return'; which we launched via our TINA Festival alongside the President of Ghana. However, no such process was observed in relation to the recent video in question regarding our record "New African Girl.

We sympathise with Kirani Ayat. As creative persons, we sacrifice a lot to be able to put together a song, let alone a whole video with high quality production value.

Read a copy of his full statement below;
The National Communications Director of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Sammy Gyamfi has assigned reasons to President Akufo-Addos boos at the just-ended Global Citizens Festival.

The booing, according to him, is a reflection of the hardships bedevilling the youth and the entire country.

In a statement released on Tuesday, September 27 and copied to Modernghana News, Sammy Gyamfi stressed that the incident is as a result of frustration the youth going everyday with the frequent hikes in fuel prices and the heightened cost of living in the country.

"Frustrations expressed by the youth on that fateful day perfectly reflect the excruciating and frustrating times Ghanaians presently find themselves.

"Those young people simply gave voice to our daily struggles with unbearable prices of fuel at the pumps, high cost of living in the country," he said.

Sammy Gyamfi intimated that the events should serve as a wake-up call to the government to put in place effective measures to alleviate the suffering of Ghanaians.

According to him, the trust Ghanaians, particularly the youth, had in the President when they gave him the mandate in 2016 and further renewed it in 2020 is gone.

Ordinarily, it is the business of the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia government and their handlers who by now should have come to terms with the reality of the difficult times Ghanaians are living in and that the action of the youth reflects an overwhelming vote of no confidence in their crass misgovernance and mishandling of the affairs of our dear nation, he stated.

This comes after some angry youth who attended the Global Citizens Music Festival gave the President an unpleasant evening during his speech at the event.

Soon after the President mounted the stage to deliver the 6-minute welcome address, he was booed with "away! "Away! "chants from the crowd.

It continued till the President concluded his speech at the Black Stars Square on Saturday, September 24.
29.09.2022 LISTEN

Kumchacha, a well-known Ghanaian prophet and founder of the Kum Peoples Party (KPP) has explained why Ghanaians should give him the chance to become President come 2024.

According to Kumchacha, the management of a countrys economy is not about speaking good English or someone with the highest educational qualifications.

He said it is about good policies and actions.

Speaking on Joy Prime, the Presidential aspirant emphasised that if education makes one a good leader, then Ghana wouldn't have been plunged into such a mess under the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia government.

Kumchacha reaffirmed that Ghanaians should consider his policies rather than his inability to speak English fluently.

The wisdom and knowledge you have and the vision you're bringing up are the things that are necessary and will help. It's not about English.

"If it was about speaking English, who speaks English better than President Akufo-Addo and his Vice, Dr. Bawumia? They both speak very good English, but the economy is still suffering, and things are still very bad. So if we've tried the literates and it's not working, let's try the illiterates and see," he said.
Fifi Fiavi Kwetey, former Member of Parliament for Ketu South has slammed the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government's poor handling of the country.

He said all the NPP government cares about is power and nothing else.

In an interview with Accra-based TV3's New Day show, the former lawmaker noted that instead of focusing on how to alleviate the current economic hardship, President Akufo-Addo is only concerned about his party winning the next election.

I see a decadent soul of a country, I see a country whose soul is being bastardized by a group that I call very selfish, unpatriotic who care only about power.

To think that a leader, almost approaching 8 years, in the midst of all these desperations, in the midst of the hopelessness, a future that is bleak, not just for our future but also our childrens children, his obsession is that I want to break the 8 That tells you this nation is really on the brink of what I call moral collapse, he said.

Mr. Kwetey accused the ruling party of using deception to win power  the reasons the economy is on its knees.

Their whole mindset is how can we deceive the people in order to to keep power. They believe that governance is about how much lies you can tell, how you can deceive people, how you can spin them, the former MP intimated.

He continued that the truth is that I fear for the future of this country, I worry for the future of this country. People look at it in terms of what is happening to the economy, the collapse of the economy, people look at it in terms of what is happening to the inability to do what has been promised in education, health, infrastructure and so on. I look at it beyond that.
Former Ketu South Member of Parliament Fifi Fiavi Kwetey has accused the government of using deception to rule the country.

He said the government has been deceiving citizens about the true state of the country's economy.

In an interview with Accra-based TV3's New Day show on Wednesday, September 28, the former Minister stated, Their whole mindset is how can we deceive the people in order to to keep power. They believe that governance is about how much lies you can tell, how you can deceive people, how you can spin them.

Fiif Kwetey says he fears for the future of the country following the mess created by the Akufo-Addo regarding the economy.

The truth is that I fear for the future of this country, I worry for the future of this country. People look at it in terms of what is happening to the economy, the collapse of the economy, people look at it in terms of what is happening to the inability to do what has been promised in education, in health, in infrastructure and so on, I look at it beyond that, he intimated.

According to Mr. Kwetey, all President Akufo-Addo cares about is how NPP can win 2024 elections.

I see a decadent soul of a country, I see a country whose soul is being bastardized by a group that I call very selfish, unpatriotic who care only about power.

To think that a leader, almost approaching 8 years, in the midst of all these desperations, in the midst of the hopelessness, a future that is bleak, not just for our future but also our childrens children, his obsession is that I want to break the 8 That tells you this nation is really on the brink of what I call moral collapse, he said.
Joyce Bawah Mogtari, the Special Aide to former President John Dramani Mahama, has taken a swipe at the Adansi-Asokwa MP Kobina Tahir Hammond for insulting the hooters of President Akufo-Addo at the just-ended Global Citizens Festival.

The Adansi-Asokwa legislator described the incident as scandalous and shameful at a press conference on Tuesday, September 27.

He claimed that the youth, despite exercising their democratic rights, should not have acted in such a disrespectful manner.

"That was scandalous. I don't think that, as a nation, we've gotten to that stage. I was petrified when I heard that. I didn't understand it. I haven't seen anything of this sort before.

We shouldn't be setting precedents that cannot be handled. Whatever the issue is, people have no business hooting at the President. There should be some respect because that isn't democratic, he said.

In reaction, Joyce Bawah Mogtari said the youths were expressing their anger over the poor management of the countrys economy.

Hon K.T Hammond should please wake up and smell the roses! All over the World, young people have taken center stage! They have a huge voice, are a huge constituency and should not be overlooked or described in such disparaging terms, she said in a tweet today, September 28.
Dozens of feminist activists demonstrated Wednesday in Morocco's capital, calling for legalised abortions after a teenage girl died following a clandestine procedure, AFP reporters said.

Protesters gathered outside the parliament, some holding placards denouncing the law which punishes abortion.

"Having a child must be a choice," activist Sarah Benmoussa told AFP.

"We're here today because our voices matter," said Khaoula, 23, a journalism student who joined the crowd. "Every human being should be able to control their own body."

The death of the teenager earlier this month in a village in central Morocco has reignited calls by feminist groups and activists to legalise abortions in the country.

Abortions in Morocco are punishable by up to five years in prison, except for cases when the woman's health is in danger.

"We demand the decriminalisation of abortion from the age of 12," said Fouzia Yassine from Spring of Dignity, a coalition of Moroccan feminist associations.

"We renew this call today. Lawmakers bear responsibility for this situation and for the violence and hardships the women endure."

In 2015, Morocco debated the "urgent need" to reform legislation in the face of hundreds of clandestine abortions performed daily, often under appalling conditions.

An official commission recommended that abortion be legalised in special circumstances, including for cases of rape or serious foetal abnormalities.

No law reform followed these recommendations, despite the lobbying of women's rights supporters.
A week-long workshop is underway in Akosombo to equip various sector leaders with the knowledge that will close the skills gap for green jobs toward preserving and restoring the environment.

In an effort to ensure that Africans lead the development of the continent, the African Union (AU) is conducting a skills anticipation for green jobs training.

The Union, through its Skills Initiative for Africa (SIFA), with support from the ILO is seeking to equip technical and vocational institutions to train the youth to take up environmentally friendly employment.

Delivering an address to open the workshop on Monday, September 26, 2022, the Country Director of ILO Office for Nigeria, Ghana, Liberia and Sierra Leone and Liaison Office for ECOWAS, Vanessa Phala said she is happy to be participating in this all-important session that seeks to strengthen the capacities of ILO constituents in Skills Anticipation for Green Jobs.

She said the training is yet another success story of effective collaboration among ILO projects in the Africa region.

According to her, the 5-day workshop will serve as a catalyst for enhancing the effective systematic mechanisms for integrating greening integrate greening into the TVET system, while moving beyond the update and development of new curricula in our respective countries.

It is my hope that the outcome of this workshop will strengthen our abilities to develop institutional frameworks that facilitate the greening agenda for a sustainable development, Vanessa Phala shared in her address.

The Country Director of the ILO Office for Ghana added, I further pledge the continued support of the ILO in pursuit of this noble dream of strengthening the TVET skills system with the view to promoting decent work and social justice.

Speaking to the media on the opening day of the workshop, Chief Technical Advisor for Skills Initiative for Africa Project, Ms. Naomy Lintini noted that her outfit is in Ghana because they want to continue with their capacity building of African Union member states in the area of Skills Anticipation.

Chief Technical Advisor for Skills Initiative for Africa Project, Ms. Naomy Lintini

According to her, now more than ever, the economies of the world are being pushed by circumstances such as climate change and there is the need to be greener as well as sustainable so to speak.

So we are saying that the journey of the future are going to require competencies for people to deal with this issues of the green economy and if we want to prepare the future labour force for those jobs of the future then we need to first of all build capacity for anticipating skills for the green economy. Once we identify the skills then we can adjust the career curriculum so that it builds the capacities of people, Ms. Naomy Lintini told journalists.

She further indicated that through these capacity-building workshops, a balance is going to be created such that students who graduate can find jobs in the labour market in the future.

Ms. Naomy Lintini insists that this will reduce the mismatch so that there wont be a situation where a lot of people complain about not finding jobs after graduating.

On his part, Deputy Director in charge of Standards, Curricular Development and Enforcement at the Commission for Technical and Vocational Education Training (CTVET), Mr. Theophilus Tetteh Zogblah assured that the concept of greening is something that has come to stay.

He stressed that there is a need for environmental sustainability and ensuring that whatever is done by the way of work is done across the various sectors while being conscious of the environment.

Deputy Director in charge of Standards, Curricular Development and Enforcement at CTVET, Mr. Theophilus Tetteh Zogblah

While admitting that Ghana is not up there when it comes to skill sets for green jobs in the country, Mr. Theophilus Tetteh Zogblah emphasised that it is the reason why the commission is taking the capacity-building workshop very seriously.

In terms of skill set for green jobs in Ghana we are really now catching up with it seriously and that is why we are organising this workshop so that we will give some capacity building to the various industry stakeholders so that they understand what is required to develop more green-oriented skill jobs across the various sectors.

It is for this reason that we want to build the capacities of some 12 Sector Skills Bodies we have established, the CTVET Deputy Director in charge of Standards, Curricular development and Enforcement told journalists.

Mr. Theophilus Tetteh Zogblah concluded, The issue is that we are bringing stakeholders across these sectors on board so we could give them capacity in what is required for the emerging green jobs so that they can also propagate this gospel and also provide this kind of training to other members so that everybody will be conscious and aware. What is important is the awareness creation of green jobs and that should be the role of several sectors in ensuring that these ideas of green jobs really manifest across the sectors.

Mr. Adetor Frank Kwasi, the National Project Coordinator of SKILL UP Ghana Project noted that the 5-day session aims to strengthen the capacities of ILO/SIFA Project staff from Eswatini, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe in addition to selected members of the 12 established Sector Skills Bodies in Ghana.

National Project Coordinator of SKILL UP Ghana Project, Mr. Adetor Frank

The session provides the platform for the participants to learn and exchange ideas and experiences from their respective countries Mr. Adetor noted.

About the Skills Anticipation for Green Jobs Capacity Building

The Skills Anticipation component interventions aim to enhance the capacity of public and private institutions and key stakeholders in AUC Member States to effectively apply knowledge, technical skills, strategies and instruments to address the challenge of mismatch and imbalance of skills demand and supply across the African Continent.

It is an established fact that countries that have succeeded in linking skills to productivity gains, increased employment and enhanced development have targeted skills development policies towards matching supply to demand for skills. Experience has also shown that building and sustaining competencies for future labour market needs and helping workers and enterprises adjust to changes in the labour market requires stronger skills anticipation and matching capacities and systems.

Against this background, the African Union (AU) has adopted a set of strategies to address the problem. Notable among them are the Agenda 2063, the African Youth Charter (2006); the Continental education strategy for Africa (CESA 2016-2025); the Continental TVET Strategy (2014); and an initiative to boost education, technology and innovation (C10) Championing Education, Science and Technology.

Within this context, the Skills Initiative for Africa (SIFA), a Project of the African Union Commission (AUC) and the African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD) supported by the German Government and European Union seeks to contribute toward the AUs agenda for a more prosperous Africa. Under the EU-funded SIFA component on Skills for Youth Employability (SYEP), the AU is collaborating with the International Labour Organization (ILO) to implement Skills Anticipation capacity development interventions for the selected AU Member States.

This weeks workshop in Ghana covers broadly on all relevant sectors. It will focus on the three priority sectors for a green economy in Ghana: renewable energy, forestry, and agriculture and as identified in Ghanas NDCs.

It will build on the existing national strategies and projects of ILO, UNESCO, and UNDP to strengthen the capacity of the major stakeholders to support continuous skills development-related measures for the transition to a sustainable economy. Among other things, this project will use pre-tertiary education as foundation to sharpen future growth and functioning towards behavioral change, transformation, and innovation that provide space for future leaders with employable skills and sustainable environmental lifestyle.

The workshop which commenced on Monday will end on Friday, September 30, 2022.
The Saudi Ports Authority (Mawani) has signed seven contracts and MoUs worth over SR900 million ($240 million) with both partners from the public and private sectors at the ongoing Saudi Maritime Congress being held in Dammam under the patronage of Prince Ahmed bin Fahd bin Salman, Deputy Governor of Eastern Province.

These include deals for establishment of a new integrated logistics park at Jeddah Islamic Port, development of infrastructure as per global standards and aso for setting up new ports management system, reported SPA.

With these deals, Mawani aims to achieve complete transformation in the process of operations and logistical support at Saudi ports, in line with initiatives assigned to the Authority within the Saudi Vision 2030 program, and to fulfill the objectives of the National Transport and Logistics Strategy (NTLS) to position Saudi Arabia as a global logistics hub.

The first contract signed was with Globe Group to build an integrated logistics park and a re-export zone at Jeddah Islamic Port over an area of 135,000 sq m, which will fetch vast employment opportunities for locals and enable national companies specialized in the logistics industry to set up base.

The second contract was signed with PC Marine Services for SR458 million to cooperate in strengthening food security through Jeddah Islamic Port, by constructing new berths with a design depth of 16 m and a length of 1100 m, thus increasing the number of berths from 26 to 31 in the multi-purpose terminal to accommodate large dry bulk vessels.

The scope of work includes development of infrastructure to receive larger dry bulk carriers and also meet the local market demand of grains, as well as securing the kingdoms strategic grain reserve by increasing the imported grains.

Mawani has also sealed a SR184 million contract with Modern Building Leaders (MBL) in cooperation with Huta Hegerfeld Saudia to implement the project of deepening the approach channels, turning basins, waterways, and the southern terminal basin at Jeddah Islamic Port to facilitate the berthing of large vessels with a capacity of 24,000 TEUs.

The Saudi port body has also signed a SR61 million contract with Giza Arabia to implement the security system project at King Fahad Industrial Port in Yanbu.

Another deal was signed with King Abdulaziz University to implement the best practices in the fields of research, training, and academic affairs related to ports as well as the maritime transport and logistics sector, stated the SPA report.

It is aimed at strengthening the cooperation in the fields of occupational health and safety, as well as the Maritime Law and investigations of maritime accidents and injuries, along with protecting the environment from oil leakage and pollution.

In addition, Mawani signed a MoU with the Saudi Accreditation Center to provide accreditation services to the conformity assessment bodies contracting with Mawani, and strengthen the cooperation in the fields of research and exchanging expertise, to further ensure costumer protection as well as general health and safety according to the assessment standards in the kingdom, said the report.

The seventh MoU was inked with Tabadul towards development of the ports new management systems and implement the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) technologies in Saudi ports.

This comes in line with the Smart Ports initiative to expand the services provided at the ports and increasing the 46 current services to reach 150 services, in order to achieve the objectives of the digital transformation in the logistics sector, it stated.

During the event, Mawani focused on strengthening communication along with showcasing promising services and solutions in Saudi Arabia, while it received leaders and experts within the maritime transport and logistics industry on local and international level at its booth in the congress, to share the latest development of Saudi ports.

A key industry event, Saudi Maritime Congress is held annually in cooperation with Mawani, Saudi's national shipping company Bahri, and several strategic founding partners.

The event gathers experts within the maritime transport and logistics sector, along with providing a platform for the pioneers within the industry regionally and globally to discuss investment and development, in line with the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030 which aim to position the Kingdom as global logistics hub.
The body of a man in his early 40s, identified as Agyapa Kofi, has been found at Ofaakor Alico, a suburb of Kasoa in the Awutu Senya East Municipality of the Central Region.

Residents say Agyapa, popularly known as Fulani, was a construction labourer who was seen hale and hearty the previous day.

An eyewitness told the Ghana News Agency that she visited her daughter at her residence at Ofaakor around 0600 hours and found a man lying on the compound.

She called her daughter and subsequently informed nearby residents who came around and realised the man was dead and reported the case to the police.

A friend, who pleaded anonymity, said he and Agyapa Kofi were together Monday morning at a regular joint in the area but dispersed around 12 noon only to hear about his demise on Tuesday.

Police personnel from the Ofaakor District Command, who retrieved the body, said there were no marks of assault on it.

The body has since been deposited at the Police Hospital Morgue for investigations.

GNA
The government of Ghana has secured $100 million support from the World Bank for the implementation of phase two of the Ghana Productive Safety Net Project (GPSNP).

Phase two of the project would be implemented from 2022 to 2025 in 100 districts across the country following the successful implementation of the first phase of the project, which spanned from 2019 to 2022, in 80 districts.

Mr Martin Adjei-Mensah Korsah, a Deputy Minister of Local Government, Decentralisation, and Rural Development, revealed this in Wa during an orientation workshop for beneficiary Regional Coordinating Councils and District Assemblies within the GPSNP Wa Zone.

The GPSNP, a social intervention initiative, is jointly implemented by the Ministry of Local Government, Decentralisation and Rural Development (MLGDRD) and the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection (MGCSP) as part of efforts of the government to improve the livelihoods of Ghanaians.

While the MLGDRD led the implementation of Labour-Intensive Public Works Programme (LIPW) and Productive Inclusion (PI) components of the project, the MGCSP also focused on Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) and Social Protection System Strengthening components.

Mr Korsah, who is also the Member of Parliament for Techiman South Constituency in the Bono East Region, said the 100 beneficiary districts would include urban areas, which were previously not included in phase one.

The objective of the second phase of GPSNP is to expand and enhance social safety nets that improve the incomes and productivity of the poor in rural and urban areas in Ghana, he indicated.

The Minister explained that the project was expected to benefit the poorest households in the country who would be selected from the poorest districts and communities using the latest available Ghana Living Standards Survey (GLSS) data from the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS).

The beneficiaries would include 35,000 people through a PI programme, 60,000 beneficiaries through a LIPW programme, and 350,000 households through a cash transfer programme.

Since effectiveness, the Ministry has disbursed a total amount of GHS 91.8 million as direct grants to beneficiaries under both the Productive Inclusion (PI) and Labour-Intensive Public Works (LIPW) components, Mr Korsah observed.

Mrs Cedonia Dere, the Wa Zonal Coordinator of the GPSNP, noted that since 2019, the project had impacted the livelihoods of thousands of people in the communities through the different modules of the projects saying, The project objective is to reduce poverty and to put money in the pockets of the people.

She explained that under the LIPW, they had disbursed about GH15 million to over 7,000 people across the 14 project districts through the engagement of the beneficiary communities to construct 13 feeder roads, 22 dams, and 25 climate change interventions (cashew plantations).

As I am talking to you these people most of them averagely have received GH2,000.00 as wages which most of them are trading with and it has improved the lives of the beneficiaries and their families, Mrs. Dere observed.

She added that the project had also empowered about 5,490 people through the PI component by training them in income-generating activities including animal rearing, soap making, and shea butter processing among others with about GHS 4 million disbursed to them as start-up capital to start their business activities.

Dr. Hafiz Bin Salih, the Upper West Regional Minister, stressed the need to create awareness of the project among the beneficiary assemblies and provide a clear understanding of the project objectives and implementation processes.

GNA
Mr Piotr Hofmanski, the President of the International Criminal Court (ICC) Wednesday called for a global action to increase the jurisdiction of the Court to address the many challenges it faces.

He said the institution had made significant progress at broadening its investigations and jurisdiction but there was more room for improvement.

Mr Hofmanski said this when he called on the Speaker of Parliament, Mr Alban Kingsford Sumana Bagbin at his office in Accra, as part of his working visit to Ghana.

A statement issued by the Public Affairs Directorate of Parliament and copied to the Ghana News Agency said he commended the Eighth Parliament for its efforts in supporting the legal regime in Ghana.

The ICC President would deliver a public lecture at the Law Faculty of the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA) as part of his activities for the three-day visit.

The Speaker, in his welcome remarks, outlined the efforts being made to domesticate the instruments of the Rome Statute to give effect to Ghana's obligations under international law.

I have written to the Attorney-General and requested that the draft domestic legislation on the International Criminal Court be submitted to the House without further delays, he said.

There is no need to tarry with the bill when it is one of the urgent instruments we need to enact in our country.

Ghana drafted the International Criminal Court Bill in 2016 but it has not been passed to domesticate the Rome Statute and give effect to Ghana's obligations under it.

The Speaker, therefore, assured Mr Hofmanski of his resolve to see to the passage of the bill before his tenure ends in January 2025.

World leaders, he said, must appreciate the benefits associated with a rule-based world order and do all they could to champion the rule of law.

He, however, urged the ICC leadership to work hard to erase the perception that the Court only targeted African countries, especially when there was evidence of major crimes being perpetrated by leaders on other continents.

GNA
Chief Justice Kwasi Anin Yeboah says the misinterpretation and misunderstanding of court decisions regardless of the motives with which they are done should not cause judges and magistrates to waver in their duties.

Chief Justice Yeboah noted that some decisions of the courts have led to public outcry but tasked the Magistrates and Judges to withstand those pressures.

As judges and magistrates, yours is to uphold the rule of law in the country. It must also be understood that the rights of everybody must be protected within the confines of the law.

The Chief Justice was speaking at the 41st Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Association of Magistrates and Judges of Ghana (AMJG) in Accra on Wednesday.

The two-day AGM is on the theme: Maintaining the integrity of the Judiciary amidst challenges of democratic rights and freedoms.''

The occasion would afford Judges and Magistrates the opportunity to take stock and reflect on their past events and resolve to work harder in fulfilment of their mandates.

Justice Yeboah noted that criticizing decisions of the court involved the criticisms of the entire judgement and same must be done within the confines of the law.

He regretted that on many occasions when judgements were criticised, the deliverer was also personally attacked.

According to him, people should also bear in mind that the goal of democracy was the enjoyment of all human rights and freedoms

Justice Yeboah said freedom of speech had its limits, adding, this is an inconvertible fact we all bear in mind. When dealing with institutions like the judiciary, freedoms should be within the law.

We cannot forbid people from expressing their sentiments but unsubstantiated and wild allegations against judges, physical and verbal threats and attacks on judges, perverted the course of justice and same must not be countenanced.

According to the Chief Justice, this also seems to erode the hard earned and enviable reputations chalked by the Judiciary to the admiration of the international community.

He said the Judiciary would continue to provide Judges and magistrates with the needed logistics and infrastructure to deliver.

Chief Justice Yeboah commended judges and magistrates who tirelessly worked to keep the peace in the country.

Mr Justice Anthony Kwofi, President, AMJG, also recalled how some judges and magistrates had come under attack, following the delivery of judgements.

Justice Kwofi said the association was not against constructive criticisms which made parties to sit up.

He said judges, by nature of their work, could not go on air to defend themselves, adding, the association had been compelled to come out with various statements in support of some members who had been maligned and attacked by various publications.

The President of AMJG called for the improvement of infrastructure of some of the courts.

He also appealed for the payment of allowances to members promptly and avoid delays, especially in an era where prices of petrol kept rising.

Mr Alfred Tuah Yeboah, Deputy Attorney General, said the stability of the judiciary was based on public trust and confidence in the judiciary.

According to him, the judiciary earned that trust and confidence by faithfully discharging its duties and maintaining its ethical standards.

He noted that public perceptions of the judiciary were often coloured by misunderstanding of the decisions and judgements of the courts.

He was worried over some distorted coverage of the courts by the media and called for collaboration between the judiciary and the media to ensure accurate and fair reportage for public consumption.

Mr Samuel Afotey Otu, President of Judicial Service Staff Association of Ghana (JUSAG), said the theme for the AGM was apt and urged the Judges and magistrates to continue to protect the fundamental human rights and freedom of citizens.

There were goodwill messages from the Ghana Bar Association and the Ghana School of Law.

GNA
The Ghana Integrity Initiative (GII) has expressed concern over the emergence of jihadists and other terrorists' movements in Ghana's neighbouring countries.

It said, so far, the activities of those terrorists had displaced many people across the sub-region, hence efforts must be made to tighten security at Ghana's territorial boundaries to help check the worrisome situation.

Madam Linda Ofori-Kwafo, the Executive Director of GII, raised this concern at a two-day workshop in Accra on: Strengthening Border Security in Ghana.

It was on the theme: The Role of CSOs in Ghana's Border Security Management, aimed at developing linkages between Strengthening the Ghana Border Security Project and the National Security Ministry.

She said sections of the public were still ignorant about issues of terrorists' insurgence in neighbouring countries and the situation calls for the beefing up of security and public sensitisation on terrorists' activities and the consequent threats.

She called on civil society organisations to complement government's efforts at improving border security management to achieve the ultimate results.

Madam Ofori-Kwafo appealed to the National Security Ministry to make the engagement an annual national forum to increase collaborations towards effective border security management and other security related issues.

Our borders are porous and it makes it vulnerable for cross border crime, terrorists' attacks, drug trafficking and illegal trade, particularly smuggling of contraband goods, she said.

We need to guard our own borders and territorial boundaries to keep the country safe from terrorists' attacks.

Mr Irchad Razaaly, the European Union Ambassador to Ghana, called for effective collaboration among the citizens, CSOs, and the government security agencies operating along the border communities to maintain the peace.

The GII, in collaboration with the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD), organised the forum for 90 stakeholders drawn from selected CSOs, the media, development partners and migration policy makers and implementers.

The Strengthening Border Security in Ghana (SBS Ghana) project is funded by the European Union Emergency Trust Fund (EUTF) for Africa and implemented by ICMPD in cooperation with the Ghana Immigration Service.

GNA
Members of Local Accountability Networks (LANets) in Tamale have undergone training to build their capacity to enable them to monitor projects being implemented using the countrys oil revenues.

As part of the days training held in Tamale, participants were taken through the Petroleum Revenue Management Act (PRMA) and the issues they should look out for when it was time for monitoring the projects such as missing projects, touch and go where projects were not completed, to ups, and situations where the money was not even found at all.

This was in line with the From Disclosure to Impact  Mobilising Local Civil Society to verify Published Extractives Data and Advocate for Equitable, Accountable Spend of Funds project being implemented by the Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition (GACC).

The year-long project, which began in June, 2022 and would end in May, 2023, is being implemented in five Assemblies across the country including Tamale Metropolis, Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolis, Nzema East, and Ho Municipalities, and Asante Akim Central District.

Mr Samuel Harrison-Cudjoe, Research and Policy Officer, GACC, who gave details of the project during the training, said as part of the project GACC is mobilising local CSOs to verify published extractives data. It is supposed to help us in our advocacy and accountability drive.

He said the project was also to ensure that We get the tangible benefits of our oil revenue. Now, by the PRMA, we are supposed to spend 70 per cent of the Annual Budget Funding Amount (ABFA) on capital expenditure. So now, we want to monitor that. What are we spending on in terms of infrastructure? Where is it located? We will go and verify to see that the projects are actually there.

He said this was to ensure that the impact of the countrys oil money would be really felt.

He urged participants to be brave, and keep up the good work because This is a lot of voluntary work that you are doing. As you go through this, remember that we are not doing this for ourselves but for our children and our childrens children, and to ensure a better Ghana.

Mr Masud Aziz Rauf, Executive Director of RUWA Ghana, and LANet Focal Person in Tamale urged participants to be meticulous in discharging their roles to verify the projects being funded through the ABFA.
Russia intends to call a United Nations Security Council meeting over damage to two undersea gas pipelines in the Baltic Sea, Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2, according to Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova.

Zakharova announced Moscow's intention on her Telegram account, and in a separate post she pointed the finger at the United States.

"On 27 January 2022, Deputy Secretary of State Victoria Nuland said at a State Department briefing that the US would achieve a shutdown of Nord Stream 2 in the event of a Russian 'invasion' of Ukraine," she wrote.

Earlier, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitri Peskov had rejected accusations that Russia was responsible for the damage to the two pipelines, saying it was "quite predictable, and also predictably stupid to voice such versions", adding that the situation "is a big problem for us. Both lines of Nord Stream 2 are filled with gas, the entire system is ready to pump gas, and this gas is very expensive."

On Monday at least two explosions were recorded on the pipelines, causing massive gas leaks.

The European Union said sabotage is the most likely cause, with EU chief Ursula von der Leyen threatening the "strongest possible response".

A European Council statement said that "all available information indicates [the] leaks are the result of a deliberate act. We will support any investigation aimed at getting full clarity on what happened and why, and will take further steps to increase our resilience in energy security".

The statement added that "any deliberate disruption of European energy infrastructure is utterly unacceptable and will be met with a robust and united response".

New pipeline

The explosions damaging the Nord Stream pipelines coincide with the opening of a gas pipeline between Norway and Poland on 27 September.

In the authoritative Oilprice.com portal that follows the world's energy markets, energy specialist Cyril Widdershoven writes that observers "are worried that the leakages and explosions on both lines are not an incident, but linked to the launch of the Baltic Pipe, which carries Norwegian gas to Poland."

Danish operators and companies have increased their security, and Danish authorities say that it will take weeks before investigations into the cause of the explosions will yield any result.

(With agencies)
Once a symbol of the jihadist war in northeast Nigeria, the town of Bama today betrays the grinding nature of a 13-year conflict, caught between reconstruction and fighting that still rages beyond its borders.

In September 2014, Boko Haram fighters succeeded in seizing the commercial town of 300,000 inhabitants, before being driven out seven months later by the army following a heavy offensive.

Mostly destroyed, Bama became a ghost town deserted by its inhabitants.

But four years ago, life slowly resumed. Some 120,000 residents who had taken refuge in the Borno state capital of Maiduguri gradually resettled in Bama.

Today on one side, houses with new roofs welcome back former inhabitants, encouraged by official promises of peace.

On the other side, endless rows of tin shacks serve as a refuge for newcomers. Tens of thousands of displaced Nigerians have come out of the "bush", the countryside where jihadists still battle soldiers beyond Bama's trenches.

Inside the garrison enclave, dozens of destroyed houses, gutted roofs and charred walls are a painful reminder of Bama's recent history.

Camp closures

Halima Tarmi Abba returned to Bama in 2018, four years after fleeing.

"The authorities gave us a new house because ours had been completely destroyed," says the 36-year-old mother of three.

In all, the government has built and rehabilitated more than 10,000 houses, around 50 water pumps and 154 school classes, according to the UN.

But for a year, Bama has been unable to absorb the flood of returnees.

"The city is overcrowded, because the authorities have closed the camps in Maiduguri, and a large number are returning to Bama," Abba says.

"There are too many children in the classrooms, and patients in the hospitals."

Since May 2021, Borno state authorities have closed more than nine camps, which housed 140,000 people, to push the displaced to resettle outside Maiduguri, in areas they claim to have secured, such as Bama.

The trenches that encircle Bama illustrate that if the military holds the northeastern cities, they do not control the countryside, where they are vulnerable to militants who have turned to ambushes and roadside explosives.

The 2021 death of Boko Haram chief Abubakar Shekau during infighting with rival fighters from the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) did not signal the end of a conflict that has killed more than 40,000 and displaced two million since 2009.

But it has allowed ISWAP to consolidate as the dominant jihadist force in the region, in particular in the Sambisa forest, not far from Bama.

Gunshots and explosions

"I'm happy to be living in Bama again, but we can't say that the conflict is behind us," Abba says.

"Sometimes we hear gunshots in the night, or even explosions, the jihadists are not far away."

Every day, "hundreds of people continue to arrive from villages still controlled by armed groups, exhausted with fatigue and hunger", explains Ousmane Umar, a Nigerian aid employee who has worked in Bama since 2018.

Since last summer, around 60,000 people have arrived in Bama: villagers who lived under Boko Haram, or families of its former combatants who have recently surrendered to the authorities.

Many find refuge in the camp for displaced people inside Bama, initially built for 25,000 people, but which the UN says hosts 88,000 now. There are plans to expand the camp as quickly as possible.

At its entrance, exhausted women and men drag themselves toward thousands of tin shacks; others sit impassive among hundreds of children playing noisily.

Ibrahim shares one of the huts -- less than 10 square metres (108 square feet) -- with 10 family members.

"It's not liveable, but where do you want us to go?" asks the father who arrived nine months ago.

More than 50,000 children in the camp share a single primary school. Sanitary facilities are largely insufficient.

"People are literally living on top of each other, it's a really desperate situation," said Trond Jensen, head of the UN's Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in Nigeria.

There was also the risk of a "disease outbreak", he added.
The Franco-Ivorian rapper Kaaris has been taken into police custody for questioning, after being accused of domestic violence by his former girlfriend.

The 42-year-old, famous for his 2013 album "Or Noir" ("Black Gold), turned himself in to a police station in Saint-Genevieve-des-Bois, outside Paris, on Wednesday in response to a summons.

In a complaint filed on 7 July, Linda P, who has a child with Kaaris, said she was kicked and punched in January 2021 when she turned up at a new residence the rapper had acquired following a breakdown in the relationship.

Linda P said that she had to use crutches and wore a splint on her leg for two weeks afterwards.

Her complaint also targeted a woman who was with Kaaris on the day, for failing to come to the aid of a person in danger.

Linda P said Kaaris had left the relationship suddenly and without explanation, causing "deep trauma" to their child.

Kaaris called Linda P's version of events "lies, and filed a complaint for slanderous denunciation.

She will also be questioned by police.

In his complaint, Kaaris said she "conjured out of nothing the violent acts that she later reported to judicial authorities", adding that her aim was to "exert a form of media, judicial and financial pressure" on him.

(with wires)
As Henry Ford once famously said, "If everyone is moving forward together, then success takes care of itself," and again reiterated in Oliver Wendell Holmes that, "many ideas grow better when transplanted into another mind than the one where they sprang up."

The Time To Think Foundation is ready to recruit the services of committed volunteers to aid in the organisations zeal to eradicate educational poverty in deprived communities in the West African Sub-region.

As an organisation whose primary objective is to see every child, poor or rich, from urban or rural areas, equally achieve their goals without impediments, the board of directors is urging the general public to support their voluntarily and commitment to society.

"We know you care about educational and socioeconomic development. As such, the TIME TO THINK FOUNDATION welcomes you as we work to end the scourge of educational poverty in West Africa, particularly in deprived communities, "according to a notice shared on the organization's social media handle.

Why join the Foundation

The Time To Think Foundation is a non-profit organisation that has been assisting learners from Kindergarten to Junior High School.

The Foundation intends to operate in Ghana and other African countries such as Cote d'Ivoire, Benin, Togo, Cameroon, Nigeria, and Burkina Faso, with a focus on areas with little educational support.

The Foundation also hosts learning seminars, role-plays and workshops, as well as exchange programmes between regions and amongst African countries to actively promote exposure.

It also seeks to identify brilliant but financially-challenged individuals in order to provide assistance through scholarships, for the realisation of the career aspirations of beneficiaries within the country and the African Continent.

To join the organisation as a volunteer, you are encouraged to click on the link below to fill out the form, and if you have further enquiries, you can contact the under-listed people.

https://timetothinkghana.org/volunteer/

1. Public Relations Officer Isaac Donkor

0242227963

0509354288

0249510529

2. Mr. Godfred, Road Map Manager

0550346339
The UAEs Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure (MOEI) has launched the UAE Maritime Network initiative, which aims to support international maritime organisations and promote the UAE as a global maritime hub and an ideal environment for maritime investments.

The initiative supports the Ministrys efforts to enhance the position of the UAEs maritime sector globally. The Maritime Network initiative supports MOEIs objective of developing and strengthening alternative economic components to the oil sector, as well as being a major contributor to the Projects of the 50, MOEI said in a statement.

In order to launch the initiative, the Ministry will build a communications network consisting of various regional and international maritime entities. This will act as a platform for launching various initiatives, and announcing activities and events. It will also be a knowledge hub for international maritime stakeholders to know more about investment opportunities in the UAEs maritime industry.

Eng. Hassan Mohammed Juma Al Mansouri, Undersecretary for Infrastructure and Transport Affairs at the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure said: The UAE is a unique success story in terms of government excellence. We will unify the UAEs maritime sector by launching this initiative, which will integrate the capabilities of the various entities and organisations in the sector. The Network will enhance their performance by bringing together the competencies and experiences of professionals and experts working in these companies, many of whom are world-class experts. This will build a massive think tank and a common platform for maritime companies in the nation to create new opportunities for investments in the sector.

Al Mansouri added: Our role in the UAE maritime sector is not limited to managing and operating one of the most important maritime hubs worldwide in terms of shipping, logistics, bunker fuel supply and oil export, but are also a centre for building bridges of cooperation among leading global maritime clusters, as well as motivating the exchange of innovative ideas and projects. Launching the Maritime Network is one of our key initiatives in preparation for the next 50 years, especially since the maritime sector contributes more than AED 90 billion annually to the UAEs economy. We will double this figure in a few years by empowering the sector and the organisations operating under its umbrella.

Consolidating capacity and interconnected capabilities

The UAE plays a vital role in global seaborne trade with more than 27,000 maritime companies operating in the nation. The countrys strategic location has contributed to making it a leading hub for maritime businesses in the GCC, East Africa, and the Indian subcontinent. The UAE also places innovation as one of its top priorities. The Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure has always supported the development of the maritime sector and promoted the adoption of modern technologies, innovative solutions, and has worked towards strengthening the UAE to keep pace with the latest developments in the global maritime sector, in addition to meeting international standards of maritime safety and protection of the marine environment.

Eng. Hessa Al Malek, Advisor to the Minister for Maritime Transport Affairs, Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure said: The strategy of moving towards a blue economy in the UAE is based on several pillars, including innovation, creativity, research and development, as well as strong connections with regional and global maritime companies. The Maritime Network will unify the sector in the UAE, and will support the growth of the industry in the nation through a comprehensive government system. The UAE houses the headquarters of many international maritime companies. We seek to create an inclusive platform at the national level that includes all the influential players in the maritime sector to enhance our capabilities and catalyse the development of the industry globally.

Integrated Investment Platform

The Maritime Network will serve as a unified portal for maritime companies in the region and across the globe with a centralised database. It will also organise events, conferences, and panel discussions to bring together the government and private sectors in order to discuss ideas that will help in the advancement of the sector, and help formulate the maritime strategy for the next 50 years. Several accelerators will also stimulate the generation of innovative ideas and turn them into global maritime projects.--TradeArabia News Service
Rwandan tycoon Felicien Kabuga played a "substantial" role in the 1994 genocide that shocked the world, prosecutors said at the opening of his trial in The Hague on Thursday.

Once one of Rwanda's richest men, the 87-year-old Kabuga used his vast wealth to set up hate media that urged ethnic Hutus to kill rival Tutsi "snakes" and supplied the murderous Interahamwe militia with machetes, the prosecution said.

The wheelchair-bound Kabuga himself refused to appear for his trial at the UN's International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals due to a dispute over his lawyer.

"Kabuga didn't need to wield a rifle or a machete at a roadblock, rather he supplied weapons in bulk and facilitated the training that prepared the Interahamwe to use them," prosecutor Rashid S. Rashid told the court.

"He didn't need to pick up a microphone to call for the extermination of the Tutsi on the radio, rather he founded, funded and served as president of... the radio station that broadcast genocidal propaganda across Rwanda."

After decades on the run, Kabuga was arrested in France in 2020 and sent to a UN court to face charges over the killing of 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus.

Kabuga's lawyers entered a not guilty plea at a first appearance in 2020 and have repeatedly tried but failed to halt the trial on health grounds.

But Rashid told the court, "Twenty-eight years after the events, this trial is about holding Felicien Kabuga to account for his substantial and intentional role in that genocide."

The trial is being closely watched in the small central African nation, including in Kabuga's native village of Nyange.

"We are looking forward to his trial. It has been a long time coming," Anastase Kamizinkunze, the district head of IBUKA, the umbrella association for genocide survivors, told AFP.

Human Rights Watch welcomed the start of the trial.

"This is a significant step in efforts to ensure accountability for planning, ordering, and carrying out the genocide in Rwanda," the rights group said.

'Distributed machetes'

The UN says 800,000 people were murdered in Rwanda in 1994 in a 100-day rampage.

Kabuga's trial is being closely watched in Rwanda, including in his native village of Nyange. By Mariam Kone (AFP)

An ally of Rwanda's then-ruling party, Kabuga allegedly helped create the Interahamwe Hutu militia group and the Radio-Television Libre des Mille Collines (RTLM), whose broadcasts incited people to murder.

The radio station identified the hiding places of Tutsis where they were later killed, prosecutors said in the indictment.

Kabuga also allegedly imported and distributed machetes to genocidal groups and ordered them to kill Tutsis.

More than 50 witnesses are expected to appear for the prosecution, which said they needed about 40 hours to wrap up their case.

After fleeing Rwanda, Kabuga spent more than 20 years evading an arrest warrant issued in 1997 by using a series of false passports.

Investigators say he was helped by a network of former Rwandan allies to evade justice in several countries before he was finally caught in a small apartment in Paris.

His lawyers argued he should face trial in France for health reasons but the nation's top court ruled he should be moved to UN custody.

Kabuga is one of the last top suspects of the Rwandan genocide to face justice, with 62 convicted so far.

Others, including the man seen as the architect of the genocide, Augustin Bizimana, and former presidential guard commander Protais Mpiranya, have both died.

Victims have called for a swift trial for Kabuga noting "if he dies before facing justice, he would have died under the presumption of innocence".

But in Nyange, many residents still speak fondly of the man who rose from humble farming stock to run an empire of coffee, tea and real estate.

"He paid us well," said Alphonsine Musengimana, 35, who worked on Kabuga's tea plantations as a child.

burs-jhe-d/bp
Gunmen killed five soldiers and a civilian in southeast Nigeria, police and local media said Thursday, after the latest bloodshed in a region where separatist tensions often flare.

Wednesday's attack on troops in Umunze area of Anambra state was condemned by the governor though he did provide casualty numbers.

Security will be a major issue in February's election to replace President Muhammadu Buhari, with troops fighting jihadists, separatist gunmen and criminal gangs across parts of Nigeria.

"There was some shooting at Umunze yesterday leaving some people dead," Anambra state police spokesman Tochukwu Ikenga told AFP, refusing to disclose casualty figures from Wednesday's attack.

"We have deployed our men to hunt down the assailants," he said.

Local media said five soldiers in a vehicle were ambushed and shot dead, while a civilian bystander was killed by stray bullet.

The armed forces did not immediately respond to a call seeking details.

The assault came barely three weeks after the convoy of an opposition lawmaker, Ifeanyi Ubah, was ambushed in the state, killing five people including two security escorts.

Although the senator was unhurt, the assault underscored growing insecurity in the region.

No group has claimed responsibility for the violence, less than five months before February 25 presidential, senate and congressional elections.

In a statement late Wednesday, Anambra state governor Charles Soludo condemned the killing of the soldiers and the attack on the lawmaker.

"We condemn this wicked and cruel attack in the strongest terms. The perpetrators of this act must pay," Soludo said.

"We are not going to rest on our oars, including those people that attacked Senator Ifeanyi Ubah and the rest. There will be absolutely no hiding place for them."

Southeast Nigeria has seen scores of attacks blamed on the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) group or its armed wing ESN.

IPOB, which seeks a separate state for ethnic Igbo people, has repeatedly denied responsibility for violence in the region.

More than 100 police officers and other security personnel have been killed since the beginning of last year in targeted attacks, according to local media tallies.

Prisons have been raided with scores of inmates freed and weapons stolen. Local offices of the national electoral authorities have also been targeted.

IPOB's leader Nnamdi Kanu is in government custody and faces trial for treason after he was captured overseas and brought back to Nigeria.

Separatism is a sensitive issue in a nation where the declaration of an independent Republic of Biafra in 1967 by Igbo army officers sparked a three-year civil war that left more than one million people dead.
Mr Albert Kan Dapaah, the National Security Minister, has said Ghana will need one billion pounds (11 billion cedis) to import weapons and light ammunition to fight terrorist attacks.

He said terrorists attacks on West African countries were on the rise, hence the need to put in measures that would counter the sophiscated activities of those terrorists.

Mr Kan Dapaah said this at the second edition of the West Africa Mining Security (WAMS) conference hosted by the Government and the Australian High Commission on Wednesday.

He expressed the governments readiness to provide aminitions for the security services to fight against these attacks when the need arises.

Since the beginning of this year, there has been 346 terrorist attacks in Africa of which 76 had been on West African countries.

The National Security Minister urged mining companies to take up the task to ensure the safety and security of their workers as security issues in the mining sector kept increasing.

Mrs Bernice Owen-Jones, the Australian High Commissioner to Ghana, lauded government's commitment to using the West African Mining Securty conference as a platform to discuss challenges in ensuring a safe operating environment and putting its best foot forward in the fight against terrorism in West Africa.

 WAMS provides an opportunity to focus on security issues facing Australian and other international mining companies in West Africa, she said.

The two-day conference would examine evolving threats in the West African regional security environment and their implications for mining companies.

GNA
29.09.2022 LISTEN

A galamsey pit has caved in on some alleged illegal miners at Akyem Twepiase near Kyebi in the Eastern region.

From the information gathered, at least three of the illegal miners are feared dead in the underground mining pit collapse.

Meanwhile, one of the victims has been retrieved and confirmed dead. The body was earlier retrieved by police with the help of community members and rushed to Kyebi government hospital.

He was sadly pronounced dead on arrival. The body has been deposited at the morgue of the hospital.

According to reports, the victims are young labourers hired by owners of the illegal mining site to work in the mine.

They were doing down blow which is underground mining. This particular one is about twice of two high tension poles deep. So because it rained the whole day yesterday so it caved on them. It is not clear the number of people trapped. So far one person has been retrieved. All the owners of the site have runaway. The victims are not Akyems they are northerners hired to work in the pit, one of the residents told the media.

The community leaders of Akyem Twepiase are working with residents and the police to rescue any other person trapped in the pit.
29.09.2022 LISTEN

Between now and October 2022, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) will be holding its internal elections to elect its executives to manage the affairs of the party.

As the party swears in branch executives today at various points, the delegates are also preparing to vote to choose the Constituency Executives.

To win an executive position in the party, the candidates must receive support from a majority of the delegates. The atmosphere in the Abuakwa North constituency is calm as the candidates are selling their messages.

So far no billboards, but most of the candidates are using radio to discuss their messages while others display their messages and flyers on social media especially 'Abuakwa North for Development' platform.

It is, therefore, not surprising to see Alhaji Sididi Mohammed popularly known as Arab Money take over the chairmanship position as the incumbent, Mr Siaw David Frimpong eye a regional executive position.

The Secretary, Mr. Latif Adjani is also being challenged by three others, namely Yusif Umar, Kwajo Amoako Dampare and another personality.

All the other incumbents who are seeking re-election are being challenged in an election which is expected to be fiercely contested.

Supporters of Alhaji Siddi Mohammed Arab money are convinced that he will emerge victorious in the contest, saying his contributions not only to the party but grassroots is huge and he will definitely deliver to the admiration of all party members.

The vice chairman position per the delegates' submission goes to Mr John Kwaku Adusei known as Engineer 1, who is a telecommunication and electrical engineer, a businessman and also a farmer.

Currently, he is the chief engineer at the Hawa Memorial Hospital at Akyem Osiem in the Abuakwa North Municipality, the CEO of John Adusei group of businesses and also the Personal Aide to Mr/Mrs Juan Casal, a Spanish based Orthopaedic specialist in Ghana.

Engineer 1 was the branch chairman for Osiem. He was the chairman of chairmen of all the Osiem branches from 2012 to 2020. Considering all his impeccable track records, he is rated high for the position.

However, three persons are interested in contesting the communication race, four for the youth organiser, three for women organiser and two for deputy communications positions.
29.09.2022 LISTEN

Judges and Magistrates in Ghana have reacted to the recent criticisms against them by some persons in the country including former President John Dramani Mahama .

The judges say they welcome constructive criticisms but not needless attacks which seek to undermine the integrity of the Judiciary.

Speaking at the annual conference for Judges and Magistrates in Accra, President of the Association of Magistrates and Judges, Justice Henry Kwofie You all recognise that the Judiciary as an institution and Judges, in general, have been the subject of quite a lot of rhetoric, attacks and judgement of our courts even judgements of the highest court of the land have been attacked and the Judges who delivered the same judgements have not been swerved either.

In my view, impugning the motives of Judges is actually undermining the integrity of the Judiciary. As a result of these unnecessary and incessant attacks, the Association in the first for about three to four terms has come out to issue statements to correct the erroneous impression and deliberate misinformation and falsehood churned out against the Judiciary.

The Association must not be misunderstood to be against criticisms of Judges or the Judiciary. Criticism, if it is constructive, helps to improve any sitting and makes the various actors sit up but that is not what we are seeing lately in the press and the various social media, he added.

The Judiciary is not perfect and infallible. However, the proper tools and methods for improving and correcting the work of the Judiciary are through constructive criticisms and superior arguments not acts that targets their personality, undermine their independence, being dishonor to the administration of justice and endanger their security and safety. I pledge the support of the Ghana Bar Association to uphold the noble profession and the honour and dignity that Judiciary deserves, he said.

Recently, Former President Mahama indicated the brand image of Ghana's judiciary especially the Supreme Court, has been badly damaged.

In his view, the judiciary is lately subjected to public mockery because the people no longer feel they can get justice.

Mr Mahama whose election petition was unanimously dismissed by the highest court of the land after the 2020 general elections intimated that the time has come for the judiciary to undergo self-cleansing but, he added, the current Chief Justice Kwasi Anin-Yeboah cannot lead that process.

He said these while opening the 2nd Annual Lawyers Conference of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) on Sunday August 28.

Recently, so badly has the image of our judiciary deteriorated that many of our citizenry openly make mockery of our justice system and of our justices. The phrase 'go to court' is these days met with derisive laughter instead of hope that one will truly get justice if he went to the court.

If people are not poking fun about politics and inducement being used to sway the hand of justice in the Lower Courts then it is poking fun and making statements about the 7:0 of the the unanimous FC, verdicts which mostly involve cases of a political nature in our Supreme court, this is an unfortunate but serious development.

One of the scariest existential threats to any democracy is when citizens think their judiciary holds no value for them or no use to them, this is the security threat that the National Security apparatus tried to draw the attention of the nation to recently but was poorly received by the President and his party.

READ ALSO: Supreme Court set June 7 to give judgment in case involving former NCA boss

It is scary because it threatens the peace and stability of our democracy and we must quickly correct this fast spreading notion. If care is not taken, we will get to a state where people will have no qualms about taking the law into their own hands because they do not have the confidence that they can get any justice in the system

'There is therefore, the urgent need for the Ghanaian judiciary to work to win the trust and confidence of the citizenry and erase the widely-held perception of hostility and political bias in legal proceedings at the highest court of the land.

Unfortunately, we have no hope that the current leadership of our judiciary can lead such a process of change, we can only hope that the new Chief Justice will lead the process to repair the broken image that our judiciary has acquired over the last few years.

3news.com
The SNV Ghana under its GrEEn Project has supported 51 Small and Medium scale Enterprises (SMEs) with a total matching grant of over GHS 1.3 million.

The support according to officials of SNV Ghana was to help these entrepreneurs in the Ashanti and Western regions kick-start their green businesses and create jobs.

The grants were released to deserving entrepreneurs who participated in the SNV Netherlands Development Organizations second edition of its yearly GrEEn Business Plan Competition.

Presenting the grants to winners at a colorful event at Noda Hotel in Ejisu Municipality of the Ashanti Region on Tuesday September 26, 2022, the Project Manager for the GrEEn Project at SNV Ghana, Mr Laouali Sadda said the move was aimed at supporting young entrepreneurs who have outstanding green business ideas, products, and technologies.

He noted that the GrEEn Business Plan Competition forms part of the Boosting Green Employment and Enterprise Opportunities in Ghana (GrEEn) Project. Its being implemented by SNV Ghana and the United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) with funding from the European Union and the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Ghana.

"We at the SNV Ghana want to help the local economy to grow while promoting sustainable green businesses that are using strategies that makes uses of waste materials or protect the entire environment, he stated.

A Senior Skills Development Advisor at SNV Ghana, Enock Cudjoe after the event told this reporter that a total of 51 green SMEs (30 from Western Region, 21 from Ashanti Region) have completed SNVs GrEEn Opportunities for Youth Employment (OYE) Entrepreneurship Track Training received matching grants in varied amounts totalling GHS 1,397,934.00

He disclosed that 37 businesses in seven categories won a total of GHS 1,184,434 ranging from GHS 10,000 to over GHS 75,000.

Mr Cudjoe further added that another 14 green entrepreneurs also received a total matching grant of GHS 211,500 to purchase equipment and machinery to scale up their green businesses and start-ups.

He however called on startups and youth in the country to consider taking up any green business that aims at solving everyday problems in their various communities while protecting the environment at the same time.

The overall winner of the competition Rosemond Afua Afful, Chief executive for Ayden Ventures received Gh75,600.

She praised SNV Ghana for the grant adding that, she will invest the money into getting solar irrigation systems for her farms.

"I am currently employing 17 direct workers at my 6 hector farms, and with this support from SNV Ghana, i can cultivate additional 3 hectors which will generate more employment for others," she said.

The Ashanti Regional Minister Hon Simon Osei Mensah lauded the GrEEn Project for rolling out projects that seek to empower youth in the green sector.

Speaking on behalf of the minister at the event, the Deputy Ashanti Regional Coordinating Director Mr I. K Acheampong assured SNV Ghana of governments support for their various projects.
Ghanas judges and magistrates say the unnecessary and incessant attacks on them by persons in the media undermines the judiciary.

Speaking at the annual conference for judges and magistrates in Accra, the President of the Judges and Magistrates Association, Justice Henry Kwofie, said: You all recognise that the judiciary, as an institution, and, judges, in general, have been the subject of quite a lot of rhetoric, attacks and judgment of our courts, even judgments of the highest court of the land have been attacked and the judges who delivered the same judgments have not been swerved either.

In my view, impugning the motives of judges is actually undermining the integrity of the judiciary. As a result of these unnecessary and incessant attacks, the association, in the first, for about three to four terms, has come out to issue statements to correct the erroneous impression and deliberate misinformation and falsehood churned out against the Judiciary, he added.

The association, he noted, must not be misunderstood to be against criticism of judges or the judiciary. Criticism, if it is constructive, helps to improve any sitting and makes the various actors sit up but that is not what we are seeing lately in the press and the various social media.

Also at the conference, the President of the Ghana Bar Association, Mr Yaw Acheampong Boafo, said: The judiciary is not perfect and infallible but noted: The proper tools and methods for improving and correcting the work of the judiciary are through constructive criticisms and superior arguments, not acts that target their personality, undermine their independence, bring dishonour to the administration of justice and endanger their security and safety.

I pledge the support of the Ghana Bar Association to uphold the noble profession and the honour and dignity that Judiciary deserves, he said.

'Unanimous FC''s perceived 'hostile', 'politically biased' decisions 'nat'l security threat'  Mahama says he hopes a 'new CJ repairs judiciary's broken image'

Some weeks ago, former President John Mahama said the image of Ghanas judiciary is broken under the leadership of Justice Anin-Yeboah, and expressed the hope that a new Chief Justice leads an image-cleansing crusade in the future, since, in his view, the current Chief Justice cannot lead such a process.

Addressing a conference of lawyers of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) on Sunday, 28 August 2022, Mr Mahama bewailed that the judiciary has now become the butt of jokes, as a result of its biased rulings and decisions on cases with a political tinge.

Recently, he noted, so badly has the image of our judiciary deteriorated that many of our citizenry openly make a mockery of our justice system and of our justices.

The phrase, Go to court is, these days, is met with derisive laughter, instead of hope that one will truly get justice if he went to the court, Mr Mahama explained.

He said: If people are not poking fun about politics and inducements being used to sway the hand of justice in the lower courts, then it is poking fun and making statements about the 7-0 of the Unanimous FC verdicts, which, mostly, involve cases of a political nature in our Supreme Court.

This is an unfortunate development, he regretted, pointing out: One of the scariest existential threats to any democracy is when citizens think their judiciary holds no value for them or is of no use to them, and this is the security threat that the national security apparatus tried to draw the attention of the nation to, recently but was poorly received by the President and his party.

It is scary because it threatens the peace and stability of our democracy and we must quickly correct this fast-spreading notion, warned Mr Mahama.

He said it is a harbinger of danger.

If care is not taken, well get to a stage where people will have no qualms about taking the law into their own hands because they do not have the confidence that they can get any justice from the system, he cautioned.

Theres, therefore, the urgent need for the Ghanaian judiciary, to work to win the trust and confidence of the citizenry and erase the widely-held perception of hostility and political bias in legal proceedings at the highest court of the land, he urged.

Unfortunately, Mr Mahama noted, we have no hope that the current leadership of our Judiciary can lead such a process of change.

We can only hope that a new Chief Justice will lead the process to repair the broken image that our judiciary has acquired over the last few years, he said.

This is not the first time the former President has lunged at the judiciary.

In March this year, he said: We do have problems with the judiciary, I must say, adding: I think that it is necessary for some internal reforms to take place there.

It is necessary for the Chief Justice or whoever is responsible, to make some reforms, Mr Mahama said when he addressed the US Chapter of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) at Bentley University over the weekend.

Bemoaning how, in his view, most of the governance institutions have been politicised, Mr Mahama said: I give the example of the Judiciary  It is only in Ghana that a Supreme Court will make a decision that a birth certificate is not proof of citizenship.

There are many such funny judgments that have been given, he added.

I remember at one time, our colleague, Professor Raymond Atuguba, said that from research he had done, judges turn to give their judgments in favour of the political party or leader that appointed them.

He was subjected to such a whirlwind of indignation by the judiciary but if you bring it down to what is happening today, and you look at it and see who appointed who, you will find that there was some truth in the research.

The thing is, our Constitution gives the security of tenure to judges. Once you have been appointed, you cannot be removed.

That is why we give security of tenure so that you will have the courage, no matter who appointed you, to give judgment according to your conscience. That is what our judges should do. They must rise to the occasion, urged Mr Mahama.

Source: Classfmonline.com
Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo has narrated how the Inter-Party Advisory Committee (IPAC) of the Electoral Commission under the leadership of Mrs Jean Mensa has lost its relevance because of the posturing of the chair of the election management body.

According to him, the EC boss comes to IPAC meetings with the posture of a headmistress who treats the other partners as students.

He said IPAC is a forum for consensus-building but no consensus has ever been built under Mr Jean Mensas administration.

Mr Ofosu-Ampofo expressed worry that IPAC meetings have been transformed into a forum for majority votes instead of consensus-building.

The NDC chairman said these when he was jointly interviewed by Nana Otu Darko, host of Dwabre Mu, CTVs morning show; and Emmanuel Quarshie, host of Accra100.5FMs morning show Ghana Yensom on Wednesday, 28 September 2022.

"Now, during IPAC meetings, people are heavily searched before they are admitted into the meeting with security armed to the teeth," he said.

"You go for IPAC meetings and some parties are mentioned and you ask yourself, where from this one, too?" he mentioned.

"IPAC is full of political parties without offices run by a fellow with his wife and children as executives, yet these parties are made to take decisions for a party with a huge representation in parliament," Mr Ofosu-Ampofo lamented.

He said these parties are mostly on the majority side of the EC when issues are tabled at the meeting.

Historically, he said IPAC was an initiative of the late President Jerry John Rawlings when the then-New Patriotic Party, led by the late Prof Adu Boahen, boycotted the 1992 parliamentary elections.

According to him, Mr Rawlings thought it wise to create a forum for consensus in the management of elections in the country, hence the establishment of IPAC.

"And over the years, IPAC helped in ensuring election reforms in the country," he stressed.

Source: Classfmonline.com
The announcement by the Greater Accra Regional Minister about the construction of waste transfer sites in Accra was one great stride towards the management of garbage.

The management of waste has remained a conundrum in Accra for decades especially as the rural/urban drift witnessed a major rise and still counting. We do not know the statistics but we can venture to state that Accra, the nation's capital generates thousands of tons of waste daily, the uncollected segment of which remains a nuisance on the street corners of the city.

The spectacle in some areas is so nasty as piled up waste awaits collection by garbage trucks often to distant locations; cynics would deliberately conclude that nothing is being done about the situation.

Rapid urbanisation and the attendant challenges this trend spawns continue to overwhelm the response of the relevant authorities to the waste nuisance situation.

The waste transfer template, by which garbage from varying points in an assembly would be dumped, at a location for onward movement to a final destination, is an innovation which should be supported to work.

With previous responses having failed to address the overwhelming waste management situation in the city, the recently announced template appears to hold the solution to the seeming conundrum.

We have observed how even when residents embark on cleanups, the waste they manage to scoop from the gutters end up returning to the drains having waited to no avail for their collection.

Having made the announcement, the Greater Accra Regional Minister Henry Quartey, and the Regional Coordinating Council, have taken yet another leap towards addressing the conundrum of waste management in Accra.

It is worth repeating that the nation's capital, as the facade of the nation, should be devoid of such spectacle such as uncollected waste especially, in strategic locations within the city.

We have struggled for decades to keep Accra clean all to no avail. Making the city clean is a shared responsibility unfortunately, the cooperation of residents in the various suburbs has not been as forthcoming as it should be.

People who should keep their frontages clean fold their arms as they wait for the assemblies to do what they too should be doing by way of joint operations.

Of course, the assemblies have a role to play and this entails the collection of waste and conveying it to where it belongs. Even when the transfer sites are functional, we expect the authorities to bring residents along. They should, for instance, be educated about how their contribution to the Clean Accra Project is critical.

When all is done, we call for effective monitoring and evaluation, the waste collection sites template, so that where necessary, modifications can be effected.

Source: Daily Guide
Omans production of crude oil and condensates recorded an increase by 10.3% till the end of August 2022 to reach over 257 million barrels, according to data issued by the National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI).



Separately, Crude oil production saw a rise by 13.9% till the end of August 2022, while condensates production declined by 1.7%, reported Oman News Agency (ONA), citing NCSI data.



The total average price for crude Oman oil recorded a surge by 40.4% till the end of August 2022 to reach $95.3 per barrel compared to $67.9 per barrel till the end of August 2021.



The monthly average of oil price increased in August 2022 by 5.3% compared to the corresponding period in 2021.



Omans oil exports recorded a rise by 15.4% till the end of August 2022 compared to the corresponding period in 2021.



Omans oil exports to Japan recorded a surge by 252.8% to reach 8,410,800 barrels until the end of August 2022. Oil exports to South Korea also increased by 68.7% during the same period.



Omans production of natural gas (including imports) rose by 4.8% till the end of August 2022 to reach 35,268,300,000 cu m.



The consumption of gas recorded an increase in industrial areas by 13.3%, industrial projects by 8.1% and oil fields by 1.6%. Meanwhile, consumption of gas in electricity power plants declined by 1.8%.
29.09.2022 LISTEN

The 2023 general election is the most talked about and galvanized election in the history of Nigeria. People are very conscious of their environment and what is happening, and the reasons are clear. Nigeria bleeds from a very terrible bad leadership, and citizens are in acute pain and horrifying agony  hungry, brutalized and traumatized. Except those living pretentiously, otherwise Nigerian citizens at different levels are battling against evil dominion in their struggle for survival from a country so corruptly and incompetently led by APC under Buhari. So, the much-awaited political uprising in Nigeria is about to start.

Every policy made by the politicians controls our lives and shapes the future, hence we can no longer afford to leave politics solely into the hands of these people that have blatantly abused every privilege and grossly condoned and supervised corruption that made Nigeria the 154 least corrupt nation out of 180 countries in the world, second in West Africa, and earned her the award as the capital city of poverty, and the second most terrorized in the world only after Iraq. Never again will we allow our destiny to be in the hands of those political buccaneers we have seen without principle shamelessly go back to their vomits and behave like playboys  without control and integrity. They have deceptively turned our joy to sorrow. Enough is enough. Every registered voter must go and collect his/her PVC. Registering for the PVC is one thing, collecting the card is an alliance that compliments the registration, and voting is actually the final process that adds value to the other two processes. None of these three processes can be meaningful without the other. According to INEC, millions of voters card are still in their offices nation wide uncollected. I appeal to all political parties to spread this message of card collection during their campaigns at the campaign grounds, and ask their entire supporters group to energize the people and make sure that their group members collect their PVCs before they are used to rig the election.

As the campaign for political offices officially starts, let me advise the good citizens of Nigerian to be reasonable in their choices and actions and ponder on where we are and going to. They should avoid hate speech and violence as they canvass for votes for their preferred candidates. Politicians on their parts should be decent and civil in their campaigns. They should eschew lies and propaganda, show dignity and advise their supporters to embrace peace. Their campaign should be issue based.

Truth should be told at all times, Nigeria is indeed at the verge of anarchy and disintegration. We cannot continue to pretend otherwise. We all have got responsibilities because Nigeria belongs to all of us. This election is very important to the life of Nigeria, and if we get it wrong, we all will pay dearly for it. Therefore, permit me to be unequivocal in stating facts without any consideration to political correctness. We cannot afford to make the same mistake we made in 2015 by wrongly choosing tragedy and incredibly consolidated the same disaster in 2019 against all odds. But today, the signs are everywhere that Nigeria is even in a more precarious situation and on a life support now than she has ever been. And if we are not critical, futuristic and wise, and peradventure fail to elect a president that events have proven not to be corrupt and greedy, someone with good character, mentally and physically able and with the required capacity to pilot the affairs of Nigeria, the consequences this time will be disastrously too fatal.

Sincerely, the tendency that Nigeria may not be lucky again to survive such a silly or avoidable mistake makes any trial by error in our choice of a president an ugly gamble too high a risk to take in a heterogeneous and pluralistic tensed society like ours. To a sane person with a discerning heart, it would be a hazardous error that could be heavily costly and perhaps irreversible when made. Thus be warned Nigerians. Jettison not only your political apathy and enthusiastically participate actively in the 2023 general elections by collecting your PVCs, but also vote wisely by making sure that whosoever that will become the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in 2023 must be qualified, competent, visionary and tolerant with unquestionable character and has the required capacity to lead. No reasonable person should vote any candidate based on sentiments of tribe and religion or monetary inducement. Additionally and very importantly too, the commander in-Chief of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Muhammadu Buhari is legally obliged in making sure that INEC officials are well protected and all necessary logistics and materials they need to execute the uphill task are timely provided too, and conducive atmosphere equally guaranteed. This becomes crucial in view of the accusation that some APC members in an evil union with a few INEC officials manipulated the PVC registration machines in order to rig the election. The allegation is a weighty one that should not be treated with kid gloves. It is not enough for INEC to announce to Nigerians that the evil done has been reversed, but justice will only be seen to have been done when the perpetrators of the evil are made publicly known, sacked from their duty posts and prosecuted before the election. INEC as an electoral umpire must on its part be impartial and respect the rule of law in distributing electoral materials, counting results and declaring winners etc. Anything contrarily will spell doom and more evil for Nigeria. And the collateral damage to us as an entity and its brutal consequences in our individual lives are something no one can accurately predict, but one thing is certain, it will be acidic. Patriotism should be the watchdog. Therefore, 2023 is a litmus test and our collective choice must be a wise one that will not later be full of regrets, tears, pains and sorrow.

Most of the contemporary problems and suffering in our society are decades of build-up from the lukewarm attitude and ignorance of the majority not to participate in politics, vote massively and qualitatively too during elections on flimsy excuses. We want a paradigm shift because the archaic ways of electing our leaders because of ethnicity, religion and the influence of money, bags of rice, tomatoes, onions or packaged garri in sacks with sugar etc. are no longer acceptable. Anyone who must govern us henceforth must have conscience and be competent. He should not be surrounded with allegations of corruption and embezzlements. His capacity, sound health to lead and source of wealth should not be in doubt or shrouded in secrecy.

Who the cap fits, let him where it. Our destiny is in our hands and the choices are starring before us today. We must elect one with the capacity to restore hope in the hopelessness state of the economy, corruption and insecurity in Nigeria or we continue our old ways that will not only keep Nigeria to her status of a crippled giant but also add to it a blind giant of Africa. I would have said let your conscience guide you in your choice, but it would be wrong knowing that your conscience failed at all times when it mattered most. It never guided you well in 2015 and never got prickled in 2019 for the calamity of 2015, therefore, I recommend Peter Obi for you. We all will be beneficiaries of a competent, qualitative and good governance of fairness and justice under his presidency.

Are you ready for the revolution? Please go and collect your PVC. It is your licenced AK47, configured for your use only. When the time of shooting (voting) comes, if you are critical in your viewing, you will aim accurately, and when your aim is accurate, you will shoot wisely, and he/she who shoots wisely misses no target. Peter Obi has rekindled hope of equity, unity, fairness, freedom and liberation for oppressed Nigerians. Vote for Peter Obi.

Stand up, sit down, bend right, bend left or even squat, the buttock will always remain at the back. Truth has no duplicate. Peter Obi is the wisest choice in 2023.

Uzoma Ahamefule, a concerned patriotic citizen, a purveyor of Peter Obi and Datti Ahmed joint presidential ticket, and a refined African traditionalist, writes from Vienna, Austria.

[email protected]

+436607369050 (Please, WhatsApp messages only)
Ghana and the United States of America have agreed to collaborate to boost tourism, arts and culture in the two nations.

As part of the collaboration, the two countries will hold joint tourism fora in Ghana and the United States to help promote Ghana's tourism potential.

The Minister for Tourism, Arts and Culture, Dr Ibrahim Mohammed Awal, disclosed this last Friday at a meeting with the U.S.A ambassador to Ghana, Virginia E. Palmer.

He said the US was an important tourism market for Ghana, urging the Ambassador to use her office to help market Ghana as a potential tourism and investment destination.

He noted that the launch of the Beyond the Return by President Akufo-Addo in 2019 made Ghana the centre of interest for African Diasporans, therefore, Ghana was taking steps not only to attract tourists but also repeat visitors.

Revamping some tourist attraction sites such as the national museum after extensive renovation, renovating Nkrumah Memorial Park, renovation of both Cape Coast and Elmina Castle and the training of stakeholders in the tourism value chain to improve their customer care orientation, Dr Awal added were steps Ghana was taking to boost tourism.

In response, Virginia E. Palmer expressed her satisfaction with the growth of tourism in the nation and noted that Ghana was a very peaceful country that could serve as the centre of tourism for the West African sub-region.

She stated that the US was willing to work with the Ministry of Tourism, Arts, and Culture to boost the industry to give the populace jobs and increase the nations economic growth.
Ghana has been elected Chair of the Commonwealth International Telecommunication Union (ITU) group at the ITU conference in Bucharest.

Ghanas position as the chair of the ITU group holds until the next ITU Plenipotentiary Conference in 2026.

The position, which lasts every four years, is the key event at which ITU member states decide the organisations ability to influence and affect the development of ICTs worldwide.

The United Kingdom was appointed as Vice Chair responsible for Europe, India as Vice Chair responsible for Asia, and Trinidad & Tobago as Vice Chair responsible for the Americas.

Speaking at the Commonwealth ITU conference yesterday, the Minister for Communication and Digitalisation, Mrs Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, echoed the governments determination to provide the necessary digital infrastructure to propel the countrys digital transformation.

The government is poised to create a conducive legal and regulatory environment, build digital capabilities to enhance the adoption and use of ICT and digital innovation, and close all digital gaps, she added.

She noted that Ghana would continue to maintain its position of working with the ITU to achieve its strategic objectives for the benefit of all ITU Member States.

The ITU Plenipotentiary conference consists of the representatives of the member states of the Union. The plenipotentiary conference is the highest policy-making body of the ITU.

The conference sets the union's general policies; adopts four-year strategic and financial plans; and elects the senior management team of the organization, the member states of the council, and the members of the Radio Regulations Board.

The plenipotentiary conference 2022 (PP 22) is being held in Bucharest, Romania from Monday, 26 September to Friday, 14 October 2022. It was preceded by the last meeting of the 2022 session of the council.
The Minister for Tourism, Arts and Culture, Dr Ibrahim Mohammed Awal has announced the formal opening of a tourism and cultural hub in New York to serve the North American market and promote Ghana tourism.

He made the announcement at the Destination Ghana Networking event held in New York City.

The Destination Ghana campaign was launched earlier this year in London, United Kingdom, to promote Ghana as a tourist destination.

The campaign builds on the success of Ghana's Year of Return campaign, which encouraged the diaspora to visit Ghana and helped boost international arrivals to over 1.1 million in 2019.

This years event, organized by the Ministry of Tourism, Arts, and Culture, the Ghana Tourism Authority, and the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre, brought together business leaders and African diaspora leaders to network and learn more about tourism, business and investment opportunities in Ghana.

It also provided an opportunity to interact with the community and learn more about their needs when visiting Ghana.

We are building a Ghana brand that will be a hub for tourism and culture in West Africa. We need your support to build the Ghana brand and drive a lot of tourists from New York to Ghana every year, Dr Awal stated.

The minister also assured that important tourist sites were being renovated and modernised to provide a better travel experience.

The Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park was closed early this year for renovations, according to him, would reopen next year.

"By March of next year, we will have a fully furnished and modernised Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park, the museum is being renovated and expanded, he emphasized.

On his part, The Consul General of the Ghana Mission in New York, Ambassador Atta Boafo, assured that the processes for obtaining visas would be simplified and that Ghanaians abroad would be able to use both their Ghana passport and their U.S. passport when travelling to and from Ghana with ease.
29.09.2022 LISTEN

A head-on collision by a taxicab and motorbike on the Menuso- Kadjebi road in the Oti Region left the pillion passenger dead and the rider seriously injured.

The deceased has been identified as Mary Timpon, a 52-year-old-trader and native of Anfoega in the North Dayi District of the Volta Region, while the injured is Mawuli Gator from the same town.

When the Ghana News Agency visited the accident scene at 2000 hours on Tuesday, there were five police personnel, led by Chief Inspector Emmanuel Agbewodi from the Kadjebi Police Station there.

A police source said the accident occurred at Tsatsa Nkwanta, a community between Menuso and Okanta in the Kadjebi District.

The taxi driver, whose name was given as Hukporti, alias Land guard, from Kadjebi, was heading to Poase-Cement at the time of accident.

Preliminary investigations showed that the taxicab veered off its lane and collided head-on with the motorbike.

His vehicle, with registration number GT-628-U, has been impounded and he is in police custody assisting with investigations.

The body of the deceased had been conveyed to the St. Mary Theresa Hospital, Dodi-Papase, for preservation.

GNA
Residents of Wuru, a farming community in the Sissala East Municipality, have expressed worry about the inability of the National Identification Authority (NIA) to register and issue them with the Ghana Card due to network problems.

They said though the community had been neglected and deprived of basic amenities, including roads to link with the rest of the country, it was against their human rights to deny them the opportunity to register for the Ghana Card.

Wurupio Mahama Bataachia Dawuri IV, Chief of Wuru, told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) that the failure to find ways to ensure that neglected and hard to reach community members were registered would only confirm that the area was not considered part of Ghana.

He said it was also against their fundamental human rights to be denied the opportunity to register for the card.

We're hearing that the card would be the only identifier for obtaining a voter ID for 2024 elections. They would not be fair to us and numerous communities in the country who are suffering a similar fate if it is true, Wurupio Dawuri said.

Wurupio Dawuri explained that officials of the NIA came to the community sometime back to register the people, but they could not do so due to lack of network connectivity.

He said the few in the community, who managed to register for the card, achieved this by traveling to Tumu or Navrongo in the Upper East Region but with a higher cost since they slept more than two days before being successful.

Those who travel outside here for the card had to stand in front of people's houses for the GPS numbers, which defeats the purpose since some information about them will be wrong, he said.

He pleaded with the NIA not to disconnect their mobile networks after the October deadline since it was almost impossible and not their fault that they were not getting the Ghana Card.

He also expressed concern about the lack of interest to develop the community, which made indigenes of Burkina Faso to take over the area, compelling them to spend their CFA other than the Ghana cedi.

The Wuru community is in the Sissala East Municipality and about 70 kilometres from Tumu with no access roads.

Mr Mubarak Moomin, the Upper West Regional Registration Officer of the NIA, told the GNA that there were permanent offices of the NIA, which all persons could visit and register.

He explained that it could be during the mass registration exercise that the NIA officials went to the community and that because there were now permanent offices, the NIA could only visit a community for registration at a high cost to the people.

He advised the community members to liaise with any nearest permanent office for arrangements to be made so that they could mobilise and converge for the exercise.

GNA
A Ghanaian worker is lucky he is still alive after having his throat allegedly slashed by his Chinese employer.

The incident happened at Kweikuma, a community in the Sekondi-Takoradi municipality of the Western Region.

The victim, Isaac Boateng is one of a group of workers employed by a Chinese company to work as labourers to erect structures close to the apartments of the Ghana Navy flats area at Kweikuma.

According to one of the workers, they went to their employer to request payment of their salary when the co-worker, Isaac Boateng got his throat slashed by the Chinese national in the heat of an argument.

We have worked for the whole month and our salaries had not been paid so we had a meeting and asked our Chinese employer why we have not been paid. One of our colleagues went to the Chinese boss to find out what was wrong with the salaries because we have families and we are also owing some people.

In the heat of the argument, the Chinese boss pulled a flick knife and slashed the throat of our colleague. He has incurred deep wounds, blood traces could be seen everywhere. He has been rushed to the Effiankwanta Hospital and we pray he will survive, the co-worker who goes by the name of Boat told Connect FM in an interview.

He added, Some military [officers] intervened and calm was restored later but the foreigner who committed the crime is still walking around. We are in pain and demand justice for our brother.

Checks have revealed that the Chinese construction company in question has close to 80 Ghanaian workers who are paid a daily wage of GHS18.

Since the incident, the workers have been paid their salaries while the victim is receiving treatment at the hospital.
The political fortunes of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) look brighter in the Election 2024, Mr Yussif Dramani, the Sunyani East Constituency executive member of the party, has said.

Speaking in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Sunyani, Mr Dramani said though the chances of the NDC regaining political power remained high, it would not be an easy battle.

He, therefore, asked the members and supporters to intensify campaigns for victory.

He said the Party needed loyal and committed members to reach out to and propagate the proven track records and achievements of the NDC to persuade the voting population at the grassroots.

Mr Dramani, now vying for the Deputy Constituency Organiser position in the Party's impending branch elections, said the New Patriotic Party (NPP) had failed Ghanaians and was unable to fulfil the majority of its 2020 election promises.

This, he added, had provided an opportunity for the NDC to take advantage to intensify its campaign to make Ghanaians understand that it is only the NDC that can alleviate their plight.

Mr Dramani said: We need a vibrant youth to lead the Party in the constituency not only to capture that seat from the NPP but also widen the presidential votes in the next general election.

He appealed to supporters to contribute their quota to help rebuild and strengthen the Party to recapture power from the NPP to better the lives of the ordinary people.

GNA
29.09.2022 LISTEN

It is good that children help their parents, but there should be a limit to what they do, Mr. Edward Kareweh, General Secretary of the General Agricultural Workers Union (GAWU), has advised.

Mr. Kareweh asked: For instance, if the child goes to the farm with the parents and they are coming back, does the child also carry heavy loads of firewood to the house?

He then cautioned that, overloading children with work could affect their performance at school and that was a critical issue that needed to be addressed with immediate effect.

Mr. Kareweh, in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA), in Tema said children must be given the chance to relax after school and play for some time with their peers as it enhanced their learning capacities and help in their development.

The GAWU General-Secretary, therefore, cautioned parents to weigh up the household chores they allow their wards to undertake.

He said that any extreme responsibility imposed on children, whether to get paid or not, amounted to child labour because each had the same impact on the child's school attendance, health, and wellbeing.

Mr. Kareweh explained that children needed to be protected because they were physically and mentally immature to protect themselves, noting that they deserved to be raised in a healthy and safe environment, where their rights would not be violated.

There is a conflict between child labour and child work, child work can be the child following the parents to the farm, learning to cook and others but where child work becomes harmful to the health of the child or deny the child from going to school and wellbeing then it becomes child labour, he stated.

The GAWU General Secretary explained that the Ghana Chamber of Agribusiness had joined forces with Union to get to the root causes of slavery, abuse, and force labour among others and find amicable solutions to reduce its effects on the country.

Mr. Kareweh noted that the collaboration was also to ensure that there was no modern slavery in Ghana by tackling an indecent work environment, forced labour, inadequate payment of labour and the rest.

GNA
Adansi Asokwa Member of Parliament (MP), KT Hammond has described himself as a free-minded person amid bashing for his attack on the Ghanaian youth.

Speaking to journalists at his office on the booing of President Akufo-Addo at the Global Citizens Festival over the weekend, KT Hammond did not spare the youth.

He blasted the youth saying they walk around with long beards but nothing in their 'coconut' heads.

According to him, the youth must respect the aged who are full of wisdom to lead the country.

"We dont sit in a country and do this. Lets be patient. He is the President of the country. The youth must be patient. When there is a problem we always say we are going to see the old lady. We dont say we are going to see [you the youth] with big heads like coconut. The old lady is someone who is old and has something in the head.

When you [the youth] meet respect the elderly. Because of politics then you will just be insulting people just like that. Its not possible for us to leave you to do [politics], you dont understand it and you cant do it. You [the youth] have just left your beard to grow and walking around with nothing in your head, KT Hammond told journalists.

Since a video of his engagement with the media went viral, the Adansi Asowka MP has been subjected to social media trolls with the youth expressing disappointment in his utterances.

Speaking to Asempa FM on the Ekosii sen programme, KT Hammond stressed that he will never apologise for his comments.

According to him, he said nothing wrong about the youth and has nothing to say sorry for.

I am not a loose talker as people claim. I am a free-minded person.

Are you telling me my nephews of 23 years are more sensible than me? I dont see why I should apologise for my statement. If you didnt understand what I said thats fine, KT Hammond said on Thursday afternoon.

The Adansi Asokwa MP added, If you are sensible, if you have a successful business in your 20s, that does not mean you can be a leader in government. Politics is different."
Air Arabia Egypt has launched new direct flights from Alexandria to Madinah in Saudi Arabia from October 31, connecting Borg Al Arab Airport and Prince Mohammad Bin Abdulaziz International Airport on Mondays and Wednesdays.



Adel Al Ali, Group Chief Executive Officer, Air Arabia: We are glad to add Madinah to our growing network from Egypt, offering our travellers with direct connectivity between both cities. We are confident that the new service will further contribute to the overall travel and tourism sector of Egypt and Saudi Arabia through providing an affordable and value-driven travel option to passengers traveling between the two countries.



The latest route to Madinah marks the tenth city that Air Arabia Egypt flies to in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, after Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam, Tabuk, Taif, Al Jouf, Hail, Abha and Gassim.



Air Arabia operates a modern fleet of Airbus A320 and A321 neo-LR aircraft, providing added comfort with one of the most generous seat-pitch of any economy cabin. Air Arabia also offers an innovative and generous loyalty program Air Rewards through which passengers can earn, transfer, and spend points. Besides, passengers can enjoy a variety of snacks and meals at affordable prices from Air Arabia onboard SkyCafe.  TradeArabia News Service
In response to the situation of thousands of migrants stranded in Niger, the Commission of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) deployed a high-level humanitarian mission to Niamey.

The mission is led by Prof. Fatou Sow Sarr, ECOWAS Commissioner for Human Development and Social Affairs and is expected to come up with an appropriate recovery and reintegration plan for the migrants.

The team comprised of ECOWAS experts and representatives of the most affected Member States (Guinea, Nigeria, Mali, Senegal, Cote d'Ivoire, Niger, Burkina Faso, Liberia, Gambia, Sierra Leone and Benin) and has been in Niamey since 26 September 2022, with the support of the International Office for Migration (IOM).

The missions activities began on Tuesday, 27 September with a visit to the Agadez migrant centre, followed by a meeting at the Agadez governorate with the authorities in charge of the vast region in the north of Niger along the borders with Algeria, Chad, Libya and Mali, which is facing a massive flow of migrants expelled from Algeria and Libya to a lesser extent.

During the visit to the Agadez centre run by IOM, Prof. Fatou Sow Sarr accompanied by H.E. N'dri Guillaume Gnamien, the ECOWAS Resident Representative to Niger, held discussions with the Niger Minister of Health, Mr Illiassou Mainassara and the Governor of the Agadez Region, Mr Magagi Maman Dada, who also came to inquire about the conditions of stay of migrants being cared for by the United Nations specialised agency on migration issues.

The mission's programme also includes a two-day round table, which will take place on 28 and 29 September 2022, between ECOWAS, representatives of the most affected Member States, IOM and the Nigerien authorities to share views and discuss sustainable and effective strategies to ensure proper care for migrants in Niger, as well as their return and reintegration in their country of origin.

In her opening statement, Prof. Fatou Sow Sarr, expressed concern about the number of women and young children among the migrants and the number of people who have lost their lives during their attempt to migrate or during their expulsion from Algeria or Libya. She commended the efforts of IOM, which is working with the Nigerien authorities to receive the migrants and repatriate them to their respective countries. "The ECOWAS Commission is ready to support Member States in order to meet the challenges related to irregular migration of citizens of the region," concluded Prof. Fatou Sow Sarr.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Niger's Minister of Humanitarian Action and Disaster Management, Mr Magagi Laouan, welcomed the efforts of ECOWAS and its technical and financial partners, in particular the IOM, for their support in managing the migration crisis in the West African region, as well as their support to Niger in taking care of the migrants.

It is worth noting that Commissioner Fatou Sow Sarr and H.E. N'dri Guillaume Gnamien attended the opening of the round table on the financing of Niger's 2020-2035 national migration policy and its first five-year action plan, chaired by H.E. Ouhoumoudou Mahamadou, Prime Minister of Niger, on the morning of Wednesday, 28 September 2022.

At the end of their mission to Niger, the experts and representatives of the Member States present in Niger will draw up an action plan and make recommendations to the ECOWAS authorities, Member States and partners in order to propose appropriate short, medium and long-term solutions for the proper management of transit migration in Niger.
The Deputy Minister for Tourism, Arts and Culture, Mark Okraku Mantey has given his understanding of the booing incident that transpired at the Global Citizens Festival event.

Mr. Okraku Mantey said President Akufo-Addo was not booed at the September 24 event as speculated.

According to him, the President was cheered for his massive work in the midst of the global challenges.

In an interview on Accra-based Hitz FMs "U Say Wetin" show, the Deputy Minister claimed that the circulated video was deliberately crafted by a group of mischievous persons just to tarnish the President's image and the beauty of the concert.

The President, who came on stage and had to struggle and wait for the crowd to cheer him for a minute. That was what happened. I was there [with regard to] the sound we got from backstage, we were wowed. They were cheering him until Sunday morning it was going to be difficult for me to hear boo they were talking about, he noted.

He added It gives me the clue that the person thought it through, orchestrated it and said look this is too good, it will be too good for this President, why dont we find something negative.

And you could tell it was someone taking the video far from the stage. Someone stands somewhere, decides to orchestrate it, and the person makes the noise with his phone capturing sounds around that place, the Minister emphasized.

According to Mr. Okraku Mantey, one thing he has since been struggling to understand is the fact that even in the era of social media posts, there wasn't any of the purported booings till the following morning the alleged fake news was paraded around.

I watched the video and I asked myself, how come throughout the night we never saw a tweet on this and after five or six hours, there is a story? So when the booing was going on no one tweeted it for the first time, social media has become dormant until the morning, he stated.

Some outraged and suffering Ghanaian youth who attended the Global Citizens Music Festival reportedly gave the President an unpleasant evening during his speech at the event.

Soon after the President mounted the stage to deliver the 6-minute welcome address, he was booed with "away! "Away! "chants from the crowd.

It continued till the President concluded his speech at the Black Stars Square on Saturday, September 24.
29.09.2022 LISTEN

The family of the renowned businessman and stateman, Wilson Gbli Nartey aka W. G. Nartey, has denied knowledge of any court injunction prohibiting them from organizing a befitting memorial and thanksgiving service to celebrate the life of their late father.

The family has therefore assured the general public that the memorial and thanksgiving service for the late W. G. Nartey is on schedule and currently ongoing. It added that the funeral will be climaxed on Saturday October 1, 2022.

The Family Head of the Nartey family, Numo Kabutey Nartey, explained in a statement that it has come to the notice of the family elders and children of Mr. W. G. Nartey that a certain Christopher Nartey has put out a notice and audio in the media that he has obtained an injunction to halt the final funeral rite of the late Mr. W.G. Nartey who died in 2019 and was buried shortly after.

According to him, the purported press release and public announcement of September 28, 2022 was not authored by the Nartey Family nor the elders of the family.

He noted that the promoter of the fake injunction, Christopher Nartey, is an imposter and does not have the authority nor the consent of the above esteemed groups to make any announcement on their behalf.

This announcement must be treated with the utmost disgust and disdain as it is calculated to bring dishonour and disrepute to the honour and dignity of our father. Christopher Nartey is not a son of W. G. Nartey, as a son will never disgrace his father in public nor the hand that has fed him in his nurturing years.

The Acting President of the Great Ningo Traditional Council; the Chiefs and the Paramount Chief of Ada and other well-meaning illustrious sons and daughters of Great Ningo, the diaspora and Ghana have supported the family and is organizing this Memorial and Thanksgiving Service with us. They have been present at our meetings and would never go against our concerted efforts as to give authority to such a bogus statement, Numo Kabutey Nartey assured.

We cannot fathom what agenda or purpose this vendetta against our father is calculated to achieve. What did WG. Nartey do to him so bad that Christopher cannot allow him to rest in perfect peace?, he asked.

The spokesperson explains that as far as he is aware a case has been filed at the court and the purported date for the hearing is 10th October 2022. So ostensibly an application is yet to be heard!

He added, "Furthermore, if an application is yet to be heard, there cannot be at the same time a judgement that an injunction has been purportedly granted or obtained. Simply put, there is no order of a grant of injunction by any court. There is no document of a grant of Injunction!

This information being put out by Christopher that a purported Injunction has been granted to stop us giving thanks in memory of our father is a dastardly act calculated to throw dust into peoples eyes and create uncertainty.

Our Memorial and Thanksgiving Service which is to Thank the Good Lord for the Life of our father is not a funeral but a gathering of the family and our friends to pray for and honour the memory of our father simpliciter.

He noted that unfortunately for Christopher the celebration has already started since Monday and it will continue till next week.

My father died three years ago on 2nd September 2019. Due to the onset of COVID, we gave him a quiet private burial. So, he is already buried. We are holding this Thanksgiving and Memorial to bring closure.

We, the Great Ningo Traditional Council, The Paramount chief of Great Ningo, the entire W. G. Nartey family and diaspora, the legal representation/estate of Mr. W. G. Nartey and the people of Great Ningo wish to remind all well-wishers, friends, dignitaries, invited guests and intended attendees that the planned W. G. Nartey's Life Celebration at Great Ningo for the duration, Sept 26th through to October 4th is definitely on track, he assured.

All arrangements, program schedule and order of services for a befitting event is coming on as originally planned.

W. G. Nartey, the most honored Statesman of Great Ningo has lived a full life. His relentless efforts to assist mankind is very appreciated by all. He was a businessman and owner of Modern Ghana Builders.

Check the weekly programme lineup below:
The Ghana Medical Association (GMA) has called on all Ghanaians to join hands and expose individuals and organisations involved in the destruction of lands and water bodies through galamsey as it has dire effect on the health of the nation.

The Association said despite several warnings of the health implication of galamsey on Ghanaians, the destruction of land and water bodies continue unabated.

The GMA is, therefore, urging the courts to expedite the trails and punish galamseyers who they referred to as saboteurs without mercy when they are brought before them.

They also called on President Akufo-Addo to take the necessary and urgent action to reverse this menace which they said is threatening the future and very survival of the country.

Source: Classfmonline.com
Mark Okraku Mantey, Deputy Minister for Tourism, Arts and Culture has refuted reports that President Akufo-Addo was booed at the Global Citizens Festival concert.

He said if the alleged reports are true, how come no one tweeted about the alleged booings that very evening until the morning?

Mr. Okraku Mantey said President Akufo-Addo was not booed at the September 24 event as speculated.

According to him, the President was cheered for his massive work in the midst of the global challenges.

In an interview on Accra-based Hitz FMs "U Say Wetin" show, the Deputy Minister claimed that the circulated video was deliberately crafted by a group of mischievous persons just to tarnish the President's image and the beauty of the concert.

I watched the video and I asked myself, how come throughout the night we never saw a tweet on this and after five or six hours, there is a story? So when the booing was going on no one tweeted it for the first time, social media has become dormant until the morning.

It gives me the clue that the person thought it through, orchestrated it and said look this is too good, it will be too good for this president, why dont we find something negative, he said.

And you could tell it was someone taking the video far from the stage. Someone stands somewhere, decides to orchestrate it, and the person makes the noise with his phone capturing sounds around that place, the Minister added.

According to the Minister, the President, who came on stage and had to struggle and wait for the crowd to cheer him for a minute. That was what happened. I was there [with regard to] the sound we got from backstage, we were wowed. They were cheering him until Sunday morning it was going to be difficult for me to hear boo they were talking about.

Some outraged and suffering Ghanaian youth who attended the Global Citizens music festival reportedly gave the President an unpleasant evening during his speech at the event.

Soon after the President mounted the stage to deliver the 6-minute welcome address, he was booed with "away! "Away! "chants from the crowd.

It continued till the President concluded his speech at the Black Stars Square on Saturday, September 24.
Ghanas exports to Burkina Faso have increased to $276million in 2021 from $264million in 2020.

Meanwhile, its imports from Burkina Faso amounted to $50 million over the same period.

Similarly, the Export Potential Map projection based on demand and supply, market access conditions and bilateral ease of trade showed that the total value of the 51 leading products from Ghana to Burkina Faso amounts to 8.4 billion dollars.

Mr Clement Osei-Amoako, President of the GNCCI, said out of this amount Ghana was exporting only 33 per cent, representing 2.8 billion dollars.

Mr Osei-Amoako said this during the opening of a five-day Economic and Trade Promotion Days (JPEC) event in Accra.

The event was on the topic: Strengthening Economic and Trade partnership between Burkina Faso and Ghana: Which synergies of actions in the current context of the implementation of African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

The event was in collaboration with the Ghana National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GNCCI) and the Burkina Faso Chamber of Commerce and the Ministry of Industrial Development, Trade, Handicrafts and Small and Medium Enterprises of Burkina Faso and Burkina Faso Chamber of Commerce.

The collaboration in its 4th edition seeks to promote the economic, commercial, and cultural potentials, as well as strengthen cooperation between both countries.

He said this means that there was huge export potential for Ghana and Burkina Faso, which both countries needed to take advantage of.

He said the collaboration with these institutions was timely and assured the business confidence.

Mr Osei-Amoako said the agenda of the event included an exhibition of products, Business to Business meetings and visits to partnered companies.

Ultimately, it will create a harmonious integration that will elevate Ghanas private sector to a competitive level and enable regional and international economic growth, he added.

He said as the representative organ of the business community in Ghana, the Chamber was of the strong conviction that the business forum would serve as a unique platform for businessmen and women of the respective countries to interact, share ideas and establish business relationships.

The President expressed the hope that the business forum would further strengthen the strategic trade partnership between Ghana and Burkina Faso, bringing economic and social benefits by creating new opportunities for trade, investment, and employment.

Mr Mahamadi Savadogo, President of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Burkina Faso, called for continuous collaboration and work relentlessly to boost intra-African trade.

That is why we are committed to supporting the organisation of the 4th JPECs in the wake of the previous editions in the Republic of Benin in 2015, Ivory Coast in 2017 and Senegal in 2019, he added.

He expressed the hope that these events would serve as stepping stones toward dynamic and prosperous joint ventures likely to foster the industrial development of our two countries.

Mr Abdoulaye TALL, the Minister for Industrial Development, Trade, Handicrafts and Small and Medium Enterprises of Burkina Faso, said the forum was an opportunity to strengthen the excellent economic and trade relations with Ghana, as evidenced by trade statistics.

In the sub-regional context marked with security challenges, the JPECs should also help consolidate integration and brotherhood between the two countries, he said.

Mr Abdoulaye said Burkina Faso was eager to showcase to Ghana not only products made in the country but also the performances of its companies, which were distinguished by their resilience.

We can assure you, investors from Ghana, that our country is steadily striving to create an environment conducive to investment, he said.

GNA
The Coalition of National Youth Organisers has described the booing of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo as an unfortunate incident.

In a statement by the Coalition on Thursday, September 29, it said the youth are suffering and if nothing changes, the booing will continue.

Since the youth suffer the most from these decisions, they will boo the most at the President.It is rather unfortunate to witness such disgrace of the President on an international platformBut the adamancy of the President to the issues that concern the average Ghanaian warrants such a reaction from the youth of Ghana, part of the statement reads.

President Akufo-Addo was the victim of boos by a section of the crowd that attended the Global Citizens Festival last Saturday.

Some people clapped their hands and shouted away away.

According to the Coalition of National Youth Organisers in the country, once the youth continue to suffer, the boos are likely to continue at state events.

The coalition says it also expects that what happened over the weekend will affect the fortunes of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in upcoming elections.

Perhaps his advisers are doing him a disservice. Nevertheless, the youth will continue to channel their revulsion towards the President every least chance they get if he continues on this same trajectory for the years left of his tenure. And it must be prudently asserted that this will not look good in the CV of the NPP in the lead up to the 2024 General election, the statement by the Coalition of National Youth Organisers added.
Mr. Akwasi Addai Odike, a Ghanaian entrepreneur, politician and United Progressive Party (UPP) leader has slammed Vice President Dr. Mahamadu Bawumia for allegedly failing to manage the economy.

He claims that even the President, who has always praised his right-hand man is now disappointed.

According to him, the President had high hopes and confidence in Bawumia to manage the economy as head of the economic management team.

Speaking on Accra-based TV3's New Day show on Thursday, September 29, the 2020 presidential candidate claimed that Dr. Bawumia's inaction as the head of the Economic Management team is to blame for the country's economic plight.

The President has lost confidence in Bawumia, the economy is not doing well," he said on the show.

He further lamented the slow pace of infrastructural development in the Ashanti region.

According to the politician, the countrys second-largest city cannot boast of half of the infrastructural development, particularly the road networks Accra has.

He stressed, there is filth all over the Ashanti region.
Hundreds of people on Thursday gathered in front of the house of Christopher Ekow Quansah, the Tufuhen of Mankessim, to catch a glimpse of him and self-styled pastor Michael Darko, who allegedly murdered one Ms. Georgina Asor Botchwey.

A police team had led the two accused persons, who allegedly confessed to the killing of three more people, to the house of the Tufohen, located just after the Pacific Fuel Station, near the Mankessim Lorry Station for further investigations.

The crowd hooted at them amid name calling and casting of aspersions as drivers in traffic temporarily stopped over to watch the two, who have notoriously become famous.

A source told the GNA that the two accused persons had confessed to killing three other people, a male and two females and led the police team on Thursday afternoon, to the various locations.

The witness said the accused persons first took the team to the house of the Tufohen at Mankessim and Akwakrom near Mankessim, where they carried out their criminal activities.

The police thoroughly searched the rooms and took vital document and information for further investigation.

Again, in Mankessim, the two took the police team to a location where a male teacher was allegedly invited by them and was shot and killed instantly and his toes cut.

The police were also taken to a location in the Ekumfi District where they allegedly shot and killed a female trader and buried her under a bridge in the Ekumfi District.

The team also visited a location at Batanya in the Abura-Asebu-Kwamakese District, where they allegedly killed a young lady from Kumasi.

Apparently, the two pretended to be travel agents and prepared a traveling document for her to travel to Holland.

The two allegedly told the police that they met the lady at Batanyaa on the Cape Coast-Assin Fosu Highway and killed her.

The family of the deceased, who were at the mortuary in Cape Coast on Thursday afternoon, identified the body of their relative.

Meanwhile, a crack team of police personnel from the Central Regional Command were also led by the accused persons to arrest a 26-year-old mason in Mankessim, in connection with the alleged murder.

Sources, who did not want to be identified, told the Ghana News Agency that they saw the third suspect being whisked away and identified him as one Abbey, the in-law of Quansah.

According to the sources, Quansah, confessed to have hired the husband of one Esi Akyere to dig the pit in his houses at Mankessim.

Following the revelation, the police swiftly moved to the community and with the backing of the chiefs arrested Abbey, who initially denied the act but later admitted to digging the pit for 50.

According to Abbey, who is also one of the leaders of the Youth Volunteer Group in the community, the Tufohen paid him the agreed amount in instalments of 20 and 30 respectively after the work.

Baffled by the revelation of the suspect, the sources said, the chiefs assembled all the members of the Youth Volunteer Group and impressed on them to confess if they were complicit in the murder case, but they all denied any knowledge of it.

The sources also said police personnel had been stationed at the deserted family house of the Tufohen where two dugout holes were found in two obscure and dirty separate rooms while it had also intensified patrols.

Earlier, Nana Akwa III, the Chief of Akwakrom, at a press conference, called for the arrest and inquiry into the activities of a fetish priest in the community and one Mr. Kwesi Gyan, the Abiradze Ebusuapayin of the Tufohen who could not be tracked since the news broke out.

We are appealing to the police to interrogate his fetish priest in the community who the Tufohen liked so much and took cover prior to his arrest, Nana Akwa pleaded.

Nana Akwa, who is also a legal practitioner, wondered how the Tufohen dug the craters containing numerous bottles and dead materials without the knowledge of the Ebusuapanyin.

Since the arrest of the Tufohen, all attempts to reach his Ebusuapanyin, who was always in the community, has not been successful. There is no way anyone can dig out two pits in two separate rooms in a family house without the knowledge of the Ebusuapanyin. This is incomprehensible.

More so, prior to the arrest of the Tufohen, his Ebusuapanyin was billed to meet the Chief and elders on some teething community issues, but he cannot be found. And why is he not answering our calls, the Chief revealed.

-GNA
What happened to many SIM card subscribers a few weeks ago will be repeated after September 30.

On July 31, when many had been crying and agitating for an extension of the earlier deadline for the SIM Card re-registration exercise, the Minister, Hon. Ursula Owusu Ekuful, in her words, reluctantly extended it to Friday, September 30.

According to the Ministry, any unregistered SIM card after the deadline will be barred from using telecommunications services.

Responding to the pending issue on Accra-based Joy News Upfront show on Thursday, September 29, monitored by ModernGhana News, Samuel Nartey George, MP for Ningo Prampram, said the deadline idea must be aborted.

He is asking the Minister to humble herself and extend the deadline once more until those still without Ghana cards get them to register their SIM cards.

The Minister of Communication would have to eat the humble pie by the close of the day tomorrow. She will have to postpone the deadline. She is not a listening Minister, he said.

According to the outspoken legislator, the Minister refused to take the Minority's advice on the most effective way to carry out the exercise without punishing citizens.

She mocked the suggestions we gave her on how to o about the re-registration and called it fanciful noises. If she had listened we wouldn't have been where we are now, he noted

According to him, the Minister has failed to recognise that we have some physically challenged individuals whose fingerprints have not been captured. How are they going to register?

Meanwhile, according to the National Identification Authority, over two million Ghanaians will not be able to receive their Ghana cards even by the end of the year, meaning these people will not be able to make or receive phone calls should the minister refuse to extend the deadline.
Chevening TVS scholarships announced

Mumbai, Sep 29 (UNI) Auto major TVS Motor Company on Thursday said it has signed an MoU with The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) to offer "Chevening TVS Motor Company Scholarships".

The Chevening Programme is a prestigious scholarship programme that aims to attract and select students from around the world who demonstrate the greatest potential to become leaders, decision makers and opinion-formers in their own countries.

This is the United Kingdom Government's global scholarship programme, by which scholarships are awarded to those individuals with strong academic backgrounds who can also demonstrate their leadership potential.

The Chevening Programme offers financial support to study at any of the United Kingdom's universities and the opportunity to become part of an influential global network of 50,000 alumni in over 160 countries and territories worldwide.

Sudarshan Venu, MD, TVS Motor Co, said: "At TVS Motor Company it has always been our endeavour to create future leaders and support them in their journey. Our collaboration with the FCDO and the government of United Kingdom is a testimony to this commitment.

"This partnership is a unqiue opportunity for the talented and dynamic minds in the country and we are excited to be a part of their growth. We look forward to more partnerships of this nature."

Alex Ellis, the British High Commissioner to India, said: "Chevening offers a unique, fully funded opportunity to experience the UK and study in some of the best institutions in the world... The applications are now open and I hope to see applicants from across India."

The Chevening TVS Motor Co Scholarships will be open to nationals of India, who are residents of India and are based in the country at the time of applying. The programme will start in the UK academic year of 2023-24.

UNI JS SY MR
The Minority in Parliament is accusing the government of failing to account for some $100 million accrued from Ghana Petroleum lifting in the first quarter of 2022.

This is contained in a press release dated Thursday, September 29, and signed by Ranking Member, Mines and Energy Committee John Abdulai Jinapor.

The Minority in Parliament has noted with serious concern the inability or refusal of the Akuffo-Addo/Bawumia led Government to account for over $100Million accruing from Ghana's Petroleum lifting in the first quarter of 2022, part of the Minoritys press release reads.

According to the Minority, the decision by the government to transfer revenues accruing from about 944,164bbls of crude lifting in the Jubilee and TEN fields to a company established in a safe haven (outside Ghana) without Parliamentary approval, amounts to a gross violation of the Petroleum Revenue Management Act, 2011 (Act 815) and Public Financial Management Act (Act 921).

The Minority notes that through its checks, it has uncovered that following the acquisition of a seven percent (7%) interest in the Occidental (Oxy) transaction in respect of the Jubilee and TEN Fields by the Government ostensibly for GNPC in 2021, the Minister of Finance has clandestinely ceded the shares to an offshore company known as JOHL (a company set-up in the Cayman Islands) in a very surreptitious and opaque manner.

Contrary to requirements of the PRMA, the Minority says it is alarmed that revenues accruing from the nation's oil fields are not being paid into the Petroleum Holding Fund (PHF), which has been confirmed in the 2022 semi-annual report on petroleum receipts by the Public Interest and Accountability Committee (PIAC).

Indicating that the NPP Government is proving by the day that the nation's oil resources cannot be entrusted to its care, the Minority in Parliament is demanding that government reverses all illegal transfer of funds.

It warns that failure to do will use the necessary parliamentary processes to haul the Minister of Finance to parliament for possible censure.

We demand that the Minister of Finance and for that matter Government, must with immediate effect repatriate all such illegal transfer payments back into the Petroleum Holding Fund (PHF).

Failure to comply with our ultimatum will compel the Minority to use the necessary parliamentary processes to haul the Minister of Finance to parliament for possible censure, the Minority release notes.

Below is a copy of the release:

For Immediate Release

29 -09- 2022

US$100 MILLION WORTH OF GHANA'S OIL MONEY MISSING  MINORITY RAISES CONCERN

The Minority in Parliament has noted with serious concern the inability or refusal of the Akuffo-Addo/Bawumia led Government to account for over $100Million accruing from Ghana's Petroleum lifting in the first quarter of 2022.

The decision by the current NPP Government to transfer revenues accruing from about 944,164bbls of crude lifting in the Jubilee and TEN fields to a company established in a safe haven (outside Ghana) without Parliamentary approval, amounts to a gross violation of the Petroleum Revenue Management Act, 2011 (Act 815) and Public Financial Management Act (Act 921).

We have become aware that following the acquisition of a Seven percent (7%) interest in the Occidental (Oxy) transaction in respect of the Jubilee and TEN Fields by the Government ostensibly for GNPC in 2021, the Minister of Finance has clandestinely ceded the shares to an offshore company known as JOHL (a company set-up in the Cayman Islands) in a very surreptitious and opaque manner.

The Minority is very much alarmed that contrary to requirements of the PRMA, revenues accruing from the nation's oil fields are not being paid into the Petroleum Holding Fund (PHF), which has been confirmed in the 2022 semi-annual report on petroleum receipts by the Public Interest and Accountability Committee (PIAC).

As if this is not enough, the report further reveals that Capital Gains Tax was not assessed and collected by the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) in the sale of the 7% interest by Anadarko in the Jubilee and TEN Fields in 2021.

This NPP Government is proving by the day, that the nation's oil resources cannot be entrusted in their care because not long ago the PIAC under the chairmanship of Dr. Steve Manteaw accused them over their inability to account for about GH2 billion of Ghanas oil cash for the 2017, 2018 and 2019 fiscal years.

This is surely another "Agyapa" deal in the making and we as a Minority will not sit aloof for this Government to raid the national purse, especially at a time when the nation is struggling to raise much needed revenues for critical expenditure.

We demand that the Minister of Finance and for that matter Government, must with immediate effect repatriate all such illegal transfer payments back into the Petroleum Holding Fund (PHF).

Failure to comply with our ultimatum will compel the Minority to use the necessary parliamentary processes to haul the Minister of Finance to parliament for possible censure.

*John Abdulai Jinapor

(Ranking Member, Mines and Energy Committee)*
Even a few hours before the deadline for the SIM re-registration, according to the National Identification Authority, over two million Ghanaians will not be able to receive their Ghana cards even by the end of the year.

Reports suggest that about a million and a half citizens are yet to receive their cards after registering, meaning about 3.5 million people will not be able to make or receive phone calls should the minister refuse to extend the September 30 deadline again.

On July 31, after many people cried and agitated for an extension of the earlier deadline for SIM Card re-registration, the Minister, Hon. Ursula Owusu Ekuful reluctantly extended it to Friday, September 30.

According to the Ministry, any SIM card that has not been re-registered by the deadline will be denied access to telecommunications services.

On this issue, former Executive Secretary of the National Identification Authority (NIA), Dr. William Ahadzie wants the Authority to be given more time to finish its exercise before the Ministry carries on with its plans.

Speaking on the Upfront programme aired on the Accra-based Joy News on Thursday, September 29, Dr. Ahadzie stated, The NIA should be given time to complete the process and they should also think of different ways of distributing the cards."

He quizzes, What mischief does the NCA and Communications Ministry want to cure that the NIA system can't help them to cure?
The Ashanti Region has recorded one more death making it a total of two casualties caused by torrential rains that swamped communities for three continuous days.

The victims, an unidentified male believed to be 30s years old was the first to be confirmed dead at Asokwa while the recent one, Kwadwo Mensah also believed to be in his mid 30s was found dead at Oduom-Bebre, a suburb of Kumasi.

Eyewitnesses who spoke to this reporter explained that Mr Mensah attempted to cross the Sisaa River which had overflown its banks.

The deceased who is said to have ignored warnings from nearby residents not to ply that road at that moment slipped into the river and was washed away on Wednesday, September 29, 2022.

His lifeless body was however discovered by a search party in the area a day after he was drowned.

The Municipal Director of the National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO) at Oforikrom, Awudu Mohammed confirmed the incident.

"We rushed to the scene after receiving a distress call from one of the residents that a colleague had drowned. All attempts to find him was proven futile as the water had flooded the entire area.

"So we came back in the morning and discovered his body from about 50 metres away from where he drowned," he stated.

He added, "The body was subsequently sent to the Okomfo Anokye Teaching Hospital for further investigations.
New Delhi, Sep 28 (UNI) Suspense around the Congress presidential polls continued on Wednesday with senior party leader Digvijay Singh's name coming up as one of the likely contenders.

As Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot appeared out of the race as he refused to step down as the Rajasthan chief minister. Gehlot is set to meet party president Sonia Gandhi in Delhi on Thursday.

Party leader Digvijay Singh, who is the convenor of the Bharat Jodo Yatra, is meanwhile likely to file nomination for the Congress president's post. Sources close to Singh said he will wait for the meeting between Sonia Gandhi and Gehlot before taking a final decision. Singh may file his nomination on Friday, said sources.
New Delhi, Sep 29 (UNI) Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Thursday announced he will not contest for the post of Congress President.

Gehlot, who was the front runner in the race before a rebellion by his supporters in Rajasthan, said he apologised to Sonia Gandhi that he could not get a resolution passed despite being the Chief Minister.

"I have been a loyal soldier of Congress for 50 years...," Gehlot said, adding that he became the Chief Minister of Rajasthan thrice with the blessings of Sonia Gandhi.
Northern Marianas College was recently awarded a $2.5 million five-year cooperative grant by the U.S. Department of Educations Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions or AANAPISI Program to establish the Proa Pathway Partnership with Portland State University. NMC is the only school in the Pacific region to receive an additional AANAPISI grant in this years funding competition.
East-West Center President Suzanne Puanani Vares-Lum speaks next to U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken during the U.S.-Pacific Island Country Summit at the State Department in Washington, D.C., Sept. 28, 2022.
Bharat Jodo supports SKM's demands 03 Oct 2022 | 4:36 PM New Delhi, Oct 3 (UNI) Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Monday remembered the farmers who were killed in Lakhimpur Kheri of Uttar Pradesh last year, and supported the demands of the Samyukt Kisan Mocha adding that it was among the issues in focus in the Bharat Jodo Yatra. see more..

Mulayam Singh in CCU, stable, says Hospital 03 Oct 2022 | 3:02 PM New Delhi, Oct 3 (UNI) Samajwadi Party leader Mulayam Singh Yadav, who has been hospitalized, is in the Critical Care Unit and "stable", the Samajwadi Party said on Monday. see more..

EAM Jaishankar to visit New Zealand and Australia 03 Oct 2022 | 1:57 PM New Delhi, Oct 3, (UNI) External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar will be on a visit to New Zealand and Australia from October 05-11 where he will hold bilateral meetings with his counterparts. see more..

IAF scrambles to intercept Iranian plane 03 Oct 2022 | 1:50 PM New Delhi, Oct 3 (UNI) The Indian Air Force (IAF) on Monday scrambled its fighter aircraft to intercept a China-bound Iranian aircraft following a bomb scare but allowed it to proceed after getting a second intimation to disregard the scare. see more..
US is biggest threat of global cybersecurity: spokesperson

(People's Daily App) 14:52, September 29, 2022

The U.S. implements indiscriminate cyber control and cyber espionage actions on a global scale and it is the biggest threat of global cybersecurity, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said on Wednesday.

Wang made the remarks while commenting on the second investigative report on the U.S. National Security Agency cyberattack on China's Northwestern Polytechnical University.

The report released yesterday revealed that the U.S. secretly controls telecommunications operators in no less than 80 countries and conducts indiscriminate communications surveillance worldwide.

China has asked the U.S. side through different channels to explain the hostile cyberattack and urged the U.S. to stop illegal actions immediately, but the U.S. has ignored the hard evidence released by the Chinese side and remained silent so far, Wang said.

China calls on countries to unite to resist hegemonic acts that infringe on cyber sovereignty and undermine international rules, and work together to create a peaceful, secure, open and cooperative cyberspace, he added.

(Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Bianji)
UW, Wyoming SBDC Network to Host Workshop in Meeteetse

For anyone contemplating starting a small business, the thought alone can be daunting. However, advice and assistance are available.

Devan Costa-Cargill will discuss the ins and outs of starting a business during a Wyoming Small Business Development Center (SBDC) Network workshop titled Start Your Own Business: Planning for Success Tuesday, Oct. 4, from 6-7:30 p.m. at the Meeteetse Branch Library, located at 2107 Idaho St. To register, go here. Registration is free.

Costa-Cargill, Wyoming SBDC Network regional director for Big Horn, Hot Springs, Park and Washakie counties, will discuss what it takes for people to start their own businesses; business structure considerations; business plan components; financial planning tools; and sources of capital.

An entrepreneur and teacher, Costa-Cargill launched her consulting career in the public school system, specifically in the area of special education. For the past 10 years, she operated her own small business, providing consultation and enrichment to families and early educators. Her work with the Wyoming SBDC Network began in April 2021, advising small-business startups through the first important steps of their journey.

For more information, call Maureen Johnson, CARES Act recovery program manager for the Wyoming SBDC Network, at (307) 343-0925 or email mjohn125@uwyo.edu.

The Wyoming SBDC Network offers business expertise to help Wyoming residents think about, launch, grow, reinvent or exit their business. The Wyoming SBDC Network is hosted by the University of Wyoming with state funds from the Wyoming Business Council and funded, in part, through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration.
Trial of elderly Rwanda genocide suspect opens at UN court View Photo

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP)  A frail 87-year-old Rwandan accused of encouraging and bankrolling the countrys 1994 genocide boycotted the opening of his trial at a United Nations tribunal Thursday, nearly three decades after the 100-day massacre left 800,000 dead.

Felicien Kabuga is one of the last fugitives charged over the genocide to face justice. Even without him in court, the start of his trial marks a key day of reckoning for Rwandans who survived the killings or whose families were murdered.

Presiding Judge Iain Bonomy said the proceedings could start without Kabuga, who did not attend amid a dispute over his legal representation.

The courts chief prosecutor, Serge Brammertz, said Kabugas no-show was a strategic decision. Brammertz said that throughout preparations for trial, he had a lawyer, very competent lawyer representing him. So as far as we are concerned, the proceedings are absolutely guaranteed.

The mass killing of Rwandas Tutsi minority was triggered on April 6, 1994, when a plane carrying President Juvenal Habyarimana was shot down and crashed in the capital, Kigali, killing the leader who, like the majority of Rwandans, was an ethnic Hutu. Kabugas daughter married Habyarimanas son.

The Tutsi minority was blamed for downing the plane. Bands of Hutu extremists began slaughtering Tutsis and their perceived supporters, with help from the army, police, and militias.

Brammertz said the trial is significant after a long wait for justice. Some 50 witnesses will testify for the prosecution, including many in Rwanda and some serving prison sentences, he said.

This trial will also be an opportunity to remind the world again of the grave dangers of genocide ideology and hate speech, he said in a statement. Kabuga had a central role in provoking hatred of Tutsis, dehumanizing innocent civilians and paving the way for genocide.

In his opening statement, prosecution lawyer Rashid Rashid described Kabuga as an enthusiastic supporter of the slaughter who armed, trained and encouraged murderous Hutu militias known as Interahamwe.

Rashid said the trial was opening nearly three decades after the genocide because of Kabugas determined efforts to evade capture.

In Rwanda, Naphtal Ahishakiye, the executive secretary of a genocide survivors group known as Ibuka, said ahead of Thursdays hearing that its never too late for justice to be delivered.

Even with money and protection, one cannot escape a genocide crime, Ahishakiye said in Rwanda ahead of Thursdays trial at the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals in The Hague.

Rashid described Kabunga as a wealthy businessman with close links to the Hutu political elite, who incited genocide through the RTLM broadcaster he helped fund and establish. In some cases, it provided locations of Tutsis so they could be hunted down and killed, he said.

Kabuga is also accused of having paid for weapons, including machetes, used by militias to slaughter Tutsis and their perceived supporters.

Kabuga did not need to wield a rifle or a machete at a roadblock, rather he supplied weapons in bulk and facilitated training that prepared the Interahamwe to use them, Rashid said.

He did not need to pick up a microphone and call for extermination of Tutsi  rather he founded, funded and served as president of Radio Television Libre des Mille Collines (RTLM), the radio station that broadcast genocidal propaganda across Rwanda.

Rashid called the broadcaster a mouthpiece for anti-Tutsi propaganda and said Kabugas trial was about holding him accountable for his substantial and intentional contribution to  genocide.

Kabuga is charged with genocide, incitement to commit genocide, conspiracy to commit genocide as well as persecution, extermination and murder. He has pleaded not guilty. If convicted he faces a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.

After years of evading international efforts to track him down, Kabuga, who had a $5 million bounty on his head, was arrested near Paris in May 2020. He was transferred to The Hague to stand trial at the residual mechanism, a court that deals with remaining cases from the now-closed U.N. tribunals for Rwanda and the Balkan wars.

Kabugas lawyers argued unsuccessfully that he was not fit to stand trial. However, on the advice of doctors who examined Kabuga, the process will run for just two hours per day. The first evidence in the case is expected to be heard next week and will take months to complete.

Yolande Mukakasana, a genocide survivor and writer who lost her entire family in the genocide, said the case has come too late for many survivors who have died since the slaughter.

Men and women of Kabugas age were found in bed and murdered. Shame (upon) his sympathizers who cite his old age as a reason not to (stand) trial, she said.

____

Ignatius Ssuuna in Kigali, Rwanda, contributed.

By MIKE CORDER

Associated Press
Nigerian presidential hopefuls sign election peace accord View Photo

ABUJA, Nigeria (AP)  Presidential candidates in Nigeria signed an accord Thursday committing to a peaceful campaign for the 2023 election.

Nearly all of the 18 candidates for president signed the pact at an event in Abuja, the nations capital, where authorities also rolled out plans to ensure a hitch-free election. Similar peace accords have been struck in every general election cycle since 2015.

Some form of violence usually accompanies general elections in Nigeria. At least 58 people died in election-related incidents in 2019, according to a coalition of civil society groups.

Former Nigerian Head of State Abdulsalami Abubakar, who leads the National Peace Committee, said the pre-election accords nonetheless have contributed significantly to mitigating the violent conflicts of these elections.

Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari is due to leave office in May after completing his second term and has promised peaceful voting to elect his successor.

But next years election has been described as a battle for the soul of Nigeria, coming at a time the country is faced with various security and economic challenges that have led to the loss of lives and made living more difficult for many.

Nigerias economy, security and governance have emerged as major talking points in the campaigns.

Abubakar identified fake news and misinformation as one of the issues of major concern ahead of the 2023 election, saying the spread of fake news has shifted focus away from issue-based campaigns and created the platform for political parties to result in name-calling  and character assassination.

The peace accord signed Thursday is intended to commit all political parties, presidential candidates and their spokesperson to peaceful political campaigns and rallies devoid of violence, incitement and personal insults but also to be defined by issues at the very heart of national development and progress, he said.

Mahmood Yakubu, chairman of Nigerias Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), said the campaign agreement is important considering the connection between peaceful campaign on the one hand and peaceful and credible elections on the other.

Nigeria Police Chief Usman Baba said the law enforcement agency will work with election and government officials to ensure a peaceful political campaign. He also banned personnel of various subnational security outfits  many of which operate at the state and council area levels  from election-related activities.

Nigerias Independent National Electoral Commission estimates at least 90 million voters will participate in the election.

By CHINEDU ASADU

Associated Press
Model fearing Myanmar military heads to asylum in Canada View Photo

BANGKOK (AP)  A fashion model from Myanmar who feared being arrested by the countrys military government if she was forced back home from exile has arrived in Canada, which she says has granted her asylum.

Thaw Nandar Aung, also known as Han Lay, left on a flight from Bangkoks Suvarnabhumi Airport early Wednesday morning, according to Archayon Kraithong, a deputy commissioner of Thailands Immigration Bureau.

Thaw Nandar Aung wrote on Facebook she had arrived in Canada and thanked her fans for their support.

I will do my best to help my beloved Myanmar and the people of Myanmar as much as I can, she wrote in the post seen Thursday.

Thaw Nandar Aung had told Radio Free Asia, a U.S.-government funded broadcaster, on Tuesday that she was headed to Canada, after having been been granted political asylum there with the assistance of the U.N. refugee agency and the Canadian Embassy in Thailand.

Everything happened so fast, and I only have a few pieces of clothing. So I will have to go along with what they have planned for me, she said.

I have spoken out for Myanmar wherever I go. I have talked to the media about my country while I was staying in Thailand. Since Canada is a safe place for me, I will have more opportunities to speak out on the issue. And as you know, there is a large Myanmar community in Canada, so Im sure Ill be able to carry on the struggle for Myanmar with their help.

A phone call to the Canadian Embassy seeking comment was not immediately returned.

Thaw Nandar Aung had been stuck at Bangkoks airport after Thai authorities denied her entry when she arrived Sept. 21 from a short trip to Vietnam. She has been living in Thailand but needed to leave and enter again in order to extend her stay.

While at the airport she met U.N. refugee agency representatives in an effort to avoid being sent back to Myanmar. People denied entry to Thailand are usually deported to their last point of departure, but the U.N. agency advised her she would be arrested in Vietnam and then repatriated to Myanmar. A Thai Foreign Ministry spokesperson said she had been denied entry into Thailand due to an issue with her travel document.

Thaw Nandar Aung denounced her countrys military rulers last year from the stage of Miss Grand International beauty pageant held in Bangkok. She accused them of selfishness and abusing their power for using lethal force to crush peaceful protests, and appealed for international help for her country.

Myanmars military seized power in February 2021 from the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi and has cracked down heavily on widespread opposition to its rule. Critics, including actors and other celebrities, have been arrested on charges that carry penalties ranging from three years imprisonment to death.

In July, authorities executed four activists who were accused of involvement with terrorist activities, and U.N. experts have described the countrys violence as a civil war.

Thaw Nandar Aung said she was charged in absentia in September last year with sedition for speaking out against the military takeover at the pageant and online. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.

New York-based Human Rights Watch accused Myanmars military government of revoking or otherwise interfering with Thaw Nandar Aungs passport, making her the victim of a deliberate political act by the junta to make her stateless when she flew back from Vietnam to Thailand. It said the tactic was used against other critics as well.

There is no doubt that what transpired was a trap to try to force Han Lay to return to Myanmar, where she would have faced immediate arrest, likely abuse in detention, and imprisonment, Phil Robertson, the groups deputy Asia director said in an emailed statement. Fortunately, she got good advice to stay put at the airport, and wait for the kind of protection she needed. This was a victory for rights, and refugee protection.

By TASSANEE VEJPONGSA

Associated Press
North Korea fires missiles after Harris leaves South Korea View Photo

PANMUNJOM, Korea (AP)  In a show of defiance, North Korea fired two short-range ballistic missiles into the sea on Thursday, hours after U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris flew home from a visit to South Korea during which she traveled to the Demilitarized Zone separating the two Koreas and emphasized the ironclad U.S. commitment to the security of its Asian allies.

It was the third round of missile launches by North Korea this week, extending a record pace in weapons testing as it accelerates a push to expand its arsenal and pressure Washington to accept it as a nuclear power.

South Koreas Joint Chiefs of Staff said the missiles were fired nine minutes apart from an area just north of the capital, Pyongyang, and flew toward waters between the Korean Peninsula and Japan.

Japans military said it also detected the launches. North Korea fired two short-range ballistic missiles on Wednesday, while Harris was in Japan, and one before she left Washington on Sunday.

Harris earlier capped her four-day trip to Asia with a meeting with South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and a stop at the Demilitarized Zone, where she addressed the threat posed by the increasingly hostile North.

There are concerns that North Korea may soon conduct a nuclear test, which would move the country closer to being acknowledged as a full-fledged nuclear power.

Visiting the DMZ has become something of a ritual for American leaders hoping to show their resolve to stand firm against aggression.

At the DMZ, Harris went to the top of a ridge, near guard towers and security cameras. She looked through bulky binoculars as a South Korean officer pointed out military installations on the southern side. Then an American officer pointed out some of the defenses along the military demarcation line, including barbed-wire fences and claymore mines. He said American soldiers regularly walk patrols along a path.

Its so close, Harris said.

Harris then visited one of a row of blue buildings that straddle the demarcation line, where an American officer explained how the buildings are still used to conduct negotiations with North Korea. Sometimes they pass messages back and forth and sometimes they use a megaphone, he said.

Thats high tech, Harris joked, before adding, Weve stepped into history.

Its still going, the colonel said.

Harris agreed. The past and present are happening every day.

She then walked out of the building and up to the demarcation line. On the North Korean side, two figures dressed in what appeared to be hazmat suits peeked out from behind a curtain in a second-floor window. Then they disappeared back inside.

Harris described this weeks missile launches as provocations meant to destabilize the region and said the United States and South Korea remain committed to the complete denuclearization of the North.

I cannot state enough that commitment of the United States to the defense of the Republic of Korea is ironclad, she said.

In the South, we see a thriving democracy. In the North, we see a brutal dictatorship, she said before flying out of the border on a U.S. military helicopter.

Earlier, Harris met with President Yoon at his office in Seoul and reaffirmed the U.S. commitment to defend the South with a full range of its military capabilities in the event of war, Yoons office said.

They expressed concern over North Koreas threats of nuclear conflict and pledged an unspecified stronger response to major North Korean provocations, including a nuclear test.

Harris and Yoon were also expected to discuss expanding economic and technology partnerships and repairing recently strained ties between South Korea and Japan to strengthen their trilateral cooperation with Washington in the region. Their meeting also touched on Taiwan, with both reaffirming their countries support for peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, according to Yoons office, which didnt elaborate.

Harris trip was organized so she could attend the state funeral of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, but her itinerary was dominated by security concerns, a reflection of fears about Chinas growing power and North Koreas ramped-up testing activity.

In every meeting, Harris tried to lay to rest any fears that the United States was wavering in its commitment to protect its allies, describing American partnerships with South Korea and Japan as the linchpin and cornerstone of its defense strategy in Asia.

Yoon, who took office earlier this year, had anchored his election campaign with vows to deepen Seouls economic and security partnership with Washington to navigate challenges posed by the North Korean threat and address potential supply chain risks caused by the pandemic, the U.S.-China rivalry and Russias war on Ukraine. But the alliance has been marked by tension recently.

South Koreans have decried a new law signed by President Joe Biden that prevents electric cars built outside of North America from being eligible for U.S. government subsidies, undermining the competitiveness of automakers like Seoul-based Hyundai.

During their meeting, Harris told Yoon that Washington will try to address South Korean concerns as the law is implemented, Yoons office said.

Scott Snyder, an analyst at the Council on Foreign Relations, said the dispute over electric vehicles has swiftly become a firestorm that U.S. officials cannot ignore, although there may not be a simple solution.

Its taking on a level of urgency thats making it into a political problem that requires management, Snyder said. I dont know that its going to be easy for the Biden administration to do that.

There are indications North Korea may up its weapons demonstrations soon. South Korean officials said last week that they detected signs North Korea was preparing to test a ballistic missile system designed to be fired from submarines.

The U.S. aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan was to train with South Korean and Japanese warships in waters near the Korean Peninsula on Friday in the countries first trilateral anti-submarine exercises since 2017 to counter North Korean submarine threats, South Koreas navy said Thursday.

U.S. and South Korean officials also say North Korea is possibly gearing up for its first nuclear test since 2017. That test could come after China holds its Communist Party convention the week of Oct. 16, but before the United States holds its midterm elections Nov. 8, according to Seouls spy agency.

In Japan, Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada expressed concern that North Korea was improving its weapons technology through its unprecedented testing spree.

The South Korean and Japanese militaries said the missiles launched Thursday traveled 300 to 350 kilometers (180 to 217 miles) and reached a maximum altitude of 50 kilometers (30 miles).

The low-altitude flight path resembled that of the short-range ballistic missiles North Korea fired earlier in the week.

Some analysts say those launches likely involved a new solid-fuel weapon modeled after Russias Iskander missiles, which travel at relatively low altitudes and are designed to be maneuverable in flight, making them harder to be intercepted by missile defenses. The missiles are part of a growing arsenal of nuclear-capable short-range systems North Korea has been developing since 2019 as it expands its arsenal targeting rival South Korea.

North Korea has punctuated its testing activity with repeated threats of nuclear conflict. Its rubber-stamp parliament this month authorized the preemptive use of nuclear weapons in a broad range of scenarios where its leadership comes under threat.

Nuclear diplomacy between the U.S. and North Korea remains stalled since 2019 over disagreements over easing crippling U.S.-led economic sanctions against North Korea in exchange for the Norths disarmament steps.

___

Kim reported from Seoul, South Korea. Associated Press writers Mari Yamaguchi in Tokyo and Hyung-jin Kim in Seoul contributed to this report.

By CHRIS MEGERIAN and KIM TONG-HYUNG

Associated Press
Chinese tycoon Richard Liu faces civil trial in alleged rape View Photo

MINNEAPOLIS (AP)  A Chinese billionaire, one of the richest people in the world, is heading to trial in Minneapolis to defend himself against allegations that he raped a former University of Minnesota student after a night of dinner and drinks in 2018.

Richard Liu, the founder and former CEO of e-commerce giant JD.com, has denied raping the woman, and prosecutors did not file criminal charges. The woman, Jingyao Liu, sued in civil court, alleging she was coerced to drink before Richard Liu groped her in a limousine and raped her in her apartment.

Both are expected to testify, and it will be up to a jury to decide who is telling the truth. Jury selection starts Thursday, with opening statements Monday.

I think our clients credibility is one of the strongest parts of what the jury is going to hear, said Wil Florin, an attorney for Jingyao Liu. The incredible courage and fortitude that this young lady has shown is truly admirable.

Diane Doolittle, an attorney for Richard Liu, said that the woman has changed her story and that the evidence will clear her clients name.

We are looking forward to presenting the evidence, presenting the truth, so that the world will know that Mr. Liu is fully and completely innocent of these allegations against him, she said.

The woman alleges the attack happened in 2018 while Richard Liu was in Minneapolis for a weeklong residency in the University of Minnesotas doctor of business administration China program, geared toward high-level executives in China.

Jingyao Liu, a Chinese citizen, was at the university on a student visa and was a volunteer in the program at the time. The Associated Press does not generally name people alleging sexual assault, but Jingyao Liu has agreed to be identified publicly.

Richard Liu and Jingyao Liu are not related. Jingyao Liu was 21 at the time; Richard Liu was 46.

Richard Liu is a celebrity in China, part of a generation of entrepreneurs who created the countrys internet, e-commerce, mobile phone and other technology industries since the late 1990s. Forbes estimated his wealth at $11.5 billion.

Richard Liu, who stepped down as CEO of JD.com this year amid increased government scrutiny of Chinas technology industry, was arrested on suspicion of felony rape, but prosecutors never filed criminal charges, saying the case had profound evidentiary problems.

Jingyao Liu sued Richard Liu and JD.com in 2019, alleging sexual assault and battery, along with false imprisonment.

The case drew widespread attention at a time when the #MeToo movement was gaining traction in China. Richard Lius supporters and opponents waged aggressive public relations campaigns on Chinese social media; censors shut down some accounts that supported Jingyao Liu for violating regulations.

Jingyao Liu says in her lawsuit that she had to withdraw from classes in fall 2018 and seek counseling and treatment. Her attorney says she has since graduated but has post-traumatic stress disorder. She seeks compensatory damages to cover medical bills, emotional distress and pain and suffering, and Judge Edward Wahl ruled she could also seek punitive damages from Richard Liu.

She is seeking more than $50,000, a standard figure that must be listed in Minnesota if a plaintiff intends to seek anything above that amount. She is expected to ask a jury to award much more.

According to the lawsuit, on the night of the alleged attack, Richard Liu and other executives went to a Japanese restaurant in Minneapolis, and one of the men invited Jingyao Liu at Richard Lius request. Jingyao Liu felt coerced to drink as the powerful men toasted her, and Richard Liu said she would dishonor him if she did not join in, she said in her lawsuit.

According to text messages reviewed by The Associated Press and Jingyao Lius interviews with police, she said that after the dinner, Richard Liu pulled her into a limousine and groped her despite her protests. She said he raped her at her apartment. She texted a friend: I begged him dont. But he didnt listen.

After police went to her apartment, Jingyao Liu told one officer, I was raped but not that kind of rape, according to police. When asked to explain, she changed the subject and said Richard Liu was famous and she was afraid. She told the officer that the sex was spontaneous and that she did not want police to get involved.

Officers released Richard Liu because it was unclear if a crime had actually taken place, according to police. In an interview later with an investigator, Richard Liu said that the sex was consensual and that the woman enjoyed the whole process very much.

According to police, Jingyao Liu told a sergeant she wanted to talk with Richard Lius attorney and threatened to go to the media if she did not. Richard Lius former attorney recorded the phone call, in which Jingyao Liu said that she didnt want the case to be in the newspaper and that I just need payment money and apologize and thats all.

That phone call will be allowed as evidence in the trial. The jurors will also be told that they may presume any electronic messages deleted by Jingyao Liu contained information unfavorable to her. Both pretrial rulings were considered wins for the defense.

Surveillance videos from the restaurant, its exterior and the halls of the womans apartment complex will be shown at trial. Richard Lius attorneys have said the video shows that Jingyao Liu does not appear to be intoxicated or in distress, as she initially claimed, and that she changed her story after the video surfaced.

She says in her lawsuit that she went to her apartment building with Richard Liu to be polite, and that she believed he was simply walking her to the door. Florin, Jingyao Lius attorney, intends to play body camera video from police that he says shows his client feared Richard Liu because he is powerful.

Insanely wealthy men, they always have the card that they play: Well, Im being accused of this because Im wealthy, Florin said.

What happened that night was an evening of consensual sex, Doolittle, one of Richard Lius attorneys, said. Mr. Liu regrets that, and he regrets being unfaithful to his wife.

The burden of proof is lower than in a criminal trial, and jurors need only find a preponderance of evidence in either sides favor, said Chris Madel, a Minneapolis attorney who isnt involved in the case.

If jurors proceed to considering punitive damages, that portion of the case requires a different standard of proof. To award punitive damages, jurors must find clear and convincing evidence that Richard Liu deliberately disregarded the rights or safety of others, Madel said.

After cases like this, Madel said, no matter how much evidence is presented, jurors will typically say: We just listened to him, we listened to her, and we made our minds up.

By AMY FORLITI

Associated Press
Suu Kyi convicted again, Australian economist gets 3 years View Photo

BANGKOK (AP)  A court in military-ruled Myanmar convicted former leader Aung San Suu Kyi in another criminal case Thursday and sentenced Australian economist Sean Turnell to three years in prison for violating Myanmars official secrets act, a legal official said.

Suu Kyi received a three-year sentence after being convicted with Turnell under the secrets law, said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he is not authorized to release information about the case.

Three members of her Cabinet were also found guilty, each receiving sentences of three years.

Turnell was also convicted of violating immigration law, for which he was given a three-year sentence to be served concurrently with the term for violating the secrets law. The 20 months he has already spent in detention will be deducted from his sentence, leaving him less than a year and a half to serve.

Turnell, 58, an associate professor in economics at Sydneys Macquarie University, had served as an adviser to Suu Kyi, who was detained in the capital Naypyitaw when her elected government was ousted by the army on Feb. 1, 2021.

Family and friends expressed hope he will soon be freed and deported, as has occurred with other foreigners in Myanmar convicted of political offenses, though less serious ones.

Its heartbreaking for me, our daughter, Seans 85-year-old father, and the rest of our family to hear that my husband, Professor Sean Turnell, was convicted and sentenced to 3 years imprisonment, his wife Ha Vu, also an economist, said on her Facebook page. Sean has been one of Myanmars greatest supporters for over 20 years and has worked tirelessly to strengthen Myanmars economy.

My husband has already been in a Myanmar prison for almost 2/3 of his sentence, she added. Please consider the contributions that he has made to Myanmar, and deport him now!

Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wongs office rejected the courts ruling and called for Turnells immediate release. Decrying that he had been unjustly detained, her office said Australian diplomats were denied access to the court hearing for the verdict.

We will continue to take every opportunity to advocate strongly for Professor Turnell until he has returned to his family in Australia, it said in a statement.

Tim Harcourt, a longtime friend, said Turnell is a great economist, nice bloke and a great human being. His main cause in life is to reduce poverty around the world and hed developed particular expertise in Myanmar.

Hopefully common sense and justice can prevail and Sean can return to his wife and family in Australia soon, said Harcourt, a professor at the University of Technology Sydney.

Turnell was arrested five days after the military takeover by security forces at a hotel in Yangon, the countrys biggest city. He had arrived back in Myanmar from Australia less than a month before that to take up a new position as a special consultant to Suu Kyi. As director of the Myanmar Development Institute, he had already lived in Naypyitaw for several years.

The day after the militarys takeover, he posted on Twitter: Safe for now but heartbroken for what all this means for the people of Myanmar. The bravest, kindest people I know. They deserve so much better.

The five co-defendants were charged on the basis of documents seized from Turnell. The exact details of their offense have not been made public, though state television said last year that Turnell had access to secret state financial information and had tried to flee the country.

Turnell and Suu Kyi denied the allegations when they testified in their defense at the trial in August.

Myanmars colonial-era official secrets act criminalizes the possession, collection, recording, publishing, or sharing of state information that is directly or indirectly, useful to an enemy. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 14 years in prison.

The trial, like the others involving Suu Kyi, was held in a purpose-built prison courtroom and was closed to the media and the public. Defense lawyers were barred by a gag order from revealing details of the proceedings.

The multiple criminal cases brought against the 77-year-old Suu Kyi are widely seen as an effort to discredit her and to prevent her return to politics.

She had already been sentenced to 20 years imprisonment after being convicted of illegally importing and possessing walkie-talkies, violating coronavirus restrictions, sedition, election fraud and five corruption charges.

Suu Kyi is still being tried on seven counts under the countrys anti-corruption law, with each count punishable by up to 15 years in prison and a fine.

Defense lawyers are expected to file appeals in the secrets case in the coming days for Turnell, Suu Kyi and three former ministers: Soe Win and Kyaw Win, both former ministers for planning and finance, and Set Aung, a former deputy minister in the same ministry, the legal official said.

Australia has repeatedly demanded Turnells release. Last year, it suspended its defense cooperation with Myanmar and began redirecting humanitarian aid because of the military takeover and Turnells ongoing detention.

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, when he visited Myanmar in January this year, asked for Turnells release in a meeting with the leader of ruling military council. Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing replied that he would consider it positively.

The U.N. Special Envoy on Myanmar Noeleen Heyzer said she conveyed a specific request from Australia for Turnells release when she met with Min Aung Hlaing in August. Myanmars government said the general replied that, should the Australian government take positive steps, we will not need to take stern actions.

According to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, a rights monitoring organization, 15,683 people have been detained on political charges in Myanmar since the army takeover, with 12,540 of those remaining in detention. At least 2,324 civilians have been killed by security forces in the same period, the group says, though the number is thought to be far higher.

Myanmar has been in turmoil since the takeover, which led to nationwide protests that the military government quashed with deadly force, triggering armed resistance that some U.N. experts now characterize as civil war.

___

Associated Press writer Rod McGuirk in Canberra, Australia, contributed to this report.

By GRANT PECK

Associated Press
Moscow tries to draft fleeing Russian men at the borders View Photo

LARSI, Georgia (AP)  Long lines of Russians trying to escape being called up to fight in Ukraine continued to clog highways out of the country on Wednesday, and Moscow reportedly set up draft offices at borders to intercept some of them.

North Ossetia, a Russian region that borders Georgia, declared a state of high alert and said that food, water, warming stations and other aid should be brought in for those who have spent days in queues. Volunteers on the Georgian side of the border also have brought water, blankets and other assistance.

North Ossetia restricted many passenger cars from entering its territory, and set up a draft office at the Verkhy Lars border crossing, Russian news agencies said. Some media outlets released photos at the crossing showing a black van with military enlistment office written on it.

Another such draft checkpoint was set up in Russia along the Finnish border, according to the independent Russian news outlet Meduza.

Tens of thousands of Russian men have fled in the week since President Vladimir Putin announced a mobilization to bolster struggling Russian forces in Ukraine. Although Putin said the callup was partial, aimed at calling up about 300,000 men with past military service, many Russians fear it will be much broader and more arbitrary than that. There are numerous reports of men with no military training and of all ages receiving draft notices.

Alexander Kamisentsev, who left his home in Saratov for Georgia, described the scene on the Russian side of the border.

Its all very scary  tears, screams, a huge number of people. There is a feeling that the government does not know how to organize it. It seems that they want to close the border, but at the same time they are afraid that protests may follow, and they let people leave, he told the AP.

He said he decided at the last moment to leave because I am not going to kill my Ukrainian brothers or go to prison.

Protesters carrying Georgian and Ukrainian flags and signs like Russia Kills greeted Russians at the border Wednesday. Giga Lemonjava of the political party Droa, which organized the protest, said the evacuees threaten Georgias security and economy.

One protester, Helen Khoshtaria, tweeted: We organized a protest at the border today so that the incoming Russians know how we feel about their `Russian world.

Russians have been crossing by car, bicycle, scooter and foot. According to Yandex Maps, the traffic jam leading to Verkhny Lars, a town near the border between Georgia and North Ossetia, stretched for about 15 kilometers (over 9 miles) on Tuesday.

Georgias Interior Ministry said over 53,000 Russians had entered the country since last week.

There also are long lines at the border with Kazakhstan, which has taken in more than 98,000 Russians in the past week.

Russia has land borders with 14 countries.
NATO believes Baltic Sea gas pipeline leaks were sabotage View Photo

COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP)  The NATO military alliance warned Thursday it would retaliate for any attacks on the critical infrastructure of its 30 member countries and joined other Western officials in citing sabotage as the likely cause of damage to two natural gas pipelines in the Baltic Sea.

The warning came as the Swedish coast guard confirmed a fourth leak on the pipelines off southern Sweden, which is in the process of joining NATO. The first leaks in the pipelines that extend from Russia to Germany were reported on Tuesday, prompting energy companies and European governments to beef up security.

The fear of further damage to Europes energy infrastructure has added pressure on natural gas prices, which had already been soaring. Russia, a major supplier to Europe, cut off deliveries earlier this year in retaliation for sanctions imposed after its invasion of Ukraine. That has caused widespread economic pain across the continent.

NATO ambassadors said in a statement that any deliberate attack against allies critical infrastructure would be met with a united and determined response. They refrained from saying who they thought was responsible, even though some allies like Poland, and many experts, have said they believe that Russia is responsible.

All currently available information indicates that this is the result of deliberate, reckless, and irresponsible acts of sabotage. These leaks are causing risks to shipping and substantial environmental damage, the envoys said.

The rising tensions around energy security in Europe come as Russia prepares to annex four regions of occupied Ukraine, a move widely condemned by the West. Russian energy giant Gazprom heightened uncertainty around energy supplies Wednesday by threatening on Twitter to cease dealing with a Ukrainian company that controls one of the two remaining pipelines that ship Russian gas to Europe.

Rather than assigning blame to anyone specific, EU officials on Thursday said they would await the outcome of an investigation, which probably will not start in earnest until next week once the undersea pipelines are empty.

The two lines between Russia and Germany were not in operation. But they were filled with tons of methane, a major cause of global warming that is being emitted into the atmosphere and will continue to bubble to the Baltic Seas surface, probably until Sunday, according to energy experts.

Danish Defense Minister Morten Bdskov turned to Twitter to call the NATO statement a joint condemnation and very strong signal from the alliance. But NATO has made many statements of resolve to defend its members and their territory since Russia invaded Ukraine in February.

Two of the leaks are on the Nord Stream 1 pipeline that Russia recently turned off as it ramped up energy pressure on Europe. The other two are on Nord Stream 2, which has never been used. The Danish and Swedish governments have said that they believe the leaks were deliberate actions.

According to seismologists, the leaks were preceded by explosions. A first explosion was recorded early Monday southeast of the Danish island of Bornholm. A second, stronger blast northeast of the island that night was equivalent to a magnitude-2.3 earthquake. Seismic stations in Denmark, Norway and Finland also registered the explosions.

Speaking Wednesday before the fourth leak was reported, Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson said it would have taken a large explosive device to cause the damage.

Norway was among the first countries on Wednesday to beef up the protection of its energy installations. Finnish Finance Minister Annika Saarikko said Thursday that security measures have been tightened around the Balticconnector line running in the Baltic Sea between Finland and Estonia.

Very exceptional and serious actions that point to sabotage give reason to intensify our preparations, Saarikko told reporters.

In Moscow, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Thursday that the Nord Stream pipeline incident would have been impossible without a state actors involvement.

It looks like a terror attack, probably conducted on a state level, Peskov said in a conference call with reporters.

He dismissed media reports about Russian warships spotted in the area as stupid and biased, adding that many more aircraft and vessels belonging to NATO countries have been spotted in the area.

The U.N. Security Council has scheduled an emergency meeting Friday afternoon at Russias request to discuss the suspected pipeline sabotage.

Torben rting Jrgensen, a former admiral with the Danish navy, told The Associated Press that it was not so demanding to carry out an operation either by using a remotely operated underwater vehicle or sending divers from a submarine or a surface vessel.

Those who carried out the operation knew they wouldnt get caught, rting Jrgensen said. Who would have thought of an operation against pipelines in the Baltic Sea?

___

Lorne Cook in Brussels and Jari Tanner in Helsinki contributed to this report.

By JAN M. OLSEN

Associated Press.
UW Hosts Articulation Summit With State Community Colleges

The University of Wyoming recently hosted the Wyoming Articulation Summit -- an annual statewide gathering of higher education administrators, faculty, staff and other professionals to discuss transfer articulation efforts, impacts and plans.

After a two-year, in-person disruption, the event was held in a hybrid format, with participants attending both in person in the UW School of Energy Resources (SER) Energy Innovation Center and online.

The latest summit began with a welcome address from SER Executive Director Holly Krutka, followed by comments from UW President Ed Seidel and Ben Moritz, the Wyoming Community College Commission deputy director.

In a roundtable discussion -- moderated by Wyoming Public Radios Bob Beck -- college and university leaders discussed the opportunities and challenges inherent in creating and maintaining effective transfer pathways for Wyomings students.

A major barrier for students attempting to advance their education is in the transfer of course credit from one institution to another, says UW Director of Transfer Relations Wendi Vanlandingham. As a result, students hoping to expand their education often experience a disruption in their education; unnecessary expenses from duplicative coursework; and take a significantly longer time to reach their ultimate goal of a degree. Articulation agreements are so important because they are providing the smoothest route possible for students looking to move from a two-year institution to a four-year, but also ensure that the high learning standard remains consistent across the participating entities.

Raymonda Burgman Gallegos, vice president of programs and services for the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE), gave the keynote address.

We are so grateful to Dr. Burgman Gallegos for offering remarks at the summit, Vanlandingham says. The programs WICHE oversees put focus on providing affordable access and innovative technology to serve regional and nationwide workforce needs. It was important to see tangible data and to hear about the power that collaborative relationships hold with so many important leaders from UW and the community colleges in the room.

One of the key takeaways from the summit was the success of transferring associate degrees and general education block transfers, which allow students to transfer courses as a set rather than on a course-by-course basis.

SER is one such unit that implemented a block articulation and has seen growing success in its academic program and in individual student success.

SERs new block articulation has already created a formal agreement that defines course equivalencies as a means to improve transfers, and we have already had a number of students positively impacted, Krutka says. The agreements also have resulted in more robust relationships between SER Academic Director Kami Danaei and community college advising counterparts and faculty members throughout the state.

Danaei agrees that collaboration, transparency and communication play vital roles in articulation agreement best practices.

So much of the success of these programs resides in our ability to work with each other toward a common goal for student achievement, Danaei says. SER has worked really hard with advisers at both the community colleges and within UW to inform them about all we have to offer with our interdisciplinary degree in energy resource management and development. The strength of articulation agreements is that they provide a roadmap and, the better we can navigate them from start to finish, the more support and guidance we can provide for students.

For more information on transfer opportunities at UW, visit the Transfer Success Center.
Elizar Ayron Arellano View Photo

Mariposa, CA  A triple-murder suspect on the run for nine months has been caught hiding out in Mariposa County.

Initially, the suspect was believed to have fled to the Tuolumne County area, and sheriffs officials aided in his capture. 20-year-old Elizar Ayron Arellano of King City in Monterey County is accused of the murders of Carlos Manuel Lopez, Selena Gonzalez Godoy, and Godoys unborn child on December 26, 2021. He, along with three other gang members, gunned down the couple while they got out of their vehicle, according to King City Police. No motive was given for the shooting.

After the homicides, Arellano fled the area. In response, police turned to the United States Marshalls Service Fugitive Task Force to help apprehend Arellano. The service recently obtained information that he could be hiding out in Tuolumne County. On Tuesday, they, along with officers from King City, traveled to Tuolumne and Mariposa counties to investigate leads. They discovered Arellano in the 6000 block of Greely Hill Road in Coulterville and arrested him. Currently, he is in the Mariposa County Jail awaiting transfer to the Monterey County Jail. After capturing Arellano, a Groveland residence in the 20000 block of Chapin Road was searched. No details were released regarding what was sought or if it was found.
NPS Yosemite National Park alert View Photo

Yosemite, CA  The US Department of Justice reports that a 52-year-old man from Merced was found guilty of sexual assault following a six-day trial.

Ramonchito Racion was working as a cook in Yosemite in the summer of 2019 and sexually assaulted a roommate while the victim was sleeping. An investigation was carried out by the National Park Service.

Assistant US Attorneys Michael Tierney and Justin Gilio prosecuted the case.

Racion is scheduled to be sentenced on January 20 by US District Judge Jennifer Thurston. The Department of Justice reports that the maximum penalty possible is actually life in prison, and a 250,000 fine, but the sentence will be determined after taking into account various factors and variables.
Records contradict Majewskis account of military punishment View Photo

WASHINGTON (AP)  Republican J.R. Majewski has centered his campaign for a competitive Ohio congressional seat around his biography as an Air Force veteran. But one of the big questions that has surfaced is why Majewski was told he could not reenlist in the Air Force after his initial four years were up.

Majewskis campaign said last week that he was punished and demoted after getting in a brawl in an Air Force dormitory in 2001. Military records obtained since then by The Associated Press, however, offer a different account of the circumstances, which military legal experts say would have played a significant role in the decision to bar him from reenlisting. They indicate Majewskis punishment and demotion were the result of him being stopped for driving drunk on a U.S. air base in Japan in September 2001.

The documents, which were provided to the AP and independently authenticated, present yet another instance where the recorded history of Majewskis service diverges from what he has told voters as he campaigns while using his veteran status as a leading credential.

In a statement, Majewski acknowledged that he was punished for drunken driving, though he didnt address why his campaign previously said his demotion was the result of a fight.

This mistake is now more than 20 years old. Im sure weve all done something as young adults that we look back on and wonder what was I thinking? and Im sure our parents and grandparents share these sentiments, Majewski said.

Since starting his campaign to unseat longtime Democratic Rep. Marcy Kaptur, Majewski has repeatedly said he was a combat veteran who served a tour of duty under tough circumstances in Afghanistan. By his own account, he once went more than 40 days in the country without a shower due to a lack of running water.

His story came under intense scrutiny last week when the AP, citing military documents obtained through public records requests, reported that he did not deploy to Afghanistan as he claimed, but instead spent six months based in Qatar, a longtime U.S. ally, where he helped load and unload aircraft.

The latest revelation that Majewski was demoted for drunken driving adds another wrinkle. Last week, the AP asked Majewskis campaign why his military service records showed that he was not allowed to reenlist in the Air Force and left the service after four years at a rank that was one notch above where he started.

At the time, his campaign said in an email that Majewski was in a fight in the dormitory with another servicemember which knocked his rank down. His campaign added that he later gained some of that rank back.

The personnel records obtained by the AP make no mention of a fight. Instead, they state that Majewski was demoted for drunken driving at Kadena Air Base in Japan on Sept. 8, 2001. And rather than gain his rank back  as Majewskis campaign said  the records indicated he continued to hold the rank of E-2, one notch above entry level, that he was demoted to for the rest of his active duty.

When you decided to get behind the wheel of a vehicle after indulging in intoxicating liquor you brought discredit upon yourself, 733rd Air Mobility Squadron, and the Air Force, the disciplinary records state, referring to the unit Majewski was assigned to at the time. Further misconduct by you of any type will not be tolerated.

The three-page document details Majewskis punishment, which included a reprimand and 30 days of extra duty in addition to the demotion. It bears Majewskis signature and shows he consulted a lawyer and waived his right to a court-martial. He also waived his right to appeal the punishment and requested that the document not become public, the records show.

The AP was not able to obtain a written presentation from Majewski, which was referred to in the disciplinary paperwork. The campaign did not respond to a request from the AP to provide the document.

Eric Mayer, a former West Point graduate and Army infantry officer later turned military lawyer, reviewed Majewskis documents at APs request. He said that the overall nature and quality of (Majewskis) military service can be severely questioned simply by virtue of the fact that he got out as a E-2 after four years.

Basically, his commanding officer told him as long as he behaves himself for the next six months, he wont demote him down all the way to airman basic, Mayer said, referring to the entry-level rank Majewski could have held if he got into more trouble. Mayer also noted that Majewski was given additional duties in his punishment that generally involve area beautification and janitorial services.

In some cases, a DUI can be a career-ending violation in the military. But three days after Majewski was pulled over, the U.S. was suddenly at war following the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Within months, Majewski was reassigned and deployed to Qatar, which served as the staging ground for operations in Afghanistan, records show.

Military records show Majewskis only deployment was to Qatar. Last Friday, during a defiant news conference, he insisted that he did indeed serve in Afghanistan, though he declined to offer specifics because he said the details were classified.

But there is a difference between deploying to a country and touching down there. Majewski previously said he was a combat veteran who deployed to Afghanistan, a term that conveys he received orders assigning him to a specific base in the country.

Majewski previously said he could not discuss flights he says he took to Afghanistan because they were classified.

In his statement Wednesday, he said he was aboard outbound transport flights to forward bases and combat zones throughout the Middle East, including Afghanistan though he acknowledged that he was stationed in Qatar.

He also described his experience joining the Air Force at the age 20 as fulfilling, yet challenging.

Like any young serviceman away from family in a foreign land and with an assignment schedule in continual motion, it came with periods of difficulty and personal challenges, Majewski said. I lost my grandmother, who I loved very deeply, and it was tough work. I am proud of my service and the experiences that made me who I am today, but I have never once claimed to have undergone a tough combat tour in Afghanistan or suggested that I was engaged in active firefights.

Majewskis campaign has previously promoted him as a combat veteran. During an August 2021 interview on the One American Podcast, Majewski said that he had a tough time in life while serving a tour of duty in Afghanistan. He echoed that claim in other interviews unearthed by the liberal group Media Matters.

Majewskis claim that he couldnt discuss his forays to Afghanistan because the details were classified was a red flag to those who investigate cases of stolen valor.

The No. 1 trope that comes out of people when they are either fabricating a military record or, in this case, embellishing a record is they fall back to, Its classified, said Ed Caffrey, a former Air Force master sergeant who now investigates stolen valor cases and teaches journalism at Eastern New Mexico University. He added: Theres no junior enlisted air transportation specialist who was doing something so secret that 20 years later it still needs to be classified.

Majewksis campaign declined a request to put the AP in touch with those he served with who could vouch that he went to Afghanistan. But he has posted several pages of records to social media that he said back up his claims. Military experts consulted by the AP say the records prove no such thing.

The AP stated that I had only been deployed to Qatar. My records show my deployment location as classified. In addition, they forgot my deployment to Camp Hialeah in Korea (which is now closed), Majewski said in one tweet, which contained two separate documents.

One of the documents included in the tweet was a temporary duty assignment in early 2001 to South Korea, which are not orders to deploy as Majewski claimed. Key details including the purpose of the trip and its duration were also blurred out in the photo Majewski posted. Additionally, the documents inclusion of the phrases top secret and secret were references to the security clearances held by Majewski and the noncommissioned officer he traveled with, Air Force experts say. That officer, whose name is redacted, had a top secret clearance; Majewski had a secret clearance. Members of the military typically need security clearances to do their jobs.

The other document included in the tweet, which does not show a date, indicated Majewski had been medically cleared to go on a different temporary assignment to a classified location.

Experts say such forms often list a service members destination as classified as a matter of routine.

The reason that it says classified is not because hes going to some top secret black ops location, Caffrey said. It says classified because thats a non-secured form. Hes taking that form around with him to different places on base where people who put eyes on it may not have security clearances to see what hes doing.

Its (operations security). They dont want everyone and their brother to know where hes going. Thats not something you want out in the general public, Caffrey added.

Even as scrutiny of Majewski intensifies, he has given no indication that he intends to drop out of the race and has continued to campaign.

I have nothing to hide, Majewski said at the end of a brief news conference Friday.

___

LaPorta reported from Wilmington, North Carolina.

___

Follow AP for full coverage of the midterms at https://apnews.com/hub/2022-midterm-elections and on Twitter at https://twitter.com/ap_politics

By BRIAN SLODYSKO and JAMES LAPORTA

Associated Press
Smith & Wesson sued over link to July 4 parade mass shooting View Photo

CHICAGO (AP)  Survivors of the mass shooting at a suburban Chicago Independence Day parade and family members of those killed filed 11 lawsuits Wednesday against the manufacturer of the rifle used in the attack, accusing gun-maker Smith & Wesson of illegally targeting its ads at young men at risk of committing mass violence.

The sweeping effort by dozens of victims of the Highland Park shooting, anti-gun violence advocates and private attorneys announced Wednesday is the latest bid to hold gun manufacturers accountable for a mass killing despite broad protections for the industry in federal law.

The groups strategy mirrors the approach used by relatives of victims of the 2012 Sandy Hook school killings, who in February reached a $73 million settlement with the firearm company that produced the rifle used in that attack. That was believed to be the largest payment by a gun-maker related to a mass killing and hinged on the families accusation that Remington violated Connecticut consumer protection law by marketing its AR-15-style weapons to young men already at risk of committing violence.

The shooter did not act on his own, said Alla Lefkowitz, senior director of affirmative litigation for the gun safety organization Everytown. What happened in Highland Park on July 4 was the result of deliberate choices made by certain members of the industry.

Liz Turnipseed is among the Highland Park survivors alleging that the gun manufacturer, the accused shooter, his father and two gun sellers bear some responsibility for the attack.

In an interview with The Associated Press this week, Turnipseed said before the shots rang out she was enjoying the parade with her husband and 3-year-old daughter, pointing out instruments in the high school band. Turnipseed fell to the ground after being shot in the pelvis and remembers seeing her daughters stroller on its side and asking her husband to get their daughter to safety.

Turnipseed said she required weeks of intense wound care, expects to need a cane for some time and is in therapy for post-traumatic stress disorder. She also was forced to delay an embryo transfer scheduled for July 12; her doctors now fear its dangerous for her to become pregnant.

Despite her physical and emotional burdens, the Highland Park resident became determined to speak for those who did not survive mass shootings in the U.S., particularly the 19 children and two teachers killed at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, in late May.

I had a unique opportunity to help put a real face on what these guns do to people and  give it a first-person perspective, Turnipseed said. Because there arent that many of us that survive. Because theyre that deadly.

Representatives for Smith & Wesson, based in Springfield, Massachusetts, did not immediately respond to messages seeking comment Wednesday.

Survivors of the attack and family members of those killed spoke to reporters Wednesday, highlighting the dramatic changes in their lives since the shooting and repeatedly blamed the firearms producer for enabling the shooter.

Family members of three of the seven people killed in Highland Park  Stephen Straus, Jackie Sundheim and Nicolas Toledo  are among those suing. The family of a fourth victim, Eduardo Uvaldo, has retained the attorneys who handled the Sandy Hook case.

The pain, loss and grief that we must endure is never ending, Jon Straus, one of Straus two sons, said at an event announcing the suits. This time it was our family. Next time, it could be yours.

Prosecutors have said Robert E. Crimo III admitted to the parade killings once police arrested him hours after the attack. Authorities have identified Smith & Wessons M&P 15 semiautomatic rifle as the weapon he used to fire on the parade.

Turnipseed argues that Smith & Wesson ads mimic the shooters-eye view popularized by video games, use misleading imagery of apparent military or law enforcement personnel and emphasize the M&P 15s combat features  all with a dangerous appeal to impulsive young men with hero complexes and/or militaristic delusions.

Advertising text also billed the rifle as capable of handling as many rounds as you are and providing pure adrenaline. One ad shows the M&P 15 on a dark background above the phrase kick brass in a bold red font and capital letters.

The advertisements and marketing tactics described above demonstrate that Smith & Wesson knowingly marketed, advertised, and promoted the Rifle to civilians for illegal purposes, including to carry out offensive, military style combat missions against their perceived enemies, her attorneys argue.

Ari Scharg, an attorney with the Chicago-based firm Edelson PC representing Turnipseed, said lawyers for the Highland Park victims are determined to go further by getting their cases before a jury.

Theres certainly a long path, and its an uphill battle, Scharg said. But I think this is the most important case in the country being litigated right now  and were going to see it through to the end.

The victims also are suing the accused gunman for assault and battery and intentional infliction of emotional distress and his father, Robert Crimo Jr., for negligence, particularly for sponsoring his sons application for a state firearms license in 2019 within months of the 19-year-old attempting to kill himself and threatening family members. Two gun sellers are accused of violating bans on assault weapons in Highland Park and the accused gunmans home town of Highwood.

Crimo III faces 21 counts of first-degree murder, 48 counts of attempted murder and 48 counts of aggravated battery, representing those killed and wounded during the parade in Highland Park.

Lake County prosecutors have not filed any criminal charges against his father and have repeatedly declined to discuss the possibility that Crimo Jr. could be charged in the future.

An attorney for Crimo Jr. did not immediately respond to a request for comment Wednesday. Crimo III is represented by the Lake County public defenders office, which does not comment on ongoing cases.

By KATHLEEN FOODY

Associated Press
Ian threatens Floridas already unstable insurance market View Photo

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP)  Floridas property insurance market was already in peril. Now comes Hurricane Ian.

The massive storm that barreled into southwest Florida delivering catastrophic winds, rain and flooding is likely to further damage the insurance market in the state, which has strained under billion-dollar losses, insolvencies and skyrocketing premiums.

The scale of the storms destruction will become more clear in the coming days but there is concern it could exacerbate existing problems and burden a state insurance program that has already seen a sharp increase in policies as homeowners struggle to find coverage in the private market.

Floridas property insurance market was the most volatile in the U.S. before Hurricane Ian formed and will most likely become even more unstable in the wake of the storm, said Mark Friedlander, communications director at the Insurance Information Institute.

The private insurance industry has lost more than $1 billion in each of the last two years and hundreds of thousands of Floridians have had their policies dropped or not renewed. Average annual premiums have risen to more than $4,200 in Florida, triple the national average.

More than a dozen companies have stopped writing new policies in the state, and several have closed shop this year. One company was declared insolvent and placed into receivership this week, as Ian was churning toward Florida.

Homeowners unable to get coverage or priced out of plans have flocked to the states public insurer of last resort, Citizens Property Insurance, which this summer topped 1 million policies for the first time in almost a decade. Citizens Property Insurance was created by the state legislature in 2002 for Floridians unable to find coverage from private insurers.

State regulators and insurers have long blamed lawsuits by homeowners as a major culprit in the states crisis. They say state law makes it highly profitable for lawyers to sue insurance companies even if the amount won is relatively small. In the last half of the 2010s, Florida accounted for about 8% of all homeowners claims in the U.S. but almost 80% of all homeowners lawsuits against insurers in the U.S., according to a letter from the state Office of Insurance Regular.

In May, with hurricane season approaching, the state legislature convened for a special session to address the insurance crisis. In three days, with little public input or expert analysis, lawmakers approved sweeping legislation with bipartisan support that many in the statehouse regarded as a meaningful first step in repairing the market.

Among the provisions was the creation of a $2 billion reinsurance program that insurers could buy into to help insulate themselves from risk, so long as they reduced rates for policyholders. The law offers grants of up to $10,000 to retrofit homes so they are less vulnerable to hurricane damage. It also moves to limit various attorney fees in insurance-related lawsuits.

Even so, Floridas primary rating agency, Demotech, this summer threatened downgrades to around two dozen companies. But concerns about their creditworthiness faded somewhat after the administration of Gov. Ron DeSantis agreed to allow the state to back up the insurers.

DeSantis, during news conferences ahead of the storm, noted that flood claims could be a leading problem from Ian.

Home insurance policies  including those in Citizens  do not include flood coverage, which is handled under a federal program and is separate issue from the insurance market. The federally-backed flood insurance is generally mandated for mortgaged homes in flood zones, but people who fully own their homes sometimes decline to get it and its less common in areas not usually prone to flooding.

We are looking at a lot of flood claims, the governor said when asked about the potential for claims to overrun Citizens Property Insurance. Im not saying theres not going to be a lot of wind damage, I mean its a hurricane so youre likely to see that.

Theres more that I want to do in terms of the wind insurance and that will be something were going to address. I mean look, at the end of the day weve got to make sure folks are taken care of, and so we will do that, whatever we need to do.

DeSantis, at a news conference Wednesday, said Citizens Property Insurance should be in solid shape even after claims from Hurricane Ian, given that the state-backed company has billions of dollars in surplus. A spokesman for Citizens said it estimates 225,000 claims and $3.8 billion in losses from Ian, though he noted those projections were made before the storm made landfall and would likely change as damaged is fully assessed.

Their modeling, based on paying out a lot of money in claims for this, was that they would still have between 4 and 5 billion in surplus. So they view themselves as being able to weather this, DeSantis said.

More than 2.5 million people in Florida were under mandatory evacuation orders when Ian made landfall Wednesday afternoon. Some residents left their homes, hoping for minimal damage upon their return.

I just dont see the advantage of sitting there in the dark, in a hot house, watching water come in your house, said Tom Hawver, a handyman in Fort Myers, who evacuated his home Wednesday. And I cant do anything about the wind or the water, so Ill go back in a couple of days and assess it.

By ANTHONY IZAGUIRRE

Associated Press
Clinic shooting suspect wont be forcibly medicated for now View Photo

DENVER (AP)  A mentally ill man charged with killing three people in 2015 at a Colorado Planned Parenthood clinic because it offered abortion services will not be forcibly medicated as he appeals a federal judges order allowing the involuntary treatment.

Earlier this month, U.S. District Judge Robert Blackburn ruled that involuntary medication was the only realistic approach with a substantial chance of making Robert Dear, 64, competent to stand trial and was also in the best interest of his overall health, both mental and physical.

Dears attorneys appealed the order to the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals and on Monday Blackburn ruled that Dear would not be involuntarily medicated while the appeal is considered, which could take several months. Federal prosecutors did not object to the order being put on hold, according to court records.

Dears federal public defenders challenged the involuntary medication order in part because it allows force to also be potentially used to get Dear to take medication or undergo monitoring for any potential side effects to his physical health.

Dears lawyers have argued that forcing Dear to be treated for his delusional disorder could aggravate conditions including untreated high blood pressure and high cholesterol. However, in the appeal, they say that Blackburns decision to give prison doctors the right to force treatment or monitoring for other ailments is miles away from the limited uses for forced medication allowed by the U.S. Supreme Court.

The appeal noted that the last forced medication order reviewed by the 10th Circuit took three months to resolve.

Dears prosecution has stalled, first in state court and then in federal court, because he has been repeatedly found mentally incompetent to stand trial since his arrest and he has refused to take medication.

During a three-day hearing this summer on whether he should be forcibly medicated, prosecutors argued that medication had a substantial likelihood, based on research and the experience of government experts, to make Dear well enough to meet the legal standard for mental competency  being able to understand proceedings and assist in his defense.

By COLLEEN SLEVIN

Associated Press
JetBlue, Southwest spar over slots in antitrust trial View Photo

Senior executives of JetBlue Airways and Southwest Airlines argued in court Wednesday over JetBlues controversial partnership with American Airlines that the Biden administration is seeking the thwart.

JetBlue CEO Robin Hayes told a federal court in Boston the partnership will help his airline grow, accommodate customers whose flights gets canceled, and attract more corporate travelers.

Hayes disputed the governments view that the deal will reduce competition and cost consumers hundreds of millions of dollars a year in higher fares.

But Southwests Andrew Watterson said he was disappointed that the partnership will give American access to valuable JetBlue slots that American once controlled but was forced to surrender to win regulatory approval of a 2013 merger and a separate transaction.

We thought that was outrageous, said Watterson, who will become chief operating officer at Southwest later this week.

The Justice Department, six states and the District of Columbia seek to break up the American-JetBlue partnership in a case that has become a major test of the Bidens administrations opposition to mergers and consolidation in key industries. The Transportation Department approved the deal in the final days of the Trump administration.

The case is being heard by U.S. District Judge Leo Sorokin, who was appointed by former President Barack Obama.

Hayes was back on the stand for a second day to defend a partnership that lets JetBlue and American work together on schedules, sell tickets on each others flights, and share revenue from flights at four airports in the New York City area and Boston.

Hayes called the partnership a generational opportunity that has already helped JetBlue grow from about 200 flights a day in New York to nearly 300 and add dozens of new routes to compete with Delta and United.

Other carriers want to expand in New York too, but federal officials limit takeoff and landing rights, or slots, because of congestion.

Senior executives from American, Delta and United are expected to testify. Both sides have lined up economists to discuss how the partnership will affect consumers.

By DAVID KOENIG

AP Airlines Writer
Live Updates: Hurricane Ian wallops Florida, heads north View Photo

The Latest on Hurricane Ian :

SANIBEL, Fla.  The U.S. death toll from Hurricane Ians passage has risen to four overall after an official said late Thursday that two people were confirmed dead on a hard-hit barrier island on Floridas western coast.

Dana Souza, city manager of Sanibel, said the deaths were confirmed by fire officials but offered no other specifics. A local medical examiners office said it could not comment and any details on deaths would have to come from the sheriffs office.

In addition to the two Sanibel residents, a 38-year old man from Lake County died Wednesday in a motor vehicle accident after his vehicle hydroplaned, according to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. Medical examiners determined that his death was storm-related.

A 72-year old man from Deltona also was confirmed dead on Thursday. Officials with the Volusia County sheriffs office said the man went outside to drain his pool and fell into a canal. He was later found dead.

___

KEY DEVELOPMENTS:

 Ian regains hurricane strength as it heads to South Carolina

 Many trapped in Florida as Ian heads toward South Carolina

 Florida hospitals evacuate hundreds of patients

 Search on for migrants after boat sinks off Florida Keys

 Cuba begins to turn on lights

 Find more AP coverage here: https://apnews.com/hub/hurricanes

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OTHER DEVELOPMENTS:

NORTH PORT, Fla.  Rescuers from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, other states and counties were racing against the clock as the sun was about to set Thursday in North Port, to help families stranded in their own homes surrounded by streets that had turned into canals.

The city was one of many in Florida where rescues were underway as Hurricane Ian continued churning northward toward Georgia and the Carolinas.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said at a press conference Thursday evening there had been 700 confirmed rescues across the state in the wake of the storm. Some of the damage was almost indescribable, he said.

Earlier in the day, DeSantis described an ongoing effort to airlift people stranded on Sanibel Island, after the storm destroyed the only bridge to the barrier island outside Fort Myers. He said the state would also send additional boats to the area for rescue operations.

Sanibel is destruction, he said, adding it got hit with really biblical storm surge, and it washed away roads it washed away structures that were not new and able to withstand that.

DeSantis said that as of 6 p.m. Thursday, more than 2.6 million people remained without power, including southwest Florida where Ian made landfall.

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FLAGLER BEACH, Fla.  The Flagler Beach pier on the east coast of Florida has sustained significant damage as Hurricane Ian whipped up waves that broke off a large portion of the wooden structure. Locals captured video and photos of the destruction Thursday afternoon as waters rose and crashed onto the pier, leaving debris on the shoreline.

Flagler Sheriff Rick Staly told News4JAX Thursday that he didnt believe the pier  which was damaged by Tropical Storm Isaias in 2020, as well as Hurricane Matthew in 2016  would survive the storms impact.

Authorities advised residents to avoid the pier over safety concerns.

___

ENGLEWOOD, Fla.  Christine Bomlitz, of Las Vegas, had been anxious to reach her mother, Shirley Affolter, an 84-year-old resident of a retirement community just north of where Hurricane Ian made landfall.

She had no way to contact her mother, who had lost her cellphone before the storm. Then her landline went down. Affolter was supposed to have left with other residents as part of an evacuation plan but was never picked up. So she hunkered down. It was too late for anyone to get her.

Bomlitz grew distraught as the hours passed and as Ians ferocity grew. Then morning came, but still no word. Frantic, she posted a plea for help on social media.

By Thursday afternoon, a Good Samaritan had waded into the chest-high flood waters of her mothers neighborhood to do a welfare check.

Im thankful for this stranger, she said, a total stranger. People are amazing.

Bomlitz said she and others were trying to arrange for a boat rescue.

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COLUMBIA, S.C.  Officials are warning people in South Carolina that Hurricane Ian will be a problem for much of the state on Friday.

The storm is forecast to make landfall midday Friday as a Category 1 hurricane. But the storm is so broad that gusty winds, heavy rain and storm surge will arrive hours before.

Along the coast, 4 to 7 feet of storm surge is expected, rivaling problems created by hurricanes over the past decade. If Ian comes ashore as a hurricane, it would be the first hurricane to strike the state since Matthew in 2016.

National Guard troops are being positioned to help with the aftermath, including any water rescues and highway crews will be ready to clear roads.

Thursday afternoon, a steady stream of vehicles were heading out of Charleston on Interstate 26 with just a few heading into the city.

Gov. Henry McMaster issued no evacuations, but he said that doesnt mean the storm isnt dangerous.

We know we can handle this if we use our heads and follow the rules, McMaster said.

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FORT MYERS, Fla.  Lee Health announced Thursday that it was evacuating all of its facilities in Lee County, where Hurricane Ian first made landfall in Florida.

President and CEO Dr. Larry Antonucci said in a video posted online that the health care systems structures and facilities were in good shape, but infrastructure was challenged in the way of water and power. Generators were being used at some facilities, but three of the systems four hospitals were without water, Antonucci said.

We cannot run a health system and a hospital without running water. Its critical to what we do, Antonucci said. Not only from the perspective of patient care but also for fire protection.

Lee Health is working with the Agency for Health Care Administration in Florida, as well as state and local emergency operations management agencies, to arrange for the evacuation of patients to other hospitals outside of Lee County, officials said.

___

RALEIGH, N.C.  North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper urged residents to prepare for lots of rain, high winds and potential power outages when the remnants of Hurricane Ian cross the state soon after the storm likely reaches landfall again in South Carolina.

Visiting the states emergency operations center, the governor said at a Thursday afternoon news conference that up to 7 inches (17.8 centimeters) of rain could fall in some areas, with the potential for mountain landslides and tornadoes statewide.

For North Carolinians, I want to be clear: This storm can still be dangerous and even deadly, Cooper said.

State Emergency Management Director Will Ray said widespread power losses and evacuations werent anticipated at this time. Still, he urged people to keep an eye for changes to the storms forecast track, which could bring more troubles Friday to central and coastal counties than currently projected.

___

TALLAHASSEE, Fla.  Other states are sending help to Florida after Hurricane Ian. New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy said Thursday that hes calling up 135 National Guard members to send to Florida. Forty military and support vehicles will also be sent, he said.

Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards has approved sending 245 National Guard members to Florida. The state is also fulfilling requests for a family shelter task force and a hazmat team. Louisiana knows all too well the chaos and destruction a hurricane as strong as Ian can bring, and we will do everything we can to help our neighbors in Florida and other states impacted by this storm, Edwards said in a news release.

Utility trucks from Texas made their way early Thursday along Interstate 75 toward the southwest Florida areas ravaged hardest by the storm.

By The Associated Press
Georgia election officials discuss breach, security measures View Photo

ATLANTA (AP)  The Georgia State Election Board held a meeting Wednesday meant to reassure board members and the general public that the states elections remain secure following the revelation of a breach of voting equipment in one county.

The meeting included a presentation on state election law, an explanation of how the states voting machines work and a description of post-election audits. It also included a report on the breach of voting equipment in rural Coffee County.

I think what happened in Coffee County was despicable, board Chairman William Duffey, a retired federal judge, said after the meeting. If the investigation finds evidence of crimes, the penalties should be significant to let people there and in other counties know that we are not going to put up with that, he said.

While acknowledging the serious concerns raised by that breach, the board members said they remain confident in the states election system.

Sara Tindall Ghazal, the state Democratic Partys appointee to the board, said elections have to balance three sometimes-competing interests  security, accessibility and efficient administration.

Georgias system reflects an attempt to balance these issues and interests, she said. I have trust in our election officials and in our voters to ensure that our elections will proceed smoothly and securely and that the outcome will reflect the will of the voters.

A computer forensics team hired by allies of then-President Donald Trump traveled to the elections office in Coffee County, about 200 miles southeast of Atlanta, on Jan. 7, 2021, and made complete copies of data and software on elections equipment, according to documents and deposition testimony produced in response to subpoenas in a long-running lawsuit challenging the security of the states voting machines. Security camera video from the elections office shows that local Republican Party and county election officials were present when the copying took place.

The video also shows that two men who have participated in efforts to question the results of the 2020 election in several states repeatedly visited the Coffee County elections office later that month, spending hours inside.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation and the secretary of states office are looking into the breach. Since similar activity has happened in other states, the FBI has also been contacted, Duffey said. An Atlanta-based prosecutor looking into attempts by Trump to overturn his loss in the state is also seeking to question people involved.

A group of computer and election security experts earlier this month sent a letter to the State Election Board saying the breach poses serious threats to the states voting system. The experts include academics and former state election officials who arent associated with efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election. They urged the board to replace the states Dominion Voting Systems touchscreen voting machines with hand-marked paper ballots.

During a presentation on state election law, Republican election board member Matt Mashburn said the board can only mandate such an emergency measure in cases of imminent peril to public health, safety, or welfare.

The ballots printed by Georgias voting machines include a QR code  a barcode that is read and tabulated by a scanner  and a human-readable list representing the voters selections.

Dominion CEO John Poulos appeared by videoconference and described how the voting system works. He highlighted various security measures, including encryption, passwords, scanned backups of paper ballots, physical seals and testing publicly before elections. He said its very important for voters to verify that the list on the ballot reflects their selections.

Blake Evans, elections director for the secretary of states office, walked board members through the process for the audits that Georgia now uses to check one statewide race during even-year general elections. The risk-limiting audits rely on statistics, mathematics and a hand count of a sample of ballots to ensure that the machine-tabulated result is accurate.

Critics of the voting machines have said studies show voters rarely check their ballots. They say that means theres no guarantee the ballots accurately reflect voter intent, making any audit meaningless.

University of Michigan computer science professor J. Alex Halderman, an expert witness in the voting machines lawsuit that exposed the breach in Coffee County, identified what he says are security vulnerabilities in Georgias voting machines. The Department of Homeland Securitys Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency in June issued an advisory based on Haldermans findings that includes measures to mitigate the risks.

Dominion commissioned its own review of Haldermans findings by the MITRE Corporation. An executive summary of that report deems the potential attacks identified operationally infeasible.

The Halderman and MITRE reports were filed under seal in federal court. The election board unanimously endorsed a motion to urge the judge overseeing the case to release the reports with necessary redactions. Board member Ed Lindsey, a former Republican state lawmaker, said that would allow the public to evaluate and have confidence in our election system.

By KATE BRUMBACK

Associated Press
California governor signs laws to boost housing production View Photo

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP)  Theyve become a familiar sight along the wide commercial corridors of America  empty buildings once filled by big retailers who have closed their doors, in part because many of their customers shop online.

Now, two new laws in California would let developers build housing on that land and largely prevent revenue-hungry local governments from stopping them.

Gov. Gavin Newsom signed two laws Wednesday that would open up much of the states commercial land for residential development. Its a long-sought victory for affordable housing advocates, who say such sites are ready-made for apartments because they are often near populated areas and come with ample parking.

This is a moment on a journey to reconcile the original sin of the state of California, and thats the issue of housing and affordability, Newsom said in San Francisco before signing the bills into law. We need to all be a little bit more accountable to this crisis of affordability.

Local government officials say the laws undermine their authority and upend years of careful planning that reflect community preferences. But theres also a financial consequence, they say, because stores generate more property taxes for local governments than homes do.

Its a concern when state law is going to override these local decisions, particularly when these local decisions are made in a public process with the community as part of a larger housing plan, said Jason Rhine, assistant director of legislative affairs for the League of California Cities.

California, the nations most populous state with just over 39 million residents, has a housing shortage that has driven up home prices and contributed to a homelessness crisis. State officials say California needs to build about 310,000 new housing units each year over the next eight years, more than 2 1/2 times the number the state normally builds each year.

Lawmakers in the Democratic-controlled state Legislature introduce dozens of bills each year to try to increase housing production, but many of their boldest ideas often fail in the face of opposition from local governments, labor unions and neighborhood groups.

One popular idea in recent years has been to override local laws about where housing can be built. Housing advocates complain that local governments are often content to let commercial buildings sit vacant for years  sometimes for decades  hoping for a replacement that will generate more property taxes, rather than change the law to allow housing there.

Previous efforts to do so have failed to pass the Legislature, but this year, lawmakers passed two bills, both of which Newsom signed Wednesday.

One law will let developers build housing on some commercial land without having to ask permission from local governments, as long as a certain percentage of the housing is affordable. Another law will let developers build all market-rate housing on some commercial land  which would be more lucrative  but the projects would still have to go through an environmental review process.

Stores are leaving permanently, the Sears, the Toys R Us, the JC Penneys, the Kmarts  they are closing, said Democratic Sen. Anna Caballero, author of one of the laws. There is not a thing that is going to take the place here commercially, and so the ability to actually transform the property and to do it in an expedited way  is invaluable.

When he was running for governor in 2017, Newsom pledged to develop 3.5 million new housing units by 2025  a number the state is likely to fall far short of meeting. Newsom said Wednesday that hes now shooting for 2.5 million new housing units by 2030, saying his original number was always a stretch goal that in the process of trying to achieve it will allow us to see whats possible.

We intend to continue to have audacious goals because Californians deserve them, Newsom said.

The new laws reflect a compromise between labor unions and housing developers. Some labor unions, including the powerful State Building and Construction Trades Council of California, had insisted that legislation should require a skilled and trained workforce to build the housing. That means a certain percentage of workers would have participated in a state-approved apprenticeship program.

But housing developers argue there arent enough workers available to meet that standard, which would make some projects difficult to complete.

The solution was to give homebuilders a choice. The bill that requires affordable housing does not require a skilled and trained workforce, while the bill that doesnt require affordable housing does require one.

Doing anything that is big or consequential in the Legislature isnt easy. And it can be messy. But at the end of the day, all sides came together, state Senate Democratic Leader Mike McGuire said.

By ADAM BEAM

Associated Press
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP)  A Sacramento County sheriffs deputy shot and killed a man Wednesday who came at him with a machete, authorities said.

Deputies were sent to a home in unincorporated south Sacramento shortly after 8:30 a.m. after a woman called to report that her husband was suicidal and was holding a machete, according to a statement from the Sheriffs Office.

The caller said her husband didnt have any history of violence or any mental health conditions.

An arriving deputy contacted the wife, who was standing in her front yard, when her husband appeared on the front porch, holding a 24-inch machete, the Sheriffs Office said.

He came towards the deputy and his wife. The deputy pushed the woman out of harms way and ordered the man to drop the raised machete, the Sheriffs Office said.

The deputy found himself backed up to a fence and as the man continued to advance and ignore commands, he opened fire, hitting the man several times, authorities said.

The man was pronounced dead at a hospital. His name wasnt immediately released.

The mans wife and the deputy, a four-year veteran of the department, werent hurt.

The shooting is under investigation.
California governor approves farmworker unionization law View Photo

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP)  A broadly smiling California Gov. Gavin Newsom joined about two dozen jubilant, cheering farmworkers camped outside the state Capitol Wednesday to sign one of the most contentious bills before him this year, reversing course on a measure to help farmworkers unionize after President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris supported it.

The White House support pinned Newsom in a difficult political position after his office announced before Democratic lawmakers sent him the bill that he would not sign it.

But Newsom approved the bill only after he, the United Farm Workers and the California Labor Federation agreed on clarifying language to be considered during next years legislative session to address his concerns around implementation and voting integrity.

The new law gives California farmworkers, who harvest much of the nations fruit and vegetables, new ways to vote in union elections beyond physical polling places on farm property. Proponents say that would help protect workers from union busting and other intimidation, while owners say such a system lacks necessary safeguards to prevent fraud.

The agreement includes a cap on the number of unionization petitions over the next five years and will allow state regulators to better protect worker confidentiality and safety, Newsoms office said. It would do away with an option for workers to unionize through mail-in voting that is contained in the current language, but keeps a card check election process.

Si, se puede, the farmworkers chanted as Newsom signed the bill, echoing the UFWs longtime slogan  roughly, Yes, we can in Spanish.

The union led a weekslong summer march up the state to Sacramento, where farmworkers and their supporters rallied outside the Capitol, some camping outside through September in an effort to win Newsoms support.

The vigil and the march were all worth it, because he came out and signed for us, farmworker Teresa Maldonado said through a translator.

The march cost Xochilt Nunez her fruit-picking job, several toenails and left her with blistered feet. But she was on the verge of tears after Newsom signed the legislation, plus an extra copy for Nunez to keep.

Californias farmworkers are the lifeblood of our state, and they have the fundamental right to unionize and advocate for themselves in the workplace, Newsom said in a statement after signing the bill.

Newsom vetoed similar legislation last year, as did his two most recent predecessors. One of his stated concerns centered on security concerns about mail-in elections, an option that would be eliminated in the clean up language agreed to by the union.

The revised law would keep the card check option, which would still give farmworkers a chance to vote from home or anywhere else they feel comfortable and limit chances for employer intimidation, said Giev Kashkooli, legislative and political director for the United Farm Workers. Under such a system, a union is formed if more than half of workers sign the authorization card.

The California Farm Bureau said it was deeply disappointed in Newsoms decision to sign the bill, though the groups statement focused primarily on the mail-in balloting system. The union did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment about the language to remove that option.

Democratic Assemblyman Mark Stone added provisions to this years version that would let the law expire after five years unless it is renewed by lawmakers, and requiring the Agricultural Labor Relations Board to handle the ballots.

Newsom has been positioning himself for months as a leading national Democratic voice calling out red state governors, fueling speculation that he has presidential ambitions despite his repeated denials.

Mike Madrid, a Republican strategist in California who specializes in Latino voting trends, read Bidens Labor Day statement strongly supporting the legislation as an effort to take Newsom down a notch.

I think its impossible to avoid the reality that theres a little bit of tension between these two politicians because of Gavins posture in leaning into this presidential rumor mill, Madrid said. Its basically just a reminder of who the sheriff is.

Biden has long supported the union. He keeps a bust of union co-founder Cesar Chavez in the Oval Office and Chavez granddaughter, Julie Chavez Rodriguez, is Bidens director of intergovernmental affairs.

In the state with the largest population of farmworkers, the least we owe them is an easier path to make a free and fair choice to organize a union, Biden said in his statement.

Jack Pitney, a political science professor at Claremont McKenna College, said Biden seemed to be reflecting his longstanding support for unions, while Newsom had the more delicate task of balancing labor relations against an agricultural industry that also is struggling.

Adding to the pressure, the struggling UFW recently rejoined the umbrella California Labor Federation. The issue of farmworker unionization became more critical to labor in 2020 after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that union organizers had no right to access farmers properties to talk to their workers.

Newsom signed a different union-backed bill on Labor Day, creating a Fast Food Council empowered to set minimum standards for wages, hours and working conditions in California. The restaurant industry moved to block it a day later.

____

Associated Press Writer Kathleen Ronayne contributed to this story.

By DON THOMPSON

Associated Press
By John McGregor, a translator and political violence researcher

On 19 September, a large number of Sikhs in Canada voted in an entirely unofficial referendum. On the ballot was the question of independence from India for a Sikh homeland, Khalistan. The Indian government has increasingly focused on the issue of Khalistan in its international relations, and was not pleased by the Canadian decision to allow the vote to go ahead.

The so-called Khalistan referendum was organized by a group called Sikhs For Justice, which refers to itself as a human rights advocacy group. In July 2019, a year after Sikhs For Justice first announced a referendum, it was banned in India under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act, but continues to have operations in Canada, the USA, and the UK.

Sikhs For Justice have claimed that 100,000 people took part in the vote in Brampton, and while photos from the day show a sea of Khalistan flags, this is a clear exaggeration. Canada had indicated back in 2020 that it had no intention of recognizing the vote as legitimate in any way, but it did not seek to stop the vote.

This, of course, infuriated the Indian government. There is a longstanding history of violence between the Indian state and the Khalistan movement, which includes amongst its more brutal political developments Operation Blue Star, the assassination of Indira Gandhi, and the subsequent 1984 Sikh massacre.

Historically, the engagement between the Indian government and the Khalistan movement has been largely a domestic affair (aside from the perennial position that the hand of Pakistan can be found behind anyone opposing the Indian state). The Indian response to the referendum in Canada is part of an increasing trend of confronting the issue in international relations as well.

An Indian spokesman confirmed that his government had raised the matter diplomatically with Canada, but the Indian Ministry of External Affairs also issued a travel advisory about Canada on 23 September. This warned about a sharp increase in incidents of hate crimes, sectarian violence and anti-India activities in Canada.

Justin Trudeau had already attracted the ire of the Modi government on the Khalistan issue by inviting Jaspal Atwal, an Indian-Canadian businessman, to a reception in India. Atwal was a supporter of the Khalistan movement and had previously been convicted over a 1986 assassination attempt in Canada against Malkiat Singh Sidhu, a Minister in the Punjab government.

He further provoked Modis government through his support for farmers protests in India. When Trudeau supported their right to peaceful protest, the Indian MEA referred to the comments as ill-informed and unwarranted. Although a direct response to proposed changes to farming laws by the Modi government, there was also an undeniable intersection with Sikh identity to the farmers protests. Around the world, Sikhs rallied to support the farmers. When protesting farmers entered the Red Fort on January 26 (Republic Day), 2021, one of them unfurled a Nishan Sahib, the flag of the Sikh religious community. This is a distinct flag and symbol from that of the Khalistan movement, but the Modi government has consistently sought to link the protestors with the Khalistan movement to undermine their support, and this sign was easily manipulated to help that cause. Earlier that same month, the government had claimed in a Supreme Court filing that Khalistanis had infiltrated the farmers protests and it has consistently utilized allegations of pro-Khalistan sympathies to block social media accounts. Within Modis India, the anti-Khalistan stance is serious business, and Modi is now using Indias international economic and political importance to address the perceived issue abroad.

The recent advisory issued by the Indian MEA was specifically directed at Indian Nationals and Students from India in Canada, a recognition on behalf of the Indian MEA of the economic value of its overseas students. Of the approximately Canadian 620,000 study visas issued in 2021, nearly 220,000 went to Indian students. This is a growth industry for Canada, with numbers of international students more than doubling in the last ten years. With already declining numbers of students coming from China, Canada cannot afford to jeopardize its largest market for education.

When multiple Indian students were attacked in separate incidents in a relatively short space of time in 2009, the Indian government issued a travel advisory warning about the dangers to Indians in Australia. The number of Indian students in Australia plummeted the following year and didnt recover for nearly a decade. The attacks provoked demonstrations in India and were widely publicized, and the Australian dollar was at record highs, so the effect of the government advisory shouldnt be overestimated. Nonetheless, countries such as Canada and the UK, which saw an increase in international students from India as a result, have seen how quickly these numbers can change.

The UK has also seen a notable increase in overseas students from India in recent years. Whilst China remains the first country of origin for non-EU students in the UK, with nearly 140,000 students in 2020-2021, the Indian market grew from just over 50,000 in 2019-2020 to nearly 85,000 in 2020-2021.

Sikhs For Justice held votes for their Khalistan referendum in the UK in late 2021 and early 2022. At the time, Indian National Security Advisor Ajit Doval conveyed serious concerns from the Indian government over the vote to UK National Security Advisor Stephen Lovegrove.

During an April 2022 visit by then British PM Boris Johnson to India, the Indian PM reportedly raised the Khalistan issue with Johnson and informed him of Indias zero tolerance approach. Johnson, in response to public questions on the UK response, said:

We have a very strong view in the UK. We dont tolerate extremist groups setting up in the UK with a view to threatening other countries, threatening India, but what weve done particularly as a result of this visit is set up an anti-extremism task force to see what more we can do to help India in that aspect.

One of the reasons Johnson was in India was to continue negotiations on the India-UK free trade agreement, so it isnt that unusual that he was happy to agree with the Indian position. Somewhat more unusual was his assertion that, particularly as a result of the visit he was still on, the British government had established a new anti-extremism task force to help India.

The UK has actually been the site of Sikh extremist violence. In 2012, Lieutenant General Kuldeep Singh Brar was stabbed in the neck near Oxford St while on holiday in London. Brar had led Operation Blue Star, a violent Indian military raid against the Sikh Golden Temple at Amritsar in 1984. Four Sikhs were convicted of the attack on Brar, which was in revenge for Operation Blue Star.

Despite Johnsons claim to have already established a new anti-extremism task force to help tackle the Khalistan movement in the UK, and the relatively recent history of Sikh political violence in the UK, no such taskforce has been identified.

PM Modi is likely to visit the UK next month as the two countries seek to finalize their FTA before Diwali. The UK has already invested extensively in attempting to attract more students from India, including as part of its current negotiations. In July 2022, the UK and India signed an agreement to recognize each others higher education qualifications. The UK government press release on the matter explained the benefits to the UK:

The agreement will make UK universities even more appealing to Indian applicants and is likely to provide an economic boost, as the benefit to the UK of welcoming non-EU students is estimated by industry to be around 109,000 per person.

The Modi government has demonstrated that it wants to take its fight against the Khalistan movement to the international sphere and is willing to draw on its economic cards to do so. The Canadian government has ignored this stance to the detriment of its own economy. As the UK government finalizes negotiations with India over the two countries FTA, it cannot risk ignoring the Modi government.
Lambert and I, and many readers, agree that Ukraine has prompted the worst informational environment ever. We hope readers will collaborate in mitigating the fog of war  both real fog and stage fog  in comments. None of us need more cheerleading and link-free repetition of memes; there are platforms for that. Low-value, link-free pom pom-wavers will be summarily whacked.

And for those who are new here, this is not a mere polite request. We have written site Policies and those who comment have accepted those terms. To prevent having to resort to the nuclear option of shutting comments down entirely until more sanity prevails, as we did during the 2015 Greek bailout negotiations and shortly after the 2020 election, we are going to be ruthless about moderating and blacklisting offenders.

Yves

P.S. Also, before further stressing our already stressed moderators, read our site policies:

Please do not write us to ask why a comment has not appeared. We do not have the bandwidth to investigate and reply. Using the comments section to complain about moderation decisions/tripwires earns that commenter troll points. Please dont do it. Those comments will also be removed if we encounter them.

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The Resurgence Of Tesla Syndrome Noema

University Staff Warned They Could Be Fired for Providing Birth Control Vice (J-LS)

Griftrix The American Prospect

EY thinks it can split and cash in while ringfencing audit liability The Dig

French central banker attacked in Basel in June SwissInfo

#COVID19

Climate

I've been capturing video from this webcam in Fort Myers all day and I've put it into a Timelapse. Check out the storm surge rushing in! Crazy. #Ian #flwx pic.twitter.com/lj7a1wThga  Brennan Prill (@WxBrenn) September 28, 2022

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China?

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New Not-So-Cold Cold War

9/ The European energy war will likely go down in hitory, together with the Treaty of Versailles and the trade wars of the 1930s, as one of the biggest economic policy errors in history.  Philip Pilkington (@philippilk) September 27, 2022

EXCLUSIVE Afghan Taliban sign deal for Russian oil products, gas and wheat Reuters

Biden Administration

Jackie, are you here? Wheres Jackie?" Biden called out a recently deceased congresswoman in remarks at a hunger conference she helped organize, addressing Indiana Republican Jackie Walorski as if she were still alive https://t.co/OX7620Zm82 pic.twitter.com/mcErte9ZdQ  Bloomberg (@business) September 28, 2022

Gun violence clips 2.6% off U.S. GDP Science Blog (KS)

Recycle, repackage, repeat  Billy Downer sets out Jacob Zumas years of rolling the legal dice to stay out of jail Daily Maverick

Big Brother is Watching You Watch

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Antidote du jour (via):

See yesterdays Links and Antidote du Jour here.
John here. I believe this piece is particularly relevant in the USA where there isnt the in-built connection between one of the major political parties and the organized labor movement. As Conway notes, union membership equips workers with the skills they need for public office, and starting local allows union members to move on to higher offices.

By Tom Conway, the international president of the United Steelworkers Union. Originally published at the Independent Media Institute.

When a group of custodians in York County, South Carolina, learned their bosses planned to sell them out to save a few pennies, they knew exactly who to turn to for helpa fellow worker whod walked in the very same shoes.

County Councilman William Bump Roddey, a longtime member of the United Steelworkers (USW) and a former custodian himself, assured the county workers that he had their backs. Roddey ultimately helped quash the scheme to contract out the countys janitorial services, a victory both for the custodians and the taxpayers relying on their quality work.

Electing more union members like Roddey to councils and mayoral posts will help to combat right-wing attacks on workers and hold local government accountable to the ordinary people its intended to serve.

We speak for the American worker, Roddey, a member of USW Local 1924 who works at New-Indy Containerboard, said of union members. We speak for the middle class. The agenda is not about us if we are not at the table.

If the county had privatized cleaning services, any small budgetary savings would have paled next to the pain inflicted on the custodians, Roddey said, noting officials out of touch with working people dont too quickly grasp these scenarios.

The perspective of the people who sign the front of the paycheck is different from the perspective of the people who sign the back of the paycheck, said Roddey, whose colleagues on the council include three business owners. I bring that back-of-the-paycheck perspective to everything I do.

Attacks on working people arent unique to South Carolina.

After the school board in Putnam, Connecticut, contracted out custodial services, for example, workers lost access to their pension system even though theyd been promised no change in benefits.

In recent months, USW-represented school bus drivers in Bay City, Michigan, beat back efforts to contract out their work, while union members in Los Angeles County, California, won their own fight against privatization.

Electing more union members would ensure that local officials instead invest their energies in productive ways, such as building robust, worker-centered economies.

Some forward-thinking local officials have used their authority to pass worker protection laws, to establish agencies for enforcing those safeguards, and to create workers councils to take testimony on job-related issues, noted the Economic Policy Institute (EPI), a Washington, D.C.-based think tank, in a recent report. At Seattles Office of Labor Standards, for example, a full-time equivalent staff of 34 enforces 18 worker-centered ordinances, including those requiring paid sick time, employment opportunity, and protections for gig workers.

Local officials have the power to hold corporations accountable when they accept public subsidies with promises of creating dignified, family-sustaining jobs. Its also the prerogative of mayors and councils to provide resources, like affordable housing, that help level the playing field for struggling workers.

And the advocacy of local officials can buoy workers in difficult times. Roddey and other leaders stepped up to support workers at Giti Tire in Chester County, South Carolina, during a USW organizing drive sparked by low pay, unsafe working conditions, and discrimination.

I certainly recognize the challenges that workers are facing every day at Giti, said Roddey, part of a community coalition that signed a letter to corporate management in November 2021 demanding an end to its abusive practices.

Having union members in charge at city hall not only protects jobs but may even help to ensure the survival of the community itself.

Clairton, Pennsylvania, Mayor Richard Lattanzi points out that no one can adequately represent his city without a deep appreciation for the Clairton Coke Works and the Steelworkers who have anchored the community for decades.

And while meeting the daily needs of his constituents, many of them USW members and other union workers, Lattanzi also must defend the coke works against extremists eager to shut it down. Thats one-third of our tax base, and thats our identity, said Lattanzi, a longtime USW member who worked at the Irvin Works in the nearby community of West Mifflin.

Some union members run for local office because their concern for coworkers spills over into the communities they call home.

Our job as a union and as union leaders is to take care of people, especially working people, and thats what our communities are made up of, observed Steve Kramer, president of USW Local 9777 and a member of the Dyer, Indiana, Town Council, calling his step into government service a natural and easy progression.

Union membership equips workers with the skills they need for public office. Union members understand the power of solidarity and diversity. Theyre accustomed to having a voice and standing up for whats right.

What better person to run for elected office than a union member? Were problem-solvers, said Kramer, whos helped to ensure that Dyer buys American-made products, that town-funded projects support good jobs, and that government resources are equitably distributed across the community.

I wish more union members would step up and do it. I know we have talent out there, he continued, noting that in addition to elected positions, communities need volunteers to serve on water, library, and many other boards.

An influx of union members into councils and other local posts would also help pave the way to more worker representation at other levels of government. As these local officials move up to higher office, Roddey noted, state legislatures and Congress will become more responsive to the will of the people.

Theres a path to changing how these bodies operate, and the first step is getting involved locally, he said.
By John McGregor, a translator and political violence researcher

The Australian electoral and parliamentary systems, including mandatory voting at all levels of government, lends itself to centrist policies and two major parties of government. After the earliest years of Australian national politics, one side of the political spectrum has been dominated by the Australian Labor Party, the trade union affiliated party of organized labor. The other side of politics has been defined by its opposition to Labor.

The predecessor to the Liberal Party of Australia, currently the Opposition to the Albanese Labor government at the federal level, was the United Australia Party (not to be confused with a new party by the same named that was founded in 2013 by the mining magnate Clive Palmer). The United Australia Party was formed out of a mix of opposition parties and a handful of defecting Labor MPs. When the UAP collapsed completely in 1945, its ideological and financial backers transferred their allegiance to the Liberal Party. The National Party, originally representing agrarian interests, has been in a constant coalition with the anti-Labor party for 100 years, even as the party in question has changed.

In the state of Victoria, the Labor Party has been in power since 2014 under Premier Dan Andrews. The state economy in Victoria is driven by services. Its exports of education and associated living expenses and travel alone account for nearly the same value as its top ten goods exports. The education sector is also crucial to propping up the housing sector as it continues to bring more young students to urban areas.

While the former Liberal government under Prime Minister Scott Morrison promoted the coal lobby, gutted higher education, and provoked China, there was little chance of the Liberal Party making gains in Victoria. Endless sagas of abuse, misogyny, and corruption made the Liberals unpalatable in even some of the most dedicated monied electorates. It seemed for a while that some wealthier voters would be forced to hold their noses and vote for Labor or the Greens (or possibly one of the minor parties).

Instead, at the 2022 federal election, the Liberal Party faced challenges in a number of seats from the so-called teal independents. Whilst not all of the seats that teal independents challenged were held by Liberal, the majority vast were, and none were held by Labor.

In Victoria, teal independent candidates managed to defeat the incumbent Liberals Tim Wilson and Josh Frydenberg. Wilsons seat of Goldstein had only ever been held by the Liberals. Frydenberg, however, was the more significant scalp as he was the Treasurer in the Morrison government and the Deputy Leader of the Opposition. He was widely seen as a likely successor to Morrison. His seat, Kooyong, had formerly been held by Robert Menzies, a former leader of first the UAP and then the Liberal Party. In the end, the Liberal Party only managed to win 8 seats in Victoria in contrast to the 24 of the Labor Party.

The teal independents gained much of their support and funding from the Climate200 initiative that was founded by billionaire son of a billionaire Simon Holmes a Court. A former member of Frydenbergs fundraising arm, Kooyong200, Holmes a Court fell out with Frydenberg over climate issues.

Holmes a Court has said that Climate200 has not extracted any specific promises from the candidates it has supported, and continues to insist that the teal independents are independent. Almost all women, the candidates are united by climate policies that are more appealing to the urban voters than the national policies of the Liberal Party.

The Murdoch media, perennial supporters of the Liberals, howled about the teal independents, but the end result of this relatively recent development can only help the anti-Labor forces in Australian politics. Liberated of the strictures of national policy (and the shame of party colleagues) teal independents can represent the anti-Labor interest in Australia with an agility and local focus that the major parties cant match.

As a movement, the teal independents havent disappeared after the May 2022 federal election, and a number of teal candidates are preparing to contest the November 2022 Victorian state election. At the last state elections in Victoria, in 2018, Labors Dan Andrews won a resounding re-election victory over Matthew Guys Liberal Party, increasing the number of seats it holds in the lower house from 47 to 55. The Liberal Party, in contrast, lost 9 seats and now only holds 21 seats in the state legislative assembly.

Matthew Guy was removed as the leader of the Liberals after his woeful electoral performance, but the remaining leadership candidates were so unappealing that he was returned to the leadership in time to contest an election he almost certainly cant win. Best known for eating a lobster with an alleged mobster, Guy must now also contend with the fact that Peter Dutton is the leader of the Liberals at the federal level, not the most enticing prospect to the Victorian urban Liberal voter. The intervention of teal candidates in the forthcoming election will help to stem the flow of seats to Labor and ensure that safe Liberal seats dont fall into Labor hands.

Even facing the prospect of teal candidates, the state government of Dan Andrews seems unassailable. This should, on the face of it, be a victory for organized labor, but the Labor Party in Victoria is now entirely divorced from its membership.

In 2020, the Victorian branch of the Labor Party was struck by one of its many corruption scandals. In this case, the scandal focused on factional branch-stacking, where members of the various Labor factions sought to promote their own candidates by subscribing large numbers of (sometimes fake) local members (and paying their membership). As a result, the national executive of the party appointed Steve Bracks, a former Premier, and Jenny Macklin, a former Deputy Labor Leader, to administer the state party.

This saw the suspension of all voting rights in the Victorian branch, meaning members had no say over candidates or policy. This in turn led to a large and predictable drop of nearly 20% in membership in Victoria. Despite this, Andrews wrote to the Labor national executive in June 2022 and requested that it keep control over the Victorian branch until after the coming state election, thus deciding all outstanding preselections without input from the declining membership.

Weeks after this decision, four of Andrews cabinet members announced plans to resign at the next election. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-06-25/resignation-victorian-ministers-sheds-light-future-labor-party/101181702 A month later, Victorias anti-corruption watchdog, IBAC, released a report on the Labor Party. This found there was egregious and extensive misconduct, misuse of public funds, and discovered that the branch stacking had been going on for decades.

The IBAC report, despite its finding, was unable to recommend prosecutions. The IBAC commissioner went so far as to criticize the legislative framework that, according to him, provides few, if any, consequences for abusing public resources and that allows such conduct to continue unchecked. In response to the release of the report, Dan Andrews apologized on behalf of the Labor Party and said that he took full responsibility.

As Victoria prepares for the coming state election, Labor is likely to win despite its public corruption and lack of accountability to working people. In the absence of any decent opposition, teal independents opposing the Labor party without the baggage of the conservative Liberal Party will help to protect traditionally anti-Labor seats.
My Nashville Post role has evolved since 2000 when I joined the now-defunct The City Paper. TCP became a Post sister publication in 2008 (when I began doing some Post work) and folded in 2013. I have been managing editor of the Post since late 2011.

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(Natural News) The American Principles Project has released a new ad slamming Joe Biden and Democratic Arizona Senator Mark Kelly for cosponsoring a bill that would weaponize the Department of Justice and push dangerous transgender drugs and surgeries on kids.

(Article by Jordan Conradson republished from TheGatewayPundit.com)

The video features child psychologist Miriam Grossman, M.D., who says, We have to go out there and stop this. Our children deserve better.

The new law is sold as A bill to prohibit discrimination on the basis of sex, gender identity, and sexual orientation, and for other purposes.

It would empower the Department of Justice to intervene in equal protection actions in federal court on account of sexual orientation or gender identity and strip parents of their rights.

It would also prohibit an individual from being denied access to a shared facility, including a restroom, a locker room, and a dressing room, that is in accordance with the individuals gender identity, allowing any man into a womens restroom based on what gender they think they are.

This is the disgusting Democratic agenda that Joe Biden is driving.

The American Principles Project is the only national pro-family organization engaging directly in campaigns and elections. Their goal is to make the family the most powerful, well-represented special interest group in Washington, D.C.

Trump-Endorsed Blake Masters shared their new ad saying, Mark Kelly supports all of it.

Grossman: We have an explosion of kids rather suddenly making an announcement that they are transgender. Narrator: Democrats like Mark Kelly and Joe Biden support policies pushing dangerous transgender drugs and surgeries on kids, taking away parental rights. Grossman: Kids are told  elementary school, middle school  if your parents dont go along with this, theyre not on your side. Narrator: Its Mark Kellys agenda for our kids. And families. Grossman: There are no gold standard studies about transgender kids. Zero. We have to go out there and stop this. Our children deserve better.

Mark Kelly supports all of it. pic.twitter.com/M6yNkX3cBrhttps://t.co/QWKN6Q8qGa  Blake Masters for U.S. Senate Press (@MastersPress) September 21, 2022

This is similar to the policies that Radical Left Democrat gubernatorial nominee Katie Hobbs has a record of pushing in the Arizona Legislature.

The Gateway Pundit recently reported that Katie Hobbs sponsored legislation to teach kindergartners about sex-ed and promote homosexuality before voting against allowing our National Motto, In God We Trust, to be taught in schools.

This is what they want for American youth.

Reality check: Nothing is okay about this. pic.twitter.com/6lBSkz8z9Q  Chloe Cole ?? (@ChoooCole) September 8, 2022

This life-changing surgery is child abuse.

Breitbart reported,

The bill, titled the Equality Act, would effectively eliminate the legal definition of biological sex if signed into law and, as Melissa Moschella, Ph.D., pointed out in a report published by the Heritage Foundation, impose a radical ideology with sweeping implications on all Americans. Moschella noted that under this legislation, a parents caution or skepticism about their childs desire to change sexes could be viewed as abuse or neglect:

To understand how radically the Equality Act would undermine parental rights, imagine that you are the parent of an adolescent girl who begins to identify as transgender after watching video testimonials of transgender-identifying adolescents on Tumblr, despite never previously having expressed discomfort with her gender. If you are worried that this is a social-media-induced fad and resist your daughters demands to call her by a new name, buy her a chest binder and mens clothing, and allow her to begin taking testosterone, your caution and skepticism could be considered abusive or neglectful. With the help of school officials, your daughter might begin presenting herself as a boy at school  adopting a new name and pronouns, using the boys restroom and locker room, and participating in boys sports, etc.  while she and the school officials work together to keep you, the parent, in the dark about what is going on. Along with the threat to parents rights, Moschella warns of two other potential consequences of the Equality Act. It would demolish existing civil rights and constitutional freedoms  and is a grave threat to parental rights and result in lifelong physical and emotional harm to countless children, who would be subject to even more dangerous drugs and surgeries, she wrote.

In the past, Mark Kelly has also advocated for Transgender Day Of Visibility. Whatever the hell that means.

As politicians undermine trans rights here in Arizona and across the country, it couldnt be more important to celebrate trans people and stand with them in the fight for full equality. On this #TransgenderDayOfVisibility, know that Ive got your back.  Captain Mark Kelly (@CaptMarkKelly) March 31, 2022

Arizona must vote for Blake Masters to protect the children.

Read more at: TheGatewayPundit.com
(Natural News) Retired firefighter Chad Caton denounced liberals for branding him and other conservatives as violent extremists, even though no violent instances were attributed to conservatives.

During the Sept. 22 episode of his Brighteon.TV program Im Fired Up, he admitted that he can get violent if there is a need for it. Caton, however, pointed out that he has never been arrested for assault or other issues. He added that he always protects his family with his concealed firearm.

I trained with my wife and other people in my whole idea of not becoming a victim, he explained. It seems very cut and dry, but because I do these things  Ive been called a violent extremist. And now, theyre bunching us into a big group of Make America Great Again (MAGA) violent extremists.'

According to Caton, recent events triggered aggressive reactions from Republicans. But in reality, it was simply the GOP exposing and calling out the governments misdoings. Nevertheless, the retired firefighter pointed out that these are not enough reason for the Democrats to brand them as extremists, let alone violent.

One example of this is New York Attorney General Letitia James suing former President Donald Trump, three of his children and his company. Not a criminal deal, but just a lawsuit, because they dont have anything and its easier to prove something in civil court than it is criminal, the Im Fired Up host pointed out.

The suit accused Trump alongside his three children  Donald Jr., Ivanka and Eric  and Trump Organization senior executives of falsely inflating the former presidents net worth by billions of dollars to put the company in a better financial footing.

That was your attorney general of New York. Her job is to live by the Constitution for the good people of New York, be the top law officer and make sure that the people of NY are continuously safe under the laws, Caton stated.

While he could list all the things that James did, he remarked that in the long run, its a political hit job.

Canada school defends trans teacher wearing huge prosthetic bust on campus

Elsewhere in the show, Caton played a video showing a transitioning industrial arts teacher at Oakville Trafalgar High School in Canada wearing a mini skirt and huge prosthetic bust inside a very tight blouse.

Sunira Chaudhrym, an employment lawyer at Worklylaw, told the Toronto Sun that if a non-transgender woman teacher appeared in the same way as the transgender teacher, theyd likely be reprimanded.

I think hes going too further just to identify himself. Im okay with it, but just wearing that in the classroom, I still get a little bit concerned, a parent said in an interview.

It appeared that the Halton District School Board is standing behind the transgender teacher as its chair Margo Shuttleworth stated that protecting their employees gender rights is the stance the school board is taking and they are standing behind the teacher.

Caton said hes glad that the transgender teacher feels comfortable showing up like that but shes breaking the law, exposing herself via prosthetics to minors.

[She] literally throws it in the face of the students. Theres no other reason for this person to dress like this than to get some kind of attention or maybe bring attention to it. I dont know, he said.

He further pointed out that there are laws that ask us to keep ourselves covered up because its considered illegal to walk down the street naked in the United States.

This person has chosen the prosthetic in a see-through taut sweater and it is not like she went to the grocery store and a kid walked by. The transgender goes into that school clocks in and teaches shop, he said. This is how we become violent extremists because I look at my nieces and nephew and Im like, just youre not supposed to worry about that and the [bust] is fake anyway.'

Watch the full September 22 episode of Im Fired Up with Chad Caton below. Catch new episodes of the program every Thursday at 10-11 a.m. on Brighteon.TV.

More related stories:

BREAKING: Project Veritas releases Biden DHS/FBI intelligence bulletin smearing conservatives as Domestic Violent Extremists after raid on Mar-a-Lago.

Fascism in action: FBI now ARRESTING conservatives over social media posts.

Conservatives unite to stop events exposing children to LGBT ideologies.

Im Fired Up with Chad Caton: Kamala Harris spells trouble for America  Brighteon.TV.

Sources include:

Brighteon.com

AG.NY.gov

TorontoSun.com
(Natural News) Its not just vaccine makers who profited significantly from the COVID-19 virus. The latest yearly reports from a trio of prominent pathology firms show just how profitable PCR tests were during the height of the pandemic.

The three firms involved all provided large-scale PCR testing throughout the pandemic. Sonic Healthcare, the biggest medical lab and pathology service provider in Europe and Australasia and the third largest in America, enjoyed a record $950 million net profit, marking an 11 percent rise over the previous year. At the same time, their revenue went up by 7 percent.

In the companys annual report, chairman Mark Compton noted that they had experienced two years of exceptional profit and cash flow generation, adding: Twelve months ago, we would never have expected our COVID-related revenues to grow by 13 percent in 2022. It remains difficult to predict future revenues from COVID-19 testing; however, we do expect ongoing demand, coupled with seasonally weighted increased testing for other respiratory viruses too.

As the top provider of testing in Australia, they benefited from rules that made it mandatory for those wishing to work or travel to undergo PCR testing, particularly in the time before there was broader recognition of rapid antigen test results.

Another company, Healius Pathology, also had a bumper year. The company operates 2,000 patient collection centers throughout Australia and carried out around 13 million COVID-19 tests. They managed to double their net profits, from $148.4 million the previous year to $309.3 million last year, along with a 30 percent increase in revenue as of June.

Their annual report noted that their PCR testing has dropped since February to between 10,000 and 12,000 tests per day as omicron becomes endemic. They also reported that pathology testing for conditions not related to COVID-19 had fallen as a result of lockdowns, restrictions on elective surgery, and other isolation requirements. They believe, however, that the number of tests in these areas will rise moving forward.

Australian Clinical Labs, a company that runs more than 1,300 collection centers in Australia, reported an increase in after-tax profits of 101 percent, climbing from $60.4 million to $178.2 million, as well as a 48 percent rise in revenue.

Study shows how much private labs in Hawaii profited from PCR tests

A recent study carried out by the University of Hawaii Economic Research Organization found that independent labs in Hawaii enjoyed millions of dollars in revenue increases thanks to PCR testing, with the profits estimated to be at least $10 per test  although the true amount can often be higher.

The researchers reached this conclusion after analyzing the revenue reports of 21 different independent labs who carried out PCR tests in the state between July 2018 and November 2021. In Hawaii, health services are subjected to a comprehensive gross excise tax on sales revenue, which means businesses are required to supply information about their revenue on a monthly basis to the department of taxation. This places the state in a unique position compared to the rest of the nation when it comes to providing this type of data.

Prior to the pandemic, the labs were earning an average of $19 to $22 million of monthly revenue; this climbed to $28 to $36 million after PCR COVID tests were made available, with the biggest jump seen between May and December 2020.

Although commercial insurance plans had to cover the costs of COVID tests without cost sharing for patients under the CARES Act and the Families First in Coronavirus Relief Act, they did not set the prices for these tests. Labs received reimbursement at the Medicare rate of $51.33 per test, but the study determined that the actual cost per test was likely less than this. According to the study, these high reimbursement prices could well be passed on to consumers in the form of higher premiums.

The pandemic may be winding down in many ways, but considering how much money it made for so many different businesses, it wont be long before a new variant or a different illness entirely is used to drive fear and profits.

Sources for this article include:

TheEpochTimes.com

StateofReform.com
(Natural News) Europe has experienced a significant increase in excess deaths among children ever since the European Medicines Agency (EMA) granted Pfizers Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine an emergency use authorization for use in younger age groups.

According to an investigation conducted by the Expose, between week 22 of 2017 and week 37 of 2021, the average number of excess deaths among children aged 0 to 14 was 169.65. From week 22 of 2021 to week 37 of 2022, the number of excess deaths among children of the same age soared to 1,224. (Related: COVID-19 vaccines are killing shocking numbers of doctors in Canada).

What this means is that there has been a 630 percent increase in excess deaths among children aged zero to 14 across Europe since the EMA authorized the use of COVID-19 vaccine for children aged 12 to 15 in May 2021.

The Exposes investigation also sought to figure out the increase in excess deaths since the start of the year and it found that there have been 542 reported excess deaths among children aged zero to 14 across Europe from the start of the year up to week 33.

By the end of 2021, the European Union began rolling out the Pfizer vaccine for children aged five to 11. Children aged 12 and over have also even been offered booster doses. Not surprisingly, the rate of excess deaths following the rollout of COVID-19 vaccines for children five and above has gone up another notch.

From 2018 to 2021, the average number of excess deaths among children from the start of those years up to week 33 of each year equates to 63.4. This means that excess deaths among children throughout 2022 so far represent a 755 percent increase compared to the 2018 to 2021 average.

Europe investigating cause of increase in excess deaths

The Expose first published the results of its investigation into the official mortality figures in Europe at the end of August. Around three weeks following the release of this initial investigation, the European Mortality Monitoring (EuroMoMo) bulletin for week 33 of 2022 admitted that all-cause mortality for participating European countries show elevated excess mortality.

EuroMoMo is a weekly monitoring board operated by the Statens Serum Institut, a Danish research institute, with input from epidemiologists with data from 28 partner organizations located in 24 countries all over the continent. EuroMoMos week 33 bulletin was the first time any European public health or mortality monitoring board ever admitted that excess mortality rates in Europe were increasing beyond reasonable standards.

Three weeks later, the board once again admitted that estimates of all-cause mortality for the participating European countries show elevated excess mortality. Furthermore, the board admitted that excess deaths among children was increasing and that it was conducting an investigation into why.

Since mid-2021, the accumulated level of mortality in Europe in the age group of 0-14 years seems to have increased, wrote the board. The possible explanations are being investigated.

The writers at the Expose noted that they arent holding much hope that the authorities will ever admit that these deaths are occurring because of the COVID-19 injections.

The fact these excess deaths have only occurred since the EMA first approved the COVID-19 vaccine for children will most likely just be another coincidence to add to the long list of coincidences that have occurred since early 2020, they wrote.

Learn more about COVID-19 vaccines at Vaccines.news.

Watch this episode of the Health Ranger Report as Dr. Judy Mikovitz explains to Mike Adams how glyphosate is making the COVID-19 vaccines more dangerous.

This is from the Health Ranger Report channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

High Court in India puts Bill Gates on notice over doctors death due to COVID-19 vaccine.

Vaccinated people 4 times more likely to get infected with COVID, warns Canadian doctor.

Romanian lawmaker GRILLS Big Pharma executives over lack of accountability for dangerous COVID-19 vaccines.

Study confirms COVID-19 vaccines SHED and SPREAD via aerosols.

Former congressional candidate Jane Adams experienced SEVERE side effects from the COVID-19 vaccine she was pressured to take.

Sources include:

SHTFPlan.com

Reuters.com

Expose-News.com

EuroMoMo.eu

Brighteon.com
(Natural News) Story at-a-glance:

Federal officials in the Biden administration have held secret and illegal censorship meetings with social media companies to suppress Americans First Amendment rights to free speech, and to ban or de-platform those who share unauthorized views about COVID-19 and vaccines.

The evidence for this comes out of a lawsuit brought by the New Civil Liberties Alliance and the attorneys general of Missouri and Louisiana (Eric Schmitt and Jeff Landry) against President Biden, filed in May.

Monthly, a Unified Strategies Group meeting took place  and may still be taking place  between a wide variety of government agencies and Big Tech companies, during which topics to be censored and suppressed were/are discussed.

Censored topics included stories involving COVID-19 jab refusal, especially those involving military refusals and consequences thereof, criticism against COVID-19 restrictions and their effects on mental health, posts talking about testing positive for COVID-19 after getting the jab, personal stories of COVID-19 jab side effects, including menstrual irregularities, and worries about vaccine passports becoming mandatory.

Discovery documents obtained so far have identified more than 50 federal employees across 15 federal agencies engaged in illegal censorship activities. Emails from the strategic communications and marketing firm Reingold also reveal outside consultants were hired to manage the governments collusion with social media to violate Americans Constitutional free speech rights.

(Article by Dr. Joseph Mercola republished from TakeControl.Substack.com)

In a Sept. 1 article, the Post Millennial reveals how federal officials in the Biden administration have held secret censorship meetings with social media companies to suppress Americans First Amendment rights to free speech, and to ban or de-platform those who share unauthorized views about COVID-19 and vaccines.

The evidence for this comes out of a lawsuit brought by the New Civil Liberties Alliance and the attorneys general of Missouri and Louisiana (Eric Schmitt and Jeff Landry) against President Biden, filed in May.

During the discovery process, the plaintiffs sought to identify all meetings with any social media platform relating to content modulation and/or misinformation, which is how we now know that such illegal meetings did, in fact, take place.

Illegal collusion to suppress free speech

Monthly, a Unified Strategies Group meeting took place  and may still be taking place  between a wide variety of government agencies and Big Tech companies, during which topics to be censored and suppressed were/are discussed.

Censored topics included stories involving COVID-19 jab refusal, especially those involving military refusals and consequences thereof, criticism against COVID-19 restrictions and their effects on mental health, posts talking about testing positive for COVID-19 after getting the jab, personal stories of COVID-19 jab side effects, including menstrual irregularities, and worries about vaccine passports becoming mandatory.

According to the New Civil Liberties Alliance:

Scores of federal officials  have secretly communicated with social-media platforms to censor and suppress private speech federal officials disfavor. This unlawful enterprise has been wildly successful. Under the First Amendment, the federal government may not police private speech nor pick winners and losers in the marketplace of ideas. But that is precisely what the government has done  and is still doing  on a massive scale not previously divulged. Multiple agencies communications demonstrate that the federal government has exerted tremendous pressure on social-media companies  pressure to which companies have repeatedly bowed.  Communications show these federal officials are fully aware that the pressure they exert is an effective and necessary way to induce social-media platforms to increase censorship. The head of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency even griped about the need to overcome social-media companies hesitation to work with the government.  This unlawful government interference violates the fundamental right of free speech for all Americans, whether or not they are on social media. More discovery is needed to uncover the full extent of this regime  i.e., the identities of other White House and agency officials involved and the nature and content of their communications with social-media companies.

Jenin Younes, litigation counsel for the New Civil Liberties Alliance, added:

If there was ever any doubt the federal government was behind censorship of Americans who dared to dissent from official COVID-19 messaging, that doubt has been erased. The shocking extent of the governments involvement in silencing Americans, through coercing social-media companies, has now been revealed.

Federal agencies involved in free speech suppression

Documents obtained so far have identified more than 50 federal employees across 15 federal agencies, who participated in these censorship meetings or otherwise engaged in illegal censorship activities.

This includes officials from:

Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agencys Election Security and Resilience team

Department of Homeland Securitys (DHS) Office of Intelligence and Analysis

FBIs foreign influence taskforce

Justice Departments (DOJ) national security division

Office of the Director of National Intelligence

White House staff (including White House lawyer Dana Remus, deputy assistant to the president Rob Flaherty and former White House senior COVID-19 adviser Andy Slavitt)

Health and Human Services

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

National Institutes of Allergy and Infectious Diseases

Office of the Surgeon General

U.S. Census Bureau

U.S. Food and Drug Administration

State Department

U.S. Treasury Department

U.S. Election Assistance Commission

Emails from a strategic communications and marketing firm called Reingold also reveal that outside consultants were hired to manage the governments collusion with social media to censor Americans.

For example, Reingold set up a partner support portal for the CDC so that CDC officials could link emails to the portal for easier flagging of content it wanted censored by social media companies linked to the portal.

Big Tech companies involved in government censorship

On the private industry side, notable tech participants in the censorship meetings include:

Google

Twitter

Reddit

Verizon media

LinkedIn

Facebook

YouTube

Microsoft

Pinterest

Wikimedia Foundation

While some social media companies may have hesitated to censor on the governments behalf at times, Facebook was certainly an eager beaver from the get-go.

As early as February 2020, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg was in contact with the State Department, offering its services to help control information and misinformation related to Corona virus.

Biden administrations executive privilege denied

As you might expect, the White House has not cooperated with discovery and has fought to keep communications secret  especially with regard to Dr. Anthony Faucis correspondence  claiming all White House communications as privileged.

However, executive privilege does NOT apply to external communications, so the plaintiffs called on the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Louisiana to overrule the government defendants objections and order them to supply this highly relevant, responsive and probative information immediately.

Sept. 7, Judge Terry Doughty did just that. The Biden administrations claim of executive privilege was rejected and Doughty ordered the White House to hand over any and all relevant records.

That includes correspondence to and from Fauci, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre and many others. According to the judges order, they have three weeks to comply.

Examples of illegal government censorship

On Twitter, Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt has shared a long list of examples of government censorship, including one document in which Clarke Humphrey, COVID-19 response digital director at the White House, asked Facebook to take down the Instagram account anthonyfauciofficial, a parody account dedicated to making fun of Fauci. Facebook complied.

Schmitt also shared emails, between a senior Facebook official and the surgeon general, stating, I know our teams met today to better understand the scope of what the White House expects from us on misinformation going forward. This email came on the heels of the surgeon generals July 2021 misinformation health advisory.

The CDC also coordinated with Facebook, providing them with talking points to debunk various claims, including the claim that spike protein in the COVID-19 shots is dangerous and cytotoxic.

In a July 28, 2021, email, a CDC official provided Facebook with the following counter-narrative, taken straight from the How mRNA Vaccines Work section on the CDC website:

Messenger mRNA [sic] vaccines work by teaching our cells to create a harmless spike protein (emphasis in the original).

Fast-forward to mid-June 2022, and the CDC was suddenly less sure about the harmlessness of the spike protein.

Up until then, the words harmless spike protein had always been bolded, but in this June revision, they removed the bolding, along with an entire section in which theyd previously claimed that mRNA was rapidly broken down and spike protein did not last more than a few weeks in the body.

Clearly, the truth was catching up to them and certain lies were getting too risky to hold on to.

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency also reached out to Google, Meta (Facebooks parent company), Microsoft and Twitter for help, shortly after the DHSs Disinformation Governance Board was announced. Fortunately, public outcry put an end to this Orwellian Ministry of Truth before it got started.

When censorship becomes election interference

According to The Washington Times:

Details about the Biden administrations conduct raised the hackles of Republican lawmakers. Confirming that this is the most dangerously anti-free speech administration in American history AND that Facebook  is nothing but an appendage of the deep state, Sen. Josh Hawley, Missouri Republican, said on Twitter as he shared news of the court filing.

Other lawmakers are also getting involved.

In an Aug. 29 letter, to Attorney General Merrick Garland and FBI Director Christopher A. Wray, Republican Sens. Charles E. Grassley of Iowa and Ron Johnson of Wisconsin requested records of the governments contacts with social media companies to ascertain whether the FBI and/or DOJ did, in fact, instruct them to censor information about the Hunter Biden laptop scandal by falsely referring to it as Russian disinformation.

Zuckerberg has also been asked to provide any correspondence involving the censorship of the Hunter Biden laptop story, especially as it pertains to the FBIs instructions to censor this political hot potato  something he openly admitted in a recent Joe Rogan interview (see video below).

Lawmakers pursue legislation to penalize govt censorship

Three Republican House Representatives on the House Oversight and Reform, Judiciary, and Commerce committees  Reps. James Comer of Kentucky, Jim Jordan of Ohio, and Cathy McMorris Rodgers of Washington  have also introduced the Protecting Speech from Government Interference Act (H.R.8752), aimed at preventing federal employees from using their positions to influence censorship decisions by tech platforms.

The bill would create restrictions to prevent federal employees from asking or encouraging private entities to censor private speech or otherwise discourage free speech, and impose penalties, including civil fines and disciplinary actions for government employees who facilitate social media censorship.

While the U.S. Constitution clearly forbids government censoring and restricting free speech, H.R.8752 could be a helpful enforcement tool, as people might tend to think twice when they know theres a real and personal price to pay.

Read more at: TakeControl.Substack.com
(Natural News) A California nurse terminated for refusing the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine attested to how the shot causes myocarditis  heart muscle inflammation  in children.

During a Sept. 13 public meeting of the San Diego County Board of Supervisors, former nurse Tawny Buettner recounted her experiences while working at Rady Childrens Hospital. Buettner worked at the hospitals cardiovascular intensive care unit (ICU) for more than a decade, before her firing.

The former nurse told county supervisors that she cared for children suffering from myocarditis after the vaccine.

Im a nurse  at least I was  at Rady in the cardiovascular ICU. I am the one who lost my career in pediatric cardiovascular ICU care, she said. Ive worked for 13 years in this community taking care of some of the sickest patients. The day before I was taken away from my position, I was actively giving compressions to a child, pushing calcium into his veins to keep him alive.

While the child managed to recover and get discharged, Buettner said she was ridiculed by those who were supposed to be [her] colleagues and friends.

Being a charge nurse, Buettner asked physicians why the cases of vaccine-induced myocarditis in children were not reported to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System. However, she was told of the unspoken rule  staff members in the cardiovascular ICU were prohibited from talking about the lack of reporting.

Despite being unvaccinated, the former nurse never caught COVID-19. She said that she followed the rules by getting tested twice a week and wearing the required protective gear because [she] loved the job and the community. (Related: California nurse fired for declining COVID shot testifies against San Diego Countys vax mandate.)

But the hospital management still decided to put Buettner on unpaid leave for six months before terminating her on March 1, 2022. The hospital said unvaccinated nurses such as Buettner were too great a risk.

Kirsch: Vaccine caused uptick in myocarditis cases in kids

Vaccine safety advocate Steve Kirsch commented on Buettners observations in an article on his Substack.

Before the vaccine rollout, theyd see four or five myocarditis cases a year  at the hospital where Buettner works, he wrote.

In the last half of 2021, she is aware of 33 cases. Thats an increase of over 10 times in the rate of myocardits cases since the vaccines rolled out.

Kirsch also pointed out that the troponin levels of children affected with vaccine-induced myocarditis were extremely high. Troponin, a protein that plays a key role in contraction in the heart muscles, is released when the heart is damaged.

Note that after a heart attack, troponin levels might hit five and return to normal after a few days. So these troponin levels were elevated by something more extreme than a heart attack. Those levels can stay elevated for months.

The vaccine safety advocate quoted another person, who attested to Buettners findings. That person mentioned seeing boys with troponin levels more than 400 times than normal, two to three months after the injections. The same whistleblower added that girls who suffered from vaccine-induced myocarditis had high D-dimer levels.

The increased rate of myocarditis cases and excessive troponin levels didnt happen by chance. It only started after the COVID vaccines rolled out, said Kirsch.

Tawny is not the only registered nurse (RN) witnessing this nightmare. Where are the others? Not willing to be fired. It takes a dedicated intensivist RN fired for doing her job to tell us what she witnessed at the hospital.

Kirsch also took jabs at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which claimed that there is only a slightly elevated risk of myocarditis after the COVID-19 vaccine. Buettners testimony debunked this claim.

Someone is lying to you, Kirsch concluded.

Visit VaccineDamage.news for more on the COVID-19 vaccines adverse effects.

Watch Tawny Buettner share with Emerald Robinson how doctors at her hospital refused to report vaccine injuries.

This video is from the Prevent Global Genocide channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Cardiologist says no case of COVID-19 vaccine-induced myocarditis is mild.

CDC admits myocarditis being linked to COVID-19 vaccines is TRUE, not misinformation.

COVID vaccines found to increase risk of myocarditis in children by over 13,000 percent.

CDC reports 8 cases of myocarditis in young students who received Pfizers COVID-19 vaccine.

Study: 397 Children diagnosed with heart inflammation after receiving Pfizers COVID-19 vaccine.

Sources include:

WND.com

SteveKirsch.Substack.com

Brighteon.com
(Natural News) On September 25, 2022, the largest fresh produce market in Paris, France was suddenly engulfed in flames. According to journalists on the scene, the fire covered approximately 7,000 square meters at its peak. The smoke was visible for miles. Over one hundred firefighters were deployed to control the fire.

The Rungis International Market is regarded as the largest wholesale market of fresh products in the world. It is located in the commune of Rungis, in the southern suburbs of Paris. The market supplies a large portion of fresh foods and horticulture products in the area.

The fires at Rungis were brought under control, but not until a large portion of the market was burned to the ground. This massive fire is the latest attack on the Western food supply. Over one hundred food manufacturing plants, meat plants, farms and markets have caught fire over the past year and a half. These unexplained fires are not related to forest fires or other natural disasters. Theres no doubt these fires have disrupted the supply chain across Europe and the United States.

Large fires are destroying food processing plants, livestock, farms across the US

Some of the first noticeable fires were recorded in the early part of 2021. These included the 75,000-square-foot processing plant in Fayetteville, which was destroyed by a large fire on 1/11/21. On 4/30/21, the Smithfield Foods pork processing plant in Monmouth, IL was taken off guard by a large fire. On 7/25/21, over 170 emergency personnel responded to a fire at the Kellogg plant in Memphis, Tennessee. On 7/30/21, firefighters battled a large fire at Tysons River Valley Ingredients plant in Hanceville, Alabama. On 3/28/22, a large fire at the Maricopa Food Pantry in Arizona resulted in 50,000 pounds of food going up in smoke.

Over the summer of 2022, millions of turkeys and chickens were destroyed at farms from Nebraska to Iowa to Minnesota to North Carolina. Some food processing plants are tanking in the current economic climate. On 6/12/22, the largest pork company in the US shut down its California plant due to the high cost of doing business. On 6/23/22, Georges Inc.: Poultry and Prepared Foods announced the closure of their processing plant in Campbell County, Tennessee.

Some of the latest arson attacks on the food supply include:

8/28/22: In Montebello, California, a poultry processing plant caught fire.

8/10/22: A fire completely destroyed a flour mill (full of flour) at Pendleton Flour Mills in Eastern Oregon.

6/14/22: Over 10,000 head of cattle dropped dead in Kansas, with no explanation other than a heat wave.

6/8/22: The Purina Feed Mill in Arcola, Louisiana was burned.

6/7/22: The JBS meat packing plant in Green Bay, Wisconsin caught fire.

5/31/22: The Forsman facility in Stockholm Township Minnesota lost 3,000,000 chickens due to uncontrollable fire.

5/29/22: Forsman Farms in Howard Lake, Minnesota lost a poultry building due to fire.

5/17/22: Duck farm in Berks, Pennsylvania lost 79,000 birds.

5/10/22: 35,100 turkeys were destroyed in Muskegon, Michigan.

4/28/22: Allen Harim Foods processing plant in Delaware lost two million chickens.

4/27/22: A farm in Knox, Nebraska destroyed 2,118,000 chickens.

4/14/22: The Taylor Farms Food Processing plant burned down in Salinas, California.

2/16/22: The largest soybean processing and biodiesel plant in the US caught fire in Claypool, Indiana.

2/15/22: The Bonanza Meat Company in El Paso, Texas went up in flames.

2/3/22: The Wisconsin River Meats in Mauston were overtaken by fire.

These are just a few instances. While some incidents might be incidental, dozens more seem to follow a similar pattern of terrorism and sabotage. The food supply has been under attack ever since factories and food processing plants were targeted for shutdown based on fraudulent covid-19 testing programs that isolate healthy people at home. For a more complete list of fires and shuttered food processing operations, view the latest list compiled by The Gateway Pundit.

Sources include:

TheGatewayPundit.com

NaturalNews.com

KTLA.com

NBC26.com

NaturalNews.com

TheGatewayPundit.com
(Natural News) The San Francisco Police Department (SFPD) now has real-time access to private security cameras, thanks to a measure approved by the San Francisco Board of Supervisors.

In a 7-4 vote, the board agreed to pilot a controversial plan overhauling surveillance practices. The trial will last only 15 months, with a second vote necessary if the supervisors wish to extend or revise the policy.

Under the new policy put forward by San Francisco Mayor London Breed, the SFPD can access up to 24 hours of live outdoor footage from private surveillance cameras without a warrant  as long as the camera owner consents.

However, police must meet one of three outlined criteria:

They must be responding to a life-threatening emergency.

It must be related to how officers will be deployed in response to a large public event.

If they are conducting a criminal investigation approved in writing by a captain or a higher-ranking police official.

Breed initially proposed the overhaul of surveillance practices before the end of last year as a way to crack down on retail theft, rioting, looting and drug dealing. Supervisor Aaron Peskin filed a competing proposal alongside other supervisors, but a compromise was eventually reached.

San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins expressed support for the new policy through a letter to Peskin. (Related: Voters in liberal San Francisco RECALL anti-cop, soft-on-crime DA Chesa Boudin.)

I believe this policy can help address the existence of open-air drug markets fueling the sale of the deadly drug fentanyl, she wrote. Drug dealers are destroying peoples lives and wreaking havoc on neighborhoods like the Tenderloin. Mass organized retail theft, like we saw in Union Square last year, or targeted neighborhood efforts like weve seen in Chinatown is another area where the proposed policy can help.

However, the policy received blowback from groups such as the Bar Association of San Francisco and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). They expressed concern that the policy could be abused by law enforcement.

The ACLU of Northern California said it was very troubled by the supervisors votes, warning that the policy they approved can threaten peoples rights.

Civil rights are certainly under attack nationally. It is concerning that San Francisco, which is the city that historically has been a refuge for the oppressed and a celebrated center of activism, would move this policy forward, said ACLU attorney Jennifer Jones.

Thousands of cameras funded by only one donor

Moreover, Jones pointed out that the new surveillance authority is even more troubling given the number of cameras that had been funded by one donor  cryptocurrency mogul Chris Larsen.

Larsen has reportedly spent around $4 million to buy over 1,000 security cameras in the city in what he described as an effort to combat crime. The cameras are clustered in business districts such as the Fishermans Wharf, Japantown, Lower Polk, Mid-Market, the Tenderloin and Union Square.

Im from San Francisco, and I believe in this city. In many ways, tech has contributed to the disparity and problems that we see in San Francisco today, Larsen said in a statement.

As members of the community, I believe its our job to help solve these problems by reinvesting in the city and making it safe.

While the cameras are paid for by Larsen, the networks are monitored and run by coalitions known as community benefit districts. These coalitions ultimately have to agree to give the SFPD access to their cameras under the new policy.

The fact that there is a very vast private camera surveillance network infrastructure already in place does make the passage of this policy very concerning, Jones said.

In spite of the controversy, the seven supervisors who voted in support of the program are standing by their decision. Peskin, who was among the seven, said that although he realized the program may be offensive to some, he is still willing to give it a try.

Visit Surveillance.news to know more about San Franciscos new surveillance policies.

Watch the thought-provoking video below discussing liberty and safety in todays society.

This video is from THE LIGHT BULB INITIATIVE channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

DEFUND the police? Break-ins in San Francisco are up by 90% in some neighborhoods.

Businesses continue to shutter in San Francisco due to rampant shoplifting.

Walgreens closing 5 more San Francisco stores due to organized shoplifting.

Sources include:

SFGate.com

KATV.com

Brighteon.com
(Natural News) Steve Quayle has warned the public which cities would be targeted first for annihilation during a nuclear war involving the United States.

In a recent interview with the Health Ranger Mike Adams on the Health Ranger Report, Quayle said the objective of Americas enemies would be to take out the heads of the countrys governing structures and to prevent its remnants from continuing its essential operations.

In the U.S., agencies are able to continue operating under disaster circumstances. This is known as the continuity of government (COG) principle.

Washington, D.C., New York  and every COG base [will be hit first], said Quayle. He added that the Russians have already admitted that in the event of a nuclear war they will conduct multiple strikes on key U.S. cities and other targets to prevent the government from reforming.

I dont have to speculate. The Russians have told them continuity of government base or the deep underground military bases [will be hit first].

Other experts agree with Quayle. Dr. Irwin Redlener, a professor at Columbia Universitys Mailman School of Public Health, noted that four other cities aside from Washington, D.C. and New York City have the highest risk of being targeted first in a nuclear war: Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Houston.

Redlener warned that not only are these cities some of the largest and densest in the country, but they are also home to critical infrastructure, including energy plants, financial hubs, government facilities and wireless transmission systems. This makes these six cities very important targets to be hit first.

In 2017, Russian state media noted that other key targets for Russian nukes include the Pentagon, Camp David, Jim Creek Naval Radio Station in Washington state, Fort Ritchie in Maryland and McClellan Air Force Base in California.

Government pushing America into nuclear war

Quayle told Adams that the U.S. is already walking toward a nuclear war. (Related: World War III has already begun, but the truth is being withheld from the public until the very last moment.)

In my opinion, we are dealing with the positioning for the nuclear World War III, said Quayle. He added that a lot of people are disagreeing with his prediction, but he countered by pointing out that the United States may already be attacking Russia. Were watching missile trails  interceptor missile trails  in Russian territory. Who would be the ones to launch a missile that Russia would try and intercept?

Adams agreed and put forward the possibility that the Department of Defense would try to frame Russia as the aggressor in the event of a nuclear war by claiming that it struck Ukraine with a nuclear missile and the U.S. only retaliated in self-defense.

I wouldnt be surprised if the Pentagon launched a nuclear missile [at] Ukraine to blame it on Russia. I wouldnt put it past them, he said.

Quayle pointed out that the American people dont know the U.S. is walking toward a nuclear war because the government refuses to be truthful about the countrys military activities.

I want people to understand: There is no honesty, there is no truth, there is no transparency, said Quayle. There is no desire for the American people to even have a clue of what [really is going on].

Watch this episode of the Health Ranger Report as Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, interviews Steve Quayle about which American cities will be targeted first during a nuclear war.

This video is from the Health Ranger Report channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Clear and present danger: Putin warns NUCLEAR WAR is definitely coming if NATO continues to attack.

Russia mobilizes 300,000, promises defensive use of nuclear weapons while psychopathic western leaders beg for annihilation.

Russias Dead Hand nuclear defense system can autonomously send out hundreds of nukes even after the country endures a nuclear first strike.

Russia accuses U.S., NATO of attempting to provoke all-out war between nuclear powers.

Russia appears ready to strike the US with nuclear weapons.

Sources include:

Brighteon.com

BusinessInsider.com 1

BusinessInsider.com 2
(Natural News) Ben Armstrong did not mince words in the September 23 episode of The Ben Armstrong Show, as he spilled the shocking adverse effects numbers associated with the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine.

Armstrong said right off the bat that he was given the actual Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) data  which the conservative media, for some reason does not report accurately.

Im giving you the calculated VAERS data. And this is not a scam, Armstrong told his viewers. This is not scaremongering. But if youre skeptical and thinking, oh my gosh, this is over the top. In fact, Im underselling it. I am giving you what I think is the best-case scenario.

According to Armstrong, the government and mainstream media are making people think that the numbers are extremely low.

Getting to the point, he revealed the most likely extent of COVID-19 vaccine damage in the U.S. alone: 7.2 million hospitalizations, 1.2 million deaths, 2.3 million permanently disability and 2.1 million cases of myocarditis.

Armstrong mentioned that VAERS recorded around 30,000 deaths from the vaccine. In line with this, a study by Jessica Rose and Mathew Crawford found in 2021 that the most credible estimate for deaths is reported at 41X. The researchers stipulated that they confirmed their hypothesis, finding that the 41X rate is on the low side of the estimates.

This means that COVID-19 vaccine deaths in the U.S. could be around 1,230,000 already. (Related: VAERS data shows skyrocketing number adverse events following COVID vaccinations.)

While these are large numbers to swallow, Armstrong pointed out that some data showed that the vaccine can be 98 times worse for young adults than the coronavirus itself. He emphasized that it is 98 times more, not 98 percent more.

Experts: Mandating booster for young adults is unethical

Armstrong was referring to a new study conducted by nine health experts from top universities like Harvard University and Johns Hopkins University. These experts analyzed data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and found that for every COVID hospitalization prevented by boosters administered to adults, serious adverse events were also recorded.

Their study found that based on the CDC and sponsor-reported adverse event data, vaccine mandates may cause a net expected harm. For every COVID-19 hospitalization prevented in previously infected young adults, they anticipate 18 to 98 serious adverse events.

Given the high prevalence of post-infection immunity, they stated that the risk-benefit narrative is less favorable and unethical.

Some of the reasons they stated are: there is no formal risk-benefit assessment for the age group; vaccine mandates may result in net expected harm to individual young people; mandates are not proportionate; mandates violate reciprocity principles as vaccine-related harms cannot be compensated due to gaps in the current vaccine injury schemes; and that mandates create wider social harms.

Moreover, CDC Director Rochelle Walensky admitted that there is a causal relationship between the mRNA vaccines and myocarditis when VAERS staff conducted assessments showing that causal associations exist between thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome and Janssens COVID-19 vaccine and between myocarditis and mRNA COVID-19 vaccines manufactured by Pfizer and Moderna.

Walensky also admitted that the CDC did not analyze certain types of adverse event reports in 2021 despite having previously stated that they started tracking adverse events in February of that year.

Armstrong pointed out that the numbers he showed were for the U.S. alone. Imagine if I were to give you the world numbers. If this is just the United States, how many people has Dr. Fauci killed? he asked.

Visit Vaccines.news for more news related to the adverse effects of COVID vaccines.

Watch the video below and listen to more of Ben Armstrongs thoughts on COVID-19 vaccines.

This video is from The New American channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Manipulating VAERS data through underreporting.

Study reveals FEWER than 1% of vaccine injuries are reported to VAERS.

Nearly 1.3 million adverse events linked to COVID-19 vaccines, reveal VAERS reports.

Federal lawsuit claims VAERS reporting system is HIDING actual number of coronavirus vaccine deaths.

Sources include:

TheNewAmerican.com

Regulations.gov

Papers.SSRN.com

BWorldOnline.com

Brighteon.com
(Natural News) Health freedom advocate Dr. Robert Malone blasted Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, remarking that the monopolistic globalist has tentacles everywhere.

Its nefarious  the tentacles of the [Bill and Melinda] Gates Foundation all through our modern world, the inventor of mRNA vaccine technology told Jim Hale of LifeSiteNews.

When I speak about this, sometimes I say: As I run down these various rabbit holes trying to understand whats happened to all of us, that Ive been doing over the last couple of years, it seems every time I turn a corner and theres Bill Gates.'

According to Malone, the globalist has shown himself to be a master monopolist by strategically positioning himself in the halls of power and of various industries. This resulted in Gates exercising a chilling choke-hold over the world.

We all saw that with Microsoft Explorer, and then weve seen [Gates] basically monopolize world health. The power of the money that he has is profound. And now he wants to monopolize farming, apparently. (Related: Vandana Shiva on the taking down of Bill Gates empires.)

True enough, Gates has just bought more than 2,000 acres of land in North Dakota. Gates already owns some 270,000 acres of land throughout America, according to last years edition of the Land Report 100, an annual survey of the nations largest landowners. He also dipped his fingers into Indias healthcare system and Africas agriculture. Even worse, he has even proposed to block the sun through the Stratospheric Controlled Perturbation Experiment (SCoPEx).

Hes a monopolist. Thats what he does, hes really good at it.

Malone mentioned that Gates knows how to pull levers and control governments, transnational organizations and even the press. He is the biggest funder of the growth of advocacy journalism and the teaching of advocacy journalism, the mRNA vaccine technology inventor said.

Moreover, Malone told Hale that the previous institutional narrative surrounding the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) that Gates had been pushing is now undergoing a controlled demolition. Globalists and their operatives within the intelligence community are now pivoting toward the need for climate lockdowns. This is because the earlier attempt to sow fear among the population using monkeypox did not succeed.

Malone says theres a silver lining as people are waking up

Even though the globalist elites are pushing for a mechanism to control the worlds population, Malone remarked that there is still a reason to be optimistic and hopeful.

I think the gift that weve been given, looking for the silver linings whenever we can find them with COVID-19, is that mismanagement has been so egregious, he said. The censorship and information control has been so overt that we can now all see it  at least those of us that are not hypnotized.

Maybe 30 percent  remember, only 20 percent or maybe 10 percent of people really want to be free. Most people want to be told what to do. So maybe, we have now 20 to 30 percent of the population that is aware  your viewership for instance  of what we have all experienced and how carefully its been manipulated and mismanaged by various global interests.

While Malone himself noted that the fight for freedom has been a heavy burden to bear, he still expressed commitment to bring clarity to the issue. He told Hale: We are never going to get to the bottom of figuring out how we can fix it, unless we understand it.

Head over to Globalism.news for more stories about Bill Gates and his plans to control the world.

Watch Dr. Robert Malones interview with Jim Hale below.

This video is from the LifeSiteNews channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

A closer look at Bill Gates: promoting eugenics, friendship with Jeffrey Epstein.

Coronavirus is a dream come true for Bill Gates, who lives to vaccinate.

Bill Gates, WEF promoting dangerous GMO foods and fake foods.

At what point do we realize Bill Gates is dangerously insane?

How Bill Gates controls global messaging and censorship.

Sources include:

LifeSiteNews.com

Brighteon.com
(Natural News) Pinkwashing is a form of marketing by supposed anti-cancer organizations who use pink ribbons and logos everywhere to raise funds that usually pay exorbitant salaries of those running the show. The saddest part is that most of the corporate-run foundations promote cancer treatments and screenings that actually cause cancer and spread cancer, so what good is it all? Lets dial it back a bit and take an inside look. First off, Breast Cancer Awareness Month began in 1985 as a partnership between the American Cancer Society and the pharmaceutical division of Imperial Chemical Industries (ICI).

Chemical companies like ICI and IG Farben manufacture products that cause cancer, like pesticides, chemotherapy, and toxic fertilizers

Chemical companies that supposedly support cancer drives and cancer cures are quite hypocritical in their so-called efforts, but most people dont know the sordid history, so they have no clue, and give away their hard-earned money for the exact opposite of the causes they think they are supporting. Most cancer drives are gathering funds to support what causes cancer, not what prevents or beats it.

In fact, Imperial Chemical Industries creates chemical-based dyes, fertilizers and explosives, so why would they support organizations that want to prevent and beat cancer? It doesnt add up. So when National Breast Cancer Awareness Month kicks off in October, remember that pharmaceutical and chemical industries are not the place for donating money to fight cancer. Its great to join organizations and groups and events that support good causes, but promoting mammograms and chemotherapy wont help people win that battle against cancer, so this deserves careful consideration.

Just as nobody should support the pharmaceutical companies that created the poisons for the gas chambers of Nazi Germany in WWII, nobody should support Bayer/Monsanto for creating chemical pesticides that contaminate food and cause cancer. Also, if an organization is saying they are fighting cancer, while they push and sell processed food, alcoholic beverages and scam-o-grams, then theres no use going on THAT walk or run to raise funds and awareness for breast cancer month. Dont get pinkwashed by the scams and scammers.

Why promote scam-o-grams (mammograms), chemotherapy, pink buckets of KFC chicken, and Mikes Hard Lemonade for cancer drives and cancer walks?

One perfect example of cancer-scamming-fundraising is the Susan Komen Foundation, where they claim that the consumption of organic food is a controversial issue, as if clean eating is some hippie movement or fad that isnt based on a clean bill of health. Are we all supposed to consume fried chicken and liquor-loaded lemonade while trying to help people fight and beat cancer? Thats what is pushed at Komen walks for the cure.

A study that dates back over a decade, that was presented at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA), concluded that even low-dose radiation from annual mammography screenings significantly INCREASES breast cancer risk for women predisposed genetically. Most of these corporate-run cancer walks and runs promote mammograms across the board, to everyone. Its a cash cow for pharma, and theyre not looking at the science.

Anyone remember the Buckets for the Cure campaign heralded by the Komen Foundation? They changed the color of the KFC chicken buckets to pink in an effort to end breast cancer forever. Really? How does chicken fried in GMO oils and loaded with MSG help cure cancer? It causes it. Would you like some pink M&Ms and Mikes Hard Lemonade to wash down that carcinogenic chicken while you walk for the cure? Remember also that chemotherapy literally creates new cancers in the body, so despite mainstream media and the allopathic push for it, its probably the worst choice for fighting cancer.

Dont give your money to the pinkwashing hypocrites. Fight cancer by promoting clean eating, clean living and natural remedies. Tune your internet dial to NaturalMedicine.news for more tips on how to use natural remedies for preventing and fighting cancer, and how to spend your money on what really makes a difference.

Sources for this article include:

Britannica.com

America.Sullair.com

NaturalNews.com
(Natural News) Nonpartisan ad tracker AdImpact and campaign finance data revealed that the 2022 midterm elections could become the most expensive ever with more than $6.4 billion being spent in television, radio and digital ads for the House, Senate, gubernatorial and local races so far.

This already exceeds both the 2018 and 2020 election cycles, as reported by AdImpact, which estimates that overall ad spending will reach $9.7 billion by Election Day in November.

Candidates and outside groups have shelled out nearly $50 million on midterm ads running on Facebook and Google alone over the last 30 days, based on data compiled by the companies. The huge amount of spending on political ads throughout the 2022 election cycle reflects the seriousness of both parties to acquire power in Washington and throughout the country.

The Democratic Party currently controls the House, but only by small margins. The Senate is split 50-50 with Democrats having to depend on Vice President Kamala Harris for the tie-breaking vote.

According to independent newsletter Cook Political Report, Sens. Raphael Warnock (D-Georgia), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nevada) and Ron Johnson (R-Wisconsin) are mired in a tight race.

Democrats currently have a nine-seat majority in the House, but as many as 31 seats are up for grabs.

The Warnock and Cortez Masto campaigns have combined to spend over $4 million on broadcast TV ads since September 5, based on recent data from Wesleyan Media Project, a nonpartisan group tracking televised political advertising. The study also showed that Johnsons team and the National Republican Senatorial Committee have spent about $1.3 million on TV ads over the same period.

Campaigns spend almost $46 million on Google ads

Campaigns have placed a lot of resources into digital ads over the previous month, with nearly $46 million spent on Google ads over the last 30 days based on the search engines data. (Related: Bombshell video reveals Google is a threat to the Republic after proof of election meddling, anti-American corporate culture.)

The Senate Leadership Fund, a super political action committee (PAC) aligned with Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, has spent $2.72 million since late August on Google ads attacking Democrats running for Senate.

The PACs allied nonprofit, One Nation, has spent just over $2.3 million on ads while the Congressional Leadership Fund, a super PAC supporting House Republicans, has spent $1.32 million over the last month on Google ads.

Records have shown that Democrats have also got in with spending millions on Google ads over the last four weeks.

The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, a campaign arm for Senate Democrats, has spent just over $1 million in Google ads, while the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, which works as the campaign arm for House Democrats, has spent nearly an equal amount on Google ads.

Among Senate Democrats, Warnocks campaign has spent the most on Google ads over the past 30 days, raking more than $1 million in spots on the search platform.

Campaigns and outside groups have spent more than $4 million on Facebook over the same time frame as reported by the social media giants data.

Americans for Prosperity Action, a super PAC funded in part by the large conglomerate Koch Industries, has spent over $810,000 on Facebook ads, with some spots supporting Republicans running for state seats. Koch Industries gave a $3 million donation to the super PAC in August, according to a Federal Election Commission filing.

Warnocks campaign has spent almost $735,000 on Facebook spots this month, with John Fetterman, a Democrat running for Pennsylvanias Senate seat versus Dr. Mehmet Oz, spending $550,000 over the same period.

Meanwhile, more than two million ads worth almost $1 billion have aired on broadcast television alone in federal and gubernatorial races nationwide between January 2021 and August this year, according to Wesleyan Media Project.

The stakes are very high this year, stated Travis Ridout, a co-director of the Wesleyan Media Project. Several supporters of former President Donald Trump are running for positions that would put them in charge of managing elections and certifying vote counts in the 2024 presidential race.

Watch the video below to know why the 2022 midterm elections is the American peoples last chance to save America from Democrats.

More related stories:

House Republicans want Trump to keep fighting against election fraud.

Senate Republicans delay passage of defense bill as Democrats scramble to fund government.

Facebooks Zuckerberg donated hundreds of millions to help Democrats steal the election for Joe Biden.

B-Alert News with Bishop Leon Benjamin: Americans can prevent or expose efforts to undermine election integrity  Brighteon.TV.

Sources include:

CNBC.com

USNews.com

Brighteon.com
(Natural News) A Platteville, Colo., law enforcement officer with the Fort Lupton Police Department (FLPD) has been placed on administrative leave for nearly killing a person during a recent traffic stop.

Colorado Public Radio (CPR News) reports that the incident, which occurred in Weld County (north of Denver), involved an individual named Maria Rios-Gonzalez who was arrested, handcuffed and forced into a squad car that cops illegally parked on train tracks.

While officers searched Rios-Gonzalezs car, a freight train came blasting through with its horn blasting, t-boning the squad car where Rios-Gonzalez was placed. She survived but suffered serious bodily injuries, including multiple broken ribs and a fractured sternum.

The incident occurred near Highway 85 and County Road 38 in a somewhat rural area north of Denver. CPR News says an alleged road rage incident involving a gun prompted the stop, and numerous officers were called to the scene to search Rios-Gonzalezs vehicle. (Related: A few years back, police officers in Deming, N.M., performed eight anal probes on a man who ran a stop sign, prompting a lawsuit.)

You can watch an edited, eight-minute montage containing some of the footage captured by FLPD from 21 hours of bodycam and dashcam footage:

The 8 minute clip was edited by the Ft. Lupton PD. Im told there are 21 hours of video from 9 different perspectives. We received this edited clip because the cost to get everything was at $700+. We had to reach an agreement for transparency. Police provided clip for free.  Jeremy Jojola (@jeremyjojola) September 23, 2022

We received this edited clip because the cost to get everything was at $700+, tweeted Jeremy Jojola, an investigative journalist with 9NEWS.

We had to reach an agreement for transparency. Police provided clip for free.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is reportedly involved in investigating the incident while FLPD is specifically investigating the 911 call that led to the stop. Colorado State Patrol (CSP) is said to be looking into the crash itself.

Will the Fort Lupton Police Department be held accountable for this?

Rios-Gonzalez is expected to recover from her injuries, which is a miracle in and of itself considering the nature of what she was forced to endure.

To emphasize, the velocity at which the train hit the squad car in which she was sitting easily could have killed her.

The Denver Post filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request with the departments involved to obtain all angles of footage that were captured that fateful night by both bodycams and dashcams, since only some of it was publicly released.

FLPD only released certain angles of footage captured at certain times, which limits a full and complete analysis of what transpired.

What we already know from the footage that was released is that officers waited at least 15 seconds after hearing the train horn before doing anything about it. And all they did was try to flee the scene themselves, leaving Rios-Gonzalez in harms way.

One of the officers was heard screaming an expletive upon hearing the train barreling through, ordering his colleague to stay back.

The other Fort Lupton officer, who was standing near the Platteville patrol vehicle with Rios-Gonazlez inside, turned back and forth a couple of times as the train approached, police camera footage shows, one report explains.

He ultimately turned and ran for cover behind a Fort Lupton police car.

The most disturbing part of the footage was when one of the officers who was holding a rifle over the bound woman ran for cover while leaving her helpless.

The latest news about police corruption and abuse can be found at PoliceState.news.

Sources for this article include:

CPR.org

NaturalNews.com

Jalopnik.com
(Natural News) Renowned cardiologist and epidemiologist Dr. Peter McCullough denounced Big Pharma and Big Government for their role in the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. He zeroed in on how they allowed gain-of-function research and the COVID-19 vaccines, the latter causing the biggest medical-biological catastrophe of all time.

We had lost 250,000 Americans directly due to the virus. And since the vaccines, 750,000 people have died. The vaccines have actually prolonged the pandemic, didnt stop the virus transmission and didnt reduce hospitalization and death. It was all a series of false claims for an unsafe set of products, McCullough told host Jeffrey Prather during the Sept. 23 episode of the Brighteon.TV program Prather Point.

McCullough, an advocate of early interventions against the coronavirus, pointed out the widespread corruption in academic medicine, peer-reviewed literature and medical societies. They had been following one direction from the beginning  suppressing early treatment and promoting as much fear as possible in order to push the clot shots worldwide.

The U.S. government, through the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency and the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), had been openly fiddling with biological threats. The latters involvement in gain-of-function research on the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein led to its operations being done in Wuhan, China because it could not be done in the United States.

This is a government operation that explains why we havent gone after the Chinese at all because they are going to say, this was your project that went bad in our lab in Wuhan. This is why there is a cover-up of a major drug safety problem, McCullough said.

This explains why the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has no criteria for approval of vaccines.

Vaccine maker Pfizer released its vaccine in December of 2020. Within 90 days, 1223 people died after getting injected. This should have been sufficient to halt the vaccination program.

Also, FDA lawyers did not want to release Pfizer documents for decades  until a federal judge ordered their immediate release.

He also cited the FDAs approval of the bivalent vaccines based on a failed animal study of eight mice. They approved it on those grounds with no human data. These government agencies have lost all credibility. They cannot be trusted as the guardian of drug safety for America, he added. (Related: Dr. Peter McCullough warns: FDA greenlighted Big Pharmas bivalent booster vaccine despite lack of human trials.)

Prather: Vaccine narrative is now collapsing

McCullough mentioned a $10 million offer by tech millionaire Steve Kirsch to someone who would come out to defend the safety of the COVID-19 vaccines.

Prather, a former operative for the Defense Intelligence Agency, said a lot of the biotech investors are already panicking because the vaccine narrative is now collapsing and they do not know where to put their investments.

It was just like all the drug sellers came to the doctors offices with their satchels except this is on a much more global scale. And I think its not a biblical scale as well. The scientific papers are not scientific.

Both McCullough and Prather agreed that the next American president should address this to save the credibility of the U.S. government and the lives of the people not just in the country, but worldwide.

Anybody who aspires to be president again or have influence over American policy must address the number one issue. Every day, thats delayed, Americans are angrier. People are being damaged and hurt, McCullough said.

Referring to former President Donald Trump, he said its clear he has the nations support. Now, he just needs to perform.

Watch the full Sept. 23 episode of Prather Point with Jeffrey Prather and Dr. Peter McCullough below. Catch new episodes of the program every Friday at 10-11 a.m. on Brighteon.TV.

More related stories:

First batch of Pfizers COVID-19 vaccine documents reveal over 42,000 reaction reports and 1,223 deaths.

Dr. Peter McCullough: COVID-19 should be fought with early intervention, not vaccines.

VACCINE GENOCIDE: Dr. Peter McCullough says COVID vaccines have now killed more Americans than World War I.

Sources include:

Brighteon.com 1

GlobalResearch.ca

Brighteon.com 2
(Natural News) Peeling back the layers of deception and obfuscation reveals a shocking truth that may not be all that shocking to our informed readers: Covid-19 vaccines are injuring and killing far more people than the government is letting on.

Estimates compiled from pieced-together data suggest that as many as 20 million people worldwide have died so far from the shots, while another 2.2 billion have suffered injuries  and we are only just getting started.

In the coming months and years, these figures will balloon even higher as lingering spike proteins progressively damage the bodies of the fully vaccinated, leaving them prone not only to every illness that comes along (autoimmune disease) but also to deadly clots (i.e., myocarditis and pericarditis).

It requires a bit of digging to come up with the aforementioned figures as governments work overtime to keep all pertinent data hidden, or at least confusing. The way post-injection injuries and deaths are calculated varies from country to country and even from municipality to municipality, making it difficult to come up with accurate numbers.

The safety and effectiveness claims for the shots are also highly skewed, one way being how cases of the Fauci Flu are determined. All throughout the scamdemic, illnesses and deaths were falsely attributed to the virus so that later the injections could be framed as the cure. (Related: Excess deaths are noticeably higher than normal in countries where jab uptake was high.)

Covid cases are orders of magnitude higher in the post-injection era compared to pre-Operation Warp Speed

In 2020 before the official launch of the vaccines under Donald Trump, the annualized rate of covid cases was around 70 million  and keep in mind that the official definition of a case is still just as murky today as it was at the beginning of the plandemic.

Following the launch of Operation Warp Speed, the annualized number of covid cases increased nearly fivefold to 330 million. The annualized mortality rate also increased from 1.7 million pre-Operation Warp Speed to 2.9 million post-Operation Warp Speed.

This is significant because it shows that the shots are not saving lives as is still being claimed. The opposite is actually true as many more people are getting sick and dying in the injection era.

Rather than a 95% (or 91% in the trials) reduction in cases and deaths, there has been a 370% INCREASE in the annualized case rate, writes Peter Halligan on his Substack. Annualized Deaths have INCREASED by 180%.

Halligan looked at data in the governments Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) to come up with the 20 million dead and 2.2 billion injured figures. Since VAERS only captures a very small percentage of actual vaccine-related adverse events, Halligan extrapolated true figure estimates using multiplication.

The butchers bill from the battlefield, as he calls it, points to these figures being far more accurate than anything the government or Big Pharma are admitting. And were these figures to spread widely across the population, there would surely be a whole lot of angry folks with a lot of questions for the powers that be.

Dr. David Martin believes that by 2028, roughly 700 million people will have died from covid injections. Of this, 100 million are estimated to occur just within the United States, stripping the country of about one-third of its total population.

The bullets used in the Spike Wars are the injections  fired by Big Pharma at an unsuspecting civilian population, Halligan writes.

Casualties are becoming more and more obvious  even the MSM, social media, health regulators, medical professionals, Hollywood propagandists etc. are dropping like flies. There will be an epiphany soon.

More of the latest news about Fauci Flu shots can be found at ChemicalViolence.com.

Sources for this article include:

PeterHalligan.substack.com

PeterHalligan.substack.com

NaturalNews.com
(Natural News) The Justice Department and its enforcement division, the FBI, have become completely politicized, loyal to the far-left deep state after having been weaponized against America First patriots.

That fact was in evidence again this week following reports that a pro-life activist had his home raided by an FBI SWAT team in the early morning hours over a case that had been dropped by a federal court for lack of evidence.

Heavily armed agents raided the home of Mark Houck, of Bucks County, Pennsylvania, scaring his homeschooling wife and their seven children after the Justice Department decided to pick up the case which involved an allegation of an altercation between Mark and a far-left pro-abortion demonstrator who was screaming at one of his children outside a Philly clinic earlier this year.

The court saw no evidence to move forward with the case, while the Biden DOJ saw another opportunity to terrorize conservatives.

The kids were all just screaming, Houcks wife, Ryan-Marie, told LifeSiteNews. It was all just very scary and traumatic.

The reporter who broke the story, Patrick Delaney, appeared this week on the Real Americas Voice network to discuss the incident, telling host Steve Gruber that what occurred was state-sponsored terrorism, using at least 25 heavily armed FBI agents.

Delaney also noted what he called the two-tier justice system which allows pro-abortion violence to run rampant around the country targeting pro-life centers and churches with vandalism and fire bombings, while there has not been one arrest from the FBI.

WATCH

Ryan-Marie told the outlet that the SWAT team rolled up on the property with around 15 vehicles at about 7:00 in the morning, surrounding the house quickly with rifles in the ready position before they started pounding on the door and yelling for us to open it.

She said that before opening the door, Mark attempted to calm the agents down, saying, Please, Im going to open the door, but, please, my children are in the home. I have seven babies in the house. But they just kept pounding and screaming.

When her husband did open the door, she explained further, agents had big, huge rifles pointed at Mark and pointed at me and kind of pointed throughout the house.

The agents announced that they were on the property to arrest Mark, which led Ryan-Marie to ask agents to produce a warrant. One replied that they were going to take him whether they had a warrant or not, she said.

When she protested that, noting it is akin to kidnapping, saying, you cant just come to a persons house and kidnap them at gunpoint, agents finally retrieved the warrant from one of their vehicles.

After they had taken Mark, and the kids were all screaming that he was their best friend, the [FBI agents on her porch] kind of softened a bit. I think they realized what was happening. Or maybe they actually looked at the warrant, Ryan-Marie told LifeSiteNews. They looked pretty ashamed at what had just happened.

As a result, the mother said her kids were really sad and stressed. So, Ive already reached out to some psychiatrists or psychologists to try and help us through this. I dont really know whats going to come of it when you see guns pointed at your dad and your mom in your house when you first wake up in the morning.

The raid came as whistleblower and Special Agent Kyle Seraphin told talk host and podcaster Dan Bongino that the FBI has become a shell of itself and is now officially less of a federal law enforcement agency and more like an intelligence-gathering entity, spying on law-abiding Americans in order to advance a left-leaning political agenda.

He also claimed that hundreds of agents who are exasperated and disgusted with the politicization are nevertheless remaining with the agency so they can grab their pensions and get out.

The number of guys who say, I dont agree with whats going on here, but Ive got three years to retire, its heartbreaking, Seraphin, a former member of the U.S. Air Force who has been with the bureau for more than five years and was suspended without pay in June, said.

Sources include:

NaturalNews.com

LifeSiteNews.com
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(Natural News) Pastor Dan Fisher of Fairview Baptist Church in Edmond, Oklahoma argued on Merritt Medical Hour that liberty is born and protected in the pulpit.

Liberty is birthed and protected in the pulpit, because the pulpit is the place of truth, he told program host Dr. Lee Merritt during the Brighteon.TV programs Sept. 21 episode. Without the pulpit there will be no morality, and without morality there will be no individual liberty, and tyranny will rule the day.

According to Fisher, it is wrong to compartmentalize life into the secular and sacred. This, he added, is why he himself does not believe in separating Church and State.

Today, we have a generation of people who believe that you kind of have two boxes in life, a secular box and a sacred box and you dont mix them.

He also told Merritt about his research on the Black Robed Regiment, which he learned about in 2007. According to the pastor, the regiments members were the preachers of the American Revolution. They were the reason for Americans declaring their independence, further attesting to his argument that liberty is birthed in the pulpit. (Related: General Flynn urges pastors to defend the Constitution from the pulpit  Brighteon.TV.)

Fisher, who served as a state lawmaker at the Oklahoma House of Representatives from 2012 to 2016, made use of presentations and his own book Bringing Back the Black Robed Regiment to tell the regiments story.

It tells the story of these preachers and how we wouldnt be free today if it was not for them. This thing [has] just organically grown until now and, as youve seen, its kind of a one-man Broadway production with me in period costume and I act on stage. I have multimedia, the big screen, the sound effects, all that stuff so God just kind of used it, explained Fisher.

Fisher using the pulpit to fight for other preachers

The pastor also discussed the Pulpit Freedom Initiative (PFI), which he and his group is using to take down the Johnson Amendment. Fisher said the unconstitutional amendment has been used to silence preachers.

Adopted in 1954, the Johnson Amendment to the Internal Revenue Code prohibited churches and affiliated groups from participating or intervening in any political campaign on behalf of, or in opposition to, any candidate for public office as a requirement to maintain their tax-exempt status.

Fisher told Merritt that he and others in the PFI had sent their sermons to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) in 2008, but the tax agency has not done a thing since then. Despite this, he warned that the government will eventually weaponize the IRS if pastors do not stand up and speak out now.

He also mentioned the development that the IRS is recruiting 87,000 new agents willing to carry a gun and use lethal force if needed.

According to the Washington Examiner, the IRS posted a job opening for these agents. Potential recruits must be willing to work a minimum of 50 hours weekly and be on call 24/7. They must also be willing and able to participate in arrests, execution of search warrants and other dangerous assignments.

Follow Liberty.news for more news about people fighting for liberty in America.

Watch the September 21 episode of the Merritt Medical Hour below. The Merritt Medical Hour airs every Wednesday at 7 p.m. and Saturday at 2 p.m. on Brighteon.TV.

More related stories:

Pastor Brandon Burden: The Church has to reengage back into culture  Brighteon.TV.

Pastor Paul Blair tells Dr. John Diamond: Most Christians that run for office dont have biblical worldviews  Brighteon.TV.

HIS Glory with Pastor David Scarlett: Pastor Artur Pawlowski says Americans should never give up their rights  Brighteon.TV.

Nathaniel Pawlowski tells Karen Kingston: The Church has to be involved in politics and fight for the nation  Brighteon.TV.

Sources include:

Brighteon.com

MTSU.edu

WashingtonExaminer.com
(Natural News) Switzerland is now considering gender-neutral conscription to address the countrys shortage of military personnel.

According to a report presented by a parliamentary commission to the Council of States  the Swiss Federal Assemblys upper chamber  only 80 percent of soldiers out of the 100,000-strong Swiss Armed Forces can be called to active duty. This equated to about 80,000 troops in the field.

The report put forward two alternatives to address the issue and increase the size of the armed forces.

First, it proposed a merger between the Swiss Armed Forces and civil protection services. Second, it proposed making military service compulsory for able-bodied Swiss women aged 19 years and up.

While military service is optional for women in the landlocked European nation, it may become mandatory given the situation in Ukraine. The proposal is also timely given the massive mobilization order and nuclear threats issued by Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Moreover, a news outlet warned that the Swiss Armed Forces could see its numbers plunge to as low as 30,000 by the year 2030 if nothing is done to boost the number.

Swiss Defense Minister Viola Amherd, the first female in the position, said she wants to increase the percentage of women in the armed forces from one percent to 10 percent by 2030. In line with this, the Swiss military launched an ad campaign with the tagline security is also female to attract women into the service.

SwissInfo also noted that countries in Europe with conscription for both men and women  Sweden and Norway  regularly get top marks for gender equality in international rankings, but whether or not Switzerland is ready to adopt gender-neutral conscription remains to be seen.

Evolving public opinion on compulsory military service

Swiss public opinion regarding gender-neutral compulsory military service has also evolved over the years, especially as gender and inclusion gained more traction. The views of Swiss citizens reflected the prevailing mood in the country. (Related: Americans are refusing to join the military despite generous enlistment incentives.)

A 2021 survey by the Center for Security Studies (CSS) at the federal technology institute ETH Zurich showed that 67 percent of Swiss citizens support compulsory service for both men and women.

One respondent said it is a great idea to enlist women in military service. To be truly equal, women should do the same jobs as men, the respondent said.

Another said: By having equal conscription obligations, women can hugely contribute to the defense of Switzerland.

This is an evolving opinion from Switzerlands residents. When the CSS first asked respondents this question in 2011, only 52 percent agreed that both men and women should perform some sort of compulsory service, be it army, civilian service or social service.

Conscription is no longer the norm in Europe, with countries such as Germany and Serbia casting their draft systems into the bin. Project leader for the CSS Security Survey, Thomas Ferst, said the traditional conscript armies lost their importance after the end of the Cold War. As part of a defense alliance, NATO countries in particular no longer saw the need to keep large standing armies.

The need for military service was also being questioned in Switzerland, especially as there had been popular initiatives to abolish conscription. Ultimately, however, 73 percent of voters rejected the initiative in 2013 and a government-commissioned study published a year later confirmed there was no reason to change the status quo.

With drafting set to stay, the idea of including women in compulsory service has gained traction, especially when Norway introduced gender-neutral conscription in 2015, followed by Sweden a few years later.

Switzerland continues to declare itself as a neutral country, with the Swiss Armed Forces mainly responsible for homeland defense. They do not participate in international conflicts but take part in peacekeeping missions.

In the past, the Swiss military has provided support for the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe in Bosnia and Herzegovina and a few dozen soldiers also took part in a peacekeeping mission in Afghanistan.

It also participated in the Neutral Nations Supervisory Commission, which monitors the armistice between North and South Korea.

Watch Russias threats of nuclear war below, which could play a key role in military conscription all across Europe.



This video is from Cynthias Pursuit of Truth channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Ukrainian man attempted to exit the country by claiming to be a transgender female, but was instead ENLISTED into military service (nice try).

First NATO country provides tanks, artillery to Ukraine as U.S. Senate votes to resurrect World War II-era assistance program.

Europe quietly abandoning Ukraine by withholding military aid.

Sources include:

ZeroHedge.com

SwissInfo.ch 1

SwissInfo.ch 2

RT.com

Brighteon.com
With the threat of climate change variability, researchers have developed a method to determine renewable energy supply. The study emphasized the significance of energy planning.

The United Nations Climate Action explained that renewable energy creates lower emissions than fossil fuels. The power is generated from natural sources, which are replenished.

Moreover, environmentalists and scientists recommend the use of renewable energy as it does not pose harm to the environment. Fossil fuels from gas, oil, or coal refer to non-renewable energy, causing greenhouse gas emissions.

According to the United Nations Climate Action, sources of renewable energy are:

Solar energy

Wind energy

Geothermal energy

Hydropower energy

Ocean Energy

Bioenergy

On the other hand, the study's lead author, Uma Bhatt, said that understanding the impact of climate change is important. The variability of renewable energy can create a resilient power system for the future. Bhatt is also an atmospheric science professor at Geophysical Institute.

The Land journal published the research and is available to read in ScienceDaily.

Climate change affecting renewable energy supply

In the study, researchers from the Geophysical Institute of the University of Alaska Fairbanks and Spain unveiled a method that helps local energy managers. It will aid communities in determining the optimal mix of renewable resources and energy storage.

According to the research, it pointed out the increasing unusual weather patterns exacerbated by climate change. As it becomes extraordinary, researchers said that the demand for power and availability of renewable energy sources could all become more variable.

Also Read: Heat Stress Can Impact Corals Reefs in the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean [Research]

The researchers studied two locations with 60 years of climate data obtained for each area: the Alaska city of Cordova in Prince William Sound, which is experiencing a subpolar oceanic climate, and Palma de Mallorca, which is a subtropical Spanish island.

Furthermore, the study stressed that solar and hydropower are vulnerable to climate change, with extreme weather events becoming less reliable.

For instance, the decreased precipitation could affect hydropower, meaning the demand for energy power could be unpredictable because climate becomes variable.

The study's co-author David Newman said that to address the problem, there is a need to remove the variability or compensate for it. Newman is a physics professor at the UAF Geophysical Institute.

On the other hand, Bhatt explained the interconnectedness of climate and energy. The lead author stressed the importance of educating to think and address the problems.

Suggestions

The research suggested solutions to address climate variability and its effect on supply.

Researchers said to prepare fossil-fuel-based generators needed, which can start quickly. However, the study pointed out that it is still a fossil product.

On a cleaner method, the research suggested storing excess energy from renewable sources in normal demand and other storage solutions from other renewable energy sources such as pumped storage.

The study also noted other storage methods are gravity energy storage, flywheel energy storage, and compressed storage.

Related Article: Scientists Study the Impact of the Deep Sea Mining on Oceans

For more similar stories, don't forget to follow Nature World News.
Hurricane Ian continues to pose a threat to Florida as it hovers over the Caribbean region towards the Sunshine State. This comes after Ian strengthened into a major hurricane, the highest of a four-tiers scale, on Tuesday, September 27. The rapid intensification prompted Florida officials to deploy the National Guard and ordering millions to evacuate. There is a risk of powerful winds and torrential rain.

The initial Category 3 hurricane had reported winds of up to 195 kilometers per hour, which is enough to topple power lines, as well as damage or destroy infrastructure. Ian further intensified into a Category 4 while it churns it way to Florida. In Cuba, Ian has also left a pat of destruction where it left 11 million people without electricity after making landfall in the Caribbean country's Pinar del Rio province.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has ramped up measures to mitigate the potential impact of Ian, which includes the deployment of 5,000 Florida Guardsmen to help in the preparation of the storm's imminent arrival or landfall. The state will also receive 2,000 state National Guard troops from other states. Temporary shelters were also established to accommodate individuals or residents affected by the storm.

Hurricane Ian Florida Landfall

Hurricane-force wind continued to strengthen and was reportedly felt at Key West International Airport, where a wind gust of 79 miles per hour was recorded. Higher wind gusts were reported in other areas, including wind gusts of approximately 90 mph at Smith Shoal and at a buoy located northwest of the Dry Tortugas, according to AccuWeather.

Meanwhile, energy companies are preparing for potential massive spike of power outages. Some measures include informing Florida electricity customers to shut off power before flooding occurs inside their homes. In addition, the public is urged to stay away from downed power lines by at least 30 feet.

In its public advisory, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) stated Ian is expected to make landfall in the Florida Peninsula by Wednesday afternoon or evening as a Category 3 or Category 4 hurricane, in an area likely between Sarasota and Port Charlotte.

Also Read: Hurricane Ian Intensifies As it Approaches Florida and Cuba

Hurricane Warning and Evacuation

Initial reports indicate over 2.5 million Floridians were placed under evacuation orders, as Hurricane Ian will likely bring not only catastrophic flooding but also life-threatening storm surges.

"This will be a statewide event," according to Kevin Guthrie, the Florida division of emergency management director, as cited CNN.

A hurricane warning is also in place in Florida's Gulf Coast, specifically from Chokoloskee to the Anclote River, including the Dry Tortugas and Tampa Bay. Furthermore, a storm surge warning is in effect for several coastal areas, including Tampa Bay.

Scientists recently said attribute that climate change is responsible for a hurricane's rapid intensification, a weather phenomenon wherein a storm intensify into a stronger system within a short period of time.

The process is fueled by above-normal warm sea surface temperatures which acts as a fuel to the formation and development of hurricanes. Under this condition, a storm can carry enough water and strong winds.

Related Article: Hurricane Ian to Unleash Heavy Rains in Florida As It Quickly Intensifies
One of the world's largest stalagmites dominates the main chamber of the Cathedral Cave near Wellington on May 30, 2009. The limestone formation known as The Altar is 15 metres high, has a circumference of 32 metres, and is believed to be over 370,000 years old. (Photo : Photo credit should read TORSTEN BLACKWOOD/AFP via Getty Images)

The Naracoorte Caves in South Australia represent one of the globe's highest archaeological repositories, with a data base dating back more than 500,000 years back.

World's Best Fossil Sites

The skeleton remains of numerous instantly recognizable Australian megafauna creatures that lived millions of years ago approximately 48,000 and 37,000 years earlier are some of the remnants deposited in weathered material.

The causes of the extinction of these megafauna animals are hotly discussed. However, the closer in age the remains discovered, the more researchers could further comprehend the development as well as demise of the creature, as per The Conversation.

Since it has been impossible to determine the exact antiquity of the caves to today. The investigation, on the other hand, shows for the inaugural instance how old Naracoorte's caverns are - and the response is up to 500,000 years more than initially realized.

The remnants of legendary megafauna include the Carnifex thylacoleo (marsupial predator), Trilobus Zygomaturus (huge herbivore), Naracoortensis wonambi (giant constrictor snake), as well as the Procoptodon goliah (browsing sthenurine kangaroo).

Furthermore, As shown in the study published under Science Direct, researchers discovered that the caverns formed at least 1.34 million years back, continuing to make them 250,000 to 500,000 years ancient than prior estimations. This means that the caverns may contain intriguing research animal relic evidence dating back up to 600,000 years - more than 100,000 years of age than the complex's earliest documented paleontological occurrences.

This novel method may assist to explain how ancient fossil collections form in various cave systems in Australia as well as across planet that include combined speleothems plus animal remains.

Mentioned at the Quaternary Science Reviews, these discoveries will therefore assist biologists in locating prospective archaeological dig locations in search of old aged remains, perhaps offering crucial supplementary scientific proof of how the country's entire distinctive species complexity has altered. When speleothems develop, they contain trace levels of uranium, a radioactive substance.

Also read: World's Most Powerful Storms: Which Hurricane Caused the Most Damage?

The Naracoorte Caves in Australia

Since speleothems begin to develop after a subterranean hole is established and rise beyond the water levels, as per Newsbreak, the earliest speleothem age reflects the cave's threshold. Researchers discovered that pollen as well as charcoal initially emerged in the caverns approximately 600,000 years previously.

Exceptional locations like the Naracoorte Caves assist researchers in comprehending not only the ways global warming has affected quality of the environment in the ancient times, in addition to what could take place in the future, Flipboard noted. Caves may be wonderful historical chambers, retaining in great precision the remnants of thought to be gone greenery as well as creatures.

Researchers utilized a chronology approach that entailed looking at the lovely calcite structures from within the caves. They were originally estimated to be between 0.8 and 1.1 million years old, based on the age of a prehistoric dune crest that sits well over the cave complex, The Science Times recently updated.

Several of these relic layers have been unearthed as well as documented, and the remains of some megafauna creatures have been rebuilt. This throws fresh insight on the large latency period among geomorphologic evolution and relic accumulation. Therefore, despite the fact that the Naracoorte Caves were created at least 1.34 million years ago, they were not exposed to the ground until 600,000 years in the past, Headtopics reported.

Surface water seeped down fractures in limestone rocks, eroding them and creating voids. The report's detailed labor took half a decade, nevertheless it was well worthwhile the effort. The phase 2 of the research looked at when the caverns initially rose up to the open, enabling air and creatures to enter.

Related article: Shoebert the Seal Takes Residence at Freshwater Pond in Beverly City
1945: The body of a blood sucking bat from Peru which measures 4 inches. (Photo : Photo by General Photographic Agency/Getty Images)

A new coronavirus discovered in Russian bats has prompted experts to push for an immediate attempt to create a broad vaccination. They warn that if a lethal wildlife disease spreads to humankind, it may very well spark a whole other disease outbreak.

Resistance to Vaccine Antibodies of Russian Bats

The newest pulmonary influenza identified between many bats, identified as Khosta-2, is coated in excitation proteins that may invade living tissue via the identical nooks as SARS-CoV-2.

Moreover, troubling is its evident susceptibility to immunotherapies and serum produced in COVID-19 vaccination patients. In other sense, the existing conventional treatments cannot combat this emerging pulmonary pathogen, Science Alert reported.

Although Khosta-1 could not infiltrate living tissue by itself in the research, when a protein-eating engine was introduced to the mix, the pathogen was unexpectedly capable to enter living tissue by a unique turnstile.

Regrettably, plenty of the existing vaccinations are targeted at certain diseases that scientists believe enter living tissue or that appear to represent the greatest danger of infecting people.

In the laboratory, this bat disease was susceptible to infiltrate human liver cells via the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) channels, similarly like SARS-CoV-2.

As per the scientists' conclusion covered by media site, Business Standard, the research suggests that some coronaviruses potentially infiltrate living tissue via a hitherto undiscovered channel.

Furthermore, Sarbecoviruses were already demonstrated to co-circulate in bats, thus this variance in sensor utilization between many highly associated infectious agents might very well perhaps constitute a biological evolution mechanism for infectious survival throughout the repository host group, News Medical Live Sciences noted.

During the research, serum from immunized patients was less efficient at eliminating the pseudovirus when the binding affinity areas on a SARS-CoV-2 virus were substituted with Khosta-2 associated proteins.

It's unclear if the bacterial infection that attacks these bats may spread to sentient beings in the modern environment, but preliminary studies in the lab indicate it's likely feasible.

If the Khosta-2 virus co-infects a recipient with some other coronavirus, the two infections might very well merge to create a completely special generation. However, when researchers delved at them further, group members were astonished to discover they were capable of infiltrate living tissue.

Also read: Endangered Right Whale Mom 'Snow Cone' Spotted Covered in Lice

Possible Novel Coronavirus

Skeptically, these research results underscore the crucial necessity to pursue developing novel, as well as more broadly protective, sarbecovirus immunizations.

According to Washington State University virologist Michael Letko, these strange Russian infectious agents appeared similar to several of the viruses that had previously been identified throughout the entire planet, however since they didn't appear to be resemble SARS-CoV-2, hardly anyone believed they were truly something to get enthusiastic on, WSU Insider updated.

When scientists in Russia discovered Khosta-2 and similar bat bacterial infection, Khosta-1, in 2020, neither infection appeared to be especially harmful.

Presently, organizations are working to develop a vaccine that not only safeguards towards the upcoming type of SARS-2, yet also towards sarbecoviruses in broad sense.

Aside from the premise that both diseases correspond to the exact similar category of pulmonary infections coronaviruses classified as sarbecoviruses, immune responses produced from the omicron variation were ineffective towards the bat infection, which was shown to the study posted under PLOS Pathogen.

Khosta-2 was discovered amongst lesser horseshoe bats in Russia's Sochi National Park, a species also widespread in Europe and North Africa.

As per The Weather Channel, the sooner researchers act, the greater our chances of preventing future lethal coronavirus to emergence and spread. If this highly contagious repository spreads to people, conventional coronavirus vaccinations that primarily target the ACE2 interface will also no doubt be ineffective.

Related article: Researchers in Southern Ethiopia Deciphers of How Climate Change Affects Human Evolution in Eastern Africa
A mountain gazelle is pictured in the Judaean (Judean) desert near the Alon settlement in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, on August 14, 2022. (Photo : Photo by MENAHEM KAHANA/AFP via Getty Images)

The probability of forest fires in the European environment is growing as the weather shifts. Pasture of huge antelopes can be an inexpensive strategy to reduce dangers. This has been highlighted by specialists in the backdrop of the current spate of flames in southern as well as central Europe.

Protection for Wildlife Species in Europe

The prevailing encroachment of the terrain, along with continuous global warming favoring harsher as well as hot temperatures, is a deadly mix. Because to the extended dryness and rising supplies of combustibility in the shape of dry plants, the environment has become combustible, as per BBC news.

As comments by Miloslav Jirk of the Czech Academy of Sciences' Biology Centre, massive ungulate pasture is a particularly excellent method for eliminating foliage that allows flames to progress fast. It may be regions with old, open fields or plants.

Eurasian beavers, grey seals, grey wolves, as well as European bison have experienced arguably of the most robust population and regional distribution recovery.

The research, funded by the environmental organization Rewilding Europe, examined 50 European animals. While the Zoological Society of London, BirdLife International, and the European Bird Census Council collaborated to create it.

On the other hand, the European Wildlife Comeback Report 2022 expands on previous findings from 2013. It focuses primarily on animals that have recovered in the last approximately four to five decades.

Frans Schepers, Executive Director of Rewilding Europe argues that this recent research puts the spotlight not simply on which European life forms are rebounding effectively, yet also on why they are recuperating well.

In the report posted by Asiana Times, by understanding from great achievements, researchers may further maximize nature conservation rebound throughout the spectrum, yet the research equally illustrates that researchers should strive incredibly arduous on several sides of the line to maintain the process going and enable other species to personally profit from it.

In accordance with the research, grey wolves are considered one of the best successful projects. They were widespread in most parts of Europe by the end of the 18th century, but their numbers declined as sentient numbers increase.

Based on the research, they nowadays have reconquered numerous locations in Europe, where populations surged by approximately 1,800% between 1965 and 2016. Several Scandinavian governments have already permitted wolf culls in rural areas to safeguard cattle.

Also read: World's Most Powerful Storms: Which Hurricane Caused the Most Damage?

Wildlife Protection Efforts

Barnacle geese, griffon vultures, great white egrets, as well as Dalmatian pelicans are likewise making good recoveries. Conducted as part Europe attributes these gains to legislative safeguards provided by the EU Birds and Habitats Directives, as well as modifications in legislation and agricultural management.

It's not like every creature examined was on the upswing. According to the paper, the spotted seal's existence is difficult to predict since its reproductive environment has severely deteriorated owing to diminishing ice cover, the Headtopics noted.

Sophie Ledger of ZSL's Institute of Zoology, the study's main researcher, expressed optimism about the discoveries. The research provides grounds for confidence, demonstrating that if granted with the opportunity and well-targeted preservation initiatives, animals may rebound.

Grazing may potentially help to minimize wildfires from reoccurring in certain formerly burnt regions. Burned regions soon get overrun with broad vegetation types, whose dry covering are considered to be very combustible and are frequently the places where major fires occur.

Massive gazelles might mitigate these dangers since they eat grassland types that cattle, for instance, cannot manage. Moreover, according to news media site, Zero Coverage, massive gazelles like bison, wild horses, as well as back-bred aurochs could effectively deter fires, particularly in natural forests, wildlife sanctuaries, or even designated terrain regions, but in previous and current combat locations.

Bison have long resided in Poland's strongest military region, Drawsko in Western Pomerania, which NATO soldiers frequently utilize for practice sessions.

Related article: Shoebert the Seal Takes Residence at Freshwater Pond in Beverly City
An ancient sea monster from millions of years ago has been found in the waters of an ancient seaway of what is now Wyoming, United States. This is according to a new study which indicated a new species of a long-necked marine reptile which resembles a plesiosaur. Scientists named the creature as Serpentisuchops pfisterae which translates for "snaky croc-face" due to its hybrid appearance.

Scientists from the new research believes the prehistoric marine animal used its crocodile-like jaws to eat its prey like fish and other small sea creatures during its time. Paleontologists first discovered the fossils of the gargantuan predator in 1995 during an excavation of the uppermost part of Pierre Shale, a geological formation from the Upper Cretaceous period approximately 101 to 66 million years ago.

Wyoming Sea Monster

The researchers have published their new paper in the journal iScience, where they have showed the newfound snaky croc-face has unique morphological features from plesiosaurs.

The new discovery shows a new type of animal that specializes in a manner different from all other plesiosaurs that were still alive during that time.

Walter Scott Persons IV, a paleontologist from the College of Charleston in South Carolina, told Live Science that the creature is a weird and unique beast that crosses between the two types of plesiosaurs.

Persons adds that the first type had a long, snake-like neck with a small head and the second type has a short neck and a long crocodile-like jaw.

Also Read: 'Sea Monster' Carcass Found On New Zealand Beach [VIDEO]

Snaky Crocface

Paleontologists say snaky croc-face was 23-foot-long (7 meter) and whose remains have been on display at the Glenrock Paleontological Museum near the city of Casper, Wyoming.

Since its discovery over 25 years ago, paleontologists have carefully studied the animal's remains, which include about 35% of its body and a well-preserved lower jaw. The fossil also contains its skull, complete neck, vertebrae, and most of its tail and some ribs, according to Persons.

The paleontologist adds that the only pieces that were missing are components of the animal's limbs or paddles, which it uses for swimming. Persons also states the site also contained 19 teeth, which resembles "the surface of the moon" or a "trip to Mordor," that are still intact in the specimen's jaw, as cited by Live Science.

The Plesiosaurs

The Plesiosauria or plesiosaurs are an order or clade in the animal kingdom consisting of extinct Mesozoic marine reptiles. The large sauropterygian animal lived during the Early Jurassic Period. Meanwhile, some reports say it first appeared during the late Triassic Period.

In 2019, new research emerged supporting the hypothesis that plesiosaurs gave birth to their young and provided rapid fetal bone growth which led some babies to become poor swimmers, requiring parental care, according to scientists from various institutions, as cited by the Natural History Museum (NHM).

As a result, scientists confirmed plesiosaurs had large babies due to the rapid development of the fetal bone, sacrificing bone strength for bone growth, as cited by NHM.

Related Article: Experts Discovered Gigantic Sea Monster Tagged as Earth's Largest Animal
The National Weather Service (NWS) - New Orleans / Baton Rouge office issued three weather alerts. A Red Flag Warning and a Fire Weather Watch are in effect over parts of Louisiana because of critical fire conditions.

In addition, a Small Craft Advisory is up as well.

Although the next seven days showed clear skies for Louisiana, the humidity is on the low side and wind gusts are reaching 20 mph.

This leads to critical fire conditions.

Red Flag Warning

At 3:58 AM, September 28, a Red Flag Warning was issued over Southeast Louisiana and South Mississippi.

There will be high fire danger across parts of Mississippi and Louisiana due to the combined effect of low relative humidity near 25% and winds close to 20 mph with higher gusts, according to the alert, which was issued in alignment with the state fire weather officials.

Temperature highs in the concerned areas will reach 83 degrees.

The Red Flag Warning for fire weather hazards is still in effect from 9 AM to 7 PM today.

Authorities advised against outdoor burning at this time because any fires that start are likely to spread quickly.

When there is a Red Flag Warning, it means that there is or will soon be a critical fire weather condition. Extreme fire behavior may occur as a consequence of low relative humidity, strong winds, and warm temperatures.

Fire Weather Watch

The Fire Weather Watch in effect over parts of Louisiana and Mississippi for the 29th was issued at the same time as the Red Flag Warning on the 28th.

Thursday morning through Thursday afternoon, the FIRE WEATHER WATCH will remain in effect for possible fire weather hazards for South Mississippi and Southeast Louisiana.

Northeasterly winds are blowing at 20 to 25 mph, with gusts up to 35 mph, and relative humidity levels are as low as 25%.

The Fire Weather Watch is triggered by critical fire weather, just like the Red Flag Warning, and any developing fires are expected to likely spread quickly.

Authorities do not recommend outdoor burning during this time.

Critical fire weather conditions are anticipated when there is a fire weather watch.

Keep an ear out for upcoming forecasts and potential Red Flag Warnings, National Weather Service noted.

Read also: Tampa Bay Is at Risk for Flooding as 2.5 Million People Told To Evacuate Due to Hurricane Ian

Small Craft Advisory

A Small Craft Advisory is still in effect until Thursday at 6 PM.

Seas of five to seven feet are predicted along with northeast winds of 20 to 25 kt with gusts reaching 35 kt. Lake Maurepas, Lake Pontchartrain, and Lake Borgne are among the areas that are impacted.

Authorities advise unpracticed mariners, particularly those operating smaller vessels, to avoid traversing in hazardous conditions because the weather will be dangerous for small craft, The Weather Channel reported.

When winds have accelerated to dangerously high speeds, the National Weather Service issues a Small Craft Advisory as a warning.

Depending on the location, the minimum sustained wind speeds required to issue a Small Craft Advisory range from 20 to 33 knots.

It can also be given out for other dangerous circumstances, like lake and sea ice.

When there is a small craft advisory, every boater should take the necessary safety measures.

Related article: Florida Deploys National Guard; Millions Ordered to Evacuate as Hurricane Ian Draws Near
Kenya is still experiencing its worst drought in decades, which is rapidly reducing the population of endangered wildlife. In the past three months, the world's rarest zebra population has decreased by almost 2%, and 25 times more elephants have perished than usual.

In their desperate search for food, Kenya's renowned wildlife is being starved of its usual outdoor food sources and is being forced into deadly conflicts with humans as a result.

Animals in many areas of the country in East Africa could experience an existential crisis if no measures are taken to protect them or if the upcoming rainy season fails once more, according to conservationists.

Grevy's Zebra Trust

Andrew Letura, a monitoring officer from Grevy's Zebra Trust (GZT), said that The threat is very serious. There are only 3,000 Grevy's zebras left in the world 2,500 of which are found in Kenya. They are larger than regular plains zebras, have narrower stripes, and have wider ears.

According to Letura, at Samburu National Reserve in the arid north areas of Kenya, the drought has killed approximately 40 Grevy's since June, which is about the same number that would be anticipated to perish over the course of a year.

According to the trust, GZT has started feeding Grevy's zebras hay that has been poured over a mixture of molasses, salt, and calcium to help reduce but not eliminate deaths.

Benson Leyian, the chief executive of Big Life Foundation, said that In comparison to a typical September, rangers have recorded eight times as many animals that are unable to stand or dead. Meanwhile, 50 elephants are either dead or missing, according to the Amboseli Trust for Elephants. The Amboseli Ecosystem's open rangelands and conservation areas are protected by the Big Life Foundation in collaboration with local landowners.

Read also: "Catastrophic" Drought in the Horn of Africa Kills Over a Million Livestock

Drought and Men

A ranger at the nearby Kitenden Conservancy reported that some visitors have begun to wear safety masks due to the overpowering odor of animal carcasses.

Sadly, some wildlife is being killed by humans.

Leyian said that Compared to other dry seasons, there is a five-fold uptick in incidents of people engaging in bushmeat poaching.

Save the Elephants, on the other hand, reported that it is discovering an increasing number of elephants killed by firearms or spears. These reported cases have their tusks intact, which is a sign that they died in conflicts with people in populated areas, as opposed to being the victims of poaching.

According to experts, the drought alone is not to blame for the crisis. According to David Daballen, Save the Elephants' field operations manager, livestock overgrazing is causing rangelands to become depleted and is making it more difficult for ecosystems to fully heal from drought.

According to Letura of GZT, it's frightening just to consider the possibility of the upcoming rains failing. The rains are predicted to occur in October and November. He claimed that things are already dire. But if that were the case, it would constitute a serious emergency, and everyone would now immediately express their desire for rain, Reuters reports.

Related article: Worst Drought of the Decade Puts 13 Million Africans at Risk of Severe Hunger
Unknown leaks in two Russian gas pipelines in the Baltic Sea are spewing out greenhouse gas emissions, sparking concerns that the interruption might trigger a climate disaster, albeit the amount of the damage is unknown.

Neither pipeline was operational, but both carried natural gas, which is primarily made of methane, a strong greenhouse gas that is the second most significant driver of climate change after CO2.

Nord Stream gas leaks raise climate fears

There are many unknowns, but if these pipelines break, the climatic impact would be severe, maybe unparalleled, according to atmospheric chemist David McCabe, senior scientist of the non-profit Clean Air Task Force, as per The Inquirer.

According to McCabe and other emissions experts, it is not yet possible to estimate the size of the leak due to uncertainties surrounding factors, such as the temperature of the gas in the pipeline, the rate at which it is leaking, and how much gas would be absorbed by microbes in the water before reaching the surface.

However, because both Nord Stream pipelines carried primarily methane, McCabe is concerned about the possibility of a big and extremely destructive emission event.

Methane has more than 80 times the planet-warming potency of carbon dioxide over a 20-year time span and around 30 times its potency over a 100-year time span.

Scientists believed that drastic reductions in methane emissions over the next several years will be a critical tool in combating climate change.

According to Jasmin Cooper, a research associate at Imperial College London's Sustainable Gas Institute, quantifying exactly how much gas was reaching the atmosphere would be challenging, especially given the scarcity of data on breaches from undersea pipes.

Gazprom would most likely have an estimate based on gas throughputs, but in terms of how much gas/methane is released into the atmosphere, she added, referring to the state-owned Russian gas business.

According to Jean-Francois Gauthier, vice president of measurements at the commercial methane-measuring satellite firm GHGSat, a "conservative estimate" based on available data suggested that the leaks released more than 500 metric tons of methane per hour when first breached, with the pressure and flow rate decreasing over time.

Also Read: As Impending Winter Approaches, Energy Crisis Expected to Worsen

Germany Suspects Sabotage Over Nord Stream Gas Pipeline Leaks

The Nord Stream pipelines, which transported natural gas from Russia to Germany, are leaking, and Germany suspects the damage is the result of sabotage as tensions between Europe and Russia remain high, as per Gizmodo.

Nord Stream is a large pipeline project that connects Russia's natural gas supply to Germany, but a recent leak has the German government fearful that the pipeline has been destroyed.

According to a news statement issued by military authorities, three leaks were discovered in the Baltic Sea to the northeast and south of the Danish island of Bornholm.

According to Bloomberg, a German security officer argued that the disclosures were generated by a purposeful act rather than a technical fault.

On Monday, Swedish seismologists observed two explosions, one of which occurred at 2:03 a.m. one at 7:04 p.m. local time, and the other at 7:04 p.m.

According to Uppsala University seismologist Peter Schmidt, the explosions matched the positions of pipeline breaches.

The pipeline network is made up of two pipes, Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2, which stretch 2,456 kilometers (1,526 miles) beneath the Baltic Sea.

Nord Stream 1 has an annual capacity of 55 billion cubic meters (1.9 trillion cubic feet) of natural gas, whereas Nord Stream 2 is not yet operational but would more than quadruple this number.

While neither pipeline was running at the time of the incidents, they did carry natural gas, resulting in regions of bubbling water in the Baltic Sea.

The Norwegian Armed Forces' F-16 interceptor response unit was the first to detect the leaks.

Previous disputes between Russia and Germany over the Nord Stream project included Germany's stalling of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline's activation last February during Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

In July, Gazprom, the state-owned main stakeholder in Nord Stream, reportedly reduced Nord Stream 1 throughput to 20% of potential capacity.

Environmental dangers

While oil spills can quickly damage and eventually kill animals, officials believed gas pipeline leaks pose only a minor hazard to nearby plant and animal life.

The German environment ministry stated that the leaks would not pose a significant threat to marine life, but Greenpeace expressed concern on Tuesday that fish could become entangled in gas plumes, interfering with their breathing.

According to Denmark's Energy Agency, it is too early to say who will investigate the Nord Stream 2 leak, and no one has visited the pipeline yet.

Related article: Germany Hastens Transition to Greener Energy
Hurricane Ian unleashed heavy rains, causing power interruptions in Florida despite Ian's weakening.

Officials urged residents to be careful as they mobilized linemen to restore the power and assist affected communities.

The National Hurricane Center (NHC) announced that Hurricane Ian maximum winds decreased to 155 mph and still a higher gust. The NHC said that Ian is expected to weaken for the next day.

However, it still maintains hurricane-strength while moving over Florida East.

AccuWeather reported that Hurricane Ian was downgraded to a Category 2 storm after losing wind intensity.

Hurricane Ian was seen about 95 miles south-southwest in Orlando, Florida, moving near eight mph (13 km/h) to the north-northeast.

Furthermore, the Hurricane Center said that Hurricane Ian track would move to central Florida on Thursday morning.

At the same time, the Hurricane is set to cross northeast Florida, South Carolina coasts, and Georgia.

Also Read: Hurricane Ian to Unleash Heavy Rains in Florida As It Quickly Intensifies

Meanwhile, the advisory explained the hurricane-force winds from Hurricane Ian. According to reports:

Hurricane winds could extend ,outward, up to 50 miles or 85 km, and strong-force winds, outward, can extend up to 175 miles or 280 km.

NHC said that the University of Florida Monitoring program noted 54 mph (87 km/h) sustained winds with a gust said to be 91 mph (146 km/h) in the wind tower near Punta Gorda.

Hurricane Ian estimated minimum pressure reported 960 mb or 28.35 inches.

Florida

According to AccuWeather, Hurricane Ian's resulted in Florida activating the Florida Disaster Fund to help affected communities.

The Weather website noted that Hurricane Ian unleashed heavy rains in the east coast of Florida. Based on the report of rainfall totals due to the Hurricane:

Mesonet stations, Delray Beach, recorded 9.97 inches.

Boca Raton recorded 9.75 inches

India Town recorded 9.6 inches

Moreover, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis urged residents to be careful outside, avoid power lines and standing water, and place generators 20 feet outside the home.

On the other hand, AccuWeather reported that Florida suffered from power outages because of Hurricane Ian.

It noted that 2 million customers had no power.

The Florida Governor said that 42,000 linemen are set to restore power in affected communities, while 7,000 National Guardsmen and 179 aircraft are ready to assist.

The state also prepared over 176 shelters and 50 special needs shelters for possible evacuations due to Hurricane Ian.

DeSantis encouraged residents who are interested in volunteering to help affected communities.

Hurricane preparations

As Hurricane Ian continued to impact Florida, it is expected to maintain strength, causing flooding and dangerous winds. It is essential to be prepared.

Keep updated with the current weather events from the local weather stations or state authorities.

Be careful with downed trees and power lines. Avoid driving areas with ongoing repairs and clearing.

As you return to your house, check for damages and possible leaks. If the electrical equipment is damaged, it is best to consult a professional electrician.

Check for any injuries.

Related Article: Florida Deploys National Guard; Millions Ordered to Evacuate as Hurricane Ian Draws Near

For more similar stories, don't forget to follow Nature World News.
Doreen Bogdan-Martin of the US today defeated Russias Rashid Ismailov by a convincing 139 to 25 in a vote to decide who will become the next secretary general of the International Telecommunications Union, allaying Western concerns about nation-state control and interoperability of the internet

Bogdan-Martin, who will become the first woman to head the ITU in its 157-year history, is seen by some observers as the candidate most likely to preserve the ITUs status as a neutral arbiter of a free and open internet, in opposition to recent Russian and Chinese maneuvering in the group that would have placed much more control over the internets basic functionality in the hands of nation-states.

Former US FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler said before the election that it was essentially a referendum on which direction the member states want for the internetwhether the group should continue to manage the internet in its own best interests or accept the kind of state control that other stakeholders have pushed for in the past.

Its a trial vote, Wheeler said. You might call it a policy plebiscite. The Russians and Chinese have signed an agreement to try and turn the ITU into more of a regulator of the internet and have an internet that more closely resembles the kind of control they have domestically.

Russian-Chinese IPv6+ plan stirs concern about internet interoperability

That agreement, which the two governments had billed as ensuring that all [s]tates have equal rights to participate in global network governance, includes a fundamental redesign of the internet, initially called New IP and since rebranded to IPv6+. According to a 2020 report by ICANN, the proposalwhich has been largely spearheaded by Huaweiintroduces a number of features that ICANN called technologically retrograde and potentially damaging to the stability and interoperability of the internet.

The group also argued that the partial nature of Huaweis descriptions of its new standard makes it difficult to evaluate.

There are no publicly available, definitive, and complete descriptions of what New IP is, according to ICANNs report. As such, it can only be seen at best as work in progress and cannot be fully analyzed and compared to a standard such as the TCP/IP protocol suite.

Some of New IPs key featuresincluding a return to circuit-switched networks, instead of the packet-switched standards used today, and the architectural concept of ManyNetswould fundamentally alter the basic nature of the internet, forcing major changes for enterprise and consumer end-users alike.

Instead of a single network, the Internet would become a patchwork of networks loosely interconnected via gateways, ICANNs report said.

New IP would also enable end-user applications to program intermediate network elements for increased flexibility in a technique called active networking. Thats not a new idea, according to ICANN, but the implementation in New IP raises a number of troubling questions from a security perspective.

In a traditional client-server model, potential damages due to bad code are limited to the end-points, the report said. In an active network, the potential for collateral damage is much higher.

Security advocates fear government control of internet

This new architecture has also been roundly criticized by security and privacy advocates as a top-down structure that fundamentally changes the multistakeholder model traditionally used to govern the internet, enabling much more control by large central governments than before.

The Internet Society, though it declined to endorse one candidate or another for the ITU secretary general elections, expressed concern before the vote that international political considerations could fragment the internet.

Geopolitical actions could  lead us further to a Splinternet, where the internet is carved up along political, economic [and] technological boundaries, the group said via email. It is an inherent contradiction of the original principles of the internet, which was intended to be borderless and globally connected.

The society also warned that state control over the bedrock functions of the internet were antithetical to that global vision, and that internet governance should continue to be under the control of apolitical governance mechanisms.

The ITUs outgoing secretary general, Chinas Houlin Zhao, has pushed for more state control over internet governance during his tenure, and downplayed US concerns over security threats posed by the use of Chinese networking equipment in mission-critical networks in the west, according to a recent report from the Heritage Foundation. President Joe Biden, in what Poltico described as an unusually clear statement of intent, stated publicly, earlier this week, that he supported Bogdan-Martin for the post.
Chinese ambassador puts forward 4 proposals on China-India relations

Xinhua) 15:22, September 29, 2022

NEW DELHI, Sept. 29 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Ambassador to India Sun Weidong put forward four proposals on the development of China-India relations at a virtual event celebrating the 73rd anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China.

Delivering a speech on Tuesday, Sun said China and India are both major developing countries, and China-India relations are not only important for the two countries but also have a significant impact on the region and the world at large.

This year, China-India relations have made new progress and shown positive momentum, the Chinese ambassador said, urging both sides to maintain the momentum for improving bilateral relations and promote China-India relations back to the right track and ensure a long-term and steady relationship.

On the future development of China-India relations, Sun said firstly, the two sides should promote mutual understanding and trust.

China and India must stick to the important consensus reached between the leaders of the two countries and forge a new path for the neighboring countries to coexist in harmony and develop hand in hand.

The second proposal is to promote win-win cooperation, Sun said.

"We should focus on getting our own things done well, finding convergence of interests in our most important task which is development," he said. "We should help each other succeed and achieve mutual win-win through cooperation, instead of undercutting each other meaninglessly."

The third proposal is to properly handle differences and sensitive issues, Sun said.

Stressing that the two countries' common interests far outweigh differences, the ambassador urged both sides not to "seek minor gains at great cost," or let the differences define their relationship.

The fourth proposal is to strengthen coordination and collaboration, Sun said.

He noted that the "Asian Century" can only be fulfilled through joint development and mutually beneficial cooperation of China and India, as well as through strengthening solidarity and cooperation among Asian countries.

China and India should uphold the vision of peace, development, independence and inclusiveness, he said. "We should oppose geopolitical conflicts, bloc confrontation and exclusive 'small circles'. We should jointly safeguard stability and prosperity in Asia."

(Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Bianji)
Reporter

Debra Pressey is a reporter covering health care at The News-Gazette. Her email is dpressey@news-gazette.com, and you can follow her on Twitter (@DLPressey).
Our County Editor

Dave Hinton is editor of The News-Gazette's Our County section and former editor of the Rantoul Press. He can be reached at dhinton@news-gazette.com.
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).
Retired Judge Chase Leonhard writes of the implementation of the SAFE-T Act: "One might well be confident that members of the bench, the bar and the legislature alike will rise to the occasion and ensure that the new law strikes an appropriate balance between public safety and the rights of the accused."
Evangelical Christians who sought information from their religious leaders about getting the COVID-19 vaccine were significantly less likely to be vaccinated, while evangelicals who spoke with a health care provider about the vaccine were more likely to be vaccinated, according to a new Virginia Commonwealth University-led study involving a survey of 531 self-identified evangelical Christians in the U.S.

Evangelical Christians are among the most hesitant to get the COVID-19 vaccine. We found that contact with health care providers and clergy for this particular population absolutely do matter, and they seem to matter in opposite directions." Jeanine Guidry, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Richard T. Robertson School of Media and Culture in the College of Humanities and Sciences and Director of the Media+Health Lab

The study, "Between Healthcare Practitioners and Clergy: Evangelicals and COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy," will be published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. It explores differences in demographics, health beliefs and faith-based variables among evangelical Christians who had already received a COVID-19 vaccine, those who were not willing to get a COVID-19 vaccine, those who were undecided and those who were planning to get the vaccine.

The goal was to better understand vaccine beliefs and barriers of self-identified evangelicals and provide a foundation for future research aimed at improving vaccine uptake within that population.

"I'm hoping that this will help us not just create better messaging and create better trust relationships related to the COVID vaccine, but also to other vaccines," Guidry said. "We're still dealing with COVID, but we may be able to extrapolate this to the flu vaccine, the HPV vaccine, the MMR vaccine, to the next pandemic's vaccine."

Gina A. Zurlo, Ph.D., co-director of the Center for the Study of Global Christianity at the Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary and co-author of the study, said the study is "important because it puts facts behind a common refrain from the media over the past two years  that evangelical Christians are anti-vaccination."

"While it is true that, generally, this group of people are vaccine hesitant, our study revealed more nuance related to age, family status and rural/urban dynamics," Zurlo said. "Furthermore, this research helps religious leaders understand just how influential they are not only in their parishioners' spiritual health, but also their physical health."

The study's findings that evangelical clergy are influential in vaccine decision-making presents an opportunity for positive change, the researchers wrote.

The findings showed that those who were receptive to faith-based vaccination promotion strategies were more likely to be vaccinated. That suggests, they wrote, that positive attitudes towards vaccination can reinforced by trusted religious leaders who themselves acknowledge getting the vaccine and encourage others to do the same, and that clergy can be helpful in dealing with perceived barriers to getting the vaccines.

"We asked [study participants], would any of these affect your likelihood to get the vaccine: If you're pastor said they were vaccinated? Or if your pastor encouraged vaccination from the pulpit? Or if you could get information about the vaccine in your church?" Guidry said. "Those faith-based variables made it more likely for people to say 'Yes, if those things were in place, that could affect my decision.'"

As an example of the importance of engaging religious leaders, Guidry highlighted the example of Facts and Faith Fridays, a partnership between VCU Massey Cancer Center and the African American faith-based community. Led by community leaders Rudene Mercer Haynes, Rev. F. Todd Gray and VCU Massey Cancer Center Director Robert A. Winn, M.D., the program was founded in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants work to enhance their communities through participating in ongoing dialogues around COVID-19 and vaccine distribution; systemic racism and health inequity; cancer risks and prevention; medical myths and mistrust; and health resources in urban and rural communities.

"Facts and Faith Fridays recognizes that faith leaders are trusted sources of information and can act as ambassadors for their communities," Guidry said. "This study leans into that, saying, 'OK, we have health care providers who, by and large, are a fairly trusted source of information. And we know that clergy are trusted sources of information. What we need to do is bring health care providers and clergy together.'"

The study is the latest research led by Guidry revealing insights into COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy and COVID-19 misinformation. In February, a study led by Guidry found that cancer patients undergoing active treatment were more likely to believe misinformation related to COVID-19 than those without a history of cancer. Last fall, a study she led revealed that college students in seven countries were more likely to practice social distancing if they believed two things: that it would protect against COVID-19 and that it was an action they could easily carry out.

"We still lose too many people to COVID every single day," Guidry said. "Anything I can do to help make it easier for people to protect themselves, that's what I want to do."

Guidry was recently appointed as a scholar in the Building Interdisciplinary Research Careers in Women's Health program. The BIRCWH program, housed within the VCU Institute for Women's Health and funded by the National Institute of Health, focuses on the development of faculty researchers into independent scientists with a commitment to interdisciplinary research benefiting the health and well-being of women across the lifespan. Guidry's BIRCWH research will focus on gender differences in both COVID-19 vaccine uptake as well as Long COVID experiences and patient-provider interactions.
A University of Queensland study is investigating the issues around employee disclosure of medical conditions in the workplace, with a particular emphasis on military veterans.

The research, led by US army veteran Dr Richard O'Quinn from the UQ Business School, has been developed in response to the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide.

Dr O'Quinn said anecdotal evidence indicated a significant number of veterans diagnosed with PTSD don't reveal it to their employers, which can have significant consequences.

Unfortunately, there are veterans who have self-harmed or threatened suicide in the workplace, and their employers had been unaware of their PTSD diagnosis and were unable to offer support. Some individuals may be afraid of talking about their trauma for fear their employer may see them in a negative way. For others it may be because of confusion about what they can disclose about their military record." Dr Richard O'Quinn, UQ Business School

Dr O'Quinn said it could save lives if more organizations were made aware of employees' psychological or medical conditions like PTSD.

The one-year UQ pilot study is a collaboration with training organization East Coast Apprenticeships.

It will involve interviews with veterans and organizations to capture how the disclosure of medical conditions is understood in workplaces and provide recommendations for improvement.

East Coast Apprenticeships CEO and Australian army veteran Alan Sparks AM BEM, said his company developed a program to help veterans transition to a civilian career.

"I've personally interviewed more than 460 veterans and found they can benefit from revealing the impact of their service life, but the majority are reluctant," Mr Sparks said.

"This research is an opportunity to examine a critical key to veterans' wellbeing."

Dr O'Quinn said the study outcomes could be applied to other Australians who have PTSD or experienced trauma including first responders, newly arrived Australians, ex-offenders, people with disabilities or people who've been in domestic violence situations.

"Employers could then better support them, and possibly prevent incidents of self-harm in the workplace," he said.
Combined oral contraceptives (COCs) containing both estrogen and progestin do not contribute to the development of enlarged breasts (macromastia)  nor do they increase the risk of breast regrowth in adolescents and young women following breast-reduction surgery, reports a study in the October issue of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, the official medical journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS). The journal is published in the Lippincott portfolio by Wolters Kluwer.

Rather, using COCs during adolescence may actually be associated with developing less severe breast enlargement (hypertrophy), according to the new research by ASPS Member Surgeon Brian I. Labow, MD, of Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School and colleagues.

Doctors' encouraged to consider COCs' for young women with macromastia

Breast reduction surgery, or reduction mammaplasty, is an effective treatment to reduce pain and psychosocial problems in adolescents and women with macromastia. Combined oral contraceptives are the most widely used type of hormonal contraceptives (HCs). Beyond their contraceptive effects, COCs are prescribed to manage a wide range of conditions in adolescents, including acne, menstrual abnormalities, endometriosis, and polycystic ovary syndrome.

"Despite the positive benefits of COCs, many patients, parents, and providers worry that their use may worsen breast hypertrophy in adolescents," Dr. Labow and coauthors write. They note, "The internet is littered with anecdotal accounts and lay articles suggesting that COC use in adolescents and young women may result in breast growth." Although COCs can cause breast tenderness and swelling due to fluid retention, there is no high-quality evidence that they cause "true glandular hypertrophy" in young women.

What's the true impact of COCs on breast enlargement and symptoms in girls and young women? The study included 378 patients, aged 12 to 21 years, undergoing reduction mammaplasty at Boston Children's Hospital. Severity of macromastia was compared for patients who did and did not use COCs and other HCs, along with breast regrowth in the first year after reduction mammaplasty.

Findings were compared with those in a control group of 378 female patients of similar age. Average age was about 18 years in both groups. Patients with macromastia were more likely to be overweight or obese, consistent with the fact that increased body weight is a risk factor for macromastia.

Overall, patients with macromastia had lower use of HCs: about 38%, compared to 65% in the control group. However, among women using HCs, those with macromastia were more likely to be prescribed COCs: 83% versus 53%. Estrogen and progestin doses were similar between groups.

Among the patients with macromastia, using COCs did not seem to affect the severity of breast enlargement. Median (normalized to height and weight) amount of breast tissue removed during reduction mammaplasty was similar between groups  in fact, somewhat less in patients who used COCs, compared no HC use. Scores for pain and other symptoms of macromastia (such as irritation of the breast skin, difficulty exercising, or problems finding clothes that fit) were also similar between groups.

At a median follow-up of about 2 years after reduction mammaplasty, there was no significant difference in the rate of breast regrowth between patients who did and did not use COCs. Overall, about 5% of patients had postoperative breast regrowth. About half of cases were due to regrowth of the breast gland, rather than associated with weight gain. There was also no increased risk of breast regrowth for women who used COCs after reduction mammaplasty.

The findings help to debunk "pervasive anecdotal claims" that COCs during adolescence may increase the risk of macromastia, Dr. Labow and colleagues believe. They conclude: "Although additional research is needed, providers are encouraged to consider COCs when prescribing HCs for their patients with macromastia when indicated and appropriate."
In a recent study posted to the medRxiv* preprint server, researchers explored the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) genome using high-throughput genome sequencing to provide novel insights into how the novel SARS-CoV-2 Omicron BA.2.3.7 variant enters and spreads among the otherwise naive Taiwanese population.

Background

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic originated in China, most likely from Wuhan, in late 2019. In response, the Taiwanese government introduced stringent travel restrictions for incoming passengers by sea and air, with long quarantine periods for those allowed to enter Taiwan. In addition, in Taiwan, several non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) such as social distancing and mask-wearing were enforced. Until April 2022, only a few COVID-19 cases were reported in Taiwan; however, by June 2022, COVID-19 case counts had considerably increased in the country.

About the study

In the present study, researchers conducted genomic surveillance to assess the prevalence and spread of Omicron BA.2.3.7 in Taiwanese community-dwelling residents.

The team analyzed 2,405 polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-confirmed SARS-CoV-2-positive nasopharyngeal swab specimens from 2,339 persons. Blood samples were obtained from the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients enrolled from the NTU-HCH (national Taiwan university hospitals Hsinchu branch), and SARS-CoV-2 ribonucleic acid (RNA) was extracted, amplified by reverse transcription PCR (RT-PCR) analysis, and subjected to whole-genome sequencing (WGS) analysis.

For the phylogenetic analysis, 2847 sequences, including 1,966 from NTU-HCH and 881 references (GISAID) sequences, were utilized for constructing the phylogenetic tree framework. Subsequently, 1,584 BA.2.3.7 sequences submitted to GISAID from the current study, with 228 BA.2.3.7 sequences deposited to GISAID by other groups, were analyzed in batches. The emergence of novel Omicron variants in Taiwan and the genomic evolution during the swift Omicron pool expansion between 22 February 22 and 6 June 2022 were assessed.

To investigate the global variant transmission, 249 BA.2.3.7, 282 global, and 403 additional sequences from Taiwan residents were retrieved from the GISAID (global initiative on sharing all influenza data) database up to July 2022. As a pilot study, 293 samples from 228 patients were analyzed, and most of the samples were obtained in 2021 from three hospitals in north Taiwan. The sequences were assembled and examined for significantly altered amino acids to determine signature mutations in the Omicron-infected samples.

Results

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BA.2.3.7 was detected as the prime causative variant of the 2022 SARS-CoV-2 outbreak among Taiwanese communities. The 1966 complete-length sequences of Omicron were uploaded to the GISAID database enabling the identification of three signature BA.2.3.7 mutations, i.e., L631F, K97E, and M322I detected in open reading frame 1a (ORF1a), spike (S) protein and nucleocapsid (N) protein, respectively, within the non-structural protein 2 (nsp2), S subunit 1 (S1) N-terminal domain (NTD) and at amino acid position 322, respectively, among 81% (n=1584) of Omicron sequences.

The signature changes occurred after the fourth sequenced batch, indicative of the rapid surge in COVID-19 cases due to the emerging BA.2.3.7 strain from hundreds to thousands over the course of the study period among Taiwanese (especially north Taiwan) communities. The proportion of sequences containing the signature changes increased from 62 % to 85% from the fourth batch to the fifth batch. By June 2022, the strain established considerable dominance among SARS-CoV-2 sequences.

Additionally., novel mutations (ORF1a:I1091T and G1251V) were detected in BA.2.3.7 with a remarkable increase over time, rapidly increasing the count of BA.2.3.7 infections across Taiwan, reported in four Taiwan locations, indicative of BA.2.3.7 as the causative variant for the SARS-CoV-2 outbreaks among Taiwanese community residents.

Most of the pilot study samples obtained in 2021 were assigned the Alpha variant. A remarkable increase in Omicron BA.2.3.7 infections was observed from week 4 onwards, and BA.2.3.7 variant percentage was persistently high for 10 weeks. The number of S:G1251V-positive sequences steadily increased from week 6 onwards and plateaued in the tenth week (between 26 April 26 2 and May). In the period between weeks 11 and 15, the ORF1a:T3224A proportion reduced, whereas the ORF1a:I1091T proportion concomitantly increased.

During the same period, Omicron BA.2.3.7 was also detected in other Asian Pacific countries such as Hong Kong, Singapore, Indonesia, Japan, Vietnam, Philippines, Thailand, Malaysia, and New Zealand. Among 44 BA.2.3.7 cases detected in Japan, 41 and two individuals had travel histories to Taiwan and Vietnam, respectively, indicative of silent outward BA.2.3.7 transmission from Taiwan. On the contrary, BA.2.3.7 forms <0.5% of sequences reported in the United States of America (USA), California, or globally.

Conclusion

Overall, the study findings highlighted the emergence, rapid spread, and persistence of BA.2.3.7 as the causative variant of community outbreaks in Taiwan. The findings could considerably impact socioeconomic and public health domains. Of note, the 2021 Alpha variant outbreak was relatively small and limited to cluster infection within New Taipei City, whereas the Omicron BA.2.3.7 outbreak between April and June 2022 exceeded 50,000 cases/day at the peak level.

*Important notice

medRxiv publishes preliminary scientific reports that are not peer-reviewed and, therefore, should not be regarded as conclusive, guide clinical practice/health-related behavior, or treated as established information.
New research from RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences has found that babies with larger birth weights tend to have fewer mental health and behavioral issues in childhood and adolescence.

These findings could help to identify and support children at greater risk of developing psychological problems.

The study, published in European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, examined birth weights and subsequent mental health in thousands of children in Ireland. Unlike many studies looking at birth weight, it used data that followed the same children repeatedly throughout their childhood and adolescence using the Growing Up in Ireland study, an ongoing government-funded study of children born between 1997 and 1998.

The analysis showed that each kilogram below the average birth weight (3.5kg, or 7lbs 11oz) was associated with more reported mental health problems throughout childhood and adolescence. The study also found that these birth-weight-linked problems tend to persist throughout childhood, from ages 9 to 17. The type of problems most strongly linked with birth weight were inattention, impulsivity and hyperactivity, behaviors generally associated with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Each kilogram drop below the average birth weight was linked with a 2% increase in risk of ADHD-like behaviors, however such behaviors were within the normal range. That is, even among children with very low birth weights (1.5kg), the average number of ADHD symptoms would probably not meet the threshold for an ADHD diagnosis.

Lower birth weight was also linked with emotional and social problems, particularly in the late teens. These problems were found to be more severe and closer to clinical thresholds, for example for diagnosis of depression or anxiety.

We have known for many years that low birth weight and premature birth is linked with higher risk of mental illness in the child. What this study shows is that even small deviations from the typical birth weight might also be relevant." Professor Mary Cannon, Professor of Psychiatric Epidemiology and Youth Mental Health at RSCI and Principal Investigator

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Niamh Dooley, PhD student and lead author of the study, said. "This relationship between birth weight and child mental health persists even after accounting for factors that could influence both birth weight and mental health, like gender, socioeconomic factors and parental history of mental illness. The effect of birth weight on later mental health is likely small, but it might interact with other risks like genetics and childhood stress, and have implications for understanding the origins of mental health and ill-health."

This study shows the importance of good perinatal care and suggests that improving the overall health of women during pregnancy to ensure optimal birth weight may help reduce the risk of offspring developing mental health problems. Children of low birth weight may benefit from psychological assessments in childhood and early intervention for mental health symptoms if detected to help minimize the burden of mental illness later in adolescence and adulthood.

Further research by the group has just been published in Research on Child and Adolescent Psychopathology. It indicates that a significant percentage of the association between birth weight and ADHD symptoms in Irish children can be explained by maternal substance-use during pregnancy (smoking, alcohol-use, non-prescription drug-use).

This research was supported by a StAR International PhD Scholarship awarded to Niamh Dooley and funding from the Health Research Board and Irish Research Council. Open Access funding was provided by the IReL Consortium. Professor Cannon is funded by a European Research Council Consolidator Award.
Minority and low-income communities face a sleep gap that can damage their health.

In an article published in The Lancet Neurology, Girardin Jean-Louis, Ph.D., addresses how sleep disparities may impact health in minority communities. People in these groups face higher risks of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, and other chronic conditions. Lack of sleep may help drive these disparities.

"Black and Latino people in the U.S. sleep around 30 to 60 minutes less [per night] than white people," said Dr. Jean-Louis, who directs the Center for Translation Sleep and Circadian Sciences (TSCS) at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. "In the past, this has been treated as a statistical anomaly that had to be accounted for in the models. It's only in the past 20 years that we've recognized how important this sleep deficit can be to overall health."

Dr. Jean-Louis helped pioneer efforts to understand how sleep loss can impair health and reduce quality of life. In some cases, the problem is systemic. Low-income people have trouble accessing the care they need because they simply cannot afford it.

Other issues can engulf entire neighborhoods. Extensive noise, light, and particulate pollution can hamper sleep.

There are many social determinants of sleep health. Where you happen to reside, where you go to school, where you work or play, where you go to church, anything in that environment that is not conducive to rest would impinge on your ability to get a good night's sleep." Dr. Jean-Louis, Director, Center for Translation Sleep and Circadian Sciences (TSCS), University of Miami Miller School of Medicine

There are also social and cultural factors that influence how (and whether) people seek care for their sleep problems. Sleep apnea, during which people actually stop breathing for short periods, can dramatically increase the risk of heart attack or stroke, but many people are unaware they even have the condition.

"I have many patients who come in because their husband or wife says they snore and have to sleep on the couch," said Dr. Jean-Louis. "When I ask them if they do snore, they say no, not at all. But when I do the sleep study in the clinic, they may stop breathing 20 to 30 times per hour of sleep -; significant sleep apnea."

Because many people aren't willing to go to the hospital for a sleep test, TSCS is now conducting sleep studies in people's homes. But this is only a partial solution -; people must recognize the problem before they seek care.

"We need to be in the community: health fairs, barber shops, beauty salons, places of worship," said Dr. Jean-Louis. "I also encourage my patients to spread the word. Snoring may be the sign of a major health issue, and people need to know."

Dr. Jean-Louis would like to increase engagement at all levels. Clinicians need to treat sleep issues more aggressively. Informational brochures must be targeted towards all communities. Cities can implement light restrictions and noise curfews and develop more green space.

"These are simple things," said Dr. Jean-Louis. "Take care of the noise, take care of the light, take care of the parks. It's going to cost money, but not a lot. And in the big picture, it's going to cost much less than caring for people with chronic conditions."
In a recent study published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, researchers evaluated the impact of coffee consumption on the incidence of cardiovascular disease (CVD), arrhythmias, and mortality.

Background

Coffee is consumed ubiquitously across most societies. Historically, health practitioners have recommended that CVD patients avoid coffee. However, recent evidence from observational studies points to the safety and beneficial effects of coffee consumption on CVD prevention and arrhythmia incidence. Notwithstanding the evidence, there is a general lack of dedicated research regarding the impact of coffee intake on important clinical outcomes like CVD and mortality.

About the study

The present study evaluated the associations between coffee subtypes and incident outcomes using the United Kingdom (UK) Biobank. Participants aged 40 to 69 years were recruited from 2006 to 2010. Surveys and questionnaires on lifestyle risk factors were administered at baseline. The health outcomes of participants were evaluated over a long-term follow-up.

The UK Biobank dataset comprised over half a million participants. Subjects were excluded if ethnicity information was unavailable or if they pulled out of the UK Biobank. Further, individuals were excluded if they had CVD at enrolment or failed to provide information on coffee consumption, type, body mass index (BMI), tea consumption, and alcohol/smoking status.

The associations between incident cardiovascular outcomes and coffee subtypes were assessed among participants who had a cardiovascular diagnosis during follow-up and those who did not. The studys primary outcome was the relationship of coffee subtypes with the incidence of CVD, arrhythmias, and mortality.

Coffee subtypes included caffeinated (ground/instant) and decaffeinated coffee. CVDs included congestive cardiac failure (CCF), coronary heart disease (CHD), and ischemic stroke. Arrhythmias included ventricular tachycardia (VT), supra-VT (SVT), ventricular fibrillation (VF), and atrial fibrillation (AF)/atrial flutter.

Mortality outcomes were all-cause deaths, sudden cardiac death, and cardiovascular mortality. Cox proportional hazards regression models, adjusted for potential confounders, assessed the effects of coffee on the incident outcomes. A reference coffee intake of zero cups per day was used to compare with other consumption levels.

Findings

The final analytic sample comprised 449,563 participants, predominantly male (55.3%), with a median age of 58. The median follow-up time was 12.5 years. More than 100,000 (22.4%) participants were non-coffee drinkers (controls). Arrhythmias were diagnosed in 30,100 (6.7%) participants during follow-up. After adjustment, the lowest risk of developing arrhythmias was noted in those consuming two-three cups of coffee daily.

More than 43,100 (9.6%) participants developed CVDs during follow-up. Of these, 34,677 developed CHD, 12,966 had CCF, and 6767 developed ischemic stroke. The authors observed significant reductions in the incidence of CVDs with a coffee intake of up to five cups/day. The lowest risk of incident CHD was associated with an intake of two-three cups of coffee daily.

The lowest risk of CCF and ischemic stroke was noted in people who consumed two-three cups of coffee daily. More than 27,800 participants died during follow-up, which included 4402 deaths due to cardiovascular causes. A significant decrease in all-cause deaths was associated with a coffee intake of up to five cups per day.

There was no association between coffee consumption and the risk of sudden cardiac death. The coffee type of the participants was predominantly instant (44.1%), followed by ground (18.4%) and decaffeinated (15.2%). Instant coffee intake of two/three cups daily was associated with the lowest risk for any arrhythmia, CHD, stroke, and all-cause mortality.

Ground coffee intake at all consumption levels was associated with a significant decrease in the incidence of any arrhythmia and risk of cardiovascular and all-cause mortality. Consumption of two/three cups of decaffeinated coffee significantly reduced the risk of CVD, CCF, and CHD. Cardiovascular and all-cause mortality risk was also significantly lower with two-three cups/day intake of decaffeinated coffee.

Conclusions

The study found that the intake of instant, ground, and decaffeinated coffee was associated with equivalent decreases in the incidence of CVDs and cardiovascular/all-cause mortality. Coffee intake of two-to-three cups/day was consistently associated with the highest reductions in the risk for CVD, CCF, CHD, and all-cause mortality.

Intake of instant and ground coffee, but not decaffeinated coffee, was associated with a lower risk of incident arrhythmias. Taken together, consumption of caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee at two-three cups/day was associated with a significant decrease in the incidence of CVDs and mortality. The findings suggest that mild/moderate consumption of coffee should be considered part of a healthy lifestyle.
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Fairbanks, AK (99707)

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Cloudy this evening with showers after midnight. Low around 35F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 40%..

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Cloudy this evening with showers after midnight. Low around 35F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 40%.
Fairbanks, AK (99707)

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Showers early, then partly cloudy for the afternoon. High 49F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 60%..

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Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. Low 31F. Winds light and variable.
TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune  www.newsofbahrain.com

Bahrains successful adoption of the alternative penal code is an important practice to be emulated at the level of Arab countries and the countries of the region. This was according to keynote speakers at the conclusion of the International Conference of Alternative Sanctions and Measures Law: Qualitative Experience in Criminal Legislation yesterday. National Institute of Human Rights (NIHR) Chairman Ali Al Derazi noted that more than 4,000 people have benefited from the law since its adoption four years ago.

He looked forward to adopting a new mechanism to expand the number of beneficiaries of alternative punishments, noting that NIHR has developed a plan to involve the private sector in the implementation of alternative punishments. Egypt-based Arab Human Rights Organisation President Dr Alaa Sayyed Shalabi pointed out that there are lessons learned from Bahrains practices. Important recommendations were made by the speakers in the conference sessions, stressing the significance of having a political will that believes in legal modernisation.

Dr Hatem Ali, Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations and Executive Director of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, said that Bahrain had taken the initiative in adopting an independent law related to alternative punishments. He described the law as being easier, more effective and appropriate for society, noting the active role of the conference in transferring the practice to the regional and international community. In response to the idea that work should be paid, Judge Badr Al Abdullah pointed out that work under the alternative system replaces the original punishment.

The law stipulates that work be performed in the service of society is a description that does not fall within the usual work systems, he said, noting the existence of an international standard in determining time and hours according to cases and their circumstances.
Agencies | Bali

The Daily Tribune  www.newsofbahrain.com

Bahrain and Indonesia are committed to strengthening cooperation in the areas of tourism education and training. This came as Tourism Minister Fatima bint Jaafar Al Sairafi held a meeting with Sandiaga Uno, the Indonesian Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy, on the sidelines of her participation in the World Tourism Day held in the island of Bali, Indonesia, under the theme Rethinking Tourism.

During the meeting, the two sides reviewed many aspects of joint collaboration, including cooperation in the field of marketing and tourism promotion between the two countries.

They also discussed the hospitality industry, the sharing of expertise in the tourism industry, and joint participation in domestic and international exhibitions.

Al Sairafi expressed her gratitude and appreciation for the hosting of conference, which confirms the Republic of Indonesias determination to boost collaboration in various tourism sectors across the globe.
TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune  www.newsofbahrain.com

BBK, Bahrain's pioneer in retail and commercial banking, has been actively involved in improving sustainability with respect to Environmental, Social, and Governance principles across every part of its business. Demonstrating an ongoing commitment to achieving its ESG objectives, BBK is proud to announce the release of its Sustainability Report 2021, coming just a year after the launch of its sustainability framework.

This very well-defined sustainability framework allows BBK to focus and prioritise its efforts around the four pillars: good corporate governance, responsible and responsive employer, long-term positive customer relationships and experiences, and social responsibility mindset. Within the four pillars exist eight themes covering fifteen key issues.

Dr. AbdulRahman Saif, BBK's Group Chief Executive said, As the regions premier financial group, we are encouraged by our achievements thus far. The statistics and success stories outlined in this report offer ample evidence to support this.We are guided by the mission to serve our community and deliver products and services that enrich peoples lives and do not harm the environment. With our Sustainability Report, we consolidate our intention to embed sustainability at the core of BBKs mission, continue to build upon its far-reaching benefits for our people and to remain future-ready for generations to come.

While BBKs commitment towards Bahrain Vision 2030 and the goals of propelling the Kingdom towards sustainability remains unshakeable, it has further aligned its priorities with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), a set of 17 goals that have been defined with an aim to end poverty, fight inequality and tackle climate change among others. Additionally, BBK confirms to being fully committed in supporting Bahrains leadership to achieve the most recent clean energy adoption goal towards net-zero emissions by 2060.

The success stories and achievements in this report reflect on BBKs ESG priorities as well as those aligned with the United Nations SDGs which will continue to remain a guiding force in charting the course of its journey to sustainability.

This inaugural report gives insights into the Banks progress in implementing various initiatives based on outlined KPIs aimed at building a better life for every Bahraini resident and ultimately creating a more sustainable world.

2021 saw a lot of ground being covered with respect to initiatives and success stories, prominent among them being the fact that 40.4% of the BBK workforce is female. BBK plans to ensure growth in this area as also encourage women to take up senior positions by introducing new career development programmes for female executives.

With respect to customer service, BBKs customer complaint response rate is currently at 1.4 days, significantly less than the CBB requirement. Moreover, in terms of offering alternative channels to allow customers to conduct their banking transactions without having to visit a branch, BBK is proud that 78% of all its transactions in 2021 were conducted via e-channels.

As an example, BBKs commitment to the UN Sustainable Development Goals focused on renewable energy and environment is evident in its unique pre-packaged loan for solar panels being offered to Retail and Corporate clients.

Moving forward, BBK intends to deepen its commitment in the fields of education, environment, financial inclusion, and women empowerment as well as health.

With decisive and timely action, and the support of customers, employees, shareholders and investors, government and regulators, suppliers, and the communities, BBK is keen to remain at the forefront of all matters related to sustainability and the Sustainability Report 2021 is just one of the first steps in this direction.
Agencies | Nairobi

The Daily Tribune  www.newsofbahrain.com

Kenya's worst drought in four decades has killed almost 2% of the world's rarest zebra in three months, and 25 times more elephants than normal over the same period.

It is starving Kenya's famed wildlife of normal food sources out in the open and driving them into deadly conflict with people as they roam wider, to the edges of towns and villages, in a desperate search for sustenance, Reuters reported.

Without interventions to protect wildlife, or if the approaching rainy season fails again, animals in many parts of the East African country could face an existential crisis, conservationists say.

"It's a serious threat to us," said Andrew Letura, a monitoring officer at Grevy's Zebra Trust (GZT). Grevy's zebra, which are larger than a standard plains zebra and have narrower stripes and wider ears, are the rarest in the species: there are 3,000 left in the world, 2,500 of which are in Kenya.

Drought has killed about 40 Grevy's since June - which is how many would be expected to die over a whole year, said Letura, squinting under the searing sun at Samburu National Reserve in Kenya's arid north.

"If we are losing 40 within three months, what would that mean to the remaining population?"

GZT has begun to feed Grevy's zebras hay poured over a mix of molasses, salt and calcium, helping to reduce but not eliminate deaths, the trust says.

The situation in southern Kenya is also bleak.

"Rangers have counted eight times as many animals dead or too weak to stand, compared to a normal September. The Amboseli Trust for Elephants have recorded 50 elephants dead or missing," said Benson Leyian, chief executive of Big Life Foundation which works with local landowners to protect conservation areas and open rangelands of the Amboseli Ecosystem.

In the Kitenden Conservancy nearby, the stench of rotting animal carcasses is so strong that some tourists have started to wear protective masks, a ranger there said.

Some wild animals are dying at the hands of people.

"We're seeing a five-fold increase in incidents of people poaching for bushmeat, as compared to other dry seasons," said Leyian.

Save the Elephants, meanwhile, said it is finding a growing number of elephants killed by guns or spears, but with their tusks intact - a sign that they fell victim to conflict with humans in populated areas, rather than to poaching.

The crisis isn't attributable to drought alone, experts say. Overgrazing by livestock is depleting rangelands and making it harder for ecosystems to recover from drought, said David Daballen, field operations chief for Save the Elephants.

Even thinking about the possibility of the next rains, which are expected in October-November, failing is frightening, said Letura of GZT. "The situation is already bad. But that would make it a serious crisis," he said.

"The first words anyone says now is that they are praying for rain."
OTTAWA, ON and CUENCA, ECUADOR, Sept. 29, 2022 /CNW/ - An independent analysis of Dundee Precious Metals' Loma Larga project has revealed serious errors and omissions in the company's plan for its gold-copper project that could put downstream communities in southern Ecuador at significant risk, including potential for arsenic contamination.

Chief among concerns raised by geo-environmental experts TERRAE in their independent review of the project's Environmental Impact Study is the high probability of arsenic contamination given the interconnection between the paramo  the high-altitude Andean wetland where the proposed mine is slated to be built  and the groundwater that provides sustenance for tens of thousands of the region's inhabitants.

The company's risk assessment, which was only recently made public following two years of public pressure, rests on the unsupported assumption that there is no connection between the paramo and the groundwater. But according to TERRAE's analysis, this assumption is baseless. The paramo plays a fundamental and intricate role regulating and recharging the region's water cycle, providing fresh water for tens of thousands of people, and is key for biodiversity conservation in the Andes. Any contamination from mining activities could quickly spread to the whole region  a real concern given the 5.5 million tons of mine waste the company plans on leaving permanently exposed on the paramo de Kimsakocha when the mine's 12-year life is up.

In spite of this sizable tailings deposit, the company fails to consider scenarios in which high levels of precipitation or a natural disaster like an earthquake could destabilize the tailings deposit, classifying as "irrelevant" a possible tailings failure. According to Julio Fierro Morales of TERRAE, "The climate crisis is already posing new risks for landslides. Classifying as 'irrelevant' the consequence of a tailings deposit failure for a project the size of Loma Larga  located in the highest part of a densely-populated area  is completely irresponsible," he says. "Given the serious impacts a tailings failure would have, the Ecuadorian government should outright ban exposed tailings like what's being proposed for the Loma Larga project."

Since acquiring the project and assuming responsibility for the environmental permitting process in 2021, Toronto-based Dundee Precious Metals has continued to downplay the project's significant risks. In April, the Ecuadorian government approved the company's Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) for the Loma Larga mine, opening the door for the company to obtain its environmental licence and construction permits. However TERRAE's study concludes that this licence should be denied, given the significant impacts on the paramo ecosystem, the symbolic and spiritual importance of the paramo to neighbouring communities, and the fact that mining is not an activity compatible with land use and traditions in the region.

"The series of omissions, errors, and lack of technical rigour in the company's environmental study are concerning," says Viviana Herrera, the Latin America Coordinator for MiningWatch Canada. "Either Dundee Precious Metals doesn't understand the real risks posed by its Loma Larga project or the company is intentionally downplaying them to get the project approved. Either way, this study just reinforces longstanding community concerns about mining's impact on the health of the paramo and the life it sustains."

The Loma Larga project is being advanced against a background of significant government support for mining and major opposition from rural and urban committees. A 2021 referendum in the nearby city of Cuenca resulted in an 80% vote in favour of protecting water and the paramos from the Loma Larga project. This June, the National Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador (CONAIE) led a historic national strike, where a key demand was a moratorium on mining.

"The independent review of the Loma Larga Environmental Impact Study confirms what we have been saying for two decades and what the mining companies deny when they say we are ill-informed," says resident of the paramo de Kimsakocha Hortensia Zhagu of the Kimsakocha School of Agroecology. "This study reveals the atrocities that will take place here in our Kimsakocha paramo if we let them."

Key documents

TERRAE's complete independent review [Spanish]

Executive summary [Spanish and English]

Reactions to the independent analysis [English and Spanish]

For more information or to set up interviews with organizations in Ecuador, contact:

Viviana Herrera , Latin America Program Coordinator, MiningWatch Canada | Whatsapp: +1 (438) 993-1264, [email protected]

, Latin America Program Coordinator, MiningWatch Canada | Whatsapp: +1 (438) 993-1264, Julio Fierro Morales , TERRAE | [email protected]

SOURCE MiningWatch Canada
A new report from Electric Mobility Canada answers the question: As Canadians pay at the pump, which provinces make it easiest to go electric?

MONTREAL, Sept. 29, 2022 /CNW/ - Electric Mobility Canada (EMC), with the support of Dunsky Energy + Climate Advisors, released a Scorecard comparing how Canadian provinces and territories are doing at supporting consumers in their transition to electric vehicles (EVs).

The Scorecard shows that exciting action is underway, with EVs becoming the clear choice for consumers and businesses in many parts of the country. At the same time, provinces and territories still have much work ahead to meet demand and provide affordable access to electric vehicles.

The Scorecard measures progress based on policies and programs put in place to ensure EV supply, support adoption, build charging infrastructure, and develop the workforce. Provinces and territories are then grouped under the categories of Canadian Leaders, Building Momentum and Getting Started.

The Canada EV Scorecard tracks actions taken or already in place in the 202122 fiscal year. Funding for the Scorecard was also provided by the Trottier Family Foundation, the Ivey Foundation and the Transition Accelerator. EMC intends to update and release the Scorecard regularly, acting as a consistent reference point for progress and policy inspiration in the transition to EVs.

Links

Full press release

Backgrounder

Provincial and Territorial Zero-Emission Vehicle Scorecard 2021 (full report)

Quotes

"Provinces and territories have a key role in making electric mobility a reliable, affordable and accessible option for all Canadians. Those making it easiest to skip the dreaded cost of a trip to the pump have a few things in common: mandating sales of EVs, introducing purchase incentives, and making investments in charging infrastructure," said Daniel Breton, President and CEO of Electric Mobility Canada. "We clearly see that these measures encourage EV adoption and protect Canadians from unpredictable and exorbitant prices at the pump, but there's much more to be done across Canada and in every action area. To make the most of an expected federal ZEV mandate, EMC calls on provinces and territories to leverage their unique to advance ZEV adoption and to keep Canada competitive while getting cleaner and creating high paying sustainable jobs."

"The global EV market has already taken off, so Canada must look critically at how we compare and drill down on what we need to do not only to get more Canadians into sustainable transportation, but to position Canada as a global economic winner in this new sector" said Dan Wicklum, CEO of the Transition Accelerator. "This much-needed Scorecard lays out where progress is being made and where provinces and territories need to go to accelerate the transition to electric mobility across Canada. Although the scorecard results show promising trends, Canadian jurisdictions need to take sustained and expanded action to get it right."

"From our work on the ground with governments and utilities, we know that decision makers are looking for benchmarks against which to track their progress on EVs," said Philippe Dunsky President of Dunsky Energy + Climate Advisors. "We're proud to support this initiative and hope that it can help governments support consumers and drive the energy transition forward."

About:

Electric Mobility Canada is a national membership-based not-for-profit organization dedicated exclusively to the advancement of electric mobility as an opportunity to fight climate change and air pollution while stimulating the Canadian economy.

SOURCE Electric Mobility Canada

For further information: Media contact: Carrie Croft, Temple Scott Associstes, 613-406-4986, [email protected]
TORONTO, Sept. 28, 2022 /CNW Telbec/ - Unlocking Canada's clean energy potential is a critical part of delivering climate action and creating sustainable jobs. This includes investments to deploy clean energy, building storage infrastructure and investing in modernizing Canada's electricity grid.

Today, Julie Dabrusin, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Natural Resources and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change, on behalf of the Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Natural Resources, announced over $2.3 million in funding to SWITCH Power Ontario Battery Operations Corporation to deploy vital energy storage infrastructure that will enable Ontario's energy market transformation. This investment with SWITCH Power brings the total investment to nearly $7.8 million.

This project will deploy six behind-the-meter energy storage systems in Toronto, Mississauga, Belleville and Mitchell, Ontario, and will install 3.82 MWs of energy storage capacity. SWITCH Power will be operating distributed energy resources (DERs) to showcase Ontario's capability of delivering grid and market transformation, in partnership with the Independent Electricity System Operator.

This project will also support the development of an Energy Market Platform that will enable DERs to play a meaningful role in Ontario's energy grid. This will enable the grid to become more resilient and increase avenues for the delivery of electricity.

Canada already has one of the cleanest grids in the world with more than three-quarters of its electricity supply being emissions-free. As Canada moves toward a net-zero economy and electricity system, grid modernization projects such as this will help solidify the country as a leader in clean electricity generation.

Quotes

"The modernization of electricity grids across Canada will ensure that communities have access to clean, reliable and affordable energy. Today's investment in SWITCH Power will deploy energy storage systems across Ontario, while creating jobs and contributing to the development of a reliable net-zero electricity systems by 2035."

The Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson

Minister of Natural Resources

"Energy storage and the modernization of our grids is critical to delivering clean and reliable energy to Ontarians. Today, I was pleased to announce the Government of Canada's support for new storage systems here in Toronto, alongside Mississauga, Belleville and Mitchell, Ontario. This partnership with SWITCH Power will support our clean energy economy for generations to come."

Julie Dabrusin

Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Natural Resources and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change

Member of Parliament for TorontoDanforth



"With the support of the Government of Canada, this project will reduce emissions as well as increase DER penetration, supporting the diversification of the Ontario power grid. SWITCH Power is proud to be investing in battery energy storage and other electricity infrastructure to help contribute to a more sustainable energy future."

Trevor White, President and Chief Executive Officer of SWITCH Power

Quick Facts

Federal funding for this project is provided by Natural Resources Canada's $964-million Smart Renewables and Electrification Pathways program. This program will significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions by enabling increased renewable energy capacity that will provide essential grid services while contributing to Canada's net-zero targets by 2050, which will improve public health by creating cleaner, more breathable air.





program. This program will significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions by enabling increased renewable energy capacity that will provide essential grid services while contributing to net-zero targets by 2050, which will improve public health by creating cleaner, more breathable air. In Budget 2022 , Canada committed to investing an additional $600 million over seven years to the SREPs program to continue to support renewable electricity and grid modernization projects.





, committed to investing an additional over seven years to the SREPs program to continue to support renewable electricity and grid modernization projects. Canada's 2030 Emissions Reduction Plan: Clean Air, Strong Economy ensures Canada will remain a world leader in clean power. The Government of Canada is committed to supporting local solutions and community-driven projects that will build a clean energy future for all. Together, we are building healthier, greener and more energy-resilient communities for future generations.

Associated Links

Follow us on Twitter: @NRCan (http://twitter.com/nrcan)

SOURCE Natural Resources Canada

For further information: Media Relations, Natural Resources Canada, Ottawa, 343-292-6100, [email protected]; Keean Nembhard, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of Natural Resources, 613-323-7892, [email protected]
CIBC is committed to collaborating with carbon-intensive sectors for a successful transition to net-zero

Target established to reduce Scope 1 emissions intensity by 32% from power generation portfolio

TORONTO, Sept. 29, 2022 /CNW/ - CIBC (TSX: CM) (NYSE: CM) today announced its target to reduce the carbon intensity of its financed emissions in the power generation sector by 2030. This target is further to the bank's recent commitment to reduce the carbon intensity of its financed emissions in its oil and gas portfolio.

CIBC's 2030 target for its power generation portfolio is for a 32% reduction in emissions intensity (Scope 1) compared to a 2020 base year.

"We're committed to working together with stakeholders to play our part in enabling a more sustainable future, and establishing clear interim targets is an important element in achieving these long term ambitions," said Kikelomo Lawal, Executive Vice-President and Chief Legal Officer, CIBC.

Recognizing the scale and urgency of climate change, CIBC is prioritizing the establishment of interim targets for financed emissions reductions in high greenhouse gas (GHG) emitting sectors within its portfolio to make the most significant impact. With two interim targets now in place, CIBC is furthering its net-zero ambitions.

"We have a role to play in powering our economy today and in developing solutions that will continue to enable the transition to a low-carbon future," said Harry Culham, Group Head, Capital Markets, CIBC. "We continue to be encouraged by the commitment we're seeing from our clients as we work towards enabling a more sustainable and inclusive economy."

CIBC's targets include the emissions associated with its corporate lending and facilitated financing, which includes its share of actual economic allocation for equity capital markets and debt capital markets underwriting. CIBC recognizes that setting net-zero targets across a set of financing activities is an emerging practice and will continue to leverage the best available science and follow industry standards. CIBC also intends to support its clients' transition goals through its lending activity.

As a member of the Net-Zero Banking Alliance (NZBA), the Center for Climate Aligned Finance, the Partnership for Carbon Accounting Financials (PCAF), and guided by the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures, CIBC is working with its peers to bring increased transparency to assessing and disclosing GHGs associated with loans and investments and to transitioning these activities to net-zero.

CIBC's efforts to accelerate climate action include:

Targets established to reduce Scope 1 and 2 emissions intensity by 35% and Scope 3 emissions intensity by 27% from oil and gas portfolio compared to a 2020 base year

A 30% reduction target, in absolute GHG emissions from North American operations by 2028 based on our 2018 baseline

$34.9 billion in mobilization of sustainable financing in 2021  and doubled our sustainable finance mobilization target to $300 billion by 2030 1

in mobilization of sustainable financing in 2021  and doubled our sustainable finance mobilization target to by 2030 Ranked 4 th in financing for the renewable energy industry across North America 2

in financing for the renewable energy industry across Launching Carbonplace, a new technology platform for the voluntary carbon market helping companies meet their net-zero ambitions, as part of an international joint effort by leading global banks

$100 million commitment in Limited Partnership (LP) investments dedicated to investing in key climate tech and energy transition funds

To learn more about CIBC's Net-Zero Approach, please visit: https://www.cibc.com/en/about-cibc/corporate-responsibility/net-zero-ambition.html







1 Sustainable financing largely relates to client activities that support, but are not limited to, renewable and emission-free energy, energy efficiency, sustainable infrastructure, green buildings,

sustainability-linked financings and green financial products. The products offered by CIBC included in our mobilization commitment to support these client activities include loans and loan

syndications, debt and equity underwritings, M&A advisory and principal investments.

2 North American Renewables League Tables by Inframation for transactions closed for 2021.

A NOTE ABOUT FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS:

From time to time, we make written or oral forward-looking statements within the meaning of certain securities laws, including in this press release, in other filings with Canadian securities regulators or the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and in other communications. These statements include, but are not limited to, statements in this press release about CIBC's Net-Zero Approach, sustainability goals and its net-zero ambition for both its operational and financing activities by 2050 and statements about our financial condition, priorities, targets, ongoing objectives, strategies and outlook. As we work to advance our environmental, social and governance (ESG) goals, external factors outside of CIBC's reasonable control may act as constraints on achieving these goals, including varying decarbonization efforts across economies, the need for thoughtful climate policies globally, the availability of comprehensive and high-quality GHG emissions data (including from CIBC's clients), the evolution of our lending portfolios over time, reasonably supported methodologies, the need for active and continued participation of stakeholders (including enterprises, financial institutions and governmental and non-governmental organizations), deployment of new technologies and industry-specific solutions, the evolution of consumer behavior, the challenges of balancing interim emissions goals with an orderly transition, and the development of regulations and frameworks internationally. These and other factors, including general business and economic conditions worldwide; amendments to, and interpretations of, risk-based capital guidelines; and changes in monetary and economic policy, may cause actual results to differ materially from the expectations expressed in the forward-looking statements and may require CIBC to adapt its initiatives and activities or adjust its targets. The forward-looking statements in this press release are presented for the purpose of assisting clients and others in understanding our objectives and strategic priorities, and may not be appropriate for other purposes. Forward-looking statements are subject to inherent risks and uncertainties that may be general or specific. We do not undertake to update any forward-looking statement except as required by law.

About CIBC

CIBC is a leading North American financial institution with 13 million personal banking, business, public sector and institutional clients. Across Personal and Business Banking, Commercial Banking and Wealth Management, and Capital Markets businesses, CIBC offers a full range of advice, solutions and services through its leading digital banking network and locations across Canada, with offices in the United States and around the world. Ongoing news releases and more information about CIBC can be found at www.cibc.com/en/about-cibc/media-centre.html.

SOURCE CIBC

For further information: [email protected] or 416-242-1943
GATINEAU, QC , Sept. 29, 2022 /CNW/ - Today is the International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste. This is an international day designated by the United Nations to raise awareness about food loss and waste issues, including greenhouse gas emissions, and to highlight opportunities to build healthier and more resilient food systems.

At the same time, Canadians are calling for ambitious climate action that keeps our air clean while building a strong, sustainable economy now and into the future. Through initiatives like the Low Carbon Economy Fund, the Government of Canada continues to work with domestic partners to cut pollution and build strong, resilient communities across the country.

Today, Francis Drouin, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, announced on behalf of the Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Environment and Climate Change, investments of up to $1.4 million and $10 million to support Redcliff Cypress Regional Waste Management Authority and PurEnergy Inc.'s waste emissions reduction initiatives, respectively.

Redcliff Cypress Regional Waste Management Authority, in Redcliff, Alberta, will reduce carbon dioxide and methane emissions by diverting organic waste from a landfill with the help of a compost treatment facility. Throughout the course of this project, Redcliff Cypress Regional Waste Management Authority will see a cumulative reduction of about 77,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions, equivalent to removing approximately 23,600 cars off the road for an entire year. Redcliff Cypress Regional Waste Management Authority is also contributing up to $2.5 million to support this project.

PurEnergy Inc., in Havelock Township, Ontario, will build a waste diversion facility that diverts organic waste from a landfill and processes it using anaerobic digestion to produce biogas and fertilizer. Throughout the course of this project, PurEnergy Inc. will see a cumulative reduction of about 377,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions, equivalent to removing approximately 115,000 cars off the road for an entire year. PurEnergy Inc. is also contributing up to $45 million to support this project.

This federal funding comes from the Low Carbon Economy Fund, which invests in projects that help to reduce carbon pollution and supports the adoption of clean technologies for a broad range of recipients across Canada.

These projects are good examples of the climate leadership that will be supported under the expanded Low Carbon Economy Fund, which in Canada's 2030 Emissions Reduction Plan, received a $2.2billion recapitalization over seven years. Investments in climate action initiatives, such as these, are part of the Government of Canada's commitment to fight climate change, create good, sustainable jobs, and build a strong, resilient economy for everyone.

Quotes

"By working with organizations across Canada such as Redcliff Cypress Regional Waste Management Authority and PurEnergy Inc., we can help communities grow their economies, all while fighting climate change. Through the Low Carbon Economy Fund, our government partners with climate leaders nationwide to cut emissionsand will continue to do so through a renewed commitment of an additional $2.2 billion, an important part of Canada's 2030 Emissions Reduction Plan. Bravo to the leadership shown by Redcliff Cypress Regional Waste Management Authority and PurEnergy Inc. for helping to reduce waste emissions, keep our air clean, and build resilient communities in Alberta and Ontario."

 Francis Drouin, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food

Quick facts

The Low Carbon Economy Fund is an important part of Canada's climate action plans, helping to put Canada on a path to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050.

climate action plans, helping to put on a path to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050. The Government of Canada has committed an additional $2.2 billion to the Low Carbon Economy Fund in Budget 2022, which was also noted in Canada's 2030 Emissions Reduction Plan.

Associated links

Environment and Climate Change Canada's Twitter page

Environment and Climate Change Canada's Facebook page

SOURCE Environment and Climate Change Canada

For further information: Contacts: Kaitlin Power, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of Environment and Climate Change, 819-230-1557, [email protected]; Media Relations: Environment and Climate Change Canada, 819-938-3338 or 1-844-836-7799 (toll-free), [email protected]
OTTAWA, ON, Sept. 29, 2022 /CNW/ - Helping people achieve their optimal health is a collective responsibility of all nations and we must leverage lessons learned and move forward with innovative, transformative and compassionate solutions to help reduce disparities at all levels.

This past week, Dr. Theresa Tam, Canada's Chief Public Health Officer, attended the 30th Pan American Sanitary Conference, a high-level event convened every five years by the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO). This year's Conference is taking place within a historic period for PAHO, as it celebrates its 120th anniversary and elects a new Director. On behalf of the Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos, Minister of Health, Canada congratulates PAHO's newly elected Director Dr. Jarbas Barbosa da Silva Jr, and looks forward to working closely with him to further strengthen our continued engagement with this critical organization.

During the opening ceremonies, Dr. Tam re-affirmed Canada's commitment to addressing social, environmental and economic determinants of health as key drivers of health inequalities.

Following a pre-recorded address by the Honourable Carolyn Bennett, Minister of Mental Health and Addictions and Associate Minister of Health, Dr. Tam participated as a panellist in an event on mental health. This session brought together senior officials, including the Ministers of Health from Argentina, Barbados and Chile. The speakers highlighted goals, policies and actions on mental health in their respective jurisdictions and how to apply lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic to address mental health challenges in future crises, such as climate change and growing inequities.

Additionally, Canada's Chief Public Health Officer met with numerous health ministers and officials from other countries and partners of the Americas. Key discussions focused on shared global health priorities such as COVID-19, antimicrobial resistance, chronic disease prevention, mental health and monkeypox. Of note, Dr. Tam and Dr. Anthony Fauci, Chief Medical Advisor to President Biden and Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, discussed lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the international response to HIV/AIDS. Dr. Tam also met with United States Assistant Secretary for Health Admiral Rachel Levine, M.D., to mark the release of a joint Canada-U.S. White Paper on "Substance Use and Harm during the COVID-19 Pandemic" and Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Muthy.

Canada is committed to collaborating with international partners in the Americas to advance the health and safety of people in Canada and around the world. Participating in events like these are just one of the ways to achieve our shared goals for better health for all.

Quote

"I am pleased to have had the opportunity to meet with many of my international colleagues at the Pan American Sanitary Conference this week. By working with our partners across the Americas and sharing our pandemic experiences, we can all learn from each other and be in a stronger position to address ongoing challenges such as mental health, and emerging health challenges, including monkeypox and the impacts of climate change."

Dr. Theresa Tam

Chief Public Health Officer

Quick Facts

Canada is a strong supporter of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), World Health Organization's (WHO) Regional Office for the Americas. Canada is the third-largest contributor of assessed contributions and among the leading providers of voluntary contributions to PAHO, which reflects a longstanding partnership to deliver on health for everyone throughout the Americas Region.

is a strong supporter of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), World Health Organization's (WHO) Regional Office for the Americas. is the third-largest contributor of assessed contributions and among the leading providers of voluntary contributions to PAHO, which reflects a longstanding partnership to deliver on health for everyone throughout the Americas Region. Canada has been a member of the WHO since its inception in 1948, and a member of PAHO since 1971.

Associated Links

SOURCE Public Health Agency of Canada

For further information: Media Relations, Health Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada, 613-957-2983, [email protected]
Agreement to acquire remaining 30.45% minority interest in 16 wind facilities already owned by Innergex

A CAN$96.4 million transaction to increase Innergex's net installed capacity by 98.7 MW in France

A new milestone to unlock the full value of our portfolio in France in the context of rising energy prices

LONGUEUIL, QC, Sept. 28, 2022 /CNW Telbec/ - Innergex Renewable Energy Inc. (TSX: INE) ("Innergex" or the "Corporation") is pleased to announce that it has entered into an agreement to acquire the remaining 30.45% minority interest in its wind portfolio of 16 assets in France, of which Innergex currently owns the majority interests, for a total consideration of CAN$96.4 million.

"This transaction is part of a global strategy to capitalize on rising energy prices and growing demand in the current energy environment in France," said Michel Letellier, President and Chief Executive Officer of Innergex. "By increasing the scale of our business and developing a stronger presence in France, it paves the way for future growth and value creation in the country."

Description of the assets

The table below outlines Innergex's wind portfolio of operating facilities in France. Upon completion of the acquisition, Innergex will have 100% ownership of these assets.

Asset Name Gross Installed

Capacity (100%) Commissioning Power Purchase Agreement

Expiry Date Antoigne 8.0 MW 2010 2025 (new) Beaumont 25.0 MW 2015 2030 Bois d'Anchat 10.0 MW 2014 2029 Bois des Cholletz 11.8 MW 2015 2030 Les Renardieres 21.0 MW 2017 2032 Longueval 10.0 MW 2009 2022 Montjean 12.0 MW 2016 2031 Plan Fleury 22.0 MW 2017 2032 Porcien 10.0 MW 2009 2025 (new) Rougemont-1 36.1 MW 2017 2032 Rougemont-2 44.5 MW 2017 2032 Theil-Rabier 12.0 MW 2016 2031 Vaite 38.9 MW 2017 2032 Vallottes 12.0 MW 2010 2025 (new) Yonne I 44.0 MW 2016 2031 Yonne II 6.9 MW 2021 2041 TOTAL 324.2 MW





The 16 assets, on a consolidated basis, are expected to generate annual revenues of approximately 75.8 million (CAN$100.0 million) in 2023, while operating, general and administrative expenses are expected to reach 18.6 million (CAN$24.5 million) during the same period. As of the date of this press release, the total outstanding principal of the long-term non-recourse loans on the portfolio totalled 312.6 million (CAN$412.2 million), cash and cash equivalents totalled approximately 39.5 million (CAN$52.0 million), and cash held in reserves totalled approximately 7.7 million (CAN$10.2 million).

This transaction follows previous announcements aimed at taking full advantage of the current favourable energy price environment in France. On April 29, 2022, Innergex entered into three power purchase agreements for its Antoigne, Porcien and Vallottes wind facilities to extend the contract period of the facilities to December 31, 2025.

The total net purchase price of CAN$96.4 million will be financed mainly from Innergex's revolving credit facilities, the cash held in the portfolio's special purpose vehicles, and through the potential partial monetization of the Euro/CAD foreign exchange forward contracts outstanding, as detailed below:

(in thousands of CAN$) As at September 27, 2022

Notional amounts Estimated market value Foreign exchange forwards amortizing until 2041, allowing conversion at

a fixed rate of CAD 1.7100/Euro 142,249 19,305 Foreign exchange forwards amortizing until 2042, allowing conversion at

a fixed rate of CAD 1.7081/Euro 42,531 5,125 Foreign exchange forwards amortizing until 2041, allowing conversion at

a fixed rate of CAD 1.6535/Euro 96,836 9,300 Foreign exchange forwards amortizing until 2043, allowing conversion at

a fixed rate of CAD 1.7401/Euro 137,551 16,394 Foreign exchange forwards amortizing until 2043, allowing conversion at

a fixed rate of CAD 1.7583/Euro 66,079 9,047

485,246 59,171

About Innergex Renewable Energy Inc.

For over 30 years, Innergex has believed in a world where abundant renewable energy promotes healthier communities and creates shared prosperity. As an independent renewable power producer which develops, acquires, owns and operates hydroelectric facilities, wind farms, solar farms and energy storage facilities, Innergex is convinced that generating power from renewable sources will lead the way to a better world. Innergex conducts operations in Canada, the United States, France and Chile and manages a large portfolio of high-quality assets currently consisting of interests in 84 operating facilities with an aggregate net installed capacity of 3,582 MW (gross 4,184 MW) and an energy storage capacity of 159 MWh, including 40 hydroelectric facilities, 35 wind farms, 8 solar farms and 1 battery energy storage facility. Innergex also holds interests in 13 projects under development, with a net installed capacity of 731 MW (gross 768 MW) and an energy storage capacity of 745 MWh, 3 of which are under construction, as well as prospective projects at different stages of development with an aggregate gross installed capacity totaling 7,495 MW. Its approach to building shareholder value is to generate sustainable cash flows, provide an attractive risk-adjusted return on invested capital and to distribute a stable dividend.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information

To inform readers of the Corporation's future prospects, this press release contains forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws ("Forward-Looking Information"), including the Corporation's growth targets, power production, sources and impact of funding, project acquisitions, execution of non-recourse project-level financing (including the timing and amount thereof), and strategic, operational and financial benefits and accretion expected to result from such acquisitions, business strategy, future development and growth prospects, business integration, governance, business outlook, objectives, plans and strategic priorities, and other statements that are not historical facts. Forward-Looking Information can generally be identified by the use of words such as "approximately", "may", "will", "could", "believes", "expects", "intends", "should", "would", "plans", "potential", "project", "anticipates", "estimates", "scheduled" or "forecasts", or other comparable terms that state that certain events will or will not occur. It represents the projections and expectations of the Corporation relating to future events or results as of the date of this press release.

Forward-Looking Information includes future-oriented financial information or financial outlook within the meaning of securities laws, including information regarding the Corporation's targeted production, the estimated targeted revenues and other statements that are not historical facts. Such information is intended to inform readers of the potential financial impact of expected results, and of the potential financial impact of completed and future acquisitions. Such information may not be appropriate for other purposes.

Forward-Looking Information is based on certain key assumptions made by the Corporation, including, without restriction, those concerning hydrology, wind regimes and solar irradiation; performance of operating facilities, acquisitions and commissioned projects; project performance; availability of capital resources and timely performance by third parties of contractual obligations; favourable market conditions for share issuance to support growth financing; favourable economic and financial market conditions; the Corporation's success in developing and constructing new facilities; successful renewal of PPAs; sufficient human resources to deliver service and execute the capital plan; no significant event occurring outside the ordinary course of business such as a natural disaster, pandemic or other calamity; continued maintenance of information technology infrastructure and no material breach of cybersecurity.

For more information on the risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results or performance to be materially different from those expressed, implied or presented by the forward-looking information or on the principal assumptions used to derive this information, please refer to the "Forward-Looking Information" section of the Corporation's most recent Management's Discussion and Analysis.

SOURCE Innergex Renewable Energy Inc.

For further information: Jean Trudel, Chief Financial Officer, 450 928-2550, ext. 1252, [email protected], www.innergex.com; Karine Vachon, Senior Director - Communications, 450 928-2550, ext. 1222, [email protected]
MISSISSAUGA, ON, Sept. 29, 2022 /CNW/ - Seagen Canada has entered into a Letter of Intent (LOI) with the pan-Canadian Pharmaceutical Alliance (pCPA) regarding TUKYSA, a tyrosine kinase inhibitor, indicated in combination with trastuzumab and capecitabine for the treatment of patients with locally advanced unresectable (cannot be surgically removed) or metastatic HER2-positive breast cancer, including patients with brain metastases (disease that has spread to the brain), who have received prior treatment with trastuzumab, pertuzumab, and trastuzumab emtansine, separately or in combination.1

"Concluding negotiations with the pCPA is an important step in our efforts to secure public funding of TUKYSA for appropriate patients across Canada," says Sandra Heller, General Manager of Seagen Canada. "We thank the pCPA for their efforts, and we look forward to working with the provinces, territories, and federal agencies to make TUKYSA available to those living with HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer."

"This milestone signifies important progress for Canadians battling HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer," says Cathy Ammendolea, Board Chair, Canadian Breast Cancer Network. "Access to new and effective treatment options is extremely important for patients with this aggressive form of breast cancer, and we hope that the provinces and territories will move quickly to add this therapy to their public formularies."

"Having more time is a priority for people with metastatic breast cancer, which is closely linked to having access to treatments that can improve survival," said MJ DeCoteau, Founder and Executive Director of Rethink Breast Cancer. "There is a lot of anticipation in the breast cancer community for TUKYSA  especially a new treatment that included patients with brain metastases  but for it to truly be impactful for Canadian patients, we need to ensure they can access it without uncertainty or delay."

With the Letter of Intent with the pCPA now in place, Seagen Canada will be entering into discussions with participating provinces, territories and federal agencies regarding reimbursement of TUKYSA under publicly funded drug programs.

About HER2-Positive Breast Cancer

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in Canadian women with approximately 20% of cases per year being aggressive HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer.2 Patients with HER2-positive breast cancer have tumours with high levels of a protein called human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2), which promotes the growth of cancer cells. Up to 50% of metastatic HER2-positive breast cancer patients develop brain metastases over time.3 In 2022, an estimated 28,600 Canadian women will be diagnosed with breast cancer.4

About TUKYSA (tucatinib)

TUKYSA is an oral medicine that is a tyrosine kinase inhibitor of the HER2 protein. In vitro (in lab studies), TUKYSA inhibited phosphorylation of HER2 and HER3, resulting in inhibition of downstream MAPK and AKT signalling and cell growth (proliferation), and showed anti-tumour activity in HER2-expressing tumour cells. In vivo (in living organisms), TUKYSA inhibited the growth of HER2-expressing tumours. The combination of TUKYSA and the anti-HER2 antibody trastuzumab showed increased anti-tumour activity in vitro and in vivo compared to either medicine alone.

TUKYSA is approved in 38 countries. It was approved by Health Canada on June 5, 2020, by the U.S. FDA in April 2020 and by the European Medicines Agency and the UK Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency in February 2021. Merck, known as MSD outside the U.S. and Canada, has exclusive rights to commercialize TUKYSA in Asia, the Middle East and Latin America and other regions outside of the U.S., Canada and Europe.

About Seagen

Seagen is a global biotechnology company that discovers, develops, and commercializes transformative cancer medicines to make a meaningful difference in people's lives. Seagen is headquartered in the Seattle, Washington area, and has locations in California, Canada, Switzerland, and the European Union. For more information on the company's marketed products and robust pipeline, visit www.seagen.com and follow @SeagenGlobal on Twitter.



1 TUKYSA (tucatinib) Canada Product Monograph. July 8, 2021. Available at: https://seagen.ca/assets/pdfs/TUKYSA_Product_Monograph_English.pdf

2 Canadian Breast Cancer Network (CBCN). Know your Type Infographic. Available at: https://cbcn.ca/en/know_your_type Accessed on: July 20, 2022.

3 Leone, J.P., Lin, N.U. Systemic Therapy of Central Nervous System Metastases of Breast Cancer. Curr Oncol Rep 21, 49 (2019). Available at: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11912-019-0802-6#citeas. Accessed on: July 20, 2022.

4 Brenner, D.R., et al. Projected estimates of cancer in Canada in 2022. CMAJ May 02, 2022 194 (17) E601-E607. Available at: https://www.cmaj.ca/content/194/17/E601. Accessed on: July 20, 2022.

SOURCE Seagen

For further information: Media Contact: Emma Gilbert, Senior Director, Corporate Communications, Seagen International, +41 76 819 35 83, [email protected]
MONTREAL, Sept. 28, 2022 /CNW/ - The war in Ukraine has had devastating impacts on its people, transportation infrastructure and critical trade routes for a range of goods, affecting the safety, security, and prosperity of Ukrainian citizens.

Today, during the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO)'s 41st Assembly, the Minister of Transport, the Honourable Omar Alghabra, met with the Minister of Infrastructure of Ukraine, the Ambassador of Ukraine and officials from the Railway Association of Canada (RAC), to identify areas of collaborative rail assistance to Ukraine.

Following this discussion, the Government of Canada, the Government of Ukraine , Ukraine's National Railway, Ukraliznytsia, and RAC, on behalf of Canadian railways including CP, and CN established a working group to support the reconstruction of Ukrainian transportation infrastructure and the resiliency of Ukraine's rail infrastructure.

Key objectives of the working group include:

Supporting the rebuild of rail sector infrastructure ;

Maximizing rail capacity ;

Working with the Canadian rail industry to implement core objectives and expertise ;

Analyzing challenges to the movement of Ukrainian export-ready commodities by rail; and

Attempting to identify practical solutions with government and industry allies.

Based on the significant experience and expertise of CP, CN and other Canadian railways in transporting large quantities of commodities and operating a world-class freight rail system, the railways will provide input, guidance and recommendations in support of transportation-specific issues.

Quotes

"As a key ally and partner to the Ukrainian reconstruction efforts, the Government of Canada will leverage broader industry and supply chain partnerships that can help inform decisions on freight commodity movements by rail. Together with our industry partners, we will ensure the continued movement of people and crucial commodities and products that are vital to supporting the wellness and livelihoods of Ukrainians."

The Honourable Omar Alghabra

Minister of Transport

"Canada's railways deliver reliably over more than 42,000 kilometres of track -- as they have through two world wars and other major world events since Confederation. Overcoming logistical and other challenges, Canadian railroaders never shy away from stepping up in times of need and working together for the good of all. Our member railways have deep talent pools and a breadth of expertise to bring to bear in helping Ukrainians get food, energy, and other goods to market at this incredibly difficult time."

Marc Brazeau

President and CEO, Railway Association of Canada

Quick Facts

RAC represents approximately 60 freight and passenger railway companies, including a growing number of industrial railways and railway supply companies. RAC will leverage available resources and knowledge within the rail sector.

ICAO is a United Nations (UN) specialized agency that works with its 193 Member States to set and audit safety, security, emissions, navigation, and facilitation standards to shape and improve international air operations.

As Host Country, Canada works to provide the necessary support to ICAO and its diplomatic community. In doing so, Canada works closely with the City of Montreal, the Province of Quebec and the Secretariat of ICAO to ensure the organization continues to thrive in Montreal.

works to provide the necessary support to ICAO and its diplomatic community. In doing so, works closely with the City of Montreal, the Province of Quebec and the Secretariat of ICAO to ensure the organization continues to thrive in Montreal. The ICAO Assembly is the Organization's sovereign body. It meets at least once every three years in Montreal and is convened by ICAO's governing body, the Council. The Assembly establishes ICAO's priorities for the upcoming three years.

Related Products

Associated Links

Transport Canada is online at www.tc.gc.ca . Subscribe to e-news or stay connected through Twitter , Facebook , YouTube and Instagram to keep up to date on the latest from Transport Canada.

This news release may be made available in alternative formats for persons living with visual disabilities.

SOURCE Transport Canada

For further information: Nadine Ramadan, Press Secretary and Communications Adviso, Office of the Honourable Omar Alghabra, Minister of Transport, Ottawa, (613) 290-8656, [email protected]; Media Relations, Transport Canada, Ottawa, 613-993-0055, [email protected]
OTTAWA, ON, Sept. 29, 2022 /CNW/ - Indigenous Peoples and coastal communities have had traditional and cultural ties with Canada's oceans and waterways for generations. The next phase of Canada's Oceans Protection Plan will continue to build on opportunities for Indigenous Peoples and coastal communities to collaboratively protect, preserve, and restore our oceans and waterways.

Today, the Minister of Transport, the Honourable Omar Alghabra announced an investment of $50 million to directly support Indigenous partnerships in the Oceans Protection Plan.

This funding will be open to Indigenous communities and organizations, and can be used to support capacity for their continued involvement in:

Discussing and building relationships that advance marine safety and environmental protection; and

Improving the marine transportation system and protection of the environment;

Details on how this funding can be accessed will be shared over the coming months. The Government of Canada looks forward to continuing to work with Indigenous communities to deliver the Oceans Protection Plan, in accordance with its commitments under the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act

The Oceans Protection Plan is a Canadian success story. When Indigenous Peoples, and government work together to protect our environment, grow our economy, and support good jobs across the country, we deliver real positive results.

Quotes

"Indigenous Peoples from coast-to-coast-to-coast have long-standing cultural and traditional ties with our oceans and waterways. Today's investment ensures they will continue to have a role in protecting our oceans and coastlines. Through the Oceans Protection Plan, we are working together to better protect our ecosystems, strengthen our supply chains, and make our oceans safer and cleaner for generations to come."

The Honourable Omar Alghabra

Minister of Transport

Quick facts

The new $50 million in funding for First Nations, Inuit, Metis, and coastal communities to partner in the Oceans Protection Plan represents an important financial increase over the funding provided during the first phase of the Plan.

in funding for First Nations, Inuit, Metis, and coastal communities to partner in the Oceans Protection Plan represents an important financial increase over the funding provided during the first phase of the Plan. Since 2016, the Government of Canada has dedicated over $3.5 billion to the Oceans Protection Plan, making it the largest investment Canada has ever made to protect its coasts and waterways.

has dedicated over to the Oceans Protection Plan, making it the largest investment has ever made to protect its coasts and waterways. Since its launch, the Oceans Protection Plan has:

signed Reconciliation Framework Agreements to help the Government of Canada and Indigenous partners coordinate and collaborate on ocean management and protection priorities on Canada's West Coast;

and Indigenous partners coordinate and collaborate on ocean management and protection priorities on West Coast;

helped 757 Indigenous Peoples, Inuit, Northerners, and women graduate from the Marine Training Program and acquire the skills they need for jobs in the marine industry;



co-launched Canada's first Indigenous Coast Guard Auxiliary and provided funding to 16 Northern and Indigenous communities to buy search and rescue boats and equipment;

first Indigenous Coast Guard Auxiliary and provided funding to 16 Northern and Indigenous communities to buy search and rescue boats and equipment;

delivered training in emergency response and waterway management to Indigenous communities; and



worked with 75 Indigenous communities to develop a real-time information system that helps them make evidence-based decisions about their local marine environment.

The Oceans Protection Plan is a whole-of-government effort, with responsibility shared across all partner departments including Transport Canada, Fisheries and Oceans Canada  Canadian Coast Guard, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Natural Resources Canada, and Health Canada, with support from Public Services and Procurement Canada and Global Affairs Canada.

Associated links

Multimedia

Transport Canada is online at www.tc.gc.ca. Subscribe to e-news or stay connected through Twitter, Facebook, YouTube , and Instagram to keep up to date on the latest from Transport Canada.

This news release may be made available in alternative formats for persons living with visual disabilities.

SOURCE Transport Canada

For further information: Nadine Ramadan, Press Secretary and Communications Advisor, Office of the Honourable Omar Alghabra, Minister of Transport, Ottawa, [email protected]; Media Relations, Transport Canada, Ottawa, 613-993-0055, [email protected]
Ankita murder case: Postmortem report matches evidence co...

The post-mortem report produced by the panel of physicians and the pieces of evidence o...

3 October, 2022

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Apex Igbo socio-cultural organization, Ohanaeze Ndigbo has flayed the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku ...

Apex Igbo socio-cultural organization, Ohanaeze Ndigbo has flayed the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar over his claim that he would facilitate Igbo presidency.

Atiku had while addressing South-East stakeholders of the PDP, said he would be a stepping stone to the quest for Igbo presidency.

In a statement on Thursday by the Secretary-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro, he described Atikus claim as mischievous and diversionary.

He said it was mischievous that at a time all polls conducted so far showed that Mr Peter Obi, the Presidential candidate of the Labour Party, LP, was cruising to victory, not as an Igbo presidential candidate but as the real unifier and the face of the Obidient movement, Atiku was still chasing shadows.

He said a new Nigeria movement that transcends ethnic, religious and political party divides, like none before it has beckoned.

The Ohanaeze scribe added that, foremost Nigerian leader and aviation entrepreneur, as well the erstwhile Chairman/CEO, 7STAR Hangar/Airlines, Engr Isaac David Balami, captioned the mood of the nation two days ago when he said he was endorsing Mr Peter Obi based on 3Cs: Competence, Credibility and Capacity.

In terms of competence, credibility and capacity, Mr Peter Obi is in a world of his own. Neither Atiku of the PDP nor Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu of the ruling party, the All Progressives Congress, APC, comes close to him.

Sincerely, Nigerians are really yearning for a Third Force Presidency due to their terrible experience under the APC and the PDP governments since 1999. Engr Rabiu Kwankwaso of the New Nigeria Democratic Party, NNDP, even has a stronger presidential profile based on the 3Cs than those of the old brigade like Atiku and Tinubu.

Atiku should realize that the Obidient train has left him behind. This is no longer time to talk about Igbo Presidency, Yoruba Presidency, Hausa Presidency, Ijaw Presidency, Tiv Presidency or Fulani Presidency.

He should Obidiently listen to Pa Ayo Adebanjo, the Afenifere Leader who said, To keep Nigeria one, everyone must be Obi-Datti compliant. As such, he should emulate elder statesmen like President Obasanjo, Pa E. K. Clark, Pa Olu Falae, Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, Gen. T. Y. Danjuma, Rtd, etc to ensure that Nigeria does not miss this unique opportunity for restoration through Peter Obi.

Secondly, Atikus current promise is worth nothing to Ndigbo. In fact, the promise is mischievous and diversionary, coming at this time when Nigerians want to interrogate his presidential profile vis-a-vis the 3Cs.

Based on the weighty allegations leveled against him by Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State on serially reneging on his promises, how much is his promise worth?

In 2019, Ndigbo supported him and gave him over 80 percent of his votes, even when his people rejected him and he could not even win in his State  Adamawa. Yet, he, the Waziri Adamawa carefully dodged signing any written agreement with Ndigbo that he would serve only one tenure.

Ohanaeze urged all patriotic Nigerians to Obediently keep faith with Peter Obi based on his 3Cs, not based on ethnicity.
Bola Tinubu, presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), says Nigerians must choose reason over sentiment during the 20...

Bola Tinubu, presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), says Nigerians must choose reason over sentiment during the 2023 presidential election.

Tinubu said this on Wednesday in his message to Nigerians as the campaigns for the 2023 general election begin.

The former Lagos governor said he is ready to lead the country to greater glory through innovative ideas, and he urged Nigerians to be wise and discerning in their choice of a president.

I invite all Nigerians to join me and HE Senator Kashim Shettima on this exciting and important journey as we set our shared vision of renewed hope for the people of our dear country, Nigeria, the statement reads.

We will, in weeks and months ahead, be taking our dream of a functional, safe, secure and prosperous Nigeria to every part of Nigeria and as we continue to put forward our plan to lead this country towards its best future.

Our nation stands at a threshold of history. We, like almost every other nation in the world, face significant challenges. Some have been our own making, others, the consequences of factors well beyond the control of any Nigerian. One thing, however, remains certain, we cannot afford to get this one wrong.

We must show that we have learned from mistakes of the past. We must be prepared to make difficult decisions. We must be wise, we must be discerning; we must choose progress. We must favour reason over sentiment.

I am prepared and ready, with my running mate, to provide the leadership that will inspire our country to greater glory with new thinking, innovative ideas and vision. I call on all Nigerians to please join us.
The immediate past minister of Transport and former Governor of Rivers State, Chibuike Amaechi may not accept his appointment as the Special...





The immediate past minister of Transport and former Governor of Rivers State, Chibuike Amaechi may not accept his appointment as the Special Adviser on Infrastructure of the Tinubu/Shettima Presidential Campaign Council, inside sources have hinted.





Recall that Amaechi was recently listed as a member of the constituted Presidential Campaign Council( PCC) to pilot the Tinubu/Shettima ticket for the forthcoming election.





Amaechi battled Tinubu for the partys sole ticket in Abuja back in June, 2022, but the former Lagos Governor and co-founder of the party emerged winner.





At the end of the heavily contested ticket, the former minister of Transport, emerged first runner-up at the primary.





Amaechi was a two-time Director-General of the Buhari/Osinbajo Presidential Campaign Council in 2014-2015 and 2018-2019 and one of the pillars of the merger that saw the dethronement of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and ex-President Goodluck Jonathan.





Feelers from the camp of the former Rivers State Governor said the Ikwerre-born politician had felt let down by the APCs flagbearer in more than one way since after the presidential primary which he lost.





Recall that Amaechi had during the 60th birthday celebration of Apostle Eugene Ogu, General Overseer of Abundant Life Evangel Mission in Port Harcourt, said that those who voted during the APC presidential primary were regretting their decision.





Amaechi said delegates who allowed money to influence their decision during the presidential primary are now regretting it.





Amaechi then suggested that the former Lagos East Senator used his enormous wealth to control the outcome of the presidential primary to his own favour.





Furthermore, the former Chairman of the Nigerian Governors Forum, NGF, is said to have been hugely offended and is angry over the attitude of Tinubu and his boys towards him, especially their unholy romance with the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike.





Apart from Tinubus meeting with Wike at different locations in Europe after the presidential primaries of both parties, some of Asiwajus loyalists, Governor Babagide Sanwo-Olu and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila have visited the Governor in Port Harcourt.





There are reports that the Jagaban and his proteges were planning to lure the former PDP Presidential aspirant to the APC, believing he would deploy the states resources to help them win the 2023 presidential election and that Amaechi feels he is being undermined as the leader of the APC in Rivers and a pillar of the party, nationally.





The former Rivers Assembly Speaker is reportedly feeling he has been sidelined and disregarded by the party he worked hard to build.





He feels it was a let down to him personally for the Speaker of the House of Representatives and Governor of Rivers State to visit his State and had meetings with his political arch-enemy, to the extent of trying to bring him onboard the APC.





Another major reason Amaechi could turn down participating in the APC campaign is that he was not consulted before the campaign council was formed, according to an insider.





Asked if the former Governor was elated to be appointed as a member of the APC campaign council, an insider, who pleaded anonymity, told newsmen, Elated over what? Are You talking about someone who with the help of very few others removed the PDP and Goodluck Jonathan from power in 2015?





Are you talking about a two-time Speaker of the Rivers House of Assembly, a two-time Governor of Rivers State, a two-time Chairman of the Nigerian Governors Forum, a two-time Minister of the Federal Republic? How can Amaechi be dancing because of a mere appointment as adviser in a campaign council when he was the Director-General of the Campaign Council that brought President Muhammadu Buhari to power in 2015 and 2019? The question should not be whether Amaechi was elated to be given an appointment by Tinubu, it should be whether Amaechi would accept the appointment?





Asked about the possibility that the former minister might accept the appointment, the source added, The minister has not spoken yet. But the fact is that he does not feel carried along until this appointment and theres the possibility that he may not want to commit himself fully because he is a man that doesnt force himself into where he is not wanted. I wont speak for him though.





Also speaking with newsmen on the matter, a former spokesman for the defunct New Peoples Democratic Party, nPDP, Chief Eze Chukwuemeka Eze, said, Amaechi is yet to speak and I have not spoken to him about the list to know his reaction about it. He is yet to direct us on what to do but I am convinced that he will speak if there is any need in that regard. Let us give him some time.





[And for me], I dont have any feelings about the APC Presidential Campaign Council formation.





Those in charge have done what they feel is the best for the party so we need to give them time to articulate themselves and map out strategies on how to solicit votes from Nigerians. Ours is to pray for them to succeed.
The Supreme Court, on Thursday, affirmed the Governor-elect of Osun state, Senator Ademola Adeleke as the authentic candidate of the Peopl...

The Supreme Court, on Thursday, affirmed the Governor-elect of Osun state, Senator Ademola Adeleke as the authentic candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, for the gubernatorial election that held in the state on July 16.

The apex court, in a unanimous judgement by a five-man panel of justices, dismisses an appeal that was lodged against Adeleke by Prince Dotun Babayemi who laid claim to governorship ticket of the PDP, having emerged from a parallel primary election that was held by a faction of the party in the state.

Counsel to the Appellant, Mr. Adebayo Adelodun, SAN, withdrew the appeal after the panel led by Justice Amina Augie, drew his attention to the fact that the case was statute barred.

The panel had maintained that the appeal was incompetent, stressing that it was filed outside the 14 days period provided by the law.
No fewer than 20 persons were burnt to death on a bridge at Maboro River, in Ankpa Local Government Area of Kogi State, on Wednesday in an e...





No fewer than 20 persons were burnt to death on a bridge at Maboro River, in Ankpa Local Government Area of Kogi State, on Wednesday in an explosion of a petrol-laden tanker.





It was gathered that the incident occurred when the tanker lost control and fell on the bridge at about 3.30pm on Wednesday.





Kogi State FRSC Sector Commander, Stephen Dawulung, who confirmed the incident, said the casualty could not be ascertained as at press time.





My boys are there, putting the pieces together. We dont know the number of dead yet. A tanker, two buses and two motorcycles were involved, he said.





A resident of the area, Usman Ahmed, who witnessed the unfortunate incident, told Daily Trust that several persons were in the river when the tanker exploded.





He said, Nobody knows the number of dead people now. Many People were in the river doing one thing or the other when the tanker lost control, fell and exploded on the bridge.
The Chinese national who allegedly murdered a graduate from Ugandan University, Ummulkulsum Buhari, Mr. Geng Quangrong, has been arraigned b...





The Chinese national who allegedly murdered a graduate from Ugandan University, Ummulkulsum Buhari, Mr. Geng Quangrong, has been arraigned before a State High Court competent to handle the homicide case.





The Court, presided by Justice Sanusi Ado Maaji, fixed 4th October 2022 to formally arraign the Chinese.





When the case resumed on Thursday for arraignment, Mr Quarong sought an adjournment to enable him to contact his counsel to represent him.





In his response, Kano State Attorney General Barrister Musa Abdullahi Lawan didnt raise an objection to the defendants prayer to adjourn the matter.





Obviously this case cannot go on today without a counsel standing for the defendant, It is capital in nature in the circumstances we apply for a short adjournment, Kano Attorney General prayed.





Consequently, Justice Maaji adjourned the case until 4th October 2022 for arraignment.
The United States District Court for the Eastern District of California has sentenced Adedayo Akinwunmi Agbayewa to prison. The 45-year-old ...





The United States District Court for the Eastern District of California has sentenced Adedayo Akinwunmi Agbayewa to prison.





The 45-year-old resident of College Park in Georgia will spend five years behind bars for an international fraud scheme.





U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced the convict was ordered to pay $7,784,415 in restitution for mail fraud and money laundering conspiracy.





The Nigerian and his coconspirators were involved in a lottery or sweepstakes telemarketing enterprise that hoodwinked elderly victims.





Using pseudonyms, they informed their targets by mail or telephone that they had won sweepstakes or lottery and must first pay taxes or fees.





The victims mailed checks or deposited money into bank accounts provided by the individuals but never received any prize money.





Assistant U.S. Attorney Christina McCall prosecuted the case, the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and IRSCriminal Investigation.





The U.S. Department of Justice, through the Elder Justice Initiative, works to combat elder abuse, neglect, as well as financial fraud, and scams.
Rotimi Akeredolu, governor of Ondo, says he will explore the constitution on legally procuring arms to boost the efforts of the states se...

Rotimi Akeredolu, governor of Ondo, says he will explore the constitution on legally procuring arms to boost the efforts of the states security outfit.

Earlier, Akeredolu had said Ondo will procure arms for operatives of the Western Nigeria Security Network, codenamed Amotekun.

He had said if the federal government can allow a security outfit in Katsina to carry arms, then Amotekun should be granted the same right.

But the presidency had said no state has been authorised to procure automatic weapons for its security outfit.





Replying in a statement on Wednesday by Richard Olatunde, his spokesman, Akeredolu said the reasons given by the presidency for the continued refusal to approve the use of sophisticated weapons by state security outfits can no longer be plausible in the face of increasing security challenges being faced by the people.

He said the presidencys assertions on the use of automatic weapons by state security outfits betray the current realities across the country.

His attempt to justify the use of AK47 by the Vigilantes of Katsina State for training stands logic on its head, the statement reads.

The report by the TVC News that went viral showed the Kastina State Vigilante training with AK47. This is the same weapon which approval has vehemently been refused for the use of Amotekun Corps and other State Security Outfits.

The questions Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, SAN, asks are: Where did the guns come from? Who approved their use? Were the guns returned to the armoury after use? The AK47, as seen from the TVC news report, was about usage. If not, what purpose does training with the guns serve?

It is rather suspicious that Garba Shehu elected himself as the spokesperson for the Kastina State government, whereas, the Katsina State has not come out openly to deny the statement of Governor Akeredolu on the use of AK47 by Vigilantes of Katsina State during training.

Governor Akeredolu has reiterated that State Security outfits backed by law whether in the Western Nigeria, Katsina, Borno, Benue or any Northern State must have access to the same sophisticated weapons that the criminals have. It time to face down these enemies of the people.

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It is illogical to continue to fight hardened marauders who bear sophisticated weaponry to kidnap and maim our people with bare hands. We cannot fight armed enemies of the people with our bare hands.

It is our firm belief that the government has a fundamental duty to protect the people. It is a task that must be accomplished without excuse.

Governor Akeredolu is determined to spare no efforts in protecting the people. He has vowed to explore every available legal and constitutional means to secure the state and its people.

He added that the southern governors forum, the northern state governors, as well as their traditional rulers council have supported the call for state police.

Every Governor swore to an oath to protect the state and the people. The sub-national must be allowed to put in place security forces as a counter-balancing force to face these marauders who have unchecked access to sophisticated weapons, he said.

It is high time we tackled these conflict entrepreneurs and restore the confidence of the people. We cannot do the same thing time and again and expect different result.

Governor Akeredolu is irrevocably committed to the security of the people, particularly his state. He will continue to speak up in defence of the people. He is very much committed to the realisation of constitutional amendment to reflect the current realities.
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News that the New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell might be living rent-free in a posh city-owned apartment has prompted some to wonder why the municipal government even owns such prime real estate. The story begins in 1788.
WASHINGTON  Acadiana Congressman Clay Higgins said Thursday that he couldn't care less about a political commercial one of his opponents is airing that mocks the Crime Stoppers videos that helped build his reputation.

I dont pay attention to political attacks and ads now. I dont even like politicians, Higgins, R-Lafayette, told Kevin Gallagher on Louisiana Radio Network on Thursday morning.

The attack ad came the same day Higgins filed legislation stemming from a string of powerful hurricanes that struck the state, a bill he says should help Louisiana homeowners find the property insurance necessary for acquiring a mortgage.

In addition to all the coverage over the political commercial, Higgins also was passed over Thursday for an endorsement by a prominent Louisiana conservative.

Called the Cajun John Wayne, the colorful congressman is known for his tough-talking videos. Higgins came to prominence in Crime Stopper segments that aired during local newscasts. He often wore camo and brandished automatic weapons while calling out perpetrators by name in videos that caught international attention.

The rest of Louisianas six-member congressional delegation face little-known opponents in the Nov. 8 election. Higgins is the only Louisiana congressional incumbent facing a well-funded opponent.

His most vigorous opposition is from a former supporter, Holden Hoggatt, who is an assistant district attorney and, like Higgins, a Republican based in Lafayette.

Hoggatt has bludgeoned Higgins on his sometimes-fractious relationships with his former wives. Higgins was accused in police documents of holding a gun to the head of his first wife. A protective order was issued. Also, his second wife has filed court documents accusing him of ducking child support payments totaling about $140,000.

The faux deputy in Hoggatts satirical commercial uses the same staccato speech rhythm that Higgins made famous in his Crime Stoppers segments.

In 2016, a fraud was elected to Congress. The perpetrator, Clay Higgins, remains at large and is wanted for putting a gun to his wifes head, the make-believe deputy says in the Hoggatt commercial. He was last seen impersonating a congressman while voting against fixing the roads you drive on and abandoning hurricane victims.

Also on Thursday, Rob Maness, an archconservative who made a credible run for the U.S. Senate in 2014, threw his endorsement to Hoggatt.

"Its imperative we send this competent, dedicated, family-values conservative to represent the good people of Louisianas 3rd District in south Louisiana to Washington, D.C., Maness said on behalf of his Gator PAC organization.

Higgins has garnered his own conservative endorsements, receiving nods from the Louisiana Republican Party and from the Conservative Political Action Coalition.

Louisianas 3rd Congressional District extends along Interstate 10 to the coast from the Atchafalaya Swamp to the Sabine River. The district includes Lafayette and Lake Charles.

Higgins on Wednesday night introduced a bill that would change the tax code and allow insurers to deduct the cost of providing homeowners insurance and policy payouts following a federally declared disaster.

After recent disasters, weve witnessed insurers abandon the state and terminate policies, Higgins said. This has left Louisiana families with limited insurance options, driving up costs and destroying financial security for scores of thousands of Louisiana citizens.

The tax break, Higgins argues, would be an incentive for insurance companies to stay in the state after a disaster. He said he hopes the Louisiana Legislature will draft and pass legislation that complements his efforts on the federal level.

Since the 2020 hurricane season, eight insurance companies with Louisiana policyholders have failed, and at least 12 others have withdrawn from the state, Higgins said.
Guest column: The Missouri approach to juvenile justice would work here too, if Louisiana would give it a real chance
Huang Kunming, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and head of the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee, speaks during a high-level forum on cultural exchanges held by China and Argentina in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 28, 2022. Chinese President Xi Jinping and Argentine President Alberto Fernandez sent congratulatory letters to the forum. Huang read President Xi's congratulatory letter and addressed the forum. (Xinhua/Yue Yuewei)

BEIJING, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- China and Argentina on Wednesday held a high-level forum on cultural exchanges in Beijing.

Huang Kunming, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and head of the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee, attended the forum.

Chinese President Xi Jinping and Argentine President Alberto Fernandez sent congratulatory letters to the forum. Huang read President Xi's congratulatory letter and addressed the forum.

Huang said that China and Argentina, both important emerging markets and developing countries, are facing the important tasks of economic recovery after the pandemic and improving people's livelihoods and well-being.

He said that China hopes people from the two countries will work hand in hand to promote prosperity and development, safeguard peace and development, promote economic and trade cooperation, and deepen the China-Argentina friendship.

People from the two countries should deepen people-to-people and cultural exchanges, and carry out exchanges and cooperation in various fields at all levels, Huang said, adding that the two peoples should also enhance their mutual understanding and friendship.

Both peoples should strengthen communication and cooperation, jointly promote equity and justice, and create a fair, objective, positive and healthy public opinion environment to inject more positive energy into the construction of a community with a shared future for China and Latin America and mankind in the new era, Huang said.
A few months after its announcement, the PlayStation Stars loyalty program for PlayStation users is now rolling out. Japan gets it today (alongside the rest of Asia), the Americas will follow on October 5, while Europe and Australia are scheduled to gain access on October 13 (local time, in all cases).

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Unveiled back in July 2022, the PlayStation Stars loyalty program for PlayStation users worldwide is now finally live. However, the rollout is not global, since only Asia (including Japan) can use it right now. PlayStation users in the rest of the world will have to wait until next month.

According to Vice President, Network Advertising, Loyalty & Licensed Merchandise at Sony, Grace Chen, this new initiative for the PlayStation community "celebrates our players achievements with fun and delightful campaigns and the ability to earn rewards such as points and digital collectibles." She also revealed that new features, rewards, benefits, and ways to enjoy the PlayStation experience will be added to the program in time.

PlayStation Stars is free to join by those who have an adult account for the PlayStation Network and, obviously, agree with the program's ToS. PlayStation Plus membership is not required to join PlayStation Stars but PlayStation Plus members will earn certain benefits. The program is available through the PlayStation app on iOS and Android, but also on the web, via playstation.com. Console devices will be added to the list in the future.

To gain PlayStation Stars rewards, the user needs to complete various activities, for example the "Monthly Check-In" requires to play any game during the month to get a reward. In other cases, specific tasks will be available for completion, such as being among the first players to complete a blockbuster title in their country/region. One of the first campaigns, called "Hit Play/1994," awards a special collectible to those who launch the correct games that match song-based clues.

The two categories of rewards are loyalty points and digital collectibles. The points can be converted to PSN wallet funds, select PlayStation Store products, as well as exclusive digital collectibles. The additional benefit for PlayStation Plus members consists of automatically-earned points for purchases on the PlayStation Store.

For now, digital collectibles cannot be sold or traded. At launch, all members who join will receive the Star Gazer Telescope. PlayStation Stars members will be able to rank up from level one to level four, and the higher they get, the more perks and benefits they receive. Once reached, a superior status remains valid for the rest of the calendar year, plus an additional 13 months.

North and South America will get access to PlayStation Stars on October 5, while Europe, Australia, and New Zealand will join the rest of the world on October 13 (for all these areas, the local time applies).

Buy the PlayStation 5 Console on Amazon
Community Healthcare System is hiring.

The system is planning to have career fairs to fill openings throughout Northwest Indiana.

Community Hospital is looking to hire for Emergency Department, Med Surg, Neuro ICU/IMCU and Telemetry positions. It has immediate openings it needs to fill.

It's also looking to hire more CT techs, surgery techs and respiratory therapists.

A career fair will take place from 4:30 to 7 p.m. Oct. 5 at Community Healthcare System Conference Center at 9201 Calumet Ave. in Munster, two blocks south of Community Hospital.

St. Catherine Hospital in East Chicago will also host a career fair from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Oct. 12. It's looking to hire registered nurses for the Cardiac Cath Lab, Emergency Room, ICU and Surgery. It also seeks ED techs, patient care techs, RN fellows and surgical techs.

Job seekers should enter through the north entrance of the hospital at 4321 Fir St. in East Chicago.

Anyone interested should bring resumes, dress professionally and be prepared to be interviewed onsite. Both new graduates and experienced professionals are welcome.

For more information, visit COMHS.org/careers, call 219- 836-4568 about the Munster job fair or 219-392-7140 about the East Chicago job fair.
A long-shot attempt by three lake-adjacent property owners in the town of Porter to claim a private beach on Lake Michigan has landed at the U.S. Supreme Court.

Plaintiffs Randall Pavlock, Kimberley Pavlock and Raymond Cahnman are seeking to undo a 2018 Indiana Supreme Court ruling, and subsequently enacted Indiana statute, that proclaimed the shoreline of Lake Michigan is owned by the state and held in trust for the enjoyment of all Hoosiers.

In May, the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Chicago affirmed a 2021 ruling by U.S. District Court Chief Judge Jon DeGuilio and concluded the lake-adjacent property owners lack standing to challenge the Indiana high court ruling and statute in federal court.

Circuit Judge Diane Wood, writing for the federal appeals court, said the plaintiffs failed to establish their beach property was "taken" by the state because the 2018 Gunderson v. State ruling by the Indiana Supreme Court clarified that they never owned a private beach on Lake Michigan.

The Gunderson decision held that Indiana owns  and has since statehood in 1816  the land under Lake Michigan and the adjacent shoreline up to the ordinary high-water mark.

That mark is defined as the line on the shore established by the fluctuations of water and indicated by physical characteristics, such as a clear and natural line on the bank, shelving or changes in the soil's character.

In their petition for Supreme Court review, the Porter plaintiffs insist their property deeds include a private beach on Lake Michigan and the loss of their ability to exclude others from "their" beach is unlawful without just compensation from the government.

Their claim hinges on convincing the U.S. Supreme Court that Gunderson was a "taking" of their beach property that requires a judicial remedy.

"This situation does not arise frequently, but when it does, property owners can look only to this courts recognition that all three branches of government are capable of violating constitutional rights and must be held to account," said Chris Kieser, an attorney with the California-based Pacific Legal Foundation property rights law firm, on behalf of the Porter plaintiffs.

Generally, federal courts have declined to hold "takings" that follow a state supreme court clarifying an unresolved question of law, as the Indiana Supreme Court did in Gunderson, is equivalent to the state condemning private property for a public purpose.

The Indiana attorney general's office is expected next month to urge the Supreme Court reject the Porter plaintiffs' petition for review.

Records show the Long Beach Lakefront Homeowners Association already appealed the Gunderson ruling directly to the nation's high court in October 2018.

It turned away the case without comment in February 2019, seemingly content to leave the Indiana Supreme Court ruling as the final word on Lake Michigan beach ownership.

The U.S. Supreme Court typically receives between 7,000 and 8,000 review petitions each year and rejects all but 80 or so.

A decision on whether it will take this case is likely to be made early next year.
MERRILLVILLE  An Illinois man, seen speeding on top of a curbed median Wednesday night, faces criminal charges after allegedly leading local police on a vehicle chase into Gary, Merrillville police detective Cpl. Sean Buck said.

The gray 2019 Acura in question was spotted driving on the median around 9:50 p.m. Wednesday in the area of Mississippi Street near 73rd Avenue, Buck said.

"When Officers attempted to initiate a traffic stop, the vehicle continued without stopping, committing several traffic violations during the incident," he said. "The vehicle continued north into Gary where it eventually left the roadway in the area of Cleveland St. and Ridge Rd., becoming disabled."

Merrillville police detained a male driver and female passenger, according to Buck.

The driver was identified as Joseph Martell Pointer III.

Police said they learned the Acura had been reported stolen in Evergreen Park, Illinois, and police there were contacted.

"Pointer was transported for medical evaluation and later transported to the Lake County Jail pending charges," Buck said. "The female passenger was released at the scene."
CROWN POINT  A Lake Criminal Court judge granted prosecutors' request Thursday to join cases against two men charged in the shooting death of a Portage High School student in 2019 for trial in January.

Attorneys for Elrice L. Williams, 29, of Park Forest, and Joe C. Pittman Jr., 29, of Chicago, each objected to the state's motion for joinder.

Both defendants pleaded not guilty to murder, attempted robbery and burglary charges filed in connection with the Jan. 9, 2019, shooting death of 18-year-old Alayna Ortiz.

The shooting occurred while the men were attempting to rob Ortiz's boyfriend, police said.

Co-defendants Giovante M. Galloway, 25, of Gary, and Juarez E. Rogers, 52, of Park Forest, each pleaded guilty and could face sentences of three to 22 years.

Williams had been scheduled to face a jury this month, but his trial was continued because Judge Natalie Bokota's courtroom was under construction.

Bokota, who denied the state's motion for joinder in April, agreed to reconsider her previous ruling.

Lake County Supervisory Deputy Prosecutor Eric Randall said a joint trial would not unduly prejudice Pittman and Williams and would be in the interest of judicial efficiency.

Pittman, who has described himself as a "sovereign citizen," has asked in the past to represent himself. Bokota re-appointed the public defender's office to represent him after he refused to accept that he'd be held to the same legal standard as an attorney.

Aaron Koonce, Pittman's latest attorney, said he was relatively new to the case and needed more time to complete discovery. Koonce also filed a petition to let bail, which will take time to litigate, he said.

It would be unfair to force Pittman to go to trial because Williams wanted to face a jury as soon as possible, Koonce said.

Cipriano Rodriguez, Williams' attorney, said William's right to a fair trial would be jeopardized if he were tried with Pittman.

Pittman's past actions, if repeated, could cause a mistrial, which Williams wants to avoid, Rodriguez said.

Bokota agreed with Randall, who said Koonce had been on the case since April and had plenty of time to prepare.

The judge said proper jury instructions would address concerns about possible prejudice against the defendants caused by a perception of guilt by association.

Bokota said a joint trial would be appropriate because of the complexity of the case and the number of witnesses to be called at trial.

She set the men's pretrial hearing for Dec. 16 and their trial for the week of Jan. 13.
CROWN POINT  Lake County prosecutors filed two new cases after a man previously accused of molesting a 3-year-old girl was arrested early Wednesday following a police chase.

Darese T. Bethley, 21, posted a $1,000 cash bond in one of his two new cases, but a magistrate sent his bail at $50,000 surety or $5,000 cash. He must post another $4,000 cash to be released in that case.

No bail had been set yet in Bethley's newest case, which was filed Thursday, online court records showed.

During a hearing in Bethley's child molesting case Thursday morning, Lake Criminal Court Judge Natalie Bokota granted a request to release Bethley from pretrial supervision while he remained in custody.

An official with pretrial supervision said Bethley had missed his last two appointments.

Bethley was first arrested in April on charges he molested the girl while caring for her in July 2021 in Hobart. The alleged sexual abuse came to light after the girl contracted the same sexually transmitted disease as Bethley, according to court records.

He posted a bond of $20,000 surety or $2,000 cash in that case in May.

After Bethley's arrest Wednesday morning, prosecutors charged him with felony theft and misdemeanor resisting law enforcement in connection with an incident Sept. 9 in Hobart.

Bethley is accused of stealing an idling white Chevrolet SUV from outside a gas station at Third and Wisconsin streets in Hobart and driving it to an alley near Seventh and Wisconsin streets.

An officer spotted him walking along Wisconsin and began chasing him with a K-9 after he took off running, records state. Bethley was found hiding in a shed.

He later told police he stole the SUV and dropped the keys in a swampy area while he was running from the officer, records state. The owner paid $600 to replace the keys.

Prosecutors charged Bethley on Thursday with felony resisting law enforcement and misdemeanor reckless driving in connection with Wednesday's alleged events.

Police said Bethley fled a traffic stop about 2:30 a.m. Wednesday at 37th Avenue and Wisconsin Street.

He led police on a short pursuit, struck a curb, attempted to get out and run, and was taken into custody in the 400 block of North Lake Park Avenue, police Cmdr. Nicholas Wardrip said.
LAPORTE  Following the arrest of a 45-year-old man earlier this year on a felony intimidation charge, county police said they pursued additional information and took him into custody again Thursday morning on two felony counts of possessing child pornography.

Fugitive Apprehension Street Team Sgt. Brett Swanson located the accused, Victor Badillo, living in a wooded area in rural Coolspring Township, LaPorte County police said.

He was taken to the LaPorte County Jail and was being held on a $15,000 cash-only bond.

Badillo had been arrested on the intimidation charge June 9 in connection with an alleged incident the month before, according to police. He bonded out of jail July 19 and police pursued additional information that led to Thursday's arrest.

LaPorte County sheriff's police Capt. Andrew Hahn and Indiana State Police assisted in the case.
CHICAGO HEIGHTS  Marian Catholic High School is hosting two open houses and a shadow day in the coming weeks.

The first open house is from 6:30-8:30 p.m. on Tuesday. The second is from 1-3 p.m. Nov. 6.

These open houses provide potential students and their families with an opportunity to meet the principal, teachers and other school leaders; tour Marian Catholics state-of-the-art campus; and receive information about financial aid and enrollment for the 2023-2024 school year.

Additionally, students currently enrolled in 8th grade can learn firsthand what a day in the life of a Marian Catholic High School student is all about by attending the 8th Grade Super Shadow Day on Oct. 10.

On that day, each 8th grader will shadow a current Marian Catholic student for the full day.

For more information about these events, the Catholic High School Entrance Exam on Saturday, Dec. 3, and enrolling at Marian Catholic High School, visit the admissions website at www.marianchs.com/admissions. send an email to our admission team at tdecarlo@marianchs.com or call the school at 708-755-7565.

About Marian Catholic High School

As a Catholic co-educational college preparatory high school, Marian Catholic High Schools goal is to help every student realize their personal best academically, athletically, artistically and spiritually through a challenging and diverse academic curriculum, numerous extracurricular programs and daily opportunities to grow in faith. Our students develop essential skills for post-secondary education, including inductive and deductive logic, critical thinking, research principles, and oral and written communication skills. Marian Catholic also provides a flexible curriculum of liberal, fine and practical arts which serves students' particular needs and opens them to a variety of career choices.

Founded in 1958 by the Dominican Sisters of Springfield, Illinois (https://springfieldop.org/), Marian Catholic maintains a strong commitment to the Dominican tradition of study, prayer, community and preaching. Marian Catholic students seek truth, exhibit personal responsibility, cultivate their individual talents, and demonstrate ethical leadership and Christian service. Visit www.marianchs.com for more information.
Is it possible that another once-in-a-lifetime pandemic will occur soon?

I guess I would take issue with Covid being a once-in-a-lifetime event. I was alive when H.I.V. started to emerge as a problem. Since then, its killed tens of millions of people. We actually deal with a lot of viruses and other pathogens all the time. Richer countries may have less trouble with them, but theyre still a big problem for the world. So nobody should just sit back and say, Well, we got Covid, so the next generation can worry about the next big one. Theres no justification for that.

Turning to Covid, why havent we seen a new variant since Omicron?

As far as scientists can tell, it seems like Omicron has hit on a really winning formula for being a coronavirus. And other versions of the virus just cant compete. They havent found an evolutionary path to go up against Omicron.

What does that mean for the future of the pandemic?

Its really hard to make predictions about the future of evolution. But what were seeing is that Omicron has a huge amount of space left to explore in terms of gaining new mutations and becoming even better at spreading among people.

And its still possible that theres another SARS-CoV-2 out there thats not descended from Omicron that could suddenly jump out and take over. A new variant could be hiding right now inside of someone with a chronic infection. Or it might be in some animal. White tailed deer can hold on to these viruses for months and its possible that it could come out of a deer in a new infectious form that our immunity cant fight against.

What does the future of the pandemic look like?

Cases are going down in some parts of the United States, but we still have over 400 people dying per day right now. And if you look back over the history of this pandemic, every time that the curve went down, there would be some people saying, Thats it, its over. And every time in the past two and a half years, it would bottom out and then start to climb again.

I think we need to be prepared for a winter surge caused by a new version of Omicron. The updated boosters will definitely be able to help. But they are targeted at BA.5, and by December, I wouldnt be surprised if BA.5 is gone. Hopefully what takes its place will be similar enough that the updated vaccines will still provide good protection. But ultimately, were going to have to figure out a way to get out of this evolutionary merry-go-round where were constantly trying to catch up with the latest variant. There needs to be a better strategy.

When you look over the world of viruses, what are you keeping your eye on?

Im not watching this individual virus or that individual virus, so much as Im keeping an eye on the systems that were building, or that we should be building. We need strong systems in place to recognize when new viruses are emerging. We need strong systems to be constantly developing vaccines and treatments for them. And we need public health systems that actually get vaccines to everyone, not just the rich people who can buy them.
On the one hand, it is unclear why Moscow would seek to damage installations that cost Gazprom many billions of dollars. The leaks are expected to delay any possibility of receiving revenue from fuel going through the pipes.

On the other hand, the natural gas market is spooked, which helps Russia by raising the price of its gas. The ruptures occurred as energy markets were beginning to come around to the view that most of Europe could avoid shortages this winter by finding alternative supplies and filling gas storage facilities.

The leaks could also be a reminder from Moscow that if European countries keep up their support for Ukraine, they risk sabotage to vital energy infrastructure.

The ruptures will not immediately affect Europes energy supply, but they underscore the vulnerability of the continents energy infrastructure. They are also a reminder of how vital systems can be exposed to outside attacks. Military and security experts have warned for years of the danger posed by so-called hybrid warfare, meaning the ability to undermine democratic functions, disrupt normal life and sow chaos and uncertainty.
After vetoing similar legislation last year, Gov. Gavin Newsom on Wednesday signed a bill that will make it easier for California farmworkers to take part in unionization votes.

The outcome was a major victory for labor leaders and followed calls by national Democrats, including President Biden and Speaker Nancy Pelosi, for the bill to become law.

The measure, Assembly Bill 2183, paves the way for farmworkers to vote by mail in union elections instead of needing to vote at election sites, often on growers property.

Officials of the United Farm Workers union, a staunch proponent of the legislation, and labor groups have argued that requiring on-premises voting allows voter suppression and retaliation. The bill faced opposition from the California Chamber of Commerce and the agricultural industry.
The scooter rider who fatally struck the actress Lisa Banes in a hit-and-run accident as she crossed a Manhattan street in June of last year pleaded guilty to crimes related to her death on Wednesday, the Manhattan district attorneys office said.

The man, Brian Boyd, 27, pleaded guilty to manslaughter and leaving the scene of an incident resulting in death without reporting it to the authorities, the Manhattan district attorney, Alvin L. Bragg, Jr., said in a statement. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 30 and is expected to get one to three years in prison, though prosecutors had sought three to nine years.

Ms. Banes, 65, known for her role in the 2014 film Gone Girl, was crossing Amsterdam Avenue near West 64th Street last year on June 4 after meeting up with friends when Mr. Boyd drove an unlicensed and unregistered electric moped through a red light and crashed into her, prosecutors said.

Prosecutors said Mr. Boyd then got back on his vehicle and fled the scene, leaving Ms. Banes critically injured and lying in the street on the Upper West Side.
This article is part of the Debatable newsletter. You can sign up here to receive it on Wednesdays.

Last weekend, voters in Italy handed the reins of government to a coalition led by a party directly descended from Benito Mussolinis fascist dictatorship, delivering one of the biggest victories to the far right in Europe since World War II. Today is a sad day for Italy, said the leader of Italys center-left Democratic Party, who during the campaign had cast the contest as nothing less than a fight to save the countrys democracy.

If such language sounds familiar to American ears, its because countries around the world, including the United States, are confronting what experts say is a worldwide wave of democratic backsliding. According to data from V-Dem, a monitoring institute based in Sweden  where, as it happens, a far-right party with roots in neo-Nazism made a strong electoral showing two weeks ago  more democracies were deteriorating, and even slipping into autocracy, in 2021 than at any point in the past 50 years.

What explains the global resurgence of authoritarian politics, and what does it portend for the future of democracy? Heres what people are saying.

Liberal democracy, in retreat

Democracys spread over the past few centuries has rarely been linear, instead ebbing and flowing with the competing forces of autocracy. Some political scientists divide democracys progression into three waves: the first beginning in the 19th century; the second beginning in the aftermath of World War II; and the third beginning in the mid-1970s, which crested with 42 liberal democracies, a record high, in 2012. Today, only 34 liberal democracies exist, down to the same number as in 1995, according to V-Dem. (The share of the world population living in liberal democracies also fell in the last decade, to 13 percent from 18 percent.)
The mayor is also backing smaller changes to the citywide zoning code that would make it easier to build housing and dont require the approval of individual Council members. One of those changes, for example, would remove caps on the building of studio apartments. Another would eliminate rules requiring a certain number of parking spaces to be built with housing units. Dan Garodnick, chair of the City Planning Commission, told me his team had found dozens of such regulations that create needless barriers to housing production.

This change in New York politics is part of a nascent but promising movement. As rents rise, the anti-development sentiment that once dominated Democratic politics is giving way to calls to build more housing, fast. Lately, even politicians who count themselves among the most skeptical regarding for-profit developers have thrown their support behind building units to ease the crisis.

Councilwoman Tiffany Caban, a proudly far-left Democrat, surprised many recently when she voted to site 1,400 new units of housing in her district in Queens. Listen, Im not anti-development, she told me. We desperately need more housing. Ms. Caban said she had come to believe the city should embrace every possible way to build more housing, from allowing responsible building by for-profit developers to using whatever city-owned land remains to put up apartments.

But solving the housing crisis in New York City will require a regional approach. The city and its suburbs are connected by extensive rail lines allowing residents of Long Island and Westchester to commute to Manhattan. The system is an enormous strength. But for the better part of a century, zoning laws in Westchester and especially Long Island have severely limited the construction of higher-density housing developments.

The zoning laws have their roots in the Jim Crow era of segregation, when they were used to keep Black Americans and others from buying homes in certain areas. The problem is especially acute on Long Island, where the biggest growth took place in the years after World War II, when the federal government backed housing discrimination through preferential treatment in government loans.

Over time, these laws have contributed not only to racial and economic segregation in New York, but also to the affordability crisis by constraining the regions housing supply. Gov. Kathy Hochul and the State Legislature need to challenge suburban zoning laws that make it difficult or virtually impossible to build the multifamily housing the state needs.

Eliminating these restrictions doesnt have to mean the end of suburban life. Indeed, higher-density development in suburban downtowns can invigorate them. It wont be easy. A proposal in the State Legislature that would have allowed for multifamily housing to be built around transit centers on Long Island failed this year after Ms. Hochul backed down in the face of local opposition. If she is re-elected this November, resurrecting that effort would be a worthy priority.
Now, maybe the pool of possible Republican appointees in Florida is hopelessly polluted with white men who like to dress in racist costumes. Thats damning, if true. Maybe DeSantis is simply doomed by appalling options. That could well be the harvest of the Republican Party sowing hatred. Or maybe DeSantis is just too dense to do his homework. That may well be true, although I have no sympathy for it.

This is a man who championed and signed Floridas ridiculous Stop WOKE Act, restricting how race can be discussed in the states schools and workplaces. You cant live in the dark on race and then try to drag your whole state into the darkness with you.

I have always thought of DeSantis as reading the rules of villainy from a coloring book and acting them out. Nothing about him says clever and tactical. He seems to me the kind of man who must conjure confidence, who is fragile and feisty because of it, a beta male trying desperately to convince the world that hes an alpha.

But there is a way in which race policy reaches far beyond being merely racist-adjacent. DeSantis, for instance, has actually tried to strip Black Floridians of their power and voice.

In 2010, Florida voters, by a strong majority, approved a constitutional amendment rejecting gerrymandering. The amendment made clear that districts shall not be drawn with the intent or result of denying or abridging the equal opportunity of racial or language minorities to participate in the political process or to diminish their ability to elect representatives of their choice.

Yet Floridas Republican-led Legislature produced a gerrymandered map anyway. In 2015, the state Supreme Court struck down much of the Legislatures proposed map, and demanded that eight House districts be redrawn. Among them was the Fifth District, which at the time snaked up the state from Orlando to Jacksonville. The redrawn map allowed Black voters to elect four Black representatives.

In the decade between 2010 and 2020, there was a 14.6 percent increase in the population of the state, nearly twice the rate of growth of the country  and enough to earn Florida a 28th congressional district.
Pajaki quickly became the common thread in her work, tying her longtime interest in folk art with her desire to promote her Polish heritage. She spent time traveling to different Polish villages to meet artists, some of whom had experience making pajaki, and they imparted their knowledge and tricks. Learning to make pajaki has been a journey for Ms. Merska, and with each creation, she has improved. One of the first she made still hangs in her studio  a piece that is more rudimentary in style compared to her most recent creations.

Given their symmetry, the basic materials are important to get right, she said. Each summer Ms. Merska stocks up on rye straw during trips to Poland, elegant sheaves of which stand propped in the corner of her studio. People always kept a sheaf of straw after the harvest, Ms. Merska said. It protected the house from demons, thunderstorms and lightning, even fires. It was also thought to bring a good crop the following year.

The straw has always been a part of pajaki, but their colors were a later addition, as the dyes were not readily available. When colors were needed, traditionally these would have been dyed with vegetables, such as beetroot or potato, she said. While gloriously brash, pajaki can also be made demure, using more autumnal shades, or even spectral textures, by restricting the palette to shades of white and gray. These days, though, the rudiments of the craft are tethered to tradition and there is room in the design for thematic interpretation  seashells, beads, dried beans and peas, flowers and ribbons can be used to embellish copper tubes in lieu of the paper kalinka.

The pajaki workshop she runs is a meditative experience and not one that can be rushed. Even the simplest pajaki takes at least six hours to make (Ms. Merska offers a two-day course, three hours each day).

People are very surprised by how long it takes, she said. You have to pre-cut the straw, then the paper discs for all the pom-poms. Its not difficult, but it needs a lot of patience and a lot of time. My workshops have a very therapeutic effect on people: folding paper, cutting straw  it really gives this extra moment of calm.

But far from a concentrated silence, Ms. Merska finds her participants often want to offload. We talk, sometimes we share quite private things. Its reminiscent of the past when old women would meet up in someones house and make pajaki for Christmas or Easter.
Throughout Florida, many airports have closed and some hotels have begun preparing to accept evacuees instead of tourists. As of Wednesday afternoon, Hurricane Ian had already contributed to the cancellation of more than 4,000 flights, most within Florida, according to Kathleen Bangs, a spokeswoman for FlightAware, a flight-tracking company.

The effects on air travel, in Florida and beyond, are likely to continue through the weekend. Heres what to know if your travel plans are affected by Hurricane Ian.

Your flight was canceled because of the storm. What now?

Extreme weather events are outside airlines control, so you cannot automatically expect a full refund if your flight is canceled or significantly delayed. But some airlines, including American, Frontier and JetBlue, are offering full refunds anyway.

Other airlines are offering credit to those who opt not to rebook, or waiving change fees for those who do  but read the details carefully because there are many restrictions.
HAVANA State employees began restoring electricity in parts of Cuba on Wednesday after the nations power grid was knocked out by Hurricane Ian, which continued to buffet the islands north shore with strong winds and some flooding as it lashed Floridas coast.

The storms damage was particularly severe in Pinar del Rio province, home to the tobacco farms that supply Cubas famous cigar industry, with the hurricane damaging more than 5,000 farms there, according to state media.

Top government officials from Havana visited the province, which also lost telephone service. They promised to restore power to schools and hospitals and begin rebuilding.

The storm was still causing strong winds that created minor tidal waves in Havana and in other northern areas, leading to moderate coastal flooding, according to state media, citing the nations Institute of Meteorology. More than 16,200 people have been evacuated because of the storm.
TAMPA, Fla.  Nick Underwood has flown into the eye of a hurricane 76 times over the past six years as an aerospace engineer for the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration. His roughest flight so far? Early Wednesday, to the heart of Hurricane Ian.

Ive never seen so much lightning, he said in a phone interview after landing in Houston.

A veteran of 22 storms, Mr. Underwood described an exceptionally turbulent experience punching through Ians thick eye wall. Even inside the eye, which is usually the calmest part of the storm, he and the flight crew, technicians and scientists on the team were continually buffeted inside a Lockheed WP-3D Orion aircraft known as Kermit.

Were kind of used to the up-and-down, roller coaster feeling that you get, but in this case, there was just a lot of lateral movement, he said. It was a lot more unnerving.
There was the one in the 1980s that he spent playing Nintendo in his trailer home as the water rose toward his doorstep. During Hurricane Charley, he cowered with his landlords Rottweiler, Chopper, in the back of a junkyard pickup. And in 2018, Hurricane Michael sent him scrambling for cover through the drive-up window of an old bank.

But when he heard how bad Ian might be, he decided his days of disregarding hurricane warnings were over. On Wednesday, he was one of more than 6,000 people who had arrived at shelters in Hillsborough County, which includes Tampa. Mr. Hembree, who is retired from a job cleaning oil tankers and uses a wheelchair, was staying at a shelter at Erwin Technical College that had been designated for people with special needs.

I live two blocks from the Hillsborough River, he said as he took a drag of a cigarillo outside the building. Were not going through this again.

Instead of bringing storm surge to Tampa Bay  one of forecasters biggest fears when it comes to storms hitting Florida  Hurricane Ian pushed the water out, leaving it less than a foot deep in some areas. The phenomenon, which also occurred during Hurricane Irma, is sometimes referred to as a reverse, or negative, storm surge. Winds to the north of the storm blew in from the east, pushing water away from the shoreline, said Christopher Slocum, a physical scientist with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Florida has one of the most rigorous building codes in the country, a result of construction rules adopted after Hurricane Andrew destroyed tens of thousands of homes in South Florida in 1992. In more recent storms, such as Hurricane Irma, structures built under modern codes have performed better than older buildings. By contrast, in states without mandatory and up-to-date building codes, such as Tennessee and Kentucky, the damage from extreme weather events tends to be far worse.

Though the full extent of the havoc Hurricane Ian has wreaked in Southwest Florida will not be known for some time, other parts of the state that were pounded by the storm assessed their flood damage on Wednesday.
With Russia appearing poised to annex parts of eastern and southern Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine lashed out at the Kremlin on Tuesday, telling the United Nations Security Council that Moscow was staging sham referendums at gunpoint as a prelude to stealing part of his country.

This is an attempt to steal the territory of another state, he said, speaking remotely by video and wearing his signature olive green shirt. He called the referendums a reckless breach of international norms and called for the international community to impose sanctions on Russia. This is an attempt to erase the norms of international law, he said.

Mr. Zelensky also repeated his castigations of Russia for using what he has called nuclear blackmail to destabilize the world and highlighted reports that Russia is disproportionately targeting Crimean Tatars and other Indigenous people in its draft.

Mr. Zelensky addressed the Council as Russian-backed administrators in four regions of Ukraine staged the final day of balloting that residents complained was rife with coercion and intimidation, including armed men at polling stations and pro-Russian propaganda.
Russian citizens have been fleeing to the European Union in droves since President Vladimir V. Putins announcement last week to call up roughly 300,000 reservists to the military, the E.U.s border agency, Frontex, said on Tuesday.

From Sept. 19 to Sunday, nearly 66,000 Russian citizens entered the E.U., up 30 percent from the previous week, the agency said in a statement. Most passed through the Estonian and Finnish border crossing points and have E.U. residence permits, visas or dual citizenship. In the past four days alone, 30,000 Russians have arrived in Finland.

The numbers confirm other reports of an exodus of Russians since Mr. Putin moved to expand the war through a draft.
The leaks in the Nord Stream gas pipelines under the Baltic Sea resulted from a deliberate act, the European Unions top diplomat said on Wednesday, joining a growing chorus of European leaders in speaking of sabotage.

Three separate leaks discovered on Monday in the Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 pipelines from Russia to Germany are not a coincidence and affect us all, Josep Borrell Fontelles, the E.U. high representative for foreign affairs and security, said in a statement.

Brussels would support an investigation, he added, and would take further steps to increase our resilience in energy security.

European officials have been deeply unsettled by the ruptures in the pipelines. Though the leaks will not immediately affect Europes energy supply, they underscore the vulnerability of the continents energy infrastructure. Top Polish and Ukrainian leaders blamed Moscow for the leaks, without providing evidence, while Russian state media suggested U.S. or Ukrainian involvement.
KYIV, Ukraine  In a display of pageantry intended to give Moscows land grab a veneer of legitimacy, Russian proxy officials in occupied areas of Ukraine appealed to President Vladimir V. Putin on Wednesday to annex the regions.

The annexation requests had an air of order and formality at odds with the chaos Russias leaders are facing both on the battlefield, where they continue to suffer losses, and at home, where tens of thousands of Russians are fleeing the country to avoid a military draft.

The requests from the Russian proxies followed sham referendums that ended on Tuesday in four regions in Ukraine and that, to no ones surprise, purported to put voters stamp of approval on joining Russia. Many of the ballots were cast at the point of a gun, witnesses said.

One resident of the town of Berislav, in the Kherson region, scoffed at the notion of wanting to join Russia.
Ten years ago, New York City Ballet held its first fashion gala, and with it came one of the most off-putting dances Ive ever seen. Bal de Couture, with choreography by Peter Martins and designs by Valentino, is still wedged in my memory bank for all the wrong reasons. Most egregious? The pointe shoes in shocking red and hot pink. Suddenly, the legs of dancers, usually so sleek and muscular, were transformed into balloon art.

It was a lesson Ive never forgotten: When it comes to dance and fashion, fashion  with its resources, its stars, its seasonal newness  has the upper hand. For the past 10 years, City Ballet has continued its annual fashion gala, relegating choreographers and dancers to second-tier collaborators. Beyond fundraising, how do these events serve ballet? And how do they hope to make smart viewers out of people new to the art form?

There are exceptions, but fashion gala ballets, and their costumes, rarely survive to become repertory; instead, the events tenure has shown a slow erosion of dance  of steps, of musicality, of theatrical momentum. The clothes always get in the way. But fashion and dance should get along; ballet, like fashion, is part flesh and part fantasy. The glory comes when they are on equal terms, when one doesnt wear the other.

City Ballets push into the fashion world is the brainchild of Sarah Jessica Parker, who is a vice chair on City Ballets board; on Wednesday night, she was honored at the gala, though she was not in attendance. In a speech, her colleague and friend, the writer, director and producer Michael Patrick King said that Parker had a sudden and devastating situation that required her to be with her family.
It looks at a glance like a monument, a towering edifice of painted wood and brass. But on closer inspection, it is a half-pint  a sculptural pendant that stands a mere 4  inches tall, one of the small but mighty jewelry designs the artist Louise Nevelson crafted for friends or wore like a weighty talisman.

It is also among the highlights of Art as Jewelry as Art, a digital-only auction and simultaneous exhibition at Sothebys in Manhattan. The first at the auction house dedicated to artists jewelry, it showcases designs by some 65 20th- and 21st-century artists, works deemed by the house as covetable, wearable and eminently collectible.

On view through Oct. 4 (when the bidding closes) are diminutive pieces by Picasso, Max Ernst, Salvador Dali, Man Ray and Alexander Calder, a selection that demonstrates, Sothebys maintains, that when it comes to artists prowess, it isnt always size that counts.

Its easy to make something massive, but to make something strong and small is difficult, said Tiffany Dubin, Sothebys artist jewelry specialist, who conceived and organized the event. She is keen to establish the category, poised at the intersection of high jewelry and painting or sculpture, as a scaled-down extension of the artist.
We hear a lot about violence in Israel and the occupied territories. We dont hear quite as much about the softer edges of living in what has been called an apartheid state  the absurdity, the insanity, the ever-present anxiety. But that absurdity, with its undertones of anger and resignation, provides the background of Jumana Mannas Foragers (2022), one of two excellent, nearly feature-length films that dominate the Palestinian artists first major American museum show at MoMA PS1.

In Foragers, Mannas subject is akkoub, a spiny thistle-like vegetable that Palestinians like to cook into meat stews after harvesting it from the wild in Galilee, the Golan Heights, and around Jerusalem, among other places. (The film also deals with zaatar, likewise said to taste better when gathered in nature.) In the early 2000s, Israels Nature and Parks Authority outlawed this traditional foraging, saying that it endangered the plants. The prohibition applied to all Israelis, Jewish or Arab  but Jewish Israelis dont really eat akkoub or, if they do, theyll buy it from a kibbutz where it grows in orderly rows.

Using a judicious mix of documentary material and re-enactments, Manna efficiently lets us in on the whole situation. We watch a pair of her own older relatives foraging among the ruins of their native village, razed by Israel during the 1948 war; a pair of Parks Authority officers armed with pistols issuing fines; a woman selling a pile of akkoub on the street; and half a dozen different Palestinians giving an offscreen interrogator evasive or confrontational explanations for the white plastic bags that have been found in their possession, bags full of innocuous vegetables. One woman says that akkoub is actually dying out in the wild because, like any plant, it needs to be trimmed; several insist theyre just trying to feed their children, only to be accused, in turn, of being dealers. (At least one of them is.)
There are times when I wonder, cynically, whether Igor Levit isnt getting a bit, well, much. Then another of his extraordinary recordings comes out, and all the hype and energy that surrounds him seems perfectly sane. His latest album could not have come from anyone else, not just because few other pianists could have conceived of it, but precisely because none have the stature to convince their record company to follow through on ideas of such scope.

Tristan asks us to think about the music we love  to rehear it and reimagine it  in a dreamlike sequence set up from its first track, Liszts famous third Liebestraum, which Levit treats not tritely but trustingly. Then comes the heart of the affair, Hans Werner Henzes Tristan, a work for piano, orchestra and tape that had its premiere in 1974 and reflects, for 50 minutes, on the Germanic traditions that Henze grappled with for much of his life. You are not likely to hear a more convincing account.

Next follows Wagners Tristan prelude, in a Zoltan Kocsis arrangement that Levit stretches to breaking point, so much so that it seems less to build to its interrupted climax than slowly to disintegrate, toward some kind of nadir. Ronald Stevensons arrangement of the Adagio from Mahlers unfinished 10th Symphony acts almost as consolation by its radiant close, with Liszts Harmonies du Soir serving as an epilogue.

Its quite the journey, and its yet further confirmation that there is every reason to follow Levit wherever he leads. DAVID ALLEN
But toward the end of Riot 1905, a rhythmic indication in the score name-checks the work of the hip-hop producer J Dilla, who died in 2006. Its a playful fillip  and perhaps anachronistic, at first glance. But for Charles, its a way to draw a parallel between eras, since people are still dealing with senseless acts of violence.

A movement for his group and the orchestra, Negro Enchantress, paints a portrait of Hannah Elias  at one point a courtesan and, later in life, a landlord and property owner and one of the richest Black women in New York City.

Around the turn of the 20th century, Elias received hundreds of thousands of dollars in gifts from a lover, John R. Platt, a white man. I dont know if you want to call it like an 1895 version of The Tinder Swindler, Charles said. But he sued her. And they put it all in the papers. She had a mansion on Central Park West. Seven-bedroom mansion! And this whole mob showed up outside her house. She won the lawsuit; he lost the lawsuit. She bought property all over New York.

The music of this movement begins softly and seductively, before taking on a suspenseful tinge. It gets really out, Charles said. Its like Jekyll and Hyde. You thought this person was one thing  but its also really that youve been convinced by your family that you shouldnt be giving this person money.

The third and fourth movements  Charleston at the Jungles and Urban Removal  address the sharply divergent legacies of the pianist James P. Johnson and Robert Moses. But Charles didnt want to end the piece on a downer, so the final movement for the orchestra, House Rent Party, is a delirious fusion of ragtime, Afro-Venezuelan waltzes and turntablism.

What is it like being a DJ in a party with people from everywhere? Charles asked, rhetorically, after I pointed to the profusion of styles in this portion of the score. Youve got to give them a little taste.
I recently got around to a book Id been meaning to read since March, when colleagues first recommended it: Claire-Louise Bennetts remarkable novel Checkout 19, which among other things dissects the very act of reading and its effect on ones sense of identity. On the opening page the narrator summons a memory of herself as a girl in the grass by a tree, sitting with loads of books  then quickly and endearingly corrects herself: Just one book, in fact, she clarifies. Lots of books, one at a time.

Happily, thats a pretty good description of our gig here: Lots of books, one at a time. The trick of course is settling on which one at any given moment, and since the answer depends on mood and circumstance and available time, and who knows what other factors, we like to offer a few options. This week they include a diary recounting a torrid love affair, a biography of the Supreme Court justice Felix Frankfurter, a memoir by the editor of British Vogue and a history of the 18th-century Young Romantics, who insisted on the primacy of the self. We also recommend Rachel Avivs cleareyed case studies of mental illness, Strangers to Ourselves, along with a cultural history of the automobile and a meditation on architectural missteps and failed ambition. In fiction, we like Ling Mas story collection, Bliss Montage, and new novels from Jonathan Dee, Anna DeForest, Daisy Lafarge and Tyrell Johnson. Happy reading.

Gregory Cowles

Wulfs exuberant narrative spans a little more than a decade, when a group of poets and intellectuals clustered in the German university town of Jena in the last years of the 18th century and became known as the Young Romantics.
Romance is often criticized for being repetitive  as if repetition is not the way human bodies and souls are nourished. Meals are repetitive: You have to keep making them and eating them and then making and eating them again. Song lyrics repeat every time a chorus comes back around. And when you love someone you dont tell them once and then never speak of it again. You tell them over and over, because each iteration of those three words sustains their truth  like fresh water soaking into the roots of a living tree.

So it is one of the genres great pleasures to find rewarding books that resemble one another, with similar archetypes, similar settings, similar tropes, similar tones. This months books echoed other books Ive loved before. Not because they are shallow copies, but because they offer a piping-hot version of a recipe that readers are perpetually hungry for.

We start with Jane Igharos WHERE WE END AND BEGIN (Berkley, 311 pp., paperback, $17), which is romance at its melodramatic heights. Fans of Sonali Dev and Helen Hoang will find this just their style.

Nigerian-born Dunni has fulfilled all her parents expectations: Shes an accomplished geneticist in Seattle, engaged to a safe and respectable man. But a return to Nigeria for a friends wedding brings her face to face with Obinna, the man she left behind years ago. Their love burned fast and hot once upon a time, and smoldering embers are quick to reignite  but old secrets and resentments threaten to extinguish any hope of a future.
When certain terms risked upsetting large numbers of people, officials simply came up with new ones. The authorities, for example, have swapped the word lockdown with static management, silence or working from home when referring to certain Covid protocols.

Words shouldnt be used that way, Xiao Qiang, the founder of a California-based website that documents Chinese censorship, said in a phone interview. The government embellished policies with political rhetoric, aiming to mitigate fallout.

The authorities now avoid words like lockdown because they want people to continue to obey stringent coronavirus measures without panic or resistance, Mr. Xiao added. Officials made the policy language ambiguous and awkward, he said, which has contributed to confusion and frustration.

When people tried to run away from quarantine buildings during an earthquake in Sichuan Province this year, epidemic workers were caught on camera blocking them from seeking safety.

Videos of the episode were posted online and quickly deleted by censors, who said people should at least bring masks before escaping from buildings, even when an earthquake is highly destructive.

For some, the video was a reminder of how the government had used the pandemic to tighten its grip on their private lives, telling them when they can leave their apartments, what kind of food they can buy and what hospitals they can enter.

Kong Lingwanyu, a 22-year-old marketing intern in Shanghai, was upset that officials used the phrase unless necessary when describing restrictions around things like leaving the home, dining out or gathering with others.
After Congress gave the F.D.A. the authority to regulate tobacco products in 2009, the agency sought McKinseys wisdom on a variety of issues, though its leaders apparently were unaware that the firm had been guiding Big Tobaccos development for decades. In subsequent years, the agency awarded the consultancy $11 million for advice on tobacco regulation and for organizing the F.D.A. office that includes tobacco regulation.

We have served the F.D.A. on over 30 initiatives, McKinsey wrote in securing $1.1 million to advise the agencys Center for Tobacco Products about, among other things, risk identification and mitigation as well as influencing the behaviors, opinions and practices that are contrary to the goals and objectives of tobacco regulators. Presumably that included cigarettes.

Eric N. Lindblom, former director of the Office of Policy for the Center of Tobacco Products, said he was startled and surprised to learn of these apparent conflicts. We didnt think, duh, they are also going to serve the industry, he said.

Dr. Lawrence Deyton, a physician and the tobacco centers first director, said he had also been unaware of McKinseys work for cigarette companies. That should have been disclosed, he said. As late as 2019, McKinseys roster of tobacco clients included not just Altria but also Imperial Brands, British American Tobacco and Japan Tobacco International.

From 2018 through early 2020, McKinsey made at least $45 million in fees from these four companies, including more than $30 million from Altria alone, according to McKinsey billing records. This summer, the F.D.A., after years of criticism for not doing enough to protect the public from nicotine addiction, issued two major directives: It ordered Juul off the market over questions of safety, and proposed reducing nicotine in cigarettes to levels where consumers might no longer buy them. Although the decision affecting Juul has been stayed, the actions showed how seriously the agency now views the health risks of both products.
In a large proportion of the metropolitan areas along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts of the United States, at least half of the hospitals are at risk of flooding even from relatively weak hurricanes, a new study found.

Projected sea level rise is expected to increase the odds of coastal hospital flooding by 22 percent by the end of the century, according to the study, which was published on Thursday, a day after Hurricane Ian made landfall in southwest Florida.

The study comes at a critical moment. Ian, which was nearly a Category 5 storm when it made landfall, could end up ranking as one of the most catastrophic hurricanes to strike the United States in the past decade, according to forecasters.

The study found that, in one-third of the 78 metropolitan areas examined, half or more of the hospitals faced flood risk from what the study described as a relatively weak hurricane of Category 2. Five of the 10 most threatened metropolitan areas identified in the study are in coastal Florida.
The oil industry practice of burning unwanted methane is less effective than previously assumed, scientists said Thursday, resulting in new estimates for releases of the greenhouse gas in the United States that are about five times as high as earlier ones.

In a study of the three largest oil and gas basins in the United States, the researchers found that the practice, known as flaring, often doesnt completely burn the methane, a potent heat-trapping gas that is often a byproduct of oil production. And in many cases, they discovered, flares are extinguished and not reignited, so all the methane escapes into the atmosphere.

Improving efficiency and ensuring that all flares remain lit would result in annual emissions reductions in the United States equal to taking nearly 3 million cars off the road each year, the scientists said.

Flares have been kind of out of sight, out of mind, said one of the researchers, Eric A. Kort, an atmospheric scientist at the University of Michigan. But they actually matter more for climate than we realized.
These people, many of them believe that their homeowners insurance policy will cover them, said Nancy Watkins, principal and consulting actuary at Milliman. Or they might think that federal disaster aid is going to swoop in and make them whole.

But federal disaster assistance is less generous than many people assume.

FEMA offers some limited emergency assistance to homeowners without insurance, such as paying for temporary housing in a hotel, motel or mobile home, or making basic repairs to make a house habitable.

But FEMA typically wont pay to rebuild homes, as The New York Times reported in July. Aid is limited to less than $40,000  a fraction of what it costs to rebuild.

Congress can decide to provide extra money for disaster survivors, usually by giving funding to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, which can then set up what it calls Disaster Recovery grants to states. States can then use that money to pay for rebuilding homes.

But Congress has no guidelines for determining which disasters merit that extra funding and whether it provides the funding depends as much on the political clout of a states congressional delegation as on the actual level of damage. Even when Congress makes extra money available, it often takes years before that funding reaches homeowners.

Disaster survivors who lack insurance, but who cant wait years in the hope of aid, can apply for help from the Small Business Administration, another federal agency that plays a role in disaster recovery. The agency loans to renters, homeowners, businesses and nonprofit organizations. But those loans must be repaid  what amounts to a new mortgage, which can be challenging for disaster survivors.

The fallback option for storm victims is to look for help from charities. But as disasters multiply, and as the economy slows, those charities are being stretched thin, with no guarantee that theyll be able to help all those who need them.
After it was reported that a typical New York Fashion Week emits up to 48,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide, there were calls for the fashion weeks in London, Milan, New York and Paris to rein in their harmful environmental impacts. The booming digital fashion industry, with its virtual runways and NFTs, promises to make Fashion Week more sustainable. Yet, even as brands advertise their carbon-neutral shows, the system remains stuck in its traditional ways, and the industry as a whole continues to be a major factor in the climate crisis.

How can Fashion Week leverage its platform to respond to demands for more responsible industry practices? Can there be such a thing as a sustainable Fashion Week? Is digital fashion an answer or a distraction from the real-world transformation we need?
The Food and Drug Administration on Thursday approved an experimental treatment for A.L.S., a severe neurological disorder that causes paralysis and death, despite questions about the therapys effectiveness.

The treatment, conceived about a decade ago by two college students, was approved even though analyses by the F.D.A.s reviewers concluded there was not yet sufficient evidence that the medication could help patients live longer or slow the rate at which they lose functions like muscle control, speaking or breathing without assistance. Nevertheless, the agency decided to greenlight the drug without waiting two years for results of a large clinical trial, citing data showing the treatment to be safe and the desperation of patients with a disease that often causes death within two-to-five years.

The drug, which has the scientific name AMX0035, will be marketed as Relyvrio.

In a summary memorandum about the drug the F.D.A. wrote that there was residual uncertainty about the evidence of effectiveness, but that given the serious and life-threatening nature of A.L.S. and the substantial unmet need, this level of uncertainty is acceptable in this instance. The memorandum also said that the benefits outweigh the risks because the treatment is without any significant safety signals of concern.

The approval follows an impassioned campaign by patients and advocacy groups. In addition, doctors who treat A.L.S. patients had urged approval in a letter to the F.D.A. and testimony and in testimony before an F.D.A. advisory committee.
In a surprise discovery, researchers found that cells from some types of cancers escaped destruction by the immune system by hiding inside other cancer cells.

The finding, they suggested in an article published this month in the journal eLife, may explain why some cancers can be resistant to treatments that should have destroyed them.

The research began when Yaron Carmi, an assistant professor at Tel Aviv University, and Amit Gutwillig, then a doctoral student studying in his lab, were studying which T cells of the immune system might be the most potent in killing cancers. They started with laboratory experiments that examined treatment-resistant melanoma and breast cancers in mice, studying why an attack by T cells that were engineered to destroy those tumors did not obliterate them.

They were looking at checkpoint inhibitors, a particular type of cancer therapy. They involve removing proteins that ordinarily block T cells from attacking tumors and are used to treat a variety of cancers, including melanoma, colon cancer and lung cancer. But sometimes, after a tumor seems to have been vanquished by T cells, it bounces back.
Ten years of data from a nationwide survey of physicians confirm another trend thats worsened through the pandemic: Burnout rates among doctors in the United States, which were already high a decade ago, have risen to alarming levels.

Results released this month and published in Mayo Clinic Proceedings, a peer-reviewed journal, show that 63 percent of physicians surveyed reported at least one symptom of burnout at the end of 2021 and the beginning of 2022, an increase from 44 percent in 2017 and 46 percent in 2011. Only 30 percent felt satisfied with their work-life balance, compared with 43 percent five years earlier.

This is the biggest increase of emotional exhaustion that Ive ever seen, anywhere in the literature, said Bryan Sexton, the director of Duke Universitys Center for Healthcare Safety and Quality, who was not involved in the survey efforts.

The most recent numbers also compare starkly with data from 2020, when the survey was run during the early stages of the pandemic. Then, 38 percent of doctors surveyed reported one or more symptoms of burnout while 46 percent were satisfied with their work-life balance.
The price of failure is high. Covid has killed more than one million Americans so far, yielding untold misery. Cases, hospitalizations and deaths are all falling, but Covid was the third leading cause of death in the United States in 2021 and seems likely to keep killing Americans for years.

Monkeypox is spreading more slowly now, and has never posed a challenge of Covids magnitude. But the United States has reported more monkeypox cases than any other country  25,000, about 40 percent of the global total  and the virus is likely to persist as a constant, low-grade threat.

Both outbreaks have revealed deep fissures in the nations framework for containing epidemics. Add to that plummeting public trust, rampant misinformation and deep schisms  between health officials and those treating patients, and between the federal government and states. A muddled response to future outbreaks seems almost inevitable.

We really are poorly, poorly prepared, said Larry O. Gostin, director of the ONeill Institute for National and Global Health Law at Georgetown University.

New infectious threats are certainly on the way, mostly because of the twin rises in global travel and vaccine hesitancy, and the growing proximity of people and animals. From 2012 to 2022, for example, Africa saw a 63 percent increase in outbreaks of pathogens that jump to people from animals, compared with the period from 2001 to 2011.
This summer, devastating floods in Pakistan submerged entire villages and marooned residents. As of mid-September, around 1,500 people are known to have died, and more than 33 million people have been displaced. Scientists say that climate change has made extreme rain in South Asia more likely. Widespread cases of malaria, dengue fever and Covid-19 have exacerbated the strain on the countrys infrastructure.

Christina Goldbaum, a New York Times correspondent based in Dubai, applied for a visa to enter Pakistan in early September, after another round of floods gushed through, to cover the disaster. She traveled by plane to Islamabad and then to Karachi, and finally by car to the Dadu District, one of the countrys worst-affected areas, in the Sindh Province. Once she arrived in townthe only means of travel was by boat. She worked with Zia ur-Rehman, another reporter, and Kiana Hayeri and Saiyna Bashir, two photographers.

In an interview, Ms. Goldbaum discussed their coverage and what the future might hold for the land as the climate becomes more extreme. This conversation has been edited.

What was it like when you first arrived?

When we got to Dadu, we had already heard from folks that Dadu was one of the worst-hit districts by the flooding. We went to what used to be a bus stop taking people from the city to other smaller towns that had turned into kind of a dock. The road just ended, and where there had been farmland was a lake. Tons of fishermen from the south had brought their wooden motorboats here, and they were taking people from that bus station to their villages if they were still above water.
The directors, Saela Davis and Anna Rose Holmer (The Fits), are skilled engineers of apprehension. As news of the offense spreads through the town, a chasm opens between Aileen and Sarah, and the filmmakers shepherd us down its center with a series of sinister sounds and images. Every maritime mundanity  the clack-clack-clack of oysters dropping into a bucket, say  pulses with pain or menace.

Gods Creatures is ultimately a movie about the collision between a mothers fidelity and her moral conscience, and Watson is terrific at telegraphing how these instincts grind against each other to terrifying ends. Even in a simple story line that sometimes wants for psychological clarity, the power she wields is undeniable.

Gods Creatures

Rated R. It has the mouth of a sailor. Running time: 1 hour 34 minutes. In theaters and available to rent or buy on Apple TV, Google Play and other streaming platforms and pay TV operators.
InHospitable is a decent advocacy documentary that compellingly argues a couple of points that arent easy to make compelling onscreen. One is that supposedly nonprofit hospitals often behave more like for-profit hospitals and dont provide benefits commensurate with the tax breaks they receive. Another is that hospital mergers and anticompetitive practices tend to increase costs for patients.

The movie, directed by Sandra Alvarez, focuses on a surge of activism in Pittsburgh, where, in mid-2019, a pair of consent decrees agreed to by two medical bodies, the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (or U.P.M.C.) and Highmark, were set to expire. Both organizations were insurers and providers rolled into one, as well as competitors. The agreement ensured that U.P.M.C. would remain in-network for Highmark subscribers for certain care.
When Iliana Sosas grandfather Julian Moreno turned 89, he stopped making trips from Mexico to El Paso, Texas, where Sosas mother lives. In her documentary What We Leave Behind, his granddaughter follows Moreno to his home in the Mexican state of Durango and watches as he undertakes one last project: building a house next to his own that his children who migrated to the U.S. might return to.

With an approach that is more elegiac than sociological, the director signals the passage of nearly seven years with the progress of the new building and the evidence of Morenos decline. He shovels a bit. He fries an egg that begins sunny side up but ends scrambled. He carries a plank, annoyed that he cant carry two. A quad cane appears.
They decided to stay by each others side, they said through an interpreter, eating together, sleeping together, even going to the outdoor toilet together. If we didnt leave each other, and there was a mass shelling, then we would die together, Mr. Khosrovian said.

It would be easier, Ms. Holeha said, cutting in, not to lose one another.

We could not keep on living if the other one died, he said.

About a month after the war began  a month when they had planned to start their lives together, to take long walks by the sea, to decorate their apartment  they loaded a few belongings into a car and left Mariupol.

As the city slipped away behind them, Ms. Holeha and Mr. Khosrovian joined millions of their fellow Ukrainians, leaving their lives behind in order to save them. It has been the largest displacement of Europeans since World War II, according to the United Nations.

In the seven months since Russia invaded Ukraine, refugees have streamed across borders into Western Europe and the United States, as internally displaced people moved in with loved ones in the safer Ukrainian cities. International aid groups are on the move, too, organizing travel and providing housing, or helping with rent and food as people adjust to a new life.
A 24-year-veteran of the New York City Emergency Medical Service was fatally stabbed in a random attack in Queens on Thursday, the authorities said.

The paramedic, Lieutenant Alison Russo-Elling, 61, was walking to E.M.S. Station 49 in Astoria on Thursday when the assailant, a 34-year-old man whom the police declined to name, approached and stabbed her repeatedly just before 2:30 p.m., James Essig, the chief of detectives for the New York Police Department, said at a news conference.

Image Lieutenant Alison Russo-Elling had responded to the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. Credit... New York City Fire Department

The attacker was recognized by two onlookers, one of whom chased him to a nearby building, where he barricaded himself in his home on the third floor. He was arrested after the Police Departments hostage negotiation team was able to talk him out of the apartment, Chief Essig said.
In the final stages of his term, Mayor Bill de Blasio eliminated or changed some exclusive programs that enrolled large numbers of white and Asian students, with the hope of promoting integration. But those plans often spurred significant resistance.

Mr. Adams often says that city schools have long betrayed Black and Latino students. But he has made a different calculation, saying he would keep selective programs while also making more room in them for the children who have long been left out.

The mayor added seats to the citys gifted and talented classes for elementary students  about 100 for kindergartners and 1,000 for third grade students  rejecting his predecessors pledge to phase out the program. He has also expressed support for other steps like increasing the number of seats in specialized high schools or creating new schools.

Theyre perhaps seeing this as a way to shore up and reassure some families who might otherwise leave that the system will still serve their children well, said Aaron Pallas, a professor at Columbia Universitys Teachers College.

Chancellor Banks said he was not imposing a blanket rule for school admissions. Rather, the decisions will be left up to the district superintendents who oversee various regions of the city, and who will work with school communities to make final rules. Diversity initiatives in places like District 15 in southwest Brooklyn, which eliminated middle school screening four years ago, will not be automatically reversed or canceled.

Applications to schools will open earlier this year  for high schools on Oct. 12 and middle schools on Oct. 26. Offers will be released in the early spring months. The timeline leaves less than four weeks for superintendents to make decisions about whether to bring back the use of grades and other metrics, such as attendance, in admissions in the schools they oversee.

Some advocates for integration in the city schools said that the change sent a worrying message.

Its just a resounding disappointment, said Nyah Berg, the executive director of New York Appleseed, an organization that pushes for integrated schools. To put it on such a short timeline with like no guardrails, I just cant see and cant fathom how there could be an equitable community engagement process.
This article is part of Overlooked, a series of obituaries about remarkable people whose deaths, beginning in 1851, went unreported in The Times.

Bright red, slightly sweet, slightly tangy, a popular Philippine condiment thats almost like the real thing: Its banana ketchup.

Its creator, Maria Orosa, was an innovative food scientist and Filipino nationalist who pioneered methods of canning and preserving native fruits, intent on making her country self-sufficient in food production.

She later turned her skills to feeding the guerrillas fighting the Japanese occupation during World War II and smuggling food to starving American and Filipino prisoners of war, leading some to consider her a war hero.
Richard V. Reevess new book, Of Boys and Men, is a landmark, one of the most important books of the year, not only because it is a comprehensive look at the male crisis, but also because it searches for the roots of that crisis and offers solutions.

I learned a lot I didnt know. First, boys are much more hindered by challenging environments than girls. Girls in poor neighborhoods and unstable families may be able to climb their way out. Boys are less likely to do so. In Canada, boys born into the poorest households are twice as likely to remain poor as their female counterparts. In American schools, boys academic performance is more influenced by family background than girls performance. Boys raised by single parents have lower rates of college enrollment than girls raised by single parents.

Second, policies and programs designed to promote social mobility often work for women, but not men. Reeves, a scholar at the Brookings Institution, visited Kalamazoo, Mich., where, thanks to a donor, high school graduates get to go to many colleges in the state free. The program increased the number of women getting college degrees by 45 percent. The mens graduation rates remained flat. Reeves lists a whole series of programs, from early childhood education to college support efforts, that produced impressive gains for women, but did not boost men.

Reeves has a series of policy proposals to address the crisis, the most controversial of which is redshirting boys  have them begin their schooling a year later than girls, because on average the prefrontal cortex and the cerebellum, which are involved in self-regulation, mature much earlier in girls than in boys.

There are many reasons men are struggling  for example, the decline in manufacturing jobs that put a high value on physical strength, and the rise of service sector jobs. But I was struck by the theme of demoralization that wafts through the book. Reeves talked to men in Kalamazoo about why women were leaping ahead. The men said that women are just more motivated, work harder, plan ahead better. Yet this is not a matter of individual responsibility. There is something in modern culture that is producing an aspiration gap.
Look up an image of a tumor on Google, and youll probably end up with a brightly colored cluster of cancer cells on a drab background of healthy tissue. But for Lian Narunsky Haziza, a cancer biologist at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel, the picture looks very different. A tumor may also contain millions of microbes, representing dozens of species.

I think this is an ecosystem, she said. It means the cancer cells are not alone.

Scientists have long known that our bodies are home to microbes, but have tended to treat tumors as if they were sterile. In recent years, however, researchers have laid that notion to rest, demonstrating that tumors are rife with microbes.

In 2020, several research teams showed that tumors are home to various blends of bacteria. And on Thursday, two studies published in the journal Cell found that tumors are also home to many species of fungi.

This so-called tumor microbiome is proving so distinctive in each type of cancer that some scientists hope to find early signs of hidden tumors by measuring the microbial DNA they shed into the blood. And some research hints that microbes may make tumors more aggressive or resistant to treatments. If that proves to be the case, it may be possible to fight cancer by attacking a tumors microbiome along with the tumor itself.
PARIS  The cavernous Stade Jean-Bouin, the rugby arena in the 16th Arrondissement, was heaving late Wednesday night. Around 7,000 people were munching French fries, clutching drinks, waving their phones in the air and otherwise waiting for the third Balmain Festival to begin. Backstage, reached through a maze of hallways, the designer Olivier Rousteing was holding court, talking about inclusivity and how, to him, that meant throwing open the doors of fashion to let everyone in.

Its turning into a trend this season, along with oversize trousers, lingerie dressing and acres of fringe.

In New York earlier this month, Marni held an open-air show beneath the Manhattan Bridge that allowed bystanders a peek at the decorative goings-on. In Milan, Moncler hosted a mega-experience in the Piazza del Duomo. And now Balmain: with a seemingly endless runway, an even more endless wait for the show to begin (welcome to fashion), and then a parade of more than 100 looks (womens, mens and couture)  and Cher.
Salt-and-pepper diamonds used to be a hard sell according to the jewelry designer Lori Linkous Devine.

They were the reject diamonds back in the day, said Mx. Devine, the founder of Lolide, who uses a gender neutral courtesy title. The stones gray color and mottled clarity were seen as flaws.

Mx. Devine, who lives in Seattle, has been making jewelry for every gender and gender identity, as she put it, since 2010. In 2016, she began to advertise her products specifically to L.G.B.T.Q. customers. It was after Trump was elected and I had a whole breakdown, Mx. Devine said. I started looking at what I can do with this business that will feel good.

She soon noticed a trend among those clients, who she says now account for at least a quarter of her business. When shopping for engagement rings, many want the opposite of what a diamond is supposed to stand for, she said, and are seeking out the flawed.
THE BEARS WERE dark shapes among the furrowed oaks in Dachigam National Park, a maharajahs private hunting preserve turned wilderness sanctuary more than 5,000 feet above sea level outside of Srinagar, Kashmir. It was the fall of 2018. I had landed in Srinagar that afternoon and now stood in deep woods alongside the Kashmiri chef Prateek Sadhu, who had come to forage sorrel, collards and dandelion greens for his Mumbai restaurant, Masque. Officially, the sanctuary  home to snow leopards and what may be the last couple of hundred hanguls (Kashmir stags) in the world  is closed when night falls. But over two years of foraging, Sadhu had earned the respect of the rangers, and one of them had spotted the bears and led us toward them for a closer look, warning us to stay together. When a twig cracked underfoot, he put a finger to his lips. Later, I would learn that the Himalayan black bear is among the most savage of its genus, prone to unprovoked attacks and fond of grasping humans by the head. But for now, we watched them silently in the weak rain, more curious than afraid, believing ourselves hidden and safe.

And we were. The bears, a mother and two cubs, slunk off, and we headed back to the dirt road and the open jeep, rocking and rattling until we reached higher ground. Now the valley was spread before us, green on green without any marks of habitation, mountains like bare knuckles lining up behind and long wet grasses arcing in waves at our feet. Kneeling among them, Sadhu gently uprooted dandelion stalks with spiky-edged leaves. Known locally as haandh, they were young and tender and, when raw, tasted like spring water tipped from a wooden ladle, with a faintly bitter aftereffect. At Masque, they would be anointed with mustard oil and veri masala, a blend of fervent Kashmiri chiles and spices bought in hard red cakes from a shop in Shehr-e-Khaas, Srinagars old city, then pulverized, lanced with lime and finally brushed over fish or lamb, less sauce than veil. Before all this, the greens would have to be blanched  four times  so that they bore no memory of bitterness.

The chef as forager has been a romantic, even heroic, figure for nearly two decades, since the ascendance of its modern archetype, Rene Redzepi of Noma in Copenhagen. Sadhu interned at Noma for a month when he was 24, in the fall of 2010, the year the restaurant topped the Worlds 50 Best Restaurants list. He saw how Redzepi had put Nordic ingredients and cuisine on the map  and resolved to do the same for his native Kashmir. But Sadhu has a greater burden: His territory is uncertain. Where Redzepis Denmark is consistently ranked as one of the most harmonious and contented countries on earth, Kashmir is a conflict zone, a flash point between two nuclear powers, India and Pakistan. Hundreds of thousands of troops are massed on either side of the Line of Control, a de facto border that isnt legally recognized, and regularly trade fire. The countries have fought three outright wars over the region; tens of thousands of lives have been lost.
In May, Mark Zuckerberg, Metas chief executive, froze hiring for engineers and low-level data scientists.

In July, Mr. Zuckerberg warned employees to buckle up for an intense period of 18 to 24 months, and asked managers to start identifying weak performers.

This week, he told his employees that the company would freeze hiring and reduce budgets across most teams at Meta, leading to layoffs in parts of the company that have previously seen unchecked growth.

It was the most recent sign of trouble for the company previously called Facebook. For years, Meta reported record growth, impressing its investors with its ability to exceed financial forecasts and deliver revenue. But this years quarterly earnings reports have been less rosy, as Meta grapples with upheaval in the global economy as well as competitive and regulatory threats.
A Maryland doctor and her spouse, a U.S. Army doctor, were arrested on Thursday and charged with plotting to give the Russian government medical records of members of the American military, believing that the information could be exploited by the Kremlin, federal prosecutors said.

The couple, Dr. Anna Gabrielian, a Baltimore anesthesiologist, and Dr. Jamie Lee Henry, an Army major and staff internist at Fort Bragg, were indicted after they met several times with an undercover F.B.I. agent who they believed was working for the Russian Embassy, prosecutors said.

At a hotel in Baltimore on Aug. 17, Dr. Gabrielian told the agent she was motivated by patriotism toward Russia to provide any assistance she could to Russia, even if it meant being fired or going to jail, the indictment stated.

Dr. Henry told the agent that, My point of view is until the United States actually declares war against Russia, Im able to help as much as I want. At that point, Ill have some ethical issues I have to work through, the indictment stated.
WASHINGTON  President Biden painted a bleak and uncertain picture of the devastation caused by Hurricane Ian, saying Thursday that early reports indicate what may be substantial loss of life in the state.

Speaking at FEMA headquarters after a briefing on the hurricane, Mr. Biden said that the numbers are still unclear when it comes to the number of people who might have been killed by the storm. He said federal agencies are helping state and local officials assess damage and rescue stranded people.

At times like this, America comes together, Mr. Biden told reporters after the briefing. Were going to pull together as one team, as one America.

Mr. Biden said that he plans to visit Florida to thank emergency workers and check in on the progress of rebuilding. But he said he would wait until his trip would not interrupt rescue and recovery efforts.
Floridas governor, Ron DeSantis, has already said that Hurricane Ian is one of the five worst in the states history. The storm has caused widespread flooding and storm surge, and forecasters are predicting more rain over the next few days.

A storm bringing at least four inches of rain occurs once every three years in Florida, according to Florida State Universitys Florida Climate Center. In many places, the totals have met or surpassed that amount, and heavy rainfall will continue throughout the next few days, according to the National Weather Service.

Here are where the rainfall totals stood for Wednesday and what is expected in some parts of Florida, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Two areas along Floridas southeast coast, Palm City and Coral Springs, got up to eight inches of rain.

Fort Myers, near where Ian made landfall Wednesday along Floridas southwestern coast, got up to six inches of rain.

In South Florida, low-lying Miami was hit with up to four inches.

The Orlando area, the central city home to Walt Disney World Resort, is expected to see up to 20 inches of rainfall over the next few days.

The forecast for Tampa Bay, along the central Gulf Coast calls for up to 15 inches.

In Floridas most populous city, Jacksonville, in the states northeast corner, 10 inches of rain are forecast.

Most of Floridas west and northeastern coasts, running north to North Charleston, S.C., are under surge warnings, which indicate there is the danger of surge within 36 hours. Farther north into South Carolina, coastal cities are under storm surge watches, which indicate there is the possibility of surge within 48 hours.

Here is what some areas of Florida have experienced and what is expected, according to the National Hurricane Center.
Leonard A. Cole, a dentist who became an expert on biological weapons and chronicled in troubling detail a secret U.S. Army program that turned millions of Americans into unwitting germ-warfare guinea pigs in the 1950s and 60s, died on Sept. 18 in Ridgewood, N.J. He was 89.

His death, at a hospital, was confirmed by his daughter, Wendy Cole.

Dr. Coles dental practice was firmly established when he began a second career as a political scientist. He had written two other books  one on New Jerseys emerging class of Black elected officials, the other on the intersection of politics and science  when he began to look into the clandestine military tests.

The program, which ran from 1949 until President Richard M. Nixon halted it in 1969, involved releasing ostensibly harmless bacterial and chemical agents in the New York City subway, over the skies of San Francisco and in dozens of other places to test the countrys vulnerability to biological and chemical attacks.

The experiments first came to light after Army reports about them were leaked to reporters in the 1970s. A 1977 Senate hearing brought the program to wider public attention.
After the Sept. 11 attacks, Ms. Criswell deployed to al Jaber Air Base in Kuwait as a senior fire official assigned to crash rescue. In 2002, Ms. Criswell became the first woman to hold the position of fire chief in the Colorado Air Guards wing. She later led New York Citys initial response to the coronavirus pandemic, in her role as the commissioner of the citys emergency management department  also the first woman to serve in that role.

Since Ms. Criswell began leading FEMA, she tends to visit disaster sites multiple times to ensure that the community is getting what it needs from the federal government.

She is very hands on, very present, Gov. Pedro Pierluisi of Puerto Rico said, noting that she has made three trips to the island since she took the helm of the agency in April 2021  the most recent visit being one day after Hurricane Fiona hit the southwestern coast. She adds a human touch to what she does.

President Biden also praised her on Thursday, calling Ms. Criswell the M.V.P. here. Complimenting FEMA is not without peril, given that the agency has often been synonymous with maddening layers of bureaucracy, red tape and, at times, botched responses  most infamously with Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

In fact, Mr. Bidens compliment will have most likely rekindled memories of former President George W. Bush praising his FEMA director, Michael D. Brown, just days after Hurricane Katrina left a trail of destruction in New Orleans: Brownie, youre doing a heck of a job  a remark that is forever attached to the governments ultimately bungled response.

The challenge facing FEMA and Ms. Criswell from Hurricane Ian is only beginning. It also comes at a time when the two top politicians concerned with the hurricanes response  Mr. Biden and Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida, a Republican  are locked in a feud over immigration policy.

Ms. Criswell has tried to steer clear of that dynamic. She spoke with Mr. DeSantis days before the hurricane made landfall in Florida and has been responding to the governors concerns.
More than that, Mr. Jolly said, a governor who self-identifies as unswerving in his principles now finds himself with little choice but to push for storm relief actions antithetical to his professed ideology.

He held those convictions strong in the House, said Mr. Jolly, who has been sharply critical of the party in the Trump years. I doubt he will hold them as strongly in the governors mansion.

In 2013, Mr. DeSantis and Representative Ted Yoho, another hard-line conservative, were the only House members from Florida to oppose the Sandy package. For Mr. DeSantis, who represented a coastal district in eastern Florida, the vote at once established him as an eager combatant from the partys ascendant right wing  he was a founding member of the Freedom Caucus  while at times placing him on the defensive back home.

In a local interview that year, Mr. DeSantis said the bill contained extraneous stuff that could not be classified as emergency spending. I never made the point of saying we shouldnt do anything, he said, adding that he could have supported a leaner package focused on immediate relief. Asked then if he would vote against a relief package that affected his own district, Mr. DeSantis was noncommittal, suggesting he would support a responsible plan.

Through the years, critics in both parties have accused Mr. DeSantis of applying this standard selectively. In 2017, as he was poised to run for governor, Mr. DeSantis supported an aid package after Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria as places like Florida, Texas and Puerto Rico strained to recover.

His 2018 primary opponent, Adam Putnam, made an issue of Mr. DeSantiss voting record during the campaign. Storm-weary voters, a Putnam spokeswoman warned then, should protect themselves against further destruction at the hands of Hurricane Ron. Mr. DeSantiss congressional office denied any inconsistency at the time, rejecting a comparison between the two disaster packages and saying he had supported emergency spending when immediate and necessary.

Asked about the governors past positions on Thursday, a DeSantis spokesman said the administration was completely focused on hurricane response. As the governor said earlier, the spokesman, Jeremy T. Redfern, said, we have no time for politics or pettiness.
WASHINGTON  Virginia Thomas, the wife of Justice Clarence Thomas and a conservative activist who pushed to overturn the 2020 election, told the House committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol that she never discussed those efforts with her husband, during a closed-door interview in which she continued to perpetuate the false claim that the election was stolen.

Leaving the interview, which took place at an office building near the Capitol and lasted about four hours, Ms. Thomas smiled in response to reporters questions, but declined to answer any publicly.

She did, however, answer questions behind closed doors, said Representative Bennie Thompson, Democrat of Mississippi and the chairman of the committee, who added that her testimony could be included in an upcoming hearing.

If theres something of merit, it will be, he said.

During her interview, Ms. Thomas, who goes by Ginni, repeated her assertion that the 2020 election was stolen from President Donald J. Trump, Mr. Thompson said, a belief she insisted upon in late 2020 as she pressured state legislators and the White House chief of staff to do more to try to invalidate the results.
WASHINGTON  The Biden administration announced on Thursday that it would impose sanctions on two Chinese companies that transport and store Iranian oil, a shift to a tougher stance on Tehran amid signs that efforts to restore the 2015 Iran nuclear deal have failed.

In a statement, the State Department said the United States was targeting Zhonggu Storage and Transportation Co. Ltd., which it said operates a commercial crude oil storage facility for Iranian petroleum, and WS Shipping Co. Ltd., which it said manages a vessel that has transported Iranian petroleum products.

The Treasury Department also said eight entities based in Hong Kong, Iran, India and the United Arab Emirates had been designated as sanctions violators.

The actions come as officials in the Biden administration worry that more than 18 months of negotiations to contain Irans nuclear program may have reached a dead end and suggest they have begun reaching for new forms of leverage over the countrys hard-line leadership.
The political tailspin of J.R. Majewski, a Republican House candidate in northern Ohio, appears to be worsening one week after the Air Force said it could not corroborate his repeated claims that he served in Afghanistan after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

The Associated Press reported on Wednesday that the Air Force demoted Mr. Majewski in September 2001 for driving drunk at Kadena Air Base in Japan. Mr. Majewskis campaign had previously told the news organization that involvement in a brawl was the reason he could not re-enlist in the Air Force after his initial four years. The A.P. cited military records it had obtained since its initial reporting last week on Mr. Majewskis inconsistencies about his service, including where he served.

A campaign spokeswoman for Mr. Majewski, 42, did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Thursday about his demotion. In a statement to The A.P., Mr. Majewski acknowledged that he was punished for drunken driving, though he did not address why his campaign previously said his demotion was the result of a fight.

This mistake is now more than 20 years old, Mr. Majewski said in the statement. Im sure weve all done something as young adults that we look back on and wonder, What was I thinking? And Im sure our parents and grandparents share these sentiments.
WASHINGTON  The Justice Department is finalizing long-awaited plans to overhaul the troubled Federal Bureau of Prisons, which include a recommendation to increase sentences for prison employees found guilty of sexual abuse against inmates, according to people familiar with the situation.

For the past year, several working groups in the department, under the supervision of Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco, have been hammering out potential fixes in a sprawling system long plagued by health and safety problems, corruption, staff turnover and physical and sexual abuse that has disproportionately targeted female inmates and prison workers.

Ms. Monaco has been pushing federal prosecutors to crack down on sexual abuse at federal facilities, even though such crimes are often time-consuming and difficult to prove. She made a point of flagging prison abuse cases as a top priority in a video call last month with 90-plus U.S. attorneys across the country, in which she introduced the bureaus new director, Colette S. Peters.

But prosecutors  limited by federal guidelines that often result in lower sentences for people convicted of sexual abuse against prisoners than against nonprisoners  say more is needed. In response, the department has filed requested changes with the federal commission that sets sentencing guidelines, people familiar with the situation said.
A Michigan poll worker in the Aug. 2 primary has been charged with tampering with an election computer at a voting precinct, a breach that those in charge of elections said highlighted the insider threats to the systems integrity that have proliferated since the 2020 election.

While state and local officials emphasized that the breach had no influence on the outcome of the primary election, they said that the equipment involved would no longer be used.

The episode happened after the polls closed in Gaines Township, south of Grand Rapids, where a person saw a Republican-affiliated election worker insert a personal USB drive into a special computer known as an electronic poll book, the Kent County Clerks office said on Wednesday.

Chris Becker, the county prosecutor, identified the poll worker as James Donald Holkeboer.

The computer stores voter registration data, including confidential, personally identifying information about all voters in the precinct, but is not connected to any of the tabulation equipment or to the internet, according to Lisa Posthumus Lyons, the county clerk.
Michigan and some Illinois residents can start casting ballots on Thursday for the Nov. 8 midterm election as both states open early, in-person voting.

Voting is also underway in some form in six other states: South Dakota, Wyoming, Minnesota, Virginia, New Jersey and Vermont.

In Michigan, three Republicans endorsed by former President Donald J. Trump will take on three incumbent Democrats holding statewide offices. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is facing Tudor Dixon, a conservative media personality; Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson is facing Kristina Karamo; and Attorney General Dana Nessel is being challenged by Matt DePerno. Both Ms. Karamo and Mr. DePerno have been outspoken champions of Mr. Trumps election lies.

Michigan voters will also decide on a ballot initiative that would add legal protections for abortion to the states constitution.
The proposal originated this year with Gen. Tod D. Wolters, General Cavolis predecessor, and was fine-tuned after General Cavoli took command in July.

Lt. Gen. Christopher T. Donahue, who commanded the U.S. evacuation from Afghanistan in August 2021, has coordinated much of the U.S. military assistance to Ukraine from behind the scenes over the past several months.

From his forward headquarters in Wiesbaden, General Donahue, a former commander of the 82nd Airborne Division who now leads the Armys 18th Airborne Corps, has helped oversee training, talking to Ukrainian generals about their battlefield needs and drawing on his Special Operations background to advise his Ukrainian counterparts.

But General Donahue and his command staff, who have been deployed to Poland and Germany since the early days of the war, are scheduled to return to their main headquarters at Fort Bragg, N.C., in the next month, Defense Department officials said.

So the Pentagon would need someone else to lead the more formal command structure.

Brig. Gen. Patrick S. Ryder, the Pentagon press secretary, declined to discuss the proposal but added in an email, We are continuously assessing and refining our internal posture and processes to ensure we provide Ukraine with timely, relevant security assistance to meet its most urgent needs on the battlefield and to build its enduring strength to deter future Russian aggression.

U.S. officials have not publicly discussed the proposal, partly because Pentagon officials are still sorting through the plan but also to avoid feeding into the narrative of President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia that his country is at war with the United States and NATO, not Ukraine.

Still, the Pentagon has taken steps to begin the expected consolidation of the train-and-equip duties. Over the summer, a cell of logistics specialists that matches Ukraines requests with military donations from more than 40 nations moved to Wiesbaden from Stuttgart, Germany.
South Africa: SARS improves service offering for trusts

The South African Revenue Service (SARS) is increasing its focus on trusts by embarking on a journey to modernise and improve service offerings to this segment of taxpayers.

In a statement on Wednesday, SARS said the improvements are aimed at making it easy and simple for trusts to comply with their legal obligations.

Pursuant to the above, SARS has conducted a detailed current state analysis of tax compliance by trusts and their beneficiaries to determine whether all trusts and their beneficiaries are registered with SARS for tax purposes and whether all trusts and their beneficiaries have filed their annual income tax returns.

If so, whether such returns fully and accurately reflect their actual tax status and their payment obligations have been fully met. SARS is working hard to increase and expand the use of data.

Through this process, SARS has identified a significant number of beneficiaries of trusts who have received distributions but have not submitted income tax returns in line with their legal obligation as per the annual public notice under section 25 of the Tax Administration Act 23 of 2011.

These beneficiaries consist of companies, individuals and trusts who must submit their outstanding income tax returns immediately.

Failure to remedy this non-compliance, SARS will invoke the provisions of the law, which may include actions such as raising estimated assessments, imposition of interest and penalties as well as civil and criminal sanctions.

In line with its strategic objectives of providing clarity and certainty to enable taxpayers to comply with their legal obligations as required by law, an interim online registration platform (SOQS) is available to assist and enable Trusts to register with SARS, the revenue service said.

This platform can be accessed via the following hyperlink: SARS Online Query (2.0.0.0 (Prod))

SARS will invoke all measures provided for in legislation if trusts taxpayers and their beneficiaries intentionally negate their legal obligations.

However, trust taxpayers and their beneficiaries may still regularize their tax affairs by making use of the SARS Voluntary Disclosure Program (VDP) which is available and accessible on the eFiling platform, SARS Commissioner Edward Kieswetter said. SAnews.gov.za

This story has been published on: 2022-09-29. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article.
Xi Jinping and other leaders of the Communist Party of China and the state will join representatives from all walks of life in presenting flowers to fallen national heroes on Friday morning in Tian'anmen Square.

Sept. 30 is China's Martyrs' Day. The event will be broadcast live by China Media Group.
WASHINGTON  One of the most prominent of Russias oligarchs, Oleg V. Deripaska, and two of his associates were charged with conspiring to violate sanctions imposed by the United States, including by arranging for his girlfriend to travel to America to give birth so that their children would have U.S. citizenship, federal prosecutors said on Thursday.

Mr. Deripaskas girlfriend, Ekaterina Olegovna Voronina, entered the country in 2020 with assistance from the two associates and gave birth, making the oligarchs child an American citizen, according to an indictment unsealed on Thursday in Federal District Court in Manhattan.

She tried to repeat the maneuver this year, but was turned away, the indictment said. She was charged with making false statements to authorities who interviewed her after she arrived in Los Angeles in June on a private jet paid for by Mr. Deripaska, claiming her parents  not Mr. Deripaska  paid for the jet and a rental home in Beverly Hills.

The associates are accused of conducting financial transactions for Mr. Deripaska in the United States, including arranging hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of care and housing for his baby and girlfriend in Los Angeles, and facilitating the sale of a music studio in Burbank, Calif., for more than $3 million.
WASHINGTON  The Senate on Thursday approved a temporary spending package to keep the government funded past a Friday deadline and send another significant round of emergency aid to Ukraine in its war against Russia, punting negotiations on a longer-term funding measure until after the November elections.

The legislation, which would extend government funding through Dec. 16, passed 72 to 25. That sent it to the House, which was expected to quickly pass the measure, sending it to President Biden for his signature before funding was scheduled to lapse at midnight Sept. 30.

In addition to continuing government spending for several weeks, the measure would provide about $12.3 billion in emergency aid for Ukraine as it fights to continue reclaiming territory from Russia.

It sailed through the Senate with few objections, after Democrats removed an energy permitting measure by Senator Joe Manchin III of West Virginia, who had initially insisted upon its inclusion after being promised it would receive a vote in exchange for his support last month for the partys major climate, health and tax package.
WASHINGTON  Six Republican-led states took legal action Thursday to block President Biden from wiping away billions of dollars in student loan debt, even as the administration tried to avoid a court challenge by reducing the number of people eligible for relief.

A lawsuit filed in federal court by Leslie Rutledge, the Republican attorney general of Arkansas, accuses Mr. Biden of vastly overstepping his authority last month when he announced the government would forgive as much as $20,000 per person in student loan debt, a far-reaching move that the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimated could cost $400 billion over the course of the next three decades.

President Bidens unlawful political play puts the self-wrought college-loan debt on the backs of millions of hardworking Americans who are struggling to pay their utility bills and home loans in the midst of Bidens inflation, Ms. Rutledge said in a statement on Thursday. President Biden does not have the power to arbitrarily erase the college debt of adults who chose to take out those loans.

In a news release on Thursday evening, the Education Department issued its own estimate of the programs cost: $30 billion a year over 10 years, with a total cost of $379 billion over the life of the program. Department officials said they estimated that some 81 percent of eligible borrowers would apply for relief. (The C.B.O. estimate said that as many as 90 percent would apply, a number that was initially downplayed by White House officials.)
As Hurricane Ians eye roared ashore a few miles north of Sanibel Island on Wednesday, the Category 4 storm knocked out a portion of the Sanibel Causeway, a three-mile bridge that serves as the only connection with the nearby Fort Myers-Cape Coral area on the Florida mainland.

With the road destroyed, the 12-mile barrier island, which has nearly 6,500 full-time residents, can only be reached by boat or helicopter.

That is making rescues on the island, which was heavily flooded and sustained catastrophic damage, according to Lee County officials, even more difficult, as post-storm conditions are challenging responders across the state.

Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida said rescue efforts were continuing. It got hit with really biblical storm surge, he said. And it washed away roads. It washed away structures.
The killing came amid a sharply escalating national debate over the treatment of migrants and how to respond to a record number of asylum seekers and other arrivals at the southern border.

In Texas, Gov. Greg Abbott has been busing thousands of migrants, who are awaiting asylum proceedings, north to cities run by Democrats, saying he was doing so to relieve the pressure on resources in often poor rural counties along the border. And earlier this month, Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida arranged for 48 migrants, who had been in San Antonio, to be flown to Marthas Vineyard.

The migrants who were shot on Tuesday were many miles from the border, according to the affidavits, crossing through the desert in an apparent attempt to avoid detection by law enforcement or border officials.

They were walking in a group along a roadway near Sierra Blanca around 7 p.m. when they stopped at a water tank, according to the affidavits. As the pickup truck approached, the group, which included at least four people, tried to hide. The truck drove by and then stopped and backed up, according to the filings.

The driver then left the pickup truck, according to the affidavits.

During interviews with federal agents, the migrants said that they had heard one of the men shout in Spanish for them to Come out, peppering his language with profanity, before revving the engine of the truck, according to the affidavits. The revving of the engine led the migrants to believe that the truck was leaving, at which point, they told investigators, the two shots were fired, according to the affidavits.
There shall be no separate requirement on plaintiff at this stage, prior to the review of any of the seized materials, she wrote.

As the judge who appointed the special master, Judge Cannon has the authority to overrule Judge Dearie. But she herself has partly been overruled as well: A federal appeals court in Atlanta exempted documents with classification markings from the special masters review and allowed the Justice Department to continue using them in its investigation, blocking part of her original order.

Judge Dearie had also directed Mr. Trumps legal team to sort any documents over which he intended to assert executive privilege into two categories: privilege that would shield White House information from disclosure to people outside the executive branch, like Congress, and privilege that would purportedly shield such information from review within the executive branch.

By asking Mr. Trumps lawyers to do so, Judge Dearie was forcing them to confront the weakness many legal experts say lies at the heart of their contention that executive privilege is relevant in this context: namely, that the Justice Department is itself part of the executive branch.

Mr. Trumps legal team also objected to that requirement, saying Judge Cannon had not given the special master permission to make them engage in such a distinction. On Thursday, Judge Cannon appeared to side with Mr. Trump on that issue, too.

Mr. Trumps lawyers need only say whether something was subject to executive privilege  and, if so, to include a statement with a sufficient description of the rationale and scope of the assertion from which to evaluate the merits of the assertion, she said.

Judge Dearie had set a brisk schedule for the review. He gave Mr. Trumps team deadlines in October to finish categorizing the materials in tranches, and he apparently envisioned writing interim reports for Judge Cannon about them.
MEXICO CITY  He vanished before dawn, while out on one of his regular early-morning walks. Three weeks later Tomas Rojo was found dead, his body so decomposed it required DNA testing to confirm his identity.

A leader of the Indigenous Yaqui community in northern Mexico, Mr. Rojo was exhumed from an unmarked grave, buried near the Yaqui River, which sustains his tribes livelihood and traditions and that he had spent much of his life defending.

The Yaquis have been locked in a decades-long battle with the Mexican government for control of the river, which was exacerbated by the construction in 2013 of a giant aqueduct to siphon water to send to the state capital.

He was a very simple person, very shy, very cheerful, very intelligent, said Isaac Jimenez, a lifelong friend and the tribes secretary, as well as a fellow activist. I learned many things from him in the fight against the bad governments that weve had.
Sean Turnell, an economic adviser to Myanmars imprisoned civilian leader, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, was convicted Thursday of violating an official secrets act and of visa violations, and sentenced to three years in prison.

Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi received the same sentence for violating the official secrets act, the latest in a series of convictions that already has her serving 20 years in prison. Three former officials in the ministry of finance also got the same sentence.

Mr. Turnell was arrested in Myanmar five days after the military seized power in a coup last year that set off months of demonstrations and widespread killing. He pleaded not guilty to the charge and has remained in prison since February 2021, unable to meet with his lawyer or representatives of the Australian embassy.

Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing, the head of the army and the general behind the coup, reportedly said Mr. Turnells continued detention was in retaliation for Australia choosing to downgrade its embassys representation in Myanmar.
SEOUL  North Korea launched two short-range ballistic missiles off its east coast on Thursday in its third missile test this week, the South Korean military said, as Vice President Kamala Harris warned the country against its destabilizing weapons activities.

South Korean defense officials said they were analyzing the data from the North Korean test to help determine what type of missile North Korea launched. North Korea has conducted three missile tests since Sunday. In the previous two tests, it launched a total of three short-range ballistic missiles.

South Korean officials said they suspected that those missiles were probably KN-23s, a type of short-range ballistic missile that can maneuver during flight, making it harder to intercept.

The KN-23 is among a series of new missiles the North Korean military has been testing in recent years after the Norths leader, Kim Jong-un, instructed it to develop nuclear weapons smaller, lighter and tactical to target South Korea, Japan and the American military bases in those two countries.
LONDON  Queen Elizabeth II died of old age, according to her death certificate, which was released on Thursday by the registrar general of Scotland. The certificate, which lists her occupation as Her Majesty the Queen, also notes that the queen died at 3:10 p.m. on Sept. 8 at Balmoral Castle.

The first fact is indisputable, given that the queen was 96. But the report offers no further details about the cause of her death, which came two days after she was photographed standing and smiling as she greeted Britains new prime minister, Liz Truss.

The time of death, just after 3 p.m., is more revealing, coming more than three hours before Buckingham Palace announced it at 6:30 p.m. That indicates none of her family saw the queen just before her death, aside from King Charles III and his sister, Princess Anne, who were both already in Scotland on official duties.

Her two other sons, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward, and her grandson Prince William arrived at Balmoral, in the Scottish highlands, shortly after 5 p.m., while Prince Harry, who traveled separately, did not get there until just before 8 p.m.
At least 200,000 Russians have left the country in the week since President Vladimir V. Putin announced a partial military mobilization after a series of setbacks in the countrys war with Ukraine, according to figures provided by Russias neighbors.

The mobilization could pull as many as 300,000 civilians into military service, from what Russian officials have said is a pool of some 25 million draft-eligible adults on their rolls, suggesting that the departures, though unusual, may not prevent the Kremlin from achieving its conscription goals.

Video posted on social media platforms showed long lines of cars approaching border checkpoints in countries including Mongolia, Kazakhstan, Georgia and Finland. The rapid outflow, as well as a series of protests in different parts of the country, are a stark display of discontent with Mr. Putins policy.

I left because of my disagreement with the current government in Russia, said Alexander Oleinikov, 29, a bus driver from Moscow who had crossed overland into northeastern Georgia. He said that many people he knew were against the war, which he called a tragedy caused by one crazy dictator.
The move sets the stage for the Kremlin to assert that it is defending, not attacking, in the war in Ukraine  and so it is justified to use any military means necessary, a thinly veiled nuclear threat. Annexing the provinces could be used as a rationale for drafting Ukrainian men living there to fight other Ukrainians in the war, helping to solve a shortage of troops in the Russian Army.

Why does the international community oppose it?

The United States, its European allies and many other countries oppose Russias nuclear saber rattling and say that allowing a country to capture new territory militarily sets a destabilizing precedent. After Russias invasion of Ukraine in February, an article published by the Council on Foreign Relations observed that Russia, a member of the United Nations, was violating the United Nations Charter, which requires that U.N. member states refrain from the use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state.

Western allies of Ukraine say the supposed referendums showing support for uniting with Russia were a sham, as some residents of occupied areas were forced to vote at gunpoint, and a large portion of the population had fled as internally displaced people or refugees. The final tallies could also have easily been falsified.

How much land in the regions do the Russians control?

Much of the territory Russia is is claiming as its territory is occupied by the Russian army already. Russia captured and set up client states controlling about a third of two provinces, Donetsk and Luhansk, in a war that began in 2014. Its military advanced into the other two provinces, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson, in the invasion that began in February.

The front lines have shifted in fierce, seesaw fighting over the seven months of the war, with Russia mostly losing ground. The Russian army now controls most of the Luhansk and Kherson regions and about half of the Zaporizhzhia and Donetsk regions. Thousands of square miles of territory and hundreds of cities, towns and villages are now under firm Ukrainian control in the Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia regions, including the capital of one province, the city of Zaporizhzhia.
Russian news agencies on Wednesday released what they called the final tallies of ballots cast in four Russian-occupied Ukrainian provinces on a referendum to join Russia.

The voting was widely seen in Ukraine and the West as a cynical sham, propaganda intended for little more than creating a pretext for Russia to lay claim to Ukrainian land.

Tass, the Russian state news agency, said the ballot count showed 87 percent of voters supported joining Russia in Kherson region; 93 percent in Zaporizhzhia region; 99 percent in Donetsk region; and 98 percent in Luhansk region in the east.

Residents of occupied areas of Ukraine reached by telephone described extremely low turnout at polling stations. They also said that occupation authorities had used myriad techniques to influence the vote, from propaganda and free concerts, to raw intimidation by Russian soldiers, who stood near ballot boxes gripping guns.
Russian forces have detained Ukrainian prisoners of war in horrible conditions, subjecting them to beatings and denying them food to the point where many became severely undernourished, a senior Ukrainian government official said on Thursday.

The captors held so-called meetings in which prisoners were forced to run a gantlet through a barrage of blows from rubber batons, said Dmytro Lubinets, the Ukrainian parliamentary commissioner for human rights.

These batons even broke, and after that they used wooden sticks, he told journalists.

Around 800 prisoners of war have been returned to Ukraine in roughly 20 exchanges since Russias invasion began in February, according to Andriy Yusov, who represents the intelligence department in Ukraines ministry of defense. His statement to journalists gave no details of the mechanism for the swaps and did not say how many Russians were exchanged.

The treatment of prisoners of war is an emotional issue for Ukraine, which holds its fighters in high esteem for their defense of the country. Evidence of Russian abuses of captives, aside from being an apparent violation of the Geneva Conventions, has fueled outrage and added to a litany of reports of Russian war crimes.
BRUSSELS  The European Union put forward a series of new sanctions on Wednesday aimed at punishing Russia for escalating the Ukraine war by drafting at least 300,000 men into its army, threatening the use of nuclear arms and holding discredited referendums in occupied territories widely seen as a prelude to annexation.

The draft measures were proposed by the European Commission, the blocs executive arm, and they include an oil price cap, trade restrictions, and blacklisting several individuals responsible for what the officials called sham referendums.

To put the sanctions in place, all member nations would need to greenlight the package, and Hungary is expected to be the main obstacle. The European Union has already imposed seven rounds of severe financial sanctions against Russia since it invaded Ukraine, and Hungary emerged as the key spoiler to the blocs joint response to Moscow.

Last week, Russia escalated the invasion of Ukraine to a whole new level through the referendums in occupied territories, military mobilization and nuclear threats, Ursula von der Leyen, the blocs top official, told reporters on Wednesday. Were determined to make the Kremlin pay for this further escalation.
The promise of new military aid comes at a critical time in the war, when Ukraine has the momentum on the battlefield, and has retaken vast stretches of land in the east and is pressing entrenched Russian forces in the south.

The Russian president, Vladimir V. Putin, is mobilizing up to 300,000 reservists in an attempt to shore up his forces, and Ukrainian commanders are pushing to try to take back as much territory as they can before the winter freeze forces both sides to slow their operations and dig in. The HIMARs systems have proven effective at cutting Russian supply lines, destroying ammunition depots, bridges, rail links, and troop concentrations far beyond the lines.

Asked why the Pentagon didnt just send more of the advanced rocket launchers from its own inventories  as President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine has repeatedly requested  the senior Defense Department official sidestepped the question, saying the future delivery was to ensure Ukraine will have what it needs for the long haul to deter future threats.

What we consider before using anonymous sources. Do the sources know the information? Whats their motivation for telling us? Have they proved reliable in the past? Can we corroborate the information? Even with these questions satisfied, The Times uses anonymous sources as a last resort. The reporter and at least one editor know the identity of the source. Learn more about our process.

Pentagon officials have said for weeks that with the American HIMARS and 10 similar rocket systems already delivered to the battlefield  26 rocket-launchers in all  Ukraine has enough of the weapons to attack the Russian targets it wants. Indeed, the satellite-guided rockets fired by HIMARS have struck more than 400 Russian ammunition depots, command posts and radars.

The new shipment announced on Wednesday also includes 150 Humvees, 150 vehicles for towing artillery, radars, counter-drone systems and body armor, which the senior Pentagon official said would be delivered from manufacturers in the next six to 24 months. That brings to $16.2 billion in total military aid that the United States has committed to Ukraine since the war started in February.
Early this week, three separate leaks were discovered in two giant natural gas pipelines from Russia. The pipelines were filled with the fuel, and the ruptures produced gas bubbles half a mile wide that rose to the surface of the Baltic Sea, near the Danish island of Bornholm.

Explosions had been detected nearby just before the leaks occurred, and European governments have not yet identified the cause of the leaks in the pipelines, known as Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2. Political leaders in Europe and the United States have suggested that the episode was an act of sabotage.

Speculation has pointed to Russia, whose state-controlled energy company, Gazprom, is the main owner of the pipelines. A spokesman for President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia, Dmitri S. Peskov, dismissed allegations of Russian involvement as stupid and pointed a finger at the United States.
KYIV, Ukraine  President Volodymyr Zelensky and his government are responding with defiance and a touch of bravado to a stream of threats from Russia as it prepares to take the provocative step of baselessly declaring parts of Ukraine to be Russian territory.

Amid ominous signals from Moscow about escalating the war, including hinting at the use of nuclear weapons, Ukrainian forces are pressing ahead with their attack on Russian troops in the east and the south in regions that Russia intends on Friday to claim as its own. And government officials are pursuing a propaganda advantage as well, posting instructions on social media, in Russian, about how Russian soldiers can surrender safely.

Mr. Zelensky has taken pains to point out he is not dismissive of the Russian threat. He said he did not believe Mr. Putin was bluffing about threats of military escalation or the use of nuclear weapons.

But he also gave a public reminder of Ukraines recent successes, awarding medals on Wednesday to 320 soldiers and other security service members for the counter strike this month in the Kharkiv region in northeastern Ukraine.
Wolfgang Blau

Wolfgang Blau, co-founder of the Oxford Climate Journalism Network at Oxford University and advisor to the UNs climate unit, is joining Brunswick Group in London on Oct. 3.

He will be managing partner at the climate hub.

At Oxford, Blau helped train more than 250 journalists about how to improve their coverage of climate change.

Blau is the former international president and global COO of Conde Nast, where he launched its first carbon audit and chaired the sustainability group.

He also was executive director for digital strategy at The Guardian.

Neal Wolin, Brunswick CEO, said Blau will help clients understand the effects of climate change and how they can play a role in the energy transition.
A TULLAMORE-based amateur photographer has shared pictures she took of the late Queen Elizabeth II 26 years ago in Warsaw.

Malgorzata Marszalek, who is a native of the Polish capital, has been living in Tullamore for the last five years but on March 25, 1996, when she was 29, she was delighted to get close enough to the Queen to photograph the monarch during an official visit to Poland.

As soon as I read in the newspaper about her visit to Warsaw, I immediately decided that I had to see her, said Malgorzata.

Queen Elizabeth walked around the Old Town in Warsaw. Everywhere where it would be possible to see the Queen crowds of people lined up.

Then she was 70 years old but she still looked beautiful and that is how I remember her forever.

She said she even once considered sending the photographs to the Queen but was concerned they would not be good enough.

Malgorzata is an active and award winning member of the Tullamore Camera Club (see below a picture she took in Claddagh, Galway) and she says the camera she was using back in 1996 was not of good quality but she added: I am happy that I have one and only unique photos of the Queen Elizabeth in my archive. It is a great memento and memory of the great woman for me.

Malgorzata is a member of the large Polish community which has settled in Ireland since Poland joined the European Union.

She has two sisters who were born in Warsaw and they moved to Ireland before her, in 2004, and one now lives in Tullamore and the other in Athlone.

My family in Ireland is very big, 19 people with children, she said.

She is happy to be living in Ireland.

It is said that a person's heart is where he lives. And that's true, my heart is in Ireland now. I love the sea and mountains and I have it all here, she said.

She has travelled extensively, taking trips to Achill Island, Kilkee, the Cliffs of Moher, Waterford, Carlow, Westport, Limerick, Tralee, Killarney National Park, the Giants Causeway, Howth, Greystones and to her favourite cliff walk in Bray.

And of course many times in Galway and Dublin.
Two Offaly schools have been successful in a prestigious National Awards Scheme

St. Brendans Community School and Gaelscoil na Laochra, Birr, Co. Offaly, have each been awarded research funding by the Teaching Council, the national standards body for the teaching profession.

The awards were made as part of the Teaching Councils John Coolahan Research Support Framework, which recognises research innovation and supports teachers and schools in engaging in and with research. The awards were two of only 47 such awards made nationally, thereby representing a significant achievement for the town of Birr.

St. Brendans Community School was awarded 2,000 as part of the Teaching Councils Researchers in Residence Scheme, which supports research partnerships between schools and Higher Education Institutions.

In this case, the partnership is with Dr Majella Dempsey of Maynooth University. Dr Dempsey will collaborate with Maths and Computer Science teacher, Ms Paula Mangan and English and Religion teacher, Ms Beverley Lavin, who are leading the project in the school. Working in partnership with other teachers in the school, Business teacher, Mr John McIntyre, and Biology and Science teacher, Ms Kelly-Anne Milne, they will explore the idea of retrieval techniques to support student recall and comprehension. The ultimate aim is that students will have an enhanced learning experience and better learning outcomes.

PICTURES ABOVE: John Kennedy, Principal, St. Brendans Community School; Niamh Ui Chleirigh, Principal of Gaelscoil na Laochra; Ailbhe Curran, Deputy Principal and Special Education Teacher at Gaeilscoil na Laochra; Carmel Kearns, Head of Teachers Learning and Research, The Teaching Council; Paula Mangan, Maths and Computer Science teacher, St. Brendans Community School; Beverley Lavin, English and Religion teacher, St. Brendans Community School; Kelly-Anne Milne, Biology and Science teacher, St. Brendans Community School; John McIntyre, Business Teacher, St. Brendans Community School.

Ms. Ailbhe Curran, Deputy Principal and Special Education Teacher at Gaeilscoil na Laochra, was awarded 2,000 as part of the Teaching Councils Research Bursary Scheme. The funding will support her in conducting research into arts education policy. The research seeks to identify current opportunities for, and challenges to, implementing arts education policy in primary schools. Ms Curran is conducting the research as part of her doctoral studies in Mary Immaculate College, University of Limerick.

Both projects are also being supported by the principals of the two schools, who joined their colleagues for a photocall recently to celebrate the two achievements.

They were also joined by Ms Carmel Kearns, Head of Teachers Learning and Research at the Teaching Council, who said: Im delighted to be here today, on behalf of the Teaching Council, to mark what is a significant achievement for both schools. I commend the teachers who are leading these projects for their innovation and creativity, and I look forward to hearing more about the projects as they progress. I would also like to thank both school principals, who are clearly nurturing a vibrant research culture in their schools, and Dr Majella Dempsey of Maynooth University who is supporting the project in St. Brendans.

Speaking at the photocall, Mr. John Kennedy, principal of St. Brendans Community School thanked the Teaching Council for its support and noted the contribution the funding will make to teaching and learning in St. Brendans Community School. He also said: All teachers are leaders in their own right, and Ms Mangan and Ms Lavin have shown true leadership in designing this research project and securing the necessary funding. We look forward to collaborating with Maynooth University on this project, which has my full support.

Ms Niamh Ui Chleirigh, principal of Gaelscoil na Laochra said: We are all immensely proud of the research that Ms Curran is doing, and I am happy to support her in her endeavours. I know that the ultimate beneficiaries of her research will be the students in our school. She went on to congratulate St. Brendans Community School, noting that their shared interest in research can provide a springboard for future co-operation between the two schools.
THE Nigerian-born priest who served as a curate in Tullamore for six years has thanked the parish for its support.

Fr Luke Ohiemi, was appointed as curate with pastoral duties in Clara and in Tubber parishes and is now based in Horseleap.

In a last message to his former Tullamore parishioners at the weekend, Fr Luke said: Growing up in Nigeria and going to the seminary to train for the priesthood, I heard a lot about Ireland, and knew a bit about the land of St Patrick. But I never knew there was any place called Tullamore on the map of the world.

Fr Luke added: Yet providence and the mission of Christ led me to find a home amongst you in the last six years. Sharing the mission of Christ with you, I learnt, I made some mistakes and grew.

Thank you for every encouragement, support and kindness. I will forever carry Tullamore in my heart because you have become a part of my history. Keep me in your prayers as I do same with you. Thank you!

In a tribute a couple of weeks ago, Tullamore parish priest Fr Joseph Gallagher said Fr Luke will be missed.

He has been very much part of our parish during very challenging times and we have appreciated his dignified and prayerful presence among us.

Fr Gallagher added: His ministry to young people in our schools, to couples preparing for marriage, to the sick at home and in hospital, to the needy, to families in time of bereavement, to prayer groups, his patient listening and thoughtful advice, these have all been part of his committed and gentle ministry.

In 2015 Fr Ohiemi, Diocese of Idah, Nigeria was appointed by the Bishop of Meath to minister in Kinnegad parish while pursuing post-graduate studies in Maynooth.
A court has heard how a man in the Midlands placed a firework in the top of a county council traffic cone and then watched it explode in front of a garda causing her burn injuries to her legs and a laceration to her hand.

Dylan Smith (21) 65 Devine Crescent, Edgeworthstown, Co Longford, was charged with intentionally or recklessly engaging in conduct by deliberately igniting a firework and placing it on a parking cone at Quinns Hardware Car Park, Main Street, Edgeworthstown, Co Longford on April 25 this year.

He was also charged with throwing or directing a firework towards a person or property at the same location.

In outlining the case to the court, Sgt Mark Mahon for the prosecution said the sergeant had been on foot patrol on the day when they noticed something lit on top of a county council cone.

Sgt Mahon said the accused looked on as the firework suddenly exploded just as the female garda went to inspect the traffic cone.

He said the garda sustained burn injuries to her legs and a gash to her hand which required medical attention.

Sgt Mahon also said the States case rested heavily on CCTV footage which, he claimed, showed Mr Smith placing the firework at the scene seconds before the garda walked towards the scene.

Under questioning from Judge Bernadette Owens as to whether the garda was hospitalised, Sgt Mahon said he was unable to confirm or deny otherwise.

Im not sure, he replied.

She (garda) got medical attention the following day from her doctor.

Photographs illustrating the gardas injuries were also handed into court as defence solicitor Frank Gearty asked for a brief adjournment.

The case was put back to a sitting of Longford District Court on November 1 next.
Shock has been expressed at the details emerging from a tragic incident in Clarecastle, Co Clare, which left a young girl and a woman in a critical condition in hospital.

The girl was found with serious injuries at a property in Clareabbey early on Tuesday morning.

The woman was found unconscious, and both were rushed to hospital where their conditions were described as critical.

Both the girl and the woman are understood to be Ukrainian nationals.

An incident room has been set up at Ennis Garda Station and a senior investigating officer has been appointed to oversee the investigation.

A family liaison officer has also been appointed to the family.

Local politicians and a government minister expressed sympathy and offered support to those affected by the incident.

Its a tragic story for the people coming in from the Ukraine, its an awful shock for the community of Clarecastle and Ennis, and a tragic story in the house from what I hear, local councillor Pat Daly said.

Its a sad situation that a child is very sick.

He added: Whatever happened in there, no-one will know for a long time.

Fine Gael TD and Clarecastle local Joe Carey said our hearts go out to the family and the Ukrainian community.

We just want to support them in any way we can, he said on RTE News.

Earlier on Wednesday, Minister for Children and Integration Roderic OGorman, who is leading Irelands response to housing Ukrainian refugees, also offered supports to those affected.

He said: A really tragic situation has occurred there. Obviously we dont want to get into any great detail, but were very aware and have been since soon after the incident occurred and offering what supports we can.
A fourth leak on the Nord Stream pipelines has been reported off southern Sweden, the countrys news agency said.

Swedens coastguards told TT they have a vessel on the site of the leak.

All four detected leaks are in international waters  two near Sweden and two near Denmark.

The Nord Stream pipelines run through the Baltic to transport gas from Russia to Germany.

I called Danish Minister of Defence @mfMorten today about the Nord Stream pipeline explosions. I offered my full support to Denmark and reaffirmed the U.S. commitment to Baltic Sea security. Well continue working closely as this situation develops. pic.twitter.com/udNvmtoqxi  Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III (@SecDef) September 28, 2022

Neither pipeline was operating but both were filled with gas.

The Danish and Swedish governments believe the leaks off their countries are the result of deliberate actions.

Explosions were recorded before the leaks were reported.

A first blast was recorded by seismologists early on Monday south east of the Danish island of Bornholm.

The Times: Russia likely bombed Nord Stream pipeline with an underwater drone. An alleged Russian sabotage attack on the Nord Stream gas pipelines that caused large blasts in the Baltic Sea was probably premeditated and planned for, the Times said citing a UK defense source.  The Kyiv Independent (@KyivIndependent) September 28, 2022

A second, stronger blast north east of the island that night was equivalent to a magnitude 2.3 earthquake.

Seismic stations in Denmark, Norway and Finland also registered the explosions.

Some European officials and energy experts said Russia is likely to blame for any sabotage  it directly benefits from higher energy prices and economic anxiety across Europe  although others cautioned against pointing fingers until investigators are able to determine what happened.

Speaking on Wednesday before the fourth leak was reported, Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson said it would have taken a large explosive device to cause the damage.
Sean Turnell is an Australian economist and former economic policy advisor to State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi in Myanmar. He is also an honorary professor of economics at Macquarie University, a former staff member of the Reserve Bank of Australia, and the director of research at the Myanmar Development Institute. He is currently under detention in Myanmar charged with breaching the Myanmar Official Secrets act while working in an advisory capacity to Aung San Suu Kyi.
Ballarat is a city in the Central Highlands of Victoria, Australia. At the 2021 Census, Ballarat had a population of 113,763, making it the third largest city in Victoria.
Popular Front of India (PFI) is a Indian Muslim political organisation, that engages in a radical and exclusivist style of Muslim minority politics. Formed to counter Hindutva groups, it was banned by the Indian Ministry of Home Affairs under Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) on 28 September 2022 for a period of five years.
Rumble 30 Sep 2022

Dave Rubin of The Rubin Report talks about how viewers can help the people of Florida dealing with the devastation from..
CANBERRA, Australia (AP)  Australia could have tough new data protection laws in place this year in an urgent response to a cyberattack on a telecommunications company that stole the personal data of 9.8 million customers, the attorney-general said on Thursday.



Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus said the government would make urgent reforms to the Privacy Act following the unprecedented hack last week on Optus, Australias second-largest wireless carrier.



Dreyfus said I think its possible for the law to be changed in the four remaining weeks that Parliament is scheduled to sit this year.



"Im going to be looking very hard over the next four weeks at whether or not we can get reforms to the Privacy Act into the Parliament before the end of the year, Dreyfus told reporters. Parliament next sits on Oct. 25.



Dreyfus said penalties for failing to protect personal data had to be increased so that corporate boards could not dismiss fines as a cost of doing business.



The absolutely huge amounts of customer data companies held for years would have to be justified under the amended law, Dreyfus said.



Companies need to look at data storage not as an asset, but as a liability or a potential liability, Dreyfus said.



For too long we have had companies solely looking at data as an asset that they can use commercially, he added.



The government blames lax cybersecurity at Optus, a subsidiary of Singapore Telecommunications Ltd., also known as Singtel, for the theft of current and former customers personal information.



The data included passport, drivers license and national health care identification numbers which could be used for identity theft and fraud.



Authorities are critical of Optuss initial failure to disclose...
After leaks were detected in gas pipelines at the bottom of the Baltic Sea this week, politicians in Europe and the US have been quick to blame Russia. But what does the evidence tell us?
Chevron sold its current headquarters in California and to move into a nearby leased space about one-third of the size, as it relocate employees to Texas.
After leaks were detected in gas pipelines at the bottom of the Baltic Sea this week, politicians in Europe and the United States have been quick to blame Russia. But what does the evidence tell us?
A Hindu man who needed stitches after his head was slashed during violence in Leicester has thanked the Muslim activist who stepped in to save him.
Saudi Arabia's powerful Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has been appointed prime minister by royal decree in a move that could help him avoid a civil case in the US over the death of a critic.
Berlin authorities have banned a charter of the Hells Angels biker group and carried out raids on associated premises. The organization is accused of pursuing unconstitutional objectives.
Russian President Vladimir Putin will attend a ceremony on Friday in the Kremlin when four regions of Ukraine will be officially folded into Russia, the Kremlin's main spokesperson told reporters.
The Ukrainian leader of a of pro-Taiwan caucus of lawmakers in Kyiv has said China is "proving to be a friend of our enemy." He added Taiwan could play a role in rebuilding Ukraine.
France is sending its largest shipment of aid to Ukraine since Russia invaded its smaller neighbour in late February.
The Department of National Defence is investigating the conduct of military police after a suspect in the alleged sexual assault of a civilian woman took his own life before the case could go to court.
Liz Truss and Kwasi Kwarteng will meet with head of the Office of Budget Responsibility on Friday, in the latest effort by the pair..

Belfast Telegraph 29 Sep 2022
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Trump administration officials are warning that North Korea could launch a nuclear or ICBM test before the U.S. midterm elections.
Ohio Democratic Senate candidate Tim Ryan took time off from his congressional duties Wednesday and attended a fundraiser in California for his Senate campaign.
Kemi Badenoch has used her first overseas visit as Trade Secretary to spruik the Governments economic strategies as going for growth in a big way.
The Princess of Wales was all smiles as she met with sailors from the Royal Navy.
More than 40 leaders, including from all the EU states, were invited to discuss security and energy issues.
Jeremy MacKenzie, the founder of the online group 'Diagolon,' was arrested in Nova Scotia on Wednesday on charges related to an allegation of assault in Saskatchewan from last year.
While American people are being quickly withdrawn from Russia, Western leaders are preparing for a significant Kremlin escalation in its conflict against Ukraine.
Ireland centre Bundee Aki is set to miss home Tests against world champions South Africa and Fiji after being handed an eight-week ban following his red card for Connacht last weekend.
Upworthy 29 Sep 2022

Rapper Coolio, known for songs such as "Gangsta's Paradise" and "Fantastic Voyage," has died at the age of 59.



#songs..
Opalesque Industry Update - The Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) has suspended Mr Christopher James Aarons, responsible officer (RO) and chief executive officer of Trafalgar Capital Management (HK) Ltd. (Trafalgar), for two years from 27 September 2022 to 26 September 2024 after the Securities and Futures Appeals Tribunal (SFAT) upheld the SFC's disciplinary action against him for breaches of the SFC's Code of Conduct. The SFC's disciplinary action followed administrative proceedings against Aarons in South Korea. The Korean regulatory authorities found that Aarons had breached Korean legislation by dealing in the shares of a securities company listed on the Korea Exchange (KRX) based on material non-public information in circumstances that prohibited such dealing. The information concerned a block trade of shares of the KRX-listed securities company which Aarons had obtained from a sell-side broker during a "market sounding" call in January 2016 that preceded the public announcement of the block trade. It was determined in the Korean proceedings that although the name of the securities company was not mentioned during the call with the broker concerned, there was nevertheless sufficient particularity in the information that was imparted to enable Aarons to satisfy himself that the information must relate to the company. Aarons was not wall-crossed during the call with the broker, but he cut short the call with the broker and arranged short swaps in the company's shares about 20 to 25 minutes after he had obtained the information from the broker. The SFC found that Aarons' conduct was such that he was not a fit and proper person to continue to be licensed as a representative or to remain as an RO of Trafalgar, having regard to General Principles 1 and 7 of the Code of Conduct. The SFAT also upheld the SFC's decision to suspend Aarons' licence to act as a representative and his approval to act as an RO, but varied the period of the suspension from three years to two years. Mr Ashley Alder, the SFC's Chief Executive Officer, said: "The SFAT's determination sends an unmistakable message to the market that both sell-side brokers and buy-side participants have obligations to uphold market integrity by maintaining the confidentiality of non-public information on block trades or private placements during the market sounding process. We would not tolerate misuse of such information and individuals who abuse the process warrant severe sanctions." In the SFAT determination, Justice Hartmann said that, in the course of a conversation of the kind initiated by the broker, "a party being approached - a buy-side participant - has the obligation at all times to consider the nature of the material being imparted and whether the nature and extent of that information binds him or her to confidentiality." "Put simply, a buy-side participant cannot take advantage of the delay or negligence of a sell-side broker by acting for purposes of gain on what he knows to be material non-public information received. Such conversations embody mutual good faith and adherence to fair conduct. If it was otherwise, the essential integrity of these important dealings would be undermined," Justice Hartmann added.
Cleveland, Ohio, Sept. 28, 2022 - ContainerPort Group (CPG), a top 10 intermodal drayage and logistics solutions provider, along with its two affiliated trucking companies, Bristol Transportation and Middle Bay Transportation, celebrated National Truck Driver Appreciation Week by celebrating and rewarding the nearly 1,400 men and women who comprise its owner operator fleet. Owner operators responded enthusiastically to the weeks' events and tremendous giveaways. "We had incredible participation and a 
Director of Content and Operations

Spencer McKee is OutThere Colorado's Director of Content and Operations. In his spare time, Spencer loves to hike, rock climb, and trail run. He's on a mission to summit all 58 of Colorado's fourteeners and has already climbed more than half.
From a high meadow in the future Colorado State Park, Matt Moorhead, with the Nature Conservancy, looks for the abundant wildlife. Elevations in the park range from 6,000 to 9,600 feet, is home to a wide range of habitats, including a year-round elk herd. To Mooreheads left in the background is the Spanish Peaks. (Photo by Jerilee Bennett, The Gazette)
Photo: (Photo : Lorri Lang)

Isabel Siqueros is no different from typical girls who love playing with her brothers, but people don't know that she is a survivor. "I am Isabel, and I have a special heart," the six-year-old told the Fox10 Phoenix. She was diagnosed with a rare heart failure condition, Restrictive Cardiomyopathy, when she was two years old.

Sara Siqueros, Isabel's mother, told the news outlet that she was speechless when she found out about her daughter's diagnosis. She said the best way to describe her feelings at the time was like someone just ripped her heart out of her chest, and it was an out-of-body experience knowing that her child had a serious disorder.

The American Heart Association ambassador's mother just gave birth to Isabel's twin brothers when she learned of her daughter's diagnosis. Unfortunately, the family found out that there was no treatment for Isabel's condition. Luckily, the young girl was listed for a heart transplant and obtained her second chance at life in May 2018. The mother revealed that she was terrified, wondering if Isabel would make it or not or if her heart would accept or reject it. She added that she felt relieved when she first found out that her child was listed for a heart transplant but that soon changed to sadness, knowing what the other family was going through at the same time.

Sharing Isabel's story would make people more aware that there are children who are facing huge battles.

Read Also: How This Mom Is Not Forcing Daughter to Respect Elders, Says Common Advice Is Outdated

Isabel would be telling her story as an ambassador

Morgan Porter of the American Heart Association said that the association needs to ensure that they are empowering children to share stories in a local school so kids would learn a lot from others' experiences and what difference it would make to save lives while attempting to connect with a story locally. Being an ambassador, children can witness and hear what someone like Isabel has been through.

Porter said that Isabel would serve as the face and voice of the American Heart Association in school programs; thus, the little girl will record fun and educational videos and help share her story in different ways through school communications.

Sara added that Isabel also helped her brother, who was diagnosed with the same disease and also received a transplant. The mother is confident that her daughter will make a huge difference in many lives. She also hopes that Isabel will know how special and lucky she is to be given a second chance at life and she can use her voice to help other kids like her.

Restrictive Cardiomyopathy or RCM is a rare disease and accounts for approximately 5 percent of all cases of cardiomyopathy. The three major cardiomyopathies are dilated, hypertrophic, and restrictive. RCM is the least common form, per the National Library of Medicine.

How rare is Restrictive Cardiomyopathy?

Cardiomyopathy is a rare heart muscle disease that commonly affects one in 500 people. Restrictive Cardiomyopathy is the rarest condition. Its most common causes are amyloidosis and scarring of the heart from an unknown cause; it can also occur after a heart transplant.

Daily light exercise for people with cardiomyopathy can help them manage symptoms and reduce heart rate and blood pressure over time. Usually, people with this rare condition may need a heart transplant, and the outlook depends on the condition's cause, but it is usually poor. Survival after the diagnosis may exceed ten years, per MedlinePlus.

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Photo: (Photo : Tania Van den Berghen)

Katharine McClain told USA Today that people would often tease her husband, John McClain, as his name is similar to the lead character in the 1988 blockbuster movie "Die Hard." Even though their surname's spelling is one letter off, they have one thing in common: They are both heroes. The couple woke up early Saturday due to the sound of a loud truck driving away from their house in Livingston, a small town approximately 70 miles northeast of Houston.

Upon checking their home security camera, they found a shirtless man checking their vehicle doors and eventually discovered someone had stolen their neighbor's truck. When daylight broke, Archie, the couple's dog, led them to a scene that shocked the two. Katherine, a U.S. Army veteran, said their dog was barking around the shed, so John went to see what was happening. When he opened the door, he found a baby lying on the floor with a little dress on and no diaper.

She immediately picked up the baby and wrapped it in a towel after John told her to dial 911.

Read Also: How Does Putting Mirrors in Kid's Rooms Help in Their Visual and Cognitive Development

The mother cannot find the exact word to explain her reaction

The mother, who shares 15-year-old twins and a 17-year-old son with her husband, told the news outlet that she has never been more worried or terrified of a baby in her entire life. She added that what she felt for the baby was complete sorrow knowing anything could have happened to her. They wrapped the baby in a towel while waiting for an ambulance to arrive. The baby was later taken to a hospital in Houston to be treated for a broken leg.

The United Nations estimates that about 60 million children and infants have been abandoned by their families and live on their own or in orphanages worldwide. In the United States, over 7,000 kids are abandoned each year. Approximately 100,000 of the 400,000 kids are currently in the system and waiting to be adopted, either by their foster parents or by adoptive families who have not been fostered before, per American Adoptions.

The Livingston Police Department soon found the neighbor's stolen truck with the baby's father behind the wheel. According to the reports, he was now booked in the Polk County Jail on charges of abandoning or endangering a child. Authorities added that the vehicle that belonged to the kid's father was found abandoned near railroad tracks behind the McClain property.

Father sentenced to 12 years in jail for manslaughter

Another baby was abandoned at a boat ramp South of Brisbane. The drug-addicted father, Shane Arthur Simpson, abandoned his two-year-old son, Baden Bond, near the Logan River as he was tired of looking after him. The child's body couldn't be found as the young boy had probably drowned.

The father was sentenced to 12 years in jail for manslaughter, while the little boy's mother, Dina Colleen Bond, was also sentenced to three years in prison for being an accessory to manslaughter as she covered up the crime, ABC Net says.

Related Article: Three-year-old Toddler Reunites With Parents After Spending the Night Alone at Poinsett State Park in Wedgefield
Photo: (Photo : PublicDomainPictures from Pixabay )

A Fairfax County, Virginia, teenager wrote a heartbreaking apology letter to his mother on GoFundMe after he wrecked her vehicle in an accident, leaving her desperate for help.

Jordan Jennings made a plea to anyone who would read his letter that he needed help to get his mom, Kimberly Marshall, a new car after he totaled it in an accident.

Jennings told his mom in the letter that he loves her and is so sorry for totaling her car. He added that he sees her every day, trying her best to ensure he and his little sister are taken care of, and she does it all herself.

Jennings heartbroken after wrecking mom's car

When the accident occurred in September, Jennings was driving home after cleaning the vehicle. He said that when he saw the damage to the car, he was heartbroken.

Losing her car has been tough for Marshall, who works at an animal hospital in Fairfax County. She said that it takes her 30 minutes to drive to and from work each day, a thing she can't do anymore with her car gone. Problems are mounting for Marshall as the metro line in Alexandria is also shut down because of ongoing work on the Blue and Yellow lines.

Marshall said she has been getting blessings, but unfortunately, they are running dry now. As a single mom, Jennings noted that Marshall carries the brunt of everything in their household, so he knows she can't afford a new car. He added that she has been trying her hardest since he can remember.

Read Also: 3-Year-old Boy in Chicago Dies After Allegedly Being Pushed by Aunt Into Lake Michigan

Marshall at risk of losing her job with her car now gone

7News sat down with the family in an emotional interview to talk about their plight. Marshall said while crying that she did not want much. She just wants to be able to take care of her kids, and she needs to have a job to do that.

Jennings said they have no one to call for help. Marshall explained that a car could be replaceable, but her son can't be replaced. She said that once she realized he was OK, she was sad and disappointed as it seemed like it was always something with them.

Jennings wrote on the GoFundMe that his mom just recently found a job that she loves, but without a car, she was in danger of losing it. He then pleaded with people to help his mom get a new or used car. He said the worst feeling ever was seeing his mom cry and feeling like he disappointed her and let her down.

He added that her mom never asked for anything and that she was always willing to give. He finished his message by saying sorry again to his mother.

Related Article: Family Blames Hospital as Dad Dies of Internal Bleeding Just Days After Chilean Recluse Spider Bite
Photo: (Photo : ALFREDO ESTRELLA/AFP via Getty Images)

A mom from Texas is in hot water again for allegedly illegally transporting a jaguar cub to California and selling the wild animal for $25,000 last year. According to court documents filed on September 15, California officials found the jaguar cub abandoned.

The U.S. District Court filed charges for the Central District of California against Trisha Denise Meyer, who hails from Houston. This is not the first time the 40-year-old has been tied to endangering wildlife. According to MySA, Harris County police found a cougar, a skunk, a fox, and three tigers in the home that housed Meyer's 14-year-old daughter in 2016.

For that 2016 case, cops said Meyer had permits for the tigers but none for the foxes and skunks. Meyer was charged back then with endangering a child, but her case was dismissed amid a guilty plea to theft, which involved defrauding a woman of money related to the sale of the exotic feline, Savannah cat.

Meyer sold the jaguar between April and September last year

According to court documents first pulled by the Daily Beast, the alleged illegal transfer that transpired in 2021 showed Meyer was charged with a felony and two misdemeanors, including trafficking prohibited wildlife and interstate sale of an endangered species.

Meyer reportedly sold the jaguar between April 17, 2021, and September 17, 2021, to Southern California car dealer Abdul Rahman, Meyer's co-defendant. During the state's nearly year-long investigation, officers revealed how Rahman became dissatisfied and wanted to get rid of the jaguar cub by selling it to someone else after only having the animal for two months.

Read Also: Illinois Mom Shares Video of Daughter Having Fun at Wheelchair-accessible Swimming Pool

Rahman identified Meyer in photo lineup

Rahman sold the cub to a couple living in California for $20,000. The woman of the couple that Rahman sold the cub to was pregnant, though, and she feared having a jaguar around a newborn baby. Given his partner's concerns, the man who bought the jaguar cub from Rahman decided to drop off the exotic animal on the doorstep of a wildlife rescue on September 17.

Rahman admitted to investigators that he bought the jaguar from Meyer. He sent screenshots of the transaction to them in August. According to the complaint, he also identified Meyer in a "six-pack" photo lineup as the person who sold him the live jaguar.

The investigation is still ongoing, and officials are asking anyone with information on the whereabouts of Meyer to contact the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) at (281) 687-0682 or by clicking on the FWS website the "Report a Wildlife Crime" link.

According to Defenders of Wildlife, jaguars are the largest cat in the Western Hemisphere. They are the only one of the world's five big cats that reside in the Americas. They thrive in various environments, from tropical forests to open grasslands and even rugged terrain.

Related Article: Pueblo Teen With Niemann-Pick Type C Disease Celebrates Memorable Birthday by Becoming Prom Queen
Photo: (Photo : Pedro Vilela/Getty Images)

Cops in Virginia identified the remains of a 17-year-old girl who vanished nearly 50 years ago with the help of DNA testing, a scientific tool that has helped law enforcement agencies solve several cold case murders in recent years.

Fairfax County police said in a statement that Patricia Agnes Gildawie, also known as "Choubi," disappeared in Fairfax, Virginia, on February 8, 1975. A construction crew found her remains and some of her clothing behind an apartment complex in McLean, Virginia, back in September 2001, according to NBC News.

An initial review at the time said that the skeletal remains were like that of a female African American. The statement said that the victim was in her late teens to early 20s. A medical examiner stated that the woman died from a headshot wound.

Othram helps detectives in solving the cold case

Cold case detectives teamed up with Othram, a Texas-based company specializing in forensic genealogy, to solve cold case disappearances and murders. Through advanced DNA testing, authorities were able to find Veronique Duperly, Gildawie's half-sister.

They also learned that Gildawie was dating an older man when she disappeared. Police have not identified that person yet, but they said they know he worked in Vienna, Virginia, at an upholstery store.

Duperly told NBC Washington in an interview that the last time she saw her sister, she was driving a white Cadillac Eldorado with a red interior. Gildawie's boyfriend had lent her that car. According to Duperly, her sister also had bruises on her when they met each other.

Duperly told the station that her sister had bruises on her upper arms, shoulders, and the back of her legs. She asked her sister why she was so black and blue, and she replied she fell a lot. Duperly knew that was a lie and told her, "No, you don't."

Read Also: Family Blames Hospital as Dad Dies of Internal Bleeding Just Days After Chilean Recluse Spider Bite

Who killed Patricia Gildawie?

Ed O'Carroll, the Fairfax County police bureau commander of major crimes and cyber and forensics, said that identifying this young woman solves a mystery that has been in the making for more than 47 years.

He added that their community should take comfort in knowing that their detectives never stop working these cases, 7News reported. He said advancements in technology had allowed his Cold Case detectives to pursue fresh leads and bring some relief to families that have been long-suffering with the unknown.

Police said Gildawie was born in France and moved to the United States when she was eight months old. She then moved to Fairfax, Virginia, in the early 1970s. The case is still not totally solved, though, as detectives continue to investigate who killed Gildawie. They ask anyone with information about Gildawie's murder to contact Fairfax County Crime Solvers.

Related Article: Grieving Mom of American Who Died Fighting in Ukraine Wants His Remains To Be Brought Home
Photo: (Photo : J Pat Carter/Getty Images)

Authorities announced the arrest of the daughter of Tulsa County District Attorney Steve Kunzweiler, who is accused of stabbing her dad, the lead prosecutor in Oklahoma's second biggest county.

Tulsa Police Captain Richard Meulenberg said that Jennifer Kunzweiler remained in the hospital under police guard on Wednesday, a day after she was arrested for the stabbing. When the 30-year-old is released, she will be booked on a single count of domestic violence with the use of a dangerous weapon, according to News on 6.

Steve Kunzweiler told reporters on Wednesday that his family endured one of the toughest days in their lives, adding that fortunately, his daughter is alive, and he is alive. The Tulsa County DA said that he was doing fine, although he admitted being sore as he got some staples on his body.

Kunzweiler fights back tears as he recalls mental health crisis

Kunzweiler, who was standing by his wife and younger daughter, appeared to fight back the tears as he recounted the horrific attack, according to NBC News. He said before a long pause that mental illness is a terrible thing, and many families like theirs have endured years of anxious-ridden concern for their affected loved ones. He added that no one wants to be mentally ill.

Meulenberg stated that police were called to the home of Kunzweiler about 2 p.m. on Tuesday about a disturbance and an assault related to his daughter. Meulenberg added that Kunzweiler and his daughter were taken to the hospital for non-life-threatening injuries after the woman's mental health crisis.

Meulenberg said that Kunzweiler and his daughter got into an altercation of sorts where she had stabbed him. The injury stemmed from the daughter having a potential mental health crisis, which led to the assault on her dad.

Meulenberg said firefighters had to wrestle with Kunzweiler's daughter to get her under control. He added that the police department's family violence unit and crime unit are investigating this case like any other.

Read Also: Virginia Teen Issues Heartbreaking Apology to Mom After Wrecking Her Vehicle

Attack started with an act of self-harm

Police said the attack started with an act of self-harm. Meulenberg noted that she had cut herself first before going on and attacking the DA. Steve Kunzweiler, who was first elected back in November 2014, said that he appreciated the fast work of first responders. He also thanked firefighters who came to their rescue, saying they did what they had to do to intervene.

Kunzweiler decried the exploding mental health crisis facing the United States. He urged the state of Oklahoma to devote more funds to fighting this complex challenge, according to Tulsa World.

Officials said that Wagoner County District Attorney Jack Thorp had been assigned to the case because of the conflict of interest created by members of the Kunzweiler family being both suspect and victim in the stabbing incident.

Related Article: 3-Year-old Boy in Chicago Dies After Allegedly Being Pushed by Aunt Into Lake Michigan
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It was announced back in March that Apple had landed the 9-part Sci-Fi thriller titled 'Dark Matter' that received Rave Reviews for the Book. Starring Australian actor Joel Edgerton (Obi-Wan Kenobi, Boy Erased, Loving), who also serves as executive producer, the series will be written and showrun by Blake Crouch, and will be produced for Apple TV+ by Sony Pictures Television.

Hailed as one of the best sci-fi novels of the decade, "Dark Matter" is a story about the road not taken. The series will follow Jason Dessen (played by Edgerton), a physicist, professor, and family man who  one night while walking home on the streets of Chicago  is abducted into an alternate version of his life. Wonder quickly turns to nightmare when he tries to return to his reality amid the multiverse of lives he could have lived. In this labyrinth of mind-bending realities, he embarks on a harrowing journey to get back to his true family and save them from the most terrifying, unbeatable foe imaginable: himself.

Today we're learning that Alice Braga and Jimmi Simpson will be joining the cast of the series. Braga will play Amanda, a psychiatrist. Simpson portrays Ryan, a brilliant neuroscientist and friend of Jasons (Edgerton).

Braga is known for her starring role as Teresa Mendoza in USAs Queen of the South. On the film side she was most recently seen in The Suicide Squad, and soon will be seen in FXs upcoming limited series Retreat. Shes repped by WME and Greenberg Glusker.

Simpson was recently seen on television in Pachinko and The Man Who Fell To Earth, and will next be seen in the upcoming film Audreys Children. Hes repped by CAA and attorney Bruce Gellman. For more, read the full Deadline report.

Archive: Apple TV News
An amount of $100.74 million accrued from oil lifted by Jubilee Oil Holdings Limited (JOHL), a subsidiary of the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) was not paid into the Petroleum Holding Fund (PHF) as required by law.



Section 7 of the Petroleum Revenue Management Act (PRMA), 2011 (Act 815) provides that all revenues due from the direct or indirect participation of the country in petroleum operations, including the carried and additional participating interests should be paid into the PHF.



However, according to the Public Interest and Accountability Committee (PIAC), proceeds made by JOHL through its first lifting (944,164bbls) on the Jubilee Field in the first half of this year, amounting to $100,748,907.95, was held by the company, which is not registered in Ghana.



PIAC is convinced that the proceeds of liftings by JOHL forms part of Ghanas petroleum revenues and therefore should be paid into the PHF, PIAC said in its semi-annual report on the management and use of petroleum revenues for JanuaryJune 2022 released yesterday.



GNPCs acquisition of a seven per cent interest from Occidental Petroleum (Anadarko WCTP Company) in respect of the Companys DWT/WCTP assets for US$199 million took effect on April 1, 2021.



According to the PIAC report, the acquired interest was to be transferred to GNPC Explorco, a subsidiary of the Corporation.



It explained that the shares of JOHL were acquired at the cost of US$164,798,691.00 by GNPC through a Share Purchase Agreement between Anadarko Offshore and GNPC with monies advanced by the Ministry of Finance.



It said GNPC had started repaying the advanced amount of US$164,798,691 and that although the acquisitions were initially intended to be held by GNPC Explorco, they are in fact being held by JOHL, which is not registered in Ghana and could have tax revenue implications on the State.



The report said although the GNPC had indicated that they had sought the Attorney-Generals opinion before entering into the transaction, PIACs study of the opinion reveals that the Attorney-General did not comment on the issue of the advance by the State.



It said Contrary to Section 6(e)7 of the Petroleum Revenue Management Act, 2011 (Act 815), Capital Gains Tax was not assessed and collected by the Ghana Revenue Authority in the sale of the seven per cent interest by Anadarko in the Jubilee and TEN Fields in 2021.



In its written response to PIAC on the matter, the Ministry of Finance referred the committee to the Ghana Revenue Authority for answers. The Ghana Revenue Authority, in turn, referred the committee to the Ministry of Finance indicating that the ministry was exclusively in charge of the transaction, the report said.



Commenting on the matter, the Chairman of PIAC, Professor Kwame Adom-Frimpong said PIAC was expecting proceeds of liftings by JOHL to be paid into the Petroleum (PHF), as the Committee is convinced that the proceeds form part of Ghanas petroleum revenues.

Source: Ghanaiantimes.com.gh









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One of the revered international schools in Ghana, Delhi Public School International located in Tema, has held a successful investiture ceremony over the weekend to inaugurate its new prefects.



The ceremony which was to entrust new leaders of the school with specific roles and responsibilities was graced by the founder of the school and ace businessman Mukesh Thakwani and Ghanaian lawmaker Sam Nartey George among other high-profile dignitaries.



The school was established in 2010 in Tema, a suburb in Accra purposely for academic excellence, wholistic development of the students, and preparing students on a global platform enthroned its new school prefects for the 2022/2023 academic year.



In his address, the founder of the school, Mukesh Thakwani indicated that the prefects are groomed and ready to take up the mantle of leadership.



He was of the firm belief that the new prefects of the school have the potential to influence the school environment, and the behaviour of their fellow pupils by becoming advocates for positive change in the school community.



Mr. Sam Nartey George, MP for Ningo Prampran was excited to be part of the inauguration ceremony where he entreated the newly elected prefects to wear the prefects badge with honour and not betray the trust reposed on them. He advised them to be of exemplary behaviour.



The new prefects, according to the management of the school, were selected based on certain stipulated criteria which include academic performance, discipline, personal appearance and politeness. Others are regularity and punctuality to school, fluency and ability to express self, honesty and personal comportment.



The Delhi Public School International (DPSI) was established in 2010 in Tema. The school stands for academic excellence, wholistic development of the students, a dedicated team and preparing students on a global platform. The motto of the school is Service Beyond Self.



The founder and director of the school, Mukesh Thakwani started the school with a dream of contributing to society.



There is also an open-door policy at the school where parents are free to express their concerns that they may have so that it can be addressed immediately, and that is what makes the school very different from others.



DPSI follows the Cambridge Assessment International Education curriculum which is broad and balanced. As an IGCSE and A-Level curriculum school, DPSI enables students to get to the universities of their choices later on in college life.



He has groomed the entire team to be united and build the school to greater heights. The school is like an extended family.



Its philosophy is to work for academic excellence and the overall development of the students.



The school has a number of projects and activities that help the children go beyond the classroom, through interschool, interclass and exchange programs, because they believe every child has potential









Source: Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









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Africa Integrated Development and Communications Consultancies (AIDEC) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Academic City University College (ACity) to provide practical knowledge in areas of Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics (STEAM).



The MoU was executed on behalf of the two organizations represented by Mr. Ambrose Yennah, Executive Chairman of AIDEC and Professor Fred McBagonluri, President, and Provost of ACity.



Executive Chairman for AIDEC Consultancies, Ambrose Yennah, said: the agreement seeks to provide students with practical hands-on-training in Data Science, Machine Learning, Robotics and other advanced technological training in Artificial Intelligence (AI) in areas of STEAM needed to efficiently work in the job market.



He said the MoU is a private sector initiative between the two organizations to compliment governments effort at digitalization and will enable them to collaborate with other Consortium Partners for the roll out of several Digital Solutions and Services.



The agreement will include but not limited to the study and application of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools, Robotics, Data Science, Machine Learning, Business Process Outsourcing Services (BPO) with specific focus on the health, and Educational Sectors including Executive Training for the Country Ghana and scaling up to the continent of Africa in the near-term, he added.







President and Provost of ACity, Professor Fred McBagonluri, said the MoU will help in developing ready job skills by providing access to AI programmes that would help student use technology to pursue research initiatives that is focused on solving the needs of the society.



The MoU, as part of its objectives, agree to establish, implement and create an enabling environment for students to engage in research and practical consulting assignments as a collaboration between industry and other academic institutions for practical, hands-on training, research, and fieldwork for their mutual good, he said.



The Consortium Partners, he added, will provide top notch business, educational and technology solutions and services including Massive Open Online Courses (MOOC) platform as a virtual and open educational resource facility to our target customers in the public, private and third sectors.



AIDEC and ACity in collaboration with other Consortium Partners will identify projects ideas and invest in them to generate employment in IT/Digital Solutions and Services and generate income for the Consortium Partners whilst providing an avenue for upgrading the skills and competencies of students with creative and innovative technologies that will expose and prepare them for the job market including Students exchange programs for practical hands-on training, research and fieldwork.



The Consortium Partners agree to work to improve and expand their Institutional capacities in Artificial Intelligence, Robotics, Data Science, Machine learning including online learning platforms and programs to whip up the interest of students enrolling for higher education for STEAM, SparX leaning Xperience and other competency-based professional training programs for an all-inclusive digital transformation.

Source: Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









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Global statistics on Non-Communicable Disease (NCD) infection continue to dominate discussions on public health. Today nearly 41 million people around the world [i] die from NCDs (conditions that are not mainly caused by an acute infection but result in long-term health consequences and often create a need for long-term treatment and care.)

The study also indicates that three-quarters of these deaths are to a large extent, endemic in low and middle-income countries. It is in light of this that the United Nations (UN) initiated plans to reduce NCD by 25% by 2025 to assuage the impact. [ii]



It appears, in Ghana, NCDs like Cardiovascular Diseases (CVDs), cancer, diabetes, Arthritis, etc, are significant contributors to Ghanas disease burden. In Ghana, CVDs are responsible for 18,000 deaths annually[iii] . Even more alarming yet with very little attention, is the upsurge of dyslipidemia; a chronic risk factor of Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease (ASCVD), caused by abnormal cholesterol or lipids in the blood. Increased levels of bad cholesterol (LDL-C), lead to them becoming deposited in the walls of blood vessels where they can slowly begin to block blood flow through the arteries to the vital organs such as the heart and brain. If this happens, one is said to have ASCVD. [iv] Dyslipidemia (high levels of lipids) does not show symptoms. Such that more people are dying silently, leaving many households socio-economically affected by the high cost of healthcare treatment, loss of breadwinners and daily livelihood.[i]



A recently held summit organized by Novartis had health professionals highlighting the need for a comprehensive approach to tackle dyslipidemia in Ghana. Specialists at the summit warned that the total rate of NCDs is set to topple other diseases as the leading cause of mortality in Sub-Saharan Africa by 2030.



Dr. Philip Amoo, a Public Health Physician Specialist, indicated that apart from its health risks, ASCVD impacts families emotionally and financially, affecting economic productivity invariably. 75% of all human deaths annually are linked to Non-Communicable Diseases of which cardiovascular disease remains a major contributor. Other than the economic burdens on families, productivity at work is halted leading to loss of manhours.



The experts further advised that people who check their cholesterol levels can lower the risk of developing ASCVD and ultimately strokes and heart attacks by knowing their lipid level and taking steps to control it if elevated

Novartis Ghana is engaging stakeholders in the cardiovascular health community to chart a way forward for CVD screening, monitoring, and treatment in Ghana. The focus of Novartis is to motivate key players to act to secure better health outcomes for people living with ASCVD, including redefining how stakeholders in the health sector can work together to reverse the devastating health and financial consequences of this silent but deadly disease.







A major fallout from the panel discussion focused on how stakeholders, including the public sector, can leverage strategies to drive access to treatments by increasing advocacy to target patients suffering from dyslipidemia. Data collection, health system strengthening, and awareness programs are ways to curb the toll the condition has on the country's economic growth.



A panelist at the summit, Dr. Abdul-Samed Tanko, a Cardiologist, stressed that advocacy is necessary to achieve this. The country is not experiencing a type of Dyslipidemia whose risk factor is genetically induced largely because not much-targeted screening is being done. If that is resolved, we can get more data to feed into a registry localized for health interventions to cover all these groups.



Patients like Patience Binim, an educationist, have joined calls for strengthened efforts towards how ASCVD is approached, and patients supported. There should be more organizations educating patients on prevention and advocacy, going to communities, and targeting people. I have heard the name (Dyslipidemia) but I didn't know much about it until the doctors told me.



Collaborative partnerships are important to lessen the burden of ASCVD. It is why stakeholders like Novartis and other leading agencies are investing in solutions that reduce morbidity, and mortality by advocating for solutions to drive innovative access to treatments. The Global Health company aspires to be the partner of choice for governments and NGOs to strengthen healthcare systems across Africa.



We are deeply committed to improving access to health care and medicines for patients not only in West Africa but across SSA. Already, our ongoing collaborative efforts with likeminded organizations have seen us delivering on our ambitions which we hope will bring real impact to a significant number of patients. This, the Country Head Mr. Philip Tagboto says, has led to discussions with key experts.



This is just one example of how Novartis is working with thought leaders, medical societies, health authorities, and NGOs across SSA to highlight the urgency and address this silent killer. The time for action is now and committed multi-sectoral collaboration on awareness, screenings, and treatment is key.

Source: Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









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Fatima Bio, the wife of Sierra Leones president, Julius Maada Bio, has said her husband holds a PhD degree in staging coups therefore nobody can overthrow him.



She was referring to the violent protests of 10 August in opposition strongholds which left 31 people killed including six police officers.



The president blamed the protests  which were generally about the high cost of living  on the opposition alleging that they were part of a plot to overthrow him, leading to the dismissal of the top three in the army.



Speaking over the weekend at a fundraising event in the US, Mrs Bio accused unnamed people of wanting to overthrow her husband.



Maada Bio has a PhD in coup detat, can you remove him? she asked rhetorically, before reiterating: The man has a PhD in [staging] coups, how can you remove someone who teaches people how to stage a coup?," the first lady said in a video shared on Facebook.



Mrs Bio was making an apparent reference to the fact that her husband first came to power in April 1992 as part of a group of young military officers who overthrew the civilian government of Joseph Saidu Momoh of the All Peoples Congress, the party he defeated at the polls in 2018 and whom he accused of being behind the August protests.



The opposition party vehemently denied the allegations.



Many have condemned the statement with some of the moderate elements within her Sierra Leone Peoples Party (SLPP) condemning it.



Mrs Bio, a prolific user of Facebook and TikTok, has been known to make controversial comments.



She has not responded to the reactions following her coup comments, nor has anyone at the presidency.

Source: BBC









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Achimota Forest and portions of it which became a subject matter some months ago have resurfaced as the Osu Stool has provided documents dated far back in colonial days as the allodial owner of the forest and other boundaries.



The Osu Stool said that it was the only allodial owner of the Achimota Forest and other Osu-established settlements during their migration from Osudoku to their present location.



Rev. Solomon Quartey Kwatei, Osu Stool Secretary addressing the media in a press conference said that any release of portions of the Achimota Forest to any person(s) other than the Stool would be unlawful.



We wish to advise members of the Ga Community as a whole to desist from any frivolous claims to the Achimota Forest he advised.



Rev. Quartey Kwatei explained that the Achimota Forest was one of the villages established by the people of Osu in the course of their migration from Osudoku en route to Christiansborg where the indigenes largely settled.



Other villages established by the people of Osu include but are not limited to Haatso, Papao, Legon, Achimota, Jawuro (Dzorwulu) and many others, he added.



He stated that the various judgments of the colonial courts in various land matters involving acquisitions by the colonial governments as well as other land cases took the position that all Osu lands were held only by the stool as allodia owners.



These decisions have gone as far as confirming that there are no Quarter, Family or individual allodia ownerships of Osu lands, he stated.



Citing the matter of Achimota land acquired by the government of the Gold Coast Colony under Certificate of Title No. 869/1921 to buttress his assertion, he said that the compensation paid to the Owoo family and the Oku family was not based on ownership, but on the loss of settlement and livelihood.



The compensation was paid to the Owoo familys right to be on the land as subjects of the Osu Stool. It is important to emphasize that the compensation was not only paid to the Owoo family but was shared between the Owoo and Oku families, he explained.



Rev. Kwatei mentioned that the Osu Stool as owners and custodians of Osu lands consciously refrained from making comments on the issues to pave way for their commissioned body with the appropriate legal competence to critically examine the issues and to present a clear understanding of the situation.



He stressed that several documents including court judgements and proceedings dating back into colonial times were examined, and critical findings were made by the commissioned body.



The 1902 judgements established Obenesu River as Osu La boundary. There should be no denying the fact that Osu Home School near Kaajano Estate, Osu Childrens Home near Cantonments and all road networks in Nyaniba Estates are named with the identity of the four Quarters of Osu, he said.



He underscored that the 1992 Constitution of Ghana provides that all stool lands shall be vested in the appropriate stool on behalf of, and held in trust for the subjects of the stool by customary law and usage.



Decisions of the colonial courts regarding ownership of the said lands are in the statute books of the state. We expect all stakeholders to respect these decisions and not to delude themselves into thinking that there are no documents on the lands afore-mentioned, he cautioned.



He, however, disclosed that the Chiefs and Elders of Osu would engage the appropriate authorities in the government to iron out all issues regarding any contemplated or planned release of the Achimota Forest lands.



Additionally, he said that there shall be various actions to recover fraudulently acquired Osu lands without exception, while also regularising irregular titles on lands belonging to the Osu Stool.



Over the years, our rights to own, develop and control our lands, territories and resources have been jeopardized by interference with outsiders, threatening our very existence and our identity as people of a particular origin.



These interferences in the Stools management of its lands which includes fraudulent land transactions and conveyances without the consent and concurrence of the Stool amongst others, have far-reaching consequences on the indigenes of Osu and this practice ought to be curtailed or cease forthwith, he insisted.



Touching on the lands and resources belonging to the Osu Stool, Rev Solomon Quartey mentioned that some of the properties acquired by their ancestors for many years had been under the authority as pertains to other traditional jurisdictions in other regions.



The Osu Stool Lands share boundaries from the east coast of Gulf of Guinea with the La stool at the river Obenesu and extends northwards through Shiashi to the left side of Okponglo on the Dodowa road to Ayi Mensah. On the west side, Osu shares boundaries with the Gbese Stool at the river Dodokwe and continues to Kokomlemle through to the right side of Kwabenya and the north with Akwapim people.



We are also working assiduously on asserting our claims of Abelenkpe, Maamobi and Dzorwulu lands. Additionally, our legal team is critically assessing the issues relating to our lands and at the right time will commence the necessary discussions and if plausible initiate appropriates legal actions against other traditional areas, institutions and individuals to stake our claims, he disclosed.



He called on the people of La to understand the issue at stake and endeavour not to confuse political demarcations with traditional boundaries.



Our Chieftaincy dispute is the cause of these confusions but Osu will ensure that the right thing is done during the creation of electoral boundaries to preserve the peace we are currently enjoying, he said.



He insisted that all Osu lands were vested in the Stool and therefore it was essential that all land transactions were conducted with the consent and concurrence of the Stool and the principal elders of Osu in other to avoid creating voidable conveyances.



He was however cleared that the Stool would not stand in the way of persons who acquire an interest in Osu lands for development, provided such acquisitions were obtained lawfully.



He then called on the government to revert Osu lands to the original owners in a situation where the acquired lands for socio-economic development for the public good are not used for the said purpose for which they were attained as enshrined in the 1992 Constitution of Ghana.



there have been numerous instances of wilful infraction of this fundamental legal provision to an extent that lands acquired by the State end up in individual names and such situations could hardly be described as public interest initiative/s, he was concerned.

Source: Peacefmonline.com









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Sierra Leones Information Minister Mohamed Rahman Swarray has played down a comment made by the countrys first lady that her husband holds a PhD in staging military coups.



Fatima Bio said at a fundraising event in the US over the weekend that President Julius Maada Bio was a teacher of coups and therefore nobody could overthrow him.



Her comments were a reference to protests held on 10 August in opposition strongholds over the rising cost of living and to the fact that her husband had been a part of two coups in the 1990s.



I am not aware of any university where they offer coup studies, Mr Swarray told the BBC



In 1992 Mr Bio and other junior military officers overthrew the civilian government of Joseph Saidu Momoh. In January 1996 he staged a palace coup and succeeded Captain Valentine Strasser as head of state.



Two months later he held elections and handed over to a civilian rule.



Mr Swaray said the 1992 coup was the most popular in the history of this country because several attempts at a democratic change of government had failed.



He said the palace coup happened because President Bio wanted to ensure that they kept to their commitment to the people to deliver a return to multiparty democracy as laid out in their original plan.



The information minister fell short of condemning the first ladys statement, saying instead that he was only putting it into context.



He said the president was one of the morale guarantors in West Africa to return Guinea and Mali - where the military has seized power - to democratic civilian rule.



The first lady has still not clarified her statement.

Source: BBC









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Mr. Ibrahim Mahama on Tuesday, September 27, invited Master Solomon Atimbiri who hails from the Upper East Region but currently a resident in Kumasi, for a mentorship session and exhibition of his invention works. Mr. Ibrahim Mahamas attention was drawn to the young inventors potential after a video of his works went viral on social media last weekend. The young inventor has been able to build a moving excavator and other trucks by using available local materials.



Mr. Ibrahim Mahama took interest and decided to mentor young Solomon Atimbiri, by offering him the needed support in realizing his dream. He has been attached to a team of local and expatriates engineers. He will be given practical training whenever school is on break till he completes school. He will again join the Engineers & Planners Limited permanently and will be working with a team of professional engineers after completion of school. Some of the current engineers working within Mr. Ibrahim Mahamas firm were also discovered as raw talent and were developed to become the professional engineers they are today.



Solomon Atimbiri will be given the best support and environment to become an accomplished professional engineer and inventor.





Source: Peacefmonline.com









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Paul Adom-Otchere has delivered a touchscreen analysis of the viral incident involving the purported booing of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo at a musical concert on September 24.



The Good Evening Ghana host showed two edited videos of what he said was the official footage from the organizers or the production company and that of an individual filming with their phone.



He told his audience on the September 27 edition of Good Evening Ghana that presenting both videos was to allow them, make a determination if this was booing or not, of course, there were people who were clapping and saying away, we saw that as well.



After showing the footage with the booing portions, he concluded: This is somebodys mobile phone that is filming some people who are clapping the president off the stage and you have to contrast that with the very unanimous heralding of the president unto the stage by the audience at the event.



How this becomes booing and it becomes a story and media are using it and the president was booed, I am not too sure how. But this is the real stuff of what happened, he added.





The booing incident: Exactly what happened?Thousands of patrons were at the Black Star Square to witness the concert that had a number of local and international artistes performing.As host of the event, the president was called upon to give his remarks, which happened to be a prepared speech that lasted over six minutes.The booing happened when he started his speech saying: "The whole world is in Ghana today."What started initially as people showing their disapproval of his presence on the stage, turned into loud clapping and chanting of the words: "away, away...," the president, however, stayed the course and delivered his full speech.As if that was not enough, people on social media latched on to the development to mock the president.









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The Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta says no agreement has been reached with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) on the parameters of any debt operations.



Former Minister for Finance, Seth Terkper has said the government will have challenges with the calculation of the numerous debts incurred over the period in the debt sustainability analysis with the International Monetary Fund(IMF).



Mr. Terkper further indicated that there are a number of debts the government must table for analysis as part of the negotiation process.



But, during a press conference in Accra on Wednesday September 28, 2022, Mr. Ofori-Atta said IMF will cover a period of 10 days; and in line with the Presidents dialogue with the IMF Managing Director, Kristalina Georgieva, negotiations will be fast-tracked to ensure that key aspects of the programme are reflected in the 2023 Annual Budget Statement in November 2022.



We simply have not reached any agreement with the Fund on the parameters of any debt operations as we are in the process of completing the debt sustainability analysis. Government shall continue to actively engage all stakeholders in a clear and transparent manner as we seek to fast-tract the IMF negotiation process.



Government is committed to ensuring that a comprehensive package is negotiated with the aim of restoring and sustaining macroeconomic stability, ensuring durable and inclusive growth and promoting social protection, he explained.



Mr. Ofori-Atta stated that in the Ministrys press release dated 26th September, 2022 on the commencement of the IMF negotiations, having a sustainable debt path is a pre-requisite for the IMF programme.



Therefore, the IMF/World Bank and the Ghana Team are currently undertaking a debt sustainability analysis (DSA) to inform the programme negotiations.



In addition, the IMF and Government Team are working to update the medium-term macro-fiscal framework to inform IMF programme design.



Also, the Government Team and the IMF Team are discussing policy measures and structural reforms proposed in our economic programme aimed at addressing the economic challenges facing the country towards restoring and sustaining macroeconomic stability, fiscal and debt sustainability, as well as promoting durable and inclusive growth and social protection.













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"The way we are destroying our lands, putting down our cocoa trees and the behaviour of some politicians, media, clergy, chiefs and other influential people involved in galamsey business, l will not be surprised if years to come the country will have to import water.", a former Afigya Kwabre South New Patriotic Chairman, Odeneho Kwaku Appiah has stated amid galamsey troubles in Ghana.



Illegal mining reports have been reignited recently after photos of degraded lands and water bodies went viral on social media.



Although Ghana requires permits to mine on a small scale, it is estimated that about 70% of small-scale miners are unregistered and operate illegally. They are known locally as galamsey, meaning to gather and sell.



In a Facebook post, COKA asked;



"What legacy are we leaving for our future generation? What plans do we also have for our children and great-grandchildren? After World War II, the Germans spent a lot of money before they could get quality and potable water for their people. In Germany, one bottle of water could buy two bottles of beer; meaning water is more expensive than beer but in Ghana, it is the opposite."



Those above are using the youth of today for their selfish interest and the annoying thing is that those youth who are used by the big people  are still poor."



He further questioned what the country will tell the next generation about the lands being degraded should the country import water someday due to galamsey menaces.



"What are we going to tell our great-grandchildren some years to come, when they ask us about why we import water, why we are not the leading cocoa producing country as it was some years back and why cant we get land to farm on or build?



Galamsey is destroying our lands and our country so lets wake up to say no to Galamsey. Why can't we encourage proper community mining which can be regulated and supervised? Lets say no to Galamsey because the last time l saw river Pra and Birim l wept, he added sorrowfully.



While illegal mining supports livelihoods, it has caused severe damage to the environment. It is blamed for the destruction of farmlands and pollution of water bodies. It also denies the state revenue: an estimated $2.3 billion in 2016.

Source: Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









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BEIJING, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- Just ahead of the fifth Chinese farmers' harvest festival that fell on Friday, village Party chief Wang Weiwei, sat down with his predecessor Cao Hui, as usual, to do an assessment. "This year, the output value of the village has reached 400 million yuan (about 56 million U.S. dollars), and the per capita disposable income is close to 20,000 yuan," said Cao, of Yanglang Village, Guyuan City, northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region. With some 2,600 farmers, the mountain village in Xihaigu, a region once deemed "uninhabitable," has ushered in a bumper year, again. The once impoverished village has transformed into a land of wealth, boasting industries such as wine-making, foundry and rural tourism. The impressive report card is a result of decades of unremitting efforts of villagers, led by members of the Communist Party of China. STRONG LEADERSHIP Yanglang's Party members take charge of leading the development of the pillar industries in the village. Through brand building and technological upgrading, the village Party organization has led local residents to shake off poverty and pave a road toward prosperity. The story of Yanglang is not a unique one as such transformations, with Party cadres leading the anti-poverty campaign and promoting rural revitalization, can be seen across the country. China has always put agriculture and rural areas high on the agenda of its economic work. As the country has eliminated absolute poverty, rural revitalization has breathed new life into China's agriculture sector and villages. Over the past years, millions of cadres have been dispatched to villages to help reduce poverty in a targeted approach, consolidate achievements in poverty alleviation, and advance rural revitalization in an all-around way. Selected from Party and state organs, state-owned enterprises and public institutions, the cadres are required to contribute to the development of rural industries to help villagers increase their income and promote high-quality agricultural and rural development. They are also tasked with strengthening rural Party organizations, improving rural governance and providing better services to villagers. PAIRING-UP ASSISTANCE Over the past five years, more than 3,000 on-the-job cadres and other personnel from Shanghai have been sent to southwest China's Yunnan Province, bringing funds, advanced concepts and technologies to the less-developed areas. In the meantime, over 3,000 cadres and others in Yunnan have also traveled to the east China metropolis for self-improvement. This is part of China's "pairing-up" approach, which pairs less-developed western regions with wealthier eastern areas that provide dedicated support in terms of capital, technology, personnel and other resources to fight poverty and boost development. In Lanping Bai and Pumi Autonomous County, Yunnan, advanced computer-controlled cultivation systems have spurred local fruit farming development. At present, there are 3,200 mu (about 213 hectares) of strawberries and 3,450 mu of cherries in an industrial park in Lanping. "The selling price of our blueberries even exceeds that of imported ones," said a park staffer, adding that the industrial park earned an operating income of more than 20 million yuan last year, and the output of blueberries reached 300 tonnes this year, and is expected to more than double next year. Thanks to the assistance from east China's coastal Fujian Province, once poverty-stricken villages deep in the barren mountains of Ningxia have seen a sea change over the past decades. By the end of 2020, Fujian had invested about 3.37 billion yuan in over 4,000 projects in Ningxia. THRIVING INDUSTRIES Thriving industries are the foundation for rural revitalization and sustainable development in rural areas. Over the past years, China has strived to empower rural revitalization with the development of specialized industries. Niejiazhuang Village in Jiangzhuang Township of Gaomi City, east China's Shandong Province, is a cradle of clay sculpture, a form of national intangible cultural heritage. Yet for a certain period, like many cultural heritages, the traditional handicraft was staring at a gloomy future with sluggish sales and few new practitioners. To revive the industry and help locals cash in on their handicrafts, local authorities made concerted efforts to improve logistics, technology, management, promotion and sales. Today, over 5,000 people in Jiangzhuang Township are engaged in the research, design and production of intangible cultural heritage-related products. Over 400,000 mud tigers, a signature clay product there, are made every year, with the total annual sales revenue exceeding 10 million yuan. Rural industries have seen steady development and expanded the channels for farmers to increase their employment and income. The per capita disposable income of rural residents rose 4.2 percent in real terms to 9,787 yuan in the first half of this year, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs. The rural industrial system will be improved to create more job opportunities and generate a greater share of profits for farmers, according to government plans.
The Greater Accra Regional Minister, Henry Quartey has issued a stern warning to authorities and residents at Oyibi to be law-abiding as they celebrate their Yam Festival starting on Friday, September 30.



The Oyibi Divisional Council, in a statement dated 27th September, declared Friday as a public holiday and announced to the residents they referred to as "citizens" of Oyibi to observe the holiday.



This caught the attention of the Regional Minister and the Security Council.



In an interview with host Kwami Sefa Kayi on Peace FM's "Kokrokoo" morning show, the Minister noted that he together with the Regional Security Council have had a meeting with the Oyibi Divisional Council to rescind the public holiday declaration.



In view of this, the Oyibi Council Secretary, Enoch Alabi Nyomowoko, in a press release dated September 28, has withdrawn the earlier statement.



I wish to apologize to the entire citizens living in any part of Oyibi Community and the general public for releasing such communique and I seek that such information should be disregarded, the statement read.



The Minister has therefore called on the residents to comply with the latest directive ensuring peace in the community.



He warned that, "anybody who breaches the peace of the community" that "the Police will do their work as is expected of them. We will not leave any stone unturned".

Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









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Henry Quartey, the Greater Accra Regional Minister, has shared bitter concerns over inadequacy of lands in the Region.



According to the Ayawaso Central Member of Parliament (MP), almost all the lands including State ones have been sold out by the Chiefs, thereby making it difficult for government to find lands to do its developmental infrastructure projects.

The Minister revealed that President Akufo-Addo's 'Agenda 111' project aimed at building 111 Regional and district hospitals in the country is delaying because of the lack of lands.



He disclosed during an interview with Kwami Sefa Kayi on Peace FM's "Kokrokoo" programme Thursday morning that he has scouted the Region and "it's become very difficult for us to find lands in Accra to do the Agenda 111".



"When you go to other Regions, it (Agenda 111) is rapidly going on but even in my own constituency, I bow my head down when I attend meetings, because I don't have lands to even think of litigating them," he added.

Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









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The Alliance for Development and Industrialisation (ADI), a think-tank, has called on the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank to channel their financial assistance for Ghana into the manufacturing sector of the economy.

That, it said, would help in the effort to find a lasting solution to the countrys industrialisation drive.



A statement issued in Accra and signed by the President of the think-tank, Richard Danso, said the current gross domestic product (GDP) growth depicted that the fundamentals were there for Ghana to structure and build a vibrant economy.



The recent figures released by the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) depict that the economy expanded by 4.8 per cent of GDP.



However, the manufacturing sector recorded a GDP growth of 8.8 per cent by the end of the second quarter of this year.



World Bank project



According to the organisation, over the years, most of the World Banks project support had not helped enough to catapult the needed impact expected by the international development agencies.



It said the challenge had been that private participation had been lacking and that had not helped the country to record the needed growth.



The statement said the impact of the countrys industrialisation on the economy could be achieved if all donor support was focused on industrialisation and privatisation to ensure a sustainable social development.



We believe that Ghanas dependance on cocoa should be diverted for a multi-sectorial focus, for example, mango, avocado and coconut, among others. Our natural resources should be processed at an affordable price to take advantage of the Africa Continental Free Trade Agreement, it said.



Africas industrialisation



The cedi depreciation gives Ghana the opportunity to trigger Africas industrialisation and export drive among member countries which would give the country the needed forex, improve our balance of payment, shore up our reserves as well as stabilise the cedi, it said.



We believe that notwithstanding the cedi depreciation with its profound advantage there is the need for a critical investment for the country to realise its returns, it said.



The ADI urged the government to strengthen financial institutions so they could attract the needed investments, as well as foreign direct investment, flows into the country.



It advised the government to cut down on public service expenditure by introducing private sector participation to promote good performance and efficiency.

Source: graphiconline.com









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Former US president, Donald Trump said the idea of an impending World War III 'keeps him up at night,' while making repeated his claim that the Ukraine war would have been avoided if he were still president.



Trump stated this during a wide-range interview where he went on a rant against New York Attorney General Letitia James.



He said that due to nuclear power, the world is the most dangerous it's 'ever' been, as the former president warned that international affairs are spelling doom.



The predictions of a possible WWIII, Trump said, are based on the war between Russia and Ukraine, which started in February, and the growing feud internationally over the island nation of Taiwan and its autonomy from China.



'I think more than anything else, I think we could end up in World War III,' Trump said when asked by John Catsimatidis on his radio show Tuesday evening 'what are the things that keep you up at night right now?'



'To be throwing around the word cavalierly like nuclear is a very bad time,' the 45th president said. 'A very bad time for this country and a very bad and a very dangerous time for the world.'



Trump also said that if he were still the president, Russian President Vladimir Putin would not have invaded Ukraine. He said that after President Joe Biden's botched withdrawal from Afghanistan last summer, Putin saw a weakness in U.S. leadership.



'I think it was the most embarrassing and horrible moment  just about the most embarrassing moment in the history of our country,' Trump said of the Afghanistan debacle. 'I think Putin saw that.'



'But he would have never done it, that would have never been a problem,' Trump said in the hypothetical situation where he is still president. 'He was not going to go into Ukraine, and he understood the consequences.'



'What's happened in Ukraine should have never ever happened,' he added.



Trump also had some choice words for James during his interview after the New York attorney general brought fraud charges against him for his business dealings with the Trump Organization.



When discussing spiking crime in the nation's most populated city, which he once called home, Trump went on a tangent lashing out against its 'horror show' liberal AG.



'We have murderers going down  walking down the street. It's just horrible. She's a horror show, she's so bad,' Trump said of James' leadership. 'She doesn't care about violent crime.'



'She doesn't care about anything except trying to use Trump's name to get elected,' he continued to 77 WABC radio show Cats at Night. 'And she's a disaster and everybody knows that. She's done a terrible job.'









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Former Minister of Information and current Managing Director of the Intercity State Transport Company (STC), Nana Akomea, has praised Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia over Ghanas digitalisation drive.



Speaking on the Kokrokoo Morning Show on Peace Fm, Akomea said the digital agenda spearheaded by the Vice President has put Ghana on a trajectory that is far ahead of other African countries and at par with the advanced countries of the world.



He said Dr Bawumia is literally changing the [Ghanaian] society with his digital drive.



Nana Akomea was speaking on the current state of Ghana and said despite perceived challenges, there is still a lot to be grateful for.



He pointed to Ghanas unrivalled safety and security in comparison to other African countries and also, the digitalisation agenda.



We are very stable. We are one of the most stable countries in West Africa, if not Africa. We have peace in this country. When you look at our tourism figures, its overwhelming. We have stability and security. We are modernizing rapidly. When you look at the digitization programme by Dr. Bawumia, it is changing society, Nana Akomea said.



He added: We are ahead of other African countries by far and now, in the world economy, if you dont become digital; you will die. We are moving very, very quickly on this digital [economy]. When you take our security, we have maintained the peace and security and stability of this countryThese are all the very good news that you cant even calculate its value.



The Digital Agenda

Ghana has embarked on a digital drive since the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government took over power in 2017, with Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia as its main proponent.



The Vice President argues that digitalisation is the only way for underdeveloped nations to fix the perennial problem of a domestic revenue shortfall.



Many developing countries have found it difficult to reach high levels of domestic revenue mobilisation because their economies are characterised by a number of features. For these developing countries that were talking about, in the presence of these characteristicsyou can have as many tax laws or tax increases as you want but youre unlikely to achieve the goals of a significant increase in domestic revenue mobilisation, Dr Bawumia said during a speech at the 10th annual International Tax Conference of the Chartered Institute of Taxation, Ghana.



Our goal as a government on the assumption of office was to quickly transform our economy by leveraging on technological innovations as a means to leapfrog the development process, overcome legacy problems, and improve both economic and public sector governance.



This is why we have focused on digitalisation to build this new system, this machinery that can address this problem of domestic revenue mobilisation. You need to have a machinery that is integrated that addresses these shortcomings. he added.



Digitalisation has addressed these issues by widening the tax net via the Ghana card, which now serves as a tax identification number for every Ghanaian, widening the property tax net through the digital address system and other innovations.



Meanwhile digitising operations at state agencies such as the DVLA and the Passport Office has seen an exponential jump in revenue generation whilst eliminating the role of corrupt middlemen.



Ghost names eliminated from the SSNIT payroll have saved the nation Ghc 320 million at SSNIT alone.



Digitisation of operations at the Passport office alone increased revenues to the state from GHC1.1m in 2017 to a current figure circa GHC56.7m.



Similarly, the DVLA increased year-on-year revenues by 100% from 2019 to 2020 following the introduction of digitalisation.







Source: theGhanaianVoice.Com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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The former Member of Parliament (MP) for Mampong, Francis Addai-Nimo, has intimated that the International Monetary Fund (IMF) bailout programme the government will be embarking on will help the New Patriotic Party (NPP) retain power in the 2024 elections.



According to 3news.com, the former MP said that the bailout will help the government resolve the current challenges in the country which are mainly due to external factors.



He added that the government being able to resolve the challenges, will put it in a pole position to win power for an unprecedented third successive term.



From this time to the end of 2024, the IMF programme will help and that should inure to the party, Addai-Nimo is quoted to have said on TV3 New Day.



He also said that the NPP needs a presidential flagbearer who will be able to unite the party before the 2024 general elections.



He indicated that the person must be someone who is not part of the current government.



I am advocating for a new face from the government, he said.



Meanwhile, the Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo government has commenced negotiations with the International Monetary Fund for a bailout.



According to a statement issued by the Ministry of Finance, the government of Ghana will be represented by officials from the ministry and the Bank of Ghana.



The ministry said that the government has come out with a comprehensive post-Covid-19 economic programme that will form the basis of the negotiations.



The Ministry of Finance and the Bank of Ghana have commenced discussions with the IMF for the IMF-supported programme. A key prerequisite for a programme is confirmation that Ghana's debt is on a sustainable path; this will require a comprehensive Debt Sustainability Analysis (DSA) which is currently ongoing.



The government of Ghana is putting together a comprehensive post-Covid-19 economic programme which will form the basis for the IMF negotiations. The programme seeks to establish a macro-fiscal pain that ensures debt sustainability and macroeconomic stability underpinned by key structural reforms and social protection, parts of the statement read.









Source: ghanaweb.com









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The National Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo, has said that he is confident that the partys successes since he took over its leadership will lead to him being re-elected in the upcoming national executive elections.



Speaking in a Power FM interview monitored by GhanaWeb, on Friday, Ofosu-Ampofo said that under his watch, the NDC which is in opposition,, for the first time in the history of Ghana has the Speaker of Parliament from its side and also has the same number of parliamentarians as the party in government.



He, however, indicated that his focus is currently on ensuring that the partys reorganization at the regional and district level is done smoothly.



From the period I assumed the leadership of the party all the indicators have been very positive. We have the Speaker of Parliament from our side even though we are in opposition. We also for the first time in the history of Ghana, as the opposition party, have the same number of parliamentarians as the government in power.



I will withhold my ambitions for now as we work on the process to reorganize the party at the polling stations, constituencies, districts, the regional and national levels. But I will definitely be defending my title because I believe that my performance has been very good. My indicators are very good, my benchmarks are very high. When the time comes, I will go to the delegates and give them an account of the leadership they entrusted to me.



I will enumerate all the successes the party has chalked under my leadership including the unity I have brought to the party, he said in Twi.



Meanwhile, the outgoing General Secretary of the NDC, Johnson Asiedu Nketia, has stated his intention of contesting in the partys chairmanship race.



In an interview on Radio Gold on Wednesday, September 21, 2022, Asiedu Nketia unequivocally declared that he will not seek re-election for his position which he has held since 2005.



According to Asiedu Nketia, his options are now limited to two, which are to either retire from serving as a party official or elevate to the position of national chairman.



I will not contest the general secretary position for the NDC. I have two other options at hand; either I go for the chairmanship or retire from politics, he said.



The General Secretary has also stated that contesting for the partys chairmanship position will not bring any division in the party, as has been asserted in some quarters.















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AMIDST THE recent whining by former President John Dramani Mahama that the state has neglected him by not paying his emoluments, his wife, former First Lady, Lordina Mahama, has received two cars, courtesy of the magnanimity of President Akufo-Addo.



The President made available the two brand new vehicles  Toyota Landcruiser V8 and Toyota Camry for the comfort of the former First Lady, all to be fueled by the state.



The cars were delivered to her in August 2021, long before Mr. Mahamas recent rant over his emoluments.



Not only were cars provided for Lordina Mahama, she is also receiving mouth-watering allowances from the President, even though John Mahama has kicked against extending the same largesse to the current First Lady and the Second Lady as contained in the Professor Ntiamoah-Baidu Committee Report for Article 71 office holders.



According to sources, Mrs. Mahama pockets almost GH25,000 as monthly allowance.



Contrary to the perception created by the former President, Lordina was equally on salary during his tenure of office, allegedly receiving a monthly allowance of GH17,073 in 2013, rising to GH22,724 in 2016 before her husband exited from office.



The display of hypocrisy by the former President compelled the immediate past General Secretary of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), John Boadu, to ask Mrs. Mahama to return the money paid to her since she is not an elected or appointed public officer as suggested by her husband.



Let me say this emphatically. Former President Mahamas wife, Lordina Mahama, must, as a matter of urgency, refund all monies paid to her from January 2017 till now. Those she received as far back as 2009 should also be refunded. The monies she has received from that time till now would amount to GH3.2 million, John Boadu said in an interview with TV Africa.



The state-sponsored vehicles were also extended to former First Ladies, with Fulera Limann, wife of former President Hilla Limann, allegedly shedding tears of joy, saying that such facilities had never been extended to her since the overthrow of her husband by the Jerry Rawlings PNDC junta.



Also, she said they now receive invitations to state functions, a gesture Mr. Mahama never extended to them when he was the President.



The former President also took delivery of four cars  two Toyota Landcruiser V8 and two saloon cars  in addition to several Toyota Avalon saloon cars when he was leaving office.



On the issue of paying for his domestic staff, a total of over GH70,000 was paid as salaries for his twelve (12) staff in August 2022, excluding police officers who are still providing security for him. The officers are on the payroll of the Ghana Police Service, with the highest pay of GH18,837 going to Joyce Bawa Mogtari, his cousin and former deputy minister.



Ms. Mogtari is a Special Assistant on Political Affairs and Aide to the former President.



While Mr. Mahama is crying foul, the state has been paying for his foreign travels which cost the nation over $70,000 annually. These are contrary to claims by the former President that the state has abandoned him.

Source: Fortune Kwame Alimi/Daily Guide









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Vice President of IMANI-Africa, Bright Simons says it is unlikely for the NPP government to recover should it bow to the pressure of restructuring both domestic and external debt.



That, according to the Analyst would require it[government] to further curb spending for the next two years and if they did that, they would not be able to win the next election under any circumstance, he told Bloomberg in an interview.



The opposition largely holds the key to an expedited IMF deal now as reorganization of the nations liabilities would require approval from parliament, where there is a turf war in numbers which has simmered since the inception of the 8th parliament.



Beyond this challenge, Bright Simons averred that restructuring debt may drag because the government ought to build consensus ahead of that move.



Building consensus at the top of the political pyramid takes time because you have to do all the usual Ghanaian dances, Bright Simons said adding, You have go to traditional leaders, to religious leaders, to the head of the opposition.



The most recent IMF debt sustainability analysis, conducted in 2021, found Ghana at a high risk of debt distress and vulnerable to rising debt servicing costs. Interest costs have climbed since then, Fitch Ratings noted last week when it downgraded Ghanas debt to CC, a junk status.





Source: starrfm









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Former National Democratic Congress (NDC) Chairman for Central Region, Bernard Allotey Jacobs says President Nana Addo being booed by some patrons at the just-ended Global Citizen Festival while he was delivering a speech was orchestrated by his former political party.



According to Allotey Jacobs, the people who shouted 'away' to get the President off the stage were inspired by the NDC.



President Akufo-Addo who delivered that keynote address at the 2022 Global Citizen Festival was met with loud boos and hoots from spectators at the Black Star Square.



As the crowd chanted Away! the President delivered his speech without a hitch.



When some section of the public attempted to rope the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in, the opposition party quickly dissociated itself from the incident.



The party said what happened last Saturday reflects the excruciating and frustrating times Ghanaians presently find themselves.



In a press released signed by the Communications Officer of the party, Sammy Gyamfi, NDC said it had no hand in the embarrassment.



But speaking to host Kwami Sefa Kayi on Peace FM's "Kokrokoo" programme, the social commentator insisted that the "NDC cannot disassociate itself from what happened at the global summit".



He asserted that the party is lying if they claim they had no hands in what happened to the President on the ocassion.



" I'm telling you. They are lying...When you look at the video from all sides, all angles, you will realize that some small group of people had mobilized bloggers at the back and with some young ladies clapping, booing and shouting 'away, away'. You could see so easily. Even if you have lost one eye, you will know that this was well-orchestrated", he stressed.



"You would realize that some bloggers have been organized behind the scene just to take pictures and then make noise about and that is propaganda", Allotey accused the NDC of sabotaging the President's speech.



Allotey explained that the treatment meted out to the President by the patrons is all part of a grand political scheme by the NDC, therefore urged the leadership of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) not to be oblivious of the opposition party's ploy.



"It should be a wake-up call for the NPP...It looks a large number of the NPP leadership, it appears there is a big space between them and their rank and file. There is a disconnection entirely", he advised the NPP.





Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









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Bernard Allotey Jacobs has charged the leadership and members of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) to protect the President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, at all costs.



The former National Democratic Congress (NDC) Central Regional Chairman was alarmed at the embarrassment that the President had to endure at the Global Citizen Festival held in Accra on Saturday, 24th September, 2022.



The President was booed by a section of the crowd gathered at the event while addressing them.



The disgruntled patrons could be heard chanting 'away' to elicit their disapproval of the President's presence during the concert which was televised on national screens and via YouTube to an audience across the globe.



Expressing his resentments over the patrons' conduct, Allotey Jacobs accused the opposition NDC of orchestrating the move.



As a veteran in politics, he strongly believed the NDC stationed some people within the crowd to hoot at the President and also mobilized bloggers to blog it so as to create an impression that Nana Addo is unpopular with the masses.



"You would realize that some bloggers have been organized behind the scene just to take pictures and then make noise about and that is propaganda," he told Kwami Sefa Kayi on Peace FM's morning show "Kokrokoo".



Allotey also took a swipe at the rank and file of the NPP for failing to avert the incident.



"Your leader is always your leader. You should ensure any path he charts is clear. What he (President) said was full of wisdom and hope . . . They should be conscious of themselves that though it's left with two years for the President to end his tenure, once he is the leader of the party, he needs the protection of every party member. For the party, your leader is more important than anything else," he advised the ruling party.







Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









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*Only a fool will think boos at Akufo-Addo was political masterpiece, your card bearing members were part and loudest



An activist of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Stan Dogbe has reacted to the statement from the New Patriotic Party (NPP) condemning the boos directed at President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo over the weekend.



On Saturday, the President was at the Global Citizens Concert organised at Black Stars Square.



While mounting the stage to deliver a speech, President Akufo-Addo was subjected to booing by a section of the crowd.



The youth clapped their hands while shouting away 'away.'



Reacting to the incident, the New Patriotic Party has alleged that it was the NDC that organised some of its supporters to humiliate the President.



Theres nothing wrong if President Akufo-Addo goes to an event and receives cold reception. Thats a normal occurrence.



But then, to allow politics to take centre stage at such an event and single out the President unfairly for political point scoring raises serious concerns.



To put it more bluntly, it is pure evil and utter disgrace for the NDC to organize its supporters to go and shout down the President the manner it happened, a statement signed by Ernest Kofi Owusu Bempah Bonsu who is the party's Director of Communications has said.



Shocked by the response, Stan Dogbe has taken to his Facebook to comment on the matter.



According to him, it will only be a fool who will believe the boos at President Akufo-Addo were politically motivated.



"Stop the foolhardiness, mates. The hardship is real, and it can only increase. Nana Akufo-Addo, Bawumia and their government have absolutely no clue.



"The resounding reaction of ordinary Ghanaians- not the fake and real middle class- who are feeling the brunt of the hopelessness being forced on us by a completely clueless, useless and incompetent administration, is just what it is, Stan Dogbe shared.



In his view, the booing of President Akufo-Addo is just a small part of the expression of disappointment on the part of the Ghanaian people over the failures of the ruling government.



The booing of the President off the stage, a global stage, is just a tip of the iceberg of the frustration and disappointment of the people of Ghana.



You will be fooling yourself if you think that Saturdays global embarrassment of Nana Addo was a political masterpiece! Check well, and you will find that the spontaneity of it, means some of your card bearing members who are now openly expressing their disgust, were the loudest, Stan Dogbe added.





Source: Stan Xoese Dogbe/Facebook









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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.
Grammy Awards CEO, Harvey Mason Jr, during an exclusive dinner meeting with Ghanaian artists, gave artists the inside scope of how one can win a GRAMMY.



According to the Grammy boss, to win a Grammy, one needs to live in the United States of America and be a part of the GRAMMY Academy.



In order to win a GRAMMY, first, you've got to be part of the Academy and then the membership of the Academy will vote for you. If you are a member of the Academy, you've got to be a professional in the United States, for now, the United States, he disclosed.



Right now, if you are a working professional in the United States, you become a member of the Recording Academy, once you are a member of the Recording Academy, all the music is submitted, the members listen to it and you are evaluated on the quality of the art.



Not the sales, not the streams, not the how many fans, not the how many followers but purely on the opinion, and it's very hard. As you all know because it's subjective, he added. So Best Song, Best Record, just the opinion of the membership in that particular year, and that's how you win a GRAMMY.



That's it, the vote is the vote. Theres no committee, there are no journalists, no labels, just music professionals voting for their peers. Period, he noted.



Watch the full video below:



<iframe width="600" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/WaJLdpuRVu0" title="GRAMMY AWARDS CEO VISITS GHANA FOR THE FIRST TIME" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Source: Eugene Osafo-Nkansah/Peacefmonline.com









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Ghanas President Nana Akufo-Addo has been accused of using a musicians work without permission or credit to advertise the country to tourists.



Ghanaian musician Kirani Ayat said he reached out to the government for support before shooting his Guda music video but he was turned down.



The video was shot in northern Ghana and features scenic views and showcases the local culture.



The President of Ghana has used my video Guda in this ad to promote Ghana. I was actively reaching out to the Ministry of Tourism in 2018/19 to use this video to push tourism in the North and got no reply, yet today its in an ad and no one reached out to me for permission, he wrote.



Scenes in the musicians video featuring women posing on top of a giant tree and others dancing have been featured in the tourism advert.



Kirani said he worked a 12-hour shift as a security guard for seven days over a three-month period to save money for the video production costs.



I reached out a couple of times to no avail. I was depressed throughout that period, the musician wrote.



The government is yet to respond to the copyright allegations.



Ghanaians on social media have encouraged the musician to sue the government for copyright infringement.



Ghana has previously marketed the country for tourism with the famous year of return initiative launched in 2019 termed a great success by the government.



Several international celebrities visited the country that year.

Whoever worked on this video shouldve reached out to the rightful content owners before proceeding. I spent my all in making GUDA possible, Im sure you were paid for this job, where is my cut ?  Kirani Ayat  (@KiraniAYAT) September 27, 2022

Kirani Ayat - GUDA (Official Video) Directed. David Nicol-seyhttps://t.co/viPnVDrbco  Kirani Ayat  (@KiraniAYAT) September 27, 2022

FYI After spending thousands of dollars to shoot the video for #GUDA I needed money for promo, with no support from anywhere, I had to sell my SUV to promote the video worldwide, even today I still owe YouTube ads cause of it.  Kirani Ayat  (@KiraniAYAT) September 28, 2022











After Rejecting My Proposal, You Still Used My Video Without My Consent  Kirani Ayat blasts Tourism Ministry

Ghanaian musician Kirani Ayat and his video producer, David Nicol-Sey are unhappy with President Akufo-Addo's government over intellectual theft.



The musician claimed he sent a proposal to the Ministry of Tourism to feature his video in the Year of Return tourism documentary in 2018, which, according to the artist, was treated with a deaf ear.



But to his surprise, the same rejected video was featured in a documentary shared by the President on his official Twitter handle without his or his producers consent.



The president of Ghana has used my video GUDA in this ad to promote Ghana. I was actively reaching out to the Ministry of Tourism in 2018/19 to use this video to push tourism in the North and got NO reply, yet today its in an ad and no one reached out to me for permission, he reacted.



The musician again stated that his efforts in putting up the said song shouldn't be dismantled and, as such, he should have been consulted before using his property for something he offered but never got any response.



He is demanding to be paid some compensation for his hard work.



Whoever worked on this video shouldve reached out to the rightful content owners before proceeding. I spent my all in making GUDA possible, Im sure you were paid for this job, where is my cut?



I worked 7 days a week from 7PM to 7AM for 3 months straight as a security guard just to save up to make this GUDA video possible. Various awards shows snubbed it, the ministry ignored it, I reached out a couple of times to no avail. I was depressed throughout that period, he recounts.



The president of Ghana has used my video GUDA in this ad to promote Ghana. I was actively reaching out to the Ministry of Tourism in 2018/19 to use this video to push tourism in the North and got NO reply, yet today its in an ad and no one reached out to me for permission.  https://t.co/vLnAP0bRqf  Kirani Ayat  (@KiraniAYAT) September 27, 2022

Source: BBC/Starrfm









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Canadian Minister of International Development Harjit Sajjan, speaks during an interview with The Associated Press, at the Canadian ambassador residence, in Beirut, Lebanon, Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2022. Sajjan says Ottawa will match more donations for those suffering from flooding in Pakistan. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP-Hussein Malla
Alaska officials are asking the Federal Emergency Management Agency to provide 100% of the funds necessary for Western Alaska communities to recover from damages inflicted by Typhoon Merbok. That would match the 100% funding that was committed to help Puerto Rico recover from Hurricane Fiona in President Joe Bidens federal disaster declaration.

Typically, FEMA covers 75% of disaster-relief costs, leaving the remainder to be matched by state, local or tribal governments.

For Western Alaska, we feel that thats just not acceptable, particularly with how fast we need to move and the status of the communities out there. Bryan Fisher, director of the state Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, said at a Sept. 22 news conference held by Gov. Mike Dunleavy.

Along with the Dunleavy administration, which has submitted a request for a presidential disaster declaration, the Alaska congressional delegation argued the case for 100% cost coverage in a letter sent last Thursday to FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell. The three-member delegation cited socioeconomic factors in the rural region as well as the rapid approach of winter.

The typhoon-driven winds and flooding Sept. 17 slammed a 1,000-mile swath of coastline.

The coastal communities affected by Typhoon Merbok are experiencing high levels of unemployment and poverty, and it is likely that many homes are not insured against the losses experienced. Additionally, the cost of providing immediate temporary housing will impede the financing available for housing construction, the letter said.

As you consider requests for storm recovery funding and cost shares across the nation, including for Puerto Rico  we expect you to deliver an equitable decision in Alaska, the letter said.

Criswell, who has been in Puerto Rico, is traveling to Alaska herself to survey the damage.

In case the 100% coverage is not provided immediately by FEMA, the governor has requested $10 million from a state emergency fund, Fisher said.

As winter freeze approaches and is expected to arrive in Western Alaska in about four weeks, the speed of federal aid is critical, officials said.

Dunleavy, at his news conference, said he made that point earlier in the day in a phone call with Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas.

I just said to him, Look, the damage may not be as extensive as in Puerto Rico or some of the other places where they have hurricanes. But its our timeline thats the issue. Its our remoteness thats the issue. Its our lack of infrastructure thats the issue, Dunleavy said.

President Joseph Biden last Friday approved the states request for a major disaster declaration from the recent storms that battered Western Alaska, unlocking additional aid to help communities with their ongoing recovery efforts.

Assistance can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses, and other programs to help individuals and business owners recover from the effects of the disaster, reads the declaration. It does not address the states request for 100% funding.

According to the Department of Transportation, the state has secured federal highway relief funds, and is making $15 million available for contractors to begin repair work to roads.

In addition, the Interior Department is allocating $2.6 million through the Bureau of Indian Affairs to 45 communities for purchasing food, water and other critical supplies.

The Alaska Beacon is an independent, donor-funded news organization. Alaskabeacon.com.
RGPS Tunica Main Event to Feature $100,000 Guarantee Oct. 4-9

September 29, 2022 Connor Richards Editor & Live Reporter U.S.

After the RunGood Poker Series (RGPS) wraps up the currently underway RGPS Cleveland, it will head south to Mississippi for RGPS Tunica, which will feature a the $600 buy-in RGPS Tunica Main Event with a $100,000 guarantee.

In addition to the Main Event, RGPS Tunica, which will take place at Horseshoe Tunica Casino Oct. 4-9, will feature a handful of Ring Events, including Guest Bounty and Pot-Limit Omaha events.

Read about the RGPS stop in Cleveland!

$100K Guaranteed Main Event

The $100,000 guaranteed Main Event will feature three starting flights, the first of which will get underway on Oct. 7. The next two flights will both play out the next day and surviving players will return on Oct. 9 for Day 2, which will play down to a winner.

For players who don't want to ante up the $600 buy-in, there will be a number of satellite options, including a $145 Mega Satellite awarding ten seats and a $145 Turbo Satellite awarding five seats.

PokerNews will be on-site to cover the RGPS Tunica Main Event, so be sure to check back in for that coverage.

RGPS Tunica

The Rest of the Schedule

RGPS Tunica will kick off on Oct. 4 with a $200 Seniors Ring Event available for players ages 50 and older, followed by a $165 Flip and Go Ring Event and a $165 Opening Night Guest Bounty Ring Event later that day.

The next day will see two flights of the $250 PokerGO Studio Ticket Ring Event taking place, which will award a seat to the 2022 All-Stars ProAM Event at the PokerGO Studio in December, as well as another Flip and Go event.

Horseshoe Tunica Poker Room

Other events in the series include a $300 Pot-Limit Omaha Ring Event and a Two Green Chip Bounty Ring Event, both of which will take place on Oct. 6.

Later in the series, there will be a $200 Ladies Ring Event and a $250 Closer Black Chip Bounty Ring Event, which will close out the series on Oct. 9.

After Tunica, the RunGood team will head to Hard Rock Casino in Tulsa, Oklahoma for RGPS Hard Rock Tulsa, which will also feature a $600 Main Event.

Previous Winner

The RGPS Tunica $575 Main Event earlier this year drew 602 entrants and generated $301,000 in prize money and saw Max Le taking home the trophy and $31,234 after a six-handed deal that left each player earning the same amount.

Other players who got in on the final table deal include Kyle Cartwright, Brock McCoy and Teresa Lammie-Anders.

Max Le

RGPS Horseshoe Tunica Final Table Results

Place Player Prize 1 Max Le $31,234* 2 Teresa Lammie-Anders $31,234* 3 David Lee (TN) $31,234* 4 Matthew Kassela $31,234* 5 Brock McCoy $31,234* 6 Kyle Cartwright $31,234* 7 Edward Fisher $10,686 8 Myke Hibler $10,686 9 Kenneth Douglas $6,171

*Denotes six-handed deal.

The full schedule for RGPS Tunica is available in the table below.

RGPS Tunica Schedule

DATE TIME EVENT Oct. 4, 2022 10:00 AM Seniors Ring Event (AGE 50+, Buy-in $200) Oct. 4, 2022 2:00 PM FLIP and GO Ring Event* FLT A ($165 buy-in, On Demand) Oct. 4, 2022 7:00 PM OPENING NIGHT Guest Bounty Ring Event (Buy-in $165) Oct. 5, 2022 12:00 PM PokerGO Studio Ticket Ring Event FLT A (Buy-in $250, $50,000 GTD Prizepool) Oct. 5, 2022 2:00 PM FLIP and GO Ring Event FLT A ($165 buy-in, On Demand) Oct. 5, 2022 4:00 PM Turbo Satellite (Buy-in $145, 5 seats GTD into the $100,000 GTD Main Event) Oct. 5, 2022 7:00 PM PokerGO Studio Ticket Ring Event FLT B (Buy-in $250, $50,000 GTD Prizepool) Oct. 6, 2022 12:00 PM PokerGO Studio Ticket FINALS Oct. 6, 2022 1:00 PM ONE DAY NLH RING EVENT (Buy-in $200, $10,000 GTD Prizepool) Oct. 6, 2022 2:00 PM FLIP and GO Ring Event FLT A ($165 buy-in, On Demand) Oct. 6, 2022 3:00 PM POT LIMIT-OMAHA RING EVENT (Buy-in $300) Oct. 6, 2022 7:00 PM TWO GREEN CHIP BOUNTY RING EVENT (Buy-in $200) Oct. 7, 2022 11:00 AM Mega Satellite (Buy-in $145, 10 seats GTD into the $100,000 GTD Main Event) Oct. 7, 2022 1:00 PM Flip and Go Ring Event Day 2 Oct. 7, 2022 7:00 PM RUNGOOD Main Event FLT A (Buy-in $600, $100,000 GTD Prizepool) Oct. 8, 2022 9:00 AM Turbo Satellite (Buy-in $145, 5 seats GTD into the $100,000 GTD Main Event) Oct. 8, 2022 12:00 PM Turbo Satellite (Buy-in $145, 5 seats GTD into the $100,000 GTD Main Event) Oct. 8, 2022 2:00 PM Ladies Ring Event (Buy-in $200) Oct. 8, 2022 4:00 PM Turbo Satellite (Buy-in $145, 5 seats GTD into the $100,000 GTD Main Event) Oct. 8, 2022 7:00 PM RUNGOOD Main Event FLT C (Buy-in $600, $100,000 GTD Prizepool) Oct. 9, 2022 12:00 PM MAIN EVENT FINALS Oct. 9, 2022 1:00 PM TURBO NLH RING Event (Buy-in $165) Oct. 9, 2022 4:00 PM NLH CLOSER BLACK CHIP BOUNTY RING EVENT (Buy-in $250)
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Ron DeSantis appeared on Tucker Carlsons show, and Carlson looking for any chance to bash Biden offered up the perfect plate for DeSantis. But unlike Trump, DeSantis was smart enough not to take the bait.

Video of DeSantis:

From Mediaite:

Carlson said:

When a natural disaster like this strikes the state, it is common; I think its always the case that the state receives federal aid, Given how politicized things are at the moment, are you confident youre going to get the federal support Florida needs?

Is Carlson referencing the time when Trump wanted to deny California fire disaster relief because theyll never vote for me anyway, shocking Trumps staff?

Regardless, as said, DeSantis was too smart to sound so small:

So I actually spoke with the president. He said he wants to be helpful, DeSantis replied, echoing thoughts he shared on Hannity the previous night. So we did submit a request for reimbursement for the next 60 days at 100%. Thats significant support. Its a significant storm.

So we havent heard back from it. Im actually cautiously optimistic that we do, he added. Overnight, President Biden approved the major disaster request DeSantis referenced.

DeSantis finished on an even better note:

As you said, Tucker, we live in a politicized time, but when people are fighting for their lives, when their livelihood is at stake, lost everything, if you cant put politics aside for that, you wont be able to. Ill work with anybody who wants to help the people of southwest Florida and throughout our state.

That this conversation even needed to take place is a testament to Tucker Carlson, who could not put politics aside for that and wont be able to with anything. Yes, Tucker to a T and not the Tee with the issue set up to hit.

Overnight, @POTUS declared that a major disaster exists in Florida, and ordered his team to mobilize additional Federal resources to help the people of Florida recover from Hurricane Ian, including through assistance for temporary housing and home repairs. https://t.co/z4TZTLKRAG  Karine Jean-Pierre (@PressSec) September 29, 2022

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Trump is refusing to comply with the special masters order that he verify the list of items taken from Mar-a-Lago.

Reuters reported:

According to a letter publicly filed by Trumps lawyers on Wednesday, the former presidents legal team told Senior U.S. Judge Raymond Dearie, who is reviewing the materials taken in the federal raid of the Florida property, that they dont believe Dearie has the authority to require them to make such a filing.

.

Dearies order asked Trump to list any items that were seized, but not listed in the inventory, any items that were not seized and erroneously included on the list, as well as any possible errors in the inventory about the location of seized items.

Trump Now Refusing To Follow The Orders Of The Special Master That He Wanted

Trump demanded the special master. The former president is the one who nominated Judge Dearie for the position, and the DOJ looks really smart for immediately agreeing to Dearie.

Donald Trump and his legal team are now fighting with their own special master, as it is clear that they only wanted the special master as a stalling tactic to get the classified documents case through the midterm election.

Judge Dearie hasnt played along and has instead moved quickly to resolve the issue and is treating the process like a legal proceeding.

The special master is a disaster that Trump created for himself, and now he is trying to dig his way out of a process that has only added credibility and legitimacy to the DOJ investigation while making the former president look even worse.

Donald Trump has a problem of his own making, and by the time Judge Dearie is done all of Trumps defenses and excuses for the theft and mishandling of government documents could be shattered.
The union that represents dockworkers at the Port of Charleston wants to resolve legal disputes before it starts to negotiate a new contract covering the East and Gulf coasts, but a labor disagreement at the Leatherman Terminal in North Charleston won't be on the table.

The International Longshoremen's Association said the local dispute is an issue that could have an impact in other parts of the country, and the union will let the National Labor Relations Board rule on the matter instead of trying to negotiate a settlement ahead of contract talks.

"That would be a master contract item," ILA spokesman Jim McNamara said of the Leatherman flap.

A spokeswoman for the State Ports Authority, which owns and operates the Port of Charleston, said the maritime agency had no comment on the ILA's stance.

The master contract is between the ILA and container shipping lines. It governs the work terms between those parties at all East and Gulf Coast ports, and it's up for renewal in 2024.

A provision added to the master contract in 2013, which calls for ILA members to operate cranes at new state-owned port terminals, is at the heart of the Leatherman dispute. SPA-hired workers have run the cranes since the terminal opened on the former Navy base in early 2021, as they do the port's two other terminals.

The union likely will want to bolster that contract provision when a new agreement is signed.

After the ILA sued shipping lines that initially called on the Leatherman Terminal, the the SPA filed a complaint with the NLRB calling the contract provision an illegal third-party boycott, because the SPA isn't a party to the contract.

An administrative law judge agreed with the state's maritime agency in a ruling last year, but the union  which says the provision is meant to preserve union jobs  appealed the matter to the full board, which has yet to rule.

The NLRB's decision could also affect newly built terminals at Georgia and North Carolina ports, which have the same hybrid arrangement as South Carolina, with state and union employees working side by side.

McNamara said the ILA's push to resolve local issues ahead of master contract talks is to get site-specific benefits like health care and pensions worked out before dealing with coastwide concerns.

The union's desire to resolve local issues was first reported by The Journal of Commerce.

In a Sept. 27 report, the publication cited an ILA memo that calls for local unions to start electing negotiators to bargain for local work contracts, with those negotiations to take place soon, between Dec. 15 and Feb. 14. Afterward, the memo says, the local representatives will then take part in the master contract talks.

"In an effort to maximize the possibility of reaching a peaceful settlement on both local and master contract issues, negotiations on local conditions in ports from Maine to Texas will begin shortly," the memo states, according to The Journal of Commerce.

The move is meant to avoid the negotiation breakdowns that have affecited union contract talks at West Coast ports.

The Journal of Commerce cited union worker absenteeism as one of the issues the ILA and shipping lines  represented by the U.S. Maritime Alliance  will want to address in the new contract, which will cover about 45,000 workers from Maine to Texas and extend through 2030. Maritime employers want more stringent attendance mandates at local ports, according to the report, adding absenteeism has become a bigger issue since the COVID-19 pandemic started.
Charleston, SC (29403)

Today

Mostly cloudy. High 67F. Winds N at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. Low 51F. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph.
South Carolina school districts will be receiving help in supporting students social, emotional and behavioral needs from a new partnership between researchers at Clemson University, the University of South Carolina and the state Department of Educations Office of Special Education Services.

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With a $4.6 million award from the Education Department, Clemson and USC faculty will lead a new Behavior Alliance of South Carolina to work directly with schools, collecting data, offering professional development and assisting in implementing support systems for classrooms.

Two special education professors, Clemsons Shanna Hirsch and USCs Mark Samudre, will serve as the project directors. The alliance aims to help all teachers, not just special education teachers, respond to students.

When teachers effectively manage student behavior, they increase their time for academic instruction, which helps all students, Samudre said in the press release announcing the project.

The alliance will first work with school districts to implement multitiered systems of support, which is an evidence-based approach to target and assist struggling students. The project will then encourage districts to craft strategies to match their communities needs.

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More Information The Post and Courier Education Lab is a multi-year project, employing four reporters, focused on the need for public education reform in South Carolina. The Coastal Community Foundation and Spartanburg Foundation serve as fiscal sponsors for the Education Lab, which is supported by grants from the Jolley Foundation, Intertech, anonymous donors, and generous donations on behalf of donors to The Post and Courier Public Service and Investigative Fund who designate to the Education Lab.

The partnership between Clemson, USC and the Education Department comes at a critical moment. Schools across the country, including in South Carolina, lack the staffing and support to meet students social, emotional and behavioral needs. The National Association of School Psychologists recommends schools have one psychologist for every 500 students. The Palmetto State had, on average, one school psychologist for about every 1,400 students during the 2019-20 school year, according to the organizations reports.

Students needs have only multiplied with the stress and disruptions caused by the pandemic. A national study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found more than a third of high school students struggled with poor mental health during the pandemic. Half said they felt persistently sad or hopeless.

More coverage To read more in-depth stories from The Post and Courier's Education Lab, go to postandcourier.com/education-lab.

Alexis Walker, principal of Greenville County School Districts group homes and residential facilities, will be a consultant with the alliance. With teachers routinely citing student behavior and discipline struggles as part of why they leave the profession, new support methods could be critical in retaining more educators, Walker said.

Constantly being in that defensive mode does nothing but lead to burnout, Walker said. Having those proactive and preventative tools for behavior at your disposal changes the entire classroom  it brings excitement and fun back to the forefront.
COLUMBIA  Alexis Temple started teaching English and Language Arts in Columbia at the height of a pandemic.

Her third grade students had fallen far below the S.C. Department of Education's academic standards. The Greenville native said she was in survival mode.

In the capital city's historic Waverly district, Carver-Lyon Elementary School serves nearly 400 students. Over 95 percent of the students are minorities and all come from low-income households, two groups whose academic progress was disproportionately impacted by the pandemic. School administrators anticipated that their students' learning was likely to suffer during remote learning. The school had to figure out a way to use what little resources they had to their full potential.

Carver-Lyon came up with a game plan. School administrators knew that by third grade, standardized tests look at whether students could read, but on how well they understood the material. They decided to help students with their reading comprehension through a combination of collaborative group exercises, freedom of choice in literature and the acceptance of toggling between dialects.

More coverage To read more in-depth stories from The Post and Courier's Education Lab, go to postandcourier.com/education-lab.

This combination ultimately raised their third grade students English Language Arts test scores by 78 percent over three years ending in 2021, according to a Post and Courier analysis of over 1,000 public and charter schools in the state. Carver-Lyon did this during a time when reading and writing scores plummeted at many elementary schools across the state. In 2021, the South Carolina Education Oversight Committee projected that over two-thirds of elementary school students would not meet grade-level proficiency in English Language Arts, chalking it up to learning loss due to the pandemic.

Breaking students into small groups helped get them to talk to each other about the reading material. Teachers would have them do group read-alouds, and ask them questions about the vocabulary or grammar as they went.

You are building a relationship with them, Amiyna Hail, a library teacher at the school, said about the small groups. The activities make it easier for teachers to see who might be struggling or need some one-on-one attention."

One day in 2021, two boys were assigned reading work as partners. Hail noticed after several minutes that the boys were talking up a storm about the material, but theyd written nothing on their paper. She asked them what they thought about the text and they told her, starting a back-and-forth. She said to them, OK, you just told me everything. So now, how can we put this on paper?

So many of our kids have it all in here, Hail said, pointing at her head. They know it. They just need help transcribing, and this is an action that a teacher has to model for them.

Gay Ivey, a professor at the University of North Carolina-Greensboro, touches on this sort of reading comprehension method in her research. Its known in academia as engaged reading.

Standardized tests are written in a way that requires certain strategies that can be difficult to teach as theyre often different from the format of the students regular class assignments. Whether a test question is testing vocabulary, the ability to make inferences or otherwise, engaged reading practices are likely to bring students up to speed organically.

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What you get when you have situations where kids are engaged, theyre becoming more strategic because theyre reading more. Theyre learning more about the world Ivey said. Theyre also more accustomed to reading for long periods of time, so that when you then take a test, that doesnt seem so overwhelming anymore.

When students attended school remotely, the teachers would make sure their parents  especially those who worked long hours or multiple jobs  had print versions of the material, sometimes hand-delivering it to them at home. Hail said reading materials from outside the school walls that piqued student interest were encouraged.

Having a conversation with a kid who can tell you why they like Marvel Comics better than DC Comics, you know, those are things that are important, Hail said. Because you know, now, what drives that students passion for that topic.

Knowing they had to bring their students test scores up, the Carver-Lyon teachers tried to relieve themselves of the pressure to teach to the test. They didnt want their students to feel like their intelligence hinged only on the states standards. Plus, they still had their own curriculum to focus on.

The school decided testing would have to become its own genre. A portion of class time would be dedicated to testing strategies like the process of elimination, or highlighting specific instructions such as choose the best.

Temple said she felt like separating the test strategies from the rest of the curriculum brought some of her students testing anxiety down. She also said she pays little mind to how the students speak, never bothering to correct them if they use words like mines or the habitual be. Both are examples of African-American Vernacular English, versions of which are commonly spoken in Columbia.

They know what theyre saying, Temple said of her students.

Hail used to teach in Beaufort County, where many children speak in a Gullah-Geechee dialect.

What I used to tell the kids is, we have to code-switch, she said. You can say that on the playground, you can say that at the store, you can say that with your grandma. But were in the classroom, so tell mewhats another way to say that?

Now in her third year at Carver-Lyon, Temple used to teach in Greenville County and in Charleston County, the states two largest school districts. She said coming to Carver-Lyon was like coming home to a family.

I feel like I have a better foundation, Temple said. Now we can hit the ground running.
The Spanish word cafecito translates to little coffee.

The Cuban cafecito is, in fact, small in stature  two ounces of espresso brewed with whipped sugar.

Kathy and Lane Atkins found they missed the drink after moving to Charleston from Miami in 2018. They thought a place specializing in the traditional cafecito and other Cuban coffee drinks  alongside a simple food menu headlined by pressed sandwiches served on Cuban bread  could work in the Holy City.

So far, so good. Cafecito opened Sept. 7 at 471 King St., downtown.

The couple expected the location to lead College of Charleston students and tourists to the cafe's 20 seats. And those types of people have stopped by, but the majority of returning customers have been members of Charlestons Hispanic community and transplant Floridians who are familiar with Cuban cuisine, Kathy Atkins said.

That was kind of surprising and a lot of fun as well, she said. That was initially a little nerve-wracking, but we were pretty confident.

Kathy was perhaps so upbeat about their concept given her Cuban heritage and experience frequenting Cuban cafes in Miami.

Her grandparents were part of a large Cuban community in Key West, Fla., located just 90 miles from Cuba. During annual trips to the Keys, Kathy learned how to make the Cuban coffee drinks, sandwiches and pastries that are now served at Cafecito.

That was very important to us when we were opening this, to make sure we could get things that were authentic, Kathy said. The coffee culture and the Cuban culture is just so social.

The morning menu features a guava tostada; scrambled egg and Swiss cheese sandwiches with ham, bacon or avocado; and three types of Cuban pastries sourced from Florida  eventually, Kathy plans to make these herself. Her house-made touch is currently showing up in the chocolate-dipped key lime pie on a stick, an ode to a dessert served on the Keys.

At lunch, patrons can choose one of five different Cuban sandwiches, including the classic Cubano featuring mojo pork, bolo ham, Swiss cheese, pickles and mustard on pressed Cuban bread. Two sandwiches  including the turkey, bacon, cream cheese and guava preserves Elena Ruz  are served on a Cuban sweet roll known as medianoche, Spanish for "midnight."

The classic Cuban bread, shipped to Charleston weekly from Miami, has a crumbly crust reminiscent of a French baguette, though with a softer center. The doughy bread lends itself to the heat of Cafecitos panini presses, visible from the entrance of the cafe and a small bar with seating that lines the open prep area.

The Cubano is a delightful lunch, whether dining in or to go. The lean pork is flavorful but void of excess grease, meaning the sandwich stays contained within the two pieces of flattened Cuban bread.

Small details like this appear to be prioritized at Cafecito, especially when it comes to its namesake drink. Tu Cafe Gourmet Espresso is used to make the cafecito, cortadito (cafecito with a splash of steamed milk) and cafe con leche, similar to a latte.

Fans of strong coffee will gravitate toward these drinks, which are balanced by the pure cane sugar used to make the cafecito.

Its made with the sugar as opposed to adding it later, Kathy said. Cuban coffee is very strong, but its smooth.

Second State Coffee is available for those who are not yet ready to sample Cuban coffee. Beer and wine also is available.

Cafecito is open from 8 a.m.-3 p.m. Wednesday through Monday (closed Tuesday). The business also will be open on Fridays and Saturdays from 6-10 p.m.

For more information, visit cafecitoking.com.
GEORGETOWN  A Charleston man was arrested Sept. 28 on charges of defrauding people out of $32,000 in property in Georgetown.

Miguel Ludacris Holmes, 20, of Charleston, was arrested in connection with two counts of fraudulent checks and two counts of obtaining goods under false pretenses.

Holmes surrendered to law enforcement Sept. 28, according to a Georgetown Police Department news release.

On Aug. 19, Holmes ordered and took possession of smart board screens and mounts totaling $23,328.22 via an electronic bank transfer and then canceled the bank transfer, according to police.

Then on Aug. 22, Holmes allegedly wrote a counterfeit check totaling $9,000 to purchase a box truck for his business, Holmes moving Homes.

On Sept. 20, a search warrant was executed at Holmes business, located at 1175 N. Fraser St., where these items were located and seized by investigators, according to the release. Approximately $32,000 of property was seized and returned to its rightful owners.

The investigation is an ongoing investigation and law enforcement has received information there may be other fraud victims. Authorities are encouraging any other victims to come forward.

Anyone with information about the case is asked to contact the Georgetown Police Department at 843-545-4300 or its TIP LINE at 843-545-4400.
GEORGETOWN  Vandals broke into the mailbox outside the Georgetown Post Office, and city officials are warning residents to watch their bank accounts as mail may have been stolen.

The mailbox located at 1101 Charlotte Street was vandalized over the weekend, according to a Sept. 29 news release from the City of Georgetown.

Mail addressed to the city at this USPS location between Sept. 23 and Sept. 26 may have been stolen. City officials recommend residents and utility customers to check their bank accounts if they mailed payments during this time frame.

Stealing mail is a federal offense.

Anyone with information on the crime should notify the United States Post Office at 1-800-275-8777 or the Georgetown Police Department at 843-545-4300.
South Carolina is opening up what could be unprecedented access to mental health training and guidance to teachers and other school support personnel to meet the needs of students.

The John H. Magill SC School Behavioral Health Academy was created by psychology faculty at the University of South Carolina and is funded by a $3.2 million grant from the SC Department of Health and Human Services. There will also be 12 pilot projects for enhanced training at school districts, with three each in the Lowcountry, Midlands, Upstate and Pee Dee regions.

South Carolina has actually been a leader in school-based mental health going back to the early 1990s but this is something new and it is open to everyone, said Dr. Mark Weist, project director and professor of clinical psychology at USC.

"We think this is really innovative, we dont know of any other state that is doing anything like this," he said. "We are offering it to all districts, to any staff in the district, to gain knowledge of mental health."

Through an online portal, school personnel from principals to teachers to food service staff would be able to access training modules that could help give them additional skills to help students, Weist said.

More Information For more information on the John H. Magill SC School Behavioral Health Academy or to access training, go to: scsbha.org

"Anyone can enhance their knowledge of mental health, which will increase their ability to be proactive and supportive of students when they present their needs," he said.

There will also be training specific for those counselors and mental health professionals working in or who want to be in schools, Weist said. But many of the skills school personnel could gain, such as teaching problem-solving or relaxation techniques, do not need a behavioral health degree, he said.

"A lot of things that we can do to promote mental health can be done by anybody working in a school building," Weist said. "So the academy is offering courses that are relevant to anyone that is interested."

The academy is part of DHHS' effort to expand mental health services at the urging of Gov. Henry McMaster earlier this year, spokesman Jeff Leieritz said.

"This really started with recognition from the governor and the attention he drew to this (issue) through his State of the State address and also the executive order he issued to have us look into the school-based mental health services," he said.

In that order, McMaster noted a 31 percent increase in mental health-related emergency room visits by adolescents in 2020 from 2019 while less than half the schools were receiving state-provided clinicians. An average of six kids a day show up for mental health services in the pediatric emergency room at Medical University of South Carolina just in Charleston, Leieritz said.

According to the "2022 State of Mental Health in America" report from Mental Health America, more than two-thirds of kids in South Carolina with major depression did not receive treatment for it, which was 46th, or sixth-worst, among all states and the District of Columbia. The state was also fourth-worst in the number of children with emotional or behavioral problems who had an Individualized Education Plan tailored to their needs, with just over 2,100 kids in South Carolina receiving that service.

The data in that report was from 2019 or earlier and by all indicators "that has gotten worse during the pandemic," Leieritz said.

It is not just the pandemic but all of the other issues, such as widespread social divisiveness, that emerged around the same time, which Weist refers to as "pandemic-plus." To address this, it is important to take a holistic approach that looks at the social, emotional, behavioral and academic aspects of the lives of students, he said.

"Ideally, programming should be balanced and focused on all of those realms," Weist said.

But within schools, with remote learning and other issues, there have been academic declines among some students that stretch across the last few years and schools may be trying to make up for that now, he said.

"School administrators, school leaders often will feel pressed to focus on academics exclusively but thats not what we need," Weist said. "Thats not what the youth and the families and the teachers are telling us."

To help increase the availability of behavioral health in schools, Medicaid addressed a pay disparity that used to pay school counselors $37 a session for work that school-based Department of Mental Health counselors received $77 per session for. Equalizing that pay would encourage more schools to hire their own counselors to receive the enhanced payments and so far that seems to be the case: 30 districts are considering directly contracting with counselors to provide or supplement those services compared to 14 that directly contracted the year before, Leieritz said.

"That's an encouraging initial sign," he said.
Ian became a hurricane again the afternoon of Sept. 29 as it swirled over the Atlantic Ocean on an uncertain path for the Palmetto State.

Shortly after 11 a.m., cellphones at the Costco in West Ashley screamed out emergency tones in waves: Charleston was now under a hurricane warning. Shoppers took a break from filling carts with cases of bottled water, sets of lanterns, and packages of paper towels to read the message.

The National Weather Service's Charleston office expects flooding rains, lashing winds, isolated tornadoes and a continuing storm surge would batter coastal counties through Oct. 1.

The brunt of the storm was expected to arrive Sept. 30, when Ian is forecast to make landfall in the Lowcountry. Where exactly the storm would hit remained a mystery the evening of Sept. 29, as forecasts showed the storm's path shifting toward the eastern part of South Carolina.

Ron Morales, meteorologist for the National Weather Service's Charleston office, said in an evening weather briefing that he understood people's frustrations regarding the storm's uncertain trajectory, but the "granularities" of the storm system made all the difference in terms of impact.

It's upsetting, because I want to give you all a perfect answer right now  And I can't," he said.

A foreboding forecast

Ian was about 215 miles south of Charleston, according to the National Hurricane Center's 8 p.m. update Sept. 29. Hurricane-force winds extended 45 mph from the eye, while tropical-storm-force winds spun outward for about 415 miles.

It was headed north-northeast near 10 mph, with reported wind speeds of 75 mph  just above the threshold for a Category 1 hurricane. The storm's intensity was expected to increase slightly, but it was still expected to make landfall as a low-level hurricane, according to the local NWS.

The storm's path continued to shift eastward. The most recent forecast from the Hurricane Center had it making landfall the afternoon of Sept. 30 somewhere to the east of Charleston.

A hurricane warning means sustained winds of at least 74 mph are imminent along the coast. A tropical storm warning was in effect for inland communities.

The Weather Service advised residents across Charleston's tri-county area to prepare for low-end hurricane conditions. Ian would likely hit these places the hardest, forecasters said. Speeds between 74 and 110 mph were expected in Charleston County Sept. 30, threatening to down trees and knock out power.

A storm surge warning remained in effect for the Lowcountry's entire coastline. Inundation of 4 to 7 feet above ground level was the "reasonable worst-cast scenario" for the area, particularly on Sept. 30, the Weather Service warned.

Heavy rain was expected to exacerbate flooding along the coast, including downtown Charleston. Forecasters predicted 4 to 8 inches of rain would fall Sept. 30 through Oct. 1. There was also the potential for a few tornadoes, mainly in the Charleston tri-country region.

Tides were initially forecast to reach 8 feet  the major flood stage in Charleston Harbor  around 11 a.m. on Sept. 29, according to the local NWS. Tides peaked just before noon around 7.7 feet, causing moderate flooding and the closure of half a dozen roads on the peninsula.

Projections for Sept. 30 indicate tides could reach a foot higher, but Morales said tidal forecasts did not take into account the impact of rain and storm surges. If the hurricane made landfall as tides were cresting, it could lead to significantly worse flooding in the city.

A quiet morning

In many ways, the morning of Sept. 29 looked like any other in downtown Charleston. Commuters streamed into the city. Food delivery trucks idled outside restaurants. The growl of leaf blowers and the steady clang of construction hammers filled the air as runners and dog-walkers padded down sidewalks under gray skies.

But a few signs pointed to problems ahead.

Gusts of wind fluttered store awnings, rustled palmetto fronts and sent loose trash skittering through the streets. And white-capped waves rolled through Charleston harbor as a container ship made its way from port through nearly empty waters.

Water pooled around the flood-prone City Market by 11:30 a.m. A few businesses had prepared for the swollen tides by boarding up windows and stacking sandbags outside their front doors.

Will Jackson of Rapid Repairs stood on a ladder, screwing plywood across the front windows of ITSUGAR, a candy store on North Market Street. He and his fellow workers already had several calls out from businesses seeking similar protection ahead of Ian.

I hope it doesnt get too busy, he said. I have my own stuff to do to get ready.

The Market normally bustles with activity between 7 and 8 a.m., as vendors hurry to load in their wares to set up shop for the day. But this day, few were about, as word had filtered through the group that the city had planned to shut down the stalls at 4 p.m.

That didnt dissuade Tonya Aiken, who drove about an hour from her home in St. Stephen to sell her collection of homemade sweetgrass baskets. She busied herself arranging the baskets on a long bench in the near-empty center shed as a cool breeze whipped through the building.

Im a die-hard, she said. And people are still here. I want to make sure they have an opportunity to buy some sweetgrass baskets before they go.

Philip Lutz was folding up a plaid sleeping blanket on the sidewalk of Cumberland Street. Gusts of wind filled his loose beige cotton pants with air.

The 31-year-old man, who lives on the streets with his pitbull dog and a few backpacks, said he and a group of friends were trying to find a safe place before Ians wrath strikes the peninsula.

The New Orleans native and his companions were cobbling enough money for a hotel room in West Ashley for the next night or two, he said. Lutz was also considering staying at one of the citys emergency shelters, but was reluctant to bring his dog, Ganja.

Emergency preparations underway

Gov. Henry McMaster issued a state of emergency for South Carolina Sept. 28 and activated the states emergency operations plan. Charleston County and city officials followed suit Sept. 29.

The declarations suspend certain procurement rules, providing governments the flexibility to make decisions until its council or legislature can reconvene, they said.

The county will begin 24-hour operations Sept. 30 and will continue until the threat has ceased, said Emergency Management Director Joe Coates. However, county offices, the downtown judicial center, and all library branches are closed to the public Sept. 30.

The governor did not issue an evacuation order, but leaders in the tri-county area urged residents of flood-prone areas to relocate until the storm passes.

The Charleston City Council met virtually at 9 a.m. Sept. 29 for a briefing on the storm. The members unanimously passed three emergency ordinances authorizing Mayor John Tecklenburg to order a curfew and mass road closures. Tecklenburg thought issuing the executive orders wouldn't be necessary, and were instead "tools in the toolbox" until Ian passes, he said.

Still, both Tecklenburg and Ben Almquist, the city's emergency management director, said flooding  which will coincide with high tide and heavy rainfall  posed a significant threat to downtown Charleston, especially midday Sept. 30.

"We're going to have some water in the city tomorrow, folks," Tecklenburg said, adding the situation could be similar to Matthew and Irma, hurricanes which hit the area in 2016 and 2017. He advised residents whose homes flooded during those storms to consider staying with friends or family, or at a shelter.

The mayor warned storm surge from Ian could easily send waters spilling over the Low Battery sea wall, which is still under construction. It is being built, in part, to help fortify the peninsular city from rising sea levels and withstand storms such as Ian. Because construction is not complete, the South of Broad waterfront by White Point Garden is still vulnerable.

A series of temporary drainage pumps was set up at the Low Battery midday Sept. 29, but city officials moved them further inland when it was determined that storm surge was likely to wash them away, city spokesman Jack OToole said. The pumps help speed up drainage when flood waters settle but cant withstand a rush of storm surge.

He urged residents to finish their storm preparations Sept. 29 so they could "hunker down" and stay inside all of Sept. 30.

The city's non-emergency phone line will be available 24 hours a day through Ian's duration. Residents can call 843-724-7311. The county's information line is open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sept. 28 and Sept. 29 at 843-746-3900, or for Spanish, use 843-746-3909.

Buses will continue to transport people to shelters until 6 p.m. Sept. 29 or until sustained winds reach 30 mph. Shelters will remain open on Sept. 30, but buses will no longer operate.

At 3 p.m., there were seven individuals at the Matilda Dunston Elementary shelter, and one individual at the pet-friendly facility on Leeds Avenue.

Charleston County's emergency officials said Matilda Dunston Elementary School, 1825 Remount Road in North Charleston, will open at noon Sept. 29 for residents seeking shelter. A pet-friendly emergency shelter, 3841 Leeds Ave., opened at 8 a.m. Sept. 29.

The county will open two parking garages, and the city is opening another five, for residents to park their vehicles downtown beginning at 5 p.m. Sept. 29.

The garages are located at:

93 Queen Street

90 Cumberland Street

24 Calhoun Street

25 Prioleau Street

63 Mary Street

99 West Edge Street

Vehicles will need to be removed by 5 p.m. Oct. 1.

The cities of Charleston and North Charleston planned to distribute sand and sandbags to residents through Sept. 29, weather permitting and while supplies last, at the following locations:

5600 Casper Padgett Way (North Charleston)

8610 Patriot Boulevard (North Charleston)

1580 Ashley Garden Boulevard (West Ashley)

Hampton Park parking lot at the corner of Ashley Avenue and Mary Murray Drive (downtown Charleston)

Grace Bridge Street parking lot between America and East Bay streets (downtown Charleston)

Seven Farms Drive behind Governor's Park Dog Park (Daniel Island)

1122 Dills Bluff Road (James Island)

Medical University of South Carolina canceled all non-essential on-site activities through noon Oct. 1. MUSC Health Charleston will begin emergency operations at 7 p.m. Sept. 29 and that will continue until further notice, spokeswoman Heather Woolwine said. The health system will be on shelter in place status.

Visitors to the health system will be limited to one per adult patient and two per pediatric patient. All outpatient clinics will be closed Sept. 30.

However, MUSC Health is offering free online virtual care for those who have email. Go to MUSC.care, click on "Get Care Now," and create an account using the promo code MUSCIAN. Patients can email questions about common conditions, such as flu, rashes, sore throat, urinary tract infections and others to telehealthcallcenter@musc.edu or call 843-474-1920.

Outpatient clinics at Trident Medical Center and Summerville Medical Center will be closed Sept. 30, spokesman Rod Whiting said. Trident Health physician offices will also be closed Sept. 30.

Trident Medical will pause visitation from 8 p.m. Sept. 29 to 8 a.m. Oct. 2 but will make exceptions for compassionate care. Emergency Rooms at Trident Medical, Summerville Medical, Moncks Corner Medical Center, Brighton Park Emergency, and Centre Point Emergency will remain open.

The Charleston Fire Department will have two high-water vehicles rumbling through the streets until Oct. 1 in response to the expected flooding.

Deputy Chief Jason Krusen said the vehicles, which the department purchased within the past year, can clear roadways flooded up to 48 inches  nearly 4 feet.

The massive trucks, which will operate around-the-clock in the next few days, will aid responders in their attempts to rescue people stranded in stalled cars or other dangerous situations. They can fit 8-10 passengers, five crew members and two wheelchairs. The high-water vehicles also carry an assortment of emergency equipment, including pike polls, life vests, blankets and emergency medical service kits.

Krusen said he fears some people familiar with the Lowcountrys landscape will mistake the expected storm surges, which feature dangerous, fast-moving floods, for nuisance flooding  a regular occurrence on the peninsula  and try to drive through them.

Fire Engineer David Steed said he has rescued more than 50 passengers with high-water vehicles this summer.

The veteran emergency responder has a message for Lowcountry drivers: Dont drive through flooding.

Other state officials took additional precautions as Ian closed in. The Department of Health and Environment Control is shuttering all its shellfish harvesting beds at sunset Sept. 29 due to the storm's forecasted rainfall totals.

The harvesting areas will reopen after crews can perform post-storm assessments and monitor the water quality, the agency announced.

Tom Corwin, Ema Schumer, Thad Moore, Glenn Smith, Rickey Dennis, Caitlin Byrd and Emma Whalen contributed to this report from Charleston.
PUNTA GORDA, FLA.  Rescue crews piloted boats and waded through flooded streets Thursday to save thousands of Floridians trapped after Hurricane Ian destroyed homes and businesses and left millions in the dark.

The destruction began to come into focus a day after Ian made landfall in Florida as one of the strongest hurricanes ever to hit the U.S. The storm flooded homes on both of the state's coasts, cut off the only bridge to a barrier island, destroyed a historic waterfront pier and knocked out electricity to 2.67 million Florida homes and businesses  nearly a quarter of utility customers. At least one man was confirmed dead.

Aerial photos from the Fort Myers area, a few miles west of where Ian struck land, showed homes ripped from their slabs and deposited in a jumble among shredded wreckage. Businesses near the beach were completely razed, leaving just twisted debris. Broken docks floated at odd angles beside damaged boats, and fires smoldered on lots where houses once stood.

"We've never seen storm surge of this magnitude," Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis told a news conference. "The amount of water that's been rising, and will likely continue to rise today even as the storm is passing, is basically a 500-year flooding event."

Though downgraded to a tropical storm by Thursday morning, the National Hurricane Center said storm surge and flooding rains remained a threat as Ian crept across the Florida peninsula and emerged in the Atlantic Ocean north of Cape Canaveral. Forecasters predicted Ian would regain some strength while turning northward.

A hurricane warning was issued for the South Carolina coast, where the storm was expected to again make landfall, having already hit Cuba and Florida.

Sheriffs in southwest Florida said 911 centers were inundated by thousands of stranded callers, some with life-threatening emergencies. The U.S. Coast Guard began rescue efforts hours before daybreak on barrier islands near where Ian struck, DeSantis said. More than 800 members of federal urban search-and-rescue teams were also in the area.

In the Orlando area, Orange County firefighters used boats to reach people in a flooded neighborhood. A photo the department posted on Twitter showed one firefighter carrying someone in his arms through knee-deep water. At an area nursing home, patients were carried on stretchers across floodwaters to a waiting bus.

Firefighters on boats and National Guard soldiers in a tall truck rescued Joseph Agboona and his neighbors after water rose to the windows in his Orlando home.

"We were happy to get out," said Agboona, who grabbed two bags of possessions, not knowing what will be left when he eventually returns. "It was very, very bad."

In Fort Myers, Valerie Bartley's family spent desperate hours Wednesday holding a dining room table against their patio door, fearing the storm raging outside "was tearing our house apart."

"I was terrified," Bartley said. "What we heard was the shingles and debris from everything in the neighborhood hitting our house."

She said her 4-year-old daughter grabbed her hand and said: "I'm scared too, but it's going to be OK." The girl was right. The storm ripped away patio screens and snapped a palm tree in the yard, Bartley said, but left the roof intact and her family unharmed.

Authorities confirmed at least one Florida death  a 72-year-old man in Deltona who fell into a canal while using a hose to drain his pool in the heavy rain, the Volusia County Sheriff's Office said. Two other storm deaths were reported in Cuba.

Lee County Sheriff Carmine Marceno said his office was scrambling to respond to thousands of 911 calls, but many roads and bridges in Fort Myers and the surrounding area were impassable.

"It crushed us," Marceno told ABC's "Good Morning America." "We still cannot access many of the people that are in need."

Emergency crews sawed through toppled trees to reach stranded people. Many in the hardest-hit areas were unable to call for help because of electrical and cellular outages.

"Portable towers are on the way for cell service. Chances are your loved ones do not have ability to contact you," said the sheriff's office in Collier County, which includes Naples. "We can tell you as daylight reveals the aftermath, it's going to be a hard day."

Christine Bomlitz was unable to reach her mother by phone after the storm made landfall south of Englewood, where the 84-year-old woman lives in a retirement community. Bomlitz said her mother was supposed to evacuate but was never picked up. So the anxious daughter from Las Vegas posted a plea for help on social media.

Some Good Samaritans replied and came to her aid Thursday, one of them wading in chest-deep floodwaters in her mother's neighborhood to perform a welfare check. Relieved that her mother had weathered the storm, Bomlitz was working to arrange a boat rescue.

"I'm thankful for this stranger, a total stranger," Bomlitz said. "People are amazing."

A chunk of the Sanibel Causeway fell into the sea, cutting off access to the barrier island where 6,300 people normally live. It was unknown how many heeded orders to evacuate, but Charlotte County Emergency Management Director Patrick Fuller expressed cautious optimism that worst-case scenarios might not have been realized.

No deaths or injuries have been confirmed in the county, and flyovers of barrier islands show "the integrity of the homes is far better than we anticipated," Fuller said.

South of Sanibel Island, the historic beachfront pier in Naples was destroyed, with even the pilings underneath torn out, as towering waves crashed over the structure. "Right now, there is no pier," said Penny Taylor, a Collier County commissioner.

In Port Charlotte, a hospital's emergency room flooded and fierce winds ripped away part of the roof, sending water gushing into the intensive care unit. The sickest patients  some on ventilators  were crowded into the middle two floors as the staff prepared for storm victims to arrive, said Dr. Birgit Bodine of HCA Florida Fawcett Hospital.

The Florida Highway Patrol shut down the Florida Turnpike in the Orlando area and said the main artery in the middle of the state will remain closed until water subsides.

Ian struck Florida as a monstrous Category 4 storm, with 150-mph winds that tied it for the fifth-strongest hurricane ever to hit the U.S.

"It doesn't matter what the intensity of the storm is. We're still expecting quite a bit of rainfall," Robbie Berg, senior hurricane specialist with the National Hurricane Center, said in an interview with The Associated Press.

The U.S. Coast Guard initiated a search and rescue mission for 23 people after a boat carrying Cuban migrants sank Wednesday in stormy weather east of Key West. It found three survivors, and four others swam to shore, the U.S. Border Patrol said. Air crews continued to search for possibly 20 remaining migrants.

___

Associated Press contributors include Cody Jackson in Tampa, Florida; Freida Frisaro in Miami; Mike Schneider in Orlando, Florida; Seth Borenstein and Aamer Madhani in Washington; Bobby Caina Calvan in New York; and Andrew Welsh-Huggins in Columbus, Ohio.
ST. PETERSBURG, FLA.  Hurricane Ian, one of the most powerful storms ever recorded in the U.S., swamped southwest Florida on Wednesday, flooding streets and buildings, knocking out power to over 1.6 million people and threatening catastrophic damage further inland.

A coastal sheriff's office reported that it was getting many calls from people trapped in homes. The hurricane's center struck near Cayo Costa, a protected barrier island just west of heavily populated Fort Myers.

Mark Pritchett stepped outside his home in Venice around the time the hurricane churned ashore from the Gulf of Mexico, about 35 miles to the south. He called it "terrifying."

"I literally couldn't stand against the wind," Pritchett wrote in a text message. "Rain shooting like needles. My street is a river. Limbs and trees down. And the worst is yet to come."

The Category 4 storm slammed the coast with 150 mph winds and pushed a wall of storm surge accumulated during its slow march over the Gulf. More than 1.1 million Florida homes and businesses were without electricity. The storm previously tore into Cuba, killing two people and bringing down the country's electrical grid.

About 2.5 million people were ordered to evacuate southwest Florida before Ian hit, but by law no one could be forced to flee.

News anchors at Fort Myers television station WINK had to abandon their usual desk and continue storm coverage from another location in their newsroom because water was pushing into their building near the Caloosahatchee River.

Though expected to weaken to a tropical storm as it marches inland at about 9 mph, Ian's hurricane force winds were likely to be felt well into central Florida. Hours after landfall, top sustained winds had dropped to 125 mph, making it a Category 3 hurricane. Still, storm surges as high as 6 feet were expected on the opposite side of the state, in northeast Florida.

"This is going to be a nasty nasty day, two days," Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said, urging people in Ian's path along the Atlantic coast to rush to the safest possible shelter and stay there.

Jackson Boone left his home near the Gulf coast and hunkered down at his law office in Venice with employees and their pets. Boone at one point opened a door to howling wind and rain flying sideways.

"We're seeing tree damage, horizontal rain, very high wind," Boone said by phone. "We have a 50-plus-year-old oak tree that has toppled over."

In Naples, the first floor of a fire station was inundated with about 3 feet of water and firefighters worked to salvage gear from a firetruck stuck outside the garage in even deeper water, a video posted by the Naples Fire Department showed. Naples is in Collier County, where the sheriff's department reported on Facebook that it was getting "a significant number of calls of people trapped by water in their homes" and that it would prioritize reaching people "reporting life threatening medical emergencies in deep water."

Ian's strength at landfall tied it for the fifth-strongest hurricane when measured by wind speed to strike the U.S. Among the other storms was Hurricane Charley, which hit nearly the same spot on Florida's coast in August 2004, killing 10 people and inflicting $14 billion in damage.

Ian had strengthened rapidly overnight, prompting Fort Myers handyman Tom Hawver to abandon his plan to weather the hurricane at home. He headed across the state to Fort Lauderdale.

"We were going to stay and then just decided when we got up, and they said 155 mph winds," Hawver said. "We don't have a generator. I just don't see the advantage of sitting there in the dark, in a hot house, watching water come in."

Florida residents rushed ahead of landfall to board up homes, stash precious belongings on upper floors and join long lines of cars leaving the shore.

Some decided to try and ride out the storm. Jared Lewis, a Tampa delivery driver, said his home has withstood hurricanes in the past, though not as powerful as Ian.

"It is kind of scary, makes you a bit anxious," Lewis said. "After the last year of not having any, now you go to a Category 4 or 5. We are more used to the 2s and 3s."

Ian made landfall more than 100 miles south of Tampa and St. Petersburg, sparing the densely populated Tampa Bay area from its first direct hit by a major hurricane since 1921.

Flash floods were possible all across Florida. Hazards include the polluted leftovers of Florida's phosphate fertilizer mining industry, more than 1 billion tons of slightly radioactive waste contained in enormous ponds that could overflow in heavy rains.

The federal government sent 300 ambulances with medical teams and was ready to truck in 3.7 million meals and 3.5 million liters of water once the storm passes.

"We'll be there to help you clean up and rebuild, to help Florida get moving again," President Joe Biden said Wednesday. "And we'll be there every step of the way. That's my absolute commitment to the people of the state of Florida."

DeSantis has requested Biden grant a Major Disaster Declaration for all 67 of the state's counties, which would open a range of federal assistance for residents and funding for public infrastructure repairs. DeSantis has also requested Biden allow FEMA to provide a 100 percent federal cost share for debris removal and emergency protective measures for 60 days.

The governors of Virginia, Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina all preemptively declared states of emergency. Forecasters predicted Ian will turn toward those states as a tropical storm, likely dumping more flooding rains into the weekend, after crossing Florida.

___

Associated Press contributors include Christina Mesquita in Havana, Cuba; Cody Jackson and Adriana Gomez Licon in Tampa, Florida; Freida Frisaro in Miami; Anthony Izaguirre in Tallahassee, Florida; Mike Schneider in Orlando, Florida; Seth Borenstein and Aamer Madhani in Washington; Bobby Caina Calvan in New York; Andrew Welsh-Huggins in Columbus, Ohio; and Jay Reeves in Birmingham, Alabama.
Summerville, SC (29483)

Today

Generally cloudy. High 68F. Winds N at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. Low 49F. Winds NNE at 5 to 10 mph.
Minde Herbert is on a mission to let her customers know that they are buying a beneficial, nutrient-rich food, not a drug or an unregulated supplement.
CONWAY  Coastal Carolina University and Horry-Georgetown Technical College have partnered to support domestic violence victims from the proceeds of an upcoming 5K race held on the two Conway campuses.

Slated for Oct. 7 at 7:30 p.m., the Light Up the Night 5K race is open to participants of all ages and abilities, HGTC officials said. The race will support a victim assistance fund to help both CCU and HGTC student victims of domestic and relationship violence.

Those who are interested in participating can go online to register. Officials said race registration for the Light Up the Night 5K is online only at: https://runsignup.com/Race/Events/SC/Conway/CCULighttheNight5k.

Pricing for individuals is $40; CCU and HGTC faculty and staff are $35; CCU and HGTC students are $20 and Conway Medical Center employees are $35.

As October is Domestic/Relationship Violence Awareness month, the purpose of the Light Up the Night 5K race is to raise awareness for domestic and interpersonal violence in relationships, particularly aimed at the college-aged student, HGTC officials said in a statement.

According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, 42 percent of South Carolina women and 29 percent of South Carolina men experience partner physical violence, sexual violence or stalking in their lifetimes.

Officials said the race will begin on CCUs campus on University Boulevard at the Chanticleer West traffic light. Runners will travel toward HGTC, completing a loop around the HGTC campus and head back to CCU by way of the roundabout near U.S.501.

Runners will then complete a loop around the CCU campus, turning right onto University Boulevard and finishing at Brooks Stadium on the teal turf.

There will be an after-party and awards ceremony at Brooks Stadium after the 5K.
SUMMERVILLE  An early morning fire tore through an apartment complex, killing at least two people, injuring several others and leaving dozens of families displaced as Tropical Storm Ian was bearing down on the South Carolina coast.

Summerville Fire & Rescue were dispatched around 3 a.m. Sept. 29 for a fire alarm at Summerville Station, a sprawling apartment complex off Old Trolley Road, town spokeswoman Mary Edwards said.

Crews arrived within minutes, but one apartment building was already engulfed in flames and the blaze was spreading to a second building. Residents suffering burn injuries were in the front yard, Edwards said.

"The alarm assignment was quickly upgraded to bring additional resources from neighboring departments," she said. "It took the more than 50 firefighters from (Summerville), North Charleston and Dorchester County approximately 3 hours to bring the fire under control."

Crews initially found one person dead in the complex after the fire was controlled. A second body was found in the late morning, Edwards said.

Four others were taken to the hospital with various injuries. Four Summerville police officers who helped in the rescue were also taken to the hospital, but they have been released, Edwards said.

Between 10 and 12 Summerville police officers showed up after receiving the 911 call for the fire, according to Lt. Chris Hirsch. He said the officers who arrived on the scene did everything they could to alert residents and get them out of the apartments.

The Dorchester County Coroner's Office has not identified the deceased. State authorities are helping to investigate the cause of the fire, Edwards said.

Thirty apartments are uninhabitable because of the fire, Edwards said. The American Red Cross of South Carolina is expected to provide financial assistance to an estimated 70 people to help with food, shelter and clothing, spokeswoman Saskia Lindsay said.

The fire came as officials throughout South Carolina are preparing for Tropical Storm Ian, which forecasters predict will make landfall the afternoon of Sept. 30 on the Lowcountry's shores. The storm is expected to bring heavy rains, high winds, storm surges and isolated tornadoes, according to the National Weather Service's Charleston office.

Lindsay said the S.C. Red Cross has not opened emergency shelters in the state, but the agency will ensure that any residents impacted by the fire have somewhere to stay.

"We open a case with each person who's impacted, and we give them financial assistance so they can get a hotel or a place to stay," Lindsay said.

Fires have struck several tri-county apartment complexes this year. In June, a fast-spreading fire at Oakbrook Village apartments in Summerville destroyed 24 units in one building. In February, 56 apartments were destroyed in a suspected arson at Palms Apartments in West Ashley, leaving almost 180 people displaced.

No one was seriously injured or killed in either of those fires.

Editor's Note: This story has been updated to accurately reflect the number of people killed in the fire. The Dorchester County Coroner's Office will identify the deceased.
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.
The case against the leader S.C. Education Superintendent Molly Spearman brought in to turn around the troubled Williamsburg County School District looks bad.

As The Post and Couriers Maura Turcotte and Sara Gregory report, two former employees sued Kelvin Wymbs for swearing at them and wrongly forcing them out of their jobs when he was filling in as a principal in Florence County in 2018.

Then as superintendent of Dorchester District 4, Dr. Wymbs was called down by the Education Department last year after he sent a series of profanity-laced text messages to school board members and a sheriffs deputy nearly arrested him for making threats. After a months-long investigation, the agency warned that engaging in similar unprofessional conduct in the future could subject him to disciplinary action.

Indeed, its difficult to square the agencys refusal to strip Dr. Wymbs of his teaching credentials  as a group of parents requested  with the state's routine practice of stripping teachers of their credentials for simply resigning mid-year, even if its because a spouse had to move for work, or because their children had to be home-schooled because a pandemic closed their classrooms.

On the other hand, anyone can file a lawsuit, and people who are fired for good cause have been known to make up stories to portray themselves as the victims. In fact, one of the lawsuits against Dr. Wymbs was dismissed, and another was settled, with both sides refusing to say what the settlement entailed.

In the Dorchester 4 case, the School Board gave him a commendable evaluation just four months after the texting incident, said he had done a great job learning about the district and building relationships with the community and extended his contract for two more years.

More significantly, he was hand-picked for the Williamsburg job by Ms. Spearman and, by Ms. Spearmans telling, recommended for it by the former superintendent, who was well-regarded statewide and died just days after he took over the job.

Now, we dont believe for a second that we should make policy decisions based on personalities, but we certainly owe some weight to the judgments made by people who have a solid track record, and Ms. Spearman may well be the best education superintendent South Carolina has had. And given the professional and personal investment she has made in turning around the Williamsburg district, it seems doubtful that she would support someone to lead that district whos as big a bully as Dr. Wymbs critics make him out to be.

Unfortunately, theres a huge missing piece to this puzzle, and its a piece that is too often missing from puzzles involving S.C. superintendents  and lots of other people serving in important leadership roles in state and local government  as a result of elected officials refusal to come clean with the public.

Dr. Wymbs didnt jump straight from his job with Dorchester 4 into Williamsburg County. Instead, as Ms. Turcotte and Ms. Gregory report, he resigned 16 months after the profanity-laced tests, and a year after the board extended his contract.

Both Dr. Wymbs and the school board refused to say why he left, but it had all the earmarks of a forced departure: The board held a specially called meeting, went into executive session and then accepted the superintendents immediate resignation. There was a settlement agreement, but the terms weren't released.

If that sounds familiar, you might be thinking of what happened in late December in Charleston County, when the school board that had recently given Superintendent Gerrita Postlewait a good review suddenly called a special meeting and emerged from a closed-door session to announce that it had accepted her resignation. The difference in that case was that the board tried to make it look like it was Dr. Postlewaits idea, and that our editorial staff was able to parse the details of the settlement and the superintendents contract to figure out that she had been forced out without cause and paid half a million dollars to leave.

In Dorchester 4, well, who knows? Maybe the board likewise had no legitimate reason to force Dr. Wymbs out. Or maybe it had a very good reason, and maybe it even had something to do with the bullying allegations. Ditto Florence County, where that secret lawsuit settlement makes it impossible for us to judge whether Dr. Wymbs did anything wrong, or whether the district's lawyers simply decided throwing crumbs at the plaintiff was cheaper than defending a lawsuit.

We might know a good bit more if state law didnt allow school boards and other public bodies to discuss hiring and firing decisions in secret, and enter into secret contracts and settlements.

Of course, public officials who are determined to keep their motivations secret often can do that even when theyre conducting business in public. But its more difficult. Thats particularly true if theres anyone who disagrees with whats going on, because such people often are cowed into keeping quiet about whats discussed in executive session  even when what was discussed should have been talked about in public.

Holding those discussions in public, and avoiding secret settlements, wouldn't simply give voters information they deserve to know about their elected and appointed officials. It also would give future employers information they need to know when they consider hiring the person who was let go.
Im scheduled to join Jon Justice on KTLK this morning at about 8:35 to discuss the massive $250 million free lunch fraud. The $250 million represents the payment of federal funds administered by the Minnesota Department of Education. The show can be live streamed here. I want to compile related materials for listeners in this post.

United States Attorney Andrew Luger announced charges against 47 defendants in six indictments and three criminal informations at a press conference on September 20 (video below). Two additional defendants have been charged since then.

Luger presented the factual background with illustrative exhibits at the press conference. At the same time the Department of Justice issued this press release summarizing the charges and posted PDFs of the indictments online. The indictment of ringleader Aimee Bock and 13 other defendants, for example, is posted here. The press release includes Lugers salient quote: This was a brazen scheme of staggering proportions. The emphasis should be on brazen.

The Minnesota Department of Education administered the free lunch programs in which the funds were paid out to perpetrators of the fraud. Some $200 million of the funds were paid out in 2021 after the MDE had detected the fraud. Aided and abetted by the Star Tribune, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Attorney General Keith Ellison have sought to shift the blame for the continuing payments to Ramsey County Judge John Guthmann and to the FBI. Indeed, Governor Walz called for an investigation of Judge Guthmann. Judge Guthmann responded this past Thursday in this press release that called out both Walz and the Star Tribune. The key document supporting Judge Guthmanns press release is the transcript of the April 21, 2021 hearing before him in the lawsuit brought by Feeding Our Future against MDE. This is the key passage of the press release:

[T]he 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. Of the 144 applications, 143 were denied, resulting in FOFs separate administrative appeal. 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. 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.

On Tuesday morning Ellison submitted to an interview by WCCOs Vineeta Sawkar (audio below). You can feel the flop sweat break out on Ellisons forehead as Sawkar ever so slightly pressed him on his nonfeasance in shutting down the fraud. Citing Ellisons own timeline on the scandal, she asked who knew what when. (Ellisons timeline links to the 66-page affidavit of FBI Special Agent Travis Wilmer supporting the search warrants that were executed all over the Twin Cities in January.)

Responding to Sawkar, Ellison hemmed and hawed, pleaded attorney-client privilege, referred to cooperation with the FBI investigation, and repeatedly alleged compulsion by Judge Guthmanns mythical order to continue payments. Ellison proclaimed at 13:30 of the audio clip: This is a success story.
Kto szuka: MAJOREL POLSKA Stanowisko: People Operations Partner - (HR Business Partner) Lokalizacja: Gdansk, Alchemia Office pomorskie

Opis stanowiska podany przez pracodawce:

This role will support the Senior HR Business Partner and HR Team to deliver a comprehensive HR service. HR administration / reporting plays big part in the day to day responsibilities (50%). We are looking for a proactive, open- minded person with positive attitude and teamwork skills.

Wymagania stawiane pracownikowi:

Duties and Responsibilities

Overseeing annual leaves, attendance & time management systems and cooperation with assigned teams on errors verification before payroll cut of date.

Supporting assigned line of the business with payroll-related questions.

Regular collaboration with payroll department and providing essential information that ensures correct salary calculation.

Quarterly bonus calculation.

Creation of reports for senior HR management as well as operational stakeholders that rely on this information.

Preparing and analysing HR metrics in partnership with operations to deliver updates for the client and develop solutions.

Periodic training plan coordination and internal learning sessions delivery.

Conducting with managers regular meetings and sharing HR updates and communications about changes.

Working with managers to deliver people related initiatives and change programmes.

Proactive management of employee relations issues.

Required Qualifications & Experience

University degree

Minimum 2 years of experience in managerial role in an international company within HR area

Experience in payroll / HR administration

Practical knowledge of the Polish labour laws

Fluent command of Polish and English  both verbal and written

Strong Power Point and Excel skills

Ability to set priorities, manage time, organize work, and meet deadlines

Strong presentation, written and verbal communication skill

What we offer

Annual performance bonus

Subsidized Life Insurance

Private medical care package

Cafeteria program with wide range of employee benefits (including Multisport)

Work in a modern office environment with access to free snacks and drinks

Parking space

About Majorel

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this classification. They are not to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required of personnel so classified. All personnel may be required to perform duties outside of their normal responsibilities from time to time, as needed.

Majorel is an equal opportunity employer that embraces diversity. We are committed to the principle of equal employment opportunities for all employees and to providing employees with a work environment free of discrimination and harassment. All employment decisions at Majorel are based on business needs, job requirements and individual qualifications, without regard to gender, age, ethnicity, race, nationality, religion, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, marital or civil partnership status or any other basis as protected by local law.

Majorel and its employees do not tolerate, engage in or support Human Trafficking, Forced Labor or Child Labor of any kind through Majorel's activities, including in its supply chain, or assist Majorel clients or any other party in doing so.

Firma oferuje:





If youre #driventogofurther, we want to hear from you today!

Kontakt do pracodawcy:
Africas largest business conglomerate, Dangote Industries Limited, has been adjudged the Outstanding Indigenous Conglomerate of the Decade, carting home eight different Economic Community of West African States Manufacturing Excellence Awards (EMEA) in the process.

In the same vein, two subsidiaries of the Conglomerate, Dangote Cement Plc and Dangote Sugar Refinery Plc also received awards of the renowned Marketing Edge magazines Brands of the Decade.

While the EMEA awards were given by the Nigerias Daily Independent Newspaper and its BusinessDay Ghana counterpart, the Brand of the Decade for Dangote Group subsidiaries were received at the 10th edition of the leading brand magazine, Marketing Edges 2022 Summit and Award Night themed Technological explosion in the digital Age  Imperatives for the marketing communications industry, which held in Lagos.

It was a gale of accolades as the Dangote brand was named number one brand by all standards with its Sugar and Cement brands as the two brands, which company has contributed tremendously to the infrastructure development not only in Nigeria but Africa in the last 10 years.

Speaking at the event, John Ajayi, Publisher/CEO of Marketing Edge Publications described this years awards as one with a special attraction and uniqueness, designed to reboot, restart and re-energise the social, intellectual and entrepreneurial landscape of the Nigerian Integrated Marketing Communication (IMC).

While eulogising the management of Dangote Group for the business strategy that has helped in positioning the brand well ahead of others in the industry, he explained that the award event was organised to celebrate the best and brightest brands.

According to him, the award to Dangote brands are in recognition of its leadership and domination in the various market segments and categories, adding that the recognised brands are brands that continue to make the Nigerian consumers happy and satisfied.

READ ALSO:

The Marketing Edge publisher, while giving the business trajectory of the past 19 years, saluted the various winners and their managements for their roles in making Nigeria proud, citing an instance of how Dangote Cement and Dangote Sugar have made Nigeria self-sufficient in cement and sugar production.

In his response to the new awards, Anthony Chiejina, Group Chief, Branding & Communications Officer, Dangote Industries Limited (DIL), said the Groups brand remains at the forefront of African enterprise and that the brand, since inception, has touched the lives of many by providing their basic needs.

Expressing gratitude to the management of Marketing Edge publications for the recognition, Mr. Chiejina explained that consumers are loyal to brands that are purposeful and that is why we have designed a strategy that creates that purpose. Because we understand the power of brands, we have positioned all our businesses to be consumer-centric so that it can inspire millions of people behind it, Mr. Chiejina stated.

The ECOWAS awards won by the company included ECOWAS Manufacturing Company of the Year; ECOWAS Manufacturing Company CEO of the Year; ECOWAS Manufacturing CSR Company of the Year; ECOWAS Cement Manufacturing Company of the Year; ECOWAS Sugar Manufacturing Company of the Year; ECOWAS Salt Manufacturing Company of the Year and ECOWAS Fertiliser Manufacturing Company of the Year.

The awards won during the Marketing Edge Magazine 2022 summit included Outstanding Indigenous Conglomerate won by the Dangote Industries Limited, and Cement Brand of the Decade and Sugar Brand of the Decade.
Queen Elizabeth II died of old age, her official death certificate has revealed.

The document released by National Records of Scotland gave the time of the Queens death on Thursday September 8 as 3:10 pm (1410 GMT).

When paying tribute to her mother the Queen, the Princess Royal revealed she was with the head of state in her last moments.

Princess Anne, who accompanied her mothers coffin as it travelled from Balmoral to London, via Edinburgh, said: I was fortunate to share the last 24 hours of my dearest mothers life.

The princess is named as the informant on the document and would have notified the local registrar of her mothers death.

The Queen was laid to rest on September 19, following 70 years of service, after family, friends and the nation said a fond farewell to the late monarch.

READ ALSO: How world leaders paid tribute to Queen Elizabeth II

For the woman who was never meant to be sovereign, the Queen fulfilled her pledge to serve the nation and Commonwealth and came to earn the respect of many world leaders and the public.

Her grieving family walked behind her coffin throughout the long day of her funeral and burial, a simple but public tribute.

The emotion was clear to see on the face of King Charles III who travelled to Scotland soon afterwards where he has remained with his Queen Consort.

(dpa/NAN)
Nigerias Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, will not be seeking re-election to the Senate after he agreed not to appeal a court ruling that nullified his candidacy.

PREMIUM TIMES reported how the Federal High Court in Damaturu recognised Bashir Machina as the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for Yobe North Senatorial District.

The court ordered the APC to transmit Mr Machinas name to the electoral body, INEC, as the candidate.

Although Mr Machina had won the APC senatorial primary, Mr Lawan tried to usurp the ticket after he lost the presidential primary of the ruling party.

Mr Lawan announced his decision not to appeal the ruling in a statement he signed.

Read the full statement below.

The President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, has said that he would not appeal the judgement delivered on Wednesday by the Federal High Court, Damaturu, in Yobe State with respect to the forthcoming Yobe North Senatorial District elections.

Mr Lawan said in a statement that he personally signed and released on Thursday that he has accepted the judgement of the court which disqualified his candidature and participation in the elections.

The statement titled: Court Judgement on Yobe North Senatorial District Candidacy reads:

Yesterday, Wednesday, 28th September, 2022, the Federal High Court in Damaturu delivered judgement on the rightful candidate for Yobe North Senatorial District for the 2023 National Assembly elections.

The said judgement disqualifies my candidature and therefore my participation in the elections.

After due consultations with my political associates, supporters and well-wishers, I have decided not to appeal against the judgement. I accept the judgement.

At this juncture, I deem it appropriate to thank His Excellency, Senator Ibrahim Gaidam for the leadership role in the APC political family in Yobe State. I also thank His Excellency, Governor Mai Mala Buni for the support and brotherhood.

To my constituents, I thank you all for your unflinching support, loyalty and unreserved commitment to the course of building our people and Yobe North Senatorial District and indeed Yobe State.

I want to assure you that I will continue to serve you in my personal and any other capacity at all times.

We journeyed together for a long time, and this journey will remain a life long journey. It has been a wonderful relationship and it can only get stronger. I am indebted to you all. Alhamdulillah.

Signed:

Senator Ahmad Ibrahim Lawan, PhD, CON,

Yobe North Senatorial District
Presidential candidates of all political parties have signed a peace accord committing themselves to a peaceful campaign for the 2023 election.

All the candidates and the national chairman chairmen of their parties signed the accord organised by the National Peace Committee in Abuja on Thursday.

Some of the candidates that signed the accord were Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Peter Obi of the Labour Party, and Rabiu Kwankwaso of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP).

Others were Omoyele Sowore of African Action Congress, Hamzat Al-Mustapha of Action Alliance, Sunday Adenuga of Boot Party and the only female candidate in the race, Chichi Ojei of Allied Peoples Movement (APM).

Christoper Imumolen of the Accord Party; Yabagi Sani of Action Democratic Party, Dumebi Kachikwu of African Democratic Congress (ADC), and Dan Nwanyanwu of the Zenith Labour Party also signed the pact.

The candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu, was represented by his running mate, Kashim Shettima.

Mr Tinubu is in the United Kingdom where he is meeting with some support groups.

PREMIUM TIMES had reported that the APC candidate would miss the event.

The 18 recognised political parties are fielding candidates in the 25 February election.

Speaking on behalf of the political parties, the Chairman of the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), Yabagi Sani, who is also the candidate of ADP, said the candidates are committed to peaceful, free, fair and credible elections.

In his welcome remarks, the Chairman of NPC and former Head of State, Abdulsalami Abubakar, said the candidates must ensure civil and decent campaigns.

I call on politicians to address issues that are fundamental to Nigerians. We want to promote respect and tolerance of difference. We want to ensure that there is civility and decency in public discourse, he said. Therefore, on behalf of Nigerians, I am appealing to all political parties, party chairmen, candidates and their spokespersons, please, a campaign based on issues that are of significant concern to Nigerians.

Please, avoid the spread of fake news and personal attacks. You must comply with the spirit of electoral laws, he said.

The signing of the peace agreement came a day after campaigns opened for the presidential and National Assembly elections.
Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State has charged the new General Officer Commanding (GOC) 82 Division of the Nigerian Army, Enugu, to battle kidnapping and violent crimes in Umunneochi and Ohafia local government areas of the state.

Mr Ikpeazu gave the charge while receiving the new GOC of the 82 Division of the Nigerian Army Enugu, Umar Musa, a major-general.

This is contained in a statement by the spokesperson to the Governor, Onyebuchi Ememanka, in Aba.

Mr Musa took over from Taoreed Lagbaja, a major-general, who is now the GOC, 1 Mechanised Division, Kaduna.

The new 82 Division GOC whose division superintends over Ikpeazus Abia, visited to inform the governor of his assumption of duty.

The GOC will work with the governors of the state under the division on security matters, hence the familiarisation tour to the state.

Mr Ikpeazu, while welcoming the new GOC, assured him of the cooperation of the state government and residents of Abia.

The governor informed the GOC that Abia was substantially safe, except for a few places, especially around Umunneochi and Ohafia local government areas where there were pockets of security breaches and violent crimes.

He, therefore, urged him to rise to the challenge of battling violent crimes and kidnapping in those areas, to improve the security situation in the state.

The GOC was accompanied on the visit by the Commander of the 14 Brigade, Ohafia, Abia, Oke Adetuyi, a brigadier-general, and other senior officers.

The Commissioner for Homeland Security in Abia, Sopuruchi Bekee, was present at the event.

(NAN)
Ibrahim Bawa, the counsel to the All Progressives Congress (APC) senatorial candidate of Yobe North, Bashir Machina, has described the court ruling which named his client as the true candidate of the party for the district as courageous.

Mr Bawa told journalists on Wednesday at the court premises that the ruling of Fadima Aminu, the judge, strengthened his trust in the Nigerian judicial system.

Mr Machina had approached the court seeking an order to declare him the winner and the Yobe North APC primary conducted on 28 May.

He also asked the court to compel his party to send his name to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as its candidate for the district and for INEC to publish his name in the list of cleared candidates for the National Assembly election next year.

The APC leadership had sent the name of the incumbent Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, as its candidate.

Mr Lawan did not participate in the INEC-supervised primary of 28 May.

Mr Lawan had contested unsuccessfully in the partys presidential primary. Having failed to secure the presidential ticket, he convinced the party leadership to name him as the candidate of the party in the district he has represented in the Senate since 2007.

When you talk of justice, its a clear indication that justice does not have a face. You see the symbol of Justice, it does not look at anybody before giving judgment. I will say that the judge has just done what she ought to do. This is justice. I must commend the honourable judge for her courageous decision, Mr Bawa said.

This type of judgement has given everyone hope in the judiciary. As they always say, the judiciary is the hope of the common man. So, anybody can get justice in a court of law. It doesnt matter who you are. The law will always vindicate the innocent and punish the offenders. This will also give confidence and boost our electoral process.

I am extremely happy. You know that anyone that is victorious is naturally happy. Even if he is crying, it is called tears of joy. We are happy because we are victorious, Mr Bawa said.

In her judgement, Mrs Aminu first considered the preliminary objections by the defence lawyer that the case was status barred and if there was a cause of action by the plaintiff.

Ruling in favour of the plaintiff, Mr Machina, the judge, who relied on established legal authorities, stated that the objections were faulty miss-leading and therefore cannot rob the court of its function of entertaining the substantive matter.

On the issue of the case being filled out of time, Mrs Aminu ruled that the cause of action in the case started counting from 17 June when Mr Machina discovered that the second defendant Ahmad Lawan and the first defendant, APC was planning to remove his name and not the date the primary election was conducted on the 28/05/2022 which the plaintiff won.

She explained that the plaintiff, having approached the court on 22 June, after being aware of his partys decision on 17/06/2022, therefore, met the condition of the law and did not violate the 14 days notice required by the constitution.

In her ruling on the substantive matter, the judge held that:

In the final analysis, the conditions for the validity of a primary election were fulfilled in the election of May 28, 2022, which produced the plaintiff. The phantom election of June 9 2022 which produced the second defendant is hereby declared invalid in view of the outline provision of the law of the very primary election.

Consequently, the plaintiff is hereby declared the validly elected candidate of the first defendant (APC) of the Yobe North senatorial candidate of the first defendant conducted on 28/05/2022 for the 2023 general election.

The first defendant is hereby ordered to prepare the name and details of the plaintiff to the third defendant (INEC) as its rightful candidate. This is my decision, she ordered.
The Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN) says it has suspended one of its Lagos State Vice-Chairmen, Oluwaseyi Bamgbose, popularly known as Student, for instigating unrest in the association.

RTEAN National President, Musa Muhammed, announced this in a statement on Wednesday in Lagos through the National Publicity Secretary of the union, Abdulrahman Amusan.

The move came a day after different groups within RTEAN clashed in Lagos, leaving several people injured.

Mr Muhammed, also the Lagos State Chairman of RTEAN, said Mr Bamgboses recent moves and actions were capable of instigating violence in the Lagos State Council of the association.

He said Mr Bamgbose had on Wednesday organised an illegal protest at the Alausa Secretariat with some disgruntled elements in his efforts to create violence and unrest in the association.

Mr Muhammed said Mr Bamgboses intention was to cause trouble so that the state government would regard the association as uncoordinated and subsequently placed a ban on its activities.

While (Bamgbose) was organising a protest in Ikeja yesterday, another clash instigated by him was going on at Iyana Iba in the Ojo area so that government would think we are fighting and then take over our operations.

Bamgbose wants to create an impression that all is not well in the association.

RTEAN has taken decisive action against him, he has been put on suspension in accordance with the associations rules and regulations.

The union is a discipline organisation and will never tolerate or condone any act of violence, especially during this campaign period and elections that are coming. The union cannot afford any act of violence, Mr Muhammed said.

According to him, his tenure is still running as the duly elected chairman of the state council and is loved by the majority of members.

He said there was a process to become an officer in the association and anyone who has any aspiration or ambition should wait and follow the due process instead of resorting to violence.

If you want to be the president or the chairman or anything in the association, there is a process.

If there is any grudge or complaints, there is equally a process where you can report the matter and it will be critically looked into and resolved.

Instead of that, Bamgbose decided to invite some hoodlums, cult guys and area boys to destabilise peace.

The union is taking appropriate action to discipline him in accordance with the rules and regulations of the association, he added.

Mr Muhammed said Mr Bamgbose was one of the Vice Chairmen under his leadership and Zonal Chairman in the Ojo Zone 6 of RTEAN.

The president said RTEAN remained an association of owners of vehicles and not thugs.

(NAN)
The Special Adviser to the President on Ease of Doing Business/PEBEC, Jumoke Oduwole, has asked the House of Representatives to pass the Business Facilitation bill.

Ms Oduwole, in a statement on Wednesday, said the executive bill seeks to provide a legal framework for Executive Order 001 of 2017 on the promotion of transparency and efficiency in the business.

She said the bill is an Omnibus Bill that seeks to consolidate all existing bills toward removing bureaucratic bottlenecks that impede business in Nigeria.

The House read the bill for the first time on 22 June. However, it has yet to list the bill for the second reading.

Ms Oduwole noted that the members of the business community are eager to see the passage of the bill.

The Omnibus Bill is an intervention of the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC) aimed at consolidating and amending outdated legislative provisions towards removing bottlenecks for micro, small and medium enterprises.

It also seeks to ensure the sustainability of business climate and give statutory force to Executive Order 001 of 2017 on the promotion of Transparency and Efficiency in the Business, she stated.

She noted that the bill got the approval of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) before it was transmitted to the National Assembly.

It would be recalled that the Federal Executive Council approved the bill on March 23, 2022, which was a culmination of four years of collaborative work by public and private sector stakeholders in the legal community anchored by the PEBEC through a sub-committee led by the Honourable Attorney General of the Federation, and implemented by a technical working group with the Federal Ministry of Justice legal drafting team and representatives from leading law firms and consultancy firms.

Stakeholders eagerly look forward to the speedy passage of the Bill by both chambers of the 9th National Assembly and signing into law by Mr President to reap the attendant benefits for the Nigerian economy, the statement read.
The Catholic Diocese of Enugu has lifted a ban on church members from attending services at the Adoration Ministry, three months after.

The Catholic Bishop of the diocese, Callistus Onaga had, on 18 June, banned church members from attending activities at the ministry.

The ban followed scathing remarks against Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, by an outspoken Catholic priest, Ejike Mbaka, who is the spiritual director of the ministry.

Mr Mbaka, during his weekly ministration service in June, said Mr Obi would not be president of Nigeria in 2023 because he is a stingy man.

He also said unless Mr Obi returned to his Adoration Ministry to apologise for refusing to make a donation to the ministry when he was asked to do so, his ambition to become president of Nigeria would be fruitless.

Many Nigerians, including the diocese, criticised him over his comment on Mr Obi.

The cleric later apologised to the former governor and his supporters, saying that his intent was not to malign the LP candidate.

The ministry has remained shut since the ban, despite protests by Mr Mbakas followers.

But the diocese, Thursday, confirmed that the ban on the ministry has been lifted.

The Director of Communication of the diocese, Benjamin Achi, told PREMIUM TIMES that Mr Onaga, the Catholic bishop, approved the lifting of the ban.

The ban has been lifted. They will be starting (activities) on Sunday, said Mr Achi, a Catholic priest.

Asked if Mr Mbaka was given a new order to prevent him from making further remarks, the spokesperson said such has not yet been issued by the diocese.

If there will be any, it will come later, he said.

Mr Mbaka announced the resumption of religious activities at the ministry in a post via the ministrys official Facebook page, on Thursday.

Dear Adorers, to the glory of God, Adoration Ministry, Enugu Nigeria, starts on Sunday, 2nd October 2022 with 10 a.m. mass at the adoration ground, Umuchigbo, Iji Nike- Emene, Enugu State, he said.
President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the conferment of a national honour on Opeyemi Bamidele, the senator representing Ekiti Central Senatorial District.

He is to receive the National Honours Award of the Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON).

Mr Bamidele is among the 2022 recipients of the award.

This was disclosed in a statement by his media office on Thursday.

The statement explained that the senator was notified of the presidents decision to honour him via a letter dated 16 September and signed by the Minister of Special Duties and Inter-government Affairs, George Akume.

According to the letter, the official award ceremony will hold on 11 October.

I have the honour to formally inform you that the Presidenthas approved the conferment of the National Honours on you, in the rank of CON, Commander of the Order of the Niger, part of the letter read. The ceremony is scheduled to take place at the International Conference Centre, Abuja on Tuesday, October 11, 2022 at 9am.

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Mr Bamidele is currently the chairman of the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters. He is also the chairman of the Southern Senators Forum in the ninth Assembly.

The lawmaker says he dedicates the National Honour to the slain and living legends of democracy in Nigeria and to the common humanity at large  as a foremost political activist and human rights lawyer during the dark days of military dictatorship in Nigeria.
The presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu, will miss the signing of the 2023 election peace pact on Thursday.

Mr Tinubu, who is currently in the United Kingdom, will not be around for the signing of the pact organised by the National Peace Committee (NPC), chaired by a former military Head of State, Abdulsalami Abubakar.

He will be represented by his running mate, Kashim Shettima.

PREMIUM TIMES had reported that the Mr Tinubu left the country on Sunday to meet with some unnamed groups in the UK. There were however speculations that he had gone to seek medical attention.

While away, his campaign council postponed the inauguration of the council indefinitely. The council said it was going to expand the list to accommodate more interests in the party.

PREMIUM TIMES had exclusively reported that the 422-member PCC released by the Secretary of the council, James Falake, did not go down well with the governors, who threatened to withdraw their support for the campaign.

This newspaper also reported that the Director General of the PCC, Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau State and the Chairman of APC Governors Forum, Governor Abubakar Bagudu, had resolved to expand the list, to accommodate the interest of the governors.

Campaigns for the presidential and National Assembly elections began on Wednesday in line with INECs timetable while the APC presidential candidate was away.

This is not the first time Mr Tinubu will be missing major public appearances with other candidates.

In August, he missed the Nigerian Bar Association Conference in Lagos but was represented by Mr Shettima.

During the conference, Mr Shettima made a controversial statement saying he would personally lead the Nigerian military against criminals while his principal, Mr Tinubu, will oversee the economy.

I have been in the theatre of conflicts for 18 years, I will lead the troops, my principal is an economy wizard who has transformed Lagos into the third largest economy in Africa. He will concentrate on the economy.

By Gods grace, I will handle the security, and not only handle the security, I will lead the troops to battle across the length and breadth of this country, he said.

Some persons on social media interpreted the comment as a possible case of an absentee president.

While major candidates like Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Peter Obi of the Labour Party used the avenue to sell their ideas to the body of lawyers and Nigerians, Mr Tinubu was in the UK having a meeting with Governor Nyesom Wike led group.

Peace Pact

Mr Abdulsalam, had last week, after a meeting with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), said the candidates will sign two accords.

According to the former military ruler, the one to be signed on Thursday is to ensure rancour-free and a fair campaign devoid of acrimony while the other one on the accepting the outcome of the result will be signed in January.
The Senate is considering a bill to regulate and formalise the employment of domestic workers, apprentices, interns and other informal sector employees in Nigeria.

The legislation also seeks to empower the National Directorate of Employment (NDE) to issue licenses and monitor the activities of privately owned agencies in the country.

The bill, sponsored by Sani Musa (APC, Niger), scaled second reading on Wednesday.

The bill was read for the second time after lawmakers deliberated details of the legislation.

In his lead debate, the lawmaker said the operation in the informal sector was usually on a small scale with labour intensive production and usually private ownership driven.

He said the participation of the Nigerian economy by the informal sector showed evidence of violation of employee rights and non implementation of labour regulations .

The informal sector in Nigeria, he said, has practices that do not conform with that of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) as ratified in its convention.

There are still a lot of deficits in the implementation of these conventions, one of such areas of concern relates to a decent work deficit.

Decent work is work with fair and equal treatments, decent remuneration, and fair condition of employment, safety and social protection, opportunities for training and collective bargaining.

He said the primary role of the bill was to regulate the sector to promote strategic objectives, promotion of rights at work, employment, social protection and social dialogue.

He also complained that many jobs in the informal labour market still experience a decent work deficit and employees in the informal sector were often seen as having no rights and are therefore treated unfairly by their employers.

While he noted that the legislation will correct all the ills against such workers, he said it will empower NDE to receive an application from an agency who desires to function as an employment agency and issue a licence having met the requirements and is duly certified to play by the rules.

The certification include that there is no criminal case against such agency, that it maintains proper books of accounts among other rules.

Another Niger senator, Sabi Abdullahi, who supported the bill, suggested that provisions be made to the bill to protect employers from ill treatment.

After the bill was read for the second time and passed, it was referred to the committee on labour and productivity for further legislative work.

The committee is to report back to in four weeks.
The Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the arrest of a British national who is said to have jumped bail and stopped appearing for trial regarding the controversial P&ID $9.6 billion judgement.

Ahmed Mohammed, the trial judge, ordered James Nolans arrest following his absence from Wednesdays proceedings, a statement by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) said.

In a ruling on Wednesday, Mr Mohammed said Mr Nolan had breached the terms of his bail, according to the EFCCs statement signed by the commissions spokesperson, Wilson Uwujaren.

The judge revoked the bail and issued a bench warrant for his arrest.

He also ordered his surety to appear in court to justify why the bail bond should not be forfeited to the government.

Mr Nolan is said to be a director in different firms linked to Process and Industrial Development (P&ID), a company incorporated in British Virgin Island and beneficiary of the controversial $9.6bn arbitral award against Nigeria in London.

Background

An arbitration tribunal in London, the United Kingdom, had held Nigeria liable for the alleged breach of a Gas Supply Processing Agreement (GSPA) it entered into with P&ID in 2010.

In August 2019, the United Kingdoms Business & Property Courts granted P&ID ian order permitting the firm to enforce the arbitral award which had then risen to $9.6 billion.

But Nigeria mounted an aggressive legal battle to stop the enforcement of the judgement on the premise that the GPSA leading to the arbitral award was fraudulent.

The EFCC had launched an extensive investigations exposing foreign and Nigerian players involved in the activities of the firm, as well as federal government officials who allegedly took bribe to sign the fraudulent agreement leading to the humongous $9.6 billion judgement.

The commission filed multiple charges against different actors, including Mr Nolan, allegedly involved in the companys scheming.

On 18 August 2020, EFCC arraigned Mr Nolan in six separate cases involving money laundering charges.

He was arraigned separately along with his six companies in the six cases.

The companies are: Exophoenix Nigeria Limited Babcock Electrical Projects Limited, L.I.R Resources Nigeria Limited, Marshpearl Nigeria Limited, Lurgi Consult Limited, and Kriatholm Nigeria Limited.

Mr Nolan is accused of violating different provisions of Nigerias anti-money laundering law regarding the activities of the firm.

Earlier on 21 October 2019, the Briton was arraigned before another judge of the Federal High Court in Abuja, Okon Abang, on 16 counts of money laundering, tax evasion, forgery of immigration documents, among others.

Wednesdays proceedings

Mr Nolan was absent when the case involving one of his six companies, Lurgi Consult Limited, came up before Mr Mohammed on Wednesday.

The defence was due to cross-examine the first prosecution witness, Temitope Erinomo, at the proceedings.

But prosecuting counsel, Bala Sanga, expressed dismay over the absence of Mr Nolan in court.

Mr Sanga also said the first defendant, Lurgi Consult Limited, had never been represented in court, as a corporate body, since the matter started.

He told the judge that investigations by the EFCC showed that the property given by the surety, in Gwagwalada, Abuja, was not worth N100million.

The prosecuting lawyer then prayed the court to direct the defence team not to further delay the case.

Responding, defence counsel, Micheal Ajara, similarly expressed surprise over his clients absence.

My Lord, the defendant in question has always appeared in court, except for the last adjourned date that he was sick.

His medical report shows that he has bipolar, a history of mental illness and it is uncertain if the defendant is fine. We have notified the police, including the prosecution, and all efforts to ascertain his whereabouts have proven abortive, he said.

He prayed the court to grant the defence time to ascertain his whereabouts.

But the judge said the court of law would not act on uncertainties. What is clear to the court right now, is that the second defendant is nowhere to be found and there is no justification with certainty of his whereabouts.

Mr Sanga, the prosecuting counsel, then urged the court to revoke Mr Nolans bail, issue a bench warrant for his arrest and and another order for the forgeiture of the bail bond.

The judge, in agreement, revoked the defendants bail and ordered his arrest. But on the request for the forfeiture of the bail bond, the judge ordered the surety to appear to make a case why such order of forfeiture should not be issued by the court.
The Nigerian government on Wednesday said it plans to set up a gas-funding company that will facilitate supply of 20 million cylinders of petroleum liquefied gas (LPG) into the Nigerian market in the next half a decade.

The group managing director of Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited, Mele Kyari, made the disclosure at a summit in Abuja named, Energizing the Future: Leveraging the India Experience to Achieve Nigerian National LPG Aspirations.

An official said the plan is modelled after Indias experience driven by the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PUMY) scheme, which was implemented by the South East Asian countrys government in 2016.

The grand initiative was pursued by way of an aggressive LPG penetration drive, which provided free cylinders, stoves and valves to end-users.

To be christened Gas Funding Company Limited, the new unit is to be solely focused on LPG business and will commercially drive national penetration of cooking gas.

The NNPC will work with the Office of the Vice President and others to deliver the project, Mr Kyari said, adding that his firm is positioned to deploy 740 LPG micro-distribution centres, 37 Filling Plants and skids in its 541 Stations within the next three years.

Mr Kyari noted that Nigeria has identified its abundant gas resources as the driver of an energy transition, which informed her net zero commitment by 2060 and the declaration of 2021- 2030 as the Decade of Gas.

NNPC Limited is an energy company with new investments in gas, power, and renewables. Key pipeline projects such as ELPS I1, OB3 and AKK to deliver a total of 6.2 billion cubic feet of gas per day to demand nodes across the country are at various stages of completion, he said.

Adeyemi Dipeolu, the special adviser to the president on economic matters in the Office of the Vice President, noted that the government has implemented policies and physical incentives to stimulate investment and grow the LPG industry over the years.

Some of the aspired targets include 10 million tons of national consumption by 2027, the conversion of 30 million households to the use of LPG, autogas development and establishment of auto conversion workshops, marketers cylinder owned model and to end carbon credit, he said.

Mr Dipeolu asserted that Nigeria has proved to be the largest mined natural gas reserve in the world and comes next to Algeria on the continent in terms of LPG production.

Nigeria currently produces about 5 million tons of LPG annually, and only 8 per cent of Nigerias annual cooking gas production of 5 million tons is consumed locally, Mr Dipleolu said.

Domestic LPG production stands at about 45 per cent of annual consumption with Nigeria energy limited supplying 450,000 metric tons per year where 55 per cent is imported into the country, he said.

He said the household energy need in Nigeria is about 5 per cent LPG, 65 per cent biomass and 30 per cent kerosene.

Mr Dipeolu said the summit focused on sharing Indias experience driven by the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PUMY) scheme, which was implemented by the South East Asian countrys government in 2016.

That resulted in significant growth in LPG penetration in the country, increasing adoption from about 62 per cent in that year to almost 100 per cent today.
A former deputy governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Kingsley Moghalu, has urged the National Assembly to drop a bill seeking to remove the apex bank governor as chairman of the banks Board of Directors.

Mr Moghalu, in a statement Thursday, also argued that plans to remove the power of the CBN board to fix the banks budget and set the salaries of its staff is completely wrongheaded and should be dropped.

Such an amendment to the CBN Act of 2007 would finally destroy the institution by disrobing it completely of its institutional independence as enshrined in the Act, he said.

It would make the Bank, a statutory corporation under the law, to become a Ministry or a mere Agency or Department of the Government. And it would render the bank an open playground for politicians who are the custodians of our dysfunctional governance.

Bill

On Wednesday, a bill which sought to remove the governor of Nigerias apex bank as chairman of its board scaled second reading at the Senate.

The bill, sponsored by Sadiq Suleiman Umar (APC, Kwara North), seeks to amend the CBN Act to enable the appointment of a person other than the governor as the chairman of its board.

But Mr Moghalu said Thursday that although the CBN has already been politicised since mid-2014 when its current governor was appointed, it is a function of incompetent, selfish political and institutional leadership, not a de jure legal reality.

The proposed bill, if passed, will legalise an abnormality and worsen it, when what the nation should be doing is seeking to reverse an anomaly that has had hugely negative consequences for the Nigerian economy, he said.

He said: There are very good reasons why the Governor of the Bank is the Chairman of its Board of Directors. This is the case in MOST central banks around the world. This framework protects central banks from external interference.

A central banks policies and its internal administration should objectively advance the interest of the national economy, not the partisan agendas of political parties or individuals. Imagine a prominent politician from the APC or PDP or any other party appointed the Board Chairman of the CBN.

Well, some would argue that this has already happened, when its Governor (and Chairman of the CBN Board) was aspiring to contest to become the President of Nigeria in 2023 on the platform of the ruling party while refusing to resign his position in the Bank, he said.

Mr Moghalu, who contested the 2019 general elections on the platform of the Young Peoples Party (YPP), noted that it is part of the required independence that the bank creates its own budget and set its staff pay.

It is no accident that the CBN is arguably the top repository of public sector talent in Nigeria, he said.

This is because of massive investments by the Bank in staff development, coupled with high standards of recruitment (at least during the time I was there, I cant speak for afterwards).

Mr Moghalu said what the CBN needs is a new lease of life after the 2023 elections and a new, more professional, competent and depoliticized institutional leadership after the tenure of the current governor ends.

However, the political will from a President who understands why the Bank should not be turned into a political appendage of the ruling party will be required, he added.

READ ALSO: Senate considers bill to remove CBN governor as board chairman

This in turn requires an elected political leader who understands economics and how national economies, including the proper role of an independent central bank, should function.

The CBN should be accountable, yes, but lets not throw the baby away with the bath water. The CBN Act already requires the Bank to periodically brief the National Assembly on its operations. The President of Nigeria approves and signs the Banks Annual Reports (strangely, there has been no annual report for the past few years), and in addition is empowered to approve any change to the legal tender and any investment by the Bank outside Nigeria.

What needs to be done is to make these accountabilities effective, not to gut one of the most unique and important institutions in ANY country, and the unique nature of which requires its independence in order to work effectively for the government and the citizens.
A former spokesperson of the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar, has condemned the visit of the Labour Party flagbearer, Peter Obi, to the traditional head of Jos, Plateau State.

Kassim Afegbua said Mr Obis visit to the Gbong Gwom Jos, Jacob Buba, was a violation of the 2022 Electoral Act which according to him, forbids political campaigns in palaces and religious houses.

Mr Afegbua spoke Wednesday during a Twitter space hosted by PREMIUM TIMES with the topic, 2023: Political Parties Commitment Towards Peaceful Campaigns.

The Labour Party candidate paid a courtesy call to the traditional ruler in Jos while attending a rally in the city, on the day political parties campaigns officially kicked off.

Mr Afegbua, who now supports Bola Tinubu, the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, said Mr Obis visit to the monarch was a wrong start to a peaceful campaign.

According to the Electoral Act, people are not supposed to campaign in mosques, palaces, and churches, but today, I was told that Peter Obi visited Gbong Gwom of Jos, that is already sending the wrong signal, he said.

We need to abide by the rules so that the process can be fair to all. And there will be a level playing ground for everybody.

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The Electoral Act 2022 does not bar politicians from visiting traditional rulers or religious heads. It, however, forbids them from turning palaces and worship centres into campaign grounds.

Section 92 Sub-section 3a and b state; Places designated for religious worship, police stations, and public offices shall not be used for political campaigns, rallies and processions; or to promote, propagate or attack political parties, candidates or their programmes or ideologies.

Monday Ubani, a former vice chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association, echoed the provisions of the Electoral Act.

Even now that campaigns have started, the Electoral Act did not stop politicians from visiting a monarch, churches or mosques, said Mr Ubani.

It only forbids them from turning those places into campaign grounds, especially campaigns of calumny.

Unity

Mr Afegbua, who is now a member of the Tinubu/Shettima campaign council, said the presidential candidate of the PDP has shown that he is not interested in the unity of Nigeria by seeking to become president after President Muhammadu Buhari, another northerner who is spending eight years in office.

I have continued to say it relentlessly that under a plural society that Nigeria is, with our diversities, it is a requirement for you to balance all the algorithms of power between the Northern and Southern protectorate, tracing our history from 1914 till date.

So if President Buhari is finishing eight years as a president of Nigeria of Northern extraction, the law of natural justice prescribes that it should be the turn of the Southern protectorate.

The National Publicity Secretary of the African Action Congress (AAC), Femi Adeyeye, said the APC is starting a campaign for another election when it should be engaging in a house-to-house apology to Nigerians.

For us, we have never stopped campaigning since 2019, while the candidate of the PDP returned to his place in Dubai we never stopped campaigning because we want to win and that is why we cant be toeing the path of crisis.

But the APC should be apologising to Nigerians, they should engage in a house-to-house apology to Nigerians for wasting eight years of their lives and not campaigning.
The controversies over the dichotomy between bachelors Degree and Higher National Diploma (HND) certificates in Nigeria may be far from being over, especially within the nations civil service.

The Nigerian government through the Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF) has reemphasised the existing dichotomy via a recently leaked letter.

In Nigerias civil service, holders of HND certificates awarded by polytechnics cannot rise above grade level (GL) 14 or become directors in the civil service until and unless they acquire additional academic qualifications such as a postgraduate diploma or masters certificates as awarded by universities.

However, university graduates are statutorily qualified to rise to grade level (GL) 17 as the peak of their career in the civil service in the country.

The policy also affects employees entry level into the civil service. While bachelors degree holders are placed on GL08, those with HND certificates are placed on GL07.

The development has attracted complaints from many Nigerians including the leadership and members of the National Association of Polytechnic Students (NAPS), Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUUP) and the Senior Staff Union of Polytechnics (SSANIP). They described the policy as discriminatory and unfair.

But in September 2021, the Head of Civil Service of the Federation, Folashade Yemi-Esan, said the government was committed to ending the discrepancy. She, however, also clarified that the issue was yet to be captured in the Public Service Rules (PSR) but that it will be captured in the Scheme of Service that was being reviewed.

Its the Scheme of Service that describes entry points and things like that. And currently, were reviewing the scheme of service, its just that we did this first, and then well do the scheme of service. So thats where that will be reflected, Mrs Yemi-Esan said at the time shortly after the Federal Executive Council meeting.

The HOS at the event announced some reforms in the public service rules including the introduction of paternity leave for men whose wives are delivered of babies.

What the new letter states

In a leaked letter addressed to the National Commission for Mass Literacy, Adult and Non-Formal Education (NMEC) by the OHCSF, the government insisted that the existing dichotomy still subsists.

The letter dated 1st August and marked HCSF/SPSO/ODD/E&WP/6481116/47 noted that all HND holders terminate on SGL.14 in the Public Service; whether with or without Professional Qualification.

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The letter, signed by Ben Omogo, the Director, Organisation Design and Development at the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, added: Accordingly, holders of Higher National Diploma (HND) in Accounting and Professional Certificate of Association of National Accountancy of Nigeria (ANAN) without a Post Graduate Diploma (PGD) plus a Masters Degree or a degree in Accounting from a recognised university cannot be promoted into the Directorate level in the Public Service as stipulated in the extant Schemes of Service.

The letter referred to a circular dated 12th April 2021 with reference; to HCSF/SPSO/ODD/NCE/CND.100/s.10/III/104, which clarifies that professional certificates from bodies such as the Association of National Accountants of Nigeria (ANAN) or Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN) are no longer acceptable as a qualification to climb the civil service cadres.

However, the professional certificates are a requirement for HND holders in SGL 13 who are willing to move to SGL 14, it said.

Professional certificates already in the Schemes of Service shall in the interim, serve as requirements for promotion from SGL.13 to SGL. 14. This implies that a candidate on the officers Cadres e.g. (Accountants & Engineers) cannot progress to SGL.14 without the relevant Professional Certificate (ANAN, ICAN or COREN) as appropriate, it added.

Background

The battle for equality between HND and Bachelors degrees, which began long ago, saw a major leap when the Senate and House of Representatives passed a bill prohibiting discrimination between them in June and November 2021.

The Bill for an Act to Abolish and Prohibit Dichotomy and Discrimination between First Degree and Higher National Diploma in the Same Profession/Field for the Purpose of Employment; and for Related Matters, prohibits discrimination between HND and bachelors degree, and prescribe equality among them.

The bill read in part; Notwithstanding any provision in any legislation, circular, regulation or policy guideline, First Degree and Higher National Diploma shall be deemed construed and treated as equivalent qualification for the purpose of employment and career progression at workplace in the public and private sectors of the Nigerian economy, the bill reads in part.

Any provision in-laws, enactments, instruments, circulars, scheme of service, directives, or policies by whatever name called, which is inconsistent with the provisions of this bill, shall to the extent of the inconsistency be null and void, and of no effect.

However, President Muhammadu Buhari is yet to assent to the bill to make way for it to be gazetted.

But relevant stakeholders have appealed to the President to append his signature as soon as possible. They said it is a matter deserving urgent attention.

The Coordinator of the Coalition of HND stakeholders, Sebastian Onyemaobi, said the bill would bring an end to the outdated class-concept and certificate-based approach being practised in Nigeria, including introducing the globally accepted performance-based approach to workplace administration.

Qosim Suleiman is a reporter at Premium Times in partnership with Report for the World, which matches local newsrooms with talented emerging journalists to report on under-covered issues around the globe.
The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mahmood Yakubu, has warned state governors against exorbitant charges for posters, billboards and campaign activities in their states.

Mr Yakubu stated that the act of charging exorbitant prices by state governments constitutes a violation of section 95 of the Electoral Act, 2022.

The INEC Chairman spoke at the signing of the peace accord by the presidential candidates of all the parties in Nigeria ahead of the 2023 general elections.

Section 95 (2 and 3) provides that State apparatus including the media shall not be employed to the advantage or disadvantage of any political party or candidate at any election.

Media time shall be allocated equally among the political parties or candidates at similar hours of the day.

It would be recalled that Anambra State Signage and Advertising Agency (ANSAA) had announced that political parties must pay N10 million for erecting billboards and posters for the presidential campaign while senatorial, House of Representatives and state house of assemblies are to pay N7 million, N5 million and N1 million respectively for billboards.

I will like to draw attention to section 95(2). In the past, so many political parties have complained. The section makes it illegal for the apparatus of the statemeaning the power of incumbency to be used for the advantage or disadvantage of any political party or candidate, including the denial of the use of state facilities, public media houses, charges for outdoor advertising especially signages and billboards. The law also prescribes fines for infractions, Mr Yakubu said.

Weeks ago, the police disrupted a rally by the supporters of the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, in Abakiliki, the Ebonyi State capital.

The governor of the state, David Umahi, reacting to the disruption by the police, claimed that the government had asked the organisers of the rally to pay a small token to use the state-owned stadium.

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For record purposes, the relevant government agencies had approved the use of Abakaliki township stadium for a rally by the Labour Party subject to the payment of some specified fees, he said in a press statement.

The Chairman of the National Peace Committee and former military ruler, Abdulsalam Abubakar, in his opening remarks, warned politicians against toxic campaigns and focus on issues-based discourse.

Buhari, Jonathan warn against hate speech, fake news

In a recorded message, former President, Goodluck Jonathan, also warned against hate speech and inciting remarks in the course of the campaigns.

He noted that there are signs of inconsistency in the progress made in the electoral process.

President Muhammadu Buhari, in a recorded speech, also warned against fake news and personal attacks.

Some of the candidates that attended the signing were the Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Peter Obi of the Labour Party, and Rabiu Kwankwaso of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP).

Others were Omoyele Sowore of African Action Congress, Hamzat Al-Mustapha of Action Alliance, the only female candidate in the race, Chichi Ojei of Allied Peoples Movement (APM) and others.

The candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu, who is away in London, was represented by his running mate, Kashim Shettima.
President Muhammadu Buhari has urged political actors in the 2023 poll to place Nigeria first above regional or sectional interests ahead of the 2023 general election.

Mr Buhari made the call in a goodwill message at the signing of the National Peace Accord by presidential candidates of political parties for the election in Abuja on Thursday.

He urged the media to shun fake news and show commitment to issue-based campaigns to ensure a free, fair and credible election.

The 2023 general election is more than an election, it is an opportunity to serve Nigeria, to defend Nigeria and to uphold her unity and progress.

Therefore, I call on all Nigerians, political parties, politicians, security agencies, the election management body, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), and all stakeholders to ensure that Nigeria is placed first above regional and sectional claims.

I call on the contestants, especially their publicity agents and media advisers to shun personal attacks, avoid insults and incitement, reject the spread of fake news, and commit to issue-based campaigns and political rallies, Buhari said.

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He said that as the president, he has always reiterated his commitment to a peaceful, credible and transparent election.

Mr Buhari commended the National Peace Committee (NPC) led by Abdulsalami Abubakar, a former head of state, for its commitment to supporting peaceful elections in Nigeria.

He said what the committee has been doing over the years, aligned with his belief that Nigeria needed peace to achieve credible elections.

However, the rise of fake news and misinformation continues to pose a significant threat to the pattern of democracy in Nigeria.

It has shifted focus away from issue-based campaigns to amplifying the potential for personal attacks, insults, and incitement. It has also significantly diminished civility and decency in public discourse and debate.

The initiatives undertaken by the National Peace Committee to commit all political actors to an issue-based campaign devoid of incitement, personal insults and attacks is a welcome development, he said.

Mr Buhari said everything must be done to support NPC in its efforts to ensure peaceful elections in Nigeria.

(NAN)
President Muhammadu Buhari says the signing of the peace accord with former President Goodluck Jonathan and other presidential candidates in the build-up to the 2015 elections contributed largely to the peaceful outcome of the polls.

The president stated this when he received the National Peace Committee (NPC), led by a former Head of State, Abdulsalami Abubakar, on Thursday at State House, Abuja.

He, therefore, urged all the signatories to the 2023 election Peace Accord, and their supporters, to abide by its content and spirit.

He noted with delight the signing of the First National Peace Accord by presidential candidates in the 2023 election, earlier at a separate event on Thursday.

He said this was aimed at committing political parties, aspirants and their supporters to conduct their campaigns peacefully, devoid of ethnic, religious and hate speeches that could mar the upcoming elections.

The timing of the first National Peace Accord is significant considering political party campaigns have already commenced in the country.

The initiatives undertaken by the NPC are commendable as these efforts would ensure issue-based campaigns.

I look forward to the second phase of the signing of the National Peace Accord coming up in January 2023.

You may recall that President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan and I signed the first National Peace Accord before the 2015 elections.

It is my conviction that it contributed significantly to the peaceful outcome of the 2015 election.

It is my hope that the National Peace Committee continues this important work post-2023, the president said.

READ ALSO:

Mr Buhari reiterated that credible, free and fair elections could only be achieved in a peaceful environment.

He added that the signing of the Electoral Act 2021 as amended with landmark provisions underlined his resolve for a transparent and all-inclusive Electoral Process.

He, therefore, urged all stakeholders to conduct themselves in a manner that would ensure the successful conduct of the 2023 elections as well as a smooth transition from one democratically elected government to another.

Mr Abubakar, who briefed the president on the activities of the committee in the build-up to the 2023 elections, said they met with various stakeholders, including the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the heads of security agencies.

He affirmed that the meetings further reassured the readiness and preparedness of the affected stakeholders to conduct the polls creditably.

The former head of state told the president that the membership of the committee had been expanded to bring in some young minds.

He expressed confidence that the committee would do its utmost to ensure that all political actors live up to expectations.

The NPC chairman also lauded the president for repeatedly reaffirming his commitment to fairness in the 2023 elections, particularly at international outings.

He noted with delight that the off-season elections in Anambra, Ekiti and Osun States had confirmed the presidents irreversible commitment to credible and violence-free polls in the country.

The members of the National Peace Committee are Abubakar, Chairman; Muhammad Saad Abubakar III, the Sultan of Sokoto; John Cardinal Onaiyekan; Aliko Dangote and Ameze Guobadia.

Others are Sam Amuka; Roseline Ukeje ; Ibrahim Gambari; Mathew Kukah; Mathew Luther Agwai and Femi Otedola.

Ahmed Yayale; Idayat Hassan, John Momoh; Sani Suleiman Atsu and Attah Barkindo, Head of NPC Secretariat are also members of the committee.

(NAN)
The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has disclosed that some voter cards from certain migrants were recently intercepted and confiscated, warning that stiff sanctions await any migrant who attempts to participate in the nations electoral process.

The Comptroller General of Immigration (CGI), Isah Idris, made this known Wednesday at a meeting with top management staff of the organisation including zonal coordinators, and comptrollers of commands and formations in Abuja.

Mr Idris, however, refused to give details of the volumes of the cards confiscated and the identity of the alleged culprits.

But he said his men are committed to ensuring peaceful conduct of the elections by adhering strictly to its statutory responsibility of safeguarding the nations border lines.

The meeting was an operational briefing given as part of the preparatory activities for the forthcoming general elections in 2023.

In a statement signed by the spokesman of NIS, Amos Okpu, the CGI was said to have reiterated the governments commitment to a free and fair electoral process for the 2023 general elections and charged concerned men and officers of NIS to upscale surveillance activities in all locations including Border Crossing Points to ensure successful elections.

Mr Idris also directed the activation and deployment of all the migration management and border security assets of the Service to ensure that ineligible persons particularly migrants are not allowed to participate in the nations electoral process.

To this end, I hereby direct that regular meetings with all the migrants communities in the country be intensified to sensitise them on the need for them to stay away from participating in the nations electoral process for the 2023 general elections.

Divisional Immigration Officers (DIOs) across the 774 Local Councils in the country have been directed to deepen surveillance and engagements with the migrant communities in their areas to ensure that no migrant gets involved in the elections, the CGI noted.

Political neutrality

The immigration boss, while stressing the Services ethical obligation and commitment to maintain political neutrality in the discharge of statutory duties, said as Para-military Officers, we are prohibited from political partisanship before, during and after the elections.

Therefore, the Service is seizing the opportunity to sensitize its Personnel through their respective Comptrollers on the need for them to remain apolitical before, during and after the elections as members of the Service.

He warned all personnel that any infractions or unprofessional conduct before, during and after the elections will attract severe sanctions.

The CGI further called for constructive and patriotic engagements among all agencies stressing that synergy and collaboration with stakeholders is an essential ingredients needed to optimally discharge responsibility toward building a better Nigeria of our collective dreams.

NIMCOS foundation

Meanwhile, the statement also noted that the CGI led top management to the foundation groundbreaking ceremony of the head office of the Nigeria Immigration Services Multipurpose Cooperative Society (NIMCOS) at the NIS Headquarters, Abuja.

He noted that when the building is completed, it shall serve as the Administrative Office of the Cooperative Society.

He also charged the executive of the association to live up to its ideals of improving the welfare of officers and men in line with the welfare thrust of his administration.
My guess is that his objective is to severely damage both the candidate and the party that neither would be worth anything at next years poll. This might sound ridiculous, since the state PDP has fielded at least 48 candidates, believed to be his close allies, for next years election under the partys flag.

When the row between Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike, and his party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), spilled onto the streets after the partys presidential primaries in May, I argued that to solve Wike, one had to first fix the candidate, Atiku Abubakar.

In light of Wikes no-holds-barred interview last Thursday, things may have fallen apart, irretrievably. That interview, perhaps only comparable in seismic scale and onomatopoetic resonance with Julian Assanges WikiLeaks, has shaken the PDP to its foundations.

The fallouts may well remain the biggest threat to the PDPs electoral chances next year.

But what was the point, really? Was it to set the records straight? To take his pound of flesh? To avenge the betrayal of his ancestor  Peter Odili  sold down the river under similar circumstances? Or just to bring the roof down and, if possible, escape with the rubble as a trophy?

Wike is not done yet. Still, even in the midst of the wreckage left behind by his last interview, the inescapable question would be: What is his endgame?

Im not sure his interview would significantly damage either party Chairman Iyorchia Ayu or Atiku. Verbal attacks that would damage politicians will kill them first. And their gift for taking disasters in their stride gets even better during campaign sessions when, to use the title of Simon Kolawoles imaginative new book, most people would simply say, Its all politics!

But even if Wikes targets feel any discomfort at all, it still doesnt answer the question: What is his endgame?

My guess is that his objective is to severely damage both the candidate and the party that neither would be worth anything at next years poll. This might sound ridiculous, since the state PDP has fielded at least 48 candidates, believed to be his close allies, for next years election under the partys flag.

Wike is not a fool. If he thought he would be unable to survive and make something for himself or his supporters from the party  whole or in ruins  its unlikely that he would play hardball.

Since its too late to switch parties at this time, my guess is that he would secure his base in Rivers State, where he appears to be very much in control at this time. After the elections, he might, for his spectacular labours of sitting in and pissing in, then use his base to negotiate with the party at the centre. That, of course, is assuming the APC wins the presidency, otherwise he would be dead meat.

Inside sources informed me that Wike indeed brought Ayu, but it was an assignment executed for him by his ally and Benue State governor, Samuel Ortom. A source familiar with what happened said Ayu had assured Wike at the meeting in his house in Abuja that not on his watch as chairman will one Fulani succeed another.

We saw this arrangement work before when Bola Tinubus Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) made a deal with Goodluck Jonathan in 2011 to turn a blind eye during the presidential election, while securing Lagos during the state election. For parties not separated by ideology or principles, how Wike manages his post-election affairs, even if he succeeds, might yet leave him with a permanent label of buyer beware.

The conversation has, of course, not been framed in the stark terms I have used here. Wike, who might have been an excellent opposition leader in a parliamentary system, has said that this is not about himself.

According to him, he feels obliged to compel the party to honour its constitution on zoning, particularly since Ayu (a Northerner) accepted that he would step down, if a northerner emerged presidential candidate.

Those on the other side say that was not exactly how Ayu put it. According to them, he said he would step down if the party (meaning the NEC) asked him to do so. In any case, they argue, why is Wike complaining or, to use campaign spokesman Daniel Bwalyas phrase, playing God? After all, not only did he bring former Chairman Uche Secondus and later also instigate his removal, he also brought Ayu!

Now, that is where the story gets interesting. Inside sources informed me that Wike indeed brought Ayu, but it was an assignment executed for him by his ally and Benue State governor, Samuel Ortom. A source familiar with what happened said Ayu had assured Wike at the meeting in his house in Abuja that not on his watch as chairman will one Fulani succeed another.

At that point, well before the primaries of course, Wike had obviously told himself that he had the party exactly where he wanted it: He would be the inevitable PDP presidential candidate. But the last politician who kept his word was the one who never gave it.

When the sale of the partys form started in March, it became an open sesame. To forestall a Northern coup, pro-Wike forces set up the Bala Mohammed committee, which then took on a life of its own. It spent months looking for a secret in plain sight: that regardless of what the constitution said, it would be an open contest!. The rest, of course, is history.

But was there a chance that Wike and Atiku may have patched things up, especially after the famous but highly secretive London meetings? Improbable.

Sources familiar with the outcome of the meetings said even though Atiku seemed disposed to ditch Ayu, he was concerned about (a) the impact, especially so close to elections, and (b) that he might be unable to get the NEC to do it.

Of course, Wike allegedly assured him it wouldnt be a problem. He, Wike, had done it before and the head of Secondus on a platter was proof. In case there was any question about a viable replacement this time, however, former Ondo State governor, Dr Segun Mimiko, was on standby.

Now, back to the question: What is Wikes endgame? To avenge his displacement from within, while securing the positions of his allies who are already carrying the PDP flag into the next election. His destination  if not by words, but by conduct  is APC. Everything in-between is in translation.

But there was an elephant in the room  the disposition of the owners of the party. When Atiku returned to Abuja from the London meetings and broached the matter, the owners declined. They expressed the view that Wike had crossed the line. He would be tackled at the appropriate time. No deal.

Two credible sources said the owners in question were former military Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar; former National Security Adviser, General Aliyu Gusau; a former Director General of the State Security Services, suspected to be Lawal Daura; and a shadowy but immensely consequential figure at the Villa likely to be Mamman Daura (President Muhammadu Buharis relation). A media mogul in the PDP also lent his voice.

Ayu is saved for another day not only by the vital intervention of some of the owners of the party but also by his old boys network, reinforced by the promise that either himself or former Senate President Bukola Saraki could become the next Secretary to the Government of the Federation, if the PDP wins.

Now, back to the question: What is Wikes endgame? To avenge his displacement from within, while securing the positions of his allies who are already carrying the PDP flag into the next election. His destination  if not by words, but by conduct  is APC. Everything in-between is in translation.

And my guess is that he might not be a total stranger there. Not only because the main parties are largely different only in name, but also because some members of his cabinet and allies are refugees from APC, a party that has downgraded its funder-in-chief of yesterday, Rotimi Amaechi, from Buharis campaign DG to Tinubu-Shettimas adviser on infrastructure.

Pundits may worry about the possible consequences of Wikes actions on the fortunes of the PDP in Rivers State, and perhaps elsewhere that he may have clout. My guess is that the combined effect of Labour Partys Peter Obi and Wike activities would prove quite daunting, especially in the South-East and South-South that have been the mainstay of the party in about two decades.

If we have seen anything in Nigerias politics in the last 23 years, however, we know that in the end, feuding parties know where their interests lie, whatever pundits may think. And, as we say in my neck of the woods, they will be alright!

Azu Ishiekwene is Editor-in-Chief of LEADERSHIP.
The London School of Public Relations (LSPR) Nigeria was launched earlier this year to provide corporate training to business owners, professionals, and aspirants in the PR industry. On 7 and 8 July 2022, LSPR Nigeria had a workshop anchored by John Dalton, the founder, and Chief Executive Officer of LSPR Global and Susan Croft, Director of Programmes who spoke on focusing on Crisis Management and Navigating Uncertainty and Personal Branding and Executive Presence respectively.

One of the attendees, Tosho said: One of my key takeaways from the workshop was learning new hacks on how to have a wonderful presentation. It has not only helped build my confidence, I have actually adopted the knowledge in every of my activity and I can say I have improved graciously.

After months of planning, London School of Public Relations Nigeria (LSPR Nigeria) is pleased to announce that it is starting its classes. The training which is 100% virtual will be carried out in two batches. The first batch of the class starts on Saturday, 24 September 2022 while the second batch starts on Saturday, 5 November 2022.

A variety of courses will include Fundamentals of Public Relations diploma, and other shorter courses focusing on Brand Building, Reputation, and Risk Management. The courses which would be taught by world-class trainers from Europe, the United States and Nigeria will run every weekend for the duration of 8 weeks.

The training is aimed at educating individuals in various occupations on methods of building skills that will foster professional development. Interested participants are encouraged to register via the schools website, www. Lspr.ng

The founder of LSPR Nigeria, Charles Edosomwan has led advertising and digital marketing company-Teksight Edge for the past 8 years using data and technology to drive brand engagement and customer acquisition had this to say,I am excited to be leading LSPR in Nigeria and I am looking forward to delivering our first courses. We have a team of excellent trainers who are experienced in both the virtual and the traditional classroom environments. The PR Landscape in Nigeria suffers from competency and standard issues especially with regards to professionalism and barrier to entry. We have the support of local business leaders and academia to ensure that professionals and business-people in Nigeria can have access to world class training.

About LSPR Nigeria

The London School of Public Relations (LSPR) Nigeria was launched in 2021 to provide corporate training to business owners, professionals and aspirants in the PR industry.

LSPR Nigeria is a partner company to the London School of PR in the UK. The London School of Public Relations has been delivering world-class training in the UK and globally since 1993. The School is recognised in academia and the PR industry as one of the finest training establishments in PR.
The Supreme Court, on Thursday, upheld the 16th July Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)s governorship primary election that produced the Osun Governor-elect, Ademola Adeleke, as its candidate.

The five-member panel, in a judgment delivered by Amina Augie, held that the court lacked jurisdiction to hear the suit after counsel for the appellant, Adebayo Adelodun (SAN) withdrew the earlier notice of appeal that was filed within time.

Upon resumed hearing in the matter, Mr Adelodun, who appeared for the appellant and a PDP governorship aspirant, Dotun Babayemi, informed that he sought to withdraw the earlier notice of appeal to replace it with the fresh application he filed.

But the panel held that Section 285(11) of the constitution stipulated that an appeal on a pre-election matter must be filed within 14 days from the day of the decision and that having filed the second appeal out of time, the apex court lacked jurisdiction to entertain the matter

Mr Adelodun, however, argued that the motion was filed within the time and that the counting began a day after the judgement of the Court of Appeal.

The justices on the panel disagreed with him and pointed out that in election matters, the counting of time begins from the date of the event.

They said the apex court had that position and adhered to it in the past eight years on all election-related matters.

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They said the only way to deviate from past decisions was for the appellant to apply for a full court to hear him and possibly deviate from the earlier decisions.

They said this would involve the convergence of a seven-man panel of justices as against a five-member.

Mrs Augie, however, said this would not be possible because the time allowed for the matter elapsed today (on Thursday).

A pre-election matter has a period of 14 days, and like a rock of Gibraltar, it cannot be moved, she said.

Mrs Augie held that there was nothing before the court to invoke its jurisdiction.

Further efforts by Mr Adelodun to persuade the panel to take a look at the merits of the appeal proved abortive as the court held that it lacked jurisdiction to entertain the matter

Consequently, Mr Adelodun reluctantly withdrew the appeal after Mr Adelekes lawyer, Oluwole Jimi-Bada, threatened to move a motion to ask for a N10 million cost if the appellant continued to delay the matter.

Mrs Augie, therefore, dismissed the appeal for lack of jurisdiction and was unanimously supported by other justices.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Mr Babayemi had asked the court to invalidate the primary election that produced the governor-elect, citing non-compliance with a court order.

He had prayed the court to declare him as the PDP candidate for the 16 July governorship election in Osun.

In his judgment on the matter on 18 May a judge, Nathaniel Ayo-Emmanuel, of the Federal High Court, sitting in Osogbo, had upheld the governorship primary that produced Mr Adeleke.

Also, the Court of Appeal, Akure Division, in its judgment of 20 July on the appeal filed against the decision of the Federal High Court, Osogbo, aligned with the lower court and dismissed Mr Babayemis appeal.

(NAN)
LONDON and AMSTERDAM, Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Anthology, a leading provider of education solutions that support the entire student lifecycle, announced today a premier sponsorship of the EDUtech Europe Expo, taking place Oct 5  6, 2022 in Amsterdam.

EDUtech Europe gathers the leading minds in education from across the region and globally to showcase innovation and inspire the future of teaching and learning. Over 3,500 attendees will engage with peers and more than 300 speakers as they explore topics such as adapting to new ways of learning, hybrid course delivery, student well-being, digital approaches, and more.

The event will also bring together some of the largest EdTech solution providers worldwide to highlight the latest technologies that are shaping the future of higher education. Anthology's Louise Thorpe, Vice President and Head of Client Experience in the Europe, Middle East and Africa regions, will join fellow leaders as a featured speaker at the event.

"I plan to unpack key themes around meeting learner expectations in 2023 and beyond to help further the conversation around technology's role in addressing future student and institutional needs," said Thorpe. "Our research shows that there are gaps between what today's learners want and what higher education leaders may perceive. EDUtech is the perfect opportunity to reconsider how the student journey has shifted and how we can collectively work together to close those gaps."

"EDUtech Europe aims to address issues that educators need to focus on for the hybrid future of education. As a forum of like-minded educators, policymakers and EdTechs, the conference addresses how Europe's education sector can continue to embrace the rapid pace of digital transformation, working towards a common goal of improving teaching and learning outcomes to inspire both educators and learners," said Sharon Roessen, Managing Director of EDUtech Global. "We are delighted to have the support of EdTech solution providers like Anthology for the event."

"Anthology is committed to helping the European education community advance learning and partnering with organizations like EDUtech Europe is critical to unite leaders across education and technology," said Oleg Figlin, Vice President of Europe, Middle East, and Africa at Anthology. "Together, we can break down barriers and create a world of learning with more opportunities and fewer boundaries for students."

This marks the Anthology's first sponsorship with EDUtech Europe since merging with Blackboard in October 2021. Learn more about the event here: www.terrapinn.com/exhibition/edutech-europe/index.stm

About Anthology

Anthology offers the largest EdTech ecosystem on a global scale for education, supporting more than 150 million users in 80 countries. With a mission to provide dynamic, data-informed experiences to the global education community through Anthology Intelligent Experiences, we help learners, leaders, and educators achieve their goals by offering over 60 SaaS products and services designed to advance learning. Discover more about how we are fulfilling our mission for education, business and government institutions at www.anthology.com

Media Contact:

Chelcee Coffman

Senior Director, Global Communications & Corporate Marketing

Chelcee.coffman@anthology.com

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SOURCE Anthology
HAMBURG, Germany, Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- On the lines of the launch of Container Control, a revolutionary, first-of-its-kind technology platform for freight forwarders and NVOCCs worldwide, Container xChange published results of its recent poll to bring to light the burning pain points of container logistic companies and how the product aims to solve them.

The poll shows that 60% of freight forwarders, NVOCCs and traders find it difficult to keep a track of pick-up and drop-off of containers, their location and the timestamps thereof.

Container Control by Container xChange

57% of Freight forwarders point to 'Containers' as their biggest challenge in the coming peak season, and 43% poll for 'lack of real-time visibility' as the second biggest challenge.

"As the container logistic industry still grapples with unprecedented challenges, it becomes important that companies realize the power of digital adoption for tackling future uncertainties. Container Control is a sophisticated tool for freight forwarders and NVOCCs that gives visibility into a container's journey from pickup to drop off and provide transparency for a user, so they can save time on manual repetitive tasks. Thus, increasing container operations per month and deliver better customer service."

"The idea is to automate the container management process for freight forwarders so they can focus less on manual operational work processes and more on expanding their business across geographies. We equip them with the data and processes that simplify their business. And for the industry, it solves the challenge of monitoring and managing containers all at one single sophisticated platform," said Dr. Johannes Schlingmeier, cofounder and CEO, of Container xChange.

"From the moment the container is born, to its last journey, we want to digitalize every process and this product is a huge step in the right direction. By bringing all the parties online, Container Control will transform the way container logistic companies connect and do business," added Schlingmeier.

Container Control, the product launched today, solves two key pain points for freight forwarders and NVOCCs across the globe  1. Monitoring container in near real-time from pickup to drop off, 2. Getting a clear overview of all releases and containers they have in use. The customers will now be able to add all release references to the platform, so they can easily match all available containers to the shippers' bookings and get information about their movements. The data is gathered directly from depots.

One of the customers of Container xChange, Benny Huygen, Commodities Business Development Manager, Kuehne + Nagel Belgium said: "We are happy to see how Container xChange has made our job easier. It's a crucial part of my role to have an overview of the available containers, quickly match them to container bookings, and be on top of container movements from pick-up to drop-off. With Container Control I will be able to do it all faster and have more time to deliver amazing customer experience."

Jack Sun, Director at Orange Container Line shared on the occasion, "Monitoring container pickups and drop-offs on the Container xChange platform have been a valuable addition to our business. Previously it was a highly manual job requiring a lot of resources and prone to mistakes. Now, we check it on xChange Container Control and get the overview of containers journey on the way from point A to B and always on top of the whereabouts of our containers. I firmly believe that rapidly automating our processes and putting our best minds to leverage these technologies can help us scale our business."

To learn the ways how to get an access to Container Control and prices, click on the link www.container-xchange.com/container-control

About Container xChange

Container xChange is a technology company that offers a container trading and leasing platform, payment infrastructure and efficient operating systems to container logistic companies worldwide. Covering the entire transaction process of shipping containers starting with finding new partners to tracking containers and managing payments, xChange makes using 3rd party equipment as easy as booking a hotel. We are on a mission to simplify the logistics of global trade.

Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1910698/Detail_view.jpg

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SOURCE Container xChange
BEIJING, Sept. 29 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Thursday exchanged congratulatory messages over the 50th anniversary of the normalization of China-Japan diplomatic relations.

In his message, Xi pointed out that 50 years ago, the then Chinese and Japanese leaders grasped the situation with foresight and made a major political decision to normalize China-Japan diplomatic relations, which opened a new chapter in bilateral relations.

He said that over the past 50 years, thanks to the joint efforts of the two governments and peoples, the two sides have successively signed four political documents and reached a series of important consensuses, and continuously deepened exchanges and cooperation in various fields, bringing important benefits to the two countries and their people as well as promoting peace and development of the region and the wider world.

Xi stressed that he attaches great importance to the development of China-Japan relations, and stands ready to work with Kishida to lead both sides to jointly build a China-Japan relationship that meets the demands of the new era by taking the 50th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic ties as an opportunity and following the trend of the times.

In his message, Kishida said that 50 years ago, the then Chinese and Japanese leaders, with strategic thinking and political courage, opened a new historic course in Japan-China relations.

During the past 50 years, Japan-China cooperation in a wide range of fields such as economy, culture and personnel exchanges, has made remarkable progress, Kishida said, adding that it is of great significance for the two sides to jointly create a new future for Japan-China relations.

The Japanese side stands ready to join hands with the Chinese side to focus on promoting the development of constructive and stable Japan-China relations as well as peace and prosperity of the two countries, the region and the world in the next 50 years, he said.

On the same day, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and Kishida also exchanged congratulations. Li said China and Japan are geographically close to each other and culturally connected, and are both important countries in the region and the international community.

China is willing to make joint efforts with Japan to work for peaceful and friendly coexistence, maintain the political foundation of bilateral relations, deepen exchanges and cooperation in various fields, properly manage conflicts and differences, and push for a healthy and stable development of China-Japan relations with the 50th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic ties as a new starting point, Li said.
100,000 in total for winners UK & Ireland comedians

Comedic hopefuls will have their work reviewed by judges Jamali Maddix , Mae Martin , and London Hughes

Competition recorded for OFTV series with Sofie Hagen advising finalists and hosted by Jack Guinness

LONDON, Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- In keeping with its mission to empower creators from all genres, OnlyFans today announces the launch of its Creative Fund: Comedy Edition. This version of the Creative Fund, will see comedians from the UK and Ireland compete for the opportunity to win a total of 100,000 and to have their talents judged by London Hughes, Jamali Maddix and Mae Martin. The finalists will participate in comedic challenges recorded for an OFTV documented series with comedian Sofie Hagen advising finalists during the competition and hosted by host and author Jack Guinness.

The competition will be filmed for an original four-part series on OnlyFans' free-to-view streaming platform and app, OFTV. Finalists will be put through challenges in preparation of performing on stage for a live audience in London. The winner will walk away with 50,000 cash and a surprise experience, with runner-up prizes of 25,000 each for second and third places. OFTV. "The Creative Fund: Comedy Edition" will air on OFTV in early 2023.

Up-and-coming comedians are invited to submit a five minute clip of their comedy which will be judged by the three comedy stars who will decide on a shortlist of nine finalists. These nine will later face a series of challenges to be scored by the judges and culminating in a live performance at a London comedy club.

"The Creative Fund allows OnlyFans to give back to the creator community by providing a unique opportunity for creators to break into challenging industries like Comedy. It is important to me that OnlyFans helps recognise and support emerging talents and them having a safe place to express themselves. I can't wait to see the hilarities that ensue when the finalists take on challenges throughout London  all documented for OFTV" said Ami Gan, OnlyFans CEO.

"I'm thrilled that OnlyFans have created this format to champion new comedy talent, and I can't wait to watch all the submissions. The prize money is going to help some new original talent create more art for all of us to enjoy and I'm excited to be a part of it!" explained Mae Martin on their participation.

"The OnlyFans Creative Fund is part of our broader community initiatives and investment strategy. By supporting emerging talent on OnlyFans and OFTV, we provide creators with a platform to grow their global fanbase and monetise their content. OnlyFans continues to provide all creators with a real alternative to sharing their original creative content for free on other platforms." said Keily Blair, Chief Strategy & Operations Officer.

The OnlyFans Creative Fund: Comedy Edition is open now through October 5th to residents 18+ in the UK and Ireland who consider themselves an up-and-coming comedian. Entry videos may consist of anything funny and original, be that a stand-up set, comedy sketch, improv, or other original content the entrant deems funny. To enter visit: https://start.onlyfans.com/creativefundform

What is the OnlyFans Creative Fund?

OnlyFans established the Creative Fund in 2021 to help the careers of emerging creative talent in different genres. OnlyFans prides itself on the platform's unwavering commitment to support creators across a range of verticals. This is the third iteration of the fund since launching in 2021 during the pandemic as a way to support creators and marks the competition's return to the UK, where it launched focusing on the Music sector. The most recent iteration, Creative Fund: Fashion Edition, ran in the US earlier this year. OnlyFans continues to invest into the Creative Fund as part of its mission to empower creators and provide unparalleled opportunities to its community.

About OnlyFans

OnlyFans is the subscription social platform revolutionising creator and fan connections. The site is inclusive of creators from all genres and allows them to develop authentic connections with their fan base while allowing creators the opportunity to control and monetise their content. Founded in 2016, OnlyFans has since paid out over $8 billion (USD) in creator earnings and established itself as the go-to platform for 220 million users and over two million creators worldwide. onlyfans.com

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SOURCE OnlyFans
SAN JOSE, Calif., Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Amazon and The Tech Interactive are proud to announce the recipients of the first Amazon Future Engineer Hardware Design & Engineering (HDE) Scholarship. Fourteen students from underserved and historically underrepresented communities across Northern California will receive $40,000 over four years to study computer science at a college of their choice starting this fall. After their freshman year of college, scholars are eligible to receive a paid, 12-week internship at Amazon Lab126, the research and development computer hardware company responsible for innovations like Amazon Echo and Kindle e-readers, to gain hands-on, practical work experience with mentorship from Amazon leaders.

Amazon and The Tech Interactive are proud to announce the 14 recipients of a new $40,000 college scholarship. Tweet this The recipients of the first Amazon Future Engineer Hardware Design & Engineering (HDE) Scholarship. Fourteen students from underserved and historically underrepresented communities across Northern California will receive $40,000 over four years to study computer science at a college of their choice starting this fall.

Recipients were chosen based on a variety of criteria, including their academic achievement, participation in school and community activities, work experience, future goals, financial need, and demonstrated interest and exemplary skill in hardware, robotics, and/or mechanical engineering. Amazon partnered with The Tech to review the applications and select the 14 scholars.

"We are inspired by the talent and work ethic of our Amazon Future Engineer HDE Scholarship recipients, and look forward to seeing them at their Amazon internships," said Victor Reinoso, global director of Amazon's philanthropic education initiatives. "These opportunities are imperative to help students understand career possibilities at a place like Amazon and conceptualize their journey to the tech industry."

Amazon Future Engineer's 2022 Hardware Design & Engineering Scholars:

Iman Burdine , Alameda, CA

Encinal High School

Committed to San Francisco State University

Encinal High School Committed to Rodrigo Castro-Ruiz , San Jose, CA

Menlo Atherton High School

Committed to San Jose State University

Committed to San Jose State University Albert Chang , Cupertino, CA

Cupertino High School

Committed to University of California, Santa Cruz

Committed to Marcellina Chang , Daly City, CA

Westmoor High School

Committed to Stanford University

Westmoor High School Committed to Angel Hernandez Vega , Daly City, CA

Jefferson High School

Committed to University of California, Davis

Committed to Giovanni Hernandez , San Mateo, CA

Junipero Serra High School

Committed to University of California, Santa Cruz

Junipero Serra High School Committed to Asilah Maryam, Fremont, CA

American High School

Committed to University of California, Los Angeles

American High School Committed to Jimin Park , Los Altos, CA

Los Altos High School

Committed to Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology

Los Altos High School Committed to Elisa Perez Massella , Mountain View, CA

Los Altos High School

Committed to San Jose State University

Los Altos High School Committed to San Jose State University Ria Rajput, Palo Alto, CA

Henry M. Gunn High School

Committed to University of California, Davis

Committed to Jasmine Tostado , San Jose, CA

Eastside College Preparatory School

Committed to Stanford University

Eastside College Preparatory School Committed to Victor Wong , Daly City, CA

Westmoor High School

Committed to San Jose State University

Westmoor High School Committed to San Jose State University Wenhao Xu , Fremont, CA

American High School

Committed to Johns Hopkins University

American High School Committed to Diego Zepeda , East Palo Alto, CA

East Palo Alto Academy

Committed to De Anza Community College

This new scholarship cohort is the latest initiative from Amazon Future Engineer, Amazon's global philanthropic computer science education program, which aims to bridge the divide between interested students and computer science courses and opportunities. The childhood-to-career education program helps students globally from underserved communities to explore and pursue careers of the future by leveraging computer science and coding skills. Amazon launched the Amazon Future Engineer Scholarship program in 2019.

About Amazon Future Engineer

Amazon Future Engineer is a childhood-to-career computer science education program intended to inspire and educate millions of students from historically underrepresented communities globally, including hundreds of thousands of students in the U.S. each year. Students explore computer science through school curriculum and project-based learning, using code to make music, program robots, and solve problems. Additionally, each year Amazon Future Engineer awards hundreds of students with four-year, $40,000 scholarships and paid internships at Amazon, as well as names 10 Teacher of the Year winners, awarding $30,000 prize packages for going above and beyond to inspire students in computer science and to promote diversity and inclusion in the field. The program is currently available in the U.S., UK, France, Canada, India, and Germany. For more information, visit amazonfutureengineer.com.

About The Tech Interactive

The Tech Interactive is a family-friendly science and technology center in the heart of downtown San Jose. Our hands-on activities, experimental labs and design challenge experiences empower people to innovate with creativity, curiosity and compassion. The Tech is a world leader in the creation of immersive STEAM education resources to develop the next generation of problem-solvers locally, nationally and globally. We believe that everyone is born an innovator who can change the world for the better. Inspiring the innovator in everyone. thetech.org

SOURCE The Tech Interactive
SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Most Rev. Salvatore J. Cordileone, Archbishop of San Francisco, released a new video this week calling on Californians to oppose Proposition 1 (Prop 1), the extreme abortion ballot measure to amend the state's constitution.

"Prop 1 is described by those who favor it as an opportunity to amend the California Constitution to establish a right to reproductive freedom," said Archbishop Cordileone. "Its proponents make it sound like a reasonable action, but the words they use to describe Prop 1 mask reality. The very term 'abortion,' is ignored altogether in their narrative to avoid the fact that Prop 1 proposes the killing of a human life in the womb after the stage of viabilityeven up to the day a healthy mother can give birth to a healthy baby. The truth is, reproduction has already happened once the child has been conceived in the mother's womb."

The video spotlights the extreme abortion laws already in place in California and clarifies that what Prop 1 proposes goes beyond Roe v. Wade and beyond existing California law to allow abortion at any point in the pregnancy for any reason paid for by taxpayers.

"Already, California's legislature this year voted for funding to pay all expenses for women from other states to come to California to have abortions," said Archbishop Cordileone. "With Prop 1, California could find itself as a place where clinics specializing in late-term abortions establish themselves for women traveling to California from across the countryand funded by California taxpayers. Is this what we want for the State of Californiato be known as the state of 'abortion tourism?'"

The Archbishop also reminds voters that, "Every human being is an impression of God's own image and likeness. This is the foundation for understanding the dignity of every person, whether born or unborn, whether innocent or even guilty of a crime."

"A No Vote on Prop 1 will keep our laws as they are," says Archbishop Cordileone. "In contrast, a vote for Prop 1 will make any limits on abortion unconstitutional even abortion just moments before birth. So, please vote No on Prop 1 on November 8."

The Archbishop's video can be found in English and Spanish.

Media Contact

Mary Powers

[email protected]

628-205-2106

SOURCE Archdiocese Of San Francisco
Organic Baking Brand Debuts Redesigned Logo, Refreshed Packaging and Two New SKUs

CHICAGO, Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Arrowhead Mills , one of America's most trusted organic baking brands for over 50 years, is thrilled to debut a new look featuring a redesigned logo, refreshed packaging, a revamped website and two new SKUs including: Organic Oat Flour Pancake & Waffle Mix (Gluten Free) and Organic Apple Cider Pancake & Waffle Mix (Limited-Edition). The bolder and more sophisticated look is a nod to the evolution of Arrowhead Mills, which recently celebrated its 50th anniversary. The brand is also celebrating the fact that over 87-percent of all Arrowhead Mills products are now USDA Certified Organic.

Arrowhead Mills New Pancake & Waffle Mixes Arrowhead Mills' New Look

The new look and feel will appeal to new Arrowhead Mills consumers, while continuing to connect with brand loyalists. The new packaging enhances shelf presence with a more modern, color block design featuring Arrowhead Mills' signature red hue, and easy-to-read product benefits. Products featuring the new logo and packaging are rolling out to retailers now to reach on-shelf displays this month.

"We are very proud of the long-standing heritage of the Arrowhead Mills brand and the way the company continues to innovate and evolve, while staying true to the standards and commitment to simply made, high-quality organic products and ingredients," said Dan Anglemyer, COO at Arrowhead Mills.

"Company founder, Frank Ford was really ahead of his time in respect to embracing organic agriculture and regenerative farming practices, which many of today's consumers demand. This brand refresh is an opportunity for Arrowhead Mills to secure more on-shelf visibility with bolder graphics that communicate product and nutritional benefits clearly and provide a look and feel that is more modern and reminiscent of where we are today as a brand. We're also excited to bring our new tagline 'Your Guide to a Life Well Lived' to life as well," he continued.

The updated look will debut on two new pancake and waffle mix SKUs including:

Organic Oat Flour Pancake & Waffle Mix (Gluten Free)  Made with USDA Certified Organic and non-GMO ingredients, this gluten free pancake mix fits every lifestyle need. Perfect for a quick, delicious breakfast or a midnight snack, the mix can be used to make better-for-you pancakes and waffles. Whip up a batch of fluffy gluten free pancakes by combining the mix with oil, an egg (or egg substitute), and water or milk to make the batter. Add chocolate chips or blueberries to the batter and enjoy right away or make and freeze for even easier breakfasts in the future! The Arrowhead Mills Pancake Mix 16 oz bag makes enough batter for about 12 servings of organic oat flour waffles or pancakes.

Organic Apple Cider Pancake & Waffle Mix (Limited-Edition)  Made with USDA Certified Organic and non-GMO ingredients, this pancake and waffle mix makes it easy to create great tasting homemade delights the entire family will savor. Perfect for scrumptious seasonal breakfast or brunch that can be used to make delectable pancakes, waffles, muffins, or quick bread. These fluffy apple cider flavored pancakes can be made by simply combining the mix with oil and milk or water. Mix in apples or berries to the batter and enjoy with your favorite toppings. The Arrowhead Mills Pancake Mix 22 oz bag makes enough batter for about 17 servings of apple cider waffles or pancakes.

For more information, or to check out the new and improved website, visit ArrowheadMills.com . Also, follow us on Instagram @ArrowheadMills , TikTok @ArrowheadMills , Facebook @ArrowheadMills and Pinterest @ArrowheadMills for delicious recipes, brand and product information and giveaways.

About Arrowhead Mills

Your Guide to Organic Baking and a Life Well Lived. Arrowhead Mills has been one of America's most trusted organic baking brands for over 50 years. Arrowhead Mills produces USDA Certified Organic and non-GMO pantry staples including hot and cold cereals, pancake and waffle mixes, flours, beans, grains and seeds, seasonal and gluten-free productsall of which are delicious and entirely free of chemical pesticides and herbicides. We remain true to the core values and straightforward business practices in which our company was founded half a century ago. We purchase many of our wholesome ingredients directly from local suppliers who emphasize environmental responsibility by maintaining sustainable farming practices. Organically Grown. Naturally delicious. Simple ingredients. Let's bake better, together. To learn more, visit us on Instagram @ArrowheadMills , TikTok @ArrowheadMills , Facebook @ArrowheadMills and Pinterest @ArrowheadMills .

Media Contact:

Rachel Powell

516.314.7730

[email protected]

SOURCE Arrowhead Mills
EPA-Registered Disinfectant Cleaning Spray and Wipes, Liquid Laundry Detergent Join the Company's Eco-Friendly Cleaning Portfolio

HOUSTON, Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Art of Green , an AlEn USA brand, today launched three new products at the annual Expo East convention, including disinfectant cleaning spray and wipes, along with liquid laundry detergent. These products, which contain plant-based, botanically-derived ingredients and are free from harsh chemicals, expand on the company's existing line of cleaning products. In addition to being displayed in the Art of Green booth, these new cleaning solutions will also be featured at the "Hot Products" section at Expo East.

"Expo East is one of the leading showcases for natural products worldwide, making it the ideal place to launch our new liquid laundry detergent and disinfectant sprays and wipes," said Tanu Grewal , Vice President of Marketing, Agile Innovation and E-Commerce at Art of Green. "These products are perfect for any family who wants to do away with harsh chemicals, but isn't willing to sacrifice an affordable, high-performing clean. Made from non-toxic, naturally-derived ingredients, our products are safe to use around every member of the family when used as directed."

Using a natural citric-acid based formula, the Disinfectant Spray and Wipes are registered with the EPA and kill 99.9% of bacteria and viruses, such as S. aureus, E. coli, and Rotavirus, including cold and flu viruses. Both are available in "citrus burst" and "lavender and sage" scents.

Art of Green's new Liquid Laundry Detergent rounds out the company's existing laundry portfolio, which includes fabric softener, dryer sheets and non-chlorine bleach. This USDA Certified Biobased product contains 0% parabens, dyes or artificial colors, and is made with a hypoallergenic, biodegradable formula. It can be found in "zen lavender" and "free and clear" scents  both of which are made with natural extracts.

Also live at the Expo East event, Art of Green will be hosting Scott Wade, the "dirty car artist", who will be using Art of Green products to turn our everyday messes into beautiful works of art. "Traditionally thought of as a chore, cleaning is actually much more than that. From understanding which solution is most effective on kitchen countertops vs vinyl surfaces, to keeping laundry fluffy, understanding the 'art of clean' is simple with the Art of Green, and we are looking forward to capturing that at Expo East," said Grewal.

Expo East is an annual natural products convention held at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia, PA today through October 1st. Art of Green will be exhibiting their full line of products and hosting the art exhibition at Booth #3147.

Customers can visit Art of Green's Amazon storefront to find their full line of products or check out ArtOfGreen.com to learn more.

About AlEn USA

Headquartered in Houston, Texas, AlEn USA is a subsidiary of Grupo AlEn, a leading global cleaning and laundry products company with market leadership in Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean. With more than 6,000 employees globally, Grupo AlEn has been striving for a cleaner and more sustainable world for nearly 70 years.

AlEn USA's portfolio of products includes bleach, cleaners, powder detergent, liquid laundry detergent and fabric softeners and brands ART OF GREEN, CLORALEN, PINALEN, ENSUENO and ENSUENO NATURALS. One of the few consumer goods products companies based in Houston, AlEn is committed to continued growth and innovation of its products, supporting a culturally diverse workforce and maintaining socially responsible and environmentally friendly business practices. For more, visit www.alenusa.com .

Media Contact:

Emily Steates

[email protected]

SOURCE Art of Green
ANKARA, Turkey, Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Recently, the 2022 World Manufacturing Convention was held in Hefei, China under the theme of "Manufacturing a Better Future". With 11 exhibits including the latest concept vehicles, star models and intelligent "black technology", Chery also attended the "Sino-German Forum on Development of NEV Industry" and other important events to showcase the latest innovations of Chinese auto brands to the attending domestic and foreign dignitaries, guests from all walks of life and customers worldwide.

The 4-day 2022 World Manufacturing Convention features more than 640 exhibitors, such as the world's top 500 enterprises, China's top 500 enterprises, unicorn enterprises, and technologically advanced SMEs, as well as a number of intelligent technologies.

It is the first time for Chery's vision concept vehicle GENE to participate in an external exhibition. In addition to demonstrating the original designs of Chinese auto brands in multiple dimensions such as design, experience and ecology, GENE also integrates the conceptual connection between "Metaverse" and "future vehicles", and supported by the Galaxy ecosystem independently developed by Chery, GENE has set a guideline for the direction of auto development with the help of many "hardcore technologies".

On top of the vision concept vehicle, which represents prospective technology exploration, Chery also introduces six-star models, covering fuel, hybrid, pure electric and other forms of energy, highlighting the high-end manufacturing, intelligence and new energy technology of "Technology Chery".

Among these exhibition vehicles, there are Icar which attaches importance to female users, fuel-powered models, pure electric models, as well as TIGGO 8 PRO e+ which is newly launched to the market this year, providing options in different scenarios for different target groups oriented to different tracks.

Thanks to the promotion of "Technology Chery" and the continuous improvement of system capability, Chery has consistently started the "acceleration mode" since this year, leading to a significant increase in market sales, product quality and customer reputation. Particularly since the second half of the year, the sales volume of Chery exceeded 100,000 for three consecutive months, of which the sales volume in August "doubled" year-on-year; from January to August, Chery sold a total of 750,000 vehicles, representing an increase of 30% year-on-year, which comprehensively steps into the fast track of high-quality growth.

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SOURCE Chery
LONDON, Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Global Automotive Diagnostic Scan Tools Market was accounted for USD 32.38 Billion in 2021, and is expected to reach USD 46.17 Billion by 2028, growing at a CAGR of 5.2% from 2022 to 2028.

Automotive Diagnostic Scan Tools size is going to see an increase in the coming years. The growth is on account of the growing vehicle sales and production as well as an increase in the automotive workshops and a trend of integrating various advanced features in these vehicles. The industry is looking at the options for the best professional automotive diagnostic scan tool available out there for their companies which is helping the market grow consistently in the coming years.

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Automotive Diagnostic Scan Tools Market: Competitive Analysis

The major Automotive Diagnostic Scan Tools Market Companies include Robert Bosch GmbH, Siemens, Continental AG, Denso, Snap-on. The major players in the market are trying to spread awareness as they benefit from the various regulations that have come up due to the emission policies all over the world.

Other Key Players:

TopDon

SPX Corp.

AVL List GmbH

Dg Technologies

Softing AG

Actia Group SA

Etas GmbH

General Technologies Corp

Innova

Hunter Engineering

Dsa Daten- Und Systemtechnik GmbH

Hickok Inc.

Bosch Automotive Service Solutions Inc.

Delphi Automotive PLC

Actia SA

Hickok Incorporated

Kpit Technologies

Others

Automotive Diagnostic Scan Tools Market: Key Drivers

Automotive Diagnostic Scan Tools Growth is happening on account of the increase in the sales of the passenger vehicles. The passenger vehicle sales have increased and with the growth in all the major markets in the world, there is growth in the market. There are further factors like the growing demand for the low emission commuting and governments which support the vehicle inspection mandates have made the manufacturers provide the tools all over the world.

The Passenger Cars are leading the growth in the cars, and it is anticipated that the sale of the passenger cars is going to considerably increase in the coming years. There is constant advancement in the vehicle computer technology, with the workshops requiring a more advanced tool to keep up with it but most of the workshops are not able to afford them all. The diagnostic scan tools have seen a decline in their overall level of price. Though, the newer technologies are a lot more expensive than the conventional OBD-I systems. This may reduce the demand for the innovative and newer technologies. The diagnostic scan tool manufacturers are under a pressure from the OEMs for curtailing the prices of the diagnostic scan tool equipment.

The Manufacturers also hesitate to invest in the research and development activities because of the higher costs when it comes to the emerging countries where the OEMs are launching the newer models still with the basic diagnostic scanning systems. Since the automobiles must meet the stringent safety regulations stringently, the automotive diagnosis requires highly sophisticated instrument and equipment which is going to add to the overall cost.

The trend which is happening in the developed countries all over the world is more towards purchasing of the premium segment cars which has more accurate, improved as well as quick diagnostic tools. There is a major growth happening in the tangible offerings of luxury in the vehicles, shifting preferences of consumers from the Sedans to the SUVs and an increase in the disposable incomes of the consumers have propelled the demand for the luxury cars all over the world.

Automotive Diagnostic Scan Tools Market: Key Trends

Automotive Diagnostic Scan Tools industry did take a severe hit during the coronavirus pandemic as did the overall automotive sectors. However, it is expected that the market is going to see a major boost in the coming few years because of the rise in the awareness for the timely repair of vehicles and their maintenance, stringent laws on emission and more initiative taken up by the governments to boost the standards. The pandemic has been having a severe impact on the industry all over the world. This has been seen in terms of the supply chain disruptions as a part of the exports from China. The large-scale manufacturing interruptions in the European market are going to be a big factor in assessing the impact of the pandemic.

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Automotive Diagnostic Scan Tools Market: Segmentation Analysis

The Passenger Cars Segment is the biggest contributor as they are the biggest emitter of the vehicular pollution. The tools help in the detection of the faults in the emission control system. The diagnostic scan tools monitor and also detect the faults in the emission control system. There is an increase in the standard of living of the consumers in the last few years because of the economic growth and also the rapid globalization with the emerging countries seeing a continuous growth. The increase in the disposable income of the consumers has fueled the demand for the passenger cars and that is where the manufacturers are working on the passenger cars which have a focus on the customers.

The USB connectivity is one which is widely used in the cars that have the on-board computer which monitors emissions, speed, and mileage among the other data about a vehicle. This is connected to the check engine light which gets illuminated when the computer detects any problem. The USB is one of the more cost-effective and user-friendly options. The future however will see it being replaced by Bluetooth and Wi-Fi.

By Offering Type:

Diagnostic Equipment/Hardware

Diagnostic Software

By Workshop Equipment:

Exhaust gas analyzer

Wheel alignment equipment

Paint scan equipment

Dynamometer

Headlight Tester

Fuel Injection Diagnostic

Pressure Leak Detection

Engine Analyzer

By Connectivity:

USB

Wi-Fi

Bluetooth

By Vehicle Type:

Passenger Cars

Commercial Vehicles

By Handheld Scan Tools:

Scanners

Code readers

TPMS tools

Digital pressure tester

Battery analyzer

By Type:

OEMs Diagnostic

Professional Diagnostics

DIY Diagnostics

Automotive Diagnostic Scan Tools Market: Regional Analysis

Automotive Diagnostic Scan Tools Market regional analysis shows that Asia Pacific has emerged as the hub for the Automobile production, infrastructural developments and the industrialization activities in the emerging economies which have opened newer avenues as they create many opportunities for the automotive OEMs. Further, the increase in the purchase capability of the population has triggered the demand for the automobiles. The global OEMs like GM and Volkswagen cater to the market through different joint ventures with the domestic manufacturers.

There is a further implementation of newer technologies, establishment of the additional manufacturing plants and also the creation of the value-added supply chains between the material providers and manufacturers which have made the Asia Pacific a market with the higher growth potential. China is one of the biggest markets in the Asia Pacific and is going to also see a growth in the premium car segment. This is why the market is also going to see great growth in the premium car segment as well.

On Special Requirement Automotive Diagnostic Scan Tools Market Report is also available for below region:

North America

U.S, Canada

Europe

Germany , France , U.K., Italy , Spain , Sweden , Netherland, Turkey , Switzerland , Belgium , Rest of Europe

Asia-Pacific

South Korea , Japan , China , India , Australia , Philippines , Singapore , Malaysia , Thailand , Indonesia , Rest Of APAC

Latin America

Mexico , Colombia , Brazil , Argentina , Peru , Rest of Latin America

Middle East and Africa

Saudi Arabia , UAE, Egypt , South Africa , Rest Of MEA

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RADNOR, Pa., Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Avantor, Inc. ( NYSE: AVTR), a leading global provider of mission-critical products and services to customers in the life sciences, advanced technologies and applied materials industries, announced that it will release its third quarter 2022 financial results before the market opens on Friday, October 28, and will hold a conference call on the same day at 8:00 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time to discuss the results.

To hear a live audio webcast of the call, visit the "Events & Presentations" page of Avantor's website, www.avantorsciences.com, under the "Investors" section. A replay of the webcast and related presentation materials will be available for 30 days.

About Avantor

Avantor, a Fortune 500 company, is a leading global provider of mission-critical products and services to customers in the biopharma, healthcare, education & government, and advanced technologies & applied materials industries. Our portfolio is used in virtually every stage of the most important research, development and production activities in the industries we serve. Our global footprint enables us to serve more than 225,000 customer locations and gives us extensive access to research laboratories and scientists in more than 180 countries. We set science in motion to create a better world. For more information, visit avantorsciences.com and find us on LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook .

Investor Relations Contact

Christina (CJ) Jones

Vice President, Investor Relations

Avantor

+1 805-617-5297

[email protected]

Media Contact

Petro Kacur

Director, PR and External Communications

Avantor

+1 404-408-0663

[email protected]

SOURCE Avantor and Financial News
SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The global biochips market size is expected to reach USD 25.92 billion by 2030, registering a CAGR of 13.35% during the forecast period, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. The rising requirement for drug discovery and development coupled with the adoption of personalized medicine is likely to favor the industry's growth. Furthermore, the rise in the implementation of next-generation sequencing by biotechnology companies around the globe is pushing product demand. For instance, in December 2021, Abbott received CE Mark for the i-STAT TBI Plasma test, a portable analyzer for Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) blood. Hence, the company is permitted to expand its footprint in the European Union. The innovation in sequencing techniques has allowed researchers to decode DNA molecules up to the level of the complete human genome.



Key Insights & Findings from the report:

The DNA chips type segment accounted for the largest revenue share in 2021 due to the high demand for rapid and accurate detection of cancer.

The drug discovery application segment for lab-on-chip is anticipated to grow at a faster rate during the forecast period as the biochip helps lower the overall cost of drug discovery & development.

The biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies' end-user segment captured a significant revenue share in 2021 due to the need for personalized medicines along with the increasing drug discovery & development.

North America held the largest revenue share in 2021 owing to high R&D investment coupled with the accessibility of capital through venture capitalists for startups and the application development of biochips in the region.

held the largest revenue share in 2021 owing to high R&D investment coupled with the accessibility of capital through venture capitalists for startups and the application development of biochips in the region. Asia Pacific is projected to register the fastest CAGR from 2022 to 2030 owing to various initiatives by local governments to promote domestic product manufacturing

Read 150-page market research report, "Biochips Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Type (DNA Chips, Lab-on-chip, Cell Arrays), By End-use (Academic & Research Institutes, Hospitals & Diagnostics Centers), And Segment Forecasts, 2022 - 2030", published by Grand View Research.

Biochips Market Growth & Trends

Ion Torrent chip by Thermo Fisher Scientific is one of the technologies based on sequencing by the technique of synthesis. The chip is an advancement in the Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) technology that makes massively parallel sequencing cost-effective for every lab. Hence, the development of biochips to enhance the NGS application is anticipated to support the growth of the industry. Similarly, increasing government-based initiatives to promote the domestic production of biochips is likely to support the growth in the coming years. This strategic initiative is to match the local demand for the product with the supply. For instance, in July 2022, SiPhox, Inc. received a grant worth USD 681,631 from the Baker-Polito Administration.

The financial support is to accelerate the development of a manufacturing facility for the mass production of pluggable photonic biochips. It is estimated to accelerate the output to around 5,000 biochips per month from around 100 per month to match the rising demand from biotech segments including drug discovery, vaccine development, and distributed diagnostics. Such investments are likely to supplement the industry growth in the coming years. The COVID-19 pandemic is estimated to have a positive impact on industry growth during the forecasted period. Various companies collaborated to develop innovative solutions to deal with the pandemic. For instance, in March 2020, SkyWater Technology announced the collaboration with MGI, to supply essential components for COVID-19 sequencing, including microfluidic MEMS devices.

The growing requirement for personalized medicine is likely to become a key application area for the industry in the coming years. Since biochip is emerging as an important component in molecular diagnostics, their use in point-of-care diagnostics is anticipated to smooth the development of personalized medicines. In addition, gene expression profiling through microarrays is expected to enhance the progress of personalized treatment for cancer based on molecular classification. However, the cost involved in the manufacturing of biochips is considerably high, resulting in high pricing for end-users. For instance, Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute (IJC) provides microarray to researchers. The cost of GeneChip Human Gene 2.0 ST for whole-transcript expression analysis & profiling ranges from USD 456 to 593 for fresh samples.

Biochips Market Segmentation

Grand View Research has segmented the global biochips market based on type, end-user, and region

Biochips Market - Type Scope Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2018 - 2030)

DNA Chips

Cancer Diagnosis&Treatment



Gene Expression



SNP Genotyping



Genomics



Drug Discovery



Agricultural Biotechnology



Others

Protein Chips

Proteomics



Expression Profiling



Diagnostics



HTS



Drug Discovery



Others

Lab-on-chip

Genomics



IVD & POC



Proteomics



Drug Discovery



Others

Tissue Arrays

Cell Arrays

Biochips Market - End-use Scope Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2018 - 2030)

Biotechnology And Pharmaceutical Companies

Hospitals And Diagnostics Centers

Academic & Research Institutes

Others

Biochips Market - Regional Scope Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2018 - 2030)

North America

U.S.



Canada

Europe

U.K.



Germany



France



Italy



Spain

Asia Pacific

Japan



China



India



South Korea



Australia

Latin America

Brazil



Mexico



Argentina

Middle East & Africa

& South Africa



Saudi Arabia



UAE

List of the Key Players of Biochips Market

Abbott Laboratories

Agilent Technologies, Inc.

PerkinElmer, Inc.

Fluidigm Corporation

Illumina, Inc.

GE Healthcare

Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc.

Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc.

LI-COR, Inc.

Molecular Devices, LLC.

Check out more related studies published by Grand View Research:

Separation Systems for Commercial Biotechnology Market - The global separation system for commercial biotechnology market size is expected to reach USD 39.47 billion by 2025, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. Intensive research in the field of biotechnology to develop advanced products is expected to boost growth in the coming years. Moreover, contributions of leading industrial entities in this sector for accelerating commercial production is anticipated to drive the market.

The global separation system for commercial biotechnology market size is expected to reach by 2025, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. Intensive research in the field of biotechnology to develop advanced products is expected to boost growth in the coming years. Moreover, contributions of leading industrial entities in this sector for accelerating commercial production is anticipated to drive the market. White Biotechnology Market - The global white biotechnology market size is expected to reach USD 487.08 billion by 2024, at a CAGR of 18.2% according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. Rising awareness and emphasis for the adoption of greener and environment-friendly technologies in various end-use industries is expected to drive the market over the next eight years.

- The global white biotechnology market size is expected to reach by 2024, at a CAGR of 18.2% according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. Rising awareness and emphasis for the adoption of greener and environment-friendly technologies in various end-use industries is expected to drive the market over the next eight years. Rare Disease Genetic Testing Market - The global rare disease genetic testing market size is expected to reach USD 2.52 billion by 2030, registering a CAGR of 13.94% over the forecast period, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. Effective regulatory plans to combat rare disease is one of the key drivers of the industry. Furthermore, the presence of a substantial number of registries that provide data and relevant information about related diseases has aided in revenue growth over the past years. Ongoing conferences to raise awareness about rare and ultra-rare conditions are anticipated to boost the adoption of diagnostic kits and services. For instance, Ergomed and PSR Orphan Experts, with their offices in the U.K., Germany , the Netherlands , Poland , and other countries, participate in various activities that are aimed at raising awareness in this area.

Browse through Grand View Research's Biotechnology Industry Research Reports.

About Grand View Research

Grand View Research, U.S.-based market research and consulting company, provides syndicated as well as customized research reports and consulting services. Registered in California and headquartered in San Francisco, the company comprises over 425 analysts and consultants, adding more than 1200 market research reports to its vast database each year. These reports offer in-depth analysis on 46 industries across 25 major countries worldwide. With the help of an interactive market intelligence platform, Grand View Research Helps Fortune 500 companies and renowned academic institutes understand the global and regional business environment and gauge the opportunities that lie ahead.

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SOURCE Grand View Research, Inc
Brings Together Leading Entrepreneurial Minds Across China, Southeast Asia, North America

SINGAPORE, Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- BlueRun Ventures China (BRV China), a leading early-stage technology-focused venture firm, yesterday hosted Explorer Day in Singapore in collaboration with the Institute of Innovation & Entrepreneurship of Singapore Management University and SGInnovate, a government-owned innovation platform in Singapore to support deep technology entrepreneurship. The event brought together more than 80 founders and pioneers  local entrepreneurs, government associations, academics and venture capitalists  who discussed the company's global investment strategy and emerging trends in the fields of artificial intelligence (AI), enterprise services, Web3, robotics and the global expansion plans of start-ups.

BRV China sees significant opportunity for technology investment globally and shared the following insights during the event:

Despite market volatility, BRV China remains confident in the fundamental value of many portfolio companies as high-quality start-ups capable of developing disruptive innovations have continued to demonstrate an ability to secure third-party capital.

BRV China remains bullish on the long-term prospects of key frontier areas such as AI, robotics, new energy solutions and biotechnology (powered by innovative algorithms).

Unlike internet services like mobile apps and e-commerce services that are specifically designed for a geographical region, deep technologies possess substantial business development potential with increasing demand in the global market that will lead to an expected rise in demand for deep technology talent.

BRV China believes there's significant long-term potential in the global market with investment flows into the region expected to bounce back following global economic recovery in the coming years.

With great changes unseen in a generation will come greater opportunities. Venture capitalists, entrepreneurs and startups were called on to re-evaluate the economic cycle and establish long-term plans so they are ready to "surf the wave" upon eventual recovery in the near-term.

Having first-mover advantages in deep technology and a strong track record across market cycles, BRV China shared its experiences on the opportunities and challenges faced by early-stage startups in areas such as accessing financing solutions and commercialization of technologies ultimately helping promising companies be fully prepared for the many hurdles they face on their growth journey.

"We continue to witness a rapid transition towards a digitalized economy that was accelerated by the pandemic leading to a gamut of opportunities for start-ups that continues to contribute to the growth of the technology sector," said Jui Tan, Managing Partner of BRV China. "To help Chinese start-ups survive a crisis of such unprecedented magnitude, BRV China has been providing continuous support helping many companies adapt and reconfigure their business models while speeding up their R&D and commercialization processes."

The event also featured guest speakers from startups such as Gaussian Robotics and HPC-AI, two fast growing portfolio companies, who shared their journey to success.

"China has leading competitive advantages in deep technologies such as robotics, new energy, AI infrastructure and applications, consumer technology and semiconductors which are in hot demand across the world," said Terry Zhu, Managing Partner at BRV China. "To go global, it is necessary for startups and entrepreneurs to leverage the country's competitive edge and weigh between political influence from different markets while formulating their plan of development. BRV China will help China start-ups to achieve their goal, seizing development opportunities as they arise due to the digital transformation of supply chains, growth in market size and globally distributed Chinese talents."

"Singapore has a flourishing ecosystem as it has a fertile ground for start-ups which are supported by a forward-looking government, a strong research base and a skilled talent pool. BRV China will leverage its experience and help connect researchers, entrepreneurs and investors in order to build a robust ecosystem for innovation," said Jui Tan.

About BRV China

BlueRun Ventures China (BRV China) is a leading early-stage venture firm in China with offices in Beijing and Shanghai. Having its heritage in Silicon Valley since 1998 and entered China in 2005, BRV China has managed over $2 billion through multiple USD and RMB funds, with over $1 billion cash distributions. BRV China focuses on investing in entrepreneurs who create a sustainable impact through technological innovations across enterprise services, transportation and smart machine, digital healthcare, and consumer technology sectors in China. The firm has invested in more than 150 portfolio companies, including Li Auto (NASDAQ: LI), QingCloud (688316.SH), WaterDrop (NYSE: WDH), Energy Monster (NASDAQ: EM), Mogujie/Meilishuo (NYSE: MOGU), Qudian (NYSE: QD), Ganji/58.com, PPTV, Guazi, Meishubao, Nanyan, Shanzhen, Gaussian Robotics, Yi Auto, Pinecone, etc. The firm has been recognized as the "No.1 Early-Stage Investment Firm" in China by Zero2IPO and ChinaVenture, and "Consistent Performing Venture Capital Fund Manager" by Preqin. For further information, please visit https://www.brv.com.cn/en/.

SOURCE BRV China
The utility token will unify the investment, CamLyLife, trading, profile, legal, academy, and charity arms in CamLy's Blockchain Web3 Dapp Ecosystem

HO CHI MINH CITY, Vietnam, Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- CamLy Group, a leading consultancy firm in Vietnam specializing in immigration, real estate, and financial investment with strategic brands of ImmiCa and USHome, is pleased to announce the official launch of the sustainable HAPPY CAMLY COINS on September 29, 2022.

The overwhelming response during the soft launch attended by partners, friends, and members of the media from American and Asian markets further strengthens CamLy Group's mission and the Happy CamLy Coins' reception and feasibility after the official launch.

image_5015817_30454551 image_5015817_30455051 1

The CamLy Coin, available to users across the globe, is a single cryptocurrency and utility token that runs through the CamLy Blockchain Web3 Dapp Ecosystem unifying seven arms - charity, academy, legal, profile, trading, CamLyLife (a simulation game), and investment.

With more than 10,000 members of an active community called Global Investment Ambassadors (GIA), the CamLy Ecosystem applies the connection of a shared economy, helping to promote businesses, complementing each other into a unified whole, and opening a new era in the global economy.

"CamLy Coin acts as a binding agent that fuses all CamLy platforms and aid the positive growth of the GIA with sustainable and practical values. CamLy Coin also affirms CamLy's position in the global market while spreading a sense of unity and shared goals across the globe," said CamLy Duong, Founder and President of CamLy Group.

Sharing and Connecting for the betterment of society

CamLy Group highlights the idea of "Sharing and Connecting" by linking real estate developers around the world and mobilizing global investment capital quickly and safely while emphasising the need to develop communities.

The Group aims to create jobs opportunities in the global real estate landscape through its ecosystem platforms to further develop the economy and boost the livelihood of users. CamLy provides guidance and training for the GIAs to become experts in the global real estate investment field to enable them to identify investment opportunities in potential markets.

Leveraging their vast experience in the segment, CamLy Group continues to develop the ecosystem by enabling guided investments in a safer environment with common goals shared by CamLy and its users.

Currently, the CamLy Ecosystem operates in Vietnam, the United States, and several Asian countries including Singapore and Malaysia.

For further information about Camly Group, visit https://camlygroup.camly.co/en/ .

About CamLy Group

CamLy Group is a leading corporation operating in the field of US real estate investment consulting in Vietnam with the brands ImmiCa and USHome since 2008. In recent years, CamLy Group developed CamLy Ecosystem Blockchain Web3 Dapp which integrates 7 features corresponding to 7 areas including Investment, CamlyLife, Trading, Profile, Legal, Academy, and Charity.

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1910829/image_5015817_30454551.jpg

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1910830/image_5015817_30455051.jpg

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1910831/1.jpg

SOURCE CamLy Group
The company offers brands and businesses a smarter, more effective way to connect with local audiences via exclusive video advertising.

PHOENIX, Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- CETVNOW, an all-new television advertising provider from Telemated, has officially launched. The company has created innovative targeted ad delivery technology that allows clients to promote products and services in real-time, specifically reaching consumers at the buying moment within commercial establishments.

Clients can look forward to increasing the value of their marketing spend with CETVNOW, benefitting from a greater reach at prices significantly lower than advertising channels that currently exist. Marketing experts anticipate that CETVNOW will spark a significant shift within the industry by redefining the possibilities of television advertising.

In late 2020, CETVNOW founder Babak Motamedi began developing the concept's prototype technology and alpha unit. Deployment started in the first quarter of 2021, and the product technology was extensively tested in 200-plus stores in several states for more than a year. Throughout this testing period, the company implemented ongoing improvements and enhancements with the goal of exceeding the industry standard.

Mr. Motamedi works closely with long-established industry leaders, such as Voice Media Group, to catalyze the company's rapid growth and early success. Today, the final product is a unique advertising platform that fills a critical gap in the market. Clients can fully customize their campaigns according to a category, state/region, individual stores, and other parameters, reaping the benefits of precision-level control. The platform is also engineered to streamline performance monitoring, so companies can utilize real-time ad run confirmations to inform their strategy.

When asked about their vision for CETV, the company's leadership team stated:

"We are extremely excited for the disruption we anticipate our company and services will create within the advertising ecosystem. Our business development includes expanding to several new U.S. markets within the next 12 months and continually improving our platform's user experience and interface."

CETVNOW serves a wide range of advertising sectors, including automotive, travel, food & drink, events, local & national campaigns, consumer goods, and more.

About CETVNOW: Powered by Phoenix-based parent company Telemated, CETVNOW harnesses the power of commercial environment technology to empower brands to advertise their products and services directly to consumers in the buying environment in real-time. Their innovative approach is designed to maximize marketing results utilizing cost-effective strategies, ad confirmation, and verified/validated impressions, allowing companies to increase interest, awareness, and revenue. CETVNOW works with Programming Providers, Television Brands, VOICE MEDIA GROUP, and others to provide clients with access to an active local audience base.

For more information about CETVNOW or to request a personalized consultation, please contact Rachel Weber at 833-807-1500 or [email protected].

SOURCE CETVNOW
Only Mexican financial institution ranked on Newsweek-Statista global list, coming in at No.1

MEXICO CITY, Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Grupo Financiero Banorte Chairman Carlos Hank Gonzalez announced today that the bank's socially responsible business operations have earned it a No. 1 world ranking.

Premier news outlet Newsweek and global data firm Statista rated Banorte as the top institution on their joint list of the World's Most Socially Responsible Banks in 2022.

The sole Mexican bank among 175 institutions on the list, Banorte was recognized for its support and advances in Environment, Social and Corporate Governance (ESG) practices.

"At Banorte, sustainability is in our DNA. That's why we put it at the center of all our operations. We will continue to maximize our ESG efforts to keep building a more inclusive and sustainable future," said Carlos Hank Gonzalez.

It marked the first time Newsweek and Statista joined forces to name and rank "The World's Most Socially Responsible Banks," based on an analysis of publicly available 2020 corporate responsibility data for 750 banks in 35 countries and on a survey of more than 45,000 bank customers.

Banorte received the highest overall score of 86.80, and did well in all other categories:

Environmental concerns, 91.40, on emissions, energy use and sustainable business activities.

Social concerns, 77, on diversity and employees, accessibility, philanthropy and engagement.

Corporate governance concerns, 92.80, on disclosure and transparency and economic performance.

For its part, Banorte has reduced almost 30% of energy use since 2009, earning a spot in the 2022 S&P Sustainability Yearbook. It also has pioneered a social and environmental risk management system in Mexico that evaluates risks and possible effects on the environment and communities before financing any project.

In April 2021, Banorte became a founding signatory of the Net Zero Banking Alliance and in 2022 joined the United Nations' campaign to deliver access to digital bank accounts to refugees in Mexico. Also, through the Banorte Foundation, it continues to showcase social involvement and commitment to the community.

About Grupo Financiero Banorte

Grupo Financiero Banorte is the largest Mexican financial institution. It offers financial services to individuals and companies through its businesses: banking, brokerage, fund operator, insurer, pension, leasing and factoring, warehouse, portfolio manager and the remittance company Uniteller. It also integrates the largest retirement savings fund in the country by asset management. Grupo Financiero Banorte is a public company listed on the main indicator of the Mexican Stock Exchange, and has 30,000 employees, more than 1,100 branches and 9,700 ATMs.

Website: carloshankgonzalez.com

Media contact

Francisco Rodriguez Daniel

Executive Director of Corporate Communication

[email protected]

SOURCE Grupo Financiero Banorte
Adam Gislason Named Chief Strategy Officer and General Counsel

SAN DIEGO, Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Cymbiotika, a leading nutritional supplement brand known for creating pure, clinically backed supplements, announced today that Adam Gislason has joined the company as Chief Strategy Officer and General Counsel (CSO/GC). Gislason will report directly to CEO, Shahab Elmi, and work closely with Durana Elmi (COO) and Sal Aziz (CMO).

Adam Gislason

Gislason brings over 20 years of legal and leadership experience to Cymbiotika. As a lawyer, Gislason has represented and advised established brands, emerging technologies, and award-winning content creators in all phases of business, including contracts, intellectual property, deal-making and commercial litigation. After leaving Big Law in 2019, Gislason was hired as the Chief Strategy Officer and General Counsel for a leading software development company and he co-founded several companies. In addition, Gislason has served as outside general counsel for several companiesCymbiotika, Dash Radio, BPM Supreme, BOMANI Cold Buzz, EcoVerse, and Secure Circle (which was acquired last November by CrowdStrike)while representing GRAMMY Award winning producers, filmmakers, and other creatives. As the CSO/GC at Cymbiotika, Gislason will use his unique and extensive background to drive strategic initiatives, innovation, meaningful growth, and competitive wins.

"I am thrilled to continue my work with Cymbiotika and to work even closer alongside Cymbiotika's business leaders," said Gislason. "It is an honor to be named Chief Strategy Officer and General Counsel of one of the leading nutritional supplement brands, and privilege to work with a company that is not only committed to innovation and market leadership, but also to teamwork with a great sense of purpose."

"Gislason is a proven leader with in-depth knowledge and experience advising businesses on various legal issues, strategic development, innovation and growth opportunities," said Durana Elmi. "As someone who can advise and counsel us on both near and long-term strategies, we are delighted to have Gislason be a member of our leadership team."

Gislason is admitted to practice in California and Minnesota, where he has held several leadership positions with the state bar organization. Last year, Gislason was recognized by the San Diego Business Journal as a Leaders in Law Winner, and he has been previously selected to the list of Super Lawyers. In Minnesota, Gislason did extensive work on the Prince Estate and Paisley Park, before leaving Big Law to pursue entrepreneurial endeavors, primarily focused in California. Gislason has also been a panelist at several conferences, including SXSW.

Gislason is proud of his philanthropic work in Minnesota and California. He has been an Executive Board Member and Gala emcee for SANNEH, which he helped grow into an award-winning non-profit that provides programming and camps for tens of thousands of kids. Last year, Gislason co-founded San Diego-based Helping Hands for Afghans, Inc. with Durana and Shahab Elmi, and he has held leadership positions in several other organizations.

About Cymbiotika

Cymbiotika is an innovative wellness brand based in San Diego. With the motto, "Your mind and body deserve the best", Cymbiotika is driven by the higher purpose of inspiring everyday people to achieve their optimal health. Founded in 2017, Cymbiotika uses the most advanced bioavailable absorption technology and sources only the highest quality plant-based nutrients to resolve specific nutritional deficiencies and support healthy aging, detoxification and longevity. Cymbiotika never uses synthetics, GMOs, fillers, chemicals, preservatives, additives or sugars in its products. For more information, visit https://cymbiotika.com.

SOURCE Cymbiotika
New hires and promotions drive inclusivity and innovation at Datassential

CHICAGO, Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Datassential , the leading food and beverage insights platform connecting the dots between consumers and the food industry, today announced the expansion of its leadership team to support the company's rapid growth.

Kanupriya Chaudhary and Lidia Yip join the company as Chief People Officer and Chief of Staff, respectively. Molly Josh now acts as Chief Financial Officer, continuing her rise within the company after joining in 2019 and previously serving as VP and Senior Controller.

Datassential Leadership Expansion - Kanupriya Chaudhary, Lidia Yip, Molly Josh

"Our team is incredibly fortunate to have these three impressive women guiding key functions within our business," said Jim Emling, CEO of Datassential. "The expansion of our leadership team adds the critical experience and deep understanding needed to ensure Datassential achieves its ambitious goals for growth, inclusivity, and innovation and carves out an even stronger market position in the coming years."

Chief People Officer, Kanupriya Chaudhary

Chaudhary will be responsible for creating and driving the people strategy at Datassential, ensuring it has the people capability and HR processes to best support the company's growth trajectory. Her goal will be to attract and retain the diverse talent needed to make Datassential an inclusive, innovative, and exciting place to work.

Chaudhary brings two decades of HR leadership experience, has supported companies through M&A integrations, and established DEI frameworks. Her experience includes leadership roles at Neon One, Elements Global Services, and Dr. Reddy's. Chaudhary earned her MBA from the Management Development Institute, India.

"The Datassential team brings their authentic selves to work every day, helping each other succeed through kindness and teamwork. My goal is to work with this high-performing team and unlock our people opportunities with empathy, above all else," said Chaudhary.

Chief of Staff, Lidia Yip

Yip will be driving strategic planning, internal and board communications, and cross-functional projects, including GTM strategy and M&A. Her focus will be to drive continued, sustainable growth for Datassential. Previously, she held managerial roles at McDonald's, Bain & Co., and Deloitte. Yip graduated from DePaul University and earned her MBA at University of Chicago's Booth School of Business.

"As a food nerd, my new role with Datassential is the perfect blend of my love for data and food. I've been blown away by this team's commitment to being a true partner with our customers and look forward to helping drive even more growth," said Yip.

Chief Financial Officer, Molly Josh

Josh will be leading the finance team, scaling to meet changing demands as Datassential's business grows. She will be working to maintain an agile financial and operational reporting environment to respond to both internal and external stakeholders, as well as maintaining a high caliber of financial reporting to ensure accurate financials drive effective internal decision-making.

Josh joined Datassential in 2019 as Controller and was promoted to VP of Finance and Senior Controller prior to her promotion to CFO. In her previous roles at the company, she led the financial diligence process in the successful acquisition of CHD Expert Group and its subsidiaries in January 2022 and led the integration of CHD financial processes into existing Datassential processes and reporting. Prior to Datassential, she held crucial roles at Connecture and PwC. She earned both a BBA and Master of Accountancy from University of Wisconsin-Madison.

"I'm thrilled to have the opportunity to expand my role at Datassential and play a critical role in our continued growth. I'm looking forward to continuing to work with a highly committed team across all levels that is embracing both the creative solutions and data-driven insights needed to be successful," said Josh.

About Datassential

Datassential is the data insights platform guiding the biggest names in food and beverage on trends, innovation, and sales intelligence. Through a suite of software and research solutions, customers rely on Datassential to know what's next for the industry and how to stay ahead of it. Founded in 2001, Datassential powers insights and sales intelligence for brands including Burger King, DoorDash, General Mills, Land O' Lakes, Pepsi, Starbucks, Target and more.

Media Contact

Diffusion PR

[email protected]

(646) 571-0120

SOURCE Datassential
CHICAGO, Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Diana's Bananas, LLC of Chicago is announcing an allergy alert and voluntary recall of its 10.5-ounce packages of Milk Chocolate Banana Babies dipped frozen bananas that may contain undeclared peanuts. People who have allergies to peanuts run the risk of a serious or life-threatening allergic reaction if they consume these products.

The voluntary recall comes after it was discovered that the product was distributed in packaging that did not reveal the presence of peanut butter.

Diana's Bananas - Milk Chocolate Banana Babies

The recalled Banana Babies Milk Chocolate were distributed to six specific retailers/distributors (Stater Brothers, San Bernardino, California; Albertsons/Safeway Irvine, California; Kroger Syracuse, Utah; Lipari Foods, Warren, Michigan; UNFI Iowa City, Iowa; UNFI, Ridgefield, Washington).

The product comes in a 10.5-ounce, blue box marked with a BEST IF USED BY DATE of C 08 05 23 on the top of the pull tab. The UPC code is- 7-43490-00010-4.

Consumers who have purchased 10.5-ounce packages of Milk Chocolate Banana Babies with a "BEST IF USED BY" date of C 08 05 23 are urged to return them to the place of purchase for a full refund. Consumers with questions may contact Diana's Bananas from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Central Standard Time, Monday through Friday, at 1-800-848-3641 or by emailing [email protected].

No illnesses have been reported to date in connection with this problem. Diana's Bananas is committed to upholding the highest safety and quality standards.

Media Contact: Scott Hammond

[email protected]

815.302.4592

SOURCE Diana's Bananas
NEW YORK, Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Digital Pulp, a full service agency specializing in higher education, research, healthcare and cause marketing, today announced a change in upper management. After nearly twenty years, Ron Fierman will step down from his role as president and will remain with the company on a part time basis as Chief Financial Officer. Brian Loube will take the reins as the agency's third President, and Gene Lewis, one of the agency's founding partners and its Chief Creative Officer, will assume the role of CEO.

Gene Lewis Brian Loube

Gene, age 49, joined the agency in 1996 during the thrilling days of the early internet, and has helped lead it into today's world of digital ubiquity. Over the past twenty-six years, Lewis has increasingly focused on the balance of simple and genuine. "It takes a lot of work and talent to achieve clarity and focus, but we know that today's audiences engage when branding and marketing feels genuine and makes sense," said Lewis.

"Gene is one of those rare leaders who understands technology, design and marketing communication," commented Brian Loube, "and with a wide lens like this, he can steer our company's strategy into the future."

Mr. Loube, 57, joined the company in 2012 as Executive Producer, and quickly rose to Partner and Managing Director. In his role as President, Loube will have primary responsibility to manage agency growth, operations, and partnerships with clients. He was previously in charge of online production at Sesame Street, Director of Social Integration at AOL, and Executive Producer of Interactive at Imaginary Forces. At the start of his career he spent almost a decade at R/GA, where he was founding leader of R/GA's first venture into new media - R/GA Interactive. Mr Loube is a graduate of NYU Film and a New Yorker since 1982.

"Brian is an amazing leader for our agency, and I feel so fortunate to call him a partner. He's exceptionally creative and curious, and able to see challenges from all angles. As a fellow New Yorker, Brian maintains a critical eye for good work, and his ambition helps bring it to life. I couldn't be more excited to continue this journey together." said Lewis.

Considering the future of the agency, Lewis and Loube are focused on new opportunities that bring clients' brands to life on multiple platforms by leveraging emerging tools that can make marketing ecosystems more efficient and more measurable. "We're inspired by the good our clients do," said Lewis, "and it's our mission to invent new ways to make them even more successful."

Digital Pulp is a full service agency specializing in branding and marketing for higher education, nonprofit and healthcare. For more than 25 years, the company has developed strategy, design, content, and enterprise platforms for clients like Make-A-Wish, Princeton University, Rutgers University, The Juilliard School, Hologic and Bausch + Lomb. Visit digitalpulp.com for more information.

Contact: Grace Otero

Phone: (212) 679-0676

Email: [email protected]

SOURCE Digital Pulp
Company lowering lake levels ahead of storm's expected arrival in the Carolinas.

Customers in the Carolinas should prepare for outages.

CHARLOTTE, N.C., Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- As Hurricane Ian passes out of Florida today and follows an expected northward trek, Duke Energy is readying its crews to respond to potential power outages across the Carolinas. The storm is expected to bring with it strong winds and heavy rains that could lead to localized flooding. On Wednesday, states of emergency were declared by the governors of North Carolina and South Carolina.

Duke Energy has 5,200 local responders organized into travel teams  including line technicians, vegetation specialists and damage assessors  who are highly familiar with existing company systems and infrastructure in the Carolinas. They will be staged across all Duke Energy service areas throughout the Carolinas, ready to respond as soon as it is safe to do so.

Duke Energy prepares for storms throughout the year and is able to draw on other resources from peer utilities and across the region.

High water and flooding are possible on Duke Energy Lakes

Duke Energy has been lowering lake levels by moving water through its river systems, creating more storage for rainfall and runoff.

Based on the current forecast, spilling is possible. People living along lakes and rivers or in flood-prone areas, including those along the Catawba-Wateree basin, should closely monitor lake levels and follow instructions from local emergency officials.

Real-time lake level information is available at www.duke-energy.com/community/lakes, by calling 800.829.5253 or on the Duke Energy Lake View mobile app.

High-water and flooding safety reminders

Learn about your county's emergency plans, warning signals, evacuation routes and locations of emergency shelters.

Turn off your power at the circuit breaker panel or fuse box if rising water threatens your home or if you evacuate your home.

Stay away from downed power lines and electrical wires. Do not drive over or stand near downed power lines. Electric current passes easily through water.

Avoid driving through flooded areas; most flood-related deaths occur in automobiles.

Pay close attention to local emergency management officials, national weather service and media for changing weather conditions and rising water levels.

If you have electrical service to facilities (piers, outside lighting on seawalls, etc.) on or near the water, have a qualified electrical contractor de-energize this service to avoid injuries and equipment damage.

Never replace a fuse or touch a circuit breaker with wet hands, or while standing on a wet or damp surface.

If your home or business is flooded, Duke Energy cannot reconnect power until the electrical system has been inspected by a licensed electrician. If there is damage, an electrician will need to make necessary repairs and obtain verification from your local building inspection authority before power can be restored.

Carolinas customers should prepare for outages

While residents of coastal areas are often most at risk of being affected by hurricanes, the current track of Ian is expected to bring damaging high winds and rain inland. Before the storm hits, customers should text REG to 57801 to ensure they are registered to receive text updates about outages that may impact them.

Customers who experience an outage during a storm can report it the following ways:

Text OUT to 57801 (standard text and data charges may apply).

Visit duke-energy.com on a desktop computer or mobile device.

Use the Duke Energy mobile app  Download the Duke Energy App from a smartphone via Apple Store or Google Play.

Call the automated outage-reporting system, at: 800.POWERON (800.769.3766).

Customer service specialists will be available to manage customer calls should the need arise, with additional corporate responders from across all Duke Energy jurisdictions available to assist as needed.

There is also an interactive outage map where customers can find up-to-date information on power outages, including the total number of outages systemwide and estimated times of restoration.

Power restoration process

Duke Energy focuses on restoring power in a sequence that enables power restoration to public health and safety facilities and to the greatest number of customers as safely and quickly as possible. Click here for information on how Duke Energy restores power.

Important safety tips

Duke Energy encourages customers to have a plan in place if they experience a power outage. Below are tips to help you and your family stay safe.

Create (or update) an emergency supply kit to save valuable time later. The kit should include everything an individual or family would need for at least two weeks, especially medicines, water, non-perishable foods and other supplies that might be hard to find after a storm strikes.

Keep a portable radio or TV, or NOAA weather radio on hand to monitor weather forecasts and important information from state and local officials.

Charge cellphones, computers and other electronic devices in advance of storms to stay connected to important safety and response information. Consider purchasing portable chargers and make sure they are fully charged as well.

Maintain a plan to move family members  especially those with special needs  to a safe, alternative location in case an extended power outage occurs or evacuation is required.

If a power line falls across a car that you're in, stay in the car. If you MUST get out of the car due to a fire or other immediate life-threatening situation, do your best to jump clear of the car and land on both feet. Be sure that no part of your body is touching the car when your feet touch the ground.

If you need to go to a disaster shelter, follow CDC recommendations for staying safe and healthy in a public disaster shelter during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Duke Energy has a dedicated webpage to Hurricane Ian updates available in English and Spanish.

Duke Energy

Duke Energy ( NYSE: DUK), a Fortune 150 company headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., is one of America's largest energy holding companies. Its electric utilities serve 8.2 million customers in North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky, and collectively own 50,000 megawatts of energy capacity. Its natural gas unit serves 1.6 million customers in North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Ohio and Kentucky. The company employs 28,000 people.

Duke Energy is executing an aggressive clean energy transition to achieve its goals of net-zero methane emissions from its natural gas business and at least a 50% carbon reduction from electric generation by 2030 and net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. The 2050 net-zero goals also include Scope 2 and certain Scope 3 emissions. In addition, the company is investing in major electric grid enhancements and energy storage, and exploring zero-emission power generation technologies such as hydrogen and advanced nuclear.

Duke Energy was named to Fortune's 2022 "World's Most Admired Companies" list and Forbes' "America's Best Employers" list. More information is available at duke-energy.com. The Duke Energy News Center contains news releases, fact sheets, photos and videos. Duke Energy's illumination features stories about people, innovations, community topics and environmental issues. Follow Duke Energy on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook.

Media contact: Jeff Brooks (Carolinas Media inquiries)

Media line: 800.559.3853

Twitter: @DE_JeffB

SOURCE Duke Energy
Embr Labs announces the UK launch of the Embr Wave 2, the innovative women's health product that provides natural relief from hot flashes during menopause

BOSTON, Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Embr Labs announced today that they have entered into a strategic partnership to launch an innovative women's health product to provide immediate relief from hot flashes during menopause. Embr Wave 2, a sleek wearable that cools or warms at the touch of a button, will now be made available to women in the UK.

The Embr Wave provides immediate relief for women who experience hot flashes during menopause through the application of natural temperature sensations that balance the body's nervous system. These sensations can be personalized for more effective relief using the Embr Wave 2 mobile app.

Hot flashes (also called vasomotor symptoms and night sweats) are characterized by a sudden sensation of intense heat and sweating. Hot flashes affect hundreds of millions of menopausal women globally, frequently interfering with sleep and daily living, resulting in a negative impact on quality of life and even a desire to leave the workforce. According to a public survey, three in every five women are negatively affected at work as a result of menopause, impacting not only women but also their families.

"We've already witnessed the rapid adoption of the Embr Wave by women in menopause who we're able to help with the impact of hot flashes, insomnia, and stress. We're pleased that we have the opportunity to collaborate with a leading consumer brand like No7 to launch our product in the UK. Not only have No7 and Boots recognized the enormous commercial opportunity in the menopause space, but Boots as a company is leading the way in providing menopause benefits to its own employeesother companies are sure to follow," Embr Labs CEO, Elizabeth Gazda, added.

The Embr Wave was developed to bring hot flash relief to an underserved community of women in the menopause that has been valued to be worth $660 billion by Forbes Magazine.

The product can be purchased on Boots.com and no7beauty.co.uk.

About Embr Labs

Embr Labs is the first thermal wellness technology company, pioneering the use of temperature as a new pathway to the brain. The company has sold over 100,000 Embr Waves that have found their way into more than 170 countries. The Wave is an intelligent wristband that cools or warms on demand to provide thermal relief and comfort by helping to balance the autonomic nervous system. The company's patented technology harnesses the power of temperature to deliver a brand new category of safe and natural solutions to manage hot flashes, sleep issues, stress, thermal discomfort, and more. The company was founded by MIT-trained engineers and is backed by investors including Bose Ventures, DigiTx Partners, Safar Partners, Esplanade Ventures, and Intel Capital. Embr Labs has won numerous awards for the Embr Wave, including the AARP Innovation in Aging Award, Time Magazine's Best Inventions, and the iF Design

Media Contact:

Margaret Swanson

[email protected]

embrlabs.com

SOURCE Embr Labs
BOSTON, Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Virtual, augmented, and mixed reality (VR/AR/MR) devices promise to revolutionize the way we interact, acting as gateways to the metaverse. Despite these technologies already achieving limited adoption, extensive headset hardware development is required to meet the demands of becoming a ubiquitous computing platform.

eXtended Reality (XR) hardware

The new IDTechEx report, "Virtual, Augmented and Mixed Reality 2023-2033: Technologies, Players, and Markets", analyzes the future of this hardware development. IDTechEx has been covering this industry since 2015, staying close to the technical and market developments, interviewing key players worldwide, attending numerous conferences and delivering multiple consulting projects: this experience is utilized to analyze the market, identify technological trends and opportunities, and forecast VR/AR/MR headset industry's growth at a CAGR of 13% to 2033.

The Evolving Role of XR

VR devices replace the real environment with virtual content, whereas AR devices overlay content on top of the real world. MR-capable AR devices blur the line between the real and digital worlds, with overlaid virtual content interacting with real objects. Collectively, these technologies are referred to as eXtended Reality (XR).

IDTechEx's report analyzes the changing applications XR devices will see and their effects on design and hardware demands. For AR, the largest change is expected to be renewed attempts to crack the historically difficult consumer market with initial targeting by more niche devices on the route to the eventual hope of replacing the smartphone. For VR, a near-term trend will be efforts to find new consumer use-cases outside of gaming, to find growth outside of this crowded market.

The report contains breakdowns of the VR and AR application space today and in 2033, examining the effects of this evolution. Working from its database of technical and pricing data for the majority of XR headsets released since 2010, IDTechEx quantitively analyzes the history of these trends, informing conclusions on the development of market segmentations, development path and innovation gaps in displays, optics and sensing, and acting as a key input to IDTechEx's market forecasts.

Industry Overview and Market Forecasts

Numerous profiles of players across the XR industry, from component manufacturers to content developers, form the bedrock of IDTechEx's view of its landscape, alongside its attendance of conferences including Laval Virtual Europe, CES and Augmented World Expo in 2022/21. These not only enable IDTechEx's report to offer qualitative insight into the changing status of the XR hardware market, which is seeing growing investment from major tech firms but form one of many data inputs into IDTechEx's forecasting process.

These forecasts divide the XR headset market into six granular categories, predicting it to surpass US$20 billion by 2033. Furthermore, they forecast the development of the componentry industry, with 18 different granular categories overall, as well as the adoption of XR accessories. Discussion of the methodology behind and implications of these forecasts helps build out a comprehensive picture of the market's development.

Componentry, Connectivity, and Computing

Without an understanding of the crucial componentry for XR headsets it is difficult to evaluate the path of hardware development here as a whole. As such, the report outlines the technological and industrial landscape for XR optics, displays, sensors (including for positional and eye tracking), and haptics. The implementation and consequences of new computing systems and connectivity standards in XR devices are detailed.

The IDTechEx report, "Virtual, Augmented and Mixed Reality 2023-2033: Technologies, Players, and Markets", assesses the XR market in considerable detail, based on technology benchmarking, hands-on experience of major products from events, analysis of industrial data and more. The report includes multiple company profiles based on interviews with major players across the different technologies. IDTechEx also develop granular 10-year market forecasts and assessments of the potential for success of the technologies covered. To find out more about this report, including downloadable sample pages, please visit www.IDTechEx.com/ARVR.

About IDTechEx

IDTechEx guides your strategic business decisions through its Research, Subscription and Consultancy products, helping you profit from emerging technologies. For more information, contact [email protected] or visit www.IDTechEx.com .

Images download:

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/83y0g70hstprwd4/AACA_8A7Tw5E-klxpoM8R8W7a?dl=0

Media Contact:

Natalie Fifield

Digital Marketing Manager

[email protected]

+44(0)1223 812300

Social Media Links:

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LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/idtechex/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IDTechExResearch

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SOURCE IDTechEx
Seed-stage commercialization realizes value in the Province's health research and intellectual property

TORONTO, Sept. 28, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - FACIT congratulates Ontario-based start-ups Hyivy Health and HDAX Therapeutics as the latest recipients of capital through its Prospects Oncology Fund. Selected among a top-tier pool of applicants, these Ontario-based innovations illustrate excellent potential to benefit patients with cancer.

Former Falcons' Fortunes pitch competition finalist Hyivy Health is developing a remote patient monitoring, pelvic rehab system for gynecological and colorectal cancer patients and their clinicians. Prospects funding will support a clinical trial currently in protocol development at Grand River Regional Cancer Centre in Kitchener, Ontario. A spin-off from the University of Toronto, HDAX Therapeutics is developing potentially first-in-class, blood-brain barrier permeable HDAC6 selective inhibitors for CNS cancers. Prospects funding will accelerate CTA/IND enabling research and preparation for clinical studies.

FACIT's Prospects Oncology Fund fuels a pipeline of innovations and addresses the early-stage seed gap in Ontario's life sciences sector. FACIT's Ontario-focused capital helps de-risk innovations through local development, ultimately driving greater value for Ontario intellectual property (IP) and attracting follow-on investment into the Province. The Prospects Oncology Fund provides a deal-flow of novel breakthrough discoveries that feed FACIT's Compass Rose Oncology Fund.

Leaders in healthcare commercialization, FACIT has turned $46 million of publicly-supported dollars into $1.4 billion in fully leveraged capital for some of Ontario's most high profile life sciences companies. Investing Ontario First seed capital in the Province's rich talent and innovation pool brings economic benefits to Ontario's biotech ecosystem. With support from the Government of Ontario, FACIT continues to make strong, positive impacts in the commercialization of Ontario innovations, ultimately ensuring great science has a translational pathway to Ontario patients.

"The FACIT team is pleased to provide these entrepreneurs with a commercial financing pathway in our own community to advance their technologies closer to impacting patients with cancer," said Dr. David O'Neill, President of FACIT. "With these compelling innovations and partners, seed stage commercialization demonstrates its capacity for anchoring companies, jobs and talent in Ontario."

"Congratulations to Hyivy Health and HDAX Therapeutics for these incredible innovations," said Jill Dunlop, Minister of Colleges and Universities. "Ontario is proud that its investments in the Ontario Institute for Cancer Research (OICR) and FACIT are supporting ground-breaking cancer research. Investing in promising ventures from local start-ups is a key way that FACIT is capturing more value from Ontario-funded discoveries and intellectual property. Investments like these are essential for moving oncology innovations to real world application that can benefit cancer patients and our province's economy."

About FACIT

FACIT is an award-winning commercialization venture firm that builds companies with entrepreneurs to accelerate oncology innovation, with a portfolio that has attracted more than $1 billion in investment to Ontario. Blending industry experience, capital and the unsurpassed clinician-scientist network of its strategic partner the Ontario Institute for Cancer Research (OICR), FACIT capitalizes on the province's investment in research and healthcare to the benefit of the local economy and patients worldwide. FACIT's commercialization portfolio includes Turnstone Biologics, Fusion Pharmaceuticals, Triphase Accelerator and other biotechnology organizations. Cancer Breakthroughs. Realized. facit.ca.

About Hyivy Health Inc.

Created after the founder's recent fight with cervical cancer, she wanted to change the way 1 in 3 women worldwide who will experience a pelvic health complication in their lifetime are treated given that the current standard of care is an over 84 year old technology. Hyivy Health provides a data driven pelvic rehabilitation system for the over 60M women in North America with hypertonic, painful pelvic floor conditions. Our system provides the first quantifiable data set on the pelvic floor by using our Floora device to conduct 3 different therapies, which are tracked using multiple biosensors helping patients and their clinicians treat, track and predict pelvic floor and gynecological conditions and symptoms.

About HDAX Therapeutics

HDAX Therapeutics, a spin-out from the University of Toronto, is developing first-in-class, blood-brain barrier permeable HDAC6 selective inhibitors for CNS cancers and cancer-associated neuropathies.

SOURCE FACIT Inc.
NOIDA, India, Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- According to a new report published by UnivDatos Markets Insights the Global Sustainability Consulting Market is expected to grow at a CAGR of around 5% from 2022-2028, reaching around USD 11 billion by 2028. The analysis has been segmented into Product Type (Strategy and Planning, Technical Support, Testing, Auditing, and Verification, Sustainability Marketing); Application (Chemicals, Building & Construction, Agriculture, Food & Beverage, Mining, Oil & Gas, Others); Region/Country.



Click here to view the Report Description & TOC

https://univdatos.com/report/sustainability-consulting-market/

The global sustainability consulting market report has been aggregated by collecting informative data on various dynamics such as market drivers, restraints, and opportunities. This innovative report makes use of several analyses to get a closer outlook on the sustainability consulting market. The sustainability consulting market report offers a detailed analysis of the latest industry developments and trending factors in the market that are influencing the market growth. Furthermore, this statistical market research repository examines and estimates the sustainability consulting market at the global and regional levels.

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Market Overview

Sustainability consulting can be referred to as any organization or firm who are working towards a sustainable world. They are many consulting teams working as green consultants, eco consultants, environmental management consultants, and environmental sustainability consultants. Also, like management consultants, sustainability consultants are consultants and professionals who specialize in helping businesses take greater responsibility for the environment. Moreover, the sustainability consulting market is driven by strong economic growth in emerging markets, the impact of e-waste, increasing government regulation, and the rise of shale oil and shale gas exploration.

The Sustainability Consulting Market is expected to grow at a steady rate of around 5% owing to the increase in investments in smart cities, global collaboration for environmental protection, and sustainable development. Major companies in the market offer sustainability consulting for energy & power applications with technologically advanced features. For instance, in April 2021, McKinsey & Company launched their McKinsey Sustainability, the new client-service platform with the goal of helping all industry sectors transform to get to net zero by 2050 and to cut carbon emissions by half by 2030.

COVID-19 Impact

The recent covid-19 pandemic has disrupted the world and has brought a state of shock to the global economy. The global pandemic has impacted many industries and has transformed these industries were used to deliver. The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly affected the sustainability consulting market as there has been a decline in social activities during the closure of the companies. Since the companies are back to work, the activities are in progress.

Click here to view the Report Description & TOC

https://univdatos.com/report/sustainability-consulting-market/

The global sustainability consulting market report is studied thoroughly with several aspects that would help stakeholders in making their decisions more curated.

Based on product type, the market is fragmented into strategy and planning, technical support, testing-auditing & verification, and sustainability marketing. During the forecast period, the testing-auditing & verification segment is expected to grow at a significant CAGR. This is mainly due to the investment assessment and auditing which is the first step. Also, with the rise in demand for environmental consulting services, this segment is likely to perform exceptionally well in the coming years. Hence, many activities such as CSR audits, Carbon footprint verification, Carbon neutral organization, and EPEAT & Green electronics are some of the testing, auditing, and verification sustainability for growth and excellence in the area

Based on application, the market is fragmented into chemicals, building & construction, agriculture, food & beverage, mining, oil & gas, and others. In 2020, the oil & gas segment is expected to grow with a considerable CAGR during the forecast period. As it is the most capital-intensive industry, it is highly needed to protect health security. Additionally, awareness of the environmental hazards of industrialization permeates every industry. Also, major key players are focused on understanding current and future environmental impacts to make informed water and waste management investment decisions. Moreover, sustainability consulting makes it easier to accurately grasp the impact of corporate activities on the environment. Many world forums and governments have enacted environmental laws that industry must comply with. These regulations are the major market drivers for the environmental consulting services market

Have a Look at the Chapters - https://univdatos.com/report/sustainability-consulting-market/

Global Sustainability Consulting Market Geographical Segmentation Includes:

North America (U.S. Canada , and Rest of North America )

(U.S. , and Rest of ) Europe ( Germany , United Kingdom , Italy , France , Spain , and the Rest of Europe )

( , , , , , and the Rest of ) Asia-Pacific ( China , India , Australia , Japan , and the Rest of Asia-Pacific )

( , , , , and the Rest of ) Rest of the World

For a better understanding of the market dynamics of the sustainability consulting market, a detailed analysis was conducted for different regions across the globe including North America (U.S., Canada, and the Rest of North America), Europe (Germany, France, Spain, United Kingdom, Italy, and Rest of Europe), Asia-Pacific (China, India, Australia, Japan, and Rest of APAC), Rest of World has been conducted. Geographically, the North America region dominated the sustainability consulting market owing to the growing prevalence of environmental concerns in the region.

The major players targeting the market include

McKinsey & Company

EY

KPMG

Bain & Company

Deloitte

Boston Consulting Group

PA Consulting Group (Jacobs)

Accenture

Tata Consultancy Services (Blue Monitor Systems)

DuPont Sustainable Solutions

Competitive Landscape

The degree of competition among prominent global companies has been elaborated by analyzing several leading key players operating worldwide. The specialist team of research analysts sheds light on various traits such as global market competition, market share, most recent industry advancements, innovative product launches, partnerships, mergers, or acquisitions by leading companies in the sustainability consulting market. The major players have been analyzed by using research methodologies for getting insight views on global competition.

Key questions resolved through this analytical market research report include:

What are the latest trends, new patterns, and technological advancements in the sustainability consulting market?

Which factors are influencing the sustainability consulting market over the forecast period?

What are the global challenges, threats, and risks in the sustainability consulting market?

Which factors are propelling and restraining the sustainability consulting market?

What are the demanding global regions of the sustainability consulting market?

What will be the global market size in the upcoming years?

What are the crucial market acquisition strategies and policies applied by global companies?

We understand the requirement of different businesses, regions, and countries, we offer customized reports as per your requirements of business nature and geography. Please let us know If you have any custom needs.

Browse Other Related Research Reports from UnivDatos Market Insights

Sustainability Consulting Market Report Coverage

Report Attribute Details Base year 2021 Forecast period 2022-2028 Growth momentum Accelerate at a CAGR of over 5% Market size 2028 USD 11 billion Regional analysis North America, Europe, APAC, Rest of World Major contributing region North America to Dominate the Sustainability Consulting Market Key countries covered United States, Canada, Germany, United Kingdom, Spain, Italy, France, China, Japan, India, and Australia Companies profiled McKinsey & Company, EY, KPMG, Bain & Company, Deloitte, Boston Consulting Group, PA Consulting Group (Jacobs), Accenture, Tata Consultancy Services (Blue Monitor Systems), DuPont Sustainable Solutions Report Scope Market Trends, Drivers, and Restraints; Revenue Estimation and Forecast; Segmentation Analysis; Impact of COVID-19; Demand and Supply Side Analysis; Competitive Landscape; Company Profiling Segments Covered By Product Type; By Application; By Region/Country



About UnivDatos Market Insights (UMI)

UnivDatos Market Insights (UMI) is a passionate market research firm and a subsidiary of Universal Data Solutions. We believe in delivering insights through Market Intelligence Reports, Customized Business Research, and Primary Research. Our research studies are spread across topics across the world, we cover markets in over 100 countries using smart research techniques and agile methodologies. We offer in-depth studies, detailed analysis, and customized reports that help shape winning business strategies for our clients.

Contact

UnivDatos Market Insights

Ankita Gupta

Director Operations

Ph: +91-7838604911

Email: [email protected]

Website: https://univdatos.com/

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SOURCE UnivDatos Market Insights Pvt. Ltd.
Jon Gruen to take on CEO position with Timothy Bean moving to new President and COO role

PLEASANT GROVE, Utah, Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Fortem Technologies, leader in airspace awareness, security, and defense, today announced that existing Executive Chairman, Jon Gruen, will be stepping into the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) position for the company while the current CEO, Timothy Bean, will move into the newly formed President and Chief Operating Officer (COO) role. This strategic reorganization positions the company with additional leadership to better address the increasing market demand for counter-UAS support and reinforces the company's focus on growth in the defense and government markets.

"With recent investments and the expansion of our Washington DC presence, the time is right to make this move", said Timothy Bean. "Jon and I have worked closely for over two years and I am excited to have him full-time at the company."

Gruen brings more than twenty-five years of leadership experience in the military and defense industry, providing emergency management and security solutions to government customers. He was instrumental in securing more than $10B in program value as a Business Development Principal at Lockheed Martin. After which, he co-founded a defense innovation management and operations firm which scaled start-up companies to over $1.5B in combined revenue in just three years.

Gruen is also a U.S. Navy Reserve SEAL Captain, has led Special Operations teams in Afghanistan and Iraq, and was the COO for all Special Operations Force engagements in the Arabian Peninsula. His expertise in manning, training, and equipping tactical teams that deploy in support of Special Operations worldwide, brings a unique perspective to the CEO position at Fortem Technologies and will help to foster the company's invaluable relationships with defense partners and customers.

Gruen holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the United States Naval Academy in Physics and received his Master of Business Administration from the Haas School of Business, University of California  Berkeley.

"With Jon's impressive defense and commercial background, he is well suited to lead the company's growth efforts and our critical Washington, D.C. market presence," said Matt Ocko, Co-Founder and Managing Partner, DCVC, and Fortem Technologies Board of Directors member. "Our growing leadership team with Jon and Tim at the helm enables us to serve more of our customers, in more geographies, with even more aggressive capabilities for supporting true security for law enforcement and warfighters against exponential human operated and autonomous threats."

About Fortem Technologies

Fortem Technologies is the leader in airspace awareness, security, and defense for detecting and defeating dangerous drones. Through an advanced, end to end system of distributed radar, AI at the Edge, deep sensor integration, and autonomous drone capture, Fortem monitors and defends the world's venues, infrastructures, cities, and regions. The same system is accelerating the safety of the world's airspace for urban air mobility. Based in Pleasant Grove, Utah, the company is privately held and backed by Toshiba, Boeing, DCVC, Mubadala Investment Company, Signia Venture Partners and others.

www.fortemtech.com

Contact:

Warren Brown

[email protected]

BAM for Fortem Technologies

[email protected]

SOURCE Fortem Technologies, Inc.
Concern Worldwide is currently responding to emergencies in Ukraine, Pakistan and the Horn of Africa. Looks to passionate changemakers in the Boston area to champion Concern Worldwide's work with Inaugural Boston Reception at the University of Massachusetts Club on Thursday, October 27, 2022.

BOSTON, Sept. 28, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Dedicated to ending extreme poverty, whatever it takes, Concern Worldwide's global mission stems from its Irish DNA as a localized grassroots movement of volunteers in 1968 to a community of over 4,700 international staff operating across 25 countries in 2022. Concern Worldwide stands on the front lines of the world's most dire humanitarian emergencies, from pandemics and conflict to natural disasters and refugee crises, and they stay long after the headlines fade.

Concern staff in Haiti. Photo: Kieran McConville / Concern Worldwide Concern Staff in Ukraine. Photo: Kieran McConville / Concern Worldwide

In Ukraine, Concern Worldwide is supporting IDPs (internationally displaced persons) who remain in Ukraine to deliver aid in the form of multi-purpose cash transfers for essentials of rent and food, hygiene kits, and psychosocial support.

Facing the worst drought in over 40 years, Concern Worldwide operates across Somalia, Kenya, Ethiopia, Sudan, and South Sudan in the Horn of Africa, where millions face severe hunger and famine in some areas after two years of no rain. Responding to the needs of the most vulnerable populations, Concern provides cash support and life-saving nutrition and health services to families.

In Pakistan, Concern Worldwide is responding in the worst-hit areas of the Pakistan Floods in Sindh, Balochistan, and Punjab. Concern Worldwide's teams are protecting the health of the population at risk with emergency hygiene and dignity kits and multi-purpose cash assistance to enable vulnerable families to buy essential items, such as food, medicine, and makeshift tents.

While responding to the immediate impacts of climate change-induced emergencies and conflict-driven hunger, Concern Worldwide envisions a world free of fear, poverty, and oppression. Concern Worldwide's teams stand ready to provide long-term sustainable, community-driven programs for those living on less than $1.90 a day so the most vulnerable can access opportunities for a long, healthy, and creative life.

For more information and to get involved with Concern Worldwide in Boston, visit act.concernusa.org or call 212-557-8000.

SOURCE Concern Worldwide US
NEW YORK, Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Model Jean-Luc Joseph represented the Caribbean Island of Trinidad and Tobago, internationally at Milan and Paris fashion week - as he walked for luxury fashion labels Bottega Veneta and Balmain for the showcase of the SS23 season.

In his second season on the international fashion scene, Jean-Luc is already a favorite at Bottega Veneta with him being the ONLY Trinibagonian Male model from the Caribbean to walk the runways for two consecutive seasons, in the brand's history.

Balmain SPRING 2023 READY-TO-WEAR Bottega Veneta SPRING 2023 READY-TO-WEAR

Joseph also made history yet again on Thu Sep 28th in Paris, as he graced the runway for another international luxury label  BALMAIN, making him the very first Male Model from Trinidad and Tobago to accomplish such a feat.

Born and raised in Sangre Grande, Jean-Luc Joseph never thought of himself as a model but mainly as a photographer. A friend recommended that he auditions for the 28Models model search in 2019- which took place in Trinidad. He was initially hesitant and did not make it to the search.

Joseph, however, was being noticed and scouted online by 28Models founder/Director, Showin Bishop, and the rest was history. "I never thought that I had the, it factors those other models had, so I was quite surprised when Showin messaged me on Instagram to consider representation." he said, "Now here I am walking for Major brands in Europe, and I am so thankful that he believed in my potential."

28Models Director, Showin Bishop sees this as an opportunity with greater potential. "Currently we are setting up an office in Trinidad, where we will scout and develop more models for the international market, this is a serious business! Bishop noted." He explained that this office will also be the regional office to service the Caribbean market.

Bishop additionally stated  "I feel great about this, this is what I am trying to do to help models get the exposure that they need. This is only the start of what I plan to do for Trinidad and Tobago and the Caribbean, I cannot wait for the other big things that are in the pipeline."

Jean Luc is still coming to terms with his success - "Walking for such major luxury brands is almost an unreal and surreal experience; I'm still pinching myself!" Jean-Luc says. "Being able to be a part of history and walking for these mega fashion houses, is still crazy to me; I'm extremely grateful for the opportunities. I'm also grateful to have worked with such amazing teams: everyone is welcoming.

Media contact

Showin Bishop

O: (646) 801-264

M: (718) 501-1934

E: [email protected]

SOURCE 28MODELS
Appointment key to bringing Visier to the Asia-Pacific market, with plans for expansion already in development

VANCOUVER, BC and SINGAPORE, Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Visier , the globally recognized leader in people analytics and workforce solutions for people-powered business, today announced the appointment of Terrence Yong as VP & General Manager of APAC. Yong, who brings more than 20 years experience in the APAC region, will lead Visier's go-to-market functions in APAC, helping to fuel continued global expansion.

"The addition of Terrence to our team is an important step forward for Visier," said Ryan Wong, CEO and co-founder of Visier. "Visier is the undisputed leader in people analytics in North America and EMEA, and we have always had plans to bring our solution to the unique challenges facing organizations in APAC. This is the beginning of Visier's expansion into the region, and we believe there is an incredible growth opportunity for Visier to expand throughout APAC and beyond."

Yong is an accomplished senior executive with more than 20 years of success in the APAC market. Yong has held executive roles with organizations such as Pulsifi, VersaFleet, SAP and Microsoft.

"I am excited with the prospect of introducing the leading people analytics solution to a fast growing and diverse region home to 4.8 billion people," said Yong. "If the last 25 years was about customer data, the next 25 years will be about people data. I am thrilled to be tasked to build the regional HQ and R&D center in Singapore to reveal the human truth that helps business and employees win together."

This appointment comes at a time of rapid expansion, market momentum, and growth for Visier. This includes the recent growth and expansion of the EMEA market, including the appointment of Ian McVey as GM . The company also recently launched Visier People Cloud , combining people insights with business data and democratizing it to people managers best equipped to impact employee and business outcomes.

To learn more about Visier, visit www.visier.com .

About Visier

Visier is the recognized global leader in people analytics, providing on-demand answers to people-powered businesses. Behind every great brand, product, or idea is the Human Truth, and the Visier People Cloud reveals the fundamental questions and actionable truths capable of elevating your employeesand your businessto new heights. Founded in 2010 by the pioneers of business intelligence, Visier has 15,000 customers in 75 countries around the world, including enterprises like BASF, Bridgestone, Electronic Arts, McKesson, MerckKGaA, Uber, and more. Visier is headquartered in Vancouver, BC with offices and team members worldwide.

For more information, visit www.visier.com .

SOURCE Visier
Health Net's Sophisticated Health Equity Model of Care for Medi-Cal, Marketplace, Medicare and Commercial Members Earns First-in-the-Nation Recognition for the Company

SACRAMENTO,Calif., Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Health Net announced today that it is one of nine healthcare organizations in the nation to receive the first-ever Health Equity Accreditation Plus by the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) for all lines of business including Medi-Cal, Marketplace, Medicare and Commercial. This new, advanced designation builds on NCQA's foundational Health Equity Accreditation program. That program sets a robust framework for improving health equity by helping organizations identify and close care gaps.

According to NCQA, standards for the new Health Equity Accreditation Plus designation include:

Partnering with community-based organizations.

Offering resources that support clinical and social needs.

Collecting data on community social risk factors and patients' social needs.

Making clear to members and patients how their data are used, shared and protected.

"This accreditation by one of the most respected quality organizations in the country is a testament to our team, our partners, and most importantly, the living-out of our mission to work tirelessly to improve the lives of those we serve," said Brian Ternan, CEO of Health Net. "The path to good health doesn't start and end at the door of the hospital or a doctor's office. We will continue to build on the work we've done to make our healthcare system more equitable for all Californians."

Recognized Innovator in Closing Health Equity Gaps

The new NCQA designation comes on the heels of the Institute for Medicaid Innovation (IMI)'s recognition of Health Net for closing health equity gaps during the pandemic. Earlier this year, IMI hosted a webinar to examine and highlight initiatives that addressed social determinants of health and health inequities exacerbated during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Among them, Health Net had four programs that were showcased to attendees: the company's COVID-19 Telehealth Capacity Support Initiative, Martin Luther King Jr. Community Hospital Street Medicine Program, Family Hui Initiative and its Los Angeles Food Bank Pilot.

A History of Driving Health Equity

Health Net understands that the needs of Medi-Cal members are as diverse as the state itself. That's why the company has pioneered innovative approaches to health equity for more than a decade. We've built teams, models and innovative approaches that improve access, deliver culturally centered care and reduce health disparities.

In fact, from 2011 to 2021, NCQA awarded Health Net its "Multicultural Health Care Distinction" award for its Commercial, Medicare and Medicaid lines of business. Health Net was the first health plan to earn this award for all three lines of business.

Based on its health equity programs, interventions and grants to community-based organizations, Health Net has documented key findings and recommendations that drive health equity. The company has highlighted insights in the recent report, "Getting to Care." Stakeholders across the healthcare ecosystem can apply these insights to help shrink care gaps and improve health outcomes for Medi-Cal members.

Experience, Expertise & Evolution

Health Net is one of California's longest-serving and most-experienced Medi-Cal partners. The company understands the unique barriers that Medi-Cal members face, which is why Health Net embraces and emphasizes culturally appropriate training and care for its provider partners.

Health Net has also expanded beyond the traditional role of providing access to quality healthcare services. The health plan works to address all factors that impact health, such as funding and partnering with local community-based organizations to address food insecurity and homelessness.

Health Net has developed, implemented and evolved its whole-person model over several years. Leveraging data strategically, simplifying solutions and caring for patients in channels they trust are the most critical factors to drive improvements in quality care. Health Net has outlined these observations and best practices in the report, "Innovating Within Medi-Cal," housed on the company's Bridging The Divide website.

As part of this evolution, the company has eagerly contributed to the development of the state's new groundbreaking CalAIM program. Health Net has led in its implementation across its statewide footprint. To help strengthen the system and drive equity, Health Net's experts shared early lessons learned with key stakeholders throughout the healthcare industry.

This deep experience, expertise and evolution has made a real difference for Californians. Health Net has received a variety of awards and accolades for driving health equity, implementing culturally-centered care and delivering world class customer service to support their members.

About Health Net

Founded in California more than 40 years ago, Health Net believes every person deserves a safety net for their health, regardless of age, income, employment status or current state of health. That's why we provide health coverage for every stage of life and advance health equity with innovative approaches to care. Today, Health Net's 2,600 employees and 90,000 network providers serve three million members throughout California. We offer an array of health plans, including Medi-Cal, Medicare and individual and family plans. We offer these health plans and other services through Health Net, LLC and its subsidiaries: Health Net of California, Inc., Health Net Life Insurance Company and Health Net Community Solutions, Inc. These entities are wholly owned subsidiaries of Centene Corporation ( NYSE: CNC), a Fortune 25 company. For more information, visit www.HealthNet.com.

SOURCE Centene / Health Net
Independence Blue Cross Foundation and Partners Across Philadelphia Lead a Citywide Effort to Save More Lives

PHILADELPHIA, Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, the American Cancer Society (ACS) and the City of Philadelphia will kick off a citywide Get Screened Philly initiative to encourage residents to put their health first by prioritizing and scheduling age-appropriate screenings for breast, cervical, colorectal, lung, and prostate cancer. Cancer remains the second leading cause of death in Philadelphia. The Get Screened Philly initiative aims to increase cancer screening rates by raising awareness about the importance of recommended screenings and helping people catch up with their regular screening tests.

The campaign is part of the American Cancer Society's national movement to increase cancer screening rates and is generously supported by Independence Blue Cross Foundation, health systems and organizations throughout Philadelphia and the surrounding area. The COVID-19 pandemic initially resulted in 22 million individuals having elective procedures and cancer screenings being canceled or put on hold.

The ACS, alongside multiple partners, will be working to increase cancer screening rates swiftly and dramatically to pre-pandemic levels and advance health equity in Philadelphia. This includes a citywide public awareness campaign and screening summit, convening health systems, public health groups, professional organizations, patient advocacy groups, roundtables, businesses, government, and other key individual leaders to further improve screening rates. The screening summit will take place today at the Marriot Philadelphia, following a press conference this morning at City Hall.

A recent study by American Cancer Society researchers, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) Open Network was the first of its kind to evaluate the impact of COVID-19 on cancer screenings. The study showed further evidence of how critical it is to support individuals catching up with their regular screening tests following COVID-19, by reporting the number of individuals in the United States who reported having a recent screening (in the past year) having dropped by 2.13 million (6%) for breast cancer and 4.47 million (11%) for cervical cancer screening in 2020 compared to 2018. The study also found that between 2018 and 2020 colonoscopies for colorectal cancer detection in the past year dropped by 16% for both men and women but was offset by an increase in stool testing of 7%. Delays in screening for breast, cervical, colorectal, prostate, and lung cancers could lead to cancers that are undiagnosed, untreated, and present at advanced stages, which makes them harder to treat.

"Research shows that delays and drops in cancer screening will lead to cancers that are diagnosed in later stages, making them harder to treat. The Get Screened Philly campaign is a collaborative and intense effort to get us back on track, and will certainly have a lifesaving impact," said Dr. Karen Knudsen, American Cancer Society Chief Executive Officer. "Screening is an integral and effective part of the ACS overarching goal to improve the lives of cancer patients and their families, ensuring that everyone has an opportunity to prevent, detect, treat, and survive cancer."

Philadelphia's Health Commissioner, Dr. Cheryl Bettigole said, "We encourage all Philadelphians to get the screenings they need to stay healthy and to catch problems early, while they can be treated more easily. Fortunately, Philadelphia has some of the best health care in the world, including a network of city health centers and federally qualified health centers that provide access to high quality, affordable care, regardless of health insurance status or ability to pay. Our new primary care finder can help city residents to navigate these systems. Please help share the word with relatives, friends, and neighbors."

"This is an important time to support and promote access to potentially life-saving screenings in our region. That's why we're excited to play our part in the Get Screened Philly campaign" said Heather Major, Executive Director of the Independence Blue Cross Foundation. "Through partnerships like this one with the American Cancer Society, we can impact the health of communities in meaningful ways."

The Get Screened Philly initiative will also support regional and local consortia, materials for health care systems to utilize in improving screening rates, and interventions to improve health equity in under-resourced communities. Pandemic-related disruptions have already exacerbated existing disparities in cancer screening and are likely to impact survival across groups of people who have systemically experienced social or economic obstacles to screening and care.

The Get Screened Philly campaign is supported by Independence Blue Cross Foundation, City of Philadelphia, AmeriHealth Caritas, Jefferson Heath, Sydney Kimmel Cancer Center, Penn Medicine, MD Anderson at Cooper, SEPTA, UE Life Sciences, KDI Technologies, ACME, UE Life Sciences, Genentech, Comcast, 6abc, Univision65, and Audacy.

For more information about cancer screening, please visit cancer.org/get-screened.

The American Cancer Society is on a mission to free the world from cancer. We invest in lifesaving research, provide 24/7 information and support, and work to ensure that individuals in every community have access to cancer prevention, detection, and treatment. For more information, visit cancer.org.

SOURCE American Cancer Society
Acclaimed men's rights attorney Carrie Schultz details ways to combat false abuse allegations and preserve your reputation in the community, your own self-confidence, your career, and your father-child relationship.

HACKENSACK, N.J., Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- There is nothing more terrifying to a father than a threat to the father-child relationship, especially when custody is on the line during a divorce situation. When dangerous allegations about domestic abuse are spread, it can break trust between fathers, their children, and the court can get a negative perception of you out of the gate.

It is estimated that anywhere from 2% to 35% of cases involving children are muddled by false abuse allegations. The motivation is clear: If the court believes that a father has harmed and/or mistreated his spouse or children, the power and sense of entitlement shifts in favor of those claiming abuse, whether those allegations are legitimate or not. Such allegations can also create what are known as "alienating beliefs," in which the defaming parent will entrap the child in a plot against the father by planting false ideas and making them an unwitting party to the scheme. Before you know it, Father's find themselves in a bad predicament.

Debunk False Abuse Allegations with Carrie Schultz's Expertise

As a committed proponent of men's and fathers' rights, Carrie Schultz and her entire law firm promise to make sure that husbands and fathers "never feel like 'second-class citizens'" when entering what is supposed to be an unbiased court of law. They ensure that men and Father have the opportunity to advance the same rights as their spouses and zealously advocates to either prove or disprove fault-based grounds, depending on which side the claim occurs.

"We pride ourselves on providing a legal army to our clients by providing the best legal expertise, quality, and client service possible," says Schultz, the founding lawyer of [MFR] Men's & Fathers' Rights Divorce Lawyers. "We know how to take a big mess of a case and untangle it to give you clarity and a practicable approach forward  especially when it comes to something this important that will unquestionably have a profound effect on you and your children's future."

There is always the potential of false allegations in any divorce, making it vital to ensure that you are fully protected in the eyes of the law and strategize with an attorney in an effort to prevent this kind of escalation. Choosing the right legal team to support and advise you during these moments can make all the difference in the outcome of your cases.

Carrie is an AV rated by Martindale Hubble, Certified Matrimonial Attorney by the Supreme Court of New Jersey and recognized by Lawyers of Distinction, SuperLawyers, The National Association of Distinguished Counsel and so much more. Ms. Schultz has been providing exceptional and creative family law services to the men of New Jersey for over 21 years. All the firm attorneys and staff are highly experienced and prepared to help with all aspects of divorce , child custody and visitation, child support and alimony.

This press release was issued through 24-7PressRelease.com. For further information, visit http://www.24-7pressrelease.com.

SOURCE Carrie Schultz
2,700 cybersecurity career pursuers have already passed the (ISC)2 Certified in Cybersecurity exam, with more than 53,000 more people registered for a free course and exam

ALEXANDRIA, Va., Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- (ISC)  the world's largest nonprofit association of certified cybersecurity professionals  today announced the rapid adoption of three initiatives aimed at addressing the cybersecurity workforce gap. (ISC)2 Candidates , (ISC)2 Certified in CybersecuritySM and (ISC) One Million Certified in Cybersecurity are significant milestones in making cybersecurity careers more accessible to more people around the world.

One month after announcing (ISC)2 Candidates, launching Certified in Cybersecurity and opening enrollment for One Million Certified in Cybersecurity:

55,000 individuals have signed up for (ISC) 2 Candidates , which is for individuals pursuing or considering a career in cybersecurity, or already seeking an (ISC) certification. Upon enrolling as an (ISC) Candidate, participants receive access to exclusive resources and benefits to propel them along their journeys to becoming cybersecurity professionals.

which is for individuals pursuing or considering a career in cybersecurity, or already seeking an (ISC) certification. Upon enrolling as an (ISC) Candidate, participants receive access to exclusive resources and benefits to propel them along their journeys to becoming cybersecurity professionals. 2,700 people have passed their Certified in Cybersecurity exams . Anyone earning the (ISC) Certified in Cybersecurity certification demonstrates that they have the foundational knowledge, skills and abilities to take on entry- and junior-level cybersecurity roles, enabling employers to more confidently build resilient teams across all experience levels.

. Anyone earning the (ISC) Certified in Cybersecurity certification demonstrates that they have the foundational knowledge, skills and abilities to take on entry- and junior-level cybersecurity roles, enabling employers to more confidently build resilient teams across all experience levels. Through the One Million Certified in Cybersecurity initiative , 53,000 more people have enrolled for a free Certified in Cybersecurity course and exam. This initiative pledges to provide free, entry-level cybersecurity certification exams and self-paced educational program courses to one million new professionals starting a career in cybersecurity.

New Roads to Cybersecurity Career Success

Through these initiatives, tens of thousands of people have established or strengthened their connection with the cybersecurity community in just the past month, highlighting the importance of creating new and diverse pathways into the industry.

"These initial successes demonstrate that our efforts have already made a positive impact in opening new and unique pathways into the cybersecurity industry," said Clar Rosso, CEO, (ISC). "They have also enabled us to expand our association which now reaches over a quarter of a million members, associates and candidates worldwide. It is exciting to see how targeted programs aimed at getting more people exposed to the cybersecurity profession can quickly lay the foundation for the next generation and not only help secure our nations and economies, but also enable them to benefit from rewarding and challenging careers."

"I'm switching career paths to move into cybersecurity," said Eric Turner, Systems Integration Developer, MSD of Warren Township. "The (ISC)2 Certified in CybersecuritySM entry-level certification is another great way to demonstrate my knowledge."

Learn more about these programs at www.isc2.org/candidate

(ISC) will highlight the importance of diversity and accessibility in cybersecurity at its 12th annual (ISC) Security Congress conference, a hybrid event taking place on October 10-12, 2022, in Las Vegas and online.

About (ISC)

(ISC) is an international nonprofit membership association focused on inspiring a safe and secure cyber world. Best known for the acclaimed Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) certification, (ISC) offers a portfolio of credentials that are part of a holistic, pragmatic approach to security. Our association of candidates, associates and members, more than 235,000 strong, is made up of certified cyber, information, software and infrastructure security professionals who are making a difference and helping to advance the industry. Our vision is supported by our commitment to educate and reach the general public through our charitable foundation  The Center for Cyber Safety and Education . For more information on (ISC), visit www.isc2.org , follow us on Twitter or connect with us on Facebook and LinkedIn .

 2022 (ISC) Inc., (ISC), CISSP, SSCP, CAP, CSSLP, HCISPP, CISSP-ISSAP, CISSP-ISSEP, CISSP-ISSMP and CBK are registered marks, and CC is a service mark of (ISC), Inc.

SOURCE (ISC)2
NEW YORK, Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- LiveOnNY, the federally designated organ procurement organization (OPO) for the New York City metropolitan area, Nassau, Suffolk and Westchester counties, and the lower Hudson Valley, was named one of Crain's Best Places to Work in NYC 2022, building on a record-breaking year during which the organization saw a 40% increase in organs transplanted, a 33% increase in organ donors and a 32% increase in tissue donors in the first 6 months of 2022.

"I have long said the LiveOnNY staff are the unsung heroes of New York healthcare," said Lee Perlman, LiveOnNY Board Chairperson. "Every single day their jobs involve extraordinary tasks in order to save lives through organ and tissue donation. Each of them performs their role with incredible grace, compassion and dignity and I could not be prouder of the work they do."

Awarding the Crain's Best Places to Work in NYC 2022 was a two-step process. The first step consisted of evaluating workplace policies, practices, benefits, and demographics for 2022. The second step consisted of confidential employee surveys aimed at assessing the experiences and attitudes of employees with respect to their workplace. The scores were combined to determine the best companies and the final ranking. The ranking of the 100 top employers will appear online at crainsnewyork.com and in the October 3rd print issue of Crain's New York Business.

"This recognition would not be possible without the incredible LiveOnNY staff who take pride in serving our community, who trust them with their precious gifts of life. Our staff work 24/7 to save and change lives through the gift of organ and tissue donation. They are some of the hardest working people in New York and I am honored to work side by side with them," said LiveOnNY President and CEO Leonard Achan, RN, MA, ANP. "It's important to remember that we could not do what we do without the organ and tissue donor heroes and their families who say 'yes' to donation so that others may live on. We will never stop honoring and thanking them for giving back to the community."

LiveOnNY works hand in hand with the New York donor and transplant hospitals, the community, local organizations, schools, elected officials and houses of worship to manage the donation process, address health disparities and engage and educate people about organ, eye and tissue donation. Debunking myths and misconceptions, educating and engaging the public, and investing in staff and resources has resulted in saving and changing more lives in 2022 than ever before, with the majority of those lives saved through organ transplantation in the community LiveOnNY serves being within the Black, Hispanic, Asian and other Multiracial and Indigenous groups in the nonprofit's designated service area.

ABOUT LIVEONNY

LiveOnNY is a nonprofit, federally designated organ procurement organization (OPO) dedicated to saving lives, providing comfort, and strengthening legacies through organ, eye, and tissue donation. The OPO, which was established in 1978, serves a culturally and ethnically diverse population of 13 million residents in New York City, Long Island and the lower Hudson Valley. Working closely with transplant centers and hospitals, LiveOnNY coordinates organ, eye, and tissue donation for transplant, educates the public and healthcare professionals about donation and transplantation, and promotes the importance of signing up on the New York State Donate Life Registry. LiveOnNY works closely with 11 transplant centers, nearly 100 hospitals, and several tissue and eye banks. LiveOnNY is a member of the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS), which oversees the organ transplant waiting list in the U.S. For more information, please visit LiveOnNY.org.

ABOUT CRAIN' S NEW YORK BUSINESS

Crain's New York Business provides news, information, analysis and connections on all facets of New York through the prism of business. Through its daily news coverage on crainsnewyork.com, its weekly coverage in print, its newsmaker forums and topical events that bring together the city's diverse business communities, Crain's New York Business is the leading source of information on the New York economy, the companies, industries and institutions that operate here and the entrepreneurs and innovators who drive the city's growth.

SOURCE LiveOnNY
NORFOLK, Va., Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Perdue AgriBusiness, an independent operating company of Perdue Farms Inc. and ranked among the largest grain companies in the U.S., is the recipient of the port's 2022 Shipper of the Year award.

This annual award is presented by the port at the Virginia Maritime Association International Trade Symposium and recognizes an exceptional shipper that works with the port to make it better for all users. The award was presented today to Gary Cordier, senior vice president of Grain and Oilseed for Perdue AgriBusiness, by Thomas D. Capozzi, chief sales and marketing officer for Virginia International Terminals LLC., the port's private operating company. Governor Glenn Youngkin and Virginia Secretary of Transportation W. Sheppard "Shep" Miller III were present for the presentation of the award.

Perdue AgriBusiness Named The Port of Virginia's 2022 Shipper of the Year Tweet this

"For decades, the Perdue family of companies, including Perdue Farms and Perdue AgriBusiness, have exported large volumes of poultry, soybeans, and related products over The Port of Virginia," Capozzi said. "Not only is Perdue an import customer for the port, it is also a significant corporate citizen in Hampton Roads. We look forward to continuing our partnership with Perdue and helping the company continue to leverage the U.S. East Coast's premiere global gateway."

Perdue is growing its exports through the port, and on an annual basis moves more than 72 million bushels of soybeans and soymeal in containers through the operation. The company is expanding its overall capacity in Hampton Roads to increase local grain origination and improve processing capabilities, as well as enhance logistical efficiencies across its supply chain to continue meeting customer demand.

"As a proud employer in the State of Virginia, we are honored to receive this award, which highlights the dedication and expertise of our exceptional associates working in our operations, and strong business partners such as The Virginia Port Authority," said Gary Cordier of Perdue AgriBusiness. "Part of our goal is to bring as many markets to the region's farmers as possible, and shipping via container is a perfect complement to our legacy business of bulk grain shipment via vessel, which our partnership with The Port of Virginia has helped us expand. As we continue to meet the record demand for feed and food goods, our partnership with the Port allows us to move more goods with increased speed and efficiency. We look forward to many more years of success and growth at our Virginia operations."

About The Virginia Port Authority

The Virginia Port Authority (VPA) is a political subdivision of the Commonwealth of Virginia. The VPA owns and through its private operating subsidiary, Virginia International Terminals, LLC (VIT), operates four general cargo facilities Norfolk International Terminals, Portsmouth Marine Terminal, Newport News Marine Terminal and the Virginia Inland Port in Warren County. The VPA leases Virginia International Gateway and Richmond Marine Terminal. A recent economic impact study from The College of William and Mary shows that The Port of Virginia helps to create more than 437,000 jobs and generated $1 billion in total economic impact throughout the Commonwealth on an annual basis.

About Perdue AgriBusiness

Perdue AgriBusiness is subsidiary of Perdue Farms Inc. Ranked among the largest grain companies in the U.S., Perdue AgriBusiness is a leading merchandiser, processor and exporter of agricultural products. Through Perdue AgriBusiness' 75 elevator locations with more than 75 million bushels of storage, deep-water port, transload facilities, oilseed crushing operations, edible oil refinery, and protein blend mills, the company serves markets across the United States and around the world. Visit www.perdueagribusiness.com for more information.

About Perdue Farms

We're a fourth-generation, family owned, U.S. food and agriculture company. Through our belief in responsible food and agriculture, we are empowering consumers, customers, and farmers through trusted choices in products and services.

The premium protein portfolio within our Perdue Foods business, including our flagship PERDUE brand, Niman Ranch, Panorama Grass Fed Beef, and Coleman Natural, as well as our pet brands, Spot Farms and Full Moon, is available through retail, foodservice, and our new direct-to-consumer website, PerdueFarms.com.

Perdue AgriBusiness is an international agricultural products and services company.

Now in our company's second century, our path forward is about getting better, not just bigger. We never use drugs for growth promotion in raising poultry and livestock, and we are actively advancing our animal welfare programs. Our brands are leaders in no-antibiotics-ever chicken, turkey, pork, beef and lamb, and in USDA-certified organic chicken and beef. Learn more at corporate.perduefarms.com.

SOURCE Perdue AgriBusiness
BOSTON, Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Data Bridge Market Research has recently published a Report, titled, "Global Medical Device Interface Market" The report offers an extensive analysis of key growth strategies, drivers, opportunities, key segment, Porter's Five Forces analysis, and competitive landscape. Market research studies of an influential Medical Device Interface report helps to assess several important parameters that can be mentioned as investment in a rising market, success of a new product, and expansion of market share. Market estimations along with the statistical nuances included in this market report give an insightful view of the market. The market analysis serves present as well as future aspects of the market primarily depending upon factors on which the companies contribute in the market growth, crucial trends and segmentation analysis. A worldwide Medical Device Interface market research report also gives widespread study about different market segments and regions.

Data Bridge Market Research analyses that the medical device interface market which was USD 532.62 billion in 2021, would rocket up to USD 1245.25 billion by 2029, and is expected to undergo a CAGR of 11.20% during the forecast period 2022 to 2029. In addition to the market insights such as market value, growth rate, market segments, geographical coverage, market players, and market scenario, the market report curated by the Data Bridge Market Research team also includes in-depth expert analysis, patient epidemiology, pipeline analysis, pricing analysis, and regulatory framework.

Download Sample to Understand the Complete Structure of the Report @ https://www.databridgemarketresearch.com/request-a-sample/?dbmr=global-medical-device-interface-market

A medical device interface is a special solution that automatically collects patient information and maintains electronic medical records for each patient uniquely. During the forecast period, technological advancements and device upgrades will fuel market growth.

The market medical device interface is expected to grow during the forecast period. The term user interface refers to all of the components of a medical device that the user can interact with, not only the software interface. This includes the physical components of the medical device as well as visual, aural, and tactile displays. It's crucial to point out that user interface and digital interface are not interchangeable.

Recent Development

In March 2020 , Medtronic announced that its current ventilator output had increased by more than 40%. Additionally, it declared that in order to meet the pressing demands of patients and healthcare systems around the world, it is on track to more than double its capacity to produce and distribute ventilators.

, output had increased by more than 40%. Additionally, it declared that in order to meet the pressing demands of patients and healthcare systems around the world, it is on track to more than double its capacity to produce and distribute ventilators. In August 2020 , The US FDA announced 510(k) clearance for Utah -based Innovasis Inc.'s bio-enhanced 3D printed AxTiHA and TxTiHA Interbody Fusion Devices that have been altered using Promimic HAnano Surface technology. Future market growth is probably going to be boosted by these tendencies.

, Innovasis Inc.'s bio-enhanced 3D printed AxTiHA and TxTiHA Interbody Fusion Devices that have been altered using Promimic HAnano Surface technology. Future market growth is probably going to be boosted by these tendencies. In October 2020 , medical device business The Foundry partnered with Medtronic PLC. The alliance combines The Foundry's track record of innovation in the field of transcatheter mitral valve repair and replacement with Medtronic's leadership in structural heart and intellectual property.

Some of the major players operating in the medical device interface market are:

Stryker (U.S.)

Medline Industries Inc. (U.S.)

ReNu Medical (U.S.)

LUMITOS AG ( Germany )

) Vanguard AG (U.S.)

Johnson & Johnson Private Limited (U.S.)

Sterilmed Inc. (U.S.)

Hygia Health Services Inc. (U.S.)

Siemens ( Germany )

) Koninklijke Philips N.V. ( Switzerland )

) General Electric (U.S.)

Suretech Medical Inc. ( India )

) Medisiss (U.S.)

Agito Medical ( Denmark )

) Soma Tech INTL (U.S.)

Explore Full PDF Research Report of Medical Device Interface Market @ https://www.databridgemarketresearch.com/checkout/buy/enterprise/global-medical-device-interface-market

Opportunities:

Technological developments

The incorporation of new technology developments including robotic surgery tools, artificial intelligence, and 3D printing will probably accelerate market expansion. The US FDA granted 510 (k) clearance for Utah-based Innovasis Inc.'s bio-enhanced 3D printed AxTiHA and TxTiHA Interbody Fusion Devices that have been altered using Promimic HAnano Surface technology in August 2020. This will boost the market's growth.

Report Highlights:

Market Trends (Drivers, Constraints, Opportunities, Threats, Challenges, Investment Opportunities, and recommendations)

(Drivers, Constraints, Opportunities, Threats, Challenges, Investment Opportunities, and recommendations) Market share assessments for the regional and country level segments

The detailed assessment of the vendor landscape and leading companies to help understand the level of competition in this global market

Strategic recommendations for the Technological advancements, government regulations, and Comprehensive pricing analysis are highlighted

Market forecasts for a minimum of 7 years of all the mentioned segments, sub segments and the regional markets

Analysis of market effect factors and their impact on the forecast and predictions until the year

Statistical analysis of the key players mapping the key common trends

Company profiling with detailed strategies, various trends of this market to help identify market developments

Valuable Insights, Supply chain trends mapping the latest technological advancements

Key Market Drivers

Rise in patients

Patient cohorts can be defined using procedure or diagnosis codes and the longitudinal use of healthcare resources which can be monitored for each cohort. When used in conjunction with literature searches and physician input to identify potential for innovation that enhance patient care, RWE analyses are most effective. This will boost market growth.

Growing elderly population

The costs for healthcare and long-term care will soar as the number of seniors grows. The elderly population is more likely to experience hearing loss, cataracts and refractive errors, back and neck discomfort, osteoarthritis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, diabetes, depression, and dementia, all of which are predicted to spur market expansion.

Restraints/Challenges

High cost

On the other hand, the instances of counterfeiting and high price of imported medical equipment will obstruct the market's growth rate. The dearth of skilled professionals and lack of healthcare infrastructure in developing economies will challenge the medical device interface market.

This medical device interface market report provides details of new recent developments, trade regulations, import-export analysis, production analysis, value chain optimization, market share, impact of domestic and localized market players, analyses opportunities in terms of emerging revenue pockets, changes in market regulations, strategic market growth analysis, market size, category market growths, application niches and dominance, product approvals, product launches, geographic expansions, technological innovations in the market. To gain more info on the medical device interface market contact Data Bridge Market Research for an Analyst Brief, our team will help you take an informed market decision to achieve market growth.

Access More about this Research Report: https://www.databridgemarketresearch.com/reports/global-medical-device-interface-market

Segmentation: Medical Device Interface Market

The medical device interface market is segmented on the basis of type, technology, and end-use. The growth amongst these segments will help you analyze meagre growth segments in the industries and provide the users with a valuable market overview and market insights to help them make strategic decisions for identifying core market applications.

By Type

Hardware

Software

By Technology

Wireless

Wired

Hybrid

By End-Use

Hospitals

Home Care

Diagnostic and Imaging Centers

Ambulatory Care Centers

Medical Device Interface Market Regional Analysis/Insights

The medical device interface market is analysed and market size insights and trends are provided by country, type, technology, and end-use as referenced above.

The countries covered in the medical device interface Industry are U.S., Canada and Mexico in North America, Germany, France, U.K., Netherlands, Switzerland, Belgium, Russia, Italy, Spain, Turkey, Rest of Europe in Europe, China, Japan, India, South Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, Australia, Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines, Rest of Asia-Pacific (APAC) in the Asia-Pacific (APAC), Saudi Arabia, U.A.E, South Africa, Egypt, Israel, Rest of Middle East and Africa (MEA) as a part of Middle East and Africa (MEA), Brazil, Argentina and Rest of South America as part of South America.

North America dominates the medical device interface market due to advancements in technology with rising demand to increase efficiency in healthcare sector.

Asia-Pacific is expected to grow at the highest growth rate in the forecast period of 2022 to 2029 due to developing economies with rising medical tourism.

Table Of Contents: Medical Device Interface market

Part 01: Executive Summary

Part 02: Scope Of The Report

Part 03: Research Methodology

Part 04: Market Landscape

Part 05: Pipeline Analysis

Part 06: Market Sizing

Part 07: Five Forces Analysis

Part 08: Market Segmentation

Part 09: Customer Landscape

Part 10: Regional Landscape

Part 11: Decision Framework

Part 12: Drivers And Challenges

Part 13: Market Trends

Part 14: Vendor Landscape

Part 15: Vendor Analysis

Part 16: Appendix

Browse the Complete Table of Content of Medical Device Interface Market @ https://www.databridgemarketresearch.com/toc/?dbmr=global-medical-device-interface-market

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The inception of DBMR has been backed by providing clients with a holistic view of market conditions and future possibilities/opportunities to reap maximum profits out of their businesses and assist in decision making. Our team of in-house analysts and consultants works tirelessly to understand your needs and suggest the best possible solutions to fulfill your research requirements.

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Europe Telehealth Market, By Type (Software, Systems, Hardware, Telecommunication) Delivery Mode (Cloud-based Delivery Mode, Web-based Delivery Mode, On-premise Delivery Mode) Application (General Consultation, Pathology, Cardiology, Surgery, Gynecology, Neurology, Radiology, Dermatology, Ophthalmology, Orthopedics, Others) End User (Hospital Telehealth, Physician Telehealth, Home Telehealth) - Industry Trends and Forecast https://www.databridgemarketresearch.com/reports/europe-telehealth-market

Dental Lab Market, By Products (General and Diagnostic Devices, Treatment-Based Devices and Others), Industry Trends and Forecast https://www.databridgemarketresearch.com/reports/global-dental-lab-market

Gene Synthesis Market, By Component (Synthesizer, Consumables, and Software & Services), Gene Type (Standard Gene, Express Gene, Complex Gene and Others), Gene Synthesis Type (Gene Library Synthesis, and Custom Gene Synthesis), Application (Synthetic Biology, Genetic Engineering, Vaccine Design, Therapeutics Antibodies, and Others), Method (Solid Phase Synthesis, Chip-Based DNA Synthesis, and PCR-Based Enzyme Synthesis), End User (Academic & Research Institutes, Diagnostics Laboratories, Biotech & Pharmaceutical Companies, and Others), Distribution Channel (Direct Tender, Online Distribution, and Third Party Distributors) https://www.databridgemarketresearch.com/reports/global-gene-synthesis-market

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SOURCE Data Bridge Market Research
The market is being driven by the desire for minimally invasive medical operations, an increase in the senior population, changes in medical tubing, and government attempts to provide improved healthcare facilities.

JERSEY CITY, N.J., Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Verified Market Research recently published a report, "Medical Tubing Market" By Structure (Single-lumen, Multi-lumen, Co-extruded, Tapered Or Bump Tubing), By Application (Bulk Disposable Tubing, Catheters And Cannulas, Drug Delivery Systems, Special Applications), and By Geography.

As per the deep research carried out by Verified Market Research, the global Medical Tubing Market was valued at USD 7.68 Billion in 2020 and is projected to reach USD 15.53 Billion by 2028, growing at a CAGR of 9.34% from 2021 to 2028.

Download PDF Brochure: https://www.verifiedmarketresearch.com/download-sample/?rid=10006

Browse in-depth TOC on "Medical Tubing Market"

202 - Pages

126  Tables

37  Figures

Global Medical Tubing Market Overview

Medical tubing is used in the medical business to meet the needs and standards of many medical or pharmaceutical-related applications. It is utilised for drainage and fluid control. Medical tubing is also utilised with anaesthesia and respiratory equipment, IVs, catheters, peristaltic pumps, and biopharmaceutical laboratory equipment. Because medical tubing is directly related to the human body, various certifications and a standard procedure are required for its manufacture. Medical tubing is made from particular materials that meet the appropriate standards.

Medical tubing ensures cost effectiveness and efficiency. For example, cardiac and urine catheterization employing catheter tubing greatly lowers the time required for the medical or surgical operation in question. As a result, the growing need for minimally invasive medical procedures, as well as the desire to improve the efficiency of these procedures, are driving the demand for medical tubing. The market in emerging countries is expanding due to economic expansion, greater government spending on healthcare services, and rising consumer purchasing power. As a result, the general development and increase in healthcare infrastructure investment are the primary drivers for the Medical Tubing Market.

In the coming five years, the healthcare business is anticipated to experience tremendous growth. The BRICS countriesBrazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africahave some of the quickest economies in the world. Because of shifting consumer demands, rising healthcare awareness, and an ageing population, the healthcare sector is rapidly evolving in emerging nations. This presents numerous potential for the Medical Tubing Market in the healthcare and medical device sectors.

Key Developments

On June 2021 , Zeus Industrial Products, Inc. (Zeus), the global leader in advanced polymer solutions, announced that it has finalized an agreement to integrate CathX Medical Inc. (CathX) into its organization.

, Zeus Industrial Products, Inc. (Zeus), the global leader in advanced polymer solutions, announced that it has finalized an agreement to integrate CathX Medical Inc. (CathX) into its organization. In 2017 Nordson Corporation acquired the medicals advanced technologies business of Vention (US), which is a manufacturer, designer, and developer of catheters, medical tubing, and medical devices.

In 2017, Zeus Industrial Products launched a new PTFE Sub-Lite-Wall Streamliner series. This product is the first of its kind, which features an outstanding wall thickness of 0.00075" (0.01905 mm).

Key Players

The major players in the market are Zeus Industrial Products (U.S.), Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics (France), Teleflex (US), Optinova (US), Lubrizol Corporation (Vesta) (US), Nordson Corporation (US), Putnam Plastics (US), RAUMEDIC AG (Germany), Tekni-Plex (US), and W. L. Gore & Associates (US).

Verified Market Research has segmented the Global Medical Tubing Market On the basis of Structure, Application, and Geography.

Medical Tubing Market, By Structure

Single-lumen



Multi-lumen



Co-extruded



Tapered or Bump Tubing



Braided Tubing



Balloon Tubing



Heat Shrink Tubing

Medical Tubing Market, By Application

Bulk Disposable Tubing



Catheters and Cannulas



Drug Delivery Systems



Special Applications

Medical Tubing Market, by Geography

North America



U.S





Canada





Mexico



Europe



Germany





France





U.K





Rest of Europe



Asia Pacific



China





Japan





India





Rest of Asia Pacific



ROW



Middle East & Africa

&



Latin America

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Top 7 Medical Device Companies, investing in quality care, at international level

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SOURCE Verified Market Research
QUZHOU, China, Sept. 28, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- This is a report from China SCIO:

A ceremony was held Wednesday at the Southern Confucius Ancestral Temple in Quzhou, southeastern China's Zhejiang province, to commemorate the 2,573rd anniversary of the birth of the ancient Chinese sage Confucius.

A number of distinguished guests, including government officials, well-respected role models from all walks of life, representatives from the International Confucian Association, and descendants of Confucius gathered at the ceremony and participated in a series of activities such as tributes and recitals.

Wu Guosheng, chairman of the Standing Committee of Quzhou Municipal People's Congress, acted as the master of ceremony, and Kong Lingli, the 76th lineal descendant of Confucius, was the assistant master of ceremony.

Quzhou has held memorial ceremonies to celebrate the birth of Confucius every year since 2004. The ceremonies focused on carrying forward fine traditions and fostering Confucianism in modern times. In recent years, the city has also scaled up efforts to promote Confucianism as its city brand.

This year's Confucian cultural festival will feature eight themed events, including a seminar, an exhibition, and a competition. The events will run until Oct. 15.

Memorial ceremony held in Quzhou to celebrate birth of Confucius

http://english.scio.gov.cn/chinavoices/2022-09/29/content_78443515.htm

SOURCE China SCIO
SANTA MARIA, Calif., Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Miller Family Wine Company is pleased to announce the launch of organic wine brand Reciprocity, featuring a collection of wines exclusively sourced from the organic and sustainably-farmed French Camp Vineyard in Paso Robles.

Reciprocity - a collection of wines exclusively sourced from the organic and sustainably-farmed French Camp Vineyard in Paso Robles.

Named for the reciprocal relationship between farmers and the land, Reciprocity offers both Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay, each crafted from 100% organic grapes from the Miller family's French Camp Vineyard. Located in the celebrated Paso Robles Highlands District AVA, recognized as the highest elevation AVA in Paso Robles, French Camp Vineyard was planted in 1973 by the Millers, who purchased the land in 1969. Today, the 1,500-acre CSWA Certified Sustainable vineyard is home to some of the most expansive CCOF Certified Organic vineyard acreage on the Central Coast.

"Sustainability has always been at the forefront of our farming practices and a commitment to sustainability is a core company and family value, so it was important to us that we create a brand that represents the concepts of organic and sustainable grape growing," says Nicholas Miller, Chief Sales and Marketing Officer.

"As sustainability and eco-friendliness have largely become consumer expectations, we've also seen a significant uptick in consumers' preference for organic products whenever possible, including in the alcoholic beverage space," adds Tommy Gaeta, Senior Director of Marketing. "More people are paying attention to not just how a wine tastes, but also how it's farmed, how it's made and how the entire process affects the environment in the long run. Not only do Reciprocity wines come from our Certified Organic and Certified Sustainable vineyard, but we also strive to source sustainable and eco-friendly packaging materials as much as possible. Guided by the motto of 'receive and replenish,' Reciprocity's great tasting wines made from organic grapes are truly crafted with the conscious consumer in mind."

Highlighting the unique expressions of the land, Reciprocity's first vintage consists of the 2020 Cabernet Sauvignon and 2021 Chardonnay, both single vineyard designated and made with organic grapes from French Camp Vineyard, and each showcasing delectable aromas, bright acidity and a long, enjoyable finish.

Reciprocity wines are approachably priced at less than $20 and will be distributed nationwide starting in October. To purchase directly or to learn more, visit www.reciprocitywine.com.

Miller Family Wine Company

Miller Family Wine Company is a division of the Thornhill Companies  the industry-leading umbrella brand of one of California's premier winegrowing families, the Miller Family, who have been farming California's Central Coast for five generations. Miller Family Wine Company includes the prestigious Bien Nacido Estates and acclaimed national branded wine labels such as Butternut, J. Wilkes, optik, Ballard Lane, Smashberry, Barrel Burner, Volunteer, Hand on Heart and Reciprocity wines, in addition to control label brands for prominent retailers across the U.S. and the French Camp vineyard in Paso Robles. For more information on Miller Family Wine Company, please visit www.millerfamilywinecompany.com .

SOURCE Miller Family Wine Company
Already the fastest-growing brand in the hard-seltzer segment, the Topo Chico trademark will move into spirit-based, ready-to-drink cocktails in 2023

CHICAGO, Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Molson Coors Beverage Company ( NYSE: TAP) has expanded its exclusive agreement with The Coca-Cola Company to develop and commercialize Topo Chico Spirited, a line of spirit-based, ready-to-drink cocktails inspired by the bright and refreshing taste of some of America's most beloved tequila and vodka-based beverages.

Topo Chico Spirited

The deal marks another milestone in the relationship between Molson Coors and The Coca-Cola Company, following the recent launch of Simply Spiked Lemonade and a successful first year of national distribution for Topo Chico Hard Seltzer, currently the fastest-growing brand in its competitive set over the latest 52-week period.

"Taking inspiration from the popular cocktails made in bars and restaurants today, Topo Chico Spirited will bring something completely different to our aisle," said David Coors, Molson Coors' vice president of next generation beverages. "We believe Topo Chico Spirited will shake up the canned cocktail space with unparalleled flavors and a legacy rooted in the iconic 125-year-old master-brand."

Coming to more than 20 markets across the country in 2023, Topo Chico Spirited will be made with 100% real spirits, including premium tequila from Jalisco, MX, and will feature a lineup of familiar cocktails, many of which appear in bar and restaurant menus across the country.

"Topo Chico is a recognizable and beloved brand across the country. With this launch, more people will be able to experience new and different quality beverage options from Topo Chico," said Dan White, Chief New Revenue Streams, Coca-Cola North America Operating Unit. "We are excited to see Molson Coors bring Topo Chico Spirited to store shelves next year."

Topo Chico Spirited, along with recent launches like Simply Spiked Lemonade and Topo Chico Hard Seltzer, mark the latest initiatives to aggressively grow Molson Coors' above premium portfolio as part of the company's revitalization plan.

Molson Coors Beverage Company will produce, distribute, and market Topo Chico Spirited as part of an agreement with The Coca-Cola Company. Topo Chico Spirited will come to select states in 2023, including TX, CO, OK, KS, MO, CA, AZ, NM, NV, WA, FL, AR, MS, TN, GA, LA, IL, WI, OH, MN, MI, VA (Includes DC).

ABOUT MOLSON COORS BEVERAGE COMPANY

For more than two centuries, Molson Coors has been brewing beverages that unite people for all of life's moments. From Coors Light, Miller Lite, Molson Canadian, Carling, and Staropramen to Coors Banquet, Blue Moon Belgian White, Leinenkugel's Summer Shandy, Vizzy Hard Seltzer, Topo Chico Hard Seltzer, Simply Spiked Lemonade, Creemore Springs and more, Molson Coors produces some of the most beloved and iconic beer brands ever made. While the company's history is rooted in beer, Molson Coors offers a modern portfolio that expands beyond the beer aisle with sparkling cocktails, canned wine, kombucha, cider and more.

Molson Coors Beverage Company is a publicly traded company that operates through Molson Coors North America and Molson Coors Europe, and is traded on the New York and Canadian Stock Exchange (TAP). The company's commitment to raising industry standards and leaving a positive imprint on our employees, consumers, communities and the environment is reflected in Our Beer Print and our 2025 sustainability targets. To learn more about Molson Coors Beverage Company, visit molsoncoors.com.

ABOUT THE COCA-COLA COMPANY

The Coca-Cola Company ( NYSE: KO) is a total beverage company with products sold in more than 200 countries and territories. Our company's purpose is to refresh the world and make a difference. We sell multiple billion-dollar brands across several beverage categories worldwide. Our portfolio of sparkling soft drink brands includes Coca-Cola, Sprite and Fanta. Our hydration, sports, coffee and tea brands include Dasani, smartwater, vitaminwater, Topo Chico, BODYARMOR, Powerade, Costa, Georgia, Gold Peak, Honest and Ayataka. Our nutrition, juice, dairy and plant-based beverage brands include Minute Maid, Simply, innocent, Del Valle, fairlife and AdeS. We're constantly transforming our portfolio, from reducing sugar in our drinks to bringing innovative new products to market. We seek to positively impact people's lives, communities and the planet through water replenishment, packaging recycling, sustainable sourcing practices and carbon emissions reductions across our value chain. Together with our bottling partners, we employ more than 700,000 people, helping bring economic opportunity to local communities worldwide. Learn more at www.coca-colacompany.com and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn.

SOURCE Molson Coors Beverage Company
SHREVEPORT, La., Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The nation's largest independent full-line pharmaceutical distributor, Morris & Dickson (M&D), unveils new hires, expansion plans and new company branding that will position the 181-year-old company for continued growth.

The company recently announced the hiring of Jason Hanks as its Chief Commercial Officer to lead the procurement function for the company. Hanks is a 26-year industry veteran who brings extensive experience in finance and procurement. Prior to joining M&D, Hanks was Chief Commercial Officer at Granules Pharmaceuticals, Inc. since 2018. He has also held various leadership roles at McKesson, National Oncology Alliance and Oncology Therapeutics Network.

"Morris & Dickson has a stellar reputation in the pharmaceutical industry," says M&D's Jason Hanks. "We are already hard at work making major investments in product procurement and adding resources to bolster our capabilities with our trading partners."

Additionally, Morris & Dickson has added Mike VanderPol as Generic Drugs Category Leader. The 27-year veteran will oversee operations and personnel within the generics channel. Prior to joining M&D, VanderPol held senior positions at Comprehensive Pharmacy Services, Smith Drug Company, Walgreens and Rexam PLC/Owen-Illinois.

Recognizing the continued growth in the specialty therapy drug classes, Morris and Dickson is also expanding its focus and coverage of specialty products and other LDDs (Limited Distribution Drugs) by M&D Specialty Distribution (MDSD) to qualified institutional, hospital, and specialty retail pharmacies.

"We are uniquely positioned to offer specialty and biosimilar manufacturers personalized distribution models to assure product integrity and patient access," says Hanks.

Additionally, recognizing the importance of servicing its growing customer base, the company also announced that it is exploring expansion of its licensing position as well as its operational coverage beyond its current geographic territory.

"We are experiencing growing demand for our model and services beyond our current footprint and want to meet these evolving demands," says Jody Hatcher, Chief Executive Officer of Morris and Dickson.

The company also unveiled new branding for the company, which includes a modernized script logo and contemporary color scheme. Leveraging its mantra of "Putting Pharmacies and Patients First," the new branding is prominently featured on the company's robust new website. M&D's web-based ordering system also gets a refresh with the new color scheme. The new branding will also debut at the annual National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA) Convention and Expo in Kansas City, October 1  4.

"It's an honor to lead a company that plays such a crucial role in our healthcare system and has an unparalleled track record of success," says Hatcher. "Our recent moves with new hires, expansion plans and new company branding all enhance M&D's unique value to our health system, independent pharmacy and specialty pharmacy customers."

To stay connected with Morris & Dickson, visit their website and follow them on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram.

About Morris & Dickson

Morris & Dickson operates in 19 states throughout the south and is the largest independent full-line pharmaceutical distributor in the US. Established in 1841 and led by Dr. Samuel August Dickson, the small-town apothecary began by selling tonics and extracts in Shreveport, Louisiana. Today, the company is still owned and managed by the Dickson family, and offers over 30,000 SKUs for next-day delivery to health systems, independent pharmacies, specialty pharmacies, and alternative care facilities.

SOURCE Morris & Dickson Co. L.L.C.
EMERYVILLE, Calif., Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- MT Sobek  The Adventure Company, the leaders in adventure travel for more than five decades, announces unique new adventures and exciting travel trends for 2023. The award-winning tour operator, established in 1969, is the oldest adventure company in the US.

MT Sobek offers some of the best hiking and trekking adventure tours on the planet. From Everest Base Camp and K2 Base Camp to the Tour du Mont Blanc and El Camino de Santiago. New trips for 2023 include Saudi Arabia, Algeria, and Southern Iraq. Trekkers can also explore the wonders of Tajikistan's Fann Mountains.

Award-winning adventure travel company MT Sobek announces unique new adventures and exciting travel trends for 2023. Tweet this

"As the choice for adventurous travelers, MT Sobek continues to develop unique, expert-led itineraries that stretch them," said Massimo Prioreschi, MT Sobek's President & CEO. "Bucket-list trips become life-list experiences that keep travelers coming back again and again. In fact, over 75% of our guests are either repeat or referred by past travelers. Guests continue to praise the professionalism of MT Sobek's local Adventure Guides, and the personal connection they get with a company that lives and breathes adventure travel."

As the travel industry emerges from the pandemic, established companies continue to bounce back. MT Sobek is enjoying one of its best booking seasons and Europe is continuing its 2022 trend as a red hot travel destination. Summer 2023 bookings for the Alps, Norway, England and Scotland are already up over 40% over 2022and above pre-pandemic levels. Bookings are also surging for Latin America, particularly Patagonia. Marketing Director Heather Howard says, "People may have put their trips on hold, but as countries drop restrictions our travelers are saying 'let's go!' New Zealand and Japan received immediate bookings when the countries re-opened to international visitors."

Summer 2023 also marks the 50th anniversary of Sobek Expeditions, one half of the merged Mountain Travel Sobek, well-known for its many exploratory adventures and first descents of the world's great rivers. Co-founder Richard Bangs, one of ExplorerWeb's 100 Great Explorers of the Last 100 Years, says "Our mission became to share what we found, to fire a never-ending quest for awe, understanding, and brilliant memories. The passion for discovery burns as hot today as it ever did." New 50th anniversary rafting trips include India's Zanskar River and the Zambezi in Zambia.

In 2022, MT Sobek was named Best Adventure Travel Company by USA Today's 10Best Readers' Choice Awards. Visit www.mtsobek.com.

SOURCE Mountain Travel Sobek
OKOTOKS, AB, Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - (TSX: MTL) Mullen Group Ltd. ("Mullen Group" and/or the "Corporation") intends to release its 2022 Third Quarter earnings results on Thursday, October 20, 2022, at 6:00 a.m. ET, and has scheduled a conference call and webcast as follows:

Date: October 20, 2022

Time: 10:00 a.m. ET

Conference Call Dial-in: 1-800-319-4610 (for participants in North America)

416-915-3239 (Toronto or Overseas participants)

403-351-0324 (Calgary or Overseas participants)

Webcast: www.mullen-group.com

A replay of the call will be available approximately two hours after the completion of the call until Thursday, November 3, 2022, by dialing 1-800-319-6413 or 604-638-9010, access code 9482 followed by the pound sign.

About Mullen Group Ltd.

Mullen Group is one of North America's largest logistics providers. Our network of independently operated businesses provide a wide range of service offerings including less-than-truckload, truckload, warehousing, logistics, transload, oversized, third-party logistics and specialized hauling transportation. In addition, we provide a diverse set of specialized services related to the energy, mining, forestry and construction industries in western Canada, including water management, fluid hauling and environmental reclamation. The corporate office provides the capital and financial expertise, legal support, technology and systems support, shared services and strategic planning to its independent businesses.

Mullen Group is a publicly traded corporation listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol "MTL". Additional information is available on our website at www.mullen-group.com or on the Corporation's issuer profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.

Contact Information

Mr. Murray K. Mullen - Chair, Senior Executive Officer and President

Mr. Richard J. Maloney - Senior Operating Officer

Mr. Carson P. Urlacher - Senior Accounting Officer

Ms. Joanna K. Scott - Senior Corporate Officer

121A - 31 Southridge Drive

Okotoks, Alberta, Canada T1S 2N3

Telephone: 403-995-5200

Fax: 403-995-5296

SOURCE Mullen Group Ltd.
WASHINGTON, Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- NASA will hold a media teleconference today at 4:30 p.m. EDT, Thursday, Sept. 29, to discuss a new study exploring potential commercial space opportunities for NASA science missions. The agency will livestream audio of the teleconference on its website .

Participants include:

Thomas Zurbuchen , associate administrator, NASA's Science Mission Directorate

, associate administrator, NASA's Science Mission Directorate Kathy Lueders , associate administrator, NASA's Space Operations Mission Directorate

, associate administrator, NASA's Space Operations Mission Directorate Jessica Jensen , vice president, customer operations and integration, SpaceX

, vice president, customer operations and integration, SpaceX Jared Isaacman , commercial astronaut and commander of Polaris Dawn

, commercial astronaut and commander of Polaris Dawn Patrick Crouse , Hubble Space Telescope project manager, NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center

To ask questions during the teleconference, media must RSVP no later than two hours before the event to Alise Fisher at: [email protected]. NASA's media accreditation policy is available online.

SOURCE NASA
National Smarties Day kicks off with support for classrooms in need and a #SmartiesChallenge on TikTok

UNION, N.J., Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- October 2, 2022, will be the first National Smarties Day, a day to celebrate the sweet legacy of an iconic candy and its founder's vision to inspire life-long learning.

October 2, 2022, will be the first ever #NationalSmartiesDay Tweet this Smarties Candy Rolls, Smarties Lollies and Smarties Candy Necklaces.

Smarties candies have been enjoyed by generations of Americans for nearly 75 years. The company was founded in 1949 by Edward Dee, who was born on October 2, 1924, and came to the United States by boat with two machines and a mission to bring his family's candy making tradition to the USA. He fulfilled his dream and created the enduring classic, and Halloween staple, Smarties candy. Today, more than two billion Smarties rolls are made each year, with machines running 24 hours per day in two candy factories.

Smarties Candy Company is a woman-run, New Jersey based family business, now headed by the founder's grand-daughters, co-presidents Jessica Dee Sawyer, Sarah Dee, and Liz Dee. As fifth-generation candy makers, the co-presidents have launched new candy items, added solar power to their NJ based facility, and improved their production processes with a commitment to keep their manufacturing in North America.

"National Smarties Day is meaningful because we honor Edward Dee's American dream come true while celebrating the one and only Smarties candy roll," says co-president Jessica Dee Sawyer. "With a donation to support classrooms in need and the #SmartiesChallenge launch on TikTok, we commemorate National Smarties Day, 2022!"

Smarties Candy Company is celebrating National Smarties Day with a $25,000 donation to public school classrooms in need through DonorsChoose. 2022 marks ten years of support through the Smarties Think initiative, totaling $250,000 for students and teachers.

The company has launched a #SmartiesChallenge on TikTok, asking fans to "do something smart with Smarties" to win a year's supply of candy for two winners and a friend. The challenge was kicked off with a "Smarties Caviar" video by Michael Ligier, who shared the sponsored post with his three million TikTok followers on Tuesday.

Contact: [email protected]

Smarties Media Kit: https://bit.ly/NationalSmartiesDay

National Day Calendar: National Smarties Day

SOURCE Smarties Candy Company
PHILADELPHIA, Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Halpern Law Firm with offices in Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Johnstown, Scranton, Allentown, Cherry Hill, and Bridgewater welcomes a new attorney, Andrew "Andy" Balcer, to the team. Practicing law since 2009, Andrew has been representing mesothelioma victims and their families throughout the United States. "I am looking forward to continuing my care with the Halpern Law Firm," says Andrew. "This is a firm dedicated to their mesothelioma clients, just like I have been throughout my career. I look forward to ensuring that my clients receive the best results from their cases." Born and raised in Granite City, Illinois, Andrew moved to Saint Louis for school. He received his undergraduate and a law degree from Saint Louis University in 2005 and a law degree in 2008. Throughout law school, he was also a part of the Law Review, where he found his passion for litigation. "Having someone like Andrew join our team is only going to add to exceptional results that we offer at our firm for our asbestos clients," says David Halpern, founder of Halpern Law Firm. "He brings over 12 years of experience, which proves that he understands the importance of what he does and has a passion for helping clients that are going through one of the hardest times in their lives." Halpern Law Firm has recently received multimillion dollar mesothelioma settlements. With more than 30 years of experience, the firm brings national litigation experience and a statewide presence with seven offices in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. About Halpern Law Firm: For over 30 years, David Halpern has been actively representing the rights of victims of asbestos exposure. Halpern has investigated, litigated, and settled hundreds of mesothelioma and asbestos lung cancer cases recovering hundreds of millions of dollars for mesothelioma victims. His discovery often involves site inspections and document inspections at the worksites clients have worked. This type of commitment and dedication ensures the asbestos companies at fault are held responsible for their actions and has resulted in many millions of dollars recovered for Philadelphia and New Jersey mesothelioma and asbestos cancer victims. For more information or free case review please call 800-505-6000 or online at www.halpernlawyer.com.

SOURCE Halpern Law Firm
World-Renowned Chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten Partners with The Howard Hughes Corporation to Open New 53,000-Square-Foot Marketplace with Over 20 Food & Beverage Experiences and Retail Destinations

Reconstruction of Historic Tin Building on Iconic Site of Former Fulton Fish Market at Pier 17 Marks Milestone in Revitalization of Lower Manhattan and Seaport Neighborhood

NEW YORK, Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Howard Hughes Corporation (NYSE: HHC) and Chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten celebrated the opening yesterday of the Tin Building by Jean-Georgesa 53,000-square-foot culinary marketplace at Pier 17 at the Seaport on the site of the former Fulton Fish Marketwhich features an extensive offering of international food experiences at an iconic New York City waterfront location.

Exterior of Reconstructed Tin Building at Pier 17 at the Seaport in Lower Manhattan 1907 Exterior of original Tin Building at the Seaport Fulton Fish Co. at the Tin Building by Jean-Georges, located at Pier 17 at the Seaport in Lower Manhattan Spoiled Parrot at the Tin Building by Jean-Georges, located at Pier 17 at the Seaport in Lower Manhattan Seeds and Weeds at the Tin Building by Jean-Georges, located at Pier 17 at the Seaport in Lower Manhattan Central Market at the Tin Building by Jean-Georges, located at Pier 17 at the Seaport in Lower Manhattan House of the Red Pearl at the Tin Building by Jean-Georges, located at Pier 17 at the Seaport in Lower Manhattan T. Brasserie at the Tin Building by Jean-Georges, located at Pier 17 at the Seaport in Lower Manhattan

The opening of the reconstructed Tin Building at its historic Seaport location marks a major milestone in the revitalization of the Lower Manhattan neighborhood and creates a destination unlike any other in the city. The expansive new marketplacewith every product and menu item personally curated by acclaimed chef Jean-Georgesreinforces the Seaport's reputation as New York City's new culinary epicenter. With two levels offering over 20 new restaurants, bars, grocery markets, retail, and private dining experiences all under one roof, the highly anticipated new Tin Building is the largest culinary experience to open in Lower Manhattan in recent years, bringing over 700 new jobs to the community and driving significant economic benefit to the area.

"New York City and our central business districts are coming back, thanks in part to creative new projects like this one," said New York City Mayor Eric Adams. "A true culinary destination, the reconstructed Tin Building combines so many of the ingredients we need to revitalize Lower Manhattan, and offers wide-ranging and high-quality offerings, especially from a chef who appreciates plant-based food. The Tin Building will not only create jobs, but also attract New Yorkers and touristshelping to keep this neighborhood vibrant for years to come. I applaud all of the partners for reimagining this site in a way that honors its history, while helping to bring this neighborhood into a new era."

The Tin Building by Jean-Georges is the first project completed by The Howard Hughes Corporation and Jean-Georges since HHC acquired a minority stake in the celebrated global restauranteur's company earlier this year.

"With the opening of the Tin Building by Jean-Georges, The Howard Hughes Corporation brings our commitment to creating best-in-class customer experiences to a uniquely immersive culinary destination at the Seaport," said David R. O'Reilly, Chief Executive Officer of The Howard Hughes Corporation. "As we continue to work in close partnership with Chef Jean-Georges, we are excited for the many opportunities ahead for the expansion of Jean-Georges Restaurants across our national portfolio that will continue to set the standard for hospitality today."

"The market at the Seaport was one of the first places I visited when I first came to New York City in 1985, and it has continued to be a consistent part of my culinary inspiration ever since," said Chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten. "It has been a great privilege to have this opportunity to bring back the Tin Building and reinvent such an iconic New York staple in a new and authentic wayhonoring and inspired by the Seaport's rich history and continuing the legacy of providing a one-of-a-kind experience that pays tribute to the global influences found in New York City."

Culinary Experience

The Tin Building incorporates a wide range of culinary experiences into an authentic New York environment and includes aspects of favorite dining and retail experiences from around the world including a French brasserie, a seafood restaurant, an Asian speakeasy, a breakfast counter, several vegetarian options, a bakery, a coffee shop, and much more. The unique offerings are anchored by an expansive central marketplace at the building's core featuring daily rotations of locally and sustainably sourced meats, seafood, cheeses, produce and ready-to-eat items. The Tin Building's specialty food program offers a select, premium variety of Jean-Georges branded items such as sauces, oils, and marinades as well as candy, chocolate, and giftseach hand-picked by Chef Jean-Georges.

Reconstruction and Resiliency

Before the reconstruction of the Tin Building begana process which involved the meticulous cataloging, storage, repair, and refurbishment of roughly 300 items from the original building for historical reference and reuseThe Howard Hughes Corporation elected to undertake the extensive process of rebuilding the pier on which the Tin Building sits, including the demolition and reconstruction of the pier structures using new concrete and steel piles beneath the water. Once the pier was fully rebuilt, HHC elevated the building structure six feet to its current height of one foot above the FEMA 100-year floodplain to ensure long-term coastal resiliency. Over the past ten years HHC has spent $789 million on the development of Pier 17, the Tin Building, and the historic Seaport neighborhood, including rebuilding the piers and infrastructure along the waterfront, helping to drive the development of a more resilient Seaport community.

Design

The reconstructed Tin Building reflects and pays homage to the Seaport's storied past. After the Tin Building was meticulously disassembled and recreated, Roman and Williams Buildings and Interiors took direction from the 1920s and 1930s to honor the history of the site, creating a beautiful, utilitarian feel within a contemporary context. The space is punctuated by restaurants and retail, each with their own distinct identity and design. The building's central marketplace, which maintains the original Fish Market as its foundation, welcomes visitors upon entering the building with a feast for the senses. Throughout the building, ribbons of brass, details of turned wood, marble surfaces, and handmade tiles in maritime blues and greens channel Jean-Georges' nostalgia for the original Tin Building, built in 1907.

"The beauty of designing something like the Tin Building is that it comes alive when it's in usethe way food comes alive when shared," said Robin Standefer, principal and co-founder of Roman and Williams. "And we are so excited to see these spectacular spaces and historic walls buzzing with the excitement of their heyday once again."

The lighting concept throughout the entire Tin Building, designed by acclaimed lighting design firm L'Observatoire International, further reinforces the marketplace's historical character and invites a cohesive journey through the building. The Tin Building exhibits numerous items and artifacts from the building's history that were painstakingly preserved during the building's reconstruction. A gallery wall of black and white photographs by fine art photographer Barbara Mensch captures the unique history, allure, and authentic character of the Seaport's Lower Manhattan waterfront, reflecting the artist's decades-long commitment to the neighborhood where she has lived since the early 1980s.

In addition to honoring its past, the new Tin Building is designed for future innovation. A second-floor dining room and reception space also serves as The Tasting Studiothe Tin Building's broadcast studio for the production of cooking segments and the recording of a daily Tin Building podcast.

"Throughout our development at the Seaport, we have engaged in a collaborative dialogue with our local community to help revitalize Lower Manhattan and ensure a bright future for our Seaport neighborhood that reflects the incredible diversity of New York City," said Saul Scherl, President of the New York Region for The Howard Hughes Corporation. "The reconstruction of the Tin Building further establishes the Seaport as a community anchor and gathering place. With locally and globally sourced foods, exciting programming, and the addition of new jobs, this revitalization is a testament to the Seaport's enduring legacy as a thriving hub of opportunity and innovation."

About Tin Building by Jean-Georges

The Tin Building by Jean-Georges is an exciting new 53,000-square-foot culinary destination located at Pier 17 at the Seaport on the former site of the Fulton Fish Market. Inspired by New York City's history as a bustling commercial and maritime hub, the Tin Building marketplace has been meticulously reconstructed and transformed into a multi-sensory culinary journey of global food & beverage experiences. In partnership with The Howard Hughes Corporation, the Tin Building by Jean-Georges features six new full-service restaurant concepts, five fast-casual counters, as well as bars focused on wine, craft cocktails and craft beersall anchored by a central marketplace featuring a locally sourced, curated selection of seafood, meats, cheese, produce, plus three specialty retail markets. The building features interiors designed by acclaimed design studio Roman and Williams and lighting by L'Observatoire International. For more information guests can visit TinBuilding.com and media inquiries can be directed to [email protected].

About The Howard Hughes Corporation

The Howard Hughes Corporation owns, manages and develops commercial, residential and mixed-use real estate throughout the U.S. Its award-winning assets include the country's preeminent portfolio of large-scale, mixed use master planned communities, as well as operating properties and development opportunities including: the Seaport in New York City; Downtown Columbia, Maryland; The Woodlands, The Woodlands Hills, and Bridgeland in the Greater Houston, Texas area; Summerlin in Las Vegas, Nevada; Ward Village in Honolulu, Hawai'i; and Douglas Ranch in Phoenix, Arizona. The Howard Hughes Corporation's portfolio is strategically positioned to meet and accelerate development based on market demand, resulting in one of the strongest real estate platforms in the country. Dedicated to innovative placemaking, the company is recognized for its ongoing commitment to design excellence and to the cultural life of its communities. The Howard Hughes Corporation is traded on the New York Stock Exchange as HHC. For additional information visit www.howardhughes.com.

Safe Harbor Statement

Statements made in this press release that are not historical facts, including statements accompanied by words such as "will," "believe," "expect," "enables," "realize," "plan," "intend," "assume," "transform" and other words of similar expression, are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are based on management's expectations, estimates, assumptions, and projections as of the date of this release and are not guarantees of future performance. Actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied in these statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially are set forth as risk factors in The Howard Hughes Corporation's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its Quarterly and Annual Reports. The Howard Hughes Corporation cautions you not to place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements contained in this release. The Howard Hughes Corporation does not undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect future events, information or circumstances that arise after the date of this release.

Media Contacts:

Tin Building by Jean-Georges

Jee Park, 917-754-1582

Executive Vice President, Magrino PR

[email protected]

Alexis Chernoff, 607-435-2033

Vice President, Magrino PR

[email protected]

The Howard Hughes Corporation

Cristina Carlson, 646-822-6910

Senior Vice President, Head of Corporate Communications

[email protected]

For HHC Investor Relations:

Eric Holcomb, 281-475-2144

Senior Vice President, Investor Relations

[email protected]

SOURCE The Howard Hughes Corporation
Top industry leaders join advisory board to enhance product development, facilitate company growth

PHOENIX, Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Nurture Boss , a premier lease conversion automation tool that provides marketing solutions for the multifamily industry, today announced it has established an in-house multifamily advisory board to strategically guide the company in new product development and grow its client base while solving pain points for the multifamily industry. Debut advisory board members include Jennifer Staciokas, Natalie Cariola, Robert Hicks and Donald Davidoff.

Staciokas, executive managing director at Western Wealth Communities, boasts more than 20 years of multifamily experience and has served in various roles at two of the nation's largest property management firms. Staciokas is a well-known speaker and moderator at some of the industry's most renowned conferences. She is also an active participant in the National Apartment Association (NAA), National Multifamily Housing Council (NMHC) and other industry-focused advisory boards.

"I've seen first-hand how revolutionary Nurture Boss' Lease Conversion Automation is and I am honored to help them enhance the industry even further," Staciokas said. "Nurture Boss' products offer wide-reaching benefits and are proving to be an indispensable component of multifamily leasing, operations and the renter experience."

Cariola, a sophisticated real estate executive, currently holds the position of strategic advisor at Zumper, the largest privately held rental marketplace in the U.S. Since 2016, Cariola has launched sales teams for the company at both regional and national levels, along with leading its go-to-market strategy.

Hicks serves as the COO at Portico Property Management where he oversees operations and business development for the company. With nearly three decades of industry experience, Hicks' credentials consist of overseeing multi-state operations for Greystar, as well as spearheading operational strategy and company growth initiatives for Alliance Residential prior to Greystar's acquisition of the company.

"The leadership team at Nurture Boss has absolutely redefined the way our industry approaches leasing and renewal strategies," Hicks said. "I'm eager to join its advisory board and utilize my passion for technology and experience to ensure the future success of Nurture Boss."

Davidoff, co-founder and CEO at Real Estate Business Analytics, Inc., is a famed, forward-thinking leader within the multifamily industry. As an adept multifamily professional, Davidoff is best known for leading the development and implementation of Lease Rent Options (LRO), the industry's first automated demand forecasting and price optimization system. His expertise addresses key issues in marketing analytics and internal business processes and workflows.

"We are excited to work with such an elite group of individuals as we look forward to enhancing our products and continue providing the industry with top-tier solutions and services," said Jacob Carter, CEO of Nurture Boss. "Each member brings with them a wide-range of knowledge and a unique perspective that will undoubtedly elevate us to the next level in terms of bringing innovative tools to the marketplace and facilitating overall company growth."

Through Nurture Boss' Lease Conversion Automation, prospective residents are contacted during the early stages of the leasing process with hyper-personalized information pertaining to their individual needs. Lease Conversion Automation nurtures every lead by automating timely, consistent and personalized follow-up messaging via the customers' preferred method of communication and provides an optimal number of touchpoints to make a confident decision.

About Nurture Boss

Nurture Boss operationalizes CRMs with data-powered Lease and Renewal Conversion Automation and helps apartment operators orchestrate marketing efforts into a cohesive strategy. Lease and Renewal Conversion Automation means automating all follow up and communication with prospects and residents to ensure each customer receives the right message at the right time. Nurture Boss identifies hot leads, schedules more tours, gets more applications and signs more leases with Lease Conversion Automation. Nurture Boss' Renewal Conversion Automation creates a better move-in experience, drives more resident referrals, captures more online reviews and achieves more renewals. For more information, visit nurtureboss.io .

SOURCE Nurture Boss
Heat Wave During Labor Day Weekend Put Unprecedented Strain on the Grid;

OhmConnect Members Reduced Energy Use on Sept. 6 Equivalent to Output of 3 Power Plants

OAKLAND, Calif., Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- OhmConnect , the leading provider of residential energy flexibility, supported the California Independent System Operator's (CAISO) Flex Alerts during the recent extended heat wave by incentivizing reduced home energy usage from Wednesday, August 31 to Thursday, September 8. In just nine days, OhmConnect's active members received over $2.7M in rewards and saved 1.5 GigaWatt hours (GWh) of energy, the equivalent of taking 1 million homes off the grid for an hour.

Heat Wave During Labor Day Weekend Put Unprecedented Strain on the Grid; OhmConnect Members Reduced Energy Use on Sept. 6 Equivalent to Output of 3 Power Plants

OhmConnect helps balance California's electric grid during periods of peak demand by paying its more than 200,000 active California members to reduce their home energy use when the grid is stressed. Members receive text and email alerts indicating when to power down in order to save electricity, and if they use less energy than forecasted, they earn rewards and save on their monthly utility bills.

During the nine-day heat wave, OhmConnect sent 6 million communications to its members; and toggled members' smart energy devices (such as smart thermostats and smart plugs) off and on 1.3 million times. OhmConnect members authorize OhmConnect to turn their smart devices off and on remotely, while retaining the ability to override and control their devices at all times. OhmConnect also awarded its members gift cards during the heat wave that can be redeemed for 30,140 buckets of popcorn, 17,349 tubs of ice cream; and 22,570 mocha lattes.

On September 6th, air conditioning needs pushed statewide electricity demand to a record-high 52 Gigawatts, threatening to cause rolling power outages. In response to CAISO's September 6th emergency alert, OhmConnect members delivered 374 MWh of reductions  equivalent to the output of three power plants.

"OhmConnect is built to make rolling blackouts a thing of the past," said Cisco DeVries, CEO, OhmConnect. "Our technology puts at-home energy management in the hands of our members, helping to avoid the need for energy blackouts across entire regions. The best part is that the OhmConnect community gets paid to do the right thing at the right time. They have really stepped up during this unprecedented energy crisis."

OhmConnect is a free program, and Californians whose utility providers are PG&E, Southern California Edison (SCE) and San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) are eligible to participate.

California residents can sign up for OhmConnect here .

New York residents can sign up for OhmConnect here .

Texas residents can sign up for OhmConnect here .

About OhmConnect

OhmConnect, winner of the 2021 Fast Company World Changing Ideas Award , helps hundreds of thousands of customers manage their at-home electricity and rewards them for smarter energy use. The company pays its customers for saving electricity when the grid is stressed and likely to utilize dirty power, unlocking clean, affordable, and reliable energy. With more than $18 million in rewards paid to its customers, OhmConnect is making a future of 100% clean energy accessible to everyone. Customers of the three major California electric utilities  Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E), Southern California Edison (SCE), and San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E)  as well as Con Edison in New York, can sign up with OhmConnect for free at ohmconnect.com . Texas residents can select OhmConnect as their retail electric provider. Follow OhmConnect on Twitter @OhmConnect , read the OhmConnect blog or check them out on Facebook and LinkedIn .

Media Contact

Alexandra Pony

250.858.0656

[email protected]

SOURCE OhmConnect
6.7 MW community solar farm in Orleans, New York to begin generating clean energy to the grid

TORONTO, Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - OYA Renewables, an energy transition solutions platform, announced today that one of their solar projects, Robinson Road, a 6.7 megawatt (MW DC ) solar farm in Orleans, New York, has reached commercial operation and will support broad consumer access to solar-powered electricity generation across the state.

The community solar project completed the final stage of commissioning in June of 2022. The 6.7 MW DC solar farm is expected to generate approximately 10,490,000 kilowatt-hours (kWh) annually, the equivalent of offsetting an estimated 7,434 metric tons of carbon and providing enough clean energy to power over 1,600 households annually. In total, OYA has 13 additional New York community solar projects expected to reach commercial operation by mid-2023, adding to OYA's pipeline that already exceeds 572 MWs in the State.

"We applaud the State of New York for being a driving force in the renewable energy transition with innovative programs to accelerate the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and reduce the cost of electricity, says Manish Nayar, Founder and Chairman of OYA Renewables. "We see the immediate impact on subscribers to OYA's community solar programs as each new solar project goes online and a zero-carbon future comes closer to being realized."

Doreen M. Harris, President and CEO, NYSERDA said, "This year New York became the top community solar market in the nation thanks to the many public-private partnerships that have been created under our successful NY-Sun Initiative. Community-centered projects like OYA's Robinson Road will ensure more families and businesses have access to affordable and renewable solar power that will help provide savings on their electricity bill and improve local air quality."

The project received $1.4 million in support through the New York State Energy Research and Development's (NYSERDA) NY-Sun program, the state's signature $1.8 billion initiative to advance the scale-up of solar while driving energy costs down and making solar energy more accessible to homes, businesses, and communities. The project advances New York's Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act goal to generate 70 percent of the state's electricity from renewable sources by 2030.

OYA is committed to providing affordable, renewable energy that is accessible to all, including municipalities, commercial businesses, and residential households. A notable subscriber is Rensselaer County in New York, which signed an agreement to join OYA Renewables' state-wide community solar program with a subscription to OYA's local solar project on Robinson Road. A portion of each OYA solar project is dedicated to supporting disadvantaged communities.

About OYA Renewables

OYA Renewables is leading the renewable energy transition with an exceptional track record as a top ten community solar developer. Founded in 2009, OYA has developed over 1,440 MW DC and has a pipeline of 6 GW of distributed and utility-scale solar projects across North America. Focused on the expansion of renewable energy and the integration of other clean technologies, OYA is committed to delivering long-term clean energy solutions to clients supporting their renewable energy objectives and providing access to clean energy for underserved communities. OYA has a highly engaged, seasoned and diverse workforce, with offices in Toronto and Boston.

SOURCE OYA Renewables
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - Sagicor Life Insurance Company (Sagicor) announces new interest crediting strategy options to their indexed universal life (IUL) insurance portfolio effective October 1, 2022. These options will be linked to the performance of iShares ETFs managed by BlackRock, a global asset manager and technology provider focused on helping millions of people invest to build savings that serve them throughout their lives.

The index-tracking iShares ETFs that will be offered are:

iShares MSCI EAFE ETF, which focuses on a broad range of large- and mid-cap developed market stocks from companies in Europe , Australia , Asia , and the Far East.

iShares MSCI Emerging Markets ETF, which concentrates on large- and mid-sized companies in emerging markets.

iShares ESG Aware MSCI USA ETF, which focuses on large- and mid-cap stocks of U.S. companies with positive environmental, social and governance (ESG) characteristics.

Laura Morrison, SVP of Sales & Chief Marketing Officer says, "Sagicor remains focused on providing accumulation solutions to help consumers protect and build wealth for the future so that they can achieve their retirement income goals and create tax-efficient legacies."

"The advantages of Sagicor's IUL portfolio ETF-linked crediting strategies is that they offer built-in diversification and growth potential without exposure to market risk. These strategies also enable financial professionals to customize a diversified allocation based on each policyowner's preferences and risk tolerance."

Sagicor IUL policyowners are not directly invested in any iShares ETF.

About Sagicor Life Insurance Company

Sagicor Life Insurance Company (Sagicor) is a full-service life insurance company that helps clients make wise financial decisions today to ensure they're protected tomorrow. Sagicor is licensed in 45 states and the District of Columbia and is rated "A-" (Excellent) by A.M. Best Company (4th best out of 16 possible ratings), affirmed as of November 4, 2021. Products issued by Sagicor Life Insurance Company. Home Office: Scottsdale, AZ. Products not available in all states, and state variations may apply. Products have limitations and restrictions, including surrender charges. Policy Forms: ICC171017, 1017CA, 1017FL, 1017, 1017ND, ICC191021, 1021CA, 1021FL, 1021, and 1021ND.

Sagicor is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sagicor Financial Company Limited (SFCL).1 Founded in 1840, SFCL is one of the oldest insurance groups in the Americas, with operations in 19 countries mainly in the United States, Latin America and the Caribbean. Sagicor is committed to offering customers world-class service with integrity and value. To learn more about Sagicor, visit Sagicor.com.

iShares and BlackRock, and the corresponding logos, are registered trademarks of BlackRock, Inc. and its affiliates ("BlackRock") and are used under license. BlackRock has licensed certain trademarks and trade names of BlackRock to Sagicor Life Insurance Company for certain purposes. Sagicor Life Insurance Company's products and services are not sponsored, endorsed, sold, or promoted by BlackRock, and purchasers of such products do not acquire any interest in the iShares MSCI EAFE ETF, the iShares MSCI Emerging Markets ETF, or the iShares ESG Aware MSCI USA ETF, nor enter into any relationship of any kind with BlackRock. BlackRock makes no representations or warranties, express or implied, to the owners of any products offered by Sagicor Life Insurance Company or any member of the public regarding the advisability of purchasing any product or service offered by Sagicor Life Insurance Company. BlackRock has no obligation or liability for any errors, omissions, interruptions or use of the iShares ETFs or any data related thereto, or in connection with the operation, marketing, trading or sale of any Sagicor Life Insurance Company product or service offered by Sagicor Life Insurance Company.

For more information about iShares, see ishares.com.

1Sagicor Financial Company Ltd. is a separate entity and is not responsible for the insurer's financial condition or contractual obligations.

For further information:

Media Contact: Sagicor Life Insurance Company

Katie Owens, AVP Corporate Communications

813-287-1602, ext. 6205, [email protected]

BR-PR001

SOURCE Sagicor Life Insurance Company
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- SATA Azores Airlines launches its Winter 22/23 schedule. All flights are operated by the fuel efficient A321 Neo LR. Schedule, timings, and aircraft refer to a typical winter week. For further information, please consult the GDS or azoresairlines.pt

Boston

SATA Azores Airlines will be flying directly into Ponta Delgada from Boston on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday with returning flights on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday.

New York

This winter SATA Azores Airlines will also be continuing itsr service from New York (JFK) to Ponta Delgada and Funchal. The flight from JFK to PDL will operate on Friday and Saturday, returning on Thursday and Saturday. The flight from JFK to FNC will depart on Thursday and return on Friday.

10% commission promotion.

Earn 10% Commission on flights from New York to the Azores and Madeira. Flights from New York (JFK) to Ponta Delgada (PDL), Lisbon (LIS), Porto (OPO), Paris (CDG), Praia (RAI), and Funchal (FNC) via the Azores and Madeira qualify. This promotional commission is only valid for sales ticketed between September 26 - October 31, 2022, with travel between October 1 - December 14, 2022.

Details:

Valid only for JFK Gateway, must be plated and booked on SATA Azores Airlines operated flights, commission must be taken at time of ticketing and reported through ARC, agents must apply the commission manually, only valid for Azores Airlines operated flights, and nets not included.

About SATA Group

Established in the Azores in 1941, and with more than eighty years of history, SATA Group has at its core the depth of the Azorean soul and is committed to overcoming the archipelago's isolation. Composed of two airlines (SATA Air Acores and Azores Airlines) and an aerodrome managing body in the Archipelago of the Azores, the SATA Group has affirmed itself as an international airline that embraces the mission of building Atlantic bridges between the Azores and the world. SATA Airlines currently operates a network of regular national and international routes, playing an essential role in the economic and social development of the Autonomous Region of the Azores.

SOURCE SATA Group
The distribution platform now offers access to ACTM from AXIS, an all-new dynamic business coverage for SMBs

BOSTON, Massachusetts, Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Sayata, the leading marketplace for insurance brokers and carriers to easily scale their business insurance portfolios, announced a new cyber coverage for businesses that is now available on the Sayata Platform. Designed to eliminate unexpected gaps in coverage, AXIS Cyber Technology and Miscellaneous Professional Liability ("ACTM") combines a variety of coverages into a dynamic insurance offering that adapts to the needs of the insured.

ACTM provides cover for small and medium businesses (SMBs) that span a wide range of industries. Cyber coverage includes incident response, network interruption, and other coverages related to cyber and data risks. It is available on an admitted and non-admitted basis.

Sayata's CEO, Asaf Lifshitz, commented, "We are elated to offer ACTM with AXIS. It's a truly unique cyber peril offering that delivers a needed flexible coverage against cyber threats for small and medium businesses." Mr. Lifshitz added, "The partnership is a great collaboration that showcases AXIS's leadership in delivering forward-thinking insurance and our technical abilities to deliver real-time dynamic solutions."

About Sayata

Sayata delivers rapid growth to insurance brokers and carriers that focus on small-to-medium businesses. The Sayata platform streamlines the quote-bind-issue process allowing insurance professionals to seamlessly place more insurance policies in a fraction of the time. Sayata provides an end-to-end technological solution along with educational tools, giving our partners the ability to grow their book quickly and efficiently. To date, over 1,900 users across 120+ brokerages and carriers partner with Sayata to grow their SMB book.

About AXIS Capital

AXIS Capital, through its operating subsidiaries, is a global provider of specialty lines insurance and treaty reinsurance with shareholders' equity of $4.7 billion at June 30, 2022, and locations in Bermuda, the United States, Europe, Singapore and Canada. Its operating subsidiaries have been assigned a rating of "A+" ("Strong") by Standard & Poor's and "A" ("Excellent") by A.M. Best. For more information about AXIS Capital, visit our website at www.axiscapital.com.

Media Contacts

Kevin Capon Goldszmidt

West Ray Communications

[email protected]

+972-58-519-0791

SOURCE Sayata
Experienced Entrepreneur Signs Innovative Beverage Concepts' First Franchise Deal, Plans to Aggressively Expand Brand's Presence Across U.S.

PASADENA, Calif., Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Sip Fresh , an innovative, handcrafted juice and beverage franchise concept, announced its first franchise agreement today, just months after announcing the launch of the brand's franchising opportunity. Sip Fresh's first franchisee-operated store is slated to open in San Diego County at Westfield UTC this October. The store will be run by LK Group UTC LP, led by experienced entrepreneur and operator Lawrence Kourie who, shortly after announcing his intentions to franchise the brand, signed a multi-unit commitment to develop within the Southern California region.

Kourie was instantly intrigued by the eye-catching and delicious Sip Fresh beverage concept, the streamlined infrastructure, the commitment to excellent guest service and the strong management team. "It's really a brand that is set up for success from day one, which is why my intention was to jump on this opportunity right away," Kourie explained. After conducting his due diligence, he was convinced of the brand's strong growth potential and cherished the special opportunity to be the very first franchisee. "It's incredibly special to be joining the Sip Fresh team as a franchisee in the beginning of their growth, which I have no doubt will be aggressive. I know firsthand the incredible experience of being a first-time franchisee and working closely with the brand's founders and key development team. I'm ready to embrace this special season. As an experienced franchisee in the Southwest, my plan is to move quickly on additional units throughout the Southwest, eventually becoming a multi-state franchisee."

Kourie knows the special opportunity that franchisees have when they engage early with a high-potential brand through his experience as the first franchisee of Dave's Hot Chicken and as the first Wetzel's Pretzels franchisee in the convenience store space. Kourie also has extensive franchising experience via his company's holdings in Circle K, ARCO ampm and Extramile, among others.

"We are thrilled to award our first multi-unit franchise to Lawrence. His extensive resume and experience in the franchising industry is invaluable," said Sharon Arthofer, Founder and CEO of Sip Fresh. "Not only is Lawrence enthusiastic about his business, he also sets a positive example for the franchise system. His commitment to developing a top notch team, providing excellent product quality and delivering an incredible guest experience are in alignment with Sip Fresh values."

Frank Gonzales, Vice President of Franchise Operations looks forward to working with Lawrence Kourie again. "I met Lawrence several years ago and had the pleasure of expanding his franchising portfolio with some well-known brands," said Gonzales. "Lawrence is passionate about hospitality and serving his community through franchising, which aligns perfectly with our culture at Sip Fresh. We are eager to witness his success with this remarkable brand."

The San Diego location will bring Sip Fresh's unique and eye-catching drinks to Westfield UTC near the University of California San Diego campus. Some of their one-of-a-kind menu offerings include the Mixed Berry Lemonade, Watermelon and Cucumber Mint Lime Sips, the Mango Tango and the Cha Cha.Chamoy. Their line of smoothies are also guest favorites and Kourie cannot get enough of the Strawberry Banana Smoothie.

"Sip Fresh's goal is to offer an interesting and unique variety of the highest quality, fresh fruit-based juice and beverages that can be enjoyed by the whole family," explained Arthofer. "We are in discussions with experienced individuals, like Mr. Kourie, who share our passion for building an exciting beverage brand that offers operational simplicity, great labor model and delivers a fun guest experience."

Sip Fresh is currently exploring opportunities with experienced franchisees and multi-unit operators in the Western and Southwestern United States.

For more information regarding Sip Fresh and their available menu items, please visit www.sipfreshjuice.com. For franchising information and contact info, please visit www.sipfreshjuice.com/Franchising.

ABOUT SIP FRESH

California-based Sip Fresh opened its first store in 2017 with a mission to create delicious, handcrafted juices, in an interactive environment and unique presentation. The brand's focus on quality products and unforgettable experiences turns guests into regulars and juices into delightful Sip Fresh beverages are made for a new era in the beverage industry. The beautiful drinks, like the many 'Fresh Sips' and the fan-favorite Cha Cha Chamoy, are fun to share with friends and family  both in-person and via social media. Sip Fresh's quality products are made to engage the senses: see it, sample it and sip it up.

SOURCE Sip Fresh
CHICAGO, Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Eight physicians who are part of the Specialdocs national network earned the Editor's Choice Award for 2022-24 as Distinguished Physician Leaders in Concierge Medicine. The industry's oldest and most respected trade publication, Concierge Medicine Today (CMT), bestows the honor every two years to less than one percent of doctors across the U.S. for their significant contribution to concierge medicine.

"Achieving this recognition is rare and exemplifies our affiliated doctors' fierce dedication to their patients, community and exceptionally personalized medicine," says Terry Bauer, CEO of Specialdocs, a pioneering concierge medicine consulting and management company. "We are so proud to call them 'Special Docs,' integral members of our group of concierge doctors fully committed to preserving the vital physician-patient relationship."

Specialdocs physicians were honored for accomplishments that include:

Uday Jani, MD blends traditional, integrative and functional medicine at his Delaware concierge practice to facilitate each patient's innate healing response. "Concierge medicine allows me to be fully present and listen to my patient's story," he told CMT. Dr. Jani was also recognized for his continual efforts to educate, encourage and uplift patients, peers and residents. He offers numerous complimentary lectures, provides leadership to local charities, and served as one of medicine's most reassuring voices throughout the pandemic. Dr. Jani believes: "True wellness goes beyond healthy mind, body and spirit to forming a community around you."

Lown Cardiology Group, having previously established an extraordinarily high standard for non-invasive cardiovascular care, are now redefining the concierge medicine sector at their Boston-based practice. Lown's five cardiologists  Drs. Brian Bilchik, Charles M. Blatt, Alyson Kelley-Hedgepeth, Dara Lee Lewis and Shmuel Ravid  honor the legacy of Nobel prize-winning founder Dr. Bernard Lown's dedication to doing more for patients, and less to them. Among their differentiators: a program specifically developed for women's cardiac health, ongoing free webinars for community education, and active commitment to education as instructors at Harvard Medical School.

Sean D. O'Connor, MD achieved a rare honor when a grateful patient funded a scholarship in his name at Chicago's Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, granted annually to a fourth-year medical student committed to further training in primary care. "I'm so grateful for this opportunity to encourage future generations to pursue a career in primary care, the backbone of medicine," says Dr. O'Connor. His change to concierge medicine almost a decade ago was inspired by the need for time "to listen carefully and compassionately, think critically and preserve what patients have come to trust as the highest quality healthcare."

Dorothy Cohen Serna, MD, a passionate advocate for both Lifestyle and Concierge Medicine, is one of the few physicians in the country to successfully integrate both in her growing Houston-area practice, North Cypress Internal Medicine & Wellness. An early adopter of using therapeutic lifestyle interventions to prevent, treat and reverse chronic disease, she is part of the first group of medical professionals to earn certification as a Diplomate of the American Board of Lifestyle Medicine. Dr. Serna has compellingly presented the case for concierge Lifestyle Medicine to peers, and built a stellar reputation with a diverse, multi-generational patient panel.

"Each physician we recognize with this distinction exemplifies a modern era of healthcare delivery representing old-fashioned values and contemporary leadershipand their great big heart for serving patients," says CMT Editor Michael Tetreault.

About Specialdocs: Since 2002, concierge medicine pioneer Specialdocs has transformed physicians' professional lives, empowering them to deliver personalized patient care.

Media Contact: [email protected]

SOURCE Specialdocs Consultants
WESTFIELD, N.J., Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Andrew Olesnycky, a certified criminal defense attorney by the Supreme Court of New Jersey, has been included in the 2023 edition of U.S. News and World Report and Best Lawyers award for The Best Lawyers in America for Criminal Defense: General Practice. Only the top 5.3% of elite lawyers in the nation have qualified for this award and only given to the highest rated attorneys by their peers in a practice area by region. And as Certified NJ Criminal Defense attorney, Olesnycky is among 1% of criminal defense lawyers who have been certified by the New Jersey Supreme Court.

Andrew Olesnycky, Esq. Criminal Defense Lawyer

Mr. Olesnycky represents defendants in federal and state cases, and include alleged multi-million-dollar fraud conspiracies, money laundering, complex multi-defendant drug distribution conspiracies, arson, sexual assault, child pornography, interference with custody, domestic violence, and invasion of privacy such as revenge porn. He has represented professionals and accused leaders of criminal enterprises in diverse federal prosecutions including wire fraud, public benefits fraud, bank fraud, drug trafficking, computer crimes, and child pornography.

Mr. Olesnycky's early experience in the Union County's Prosecutors office as supervisor-level assistant prosecutor provides insights on how prosecutors work cases, bringing this knowledge to bear when defending accused in federal, state, and municipal cases. Mr. Olesnycky high profile cases have been covered by major news outlets including the Associated Press, New York Times, CBS This Morning, NBC4 New York, the Boston Globe, NJ.com, the Star Ledger, and ESPN. He also serves on the Criminal Justice Act Panel of Private Attorneys.

In addition to his criminal defense work, Mr. Olesnycky serves on the Criminal Justice Act Panel of Private Attorneys in the District of New Jersey. He is also a certified domestic violence law instructor at the John H. Stamler Police Academy. He has also served as a member of the District VC (West Essex) Attorney Ethics Panel.

"It is an honored to be acknowledged by my legal peers who contributed to my recognition by Best Lawyers in the 2023 listing of The Best Lawyers in America," Olesnycky said.

For more information, please contact Mr. Olesnyky at [email protected], or by calling (908) 301-9001.

About Best Lawyers

Best Lawyers is the oldest and most respected peer-review publication in the legal profession. A listing in Best Lawyers is widely regarded by both clients and legal professionals as a significant honor, conferred on a lawyer by his or her peers. For 40 years, Best Lawyers lists have earned the respect of the profession, the media, and the public as the most reliable, unbiased source of legal referrals anywhere.

About Stahl Criminal Defense Lawyers

Stahl Criminal Defense Lawyers have successfully defended hundreds of individuals targeted by investigations or formally accused of state and federal crimes. The firm has successfully defended individuals and companies charged by federal and state authorities for white collar crimes including Insider Trading/Securities Fraud, Healthcare Fraud, Drug Crimes, Domestic Violence and Tax Crimes, and more. Founded in 1997, the firm's criminal defense attorneys have more than 60 years of combined criminal law experience for both defense and prosecution. This invaluable experience on both sides of criminal matters. Contact the firm by email [email protected], online www.stahlesq.com, or phone 908-301-9001 for NJ and 212-755-3300 for NY.

Sources: https://www.bestlawyers.com/article/2023-best-lawyers-awards-in-america/4635

Media Contact:

Andrew Olesnycky

[email protected]

908.301.9001

SOURCE Stahl Criminal Defense Lawyers
Stellar expands their presence in Minnesota by partnering with a large FQHC to focus on health equity and quality care for patients with all types of coverage

NEW YORK, Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Stellar Health (Stellar), a healthcare technology company focused on activating value-based arrangements, announced today a partnership with Minnesota Community Care, the state's largest federally qualified health center, to drive value-based care initiatives within their clinics. Minnesota Community Care has been a safety-net health care provider for marginalized and underserved communities since 1969. The health center provides full-service health care across a total of 19 clinics, serving more than 10,000 patients.

"We're excited to kick off our partnership with Stellar Health to help drive value-based performance within our clinics, focusing on our Original Medicare population" said Reuben Moore, Chief Executive Officer of Minnesota Community Care. "Introducing value-based arrangements to our FQHC clinics demonstrates our commitment to advancing care practices and delivery, while simultaneously providing better quality care to our community. We are excited to expand this model across all our payor contracts."

Designed to improve health outcomes, Stellar's web-based, point-of-care platform leverages historical patient information to prompt primary care providers and their care teams with granular action recommendations within their daily workflow. Starting with Minnesota Community Care's Original Medicare population, but quickly expanding to their other lines of business across Medicare, Medicaid, and Commercial, Stellar will support Minnesota Community Care by offering real-time incentives tied to the completion of these high-value actions. Providers and care team members within their network are rewarded for going above and beyond to deliver exceptional care to thousands of patients.

"Minnesota Community Care has demonstrated their commitment to the community and leading change," said Kendra Wright, who leads Stellar's provider network in Minnesota. "This new partnership focuses on driving health equity and aims to support Minnesota Community Care as they continue to take a holistic approach to closing gaps in care."

"Partnering with FQHCs, particularly those that are so entrenched in their communities and trusted by their patients, helps us deliver better primary care to those areas and support better health outcomes," said Michael Meng, CEO of Stellar Health. "Our collaboration with Minnesota Community Care is exactly what brings the Stellar Health mission to life: making healthcare fair for clinicians, their teams, and patients in every community."

Providers that are interested in earning timely rewards for engaging in value-based care initiatives can contact the Stellar Health team at stellar.health/contact-us.

About Stellar Health

Stellar Health ("Stellar") is a healthcare technology company focused on enabling success across the value-based care ("VBC") continuum by bridging the incentive gap between providers and payors. The Stellar solution is the first point-of-care, cloud-based platform that helps primary care providers continually engage with their patients by providing them real-time information and tangible action-based incentives for improving quality of care. With Stellar, providers can achieve a range of VBC goals, like improving quality scores and optimizing the patient care journey through transitions of care and high-value referrals, all with the objective of improving patient health. For more information on Stellar Health, visit www.stellar.health.

About Minnesota Community Care

Minnesota Community Care is the largest federally qualified health center (FQHC) in the state of Minnesota. Minnesota Community Care provides a full spectrum of health care services including medical, dental, and behavioral health care. Serving over 10,000 patients annually, the health center has 18 clinic locations in the St. Paul metro area and has recently expanded their reach and opened a clinic site in Farmington, Minnesota. Minnesota Community Care's sole mission is to strengthen the well-being of the community through health care for all, providing services to both insured and uninsured populations. The health center's values embody putting the patient first, championing equity, and uplifting the community. For more information on Minnesota Community Care, visit mncare.org.

Genevieve Pasculli

Stellar Health

Telephone 516-457-4791

Email [email protected]

Website www.stellar.health

SOURCE Stellar Health
South Asia and Pacific Structural Health Monitoring Market is projected to witness the fastest growth rate of nearly 17.8% by 2032. Germany Structural Health Monitoring Market is expected to account for 22.9% of the Europe market in 2032.

NEWARK, Del., Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- According to Future Market Insights (FMI), the global structural health monitoring market is expected to grow from US$ 3409.4 Mn in 2022 to US$ 13,155.4 Mn by 2032, with overall demand rising at 14.5% CAGR throughout the forecast period.



Rapid expansion of building and construction industry across the world along with increasing application of structural health monitoring for checking and monitoring the structural integrity of buildings and infrastructure is driving the growth in the global market.

Structural health monitoring is a procedure of utilizing damage diagnosis and characterization techniques for essential structures like wind turbines, tunnels, and bridges. It is a non-destructive in-place structural assessment process that makes use of numerous sensor types fixed or embedded in the structure. The benefits that the structural health monitoring system provides are the major factor driving the market growth.

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Structural health monitoring offers a useful tool for making sure safety and integrity and detecting the evolution of damage. It has advantages such as improving the performance, functionality, and safety of current structures and determining a structure's ability to withstand earthquakes.

Monitoring and evaluating structural conditions is useful for timely and affordable maintenance. It reduces building work as a result and increases maintenance activity. Data on the realistic performance of structures is collected through the structural health monitoring technique. In the near future, this data may be used to create better structures. Thus, the market expansion will primarily be fueled by all of the advantages provided by the structural health monitoring technique.

Key Takeaways: Structural Health Monitoring Market

By component, the software segment is anticipated to account for the leading share of around 40% in 2022 while the hardware segment is estimated to grow at the highest CAGR of 17.6% through 2032.

through 2032. By type, the wireless SHM system segment is expected to grow at a highest CAGR of 14.8% between 2022 & 2032

between 2022 & 2032 By application, the vessels and platforms segment is anticipated to grow at a CAGR of 19.0% during the forecast period.

during the forecast period. South Asia and Pacific structural health monitoring market is expected to progress at the highest CAGR of around 17.8% through 2032.

and Pacific structural health monitoring market is expected to progress at the highest CAGR of around through 2032. The structural health monitoring market in Japan is expected to grow at a CAGR of around 18.6% through 2032.

is expected to grow at a CAGR of around through 2032. In India , sales of structural health monitoring systems are expected to grow at a CAGR of close to 19.9% over the next ten years.

"Demand for structural health monitoring is increasing in monitoring of bridges and dams because dam monitoring instrumentation plays an important role in security monitoring for people and dams, offering important details on the performance of the dam and detecting issues at an early and preventable step. says FMI analyst.

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Growing Infrastructural Development and Increasing Concerns Associated with Natural Calamities are the Major Factors Driving the Market Growth

Growing infrastructural development and increasing concerns related with natural calamities are the important factors increasing the growth of the structural health monitoring market. The industry is expected to develop because of the increasing demand for cost effective maintenance and construction.

Large constructions, like bridges, dams, buildings, and other structures, must be restored and monitored throughout their lives. For monitoring the structural integrity of these structures, people use solutions like stricture health monitoring.

Adoption of structural health monitoring can lower the price of maintenance and repairs and help in reducing fatalities especially during earthquakes, cyclones, and strong winds.

More Valuable Insights on Structural Health Monitoring Market

Future Market Insight's report on the structural health monitoring research is segmented into four major sections  component (hardware (sensors, data acquisition system, and others)), (software (design and analysis, parameter identification and tracking, and others)), (service (installation service, design and consulting service, and operation and maintenance service)), type (wired SHM system, and wireless SHM system), application (bridges and dams, buildings and stadiums, vessels and platforms, airframes and wind turbines and large machines and equipments), and region (North America, Latin America, Europe, East Asia, South Asia & Pacific, and the Middle East & Africa), to help readers understand and evaluate lucrative opportunities in the structural health monitoring outlook.

Key Players:

Nova Metrix LLC

Campbell Scientific, Inc.

COWI

Geocomp Corporation

Acellent Technologies, Inc.

Sixense

Pure Technologies (Xylem, Inc.)

Digitex

SGS SA

Kinematrics

GEOKON

National Instruments Corporation

Others

About Electronics, Semiconductor and ICT Division at Future Market Insights

Expert analysis, strategic recommendations and actionable insights- the electronics, semiconductors, and ICT team at Future Market Insights helps clients from all over the globe with their unique business intelligence needs. With a repository of over 500 reports on electronics, semiconductors, & ICT, of which 100+ reports are specifically on software, the team provides end-to-end research and analysis on regional trends, drivers for market growth, and research development efforts in the electronics, semiconductors, and ICT industry.

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Table of Content

1. Executive Summary

1.1. Global Market Outlook

1.2. Demand Side Trends

1.3. Supply Side Trends

1.4. Analysis and Recommendations

2. Market Overview

2.1. Market Coverage / Taxonomy

2.2. Market Definition / Scope / Limitations

3. Key Market Trends

3.1. Key Trends Impacting the Market

3.2. Product Innovation / Development Trends

4. Pricing Analysis

4.1. Structural Health Monitoring Market, Pricing Models

4.2. Global Average Pricing Analysis Benchmark

Have a Look at Technology Domain Related Research Reports:

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Managed Infrastructure Services Market Growth : The global managed infrastructure services market is expected to reach a valuation of US$ 82,450 Million in 2022.

Residential Robotic Vacuum Cleaner Market Outlook : The global residential robotic vacuum cleaner market revenue totaled ~US$ 2,275.4 Bn in 2021 and it is likely to touch a valuation of US$ 2,511.9 Mn in 2022.

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Buy Now Pay Later Platform Market Share: Buy Now Pay Later Platform Market Demand Outlook 2016-2020 Compared to 2021-2031 Forecast

About Future Market Insights, Inc.

Future Market Insights, Inc. is an ESOMAR-certified business consulting & market research firm, a member of the Greater New York Chamber of Commerce and is headquartered in Delaware, USA. A recipient of Clutch Leaders Award 2022 on account of high client score (4.9/5), we have been collaborating with global enterprises in their business transformation journey and helping them deliver on their business ambitions. 80% of the largest Forbes 1000 enterprises are our clients. We serve global clients across all leading & niche market segments across all major industries.

Contact:

Future Market Insights, Inc.

Christiana Corporate, 200 Continental Drive,

Suite 401, Newark, Delaware - 19713, USA

T: +1-845-579-5705

Enquiries: [email protected]

Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1197648/FMI_Logo.jpg

SOURCE Future Market Insights, Inc.
BANGALORE, India, Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Telecom Tower Power System Market is Segmented By Component (Rectifiers, Batteries, Controllers, Inverters), By Power Distribution Unit (Generator, Others), By Product Type (On-Grid, Off-Grid), By Power Source (Diesel Diesel-Solar, Diesel-Battery, Diesel-Wind, Others), By Application (Macro BTS and Outdoor Distributed BTS, Enterprise Network, Data Center) : Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2021-2028. It is published in Valuates Reports under the Networking Category.

Telecom Tower Power System market size is projected to reach USD 5,517 million by 2028, from USD 3,489 million in 2021, at a CAGR of 6.76% during 2022-2028.

Major factors driving the growth of the Telecom Tower Power System Market

The global demand for energy-efficient power systems is responsible for the Telecom Tower Power System market growth. Furthermore, the global rollout of 5G technology in recent years has constantly raised the need for telecom tower power systems.

The key drivers of this Telecom Tower Power System market growth are an increase in the number of telecom infrastructure in rural areas, rising use of telecom services and high data traffic, growing adoption of hybrid power systems, growing awareness of the need to reduce the carbon footprint of telecom power systems, rising technological advancements in cellular networks, rising use of GaN-based power devices with the development of 5G technology, and surging demand for advanced telecom infrastructure.

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TRENDS INFLUENCING THE GROWTH OF THE GLOBAL TELECOM TOWER POWER SYSTEM MARKET

Every Telecom ground system must include emergency power. Calls are dropped and data flow is disrupted while ground equipment is reset when a communication or cell phone site loses power, even briefly. The system is also vulnerable to startup-related faults. Uninterruptible power is provided to address this problem via emergency generators and battery backup systems. This factor is expected to increase the growth of the Telecom Tower Power System Market.

In terms of networking modes, product shapes, and performance criteria, 5G network construction is very different from 4G. Because 5G hardware consumes between two and four times more power than 4G, building site infrastructure faces previously unheard-of difficulties. To address the energy difficulties posed by 5G, thorough research and creative 5G energy solutions are required. A totally mobile, fully linked smart era will usher in the 5G era. There will be an increase in links and communication among individuals, among individuals and objects, and among objects. The increase in power usage by 5G networks will result in an increase in overall energy consumption, thereby driving the Telecom Tower Power System Market.

Furthermore, the reliance on the telecom and data center infrastructure is growing as a result of the fast expanding cloud sector and the present movement in lifestyle toward working and studying from home. Data centers must run continuously, ideally through all power outages, to guarantee business continuity. Telecommunications companies are vying to become the main force behind the network transformation and service revolution as a result of the advent of the 5G network. In order to support large machine-type communication, ultra-low latency, and high data rates, service providers must alter their infrastructure. This factor is expected to drive the Telecom Tower Power System Market.

Browse The Table Of Contents And List Of Figures

MARKET SHARE TELECOM TOWER POWER SYSTEM MARKET

DieselA battery power source is expected to be the most lucrative. For off-grid and bad-grid locations, a diesel-battery power source is employed when the fuel consumption is particularly high. Because it is the most widely used and conventional power source and can function even when there is not enough wind or sunshine, unlike unconventional diesel-solar and diesel-wind power sources, the diesel-battery power source has the biggest market share.

Generators are expected to be the most lucrative segment. Because diesel-powered generators are the most popular portable power sources, they now account for the biggest market share.

The Asia Pacific is expected to be the most lucrative, due to a large number of mobile subscribers, and telecom service end users will be increasing.

Get Regional Data

Key Players:

ABB

Schneider Electric

Delta Electronics

Vertiv

STMicroelectronics

Indus Towers

Bharti Infratel

Huawei Technologies

Eaton Corporation

ComAp

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SOURCE Valuates Reports
Texas-Based Organization Celebrates 40th Anniversary and Honors New Business Legends

HOUSTON, Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Texas Business Hall of Fame Foundation (TBHF) will honor six inductees for its 40th Anniversary Induction Dinner:

John Arnold ( Houston ), Founder of Centaurus Capital LP, an energy-focused, family office investment fund, and Arnold Ventures, a philanthropy dedicated to investing in evidence-based solutions

( ), Founder of Centaurus Capital LP, an energy-focused, family office investment fund, and Arnold Ventures, a philanthropy dedicated to investing in evidence-based solutions Ric Campo ( Houston ), Co-founder and Chief Executive Office of Camden Property Group

( ), Co-founder and Chief Executive Office of Camden Property Group Thomas O. Hicks ( Dallas ), Chairman, Founder and Partner of Hicks Holdings LLC, and co-founder of pioneering private equity firm Hicks, Tate, Muse & Furst

( ), Chairman, Founder and Partner of Hicks Holdings LLC, and co-founder of pioneering private equity firm Hicks, Tate, Muse & Furst Jeffery D. Hildebrand ( Houston ), the Executive Chairman and Founder of Hilcorp Energy Company, Harvest Midstream Company and JDH Capital

( ), the Executive Chairman and Founder of Hilcorp Energy Company, Harvest Midstream Company and JDH Capital Paul W. Hobby ( Houston ), Founding Partner of Genesis Park and GP Capital

( ), Founding Partner of Genesis Park and GP Capital Whitney Wolfe Herd ( Dallas ), Founder and CEO of Bumble, Inc., the parent company that operates Badoo, Fruitz, and Bumble

Presented by Texas Capital Bank, the induction dinner will be hosted in Houston on Thursday, November 3rd, at Hilton Americas.

"The Texas Business Hall of Fame is pleased to honor its six inductees for 2022. Inductees are recognized as trailblazers in business and exemplary leaders who have made significant contributions in their local communities, through both philanthropic and civic engagement. Although inductees can be nominated by anyone from the general public, they are selected by their peers and determined by a majority vote by Hall of Fame members," said TBHF Chair Amanda Brock.

In addition to recognizing six extraordinary business leaders this year, the Texas Business Hall of Fame is awarding forty-four $15,000 prizes to scholars and veterans who have demonstrated an exceptional inclination to build a business in Texas and better their community. Recipients are identified through TBHF's higher-education partners, veteran incubator programs, and innovation centers across the state.

"The selection process, combined with the organization's emphasis on both economic and social impact makes this one of the most prestigious business honors in the state," said TBHF Legend and the 2022 Master of Ceremonies, Richard Fisher (former President, Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas).

For guests interested in attending the dinner, tickets can be purchased online from The Texas Business Hall of Fame's website, texasbusiness.org.

About Texas Business Hall of Fame:

The Texas Business Hall of Fame Foundation honors the accomplishments and contributions of outstanding business leaders in our state by celebrating and telling their story. These stories, and the business Legends behind them, perpetuate the notion and ideal of the transformational business leader with an unparalleled commitment to enterprise, excellence, and community. In addition to recognizing six extraordinary business leaders each year, the Texas Business Hall of Fame awards forty $15,000 awards to scholars and veterans who have demonstrated an early inclination for entrepreneurship. Texas Business Hall of Fame inductees (referred to as Legends) and the emerging leaders it supports are recognized at its annual Texas Business Hall of Fame Induction Dinner.

For more information, visit https://texasbusiness.org

SOURCE Texas Business Hall of Fame
As a part of ADA's Health Equity Now Platform sponsored by the Baxter Foundation

ARLINGTON, Va., Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The American Diabetes Association (ADA) and Dion's Chicago Dream have teamed up to provide healthy fruits and vegetables to Chicago families in the south side of Chicago. With over 3 million people living in Illinois, 34 percent having pre-diabetes and nearly 1 million people living with diabetes, this innovative way of thinking will allow more people to adopt a healthy way of eating. Many neighborhoods in the United States, particularly those in low-income areas, have been named "food deserts" because residents do not live near supermarkets or other food retailers that carry affordable and nutritious food.

The ADA Teams Up With Dions Chicago Dream to Combat Food Insecurity in Metro Chicago Area

"This groundbreaking partnership with Dion's Chicago Dream embedded within the Chicago community allows the ADA to meet people where they are," said Charles D. Henderson, CEO of the American Diabetes Association. "The organization's model of delivering healthy food options door-to-door will impact health outcomes in a positive way, for those at risk for and living with diabetes. Low-income residents of these neighborhoods and those who lack transportation rely more on smaller neighborhood stores that may not carry healthy foods or may offer them only at much higher prices. This partnership will be a game changer and a model to replicate across the United States."

By challenging food delivery services, we can combat the approximately 20% of Americans living with diabetes who are food insecure, a rate twice as high as that of the general population. The ADA's Health Equity Now platform was created in part to ensure that everyone, no matter their race, gender, zip code, income, or education level, has access to basic human rights.

"Health equity now says it all. Now is the time to look at not only what we are doing, but how we are doing it," said Dion Dawson, founder of Dion's Chicago Dream. "Dion's Chicago Dream is anchored in quality and access, to help change the tides of social determinants of health. Food insecurity can be eradicated. Food justice can be achieved, and this partnership gets us one step closer to that. Dream Deliveries removes the uncertainty residents are facing with access to quality produce, and our bi-weekly touch points show them that we are up for the challenge."

To learn more about ADA's Health Equity Now Platform and Bill of Rights Article #2, visit diabetes.org/HealthEquityNow.

About the American Diabetes Association

The American Diabetes Association (ADA) is the nation's leading voluntary health organization fighting to bend the curve on the diabetes epidemic and help people living with diabetes thrive. For 82 years, the ADA has driven discovery and research to treat, manage, and prevent diabetes while working relentlessly for a cure. Through advocacy, program development, and education we aim to improve the quality of life for the over 133 million Americans living with diabetes or prediabetes. Diabetes has brought us together. What we do next will make us Connected for Life. To learn more or to get involved, visit us at diabetes.org or call 1-800-DIABETES (1-800-342-2383). Join the fight with us on Facebook (American Diabetes Association), Spanish Facebook (Asociacion Americana de la Diabetes), LinkedIn (American Diabetes Association), Twitter (@AmDiabetesAssn), and Instagram (@AmDiabetesAssn).

About Dion's Chicago Dream

Dion's Chicago Dream is a Chicago-based nonprofit organization that delivers weekly boxes of high-quality fruits and vegetables to thousands of Chicagoland residents who would not otherwise have reliable access to fresh, healthy food. Dion's Chicago Dream is committed to feeding families, creating community and fueling hope. Consistent access to nutritious food gives people the best chance at a healthy life. It is a right that all people deserve to enjoy.

Contact: Daisy Diaz, 703-253-4807

[email protected]

SOURCE American Diabetes Association
Communication Awards for Startups Opens Call for Entries with $1M+ In Prizes

SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Otto Awards, the world's most valuable communications prize for startups, began accepting applications today for its flagship awards program. Startups will compete for a chance to win a curated selection of professional services that support the growth of their business. Ten awards will be given, each valued at over $100,000. There is no cost to apply.

A highly accredited panel of Otto Awards judges will select winners who have made exceptional use of narrative to promote their entrepreneurial vision. Applicants can submit pitch decks, websites, videos and/or articles to demonstrate their ability to communicate their company's story.

Announcing the launch of the world's most valuable startup communications awards. Free to apply, over $1m in prizes. Tweet this

"Startups succeed by inspiring external audiences, whether it's customers, investors, or potential employees," says Otto Pohl, founder of The Otto Awards. "We want to reward the founders with exceptional communications talent, and also use these awards to showcase these skills to other entrepreneurs."

"Storytelling is what drives customer engagement in today's world, and that directly translates to business success," says Steve Clayton, Microsoft's VP of Global Public Affairs and an Otto Awards judge. "It's powerful for businesses of all sizes, and one of the most powerful tools available to early-stage entrepreneurs."

Two winners will be selected in each of the five categories: B2B, B2C, Cleantech, Fintech and Healthcare. Within each category, there will be a winner for earlier-stage companies (zero or early-stage funding), and one for later-stage companies (up to $20m raised). Deadline to submit for the inaugural awards is November 13.

"Science has proven that while words tell, stories sell," says Justin Sternberg, Storytelling Executive at Snap and Otto Awards judge. "From my perspective as a TV writer, MBA professor and storytelling executive in tech, there's no better way to put your ideas into the world than by unlocking Hollywood's secrets to deliver blockbuster results."

In addition to Clayton and Sternberg, the judging panel will include Andy Kaplan, former president of Sony Pictures Worldwide; David Hornik, founding partner of Lobby Capital; Aditi Roy, Emmy award-winning journalist from CNBC, ABC; Rachel Konrad, the first head of communications at Tesla; and more. Winners will be announced December 6.

This year's Otto Awards are sponsored by some of the best service providers available to startups, including:

Gunderson Dettmer , preeminent innovation economy law firm.

, preeminent innovation economy law firm. Headstand , the leading Silicon Valley startup PR agency.

, the leading Silicon Valley startup PR agency. Blue Egg , branding and design agency.

, branding and design agency. Shareability , interactive storytelling consultancy and studio.

, interactive storytelling consultancy and studio. InboundAV , business growth through smart marketing.

, business growth through smart marketing. Core Communications , boutique communications service for startups

, boutique communications service for startups Figure , Figure Equity Solutions is a leading cap table and equity management platform.

, Figure Equity Solutions is a leading cap table and equity management platform. Sprchrgr , finance, strategy, and accounting consulting firm.

, finance, strategy, and accounting consulting firm. Endrock , data-driven growth agency for DTC brands.

, data-driven growth agency for DTC brands. Hubspot, top CRM platform.

For more information, to nominate a startup, or to enter your company, please visit www.ottoawards.com.

About The Otto Awards

The Otto Awards are the world's most valuable communications awards for startups. Ten awards are granted to companies with under $20m in total funding. There is no cost to apply, and each winner receives a curated professional services package valued at over $100,000 from some of the most prestigious companies serving the startup industry. Judges hail from companies including Microsoft, Tesla, Uber, Google, CNBC, Sony, and others. The awards were named after Otto Pohl, a leading entrepreneurial communications consultant and advocate for the importance of storytelling for startups. For more information, please visit www.ottoawards.com.

Media Inquiries

Talia Scribner

[email protected]

SOURCE Otto Awards LLC
NEW YORK, Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- After a record-breaking event in New York City this past September, Blockworks' Digital Asset Summit (DAS) is heading to London for the second installation of this semi-annual event. DAS: London will be held at the Royal Lancaster Hotel October 17-18, 2022. Similarly to the NYC-based event, a record number of investors are expected to attend, as governments and institutions alike recognize the impact and maturation of digital assets.

"The pipeline for institutions entering crypto is stronger than ever," says Blockworks Co-Founder Michael Ippolito. "Once banks and asset managers have committed to an asset class, they don't get scared by market dips. In fact, more often they view them as entry points and that is exactly what we're seeing today."

DAS: London will bring together financial institutions, family offices, financial advisers, investment banks, crypto protocols, exchanges, RIAs, hedge funds, prime brokers, venture capitalists and other industry professionals to discuss the evolution of the digital asset class and its macro investment status.

More than 700 institutions and 300 funds representing $800 billion in assets under management will be in attendance to hear from over 100 speakers, including:

Morgan Stanley, Head of Digital Asset Markets

Aave, Founder & CEO

Jane Street , Crypto Institutional Sales & Trading

, Crypto Institutional Sales & Trading Binance, Head of VIP & Institutional

Valkyrie, Co-Founder & CEO

Coinbase, Head of Institutional Sales EMEA

S&P Global Ratings, Chief DeFi Officer

London Stock Exchange Group, Director of Emerging Technology

The past two years of sold-out attendance and the industry's rapid growth prompted Blockworks to expand the topics covered during the two-day conference, which include:

Crypto's Institutional Lending Market

Institutional Access to DeFi

Bailouts: Crypto's Financial Crisis

Burning Bridges: Addressing Cross-Chain Hacks and DeFi Security

Regulatory Clouds on the Horizon

Building the Infrastructure for Institutional Crypto Adoption

Through fireside chats, panels and networking opportunitiesincluding an exclusive dinner for VIP guests and speakers, and an after-party open to all attendeesguests will have access to unparalleled insights shared by leaders from both traditional finance and the crypto ecosystem.

Thanks to the Diamond Sponsors for making this event possible: BCB Group, Coinbase, Copper.co. Fireblocks, Ledger Enterprise, LMAX Digital

Emerald Sponsors: Bequant, Bullish, Lukka, Matrixport, Nansen, OKX

Platinum Sponsors: Bloomberg, Bosonic, Coincover, Crypto.com, Earn API by Tesseract, Elliptic, Eventus, Figment, Gemini, Kaiko, Kiln, Metamask Institutional, Nuant, Talos, TradeStation Crypto, Voltz

Gold Sponsors: Blockfills, Chainalysis, CME Group, Crystal Blockchain, Kraken, SOMA.finance, The Tie, TRM Labs, Zodia Markets

About Blockworks

Blockworks is a financial media brand that delivers breaking news and premium insights about digital assets to millions of investors. Blockworks is the host of the Digital Asset Summits (DAS), the leading conferences for institutional investors looking at digital assets.

Contact:

Julie Muroff

[email protected]

SOURCE Blockworks
Maine-based community bank with over $7 billion in assets to provide award-winning Banking-as-a-Service offering to the financial services industry

SAN FRANCISCO and BANGOR, Maine, Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Treasury Prime , a leading Banking-as-a-Service (BaaS) company, today announced a partnership with Bangor Savings Bank to deliver its award-winning BaaS offerings to the bank and companies it partners with in the financial services industry.

By partnering with Treasury Prime, Bangor Savings Bank will be able to work with businesses to allow them to embed financial services into their platforms. For the Bank, this translates into expanded revenue opportunities and low-cost deposits. The addition of Bangor Savings Bank brings the total banks in the Treasury Prime bank network to 14, a key differentiator in the crowded BaaS market.

The addition of Bangor brings the total banks in Treasury Prime's network to 14, a key differentiator in the BaaS market Tweet this

"Bangor Savings Bank's long-held culture of innovation and deep technical experience makes them an ideal partner. By adding Bangor Savings to our one-of-a-kind network of banks, we'll be able to help them quickly and cost-effectively support financial service partners" said Chris Dean, co-founder and CEO of Treasury Prime. "For enterprises, this partnership means even greater flexibility as they look to innovate and scale."

Bangor Savings Bank is one of first banks on the Jack Henry core to leverage Treasury Prime's BaaS offerings. News of this partnership comes just days after Treasury Prime announced similar relationships with another Jack Henry core bank, FB Financial Corp (FirstBank) and Third Coast Bank.

"We are thrilled to be part of the fintech movement and support the innovation and value they provide, while playing a vital part to ensure their success," said Jamey Doughty, Chief Innovation Officer of Bangor Savings Bank. "Through this relationship the Bank can further support the good work of these financial partners by providing them with banking services to have an even broader community impact through their efforts."

For more information about Treasury Prime and to learn more about its BaaS network, visit https://www.treasuryprime.com/ .

 About Treasury Prime

Treasury Prime is building the future of finance. Leveraging its award-winning APIs and versatile Banking as a Service (BaaS) products, Treasury Prime enables fintechs, banks and corporate partners to innovate, adapt, grow and scale to stay competitive in a rapidly changing marketplace. The company helps fintechs with a range of complex services including money transfer, risk mitigation and access to a chartered bank's infrastructure. Treasury Prime works with forward-thinking banks to extend their boundaries, helping to grow topline revenue and lower the cost of deposits. Treasury Prime was named Best Banking-as-a-Service Platform in the Tearsheet Embedded Awards 2021 and named to CB Insights' annual 2021 Fintech 250 list.

About Bangor Savings Bank

Bangor Savings Bank, with more than $7 billion in assets, offers retail banking to consumers as well as comprehensive commercial, corporate, payroll administration, merchant services, and small business banking services to businesses. The Bank, founded in 1852, is in its 170th year and currently has more than 65 branches in Maine and New Hampshire and business and/or loan production offices in Maine, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts. Bangor Savings Bank and The Bangor Savings Bank Foundation have invested more than $3.4 million into the community in the form of sponsorships, grants, and partnership initiatives last year. Bangor Savings Bank is an equal opportunity employer and can be found on the Web at www.bangor.com. Member FDIC | Equal Housing Lender.

SOURCE Treasury Prime
HO CHI MINH CITY, Vietnam, Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Vinamilk , Vietnam's leading dairy manufacturer has reached a new milestone by being ranked 6th position in the Top 10 Most Valuable Dairy Brands by Brand Finance.

Brand Finance offered Vinamilks brand value certificate to the companys representative Vinamilks brand value growth (2019  2022) Vinamilks recent activities in Australia Fine Food trade fair

The US$2.8 billion valuation this year sees an impressive 18% increase as compared to 2021, reaffirms Vinamilk's leading position. Specifically, in the dairy segment, the brand was ranked the Most Potential Dairy Brand and continues to appear in the Top 5 Strongest Dairy Brands, coming in 2nd place  a remarkable result for Vinamilk as the only Southeast Asia representative in the Top 10 ranking for both brand value and strength. Vinamilk also leaves its footprint in major Food rankings such as Top 30 Most Valuable Food Brands and Top 10 Strongest Food Brands.

Furthermore, according to the nationwide report, Brand Finance also recognized Vinamilk as the Most Valuable Food Brand in Vietnam.

"The significant role of the brand is well aware by Vinamilk throughout the development of the company, especially in F&B and the dairy industry in particular. Throughout our 46-year journey, Vinamilk has continuously built the company's brand value in accordance to our core pillars - product quality, service and our reputation amongst consumers", said Mrs. Bui Thi Huong, Vinamilk Chief Director of Admin, HR & PR.

She also believes Vietnamese businesses will focus and put all their effort in achieving higher rankings on global rankings, affirming the position and value of Vietnamese national brands.

Every year, Brand Finance puts 5,000 of the world's biggest brands in 29 industries throughout 39 countries under its test. With an integrated measurement method, considering various brand factors such as impact, health and reputation, investment and others combined with financial and survey data, the annual Food and Drink report published by Brand Finance provides brand health assessments in a transparent, fair and objective manner.

The changes when compared to Brand Finance's 2021 report suggest that brands that invest in intrinsic strength, as well as focus on core values and long-term vision, are more likely to overcome uncertainty in turbulent times, and are developing further through innovation and continuity to meet growing consumer needs.

Vinamilk's investments have also been positively recognized by other local and international organizations. The Brand Footprint 2022 report published by Worldpanel, Kantar signified Vinamilk's decade-long achievements in maintaining leading positions in the Top 10 Most Chosen Dairy Brands in Vietnam.

In addition, Vinamilk was also honored for the 10th consecutive time in Forbes Vietnam's 50 Best Listed Companies and has been recognized as one of "Vietnam Value" brands by VIETRADE since 2010.

Present in 57 countries and territories with a total accumulated export turnover of US$2.75 billion, Vinamilk continues to research and develop new products to increase its penetration to key export markets.

Since the beginning of 2022, the company has actively participated in a number of international trade activities and food fairs in China, Dubai, Japan, South Korea, and Australia to introduce Vinamilk's range of products, as well as seeking opportunities for its international expansion.

About Vinamilk

Founded in 1976, Vinamilk is the leading dairy company in Vietnam which is listed among the Top 40 largest nutrition companies in the world by revenue and Top 10 of the world's most valuable dairy brands. Vinamilk currently manages 17 factories, 15 dairy farms in Vietnam and overseas.

SOURCE Vinamilk
NEW YORK, Sept. 28, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The waste heat recovery market size is expected to grow by USD 24.30 billion from 2021 to 2026. In addition, the growth momentum of the market will accelerate at a CAGR of 7.54% during the forecast period, according to Technavio. The rise in industrialization in BRICS is driving the waste heat recovery market growth. However, factors such as concerns related to fouling in waste heat recovery systems may challenge the market growth.

Technavio has announced its latest market research report titled Global Waste Heat Recovery Market 2022-2026

Get a comprehensive report summary that describes the market size and forecast along with research methodology. The FREE sample report is available in PDF format

Waste Heat Recovery Market 2022-2026: Scope

The waste heat recovery market report covers the following areas:

Waste Heat Recovery Market 2022-2026: Vendor Analysis

We provide a detailed analysis of around 25 vendors operating in the waste heat recovery market, including ABB Ltd., Alfa Laval Corporate AB, ALSTOM SA, Cannon Spa, Clean Energy Technologies Inc., Econotherm Ltd, Forbes Marshall Pvt. Ltd, General Electric Co, GEA Group Aktiengesellschaft, KNM Group Berhad, John Wood Group PLC, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd., Ormat Technologies Inc., Muhibbah Engineering (M) Bhd, Promec Engineering Ltd., Robert Bosch GmbH, Questor Technology Inc., Thermax Ltd, Siemens AG, and Transparent Energy Systems Pvt. Ltd.

This report provides a list of key vendors, their strategies, and the latest developments. Buy Now to gain exclusive access to vendor information

Waste Heat Recovery Market 2022-2026: Segmentation

End-user

Chemical: The chemical segment will be the largest contributor to market growth during the forecast period. The chemical industry includes the production of petrochemicals, polymers, pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals, fertilizers, and dyes, which involves high-temperature processes that release a huge amount of waste heat. The organic and inorganic chemical production processes are energy-intensive and consume significant electrical and thermal energy. Thus, the rise in the need for waste heat recovery systems helps save costs and energy.



Petroleum Refining



Paper



Commercial And Institutional



Others

Geography

North America : North America will account for 32% of the market's growth during the forecast period. This growth is attributed to factors such as the rising number of measures toward energy conservation. Moreover, this region will grow at a slower rate than other regions. The US is the key country for the waste heat recovery market in North America .

: will account for 32% of the market's growth during the forecast period. This growth is attributed to factors such as the rising number of measures toward energy conservation. Moreover, this region will grow at a slower rate than other regions. The US is the key country for the waste heat recovery market in .

Europe



APAC



Middle East And Africa



South America

Learn about the contribution of each segment of the market. View a FREE PDF Sample Report

Waste Heat Recovery Market 2022-2026: Key Highlights

CAGR of the market during 2022-2026

Detailed information on factors that will help the waste heat recovery market grow during the next five years

Approximation of the waste heat recovery market size and its contribution to the parent market

Forecasts on upcoming trends and changes in consumer behavior

The growth of the waste heat recovery market

Analysis of the market's competitive landscape and detailed information on vendors

Comprehensive details of factors that will challenge the growth of waste heat recovery market vendors

Related Reports

Waste Sorting Robots Market by End-user, Geography, and Application - Forecast and Analysis 2022-2026: The waste sorting robots market share is expected to grow by USD 8.70 from 2021 to 2026.

Pumps Market in Water and Wastewater Treatment Sector Market by Application, Type, and Geography - Forecast and Analysis 2022-2026: The size of the pumps market in the water and wastewater treatment sector is expected to increase by USD 5.65 billion from 2021 to 2026.

Waste Heat Recovery Market Scope Report Coverage Details Page number 120 Base year 2021 Forecast period 2022-2026 Growth momentum & CAGR Accelerate at a CAGR of 7.54% Market growth 2022-2026 USD 24.30 billion Market structure Fragmented YoY growth (%) 6.72 Regional analysis North America, Europe, APAC, Middle East and Africa, and South America Performing market contribution North America at 32% Key consumer countries US, China, Japan, South Korea, and Germany Competitive landscape Leading companies, competitive strategies, consumer engagement scope Companies profiled ABB Ltd., Alfa Laval Corporate AB, ALSTOM SA, Cannon Spa, Clean Energy Technologies Inc., Econotherm Ltd, Forbes Marshall Pvt. Ltd, GEA Group Aktiengesellschaft, General Electric Co, John Wood Group PLC, KNM Group Berhad, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd., Muhibbah Engineering (M) Bhd, Ormat Technologies Inc., Promec Engineering Ltd., Questor Technology Inc., Robert Bosch GmbH, Siemens AG, Thermax Ltd, and Transparent Energy Systems Pvt. 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 Industrials Market 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 End-user



Exhibit 06: Executive Summary  Chart on Incremental Growth



Exhibit 07: Executive Summary  Data Table on Incremental Growth



Exhibit 08: Executive Summary  Chart on Vendor Market Positioning

2 Market Landscape

2.1 Market ecosystem

Exhibit 09: Parent market



Exhibit 10: Market Characteristics

3 Market Sizing

3.1 Market definition

Exhibit 11: Offerings of vendors included in the market definition

3.2 Market segment analysis

Exhibit 12: Market segments

3.3 Market size 2021

3.4 Market outlook: Forecast for 2021-2026

Exhibit 13: Chart on Global - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 14: Data Table on Global - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 15: Chart on Global Market: Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)



Exhibit 16: Data Table on Global Market: Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

4 Five Forces Analysis

4.1 Five forces summary

Exhibit 17: Five forces analysis - Comparison between 2021 and 2026

4.2 Bargaining power of buyers

Exhibit 18: Chart on Bargaining power of buyers  Impact of key factors 2021 and 2026

4.3 Bargaining power of suppliers

Exhibit 19: Bargaining power of suppliers  Impact of key factors in 2021 and 2026

4.4 Threat of new entrants

Exhibit 20: Threat of new entrants  Impact of key factors in 2021 and 2026

4.5 Threat of substitutes

Exhibit 21: Threat of substitutes  Impact of key factors in 2021 and 2026

4.6 Threat of rivalry

Exhibit 22: Threat of rivalry  Impact of key factors in 2021 and 2026

4.7 Market condition

Exhibit 23: Chart on Market condition - Five forces 2021 and 2026

5 Market Segmentation by End-user

5.1 Market segments

Exhibit 24: Chart on End-user - Market share 2021-2026 (%)



Exhibit 25: Data Table on End-user - Market share 2021-2026 (%)

5.2 Comparison by End-user

Exhibit 26: Chart on Comparison by End-user



Exhibit 27: Data Table on Comparison by End-user

5.3 Chemical - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

Exhibit 28: Chart on Chemical - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 29: Data Table on Chemical - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 30: Chart on Chemical - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)



Exhibit 31: Data Table on Chemical - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

5.4 Petroleum refining - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

Exhibit 32: Chart on Petroleum refining - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 33: Data Table on Petroleum refining - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 34: Chart on Petroleum refining - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)



Exhibit 35: Data Table on Petroleum refining - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

5.5 Paper - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

Exhibit 36: Chart on Paper - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 37: Data Table on Paper - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 38: Chart on Paper - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)



Exhibit 39: Data Table on Paper - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

5.6 Commercial and institutional - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

Exhibit 40: Chart on Commercial and institutional - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 41: Data Table on Commercial and institutional - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 42: Chart on Commercial and institutional - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)



Exhibit 43: Data Table on Commercial and institutional - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

5.7 Others - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

Exhibit 44: Chart on Others - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 45: Data Table on Others - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 46: Chart on Others - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)



Exhibit 47: Data Table on Others - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

5.8 Market opportunity by End-user

Exhibit 48: Market opportunity by End-user ($ million)

6 Customer Landscape

6.1 Customer landscape overview

Exhibit 49: Analysis of price sensitivity, lifecycle, customer purchase basket, adoption rates, and purchase criteria

7 Geographic Landscape

7.1 Geographic segmentation

Exhibit 50: Chart on Market share by geography 2021-2026 (%)



Exhibit 51: Data Table on Market share by geography 2021-2026 (%)

7.2 Geographic comparison

Exhibit 52: Chart on Geographic comparison



Exhibit 53: Data Table on Geographic comparison

7.3 North America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 54: Chart on North America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 55: Data Table on North America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 56: Chart on North America - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

- Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

Exhibit 57: Data Table on North America - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

7.4 Europe - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 58: Chart on Europe - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 59: Data Table on Europe - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 60: Chart on Europe - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

- Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

Exhibit 61: Data Table on Europe - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

7.5 APAC - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

Exhibit 62: Chart on APAC - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 63: Data Table on APAC - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 64: Chart on APAC - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)



Exhibit 65: Data Table on APAC - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

7.6 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 (%)

7.7 South America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 70: Chart on South America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 71: Data Table on South America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 72: Chart on South America - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

- Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

Exhibit 73: Data Table on South America - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

7.8 US - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

Exhibit 74: Chart on US - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 75: Data Table on US - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 76: Chart on US - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)



Exhibit 77: Data Table on US - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

7.9 China - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 78: Chart on China - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 79: Data Table on China - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 80: Chart on China - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

- Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

Exhibit 81: Data Table on China - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

7.10 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 (%)

7.11 Germany - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 86: Chart on Germany - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 87: Data Table on Germany - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 88: Chart on Germany - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

- Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

Exhibit 89: Data Table on Germany - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

7.12 South Korea - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 90: Chart on South Korea - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 91: Data Table on South Korea - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 92: Chart on South Korea - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

- Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

Exhibit 93: Data Table on South Korea - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

7.13 Market opportunity by geography

Exhibit 94: Market opportunity by geography ($ million)

8 Drivers, Challenges, and Trends

8.1 Market drivers

8.2 Market challenges

8.3 Impact of drivers and challenges

Exhibit 95: Impact of drivers and challenges in 2021 and 2026

8.4 Market trends

9 Vendor Landscape

9.1 Overview

9.2 Vendor landscape

Exhibit 96: Overview on Criticality of inputs and Factors of differentiation

9.3 Landscape disruption

Exhibit 97: Overview on factors of disruption

9.4 Industry risks

Exhibit 98: Impact of key risks on business

10 Vendor Analysis

10.1 Vendors covered

Exhibit 99: Vendors covered

10.2 Market positioning of vendors

Exhibit 100: Matrix on vendor position and classification

10.3 ABB Ltd.

Exhibit 101: ABB Ltd. - Overview



Exhibit 102: ABB Ltd. - Business segments



Exhibit 103: ABB Ltd. - Key offerings



Exhibit 104: ABB Ltd. - Segment focus

10.4 Alfa Laval Corporate AB

Exhibit 105: Alfa Laval Corporate AB - Overview



Exhibit 106: Alfa Laval Corporate AB - Business segments



Exhibit 107: Alfa Laval Corporate AB - Key news



Exhibit 108: Alfa Laval Corporate AB - Key offerings



Exhibit 109: Alfa Laval Corporate AB - Segment focus

10.5 Clean Energy Technologies Inc.

Exhibit 110: Clean Energy Technologies Inc. - Overview



Exhibit 111: Clean Energy Technologies Inc. - Business segments



Exhibit 112: Clean Energy Technologies Inc. - Key offerings



Exhibit 113: Clean Energy Technologies Inc. - Segment focus

10.6 GEA Group Aktiengesellschaft

Exhibit 114: GEA Group Aktiengesellschaft - Overview



Exhibit 115: GEA Group Aktiengesellschaft - Business segments



Exhibit 116: GEA Group Aktiengesellschaft - Key news



Exhibit 117: GEA Group Aktiengesellschaft - Key offerings



Exhibit 118: GEA Group Aktiengesellschaft - Segment focus

10.7 General Electric Co

Exhibit 119: General Electric Co - Overview



Exhibit 120: General Electric Co - Business segments



Exhibit 121: General Electric Co - Key news



Exhibit 122: General Electric Co - Key offerings



Exhibit 123: General Electric Co - Segment focus

10.8 John Wood Group PLC

Exhibit 124: John Wood Group PLC - Overview



Exhibit 125: John Wood Group PLC - Business segments



Exhibit 126: John Wood Group PLC - Key offerings



Exhibit 127: John Wood Group PLC - Segment focus

10.9 Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd.

Exhibit 128: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. - Overview



Exhibit 129: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. - Business segments



Exhibit 130: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. - Key news



Exhibit 131: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. - Key offerings



Exhibit 132: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. - Segment focus

10.10 Robert Bosch GmbH

Exhibit 133: Robert Bosch GmbH - Overview



Exhibit 134: Robert Bosch GmbH - Business segments



Exhibit 135: Robert Bosch GmbH - Key news



Exhibit 136: Robert Bosch GmbH - Key offerings



Exhibit 137: Robert Bosch GmbH - Segment focus

10.11 Siemens AG

Exhibit 138: Siemens AG - Overview



Exhibit 139: Siemens AG - Business segments



Exhibit 140: Siemens AG - Key news



Exhibit 141: Siemens AG - Key offerings



Exhibit 142: Siemens AG - Segment focus

10.12 Thermax Ltd

Exhibit 143: Thermax Ltd - Overview



Exhibit 144: Thermax Ltd - Business segments



Exhibit 145: Thermax Ltd - Key news



Exhibit 146: Thermax Ltd - Key offerings



Exhibit 147: Thermax Ltd - Segment focus

11 Appendix

11.1 Scope of the report

11.2 Inclusions and exclusions checklist

Exhibit 148: Inclusions checklist



Exhibit 149: Exclusions checklist

11.3 Currency conversion rates for US$

Exhibit 150: Currency conversion rates for US$

11.4 Research methodology

Exhibit 151: Research methodology



Exhibit 152: Validation techniques employed for market sizing



Exhibit 153: Information sources

11.5 List of abbreviations

Exhibit 154: 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/

SOURCE Technavio
LONDON, Sept. 28, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Wirex, a global leader in the blockchain industry, today announced the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding with the Uzbekistan Direct Investment Fund. With this partnership, the company will support the Uzbek government as they implement blockchain solutions and distributed ledger technology for various government services.

Wirex and Uzbekistan Direct Investment Fund Sign MoU Supporting Implementation Of Blockchain Technology

The collaboration with Wirex comes at a pivotal time as Uzbekistan looks to become a Central Asian leader in implementing innovative financial technology. Having recently established a forward-thinking regulatory framework for the country's sector, the move aims to further attract retail and institutional investors. In addition to the partnership, Wirex plans to provide financial investment for several projects to promote growth within the finance and blockchain sectors, enable 35 million Uzbekistan's to access to the benefits of blockchain technology.

Atabek Nazirov, Director of the Uzbekistan Direct Investment Fund commented: "Being located in the heart of the Central Asia, with traditions infused by the Great Silk Road, Uzbekistan has always played a critical role in the economic and financial growth of the region. To continue this path, it's vital we take advantage of opportunities within the global fintech space and utilise new technologies, including blockchain and distributed ledger. Wirex is a global veteran and one of the fintech leaders, with regulatory expertise in multiple markets. They already possess what we need to achieve this, including the global regulatory landscape and technical aspects of blockchain integration. We're delighted to choose to partner with Wirex."

Commenting on the partnership, Svyatoslav Garal, Managing Director of Wirex APAC said: "Over the past 7 years, our company has gathered tremendous experience in developing blockchain technologies and has built one of the best platforms in the world. Aligning closely with our goals, this partnership is a significant milestone not only for Wirex and Uzbekistan, but also for blockchain more generally. We're excited to work alongside the Uzbekistan Direct Investment Fund in order to help the sector thrive, enrich the financial ecosystem there and set a benchmark for other countries, and ultimately expand."

About Wirex

Wirex is a worldwide digital payment platform and regulated institution that has forged new rules in the digital payments space. In 2015, the firm developed the world's first crypto-enabled payment card that gives users the ability to seamlessly spend crypto and traditional currencies in real life.

Wirex was created in 2014 by CEOs and co-founders Pavel Matveev and Dmitry Lazarichev, who identified the need to open up the esoteric world of cryptocurrencies and make digital money accessible for everyone. With the core aim of making it as easy as possible to use digital assets in everyday life, Wirex provides a trusted and cost-effective service for crypto and traditional currency transactions by incorporating the next generation of payments infrastructure integrated with cryptocurrency blockchains.

With over 5 million customers across 130 countries, the company offers secure accounts that allow customers to easily store, buy and exchange multiple currencies instantly at the best live rates on one centralised mobile app. Quick and simple crypto transfer options are available, as well as the freedom to spend 150+ traditional and cryptocurrencies in more than 80 million locations around the world using the Wirex card.

Wirex continues to develop the product in line with market developments, whilst adhering to regional regulations and securing appropriate licensing where it exists. A proven industry pioneer, Wirex launched their own native utility token, WXT, and introduced the world's first crypto reward programme, Cryptoback, which earns cardholders up to 8% back in WXT for every transaction they make.

To reflect the growth of the metaverse, throughout 2021, the company has expanded their product to enable mainstream access to DeFi. Starting with the launch of their popular X-Accounts feature, offering unprecedented levels of interest, Wirex has continued to add to their DeFi arsenal with the release of the non-custodial Wirex Wallet and a partnership with Nereus, a decentralised liquidity market.

Wirex is based in London, with offices in Singapore, Kyiv, Dallas, Dublin and Atlanta. With over $5bn worth of transactions processed already and rapid expansion into new territories, including the US, Wirex is uniquely placed to support and promote the mass adoption of a cashless society through creative solutions.

| wirexapp.com |

About the Uzbekistan Direct Investment Fund

The Uzbekistan Direct Investment Fund (UzDIF) is a state-owned fund with a focus on providing long-term capital to leading companies in Uzbekistan with strong potential for growth and high shareholder returns. The fund also aims to attract foreign investments as co-investors to develop growing industries, support small and medium enterprises (SMEs), and grow regional economies. The Uzbekistan Fund for Reconstruction and Development (UFRD), a sovereign wealth fund, is the sole shareholder of the Direct Investment Fund.

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SOURCE Wirex
Hydrogen-electric pioneer will obtain a Supplemental Type Certificate to transform the popular single-engine turboprop to zero-emission aircraft

HOLLISTER, Calif. and KEMBLE, England, Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- ZeroAvia , the leader in zero-emission aviation, today announced it has entered into a non-exclusive Joint Development Agreement with Textron Aviation Inc., a Textron Inc. ( NYSE: TXT) company, supporting ZeroAvia's development of hydrogen-electric, zero-emission powertrains for the Cessna Grand Caravan (208B) aircraft. ZeroAvia will obtain a Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) to retrofit the Grand Caravan single-engine utility turboprop with the ZA600 zero-emission powertrain, targeting commercial passenger and cargo operators.

ZeroAvia and Textron Aviation announce agreement to develop hydrogen-electric powertrains for the Cessna Grand Caravan (PRNewsfoto/ZeroAvia)

The Cessna Grand Caravan is designed and manufactured by Textron Aviation. Its high-wing design makes it a strong candidate for mounting hydrogen fuel tanks under the wings, ensuring operators can maintain seat capacity or cargo space, while transitioning to true zero emission propulsion systems.

ZeroAvia will develop its ZA600 powertrain system for the Grand Caravan with data, engineering and certification support provided by Textron Aviation. ZeroAvia aims to obtain certification for the 600kW powertrain as early as 2025, enabling customers to operate zero-emission flights.

The Cessna Grand Caravan platform has seen more than 2,400 aircraft delivered worldwide since the aircraft was introduced, representing enormous potential for a shift to clean propulsion. ZeroAvia has already announced several agreements with operators and lessors in relation to conversions of the Grand Caravan.

Val Miftakhov, CEO, ZeroAvia, said: "The famous Cessna Grand Caravan is on track to be one of the first airframes operating commercial services - both cargo and passenger - with hydrogen-electric, zero-emission engines. We applaud the visionary leadership of Textron Aviation in joining us to help transform a much-loved mainstay of sub-regional aviation into a symbol of sustainable transformation in aviation."

This agreement with Textron Aviation adds to significant prior commitments from other aircraft original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and operators to ZeroAvia's powertrain technology over the course of the last few months. ZeroAvia is already well advanced in retrofitting its system into a 19-seat Dornier 228 aircraft at its R&D location at Cotswold Airport in the UK, with first test flights anticipated over the next few weeks. The company is actively developing the market for its ZA600 product with different 9-19 seat airframes, while concurrently developing its ZA2000, 2-5MW engine class for 40-80 seat aircraft with an entry-into-service target of 2027.

ZeroAvia is focused on developing hydrogen-electric propulsion as a practical, holistic and economically attractive solution to aviation's growing climate change impact. The company's hydrogen-electric powertrains use fuel cells to generate electricity, which powers electric motors to then turn propellers. Hydrogen-electric systems produce only water vapor and at temperatures that enable the management of contrail impact.

ZeroAvia's work in developing its 600kW system through to a certifiable design is part of the HyFlyer II project, supported by the UK Government's Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), Aerospace Technology Institute (ATI) and Innovate UK through the ATI Programme.

About ZeroAvia

ZeroAvia is a leader in zero-emission aviation, focused on hydrogen-electric aviation solutions to address a variety of markets, initially targeting a 300-mile range in 919 seat aircraft by 2025, and up to 700-mile range in 4080 seat aircraft by 2027. Based in the UK and USA, ZeroAvia has already secured experimental certificates for its two-prototype aircraft from the CAA and FAA, passed significant flight test milestones, secured a number of key partnerships with major aircraft OEMs and major global airlines, and is on track for commercial operations in 2024. The company's expanding UK operations are supported by grants from UK's Aerospace Technology Institute and Innovate UK, and ZeroAvia is part of the UK Government's Jet Zero Council. For more, please visit ZeroAvia.com, follow @ZeroAvia on Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn.

SOURCE ZeroAvia
HONG KONG , Sept. 28, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Yidan Prize Foundation has awarded Dr Linda Darling-Hammond and Professor Yongxin Zhu the 2022 Yidan Prize, the world's highest education accolade. The award recognizes their innovative work in empowering educators, and promoting inclusive and equitable access to education, ensuring every learner can reach their full potential.

Dr Linda Darling-Hammond (left), 2022 Yidan Prize for Education Research Laureate, and Professor Yongxin Zhu (right), 2022 Yidan Prize for Education Development Laureate The two prizes are designed for impact: laureates receive a gold medal and HK$30 million (shared equally for teams), half of which is a project fund of HK$15 million to help them scale up their work.

Founded in 2016, the Yidan Prize Foundation has a mission to create a better world through education. Following a rigorous independent judging process, Dr Linda Darling-Hammond and Professor Yongxin Zhu receive the 2022 Yidan Prize for Education Research and the 2022 Yidan Prize for Education Development, respectively.

"We offer our warmest congratulations to our 2022 Yidan Prize laureates, Dr Linda Darling-Hammond and Professor Yongxin Zhu. They both play an important role in empowering our teachers and youth with the skills needed to thrive in the 21st century. Their work clearly shows the transformative impact that teachers can have on learners. And when students have great teachers, they have great opportunities," said Mr Edward Ma, Secretary-General of the Yidan Prize Foundation.

Recognizing excellence to spark real, scalable change in education

Dr Linda Darling-Hammond, Charles E. Ducommun Professor of Education Emeritus, Stanford University, and President and CEO, Learning Policy Institute, is awarded the 2022 Yidan Prize for Education Research for her work in shaping education policy and practice around the most equitable and effective ways to teach and learn. Her research reveals the diverse ways children learn and how best to teach themand feeds those insights into robust educator development programs and transformed schools that holistically support teachers to change children's lives.

"With an unwavering drive to see every learner reach their full potential, regardless of social background, gender and geography, Linda has spent her life building research tools that support policy and practice to create better and fairer educational opportunities. Her influence on public policy has helped policy architects shape positive changes for children on a large scale," said Mr Andreas Schleicher, head of the Yidan Prize for Education Research judging panel, and director for the OECD's Directorate of Education and Skills.

With the Yidan Prize funds, Linda will scale up her critical work at Educator Preparation Laboratory (EdPrepLab): a network focused on supporting student-centered, equity-focused teacher preparation programs, which are grounded in the science of learning and development and prepare teachers to help all students learn in empowering ways. She will expand the reach of EdPrepLab, adding new programs, investing in new research about effective programs, and creating a space where educators, researchers and policymakers can easily share and learn from each other.

Professor Yongxin Zhu, Founder of the New Education Initiative (NEI) and Professor, School of Education, Soochow University, is awarded the 2022 Yidan Prize for Education Development for his work in improving teaching quality and transforming learning outcomes in China. His NEI programs support the well-being and development of teachers, reaching over 8,300 schools, over 500,000 teachers and 8 million students across Chinamore than half of which are in rural and remote areas. By bringing a learner's whole community together, NEI transforms home environments into positive learning spaces and fosters a collaborative approach to learning. Teachers, students and families work together towards clear learning goals, deepening education outcomes beyond a focus on teaching-to-test and exams.

"Professor Zhu is successfully addressing some of the most intractable challenges in education: improving equity and inclusiveness. His work encourages an appreciation of the value of learning for personal growth by improving reading, writing and communication. He has succeeded in gradually changing how teachers approach professional development and how students learn in classrooms and at home. Perhaps most importantly, he reminds us of the importance of joy and well-being for every learner," said Dorothy K. Gordon, head of Yidan Prize for Education Development judging panel, and Board Member of the UNESCO Institute for Information Technologies in Education.

Professor Yongxin Zhu plans to use the Yidan Prize funds to expand NEI's reach in remote, rural areas in China and develop a cloud-based learning hub, improving education quality and providing inclusive and equitable access to education for all learners.

"The Yidan Prize champions the most innovative ideas in education and helps scale them so as many people as possible can benefit. Our laureates are therefore crucial to our aim of transforming education worldwideand through that, unlocking a brighter future for all learners," said Dr Koichiro Matsuura, Chairman of the Yidan Prize Judging Committee and the former Director-General of UNESCO.

Yidan Prize Foundation is championing changemakers in education

The Yidan Prize honors individuals or teams that have significantly contributed to the theory and practice of education. Each laureate will be awarded HK$30 million (approximately US$3.9 million, shared equally for teams), half of which will serve as a project fund to help them scale their education projects and support more learners globally.

The 2021 Yidan Prize for Education Research Laureate, Professor Eric A. Hanushek, is using the Prize funds to set up the Yidan African Fellows Program, a network of local policy fellows with an aim to improve education decision-making across sub-Saharan Africa. In India, 2021 Yidan Prize for Education Development Laureate Dr Rukmini Banerji is working with Pratham to develop, test and refine early years programs and expand collaboration with local governments. These programs are expected to benefit 35,000 children across 650 communities.

2023 Yidan Prize nominations open in October

The Yidan Prize continues to welcome nominations to honor changemakers in education, who are positively impacting learners across the globe with transformative, scalable, and sustainable learning solutions.

ABOUT THE YIDAN PRIZE FOUNDATION

The Yidan Prize Foundation is a global philanthropic foundation, with a mission of creating a better world through education. Through its prize and network of innovators, the Yidan Prize Foundation supports ideas and practices in educationspecifically, ones with the power to positively change lives and society.

The Yidan Prize is an inclusive education accolade that recognizes individuals or teams who have contributed significantly to the theory and practice of education.

https://yidanprize.org

SOURCE Yidan Prize Foundation
JERSEY CITY, N.J., Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- InsightAce Analytic Pvt. Ltd. has announced the publication of a market research report titled "Global 3D protein structure analysis Market by Product (Consumable (X-Ray Crystallography, Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) Spectroscopy, Cryo-Electron Microscopy (Cryo-EM), Small Angle X-Ray Scattering (SAXS) ), Equipment (X-Ray Crystallography, Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) Spectroscopy, Cryo-Electron Microscopy (Cryo-EM), Small Angle X-Ray Scattering (SAXS)), and Computational Software, End-user (Biopharmaceutical companies, Academic and Research institutes, and Other End-User))- Market Outlook and Industry Analysis 2030"

According to company's newest research, the global 3D protein structure analysis Market is worth US$ 1059.56 Million in 2021 and is predicted to reach US$ 2560.07 Million in 2030, with a promising CAGR of 10.6% between 2022 and 2030.

Get a Sample copy of the Global 3D protein structure analysis Market Report at https://www.insightaceanalytic.com/request-sample/1373

Large molecules, especially proteins, are increasingly being considered a therapeutic alternative by drug developers. Each protein performs a specific job because of its distinctive shapes and 3D structures. Its three-dimensional structure's atomic arrangement determines a protein's biological function. This could be the assembly of residues in an active site or a protein's structural and regulatory interactions with other proteins. A protein's structure gives us a deeper understanding of how it functions, allowing us to generate theories about how to alter, control, or modify it. For instance, understanding the structure of a protein could enable the design of site-specific mutations to alter its function. Alternatively, you may forecast chemicals that bind to a protein. Protein structure understanding is one of the primary focuses of molecular biology research. Understanding a protein's structure and eventually how it performs in the cell depends on its amino acid sequence. For the identification of 3D features and structures that are uniquely intolerant of genetic variation, Currently, cryo-electron microscopy (EM), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), and X-ray crystallography are widely utilized. It also describes and comprehends molecular structures and molecular recognition mechanisms.

Increases in Research and Development Expenditures in Drug Discovery and Development, Technological Advancements in Equipment for Protein Structure Analysis, and Rising Focus on Automation and Miniaturization in X-Ray Crystallography Workflow are the Factors that are responsible for the Growth of the 3D Protein Structure Analysis Market. Since proteins are the cell's primary source of energy production, there is a huge demand for AI applications in studying protein structures. A detailed map of their specific forms is a key to understanding the life-sustaining roles of these workhorses or the disease-related potential for malfunction.

The biggest obstacles are going to be the money, the time, and the knowledge. Crystallography and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) demand precise training and a high degree of expertise to solve structures. Additionally, the expense of developing a brand new and original structure is quite substantial.

As North America emphasizes the use of 3D Protein Structure for molecular study and the discovery of new medications, it is anticipated that substantial investments, funding, collaborations, and constant advancements will stimulate the industry.

Key Developments in the Market:

In Aug 2022 , Recently, Bruker announced the release of a new 8 mm 15N TROSY Cryoprobe that enables unique NMR functional, structural biology experiments on more prominent globular proteins and protein complexes. The new method also helps cell biology research highly dynamic intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) or protein regions that frequently play crucial roles in signalling pathways via phosphorylation, for instance, in cancer.

Recently, Bruker announced the release of a new 8 mm 15N TROSY Cryoprobe that enables unique NMR functional, structural biology experiments on more prominent globular proteins and protein complexes. The new method also helps cell biology research highly dynamic intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) or protein regions that frequently play crucial roles in signalling pathways via phosphorylation, for instance, in cancer. In Nov 2021 , JEOL Ltd. made the announcement that their nuclear magnetic resonance console, the "ECZ Luminous," is now available (JNM-ECZL series). This device represents the next stage in the downsizing of spectrometers and an extension of their performance capabilities by utilizing cutting-edge digital and high-frequency technology.

JEOL Ltd. made the announcement that their nuclear magnetic resonance console, the "ECZ Luminous," is now available (JNM-ECZL series). This device represents the next stage in the downsizing of spectrometers and an extension of their performance capabilities by utilizing cutting-edge digital and high-frequency technology. In Oct 2021 , Two revolutionary imaging filters developed by Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc.the Thermo Scientific Selectris Imaging Filter and the Thermo Scientific Selectris X Imaging Filterhave taken cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) to an entirely new level by providing users with an unprecedented opportunity to observe proteins at proper atomic resolution.

Two revolutionary imaging filters developed by Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc.the Thermo Scientific Selectris Imaging Filter and the Thermo Scientific Selectris X Imaging Filterhave taken cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) to an entirely new level by providing users with an unprecedented opportunity to observe proteins at proper atomic resolution. In Aug 2020 , Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. claimed that combining pharmaceutical and biotechnology firms with contract research organizations (CROs) that provide start-up packages for this revolutionary technology as a service would make cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) simpler to use.

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Market Segmentation:

Global 3D protein structure analysis Market, by Product, 2022-2030 (Value US$ Mn)

Consumable

X-Ray Crystallography



Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) Spectroscopy



Cryo-Electron Microscopy (Cryo-EM)



Small Angle X-Ray Scattering (SAXS)

Equipment

X-Ray Crystallography



Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) Spectroscopy



Cryo-Electron Microscopy (Cryo-EM)



Small Angle X-Ray Scattering (SAXS)

Computational Software

Global 3D protein structure analysis Market, by End-User, 2022-2030 (Value US$ Mn)

Biopharmaceutical Company

Academic and Research Institute

Other End User

Global 3D protein structure analysis Market, by Region, 2022-2030 (Value US$ Mn)

North America

Europe

Asia Pacific

Latin America

Middle East & Africa

North America 3D protein structure analysis Market, by Country, 2022-2030 (Value US$ Mn)

U.S.

Canada

Europe 3D protein structure analysis Market, by Country, 2022-2030 (Value US$ Mn)

Germany

France

Italy

Spain

Russia

Rest of Europe

Asia Pacific 3D protein structure analysis Market, by Country, 2022-2030 (Value US$ Mn)

India

China

Japan

South Korea

Australia & New Zealand

Latin America 3D protein structure analysis Market, by Country, 2022-2030 (Value US$ Mn)

Brazil

Mexico

Rest of Latin America

Middle East & Africa 3D protein structure analysis Market, by Country, 2022-2030 (Value US$ Mn)

GCC Countries

South Africa

Rest of Middle East & Africa

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Why should buy this report:

To receive a comprehensive analysis of the prospects for the global 3D protein structure analysis Market

To receive an industry overview and future trends of the 3D protein structure analysis Market

To analyze 3D protein structure analysis Market drivers and challenges

To get information on the 3D protein structure analysis Market size (Value US$ Mn) forecast to 2030

Significant investments, mergers & acquisitions in the 3D protein structure analysis Market industry

Other Related Reports Published by InsightAce Analytic:

Protein Design and Engineering Market

Spatial Omics Solutions Market

Artificial Intelligence-powered (AI) Spatial Biology Market

Single-Cell Bioinformatics Software and Services Market

Proteome Profiling Services Market

About Us:

InsightAce Analytic is a market research and consulting firm that enables clients to make strategic decisions. Our qualitative and quantitative market intelligence solutions inform the need for market and competitive intelligence to expand businesses. We help clients gain competitive advantage by identifying untapped markets, exploring new and competing technologies, segmenting potential markets and repositioning Data Analyzeds. Our expertise is in providing syndicated and custom market intelligence reports with an in-depth analysis with key market insights in a timely and cost-effective manner.

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The State of California wants to dictate what information doctors can share with their patients. Medical and human rights advocates are saying "Not on our watch."

Press Conference at the Capitol on the West Steps, Friday 9/30, 12:00 PM

SACRAMENTO, Calif., Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- A bill up for signature by Governor Gavin Newsom essentially criminalizes free speech by subjecting doctors  who speak out against the COVID-19 narrative  to penalties.

"This bill would designate the dissemination of misinformation or disinformation related toCOVID-19, as unprofessional conduct" by doctors, and allow the Medical Board to "take action" against such doctors, including license penalties.

Censorship is not the hallmark of free society; rather, it is the ugly bellwether of a freefall into totalitarianism:

"When the Nazis came to power in 1933, the German constitution guaranteed Freedom of Speech and Freedom of the Press. Through laws, the Nazis abolished these civil rights and destroyed German democracy. Later in the War, the regime even sentenced people to death for listening to foreign radio stations."

Source: United States Holocaust Museum, Nazi Propaganda & Censorship.

Simply stated, the residents of California do not wish their doctors to be targeted for Warsaw Ghetto status, nor do we wish to be branded the Nazis of our era. The censorship above simply cannot be countenanced. If we are to remain a constitutional republic and not a dictatorship, physicians must remain free to exercise their professional clinical judgment without fear of retribution or professional penalty.

Doctors must be allowed to use their own clinical judgment  not a consensus of the masses  when counseling patients, in order to uphold their oath to "First, do no harm." And they cannot do that if they face licensure repercussions for speaking their truths, particularly in a field like medicine where the die is never cast  it is always evolving. To put a very fine point on it: Going against the status quo is how medicine advances. This bill does not just chill the practice of medicine, it will kill it outright by creating an unprecedented brain drain when the medical geniuses of Stanford flee the shackles of California in search of a state that doesn't criminalize the practice of medicine.

And a warning for bill authors Low, Pan and Wiener: not only is this bill unconscionable, it is unlawful on its face given that it is well settled that entities like State Boards cannot engage in the practice of medicine. Put simply: It's a crime for groups  even state boards  to practice medicine by consensus: only individual human beings using their own independent judgment may do so.

In sum, the authors who drafted this bill that seeks to morph California's Medical Board into a modern-day Ministry of Medical Truth should be ashamed of themselves. And Governor Newsom should veto AB 2098 forthwith  unless he's looking to rack up a new title as King of a Rising Fourth Reich.

Leigh Taylor Dundas, Esq.

Advocates for Physicians' Rights

Contact

Sandra Brown

Email: [email protected]

Phone: 714.925.1763

SOURCE Advocates for Physician's Rights
NEW YORK, Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The aesthetic devices market size in Mexico is expected to grow by USD 679.52 Mn during 2021-2026, at a CAGR of 8.26% during the forecast period, according to Technavio.

Aesthetic Devices Market in Mexico Vendor Analysis

Technavio has announced its latest market research report titled Aesthetic Devices Market in Mexico 2022-2026

We provide a detailed analysis of around 25 vendors operating in the Aesthetic Devices Market in Mexico, including some of the vendors such as vendors Backed with competitive intelligence and benchmarking, our research reports on the Aesthetic Devices Market in Mexico are designed to provide entry support, customer profile and M&As as well as go-to-market strategy support. Request Free Sample Report.

AbbVie Inc., Alma Lasers GmbH, Bausch Health Companies Inc., Candela Corp., Cynosure Inc., Galderma SA, Johnson and Johnson, Lumenis Ltd., Merz Pharma GmbH and Co. KGaA, Rohrer Aesthetics Inc., Salient Medical Solutions, Sanuwave Health Inc., SHENB Co. Ltd., Venus Concept Inc., and Huadong Medicine Co. Ltd. are some of the major market participants.

AbbVie Inc.: The company offers various types of online clothing rental brands such as Zayah, Cerise, and The Bontonlux.

The company offers various types of online clothing rental brands such as Zayah, Cerise, and The Bontonlux. Alma Lasers GmbH: The company offers online clothing rental on a form of a monthly basis.

The company offers online clothing rental on a form of a monthly basis. Galderma SA: The company offers online and offline clothing rental services, including one-time rental and subscription services to women.

The company offers online and offline clothing rental services, including one-time rental and subscription services to women. Lumenis Ltd.: The company offers various types of online clothing rental brands such as Leota, Esakthi, and Vision.

The company offers various types of online clothing rental brands such as Leota, Esakthi, and Vision. Rohrer Aesthetics Inc.: The company offers rent and purchase clothing services for products such as dresses, tops, bottoms, and others for Maternity women's clothes.

The rise in awareness regarding aesthetic surgeries, the growing number of private clinics and treatment options, and growing disposable income and healthcare spending will offer immense growth opportunities. However, the adverse effects related to the application of energy-based aesthetic devices, stringent regulations associated with the market, and the high cost of laser cosmetic surgeries will challenge the growth of the market participants. Buy Sample Report.

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.

Aesthetic Devices Market in Mexico Scope

Technavio presents a detailed picture of the market by the way of study, synthesis, and summation of data from multiple sources. Our aesthetic devices market in Mexico report covers the following areas:

Aesthetic Devices Market in Mexico size

size Aesthetic Devices Market in Mexico trends

trends Aesthetic Devices Market in Mexico industry analysis

This study identifies the rising demand for minimally invasive and non-invasive procedures as one of the prime reasons driving the aesthetic devices market in Mexico's growth during the next few years. Download Free Sample Report.



Aesthetic Devices Market in Mexico Key Highlights

CAGR of the market during the forecast period

Detailed information on factors that will assist the aesthetic devices market in Mexico's growth during the next five years

growth during the next five years Estimation of the aesthetic devices market in Mexico size and its contribution to the parent market

size and its contribution to the parent market Predictions on upcoming trends and changes in consumer behavior

The growth of the aesthetic devices market in Mexico

Analysis of the market's competitive landscape and detailed information on vendors

Comprehensive details of factors that will challenge the growth of the aesthetic devices market in Mexico vendors

Related Reports:

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Aesthetic Devices Market In Mexico Scope Report Coverage Details Page number 120 Base year 2021 Forecast period 2022-2026 Growth momentum & CAGR Accelerate at a CAGR of 8.26% Market growth 2022-2026 $679.52 million Market structure Fragmented YoY growth (%) 8.03 Competitive landscape Leading companies, competitive strategies, consumer engagement scope Companies profiled AbbVie Inc., Alma Lasers GmbH, Bausch Health Companies Inc., Candela Corp., Cynosure Inc., Galderma SA, Johnson and Johnson, Lumenis Ltd., Merz Pharma GmbH and Co. KGaA, Rohrer Aesthetics Inc., Salient Medical Solutions, Sanuwave Health Inc., SHENB Co. Ltd., Venus Concept Inc., and Huadong Medicine 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.

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 Country Market Characteristics



Exhibit 04: Executive Summary  Chart on Market Segmentation by Device



Exhibit 05: Executive Summary  Chart on Market Segmentation by End-user



Exhibit 06: Executive Summary  Chart on Vendor Market Positioning

2 Market Landscape

2.1 Market ecosystem

Exhibit 07: Parent market



Exhibit 08: Market Characteristics

3 Market Sizing

3.1 Market definition

Exhibit 09: Offerings of vendors included in the market definition

3.2 Market segment analysis

Exhibit 10: Market segments

3.3 Market size 2021

3.4 Market outlook: Forecast for 2021-2026

Exhibit 11: Chart on Mexico - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 12: Data Table on Mexico - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 13: Chart on Mexico : Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

: Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

Exhibit 14: Data Table on Mexico : Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

4 Five Forces Analysis

4.1 Five forces summary

Exhibit 15: Five forces analysis - Comparison between2021 and 2026

4.2 Bargaining power of buyers

Exhibit 16: Chart on Bargaining power of buyers  Impact of key factors 2021 and 2026

4.3 Bargaining power of suppliers

Exhibit 17: Bargaining power of suppliers  Impact of key factors in 2021 and 2026

4.4 Threat of new entrants

Exhibit 18: Threat of new entrants  Impact of key factors in 2021 and 2026

4.5 Threat of substitutes

Exhibit 19: Threat of substitutes  Impact of key factors in 2021 and 2026

4.6 Threat of rivalry

Exhibit 20: Threat of rivalry  Impact of key factors in 2021 and 2026

4.7 Market condition

Exhibit 21: Chart on Market condition - Five forces 2021 and 2026

5 Market Segmentation by Device

5.1 Market segments

Exhibit 22: Chart on Device - Market share 2021-2026 (%)



Exhibit 23: Data Table on Device - Market share 2021-2026 (%)

5.2 Comparison by Device

Exhibit 24: Chart on Comparison by Device



Exhibit 25: Data Table on Comparison by Device

5.3 Energy-based aesthetic devices - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

Exhibit 26: Chart on Energy-based aesthetic devices - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 27: Data Table on Energy-based aesthetic devices - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 28: Chart on Energy-based aesthetic devices - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)



Exhibit 29: Data Table on Energy-based aesthetic devices - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

5.4 Non energy-based aesthetic devices - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

Exhibit 30: Chart on Non energy-based aesthetic devices - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 31: Data Table on Non energy-based aesthetic devices - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 32: Chart on Non energy-based aesthetic devices - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)



Exhibit 33: Data Table on Non energy-based aesthetic devices - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

5.5 Market opportunity by Device

Exhibit 34: Market opportunity by Device ($ million)

6 Market Segmentation by End-user

6.1 Market segments

Exhibit 35: Chart on End-user - Market share 2021-2026 (%)



Exhibit 36: Data Table on End-user - Market share 2021-2026 (%)

6.2 Comparison by End-user

Exhibit 37: Chart on Comparison by End-user



Exhibit 38: Data Table on Comparison by End-user

6.3 Dermatology clinics - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

Exhibit 39: Chart on Dermatology clinics - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 40: Data Table on Dermatology clinics - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 41: Chart on Dermatology clinics - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)



Exhibit 42: Data Table on Dermatology clinics - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

6.4 Hospitals - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

Exhibit 43: Chart on Hospitals - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 44: Data Table on Hospitals - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 45: Chart on Hospitals - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)



Exhibit 46: Data Table on Hospitals - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

6.5 Others - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

Exhibit 47: Chart on Others - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 48: Data Table on Others - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 49: Chart on Others - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)



Exhibit 50: Data Table on Others - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

6.6 Market opportunity by End-user

Exhibit 51: Market opportunity by End-user ($ million)

7 Customer Landscape

7.1 Customer landscape overview

Exhibit 52: Analysis of price sensitivity, lifecycle, customer purchase basket, adoption rates, and purchase criteria

8 Drivers, Challenges, and Trends

8.1 Market drivers

8.2 Market challenges

8.3 Impact of drivers and challenges

Exhibit 53: Impact of drivers and challenges in 2021 and 2026

8.4 Market trends

9 Vendor Landscape

9.1 Overview

9.2 Vendor landscape

Exhibit 54: Overview on Criticality of inputs and Factors of differentiation

9.3 Landscape disruption

Exhibit 55: Overview on factors of disruption

9.4 Industry risks

Exhibit 56: Impact of key risks on business

10 Vendor Analysis

10.1 Vendors covered

Exhibit 57: Vendors covered

10.2 Market positioning of vendors

Exhibit 58: Matrix on vendor position and classification

10.3 AbbVie Inc.

Exhibit 59: AbbVie Inc. - Overview



Exhibit 60: AbbVie Inc. - Product / Service



Exhibit 61: AbbVie Inc. - Key offerings

10.4 Alma Lasers GmbH

Exhibit 62: Alma Lasers GmbH - Overview



Exhibit 63: Alma Lasers GmbH - Product / Service



Exhibit 64: Alma Lasers GmbH - Key offerings

10.5 Bausch Health Companies Inc.

Exhibit 65: Bausch Health Companies Inc. - Overview



Exhibit 66: Bausch Health Companies Inc. - Business segments



Exhibit 67: Bausch Health Companies Inc. - Key news



Exhibit 68: Bausch Health Companies Inc. - Key offerings



Exhibit 69: Bausch Health Companies Inc. - Segment focus

10.6 Candela Corp.

Exhibit 70: Candela Corp. - Overview



Exhibit 71: Candela Corp. - Product / Service



Exhibit 72: Candela Corp. - Key offerings

10.7 Cynosure Inc.

Exhibit 73: Cynosure Inc. - Overview



Exhibit 74: Cynosure Inc. - Product / Service



Exhibit 75: Cynosure Inc. - Key offerings

10.8 Galderma SA

Exhibit 76: Galderma SA - Overview



Exhibit 77: Galderma SA - Product / Service



Exhibit 78: Galderma SA - Key news



Exhibit 79: Galderma SA - Key offerings

10.9 Johnson and Johnson

Exhibit 80: Johnson and Johnson - Overview



Exhibit 81: Johnson and Johnson - Business segments



Exhibit 82: Johnson and Johnson - Key news



Exhibit 83: Johnson and Johnson - Key offerings



Exhibit 84: Johnson and Johnson - Segment focus

10.10 Lumenis Ltd.

Exhibit 85: Lumenis Ltd. - Overview



Exhibit 86: Lumenis Ltd. - Product / Service



Exhibit 87: Lumenis Ltd. - Key offerings

10.11 Merz Pharma GmbH and Co. KGaA

Exhibit 88: Merz Pharma GmbH and Co. KGaA - Overview



Exhibit 89: Merz Pharma GmbH and Co. KGaA - Product / Service



Exhibit 90: Merz Pharma GmbH and Co. KGaA - Key offerings

10.12 Venus Concept Inc.

Exhibit 91: Venus Concept Inc. - Overview



Exhibit 92: Venus Concept Inc. - Product / Service



Exhibit 93: Venus Concept Inc. - Key offerings

11 Appendix

11.1 Scope of the report

11.2 Inclusions and exclusions checklist

Exhibit 94: Inclusions checklist



Exhibit 95: Exclusions checklist

11.3 Currency conversion rates for US$

Exhibit 96: Currency conversion rates for US$

11.4 Research methodology

Exhibit 97: Research methodology



Exhibit 98: Validation techniques employed for market sizing



Exhibit 99: Information sources

11.5 List of abbreviations

Exhibit 100: 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
NATICK, Mass., Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- AffyImmune Therapeutics, Inc., a clinical stage biotechnology company using its Tune & Track platform to develop CAR T cells for the treatment of solid cancers, announced today that serial biotech entrepreneur Robert Forrester has been appointed to its Board of Directors. Mr. Forrester's biotech experience spans more than two decades as a chief financial officer, chief operating officer, chief executive officer, and board member. He brings decades of corporate leadership experience and an established track record of scaling startups from early stage to their growth phase.

"It gives me great pleasure to welcome Robert to AffyImmune's Board of Directors to help steer and govern the company as it scales up its clinical development from advanced thyroid cancers to additional indications. Robert's management experience, strategic mindset, industry connectivity and strong interest in AffyImmune will make him a valuable addition. The Board and team are both committed to bringing true patient benefits to those who suffer from solid tumors by using our proprietary Tune & Track CAR T technology," said Simone Song, Chair of AffyImmune's Board of Directors and the founding partner of ORI Capital and ORI Healthcare Funds. "As AffyImmune continues its growth, ORI Capital will continue to incubate, support, and add value, particularly through the attraction and development of top-tier talent."

"AffyImmune's technology and team make it uniquely positioned to be an industry leader, bringing the promise of CAR T cell therapy to patients with solid tumors," Mr. Forrester explained. "It is an honor to join this team and this board as we bring hope to patients facing dire diagnoses with limited treatment options. In my previous work with ORI-incubated companies, I have seen firsthand their dedication to excellence, and that is reflected in the expert management team now assembled to lead AffyImmune into the next phase of their clinical and corporate development. I look forward to drawing on my experience and network to assist the AffyImmune team through this next phase, provide input to and help guide key strategic decisions, and provide counsel to management."

"Robert brings a wealth of experience to AffyImmune, and our management team will certainly benefit from lessons learned in his time as an executive and a director throughout the biotech sector. He has rapidly become a trusted partner to our management team, and we look forward to working with him in the years to come," said AffyImmune President Matt Britz.

Mr. Forrester is a co-founder of EQRx. He is also a co-founder and serves on the board of IDRx, Brixton Biosciences and EyeCool Therapeutics. He also serves on the boards of Pillar Biosciences and Deciduous Therapeutics. He holds law degrees from the University of Bristol and University of Law Guildford in the United Kingdom.

About AffyImmune Therapeutics, Inc.

AffyImmune is realizing the potential of cancer immunotherapy by extending the anti-cancer activity of CAR T cell therapy to solid tumors. AffyImmune's Tune & Track platform finely tunes the affinity of CAR T cells to reduce toxicity and increase CAR T cell longevity while allowing in vivo monitoring through a proprietary tracking system. The company was founded in 2016 and in 2020 began enrolling patients in its Phase 1 trial to treat advanced thyroid cancer.

Contact Information:

Matt Britz

AffyImmune Therapeutics, Inc.

508-654-3600 x2

[email protected]

SOURCE AffyImmune Therapeutics
BLOOMFIELD HILLS, Mich., Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Agree Realty Corporation (NYSE: ADC) (the "Company") today announced the pricing of its public offering of 5,000,000 shares of its common stock at a public offering price of $66.85 per share in connection with the forward sale agreements described below. The Company also granted the underwriters a 30-day option to purchase up to an additional 750,000 shares of common stock. The offering is expected to close on or about October 3, 2022.

Morgan Stanley and Citigroup are acting as joint book-running managers for the offering.

The Company has entered into forward sale agreements with Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC and Citibank, N.A. (the "forward purchasers") with respect to 5,000,000 shares of its common stock (or an aggregate of 5,750,000 shares if the underwriters exercise their option to purchase additional shares in full). In connection with the forward sale agreements, the forward purchasers or their affiliates are expected to borrow and sell to the underwriters an aggregate of 5,000,000 shares of the common stock that will be delivered in this offering (or an aggregate of 5,750,000 shares if the underwriters exercise their option to purchase additional shares in full). Subject to its right to elect cash or net share settlement, which right is subject to certain conditions, the Company intends to deliver, upon physical settlement of such forward sale agreements on one or more dates specified by the Company occurring no later than September 29, 2023, an aggregate of 5,000,000 shares of its common stock (or an aggregate of 5,750,000 shares if the underwriters exercise their option to purchase additional shares in full) to the forward purchasers in exchange for cash proceeds per share equal to the applicable forward sale price, which will be the public offering price, less underwriting discounts and commissions, and will be subject to certain adjustments as provided in the forward sale agreements.

The Company will not initially receive any proceeds from the sale of shares of its common stock by the forward purchasers. The Company expects to use the net proceeds, if any, it receives upon the future settlement of the forward sale agreements for general corporate purposes, including to fund property acquisitions and development activity or the repayment of outstanding indebtedness under its revolving credit facility. Selling common stock through the forward sale agreements enables the Company to set the price of such shares upon pricing the offering (subject to certain adjustments) while delaying the issuance of such shares and the receipt of the net proceeds by the Company until the expected funding requirements described above have occurred.

Copies of the prospectus supplement relating to this offering, when available, may be obtained by contacting: Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, Attention: Prospectus Department, 180 Varick Street, 2nd Floor, New York, NY 10014; or Citigroup Global Markets, Inc.: c/o Broadridge Financial Solutions, 1155 Long Island Avenue, Edgewood, NY 11717 (Tel: 800-831-9146).

This offering is being made pursuant to an effective shelf registration statement and related prospectus filed by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"). A prospectus supplement relating to the offering will be filed with the SEC. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction.

About Agree Realty Corporation

Agree Realty Corporation is a publicly traded real estate investment trust that is RETHINKING RETAIL through the acquisition and development of properties net leased to industry-leading, omni-channel retail tenants. As of June 30, 2022, the Company owned and operated a portfolio of 1,607 properties, located in all 48 continental states and containing approximately 33.8 million square feet of gross leasable area. The Company's common stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "ADC".

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws, including statements about the terms and size of the offering, the intended use of proceeds from the offering, if any, and future settlement of its forward sales agreements, that represent the Company's expectations and projections for the future. No assurance can be given that the offering discussed above will be completed on the terms described or at all, or that the net proceeds of the offering will be used as indicated. Although these forward-looking statements are based on good faith beliefs, reasonable assumptions and the Company's best judgment reflecting current information, you should not rely on forward-looking statements since they involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which are, in some cases, beyond the Company's control and which could materially affect the Company's results of operations, financial condition, cash flows, performance or future achievements or events. Currently, one of the most significant factors, however, is the potential adverse effect of the current pandemic of the novel coronavirus, or COVID-19, on the financial condition, results of operations, cash flows and performance of the Company and its tenants, the real estate market and the global economy and financial markets. The extent to which COVID-19 impacts the Company and its tenants will depend on future developments, which are highly uncertain and cannot be predicted with confidence, including the scope, severity and duration of the pandemic, the actions taken to contain the pandemic or mitigate its impact, and the direct and indirect economic effects of the pandemic and containment measures, among others. Moreover, investors are cautioned to interpret many of the risks identified in the risk factors discussed in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021 and other SEC filings, as well as the risks set forth below, as being heightened as a result of the ongoing and numerous adverse impacts of COVID-19. Additional important factors, among others, that may cause the Company's actual results to vary include the general deterioration in national economic conditions, weakening of real estate markets, decreases in the availability of credit, increases in interest rates, adverse changes in the retail industry, the Company's continuing ability to qualify as a REIT and other factors discussed in the Company's reports filed with the SEC. The forward-looking statements included in this press release are made as of the date hereof. Unless legally required, the Company disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, changes in the Company's expectations or assumptions or otherwise.

For further information about the Company's business and financial results, please refer to the "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" and "Risk Factors" sections of the Company's SEC filings, including, but not limited to, its Annual Report on Form 10-K and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q.

SOURCE Agree Realty Corporation
TROY, Mich., Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Algo, provider of digital transformation services and supply chain software, has successfully modernized the way Microsoft receives business data from Amazon.

Rusty Sticha, Business Program Manager for Data Modernization Initiative at Microsoft expressed appreciation for Algo's agility, precision, and professionalism. "The technical and functional experts at Algo have done an excellent job. They rapidly integrated data from the new Amazon APIs, and also ensured that the data was complete and accurate. I'm impressed with the clear, communicative way they engaged with us, and how quickly they delivered the project."

As a global vendor of computing hardware, Microsoft had been receiving order information and related details from Amazon via electronic data interchange (EDI) feeds. Algo assisted Microsoft with replacing these scheduled data pushes with on-demand data requests using Amazon's selling partner API (SP-API). Algo successfully implemented SP-API for all of Microsoft's geographic regions in 5 weeks.

Organizations have used EDI for digital B2B communication for decades. The sender usually transmits data in daily or weekly batches, making near-real time updates impossible. Not only do application programming interfaces (APIs) like SP-API support near-real-time updates; they also reduce data exchange costs and complexity.

Algo reduced manual data management efforts by setting up automatic SP-API feeds from Amazon to Microsoft. During data integration, Algo performed comprehensive data validation that led to the identification and recovery of significant lost sales.

Emily Slavik, Chief Product Officer at Algo, cited the implementation team's collective experience as a key contributing factor to the project's success. "Integrating API data for all of Microsoft's regions was challenging," she said, "but the expertise of our data engineers and supply chain experts helped us ensure that we adhered to project timelines without compromising on data quality. API calls will enable near-real-time reporting of sales and operations data from Amazon, and will also provide a strong foundation for future digital transformation initiatives."

About Algo

Algo uses technology to transform information into opportunity, breathing new life into our understanding of supply and demand, and giving retailers, distributors, and manufacturers a chance to achieve more for their organizations. Our professional services assist our clients in accelerating and maximizing the effectiveness of each phase of their digital transformation journey, from infrastructure and data management to business process optimization and automation.

Combining AI and machine learning with deep domain expertise, Algo's omnichannel SaaS platform helps suppliers and retailers plan, simulate, and execute more efficient supply chains through smart automation, actionable analytics, and digital twin technology. Algo's unique, collaborative user experience helps business users streamline sales & operations planning to avoid stock-outs, reduce write-downs and returns, and optimize inventory spend.

SOURCE Algo
BERWYN, Pa., Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- ( NYSE: ANVS) Annovis Bio ("Annovis" or the "Company"), a clinical-stage drug platform company addressing neurodegenerative diseases, announced today that it will present at the Ladenburg Thalmann 2022 Healthcare Conference on Thursday, September 29, 2022, in New York City.

Presentation Details

Presentation time: 12:30 p.m. to 12:55 p.m. Eastern Time

Date: September 29, 2022

Location: Sofitel Hotel, 45 West 44th Street, New York (Track 2)

Investors interested in arranging a one-on-one meeting at the conference should contact their Ladenburg Thalmann representative.

About Buntanetap

Buntanetap (previously known as ANVS401 or Posiphen) is an oral translational inhibitor of neurotoxic aggregating proteins (TINAPs), which mode of action leads to a lower level of neurotoxic proteins and consequently less toxicity in the brain. In a Phase 2a clinical trial in AD and PD patients, buntanetap was shown to be well-tolerated and safe, and its pharmacokinetics were found to be in line with levels measured earlier in humans, meeting both the primary and secondary endpoints. Additionally, exploratory endpoints were also met, as treatment with buntanetap resulted in statistically significant improvement in motor function in PD patients and cognition in AD patients. Presently buntanetap is being studied in a phase 3 early PD study and will enter a phase 2/3 study in AD patients later in the year.

About Annovis Bio, Inc.

Headquartered in Berwyn, Pennsylvania, Annovis Bio, Inc. is a clinical-stage, drug platform company developing transformative therapies that treat neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD) and other chronic and acute neurodegenerative diseases. The Company believes that it is the only company developing a drug that inhibits more than one neurotoxic protein, improves the information highway of the nerve cell, known as axonal transport, reduces inflammation and protects nerve cells from dying in chronic and acute neurodegeneration. Annovis conducted two Phase 2 studies: one in AD patients and one in both AD and PD patients. In the AD/PD study, buntanetap showed improvements in cognition and memory in AD as well as body and brain function in PD patients.

For more information on Annovis Bio, please visit the Company's website www.annovisbio.com and follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Forward-Looking Statements

Statements in this press release contain "forward-looking statements" that are subject to substantial risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements contained in this press release may be identified by the use of words such as "anticipate," "expect," "believe," "will," "may," "should," "estimate," "project," "outlook," "forecast" or other similar words, and include, without limitation, statements regarding the timing, effectiveness, and anticipated results of buntanetap clinical trials. Forward-looking statements are based on Annovis Bio, Inc.'s current expectations and are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks and assumptions that are difficult to predict. Further, certain forward-looking statements are based on assumptions as to future events that may not prove to be accurate. These and other risks and uncertainties are described more fully in the section titled "Risk Factors" in the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Forward-looking statements contained in this announcement are made as of this date, and Annovis Bio, Inc. undertakes no duty to update such information except as required under applicable law.

Media and Investor Contact:

Nic Johnson

Russo Partners, LLC

(303) 482-6405

[email protected]

SOURCE Annovis Bio
Arize launches on Google Cloud Marketplace to provide machine learning teams a proven platform for improving model performance and accelerating model velocity

BERKELEY, Calif., Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Arize AI announced today that its machine learning (ML) observability platform is now available on Google Cloud Marketplace . This availability marks the expansion of the company's partnership with Google Cloud, which will help Arize deliver its platform  which tracks billions of model predictions daily  to more customers globally.

With Arize available on Google Cloud Marketplace, customers already leveraging Google Cloud can easily deploy Arize to their cloud environment, speeding their time-to-value. In a matter of minutes, teams can start streamlining their ML troubleshooting efforts with Arize through purpose-built workflows and analytics for model performance management , drift detection, data quality checks, and model validation. This will also provide greater migration support to existing Arize customers as they move their on-prem Arize instances onto Google Cloud's global infrastructure.

In addition to bringing its platform to Google Cloud Marketplace, Arize is significantly expanding its use of Google Cloud technology and services as a part of this expanded partnership. Arize, which runs its platform on Google Cloud's secure infrastructure, will increase its use of Google Kubernetes Engine (GKE) to support its hosting production, developer onboarding, and application data management as it scales to meet the growing demand for its solution.

"AI continues to change the way organizations automate operations and deliver innovative products and solutions to customers," said Drew Bradstock, Director, GKE Product Management, Google Cloud. "We're proud to support the growth of innovators like Arize with the infrastructure, cloud technologies, and go-to-market expertise needed to empower more customers and their machine learning teams with robust ML observability solutions."

"ML teams count on Arize to be able to handle current and future analytics complexity and scale, and we built the platform with that in mind," said Michael Schiff, Chief Architect and Founding Engineer at Arize. "Having a partner like Google Cloud has been invaluable to Arize's growth, and we look forward to delivering our solutions to more companies through this expanded partnership."

About Arize AI

Arize AI is a machine learning observability platform that helps ML teams deliver and maintain more successful AI in production. Arize's automated model monitoring and observability platform allows ML teams to quickly detect issues when they emerge, troubleshoot why they happened, and improve overall model performance across both structured and unstructured data. Arize is a remote first company with headquarters in Berkeley, CA. Sign up for a free account or book a demo for your team at Arize.com.

SOURCE Arize AI
TORONTO, Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - Ataccama , a leading unified data management platform provider, today announced it will host the Data People Summit on October 20-21, 2022 at the Fairmont Copley Plaza Hotel in Boston, Massachusetts, United States. Ataccama's in-person event will provide business leaders, decision-makers, chief data officers and data experts with the resources, skills, training and expertise needed to overcome today's more pressing data quality, management and governance challenges.

The Data People Summit will feature industry experts and data management leaders sharing practical and actionable insights into leveraging data for better business outcomes. The event will take a deep dive into topics such as self-service data observability, quality, governance and democratization. Sessions will include leaders from Amazon Web Services, the EDM Council, Forrester, Microsoft, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), T-Mobile and Ataccama. The keynote address will be given by Colonel Eileen Collins, NASA's first female Mission Commander as well as Space Shuttle pilot.

WHO: Ataccama ONE unifies Data Governance, Data Quality and Master Data Management into a single, AI-powered fabric across hybrid and cloud environments. The platform enables business and data teams with the ability to innovate with unprecedented speed while maintaining trust, security and governance.



WHAT: Ataccama's Data People Summit will provide data leaders with the know-how they need to scale data-driven innovation and accelerate business outcomes. Attendees will receive training on Ataccama tools and data management topics with the EDM Council, as well as be the first to see upcoming features in Ataccama ONE v14, including self-service data observability and data quality on Snowflake.



WHEN: October 20 from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. ET October 21 from 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. ET



WHERE: The Fairmont Copley Plaza Hotel in Boston, Massachusetts, United States



HOW: The Data People Summit will provide a full program of interactive technical, business and training sessions, product demonstrations, industry expertise and networking opportunities.

For more program information and registration details, please visit the Data People Summit website.

About Ataccama

Ataccama reinvents the way data is managed to create value on an enterprise scale. Unifying Data Governance, Data Catalog, Data Quality and Master Data Management into a single, AI-powered fabric across hybrid and cloud environments, Ataccama gives your business and data teams the ability to innovate with unprecedented speed while maintaining trust, security and governance of your data. Learn more at www.ataccama.com .

SOURCE Ataccama
NEW YORK, Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Automotive Software Market report has been added to Technavio's offering. With ISO 9001:2015 certification, Technavio is proudly partnering with more than 100 Fortune 500 companies for over 16 years. The potential growth difference for the automotive software market between 2021 and 2026 is USD 10.70 Billion. To get the exact yearly growth variance and the Y-O-Y growth rate, Buy Sample Report.

Key Market Dynamics:

Technavio has announced its latest market research report titled Global Automotive Software Market 2022-2026

Market Driver

Market Challenges

The increasing need for unique in-car experiences is one of the main drivers propelling growth in the automotive software market. Whether seen from the perspective of the suppliers or the purchasers, the dynamics of the global automobile sector are changing quickly. The worldwide automotive software market is extremely competitive due to improvements in automotive technology and the rising percentage of automotive electronics in automobiles.

The ease of car ownership models, the growth of technology companies, and better economic conditions have all increased the level of competition in the automotive sector. Automotive manufacturers are being forced to offer distinctive characteristics in their product offers as a result of changing consumer needs. The global market for automotive software is being enabled by this.

However, factors such as rising complexity in software architecture leading to higher

production costs for OEMs and suppliers will challenge market growth. Request Free

Sample Report.

Company Profiles

The automotive software market report includes information on the product launches, sustainability, and prospects of leading vendors including Access Co. Ltd., Adobe Inc., Airbiquity Inc., Alphabet Inc., BlackBerry Ltd., Continental AG, Green Hills Software LLC, Microsoft Corp., Siemens AG, and Wind River Systems Inc.

Some Companies Mentioned with their Offerings

Access Co. Ltd.: Automotive software solutions offered by the company includes ACCESS Twine for Car, NetFront HTML5 platforms for automotive, NetFront Browser NX Automotive Profile, and NetFront Living Connect for Connected Cars.

Automotive software solutions offered by the company includes ACCESS Twine for Car, NetFront HTML5 platforms for automotive, NetFront Browser NX Automotive Profile, and NetFront Living Connect for Connected Cars.

Adobe Inc.: The company offers legacy products and services that address diverse market opportunities including e-learning solutions, technical document publishing, and many more.

The company offers legacy products and services that address diverse market opportunities including e-learning solutions, technical document publishing, and many more.

Airbiquity Inc.: The company offers software and data management solutions, service management solutions, intelligent vehicle solutions, infotainment delivery solutions, safety and security solutions, EV solutions, and Choreo (platform).

The company offers software and data management solutions, service management solutions, intelligent vehicle solutions, infotainment delivery solutions, safety and security solutions, EV solutions, and Choreo (platform).

Alphabet Inc.: The company offers autonomous vehicle software, Android Automotive OS, and infotainment software solutions.

The company offers autonomous vehicle software, Android Automotive OS, and infotainment software solutions.

Continental AG: The company offers vehicle update software, data monetization software, digital communication software, and smart security solutions for automotive applications.

To gain access to more vendor profiles with their key offerings available with

Technavio, Click Here

Related Reports:

Smart Advisor Market by Type and Geography - Forecast and Analysis 2022-2026: The smart advisor market share is expected to increase by USD 6.91 billion from 2021 to 2026, and the market's growth momentum will accelerate at a CAGR of 22%.

Web Analytics Market by Deployment and Geography - Forecast and Analysis 2022-2026: The web analytics market share is expected to increase by USD 4.31 billion from 2021 to 2026, and the market's growth momentum will accelerate at a CAGR of 19.16%.

Automotive Software Market Scope Report Coverage Details Page number 120 Base year 2021 Forecast period 2022-2026 Growth momentum & CAGR Accelerate at a CAGR of 9% Market growth 2022-2026 $10.70 billion Market structure Fragmented YoY growth (%) 2.66 Regional analysis APAC, Europe, North America, South America, and MEA Performing market contribution APAC at 55% Key consumer countries China, US, Japan, Germany, and Spain Competitive landscape Leading companies, Competitive Strategies, Consumer engagement scope Key companies profiled Access Co. Ltd., Adobe Inc., Airbiquity Inc., Alphabet Inc., BlackBerry Ltd., Continental AG, Green Hills Software LLC, Microsoft Corp., Siemens AG, and Wind River Systems Inc. Market dynamics Parent market analysis, Market growth inducers and obstacles, Fast-growing and slow-growing segment analysis, COVID-19 impact and recovery analysis and future consumer dynamics, 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

Executive Summary

Market Landscape

Market ecosystem

Value chain analysis

Market Sizing

Market definition

Market segment analysis

Market size 2019

Market outlook: Forecast for 2019  2024

Five Forces Analysis

Five forces summary

Bargaining power of buyers

Bargaining power of suppliers

Threat of new entrants

Threat of substitutes

Threat of rivalry

Market condition

Market Segmentation by Product

Market segments

Comparison by Product

Application software - Market size and forecast 2019-2024

Middleware - Market size and forecast 2019-2024

Operating system - Market size and forecast 2019-2024

Market opportunity by Product

Market Segmentation by Application

Market segments

Comparison by Application

Safety system - Market size and forecast 2019-2024

Infotainment and telematics - Market size and forecast 2019-2024

Powertrain - Market size and forecast 2019-2024

Chassis - Market size and forecast 2019-2024

Market opportunity by Application

Customer landscape

Customer landscape

Geographic Landscape

Geographic segmentation

Geographic comparison

APAC - Market size and forecast 2019-2024

Europe - Market size and forecast 2019-2024

- Market size and forecast 2019-2024 North America - Market size and forecast 2019-2024

- Market size and forecast 2019-2024 South America - Market size and forecast 2019-2024

- Market size and forecast 2019-2024 MEA - Market size and forecast 2019-2024

Key leading countries

Market opportunity by geography

Market drivers

Market challenges

Market trends

Vendor Landscape

Vendor landscape

Landscape disruption

Vendor Analysis

Vendors covered

Market positioning of vendors

Access Co. Ltd.

Adobe Inc.

Airbiquity Inc.

Alphabet Inc.

BlackBerry Ltd.

Continental AG

Green Hills Software LLC

Microsoft Corp.

Siemens AG

Wind River Systems Inc.

Appendix

Scope of the report

Currency conversion rates for US$

Research methodology

List of abbreviations

About Us

Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focuses on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions.

With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 17,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios.

Contact

Technavio Research

Jesse Maida

Media & Marketing Executive

US: +1 844 364 1100

UK: +44 203 893 3200

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.technavio.com/

SOURCE Technavio
Imports of Avocados From Mexico Contribute $6 Billion to U.S. GDP, Generate $11.2 Billion in U.S. Economic Output

DALLAS, Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Imports of Mexican Hass avocados continue to make substantial contributions to the U.S. and Mexican economies according to the latest economic contribution analysis conducted by Texas A&M University1 during the 2021-2022 growing season. Since 1997, the avocado supply from Mexico in the U.S. has jumped to more than 2 billion pounds annually1, and more than 4 billion pounds in the last two years alone2  fueled by consumers' love of the healthful fruit while also positively benefiting U.S. national and state economies.

The economic analysis1 identifies numerous contributions from U.S. imports of Mexican Hass avocados to the U.S. economy as avocado trades move through the food supply chain and stimulate various market activities. The contributions include:

$11.2 billion in economic output

in economic output $6.1 billion to the U.S. GDP (value-added)

to the U.S. GDP (value-added) 58,299 U.S. jobs

$3.9 billion in labor income

in labor income $1.3 billion in taxes

"The new data is a testimony to the positive impact the trade relationship between the two countries can have on the overall economies," said Ron Campbell, Executive Director of the Mexican Hass Avocado Importers Association (MHAIA). "The analysis by Texas A&M University clearly shows how the collaboration between the Association of Avocado Exporting Producers and Packers of Mexico (APEAM) and MHAIA is contributing not only to the economic growth of both nations, but also to a localized impact within communities through added jobs, labor income and taxes."

When comparing results from previous years, this new report reveals the persistent growth and importance of Mexican avocado imports to the U.S. economy. The contribution to total U.S. output increased nearly 560% from $1.7 billion in 2012 to $11.2 billion in 2022. At the same time, the contribution to U.S. GDP (value added) has increased by nearly 410% from $1.2 billion in 2012 to $6.1 billion in FY 2022. The contributions to U.S. labor income, U.S. tax revenues, and employment from 2012 to FY 2022 have also registered dramatic increases3 (465%, 665%, and 418%, respectively).

"The avocado import growth is attributed to two factors  dramatic growth in U.S. demand for avocados and equally dramatic growth in U.S. import supply," said Dr. Gary Williams, Emeritus Professor at Texas A&M University. "U.S. per capita consumption of avocado fruit has grown to more than 9 pounds1 and promotion programs like Avocados From Mexico have been instrumental in increasing avocado consumption in the U.S."

The growth of Mexican avocado imports has also had a positive impact on growers in the U.S. and Mexico. The Texas A&M University analysis shows domestic avocado growers have benefited from higher price points and a larger market for their products. In Mexico, avocado farming continues to be a feasible and reliable business venture as the Mexican avocado industry creates approximately 78,000 direct and permanent jobs and more than 300,000 indirect and seasonal jobs, with more than 30,000 growers and 74 packers.

"It's rewarding to see the economic impact Mexico's strong partnership with the U.S. has had in meeting the ever-increasing demand for Avocados From Mexico. This partnership has become an economic engine that supplies the growing demand for avocados in the U.S. and opens opportunities for small avocado farmers in Mexico that allows them and their families to thrive," said Alvaro Luque, CEO of Avocados From Mexico (AFM).

Avocados From Mexico represents a unique collaboration between the two countries: AFM is a non-profit marketing organization that brings together the Mexican Hass Avocado Importers Association (MHAIA) and the Association of Avocado Exporting Producers and Packers of Mexico (APEAM) to promote the consumption of Mexican avocados in the U.S. This has helped fuel the United States' love for the avocado fruit and builds a bond which benefits both countries economically.

This partnership also benefits consumers. Through AFM, consumers receive healthful avocados that are the freshest, arriving from Mexico in three to five days, and are the highest quality product, with every avocado exported to the U.S. meeting strict dry matter testing requirements. The dry matter test ensures avocados in the U.S. have an adequate oil percentage, which provides the fruit with optimal consistency and delicious taste. The microclimate, volcanic soil and timely rainfall of Michoacan, Mexico, allows avocado trees to bloom year-round in Michoacan, the only region sending Hass avocados to the U.S. 365 days a year. Now, with the recent addition of avocados from the Mexican state of Jalisco, the industry's ability to meet year-round demand of avocados in the U.S. is further enhancing. Hass avocados now comprise about 95% of all U.S. avocado consumption and are the most widely available1.

A deep dive into all facets of the Mexican avocado industry is available at the Avocado Institute. The one-stop digital resource was created by the parent organizations of AFM, the Association of Avocado Exporting Producers and Packers of Mexico (APEAM) and Mexican Hass Avocado Importers Association (MHAIA).

For the full report, please visit: https://avocadoinstitute.org/newsroom/avocado-imports-achieve-record-breaking-impact-growth-on-both-sides-of-the-u-s-mexico-border/

About Avocados From Mexico

Avocados From Mexico (AFM) is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Mexican Hass Avocado Importers Association (MHAIA), formed for the purpose of advertising, promotion, public relations and research for all stakeholders of Avocados From Mexico . Under agreements, MHAIA and the Association of Avocado Exporting Producers & Packers of Mexico (APEAM) have combined resources to fund and manage AFM, with the intent to provide a focused, highly- effective and efficient marketing program in the United States. AFM is headquartered in Irving, Texas.

1 2022 Update: The Economic Benefits of U.S. Avocado Imports from Mexico

This analysis utilizes the Impact Analysis and Planning Model (IMPLAN) to measure the jobs, revenues, wages and taxes generated by the imports along the value chain on the national and state economies. IMPLAN is an input-output model of the entire U.S. economy that captures the relationships between industries and estimates the economic effects (direct, indirect, and induced). The IMPLAN model reports on four specific types of economic effects: employment contribution, labor income, value-added, and output or gross sales contribution.

2 Hass Avocado Board Volume Data

3 Economic Benefits of the Expansion of Avocado Imports from Mexico, February 2014

Contact:

Ana Ambrosi

[email protected]

SOURCE Avocado Institute
The largest move of its kind within the consulting sector will see Bain & Company train all consultants internationally in ESG within months

12 world-class universities, including Massachusetts Institute of Technology ( MIT ), Imperial College London, HEC Paris, and Melbourne Business School will provide training to consultants in all of Bain & Company's 65 offices in 40 countries

The Further Academy will give all Bain consultants access to 40 hours of training as the firm puts climate science, sustainability and the wider ESG agenda at the heart of its consulting offer

LONDON, Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ --In the largest move of its kind within the top tier management consulting sector, Bain & Company is offering an accelerated and specialised, post-graduate-level global ESG training programme to upskill all its consultants across the firm worldwide.

The upskilling initiative, already underway and being rapidly rolled out in all the firm's global regions, is a key element of Bain & Company's continuing, intense focus on supporting sustainable transitions to drive positive impact for all its clients. It supports the firm's aim to integrate ESG into 100% of client work, reflecting the global imperative for companies across sectors to build sustainability and ESG into the fabric of their businesses now, to accelerate the energy transition, transform food systems, and advance diversity and equity.

The Further Academy programme will see all of Bain's consultants and advisors, from entry-level new joiners to senior partners, receive the training from world class universities and business schools, including Imperial College Business School (London), Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), HEC Paris, Solvay Brussels School of Economics and Management, and Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands (TU Delft) and Melbourne Business School's Centre for Sustainability and Business, Melbourne, Australia. See Notes to Editors for full list of institutions

The upskilling is part of Bain's continuing commitment to embed ESG into everything it does, both within its client work and in its own internal and external operations. It will equip each consultant to advise on ESG issues within their areas of expertise, ensure that an understanding of ESG risks and opportunities is at the heart of every client brief  and deliver on Bain's own, ambitious sustainable development goals.

Forty hours post-graduate-level training modules will be provided to each consultant, delivered primarily in live sessions with some hybrid elements, with the partner business schools developing regionally tailored curricula. Modules include climate change, the energy transition, sustainable development, business transformation, circularity and value chains, sustainable and equitable food systems, social justice, and diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI).

For DEI, this expanded program builds on extensive training already delivered to thousands of Bain consultants this year. In addition, the firm is already actively developing the next phase of the ESG upskilling drive to ensure continuing, relevant training across teams and regions, including for new joiners in the future.

Discussing the program, Francois Faelli, global managing partner for ESG at Bain & Company, said: "Reaching net zero on a global scale requires a tremendous investment in ESG skills. The next generation of business leaders must intuitively understand how to balance financial and non-financial objectives. I am proud to say that we will very shortly have succeeded in delivering this training for thousands of our advisors who will help steer our clients towards a more sustainable future.

Francois continued: "A foundational knowledge of climate science and social value is vital to understanding almost any modern business challenge. As purpose becomes more important as a driver of strategy, bridging the gap between academic institutions and business through initiatives like this is crucial. With the implementation of this program across all areas of our business, consultants will be empowered to work alongside clients to co-create the future and generate lasting impact."

David Brown, Director of Executive Education at Imperial College Business School, added: "Imperial College London is at the forefront of research and innovation for tackling the climate emergency, building new energy solutions, circular economies and driving sustainable and inclusive development.

Understanding and addressing these challenges is a core part of our mission. We are delighted with this executive education partnership which will allow both Bain and Imperial to further their knowledge and understanding of these critical topics".

David Schmittlein, John C Head III Dean, Massachusetts Institute of Technology Sloan School of Management, commented: "MIT Sloan is engaging faculty from across MIT in this unique collaboration to develop Bain and Company's ESG capabilities broadly. Leveraging MIT's breadth of relevant expertise and track record of partnering on innovative learning programs with the world's greatest companies, we will help current and future leaders across Bain strengthen their ability to work with their clients to implement strategies that maximize ESG performance systematically and sustainably."

Bain's strong sustainability commitment and record

Bain & Company, which has been carbon neutral since 2011, announced in April its commitment to science-based target emissions reductions, as well as the pledge to be net carbon negative in every year going forward. This will see Bain & Company remove more than 100% of its scope 1, 2 and 3 carbon emissions by supporting projects that extract carbon from the atmosphere.

Bain & Company launched its Sustainability and Responsibility Practice over ten years ago and has seen the area grow by more than 65% per annum over the past five years, with more than 950 sustainability projects undertaken by its consulting teams during this period, including more than 800 which touched on climate transition cases.

The Further Academy builds on the firm's extensive previous track record of ESG training. Previous initiatives include Further SM Learning, a series of podcasts and webinars now in its second year, along with ongoing curation of the latest insights shared through Bain's award-winning knowledge management platform.

Media contacts:

For any questions or to arrange an interview, please contact:

Bain & Company: Gary Duncan (London)  Tel: +44 (0) 7788 163 791 Email: [email protected]

Hill+Knowlton:

Notes to Editors:

*The full list of academic institutions partnering with Bain & Company to deliver the Further Academy training is: US: Massachusetts Institute of Technology Sloan School of Management EMEA: Solvay University, Brussels, Belgium; Antwerp Management School, Belgium; HEC Business School, Paris, France; SDA Bocconi School of Management, Milan, Italy; FUTURE Institute for Sustainable Transformation at ESMT Berlin Business School, Germany, and Circle Economy Foundation, Netherlands; Delft University of Technology, Netherlands; Wageningen University, Netherlands; IE Business School, Madrid, Spain; Stockholm School of Economics Executive Education, Sweden; Imperial College London, UK. APAC: Melbourne Business School Centre for Sustainability and Business, Melbourne, Australia.

About Bain & Company

Bain & Company is a global consultancy that helps the world's most ambitious change makers define the future.

Across 65 cities in 40 countries, we work alongside our clients as one team with a shared ambition to achieve extraordinary results, outperform the competition, and redefine industries. We complement our tailored, integrated expertise with a vibrant ecosystem of digital innovators to deliver better, faster, and more enduring outcomes. Our 10-year commitment to invest more than $1 billion in pro bono services brings our talent, expertise, and insight to organizations tackling today's urgent challenges in education, racial equity, social justice, economic development, and the environment. We earned a platinum rating from EcoVadis, the leading platform for environmental, social, and ethical performance ratings for global supply chains, putting us in the top 1% of all companies. Since our founding in 1973, we have measured our success by the success of our clients, and we proudly maintain the highest level of client advocacy in the industry.

SOURCE Bain & Company
Finance and investment veteran brings C-suite experience to Beacon's expanded leadership team

NEW YORK, Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Beacon Platform , the premier cloud-native platform for financial market innovation, has promoted Alla Liberman to Chief Operating Officer (COO). Liberman's elevation to COO builds on her success as Beacon's Senior Vice President of Strategy and Operations. Liberman has over 20 years experience driving business growth as a leader across the hedge fund and investment banking industries, with companies that include JPMorgan, Royal Bank of Canada, Brevan Howard, Citadel, and Point72 Asset Management.

Alla Liberman, COO of Beacon Platform, Inc.

"I'm delighted to be taking on this role at such an important time in the company's evolution," said Alla Liberman, Beacon's new COO. "Over the past year we have refined the company's product strategies and increased the scalability of key operations. I have been impressed by the response from customers and employees, and look forward to continuing our efforts and expanding our capabilities on a global scale."

As COO, Liberman will continue to drive Beacon's strategy across all business units and also lead Legal, Compliance, IT, and People teams. Her leadership and deep understanding of financial markets will help these teams scale to meet the needs of a rapidly growing business.

"We welcome the expansion of Alla's role in Beacon's executive committee and I look forward to continuing to work side-by-side with her as we build world class operations to support our world class technology," said Kirat Singh, co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Beacon. "Alla has brought tremendous experience and energy to the company over her existing tenure; we're delighted to acknowledge this with her new role spearheading our global success."

ABOUT BEACON PLATFORM

Beacon Platform moves financial markets into the future with secure and scalable quant technology, elastic cloud infrastructure, and front-office applications. The integrated development environment and a web application framework make developing applications faster and easier. Born from decades of collective experience developing trading and risk management systems for Bank of America Merrill Lynch, JPMorgan Chase, and Goldman Sachs, Beacon Platform gives you the robustness and flexibility of these powerful tools. See how you can increase the return on research and development investments from Beacon's next-generation platform for enterprise-scale analytics, trading, risk management, and more at www.beacon.io.

For more information, visit https://www.beacon.io and follow @platformbeacon on Twitter.

Media Contact

Consort Partners for Beacon Platform

[email protected]

Related Links

https://www.beacon.io

SOURCE Beacon Platform, Inc.
NEW YORK, Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Big Data Spending Market in Healthcare Sector is expected to grow by USD 8.93 billion during 2021-2026 according to the latest market research report by Technavio. As per Technavio, the increasing use of big data analytics in healthcare will have a positive impact on the market and contribute to its growth significantly over the forecast period. Download Free Sample Report.

Big Data Spending Market In Healthcare Sector Segmentation

Technavio has announced its latest market research report titled Global Big Data Spending Market in Healthcare Sector 2022-2026

32% of the market's growth will originate from North America during the forecast period. The US and Canada are the key markets for the big data spending market in the healthcare sector in North America. Market growth in this region will be slower than the growth of the market in Europe and APAC.

The rise in advancements in IoT and the increase in the demand for analytical models on patient information for better service delivery and government policies will facilitate the big data spending market in the healthcare sector growth in North America over the forecast period. Buy Sample Report.

Big Data Spending Market In Healthcare Sector Market Segmentation

The services segment's big data spending market share will expand significantly in the healthcare sector. For instance, while having a small revenue market share within the services area, consulting services had a large impact on the entire revenue creation. Numerous businesses, like IBM and HP, offer consulting services tailored to the healthcare industry. Therefore, among the elements anticipated to contribute to the expansion of the services segment throughout the projection period are the expanding digitalization of healthcare, IoT and cloud deployment, and government support for HCIT.

Big Data Spending Market In Healthcare Sector Drivers

One of the main factors influencing the growth of the big data spending market in the healthcare industry is the requirement to increase corporate efficiency. Massive data generation has increased as a result of the rise in linked devices in the healthcare industry. Due to this, there has been a tremendous increase in the use of IT worldwide for the storage and retrieval of medical and clinical data.

Furthermore, healthcare companies would be less congested in hospitals, would experience fewer system failures, and would be better prepared for impending calamities by utilizing big data analytics and predictive asset maintenance. As a result, the worldwide big data spending market in the healthcare industry is growing due to the increasing demand to increase corporate efficiency. Request Free Sample Report.

Big Data Spending Market In Healthcare Sector Trends

One of the major big data spending industry trends boosting market expansion is the growing use of big data analytics in healthcare. To create and maintain functional health information systems, governments are promoting the use of IT and telecommunications in the healthcare industry.

For instance, the National Health Insurance program by various governments is made to keep track of the planning and establishment of health information systems that apply error-free patient care management while avoiding errors. All of these activities have generated a tremendous amount of data, which must be efficiently stored and processed in order to yield actionable insights.

Related Reports

Digital Commerce Market by Business Segment and Geography - Forecast and Analysis 2022-2026

Advanced Distribution Management System Market by Component and Geography - Forecast and Analysis 2021-2025

Big Data Spending Market In Healthcare Sector Market Scope Report Coverage Details Page number 120 Base year 2021 Forecast period 2022-2026 Growth momentum & CAGR Accelerate at a CAGR of 12.21% Market growth 2022-2026 $8.93 billion Market structure Fragmented YoY growth (%) 10.2 Regional analysis North America, Europe, APAC, Middle East and Africa, and South America Performing market contribution North America at 32% Key consumer countries US, Canada, China, Germany, and UK Competitive landscape Leading companies, competitive strategies, consumer engagement scope Companies profiled Alphabet Inc., Amazon.com Inc., Cisco Systems Inc., Cloudera Inc., Cognizant Technology Solutions Corp., Couchbase Inc., Dell Technologies Inc., Health Catalyst Inc., Hewlett Packard Enterprise Co., Hitachi Vantara LLC, International Business Machines Corp., McKesson Corp., Medeanalytics Inc., Microsoft Corp., Oracle Corp., SAP SE, SAS Institute Inc., Splunk Inc., Teradata Corp., and Vizient Inc. Market Dynamics Parent market analysis, Market growth inducers and obstacles, Fast-growing and slow-growing segment analysis, COVID-19 impact and future consumer dynamics, and market condition analysis for the forecast period. Customization purview If our report has not included the data that you are looking for, you can reach out to our analysts and get segments customized.

Table of Contents

1 Executive Summary

1.1 Market Overview

Exhibit 01: Executive Summary  Chart on Market Overview



Exhibit 02: Executive Summary  Data Table on Market Overview



Exhibit 03: Executive Summary  Chart on Global Market Characteristics



Exhibit 04: Executive Summary  Chart on Market by Geography



Exhibit 05: Executive Summary  Chart on Market Segmentation by Service



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 Service

5.1 Market segments

Exhibit 24: Chart on Service - Market share 2021-2026 (%)



Exhibit 25: Data Table on Service - Market share 2021-2026 (%)

5.2 Comparison by Service

Exhibit 26: Chart on Comparison by Service



Exhibit 27: Data Table on Comparison by Service

5.3 Services - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

Exhibit 28: Chart on Services - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 29: Data Table on Services - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 30: Chart on Services - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)



Exhibit 31: Data Table on Services - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

5.4 Software - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

Exhibit 32: Chart on Software - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 33: Data Table on Software - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 34: Chart on Software - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)



Exhibit 35: Data Table on Software - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

5.5 Market opportunity by Service

Exhibit 36: Market opportunity by Service ($ million)

6 Customer Landscape

6.1 Customer landscape overview

Exhibit 37: Analysis of price sensitivity, lifecycle, customer purchase basket, adoption rates, and purchase criteria

7 Geographic Landscape

7.1 Geographic segmentation

Exhibit 38: Chart on Market share by geography 2021-2026 (%)



Exhibit 39: Data Table on Market share by geography 2021-2026 (%)

7.2 Geographic comparison

Exhibit 40: Chart on Geographic comparison



Exhibit 41: Data Table on Geographic comparison

7.3 North America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 42: Chart on North America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 43: Data Table on North America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 44: Chart on North America - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

- Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

Exhibit 45: Data Table on North America - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

7.4 Europe - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 46: Chart on Europe - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 47: Data Table on Europe - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 48: Chart on Europe - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

- Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

Exhibit 49: Data Table on Europe - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

7.5 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 (%)

7.6 Middle East and Africa - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

and - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 54: Chart on Middle East and Africa - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

and - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 55: Data Table on Middle East and Africa - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

and - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 56: Chart on Middle East and Africa - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

and - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

Exhibit 57: Data Table on Middle East and Africa - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

7.7 South America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 58: Chart on South America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 59: Data Table on South America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 60: Chart on South America - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

- Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

Exhibit 61: Data Table on South America - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

7.8 US - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

Exhibit 62: Chart on US - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ 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 (%)

7.9 China - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 66: Chart on China - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 67: Data Table on China - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 68: Chart on China - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

- Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

Exhibit 69: Data Table on China - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

7.10 Germany - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 70: Chart on Germany - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 71: Data Table on Germany - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 72: Chart on Germany - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

- Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

Exhibit 73: Data Table on Germany - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

7.11 Canada - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 74: Chart on Canada - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 75: Data Table on Canada - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 76: Chart on Canada - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

- Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

Exhibit 77: Data Table on Canada - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

7.12 UK - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

Exhibit 78: Chart on UK - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 79: Data Table on UK - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 80: Chart on UK - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)



Exhibit 81: Data Table on UK - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

7.13 Market opportunity by geography

Exhibit 82: Market opportunity by geography ($ 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 Alphabet Inc.

Exhibit 89: Alphabet Inc. - Overview



Exhibit 90: Alphabet Inc. - Business segments



Exhibit 91: Alphabet Inc. - Key news



Exhibit 92: Alphabet Inc. - Key offerings



Exhibit 93: Alphabet Inc. - Segment focus

10.4 Amazon.com Inc.

Exhibit 94: Amazon.com Inc. - Overview



Exhibit 95: Amazon.com Inc. - Business segments



Exhibit 96: Amazon.com Inc. - Key news



Exhibit 97: Amazon.com Inc. - Key offerings



Exhibit 98: Amazon.com Inc. - Segment focus

10.5 Cisco Systems Inc.

Exhibit 99: Cisco Systems Inc. - Overview



Exhibit 100: Cisco Systems Inc. - Business segments



Exhibit 101: Cisco Systems Inc. - Key news



Exhibit 102: Cisco Systems Inc. - Key offerings



Exhibit 103: Cisco Systems Inc. - Segment focus

10.6 Cloudera Inc.

Exhibit 104: Cloudera Inc. - Overview



Exhibit 105: Cloudera Inc. - Business segments



Exhibit 106: Cloudera Inc. - Key offerings



Exhibit 107: Cloudera Inc. - Segment focus

10.7 Cognizant Technology Solutions Corp.

Exhibit 108: Cognizant Technology Solutions Corp. - Overview



Exhibit 109: Cognizant Technology Solutions Corp. - Business segments



Exhibit 110: Cognizant Technology Solutions Corp. - Key news



Exhibit 111: Cognizant Technology Solutions Corp. - Key offerings



Exhibit 112: Cognizant Technology Solutions Corp. - Segment focus

10.8 Couchbase Inc.

Exhibit 113: Couchbase Inc. - Overview



Exhibit 114: Couchbase Inc. - Key offerings

10.9 Dell Technologies Inc.

Exhibit 115: Dell Technologies Inc. - Overview



Exhibit 116: Dell Technologies Inc. - Business segments



Exhibit 117: Dell Technologies Inc. - Key news



Exhibit 118: Dell Technologies Inc. - Key offerings



Exhibit 119: Dell Technologies Inc. - Segment focus

10.10 Health Catalyst Inc.

Exhibit 120: Health Catalyst Inc. - Overview



Exhibit 121: Health Catalyst Inc. - Business segments



Exhibit 122: Health Catalyst Inc. - Key offerings



Exhibit 123: Health Catalyst Inc. - Segment focus

10.11 Hewlett Packard Enterprise Co.

Exhibit 124: Hewlett Packard Enterprise Co. - Overview



Exhibit 125: Hewlett Packard Enterprise Co. - Business segments



Exhibit 126: Hewlett Packard Enterprise Co. - Key news



Exhibit 127: Hewlett Packard Enterprise Co. - Key offerings



Exhibit 128: Hewlett Packard Enterprise Co. - Segment focus

10.12 Hitachi Vantara LLC

Exhibit 129: Hitachi Vantara LLC - Overview



Exhibit 130: Hitachi Vantara LLC - Product / Service



Exhibit 131: Hitachi Vantara LLC - Key offerings

11 Appendix

11.1 Scope of the report

11.2 Inclusions and exclusions checklist

Exhibit 132: Inclusions checklist



Exhibit 133: Exclusions checklist

11.3 Currency conversion rates for US$

Exhibit 134: Currency conversion rates for US$

11.4 Research methodology

Exhibit 135: Research methodology



Exhibit 136: Validation techniques employed for market sizing



Exhibit 137: Information sources

11.5 List of abbreviations

Exhibit 138: List of abbreviations

About Technavio

Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focus on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions.

With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 17,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios.

Contacts

Technavio Research

Jesse Maida

Media & Marketing Executive

US: +1 844 364 1100

UK: +44 203 893 3200

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.technavio.com/

SOURCE Technavio
In order to lower transportation emissions for the shipment of Green Plusfuel enhancer, Biofriendly moves their manufacturing facility to Texas

PASADENA, Calif., Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Biofriendly, a green solutions company, recently performed a carbon emissions audit regarding their global product shipments of their emission-reducing additive, Green Plus.

The company, founded in California, has operated from the west coast since its inception in 2001, but by relocating their manufacturing facility to Texas, they have reduced transportation- related carbon emissions by 98%. Not only does this move improve access to the Texas Low Emission Diesel market, but it also reduces the carbon impact of its shipments to Latin America. The new facility is larger in size and allows for greater capacity of the production of Green Plus, since Biofriendly has more than doubled the amount of fuel it has treated since the new management took over in 2018.

"Since the majority of our U.S. business sells Green Plus to customers in Texas, it made the most sense to transition the manufacturing facility closer to our distribution network," says Michael Carroll, Chief Technology Officer of Biofriendly. "Now that our primary business is in our backyard, we can continue to support customers while significantly keeping our transportation costs low and improve air quality."

The move is a strategic result of Biofriendly's more proactive approach of transitioning current business practices into a more environmentally sustainable company. Biofriendly partner facilities in Mexico and Brazil are already U.N. zero-waste certified. This is the first of many steps for Biofriendly to go zero-waste and zero-emissions in the United States as well.

About Biofriendly Corporation

Biofriendly Corporation was founded with the express purpose of solving the world's air quality problems. To that end, the company introduced Green Plus smog reducer to the market. Twenty years later, Green Plus has cleaned over 14.8 billion gallons of fuel and removed enough pollution to take the equivalent of a 270-mile lineup of cars off the road every year. Biofriendly continues its commitment to reducing air pollution worldwide, but has expanded its purpose toward green education, investment, and environmental solutions for the future of the planet.

For more information, visit www.biofriendly.com or www.horebenergy.com. For environmental information and green tips, visit Biofriendly's e-magazine at www.biofriendlyplanet.com and listen to the Biofriendly Podcast on YouTube . Follow Biofriendly Planet on Facebook , Twitter , and Instagram.

Media Contact

Matt Kovacs

[email protected]

SOURCE Biofriendly
ZUG, SWITZERLAND, Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The BSV Blockchain Association is excited to announce that it will be hosting a VIP Reception event in Ras Al-Khaimah in the United Arab Emirates.

The event will take place on 8 October 2022 at InterContinental Ras Al Khaimah Resort and Spa and will feature an exclusive invite-only guest list. This includes members of the Royal Family, C-level executives and select members of the media.

The event will feature an evening of talks and panels from global industry experts. Attendees can also expect one-on-one sessions to learn more about BSV and find out more about its use cases of Blockchain in their domains.

Some of the notable guests who are scheduled to speak at the event include:

Muhammad Salman Anjum, BSV MENA Hub Lead and Chief Mate of InvoiceMate said:

'The BSV Hub for the Middle East, North Africa and South Asia is working on several blockchain education and implementation projects to drive innovation in the UAE.

This event will include the rolling out of training programme in the Ras Al Khaimah to orient government decision makers and educate local developers and entrepreneurs on the capabilities of the BSV blockchain  an initiative that has already received great interest in the country.'

About the BSV Blockchain Association

The BSV Blockchain Association is a non-profit association (Verein) in Switzerland, and the global industry organization which advances Bitcoin SV (BSV). It brings together enterprises, start-up ventures, developers, merchants, exchanges, service providers, blockchain transaction processors (miners), and others in the BSV ecosystem. The Association supports the BSV blockchain as the original Bitcoin, with a stable protocol and massive scaling roadmap to become the world's new money and global blockchain for enterprise. The organization seeks to build a regulation-friendly ecosystem that fosters lawful conduct while encouraging digital currency and blockchain innovation.

Lightning Sharks on behalf of the BSV Blockchain Association

Key contact: Haris Khan, PR, and Media Manager

Email: [email protected]

Mobile: +44 (0) 7503 581 563

SOURCE BSV Blockchain Association
As a part of its 150th Anniversary, Bloomingdale's will host PINK Yoga and PINK Parties at select stores across the country on October 8

NEW YORK, Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Bloomingdale's today announced its continued commitment to support breast cancer awareness with its annual Pink Campaign. In partnership with The Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF) and The Tutu Project, the leading retailer will launch Give Pink, Get More, as well as host PINK Yoga and PINK Parties in stores around the US on October 8th.

Over the past 18 years Bloomingdale's has raised over $16 million for breast cancer research through its campaigns and partnerships with leaders within the cause. As a part of its 150th anniversary, Bloomingdale's is hosting in-store events to help in raising awareness and funds for those affected by breast cancer.

"Since 1872 we have been proud to support causes that are important to our customer and our community,'' stated Frank Berman, Executive Vice President, and Chief Marketing Officer, Bloomingdale's. "The Pink Campaign is one that we know our shoppers love to support, and we're so excited to bring Pink Yoga and Pink Parties to stores around the U.S. Through our partnerships with The Breast Cancer Research Foundation and the Tutu Project, we are honored to continue to raise awareness and funds in support of such an important cause."

Bloomingdale's Pink Philanthropic Partners:

The Breast Cancer Research Foundation is the largest private funder of breast cancer research  and metastatic breast cancer research  worldwide and is the highest-rated breast cancer organization in the country. Through years of partnership, Bloomingdale's has provided funds to support BCRF's goals in identifying new targets and developing new treatments for those diagnosed with breast cancer.

The Tutu Project , founded by Bob Carey, aims to bring cheer to breast cancer patients every day, through financial and emotional support. The fundraising campaign started with Bob Carey's famous tutu that has been photographed around the world, and featured within his book, TUTU. Most recently, Bob shot his iconic tutu photos throughout Bloomingdale's 59th Street Flagship.

Pink Campaign In-Store and Online:

Give Pink, Get More

Happening in-store and online, now through October 31. Those who enroll will be charged $15 on their Bloomingdale's Credit Card, 100% of which will fund research, support, and awareness for Bloomingdale's Pink partners. From 9/26-10/31, card holders will earn $25 in rewards for every $250 spent using their credit card. Shoppers will then receive a give pink, get more card worth up to $250 in their bWallet in November.

PINK Yoga On Screen Event

Bloomingdale's will host PINK Yoga, live from the retailer's 59th Street flagship location on October 8th at 9:00 a.m. ET. Those not in attendance will be able to follow along on Bloomingdale's On Screen for a morning flow with Sarrah Strimel  founder of Damn Good Yoga, Co-Founder of A Damn Good Life Breast Cancer Survivor, and former Broadway Showgirl. Following the event, Tutu Project founder, Bob Carey will be hosting a book signing of his book, TUTU.

Stores across the US will also be hosting their own PINK Yoga events in partnership with local yoga studios. Attendees will receive a pink yoga mat and gift bag, as well as a blk Water, which was started by Jaqueline and Louise Wilkie, when researching products and health aids to assist their mother with her breast cancer diagnosis. Participating stores include North Michigan, Roosevelt Field, Short Hills, San Francisco, Sherman Oaks, South Coast Plaza, Fashion Valley, Boca, Tyson, and Bloomie's.

PINK Parties Across the Country

The party doesn't stop at PINK Yoga. Participating stores across the country will host PINK Parties throughout the afternoon on October 8th with DJ beats, pink themed photo stations, pink aura readers, pink manicures, pink fashion illustrations, and more.

As a part of its anniversary, Bloomingdale's is celebrating 150 years of supporting causes that are important to its customers and its local communities. In addition to the PINK Campaign, Bloomingdale's recently launched b the change, a new platform that will define the next era of social purpose. Through b the change, Bloomingdale's is redefining social good through three pillars: b sustainable, b inclusive, b the future.

Additional information on the Bloomingdale's PINK Campaign can be found at https://www.bloomingdales.com/b/campaign/give-pink-get-more/breast-cancer-awareness/ , and information on local PINK Yoga and PINK Party events can be found on Eventbrite in select markets.

About Bloomingdale's

Bloomingdale's is America's only nationwide, full-line, upscale department store. A division of Macy's, Inc. ( NYSE: M), it currently operates 34 Bloomingdale's stores and 20 Bloomingdale's The Outlet stores, in California, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Virginia, along with 1 Bloomie's location in Virginia. In addition, Bloomingdale's has an international presence with a location in Dubai. Founded in 1872, the iconic retailer is celebrating its 150th anniversary this year. Be sure to follow @bloomingdales on social media, become a Loyallist, and for more information, or to shop any time, visit www.bloomingdales.com

About b the change:

As a company with a 150-year legacy, Bloomingdale's launched b the change as an actionable program designed to build a more equitable and sustainable future for its colleagues, customers, and community. Through its three pillars, b sustainable, b inclusive, and b the future, Bloomingdale's will continue to support philanthropic causes through campaigns, grants, fundraisers, volunteer opportunities and more. Partners include The Breast Cancer Research Foundation, Tutu Project, Child Mind Institute, Donors Choose, No Kid Hungry, Thurgood Marshall College Fund, Bloomingdale's x FIT Sustainable Innovation Fund, and more. For more information on b the change, visit https://www.bloomingdales.com/c/b-the-change/

Contact: [email protected]

SOURCE Bloomingdale's
NEW YORK, Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- BNY Mellon today announced new enhancements to its securities finance platform to help clients analyze their agency securities lending program alongside their sustainability goals. The announcement comes as stakeholder demands for increased transparency in connection with environmental, social and governance (ESG) investing are growing for firms across the globe.

Delivered through an interactive dashboard, clients can apply ESG scores based on third-party data across their lendable portfolio, collateral and cash investments to help them evaluate alignment with their individual ESG goals.

As the world's largest agent lender with access to more than $4.3 trillion in lendable assets*, this new capability represents the first in a series of ESG enhancements BNY Mellon plans to make to its platform.

"Transparency is critical to the evolution of the ESG investing landscape, as well as the management of ESG risks and regulatory compliance," said Ina Budh-Raja, EMEA Head of Securities Finance Product & Strategy and Global Head of Markets ESG at BNY Mellon. "BNY Mellon is committed to providing clients with next-generation solutions and insights designed to help enable alignment with their ESG goals."

The new dashboard leverages MSCI ESG Research's ESG Ratings, assigning scores to securities across three distinct pillars: environmental, social and governance, that can be applied to a client's non-cash collateral and cash reinvestment, including both outright purchases and repo collateral.

The resulting output allows clients to quickly and easily analyze how their portfolio, the collateral they receive, and the investments they make align to their environmental, social and governance goals and values.

The addition of this Securities Finance enhancement builds upon the previously established ESG tools across the BNY Mellon financing and liquidity ecosystem.

About BNY Mellon

BNY Mellon is a global investments company dedicated to helping its clients manage and service their financial assets throughout the investment lifecycle. Whether providing financial services for institutions, corporations or individual investors, BNY Mellon delivers informed investment and wealth management and investment services in 35 countries. As of June 30, 2022, BNY Mellon had $43.0 trillion in assets under custody and/or administration, and $1.9 trillion in assets under management. BNY Mellon can act as a single point of contact for clients looking to create, trade, hold, manage, service, distribute or restructure investments. BNY Mellon is the corporate brand of The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation (NYSE: BK). Additional information is available on www.bnymellon.com. Follow us on Twitter @BNYMellon or visit our newsroom at www.bnymellon.com/newsroom for the latest company news.

Media Contact

Nina Truman

Email: [email protected]

Phone: +1 212 815 2006

*Largest program as measured by on-loan assets according to S&P Global Market Intelligence Securities Finance as of 2Q 2022 and includes the assets of CIBC Mellon clients. CIBC Mellon is the brand name for CIBC Mellon Trust Company and CIBC Mellon Global Securities Services Company, each a joint venture between BNY Mellon (50%) and Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (50%). Securities lending for CIBC Mellon clients is transacted through The Bank of New York Mellon as agent and is part of The Bank of New York Mellon Agency Lending Program.

SOURCE BNY Mellon
From October 3rd to October 6th, 2022, Bostik, the adhesive solutions division of Arkema, will participate to the Paris-based 2022 Batimat exhibition, a major international exhibition dedicated to the building industry.

COLOMBES, France, Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Bostik and Arkema's focus on creating adhesive solutions that contribute to a more sustainable world are completely aligned with this year's Batimat edition.

This is very much in line with The event will therefore offer Bostik the perfect opportunity to connect with all customers and stakeholders and highlight some of the recent innovations: such as our flagship STIX A600 soft floor adhesive, to help better insulate homes, renovate, and ensure safer indoor air quality. Throughout the show, Bostik Academy experts will also give live demonstrations on Bostik's One Flooring Range and Sealing & Bonding Professional Line.

According to Pedro Paredes, Global Technical Director W&F Steering Unit at Bostik, "Our presence at this major construction trade fair underlies our ambition to strengthen our relationships with our customers and partners, while staying on top of our industry's emerging trends. We are delighted of this opportunity to demonstrate the full extent of our technical expertise thanks to our Bostik Academy team, and help our visitors create better results through knowledge!"

Bostik's adhesive and sealant solutions for the construction market are part of a broader, fully integrated Arkema offer for the segment, which include coating, insulation and decorative solutions for buildings from the floor to the roof.

Download your free ticket to join Bostik teams on our Pavillon 1, STAND P094.

About Bostik, an Arkema company

Bostik, a subsidiary of the Arkema Group and a global player in specialty adhesives for the construction, consumer and industrial markets, develops innovative and multifunctional sealing and bonding solutions that have been shaping our daily lives for over 130 years. With an annual sales of 2.1 billion euros in 2019, a presence in more than 40 countries, and 6,000 employees, the company is committed to meeting the major ecological, energy and technological challenges through its innovations. It is focused on continuous improvement and operational excellence to meet the expectations of its customers and partners. www.bostik.com

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1696494/Bostik_Logo.jpg

Contact:

Hortense BLAZSIN

Email : [email protected]

SOURCE Bostik, an Arkema company
CHARLOTTE, N.C., Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Connect Holding II LLC (d/b/a Brightspeed) ("Brightspeed") today announced that in light of market conditions Brightspeed has withdrawn its previously announced debt financing package consisting of a private offering of senior secured notes (the "Notes") and first lien term loan (the "Term Loan"). As a result, no Notes will be sold pursuant to this offering and no Term Loan will be offered at this time. The withdrawal of the announced debt financing package is not expected to impact Brightspeed's business, employees or customers. Brightspeed expects to commence a debt financing transaction at some point in the future.

As previously announced on August 3, 2021, funds managed by affiliates of Apollo Global Management, Inc. ("Apollo") entered into a definitive agreement to acquire, directly or indirectly, Incumbent Local Exchange Carrier assets and all associated operations across 20 states from Lumen Technologies, Inc. The acquisition is still expected to close in early October using an equity contribution from Apollo and proceeds from the committed financing obtained at the time of deal announcement.

About Brightspeed

Headquartered in Charlotte, N.C. and expected to have assets and associated operations in 20 states, Brightspeed will provide broadband and telecommunications services through a network platform capable of serving more than 6.5 million homes and businesses. The company aims to bridge the digital divide by deploying a state-of-the-art fiber network and a customer experience that makes staying connected simple and seamless.

Media Contact:

[email protected]

SOURCE Brightspeed
Recent Accomplishments Include Financial Times Ranking, Financial Advisor Magazine's RIA Ranking and Crain's Cleveland Investment Adviser List

CLEVELAND, Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- C2P Enterprises, a holding company comprised of four distinct brands, each designed to simplify financial planning for advisors and the clients they serve, has recently been recognized for its industry contributions, rapid growth and success. C2P Enterprises has been named to Financial Times' ranking of "The Americas' Fastest Growing Companies 2022". C2P Enterprises subsidiary, Prosperity Capital Advisors, an SEC Registered Investment Adviser (RIA), has earned a spot on Financial Advisor Magazine's Registered Investment Advisers ranking, as well as named to Crain's Cleveland Business' Investment Advisers List 2022.

"To say that I am proud of our team's success over the past year and the positive impact we've had on the industry would be an understatement," said Jason L Smith, Founder & CEO, C2P Enterprises. "We built this company as advisors first, so we understand the unique challenges one can face in growing a financial practice. Our recent accomplishments are proof that what we've always set out to do  provide actionable, easy-to-follow, proven processes that allow advisors to grow and scale their business  is resonating within the industry."

According to the Financial Times, C2P Enterprises experienced a three-year compound annual growth rate of nearly 18 percent between 2017 and 2020. Additionally, Financial Advisor Magazine's ranking found that Prosperity Capital Advisors saw nearly 17 percent annual growth in assets from 2020 to 2021. Recent accomplishments for Clarity 2 Prosperity include The Bucket Plan, a best interest planning process that has been recognized as a proven approach for turning assets into income, became academically recognized after the concept has been incorporated into The American College of Financial Services RICP curriculum. The Bucket Plan Certified (BPC) designation for professionals who master this signature planning process also became recognized by FINRA, an achievement that will continue to expand the firm's reach and delivery of its mission of simplifying holistic financial planning. Financial professionals that hold the BPC designation possess skillsets representing elevated knowledge as a holistic financial planning professional and deliver clients a Best Interest Planning Process and customized financial plan in the form of The Bucket Plan.

For more information about C2P Enterprises and its subsidiaries, click here .

Financial Times Methodology

The FT Americas' Fastest-Growing Companies 2022 is a list of the 500 companies in the Americas that have the highest growth in publicly disclosed revenues between 2017 and 2020. The ranking was created through a complex procedure. Although the search was very extensive, the ranking does not claim to be complete, as some companies did not want to make their figures public or did not participate for other reasons. Full the full list and methodology visit: www.ft.com/content/6ee8f978-a2e0-4644-b7c7-0718a334adb7

Financial Advisor Magazine Methodology

Financial Advisor Magazine's RIA ranking is an independent listing produced by FA Magazine. Firms must be registered investment advisers and provide financial planning and/or related services to individual clients. Eligible firms must be either independently owned or a freestanding subsidiary of another business and have at least $100 million AUM as of Dec. 31, 2020. Neither the RIA firms nor their employees pay a fee to FA Magazine to be included in the listing. The full list can be found at www.fa-mag.com/research/ria-survey .

Crain's Cleveland Business Methodology

This list consists of registered investment advisers in Northeast Ohio ranked by how much money they managed out of their local offices as of Dec. 31, 2018 (these firms mainly focus on allocating those assets to diversified funds and other advisors; local firms that invest most of their assets directly into stocks and bonds appear on our Money Managers list). The list includes services offered, minimum account size, local executive names and basic contact information for each firm, including email addresses for some companies. The full list can be found at www.crainscleveland.com/data-lists/10802/investment-advisers.

About C2P Enterprises: C2P Enterprises is a holding company comprised of four distinct brands, each designed to simplify financial planning for advisors and the clients they serve. United by the vision to provide planning and financial products in the best interest of the client, each company offers education, training, resources and tools to meet a client's unique financial situation, along with access to an array of investment and insurance vehicles to help accomplish their goals. Each organization is committed to fiduciary best interest practices and training industry standards for a higher qualify of holistic financial planning services to families nationwide and worldwide. For more information, visit www.c2penterprises.com .

Investment advisory services are provided by C2P Capital Advisory Group, LLC d/b/a Prosperity Capital Advisors, LLC ("PCA") an investment adviser federally registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

CONTACT

AdvisorPR

(702) 685-7450

SOURCE C2P Enterprises
DALLAS, Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Comerica Bank Women's Business Symposium returns to Dallas/Fort Worth helping women in business Learn, Connect, Grow & Celebrate their potential. The popular business networking event returns to an in-person format on Thursday, Oct. 27 from 10 am  3 pm CT at the Irving Convention Center.

2022 Comerica Bank Women's Business Symposium

Entering its fourth year, the Comerica Bank Women's Business Symposium brings together women in business from across North Texas to "Power Up Your Potential" through inspiring speakers, connecting them with business leaders and discovering opportunities to help them grow personally and professionally.

NBC 5 Today co-anchor Laura Harris will moderate a conversation with featured guest Aimee Mullins, an inspiring Paralympian, actor, model and speaker who has shared her powerful story around the world.

Emceeing the Comerica Bank Women's Business Symposium is celebrity chef, syndicated radio host and cookbook author Jamie Gwen. Joining Gwen on stage is a powerful lineup of speakers that include:

Erica Dhawan : Dhawan is an internationally recognized leading authority, speaker, and advisor on 21st-century teamwork, collaboration, and innovation. Named by Thinkers50 as the "Oprah of Management Thinkers," she is the author of two books, " Get Big Things Done: The Power of Connectional Intelligence" and " Digital Body Language: How to Build Trust and Connection, No Matter the Distance." Erica shares innovative strategies to unlock the collective power of teams, build a culture of trust across any distance and create authentic engagement to ensure competitiveness.

: Dhawan is an internationally recognized leading authority, speaker, and advisor on 21st-century teamwork, collaboration, and innovation. Named by Thinkers50 as the "Oprah of Management Thinkers," she is the author of two books, " and Erica shares innovative strategies to unlock the collective power of teams, build a culture of trust across any distance and create authentic engagement to ensure competitiveness. Cassandra Worthy : Worthy is the world's leading expert on Change Enthusiasm. She is lighting the world on fire with her refreshingly unique take on not just 'managing' but growing through change. Through her training firm Change Enthusiasm Global, she is sharing this revolutionary approach for not only embracing change but using it to propel you to heights you never imagined with thousands all over the world.

To register, or for more information visit https://events.comerica.com/wbsdfw2022. A portion of the proceeds from the event will benefit the Texas Women's Foundation.

The Comerica Bank Women's Business Symposium is proud to serve women business owners, executives and professionals the opportunity to Learn, Connect, Grow & Celebrate. Since its inception, the program has successfully engaged thousands of attendees across Comerica's markets with a variety of speakers and conversations.

About Comerica

Comerica Incorporated ( NYSE: CMA) is a financial services company headquartered in Dallas, Texas, and strategically aligned by three business segments: The Commercial Bank, The Retail Bank and Wealth Management. Comerica focuses on relationships, and helping people and businesses be successful. In addition to Texas, Comerica Bank locations can be found in Arizona, California, Florida and Michigan, with select businesses operating in several other states, as well as in Canada and Mexico. Comerica reported total assets of $86.9 billion as of June 30, 2022.



SOURCE Comerica Bank
Calls for owners, management companies and rental agencies to address hazard immediately to protect children's lives

WASHINGTON, Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- As the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission announces its latest recalls involving residential elevators, the agency is renewing its call for homeowners and vacation rental businesses to address hazards in residential elevators to ensure they can operate safely and to protect children from harm.

Over the past year, CPSC has stepped up its residential elevator enforcement efforts by recalling 117,100 total units across the U.S. to address an entrapment hazard.

Today, CPSC issued recalls for Cambridge Elevating and Custom Elevator, citing the danger these devices pose to young children. In the case of Custom Elevator, a 7-year-old child died in 2021, at a North Carolina vacation home, after becoming entrapped in a residential elevator.

CPSC also recently announced that it had settled a lawsuit with ThyssenKrupp Access Corp. (TKA), to resolve charges that specific models of its elevators could result in serious injury or death. The lawsuit cited three incidents involving entrapment in these elevators, including a 2-year-old child who died and a 3-year-old child who was left permanently disabled. Over the past two years, CPSC has also announced recalls by Residential Elevator, Inclinator, Savaria, Bella and Otis to address this hazard. Another company, Waupaca, thus far, has refused to conduct a recall.

CPSC Chair Alex Hoehn-Saric said, "Residential elevators pose a deadly risk to children. It's long past time for all homeowners to address the hazard and ensure that children cannot get trapped between elevator doors, particularly in homes that are used as vacation rentals, by families who may not be familiar with elevators. A joyful family vacation can turn tragic in an instant, so we are calling on all vacation rental owners, managers, and platforms to do their part to help keep their guests safe."

CPSC is aware of 41 deaths associated with elevators between 2018 and 2021. And between 2020 through 2021, there were more than 19,000 ER-treated injuries in the U.S.

During his confirmation hearing before the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, Hoehn-Saric pledged to Committee Chair, Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-IN) to make residential elevator safety a priority for the agency. "I am pleased to be able to report our progress to hold manufacturers accountable for addressing this hazard, but our work on this issue is far from over," he said. "We appreciate Sen. Cantwell's leadership on this issue, and we look forward to reporting further developments as we work with the vacation rental industry to help keep consumers safe."

Hoehn-Saric says he hopes to meet with groups representing vacation rental businesses in the near future and to encourage them to take more aggressive action to keep consumers safe. This may include:

Explicitly notifying and warning renters about the hazards of residential elevators;

Requiring property owners or "hosts" to disable elevators until they provide proof of inspection or certify that no hazardous gap exists.

"Consumers and their families should feel safe using the residential elevators in their own homes, the homes of relatives, or in rental or vacation homes," Hoehn-Saric said. "We look forward to working with industry to continue to protect consumers from this hazard."

About the U.S. CPSC

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is charged with protecting the public from unreasonable risk of injury or death associated with the use of thousands of types of consumer products. Deaths, injuries, and property damage from consumer product-related incidents cost the nation more than $1 trillion annually. CPSC's work to ensure the safety of consumer products has contributed to a decline in the rate of injuries associated with consumer products over the past 50 years.

Federal law prohibits any person from selling products subject to a Commission ordered recall or a voluntary recall undertaken in consultation with the CPSC.

For lifesaving information:

- Visit CPSC.gov.

- Sign up to receive our e-mail alerts.

- Follow us on Facebook, Instagram @USCPSC and Twitter @USCPSC.

- Report a dangerous product or a product-related injury on www.SaferProducts.gov.

- Call CPSC's Hotline at 800-638-2772 (TTY 301-595-7054).

- Media Contact 301-504-7908

Release Number: 22-238

SOURCE U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
PLAINFIELD, N.J., Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Darren N. Seril, MD, Ph.D., is being recognized by Continental Who's Who as a Distinguished Healthcare Professional in the Medical field, acknowledging his outstanding work at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital.

A dual board-certified, fellowship-trained physician, Dr. Seril is a gastroenterologist specializing in treating and managing inflammatory bowel disease and Crohn's disease. He has advanced training in this field and also teaches fellowship students who are training in this specialty. For the past six years, the doctor has been on staff at the Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, a 965-bed facility with campuses in New Brunswick and Somerville, NJ. It serves as the flagship hospital of RWJBarnabas Health.

Gastroenterology is the branch of medicine focused on the digestive system and its disorders. A gastroenterologist is a physician who has extensive training in diagnosing and treating disorders related to the esophagus, stomach, small intestines, colon, liver, pancreas, and biliary system.

Before starting his professional journey, Dr. Seril completed a B.S. in biology and a Ph.D. in molecular pharmacology, both received from Rutgers University. He received his M.D. from the Robert Wood Johnson School of Medicine and completed his internal medicine residency at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia, PA. Additionally, the doctor completed a gastroenterology fellowship at Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. He undertook advanced fellowship training in inflammatory bowel disease at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation. The doctor is board certified in internal medicine and gastroenterology.

A leader in his field, Dr. Seril is board-certified in both internal medicine and gastroenterology by the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM).

Among his professional memberships and affiliations, the doctor is a member of the American Gastroenterological Association and the American College of Gastroenterology.

In honor of his clinical expertise, Dr. Seril has received the Patients' Choice Award (2016) and the On-Time Doctor Award (2016).

Dr. Seril works closely with the New Jersey chapter of the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation.

In light of this recognition, the doctor thanks his mentors, Kiron Das, MD, and Bo Shen, MD.

For more information, visit www.rwjbh.org/rwj-university-hospital-new-brunswick.

Contact:

Katherine Green,

516-825-5634,

[email protected]

SOURCE Continental Who's Who
Event proceeds will benefit DDF's mission to raise awareness and advance funding for stomach cancer.

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Debbie's Dream Foundation: Curing Stomach Cancer (DDF) will host the 2022 DDF Legacy Bruncheon on Sunday, December 4, 2022, at 11:00 a.m. EST. The event will take place at the Huizenga Pavilion at Broward Center of the Performing Arts in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and will celebrate the organization's mission and the lasting legacy of late DDF Founder Debbie Zelman. Guests will enjoy a fabulous welcome reception, raffles, a delicious brunch buffet, and a live saxophone performance throughout the afternoon.

Flyer for the 2022 Debbie's Dream Foundation Legacy Bruncheon

This year's co-chairs include DDF Board Vice President Cynthia Peterson and Board of Director Liz Gassew. With the help of their committee, the co-chairs look forward to hosting a successful fundraising event supporting DDF's mission. "We're excited to be back hosting this signature event coming off the heels of the global pandemic," said Cynthia Peterson. "We look forward to celebrating all of the wonderful things DDF has accomplished in honor of the amazing woman who started it all. Debbie would be proud to know that her legacy lives on and continues to thrive with the support of those in this community and beyond."

In previous years, DDF hosted an annual Luncheon to celebrate the birthday of its Founder, Debbie Zelman, who passed away from stage IV stomach cancer in December 2017. It has since become an event that highlights DDF milestones and the continuation of the organization to raise awareness and research funds to support patients and families and help find a cure for stomach cancer. "We look forward to sharing the tremendous strides and accomplishments that DDF has made, all in the name of education, support, and research for individuals facing this awful disease," said event co-chair Liz Gassew. "We also recognize and honor our founder and the legacy she has left behind."

Tickets for the 2022 DDF Legacy Bruncheon are $100 and can be purchased at https://debbiesdream.org/inspire_events/bruncheon22/. Several sponsorship levels are available and include seating. For more information on how to join the committee, donate, or become a sponsor, please contact [email protected], or call (954) 475-1200.

About Debbie's Dream Foundation: Curing Stomach Cancer

DDF is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to raising awareness about gastric cancer, advancing funding for research, and providing education and support internationally to patients, families, and caregivers. DDF seeks as its ultimate goal to make the cure for stomach cancer a reality.

DDF was founded in 2009 by Debbie Zelman after she was diagnosed with stage IV incurable gastric cancer in 2008 and given only weeks to live. Debbie is considered a pioneer by many for bringing awareness to the plight of stomach cancer patients worldwide, as well as to the lack of federal funding for stomach cancer research. She did all of this while receiving hundreds of rounds of chemo, in addition to daily oral treatments. Debbie passed away on December 23, 2017, at the age of 50, almost a decade later. As a result of her leadership, DDF now has a Scientific and Medical Advisory Board of world-renowned doctors and chapters throughout the United States, Canada, and Germany. DDF strives to continue Debbie's mission and to make her dream a reality. To learn more about DDF, please visit us at www.DebbiesDream.org.

Media Contact:

Brittnay Starks

Communications Director

Debbie's Dream Foundation: Curing Stomach Cancer

(954) 475-1200

[email protected]

www.DebbiesDream.org

SOURCE Debbie's Dream Foundation: Curing Stomach Cancer
The rebrand accompanies an expanded platform outlook to serve cross-functional digital teams, with features for additional disciplines rolling out soon.

Lumar's website intelligence platform helps businesses streamline their digital operations with a centralized command center for improving their websites' technical health and search engine performance to drive organic growth.

NEW YORK, Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- A leader in the technical SEO space, SaaS platform Deepcrawl has today rebranded as Lumar. The updated brand identity accompanies an expanded vision for the future of Lumar's website intelligence platform and additional product features aimed at providing digital leaders with at-a-glance website monitoring capabilities and clear, actionable insights into their websites' technical health and performance. The new Lumar branding was developed in collaboration with Verve, a leading branding agency, and based on extensive user interviews and market research.

A website's technical foundations play a major role in search engine visibility and user experience  factors that heavily influence a business's brand awareness, customer satisfaction, and sales. For enterprise businesses with thousands or millions of pages on their site, maintaining a technically sound website that is optimized for search engines and poised to drive growth often involves multiple departments. A pain point exists around uniting all of the varying roles that work on a website, including marketing, SEO, engineering, product, UX, and leadership teams.

Lumar's expanded platform roadmap will align cross-functional digital teams with a centralized source of knowledge and a common language for website health efforts. To this end, Lumar's features include industry-specific website health scores and benchmarking tools, clear high-level traffic funnel views, and in-depth analytics to better monitor websites' technical health and uncover opportunities for website-driven growth. Early trial access to new features will be available to Lumar users in the coming weeks.

On the new branding, Lumar's CEO, Craig Dunham, said:

"As Lumar, our name now matches our mission to empower businesses to achieve digital operations excellence. As websites have grown more complex and the opportunities for website-driven growth have expanded, we saw a powerful need to innovate upon existing offerings and shape the digital marketing landscape with a new, forward-thinking category: website intelligence.

The need for website intelligence extends beyond a single department or role  digital marketers, SEOs, developers, product teams, and leadership all need insight into their websites' health and its effect on broader business goals. Our recent innovations in Lumar's website crawling technology have enabled us to build out new solutions that will help these cross-functional teams work together and boost the impact of their website efforts."

Since 2010, Lumar has provided technical SEO solutions for businesses around the world. The platform will continue to serve technical SEO teams, in addition to developing solutions for broader digital teams across an organization. Following Series B funding in 2020, Lumar launched new solutions for website monitoring and SEO testing automation, in addition to releasing a major update to its core website crawling technology. The enhanced crawler is built for speed and flexibility, and its powerful capabilities in custom data extraction have helped fuel Lumar's expansion to serve new disciplines.

The new name and visual identity come from the concept of illumination. Lumar helps businesses see their websites' technical foundations clearly in order to shed light on new opportunities to drive website traffic and conversions.

About Lumar

Lumar (formerly Deepcrawl) is an enterprise-scale website intelligence platform used by businesses worldwide. Powered by the fastest website crawler on the market, the platform helps businesses uncover their websites' full commercial potential with a command center for monitoring and improving websites' technical health and search performance. Lumar is used by some of the world's best-known brands, including teams at eBay, Microsoft, PayPal, and Deloitte. For more information, visit lumar.io .

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1907504/Lumar_Logo.jpg

SOURCE THE PHA GROUP LIMITED
This is the second book in the new self-reflective series for kids and parents and is expected to be released in December. The foreword is written by Mariel Hemingway.

NEW YORK, Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Mariel Hemingway, granddaughter of Nobel-prize winning Earnest Hemingway, academy award nominated actress, author and mental health advocate endorsed the new children's book written by Dr. Mary C. McCluskey called The Leader of the Parade: An Adlerian Educational Tool for Caregivers and Teachers: An Illustrated Children's Book and Activity Guide. Her endorsement can be seen here. The book is available on amazon.com and barnesandnoble.com. Hemingway has also written the foreword of Dr. McCluskey's next book, Bubbles, Balloons & Birds: A Janetian Educational Tool for Helping Kids Cope with Traumatic Events, An Illustrated Children's Book & Activity Guide which is expected to come out before Christmas.

Child therapist, Molly Bagli LMSW reads The Leader of the Parade 11-year-old illustrator's cartoon of author

The author of this new self-reflective series for kids and parents, Dr. Mary C. McCluskey, is the owner of a group practice in New York City called The Empowerment Opportunity LCSW PLLC as well as a related educational company named enCOURAGEment INK. LLC. Dr. McCluskey teaches social work at New York University and she specializes in treating trauma survivors and is aware of the inequality and racism that exists in our society and wanted to develop new therapeutic ways of addressing these ongoing traumas utilizing the work of different theorists including Dr. Alfred Adler, and in her upcoming book, Dr. Pierre Janet.

Clinicians and researchers have adapted Janet's work in order to create evidence-based practices for treating trauma. The second book in the series discusses in a parent and child friendly way, different ways to cope with trauma based on Janet's original trauma theory as well as new understandings in the field.

Through her self-reflective series for kids and parents, Dr. McCluskey hopes to bring back to life different psychologist's ideas in a fun and engaging way that everyone can understand, not just professionals and academics. By focusing on the different and diverse characters in the book, Dr. McCluskey hopes that the characters' various struggles will make it easier for kids to discuss their own difficult topics in both therapy and at home. Mental health, wellness and compassion needs to be taught from an early age- that is what these books are designed to do. The books are meant to be interactive and inspire kids to build community, appreciate the planet and each other for all their similarities and differences, as well as inspire discussion between children and adults. These innovative books and their activities will be used as a therapeutic tool in her child therapy practice (http://marymccluskeydsw.com).

Dr. McCluskey is inviting parents to submit their children's responses to the activity questions in these books. She hopes to write an anthology of the children's different ideas. Dr. McCluskey says, "Children are the future mental health professionals, let's get them started early so we can eventually alleviate the existing mental health crisis. I wouldn't be surprised if a brand-new idea for an intervention came from a child. Let's hear what they have to say."

Media Contact:

Mary McCluskey

917-714-4794

[email protected]

SOURCE enCOURAGEment INK. LLC
Ethosource Donated Furniture and Contributed their Expertise in Space Planning & Design

PHILADELPHIA, Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Ethosource Office Furniture, a leader in the high-end office furniture industry, partnered with Alvernia University and Delaware Valley University, contributing their expertise in space planning and design as well as donating an array of furniture to transform residential dorms and student-used spaces to enhance students' college experiences.

The partnerships include Ethosource sharing their expertise in contributing to the space planning and furniture design, consultation for interior finishes, such as flooring and color selection, as well as a donation of furniture.

Ethosource's President, John Gallen, was an integral player in helping Alvernia University bring to life its new building concept, CollegeTowne, an "all-in-one" educational space that includes numerous classrooms, offices, meeting rooms, labs, faith spaces, E-sports, and modern residency spaces, all designed and furnished to fit each room's distinct needs as well as the student's.

Inside the new 260,000-square-foot building, the Ethosource team outfitted the space with new and reused materials, utilizing what Alvernia had and adapting it to keep costs and waste consumption low. Along with their donation, John Gallen also loaned Alvernia University artwork created by renowned artist Halim Flowers when he visited Alvernia, which will be displayed in the CollegeTowne building.

Along with their assistance at Alvernia University with their CollegeTowne project, Ethosource has also donated to Alvernia's O'Pake Institution, donating workstations, seating, and private offices. With much success working on the various projects with Alvernia, Ethosource will continue working with the university as they replicate CollegeTowne at their Pottsville location.

"As a company, we strive to support the communities in which we live and work with our expertise and furnishings to ensure positive developments among the individuals we call neighbors," said President and Owner of Ethosource John Gallen. "We are honored to be a part of such an important project that will enhance students' lives while they are on campus, and we look forward to hearing their feedback as they head back to school."

Similar to the partnership with Alvernia University, Ethosource collaborated with Delaware Valley University to complete a major upgrade to their student dorms and lounge areas. With precise planning, the Ethosource team refitted the student-used spaces with furnishings the University had and integrated them with the donated items they provided.

The final results of the partnership with Delaware Valley left the student dorms with an enhanced appeal, having the furniture spaced properly for ultimate utilization and the lounges more welcoming, so students feel comfortable using the public space.

Ethosource is active with many foundations, organizations, and nonprofits within their surrounding communities, having recently partnered with The LightHouse Women & Children's Shelter, which will open in 2023. They have worked with The Caron Foundation, The YMCA, The Greater Reading Chamber Alliance, The Chamber of Commerce for Greater Montgomery County, The King of Prussia Business District, Women 2 Women, and Safe Berks.

To view the transformed University spaces, click here .

About Ethosource

Established in 2001, Ethosource is a leader in high-end office furniture and refurbished ethospace. For over 20 years, the company has been helping businesses create the perfect office environment for their customers through a creative blend of new, pre-owned, and refurbished products from numerous quality manufacturers, allowing them to deliver a client's vision within their budget. They are a full-service firm, offering end-to-end services from expert space planning, design, project management, and installation services. Even after installation, they remain a trusted partner as they will assist with furniture reconfigurations, repairs, updates, cleaning, moving as well as trade-ins, buyback and liquidation services.

Ethosource's Morgantown facility is the hub of their nationwide operation, with showrooms located in Reading and King of Prussia as well. In addition to housing their sales, design, and operations teams at the Morgantown headquarters, their corporate offices are also home to a 100,000-square-foot warehouse that houses the majority of the Ethospace product.

SOURCE Ethosource Office Furniture
Nonprofit announces plans for disaster relief efforts as Category 4 storm affects millions

OKLAHOMA CITY, Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Feed the Children, a leading nonprofit focused on alleviating childhood hunger, announced today that it is working with corporate partners including Teleperformance, StarKist, Niagara Bottling and Avon as well as community partners on the ground throughout Florida to aid in disaster response and recovery efforts as millions of Floridians work to recover after Hurricane Ian wreaked havoc across much of the state.

The nonprofit is working with community partners who are onsite including Farm Share, Reach Out America, House of Destiny and Operation Compassion to provide emergency supplies to affected families. These items include shelf stable food, bottled water, cleaning and sanitizing supplies and emergency lanterns. Resources are currently being deployed into communities including Gainesville, Homestead, Ft. Myers and Wauchula and Feed the Children is working to access needs as the storm advances across the South.

Since children often struggle to understand what has happened in the wake of natural disasters, the nonprofit also has 2,500 Kids Disaster Backpacks on-hand to aid in the comfort and recovery for affected children. These backpacks feature hygiene items such as body wash, shampoo, toothbrush and toothpaste; safety items such as bandages and a flashlight; a plush toy, colored pencils, pencil sharpener, a spiral notebook and a coloring book called "The Comfort Quilt." The coloring book features more than a dozen illustrations for children to color while an adult reads the text, hopefully prompting conversation about the child's thoughts and emotions.

Families across the state are in the infancy stages of recovery after Hurricane Ian caused life-threatening storm surges, catastrophic winds, massive flooding and left millions without electricity across the state. The effects of the storm are expected to last for several days and affect millions of Floridians and residents in neighboring states.

"We support Feed the Children's disaster relief work because they are experts at mobilizing fast to get help to those in need. And time is of the essence in natural disasters," said Daniel Park, Head of LG Household & Health Care Americas and President of the Avon Company. "They also have strong relationships with community partners to really understand the needs of local affected areas. At Avon we really appreciate that as our business is based on our Representatives and their communities."

Longtime Feed the Children partner, StarKist is working with the nonprofit to get shelf-stable food and other resources into the hands of affected families.

"StarKist is working closely with Feed the Children to provide our protein products to help families affected by Hurricane Ian," said Andrew Choe, President & CEO, StarKist Co. "It's an honor to provide much needed food and we appreciate our strong partnership with Feed the Children to make it happen during such challenging times."

Teleperformance is also working with the nonprofit to provide food, cleaning items and other much-needed resources to families.

"Teleperformance is always ready to help. We understand the needs of those affected by the Hurricane Ian and we are grateful for the opportunity to partner with Feed the Children making sure we can support them during this tragic time," said Amber Gregory, Manager of Corporate Social Responsibility at Teleperfomance USA.

"It is only through partnership and the generosity of our donors that we can respond to disasters and reach families affected by tragedy," said Travis Arnold, president and CEO of Feed the Children. "Through our work with corporate and community partners, we can support America's most vulnerable during this difficult time by providing them with food and vital resources as they rebuild."

Feed the Children has five distribution centers in the United States including Bethlehem, Penn., Elkhart, Ind., LaVergne, Tenn., Oklahoma City, Okla. and Chandler, Ariz. which serve as hubs to provide shelf-stable food and much-needed essentials to families across all 50 states and the District of Columbia when disaster strikes. If you would like to support families who are affected by disasters such as Hurricane Ian, visit feedthechildren.org/disaster

About Feed the Children

At Feed the Children, we feed hungry kids. We envision a world where no child goes to bed hungry. In the U.S. and internationally, we are dedicated to helping families and communities achieve stable lives and to reducing the need for help tomorrow, while providing food and resources to help them today. We distribute product donations from corporate donors to local community partners, we provide support for teachers and students, and we mobilize resources quickly to aid recovery efforts when natural disasters strike. Internationally, we manage child-focused community development programs in eight countries. We welcome partnerships because we know our work would not be possible without collaborative relationships.

Visit feedthechildren.org for more information.

###

SOURCE Feed the Children
DUBLIN, Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Flexible Heater Market by Type (Silicone Rubber, Polyimide, Polyester, Mica), Industry (Electronics & Semiconductor, Medical, Aerospace, Automotive & Transportation, Food & Beverages, Oil & Gas) and Region - Global Forecast to 2027" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.



The global flexible heater market size is anticipated to grow from USD 1.2 billion in 2022 to USD 1.7 billion by 2027, at a CAGR of 7.2% from 2022 to 2027.

Rising requirements for flexible heaters due to technological advancement in several industries such as medical, electronics & semiconductor, aerospace, automotive & transportation, launch of innovative products which require process heat and freeze protection, and continuous research and development of new types of flexible heater are some of the major factors propelling the growth of flexible heater market.

Mica-based flexible heater type to grow at a significant CAGR from 2022 to 2027

Mica-based flexible heaters are energy-efficient and cost-effective, and they provide excellent heating performance even at extreme temperatures. The mica-based flexible heaters are designed for application that require higher than normal watt densities and fast temperature recovery. They are economical and have high operating temperatures, for which they are used in air heaters, enclosure systems, food service equipment, packing equipment, and various other places. As a results of these features, mica-based flexible heaters are expected to grow at a significant CAGR during the forecast period.

Electronics & semiconductor industry is expected to contribute largest market share of the flexible heater market during the forecast period

The flexible heater market for the electronics & semiconductor industry accounts the largest markets share and is expected to grow at the fastest CAGR during the forecast period. Flexible heaters are used in semiconductor manufacturing equipment such as plasma etch systems, probing stations, IC test handling equipment, photo-resist track systems, LCD screen (in preheating), and semiconductor test modules. These heaters also find applications in electronics such as in refrigeration equipment, coffee maker, wax maker, and various other electronic products. The increase in demand for such products is expected to drive the market for flexible heaters in the electronics & semiconductor industry.

Asia is expected to account for the largest share of market during the forecast period

Asia Pacific is expected to contribute the largest size of the flexible heater market during forecast period. Asia Pacific is expected to contribute to the largest market share in the flexible heater market. The region is also expected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period.

The increasing demand for flexible heaters in various medical equipment, analytical instruments, avionics and defense systems, semiconductor processes, and commercial food equipment is driving the growth of the flexible heater market. The electronics, semiconductor, and automotive industries are in the leading position in Asia Pacific, and the market for the medical device and food equipment manufacturing is expected to grow at the fastest rate in this region in the upcoming years.

Key Topics Covered:

1. Introduction

2. Research Methodology

3. Executive Summary

4. Premium Insights

4.1 Attractive Opportunities in Market

4.2 Market, by Type (2022-2027)

4.3 Market, by Industry

4.4 Market, by Region

5. Market Overview

5.1 Introduction

5.2 Market Dynamics

5.2.1 Drivers

5.2.1.1 Broad Scope in Various Industries

5.2.1.2 Technological Advancements, Innovative Products, and Flexible Form Factor

5.2.1.3 Surging Adoption in Medical Applications

5.2.2 Restraints

5.2.2.1 Extensive Operational Costs

5.2.3 Opportunities

5.2.3.1 Investments in It Sector and Demand in Electronics & Semiconductors Industry

5.2.3.2 Applications in Oil & Gas and Petrochemical Industries

5.2.3.3 Surging Demand for Electric Mobility

5.2.4 Challenges

5.2.4.1 Deployment in Rugged Environments

5.3 Value Chain Analysis

5.4 Ecosystem Analysis

5.5 Pricing Analysis

5.5.1 Asp Analysis of Key Players

5.5.2 Asp Trends

5.6 Trends/Disruptions Impacting Customers

5.7 Technology Analysis

5.7.1 Flexible Printed Heaters

5.7.2 Electrification and Automation Technologies

5.8 Porter's Five Forces Analysis

5.9 Key Stakeholders and Buying Criteria

5.9.1 Key Stakeholders in Buying Process

5.9.2 Buying Criteria

5.10 Case Study Analysis

5.11 Trade Analysis

5.11.1 Import Scenario

5.11.2 Export Scenario

5.12 Patent Analysis

5.13 Key Conferences and Events (2022-2023)

5.14 Regulatory Landscape

5.14.1 Regulatory Bodies, Government Agencies, and Other Organizations Related to Flexible Heaters

5.14.2 Standards and Regulations Related to Flexible Heaters

6. Distribution Channels for Flexible Heaters

6.1 Introduction

6.2 Direct

6.2.1 Direct Distribution Channel Generates Major Profits

6.3 Indirect

6.3.1 Global Demand to Increase Distributors and Intermediaries

7. Flexible Heater Market, by Type

7.1 Introduction

7.2 Silicone Rubber-Based

7.2.1 Significant Applications in Electronics & Semiconductors Industry

7.3 Polyimide-Based

7.3.1 Demand for Medical, Analytical, and Electronic Instruments

7.4 Polyester-Based

7.4.1 Technological Advancements in Electronics, Automotive, and Medical Fields

7.5 Mica-Based

7.5.1 Demand from Electronics & Semiconductors and Aerospace Industries

7.6 Others

8. Flexible Heater Market, by Industry

8.1 Introduction

8.2 Electronics & Semiconductors

8.2.1 Semiconductor Manufacturing Equipment and General Electronics to Drive Market

8.3 Medical

8.3.1 Market in Asia-Pacific to Grow at Highest CAGR

8.4 Aerospace

8.4.1 North America to Account for Largest Share

8.5 Food & Beverages

8.5.1 Thermal Processing, Freeze Protection, and Viscosity Control to Increase Demand

8.6 Automotive & Transportation

8.6.1 Rising Trend in Electrification

8.7 Oil & Gas

8.7.1 Increasing Global Oil Consumption

8.8 Others

9. Flexible Heater Market, by Region

10. Competitive Landscape

10.1 Overview

10.2 Key Player Strategies/Right-To-Win

10.3 Revenue Analysis for Top Five Companies

10.4 Market Share Analysis

10.5 Competitive Evaluation Quadrant

10.5.1 Star Players

10.5.2 Emerging Leaders

10.5.3 Pervasive Players

10.5.4 Participants

10.6 Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (Smes) Evaluation Quadrant, 2021

10.6.1 Progressive Companies

10.6.2 Responsive Companies

10.6.3 Dynamic Companies

10.6.4 Starting Blocks

10.7 Market: Company Footprint

10.8 Competitive Benchmarking

10.9 Competitive Scenario

11. Company Profiles

11.1 Key Players

11.1.1 Honeywell International

11.1.2 Nibe Industrier

11.1.3 Omega Engineering

11.1.4 Watlow Electric Manufacturing

11.1.5 Smiths Group

11.1.6 All Flex Flexible Circuits

11.1.7 Chromalox

11.1.8 Minco

11.1.9 Rogers Corporation

11.1.10 Zoppas Industries

11.2 Other Players

11.2.1 Birk Manufacturing Inc

11.2.2 Bucan

11.2.3 Delta/Acra

11.2.4 Durex Industries

11.2.5 Epec Engineered Technologies

11.2.6 Holroyd Components

11.2.7 Hotset

11.2.8 Klc Corporation

11.2.9 Miyo Technology

11.2.10 National Plastic Heater

11.2.11 Nel Technologies

11.2.12 Sinomas

11.2.13 Tempco Electric Heater

11.2.14 Thermo Heating Elements

11.2.15 Thermocoax

12. Adjacent Markets

13. Appendix

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/4k9uqv

Media Contact:

Research and Markets

Laura Wood, Senior Manager

[email protected]



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SOURCE Research and Markets
PITTSBURGH, Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, F.N.B. Corporation (NYSE: FNB) announced it has increased its total commitment to The Pittsburgh Promise to $1 million. A named scholarship will be established for FNB, and five graduating Pittsburgh Public Schools seniors will be selected annually and named as the "F.N.B. Corporation Scholars of The Pittsburgh Promise." The FNB Scholars will have the opportunity to build mentoring and professional relationships with company leaders as they pursue their post-secondary degrees.

F.N.B. Corporation Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, Vincent J. Delie, Jr. (Center), Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey (Left) and Executive Director of The Pittsburgh Promise, Saleem Ghubril (Right), celebrate FNB's commitment to The Pittsburgh Promise at the Preferred College Partners Opportunity Fair on September 29, 2022.

Along with officials from The Pittsburgh Promise and Pittsburgh Public Schools, FNB presented the gift at The Pittsburgh Promise's Preferred College Partners Opportunity Fair, where hundreds of students met with representatives from trade, 2-year and 4-year post-secondary schools. The Preferred College Partners are post-secondary institutions that make specific commitments of grants and other support to ensure the success of Promise scholars. Admissions officers representing these 41 post-secondary campuses actively recruited students, offered on-site admission and provided on-the-spot scholarships.

"Pittsburgh's economic success depends on our ability to prepare the next generation of our local workforce," said Vincent J. Delie, Jr., Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of F.N.B. Corporation and its banking subsidiary, First National Bank. "Through FNB's partnership with The Pittsburgh Promise, we can expand opportunities for students to achieve their academic aspirations, thrive in their careers and contribute to our region's lasting prosperity."

FNB's contribution to The Pittsburgh Promise is another example of the Company's long-standing commitment to promote economic equality and fulfill its mission to improve the quality of life in its communities. In Pittsburgh, the gift is complemented by FNB's significant investment in the Lower Hill District, including its sponsorship of the First Source Center for employment and focus on inclusion in the construction of its new headquarters, FNB Financial Center. The project is on track to achieve its substantial goals for participation by minority-owned (30 percent) and women-owned (15 percent) contracting firms, ensuring the greater community can participate in the development's benefits.

Pittsburgh Promise Executive Director Saleem Ghubril commented, "We are so grateful to have FNB as our newest $1 million partner. They are a long-time supporter of our mission and our students. Their generous investment demonstrates a deep commitment to our city's young people, the diversity and strength of our workforce and the vitality of our region."

About F.N.B. Corporation

F.N.B. Corporation (NYSE: FNB), headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, is a diversified financial services company operating in seven states and the District of Columbia. FNB's market coverage spans several major metropolitan areas, including: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Baltimore, Maryland; Cleveland, Ohio; Washington, D.C.; Charlotte, Raleigh, Durham and the Piedmont Triad (Winston-Salem, Greensboro and High Point) in North Carolina; and Charleston, South Carolina. The Company has total assets of $42 billion and more than 340 banking offices throughout Pennsylvania, Ohio, Maryland, West Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Washington, D.C. and Virginia.

FNB provides a full range of commercial banking, consumer banking and wealth management solutions through its subsidiary network, which is led by its largest affiliate, First National Bank of Pennsylvania, founded in 1864. Commercial banking solutions include corporate banking, small business banking, investment real estate financing, government banking, business credit, capital markets and lease financing. The consumer banking segment provides a full line of consumer banking products and services, including deposit products, mortgage lending, consumer lending and a complete suite of mobile and online banking services. FNB's wealth management services include asset management, private banking and insurance.

The common stock of F.N.B. Corporation trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "FNB" and is included in Standard & Poor's MidCap 400 Index with the Global Industry Classification Standard (GICS) Regional Banks Sub-Industry Index. Customers, shareholders and investors can learn more about this regional financial institution by visiting the F.N.B. Corporation website at www.fnbcorporation.com.

About The Pittsburgh Promise

The Pittsburgh Promise promotes high educational aspirations among urban youth, funds scholarships for post-secondary access, and fuels a prepared and diverse regional workforce. To date, The Promise has invested more than $162 million in scholarships to send more than 10,720 urban youth to a post-secondary institution. Over 3,400 Promise Scholars have graduated, and many are now working, and giving back, in the Pittsburgh region. Promise Alumni have added value to the region's workforce at over 650 companies. Pittsburgh has the largest Promise program in the United States. For more information visit www.pittsburghpromise.org.

SOURCE F.N.B. Corporation
6sense also ranked as the 12th Best Technology Workplace and the 18th Best Medium Workplace

SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Great Place to Work and Fortune magazine have honored 6sense , the leading platform for B2B organizations generating predictable revenue, as one of the 2022 Best Workplaces for Women among medium-sized businesses. This is 6sense's first time being named to this prestigious list, coming in at 18th place this year.

To determine the Best Workplaces for Women, Great Place to Work analyzed the survey responses of over 640,000 women who work for Great Place to Work-Certified companies that employ at least 50 women. Companies must also have at least 20% of non-executive managers who are women, and at least one executive who's a woman. In the Great Place to Work survey, 96% of female employees said 6sense is a great place to work. This number is 39% higher than the average U.S. company.

"It's an honor to be recognized for our workplace culture and employee experience. We want 6sense to be the best chapter of every employee's career. That starts with creating and nurturing a values-driven culture where creativity, strategy, innovation, and diverse perspectives have room to thrive," said Jason Zintak, CEO of 6sense.

The Best Workplaces for Women list is highly competitive. Great Place to Work is the only company culture award in America that selects winners based on how fairly employees are treated. Companies are assessed on how well they are creating a great employee experience that cuts across race, gender, age, disability status, or any aspect of who employees are or their roles.

"Congratulations to the Best Workplaces for Women and their commitment to ensuring equity for women at every level of the organization," says Michael C. Bush, CEO of Great Place to Work. "These companies showed up for women in new ways to help them cope with challenges they face wherever they areboth inside and outside of work. Women in these companies are seen, heard, and valued."

Great Place to Work and Fortune magazine also honored 6sense as one of the 2022 Best Medium Workplaces coming in at 18th place this year and the 12th ranked Best Technology Workplaces . The Best Medium Workplaces was determined by analyzing the survey responses of over 200,000 employees and the Best Workplaces in Technology award was based on survey responses from over 151,000 current employees. In the survey for these two workplaces awards, 95% of its employees said 6sense is a great place to work. This number is 57% higher than the average U.S. company.

This year, 6sense has received a number of honors and recognitions, including being named to the Forbes Cloud 100 and Forbes AI 50, ranking #550 on the Inc. 5000 list, and recognized as a MarTech Breakthrough winner, B2B Marketing ABM Platform of the Year, and one of the Top 50 Best Companies to Sell For.

Learn more:

About 6sense

6sense reinvents the way organizations create, manage, and convert pipeline to revenue. 6sense Revenue AI captures anonymous buying signals, targets the right accounts at the ideal time, and recommends the channels and messages to boost revenue performance. Removing guesswork, friction, and wasted sales effort, 6sense empowers sales, marketing, and customer success teams to significantly improve pipeline quality, accelerate sales velocity, increase conversion rates, and grow revenue predictably. 6sense has been recognized for its market-defining technology by Forbes Cloud 100, Gartner, and Forrester, and for its strong culture by Glassdoor, Inc. Magazine, and Comparably. For more information, visit 6sense or follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter .

About Great Place to Work

Great Place to Work is the global authority on workplace culture. Since 1992, they have surveyed more than 100 million employees worldwide and used those deep insights to define what makes a great workplace: trust. Their employee survey platform empowers leaders with the feedback, real-time reporting and insights they need to make data-driven people decisions. Everything they do is driven by the mission to build a better world by helping every organization become a great place to work For All.

Learn more at greatplacetowork.com and on LinkedIn , Twitter , Facebook and Instagram .

SOURCE 6sense
VANCOUVER, BC, Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - Galiano Gold Inc. ("Galiano" or the "Company") (TSX: GAU) (NYSE American: GAU) is pleased to provide results from independent metallurgical test work conducted on the Esaase deposit at the Asanko Gold Mine ("AGM"), located in Ghana, West Africa. The AGM is a 50:50 joint venture ("JV") with Gold Fields Ltd (JSE, NYSE: GFI), with the JV managed and operated by Galiano.

Results of 2022 Esaase Independent Metallurgical Test Work Program

As previously announced on July 8, 2022, the Company reported encouraging results from the internal metallurgical assessment of 2,221 one-metre increments obtained from sixteen diamond drill holes completed in Q2 2022 at Esaase (see news release "Galiano Gold Provides Metallurgical and Operational Update at Asanko Gold Mine").

Further to these internal results, an independent metallurgical test work program has now been completed. The program consisted of lab scale carbon-in-leach bottle roll tests conducted on a total of 8 bulk composites derived from mineralized drill core increments of the 2022 metallurgical drilling campaign. The composites were selected to represent variations in lithological domains, oxidation states, visually logged carbon, and gold grade. Overall weighted average gold recoveries of 87% were achieved for the Esaase deposit. These results support past test work and are in-line with metallurgical recoveries previously assigned to the Esaase deposit.

Table 1  Metallurgical Recoveries of Bulk Composites Comp. ID Composite Description % Recovery 1 Oxide 92 % 2 Transition 92 % 3 Fresh - Upper Sandstone 82 % 4 Fresh - Cobra - Low Au Grade 76 % 5 Fresh - Cobra - High Au Grade 79 % 6 Fresh - Central Sandstone - Low Visible Carbon 92 % 7 Fresh - Central Sandstone - High Visible Carbon 80 % 8 Fresh - Central Sandstone - High Visible Carbon #2 79 %

The weighted average recovery of the Esaase deposit is summarized below in Table 2. This average is calculated based on the proportion of contained material types within the most recent Measured and Indicated Mineral Resources for the Esaase deposit as described in technical report titled "NI 43-101 Technical Report for the Asanko Gold Mine, Ashanti Region, Ghana" with an effective date of February 28, 2022.

Table 2  Weighted Average Recoveries by Material Type at Esaase Resource Class Material Type %

Weight %

Recovery Measured + Indicated Oxide 18 % 92 % Transition 17 % 92 % Fresh - Upper Sandstone 9 % 82 % Fresh - Cobra 8 % 78 % Fresh - Central Sandstone 48 % 86 % Weighted Average 100 % 87 %

"We are pleased to have concluded this test work program and be in a position to provide clarity on metallurgical recoveries at Esaase," said Matt Badylak, President and Chief Executive Officer. "On the back of this program, in-house test work and recent plant optimizations, we can conclude that although a portion of the Esaase deposit is prone to lower recovery, the relative contribution of this material is not significant and can be effectively managed on a go forward basis. These results now pave the way to reinstate Mineral Reserves for the Asanko Gold Mine which will be described in the upcoming Feasibility Study Technical Report prepared in full by independent consultants. This work is progressing on schedule and is expected to be completed in Q1 2023."

Qualified Person

Alan Eslake, FAusIMM, Chief Metallurgist with Asanko Gold Ghana Limited, is a Qualified Person as defined by Canadian National Instrument 43-101, Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects, and has approved the scientific and technical information contained in this news release.

About Galiano Gold Inc.

Galiano is focused on creating a sustainable business capable of long-term value creation for its stakeholders through exploration and disciplined deployment of its financial resources. The Company currently operates and manages the Asanko Gold Mine, located in Ghana, West Africa which is jointly owned with Gold Fields Ltd. The Company is strongly committed to the highest standards for environmental management, social responsibility, and health and safety for its employees and neighbouring communities. For more information, please visit www.galianogold.com.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements and information contained in this news release constitute " forward-looking statements " within the meaning of applicable U.S. securities laws and " forward-looking information " within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws, which we refer to collectively as " forward-looking statements ". Forward-looking statements are statements and information regarding possible events, conditions or results of operations that are based upon assumptions about future conditions and courses of action. All statements and information other than statements of historical fact may be forward looking statements. In some cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as " seek ", " expect ", " anticipate ", " budget ", " plan ", " estimate ", " continue ", " forecast ", " intend ", " believe ", " predict ", " potential ", " target ", " may ", " could ", " would ", " might ", " will " and similar words or phrases (including negative variations) suggesting future outcomes or statements regarding an outlook.

Forward-looking statements in this news release include, but are not limited to: statements regarding the interpretation of the results of the Esaase metallurgical test work program; the portion of the Esaase deposit that is prone to lower recovery, the impact on the overall deposit, and the ability of the Company to manage the lower recovery; the preparation of a new technical report and definition of mineral reserves at Esaase and other deposits at the AGM and the timing thereof; and information regarding the plans and expectations of the Company. Such forward-looking statements are based on a number of material factors and assumptions, including, but not limited to: the accuracy of the Company's interpretation and understanding of the results of the Esaase metallurgical test work program, the portion of the Esaase deposit that is prone to lower recovery, the impact on the overall deposit and the ability of the Company to manage the lower recovery; that the mineral resource estimate used in the metallurgical test work program continues to be accurate; the Company's new technical report and definition of mineral reserves at the AGM proceeding as currently anticipated; mining proceeding as currently anticipated; the Company proceeding with further exploration programs as currently anticipated; that future exploration programs will provide the basis for future mineral resources and reserves; that the Joint Venture approves the Company's exploration budget; the ability of the AGM to continue to operate during the COVID-19 pandemic; that gold production and other activities will not be curtailed as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic; that the AGM will be able to continue to ship dore from the AGM site to be refined; that the dore produced by the AGM will continue to be able to be refined at similar rates and costs to the AGM, or at all; that the Company's and the AGM's responses to the COVID-19 pandemic will be effective in continuing its operations in the ordinary course; the accuracy of the estimates and assumptions underlying Mineral Resource and Mineral Reserve estimates and prior exploration results, including future gold prices, cut-off grades and production and processing estimates; the successful completion of development and exploration projects, planned expansions or other projects within the timelines anticipated and at anticipated production levels; that mineral resources can be developed as planned; that the Company's relationship with joint venture partners will continue to be positive and beneficial to the Company; that required financing and permits will be obtained; general economic conditions; that labour disputes or disruptions, flooding, ground instability, geotechnical failure, fire, failure of plant, equipment or processes to operate are as anticipated and other risks of the mining industry will not be encountered; that contracted parties provide goods or services in a timely manner; that there is no material adverse change in the price of gold or other metals; title to mineral properties; costs; the retention of the Company's key personnel; and changes in laws, rules and regulations applicable to Galiano.

Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements. The Company believes the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, but no assurance can be given that these expectations will prove to be correct and you are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements contained herein. Some of the risks and other factors which could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements contained in this news release, include, but are not limited to: uncertainties and risks related to the Company's interpretation and understanding of the results of the Esaase metallurgical test work program, the portion of the Esaase deposit that is prone to lower recovery, the impact on the overall deposit and the ability of the Company to manage the lower recovery; risks related to the accuracy of the mineral resource estimate used in the metallurgical test work program and that the resource estimate may change as a result of the work currently underway and expected to be completed in Q1 of 2023; that the preparation of a new technical report and definition of mineral reserves may not proceed or be completed as expected or at all; that the results of the Company's exploration programs will not conform with the Company's expectations, and will not be sufficient to support mineral resources or mineral reserves at the AGM or be sufficient to include in the Company's updated life of mine plan; the Company's expectations; that the Company may not undertake planned future mining or exploration, or that such future mining or exploration will not be sufficient to support mineral resources or mineral reserves at the AGM; that the JV will approve the Company's proposed exploration and mining programs; the Company's and/or the AGM's operations may be curtailed or halted entirely as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, whether as a result of governmental or regulatory law or pronouncement, or otherwise; that the dore produced at the AGM may not be able to be refined at expected levels, on expected terms or at all; that the Company and/or the AGM will experience increased operating costs as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic; that the AGM may not be able to source necessary inputs on commercially reasonable terms, or at all; the Company's and the AGM's responses to the COVID-19 pandemic may not be successful in continuing its operations in the ordinary course; AGM has a limited operating history and is subject to risks associated with establishing new mining operations; sustained increases in costs, or decreases in the availability, of commodities consumed or otherwise used by the Company may adversely affect the Company; actual production, costs, returns and other economic and financial performance may vary from the Company's estimates in response to a variety of factors, many of which are not within the Company's control; adverse geotechnical and geological conditions (including geotechnical failures) may result in operating delays and lower throughput or recovery, closures or damage to mine infrastructure; the ability of the Company to treat the number of tonnes planned, recover valuable materials, remove deleterious materials and process ore, concentrate and tailings as planned is dependent on a number of factors and assumptions which may not be present or occur as expected; the Company's operations may encounter delays in or losses of production due to equipment delays or the availability of equipment; the Company's operations are subject to continuously evolving legislation, compliance with which may be difficult, uneconomic or require significant expenditures; the Company may be unsuccessful in attracting and retaining key personnel; labour disruptions could adversely affect the Company's operations; the Company's business is subject to risks associated with operating in a foreign country; risks related to the Company's use of contractors; the hazards and risks normally encountered in the exploration, development and production of gold; the Company's operations are subject to environmental hazards and compliance with applicable environmental laws and regulations; the Company's operations and workforce are exposed to health and safety risks; unexpected costs and delays related to, or the failure of the Company to obtain, necessary permits could impede the Company's operations; the Company's title to exploration, development and mining interests can be uncertain and may be contested; the Company's properties may be subject to claims by various community stakeholders; risks related to limited access to infrastructure and water; the Company's exploration programs may not successfully expand its current mineral reserves or replace them with new reserves; the Company's revenues are dependent on the market prices for gold, which have experienced significant recent fluctuations; the Company may not be able to secure additional financing when needed or on acceptable terms; and the Company's primary asset is held through a joint venture, which exposes the Company to risks inherent to joint ventures, including disagreements with joint venture partners and similar risks.

Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements, you are cautioned that this list is not exhaustive and there may be other factors that the Company has not identified. Furthermore, the Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements included in, or incorporated by reference in, this news release if these beliefs, estimates and opinions or other circumstances should change, except as otherwise required by applicable law

Cautionary Note to US Investors Regarding Mineral Reporting Standards

As a British Columbia corporation and a "reporting issuer" under Canadian securities laws, the Company is required to provide disclosure regarding its mineral properties, including the AGM, in accordance with Canadian National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43-101"). NI 43-101 is a rule developed by the Canadian Securities Administrators that establishes standards for all public disclosure an issuer makes of scientific and technical information concerning mineral projects. In accordance with NI 43-101, the Company uses the terms mineral reserves and resources as they are defined in accordance with the CIM Definition Standards on mineral reserves and resources (the "CIM Definition Standards") adopted by the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum. In particular, the terms "mineral reserve", "proven mineral reserve", "probable mineral reserve", "mineral resource", "measured mineral resource", "indicated mineral resource" and "inferred mineral resource" used in this press release are Canadian mining terms defined in accordance with CIM Definition Standards. These definitions differ from the definitions in the disclosure requirements promulgated by the SEC. Accordingly, information contained in this press release may not be comparable to similar information made public by U.S. companies reporting pursuant to SEC disclosure requirements.

United States investors are also cautioned that while the SEC will now recognize "measured mineral resources", "indicated mineral resources" and "inferred mineral resources", investors should not assume that any part or all of the mineralization in these categories will ever be converted into a higher category of mineral resources or into mineral reserves. Mineralization described using these terms has a greater amount of uncertainty as to their existence and feasibility than mineralization that has been characterized as reserves. Accordingly, investors are cautioned not to assume that any "measured mineral resources", "indicated mineral resources", or "inferred mineral resources" that the Company reports are or will be economically or legally mineable.

Further, "inferred resources" have a greater amount of uncertainty as to their existence and as to whether they can be mined legally or economically. Therefore, United States investors are also cautioned not to assume that all or any part of the inferred resources exist. In accordance with Canadian rules, estimates of "inferred mineral resources" cannot form the basis of feasibility or other economic studies, except in limited circumstances where permitted under NI 43-101.

Neither Toronto Stock Exchange nor the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

SOURCE Galiano Gold Inc.
BEIJING, Sept. 29 -- Political Commissar of Chinese PLA Navy Admiral Yuan Huazhi had a video meeting with Political Commissar of Vietnamese Navy Nguyen Van Bong on September 26. The two sides exchanged views on naval exchanges and cooperation, according to Senior Colonel Tan Kefei, a spokesperson for Chinas Ministry of National Defense, at a regular press conference in Beijing on September 29.

"China and Vietnam are socialist neighbors with adjoining mountains and rivers. Under the guidance of the General Secretary Xi Jinping and General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, the mil-to-mil relations between the two countries have developed in a solid and steady way and achieved bountiful fruits," said the spokesperson.

The spokesperson also stated that in the future, the two sides will keep in close touch, improve mechanism building, intensify communication at all levels, and advance practical cooperation to jointly preserve regional security and stability.
NEW YORK, Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- On Wednesday, September 21, Girl Rising brought together education innovators, young changemakers in gender equity and climate justice, and policy leaders from Nigeria and the United States to urge governments and world organizations to redouble their efforts to tackle the current education crisis that is affecting girls. Girl Rising is an international nonprofit known for its award-winning namesake documentary and for using the power of storytelling to change the way the world values girls and their education. The event, called Rewrite the Future, was hosted in collaboration with 1 Million Teachers (1MT), HP, North East Children's Trust (NECT)  an initiative led by the Vice President of Nigeria, His Excellency Prof. Yemi Osinbajo.

Girl Rising uses the power of storytelling to change the way the world values girls and their education. In collaboration with local partners in eight countries in 2022, we deliver culturally adapted programming to millions of adolescent girls and boys, building voice, confidence, and agency. Girl Rising works with thousands of educators, parents, and community members to address powerful social norms that hold girls back. Driven by decades of research demonstrating that educating girls is one of the most effective ways to address our world's most pressing issues including health, poverty, peace and stability, and climate change, Girl Rising creates original media and creative campaigns that activate a global community in support of girls' education.

Rewrite the Future's call to remove barriers that impede girls' education comes at a critical time when climate change, conflict, and the COVID-19 pandemic have left over 250 million children out of school, according to UNICEF, with girls uniquely affected. Around 11 million girls who were in school in March 2020 are likely to never return to classrooms after pandemic-related school shutdowns unless serious measures are taken.

"The data on the number of girls out of school is stark but Rewrite the Future was a reminder in what is possible when world leaders, changemakers and the girls themselves come together," said Girl Rising CEO Christina Lowery, "We, as a global community, need to prioritize and support local solutions, increase investment in quality, climate-informed education for girls, and ensure girls have a seat at the table."

The event opened with the Governor of Borno State, Nigeria, His Excellency Babagana Umara Zulum addressing challenges that girls in his country face due to the Boko Haram insurgency. "In the northern part of Borno State, a deficit of girls' education is overwhelming," he said, "We need more teachers, teacher training, and laboratory equipment to enable our children to have better education."

Girl Rising's Future Rising Fellows, and gender and climate justice advocates Hilda Flavia Nakabuye, Tia Kennedy, Ayomide Solanke, and Lauren Ritchie shared personal stories of the impact of climate change in regions such as First Nations in Canada, Nigeria, Uganda and The Bahamas.

"My country, Uganda, experiences some of the worst effects of climate change but contributes less than 1% to greenhouse gasses," said Nakabuye, "My education gave me the knowledge and confidence to let powerful countries and people know that although we are a generation of scared people, we are united, persistent, and very good at action."

The Future Rising Fellows answered questions on how climate-informed education can positively transform communities in a panel moderated by Vice Correspondent Chika Oduah.

The event is part of an ongoing effort by Girl Rising to address the education crisis and transform learning worldwide for girls. In 2022, the organization partnered with local organizations in eight countries and reached more than 7,000,000 adolescents.

Learn more about how you can help the current girls' education crisis at girlrising.org.

Media Contact:

Divya Joseph

707.322.7958

[email protected]

SOURCE Girl Rising
DUBLIN, Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Genotyping Market: Global Industry Trends, Share, Size, Growth, Opportunity and Forecast 2022-2027" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The global genotyping market reached a value of US$ 14.77 Billion in 2021. Looking forward, the publisher expects the market to reach a value of US$ 36.75 Billion by 2027, exhibiting a CAGR of 16.41% during 2021-2027. Keeping in mind the uncertainties of COVID-19, we are continuously tracking and evaluating the direct as well as the indirect influence of the pandemic on different end use sectors. These insights are included in the report as a major market contributor.

Genotyping Market Trends:

The global market is majorly driven by the rising demand for genotypic-based diagnostic testing in healthcare facilities across the globe. This can be attributed to the increasing prevalence of chronic diseases, including cancer and genetic disorders. In addition to this, the rising adoption of bioinformatics solutions in data analysis and pharmacogenomics in the drug discovery and development processes is also providing an impetus to the market growth.

The market is further driven by the substantial rise in investments in research and development (R&D) activities focusing on genomic drug development and precision medicine research. Apart from this, the escalating demand for reagents for the augmenting volumes of genotyping tests on the global level is creating a positive outlook for the market.

Some of the other factors that are contributing to the growth of the market include the rising geriatric population that is susceptible to developing numerous medical conditions, continual technological advancements in genotyping products, the growing awareness regarding personalized medicines among the masses and a considerable expansion of healthcare expenditure.



Key Market Segmentation:



Breakup by Product and Service:

Instruments

Reagents and Kits

Software and Services

Breakup by Technology:

Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR)

Capillary Electrophoresis

Microarray

Sequencing

Mass Spectrometry

Others

Breakup by Application:

Pharmacogenomics

Diagnostics and Personalized Medicine

Agricultural Biotechnology

Animal Genetics

Others

Breakup by End User:

Pharmaceutical and Biopharmaceutical Companies

Diagnostics and Research Laboratories

Academic Institutes

Others

Breakup by Region:

North America

United States

Canada

Asia-Pacific

China

Japan

India

South Korea

Australia

Indonesia

Others

Europe

Germany

France

United Kingdom

Italy

Spain

Russia

Others

Latin America

Brazil

Mexico

Others

Middle East and Africa

Key Topics Covered:



1 Preface



2 Scope and Methodology



3 Executive Summary



4 Introduction



5 Global Genotyping Market



6 Market Breakup by Product and Service



7 Market Breakup by Technology



8 Market Breakup by Application



9 Market Breakup by End User



10 Market Breakup by Region



11 SWOT Analysis



12 Value Chain Analysis



13 Porters Five Forces Analysis



14 Price Analysis



15 Competitive Landscape



Companies Mentioned

Agilent Technologies Inc.

Bio-Rad Laboratories Inc.

Danaher Corporation

Eurofins Scientific SE

F. Hoffmann-La Roche AG

Illumina Inc.

Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings

Qiagen N.V

Standard BioTools Inc.

Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc.

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/fbvwo7

Media Contact:

Research and Markets

Laura Wood, Senior Manager

[email protected]

For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470

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SOURCE Research and Markets
DUBLIN, Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Glycomics Market - Forecasts from 2022 to 2027" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.



The Glycomics Market is evaluated at US$1,174.889 million for the year 2022, growing at a CAGR of 8.63%, reaching the market size of US$2,096.655 million by the year 2027.

The global glycomics market is anticipated to propel at a noteworthy CAGR primarily attributable to the growing research activities in glycomics in many parts of the world. Additionally, the profitable investments by pharmaceutical companies in research and development activities also play a significant role in shaping the market growth over the forecast period.

Moreover, increased government support for R&D in drug discovery and development coupled with the growth in proteomics research studies will bolster the demand for glycomics products shortly, thus positively impacting the growth over the next five years.

Additionally, governments around the globe, particularly in developing economies, are further enabling academic researchers to expand their knowledge in the field and develop new tools and products to promote the field of glycoscience. This, in turn, augments the business growth opportunities for the market players shortly.

Key Developments in the market:

A significant volume of companies are working in the glycomics market; however, some have solidified their position as the leading providers in this industry. These players are involved in a plethora of investments, product launches, and R&D as a part of their growth strategies to strengthen their position further and provide better products and services to their customers worldwide, which is expected to propel the market's growth in the coming years. Some of these are:



In April 2022, GlycoNet, a leading global in glycomics research and drug development, has declared a $1.73 million investment in 13 glycomics projects across Canada. Health foundations, Industry partners, and business partners had also contributed US$5.97 million, bringing the total funding to $7.7 million. This fundraising will go toward research that will help patients with cancer, chronic diseases, infectious diseases, and neurodegenerative disorders live better lives.



In July 2020, GlycoNet, a Canadian network of excellence centred at UAlberta, received an investment worth US$16.3 million, enabling it to continue its mission to research glycomics to benefit human health.



In July 2020, GlycoNet awarded grant funding worth US$3.9 to 11 collaborative research projects, which will support a wide range of multidisciplinary research teams across 17 Canadian research projects to address their needs in numerous diseases such as cancer, and gastrointestinal inflammations, and cystic fibrosis, among others.



In May 2020, Pneumagen Ltd., a UK-based company engaged in treating infectious diseases by targeting the human glycome, announced that they raised 4 million, which was led by Chairman Bio (Thairm) with participation from the Scottish Investment Bank (SIB).



The glycomics market has been segmented based on product, application, and geography. Based on product, the market classification has been done into enzymes, instruments, kits, and others. The market has been segmented based on drug discovery, diagnostics, and others by application. Geographically, the market has been distributed in North America, South America, Europe, the Middle East and Africa, and the Asia Pacific.

Segmentation

By Product

Enzymes

Instruments

Kits

By Application

Drug Discovery

Diagnostics

By Geography

North America

USA

Canada

Mexico

South America

Brazil

Argentina

Europe

Germany

France

UK

Middle East and Africa

and Saudi Arabia

UAE

Asia Pacific

China

Japan

India

South Korea

Taiwan

Thailand

Indonesia

Key Topics Covered:



1. Introduction



2. Research Methodology



3. Executive Summary



4. Market Dynamics

4.1. Market Drivers

4.2. Market Restraints

4.3. Porter's Five Forces Analysis

4.4. Industry Value Chain Analysis



5. Glycomics Market Analysis, by Product



6. Glycomics Market Analysis, by Application



7. Glycomics Market Analysis, by Geography



8. Competitive Environment and Analysis

8.1. Major Players and Strategy Analysis

8.2. Emerging Players and Market Lucrativeness

8.3. Mergers, Acquisitions, Agreements, and Collaborations

8.4. Vendor Competitiveness Matrix



9. Company Profiles

Companies Mentioned

Merck KGaA

Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc.

Takara Bio Inc.

Shimadzu Corporation

Agilent Technologies, Inc.

New England Biolabs

Asparia Glycomics

Z Biotech, LLC.

QA-Bio

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/b0uaav

Media Contact:

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For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470

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SOURCE Research and Markets
DUBLIN, Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Global Microservices in Healthcare Market (2022-2027) by Component, Deployment, End-user, and Geography, with Competitive Analysis, Impact of COVID-19, and Ansoff Analysis" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The Global Microservices in Healthcare Market is estimated to be worth USD 335.04 million in 2022, and is expected to reach USD 890.77 million by 2027, growing at a CAGR of 21.6%.



Market Segmentation

The Global Microservices in Healthcare Market is segmented based on Component, Deployment, End-user, and Geography.

By Component, the market is classified into Platforms and Services.

By Deployment, the market is classified into Cloud-Based Model and On-Premise Models.

By End-user, the market is classified into Healthcare Providers, Healthcare Payers, Life Science Organizations, and Clinical Laboratories.

By Geography, the market is classified into Americas, Europe , Middle-East & Africa , and Asia-Pacific .

Countries Studied

America ( Argentina , Brazil , Canada , Chile , Colombia , Mexico , Peru , United States , Rest of Americas)

, , , , , , , , Rest of Americas) Europe ( Austria , Belgium , Denmark , Finland , France , Germany , Italy , Netherlands , Norway , Poland , Russia , Spain , Sweden , Switzerland , United Kingdom , Rest of Europe )

( , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , Rest of ) Middle-East and Africa ( Egypt , Israel , Qatar , Saudi Arabia , South Africa , United Arab Emirates , Rest of MEA)

and ( , , , , , , Rest of MEA) Asia-Pacific ( Australia , Bangladesh , China , India , Indonesia , Japan , Malaysia , Philippines , Singapore , South Korea , Sri Lanka , Thailand , Taiwan , Rest of Asia-Pacific )

The Competitive Quadrant

The report includes the Competitive Quadrant, a proprietary tool to analyze and evaluate the position of companies based on their Industry Position score and Market Performance score. The tool uses various factors for categorizing the players into four categories. Some of these factors considered for analysis are financial performance over the last 3 years, growth strategies, innovation score, new product launches, investments, growth in market share, etc.



Ansoff Analysis

The report presents a detailed Ansoff matrix analysis for the Global Microservices in Healthcare Market. Ansoff Matrix, also known as Product/Market Expansion Grid, is a strategic tool used to design strategies for the growth of the company. The matrix can be used to evaluate approaches in four strategies viz. Market Development, Market Penetration, Product Development and Diversification. The matrix is also used for risk analysis to understand the risk involved with each approach.

The Global Microservices in Healthcare Market is analyzed using the Ansoff Matrix to provide the best approaches a company can take to improve its market position.

Based on the SWOT analysis conducted on the industry and industry players, suitable strategies have been devised for market growth.

Why Buy This Report?

The report offers a comprehensive evaluation of the Global Microservices in Healthcare Market. The report includes in-depth qualitative analysis, verifiable data from authentic sources, and projections about market size. The projections are calculated using proven research methodologies.

The report has been compiled through extensive primary and secondary research. The primary research is done through interviews, surveys, and observation of renowned personnel within the industry.

The report includes an in-depth market analysis using Porter's 5 forces model and the Ansoff Matrix. In addition, the impact of COVID-19 on the market is also featured in the report.

The report also includes the regulatory scenario within the industry, which will help you make a well-informed decision. The report discusses major regulatory bodies and major rules & regulations imposed on this sector across various geographies.

The report also contains competitive analysis using 'Positioning Quadrants'; a proprietary competitive positioning tool.

Market Dynamics

Drivers

Benefits of the Microservice Architecture

Rising Need for Digitization across the Healthcare Sector

Restraints

Concerns Regarding Security and Regulatory Compliance

Opportunities

Cloud-based and Emergence of IoT Applications

Microservice Architecture for Building Real-world Evidence Applications

Challenges

Organizational Challenges in Implementing Microservices

Reluctance to Shift from Traditional Monolithic Architecture to Complex Microservice Architecture

Key Topics Covered:



1 Report Description



2 Research Methodology



3 Executive Summary



4 Market Dynamics



5 Market Analysis



6 Global Microservices in Healthcare Market, by Component



7 Global Microservices in Healthcare Market, by Deployment



8 Global Microservices in Healthcare Market, by End-user



9 Americas' Microservices in Healthcare Market



10 Europe's Microservices in Healthcare Market



11 Middle East and Africa's Microservices in Healthcare Market



12 APAC's Microservices in Healthcare Market



13 Competitive Landscape



14 Company Profiles



15 Appendix



Companies Mentioned

Amazon Web Services, Inc.

IBM

CA Technologies

Infosys

Microsoft Corp.

Nginx, Inc.

Oracle Corp.

Pivotal Software, Inc.

Salesforce.Com, Inc.

Syntel

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/4qnmpb

Media Contact:

Research and Markets

Laura Wood, Senior Manager

[email protected]

For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470

For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630

For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900

U.S. Fax: 646-607-1904

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SOURCE Research and Markets
DUBLIN, Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Global Solar Water Pump Market Research and Forecast, 2022-2028" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.



The global solar water pump market is expected to grow at a considerable CAGR of 5.8% during the forecast period (2021-2027). Solar water pumps are gaining prominence as they run on electricity generated by solar panels which results in relatively lower emissions. The major factors that are augmenting the growth of the solar water pump market include cohesive government policies, increasing the need for alternative energy sources, and increasing renewable energy generation.

The support by the government authorities is particularly prevalent in emerging economies such as India and China, to shift trend towards solar PV by replacing diesel pumps. For instance, Under the Madhya Pradesh Mukhyamantri Solar Pump Subsidy Scheme, in India (2021), free solar pumps will be provided to the farmers by replacing the diesel pumps. Furthermore, increasing urbanization, the need for clean and potable water, shortage of electricity and fuel, and rising demand for solar pumps in domestic applications are some of the other factors that are estimated to fuel the market growth, during the forecast period.

However, certain factors are affecting the growth of the market. Higher initial investment costs could be a barrier to market growth. Although despite the initial investment costs, once installed, the solar water pumps can be used as an affordable source of electricity to reduce energy bills.

Segmental Outlook

The market is segmented based on type, end-user, and application. By type, the market is segmented into surface water pumps and submersible water pumps. Submersible water pumps hold a significant market share in 2020. The market growth is driven by increasing investments in the construction industry for rapid growth in urbanization and high demand for the submersible pump in the agriculture field for deep well pumping and irrigation system. Some of the submersible water pump providers include Tata Power Solar Systems Ltd., Grundfos Pumps Corporation, Kirloskar Brothers, and Topsun Energy Ltd. Based on the application segment, the market is segmented into agriculture, water supply, and others. Further, based on the end-user segment, the market is segmented into small-scale based and large-scale based.

Regional Outlooks

The global solar water pump market is analyzed based on the geographical regions that are contributing significantly towards the growth of the market. Based on the geography, the market is fragmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and the Rest of the World. Asia-Pacific is estimated to be one of the major markets for the solar water pump. China and India are the two leading countries in the region owing to favorable government initiatives and policies. For instance, under the PM Kusum scheme, the Central Government of India is giving a 30% subsidy. Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan (PM-KUSUM) scheme was initiated by the Government of India to increase the income of farmers and provide sources for irrigation and de-dieselize the farm sector.

In addition to this, growth in industrialization and increasing electricity demand in several industries including agriculture are also some of the driving factors contributing towards the growth of the market in the Asia-Pacific. An increase in the need for irrigation systems in countries including Morocco, Nigeria, Namibia, and Kenya, in the African region with favorable weather conditions will contribute to the growth of the market.

Key Topics Covered:



1. Report Summary



2. Market Overview and Insights



3. Competitive Landscape



4. Market Determinants



5. Market Segmentation



6. Regional Analysis



7. Company Profiles

Companies Mentioned

Alpex Solar Pvt. Ltd.

Bright Solar Ltd.

C.R.I. Pumps Private Ltd.

Grundfos Pumps Corp.

Jain Irrigation Systems Ltd.

JJ PV Solar

Kirloskar Brothers Ltd.

LORENTZ

Lubi Electronics

Rainbow Power Company Ltd.

Shakti Pumps ( India ) Ltd.

) Ltd. Span Pumps Pvt Ltd.

SunEdison, Inc.

Tata Power Solar Systems Ltd.

Topsun Energy Ltd.

Udhaya Semiconductors Ltd.

Waaree Energies Ltd.

Symtech Solar Group.

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/p6jze6

Media Contact:

Research and Markets

Laura Wood, Senior Manager

[email protected]



For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470

For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630

For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900



U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907

Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716

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SOURCE Research and Markets
DUBLIN, Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Global White Biotechnology Market (2022-2027) by Product, Application, and Geography, with Competitive Analysis, Impact of COVID-19, and Ansoff Analysis" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The Global White Biotechnology Market is estimated to be worth USD 208 million in 2022, and is expected to reach USD 241.36 million by 2027, growing at a CAGR of 3.02%.



Market Segmentation

The Global White Biotechnology Market is segmented based on Product, Application, and Geography.

By Product, the market is classified into Biofuels, Biomaterials, Biochemicals, and Industrial Enzymes.

By Application, the market is classified into Cardiovascular, Neurovascular, and Urology.

By Geography, the market is classified into Americas, Europe , Middle-East & Africa and Asia-Pacific .

Countries Studied

America ( Argentina , Brazil , Canada , Chile , Colombia , Mexico , Peru , United States , Rest of Americas)

, , , , , , , , Rest of Americas) Europe ( Austria , Belgium , Denmark , Finland , France , Germany , Italy , Netherlands , Norway , Poland , Russia , Spain , Sweden , Switzerland , United Kingdom , Rest of Europe )

( , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , Rest of ) Middle-East and Africa ( Egypt , Israel , Qatar , Saudi Arabia , South Africa , United Arab Emirates , Rest of MEA)

and ( , , , , , , Rest of MEA) Asia-Pacific ( Australia , Bangladesh , China , India , Indonesia , Japan , Malaysia , Philippines , Singapore , South Korea , Sri Lanka , Thailand , Taiwan , Rest of Asia-Pacific )

The Competitive Quadrant

The report includes the Competitive Quadrant, a proprietary tool to analyze and evaluate the position of companies based on their Industry Position score and Market Performance score. The tool uses various factors for categorizing the players into four categories. Some of these factors considered for analysis are financial performance over the last 3 years, growth strategies, innovation score, new product launches, investments, growth in market share, etc.



Ansoff Analysis

The report presents a detailed Ansoff matrix analysis for the Global White Biotechnology Market. Ansoff Matrix, also known as Product/Market Expansion Grid, is a strategic tool used to design strategies for the growth of the company. The matrix can be used to evaluate approaches in four strategies viz. Market Development, Market Penetration, Product Development and Diversification. The matrix is also used for risk analysis to understand the risk involved with each approach.

The Global White Biotechnology Market is analyzed using the Ansoff Matrix to provide the best approaches a company can take to improve its market position.

Based on the SWOT analysis conducted on the industry and industry players, suitable strategies have been devised for market growth.

Why Buy This Report?

The report offers a comprehensive evaluation of the Global White Biotechnology Market. The report includes in-depth qualitative analysis, verifiable data from authentic sources, and projections about market size. The projections are calculated using proven research methodologies.

The report has been compiled through extensive primary and secondary research. The primary research is done through interviews, surveys, and observation of renowned personnel within the industry.

The report includes an in-depth market analysis using Porter's 5 forces model and the Ansoff Matrix. In addition, the impact of COVID-19 on the market is also featured in the report.

The report also includes the regulatory scenario within the industry, which will help you make a well-informed decision. The report discusses major regulatory bodies and major rules & regulations imposed on this sector across various geographies.

The report also contains competitive analysis using 'Positioning Quadrants'; a proprietary competitive positioning tool.

Market Dynamics

Drivers

Increasing demand for Biofuels and Green Chemicals

Cost and Energy Consumption Advantage Compared to Other Technologies

Restraints

Lower Adoption of Biofertilizers and Biofuels

Environmental Consequences of Genetic Engineering

Opportunities

Increasing Investment in Biofuels

Biosynthesis of Nanomaterials by Microorganisms

Ban on the Use of Conventional Plastic

Advancement in White Biotechnology Through Fungi

Challenges

Avaliblity of the Alternatives

Shifting Consumer Preferences

Life Span and Limitation of Products

Key Topics Covered:



1 Report Description



2 Research Methodology



3 Executive Summary



4 Market Dynamics



5 Market Analysis



6 Global White Biotechnology Market, by Product



7 Global White Biotechnology Market, by Application



8 Americas' White Biotechnology Market



9 Europe's White Biotechnology Market



10 Middle East and Africa's White Biotechnology Market



11 APAC's White Biotechnology Market



12 Competitive Landscape



13 Company Profiles



14 Appendix



Companies Mentioned

AkzoNobel

Amyris

Archer Daniels Midland Company

BASF

Biosphere

Cargill

Corbion

DSM

Du Pont Danisco

Fujifilm

GE Healthcare

Henkel

Hitachi Medical

Hologic

iCAD med

InVivo Healthcare

DSM

Lesaffre

McKesson

Merge Healthcare (IBM)

Novozyme

Philips Healthcare

Siemens Healthcare

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/xsn84u

Media Contact:

Research and Markets

Laura Wood, Senior Manager

[email protected]

For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470

For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630

For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900

U.S. Fax: 646-607-1904

Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716

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SOURCE Research and Markets
Consumers now have the best of both worlds in a coffee and cannabis beverage experience.

JASPER, Fla., Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- GramCo, a leading Florida-based cannabis brand, has announced the newest addition to its product lineup with the official arrival of Wake & Bake Coffee. GramCo's Wake & Bake Coffee blends premium Colombian coffee with Delta-8 water-soluble powder grown and produced in Florida. Consumers can have the best of both worlds in a high-quality coffee and cannabis beverage experience.

GramCo's Wake & Bake Coffee is the nexus of America's two favorite morning routines. GramCo's attention to quality in its products and the uniqueness of the new infused product make the new Wake & Bake Coffee an inspiring offering.

GramCo's Wake & Bake Coffee comes from Huila, a mountainous region in southwest Colombia. In 2013, coffee from Huila received the Denomination of Origin status for its unique, location-specific characteristics, the same status awarded to champagne, prosciutto, and balsamic vinegar made in specific areas of Europe. Huila coffee is known for its delicate profile, bright acidity, medium body, sweet notes, and fruity, caramel aroma. The coffee is roasted to perfection, ground into brew-ready coffee, blended with Delta-8 water-soluble powder, bagged, then sold to customers, retailers, and distributors throughout the United States.

Felipe Robayo serves as the director of Latin America operations for Green Point Research, the hemp provider for the GramCo brand. Mr. Robayo's reputation as an influential collaborator, creator of standards of production, and clarity of terroir in a cup profile makes him the perfect lead to source and test the coffee for the new product. His previous work includes stints at Kraft General Foods, a top-five coffee roaster, and as the commercial manager of the Colombian Coffee Federation, an association of producers that exports 24% of the total coffee produced in Colombia.

"Colombia's optimal environment for growing superior coffee year-round allows GramCo to source fresh coffee with great aroma and taste for its popular new product offering," stated Felipe Robayo, Director of Latin American Operations at Green Point. "GramCo's attention to quality in its cannabis products and the uniqueness of the new infused product make the new Wake & Bake Coffee an attention-grabbing and inspiring offering.

After several months of product development, due diligence, and test market assessments, we believe our Wake & Bake Coffee is the best infused coffee product on the market"

"Consumer interest in Wake & Bake is the nexus of America's two favorite morning routines," David Hasenauer, CEO of GramCo. "Our expertise and ecosystem of high-quality agricultural producers have created an exquisite coffee and cannabis experience garnering overwhelmingly positive market feedback among all consumer groups. We are pleased to introduce Wake & Bake Coffee to a national audience and to roll out more products that connect cannabis and cuisine."

Wake & Bake Coffee has 20 mg of Delta-8 per 8-ounce cup of coffee to help you kick off the day with the perfect motivation. The product is sold online at www.thegramco.com in individual 4-ounce or 8-ounce packages with 6-count retail packages available. A combo package with a 4-ounce coffee and a Wake & Bake coffee mug is also available. The hemp-derived Delta-8 THC water-soluble powder in the product is produced in Florida and is now available as a new Delta-8 Quick Mix product. For more information on wholesale and retail options for this product and other delta-8 products, including gummies, pre-rolls, and vapes, and Wake and Bake coffee mugs, contact GramCo at info at thegramco.com.

About GramCo

GramCo is a premium cannabis brand creating elevated consumer experiences through its delta-8 products. The company offers a variety of inhalable and edible products that begin with high-quality hemp produced by the parent company, Green Point. GramCo products are sold directly to adult consumers through its website, www.thegramco.com, and in many retail locations in states that allow the sale of delta-8 products. Connect with GramCo on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, TikTok, and Linkedin.

Media contact:

Robin P.

[email protected]

954-500-4367

SOURCE The GramCo
SAN JOSE, Calif. and LONDON and BENGALURU, India, Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Happiest Minds Technologies Limited (NSE: HAPPSTMNDS), a 'Born Digital . Born Agile', Mindful IT Company today announced that it is a recipient of the prestigious Golden Peacock Award for Excellence in Corporate Governance (GPAECG) for the year 2022.

Happiest Minds will be presented the award at the 'Golden Peacock Awards Presentation Ceremony', to be held on November 10, 2022, during 'The Institute of Director's 2022 Annual London Global Convention on Corporate Governance & Sustainability' in London (UK). The theme of the Convention this year is 'Building an Effective Board that Works & TOP GLOBAL TRENDS'.

Golden Peacock Awards, instituted by Institute of Directors, India in 1991, are now regarded as an industry benchmark of Corporate Excellence worldwide. It has been instituted to celebrate and honour the best, as recognition of their unique achievements to build their Quality and Brand. Golden Peacock Award for Excellence in Corporate Governance (GPAECG) aims to promote high standards of corporate governance practices based on the Golden Peacock Awards Business Excellence Model.

Speaking about the award, Mr. Venkatraman Narayanan, MD & CFO, Happiest Minds Technologies said, "We are committed to mindful corporate citizenship & conduct. Our Company's vision from inception calls out 'adherence to the highest levels of Corporate Governance' as one of our fundamental tenets. "The Golden Peacock  For Excellence in Corporate Governance" is a pinnacle award that publicly acknowledges our efforts in this direction, and I am extremely delighted to receive this prestigious award which is a testament to our success. It's indeed an important milestone in our Company's life journey."

Mr. Manoj K. Raut, Chief Executive Officer & Secretary-General, Institute of Directors, India said, "Happiest Minds Technologies is one the leading next-generation digital transformation, infrastructure, security and product engineering services driven company, which has a uniquely diverse and inclusive culture that prides itself on its prosperity and inclusive growth. The company has deployed robust internal control systems. Processes and systems are reviewed constantly and it has adaptability to address the changing regulatory and business environment. The company's business strategy and excellent customer feedback is the testimony of its good work.

The Golden Peacock Awards today receives around 1000 applications across categories every year. The Award applications are stringently assessed at three levels by Independent Assessors and finally by a Grand Jury of eminent public figures of India & Global. It is Chaired by Hon'ble Justice M. N. Venkatachaliah, former Chief Justice, Supreme Court of India and former Chairman, National Human Rights Commission of India and National Commission for Constitution of India Reforms.

Happiest Minds was a winner of the esteemed Golden Peacock Business Excellence Award for the year 2021. Designed for perpetuity, the company endeavours to mindfully leverage its digital technology-led business excellence for its people, clients and community, powered by its mission statement of 'Happiest People . Happiest Customers'.

More information on the Golden Peacock Awards can be found here.

About Happiest Minds Technologies:

Happiest Minds' Technologies Limited (NSE: HAPPSTMNDS), a Mindful IT Company, enables digital transformation for enterprises and technology providers by delivering seamless customer experiences, business efficiency and actionable insights. We do this by leveraging a spectrum of disruptive technologies such as artificial intelligence , blockchain , cloud , digital process automation , internet of things , robotics/drones, security , virtual/augmented reality , and more. Positioned as 'Born Digital. Born Agile', our capabilities span digital solutions, infrastructure, product engineering and security. We deliver these services across industry sectors such as automotive, BFSI, consumer packaged goods, e-commerce, edutech, engineering R&D, hi-tech, manufacturing, retail, and travel/transportation/hospitality.

A Great Place to Work-Certified company, Happiest Minds is headquartered in Bangalore, India, with operations in the U.S., UK, Canada, Australia, and the Middle East.

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SOURCE Happiest Minds Technologies Limited
AUSTIN, Minn., Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Hormel Foods Corporation, ( NYSE: HRL), a Fortune 500 global branded food company, announced that it has provided support to Convoy of Hope's disaster recovery response in the wake of Hurricane Ian. The company's donation will immediately go to assisting those impacted by the devastating hurricanes that ravaged areas within Florida. Convoy of Hope is a nonprofit organization with a driving passion to feed the world through initiatives for children, community outreach events and disaster-response efforts.

Hormel Foods has donated more than $50 million in cash and product donations to nonprofit organizations over the last five years, including $6.6 million in hunger-relief donations in 2021. The company has partnered with Convoy of Hope for the past seven years, contributing product and financial gifts that have been used to help those affected by natural disasters and food insecurity.

"Convoy of Hope is extremely grateful for the generosity of Hormel Foods," said Ethan Forhetz, vice president of public engagement with Convoy of Hope. "This donation will empower Convoy of Hope to reach storm survivors with the life sustaining essentials they need following major disasters. Thanks to Hormel Foods, Convoy continues to deliver hope to families."

Additional information about the company's hunger-relief efforts is available in the Hormel Foods Global Impact Report.

ABOUT HORMEL FOODS  Inspired People. Inspired Food.

Hormel Foods Corporation, based in Austin, Minn., is a global branded food company with over $11 billion in annual revenue across more than 80 countries worldwide. Its brands include Planters, SKIPPY, SPAM, Hormel Natural Choice, Applegate, Justin's, Wholly, Hormel Black Label, Columbus, Jennie-O and more than 30 other beloved brands. The company is a member of the S&P 500 Index and the S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats, was named on the "Global 2000 World's Best Employers" list by Forbes magazine for three years, is one of Fortune magazine's most admired companies, has appeared on the "100 Best Corporate Citizens" list by 3BL Media 13 times, and has received numerous other awards and accolades for its corporate responsibility and community service efforts. The company lives by its purpose statement  Inspired People. Inspired Food.  to bring some of the world's most trusted and iconic brands to tables across the globe. For more information, visit www.hormelfoods.com and http://csr.hormelfoods.com/.

Contact: Media Relations

Hormel Foods

507-434-6352

[email protected]

SOURCE Hormel Foods Corporation
Launch of an 18-page report

GENEVA, Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- On Tuesday 27 September, the issues of human rights and political oppression in Benin were raised at the 51st session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, composed of 47 member states, in which Benin is occupying a seat until 2024.

An oral statement co-sponsored by two NGOs, CAP/ Liberte de Conscience (France) and Human Rights Without Frontiers (HRWF) expressed their deep concerns about the ongoing backsliding of democracy and human rights in Benin since President Patrice Talon came to power in 2016.

On the same day, HRWF launched its report about the situation in Benin in which the Brussels-based NGO focused on several topics of particular concern, and primarily the grip of President Talon on all the state institutions to the benefit of his party.

Other issues are also investigated by the report, such as

The massive arrests of peaceful demonstrators, political opponents and party leaders in 2021

The loss of independence of the judiciary

The creation of a special court for the prosecution of economic crimes and terrorism (CRIET) instrumentalized by President Talon to prosecute political rivals on fabricated charges

The sentencing of two candidates of the 2021 presidential election, Reckya Madougou and Joel Aivo, respectively sentenced to 20 and 10 years in prison

The general detention conditions in Benin , also denounced in the 2021 of the US State Department on Human Rights Practices in Benin

, also denounced in the 2021 of the US State Department on Human Rights Practices in The abuse of pretrial detention and the use of torture, already denounced in 2019 by the UN Committee Against Torture

The lack of freedom of the media, journalists and bloggers

The breaches of freedom of assembly and police violence

In their oral statement, the two NGOs recalled that in May 2021, the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights adopted a Resolution in which it declared to be deeply concerned by the restrictions on civic space and the crackdown on demonstrations by the army resulting in loss of lives, abuses and violations.

Last but not least, HRWF report also mentions a call of the New York Center for Foreign Policy Affairs to the US at the end of a 73-page study to recommend the nomination of President Talon and his supporting associates for sanctions under the Global Magnitsky Act.

On the same lines, HRWF also recommends the nomination of President Talon and his associates for sanctions under the EU Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime.

For more information, visit HRWF.

SOURCE Human Rights Without Frontiers
WASHINGTON, Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Lead exposure from drinking water systems is a major challenge facing countries around the world, but it is solvable. The World Health Organization (WHO) recently issued global guidance addressing this critical situation that focuses on specific steps countries can take to reduce the threats lead presents to public health in their systems and to prevent the future use of lead-containing parts from water systems.

The guidance emerged from a nearly two-year effort by a working group that included the University of North Carolina, World Vision International, UNICEF, and the WHO. The International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials (IAPMO) served as a Technical Advisory Group member, contributing technical assistance to support the assessment and management of lead contamination in drinking water supplies.

"We know the potential dangers that arise by having lead and other contaminants in drinking water. However, we also know it is solvable in communities around the world," said WHO Water, Sanitation, Hygiene and Health Technical Officer Jennifer De France. "This technical brief takes an important step to show communities around the world what needs to be done to remediate lead in their drinking water and how to do it."

Lead poisoning kills 900,000 people globally every year and the WHO estimates that 30% of the global burden of developmental intellectual disability of unknown origin is because of lead. Water systems are just one source of overall lead exposure. Children and pregnant women are most vulnerable to unsatisfactory health outcomes from even low levels of lead exposure. Among the risks cited by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) are damage to the central and peripheral nervous system, learning disabilities, shorter stature, impaired hearing, and impaired formation and function of blood cells.

"The technical brief is an important step forward," said Dr. Aaron Salzberg, director of the Water Institute at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. "It represents years of work by the WHO with technical experts, governments, stakeholders, and many other partners to bring together the best guidance on how we can provide lead-free drinking water services. The guide shows how this can be done. It's not rocket science. The next step is to get donors, governments and community leaders to step up and commit to taking action to prevent and remediate lead and other toxic metal exposures in their communities  especially in drinking water."

Given these high stakes, eliminating lead in all ways possible is urgent, as the WHO spells out in the guidelines titled " Lead in drinking-water: Health risks, monitoring and corrective actions ." The WHO provides six steps that should be taken if elevated lead levels are found in drinking water and recommends measures that stakeholders  regulatory agencies, water suppliers, operators and installers of hand pump supplies, plumbers, and property owners and consumers  can take to reduce exposure to lead from drinking water. Notably, the guidance includes sections on the importance of certified plumbing products and the need for more trained plumbers.

"We are proud to have contributed our plumbing science expertise to this important advancement from the WHO," said Dain Hansen, IAPMO's Executive Vice President of Government Relations. "Keeping people safe globally is a core mission for IAPMO and working alongside global water experts to produce this technical guide means the message is being widely delivered." Hansen added that IAPMO published a guide to removing lead to help U.S. homeowners, facilities managers and policymakers take corrective action where needed.

IAPMO R&T was one of the first third-party certification bodies in North America to offer listings to the various low-lead standards and laws, first doing so in 2008, and certifies point-of-use and point-of-entry water filtration products for the reduction of lead in drinking water. IAPMO was also an active participant in the rulemaking process for the EPA's regulation on the "Use of Lead Free Pipes, Fittings, Fixtures, Solder and Flux for Drinking Water," and submitted numerous comments for consideration.

Sponsor of the Uniform Codes, IAPMO  The International Association of Plumbing and

Mechanical Officials  works in concert with government and industry for safe, sanitary and

resilient plumbing and mechanical systems. Learn more about IAPMO at www.iapmo.org .

SOURCE International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials (IAPMO)
As the company reaches a landmark anniversary, Founder and Chairman V K Mathews reflects on IBS Software's ongoing mission to redefine the travel industry

TRIVANDRUM, India, Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- This month marks the 25th anniversary since IBS Software was founded by V K Mathews, with a team of 55 engineers and a vision to transform the travel industry through digital technology. Over the last 25 years the company has made good on its mission, providing innovative technology to the aviation, cargo & logistics, cruise, hospitality and loyalty industries, supporting businesses to digitise their operations as travel and customer expectations rapidly evolve.

V K Mathews, Chairman, IBS Software

With a workforce of over 3,500 employees spread across 40 countries, IBS Software has not only developed a sophisticated suite of products, it has fostered and encouraged communities of customers and partners to discuss critical topics that inform the development of solutions that make a difference to their businesses. It has grown its customer base since the pandemic, with 14 of the top 20 airlines, six of the top 15 hotel chains and six of the top cruise lines choosing IBS Software to support their digital transformation journeys.

V K Mathews, Chairman, IBS Software, reflects, "After 25 years, our goal at IBS Software remains clear; to help businesses grow their revenue and market share, reduce their cost of operation and enable them to offer best-in-class customer experience."

"The travel industry was an early adopter of technology, but re-engineering highly used IT systems is complex, and progress has historically been held back by the shackles of legacy technologies. Now, travel businesses must liberate themselves. COVID 19 catalysed a significant shift from supply to demand, putting travelers in the driving seat and a pressure on the industry to offer hyper-personalised choices to its customers."

"Today, any travel business also needs to be a technology business and IBS Software can help them on that journey as a disruptor and trusted partner for the next 25 years and beyond."

Hear how VK's vision to redefine the travel industry became a reality and his predictions for the future in this short video.

About IBS Software

IBS Software is a leading SaaS solutions provider to the travel industry globally, managing mission-critical operations for customers in the aviation, tour & cruise and hospitality industries. IBS Software's solutions for the aviation industry cover fleet & crew operations, aircraft maintenance, passenger services, loyalty programs, staff travel and air cargo management. IBS Software also runs a real-time B2B and B2C distribution platform providing hotel room inventory, rates and availability to a global network of hospitality companies and channels. For the tour and cruise industry, IBS provides a comprehensive, customer-centric, digital platform that covers onshore, online and on-board solutions. IBS Software is a Blackstone portfolio company and operates from 15 offices across the world. For further information, please visit https://www.ibsplc.com/.

Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1910791/VK_Mathews.jpg

Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1169353/IBS_Software_Logo.jpg

SOURCE IBS Software
CHICAGO, Sept. 28, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- House Speaker Emanuel "Chris" Welch laid out a vision for continuing to move Illinois forward in a time of increasing political polarization Wednesday, addressing a sold out crowd of 300 people at the City Club of Chicago.

"Leadership is about serving the people, and I learned that great leaders have a few things in common," Welch said during his speech at the City Club of Chicago on Wednesday, Sept. 28. "Great leaders are civil, compassionate and willing to compromise. Great leaders build strong alliances. And, great leaders always remember their why."

Speaker Welch at the City Club of Chicago House Speaker Emanuel "Chris" Welch, Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle, City Club's Jaclene L. Robinson-Ivy, and lunch attendees. (PRNewsfoto/Democrats for the Illinois House)

Welch urged leaders to focus on common motivations  our 'why'  even when they disagree on policy details. Welch acknowledged Cook County President Toni Preckwinkle, Chair of the Illinois Democratic Party Lisa Hernandez, Chicago Teachers Union President Stacy Davis Gates as examples of people who remember theirs.

"I want to help the poor, help the sick, help women, help children, help the elderly, help the most vulnerable among us," Welch said.

Welch, who is 20 months into his role as Illinois Speaker of the House, said he wakes up grateful for the opportunity to shape policy. Including "fiery" speeches about women's reproductive rights, marriage equality, banning ghost guns and corporate diversity. While his personal beliefs have not changed, he has moved towards finding ways to unify and not divide as Speaker of the House.

"It is important that I continue to listen and learn from perspectives that are different from my own because that's how we make truly transformative policy," Welch said.

Welch acknowledged that transformative policy requires a solid foundation. The Illinois House has prioritized rebuilding the state fiscally, with budgets that are fiscally and socially responsible. Pension Debt also has been paid down, and the backlog of unpaid bills has been eliminated. It has resulted in a savings of more than $1 billion. The Rainy Day Fund also has been rebuilt, something that has not been done in two decades. There also have been six credit upgrades.

"That fiscal stability has enabled us to put $1.8 billion back into working families' pockets, by cutting the grocery tax, freezing the gas tax, providing property tax relief and permanently expanding the Earned Income Tax Credit," Welch said.

Welch reiterated that Illinois' greatest strength is its diversity. And, that the unity and ability to work together is also what continues the path to move forward.

"From our prosperous rural communities to our vibrant, culturally rich cities, our diversity is truly what sets us apart," Welch said.

Welch also talked about the divide and rhetoric that seeks to divide. He encouraged the audience to take an active role in finding a solution to restore common courtesy and civil disagreements.

"We must stand up for our Democratic values and always operate from mutual respect," he said.

Welch said it is not good for Democracy that there are people who poison their followers' minds, by intentionally spreading lies and deceit. He said those attributes are not those of a great leader. Then, he talked about the January 6 Committee and how there is more evidence on the way about how people were radicalized by the former President of the United States.

"Our Democracy depends on us standing up and speaking out against all of that," he said. "Spreading lies and misinformation and fearmongering is not the way."

He added, "great leaders believe in civility, compassion. That's how we move forward."

SOURCE Democrats for the Illinois House
DAVENPORT, Iowa, Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- ImpactLife is participating in a national response to supply blood for the region affected by Hurricane Ian. After sending a shipment of Type O red blood cells, the blood center anticipates needing additional donations of red blood cells and platelets to maintain the blood supply for local hospitals and for ongoing support of the hurricane region. For information on local donation centers and mobile blood drives, call (800) 747-5401, visit www.bloodcenter.org, or schedule via the ImpactLife mobile app, available at www.bloodcenter.org/app.

ImpactLife has joined blood centers across the U.S. in helping support the blood supply for the region affected by Hurricane Ian.

ImpactLife is part of a resource sharing network of not-for-profit community blood centers that supports needs throughout the country when called upon. As residents of the affected region prepared for Hurricane Ian, hospitals and blood providers have requested support from other parts of the country.

"We expect donors in the affected region will be unable to give blood when the hurricane hits, either due to power outages, evacuations, or sheltering in place," said Mike Parejko, Chief Executive Officer of ImpactLife. "We know blood components will be needed for ongoing patient care in the region, and we are glad to join other blood providers around the U.S. in responding to this need."

ImpactLife will prioritize local needs before shipping blood components outside of the blood center's direct service region. "We will need to increase our donations this week and next to continue meeting local needs while also supporting the region affected by Hurricane Ian," said Amanda Hess, Vice President, Donor Relations and Marketing.

ImpactLife Donor Promotion

Through November 13, all donors will receive a voucher to redeem for an electronic gift card or ImpactLife Blood Type Mug by coming to give blood at any ImpactLife donor center or mobile blood drive. For more information, see www.bloodcenter.org/promotions.

About ImpactLife

ImpactLife is a not-for-profit community organization providing blood services to 124 hospitals in Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, and Wisconsin, as well as resource sharing partners across the country. Services extend from southcentral Wisconsin to St. Louis, Missouri and from Danville, Illinois to Chariton, Iowa. (See a map of the ImpactLife service region.) ImpactLife operates 22 Donor Centers and holds approximately 5000 mobile blood drives annually to provide blood components needed for patient transfusions at hospitals throughout our region.

For more information, see www.bloodcenter.org and find us @impactlifeblood on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, Twitter, Snapchat, and YouTube.

SOURCE ImpactLife
DUBLIN, Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The "India Two-Wheeler Aftermarket Services Industry Outlook to 2027" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

India two-wheeler spare parts aftermarket industry expanded at a CAGR of 9.5% in between FY'17 and FY'22. The rise in duty on specific items such as engine and transmission parts amongst others from 7.5-10% to 15% since FY'19 contributed in boosting business potential for domestic manufacturing units.



India Two-Wheeler Aftermarket Services Industry is driven by growing sales of two-wheelers and shifting consumer preference towards availing private transportation medium.

Overview of India Two-Wheeler Spare Parts Aftermarket Industry

Further, enforcement of strict regulatory standards such as enforcement of BS-VI norms since FY'20 is positively contributed to the growth of spare parts industry as there exist a need for advanced two-wheeler parts necessary to abide by the emission standards.

Coupled with this, several government initiative such as NATRIP acted as a catalyst for the growth of two-wheeler spare parts industry in India, which aims to generate core global competencies, providing low cost product development solutions to manufacturers, and enables seamless integration of automobile component industry in India to be at par with global standards.

In coming years, demand for two-wheeler spare parts in India to be driven by the components required for electric two-wheeler vehicle as the growth of two-wheeler EVs is estimated to expand at a CAGR of 84% in between FY'21 and FY'26 on the basis of sales volume.

With the integration of EVs, the carburettor for two-wheelers will be replaced with more efficient fuel injection system to improve productivity, which would positively impact the spare parts industry in India. Major players in the ecosystem are Uno Minda, Spark Minda, Exide Batteries and Apollo Tyres among others.



Classification by Different Type of Spare Parts (Engine Components, Suspension/Braking, Transmission, Electronics, Body & Chassis and Others): Revenue generated through sale of engine components accounted for the highest share in FY'22 followed by suspension/braking and transmission. This is attributed to consumers availing two-wheelers for long distance travel which requires constant servicing of engine parts as well as braking system as compared to body/chassis or electronics.



Competitive Landscape in India Two-Wheeler Aftermarket Services Industry

India's two-wheeler aftermarket services industry is highly fragmented with presence of large number of OEMs, organized and unorganized multi-brand dealers across the country. OEM workshops enjoy moderate to high power in the initial years as 70% of service fee for newer two-wheelers are covered under warranty.

However, post the warranty period of two-wheelers OEMs and organized multi-brand workshops face stiff completion from local garages due to the ease of access coupled with lower service fee charged. It is estimated that 80% of two-wheelers are serviced at local garages post the warranty period as of FY'22.

These players compete on the basis of service quality, service time, service fee, digital presence and number of outlets. Followed by the advent of COVID-19, players in the ecosystem mainly organized multi-brand dealers such as Hoopy and Garage Works are enhancing their digital presence across platforms to expand their customer base as consumers are prone to avail online medium for booking and choosing a platform that best suits their interest.

The average ticket size for servicing a two-wheeler at OEM workshops post warranty period tend to be higher compared to organized multi-brand workshop offering doorstep service facility.



India Two-Wheeler Aftermarket Services Industry Future Outlook and Projections

The market size on the basis of revenue is expected to grow at a five-year CAGR of ~7.7% in between FY'22 and FY'27E. The market size on the basis of number of vehicles serviced is expected to grow at a five-year CAGR of ~4.8% from FY'22 to FY'27.

It is anticipated that surging two-wheeler sales coupled with shifting consumer preference towards availing private medium of transportation followed by the advent of COVID-19 will contribute in the growth of two-wheeler aftermarket services industry. The advent of EVs will cause disruptions for incumbent companies in coming years, as it is creating big opportunities for smaller players, and foreign brands to integrate the ecosystem.

Two-wheeler aftermarket services industry would also witness strategic shift from technologies used to service fuel operated vehicles to electric vehicles along with enhancing the skill set of mechanics to service electric two-wheelers.



India Two-Wheeler Aftermarket Services Industry Market Overview and Size

India two-wheeler aftermarket services industry expanded with a CAGR of ~7.9% in between FY'17 and FY'22 on the basis of revenue generated. While the sales of two-wheeler contracted at a CAGR of ~5.2% in between FY'17 and FY'22 due to hike in fuel prices and negative impact of COVID imposed lockdown, aftermarket industry on the other hand recorded a 6.9% expansion in between FY'17 and FY'22 on the basis of units of vehicle serviced.

The expansion is attributed to the online multi-brand players such as Hoopy and GarageWorks extending doorstep aftermarket services even during nationwide lockdown. Increased awareness on health and hygiene brought about by the advent of COVID-19 is a major determinant for the shift in consumer's preference in availing private transportation medium rather than utilizing public transport.

The shifting preference and integration of electric two-wheeler vehicles in the industry coupled with surging per capita disposable income, served as major catalysts for the growth in two-wheeler aftermarket services industry. Enhancement of digital presence has become one of the major determinant for expanding the customer base of organized multi-brand and OEM players followed by the aftermath of COVID-19.

Doorstep services model offered by organized multi-brand dealers such as Hoopy and Garage Works gained traction among consumers during this period. Local garages were negatively impacted due to COVID-19 as capital of these players were wiped off permanently attributed to the closure of business during pandemic.

As a result of which various daily wage workers from local garages have migrated back to their natives thereby, reducing the accessibility of local garages in comparison to the pre-pandemic time period. This has positively affected the scope for organized multi-brand players looking to enter the space.

Key Segments Covered in India Two-Wheeler Aftermarket Services Industry

By Type of Vehicle

Motorcycles

Scooters

By Age of Two-Wheeler

0-2 years

2-4 years

4-6 years

6-8 years

More than 8 years

By Region

North

South

East

West

By Service Split

Non-Crash Repair

Crash Repair

Body Care

By Type of Workshop

Organized & Unorganized Multi-Brand

OEM

By Type of Multi-Brand

Organized Outlet

Unorganized Outlet

By Brand

Hero MotoCorp

Honda

TVS

Bajaj Auto

Suzuki

Others

By Electric Two-Wheeler Brand

Hero Electric

Okinawa

Ather

Ampere

Pure EV

Others

By Type of Split for Aftermarket Spare Parts and Consumables

Spare Parts

Consumables

By Expenditure Category

Services

Spare Parts

Consumables

By Booking Mode

Online

Offline

Consumables

Classification by Spare Parts Type

Engine Components

Suspension/Braking

Transmission

Electronics

Body and Chassis

Cooling System

Others

Key Target Audience

Two-Wheeler Organized Multi-Brand Aftermarket Servicing Companies

Two-Wheeler OEMs

Spare Parts' Manufacturers

Industry Associations

Government Bodies

Time Period Captured in the Report:

Historical Period: FY'17-FY'22

Forecast Period: FY'22-FY'27F

India Two-Wheeler Aftermarket Servicing Players OEMs

Hero MotoCorp

Bajaj Auto

Suzuki

TVS Motor Company

Royal Enfield

Yamaha

Piaggio

Kawasaki

Ampere

Pure EV

Ather

Okinawa

Revolt

Hero Electric

Organized Multi-Brand Aftermarket Servicing Companies

Hoopy

Garage Works

Mechido

RazorCat

Gobumpr

Garage Uncle

Garage 2 Ghar

Bike Fixup

Spot Mech

Garage On Call

Ready Assist

Bike Mechanic

Protto

Groomauto

Spare Parts' Manufacturers

Uno Minda

Spark Minda

Gabriel

Bosch India

Amtek

Sundaram Fastners

Exide

Nifco

Apollo Tyres

Ceat

Bharat Forge

Amara Raja

Motherson Sumi Systems

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/wl3hko

Media Contact:

Research and Markets

Laura Wood, Senior Manager

[email protected]

For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470

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Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/539438/Research_and_Markets_Logo.jpg

SOURCE Research and Markets
NEW YORK, Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- According to the research report " Industrial Food Slicers Market by Application and Geography - Forecast and Analysis 2022-2026 ", the market will witness a YOY growth of 7.94% in 2022 at a CAGR of 8.65% during the forecast period. The report is segmented by application (fruits and vegetables (excluding potatoes), meat and poultry, potatoes, and others) and geography (North America, Europe, APAC, the Middle East and Africa, and South America). Read Sample PDF Report

Vendor Insights

Technavio has announced its latest market research report titled Global Industrial Food Slicers Market 2022-2026

The global industrial food slicers is fragmented due to the presence of several established vendors. The vendors in the market are focusing on developing industrial food slicers with technologically improved features to balance the growing demand for equipment among food processing plants. The new product launches are allowing them to increase their customer base and address the concerns of existing customers. Vendors are also focusing on partnering with various food processing plants to maintain long-term relationships with well-established food manufacturers.

The report analyzes the market's competitive landscape and offers information on several market vendors, including:

ABM FOOD EQUIPMENT

APS Industries

BIRO Manufacturing Co.

DADAUX SAS

Dutch TecSource B.V.

EMURA FOOD MACHINE Co. Ltd.

FAM NV

FIBOSA

Food Technology Thielemann GmbH and Co. KG

GEA Group Aktiengesellschaft

GHD Georg Hartmann Maschinenbau GmbH

Grasselli Spa

Havantec Food Equipment BV

holac Maschinenbau GmbH

ITW Food Equipment Group

JBT FTNON BV

KRONEN GmbH

Marel TREIF GmbH

Urschel Laboratories Inc.

Weber Maschinenbau GmbH

Find highlights on the growth strategies adopted by vendors and their product offerings. Request Sample Report

Geographical Market Analysis

North America will provide maximum growth opportunities for vendors operating in the industrial food slicers market during the forecast period. According to our research report, the region will contribute 35% of the global market growth and is expected to dominate the market through 2026.

The US is the major market for industrial food slicers in North America. The increased demand for processed food products is driving the growth of the regional market. In addition, the growing focus among vendors on offering industrial food slicers with certifications from various agencies such as Underwriters Laboratories (UL) is expected to foster the growth of the industrial food slicers market in North America during the forecast period.

On the other hand, APAC will emerge as the fastest-growing market for industrial food slicers market. The growing demand for processed and ready-to-eat foods will be crucial in driving the growth of the industrial food slicers market in APAC. Furthermore, countries such as China, the Netherlands, Germany, and France are expected to emerge as prominent markets for industrial food slicers during the forecast period.

Key Segment Analysis

By application, the industrial food slicers market share growth in the fruits and vegetables (excluding potatoes) segment will be significant during the forecast period. The growing inclination toward packaged and processed food products is encouraging food manufacturers to expand their production capacity, open new facilities in various countries, and launch new fruit and vegetable-based food products. Also, the high efficiency and performance of industrial food slicers are increasing their use in slicing various fruits and vegetables including carrots, onion, apple, banana, lemon, tomato, eggplants, and kiwi fruits.

View Report Sample to identify other potential segments and regions in the market.

Key Market Drivers & Challenges:

The industrial food slicers market is primarily driven by the growing demand for processed and packaged food products. Consumer inclination toward processed and packaged food products is increasing globally. This is mainly due to the convenience offered by processed and packaged food products. They are also rich in protein and are available in frozen forms, which helps in ensuring the safety of food products. The increase in demand for such products is encouraging F&B companies to extend their product portfolios. This is requiring them to expand production capacities and invest in new units of food processing equipment such as industrial food slicers. All these factors are driving the growth of the global industrial food slicers market.

The high price of raw materials poses a huge threat to the growth of the global industrial food slicers market. Vendors are highly dependent on stainless steel for manufacturing industrial food slicers. The price of stainless steel depends on various factors, including natural disasters and the global economy. With the increasing demand for stainless steel in the market and declining steel production, the price of steel prices is increasing globally. This will increase the overall manufacturing cost of industrial food slicers, which might make consumers reluctant to purchase them.

Download Sample Report Now to identify other drivers and challenges influencing the market growth.

Customize Your Report

Don't miss out on the opportunity to speak to our analyst and know more insights about this market report. Our analysts can also help you customize this report according to your needs. Our analysts and industry experts will work directly with you to understand your requirements and provide you with customized data in a short amount of time. Speak to our Analyst now!

Related Reports:

Industrial Food Slicers Market Scope Report Coverage Details Page number 120 Base year 2021 Forecast period 2022-2026 Growth momentum & CAGR Accelerate at a CAGR of 8.65% Market growth 2022-2026 USD 119.04 million Market structure Fragmented YoY growth (%) 7.94 Regional analysis North America, Europe, APAC, Middle East and Africa, and South America Performing market contribution North America at 35% Key consumer countries US, China, The Netherlands, Germany, and France Competitive landscape Leading companies, competitive strategies, consumer engagement scope Companies profiled ABM FOOD EQUIPMENT, APS Industries, BIRO Manufacturing Co., DADAUX SAS, Dutch TecSource B.V., EMURA FOOD MACHINE Co. Ltd., FAM NV, FIBOSA, Food Technology Thielemann GmbH and Co. KG, GEA Group Aktiengesellschaft, GHD Georg Hartmann Maschinenbau GmbH, Grasselli Spa, Havantec Food Equipment BV, holac Maschinenbau GmbH, ITW Food Equipment Group, JBT FTNON BV, KRONEN GmbH, Marel TREIF GmbH, Urschel Laboratories Inc., and Weber Maschinenbau GmbH Market Dynamics Parent market analysis, Market growth inducers and obstacles, Fast-growing and slow-growing segment analysis, COVID-19 impact and future consumer dynamics, and market condition analysis for the forecast period. Customization purview If our report has not included the data that you are looking for, you can reach out to our analysts and get segments customized.

Table Of Contents:

1 Executive Summary

1.1 Market overview

Exhibit 01: Executive Summary  Chart on Market Overview



Exhibit 02: Executive Summary  Data Table on Market Overview



Exhibit 03: Executive Summary  Chart on Global Market Characteristics



Exhibit 04: Executive Summary  Chart on Market by Geography



Exhibit 05: Executive Summary  Chart on Market Segmentation by Application



Exhibit 06: Executive Summary  Chart on Incremental Growth



Exhibit 07: Executive Summary  Data Table on Incremental Growth



Exhibit 08: Executive Summary  Chart on Vendor Market Positioning

2 Market Landscape

2.1 Market ecosystem

Exhibit 09: Parent market



Exhibit 10: Market Characteristics

3 Market Sizing

3.1 Market definition

Exhibit 11: Offerings of vendors included in the market definition

3.2 Market segment analysis

Exhibit 12: Market segments

3.3 Market size 2021

3.4 Market outlook: Forecast for 2021-2026

Exhibit 13: Chart on Global - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 14: Data Table on Global - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 15: Chart on Global Market: Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)



Exhibit 16: Data Table on Global Market: Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

4 Five Forces Analysis

4.1 Five forces summary

Exhibit 17: Five forces analysis - Comparison between 2021 and 2026

4.2 Bargaining power of buyers

Exhibit 18: Chart on Bargaining power of buyers  Impact of key factors 2021 and 2026

4.3 Bargaining power of suppliers

Exhibit 19: Bargaining power of suppliers  Impact of key factors in 2021 and 2026

4.4 Threat of new entrants

Exhibit 20: Threat of new entrants  Impact of key factors in 2021 and 2026

4.5 Threat of substitutes

Exhibit 21: Threat of substitutes  Impact of key factors in 2021 and 2026

4.6 Threat of rivalry

Exhibit 22: Threat of rivalry  Impact of key factors in 2021 and 2026

4.7 Market condition

Exhibit 23: Chart on Market condition - Five forces 2021 and 2026

5 Market Segmentation by Application

5.1 Market segments

Exhibit 24: Chart on Application - Market share 2021-2026 (%)



Exhibit 25: Data Table on Application - Market share 2021-2026 (%)

5.2 Comparison by Application

Exhibit 26: Chart on Comparison by Application



Exhibit 27: Data Table on Comparison by Application

5.3 Fruits and vegetables (excluding potatoes) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

Exhibit 28: Chart on Fruits and vegetables (excluding potatoes) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 29: Data Table on Fruits and vegetables (excluding potatoes) - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 30: Chart on Fruits and vegetables (excluding potatoes) - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)



Exhibit 31: Data Table on Fruits and vegetables (excluding potatoes) - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

5.4 Meat and poultry - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

Exhibit 32: Chart on Meat and poultry - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 33: Data Table on Meat and poultry - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 34: Chart on Meat and poultry - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)



Exhibit 35: Data Table on Meat and poultry - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

5.5 Potatoes - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

Exhibit 36: Chart on Potatoes - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 37: Data Table on Potatoes - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 38: Chart on Potatoes - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)



Exhibit 39: Data Table on Potatoes - 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 North America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 50: Chart on North America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 51: Data Table on North America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 52: Chart on North America - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

- Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

Exhibit 53: Data Table on North America - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

7.4 Europe - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 54: Chart on Europe - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 55: Data Table on Europe - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 56: Chart on Europe - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

- Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

Exhibit 57: Data Table on Europe - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

7.5 APAC - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

Exhibit 58: Chart on APAC - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 59: Data Table on APAC - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 60: Chart on APAC - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)



Exhibit 61: Data Table on APAC - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

7.6 Middle East and Africa - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

and - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 62: Chart on Middle East and Africa - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

and - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 63: Data Table on Middle East and Africa - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

and - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 64: Chart on Middle East and Africa - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

and - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

Exhibit 65: Data Table on Middle East and Africa - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

7.7 South America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 66: Chart on South America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 67: Data Table on South America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 68: Chart on South America - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

- Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

Exhibit 69: Data Table on South America - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

7.8 US - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

Exhibit 70: Chart on US - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 71: Data Table on US - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 72: Chart on US - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)



Exhibit 73: Data Table on US - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

7.9 The Netherlands - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 74: Chart on The Netherlands - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 75: Data Table on The Netherlands - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 76: Chart on The Netherlands - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

- Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

Exhibit 77: Data Table on The Netherlands - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

7.10 China - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 78: Chart on China - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 79: Data Table on China - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 80: Chart on China - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

- Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

Exhibit 81: Data Table on China - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

7.11 Germany - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 82: Chart on Germany - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 83: Data Table on Germany - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 84: Chart on Germany - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

- Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

Exhibit 85: Data Table on Germany - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

7.12 France - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 86: Chart on France - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 87: Data Table on France - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 88: Chart on France - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

- Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

Exhibit 89: Data Table on France - 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 ABM FOOD EQUIPMENT

Exhibit 97: ABM FOOD EQUIPMENT - Overview



Exhibit 98: ABM FOOD EQUIPMENT - Product / Service



Exhibit 99: ABM FOOD EQUIPMENT - Key offerings

10.4 APS Industries

Exhibit 100: APS Industries - Overview



Exhibit 101: APS Industries - Product / Service



Exhibit 102: APS Industries - Key offerings

10.5 BIRO Manufacturing Co.

Exhibit 103: BIRO Manufacturing Co. - Overview



Exhibit 104: BIRO Manufacturing Co. - Product / Service



Exhibit 105: BIRO Manufacturing Co. - Key offerings

10.6 EMURA FOOD MACHINE Co. Ltd.

Exhibit 106: EMURA FOOD MACHINE Co. Ltd. - Overview



Exhibit 107: EMURA FOOD MACHINE Co. Ltd. - Product / Service



Exhibit 108: EMURA FOOD MACHINE Co. Ltd. - Key offerings

10.7 FAM NV

Exhibit 109: FAM NV - Overview



Exhibit 110: FAM NV - Product / Service



Exhibit 111: FAM NV - Key offerings

10.8 FIBOSA

Exhibit 112: FIBOSA - Overview



Exhibit 113: FIBOSA - Product / Service



Exhibit 114: FIBOSA - Key offerings

10.9 GEA Group Aktiengesellschaft

Exhibit 115: GEA Group Aktiengesellschaft - Overview



Exhibit 116: GEA Group Aktiengesellschaft - Business segments



Exhibit 117: GEA Group Aktiengesellschaft - Key news



Exhibit 118: GEA Group Aktiengesellschaft - Key offerings



Exhibit 119: GEA Group Aktiengesellschaft - Segment focus

10.10 Marel TREIF GmbH

Exhibit 120: Marel TREIF GmbH - Overview



Exhibit 121: Marel TREIF GmbH - Product / Service



Exhibit 122: Marel TREIF GmbH - Key offerings

10.11 Urschel Laboratories Inc.

Exhibit 123: Urschel Laboratories Inc. - Overview



Exhibit 124: Urschel Laboratories Inc. - Product / Service



Exhibit 125: Urschel Laboratories Inc. - Key offerings

10.12 Weber Maschinenbau GmbH

Exhibit 126: Weber Maschinenbau GmbH - Overview



Exhibit 127: Weber Maschinenbau GmbH - Product / Service



Exhibit 128: Weber Maschinenbau GmbH - Key news



Exhibit 129: Weber Maschinenbau GmbH - Key offerings

11 Appendix

11.1 Scope of the report

11.2 Inclusions and exclusions checklist

Exhibit 130: Inclusions checklist



Exhibit 131: Exclusions checklist

11.3 Currency conversion rates for US$

Exhibit 132: Currency conversion rates for US$

11.4 Research methodology

Exhibit 133: Research methodology



Exhibit 134: Validation techniques employed for market sizing



Exhibit 135: Information sources

11.5 List of abbreviations

Exhibit 136: List of abbreviations

in manufacturing industry: Market dynamics in some major processes and discrete industries are changing drastically, and manufacturers are gradually feeling the brunt of excessive demand fluctuations. The fluctuating prices of oil and gas and metals in the global market and the shortage of a skilled workforce worldwide have directly affected the profitability of manufacturing companies. A sudden and unexpected shift in market dynamics can drastically impact manufacturing processes and investments in capital goods.

slowdown in the automotive industry: High motorization rates in North America and Europe , the increase in tariffs on imported vehicles in the US and China , and the global economic slowdown are likely to reduce vehicle sales in the coming years. Anticipating a decline in vehicle sales, several vehicle manufacturers are halting their vehicle production. For instance, in March 2019 , Ford announced the shutdown of its three vehicle-manufacturing sites in Russia . Similarly, in August 2019 , Mahindra and Mahindra Ltd. stopped vehicle production at its manufacturing units in India for 8-14 days. During the same month, Maruti Suzuki announced that it had cut its vehicle production for the sixth consecutive month in 2019. In August 2019 , Honda announced a halt in car production at its Argentina -based manufacturing plants. Such a slowdown in the automotive industry is expected to hamper the growth of the market during the forecast period.

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Advanced Battle Management System contract targeting research on next generation Joint All-Domain Command & Control and Position, Navigation, and Timing

Intermap also announces delivery and favorable acceptance of its interim progress report under its U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory Prime OTA Contract

DENVER, Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - Intermap Technologies (TSX: IMP) ( OTCQX: ITMSF) ("Intermap" or the "Company") a global leader in 3D geospatial data and intelligence solutions, today announced it was named a subcontractor on the FGS LLC Team for the U.S. Air Force Advanced Battle Management System (ABMS) contract for the maturation, demonstration, and proliferation of capability across platforms and domains, leveraging open systems design, modern software, and algorithm development to enable Joint All Domain Command and Control (JADC2) and accurate Position, Navigation, and Timing (PNT).

ABMS is a Program of Record with a $950,000,000 ceiling, five-year, multiple-award Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract, with future work under individual Task Orders competed via the Fair Opportunity process from among the selected contractor teams. This multiple award contract provides awardees the opportunity to compete for efforts within seven different competitive pools that support the development and operation of systems as a unified force across all domains (air, land, sea, space, cyber, and electromagnetic spectrum) in an open architecture family of systems that enables capabilities via multiple integrated platforms.

Intermap also announced today the delivery and favorable acceptance of its Interim Progress Report under its continuing U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) Prime Contract to develop IFSAR-enabled navigation for GPS-denied environments, previously awarded under Other Transaction Authorities (OTA) in December 2021. Intermap's technical design and engineering have helped create a positive proof of concept in the subsequent nine months. A prototype process simulating complete loss of GPS signal update has proven effective and demonstrated efficient sub-meter navigation accuracy on constant offset errors using real IFSAR phase and IMU data and Intermap's proprietary IFSAR-derived digital elevation models (DEMs).

AFRL deemed Intermap's system to be a one of a kind, "first rate Lear Jet IFSAR platform," capable of large 3D target grade coverage in all weather conditions, overcoming a major limitation of other airborne and space-based EO platforms. Further, IFSAR-driven PNT research using Intermap's platform, algorithms, phase data, and elevation data creates an opportunity to enable technology considerations for weapons systems with more accurate long-range fires.

In addition to Intermap's AFRL OTA Prime Contract, the much larger ABMS IDIQ represents another contract vehicle to fund research and development on Positioning, Navigation, Timing and to potentially leverage breakthroughs already realized by the Air Force and Intermap over the prior nine months on research conducted at the Air Force Research Laboratory.

"With the AFRL, we have demonstrated several promising methods for IFSAR-based navigation," said Patrick A. Blott, Intermap's Chairman and CEO. "In contested and high-kinematic environments, war fighters need to know where they are and they need to be able to target dependably. When adversaries interfere with GPS signals, many current systems lose the precise navigation they require to be effective. Intermap is at the forefront of finding ways to navigate independently of GPS and it always comes down to data quality and advanced algorithms."

For the ABMS, the FGS Team also includes Bestica, Inc.; BlackSky Geospatial Solutions, Inc.; Improbable, LLC; ITSC Secure Solutions, LLC; Maxar Technologies; Oracle National Security Group; Recorded Future; RPI Group; and Semantic AI. Intermap congratulates FGS for assembling a winning team and welcomes the opportunity to be a member. The Company is committed to serving the best interests of the U.S. Air Force and other armed forces.

With PNT comprising a key part of the ABMS IDIQ, Intermap and FGS are well positioned to push novel PNT and JADC2 solutions from research to testing, and to deployment.

ABMS is the Air Force contribution to JADC2, a Department of Defense initiative to interconnect sensors from all the military servicesArmy, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force and Space Force. U.S. forces from all services, allies and partners will have unprecedented access to actionable information faster than adversaries can detect and respond. Originally a broad agency announcement released in February 2020, ABMS is now closed to new concept papers or submissions. So far, 187 contracts have been awarded and $23.9 million has been obligated.

Learn more about Intermap's government offerings at intermap.com/government-regulated-industries.

Intermap Reader Advisory

Certain information provided in this news release constitutes forward-looking statements. The words "anticipate", "expect", "project", "estimate", "forecast", "will be", "will consider", "intends" and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. Although Intermap believes that these statements are based on information and assumptions which are current, reasonable and complete, these statements are necessarily subject to a variety of known and unknown risks and uncertainties. Intermap's forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties pertaining to, among other things, cash available to fund operations, availability of capital, revenue fluctuations, nature of government contracts, economic conditions, loss of key customers, retention and availability of executive talent, competing technologies, common share price volatility, loss of proprietary information, software functionality, internet and system infrastructure functionality, information technology security, breakdown of strategic alliances, and international and political considerations, as well as those risks and uncertainties discussed Intermap's Annual Information Form and other securities filings. While the Company makes these forward-looking statements in good faith, should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary significantly from those expected. Accordingly, no assurances can be given that any of the events anticipated by the forward-looking statements will transpire or occur, or if any of them do so, what benefits that the Company will derive therefrom. All subsequent forward-looking statements, whether written or oral, attributable to Intermap or persons acting on its behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by these cautionary statements. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as at the date of this news release and the Company does not undertake any obligation to update publicly or to revise any of the forward-looking statements made herein, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required by applicable securities law.

About Intermap Technologies

Founded in 1997 and headquartered in Denver, Colorado, Intermap (TSX: IMP; OTCQX: ITMSF) is a global leader in geospatial intelligence solutions, focusing on the creation and analysis of 3D terrain data to produce high-resolution thematic models. Through scientific analysis of geospatial information and patented sensors and processing technology, the Company provisions diverse, complementary, multi-source datasets to enable customers to seamlessly integrate geospatial intelligence into their workflows. Intermap's 3D elevation data and software analytic capabilities enable global geospatial analysis through artificial intelligence and machine learning, providing customers with critical information to understand their terrain environment. By leveraging its proprietary archive of the world's largest collection of multi-sensor global elevation data, the Company's collection and processing capabilities provide multi-source 3D datasets and analytics at mission speed, enabling governments and companies to build and integrate geospatial foundation data with actionable insights. Applications for Intermap's products and solutions include defense, aviation and UAV flight planning, flood and wildfire insurance, disaster mitigation, base mapping, environmental and renewable energy planning, telecommunications, engineering, critical infrastructure monitoring, hydrology, land management, oil and gas and transportation.

SOURCE Intermap Technologies Corporation
PITTSBURGH, Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- "I wanted to create a convenient towel kit to help minimize germs and the spread of bacteria," said an inventor, from Penticton, BC, Canada, "so I invented the TIME TOWEL. My design reminds the user to change the towel for a fresh one each day."

The patent-pending invention provides an improved kit of towels to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 and other viruses and prevent cross contamination. In doing so, it offers an effective reminder to change towels daily. It also enables users to clearly identify the owner of the towel. As a result, it enhances sanitation and safety. The invention features a versatile design that is easy to use and display so it is ideal for households, businesses, day cares, etc. Additionally, it is producible in design variations.

The original design was submitted to the Toronto sales office of InventHelp. It is currently available for licensing or sale to manufacturers or marketers. For more information, write Dept. 21-TRO-680, InventHelp, 217 Ninth Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15222, or call (412) 288-1300 ext. 1368. Learn more about InventHelp's Invention Submission Services at http://www.InventHelp.com.

SOURCE InventHelp
NOIDA, India, Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- According to a new report published by UnivDatos Markets Insights, the IoT in Utilities Market was valued at USD 31 billion in 2020 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of around 10% from 2022-2028. The analysis has been segmented into Component (Software and Solution); End-users (Gas Management, Electricity Grid Management, and Water & Wastewater Management.); Region/Country.

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https://univdatos.com/report/iot-in-utilities-market/

The IoT in utilities market report has been aggregated by collecting informative data on various dynamics such as market drivers, restraints, and opportunities. This innovative report makes use of several analyses to get a closer outlook on the IoT in utilities market. The IoT in utilities market report offers a detailed analysis of the latest industry developments and trending factors in the market that are influencing the market growth. Furthermore, this statistical market research repository examines and estimates the IoT in utilities market at the global and regional levels.

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Market Overview

An IoT is defined as the network system of the physical objects that are connected with the software, sensors, and other devices to collect, analyze, and exchange the data to the server and other devices via the internet. In recent times, IoT in the utilities market has witnessed significant demand due to its incorporation into several applications such as smart grids to ensure efficiency & sustainability along with real-time consumption monitoring. The integration of IoT could help to lower operational costs, improve efficiency, and ensure the environmental goal of the demand-based power generation and distribution system. Also, the increasing investment coupled with the merger & acquisition is supporting the IoT integration in the utilities market. For instance, in October 2019, Landis+Gyr and Light announced a five-year agreement valued at R$ 750 million for one of the largest grid projects in South America.

The IoT in Utilities Market is expected to grow at a steady rate of around 10% owing to the increasing penetration of the internet coupled with the technological advancement and incorporation of the IoT in asset management, grid management, energy conservation, wastewater management among others. Major companies in the market offer technologically advanced services and features in the IoT in utilities market. For instance, Green IoT, the material used to construct RFID tags is challenging to recycle however applying the green IoT provides the benefit to reduce the size of the tag and reduce electronic waste.

Some of the major players operating in the market include Oracle Corporation, IBM Corporation, Cisco System Inc., Landis+Gyr, Verizon, Energyworx BV, HCL Technologies Limited, Honeywell International Inc., ABB Ltd., and Siemens AG.

COVID-19 Impact

Due to travel limitations and the projected dismal financial performance of market players in 2020, the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic has hurt the IoT in utilities industry. Supply chain execution, regulatory and policy changes, labor reliance, working capital management, and liquidity and solvency management are all major concerns for IoT in utilities manufacturers. Since the COVID-19 epidemic has considerably diminished by the beginning of 2021, a lot of businesses are resuming operations. In terms of demand and supply, North America is one of the significant players in the market and controls the global IoT in utilities industry.

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The global IoT in utilities market report is studied thoroughly with several aspects that would help stakeholders in making their decisions more curated.

Based on component, the market is segmented into solution and service. The solution segment is expected to witness significant market growth during the forecast period owing to its utilization in workforce management, network management, supervisory control, and data acquisition along with the billing system, and customer information system among others. In addition, the integration of the IoT helps the business to integrate business processes and pushes the companies towards growth. In addition, the integration of cloud-based technology in the industries for remote monitoring is expected to support the market growth for the solution segments.

Based on end-users, the market has been classified into gas management, electricity grid management, and water & wastewater management. The electricity grid management is expected to show significant market growth during the forecast period owing to the increasing demand for electricity around the world and the requirement for the effective measure for energy conservation and to maintain the effective demand and supply. In addition, the replacement of the aging grid infrastructure and deployment of the AMI (Advanced Metering Infrastructure) are expected to support the market for electricity grid management. For instance, the demand for electricity for the year 2021 has increased by the around 4% compared to the last year.

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IoT in Utilities Market Geographical Segmentation Includes:

North America ( United States , Canada , and Rest of North America )

( , , and Rest of ) Europe ( Germany , United Kingdom , Spain , Italy , France , and the Rest of Europe )

( , , , , , and the Rest of ) Asia-Pacific ( China , Japan , India , and the Rest of Asia-Pacific )

( , , , and the Rest of ) Rest of the World

North America is anticipated to grow at a substantial CAGR during the forecast period. This is mainly due to the presence of several major players in the market and the growing adoption of smart grid technologies in the region. In addition, the increasing use of hardware components such as AC, lights and other are growing the demand for electricity and smart meter in the region, and the growing disposable income and surging per capita spending of individuals in the region is driving the growth of the market. Also, the initiative was taken by the various companies to deploy smart utility schemes with the objective to offer second-generation advanced metering infrastructure, asset management, security feature, communication module, and meter data management along with the growing investment supporting the market growth for the IoT in the utility market in the region. Furthermore, the growing adoption of decentralized & renewable generation sources along with alternative performance-based ratemaking infrastructure are deriving the investment in the self-heating and automated transmission with distribution infrastructure.

The major players targeting the market include

Oracle Corporation

IBM Corporation

Cisco System Inc.

Landis+Gyr

Verizon

Energyworx BV

HCL Technologies Limited

Honeywell International Inc.

ABB Ltd.

Siemens AG

Competitive Landscape

The degree of competition among prominent global companies has been elaborated by analyzing several leading key players operating worldwide. The specialist team of research analysts sheds light on various traits such as global market competition, market share, most recent industry advancements, innovative product launches, partnerships, mergers, or acquisitions by leading companies in the IoT in utilities market. The major players have been analyzed by using research methodologies for getting insight views on global competition.

Key questions resolved through this analytical market research report include:

What are the latest trends, new patterns, and technological advancements in the IoT in utilities market?

Which factors are influencing the IoT in utilities market over the forecast period?

What are the global challenges, threats, and risks in the IoT in utilities market?

Which factors are propelling and restraining the IoT in utilities market?

What are the demanding global regions of the IoT in utilities market?

What will be the global market size in the upcoming years?

What are the crucial market acquisition strategies and policies applied by global companies?

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IoT in Utilities Market Report Coverage

Report Attribute Details Base year 2021 Forecast period 2022-2028 Growth momentum Accelerate at a CAGR of over 10% Market size 2020 USD 31 billion Regional analysis North America, Europe, APAC, Rest of World Major contributing region APAC to witness Highest Growth in the IoT in Utilities Market Key countries covered United States, Canada, Germany, United Kingdom, Spain, Italy, France, China, Japan, and India Companies profiled Oracle Corporation, IBM Corporation, Cisco System Inc., Landis+Gyr, Verizon, Energyworx BV, HCL Technologies Limited, Honeywell International Inc., ABB Ltd., and Siemens AG. Report Scope Market Trends, Drivers, and Restraints; Revenue Estimation and Forecast; Segmentation Analysis; Impact of COVID-19; Demand and Supply Side Analysis; Competitive Landscape; Company Profiling Segments Covered By Component; By End-Users; By Region/Country

About UnivDatos Market Insights (UMI)

UnivDatos Market Insights (UMI) is a passionate market research firm and a subsidiary of Universal Data Solutions. We believe in delivering insights through Market Intelligence Reports, Customized Business Research, and Primary Research. Our research studies are spread across topics across the world, we cover markets in over 100 countries using smart research techniques and agile methodologies. We offer in-depth studies, detailed analysis, and customized reports that help shape winning business strategies for our clients.

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Josh McCall Promotes Bill Davies and Craig Millon in CEO Succession Plan

BOSTON, Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Jack Morton, the global brand experience agency, announces new leadership positions resulting in the agency's first Global Co-Presidents in its 83-year history.

Jack Morton appoints Craig Millon and Bill Davies as first Global Co-Presidents

Bill Davies, Chief Operating Officer, and Craig Millon, Chief Client Officer, will immediately assume the new role and all chief executive duties. Josh McCall, CEO & Chairman will remain Chairman through the end of this year, supporting the Co-Presidents. McCall joined Jack Morton in 1984, and since 2003, he has served as the agency's third CEO following his predecessor, Bill Morton, and agency founder Jack Morton. McCall will become Chairman Emeritus at the start of 2023.

As Global Co-Presidents, Davies and Millon will share leadership responsibilities. More specifically, Davies will oversee operations and financial management and Millon will run client relationships, growth, and agency capabilities/offerings. Millon will retain his role as CEO at Genuine, Jack Morton's digital marketing agency. Davies and Millon will report directly into IPG executive leadership.

Tasked with continuing to grow the agency domestically and internationally, Davies and Millon will support Jack Morton's 13 offices across the globe. The duo will also continue to drive award-winning creative that is insight-led and flawlessly executed. Already this year, the agency's acclaimed work has generated 69 industry awards, including Cannes Lions, Effies, and becoming the most awarded agency at the EX Awards.

"In the last two years, our industry experienced an enormous business transformation, and as an agency, we have emerged significantly stronger from the pandemic," said Josh McCall, CEO & Chairman. "Now is the optimal time for two well-deserving leaders to build on the success and continue to drive Jack Morton's leadership position in the brand experience category."

Continued McCall, "Both Bill and Craig are extremely talented and collaborative executives who are deeply passionate about our business and culture. Having partnered very closely with both for over a decade, I have complete confidence in their ability to lead our agency into the future. I look forward to supporting their success in this transition."

As Chairman, McCall will help Davies and Millon specifically on key client relationships, new business opportunities, and recruiting  three areas where his greatest passion lies.

Commented Philippe Krakowsky, CEO of IPG, "Josh is a tireless champion of brand experience and a dedicated leader. He has spent his entire career at Jack Morton, and his commitment to the agency's culture, client relationships, quality of work and growth is admirable. We are grateful for his almost 20 years of guidance and look forward to a legacy of strong leadership continuing at Jack Morton under Bill and Craig."

Davies, a long-time veteran of IPG, began his career at Weber Shandwick where he ascended to Global Chief Financial Officer. He joined Jack Morton's leadership in 2002. Davies is deeply experienced in agency operations and has helped manage the agency through several challenging economic times, including the recent pandemic. During his tenure at Jack, he has led mergers and acquisitions, strategic planning, and served on GM's Supplier Council.

Millon has served as Jack Morton's Chief Client Officer since 2019 and is responsible for agency growth through leadership of account service, new business, and marketing functions. Under his direction, the agency has greatly expanded their capabilities and clients. Millon has also been instrumental in establishing new offerings, such as the introduction of Jack Health which has grown the agency's healthcare revenue by 55% since its launch in 2021. Before joining Jack in 2012, Millon held roles at Revlon, Gillette, and FCB/Marketing Drive.

Davies and Millon will remain based in Boston and the Jack Morton executive team will report into the Global Co-Presidents.

About Jack Morton

Jack Morton is an award-winning global brand experience agency. We're driven by the fact that the world's most successful brands deliver proof on their brand promise at every touchpoint. It's what inspires our team each day to help clients "Be extraordinary." For over 80 years, we've strengthened the relationships between brands and the people who matter most to them, through live, virtual and hybrid experiences, brand acts, integrated campaigns, sponsorship marketing and employee engagement. Jack Morton is part of the Interpublic Group of Companies, Inc. ( NYSE: IPG). More information is available at www.jackmorton.com.

SOURCE Jack Morton Worldwide
Newly created role expands firm's existing leadership pipeline

HOUSTON, Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Greg Baker, CEO/President, of JD Martin is pleased to announce Matt Garavaglia has been promoted to Executive Vice President. In this newly created role, Garavaglia will lead JD Martin's strategic business initiatives throughout Texas and Oklahoma. Previously, he served as Regional Vice President of the firm's Houston territory.

Newly created role expands firm's existing leadership pipeline Tweet this Matt Garavaglia

In his new role, Matt will continue to provide strategic sales management for several key accounts in addition to being responsible for leading talent development initiatives and deepening customer engagement efforts across the South-Central region.

An electrical industry veteran, with more than 23 years of sales management experience, Garavaglia's professional background includes previous experience in multiple roles at Anixter, before joining JD Martin in 2020.

"Matt has made significant contributions since joining our team," said Greg Baker. "He has both the passion and commitment to grow our people and operational efficiency. His valuable industry knowledge and successful track record of growing business within his territory helped make this an easy decision."

"For over 68 years, JD Martin's strength has been rooted in three core elements: our people, a strong line card and our entrepreneurial culture," says Matt Garavaglia. "I'm excited and honored to have the opportunity to lead efforts to continue to drive market share gains for our manufacturer partners and further enhance the customer experience for our electrical distribution partners."

Garavaglia earned a BS in Business Management from the University of Northern Colorado.

ABOUT JD MARTIN:

JD Martin Company is an electrical manufacturers' representative agency that sells and markets premier lines of electrical products to OEM and MRO contractors, and end-user markets through wholesale distribution. For more than 68 years, we have supported industries such as oil & gas, mining, steel, waste water treatment, wind power generation and commercial construction. We offer impactful solutions and sell electrical products, through qualified electrical distributor channels, in over 15 states in territories that include Texas, New Mexico, Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, Kentucky, Virginia, The Carolinas and Florida. To learn more about JD Martin click here.

Contact:

Greg Baker

CEO/President

(972) 277-5618

[email protected]

SOURCE JD Martin Co.
HOUSTON, Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- KBR (NYSE: KBR) announced today that it will be shaping innovative future solutions to critical UK nuclear infrastructure following a contract award that advances its support in the sector.

Through the three-year agreement, KBR will deliver expert project, program and portfolio support to UK Nuclear Waste Services (NWS), part of the UK's Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA).

The contract will leverage KBR's decades of experience and growing domain knowledge of the nuclear energy sector, including the deep technical expertise provided by Frazer-Nash Consultancy, a wholly owned KBR subsidiary.

KBR will coordinate work across the Geological Disposal Facility program of work within NWS, including project management, communication and community engagement support, technical design, and digital and transformation strategy development.

"This work underlines our commitment to an ever-growing and increasingly important area of national critical infrastructure," said Paul Kahn, President of KBR's Government Solutions International business.

"It will leverage KBR's expanding capabilities in the UK, and it aligns with our mission to deliver innovative solutions that help our customers accomplish their most critical business objectives with safety and sustainability at the core."

KBR has been part of the nuclear energy landscape for more than half a century. In recent years, the company has significantly strengthened its presence in the sector, growing from less than 200 people supporting UK nuclear energy projects in 2020 to more than 850 in 2022  all the time expanding its footprint and subsequent support of local communities across the UK.

KBR is a trusted delivery partner to clients in the nuclear energy sector. Enthusiastic teams work together across disciplines  including organizational transformation and integration, systems engineering, and program management  to deliver full life cycle solutions from concept through to operations and decommissioning.

About KBR

We deliver science, technology and engineering solutions to governments and companies around the world. KBR employs approximately 28,000 people performing diverse, complex and mission critical roles in 34 countries.

KBR is proud to work with its customers across the globe to provide technology, value-added services, and long- term operations and maintenance services to ensure consistent delivery with predictable results. At KBR, We Deliver.

Visit www.kbr.com

Forward Looking Statement

The statements in this press release that are not historical statements, including statements regarding future financial performance, are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws. These statements are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the company's control that could cause actual results to differ materially from the results expressed or implied by the statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to: the significant adverse impacts on economic and market conditions of the COVID-19 pandemic and the company's ability to respond to the resulting challenges and business disruption; the recent dislocation of the global energy market; the company's ability to manage its liquidity; the outcome of and the publicity surrounding audits and investigations by domestic and foreign government agencies and legislative bodies; potential adverse proceedings by such agencies and potential adverse results and consequences from such proceedings; changes in capital spending by the company's customers; the company's ability to obtain contracts from existing and new customers and perform under those contracts; structural changes in the industries in which the company operates; escalating costs associated with and the performance of fixed-fee projects and the company's ability to control its cost under its contracts; claims negotiations and contract disputes with the company's customers; changes in the demand for or price of oil and/or natural gas; protection of intellectual property rights; compliance with environmental laws; changes in government regulations and regulatory requirements; compliance with laws related to income taxes; unsettled political conditions, war and the effects of terrorism; foreign operations and foreign exchange rates and controls; the development and installation of financial systems; the possibility of cyber and malware attacks; increased competition for employees; the ability to successfully complete and integrate acquisitions; and operations of joint ventures, including joint ventures that are not controlled by the company.

The company's most recently filed Annual Report on Form 10-K, any subsequent Form 10-Qs and 8-Ks, and other U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filings discuss some of the important risk factors that the company has identified that may affect its business, results of operations and financial condition. Except as required by law, the company undertakes no obligation to revise or update publicly any forward-looking statements for any reason.

SOURCE KBR, Inc.
KWC will serve more patients than any other ketamine therapy provider with addition of Medicare, cements status as nation's largest ketamine clinic network in the U.S.

Medicare coverage will be available for patients in eight cities with more to come

GILBERT, Ariz., Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - Ketamine Wellness Centers (KWC) , the largest ketamine therapy provider in the U.S. and a subsidiary of Delic Holdings Corp ("Delic" or the "Company") (CSE: DELC) ( OTCQB: DELCF) (FRA: 6X0), has become one of a few ketamine therapy providers in the U.S. to offer Medicare coverage to patients at eight KWC clinics across the country  Chicago, Denver, Houston, Jacksonville, Minneapolis, Tucson, Salt Lake City and Seattle.

KWC is currently one of a handful of clinics in the country to accept any major insurance plans. Under Medicare, KWC is accepting a limited number of patients for ketamine infusion therapy at the eight clinics and the FDA-approved SPRAVATO esketamine treatment at the Houston, Jacksonville and Seattle locations if they meet the criteria for insurance coverage. The coverage will also be dependent on their individual plan.

Patients navigating the complexities of healthcare coverage will have access to the company's experienced team of insurance experts who will assist as Medicare coverage is introduced.

"At Ketamine Wellness Centers it has been our mission from day one to make these life-changing therapies more accessible and affordable, which is why we are very focused on securing major insurers such as Medicare," said Kevin Nicholson, CEO of Delic and KWC. "Many insurance organizations around the country continue to classify ketamine as 'experimental' allowing them to resist covering patients of many other ketamine clinics who, unlike KWC, do not have specialized in-house insurance teams. This has left tens of millions of Americans to suffer needlessly, and often dangerously, from mental health conditions and pain with no access to affordable effective treatments. KWC's introduction of Medicare and other major insurance plan coverage overcomes a huge obstacle to the majority of mental health and pain patients previously forced to forego this safe, effective treatment because they cannot afford to pay out of pocket. Our team is working hard to bring Medicare and other insurance coverage to the rest of our clinics across the country so more people can access the quality care they need."

To learn more about the insurance options, visit ketaminewellnesscenters.com/insurance /. For more information about Ketamine Wellness Centers' locations, services and hours of operation, visit https://www.ketaminewellnesscenters.com/locations/ .

About Ketamine Wellness Centers

Ketamine Wellness Centers (KWC) is the largest ketamine therapy provider in the United States with 13 clinic locations serving communities across nine states. Since 2011 KWC has been a trusted leader in bringing IV ketamine therapy into mainstream health care. KWC is approaching 100,000 treatments to clinically eligible patients, from young adults to seniors, in addition to developing specialized programs for veterans and first responders. The KWC team, including a core group of physicians, psychologists, clinicians, and executives, is dedicated to providing value-based, personalized, clinically controlled ketamine infusion care for people suffering from treatment-resistant depression, anxiety, PTSD, OCD and chronic pain. KWC's scalable business and treatment model is designed for further rapid expansion along with breakthrough innovations in effective therapies and services.

About Delic Corp

Delic is a leader in new medicines and treatments for a modern world, improving access to health benefits across the country and reframing the conversation on psychedelics. The company owns and operates an umbrella of related businesses, including the largest chain of psychedelic wellness clinics in the country, Ketamine Wellness Centers; the only licensed entity by Health Canada to exclusively focus on research and development of psilocybin vaporization technology, Delic Labs; the premier psychedelic wellness event, Meet Delic; and trusted media and e-commerce platforms Reality Sandwich and Delic Radio. Delic is backed by a team of industry and cannabis veterans and a diverse network, whose mission is to provide education, research, high-quality products, and effective treatment options.

SOURCE Delic Holdings Inc.
CAPE TOWN, South Africa, Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- King's Group Ventures UAE, has launched its latest brand, Wego Media in the beautiful Cape Town, South Africa, today.

The new venture is based in Cape Town due to some obvious advantages it offers  a varied and skilled talent pool, and a business-friendly culture.

Wego Media Facility in Cape Town

Says Kartik Anand, Founder & Executive Chairman, Kings Group Ventures, "I am excited to see this long-time planning take shape. South Africa has always been on our growth plan and I am glad it's finally here to contribute. We are excited to call it the home of Wego Media. I am also excited that one of our most seasoned partners, Kenny Waribam will be leading this venture for KGV, and with the growth focus we have, I look forward to expanding this venture well beyond the city and the region."

Wego's content, digital and technology marketing services are tailored to maximize customer engagement opportunities across preferred target markets, granting full confidence to senior professionals from mid to large size enterprises - for practitioner-driven thought leadership.

Wego's two media platform brands, CIOFirst and CMOFirst create a connect, using relevant and peer focused industry content that aligns with the interests of IT decision makers.

"These media properties empower leaders to learn and adopt best practices. Our practitioner-driven editorial content enables our global audience to make informed technology purchase decisions," says Kenny Waribam, CEO, Wego Media. "Our global media properties, CIOFirst and CMOFirst provide business technologists and marketers with unparalleled opportunities for engagement."

"Starting with about 100 people in the workforce, we have plans to grow it to a few folds, very shortly. We look at serving global technology companies with audience focus in the EMEA & North American region using this multilingual and content-driven talent," he adds.

CMOFirst is a digital platform that creates conversations on marketing technology and digital transformation of the marketing function. Through active and interesting news, views and interviews with industry leaders, it will afford global exposure of the best Strategies and Innovations  paving a path for smarter marketing decisions.

As a peer knowledge resource, CIOFirst garners expert inputs on challenges, triumphs and innovative solutions from corporate movers and shakers in global Leadership space, to add value to business decision making.

The solid foundation for Wego's efficacy in helping brands get the best connect into their markets, is the technology and proven strategies. Using specialized IBM - intent technology that helps predict purchase insights for global technology majors, and ABM strategies that are driven by extensive network supported by the in-house research team, Wego creates a customized database creating target-oriented demand generation programs. Wego's media platforms that have a pure journalistic approach to content, analyze and factually validate challenges as well as solutions, to create an immediate connection with the targeted audience.

Our extensive network creates a wider reach to expand into newer markets, ensuring the best exposure for any brand.

About Kings Group Ventures

Kings Group Ventures manages and advises companies worldwide on their growth strategy and has over 14 brands under its management. With over 3500 people worldwide, KGV focuses on industries including media, marketing, food & beverage, automobile and manufacturing.

For more information, reach out to:

Wego Media

[email protected]

(844) 467-WEGO / (844) 467 9346

SOURCE KGV
New content simplifies science, brings experience of "off" time to life

Half of PD patients experience "off" episodes, including problems with movement, within 5 years of starting levodopa/carbidopa treatment

BEDMINSTER, N.J., Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Kyowa Kirin, Inc., an affiliate of Kyowa Kirin Co., Ltd. (Kyowa Kirin, TSE: 4151), a global specialty pharmaceutical company, today announced the launch of new assets to help educate and empower adult patients to talk to their PD care team about the management of 'off' episodes, including treatment options like NOURIANZ (istradefylline). The effort includes an updated patient website (www.Nourianz.com) with dynamic content, a patient video, and resources that explain the role of dopamine and adenosine in Parkinson's disease, and how NOURIANZ is used with levodopa and carbidopa to treat adults with PD who are having "off" episodes. It is not known if NOURIANZ is safe and effective in children.

See how NOURIANZ works. Learn about one patient's journey.

"People living with Parkinson's and their families want the moments that matter to them, which may become difficult when they experience 'off' episodes," said Ricky Tuazon, Vice President, CNS Franchise Head, Kyowa Kirin, Inc. "To help patients have more informed discussions with their PD care team, our new effort uses creative content to engage the viewer and explain the important role adenosine plays in movement and how Nourianz is believed to work."

The most common side effects of NOURIANZ include uncontrolled movements (dyskinesia), dizziness, constipation, nausea, hallucinations, and problems sleeping (insomnia). These are not all the possible side effects of NOURIANZ. Please see Important Safety Information below.

Simplifying a complex scientific story

Adenosine and dopamine are naturally occurring chemicals in the brain that normally work together in balance to control movement. However, in Parkinson's disease there is too little dopamine activity and too much adenosine activity. This imbalance can cause PD symptoms, such as difficulty moving.

Many treatments for PD, like levodopa/carbidopa, focus on increasing dopamine activity. But as the disease progresses, patients can experience "off" episodes when the full effects of levodopa/carbidopa start to wear off, allowing Parkinson's symptoms to return.

To help explain this to patients, new content features a simple gas/brake analogy, brought to life through illustrations and dynamic video animation, to spotlight the role of dopamine and adenosine in Parkinson's disease and how NOURIANZ is believed to work. Visitors to the NOURIANZ website can also hear how a patient and his care partner are navigating their Parkinson's journey, including how they recognized and addressed "off" episodes together with their doctor. To help patients navigate their PD journey, additional resources are also available on the site for download.

The new content is part of a continuing effort to educate patients and healthcare professionals through a mix of personal, print, and digital communications and virtual programming. Physicians can visit the NOURIANZ website for healthcare professionals to learn more about the role of adenosine and NOURIANZ clinical data, and to access tools to aid in patient education.

What is NOURIANZ?

NOURIANZ (istradefylline) is a prescription medicine used with levodopa and carbidopa to treat adults with Parkinson's disease who are having "off" episodes. It is not known if NOURIANZ is safe and effective in children.

Important Safety Information

Before taking NOURIANZ, tell your healthcare provider about all your medical conditions, including if you:

have a history of abnormal movement (dyskinesia)

have reduced liver function

smoke cigarettes

are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. NOURIANZ may harm your unborn baby

are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. It is not known if NOURIANZ passes into breast milk. You and your healthcare provider should decide if you will take NOURIANZ or breastfeed

Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.

NOURIANZ and other medicines may affect each other causing side effects. NOURIANZ may affect the way other medicines work, and other medicines may affect how NOURIANZ works.

NOURIANZ may cause serious side effects, including:

uncontrolled sudden movements (dyskinesia). Uncontrolled sudden movements is one of the most common side effects.

Uncontrolled sudden movements is one of the most common side effects. hallucinations and other symptoms of psychosis. NOURIANZ can cause abnormal thinking and behavior, including:

NOURIANZ can cause abnormal thinking and behavior, including: being overly suspicious or feeling people want to harm you (paranoid ideation)



believing things that are not real (delusions)



seeing or hearing things that are not real (hallucinations)



confusion



increased activity or talking (mania)



disorientation



aggressive behavior



agitation



delirium (decreased awareness of things around you)

unusual urges (impulse control or compulsive behaviors). Some people taking NOURIANZ get urges to behave in a way unusual for them. Examples of this are unusual urges to gamble, increased sexual urges, strong urges to spend money, binge eating, and the inability to control these urges.

If you or your family notices that you are developing any new or unusual symptoms or behaviors, talk to your healthcare provider.

The most common side effects of NOURIANZ include uncontrolled movements (dyskinesia), dizziness, constipation, nausea, hallucinations, and problems sleeping (insomnia).

These are not all the possible side effects of NOURIANZ.

Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch.

Please see Patient Information for NOURIANZ.

About Kyowa Kirin

Kyowa Kirin strives to create and deliver novel medicines with life-changing value. As a Japan-based global specialty pharmaceutical company with a more than 70-year heritage, the company applies cutting-edge science, including expertise in antibody research and engineering, to address the needs of patients across multiple therapeutic areas such as nephrology, oncology, immunology/allergy and neurology. Across its four regions  Japan, Asia Pacific, North America and EMEA/International  Kyowa Kirin focuses on its purpose, to make people smile, and is united by its shared values of commitment to life, teamwork, innovation and integrity.

Learn more about the Company at www.kyowakirin.com .

SOURCE Kyowa Kirin
CROTON ON HUDSON, N.Y., Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Latin Biz Today and Berkeley College have joined forces to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month with the Latino business community. Latin Biz Today Spectrum of Success is an intersection of work, life, and culture. Attendees will be inspired by our keynote, meet business leaders who know how to grow a business, and enjoy salsa music, food, and beverages.

Join us on October 12, 2022, from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at Berkeley College, 3 East 43rd Street, New York City.

Latin Biz Today Spectrum of Success Event Latin Biz Today Hispanic Heritage Month Event

"We're excited to share a fun-filled, packed evening to capture core business knowledge to overcome today's challenges, be inspired, and celebrate Hispanic culture. Join us for a memorable evening," said Tina Trevino, Partner and Vice President, Community Relations, Latin Biz Today.

"Berkeley College is proud to partner with Latin Biz Today in celebrating the contributions of Hispanic entrepreneurs who have enriched the New York City business landscape," said Linda Mauro, Campus Operating Officer, Berkeley College in New York City. "More than 50% of 2022 Berkeley College graduates are of Hispanic descent. They are an integral part of the diverse workforce that keeps New York thriving."

Location: Berkeley College Midtown NYC Campus, 3 East 43rd Street, New York, NY, 10017

Get Tickets while they last: available now at Eventbrite.

8 Reasons Why Latino Small Business Owners Won't Want to Miss This Event

Wisdom and inspiration provided by Latina powerhouse Maria Trusa , CEO of Forme Medical Center & Urgent Care and author of Yo Digo No Mas Business Success Tips from Latin Business Spirit Award recognition winner, Latino entrepreneur and TV "Shark Tank" winner, Dr. Juan Salinas Business Strategy insights from Nationally recognized and distinguished panel of experts sharing business growth acumen Great Music with a Salsa concert headlined by International Latin Jazz Museum CEO board member and musician Willy Rodriquez Great Refreshments provided by local Hispanic business owner Anthony Ramirez II showcasing fantastic beer, wine, and food tasting Networking opportunities with business thought leaders and other small business owners Business Opportunities with a chance to secure business contracts with business vendors, representatives from the Small Business Association. Shop vendor tables, enjoy gift bags and much more!

The event is quickly selling out. Get your tickets while they last at Eventbrite here while available.

About Berkeley College

Berkeley College, founded in 1931, is a career-focused institution accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education that offers students Master's, Bachelor's, and Associate's degree and Certificate programs in more than 20 career fields. The College also offers Continuing Education programs to enhance career credentials.

Berkeley College has campuses in New York City and in Newark, Woodbridge, and Woodland Park, NJ, with more than 3,500 students enrolled. In addition, Berkeley College Online serves a global population. U.S. News & World Report has named Berkeley College among the Best Colleges for Online Bachelor's Programs and among the Best Online Bachelor's Programs for Veterans, for nine consecutive years. U.S. News & World Report named Berkeley College (NJ) one of the Best Regional Colleges in the North in its 2023 edition of the Best Colleges Survey. Berkeley College (NJ) was recognized among the Best Colleges in the region for social mobility for three consecutive years. The website address is http://www.BerkeleyCollege.edu.

About Latin Business Today:

Latin Business Today, LLC is a national multi-platform blending a focus on work-life-culture lifestyle with high level expertise rooted in the trusted advisor legacy of mentorship and success of Dr. Les "Coach" Fernandez. Latin Business Today serves as a resource for the Latino business community which seeks to address actual challenges with real solutions. Currently over 200 of the "best and brightest" team of experts and exemplary mentors-contributors along with a nationally recognized advisory board find solutions for today's rapidly changing market with a Latino nuance. Visit: Latin Business Today on Facebook Instagram LinkedIn Twitter

SOURCE Latin Business Today, LLC
Leading pre-settlement funding company says settlements have been reached in a few high-profile cases; more to come

CALDWELL, N.J., Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Legal-Bay, The Pre Settlement Funding Company, announced today that they continue to actively fund lawsuit loans for sexual abuse cases. Over 90,000 class action and individual lawsuits have been brought against organizations such as the Catholic church and Boy Scouts of America, and sadly, those are just the tip of the iceberg.

Because of Covid, courts have been severely backlogged. Many victims of sexual abuse have been waiting to have their cases heard so that they can begin the process of healing from their trauma. With new statute of limitation expansions across all fifty states, even more survivors have been able to come forward and file suit. Plaintiffs in sexual abuse claims are seeking financial restitution for the physical, emotional, and mental harm caused by their attackers, and with the current spate of settlements that have been awarded recently, experts predict that many will be successful.

If you have been or know a victim of any type of sexual abuse, assault, or harassment and need an immediate loan on lawsuit cash advance, please visit Legal-Bay HERE or call toll-free at 877.571.0405.

Chris Janish, CEO of Legal-Bay, commented, "Legal-Bay has no exact timeline for trial dates nor values for what kind of damages plaintiffs can hope to receive. Nevertheless, we continue to fight for our clients by offering funding for those who'd rather not wait out the endless months until their trials are concluded. Legal-Bay stands ready to provide settlement cash now."

BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA

Earlier this month, a Delaware court ruled that BSA is liableand therefore financially accountablefor the sexual abuse inflicted upon thousands of young boys.

More than 80,000 claims of sexual abuse have been brought against the Boy Scouts of America. Despite denials and filing for bankruptcy, the organization has been found guilty on numerous counts of fostering an environment where tens of thousands of boys were allowed to be sexually abused. The now-adult survivors have been battling it out in the courts for years in the hopes of receiving financial compensation for the atrocities they endured as children. While no amount will ever compensate for what they've lost, last week's ruling is a small step toward justice. Final settlement values will fall somewhere between $2.4 and $3.6 billion.

Cases will most likely be batched in tiers of categories ranging from the most severe abuse to the least. Due to BSA's limited assets and bankruptcy filings, there are no guarantees for an individual's settlement values. Regardless, Legal-Bay continues to fund these cases for their clients.

LARRY NASSAR MICHIGAN STATE OLYMPICS DOCTOR

A $380 Million Settlement has been reached in the case against Larry Nassar, a Michigan State University doctor who sexually abused more than 500 girls and women of the U.S. Olympics gymnastics team. The settlement was announced last week, and is one of the largest payouts for a sexual abuse lawsuit in history.

Many of the abused girls and women are dealing with emotional scars from their encounters with Nassar, such as anxiety and depression. For some, the PTSD even escalated to suicide attempts. Nassar has been found guilty of numerous sex crimes and will most likely live out the rest of his days behind bars.

CATHOLIC CHURCH

The sheer number of sexual abuse lawsuits brought against a multitude of Catholic dioceses across the world is practically incalculable. Tens of thousands of victims have filed suit against the clergy members who have abused them, and only a smattering of these cases have been settled. Even without exact figures, recent estimates state that the church has already paid out over $3 billion in settlements to plaintiffs in the United States alone, with many more cases still to come.

Legal-Bay is well-versed in clergy abuse litigation, especially in situations where Catholic churches have filed for bankruptcy to limit payouts. Even in those cases, the settlement funding company was able to provide cash advances to victims across the country.

NEW HAMPSHIRE YOUTH CENTER

A Manchester facility for troubled youths has been under fire for wide-ranging abuses against their young charges. Plaintiffs who were residents as children at the facility between 1963 and 2018 claim multiple instances where they were raped and beaten by their counselors. Over 450 plaintiffs have filed suit against the state of New Hampshire for abuses inflicted by over 150 staff members. Only eleven former counselors have been arrested thus far.

$100 million has been put into a settlement fund to be divided among the survivors with a $1.5 million cap in place for individual sexual assault claims, and $150,000 for each physical abuse. The total settlement amounts for each victim will be based on additional factors including number of occurrences and length of time they were subjected to the abuse. Starting in January 2023, victims will have until January 2025 to file claims for their share of the settlement.

NEW YORK SURVIVORS' ACT

New York's 2019 Child Victims Act (CVA) provided a way for victims of childhood sexual abuse to file claims beyond the previously allotted statute of limitations window. The CVA allowed more than 10,000 survivors to come forward and file new lawsuits in NY alone.

In May of this year, however, the act was expanded to include adult victims of sexual assault (those who were already over 18 at the time of the offense). The Adult Survivors Act (ASA) provides a way for victims of previously unreported assaults to bring lawsuits against their abusers, even if the statute of limitations has expired. Starting in November 2022, survivors have been granted a one-year extension to file lawsuits for any previously unreported claims.

Other states such as New Jersey ( NJ ), California ( CA ), and Pennsylvania ( PA ) have passed similar laws.

MACLAREN FOSTER HOME OF LOS ANGELES

A Los Angeles children's shelter has been the target for dozens of now-adult plaintiffs who were abused there as children. The shelter was originally intended to be a safe house for children to await their foster home placements, and instead turned into a pit of sexual abuse and depravity. Staff and residents alike preyed on children as young as five years old, with the abuse allegedly taking place over years.

MacLaren Hall closed its doors in 2003 following a class action lawsuit brought forth by the ACLUamongst other organizationsclaiming multiple sex crimes and failure to investigate claims of abuse. Due to the new CVA that was recently implemented in California, an extended statute of limitations allowed over 200 victims to file suit for their childhood abuse. Settlement amounts have yet to be definitively determined, but Legal-Bay is funding these cases regardless. Keep an eye on this space for further updates.

If you are a lawyer or plaintiff involved in an active sexual abuse lawsuit and need an immediate cash advance loan for settlement, please visit Legal-Bay HERE or call toll-free at 877.571.0405.

Legal-Bay remains vigilant in helping clients with their sex abuse claims. Additionally, any new clients that have an existing lawsuit and need cash now can apply for regular funding to help them get through their own financial crises. They fund all types of loans for lawsuits including personal injury, slips and falls, car, boat, or construction accidents, judgment or verdict on appeal, commercial litigation, contract dispute, Qui-tam or whistleblower cases, False Claims Act, patent litigation, copyright infringement, and more.

Legal-Bay's settlement loan programs are designed to provide immediate cash in advance of a plaintiff's anticipated monetary award. The non-recourse settlement loanssometimes referred to as loans for lawsuit or loans on settlementare risk-free, as the money doesn't need to be repaid should the recipient lose their case. Therefore, the law suit loans aren't really loans, but rather a cash advance.

To apply for a lawsuit loan right now, please visit the company's website HERE or call toll-free at: 877.571.0405 where agents are standing by.

Contact:

Chris Janish, CEO

Email: [email protected]

Ph.: 877.571.0405

Website: www.Legal-Bay.com

SOURCE Legal-Bay, LLC
More than 1 million Hungarians could experience tinnitus

Tinnitus Klinika's 3 clinics will provide Lenire throughout Hungary

Availability in Hungary follows publication of second large-scale clinical trial results, showing greater improvement in tinnitus symptoms

BUDAPEST, Hungary, Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Irish medical device company, Neuromod Devices Ltd., which specialises in the treatment of tinnitus, has reached an agreement with Tinnitus Klinika kft, a provider of specialist tinnitus care, to make its Lenire device available in Hungary.

Tamas Nagy, CEO & Owner of Tinnitus Klinika Tinnitus patient using Lenire

Lenire is a bimodal neuromodulation device which has shown in analysis of real-world patients and multiple large-scale clinical trials to reduce the severity of tinnitus symptoms. Tinnitus, commonly known as "ringing in the ears", is a complex neurological condition resulting in the perception of sound without an external source.

Landmark research into the prevalence of tinnitus in Europe was published in renowned scientific journal, The Lancet, in late 2021. It found that prevalence of any tinnitus was 14.7%i, which could mean that 1.4 million Hungarians experience the condition.

Through this distribution agreement, Tinnitus Klinika's specialist team has exclusive licence from Neuromod to provide Lenire throughout Hungary to suitable patients for the treatment of their tinnitus.

"I'm delighted to work with Tinnitus Klinika to make Lenire available to people living with tinnitus in Hungary. Tinnitus is globally recognised as a significant healthcare challenge and many people living with the condition have unmet clinical needs. Tinnitus specialists like Tinnitus Klinika deeply understand the needs of tinnitus patients and we're proud to be able to support them in improving therapeutic outcomes for their patients," explains Dr Ross O'Neill, Founder and CEO of Neuromod Devices.

In the last 12 months Neuromod has expanded availability of Lenire in Europe, launching it in Denmark, Norway, Spain, Switzerland, and the UK. Earlier in 2022 the results of an independent real-world analysis were published in the peer-reviewed scientific journal, Brain Stimulation, demonstrating the safety and efficacy of the Lenire device for improving symptoms in tinnitus patients. The study found that 85% of tinnitus patients experienced a reduction in their tinnitus symptoms, as measured by THIii, following six to 12 weeks of treatment using Lenireiii.

The device has also been used in large-scale clinical trials with over 500 patients. In June, the results of Lenire's second large-scale clinical trial were published in the highly regarded scientific journal, Nature  Scientific Reports. They showed a significant further breakthrough for improving tinnitus symptoms severity with Lenireiv. By changing the stimuli patients received halfway through their treatment plan, a clinically significant greater average improvement in tinnitus symptom severity was demonstratediv. 95% of treatment-compliant participants reported an improvement in their tinnitus symptoms, as measured by THIii,iv. 91% of treatment-compliant participants reported an improvement which sustained at least up to 12 months after treatment had endediv.

Tinnitus Klinika's team have been providing specialist care for people living with tinnitus since it was founded in 2008 by Tamas Nagy, who holds a degree in Audiology from Oxford-Brookes University. The organisation operates 3 clinics in Hungary at Czeizel Institute in Budapest, Hallomas Center in Veszprem, and at Debrecen University in partnership with the University's Medical school. Tinnitus Klinika offers a suite of therapeutic interventions for people with tinnitus, which now includes Lenire, and has facilitated research of these interventions in their clinical practices under the guidance of the organisation's Advisory Board.

"Tinnitus Klinika's partnership with Neuromod is a significant step forward for our tinnitus patients. I'm delighted to be able to provide an evidence-based treatment option that has seen encouraging patient outcomes in large-scale clinical trials and in the real world as part our suite of services for people living with the condition. I'm looking forward to working closely with Neuromod's team to achieve the best possible patient outcomes in our clinics," explains Tamas Nagy, CEO at Tinnitus Klinika.

Lenire is a bimodal neuromodulation device which combines mild electrical pulses to the tongue with sound stimulation to drive neuroplasticity in the brain which reduces the symptoms of tinnitus. It has CE-mark certification for the treatment of tinnitus under the supervision of an appropriately qualified healthcare professional and is currently available throughout Europe.

The device consists of Bluetooth headphones which play customised sounds to activate the auditory nerve, a proprietary intra-oral device which provides mild electrical stimulation to the surface of the tongue, known as a Tonguetip, and a controller which controls the duration and intensity of treatment with the device.

The device's sound and electrical stimuli can be calibrated to suit a patient's tinnitus after an initial assessment of their condition which includes an audiological exam. The supervising healthcare professional demonstrates how to use the device and provides the patient with instructions for use. Subsequently, patients use Lenire for 60 minutes per day typically for at least 10 weeks. Follow-up visits with the healthcare professional occur during treatment to monitor patients' progress.

At the end of the prescribed treatment plan, the healthcare professional advises the patient about their continued use of Lenire.

For more information please contact:

Neil Doyle

Global Director of Marketing,

Neuromod Devices

[email protected]

About Neuromod Devices Ltd

Founded in 2010, Neuromod Devices Ltd. is a medical technology company headquartered in Dublin, Ireland. Neuromod specialises in the design and development of neuromodulation technologies to address the clinical needs of underserved patient populations who live with chronic and debilitating conditions. The lead application of Neuromod's technology is in the field of tinnitus, where Neuromod has completed extensive clinical trials to confirm the efficacy of its non-invasive neuromodulation platform in this common disorder. Neuromod's tinnitus treatment device, Lenire, is currently available throughout Europe. For more information visit www.neuromoddevices.com.

About Tinnitus Klinika kft

Tinnitus Klinika kft, established in 2008, is a provider of specialist tinnitus care operating 3 clinics throughout Hungary at Czeizel Institute in Budapest, Hallomas Center in Veszprem, and at Debrecen University. Tinnitus Klinika provides a range of treatment interventions for people living with tinnitus.

About Lenire

Lenire is the first non-invasive bimodal neuromodulation tinnitus treatment device shown to soothe and relieve tinnitus in a large-scale clinical trial. Lenire has CE-mark certification for the treatment of tinnitus under the supervision of an appropriately qualified healthcare professional in Europe. Further details about Lenire including a list of providers can be found at www.lenire.com.

References

(i) R. Biswas et al., Tinnitus prevalence in Europe: a multi-country cross-sectional population study, The Lancet Regional Health (2021), https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lanepe.2021.100250

(ii) THI or Tinnitus Handicap Inventory is a clinical standard for measuring the impact of tinnitus on someone's day-to-day life. Measured on a scale of 100, the higher the score, the greater the impact of tinnitus. Reducing a person's THI score should correspond to improved quality of life by reducing how their tinnitus is affecting them.

(iii) Buechner A, Lesinski-Schiedat A, Becker P, Lenarz T, Real-world clinical experience with bimodal neuromodulation for the treatment of tinnitus - A case series, Brain Stimulation (2022), doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.brs.2022.01.022.

(iv) Conlon et al., Different bimodal neuromodulation settings reduce tinnitus symptoms in a large randomized trial, Sci Rep, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-13875-x (2022)

Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1910422/Tamas_Nagy.jpg

Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1910423/Tinnitus_patient_using_Lenire.jpg

SOURCE Neuromod Devices Ltd
The latest feature further empowers forwarders and brokers to deliver remarkable digital experiences to their customers, and compete with larger, digital first forwarders.

SEATTLE, Sept. 28, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Logixboard, the leader in providing digital customer experience solutions to international freight forwarders and customs brokers, today added real-time, automated container tracking (ACT) to their industry leading customer experience platform.

With the launch of ACT, Logixboard addresses the need from freight forwarders and brokers to simplify the container tracking process and provide their customers with real-time container visibility in a single, easy to use interface.

New product enables freight forwarders to give customers accurate, real-time container visibility from a single platform Tweet this

ACT uses an automated data feed from international ocean carriers and North American port terminals to populate Logixboard automatically, and in real time, with critical container tracking data that most forwarders and brokers spend hundreds of hours manually collecting from carrier and port terminal websites.

Thanks to this new feature, forwarders and brokers will be able to automatically enrich the shipment data they already have, and fill in the gaps in container data where needed, saving them time and helping their customers avoid costly customs holds and container fees.

"Our vision here at Logixboard is to streamline the global supply chain and help create a better-connected world", said Julian Alvarez, CEO of Logixboard. "The launch of ACT within the Logixboard platform, moves us another step toward that vision. Forwarders who provide Logixboard to their BCOs will see huge operational efficiency gains by automating their container tracking processes and eliminating a lot of back and forth emails and phone calls with their customers. And their BCO customers will now have a single place to track orders, shipments, containers, invoices and more, all in one place, helping them streamline how they manage their supply chain."

Container Tracking Made Easy

"We want to give logistics service providers the ability to give their customers real-time container visibility at their fingertips without having to replace software, or send their customers to yet another system to track containers. In other words, we want to give them everything they need in one place", said Agasthya Upadhya, VP of Product at Logixboard.

"We've seen in the past how freight forwarders have been burned by technology, with lots of money and time essentially wasted. Here at Logixboard, our mantra is to give freight forwarders and their customers a digital platform that is easy to use, almost plug and play. Technology doesn't always have to be hard and that's what we are proving with Logixboard. Our customers and users love our platform. We have direct integrations to CargoWise and Descartes, and we can get any freight forwarder customer-ready in a matter of weeks. We followed the same philosophy when creating ACT. It's so easy to use that our customers can provide real-time container tracking to their BCOs in a matter of a few days".

What Our Customers Say

"I think anytime we can unpack more details and data, that's always a good thing. Our team is having to do this everyday. There is lots of value in presenting this story to our clients digitally instead of having phone calls".

"It's saving time for our team and it's saving time for our clients. There's less email exchanges that we just don't need to have."

"The inclusion of live data and the visual representation of each shipment's individual "legs" has enabled me to provide more accurate estimates."

"Enrichment is valuable no matter what for our customers because it fills in the gaps. For routing it's a nice add for customers. Container stuff is good Internally because operators can just login to Logixboard and check everything."

To learn more about Logixboard and ACT, visit www.logixboard.com

About Logixboard

Logixboard is the leader in providing digital customer experience solutions to forwarders and customs brokers. Our white-labeled customer experience management software enables freight forwarders and customs brokers to compete and win in the rapidly digitizing global logistics industry. The easy-to-use, great-looking platform enables them to deliver a differentiated service experience; retain more of their customers, and increase their sales. The platform integrates directly with CargoWise and Descartes and can be implemented in less than three weeks, with little to no effort from an IT team.

For further information, please contact:

[email protected] (888) 308-4270

SOURCE Logixboard
XI'AN, China, Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Li Zhenguo, founder and president of LONGi Green Energy Technology Co., Ltd. (LONGi), virtually attended the 8th World Conference on Photovoltaic Energy Conversion that kicked off in Milan, Italy, on September 26. Speaking at the conference that will continue until September 30, he called for focusing on technological innovation to support the sustainable development of the PV industry. "At the crossroads of the global energy transition, every decision we make now has a bearing on the future of a livable planet," Li Zhenguo said.

Li Zhenguo, founder and president of LONGi Green Energy Technology Co., Ltd. (LONGi), virtually attended the 8th World Conference on Photovoltaic Energy Conversion that kicked off in Milan, Italy, on September 26.

Significant breakthroughs have been made in the technological sector and photovoltaic power generation over the past decade, and photovoltaic power has become the most cost-effective source of electricity for most countries in the world. Coupled with a global consensus on carbon neutrality, the world is accelerating the deployment and use of renewable energy.

"As the fastest growing renewable energy source in the world, photovoltaic will continue to increase its share in the energy mix and play a key role in the process of energy transition, helping to achieve the global carbon neutrality goal," Li Zhenguo said.

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres once said that "with climate action going backwards, renewable energy efforts must now triple". Driven by climate action and energy transformation, by 2030, the world's newly increased photovoltaic installed capacity needs to reach 1500GW-2000GW to effectively support the global energy transition. "Such periodic product renewal will also bring huge stock replacement, and will form a 'Terawatt Class' sustainable market," Li Zhenguo added.

At present, 177 countries in the world have announced or are considering joining the teams of net zero emission commitments, demonstrating their determination to develop the renewable energy industry. The energy transformation during the next 30 to 40 years is already a certainly.

"In the face of the arrival of the 'Terawatt Era', the photovoltaic industry should return to the main track of conversion efficiency improvement, strengthen the R&D investment of new cell materials and technologies, lay the foundation for scientific and technological innovation, commit to reducing costs and increasing benefits, improve the competitiveness of the photovoltaic industry, and promote the large-scale application of clean energy," Li Zhenguo said.

From a technical perspective, with the application of advanced photovoltaic technology and the advances in new photovoltaic technology, the efficiency of commercial c-Si solar cell will continue to improve. "Over the next decade, the c-Si solar cell will remain the mainstream technical route for the photovoltaic industry, but to achieve a cell conversion efficiency higher than 28%, it is still necessary to deeply understand the factors that affect the photovoltaic conversion efficiency of cells and explore ways to effectively control these factors," Li Zhenguo said.

With the continuous increase of the proportion of photovoltaic energy in the entire grid system, the intermittent and discontinuous characteristics of photovoltaic power in a certain region will bring increasing challenges to the energy system. To overcome this issue, multi-energy complementary systems with photovoltaic and other renewable energies (hydropower, wind power etc.) are being adopted.

"With the continuous cost reduction of photovoltaic energy, the PV-EC route is expected to become the cheapest method for green hydrogen production," Li Zhenguo added, noting that the huge demand for green hydrogen in the future will create significant development opportunities for the photovoltaic industry and further reduce the cost of photovoltaic energy. In the long run, the "photovoltaic+" system, in which green hydrogen is deeply involved, will be the key to deep decarbonization and sustainable development of the entire society. Li Zhenguo said he firmly believes that "green electricity + green hydrogen" is a powerful weapon against climate change.

An international forum for photovoltaic researchers and industry experts, the World Photovoltaic Energy Conversion Conference is held every four years. It not only provides an international platform for the industry to exchange ideas, but also gives practical guidance and suggestions for the transformation and upgrade of energy and industrial structure.

SOURCE LONGi Green Energy Technology Co., Ltd.
Partnership with PocketiNet Furthers Mission to Bridge the Digital Divide, Expanding Platform

to Include Fiber-to-the-Home

PORTLAND, Ore., Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, LS Networks announced it has entered into an agreement to acquire PocketiNet Communications Inc., a residential internet, phone, and Wi-Fi service provider. Continuing operations under each respective brand, this partnership marks LS Networks' entry into the residential market, bringing the company's track record of reliable, high-quality digital services to rural communities across the Pacific Northwest.

"Today is an important day," said Randy Brogle, CEO, LS Networks. "We believe every person deserves access to reliable internet. With the addition of PocketiNet's platform and experienced team, we can seamlessly extend our business and residential network across the Pacific Northwest, connecting communities and helping to bridge the digital divide."

As part of this announcement, PocketiNet will immediately expand its fiber-to-the-home services in its existing communities of Walla Walla, College Place, Yakima, Milton Freewater, and Waitsburg, as well as Pasco, Sunnyside, Grandview, Prosser, Toppenish, Wapato, and Zillah. The initial investment will reach over 32,000 homes in Yakima, Benton, and Walla Walla counties.

"PocketiNet has always focused on extending high-quality and affordable internet services to the rural communities we serve. Our company plays a critical role in connecting Americans to their jobs, schools, and families through exceptional local and caring customer support," said Todd Brandenburg, President and CEO, PocketiNet Communications Inc. "We are delighted to be joining forces with LS Networks, increasing our capacity with leading-edge fiber to the home and fixed wireless technologies, doubling down on our commitment to customers and expanding our reach across the rural Pacific Northwest to build stronger, more connected communities."

The transaction is expected to close during the second half of 2023, subject to regulatory approvals and closing conditions.

About LS Networks

LS Networks is a leading fiber network provider in the Pacific Northwest, delivering reliable, high-quality connectivity for businesses and homes in underserved and rural communities. With more than 7,000 route miles of fiber and speeds up to 100 Gbps, its carrier-grade network delivers a robust portfolio of network connectivity services, including internet, Ethernet, voice, and data solutions, helping to bridge the digital divide and empowering communities to thrive.

For more information, visit lsnetworks.net.

About PocketiNet

PocketiNet Communications Inc. is a locally owned and operated internet service provider serving Southeast Washington and parts of Northeast Oregon since 2000. Providing communities with reliable, high-speed broadband services and leading-edge ancillary solutions, their mission is to deliver fast, reliable Internet at an affordable price.

For more information, visit pocketinet.com.

SOURCE LS Networks
LUXEMBOURG, Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Carlisle Management Company SCA, a leading investment manager in the life settlements space, has finalized the deployment of its second in a series of closed-end funds, Luxembourg Life Fund: Absolute Return Fund II FCP RAIF. The portfolio has been deployed within 18 months after capital raise completion, fully in line with our expectations. With over $290M in committed capital invested in over 600 life settlement policies, the fund is diversified across multiple parameters including but not limited to face value, insurance carrier, age, mortality profile, carrier rating and gender. At the same time the purchase gross expected returns are above our original targets. The establishment of a proven and well diversified network of sourcing partners has ensured sufficient access to the tertiary market and our ability to utilize unique time-to-market opportunities often inaccessible to other market participants.

The Absolute Return Fund II offers several advantages for investors. Liquidity risks are limited due to its closed-end structure to exploit the uncorrelated nature of the asset class. Assets are valued at cost and income is only recognized when it is realized, providing that any short-term money supply fluctuations will have no impact on the fund's valuation and performance. We expect that Absolute Return Funds to continue performing with near zero correlation to financial markets and begin to provide liquidity back to the investors as originally projected. Carlisle has successfully executed the drawdown on the Fund's leverage, provided by the renowned household lender. The leverage is used as premium facility to minimize cash drag on performance and further amplify actual returns.

"Having been in the life settlement industry for decades and having worked with some of the world's largest investors, provides the Carlisle management team with a unique positioning and sourcing. As we continue to deploy capital for our Absolute Return Funds, we put our emphasis on a proactive strategy, reinforcing existing market relationships and building new ones," said Jose Garcia, CEO of Carlisle Management Company. "Investors having originally rushed into the asset class based on the premise of easily available cheap capital may now be forced to exit at rather discounted prices. We believe Carlisle can continue to capitalize on current and future opportunities as well as potential for increased supply given the demographic changes in the US."

"Given the so called "crisis of value" which certainly impacts many of the private assets given continuously tightening money supply many institutional investors turn to Life Settlements as one of the few sources of truly uncorrelated returns." concluded Oleksandra Polishchuk, Carlisle's Chief Marketing Officer.

Carlisle is currently deploying Absolute Return Fund III, launched in 2021 and has begun fund raising capital for Absolute Return Fund IV, due to begin its deployment in 2023.

About Carlisle Management Company

Established in 2008, Carlisle is a leading, highly diversified global investment management firm. Our state-of-the-art facilities and statistical modelling systems incorporate knowledge gained from 60+ years of combined investment experience within the alternative asset sector. Supervised by the Luxembourg regulator and being subject to controls of reputable audit firms at both management company and fund level, we operate independently, which allows us to focus solely on investors call for transparency and performance, within a regulated framework providing accurate management of the risks involved while maximizing investment returns.

Related Links: https://cmclux.com

Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1909939/Carlisle_Management_Logo.jpg

SOURCE Carlisle Management Company S.C.A.
On October 7, MAG Interactive is participating in the One Special Day charity fundraiser to support gamers with disabilities

STOCKHOLM, Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- MAG lnteractive is proud to support the One Special Day charity fundraiser, which helps gamers with disabilities, for the sixth year in a row. MAG will donate all revenue generated in the UK on October 7 from all games to the fundraiser.

One Special Day is an annual charity fundraiser organized by the British non-profit organization SpecialEffect. The donations go to developing technology and building special game rigs that help gamers with disabilities to play their favorite games.

"SpecialEffect does outstanding work year-round for gamers with disabilities. One Special Day is therefore a very important fundraiser, and we hope that our participation can help them a bit on the way to reaching their fundraising goals, so that they in turn can help more gamers play their favorite games," says Daniel Hasselberg, CEO at MAG Interactive.

The fundraiser for One Special Day 2022 takes place on October 7 and is supported this year by over 80 companies in the gaming industry.

About SpecialEffect

Since 2016 the British based charity SpecialEffect has organized One Special Day on an annual basis to raise money that benefits gamers with disabilities. SpecialEffect uses video games and technology to enhance the quality of life for people with various disabilities. From controller modifications to eye-control, all customized gaming setups are designed to suit the specific individual needs of every person regardless of his or her disability. The charity is increasingly having a global impact with its resources for game developers and its projects, including Eye Gaze Games with gamers with disabilities in over 30 countries playing games at no charge. For more information visit http://www.specialeffect.org.uk

CONTACT:

Tove Bengtsson / Marketing Communications Manager / +46 (0)72-220 73 22 / [email protected]

This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com

https://news.cision.com/mag-interactive/r/mag-is-supporting-the-one-special-day-charity-fundraiser-for-the-sixth-consecutive-year,c3638065

SOURCE MAG Interactive
All amounts are in U.S. dollars unless otherwise indicated.

VANCOUVER, BC, Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - Maverix Metals Inc. ("Maverix" or the "Company") (NYSE American: MMX) (TSX: MMX) is pleased to announce that it has completed the acquisition of a portfolio of 22 royalties (the "Royalty Portfolio") from Barrick Gold Corporation ("Barrick").

As consideration for the transaction, Maverix agreed to total upfront cash consideration of $50 million, subject to the exercise of any right of first refusal or buy-down rights under certain of the royalties, and contingent consideration of up to $10 million. On September 26, 2022, Skeena Resources Ltd. ("Skeena") announced that it exercised its right to repurchase 0.5% of the 1.0% net smelter return ("NSR") royalty on the Eskay Creek project from Barrick for a payment of C$17.5 million. The remaining 0.5% NSR royalty is not subject to any further reductions. As a result of Skeena's exercise of its repurchase right, Maverix's upfront cash payment to Barrick was reduced from $50 million to $37.2 million on closing. Maverix used existing cash on hand and its revolving credit facility to fund the cash payment.

Certain royalties in the Royalty Portfolio remain subject to conditions to transfer and Maverix will acquire title to such royalties at later dates.

Royalty Portfolio

Asset Operator Location Stage Royalty Eskay Creek Skeena Resources Canada Development 0.5% NSR Bullfrog Gold Augusta Gold USA Development 2.0% NSR (1) Lagunas Norte Boroo Pte Peru Development 2.0% NSR (2) Sanutura (South Hounde) Sarama Resources Burkina Faso Development 1.0% - 2.0% NSRs (3) Central Musgrave NiCo Resources Australia Exploration 1.5% NSR Maitland Dakota Gold USA Exploration 2.5% NSR Cose Pan American Silver Argentina Operating 2.5% NSR Euro (Laverton) Focus Minerals Australia Development 55.18% of $10/oz (4) Bulletin (Bardoc) St Barbara Australia Development 66.7% of A$2.00/t gold ore Ethiunda (Honeymoon) Boss Energy Australia Development 1.5%  3.5% NSR (5) Hopewell (Kokomo/Sconi) Australian Mines Australia Development A$1.00  $2.00/t ore (6) Colosseum Dateline Resources USA Exploration 2.5% NSR Biddy Well Northern Star Resources Australia Exploration 1.0% NSR Camelback Bore Glencore Australia Exploration A$0.20/t of Ni laterite ore (7) Eva Cobar (Coronation Hill) UAU Pty Australia Exploration 45% of 2.0% NSR (8) Lone Star (Giants Reef) Emmerson Resources Australia Exploration 1.0% NSR (9) Musgrave Power Minerals Australia Exploration 1.5% NSR Orban Evolution Mining Australia Exploration 20%  25% NPI or $0.50  $1.25/t ore (10) Nipisi Area Canadian Natural Resources Canada Exploration 1.0%  2.5% GORR (11) El Toqui Laguna Gold Chile Idle 2.0% NSR (12) Sunrise AngloGold Ashanti Australia Idle Variable $/oz (13)







(1) The 2.0% royalty rate is subject to change such that the maximum aggregate royalty on any individual mining claim shall not exceed 5.5% but shall be a minimum 0.5% on any individual mining claim.

(2) The 2.0% NSR royalty is on the refractory sulphide ore project ("PMR") of the Lagunas Norte mine. The royalty terminates after one million ounces of gold has been sold from the PMR and Boroo has the right to buy back the royalty for a cash payment of $16 million before July 1, 2023.

(3) A pair of 1.0% - 2.0% NSR royalties on the Tankoro deposit of the Sanutura project. The royalty rate for each royalty is 2.0% when the realized gold price is greater than $1,500 per ounce, 1.5% when the realized gold price is between $1,300 per ounce and $1,500 per ounce, and 1.0% when the realized gold price is less than $1,300 per ounce. Each of the royalties terminates after one million ounces of gold has been sold from the applicable covered areas.

(4) Royalty takes effect after the first 50,000 gold ounces have been recovered.

(5) Royalty is 1.5% on tertiary uranium, 3.5% on hard rock uranium and 2.5% on all other minerals.

(6) Royalty is A$1.00/t on the first 1.0 million tonnes, A$1.50/t on the next 2.0 million tonnes and A$2.00/t thereafter. Cash payment of A$50,000 per annum to payee during the lease term.

(7) Royalty is capped at 1,750 kt of nickel laterite ore.

(8) Payees are entitled to A$0.20/kg U 3 O 8 (or equivalent) payment on discovery of an indicated mineral resource.

(9) Royalty is capped at A$825,000 in cumulative royalty payments.

(10) Royalty is the greater of (i) 25% net profits interest ("NPI") up to 20,000 ounces of gold, 20% NPI thereafter and (ii) A$0.50/t ore (<1 g/t gold) or A$1.25/t ore (>2 g/t gold).

(11) Royalty is 1.5% on the first 15,000 Bbl/day and 2.5% on the second 15,000 Bbl/day subject to a cap at 30,000 Bbl/day.

(12) Royalty does not include lead or zinc.

(13) Royalty varies based on gold price and sliding scale rate.

About Maverix

Maverix is a gold-focused royalty and streaming company with a globally diversified portfolio of over 140 assets. Maverix's mission is to increase per share value by acquiring precious metals royalties and streams. Its shares trade on both the NYSE American and the TSX under the symbol "MMX".

Cautionary note regarding forward-looking statements

This release contains certain "forward looking statements" and certain "forward-looking information" as defined under applicable Canadian and U.S. securities laws. Forward-looking statements and information can generally be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "may", "will", "should", "expect", "intend", "estimate", "anticipate", "believe", "continue", "plans" or similar terminology. The forward-looking information contained herein is provided for the purpose of assisting readers in understanding management's current expectations and plans relating to the future. Readers are cautioned that such information may not be appropriate for other purposes. Forward-looking statements and information include, but are not limited to, Maverix's obligation to make contingent payments to Barrick in respect of the occurrence of future events, the rights of certain of the operators of royalties which constitute part of the Royalty Portfolio to repurchase all or a portion of certain such royalties, authorizations and approvals affecting certain royalties in the Royalty Portfolio, the requirements for regulatory approvals and third party consents in connection with the transaction, the Company's annual guidance and or organic growth in respect of its portfolio of assets, developments in respect of Maverix's portfolio of royalties and streams, and as well developments at certain of the mines, projects or properties that underlie the Company's interests. Forward-looking statements and information are based on forecasts of future results, estimates of amounts not yet determinable and assumptions that, while believed by management to be reasonable, are inherently subject to significant business, economic and competitive uncertainties and contingencies. Forward-looking information is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual actions, events or results to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information, including but not limited to: the impact of general business and economic conditions; the absence of control over mining operations from which Maverix will purchase gold and other metals or from which it will receive royalty payments and risks related to those mining operations, including risks related to international operations, government and environmental regulation, delays in mine construction and operations, actual results of mining and current exploration activities, conclusions of economic evaluations and changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined; accidents, equipment breakdowns, title matters, labor disputes or other unanticipated difficulties or interruptions in operations; problems inherent to the marketability of gold and other metals; the inherent uncertainty of production and cost estimates and the potential for unexpected costs and expenses; industry conditions, including fluctuations in the price of the primary commodities mined at such operations, fluctuations in foreign exchange rates and fluctuations in interest rates; government entities interpreting existing tax legislation or enacting new tax legislation in a way which adversely affects Maverix; stock market volatility; regulatory restrictions; liability, competition, the potential impact of epidemics, pandemics or other public health crises, including the current outbreak of the novel coronavirus known as COVID-19 on Maverix's business, operations and financial condition, loss of key employees, as well as those risk factors discussed in the section entitled "Risk Factors" in Maverix's annual information form dated March 16, 2022, available at sedar.com. Maverix has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers are advised not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements or information. Maverix undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking information except as required by applicable law. Such forward-looking information represents management's best judgment based on information currently available.

SOURCE Maverix Metals Inc.
DENVER, Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- M.D.C. Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: MDC), one of the nation's leading homebuilders, will release its 2022 third quarter earnings before the market opens on Thursday, October 27, 2022. MDC will host a teleconference the same day at 12:30 pm ET. The live teleconference will be available by calling 844-757-5733 and requesting to join the M.D.C. Holdings, Inc. conference call. A replay of the teleconference will be available through October 4, 2022 by calling 877-344-7529 and entering Access Code # 7154118.

A webcast of the teleconference will be available live at www.mdcholdings.com, and beginning two hours after the call, a replay of the webcast will be available on the website.

About MDC

M.D.C. Holdings, Inc. was founded in 1972. MDC's homebuilding subsidiaries, which operate under the name Richmond American Homes, have built and financed the American Dream for more than 230,000 homebuyers since 1977. MDC's commitment to customer satisfaction, quality and value is reflected in each home its subsidiaries build. MDC is one of the largest homebuilders in the United States. Its subsidiaries have homebuilding operations across the country, including the metropolitan areas of Denver, Colorado Springs, Salt Lake City, Las Vegas, Phoenix, Tucson, Riverside-San Bernardino, Los Angeles, San Diego, Orange County, San Francisco Bay Area, Sacramento, Washington D.C., Baltimore, Orlando, Jacksonville, Seattle, Portland, Boise, Austin, Albuquerque and Nashville. MDC's subsidiaries also provide mortgage financing, insurance and title services, primarily for Richmond American homebuyers, through HomeAmerican Mortgage Corporation, American Home Insurance Agency, Inc. and American Home Title and Escrow Company, respectively. M.D.C. Holdings, Inc. is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "MDC." For more information, visit www.mdcholdings.com .

SOURCE M.D.C. Holdings, Inc.
HOUSTON, Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Meriplex, a nationwide leader in managed technology solutions, is pleased to announce the acquisition of Alabama-based managed service provider, F1 Solutions.

As a veteran-owned company, F1 Solutions has been a leading managed Security and IT provider for over 25 years to defense contractors and businesses through-out Northern Alabama. With a deep understanding of government compliance regulations and the CMMC (Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification) program, F1 supports their clients by vastly improving their security posture and becoming their trusted consultant on all things IT.

"We are excited to welcome F1 Solutions to the Meriplex organization as they will complement our growing cybersecurity and operational teams while adding vertical expertise around government compliance," said David Henley, CEO of Meriplex. "F1 has a great reputation of delivering service excellence to their clients in the region, which is something that Meriplex values very highly as we look to become the leading MSP in the nation that prioritizes an exceptional customer experience."

"We built F1 Solutions to be the Managed Services Provider that our clients could always rely on for trusted expertise in IT, Security and Compliance," said Jennifer VanderWier, President of F1 Solutions. "With the support of Meriplex, we are excited at the opportunity to provide our clients with expand technology offerings paired with the same excellent support they are accustomed to."

Meriplex is paving the way to becoming the nationwide managed technology solutions provider by delivering service excellence to clients and acquiring the best talent across the U.S. to support their growth initiatives.

About Meriplex:

Meriplex is a managed technology solutions provider that enables transformation by combining secure, innovative technology with advanced expertise. As a trusted partner, we deliver business-driven solutions that provide the scalability and support needed to power growth for organizations. To learn more, visit www.meriplex.com or follow us on LinkedIn.

About F1 Solutions:

F1 Solutions has served North Alabama market for over 25 years, becoming the region's most respected and trusted IT solutions provider. Our team is composed of industry experts who are constantly training with the latest technologies and best practices for IT services. We are highly passionate about creating a strong infrastructure that you can leverage to grow your business, protect your critical data, and increase productivity and efficiency throughout your workforce. To learn more visit www.f1networks.com

CONTACT: Macy Kirk 2814042300, [email protected]

SOURCE Meriplex Communications
ALISO VIEJO, Calif., Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- MicroVention, Inc., a global neurovascular company and a wholly owned subsidiary of Terumo Corporation, celebrates its 25-year anniversary on September 29, 2022. Founded in 1997 by a handful of Associates in a small facility in Southern California, MicroVention is now a worldwide community with over 3,000 Associates and distributors worldwide, operating in over 70 countries with offices across the United States, Europe, Asia, and Costa Rica.

MicroVention has been focused on developing and marketing medical devices that improve patient lives through the treatment of strokes and aneurysms using our innovative products. In 2006, MicroVention was acquired by the Japan-based Terumo Corporation. Terumo provided the support for MicroVention to continue the culture of innovation and an entrepreneurial spirit.

MicroVention has launched over 30 products and has expanded beyond cerebral aneurysms to include treatment for ischemic stroke, carotid artery disease, and neurovascular malformations.

On MicroVention's 25th anniversary, celebrations will occur across the globe that focus on its patients, product innovation, and its people  its Associates. The capstone of the anniversary celebration will include Patient's Day. Dr. Timothy White, a Neurosurgery Chief Resident and Endovascular Fellow at the Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra Northwell, will provide an overview of a patient that was treated with MicroVention products. Likewise, the patient will share her story of the positive impact and improvement of her life from being treated with multiple MicroVention products.

Also, as part of the anniversary ceremonies, MicroVention will add to a time capsule that was built for the company's 20-year anniversary in 2017 that was filled with various artifacts from the past 20 years of the company's history. The time capsule will be sealed and reopened in 2047 as a way of celebrating what the next 25 years may bring to the industry and company.

About MicroVention, Inc .

Founded in 1997, MicroVention develops and markets medical devices that enable or significantly improve treatment of cerebrovascular diseases. In 2006, Terumo Corporation, a major worldwide medical device company headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, acquired MicroVention into their family of Companies. Terumo's acquisition of MicroVention allowed both Companies to leverage their unique, proprietary technologies toward an increased focus on treating cerebrovascular diseases.

Headquartered in California, MicroVention products are today sold in more than 70 countries through a direct sales organization alongside strategic distribution partnerships. Manufacturing facilities are located in Aliso Viejo, California and San Jose, Costa Rica. For more information on MicroVention, please visit www.microvention.com.

About Terumo Corporation

Terumo (TSE:4543) is a global leader in medical technology and has been committed to "Contributing to Society through Healthcare" for 100 years. Based in Tokyo and operating globally, Terumo employs more than 28,000 associates worldwide to provide innovative medical solutions in more than 160 countries and regions. The company started as a Japanese thermometer manufacturer, and has been supporting healthcare ever since. Now, its extensive business portfolio ranges from vascular intervention and cardio-surgical solutions, blood transfusion and cell therapy technology, to medical products essential for daily clinical practice such as transfusion systems, diabetes care, and peritoneal dialysis treatments. Terumo will further strive to be of value to patients, medical professionals, and society at large. For more information on Terumo, please visit www.terumo.com/about/profile.

About Timothy G. White , MD

Timothy G. White is a Neurosurgery Chief Resident and Endovascular Fellow at the Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra Northwell. He has trained under the tutelage of Dr. Henry Woo to become a dual-trained cerebrovascular neurosurgeon specializing in both open neurosurgical and interventional treatments of cerebrovascular disease.

Media Contact:

Kristin Machacek Leary

Chief People Officer

MicroVention, Inc.

+1-714-247-8000

SOURCE MicroVention
GUANGZHOU, China, Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- MINISO Group Holding Limited (NYSE: MNSO; HKEX: 9896) ("MINISO", "MINISO Group" or the "Company"), a global value retailer offering a variety of design-led lifestyle products, today announced that Mr. Guofu Ye, chairman of the board of directors, chief executive officer and the controlling shareholder of the Company, has informed the Company of his intention to use his personal funds to purchase up to an aggregate of US$5 million worth of the Company's ordinary shares and/or American depositary shares ("ADS"), representing approximately 0.3% of the total issued share capital of the Company based on the ADS closing price as of September 28, 2022, within the next twelve months, pursuant and subject to, and consistent with, applicable laws, the relevant stock exchange rules and the Company's securities trading policies.

As at the date of this press release, Mr. Ye is interested in approximately 61.6% of the total issued shares of the Company through entities controlled by him and/or his spouse, namely, Mini Investment Limited, YGF MC Limited and YYY MC Limited.

Mr. Ye makes his independent decision on the share purchase plan and its terms. The proposed share purchases may be made from time to time in the open market at prevailing market prices, in privately negotiated transactions, in block trades and/or through other legally permissible means, depending on market conditions and in accordance with applicable rules, regulations and internal policies. This share purchase plan demonstrates Mr. Ye's confidence in the value and long-term growth of the Company.

Shareholders and potential investors should note that the proposed share purchase may or may not proceed. Shareholders and potential investors are advised to exercise caution when dealing in the securities of the Company.

About MINISO Group

MINISO Group is a global value retailer offering a variety of design-led lifestyle products. The Company serves consumers primarily through its large network of MINISO stores, and promotes a relaxing, treasure-hunting and engaging shopping experience full of delightful surprises that appeals to all demographics. Aesthetically pleasing design, quality and affordability are at the core of every product in MINISO's wide product portfolio, and the Company continually and frequently rolls out products with these qualities. Since the opening of its first store in China in 2013, the Company has built its flagship brand "MINISO" as a globally recognized retail brand and established a massive store network worldwide. For more information, please visit https://ir.miniso.com/.

Safe Harbor Statement

This announcement contains forward-looking statements. These statements are made under the "safe harbor" provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements can be identified by words or phrases such as "may," "will," "expect," "anticipate," "aim," "estimate," "intend," "plan," "believe," "is/are likely to," "potential," "continue" or other similar expressions. MINISO may also make written or oral forward-looking statements in its periodic reports to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"), in announcements, circulars or other publications made on the website of The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited (the "Hong Kong Stock Exchange"), in its annual report to shareholders, in press releases and other written materials and in oral statements made by its officers, directors or employees to third parties. Statements that are not historical facts, including statements about MINISO's beliefs and expectations, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties. A number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement, including but not limited to the following: MINISO's mission, goals and strategies; future business development, financial conditions and results of operations; the expected growth of the retail market and the market of branded variety retail of lifestyle products in China and globally; expectations regarding demand for and market acceptance of MINISO's products; expectations regarding MINISO's relationships with consumers, suppliers, MINISO Retail Partners, local distributors, and other business partners; competition in the industry; proposed use of proceeds; and relevant government policies and regulations relating to MINISO's business and the industry. Further information regarding these and other risks is included in MINISO's filings with the SEC and the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. All information provided in this press release and in the attachments is as of the date of this press release, and MINISO undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statement, except as required under applicable law.

Investor Relations Contact:

Raine Hu

MINISO Group Holding Limited

Email: [email protected]

Phone: +86 (20) 36228788 Ext. 8039

SOURCE MINISO Group Holding Limited
GUANGZHOU, China, Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- MINISO Group Holding Limited (NYSE: MNSO; HKEX: 9896) ("MINISO", "MINISO Group" or the "Company"), a global value retailer offering a variety of design-led lifestyle products, today announced that, following the expiration of the share repurchase program the Company adopted in December 2021, the board of directors of the Company (the "Board") authorized and approved a new share repurchase program on September 29, 2022 (the "2022 Share Repurchase Program"), under which the Company may repurchase up to US$100 million in value of its outstanding ordinary shares and/or American depositary shares representing its ordinary shares (collectively, the "Shares") over a period of 12 months starting from the date on which the 2022 Share Repurchase Program was approved. The Company expects to fund repurchases under the 2022 Share Repurchase Program from surplus cash on its balance sheet.

The Company's proposed repurchases under the 2022 Share Repurchase Program may be made from time to time on the open market at prevailing market prices, in privately negotiated transactions, in block trades, and/or through other legally permissible means, depending on market conditions and in accordance with applicable rules and regulations and its insider trading policy.

The Company shall conduct the repurchase by exercising its powers under the repurchase mandate to be given or to be given to the Board pursuant to the resolutions of the shareholders of the Company (the "Shareholders") passed at the annual general meeting of the Company each year to repurchase shares of the Company not exceeding 10% of the total number of the issued Shares (the "Share Repurchase Mandate") as at the date of such annual general meeting, with each mandate to expire upon whichever is the earliest of: (a) the conclusion of the next annual general meeting of the Company; (b) the expiration of the period within which the next annual general meeting of the Company is required by the memorandum and articles of the association of the Company or by any applicable laws to be held; and (c) the date on which the authority given under the ordinary resolution approving the Share Repurchase Mandate is revoked or varied by an ordinary resolution of the Shareholders.

For the period from September 29, 2022 to the date of holding the upcoming annual general meeting of the Company before the end of 2022, the Company will repurchase under the authority of the repurchase mandate granted by the Shareholders passed on July 11, 2022, and for the subsequent periods under the 2022 Share Repurchase Program, the Company will repurchase under the repurchase mandate to be granted by the Shareholders at the upcoming annual general meeting, subject to the approval of the Shareholders and the general mandate conditions as specified above. It is the intention of the Board to implement the 2022 Share Repurchase Program during the 12-month period only in such a way and only to such an extent that would not cause a mandatory general offer obligation to arise under Rule 26 of the Codes on Takeovers and Mergers and Share Buy-backs.

The Company will conduct the share repurchase in compliance with Listing Rules. Pursuant to Rule 10.06(2)(e) of the Rules Governing the Listing of Securities on The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited (the "Listing Rules"), an issuer shall not purchase its shares on The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited (the "Stock Exchange") at any time after inside information has come to its knowledge until the information is made publicly available. In particular, during the period of one month immediately preceding the earlier of (i) the date of the board meeting for the approval of the issuer's results for any year, half-year, quarterly or any other interim period; and (ii) the deadline for the issuer to announce its results for any year or half-year under the Listing Rules, or quarterly or any other interim period, and ending on the date of the results announcement, the issuer shall not purchase its shares on the Stock Exchange, unless the circumstances are exceptional.

The Company will conduct the proposed share repurchase in compliance with the memorandum and articles of association of the Company, the Listing Rules, the Codes on Takeovers and Mergers and Share Buy-backs, the Companies Law of the Cayman Islands and all applicable laws and regulations to which the Company is subject to.

The Board believes that a share repurchase in the present conditions will demonstrate the Company's confidence in its business outlook and prospects and would benefit the Company and create value to the Shareholders ultimately.

The Board believes that the current financial resources of the Company would enable it to implement the share repurchase without causing any material impact on its working capital.

The Board will review the 2022 Share Repurchase Program periodically, and may authorize adjustment of its terms and size.

Shareholders and potential investors should note that any repurchase may be done subject to market conditions and at the Board's absolute discretion. There is no assurance of the timing, quantity or price of any repurchase. Shareholders and potential investors should therefore exercise caution when dealing in the shares.

About MINISO Group

MINISO Group is a global value retailer offering a variety of design-led lifestyle products. The Company serves consumers primarily through its large network of MINISO stores, and promotes a relaxing, treasure-hunting and engaging shopping experience full of delightful surprises that appeals to all demographics. Aesthetically pleasing design, quality and affordability are at the core of every product in MINISO's wide product portfolio, and the Company continually and frequently rolls out products with these qualities. Since the opening of its first store in China in 2013, the Company has built its flagship brand "MINISO" as a globally recognized retail brand and established a massive store network worldwide. For more information, please visit https://ir.miniso.com/.

Safe Harbor Statement

This announcement contains forward-looking statements. These statements are made under the "safe harbor" provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements can be identified by words or phrases such as "may," "will," "expect," "anticipate," "aim," "estimate," "intend," "plan," "believe," "is/are likely to," "potential," "continue" or other similar expressions. MINISO may also make written or oral forward-looking statements in its periodic reports to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"), in announcements, circulars or other publications made on the website of The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited (the "Hong Kong Stock Exchange"), in its annual report to shareholders, in press releases and other written materials and in oral statements made by its officers, directors or employees to third parties. Statements that are not historical facts, including statements about MINISO's beliefs and expectations, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties. A number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement, including but not limited to the following: MINISO's mission, goals and strategies; future business development, financial conditions and results of operations; the expected growth of the retail market and the market of branded variety retail of lifestyle products in China and globally; expectations regarding demand for and market acceptance of MINISO's products; expectations regarding MINISO's relationships with consumers, suppliers, MINISO Retail Partners, local distributors, and other business partners; competition in the industry; proposed use of proceeds; and relevant government policies and regulations relating to MINISO's business and the industry. Further information regarding these and other risks is included in MINISO's filings with the SEC and the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. All information provided in this press release and in the attachments is as of the date of this press release, and MINISO undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statement, except as required under applicable law.

SOURCE MINISO Group Holding Limited
The new Ducati Multistrada V4 Rally is designed for the most demanding travelers who want to reach further destinations, even with a passenger, without stopping for anything

Improved comfort for both rider and passenger and greater range, featuring a 7.9-gal fuel tank plus the new extended cylinder deactivation strategy, a first for a production motorcycle, which turns off the rear cylinder bank of the V4 Granturismo, even while on the move

More off-road attitude with 7.9 in of suspension travel, generous ground clearance and advanced Enduro Riding Mode with dedicated Power Mode

BORGO PANIGALE, Italy, Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- In the third episode of the 2023 Ducati World Premiere web series, the Bologna-based manufacturer presented the new Multistrada V4 Rally, the Ducati designed for long-distance journeys (here the direct link to the video). This unstoppable adventure motorcycle is set to conquer unexplored places and get there with maximum comfort. The bike to explore the world, without stopping for anything, even with a passenger.

2023 Ducati Multistrada V4 Rally

With the "Rally" Ducati takes the globetrotter spirit of the Multistrada V4 to an even higher level, with improved comfort for rider and passenger, a greater fuel range and a more pronounced off-road aptitude. The result is a motorcycle that is in its element on dirt roads and in the cities: the perfect choice for those who want to reach any destination with maximum comfort and safety, without sacrificing the typical Ducati riding emotions. As with the entire Multistrada V4 family, performance (170 hp), reliability and maintenance costs (intervals every 37,000 mi and Oil Service every 9,000 mi/24 months) are class leading.

In its element on any road

Living up to its name, the "Rally" model of the Multistrada V4 is a bike that further improves its ability to rule all roadsespecially unpaved ones. This Multistrada is fitted with semi-active suspension with travel increased to 7.9 in that delivers a higher ground clearance; a new Power Mode dedicated to off-roading; wider rider footpegs with an improved profile and removable rubber insert; and the Skyhook DSS EVO control strategy, even more precise and efficient for this model. The Multistrada V4 Rally is also equipped with an Auto leveling function, which guarantees a constant adjustment when the rider, passenger and luggage configuration varies, to keep the bikes characteristics unchanged. Off-road capability increases with the Multistrada V4 Rally due to standard lightened spoke rims and reinforced engine guards.

The new 7.9-gal aluminum tank, which integrates into the muscular and elegant shapes of the bike, delivers increased travel distances between one refueling stop and the next. The new Multistrada V4 Rally is ready to tackle even the most remote roads.

More comfort for rider and passenger

The Multistrada V4 Rally is the ideal bike for traveling with a passenger and has been designed to take the comfort of the rider and travel companion to the highest level: the windshield has been redesigned (increasing the height by 1.6 in and the width by .8 in), the tail has been lengthened and the top case attachment is moved back to offer more leg area for the passenger, who can also count on footrests with larger rubber inserts to reduce vibration levels. Furthermore, with seats of different heights for both rider and passenger and the lowered suspension kit, the Multistrada V4 Rally can be customized to suit any rider and passenger combination.

The Minimum Preload function, already introduced on the Multistrada V4 S in 2022, allows the rider to "lower" the bike when stopping and riding at low speed by minimizing the preload of the shock absorber. The Multistrada V4 Rally takes a further step forward in terms of ease of use by introducing the Easy Lift function that opens the suspension hydraulics at key ON and reduces the effort required to lift the motorcycle from the side stand thanks to the compress ion of the fork and shock absorber.

In addition, a center stand is standard on this bike to ease the loading and unloading of the side cases and to perform any maintenance items on long journeys away from home.

Safety and technology

The Ducati Multistrada family continues to be a benchmark from a technological and safety point of view. The Multistrada V4 was the first motorcycle in the world equipped with a front and rear radar system to support the Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC), which makes riding less tiring on long road sections, and Blind Spot Detection (BSD), which signals the presence of vehicles approaching in the corner of the mirrors.

The 6.5-inch TFT color dashboard offers map navigation features thanks to the Ducati Connect application, which supports the use of a mobile phone to answer calls or listen to music while using a helmet equipped with an intercom system.

The Multistrada V4 Rally offers ABS Cornering, which allows you to take advantage of the braking power even when cornering; Ducati Cornering Lights (DCL), which improve night visibility by illuminating the inside of corners; Ducati Wheelie Control (DWC); and Ducati Traction Control (DTC). These systems use the inertial platform (IMU) to optimize the intervention based on the lean and pitch angle of the vehicle.

Enduro Riding Mode with dedicated Power Mode

To achieve the potential of the Multistrada V4, Ducati has used its four Riding Modes (Sport, Touring, Urban and Enduro), but the Multistrada V4 Rally's Enduro mode evolves. Selecting the Enduro Riding Mode activates a dedicated Power Mode, which limits the power to 114 hp with a dynamic and direct throttle response. The DSS Evolution prepares for off-road riding by indicating the load mode with a specific icon, depicting an off-road helmet. The DTC switches to a lower intervention level and the DWC is deactivated. The ABS on the rear wheel is also deactivated and cornering functionality and rear lift detection are suppressed to adapt to off-road use.

Extended rear bank engine deactivation

The Multistrada V4 Rally also introduces a brand-new strategy to extend the deactivation of the rear cylinder bank, a technical solution debuting for the first time on a production motorcycle. In addition to switching off the rear cylinders at idle with the motorcycle stationary (a function already available on the Multistrada V4), the V4 Granturismo now keeps the rear bank deactivated in other operating conditions to the benefit of fuel consumption and emissions.

With this new strategy, deactivation occurs even with the motorcycle in motion. As speed increases or above a specific power request from the throttle grip, the rear cylinders are reactivated, and the full performance of the V4 Granturismo is returned. This system is active in all Riding Modes.

Engine and chassis

The 1,158 cc V4 Granturismo engine delivers 170 hp at 10,750 rpm and 89 ft-lb at 8,750 rpm, with a particularly linear torque curve to ensure a smooth and progressive response at all revs. The performance of this engine, combined with its total weight of only 147 lb, allows the V4 Granturismo to continue to be the benchmark for power and lightness. These performance numbers are combined with refined technical features, such as a counter-rotating crankshaft, derived from the experience gained by Ducati Corse in MotoGP, which works "against" the gyroscopic inertia of the wheels and dedicated torque curves for each gear to combine smooth power delivery throughout the rpm range.

For the chassis, the Multistrada V4 Rally continues with the monocoque aluminum frame, light and compact, with a double-sided swingarm shell-cast in aluminum. The Multistrada V4 Rally is offered exclusively with tubeless spoke rims, redesigned and lightened to improve its dynamic qualities.

Equipment

The new Ducati Multistrada V4 Rally will be offered in one version for North America: Adventure Travel & Radar, equipped with Adaptive Cruise Control and Blind Spot Detection, aluminum side cases, heated grips and seats.

Accessories and apparel

In addition to a benchmark level of standard equipment for the category, the Multistrada V4 Rally also has a wide range of accessories available. Including different seat heights to meet the ergonomic needs of rider and passenger, and the components proposed in the three model configurations, the following will be available: windscreen options, steel-tube engine guard, additional LED spotlights, satnav with dedicated support, and various luggage solutions, designed for both the tank and the rear platetop case or soft bagfor those who want to enhance further the tourer qualities of the Multistrada V4 Rally.

It is also possible to make the Multistrada V4 Rally sportier and embellish its appearance with different parts of carbon fiber trim; aluminum levers and footrests machined from solid; dynamic LED indicators; and brake and clutch fluid reservoirs machined from solid.

Ducati has also created apparel items to enjoy the touring possibilities of the Multistrada V4 Rally. For example, the Atacama C2 suit has large areas dedicated to ventilation, detachable sleeves and three independent layers, including thermal lining and waterproof membrane, to offer comfort in all weather conditions. Or the Strada C5 suit, which is made of comfortable stretch fabric, robust and modular in thermal protection, thanks to the detachable Gore-Tex internal membrane and an inner down jacket that can also be used on its own once the bike is parked.

Availability

The Multistrada V4 Rally will arrive in Ducati Red and Brushed Aluminum & Matt black, the latter with an exposed brushed aluminum fuel tank, with black spoke rims for both. United States pricing for the Multistrada V4 Rally will begin at an MSRP of $31,495 for the Ducati Red color, with the Brushed Aluminum & Matt black starting at $31,995. For Canada, the Multistrada V4 Rally will start at an MSRP of $34,395 CAD for Ducati Red and MSRP of $34,995 CAD for the Brushed Aluminum & Matt black.

The Multistrada V4 Rally will be available in Ducati dealerships in the United States and Canada starting from May 2023.

The new Multistrada V4 Rally presentation video was produced in the beautiful savannah landscapes in Kenya and can viewed on Ducati's YouTube channel.

The press kit for the Multistrada V4 Rally with complete technical information and additional photographs is available on Ducati Media House.

#MultistradaV4Rally #UnlockEarth

SOURCE Ducati North America
Convention will be held November 10-12

TACOMA, Wash., Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Registration is open for the National Marine Propeller Association's Annual Convention in Las Vegas, NV and organizers are pleased to announce the keynote speaker for this year's event will be Greg Sharrow, President & CEO of Sharrow Marine, and inventor of the revolutionary Sharrow Propeller.

National Marine Propeller Association Greg Sharrow

Mike Jones, president of the NMPA said, "Greg Sharrow's new propeller designs were immediately a topic of discussion at our 2019 Annual Convention when we first got to see the new designs and BoatTEST.com did their performance tests. Our members are very interested to hear what Greg has to say about his novel propeller technology, the inspiration behind it, and sales and distribution opportunities for NMPA members in the future."

In 2019, BoatTEST.com first conducted benchmark tests on the Sharrow Marine propeller. They further updated their testing in 2022 with comparative analysis of mid-range performance, top speed performance, advance rate and fuel efficiency gains against conventional propellers. These compelling examples of the advantages of the Sharrow Propeller have ignited consumer interest within the recreational boating community and beyond. Sharrow Marine is a recipient of a Miami International Boat Show Innovation Award and has recently secured a manufacturing and distribution agreement with Yamaha.

Sharrow will headline the NMPA's Annual Convention to be held at The Orleans Hotel on November 10 -12, 2022 in Las Vegas, NV. "I am looking forward to talking about the Sharrow Propeller with this group of propeller sales and repair professionals," Sharrow said. "NMPA members have direct contact with boaters when it comes to propeller selection for their vessels, and I am told they are already fielding questions about our unique designs. We see NMPA members as important partners and advocates for our technology in this new era of propulsion that we are ushering in with the release of the Sharrow Propeller to the marine industry."

About the National Marine Propeller Association

The National Marine Propeller Association was founded in 1992 and is celebrating it's 30th Anniversary this year. The organization was established to provide boat propeller repair and sales professionals a forum to discuss and share knowledge and best management practices. NMPA offers certification of repair professionals using guidelines and standards for written exams and practical testing that are periodically reviewed and approved by the NMPA Certification Committee. Marine product and service providers and propeller manufacturers attend and exhibit at the NMPA Annual Convention, which is attended by prop shop owners and business decision makers, repair pros and shop managers.

About Sharrow Marine & Sharrow Engineering

Sharrow Engineering, LLC, is a nautical and aeronautical engineering company dedicated to the research and development of revolutionary high-performance propulsion technologies for the maritime and aeronautical industries. Sharrow Engineering is the parent company for Sharrow Marine, LLC, and Sharrow Commercial Marine, LLC. Company offices are headquartered in Detroit, MI. Sharrow Engineering, LLC, has assembled a team of the world's top aeronautical, nautical, aerospace, and mechanical engineers to assist with the company's core mission to reinvent the methodologies and technologies used for propulsion in the 21st century.

Media Contact:

Gordon Connell

954-494-7793

[email protected]

SOURCE National Marine Propeller Association
The partnership is the first of its kind to help community pharmacists stay competitive with cutting-edge artificial intelligence.

REDMOND, Wash. and ALEXANDRIA, Va., Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Prescryptive announced today the National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA) is recommending to its members Prescryptive's state-of-the-art myRx AI Pricing system, which can make independent pharmacies immediately more competitive by giving them access to cash pricing optimization driven by artificial intelligence.

"As the voice of the community pharmacist, we know that helping our pharmacists compete in the digital age is imperative," said Douglas Hoey, CEO of NCPA. "By utilizing this technology, our NCPA member pharmacies can utilize cutting-edge technology to stay competitive while also continuing to do what they do best: take care of their patients."

"Prescryptive is proud to bring pharmacists this technology," said Chris Blackley, CEO of Prescryptive Health. "We are empowering these entrepreneurial business owners and critical healthcare providers with accurate, timely pricing services to help them position themselves for the future while offering competitive pricing that's fair to their customers."

Prescryptive's AI-optimized pricing engine, myRx AI Pricing, offers a robust solution for pharmacies and cash-paying healthcare consumers. A team of Prescryptive data scientists uses its artificial intelligence platform to analyze pharmacy pricing data, looking for opportunities based on pharmacy location, the drug itself and more. Pharmacists receive enhanced analytics and current actionable insights, creating a competitive system for cash pricing based on Prescryptive's predictive model that consistently adjusts prices based on evolving analytics.

With increasing usage of high-deductible health plans, more customers are paying cash at the pharmacy counter, and community pharmacists need a solution beyond most traditional cash discount cards operated by third parties that often drive higher prices for consumers and financial losses to the pharmacy. The myRx AI Pricing forward-looking solution assures that pharmacies can leverage the power of AI optimization, offering transparency into opaque drug pricing and a capability that balances sustainability for the pharmacy with savings for cash-paying healthcare consumers.

About Prescryptive Health

Prescryptive Health is a healthcare technology company delivering solutions that empower consumers and pharmacists. Among Prescryptive's portfolio of solutions is its first to market AI-Optimized pricing engine myRx AI Pricing, which empowers pharmacies and drives meaningful patient value. To learn more about Prescryptive Health and myRxAI Pricing, visit www.prescryptive.com.

About NCPA

Founded in 1898, the National Community Pharmacists Association is the voice for the community pharmacist, representing nearly 19,400 pharmacies that employ 215,000 individuals nationwide. Community pharmacies are rooted in the communities where they are located and are among America's most accessible health care providers. To learn more, visit www.ncpa.org.

Media Contact

For Prescryptive:

NextPR

[email protected]

SOURCE Prescryptive Health
Millburn-based firm will provide advertising and marketing services to the Essex County Executive's Office

NEWARK, N.J., Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- New Frontier, a full-service advertising agency based in Millburn, New Jersey, has been chosen as the agency of record for the Office of the Essex County Executive to consult and facilitate the purchase and placement of display advertisements across all 22 Essex County municipalities.

New Frontier was selected from a pool of agency applicants based on a set of technical, training, experience, and overall management criteria. The decision was confirmed at the Board of County Commissioners August 2022 meeting session.

"We are honored to partner with the Essex County Executive's Office," said David Sorkin, President of New Frontier. "Our roots are in Essex County, and we take pride in servicing our community. My team and I welcome this opportunity to share our expertise with local government."

In this advisory role, New Frontier will be partnering with the Essex County Director of Public Information to place and monitor advertisements across various media outlets, including, but not limited to, daily and weekly newspapers, magazines, television and radio stations, digital and online media outlets and social media platforms.

About New Frontier

New Frontier is a full-service advertising and marketing agency focused on consumer product management, professional service marketing and website development. With the expertise of a New York-style agency and accessibility of a small business consultancy, New Frontier is a one-stop resource for award-winning marketing support. Founded in 2012, the firm has offices in Short Hills, NJ and Boston, MA. For more information, visit newfrontier.com.

Contact:

David Sorkin, President

(973) 250-2345

[email protected]

SOURCE New Frontier
Nexxiot's Cargo Monitors provide real-time monitoring of shipping containers for global program

DALLAS, Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Nexxiot, the global TradeTech pioneer, has been selected by NTT DATA as the preferred IoT solution provider for Connected Product, a global cargo tracking solution jointly developed by NTT DATA and SAP to improve insurance management for global supply chains. Nexxiot's Cargo Monitor, a revolutionary IoT sensor device that delivers unbeatable connectivity and data performance in a compact, easy-to-use design, has been chosen by NTT DATA to provide monitoring and tracking of shipping containers for the Connected Product solution. NTT DATA plans to deploy more than 600,000 of Nexxiot's Cargo Monitor devices over the next five years.

Nexxiot's Cargo Monitor

"Nexxiot is pleased to partner with NTT DATA on their groundbreaking Connected Product solution," said Stefan Kalmund, CEO of Nexxiot. "By connecting real-time monitoring with automated cargo insurance payments, this initiative clearly demonstrates yet another benefit of the TradeTech revolution. The digitalization of cargo not only creates enhanced visibility and transparency; the sky is the limit in terms of the value Nexxiot's IoT technology can create for all players in the global value network."

As the global value chain becomes increasingly complex and is threatened by numerous sources of disruption, cargo losses due to inadequate shipping conditions are a growing problem. Pinpointing the cause of damages to cargo in transit is almost impossible without real-time data on the location, status and environmental conditions of goods in transit.

NTT DATA and SAP's Connected Product, powered by SAP Business Network for Logistics, seeks to solve this challenge by connecting the solution to IoT devices to monitor fragile and environmentally sensitive cargo. Nexxiot has been chosen by NTT DATA as the preferred IoT solution provider for Connected Product. By enabling end-to-end, real-time monitoring of transportation conditions, the Nexxiot Cargo Monitor tracks variables that could affect a shipment. The collected data can be configured through Connected Product to automatically trigger and execute insurance policies if goods are not transported under certain pre-defined conditions.

"Our shared vision is to create a new era of digitally connected value chain solutions," said Xavier Rovira, Global Head of SAP Unit at NTT DATA EMEAL, NTT DATA. "Nexxiot's Cargo Monitors are a critical piece of our effort to increase visibility, reduce supply chain disruptions and support a smarter and more sustainable world."

Nexxiot's Cargo Monitors were selected by NTT DATA after an extensive pilot program. The Connected Product pilot program, which utilized 500 Nexxiot Cargo Monitors, tracked 400 live shipments which were delivered in Europe, Asia and the U.S. from March to August 2022. Throughout the course of the pilot, the shipments were monitored along more than 5 million kilometers of their journeys and more than 200,000 data points were collected for analysis.

About Nexxiot:

Nexxiot is a TradeTech pioneer with a mission to enable easier, safer, and cleaner transportation for all stakeholders in the global supply chain.

Nexxiot's IoT hardware, software and analytics create transparency to improve efficiency and preserve value across supply networks. The technology mitigates risks to people, infrastructure and cargo and reduces emissions and loss.

The company empowers carriers, cargo owners and other transportation participants to monitor the location, status and conditions of their assets and cargo in real-time, anywhere in the world. Sophisticated Big Data analytics delivers business intelligence at scale to drive efficiency, process automation and achieve sustainability targets.

Headquartered in Zurich, Nexxiot operates throughout Europe and the U.S., with an international team of employees from 28 countries. For more information, visit www.nexxiot.com.

Press contact:

Nick Fryer, FINN Partners on behalf of Nexxiot for North America

[email protected]

About NTT DATA

NTT DATA, part of the NTT Group, is a global innovative company providing business and IT services with its headquarters in Tokyo. The company helps its customers in their transformation processes via consultancy, industrial solutions, commercial process services, digital and IT modernisation and managed services. NTT DATA enables themand society as a wholeto move confidently towards the digital future. The company proves its commitment to the long-term success of its customers, combining a global scope with local service to work with them in over 50 countries around the world. To learn more, please visit nttdata.com.

For more information, press only:

NTT DATA Corporation Public Relations Department,

[email protected], JST

SOURCE Nexxiot
CHARLOTTE, N.C., Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Nucor Corporation (NYSE: NUE) will host an Investor Day starting at 9:00 AM on Tuesday, November 8, 2022 in New York City. During the event, Leon Topalian, Nucor's Chair, President and Chief Executive Officer, and other members of Nucor's management team will outline the Company's differentiated strategy and leading market position, as well as provide updated mid-term financial targets.

Due to limited capacity, in-person attendance is by invitation only. A live webcast of the Investor Day, including presentation materials, will be accessible through Nucor's investor relations website at nucor.com/investors. A replay of the webcast will be available for 60 days following the live presentations. Webcast registration details will be made available on Nucor's investor relations website at a later date.

About Nucor

Nucor and its affiliates are manufacturers of steel and steel products, with operating facilities in the United States, Canada and Mexico. Products produced include: carbon and alloy steel -- in bars, beams, sheet and plate; hollow structural section tubing; electrical conduit; steel racking; steel piling; steel joists and joist girders; steel deck; fabricated concrete reinforcing steel; cold finished steel; precision castings; steel fasteners; metal building systems; insulated metal panels; overhead doors; steel grating; and wire and wire mesh. Nucor, through The David J. Joseph Company, also brokers ferrous and nonferrous metals, pig iron and hot briquetted iron / direct reduced iron; supplies ferro-alloys; and processes ferrous and nonferrous scrap. Nucor is North America's largest recycler.

SOURCE Nucor Corporation
NEW YORK, Sept. 28, 2022 /PRNewswire/ --

WHY: Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, announces the filing of a class action lawsuit on behalf of purchasers of the securities of Olo Inc. (NYSE: OLO) between August 11, 2021 and August 11, 2022, both dates inclusive (the "Class Period"). If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff, you must move the Court no later than November 28, 2022.

SO WHAT: If you purchased Olo securities during the Class Period you may be entitled to compensation without payment of any out of pocket fees or costs through a contingency fee arrangement.

WHAT TO DO NEXT: To join the Olo class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=8131 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email [email protected] or [email protected] for information on the class action. A class action lawsuit has already been filed. If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff, you must move the Court no later than November 28, 2022. A lead plaintiff is a representative party acting on behalf of other class members in directing the litigation.

WHY ROSEN LAW: We encourage investors to select qualified counsel with a track record of success in leadership roles. Often, firms issuing notices do not have comparable experience, resources or any meaningful peer recognition. Be wise in selecting counsel. The Rosen Law Firm represents investors throughout the globe, concentrating its practice in securities class actions and shareholder derivative litigation. Rosen Law Firm has achieved the largest ever securities class action settlement against a Chinese Company. Rosen Law Firm was Ranked No. 1 by ISS Securities Class Action Services for number of securities class action settlements in 2017. The firm has been ranked in the top 4 each year since 2013 and has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors. In 2019 alone the firm secured over $438 million for investors. In 2020, founding partner Laurence Rosen was named by law360 as a Titan of Plaintiffs' Bar. Many of the firm's attorneys have been recognized by Lawdragon and Super Lawyers.

DETAILS OF THE CASE: According to the lawsuit, throughout the Class Period, defendants made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (1) Subway was ending its contract with Olo; (2) Olo's key business metric  active locations  could not continue to grow as defendants touted due to the loss of Subway's business; and (3) as a result of the above, defendants' statements about Olo's business, operations, and prospects were false and misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis. When the true details entered the market, the lawsuit claims that investors suffered damages.

To join the Olo class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=8131 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email [email protected] or [email protected] for information on the class action.

No Class Has Been Certified. Until a class is certified, you are not represented by counsel unless you retain one. You may select counsel of your choice. You may also remain an absent class member and do nothing at this point. An investor's ability to share in any potential future recovery is not dependent upon serving as lead plaintiff.

Follow us for updates on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-rosen-law-firm, on Twitter: https://twitter.com/rosen_firm or on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rosenlawfirm/.

Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.

Contact Information:

Laurence Rosen, Esq.

Phillip Kim, Esq.

The Rosen Law Firm, P.A.

275 Madison Avenue, 40th Floor

New York, NY 10016

Tel: (212) 686-1060

Toll Free: (866) 767-3653

Fax: (212) 202-3827

[email protected]

[email protected]

[email protected]

www.rosenlegal.com

SOURCE Rosen Law Firm, P.A.
Strategic alliance will enable organizations to take advantage of Oracle Cloud Infrastructure's enterprise-grade performance and security, and powerful data, analytics, and multicloud capabilities

TELMEX-Triara's close to 800,000 square foot data center will provide the availability, redundancy, scalability, and operational continuity needed to host a second planned Oracle Cloud Region in Mexico

Partnership reinforces Oracle's commitment to the country by fostering tech transformation across organizations of all sizes

MEXICO CITY and AUSTIN, Texas, Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Oracle and Telefonos de Mexico (TELMEX) have announced an agreement to jointly offer Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) services to customers across Mexico. Under the partnership, TELMEX-Triara will become the host partner for the second planned Oracle Cloud Region in Mexico. TELMEX-Triara will be able to offer OCI services as part of its portfolio through its cloud center of excellence, comprised of highly specialized infrastructure and Oracle applications professionals  in addition to supporting clients through professional and managed services.

The new region will support the increasing demand for cloud services in Mexico and will provide Mexican enterprises and public sector organizations with a broad set of infrastructure, platform, and application cloud services that meet the most stringent security standards. Customers can use OCI to modernize their applications and innovate with data and analytics or close their data centers completely. With the Oracle Cloud Queretaro Region already available and a second planned region in Mexico, Oracle will be able to help Mexican organizations with business continuity while enabling them to address their data residency and compliance requirements.

"We're pleased to be working with one of Mexico's largest telecommunications providers to bring OCI to organizations of all sizes and support their digital transformation initiatives. Together we will help boost digital innovation in Mexico and advance the Mexican government's National Digital Strategy, which seeks to increase interoperability, digital identity, connectivity and inclusion, and digital skills," said Maribel Dos Santos, CEO and senior vice president, Oracle Mexico.

With this agreement, TELMEX-Triara will be one of the first telecommunications operators in Latin America and Mexico to offer OCI services to organizations in the region, leveraging its long-standing experience in helping customers in any industry migrate their mission-critical workloads to the cloud.

"One of the main objectives of this alliance is to help our clients in their digital transformation process, offering a complete and differentiated portfolio with the support of leading partners. This agreement with Oracle allows us to expand our cloud services, strengthen our strategic position, and reinforce our value proposition with an industry leader," said Hector Slim, CEO, Telefonos de Mexico.

"We are excited to offer our customers, partners, and developers in Mexico access to next-generation cloud services across two planned OCI regions. In partnership with TELMEX-Triara, we will develop new cloud service offerings to jointly help customers successfully move to the cloud," said Rodrigo Galvao, senior vice president, Technology, Oracle Latin America.

The data center stretches close to 800,000 square feet and boosts over 180,000 square feet of certified and specialized rooms. The TELMEX network is made up of more than 198,000 miles of fiber optic cables, considered one of the most extensive telecommunications networks in Mexico and Latin America. Its public and private redundant connectivity and high-speed bandwidths guarantee the availability and support of solutions and applications anytime, anywhere.

About TELMEX-Triara

TELMEX claims to have invested significantly in developing the country's most robust, extensive, and cutting-edge technology platform, securing a leading position in telecommunications and IT services in Mexico. This strategy allows it to offer the broadest range of innovative and world-class solutions focused on infrastructure and processes, which helps clients make the most of their technology investment.

Triara, TELMEX's data center division provides comprehensive services that guarantee the operational continuity of companies by providing cloud solutions, connectivity, storage, managed IT services, and application management. It also has the highest quality standards and international certifications. For more information, visit www.telmex.com.

About Oracle

Oracle offers integrated suites of applications plus secure, autonomous infrastructure in the Oracle Cloud. For more information about Oracle ( NYSE: ORCL), please visit us at oracle.com.

Additional Resources

Learn more about Oracle Cloud Infrastructure

Learn more about OCI's Cloud Regions

Trademarks

Oracle, Java, and MySQL are registered trademarks of Oracle Corporation.

SOURCE Oracle
MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Pack4U, a tech-enabled health services company, has opened its newest pharmacy in Smyrna, Tennessee, just outside Nashville. Since 2018, Pack4U has worked to provide TennCare-approved enabling technology to help people with disabilities live independently. The acquisition of Keystone Community Pharmacy and its legacy in the community further builds on a foundation of these services and expands access to Pack4U's integrated health services throughout the state.

"Scaling our pharmacy footprint in Tennessee gives us the ability to rapidly provide the highest quality care to patients where we operate," said Pack4U Founder and Chief Pharmacy Officer Shane Bishop. "Our connected technology helps to change lives by customizing care for individual patients at home and facilitates the transition of care from hospital to home."

With access to real-time data, Pack4U pharmacists are playing a critical role in improving health outcomes by personalizing and improving patient care. Pack4U's easy-to-use digital health tools help people take their medication as prescribed and monitor patients to track whether medications are working as intended. Pack4U's clinical team of over 500 pharmacists are skilled in caring for patients with complex health issues. They provide clinical oversight and remote care to optimize patient health outcomes and maintain their independence. With medication complexity and timing managed, patients greatly exceed industry benchmarks in medication adherence.

Pack4U's investment in each new location signals the company's commitment to transforming care for patients in Tennessee and expands the sales team in the state.

The new pharmacy joins Pack4U's growing North American network, which includes pharmacies in the U.S. and Canada and automated central-fill hubs in Los Angeles, Orlando, Toronto, Vancouver and Saskatoon.

Pack4U stops guesswork around medication. We connect people with community pharmacists to manage drug complexity and maximize health benefits through our personalized med delivery, virtual monitoring, and proactive care. Our automated hubs, proprietary health platform and medication adherence network power a robust, scalable solution to chronic condition management that leads to better health outcomes and total cost of care reduction. Medication is lifesaving. Stop the guesswork.

Contact: [email protected]

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements in this press release constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the U.S. federal securities laws. All statements that address expectations or projections about the future, including statements about market position are forward-looking statements. Some of the forward-looking statements may be identified by words like "believes", "expects", "anticipates", "plans", "intends", "projects", "estimates", "indicates", "hopes", "will", "shall", "should", "could", "may", "future", "potential", or the negatives of these words, and all similar expressions. Any statements contained herein that are not statements of historical fact may be forward-looking statements. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve a number of risks, uncertainties, and assumptions. We caution you not to put undue reliance on any forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release. We undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statements to reflect future events or circumstances.

SOURCE Pack4U
LEHI, Utah, Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- PCF Insurance Services (PCF), a top 20 U.S. insurance brokerage firm, has acquired 1 Source Business Solutions, a professional employer organization (PEO) specializing in employee benefits, payroll administration, HR compliance and consulting, and workers' compensation administration for any sized company.

"1 Source is an award-winning, high-growth professional employer organization that helps businesses manage complex employee related matters," said Peter C. Foy, Chairman, Founder and CEO of PCF Insurance. "Their portfolio of services further enhances those available to clients through the PCF Insurance agency network along with creating collaborative opportunities for our partners."

PCF Insurance's Agency Partners benefit from access to an ever-expanding network of industry-leading talent, skills, and resources that drive value for their clients. 1 Source Business Solutions provides a highly complementary line of business for PCF Insurance partner agencies, mainly benefits brokerages, that will deepen their existing customer relationships.

"Partnering with PCF was the easiest decision we made in the 12 years we've been in business. We immediately benefited from being Agency Partners, and it positively changed the lives of our employees," says Robert Beck, Principal of 1 Source Business Solutions. "PCF Insurance shares our same values and goals and is allowing us to grow and build so much faster than we could on our own."

The terms of the deal were not disclosed.

About 1 Source Business Solutions

Headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah, 1 Source Business Solutions is a professional employer organization (PEO) with over 40 years of combined experience and operating in 15 states. Honored in Inc. Magazine's list of the 5000 Fastest-Growing Companies in 2016-2021, the company specializes in employee benefits, payroll administration, HR compliance and consulting, and workers' compensation administration for companies of any size. Learn more at 1sourcebusiness.com .

About PCF Insurance Services

A top 20 U.S. broker headquartered in Lehi, Utah, PCF Insurance Services is a leading full-service consultant and insurance brokerage firm offering a broad array of commercial, life, and health, employee benefits, and workers' compensation solutions. Propelled by its people, PCF Insurance's agency-centric operating model and entrepreneurial environment support its tremendous growth profile, offering partners alignment through equity ownership, significant leadership incentives, and resources to over 3,100 employees throughout the U.S. Ranked #20 on Business Insurance's 2022 Top 100 Brokers and #13 on Insurance Journal's 2022 Top Property/Casualty Agencies, PCF Insurance is a notable leader in the insurance space. Learn more at pcfins.com .

SOURCE PCF Insurance Services
OAKLAND, Calif., Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- PG&E Corporation ( NYSE: PCG) will hold a conference call on Thursday, October 27, 2022, at 11:00 a.m. Eastern Time (8:00 a.m. Pacific Time) to discuss its third quarter 2022 results. The public can access the conference call through a simultaneous webcast. The link is provided below and will also be available from the PG&E Corporation website.

What: Third Quarter 2022 Earnings Call



When: Thursday, October 27, 2022 at 11:00 a.m. Eastern Time



Where: http://investor.pgecorp.com/news-events/events-and-presentations/default.aspx

A replay of the live conference call and webcast will be available at

http://investor.pgecorp.com/news-events/events-and-presentations/default.aspx.

Alternatively, a toll-free replay of the conference call may be accessed shortly after the live call through November 3, 2022 by dialing (800) 770-2030. Confirmation code 64421 will be required to access the replay.

Please contact Investor Relations at [email protected] if you have any questions.

PG&E Corporation ( NYSE: PCG) is a holding company headquartered in Oakland. It is the parent company of Pacific Gas and Electric Company, an energy company that serves 16 million Californians across a 70,000-square-mile service area in Northern and Central California. For more information, visit http://www.pgecorp.com.

SOURCE PG&E Corporation
READING, Pa., Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- PharmaForce International (PFI) recently published competitive intelligence reports that benchmark the commercial operations and marketing expenditures of leading Oncology Sales and Marketing organizations in five major countries in Europe. These reports capture the key findings of the France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and United Kingdom Oncology markets in 2022. One finding, in particular, is the trend in digitalization of promotional efforts, which has occurred across all five of the countries.

According to the 2022 EU5 Oncology reports, many of the profiled companies have resorted to digital methods for contacting physicians. In Germany, some Oncology companies already had plans in development to move toward digitalizing their communication efforts, but the pandemic had tremendously accelerated the process. Now, it's become a race for both companies and physicians to move toward digitalized communications.

In both France and Italy, the reports indicate that a few of the Oncology companies are cutting back sales lines and reps in an effort to better suit the digital approaches. The percentage of digital promotional efforts versus in-person currently leans toward digital. In some instances, Oncology companies have even reported to have moved to 100% digital efforts.

In Spain, some sales representatives claim that face-to-face calls with physicians are rare. However, the meetings that are made in person have many limitations. In person meetings are typically by appointment only, held in public spaces (outside of a hospital, clinic, or office setting), and only last an average of 10 to 15 minutes.

Joyce Wedemeyer, Director of Sales and Marketing at PFI, says "This move to digitalization in promotional efforts is something that we can expect to see across pharmaceutical companies worldwide."

"COVID-19 restrictions have caused companies to reassess their promotional strategies, and the move to digital methods has proven to be a fitting solution," says Wedemeyer.

In addition to the five major European countries, the Oncology benchmarking study was also conducted in the United States this year. The US Oncology report was completed in May 2022.

For more information on the reports mentioned above, please contact Joyce Wedemeyer at [email protected] or by phone at 610-370-2906.

PharmaForce International (PFI) is a competitive intelligence firm with over two decades of experience in the pharmaceutical and biotech industries. PFI has become the market leader in commercial operations benchmarking and competitive intelligence.

SOURCE PharmaForce International
MEADOWBROOK, Pa., Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Phillip A. Villanueva, MD, ABNS, is being recognized by Continental Who's Who as a Trusted Healthcare Professional for his outstanding excellence in Neurosurgery and his excellent work with Temple University Hospital.

Phillip Villanueva

A highly trained neurosurgeon with 47 years of experience in his field, Dr. Villanueva specializes in surgeries for brain injuries and neuro-critical care. In addition, he treats aneurysms and all secondary issues regarding these afflictions. The doctor also oversees the Neuroscience ICU, consulting with neurologists. For the past eight years, he has served as the Director of Neuro Trauma and Critical Care at Temple University Hospital in Philadelphia, PA. He additionally serves as a Professor of Clinical Neurosurgery at the Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University.

In pursuit of his medical career, Dr. Villanueva obtained a Bachelor of Science with a double major in biology and chemistry and a minor in theology and philosophy from Biscayne College (St. Thomas University). He earned his Medical Degree from the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. He completed his general surgery internship and neurosurgery residency after medical school at the University of Miami, Jackson Memorial Medical Center. The doctor is board certified in neurological surgery, with additional certification in neuro-critical care.

Distinguished as a Fellow of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons, the doctor is board-certified in neurological surgery by the American Board of Neurological Surgery. Dr. Villanueva is a member of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons, where he sits on the subcommittee for neuro-critical care.

The doctor has increased community awareness of brain trauma outside of his neurology practice through an informative series of public service announcements. In recognition of his excellence in his field, Dr. Villanueva has been the recipient of the Best Doctors in America Award in Neurological Surgery (2019-2020) and numerous other accolades.

He would like to dedicate this honor to his mentors, Hubert Rosomoff, MD; Barth Green, MD; and Bradley Ruben, MD.

Contact:

Katherine Green,

516-825-5634,

[email protected]

SOURCE Continental Who's Who
SAN DIEGO, Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Plexium, Inc. (Plexium), a leading next-generation targeted protein degradation (TPD) company, today announced the appointment of Suzanne Zoumaras as Executive Vice President, Head of Human Resources. Ms. Zoumaras is an experienced human capital leader who brings over two decades of experience in developing talent and growth strategies for a wide range of life sciences and technology companies, from private stage start-ups to large, publicly traded commercial organizations.

"At Plexium, we aim to become an employer of choice in the competitive biotechnology sector, with a strong focus on attracting, developing and retaining top talent and enhancing our dynamic company culture," said Plexium President & CEO Percival Barretto-Ko. "Suzanne is a business-minded human capital leader, advisor and educator who understands the importance and impact that the right people have on building a successful company. With her leadership, we are well-positioned to become a premier Targeted Protein Degradation company and transform medicine."

Prior to joining Plexium, Ms. Zoumaras was a Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Human Capital Resource Partners, a human capital and advisory services consulting firm. Before that, she served as Executive Vice President & Chief Human Capital Officer at Arena Pharmaceuticals, Executive Vice President and Chief Human Resource Officer at Teradata, and as Senior Vice President of Global Human Resources at Atmel Corporation (acquired by Microchip). She is also an adjunct professor in the Fowler School of Management at San Diego State University where she teaches Total Rewards. Ms. Zoumaras received her BS in Finance from San Diego State University and an HR Certificate, Human Resources from the University of California, San Diego.

Ms. Zoumaras added, "Becoming a part of the Plexium team at this pivotal moment in the company's history is very exciting. We have a tremendous opportunity to expand upon a solid foundation and build a team that is committed to innovation and delivering next-generation TPD therapies to patients. At Plexium, the future is bright and I look forward to contributing to its success."

About Plexium

Plexium is the premier, next-generation Targeted Protein Degradation (TPD) company seeking to discover a wide range of monovalent target protein degraders that address the limitations of heterobifunctional degraders and cereblon IMiDs. The company is powered by its proprietary drug discovery platform designed to identify novel small molecules that induce selective degradation of drug target proteins through E3 ligase mediated proteasomal degradation. From molecular glues to monovalent degraders, Plexium is advancing a pipeline of novel targeted protein degraders for the treatment of cancer, neurodegeneration, and other diseases. Due to its expertise in TPD, Plexium has entered into strategic collaborations with Amgen and AbbVie to discover and develop a wide range of new therapies from cancer to neurological diseases. Supported by high quality investors, Plexium is well positioned to transform medicine.

For more information, visit https://plexium.com/ and engage with us on LinkedIn.

Plexium Investor and Media Contact:

Amy Conrad

Juniper Point

[email protected]

858-366-3243

SOURCE Plexium
CALGARY, AB, Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Plug and Play Alberta has announced 50 startups for the second cohort of its industry-specific startup accelerator programs. The companies will participate in one of the following programs: Health, Sustainability, and Sector Agnostic.

Out of the 50 startups selected, 42% of companies are from Alberta, 70% are from Canada, and 30% are joining the program internationally from countries, such as the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, China, and several other countries across the globe.

Plug and Play Alberta will host an Expo Day for this batch of startups on November 29-30, 2022.

The complete list of startups can be found on Plug and Play Alberta's website: Health , Sustainability , Sector Agnostic .

"The amount of positive impact a company can make is the barometer for success. Once again our partners and startups have shown us how effortlessly they can come together and produce newfound results that benefit the future of work, technology, and the Alberta economy. Seeing that spark take place between these connections is humbly rewarding," said Saeed Amidi, Founder and CEO, Plug and Play Tech Center.

"The investments we make today in Plug and Play are helping to transform the innovation ecosystem and make Alberta a destination for innovation, entrepreneurship, and technology investment," says Laura Kilcrease, CEO of Alberta Innovates.

Over the next three months, the chosen startups will have the opportunity to participate in networking events, workshops, mentor sessions, private dealflow sessions, and more to increase their chances of securing exclusive pilots, proof of concepts, new customers and investments. They will be fully immersed in Plug and Play's global network of over 50,000 startups, over 500 industry-leading corporate partners, and hundreds of venture capital firms and investors. There is no equity requirement for startups to participate in the programs.

Graduation for this batch of startups will commence at the end of November at Plug and Play Alberta's Fall EXPO, on November 29th and 30th, 2022. This event will be held in Banff, Alberta. Contact Plug and Play Alberta to reserve your attendance.

Visit the Plug and Play Alberta website for more information.

About Plug and Play Tech Center

Plug and Play is the leading innovation platform, connecting startups, corporations, venture capital firms, universities, and government agencies. Headquartered in Silicon Valley, we're present in 50+ locations across 5 continents. We offer corporate innovation programs and help our corporate partners in every stage of their innovation journey, from education to execution. We also organize startup acceleration programs and have built an in-house VC to drive innovation across multiple industries where we've invested in hundreds of successful companies including Dropbox, Guardant Health, Honey, Lending Club, N26, PayPal, and Rappi. For more information, visit https://www.plugandplaytechcenter.com/

About Plug and Play Alberta

Plug and Play Alberta is building a world-class innovation platform to attract top technology and investment to the region and support Albertan entrepreneurs to scale and grow, hire tech talent, and propel digital transformation across the province. Plug and Play Alberta is part of the Alberta Scaleup and Growth Accelerator Program (Scaleup GAP) that is run by a consortium led by Alberta Innovates. The consortium also includes the Ministry of Jobs, Economy, and Innovation, Edmonton Unlimited, and the Opportunity Calgary Investment Fund (OCIF) who allocated $35 million over three years to retain business accelerators. For more information, visit https://www.plugandplaytechcenter.com/alberta/

About Alberta Innovates

Alberta Innovates invests in research, innovation and entrepreneurship to drive provincial economic growth and diversity. We ignite the power of innovation through our work with researchers, industry and entrepreneurs to move Alberta to a lower-carbon future, promote the responsible use of land and water, and contribute to the improved health and well-being of Albertans. Alberta Innovates provides technical expertise, entrepreneurial advice and support, opportunities for partnerships, and funding to advance the best ideas. We support a broad range of research and innovation activity  from discovery to use. Collaboration is at the heart of what we do  bringing together bright minds and great ideas.

Learn how Alberta Innovates

Plug and Play Contacts

Kevin Dahl

Director, Alberta

Plug and Play Tech Center

[email protected]

Lindsay Smylie

Director, Alberta

Plug and Play Tech Center

[email protected]

SOURCE Plug and Play
NEW YORK, Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The growth of the pressure relief devices market from $3,361.1 million in 2021 to $5,923.9 million by 2030 will be at a 6.5% CAGR during 20212030. Currently, low-tech devices are the most popular and account for almost 65% of the sales revenue. They are easy to use, economical, and highly effective in preventing ulcers. There are various low-tech pressure relief devices, among which mattresses that contain foam witness the highest demand. Till 2030, the fastest growth will be in the adoption of gel-based mattresses, as they outperform other types of low-tech devices.



Sales of High-Tech Devices To Grow Swiftly

In the coming years, the demand for high-tech devices is expected to increase at a high pace, as several technological advancements are being brought about in this domain to prevent pressure ulcers.

Of the two kinds of high-tech devices, dynamic air therapy beds sell more, because they reduce the need for long-term hospitalization for people with pressure ulcers. They work by absorbing the pressure generated during movement, thus reducing pain and offering uninterrupted sleep.

Get the sample pages of this report at: https://www.psmarketresearch.com/market-analysis/pressure-relief-devices-market/report-sample

The faster pressure relief devices market growth would be in the kinetic beds bifurcation. These devices save people on prolonged bedrest from breathing complications. Already popular in Europe and North America, these beds are now also growing in usage in the healthcare settings in developing regions.

Moreover, players are integrating pain relief mattresses with advanced technologies, including ML and AI. For instance, the AI platform of Care for Sweden manages a large number of alternating-pressure mattresses in use in medical facilities. The demand for such devices is rising with an increasing number of people suffering from diseases that make them bedridden for long times.

Browse detailed report on Global Pressure Relief Devices Market Size and Demand Forecast Report, 2030

Geographical Insights of Pressure Relief Devices Market

The U.S. dominates North America , the largest market around the world, with an around 37% share. The country has a high incidence of pressure ulcers, favorable medical reimbursement scenario, and several government funding schemes.

, the largest market around the world, with an around 37% share. The country has a high incidence of pressure ulcers, favorable medical reimbursement scenario, and several government funding schemes. The second-highest revenue is contributed by Europe , due to the large population with pressure ulcers in Western Europe . Additionally, numerous government and non-government organizations host campaigns to raise awareness on this condition.

, due to the large population with pressure ulcers in . Additionally, numerous government and non-government organizations host campaigns to raise awareness on this condition. Germany is the largest pressure relief devices market in Europe , ascribed to being home to the highest number of people in the elderly demographic.

is the largest pressure relief devices market in , ascribed to being home to the highest number of people in the elderly demographic. The third-largest shareholder, APAC will witness a CAGR of 7.2%, the highest in the world. Market players are allying with local vendors in India , South Korea , and China to target the vast customer base here and increase their sales.

, , and to target the vast customer base here and increase their sales. China , which is rapidly gaining prominence in the worldwide healthcare ecosystem, is the largest buyer of pressure relief devices in the APAC region. Moreover, apart from local companies, international medical device firms are strengthening their presence in the country.

Pressure Relief Devices Market Report Coverage

By Product Type

Low Tech Devices

Foam Based Mattress



Gel Based Mattress



Fiber Filled Mattress



Water Filled Mattress



Air Filled Device Mattress

High Tech Devices

Dynamic Air Therapy Beds



Kinetic Beds

By Application

Pressure Ulcers

Burns

Surgical Wounds

By End-User

Hospitals

Clinics

Long term Care Centers

Geographical Analysis

North America

U.S.



Canada

Europe

Germany



France



U.K.



Italy



Spain

Asia-Pacific

China



India



Japan



Australia



South Korea

Latin America

Brazil



Mexico

Middle East and Africa

and Saudi Arabia



South Africa

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About P&S Intelligence

P&S Intelligence provides market research and consulting services to a vast array of industries across the world. As an enterprising research and consulting company, P&S believes in providing thorough insights on the ever-changing market scenario, to empower companies to make informed decisions and base their business strategies with astuteness. P&S keeps the interest of its clients at heart, which is why the insights we provide are both honest and accurate. Our long list of satisfied clients includes entry-level firms as well as multi-million-dollar businesses and government agencies.

Contact:

Prajneesh Kumar

P&S Intelligence

Phone: +1-347-960-6455

Email: [email protected]

Web: https://www.psmarketresearch.com

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SOURCE P&S Intelligence
Racewaycarwash.com

NORWALK, Calif., Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Raceway Car Wash is excited to announce it has successfully completed the acquisition of WaterWorks Express Car Wash located at 12616 Imperial Highway in Norwalk, CA.

This expands the growing car wash company's reach to thirty-nine locations across four states. The Norwalk acquisition marks Raceway's ninth car wash in the state of California.

Raceway Car Wash first entered the Southern California market in 2016 with the acquisition of the company's namesake location in the city of Fontana. The addition of an express car wash in Santa Ana, a flex car wash in La Quinta, and four express sites in the Fresno market soon followed. Raceway also developed and operates one express car wash in South Lake Tahoe, Ca. under its Sierra Car Wash brand.

"We are thrilled to add another location in Southern California to better accommodate our unlimited members and guests. We look forward to continuing the growth that the WaterWorks team has put in motion." said Raceway's COO and Director of Acquisitions, Andrew Schell.

"We are committed to continuing to expand and develop our presence in the California market. This addition is another step in that direction." Schell added.

This acquisition brings the Raceway portfolio to thirty-nine locations throughout Arizona, Nevada, California, and Texas. For a complete list of locations, visit www.racewaycarwash.com/locations .

SOURCE Raceway Car Wash
New Product Helps Small and Mid-sized Business Owners Provide Essential Benefits to Employees by Reducing Administrative Burdens and Mitigating Risk

MINNEAPOLIS, Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - RBC Wealth Management is teaming up with Transamerica and FuturePlan by Ascensus to introduce an innovative new pooled plan retirement solution for U.S. business owners called RBC Group Retirement Plan (GRP).

According to a 2021 report from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, just 53% of private industry employers with less than 100 workers offered a retirement savings plan, while 91% of employers with 100 or more workers had a retirement plan.

Many small and mid-sized business owners recognize the value of an employer-sponsored retirement plan as part of a competitive benefits package; however, the regulatory, financial, and administrative challenges associated with offering a retirement plan often deter sponsorship. RBC's GRP helps alleviate those burdens and makes it easier for small and mid-sized employers to compete with larger employers in attracting and retaining talent.

Furthermore, the 2021 Survey of Income and Program Participation from the U.S. Census Bureau shows disparities in retirement assets by generation, gender, race, and ethnicity, emphasizing the need for broader access to retirement savings opportunities. The report data showed that in 2020 only 58.1% of working-age baby boomers, the generation closest to retirement, had retirement accounts. Men were more likely (47.8%) than women (43.5%) to have a retirement account. 54% of non-Hispanic white individuals had an account, while only 28.3% of Hispanic individuals owned an account.

"RBC Wealth Management is pleased to add the RBC Group Retirement Plan to our broad range of products and services to provide business owners with an easier way to offer 401(k) plans to their employees," said Tracy Hanson, Director of Retirement Solutions at RBC Wealth Management  U.S. "An employer-sponsored 401(k) plan helps to attract and retain employees and provides more American workers with access to essential retirement savings opportunities."

Open to both existing and start-up 401(k) plans, the RBC GRP will be distributed solely through RBC Wealth Management in the U.S. RBC Wealth Management will also act as the GRP's 3(38) investment fiduciary. FuturePlan will serve as the third-party administrator and 3(16) plan administrators, while Transamerica will be the plan's recordkeeper.

Participating employers will enjoy access to a combined team of industry-leading plan professionals not otherwise available outside of this unique pooled arrangement. The RBC GRP also includes the FuturePlan Fiduciary Assistant program, a proprietary 100-point payroll data integrity check designed to prevent most common plan errors flagged in U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) and IRS audits. Fiduciary Assistant works in conjunction with Transamerica's PayStart approved payroll vendors.

"With more than 20 years of experience in group retirement plans, Transamerica is proud to be a pioneer and stalwart advocate for group retirement solutions," said Phil Eckman, President of Workplace Solutions at Transamerica. "We offer plan participants a wide array of resources to help save for retirement. Transamerica offers a powerful participant engagement program that includes personalized financial education, an online financial wellness center, and a forecast tool to help participants improve their chances of achieving their retirement savings goals."

"We are proud to partner with RBC and Transamerica to help more Americans build financial security through high quality, well-managed retirement plans," said Kasey Price, President of FuturePlan. "Investing in innovative solutions, such as RBC GRP, furthers our long-term commitment to broadening workplace retirement plan access with cost-efficient options designed to reduce both fiduciary risk and administrative burdens for employers of all sizes, across all sectors of the economy."

To learn more about the RBC Group Retirement Plan, employers may contact their RBC financial advisor.

About RBC Wealth Management  U.S.

In the United States, RBC Wealth Management operates as a division of RBC Capital Markets, LLC. Founded in 1909, RBC Wealth Management is a member of the New York Stock Exchange, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, the Securities Investor Protection Corporation, and other major securities exchanges. RBC Wealth Management has $510 billion in total client assets with more than 2,100 financial advisors operating in 184 locations in 42 states.

About RBC

Royal Bank of Canada is a global financial institution with a purpose-driven, principles-led approach to delivering leading performance. Our success comes from the 92,000+ employees who leverage their imaginations and insights to bring our vision, values and strategy to life so we can help our clients thrive and communities prosper. As Canada's biggest bank and one of the largest in the world, based on market capitalization, we have a diversified business model with a focus on innovation and providing exceptional experiences to our 17 million clients in Canada, the U.S. and 27 other countries. Learn more at rbc.com.

We are proud to support a broad range of community initiatives through donations, community investments and employee volunteer activities. See how at rbc.com/community-social-impact.

About Transamerica

With a history that dates back more than 100 years, Transamerica is recognized as a leading provider of life insurance, retirement, and investment solutions, serving millions of customers throughout the United States. Recognizing the necessity of health and wellness during peak working life, Transamerica's dedicated professionals work to help people take the steps necessary to live better today so they can worry less about tomorrow. Transamerica serves nearly every customer segment, providing a broad range of quality life insurance and investment products, individual and group pension plans, as well as asset management services. In 2021, Transamerica fulfilled its promises to customers, paying more than $52 billion in insurance, retirement, and annuity claims and benefits, including return of annuity premiums paid by the customer. Transamerica's corporate headquarters is located in Baltimore, Maryland, with other major operations in Cedar Rapids, Iowa and Denver, Colorado. Transamerica is part of the Aegon group of companies. Based in the Netherlands, Aegon is a diversified financial services group focused on providing investment, protection, and retirement solutions. For the full year of 2021, Aegon managed over $1.1 trillion in revenue generating investments. For more information, visit www.transamerica.com.

About FuturePlan

FuturePlan is a leading national retirement TPA dedicated to helping advisors, recordkeepers, and plan sponsors deliver better outcomes for savers. Our highly responsive, personalized service is backed by the strength and security of a national leader in Ascensus. We provide plan sponsors with a deep bench of expertise, simplifying the complex and relieving the burden of plan administration, consulting, and compliance. As of June 30, 2022, FuturePlan's experienced team of experts supports more than 45,000 retirement plans with more than 1.9 million participants and more than $104 billion in assets under administration. For more information, visit futureplan.com.

RBC Wealth Management is not affiliated with Transamerica or FuturePlan.

SOURCE RBC Wealth Management - U.S.
Reach Mobile Elevates Enterprise Connectivity Solutions with Consumer-Grade Simplicity; Expands MVNE Concept to New Levels of Turnkey Simplicity and Use Case Variety

BOSTON, Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- While the consumer connectivity space has seen radical transformation and innovation due to MVNOs like Reach Mobile and others, enterprise connectivity has remained largely primitive and stagnant, if not archaic. Building on the phenomenal success of its consumer MVNO model, Reach Mobile today announced a game changer for enterprise and business clients with its new Enterprise Connectivity Suite. Reach Mobile's connectivity-as-a-service (CaaS) platform enables businesses to connect employees, work sites, and business assets with new levels of simplicity, flexibility, and time-to-market.

Reach Mobile's CaaS for enterprises dramatically changes the next generation of connected businesses -- whether they have ten lines or 100,000 lines + to manage. And with the proliferation of private networks and the explosion of personal and IoT devices within the enterprise segment, Reach Mobile can quickly and easily manage and solve these issues. Traditionally, telecom enterprise solutions have come with high overhead, limited flexibility, and a long sales cycle. Reach's Enterprise Connectivity Suite enables businesses to quickly deploy or configure custom business solutions from a library of turnkey modules, CX frameworks, and marketplace integrations, allowing for significantly faster time-to-market and lower total cost of ownership for businesses of all sizes.

Reach's Enterprise Connectivity Suite is a one-stop-shop for enterprises needing to connect employees, work sites, and IoT devices, accommodating a variety of business demands. Whether a business is in need of basic connectivity but doesn't want to navigate complex carrier sales cycles or a business with a diverse ecosystem of devices on a smaller scale, the Enterprise Connectivity Suite offers something for everyone. Additionally, businesses that want to launch their own white-labeled connectivity use cases, such as an MVNO or IoT, and ecosystem providers who want a turnkey solution that they themselves white-label and offer to businesses, can do so with the Reach Enterprise Connectivity Suite.

"Enterprises have unique connectivity needs compared to consumers, but at the end of the day, we all desire intuitive and elegant products," said Harjot Saluja, CEO, Reach Mobile. "Our vision is that the entire mobile ecosystem including carriers, cable operators, MSPs  and even enterprises themselves  can leverage the building blocks of our Enterprise Connectivity Suite to bring a long overdue makeover to enterprise mobility."

About the Reach Enterprise Connectivity Suite:

Enterprises can purchase connectivity, configure industry and use-case-specific services, and easily manage connectivity across their business  all from Reach's cloud-native platform.

Reach is available as a turnkey platform so enterprises can deploy connectivity use cases (such as a company-wide smartphone plan) without needing a single engineer. Modules and APIs are also available.

Enterprises can easily perform bulk actions such as adding or assigning hundreds of SIM cards at once, or assigning data limits and usage policies by region, department, or group label.

Managers and employees are empowered with self-service mobility tools to lessen the burden on IT teams. For example, employees can activate their line and port their number from a company-branded app. Experiences for all stakeholders  including end users, admins, and support agents  are available out-of-the-box and ready to white-label as needed.

Complex billing structures can be managed simply with interactive invoices, billing by region/department/group, multiple wallets, real-time labeling, and unlimited hierarchy levels.

Analytics and KPI dashboards offer real-time insights into data plan costs, usage trends, outliers and incidents across the enterprise footprint.

Marketplace of pre-integrated third-party solutions, and ability to integrate via API.

Enterprises can sell connectivity solutions alongside their existing offerings with minimal setup effort, such as a pet supply company that wants to sell data-enabled dog collars, or a car insurance company that wants to sell connected dash cams.

Additional turnkey use cases can be bundled into Reach's Enterprise Connectivity Suite, including MVNO, Fixed Wireless Access, Back-up LTE / Failover Internet, Voice-over-LTE, and Fiber/Broadband Back Office.

"Enterprises and businesses of all sizes are looking for unique and valuable add-ons to differentiate themselves in a highly competitive market  whether that's by offering IoT product extensions to customers, bundling third-party apps and services, or improving employee engagement with a company-branded smartphone plan. Our belief is that any company, regardless of size or technical resources, should be able to get the best wireless innovations out-of-the-box," concluded Saluja.

About Reach Mobile

Reach Mobile has integrated with more than 50 carriers across 75 countries and currently supports 40mm monthly active users with its first use case, toll-free data. Reach Mobile believes that connecting people and things to network possibilities will ultimately create a better world. With offices in Boston, Bangalore, and Ottawa, Reach Mobile is fueled by a decade of wireless expertise and the innovative spirit of a startup. Reach Mobile is the creator of ReachNEXT, a global SaaS platform that radically simplifies how network-based services are launched and operated. Explore full capabilities at www.reachNEXT.com, and experience the platform in action at www.reachmobile.com

Media Contacts:

Deidre Hart

732-407-1062

[email protected]

Christine McCullough

714-206-9800

[email protected]

SOURCE Reach Mobile
BROOKLYN, N.Y., Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- One of North America's largest fleet video suppliers, Rear View Safety, a Safe Fleet brand, and global telematics vendor Geotab, are now on one fully integrated platform.

This integration allows fleets to watch RVS video right from the myGeotab map, search and download recorded footage, stream a live video feed over Geotab WiFi, and see video associated with any Geotab event, free of any subscription fees

Take advantage of a fleet's two most powerful tools, now on one fully-integrated platform. Tweet this

Rear View Safety's high-definition safety cameras and mobile DVRs combine with insightful telematics to improve safety, reduce insurance claims, keep an eye on cargo, maintain high driver standards, and aid in investigations.

What fleet operators can expect from the RVS brand is:

no monthly gateway or hosting fees

years of experience in equipping millions of fleet vehicles

well-engineered systems built for rigorous usage

a knowledgeable and extensive support network of installers and technical experts

preventative maintenance and repair through the life of equipment

About Rear View Safety

Rear View Safety is a leader and advocate in road safety, supplying solutions to some of the largest companies in the world. We are one of North America's largest providers of commercial backup camera systems, driver fatigue systems, backup sensor systems, mobile DVRs and dash cameras.

Geotab is one of the largest telematics outfits in the world with more than two million connected vehicles built on a single, open platform. Geotab's open platform and Marketplace (marketplace.Geotab.com), offering hundreds of third-party solution options, allows both small and large businesses to automate operations by integrating vehicle data with their other data assets.

About Safe Fleet

Safe Fleet designs, manufactures, sells, installs, and services Smart Safety Solutions that improve productivity and reduce the risk of injury to operators, passengers, and pedestrians. We unify best-in-class brands into an integrated safety platform for fleets of every type.

*Geotab is a trademark of Geotab Inc.

CONTACT: [email protected]

SOURCE Rear View Safety
LONDON, Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- REVIV Global Board Director and CEO of REVIV UAE Sela Al Asadi announces that REVIV UAE has partnered with CRYO.

CRYO and REVIV UAE have partnered to bring a holistic approach to wellness across all four of their luxurious locations - the Emirates Towers, Hills Mall both in Dubai and Abu Dhabi Country Club and Mamsha Al Saadiyat.

CRYO was established in 2013 and is a global leader in the application of cryotherapy to elevate performance, support recovery and improve wellness. CRYO have centres in the Middle East, South-East Asia and Australia and with their unparalleled integration with technology pioneer CRYO Science, they are the only provider with a fully immersive cryotherapy chamber experience that can safely reach temperatures required to achieve true results.

Edgars Grigorjevs, CRYO UAE Retail Director, says: "We are excited to launch CRYO partnership with REVIV enabling our clients in the United Arab Emirates to enjoy a new and improved nutrients therapy supporting health and wellbeing of the next level. Our new IV drips helps not only to feel energized, invigorated and refreshed, but also really gives that extra kick of very much needed minerals, antioxidants, vitamins and important nutrients which your body needs to feel revived. And the best part is that you can even save time, as IV drips can be done while enjoying any CRYO treatments for your wellness, fitness, recovery, beauty or slimming."

Sela Al Asadi, Board Director and CEO of REVIV UAE, says: "With over 11 combined years of experience in the wellness industry, we are excited about REVIV's collaboration with CRYO. The pairing of these modalities are aimed to boost our patient's wellness benefits and allows them to push their goals one step further. The combination of signature IV therapy along with cryotherapy treatments aim to promote healing and recovery. The collaboration and synergy of REVIV and CRYO is an ideal service offering for people seeking to optimize their wellness and to aid the full potential of their bodies."

About REVIV

REVIV is a life science led provider of nutritional health solutions, and their goal is to be the only personalized nutritional health company that offers precision nutrition solutions, using big data coupled with AI, to evidence that nutrition can have a positive impact on medical conditions or disease. REVIV's vision is to pioneer the democratization of nutrition-based treatments which will reduce disease, extend life and allow people to live better and healthier lives.

For more information about REVIV Global visit our website: www.revivme.com or email Emma Robertson on [email protected], telephone number: +44 7398 213452

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1759112/REVIV_Logo.jpg

SOURCE Reviv Global
MELBOURNE, Australia, Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Sapia.ai, creator of the world's first Smart Interviewer, has joined forces with SmartRecruiters, a global leader in enterprise recruitment software, to bring the first and only chat-based assessment tool to the SmartRecruiters integrations marketplace.

Recruiters that use Sapia's Smart Interviewer via the SmartRecruiters Marketplace will now be able to dramatically accelerate time to hire and fulfill their diversity objectives.

This new partnership will mean that Sapia's Smart Interviewer is the only fully automated apply-to-offer workflow on the market.

Sapia CEO, Barb Hyman, said that chat-based assessment is a game-changer for any company that needs to hire the best talent, quickly and at scale.

"This partnership is a win for companies needing to hire at F1 velocity, with an experience that is loved by all candidates  to date, 2 million across 47 countries," Hyman said.

"Our Smart Interviewer is an assessment, interview, and feedback tool in one that also solves inclusion and diversity issues. It's blind, untimed, and gives every candidate feedback."

Sapia's Smart Interviewer can be used for any role and any sector. Customers use the technology to assess candidates for values, scale culture, assess for competencies, or find the best people for key roles. The technology gives talent acquisition teams massive time savings and transforms employer brand.

Sapia's innovative chat technology has recently garnered global recognition for its work in mitigating gender bias and for its ethical AI. Recently, the company also won an innovation award at Vivatech Paris, claiming the 'cutting edge technologies and employee experience' category .

Sapia.ai has offices in Melbourne and Sydney, Australia, along with Chicago in the United States and London supporting the EMEA market, allowing support for companies across the globe.

About Sapia.ai

Sapia's mission is to build a fairer, more human world through ethical AI. Using the world's first Smart Interviewer, powered by the world's largest source of first-party proprietary text data and advanced Natural Language Processing, Sapia turns simple text conversations into unprecedented talent intelligence  enabling organizations to interrupt hiring bias at scale, get to the right talent fast, and give every candidate an experience they love.

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/3251241/

Twitter: @get_sapia

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SapiaAi/

Instagram: @sapia.ai

About SmartRecruiters

As a global leader in enterprise recruitment software, SmartRecruiters offers a cloud-based global Talent Acquisition Suite that allows teams to attract, select, and hire the best talent. 4,000 companies worldwide rely on SmartRecruiters to achieve hiring success - including brands like Bosch, LinkedIn, Skechers, and Visa - using recruitment marketing, CRM, AI, ATS, and a marketplace of 600+ connected vendors all within one scalable platform.

For more information, visit www.smartrecruiters.com or follow @SmartRecruiters on Twitter or LinkedIn .

SOURCE Sapia.ai
Simcere will receive a $15 million upfront payment, and up to $492 million in development and commercial milestone payments considering successful achievements in several indications, with an important part as sales milestones, as well as up to low double-digit tiered royalties based upon future global sales

upfront payment, and up to in development and commercial milestone payments considering successful achievements in several indications, with an important part as sales milestones, as well as up to low double-digit tiered royalties based upon future global sales Under the agreement, Almirall will be granted an exclusive right to develop and commercialise SIM0278 for all indications outside of the Greater China region

region SIM0278 is an interleukin 2 mutant fusion protein (IL-2 mu-Fc) that selectively activates regulatory T cells. As an IND ready subcutaneous injection , it can be developed to potentially treat various autoimmune diseases

NANJING, China, Sept. 28, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Simcere Pharmaceutical Group (2096.HK), an innovation and R&D-driven pharmaceutical company, and Almirall S.A. (BME: ALM), a global biopharmaceutical company focused on skin health; announced today that they have entered into an exclusive licensing agreement for Simcere's IL-2 mutant fusion protein (IL-2 mu-Fc) autoimmune drug candidate, SIM0278.

Under the agreement, Almirall will be granted an exclusive right to develop and commercialise SIM0278 for all indications outside of the Greater China region (Mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan). Simcere will retain all rights to develop and commercialise SIM0278 within Greater China.

Within the terms of the agreement, Simcere will receive a $15 million upfront payment, and up to $492 million in development and commercial milestone payments considering successful achievements in several indications, with an important part as sales milestones, as well as up to low double-digit tiered royalties based upon future global sales.

"We are very excited to have reached a collaborative agreement with Almirall for the development of SIM0278. This innovative IL-2 mutein is one important molecule of our immune-rebalancing strategy for autoimmune diseases." Said Renhong Tang, Ph.D., Co-CEO of Simcere, "SIM0278 is one of the key molecules developed based on Simcere's in-house protein engineering platform. This partnership also marks a milestone of Simcere's globalization effort. We look forward to closely working with Almirall to demonstrate the clinical value of SIM0278.

"At Almirall, we always look for new opportunities to strengthen our R&D pipeline. That is why we are very pleased to close this new development and commercialisation agreement with Simcere," stated Karl Ziegelbauer, Ph.D., Almirall's Chief Scientific Officer. "SIM0278 has great potential to treat a broad spectrum of immunological diseases, and we expect that its development will allow us to reinforce our biologic pipeline and our leading position in Medical Dermatology.

About SIM0278

SIM0278 is an interleukin 2 mutant fusion protein (IL-2 mu-Fc) that activates regulatory T cells developed in-house by utilizing Simcere's protein engineering platform. This IND ready subcutaneous injection will potentially be developed to treat various autoimmune diseases. SIM0278 exhibits improved PK profile and selective activation of Treg cells with no activation of effector T cells or NK cells to restore immune balance which has been demonstrated in multiple preclinical disease models.

About Simcere

Simcere Pharmaceutical Group Limited (2096.HK) is an innovation and R&D-driven pharmaceutical company. The company focuses on three therapeutic areas, oncology, central nervous system and autoimmune diseases, with a forward-looking vision toward disease areas that may have significant clinical needs in the future, aiming to achieve the mission of "providing today's patients with medicines of the future." Leveraging its R&D capability and commercialization excellence, Simcere has built a market-leading product portfolio in China. Its vigorous in-house R&D efforts and extensive R&D collaborations have made it a strategic cooperation partner with world leading innovative companies and research institutes.www.Simcere.com

About Almirall

Almirall is a global biopharmaceutical company focused on skin health. We collaborate with scientists and healthcare professionals to address patient's needs through science to improve their lives. Our Noble Purpose is at the core of our work: "Transform the patients' world by helping them realize their hopes and dreams for a healthy life". We invest in differentiated and ground-breaking medical dermatology products to bring our innovative solutions to patients in need.

The company, founded in 1943 and headquartered in Barcelona, is publicly traded on the Spanish Stock Exchange (ticker: ALM). Throughout its 79-year history, Almirall has retained a strong focus on the needs of patients. Currently, Almirall has a direct presence in 21 countries and strategic agreements in over 70.

For more information, please visit almirall.com

Legal warning

This document includes only summary information and is not intended to be exhaustive. The facts, figures and opinions contained in this document, in addition to the historical ones, are "forward-looking statements". These statements are based on the information currently available and the best estimates and assumptions that the Company considers reasonable. These statements involve risks and uncertainties beyond the control of the Company. Therefore, actual results may differ materially from those declared by such forward-looking statements. The Company expressly waives any obligation to revise or update any forward-looking statements, goals or estimates contained in this document to reflect any changes in the assumptions, events, or circumstances on which such forward-looking statements are based, unless required by the applicable law.

SOURCE Simcere Pharmaceutical Group Limited
Partnership to Accelerate Global Growth and Innovation

HOUSTON and SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- SMA Technologies ("SMA"), a leading provider of automation solutions for financial services, today announced that Thoma Bravo, a leading software investment firm, has signed a definitive agreement to make a significant growth investment in the company. SMA Technologies' current majority investor, ParkerGale Capital, will retain a minority position in the business. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

The investment is expected to enable SMA to significantly expand its offering of automation solutions for its clients while accelerating growth geographically and into tangential industries over time.

Since its founding by automation experts at NASA in 1980, SMA Technologies has built its reputation as one of the most trusted automation providers for financial services and other transactional businesses. Dedicated to simplifying IT complexity, the company's workload automation platform, OpCon, eliminates manual tasks, reducing human error and freeing up resources for strategic initiatives.

"SMA has been a pioneer in the workload automation space for over four decades and we are thrilled to continue our journey with Thoma Bravo," said Todd Dauchy, CEO of SMA Technologies. "With Thoma Bravo's operational expertise and financial resources, we will be better positioned to drive global growth while continuing to provide our clients and their employees with seamless solutions to automate processes, applications and workflows."

"As the increasingly digital workplace multiplies IT workloads, SMA is mission-critical to helping enterprises smoothly manage today's complex IT environment," said Adam Solomon, a Partner at Thoma Bravo. "Todd and the SMA team have built exceptional trust by consistently delivering products and solutions that meet clients' ever-changing business needs and priorities. We are excited to partner with a company that values innovation and operational excellence as well as strong relationships with its clients."

"Throughout its growth, SMA has remained a product-oriented and employee-driven software business with a laser focus on the client experience," said Kristina Heinze, a Partner and Co-Founder at ParkerGale. "We are proud of what we accomplished throughout our majority ownership with Todd Dauchy and the SMA team and look forward to continuing to support the company in partnership with Thoma Bravo."

Raymond James is serving as financial advisor and Kirkland & Ellis LLP is serving as legal advisor to SMA Technologies.

About Thoma Bravo

Thoma Bravo is one of the largest private equity firms in the world, with more than $122 billion in assets under management as of June 30, 2022. The firm invests in growth-oriented, innovative companies operating in the software and technology sectors. Leveraging the firm's deep sector expertise and proven strategic and operational capabilities, Thoma Bravo collaborates with its portfolio companies to implement operating best practices, drive growth initiatives and make accretive acquisitions intended to accelerate revenue and earnings. Over the past 20 years, the firm has acquired or invested in more than 400 companies representing over $220 billion in enterprise value. The firm has offices in Chicago, Miami and San Francisco. For more information, visit www.thomabravo.com.

About SMA Technologies

SMA Technologies is the maker of OpCon, the leading workload automation and orchestration platform for banks, credit unions, insurance companies, and other financial services businesses. The platform delivers enterprise power and scalability without the complexity or cost. OpCon enables companies to easily automate manual tasks and seamlessly orchestrate workloads across business-critical operations, saving time and reducing cost by eliminating human error and deploying IT resources on strategic initiatives. More than 1,000 clients trust SMA with their mission-critical operations. Please visit www.smatechnologies.com to learn more.

SOURCE Thoma Bravo
NEW YORK, Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Steering Robot Market by Application, Vehicle Type, and Geography - Forecast and Analysis 2022-2026" report has been added to Technavio's offering. According to the report, the market will observe an incremental growth of USD 55.3 million, accelerating at a CAGR of 8.11% during the forecast period. The report provides a comprehensive analysis of the new product launches, key growth drivers, the latest trends, the impact of the pandemic on the market growth, the competitive landscape, and much more. Download PDF Sample Report

Market Dynamics

Technavio has announced its latest market research report titled Global Steering Robot Market 2022-2026

The market is driven by the growth in automotive R&D and engineering. There has been an increase in global spending on automotive R&D and engineering over the years, especially in regions such as APAC and North America. In addition, automakers are focusing on the expansion of their manufacturing and R&D facilities. This is increasing the adoption of computer-aided designs, virtual testing, and simulation, along with processes to build internal and external capacity and ensure that new product development is accelerated. As the market gains traction, there will also be an increased emphasis on improving steering technologies through R&D initiatives to ensure better levels of driver autonomy and improvement in test results. All these factors are expected to foster the growth of the market during the forecast period.

The adoption of data analytics is identified as the key trend in the market. The increasing penetration of the internet and smart devices has enabled vendors to give their customers critical data about the robots used in automobiles. They are leveraging data analytics to track real-time information and provide preventive maintenance and reduce response times. It is also helping vendors to provide cloud-based apps to customers and service personnel, through which they get alerts about service and replacement requirements. This trend is expected to have a positive impact on the growth of the global steering robot market during the forecast period.

Vendor Landscape

Some of the companies covered in this report are AB Dynamics plc, HI TEC SRL, RMS Dynamic Test Systems, Stahle GmbH, Tecpond GmbH, and VEHICO GmbH, etc.

The global steering robot market is concentrated. The market is subject to rapidly changing consumer demands and preferences. The changing consumer preference pattern may affect vendor performance in the market. Vendors compete based on several factors such as quality, price, service, brand image, distribution, and marketing. Major vendors are focusing on acquiring other small brands to increase their market presence. The increasing competition among vendors may lead to a decline in their product prices, which can negatively impact profit margins, thereby affecting the growth of the market. Besides, any technological advances by any player in the market can render existing or future vendor products obsolete or uneconomical.

Competitive Analysis

The competitive scenario provided in the steering robot market report analyzes, evaluates, and positions companies based on various performance indicators. Some of the factors considered for this analysis include the financial performance of companies over the past few years, growth strategies, product innovations, new product launches, investments, growth in market share, etc. Request Sample Report Here

Market Segmentation by Application

By application, the market is classified into segments such as testing and automation driving. The market growth in the testing segment will be significant over the forecast period. The increased R&D spending on automotive testing will drive the growth of the segment.

Market Segmentation by Vehicle Type

By vehicle type, the market is segmented into cars and buses and trucks. The cars segment will have the largest share of the market. The segment is driven by advanced in automotive R&D.

Market Segmentation by Geography

By Geography, the market is classified as Europe, APAC, North America, the Middle East and Africa, and South America. APAC will have the largest share of the market.

Related Reports:

Steering Robot Market Scope Report Coverage Details Page number 120 Base year 2021 Forecast period 2022-2026 Growth momentum & CAGR Accelerate at a CAGR of 8.11% Market growth 2022-2026 USD 55.3 million Market structure Concentrated YoY growth (%) 7.84 Regional analysis Europe, APAC, North America, Middle East and Africa, and South America Performing market contribution APAC at 36% Key consumer countries US, China, Japan, Germany, and Italy Competitive landscape Leading companies, competitive strategies, consumer engagement scope Companies profiled AB Dynamics plc, HI TEC SRL, RMS Dynamic Test Systems, Stahle GmbH, Tecpond GmbH, and VEHICO GmbH Market Dynamics Parent market analysis, Market growth inducers and obstacles, Fast-growing and slow-growing segment analysis, COVID-19 impact and future consumer dynamics, and market condition analysis for the forecast period. Customization purview If our report has not included the data that you are looking for, you can reach out to our analysts and get segments customized.

Table of contents:

1 Executive Summary

1.1 Market overview

Exhibit 01: Executive Summary  Chart on Market Overview



Exhibit 02: Executive Summary  Data Table on Market Overview



Exhibit 03: Executive Summary  Chart on Global Market Characteristics



Exhibit 04: Executive Summary  Chart on Market by Geography



Exhibit 05: Executive Summary  Chart on Market Segmentation by Application



Exhibit 06: Executive Summary  Chart on Market Segmentation by Vehicle Type



Exhibit 07: Executive Summary  Chart on Incremental Growth



Exhibit 08: Executive Summary  Data Table on Incremental Growth



Exhibit 09: Executive Summary  Chart on Vendor Market Positioning

2 Market Landscape

2.1 Market ecosystem

Exhibit 10: Parent market



Exhibit 11: Market Characteristics

3 Market Sizing

3.1 Market definition

Exhibit 12: Offerings of vendors included in the market definition

3.2 Market segment analysis

Exhibit 13: Market segments

3.3 Market size 2021

3.4 Market outlook: Forecast for 2021-2026

Exhibit 14: Chart on Global - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 15: Data Table on Global - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 16: Chart on Global Market: Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)



Exhibit 17: Data Table on Global Market: Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

4 Five Forces Analysis

4.1 Five forces summary

Exhibit 18: Five forces analysis - Comparison between2021 and 2026

4.2 Bargaining power of buyers

Exhibit 19: Chart on Bargaining power of buyers  Impact of key factors 2021 and 2026

4.3 Bargaining power of suppliers

Exhibit 20: Bargaining power of suppliers  Impact of key factors in 2021 and 2026

4.4 Threat of new entrants

Exhibit 21: Threat of new entrants  Impact of key factors in 2021 and 2026

4.5 Threat of substitutes

Exhibit 22: Threat of substitutes  Impact of key factors in 2021 and 2026

4.6 Threat of rivalry

Exhibit 23: Threat of rivalry  Impact of key factors in 2021 and 2026

4.7 Market condition

Exhibit 24: Chart on Market condition - Five forces 2021 and 2026

5 Market Segmentation by Application

5.1 Market segments

Exhibit 25: Chart on Application - Market share 2021-2026 (%)



Exhibit 26: Data Table on Application - Market share 2021-2026 (%)

5.2 Comparison by Application

Exhibit 27: Chart on Comparison by Application



Exhibit 28: Data Table on Comparison by Application

5.3 Testing - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

Exhibit 29: Chart on Testing - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 30: Data Table on Testing - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 31: Chart on Testing - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)



Exhibit 32: Data Table on Testing - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

5.4 Automation driving - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

Exhibit 33: Chart on Automation driving - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 34: Data Table on Automation driving - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 35: Chart on Automation driving - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)



Exhibit 36: Data Table on Automation driving - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

5.5 Market opportunity by Application

Exhibit 37: Market opportunity by Application ($ million)

6 Market Segmentation by Vehicle Type

6.1 Market segments

Exhibit 38: Chart on Vehicle Type - Market share 2021-2026 (%)



Exhibit 39: Data Table on Vehicle Type - Market share 2021-2026 (%)

6.2 Comparison by Vehicle Type

Exhibit 40: Chart on Comparison by Vehicle Type



Exhibit 41: Data Table on Comparison by Vehicle Type

6.3 Cars - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

Exhibit 42: Chart on Cars - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 43: Data Table on Cars - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 44: Chart on Cars - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)



Exhibit 45: Data Table on Cars - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

6.4 Buses and trucks - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

Exhibit 46: Chart on Buses and trucks - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 47: Data Table on Buses and trucks - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 48: Chart on Buses and trucks - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)



Exhibit 49: Data Table on Buses and trucks - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

6.5 Market opportunity by Vehicle Type

Exhibit 50: Market opportunity by Vehicle Type ($ million)

7 Customer Landscape

7.1 Customer landscape overview

Exhibit 51: Analysis of price sensitivity, lifecycle, customer purchase basket, adoption rates, and purchase criteria

8 Geographic Landscape

8.1 Geographic segmentation

Exhibit 52: Chart on Market share by geography 2021-2026 (%)



Exhibit 53: Data Table on Market share by geography 2021-2026 (%)

8.2 Geographic comparison

Exhibit 54: Chart on Geographic comparison



Exhibit 55: Data Table on Geographic comparison

8.3 Europe - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 56: Chart on Europe - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 57: Data Table on Europe - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 58: Chart on Europe - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

- Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

Exhibit 59: Data Table on Europe - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

8.4 APAC - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

Exhibit 60: Chart on APAC - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 61: Data Table on APAC - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 62: Chart on APAC - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)



Exhibit 63: Data Table on APAC - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

8.5 North America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 64: Chart on North America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 65: Data Table on North America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 66: Chart on North America - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

- Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

Exhibit 67: Data Table on North America - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

8.6 Middle East and Africa - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

and - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 68: Chart on Middle East and Africa - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

and - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 69: Data Table on Middle East and Africa - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

and - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 70: Chart on Middle East and Africa - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

and - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

Exhibit 71: Data Table on Middle East and Africa - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

8.7 South America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 72: Chart on South America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 73: Data Table on South America - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 74: Chart on South America - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

- Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

Exhibit 75: Data Table on South America - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

8.8 US - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

Exhibit 76: Chart on US - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 77: Data Table on US - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)



Exhibit 78: Chart on US - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)



Exhibit 79: Data Table on US - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

8.9 China - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 80: Chart on China - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 81: Data Table on China - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 82: Chart on China - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

- Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

Exhibit 83: Data Table on China - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

8.10 Germany - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 84: Chart on Germany - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 85: Data Table on Germany - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 86: Chart on Germany - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

- Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

Exhibit 87: Data Table on Germany - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

8.11 Japan - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 88: Chart on Japan - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 89: Data Table on Japan - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 90: Chart on Japan - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

- Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

Exhibit 91: Data Table on Japan - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

8.12 Italy - Market size and forecast 2021-2026

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Exhibit 92: Chart on Italy - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 93: Data Table on Italy - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

- Market size and forecast 2021-2026 ($ million)

Exhibit 94: Chart on Italy - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

- Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

Exhibit 95: Data Table on Italy - Year-over-year growth 2021-2026 (%)

8.13 Market opportunity by geography

Exhibit 96: Market opportunity by geography ($ million)

9 Drivers, Challenges, and Trends

9.1 Market drivers

9.2 Market challenges

9.3 Impact of drivers and challenges

Exhibit 97: Impact of drivers and challenges in 2021 and 2026

9.4 Market trends

10 Vendor Landscape

10.1 Overview

10.2 Vendor landscape

Exhibit 98: Overview on Criticality of inputs and Factors of differentiation

10.3 Landscape disruption

Exhibit 99: Overview on factors of disruption

10.4 Industry risks

Exhibit 100: Impact of key risks on business

11 Vendor Analysis

11.1 Vendors covered

Exhibit 101: Vendors covered

11.2 Market positioning of vendors

Exhibit 102: Matrix on vendor position and classification

11.3 AB Dynamics plc

Exhibit 103: AB Dynamics plc - Overview



Exhibit 104: AB Dynamics plc - Key offerings

11.4 HI TEC SRL

Exhibit 105: HI TEC SRL - Overview



Exhibit 106: HI TEC SRL - Product / Service



Exhibit 107: HI TEC SRL - Key offerings

11.5 RMS Dynamic Test Systems

Exhibit 108: RMS Dynamic Test Systems - Overview



Exhibit 109: RMS Dynamic Test Systems - Product / Service



Exhibit 110: RMS Dynamic Test Systems - Key offerings

11.6 Stahle GmbH

Exhibit 111: Stahle GmbH - Overview



Exhibit 112: Stahle GmbH - Product / Service



Exhibit 113: Stahle GmbH - Key offerings

11.7 Tecpond GmbH

Exhibit 114: Tecpond GmbH - Overview



Exhibit 115: Tecpond GmbH - Product / Service



Exhibit 116: Tecpond GmbH - Key offerings

11.8 VEHICO GmbH

Exhibit 117: VEHICO GmbH - Overview



Exhibit 118: VEHICO GmbH - Product / Service



Exhibit 119: VEHICO GmbH - Key offerings

12 Appendix

12.1 Scope of the report

12.2 Inclusions and exclusions checklist

Exhibit 120: Inclusions checklist



Exhibit 121: Exclusions checklist

12.3 Currency conversion rates for US$

Exhibit 122: Currency conversion rates for US$

12.4 Research methodology

Exhibit 123: Research methodology



Exhibit 124: Validation techniques employed for market sizing



Exhibit 125: Information sources

12.5 List of abbreviations

Exhibit 126: 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
Taste This Elevated Coffee Collection with 25% off Promo Code: CoffeeDay25

COLUMBUS, Ohio, Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Stephen James Curated Coffee Collection (SJCCC) is a premium beverage line that strives to awaken the senses through the aroma and flavor of its travel-inspired coffee. Aspiring to provide a beautiful capsule of exquisite coffees reflecting the world around you, Stephen James Curated Coffee views coffee as the day's first opportunity for self-care.

Stephen James Curated Coffee Collection in Light Roast

SJCCC infuses global experiences and unique processes into every cup with brews that fuel the mind, body, and soul. The company, whose goal is long-term sustainability for the planet and its farmers, maintains a responsible sourcing, roasting, and shipping approach to producing the highest quality coffee possible. With thoughtfully curated, small-batch beans from hand-selected farms across the globe, this sophisticated (but never fussy) collection showcases the best coffee each farm has to offer, resulting in an exceptional taste experience.

"Just as travel fuels the soul, we'd like our coffee to fuel your journey," said Stephen James, founder and CEO of Stephen James Curated Coffee Collection. "Our cup of coffee should always be an opportunity to take a moment for yourself, for self-care, and intentional mindful moments, with both self and others."

Stephen James invites its customers to be mindful of the sound of their coffee grinding in the mornings, allowing the aroma of freshly brewed coffee to ground them as they take their first sip, and are greeted by the coffee's distinct notes of beans that proud local farmers across the globe consciously farmed. This coffee is meant to be enjoyed experientially, for moments of self-care in the morning, or even as fuel for conversation, laughter and the sharing of stories between guests after dinner.

Released in three whole bean varieties, Stephen James Coffee is available in a Light Roast, Medium Roast, and Dark Roast. Light Roast contains 100% Arabica Beans from The Kateshi Farm in Zambia, containing a bright and balanced taste with notes of semi-sweet chocolate and cranberry. Our Medium Roast hails from The Daterra Farm in Brazil and has a floral flavor followed by almond and chocolate notes. The full-bodied Dark Roast is balanced and smooth featuring earthy notes with a beautiful green coloring to create a refined beverage.

Proudly LGBTQ+ owned and operated, SJCCC is available through Amazon and the company's website, www.getsjcoffee.com , for an MSRP of $18.00 per 12 oz. resealable bag.

ABOUT STEPHEN JAMES CURATED COFFEE COLLECTION:

Based in Columbus, Ohio, The Stephen James Curated Coffee Collection was founded by Stephen Letourneau to provide an educational lens for coffee, travel, and wellness experiences. Stephen James sources responsibly farmed beans from around the world in small batches. Available in light, medium, and dark roast in 12-oz resealable bags, Stephen James Curated Coffee Collection is sold for $18 per bag through its website and on Amazon. For more information, please visit www.getsjcoffee.com .

Media Contact:

T-Aira Jelks

HYPH PR

310.694.0895

[email protected]

SOURCE Stephen James Curated Coffee Collection
All-in-one identity verification platform, Sumsub, has launched a flexible risk management solution to protect businesses from financial losses.

MIAMI, Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Sumsub, a global tech company fighting digital fraud and helping businesses stay fully compliant, is launching a KYT solution for fast and effective transaction monitoring tailored to customers' specific needs. With this new product, Sumsub can offer clients a full-cycle identity verification platform with seamless orchestration capabilities, ensuring trust along the whole user journey.

Sumsub launches a KYT solution offering 300+ risk scenarios for transaction monitoring and fraud prevention for businesses

Know-your-transaction (KYT), known as transaction monitoring, is a set of procedures aimed at detecting suspicious customer activity. This helps businesses stay AML/CFT compliant and prevents internal and external fraud.

Unlike other digital verification providers, Sumsub is the only platform offering over 300 ready-to-use risk scenarios, while also enabling companies to create custom rules and risk profiles. Coupled with no-code rules setting, this makes Sumsub's KYT particularly easy to navigate.

Sumsub's KYT offers flexible settings for risk scoring, alerts and actions with simple role and task management. Users can continuously monitor the status of transactions in real-time. All data is stored and managed in one place, full reports can be easily downloaded for both internal use and submission of STR's (suspicious transaction reports) to regulators.

KYT checks are increasingly recommended for the financial industry. This includes crypto marketplaces and services, payment service providers, fintech companies, marketplaces and online gaming platforms. However, transaction monitoring may be beneficial for other online businesses if they wish to have an additional layer of protection against financial fraud.

AML-obligated financial businesses, failing to perform KYT and report suspicious transactions can lead to huge penalties. UK regulator FCA fined HSBC Bank 63.9 mln ($73.8 mln) for deficient transaction monitoring controls in 2021. Earlier in 2020, Deutsche Bank got a $150 million penalty by the New York State Department of Financial Services for its failure to prevent hundreds of suspicious transactions totaling millions of dollars.

"KYT checks are currently in especially high demand by fintech businesses. Sound transaction monitoring requires analyzing both the user's background information and the transaction itself. The majority of identity verification providers do not offer transaction monitoring, while those who do usually focus on KYT with no access to customers' onboarding data. At Sumsub, we check both transaction information and KYC information from the applicant's profile to calculate risk scoring for a more profound and complete transaction evaluation. This allows us to estimate risks more accurately and efficiently, which ultimately protects our clients from chargebacks, financial fraud, money laundering as well as regulatory fines", says Vyacheslav Zholudev, Sumsub's Co-founder and CTO.

Sumsub is now offering an end-to-end orchestration solution that covers each step of the customer lifecycle, including onboarding, authentication, confirmation of risky actions, transaction monitoring.

Sumsub is an international tech company providing an all-in-one verification platform for detecting fraud and ensuring compliance with KYC requirements worldwide, including identity verification, AML screening and ongoing monitoring.

SOURCE Sumsub
Merger Filing Fee Measure Would Let Amazon, Others Know They're Not Above the Law

WASHINGTON, Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Teamsters are joining a coalition of more than 35 public interest, labor, and civil society organizations in urging passage of legislation that would raise merger fees on gigantic corporations to beef up funding for antitrust enforcement agencies.

The Teamsters recently signed onto a coalition letter to House leadership in support of H.R. 3843, the Merger Filing Fee Modernization Act of 2022. This crucial legislation would provide much-needed resources to antitrust regulators to ensure the country's antitrust laws are enforced to safeguard the well-being of workers, consumers, small businesses, and the public during this pivotal moment.

"For too long, working people have been forced to suffer under a two-tier system of justice," said Teamsters General President Sean M. O'Brien. "White-collar criminal outfits routinely use their billions in profits to hire armies of lawyers and lobbyists  paid propogandists who make a mockery of our democracy."

Public servants at institutions like the Federal Trade Commission and the Department of Justice's Antitrust Division are strong lines of defense against corrupt corporations when they engage in harmful mergers and unfair conduct. But such institutions can't enforce our nation's antitrust laws without adequate resources. It is essential for Congress to pass this vital legislation, not only to ensure that our antitrust laws are respected, but to send a clear signal to Amazon and its corporate cronies: You are not above the law.

Founded in 1903, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters represents 1.2 million hardworking men and women in the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico. Visit Teamster.org for more information. Follow us on Twitter @Teamsters and "like" us on Facebook at Facebook.com/teamsters.

Contact:

Ted Gotsch, (202) 508-6437

[email protected]

SOURCE International Brotherhood of Teamsters
MACAO, Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The 13th International Infrastructure Investment and Construction Forum ("IIICF", "the Forum"), co-organized by China International Contractors Association and Macao Trade and Investment Promotion Institute, opened in Macao on September 28. As the largest and most influential such forum in the world, the opening of this year's IIICF drew many major figures from the international infrastructure investment and construction community. Present at the opening ceremony were Ho Iat Seng, Chief Executive of the Macao Special Administrative Region (Macao SAR); Zheng Xincong, Director of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Macao SAR; Liu Xianfa, Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China in the Macao SAR; Wong Sio Chak, Secretary for Security of the Macao SAR; as well as heads of international contractors and financial institutions.

(PRNewsfoto/China International Contractors Association)

With the theme "Building High-standard, Sustainable and People-centered Infrastructure", the forum attracted more than 1,300 guests from over 600 institutions, including senior executives of 20 financial institutions, top leaders of more than 70 enterprises among ENR's Top 250 International Contractors, as well as decision makers from major industrial enterprises and suppliers from across the globe. With a focus on the opportunities and challenges facing international infrastructure cooperation in the post-pandemic era, the forum will look to build a broad consensus, and consolidate international cooperation for the facilitation of green infrastructure projects around the world.

As one of the event's highlights, The Belt and Road Infrastructure Development Index (2022) and the Belt and Road Infrastructure Development Index Report (2022) was launched at the forum and presented how the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has played an important role in international infrastructure investment and construction projects.

During the forum, the China International Contractors Association (CHINCA) launched the "Mechanism for International Sustainable Infrastructure Promotion" in association with the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ) and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), in a joint bid to promote the diversified, inclusive, green, low-carbon and climate-resilient development of sustainable infrastructure.

"In the post-pandemic era, countries will face unique challenges, and stressed the importance of the international community to come together to invest in infrastructure and construction, in order to fuel economic growth and development, and improve people's livelihoods," said Fang Qiuchen, Chairman of CHINCA.

For more information about the Forum, please visit: http://en.iiicf.org/.

SOURCE China International Contractors Association
HYBRID (Live and Virtual)

NOVEMBER 3 - 20, 2022

Opening Night Gala, Centerpiece, and Closing Night Films Announced

SEATTLE, Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Tasveer South Asian Film Festival (TSAFF) has started the countdown for its 17th edition, which will be in hybrid format ( in Seattle theaters and online ) from November 320. The largest South Asian film festival in the United States, TSAFF focuses on screening high caliber films that explore social justice, LGBTQIA+ rights, and gender equality.

The 17th Annual Tasveer South Asian Film Festival Tweet this Four Samosas Key Still

Co-Founder and Executive Director of the festival, Rita Meher, says, "For the organization's 20th anniversary, we celebrate the grandest TSAFF yet, while we bring the community together in person again. Some highlights include the Cannes-winning documentary All That Breathes, which Tasveer alumni Shaunak Sen will attend in person. We are also excited to World Premiere the latest Tasveer Film Fund films, which will be presented in collaboration with Netflix."

TSAFF's Opening Night Gala Film is FOUR SAMOSAS

Four Samosas tells the story of creatively blocked and wannabe rapper Vinny (Potula), who devises a plan with his friends to steal his soon-to-be-married ex-girlfriend's family diamonds from her father's supermarket safe in order to stop the wedding.

Directed by Ravi Kapoor (Miss India America), it stars Venk Potula, Sonal Shah, Sharmita Bhattacharya, Nirvan Patnaik, and Karan Soni, who will all be in attendance.

"What an honor and privilege to open Tasveer with Four Samosas," said director Ravi Kapoor. "We're all super excited to be attending. It's a festival that's long been on our radar as a place we'd love to share our film. We're ready to bring some big laughs and mad samosas to Seattle."

To celebrate the exciting return of the full-scale and in-person festival, TSAFF is giving film lovers a 25% discount for All Access (live + online) and 50% off virtual passes. AVAILABLE NOW at bit.ly/TSAFF_Pass

2022 Festival Highlights:

October 7 Festival Lineup Launch Event https://tasveerfestival.org November 3 Opening Night Gala - Red Carpet Reception, Four Samosas Screening, and Q&A November 4 Tasveer Emerald Showcase - All That Breathes November 5 Centerpiece Film - Goldfish November 13 Closing Night Gala - World Premiere of the Tasveer Film Fund Winners- Zindagi Dobara, Dos Bros Force, and Bepar. Followed by the Festival Awards Ceremony.

About Tasveer

Tasveer is a nonprofit social justice arts organization whose mission is to inspire social change through thought-provoking South Asian films, literature, and storytelling.

Tasveer South Asian Film Festival (TSAFF) and the Tasveer Film Fund are generously supported by Netflix, Amazon, GeekWire, Seattle Office of Arts and Culture, 4Culture, The National Endowment for the Arts, Humanities WA, King County, and more.

Press Contact:

SOURCE Tasveer
TYSONS CORNER, Va., Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Cyber Guild held their annual VIP Celebration and Awards on Tuesday evening at the Ritz Carlton Hotel, where they honored seven cybersecurity VIPs.

The 2022 Cyber Guild VIP Award winners who were honored Tuesday evening, September 27 at the Ritz Carlton Hotel in Tysons Corner, Virginia for their exemplary work and commitment to advancing cybersecurity as part of the fabric of everyday living.

Each year, The Cyber Guild recognizes individuals who emulate the purpose of The Cyber Guild by helping to advance cybersecurity as part of the "fabric of everyday living". Marybeth Borgwing, Cyber Guild founder and chair shares "we are delighted to recognize such amazing individuals and organizations. We depend on leaders such as this to keep our families, communities, organizations, and nations safe."

Kiersten Todt, Chief of Staff at The Cyber Security and Infrastructure Agency (CISA), accepted The Cyber Guild Warrior Award, stating, "I am honored to receive this award as a recognition of the extraordinary efforts of the team at CISA and our tireless efforts to secure and defend the nation today and in the future."

When commenting on the awards, Gilman Louie, Partner, Alsop Louie Partners and CEO/Co-Founder, America's Frontier Fund said, "I am proud to receive The Cyber Guild Ambassador Award. The importance of diversity and equity in the cyber workforce cannot be understated as it is critical to leverage the full talent of our country to keep it safe and secure from cyber threats."

The awards were presented by past honorees and Cyber Guild luminaires. 2022 honorees are:

Ambassador  Gilman Louie, Partner, Alsop Louie Partners and CEO/Co-Founder, America's Frontier Fund

Respected advocate and powerful connector, who activates leaders and decision makers to enable positive change across the private and public sectors. Presented by 2021 honoree and Cyber Guild luminaire Bryan Ware, CEO LookingGlass Cyber.

Changemaker  Kris Lovejoy, Global Security and Resilience Practice Leader, Kyndryl

A leader who is advancing the U.S. ecosystem by setting new standards, implementing new technologies and/or educating organizations and the greater community about the importance of cyber. Presented by 2021 Honoree and Cyber Guild luminaire Teresa Shea, President Oplnet.

Warrior  Kiersten Todt, Chief of Staff, CISA

An energetic personality who creates trusted relationships to get ahead of adversaries and who solves current and emerging threats by applying innovative technology and sustaining robust networks. Presented by 2021 honoree and Cyber Guild luminaire the Hon. Ellen Lord, EML Enterprises.

Alliance leader  Mark Montgomery, Executive Director of CyberSolarium.org An individual disrupting business as usual, educating organizations and the greater community about the importance of cyber hygiene, implementing security standards and advocating for engagement. Presented by 2021 honoree Esther Lee, CEO Refraction.

Emerging leader  Company - Poupak Afshar, CEO, Easy Dynamics

An organization role modeling the advancement of cybersecurity, and diversity, in the broadest sense; investing and delivering new technologies, ways of working and dynamic partnership to help safeguard organizations impacted by cyberattacks and to grow a sustainable cyber workforce. Presented by 2021 honoree David Maskeroni, CEO and Co-founder, Aquia Inc.

Emerging leader  Individual

Individuals with an entrepreneurial mindset who through their leadership and advocacy are rapidly becoming influential within the Cyber community

Tatyana Bolton, Security Policy Manager, Google: Presented by Cyber Guild Luminaire Diane Janosek, President, WiCyS Mid-Atlantic Affiliate, and

Michael Dent, CISO Fairfax County Government: Presented by 2021 honoree Alison King, Legislative Affairs Advisor, CISA.

About the Cyber Guild

The Cyber Guild is the trade association representing the national capital region's cybersecurity sector. Founded in 2019 as a 501 c6 and c3, The Cyber Guild has deep roots in promoting cybersecurity sector diversity and inclusion with Uniting Women in Cyber, www.unitingwomenincyber.com. The Cyber Guild serves companies from all sectors of the industry, from small businesses and startups to Fortune 100 companies, as well as service providers, academic institutions, and nonprofit organizations by advancing cybersecurity as part of the "fabric of everyday living", within their communities, networks and or organizations (private, public, nonprofit, federal). For more information and to join, visit: https://thecyberguild.org/.

Contact:

The Cyber Guild

Debbie Sallis

[email protected]

SOURCE The Cyber Guild, Inc.
ANNECY, France, Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- After four races in Europe, the Golden Trail Series has headed to the United States for two mythical races in just two weeks. An opportunity to bring together all the European athletes for an exceptional road trip and for them to compete with the best American trail runners.

The Golden Trail Series athletes traveled to the United States for the last two stages of the season (Philipp Reiter).

Two races in two weeks

In order to enable as many European trail runners as possible to compete in the American races, the Golden Trail Series decided to schedule two mythical races over just two weeks. On the programme, Pikes Peak Ascent and its mythical peak at 4,300 metres altitude on 17 September, then Flagstaff Sky Peaks the following week. Both races were won by the same two athletes: Remi Bonnet (team Salomon /Red Bull, Switzerland) for the men, and Nienke Brinkman (team Nike Trail, Netherlands) for the women. Two victories in two weeks, putting these athletes at the top of the general ranking before the final in Madeira.

A road trip for creating strong ties

But the Golden Trail Series isn't just about performance out on the trails. The aim of this global series is to create ties between athletes. And what better than a road trip through Colorado, Utah and Arizona to bring these trail runners together? For two weeks the athletes lived together as a community, sharing and getting to know each other. They were also able to explore Moab and its Arches National Park, the Grand Canyon, Monument Valley, etc.

On track for the finale!

We now know which 30 men and which 30 women have qualified for the final in Madeira. As a reminder, the final consists of five days of trail running, during which each runner can earn extra points for the overall ranking (https://madeiragtwsfinal.com). So even at this stage, everything can still change! See you in Madeira on 26 October for the first stage!

Find the Golden Trail World Series 2022 general ranking here: https://goldentrailseries.com/series/gtws.htm.

Golden Trail TV: goldentrailseries.com/gttv/

Website: goldentrailseries.com

Facebook: Golden Trail Series

Instagram: Golden Trail Series

YouTube: Golden Trail Series

E-mail: [email protected]

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1909858/Golden_Trail_Series.jpg

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1819208/Golden_Trail_World_Series_Logo.jpg

Contact:

[email protected]

SOURCE Golden Trail Series
PINELLAS PARK, Fla., Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Access Ready Reporter Issue 31 - The Reporter Newsletter is a service of Access Ready Inc. which is a nonprofit cross disability advocacy organization promoting a policy of inclusion and accessibility across information technology through education and best practices. The Board of Directors of Access Ready has deemed inaccessible information technology to be a clear, growing, and present danger to the civic, economic, and social welfare of people with disabilities.

Anybody who is online is advised (and often admonished) to practice good cybersecurity hygiene as a way to protect their information from would-be thieves. But what about those who can't? What about the people who for physical or cognitive or financial reasons are unable to follow the basic rules of cybersecurity? In short, these people are often out of luck. Read More

The Big Story HIGH RENTS OUTPACE FEDERAL DISABILITY PAYMENTS, LEAVING MANY HOMELESS

After two months of sleeping in the Salvation Army Center of Hope homeless shelter in Charlotte, N.C., Margaret Davis has had no luck finding an apartment she can afford. The 55-year-old grandmother receives about $750 a month from the federal government. Davis is homeless even though she receives funds from the Supplemental Security Income program, a hard-to-get federal benefit that was created nearly 50 years ago to lift Americans who are older, blind or disabled out of poverty. Read More

Business Accessibility BENIHANA CLASS ACTION ALLEGES WEBSITE NOT ACCESSIBLE TO VISUALLY IMPAIRED, BLIND

Benihana failed to design, construct, maintain and operate its website so that it is fully accessible to individuals who are blind or visually impaired, a new class action lawsuit alleges. Plaintiff Miriam Cruz claims the online website contains many access barriers that prevent equal access to screen-reading software used by individuals who are blind or visually impaired. Read More

Current Legal Actions HY-VEE CLASS ACTION CLAIMS WEBSITE INACCESSIBLE TO BLIND, VISUALLY IMPAIRED USERS

Retailer Hy-Vee's website is not accessible to legally blind people who use a screen reader in violation of the law, a new class action lawsuit alleges. Plaintiff Jasmine Toro filed the class action complaint against Hy-Vee, Inc. Aug. 24 in a New York federal court, alleging violations of the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA). Read More

Election AccessibilitySponsored by VOTEC MILWAUKEE OFFICIALS HIGHLIGHT EFFORTS TO MAKE VOTING ACCESSIBLE TO PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES Sponsored by

Ahead of the November election, Milwaukee officials are highlighting the steps they're taking to make voting accessible particularly for people with disabilities whose access to absentee voting has been the subject of recent litigation. "Now more than ever it is extremely important that voters with disabilities be aware of the accessibility of elections but also changing election laws," Milwaukee Election Commission Executive Director Claire Woodall-Vogg said during a press conference at Independence First. Read More

Government Spotlight LAWMAKERS URGE ACTION ON ACCESSIBILITY

Thirty-two House Democrats have come together to request in a letter that the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) address digital accessibility issues by making regulations and other administrative actions well known. In the letter, addressed to Attorney General Merrick Garland, DOJs recent issuance of guidance the March 2022 Guidance on Web Accessibility and the Americans with Disabilities Act was commended. Read More

Healthcare Accessibility OPEN ACCESS TO RESEARCH CAN CLOSE GAPS FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES

In a long-overdue move, the Federal Office of Science and Technology Policy has issued guidance on making federally supported research and publications available to all without delay or embargo. Read More

Technology Spotlight ARE WEBSITES COVERED UNDER THE ADA? TOGETHER, WE ARE CLOSING IN ON THE ANSWER

Over thirty years since the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), there is still a difference of opinion from courts, and there is a lack of definitive legislation from the US government on whether the web is covered. Read More

TOP TECH TIDBITS

Top Tech Tidbits. The world's #1 online resource for current news and trends in adaptive technology. Read More

Sponsored by Allyant

Distribution sponsored by eReleases

Content Curation Sponsored by Micro Assist

Assistive Technology curation sponsored by Top Tech Tidbits

Contact

Douglas Towne

727-531-1000

[email protected]

SOURCE Access Ready Inc.
SANTA CRUZ, Calif., Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The TLC Foundation for Body-Focused Repetitive Behaviors (BFRBs) is proud to launch BFRB Awareness Week 2022 with a new website that includes accessibility adjustments to be seizure safe, ADHD friendly, and profiles for vision impairment, cognitive disabilities, and motor impairment. The new website also includes extensive health education resources for people experiencing BFRBs, family members, allies, school personnel, medical providers, and others interested in learning more about hair pulling, skin picking, nail biting, cheek biting, and associated behaviors.

The TLC Foundation for Body-Focused Repetitive Behaviors (TLC) brings awareness and support to this underreported and misunderstood group of mental health disorders that impact approximately one in 20 Americans. Body-Focused Repetitive Behaviors are complex medical diagnoses that affect children and adults alike, and often cause shame, isolation, and emotional distress. Yet despite their prevalence, these behaviors are rarely discussed in the general public.

BFRB Awareness Week is an annual celebration held October 1-7 that supports people who experience hair pulling, skin picking, and other associated behaviors. Tweet this

"TLC is proud to launch the largest-ever BFRB Awareness Week with a brand new website that captures the essence of the BFRB community," commented Jen Monteleone, Interim Executive Director of The TLC Foundation for Body-Focused Repetitive Behaviors.

BFRB Awareness Week is an annual celebration held October 1-7 that seeks to bring awareness to body-focused repetitive behaviors to break down myths and misperceptions that often lead to isolation and shame.

This year's BFRB Awareness Week is the largest-ever produced in the history of TLC, with 21 events over seven days, including a Wishcircle with Alexa Fischer, Strala Yoga with Tara Stiles, a TLC Talk with actress Violet Young from the Hulu series, 'Life & Beth', and a virtual fundraising concert featuring headliner Jason Cropper, founding member of Weezer.

BFRB Awareness Week 2022 is sponsored by PsycTech, Ltd. (stoppulling.com, stoppicking.com), HairClub, Shanthi Memorial Fund, and Rogers Behavioral Health.

FOR MEDIA, full release and FAQs: https://www.bfrb.org/about-us/press-room.

About The TLC Foundation for Body-Focused Repetitive Behaviors

The TLC Foundation for Body-Focused Repetitive Behaviors (TLC), a 501(c)3 nonprofit, is the world's leading authority on hair pulling, skin picking, nail biting, cheek biting and associated behaviors. TLC serves the community through advocacy, awareness, connection, health education, celebration, and equitable access to effective evidence-based treatments.

SOURCE TLC Foundation for Body-Focused Repetitive Behaviors
Esegur is the leading security company and cash-in-transit operator in Portugal , where it began business in 1994.

, where it began business in 1994. Trablisa was already present in Portugal after the company took over the Electronic Security Business Unit in Spain and Portugal from the Swedish multinational Gunnebo in November 2020 .

after the company took over the Electronic Security Business Unit in and from the Swedish multinational Gunnebo in . Trablisa's CEO Alberto Bordoy stated, "the acquisition of Esegur is an operation that is in line with the Strategic Plan we are developing with the deep commitment to becoming a leading global supplier of comprehensive security solutions in the Spanish and Portuguese market".

PALMA DE MALLORCA, Spain, Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Trablisa is strengthening its presence in Portugal with the acquisition of Esegur, the country's leading security company and cash-in-transit operator. The Spanish company was already present in Portugal after it took over the Electronic Security Business Unit in Spain and Portugal from the Swedish multinational Gunnebo back in 2020. Trablisa is now reinforcing its position in the market with a strategic operation that will certainly determine the present and the future of the company. With this operation, Trablisa is also showing its commitment to meeting the needs of its customers in the Iberian Peninsula.

Trablisa's CEO Alberto Bordoy stated, "the acquisition of Esegur is an operation that is in line with the Strategic Plan we are developing with the deep commitment to becoming a leading global supplier of comprehensive security solutions in the Spanish and Portuguese market. The acquisition of Esegur, which is a top security company and cash-in-transit operator in the country, is strategic for the present and future of our company. And it helps us ensure that the comprehensive security requirements of our customers in the Iberian Peninsula are met". Alberto Bordoy added, "I would like to thank all the people who have participated in the negotiations and have supported us in bringing the operation to fruition".

About Trablisa

Trablisa is a 100% family business established in Palma (Balearic Islands, Spain) in 1975. It is approved by the Ministry of the Interior and registered with the Special Registry of Security Companies maintained by the Directorate General of the Police (Company No. 72). After more than 46 years in the market, it has grown to become one of the top three security companies in Spain, offering a wide range of services and comprehensive solutions in the safety and security field. The company is represented in Spain, Portugal and Mexico, and has more than 10,000 employees.

SOURCE Trablisa
SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) and Bay Area transit agencies encourage travelers going to San Francisco for this weekend's Hardly Strictly Bluegrass festival or next weekend's Fleet Week activities, as well as those attending the Elton John concerts at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara or other special events this fall to:

Travel by train, bus or ferry

Beat the lines by putting a Clipper card on your mobile phone ahead of time

Visit clippercard.com for more information about using Clipper on your phone

Clipper is available for mobile phones through either Apple Pay or Google Pay. Clipper will waive the standard $3 new-card fee for customers who choose Clipper on their phone. The $3 fee will be charged to customers who opt for a traditional plastic card.

Adding a Clipper card to Google Pay, to an Apple iPhone 8 or later, or to an Apple Watch Series 3 or later is easy. Apple customers can add the card directly through Apple Wallet and load cash value with Apple Pay anytime, anywhere. Customers with Android system phones running Android 5 or later similarly can add the Clipper card directly through Google Pay and load cash value anytime, anywhere.

MTC is the transportation planning, funding and coordinating agency for the nine-county San Francisco Bay Area. MTC operates the Clipper system on behalf of the region's transit agencies.

Google, Android and Google Pay are trademarks of Google LLC.

SOURCE Metropolitan Transportation Commission
ORLANDO, Fla., Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Tupperware Brands Corporation ( NYSE: TUP), a leading global consumer products company, today announces that it has reached a settlement with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to fully resolve resolve its inquiry related to certain accounting practices of the now divested House of Fuller beauty business in Mexico from 2016 through the first quarter of 2020. Under terms of the settlement, Tupperware neither admits nor denies the SEC's findings and will pay an immaterial civil penalty, which was fully accrued in the second quarter of 2022.

"One of our core principles at Tupperware is that we do what's right. When we first discovered certain accounting issues in our now divested beauty business in Mexico, we took swift action to conduct a thorough internal review and proactively address the findings to improve our processes, procedures and internal control framework in this former business," said Miguel Fernandez, CEO of Tupperware. "We are pleased to put this issue to rest and focus on moving the Tupperware brand into the future."

Tupperware closed on the sale of the House of Fuller beauty business in Mexico in the second quarter of 2022 as part of its stated strategy of divesting non-core assets and focusing its resources on growing the core Tupperware brand.

About Tupperware Brands Corporation

Tupperware Brands Corporation ( NYSE: TUP) is a leading global consumer products company that designs innovative, functional and environmentally responsible products that people love and trust. Founded in 1946, Tupperware's signature container created the modern food storage category that revolutionized the way the world stores, serves and prepares food. Today, this iconic brand has more than 8,500 functional design and utility patents for solution-oriented kitchen and home products. With a purpose to nurture a better future, Tupperware products are an alternative to single-use items. The company distributes its products into nearly 70 countries primarily through independent representatives around the world. For more information, visit Tupperwarebrands.com or follow Tupperware on Facebook , Instagram , LinkedIn and Twitter .

Investors: Doug Lane, [email protected]

Media: Cameron Klaus, [email protected] , (407) 371-9784

SOURCE Tupperware Brands Corporation
QUEBEC, Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - UgoWork, a Canadian energy solutions provider specializing in lithium-ion batteries and Energy as a Service (EaaS) solutions in the material handling industry, just announced that industry veteran, Tim Ballard, is now the company's Director of Sales. This is yet another initiative UgoWork has taken as it continues to make inroads across the US and Canada.

UgoWork welcomes Tim Ballard as Director of Sales as part of its North American expansion plans (CNW Group/UgoWork)

Tim has over two decades of proven experience in material handling. After studying at the University of Louisville in Kentucky, he worked in several management positions at ProLift Industrial Equipment, an official full-service and material handling dealership for Toyota.

Apart from an in-depth and pragmatic understanding of industry needs and trends, Tim's strengths reside in his track record of working in all aspects of material handling, including operations, sales, training and support.

"We are thrilled to welcome Tim to the team," explained Philippe Beauchamp, UgoWork's CEO. "When I first met Tim through different projects, I already knew about his incredible reputation in the industry. We have an amazing response from the market and Tim comes at the right time. His approach and personality are a perfect fit in our team, and his contribution to our phenomenal expansion is extremely exciting. His background and rigor will definitely help our entire team achieve the very ambitious expansion goals we have set for the company."

Tim shares Philippe's eagerness to pave the way for UgoWork's innovative approach to energy management for material handling teams. "I was very impressed with UgoWork's vision and the performance of both its lithium-ion batteries and Energy-as-a-Service (EaaS) model ," he said. "No other manufacturer offers these types of solutions on the marketa solution that truly addresses today's material handling challenges."

"What started off as a customer-vendor relationship evolved into something much more. Right away, I saw the advantages of UgoWork's products and what they could do. The customer value speaks for itself," Tim added.

His plans for UgoWork in the upcoming months? "I want the business to have the very best sales team in the industry so that we can educate and serve material handling teams across North America about the benefits of lithium-ion batteries and EaaS as compared to other legacy technologies. UgoWork's future looks very bright indeed."

The UgoWork team will be at the Southern Automotive Conference from October 5 to 7 in Atlanta, GA. UgoWork will have booths in the Canadian pavilion (#404) and the EV Street display area.

About UgoWork

UgoWork develops, manufactures, and offers energy expertise and innovative lithium-ion power solutions that unlock the possibilities of Energy as a Service for the material handling industry. The company provides a flexible and cost-efficient consumption model that guarantees uptime and peace of mind. Its cloud-based approach to fleet optimization, pay-per-use program, energy insight, continuous field service, uptime guarantee, and end-of-life management enable fleet managers to execute their energy transition seamlessly. UgoWork's products and energy solutions cater to industrial trucks operating in the food and beverage, manufacturing, transportation, and distribution sectors.

Based in Quebec, Canada, the company offers its advanced, cost-efficient, and proven energy management programs across North America to many fortune 500 companies. Visit ugowork.com.

ugowork.com

SOURCE UgoWork
In partnership with the Louisiana Department of Education, funding will train 550+ diverse paraprofessionals for teaching positions in Baton Rouge's public schools via job-embedded degree apprenticeships and certifications.

BATON ROUGE, La., Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Reach University, in partnership with the Louisiana Resource Center for Educators (LRCE) and New Schools for Baton Rouge (NSBR), is the recipient of a projected $6.9 million U.S. Department of Education grant to accelerate the expansion of a teacher preparation degree apprenticeship to fill critical educator vacancies in Baton Rouge's highest-need districts.

With this funding, Reach's qualified teacher pipeline will grow from 600 to 1.2k educators across underserved districts. Tweet this U.S. Dept. of Education awards Reach University, Louisiana Resource Center for Educators (LRCE), and New Schools for Baton Rouge (NSBR) $6.9MM in part of the Department's SEED grant funding program.

The grant is part of the U.S. Department of Education's Supporting Effective Educator Development (SEED) program, and it comes on the heels of the Department's recently announced Teacher Quality Partnership (TQP) awards, which also featured Reach University as a grant recipient. Earlier this month the TQP program awarded Reach an expected $8.7 million to grow teacher degree apprenticeships in Arkansas.

This latest grant funds Reach's work in Louisiana and will place fully-certified teachers, specialized in math, science, and English language arts, in high-need parishes within three years, with a total of 550+ teachers filling critical vacancies within five years.

"The state of Louisiana places a top priority on growing high-quality teacher prep programs that break down historical barriers, support districts in recruiting local, representative educators, and ensure that every teacher who enters the classroom is qualified, experienced, and ready," said Em Cooper, Deputy Assistant Superintendent of Educator Development, Louisiana Department of Education. "Individually, Reach, LRCE and NSBR have played a distinct role in this effort. Together, they will dramatically accelerate the recruitment and placement of specialized, STEM-qualified, and certified teachers in schools that need it most."

The program places two long-standing goals into focus: quantifying the teacher shortage and building inclusive and high-quality pathways into the field of teaching for a diverse set of adult learners. Although the program's innovative and nontraditional pathway is open to any adult learner, it is with community college graduates where there is the greatest program focus and opportunity.

"Similar to our recent ED TQP grant award, there is no ramp-up time in this effort. Reach, LRCE and NSBR are putting these funds to use today, day one," said Joe Ross, President, Reach University. "With this SEED funding, we'll double Reach's qualified teacher pipeline from nearly 600 to 1,200 diverse educators across underserved parishes in Baton Rouge and throughout Louisiana. In parallel, we'll more closely align local community colleges with K-12 districts to redefine the A.A. to B.A. pathway and create a new type of professional and debt-free degree opportunity for historically overlooked talent."

Reach's teacher degree apprenticeships ensure districts can grow their own educators by recruiting local talent to fill needed paraprofessional roles. Once the paraprofessional is hired, they will begin a fully job-embedded teacher apprenticeship, where their job leads to a debt-free bachelor's degree. Upon degree completion, the paraprofessional will move into a full-time teaching role in their "home" parish. Teacher vacancy progression is tracked using a first of its kind labor analytics technology platform from Reach's partner, Craft Education System.

Associate degree holders will secure their bachelor's degree and teaching certification in three years or less. The grant will continue to fuel the integration of the final year of Reach's undergraduate program and the first year of LRCE's job-embedded alternative certification licensure program, ensuring the B.A. to teacher certification process is more accessible, affordable, and accelerated.

"Under a shared set of beliefs rooted in educational equity for all, we are proud to partner with Reach University and NSBR to ensure paraeducators have the knowledge and skill to become certified, champion teachers impacting students for years to come," said Christopher Joyce, Senior Director of Programs, Louisiana Resource Center for Educators. "Together, we'll create pathways for folks already invested in their school community to receive the same foundational training that led to previous Louisiana Teachers of the Year and Milken Award Winners. We cannot wait to see the impact that these Reachers will have as they become LRCE champion teachers."

Reach's degree-bearing teacher apprenticeships offer a solution to long standing diversity and retention challenges seen throughout the country, and are amplified in rural and low-income communities. The program ensures districts can recruit a diverse candidate pool, in which at least 50% of program completers and future teachers identify as Black, Indigenous and/or people of color. 90%+ of candidates are then hired and retained in their "home" districts for no less than three years. Demographic rates mirror Reach's other district partners across Louisiana, Alabama, Arkansas, California, and others.

"In partnership with Reach & LRCE, NSBR is building upon its long-standing mission to ensure every student has an excellent educational experience, driven by an exceptional educator and school. This funding ensures we are able to embed culturally relevant and sustaining practices that promote increases in academic achievement, while decreasing adverse behaviors by supporting social-emotional growth in students and teachers," said Kenneth Campbell, Chief Executive Officer, New Schools for Baton Rouge (NSBR).

SEED funding will serve future educators molding the educational experience of more than 6,200 socioeconomically disadvantaged and minority students in and around Baton Rouge's public schools. The program will soon also expand to other high-need rural and low-income LEAs in the state experiencing systemic teacher shortages, many of which where Reach is already working and utilizing existing state and federal workforce development funding to train future educators.

As part of the Department's larger $60 million SEED announcement, Tulane University's Educational Fund, in which Reach is a subgrantee and partner, was also awarded $10.7 million to expand teacher undergraduate and graduate degree programs in New Orleans.

ABOUT REACH UNIVERSITY

Reach University is a regionally accredited, nonprofit university that pioneers debt-free apprenticeship-based degrees. Reach is actively solving America's teacher shortage by creating fully-embedded pathways for high-potential individuals to earn degrees, credentials and jobs as teachers within their own communities. By focusing on low-income, urban and rural regions, offering online tutorials and classes, and rendering academic credit for on-the-job experience, Reach University is eliminating barriers to entry in high-need professions, and building grow-your-own pipelines of locally representative talent.

ABOUT LRCE

LRCE is an alternative certification program that has trained over 2,050 teachers for the state of Louisiana since 2003  teachers like Tanner Swain, Kimberly Eckert (2018 Louisiana State Teacher of the Year), Stephanie Whetstone (2018-19 Milken Educator Award winner), and numerous district and state-level Teacher of the Year recipients. Our teachers' journeys continue long after training at LRCE: our alumni include leaders of Louisiana schools, district superintendents and educational nonprofits. Our teacher placements target high-need subject areas (math, science and special education) in our neediest rural, urban and alternative school communities. LRCE works directly with individuals within these communities who have obtained a college degree and are seeking a teaching certification. LRCE's approach of placing local teacher talent into high-need areas coupled with our training and support, results in higher teacher retention. Most LRCE teachers stay in public schools for at least five years  a rate double that of many other alternative certification programs. This retention rate has long lasting positive impacts in our Louisiana communities and creates a solid human capital foundation.

ABOUT NSBR

Founded in 2012, New Schools for Baton Rouge (NSBR) is a community partnership that brings together talent and resources to deliver excellent schools to students and families in Baton Rouge. Its mission is to ensure there is an excellent school for every child in our city and we invest in programs and initiatives that support the success of schools to expand and sustain excellence citywide.

Contact Information:

Reach University

Lauren Bauml

[email protected]

(512) 923 - 6136

SOURCE Reach University
HOUSTON, Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- U.S. Legal Support, the nation's leading provider of litigation support services, today announced the recent expansion of its leadership team with the appointment of two new executives: Hunter Hibler serves as the organization's newly appointed Chief Financial Officer, and Sue Hoffman is U.S. Legal Support's Executive Vice President of Client Experience. These additions to the leadership team reflect the organization's continued emphasis on creating an exceptional customer experience for clients, court reporters, and other legal industry partners.

With U.S. Legal Support since 2019, Hibler first joined the organization as Director of FP&A. In his years at the company, Hibler has served in various leadership roles within the finance organization, most recently serving as Senior Vice President of Finance. Prior to joining U.S. Legal Support, Hibler worked in investment banking and private equity. "Hunter brings a diverse fiscal skillset and a wealth of business experience into his work with the company, and it has been a pleasure to watch him grow as a leader," said U.S. Legal Support Chief Executive Officer, Jimmie Bridwell. "Hunter will play a key role as we continue to expand our litigation support services across the country and his diverse background will undoubtedly play a key factor in our future growth and add strength to our financial initiatives".

The organization's second recent hire is Sue Hoffman, a seasoned customer experience executive with over twenty years of experience in a diverse array of industries including insurance, retail, mortgage, and financial services. Hoffman comes to U.S. Legal Support with extensive knowledge in all facets of customer experience from a successful career working with multiple Fortune 500 companies such as Unum, Assurant, and Aetna. "As an executive leader dedicated to client experience at U.S. Legal Support, Sue's position reflects our continued priority to deliver an exceptional experience for our customers," said Bridwell. "Sue's knack for how to balance the human touch within an increasingly digital environment will be invaluable for us as we grow as an organization. Her visionary perspective and leadership inspire us to keep our customers at the forefront of everything we do."

About U.S. Legal Support

U.S. Legal Support was founded in 1996 with the goal of becoming the first nationwide, all-inclusive litigation support company. Nearly three decades later, we're one of the leading providers of litigation support services and the only company to provide a full suite of court reporting solutions, record retrieval, interpreting & translations, trial services and transcription services to law firms, major corporations, and insurance companies nationwide. With on-demand access to 12,000+ offices in 2,700 cities across the country and a robust digital infrastructure, we can accommodate your litigation support needs quickly, comfortably, and safely from anywhere in the country. For more information about U.S. Legal Support, visit the company's website at: www.uslegalsupport.com.

For media inquiries, please contact [email protected].

SOURCE U.S. Legal Support, Inc.
Fire Retardant Used on Homes During Two of California's Most Devastating Fires Recognized for Formula and Method of Use

MARINA DEL REY, Calif., Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Sunseeker Enterprises, Inc. DBA, Sun FireDefense announced that on September 13, 2022 the company was granted patent #11441076 for its fire prevention coating formula by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Specific applications of the invention include the protection of residential properties in wildfire-prone areas, commercial structures, and utility pole assets. When the long-lasting solution is applied to a surface, dried, and cured, it absorbs into the substrate to significantly decrease the possibility of combustion for years afterward. Sun FireDefense's SPF3000 is a clear liquid that can also be mixed into paint or stain or sprayed onto the exterior of a structure. The company's track record includes saving homes in some of California's most devastating fires.

Sun FireDefense SPF 3000

According to the patent, SPF3000 is a fire prevention coating to be applied to wood, polymers, metals, fabrics, fiberglass, and plastics to help prevent ignition and inhibit the spread of fire. The technology has a protective layer that expands, starves oxygen that fire needs and then self-extinguishes. The liquid is applied through a spray or brushing, and after being dried reduces and prevents the spread of fire across those surfaces.

The invention has been tested by the U.S. Department of Energy, Environmental Consulting, Inc., and NTS Laboratories, Inc. The formula was tested to ASTM-2768 standards by NGC and Guardian Fire Testing Laboratories, Inc. (both on Cal Fire's list of approved third party testing). The test evaluated the ability of a product to limit the surface spread of flame for 30 minutes. The formula met the conditions of classification as outlined in ASTM-2768-11. For the initial 10-minute test period, the test specimen had a flame spread index less than or equal to 25 and the flame front did not progress more than 10.5 feet beyond the centerline of the burners at any time during the test period.

Additionally, Turner McClaine Environmental Consulting conducted an evaluation of wood treated with the dried formula to determine if it would pose an environmental or health threat. The laboratory analysis during the test determined that all results were "non-detect" for Volatile Organic Chemicals (VOCs).

During the Woolsey fire of 2018, a client in Corral Canyon in Malibu explained: "We had a wall of fire coming at us and spot fires on the left and right. All my neighbors' homes, 4 in a row, are rubble now. Our house took a direct hit on three sides and survived."

During the Skirball Fire in 2017, Tom Kimball, Project Manager for a Bel Air home said: "In a firestorm, just 150 yards away, four homes burned down. Afterwards, we had only a few hours of cleanup."

About Sun FireDefense : provides a patented product and services that helped save structures in California's deadly Skirball and Woolsey fires. The company offers a menu of advanced fire-retardant products, including SPF 3000, a clear spray that mixes into paint or stain, a heat-censored, remote exterior sprinkler system, and a fire-resistant window laminate. The line was inspired by some of the most influential experts in aerospace, firefighting, and electric power generation. Sun FireDefense delivers long-lasting, high-temperature fire protection that inhibits the ignition and spread of fire for years (versus minutes or hours), with one application. Sun FireDefense coatings and services are a game-changer for wildfire protection.

Media contacts:

Alyson Dutch and Carol Levey

Brown + Dutch PR, Inc., 310.456.7151

[email protected]

SOURCE Sun FireDefense
NEW YORK, Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The U.S. Council for International Business (USCIB) applauds the resounding victory today of Doreen Bogdan-Martin to serve as new Secretary General of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). ITU member states made history by elevating Bogdan-Martin to lead the organization  the first-ever female to serve as ITU Secretary General. Bogdan-Martin garnered 139 votes; Rashid Ismailov, a former Russian telecom official, secured 25. The vote was taken by secret ballot at the 21st meeting of the ITU Plenipotentiary (PP-22), September 26-October 14, in Bucharest, Romania.

"After 150 years, we shattered the glass ceiling," Secretary General Bogdan-Martin said after the results were announced. The full text of her acceptance speech is available at this link.

USCIB Vice President of ICT Policy Barbara Wanner, who participated in the PP-22 as a member of the U.S. Government delegation, concurred that the election represented a truly historic development. "The sheer breadth of support for Bogdan-Martin reflected a recognition across the Union that she is the right person for the job as the information and communication technology (ICT) landscape continues to evolve," Wanner said.

USCIB was one the earliest organizational supporters of Bogdan-Martin's candidacy.

"It was readily apparent to our members that she possesses both the substantive knowledge and leadership skills to place the ITU at the forefront of global efforts to drive meaningful connectivity for the unconnected, broaden and deepen partnerships to accelerate digital transformation, and support greater organizational accountability," Wanner noted.

Thanks to members' generous support, USCIB boosted Bogdan-Martin's candidacy by hosting a reception on July 13 in New York to enable her to engage informally with many UN delegates and share her leadership vision for the ITU.

In addition to electing the Secretary General and other key leadership positions, the ITU Plenipotentiary, which is held every four years, enables the ITU's 193 Member States to conclude key agreements on the ITU's strategic and financial plans and determine the direction for ICT issues under its remit for the next four years.

Other highlights of the first week of the PP-22 included:

An announcement by the U.S Government that it plans to increase its assessed contribution rate to the ITU from 30 contributory units to 35 contributory units, which would represent an additional 1.59 million Swiss francs per year to support the work of the ITU; and

per year to support the work of the ITU; and Establishment of numerous ad hoc committees and informal consultations to build consensus on proposed resolutions on cybersecurity, Internet-related issues, Artificial Intelligence (AI), and space policy issues of priority interest to USCIB members.

About USCIB: USCIB promotes open markets, competitiveness and innovation, sustainable development, and corporate responsibility, supported by international engagement and regulatory coherence. Its members include U.S.-based global companies and professional services firms from every sector of our economy, with operations in every region of the world. USCIB is the U.S. affiliate of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), the International Organization of Employers (IOE) and Business at OECD. More at www.uscib.org.

SOURCE United States Council for International Business
PLEASANTON, Calif., Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Veeva Systems (NYSE: VEEV) will host its financial analyst and investor day virtually on Thursday, November 3, 2022. The event will begin at 9:00 a.m. PT and will conclude at approximately 11:00 a.m. PT.

Veeva will broadcast the presentations live on the company's investor relations website, ir.veeva.com, where a link to the archived webcast will also be available after the event.

Event: Veeva Systems Virtual Financial Analyst and Investor Day Date: Thursday, November 3, 2022 Time: 9:00 a.m. PT (12:00 p.m. ET) Online event registration can be found on the company's investor relations website or directly at this link. Webcast: ir.veeva.com

About Veeva Systems

Veeva is the global leader in cloud software for the life sciences industry. Committed to innovation, product excellence, and customer success, Veeva serves more than 1,000 customers, ranging from the world's largest pharmaceutical companies to emerging biotechs. As a Public Benefit Corporation, Veeva is committed to balancing the interests of all stakeholders, including customers, employees, shareholders, and the industries it serves. For more information, visit veeva.com.

Veeva uses its ir.veeva.com website as a means of disclosing material non-public information, announcing upcoming investor conferences, and for complying with its disclosure obligations under Regulation FD. Accordingly, you should monitor our investor relations website in addition to following our press releases, SEC filings, and public conference calls and webcasts.

Investor Relations Contact: Media Contact:



Ato Garrett

Veeva Systems Inc.

925-452-6500

[email protected] Maria Scurry

Veeva Systems Inc.

781-366-7617

[email protected]

SOURCE Veeva Systems
HO CHI MINH CITY, Vietnam, Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Vinamilk , Vietnam's leading dairy manufacturer has reached a new milestone by being ranked 6th position in the Top 10 Most Valuable Dairy Brands by Brand Finance.

Brand Finance offered Vinamilks brand value certificate to the companys representative Vinamilks brand value growth (2019 - 2022) Vinamilks recent activities in Australia Fine Food trade fair

The US$2.8 billion valuation this year sees an impressive 18% increase as compared to 2021, reaffirms Vinamilk's leading position. Specifically, in the dairy segment, the brand was ranked the Most Potential Dairy Brand and continues to appear in the Top 5 Strongest Dairy Brands, coming in 2nd place  a remarkable result for Vinamilk as the only Southeast Asia representative in the Top 10 ranking for both brand value and strength. Vinamilk also leaves its footprint in major Food rankings such as Top 30 Most Valuable Food Brands and Top 10 Strongest Food Brands.

Furthermore, according to the nationwide report, Brand Finance also recognized Vinamilk as the Most Valuable Food Brand in Vietnam.

"The significant role of the brand is well aware by Vinamilk throughout the development of the company, especially in F&B and the dairy industry in particular. Throughout our 46-year journey, Vinamilk has continuously built the company's brand value in accordance to our core pillars - product quality, service and our reputation amongst consumers", said Mrs. Bui Thi Huong, Vinamilk Chief Director of Admin, HR & PR.

She also believes Vietnamese businesses will focus and put all their effort in achieving higher rankings on global rankings, affirming the position and value of Vietnamese national brands.

Every year, Brand Finance puts 5,000 of the world's biggest brands in 29 industries throughout 39 countries under its test. With an integrated measurement method, considering various brand factors such as impact, health and reputation, investment and others combined with financial and survey data, the annual Food and Drink report published by Brand Finance provides brand health assessments in a transparent, fair and objective manner.

The changes when compared to Brand Finance's 2021 report suggest that brands that invest in intrinsic strength, as well as focus on core values and long-term vision, are more likely to overcome uncertainty in turbulent times, and are developing further through innovation and continuity to meet growing consumer needs.

Vinamilk's investments have also been positively recognized by other local and international organizations. The Brand Footprint 2022 report published by Worldpanel, Kantar signified Vinamilk's decade-long achievements in maintaining leading positions in the Top 10 Most Chosen Dairy Brands in Vietnam.

In addition, Vinamilk was also honored for the 10th consecutive time in Forbes Vietnam's 50 Best Listed Companies and has been recognized as one of "Vietnam Value" brands by VIETRADE since 2010.

Present in 57 countries and territories with a total accumulated export turnover of US$2.75 billion, Vinamilk continues to research and develop new products to increase its penetration to key export markets.

Since the beginning of 2022, the company has actively participated in a number of international trade activities and food fairs in China, Dubai, Japan, South Korea, and Australia to introduce Vinamilk's range of products, as well as seeking opportunities for its international expansion.

About Vinamilk

Founded in 1976, Vinamilk is the leading dairy company in Vietnam which is listed among the Top 40 largest nutrition companies in the world by revenue and Top 10 of the world's most valuable dairy brands. Vinamilk currently manages 17 factories, 15 dairy farms in Vietnam and overseas.

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1910811/1.jpg

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1910812/Vinamilk_Brand_Value_Graph__1.jpg

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1910813/KDQT__c_1.jpg

SOURCE Vinamilk
SYDNEY, Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Data Bridge Market Research Published Latest Global Waterproofing Chemical Market Study by in-depth analysis about current scenario, the Market size, demand, growth pattern, trends, and forecast. Waterproofing Chemical is the market research report that is promising and the way in which you anticipate. The research and analysis conducted in this report helps clients to predict investment in an emerging market, expansion of market share or success of a new product with the help of Global market research analysis. Market segmentation is also covered in detail by considering several aspects that is sure to help businesses out there. All these actions also have an effect on the sales, import, export, revenue and CAGR values. And not to mention, before giving it to the end users, all this information is assessed and validated by the market experts.

Data Bridge Market Research analyses that waterproofing chemical market was valued at USD 31.21 billion in 2021 and is expected to reach the value of USD 81.22 billion by 2029, at a CAGR of 12.70% during the forecast period of 2022-2029. In addition to the insights on market scenarios such as market value, growth rate, segmentation, geographical coverage, and major players, the market reports curated by the Data Bridge Market Research also include in-depth expert analysis, geographically represented company-wise production and capacity, network layouts of distributors and partners, detailed and updated price trend analysis and deficit analysis of supply chain and demand.

Access PDF Sample Report (Including Graphs, Charts & Figures) @ https://www.databridgemarketresearch.com/request-a-sample/?dbmr=global-waterproofing-chemical-market

Market Insights:- Waterproofing Chemical Market

Waterproofing chemicals are specialised chemicals that prevent water from penetrating the building. General purpose waterproofing chemicals work by providing chemical or corrosion barrier properties to the product in order to increase the product's durability by preventing leakage. Prolonged exposure to water may result in accelerated ageing and significant damage to civil structures. Waterproofing chemicals are typically introduced during construction to maintain the structure's appearance and extend its life.

The global construction industry's rapid growth bodes well for the global waterproofing chemicals market. Waterproofing chemicals have a variety of applications, the most important of which is to protect buildings from seepage and leakage caused by water and moisture. The construction sector is on the rise globally as a result of rapidly increasing urbanisation and industrialization, which is expected to boost demand for waterproofing chemicals.

Some of the major players operating in waterproofing chemical market are:

Carlisle Companies Inc. (U.S.)

DOW (U.S.)

Firestone Building Products Company (U.S.)

SOPREMA Group ( France )

) BASF SE ( Germany )

) MBCC Group ( Germany )

) Sika AG ( Switzerland )

) EverGuard TPO Walkway Roll (U.S.)

Johns Manville (U.S.)

Minerals Technologies Inc. (U.S

Fosroc, Inc. (U.K.)

GCP Applied Technologies, Inc., (U.S.)

Mapei S.p.A ( Italy )

) Renolit SE ( Germany )

Opportunity

The industry also aims to address public concerns about the manufacturing and use of waterproofing chemicals in order to mitigate the environmental consequences of past practises. One of the current trends in the waterproofing chemicals industry is increased compliance with international manufacturing standards. The waterproofing industry in developing countries such as India, Brazil, and Indonesia focuses on developing best industrial practises and implementing consumer standards similar to international ones. This is likely to aid the growth of the waterproofing chemicals industry.

Access Full Research Report @ https://www.databridgemarketresearch.com/checkout/buy/enterprise/global-waterproofing-chemical-market

The investment made in the study would provide you access to information such as:

Waterproofing Chemicals Market [Global  Broken-down into regions]

[Global  Broken-down into regions] Regional level split [ North America , Europe , Asia Pacific , South America , Middle East & Africa ]

, , , , & ] Country wise Market Size Split [of important countries with major market share]

Market Share and Revenue/Sales by leading players

Market Trends  Emerging Technologies/products/start-ups, PESTEL Analysis, SWOT Analysis, Porter's Five Forces, etc.

Market Size

Market Size by application/industry verticals

Market Projections/Forecast

Industry Drivers:

The high prevalence of construction activities around the world is creating market demand

The primary driver of growth in the waterproofing chemicals market trends is rapid urbanization. Furthermore, rising construction activity is increasing demand for waterproofing chemicals in developing economies. One of the primary factors driving the demand for waterproofing chemicals is rising ground and surface water contamination. Furthermore, rising public awareness and the need to address the financial implications of maintaining ageing infrastructure are all important drivers of growth in the waterproofing chemicals Market.

Ongoing initiatives toward energy efficient and green buildings

Regulatory authorities intend to establish guidelines to reduce pollution levels while also creating a model that incentivizes energy efficient and green buildings. These types of initiatives are expected to increase demand for waterproofing chemicals. Initiatives taken by developing-country governments to provide basic infrastructure facilities such as concrete-based homes, access to proper roads, and a better irrigation network are expected to boost the infrastructure and industrial sectors, creating a demand for waterproofing chemicals.

Restraints

Fluctuating raw material prices, which are heavily reliant on petrochemical supply and demand, will limit the growth of the waterproofing chemical market during the forecast period.

This waterproofing chemical Industry report provides details of new recent developments, trade regulations, import-export analysis, production analysis, value chain optimization, market share, impact of domestic and localized market players, analyses opportunities in terms of emerging revenue pockets, changes in market regulations, strategic market growth analysis, market size, category market growths, application niches and dominance, product approvals, product launches, geographic expansions, technological innovations in the market. To gain more info on the waterproofing chemical market contact Data Bridge Market Research for an Analyst Brief, our team will help you take an informed market decision to achieve market growth.

Impact and Current Market Scenario of Raw Material Shortage and Shipping Delays

Data Bridge Market Research offers a high-level analysis of the market and delivers information by keeping in account the impact and current market environment of raw material shortage and shipping delays. This translates into assessing strategic possibilities, creating effective action plans, and assisting businesses in making important decisions.

Apart from the standard report, we also offer in-depth analysis of the procurement level from forecasted shipping delays, distributor mapping by region, commodity analysis, production analysis, price mapping trends, sourcing, category performance analysis, supply chain risk management solutions, advanced benchmarking, and other services for procurement and strategic support.

Expected Impact of Economic Slowdown on the Pricing and Availability of Products

When economic activity slows, industries begin to suffer. The forecasted effects of the economic downturn on the pricing and accessibility of the products are taken into account in the market insight reports and intelligence services provided by DBMR. With this, our clients can typically keep one step ahead of their competitors, project their sales and revenue, and estimate their profit and loss expenditures.

Browse More about This Premium Research Report at https://www.databridgemarketresearch.com/reports/global-waterproofing-chemical-market

Global Waterproofing Chemical Market Scope

Waterproofing chemical market segmentation on the basis of product, technology, application and end-use. The growth amongst these segments will help you analyses meagre growth segments in the industries and provide the users with a valuable market overview and market insights to help them make strategic decisions for identifying core market applications

By Product

Polymer

Bitumen

Others

By Technology

Integral Systems

Preformed Membranes

Coatings & Liquid Applied Membrane Systems

By Application

Roofing & Walls

Waste & Water Management

Floors & Basements

Tunnel Liners

Others

By End user

Commercial

Residential

Industrial Infrastructure Development

Regional Analysis/Insights

Waterproofing chemical market is analysed and market size insights and trends are provided by country, product, technology, application and end-use as referenced above.

The countries covered in the waterproofing chemical Market report are U.S., Canada and Mexico in North America, Germany, France, U.K., Netherlands, Switzerland, Belgium, Russia, Italy, Spain, Turkey, Rest of Europe in Europe, China, Japan, India, South Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, Australia, Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines, Rest of Asia-Pacific (APAC) in the Asia-Pacific (APAC), Saudi Arabia, U.A.E, South Africa, Egypt, Israel, Rest of Middle East and Africa (MEA) as a part of Middle East and Africa (MEA), Brazil, Argentina and Rest of South America as part of South America

Asia-Pacific dominates the waterproofing chemical market because of the region's rapid industrialization, rising disposable income, and construction sector development. Latin America is expected to grow from 2022 to 2029 as a result of rising infrastructure investment and consumer concerns about safety and the environment.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Part 01: Executive Summary

Part 02: Scope Of The Report

Part 03: Research Methodology

Part 04: Market Landscape

Part 05: Pipeline Analysis

Part 06: Market Sizing

Part 07: Five Forces Analysis

Part 08: Market Segmentation

Part 09: Customer Landscape

Part 10: Regional Landscape

Part 11: Decision Framework

Part 12: Drivers And Challenges

Part 13: Market Trends

Part 14: Vendor Landscape

Part 15: Vendor Analysis

Part 16: Appendix

Grab In-depth Table of Contents @ https://www.databridgemarketresearch.com/toc/?dbmr=global-waterproofing-chemical-market

Why Consider This Report?

 The report offers a comprehensive evaluation of the Waterproofing Chemical Market. The report includes in-depth qualitative analysis, verifiable data from authentic sources, and projections about market size. The projections are calculated using proven research methodologies.

 The report has been compiled through extensive primary and secondary research. The primary research is done through interviews, surveys, and observation of renowned personnel in the industry.

 The report includes an in-depth market analysis using Porter's 5 forces model. In addition, the impact of pandemic on the market is also featured in the report.

 The report also includes the regulatory scenario in the industry, which will help you make a well-informed decision. The report discusses major regulatory bodies and major rules and regulations imposed on this sector across various geographies.

 The report also contains the competitive analysis using Positioning Quadrants, the analyst's Proprietary competitive positioning tool

Have a Look on Reports:

Waterproofing Membrane Market, By Raw Material (Polymers, Bitumen, Polymer modified cement, Others), Type (Liquid Applied Membranes, Sheet Based Membranes), Usage (Refurbishment, New construction), Application (Roofing and Walls, Building Structures, Waste and Water Management, Mining Application, Tunnel Liners, Bridges and Highways, Others) https://www.databridgemarketresearch.com/reports/global-waterproofing-membrane-market

Waterproofing Admixture Market, By Type (Crystalline, Pore Blocking, Hydrophobic or Water-Repellent Materials, Others), Application (Building and Construction, Public Infrastructure, Commercial Space), End User (Tanks, Sewage and Water Treatment Plants, Tunnel and Subway Systems, Balconies, Underground Vaults, Bridge Decks, Secondary Containment Structures, Basements, Water Reservoirs, Precast Components, Swimming Pools, Parking Structures) https://www.databridgemarketresearch.com/reports/global-waterproofing-admixture-market

Below Grade Waterproofing Membrane Market By Membrane Type (Sheet-Based, Liquid-Coated), Position (Positive-Side, Blind-Side, Negative-Side), End-Use (Commercial, Public Infrastructure, Residential), Material Type (Polymers, Bitumen, Bentonite, Rubberized Asphalt, Others), Application (Fluid-Applied, Fully Bonded, Self-Adhered, Loose-Laid), Country (U.S., Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Rest of South America, Germany, France, Italy, U.K., Belgium, Spain, Russia, Turkey, Netherlands, Switzerland, Rest of Europe, Japan, China, India, South Korea, Australia, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines, Rest of Asia-Pacific, U.A.E, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, South Africa, Israel, Rest of Middle East and Africa) https://www.databridgemarketresearch.com/reports/global-below-grade-waterproofing-membrane-market

Waterproofing Systems Market, By Type (Waterproofing Chemicals, Waterproofing Membranes, Integral Systems), Application (Building Structures, Roofing and walls, Roadways, Waste and Water Management, Others) Country (U.S., Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Rest of South America, Germany, France, Italy, U.K., Belgium, Spain, Russia, Turkey, Netherlands, Switzerland, Rest of Europe, Japan, China, India, South Korea, Australia, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines, Rest of Asia-Pacific, U.A.E, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, South Africa, Israel, Rest of Middle East and Africa) https://www.databridgemarketresearch.com/reports/global-waterproofing-systems-market

North America Waterproofing Membranes Market, By Type (Applied Membranes, Sheet Based Membranes, Built-Up Or Laminate Membrane and Injectable Waterproofing), Raw Material (Modified Bitumen, PVC, EPDM, TPO, HDPE, LDPE and Others), Grade (Grade-1 , Grade-2 and Grade-3), Application (Roofing & Walls, Building Structures, Waste & Water Management, Mining Application, Tunnel Liners, Bridges & Highways and Others), Country (U.S., Canada, Mexico) https://www.databridgemarketresearch.com/reports/north-america-waterproofing-membranes-market

Commercial Restoration Waterproofing Membranes Market, By Product (Liquid Applied, Sheet Based), Raw Material (Modified Bitumen, PVC, TPO, Acrylic, Polyurea, Polyurethane, Others), Usage (Refurbishment, New construction), Application (Roofing, Building Structure, Walls, Roadways, Waste and Water Management, Others) https://www.databridgemarketresearch.com/reports/global-commercial-restoration-waterproofing-membranes-market

Singapore Waterproofing Adhesives & Sealants Market in Building and Construction, By Type (Adhesives, Sealants), Application Area (Exterior, Interior), Application (Auxiliaries WPS, Cementitious Systems, Dispersion Systems, Joint Sealants, Jointing Systems, Bitumen Asphalt, Bridge Deck Waterproofing, Chemical Resistant Waterproofing, Primers, Traffic Systems, Others), Distribution Channel (E-commerce, Supermarkets and Hypermarkets, Specialist Retailers, Convenience Stores, Hardware Stores, Others), End-User (Residential, Commercial, Institutional, Infrastructure) https://www.databridgemarketresearch.com/reports/singapore-waterproofing-adhesives-and-sealants-market

About Data Bridge Market Research:

An absolute way to forecast what future holds is to comprehend the trend today!

Data Bridge Market Research set forth itself as an unconventional and neoteric Market research and consulting firm with unparalleled level of resilience and integrated approaches. We are determined to unearth the best market opportunities and foster efficient information for your business to thrive in the market. Data Bridge endeavours to provide appropriate solutions to the complex business challenges and initiates an effortless decision-making process. Data Bridge is an aftermath of sheer wisdom and experience which was formulated and framed in the year 2015 in Pune.

Data Bridge Market Research has over 500 analysts working in different industries. We have catered more than 40% of the fortune 500 companies globally and have a network of more than 5000+ clientele around the globe. Data Bridge adepts in creating satisfied clients who reckon upon our services and rely on our hard work with certitude. We are content with our glorious 99.9 % client satisfying rate.

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SOURCE Data Bridge Market Research
Burgundian wines account for six of the top ten biggest risers

Market gains underline affordability and reputation

Strong US Dollar leads to uptick in US wine buyers

LONDON, Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The ten best performing fine wines posted an average return of 18%1 in September, according to Wine Track [winecap.com/wine-track], a comprehensive fine wine index giving retail investors access to a simple and transparent scoring system for building a wine portfolio.

Six of the ten strongest performing wines originate from the Burgundy region, which has set the pace for the fine wine market in 2022, generating an aggregate year-to-date return of 25.3%, comfortably outperforming all major financial benchmarks.2 A surge in the US Dollar has seen buyers flocking to fine wines as 39%3 of trade was made by US buyers on the last weekend of September.

Burgundy's reputation as the leading investment region for price performance has grown dramatically in recent years, with more labels traded on the secondary market at more affordable price points. Most of Wine Track's fastest movers in September are affordable Burgundian wines from highly regarded producers including Dujac, Jacques Frederic Mugnier and Domaine Ponsot (see table below).

Much of Burgundy's growth in volume comes from white wines, which now make up 60% of the region's production, and is on average considerably more affordable than the reds.

Wine Track's top ten for September include three Burgundian white producers from Puligny Montrachet Referts (+27%), Chassagne Montrachet Blanchot Dessus (+18%), and Nuits Saint Georges Clos Marechale Blanc (+13%).

While Italy is usually linked to Tuscan stars, Piedmont was a standout in September with wines from this region placing third and sixth. Produttori Barbaresco's Barbaresco Pora Riserva saw a 20% month-on-month gain, and Giuseppe Rinaldi's Barolo Cannubi S.Lorenzo Ravera rose 16%.

WineCap launched Wine Track earlier this year. The platform analyses as collection of data points to generate a bespoke scoring system. This helps investors reference a wine's quality at a glance. Wine Track was developed by WineCap, a fine wine investor with the objective of democratising fine wine investment and making it accessible to a wider cohort of investors.

Alexander Westgarth, CEO of WineCap, said: "Burgundy is well known for producing some of the world's most expensive wines, but right now we are seeing the biggest gains from the value-driven segment of the market. These wines are naturally more attractive to retail investors looking to build a diversified portfolio.

"Wine Track is especially useful for those looking to invest in rare wines. Price points are often skewed when there is a limited secondary market, so our point scoring system and indexed price performance metrics provide a more reliable and transparent indicator. We will be continually expanding the number of wines covered by Wine Track so it becomes an increasingly vital source of information for wine investors."

By leveraging technology and automating processes that were traditionally manual, WineCap passes on large cost savings to investors. Unlike other wine investment firms which charge annual management fees, WineCap levies a modest annual storage fee based on the number of bottles in a portfolio and a 5% commission on sales.

Wine Track top ten ROI wines in September

Wine Producer Country Region Current average price4 Month on month gain Puligny Montrachet Referts Jean-Philippe Fichet France Burgundy $987 27 % Charmes Chambertin Cuvee Merles Domaine Ponsot France Burgundy $3937 22 % Barbaresco Pora Riserva Produttori Barbaresco Italy Piedmont $823 20 % Chassagne Montrachet Blanchot Dessus Bruno Colin France Burgundy $1197 18 % Cornas Guillaume Gilles France Rhone $849 18 % Barolo Cannubi S.Lorenzo Ravera Giuseppe Rinaldi Italy Piedmont $5531 16 % Clarendon Hills, Liandra Syrah, South Australia Clarendon Hills S. Australia McLaren Vale $714 15 % Marsannay Longeroies Rouge Denis Mortet France Burgundy $626 15 % Gevrey Chambertin Dujac Fils et Pere France Burgundy $939 14 % Nuits Saint Georges Clos Marechale Blanc Jacques Frederic Mugnier France Burgundy $1854 13 %

Source: WineCap's Wine Tracker September 2022

For further information

Analysis of WineCap's Wine Track in September 2022 Liv-ex Burgundy 150 Liv-ex Based on exchange rate on 28.09 of 1.0748

About WineCap

With decades of experience navigating the international fine wine market, Los Angeles, Bordeaux and London based WineCap aims to democratise wine investing while offering propositions that translate into maximised profits for their customers.

Their proprietary in-house technology enables them to continually monitor the global marketplace while also tapping into many other third-party fine wine authorities, securing only the most current and reliable market data, trends and fluctuations.

SOURCE WineCap
DUBLIN, Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Dashcams Market Size, Market Share, Application Analysis, Regional Outlook, Growth Trends, Key Players, Competitive Strategies and Forecasts, 2022 to 2030" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.



The market for dashcams is growing rapidly with increasing awareness about the benefits of dashcams particularly among the private vehicle owners. In addition, dashcams are widely used by taxi and bus drivers, driving instructors, police officers and many others to capture real time driving incidences.

Dashcams provides straight to point and efficient evidence in case of accidents to easily identify the fault of driver. Drivers can use this footage in court to prove their innocence, and claims repair cost for other driver who found guilty in the video. These footages are also accepted by some insurance companies as such video footages help them to identify fraud claims and reduce operational costs required for claim processing.



In addition, parents can install multi lens dashboard camera to take the footages of in-car driver activities of teen age drivers. In addition insurance companies particularly in European countries are providing discounts and subsidiaries to install dashcams. All the above factors are influencing the demand for dashcams across the world.



The global dashcams market is expanding at a CAGR of 13.4% through the forecast period 2022 to 2030.



Based on different product types available in the market, the dashcams market is segmented into two categories, namely - basic dashcams and advanced dashcams. Basic dashcams accounted for the largest revenue as well as volume market share in 2021 and is expected to remain the largest share through the forecast period.

However, with increasing awareness about the benefits of advanced dashcams and discounts offered by insurance companies, market share of advanced dashcams are expected to see the fastest growth through the forecast. Basic dashcams are video cameras with removable or built-in storage device which continuously records during driving. Basic dashcams are affordable and suitable for video recording purpose. This product category accounted for the largest revenue as well as volume share compared to advanced dashcams due to their low cost. The market for basic dashcams is expected to grow further with increasing demand from Asia Pacific, Russia.



Advanced dashcams have some additional feature with basic functionality of video recording such as audio recording, GPS logging, speed sensors, accelerometers, uninterruptable power supply etc. Some advanced dashcams also includes loop recording function in which dashcam simply overwrite at the beginning of memory card whenever memory is full. This would not required from drivers attention until driver want to save particular video.

Some dashcams also provide data and time stamp facility. Cameras with GPS logging records the drivers location at which accident is occurred so it might be considered as an authenticate evidence in case of accidents to prove driver's' innocence and to claim insurance. Some insurance companies are also started giving discounts on their premium if car owners have installed dashcams in their vehicles which is motivating vehicle owners to purchase advanced dashcams.

Technology Segmentation Analysis

On the basis of technology, the global dashcams market is segmented into two categories, namely - single channel dashcams and dual channel dashcams.



Typically, single channel dashcams are used to record videos at the front of vehicles. Single channel dashcams are cheaper compared to dual channel dashcams and accounted for the largest revenue share. Single channel dashboard cameras are the most common type of dashcams used across the world and suitable for road trip recording application. Multi-channel cameras operates similar to single channel camera, but have multiple lenses to record separate views. Most of the multi-channel cameras are dual-channel dashcams which have one lens to record views inside the car including driver and other standard lenses to record front view outside of the car.



In 2021, single channel dashcams accounted for the largest revenue share compared to dual/multi channel dashcams. However, demand for dual channel dashcams is expected to see the fastest growth through the forecast period with rising demand from both private and commercial vehicle owners. Parents in the European countries are installing backward facing dashboard cameras to capture the behavior of their teenage drivers which is also increasing the demand for dual channel dashcams from private vehicle segment.



Asia Pacific is the largest regional market in the global dashcams market. Russian motorists are installing dashboard cameras because of heavy road traffics, frequent road accidents, corrupted police officers and unfavorable law systems. China, Australia, Japan and Southeast Asia are major dashboard camera markets in Asia Pacific region. China is the largest individual market for dashcams in Asia Pacific. China is also expected to see the fastest growth with rising awareness about the effectiveness and safety of dashboard cameras. In South Korea dashboard cameras are popular as Black Box". In the Rest of World region, we have considered Africa, South America and Middle East.

Dashcams are also known as dashboard cameras, digital video recorders (DVRs), accident recorders, car cameras and black box camera (popularly known in Japan). These cameras are mounted on wind shield of vehicle and continuously record incidences throughout the journey. Dashcam is commonly integrated with the car's' ignition circuit so that they record continuously when ignition key is in the run mode. In the U.S. dashcams popular from 1980 and commonly found in police vehicles.

Dashcams became popular among the private vehicle owners after a television reality series World's' Wildest Police Videos in 1998. Owing to rising popularity and increasing funds for installation of dashcams, adoption rate of dashcams particularly in U.S. police vehicle increased to 72% in 2003 from 11% in 2000. In 2009, Russian Interior ministry passed a regulation which allows the Russian motorist to install in-vehicle dashcams. In 2013, more than 1 million motorists in Russia have installed dashcams in their vehicles. After the popularity of Russian and Korean videos published on Internet, the demand for dashcams increased in North America and Europe.



At present the use of dashcam is limited in several countries due to strict personal privacy and data protection laws. Though, the installation of dashcams is illegal in some European countries, this technology is gaining popularity in Asia Pacific, U.S. and other European countries supporting its use.

At present, the adoption rate of basic dashcams is higher than advanced dashcams. Basic dashcam offers basic functionality of video recording with removable or in-built storage device.

However, considering the rising popularity of dashboard cameras and willingness of consumers to spend more on advanced solutions is influencing the demand for advanced dashcams in the matured markets particularly in Japan, Australia, South Koreas, US (in Government vehicles) and others. This is the primary reason manufacturers are focusing on developing dashboard cameras with advanced features such as audio recording, speed sensors, GPS logging, accelerometers and uninterruptable power supply.



Installing dashcams and taking videos falls under the freedom of information and fully permitted in most of the countries across the world. Although, dashcams are increasingly becoming popular in many European countries, Austria and Luxembourg completely banned their use. In Austria, parliament has declared a fine of about US$ 10,800 for installing and taking videos with dashcams and for repeat offenders it would be around US$ 27,500.

Insurers in several countries are now accepting the dashcam footages as an evidence to judge the cause of accidents. This helps them to reduce investigation cost and settle claims in quick time. Many insurance companies have partnered with dashcam suppliers and offers discounts on insurance premium to customers if they buy dashcams from their partners.

In UK, car insurance company Swiftcover is offering a discount up to 12.5% on insurance premium to their clients if they purchase dashboard camera from Halfords. AXA insurance company offers flat discount of a 10% if car owner have a dashcam installed in car. In addition, news on dashboard camera by recognised news channels such as BBC, Daily Mail and others. The market for dashcam is expected grows further with increasing awareness about this technology and adoption of dashcams particularly among private vehicle owners.

Key questions answered in this report

What are the key micro and macro environmental factors that are impacting the growth of Dashcams market?

What are the key investment pockets with respect to product segments and geographies currently and during the forecast period?

Estimated forecast and market projections up to 2030.

Which segment accounts for the fastest CAGR during the forecast period?

Which market segment holds a larger market share and why?

Are low and middle-income economies investing in the Dashcams market?

Which is the largest regional market for Dashcams market?

What are the market trends and dynamics in emerging markets such as Asia Pacific , Latin America , and Middle East - Africa ?

, , and - ? Which are the key trends driving Dashcams market growth?

Who are the key competitors and what are their key strategies to enhance their market presence in the Dashcams market worldwide?

Key Topics Covered:

1. Preface

2. Executive Summary

3. Dashcams Market: Business Outlook & Market Dynamics

3.1. Introduction

3.2. Global Dashcams Market Value, 2020 - 2030, (US$ Million)

3.3. Market Dynamics

3.3.1. Market Drivers

3.3.2. Market Restraints

3.3.3. Key Challenges

3.3.4. Key Opportunities

3.4. Impact Analysis of Drivers and Restraints

3.5. See-Saw Analysis

3.6. Porter's Five Force Model

3.7. PESTEL Analysis

3.8. Heptalysis Analysis

3.9. Critical Investigation of Business Problems Through Five Whys Root Cause Analysis & Relevant Solutions

4. Dashcams Market: By Product Type, 2020-2030, USD (Million)

4.1. Market Overview

4.2. Growth & Revenue Analysis: 2021 Versus 2030

4.3. Market Segmentation

4.3.1. Basic Dashcams

4.3.2. Advanced Dashcams

5. Dashcams Market: By Technology, 2020-2030, USD (Million)

5.1. Market Overview

5.2. Growth & Revenue Analysis: 2021 Versus 2030

5.3. Market Segmentation

5.3.1. Single Channel Dashcams

5.3.2. Multi-channel Dashcams

6. North America Dashcams Market, 2020-2030, USD (Million)

7. UK and European Union Dashcams Market, 2020-2030, USD (Million)

8. Asia Pacific Dashcams Market, 2020-2030, USD (Million)

9. Latin America Dashcams Market, 2020-2030, USD (Million)

10. Middle East and Africa Dashcams Market, 2020-2030, USD (Million)

11. Company Profile

11.1. Garmin Ltd

11.1.1. Company Overview

11.1.2. Financial Performance

11.1.3. Product Portfolio

11.1.4. Strategic Initiatives

11.2. Cobra Electronics Corporation

11.2.1. Company Overview

11.2.2. Financial Performance

11.2.3. Product Portfolio

11.2.4. Strategic Initiatives

11.3. Pittasoft Co. Ltd (BlackVue)

11.3.1. Company Overview

11.3.2. Financial Performance

11.3.3. Product Portfolio

11.3.4. Strategic Initiatives

11.4. Papago Inc

11.4.1. Company Overview

11.4.2. Financial Performance

11.4.3. Product Portfolio

11.4.4. Strategic Initiatives

11.5. AIPTEK International Inc

11.5.1. Company Overview

11.5.2. Financial Performance

11.5.3. Product Portfolio

11.5.4. Strategic Initiatives

11.6. QRONTECH Co. Ltd.

11.6.1. Company Overview

11.6.2. Financial Performance

11.6.3. Product Portfolio

11.6.4. Strategic Initiatives

11.7. DOD Tech Co. Ltd.

11.7.1. Company Overview

11.7.2. Financial Performance

11.7.3. Product Portfolio

11.7.4. Strategic Initiatives

11.8. Mio Technology Corporation

11.8.1. Company Overview

11.8.2. Financial Performance

11.8.3. Product Portfolio

11.8.4. Strategic Initiatives

11.9. S.WILL INDUSTRIAL LIMITED

11.9.1. Company Overview

11.9.2. Financial Performance

11.9.3. Product Portfolio

11.9.4. Strategic Initiatives

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/5ompbt

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WORCESTER, Mass., Sept. 28, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- WuXi Biologics ("WuXi Bio") (2269.HK), a global Contract Research, Development and Manufacturing Organization (CRDMO), held a topping-off ceremony, in partnership with the Worcester Business Development Corporation (WBDC), to mark the completion of the steel frame for WuXi Biologics' newest commercial biomanufacturing facility. Located in The Reactory, Worcester's biomanufacturing park developed by WBDC, the 189,500 sq. ft. state-of-the-art facility is set for completion in 2024 and is expected to create 250 new jobs in the coming years. Attendees and honorary guests signed the beam that was used to top off the facility at the conclusion of the event.

Numerous state and local officials attended and provided remarks at the event, including Massachusetts Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito, Worcester Mayor Joseph Petty, Worcester City Councilor Candy Meri-Carlson, Acting City Manager Eric Batista, and President of the Worcester Business Development Corporation, Craig Blais.

Massachusetts Lieutenant Governor Polito remarked, "For Worcester to believe in WuXi Biologics, and then for WuXi Biologics to believe in Worcester, was really the connection in the partnership that formed."

Dr. Chris Chen, CEO of WuXi Biologics, highlighted, "As a trusted partner to global healthcare companies and a strong contributor to Worcester's local community, WuXi Biologics' investment in this new manufacturing facility will enhance the sustainable growth and success of the Worcester biotech ecosystem and enable the global biologics industry with a more robust supply chain."

Dr. Weichang Zhou, Chief Technology Officer and Executive Vice President of WuXi Biologics, noted, "WuXi Biologics is honored to be a part of Worcester's community and to help usher in the next generation of innovative manufacturing to the city."

About WuXi Biologics

WuXi Biologics (stock code: 2269.HK) is a leading global Contract Research, Development and Manufacturing Organization (CRDMO) offering end-to-end solutions that enable partners to discover, develop and manufacture biologics from concept to commercialization for the benefit of patients worldwide.

With over 10,000 skilled employees in China, the United States, Ireland, Germany and Singapore, WuXi Biologics leverages its technologies and expertise to provide customers with efficient and cost-effective biologics discovery, development and manufacturing solutions. As of June 30, 2022, WuXi Biologics is supporting 534 integrated client projects, including 14 in commercial manufacturing.

WuXi Biologics views Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) responsibilities as an integral component of our ethos and business strategy, and we aim to become an ESG leader in the biologics CRDMO sector. Our facilities use next-generation biomanufacturing technologies and clean energy sources. We have also established an ESG committee led by our CEO to steer the comprehensive ESG strategy and its implementation, enhancing our commitment to sustainability. For more information about WuXi Biologics, please visit: www.wuxibiologics.com .

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BEIJING, Sept. 29 -- The Chinese PLA Army Engineering University held the Ninth International Army Cadets Week (IACW) in Nanjing via video link from September 28 to 29, according to Senior Colonel Tan Kefei, a spokesperson for Chinas Ministry of National Defense, at a regular press conference in Beijing on Thursday.

It is learnt that the participating officer cadets were from 34 military academies of 23 foreign countries including Singapore, ROK, France, Romania, Egypt and Brazil. Under the theme of Capability and Quality of Military Personnel in the New Era, this years IACW focused on issues including the core competence of military personnel, the command and control in multi-national military operations, and the reporting procedures in military operations.

"The event serves as a platform for Chinese and foreign officer cadets to communicate and learn from each other, to share useful experience in military education, and to jointly improve the quality of military academies and talent cultivation," said Tan.
Washington, Sep 29 : "Extremely dangerous" Ian made landfall as a Category 4 hurricane in southwestern Florida on Wednesday afternoon, according to the National Hurricane Center (NHC).

Landfall occurred near Cayo Costa, an island in Florida's Lee County, around 3:05 p.m. ET with maximum sustained winds of 240 km per hour, Xinhua news agency reported.

Ian was causing "catastrophic" storm surges, winds, and flooding in the Florida Peninsula, an earlier NHC update read.

Catastrophic storm surge inundation of 12 to 18 feet (approximately 3.66 to 5.49 meters) above the ground level is expected somewhere between Englewood to Bonita Beach, including Charlotte Harbor, forecasters said.

Weakening is expected after landfall, but Ian could be near hurricane strength when it moves over Florida's east coast on Thursday, and when it approaches the northeastern Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina coasts late Friday.

As of Wednesday afternoon, more than 814,000 customers are without power in Florida due to the storm, according to PowerOutage.us.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said Wednesday morning that Ian was expected to be a "historic" storm with "a profound impact" on the state.

Fleets of highwater vehicles, 42,000 linemen, 7,000 members of the National Guards, and 179 aircraft had been mobilized in response to the hurricane's impact, DeSantis tweeted.

US President Joe Biden said from the White House on Wednesday that the federal government was "on alert and in action" as the storm was closing in on Florida.

"This storm is incredibly dangerous, to state the obvious. It's life-threatening," Biden warned.

"You should obey all warnings and directions from emergency officials," he continued. "Don't take anything for granted. Use their judgment, not yours. Evacuate when ordered. Be prepared." The US Coast Guard is searching for the 23 migrants whose vessel sank off the coast of Florida amid Hurricane Ian, an official said on Wednesday afternoon.

Walter Slosar, chief patrol agent for the US Border Patrol's Miami sector, tweeted that agents had responded to a migrant landing in Stock Island, Florida's Monroe County.

Slosar said that four "Cuban migrants swam to shore after their vessel sank due to inclement weather" and that a search and rescue operation was underway for 23 individuals believed to have been on the same boat.
Muzaffarnagar, Sep 29 : In a bizarre incident, doctors who operated upon a man in Uttar Pradesh's Muzaffarnagar district found 63 spoons in his stomach.

Vijay Kumar, 32, underwent a two-hour-long operation in a private hospital after he complained of severe stomach ache.

The patient, who is in the ICU for post-surgery recovery, told doctors that he was forced to 'eat' the spoons in a deaddiction centre.

According to Ajay Chaudhary, the patient's nephew, "We had brought our uncle here in a private hospital as he complained of severe stomach ache and was diagnosed having numerous spoons in his stomach. We had admitted him to a deaddiction centre a year ago where it seems he was forced to consume these spoons." Dr Rakesh Khurana, the doctor who operated upon Vijay, said, "He was brought to me 15 days back and in the X-ray, we found something metallic in his stomach and large intestines. When I asked the patient he said, he was made to eat those spoons. The operation went on for two hours. We have never done this kind of extraction before." All the heads of all the spoons were removed before consumption.

As of now, no police complaint has been filed in the matter.

The doctors said they cannot say with certainty when the patient had consumed these spoons.
Houston, Sep 29 : At least one person was killed following a shooting at a hospital north of Little Rock, capital of the US' Arkansas, authorities said.

A suspect has been taken into custody, Xinhua news agency reported, citing Sherwood Police Chief Jeff Hagar.

St. Vincent North in Sherwood, Arkansas, was on lockdown as law enforcement officers from multiple agencies rushed to the scene responding to "reports of a shooting incident on Wednesday".

It wasn't immediately known whether anyone was injured.

Police did not say whether the victim was a patient, employee or visitor.

Sherwood is a suburb of Little Rock with a population of more than 32,700 people.
Lucknow, Sep 29 : The Uttar Pradesh Basic Education Department has ordered a probe after a video clip went viral on the social media, showing chapattis meant for mid-day meal strewn on the floor and being transferred to a plastic bag.

A video is of primary school Goyla in Bakshi Ka Talab area of Lucknow.

Basic Shiksha Adhikari (BSA) Arun Kumar said he had seen the video and ordered probe. He said as per rules, the entire mid-day meal distribution was to be done under the watchful eyes of the headmaster and teachers.

The video exposes the tall claim of state basic education department of hygiene in distribution of mid-day meal in schools.

School headmistress Babita Kumari said Akshay Patra served the mid-day meal in the school.

She said there were 293 students in the school and 181 were present on Saturday and on Monday, only 169 students had turned up.

"Due to Navratri fasting, a few Class 5 students did not have meal. Also, every student does not like chapatis. They prefer tehri, vegetables, rice and pulses. So, there were excess chapatis. After mid-day meal was served, these surplus chapatis were bundled in a plastic bag to be disposed of," she said.

Block education officer Preeti Shukla who is investigating the case, said she went to the school and according to her findings, the video was of Monday.

She said it was true that the chapatis should not have been kept on the floor but they were not served to the students.

She said, "Surplus chapatis were being put in a plastic bag to be disposed of. There are complaints against the cook and her behaviour is not good. Notice has been served to her."
Washington, Sep 29 : India's External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar has said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent remarks to Russian President Vladimir Putin - that "today's era is not of war" - in the context of the invasion of Ukraine were consistent with the existing Indian position and they were perceived differently globally only because they were delivered in a face-to-face meeting of the two leaders.

Addressing reporters on Wednesday at the conclusion of his 10-day tour of the US that took him first to New York for the UN General Assembly (UNGA) meetings as head of the Indian delegation and then to Washington DC for bilateral talks, Jaishankar also said that the UN Security Council reforms and counterterrorism will be the focus of India's presidency of the elite world body in December, which will also be the last month of its eighth term as a non-permanent member.

The minister's Washington DC visit was packed with back-to-back meetings with officials - including a working dinner at Secretary of State Antony Blinken's home, lawmakers, business leaders and policy mavens, but it was marked most starkly by considerable excitement on the American cite over Modi's remarks to Putin on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization's summit in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. It was seen - from the White House and the larger administration to US congress - as a major reversal in India's position, from sitting on the from fence-sitting to truth-talking.

Jaishankar sought to tamp down the excitement somewhat, noting that India had been conveying the same message to Russia for a while, but privately. "The position that the Prime Minister took was consistent with a position that we have been taking earlier," he said.

India has been expressing "concern about the conflict, about the urgency for early cessation of hostilities, about the need for dialogue and diplomacy. So there has been a steady refrain," he said further.

He added the remarks were possibly "received and perceived in a way because it was a a face to face meeting... I think it's understandable that a physical meeting made a stronger impact, than sort of a second hand report." Prime Minister Modi told President Putin on September 16, "I know that today's era is not of war and we have spoken to you many times on the phone that democracy, diplomacy and dialogue are such things that touch the world." It was characterised in the West as a "rebuke" of the Russian leader in a "clear reversal" of India's position.

Secretary Blinken was effusive in his response to a question about it at a press availability with Minister Jaishankar on Tuesday. He said that Modi's remarks "captured, as well as anyone I've heard, fundamentally what this moment is about. As he said, this is not an era, this is not a time for war. We could not agree more".

Asked for the reason why Modi publicly stated what India had been saying to Putin privately on phone, the minister said it was natural for the subject to come up between the two leaders as they were meeting face-to-face for the first time since December 2021.

The Russian invasion of Ukraine had led to some difficult conversations between India and the US as New Delhi refused to condemn it as robustly as the US-west wanted, and, also, Indian not only continued to buy Russian oil but it stepped up its purchases to take advantage of the discounted rates on offer. Western government felt that India - and China - softened the sanctions imposed on Russia.

Earlier at the UNGA meetings, Mexico suggested that Prime Minister Modi be named to a panel to end the Russia-Ukraine war, along with Pope Francis. The Mexicans did not say if their proposal was linked to the Samarkand statement, but it did come in the aftermath suggesting a causal link. A response is awaited from Mexico's permanent mission to the UN.

At the UN, India plans to use its rotational presidency of the Security Council in December to focus on reforms of the body that has made no real progress despite years of efforts. US President Joe Biden's commitment to make it a priority has given India, which is seeking a permanent seat on the reformed council, and other advocates of change a great amount of hope. The Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov also spoke of UNSC reforms in his UNGA speech and named India and Brazil as deserving to be among the permanent members.

"The position President Biden put forward is the most explicit and specific articulation of the US support for reform of the UN including the Security Council," Jaishankar said, when asked if the US was serious about reforms. "I don't think it's kind of business as usual," he added.

But the minister said it's not for any single country to carry through the reforms and, he noted, India has been very clear-eyed about the prospects, that it will not be easy. And then there are those that oppose it. "You also know where the reluctance comes from," he said without naming any country.

Latest updates on Russia-Ukraine War

-- Except for the title, this story has not been edited by Prokerala team and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed
Varanasi, Sep 29 : A controversy has erupted over a question in a recently held MA History exam in Banaras Hindu University (BHU) here, where the students were asked to the name the book and author which mentions about 'demolition of Adi Vishweshwar Temple by Aurangzeb'.

The question was asked at a time when the case regarding the Gyanvapi mosque - Adi Vishweshwar temple dispute is still in court.

The question has started a new row where protestors, mainly students, claim that the question is biased towards the Hindu-side in the dispute.

The question was put up in the MA History exam.

The present-day Gyanvapi mosque was allegedly the same site as Adi Vishweshwar temple devoted to the Hindu deity Shiva. These claims, however, are from Hinduism followers, and those following the Muslim religion debate the claim.

In 1991, local priests filed a petition seeking permission to worship in the Gyanvapi Mosque complex in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh.

Over the years, several petitions have been filed claiming that the mosque was built by demolishing parts of the Kashi Vishwanath temple.

The matter is presently in court.
Kanpur, Sep 29 : Kanpur has reported an outbreak of acute necrotizing encephalitis (ANE).

The medicos of GSVM medical college contracted this disease and more than 30 medical students are down with high grade fever.

ANE has been confirmed in seven of them.

According to official sources, the first case was reported earlier this week when a third-year student from Barabanki was brought to LLR hospital's ICU with high fever and severe headache.

She was confirmed to be infected with ANE on Tuesday.

The patient later slipped into coma and is on life support, said the medical college officials.

They said that blood samples of 69 students were taken on Tuesday and Wednesday and have been sent to King George's Medical University in Lucknow for examination.

The outbreak of ANE and fever gripped the medical college campus within four days of more than 20 pigs being found dead.

"We have admitted five medicos with ANE in special maternity ward and two of them are on ventilator," said a senior doctor.

Vice principal Dr Richa Giri said a student was admitted to LLR hospital with high fever and severe headache.

She went unconscious and was currently comatose. The medical tests suggested she was infected with ANE which had spread in her brain. Her parents have been informed.

After this, the doctors examined the students in boys' and girls' hostels on Wednesday and found six more with ANE symptoms.

Three students were of third year, two of para-2 and one of final year. Five of them were rushed to the special maternity ward and one to the ICU, Giri said. They all had ANE, she added.

The number of students with fever and severe headache was more than 30 and special teams were monitoring their condition.

In view of the prevailing situation, the medical college administration has cancelled the terminal exams. Dr Giri said as per the students, they were not fit to give these exams following which the decision was taken.

Meanwhile, a team of doctors comprising Dr Yashwant Rao and Dr Anand Narain Singh toured the campus and found 16 more dead pigs.

All of them were buried on the campus.

Medical college spokesman Dr Ganesh Shankar said it was possible that the spread of the disease on the campus was due to the pigs and the unhygienic conditions they caused.

Neurologist in GSVM medical college Dr Alok Varma said ANE was rare. MRI scan had shown blood clotting in the brain with swelling.

Apart from this, there were unknown viruses in the body.
Miami, Sep 29 : The US Coast Guard is searching for the 23 migrants whose vessel sank off the coast of Florida amid hurricane Ian which made landfall in the state as a Category 4 hurricane, an official said.

Walter Slosar, chief patrol agent for the Border Patrol's Miami sector, tweeted on Wednesday that agents had responded to a migrant landing in Stock Island, Monroe County, reports Xinhua news agency.

Slosar said that four "Cuban migrants swam to shore after their vessel sank due to inclement weather" and that a search and rescue operation is underway for 23 individuals believed to have been on the same boat.

Ian, a Category 4 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 250 km per hour, made landfall on the west coast of Florida on Wednesday afternoon.

It is causing catastrophic storm surges, winds, and flooding in the Florida Peninsula, according to the National Hurricane Centre (NHC).

Ian could be near hurricane strength when it moves over Florida's east coast on Thursday, and when it approaches the northeastern Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina coasts late Friday.

As of Wednesday afternoon, more than 2 million customers are without power in Florida due to the storm, according to PowerOutage.us.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said on Wednesday morning that Ian was expected to be a "historic" storm with "a profound impact" on the state.

Fleets of highwater vehicles, 42,000 linemen, 7,000 members of the National Guards, and 179 aircraft had been mobilized in response to the hurricane's impact, he tweeted.

US President Joe Biden said from the White Housethat the federal government was "on alert and in action", adding: "This storm is incredibly dangerous, to state the obvious. It's life-threatening." "You should obey all warnings and directions from emergency officials. Don't take anything for granted. Use their judgment, not yours. Evacuate when ordered. Be prepared," he said.

Before making landfall in Florida, the hurricane barrelled through Cuba on Tuesday, killing two people and shattering the country's electrical grid.
Thiruvananthapuram, Sep 29 : South Africa captain Temba Bavuma said they did not expect so much juice in the wicket for the first T20I of the three-match series here and said his players failed to adapt to the conditions both while batting and bowling.

Bavuma said the batting unit failed to apply itself.

"As a batting unit, we failed to apply ourselves, We weren't able to adjust our plans. We saw what Rahul was able to do. We didn't expect that (the pitch to have so much juice), we practiced here two days, ago. We saw the wicket was spicy, but we didn't expect it like that. You expected to hit through the line coming to India," he said after the match.

Arshdeep Singh and Deepak Chahar blew away South Africa's top order in a magnificent spell of swing bowling, before vice-captain KL Rahul and Suryakumar Yadav slammed unbeaten fifties to give India an eight-wicket win here at the Greenfield International Stadium on Wednesday night.

On a two-paced pitch with a green tinge, Arshdeep (3/32) and Chahar (2/24) justified Rohit Sharma's call to bowl first as they scythed through South Africa's top-order by picking five wickets on the first 15 balls of the innings to restrict the visitors to 106/8 in 20 overs.

It took Keshav Maharaj's fighting efforts with the bat, top-scoring with 41 and taking three boundaries off Arshdeep in the 19th over, apart from 25 by Aiden Markram and 24 by Wayne Parnell for the visitors' to cross the 100-run mark, a possibility which looked far away when the decimation by Arshdeep and Chahar reduced them to 9/5 inside first three overs.

While bowling, the South Africans had early success when Kagiso Rabada in the second over lured Rohit Sharma into playing at it and a thick edge went behind to Quinton de Kock, who dived to his right to send the Indian skipper back for a two-ball duck.

But KL Rahul (51 not out) and Suryakumar Yadav (50 not out) struck half-centuries as India chased the target in 16.5 overs to start the series with an eight-wicket win.

Despite the presence of three seamers -- Kagiso Rabada, Wayne Parnell, and Anrich Nortje -- the South Africans could not prevent the Indians from romping to victory as there they had too few runs on the board.

"Three seamers on that type of wicket you back yourself. To be defending that type of score, you always hope for a miracle. The bating we need to work, and give the bowlers something to defend. Guys like Parni, and Keshav, showed good fights. The fight was on, but at the end of the day, there weren't too many runs," said Bavuma.

South Africa will now hope to bounce back in the second T20I at Guwahati on October 2 while India, on a high after beating Australia 2-1 in the preceding series, would like to take an unassailable 2-0 lead.

-- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text
Tel Aviv, Sep 29 : Israeli Interior Minister Ayelet Shaked has ordered the expulsion of families of a Palestinian man who carried out an attack five years ago in East Jerusalem.

Taking to Twitter on Wednesday, Shaked said that she sent a notice to seven family members of Fadi al-Qanbar who killed four Israeli soldiers when he rammed his truck into a group of troopers in East Jerusalem's Abu Tor neighbourhood in 2017, asking them to "leave the country within a week or (they will) be forcefully evicted", reports Xinhua news agency.

The Minister also asked Public Security Minister Omer Bar-Lev to prepare policing forces to expel the seven if they won't leave by October 6.

"Israel should fight terrorism with all the available means and it's time to use also this tool for deterrence," Shaked said.

The recent move came after a ruling by a Jerusalem court on September 21 that Israel can revoke the residency permits of al-Qanbar's 17 family members.

The Palestinian family lives in Jabel Mukaber, a neighbourhood of East Jerusalem.

In past years, several Israeli interior ministers made attempts to expel family members of Palestinian attackers but were usually blocked by the Supreme Court.

The al-Qanbar family told the Israeli daily Ha'aretz newspaper that they intend to appeal the ruling.
Bengaluru, Sep 29 : The Criminal Investigation Department (CID), probing the PSI scandal in Karnataka, has submitted a 1,406-page charge sheet in the court against jailed senior IPS officer ADGP Amrit Paul, the agency sources stated on Thursday.

Paul is the first senior ADGP level officer to be arrested in connection with the scandal that rocked the state and made national news.

The charge sheet has been submitted before the First ACMM court in Bengaluru. Accused Amrit Paul is being made 35th accused in the case. The CID investigation officer DySP B.K. Shekar submitted 78 records, 38 witnesses against Paul to highlight his role in the scam, conspiracy to carry it out and collection of money from aspirants of posts of sub-inspectors.

According to sources, the CID had already submitted a charge sheet regarding the scandal but without mentioning the name and role of Paul.

The latest investigations have shown that the accused who had allegedly received a cut of Rs 1.35 crore from candidates to PSI posts had given away the money to his aide and benami Shambhulinga Swamy. The CID had seized Rs 41 lakh from him.

Amrit Paul, who worked as ADGP of Recruitment department, had allegedly allowed his junior DySP Shanthakumar and team to commit scandal in recruitment of 545 posts of PSI. The officers attached to the Recruitment Division Sunitha Bai, RPI Manjunath and guards have recorded their statements confirming the role of Amrit Paul, sources explain.

However, Paul is maintaining that the scandal had taken place without his knowledge and he had not received any money. The opposition Congress had demanded the resignation of Home Minister Araga Jnanendra in connection with the scandal.
Balodabazar : , Sep 29 (IANS/ 101Reporters) As a student, Manoj Ugre memorised his lessons with his friends in the light cast by a lantern. Now, in his 20s, electricity still eludes his village Bar, located inside the Barnawapara Wildlife Sanctuary in Balodabazar district of central Chhattisgarh.

Ugre wants to relocate elsewhere for better opportunities and many of his fellow villagers share his sentiment. "Shifting is preferable as crop damage by wild animals is high here," he said, adding that places near Patewa village in adjoining Mahasamund district were desirable as they had good roads and electricity.

However, the population of Bar is divided over the issue of shifting. Warning that it involved internal politics, Rajim Ketwas of the Dalit Adivasi Manch said, "Some people, especially the Agaria community, are eyeing government compensation for voluntary relocation. They want to settle in cities. But the adivasi folk, the original settlers, have sizeable lands here." Such people do not want to leave, despite the problems. In Bar, people owning lands are mostly into paddy cultivation. Farmer Naresh Yadav has five acres of land and is always apprehensive about crop damage by wild elephants.

In addition, they have to make do with solar power that lasts only for a few hours daily. Not just electricity, the place does not have proper roads and mobile connectivity as it comes within a protected forest area. "The villagers cannot construct homes; they cannot collect forest produce freely; and even the sarpanches find it difficult to run the panchayat," Ketwas listed out the problems.

Bar resident Rajkumar Diwan said the village has no good schools. "We have to either send our children to Balodabazar or Mahasamund. Most families cannot afford it," said Diwan, whose son works as a teacher in Mahasamund district.

Diwan owns two acres of land suitable for paddy cultivation. The landless here are engaged in labour work.

"Some people tried to relocate a decade ago, when three other villages were resettled. But that did not happen," Diwan said, referring to the relocation blueprint that was put down.

Settling down elsewhere In Barnawapara Wildlife Sanctuary, the relocation of 20 or so villages located inside the forest was put in motion almost a decade ago, when Nawapara, Rampur and Lata Dadar were resettled.

Krishanu Chandraker, the range officer of Bar at the sanctuary established in 1976, said people generally refuse to relocate but they agreed to shift for better prospects. Some people chose to stay behind. In Rampur village which lies in Bar panchayat there are currently only 10 families staying back. The rest, about 126 families, went to a place now called Srirampur in Mahasamund district.

According to Chandraker, the sanctuary had tigers until 2008. He hoped the relocation of the remaining villages would help reintroduce the big cat to the place. If that happened, the sanctuary area may go up to 500 sq km from the present 240 sq km.

"Animals need a good habitat and feel disturbed due to settlements inside the forest. Human-elephant conflict is a serious issue here. Farmers who face crop loss try to scare away the animals and that is when the conflict exacerbates. All 18 villages are willing to shift, but they have to seek permission from the gram sabhas where they want to settle down in future. We have shown people potential land sites," he added.

Compensation will amount to Rs 15 lakh per adult.

Odisha-based wildlife conservationist Aditya Panda pointed out that communities living inside forests have the choice of continuing their old ways of life with limited access to schools, hospitals and markets. Alternatively, people can choose improved livelihood opportunities by claiming the benefits of voluntary relocation.

In Akaltara village, farmer Ramji Netam told 101Reporters that many families have submitted forms in the hope of quick relocation. They prefer to settle down in Loharkot in Mahasamund district. The gram sabha of Loharkot has approved it, according to the documents verified by this reporter.

In fact, Akaltara villagers have cleared the first and most important hurdle before those wanting to relocate - finding places where they are welcome. According to Fakir Bisal, who still resides in Rampur, the forest department has asked people to search for lands themselves. The government would simply facilitate the transfer of people and their belongings.

For instance, though people like Diwan got assurance about relocation from the forest department and the gram sabha gave its consent to those who wished to move out, no village has shown readiness to accept the residents of Bar.

Ketwas recalled how people refused to allow a new settlement in their revenue lands when the forest department took some potential resettlers to Bade Loram village in Mahasamund to look at the land.

The grass is greener Nawapara Ramsagar, it was called Nawapara before relocation, has both tribal and non-tribal residents. With a population of 749, it comes under the Bhawa gram panchayat and is located about 25 km from its original location. At the time of shifting, Rs 10 lakh was spent on each family for houses, farmlands and amenities under the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA). It took two years to complete the government-sponsored housing, equipped with three rooms, a kitchen and a bathroom.

"Usually, many people protest and refuse to relocate, but we left willingly as animals damaged our crops daily. Besides houses, we got five acres of land. It is much better here," said Nawapara Ramsagar village chief Tejram Yadav. However, he admitted that the new place had drinking water scarcity.

For many, land is also the reason for shifting elsewhere. Jayant Kulkarni of Pune-based Wildlife Research and Conservation Society said that people naturally are apprehensive about shifting. The land they newly got would also take time to become suitable for cultivation.

Ketwas said the settlers in Srirampur had complained that the lands they got were not fertile and their new houses already had cracks in walls. "In fact, when it is the mahua collection season, they come back to their old settlement in Rampur and live in makeshift shelters till the harvest. They continue to have a deep connection with the forest," she said.

To go or not to go Bisal is apprehensive that shifting elsewhere would undermine the adivasi culture. A resident of Rampur, he is one of the few people who did not relocate when most families left. At that time, Bisal stayed back even though he was offered five acres of land outside the sanctuary. This was because his son, though he was over 18, was deprived of the opportunity.

Sulochana Bai, a Kandha tribal from Rampur, recounted how people happily left the village then. "The lure of five acres of land offered to every adult aged above 18 made many people leave. Now, we are being put under pressure to shift." "Rampur's condition is really sad. This time, the Forest Department did not allow tractors to enter the area for cultivation. They have no ration cards, and their complete pension has been cut. People are sending their kids elsewhere because schools and Anganwadis have been demolished. The forest department does not even employ them for any work," Ketwas said.

She added that Rampur has been taken off the map of Bar region, with the remaining nine families included in Haldi panchayat.

Those staying behind also alleged that the forest department damaged their dev gudi (sacred place of faith). Yet they are stubborn that they will not leave. For people like Bai, life is comfortable in the jungle, where the lands are fertile and the air is pure.

(The author is a freelance journalist and a member of 101Reporters, a pan-India network of grassroots reporters.)
Thiruvananthapuram, Sep 29 : The Mumbai High Court has disposed of a rape case filed against Binoy Kodiyeri, the elder son of CPI-M Politburo member Kodiyeri Balakrishnan after it was pointed out that the two parties have reached a settlement, and Rs eight million has been paid to the victim.

The settlement was accepted by a Division Bench of the Mumbai High Court on Tuesday.

In the settlement, Binoy has paid Rs eight million to the woman from Bihar.

The woman in 2019 had filed a rape case against Binoy Kodiyeri, accusing him of cheating her by promising to marry her. The two have a son who is with the mother.

In her original petition, she said they got close while she was working at a dance bar in Dubai in 2008 and till 2015, he used to send her money every month for their son's needs.

In July 2019, Binoy Kodiyeri approached the Mumbai High Court seeking dismissal of the rape case filed by the woman.

The court asked all the three to go for a DNA test and Binoy appeared for it on July 30, 2019.

Even though the DNA tests were conducted long back, the result is yet to come. In between the two parties (Binoy and the woman) decided to settle the case and informed the Mumbai High Court about it. The court agreed to it and the petition was disposed of.

Kodiyeri Balakrishnan, who due to his ill-health, quit as CPI-M's State Secretary last month and is presently undergoing treatment at a leading private hospital in Chennai, The settlement has come as a big relief to him as his two sons have time and again giving him a lot of trouble.

His younger son, Bineesh Kodiyeri was arrested in October 2020 by the Enforcement Directorate under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, and after serving a year in jail he was able to secure a bail.
New Delhi, Sep 29 : Microsoft is ending support for SwiftKey on iOS devices and removing it from Apple Store from October 5, after facing several user complaints.

The keyboard app, if already downloaded, will still be available on iPhones unless users don't decide to uninstall it.

"We are ending support for Microsoft SwiftKey iOS. Thank you for being a user of our product. The app will be delisted from the App Store on October 5, 2022," Microsoft said in an update.

For those customers who have SwiftKey installed on iOS, it will continue to work until it is manually uninstalled or a user gets a new device, the company added.

The users complained that Microsoft hasn't updated the SwiftKey app on iOS in over a year.

SwiftKey has been downloaded more than 500 million times on Android.

The app will continue to be available and supported for Android users.

In May, SwiftKey received its last update for Android that made it easier to delete text and it has also added the option to disable automatic spaces after punctuation.

Microsoft acquired SwiftKey platform, which was already one of the most popular keyboard apps on iOS and Android, for reportedly $250 million in 2016.

SwiftKey was launched on Android in 2010 and arrived on iOS in 2014.

The SwiftKey for iOS predictive keyboard will be delisted from the Apple App Store as of October 5.
Paris, Sep 29 : French multinational energy and petroleum company TotalEnergies has started to shut down the country's largest refinery in the Normandy region as a result of a strike over wage demands.

"The discontent is so strong in Normandy that the strikers demanded this morning the shutdown procedures of the largest refinery in France," Xinhua news agency quoted Thierry Defresne, General Confederation of Labour (CGT) secretary of the European Enterprise Committee of TotalEnergies, as saying on Wednesday.

According to the French daily Le Figaro, the shutdown does not jeopardise the supply of service stations in the short term even if the plant represents 22 per cent of France's refining capacity.

TotalEnergies said it has stocks that can last between 20 days and one month in addition to the country's strategic stocks, the newspaper reported Citing the CGT union, Le Figaro reported that only two of the six refineries would remain operational, as four have already been halted due to maintenance and workers' strikes.

The strike at TotalEnergies began on Tuesday and will last until Thursday.

It will coincide with the country's "interprofessional" strike called by three national unions for Thursday.

The CGT demands a 10 per cent wage hike for 2022, more employment opportunities and a massive investment plan in France.

The labour action comes on the heels of strikes held by TotalEnergies employees with the same demands on June 24 and 28.
Los Angeles, Sep 29 : Hollywood star Hugh Jackman's surprise return as Wolverine in 'Deadpool 3', but Marvel stalwart Elizabeth Olsen is only just finding out about it.

The Scarlet Witch got the news about Jackman's return broken to her 'On the Carpet,' at Variety's Power of Women, and she expressed shock over the revelation, reports 'Variety'.

"Oh really?" Olsen asked when she heard the news. "Wow!" Now that Jackman is returning as Wolverine, Olsen wants Scarlet Witch to team up with more X-Men characters on the big screen. After all, the character of Scarlet Witch is a mutant in the comic books and the daughter of Magneto, played by both Ian McKellen and Michael Fassbender on the big screen.

"I guess Wolverine is X-Men," Olsen said when asked about which characters she hopes to team up with in the future of the MCU. "It would be cool to work with a lot of those people from the X-Men franchise. I guess Fassbender is my dad in some world?" Olsen last played Scarlet Witch in 'Doctor Stranger in the Multiverse of Madness'.

The character took a villainous turn in the film and her fate was left ambiguous by the end after she sacrificed herself to destroy the Darkhold in a moment of redemption.

Will Scarlet Witch return? Marvel Studios Kevin Feige all but confirmed to Variety the character will be back.

"There really is so much more to explore," Feige said. "We still haven't touched on many of her core storylines from the comics. I'd work with Lizzie for another 100 years if we could," he continued. "Anything's possible in the multiverse! We'll have to see."
Vienna, Sep 29 : Austria has started checks at its border crossings with Slovakia to prevent people-smuggling, Interior Minister Gerhard Karner said here.

Karner said that the controls will be enforced for an initial period of 10 days at 11 border crossings between the two countries, Xinhua news agency reported.

The checks came into effect at 12 a.m. on Thursday.

Noting that controls have been in place at Austria's border crossings with Hungary and Slovenia since September 2015, Karner said this latest move is aimed at ensuring that human traffickers do not use Austria as an alternative.

"We have to be faster than the smugglers," he said.

The number of asylum seekers in Austria has increased significantly in the past few months.

According to the country's Interior Ministry, more than 56,000 asylum applications were registered in Austria between January and August this year, an increase of 195 per cent over the same period last year.

Most of the applications were filed by Indian nationals, many of whom travelled to Austria with the help of smugglers, according to Austrian broadcaster ORF.
Islamabad, Sep 29 : Pakistan Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa had frequently advised former premier Imran Khan that that the Prime Minister's House is unsafe for important conversations, revealed PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry.

Talking to a private news channel, Chaudhry claimed the army chief had repeatedly suggested to Khan to debug the Prime Minister's House by using latest technology, as according to General Bajwa, "it was not safe to talk", Geo News reported.

"The army chief told Khan that the points that we discuss here are recorded and leaked later on," Chaudhry said.

"General Bajwa had said Nawaz Sharif stepped out of Prime Minister's House when he wanted to talk to him about some vital issue." The army has secured the rooms of their headquarters with state-of-the-art technology in the era of General (retd.) Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, Geo News quoted Chaudhry as saying.

He added that it was unacceptable for the Prime Minister's House to be hacked, regardless of who is premier whether Nawaz Sharif, Shehbaz Sharif or Imran Khan.

The PTI leader added that he doesn't support the Prime Minister's telephones being tapped and reiterated his party's demand that the government institute an investigation into the cypher.

He questioned why the government and the Supreme Court were reluctant to hold an inquiry over the cypher.

On September 28, a sound bite of Imran Khan allegedly telling his then-principal secretary Azam Khan to "play" with the US cypher has come to the fore.
New Delhi, Sep 29 : As the World Coffee Day approaches, what better way to celebrate than by using your barista skills and demonstrating, and whipping up some unique and delicious coffee. Here are a few recipes to share a cup with your confidants.

THE COLD COFFEE COOKIE CRUNCH Category: Cold Beverage. Your favourite Thick cold coffee blend with ice cream and topped with whipped cream and crispy chocolate chip cookie Ingredients

. Milk (120 ml) . Vanilla ice cream (1 scoop - 100ml) . Espresso (2 Shot-60ml) . HCF - Chocolate syrup (20ml) . Sugar syrup (20ml) . Ice cubes (70 grams) ( Around 3-4 cubes) . Whipped cream (1 shot) . Chocolate chip cookie (2 cookies) Method

. Blend together milk, espresso, vanilla ice cream and ice cubes in Hamilton blender for 30-45 sec. until smooth.

. Take a pilsner glass pour HCF in bottom of the glass, Pour mixture into it add 1 shot of whipped cream . Take a cookie, break it into 2 pieces and keep top of the whipped cream CAPPUCCINO WITH FLAVOURS

Category: Hot Beverage. Your favourite Cappuccino with flavors Serve Ware: Regular 170 ( large 300 ml ) Cappuccino cup

Ingredients

. Milk (120 ml) . Espresso (1 Shot - 30 ml) . Caramel Sauce / HCF (Chocolate syrup/ Irish syrup/Hazelnut syrup/ butter rum syrup/ gingerbread syrup/ Vanilla syrup (15 ml) Method

. Take a pre-heated cappuccino cup . Make a fresh cappuccino add 30 ml flavours on the top of coffee SWISS HOT CHOCOLATE

Category: Hot Beverage. Your favourite Hot chocolate Serve Ware 300 Ml Kenyan Mug

Ingredients

. Milk (200ml) . Chocolate powder (5gms- 2 sachet ) . HCF - Chocolate syrup (20ml) Method

. Take a milk steamer Add 2 sachets of chocolate powder, Milk, And HCF steam all together up to 90 degrees, Pour into a Kenyan mug FLAVOUR FRAPPE

Category: Cold Beverage. Your favourite cold coffee blended with ice -cream.

Serve Ware: 360 Ml Pilsner glass or Linz glass Ingredients Ingredients

. Milk (150 ml) . Espresso (2 Shot - 60ml) . Vanilla ice cream (2 scoops - 200 ml) . Hazelnut OR Irish (20 ml) . HCF - Chocolate syrup (20 ml) . Chocolate chips to garnish Method

Blend together milk, espresso, and vanilla ice cream in a Hamilton blender for 30-40 sec. until smooth. Take a pilsner glass, Glaze the glass with HCF to add flavour, and pour the mixture into it Garnish with Chocolate chips (World Coffee Day is celebrated annually on October 1)

(IANSlife can be contacted at tanya.b@ians.in)
Kolkata, Sep 29 : BJP's state president in West Bengal and party Lok Sabha member Sukanta Majumdar on Thursday filed a petition against Trinamool Congress's national general secretary, Abhishek Banerjee over the letter's "shoot in the head" comments on the party's march to the state secretariat on September 13 against corruption issues.

Majumdar said that initially he tried to file an FIR, but the police refused to file the case, so he was left with no other option but to approach the court.

During the march, pockets in Kolkata and adjacent Howrah district turned into virtual battlefields in which one assistant commissioner of Kolkata Police, Debjit Chatterjee was hospitalised and had to be admitted to the state-run SSKM Medical College & Hospital with broken limbs.

A day after that Abhishek Banerjee went to the hospital to meet the injured police officer and after that while interacting with the mediapersons, he said that "had he been in place of the assistant commissioner on the day of the agitation he would have shot in the head of agitators resorting to ransacking of public property." On Thursday, Majumdar personally appeared in the court and sought the judicial intervention so that police file the FIR in the matter. "A public representative cannot publicly make such comments and the police cannot remain silent on it," he said.

Ridiculing the development, Trinamool Congress's Rajya Sabha member, Santanu Sen said that these were reflections of BJP's political bankruptcy. "Being rejected by the people, the BJP leaders are taking refuge in the court and the central agencies like Central Bureau of Investigation and Enforcement Directorate to tinker with our leaders," he said.

On September 27, a division bench of the Calcutta High Court's Chief Justice Rajasekhar Manta and Justice Rajarshi Bharadwaj directed the West Bengal government to refrain from further unnecessary arrests and harassments of any individual in connection with the BJP's march to the state secretariat of Nabanna against corruption issues on September 13. The next hearing in the matter is scheduled on October 31.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomed at Surat airport by Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and BJP state unit president C R PAtil. Image Source: IANS News

Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomed at Surat airport by Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and BJP state unit president C R PAtil. Image Source: IANS News

Surat, Sep 29 : Surat, which has multiple identities like 'Sonani Murat', 'Textile city', 'Diamond City', 'Setu City' will soon have another -- Electric Vehicle city --, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said here on Thursday.

While addressing a gathering here, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the city which already has many titles will soon be called 'Electric Vehicle city', given the increasing electric vehicles numbers and public charging stations.

He dedicated 25 public charging stations and laid foundation stones for 24 more and hoped that the number would increase to 500.

During his two-day visit from Thursday, Modi is scheduled to dedicate and lay foundations stones for projects worth thousands of crores. It also includes the dream city project of diamond sector, dedicated Sewerage Treatment plant besides others.

He promised to start a train from Surat to Kashi with a cargo capacity upto one tonne which will help textile industries to transport textile cargos to East Uttar Pradesh. Currently, cargoes are transported through roads.

The Centre has approved a power loom mega cluster project for Surat. Once it gets functional, high speed power looms will be operational reducing the noise pollution, said the Prime Minister.

He also promised to increase the fleet in the Ro-Ro ferry service connecting Saurashtra and South Gujarat through Ghogha -Hazira routes.
Seoul, Sep 29 : South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol and visiting US Vice President Kamala Harris on Thursday shared their concern about North Korea's nuclear and missile programs.

Yoon and Harris met for 85 minutes at the presidential office and discussed a wide range of issues, including ways to strengthen the bilateral relationship, and key regional and international issues, Yonhap News Agency quoted deputy presidential spokesperson Lee Jae-myoung as saying.

"President Yoon and Vice President Harris expressed serious concern about North Korea's recent ballistic missile launches and legalization of its nuclear force policy," he said at a press briefing, noting Harris reaffirmed the ironclad US commitment to the defence of South Korea.

The two sides also agreed to plan a visit by Yoon to the US next year to mark the 70th anniversary of the alliance.

On the controversy surrounding Yoon and US President Joe Biden's meetings in New York last week, Harris said that Washington is not bothered by it at all, according to Lee.

The spokesperson did not elaborate on which controversy Harris was referring to, but it apparently included the uproar in South Korea over Yoon's remarks caught on hot mic, which were initially reported as including vulgar language in reference to US Congress and Biden.

The his the Vice President's Harris first visit to South Korea since taking office in January 2021.

The last time a US Vice President visited South Korea was in February 2018, when Mike Pence led a delegation to the PyeongChang Winter Olympic Games.

Harris landed in Seoul just hours after North Korea fired two short-range ballistic missiles into the East Sea in apparent protest of an ongoing South Korea-US military exercise involving an American aircraft carrier.

The North had also conducted a similar short-range ballistic missile test on Sunday.
Bhubaneswar, Sep 29 : BJP national President J.P. Nadda arrived in Bhubaneswar on a two-day visit to the state.

On his arrival at the Bhubaneswar airport, a grand welcome was given to Nadda, who is in Odisha for the first time after being elected as the national president of the BJP.

Union education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, BJP's state president Samir Mohanty, Bhubaneswar MP Aparajita Sarangi and other senior party leaders welcomed him at the airport. Nadda visited the party office here after a bike rally.

As per the schedule, the BJP president will address booth-level workers at Janata Maidan here.

The next day, the BJP chief will visit Jagannath temple, Puri and offer prayers to the holy trinity. Later in the day, he will visit Dhamnagar and meet the family members of late BJP MLA Bishnu Sethi, who recently died. He will also inaugurate the rehabilitation annexe building at Swami Vivekanand National Institute of Rehabilitation Training and Research (SVNIRTAR), Olatpur.

He is also scheduled to hold a meeting of the party's frontal organisations at the Janata Maidan on September 30.

Keeping the 2024 general elections in mind, the BJP is organising the mega political events. Union Home Minister Amit Shah had visited the state in August.

Subsequently, eight Union ministers have also visited various districts of the state in connection with their departmental events. All the chronological events show that BJP has tightened its seat belt for the 2024 fight, feels a political observer.

For the visit of the BJP president, a total of 25 platoons of police force have been deployed in different locations of the city.

To counter Nadda's visit, the Naveen Patnaik-led Biju Janata Dal (BJD) is also holding a two-day workshop in the capital city to sensitise its functionaries to prepare a roadmap for its month-long padayatra which begins from October 2.
Sanaa, Sep 29 : The Yemeni government has received a proposal from the UN suggesting renewing the ongoing truce for additional six months, an official said here.

The proposal from UN Special Envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg also suggests expanding the truce to include the salary payment for all public employees across the war-ravaged Arab country and the opening of flights from Sanaa International Airport to five new destinations, the official told Xinhua news agency on Wednesday.

It also includes a full opening of the Red Sea port of Hodeidah to all oil derivatives shipments, he added.

The Sanaa airport and the port of Hodeidah remain under the control of the Iran-backed Houthi militia.

The opening of some roads into the besieged city of Taiz and reopening blocked roads in other provinces are also part of the proposal, according to the official.

Earlier in the day, Grundberg arrived in Sanaa to discuss with Houthi leaders the extension of the truce set to expire next week.

On Tuesday, the UN envoy had urged the Yemeni parties to renew the truce and pave the way for a nationwide ceasefire and political settlement.

"We are at a crossroads where the risk of a return to war is real and I am urging the parties to choose an alternative that prioritizes the needs of the Yemeni people," he said in a statement hours before his arrival.

His visit came a day after he met with Houthi chief negotiator Mohammed Abdulsalam in Oman's capital Muscat.

During the meeting, Abdulsalam put forward the Houthi group's demands that the blockade on the Sanaa airport and Hodeidah port be "completely lifted" and "all civil servants (in the Houthi-held cities) paid".

"Renewing the truce without implementing these demands would have no meaning," he noted.

Thousands of civil servants in the Houthi-controlled cities have not been paid for more than seven years.

The truce between the Yemeni government and the Houthis went into force on April 2, and was later renewed twice through October 2.

Yemen has been mired in a civil war since late 2014 when the Iran-backed Houthi militia seized control of several northern cities and forced the Saudi-backed government out of Sanaa.
Rome, Sep 29 : Qu Dongyu, Director-General of the Rome-based Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), warned that conflicts and climate-related impacts are likely to fuel food crises, and called for resilience and more efforts for peace.

Soaring global food prices sparked in part by the war between Russia and Ukraine are having "devastating implications" for global food supply and nutrition, especially in the most vulnerable countries, Xinhua news agency quoted the FAO chief as saying.

He made the remarks while speaking to agricultural ministers from G20 member states in Bali.

"The human, social and economic costs of conflict are always immense, and peace is a precondition for the resilience of national and international agri-food systems," he said.

Qu noted that the trend hurts both sides of the food supply process. "Food prices are very high for consumers, and input prices are very high for farmers." The five highest levels of the FAO Food Price Index have all been recorded this year, sparked by higher energy prices and supply chain issues related to the Ukraine war.

The index dipped slightly in recent months, and new data for September are expected to be released early next month.

Qu's remarks came less than four months after FAO proposed a Food Import Financing Facility aimed at helping economically vulnerable countries to access credit that will help fund emergency needs while investing in sustainable domestic food production systems.

"We need to avoid that a food access crisis also becomes a food availability crisis," he added.
Kochi, Sep 29 : The Kerala High Court on Thursday directed the Popular Front of India (PFI) to deposit a sum of Rs 5.20 crore as compensation for the damage caused during the September 23 bandh called to protest the arrest of their leaders.

A division bench of Justices A.K. Jayasankaran Nambiar and C.P.Mohammed Nias took suo-motu proceedings against the PFI and directed all the lower courts in the state not to give bail without compensation.

Proceedings should be taken to confiscate personal assets of all those who indulged in the destruction if they fail to pay for the damage.

The court also directed to set up a Claims Commission, which will deal with all the matters of paying the compensation to those who have suffered a loss.

As per the directions, the amount has to be paid in two weeks time with the Additional Chief Secretary, Home Department, towards the damages estimated by the state as well as the KSRTC, arising from the destruction caused to public and private property in the state.

It also directed the state government to make PFI general secretary Abdul Sathar an additional accused in all cases.

As many as 487 cases were registered with 1,992 people arrested and 687 taken into preventive custody, the government informed the court.

"Whenever the word hartal is said, it has a different meaning among the citizens. People are living in perpetual fear. What does a common man have to do with this? Common man suffers, and for what? Not supporting an ideology of yours ?," asked the Court.

This strong court directive came after the state, as directed by the Centre, came out with an order asking the Kerala Police to go forward in taking the appropriate steps which includes locking up of all the offices of the banned organisations besides freezing of bank accounts of such organisations.
Bhopal, Sep 29 : Ever since the poll schedule for the post of Congress president was announced, there has been an unending buzz that two leaders from Madhya Pradesh may file nominations -- Rajya Sabha MP Digvijaya Singh and state Congress chief Kamal Nath.

Kamal Nath said that he was not in the race of the Congress' top post as he wants to focus on the Madhya Pradesh Assembly elections, which is just 14 months away.

Digvijaya Singh on Thursday reached the party headquarters in New Delhi from Kerala where he was participating in Bharat Jodi Yatra with Rahul Gandhi and other party leaders, and collected the nomination form. With this fresh twist in the race of the Congress chief, he made it clear that he wants to be a contestant.

He has also got the support from the Congress unit of Madhya Pradesh and a delegation of party's MLAs would reach the national capital to extend their support to Singh.

Digvijaya's brother Laxman Singh, who had once joined the BJP and returned to the Congress in 2013, said, "Our parents have always taught us about struggle. Me and my brother, Digvijaya Singh, are not the ones who would step back. We will fight." Meanwhile, leader of opposition in Madhya Pradesh Assembly -- Dr. Govind Singh, who is considered close to Digvijaya Singh, claimed that Kamal Nath had asked him to reach Delhi with party's MLAs. "Nearly two dozen MLAs, including Dr. Govind Singh would reach Delhi by late night or early Friday morning," sources told IANS.

"Why Digvijaya Singh would be the best candidate for AICC head, it has three reasons -- First, he is a good orator with a decades of experience of both administration and the organisation, second, he belongs to the Hindi-speaking belt where the party's condition is completely deteriorated, and third reason is that the Congress head should be a person who can take on PM Modi and, therefore Digvijaya Singh would be the best candidate for the party's to post," said a Congress leader on condition of anonymity.
New Delhi, Sep 29 : Around two months after the liquor sale at the domestic terminals of the airport was stopped, the liquor shops are likely to restart soon at the terminals.

As per an official, the airport authorities have offered the shops to the Delhi Tourism and Transport Development Corporation (DTTDC) to open liquor vends at the domestic terminals. "We have been offered four to five shops to open vends at the domestic terminals of the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport," the official said.

Delhi government's four corporations namely Delhi State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation (DSIDC), Delhi Tourism and Transportation Development Corporation (DTTDC), Delhi State Civil Supplies Corporation Ltd (DSCSC) and Delhi Consumers Cooperative Wholesale Store (DCCWS) have been given responsibility to open the stores across the city.

The liquor sale was stopped at the domestic terminals of the airport after August 31 as the new excise policy 2021-22 was withdrawn by the Delhi government. After Lieutenant Governor V.K. Saxena recommended a CBI probe into the new excise policy, Delhi government decided to go back to the old regime of retail liquor sale in the city.

However, the Excise Policy 2021-22, which was extended twice after March 31 for a period of two months each, came to an end on July 31. But, later it was given one month of extension to prepare before the old regime of Excise policy started from September 1.
New Delhi: Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot arrives to meet Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi at 10 Janpath in New Delhi on Thursday, Sept. 29, 2022. (Photo: Wasim Sarvar/IANS) Image Source: IANS News

New Delhi: Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot arrives to meet Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi at 10 Janpath in New Delhi on Thursday, Sept. 29, 2022. (Photo: Wasim Sarvar/IANS) Image Source: IANS News

New Delhi: Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot arrives to meet Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi at 10 Janpath in New Delhi on Thursday, Sept. 29, 2022. (Photo: Wasim Sarvar/IANS) Image Source: IANS News

Rajasthan crisis: Whatever has happened is sad, I am also hurt, says Gehlot Image Source: IANS News

New Delhi, Sep 29 : Amid the political imbroglio in the desert state, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Thursday said whatever has happened is sad and he is also hurt.

Gehlot has got together a two-three page document about the political developments in the desert state till now in which he said that he is hurt.

The Sonia-Gehlot meeting, which is underway, holds significance as it is expected to clear the air about the situation in Rajasthan and on the Congress presidential post.

Earlier in the day, Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi met party leader K C Venugopal while Mukul Wasnik met Gehlot in Jodhpur House.

Congress leader Digvijaya Singh took his nomination form from the party's Central Election Authority earlier in the day.

Gehlot reached the national capital on Wednesday night. However it is still unclear whether even after meeting Sonia he will file his nomination or not.

On Wednesday, Gehlot told the media, "We work under the Congress president. The decision will be taken by the party president in the coming days. The media should identify the issues of the country. Writers and journalists are being called terrorists and put behind bars. We are concerned about them." For the past two decades, the Congress has been trying to make a non-Gandhi the party president.

Senior leader Shashi Tharoor has also been asked to file his nomination for the presidential poll which is slated to be held on October 17.
San Francisco, Sep 29 : Elon Musk-run Tesla has appointed billionaire and Airbnb Co-founder Joe Gebbia to its board of directors.

According to a filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Gebbia has replaced Oracle Chairman and CTO Larry Ellison who left the board earlier this year.

"We are pleased to welcome Joe Gebbia to Tesla's Board of Directors, effective September 25, 2022," Tesla said in a blog post on Wednesday.

In July, Tesla CEO Elon Musk congratulated Gebbia on stepping back from his role at Airbnb after "a wild 14 years." Gebbia, a designer and entrepreneur, has spent the last 14 years of his career as co-founder of Airbnb. The service he built with his co-founders transformed the hospitality industry, allowing travelers seeking local experiences to book homes in nearly every country around the world.

"Since the 2007 inception in his San Francisco living room, Airbnb has enabled mutual trust for over 4 million hosts to share their homes. Hosts have since welcomed more than 1 billion guest arrivals and earned over $150 billion, creating economic impact worldwide," said Tesla.

Most recently, Gebbia departed his full-time operating position and transitioned to an advisor role while serving on the Board of Directors of both Airbnb and Airbnb.org.

He's begun working on his next startup, acquired a stake in the San Antonio Spurs, gives back via his commitment to the Giving Pledge, and serves on other boards and councils.

Ellison had joined Tesla board in 2018, along with former Walgreens exececutive Kathleen Wilson-Thompson.
Wellington, Sep 29 : New Zealand is looking to a promising future of its winemaking industry as Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern on Thursday officially opened the New Zealand Wine Centre in Blenheim.

Funding of NZ$3.79 million ($2 million) for the centre was announced in 2020, reports Xinhua news agency.

The winemaking industry continues to grow economically over time and are now one of the country's biggest export earners, while Blenheim is where 75 per cent of New Zealand's wine is produced.

New Zealand's wine exports, which currently nearly NZ$2 billion a year, will only continue to grow as the new Free Trade Agreements with Britain and the European Union come into force, providing even greater economic security to Kiwis, said Economic and Regional Development Minister Stuart Nash.

"The winemaking sector has a huge impact on the national and regional economy, and accounts for one in five jobs in the Marlborough region," Nash said, adding the job growth for the wine industry has been projected to be 17 per cent.

Nearly 90 per cent of the country's total wine production is exported, chiefly to the US, Britain and Australia.
Mumbai, Sep 29 : The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has virtually 'exonerated' Republic TV and R. Bharat -- English and Hindi news channels owned by Arnab R. Goswami, but the agency has booked 16 others of various private television channels and a market research group, for alleged money-laundering charges in the sensational TRP scam that erupted two years ago.

The ED charge sheet was filed on September 26 on behalf of Assistant Director Pawan Kumar before the Special PMLA Court Mumbai, and has sought initiation of proceedings, among others, to confiscate the provisionally attached properties of all the accused as stipulated under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, as they were bought from the proceeds of the crime.

The accused named are: Shirish V. Pattanshetty and Manish R. Sangh, both owners of 'Fakht Marathi' channel, their company Lotus Enterprises, Narayan N. Sharma, owner of 'Box Cinema' channel and his company Box Cinemedia Pvt. Ltd., Vishwajeet O. Sharma and Darshan B. Singh, both owners of 'Mahamovie' channel and their company Teleone Consumers Product Pvt. Ltd.

The others are: Bompally Rao Mistry of Sanch Media, Umesh C. Mishra, Vishal V. Bhandari, Dinesh P. Vishwakarma, Vikas V. Burungale, Ashwin C. Motiwale, Mahesh S. Bompalli and Rajesh K. Vishwakarma (all ex-employees of Hansa Research Group), as named in the charge sheet.

The ED has urged the Special Court to take cognisance and issue process against all the accused individuals (for arrest), order the confiscation of their movable and immovable assets, seize their passports, etc.

Presumably giving a 'clean chit' to Goswami and his news channels, the ED termed its investigations under PMLA as "at variance" with the probe initially conducted by the Mumbai Police, as "no such evidence is forthcoming" in the statements of the accused/witnesses, digital data evidence and analysis of the raw data provided by Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC).

The ED said that the Mumbai Police -- which had first exposed the scam in 2020 -- relied on a forensic audit report of Acquisory Risk Consulting Pvt. Ltd., that contended how the TRP calculation methodology was tinkered with and controls used to favour specific channels, was superficial and based on analysis of limited aspects.

The Mumbai Police had named Republic TV, India Today and other channels as allegedly involved in the TRP scam that had shaken up the country's media industry and sparked a massive political uproar.

In view of its findings, the ED charge sheet has not mentioned Republic TV, R. Bharat channels, its Editor-in-Chief Goswami or his company ARG Outlier Media, or any BARC officials.

However, the ED probe has detected instances of TRP manipulations not only in Mumbai and Maharashtra but also Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Assam, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, and has called for the FIRs filed by the respective state police for investigations.

Another FIR was registered by the Uttar Pradesh Police, which has now been transferred and under probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Delhi.

"From the investigations and evidence gathered, it is clearly established that the (16) accused committed the offence of money laundering... and are liable to be prosecuted and punished... and the provisionally attached properties involved in the money-laundering are liable to be confiscated... as per the PMLA," the ED concluded.

(Quaid Najmi can be contacted at: q.najmi@ians.in)
Tokyo, Sep 29 : Hiroyuki Hosoda, Speaker of the House of Representatives (lower house) of Japan, came under fire on Thursday for admitting that he had links to the controversial Sreligious sect, Unification Church.

Hosoda, a veteran ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) lawmaker, admitted in a statement that he had given two speeches and appeared in two meetings held by the Unification Church or related groups, reports Xinhua news agency.

In the statement, Hosoda said he attended such gatherings on four occasions in 2018 and 2019 and that he was interviewed by a related group in 2019, Japan's public broadcaster NHK reported.

He also said a group with connections to the Unification Church had offered to support him in his previous election campaigns.

His admission drew flak from opposition parties, with Kazuo Shii, head of the Japanese Communist Party, lambasting Hosoda and calling on him to step down as speaker of the lower house if he could not explain his links to the church, often referred to as a cult, in parliament.

"If he cannot do that, he should immediately step down as lower house speaker," Shii was quoted as telling reporters.

The ruling LDP, headed by Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, is already under pressure to explain its connections to the church, known for coercing massive amounts of money from its followers in return for "spiritual" or "karmic" benefits, following the party's promise to sever ties to the group.

Earlier this month, an internal probe by the LDP revealed about half of the LDP's lawmakers had ties with the controversial organization, formally known as the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification.

Kishida is now expected to be cross-examined by opposition parties over the matter in an extraordinary parliamentary session to begin on October 3, amid waning public support for the LDP, according to recent polls.

The latest revelation of links between the LDP and the Unification Church come amid mounting concerns by opposition parties and the public that the dubious religious sect has been seeking to influence politics in Japan by deepening its ties with the party.

The sect, based in Hosoda's constituency of Shimane prefecture, came to the limelight after Tetsuya Yamagami, who fatally shot former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on July 8, blamed the organisation for his family's financial ruin.
Mumbai, Sep 29 : Renowned Indian author Amish Tripathi, who is known for his 'Shiva' trilogy, is set to unravel the lesser-known stories revolving around the Indian literary epic 'Ramayana' with the upcoming series 'Legends of the Ramayana with Amish'. The three-part series will see Amish as the host.

Amish Tripathi, who will revisit the sacred geography of one of the world's greatest stories with the series, said in a statement: "Ramayan is the proud heritage of every single Indian, regardless of religion, caste, language, or gender. And I discovered the truth of this feeling even more as we shot for this documentary." This series will traverse 5000 kilometres, deep diving into ancient stories and myths around Ramayana. It is enriched with professionally researched opinions and experts' comments from guests like Yatindra Mishra (Prince of Ayodhya), Kavita Kane (Author), award-winning Hydrogeologist Ritesh Arya, Sunela Jayawardene (Environmental Architect & Author), Krishna Devaraya, Descendent, Vijayanagara Dynasty, Shashi Dhanatunge, Former Vice Chairperson, Civil Aviation Authority, Sri Lanka and many others that add to the authenticity.

Adding further, Amish said: "There were so many lesser-known stories and traditions that we discovered, some genuinely surprising. What an honour it has been, to travel with the wonderful team of Discovery and Wide-Angle Films as we followed the path that was trod many millennia ago by our God, Lord Ram Himself. It was enlightening, it was fun, it was surreal." The author will travel to key locations across India and Sri Lanka to piece the journey together whilst bringing alive history and showcasing the rich cultures, social diversities and landscapes prevalent in each region.

'Legends of the Ramayana with Amish' will premiere on Discovery Channel on October 3 at 9 PM (IST).
Surendranagar : , Sep 29 (IANS) A Police Inspector and two jawans were injured when a clash broke out between two communities in this district of the state, police said on Thursday.

It took almost two hours for police to bring the situation under control in Dhrangadhra town on Wednesday night.

According to a criminal complaint filed by Police Sub-Inspector K.D. Jadeja, a clash broke out between two communities around 9.30 p.m during when a strong mob of 200 persons armed with stones and other weapons attacked the other group.

As the group retaliated, it led to stone pelting between the two communities. Dhrangadhra Police Inspector R.C. Chaudhary led a team that tried to control the situation. He and two constables suffered injuries in the incident.

The officer stated that a group was led by Hitesh Chauhan, Mahendra Parmar, Harshad Sindha, and others, whereas the other group was led by Ajju Manek, Raja Babu Manek and others.

Primary information is that the community clash broke out because of eve teasing of aAgirl. Senior police officers with additional force had reached the town and helped in controlling the riot.

Police have invoked sections of Indian Penal Code for Unlawful assembly, rioting, armed with deadly weapons, unlawful assembly with common intent to commit offence, voluntarily obstructing public servant from discharging his duty, group clash and damaging public property.

Police have started rounding up the accused, said Police Station Officer.
Guwahati/Dhubri, Sep 29 : In Assam's Dhubri district, a boat capsized in Brahmaputra river on Thursday morning and several people have gone missing since, officials said.

Manash Kumar Saikia, Additional Deputy Commissioner of Dhubri told IANS that the accident happened at an under-construction Dhubri-Fulbari bridge on Brahmaputra river.

He informed that the boat hit a pillar of the under-construction bridge and capsized. Following the incident, at least five people could swim across the river and reach the shore. But, several others are still missing.

"There were reports of some 50 people on board the boat. But, we are still not sure about the exact number," he added.

It is learned that Dhubri Circle Officer Sanju Das, along with a land record official and an office staff were also on the boat to survey an erosion-hit area. All of them are missing after the accident.

The State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) was deployed to rescue the people. According to a police source, around 15 people have been rescued so far.

The locals claimed that many school children were also on the boat. It carried around 10 motorbikes as well.

The place of the incident known as Adabari is 3km from Dhubri town.

Notably, the Dhubri-Phulbari Bridge is a proposed bridge over the Brahmaputra river between Assam and Meghalaya.

The bridge, to be completed by 2026-27, would be India's longest bridge over water, spanning more than 19 km. This bridge, close to the Bangladesh border, will connect Assam's Dhubri with Meghalaya's Phulbari area.
Bengaluru, Sep 29 : Pressure mounted on the rape accused, jailed Karnataka Lingayat seer Shivamurthy Murugha Sharanaru, to step down as the head of Chitradurga Murugha Mutt, amid the demand that new religious pontiff should be anointed in place of rape accused seer.

The followers and prominent leaders of the Lingayat community held an important meeting in Chitradurga to discuss the future of the historical, cash rich mutt on Thursday.

Making things more complicated, Karnataka High Court has denied permission temporarily to the accused Lingayat seer to put his signatures to cheques. Sources state that as accused seer is not allowed to sign the 200 plus cheques, the activities of the mutt are severely affected and employees are not able to get salaries.

The High Court which took a sympathetic view on employees earlier and it was expected that it would give consent. The mutt has 3,000 branches all over the country and runs more than 150 premier education and other institutes.

In spite of the pressure and demand to step down, the accused seer has categorically refused to quit, according to sources. The meeting was held in the leadership of former minister H Ekantaiah in this regard and discussed future course of action.

The leaders discussed how to retain the legacy, history and heritage of the Chitradurga Mutt as accused seer is refusing to step down. Many leaders had demanded in the meeting to appoint a new swamiji.

In another development, a group of religious seers met the accused Shivamurthy Murugha Sharanaru at the prison and held important discussion. The details of the meeting have not been made public.

Denying bail to rape accused Shivamurthy Murugha Sharanaru, the powerful Lingayat seer of Chitradurga Murugha Mutt, the Second District Additional Sessions Court on Tuesday extended his judicial custody till October 10.

Judge B.K. Komala also extended the judicial custody of accused number two, hostel warden Rashmi till October 10.

The accused seer, whose judicial custody ended on Tuesday, was presented before the court and later after the order, he was taken to the Central Jail of Chitradurga district.
Chennai, Sep 29 : AIADMK interim general secretary and former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu Edappadi K. Palaniswami on Tuesday said that the base for the Dravidian model of development was the AIADMK rule for 32 years in the state.

He was speaking at a public meeting of the party held at Sivakasi against the rising prices of essential commodities in the state. The senior leader said that it was the policy of the previous AIADMK governments that had led to the increase in gross enrolment rate in schools. The former Chief Minster said that this was due to the creation of new schools and colleges in the state, including Medical colleges.

Edappadi K. Palaniswami said that the DMK government had cheated the people of the state through its unkept poll promises and added that in addition to rising prices of essential commodities, the people of the state have to confront an increased power tariff as also hike in property tax. The former chief minister charged that the DMK regime under M.K. Stalin has made living worse for the people of the state through their anti-people policies and programmes.

He said that the electricity tariff was increased in the range of 12 per cent to 52 per cent and would further increase by 6 per cent every year. EPS, in a sarcastic note, said that electricity used to give a shock to the people when they touched it but after the DMK government has come to power, the power bills are giving shockers to the public.

The AIADMK leader said that by increasing property tax, the state government has not even spared the people living in huts and termed the action "sucking the blood of poor".

He charged that the state government has cheated even the educated state government employees and wondered when the Dearness Allowance of 4 per cent announced by the Central government would reach the state government employees.

The former Chief Minister said that the state government has constituted 38 commissions to study various issues and wondered as to what the duty of bureaucrats and the ministers was.
Bengaluru, Sep 29 : Leading online travel portal Cleartrip on Thursday partnered with Myntra to reward the top three spenders of the Big Fashion Festival (BFF), an all-expense paid vacation to the tropical island of Bali.

The platform said that it is a part of Myntra's BFF sale, which started on September 23 and served customers with more than 1.5 million styles from over 6,000 international and domestic brands across categories like fashion, lifestyle, home, and beauty and personal care. "The reward trip to Bali will entail four nights and five days stay, enabling the three highest spenders from Myntra BFF to enjoy Bali's picturesque beaches, along with its magical blend of culture, people, nature, activities, culinary delights and nightlife," Cleartrip said in a statement.

In addition to this, some of the shoppers from the BFF's festive fashion frenzy will also receive assured coupons from Cleartrip that gives them 12 per cent off on domestic flights and 20 per cent off on hotels. Myntra's celebrated festive event across the country presented a wide range of value deals and ingenious customer engagement propositions such as the curtain raiser deals and the deal o'clock.

Throughout BFF, Myntra offered consumers unprecedented BFF Rewards, like coupons from Lakme Salon, Zoomcar, Zee 5, Domino's, Baskin Robbins, Lenskart, Cleartrip, PVR and Discovery+, among others, making the festive shopping experience a truly joyous one.
Gadag : , Sep 29 (IANS) Karnataka Education Department on Thursday suspended a school headmaster in Gadag district for allegedly holding an essay writing competition on Prophet Mohammad for school students.

The suspended head master is identified as Abdul Munaaf Bijapur, of to Naagavi village Government Secondary School in Gadag taluk.

Additional Commissioner, Department of Public Instruction Sidramappa S. Biradara has issued the suspension order for the headmaster for holding the essay competition without any direction from the department or any government agency.

According to Education Department sources, the head master conducted the competition to 43 students of the school, and assured them of rewards. He had also distributed books titled "Mohammad for all" and "Only one Prophet" to the students.

The department had stated that suspension order had been issued as the headmaster had committed a mistake being in a position of responsibility and the allegations on him are proved prima facie in the inquiry.

Workers of Sri Rama Sene had protested in front of the school and questioned the headmaster for holding an essay competition on the Prophet. They had also alleged that religious fundamentalism is being forced upon school children and demanded the headmaster's suspension.
New Delhi, Sep 29 : Apple is gearing up to showcase a demo of its Emergency SOS via Satellite feature with iOS 16.1 release for iPhone 14 users.

The iOS 16.1 update will include a 'Satellite Connection Demo' so that users can try out the satellite connection without actually calling emergency services.

The company has released iOS 16.1 beta 3 to developers. With this feature, users will be able to see how Emergency SOS via Satellite works without having to go to a remote area without Wi-Fi or cellular signal, reports 9to5Mac.

The Emergency SOS via Satellite update is expected to be released to the public in October and the satellite features will be available in November.

The 'Satellite Connection Demo' can be accessed at any time via the Emergency SOS menu within the Settings app once it becomes available.

The iOS 16.1 update also has a Clean Energy Charging option, Live Activities API, early support for the Matter protocol and the option to delete the Wallet app.

The Emergency SOS via satellite combines custom components deeply integrated with software to allow antennas to connect directly to a satellite, enabling messaging with emergency services when outside of cellular or Wi-Fi coverage.

According to Apple, Emergency SOS via satellite will be available to users in the US and Canada in November, and the service will be free for two years.
On September 29, Imran Khan arrives in Muzaffarabad to address a public rally in the capital of Pakistan occupied Jammu Kashmir (PoJK).

He will once again use Islamic religious rhetoric to subdue a rebellious, oppressed population which has over the past months demonstrated its resilience beyond a doubt.

In order for the Pakistan military establishment to maintain its conquest of the land and people of PoJK and Pakistan occupied Gilgit-Baltistan (PoGB), it is fundamental that complete synchronisation of cultural (read Islamic) ideology of the oppressor be established on its subjects.

Only religious indoctrination of the whole population could have paved the way for 75 years of oppression in PoJK and PoGB. If consciousness of the masses were not in general agreement with the narrative of the military establishment, the subjugation would not have lasted for such a long period of time.

The ruling ideas of the Pakistan military establishment still play a big role in the moulding of the general consciousness of the people of PoJK/GB.

Human consciousness is a social product and individual consciousness is determined by the persons' position in society. Today the people of PoJK/GB realise that their social position is, in actuality, that of second class citizens who have no political or economic rights.

The homogeneous social consciousness between the oppressor and the oppressed is glued between them through a religious (Islamic) narrative and has been used to make our people accept the plunder of our natural resources and denial of our basic human rights.

With the growth of social media and internet, the homogeneous social consciousness is now being challenged. WhatsApp and Facebook have provided access to information in a way that 20 years ago could not have been imagined.

From Muzaffarabad to Neelum and Mirpur and from Gilgit to Skardu, the people of PoJK/GB are challenging the nature of the social relation between Pakistan and PoJK/GB as never before.

However, the dominant world outlook in the occupied territories is still derived from the religion of Islam. Nevertheless, slogans such as 'Allah hu Akbar' and 'Pakistan ka matlab kiya: Lailaha illal la' are gradually being replaced by slogans such as 'Ye jo dehshat gardi hay is kay peechay wardi hai' and 'Hum keya mangey: Azadi', but the predominant cultural connection of Islam with the Pakistan establishment's narrative has not yet ended.

Political justification for the ongoing occupation is submitted to the interests of Islam. Land grab in both PoJK and PoGB is executed by the Pakistan military in the name of defence (read Islam) against a 'Hindu' India.

But things are changing. The forceful imposition of fuel charges (taxes) on electricity bills, cuts in subsidies of essential goods, political manipulation guided by the Pakistan military establishment in both PoJK and PoGB to form pro-Pakistan governments and the brutal suppression of peaceful protesters in recent months have contributed to a change in the world outlook of the oppressed.

The blatant acts of colonial plunder of our natural resources such as precious stones, forest wood and diversion of rivers to build hydropower plants for electricity supply to the Punjab, have left a deep impact on the consciousness of the people of PoJK/GB.

From this the world outlook of the oppressed has for the first time shown signs of a break from the world outlook of the oppressor.

However, only by way of perpetual accumulation of the understanding of the nature of colonial oppression over a certain period of time can lead the consciousness of the people of PoJK/GB to a stage when the complete break away from the cultural (Islamic) world outlook takes place. And believe me, that stage is approaching fast.

With reports coming out of Jammu and Kashmir regarding economic and infrastructure development, suppression of terrorism, foreign investment, panchayat and DDC elections and an unmatchable surge in tourism, the oppressed people of PoJK/GB can feel the difference between living as an oppressed nation and a people living as part of a voluntary union of the republic of India.

For the first time the link, the connection, and the bondage of Islam that was used as cultural tool to hold together the oppressed people of PoJK/GB and Pakistan has been shattered beyond repair. Imran Khan's visit to the capital of PoJK is going to be another futile exercise to mend it.

(Dr Amjad Ayub Mirza is an author and a human rights activist from Mirpur in PoJK. He currently lives in exile in the UK. The views expressed are personal)
New Delhi, Sep 29 : The Fashion Design Council of India (FDCI) will continue its collaboration with Lakme Fashion Week with a return to Mumbai in a fully physical format for the first time in 16 years.

The event will take place at Jio World Convention Centre following a successful edition in New Delhi.

The powerhouses in Indian fashion and beauty recognised that partnership and collaboration were the best paths forward for the industry's growth, so the alliance was created as soon as possible. Strong interest being shown from around the world to engage with Indian designers will reinforce the FDCI's continuous commitment on being the bridge between Buyers and Designers.

Sunil Sethi, Chairman FDCI commented, "This is the first time in the past 16 years that the FDCI will be returning to Mumbai for a fully physical fashion week and we couldn't be more excited to continue our partnership with Lakme Fashion Week. We had a spectacular season in Delhi earlier this year and now looking forward to bringing back the magic of the runway to the city of Mumbai. We are expecting a great year in terms of enhancement of the business of fashion with a strong response from designers and buyers alike." Sumati Mattu, Head of Innovations at Lakme said, "Our partnership with the FDCI and RISE Worldwide has provided us the opportunity to bring all stake-holders to a common platform of Lakme Fashion Week as we continue to set new benchmarks in fashion and beauty. We look forward to making the current edition a true benchmark event with our combined strengths." Jaspreet Chandok, Head RISE Fashion and Lifestyle said, "It gives me great pleasure that the landmark collaboration between Fashion Design Council of India and Lakme Fashion Week will represent itself in all its glory in Mumbai. This collaboration is now growing from strength to strength and represents the best way forward for the industry." (IANSlife can be contacted at ianslife@ians.in)
Bengaluru, Sep 29 : Karnataka Home Minister Araga Jnanendra chaired a high level meeting with the top officials of the ministry on Thursday to discuss the implementation of the process of ban on the Popular Front of India (PFI) and allied organisations in the state.

State DG and IG Praveen Sood, and Additional Chief Secretary (Home Department) Rajneesh Goel briefed the Home Minister about the process initiated after the Union Home Ministry imposed ban on the PFI.

The Union government had given complete power to the state governments to implement the ban orders on PFI and its allies.

The information was shared on seizure of properties, sealing offices and initiating legal action.

The state government has issued a direction to the offices of all district commissioners in the state as per the guidance of the Union government for effective implementation of ban orders on the PFI.

Former Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy has slammed the ruling BJP for banning the PFI, saying "it should give reasons why the ban is imposed".

"One organization was banned for carrying out murder of Mahatma Gandhi. The reason for the ban should be made public. The government itself will distribute trishul and laathis to an organization and support it," he said.
Chandigarh, Sep 29 : Punjab Police have arrested Neeraj a.k.a. Chaska, the top-most wanted shooter of the Davinder Bambiha gang, for his involvement in multiple murders, including the murder of student leader Gurlal Brar, Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav said here on Thursday.

The murder of Brar, who was a close relative of Canada-based gangster Goldy Brar, has triggered an inter-gang rivalry between the Davinder Bambiha gang and the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, leading to a spate of murders in Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh and the National Capital Region (NCR) Delhi.

Brar was shot dead outside a nightclub in Chandigarh in October 2020.

The arrested gangster Neeraj, a.k.a. Chaska, who is resident of Jaito in Faridkot, is the main shooter of Bambiha gang, being controlled by foreign-based wanted gangster Gaurav, a.k.a. Lucky Patial, who is the main handler of Bambiha gang after gangster Davinder Bambiha was neutralized by Punjab Police in September 2016.

Neeraj had been absconding since 2019.

DGP Yadav said in an ongoing intelligence-based operation, a team of the Anti-Gangster Task Force (AGTF) of Punjab Police, in coordination with central agencies has arrested Neeraj from Samba district in Jammu.

The police have also recovered two foreign-made pistols, besides 17 cartridges from his possession.

He said apart from Gurlal's murder, Neeraj has been directly involved in at least four more murders, including the murder of kabbadi player Money, who was killed in Jaito town of Faridkot district on the directions of Amna Jaito lodged in Ferozepur Jail in August 2019, and double murder case in which Pardeep, alias Panja, and Rahul were killed in Ambala in March 2021.

The DGP said Neeraj along with his associates had also killed Surjit Bouncer in Chandigarh in March 2020, following which the Davinder Bambiha group took the responsibility of the murder on Facebook claiming that Surjit was killed to avenge the killing of another bouncer Amit Sharma.
Guwahati, Sep 29 : Gauhati High Court on Thursday directed Assam government to submit the detailed investigation report on the police encounters through an affidavit by November 14, as the state government failed to provide the same in six weeks.

Hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by Delhi-based lawyer and activist Arif Jwadder, the High Court on July 29 had given six weeks time to submit the detailed report through an affidavit into all the police encounters that have taken place in Assam since May last year.

The Assam government through an affidavit had earlier informed the court that 51 accused people died and 139 were injured in the encounters between May 2021 and June 2022 in 31 of the state's 35 districts.

Jwadder told IANS on Thursday that the number of deaths by now has increased to 55.

After Himanta Biswa Sarma took charge as Chief Minister in May 2021, Assam had recorded 161 incidents of police encounters and actions resulting in the death of 51 accused people while 139 others were injured. The Assam government, through an affidavit on June 20, told the High Court that the number of deaths had increased to 54.

Jwadder had sought a thorough High Court-monitored probe into these police encounters by independent agencies including the Central Bureau of Investigation or any police team of other state.

Assam's Director General of Police, the Law and Justice Department, the National Human Rights Commission and the Assam Human Rights Commission had been named as respondents in the PIL, filed by Jwadder.

Civil rights lawyer and activist Prashant Bhushan and senior lawyer Indira Jaising during their separate appearance for the petitioner, had earlier argued in the High Court that the PIL raised the issue of public importance involving the rule of law in Assam.

"The Assam Police did not follow the law and procedure laid down by the Supreme Court in the 2014 case of People's Union of Civil Liberties (PUCL) versus Maharashtra on alleged fake encounters. The state government also did not follow the Supreme Court's guidelines on conducting independent inquiries in all the cases of encounters, including those resulting in injuries," Bhushan had told the High Court during his recent appearance on the PIL.

After assuming office in May last year, Assam CM announced a crackdown on militants, drug dealers, smugglers, murderers, cattle lifters and those accused of rape and crimes against women. Sarma, who also holds the home portfolio, has emphasised on a 'zero tolerance policy' towards crime and criminals, giving the police 'full operational independence within the purview of law' to act.

Of the 51 or 55 accused, some were killed in custody, some while 'trying to escape after snatching police's firearm' while several others were shot in the leg.

A few accused died 'after being hit by the police vehicles' while going to verify their (accused) statement at the crime spot. The deaths of 51 or 55 people in many encounters included militants, wanted criminals, anti-socials involved in various crimes, drug peddlers, dacoits, arms smugglers and cattle thieves.

Jwadder, who also earlier lodged a similar complaint about these alleged 'fake encounters' with the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), in his PIL said that all the victims were unarmed and handcuffed at the time of the encounter.

"Those people who have been killed or injured were not dreaded criminals. Above all, this petition raises the issue of violations of the rule of law and equality before the law and equal protection of laws. Police personnel do not have a licence to kill, the whole idea of the CrPC is to apprehend criminals and bring them to justice, not to kill them." The PIL also said that such encounter killings deprive the victims of the right to personal liberty and life, which cannot be denied except by "procedure established by law".

"There is no law enabling what has come to be known as 'encounter killings' and the Assam Police, like any other persons, are bound by the provisions of the CrPC. Failure to apprehend criminals and bring them to justice is a failure of the entire policing system in the state which requires an investigation by this court," the PIL pointed out.

Jwadder said that the NHRC had earlier taken cognizance of his complaint and asked for an action taken report from the Assam Police.
Dehradun, Sep 29 : Crime fiction author Ruby Gupta, who is the Head of English Department at Indian Military Academy here, has brought laurels by being honoured as the International Writer-in-Residence at the International Agatha Christie Festival in Torquay in Britain.

Author of nine books, Ruby Gupta's mystery novels are inspired by the works of Agatha Christie.

The International Agatha Christie Festival is organised every year in Torquay in Devon, the birthplace of Agatha Christie, the world's best-selling novelist.

This annual Festival of arts and literature celebrates the life and legacy of Christie. It draws international authors of repute, renowned academicians and a global audience.

As International Writer-in-Residence, Ruby Gupta gave a talk on how Agatha Christie inspired modern Indian crime fiction, along with British author Vaseem Khan.

She presented the prizes to the winners of the 2022 Young Writers Mystery Short-Story Writing Competition. Her stint included attending all the talks and lectures, involvement in all the festival events and visiting the landmarks associated with the life and work of Christie.

During the festival, Ruby Gupta's latest suspense thriller, 'The Secret of Leifeng Pagoda', was unveiled. This novel is inspired by the true events of the mysterious deaths of Indian nuclear scientists and is being adapted on screen by Almighty Motion Picture.

It is an intelligent, deeply-researched novel which begins with the assassination attempt on Jawaharlal Nehru and ends with the volatile India-China equation.
Moscow, Sep 29 : Russia Vladimir Putin will hold a signing ceremony on Friday formally annexing four more areas of Ukraine after self-styled referendums condemned by Ukraine and the West as a sham, the media reported.

Russian-backed officials had earlier claimed the five-day exercise secured almost total popular support, BBC reported.

So-called votes were held in Luhansk and Donetsk in the east, and in Zaporizhzhia and Kherson in the south. The Russian president will make a major speech at the Kremlin.

A stage has already been set up in Moscow's Red Square, with billboards proclaiming the four regions as part of Russia and a concert planned for the evening, BBC reported.

The event echoes Russia's annexation of Crimea in 2014, which also followed a discredited referendum and was heralded by a presidential victory speech from a stage.

That initial annexation has never been recognised by the vast majority of the international community. There is no confirmation that Putin is planning a similar outdoor address.

Two Russian-backed separatist leaders from the east are also expected to take part.

The Russian president is expected to make a separate address to the upper house of parliament on October 4, three days before his 70th birthday.

Parliament will also have a role in ratifying Russia's annexation, rejected by most of the international community, BBC reported.

The US has said it will impose sanctions on Russia because of the staged referendums, while EU member states are considering an eighth round of measures, including sanctions on anyone involved in the votes.
New Delhi, Sep 29 : Highlighting India's potential to become the biggest tourism destination with the combined effort of private players and the government, Union Tourism Minister G Kishan Reddy on Thursday said that the GDP growth cannot happen if the hospitality sector will not grow.

While inagurating the 5th Hoteliers Conclave here, the tourism minister indicated that the new National Tourism Policy, expected to be rolled out in time before the next Parliament session, will address various issues presently faced by the hospitality and tourism sector in India.

"The government is presently in the process of incorporating feedback from the industry and a few ministries before it finalises the New Tourism Policy," said Reddy.

Seeking greater collaboration and cohesion between the government and private players, the tourism minister called on hoteliers to partner with the Archaeological Society of India to help improve more than 3,500 monuments across the country.

"The expectations of the Indian hospitality space are rising rapidly, mirroring the growth in the quality of international tourism. This also reflects the growth of the Indian tourism industry, which is twice that of the global tourism industry. The upcoming G20 meet in India will be a key factor in aiding recovery for the Indian hospitality industry," said Arvind Singh, Tourism Secretary. He said that the government has identified 55 unique locations for key G20 meetings on tourism, finance, labour, etc.

HAI President and Managing Director & IHCL CEO, Puneet Chhatwal said that the tourism industry is going through not just an evolution but a revolution.

"Collaboration between government and private players will encourage investments in the sector and create millions of incremental jobs. We are moving from the era of over service to good service. The pandemic put everything under a magnifying glass and now with rationalisation taking place and the adoption of new technology, the world is rethinking tourism. Now the focus is on inclusive growth which is sustainable and climate resilient," he pointed out while speaking on the occasion.

The conclave also discussed the challenges faced during the pandemic. The panel sessions encapsulated pertinent discussions about ways to revitalise and evolve concepts to present new opportunities and enhance business in the post-pandemic scenario.
Hong Kong/New Delhi, Sep 29 : E-commerce platform Shopee has asked laid off employees to pay compensation for damaged work computers and in some cases, the company is asking them to pay around 2,500 yuan ($349) for an Apple system.

Singapore-headquartered Shopee, operating under Sea Ltd, confirmed this to Chinese media outlets, saying it affected less than 10 former colleagues and was part of normal resignation procedures, reports pandaily.com.

Phoenix Network Technology publication was informed this was a normal resignation process "and the damage to the computer needs to be determined and compensated".

Shopee earlier initiated large scale layoffs in China, as high as 30 per cent to 60 per cent in some departments.

Earlier this month, e-commerce giant Sea slashed more jobs in its gaming division Garena as well as at its research and development arm amid deep revenue losses.

Sea's e-commerce platform Shopee has also revoked a number of job offers for positions at its headquarters in Singapore.

One of the prospective employees who was headed to Singapore on August 28 to join Shopee received a call that his job offer has been rescinded.

Another employee was informed shortly that his job offer remained no more as he landed in Singapore, along with his wife and dog, and was at the immigration, according to reports.

In a statement to Marketing-Interactive, Shopee said: "Due to adjustments to hiring plans on some tech teams, a number of roles at Shopee are no longer available. We are working closely to support those affected." In March, Sea announced to shut operations of its e-commerce portal Shopee in India amid criticism from the local industry bodies and the government banning its marquee game 'Garena Free Fire' along with 53 Chinese apps in the country.

The company, however, said the decision to shut down e-commerce business in India has nothing to do with the government's ban on its popular game, but owing to "global market uncertainties".
Srinagar, Sep 29 : One terrorist belonging to Ansar Gazwat-ul-Hind (AGH) terror outfit has been arrested in a joint operation by the police and the army from central Kashmir's Srinagar district, officials said on Thursday.

"One categorised terrorist of AGH terror outfit namely Junaid Ahmad Parray of Nawakadal arrested by a joint team of Srinagar Police and 24 RR from Palpora, Srinagar," police said.

Arms and ammunition including one pistol, magazine, and live rounds have been recovered. Police have registered a case under sections of UAPA. Investigation is underway.
Panaji, Sep 29 : Goa Police on Thursday arrested one Russian national for allegedly possessing 900 grams of hashish oil worth Rs 9,00,000.

Police informed that Anti-Narcotic Cell conducted a raid at Morjim in north Goa, and caught him red-handed. The accused is identified as Maxim Makarov, 38, presently residing in Morjim.

"900 grams of hashish oil worth Rs 9,00,000 was found in his possession," Police said.

According to police the accused person was supplying hashish oil in the coastal belt to his prospective customers in Goa.

"The ANC team are meticulously collecting evidences to lead to the source from where the drugs were procured," police said.
London, Sep 29 : Western leaders fear that Vladimir Putin is planning a huge escalation of Russias faltering invasion of Ukraine with a deadly nuclear strike or an attack on European interests, media reports said.

British and American spies believe there is 'credible intelligence' to suggest that the Russian President is preparing an attack that will turn the war effort in his favour, after coming to the realisation that the war was 'a colossal mistake', Daily Mail reported.

It comes as the US Embassy in Moscow is urging citizens to flee Russia amid fears that dual nationals could be drafted into its war efforts, The Mirror reported.

Embassy officials have said Russia may 'refuse to acknowledge US nationals' dual citizenship', deny their access to consular assistance and 'prevent their departure from Russia'.

The Embassy also warned that leaving Russia has become increasingly difficult with flights filling and Putin's troops shutting down borders.

Putin is understood to be planning land-grab of four regions said to have voted overwhelmingly to join Russia after sham referendums in which residents were marched to the ballot box at gunpoint, Daily Mail reported.

Hastily arranged votes had taken place over five days in the four areas - Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson - that make up about 15 per cent of Ukrainian territory.

But there is concern that Putin is planning a nuclear attack west of the regions that would create a radiation dead zone and put a halt to Ukraine's so far successful counter-offensives, Daily Mail reported.

Another fear is that Russia is preparing a strike on western interests such as maritime communications cables.

Officials in the UK believe that Putin, as well as the Russian population, now understand the war was a 'colossal mistake', Daily Mail reported.

They also fear the partial mobilisation of 300,000 conscripts may be con to deceive the West into concentrating on Ukraine while he tried to leverage against support for Kiev.

It comes amid fears that Kremlin frogmen are responsible for the 'deliberate' sabotage of the Nord Stream gas supply pipeline in the Baltic Sea that has sent energy prices soaring.

Security sources told The Mirror that the leaks could act as a warning of similar assaults on communications cables.

They added: "Putin has almost run out of options which makes a tactical nuclear strike possible west of the four regions he is claiming.

"It is possible he believes this will be enough as a show of intent to get the west to back off, create a dead zone to halt the Ukrainian counter-offensive and claim victory in the east.

"But another possibility is an attack on the communication cables between the UK and America, many of which are European links to the States." Damaging internet communication cables could be 'very damaging' for the world's financial markets.
New Delhi, Sep 29 : The Congress has asked its Rajasthan leaders to refrain from making statements against each other or disciplinary action will be taken.

In a letter, party general secretary K C Venugopal said, "we are noticing statements of Congress leaders in Rajasthan regarding the party's internal matters and against other leaders. It is advised that all Congress leaders at any level should refrain from making public statements against other leaders or about the party's internal matters." "Strict disciplinary action will be initiated under the provisions of the constitution of the Indian National Congress if any violation of this advisory is made," it said.

The advisory comes in the wake of Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot meeting party interim president Sonia Gandhi. He later said that he will not contest the Congress presidential poll and the issue of the Rajasthan chief minister will be decided by her.

Gehlot said, "In this environment I don't want to contest and the issue of chief ministership will be decided by the party high command. Whether I remain the CM will be decided by Madam (Sonia Gandhi)... I am a loyal soldier of the Congress from Indiraji's time. I have expressed regret and sadness over whatever happened in Jaipur." The Congress on Tuesday served show-cause notices to Rajasthan Parliamentary Affairs Minister Shanti Dhariwal, party chief whip Mahesh Joshi and RTDC chairman Dharmendra Rathore for holding a parallel meeting of party legislators in Jaipur.

The notice issued to Dhariwal said that he, being Parliamentary Affairs Minister, has committed "grave indiscipline" by hosting a parallel MLAs meeting at his residence and thus "pressuring MLAs not to attend the official meeting".

"As Parliamentary Affairs Minister, hosting the unofficial meeting confused the Congress MLAs as to which one was convened officially," the notice reads. The notice has sought a response within 10 days and also noted that Dhariwal's action (parallel meeting) came even when senior party leader Mallikarjun Kharge and Rajasthan in-charge Ajay Maken repeatedly clarified that they have come to speak to each MLA "individually and impartially" and report to Congress president Sonia Gandhi.
Mumbai, Sep 29 : Making embarrassing revelations, the Congress and Shiv Sena have claimed that the present Chief Minister Eknath Shinde -- backed by the Bharatiya Janata Party -- had reportedly sought alliance with the Congress in 2014 and 2017, here on Thursday.

Senior Congress leader and former Chief Minister Ashok Chavan, and Sena's veteran ex-minister Chandrakant Khaire besides other leaders have made the sensational claims, sparking off a political row.

Speaking to mediapersons in Nanded, Chavan said that in 2017, ahead of the local body elections in the state, a delegation of Shiv Sena comprising Shinde -- then a Minister in the BJP-led government of ex-CM Devendra Fadnavis -- had met him in his office with a proposal to sever ties with the BJP.

However, Chavan said he would first consult his own party and Nationalist Congress Party President Sharad Pawar, and after that, he would raise the issue with the Congress central leadership, though nothing moved after that.

At the relevant time, the ties between the BJP-Sena - ruling the state jointly - were severely strained and they contested the subsequent elections separately, and Chavan was the state Congress President.

Interacting with mediapersons in Aurangabad, Khaire said that in 2014, Shinde along with a group of around 15 Sena MLAs had met Congress with a proposal to form a Sena-Congress-NCP government in the state, but later nothing emerged.

Senior Sena leader Vinayak Raut also endorsed Khaire and Chavan's contentions saying Shinde wanted to "snap ties with the BJP" and ally with the Congress-NCP.

The MVA's claims assumed importance against the backdrop of the Shinde Group's repeated claims that they had rebelled against the Sena President and former chief minister Uddhav Thackeray ostensibly since he allied with the Congress-NCP after the 2019 elections and chucking the party's Hindutva agenda.

The revolt by 40 Sena MLAs and others saw the collapse of the two-and-half-year old MVA government on June 29, with the BJP-backed Shinde taking charge as CM on June 30.

Reacting to the MVA's contentions, BJP state president Chandrashekhar Bawankule attempted to turn the tables saying that if such a thing had indeed happened, then it must have been at the behest of Thackeray since Shinde was not party leader Shinde Group's Minister Gulabrao Patil declared the contentions as "nonsensical" and said he (Shinde) may have been compelled to attend such a meeting -- if it had taken place - on the orders of his leader (Thackeray).

BJP Mumbai President Ashish Shelar issued a veiled warning that Chavan should stick to decorum in public life about certain things that should be kept under wraps, failing which "we could release Chavan's video clip", and other leaders raised issues of the Adarsh Society scam.
New Delhi, Sep 29 : The Supreme Court on Thursday directed the Taloja jail Superintendent to immediately shift Gautam Navlakha, jailed in Bhima-Koregaon case, to Mumbai's Jaslok hospital for treatment.

Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, representing Navlakha, submitted that his client is suffering from ailments.

A bench of Justices K.M. Joseph and Hrishikesh Roy told the Centre's counsel: "He is 70 years and an undertrial in an overcrowded prison... Nature of crime is serious, but it is alleged not proved.... You want the man to die in jail?" Centre's counsel replied "No, not all" and submitted that a letter of adjournment was circulated. The bench sought the presence of Solicitor General Tushar Mehta and passed over the matter.

After Mehta's arrival in the court, Justice Joseph told him: "Your humaneness is put to test." He replied: "My concern for national integration is put to test", and added that the petitioner is challenging an April order now, therefore he cannot say the other side should not get an opportunity to file a reply.

Mehta, while opposing Navlakha's house arrest plea, vehemently argued that Navlakha has skin allergy, dental problems, and colonoscopy which are not serious ailments to shift him to house arrest.

He said he did not press the prayer for colonoscopy before the trial court and added that he can visit a dental surgeon of his choice daily. He added that if Navlakha has health problems, then he should be in a hospital and not at his sister's house.

Sibal replied that his client is over 70 years old and could he be a threat? Mehta pointed out at the possibility of destruction of evidence, if Navlakha's house arrest is allowed and added that he is facing charges under the UAPA for supporting Maoist activities. "This is an abuse of the process of law. I appeal to your lordships' conscience," said Mehta.

After hearing detailed arguments, the top court said the petitioner is an undertrial, and that the right of an undertrial trial to receive medical attention would be a fundamental right, and the petitioner should be taken immediately for a thorough medical check-up.

The top court directed the Superintendent of Taloja Jail to take Navlakha to Mumbai's Jaslok hospital for treatment and required medical check-up and clarified that he remains in police custody.

The top court has scheduled the matter for further hearing in October.

The Supreme Court on Tuesday issued notice to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and the Maharashtra government on a plea by Navlakha seeking to be placed under house arrest, rather than judicial custody in the Bhima Koregaon case.

It was informed that there are allegations about commission of offences covered under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act against Navlakha, but none of those are made out against him.

Navlakha's counsel urged that he can be put under house arrest either in Mumbai or in Delhi. Navlakha moved the apex court challenging Bombay High Court, judgment passed in April, dismissing his plea to be transferred from Taloja Prison and placed under house arrest instead. In August 2018, he was arrested and initially placed under house arrest. In April 2020, after an apex court order, he was moved to Taloja Central Prison.
New Delhi, Sep 29 : Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Thursday emphasised on the immense scope of millets, especially for Karnataka which is a leading producer of the crop, as she said that start-ups can look at the possibilities of its packaging and speedier marketing.

Addressing the annual general meeting of the Federation of Karnataka Chambers of Commerce and Industry in Bengaluru, she said that India will assume the presidency of G20 (from December 1, 2022 till November 30, 2023) and there are several destinations in Karnataka where G20 meetings will be held.

"I hope and wish and will certainly do my bit for Karnataka to do its branding and to identify those products which can be showcased in G20 meetings," she said, as per a tweet from her office's handle.

"In 2016-17, as an MP from Karnataka, I had come up with the idea of having co-working space in Mangaluru for start-ups. It has now become very popular among youth and is seeing 80-85 per cent occupancy. People are now seeing the meaning of such an exercise," she said, as per another tweet.

Earlier this week, during his monthly broadcast "Mann Ki Baat", Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said that 2023 will be celebrated as the International Year of Millets. The UN General Assembly in April 2021 had adopted a resolution which was sponsored by India and declared 2023 as the International Year of Millets, with the objective of increasing public awareness about the health benefits of millets.
Kolkata, Sep 29 : The Enforcement Directorate (ED) probing the multi-crore West Bengal School Service Commission (WBSSC) scam will summon Kalyanmoy Bhattacharya, the son-in-law of prime accused and former Education Minister Partha Chatterjee, again after the Durga Puja festivities ending October 5.

Bhattacharya was earlier grilled by the ED for 12 hours on September 26.

ED sources said that in the first round of questioning, there were lots of inconsistencies in the answers given by Bhattacharya, which necessitated the second round of grilling.

Initially, sources said, he denied having knowledge of being the chairman of the trust running the BCM International School, named after Chatterjee's late wife Babli Chatterjee, at Pingla in West Midnapore district.

"However, when our sleuths presented documents showing Bhattacharya holding the post, he agreed and said that he took the post on his father-in-law's insistence. There were many more such contradictions in the statements made by Bhattacharya on September 26 for which we felt the need to question him again," said an ED official.

ED sources said that in the next round, Bhattacharya will be questioned about his role as director in three corporate entities -- Improline Constructions Pvt Ltd, HRI Wealth Creation Realtors Pvt Ltd, and Acrisius Consulting Pvt Ltd.

As per the records of the Registrar of Companies under the Union Ministry of Commerce, while Bhattacharya is the Managing Director in Acrisius Consulting, in the remaining two companies, he is an ordinary director.

In HRI Wealth Creation Realtors and Improline Constructions, the second director is Krishna Chandra Adhikari.

Bhattacharya currently stays in the US along with his wife and Partha Chatterjee's daughter, Sohini Chatterjee Bhattacharya.

After he reached Kolkata on September 24, Bhattacharya was contacted by the ED officials and accordingly he arrived at the agency's office on September 26.

ED sources said there is high possibility that his wife might also be asked to come to India and join the probe in the near future, considering that she is the co-owner in a number of properties seized in the matter.
Kolkata, Sep 29 : Justice Abhijit Gangopadhyay of the Calcutta High Court, known for his consecutive strong observations and judgement in the multi-crore teachers' recruitment scam, has now received a message of solidarity from another judge in the same court.

On Wednesday, Justice Biswajit Basu of the Calcutta High Court, who is also handling education-related cases, said in the court that he has full support towards the manner in which Justice Gangopadhyay has taken a stand against issues of corruption.

"I wish to be a part in Justice Gangopadhyay's battle against corruption," he said.

While making this statement, Justice Basu also referred to reports of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on progress of its investigation in the WBSSC scam where the central agency detailed how marks were manipulated in the server of the commission to make room for ineligible candidates depriving the eligible ones.

"The CBI report said as many as 8,163 recruitments were made illegally. I was shocked by this. At the same time, I feel that this is the tip of the iceberg. More are yet to be revealed," he said.

Justice Basu also expressed unanimity with Justice Gangopadhyay's observation that the services of those recruited illegally should be terminated to make room for eligible ones.

"There is a need to create a new penal. The scamsters will be punished by the court," he said.

Justice Basu also questioned how a teacher who secured his appointment illegally can contribute in showing the right direction to the society.

"In the coming days, the students will raise questions on the qualification and credibility of their teachers. But the judicial system is determined to clean up the garbage of the society," Justice Basu said.

On Wednesday, the CBI submitted its progress reports at the bench of Justice Gangopadhyay, where it detailed on how lower marks ranging from "zero to five" were changed to higher marks ranging from "50 to 53" in the commission's server.

The CBI sleuths also maintained how some candidates, who even submitted blank answer-sheets or with answers to only a couple of questions, were granted higher marks of above 50 with the clear intention of accommodating ineligible candidates against some consideration.
New Delhi, Sep 29 : The Delhi police on Thursday apprehended three juveniles for allegedly stabbing a man to death in Outer Delhi's Sultanpuri on Wednesday night.

According to information, the deceased used to beat the juveniles and would often snatch their money to buy alcohol and drugs. The juveniles had been planning to take revenge for this.

A senior police official said that the deceased was identified as Ajay, a resident of Labor Colony in Outer Delhi. The official said that the juveniles stabbed him repeatedly and fled from the crime scene.

Ajay's sister found him writhing in pain with multiple stab wounds. She took him to Sanjay Gandhi Hospital where the staff informed the police about the incident. A police team reached the hospital to record his statement but they couldn't record it as he was not in a condition to give it, the official said. Ajay later succumbed during treatment.

The official said that they recorded the statement of the sister of the deceased. After recording her statement the police filed an FIR under section 302 of the IPC and later apprehended all the three juveniles from the area.

The police said that during questioning the trio told them that the deceased used to thrash them and snatched their hard earned money to buy alcohol. They held a grudge against him for this and killed him.
Jammu, Sep 29 : Infrastructure projects in the region are taking Kashmir to new heights of development. While India is celebrating 75 years of Independence, Kashmir valley is witnessing two milestones in infrastructure development.

Indian Railways is credited for constructing the world's highest railway bridge - Chenab Bridge in Kashmir, successfully completing the Golden Joint. The Golden Joint is connecting two ends of the deck of the world's highest railway bridge, thereby symbolically connecting Kashmir with the rest of India. Kashmir will also witness inauguration of its first electric train to run between the 137 km Banihal-Baramulla corridor rail link on Gandhi Jayanti (October 2) - another milestone in progress in Kashmir valley.

An Indian engineering feat, the 1,315 metre long bridge forms a crucial link in the 111-km stretch from Katra to Banihal, which is part of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla section of the Kashmir railway project.

The highest railway bridge in the world, Chenab Bridge is 359 metres above the river bed, which is 35 metres higher than the Eiffel Tower. The bridge is the key link in providing direct connectivity to Kashmir valley. The design life of the bridge is at least 120 years.

Chenab Bridge has already taken enthusiasts by storm. Social media calls it 'connectivity to the paradise on the earth'. During Monsoon, the bridge almost looks like something out of a fairytale drowned in a sea of clouds. The pictures of the bridge look so breathtaking, that Twitterati checked with the Railway Ministry for pre-booking of the train ride! Chenab Bridge is an engineering marvel as its construction is going on in the face of several challenges. The project was conceived and is being implemented despite the awareness of challenges posed by the geology, harsh terrain and the hostile environment. The engineers and railway officials are at work with commitment and ingenuity despite gargantuan challenges so as to meet the time schedule.

According to the General Manager of Northern Railways, Indian Railways plans to connect Kashmir with rest of country through the railway link by the end of 2023.

This project is the highest altitude railway network in India - defying gravity on the impossible terrain of the Pir Panjal range. Indian Railways' 'Future Ready' railway system will surely go down as the new chapter of J&K's glory, development and prosperity.

Surender Mahi, Chief Administrative Officer of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL)project said: "It was a very big project for all of us. To reach here we had to construct 26 kms of approach roads having bridges and tunnels".

Mahi said that defying obstacles and challenges, the engineers at last have constructed the highest bridge of the world and gifted this engineering marvel to the people of Kashmir. This feat, according to him, was achieved with tech support from several prestigious scientific and tech institutions in the country including IIT-Roorkee, IIT-Delhi, Indian Institute of Sciences - Bangalore, DRDO, National Remote Sensing Agency, GSI and other agencies." The responsibility of connecting the country through railway infrastructure in the dangerous terrain of J&K in addition to the Chenab Bridge has been assigned to Mumbai-based Afcons. The company is building 16 other railway bridges in Kashmir valley, all are part of an all-weather, cost-effective USBRL project, that will be a boon to the local economy.

Connectivity is the key to development. Kashmir was nearly segregated from the rest of the country due to poor connectivity, mainly inhibited by difficult terrain. It was impeding all-round development of the region. Though road transportation was available, it was a tedious journey for the travellers. Thanks to Indian Railways, the rail link will provide round the clock transportation to and from the valley. This cheap transportation will usher new developments in the region as it would facilitate transport across India all local products, especially apples, handicrafts and art products made up of warm clothes and wood.

Though Indian Railways had planned the rail link to Kashmir long ago, the administration has been pushing for the timely completion of all projects since abrogation of Article 370, despite the pandemic-related hurdles along the way.

Railway line is also ushering development of surrounding areas which so far did not have even basic road network. Indian Railways have built more than 205-km long approach roads, which include a tunnel and 320 bridges. 73 villages of the region which were earlier only accessible by foot or boats are now accessible through this railway connection.

The electrification of 137 km Banihal-Baramulla corridor rail link, costing Rs 324 crore, with three main substations - Qazigund, Budgam, and Baramulla - is another boon to the region. It will not only reduce pollution in the area but also save 60 per cent of total fuel consumption at present. The trials on the line were completed on September 20.

Infrastructure development in J&K got a big push after the abrogation of Article 370 and since then, the government has announced a lot of development projects and policies in the J&K region. The sincerity of the Central government in development of J&K could be gauged by the fact 34 per cent of the receipt for J&K Budget for FY 2022-23 estimated at Rs 68,206 crore would come from the Central government as grants. The Central government is continuously pumping monetary resources and taking policy initiatives to rejuvenate the local economy. National Highway Infrastructure Development Corporation (NHIDCL) is developing five tunnels in the region at a cost of USD 3.42 million. The tunnels will have all weather access and will be completed by 2024.

Earlier, the under developed strategic highways had added to the worries of the region's agriculture and horticulture sectors as the movement of fruits took an inordinately long time to reach market destinations. But now that fear is giving way to hope as government is pursuing construction of major highways on priority basis. These connectivity projects are expected to bring development and prosperity in Kashmir along with business and employment opportunities to Kashmiri youths.
Patna, Sep 29 : Four persons were reportedly killed after violent clash between two groups in Patna's Bihta area on Wednesday night.

The clash broke out over mining of sand on the bank of Sone river in Aminabad village under Bihta police station. The sand of Sone river is considered as higher quality in construction purpose. Hence, its price is always high due to big demand in Bihar and eastern Uttar Pradesh.

The clash started between Fauji group and Sipahi group around 11.30 pm on Wednesday. Both the sides were involved in verbal argument with each other over the sand mining at the particular place and it soon turned violent. They started firing on each other. Four of the persons reportedly died in the firing.

The firing between the two groups continued for the entire night and local police did not dare to go there and restore peace.

The police sources have said that they have taken the dead bodies with themselves as well.
New Delhi, Sep 29 : The Supreme Court has declined to entertain a review petition by Axis Bank Ltd challenging an order passed in the corporate insolvency resolution process (CIRP) for Vidarbha Industries Power Ltd.

A bench, headed by Justice Indira Banerjee (retired now), upheld the ruling that National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) has the discretion to admit or reject a valid initiation of the insolvency process by a financial creditor under Section 7 of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC).

"To interpret words and provisions of a statute, it may become necessary for the judges to embark upon lengthy discussions. The words of judges interpreting statutes are not to be interpreted as statutes. There are no grounds for review of the judgment and order. The review petition is, accordingly, disposed of," said the bench, also comprising Justice J.K. Maheshwari, in the order passed on September 22, but uploaded on Thursday.

Axis Bank had filed a review petition challenging the judgment passed on July 12 by the same bench.

"It is well settled that judgments and observations in judgments are not to be read as provisions of statute. Judicial utterances and/or pronouncements are in the setting of the facts of a particular case," noted the top court, in its order on the review petition.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta submitted that certain observations made by the bench in the judgment and order under review could be interpreted in a manner that might be contrary to the aims and objects of the IBC and render the law infructuous. However, the top court said: "The apprehension appears to be misconceived." While disposing of the review petition, the top court held that judgments cited by Axis Bank did not adjudicate upon the question so raised in the civil appeal, i.e., whether Section 7 (5) of the code was mandatory or discretionary.

In the July judgment, the top court had noted that the adjudicating authority (NCLT) simply brushed aside the case of the power company that an amount of Rs 1,730 crore was realisable by it in terms of the order passed by the APTEL in its favour. "With the cursory observation that disputes if any between the appellant and the recipient of electricity or between the appellant and the Electricity Regulatory Commission were inconsequential," it said.

It observed that the NCLT has to consider the grounds made out by the corporate debtor against admission, on its own merits. For example, when admission is opposed on the ground of existence of an award or a decree in favour of the corporate debtor, and the awarded/decretal amount exceeds the amount of the debt, the adjudicating authority would have to exercise its discretion under Section 7(5)(a) of the IBC to keep the admission of the application of the financial creditor in abeyance, unless there is good reason not to do so.

"The Adjudicating Authority may, for example, admit the application of the Financial Creditor, notwithstanding any award or decree, if the award/decretal amount is incapable of realisation. The example is only illustrative," the top court had said in its July judgment.

It had said that the NCLT was required to apply its mind to relevant factors including the feasibility of initiation of CIRP, against an electricity generating company operated under statutory control, the impact of Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission's (MERC) appeal, pending in the apex court, the order of the APTEL and the overall financial health and viability of the corporate debtor under its existing management.

The Axis Bank counsel had argued that the application under Section 7 of the IBC was filed by the respondent financial creditor before the NCLT, Mumbai. The debt due from the appellant to the respondent financial creditor was approximately Rs 553 crore and the total debt owed by the appellant to the consortium of lenders of which the respondent financial creditor is the lead bank was approximately Rs 2,727 crore.

The power company had set up a 600 MW coal-fired thermal power plant comprising two units each of 300 MW capacity, within the Butibori Industrial Area in the Nagpur district in Maharashtra.

It filed an appeal under Section 62 of the IBC, against a judgment and order passed by the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT), refusing to stay the proceedings initiated by the respondent, Axis Bank Ltd against the appellant for initiation of the CIRP under Section 7 of the IBC.

In July, the top court set aside the orders passed by the NCLT and the NCLAT dismissing the power company's plea. "The NCLT shall re-consider the application of the appellant for stay of further proceedings on merits in accordance with law," it said. The power company was represented by advocates Shri Venkatesh and Nitin Saluja.
Bhopal, Sep 29 : After Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot announced on Thursday that he will not be contesting the Congress presidential election, political observers in Madhya Pradesh have started assuming that the route for ex-chief minister and Rajya Sabha MP Digvijaya Singh to become chief of the party seems clear to some extent. However, the final outcome will be known only after the contestants for the post file their nominations and the elections are held.

The Madhya Pradesh Congress seems to have united to support Digvijaya Singh. More importantly, hours after Digvijaya Singh took the nomination form from the party headquarters in New Delhi and announced that he would file his nomination for the AICC president's election, state Congress head and ex-chief minister Kamal Nath called a meeting of Congress leaders at his residence in Bhopal and asked them to reach Delhi to back Digvijaya Singh.

Congress leaders in Madhya Pradesh are of the view that the nomination of "Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor will not be a roadblock for Digvijaya Singh, but suspense remained as another veteran leader Pawan Bansal has also taken a candidature form." "So far, things seem to be in favour of Digvijaya Singh, but the final curtain is yet to come down and until then nothing can be said. Yes, Kamal Nath is coming out in his support definitely," said a Congress spokesperson in Bhopal.

There have been twists in every development in the nomination saga in Madhya Pradesh since the day the election schedule was announced last month, especially from Digvijaya's side. He was the one who demanded elections for the post and hinted that he would be one of the contestants. Not directly but indirectly he repeatedly made statements like "Let's wait till October 30" and "Why are you keeping me out." Later, when the Rajasthan Congress crisis broke out and things started going against Ashok Gehlot, Singh, who accompanied Rahul Gandhi in the ongoing "Bharat Jodo Yatra", was summoned to the party headquarters in Delhi. However, a day after he returned from Delhi to Madhya Pradesh, during a press conference, he said, "I will not be contesting the AICC president polls." Kamal Nath also went to meet Congress interim head Sonia Gandhi a couple of days back and later he made it clear that he would be focusing on the Madhya Pradesh elections in 2023 and he was not interested in becoming the party's national chief. Political observes believe that Kamal Nath might have pushed Digvijaya's name for the president's post.

However, many said that Digvijaya Singh was interested in contesting the election and he has started his preparations for it. "See, Digvijaya Singh was accompanying Rahul and he was regularly commenting on this particular subject. He wanted to contest the election, but he perhaps was waiting for a green signal from the top leadership. Yes, it is possible that he got support from Kamal Nath," said a Congress leader in Madhya Pradesh.

Reacting to this situation, senior party leader Sajjan Singh Verma, who is one of the leaders who would be visiting Delhi on Friday, said, "Things are changing every hour and the final decision would come from Sonia Gandhi. Digvijaya Singh said he would file his nomination, but he is yet to file it as of now. Let the nomination be filed first then things would be clearer. At present, matters are not clear as things are changing from Rajasthan to Delhi and Madhya Pradesh to Delhi."
Bengaluru, Sep 29 : Karnataka's Minister of Large and Medium Industries, Murugesh R Nirani, kicked off the Europe roadshows for Global Investors' Meet (GIM) 2022 in London on Thursday.

Leading the delegation, the minister said, "The State of Karnataka offers an excellent industrial ecosystem, world-class infrastructure and industrial-friendly policies. The delegation is here to invite potential investors to the forthcoming Global Investors Meet scheduled in November (2nd to 4th) in Bengaluru." "We aim to showcase Karnataka as the go-to destination for investment. With the key themes of resilience, innovation, sustainability and equity, we are committed to setting Karnataka's development agenda in line with global best practices and showcasing our strong ability to 'Build for the World'," he added.

The Karnataka government is offering European investors a host of incentives in roadshows meant to attract large companies to come 'Build in India'. A delegation led by Karnataka Industries Minister will meet a host of potential investors in the United Kingdom, France and Germany to invite them to the Global Investors' Meet (GIM) to be held in Bengaluru on November 2-4.

GIM 2022 is a flagship investor event for Karnataka. The purpose of the event is to showcase the robust industrial-friendly ecosystem of Karnataka, attract investments from global players, and spread industrialization across the state.

Additional Chief Secretary, Commerce and Industries, E.V. Ramana Reddy, who is part of the State delegation said, "Karnataka State is the preferred destination for investments in the manufacturing & sustainability sectors. Through meetings with top companies in the UK and other European markets, we are looking for collaboration opportunities and to engage with global businesses and thought leaders across sectors. We expect investments in aerospace, defence, pharma, life sciences, auto, EV and related sectors." Along with Murugesh R Nirani and E. V. Ramana Reddy, the delegation also includes Gunjan Krishna, Commissioner for Industrial Development and Director, Department of Industries & Commerce, along with other senior officials from Karnataka government.

During the week-long roadshow, the delegation will be meeting the representatives of UKIBC, Field International, Rolls Royce, Incora, Eaton, Hinduja, Schneider Electric, Dassault Systems, Saint Gobain, Infra Week India, Thales, Thyssenkrupp, Henkel, Bayer, and Mittlestand, wherein the minister will be showcasing the industry-friendly policies of the state and present Karnataka as an ideal investment destination for the European companies.

The delegation will also meet Mona Neubaur, Deputy Prime Minister of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia at Dusseldorf.
Itanagar, Sep 29 : Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday said that strengthening India's military prowess has been the Narendra Modi government's top priority ever since it came to power since 2014, with focus on equipping the services with state-of-the-art weapons and equipment through an 'Aatmanirbhar' defence industry.

Terming the armed forces as the very reason behind the strength and confidence of the nation, he said that India's "international image has completely been transformed due to the bold decisions taken by Prime Minister Narendra Modi as well as the gallant deeds of the armed forces".

"There was a time when India wasn't taken seriously on international platforms. Due to the efforts of our Prime Minister, today we have become an assertor from a mere observer. The Indian military is respected all over the globe. Our friendly foreign countries have trust in them. It is one of the major reasons India has emerged as a powerful nation. Today, we are the fifth largest economy in the world, strongly moving forward," he said while addressing armed forces personnel in Assam's Tezpur.

Rajnath Singh said that the government's efforts have resulted in making a strong military which is fully capable of protecting the nation from all kinds of threats. He lauded the armed forces for instilling a sense of national pride and patriotism among the people, especially the youth, by displaying their strength and courage from time to time.

He commended the dedication and sacrifice of the soldiers posted at the borders, bravely protecting the sovereignty, unity and integrity of the country.

Defence spokesman Lt. Col. Manish Shrivastava said that the Defence Minister, accompanied by Army chief Gen Manoj Pande earlier on Thursday visited Anini village in Dibang valley of Arunachal Pradesh.

Rajnath Singh made an on-the-ground assessment of defence preparedness along the Line of Actual Control by taking stock of the entire gamut of security-related aspects.

As part of the day's engagements, he also interacted with the members of second religious expedition to AthuPopu, an annual trek of local Idu Mishmi tribe which is being facilitated by Indian Army since 2021 as part of outreach and continued efforts towards supporting the locals and development of tourism.

Another Defence spokesman Lt. Col. A. S. Walia said that Singh complimented the soldiers for high standards of professionalism and dedication towards duty while safeguarding the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the nation braving the harsh weather conditions and inhospitable terrain.

The Defence Minister was briefed on the operational situation and preparedness of the Army by Lt General D.S. Rana, General Officer Commanding, Gajraj Corps. Eastern Command chief, Lt General R.P. Kalita, along with other senior officers, also accompanied the Defence Minister.
New Delhi, Sep 29 : The contentious Personal Data Protection (PDP) Bill 2019 has been withdrawn and a comprehensive data protection Bill is being prepared, the Centre told the Supreme Court on Thursday.

The submission by the Solicitor General of India Tushar Mehta, on behalf of the Centre, came during a hearing on a batch of pleas challenging the instant messaging app WhatsApp's privacy policy.

"Indian users ought not to be disadvantaged qua users in the global jurisdiction because privacy now is a fundamental right and has global implications," senior advocate Shyam Divan, appearing for the petitioners argued during the course of the hearing.

Appearing for Meta-WhatsApp, senior advocate Kapil Sibal, opposed the legal action only against WhatsApp, saying privacy applies to all.

To this, the court noted that WhatsApp users in India are the highest in the world.

Following the detailed arguments in the matter, a constitution bench comprising Justices K.M. Joseph, Ajay Rastogi, Aniruddha Bose, Hrishikesh Roy and C.T. Ravikumar adjourned it to January next year.

In August, the Centre withdrew the Bill that has seen 81 amendments in the past three years, aiming to introduce a new, sharper Bill that fits into the comprehensive legal framework and protects the data of billions of citizens.

The new draft of the data protection Bill is being prepared to augment efficient usage of data since it would largely be used by the industry.
New Delhi, Sep 29 : Minster of State for External Affairs and Education Rajkumar Ranjan Singh on Thursday called for every individuals' participatory role beyond their societal realm to save the the country's wetlands.

Emphasising that water security is central to the lives and livelihoods of people, Singh said that in its 75th year of Independence, India has designated 75 wetlands as Ramsar sites which is the largest network in Asia.

He was speaking at an event of Wetlands International South Asia to mark its Silver Jubilee year of inception here on Thursday.

Speaking on the occasion, MoS External Affairs complimented the Environment Ministry for providing support to the state governments in implementing management plans for priority wetlands since 1986, covering more than 250 wetlands to date.

Citing the example of Loktak wetland being revered as mother to the people of Manipur, Singh said that apart from its important role in the ecosystem, wetlands are also a unique cultural heritage.

Laying emphasis on wetlands as societal assets, Ritesh Kumar, Director Wetlands International South Asia, stressed upon de-centralising wetland management augmenting interventions from regulatory to one enabling a participatory approach through dialogues and collaborative actions.

Emphasising on the critical role of the wetland ecosystem, Siddharth Kaul, President Wetlands International South Asia, called for urgent scaling up of efforts on wetlands conservation and wise use.
New Delhi, Sep 29 : The Supreme Court on Thursday reserved the judgment on a batch of petitions raising common questions of law on the apex court's exercise of its powers under Article 142 to dissolve a marriage.

The five-judge bench comprising justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul, Sanjiv Khanna, A.S. Oka, Vikram Nath and J.K. Maheshwari, heard submissions on - what were broad parameters for it to exercise its powers under Article 142 to dissolve a marriage and whether such powers could be exercised in the absence of the mutual consent of the parties. Several senior advocates were appointed as amicus curiae in the matter.

A counsel said that courts could at best attempt a reconciliation in the public interest, and the public interest demanded the severance of marital ties when a marriage has been wrecked beyond the hope of salvage. On the aspect of fault theory, the counsel added there may be causes for a divorce, but attributing faults to any or both the parties was unnecessary if the courts concluded that the marriage had irretrievably broken down.

Another counsel objected to the proposition that lower courts needed to be empowered to grant divorce if there was irretrievable breakdown of marriage. After hearing detailed arguments in the matter, the top court reserved its judgment.

The Supreme Court on Wednesday orally observed that two very good people may not be good partners and pointed out that in some cases people have lived together for a considerable time, yet the marriage breaks down.

Senior advocate Indira Jaising, amicus curiae, had contended that when a divorce petition is filed there are allegations and counter allegations.

The bench noted divorce is based on fault theory, under the Hindu Marriage Act, however irretrievable breakdown of the marriage could be a practical reality on ground - without getting into the issue of blaming each other.

On the aspect of fault theory, the bench said there could be allegations that the wife is not making morning tea for the parents and it is very subjective. It further added that social norms could be at the root of issues --a distinction on the nature of work, what should be done by a woman or a man.

The bench queried, from where it could attribute fault, since the social norms are changing, which is the ground reality. It added that what is attributed as fault, may not be a fault but understanding of a social norm.

In the family court, the parties would have to wait for the mandatory period prescribed under section 13-B of the Hindu Marriage Act. Article 142 deals with the enforcement of decrees and orders of the apex court to provide complete justice in a case.
New Delhi, Sep 29 : The Popular Front Of India (PFI), which was banned by the government for five years on Wednesday, had been collecting funds using different channels, both from India and abroad.

The investigating agencies have now learnt that PFI members abroad used to collect money using different means, including in the name of assistance to Haj pilgrims, membership of its dummy firms, real estate deals, by owning pubs and bars and selling used cars to terrorist organisations.

This money would later be sent to NRI accounts from where it would be re-transferred to PFI members in India. Over 100 bank accounts of PFI not matching the financial profile of the account holders have come to the notice of the agencies.

Here's how the PFI clandestinely collected funds from overseas: Haj pilgrimage: The PFI members active in the Gulf countries assisted Indians going on Haj pilgrimage in exchange of money. This money would be later sent to India. The PFI took all possible routes -- be it hawala or dealing in gold -- to send the money to India.

NRI accounts: "PFI members overseas sent money to NRI accounts form the UAE and other Gulf countries. After receiving the fund in the NRI accounts, the account holders transferred it to different accounts belonging to PFI leaders. This modus operandi for money transfer was a direct violation of Foreign Exchange Regulation Act (FERA)," said a source.

Real estate: Saifu, a PFI member and a resident of Chavakadu district in Kerala, lives in Abu Dhabi where he deals in real estate. It has been found that he sent money to the accounts of PFI leaders in India. Money earned through rent-a-car service was also re-transferred to India.

Bars in Abu Dhabi: Abu Dhabi has nightclubs and bars where alcohol is legally available. Some of these outlets were run by PFI members, who earned huge amounts from this business which they re-routed to their PFI counterparts in India.

KISF membership: The PFI was active in Kuwait under the name of 'Kuwait India Social Forum' (KISF). Sources in the National Investigation Agency (NIA) said that KISF used to collect yearly membership fees from its members to support the activities of PFI in India.

Rehab Foundation and Oman-based members: PFI has many dummy organisations which are active in the Gulf countries. The National Development Front (NDF) is one such outfit which is active in Oman. The agencies have learnt that NDF sent around Rs 44 lakh through hawala channels to PFI members in India. One PFI member identified as Ashfakh Chaikinakath Puayil kept all the account details. The money was sent to the Rehab India Foundation in Kerala, which is another dummy organisation of PFI.

Selling used cars to ISIS: The agencies have claimed that in Syria, a PFI member identified as Muhammad Fahimi earned large amount of money by selling used cars to ISIS and other terrorist groups. This money was later sent to India through hawala channel.

The Qatar connection: PFI has a number of Malayali members who live in Qatar. They run a Cultural Forum (CF), which is also a dummy organisation of PFI. The money collected by these members in Qatar in the name of aid for Muslims was sent to PFI and SDPI leaders in India.

The PFI members living abroad also transferred money to India using e-wallets, showing them as legal assistance and community charity.

"PFI had been receiving funds from dubious channels from within the country and abroad. The PFI and its affiliates maintained large number of bank accounts and received money through its well-wishers and financers based in India and abroad.

"Over 100 bank accounts of PFI not matching with the financial profile of the account holders have come to the notice of the agencies. As a result, the registration status of PFI under Section 12A & 12AA of IT Act was withdrawn," the source said.
New Delhi, Sep 29 : Goods and Services Tax (GST) evasion worth Rs 824 crore has been detected against 15 insurance companies as well as several non-banking finance companies (NBFCs).

According to sources privy to developments, these companies were found to be availing input tax credit (ITC) without the underlying supply of goods and services.

Sources informed that on the basis of specific inputs received against ICICI Prudential Insurance for reportedly availing ineligible ITC without underlaying supply of goods and services, certain other common intermediaries were also identified.

They said that on further probe, it was revealed that these entities had formed an arrangement to pass on ineligible ITC in the guise of marketing services and fraudulent invoices were raised by following a systematic modus operandi in connivance with each other.

Sources aware of developments said that the modus operandi was systematically planned and executed mainly at the behest of insurance companies.

The probe is learnt to have revealed that the insurance companies have been executing the modus since the inception of the GST, sources said.

Subsequently, searches were conducted by officials of Directorate General of GST Intelligence (DGGI) at premises of several insurance companies and NBFCs in multiple cities, the sources added.

While searches are still underway, sources said that ICICI Prudential has voluntarily paid Rs 100 crore in cash under section 74(5) of CGST Act, 2017 during the course of investigation.

Sources further informed that so far GST evasion to the tune of Rs 824 crore has been unearthed and various insurance companies who have availed and utilised ineligible ITC, have voluntarily paid a total amount of Rs 217 crore in cash under Section 74(5).
New Delhi, Sep 29 : All legacy dumpsites containing 16 crore metric tonnes of waste, and taking up 15,000 acres of prime land, will be remediated under the Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban) 2.0.

Union Minister of Urban Affairs, Hardeep Singh Puri on Thursday said: "I am proud to note that Action Plans for over 1,000 legacy dumpsites -- including those in Delhi -- containing 12.8 crore metric tonnes waste have been approved by MoHUA, with total project cost of more than Rs 8,000 crore of which the Centre is contributing almost Rs 3,000 crore.

Speaking at an event 'Swachh Shehar Samvad' in Delhi, the Minister said: "India is now embarking on its next journey of Swachhata under the Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban) 2.0. We are now targeting to go from an ODF India to a 'Garbage-Free India'." Some of the key initiatives under the mission include a renewed focus on source segregation, and scientific processing segregated fraction of waste at the ULB level.

Material Recovery Facilities (MRFs) are being set up in every city to ensure that the segregated dry waste, including plastic waste fractions, are further sorted and processed or recycled.

More than 2,000 MRFs with design capacity of 42,000 tonnes per day are already operational across 1,400 cities.

The Minister said that setting up of processing facilities for Construction & Demolition (C&D) waste is being fast-tracked with a proposal to enhance processing capacity to 15,000 tonnes per day of C&D waste, to cover all cities under the National Clean Air Programme.

It also includes setting up waste-to-compost plants in every city for the processing of segregated wet waste.

The Minister said the Swachh Bharat Mission has been a tremendous success not just because hard infrastructure such as toilets was built but more importantly because ground-up capacity building and IEC (Information, Education, and Communication) efforts were prioritised.

Much like in the first phase of the mission, we are witnessing record-breaking participation from citizens, including especially young children and students, in SBM (U) 2.0, he said.

"I am glad that the Centre of Excellence at IIM Indore was launched today. I am certain that it will be yet another reinforcement of the capacity building efforts of the mission by harnessing insights from field-based learning in collaboration with the Indore Municipal Corporation, and focusing on research and innovation," added the Minister.
New Delhi, Sep 30 : One person was injured in a firing incident that took place inside Holy Family Hospital in southeast Delhi's Jamia area on Thursday night.

According to the information, two groups of students came to Holy Family Hospital where they had an argument. The argument got heated up and in a fit of rage, one group opened fire at other in which one person was injured.

The police were called. The situation inside the hosptial premises is said to be normal now.

Police teams have been deployed at the hospital. They are examining the CCTV footages to identify the culprits.
Sherwin Williams 2023 Color of the Year - Darkroom "We all needed the serenity of neutrals this past year as we faced pandemic recovery. Now, the interior design world is ready to welcome colors with a bold statement."

Shining a Light on Darkroom

Hold on to your paint brushes because colors are making a comeback for 2023!

Its no secret that we all needed the serenity of neutrals this past year as we faced pandemic recovery. Now, the interior design world is ready to welcome colors with a bold statement. Every year, design experts passionately await for Sherwin Williams to announce the color of the year. This prediction is put out by several paint companies and we will dive into what each color means for next years interior design trends.

Sherwin Williams announced their 2023 Color of the Year as Darkroom. With delicious undertones of plum, its a shade of black that gives a surprising warmth to a living space. Its inspired by the desire to craft a comfortable, yet elegant and romantic home (Sherwin Williams). With some well-placed gold and dark-stained wood accents, its historic but inherently lovely at the same time. Sherwin Williams describes the color as classic for heritage interiors, yet modernly retro for a throwback inspired aesthetic (Sherwin Williams).

Dont let the bright richness of this color scare you off. Sherwin Williams included projected color trends which all pair beautifully with Darkroom by balancing it out with quieter shades.

What makes Darkroom so special is that it gives off vintage energy that gives your space character and history. Its a new neutral that creates dimension. So lets talk about a few of the palettes and materials that pair with this gorgeous shade:

Remembering the Past

This rich warm black is infused with brown undertones, making it an elegant and welcoming backdrop to any workspace. With some well-placed gold and dark-stained wood accents, its historic but inherently lovely at the same time.

Diving into Nature

Paint colors pull from nature all the time, but not every color scheme tells a story quite like this one. Try blending Darkroom with earthy neutrals like Hot Cocoa, Pewter Green, and Austere Gray for a gentle touch of nature.

Romantic Glamor

Balancing Darkroom with Poetry Plum and Glamor creates a serene and romantic ambiance. When you hear the word glamor, you may tend to think of over-the-top Hollywood, but this color combination trades in campy for understated elegance.

Bringing Vining Ivy Indoors

While many of the major palettes were moving towards are a little muted, sometimes you just need to liven up a space with a splash of bold color. Historically, each paint company more than likely picks a color in the same palette but PPG Paints went in a totally different direction with their 2023 color of the year. Their chosen color, Vining Ivy, is a blue-green that blends darker shades with jewel tones. Sometimes it can be hard to envision a bolder color living comfortably in your home, though, so here are two other color concepts that would each pair well with Vining Ivy:

Calming Spaces

Even though its brighter, Vining Ivy also has a very relaxing presence. Pair it with milky pastels, watery tones and warm neutrals and think of seaside views and ocean foam.

Bold and Subtle

Were going for balance here. Yin and Yang. So youll want to match Vining Ivy, which is a little louder, with colors that show quiet strength. This palette recreates the world according to one's own rules with powerful contrasts between brights, clean pastels and strong neutrals.

For more information about trending colors, curated accents, or about how our designs are deeply connected to our clients life experiences and aspirations, please give us a call or visit twinrealtyandinteriors.com

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Lourdes Norton

Lourdes Norton is the owner and founder of Twin Realty Group + Interiors, a leading boutique real estate & design firm in Central Texas. With 12 years of residential real estate sales and 10 years of corporate experience in sales, marketing and project management under her belt, Lourdes decided to pursue her passion for interior design, founding Twin Interiors as a separate division of her existing business, Twin Realty Group. Lourdes is gifted at seeing the potential in interiors that meet her clients functional needs and aesthetic desires, sometimes even before they do. Under Lourdes leadership, the Twin companies have built a community based on trust and flawless execution where clients know they can count on flawless delivery of their dream homes as well as being a resource for life.

Twin Realty & Interiors

Established in 2010, Twin Realty Group is a leading boutique real estate firm under the Compass umbrella. They specialize in buying and selling residential properties throughout the Austin Area. In 2022, Twin Interiors was born from the observation that far too many home-buyers were frustrated with a tough housing market, available inventory, and needed help seeing the true potential of dated homes. As a long-time, successful real estate agent, Lourdes Norton, founder of Twin Realty Group, felt constricted. She realized she could bridge the gap between buying a house and creating a home that supports her clients various lifestyles in an aesthetically pleasing way. Today, Twin Realty & Interiors work side by side to deliver curated homes that are warm and functional while reflecting a clients personality and style. For more information, please visit twinrealtyandinteriors.com
Events like this allow even more industry leaders to learn about why certified bedding is an important consideration for reducing triggers of asthma and allergy in the home"

During the New York Home Fashion Market Week 2022, Allergy Standards Ltd. (ASL) was excited to share their latest work as an industry leader in certifying bedding products as a healthier option for people affected by allergies and asthma.

ASLs asthma & allergy friendly Certification Program is a unique collaboration with the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) that assists consumers, especially ones who experience allergies and asthma, in identifying products that have a scientifically tested impact on indoor air. This collaboration brings together the expertise of ASL in the science of developing standards for indoor air quality and in testing products to meet those standards. AAFA contributes its experience as the oldest and largest non-profit patient advocacy group representing the 65 million Americans who have asthma and allergies.

With more Americans experiencing allergies and asthma from longer and more intense allergy seasons, the asthma & allergy friendly Certification Program has become increasingly crucial for bedding manufacturers. Research shows that consumers trust that products with the Certification Mark are proven to reduce asthma and allergy triggers. Retailers have come to demand this Certification Mark for their educated consumers.

There are many products that claim to help control allergens and irritants, said Dr. John McKeon, ASL CEO. However, some products make false or exaggerated claims. As a result, consumers are often unsure what products are the best choice. By understanding product claims, consumers can make more informed decisions about their purchase, creating a better indoor environment for themselves and their loved ones. he continued.

The asthma & allergy friendly Certification Programs annual consumer research consistently shows that the bedroom is where families are most concerned about asthma and allergy triggers. This is the key message that the ASL leadership brought to bedding manufacturers and retailers at NY Home Fashion Market Week. The event showcased some of the latest and greatest textiles for key retailers in the showrooms of Home Fashion Product Association members (HFPA).

We are pleased to be a part of this amazing event that brings together so many leaders in the home textile industry, said Dr. John McKeon, ASL CEO. Events like this allow even more industry leaders to learn about why certified bedding is an important consideration for reducing triggers of asthma and allergy in the home. And it's not just those affected by allergies that benefit from CERTIFIED asthma and allergy friendly products. These products promote a healthier indoor environment for everyone in the household.

Market week also enabled us to meet up with many of our certification clients, including Pegasus, Indo Count, and Downlite, said Dave Morrissey, ASL CIO.

Organized by the HFPA, FIT (Fashion Institute of Technology) and Home Textiles Today, the Trailblazers and Titans Gala, sponsored partly by ASL, offered networking opportunities and fun along with a raffle and auction. ASL contributed to the scholarship program run by the HFPA Foundation, and contributed a CERTIFIED asthma & allergy friendly LG air cleaner to the silent auction.

ASLs mission is to help people create the healthiest possible indoor environment through science, certification, and education, McKeon said. At Market Week, we made efforts to expand our textile client base and retailer awareness, in order to become the first choice in asthma and allergy product certification.

About the asthma & allergy friendly Certification Program

The asthma & allergy friendly Certification Program is a unique, groundbreaking collaboration between the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America and Allergy Standards Limited. This program helps people make informed purchases for a #healthierhome. The Program tests household products against strict standards. Products passing these tests, earn the CERTIFIED asthma & allergy friendly mark. Certified products include air cleaners, bedding, cleaning products, flooring, paints, vacuum cleaners, washing machines and more. Visit aafa.org/certified for more information.

About ASL

Our mantra is design thinking and innovation for the air aware consumer. As an independent, international certification company, we create peer-reviewed, scientific standards for a wide range of products and services to determine their impact on indoor air quality. ASLs intellectual property portfolio includes unique protocols for products to be CERTIFIED asthma & allergy friendly. Our mission is to improve lives by empowering people to create the healthiest possible indoor environment through science (ASL Standards), education (ASL Academy) and innovation (ASL Institute). http://www.allergystandards.com/

About AAFA

Founded in 1953, AAFA is the oldest and largest non-profit patient organization dedicated to saving lives and reducing the burden of disease for people with asthma, allergies and related conditions through research, education, advocacy and support. AAFA offers extensive support for individuals and families affected by asthma and allergic diseases, such as food allergies and atopic dermatitis (eczema). Through its online patient support communities, network of local chapters and affiliated support groups, AAFA empowers patients and their families by providing practical, evidence-based information and community programs and services. AAFA is the only asthma and allergy patient advocacy group that is certified to meet the standards of excellence set by the National Health Council. For more information, visit aafa.org.
Christian business person Rich Mason has founded Alpha Kingdom Capital (https://www.alphakingdomcapital.com), a new venture capital firm that will fund companies that operate according to Biblical principles, seeking to serve humanity with the love of Christ. Two investment funds of the firm have been opened, and a third is under development.

In business, Christian integrity drives extreme competence in serving customers and extreme diligence in delivering on goals, said founder Rich Mason. By selecting entrepreneurs and business leaders who are committed to Biblical values and love for humanity, we can not only deliver returns to investors. We can also help them invest in the greatest mission of allspreading the message that Christ came to save the world.

Alpha Kingdom Capital will invest in companies that are run unapologetically by sincere Christians according to wisdom originating in the Bible, continued Mason. Their character and values will encourage employees, customers, and vendors to seek the truth of Jesus. These companies will live and work missionally, counteracting the apathy and hatred that troubles the world. Startup founders will receive the mentoring, prayer, and encouragement of Alpha Kingdom Capital as they spawn a community of seekers and believers who live and work in fellowship seasoned with the love of Christ.

Alpha Kingdom Capital has established Lion's Den communities of Christian investors and entrepreneurs in the Tampa, Florida, and Portland, Oregon, areas. These entities, known as Lion's Den Tampa and Lion's Den Portland, offer opportunities for networking and pitch events that may be accessed remotely from anywhere. They also generate healthy deal flow for Alpha Kingdom Capital's funds.

As a concept, Business as Mission could be traced back to the Apostle Paul working as a tent maker to fund his missionary journeys. More recently, the youngest generation of businesspeople has favored businesses that espouse social purposes. As early as the 1990s, the term Business as Mission was used to describe the redemptive potential of businesses run according to Christian principles. An emerging trend was identified in the early 2000s, and it has only accelerated since then. (See https://businessasmission.com/emergence-bam-movement/ and https://lausanne.org/content/lga/2013-11/business-as-mission-building-a-movement-that-can-bring-lasting-societal-transformation.)

A key advisor to Alpha Kingdom Capital, Brian Brummund, is a strong believer in the vision that Rich Mason has laid out for Alpha Kingdom Capital. Commenting on the Business as Mission purpose of the enterprise, Brummund said, The Lord receives the glory for how we live our personal, professional, and social lives, as well as how we utilize the financial resources He has provided. The launch of these funds will provide another avenue for investors and business operators to positively impact the world for His kingdom.

One of the funds currently open is called the Opportunity Zone Fund I, investing in a diversified portfolio of residential and commercial real estate in Qualified Opportunity Zones. The second open fund is the Technology Innovation Disruption Fund, which seeks to invest in early-stage technology innovation and disruption companies. A third fund, the International Innovation Fund, expects to provide funding to Christian startup businesses in Israel and Nigeria.

Rich Mason is a Christian angel investor and serial entrepreneur, having started six companies, including one ministry. Masons startups participated in several industries, including Communication Services Provider, Smart Buildings, Computer Networking Services, and Alternative Energy. He has held positions with Intel Corporation (where, among other things, he evaluated startups for account coverage), Rockwell, and Mindspeed Technologies. He was the President and Founder of Alpha Fiber. Rich earned an electrical engineering degree from the University of South Florida and has worked in technology and business for thirty-eight years. With homes in both Tampa, Florida, and Hillsboro, Oregon, Rich is connected with multiple churches and is active in serving ministries and leading small group studies.

The story of Alpha Kingdom Capital, said Rich Mason, really begins in 2002 when the Lord called me to start a company with none of the normal advantages. That led to a 10-year financial faith-walk, as the Lord provided miraculously. A ministry was born out of that company, that implemented the first Do You Believe event, to help people see all the powerful evidence for faith in Jesus Christ. Exposure to many other startups, and finally a call to fund Christian startups, came in 2021. Alpha Kingdom Capital is the result of that calling.

Trilogy Christian Publishers, a wholly owned subsidiary of Trinity Broadcasting Network, has announced the release of Rich Masons new book, Do You Believe? in which he uses his personal story to give his answer to lifes most important question. "Do You Believe?" tells of one man's journey to an all-in faith where God keeps working miracles. The book is available on Amazon, from booksellers, and from https://www.Rich-Mason.com.

MEDIA RELATIONS:

Richard W. Hayes

(813) 956-6800

rhayes@digitallightbridge.com

SOURCE:

Rich Mason

Alpha Kingdom Capital

info@alphakingdomcapital.com

(727) 505-3442

http://www.rich-mason.com

Related Links

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Thompson San Antonio - Riverwalk These talented individuals bring vast experience and distinct skill sets to our dynamic property, further elevating the guest experience and engraining the property in the culture of North River Walk," said Ted Knighton, Managing Director at Thompson Hotels, Houston, and San Antonio.

Thompson San Antonio - Riverwalk today announces the addition of three seasoned hospitality professionals to the hotel in key leadership roles. Eugene Mardell has been appointed General Manager; Melanie Bruce has joined as Director of Sales and Marketing; and Natalie Fournier as Director of Revenue. The trio of seasoned professionals will lead hotel operations and strategic sales and marketing initiatives at the award-winning, luxury lifestyle property overlooking San Antonios celebrated cultural epicenter - the River Walk.

We are delighted to welcome Eugene, Melanie and Natalie to our growing Thompson San Antonio-Riverwalk family, said Ted Knighton, Managing Director at Thompson Hotels, Houston, and San Antonio. These talented individuals bring vast experience and distinct skill sets to our dynamic property, further elevating the guest experience and engraining the property in the culture of North River Walk.

General Manager Eugene Mardell joins Thompson San Antonio  Riverwalk with over two decades in the Hyatt family, working across various brands in the portfolio, both in the United Kingdom and in the United States. Most recently, Mardell served as Hotel Manager overseeing the successful dual openings of Thompson Austin and tommie Austin in Texas. His previous Hyatt experience includes tenures as Hotel Manager at Hyatt Grand Central New York, Director of Hotel Operations at Grand Hyatt San Antonio - River Walk and Director of Food and Beverage at Hyatt Regency Tamaya Resort and Spa in New Mexico. During his time in the United Kingdom, he worked in the University city of Cambridge, and Mayfair London at the prestigious Claridges hotel. Born in the UK, Eugene graduated from the University of Cardiff, Wales with a bachelors degree in hotel management. He has resided in San Antonio for the past eight years.

Melanie Bruce, Director of Sales and Marketing, joins Thompson San Antonio  Riverwalk from various Hyatt hotels in San Antonio, serving as Area Director of Sales at Grand Hyatt San Antonio River Walk and Hyatt Regency San Antonio Riverwalk. In addition to leading sales teams to drive strategic campaigns and achieve optimal revenue growth, Bruce is an award-winning sales professional, having earlier served in strategic sales roles at Hyatt Regency San Antonio, focusing on key business accounts and training sales staff, and at Hyatt properties in Houston and throughout Southern California. She is a graduate of Trend College, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.

Revenue professional and analyst Natalie Fournier joins Thompson San Antonio  Riverwalk as Director of Revenue, overseeing revenue growth strategy. Previously, she served as Director of Revenue at Wild Dunes Resort, a Destination by Hyatt property, in Isle of Palms, S.C. and, prior to that, as Area Director of Revenue at Two Roads Hospitality, Vail, Colo., responsible for revenue management at four Vail properties. She began her career as Revenue and Marketing Manager at Christiana at Vail and graduated from Colorado State University, Fort Collins, with a bachelors degree in economics. Fournier has both Certified Revenue Management Executive and Certified Digital Marketer certifications from the Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International.

For more information about Thompson San Antonio  Riverwalk or to book a stay, please call 210.876.1234 or visit http://www.thompsonsanantoniohotel.com.

About Thompson San Antonio  Riverwalk

The 162-room Thompson San Antonio  Riverwalk is in a new luxury, mixed-use development on the banks of the San Antonio River in the heart of the citys vibrant River Walk. Featuring 33 suites with soaking tubs, wet bars and views of Text Hill Country, the hotel also offers a penthouse with a pool table  the ultimate entertaining suite. Public spaces include a full-service spa, a pool-deck bar with cabanas, and a rooftop restaurant and lounge with panoramic views of downtown. More than 5,000 square feet of light-filled event space are anchored by a 4,000 square foot ballroom. Oversized guest rooms provide stylish sanctuaries in the heart of San Antonio, while a signature restaurant from celebrated local chef Steve McHugh draws guests and locals alike.

About Thompson Hotels

Thompson Hotels have transformed conventional hospitality into dynamic cultural moments inspired by the surrounding streets since the brands first hotel opened in downtown NYC more than 20 years ago. Today, the brand continues to channel local creative energy into its expanding international portfolio of properties, with restaurants helmed by top culinary names, lobbies that double as cultural epicenters, boundary-pushing music programs, and more. The result is a magnetic hub built for collective gathering, where distinct design is an ethos and a signature part of the guest experience. Each hotel serves as an inspiring home base for guests and creatives alike to connect with each other and what moves culture forward. The Thompson Hotels portfolio of lifestyle hotels currently includes The Beekman, Gild Hall and Thompson Central Park New York in New York City; Thompson Washington D.C.; Thompson Nashville; Thompson Seattle; Thompson Chicago; The Cape in Los Cabos, Mexico; Thompson Playa del Carmen on Mexicos Riviera Maya; Thompson Zihuatanejo on Mexicos Pacific Coast; Thompson Dallas, Thompson San Antonio, and Thompson Austin in Texas; Thompson Savannah; Thompson Hollywood; Thompson Buckhead; Thompson Denver; and the soon-to-open Thompson Madrid in Spain. Follow @ThompsonHotels on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for news and updates. For more information, please visit http://www.thompsonhotels.com.

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Media Contact

Murphy OBrien, Inc.

Camille Phillips | 949-742-1389

thompsonsanantonio@murphyobrien.com
We were extremely impressed by the scientific expertise the management team has built within the organization, and we look forward to helping them expand their product and service offering into adjacent high-growth end markets. said Noah Rhodes, Managing Director at GPP.

Today Great Point Partners (GPP), a Greenwich-based private investment firm focused on the health care industry, announced the growth recapitalization of iXCells Biotechnologies (iXCells or the Company). iXCells is a high growth provider of products and discovery services to the academic, biotech and pharmaceutical communities worldwide, with a special focus on primary and induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived cellular models. The Company is led by co-founder & CEO Dr. Lynn Zhang, co-founder & President Dr. Nianwei Lin and co-founder & VP of Finance Dr. Ying Su. iXCells was founded in 2014 by several cell biology experts with the goal of providing best-in-class cell-based products and discovery services. The Company is headquartered in San Diego, California, and has more than 30 employees. Lynn and Nianwei have done an exceptional job building a rapidly-growing company serving academic, biotech and pharma clients with best-in-class drug discovery solutions and disease-relevant cellular models, said Noah Rhodes, Managing Director at GPP. We were extremely impressed by the scientific expertise the management team has built within the organization, and we look forward to helping them expand their product and service offering into adjacent high-growth end markets. Our customers are constantly seeking the highest quality products and services from a provider that partners with them through the drug development process, said Dr. Lynn Zhang, CEO. iXCells is uniquely positioned to provide best-in-class services to drug development companies requiring proven quality, white-glove customer service and industry-recognized results.

About Great Point Partners

Great Point Partners, founded in 2003 and based in Greenwich, CT, is a leading health care investment firm with 30 professionals, investing in the United States, Canada, and Western Europe.

GPP is currently making new minority and majority private equity investments from GPP IV. Great Point manages $1.5B of capital in its private funds and public life sciences equity strategy (BioMedical Value Fund). Great Point Partners has provided growth equity, growth recapitalization, and management buyout financing to more than 200 growing health care companies. The private equity funds invest across all sectors of the health care industry with a particular emphasis on biopharmaceutical services and supplies, alternate site care, medical device and information technology enabled businesses. The firm pursues a proactive and proprietary approach to sourcing investments and tuck-in acquisitions for its portfolio companies.

About iXCells

Founded in 2014 and based in San Diego, CA, iXCells Biotechnologies is an innovative cell biology and cell technology company that provides preclinical drug discovery solutions with the focus on disease relevant cellular models enabling technologies and services to the academic, biotech and pharma communities to accelerate the pace of drug discovery. iXCells offers customers access to high quality primary and iPSC derived cells, custom iPSC services, functional bioassay development and drug screening. To learn more about this innovative leader within the preclinical iPSC sector, visit http://www.ixcellsbiotech.com.
...Purchase Direct gives property investors a fast way to acquire properties while our sellers stay in control of the price thats set. Its really a win-win.

Sundae, the online marketplace that connects homeowners selling as-is to tens of thousands of property investors, today announced Purchase Direct, a new buying capability that allows property investors to move quicker and buy properties at a set price.

Purchase Direct gives property investors a way to acquire investment properties with more certainty because the price the investors see is the price the seller has set.

Before starting Sundae, I spent many years as a property investor and know the frustrations that come with finding and winning a property. Our goal was to create options on our marketplace that benefit both our investors and sellers equally, taking away the guesswork and stress that comes with both searching for and selling a property. Purchase Direct gives property investors a fast way to acquire properties while our sellers stay in control of the price thats set. Its really a win-win, said Josh Stech, CEO and co-founder of Sundae.

In 2022, property investors face challenges to find and acquire properties at a fair price like never before. Property seller behavior is more unpredictable as market conditions and borrowing terms change around them, with many seeking a faster bargaining and transaction process, and others changing their expectations as they explore the market conditions.

The 122% increase (YoY)* in internet searches for sell my house fast presented a huge needand opportunityin the market today. The competitive offer process in Sundaes marketplace has been an important bargaining vehicle that allows both parties to discover the best price. Now, Purchase Direct gives property investors another option to buy and solidifies Sundaes dedication to creating the best end-to-end investment property buying experience while helping its sellers.

Investors who use Purchase Direct will have these advantages:

 More certainty: Opportunities are listed with a fixed price set by the seller, eliminating the guesswork.

 Less competition: If they are first to click, they go into the deal with Purchase Direct, no other investors are involved.

 Save time: Move directly into a Purchase Sale Agreement.

Using local data intelligence, Sundae will consult with the property owner to set a sell-now price. The property listing will have all of Sundaes detailed property information  including, in most cases, a 3D home tour and licensed inspection report. Property investors will have the ability to commit immediately to purchasing the property at this advertised sell-now price.



Data Source: Ahrefs.com

Getting Started

To get started, property investors can sign up for Sundaes marketplace and start browsing Purchase Direct listings today.

About Sundae

Sundaes mission is to help homeowners get the best possible outcome when its time to sell a house as-is. We connect homeowners looking to sell their house, no matter its condition, to one of the largest networks of investors to ensure they can get the highest possible offer. Traditionally, as-is home sellers dont have the time or resources to invest in repairs and cleaning to get the home market-ready for a real estate agent to show the property. Sundae offers a hassle-free alternative to the traditional real estate agent sales process and a worry-free alternative to predatory "cash-buyer" wholesalers. Property investors look to Sundae as a reliable, transparent, and trusted partner when expanding their portfolios by offering them a go-to source of homes to purchase. Sundae is headquartered out of El Segundo and offers its services in 16 markets across the country. Sundae, Inc. is a licensed Real Estate Broker offering real estate services directly and through its licensed affiliates including Sundae Funding, Inc. DBA Sundae Homes and Sundae, in the following States: California DRE #02088298, Marc Geredes DRE #954840; Colorado EC.100085673, Polly Watts ER.100046864; Florida CQ1062815, Kevin Kao BK3468212; Georgia H-78397, Kevin Kao 344524; Nevada (#B.0000528.CORP); Washington #21021818; Tennessee #264668, and licensed in Texas #264668, Scott Hale, Designated Broker. Our real estate licenses and other regulatory information are available http://sundae.com/disclosureshere. Texas Real Estate Commission Information About Brokerage Services can be located at sundae.com/disclosures/texas. 1-800-214-4426
Denver Startup Week celebrates in Downtown Denver, Colorado. "People were here for a reason. They were strategizing, hunting, and getting ready to plant their roots. VCs were looking for their next great investment, and Founders were hunting for that perfect match and partner," says Mark Frank, Co-founder and CEO of SonderMind.

Denver Startup Week concluded its 11th annual weeklong event and a celebration of everything entrepreneurial in Colorado on Friday. This year's 229 panels, discussions, and workshops attracted over 10,000 people across the country. Attendees included CEOs, Founders, Investors, Venture Capitalists, Job Seekers, Students, and those just looking to be inspired by the booming entrepreneurial culture in the Mile High City.

This well-orchestrated event leaned into over 200 volunteers and staff members, 12 venues, and $600,000 in funding with the hopes that an event like this will cement Denvers position as the next tech frontier, an ode to its pioneering roots of the gold rush era.

Each year, in preparation for Denver Startup Week, the Downtown Denver Partnership releases its annual Startup Report, which provides a snapshot of Denver's current entrepreneurial ecosystem. This year's report showcases the growing opportunities for employers and job seekers, as Denver consistently ranks among the top cities in the US to start and grow a business.

The report found that Denver funding soared to an all-time high of $1.9 billion in Q2 of 2022, totaling $6.7 billion of investment in 2021 and 2022. Denver Continues to be a growing hub for tech talent, with over 117,000 employees in 2021. Ranking 7th in the fastest-growing large labor markets in the U.S, Denver continues to attract young professionals in the tech industry.

"There was an energy I haven't seen at previous Startup Weeks thanks to the progress the Denver startup community has made over the past ten years," says Mark Frank, Co-founder and CEO of SonderMind. "People were here for a reason. They were strategizing, hunting, and getting ready to plant their roots. VCs were looking for their next great investment, and Founders were hunting for that perfect match and partner."

The largest free event of its kind, which Amazon sponsored, the week's highlights included an equity pitch competition, which awarded $20,000 in cash to Mini Money, which teaches how money can improve lives by making financial literacy accessible, engaging, and effective.

"I'm so honored to have the opportunity to pitch at the DSW Equity Pitch Competition. To be surrounded by such talented and passionate entrepreneurs was the most inspiring part of the whole event. So many times this journey is a tough one, that moments like these remind you why you started in the first place. Pitching my company to a group that is so open and supportive of the work that we do will always be one of my favorite memories. DSW is a unique and special place, says Lorne Jenkins, CEO and Founder of Mini Money.

Other highlights include panels on creating the perfect pitch deck, failing fast, pitching yourself with humor, social media strategy, creating a new hybrid work culture, and a job fair and physical product showcase. The week started to wrap up on Thursday with another pitch competition in which Ride IQ took home over $40,000 prizes. The closing party at X Denver saw 500 attendees who danced through the night.

Nevertheless, are all these resources, time, and energy worth it? It seems to be the case from the numbers, as Denver consistently ranks among the top cities to start and grow a tech company across multiple industry segments.

"Our goal at the Downtown Denver Partnership is to build a city where people want to live, work, and thrive. By bringing together over 10,000 people in the heart of the city, Denver Startup Week continues to serve as a catalyst to help advance our burgeoning tech and entrepreneurial culture, demonstrating our innovative spirit while building one of the most economically powerful center cities in the country, says Kourtny Garrett, President of the Downtown Denver Partnership.

Echoing Garrett's statements, Colorado has received many accolades this year, including:



4th Best Startup Ecosystem in the world among mid-sized cities

6th Best Health Tech ecosystem in the world

9th among North America's best Fintech Ecosystems

10th best city for Tech Talent in North America

And as the best state for Women Entrepreneurs

Denver Startup Week's Presenting Sponsor is Amazon, and Title Sponsors include Capital One Cafe, Dell for Startups, and the Downtown Denver Partnership. For more information on Denver Startup Week, including headline events, registration, scheduling, and programming tracks, please visit https://www.denverstartupweek.org.

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About Denver Startup Week

Denver Startup Week is a celebration of everything entrepreneurial in Denver and the largest free event of its kind. In 2021, the tenth annual event brought over 10,000 people together with over 200 programs and events to celebrate Denver's thriving entrepreneurial ecosystem and build the center city's culture of innovation.

The weeklong event unites the entrepreneurial community in Denver and beyond and celebrates great companies, innovations, ideas, and people. It includes sessions, presentations, panels, workshops, happy hours, celebratory events, job fairs, and more. The community and DSW's Organizing Committee organize events throughout the week.

About the Downtown Denver Partnership

For over 60 years, the Downtown Denver Partnership has convened, collaborated, and led a bold vision to build an economically powerful center city for the benefit of all. With a bias for action, we invest for tomorrow and execute for today, converging the right people at the right time to make an IMPACT.

Guided by the 2007 Downtown Area Plan, we are a fast-moving, forward-thinking, non-profit business organization with the foundational belief that every day is our chance to improve the city. Together with our more than 700 Member organizations, we are the leading voice for private sector businesses in Downtown Denver.
During COVID, the consumer got abused by dealers, intentionally or otherwise, but it was time to help consumers get ahead of the things they need to do and know, before they buy or lease a vehicle.

Richie Bello, Shop Smart Autos Founder and CTO, announced today the release of the latest edition of ShopSmartAutos.com and two additional features of the platform. His intention with this new version is exclusively for the consumer. Bello previously developed the site in the hopes that both dealer and consumers would benefit, however the dealer presence in the market since COVID, pushed Belllo into a mindset reset of consumer advocate. Bello said: During COVID, the consumer got abused by dealers, intentionally or otherwise, but it was time to help consumers get ahead of the things they need to do and know, before they buy or lease a vehicle.

With this new edition comes two product announcements by Bello that further supports the consumer. Much like Carfax, Shop Smart Autos now provides the vehicles history pulled by its VIN at a fraction of what its predecessor cost. In addition, CarFax was created to support the dealer, while Shop Smart Autos technology supports the consumer with all they need to know about a prospective purchase or lease for under four dollars. CarFax is currently at ten times the cost to the consumer. "The goal was not to take out CarFax, rather help the consumer get the information they need at a price that makes sense. Plus, we give them more information, as we are consumer based, not for the dealer. continued Bello

The second product that Bello launched with this new site is a natural language search that allows the consumer to relay the desired vehicle search information in a way that is conversational and expanded. Most searches work on key words or phrases that lock out some of the important details, and in some cases, the technology cannot read the message. As an example of one of the points is when a consumer types in things like $40k, the current technology most likely will not read that as $40,000. The other feature is that conversational searching allows the user to share other things about the vehicle they would like, such as the interior, wheels, systems, etc. that most searches do not allow. "This is a true consumer advantage. Instead of putting our shoppers in a box, we allow them to expand their desired search and find the dealer or private seller that best serves them. continued Bello.

Shop Smart Autos was founded in May 2019 and has evolved to an exclusive consumer focus to better support the industry overall. The intended result will be for consumers to find their desired vehicle and go to a dealer or private seller they feel best serves their need. Shop Smart Autos will not be charging dealers for the relationships built with his audience. His goal is to let the consumer make the decision after Shop Smart Autos provides all they need to do so.
Taylor Guitars Debuts Urban Ironbark As The New Tonewood Star Of Its Redesigned 500 Series Guitars With red ironbark, we found that we could dry it consistently well the way we might dry East Indian rosewood. This ironbark has similar characteristics in that regard. Its very stable. On top of all of this, it has one of the smoothest and most uniform textures of any dense wood Ive ever seen.

Today, Taylor Guitars, the leading global builder of premium acoustic guitars, introduces its redesigned 500 Series, featuring Urban Ironbark, a brand-new tonewood that debuts as the back and sides of its 514ce and 512ce models. The tonewood is a first for the guitar-making industry and joins Urban Ash as the second tonewood in Taylors product line to come from Taylors urban sourcing initiative in collaboration with West Coast Arborists, Inc. (WCA). The reimagined 500 Series models feature Taylors revolutionary, award-winning V-Class bracing system as well as a torrefied spruce top, yielding a sound thats robust, muscular and sweet.

Urban Ironbark, otherwise known as red ironbark eucalyptus (Eucalyptus sideroxylon), is one of more than 700 eucalyptus species found around the world. Taylors partnership with West Coast Arborists allows access to select urban trees from Southern California  part of a municipalitys managed public tree population  that are designated for removal after reaching the end of their life cycle or posing a safety risk to the community. Typically, these end-of-life trees are converted into firewood or mulch. However, Taylors innovative partnership with WCA allows the trees to live on as beautiful acoustic guitars.

Todays announcement marks the first time Taylor has converted an established guitar series from a traditional tonewood (in this case mahogany, long a staple of Taylors 500 Series) to a wood sourced from the urban forest. Chief Guitar Designer, President and CEO Andy Powers spent several years testing Urban Ironbarks workability and viability as a guitar tonewood.

Usually, denser woods are hard to dry and prone to distortion, which needs to be carefully controlled to yield a stable guitar part  like ebony, Andy explains. With red ironbark, we found that we could dry it consistently well the way we might dry East Indian rosewood. This ironbark has similar characteristics in that regard. Its very stable. On top of all of this, it has one of the smoothest and most uniform textures of any dense wood Ive ever seen.

The new urban tonewood has a physical density comparable to ebony while also delivering the sonic depth and richness of Indian rosewood, but pushed to another level. The voicing recipe for the new guitars include a torrefied (roasted) Sitka spruce top paired with Taylor's V-Class bracing. The result can be described as a fresh variation on the classic spruce/rosewood sound with the help of Taylors modern acoustic engineering, and with the guitars enhanced volume and projection immediately evident, even with a lighter playing touch.

Urban Ironbark has a tone-shaping quality where it produces the deep, clear sound of rosewood but with just enough of the damping effect of ebony or mahogany that helps smooth out the sharp edges of the sound, Powers says. With the ironbarks density, the guitar sound is what I would describe as muscular and strong. The sensation I get when I play it is like the guitar is naturally amplifying everything I do. Its giving me back more than I put into it  like the notes want to jump out of the guitar. These are guitars Im really excited to get into peoples hands.

The appointments on the new 500 Series offer a nod to the classic heritage of Taylors 500 Series, which were previously mahogany guitars. The back and sides feature a stain that deepens ironbarks natural reddish and golden-brown hues, along with a lightly shaded edgeburst on the body and neck. Other details include new Aerial inlays in Italian acrylic, faux tortoise shell binding and pickguard, and a single-ring abalone rosette with maple and black purfling. Both models include onboard ES2 electronics and a mahogany neck with Taylor nickel tuners.

The 514ce and 512ce include a Taylor Deluxe Hardshell Case and can be found for $3299 at authorized Taylor dealers worldwide.

For more information about the new models and the entire Taylor lineup, please visit taylorguitars.com and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Twitter.

About Taylor Guitars

Taylor Guitars was founded in 1974 by Bob Taylor and Kurt Listug and has grown into the leading global builder of premium acoustic guitars. Taylor now employs over 1,400 people and currently produces hundreds of guitars per day in its state-of-the-art factory complexes in both El Cajon and in Tecate, Baja California, Mexico. The company maintains an active dealer network, with Taylor guitars sold through hundreds of retail locations in North America and with international distribution to 60 countries, including a distribution warehouse and factory service center in the Netherlands. In December of 2020, Taylor transitioned to 100-percent employee ownership, and in 2022, Chief Guitar Designer Andy Powers was also named President and CEO.
More than 100 representatives from China and Argentina attended the China-Argentina High-Level Forum on Cultural Exchanges in Beijing on Wednesday, aiming to promote media and cultural exchanges between both countries to further deepen mutual understanding and friendship.

The forum was co-hosted by China Media Group (CMG) and Argentina's Public Media of the Nation. The forum was also one of a series of events in 2022 marking the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Argentina as well as the friendship between the two countries.

Besides launching China-Argentina Culture Week at the forum with its Argentine counterparts, CMG also signed a cooperative agreement with the University of Buenos Aires to enhance cooperation in areas such as content production and media technology.

Meanwhile, a feature program showcasing both countries' "people-centered" political, economic, technological, cultural and ecological achievements will be broadcast simultaneously by major Chinese and Argentine media outlets in a bid to consolidate support for China-Argentina friendship.

Click here for more about Chinese, Argentine media step up cooperation to deepen mutual understanding

https://news.cgtn.com/news/2022-09-29/Chinese-Argentine-media-step-up-cooperation-to-promote-exchanges-1dIDkvlCxvW/index.html

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE. (This material is distributed by MediaLinks TV, LLC on behalf of CCTV. Additional information is available at the Department of Justice, Washington, D.C.)
Governor Newsom has demonstrated a consistent and highly laudable commitment to trusting science as his guide for making major policy decisions.

Western Plant Health voiced support for Governor Gavin Newsoms veto of California Assembly Bill 2146, which would have taken pesticide regulations out of the hands of scientists.

Governor Newsom has demonstrated a consistent and highly laudable commitment to trusting science as his guide for making major policy decisions, said Renee Pinel, President & CEO of WPH. We are pleased that he has again followed sound science and reason in rejecting this proposed law.

Assembly Bill 2146 sought to adopt restrictions in urban and suburban areas on a class of pesticides known as neonicotinoids, which are used to combat a variety of pests, including mosquitos, bed bugs, fleas, cockroaches and a range of invasive species. Neonicotinoids are also vital for protecting backyard fruit and citrus trees that help provide important nutrition to families around the state.

Pinel said that the proposed law ignored the fact neonicotinoids prevent the spread of the Asian Citrus Psyilid (ACP) from residential trees to agriculture, including Californias $2-billion citrus industry. This is important, she said, because an estimated 8 in 10 citrus trees are grown in urban areas.

In addition, AB 2146 would have created more tinder for wildfires, Pinel said, because the legislation would have limited use of a pesticide that protects trees and plants in forests and fire-prone areas.

California already has the most restrictive regulatory environment in the country, and the Department of Pesticide Regulations is working to release the most conservative regulations that will impact the use of neonicotinoid products. WPH supports the Governors commitment to allowing the regulatory process move forward based on science and not politics.

About Western Plant Health:

Western Plant Health (WPH) is a Sacramento-based trade association whose member companies promote the environmentally safe and agronomically sound use of their products. WPH members provide farmers with a wide range of crop protection and fertilizers necessary for safely growing crops that produce nutritious food and high-quality fiber, as well as horticultural products.
Web pages with many backlinks rank better than pages with a few backlinks in search results

According to a Backlinko study, web pages with many backlinks outperform pages with a few backlinks in search results  the page that appears first on Google search results has 3.8x more backlinks than positions #2 - #10, on average. While backlinks are one of the key Google ranking signals, there are no shortcuts to earning links, and most outreach-based strategies turn unsuccessful.

DesignRush, a B2B marketplace connecting businesses with agencies, leveraged its 16,000-agencies-strong network for quick insights  or QuickSights  on the ways businesses can generate more backlinks without sending outreach emails.

1) CREATE SOFTWARE SOLUTIONS

Rankings CEO & Founder Chris Dreyer shares that developing software solutions is a great way to earn links naturally.

Create software, said Dreyer. Software requires little to no outreach and earns links passively. One of the primary reasons Neil Patel acquired Ubersuggest is because it naturally earns backlinks.

2) DEVELOP ORGANIC MEDIA EXPOSURE IN HIGH-QUALITY NEWS MEDIA

According to Cecilia Loreto Mack, director at Agencia Comunicado, one efficient way businesses can increase the number of backlinks is by developing organic media exposure in high-quality news media.

It is totally possible to increase backlink profiles without depending on outreach emails only, said Mack. One very efficient manner of doing this is by generating organic media exposure in top-tier news media through a good public relations agency. This kind of result is generated in a strategic manner. It involves communications with journalists which may include emails, for sure, but goes far beyond that. It may include interviews, conversations through various ways and, above all, strategic PR thinking

3) PUBLISH RELEVANT, USEFUL AND UNIQUE CONTENT

In the opinion of Ursula Blackwell, founder, principal creative director and brand strategist at UPGCC | UPCREATIVES, the best way to increase the number of backlinks and rank higher on Google is to create and publish relevant and useful content that the audience finds interesting.

Content that has been supported by other sites suggest domain trust and authority which represents 30% of Google's ranking, said Blackwell. [...] One way [to rank higher on Google] is content strategy with effective link building. In order to get backlinks, first, you must develop content that other websites are willing to link to. Relevant and useful content can lead to success and better indexing. Knowing your audience and what Google wants can improve ranking, build trust and brand recognition. Make sure that the content is unique and interesting so that readers want to share it with others.

4) LEVERAGE SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS

Clio Websites Owner Nat Miletic claims that businesses should rely on social media posts to drive natural backlinks.

"Leveraging social media is our favorite way to gain backlinks without outreach, said Miletic. Share unique and insightful blog articles and infographics and always include the website links in the posts. While this strategy requires good quality content and a large social media following, it results in natural backlinks, which Google loves."

5) CREATE & SHARE INFOGRAPHICS

Ashbi Creative Studio Marketing Director Cameron Ashley highlights that infographics are one of the most shared type of content that people often link to.

Research suggests that infographics are the most shared type of content that can increase web traffic by up to 12%, said Ashley. Because of the visual information they contain, they can be easily understood, and are appealing and fun to read. Therefore, they tend to be shared online by other bloggers and are a great way to get organic backlinks.

6) RANK FOR KEYWORDS THAT JOURNALISTS & BLOGGERS ARE LIKELY TO SEARCH FOR

As stated by Bhuvan Poudel, founder of Dotmax Digital, businesses should create web content around keywords that journalists and bloggers are likely to use.

One way to increase your backlink profile without sending outreach emails is to rank your web pages for keywords that journalists and bloggers are likely to search for, said Poudel. Thus, pick a relevant topic and make sure to publish quality content of at least 2000 words since long-form content gets more organic traffic and backlinks, as reported by Ahrefs. Include relevant graphics, images, videos and data on your posts to make them more attractive.

DesignRush issued the September list of the best SEO companies that help businesses across industries optimize their websites and increase search engine rankings.

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Brands can explore the top SEO companies by location, size, average hourly rate and portfolio on DesignRush.

About DesignRush:

DesignRush.com is a B2B marketplace connecting businesses with agencies through expert reviews and agency ranking lists, awards, knowledge resources and personalized agency recommendations for vetted projects.
to memorialize the extraordinary acts of the employees of the VHA and to give firsthand accounts to the leadership decisions that allowed the VHA to fulfill its roll as the backstop for overwhelmed American health care systems across the nation.

Author Richard A. Stone, M.D. shares the one-of-a-kind story of the extraordinary people of the VHA whose mission was to Save Every Life You Can: A Reflection on Leadership and Saving Lives During the COVID-19 Pandemic ($18.99, paperback, 9781662853425; $8.99, e-book, 9781662853432).

From his position at the top of the VHA, Stone had a unique perspective of the pandemic hidden from most. In this book, he shares his thoughts, and reflects upon the actions and decisions that affected a battle unlike any of us had seen before.

Stone was inspired to memorialize the extraordinary acts of the employees of the VHA and to give firsthand accounts to the leadership decisions that allowed the VHA to fulfill its roll as the backstop for overwhelmed American health care systems across the nation.

Richard A. Stone M.D. is the former Deputy Surgeon General of the United States Army. A combat-tested Veteran from the war in Afghanistan, Dr. Stone returned to government service as the Executive in Charge and then as the Acting Under Secretary of the Veterans Health Administration. He led the nations largest health system, the VHA, through the initial 18 months of the pandemic.

###

Mill City Press, a division of Salem Media Group, is a leader in the general market division of self-publishing. Save Every Life You Can is available online through amazon.com and barnesandnoble.com.


Recognizing the Raleigh-Durham area as one of the fastest growing metropolitan areas in the country and a leading bioscience hub, Curie Co relocated its headquarters from the Johnson & Johnson Innovation JLabs in New York City.

Curie Co, the standard for long-lasting, sustainable personal care, today announced the relocation of their headquarters from New York City to North Carolinas Research Triangle Park (RTP). Along with this move, Curie Co attracted and hired industry veteran, Alan Berry, to serve as their Chief Technology Officer.

Recognizing the Raleigh-Durham area as one of the fastest growing metropolitan areas in the country and a leading bioscience hub, Curie Co relocated its headquarters from the Johnson & Johnson Innovation JLabs in New York City. The move places the company closer to prospective, top-tier talent, and allows it to benefit from the states friendly business climate as well as RTPs biotechnology and biomanufacturing resources.

With this move, Curie Co plans to expand its cutting-edge enzyme optimization capabilities. Curie fashions personal care solutions from the basic building blocks of life by teaching abundant, naturally-occurring enzymes to perform the same function as legacy preservatives and with efficiency that is orders of magnitude better. These enzymes are fully biodegradable and are gentle for people and the planet.

Curie Co is a collection of top scientists from Fortune 500 companies around the globe who align under the same belief that sustainability isnt a luxury, its our obligation, said Erika Milzcek, CEO and founder of Curie Co. RTP is a hub of bright and ambitious talent and well-established industrial biotechnology infrastructure and resources. This move allows us to grow and scale as a company alongside this amazing community.

The move has already put Curie Co in a strong position to support commercialization and attract top-rate talent, such as the companys new CTO, Alan Berry. Berrys role will be to lead the development of Curies technology to meet demands across many industrial applications and markets. Berry is an applied microbiologist with over 30 years of experience in the industrial biotechnology and biopharmaceutical industries and an extensive industrial and academic network. Most recently, Berry spent over a decade with Novozymes, heading all research and development related to metabolic engineering and leading the Microbial Development organization.

I joined Curie Co because the technology our company has developed meets a genuine, unmet need across multiple industries while being both technologically and commercially realistic, said Alan Berry, CTO of Curie Co. The cutting-edge technology and the outstanding industrial experience and track record of the management team, in combination with the bright, energetic scientists who deliver our results in the lab every day, sets our enzyme products up for resounding success. Im excited to be a part of the journey.

Berry earned his PhD in Biological Sciences from Binghamton University under the direction of Roy A. Jensen, upon which he was awarded the universitys Distinguished Dissertation award. Berry then moved into conducting his postdoctoral research at The University of Illinois Health Sciences Center at Chicago under the direction of Ananda M. Chakrabarty. It was there that he was awarded a National Research Service Award postdoctoral fellowship from the National Institutes of Health, Allergy, and Infectious Diseases. Berry is a contributing author on 40 journal articles and book chapters and is a co-inventor on several issued patents representing eight patent families.

We are so pleased and honored to have Alan join Curie Co, said Erika Milczek. He has already spearheaded the identification of the technological demands of our customers. The future of Curie Co is bright and we cannot wait to develop solutions with Alan that serve the people and the planet with the most gentle, sustainable standards.

With Berrys 32 years of R&D experience in industrial biotechnology and biopharmaceutical development, and his extensive industrial and academic network, Curie Co is poised to deliver leading-edge, biobased solutions for the personal care industry.

To learn more about Curie Co and see open positions, please visit: https://www.curieco.com/.

ABOUT CURIE CO

Curie Co is the standard for long-lasting, sustainable personal care. We fashion biological solutions from the basic building blocks of life.

If there is a biological problem, there is a biological solution. To date, personal care has been constrained by legacy petrochemical-based preservatives. As consumer trends, sustainability issues, and regulatory changes mount, formulators are looking for a bio-based upgrade without limitation.

Curie Cos enzyme optimization platform teaches abundant, naturally-occurring enzymes to perform the same function as legacy preservatives and with efficiency that is orders of magnitude better.

Our enzymes are gentle for people and the planetthey are fully biodegradable and catalytic. From hand soap, body wash, hair care products, skincare, and beyond, we give product formulators the freedom to build a powerful, long-lasting product that is nature-based from the bottom up.

Founded in 2017, Curie Co is a collection of top scientists from Fortune 500 companies around the globe. Our interdisciplinary team unites under the belief that sustainability is not a luxury, its our obligation. Curie Co is proudly based in Research Triangle Park.

To learn more, please visit: https://www.curieco.com/.
Advanced Technology International (ATI), TechConnect and four medtech industry consortia today announced the seven winners of the 2022 Medical Innovation Challenge as well as an eighth winner from innovations created by students. Selected from a field of 25 finalists, winners were presented a total $250,000 in cash prizes at the Defense TechConnect (DTC) Innovation Summit & Expo, the nation's largest annual gathering of non-traditional, dual-use emerging technologies aligned with government priority requirements.

Each winner presented its innovation during the conferences Shark Tank-style pitching; finalists were given eight minutes to present to industry and government leadership aligned with participating contracting vehicles.

The seven winners and their innovation challenges are:



Darwin Biosciences, Inc., Boulder, Colo.: A portable, saliva-based diagnostic tool for the pre-symptomatic detection of infection, called SickStick, that reads molecules in human saliva derived from the earliest immune response.

Limax Biosciences, Inc., Somerville, Mass.: An innovative, degradable, adhesive hydrogel for advanced bleeding with strong and rapid adhesion to wet tissue surfaces at 10-100x higher the strength of competitors.

Matregenix, Irvine, Calif.: An innovative platform technology for soft-tissue repair, called MatriNova, that features a programmable non-biologic, antimicrobial, hybrid-scale fiber matrix engineered to be similar to a human extracellular matrix and maintains tensile strength with flexibility.

SafeBeat Rx, Chico, Calif.: A first-of-its-kind, home-based, antiarrhythmic drug initiation kit that replaces a hospitalization, which is typically required to initiate oral drugs for atrial fibrillation.

Sana Health, Inc., Sandy, Utah: An neuro-modulation device that provides anxiety relief on demand by using audiovisual stimulation to increase the balance between the left and right sides of a patients brain.

Sense Neuro Diagnostics, Cincinnati, Ohio: An innovative, non-invasive technology that enables rapid, comprehensive detection of stroke subtype and traumatic brain injuries as well as continuous brain injury monitoring.

Sonogen Medical, Inc., Chevy Chase, Md.: An ultrasonic bone growth stimulation device that optimizes bone fracture healing while providing real-time feedback on both patient compliance and the fracture healing process.

The winning student submission and its innovation are:



Eclipxe, San Francisco, Calif.: A mobile app with music designed with research and organized by mood and genre that decreases depression, anxiety and any other mental health related issue.

DTCs Medical Innovation Challenge is aligned with four medtech consortia representing more than $20 billion in health technology contracting authority: Medical CBRN Defense Consortium (MCDC), Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction Consortium (CWMD), Medical Technology Enterprise Consortium (MTEC), Senior Healthcare Innovation Consortium (SHIC). This years challenge featured several areas of interest, including: devices and sensors, digital and hardware, therapeutics and treatments, materials and manufacturing, and readiness and response. Administrators of the challenge encouraged applications from transformative healthtech and biotech innovators representing dual-use solutions for both civilian and national security applications.

DTC features six Innovation Challenges in energy and infrastructure, medical and biodefense, autonomy and air mobility, data and digital transformation, security and intelligence, and training and readiness. This years six challenges attracted nearly 800 submissions competing for a total $500,000 in cash prizes and access to more than $50 billion in prototype-level contracting authority for government customers.

Held Sept. 27-29, 2022, at Gaylord National Hotel & Convention Center in National Harbor, Md., DTC is the nations largest annual gathering of non-traditional, dual-use emerging technologies aligned with government priority requirements. The winner of each Innovation Challenge, in addition to a cash prize, is invited to join a consortium led by DTCs parent company, ATI, the countrys leading technology consortium management firm and one of the single largest funders of prototype-level innovations for its government customers and the nation.

About Defense TechConnect

The Defense TechConnect (DTC) Innovation Summit & Expo is the nations largest annual gathering of non-traditional, dual-use emerging technologies aligned with government priority requirements. A unique bridge between private sector innovation, commercialization and government acquisition, DTC accelerates the identification and deployment of novel technologies through rapid access of vetted startups and emerging academic and federal lab innovations. In its 10th year accelerating innovation for the nation and Americas Warfighter, DTC features 500 innovations and exhibitors and is one of the most well-attended defense innovation conferences of the year. DTCs attendees include military leadership, more than 250 DoD/SES/PEO scouts, representatives from over 50 contracting offices and hundreds of active duty service members. DTC is proud to be one of the original innovation hubs to support the Department of Defense and its missions. For more information, visit https://events.techconnect.org/DTCFall.

About TechConnect

With 25+ years of experience connecting emerging technologies with unique funding and partnership opportunities, TechConnect boasts the most robust research and innovation network in the world. It employs a broad scope of tools to deliver top technologies, including open innovation programs, conferences, and open-access publications. Each year, TechConnect prospects, vets, and connects thousands of emerging technologies with corporate, investment, municipal, and national defense clients. TechConnect is a division of Advanced Technology International. techconnect.org

About Advanced Technology International

ATI, a public-service nonprofit based in Summerville, S.C., builds and manages collaborations that conduct research and development of new technologies to solve our nations most pressing challenges. Fueled by a community of experts from industry, academia, and government, ATI accelerates impact by using the power of collaboration to help the federal government quickly acquire novel technologies. ATI is a subsidiary of Analytic Services, Inc. (ANSER), a public-service research institute organized as a nonprofit corporation, which is dedicated to informing decisions that shape the nations future. ATI.org
Family Law Attorney Kyle Sellett Joins Elmhurst Family Law Firm, WKO

Weiss-Kunz & Oliver, LLC is pleased to welcome our new partner, Kyle Sellett. Kyles years of dedication to his family law clients have earned him a place as a partner to principals Maxine Weiss Kunz and Amanda M. Oliver. Kyle has been practicing exclusively in the area of family law since 2018, and he has earned a reputation as a deeply committed and knowledgeable attorney.

Kyle takes a personalized approach to each case and maintains the firm belief that with each case there is an opportunity to establish his client and their family members in a new chapter of their lives. He has a unique ability to advocate knowledgeably and forcefully while keeping sight of the clients family needs and end goals.

"You like Kyle the moment you meet him. Despite his skills and experience, there are no airs about him. He is a straight shooter; setting clear expectations and then delivering for clients. He's a real asset to our team." Amanda M. Oliver, Principal

Kyle Sellett is welcomed by an impressive and devoted team of attorneys, including firm principals and founders Maxine Weiss Kunz and Amanda M. Oliver, Senior Associates Jennifer L. Fox and Alexis L. Seniff, Of Counsel Julie A. Johnson, and Associates Kelsey J. Burge, Tyler Neher and Whitni Hart.

Maxine Weiss Kunz and Amanda M. Oliver have practiced exclusively in the area of family law for the entirety of their careers and joined forces in 2015 to create WKO and offer elite advocacy to each of their clients. The foundation of WKO is built upon their dedication to the fundamentals (up-to-date knowledge of the law, preparedness and aggressive advocacy in tandem with recognizing when the facts present an opportunity for a favorable settlement). This foundation is reinforced by the skills and passion of each of the firms members who work together seamlessly to deliver results.

WKO attorneys are actively involved in the legal community. For example, principal Maxine Weiss Kunz currently sits as the Treasurer for the Illinois Chapter of the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts (AFCC), a group of professionals dedicated to the resolution of family conflict. Maxine is also a trained collaborative lawyer.

Five attorneys of the firm are recognized by Super Lawyers, including Maxine Weiss Kunz, Amanda M. Oliver, Jennifer L. Fox, Alexis L. Seniff, and Julie A. Johnson (Of Counsel). Only the top 5% of family law attorneys are recognized by Super Lawyers, a nomination process that includes peer nomination and independent evaluation.

WKO also provides mediation services. Specifically, principal Amanda M. Oliver is a certified family law mediator and has assisted countless families in reaching amicable resolutions without the need for court intervention. Amanda is especially skilled in mediating complex family law cases involving high net worth estates; including estates that involve business interests, multiple realties, private equity interests, and other unique assets on vesting schedules. Amanda applies creative solutions to the most complicated issues.

About Weiss-Kunz & Oliver, LLC

Weiss-Kunz & Oliver, LLC is a family law practice that serves families throughout the greater Chicago area from their convenient Elmhurst location. The firm was founded to meet a variety of family law needs that members of the community may experience. The lawyers of Weiss-Kunz & Oliver, LLC represent people in cases involving divorce, child custody or child support proceedings, premarital and postnuptial agreements, parentage actions, post-decree modifications, appeals, and more.

To learn more about Weiss-Kunz & Oliver, LLC, please visit: https://www.wkofamilylaw.com/. If you would like to speak with one of our attorneys or schedule a consultation, please call 312-605-4041.
"The Uncertainty Has Settled" by European independent filmmaker, Marijn Poels foreshadowed the risks inherent in the global energy and food crises. Samuel Furfari in European Scientist...German industry needs natural gas for thermal processes; renewables or hydrogen wont do. Ursula von der Leyens promotion of a 3 billion hydrogen bank, announced Sept. 21, 2022, to fund global hydrogen development is ludicrous, as Furfari explains.

Reuters reported on Sept. 28, 2022, that the EU sees the catastrophic damage to Nord Stream 1 and 2 gas pipelines from Russia as sabotage, the outcome of which spells disaster for German industry and citizens, says Friends of Science Society. The impacts will ripple around the world, according to Friends of Science, as Germany is a highly industrialized nation, with the largest economy in the EU, the fourth largest in the world, and a key trade partner for Canada.

According to the US EIA, Germany was the largest energy consumer in Europe and the seventh-largest energy consumer in the world in 2019... Thus, the loss of any future near-term access to Russian gas via the Nord Stream pipelines, had a peace deal been struck, is likely a disastrous blow to many domestic industries, farming, and food supply (fertilizers are made from natural gas).

As explained by geopolitical energy expert, Samuel Furfari in European Scientist on Sept. 27, 2022, industry needs natural gas for thermal processes; renewables or hydrogen wont do. Likewise, Ursula von der Leyens promotion of a 3 billion hydrogen bank, announced Sept. 21, 2022, to fund global hydrogen development is ludicrous, as Furfari explains. Hydrogen must be manufactured, meaning energy losses, every step of the way. Germany requires an affordable, reliable, conventional supply of natural gas as outlined in a short, plain language Friends of Science video  Worlds Apart.

Many industries like Germanys BASF create vast product streams of chemicals and useful materials from natural gas, used around the world every day. The alleged climate emergency hysteria pales in the face of the very real emergency needs of citizens for food, heat, goods and services as winter looms.

The Crisis of the European Electricity System is a Sept. 26, 2022, report by Swiss commodities expert, Alexander Stahel, for the Global Warming Policy Foundation, issued a day before the sabotage of the Nord Stream pipelines. Stahel outlines the serious problems of Europes interconnected grids, where countries have increasingly relied on capacity from neighbours to stabilize or supply power at critical times.

The public are typically unaware that wind and solar require equivalent conventional power (typically natural gas from Combined Cycle generators) to provide stable back-up to the unstable, constantly surging or falling wind and solar output. Thus, the dream of a fossil-fuel-free Energiewende is unlikely to happen anywhere but perhaps Norway (hydro) or Iceland (geothermal). Friends of Science Societys report What You Really Need to Know about Renewable Energy (That the Pembina Institute Wont Tell You) gives a clear assessment of the challenges of wind and solar on the grid.

European filmmaker Marijn Poels had addressed food security risks for Europe in his film The Uncertainty Has Settled, challenging the EUs obsession with climate change and wind/solar farms over food farms and energy security. In a 2018 interview with Friends of Science Society, Poels had indicated the German people were already suffering heat-or-eat poverty and power cut-offs due to climate policies and skyrocketing power prices.

The energy crisis is largely caused by lack of investment in fossil fuels, despite growing demand, as shown in Robert Lymans report The Myth of Stranded Assets.

Carbon dioxide-focussed climate policies have created the global energy crisis. However, a Sept. 23, 2022, discussion paper by MIT Prof. Emeritus Richard Lindzen shows that the climate narrative of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is simplistic focusing narrowly on carbon dioxide as a warming agent, [and it] becomes implausible when applied to the details of the climate system.

Lindzen is a signatory to the World Climate Declaration of CLINTEL.

Current climate policies that reject oil, natural gas and coal are destroying Western nations, which constitute only 15% of the worlds population, while emerging nations surge ahead, as outlined in Robert Lymans report When Giants Arise.

About

Friends of Science Society is an independent group of earth, atmospheric and solar scientists, engineers, and citizens that is celebrating its 20th year of offering climate science insights. After a thorough review of a broad spectrum of literature on climate change, Friends of Science Society has concluded that the sun is the main driver of climate change, not carbon dioxide (CO2).

Friends of Science Society

PO Box 61172 RPO Kensington

Calgary AB T2N 4S6

Canada

Toll-free Telephone: 1-888-789-9597

Web: friendsofscience.org

E-mail: contact(at)friendsofscience(dot)org

Web: climatechange101.ca
Advanced Technology International (ATI), TechConnect and The Vertical Lift Consortium (VLC) today announced the five winners of the 2022 Urban Air Mobility Innovation Challenge. Selected from a field of 18 finalists, winners were presented a total $50,000 in cash prizes at the Defense TechConnect (DTC) Innovation Summit & Expo, the nation's largest annual gathering of non-traditional, dual-use emerging technologies aligned with government priority requirements.

Each winner presented its innovation during the conferences Shark Tank-style pitching; finalists were given eight minutes to present to industry and government leadership aligned with participating contracting vehicles.

The five winners and their innovations are:



Elphel, Inc., West Valley City, Utah: A novel method for long-range, thermal 3D imaging of air vehicles that enables robust, long-range, day/night, all-weather 3D perception for air mobility operations.

Information Systems Laboratories, Inc., Beavercreek County, Ohio: An artificial intelligence-enhanced radar for detection, classification and sense & avoid that leverages flight test data from 1-3 Unmanned Aerial Systems and multiple other objects.

PhasorLab Inc., Nashua, N.H.: A secure, scalable and affordable wireless mesh network for frequency synchronization that provides robust mobile Assured Position, Navigation and Timing (A-PNT) services in any environment without Global Positioning System data.

Valqari, Lombard, Ill.: A product line of patented drone vertiports that automates the delivery process between drones and infrastructure and creates a designated area for drones to safely land, keeping people and property away from the potentially dangerous drones and valuable cargo.

Volexion, Chicago, Ill.: A graphene encapsulation solution that protects lithium battery cathode materials and drives game-changing improvements in performance  including 2x cycle life, voltage range extension, safety improvements, 5-10x power efficiency, and low temperature operation  while increasing energy density by 35% and reducing cost by 30%.

DTCs Urban Air Mobility Innovation Challenge is sponsored by VLC, a collaboration of small and large businesses, for-profit and not-for-profit entities, academic organizations and their affiliated organizations working together with the U.S. government to rapidly transition innovative vertical lift technologies and coordinate research and development programs designed for prototype aviation technologies. This years challenge featured several areas of interest, including: electric vertical takeoff and landing (e-VTOL), innovative power generation and storage, data and systems situational awareness management, autonomous and collaborative behavior, and innovative air mobility capabilities and applications. Administrators of the Innovation Challenge encouraged applications from innovators with state-of-the-art air mobility solutions for both civilian and federal security applications.

DTC features six Innovation Challenges in energy and infrastructure, medical and biodefense, autonomy and air mobility, data and digital transformation, security and intelligence, and training and readiness. This years six challenges attracted nearly 800 submissions competing for a total $500,000 in cash prizes and access to more than $50 billion in prototype-level contracting authority for government customers.

Held Sept. 27-29, 2022, at Gaylord National Hotel & Convention Center in National Harbor, Md., DTC is the nations largest annual gathering of non-traditional, dual-use emerging technologies aligned with government priority requirements. The winner of each Innovation Challenge, in addition to a cash prize, is invited to join a consortium led by DTCs parent company, ATI, the countrys leading technology consortium management firm and one of the single largest funders of prototype-level innovations for its government customers and the nation.

About Defense TechConnect

The Defense TechConnect (DTC) Innovation Summit & Expo is the nations largest annual gathering of non-traditional, dual-use emerging technologies aligned with government priority requirements. A unique bridge between private sector innovation, commercialization and government acquisition, DTC accelerates the identification and deployment of novel technologies through rapid access of vetted startups and emerging academic and federal lab innovations. In its 10th year accelerating innovation for the nation and Americas Warfighter, DTC features 500 innovations and exhibitors and is one of the most well-attended defense innovation conferences of the year. DTCs attendees include military leadership, more than 250 DoD/SES/PEO scouts, representatives from over 50 contracting offices and hundreds of active duty service members. DTC is proud to be one of the original innovation hubs to support the Department of Defense and its missions. For more information, visit https://events.techconnect.org/DTCFall.

About TechConnect

With 25+ years of experience connecting emerging technologies with unique funding and partnership opportunities, TechConnect boasts the most robust research and innovation network in the world. It employs a broad scope of tools to deliver top technologies, including open innovation programs, conferences, and open-access publications. Each year, TechConnect prospects, vets, and connects thousands of emerging technologies with corporate, investment, municipal, and national defense clients. TechConnect is a division of Advanced Technology International. techconnect.org

About Advanced Technology International

ATI, a public-service nonprofit based in Summerville, S.C., builds and manages collaborations that conduct research and development of new technologies to solve our nations most pressing challenges. Fueled by a community of experts from industry, academia, and government, ATI accelerates impact by using the power of collaboration to help the federal government quickly acquire novel technologies. ATI is a subsidiary of Analytic Services, Inc. (ANSER), a public-service research institute organized as a nonprofit corporation, which is dedicated to informing decisions that shape the nations future. ATI.org
I am thrilled to join the exceptional team at Full Range Spine & Ortho and looking forward to establishing relationships with my new patients, says Dr. Wei.

Full Range Spine & Ortho is a state-of-the-art orthopedic and pain management clinic that focuses on non-surgical, regenerative therapies to treat orthopedic injuries and conditions. Board-certified and experienced orthopedic physicians, Dr. Roy Nini and Dr. Paul Lee, lead the Full Range Spine & Ortho team and are thrilled to announce Dr. Jason Wei has joined the clinic. Dr. Wei is a physiatrist who specializes in treating pain with a passion for helping his patients maximize their function and rediscover their strengths. He specializes in diagnosing and managing pain with non-surgical as well as minimally invasive surgical techniques with a special interest in regenerative biologics and neuromodulation. In his previous career, Dr. Wei originally earned a B.S. in Information and Computer Science from UC Irvine and worked as a software engineer before deciding to change careers into the field of medicine. He completed medical school at Western University College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific and finished his PM&R residency at Casa Colina Hospital in Pomona, CA, where he was chief resident. He then completed his fellowship training at UCLA Interventional Spine in Santa Monica, CA. Dr. Wei offers a range of treatments including ultrasound-guided peripheral joint and spine injections, fluoroscopically guided spine injections including epidurals and radiofrequency ablation, spasticity management,CRPS treatment, peripheral nerve stimulation, spinal cord stimulation, platelet-rich plasma (PRP), bone marrow aspirate concentrate (BMAC) and Vertiflex interspinous spacer placement.

I am thrilled to join the exceptional team at Full Range Spine & Ortho and looking forward to establishing relationships with my new patients, says Dr. Wei.

More about Full Range Spine & Ortho:

At Full Range Spine & Ortho, they treat a wide variety of orthopedic injuries and conditions, providing advanced pain management plans, using non-invasive, regenerative therapies to avoid the risks of surgery. The skilled specialists offer patient-centric care at multiple locations, with a focus on discovering the underlying cause of the pain and loss of range of motion from a sports, spine or joint injury. Dr. Nini and his team believe that many injuries and conditions can be treated without risky surgical interventions and use non-invasive, regenerative options such as PRP, A2M, joint injections, spinal decompression, physical therapy, Botox injections, viscosupplementation, rhizotomy, sympathetic blocks and spinal cord stimulation to help patients find relief from chronic pain and injuries. For more information or to schedule an appointment at one of the Full Range Spine & Ortho locations, please visit http://www.fullrangeortho.com or call 855-906-PAIN (7246)
I am a missionary/pastor and my desire is for people to know the truth. The only way for them to know the truth is for them to know God and His Word through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Author Dr. Michael Rickman shares his thought-provoking view on an often controversial topic with readers in Pretribulation Truth Vs. Prewrath Heresy: A Violation of Truth($26.49, paperback, 9781662855221; $9.99, e-book, 9781662855238).

In this book, Dr. Michael Rickman answers several crucial questions about pretribulation while sharing two fascinating theories addressing Premillennial Pretribulational Rapture of the Bride and the Posttribulational Prewrath Rapture of the Bride. Dr. Rickman exposes the heresy of the Prewrath position by providing scriptural support, forensic evidence and two absolute truths. He aims to bless readers, encourage them to go on to perfection and assist them in their mission of being conformed to the image of Jesus.

I have seen many Pretribulation proponents turn from the truth because they were convinced by some well-meaning but very confused friends, said Dr. Michael Rickman. I am a missionary/pastor and my desire is for people to know the truth. The only way for them to know the truth is for them to know God and His Word through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Dr. Rickman is a stripper's son and was taught every dysfunctional habit a mother could teach her son. Through God's help, he overcame many obstacles which have been detailed in his book. While in the Navy, God began to send witnesses to tell him about the loving Savior. He turned to religion at the age of 21 and went to Bible college at the age of 27. At Bible college, he heard and received a clear gospel message and trusted Jesus as his Savior in 1978. He was baptized by full immersion three days later.

Dr. Rickman takes no credit as he fully knows that God performed the work and deserves the credit. He wants all the praise and glory to go to the Lord. Dr. Rickman possesses three degrees from accredited universities, has pastored four churches, and is currently a missionary to Thailand. He has authored more than 20 books, publishing three and has been working as a freelance editor for the Buriram University in Buriram, Thailand. While he states that there are no experts in the field of theology, specifically eschatology, Dr. Rickman labored for just under five years to produce this work hoping to expose error and teach truth related to the Pretribulational Rapture of the church.

Although Dr. Rickman has earned an impressive doctorate in education, he considers his greatest and most joyful activity, telling people about Jesus. He immensely enjoys physical fitness including jogging and weightlifting. He also enjoys reading and researching.

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Xulon Press, a division of Salem Media Group, is the worlds largest Christian self-publisher, with more than 15,000 titles published to date. Pretribulation Truth Vs. Prewrath Heresy: A Violation of Truth is available online through xulonpress.com/bookstore, amazon.com, and barnesandnoble.com.
BEIJING, Sept.29 -- In early September, the Chinese military sent a military medical delegation to attend the 44th World Congress on Military Medicine in Brussels, Belgium, according to Senior Colonel Tan Kefei, a spokesperson for China's Ministry of National Defense (MND), at a regular press conference in Beijing on Thursday.

The spokesperson said that during the meeting, the Chinese delegation had discussions and exchanges with the International Committee of Military Medical (ICMM), listened to work reports of the six regional working groups (RWG) of the ICMM, including Pan Asia Pacific RWG and Pan European RWG, as well as reports from five technical commissions (TCs) including TC for administration and logistics, and TC for pharmacy. They reviewed suggestions on management rules and regulations as well as future work plan.

The spokesperson mentioned that an expert from the PLA Academy of Military Sciences was unanimously elected as the chairman of the Commission on Administration and Medico-Military Logistics of the ICCM; and two experts made reports on-site on topics of anti-infection and phage therapy on the battlefield, front-line combat wound treatment, etc.

"Medicine knows no borders, and doctors share a benevolent heart. The Chinese military will continue to play an active role in regional and world military medical exchanges, join hands with all parties to address global public health challenges, and further promote the building of a community of health for mankind," the spokesperson added.
Dr. Pudenz, Associate Veterinarian at Oakland Zoo, examining black-crowned night heron rescue at Oakland Zoos Veterinary Hospital Oakland Zoo is fully committed to preserving wildlife in our great city. With 140 fledglings rescued, rehabilitated, and released this year alone, we hope to continue this important work and see our citys official bird thrive in the years to come

As nesting colonies of black-crowned night herons return annually to the developing and the growing City of Oakland, this year, Oakland Zoo formed the official "Heron Rescue Team" (HRT) to rescue fallen fledglings from the trees in the downtown area. With two daily foot patrols, the HRT team consisted of designated Oakland Zoo staff and volunteers that helped save 140 herons during the 5-month long nesting season. This project is a collaborative effort between Oakland Zoo, International Bird Rescue, and the Golden Gate Audubon Society.

"Oakland Zoo is fully committed to preserving wildlife in our great city. With 140 fledglings rescued, rehabilitated, and released this year alone, we hope to continue this important work and see our citys official bird thrive in the years to come," says Nik Dehejia, CEO of Oakland Zoo.

Oakland is home to the largest black-crowned night-heron rookery (communal nesting ground for birds) in the Bay Area. When nests are built in the trees on busy Oakland streets, the fledglings (babies) of the black-crown night herons, just learning to fly, sometimes fall from their nests onto the concrete sidewalks or streets, often resulting in severe injury or death.

"Golden Gate Audubon was thrilled that the Oakland Zoo resumed rescue operations this year. Black-crowned night herons are the official bird of Oakland, and they merit some special attention to ensure that they can continue to thrive in the city," says Glenn Phillips, Executive Director of the Golden Gate Audubon Society.

The HRT brought injured birds to the Zoo for intermediary medical evaluation and treatment. The Zoo then transported birds to International Bird Rescue to complete their recovery period. The birds that have recovered and are old enough to survive and fly are steadily being released into the wild into safe and local habitats, such as the Oakland Bay shoreline.

Due to their iconic city status, black-crown night herons were named the City of Oakland's official bird in 2019 after a two-year campaign spearheaded by third-graders at Park Day School. Their status and pride in Oakland warranted the $50,000 spent by Oakland Zoo on this project to rescue and protect this bird.

Please visit our website here for more information on our Heron Rescue Project.

Join us Live and In-person at Lake Merritt Sailboat House in Oakland for our Cocktails and Conservation event on September 28th to hear from the Oakland Zoo Heron Rescue Team, Golden Gate Audubon, and International Bird Rescue about our Heron Rescue Project.

Contact:

Isabella Linares

Oakland Zoo

ilinares@oaklandzoo.org

Erin Harrison

Oakland Zoo

eharrison@oaklandzoo.org

###

ABOUT OAKLAND ZOO AND THE CONSERVATION SOCIETY OF CALIFORNIA:

Oakland Zoo, home to more than 850 native and exotic animals, is managed by the Conservation Society of California (CSC); a non-profit organization leading an informed and inspired community in Taking Action for Wildlife locally and globally. With over 25 conservation partners and projects worldwide, the CSC is committed to conservation-based education and saving species and their habitats in the wild. Oakland Zoo is dedicated to the humane treatment of animals and is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), the national organization that sets the highest standards for animal welfare for zoos and aquariums.

ABOUT THE HERON RESCUE PROJECT:

During the fledgling season, Oakland Zoo staff walk the streets surrounding the birds' rookery every day, looking for fallen and injured birds. Injured young birds are carefully captured for transport to Oakland Zoo. On their rounds, the Heron Rescue Team connects with the community about the program. Injured birds are taken to Oakland Zoo for intermediary medical evaluation and treatment. Oakland Zoo then provides transport to International Bird Rescue, a world-leading wild water bird rehabilitative care organization. The rehabilitated birds are then released into safe and appropriate local habitats, including Oaklands Bay shoreline.
Morrison Foerster, a leading global law firm, is pleased to announce the arrival of Brian Radigan as a partner in the firms U.S. Federal Tax Group and Global Tax Department. Radigan brings to Morrison Foerster 17 years of sophisticated in-house and law firm experience in international tax transactions and transactional tax work, including M&A, structuring cross-border multinational arrangements, non-controlling investments in startups, and a wide array of structured capital markets transactions.

Radigan joins Morrison Foerster from New Fortress Energy, where he served as the global head of tax. In this leadership role, he built a robust global tax team which operated under an internal tax law firm model with the internal tax function serving the role of outside tax advisor; he also served as a trusted advisor to the companys top executives and board. During his tenure at the company, among other key initiatives, Radigan reengineered its corporate and tax structure to significantly increase tax efficiencies, and negotiated many investments, financings, and acquisitions, including two simultaneous multibillion-dollar merger transactions.

Prior to this most recent role, Radigan spent seven years at GE Capital, working in the companys in-house tax department, renowned for its sophisticated internal tax law firm model, where he structured and negotiated many of GE Capitals billion-dollar transactions. Prior to GE, he worked for seven years at a leading global law firm, where he advised clients on a wide range of matters, including structuring sovereign wealth fund investments in the United States, cross-border capital markets issuances, M&A transactions, and tax matters in bankruptcy.

Brian brings to the firm an impressive background, including a decade of in-house experience at two prominent global companies, together with invaluable law firm experience, said Morrison Foerster Global Tax Department Chair Anthony Carbone. Brians robust and versatile tax experience, including his in-depth knowledge of cross-border tax transactions and planning, not only strengthens our global tax offerings, but also nicely complements our corporate transactional practices, particularly our M&A practice, making him an exceptional addition to the Global Tax team and the firm.

Morrison Foerster is an exceptional firm with tremendous tax and global corporate transactional and M&A capabilities, said Radigan. I look forward to working with my new colleagues and leveraging my broad and technical tax skillset and my previous in-house experience to help our clients in the U.S. and around the globe, navigate their most sophisticated, multidimensional, tax-focused business challenges.

Radigan earned his B.A. in mathematics from Yale University and his J.D. from Harvard University. He is admitted to practice in New York.

ABOUT MORRISON FOERSTER

Morrison Foerster is a leading global law firm that transforms complexity into advantage for its clients. Our clients include some of the largest financial institutions, banks, consulting and accounting firms, and Fortune 100, technology, and life sciences companies. Highlighting the firms commitment to client service, leadership in market-changing deals and impact litigation, and values-based culture, Morrison Foerster was recognized as one of the top 10 firms on The American Lawyers 2021 and 2022 A-List. Year after year, the firm receives significant recognition from Chambers and The Legal 500 across their various guides, including Global, USA, Asia-Pacific, Europe, UK, Latin America, and FinTech Legal. Our lawyers passionately care about delivering legal excellence while living our values. Morrison Foerster has a long-standing commitment to creating a culture that respects and celebrates differences, while providing an inclusive environment. The firm has achieved Mansfield Certification Plus since 2018 as a result of successfully reaching at least 30 percent women, communities of color, and LGBTQ+ lawyer representation in a notable number of current leadership roles and committees. The firm also has a long history of commitment to the community and society through providing pro bono legal services, including litigating for civil rights and civil liberties, improving public education and fostering the wellbeing of children, advocating for veterans, promoting international human rights, enforcing the right to asylum, and safeguarding the environment.
This neonatal transport ambulance is equipped with lifesaving medical equipment and is designed to travel both the roads and the terrain of Honduras.

After five years of collaboration and production, the neonatal transport ambulance designed by RITs Hope for Honduras team has hit the ground in Honduras. The ambulance will help save countless young lives by greatly enhancing medical access to neonatal care for those living in rural areas of the country.

The ambulance is equipped with lifesaving medical equipment and is designed to travel both the roads and the terrain of Honduras. Created through a collaboration between Rochester Institute of Technology, Hospital Escuela, the Honduran Red Cross, Global Medical Response, and others, the vehicle will be donated to the Honduran Red Cross. The Honduran Red Cross will operate the ambulance and serve the community in the capital city of Tegucigalpa and the surrounding region, providing transportation to the newborn service in Hospital Escuela.

Mary Golden, associate professor and interior design program chair in the School of Design and director of Hope for Honduras, helped identify the challenges of caregiving for premature and critically ill newborns in Honduras during a 2017 trip to the country with Little Angels of Honduras, a not-for-profit organization also involved with the ambulance initiative. Since then, she has worked with individuals at RIT and other organizations to design and create this custom emergency vehicle.

She will travel to Honduras this month to help assemble the ambulance and train Red Cross and hospital staff on the new equipment.

It is a monumental and proud occasion for all who have contributed to the design and production of this prototype vehicle with so much love and commitment. We feel humbled knowing that the use of this vehicle to provide lifesaving transport for critically ill newborns, by our friends at Cruz Roja Hondurena, will contribute to better access for medical care for Honduras poorest people, said Golden.

The ambulances initial service area will be between Hospital Escuela; Hospital Santa Teresa, located in Comayagua; and Hospital Gabriela Alvarado, located in Danli.

Armando Flores McClellan, head of the newborn service at Hospital Escuela, says that the neonatal ambulance will help reduce neonatal morbidity and mortality by allowing them to serve areas that are distant and difficult to reach.

The neonatal ambulance will allow newborns to be transported in a more humane, more dignified manner. The patients can be transferred in a stable, warm, and timely manner, and staff will not have to improvise in these neonatal transports, said Flores McClellan. An all-terrain ambulance is invaluable for the Hospital Escuela.

Following initial studies to substantiate proof of concept, service, and evolution of care, the ambulances service area will expand to other regional hospitals within a two-hour commute of Hospital Escuela.

Having a neonatal ambulance under this system will allow us to lower the morbidity and mortality of children. It will help not only those who arrive at Hospital Escuela, but also those who have problems across the nation, said Jose Juan Castro, national president of Cruz Roja Hondurena, as he praised the collaboration. This is how we are going to save lives; through these partnerships that allow us to move forward.

This initiative brought together many minds from a variety of backgrounds. That, in part, is what made the project successful and meaningful, according to Alexei Castro, the director general of Cruz Roja Hondurena.

It seems to me that the support and contribution of all those brilliant minds made it possible to have what we are going to be able to count on today. Imagine: technicians, doctors, neonatologists, emergency medical technicians, administrative personnel, logistics personnel, and students all thinking together for the same purpose. Sometimes it is not so easy to agree, but when there is a common goal, everything becomes easier, said Castro.

Ted Van Horne, chief operating officer of Global Medical Response (GMR), also remarked that the collaboration and delivery on the neonatal ambulance was incredibly gratifying.

Helping mothers and neonates access the care they need is one of Global Medical Response's missions. Helping to develop the customized ambulance, with advanced neonatal care technology, has been an impactful project that can be further expanded in Honduras and other developing nations, said Van Horne.

The ambulance delivery is a celebratory occasion, but it is not the end of Hope for Hondurass collaboration with Hospital Escuela, Cruz Roja Hondurena, and Global Medical Response. Golden shared that the RIT team will help closely monitor and study the vehicle over its first year in service, and results from the study will inform future iterations of neonatal ambulances.

The team will also continue to develop a broad range of design and technology projects with the intention of improving access to medical care.

For more information about the ambulance and overall initiative, go to RITs Hope for Honduras webpage.
Secrets of Walnut Hill: a pleasant reading experience brimming with intrigue and romance. Secrets of Walnut Hill is the creation of published author Ruth Flanagan, a native of Ohio, a loving wife, a dedicated mother, and a retired administrative assistant.

Flanagan shares, Laura Palmer left her Boston home to travel west to San Juan Capistrano to take a position as a tutor for the three young children of Ian Castle, a widowed walnut grower. She also plans to take advantage of the health benefits of the local mineral hot springs. Upon arrival, Laura is immediately aware that something is amiss, and there is definitely friction between Ian and his son, Reuben. Laura believes that Reuben is not as troubled as his father seems to think and is determined to prove it. She also discovers that the two younger sisters, Cassie and Bridget, display certain talents that may not be recognized by their father.

Ians mother, Fiona, lives in a cottage on the estate and provides Laura with answers to some of her questions, but there always seem to be more questions. Then, Laura meets Dylan, a handsome vaquero from a nearby ranchero. She is both attracted to him and wary of him but finally comes to trust him after learning he is an undercover Pinkerton agent and enlists his help to get to the bottom of the secrets surrounding Walnut Hill.

Published by Christian Faith Publishing, Ruth Flanagans new book will entertain as readers race to see just what is really going on at Walnut Hill.

Flanagan delivers a delightful narrative within the pages of her flagship novel.

Consumers can purchase Secrets of Walnut Hill at traditional brick & mortar bookstores, or online at Amazon.com, Apple iTunes store, or Barnes and Noble.

For additional information or inquiries about Secrets of Walnut Hill, contact the Christian Faith Publishing media department at 866-554-0919.
My God, My God, Why Hast Thou Forsaken Me?: a helpful resource for further understanding of Gods word. My God, My God, Why Hast Thou Forsaken Me? is the creation of published author Ted Stone, who has worked as a certified welder/CWI/quality engineer for over forty years, earning many ASME, API, and nondestructive testing certifications during his work career.

Stone shares, The repercussions of the unjust death of Jesus Christ and the damages awarded to him are infinite for each believer and the kingdom of God. This brief narrative reveals the Pauline epistles are rife with these truths, which are referenced throughout the entire Bible. This was taught and believed by the early church. You will see the gospel of Jesus Christ was accepted so readily by the world and even many of the chief priests simply because it just makes sense.

This book is a condensed account of how God set up the mystery of the ages and how Jesus was the bait in a trap set to redeem mankind from slavery to Satan.

If you will receive the truth set forth herein, it will cause a confidence that cannot be shaken as to how Jesus paid for your salvation. You will understand that you are reconciled to God through what Jesus did and it has absolutely nothing to do with what you have done or left undone. It will also solidify the fact that Jesus is the only way to fellowship with God.

Published by Christian Faith Publishing, Ted Stones new book will encourage and challenge students of the Bible.

Stone brings readers a thoughtful discussion in hopes of increasing readers confidence in Gods promise and thankfulness for Jesuss sacrifice.

Consumers can purchase My God, My God, Why Hast Thou Forsaken Me? at traditional brick & mortar bookstores, or online at Amazon.com, Apple iTunes store, or Barnes and Noble.

For additional information or inquiries about My God, My God, Why Hast Thou Forsaken Me?, contact the Christian Faith Publishing media department at 866-554-0919.
ZKX at PC22 One of the ZKX Engines key differentiators is the ability to function even in disconnected, intermittent, and limited bandwidth (DIL) environments.

ZKX Solutions has been selected to participate in Project Convergence 22 Technology Gateway this fall. ZKX Solutions will be testing and demonstrating our market-disrupting cybersecurity software, the ZKX Engine. The ZKX Engine is a patent-pending, next-gen multi-factor authentication (MFA) software suite that enables seamless migration to Zero Trust networks.

Army Futures Command and U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command (DEVCOM) will host PC22 Technology Gateway 19 September-18 October at Yuma Proving Ground, AZ, in order to expand their opportunities for collaboration with industry. PC22 Technology Gateway is a collaborative experiment between industry partners and the Army, intended to enable collective innovation and identify novel technology capabilities that will help the Army achieve its Modernization Priorities. It is part of Army Futures Commands Project Convergence campaign of learning and includes a series of experiments and observations in simulated battlefield environments. Project Convergence allows the Army Modernization Enterprise and industry partners to learn together to develop innovative solutions to our toughest operational problems and create a clear, collective vision for the future.

Testing the ZKX MFA Engine at PC22 will validate its current technological capabilities and assist the Army in determining the direction of various Zero Trust strategies. ZKX Solutions will be demonstrating and testing the software and underlying technologies of the ZKX Engines Zero Trust, Zero Knowledge authentication solution. Results of the testing and interaction with AFC will also steer the ZKX Zero Trust product roadmap to better support the Armys requirement to provide safety and security in the global information infrastructure.

One of the ZKX Engines key differentiators is the ability to function even in disconnected, intermittent, and limited bandwidth (DIL) environments. The ZKX-enabled battlefield can maintain a Zero Trust security model amongst all distributed units even when access to the cloud or higher headquarters is severed.

Stay tuned for an update on the results of our participation in PC22 after the experiment wraps up in October.
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A group of authors has teamed up with advocacy group Fight for the Future to publish an open letter demanding that publishers and their trade organizations cease efforts the authors say are undermining libraries. In response, the Association of American Publishers has labeled the campaign "disinformation," while the Authors Guild called the open letter "highly misleading."

The letter, made public on September 29, currently features more than 300 signatories, including Neil Gaiman, Alok Menon, Naomi Klein, Saul Williams, Hanif Abdurraqib, Lawrence Lessig, Chuck Wendig, and Cory Doctorow.

Libraries are a fundamental collective good, the letter opens. We, the undersigned authors, are disheartened by the recent attacks against libraries being made in our name by trade associations such as the Association of American Publishers and the Publishers Association, undermining the traditional rights of libraries to own and preserve books, intimidating libraries with lawsuits, and smearing librarians.

The letter comes in the middle of a pitched copyright battle over the Internet Archives program to scan and lend library books under an untested legal theory known as controlled digital lending, which is now being briefed for a potential summary judgment. In addition, the Association of American Publishers in February successfully sued to block a Maryland law that would have required publishers to offer commercially available e-book licenses to libraries on reasonable terms.

More broadly, the letter reflects a contentious decade in the library e-book market, with librarians and library supporters long complaining of a licensed access market marked by unsustainable prices and restrictions, and publishers concerned about the impact of digital lending on sales.

Specifically, the open letter demands "publishers, distributors, and their trade associations":

Enshrine the right of libraries to own, preserve, and loan books on reasonable terms regardless of format. It is past time to determine a path forward that is fair to both libraries and authorsincluding a perpetual model for digital ownership based on the cost to maintain a print edition, the letter states.

It is past time to determine a path forward that is fair to both libraries and authorsincluding a perpetual model for digital ownership based on the cost to maintain a print edition, the letter states. End lawsuits aimed to intimidate libraries or diminish their role in society. The interests of libraries are the interests of the public, the letter reads, and of any author concerned with equity and longevity for themselves and their fellow writers. We are all on the same side.

The interests of libraries are the interests of the public, the letter reads, and of any author concerned with equity and longevity for themselves and their fellow writers. We are all on the same side. Halt industry-led smear campaigns against librarians. Recent comments likening library advocates to 'mouthpieces' for Big Tech are as tasteless as they are inaccurate, the letter states. As a last bastion of truth, privacy, and access to diverse voices, libraries digital operations grow ever more essential to our society, and their work should be celebrated, not censured.

Fight for the Future is a small, 10-year-old advocacy group perhaps best known for its campaigns against the ill-fated SOPA/PIPA legislation in 2012, and its defense of net neutrality rules. The group is also a harsh critic of the major tech firms, currently lobbying for antitrust action against them as well as for more digital privacy rights. In July, Fight for the Future issued a statement of support for the Internet Archive in its copyright battle with the publishers.

As expected, the major trade associations are strongly pushing back against the open letter, insisting they do support public libraries, and suggesting that the letter is an Internet Archivebacked PR campaign.

The lawsuit against Open Library is completely unrelated to the traditional rights of libraries to own and preserve books, reads a statement issued by the Authors Guild and supported by 17 other writer and creator organizations. It is about Open Librarys attempt to stretch fair use to the breaking point, where any website that calls itself a library could scan books and make them publicly available, a practice engaged in by e-book pirates, not libraries.

The AG statement called the campaign "highly misleading," and noted that author Daniel Handler (Lemony Snicket) had initially agreed to sign the letter before "disavowing" it through the Authors Guild. Two Lemony Snicket works are among the 127 allegedly infringed works listed in the lawsuit against the Internet Archive.

In a statement, the Association of American Publishers called the campaign 'disinformation."

"That authors and publishers support libraries is not in dispute and most certainly not at issue in the infringement case against the Internet Archive, which is not a library, said AAP general counsel Terence Hart, in a statement. "On the contrary, the Internet Archive operates an unlicensed digital copying and distribution business that copies millions of literary works without permission and gives them away for free. This activity is unprecedented and outside any reasonable interpretation of the copyright law that grants to authors the decision as to whether, when, through whom, and on what terms to distribute their works to the public.

Lia Holland, communications director for Fight for the Future, insisted to PW that the authors signing the open letter (many of whom offered statements of support with their signatures) are concerned with the prospect of a tightly controlled digital library space in which libraries cannot own and collect digital books as they have traditionally done. Furthermore, Holland says that the rhetoric of the publishers and their trade associations has also become an issue, undermining the vital work of libraries at a critical moment in history.

Because libraries are attempting to defend their age-old right to own, loan, and preserve books regardless of format, some publishers and trade associations are labeling them as pirates or mouthpieces for Big Tech, even naming them as the reason that authors and publishing workers are grossly under-compensated. This sort of rhetoric is excessive, unnecessary, and dangerous. It's damaging to our democracy as well as to the longevity of works from all but the most prominent authors.

Holland said the major publishers are being reckless with essential rights, both in refusing to allow libraries to own and collect digital books as well as in their public comments. We hope they will listen to the many authors who have signed this letter and check their harmful actions," she said.
Toni Shiloh, author of 26 novels including the just-released To Win A Prince (Bethany), wants to see a growing number of BIPOC authors in Christian fiction. As more people of color join Christian publishing houses on staff, and as more authors of color, such as Shiloh herself, sign traditional publishing contracts, Shiloh has seen an improvement. But I can count them on one hand, so it doesnt feel like its growing much, she says. So many BIPOC authors decided to indie publish because doors were getting closed.

Shiloh has several suggestions for how to add more diversity to the Christian fiction industry, including reaching out to indie-published authors about possible partnerships with publishing houses, and hiring acquisitions editors with diverse backgrounds. If we can diversify the publishing industry, the number of BIPOC authors will diversify as well, says Shiloh.

For her part, Shiloh has always supported other authors of color by reading their work. Among her favorite writers are Vanessa Riley, a Regency romance and historical fiction author, and Vanessa Miller, who writes womens and Christian fiction. And Shilohs books consistently feature characters from a variety of backgrounds.

Ive always wanted to normalize myself as an author of Christian fiction, she says. I want to make sure to have characters of color so people get used to seeing them.

After serving in the United States Air Force, Shiloh completed her degree in English through the American Military University in 2012. Shed been writing but not finishing novels, but made a New Years resolution that in 2014 shed finish a novel. She met her goal with A Life to Live, which she self-published in 2015. Today, Shilohs work has been published at Love Inspired as well as Barbour.

Toni came to our notice after building a successful career in indie publishing, showing there is absolutely a market for Christian fiction by and about people of color, says Jessica Sharp, senior acquisitions editor at Bethany. Were excited to have her on our list, not just as another step in diversifying our product lines so they reflect the church, but because she proves that these stories are universally appealing.

In her latest work, Shiloh tells the story of handsome prince and an unexpected love interest, set in imaginary country that gave her the latitude to create a brand-new place. To Win a Princes main character, Prince Ekon Diallo of the Etikun tribe, is sentenced to community service as punishment for his role in trying to undermine the royal succession, to be served at the business of Iris Blakely, who runs a nonprofit to help the people of Oloro Ile in Africa.

I love writing about royalty because it gives the novels a little fairytale aspect, Shiloh says. There is the glitz and glam, and they have more money and may rule a country, but their lives are like ours with the same struggles, flaws, and desire for love.

Shiloh is currently working on a three-book Love in the Spotlight series for Bethany, the first of which is The Love Script, slated for publication in September 2023. Also in the works is an untitled Christmas novella, coming from Bethany in fall 2023. One thing is certain when it comes to Shilohs work: love conquers all.

Im a romantic at heart, she says. I love watching chick flicks, reading romance novels, and watching the Hallmark Channel.

Marketing and publicity for To Win a Prince included promotions on OprahDaily.com and PopSugar.com. Shiloh also participated in a range of virtual events including Library Journals Spring 2022 Day of Dialog and Booklovers Con over the summer, and she will appear at the upcoming Christian Book Lovers Retreat in late October as well as the Fiction Readers Summit in May 2023.

Tonis books have broad appeal to romance readers, so our advertising and publicity efforts are geared toward librarians, booksellers, readers of contemporary romance and royal fiction, as well as readers of color and fans of other African American romance authors, Raela Schoenherr, marketing manager for Bethany, tells PW.
PubWest held a September 28 online boot camp for members in their first five years of publishing, with presentations on production and design, Amazon tools, and BookTok marketing.

PubWest executive director Michele Cobb opened the proceedings, and later joined PW international and bookselling editor Ed Nawotka for a conversation about global publishing; aptly, Cobb and Nawotka appeared on Zoom via the Riyadh Book Fair. (Serendipity can lead to new opportunities, Nawotka advised the attendees.) Karen Bullock, director of trade production at Sounds True, talked about industry lexicon, including ubiquitous acronyms from BISAC to ONIX.

Speaking of acronyms, a What I Wish I Knew When I Started My Publishing Journey panel included three 2018 graduates of DPI, the Denver Publishing Institute. All three were thirtysomethings when they enrolled in the four-week summer certificate program, and all three made successful (though not instantaneous) career leaps into publishing.

Marci Monson, formerly in website management, spent six months applying to publishing jobs and networking after DPI. She landed a digital marketing position, but a companywide layoff eight weeks later sent her back to tech work with Adobe. Luckily, the fact that I attended DPI and went to PubWest's conference in New Mexico demonstrated her commitment to a publishing career, she said, and within a year she joined Utah-based company Gibbs Smith, where she is senior manager of PR and communications. As of two weeks ago, we are 100% employee-owned, and were a B Corp, Monson said.

Bunmi Ishola came to her editorial career with Penguin Random House via middle-school teaching and journalism. After telling her students to dream big, she decided she would too, and she sought out an editor shed heard on a Bookish podcast. The editor responded that she didnt have time to sit on the phone [with advice], but her tip was to apply to publishing courses, so I went to DPI, said Ishola, who also embarked on a road trip to conduct informational interviews. Positions at Sourcebooks and the mass-market-directed Kidsbooks led her to PRH, where she edits from her home in Washington state and makes occasional visits to the New York offices.

Amy Schock, associate national accounts manager for Penguin Young Readers online sales, taught high school and worked as a guidance counselor for 10 years before attending DPI. Connections, or having a degree, feel really key to entering the industry, Schock said, recalling three failed applications and a fourth successful bid to be hired by Yale University Press. By her fourth try, she had networked so persistently that she had several people at one time handing my resume to hiring managers. This July, she joined PYR, where she promotes young adult titles to Amazon and handles e-book sales.

The panelists recommended building on transferable skills in sales, production, or editing. Ishola took a part-time bookstore gig to gain knowledge, and referenced Schocks and her own teaching experiences: [Teachers] know how to talk about content in a way that makes it accessible, she said.

For me it was about making genuine networking connections, said Schock, who told listeners that a coffee date or virtual meeting establishes a relationship beyond a superficial social media contact. Ishola underscored that job-seekers need to be authentic, and should have specific questions about someones journey. Monson suggested replacing you have to network with you get to network, because it can be fun to meet people who share your passions.

And as for an informal, warts-and-all education in the biz? Remember, publishing hangs out on Twitter, Ishola informed the PubWest group.
Purdue Universitys Peter Bermel, the Elmore Associate Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, conducts research with a student in Birck Nanotechnology Center. Purdues Scalable Asymmetric Lifecycle Engagement (SCALE), a preeminent U.S. program for semiconductor workforce development, received new funding to continue work in the defense sector. (Purdue University photo/Charles Jischke)

Five-year extension of SCALE workforce initiative aims to restore global lead through education initiatives

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind.  Purdue University announced Sept. 16 the SCALE (Scalable Asymmetric Lifecycle Engagement) microelectronics workforce development program will extend five years and expand with additional Department of Defense funding of $10.8 million, and a ceiling of $99 million.

SCALE officials said this expansion of the nations preeminent program will further its goal to develop a next-generation workforce that can return the United States to prominence in global microelectronics manufacturing.

Led by Purdue, funded by the Department of Defense and managed by NSWC Crane, SCALE facilitates a different approach to training highly skilled U.S. microelectronics engineers, hardware designers and manufacturing experts. SCALE brings together a public-private-academic partnership of 17 universities and 34 partners within the defense industry and government. The industry and government partners regularly meet and update a list of knowledge, skills and abilities important for new entrants to the workforce. The SCALE universities then update their curriculum to ensure the students are prepared for upcoming needs in the rapidly advancing microelectronics field. Read more on Purdues leadership and student focus in microelectronics.

Jennifer Linvill, co-principal investigator of SCALE research and assistant professor of technology leadership and innovation at Purdue Polytechnic Institute, said the newly announced funding will allow recruiting a new, diverse group of students to work in defense microelectronics as interns and after graduating.

Goals for the next five years include:

Expanding student participation in SCALE fivefold to more than 1,000.

Developing learning models for K-12 classrooms.

Collaborating with community colleges nationwide to develop microelectronics classes.

Peter Bermel, SCALE director and the Elmore Associate Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Purdue, said the United States will need 50,000 trained semiconductor engineers to meet overwhelming and rapidly growing demand.

The United States is committed to expanding and strengthening its semiconductor industry and workforce rapidly over the next five years, Bermel said. SCALE takes a holistic approach to the microelectronics workforce gap by comprehensively addressing system challenges for workforce training and recruiting.

The funding announcement is the latest highlight in Purdues ongoing leadership in microelectronics and workforce development. Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken and Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo visited the university on Sept. 13 to tour Birck Nanotechnology Center, one of the Purdue facilities helping the United States restore domestic semiconductor manufacturing and competitiveness abroad.

Purdues cutting-edge research and workforce development programs are at the forefront of helping us shape the future of innovation in Americas semiconductor manufacturing industry, Raimondo said during the tour.

Purdue already has established excellence in other key research areas considered critical to national security, including microelectronics. Strategic initiatives such as the first comprehensive Semiconductor Degrees Program are intended to prepare a next-generation workforce for industry, while a separate partnership with SkyWater Technology will result in a $1.8 billion future state-of-the-art semiconductor manufacturing facility.

The SCALE program aligns with economic development work that Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb has advanced in recent months, focusing on putting Indiana at the forefront of microelectronics production to bolster the states economy and further ensure U.S. national security.

Purdue is a national leader in microelectronics device and packaging research, spanning the semiconductor ecosystem in software and hardware. The funding announcement is the latest piece of Purdues continually expanding research and development in the field of microelectronics and semiconductors.

Specifically designed microelectronic chips and packages power the technologies used every day from cellphones, computers and cars to pacemakers, the internet and the electrical grid. Their power and affordability have advanced steadily but are reaching the physical limits of standard design and production, which is driving new directions encompassed by SCALE, such as heterogeneous integration. SCALE aims to develop students to be ready to fill every level of the expanding microelectronics workforce.

The demand for microelectronics increased by 26.2% in 2021. But while the United States consumes about half of the chips produced worldwide, only about 12% are manufactured in this country.

The United States developed microchip technology in the 1950s, and its manufacturing output was 37% of the total global output in 1990. However, as manufacturing moved to East Asia  countries including China, Japan, South Korea and Taiwan  the U.S. global output of semiconductor manufacturing fell to 12% in 2021.

About Purdue University

Purdue University is a top public research institution developing practical solutions to todays toughest challenges. Ranked in each of the last five years as one of the 10 Most Innovative universities in the United States by U.S. News & World Report, Purdue delivers world-changing research and out-of-this-world discovery. Committed to hands-on and online, real-world learning, Purdue offers a transformative education to all. Committed to affordability and accessibility, Purdue has frozen tuition and most fees at 2012-13 levels, enabling more students than ever to graduate debt-free. See how Purdue never stops in the persistent pursuit of the next giant leap at https://stories.purdue.edu.

Writer/Media contact: Brian Huchel, bhuchel@purdue.edu

Sources: Peter Bermel, pbermel@purdue.edu

Jennifer Linvill, jlinvill@purdue.edu
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind.  A panel discussion in the form of a fireside chat with Purdue University President Mitch Daniels at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 13, will feature three participants in the Purdue Ukrainian Scholars Initiative.

The hourlong event, which is free and open to the public, will be at Hiler Theater in Purdues Wilmeth Active Learning Center (WALC). The discussion will be led by Daniels and include a brief overview of the Purdue Ukrainian Scholars Initiative, which was created after Russias invasion of the Eastern European country on Feb. 24.

Purdues program, launched March 25, is one of the first, largest and most ambitious of any other university-led program in the United States

Panelists from the Ukrainian Scholars Initiative set to join Daniels are:

Yaryna Borenko, a trainer and advisor for the Skills Lab at the Womens League of Donechchyna in Mariupol, whose expertise is focused on human rights and citizenship. She is continuing her academic pursuits through the Human Rights Program, housed in Purdues Department of Philosophy in the College of Liberal Arts.

Tetiana Tanya Gordiienko, who is continuing her doctoral studies in media consumption and literacy from the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy through Purdues Brian Lamb School of Communication in the College of Liberal Arts.

Illia Kuznietsov, an associate professor of neuroscience at Volyn National University in Lutsk, who was here on a yearlong U.S. Fulbright fellowship with Purdues Department of Psychological Sciences in the College of Health and Human Sciences when the war broke out in February. His stay here was extended through the Ukrainian Scholars Initiative.

The goal of this discussion is to introduce these impressive and courageous Ukrainian women and men to our community, highlighting their deep scholarship in a variety of disciplines and getting at least a glimpse of their incredible stories and the odds they have overcome simply to be in the United States and escape the horrors from Russias military invasion, Daniels said.

By their very presence at Purdue through our unique program, these Ukrainian scholars personify the quest for freedom and serve as living reminders to our students and members of the community who have never seen what real oppression looks like and how precious and fragile true freedom really is.

The program will include questions from students submitted in advance. The Purdue event, which also will be livestreamed, coincides with the Ukrainian national holiday, Day of the Defender, which is celebrated on Oct. 14.

Purdue launched its Ukrainian Scholars Initiative in an effort to help faculty and PhD students whose academic pursuits have been derailed by the conflict. Seven scholars are here now, while three others are expected to arrive at Purdue in the near future to resume their research for at least the next 12 months.

The scholars impressive scholarship stretches across a diversity of disciplines  from chemistry, library sciences, psychology, linguistics, communication, sociology and neuroscience to political science, management, history, and earth and planetary sciences.

In all, Purdue received more than 100 inquiries from scholars in Ukraine interested in participating in the program.

The United Nations estimates there have been nearly 14,200 Ukrainian casualties since the start of the war, with children accounting for nearly 1,000 of the more than 5,800 deaths. As many as 25,000 Russian soldiers are reported to have been killed so far.

At the same time, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees estimates that more than 8.7 million people have fled Ukraine and over 8 million Ukrainians are internally displaced, representing the fastest forced population movement since World War II.

The destruction has already cost Ukraine at least $113.5 billion, and the country may need more than $200 billion to rebuild.

About Purdue University

Purdue University is a top public research institution developing practical solutions to todays toughest challenges. Ranked in each of the last five years as one of the 10 Most Innovative universities in the United States by U.S. News & World Report, Purdue delivers world-changing research and out-of-this-world discovery. Committed to hands-on and online, real-world learning, Purdue offers a transformative education to all. Committed to affordability and accessibility, Purdue has frozen tuition and most fees at 2012-13 levels, enabling more students than ever to graduate debt-free. See how Purdue never stops in the persistent pursuit of the next giant leap at https://purdue.edu/.

Writer, Media Contact: Phillip Fiorini, pfiorini@purdue.edu, 765-430-6189
Business degrees blending science, engineering, liberal arts to give future business leaders and entrepreneurs a new competitive advantage

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind.  Purdues next big move in a decade-long series of major strategic investments will reimagine its current School of Management into a new School of Business that will redefine the preparation of business leaders for todays technology-driven world and tomorrows unknowns.

Plans were announced Friday (Sept. 23) for the new school, which will be supported by a substantial university investment along with a major fundraising effort designed to reengineer a top-ranked School of Business that will prepare tomorrows leaders and entrepreneurs, grounded in the hallmarks of a Purdue education, including STEM disciplines and business analytics.

Students in Purdues new School of Business will receive a well-rounded education, including the history, philosophy and economic theory of free market systems, and a firm grounding in the liberal arts and the communication skills that come with it, Purdue President Mitch Daniels said. They will enter the world proud of the careers they have chosen and thoroughly prepared for leadership and managerial excellence in the most technologically complex fields.

Amid declines in college-going rates nationwide, Purdues School of Management has grown by nearly 33% since 2019. Purdue believes now is the time to capitalize on that momentum with a new School of Business, which will further expand the student body and faculty, and double the size of the facility through expansion and renovation.

The school will build on Purdues recently inaugurated Integrated Business and Engineering (IBE) degree, highly ranked Business Analytics programs, the new Dean V. White Real Estate Finance program, and the Larsen Leaders Academy, further propelled by a new $10 million gift from Marshall and Susan Larsen celebrated on Friday night, to create a competitive advantage for students, letting them take the next giant leap into the future of business.

Long named the Purdue School of Management with the graduate school bearing the Krannert name, the new entity as a whole will be known initially as the Purdue School of Business. Purdue is targeting Fall 2023 for its first phase of enhancements, involving student enrollment growth and the addition of targeted faculty, as well as curricular and experiential education additions.

The advances of science across almost all economic sectors have created the need for business leaders who can understand not only the data in front of them, but where the next breakthrough may come from. Students who master the skills of gathering big data and using it to drive business decisions become the most valuable working professionals of today and tomorrow. Graduates from Purdues new School of Business will be uniquely positioned to bring discoveries to the marketplace, scale up innovations and effect societal change.

President-elect Mung Chiang said, "Purdue will have a world-class business school through this relaunch, one that will carry out top-caliber research and educate many students who will be excellent at, and proud of, creating business growth and opportunities.

Historically, Purdue has celebrated many graduates who have become CEOs of Fortune 500 companies, with eight alumni currently serving in that role, as measured by Academic Influence. The move toward a new School of Business further builds on a standard of excellence at Purdue, beginning with the Engineering fields, where both the graduate (4th) and undergraduate (9th) degree programs are ranked nationally.

Purdue was the only university selected recently by Fast Company as a Brand That Matters, joining well-known businesses like Ford, McDonalds, Nike and 3M, and was recently named Americas No. 4 most trusted public university by Morning Consult. It is also recognized as a Top Ten Public University by the Wall Street Journal/Times Higher Education and a Top Ten Most Innovative University for five years straight by U.S. News & World Report.

During the last five years, Purdue University has grown 23%, with a population of just over 50,000 students. It is ranked in the Top 5 for graduating STEM majors  71% of its 2022 graduates earned STEM degrees.

About Purdue University

Purdue University is a top public research institution developing practical solutions to todays toughest challenges. Ranked in each of the last five years as one of the 10 Most Innovative universities in the United States by U.S. News & World Report, Purdue delivers world-changing research and out-of-this-world discovery. Committed to hands-on and online, real-world learning, Purdue offers a transformative education to all. Committed to affordability and accessibility, Purdue has frozen tuition and most fees at 2012-13 levels, enabling more students than ever to graduate debt-free. See how Purdue never stops in the persistent pursuit of the next giant leap at https://stories.purdue.edu .

Writer/Media contact: Brian Huchel, bhuchel@purdue.edu
Produced by Spark Media (Chateau DIY,Tool Club) historical travelogue Ancient Egypt by Train (4 x 60) is fronted by anthropologist, TV presenter and author Professor Alice Roberts, who uses one of the worlds oldest rail networks to explore one of the worlds most ancient civilisations. Guiding viewers around modern Egypt while transporting them 5,000 years into the past, Roberts unlocks the secrets of the country that was at the epicentre of the ancient world for 3,000 years. Ancient Egypt by Train is executive produced by Steve Havers and the legendary Paul Crompton for Spark Media and BossaNova CEO Paul Heaney.Lost Temples of Cambodia (3 x 60) from Bright Button Productions sheds light on the Khmer Empire, famous for its vast temple complex at Angkor Wat in northern Cambodia remains shrouded in mystery. Time and nature have reclaimed what were once thriving cities and erased the stories of the people who lived and worshipped there.With echoes of Indiana Jones, there are still temples lost in thick jungle, waiting to be studied and restored. The documentary sets out to answer the questions that still hang over the largest religious monument in the world. Lost Temples of Angkor is executive produced by Aaron Young and Freya Eden-Ellis for Bright Button, and Paul Heaney for BossaNova.Both series were acquired by Channel 4 senior acquisitions manager Polly Scates. commenting oin eth deals she said: Were always looking for a new way to bring history to the channel and these series are a wonderful way to do just that. Were excited to take our audience with us on these ambitious, beautiful journeys and explore these historical sites through a new lens. Its great to be in business with Bossanova, Spark and Bright Button and bring these exciting projects to life.Heaney added said: I reckon weve struck gold with Ancient Egypt by Train and Lost Temples of Cambodia. Both are spectacular examples of the ancient history/mystery genre that will deliver on their promise  and also, I hope, mark the start of many more creative ventures with Channel 4. Im predicting that the only thing that wont be a mystery about these two compelling series is that theyll go on to sell around the world.
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By Elizabeth Kwiatkowski, 09/28/2022



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Elizabeth Kwiatkowski is Associate Editor of Reality TV World and has been covering the reality TV genre for more than a decade.

alum Sarah Herron has announced she's expecting her first child with her fiance Dylan Brown.Sarah, 35, is seven weeks pregnant with a baby boy who's due in May 2023 after undergoing IVF."We can't keep a secret any longer," Sarah wrote Wednesday on her Instagram account.Sarah posted a slideshow of photos in which she and Dylan kissed and embraced at sunset while holding sonogram images of the baby."Our embryo transfer was a success and I am pregnant with our baby boy! Our little 5day embryo nestled in comfortably... As you may have suspected, we received our first positive HCG test within hours of me breaking my knee," Sarah wrote in the caption."Two days later, my betas doubled, and this week we saw our baby's heartbeat flicker for the first time. Surreal doesn't begin to describe how it's all felt. I've spent the first 3.5 weeks of my pregnancy on bed rest, nourishing myself and putting all of my energy into growing bones and organs."Sarah said she's been on "a miraculous path" after those two events "coincided for a reason.""The road ahead is long and I know we'll be holding our breath until the day our baby is earth side with us," Sarah continued in her post."I've dreamt of the day that I could share this news, and at the same time I've dreaded how I would word it. To the women and families amidst their fertility challenges; please know that I share this news with the most gentle intention."Sarah said whatever feelings come up for those women are "valid and respected.""My heart belongs to all of you today. We are all warriors and I assure you I am still in it with you. I hope this lessens the sting, though I understand it may not," Sarah insisted, before thanking her doctor."As for now, there's so much I've wanted to tell you and ask you about... where do we begin?!"Sarah subsequently revealed how she's been feeling on Instagram Stories."I was very crampy all the way up until last week. And I have had 'morning' sickness all day most days... No vomiting, but VERY intense food, smell and beverage aversions," Sarah wrote.The Bachelor alum said overall, she's been feeling "a general sense of exhaustion, like the flu."Sarah has shared her fertility journey with fans since Day 1."One of the blessings of IVF is the support I have gained by being transparent about this process," Sarah told Us Weekly in an interview."We have been trying to get pregnant for exactly two years. We started trying to conceive naturally in 2020, but after seven months of no luck, we turned to fertility testing which confirmed that I had Diminished Ovarian Reserve. As soon as we learned my diagnosis, we immediately turned to IVF."Sarah told that magazine she and Dylan are "protecting" their hearts and expectations in case anything unforeseen happens."It's admittedly overwhelming to think about," Sarah shared. "We are excited and hopeful for our near future, but also realize that we are still in the first trimester and have a long road ahead of us."Sarah also gushed about how she's "unbelievably grateful" to have had a supportive partner throughout the entire process."Dylan has been an incredible rock and is strong for both of us when it has felt too heavy at times. He's a rugged man, but so tender at heart," Sarah said.Sarah apparently looks forward to receiving advice from Bachelor Nation's Ashley Iaconetti , and she said she's most looking forward to gaining perspective and appreciating her pregnant body, before and after she delivers."As someone who has struggled with body image, I know with certainty this area of change will be difficult for me, but I feel safe and prepared for what lies ahead!" Sarah told Us.Sarah announced in May 2021 that she's engaged to Dylan after four years of dating."We are thrilled to share the announcement of our engagement! In our favorite place, with close friends and Rio, Dylan popped the question in front of Mount Sopris," Sarah captioned a slideshow of photos of the marriage proposal on the rocks by the water.Sarah and Dylan were apparently joined by their dog Rio and close friends in the Colorado mountains."To everyone who thinks life has to go in one particular order, or by a specific time... IT DOESN'T. I'd wait a lifetime all over again -- through the heartbreaks, years of self-work and countless Rose Ceremonies -- to end up with this person."Sarah continued in her post, "We make each other better, we have so much fun and we're going to become parents together, so we decided to do the damn thing!""5.15.21 My forever paradise, favorite adventure bud and BEST friend, @dylan.h.brown," she concluded.For now, however, the couple's wedding plans are on hold."We feel that we have enough on our plates right now and will resume planning once baby is here," Sarah told the magazine. "The idea of our little baby getting to attend our wedding with mom and dad someday feels really beautiful to me, so we'll wait until that day is right."Sarah, who competed on Sean Lowe 's The Bachelor season in 2013, began dating the filmmaker in March 2017.One month later, Sarah and Dylan went Instagram official when she shared a picture of the couple and gushed, "Happily not returning to this summer." She added the hashtags "Paradise Found" and "adventurebuds" to her post at the time.Sarah also previously appeared on Season 1 of in 2014, when she dated Robert Graham, followed by Season 3 of BIP when she found herself caught in a love triangle with Daniel Maguire and Christian Bishop Sarah chose to date Daniel, a wise-cracking goofball, instead of Christian -- a decision many fans criticized because Christian had treated Sarah wonderfully on a date in Mexico and seemed to have honorable dating intentions.Although Daniel did appear to develop genuine feelings for Sarah, he admitted to cameras he just needed a rose in order to stay on the ABC reality dating show longer.Once it became time for Daniel to hand a rose to Sarah, he gave it to Haley Ferguson instead. Haley one of the bubbly blonde twins from Ben Higgins ' season of The Bachelor, is now married.Interested in more The Bachelor news? Join our The Bachelor Facebook Group
The Athens-Clarke County Library announced that it will be closed temporarily starting on Friday for precautionary maintenance in the interest of safety for library visitors and staff, according to a press release on Thursday. This announcement comes after the discovery of bed bugs in a chair on the second floor of the building, according to the press release.
Barbara Guerrero, a school librarian at Leland & Gray Union Middle and High School in Townshend, is going to be retiring, but before she does, she is working on scanning in pieces of ephemera relating to the history of the school.
Photographer / Multimedia Editor

Has been working as a photojournalist since 2007, before moving into newspapers, he worked with an NGO called Project HOPE. He then went to work for the Press and Sun-Bulletin in New York, and then in New England working for the Brattleboro Reformer.
Experts say initiatives such as the IPEF could add value while shows of strength may provoke China.

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) says it welcomes the U.S.s role as an important partner but Washington should respect the existing regional architecture.

Bruneian Lim Jock Hoi, the blocs current secretary-general, said at a recent event at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in Washington D.C., that while the U.S. presence in the ASEAN region is important, it should complement existing regional architecture that is open and inclusive.

Its most senior official took part in a special discussion about the U.S-ASEAN partnership, hosted by the CSIS on Monday as its inaugural ASEAN Leadership Forum.

ASEAN is marking the 45th anniversary of its relationship with Washington this year.

Peace and stability has always been a primordial concern of ASEAN since it was founded in 1967, Lim emphasized.

U.S.-led initiatives such as the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF) could provide opportunities to ASEAN countries, he said, but they have to be in line with ASEANs outlook [on the] Indo-Pacific.

We stress, among others, ASEAN centrality, openness, transparency, inclusivity, making sure that all relevant actors in the region are included, Lim said.

ASEAN Secretary-General Dato Lim Jock Hoi at the CSIS U.S.-ASEAN Relations at 45 discussion on Sept. 27, 2022. CREDIT: Screenshot from the CSIS livestream

U.S. President Joe Biden announced in May the launch of the IPEF which comprises 13 nations but not China and which has been criticized by Beijing as a U.S. tool to coerce regional countries.

The U.S. continues to be the largest source of foreign direct investment in ASEAN and the second largest trading partner, with bilateral trade reaching U.S.$364 billion last year.

Chinas has remained ASEANs number one trading partner for 13 consecutive years, according to the Chinese governments Information Office. Trade between China and ASEAN reached U.S. $544.9 billion in the first seven months of this year.

We see both are important for ASEAN. We hope that both major powers discuss constructively in order to make the region more conducive to trade and investment and create opportunity for all of us, the senior official said.

ASEANs neutrality

ASEANs leadership so far has been careful not to take sides in the U.S.-China rivalry in their backyard, said Kasit Piromya, former foreign minister of Thailand who has been active in ASEAN political circles.

ASEAN should continue to maintain dialogue partnerships with both, reflecting that ASEAN is friendly and cooperative with all, he said.

Officials from both ASEAN and the U.S. are working on the establishment of a so-called Comprehensive Strategic Partnership later this year. It is unclear how far-reaching the new form of partnership will become but the U.S. needs to think more and do more in terms of working with ASEAN, in Kasit Piromyas opinion.

I don't think that the U.S.-ASEAN relations have matured because there is no common base or foundation as such, unlike the U.S. relations with Japan, South Korea and Taiwan which are based on democracy, he said.

There seems to be no sense of real purpose and enthusiasm on the part of the U.S. side to really forge a more intensive and robust relationship with ASEAN in spite of the Indo-Pacific strategy and IPEF, the former top Thai diplomat said.

Critics say that the ASEANs centrality was overlooked and bypassed when the U.S. put more efforts into other regional groupings such as the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, or the Quad, that also includes Australia, India and Japan.

ASEAN was also not alerted or informed in advance of the setting up of AUKUS, the trilateral security pact between Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

These Indo-Pacific security groupings are widely seen as countering Chinas rising influence and assertiveness in the region.

The U.S. has not fully utilized the inherent belief and desires of many of the ASEAN member states for its continued presence in the region, Kasit said, adding: Washington cannot fail to realize that all the countries in the region are afraid of China.

South China Sea disputes

The U.S. has provided over U.S. $12.1 billion in development, economic, health, and security assistance to Southeast Asian allies and partners, including the members of ASEAN, since 2002, according to a U.S. State Department fact sheet.

The United States supports the international rules-based order in the South China Sea, and in close cooperation with our allies and partners, the United States promotes a free and open Indo-Pacific in which the freedoms of navigation and overflight are enjoyed and respected by all states in accordance with international law, the fact sheet reads.

China and several ASEAN member states hold conflicting claims over parts of the South China Sea but Beijings claims are the most expansive, up to 90% of the sea.

There was only a brief reference to the South China Sea disputes in the ASEAN secretary-generals speech at CSIS on Monday, when Lim Jock Hoi listed maritime security as one of the challenges that the region has been facing for the longest time.

Efforts towards the conclusion of the Code of Conduct on South China Sea, one [that] is mutually acceptable to all parties concerned, [have] effectively and consistently been pursued, said Lim without mentioning the United States.

Some analysts believe that policy differences between ASEAN members in dealing with South China Sea issues led to a divisive approach to the role the U.S. could play.

The U.S. Navy, and maritime forces from the ten ASEAN countries held the first ASEAN-U.S. Maritime Exercise in Thailand in 2019 but the drills have not occurred again.

China has been warning against what it sees as interference by external actors in South China Sea disputes.

Sometimes, the U.S. has come across as a little too keen to help, prompting concern among some claimants that it might inadvertently trigger an escalation of tensions or an unwanted incident in the South China Sea that Southeast Asian countries will have to bear the brunt of, said Elina Noor, Director of Political-Security Affairs at the Asia Society Policy Institute in Washington D.C.

Noor said that the U.S. side could try to have more effective communication and coordination with Southeast Asian partners so that their presence and shows of force dont trigger misunderstanding.

Ships from the U.S. Navys Ronald Reagan Carrier Strike Group conduct operations in the South China Sea on Oct. 6, 2019. CREDIT: U.S. Navy

ASEAN does not have common foreign policy goals, so member states have their own say regarding maritime cooperation, said Nguyen The Phuong, a Vietnamese defense analyst.

Some want more cooperation [with the U.S.], some want less.

There are also opinions that those countries which wish to cooperate more with the U.S. in the field of maritime security could set up a smaller group, unofficial of course, within ASEAN to bolster their cooperation, he said.

In May, President Biden announced a new Indo-Pacific Partnership for Maritime Domain Awareness (IPMDA) that would provide better access to space-based, maritime domain awareness to countries across the region.

Its new, but a rising cooperation area, said the Vietnamese analyst.
Agreement shows 'we have a shared vision for the future,' US secretary of state says.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken speaks during a working lunch at the US-Pacific Island Country Summit, at the State Department in Washington, Sept. 28, 2022.

Updated at 12:25 a.m. EST on 2022-09-29

Leaders of Pacific island nations have agreed to the text of a joint declaration of partnership with the United States, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said at the opening of a two-day summit in Washington on Wednesday.

The announcement came after reports that the Solomon Islands planned not to sign an 11-point declaration during the summit, the first such meeting with leaders from the region hosted by the White House. In April, the Solomon Islands signed a secret security pact with China, raising concerns among the U.S. and Pacific allies that Beijing could be moving to establish a military presence in the South Pacific.

Blinken said the United States was committed to working closely with the leaders of 12 Pacific island nations in attendance on issues including climate change, fisheries and maritime security in the Indo-Pacific region.

Im especially pleased, as we start our conversations, as we start these two days, with President [Joe] Biden joining us tomorrow, that weve also come together around a declaration of partnership between the U.S. and the Pacific, Blinken said.

The declaration shows that we have a shared vision, he said in remarks broadcast on YouTube. It will give us a roadmap for the work were doing in the future.

Blinken did not say what was in the final version of the declaration. The State Department did not immediately respond to requests for a copy of the text.

The summit comes amid a renewed U.S. focus on the Pacific and concerns in Washington about Chinas growing influence in the region that were amplified after Beijing inked its new security pact with the Solomons five months ago.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is escorted from his plane upon arrival in Nadi, Fiji, Feb. 12, 2022. CREDIT: Reuters/Kevin Lamarque/Pool





Brian Harding, a senior Asia expert for the United States Institute of Peace, said the summit was significant primarily because it is the first time that Pacific islands leaders have been invited for talks at a dedicated forum in the United States.

Previous meetings have taken place on the sidelines of other meetings in Hawaii or of the United Nations General Assembly, Harding told Radio Free Asia (RFA), an online news service affiliated with BenarNews.

Its unfortunate that so much attention has been focused on this particular declaration, because what Pacific islanders want from this is a wide-ranging and open conversation.

Harding said the focus on the declaration could be due to Beijings failure to secure a similar regional joint declaration during Foreign Minister Wang Yis tour of the Pacific in April, which produced the secret deal with the Solomons.

But after decades of a reduced focus on the Pacific region, theres concerns that the United States is trying to move a little too fast, Harding said.

Mihai Sora, a Pacific analyst at Australias Lowy Institute, said the summit doesnt need to have announcements of major new U.S. commitments to have value.

I think the summit is more about building credibility and establishing relationships with Pacific leaders which is absolutely a vital part of U.S. reengagement, he told BenarNews. It would be valuable for Pacific leaders to feel they have that direct access and that direct relationship with someone like Biden.

Superpower competition in the Pacific

The agreement on a joint declaration marks a potential U.S. win in a vast maritime region where Washington and Beijing are vying for influence and after small island states rejected Chinas push for a wide-ranging pact.

During a telephone press briefing on the eve of the summit, a senior Biden administration official, who spoke to reporters on the condition of anonymity, said the joint agreement really is about a larger vision in which the United States and Pacific island nations sign up to some joint endeavors which are important.

Bidens Pacific summit is meant to show a deeper U.S. commitment to a vast and economically lagging region that has increasingly turned to China to meet its development needs, officials and analysts said.

Over two decades, China has become an important source of infrastructure, loans and aid for Pacific island nations as it seeks to isolate Taiwan diplomatically and gain regional allies in international organizations such as the United Nations.

Some analysts say Beijing also wants a military presence in the Pacific as a challenge to U.S. dominance. The pact it signed with the Solomon Islands would allow Beijing to send security forces to protect Chinese interests in those islands. But 10 Pacific countries rebuffed the Chinese governments attempt to get them to sign up to its vision for the region.

The Solomon Islands government had objected to signing the United States proposed declaration, Australian state broadcaster ABC reported on Wednesday, without citing a source.

U.S. officials are also expected to release a national strategy on the Pacific during the summit, as well as other financial commitments. Biden is scheduled to meet with Pacific islands leaders for dinner to close the summit on Thursday night.

RFA and BenarNews jointly produced this report. It has been updated to include some details from the first day of the summit.
Gao Yan dies during Mid-Autumn Festival amid allegations of mistreatment at the hands of his class teacher.

Gao Yan, a dancer and student at Shandong University of Arts, in the eastern Chinese province of Shandong, in an undated photo.

Authorities in the eastern Chinese province of Shandong have sent an investigative team to an arts university to probe the suicide death of a rising dance star who was also an out gay man, state-backed media reported.

Gao Yan, 19, died by suicide while at his parental home in the northern province of Hebei, where he had gone to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival, a time dedicated to family reunions.

Gao, who came first in a province-wide dance examination, had performed several times at the Spring Festival gala performance for state broadcaster CCTV in February, and who had already won a prestigious dance award, was about to begin his junior year majoring in dance at the Shandong University of Arts.

"There are suspicions that he had been bullied and suppressed by his class teacher for some time prior to his death," a report on the Chinese news portal Sina.com said.

"An investigative team has gone to Shandong University of Arts hoping to find out the truth and make some account on behalf of this beautiful youth."

"He loved his major and loved to dance so much ... and had promised his friends he would work hard for the postgraduate entrance examinations, and he had the potential to become a future dance star," the article said.

"Why is the school procrastinating? Was Gao Yan's suicide caused by [issues in] his family of origin, or [homophobic] discrimination by his class teacher?"

"Everyone should stay calm and wait for the team to investigate," it said.

Gao Yan's mother holds a portrait of him at the entrance of Shandong University of Arts. Credit: Network screenshot Parents seek explanation

A post on the Wikipedia-like site Zhihu said the main reason Gao had been ostracized and suppressed by his class teacher was his sexual orientation.

"While same-sex marriage has not been legalized in our country, these groups still exist, and none of them have been declared illegal," the post said. "So you may not accept or understand them, but I hope you can learn to respect them."

"It's not as if they are affecting your daily life."

Gao's parents were seen in one video circulating on social media weeping and calling for an explanation from the school.

"We are from the countryside, and we have been here for eight days," Gao's father tells the camera. "Now we are waiting here for a statement, and we can't say anything."

"The school just keeps trying to avoid any responsibility, so we don't know what to do now; there's nothing we can do," he says.

Their comments drew a stinging rebuke from Li Jun, dean of dance at the Shandong University of Arts, who accused them of trying to profit from Gao's death.

Screenshots from Gao's chat history showed an exchange with his class teacher Zhang Dalu, in which Zhang tells Gao he's going to be assigned to a "low-quality" class for his junior year, despite his excellent performance and achievements to date.

A group of Gao's classmates also took to social media, speaking out on Zhang's behalf, saying "we believe our teacher, whom we know better than any of you."

Homophobia remains common

Some online reports suggested that Zhang had mocked Gao's sexual orientation with quips about a gender reassignment operation in Thailand.

A gay man who went to university in Shandong and gave only the surname Chen said homophobia is still fairly common in higher education in China.

"My classmates would often make fun of LGBT people, and [I would] feel uncomfortable after hearing it," Chen said.

Pan Zhigang, a member of the banned China Democracy Party currently living in Los Angeles, who is also a gay man, said growing intolerance of sexual minorities is directly linked to a change in official attitudes since ruling Chinese Communist Party (CCP) leader Xi Jinping took power in 2012.

"They're not tolerant; they view such minorities as something alien," Pan told RFA. "This will always exist in a tyrannical system, and will never be absent from an authoritarian system."

LGBT+ groups have been increasingly moving away from the public sphere amid growing political restrictions on public speech under Xi Jinping.

In October 2021, LGBT Rights Advocacy China (also known as Queer Advocacy Online) announced it was ceasing all activities and shutting down its social media accounts.

The group had campaigned for LGBT+ rights, including same-sex marriage, and its founder Peng Yanzi once went undercover at an electroshock "conversion therapy" facility, successfully suing it.

It had also brought landmark cases to the court, including those granting custody rights to non-traditional families.

Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie.
Hu Zhimin's Weibo account is deleted after she reported being summoned by state security police

Government censors have banned a prominent poet from social media platforms after she penned a poem that many interpreted as being a comment about the forthcoming ruling Chinese Communist Party (CCP) 20th National Congress, at which CCP leader Xi Jinping will seek an unprecedented third term in office.

The Weibo account of Sichuan-based poet Hu Minzhi flashed a brief message reading "This account does not exist," before disappearing on Sept. 29.

Hu has reportedly been banned from both Weibo and Douyin after reporting that she had been "invited to drink tea," a euphemism for being hauled in to talk to state security police, in early September.

"She hasn't been heard from [on social media] for several days now," Voice of America journalist Ye Bing said via Twitter. "The outlook for her situation, for her liberty, seems bleak."

His tweet was retweeted by independent, Beijing-based journalist Gao Yu.

Hu's barring came after she published a poem titled "Waiting for the Wind," a poem apparently satirizing people's lack of agency around the party congress -- one of the most significant political meetings to occur in China since Xi took power.

"More than a billion people are waiting for the wind," the poem says. "It will come from the direction it comes from."

"Officials are waiting; entrepreneurs; ordinary people too," it continues. "We have no idea if it'll be an east wind or a west wind, this autumn ... a wind that blows forwards, or one that blows backwards."

Taking China backward

The poem came as many political commentators had begun to highlight concerns that Xi stands poised to take China back to a centrally controlled economy and a political culture similar to the Mao era, and away from the economic reform and opening up begun by late supreme leader Deng Xiaoping in 1979.

"We are just waiting here like puppets ... to hear our fate; ours personally, as well as that of the country," the poem says.

Hu's apparent silencing comes as Chinese police detained more than a million people in a nationwide security operation ahead of the party congress.

Beijing resident Wang Jiangqing said the city is now filled with soldiers and police officers.

"The 20th National Congress is approaching, and they're getting more and more nervous," Wang told RFA. "You can't go anywhere now."

But he appeared to believe the measures would be counterproductive.

"The more they do this, the more unstable the country becomes," he said.

Beijing resident Li Ning said anyone from out of town has been escorted out of the city, while even games of mah jong have been banned in the run-up to the event.

"All police stations are being tasked with [detaining people], with quotas for each officer for arrests and solved cases," Li told RFA. "It's all about making up the numbers, so they detain people for the smallest thing."

Petitioner roundup

A resident of the northeastern city of Shenyang surnamed Liu said things were similar where she lives.

"They're just making up the numbers -- gradually making their way through 1.4 billion people," Liu said. "They arrest whomever they want, or how would they be able to flex their authority."

"Any meeting, any movement will result in a tip-off and people getting detained," she said.

A Shanghai resident surnamed Chen said large numbers of petitioners -- ordinary Chinese pursuing complaints against the government -- have been sent out of town to stay at resorts, farmhouses or cheap hotels under police escort for the duration.

"[They are holding them] either at home or at a tourist resort," Chen said. "Petitioners are graded [by threat level]."

"For example, if you are a key petitioner, they will hold you in a resort, while they give others a sum of money and tell them not to petition [around the party congress]."

"Some will send you to a farmhouse or a hotel ... and pay for three meals a day."

Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie.
U.S. announces boost in aid to island nations as it seeks to counter Chinas increased influence in the region.

President Joe Biden speaks during the first U.S.-Pacific Island Country Summit at the State Department in Washington, as Secretary of State Antony Blinken (left) listens, Sept. 29, 2022.

Updated at 11:19 p.m. ET on 2022-09-29

The United States and Pacific Island nations signed a declaration of partnership, capping a summit in Washington with a win for the U.S. in the region after countries rejected Chinas push for a wide-ranging pact earlier this year.

The declaration is part of a flurry of announcements by President Joe Bidens administration during the two-day summit, as the U.S. seeks to counter Chinas greater influence in the Pacific. The announcements included plans for more than U.S. $800 million in assistance to the small island nations over a decade, the White House said Thursday.

Signatories to the declaration included Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare, whose government in April signed a secret security pact with Beijing. Sogavare had reportedly initially opposed the joint declaration.

In the face of a worsening climate crisis and an increasingly complex geopolitical environment, we recommit ourselves to working together in genuine partnership to address the mounting challenges of our time, said the declaration, released by the White House on Thursday.

The document condemned Russias brutal invasion of Ukraine. It said the signatory countries are committed to maintaining peace and security in the Pacific and that they recognize the importance of freedom of navigation and overflight under international law. The United States, the declaration said, is committed to the removal of unexploded munitions in the Pacific left over from World War II and to addressing the legacy of U.S. nuclear testing in the Marshall Islands.

The summit is meant to show a deeper U.S. commitment to the vast and economically lagging Pacific region, which over the past two decades has increasingly turned to China to meet its development needs, officials and analysts said.

Concerns in Washington about Chinas influence in the region were amplified after Beijing inked a security pact with the Solomons Islands five months ago. But Beijings effort to sign a comprehensive pact with 10 Pacific nations to shape relations was rebuffed.

A great deal of the history of our world is going to be written in the Indo-Pacific over the coming years and decades, and the Pacific islands are a critical voice in shaping that future, Biden said during the second day of the meetings.

Thats why my administration has made it a priority to strengthen our partnership with your countries and with the Pacific Islands Forum.

Biden said that the close to U.S. $1 billion in new commitments in aid include U.S. $130 million to support climate resilience among the Pacific islands economies and disaster early-warning systems.

Were seeing the consequences of climate change around the world very vividly, including in the United States right now, he said, referring to Hurricane Ian, and I know your nations feel it acutely, and for you all its an existential threat.

The aid package requires approval from Congress and includes a previously flagged U.S. $600 million of economic assistance tied to a U.S. tuna treaty with Pacific nations that gives fishing rights to American vessels.

The summit with Pacific island states was the first hosted by the White House and includes the leaders of the Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, French Polynesia, Papua New Guinea, the Marshall Islands, New Caledonia, Samoa, the Solomon Islands, Tonga and Tuvalu, as well as officials from Nauru, Palau and Vanuatu.

Fijis Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama praised the meeting, as well as Bidens focus on combating climate change.

Our Blue Pacific is an oceanic superpower that belongs side-by-side with America, the worlds mightiest military and economic power, Bainimarama said in a tweet. He posted a selfie of himself with Biden in the Oval Office on Twitter.

Manasseh Sogavare, prime minister of the Solomon Islands, listens as U.S. President Joe Biden speaks during the first U.S.-Pacific Island Country Summit at the State Department in Washington, Sept. 29, 2022. CREDIT: AP Photo/Susan Walsh





Earlier on Thursday, the White House released a Pacific strategy document that echoes many of the issues Pacific nations have called attention to, including the threat of rising sea levels and illegal fishing, as well as information about U.S. aid plans.

Among the commitments, USAID will establish a regional mission in Fiji by September next year. Another development agency, Peace Corps, will return to the region, starting with Fiji, Tonga, Samoa and Vanuatu.

The Pacific strategy document reiterated that the United States intends to open an embassy in the Solomon Islands, its first there since the early 1990s. It will also begin discussions with other Pacific countries including Tonga and Kiribati about opening embassies.

The United States says it currently has six embassies in the region.

This story has been updated to include details from the second day of the summit.

BenarNews is an RFA-affiliated news service.
The social media platforms algorithms fueled hate, and the company should compensate survivors, group says.

Rohingya refugees at a refugee camp in Ukhia, Bangladesh, shout slogans during a 'Genocide Remembrance Day' rally to mark the 5th anniversary of their flight from Myanmar during a military offensive, Aug. 25, 2022.

Facebook owner Metas use of algorithms to promote user engagement and increase ad revenue contributed to anti-Rohingya sentiment in Myanmar ahead of a brutal military campaign against the ethnic group in 2017, rights group Amnesty International said Thursday.

In a new report entitled, The Social Atrocity: Meta and the right to remedy for the Rohingya, Amnesty lays out how Meta failed to prevent Facebook from amplifying the kind of hateful rhetoric that led to communal violence against the ethnic group and a state-sanctioned clearance operation in 2017 that forced more than 700,000 across the border to Bangladesh, where many continue to languish in refugee camps.

In 2017, the Rohingya were killed, tortured, raped and displaced in the thousands as part of the Myanmar security forces campaign of ethnic cleansing, Amnesty Secretary General Agnes Callamard said in a statement accompanying the release of the report.

In the months and years leading up to the atrocities, Facebooks algorithms were intensifying a storm of hatred against the Rohingya which contributed to real-world violence.

Callamard said that while the military was committing crimes against humanity against the Rohingya, Meta was profiting from the echo chamber of hatred created by its hate-spiraliing algorithms.

Meta must be held to account. The company now has a responsibility to provide reparations to all those who suffered the violent consequences of their reckless actions, she said.

Meta did not immediately respond to requests by RFA Burmese for comment on Amnestys findings. Amnesty said that in June, Meta declined to comment when asked to respond to the allegations contained in its report.

Rohingya refugees collect drinking water in the Kutupalong refugee camp in Ukhia, Bangladesh, Sept. 29, 2022. Credit: AFP Social media role significant

In its report, Amnesty specifically pointed to actors linked to the military and radical Buddhist nationalist groups who systematically flooded the Facebook platform with disinformation regarding an impending Muslim takeover of the country and seeking to portray Rohingya as sub-human invaders.

The mass dissemination of messages that advocated hatred, inciting violence and discrimination against the Rohingya, as well as other dehumanizing and discriminatory anti-Rohingya content, poured fuel on the fire of long-standing discrimination and substantially increased the risk of an outbreak of mass violence, Amnesty said in its report.

Following the 2017 violence, the U.N.s Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on Myanmar called for senior military officials to be investigated and prosecuted for war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide.

The body found that [t]he role of social media [was] significant in the atrocities. Amnesty said its report found that Metas contribution was not merely that of a passive and neutral platform that responded inadequately. Instead, it said, Metas algorithms proactively amplified and promoted content on the Facebook platform which incited violence, hatred and discrimination against the Rohingya.

Because Metas business model is based on targeted advertising, the more engaged users are, the more ad revenue Meta earns, the report said.

As a result, these systems prioritize the most inflammatory, divisive and harmful content as this content is more likely to maximize engagement, it said.

Examples of anti-Rohingya content cited by Amnesty included a Facebook post referring to a human rights defender who allegedly cooperated with the U.N. fact-finding mission as a national traitor and which consistently added the adjective Muslim. The post was shared more than 1,000 times and sparked calls for their death. The U.N. group called Metas response to its attempts to report the post slow and ineffective.

Unheeded warnings

Amid the swelling rancor and growing likelihood of communal violence, local civil society activists repeatedly called on Meta to act between 2012 and 2017, but Amnesty said the company failed to heed the warnings.

Instead, the report said, internal Meta documents leaked by a whistleblower show that the core content-shaping algorithms that power the Facebook platform all actively amplify and distribute content which incites violence and discrimination, and deliver this content directly to the people most likely to act upon such incitement.

By failing to engage in appropriate human rights due diligence in respect to its operations in Myanmar ahead of the 2017 atrocities, Meta substantially contributed to adverse human rights impacts suffered by the Rohingya and has a responsibility to provide survivors with an effective remedy, Amnesty said.

Amnestys report called on Meta to work with survivors and civil society organizations to support them to provide an effective remedy to affected Rohingya communities and to undertake a comprehensive review and overhaul of its human rights due diligence to address what it called the systemic and widespread human rights impacts of its business model.
More than 800 houses in 20 villages have been destroyed by junta troops and nine civilians killed over the past two weeks in junta raids on Taze township in Myanmars Sagaing region according to locals.

Six people were killed in Oke Hpo Aing village, two from Gway Kone, and one from Aung Chan Thar.

Two military columns of around 100 junta troops invaded villages around Taze township between Sept. 16 and Sept. 28.

"35 homes were torched in the east of the village when the military column left at four in the morning after they spent the night there," a resident of Kar Paung Kya village told RFA.

Homes were burned down in 20 villages, including Oke Hpo Aing, Aung Chan Thar, Yae U Kone, Inn Bat, Oe Thei Kone, Pay Kone, Gway Kone, Bay Yin Ywar Thit, Na Bet Gyi, Na Bet Nge, locals said.

There were 16 clashes between junta troops and Peoples Defense Forces in Taze township. Fighting and mine explosions caused the deaths of five PDF members and roughly 50 junta soldiers, according to the local PDF.

The number of military deaths has not been independently verified.

RFA contacted Aye Hlaing, a spokesman for the military council in Sagaing region, but he did not respond.

Myanmars military killed nearly 643 civilians and burned down almost 20,524 houses in Sagaing region in the year since Sept. 15, 2021, when authorities cut off internet access to townships where anti-junta armed resistance is strongest, RFA reported on Wednesday. The figures were compiled by RFAs Burmese service.
Updated at 12:51 p.m. EST on 2022-09-29

Detained State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi was sentenced to an additional three years in prison on Thursday. Sean Turnell, an Australian citizen who served as an economic advisor during the National League for Democracy-led government, and three NLD ministers were also given three year sentences.

They were prosecuted under the Myanmar Government Secrets Act, according to sources close to the court who requested anonymity for security reasons. The case was based on the contents of Turnells computer and some of his documents.

The three ministers prosecuted along with Turnell and Suu Kyi were NLD Government Planning and Finance Minister Soe Win, Deputy Minister of Planning, Finance and Industry Set Aung and the former Minister of Planning and Finance Kyaw Win.

Turnell was also sentenced to a further three years under the Immigration Law but the two charges will be served concurrently.

Suu Kyi has now been sentenced to a total of 23 years in prison for 12 cases.

Bo Bo Oo, MP for Dala township in Yangon region, said the prison terms were illegal. He told RFA sentencing the four was only intended to scare the people of Myanmar and strengthen the position of the junta, the State Administration Council (SAC).

Myanmar's jailed State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi attending the 10th ASEAN-UN Summit in Bangkok, on the sidelines of the 35th ASEAN Summit on Nov. 3, 2019. (AFP)

Turnell worked as an economic advisor to Suu Kyi since 2017 under the NLD-led government that was ousted in last year's military coup. He is the first foreigner close to the NLD to be detained since the coup.

Lawyer Gyi Myint said imprisoning Turnell under the Secrets Act is not appropriate because the Australian is an economist officially appointed by the NLD-led Government.

Sean Turnell was legally hired and paid for his work by the state. How can these people who represent the State break the secrecy laws? he said.

In a statement, Elaine Pearson, Asia director at New York-based Human Rights Watch, called Turnell's conviction "politically motivated" and "a cruel injustice."

"He was convicted after a trial in closed court without proper access to legal counsel. Its critical that the Australian government take all necessary steps to pressure Myanmars junta to immediately release Turnell and send him home, she said.

Pearson added that the junta's decision to add to Suu Kyi's punishment and convict Turnell and the three NLD ministers shows that its leaders care little for how they are viewed by the international community.

"Concerned governments should take this as a clear signal that they need to take concerted action against the junta if they are going to turn the human rights situation around in the country, she said.

Turnell was arrested five days after the Feb. 1, 2021, coup. Australias then-foreign affairs minister Marise Payne called for his immediate release on the first anniversary of his detention. That call was repeated in June by current foreign affairs minister Penny Wong and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.

RFA emailed the Australian Embassy in Myanmar regarding his conviction, but has yet to receive a reply.

The Guardian quoted Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong as rejecting the court ruling and calling for Turnells immediate release.

Prof Turnell was tried in a closed court  Australias charge daffaires and consular officials in Myanmar made every effort to attend the verdict but were denied access to the court, Wong said. We will continue to take every opportunity to advocate strongly for Prof. Turnell until he has returned to his family in Australia.

The U.N. Secretary Generals Special Envoy for Myanmar Nolin Heza also requested the release of Turnell when she met with State Administration Council Chairman, Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing, in Naypyidaw on Aug. 17. A similar appeal was made by Hun Sen, the prime minister of Cambodia, the current chair of the Southeast Asian regional bloc, but to no avail.

This story has been updated to include comments by Human Rights Watch's Elaine Pearson and Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong.
The Chinese government threatens to punish Tibetans if they share information about the situation.

Lhasa residents are seen in a COVID-19 quarantine facility in September 2022.

At least five Tibetans in the regional capital Lhasa have taken their lives as a rigid Chinese government zero-COVID lockdown nears its second month, but Beijing is covering up the severity of the situation in Tibet, sources there told RFA.

The Chinese government imposed a lockdown 52 days ago in Lhasa as COVID numbers there and throughout China continued to climb. The netizens say the lockdown order came without enough time to prepare, leaving people in some cases short of food, while finding treatments for COVID-19 positive patients has also proven difficult.

Reports of Tibetans jumping from buildings in Lhasa, which have surfaced on social media in recent weeks, are true, a source inside Tibet told RFAs Tibetan Service on condition of anonymity for security reasons.

One of them was a woman, but I dont have detailed information about the others, the source said.

People have been forced into this lockdown, and all the sources of information in Lhasa are blocked. It is even impossible to find information on what is happening to ones neighbor, the source said.

There are not just one or two people jumping from buildings  actually there are many more.

The COVID lockdown policies placed specifically on Tibetans are inhumane, a Tibetan living in the capital who requested anonymity to speak freely, told RFA.

The Chinese government is trying really hard to cover up any information related to people dying during this lockdown, and family members are warned not to share any information, the second source said. The family members are harassed and threatened over the phone that they will be punished if they ever share anything.

The Tibetan Center for Human Rights and Democracy told RFA that it confirmed the veracity of reports about jumps from buildings.

We have spoken to three sources inside Tibet who actually saw five Tibetans taking their lives by jumping off buildings, Tenzin Nyiwoe, a researcher at the India-based rights organization, told RFA.

Chinese state media have reported 111 more cases of COVID-19 infection as of Sept. 25, with 60,597 people still held in quarantine in conditions described as harsh by sources inside the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR).

Meanwhile, 786 people have been prosecuted by authorities for violating COVID lockdown directives in the TAR since the current outbreak was first reported on Aug. 8, official sources say.

Tibetans are not alone in suffering particularly harsh Chinese zero-COVID lockdowns and other restrictions.

RFA reported last week that at least 22 people died of starvation or lack of medical attention on Sept. 15 Chinas COVID lockdown policies in the northern Xinjiang city of Ghulja.

Videos posted by desperate Uyghurs on Chinese social media platformsand quickly deleted by government censorsshow local people under strict zero-COVID lockdowns struggling to access food and medical care, with some saying family members had starved to death.

Translated by Tenzin Dickyi. Written in English by Eugene Whong.
Anti-government demonstrations sparked by the death of a young Iranian woman after being detained by the morality police for allegedly improperly wearing a hijab continue across the country despite official warnings that an already deadly crackdown on unrest would be tightened.

Videos published on social media overnight showed demonstrations and protest gatherings being held in at least six cities of Iran, including Tabriz, Najafabad, Isfahan, Tehran, Mashhad, Sanandaj, and Urmia.

Activists and relatives say 22-year-old Mahsa Amini was killed as a result of blows to the head sustained in detention. The authorities claim she died of a heart attack.

Simmering anger over Amini's death in Tehran has struck a nerve in a country already wracked by unrest in recent months over poor living conditions and economic hardships exacerbated by crippling U.S. economic sanctions in response to Iran's nuclear program.

The outrage also has reignited decades-old resentment at the treatment of women by Iran's religious leadership, including laws forcing women to wear Islamic scarves to cover their heads in public, and have reverberated outside Iran.

Many Iranians living abroad announced on social media that they are going to gather in more than 70 cities around the world on October 1 in support of the protests in Iran.

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said on September 29 she was pushing for EU sanctions on Iran over the lethal crackdown after summoning the Iranian ambassador to Berlin.



"The clubs and the tear gas are not an expression of power -- the violence of the system in Iran speaks of pure fear," Baerbock wrote on Twitter.



"Within the framework of the EU, I am doing everything I can to get sanctions under way against those in Iran who are beating women to death and shooting demonstrators in the name of religion."

The Iranian government has imposed a near-total Internet shutdown as the nationwide protests continue, which has helped thin crowds by making it harder to communicate and suppressing the publishing of video of the protests. Meanwhile, videos released from Shiraz show police and security agents attacking a protest gathering at the Shiraz University of Medical Sciences on September 28.

WATCH: Demonstrations across Iran appear be to waning as security forces continued their deadly crackdown on protests that have shaken the country for two weeks. Fewer protest videos have appeared on social media after authorities restricted Internet access and launched the crackdown.

The Washington-based Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) says at least 25 journalists have been arrested since the protests erupted, including Elahe Mohammadi, who covered Amini's funeral and was detained on September 29.

In a sign of the rising stakes over the protests, Iranian oil industry workers warned the government on September 29 that if it does not end its crackdown on protesters, they will strike, a move that could cripple one of the few sectors of the economy still generating money for the state.

Meanwhile, on September 28 the musicians of the Iran's National Orchestra refused to appear onstage, forcing the cancellation of a concert that was supposed to be held on the anniversary of the start of the Iran-Iraq war.



Music journalist Bahman Babazadeh said on Twitter that the musicians refused to take the stage due to requests made to them on social media pages.



Employees at two Iranian startup giants, Snapp and Digikala, also joined the nationwide strikes in support of the protests by publishing a joint statement on their social media.



"The violent suppression of the people's protests is intolerable and unforgivable" Digikala employees wrote in their statement, adding, "We join the nationwide strikes in solidarity with the grieving and suffering people of Iran."

Reports indicate that security forces tried to prevent a gathering of protesters in the central Iranian city of Najafabad on the evening of September 28.

Unconfirmed reports that security forces were using young Iranians to quell the protests, prompting child and youth literature activists in Iran to publish a statement on September 29 condemning the arrest of protesting teenagers and the possible presence of youths in special units to suppress protests.

"This way of dealing will have unfortunate and irreparable consequences for the perpetrators," they wrote.



The Iran Human Rights Organization said on September 27 that at least 76 people have been killed in the anti-government protests.

Written by Ardeshir Tayebi based on an original story in Persian by RFE/RL's Radio Farda

NOTE: This article has been amended to clarify that the number of people attending the protests in Iran appears to be waning.
Renewed fighting between Armenian and Azerbaijani forces broke out on September 28, killing three Armenian troops, Yerevan said as the two sides again blamed each other for shooting first across their shared border.

The Armenian Defense Ministrys press service said "Azerbaijani forces opened fire from mortars and large-caliber firearms at the eastern direction of the Armenian-Azerbaijani border."

Armenia's Defense Ministry said in a statement three died on the Armenian side as a result.

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian said in a tweet that three of his troops had been killed in "an attack against Armenian independence, sovereignty and democracy."

"Withdrawal of Azerbaijani troops and deployment of an international observer mission on the Armenian territories affected by Azerbaijani occupation and bordering areas is an absolute necessity," he wrote.

The Armenian side resorted to retaliatory actions after the shooting started, Defense Ministry spokesman Aram Torosyan said.

The Defense Ministry of Azerbaijan blamed the Armenian side, saying it violated the cease-fire. According to Baku, one Azerbaijani soldier was wounded.

"All responsibility for the incident lies with the military and political leadership of Armenia," the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry said.

The ministry said despite the cease-fire agreement the Armenian armed forces opened fire on the units of the Azerbaijani Army around 6 p.m. local time in the Kalbajar region with different types of firearms.

The fighting threatens a fragile cease-fire agreement that ended the worst fighting between the two ex-Soviet Caucasus countries since a 2020 war over the breakaway region of Nagorno-Karabakh.

After a flare-up that killed more than 200 soldiers, the two sides on September 23 agreed to the Russia-brokered cease-fire to end the most recent hostilities.

Baku and Yerevan have been locked in a conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh for years. Armenian-backed separatists seized the mainly Armenian-populated region from Azerbaijan during a war in the early 1990s that killed some 30,000 people.

The two sides fought another war in 2020 that lasted six weeks before a Russia-brokered cease-fire, resulting in Armenia losing control over parts of the region, which is part of Azerbaijan, and seven adjacent districts.

Under the cease-fire Armenia ceded swaths of territory it had controlled for decades and Moscow deployed about 2,000 troops to the region to serve as peacekeepers.

With Moscow increasingly isolated following its invasion of Ukraine, the United States and the European Union have taken leading roles in mediating the Armenia-Azerbaijan normalization process.

Last week, the two countries' foreign ministers met in New York for talks arranged by U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

Earlier this year the EU led negotiations in Brussels between Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Pashinian at which they agreed to "advance discussions" on a future peace treaty.

They last met in Brussels on August 31, for talks mediated by European Council President Charles Michel.

The issue of ensuring a land link between Azerbaijan and its ally Ankara via Armenian territory has emerged as the primary sticking point.

With reporting by AFP and Reuters
Two young Iranian women posted a photo of themselves having breakfast at a restaurant in Tehran without hijabs.

The same day, actress Fatemeh Motamed-Arya spoke at the public funeral in the Iranian capital without a headscarf.

On September 27, a video emerged of a woman without a hijab marching on a road in Tehran holding a placard that read, "Women, life, freedom."

Such acts of civil disobedience have increased in Iran, where the country's "hijab and chastity" law requires women and girls over the age of 9 to wear a headscarf in public, since the death of a young woman in the custody of the morality police on September 16.

The death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini has triggered over two weeks of angry protests in dozens of Iranian cities. During the ongoing rallies, some women protesters have removed and burned their headscarves, in a direct challenge to the clerical regime.

The protests have provoked a deadly state crackdown, with law enforcement and security forces killing scores of demonstrators, according to human rights groups.

While the protests appear to be waning, women's resistance to the hijab is likely to increase, analysts say. The mandatory hijab, a symbol of the state's repression of women, has been one of the key pillars of the Islamic republic.

"More and more women are likely to remove their headscarves in public and resist the compulsory hijab law," Paris-based, Iranian-French sociologist Azadeh Kian told RFE/RL. "Until now, they didn't dare to walk bareheaded in public. Today, they have found the courage."

WATCH: Fewer protest videos have appeared on social media after authorities restricted Internet access and launched the crackdown.

Kian adds that the authorities could be forced to loosen their strict enforcement of the hijab law. "Without changing the hijab law, they could become more lax towards women violating it, but they will pay a price because more women will be encouraged to follow suit," she said.

A woman in Tehran who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of retribution told RFE/RL that "things won't go back to the way they were."

"I used to remove my headscarf in some restaurants where I knew the owners," she said. "I'm now determined to do it more often in public, it's the least I can do after the death of Amini and the [state] violence," she said.

The Financial Times reported on September 28 that in recent days the white and green vans of the morality police have disappeared from the streets of Tehran, although there is still a strong security presence in the city.

Flouting The Hijab Law

The hijab became compulsory in 1981, two years after the Islamic Revolution in Iran. The move triggered protests that were swiftly crushed by the new authorities.

Many women have flouted the rule over the years and pushed the boundaries of what officials say is acceptable clothing.

Women have also launched campaigns against the discriminatory law, although many have been pressured by the state and forced to leave the country.

In 2014, exiled activist Masih Alinejad launched a Facebook page where scores of women posted their photos without hijabs. She also later encouraged women to document the harassment they suffered by the morality police and vigilantes.

Three years later, a young woman identified as Vida Movahed stood on a utility box in Tehran and waved her headscarf on a stick in an unprecedented act of defiance against the hijab law. Photos of her protest went viral and inspired other women to stage similar protests.

More than 30 women were arrested, and several were prosecuted in the following months. Human rights lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh, who defended them, was herself sentenced to prison.

The acts of civil disobedience prompted a debate about the hijab law, which had been a taboo topic for years.

Under former President Hassan Rohani, who served from 2013 to 2021, the enforcement of the hijab law was loosened. But since hard-line President Ebrahim Raisi came to power in August 2021, the authorities have launched a crackdown on women who violate the law.

A July 5 order by Raisi to enforce the hijab law resulted in a new list of restrictions on how women can dress.

In recent months, women judged not to have respected the "complete hijab" have been banned from government offices, banks, and public transportation. The notorious Guidance Patrols, or morality police, have become increasingly active and violent. Videos have emerged on social media appearing to show officers detaining women, forcing them into vans, and whisking them away.

On September 13, the morality police in Tehran detained Amini for allegedly wearing a hijab improperly. Three days later, she was declared dead in a hospital. Activists and relatives say she was killed as a result of blows to the head sustained in detention. The authorities claim that she died of a heart attack.

Since her death, Amini's name has become a rallying cry against the decades of state violence against women, prompting protesters to call for an end to the Islamic republic. Amateur videos and footage posted online in the aftermath of her death showed unveiled women standing up to security forces while others were seen walking defiantly unveiled in the streets of Tehran and other cities.

Several actresses also posted images of themselves on social media without a hijab. One of them, Katayoun Riahi, appeared in an interview with a Saudi-funded TV channel without her headscarf.

Security forces reportedly raided Riahi's house on the evening of September 28. She was reported to have fled before they managed to arrest her. Her whereabouts are currently unknown. A post by the administrator of her Instagram page warned on September 29 that her life was "in danger."

Days earlier, Culture Minister Mohammad Mehdi Esmaili said that actresses who removed their veils in public would no longer be allowed to work inside the country.
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corp (IRGC) has fired on targets in the capital of Iraq's autonomous Kurdish region, Irbil, and the eastern Iraqi city of Sulaymaniyah, the Iranian state news agency IRNA has reported.

Nine people were killed and 32 wounded in the attacks, Kurdish regional Health Minister Saman Barazanchi said in a statement on September 29.



"Some of the wounded are in critical condition and the death toll could rise," Barazanchi added.



The attacks were carried out against Kurdish political parties, as well as an Iranian Kurdish refugee camp, while a senior member of Komala, an exiled Iranian Kurdish opposition party, told Reuters that several of its offices were struck as well.



The attacks come amid massive protests in Iran over the death of Mahsa Amini, who died while in custody after being arrested by the so-called morality police for allegedly wearing an Islamic headscarf, or hijab, improperly.

The protests started in Amini's hometown of Saghez in Iran's Kurdistan Province and quickly spread to dozens of cities and towns across Iran.



Tariq Haidari, mayor of the Iraqi Kurdish city of Koye, told Reuters that two people including a pregnant woman were killed and 12 wounded. Some of the wounded were rushed in critical condition to a hospital in Irbil, he said.



The spokesman of the Iraqi Foreign Ministry said it would summon the Iranian ambassador to voice Iraq's opposition to the attacks, which Baghdad considers to be a violation of its sovereignty.



The IRGC has repeatedly attacked areas in Iraqi Kurdistan in recent days and said in a statement that it will continue to target "terrorists" in the region.



"This operation will continue with our full determination until the threat is effectively repelled, the bases of terrorist groups are dismantled, and the authorities of the Kurdistan region assume their obligations and responsibilities," the IRGC said in its statement.

Written by Ardeshir Tayebi based on an original story in Persian by RFE/RL's Radio Farda
The Ukrainian military says its forces continued their advance in the Donetsk region a day after taking full control of the strategic eastern city of Lyman, as Russia continues to sustain numerous casualties.

Serhiy Cherevaty, spokesman for the Eastern Group of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, said Ukrainian troops liberated the settlement of Torske near Lyman on October 2 and are hitting Russian military units in Kreminna, in the Luhansk region, "with fire."

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 General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported on October 3 that Russia lost 320 soldiers the previous day, most of them in the Kramatorsk and Bakhmut directions. Ukraine says that in total Russia has lost lost about 60,400 soldiers since the start of its invasion in February.

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said last month that Russian losses amount to 5,937.

Neither figure could be independently verified.

There were also reports on October 3 that Ukrainian forces were recapturing towns along the west bank of the Dnipro River in southern Ukraine.

The scale of the Ukrainian advance was unconfirmed, with Kyiv maintaining all but complete silence about the situation in the area. However, Russian military bloggers described a Ukrainian tank advance through dozens of kilometers of territory along the riverbank.

In a rare comment by a Ukrainian official on the situation, Anton Herashchenko, an adviser to Ukraine's interior minister, posted what he said was a video of a Ukrainian soldier waving a flag in Zolota Balka, downriver from the former front line.

The latest reports came after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on October 2 announced that Ukrainian troops were in full control of Lyman in the Donbas region.

Zelenskiy made the brief comment in a video clip posted to his Telegram channel on October 2.

"As of 12:30 p.m., Lyman is fully cleared," he said. "Thank you to our soldiers. Glory to Ukraine."

The recapture of Lyman was Ukrainian forces' most significant battlefield gain in weeks and followed a counteroffensive in the Kharkiv region to the north that swept Russian forces and stunned many observers.

U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said Washington was "very encouraged" by Ukrainian gains.

Lyman sits at a crossroads and a switch yard for railroads, and analysts say Ukrainian troops would likely use the city as a staging post for further advances east.

The city had been the scene of intense fighting for days, with Ukrainian troops gradually encircling it and the estimated 5,000 Russian troops that were defending it.

Russias Defense Ministry on October 1 said it was pulling troops out of the area "in connection with the creation of a threat of encirclement."

Unconfirmed reports said Russian forces there had suffered heavy casualties and an unknown number of soldiers were taken prisoner.

It was the latest setback for Russian President Vladimir Putin, coming one day after he proclaimed the annexation of four Ukrainian regions that have been partly occupied by Russian forces for months now.

The Donetsk region, where Lyman is located, is one of the four regions Putin claimed.

Kyiv and the West have condemned the annexation declaration as illegal and a farce.

Ramzan Kadyrov, an ally of Putin and head of Russia's Chechnya region, has said Moscow should consider using a low-yield nuclear weapon in Ukraine after the loss of Lyman.

In a statement criticizing Russian generals for the loss of Lyman, Kadyrov said it was time for the Kremlin to make use of every weapon at its disposal.

I do not know what the Defense Ministry reports to the Supreme Commander-in-Chief, but in my personal opinion we need to take more drastic measures, including declaring martial law in the border territories and using low-yield nuclear weapons, Kadyrov said on his Telegram channel.

Putin's declaration that Russia was annexing Donetsk, along with Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhya, was a major escalation by the Kremlin. Observers said it signaled a further digging-in by the Russian leadership, dampening prospects for a peace deal.

Together with Crimea, which Moscow seized in 2014, the four regions make up around 20 percent of Ukraine, including some of its most industrialized territory.

Russia's setbacks on the battlefield also come amid reports of chaos in a mobilization ordered less than two weeks ago by Putin that has seen tens of thousands of Russian men suddenly called up into the military and tens of thousands of others fleeing abroad.

Mikhail Degtyarev, governor of the Khabarovsk region in Russia's Far East, said around half of the thousands of men called up there had been found unfit for duty and sent back home. He said he fired the region's military commissar.

"The military commissar of the Khabarovsk region, Yuri Laiko, has been suspended," Degtyaryev said in a video posted on Telegram.

This will have no impact on the fulfilment of the tasks that the president has set for us," Degtyaryev said in a Telegram video.

With reporting by Reuters
The last major speech that Vladimir Putin delivered live came in the early hours of February 24, when the Russian president announced he was ordering tens of thousands of troops to invade Ukraine in what has become the biggest war in Europe since World War II -- and the biggest test for Putin in his 23 years in power.

His next speech, scheduled for September 30, comes at one of the most critical junctures in Putin's four terms as president.

The planned address, announced just one day in advance, dovetails with legislation moving at lightning speed through parliament aimed at annexing four regions of Ukraine that are partially occupied by Russian forces.

Putin will deliver a "voluminous speech" at a ceremony in the regal St. George's Hall of the Grand Kremlin Palace, spokesman Dmitry Peskov said. The ceremony will feature the Russian-installed administrators in the Ukrainian regions signing agreements to make them, in Moscow's eyes, part of Russia.

The annexation efforts, based on referendums denounced by Kyiv and the West as a sham, will signal that the Kremlin is doubling down on the war against Ukraine even as battlefield setbacks have showcased major institutional problems with Russia's armed forces.

Putin's planned address also comes nine days after he used a prerecorded speech to announce the mobilization of hundreds of thousands of men to fight in Ukraine. The order has roiled Russian society in a way not seen in a generation, setting off protests in a growing number of regions and sparking an exodus of Russians fleeing the prospect of being sent to wage a war that is going badly for the Kremlin.

As many as 260,000 Russians have fled the country since Putin announced the mobilization on September 21, according to Russian news reports.

Putin "found himself in a situation from which there is no good exit, so it's really not possible to guess what he is going to [say]" in his speech, said Abbas Gallyamov, a former speechwriter for Putin and political consultant who now lives outside of Russia.

"Maybe he will [say]...that the aims of our operation are achieved, and we suggest to the other side to stop [the] war," he said in a message to RFE/RL. "And If they continue, we will use nuclear weapons."

Here's what you need to be watching for in Putin's speech.

Annexation Breakdown

As early as May, less than three months after the invasion, Russia's puppet administration in the southern Kherson region announced it intended to seek annexation and unite with Russia.

At the time, the war was already in its second phase, as Ukrainian forces thwarted a Russian attempt to seize the capital, Kyiv, and Russian commanders withdrew and shifted troops to the east for an offensive in the Donbas.

Much of Kherson and part of the neighboring Zaporizhzhya region, meanwhile, had been seized and occupied by Russian troops. Over the summer, Russian government officials traveled repeatedly to the regions, signaling that they intended to conduct a referendum vote, as early as September.

Ukraine, however, interfered. Bolstered with high-powered Western rockets and artillery, commanders began targeting Russian forces on the west bank of the Dnieper River, and Russia shifted a sizable number of units from the Donbas to the south, in preparation for a Ukrainian counteroffensive.

Russian officials then announced that the referendums that had been expected to be held in Kherson and Zaporizhzhya would be postponed -- until last week, when the authorities suddenly announced the votes would go forward in those two regions plus the two main Donbas regions, Luhansk and Donetsk.

The effort by Russian authorities to claim sovereignty over the four regions under highly dubious circumstances mirrors the seizure of Crimea. In March 2014, Russia sent unidentified soldiers to the Ukrainian peninsula, armed men took over regional administration officials, and independent media outlets were shut down. Authorities later held a vote that was dismissed by most countries around the world, and the Kremlin now considers Crimea part of Russia.

In this case, the process is even more tendentious: Among other things, the so-called referendums were held amid fierce fighting, and Russian forces control only one of the four regions, Luhansk, in anything close to its entirety.

When Putin speaks, listen closely to how he describes the war -- which Moscow still officially calls a "special military operation" -- and for the unlikely possibility that he signals how badly it is going for Russian forces.

Mobilization Machinations

Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said Putin's mobilization order called for bringing up to 300,000 men to join the fight in Ukraine; at least two Russian-language media outlets -- Novaya Gazeta and Meduza -- have reported that authorities in fact are seeking to draft around 1 million or more.

Either way, it's a mobilization of military personnel on a scale that Russia hasn't tried since World War II -- or even since 1904, when the imperial army launched a partial mobilization as Russia fought and lost a war with Japan.

Judging by the flood of news reports, social media posts, and interviews -- and the flood of Russian men trying to leave the country -- the effort has been chaotic and haphazard. It has also been met with increasing resistance in some places, like Daghestan in the North Caucasus, and in Yakutsk in the Far East.

Nearly two dozen recruitment stations across Russia have been firebombed; one recruitment officer was shot and wounded at a station in Irkutsk. And videos and photographs have flooded Telegram, the Russian social network VK, and other places, showing fistfights among new conscripts, substandard housing, a lack of equipment, and other examples of disorganization.

One video that circulated widely on September 27 showed a military logistics officer yelling at new conscripts and telling them they'd have to supply their own equipment like sleeping bags and tourniquets.

The chaotic nature of the call-up has prompted some criticism from prominent public figures, like acerbic pro-Kremlin TV host Vladimir Solovyov, who blamed local recruiting officials.

"The sudden mobilization announcement and its rocky execution reflect the poor state of affairs within Putin's war machine," said Kevin Ryan, a retired U.S. Army brigadier general who is now a fellow at Harvard University's Kennedy School.

"But they also demonstrate the speed and extent to which the leadership is adjusting that machine to correct problems," he said in an e-mail. "The result of the mobilization decree, and laws passed by the Duma a few days before, is that the unsustainable loss of troops from the ranks has stopped and is being reversed. Whether this can be accompanied by a similar fix of materiel shortages and fighting ability remains to be seen."

Speaking to reporters on September 26, Kremlin spokesman Peskov said that "all the errors will be corrected" in the mobilization process.

The large numbers of Russians leaving the country has drawn attention, and criticism, from government figures as well. Ella Pamfilova, a former human rights activist who is now the head of the Central Election Commission, likened those leaving to "rats."

"Let the rats who are running run. The ship will be ours," she told a meeting of election officials on September 26. The ship is "gaining strength and clearly moving towards its target."

Watch to see if Putin will order the closure of the country's borders, in an effort to stem the outflux of working-age and military-age Russians. The speaker of the State Duma, the lower house of parliament, signaled this week that this was under consideration.

Nuclear Bluff?

In his speech announcing the mobilization, Putin also claimed without evidence that Western countries had made nuclear threats against Russia -- and he issued a clear threat of his own.

"I would like to remind you that our country also has various means of destruction," he said. "And in the event of threats to the territorial integrity of our country, we will certainly use all the means at our disposal to protect Russia and our people. This is not a bluff."

This isn't the first time Putin or other Russian officials have banged the nuclear drum. In fact, Putin has repeatedly threatened to potentially use nuclear weapons in certain circumstances since Crimea's annexation.

Still, by punctuating his comment with the statement "this is not a bluff," for many observers served as a reminder that Putin's past threats were largely seen as hollow.

"The idea was probably to reinforce the message" of Russia's nuclear might, said Pavel Podvig, an expert on Russia's strategic armed forces who works at the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research, "but it is difficult to know if it worked."

Dmitry Medvedev, the former president and prime minister who has become a bellicose public commentator, later echoed the threats, reiterating how Russia's nuclear doctrine justifies use of the weapons: if the existence of the Russian state is under threat.

Pentagon officials last week said the United States had not seen any Russian moves that would trigger a change in U.S. nuclear posture.

Still, military experts point out that while U.S. intelligence would likely be able to detect a movement of, say, an intercontinental ballistic missile from its silo, it would be harder to detect preparations for a "tactical" nuclear weapon, which are intended for small-scale battlefield use.

Watch to see if Putin repeats the nuclear threats, escalates his rhetoric, or -- worse yet -- orders some sort of visible deployment of nuclear forces.

Economic Fallout

The West has pummeled Russia with unprecedented sanctions since the February 24 invasion, freezing bank accounts and assets of Kremlin insiders, imposing export restrictions, curtailing Russian energy exports, and other measures.

To date, however, Russia's economy has held up surprisingly well. Forecasts by both Russian and Western experts say the economy may slide between 4 and 4.7 percent this year, well above the 10 to 12 percent decline that had been predicted earlier in the spring.

Credit for that success has gone largely to the head of the Central Bank, Elvira Nabiullina, and conservative fiscal planning that had given Russia one of the largest sovereign rainy-day funds in the world.

Unemployment has hovered at around 4 percent, though economists say that strong number is due to oddities of Russian employment practices, where employers don't lay off employees, but merely cut their working hours, or wages, drastically.

But the sanctions are now rippling through the economy more deeply, and more widely, particularly as European countries slow purchases of Russian oil and gas, as well as coal. The government's budget surplus has shriveled, as oil and gas revenues have declined.

And Russia's workforce is about to decline noticeably. Tens, possibly, hundreds of thousands of working-age men are being mobilized to fight in Ukraine. And hundreds of thousands of Russian men and women have fled the country.

In his September 21 speech, Putin said he had also ordered state defense manufacturers to increase production of weaponry and equipment for the newly mobilized troops. That will provide a jolt of investment to ramp up production, though it's unclear what the multiplier effect of that will be.

More broadly, the Kremlin is looking to markedly increase defense and security spending over the next two years, according to a three-year fiscal plan seen by Bloomberg.

In the speech, listen to see if Putin tries to prep Russians for more austerity and economic hardship in the coming months, to try and gird the population for a further decline in living standards.

Political Future

Until he ordered the invasion of Ukraine, one of the biggest clouds hanging over the Kremlin, and all of Russia, was Putin's political future.

Two years ago, the Kremlin orchestrated a substantive rewrite of Russia's constitution, pushing through amendments that gave Putin the possibility of staying on far beyond the end of his current six-year term, which ends in 2024.

Last year's Duma elections cemented the ruling party's dominance of the legislature, giving the Kremlin legislative cover to push through further legal changes.

But Putin, who turns 70 on October 7, has stayed mum on his intentions.

His popularity has slipped from highs recorded a few years ago, according to tracking polls by the Levada Center, one of the few remaining reliable pollsters in Russia. But he remains popular and peerless and other would-be contenders for the presidency -- Medvedev, Duma speaker Vyacheslav Volodin, top presidential aide Sergei Kiriyenko, to name a few -- have nowhere near the same approval ratings.

The war has scrambled that calculus. And Putin's silence has kept would-be contenders guessing.

It's unlikely that he will use the September 30 speech to signal his political intentions.

Watch, however, how he frames the annexation of the Ukrainian regions and the move toward a deeper war footing, as well as how he frames his role in leading Russians into a war that has upended their lives and Russia's entire post-Soviet existence.
After being selected as a winner of a nationwide contest, the West Warwick High School Players will be among the first school groups ever to perform the full-length production of the Broadway musical "Frozen." The Players, known for creating professional, high-quality theater, are pictured above during a rehearsal of their production earlier this year of "The SpongeBob Musical."
UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Tor Wennesland (C) speaks at a Security Council meeting at the UN Headquarters in New York, on Sept. 28, 2022. Wennesland on Wednesday voiced concern over the Israeli-Palestinian impasse. (Ariana Lindquist/UN Photo/Handout via Xinhua)

UNITED NATIONS, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Tor Wennesland on Wednesday voiced concern over the Israeli-Palestinian impasse.

"The absence of a meaningful peace process to end the Israeli occupation and resolve the conflict is fueling a dangerous deterioration across the OPT (occupied Palestinian territory), particularly in the West Bank, and driving the perception that the conflict is unresolvable," he told the Security Council.

Israelis and Palestinians must determine how they envision the future. Negotiations can no longer be pushed off indefinitely, he said. "The current course is leading us toward a perpetual state of violence and conflict. Meaningful initiatives are needed to turn the current trajectory around and they are needed quickly."

Ending the occupation and realizing a two-state solution must drive collective international efforts, he added.

In his quarterly briefing on the implementation of Security Council Resolution 2334, which primarily demands Israel cease settlement activities, Wennesland said there has been little progress in the implementation of the resolution since its adoption in December 2016.

"I remain deeply troubled by continued Israeli settlement expansion in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and attempts by some Israelis to further expand the settlement footprint through the establishment of outposts which are illegal also under Israeli law," he told the Security Council.

Demolitions and seizures of Palestinian-owned property remain a serious concern, he said.

"I am deeply concerned by the tragic civilian deaths and injuries, including of children, caused by the latest escalation in Gaza. Israel must abide by its obligations under international humanitarian law, including the proportional use of force, and take all feasible precautionary measures to spare civilians and civilian objects during military operations," he said.

"Further, I condemn the indiscriminate launching of rockets by Palestinian armed groups from highly populated neighborhoods in Gaza into civilian population centers in Israel, which also resulted in casualties and violates international humanitarian law and puts the lives of civilians at risk."

Wennesland also expressed grave concern over the deteriorating security situation in the occupied West Bank, including the increase in attacks and armed exchanges between Israelis and Palestinians.

The absence of intra-Palestinian unity continues to undermine Palestinian national aspirations and prevent a common Palestinian approach toward resolving the conflict and addressing the needs of the population, he said. "I call upon all Palestinian factions to redouble efforts to reunite Gaza and the occupied West Bank, under a single, democratic, national government. Gaza is, and must remain, an integral part of a future Palestinian state as part of a two-state solution. It is also crucial that Palestinians hold elections -- not only a key step toward Palestinian unity, but also as a means to renew the legitimacy of national institutions."

The current negative trajectory puts at great risk the socio-economic and institution-building that has prepared the Palestinian Authority for statehood. There must be a bridge between these immediate challenges and the longer-term objective of achieving the vision of two states, he said.
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Libya: Briefing and Consultations

On Monday (27 June), the Security Council will convene for an open briefing, followed by closed consultations, on the situation in Libya. Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs Rosemary DiCarlo and a civil society representative are expected to brief.

An expected focus of Mondays meeting is Libyas ongoing political turmoil stemming from the establishment of two rival government structures. The ongoing stand-off is between the incumbent prime minister, Abdul Hamid Mohammed Dbeibah, elected in February 2021 to head the interim Government of National Unity (GNU) by the Libyan Political Dialogue Forum (LPDF)an assembly consisting of 75 participants representing the main Libyan geographical, social and political constituencies, which was responsible for charting the way towards electionsand former Interior Minister Fathi Bashagha, who was elected interim prime minister by the Tobruk-based House of Representatives on 10 February.

Council members may wish to hear more from DiCarlo about the efforts of Special Advisor to the Secretary-General on Libya Stephanie Turco Williams to mediate between both factions to chart a consensus-based path towards elections. Williams initiated a dialogue forum, hosted in Cairo, to accelerate holding Libyas long-delayed elections and promote dialogue between the rival political factions, which have put forward competing electoral roadmaps. Participating were members of the House of Representatives and of the High Council of State (the executive institution and constitutional authority established by the 2015 Libyan Political Agreement that is mandated to propose policies and recommendations on various political issues).

The third and final round of negotiations on the Libyan constitutional track took place in Cairo from 12 to 19 June. Williams released a press statement on 20 June saying that the Joint Committee achieved a great deal of consensus on the contentious articles in the Libyan Draft Constitution but that differences persist on the measures governing the transitional period leading to elections. She called on the Presidencies of the two Chambers to meet within ten days at an agreed upon location to bridge outstanding issues. Council members may be interested in updates on next steps in this regard.

In relation to the security situation, DiCarlo may note that it remains volatile since violent clashes in Tripoli on 17 May between forces loyal to Dbeibah and those supporting Bashagha, as the latter attempted to move his parallel government to the capital. After Bashagha abandoned his attempt, the situation in Tripoli returned to relative calm. A 10 June statement by the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) said that the mission received reports of clashes in Tripoli [the previous] night between armed groups, which endangered the lives of civilians, and separately of mobilization of armed groups, along with heavy weapons, from areas surrounding Tripoli.

Another issue some Council members may raise, and seek updates on, is the missions leadership. Several members may call for the swift appointment of a Special Representative for Libya. (Former Special Envoy Jan Kubis resigned in November 2021. In resolution 2629 of 29 April, the Council converted the Special Envoy position to a Special Representative post.) Since Williams is apparently expected to leave her post this month, finding a candidate to lead the mission has become even more urgent.

Several Council members are likely to reiterate calls for a consensual path to holding long-delayed parliamentary and presidential elections; the need to refrain from actions that could deepen existing divisions and trigger conflict; and the withdrawal of foreign forces, fighters and mercenaries. Some members may also reiterate concerns about the level of human rights violations and violations of international humanitarian law, including against refugees, migrants, human rights defenders and women. In this regard, they may emphasise the importance of the work of the Independent Fact-Finding Mission (FFM) on Libya, whose mandate is due for renewal during the Human Rights Councils current session, which concludes on 8 July.

Regarding the competing political factions, the Council still appears publicly united on the position that Libyans themselves must decide their political fate. Russia is the only Council member to have announced its support for Bashagha since his appointment, but it has also indicated that it will respect any leadership decision that Libyans may take.

On 20 June, Council members discussed Libya under any other business, at the request of Russia. The meeting focused on the LPDF roadmap with a briefing by Assistant Secretary-General for the Middle East, Asia and the Pacific Mohamed Khaled Khiari. The LPDFs political roadmap, adopted on 15 November 2020, articulated objectives and deadlines for forming institutions capable of organising elections and implementing political, economic and military reforms.

The LPDF roadmap set 22 June as the expiration date of the transitional period. In a 22 June press briefing, Deputy Spokesperson for the Secretary-General Farhan Haq noted that the roadmap set the 22 June deadline provided that presidential and parliamentary elections are held by then, which has not been the case. Haq urged Libyan leaders to refrain from using the date of 22 June as a tool for political manipulation, while calling on them to redouble their efforts to maintain calm and stability. (Libyas presidential elections, initially foreseen for 24 December 2021, with parliamentary elections intended to follow several weeks after, were postponed indefinitely due to a delay in finalising the candidates list and because of controversy surrounding the electoral law.)

It seems that ahead of the 20 June meeting, Russia circulated a draft presidential statement on Libya. At the time of writing, it was unclear if and when the Council may take action on the draft text.

Looking ahead, Council members are expected to vote next month on a resolution renewing the mandate of UNSMIL, which expires on 31 July.
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The transposition of a European Union directive into German law leads to a need for action for employers. The Verification Act (aptly called the "Paper Act" by the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung) means that future employment contracts will have to be drafted differently than beforein any case, written information on work conditions must be provided by the employer. According to the new version of the law, violations of this obligation constitute an administrative offense and can result in a fine of up to 2,000 eurosapproximately $1,994per violation. In the future, the employer must additionally provide the following information:

End of fixed term.

Duration of probationary period, if agreed.

Place of work and indication if freely selectable.

Possibility of and conditions for ordering overtime.

Remuneration for overtime.

Amount of remuneration, separate information on remuneration components (for example, bonuses, overtime, allowances and premiums) as well as type of payment (regular transfer).

Agreed rest breaks and rest periods, shift system, shift rhythm and conditions for shift changes.

Work on call (work performance according to the workload; number of hours to be paid as a minimum; time frame of performance of work/work days/hours; notification period on the location of work time).

Any training provided by the employer.

Name and address of the pension provider (if occupational pension scheme exists).

The procedure to be followed by employer and employee when terminating the employment relationship, at least the written form requirement for the termination and the time limits for terminating the employment relationship, as well as the time limit for filing an action for protection against dismissal.

A general reference to the collective agreements, works or service agreements applicable to the employment relationship and regulations of commissions with equal representation that determine work conditions for the area of church employers on the basis of church law.

It is probably most practical to adapt the model employment contracts from the outset. Here is what this means in practice for new contracts and so-called old contracts.

New Contracts

Contracts that come into effect on or after Aug. 1 should contain the above-mentioned pointsif relevantdirectly.

Alternatively, an information sheet should be attached containing the required information.

Old Contracts

Old contracts only have to be adapted at the request of the employee or the requested information has to be provided.

Nonetheless, a very short time limit applies here: Employers must provide the employee with sufficient information on certain work conditions upon request within one week.

It is therefore advisable to have a mechanism by which the information can be provided quickly and easily.

Conclusion

The law is a step backwards that does not fit into the increasingly modern world of work. For employers, it means more paper and new rules that have to be observed.

Anne Nolde is an attorney with Arnecke Sibeth Dabelstein, a member firm of Meritas, in Frankfurt, Germany.  2022 Arnecke Sibeth Dabelstein. All rights reserved. Reposted with permission of Lexology.
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Two seemingly unrelated, yet highly significant, events occurred on November 27, 2020, that will likely shape the future of Australian TV and culture for years to come.

On that day, the former Coalition government released a discussion paper reigniting debate about what kind of regulation broadcasters and international streaming services like Netflix, Amazon and Disney+ should be subject to. One of the key issues was that of content quotas.

Asher Yasbincek (left), Chloe Hayden, James Majoos and Ayesha Madon in the rebooted Heartbreak High.

Should streaming giants be forced to produce a minimum amount of Australian content, or set aside a portion of their revenue to invest in local productions? Its a proposal that has met stiff resistance from the streamers, but is backed by many in the local industry as a way to support jobs and ensure Australian stories are told on screen.

On the very same day the governments discussion paper was released, Netflix dropped the complete original series of Australian teen classic Heartbreak High on its platform. The show was warmly received by audiences, and reportedly made the list of the most popular 25 local titles on Netflix.
Speculation is mounting within Labor circles about who will be appointed to the pivotal position of United States ambassador after the Albanese government announced it would dispatch former foreign minister Stephen Smith to London to serve as United Kingdom high commissioner.

While the government will continue a recent tradition of appointing political figures to London and Washington, Foreign Minister Penny Wong said she would end the Morrison governments emphasis on appointing ex-politicians to other postings in a bid to depoliticise the diplomatic corps.

Former federal Labor minister Stephen Smith has been appointed UK high commissioner. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

Smith, who also served as defence minister during the Rudd-Gillard years, will head to London early next year after completing a major strategic review of the nations defence forces for the government.

The high commissioner role has been vacant since April, when former Liberal cabinet member George Brandiss term expired.

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Arthur Sinodinoss three-year term as ambassador to Washington will end in February, opening up a highly sought after position for a Labor luminary.

There has been talk former prime minister Kevin Rudd, currently based in New York as president of the Asia Society, could be a contender for the role.

Former Labor cabinet ministers Stephen Conroy and Greg Combet have been discussed as contenders, while Bill Shorten wanted to send former NSW premier Kristina Keneally to fill the role if he had won the 2019 election.

Opposition foreign affairs spokesman Simon Birmingham congratulated Smith on his appointment, saying he was well-qualified for the role.

Read more here.
Schebesta says he and the well-placed alumni he has since recruited have received a mix of support and resistance and thats expected because change is difficult and scary. Whats at stake is that, by limiting the school to only boys ... it reduces diversity of ideas and thoughts, and can lead to a narrow set of perspectives. This leaves a weakness, a shortcoming usually seen only in the long term. Some consequences of narrowness have made headlines in the form of stories about abhorrent behaviour and backwards attitudes to women in some school cultures. Some academics suggest the impact of recent reputational damage to high-fee boys schools is becoming a stronger factor in parents minds than the perceived, but fading, professional influence of old-boys networks. In June, nearly two dozen recent head prefects at the high-end Sydney boys school Cranbrook wrote to the school council supporting a co-ed proposal, saying private boys schools foster attitudes and behaviours that are no longer acceptable in broader society.

Single-sex, independent school structures create one-dimensional interactions between the genders  some of the attitudes and norms of behaviour that develop in these communities are, rightly, no longer acceptable in broader Australian society, their letter said. Adam Karras, the 2013 head prefect at Cranbrook, was one of the signatories of the letter outlining why it should go co-ed. Credit:Janie Barrett This contributes to adverse outcomes for the young women directly affected by behaviour and for young men who find themselves inadequately equipped for life. Cranbrooks decision to go co-ed within a decade forms part of what Murray Guest, late principal of the recently co-ed college The Armidale School described as an almost unstoppable wave of independent boys schools responding to shifting values. As demand for co-ed surges and single-sex enrolments drop, just as Schebesta claimed, data continues to show no conclusive advantage for keeping boys apart.

Melbournes high-fee all-boys schools achieve consistently strong academic results. But studies have shown that once influences such as students socioeconomic backgrounds are accounted for, the differences between boys in single-sex schools and boys in coed schools are not nearly as great, says Professor Andrew Martin from UNSWs School of Education. A major US study which analysed results of 1.6 million students in 21 countries and was published in 2014, showed only trivial differences between students in single-sex versus coed, for maths and science subjects, and in some cases favoured coed schools. More notably, Martin says, is the tendency for students in single-sex schools to defy gender stereotypes when it comes to subject selection. Boys will be more involved in the arts and humanities in single-sex schools compared to boys in coed schools ... the same for girls; they are more likely to take on STEM subjects in single-sex schools, he says. Even so, one researcher, from the Australian Council for Educational Research suggested on current trends, the traditional single-sex model will be gone by 2035.

Melbournes four biggest high-fee boys schools  Melbourne Grammar, Xavier College, Scotch College and St Kevins  show no signs of updating enrolment policies to include girls (a push to do so by Melbourne Grammar in the mid-90s was quashed by objectors), but two of the citys oldest single-sex Catholic schools, Presentation College Windsor and Christian Brothers College, merged in 2021. A petition started by former Sydney private schoolgirl Chanel Contos revealed hundreds of allegations of sexual misconduct by private schoolboys. Next year, one of the states oldest girls schools, St Aloysius, will begin to accept boys. Life is co-ed and so are we from 2023, its website states in bold gold type. But while dwindling enrolments have driven some inner-city Catholic school mergers, there is no hint yet that demand for a place at any of the citys leading all-boys schools is on the wane. Education consultant Paul OShannassy says Australia is one of the last bastions of single-sex education, along with the UK, from where we imported the model.

Loading If you go to Singapore or Hong Kong, you can barely find a single-sex school, and theyre the countries that are leading [international assessment ranking] PISA and excelling academically, he says. OShannassy advises families searching for an Australian non-government school for their children, and says that for many of his clients, academic results are important, but not the chief motivation. There is still huge demand for a place at Scotch and Melbourne Grammar and so on, and I find a lot of it has got to do with prestige, to be honest, and a lot has got to do with family tradition. Although in recent years some families have expressed reservations about sending their sons to an all-boys school, and OShannassy believes media reports of poor and sexist behaviour have been influential.

A lot of it is parents worrying about toxic masculinity and the rah-rah jock culture that you get at boys schools; theyre trying to avoid that a lot more than they used to, he says. So many NSW private boys schools have committed to transitioning to co-ed (following the decades-old footsteps of Victorian schools such as Wesley College and Geelong Grammar, Caulfield Grammar and Carey Baptist Grammar) that Deakin University professor Amanda Keddie pondered in August: As another elite boys school goes co-ed, are single-sex schools becoming an endangered species? Does this mean we are seeing the beginning of the end of all-boys schools? she asked in The Conversation, while noting that research shows socio-economic status, location and race are greater determinants of academic outcome than gender. The best schools are the ones which have the greatest diversity and are able to create well-adjusted citizens of the world ... schools that segregate and create exclusions can sometimes be quite harmful, she says. A critic of some ongoing aspects of exclusive boys school culture, Keddie credits some of them with having realised they need to be seen to modernise practises for boys, society and their business models.

Loading Some all-male schools are trying to do things differently, for example doing action research in their context to really understand the boys and do something about hypermasculine behaviours, she says. Some of that can boil down to reputation management, but some really are trying to put active things around teaching and learning. One such school is Brighton Grammar, whose culture came under heavy scrutiny following the reported expulsion of two Year 11 students for putting images of young girls on an Instagram page and inviting people to vote on slut of the year. The school has invested heavily in development of a positive masculinity project with the youth mental health organisation Orygen at the University of Melbourne. Like at least two other boys schools in Melbourne, it has students who identify as non-binary and are free to be themselves at school.

Brighton Grammars deputy headmaster Dr Ray Swann says that in raising healthy kids, we need to be aware of the impact of messaging around gender, the roles that people play and societal expectations. Brighton Grammar has created a Positive Masculinity project based on research and a collaboration with Melbourne University youth mental health experts. Credit:Joe Armao Boys experience higher rates of suicide, lower rates of seeking help and fall behind girls in literacy, Swann says, arguing all-boys schools can address these needs in an age and stage-appropriate way. In an all-boys school, there is the capacity to fully address different forms of masculinities, he says. As society moves towards a more inclusive and diverse culture but retains very powerful negative messages of particular types of male expression, Brighton Grammar believes that our Positive Masculinity program creates both the knowledge and practical programs for young men and boys to experience different ways of being male.

Researchers stress that boys can also be victims of hypermasculine school cultures. After St Kevins boys in uniform were filmed singing a misogynistic chant on a Melbourne tram in 2019, University of Queensland associate professor Martin Crotty said he felt some sympathy that they imbibed the offensive culture that legitimates such songs, rather than creating it. Changing such cultures is difficult, and modernisation in such schools had been slow and uneven, he said. St Kevins installed its first female principal, Deborah Barker, in 2021, but a culture review released that year appeared to back Crottys claim that meaningful reform within such traditional structures is hard, and negative attitudes to women endure. The independent report found nearly two in five female staff disagreed or strongly disagreed the school supports a culture of respect for women and other genders. Students and staff said that misogynistic language and sexist behaviour still occurs at the school. Many acknowledged that such behaviour was limited to groups of individuals and that it most often occurred out of ignorance rather than malice, the report said.

Late last year, former St Kevins student James Robinson burned his blazer on the school grounds in protest at the impact on students of hypermasculine culture. Now a photographer based in New York, he wrote on Instagram that: Current students and victims of St Kevins, and schools like it, who feel their identity is slowly being chipped away by a hypermasculine culture, I see you, I was you. Barker continues to oversee the change process. She is on leave but said in an email that an all-boys school such as St Kevins is intentional about how it educates boys according to their developmental needs and consistent with what our society needs from males. An all-boys environment allows us to tailor learning in a focused way. We develop boys that can live in the 21st century and can navigate a world where respect, diversity and inclusion are fundamental pillars of what it means to be a young man in todays world, she said.

George Variyan, Monash University education academic, is researching attitudes to women and gender equality among private boys school alumni and says the problem for single-sex schools wishing to help instil respect for women is that, I dont think you can learn about others unless you live with others. Loading Students are caught in systems struggling to balance progressive and conservative forces around gender, in which the heavy focus on all-male sporting success means certain male attributes are valorised over others. One former student of Melbourne Grammar attests that while the school offers enormous amounts to students, if you are not a sport kid, youre basically forgotten. Variyans research colleague Dr Claire Charles of Deakin University says while there are obvious efforts to overhaul hyper-male cultures, its difficult to see real change happening yet. That private schools are guarded and make it difficult for researchers to get in doesnt help. As the push to improve gender equality at all levels of Australian society moves apace, tech wiz Fred Schebesta wants his old school to introduce a prize named after a software program designed to create problems to find and fix system weaknesses.
This weekends rugby league grand final between the Parramatta Eels and the Penrith Panthers has been billed as the battle of the west.

In footy terms, the game will showcase one of the competitions fiercest rivalries, mobilising two of its largest supporter bases, separated by just 30-odd kilometres of motorway.

The demographics, economics and politics of Parramatta and Penrith have changed significantly. Credit:

But demographically, culturally and economically, Parramatta and Penrith may as well be different countries.

Sundays clash will see two distinct versions of western Sydney represented. A mix of old and new realities, a pinch of haves and have-nots, plus a hint of what lies ahead, demographically, for the nations fastest growing region. Forget the myths about sprawling cookie-cutter suburbs, entrenched disadvantage and cultural wastelands. Western Sydney is complicated.
Last weekend, after watching the Swans grand final bloodbath in despair, I wandered over to the Enmore Theatre to see The Whitlams play their 1997 classic Eternal Nightcap in full; the album that gave us the Hottest 100-topping No Aphrodisiac and won the band an ARIA for best group.

Just an hour after Souths lost the prelim to the Panthers over on the other side of the inner west, Tim Freedman started the encore with a cover of Perry Keyes The Day John Sattler Broke His Jaw, the best song ever written about rugby league and, arguably, one of the best about Sydney.

John Sattler is chaired off the SCG after the Rabbitohs won the 1970 grand final. Credit:Fairfax

Keyes, whom Freedman calls the Bruce Springsteen of Redfern, writes about the famous 1970 grand final which Sattler, the Souths captain, played with a broken jaw after being punched in the first few minutes. He refused treatment at the interval and led the side to a 23-12 victory over Manly.

Of course, the song is about much more. It tells the story of Sydney in the decades after, the post-Menzies land of plenty, as gentrification displaced public housing tenants and the working class from the inner city. They sent you down to Campbelltown, to Mount Druitt and St Marys / while Young Labor sits stoned in a terrace house, with the Sydney Swans on pay TV.
NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet is leading the charge to abolish COVID-19 mandatory isolation, calling on state and territory leaders to scrap one of the last vestiges of the pandemic ahead of Fridays national cabinet meeting.

Perrottet said Australia needed to move away from public health orders and embrace personal responsibility after more than two years of mandatory isolation periods.

NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet said Australia needed to move away from public health orders towards personal responsibility. Credit:Kate Geraghty

The push to remove mandatory COVID isolation comes ahead of the busy holiday period, and the NSW government is keen to avoid a repeat of last years summer workforce shortage during the Omicron wave.

I believe we need to get to a point where if youre sick, you stay at home, and if youre not, you get out and about and enjoy life, Perrottet said.
She recalled one argument between her parents in the hallway maybe a couple of nights before her mother disappeared. My Dad was angry and he threw his dinner plate and was shoving the food down her top, she said. He was choking her and they were yelling. She was yelling at him to stop and I remember holding on to her leg and yelling at my Dad to stop. Roxlyn and John Bowie. Credit:NSW Police Media Speaking about the day after her mother vanished, Boyd said her father drove them to a property within Walgett to see if people knew where she [Roxlyn] was, and then to the police station. Boyd said a family friend later drove them to their grandparents house in Killara, Sydney, and her father said they would be staying there until he packed up the house.

She said her father visited and once took them to a dance school to meet a woman named Gail Clarke and her children. He said that we were going to have a new family, and Id have a brother and a sister, she said. I was happy and I remember going back to my grandparents and telling my grandmother. Loading Boyd said her father and Gail dropped them off and she did not see Gail again. She spent about four or five weeks at her grandparents house before their father picked them up and they met a lady called Anne. She said they moved into a unit with Anne in August 1982. The court heard Anne and the accused were later married. Boyd said the relationship was quite violent, marked by screaming and drinking, and her father had once kicked Anne in the knee leaving her in a cast for quite a while.

Boyd said that in a conversation with her father, when she was eight or nine, he said her mother had left with her boyfriend the bank manager. Under cross-examination from Bowies barrister Winston Terracini, SC, Boyd was asked whether she had substituted her memories of the weekend her mother disappeared and her fathers comments as the result of speaking to others over the last couple of decades. No, she replied. The prosecutor read notes from a police interview with Gail Clarke in April 1988 regarding her relationship with the missing persons husband, John Douglas Bowie. He said Clarke was deceased. Clarke said she had met Bowie, then an ambulance officer, in the May 1982 school holidays while she stayed in a caravan along a river with friends. She had been separated from her husband.

According to the notes, Clarke went out with Bowie on a number of occasions including to the Walgett RSL club, where she said he had pointed out a woman as Roxlyn with her male friend. She had previously been informed by Bowie that he and Roxlyn led different lives and that she had a boyfriend, the prosecutor read. Clarke said she continued seeing Bowie over the two-week holiday and some weeks later, Bowie phoned her and told her he was coming to Sydney. Towards the end of June 1982, Bowie arrived at her home and told her that his wife had left him, and suggested that he move in with her, the prosecutor read. She refused this request, and although she went out with him on a number of occasions, she terminated the relationship after two to three weeks, and has not seen him since.
CBD was delighted to hear of Jayne Jagots appointment to the High Court on Thursday morning. Its been a long time coming, with the 14-year federal court veteran considered a contender to fill the last few vacancies.

It means our High Court, a male-only institution until 1987, is now a majority female one. But beyond that bit of history, it might be about all we get to know about the judge, described at her 2008 swearing-in by her soon-to-be Federal Court colleague Anna Katzmann as exceedingly private.

Justice Jayne Jagot will be sworn in on October 17 as the 56th justice of the High Court Credit:Peter Rae

Your Honour guards your privacy so tightly that even your closest friends dont know who you are, Katzmann said.

This got me thinking that your Honour was part of an elaborate witness protection program.
Thirty years ago, Degraves Street wasnt the iconic Melbourne laneway it is today.

With only a butchers shop, a dry cleaner and a florist, the street was a dump, according to 80-year-old Mary Ursini, who along with her husband, Pompeo, 85, opened Cafe Andiamo specialising in Genovese Italian coffee on September 29, 1992.

Pompeo and Mary Ursini return to Degraves Street. Credit:Luis Enrique Ascui

Mary Ursini recalls that back then, the laneway was still being used by delivery trucks and it had an issue with pigeon droppings, forcing Melbourne City Council to do routine clean-ups.

But that didnt stop the Ursinis from investing in the street that is now synonymous with Melbournes coffee culture.
Ged Kearney was a 21-year-old trainee nurse when she unexpectedly skipped her period.

It was the mid-1980s and the unmarried Catholic girl sought advice from her GP, who advised that she could not be pregnant because he had prescribed her the pill.

Assistant Health Minister Ged Kearney wants to improve access to reproductive health services. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

He sent me away. I had to come back after missing my second period to find out that I was actually pregnant [with twins], the former trade unionist, now the Albanese governments assistant health minister, said.

Kearney, who has been tasked by Health Minister Mark Butler with improving Australian womens access to reproductive services, described the momentous decisions that followed as she grappled with the financial and career implications of becoming a single mother.
Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus wants privacy laws overhauled within months as he questioned why Optus kept customers personal document identification numbers for years even after they left the telecommunications giant.

The government called on Wednesday for Optus to pay for replacement passports for affected customers however the company has yet to respond.

Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus has questioned why companies are keeping so much sensitive information on customers. Credit:Eddie Jim

The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age reported on Wednesday that metadata laws designed to help law enforcement detect criminals online do not tell phone companies what identity documents they have to keep on their customers.

Dreyfus said companies that inspected driver's licences or passports to confirm their customers' identities did not need to hold the information.
Singapore: The Vatican has revealed it disciplined and placed restrictions on the Nobel Prize-winning former head of the Roman Catholic church in East Timor after receiving allegations that he sexually abused boys during the countrys independence struggle in the 1990s.

South-east Asias newest nation has been rocked by the claims against Bishop Carlos Felipe Ximenes Belo, which were made in a report this week by Dutch news magazine De Groene Amsterdammer.

Bishop Carlos Felipe Ximenes Belo pictured at his home in Dili in 1996, the year he was a co-recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize. Credit:AP

Reacting to the publication of the allegations, the Vatican said in a statement it had taken action against Belo, who is now 74 and living in Portugal, when it became aware of the claims two years ago.

Reuters reported Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said in his statement that the Vaticans doctrinal office, which handles sex abuse cases, first became involved in the matter in 2019 in light of the accusations it received concerning the bishops behaviour.
London: The Queens death certificate has confirmed she died of old age at 3.10pm on September 8  more than three hours before it was announced to the public.

The document, publicly released on Thursday afternoon (London time), has been entered in the National Records of Scotland.

The late Queens death certificate.

Buckingham Palace announced her death at 6.30pm that day, three weeks ago. The death was registered on September 16 and Paul Lowe, Registrar General for Scotland, signed the certificate.

It records the certified registered medical practitioner as Douglas James Allan Glass, a local GP. It was signed by her daughter Anne, the Princess Royal, who was with her in her final hours.
Weve never seen a flood event like this, DeSantis said. Weve never seen a storm surge of this magnitude. By Thursday afternoon, more than 700 people had been rescued from floodwaters in southwest Florida, but emergency crews were still struggling to reach some of the hit-hardest areas. As first responders assessed the damage, more than 2.6 million people were still without power, roads had turned into rivers filled with upturned cars, and large sections of the Sanibel Causeway, which connects the Sanibel Islands to the mainland, collapsed into the Gulf of Mexico. US President Joe Biden speaks at the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Credit:Bloomberg The first confirmed fatality was a 72-year-old man from Deltona, Florida, who died while attempting to drain his pool into a nine-metre-wide canal, when he slipped down the hill, fell into the water and drowned.

In Fort Myers, where storm surges of up to 3.6 metres pummeled the popular beachside destination, homes had been completely uprooted and strewn into the Gulf Coast, creating a swamp of debris and disaster. I got an aerial tour of Fort Myers beach, Jared Moskowitz, a Florida Democrat and former emergency management director said on Twitter. Most of it will need to be completely rebuilt. In the Orlando area, Orange County firefighters used boats to reach people in a flooded neighbourhood. A photo the department posted on Twitter showed one firefighter carrying someone in his arms through knee-deep water. At an area nursing home, patients were carried on stretchers across floodwaters to a waiting bus. And in Port Charlotte, where a hospital was flooded when ferocious winds tore apart the roof of its intensive care unit, patients were being evacuated throughout the day while staff members attempted to mop up the mess.

A spokesperson for the sheriffs department confirmed multiple deaths but did not have a firm figure. Authorities in Sarasota County were investigating two possible storm-related deaths, a sheriffs spokesperson said. DeSantis said: we absolutely expect to have mortalities from this hurricane; Id just caution people theres a process where that is confirmed. Noting that disaster assistance was available, he added: Its too early to know exactly what the needs of everybody is going to be, but we obviously anticipate some Floridians may end up being displaced from their homes. Officials are bracing for even more flooding as the storm moves north over the Atlantic towards South Carolina, where it is poised to make landfall on Friday. The US National Hurricane Centre said the storms maximum sustained winds increased on Thursday (Friday AEST) to 120km/h as it centred itself about 390 kilometres south of Charleston, South Carolina, and moved northeast at 17 km/h.

On Thursday afternoon, a steady stream of vehicles were heading out of Charleston on Interstate 26 with just a few heading into the city, and National Guard troops are being positioned to help with the aftermath. Loading South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster issued no evacuations, but he said that doesnt mean the storm isnt dangerous. We know we can handle this if we use our heads and follow the rules, McMaster said. Biden said he would visit Florida and meet with Republican Governor Ron DeSantis when conditions allow. While the president has had his share of political battles with DeSantis- who this month sent migrants to Marthas Vineyard to goad the President over border security - he said the Florida governor was extremely happy with the federal response.

This is not about anything having to do with our disagreements politically. This is about saving peoples lives, homes and businesses, Biden said. He also urged those affected by Ian to take seriously the warnings from local officials to stay safe and remain indoors and dont go outside unless you have to. The danger is real, to state the obvious. Please obey all warnings and direction from emergency officials. Declaring a disaster has allowed Biden to free up additional federal assistance to state and local governments and individuals, but more counties are likely to be added to the disaster declaration as the extent of the damage becomes clearer.
Russia denies exploding major gas pipelines to Germany

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GENEVA (ILO News):--- The World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Labour Organization (ILO) have called for concrete action to address mental health concerns in the working population.

An estimated 12 billion workdays are lost annually due to depression and anxiety costing the global economy nearly US$ one trillion. Two new publications which aim to address this issue are published today  WHO Guidelines on mental health at work and a derivative WHO/ILO policy brief.

WHOs global guidelines on mental health at work recommend actions to tackle risks to mental health such as heavy workloads, negative behaviours and other factors that create distress at work. For the first time WHO recommends manager training, to build their capacity to prevent stressful work environments and respond to workers in distress.

WHOs World mental health report, published in June 2022, showed that of one billion people living with a mental disorder in 2019, 15 per cent of working-age adults experienced a mental disorder. Work amplifies wider societal issues that negatively affect mental health, including discrimination and inequality. Bullying and psychological violence (also known as mobbing) are key complaints of workplace harassment that have a negative impact on mental health. Yet discussing or disclosing mental health remains taboo in work settings globally.

The guidelines also recommend better ways to accommodate the needs of workers with mental health conditions, propose interventions that support their return to work and, for those with severe mental health conditions, provide interventions that facilitate entry into paid employment. Importantly, the guidelines call for interventions aimed at the protection of health, humanitarian, and emergency workers.

Its time to focus on the detrimental effect work can have on our mental health, said Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. The well-being of the individual is reason enough to act, but poor mental health can also have a debilitating impact on a persons performance and productivity. These new guidelines can help prevent negative work situations and cultures and offer much-needed mental health protection and support for working people.

A separate WHO/ILO policy brief explains the WHO guidelines in terms of practical strategies for governments, employers, and workers and their organizations, in the public and private sectors. The aim is to support the prevention of mental health risks, protect and promote mental health at work, and support those with mental health conditions so they can participate and thrive in the world of work. Investment and leadership will be critical to the implementation of the strategies.

As people spend a large proportion of their lives in work  a safe and healthy working environment is critical. We need to invest to build a culture of prevention around mental health at work, reshape the work environment to stop stigma and social exclusion, and ensure employees with mental health conditions feel protected and supported, said Guy Ryder, ILO Director-General.

The ILO Occupational Safety and Health Convention (No. 155) and Recommendation (No. 164) provide a legal framework to protect the health and safety of workers. However, the WHO Mental Health Atlas found that only 35 per cent of countries reported having national programmes for work-related mental health promotion and prevention.

COVID-19 triggered a 25 per cent increase in general anxiety and depression worldwide, exposing how unprepared governments were for its impact on mental health and revealing a chronic global shortage of mental health resources. In 2020, governments worldwide spent an average of just two per cent of health budgets on mental health, with lower-middle income countries investing less than one per cent.
Silver  used in photography in the past and today

About 50 years ago, about 40 percent of the silver used in industry went to photography.

In 2000, photography consumed more than 218 million ounces of silver, which was the highest consumption in this sector and about a quarter of the total silver demanded by the industry. In 2020, the industry consumed a total of nearly 900 million ounces, of which only nearly 30 million ounces of silver were used for photography. The recording of images with cameras was characterized by the use of silver for more than 100 years. Today, this has changed thanks to digital cameras and good cell phone cameras. Still, as the World Silver Survey explained, last year the photography industry\-s demand for silver increased by three percent. Hobby photographers and photo books produced on traditional silver halide are responsible.

Today, the largest demand for silver comes from the electronics, automotive, 5G semiconductor, and flexible and wearable electronics sectors. Mechanical microsystems are also included, as are consumer electronics (wearables, laptops, smartphones, displays). Silver is often used in electronic contacts, antennas or wiring. In addition, there is the medical sector, which uses silver. Solar technology cannot do without the precious metal, nor can nanotechnology. In the photovoltaic sector in particular, demand should expand strongly in the coming years. Companies with silver in the projects such as Discovery Silver or Summa Silver should profit from this.

Summa Silver  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wBhwyFLRSV8  owns a 100% interest in the Hughes property in Nevada and rights to the Mogollon property in New Mexico, both previously successful producing properties.

Mexico is home to Discovery Silver\-s  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MgDgfmsT5UU  large Codero silver project. The results of the pre-feasibility study are extremely positive.

Current corporate information and press releases from Discovery Silver (- https://www.resource-capital.ch/en/companies/discovery-silver-corp/ -) and Summa Silver (- https://www.resource-capital.ch/en/companies/summa-silver-corp/ -).

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/.
Meet Spectre: The Platform Revolutionizing and Simplifying High Frequency Trading

St Vincent & the Grenadines, Sept 28, 2022  (ACN Newswire)  When first stumbling into the world of high frequency trading, the complicated jargon and unintuitive platforms are oftentimes a barrier for non-technical users to understand their workings. Luckily, with the increase in interest in blockchain technology around the world coupled with human nature to innovate, development teams around the world are creating platforms for novice and experienced users alike to trade cryptocurrencies in a simple manner. A web search for \best trading platform\ yields nearly 383 million results. Yet, after diving into some of these results, one stumbles across a conglomerate of difficult-to-comprehend terminology, tools, and trading techniques incomprehensible for beginners. In a world that is so interconnected and education is so accessible, how is it possible that an integral aspect of the financial system is still unreachable for complete beginners?

Luckily, with the increase in interest in blockchain technology around the world coupled with human nature to innovate, development teams around the world are creating platforms for novice and experienced users alike to trade cryptocurrencies in a simple manner. Spectre.AI is leading this trend.

Spectre is an online financial trading site created with the vision of allowing anyone to trade assets in a fraud-free and broker-free manner. Amassing an impressive 140,000 traders, Spectre has created an ecosystem that enables users to trade simply while minimizing risk and complexity.

As opposed to traders betting on token price fluctuations, Spectre introduced a trading strategy by predicting crypto directions! Traders can bet whether they believe the next time period (minutes, hours, days, or even seconds) will have a general up or down price movement. At the time of writing, they offer trading on any normal currency pair, metals, a variety of digital assets (all the big names, with more DeFi and NFT focused tokens to come in the future), and equities across several global stock markets!

Spectre also introduced two new financial products that have been a wide success across the financial trading industry: EPICs and Reverse Futures. In short, EPICs are Spectre\-s benchmark index of Euro-based currency pairs, completely traded through time. Reverse Futures are Spectre\-s digital contracts on past global equities. Currently, their Reverse Futures offering supports Apple, Microsoft, Facebook, Tesla, Twitter, and a variety of Indian equities. Several more are set to launch soon. Reverse Futures allows traders to trade on real-world equities but from an historical point of view. The concept is to synthetically construct the price performance of strong assets from the past and streamed them forward in time. This idea, although a bit complex to understand at first, revolutionizes the financial trading sphere by creating a completely new way for traders to profit.

Another interesting feature Spectre offers is the several ways to structure trading accounts, namely on and off-site trades. Through on-site accounts, the trading funds are deposited into the account and are used to trade directly on the platform, similar to most other trading exchanges. This juxtaposes their other trading option, off-site accounts, which is a fully decentralized and broker-less trading option. In short, users don\-t have to actually deposit as all trades are initiated by them through their cryptocurrency wallet whilst using the platform. All of these trades are stored on their underlying blockchain. Given blockchain\-s inherently publicly distributed and open-source nature, these trades provide unprecedented levels of transparency to the trading platform while ensuring complete safety of client funds. Additionally, Spectre offers a DeFi boost wallet where traders can earn the highest staking rewards in the industry, both in blue-chips and the DeFi token of their choosing. In addition, coupled with their 24/7 no-fee and fully compliant trading, Spectre has a robust analytics page for everyone to review their past trades and understand their profits and losses.

Another interesting aspect of Spectre is their trading bays. Finance and gaming have long been industries that have not coincided. Yet, with Spectre\-s introduction of trading bays, that is slowly changing. Trader\-s Bay is an online store, built into the Spectre platform itself that offers many upgrades and privileges that users can subscribe to for a small daily cost to enhance their trading. These enhancements include charms and spells which increase payouts, trade allocations, and limits of open positions! This article (bit.ly/3dPssEJ) brilliantly describes how the Trader Bays will unite gaming and finance. Spectre is certainly a pioneer in this regard.

To understand further how Spectre (www.spectre.ai) works, the Plato Blockchain (www.platodata.ai) team (and authors of this report) dived into the platform to grasp exactly what is attracting Spectre\-s massive user base. At first glance, we were very impressed with the intuitive layout of the platform and the ease of creating an account and KYC. One important thing to note, however, is that users with an IP address from the United States will not have access to the platform. After playing with the platform for a short while, we went into the orders page to analyze how our performance was. The presentation of each of our trades was impeccably detailed, featuring the exact timing each action was done, entry and exit prices, sources, amongst a variety of other data points. After years of experience across a variety of trading platforms, we concluded Spectre\-s reporting of our past trades was an experience unlike any other. We have plans in the future to experiment with their hyper-API, which allows developers to build automated trading robots, applications and trading interfaces that interact with the Spectre platform. We are curious and excited to understand the better applications and use-cases investment APIs for HFT will have in the future!

All in all, Spectre is certainly a game-changer platform creating a new paradigm in high frequency trading through accessibility and a suite of trading tools. In fact, Forbes India called Spectre \India\-s Robinhood!\ (bit.ly/3SoOD3G) Ultimately, the next generation of financial tools will be led by Spectre\-s efforts. Through security, ease-of-use, and financial tools unique to their platform, Spectre is redefining HFT one trade at a time.

Source: www.platodata.ai
Alice Braga (Queen of the South) and Jimmi Simpson (Pachinko) are set as leads opposite Joel Edgerton in Dark Matter, an adaptation of Blake Crouchs acclaimed sci-fi novel, at Apple TV+. As previously announced, Jennifer Connelly also stars in the series from Sony Television and also executive produced by Edgerton.Written and showrun by Crouch, the nine-episode series will follow Jason Dessen, (Edgerton) a physicist, professor, and family man who  one night while walking home on the streets of Chicago  is abducted into an alternate version of his life. Wonder quickly turns to nightmare when he tries to return to his reality amid the multiverse of lives he could have lived. In this labyrinth of mind-bending realities, he embarks on a harrowing journey to get back to his true family and save them from the most terrifying, unbeatable foe imaginable: himself.Braga will play Amanda, a psychiatrist. Simpson portrays Ryan, a brilliant neuroscientist and friend of Jasons (Edgerton).




Last nights episode picked up right where the premiere left off in regards to the newly developing relationship between Sheryll and Remy. Sheryll received a phone call and needed to leave for a bit to go care for her daughter and Remy gave permission, so hopefully this will help to smooth things over between them.



This weeks case starts off with the unsub throwing a bomb into an IRS office in Murfreesboro, TN, killing an audit specialist, Marion Meeks. We can hear two people arguing with the unsub to not go through with it, but they are ignored and not successful in their mission to stop it.

In the midst of the case, we are introduced to the new agent, Ray Cannon, played by Edwin Hodge. Hes a rookie agent who has 10 years of experience as a police officer and whose dad also worked for the FBI.There are some distractions along the way to finding the killer, starting with a guy who threatened Marion because of an audit check. Sheryll has a nice takedown of him, but he ends up not being related to the bombing. Remy and the new agent meet up with Marions wife and find out that there wont be a funeral because hes being cremated, which seems weird to Ray due to their Baptist religion. The team also looks into Jayden Meeks, Marions oldest son, as it appears he is involved with gangs and could have something to do with why his dad was killed. Ray makes the bold decision to go talk to him on his own, disguised as a maintenance worker, to try and get some information. Ray ends up finding a gun and the plan goes south as Jayden notices this. Remy is then forced to redirect his new agent away from the smaller street bust violations and to focus on the bigger case at hand - the manhunt for who bombed the IRS office. None of these leads pan out, so who is responsible for the bombing?Hana brings another lead to Remys attention that the DNA on the army jacket found in a dumpster belongs to a woman, Darla, who works in the Nashville IRS office. After talking to her boss and looking through her apartment, they find hair, mens clothing, and prescription drugs and decide to meet with her doctor. Dr. Safrit informs them of Darlas dissociative identity disorder (DID) and her multiple personalities of Diane, Greg, and David. Now I did not see this twist coming at all. Dr. Safrit explains that Darla was abandoned by her parents at a young age and this created a lot of trauma for her. Diane represents the younger sister she never had and Greg represents her father that never loved her. The doctor goes on to explain that David is a new personality and hes not sure what he represents, but that Darla and the other two personalities do not like him. This explains the multiple voices we heard at the beginning prior to the bombing.While the team is still searching for Darla and a motive, she opens fire outside of a grocery store and kills another IRS agent, Bill. Sheryll finds out that the two victims are connected by their friendship and this leads the team to the IRS HR department. And this is where we finally get our motive. Darla filed a complaint that Marion and Bill sexually assaulted her after a night of drinks at a work conference. She redacted the complaint after learning that she would have to see a doctor, possibly leading to her employer finding out about her DID. And now everything starts to click when Hana reveals that Darla is pregnant. She visited a womans clinic in Georgia because of the abortion laws in Tennessee, but she was still unable to get one because she did not have a police report for when she was raped. Darla got upset, and deservedly so, and this is when David emerged.The team is on the phone with Mary from the clinic when Darla shows up, crashing into the exam room and taking Mary hostage. After a quick trip on the jet, Remy tries to get through to Darla by calling out how David is responsible for all of the killings so far. Hes not successful and Darla tries to kill herself, but Ray reacts quickly and prevents her from grabbing the gun.At the end, the episode cycled back to the tension between Sheryll and her new boss and I think they are on good terms now and understand each other. Shes just struggling to adapt to Remys new way of leading and developing a relationship with him as she had a good rapport with Jess.I thought this episode was extremely interesting and it kept me on the edge of my seat. Just when I thought I had the case figured out, another layer was uncovered and it went in a completely different direction. I also enjoyed the glimpse into the teams relationships with each other, reacting to how Remy treated Ray and Sheryll at times. I got a sense that this team has each others backs no matter what. I also think it will be interesting to see how Ray continues to adapt to how things are done differently in the FBI compared to his past of being a police officer.Also, shout-out to the random mention of a Nashville hot chicken sandwich. If youve not had one, go or get one the next time you visit Nashville because it is worth the hype.
Actor Alexandru Arsinel died on Thursday at the Bucharest University Emergency Hospital, medical sources told AGERPRES.

Alexandru Arsinel was hospitalized at the Bucharest University Emergency Hospital since September 15 for the treatment of injuries caused by prolonged bed rest.

"Considering the medical history and in order to have him under more careful supervision, it was subsequently decided to transfer him to the ICU department," the medical unit informed on September 20.

The actor was also hospitalized last month, at the Fundeni Clinical Institute.
The Radu Stanca National Theatre Sibiu (TNRS) will be present in Japan, at the Tokyo Festival, with the play "The Scarlet Princess", directed by Silviu Purcarete, which will have three performances on the stage of Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre, from October 8 to 11.

The play will be performed in Romanian, with Japanese and English subtitles, and the performances on October 9 and 11 will be followed by discussions with the audience, informs a press release sent to AGERPRES on Thursday.

Constantin Chiriac, the director general of the Radu Stanca National Theatre Sibiu, and head of the Sibiu International Theatre Festival, will hold, on October 7, the conference with the theme "The Sibiu International Theatre Festival - a bridge between Japanese and European creativity" for the students of Meiji Gakuin University, told Agerpres.

Minister of Culture Lucian Romascanu will be present at the performances in Japan of the Sibiu theatre troupe, announce the TNRS representatives.

The Tokyo festival, taking place from September 1 to December 11, aims to connect with the world through Tokyo's rich and diverse arts and culture scene.

The "The Scarlet Princess" is based on an original script by Silviu Purcarete, which is built on Tsuruya Namboku the fourth's kabuki play. Kabuki is one of the most important styles of Japanese theatre, characterized by visual elegance and a complex set of conventions, shows the cited source.

The presence of TNRS with this performance in Japan is supported by the Romanian Cultural Institute and the Romanian Embassy in Japan.
The Ministry of Culture participates in the 27th edition of the "Book Festival," the International Book Fair in Budapest, one of the most important of the type in Central and Eastern Europe, organized over September 30 - 2 in Hungary's Capital City, told Agerpres.

The national stand, organized by the Ministry of Culture, covers 24 sq m and is located in the Millenaris exhibition complex, ground floor, zone D, position 44, informs the Ministry.

For this year's edition of the Festival, the ministry has invited Ion Muresan, Ciprian Macesaru and Demeny Peter, and the programme of events has been established together with the traditional partner, the Romanian Cultural Institute Budapest.

The distinguished guest of the festival is writer Svetlana Aleksievici, laureate of the Nobel Prize for literature in 2015, who will receive the Grand Prize of the City of Budapest this year, and the country that will be the guest of honour at this year's edition is Slovakia.
At the beginning of the new academic year, His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel sent a message to all students, urging them to combine study with prayer.

The patriarchal message focuses on prayer as a way to enlighten the mind, warm the heart and enhance activity, according to basilica.ro.

His Beatitude also recalled that time is the most precious gift of our life, recommending to spend it in prayer with repentance and good works.

Patriarch Daniel used his message to bless all students, professors and parents, praying for their good health and joy.

Prayer enlightens the mind, warms the heart and enhances activity: full text

At the beginning of the new academic year 2022-2023, we send a message of blessing to all students, praying to God that through wisdom, good life and right faith, they may be a joy and comfort to parents and professors and a strengthening for our Orthodox Church.

The Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church has declared 2022 as a Solemn Year of Prayer in the Churchs life and the Christians life.

Prayer is the foundation of human life and spiritual growth. It is saving and sanctifying because it fills us with the love of the all-merciful God.

The Orthodox Christian prays much, knowing that prayer brings much holy love in the heart, unites us with God, and helps us to see in every person a brother and in every beauty of creation a gift from God.

Prayer helps us face lifes hardships and foresee in this world the joy of the Resurrection and eternal life.

Nothing can replace prayer; no activity is more precious than it, for it gives us inspiration and power for beautiful words and good deeds.

In a hectic world, with our eyes on the clock, the notebook or the computer, shorter and more frequent prayer can become a spiritual breath of the soul, a source of peace and love for God and our neighbours.

Prayer is like a spiritual clock that sets the rhythm of the life and spiritual growth of the believer.

At all times and in all places, we must praise God, thank Him and ask for His help because good is accomplished only with His help, as the Saviour Jesus Christ tells us: apart from me you can do nothing (John 15:5), that is, nothing good.

The Holy Gospel shows us that every moment of a Christians life can be a time of salvation. We can instantly earn salvation through repentance, like the thief on the cross who repented (Luke 23:43).

The Holy Fathers understood the time of life as a book we write and correct until the day of our departure from this life when God judges or evaluates the time of mans life in light of his deeds.

Time is the most precious gift of our life, and we have two ways to use the time for salvation: in prayer united with repentance for mistakes made, as redemption for lost time, and in prayer combined with good works, as fruitfulness and sanctification of time.

Young people need prayer as a source of hope and instruction in their intellectual and spiritual formation. This is why cooperation between Family, Church and School is essential.

At the beginning of the new academic year 2022-2023, we pray to the Merciful God, the Source of Love and Wisdom, to bless all students, professors and parents, giving them good health, happiness and much joy.

With great esteem and paternal blessings,

 DANIEL

Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church
The National Cyber Security Directorate (DNSC) participated, between 28 and 29 September, in the second edition of the EU-UA Cyber Dialogue in Warsaw, Poland, announced the institution in a press release sent, Thursday, AGERPRES.

The event was attended by representatives of the European Union, such as: DG Connect, the European External Action Service (EEAS) and the European Union Agency for Cyber Security (ENISA), together with representatives of the EU member states.

Also, from the Ukrainian side, the State Service for Special Communications and Information Protection of Ukraine (SSSCIP), the National Cyber Security Coordination Center (NCSCC) and the Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine (MDTU) participated.

SSSCIP and DNSC signed, in August 2022, a Memorandum of Understanding in the field of cyber security and committed to an increased level of bilateral cooperation.

The main objective of the cooperation is to build and strengthen capacities aimed at preventing, deterring and responding to cyber threats and risks, as well as achieving a significant level of participation, as partners, in international cyber security projects.
The Arad border police have caught 56 migrants hidden in two lorries loaded with auto parts and electrical components who tried to illegally cross the border into Hungary.

The migrants are from Bangladesh, Nepal, India, Pakistan and Egypt.

On Wednesday night at the Nadlac II Border Crossing Point, a lorry driven by a Romanian was checked, shipping electrical components for a French commercial company.

"After a thorough check of the vehicle, 48 foreign citizens were discovered hidden among the transported goods. The persons were picked up and moved away for investigations, which led the border police to establish that they are citizens from Bangladesh, India, Egypt and Pakistan having entered Romania legally but intending to cross the state border illegally with the aim of reaching Western European countries," the Arad Border Police informed on Thursday.

Later, at the Varsand Border Crossing, eight more migrants were discovered, hidden in a lorry loaded with auto parts, driven by a Romanian who was shipping the goods to Germany. The illegal migrants are from India and Pakistan, most of them asylum seekers in Romania who intended to illegally arrive in the Schengen Area, told Agerpres.

The border police say that trained dogs were also used in the operations with the aim of strengthening control and surveillance on the border with Hungary to prevent and combat illegal migration.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bogdan Aurescu, participated, on Thursday, in the meeting of the Permanent Council of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) in a consolidated format, in which context he conveyed that "the so-called referendums organized by Russia in the occupied territories of Ukraine they do not produce any legal effect".

"Unfortunately, we have to talk again about Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine. Romania condemns in the strongest terms the so-called referendums organized by Russia in the occupied territories of Ukraine. They are illegal and illegitimate. They represent a serious violation of the principles fundamental principles of international law. Therefore, they do not produce any legal effect. Such actions, instigated, supported and organized by the Russian occupying forces, only aggravate the situation and are an attempt by Russia to legitimize its illegal military control. Therefore, we are witnesses of yet another violation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine by Russia, which is contrary to the UN Charter and the principles and commitments of the OSCE," the head of Romanian diplomacy said.

He added that "Romania condemns the signing of the so-called annexation treaties, planned for tomorrow". "We appeal to all states to reject the Russian Federation's attempts to illegally annex territories of another state or similar actions," added the Romanian minister.

The meeting was convened by Poland, as the OSCE Presidency-in-Office, in the context of the organization by the Russian Federation of the so-called "referendums" in four Ukrainian regions occupied by Russian forces.

In his speech, Minister Bogdan Aurescu reiterated his firm condemnation of Russia's threat to use nuclear weapons and called for the demilitarization of the area around the Zaporizhia Nuclear Power Plant and to avoid the creation of a new situation of protracted conflict in this region.

At the same time, he emphasized the need to bring to justice those guilty of serious violations of international law in Ukraine. In this sense, he reviewed the series of recent actions initiated by Romania, including the submission on September 13 of the Declaration of Intervention in the proceedings initiated by Ukraine against the Russian Federation at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and the submission on September 16 at the Registry of the Court European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) of Romania's request for intervention in favor of Ukraine, in the case brought by this state against the Russian Federation.AGERPRES
The feast of Hieromartyr Saint Anthimos the Iberian was celebrated on Tuesday in Ramnicu Valcea, in the presence of a hierarch from the Saints country of origin, Metropolitan Theodor of Akhaltsikhe and Tao-Klarjeti. The celebrations were attended by other guests from Georgia, including a childrens choir.

His Eminence Archbishop Varsanufie of Ramnic presided over the Divine Liturgy, according to basilica.ro.

Concelebrants included Metropolitan Theodor of Akhaltsikhe and Tao-Klarjeti, Bishop Nicodim of Severin and Strehaia, Bishop Andrei of Covasna and Harghita, and Patriarchal Auxiliary Bishop Qais of Erzurum (Antioch Patriarchate).

Attending the Divine Liturgy were Consul Nina Pipia, Georgian PM Anton Obolashvili, Prof. Rev. Alexi Ksuthashvili, hegumen Grigori Kurtsikidze of St Anthimos Monastery in Georgia, and the Irmisa Childrens Choir from St Anthimos the Iberians natal village.

In his sermon, Metropolitan Theodor of Akhaltsikhe and Tao-Klarjeti focused on the life and works of Saint Anthimos the Iberian.

Additional details about the Saint were offered by Archbishop Varsanufie: He offered books to the ministers of the holy altars and to all the people thirsting for faith and culture, which led to the strengthening of the unity of the language of religious texts, a thematic and linguistic unity alike.

His merits were appreciated by the generations that followed him in the cultural field, and that placed the ecclesiastical language at the foundation of the Romanian literary language in the following centuries, so much so that, with all merit, the Holy Hieromartyr Anthimos the Iberian was placed in the gallery of the founders of Romanian culture and language, the Archbishop said.

The Saint was chosen in 1999 as the Spiritual Protector of Ramnicu Valcea, a city which opened the way to become the capital of printers, His Eminence stressed.

Tuesdays Divine Liturgy culminated with a broader series of cultural and religious events dedicated to Saint Anthimos in Ramnicu Valcea.

St Anthimos the Iberian was Bishop of Ramnic for three years, between 1705 and 1708. During that time, he printed the Liturgikon and the Euchologion  liturgical books which, through their widespread circulation, unified the Romanian literary language in the territories of Romanians.
The government approved, on Thursday, the Agreement with the Republic of Bulgaria regarding the opening of the Giurgiu Ruse international border crossing point at the Romanian-Bulgarian state border under the ferry regime.

According to a Government release, the Agreement between the Government of Romania and the Government of the Republic of Bulgaria regarding the opening of the Giurgiu Ruse international border crossing point at the Romanian-Bulgarian state border in ferry mode was signed in Bucharest on April 29, 2022.

The piece of legislation provides for the establishment of a new border crossing point at Giurgiu-Ruse, for the transport of vehicles and passengers by ferry, the source mentions.

"The establishment of a new border crossing point is justified by the intensification of traffic at the existing border crossing point between Giurgiu and Ruse, as well as by the increase in waiting time and traffic jams," states the Government.

The border crossing point will be opened after the two sides provide the appropriate infrastructure, as well as the technical means and the appropriate materials, equipment and necessary personnel, the Executive says.
The Government, through the General Secretariat, hosted, on Thursday, at Victoria Palace, consultations on the White Paper on the Rights of the Elderly in Romania, which was attended by over 40 public institutions representative of the topic of active aging - researchers, parliamentarians, public officials from relevant ministries, as well as non-governmental organizations.

The document was put up for debate by the SenioriNET Federation, made up of non-governmental organizations providing socio-medical services for the elderly.

The event was organized on the occasion of the International Day of the Elderly, celebrated on October 1.

According to a press release from the Executive, the Deputy General Secretary of the Government, Adrian Tutuianu, welcomed the active dialogue partnership with the non-governmental sector through collaboration with the SenioriNET Federation, highlighting the critical role of NGOs in providing care and social assistance services for the elderly.

The Vice-President of the SenioriNET Federation, Aurelia Pasare, welcomed the interest shown by the General Secretariat of the Government towards this initiative.

For her part, the director of the Social Policy Directorate within the Ministry of Labor and Social Solidarity (MMSS), Elena Dobre, discussed the financing programs dedicated to developing new services for the elderly, especially in disadvantaged areas in rural and small urban environments. She emphasized that the Ministry of Labor proposes the continuous development and provision of social services appropriate to the needs of the elderly, as well as the improvement of the legislative framework in this sense.

MMSS developed a draft Government decision to approve the National Strategy on long-term care and active aging for 2023 - 2030, which is under public debate.AGERPRES
The General Inspectorate of the Border Police (IGPF) informs that on Wednesday, a number of 79,222 people entered Romania through border points throughout the country, of whom 9,560 were Ukrainian citizens, increasing by 12.5 percent compared to the previous day, told Agerpres.

According to a release sent to AGERPRES on Thursday, approximately 162,600 people, Romanian and foreign citizens, with more than 45,000 means of transportation, completed the control formalities at the border crossing points nationwide, both on the way in and on the way out.

As of 10 February 2022 (the pre-conflict period), a number of 2,444,544 Ukrainian citizens have entered Romania.

In the relevant areas - the border crossing points and the "green border," the border policemen discovered 47 illegalities (32 offenses and 15 contraventions) committed by both Romanian and foreign citizens, with the amount of fines enforced exceeding 12,000 lei.

On Wednesday, a number of 20 foreign citizens were not allowed to enter the country because they didn't meet the requirements stipulated by the law, while a number of 14 Romanian citizens were not allowed to leave the country for various legal reasons.
The Government's spokesman, Dan Carbunaru, announced on Thursday evening that the Minister of the Interior, Lucian Bode, requested the Control Body to carry out checks regarding the purchase of BMW brand police cars.

"If you are referring to the public interest shown in the purchase of police cars for the National Police, I can confirm that the Minister of Internal Affairs asked the Control Body to check the procedures carried out on this occasion, and at the end of the checks, the Ministry of Internal Affairs will present these conclusions publicly," said Carbunaru, after the Government meeting.

The head of the Romanian Police, Benone Matei, declared on Monday that the procurement procedure of BMW special vehicles for IGPR (Romanian Police General Inspectorate) equipment was supervised by the National Public Procurement Agency.

"Throughout the procurement procedure, the Romanian Police benefited from the verification of the observers of the National Public Procurement Agency, who, upon completion of the evaluation, issued the 'final unconditional approval' - without which it was not possible to sign the Framework Agreement," said Benone Matei in a press statement.AGERPRES
The special coordinators for the Holocaust matters from Canada, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Greece, the Netherlands, Romania, Great Britain, and the USA signed, on the occasion of the commemoration of the Babyn Yar massacre, a joint Declaration condemning Russia's actions in Ukraine, announced on Thursday, the Special Representative of the Government for the Promotion of Remembrance Policies, Combating Anti-Semitism and Xenophobia, Alexandru Muraru.

"We must never forget the horrible crimes against humanity that took place 81 years ago, when rd 34,000 Jews were killed by the Nazis and their accomplices at Babyn Yar. For 45 years after the end of the Second World War, the Soviet Union censored documentation about the Holocaust, including research and documentation from the archives regarding the massacre of the Jews at Babyn Yar," the text of the Declaration states, according to a press release sent by Muraru on Thursday.

According to the signatories of the Declaration, it cannot be allowed that "the memory of those victims and those who were killed during the Holocaust be dishonored, erased or cynically instrumentalized to achieve political objectives".

"In this context, it is appalling that Vladimir Putin is trying to justify his unprovoked war against Ukraine by distorting and revising the history of the Holocaust. To say that today's democratic Ukraine must be de-Nazified is an insult to all those who suffered under the Nazi regime in Ukraine and elsewhere. Such distortion erodes understanding of the Holocaust, affects Holocaust memory, and undermines contemporary global efforts to prevent mass atrocities so that another Holocaust never occurs," the signatories of the Declaration said.

According to the document, the signatory countries stand together in their support for human rights and fundamental freedoms, "especially by combating historical distortion and by strengthening research, education and authentic memorialization of the Holocaust".

"Understanding the history that led to past atrocities can help us identify and hopefully prevent such abominations in the future," the joint Declaration added.

The Fourth Geneva Convention for the Protection of Civilians in Situations of Armed Conflict, signed following the Second World War, stipulates that the illegal transfer or deportation of persons protected by it constitutes a serious violation and a war crime, the signatories remind.

"Today, estimates from a variety of sources indicate that Russian authorities and their proxies have detained, interrogated, and reportedly tortured hundreds of thousands of Ukrainian civilians. Many of these Ukrainian citizens, including thousands of children, have been forcibly relocated or forcibly deported from their homes to areas of Ukraine temporarily controlled by Russia, most often to locations far inside Russia. The forced deportation is one of the results of so-called filtering operations organized by the Kremlin and intended to eliminate resistance, identify individuals in Russia who are not sufficiently cooperative, and deny the statehood and distinct identity of Ukraine. Russian authorities have denied such events despite substantial evidence from many sources," the Declaration reads.

The signatories also conveyed that they support "all efforts to preserve the evidence of atrocities, including those carried out by the International Criminal Court, the UN, the expert missions within the Moscow Mechanism of the OSCE and others".

"History shows that accountability is imperative. The population of Ukraine needs justice and deserves justice. Our states are committed to the idea of holding the perpetrators of war crimes and other atrocities accountable for their unclassifiable actions," the document states, according to the source.AGERPRES
"Loc de Bine" (Good Place), a project implemented by the Zi de bine Association, is the grand winner of the Civil Society Gala 2022, the beneficiaries of the project being child victims or witnesses in criminal cases being tried in the counties of Constanta, Vrancea, Valcea, Arges, Sibiu, Mures and Bacau.

The main goal of the project was to create a safe place, set up to European standards, where a unique quality testimony can be obtained, with as little risk of re-traumatization as possible and which eliminates the need for minors to be re-heard.

The "Loc de Bine" project was finally taken over by the Public Prosecution Service, and the General Prosecutor's Office is going to set up 35 hearing rooms for children, in the offices of five General Directorates of Social Assistance and Child Protection in the Capital, as well as in 30 of Prosecutor's offices in the country.

"Loc de Bine" is the winner of the First Prize and the Prize for Social Impact - offered by Ashoka Romania, strategic partner GSC - in the section Defense of individual/collective rights. "Loc de Bine" also won the First Prize in the Special Prize for Innovation section.

Zi de Bine Association also obtained the Award for Social Impact in the Health section for the 1TeenLine project, the 2nd Prize in the Social Inclusion section for the "Ochii care nu se uita" (Eyes that cannot be forgotten) project and the New Entry Organization Special Award for the "Ferentari Studios" project.

The Association for Social Mobility and Democratic Education from Turda, Cluj was multi-awarded in the section Tineri de Bine - section dedicated to projects conceived and implemented by young people between the ages of 15 and 25.

The awards for Social Impact, developed together with Ashoka Romania, a strategic partner, were also awarded during the Awards Ceremony on September 28.

As many as 146 initiatives, respectively 110 projects, 15 programs and 21 communication campaigns, registered for the 20th edition of the Civil Society Gala. The projects were judged by 55 specialists in project implementation and evaluation, researchers, sociologists, journalists, leaders and opinion leaders of civil society and the non-profit sector, to which are added representatives of the private sector.

More than 500 guests participated in the award ceremony of the Civil Society Gala 2022, including representatives of the Presidential Administration, the General Council of the Municipality of Bucharest and the Ilfov County Council, of the ministries, and also representatives of the Romanian embassies.

The Civil Society Gala, which celebrated 20 years dedicated to civil society, is a project of THE INSTITUTE.AGERPRES
Approximately 1,500 Romanian soldiers and allies from the United Kingdom and the United States of America, with over 240 technical means, will train between October 3-14, as part of the SARMIS 22/OLT 22 exercise, in the temporary training ground at Grohotis, Traisteni and Valea Doftanei, according to a press release sent to AGERPRES on Thursday, by the 2nd Mountain Troops Brigade Sarmizegetusa.

The Romanian soldiers belong to the 2nd Mountain Troops Brigade Sarmizegetusa (Brasov), the 61st Mountain Troops Brigade General Virgil Badulescu (Miercurea-Ciuc), the 314th ISR Regiment Vladeasa, the Regina Maria Military Emergency Hospital.

The SARMIS 22 exercise is a real field exercise (LIVE Exercise/LIVEX), of a tactical level, based on a fictitious scenario, planned and led by the command of the 2nd Mountain Troops Brigade Sarmizegetusa, connected for the first time with the OLT 22 exercise of The 61st Mountain Troops Brigade General Virgil Badulescu represents the most complex training event of the year for the two large units of mountain hunters in the Romanian army.

The purpose of the exercise is to train the structures involved in the planning, preparing, leading and carrying out of tactical actions in mountainous forested terrain, in a multinational context, in order to demonstrate tactical cohesion and interoperability.

The live-fire exercise will conducted in the area of the Grohotis temporary training ground.AGERPRES
The Assembly of Bishops of the Metropolis of Muntenia and Dobruja on Wednesday analysed the Romanian translation of the liturgical texts that will accompany the proposal of canonisation of the Venerable Elders Dionisie Ignat and Petroniu Tanase. The proposal will be submitted to the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople since the two Romanian elders laboured and reposed on the Holy Mount Athos, which is under the jurisdiction of the Ecumenical Patriarchate.

The texts were written in Greek by two of their disciples, Dr Charalambos Busias, the hymnographer of the Patriarchate of Alexandria, and Schemamonk Dionysios Gregoriates, according to basilica.ro.

The dioceses suggested improvements to the Romanian version of the texts, which will be used after the canonisation of the two venerable elders.

We wanted to inform the Metropolitan Synod that Father Petroniu Tanase was for many years here the secretary of Patriarch Nicodim. He worked here, in this very house, for many years, Patriarch Daniel said on Sept. 28.

That is why we wish to ask His Holiness the Ecumenical Patriarch to list among the saints the two Romanian-born Athonite Elders so that in 2025 they will be honoured together with the other twelve or thirteen lay priests and monkpriests who were spiritual fathers and confessors during the Communist period.

The right to canonise someone belongs to the local Church where that person lived the last part of his life and where they reposed in the Lord, the Patriarch of Romania said, referring to the canonisation of the two Romanian Athonite Elders.

At the end of the meeting, the members of the Metropolitan Synod received a copy of a book written by Archimandrite Nectarie Sofelea, exarch of the monasteries of the Archdiocese of Bucharest, about the life and activity of Metropolitan Neophyte the Cretan of Wallachia.

It has been said of him that he was a Greek more Romanian than the Romanians. And because he defended them against the Phanariot Prince Matei Ghica and opposed exorbitant taxes, he was poisoned by his own Greek doctor and died as a martyr. He was one of the most industrious and dynamic hierarchs of Wallachia. He had many similarities with St. Anthimus the Iberian, His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel underlined.

Based on this material, the forthcoming meeting of the Metropolitan Synod of Muntenia and Dobruja in October will also discuss the proposal for the canonisation of Metropolitan Neophyte the Cretan, as well as liturgical texts.

The Metropolitan Synod coordinates the joint activities of the dioceses within the Metropolis. It also ensures that the Orthodox faith, liturgical unity and canonical discipline of clergy and monastics, as well as fraternal fellowship among the dioceses, are defended and promoted.
A delegation of the Bucharest National School of Political and Administrative Studies (SNSPA), led by SNSPA Rector Remus Pricopie, on Wednesday, called on the Biden School of Public Policy and Administration (University of Delaware), where they met Valerie Biden, President of the Biden Institute, told Agerpres.

Pricopie was accompanied by ambassador Andrei Muraru, MP Ben-Oni Ardelean and Dean of SNSPA's Faculty of Public Administration Diana Iancu.

Wednesday's meeting is one of strengthening the partnership between the University of Delaware, the Biden School, and SNSPA.

During the meeting, the lines of the next agreement between the two educational establishments were discussed, which will be signed in Bucharest next year and follow the intensification of the exchange of teaching and research experience between the two universities and their centres designed for the applied study of public policies and administration.

SNSPA, through the Faculty of Public Administration, concluded an Erasmus institutional mobility agreement with the University of Delaware and the Joseph R. Biden Jr. School of Public Policy & Administration in 2014.

The American initiator of the collaboration was professor Maria P. Aristigueta Coons, then chair of the American Public Administration Association and a former dean of Delaware University.
Prime Minister Nicolae Ciuca announced on Thursday that he will participate, on Saturday, in Sofia, at the inauguration of the gas interconnector between Bulgaria and Greece, noting that this system will ensure that Romania has the "connection" and "coherence" of the south-north vertical gas supply.

"Officials from Bulgaria, Greece, Azerbaijan, the president of the European Commission, Ms. Ursula von der Leyen, will be present," informed Prime Minister Ciuca, at the beginning of the Government meeting.

According to the prime minister, the Bulgaria-Greece interconnector will give relevance to the own gas system, BRUA, on which Transgaz worked.

"In this way we make sure that the interconnector will succeed in giving relevance to the own gas system that our company Transgaz worked on and managed to highlight. It is about the BRUA system. Basically, we have the connection guaranteed and the guarantee that the coherence of the gas supply on the south-north vertical can be ensured," mentioned Nicolae Ciuca.AGERPRES
Prime Minister Nicolae Ciuca announced, on Thursday evening, that he accepted the resignation of Sorin Cimpeanu from the position of Minister of Education.

"Today I accepted the resignation of Mr. Sorin Cimpeanu from the position of Minister of Education. I thank him for the collaboration so far and for the projects started for the benefit of the education system," the prime minister wrote on his social media page.

The head of the Executive maintains that, "in the future, Romania needs stability and coherence to be able to implement the sustainable reform that we all want for education".

"We are going to consult with the National Liberal Party and within the governing coalition and quickly validate the proposal that I will submit to the President of Romania, Klaus Iohannis, for the position of minister," Nicolae Ciuca states.AGERPRES
The Prichindeilor Library (Kiddies' Library) in the Diaspora represents a project that provides books in the Romanian language to Romanian children from eight European countries.

"From 50 books available in January 2021, there are now over 700 volumes in Prague, which have reached almost 70 families, for over 1,500 book loans. At European level, the Prichindeilor Libraries, appearing at various times between autumn of 2021 and spring of 2022, have a cumulative fund of over 2,500 books which over 250 families enjoy," a press release of the Prichindeilor Library in Prague shows, told Agerpres.

The Prichindeilor Library is a civil and community initiative for the non-formal education of Romanian children from the Diaspora, a project designed to unite, around children's books, the Romanian community outside the country's borders.

"Out of the desire to have access to as varied range of books as possible for her own children, Ana Radulet initiated a first library in Prague in January 2021, offering books from her personal collection for loan, through an online catalog, hoping that other parents in the community will also be willing to contribute, thus creating a valuable book fund, available for all those involved," the quoted source says.

The initiative was received with great enthusiasm among parents and children who love to read, as well as among publishing houses across the country which contributed with donations and became reliable partners of the library.

Through the involvement of some mothers who are passionate about keeping the Romanian language alive in their children's lives and of some Romanian women active in the teaching area in the Diaspora, the Prichindeilor Library has become a European network - now it exists in eight countries: Belgium, the Czech Republic (Prague), Croatia, Denmark, Finland (Helsinki), Italy (Bologna), Poland (Krakow), Spain (Madrid and Tarragona).

The libraries operate independently, but the coordinators communicate closely, establishing common strategies, sharing ideas, joys and future plans, overcoming obstacles together.

"The Department for Romanians Everywhere (DRP) supports the activity of Romanians abroad and grants non-refundable funding to projects developed by the associative environment, which aim to preserve, develop and affirm the ethnic, cultural, religious and linguistic identity of Romanians in the neighborhood and the Diaspora, as well as strengthening the ties between Romania and the Romanian communities outside the country's borders," the release mentions.
American Doreen Bogdan-Martin has been elected Secretary General of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) for the next four years, after the votes cast on Thursday in the framework of the 21th edition of the ITU Plenipotentiary Conference (PP-22), an event taking place in Bucharest these days, told Agerpres.

The announcement was made by Sabin Sarmas, the president of the conference held at the Palace of Parliament.

Thus, following the counting of votes granted by all ITU member states, Doreen Bogdan-Martin obtained 139 of the votes, while the candidate from the Russian Federation, Rashid Ismailov, received 25 votes.

For the past eight years, Houlin Zhao represented China as the head of the International Telecommunication Union.

"I offer my candidacy as Secretary-General of ITU. I envision an organization at the forefront of global efforts to meet connectivity needs and expand digital opportunities for all people. I will work tirelessly to strengthen ITU as an increasingly forward-looking, factbased, impact-driven, results-focused, transparent, and responsive organization. We will be fit4purpose' to lead our Members into the digital future," wrote Bogdan-Martin, in her official candidacy brochure.

The portfolio of achievements of the candidate from the USA includes, among others: the launch of the design of the International Centre for Digital Innovation, the conception of a strategy for young people at the ITU level, of an inter-sectoral youth working group, the launch of the "Generation Connect Board" Programme, meant to stimulate the involvement of young people and the conceptualization of the "Global Youth Summit," meant to improve coherence between the programmes so that they are oriented towards the future.

Doreen Bogdan-Martin has 30 years of experience in the field of information and communication, in the technology sector (ICT), government relations and multilateral organizations. She is married, has four children and speaks fluent French and Spanish.

Educationally, she is a master's student of the American University, School of International Services, in International Communication Policies, and a graduate of the University of Delaware. Since 2019, Bogdan-Martin is the head of the Telecommunication Development Office of ITU.

Romania is the first country in the European Union (EU) to organize this large-scale event, most precisely the 21st edition of the Plenipotentiary Conference of the International Telecommunication Union (PP-22), carried out over September 26 - October 14, at the Palace of Parliament, with more than 3,000 leaders participating and delegations from 193 countries.
On Friday, 30 September 2022, the Romanian Orthodox Church will celebrate the 15th anniversary of the enthronement of His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel.

From 09.00 to 11.00 am, the Divine Liturgy will be celebrated at the Patriarchal Cathedral in Bucharest.

After the Divine Liturgy, at 11.00 am, a Te Deum service will be officiated as a thanksgiving to God for the blessings poured upon the life of the Romanian Orthodox Church and His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel during his 15 years of patriarchal ministry, according to basilica.ro.

At noon, a festive moment will be held at Europa Christiana Hall of the Patriarchal Palace, during which representatives of central and local state authorities and other public institutions will present congratulatory messages. Access to this event will be by invitation only.

Persons wishing to send messages of congratulations may contact the Patriarchal Office by e-mail (cabinet.patriarhal@patriarhia.ro), fax (0040.21.406.71.62) or by post (Patriarhiei Str., no 2, RO-040161, sector 4, Bucharest).
As many as 1,174 new cases of people infected with SARS-CoV-2 were recorded in the last 24 hours in Romania, down 251 from the previous day, on over 16,000 RT-PCR and rapid antigenic tests performed, the Health Ministry informed on Wednesday.

Of the new cases, 224 were in re-infected patients, who tested positive more than 90 days after the first time they recovered from the disease.

Most of the newly confirmed COVID-19 cases in Romania since the previous reporting were recorded in Bucharest City - 231, and in the counties of Cluj - 85, and Timis - 63, told Agerpres.

The highest 14-day notification rate is in Cluj County - 1.75 and Bucharest - 1.49.

As of Wednesday, 3,267,370 cases of people infected with the novel coronavirus were confirmed in Romania.

- Hospitalisations -

As many as 1,322 people with COVID-19, down 23 from the previous reporting, including 110 minors, are hospitalised in Romania at specialist care facilities.

Out of the total number of hospitalised patients, 123, down one, are in intensive care.

Of the 123 patients admitted to ICU, 111 are unvaccinated against COVID-19.

- Deaths -

According to the ministry, 13 Romanians, nine men and four women, are reported dead in the last 24 hours.

Of the 13 deaths, four were recorded in the age group 60-69 years, two in the age group 70-79 years and seven in the age group over 80 years.

Twelve deaths were in patients with comorbidities, and three deaths were in vaccinated patients.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, 67,016 people diagnosed with the SARS-CoV-2 infection have died in Romania.
The Minister of Education, Sorin Cimpeanu, announced his resignation on Thursday evening.

"I decided, on my own initiative, to resign from the position of Minister of Education. It was a chance and an honour for me to start the fundamental reform of the national education system. I took over the mandate of minister not because I had nothing to do or to put the ministry on my CV. I had one and the other. I came at an extremely difficult time, with the desire to change things for the better," Cimpeanu wrote on his Facebook page.

He says that he began his mandate in an unprecedented health crisis and "fought for the students to go to school with physical presence throughout that period".

"I campaigned constantly and ensured the legal framework for the financing of education to increase. During my mandate of Minister of Education, I succeeded in making changes that laid the foundations of the "Educated Romania" reform,"the outgoing minister said.

He announces that he will support the "Educated Romania" laws in his capacity as a professor, rector and senator.

"The projects of the "Educated Romania" laws represent the best chance for an education as I think we all want. Otherwise, in the absence of fair access to a quality education, there will be even more people who do not perceive contents and do not understand the true meaning of the words. I thank all those who honestly chose to support education," the outgoing minister concluded.AGERPRES
A campaign to support Ukrainian children was launched, on Thursday, in Romania, by a Ukrainian corporation that produces and distributes household goods and hygiene products.

Through the "Support Ukrainians" campaign, which has already been launched in Croatia, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, shelves are being set up in stores with products of the Ukrainian company, with the aim of supporting Ukrainian children and producers. In collaboration with the partner company from Romania, the corporation will collaborate with UNICEF Ukraine and will direct the amounts collected from the donation of 30 bani (0.3 RON) for each item sold to Ukrainian children, told Agerpres.

The ambassador of Ukraine to Romania, Ihor Prokopchuk, voiced his appreciation for this campaign, as it gives Romanians the opportunity to support the children affected by the conflict in this country.

Ihor Prokopchuk stated that the Russian invaders use weapons prohibited by international conventions, target civilian infrastructure, kill and injure children, women and elderly people. According to the diplomat, the most recent data of the General Prosecutor's Office of Ukraine show that 395 children were killed and almost 800 were injured.

At the same time, he mentioned that almost 2,500 educational facilities in Ukraine were damaged and almost 300 of them were totally destroyed. According to the official, the children suffered from psychological stress due to the war, and citizens of Ukraine had to take refuge from the path of the conflict, beyond the country's borders, including in Romania. Ihor Prokopchuk expressed his gratitude to the Government of Romania and the citizens of our country for the hospitality towards the refugees and for the support given to them.

On the other hand, Ihor Prokopchuk condemned the recent "decisions taken by Kremlin" regarding the "propaganda exercise" which is the referendum in the regions of Ukraine occupied by the Russians and what they called "partial mobilization". In the diplomat's opinion, they indicate Russia's intention to escalate the war.

The "Support Ukrainians" campaign was launched by the Biosphere corporation, in collaboration with Elgeka-Ferfelis Romania.
The Save Romania Union (USR) parliamentarians submitted on Thursday a draft law for the transparency of the expenses that the political parties make from the public money received as a subsidy, with the press and propaganda.

The USR bill amends the Law on financing the activity of political parties and electoral campaigns (no. 334/2006) and the Law on Audiovisual (504/2002) in order to make transparent the way in which public money is spent, to protect the freedom of the press and the right to information of citizens.

Concretely, the legislative initiative seeks to make the expenses made by political formations with the press and/or propaganda transparent, marking accordingly the programs made with a political contribution and defining it, as well as limiting the expenses made by parties from public money for political promotion, told Agerpres.

According to the bill, the political parties will be obliged to post - on the website and at the headquarters, in a visible place - the contracts concluded for promotion in the press and/or for propaganda, including any additional documents. Also, the amounts received as subsidies by the parties, as well as all the contracts based on which they are spent, will be considered information of public interest within the meaning of Law no. 544/2001 regarding free access to information of public interest, without being able to invoke commercial secrecy.

At the same time, any contribution to the financing of the media service for the purpose of promoting a party, its members or their activity will be considered a political contribution, and the programs made with such contributions will have to be marked as such, so that the party or the politicians clearly appear in order to whose promotion funds were paid.

According to the same project, the expenses of parties for electoral propaganda on radio, TV, print media and online cannot exceed 40% of the total subsidy received from the state.

USR is also considering the request of the Council of Europe regarding the declassification of contracts through which public funds are transferred from parties to the press, announces a press release of the formation.

USR reminds that it posts its expenses transparently at the address: https://transparentasg.usr.ro.
Regarding "New Mexico banishes Trump ally from office for insurrection" (Sept. 6): A New Mexico judge has disqualified Cowboys for Trump cofounder Couy Griffin from holding public office because of his part in the Jan. 6 Capitol violence. He was declared "constitutionally disqualified from serving" because of his conviction for his part in the insurrection.

Section 3 of the 14th Amendment (paraphrased) states no one can hold office "under the state" who has "engaged in insurrection or rebellion ... or given aid and comfort to the enemies there of."

I would like readers to consider the famous photo of Sen. Josh Hawley, fist raised, egging on the protesters before the riot that day. In my opinion, it looks like he was in on it. Should Hawley be removed from office and considered constitutionally disqualified? I think the case could be made.

Steve Wulff Richmond Heights
New murals in Grand Center make a parking lot, an alley, even a garage door, an art destination.

For more than two years, artists painted through St. Louis heat, the pandemic and a rogue October snow. They came from places including Mexico, Puerto Rico and France to create murals in Grand Center, leaving behind images such as a roaring T-rex, children climbing ladders and a feathered Cardinal.

In one mural, 1920s dancer Josephine Baker wears beads and a sweet smile. In another, mischievous, cartoonish figures peer out windows.

And even though an official opening of the project is Oct. 7, more murals are in the works.

I cant look at a wall without thinking a mural should land on it, says Gina Grafos, director and chief curator of visual and literary art for the Kranzberg Art Foundation.

Perhaps thats what comes of wrangling muralists for years for a public art project expected to eventually touch four city blocks.

The project, called the Walls off Washington, is by the Kranzberg foundation and it centers on a building housing its Sophies Artist Lounge and High Low literary arts cafe. But neighbors are also interested, Grafos says.

Although there is no cost to see the outdoor works, some of them do have visiting hours. Drivers, cyclists and pedestrians can always see pieces facing North Leonard Avenue, such as Remix Unos 215 Feet of Love, but the alleyway paintings are primarily accessible from 1 p.m. to sunset Wednesday-Saturday.

Visitors will see the murals in the alley and those facing the parking lot by going through a side door for Sophies Artist Lounge, 3333 Washington Avenue, just east of the Big Top at Grand Center (where more artwork covers containers.) The side entrance is on Josephine Baker Boulevard, which faces the big red and white tent, home to Circus Flora.

During the recent Music at the Intersection in Grand Center, visitors got a preview of the murals when a market was set up in the alley. Future events may also take place in the parking lot behind Sophies and could include more markets or pop-up DJ events in the alley.

Just over half of the 20 current murals are by local artists, Grafos says. She wanted to take care of the stars already in our city while also bringing in national and international artists.

We recognize the legacy of what art exists, not just with the Mural Mile and Paint Louis, but also international cities that already have sections dense with visual art.

When reaching out to artists outside of St. Louis, Grafos says the effort was helped by painter Katherine Bernhardt (whose own large piece is the centerpiece inside Sophies). Bernhardt grew up in Clayton and, just before the pandemic, moved back to her hometown. Her connection to St. Louis helped several other artists trust the Kranzberg project, Grafos said.

Planners did not dictate what artists could create, Grafos says, but they did want images to be an uplifting visual experience. By talking to artists about their plans, she says, the murals met both parties intentions. There are no guns in the murals or explicit body parts, nothing that should be offensive to neighbors or nearby schools.

Grafos says the planners acknowledged we have enough challenges without bringing in loaded public art.

The back of the building, in fact, includes Life as You Climb by Derrick Adams of Brooklyn, a colorful mural of people climbing ladders, with at least one offering a helping hand in a scene that feels aspirational and hopeful. Nearby, Change Is Gonna Come by Cbabi Bayoc of St. Louis includes a gray-haired Black elder along with the words home and stories.

Simiya Sudduths From Infinity to Infinity includes purply pink flowers in front of a hand making a peace sign. Mutual Dreaming is by students in a mural class at the University of Missouri-St. Louis taught by Phil Robinson. In a guide to the Walls, the entry for the UMSL mural, which includes portraits, musical symbols and a ballerina, says its vision was to express St. Louiss cultural heritage and vibrant spirit.

The famous post-Pop artist Kenny Scharf of California was happy to contribute, Grafos says, and his lively Kranzbergville could also be an apt title to the large number of venues and artistic efforts supported by the Kranzberg foundation in Grand Center. In the Walls guide, Scharf also seems to summarize the intent of the Walls off Washington: One very important and guiding principle of my work is to reach out beyond the elitist boundaries of fine art and connect to popular culture through my art.

Most of the artists painted directly on brick walls. Many used projectors but others painting free hand or with stencils. At least a couple of garage doors are covered by printed images. Grafos says the images should be long-lasting, and touch-ups will sometimes cover paint affected by weather.

Grafos says the best thing about public art is you listen, you plan, you go through the logistics and then you set it to sail. You relinquish control over whose eyeballs are landing on it through the visitor experience.

So shell never know all the viewers who glimpse parts of the murals on their way to Powell Hall or the Fox Theatre. But visitors to Sophies (who will also see some indoor art installations on their way outdoors) no doubt will register their favorites, like the bright green T-rex loved by a nephew.

With the project ongoing, she says, more are landing this fall and we have big things for spring.

Although the murals wont cover historic building facades, she says, there is some more brick and mortar to be lifted.
NEW ORLEANS (AP)  Rule No. 1 for next weeks animal blessing at a Catholic university in New Orleans: Please leave venomous animals at home.

Rule No. 2: Be prepared to clean up after your pet. We will provide a pet station with complimentary water and waste bags, said a news release Thursday.

The group blessing of the animals  all comers welcome  will be the first since 1999 at Loyola University New Orleans.

The Rev. Justin Daffron, Loyolas interim president, and Parleaux, a black cockapoo he trained as the university's therapy dog, will attend, university spokeswoman Patricia Murret said Thursday.

The service is scheduled Tuesday evening on the lawn next to the universitys church. Oct. 4 is the feast day of St. Francis of Assisi, patron saint of animals, ecology, merchants and Italy.

Churches and schools from the East Coast to the West Coast hold Blessing of the Animals services. Murret said they were popular at Loyola during the 1990s but apparently fell by the wayside for the next two decades. She doesnt know why.

She said someone suggested resuming the tradition at a late August or early September meeting about alumni events, bringing people together, reconnecting in this post-pandemic world as we return to life and joy and connections with each other.

The response, Murret said, was a pretty quick pile-on  yes! Let's do it!

She didn't know how many people brought animals to be blessed in the 1990s, or how many of the current 4,500 students and 650 faculty and staff members are likely to do so.

Were sort of curious ourselves. We know people are excited and hope people will come, she said.

To follow Associated Press coverage of animals, go to https://apnews.com/hub/animals.

To follow Associated Press coverage of higher education, go to https://apnews.com/hub/higher-education.
NEW YORK (AP)  A federal judge signaled Wednesday that she plans to order disgraced R&B superstar R. Kelly to pay more than $300,000 to one his victims in a decades-long scheme to use his fame to sexually abuse young fans.

A restitution order by U.S. District Judge Ann Connelly that was still being finalized is meant to cover the cost of treatment for herpes and psychotherapy. The victim, referred to only by a pseudonym, has accused the jailed Kelly of giving her the sexually transmitted disease during one of their encounters.

Kelly could be on the hook for tens of thousands of dollars more to pay for herpes treatment and counseling for a second victim once the final tally is calculated. The judge rejected a third claim by another accuser.

The Grammy-winning, multiplatinum-selling songwriter appeared at the hearing in federal court in Brooklyn via video from a lockup in Chicago, and only spoke to exchange greetings with the judge and to turn down an offer to say more. None of the victims were in attendance.

Earlier this year, Kelly was sentenced to 30 years in prison following a trial in New York where the jury found him guilty of racketeering and sex trafficking. A second trial in Chicago ended on Sept. 14 with his conviction on charges of producing child pornography and enticing girls for sex.

The question now in the New York case becomes when and how Kelly will pay the restitution. Prosecutors claim he has access to as much as $5 million to go along with about $28,000 seized from his inmate commissary account that defense attorney Jennifer Bonjean said was made up of small donations from fans.

Bonjean told the judge that Kelly has no access to any other funds because of judgments in civil cases brought against him. She also insisted that her client has always been clueless about his finances.

Hes not the best source of that information, she said.

Kelly achieved superstar status for work including the 1996 hit I Believe I Can Fly and the cult classic Trapped in the Closet, a multipart tale of sexual betrayal and intrigue.
WASHINGTON (AP)  The Supreme Court says it will continue providing live audio broadcasts of arguments in cases, even as it welcomes the public back to its courtroom for a new term that begins Monday.

The justices began providing live audio of arguments after the court closed to the public in March of 2020 because of the coronavirus pandemic. Monday will be the first time in more than two and a half years that the justices will hear arguments with members of the public present.

Chief Justice John Roberts had said earlier this month that the public would be allowed back in October, following the court's summer break. But the court had not announced specifics or said what would happen to the audio feed of arguments the court has been providing through its website. Before the pandemic, audio of arguments was generally available only several days after they took place.

On Wednesday the high court announced that the building would still remain closed to visitors until further notice outside oral arguments, which are scheduled on four days in October. Members of the public who attend on those days will not be required to wear masks.

The court at first postponed arguments entirely in 2020 because of virus concerns but went on to hear them by phone for more than a year and a half. The justices returned to in-person sessions without the public in the fall of last year and heard their entire last term without being open to the public. That included big cases in which they ultimately expanded gun rights and stripped away womens constitutional protections for abortion. Aside from arguing lawyers, only the justices' law clerks, court staff and journalists who cover the court were allowed to be at argument sessions, and for a time there were mask and testing requirements.

On the first day of the new term Monday the court will hear cases involving the nations main anti-water pollution law, the Clean Water Act, and a dispute between states over unclaimed money. Big cases already on the docket this term include one challenging the role of race in college admissions and another that could further weaken the Voting Rights Act.

The court looks different from the last time the public was allowed to see the justices on the bench, with two new justices. Justice Amy Coney Barrett joined the court following the death of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg in 2020. And Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, the court's first Black female justice, joined the court following the retirement of Justice Stephen Breyer in June.

The changes mean that for the first time a majority of the justices are not white men, and for the first time four women are sitting together on the court. The justices will hold an invitation-only ceremonial investiture for Jackson in their courtroom on Friday.
BANGKOK (AP)  A court in military-ruled Myanmar convicted former leader Aung San Suu Kyi in another criminal case Thursday and sentenced Australian economist Sean Turnell to three years in prison for violating Myanmars official secrets act, a legal official said.

Suu Kyi received a three-year sentence after being convicted with Turnell under the secrets law, said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he is not authorized to release information about the case.

Three members of her Cabinet were also found guilty, each receiving sentences of three years.

Turnell was also convicted of violating immigration law, for which he was given a three-year sentence to be served concurrently with the term for violating the secrets law. The 20 months he has already spent in detention will be deducted from his sentence, leaving him less than a year and a half to serve.

Turnell, 58, an associate professor in economics at Sydneys Macquarie University, had served as an adviser to Suu Kyi, who was detained in the capital Naypyitaw when her elected government was ousted by the army on Feb. 1, 2021.

Family and friends expressed hope he will soon be freed and deported, as has occurred with other foreigners in Myanmar convicted of political offenses, though less serious ones.

Its heartbreaking for me, our daughter, Seans 85-year-old father, and the rest of our family to hear that my husband, Professor Sean Turnell, was convicted and sentenced to 3 years imprisonment," his wife Ha Vu, also an economist, said on her Facebook page. "Sean has been one of Myanmars greatest supporters for over 20 years and has worked tirelessly to strengthen Myanmars economy."

My husband has already been in a Myanmar prison for almost 2/3 of his sentence, she added. "Please consider the contributions that he has made to Myanmar, and deport him now!"

Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong's office rejected the court's ruling and called for Turnell's immediate release. Decrying that he had been unjustly detained, her office said Australian diplomats were denied access to the court hearing for the verdict.

We will continue to take every opportunity to advocate strongly for Professor Turnell until he has returned to his family in Australia, it said in a statement.

Tim Harcourt, a longtime friend, said Turnell is "a great economist, nice bloke and a great human being. His main cause in life is to reduce poverty around the world and hed developed particular expertise in Myanmar.

"Hopefully common sense and justice can prevail and Sean can return to his wife and family in Australia soon, said Harcourt, a professor at the University of Technology Sydney.

Turnell was arrested five days after the military takeover by security forces at a hotel in Yangon, the countrys biggest city. He had arrived back in Myanmar from Australia less than a month before that to take up a new position as a special consultant to Suu Kyi. As director of the Myanmar Development Institute, he had already lived in Naypyitaw for several years.

The day after the militarys takeover, he posted on Twitter: Safe for now but heartbroken for what all this means for the people of Myanmar. The bravest, kindest people I know. They deserve so much better.

The five co-defendants were charged on the basis of documents seized from Turnell. The exact details of their offense have not been made public, though state television said last year that Turnell had access to secret state financial information and had tried to flee the country.

Turnell and Suu Kyi denied the allegations when they testified in their defense at the trial in August.

Myanmars colonial-era official secrets act criminalizes the possession, collection, recording, publishing, or sharing of state information that is directly or indirectly, useful to an enemy. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 14 years in prison.

The trial, like the others involving Suu Kyi, was held in a purpose-built prison courtroom and was closed to the media and the public. Defense lawyers were barred by a gag order from revealing details of the proceedings.

The multiple criminal cases brought against the 77-year-old Suu Kyi are widely seen as an effort to discredit her and to prevent her return to politics.

She had already been sentenced to 20 years imprisonment after being convicted of illegally importing and possessing walkie-talkies, violating coronavirus restrictions, sedition, election fraud and five corruption charges.

Suu Kyi is still being tried on seven counts under the countrys anti-corruption law, with each count punishable by up to 15 years in prison and a fine.

Defense lawyers are expected to file appeals in the secrets case in the coming days for Turnell, Suu Kyi and three former ministers: Soe Win and Kyaw Win, both former ministers for planning and finance, and Set Aung, a former deputy minister in the same ministry, the legal official said.

Australia has repeatedly demanded Turnells release. Last year, it suspended its defense cooperation with Myanmar and began redirecting humanitarian aid because of the military takeover and Turnells ongoing detention.

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, when he visited Myanmar in January this year, asked for Turnells release in a meeting with the leader of ruling military council. Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing replied that he would consider it positively.

The U.N. Special Envoy on Myanmar Noeleen Heyzer said she conveyed a specific request from Australia for Turnells release when she met with Min Aung Hlaing in August. Myanmars government said the general replied that, should the Australian government take positive steps, we will not need to take stern actions.

According to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, a rights monitoring organization, 15,683 people have been detained on political charges in Myanmar since the army takeover, with 12,540 of those remaining in detention. At least 2,324 civilians have been killed by security forces in the same period, the group says, though the number is thought to be far higher.

Myanmar has been in turmoil since the takeover, which led to nationwide protests that the military government quashed with deadly force, triggering armed resistance that some U.N. experts now characterize as civil war.

Associated Press writer Rod McGuirk in Canberra, Australia, contributed to this report.
Tony Messenger Tony Messenger is the metro columnist for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Follow Tony Messenger Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today

A year ago, Missouri Speaker of the House Rob Vescovo wrote President Joe Biden a letter.

Vescovo, a Jefferson County Republican, was upset about an executive order from the White House that certain businesses would require COVID-19 vaccination as a condition of employment.

As a citizen of this great nation, it is obvious to me, and to anyone with a rudimentary understanding of our system of government, that this directive is an egregious overreach of federal authority, Vescovo wrote. States enjoy general police power and are authorized to enact laws to provide for the public health, safety and morals of their inhabitants. By contrast, the federal government has no such general police power.

That Vescovo would hold such a narrow interpretation of federal power is not surprising. When it came to the pandemic, Missouri Republicans were notoriously against any federal regulations  and local ones, too.

Vescovo also leads a House that last year passed the so-called Second Amendment Preservation Act, a gun-lovers fantasyland that allegedly nullified the federal governments ability to enforce gun safety regulations in Missouri.

Local law enforcement agencies in cities and rural areas have panned the bill as dangerous, saying it has made it harder for police and sheriffs to do their jobs. A lawsuit seeking to overturn the bill, filed by leaders in St. Louis and Kansas City, is pending.

Fast forward a year. Vescovo last week wrote another letter to the federal government. This time, he wants the presidents help.

In his letter to U.S. Attorney Teresa Moore, a Biden appointee, Vescovo asks the Department of Justice to investigate what amounts to organized crime against children at Agape Boarding School in southwest Missouri.

That Vescovo is seeking outside help in the Agape abuse scandal is a good thing. Former students, in criminal complaints and civil lawsuits, have alleged decades of physical and sexual abuse at the Christian reformatory school.

The scandal led the Missouri Legislature to finally pass some minimal regulation allowing the Department of Social Services and the attorney general to intervene amid credible complaints of abuse.

For far too long, even before Vescovo was there, the Legislature sat idly by, allowing such religious reformatory schools to abuse children with little state oversight.

Last year, Attorney General Eric Schmitt, a Republican who is running for U.S. Senate, proposed criminal charges against 22 workers at the school. But Cedar County Prosecuting Attorney Ty Gaither filed minor charges against only a few of them.

Schmitt has filed a lawsuit to try to close the school  much too late, according to some of the people alleging abuse at Agape  but he is being stymied by a local judge.

Outside help is needed, Vescovo says. Hes not wrong.

But to borrow some of Vescovos words, it seems obvious to anybody with a rudimentary understanding of the English language that his new letter completely contradicts the one he sent the federal government last year.

Perhaps hes had a change of heart when it comes to federal police power or laws that provide for the health, safety and morals of Missouris residents.

If so, while hes asking for federal aid, it would behoove Vescovo to think about his attempts to end the alleged abuse at Agape in the context of the current special session over which he presides.

A tax cut Republicans approved Thursday and sent to the governors desk could cost the state an estimated $2 billion in revenue, with most of the benefits flowing to the wealthy. The tax cut is being pushed by prolific Republican donor Rex Sinquefield, who stands to make a windfall. He tried a similar scheme in Kansas. Once it bankrupted the state, Republicans backtracked.

Missouri is already last in public health spending, second-to last in starting teacher pay and near the bottom in pay for corrections officers and state support for higher education.

Take a look at the Childrens Division, for instance, which is supposed to protect kids in the state from harm. It is so understaffed, my colleague Jesse Bogan reported this week, that the department is offering overtime and lodging to rural employees to help the shortage in the states cities. But those employees are balking because rural offices are understaffed also.

Over at the Department of Mental Health, things are even worse. Hundreds of patients are in jail or waiting in hospital wings for transfer to mental health facilities that cant take them because they dont have the staff.

This is the sad state of affairs when it comes to protecting Missouris most vulnerable people.

As a citizen of this great state, I agree with the Speaker of the House: We definitely need outside help.
ST. LOUIS  Police on Wednesday identified the man shot and killed Tuesday afternoon near Page and Goodfellow boulevards.

Police found Eddie Lee Johnson, 41, shot inside a home in the 1300 block of Goodfellow Boulevard just before 2 p.m.

He was pronounced dead at a hospital.

Investigators say they're identified the suspect as a 27-year-old man, but additional information was not available.

Investigators had set up crime scene tape around two homes across the street from Omar's Food Shop in the 1300 block of Goodfellow Boulevard in the Hamilton Heights neighborhood, near the border of the West End neighborhood.

Johnson lived in the same block where he was shot, according to police.
SHREWSBURY  The decision to close Rosati-Kain and St. Marys high schools was primarily based on declining enrollment and income, St. Louis Archbishop Mitchell Rozanski said Wednesday.

The high schools in St. Louis city are the smallest single-sex schools in the archdiocese, with 188 girls enrolled at Rosati-Kain and 222 boys at St. Marys this year.

Catholic education started in the city in the 1800s to serve a booming immigrant population, but demographic trends including population loss have resulted in too many schools, Rozanski said at a news conference at the Cardinal Rigali Center a day after school leaders confirmed the closures.

At St. Marys, 90% of students receive financial aid, 28% come from low-income families and more than half are not Catholic. Rosati-Kain did not release similar figures, but about 44 students have scholarships from the Today and Tomorrow Educational Foundation at the archdiocese.

Tuition is $13,500 at Rosati-Kain and $10,500 at St. Marys, about half the cost of local independent Catholic high schools.

The schools are subsidized with grants from the archdiocese but are no longer financially viable and need to close in order to be good stewards of the gifts being given to us, Rozanski said.

Several supporters of St. Marys questioned the move to close the school with a majority Black and non-Catholic student base.

The move belies the churchs mission of social justice and evangelism, said Patricia Carosello, who taught math at St. Marys for close to 30 years before retiring in 2020 and sent her four sons to the school.

Isnt this what Catholic education is supposed to be about: discipleship and teaching students about God through education? Carosello said. It makes me crazy. I dont know why youre closing an institution thats actually doing the missionary work of the church.

The closures are the first moves in the archdioceses All Things New reorganization plan, which is expected to close dozens of parishes and grade schools when final plans are announced next year.

Having a vibrant presence in every area of the archdiocese doesnt necessarily mean that we maintain all the current ministries we have in all the current locations, said the Rev. Chris Martin, who is leading the process.

St. Marys leaders and alumni including former Mayor Francis Slay said they are looking into staying open as an independent high school.

Rozanski said Wednesday he is open to any suggestions and willing to work with the schools on future plans.

It is unclear how many teachers and school staff will lose their jobs. Teachers at both schools are represented by the St. Louis Archdiocesan Teachers Association. Students from Rosati-Kain and St. Marys protested in support of their teachers during a contract dispute earlier this year.

The elimination of Rosati-Kain and St. Marys as established learning facilities is a tremendous blow to not just our cherished school communities, but to the entire St. Louis area. School closures carry high social and economic costs for people across communities, the association said in a statement.

Sister Joan Andert, president emeritus of Rosati-Kain, said she was proud of the students for protesting in front of the school on Lindell Boulevard last March when classes were canceled because teachers staged a sickout.

They love their teachers, and they know their teachers love them. Those girls have got champions in their teachers, Andert said.

The closure announcement also sent shockwaves through the schools alumni networks. Both schools have been trusted institutions in the city for the past century, educating generations of St. Louis teenagers.

I thought it would be there forever, really, said Tim Gartner, who graduated from St. Marys in 1975, retired from Anheuser-Busch and still lives in south city. Its going to leave a hole there in Dutchtown. I dont understand whats behind it; I guess they have reasonings.

The Rosati-Kain class of 2020 has been counting on a makeup senior prom at their five-year reunion because theirs was forced to be canceled by COVID-19, said Orion Agnew, 20, of Florissant.

Right now, I feel very sad. I made a lot of good memories in that school, Agnew said. It really is an honor to have been around those people at such a formative time in my life.

Students arriving at Rosati-Kain on Wednesday said they were stunned by the impending closure. The school held a special assembly to discuss options for transferring schools next year. The only other Catholic options for girls in the city are Cardinal-Ritter, which is just over a mile away, and Bishop DuBourg, 6.5 miles.

I have to look for a new school and also leave a lot of my friends. We have a family here, said sophomore Keyri Arriaga, 15.

The schools small size was appealing to families because of the individualized attention, said Alice Johnson of University City, whose daughter Amille is a junior.

As a student in the 1980s, Johnson turned down an opportunity to attend Lafayette High in Wildwood through the desegregation program because she didnt want to uproot her education and social life.

Going into your junior year, those are the best years of your life, Johnson said. Shes just now coming into her own person, and everything is crashing down.

Updated at 5:25 p.m.
ST. LOUIS COUNTY  Local governments here are seeking at least $16 million in federal funding to buy out more than 60 homes and apartments across the county that were walloped by flooding in this summers storms.

Hazelwood, Webster Groves, Ladue, Maryland Heights, University City and the St. Louis County Office of Emergency Management all submitted letters to the state to help pay for the voluntary buyout of 64 properties heavily damaged in the summer storms.

The properties are in low-lying neighborhoods along waterways that were inundated by unprecedented rainfall in late July: along the Mississippi River in unincorporated south St. Louis County, near Deer Creek in Webster Groves and Ladue, and fronting the River Des Peres in University City, among others. They include homes that have flooded multiple times over the years.

The aim is to offer residents and property owners a fair price to relocate, to demolish the buildings and return the sites to parks, forests and green spaces to avoid future floods.

Federal funding would pay for 75% of the buyouts. Local governments would be required to put in a 25% match. The estimated costs include private appraisals, environmental studies and demolition.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency credits the program with saving lives and millions in damages. The largest Missouri buyout followed the flood of 1993, after which more than 3,146 properties were bought for about $37 million under a joint federal-state flood buyout program, including properties across the St. Louis region.

About 1,600 of the homes that flooded in 1993 would have been hit again by flooding in 2008, FEMA says.

But proposals are only the first step in a long process, with no guarantee of completion. Each buyout plan would have to be approved by state and federal emergency officials, after making cost and environmental assessments. The buyout offers are voluntary for each individual property owner.

A buyout is a complex issue with a lot of paperwork, said Michael OConnell, a spokesman for Missouris emergency management agency, which administers the program. There is a lot of work and research that has to be done.

And funding is limited. Flood buyout costs are capped at 20% of what FEMA expects to spend in total on the July storm here, costs that are still being calculated, OConnell said.

Approval of each project also depends on whether the local government is able to provide the 25% match, he said.

In University City, City Manager Greg Rose had said officials would seek an estimated $40 million in funding to buy more than 300 homes and apartments units condemned because of flood damage. But the city had to scale back the request to 24 homes and one three-building apartment complex at an estimated total cost of about $8 million.

Had the city received $40 million, a 25% match would have been about $10 million.

Rose said officials revised its request to the state based on guidance from state and federal officials.

We always intended to pursue funding for the about 300 homes that had flooded, Rose said. We learned as we went through the process that it was not very likely that that level of funding was going to be provided. We didnt want to submit an application that had no chance of success.

Webster Groves lists 12 single-family houses on Kuhlman Lane, East Pacific and North Forest avenues at a total cost of about $4.1 million. Half of the homes incurred substantial damage and another half incurred lesser damage, officials said.

The buyout decision not only has a great impact on the affected residents but also the larger community and the citys overall budget, Jenny Starkey, a spokeswoman for the city, said in a statement. We are investigating all of the possibilities at this time and giving careful consideration to the options.

Ladue lists 11 single-family houses on Foxboro Road and Robin Hill Lane at a total cost of nearly $7.3 million.

St. Louis County would buy 16 properties in Lemay, an unincorporated area along the Mississippi River just south of the border of the city of St. Louis, at a cost of roughly $2.8 million.

Maryland Heights and Hazelwood officials did not provide buyout addresses or costs on Wednesday.
JEFFERSON CITY  The Missouri Ethics Commission again is unable to function  at least temporarily  because it doesnt have enough members.

Gov. Mike Parson removed three members of the panel on Sept. 14, said Liz Ziegler, executive director of the ethics commission, in a document dated Tuesday and posted to the commissions website.

Ziegler said after the move, the ethics commission had been left with only two members  not enough to take action on a complaint filed Sept. 8 against Terry Hollander, a Republican who represents the 5th District on the St. Charles County Council.

Ziegler said Parson took the three members off the ethics commission due to the special legislative session the governor had called on tax relief. She said state law required the commission to weigh the matter within 15 business days.

Parson, a Republican, had appointed two new commissioners in May and a third in July. Because the Senate was not in session, the commissioners could begin work without being confirmed by the upper chamber.

But the Missouri Constitution says that when the Senate convenes for a special session, the upper chamber has 30 days to approve the governors nominations.

If the Senate rejected the nominations, Parson couldnt reappoint the commissioners. But because he withdrew their names, he can place them on the commission again when the Senate adjourns.

Ziegler said Parsons action meant the ethics commission could take no action on the complaint against Hollander, his campaign account and the treasurer of his campaign fund, Mike Sommer.

The memo said the complaint alleged violations of campaign finance laws but doesnt elaborate.

Hollander faces Democrat Josh Becker in the Nov. 8 election.

Becker said he didnt file the complaint and that he didnt know what it alleged.

He said with only 40 days left until the election, I find it extremely appalling that any investigation into any candidate is basically being pushed aside.

Hollander said the complaint alleged a prominent figure in St. Charles County paid for a mailer in support of Hollanders candidacy. Hollander said the mailer in question disclosed it was paid for by Hollanders campaign.

He said his campaign paid for the mailer, and that he sent mailer invoices to the Missouri Ethics Commission to clear up the complaint.

A spokeswoman for Parson did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

In May, Parson appointed two new members to the ethics commission after the panel had been without a quorum and unable to take action on complaints earlier this year. He named a third new commissioner in July, according to a state website.

All three appointments  Republicans William Villapiano and former state Rep. Kathie Conway; as well as Democrat Robin Wheeler Sanders  were still listed as members of the commission on a state website on Thursday.
CANBERRA, Australia (AP)  Australia could have tough new data protection laws in place this year in an urgent response to a cyberattack that stole from a telecommunications company the personal data of 9.8 million customers, the attorney-general said Thursday.

Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus said the government would make urgent reforms to the Privacy Act following the unprecedented hack last week on Optus, Australias second-largest wireless carrier.

Dreyfus said I think its possible for the law to be changed in the four remaining weeks that Parliament is scheduled to sit this year.

"Im going to be looking very hard over the next four weeks at whether or not we can get reforms to the Privacy Act into the Parliament before the end of the year, Dreyfus told reporters. Parliament next sits on Oct. 25.

Dreyfus said penalties for failing to protect personal data had to be increased so that corporate boards could not dismiss fines as a cost of doing business.

The absolutely huge amounts of customer data companies held for years would have to be justified under the amended law, Dreyfus said.

Companies need to look at data storage not as an asset, but as a liability or a potential liability, Dreyfus said. For too long we have had companies solely looking at data as an asset that they can use commercially."

The government blames lax cybersecurity at Optus, a subsidiary of Singapore Telecommunications Ltd., also known as Singtel, for the theft of current and former customers personal information.

Singtel apologized in a statement issued Wednesday by its management saying, We are deeply sorry to everyone affected by the data theft.

Since the incident, our focus has been on supporting Optus efforts to help impacted customers and strengthen their security controls, the statement said.

Information security is of paramount importance to the Singtel Group and a top priority across all of its business units and we invest significant resources to continually strengthen our defenses against emerging threats, the statement added.

The data included passport, drivers license and national health care identification numbers which could be used for identity theft and fraud.

Authorities are critical of Optus initial failure to disclose that Medicare numbers were among the stolen data. That became apparent Tuesday when the hacker dumped the records of 10,000 customers on the dark web  six days after Optus discovered the cyberattack.

The urgent legislative response is separate from a broader review of the Privacy Act that began three years ago. The law was passed in 1988 and critics argue it badly needs to be adapted to the digital age.

Optus could potentially be fined a maximum 2 million Australian dollars ($1.3 million) for breaching the Privacy Act, the government said.

It could be fined hundreds of millions of dollars over a similar security breach under European Union laws, the government said.

Submissions to the Privacy Act review have suggested penalties for breaches equivalent to 10% of revenue from Australian operations.

Optus CEO Kelly Bayer Rosmarin has argued against increased fines, telling the Australian Broadcasting Corp. on Tuesday: Honestly, Im not sure what penalties benefit anybody.

Optus maintains it was the target of a sophisticated cyberattack that penetrated several layers of security.

After an emergency meeting with banking and consumer regulators, Financial Services Minister Stephen Jones said fraudsters and scammers were already beginning to use the stolen data, which includes phone numbers and email addresses.

With personal information stolen from 38% of Australias population of 26 million in the hack, you cant overestimate the impact of this breach on consumer issues, Jones said.

He warned compromised Optus customers against activating URLs they receive by text or email because they could be from criminals attempting to steal more information.

Were all working as best as we can to try and work our way through the long tail of problems that is going to be a consequence of this massive data breach, Jones said.
I feel your pain.

I know what its like when weather derails your plans. Nearly 10 years ago, I was in Orlando when Tropical Storm Andrea messed up our theme and water park plans.

But that was nothing like Category 4 Hurricane Ian, which made landfall in Florida Wednesday with 150 mph winds, tying for the fifth strongest hurricane to strike the United States and wreaking havoc with flooding, devastating winds, and millions left without power  or having to evacuate.

Orlando was virtually shut down with theme parks and special events like Mickeys Not-So-Scary Halloween Party and Universals Halloween Horror Nights (rebooking and refunds should be available) suspended. Airlines canceled more than 3,800 flights Wednesday and Thursday, most at Florida airports, the Washington Post reported.

It's important to keep up with storm updates wherever you are and enable alerts for warnings. (Here is the alert from Visit Orlando, for example). Be forewarned that hurricane season lasts through Nov. 30.

Certainly, its no fun when weather  just like illness or a pandemic  messes up your vacation, especially when its the first one you have had in a couple of years. But if you are somewhere safe and dry, its not the end of the world either. Think of it as a memorable adventure you are sharing with your family. When was the last time you let the kids order room service and binge-watch movies?

I was in Hawaii when nonstop rain prompted us to fly to another island with better weather (its always good to be able to pivot to a new plan when traveling). Ive been stuck in more ski towns than I can remember by mega ski storms. There was even the time I was on vacation in North Carolinas Outer Banks and was drafted to cover the hurricane.

Take a deep breath. As long as you are safe  and have travel insurance, as well as what you really need, there is no point getting upset. Remember, kids will pick up on your anxiety. You will want to reassure them that all will be well, likely in just a few days.

When traveling during hurricane season, its important to pack smart. Even if rain isnt forecast, pack rain gear for everyone. Make sure you have back-up phone and laptop chargers, experts say. (Some Mophie and Anker devices can charge more than one device at a time quickly.)

Stash a small flashlight (in case your phone runs out of juice). And since you likely will be delayed, bring extra medications, baby formula and food, pet supplies (if you are traveling with a baby or pet), as well as extra clothes (you may find hotel and area laundromats are shut.)

This would also be the time to bring paper maps (when was the last time you used one?) in case there is no cell service.

Travel insurance is a must if you are traveling during hurricane season. Besides, during a storm, there are bound to be ripple effect travel delays felt across the country for days afterward. You may not be able to get to your Caribbean destination for several days, especially if you were connecting through Florida. You could miss your cruise ship.

According to Allianz Global Assistance, travel insurance can reimburse you for pre-paid costs plus the extra costs of flight changes (up to the maximum amounts in your policy). If you are delayed getting home, travel insurance can reimburse you for the cost of lodging, meals and other essentials. And should you be injured in a storm, travel insurance can provide emergency medical and dental benefits, as well as emergency medical transportation.

But you must buy your travel insurance early. Once a hurricane or tropical storm becomes known, it is considered a foreseeable event. This means travel insurance wont cover losses related to that storm, explained Meghan Kayata, a spokesman for InsuremyTrip.com, a website that enables you to compare different policies.

Be forewarned that while travel insurance can reimburse you if your flights are canceled and you cant get to your cruise ship, it likely wont cover you if the cruise line must change the itinerary as a result of a hurricane. Consider the plus: A destination you hadnt expected to visit. (Big ships have proven to be adept at sailing to avoid hurricanes, but may be delayed returning.)

Travel insurance can save the day, if your flights are canceled and you cant book new ones that will give you enough time to enjoy your vacation before its over. But make sure to read the fine print. For example, according to Allianz, in order to make a trip cancellation claim, you must have lost more than 50 percent of your scheduled trip due to a covered travel delay  and you must have made a good-faith effort to continue your travels.

Make sure to keep all of your receipts and document everything that has happened, Kayata added. Travel insurance can help with things you didnt even consider  your resort is in the path of a hurricane or has been badly damaged, for example.

Even if you pride yourself on being a plan-it-myself traveler, there is a big plus to working with a travel adviser, especially during hurricane season when there is a reasonable chance weather will get in the way of your fun. Rather than the frustration of not being able to connect with anyone at the airline, the hotel, tour company or cruise line, a travel adviser can sweat the details for you.

Good luck and keep smiling!
Thomas Francis Weld, 85 yrs, passed away after a long battle with cancer. He was born 1936 in St. Louis, MO to Florence and William Weld. He graduated from Portsmouth Priory, Washington University and earned a graduate degree in French from Middlebury College. He taught French at Taft school, then joined JP Morgan in NYC. Later, he pursued a banking career in Europe and soon joined a Franco/American commercial real estate company in Paris, which built the first skyscraper in Paris, Montparnasse. He lived in Paris and Gstaad. Tom spoke 5 languages fluently and traveled the world. A wine enthusiast, while living in France, he was awarded the title Sommelier de Bordeaux. After retiring to Cape Cod he was a member of the Wianno Club, Hyannis Yacht Club and a long time volunteer at Cape Cod Hospital.
As Russian troops occupied more Ukrainian territory after the 2022 invasion, they found that most Ukrainian civilians were not cooperative. This was something the Russians have had to deal with before, but this time Ukrainian forces are fighting to drive the Russians out, which has greatly complicated the security situation for the Russians.

Local security forces in Crimea and Donbas have been there since 2014 but the fighting stalemated by early 2015 and there were no partisans. Before the Russian attack there were 6.2 million people living in Donetsk and Luhansk province, which together were called the Donbas (Donets Basin). The Russian attack in 2014 occupied about half of Donbas, an area that contained about 6.5 million people but the Russian occupied areas only contained about 3.8 million and migrations to Russia, Ukraine and elsewhere after 2015 reduced the population in Russian occupied Donbas to about two million.

In 2020 Ukraine and Russia agreed to move back more of their forces from the current front line in D0nbas. There was also an agreement to exchange prisoners and continue discussing measures to reduce the violence, most of it instigated by Russian-backed Donbas separatists. This fighting left about 14,000 military and civilian personnel dead. Most of the dead were military, with about 3,000 civilians living close to the ceasefire line killed by artillery and rocket fire. Russia spent over a billion dollars a year to subsidize the civilian economy in occupied Donbas. There were not enough men of military age in Russian Donbas to serve in the security forces and Russia sent in more and more Russian troops who pretended to be Ukrainians. The Ukrainian forces captured enough of these Russians to prove that Russian soldiers were there.

Crimea was different in that it was a peninsula with only a small land border with Ukraine. There was little fighting there. Crimea had a population of 2.4 million in 2014 and 65 percent of them were Russians. Crimea was more expensive to maintain, especially if you include the $4 billion cost of the Kerch Strait bridge that was completed in 2018. The railroad on the bridge became the main supply route between Russia and Crimea. Russia annexed Crimea in 2014 but few nations recognized that as legitimate. Before providing details of their latest census, Russia announced that the population increased 1.4 percent since 2010. This was unexpected because the trend since 1991 has been falling birthrates and growing death rates. Russia solved this problem by seizing Crimea from Ukraine in 2014 and later annexing it and its 2.3 million people. These involuntary new citizens of Russia were included in the 2020 census and many Russians did the math and realized that without the conquered Ukrainians in Crimea, Russian population would have shown a continued decline since 2010.

After the 2022 invasion the high casualties suffered by front line troops meant a lot the troops occupying Crimea and Donbas were sent to the front, where most became casualties. Russia needs fewer troops in Crimea now that they have withdrawn most of their warships, aircraft and shipyard workers to Russia. Ukrainian partisans have been more active in Crimea, destroying military aircraft with seeming impunity. Similar attacks are made on prominent Russians in Crimea and Ukrainian collaborators. In Donbas ethnic Russians and their Ukrainian collaborators are also under attack and departing for Russia or, if Ukrainian, quietly switching sides. Donbas used to be a good source of Russian troops but the heavy casualties and Ukrainian offensive and partisan activity in Donbas has put an end to Russian recruiting efforts there.

The continued success of Ukrainian forces resulted in more Ukrainians believing the situation was improving for them personally and for all Ukrainians. This shift in attitudes towards Ukrainian success and against Russia has created a growing partisan movement in the occupied territory, and open displays of hostility towards Russian civilians and Ukrainian collaborators. More of these pro-Russia civilians are fleeing to Russia and Russian troops in the occupied territories find themselves under growing attack by the partisans, who are directly supported by Ukrainian special forces with clandestine supplies of weapons and air and missile attacks on targets identified by Ukrainian civilians in the occupied territories. This sort of thing hasnt been seen in Europe since World War II, when it played a major role in driving the Germans out. The Russians never expected this degree of popular resistance and are unable to deal with it.

In all the Russian occupied territories Russians and Ukrainian collaborators are leaving. This has led Russia to cancel plans to hold fake elections to approve these parts of Ukraine to become Russian territory. Russia is losing control of the 20 percent of Ukrainian territory they occupy. Even in areas like Crimea and Donbas they have occupied since 2014, the inhabitants are refusing to support the Russian war effort. Currently, few Ukrainians or Russians living in Crimea or Donbas are willing to join the military or police. This is the result of the populations in Crimea and Donbas realizing that Russia could lose control of these areas to Ukrainian forces, which does not work out well for collaborators. Returning to post-war Russia is not an attractive prospect either. One thing both Ukrainian residents and Russian immigrants of these occupied territories have learned since 2014 is that living standards are higher in Ukraine than in Russia. When Ukraine became independent of Russia in 1991, living standards were equal. Russian soldiers invading Ukraine since then were surprised at how much better Ukrainian living standards had become than Russias. Russian propaganda had implied that Ukrainians were repressed and impoverished, not better off and willing to fight and defeat their Russian liberators.

Work was already underway to carry out covert and sabotage missions in Russian occupied Crimea and Donbas but that was difficult before 2022 because Ukraine was not actively trying to take back Crimea and Donbas until after Russia invaded all of Ukraine in 2022. It took about six months to recruit, train and organize attacks on Russian bases, Russian officials and Ukrainian collaborators. This lifts the morale of the Ukrainian troops preparing to go on the offensive.

Currently Russia is trying to find enough local collaborators to allow convincing propaganda videos to be made. This effort is disrupted by the widespread and often violent resistance to the occupation, local collaborators and efforts to stage a fake election. Russian efforts to cut occupied areas off from the outside world have been energetic but not enough. Replacing Ukrainian cell phone service with Russian based service is not enough. Civilians risk arrest and worse by keeping their Ukrainian cell phones to collect and smuggle out videos of what is really going on. This includes threats, sometimes carried out, to cut electrical service and access to clean water. Threats were made to take children from families and send the kids to Russia as hostages. Russia used a process called Filtration to identify the Ukrainian civilians most hostile to the occupation and the planned referendum to justify Russian annexation of these areas. Filtration had worked in the past but was ineffective when the civilians knew that there was a war going on to liberate them from Russian occupation. This changed civilian attitudes in Crimea and Donbas that had been under Russian control since 2014. Kherson and Zaporizhzhia provinces had been occupied by the Russians in the first month of the 2022 invasion and proved largely immune to Filtration because the initial Russian offensive in the north was quickly defeated with heavy Russian losses. Russian troops who escaped that defeat were sent to Donbas, Crimea, Kherson and Zaporyzhzhia where they confirmed the defeat in the north. The Ukrainian military kept expanding and receiving more weapons from NATO allies. This led to the September Ukrainian offensive that drove Russian forces out of northeast Ukraine and portions off Donbas. Large quantities of Russian tanks and other armored vehicles as well as munitions and other supplies were captured. Within weeks the captured vehicles were equipping more Ukrainian units that were now attacking in Donbas, Kherson and Zaporizhzhya. The September offensive also put about 20 percent of Russian troops in Ukraine out of action. This caused problems in Donbas and Crimea where local men who had been conscripted into the armed forces refused to serve outside the provinces they came from. They would defend their home province but would not fight anywhere else. Russia was having problems getting any new troops to serve in Ukraine because the news that Russia was losing in Ukraine had become common knowledge in Russia and military-age men were desperate not to be mobilized to serve in Ukraine. Those who did find themselves in uniform soon discovered that all the stories were true. The new troops were given decrepit equipment and less than two weeks training before being sent off to die in Ukraine.

It wasnt just Ukrainian soldiers the Russian troops had to worry about. More civilians in Russian occupied areas were getting armed and organized so they could attack Russian officials and Ukrainian collaborators. The Russians sent to operate the Filtration process were sought out for attack and Russian troops found that the safest thing to do was stay out of the way of the armed and angry partisans. A growing number of Russian civilians and Ukrainian collaborators were leaving occupied Ukraine for Russia.

The Ukrainian offensive in the south and Donbas had to adjust their tactics because they no longer had the element of surprise and they now faced Russian and local forces in fortified positions, often surrounded by landmines. The offensive slowed down but did not stop. The Russian defenders were also threatened by partisans in the rear, who were disrupting the movement of supplies to keep the defenders fed and obtaining ammunition and medical supplies. Winter was coming, which made the supply lines even more important. Ukrainian commanders take better care of their troops and that means lower casualties and higher morale. The Ukrainian soldiers have lots of local support while the Russian troops are poorly supplied and commanded by officers who pay little attention to morale or keeping casualties down. Ukraine exploits this by letting Russian troops know that if they surrender or allow themselves to be captured, they will be well treated according to the commonly accepted laws of warfare. That means Red Cross officials will interview them to get their names so the family can be notified that they are safe. To help with that the Ukrainian military operates a website, accessible by most people in Russia, that lists those captured and their condition.

The war isnt over in Ukraine but it is going against the Russians and, despite Vladimir Putins insistence that Russia will never leave all Russian occupied territory, a growing number of Russian officials, including some who work closely with Putin, believe there does not appear to be any way to avoid a Ukrainian victory. Putin threatens to use nuclear weapons in Ukraine, which risks nuclear retaliation by the Americans and other NATO countries with nukes. Putin met with Chinese and Indian officials recently and was told that using nukes was a bad idea and the Ukraine War and the sanctions on Russia was interfering with economic and other relations with China and India. Putin told his two trading partners that he understood their concerns but no other details were made public. Putin risks losing his position as Russian leader. He has held that job for two decades and success in Ukraine was supposed to help him keep that job.
One reason Russian leader Vladmir Putin believed he could quickly conquer Ukraine was Russias success in keeping neighboring Belarus subservient t0 Russia. Both Belarus and Ukraine share a border with each other and Russia, and both were former parts of the Soviet Union that dissolved into 14 new nations in 1991. While Belarus and Ukraine faced similar problems and opportunities after 1991, only Belarus had a Soviet-style leader in charge most of the time. More so than in Ukraine, in Belarus tampering with the vote has been common since the 1990s but it got worse and worse as more voters turned against the government via larger and larger pro-democracy demonstrations. For 26 years Belarus president-for-life Alexander Lukashenko has ruled as a loyal ally of Russia. That has not helped the Belarussian economy or improved the lives of Belarus voters. A new post-Soviet Union generation of voters has seen how life is better in democracies, especially other former victims of Russian rule like neighboring Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, and Ukraine. They blame Lukashenko for the poverty and mismanaged economy in Belarus, as well as an incompetent response to covid19.

This dissatisfaction created a crisis right after August 9th 2020, when Lukashenko was elected to another term. Unlike past rigged elections, this time there were major and sustained anti-government protests triggered by government incompetence and decades of rigged elections, corrupt rule, and inability to do much of anything effectively. Since the late 1990s Lukashenko has won reelection with 80-90 percent of the vote in visibly fraudulent voting. Lukashenko has been in charge since 1994, when he consolidated power in the wake of the dissolution of the Soviet Union, and the creation of Belarus. Lukashenko is a Soviet-era official who runs Belarus like the Soviet Union still existed. Belarus is a police state where elections and everything else are manipulated to keep the politicians in power. It's a tricky business, but so far Lukashenko has kept the security forces up to snuff and on his side. He bribes or bullies key officials to keep the country running. Lukashenko has maintained good relations with Russia, getting him cheap fuel supplies and other aid. Belarus is small (9.5 million people) compared to neighbors Russia (146 million) and Ukraine (42 million) and Russia is feared because it wants to absorb Belarus and Ukraine to rebuild the centuries old Russian empire that the czars created and the communists lost. Lukashenko, like most Belarussians, opposes annexation by Russia. At this point Russia is not seeking to annex Belarus or send in security forces to help suppress what has turned into a rebellion against Lukashenko.

By 2021 Lukashenko was becoming more of a liability for Russia but is currently still a favored ally. Russia would like to be rid of Lukashenko but there is no one in Belarus with his skills and experience. Russia has created a major problem for itself in Belarus. Not as bad as the mess in Ukraine, but still another setback in the Russian effort to rebuild the Soviet-era Russian empire.

After the 2020 election fiasco, several hundred Belarussians fled the country and established themselves in eastern European nations. There they sought to organize an opposition operation inside Belarus and overthrow Lukashenko. They solicited money and other assistance from Western countries but have been unable to agree on how to proceed. Some of the expatriate Belarussians blame Russia, which has kept in touch with the exiled Belarussians and caused discontent via threats and rumors about what is going on in Belarus and Ukraine. While the Ukrainians have been able to defeat these Russian tactics, which was one reason Putin went to war with Ukraine, the Belarus opposition has been neutralized. Russia advised Lukashenko to let his opponents seeking to leave Belarus do so. Just make sure to add some reliable intelligence agents to clandestinely monitor the exiles and carry out disinformation and other operations as needed. Ukraine arrested or drove most of these Russian agents out during the first few months of the 2022 war, where Ukrainians took their nationalism to new levels. That never happened in Belarus. The Lukashenko faction and Russia want to keep it that way.

Despite all that Belarus is still a troublesome neighbor but is also capable of assisting Russia. For example, Belarus proved useful to Russia after the 2022 invasion. Belarus colluded with Russia to help Russia obtain spare parts for military aircraft operating over Ukraine. Belarus is subject to some sanctions because of its support for Russia but not nearly as many sanctions as Russia itself. Belarus can still get spare parts for military and civil aircraft, but transferring any of those to Russia would get Belarus subjected to the same aircraft-related sanctions Russia is suffering from. Ukrainian military intelligence discovered and publicized this deal, which enabled Western nations to use their space satellites and embassy personnel to check up on this activity

The Ukrainians probably got the tip from pro-Ukrainian Belarusians. There are a lot of those in Belarus. Thats how the West found out that in late July Belarus agreed to send 200 soldiers to Syria to replace the many more Russian troops brought back to Russia to replace losses in Ukraine. Belarus has refused Russian requests to send its troops into Ukraine. While Lukashenko is pro-Russia, most Belarussians are not and some openly support Ukraine.

The Belarussian government continued to cooperate because Russia had been propping up Lukashenko, who faced large scale demonstrations after the 202o elections protesting his misrule and vote rigging. Russia sent in troops that enabled Belarus to deploy all its more reliable security forces against the demonstrators. Despite that, Belarus would not send its troops into Ukraine but a month after the February invasion began did cooperate in secretly treating Russian casualties. Belarus medical personnel were more willing to talk about what was happening with all those dead and wounded Russian soldiers and it eventually became known that Belarus railroad staff were cooperating with their Ukrainian counterparts to sabotage railroad access to Ukraine for Russian trains crossing the border parts of Ukraine the Russians considered safe.

Many Belarussians continue supporting Ukraine and sabotaging the Russian war effort. Some of the sabotage came in the form of timely reports on what Russian troops were doing in Belarus. After the second month of the invasion Russian soldiers were allowed to freely loot and some managed to get back to Russia with a lot of loot. Many of the retreating troops passed through Belarus, where local and international media were free to report on them. Belarussian police also ignored the large amount of loot being sold in hastily organized markets, or shipped via parcel shipping offices that regularly sent packages to Russia. It was obvious that many of the Russian soldiers brought civilian goods looted from Ukrainian homes and businesses as they were being forced out of northern Ukraine

New troops headed for Ukraine early in the war arrived via Belarus. These new arrivals became aware of the truckloads of dead or wounded Russian soldiers returning and Belarus hospitals crowded with Russian wounded. Returning Russian soldiers told the new troops that the Ukrainians were putting up quite a fight and Russian units were taking heavy losses, especially in terms of armored vehicles, including tanks, destroyed by Ukrainians using portable weapons. The Russian military took their wounded, at least the ones the Ukrainians didnt capture, back to military or militarized civilian hospitals in Russia and neighboring Belarus. Many of the badly wounded arrived dead, and their deaths and the condition of the surviving Russian troops were declared state secrets. There were severe punishments for those who revealed to the public what was going on. It was less obvious what returning Russian commanders were telling officers in the newly arrived units. Most officers are circumspect in their comments but some are clearly fed up with how the Russian efforts are being mismanaged after only six weeks of fighting. Since then, the situation has gotten worse for Russia and that encourages Belarussians because a Russian defeat in Ukraine might mean a new government in Russia that would end Russian support for the corrupt Belarussian ruler.

Because of the 2022 sanctions, China is now Russias largest trading partner and, together with Belarus and a few other nations, continues to trade with Russia. The other half is currently halted, or soon will be, by sanctions. Russia has experience in evading economic sanctions and knows that greed in notoriously corrupt countries provides customers willing to switch to heavily discounted Russian oil. Belarusians dont want their nation to be hit by Russia-level sanctions and that makes it difficult for the Belarussian government to carry out any sanction-violating scheme with Russia.

Putin has been in power for two decades and initially thought Russia could exploit the Russian minorities in the Baltic States and other new countries that were once part of the Soviet Union. After independence in 1991 many nations formerly part of the Soviet Union found they had large Russian minorities that they had accumulated during years of Russian occupation. In many of those nations the Russians were not welcome and many went back to Russia. In the Baltic States, Belarus and Ukraine these Russian minorities noted the chaos in Russia and most adapted to their new homeland by learning the local language. This was difficult in Estonia, which was ethnically related to Finland and natives, like those in Hungary, spoke a distinct Central Asian language. Many Russians in Estonia, Finland and Hungary never bothered to do that when Russia was in charge. After 1991 most Russian speakers in these new nations realized learning this difficult language was worth the effort, and Russia found they could not rely on these Russian minorities to support Russian efforts during another attack and occupation. Russia tried to use this angle in Ukraine, but most of the Ukrainian Russians resisted and still do. This often meant leaving Russian occupied portions of Ukraine and later taking up arms to fight the 2022 invasion. A similar thing happened in Belarus, which prevented Russia from persuading Belarus to send troops in Ukraine. Worse, many Belarussians supported Ukraine and sabotaged the Russian war effort.

Putin thought many of these ethnic Russians outside Russia could be persuaded that reforming the Russian empire was a good thing. That was definitely not the case. Putin put the blame on NATO for influencing or coercing these ethnic Russians to oppose Putins plans. The only nation where Putin found some support was Belarus and there was not enough support to make it possible to peacefully absorb Belarus.
Partnership Renovates and Modernizes Rucker Communities On-Post Housing at Fort Rucker, Alabama

Walking Town Hall Supports Positive Housing Experience, Connects Residents to Leadership

FORT RUCKER, Ala.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- As part of its Rucker Communities military housing partnership with the U.S. Army, Corvias, has completed the renovations of 108 homes at Fort Rucker, Ala., home to the U.S. Army Aviation Center of Excellence with an on-post population of more than 24,000 people, including service members and family. In total, Corvias, a long-term solutions and management partner to the U.S. military, has completed upgrades to 1,350 homes as part of its multi-year, multi-installation to improve and reinvest in on-post communities.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220929005867/en/

Corvias and local U.S. Army command welcome the Wise family home to a newly renovated duplex in the Munson Heights neighborhood. Pictured left to right: CSM Christopher Doss, Garrison CSM; Melissa Bryson, Corvias Operations Director; Anonymous; COL Robert Holcombe, Garrison Commander; Tiffani Wise; Aiden Wise; SSG Jared Wise; MG Michael McCurry, Commanding General; Rodney (Rob) Smith, Corvias Facilities Director; Jessica Cunningham, Corvias Leasing & Resident Manager; and CSM James Wilson, Installation CSM (Photo: Business Wire)

We understand how to solve the challenges of aging and outdated infrastructure, and we are committed to improving military housing, said Peter Sims, Managing Director for Corvias. This recent completion of 108 homes in the Munson Heights neighborhood takes homes built in 1950s and modernizes them with quality materials and aesthetics for service members and families. At Fort Rucker and together with the U.S. Army, Corvias operates and maintains three community centers and more than 1,400 houses with 44 floor plan options ranging from two to four bedrooms.

Duplex homes that are part of the Munson Heights neighborhood received major renovations to reflect a more contemporary, open floor plan. Updates included front and back porches, dedicated laundry rooms, new flooring, roofing, windows, gables, driveways, landscaping, exterior siding, and more efficient air conditioning units.

We are working together with the Military Housing Office and our housing partner Corvias to ensure that homes and residents are cared for today and into the future, said Col. Robert J. Holcombe, Garrison Commander. These renovations exemplify our commitment and will help to further improve the quality of life of our residents.

The completion of this project at Fort Rucker is part of a larger scale initiative to advance energy savings within Corvias-U.S. Army communities that is estimated to yield $240M in future utility savings over 30 years across its installations and support the Department of Defenses energy resiliency goals.

Resident Engagement

As part of ensuring that service members and families residing in on-post housing are happy and have a way to provide direct feedback, Garrison Commander Col. Robert J. Holcombe conducted a walking town hall on Sept 26 through the Munson Heights neighborhood.

I think we have a great housing partner in Corvias  most people are very satisfied with their housing experience on Fort Rucker, said Major General Michael C. McCurry, U.S. Army Aviation Center of Excellence and Fort Rucker Commanding General, who led USAACE, garrison, Corvias and Lyster Army Health Clinic leaders through the neighborhood.

Current survey data gathered at completion of maintenance work orders reflects an 88% resident satisfaction score (4.39 out of 5) as of August 25, 2022. Areas for improvement include landscaping and building facades, which require periodic cleaning due to humidity and climate conditions. The demand for Fort Rucker on-post housing is consistently high with current rates above 99% and a wait list.

Corvias hosts a variety of special events for residents at Fort Rucker throughout the year. This fall, residents can enjoy events such as, Fall Carnival, Movie Night, Trivia Night, Holiday Craft, Meet & Greet with Mickey & Minnie and more. Residents should check the Resident Portal for additional details.

About Corvias

As a privately-owned company headquartered in Warwick, RI, Corvias partners with higher education and government institutions nationwide to solve their most essential systemic problems and create long-term, sustainable value through its unique approach to partnerships. Corvias pursues the kinds of partnerships that materially and sustainably improve the quality of life for the people who call its communities home, purposefully choosing to partner with organizations who share its values and whose mission is to serve as the foundational blocks, or pillars, of the nation. To learn more, please visit: www.corvias.com.

About Corvias and Military Housing

Corvias Management - Army, LLC and its higher education management affiliate apply their resident-first approach to provide housing operations, maintenance and service support for military and university communities to create safe, high-quality places to live, learn, work and interact. Together they manage 42,000 residential units, totaling approximately 50 million square feet of real estate across ten U.S. states and the District of Columbia, including at seven military installations and 15 universities.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220929005867/en/

Media Contact:

Mary Humphreys, Corvias

(401) 541-3375

[email protected]

Source: Corvias
The plant, in Carling Saint-Avold in Frances Moselle region, uses short supply chains to produce seven 100% biobased acids that offer customers in sectors such as food, flavors and fragrances or chemicals as an alternative to the petro-based acids usually used

A unique, low-carbon, zero-waste biorefinery strategically located in the heart of Europe for its international customers and suppliers

Production will ramp up to 16,000 metric tons of biobased carboxylic acids in 2024, saving 30,000 tons of CO2 emissions per year

A unique industrial accomplishment resulting from the association between AFYREN and Bpifrance, through its Societes de Projets Industriels (SPI) fund. The project has created 60 direct and 200 indirect jobs, and is playing a key role in the emergence of the bioeconomy sector

CLERMONT-FERRAND, France & LYON, France--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Regulatory News:

AFYREN (Paris: ALAFY), a greentech company that offers manufacturers bio-based, low-carbon ingredients produced using unique fermentation technology based on a completely circular model, is inaugurating its first large-scale plant, AFYREN NEOXY, in Carling Saint-Avold (Grand Est, Moselle, France) on the Chemesis industrial platform.

A factory that came online within its deadline and budget

After the start of construction in December 2020, major milestones included obtaining the operating permit, completion of civil engineering work, construction of the plant and the gradual industrial commissioning of its various units. All told, it only took 20 months for AFYREN NEOXY to open its doors, on September 29, 2022.

Perfectly operational and secure, the biorefinery has reached production start-up phase in the 2022 calendar year, as announced. AFYREN plans to gradually increase volumes to produce 16,000 metric tons of carboxylic acids within two years, a world first. At this stage, 70% of AFYREN NEOXY's target production of organic acids has already been pre-sold.

Nicolas SORDET, CEO of AFYREN: The inauguration of this first industrial unit on time and on budget, despite the health crisis, is a tribute to all the efforts made to keep to the schedule we had set for ourselves. On behalf of AFYREN, I would also like to thank all our partners who have supported our project and enabled us to meet our objectives for growth.

A strategic location

Thanks to its location in the center of the European beet-producing basin, AFYREN NEOXY has been able to commit to respecting short supply chains through a contract that provides for the delivery of co-products from sugar-beet crops located within a maximum radius of a few hundred kilometers from the factory.

As it is close to its main customers in Northern and Eastern France, the Benelux countries and Germany, the plant can offer secure, low-carbon delivery to its partners.

Jean Saint Donat, President of AFYREN NEOXY: "This inauguration is the concrete expression of AFYREN's ambition: to decarbonize chemical production on a large scale while maintaining a local approach. Our location in the Grand Est region allows us to ideally reconcile our regional presence with international scope."

A proprietary technology platform based on natural microorganisms

Based on natural micro-organisms and protected worldwide by ten patent families, our AFYNERIE technology produces seven 100% biobased organic acids. These acids have several applications in six key sectors: human food, animal feed, flavors and fragrances, lubricants, materials science and life sciences.

The carboxylic acids produced by AFYREN offer a low-carbon alternative to their traditionally petro-based equivalents. They are directly derived from sugar beet co-products and are transformed on the Saint-Avold platform through fermentation, extraction and purification steps.

This biomimetic process also produces a fertilizer that can be used in organic agriculture, optimizing resources in a completely circular approach. By producing biobased acids that have the same application performance as petro-based acids, and that meet stringent certifications, AFYREN offers a sustainable alternative to its partners, allowing them to achieve a significantly improved carbon footprint.

A biorefinery grounded in the environmental, economic and societal challenges of the territories where it operates

AFYREN has raised a total of more than 80 million euros in funding from public and private sources to complete this industrial project:

To take its technology into the industrial phase, AFYREN chose to partner with Bpifrance, through its Societe de Projets Industriels (SPI) fund. AFYREN NEOXY is a joint venture, 51% owned by AFYREN and 49% by the "Societe de Projets Industriels" (SPI) fund managed by Bpifrance.

"We are convinced of the potential of AFYREN's technology in terms of the decarbonization of industry and its ability to promote a strong, competitive and job-creating bioeconomy. This alliance through AFYREN NEOXY is a perfect illustration of our purpose: to enable the most promising industrial projects to find support for their development," said Magali Joessel, Director of the SPI fund at Bpifrance.

The company has also benefited from strong support from the European Union and the Bio-based Industries Joint Undertaking (BBI JU)1, which initiated the creation of the AFTER-BIOCHEM international partnership platform, which brings together 12 key bioeconomy players.

As part of the conversion of the Carling Saint-Avold platform, Total Energies not only provided financial support but also offered operational assistance, supporting AFYREN NEOXY as it navigated issues related to the environment, utilities, services and methods, facilitating the industrial hosting of the plant on the platform.

In addition, the construction of the production site benefited from significant support of the Grand Est Region and the Communaute d'Agglomeration de St-Avold Synergie (CASAS), both very involved in the development of the bioeconomy sector.

AFYREN also relied on financing from the France Reliance recovery plan to set up its Saint-Avold site and to do some of the advance work for the AFYREN NEOXY plant.

AFYREN NEOXY was also able to count on the support of its long-standing partners in the structuring of its bank financing: BNP, Banque Populaire, Credit Agricole and Bpifrance.

A meaningful industrial project that creates jobs

The commissioning of the site involved the recruitment of 60 people, covering the whole range of industrial professions (production, maintenance, quality control, security, and administration).

AFYREN NEOXY set up a partnership with Pole-emploi and the IUT of Saint Avold to recruit its factory operators, selecting a wide variety of candidate profiles according to their capacities and skills, and training them in the trades required. With the recruitment of this diverse and competent team, AFYREN seeks to strengthen its CSR governance model, grounded in benevolence and the involvement of its employees within a meaningful project.

While solidly anchored in its region, the company is contributing to the development of the bioeconomy sector in France and Europe, serving a growing global demand and creating industrial jobs that cannot be outsourced.

"On the strength of this first success, we are already studying two scenarios for the establishment of a second plant in North America or Asia. We are obviously evaluating the structuring of the financing, but we are also carefully studying the environmental components so that this second plant will also benefit from access to local biomass and short supply chains," said Nicolas Sordet, CEO and co-founder of AFYREN. "This first inauguration is therefore only the beginning of a major collective undertaking: building a global and circular low-carbon industry by providing biobased solutions built for and with our environment."

About AFYREN

Founded in 2012 to meet the growing need of industries to reduce the use of petroleum derivatives in their production chain, AFYREN produces biomolecules derived from the reuse of non-food biomass. These ingredients are widely used in human and animal nutrition, flavors and fragrances, cosmetics, and fine chemicals. This production process replicates the exact properties of equivalent petro-sourced molecules, largely used in the human and animal nutrition, cosmetics, flavors and fragrances and fine chemicals sectors.

By offering natural alternatives to these strategic markets, AFYREN is engaged in a low-carbon economy and proposes a truly circular approach with the use of local biomass and the choice of a strategic location, as close as possible to its customers.

Resulting from 10 years of research, AFYREN's disruptive innovation won the 2030 Global Innovation Contest in the "Plant proteins and plant chemistry" category and was selected in the French Tech 120 in 2020 and 2021.

In 2018, AFYREN committed to its industrial project by creating the AFYREN NEOXY joint venture with Bpifrances SPI fund. AFYREN NEOXY is dedicated to the first industrial production of AFYREN natural organic acids in the Grand Est region.

In 2022, the AFYREN NEOXY factory opened its doors. AFYREN and AFYREN NEOXY now employ nearly 100 people at their sites in Lyon, Clermont-Ferrand and Carling Saint-Avold.

In 2021, AFYREN listed on Euronext Growth exchange in Paris with the objective of accelerating its industrial development (Afyren's ISIN: FR0014005AC9, ticker: ALAFY).

For more information: AFYREN.com

About Bpifrance and the SPI fund, Societe de Projets Industriels

Bpifrance finances companies - at every stage of their development - with credit, guarantees and equity capital. Bpifrance supports them in their innovation and international projects. Bpifrance also insures their export activity through a wide range of products. Consulting, universities, networking and accelarators for startups, SMEs and ETIs are also part of the offering to entrepreneurs. Thanks to Bpifrance and its 50 regional offices, entrepreneurs benefit from a close, single and efficient contact to help them face their challenges.

The SPI 1 fund, managed by Bpifrance on behalf of the French government within the framework of France 2030 and the European Investment Bank (EIB), is designed to support the development of industrial projects that offer the greatest potential for activity and employment in industrial sectors. It acts as a prudent equity investor in companies with industrialization projects selected on the basis of their growth potential, current industry positioning and their contribution to the ecological and energy transition. It is thus one of the financial levers of the New Industrial France.

More information on: www.bpifrance.fr - https://presse.bpifrance.fr/ - Follow us on Twitter : @Bpifrance - @BpifrancePresse - Find the SPI fund on LinkedIn: SPI Fund - Industrial project companies

1 The Bio-based Industries Joint Undertaking was a public-private partnership between the EU and the Bio-based Industries Consortium between 2014 and 2021. The new partnership Circular Bio-based Europe Joint Undertaking (CBE JU) took over the activities of BBI JU in November 2021.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220928005741/en/

AFYREN

Caroline Petigny

Sustainability, Communication and Public Affairs Director

[email protected]

NewCap

Investor Relations

Theo Martin / Mathilde Bohin

Tel : 01 44 71 94 94

[email protected]

Bogert-Magnier Communications

International Media relations

James Connell

Tel: +33 6 2152 1755

[email protected]

NewCap

French Media Relations

Nicolas Merigeau / Gaelle Fromaigeat

Tel : 01 44 71 94 98

[email protected]

Source: AFYREN
Simcere will receive a $15 million upfront payment and up to US$492 million in development and commercial milestone payments considering successful achievements in several indications, with an important part as sales milestones, as well as up to low double-digit tiered royalties based upon future global sales

Under the agreement, Almirall will be granted an exclusive right to develop and commercialise SIM0278 for all indications outside of the Greater China region

SIM0278 is an interleukin 2 mutant fusion protein (IL-2 mu-Fc) that activates T regulatory cells. As an IND ready subcutaneous injection, it can be developed to potentially treat various autoimmune diseases

NANJING, China & BARCELONA, Spain--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Almirall S.A. (BME: ALM), a global biopharmaceutical company focused on skin health, and Simcere Pharmaceutical Group2096.HK), an innovation and R&D-driven pharmaceutical company; today announced that they have entered into an exclusive licensing agreement for Simceres IL-2 mutant fusion protein (IL-2 mu-Fc) autoimmune drug candidate, SIM0278.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220929005090/en/

Under the agreement, Almirall will be granted an exclusive right to develop and commercialise SIM0278 for all indications outside of the Greater China region (Mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan). Simcere will retain all rights to develop and commercialise SIM0278 within Greater China.

Within the terms of the agreement, Simcere will receive a $15 million upfront payment and up to US$492 million in development and commercial milestone payments considering successful achievements in several indications, with an important part as sales milestones, as well as up to low double-digit tiered royalties based upon future global sales.

"We are very excited to have reached a collaborative agreement with Almirall for the development of SIM0278. This innovative IL-2 mutein is one important molecule of our immune-rebalancing strategy for autoimmune diseases, said Renhong Tang, Ph.D., Co-CEO of Simcere. SIM0278 is one of the key molecules developed based on Simcere's in-house protein engineering platform. This partnership also marks a milestone for Simceres globalisation effort. We look forward to closely working with Almirall to demonstrate the clinical value of SIM0278.

"At Almirall, we always look for new opportunities to strengthen our R&D pipeline. That is why we are very pleased to close this new development and commercialisation agreement with Simcere," stated Karl Ziegelbauer, Ph.D., Almiralls Chief Scientific Officer. "SIM0278 has great potential to treat a broad spectrum of immunological diseases, and we expect that its development will allow us to reinforce our biologic pipeline and our leading position in Medical Dermatology.

About SIM0278

SIM0278 is an interleukin 2 mutant fusion protein (IL-2 mu-Fc) that activates regulatory T cells developed in-house by utilizing Simceres protein engineering platform. This IND ready subcutaneous injection will potentially be developed to treat various autoimmune diseases. SIM0278 exhibits improved PK profile and selective activation of Treg cells with no activation of effector T cells or NK cells to restore immune balance which has been demonstrated in multiple preclinical disease models.

About Simcere

Simcere Pharmaceutical Group Limited (2096.HK) is an innovation and R&D-driven pharmaceutical company. The company focuses on three therapeutic areas, oncology, central nervous system and autoimmune diseases, with a forward-looking vision toward disease areas that may have significant clinical needs in the futureaiming to achieve the mission of providing todays patients with medicines of the future. Leveraging its R&D capability and commercialisation excellence, Simcere has built a market-leading product portfolio in China. Its vigorous in-house R&D efforts and extensive R&D collaborations have made it a strategic cooperation partner with world-leading innovative companies and research institutes. www.simcere.com

About Almirall

Almirall is a global biopharmaceutical company focused on skin health. We collaborate with scientists and healthcare professionals to address patients needs through science to improve their lives. Our Noble Purpose is at the core of our work: Transform the patients' world by helping them realize their hopes and dreams for a healthy life. We invest in differentiated and ground-breaking medical dermatology products to bring our innovative solutions to patients in need.

The company, founded in 1943 and headquartered in Barcelona, is publicly traded on the Spanish Stock Exchange (ticker: ALM). Throughout its 79-year history, Almirall has retained a strong focus on the needs of patients. Currently, Almirall has a direct presence in 21 countries and strategic agreements in over 70, with about 1,800 employees. Total revenues in 2021 were 836.5 million euros.

For more information, please visit almirall.com

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220929005090/en/

PR: [email protected]

Mar Ramirez

[email protected]

Source: Almirall
STAMFORD, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Altus Power, Inc. (Altus Power) (NYSE: AMPS), the premier independent developer, owner and operator of commercial-scale solar facilities, today announced the pricing of a secondary underwritten public offering of its Class A common stock by a selling stockholder affiliated with Blackstone (Blackstone). The offering consists of 7,000,000 shares being sold by Blackstone at a public offering price of $11.50 per share, which represents $80.5 million of Class A common stock, before underwriting discounts and commissions. In connection with the offering, Blackstone granted the underwriters a 30-day option to purchase up to 1,050,000 additional shares of Class A common stock on the same terms and conditions at the public offering price, less underwriting discounts and commissions. The offering is expected to close on or about October 3, 2022, subject to customary closing conditions. All of the shares in the offering are to be sold by Blackstone. Altus Power will not receive any proceeds from the sale of shares of its Class A common stock by Blackstone.

J.P. Morgan, Citigroup and Evercore ISI are acting as joint book-running managers for the offering.

The shares of Class A common stock are being offered pursuant to an effective registration statement on Form S-1 that Altus Power previously filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the SEC) on January 10, 2022 and which was declared effective on January 21, 2022. The offering will be made only by means of the written prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectuses that form a part of the registration statement. An electronic preliminary prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectuses relating to the offering has been filed with the SEC and is available on the SECs website at www.sec.gov. Copies of the preliminary prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectuses relating to the offering may also be obtained from J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, c/o Broadridge Financial Solutions, 1155 Long Island Avenue, Edgewood, NY 11717, by telephone at +1 (866) 803-9204 or by email at [email protected]; Citigroup, c/o Broadridge Financial Solutions, 1155 Long Island Avenue, Edgewood, NY 11717 (Tel: 800-831-9146); or Evercore Group L.L.C., Attention: Equity Capital Markets, 55 East 52nd Street, 35th Floor, New York, NY 10055, by telephone at 888-474-0200 or by email at [email protected].

This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of offers to buy any securities of Altus Power being offered, and shall not constitute an offer, solicitation or sale of any security in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction.

About Altus Power

Altus Power, based in Stamford, Connecticut, is the premier commercial-scale clean electrification company, serving commercial, industrial, public sector and community solar customers with an end-to-end solution. Altus Power originates, develops, owns and operates locally sited solar generation, energy storage, and EV charging infrastructure across the nation.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements may be identified by the use of words such as intends, will, expect, believe or variations of such words or similar terminology that predict or indicate future events or trends or that are not statements of historical matters. These statements are based on Altus Powers managements current expectations and beliefs, as well as a number of assumptions concerning future events.

Such forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other important factors, many of which are outside Altus Powers control, that could cause actual results to differ materially from the results discussed in the forward-looking statements including the completion of the public offering on the anticipated terms or at all.

Additional factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in forward-looking statements can be found under the heading Risk Factors in Altus Powers Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 24, 2022, as well as the other information we file with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

This press release is not intended to be all-inclusive or to contain all the information that a person may desire in considering an investment in Altus Power and is not intended to form the basis of an investment decision in Altus Power. All subsequent written and oral forward-looking statements concerning Altus Power or other matters and attributable to Altus Power or any person acting on its behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements above.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220928006129/en/

Altus Power:

For Media:

Cory Ziskind

ICR, Inc.

[email protected]

For Investors:

Chris Shelton, Head of IR

Caldwell Bailey, ICR, Inc.

[email protected]

Source: Altus Power, Inc.
AMSTERDAM--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- AM Best has affirmed the Financial Strength Rating of A (Excellent) and the Long-Term Issuer Credit Rating of a (Excellent) of the European Mutual Association for Nuclear Insurance (Emani) (Belgium). The outlook of these Credit Ratings (ratings) is stable.

The ratings reflect Emanis balance sheet strength, which AM Best assesses as very strong, as well as its strong operating performance, neutral business profile and appropriate enterprise risk management.

Emanis balance sheet strength is underpinned by risk-adjusted capitalisation at the strongest level, as measured by Bests Capital Adequacy Ratio (BCAR), taking into account the mutuals financial flexibility supported by its ability to make a supplementary capital call on its members. In the unlikely event of a full limit loss, there would be a material depletion of capital due to the large net line size offered by Emani to its members relative to its capital base. However, AM Best believes that the mutuals contractual right to call retrospective premium for six times each members annualised premium contribution will enable it to rebuild its capital base quickly. AM Best considers the mutuals dependence on reinsurance to offer a large gross line size an offsetting factor in the assessment.

Emani has a track record of strong technical performance, demonstrated by a loss ratio averaging 24.1% during the five-year period ending in 2021. AM Best expects Emanis prospective performance to be in line with historic norms, albeit subject to volatility, consistent with a claims profile that is dominated by an infrequent number of low to mid-sized losses.

Emani has an established position in the nuclear energy sector, writing property and terror cover for nuclear facilities. The mutual provides capacity to over a third of nuclear operators globally, giving the mutual a leading role in its market. Emanis position benefits from favourable market conditions, with demand for nuclear coverage expected to remain strong through the medium term. The mutuals narrow focus and the high-risk nature of the business written are considered offsetting factors in the assessment.

This press release relates to Credit Ratings that have been published on AM Bests website. For all rating information relating to the release and pertinent disclosures, including details of the office responsible for issuing each of the individual ratings referenced in this release, please see AM Bests Recent Rating Activity web page. For additional information regarding the use and limitations of Credit Rating opinions, please view Guide to Bests Credit Ratings. For information on the proper use of Bests Credit Ratings, Bests Performance Assessments, Bests Preliminary Credit Assessments and AM Best press releases, please view Guide to Proper Use of Bests Ratings & Assessments.

AM Best is a global credit rating agency, news publisher and data analytics provider specialising in the insurance industry. Headquartered in the United States, the company does business in over 100 countries with regional offices in London, Amsterdam, Dubai, Hong Kong, Singapore and Mexico City. For more information, visit www.ambest.com.

Copyright  2022 by A.M. Best Rating Services, Inc. and/or its affiliates. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220929005694/en/

Giannina Carbajal Ortiz

Financial Analyst

+31 30 308 5428

[email protected]

Christopher Sharkey

Manager, Public Relations

+1 908 439 2200, ext. 5159

[email protected]

Pierre Tournier, FSA, CFA, CERA

Associate Director

+31 20 308 5423

[email protected]

Al Slavin

Communications Specialist

+1 908 439 2200, ext. 5098

[email protected]

Source: AM Best
Housing Education Nonprofit Awarded Partnership Grant Program Funds

JACKSON, Miss.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Housing Education and Economic Development (HEED) received $36,500 in Partnership Grant Program (PGP) funds from the Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas (FHLB Dallas), BankPlus, Cadence Bank, Community Bank of Mississippi, Origin Bank and Trustmark National Bank. Several of the banks joined FHLB Dallas this week to award the grants during a ceremonial check presentation.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220929005941/en/

Housing Education and Economic Development (HEED) received $36,500 in Partnership Grant Program funds from BankPlus, Cadence Bank, Community Bank of Mississippi, Origin Bank, Trustmark National Bank and FHLB Dallas. (Photo: Business Wire)

The following FHLB Dallas members provided funding, which includes a 3:1 match from FHLB Dallas:

BankPlus: $4,380

Cadence Bank: $7,300

Community Bank of Mississippi: $7,300

Origin Bank: $7,300

Trustmark National Bank: $10,220

FHLB Dallas provides 3:1 matches of member contributions to provide matching funds up to $12,000 per member to help promote and strengthen relationships between community-based organizations and FHLB Dallas members. The PGP also compliments the development activities fostered by FHLB Dallas Affordable Housing and Community Investment programs.

HEED offers counseling assistance for foreclosure prevention, predatory lending, landlord/tenant relations, reverse mortgages and more. In addition, the organization keeps the public aware of current Fair Housing and Fair Lending laws and specifically ensures that female heads of households, families with children and people with disabilities can identify an illegal act of discrimination. HEED is a statewide nonprofit counseling agency certified by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

With the help of our community banking partners, we are able to continue providing educational housing resources that benefit citizens in the greater Jackson area, said Charles Harris, executive director of HEED. I recognize the role these institutions play in our community and its humbling that they would choose to support our organization.

In 2022, FHLB Dallas awarded $400,000 in PGP funds, and its members provided an additional $158,895 in funding for an impact of nearly $559,000 to 38 community organizations in its five-state District of Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico and Texas.

These FHLB members are trusted partners in their respective communities and their reputations speak volumes, said Greg Hettrick, first vice president and director of Community Investment at FHLB Dallas. Were happy to support their partnership with this organization that is changing lives.

See the complete list of the 2022 PGP grant recipients. For more information about the 2022 PGP grants and other FHLB Dallas community investment products and programs, please visit fhlb.com/pgp.

About the Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas

The Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas is one of 11 district banks in the FHLBank System created by Congress in 1932. FHLB Dallas, with total assets of $77.7 billion as of June 30, 2022, serves approximately 800 members and associated institutions across our five-state District of Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico and Texas. FHLB Dallas provides financial products and services including advances (loans to members) and grant programs for affordable housing and economic development. For more information, visit our website at fhlb.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220929005941/en/

Corporate Communications

Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas

fhlb.com

(214) 441-8445

Source: Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas
NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Brightwood Capital Advisors ("Brightwood"), a leading private credit and impact firm, announced the appointment of Kristan OConnor as Managing Director in the firms Portfolio Management & Risk group.

Ms. OConnor brings over 30 years of experience across credit administration, portfolio management, underwriting, and loan workouts to the team. Prior to joining Brightwood, she served as Senior Vice President and Credit Risk Executive of Special Assets and Venture Lending at Bank Leumi. She also previously held the positions of Chief Financial Officer at EduLab Capital Partners, Senior Credit Manager at Hercules Capital, Inc. and Senior Advisor of Advisory Services for the East Coast US, UK, and Israel at Silicon Valley Bank.

"We are thrilled to welcome Kristan to the team," said Sengal Selassie, Managing Partner and Chief Executive Officer of Brightwood. "As the ongoing market dislocation continues to present promising investment opportunities, its vital that we continue to build our leadership team with diverse perspectives and highly experienced credit professionals that are capable of navigating the current market environment. Kristans deep leadership experience and proven track record will be invaluable to Brightwood as we continue to enhance our risk management framework and expand our investing capabilities.

This news comes on the heels of Brightwood expanding its Risk and Underwriting groups this past April with the appointment of Frederick Jelks and Chris Halajian. In addition to expanding the senior leadership team, Brightwood has built the Portfolio Management & Risk team to nine people through other additions this year. These team members will be instrumental in enhancing the coverage model and ensuring prudent monitoring of the portfolio as Brightwood positions to successfully navigate the current economic environment.

About Brightwood Capital

Brightwood Capital Advisors, LLC is a leading private credit firm with a long-standing track record of investing in middle market businesses. Brightwood specializes in providing senior debt capital primarily to U.S. businesses with $5-$75 million of EBITDA within five core industries: technology & telecommunications, healthcare, business services, transportation & logistics and franchising. Through deep relationships with non-sponsored businesses as well as private equity sponsored partnerships, Brightwood offers customized financing solutions for directly originated investments. After intensive credit-focused due diligence including fulsome environmental, social, and governance (ESG) screening, Brightwood takes a hand-on, solutions-oriented approach to fostering the growth of its portfolio companies and supporting the long-term health of these businesses.

Brightwood offers a variety of financial products to meet the needs of investors including private commingled funds, separately managed accounts, CLOs and a BDC platform. In addition to its traditional private debt funds, Brightwood manages Small Business Investment Company (SBIC) funds. Notably, Brightwood is also a signatory to United Nations, Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI) and Institutional Limited Partners Associations (ILPA) Diversity in Action.

As a 100% minority-owned firm founded in 2010, Brightwood fosters an inclusive culture to create advancement opportunities for talented people of all backgrounds. Brightwood's team of over 50 employees manage more than $4 billion of assets on behalf of its primarily institutional investor base.

Brightwood is headquartered in New York City. For more information, please visit: https://brightwoodlp.com/.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220929005319/en/

Media Contact

Ben Howard

[email protected]

(914) 552-4281

Investor Contact

Kristina Matthews

[email protected]

(646) 368 - 8330

Source: Brightwood Capital Advisors
RESTON, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- CACI International Inc (NYSE: CACI) announced today it has been awarded a $174 million contract to provide the U.S. Navy Military Sealift Command (MSC) with mission expertise and innovative solutions for enhancing naval ship machinery, systems, equipment, and structural performance while reducing costs.

MSC is responsible for operating and maintaining ships for the Armed Forces and other agencies. Under this task order, CACI will conduct research, analysis, and development to optimize MSCs machinery and structural maintenance program with the goal of reducing ownership costs and technical risks while improving fleet safety, reliability, availability, and readiness.

John Mengucci, CACI President and Chief Executive Officer, said, Joint warfighters rely on MSC to deliver agile logistics, strategic sealift, and specialized missions anywhere in the world and at any time. CACIs support will help ensure readiness and mission effectiveness.

CACI was awarded this contract under the Department of Defense Information Analysis Centers (DoD IAC) multiple-award contract (MAC) vehicle. 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.

CACI will provide MSC support to new Reliability, Availability, Maintainability, and Safety (RAMS), quality, and life extension engineering Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation (RDT&E); life cycle engineering RDT&E; quality assurance planning and analysis; and Condition-Based Maintenance (CBM) research and analysis.

Work will primarily be performed in the Washington, D.C., and Norfolk, Virginia areas, with worldwide deployments to shipyards during MSC ship availabilities.

ABOUT DoD IAC PROGRAM

The DoD IAC, sponsored by the Defense Technical Information Center, provides technical data management and research support for DoD and federal government users. Established in 1946, the IAC program serves the DoD science & technology (S&T) and acquisition communities to drive innovation and technological developments by enhancing collaboration through integrated scientific and technical information development and dissemination for the DoD and broader S&T community.

ABOUT CACI

CACIs approximately 22,000 talented employees are vigilant in providing the unique expertise and distinctive technology that address our customers greatest enterprise and mission challenges. Our culture of good character, innovation, and excellence drives our success and earns us recognition as a Fortune World's Most Admired Company. As a member of the Fortune 1000 Largest Companies, the Russell 1000 Index, and the S&P MidCap 400 Index, we consistently deliver strong shareholder value. Visit us at www.caci.com.

Disclaimer. This material is based upon work supported by the DoD Information Analysis Center Program (DoD IAC), sponsored by the Defense Technical Information Center (DTIC) under Contract No. FA807522D0054.

Approved for Public Release, Distribution Unlimited. Any opinions, findings and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the DoD.

There are statements made herein which do not address historical facts, and therefore could be interpreted to be forward-looking statements as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements are subject to factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from anticipated results. The factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated include, but are not limited to, the risk factors set forth in CACIs Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2020, and other such filings that CACI makes with the Securities and Exchange Commission from time to time. Any forward-looking statements should not be unduly relied upon and only speak as of the date hereof.

CACI-Contract Award

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220929005143/en/

Corporate Communications and Media:

Lorraine Corcoran

Executive Vice President, Corporate Communications

(703) 434-4165, [email protected]

Investor Relations:

Daniel Leckburg

Senior Vice President, Investor Relations

(703) 841-7666, [email protected]

Source: CACI International Inc
North America Labor Market in Turmoil: Lack of Data Exacerbated by Complexity, Scale, and Physical Distribution of Workforce to Blame

VANCOUVER, British Columbia--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- In a brief video explainer and commentary, Ian Cook, managing director of People Intelligence Alliance, an advocacy for data-driven organizations, introduces business leaders to the People Impact Gap in corporate America, why its important to solving their workforce challenges, and recommended actions to be taken today.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220929005285/en/

The labor market is at the heart of North Americas current economic turmoil. Layoffs in the high-tech sector have become commonplace, and at the same time, wages continue to grow and the unemployment rate continues to decline. This is new territory for every executive team. A recent article by The Economist highlights how a rebalancing of the labor market is central to reclaiming a degree of economic stability.

This all speaks to the need for CEOs to understand their people and how they contribute to business results  at the same level of depth as they understand their financial position. And yet, according to research by Deloitte, only 3% of business leaders believe they have access to the people data they need. This is what the People Intelligence Alliance has identified as the People Impact Gap.

This is the gap that exists between all of the people data that is held within an organization and the ability for managers to use that information to make effective business decisions. The quantity of people data available is enormous, and yet the application of this data to the CEOs most urgent problems only happens in the most advanced organizations. In order for an organization to thrive in the 2020s, this needs to change, emphasized Cook.

The People Intelligence Alliance recommends CEOs take action by:

Educating themselves on the actions and results of the organizations that are closing the People Impact Gap.



Work with their people leaders to identify the critical business risks or opportunities that can be mitigated or enhanced through the application of people data.



Set expectations and approve investments required to close the People Impact Gap.

The returns from these actions can be substantial. According to research published by Harvard Business Review, employees with more experience working within your business can produce as much as 50% more revenue per hour worked.

Intuitively, most CEOs understand the performance gains that come from their best teams. What has changed is the availability of the data, knowledge and technology to put this type of insight to work inside an organization on a daily basis.

When you can move from knowing to doing and be confident that the work will improve performance, it is time to take action. The last 25 years have been all about understanding the customer. The next 25 years will be about understanding the employee, explained Cook.

About Ian Cook

Ian Cook has spent his 20+ year career building business success through people. He started and scaled three companies and a not-for-profit as well as consulted to a host of Fortune 100 companies. What distinguishes Cook and makes him sought-after as a speaker, adviser and executive leader is his ability to link the human side of business to the core drivers of operations and finance. His expertise is accessed daily by thousands of executives who are working to build business success through their people. Cooks commentary has been featured in the Harvard Business Review, Economist, Business Insider, CNBC and more. Cook currently serves as the managing director of the People Intelligence Alliance and the vice president of research and strategy at Visier. He holds an M.A. from Edinburgh University (UK) and an MBA from Lancaster University (UK).

About People Intelligence Alliance

People Intelligence Alliance is an advocacy of data-driven organizations addressing the People Impact Gap in corporate America. This gap is caused by the lack of data, which is only exacerbated by complexity, scale and the physical distribution of teams. People Intelligence Alliance members study this data to inform business leaders how to seize the opportunity presented by their people data. Their results speak to costs saved, revenue gained, and a more people-centric approach to business. Learn more at www.peopleintelligence.org.

All brand names and product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies.

Tags: People Intelligence Alliance, People Impact Gap, Ian Cook, people data, future of work, people-centric, workforce challenges, human resources, HR, HR technology, talent intelligence, Visier

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220929005285/en/

Dottie ORourke

TECHMarket Communications

(650) 344-1260

[email protected]

Source: People Intelligence Alliance
Next-generation OSS solution from HPE provides a single orchestration platform enabling services from traditional mobile and fixed line connectivity to 5G slice management and Edge orchestration

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Hewlett Packard Enterprise (NYSE: HPE) today announced that du, from Emirates Integrated Telecommunications Company (EITC), is deploying HPEs end-to-end service orchestration software to accelerate their digital transformation and drive new revenue streams from their growing 5G network.

du is migrating from a legacy system to a next-generation Operations Support System (OSS) to support new services and enhance its customers experience. This digital transformation, powered by HPE, will enable du to expand its offerings, improve time to market, and monetize its 5G investment. As a leader in OSS service fulfillment and orchestration, HPE brings proven domain expertise and openness to dus new OSS stack and delivers a broad range of the orchestration use cases now required by the market. dus strategic Data Factory is the key enabler of its next-generation OSS with advanced analytics capabilities. Now with the simple integration into this existing single data layer and dus transformation program Business Support System (BSS), dus new orchestration stack is future-proofed by HPEs open standards-based approach and is ready for all 5G network functions (NFs) that du chooses in the coming years.

The right OSS solution is a competitive advantage for us to provide our customers with the seamless digital lifestyle experience they deserve, said Peter Larnholt, Chief Information Officer at du. HPE will deliver a huge leap in our technology capabilities in a very short space of time, giving us a stable and secure architecture that will support our leadership position in 5G. Our new technology estate will cement our reputation as one of the regions most advanced telcos offering some of the most advanced Edge orchestration and 5G services in the market.

HPE OSS and orchestration software has been developed to reduce the risk of deploying 5G networks and help operators like du maximise their return on investment, said Ahmad AlKhallafi, managing director, UAE, Hewlett Packard Enterprise. Were pleased to be supporting du with their next-generation OSS system that will help them seize the opportunity presented by 5G and network slicing and embrace open, cloud-native principles, as well as transforming their fixed line and business services.

dus new end-to-end orchestration solution is based on HPEs leading orchestration stack, including HPE Service Order Manager and HPE Service Director. Both products provide du with agility, elasticity and time to market advantage while supporting next generation services. The new stack provides a single orchestration platform enabling traditional fixed voice services, mobile services, SD-WAN services, physical and virtual NF management, Mobile Edge and 5G slice management. The new platform will support the end-to-end needs of du for order management, service provisioning and activation.

Discover more on HPEs Telco Automation solutions at https://www.hpe.com/telco/automate

About Hewlett Packard Enterprise

Hewlett Packard Enterprise (NYSE: HPE) is the global edge-to-cloud company that helps organizations accelerate outcomes by unlocking value from all of their data, everywhere. Built on decades of reimagining the future and innovating to advance the way people live and work, HPE delivers unique, open and intelligent technology solutions as a service. With offerings spanning Cloud Services, Compute, High Performance Computing & AI, Intelligent Edge, Software, and Storage, HPE provides a consistent experience across all clouds and edges, helping customers develop new business models, engage in new ways, and increase operational performance. For more information, visit: www.hpe.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220929005077/en/

Alastair McCormick

[email protected]

Source: Hewlett Packard Enterprise
Largest small business association in Bostons North Shore helps Latino business owners and entrepreneurs grow

BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Eastern Bank Foundation is pleased to announce the North Shore Latino Business Association (NSLBA) as a 2022 Community Advocacy Award honoree for its dedicated work with Latino business owners and entrepreneurs. This recognition is happening as part of this years Hispanic Heritage Month celebration.

We believe that empowering, educating and representing Latino-owned businesses is key for a local, thriving Latino-American business community, said Frances Martinez, President, Founder and CEO of North Shore Latino Business Association. Our work offers solutions to meet the diverse needs of business owners, from education and networking to facilitating access to capital and serving as the voice of Latino business interests.

The NSLBA collaborates with entrepreneurs, empowers socially and economically diverse businesses and business owners, and provides a range of support services, including one-on-one discussions of business challenges, seminars, financial and accounting resources, technical assistance, workshops, networking opportunities, advocacy before state and local elected officials, and more.

The North Shore Latino Business Association is dedicated to meeting the needs of the Latino business community through accessible, grassroots services and solutions, said Nancy Huntington Stager, President and CEO of the Eastern Bank Foundation. Its comprehensive model of support is an invaluable resource for helping Latino entrepreneurs and business owners grow their ideas and enterprises.

The celebration of Easterns Community Advocacy Award coincides with the Eastern Bank Foundations commitment to economic inclusion and mobility through its philanthropy, volunteerism and advocacy, including to advance equity in the small business ecosystem. Recognizing that entrepreneurs and business owners are building blocks for the local economy, the Foundation seeks to fund organizations that build ecosystems of support for business owners in historically disadvantaged communities, including Black, Latinx, Asian, women, LGBTQ+, Veterans and People with disabilities.

Read more about all of the 2022 Community Advocacy Award honorees at: https://www.easternbank.com/communityadvocacyawards

About Eastern Bank Foundation

Created in 1994, the Eastern Bank Foundation is the philanthropic arm of Boston-based Eastern Bank. Through philanthropy, employee volunteerism, advocacy and collaborations with other businesses and community partners, Eastern Bank Foundation responds to community needs and supports sustainable solutions to our communities most vexing challenges across eastern Massachusetts, southern and coastal New Hampshire, and Rhode Island. To learn more, visit easternbank.com/foundation.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220929005859/en/

Media:

Andrea Goodman

Eastern Bank Foundation

[email protected]

781-598-7847

Source: Eastern Bank
Enterprise Connect Orlando Takes Place March 27-30, 2023 in Orlando, FL

SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Enterprise Connect, the leading conference and exhibition for enterprise communications and collaboration, brought corporate IT decision makers together with solution providers through a one-day digital conference, Facing the Tough Issues on Hybrid Work: How Communications Technology Will Support New Ways of Working, on September 28. The digital conference offered a preview of topics to be showcased at Enterprise Connect Orlando 2023.

For more than 30 years, Enterprise Connect has brought corporate IT decision makers together with industry vendors, analysts, consultants, and channel partners to focus on the issues central to enterprise communications.

With significant shifts in the workplace dynamic, enterprise IT leaders are searching for insights. innovative technology options, and clear roadmaps to help them navigate through the multi-faceted challenges they will face, said Eric Krapf, General Manager, Enterprise Connect. Our digital event provided an exclusive opportunity to learn how to deliver collaboration technology that enhances employee and customer experience. We look forward to continuing the conversations on these vital industry topics at our event in Orlando next year.

Key takeaways from the digital event include:

Enterprise office-based workers must be protected at all times by emergency services that can deliver accurate location information to public service agencies . In the session Making E911 Work for Hybrid Work, Irwin Lazar, President and Principal Analyst, Metrigy provided the latest updates to help IT professionals understand how emergency readiness can keep up with an ever-changing hybrid work environment.

. In the session Making E911 Work for Hybrid Work, Irwin Lazar, President and Principal Analyst, Metrigy provided the latest updates to help IT professionals understand how emergency readiness can keep up with an ever-changing hybrid work environment. Vendors are making headway on one of the biggest challenges to effective hybrid work -- lack of interoperability among collaboration vendors room-based video systems. In the session Meeting Room Interoperability Update, Jim Kelly, Senior Analyst/Consultant, Recon Research offered his assessment of the current state of meeting room interoperability, how much progress has been made and how the current situation should inform your decision-making about hybrid work deployments going forward.

In the session Meeting Room Interoperability Update, Jim Kelly, Senior Analyst/Consultant, Recon Research offered his assessment of the current state of meeting room interoperability, how much progress has been made and how the current situation should inform your decision-making about hybrid work deployments going forward. Contact Center as a Service (CCaaS) and AI have opened the door to vast improvements in customer service, and the speed at which enterprises can innovate around customer experience (CX) to stay ahead of their competition. In the session Achieving World-Class CX With Your Contact Center Technology and Agent Workforce, Robin Gareiss, CEO and Principal Analyst, Metrigy shared the state of real-world deployment for CCaaS and AI in the contact center and offered advice on how to accelerate migration and deliver next-gen capabilities in the near term.

In addition, the digital program included the keynote presentation An IT View on the 'Whys', Whats', and 'Hows' of Hybrid Work presented by Adam Holtby, Principal Analyst, Omdia and Tim Banting, Principal Analyst, Omdia.

For additional information or to register for Enterprise Connect Orlando, taking place March 27-30, 2023 at the Gaylord Palms in Orlando, FL and digitally, click here. Save $400 off an Orlando conference pass by using Promo Code ECVEPR2 and registering by December 31, 2022.

To become a sponsor/exhibitor, click here.

For media registration, contact Meryl Franzman at [email protected].

Stay connected with Enterprise Connect on Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, Facebook and Instagram.

About Enterprise Connect

For more than 30 years, Enterprise Connect has been the leading conference and exhibition for enterprise communications and collaboration in North America. Enterprise Connect brings corporate IT decision makers together with the industry's vendors, analysts and consultants to focus on the issues central to enterprise communications. Enterprise Connect owns and produces No Jitter, (nojitter.com), providing daily blogging and analysis of enterprise communications, and it also serves the community with a weekly email newsletter, research surveys and a Webinar Series. For more information, visit enterpriseconnect.com. Enterprise Connect is brought to you by Informa Tech.

About Informa Tech

Informa Tech is a market leading provider of integrated research, media, training and events to the global Technology community. We're an international business of more than 600 colleagues, operating in more than 20 markets. Our aim is to inspire the Technology community to design, build and run a better digital world through research, media, training and event brands that inform, educate and connect. Over 7,000 professionals subscribe to our research, with 225,000 delegates attending our events and over 18,000 students participating in our training programs each year, and nearly 4 million people visiting our digital communities each month. Learn more about Informa Tech.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220929005225/en/

Media

Meryl Franzman

Enterprise Connect

E: [email protected]

Source: Enterprise Connect
VANCOUVER, British Columbia--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- EverGen Infrastructure Corp. (EverGen or the Company) (TSXV: EVGN) (OTCQX: EVGIF), is pleased to announce that it has partnered with Adelaide Capital (Adelaide), a leading investor relations and capital markets advisory firm, to provide investor relations and consulting services to the Company.

Adelaide is a full-service investor relations firm that brings a unique and powerful perspective and a re-engineered investor relations business model. Adelaide will work closely with EverGen Infrastructure to develop and deploy a comprehensive capital markets program, which includes assisting with non-deal roadshows, virtual campaigns, conferences and assisting with investor communication. In exchange for Adelaides services, the Company has agreed to pay a monthly fee of C$10,000, in addition to 15,000 stock options at an exercise price of $2.75 per share and a three-year term, subject to the approval of the Board of Directors of the Company.

We are thrilled to be working with Adelaide Capital who will provide us with a comprehensive investor relations platform and help strengthen our communication with current and prospective shareholders as we pursue our next leg of growth. Chase Edgelow, CEO of EverGen.

About EverGen Infrastructure Corp.

EverGen, Canadas Renewable Natural Gas Infrastructure Platform, is combating climate change and helping communities contribute to a sustainable future. Headquartered on the West Coast of Canada, EverGen is an established independent renewable energy producer which acquires, develops, builds, owns and operates a portfolio of Renewable Natural Gas, waste to energy, and related infrastructure projects. EverGen is focused on Canada, with continued growth expected across other regions in North America and beyond.

For more information about EverGen Infrastructure Corp. and our projects, please visit www.evergeninfra.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220929005906/en/

EverGen Investor Contact

Victoria Rutherford

480-625-5772

[email protected]



EverGen Media Contact

Katie Reiach

604-614-5283

[email protected]

Source: EverGen Infrastructure Corp.
COLUMBUS, Ohio--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Forge Biologics, a gene therapy-focused contract development and manufacturing organization, announced today that company leadership members will be making presentations and taking one-on-one meetings at three upcoming investor relations conferences.

Jefferies Cell & Genetic Medicine Summit

Friday, September 30, 10:00-10:25 a.m. ET

Presenter: Christina Perry, Senior Vice President and Head, Finance & Investor Relations

Webcast Link: https://wsw.com/webcast/jeff259/forge/2001825

Chardan Genetic Medicines Conference

Monday, October 3, 2:00-2:25 p.m. ET

Presenter: Timothy J. Miller, CEO, President and Co-Founder

Webcast Link: https://wsw.com/webcast/chard14/forge/2063205

SVB Securities Biopharma Private Company Connect

Wednesday, October 26, 2022

Company executives will hold virtual one-on-one meetings with investors during the event. Meetings with the management team may be requested through SVB Securities.

Forges presentations will be available for 90 days following each event by visiting the Companys Events website at https://www.forgebiologics.com/news/#events.

About Forge Biologics

Forge Biologics is a hybrid gene therapy contract manufacturing and clinical-stage therapeutics development company. Forges mission is to enable access to life changing gene therapies and help bring them from idea to reality. Forges 200,000 square foot facility utilizes 20 cGMP suites in Columbus, Ohio, the Hearth, to serve as its headquarters. The Hearth is a custom-designed cGMP facility focused on AAV manufacturing and can host end-to-end manufacturing services to accelerate gene therapy programs from preclinical through clinical and commercial stage manufacturing. By taking a patients-first approach, Forge aims to accelerate the timelines of these transformative medicines for those who need them the most. To learn more, visit www.forgebiologics.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220929005750/en/

Media Inquiries

Marina Corleto

Senior Manager, Marketing and Communications

[email protected]

Investor Relations

Christina Perry

Senior Vice President, Head of Finance and Investor Relations

[email protected]

Source: Forge Biologics
NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Getty Realty Corp. (NYSE: GTY) will release its financial results for the third quarter ended September 30, 2022, after the market closes on Wednesday, October 26, 2022.

Getty Realty Corp. will host a conference call and webcast on Thursday, October 27, 2022, at 8:30 a.m. ET. To participate in the call, please dial 1-877-423-9813, or 1-201-689-8573 for international participants, ten minutes before the scheduled start. Participants may also access the call via live webcast by visiting the investors section of the Company's website at ir.gettyrealty.com.

If you cannot participate in the live event, a replay will be available on Thursday, October 27, 2022, beginning at 11:30 a.m. ET through 11:59 p.m. ET, Thursday, November 3, 2022. To access the replay, please dial 1-844-512-2921, or 1-412-317-6671 for international participants, and reference pass code 13733307.

About Getty Realty Corp.

Getty Realty Corp. is a publicly traded, net lease REIT specializing in the acquisition, financing and development of convenience, automotive and other single tenant retail real estate. As of June 30, 2022, the Companys portfolio included 1,024 freestanding properties located in 38 states across the United States and Washington, D.C.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220929005821/en/

Investor Relations

(646) 349-0598

[email protected]

Source: Getty Realty Corp.
BONITA SPRINGS, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Herc Holdings Inc. (NYSE: HRI) will host its third quarter 2022 earnings call and webcast on Thursday, October 20, at 8:30 a.m. U.S. Eastern Daylight Time. The Company plans to issue a press release with the financial results on the same day prior to the call.

Those who wish to listen to the live conference call and view the accompanying presentation slides should visit the Events and Presentations tab of the Investor Relations section of the Companys website at https://IR.HercRentals.com. The press release and presentation slides for the call will be posted to this section of the website prior to the start of the call.

Shareholders and other interested parties who wish to ask questions may participate in the call by using the following:

U.S. participants: +1-888-660-6011

International participants, click for country specific dial-in numbers:

https://events.q4irportal.com/custom/access/2324

Access code: 7812157

Webcast URL: https://events.q4inc.com/attendee/335404297

Please dial in at least 10 to 15 minutes before the call start time to ensure that you are connected to the call and to register your name and company. A replay of the conference call will be available via webcast on the Company website at IR.HercRentals.com, where it will be archived for 12 months after the call.

About Herc Holdings Inc.

Herc Holdings Inc., which operates through its Herc Rentals Inc. subsidiary, is one of the leading equipment rental suppliers with approximately 350 locations in North America. With over 57 years of experience, we are a full-line equipment rental supplier offering a broad portfolio of equipment for rent. Our classic fleet includes aerial, earthmoving, material handling, trucks and trailers, air compressors, compaction, and lighting. Our equipment rental business is supported by ProSolutions, our industry-specific solutions-based services, which includes power generation, climate control, remediation and restoration, pumps, trench shoring, and studio and production equipment, and our ProContractor professional grade tools. Our product offerings and services are aimed at helping customers work more efficiently, effectively and safely. The Company has approximately 5,700 employees who equip our customers and communities to build a brighter future. Herc Holdings 2021 total revenues were approximately $2.1 billion. All references to Herc Holdings or the Company in this press release refer to Herc Holdings Inc. and its subsidiaries, unless otherwise indicated. For more information on Herc Holdings and its products and services, visit: www.HercRentals.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220929005033/en/

Paul Dickard

Vice President, Communications

[email protected]

239-301-1214

Elizabeth Higashi, CFA

Vice President, Investor Relations & Sustainability

[email protected]

239-301-1024

Source: Herc Holdings Inc.
Travel Convenience & Specialty Retail Stores Will Bring Ultimate Convenience & Digital Innovation To New Terminal

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Hudson, a Dufry company and travel experience leader with more than 1,000 stores in airports, commuter hubs, landmarks, and tourist destinations across North America, today announced it has been awarded two stores at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) Terminal 3, becoming one of the first concessionaires to operate in Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA) brand-new terminal.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220929005134/en/

Caption: Rendering of Evolve by Hudson at Los Angeles International Airport, Terminal 3 (Source: Hudson)

As part of a 10-year agreement with Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield (URW), Hudson will open Hudson Nonstop and Evolve by Hudson stores in Delta Air Lines state-of-the-art concourse, bringing together the best of travel convenience, specialty retail, and digital innovation. Hudson Nonstop, which will be powered by Amazons Just Walk Out technology and Amazon One, is expected to open within the next few months, while Evolve is planned for early 2023.

Thank you to LAWA and URW for the opportunity to continue our longstanding partnership and introduce two of our most innovative concepts to the new terminal, said Brian Quinn, EVP and Deputy CEO of Hudson. Evolve and Hudson Nonstop combine experiential retailing with frictionless technology, providing travelers with the convenience and speed they are looking for, while allowing us to deliver our iconic Travelers Best Friend service in all new ways.

Los Angeles is a world-class dining and shopping destination, and we are thrilled that the new Terminal 3 concessions will provide our guests an innovative restaurant and retail experience on par with the offerings of our great city, said Justin Erbacci, Chief Executive Officer, LAWA. In partnership with URW and Delta, we have brought together a diverse collection of brands, while creating opportunities for small- and minority-owned businesses to operate at the airport.

It is exciting to introduce two of Hudsons newest concepts and the first of its kind at LAX, said Mike Salzman, Executive Vice President of Airports, URW. In partnership with LAWA and Delta, our Terminal 3 lineup elevates the guest experience and increases minority and women-owned business participation in the LAX commercial program.

Details of the two new stores, totaling more than 3,100 square feet, are as follows:

Evolve by Hudson  Blending the accessibility of travel convenience with a specialty retail experience, Evolve by Hudson is a one-stop shop specifically tailored to the local market. At LAX, travelers will be delighted to find shop-in-shops featuring luggage from Herschel Supply Co. and TUMI; accessories from 47 Brand, Happy Socks, and Sunglass Hut; writing instruments from Caran dAche and LAMY; electronics from Apple, Beats, Bose, and Brookstone; and toys from Build-A-Bear Workshop. In collaboration with CRAFTED at the Port of Los Angeles, local products from up-and-coming artisans will be featured, bringing the best of LA to the airport. Self-checkout and mobile POS are also available for quick checkout.

Hudson Nonstop  Skip the checkout lines at Hudson Nonstop, a travel convenience concept powered by Amazons Just Walk Out technology and Amazon One, a fast and frictionless way to, enter, identify, and pay with the palm of a hand. By inserting a credit card or hovering their palm over the Amazon One device, travelers can enter the store, pick up their must-have travel essentials, food and beverage products, and local favorites, and then exit, all without stopping to pay.

The stores will operate under HG LAX T3 Concessionaires JV, a joint venture between Hudson and its Airport Concessions Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (ACDBE) Partners Arandia Designs; Concourse Ventures, Inc.; MAJ Collection, Inc.; Nixon & Associates Inc.; Stewart Manhattan Investments, Inc. d/b/a Palazzo Concessions; and Zaman Group Inc.

The addition of Evolve and Hudson Nonstop to LAX T3 furthers Hudsons coast-to-coast expansion of two of its most notable concepts, while also growing Hudsons retail footprint in the Los Angeles market. Currently, Hudson has 44 stores in eight of the ten terminals at LAX, including Tom Bradley International Terminal (TBIT), which operates with the same ACDBE partners as LAX T3. With these two new stores, Hudson continues to deliver an unparalleled and dynamic brand portfolio to LAX travelers, which exceeded 48 million in 2021.

About Hudson

Hudson, a Dufry Company, is a travel experience company turning the world of travel into a world of opportunity by being the Travelers Best Friend in more than 1,000 stores in airports, commuter hubs, landmarks, and tourist locations. Our team members care for travelers as friends at our travel convenience, specialty retail, duty free, and food and beverage destinations. At the intersection of travel and retail, we partner with landlords and vendors, and take innovative, commercial approaches to deliver exceptional value. To learn more about how we can make your location a travel destination, please visit us at hudsongroup.com or follow our journey on LinkedIn and Instagram.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220929005134/en/

Hudson Media Contact

Cindi Buckwalter

VP of Corporate Communications

[email protected]

Source: Hudson Ltd.
The Indy Autonomous Challenge Powered by Cisco at Texas Motor Speedway will run on November 11 and mark the IACs return to racing

INDIANAPOLIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- The Indy Autonomous Challenge (IAC) today announced that after a record setting competition at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway last October, and making history at CES 2022 in January with the worlds first-ever, head-to-head autonomous racing competition, it will return to racing at another iconic track with The Indy Autonomous Challenge Powered by Cisco at the Texas Motor Speedway on Friday, November 11th in Fort Worth, TX.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220929005224/en/

Teams competing at the Indy Autonomous Challenge Powered by Cisco at Texas Motor Speedway will be operating Dallara AV-21 autonomous racecars equipped with a boosted engine package, capable of delivering 30% more horsepower than the last time they raced to push high-speed multi-agent racing to its limits. (Photo: Business Wire)

Presenting sponsor Cisco Systems, Inc. (Cisco) will enable critical in-vehicle and car-to-trackside connectivity with Dallara AV-21 racecars using ultra-low latency wireless technology for the head-to-head autonomous racecar competition where nine IAC teams will seek to compete. Collaborating with partners like Cisco, the IAC is working to increase safety and performance in not only motorsports, but across all modes of commercial transportation.

Our goal is to bring the brightest minds and top innovators of our time together at iconic racetracks around the world to push autonomous driving technology forward, said Paul Mitchell, president, Indy Autonomous Challenge. Through complex problem solving and first-of-its-kind engineering, our teams work with leading industry sponsors like Cisco to advance technology that will speed the commercialization of fully autonomous vehicles and deployments of advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS).

Teams competing at the Indy Autonomous Challenge Powered by Cisco at Texas Motor Speedway will be operating Dallara AV-21 autonomous racecars equipped with a boosted engine package, capable of delivering 30% more horsepower than the last time they raced to push high-speed multi-agent racing to its limits. With its upgraded engine package, an IAC racecar programmed by team PoliMOVE from Politecnico di Milano (Italy) and the University of Alabama (USA) set a new land speed world record of 192.2 MPH at the historic Kennedy Space Center in April prompting the adoption of refreshed technology on all IAC racecars moving forward.

Cisco powers the in-vehicle networking and connectivity to and from the vehicles for race safety, telemetry data offload, and GPS timing alignment. The connectivity infrastructure includes Cisco Ultra-Reliable Wireless Backhaul for highly reliable mobile connectivity and Cisco Catalyst Industrial Ethernet switches to connect in-vehicle sensors and on-board compute. The same Cisco technologies powering the IAC are used to connect and secure critical systems and improve operations across industries like manufacturing/industrial automation, roadways, and ports.

Cisco is proud to be the presenting sponsor, for the second consecutive year, of the Indy Autonomous Challenge and bring the IAC to the Texas Motor Speedway, empowering academic innovation to further autonomous development and improve safety and performance, said Wes Sylvester, Vice President, Cisco Industry Solutions Group. We are committed to driving the future of connectivity forward for every type of automated industry, and you couldnt ask for a more ideal testing and proving ground to push the boundaries of innovation than the Indy Autonomous Challenge.

Teams arrived at Texas Motor Speedway on Sept 28 for an initial week of practice and will then return for practice October 24 through race day on November 11 where the competition will be live broadcast via Twitch in partnership with Amazon Web Services (AWS). Media interested in attending a practice or interviewing IAC teams or stakeholders, please contact Allison Fried at [email protected].

About IAC: The Indy Autonomous Challenge organizes racing competitions among university affiliated teams from around the world to program fully autonomous racecars and compete in a series of history-making events at iconic tracks. Based in Indiana, the IAC is working to establish a hub for performance automation in the state and is harnessing the power of innovative competitions to attract the best and the brightest minds from around the globe to further the state-of-the-art technology in safety and performance of automated vehicles. The IAC started as a $1 million prize competition with 41 university teams signing up to compete more than two years ago, representing top engineering and technology programs from 14 U.S. states and 11 countries.

Follow the IAC @IndyAChallenge and #IAC2022 on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram & YouTube.

MEDIA RESOURCES:

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220929005224/en/

Allison Fried, ([email protected])

Source: Indy Autonomous Challenge
Innovative Cybersecurity Tool Allows Organizations to Stay One Step Ahead Of The Attacker

Offering Expands Market Reach for the IronNet Collective DefenseSM platform

MCLEAN, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- IronNet, Inc. (NYSE: IRNT), an innovative leader Transforming Cybersecurity Through Collective DefenseSM, has launched IronRadarSM, a new solution designed to proactively and automatically update customers cybersecurity tools with malicious indicators for adversary infrastructure.

Developed by IronNets team of elite threat hunters, IronRadar uses an innovative process that fingerprints a server and determines whether it is a command and control (C2) server while those servers are being stood up, even before a cyber attack is initiated. IronRadar enriches the data creating purpose-built intelligence updates for proactively blocking adversarial infrastructure, and was observed to have 98% accuracy over six months of testing.

We know that Cobalt Strike and other open-source tools provide the framework for legitimate red team activities, said Don Closser, Chief Product Officer of IronNet. Unfortunately, open-source tools are being used by advanced persistent threat groups to gain access to systems, establish C2, and launch attacks. Thanks to our innovative and dedicated CyOC team, IronRadar can identify threats as new adversarial infrastructure servers appear and before they can be used in sophisticated cyber attacks.

IronRadar is now available for all networks beyond the IronNet Collective DefenseSM platform community as an annual subscription  sold directly from the Amazon Web Services (AWS) Marketplace makes it cost effective and easy to buy and scale. Once installed, customers can easily upgrade to join the Collective Defense community at any time.

Detecting weaponized C2 servers before they connect to a network and inflict damage like ransomware and eCrimes is a daunting challenge for all organizations, said Christopher Kissel, Research Vice President of Security and Trust Products, at IDC. The launch of the purpose-built threat intelligence feed from IronNet is a game changer because it proactively blocks known, new, and unreported C2 infrastructures.

IronRadar is the only existing automated threat intelligence feed developed specifically to combat C2 behavior. This easy-to-use tool enables a customers SOC to:

Actively block known C2 and emerging threat C2 IoCs.

Integrate real-time threat intelligence into any security solution  SIEM, SOAR, Incident Response, and more.

Accelerate threat response by exposing the adversaries and evolving tradecraft targeting infrastructure.

IronRadar integrates seamlessly with the IronNet Collective Defense platform, powered by AWS, which is the only solution that can identify anomalous behaviors and deliver actionable attack intelligence to all the other participants in the IronNet community. The Collective Defense platform serves as an early warning system for all participating companies and organizations, strengthening network security through correlated alerts, automated triage, and extended hunt support.

About IronNet, Inc.

Founded in 2014 by GEN (Ret.) Keith Alexander, IronNet, Inc. (NYSE: IRNT) is a global cybersecurity leader that is transforming how organizations secure their networks by delivering the first-ever Collective Defense platform operating at scale. Employing a number of former NSA cybersecurity operators with offensive and defensive cyber experience, IronNet integrates deep tradecraft knowledge into its industry-leading products to solve the most challenging cyber problems facing the world today.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including, without limitation, statements regarding IronNets ability to provide visibility and detection of malicious behaviors and to help defend against increased cyber threats facing the globe. When used in this press release, the words estimates, projected, expects, anticipates, forecasts, plans, intends, believes, seeks, may, will, should, future, propose and variations of these words or similar expressions (or the negative versions of such words or expressions) are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance, conditions, or results, and involve a number of known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other important factors, many of which are outside IronNets managements control, that could cause actual results or outcomes to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements. Important factors, among others, that may affect actual results or outcomes include: IronNets inability to recognize the anticipated benefits of collaborations with IronNets partners and customers; IronNets ability to execute on its plans to develop and market new products and the timing of these development programs; the rate and degree of market acceptance of IronNets products; the success of other competing technologies that may become available; IronNets ability to identify and integrate acquisitions; the performance of IronNets products; potential litigation involving IronNet; and general economic and market conditions impacting demand for IronNets products. The foregoing list of factors is not exhaustive. You should carefully consider the foregoing factors and the other risks and uncertainties described under the heading Risk Factors in IronNets Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended January 31, 2022, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the SEC) on May 2, 2022, and other documents that IronNet files with the SEC from time to time. These filings identify and address other important risks and uncertainties that could cause actual events and results to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made. Readers are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking statements, and IronNet does not undertake any 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.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220929005649/en/

Investor Contact: Nancy Fazioli  [email protected]

Media Contact: Bridget Bell  [email protected]

Source: IronNet, Inc.
Awards honor FICO customers achieving outstanding results with AI, machine learning and digital transformation

SAN JOSE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- FICO (NYSE: FICO):

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220929005343/en/

FICO)" /> FICO)" /> 2023 Judges (Left to Right): Cortnie Abercrombie, Douglas Blakey, Neeti Aggarwal, Mark Feeley (2nd Row): Andre Miceli, Burcu Calcoglu, Michal Lodej, Martin Elliott (Photo: FICO)

Highlights:

FICO announces panel of independent industry judges for 2023 awards.

for 2023 awards. Entries for the FICO  Decisions Awards are due October 28, 2022

 are due The ten award categories are AI, Machine Learning and Optimization, Cloud Deployment, Customer Onboarding and Management, Debt Management, Decision Management Innovation, ESG Champion, Financial Inclusion, Fraud Management, FICO Industry Vanguard and Pioneer Award.

are AI, Machine Learning and Optimization, Cloud Deployment, Customer Onboarding and Management, Debt Management, Decision Management Innovation, ESG Champion, Financial Inclusion, Fraud Management, FICO Industry Vanguard and Pioneer Award. Entry form and information are at www.fico.com/decisionsawards

FICO has announced its panel of independent judges for the 2023 FICO Decisions Awards, which honor businesses achieving outstanding results using analytics and decision management technology to grow their business, manage risk and reduce costs.

The jury for this year's awards is once again filled with talent and diversity, said Nikhil Behl, chief marketing officer at FICO. Our eight judges are business leaders, analysts, media and innovators in their own right, drawn from nearly every continent. They have been chosen because of their unique knowledge and extensive expertise across financial services, technology, business, engineering and science. Our thanks go out to the judges for their time and attention as well as their independence and objectivity in selecting the most impressive projects for 2023.

For more information and to enter a nomination, visit www.fico.com/decisionsawards

This year our judges, in alphabetical order, are:

Cortnie Abercrombie, CEO/Founder AI Truth

Cortnie Abercrombie is a world recognized expert in AI and data analytics and has been named in media articles as one of 12 Brilliant Women in Artificial Intelligence & Ethics to Watch, one of the Top 100 Innovators in Data and Analytics, and one of 10 Big Data Experts to Know. She is a top advisor to Fortune 500 companies on responsible artificial intelligence strategy and data innovation practices and serves on several boards advising startups, universities, and other non-profits. Cortnie is also the CEO and founder of AI Truth, a non-profit organization dedicated to responsible creation and use of AI.

Neeti Aggarwal, CFA senior research manager, The Asian Banker

Neeti Aggarwal manages the financial technology and innovation research at The Asian Banker . With over 19 years experience, she specializes in banking, technology and fintech developments across Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa. She earlier worked for five years at The Economic Times, India's largest selling financial daily.

Neeti Aggarwal manages the financial technology and innovation research at . With over 19 years experience, she specializes in banking, technology and fintech developments across Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa. She earlier worked for five years at The Economic Times, India's largest selling financial daily. Douglas Blakey, editor, Retail Banker International

Douglas Blakey is group editor banking and payments at GlobalData and has edited Retail Banker International and Electronic Payments International since 2010. He is chief of judges for the annual Retail Banker International Awards and lead market advisor for GlobalData's retail banking research division. He maintains an editorial advisory board of leading bank executives and is a regular guest banking analyst with BBC, NBC and other leading media.

Douglas Blakey is group editor banking and payments at GlobalData and has edited and since 2010. He is chief of judges for the annual Retail Banker International Awards and lead market advisor for GlobalData's retail banking research division. He maintains an editorial advisory board of leading bank executives and is a regular guest banking analyst with BBC, NBC and other leading media. Burcu Calcoglu, Akbank (previous winner)

Burcu Calcoglu has more than 18 years of risk management experience in banking and financial services and held various roles in managing retail credit portfolios, leading risk technology projects, using decision analytics and automated decision systems to solve complex business problems across the credit life cycle. Burcu currently leads credit analytics and retail credits at Akbank, one of the largest retail banks in Turkey. She is responsible for ensuring the organizations consumer loan, credit card and retail SME portfolios are performing in line with targets and KPIs, leading the digital transformation in retail credit systems and leveraging the advanced analytics and decision analytic capabilities in retail credit decisions and processes.

Burcu Calcoglu has more than 18 years of risk management experience in banking and financial services and held various roles in managing retail credit portfolios, leading risk technology projects, using decision analytics and automated decision systems to solve complex business problems across the credit life cycle. Burcu currently leads credit analytics and retail credits at Akbank, one of the largest retail banks in Turkey. She is responsible for ensuring the organizations consumer loan, credit card and retail SME portfolios are performing in line with targets and KPIs, leading the digital transformation in retail credit systems and leveraging the advanced analytics and decision analytic capabilities in retail credit decisions and processes. Martin Elliott, BNZ (previous winner)

Martin Elliott has more than 18 years of lending strategy and product management experience in banking and financial services. He has held various roles, leading risk technology projects to transform the customer and banker experience using advanced analytics, machine learning and optimization. Martin currently leads consumer lending and insurance products at BNZ, one of New Zealand's oldest, largest and most innovative banks.

Martin Elliott has more than 18 years of lending strategy and product management experience in banking and financial services. He has held various roles, leading risk technology projects to transform the customer and banker experience using advanced analytics, machine learning and optimization. Martin currently leads consumer lending and insurance products at BNZ, one of New Zealand's oldest, largest and most innovative banks. Mark Feeley, Research and Brand Director at Chartis

Mark Feeley has over 30 years experience in global capital markets, consulting and associated technologies, focusing on risk management, front- and middle-office platforms and data management. Before Chartis he held executive positions in large global financial institutions, consultancies and FinTechs, including RBS Capital Markets, AIG, Barclays, EY, Deloitte, Algorithmics and Finastra. He has held various roles including platform and software development, solution architecture, large-scale program management, vendor selection and implementation, and strategy development and execution.

Mark Feeley has over 30 years experience in global capital markets, consulting and associated technologies, focusing on risk management, front- and middle-office platforms and data management. Before Chartis he held executive positions in large global financial institutions, consultancies and FinTechs, including RBS Capital Markets, AIG, Barclays, EY, Deloitte, Algorithmics and Finastra. He has held various roles including platform and software development, solution architecture, large-scale program management, vendor selection and implementation, and strategy development and execution. Michal Lodej, group editor, Shard Financial Media

Michal Lodej is an experienced B2B editor with over 10 years of experiencing in editing magazines. Michals previous roles have been pushing progressive editorial practices at magazines with a global reach. He now leads the editorial team at UK-based Shard Financial Media, furthering the progression of the agendas at all Shards brands including Credit Strategy , Reward Strategy , TRI Strategy and FSE .

Michal Lodej is an experienced B2B editor with over 10 years of experiencing in editing magazines. Michals previous roles have been pushing progressive editorial practices at magazines with a global reach. He now leads the editorial team at UK-based Shard Financial Media, furthering the progression of the agendas at all Shards brands including , , and . Andre Miceli, chief editor of MIT Technology Review Brazil

Andre Miceli is CEO and editor-in-chief of MIT Technology Review in Brazil. He is also the founder and chairman of the board of Infobase, one of the fifty largest IT integrators in Brazil. In addition to this Andre is the academic coordinator of Fundacao Getulio Vargas and a commentator on technology, business and society for Jovem Pan, one of the largest media groups in Brazil.

Awards will be presented in ten categories: AI, Machine Learning and Optimization, Cloud Deployment, Customer Onboarding and Management, Debt Management, Decision Management Innovation, ESG Champion, Financial Inclusion, Fraud Management, FICO Industry Vanguard and Pioneer Award. Nominations are due October 28, 2022, and winners will be announced January 26, 2023.

Winners will receive recognition at FICO World, which will be held in May 16-19, 2023, in Hollywood Florida. Winning implementations will be featured in conference activities, and two representatives of each winning company will receive complimentary conference passes.

Last years winning firms represented multiple industries and countries worldwide, all with outstanding results: Fiserv and Akbank (AI, Machine Learning and Optimization); Itau and BNZ (Cloud Deployment); Bradesco (Customer Onboarding & Management); Ceska sporitelna (Debt Management); Circulo de Credito (Decision Management Innovation); Traxion (ESG Champion); Mibanco and SIMAH (Financial Inclusion); ELO (Fraud & Security); and Wells Fargo (FICO Industry Vanguard Award).

About FICO

FICO (NYSE: FICO) powers decisions that help people and businesses around the world prosper. Founded in 1956 in Silicon Valley, the company is a pioneer in the use of predictive analytics and data science to improve operational decisions. FICO holds more than 200 US and foreign patents on technologies that increase profitability, customer satisfaction and growth for businesses in financial services, telecommunications, health care, retail and many other industries. Using FICO solutions, businesses in more than 120 countries do everything from protecting 2.6 billion payment cards from fraud, to helping people get credit, to ensuring that millions of airplanes and rental cars are in the right place at the right time.

Learn more at http://www.fico.com.

Join the conversation at https://twitter.com/fico & http://www.fico.com/en/blogs/

For FICO news and media resources, visit www.fico.com/news.

FICO is a registered trademark of Fair Isaac Corporation in the U.S. and other countries.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220929005343/en/

Media:

Katie OConnell

[email protected]

+1 510-621-9832

Investors/Analysts:

Steven Weber

FICO

+1 800-213-5542

[email protected]

Source: FICO
Kahun builds the worlds largest map of clinical knowledge containing more than 30 million medical insights in order to replicate clinical reasoning at scale, overcoming the major black box problem which prevents AI solutions from mass adoption by medical institutions.

The seed round was led by UK VC LocalGlobe with participation from the EUs EIC fund and The Founders Kitchen fund by Waze Co-founder Uri Levine, who also led the pre-seed round. In total the company has raised $13M to date.

GIVATAYIM, Israel--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Kahun, an evidence-based clinical reasoning tool for physicians, raises $8 million in a seed funding round led by LocalGlobe with the participation of European Innovation Council (EIC) Fund as part of the EIC Accelerator programme and The Founders Kitchen (TFK). Kahun will leverage the funding to continue building the largest ever map of evidence-based medical knowledge powered by AI. The funds will be used to continue adding new sub-specialities beyond primary care, and expand its go-to-market efforts around offering gold-standard clinical assessments for telemedicine organizations.

At the heart of the health providers work is the task of clinical reasoning, which represents the process of connecting the dots between a patient's clinical presentation (including symptoms and tests) and reaching a diagnosis. When physicians conduct clinical reasoning, they essentially apply their own mental map of medical knowledge and experience to the specific patient, a process that today has no benchmark or gold standards. A tool that speaks to physicians in their own language and provides full transparency of its insights, has an immense potential to help with fighting major healthcare challenges such as physician burnout, fatigue, and provider shortages.

Current AI tools for healthcare providers have failed to address current challenges and gain trust in the medical community. They use a combination of big-data engines built on patient records and experts knowledge, not on evidence-based medical literature. These tools face challenges and biases as they arent trained to perform actual clinical reasoning and are black boxedmeaning the insights they provide arent traceable or referenced to medical literature.

Kahun has essentially developed a clinical reasoning solution that can be understood and trusted by physicians. Its engine performs clinical reasoning at scale by basing its decisions on the companys proprietary map of over 30 million evidence-based medical insights. Kahuns algorithmic engine utilizes this map in real time to generate clinical insights tailored to each specific patient. Insights are referenced and backed by links to originating knowledge.

Kahuns first application is a comprehensive clinical assessment chatbot. The tool employs the same reasoning expected from trained providers, asking all the right questions and dynamically calculating the best next questions. The questions are tailored to each specific patient in order to take in all the pertinent findings, rule out rare diseases, or urgent conditions. The process takes three to five minutes, leaving no stone unturned, and provides physicians with a clinical summary including recommendations for further evaluation. Since Kahun is solely based on medical evidence, it provides physicians with a gold-standard clinical assessment, saving precious interview and documentation time while offering an opportunity to improve the overall level of care.

The funding round comes on the heels of Kahuns ongoing partnership with the New England Journal of Medicine, in which the company provides evidence-based illness scripts tailored to specific clinical presentations to generate evidence-based, real-time insights for the NEJM Healer application. NEJM Healer is an interactive, online-education application for teaching, exercising, and assessing clinical reasoning.

NEJM Healer medical experts harness the AI-driven content from Kahun to create highly-curated illness scripts to expand our case library and help educators teach clinical reasoning through deliberate practice, says Jeffrey Drazen MD, Editor for NEJM Group.

This funding empowers Kahun to continue updating and improving the worlds largest map of evidence-based medical knowledge, says Eitan Ron, Co-Founder and CEO of Kahun. The technology behind our AI-solution follows the same building blocks that trained physicians rely on. By using peer-reviewed texts and trusted academic literature from every area of medicine, we built a digital medical advisor that is trained to think like a physician and relieves the burden they face by integrating tools that they can trust into their workflows.

About Kahun:

Founded in 2018 and based in Israel, Kahun is a digital-health startup that replicates a physicians clinical reasoning process. Kahun is led by a team of accomplished internet tech veterans including a pediatric specialist with years of experience in software engineering. Kahun is driven by a strong conviction in the need to map vast textual, evidence-based medical knowledge and use it for building tools that facilitate better medical practices.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220929005613/en/

Media

Daniel Azaria

ReBlonde for Kahun

[email protected]

Source: Kahun
GFT helps French mutual insurer Macif migrate their largest business line to Guidewire InsuranceSuite on the cloud

STUTTGART, Germany & NIORT, France & PARIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Over 180,000 quotations, 70,000 contracts, and 300 claims submitted in the first three weeks. French mutual insurer Macif is now using Europes leading core insurance platform on the cloud.

Macif has deployed Guidewire InsuranceSuite for their largest business line, Mobility, on Guidewire Cloud. The successful project, which was managed by global digital transformation leader GFT, sets new standards in the industry and brings substantial savings and competitive advantages for Macif.

This new solution should allow us to go to market faster with new value propositions, and offer more customised solutions to our members through the technical architecture of Guidewires products, says Yann Arnaud, Macif Chief Marketing and Innovation Officer. In addition, this should improve the quality of our underwriting, policyholder lifecycle tracking, and claims handling, through the intuitive nature of the applications; indeed, their ease of use has surpassed our expectation.

We wanted to be able to focus more on our core competency  taking care of our members  and spending less time on managing IT systems, adds Fabrice Leyglene, Macif CIO. This cloud solution also makes the white-labelling of our products and services for re-sellers much easier. So this migration directly serves to further our business strategy. And finally, we will be able to integrate relatively easily the most advanced cloud solutions in the market into the various elements of our value chain.

Emmanuel Naudin, Regional Vice President, Sales  EMEA, Guidewire, added: This is the largest implementation of Guidewire InsuranceSuite on the cloud in Europe so far. Macif are showing with this that they are at the forefront of technological innovation in the insurance industry. The solution ran very well from day one, and that is a testament to the great collaboration between Macif, our partner GFT, and Guidewire.

This was an ambitious undertaking. The magnitude of this cloud implementation is a milestone for Guidewire in Europe. But we knew we could do it, Macif trusted that we could, and by using resources and experts from five countries in Europe and America, we got the job done, says Mathieu Liabaud, Managing Director GFT France.

Free up resources, focus on core competencies, cut costs

With this step, Macif gains numerous cost and business benefits. Specifically, the benefits are:

White-labelling of products or services for re-sellers becomes much easier;

of products or services for re-sellers becomes much easier; The software is maintained and managed by Guidewire , freeing up Macifs IT department to focus on matters more central to the business;

to focus on matters more central to the business; Not requiring on-premises hardware and manpower for maintaining the systems reduces IT spending;

The SaaS solution can always be up to date with minimal disruption;

be with minimal disruption; The solution is easy to use, giving customer service employees more time to interact with members and build their relationships; and

and build their relationships; and New products or services are quicker and easier to launch than with Macifs legacy system.

Macifs entire P&C business to be implemented in future deployments

Macif is using Guidewire InsuranceSuite for its policy administration, underwriting, and claims management. The recent migration of Macifs Mobility business line follows the initial migration of their Fleet business line. All other P&C business lines are scheduled for implementation on Guidewire Cloud in follow-up releases in the next couple of years. For the migration of Macifs Mobility business line, up to 130 GFT experts from France, Canada, Spain, Poland, and Costa Rica were involved.

About Macif

As a mutual insurer, Macif strives daily on behalf of its 5.7 million members and customers to protect the present and secure the future. Macif delivers uncomplicated and effective insurance products and services for property and casualty insurance, health and personal protection, and finance and savings. With more than 18.4 million contracts under management, the Macif generated revenues of more than 6 billion in 2021. Since January 2021, Macif has been affiliated with Aema Groupe. Aema Groupe, which grew out of the merger between Aesio Mutuelle and Macif, envisions a fairer and more humane world every day by making foresight a central part of the relationship with its members, policyholders and corporate clients. For more information, visit www.macif.fr.

About GFT  Shaping the future of digital business

As a pioneer for digital transformation GFT develops sustainable solutions across new technologies  from cloud engineering and artificial intelligence to blockchain/DLT.

With its deep technological expertise, strong partnerships and comprehensive market know-how GFT offers advice to the financial and insurance sectors, as well as in the manufacturing industry. Through the intelligent use of IT solutions GFT increases productivity and creates added value for clients. Companies gain easy and safe access to scalable IT-applications and innovative business models.

Founded in 1987 and located in more than 15 markets to ensure proximity to clients, the GFT team consists of over 10,000 determined talents. GFT provides them with career opportunities in all areas of software engineering and innovation. The GFT Technologies SE share is listed in the SDAX index of the German Stock Exchange (ticker: GFT-XE).

www.gft.com

www.blog.gft.com

www.linkedin.com/company/gft-group/

www.twitter.com/gft

About Guidewire

Guidewire Software Inc. (NYSE: GWRE) is the platform P&C insurers trust to engage, innovate, and grow efficiently. We combine digital, core, analytics, and AI to deliver our platform as a cloud service. Approximately 520 insurers in 38 countries, from new ventures to the largest and most complex in the world, run on Guidewire.

As a partner to our customers, we continually evolve to enable their success. We are proud of our unparalleled implementation track record, with 1,000+ successful projects, supported by the largest R&D team and partner ecosystem in the industry. Our marketplace provides hundreds of applications that accelerate integration, localization, and innovation.

For more information, please visit www.guidewire.com and follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn.

NOTE: For information about Guidewires trademarks, visit https://www.guidewire.com/legal-notices.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220929005092/en/

GFT

Dr. Markus Muller

Group Public Relations

GFT Technologies SE

Schelmenwasenstrae 34

70567 Stuttgart

+49 711 62042-344

[email protected]

www.gft.com

Guidewire

Daniel Couzens

Allison + Partners

+44(0)203 971 4308

[email protected]

Louise Bradley

PR & Communications  EMEA, Guidewire

+44(0)7474 837 860

[email protected]

Source: Guidewire Software Inc.
Ideal small cell for Communication Service Providers and Private Network Operators targeting 5G in-building coverage for enterprise and public spaces

BENGALURU, India--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Mavenir, the Network Software Provider building the future of networks with cloud-native software that runs on any cloud and transforms the way the world connects, today announced the unveiling of its latest 5G small cell at the upcoming India Mobile Congress (IMC) event in Pragati Maidan, New Delhi.

Mavenirs 5G small cell (E511), is a globally applicable product, with the flexibility to support both distributed and centralized ORAN architectures. Building on an established install base of over 2 million small cell units deployed globally, the 5G small cell forms part of an expanding small cell portfolio, that leverages Mavenirs end-to-end RAN solution including a common Management System and CU. This flexibility, coupled with zero touch provisioning - ease of deployment, cost-effective, high-capacity solution is ideal for a variety of deployment use cases, including Enterprises such as office, retail, warehousing, manufacturing, and public spaces.

Puneet Sethi, Mavenirs SVP and GM for the Radio Access Network Business, By adding the 5G small cell to Mavenirs product portfolio, we have competed our Multi-G (2G/3G/4G/5G), software upgradable, Open RAN-based small cells offering - enabling CSPs to enhance their network capacity and coverage for in-building use cases. The E511, is currently undergoing lab trials across India, Europe and US.

A live product demonstration will be showcasing the 5G small cell in a Neutral Private Network configuration over Mavenirs 5G SA Core at the India Mobile Congress, on the Mavenir Stand No. 4.4  click here to request a meeting and demo.

About Mavenir:

Mavenir is building the future of networks and pioneering advanced technology, focusing on the vision of a single, software-based automated network that runs on any cloud. As the industry's only end-to-end, cloud-native network software provider, Mavenir is focused on transforming the way the world connects, accelerating software network transformation for 250+ Communications Service Providers and Enterprises in over 120 countries, which serve more than 50% of the worlds subscribers. www.mavenir.com

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220928005939/en/

[email protected]

Maryvonne Tubb (US)

Emmanuela Spiteri (EMEA)

Source: Mavenir
NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- The majority of US states have the resources needed to get through an economic recession, according to a new study from Moodys Analytics. A record 43 states have the cash they need to weather an economic slump without having to resort to severe spending cuts or tax increases.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220929005226/en/

The majority of US states have the resources needed to get through an economic recession, according to a Moodys Analytics study. A record 43 states have the cash they need to weather an economic slump without having to resort to severe spending cuts or tax increases. (Graphic: Business Wire)

States have never been in a better position to make it through a recession, said Emily Mandel, the studys author. State policymakers seem to have learned a valuable lesson from the Great Recession, a period when tax revenue losses far outstripped savings.

The Moody's Analytics study examines how well a states finances can carry it through an economic downturn. Economists at Moodys Analytics ran stress tests on all 50 states to arrive at an estimate of each states recessionary needs in the event of a moderate recession. The study takes into account the impact of the business cycle on state revenues and spending over two fiscal years.

While the stress test results find most states prepared for a recession, there is some variation in their degrees of readiness, according to the study. In total, 39 states have the funds to significantly reduce stress from a recession. Four states would have to raise taxes or cut spending by less than 5% of their budgets. However, seven states would have to resort to spending cuts or tax increases of more than 5% of their budgets.

States overly dependent on tourism and consumer spending will be most hard hit during a recession, according to the study. States with agriculture and energy-based economies are better positioned to weather the storm.

The bottom five states with less than a 10% revenue gap are:

Illinois

Alaska

Arizona

Mississippi

New Hampshire

In contrast, the states most flush with cash are:

North Dakota

Wyoming

Idaho

California

Delaware

To protect their budgets from increased volatility and fiscal drag, state and local policymakers should consider investing in their budget processes and make stress-testing a higher priority. States may want to consider formulating targeted reserve levels, Mandel added. Planning for a recession requires putting away enough money today to prepare for a future downturn, without stunting economic growth.

Read the state stress test study.

About Moodys Analytics

Moodys Analytics provides financial intelligence and analytical tools to help business leaders make better, faster decisions. Our deep risk expertise, expansive information resources, and innovative application of technology help our clients confidently navigate an evolving marketplace. We are known for our industry-leading and award-winning solutions, made up of research, data, software, and professional services, assembled to deliver a seamless customer experience. We create confidence in thousands of organizations worldwide, with our commitment to excellence, open mindset approach, and focus on meeting customer needs. For more information about Moodys Analytics, visit our website or connect with us on Twitter and LinkedIn.

Moody's Analytics, Inc. is a subsidiary of Moody's Corporation (NYSE: MCO). Moody's Corporation reported revenue of $6.2 billion in 2021, employs over 14,000 people worldwide, and maintains a presence in more than 40 countries.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220929005226/en/

TRACY FINE

Moodys Analytics Communications

+1.415.874.6013

[email protected]

moodysanalytics.com

twitter.com/moodysanalytics

linkedin.com/company/moodysanalytics

Source: Moodys Analytics
TORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Nextech AR Solutions Corp. (Nextech or the Company) (OTCQB: NEXCF) (CSE: NTAR) (FSE: N29), a Metaverse Company and leading provider of augmented reality (AR) experience technologies and 3D model services is pleased to announce it has released major upgrades and features to its SaaS ARitize Decorator product for e-commerce. ARitize 3D uses revolutionary AI technology to create high-quality 3D models at scale for the largest prime e-commerce marketplace. ARitize Decorator can be seamlessly integrated onto any e-commerce website acting as a software extension to Nextechs ARitize 3D platform.. The Decorator works with ARitize 3D to turn those models into experiences by contextualizing their importance in the e-commerce journey.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220929005178/en/

Watch a video of the ARitize Decorator - click here

Try the ARitize Decorator tool yourself - click here and scroll down the landing page

ARitize Decorators new features to revolutionize the e-commerce experience include:

Magic Eraser: For the first time ever, shoppers will now be able to remove any item in their room photo with a magic eraser tool to then replace it with a new product. This works just like Googles magic eraser for the Pixel phone.

For the first time ever, shoppers will now be able to remove any item in their room photo with a magic eraser tool to then replace it with a new product. This works just like Googles magic eraser for the Pixel phone. Colour Changer: The consumer will be able to change flooring layouts, add ceiling items, and even alter the wall colour. Nextech AR believes all these personalization tools combined will provide consumers with a shopping experience that has never been seen in the market before.

The consumer will be able to change flooring layouts, add ceiling items, and even alter the wall colour. Nextech AR believes all these personalization tools combined will provide consumers with a shopping experience that has never been seen in the market before. 3D Model Overlap: Shoppers can now overlap multiple 3D product models when using the ARitize Decorator to design an interior, including placing rugs under furniture.

Shoppers can now overlap multiple 3D product models when using the ARitize Decorator to design an interior, including placing rugs under furniture. New UX/UI: Along with the new features, the product has received a major design enhancement, with updates to the User Experience and User Interface.

ARitize Decorator allows customers to place 3D versions of products into uploaded photos of their own space. For example, if a customer wanted to design their living room, they could take a regular 2D photo of their living room, upload it into an ARitize Decorator, and design the space by adding 3D product models of furniture and decor from the retailer. By previewing these true-to-scale products in their home and seeing what best fits, buyer confidence is increased and theyre more likely to make a purchase. Alternatively, customers can also use stock templates of various types of rooms, which are provided in the Decorator platform.

ARitize Decorator allows shoppers online to preview furniture, lighting, rugs, wall art and other decor directly in their rooms using a simple 2D photo. This solution uses advanced artificial intelligence (AI) technology to automatically analyze the room layout uploaded by the shopper and parses the room surfaces to reconstruct the scene. This whole process only takes seconds before the shopper is able to seamlessly place 3D models inside the 2D photo as if they were part of the room. For merchants, this technology increases the average cart size as users can place multiple 3D objects and add them all to the cart in a single click. The ARitize Decorator also acts as a tool to merge the online and offline shopping experience by allowing shoppers to take their home with them to the store. In this way, a shopper is able to place any physical items seen in-store directly into their room before committing to the purchase.

ARitize Decorator is seamlessly integrated and acts as a software extension to Nextechs ARitize 3D platform, which uses revolutionary AI technology to create high-quality 3D models. The Decorator works with ARitize 3D to turn those models into experiences by contextualizing their importance in the e-commerce journey.

The technology powering the ARitize Decorator product is also a perfect use case for the increasingly popular virtual interior design and e-design industries. The trends in interior design are continuing to change drastically with consistent technological breakthroughs. Technological innovations behind products like ARitize Decorator increase working efficiency, save time, and allow designers or enterprise companies to connect and collaborate with customers digitally. The constant integration of new technologies, such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), Virtual Reality (VR), and Augmented Reality (AR), will continue to grow the interior design software market in coming years. According to research from The Insight Partners, the interior design software market size is projected to reach $6.87 billion by 2028 from $3.33 billion in 2020; it is expected to grow at a CAGR of 9.8% from 2021 to 2028.1

In an article for Architectural Digest, Shanna Tellerman, chief executive of Modsy stated, We will not distinguish as strongly as we do today between what we consider the offline physical world, and online. For designers, that opens up the idea that they can have clients anywhere. Ten years from now, people will use visualization for buying furniture no matter whether theyre going into a store to buy a piece, trying to lay out an entire room, or hiring an interior designer. Its going to be an expected part of the flow.2

Stock Compensation

Evan Gappelberg  CEO has taken restricted shares in lieu of cash for services rendered by Atlas Advisors LLC (Evan Gappelberg) in the amount of CAD $264,962.91 for 339,696 common shares. The deemed price per share is at $0.78 CAD and the shares are subject to a 4 month hold period. As insiders of Nextech participated in the transaction, it is deemed to be a related party transaction within the meaning of Multilateral Instrument 61-101 Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions (MI 61- 101). Nextech is relying on the exemptions from the formal valuation and minority approval requirements contained in Sections 5.5(a) and 5.7(1)(a) of MI 61-101, on the basis that the fair market value of the transaction does not exceed 25% of Nextech's market capitalization. The Company will be filing a material change report in respect of the related party transaction on SEDAR.

To learn more, please follow us on Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Facebook, or visit our website: https://www.Nextechar.com.

About Nextech AR

Nextech AR Solutions is the engine accelerating the growth of the Metaverse. Using breakthrough AI, Nextech AR is able to quickly, easily and affordably ARitize (transform) vast quantities and varieties of existing assets at scale making products, people and places ready for interactive 3D use, giving creators at every level all the essential tools they need to build out their digital AR vision in the Metaverse. Our platform agnostic tools allow brands, educators, students, manufacturers, creators, and technologists to create immersive, interactive and the most photo-realistic 3D assets and digital environments, compose AR experiences, and publish them omnichannel. With a full suite of end-to-end AR solutions in 3D Commerce, Education, Events, and Industrial Manufacturing, Nextech AR is in a unique position to meet the needs of the worlds biggest brands and all Metaverse contributors.

Nextech funds the development of its AR and Metaverse growth initiatives through its e-commerce platforms, which currently generate most of its revenue. Nextech's e-commerce platforms include: vacuumcleanermarket.com (VCM), infinitepetlife.com (IPL) and Trulyfesupplements.com (TruLyfe). VCM and product sales of residential vacuums, supplies and parts, and small home appliances sold on Amazon. These e-commerce platforms serve as an incubator for developing and testing Nextech's leading edge AR, AI and machine learning applications for powering next-generation e-commerce technology.

Forward-looking Statements

The CSE has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Certain information contained herein may constitute forward-looking information under Canadian securities legislation. Generally, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as, will be or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results will occur. Forward-looking statements regarding the completion of the transaction are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements and forward-looking information. Nextech will not update any forward-looking statements or forward-looking information that are incorporated by reference herein, except as required by applicable securities laws.

__________________________

1 https://www.globenewswire.com/en/news-release/2022/03/24/2409809/0/en/Interior-Design-Software-Market-Size-Worth-6-87Bn-Globally-by-2028-at-9-8-CAGR-Exclusive-Report-by-The-Insight-Partners.html

2 https://www.architecturaldigest.com/story/future-interior-design-profession

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220929005178/en/

Investor Relations

Lindsay Betts

[email protected]

866-ARitize (274-8493) Ext 7201



Nextech AR Solutions Corp.

Evan Gappelberg

CEO and Director

866-ARITIZE (274-8493)

Source: Nextech AR Solutions Corp.
New high-speed bagger, robotic pick & place cell among new products to debut

LAS VEGAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Paxiom will showcase its latest automated packaging machine technology at Pack Expo International in Chicago from October 23 - 26.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220929005237/en/

The latest Paxiom innovations in bagging, check weighing and robotic pick & place cells will be on display at Pack Expo International. (Photo: Business Wire)

Showgoers visiting Paxiom booth S-2153 can interact with their newest product releases:

The VF 1200 high-speed continuous motion bagging machine,

high-speed continuous motion bagging machine, The WeightCheQ 0-250 high-accuracy check weigher,

high-accuracy check weigher, The PKR Delta top load pick & place robotic cell; and,

top load pick & place robotic cell; and, A bulk bagging system featuring the BI 600 automatic bag inserter and BU 600 automatic bag uncuffer.

Producing up to 150 bags per minute, the VF 1200 is built for high-speed applications. This continuous motion vertical form, fill and seal machine can handle multiple package formats and produces a wide range of package sizes providing flexibility for both retail and club size packaging.

The WeightCheQ 0-250 is engineered with electromagnetic force restoration (EMFR) technology to achieve incredibly tight 0.01-gram tolerances. This high-precision machine is perfectly suited to precisely weigh gummies, capsules and candies and can seamlessly integrate with existing bagging, container filling, flow wrapping and case filling systems.

Designed by our in-house team of robotic specialists, the PKR Delta robotic cell achieves gentle product handling by either vacuum or mechanical means and can be customized to package products ranging from personal care items and vitamins to vegetables and snack foods into a variety of case and tray pack patterns.

The BI 600 bag inserter and BU 600 bag uncuffer are the perfect replacement for a manual bulk bagging process. Designed to fit seamlessly into a bulk bag filling line with a case erector, bulk weigh filler and case sealer to create a fully automated system that prepares cases, trays and bins for shipment.

In addition to these new product introductions, Paxiom will feature a wide variety of packaging solutions including weigh filling and powder filling systems, premade pouch bagging machines, a complete container filling system, flow wrappers and multiple end-of-line solutions including case and tray forming and cartoning machines.

"The manufacturers under our umbrella, WeighPack, EndFlex and ValTara, continue to deliver the most advanced packaging machines and turnkey systems on the market today, said Nicholas Taraborelli, Vice President of Paxiom. "We serve clients across industries from food and beverage to automotive and pharmaceuticals; we are constantly innovating to deliver new automated solutions to our customers and there is no better environment to highlight these innovations than at Pack Expo.

Watch in-field videos of their machines and systems at www.paxiom.com/packaging-machinery-videos.

Paxiom Group is the national sales, system integration and service provider for the state-of-the-art packaging machine technology manufactured by WeighPack, ValTara and EndFlex. From weighing, filling, bagging and wrapping to cartoning, tray forming, case packing and palletizing, Paxiom has delivered over 7,000 packaging solutions to over 30 countries. Customers can see these solutions in person by visiting an Xperience Center in Las Vegas, Miami, Milwaukee, Montreal, Toronto or Schio, Italy.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220929005237/en/

David Morgan, Director of Marketing, [email protected], 702-450-0808 x625

Source: Paxiom Group
TORONTO & DALLAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Perimeter Medical Imaging AI, Inc. (TSX-V: PINK) (OTC: PYNKF) (FSE: 4PC) announced the commercial placement of its flagship Perimeter S-Series OCT system at a hospital that is part of a major national healthcare system and one of the largest healthcare networks in North Texas. Perimeter is a medical technology company driven to transform cancer surgery with ultra-high-resolution, real-time, advanced imaging tools to address high unmet medical needs.

Jeremy Sobotta, Perimeters Chief Executive Officer stated, This commercial placement of our Perimeter S-Series OCT system at a hospital in a major healthcare network marks a significant milestone for us as we gain traction validating our commercial model. Perimeter S-Series OCT aims to improve patient outcomes and lower healthcare costs, and we are excited that leading surgeons and hospitals are seeing the potential of our ground-breaking technology.

About Perimeter Medical Imaging AI, Inc.

Based in Toronto, Canada and Dallas, Texas, Perimeter Medical Imaging AI (TSX-V: PINK) (OTC: PYNKF) (FSE: 4PC) is a medical technology company driven to transform cancer surgery with ultra-high-resolution, real-time, advanced imaging tools to address areas of high unmet medical need. Available across the U.S., our FDA-cleared Perimeter S-Series OCT system provides real-time, cross-sectional visualization of excised tissues at the cellular level, with 10x greater image resolution than X-ray and ultrasound, and 100x greater than MRI. The breakthrough-device-designated investigational Perimeter B-Series OCT with ImgAssist AI represents our next-generation artificial intelligence technology that is currently being evaluated in a pivotal clinical trial, with support from a grant of up to US$7.4 million awarded by the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas. The companys ticker symbol PINK is a reference to the pink ribbons displayed during Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains statements that constitute forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. In this news release, words such as may, would, could, will, likely, believe, expect, anticipate, intend, plan, estimate, and similar words and the negative form thereof are used to identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking information may relate to managements future outlook and anticipated events or results and may include statements or information regarding the future financial position, business strategy and strategic goals, competitive conditions, research and development activities, projected costs and capital expenditures, research and clinical testing outcomes, taxes and plans and objectives of, or involving, Perimeter. Without limitation, information regarding the potential benefits of Perimeter S-Series OCT, Perimeter B-Series OCT, and Perimeter ImgAssist; Perimeters expected development activities and the expected details regarding Perimeters ongoing clinical trials are forward-looking information. Forward-looking statements should not be read as guarantees of future performance or results, and will not necessarily be accurate indications of whether, or the times at or by which, any particular result will be achieved. No assurance can be given that any events anticipated by the forward-looking information will transpire or occur. Forward-looking information is based on information available at the time and/or managements good-faith belief with respect to future events and are subject to known or unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions, and other unpredictable factors, many of which are beyond Perimeters control. Such forward-looking statements reflect Perimeters current view with respect to future events, but are inherently subject to significant medical, scientific, business, economic, competitive, political, and social uncertainties and contingencies. In making forward-looking statements, Perimeter may make various material assumptions, including but not limited to (i) the accuracy of Perimeters financial projections; (ii) obtaining positive results from trials; (iii) obtaining necessary regulatory approvals; and (iv) general business, market, and economic conditions. Further risks, uncertainties and assumptions include, but are not limited to, those applicable to Perimeter and described in Perimeters Management Discussion and Analysis for the year ended December 31, 2021, which is available on Perimeters SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com, and could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those projected in any forward-looking statements. Perimeter does not intend, nor does Perimeter undertake any obligation, to update or revise any forward-looking information contained in this news release to reflect subsequent information, events, or circumstances or otherwise, except if required by applicable laws.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220929005303/en/

Chris Scott

Chief Financial Officer

Perimeter Medical Imaging AI, Inc.

Investors: [email protected]

Toll-free: 888-988-7465 (PINK)

Jodi Regts

Corporate Communications

Perimeter Medical Imaging AI, Inc.

Media: [email protected]

Mobile: 469-743-1834

Source: Perimeter Medical Imaging AI, Inc.
NAARDEN, Netherlands & WALTHAM, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Prilenia Therapeutics B.V., a clinical stage biotechnology company focused on the urgent mission to develop novel therapeutics to slow the progression of neurodegenerative and neurodevelopmental disorders, today announced the appointment of Anne Sullivan as Chief Business Officer. In this role, Ms. Sullivan will lead all strategic collaboration activities.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220928006018/en/

Anne Sullivan, Chief Business Officer at Prilenia (Photo: Business Wire)

As Prilenia prepares for key milestones in its pipeline over the coming months, we believe Anne brings tremendous experience and perspective to our leadership team, said Dr. Michael R. Hayden, CEO and Founder of Prilenia. We are delighted to welcome Anne to the team and are confident that her strong background in neurology and expertise in corporate and business development will be invaluable as Prilenia takes important steps toward its future.

Prilenia represents an organization truly committed to scientific rigor as well as to people living with serious neurological diseases, like Huntingtons disease and ALS, and I couldnt be more pleased to join the team and advance its mission, said Anne Sullivan, Chief Business Officer at Prilenia. Prilenia is poised to make significant progress over the next few quarters, with the Company expecting key data from its ongoing studies of pridopidine in ALS and Huntingtons disease. Knowing that many people are waiting for potential new therapeutic options, we are actively evaluating opportunities to accelerate and expand the potential impact of pridopidine.

Anne brings more than 25 years of experience in the biopharmaceutical industry. Prior to joining Prilenia, Anne served as Chief Business Officer at Rodin Therapeutics, a privately held clinical stage biopharmaceutical company discovering and developing first-in-class therapeutics for serious neurological diseases. Anne played an instrumental role in the acquisition of Rodin by Alkermes plc in November 2019 and has since then served as consulting CBO for multiple private and public biopharma companies. Before joining Rodin, Anne served as Senior Vice President, Corporate Development & Operations at Sea Pharmaceuticals, LLC, and Vice President, Corporate Development and Licensing with Sunovion Pharmaceuticals Inc. (formerly Sepracor Inc.). She began her career as a certified public accountant working in audit and international finance with KPMG and Wang Laboratories. Anne received an A.B. in economics/accounting from the College of the Holy Cross and an MBA from the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College.

About Prilenia

Prilenia is a clinical stage biotech startup founded in 2018 focused on the urgent mission to develop novel therapeutics to slow the progression of neurodegenerative diseases and neurodevelopmental disorders.

The Companys lead asset, pridopidine, is an oral, highly selective Sigma-1 Receptor agonist that is currently being assessed in clinical studies as a potential treatment option for people living with Huntingtons disease (HD) as well as ALS.

Prilenia is backed by a group of well-respected investors including: Forbion, Morningside, Sands Capital, SV Health Investors, Sectoral Asset Management, Talisman, Amplitude Ventures and the ALS Investment Fund. The Company is based in Naarden, the Netherlands, Herzliya, Israel and Waltham, Mass. in the U.S.

For more information visit www.prilenia.com and follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

2022 Prilenia Therapeutics B.V.

For a copy of this release, visit Prilenias website at www.prilenia.com

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220928006018/en/

Prilenia

Kristina Coppola

Head of Corporate Communications

[email protected]

Source: Prilenia Therapeutics B.V.
MIDLAND, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- ProPetro Holding Corp. ("ProPetro" or the Company") (NYSE: PUMP) today announced that it will issue its third quarter of 2022 earnings release on Tuesday, November 1, 2022 after the close of trading. ProPetro will host a conference call on Wednesday, November 2, 2022 at 8:00 AM Central Time to discuss its third quarter results.

To access the conference call, U.S. callers may dial toll free 1-844-340-9046 and international callers may dial 1-412-858-5205. Please call ten minutes ahead of the scheduled start time to ensure a proper connection. The call will also be webcast on ProPetros website, www.propetroservices.com.

A replay of the conference call will be available for one week following the call and may be accessed toll free by dialing 1-877-344-7529 for U.S. callers, 1-855-669-9658 for Canadian callers, as well as 1-412-317-0088 for international callers. The access code for the replay is 5206703.

About ProPetro

ProPetro Holding Corp. is a Midland, Texas-based oilfield services company providing pressure pumping and other complementary services to leading upstream oil and gas companies engaged in the exploration and production of North American unconventional oil and natural gas resources. For more information visit www.propetroservices.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220929005892/en/

David Schorlemer

Chief Financial Officer

[email protected]

432-277-0864

Matt Augustine

Senior Manager - Corporate Development & Investor Relations

[email protected]

432-848-0871

Source: ProPetro Holding Corp.
Publix activates register campaign to support disaster relief efforts

LAKELAND, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Publix Super Markets Charities is donating a total of $1 million to nonprofit organizations, including the American Red Cross and United Way, supporting relief efforts in areas affected by Hurricane Ian.

In addition, on Sept. 30, Publix is activating a companywide donation campaign, allowing customers and associates to help people affected by the hurricane. Donations may be made in any amount at checkout. One hundred percent of donated funds will go to the American Red Cross, enabling them to respond to and help people recover from this disaster. The end date for the campaign will be determined based on customer response.

Im proud of our more than 230,000 associates who are working hard to take care of our customers, our communities and each other every day and especially in times of need, said Publix CEO Todd Jones. Were grateful to Publix Charities for their generous donation to help the people who have been affected by Hurricane Ian.

About Publix Super Markets Charities

George Jenkins, founder of Publix Super Markets and affectionately known as Mr. George believed in giving to the communities. Jenkins started PSMC with the vision that giving would continue long after he was gone. And, more than 55 years later, PSMC remains committed to serving and meeting the needs of people in the communities in which Publix operates. To learn more about PSMCs efforts, please visit publixcharities.org/hope.

About Publix

Publix, the largest employee-owned company in the U.S. with more than 230,000 associates, currently operates 1,306 stores in Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, South Carolina, North Carolina and Virginia. For 25 consecutive years, the company has been recognized by Fortune as a great place to work. In addition, Publixs dedication to superior quality and customer service is recognized among the top in the grocery business. For more information, visit the companys newsroom at corporate.publix.com/newsroom.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220929005686/en/

Maria Brous

(863) 680-5339

Source: Publix
DALLAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Ryan, a leading global tax services and software provider, was again named as one of the Best Workplaces for Women by FORTUNE for the fifth time in the Firms history.

FORTUNE and its survey partner, Great Place to Work, use a thorough methodology combined with confidential feedback from Ryan team members to produce the annual list. The competitive process yields a small percentage of brands and companies competing to be named.

We are exceptionally proud to be included alongside some of the countrys leading and most admired businesses, said Ginny B. Kissling, Ryans Global President and Chief Operating Officer. Throughout our Firms history, we have worked tirelessly to create a culture where everyonemen and women alikecan thrive both personally and professionally. Earning this recognition again affirms that our approach to creating an inclusive workplace is working.

Ryan is leading the way for women through purposeful advancement and growth opportunities, generous family and personal leave policies, and promoting a healthy work-life balance through programs such as RyanTHRIVE, a wellness program that offers training modules focused on physical, career, emotional, and financial well-being, and myRyan, an innovative, results-based approach to working.

Great Place to Work is the only company culture award in America that selects winners based on how fairly employees are treated. Companies are assessed on how well they are creating a great employee experience that covers race, gender, age, disability status, or any aspect of who employees are or what their roles are within the organization.

For information about careers at Ryan, visit the careers section of our website.

About the Best Workplaces for Women

Great Place to Work selected the Best Workplaces for Women by gathering and analyzing confidential survey responses from more than 5.6 million U.S. employees at Great Place to Work-Certified organizations.

About Great Place to Work

Great Place to Work is the global authority on workplace culture. Since 1992, it has surveyed more than 100 million employees worldwide and used those deep insights to define what makes a great workplace: trust. Its employee survey platform empowers leaders with the feedback, real-time reporting, and insights they need to make data-driven people decisions. Everything Great Place to Work does is driven by its mission to build a better world by helping every organization become a great place to work For All.

About Ryan

Ryan, an award-winning global tax services and software provider, is the largest Firm in the world dedicated exclusively to business taxes. With global headquarters in Dallas, Texas, the Firm provides an integrated suite of federal, state, local, and international tax services on a multijurisdictional basis, including tax recovery, consulting, advocacy, compliance, and technology services. Ryan is a 10-time recipient of the International Service Excellence Award from the Customer Service Institute of America (CSIA) for its commitment to world-class client service. Empowered by the dynamic myRyan work environment, which is widely recognized as the most innovative in the tax services industry, Ryans multidisciplinary team of more than 3,600 professionals and associates serves over 18,000 clients in more than 60 countries, including many of the worlds most prominent Global 5000 companies. More information about Ryan can be found at ryan.com. Ryan and Firm refer to the global organizational network and may refer to one or more of the member firms of Ryan International, each of which is a separate legal entity.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220929005079/en/

Stacey Underwood

Senior Manager, Content, Communications, and Public Relations

Ryan

972.934.0022

Source: Ryan
Funding to help teachers get students back on track as recent studies show major declines in learning progress

OKLAHOMA CITY--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- To support students learning needs after a difficult few school years, SONIC Drive-In will donate $1 million this fall as part of its Limeades for Learning initiative to fund classroom projects submitted by local teachers across the communities SONIC serves. The funding will take place on October 5 in commemoration of World Teachers Day in collaboration with the brands longstanding educational nonprofit partner, DonorsChoose, a platform that allows individuals to donate directly to public school classroom requests.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220929005076/en/

SONIC Limeades for Learning (Graphic: Business Wire)

DonorsChoose and SONIC recently surveyed1 more than 5,000 public school teachers across the United States and found that learning disruptions from the past two years have led to students falling behind, with nine out of 10 teachers (91 percent) reporting that helping students reach expected learning milestones for their age group is a challenge. This is in line with recent findings from the National Assessment of Educational Progress, which tracked a major decline in student learning progress over the past few years as standardized testing scores experienced the largest drop in more than two decades.

For World Teachers Day, SONIC is supporting teachers in their efforts to get students caught up by donating $1 million to fund classroom requests on the DonorsChoose platform across the communities SONIC serves. Funded through a portion of drink purchases,2 SONICs Limeades for Learning initiative has donated more than $23 million to funding local classrooms  supporting over 2.4 million public school students - since its inception 13 years ago, becoming one of the largest programs to support public education in the U.S.

As a mother of three, I know first-hand just how difficult the past few years have been for teachers and students and the challenges they have faced due to inconsistent structure and learning environments, said Lori Abou Habib, Chief Marketing Officer of SONIC. The SONIC brand is dedicated to supporting education in the local communities we serve, and we are proud to provide funding to get our students back on track in their educations through Limeades for Learning.

When educators receive funding for classroom materials, it has a big impact, as 95 percent of teachers surveyed report it provides an opportunity to increase and motivate student interest in learning. However, much of this funding often comes from teachers themselves. The DonorsChoose and SONIC study revealed that teachers spent an average of nearly $750 their own money purchasing materials for their classroom last school year.

Research shows that funding a teachers project through our DonorsChoose website helps students feel inspired to learn and to reach their full potential. It also motivates teachers to stay invested in their students, said Alix Guerrier, CEO of DonorsChoose. Weve learned from educators that having just one of their DonorsChoose projects funded makes them 22 percent less likely to leave the profession, which is crucial during the current teacher shortage and dropping retention rates. SONICs commitment for World Teachers Day will empower these teachers and enrich the education of so many students across the U.S.

SONIC is also thanking teachers for all their work in supporting students with a special offer. Educators enrolled in SONICs Teachers Circle Rewards Program3 through the SONIC App will receive a Buy One Entree, Get One Free offer on October 5, which they can redeem through September 19.4 Entrees include Burgers, Breakfast Sandwiches, Breakfast Burritos, Jumbo Popcorn Chicken, Sauced Jumbo Popcorn Chicken, 3- and 5-piece Crispy Tenders, Chicken Sandwiches, Chili Cheese Coneys, All-American Dogs and Footlong Coneys.

SONIC guests can help in supporting teachers and students by visiting their nearest SONIC location and purchasing their favorite drink, shake or slush, and SONIC will donate a portion back to local public schools. They can also visit DonorsChoose.org and donate directly to one or more of the thousands of public school teacher requests seeking support to provide students with educational resources.

1Online survey of 5,018 teachers conducted by DonorsChoose on behalf of SONIC Drive-In between July 14th - July 24th, 2022. 2SONIC donates a portion of proceeds from every cup sold at participating drive-in locations to fund classroom needs submitted by teachers across the U.S., in partnership with educational nonprofit DonorsChoose. 10-ounce cups paper cups are excluded from the funding program. 3To join SONIC Teachers Circle, download the SONIC app, register, open your account settings by tapping your profile icon on the bottom left of the app, then tap your name to open account settings. Under Account, select Im A Teacher and provide your information to sign up. The program is available to educators employed by K-12 schools and colleges/universities in the United States. Once verified, Teachers Circle members will receive exclusive discounts and offers within the app, only available to teachers. Program has capacity limits; sign up now. 4Reward is valid for 14 days for one free entree with purchase of an entree of equal or greater value online or in the SONIC App. Add-ons cost extra. Not valid with Combos, delivery or any other offers. Qualifying products include all national entrees under the Featured, Breakfast, Burgers, Chicken and Hot Dogs categories. Excludes local favorites. Mobile ordering available only at select locations; hours may vary. One reward will be issued directly to the SONIC App account of each member fully verified in Teachers Circle by October 4, 2022.

About SONIC Drive-In

SONIC, founded in 1953, is the largest drive-in restaurant brand in the United States with more than 3,500 restaurants in 46 states. Served by its iconic Carhops, the restaurants expansive, award-winning menu offers unique, breakfast, lunch, dinner, snack, and drink options for the whole family. SONIC is part of the Inspire Brands family of restaurants. For more information, visit SonicDriveIn.com and InspireBrands.com

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220929005076/en/

Mikaela Weiss

203.506.7795

[email protected]

Source: SONIC Drive-In
WILMINGTON, Del.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- The LYCRA Company, a global leader in developing innovative fiber and technology solutions for the textile and apparel industry, today announced it has entered into an agreement with Qore to enable the worlds first large-scale commercial production of bio-derived spandex using QIRA, the next generation 1,4-butanediol (BDO), as one of its main ingredients. This will result in 70% of the LYCRA fiber content being derived from annually renewable feedstock. This change could potentially reduce the carbon footprint of LYCRA fiber by up to 44%* versus equivalent product made from fossil-based resources, while maintaining the same high-quality performance parameters of traditional LYCRA fiber.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220928005020/en/

The LYCRA Company signs an agreement with Qore LLC to enable large-scale production of bio-derived spandex. Pictured  Julien Born, CEO of The LYCRA Company (left), and Jon Veldhouse, CEO of Qore LLC (right), at The LYCRA Companys headquarters in Wilmington, DE, USA. (Photo: Business Wire)

QIRA will be produced at Cargills biotechnology campus and corn refining operation in Eddyville, Iowa. The facility, which is currently being built, will commence operations in 2024. The first renewable LYCRA fiber made with QIRA will be produced at The LYCRA Companys Tuas, Singapore manufacturing site in 2024. The LYCRA Company is currently seeking commitments with brand and retail customers who are pursuing bio-derived solutions for their apparel.

As part of our sustainability goals, we are committed to delivering products that support a more circular economy while helping our apparel and personal care customers reduce their footprint, said Julien Born, CEO of The LYCRA Company. We are especially pleased to collaborate with Qore, a company that shares our vision for innovative, sustainable solutions. Their expertise in operating fermentation processes and understanding of the chemical value chains makes them the ideal partner to help develop a bio-derived LYCRA fiber at commercial scale.

We are proud to partner with The LYCRA Company on bringing this sustainable material solution to the market. This collaboration demonstrates that QIRA directly replaces conventional BDO and thus significantly improves the fibers sustainability profile, said Jon Veldhouse, CEO of Qore. QIRA is an innovative platform chemical that can be used in various applications across industries.

The first generation of renewable LYCRA fiber made with QIRA will use feedstock from field corn grown by Iowa farmers and will enable a significant reduction in CO2 footprint. In addition to replacing a finite resource with an annually renewable one, another benefit for mills, brands and retailers is that there is no change in fiber performance, eliminating the need for any re-engineering of fabrics, patterns, or processes. Equivalent performance was demonstrated in 2014 when the worlds first bio-derived spandex was launched under the LYCRA brand. The LYCRA Company has since been granted a patent for the process used to make renewable elastane from bio-derived BDO.

For additional information on renewable LYCRA fiber, The LYCRA Company and Qore invite interested parties to contact The LYCRA Company sales representatives.

*Estimate from Cradle-to-Gate Screening LCA for a representative LYCRA fiber manufacturing facility, June 2022, prepared by Ramboll US Consulting, Inc.

About The LYCRA Company

The LYCRA Company innovates and produces fiber and technology solutions for the apparel and personal care industries. Headquartered in Wilmington, Delaware, The LYCRA Company is recognized worldwide for its innovative products, technical expertise, sustainable solutions, and unmatched marketing support. The LYCRA Company owns leading consumer and trade brands: LYCRA, LYCRA HyFit, LYCRA T400, COOLMAX, THERMOLITE, ELASPAN, SUPPLEX, and TACTEL. The LYCRA Companys legacy stretches back to 1958 with the invention of the original spandex yarn, LYCRA fiber. Today, The LYCRA Company focuses on adding value to its customers products by developing unique innovations designed to meet the consumers need for comfort and lasting performance. For more information, visit www.thelycracompany.com.

LYCRA is a trademark of The LYCRA Company.

About Qore LLC

Formed through a joint venture by Cargill and HELM, Qore will help leading brands replace fossil-based chemistries with bio-derived intermediates. At the heart of the joint venture is the production of QIRA, the next-generation bio-derived 1,4-butanediol (BDO). Made biologically through the fermentation of plant-based sugars, QIRA can save up to 93% of greenhouse gas emissions when replacing todays widely used chemical intermediates made from traditional fossil sources. Bio-derived QIRA can be used the same way as its fossil counterpart but with significantly better environmental performance.

For more information, visit www.myqira.com.

Qore and QIRA are trademarks of Qore LLC.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220928005020/en/

Karie J. Ford [email protected]

Source: The LYCRA Company
VANCOUVER, British Columbia--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Wellbeing Digital Sciences Inc. (Wellbeing or the Company) (NEO: MEDI) (OTC: KONEF) (FRA: SQ2), an evidence-based mental healthcare company focused on the development and implementation of innovative clinical solutions, including psychedelic medicine and digital therapeutics as supported by clinical research, announces that Najla Guthrie, CEO of Wellbeing, will participate in the Cantor Fitzgerald Mental Health Clinics Symposium to be held virtually on October 11, 2022 at 9:00 a.m. ET.

Najla Guthrie will take part in a 45 minute fireside chat discussing the mental health clinics industry in North America and their significant growth, transformation, and consolidation. In addition to psychotherapy, neurological services, and Ketamine-assisted therapies, some of these clinics may also be able to provide additional psychedelic derived assisted therapies when federal and or local regulations change, creating a global mental health market estimated at $380Bn in 2020 alone and projected to grow to $538Bn by 2030.

Register to attend here.

For more information about the conference, or to schedule a one-on-one meeting with Wellbeings management team, please send an email to Natalie Dolphin at [email protected].

ABOUT WELLBEING DIGITAL SCIENCES

Wellbeing Digital Sciences Inc. is an evidence-based mental healthcare company focused on the development and implementation of innovative clinical treatment solutions, including psychedelic medicine and digital therapeutics, as supported by clinical research. Its mission is supported by a network of North American clinics that provide forward-thinking therapies and other types of treatment to patients as well as through a contract research organization that offers clinical trials services to clients pursuing drug development. For additional information, please visit wellbeingdigital.co.

On behalf of:

Najla Guthrie

Chief Executive Officer

WELLBEING DIGITAL SCIENCES

Notice Regarding Forward-Looking Information:

This news release contains forward-looking statements including but not limited to statements regarding the Companys business, assets or investments, as well other statements that are not historical facts. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, as there can be no assurance that the plans, intentions or expectations upon which they are based will occur. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve numerous assumptions, known and unknown risks and uncertainties, both general and specific, that contribute to the possibility that the predictions, forecasts, projections and other forward-looking statements will not occur, which may cause actual performance and results in future periods to differ materially from any estimates or projections of future performance or results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. These assumptions, risks and uncertainties include, among other things, the state of the economy in general and capital markets in particular, investor interest in the business and prospects of the Company.

The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as of the date of this news release. Except as required by law, the Company disclaims any intention and assumes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities law. Additionally, the Company undertakes no obligation to comment on the expectations of, or statements made, by third parties in respect of the matters discussed above.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220929005327/en/

For further information, please contact:

Natalie Dolphin

VP of Marketing & Investment Relations

Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @Wellbeing_IR

Source: Wellbeing Digital Sciences Inc.
Western Union collaborates with Shanghai Pudong Development Bank and Tencent Financial Technology so that Chinese nationals can receive international money transfers in real-time through Weixin

Western Union empowers Weixin users in China with the choice to receive international cash transfers digitally

BEIJING--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Western Union today announced that it has launched inbound international money transfers for Weixins approximately one billion users in China.

Activated in collaboration with Shanghai Pudong Development Bank and Tencent Financial Technology, Chinese customers will now be able to receive money in real-time through the Weihuikuan Mini Program, a lite app integrated in Weixin. Weihuikuan offers a completely digital, in-app experience, enabling Weixins approximately one billion users to receive international cash transfers from their loved ones digitally, into their bank accounts.

Delivering excellence in experience as customers transfer money

According to industry research, China is home to a vast pool of internet userslarger than the U.S. and EU combined. After leapfrogging areas within the digital economy such as e-commerce and fintech solutions for financial inclusion, cutting-edge innovations have brought about a shift in Chinese consumer expectations for money transfer providers to offer safety, security, convenience and speed. Todays announcement aims to deliver on these expectations. It underpins Western Unions strategy to bridge the physical and digital worlds of money, by giving Weixin customers flexibility in how they receive their transfers.

The future of money movement is about choice, supported by technology-led innovative partnerships, said Jenny Wu, Country Director of China and Mongolia at Western Union. China is the third largest recipient of remittances globally, receiving approximately USD53 billion in 2021. This makes it even more imperative that Western Union delivers on its commitment to transform experiences for the countrys tech-savvy customers.

Western Union has connected individuals to their families and loved ones globally for over 170 years, WU added. The new service on Weixin, launched in cooperation with Shanghai Pudong Development Bank and Tencent Financial Technology, is pivotal to delivering on our joint commitment to maintain that vital connection between customers and their families. I am optimistic that together, we can play our part in advancing digital financial inclusion in the country.

Weixin Users can receive up to USD3000

Western Unions network reaches billions of bank accounts, including millions of wallets and cards in over 130 countries, and Agent locations in more than 200 countries and territories. Todays announcement will enable Weixin users in China to receive Western Union money transfers in Renminbi equivalent of up to USD3000 per transfer. Weixin users can deposit their funds real-time into their bank accounts by entering the Money Transfer Control Number (MTCN) and other relevant details in the Weihuikuan mini program.

About Western Union

The Western Union Company (NYSE: WU) is a global leader in cross-border, cross-currency money movement and payments. Western Unions platform provides seamless cross-border flows and its leading global financial network bridges more than 200 countries and territories and approximately 130 currencies. We connect consumers, businesses, financial institutions, and governments through one of the worlds widest reaching networks, accessing billions of bank accounts, millions of digital wallets and cards, and a substantial global network of retail locations. Western Union connects the world to bring boundless possibilities within reach. For more information, visit www.westernunion.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220928005466/en/

Western Union

Karen Santos; [email protected]

Saadia McGlinchey; [email protected]

Source: The Western Union Company
MILWAUKEE--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Neostella, a global hyperautomation company headquartered in Milwaukee, WI announced today that it has signed an agreement to acquire Chicago, IL-based Work-Relay, a next-generation Business Process Management software that provides cloud-based workflow automation capabilities across complex business processes and projects.

Founded in 2020, Neostella, which provides business consulting, automation, and implementation services, has grown to over 100 employees with offices in five countries while quickly expanding its range of services.

With a rapidly growing number of companies adopting enterprise-wide automation initiatives that includes Robotic Process Automation (RPA), cloud-based application integration services (iPaaS), and custom application development, intelligent Business Process Management Suites (iBPMS) serve as the platform to coordinate them. Adding to existing partnerships with RPA vendor UiPath (NYSE: PATH) and IPaaS vendor Workato, the acquisition of Work-Relay enables Neostella to add powerful workflow automation to their comprehensive set of offerings. Among the very few providers equipped with a full suite of business automation capabilities, Neostella offers a convenient, single-vendor option for organizations looking to drive efficiency by building or scaling end-to-end automation practices.

Work-Relay's technology, client success, and personnel are the perfect fit with Neostella given our vision to help clients achieve operational excellence through hyperautomation, commented Matt Lautz, Founder and CEO of Neostella. Work-Relays native Salesforce integration combined with Neostellas experience within the Salesforce ecosystem fulfills an opportunity to address the needs of 150,000 Salesforce customers who seek the benefits of automation without the hassle of complex development, said Lautz.

The acquisition reinforces Neostellas ability to deliver even broader value to the $860B hyperautomation market, projected by Gartner to grow at 12.3% CAGR through 2027. Work-Relay has grown from a custom SaaS application to an Enterprise Work Automation platform serving thousands of users in public and private enterprises across four continents, said Kramer Reeves, CEO of Work-Relay, who, along with his team, will join Neostella. Work-Relay clients include large enterprises as well as small and mid-size companies who use Work-Relay software to automate work, empower workers, and achieve operational excellence when faced with complex, time-sensitive business operations, processes, and projects.

There are few conditions to be satisfied before closing, and therefore Neostella and Work-Relay expect closing to occur within a few weeks.

About NEOSTELLA

Neostella is a global automation consulting, implementation, and custom development firm that takes a customer-centric approach to automation services. Neostella works closely with their clients to identify opportunities for better efficiency, refine processes, and create solutions designed to meet unique business needs. With office locations in North America, South America, Europe, and Asia, Neostellas global team offers ongoing 24/7 support, ensuring long-term success after their clients go-live.

About WORK-RELAY

Work-Relay is a global SaaS development company based in the US with operations across four continents. Work-Relay offers a comprehensive business process management (BPM) solution natively built on Salesforce for digitizing, managing, and optimizing complex business operations to achieve operational excellence.

1 Gartner, Forecast Analysis: Hyperautomation Enablement Software, Worldwide, 2021.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220929005215/en/

Media Contact:

Lisa Bevington, Media Relations

Neostella

+1 414 403-6082

[email protected]

Source: Neostella
Extension led by GGV Capital, with strong participation from new and existing investors Founders Fund, Coatue, BOND

Funding to support Workstreams expansion into new industries and products for the burgeoning deskless workforce

SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Workstream, the mobile-first hiring and onboarding platform for the deskless workforce, today announced it has extended its Series B funding round with an additional close of $60 million, bringing the total Series B financing to $108 million. More than two dozen investors are participating in the oversubscribed extension round, including both institutional funds and angel investors.

Led by Hans Tung, managing partner of GGV Capital, with strong participation from new and existing investors, notably Founders Fund, Coatue, BOND, Basis Set Ventures, CRV, WiL and Soma Capital. The financing enables Workstream to double down on its mission of serving the deskless workforce, which continues to flourish post-COVID and the Great Resignation. Business owners from more than 170 of the top quick-service restaurant (QSR) brands in the world, including Burger King, Dairy Queen and Jimmy Johns, along with leading brands outside of QSR, such as Marriott International, Ace Hardware, UPS and European Wax Center, are already finding success with Workstreams platform.

Workstream has seen tremendous momentum in the last year, said Tung. Were excited to see Workstream continue to expand into new verticals, in particular the retail sector, which was profoundly impacted by COVID. Sixty percent of the U.S. workforce does not sit at a desk to do their job, and were delighted to see Workstream continue to build technology to support this group.

The funding and the addition of new investors with strategic industry experience will help the company expand further into new and current verticals in the retail, hospitality, healthcare, warehousing and automotive sectors. The funding will also enable Workstream to boost its R&D investment to extend its platform offering beyond its Hiring and, recently launched, Employee Onboarding products.

With Workstreams Hiring product, weve reduced our application to hire timeline down to about three days, which is fantastic for us, said Amy Parman, Director of Training & Recruiting at Tazikis Mediterranean Cafe. We saw a high this year of a 71% show rate for interviews, which is outstanding. Also, the Onboarding product has helped smooth out our applicant and manager experiences, by keeping everything in one place. There is really nothing that the employee has to provide, sign or complete outside of Workstream Onboarding.

The demand for flexible work hours  and part-time work  is on the rise as workers increasingly look to control the hours they are on the job, whether to pursue other interests or care for their children or elderly parents. The Labor Departments August jobs report shows that 20.3 million people worked part-time by choice, compared to 4.1 million part-time workers looking for full-time positions. The report also shows that despite rumblings of a recession, the overall job market remains strong. The U.S. economy added over 315,000 spots, led by hiring in professional services, healthcare, leisure and hospitality  all industries with large deskless workforces.

With little easing of labor shortages, fierce competition for deskless workers and great demand to fill open spots at lightning speed, the need for our platform is increasing exponentially, said Desmond Lim, co-founder and CEO of Workstream. Weve grown 10x in the last 18 months and now serve more than 4,000 customers across 24,000 locations. This latest round of investment, coupled with the expertise of our strategic investors, will enable us to continue our planned expansion into new verticals and build new tools for the deskless worker, in support of the companys future growth.

Workstreams end-to-end platform, which automates many of the recruiting and onboarding processes that can slow down hiring, helps businesses with large deskless workforces fill open positions quickly. The funding round extension clearly demonstrates the investment communitys belief in Workstreams platform and business model.

To best serve the deskless workforce in these new verticals, Workstream has partnered with strategic investors and industry veterans, including:

GGV Capital, with retail and e-commerce investments, such as StockX and Bowery Farming

Peterson Ventures, with retail and e-commerce investments, such as Allbirds, Bonobos and Cotopaxi

Soma Capital, with investments in hospitality, among a variety of other industries, and owner of the Sacramento Kings

Aglae Ventures, the technology investment firm backed by Bernard Arnault, Chairman and CEO of LVMH Moet Hennessy  Louis Vuitton

Wheelhouse Capital, with extensive experience in logistics and the airline industry

World Innovation Lab (WiL), a US- and Japan-based fund backed by a strong network of corporates in multiple sectors spanning consumer and retail, automotive, manufacturing and logistics, with investments in healthcare and transportation

Nationwide Ventures, the venture capital arm of Nationwide Insurance Company of America, serves hundreds of thousands of businesses across retail, hospitality, warehousing, auto and restaurants

Gold House Ventures, with a strong network across hospitality, retail and restaurant investments

Bracken Darrell, CEO of Logitech, a multinational leader in logistics and manufacturing

Alongside Bracken Darrell, additional angel investors include Arash Ferdowsi, Dropbox Co-founder; Claire Hughes Johnson, Stripe former COO; Mathilde Collin, Front CEO; Jack Altman, Lattice Co-founder and CEO; Jim Jensen, Ceridian former SVP of HCM Innovation; Oliver Jay, Asana former CRO; and Dawn Dobras, Gap Inc former SVP.

About Workstream

Workstream is the mobile-first hiring and onboarding platform for the deskless workforce and, on average, reduces time to hire by 70%. Founded by three immigrants, CEO Desmond Lim, CTO Max Wang and CPO Lei Xu, the platform is used by more than 20,000 hiring managers in the U.S. and helps hire front line workers: caregivers, nurses, delivery drivers, take-out restaurant staff, gas station attendants, etc. Learn more at workstream.us.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220929005130/en/

Grace Gervais

[email protected]

Source: Workstream
FILE PHOTO: Iran's and U.S.' flags are seen printed on paper in this illustration taken January 27, 2022. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration

By Daphne Psaledakis

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The United States on Thursday imposed sanctions on companies it accused of involvement in Iran's petrochemical and petroleum trade, including five based in China, pressuring Tehran as it seeks to revive the 2015 Iran nuclear deal.

Washington has increasingly targeted Chinese companies over the export of Iran's petrochemicals as the prospects of reviving the nuclear pact have dimmed. Indirect talks on the accord, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), have broken down.

"So long as Iran refuses a mutual return to full implementation of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, the United States will continue to enforce its sanctions on the sale of Iranian petroleum and petrochemical products," the Treasury's Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Brian Nelson said in a statement.

The Iranian mission to the United Nations in New York did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a separate statement that the State Department designated two China-based companies, Zhonggu Storage and Transportation Co Ltd and WS Shipping Co Ltd.

Blinken accused Zhonggu Storage and Transportation Co Ltd of operating a commercial crude oil storage facility for Iranian petroleum and WS Shipping Co Ltd of being a ship manager for a vessel that has transported Iranian petroleum products.

Reuters could not immediately reach the two companies for comment.

The U.S. Treasury Department also slapped sanctions on a network of companies involved in what it said was the sale of hundreds of millions of dollars worth of Iranian petrochemical and petroleum products to South and East Asia.

The action targeted Iranian brokers and front companies in the United Arab Emirates, Hong Kong and India, the Treasury said.

Washington warned that it would continue to accelerate enforcement of sanctions on Iran's petroleum and petrochemical sales so long as Tehran continues to accelerate its nuclear program.

CRIPPLED ECONOMY

The 2015 nuclear agreement limited Irans uranium enrichment activity to make it harder for Tehran to develop nuclear arms, in return for lifting international sanctions.

But then-U.S. President Donald Trump ditched the deal in 2018, saying it did not do enough to curb Irans nuclear activities, ballistic missile program and regional influence, and reimposed sanctions that have crippled Irans economy.

"These enforcement actions will continue on a regular basis, with an aim to severely restrict Irans oil and petrochemical exports," Blinken said.

Anyone involved in such sales and transactions should stop immediately if they wish to avoid being subjected to U.S. sanctions, he said.

As part of Thursday's action, the Treasury targeted several companies it accused of dealing with Hong Kong-based Triliance Petrochemical Co Ltd, which has previously been sanctioned by the United States.

It said India-based petrochemical company Tibalaji Petrochem Private Limited purchased millions of dollars worth of Triliance-brokered products for onward shipment to China.

The Treasury also accused UAE-based Clara Shipping LLC of being paid millions of dollars by Triliance - through front companies - in freight charges for the shipment of Iranian petrochemical and petroleum products to East Asia.

Also designated over dealings with Triliance was Iran-based Iran Chemical Industries Investment Company and Middle East Kimiya Pars Co, Hong Kong-based Sierra Vista Trading Limited, and UAE-based Virgo Marine.

Hong Kong-based Sophychem HK Limited and ML Holding Group Limited were designated for dealings with U.S.-designated Persian Gulf Petrochemical Industries Commercial Company, including the purchase of Iranian petrochemicals for shipment to China and Singapore.

Reuters was unable to immediately reach the companies for comment.

(Reporting by Daphne Psaledakis, Steve Holland and Simon Lewis; editing by Grant McCool)
Merck (NYSE: MRK), known as MSD outside of the United States and Canada, announced today that the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit ruled in favor of the company in a patent challenge brought by Mylan Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (now Viatris) related to sitagliptin dihydrogen phosphate, an active ingredient in JANUVIA (sitagliptin), JANUMET (sitagliptin and metformin hydrochloride) and JANUMET XR (sitagliptin and metformin hydrochloride extended-release).

Viatris had challenged validity of U.S. Patent No.7,326,708 in an inter partes review before the U.S. Patent Office. On May 7, 2021, the Patent Office issued a decision in Mercks favor, finding all challenged claims valid. Viatris appealed that decision to the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, which today affirmed the decision.

Viatris had previously challenged validity of the patent in a case filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of West Virginia. The District Court ruled in favor of Merck in a decision dated Sept. 21, 2022.

Todays ruling from the U.S. Court of Appeals provides JANUVIA, JANUMET and JANUMET XR patent protection through May 2027, which includes six (6) months of pediatric exclusivity. The company has settled with multiple generic companies, providing that these generic companies can bring their sitagliptin dihydrogen phosphate or sitagliptin-metformin product to the market in May 2026 or earlier under certain circumstances, and their sitagliptin-metformin extended-release product to the market in July 2026 or earlier under certain circumstances.
Worthington Industries, Inc. (NYSE: WOR), a leading industrial manufacturing company, today announced that its Board of Directors unanimously approved a plan to pursue a separation of the Companys Steel Processing business into a new public company. Worthington Industries plans to effect the separation via a distribution of stock of the Steel Processing business, which is expected to be tax-free to shareholders for U.S. federal income tax purposes. The Company expects to complete the separation by early 2024.The planned separation will result in two independent, publicly traded companies, each poised to capitalize on differentiated growth and value creation strategies.

The post-separation Worthington (New Worthington) is positioned with premier brands in fast-growing, attractive end markets in Consumer Products, Building Products and Sustainable Energy Solutions.

The post-separation Steel Processing business (Worthington Steel) will be a best-in-class, value-added steel processor with a unique capability set, sophisticated supply chain and pricing solutions and expanded product offerings in electrical steel laminations and laser welding solutions.

John McConnell, executive chairman of Worthingtons Board of Directors, said, The Board and management team regularly consider alternatives to unlock the value of our businesses and ensure we are best positioned to serve customers. We recently re-segmented to better align each business with the attractive markets we serve, and the planned separation will further advance those efforts.

McConnell continued, For nearly 70 years, we have continued my fathers legacy of operating Worthington based on a people-first Philosophy, rooted in the Golden Rule, focused on driving shareholder value. This approach has enabled us to achieve market-leading positions throughout our businesses. As Worthington plans to become two standalone public companies, these guiding principles will remain intact for both companies. I am confident that our business leaders will carry forward our people-first Philosophy and successfully lead each business through its next phase of growth.

The McConnell family is expected to continue as a meaningful, long-term shareholder of both companies.

Andy Rose, president and CEO of Worthington said, Following two consecutive years of record earnings, we are excited to pursue this separation from a position of strength and create two distinct, market-leading companies with strong cash flows and compelling growth opportunities.

Rose continued, With our Philosophy as the foundation, we will leverage the Worthington Business System driven by Transformation, Innovation and Acquisitions. The separation will provide new career development opportunities for employees, position each company to better meet the evolving needs of customers and unlock value for shareholders. Each company is expected to be well capitalized and better positioned to pursue its respective growth strategies while delivering superior returns for shareholders.

Rose added, Both businesses will continue to be headquartered in Columbus, Ohio and will likely keep Worthington in their new corporate names, which will be announced prior to completion of the separation. We are taking one great company and making two, building on our proud legacy and carrying forward our winning culture and commitment to the communities where we live and work.

Compelling Benefits of the Separation

The planned separation is expected to provide both the New Worthington and Worthington Steel with:

Enhanced agility and sharpened strategic focus: Each company will have a sharper focus on its distinct markets and strategic priorities.

Each company will have a sharper focus on its distinct markets and strategic priorities. Tailored capital allocation strategies : Each company is expected to have modest leverage and ample liquidity combined with strong cash flows, providing flexibility to deploy capital toward its specific growth opportunities.

: Each company is expected to have modest leverage and ample liquidity combined with strong cash flows, providing flexibility to deploy capital toward its specific growth opportunities. Shareholder value creation opportunities: The separation will create two more focused businesses with differentiated investment theses, making each company easier for investors to understand and appropriately value.

The separation will create two more focused businesses with differentiated investment theses, making each company easier for investors to understand and appropriately value. Outstanding boards of directors and management teams: Both companies will be overseen by engaged and highly qualified directors and led by experienced leadership teams with proven records of driving growth and creating value.

New Worthington: A Market-Leading Company with Premier Brands in Fast-Growing, Attractive End Markets in Consumer Products, Building Products and Sustainable Energy Solutions

New Worthington will be a market-leading company with premier brands in attractive end markets in Consumer Products, Building Products and Sustainable Energy Solutions. As a more focused company, New Worthington will be well-positioned to capitalize on key trends in sustainability, technology, remodeling and construction and outdoor living. New Worthington will continue to pursue a growth strategy focused on leveraging its robust new product pipeline of sustainable, tech-enabled solutions to disrupt mature markets. New Worthington will continue to leverage the Worthington Business System, which powers a winning culture and higher growth and profitability through Transformation, Innovation and Acquisitions. The new companys high margins and asset-light focus is expected to enable strong free cash flow generation and returns for shareholders. Further, New Worthingtons value will no longer be highly correlated to the price of steel, providing the opportunity for premium sector multiples.

For fiscal year 2022, Worthingtons Consumer Products, Building Products and Sustainable Energy Solutions businesses delivered $1.3 billion in sales and adjusted EBITDA of $340 million, an increase of 47% compared to the $232 million of adjusted EBITDA generated during fiscal year 2021. Post-separation, New Worthington intends to continue its balanced approach to capital allocation and maintain a strong balance sheet and a dividend policy that is consistent with its historic practice.

Following the completion of the separation, New Worthington will continue to be led by Andy Rose and will maintain its headquarters in Columbus, Ohio.

Worthington Steel: A Best-in-Class, Value-Added Steel Processor with a Unique Capability Set, Sophisticated Supply Chain and Pricing Solutions and Expanded Opportunities in Electrical Steel and Automotive Lightweighting

Following the separation, Worthington Steel will be a best-in-class, value-added steel processor and producer of electrical steel laminations and automotive lightweighting solutions, positioned to capitalize on expanding opportunities in electrification, sustainability and infrastructure spending. Worthington Steel will have a unique capability set and sophisticated supply chain and pricing solutions to serve its blue chip customers, grow market share and increase margins. The Company will continue leveraging the Worthington Business System to power a winning culture, higher growth and profitability through Transformation, Innovation and Acquisitions.

For the fiscal year 2022, Worthingtons Steel Processing business generated $3.9 billion in sales and $259 million of adjusted EBITDA. Worthington Steel intends to continue its balanced approach to capital allocation and maintain a strong balance sheet and a dividend policy that is consistent with Worthington Industries historic practice.

Geoff Gilmore, currently Chief Operating Officer of Worthington, will serve as Chief Executive Officer of Worthington Steel, which will be headquartered in Columbus, Ohio.

Transaction Details

Completion of the separation is subject to, among other things, general market conditions, finalization of the capital structure of the two companies, completion of steps necessary to qualify the separation as a tax-free transaction, receipt of regulatory approvals and final approval by the Companys Board of Directors. Following the separation, New Worthington expects to continue to be publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange and expects Worthington Steel to also be publicly listed. Specific details about Board members, executive leadership and management teams will be made available in due course.

The Company may, at any time and for any reason until the proposed transaction is complete, abandon the separation or modify or change its terms, including the individual businesses and components of each of the two companies. The separation is expected to be completed by early 2024, but there can be no assurance regarding the ultimate timing of the separation or that the separation will ultimately occur.

Advisors

Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC is serving as Worthingtons lead financial advisor, and Latham & Watkins LLP is serving as primary legal counsel.

Conference Call and Webcast

Worthington will discuss the planned separation on its first quarter 2023 earnings conference call, which will be held today at 8:30 a.m. ET. The online webcast of the call, along with the accompanying slide presentation, will be available at www.WorthingtonIndustries.com.

About Andy Rose

Andy Rose, 52, is the president and chief executive officer (CEO) of Worthington Industries. Rose joined Worthington in 2008 as vice president and chief financial officer (CFO) and helped preserve liquidity and financial stability and guide the Company through the Great Recession. In 2014, he was promoted to executive vice president and CFO and has been instrumental in advancing the Companys strategy and capital allocation. He was named president of Worthington Industries in August 2018 and became CEO of the Company in September 2020. Prior to Worthington, Rose held numerous positions at financial institutions including MCG Capital Corporation, Wachovia Capital Associates and J.P. Morgan & Co., and was co-founder of Peachtree Equity Partners.

About Geoff Gilmore

Geoff Gilmore, 50, is executive vice president and chief operating officer (COO) of Worthington Industries. He joined Worthington Industries in 1998 in sales for the Steel Processing business and took on roles of increasing responsibility over the following 13 years including serving as general manager of the Companys largest Steel Processing facility in Delta, Ohio. In July 2011, he was named vice president of Purchasing responsible for all purchasing efforts including steel, commodity and OEM purchasing. In August 2012, he was named president of the Steel Processing business where he led the business to three record years of earnings and safety performance. In 2016, he was named president of Worthington Cylinder Corporation where he spent two years cultivating a focus on continuous improvement through Transformation and Innovation, oversaw the Companys then largest acquisition and the business achieved record earnings in his second year at the helm. In August 2018, he was named executive vice president and COO of the Company.
FILE PHOTO: The third prototype of China's home-built passenger jet C919 takes off during its first test flight at Shanghai Pudong International Airport in Shanghai, China December December 28, 2018. REUTERS/Stringer/File Photo

By Sophie Yu and Stella Qiu

BEIJING/SYDNEY (Reuters) -China held a ceremony on Thursday to certify its C919 narrowbody passenger jet, photos on social media showed, representing a major milestone in the country's ambitions to challenge Airbus and Boeing in commercial aerospace.

The plane, produced by state-owned manufacturer Commercial Aircraft Corp of China (COMAC), had been widely expected to be certified by the end of the month after two aircraft flew to Beijing on Sept. 13. A sign in one of the photos said "C919 aircraft type certificate issuance ceremony" in Chinese.

COMAC did not respond immediately to a request for comment.

The C919, launched 14 years ago and designed to carry up to 168 passengers, will compete against the popular Airbus A320neo and Boeing 737 MAX families in the world's second-biggest aviation market as China looks to boost its technological self-reliance amid trade tensions.

Although the plane is assembled in China, it relies heavily on Western components, including engines and avionics, from companies including GE, Safran and Honeywell International.

Tough U.S. export licensing rules have led to delays in sourcing parts and remain a key risk to ramped up production until China replaces foreign engines and components with homegrown technology.

Richard Aboulafia, U.S.-based managing director of AeroDynamic Advisory, said the plane seems like a relic of a bygone era of increasing integration between China and the West.

"Thus, we have an aircraft that is only superficially Chinese but is actually powered by Western technologies and systems," he said. "Turning it into a genuine Chinese aircraft would take well over a decade and many billions of dollars."

The type of certificate granted on Thursday means it can be delivered to the first customer, China Eastern Airlines Corp Ltd, though local media have reported the plane is unlikely to enter commercial service with passengers until next year.

The C919 has never made an appearance at the country's premier aviation event, Airshow China and it is unclear whether it will be on display or flown at the show in November.

COMAC will also need a separate production certificate before it can ramp up mass production of the plane, meaning its impact on the global aircraft market could remain limited given Airbus and Boeing produce dozens of narrowbodies a month.

"The C919 will gradually begin to replace single-aisle aircraft made by Boeing and Airbus," in China, a research note by Huaxi Securities said this month. "In the next 20 years, China's demand for narrowbody passenger aircraft like the C919 will be on average 300 per year."

The C919's regional jet predecessor, the ARJ21, faced a 2.5-year gap between obtaining the type certificate and the production certificate, slowing production. That contrasts with the West, where both certificates are typically granted around the same time.

FOREIGN CERTIFICATION

Like the ARJ21, the C919 lacks certification validation by U.S. and European regulators, limiting flights to the domestic market and possibly countries with close ties to China.

The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has been working for years on a certification validation process on the C919 with COMAC in parallel to CAAC's work, an EASA spokesperson said.

"We cannot comment on the date when this validation would be completed," the spokesperson said.

The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration did not respond to a request for comment on a potential C919 certification validation.

There have been 815 orders for the C919 from 28 customers, according to COMAC's website. But China Eastern is the only customer that has announced a firm delivery schedule and it expects to receive only four next year.

In the meantime, the Boeing 737 MAX has yet to return to commercial service in China, having been grounded since March 2019 after two fatal crashes.

However, three months ago major Chinese airlines placed an order for nearly 300 Airbus A320neo family planes, showing the country plans to continue imports for some time.

Aboulafia said if China did decide to halt Western aircraft imports, the United States and allied countries could kill the C919 for years by prohibiting component exports.

"Try building an aircraft without an engine, or avionics," he said. "It would just be a metal shell."

(Reporting by Sophie Yu in Beijing and Stella Qiu and Jamie Freed in SydneyAdditional reporting by David Shepardson in WashingtonEditing by David Goodman, Gerry Doyle and Frances Kerry)
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz (on screen), Economics Minister Robert Habeck and Finance Minister Christian Lindner attend a news conference about how to handle high gas prices, at the Chancellery in Berlin, September 29, 2022. REUTERS/Lisi Niesner

By Holger Hansen and Kirsti Knolle

BERLIN (Reuters) - German Chancellor Olaf Scholz set out a 200 billion euro ($194 billion) "defensive shield", including a gas price brake and a cut in sales tax for the fuel, to protect companies and households from the impact of soaring energy prices.

Europe's biggest economy is trying to cope with surging gas and electricity costs caused largely by a collapse in Russian gas supplies to Europe, which Moscow has blamed on Western sanctions following its invasion of Ukraine in February.

"Prices have to come down, so the government will do everything it can. To this end, we are setting up a large defensive shield," said Scholz.

Under the plans, to run until spring 2024, the government will introduce an emergency price brake on gas, the details of which will be announced next month. It is scrapping a planned gas levy meant to help firms struggling with high spot market prices.

A temporary electricity price brake will subsidise basic consumption for consumers and small and medium-sized companies. Sales tax on gas will fall to 7% from 19%.

In its efforts to cut its dependence on Russian energy, Germany is also promoting the expansion of renewable energy and developing liquefied gas terminals.

To help households and companies weather any winter supply disruption, especially in southern Germany, two nuclear plants previously due to close by the end of this year will be able to keep running until spring 2023.

Industry groups welcomed the package.

"This is important relief," said Wolfgang Grosse Entrup, head of the VCI chemicals association. "Now we need details quickly, as firms increasingly have their backs to the wall."

'CRISIS EXPENDITURE'

The package will be financed with new borrowing this year, as Berlin makes use of the suspension of a constitutionally enshrined limit on new debt of 0.35% of gross domestic product.

Finance Minister Christian Lindner has said he wants to comply with the limit again next year.

Lindner, of the pro-business Free Democrats (FDP) who share power with Scholz's Social Democrats and the Greens, said on Thursday the country's public finances were stable.

"We can put it no other way: we find ourselves in an energy war," said Lindner. "We want to clearly separate crisis expenditure from our regular budget management, we want to send a very clear signal to the capital markets."

He also said the steps would act as a brake on inflation, which hit its highest level in more than a quarter of century in September.

Opposition conservative Markus Soeder, premier of the southern state of Bavaria, said the steps gave the right signal.

"It gives industry and citizens confidence that we can get through the winter," he said.

($1 = 1.0326 euros)

(Reporting by Holger Hansen, Kirsti Knolle, Thomas Escritt, Matthias Wiliams; Writing by Paul Carrel and Madeline Chambers; Editing by Hans Seidenstuecker, Rachel More, Miranda Murray, Alexandra Hudson, Jane Merriman and Jan Harvey)
FILE PHOTO: A North Korean flag flutters at the propaganda village of Gijungdong in North Korea, in this picture taken near the truce village of Panmunjom inside the demilitarized zone (DMZ) separating the two Koreas, South Korea, July 19, 2022. REUTER

By Joori Roh

SEOUL (Reuters) -North Korea fired two ballistic missiles off its east coast on Thursday, South Korea's military said, following the firing of two short-range ballistic missiles a day earlier and one on Sunday.

"South Korean military detected two short-range ballistic missiles fired from Sunchon, South Pyongan province, toward the east coast between 8:48 p.m. and 8:57 p.m. ... Amid strengthened surveillance and vigilance, our military maintains full preparedness while working closely with the U.S.," the Joint Chiefs of Staff said.

The launch came as U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris ended a visit to South Korea, during which she was strongly critical of the reclusive nation.

The military did not give details of the travel range, height and speed of the missiles.

South Korea and its allies are concerned that the North is about to conduct a nuclear test  which would be the seventh since 2006 and its first since 2017. South Korean lawmakers briefed by the country's spy agency said on Wednesday the North has completed preparations for a nuclear test and a possible window for carrying it out could come between Oct. 16 and Nov. 7.

(Reporting by Joori RohEditing by Raissa Kasolowsky and Frances Kerry)
CALGARY, Alberta, Sept. 28, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Carbeeza Inc. (the "Company"; TSX.V: AUTO) has responded to the TSX Venture Exchange (TSXV) trading halt.

The trading halt was issued by the TSXV which required updated contact information for the purpose of certain administrative matters and an outstanding filing was required by the Exchange. The issue has now been resolved and we expect the trading halt to be lifted in due course.

Said Sandro Torrieri, CEO: We have responded to the TSXV and updated the information it requires and dealt with outstanding matters. I regret this administrative error and we have taken prompt steps to address the issue.

The Carbeeza platform is accessible on the web at www.carbeeza.com and the app is available for download on the Apple App and Google Play stores.

Carbeeza Inc.

Carbeeza is a Canadian-based software company whose platform is targeted to the automotive marketplace. It is the first application to harness the power of Artificial Intelligence to accurately predict the best financing scenario for consumers, all while keeping the consumer anonymous. Using state-of-the-art technology, Carbeeza brings the process of buying a car right to the phone, tailor-made for the consumer. Carbeeza is highly beneficial to both consumers and auto dealers.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF CARBEEZA INC.

Sandro Torrieri, Chief Executive Officer

Joanna Hampton, Interim Chief Financial Officer

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

This press release may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking statements may include estimates, plans, anticipations, expectations, opinions, forecasts, projections, guidance, or other similar statements that are not statements of fact. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. These statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties, including the risks and uncertainties identified by the Company in its public securities filings, and may be based on assumptions that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated or implied in the forward-looking statements. The Company's forward-looking statements are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made as of the date hereof and the Company undertakes no obligations to update publicly or revise any forward-looking statements or information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, unless so required by applicable securities laws.

For further information please contact:

Interim Chief Financial OfficerJoanna Hampton, CPA, CGAEmail: [email protected]

Investor RelationsEmail: [email protected]Telephone: 1-855-216-8802Website: www.carbeeza.com

Source: Carbeeza Inc.
Sacramento, California, Sept. 28, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Center for Autism and Related Disorders (CARD) welcomes Governor Newsoms signing of California Bill AB 2581, a bill sponsored by CARD and authored by Assemblymember Rudy Salas, which will increase access to mental health services by reducing credentialing delays.

As California seeks to make behavioral health treatment more broadly available, mental health professionals encounter significant delays when applying to become enrolled in a health plans network. CARD recognized that California was one of 25 states that did not limit the time that health plans had to complete an administrative process known as credentialing and worked with Assemblymember Salas to craft a bill to address this barrier to mental health services. The law, which will go into effect on January 1, 2023, is the strongest in the nation and will increase access to autism services and other mental health services by limiting the time it takes for new providers to be credentialed by the health plans.

AB 2581 helps increase access to mental health services that can significantly improve the lives of children and their families, said Assemblymember Salas. At a time when California is facing a mental health workforce shortage, AB 2581 will cut bureaucratic red tape so that qualified professionals can meet the communitys needs quicker. This bill will increase opportunities for families to receive the life changing care and services they need.

In the past, CARD experienced firsthand extreme delays waiting for health plans to credential providers for their networks, with some plans taking up to six months or longer to process a completed application. During that time period, newly hired, qualified autism service providers cannot provide medically necessary treatment, creating delays in treatment that have been shown to significantly impact a child's overall development.

CARD is grateful to Assemblymember Salas and his staff for working to pass this important bill to increase access to mental health services by speeding up the credentialing process, said CARD CEO Jennifer Webster. CARD is committed to removing barriers to high-quality care and will continue to play a leading role across the country to improve access to treatment for the entire autism community.

The labor challenges in mental health fields are well documented, and provider shortages have been exacerbated during the Public Health Emergency. As new providers become available through education and training or by moving to California from another state, this law will ensure that providers can quickly get to work delivering services that are in high demand throughout the state. This improved process will increase Californians' access to mental health services and will help attract mental health professionals to the state as California launches its ambitious $4.7 billion initiative, Master Plan for Kids Mental Health.

###

About CARD:

CARD treats individuals of all ages diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) at treatment centers around the US. CARD was founded in 1990 and treats individuals with ASD using the principles of applied behavior analysis (ABA), which is empirically proven to be the most effective method for treating individuals with ASD and is recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics and the US Surgeon General. CARD employs a dedicated team of trained professionals across the nation. For more information, visit centerforautism.com

Media Inquires Center for Autism & Related Disorders - CARD 4696941754 [email protected]

Source: Center for Autism & Related Disorders - CARD
OTTAWA, Sept. 29, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Designed with Quebec small business owners in mind, CIRAs new campaign Quand cest .ca, cest local (When its .ca, its local) highlights the best way to get a business online for a maximum impact. The choice of a domain is an effective way for entrepreneurs to showcase that they are a local business that operates locally.

The ad campaign leverages the sense of community at the heart of the province and Quebecers strong desire to support local businesses from local restaurants to stores and other services. As two in three Quebecers say they prefer a .CA domain name to a .COM, when they visit a website to support a local business, this ad campaign aims to help entrepreneurs make the right decision to reach their audience. Customers who want to support their favourite brands are on the lookout for the ones with a .CA domain as it signals they offer their services locally. With a clear and direct message, the brands first dedicated initiative in Francophone Quebec shows that .CA is the perfect fit for business owners who want to be recognized as local and attract local customers.

The eight-week campaign highlights businesses and brands operating in Quebec that use .CA for their domain. They include avril.ca, pastaga.ca, salutbonjour.ca, and several others. The Quand cest .ca, cest local digital campaign which targets small business owners in the Greater Montreal Area will begin on October 3rd and run on Quebec's major online platforms, including La Presse, Radio-Canada, Quebecor Media and Les Affaires.

Executive quotes

The resilience and creativity of Quebec entrepreneurs during these challenging times are extraordinary. An important strategy which has helped many survive and grow is the expansion of their businesses online. Our new campaign is designed to help businesses who are establishing a digital presence make the right domain name choice so they can thrive online.

Entrepreneurs and business owners who want to be recognized as a local brand should look no further than getting a .CA domain. It's clear that Quebecois love supporting home-grown businesses and a .CA is a proven, recognizable symbol of local businesses on the internet.

 Marc Fares, General Manager, .CA by CIRA

Quebec entrepreneurs often want to advertise themselves as local businesses serving local customers. This campaign reminds them that businesses, large and small, with domain names ending in .CA tell their customers that they operate here, near them."

 Eric Blais, President at Headspace Marketing Inc

Additional resources

About CIRACIRA manages the .CA top-level domain on behalf of all Canadians. It also develops technologies and servicessuch as CIRA DNS Firewall and CIRA Canadian Shieldthat help support its goal of building a better online Canada. The CIRA team operates one of the fastest-growing country code top-level domains (ccTLD), a high-performance global DNS network, and one of the worlds most advanced back-end registry solutions.

About Headspace MarketingHeadspace Marketing is a strategic consulting firm committed to building great brands in Quebec. We work closely with clients to address the unique challenges and opportunities they face in the Quebec market. Our deep knowledge of the Quebec consumer and our brand-building expertise provide our clients with a true competitive advantage in a market that's at times misunderstood and often underexploited.

Media ContactsDelphine Avomo EvounaCommunications Specialist, CIRA613.315.1458[email protected]

Eric BlaisPresident at Headspace Marketing Inc416.221.3770[email protected]

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/6f62e520-a3e6-477b-b079-bc99477cfec7

.CAs brand new French campaign debuts on October 3rd The eight-week campaign highlights businesses and brands operating in Quebec that use .CA for their domain.

Source: Canadian Internet Registration Authority (CIRA)
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Sept. 29, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Cornish Metals Inc. (TSX-V/AIM: CUSN) (Cornish Metals or the Company), a mineral exploration and development company focused on its projects in Cornwall, United Kingdom, is pleased to announce that it has released its unaudited financial statements and management, discussion and analysis (MD&A) for the six months ended July 31, 2022. The reports are available under the Companys profile on SEDAR (www.sedar.com) and on the Companys website (www.cornishmetals.com).

Highlights for the six months ended July 31, 2022 and for the period ending September 28, 2022

(All figures expressed in Canadian dollars unless otherwise stated)

Completion of 10,159 meters of drilling at the United Downs exploration project with assay results from the program confirming managements belief in the potential to develop a Mineral Resource in the United Downs project area;

Four main targets were drill-tested: UD Lode, United Mines, Mount Wellington and Trenares Lode, with all four targets returning results warranting further follow-up drilling (news release dated August 23, 2022);

Completion of financing for gross proceeds of 40.5 million ($65.1 million based on closest available exchange rate), including a strategic investment by Vision Blue Resources of 25.0 million ($40.1 million), to advance the South Crofty tin project to a potential construction decision (news releases dated March 27, 2022 and May 23, 2022);

Issuance of a second tranche of common shares pursuant to the restructuring of the deferred consideration relating to the acquisition of the South Crofty tin project and associated mineral rights in Cornwall (news release dated May 29, 2022);

Commencement of a drill program in July 2022 to collect samples for metallurgical testwork as part of the Feasibility Study, with the program likely to be between 8,000 and 12,000 meters of drilling (news release dated July 10, 2022);

Key positions were filled to the South Crofty project management team, including Project Manager for the construction and commissioning of the water treatment plant, Feasibility Study Manager and Project Engineer;

All substantial component parts of the water treatment plant ordered with construction expected to commence before the end of October 2022; and

Mr. Tony Trahar nominated by Vision Blue Resources as its representative on the Board (news release dated June 5, 2022).

Richard Williams, CEO of Cornish Metals, stated, Since the completion of the 40.5m financing at the end of May, orders have been placed for almost all component parts of the water treatment plant. Notwithstanding supply constraints, we remain confident that commissioning of the water treatment plant remains on track for the first half of 2023, with dewatering activities commencing thereafter.

After completion of the first phase of the successful exploration program at United Downs, we have now commenced a drill program for the metallurgical testwork which is an integral part of the South Crofty Feasibility Study. We have also had a successful period recruiting key members of the project team (Project Manager, Project Engineer and Feasibility Study Manager).

Work has continued at pace in recent months and I look forward to reporting on progress at South Crofty in due course.

Review of activities

Results from exploration program at United Downs

The Company commenced its exploration program at United Downs in April 2021. The drilling activities were contracted to Priority Drilling Limited, under the supervision of the Companys geological team.

Four targets were drill-tested: UD Lode, United Mines, Mount Wellington and Trenares Lode. The key points to date arising from this drill program are:

Multiple zones of copper  tin  silver  zinc mineralization have been intersected;

High-grade copper - tin mineralization was intersected down dip beneath the historic United Mines; and

A transition from high-grade copper to high-grade tin at depth as well as increasing tin grades with depth has been encountered, similar to the mineralization transition seen at South Crofty.

Details of the intercepts from the drill program can be found in the press releases dated July 5, 2021, August 30, 2021, November 3, 2021, December 6, 2021, June 29, 2022 and August 23, 2022. In total, 26 holes were drilled at United Downs amounting to 10,159 meters, of which all assay results have been reported in these press releases. Drilling ceased at the end of May 2022, with the metallurgical study drill program at South Crofty commencing soon thereafter, as described below.

In summary, results from the United Downs exploration program confirm managements belief in the potential to develop a Mineral Resource in the United Downs project area, especially the down dip section of the United Mine where high-grade copper, tin and silver grades were encountered. The Company is considering the next steps for advancing the United Downs project.

Outside of the United Downs project area, a third target, Carn Brea has also been drill tested. Carn Brea is located approximately two kilometers southeast of the South Crofty tin project. At Carn Brea, eight holes have been drilled totaling 2,501 meters. Drilling has now ceased and assays will follow when available.

Agreement of South Crofty mineral leases

On February 4, 2022, agreement was reached with Sir Ferrers Vyvyan of Trelowarren in Cornwall to lease certain mineral rights owned by the Vyvyan family. The mineral lease covers an area of 222 hectares and is valid for 25 years. The lease will enable the Company to explore and mine within all the mineral right areas owned by the Vyvyan family inside the South Crofty mine, and to explore certain other mineral right areas adjacent to the South Crofty mine.

The agreement with the Vyvyan family supplements the agreement reached with Roskear Minerals LLP in March 2021 (the Roskear Agreement) to lease their mineral rights within the South Crofty tin project. The Roskear Agreement enables the Company to explore and develop the mineral resources that are contained in the Roskear section of the South Crofty mine.

Strategic investment by Vision Blue Resources

On May 24, 2022, a financing of 40.5 million ($65.1 million based on the closing exchange rate as at May 24, 2022) (the Offering) completed, which included a 25.0 million (approximately $40.1 million based on the closing exchange rate as at May 24, 2022) strategic investment by Vision Blue Resources Limited (VBR). The balance of the Offering was completed through a private placement with certain Canadian and UK investors and eligible private investors.

A summary of the Offering is described below. Further details can be found in the press releases dated March 27, 2022 and May 23, 2022.

The Offering was structured through a unit offering comprising one common share at 0.18 ($0.30 for Canadian investors) and a warrant to purchase one common share priced at 0.27 ($0.45 for Canadian investors) for a period of 36 months from the closing date of the Offering. A total of 225,000,000 units have been issued, comprising around 44.0% of the issued share capital as at May 24, 2022, excluding the effect of the issuance of the Milestone Shares as described below. VBR held approximately 27.2% of the enlarged issued share capital upon closing of the Offering.

The planned use of the proceeds from the Offering is to complete the dewatering program and Feasibility Study at South Crofty, evaluate downstream beneficiation opportunities and commence potential on-site early works in advance of a potential construction decision. The proceeds raised under the Offering are budgeted to fund a 30 month program from closing of the Offering.

Pursuant to an Investment Agreement entered into between the Company and VBR, upon closing of the Offering, VBR retains the following rights, among others, subject to certain terms and conditions:

For so long as its shareholding in the Company is in aggregate not less than 10% of the Companys issued share capital: Nomination of one person to the Companys board of directors as a non-executive director as an additional director to the current board of directors (the Investor Director), with Mr. Trahar being appointed to this position on June 6, 2022, as described below; Nomination of one person to the Companys technical committee to be formed from closing of the Offering, which person may be a person other than the Investor Director; and A participation right to maintain its percentage ownership interest in the Company upon any offering of securities at the subscription price and similar terms as are applicable to such offering; and

For so long as its shareholding and its affiliates shareholdings in the Company are in aggregate not less than 5% of the Companys issued share capital, the appointment of an observer to the board of directors of the Company.

On closing of the Offering, VBR entered into a Relationship Agreement with the Company and SP Angel Corporate Finance LLP (the Companys nominated adviser on AIM), relating to the carrying on of the Companys business in an independent manner following the closing of the Offering.

The Company has undertaken to VBR to use its reasonable commercial efforts to complete a Feasibility Study in respect of South Crofty on or before 31 December 2024.

The Offering was subject to the approval of the TSX-V and shareholders, both of which were received by May 19. 2022.

Issuance of shares as deferred consideration payable for the Cornwall mineral properties

On June 30, 2021, agreement was reached with Galena Special Situations Limited (formerly Galena Special Situations Master Fund Limited) and Tin Shield Production Inc. (together the Sellers) to restructure the outstanding deferred consideration payable to the Sellers on the acquisition of the South Crofty tin project and associated mineral rights (the Side Letter). The fixed and variable payments that existed under the original share purchase agreement were replaced with fixed payments linked to pre-agreed project related milestones.

Pursuant to the Side Letter, 20,298,333 common shares were issued to the Sellers on May 31, 2022 (Milestone Shares). This payment was triggered by the Company raising funding for the dewatering of the South Crofty mine within the planned use of proceeds from the Offering, as described above.

The Milestone Shares represent consideration equivalent to an amount of US$4,750,000 ($6,089,500 at a US dollar / Canadian dollar exchange rate of 1.2820) at a deemed price of $0.30 per common share. The deemed price was the same price under which Canadian investors subscribed to the Offering pursuant to the terms of the Side Letter. The value of the Milestone Shares in accordance with IFRS is $9,844,692, being the market price of the Milestone Shares at their date of issuance.

As a result of this payment, the remaining deferred consideration payable to the Sellers is US$5,000,000 in common shares, payable upon a decision to proceed with the development and/or construction of a mine either at the South Crofty tin project or at the United Downs property.

Disposal of Sleitat royalty to Electric Royalties

On May 27, 2022, the disposal of a 1% Net Smelter Royalty on the Sleitat tin-silver project located in Alaska, USA to Electric Royalties Limited was completed. The consideration was $100,000 and 1,000,000 common shares in Electric Royalties, which in aggregate amounted to $355,000 at the date of completion.

Construction progress of water treatment plant at South Crofty

Construction progress of the WTP at South Crofty has included various enabling works and the placing of orders for a number of long lead items, all of which have been delivered to site. The preparation work for the laying of the concrete foundation slab for the WTP has also been completed.

Detailed design work for the WTP is continuing with Galliford Try Construction Limited (GT). The procurement process is also underway, with GT specifying the major mechanical equipment and identifying suitable sub-contractors for construction activities.

Sand Separation Systems, an industry leader in the treatment of mine water, have supported the running of a pilot plant to optimise the water treatment process flowsheet.

Commencement of metallurgical study drill program at South Crofty

A drill program as part of the South Crofty Feasibility Study was started in July 2022. The drill program is anticipated to require approximately 8,000 and 12,000 meters of drilling.

Three drill rigs have been contracted from Priority Drilling Limited, under the supervision of the Companys geological team. Two rigs are drilling from surface and one rig is drilling from underground, collecting samples from the North Pool Zone (eastern section of Mineral Resource), the #4 and #8 Lodes (central part of the Mineral Resource), and Roskear / Dolcoath South (western part of the Mineral Resource).

The program is designed to collect samples for various metallurgical studies, including XRT ore sorting, flowsheet optimisation and paste backfill studies, as well as collecting assay data to complement the current Mineral Resource Estimate. This testwork should allow the acceleration of the Feasibility Study in advance of dewatering the mine and will provide key information for the mineral processing flowsheet, especially the amenability of the mineralized zones to ore sorting which, if successful, will present an opportunity to deliver higher grade feed and reduce the size of the processing plant.

Appointment of new director

On June 6, 2022, Mr. Tony Trahar was nominated by VBR to serve as its representative on the Board. Mr. Trahar is currently a special adviser to VBR.

Mr. Trahar has had a 40 year career in the mining, natural resources and industrial sectors. From 2000 to 2007 he was Chief Executive of Anglo American Plc, one of the worlds largest mining groups, and was also a director of Anglo Gold, Anglo Platinum and De Beers.

From 1985 to 2000, Mr. Trahar was Chief Executive, and then Chairman of Mondi Ltd (now listed in London as Mondi Plc), a multinational forestry, pulp, paper and packaging group. Since leaving Anglo American, Mr. Trahar has also held a number of senior advisory roles for Barclays Natural Resource Investments (2007 to 2013) and Macquarie Bank (2014 to 2016).

Financial highlights for the six months ended July 31, 2022

Six months ended (unaudited) (Expressed in Canadian dollars) July 31, 2022 July 31, 2021 Total operating expenses 1,888,943 1,625,462 Loss for the period 3,250,557 1,097,062 Net cash (used in) operating activities (1,836,464) (1,710,060) Net cash (used in) investing activities (2,552,626) (1,383,840) Net cash provided by financing activities 61,256,694 13,065,594 Cash at end of the period 61,629,169 10,138,512

Higher promotional and corporate expenses relating to increased media/investor activities following last years AIM listing, preparatory work for the successful fundraise cornerstoned by Vision Blue Resources and progression of the South Crofty tin project;

Unrealized gain of $542,204 arising from increased valuation of holding in Cornish Lithium following its most recent fundraising completed in June 2022;

Costs of $687,603 and $226,884 capitalized in connection with the exploration program at United Downs and Carn Brea, respectively (excluding capitalized depreciation and other non-cash items);

Project related costs of $732,538 incurred since the closing of the Offering relating to the advancement of the South Crofty tin project, primarily for the metallurgical drill program, planning activities and new or replacement equipment;

Gross proceeds raised from the Offering of 40.5 million ($65.1 million), following gross proceeds raised from the AIM listing in comparative period of 8.2 million ($14.4 million); and

Recognition of foreign currency translation loss of $2,098,402 for those assets located in the UK when translated into Canadian dollars for presentational purposes.

Outlook

The proceeds raised from the Offering completed in May 2022 are being used to advance the South Crofty tin project to a potential construction decision within 30 months from closing of the Offering. The planned use of the proceeds from the Offering is to complete the dewatering program and Feasibility Study at South Crofty, evaluate downstream beneficiation opportunities and commence potential on-site early works in advance of a potential construction decision.

Within 30 months from the closing of the Offering, the Companys plans are as follows:

Construct and commission the WTP in the first half of 2023 and thereafter complete the dewatering of the mine within 18 months;

Complete drill programs for metallurgical studies and to produce an updated JORC compliant Mineral Resource estimate for a Feasibility Study;

Complete a Feasibility Study using all reasonable commercial efforts on or before 31 December 2024; and

Commence basic and detailed engineering studies, construction of the processing plant, refurbishment of underground facilities and other on-site early works.

Subject to the availability of financing, consideration will also be given to continuing with the Companys exploration program at United Downs and evaluating other near-surface, high potential, exploration targets within transport distance of the planned processing plant site at South Crofty.

ABOUT CORNISH METALS

Cornish Metals completed the acquisition of the South Crofty tin and United Downs copper / tin projects, plus additional mineral rights located in Cornwall, UK, in July 2016 (see Company news release dated July 12, 2016). The additional mineral rights cover an area of approximately 15,000 hectares and are distributed throughout Cornwall. Some of these mineral rights cover old mines that were historically worked for copper, tin, zinc, and tungsten.

TECHNICAL INFORMATION

The technical information in this news release has been compiled by Mr. Owen Mihalop. Mr. Mihalop has reviewed and takes responsibility for the data and geological interpretation. Mr. Owen Mihalop (MCSM, BSc (Hons), MSc, FGS, MIMMM, CEng) is Chief Operating Officer for Cornish Metals Inc. and has sufficient experience relevant to the style of mineralisation and type of deposit under consideration and to the activity which he is undertaking to qualify as a Competent Person as defined under the JORC Code (2012) and as a Qualified Person under NI 43-101. Mr. Mihalop consents to the inclusion in this announcement of the matters based on his information in the form and context in which it appears.

For additional information please contact:

In North America:

Irene Dorsman at (604) 200 6664 or by e-mail at [email protected]

In the UK:

SP Angel Corporate Finance LLP (Nominated Adviser & Joint Broker) Tel: +44 203 470 0470 Richard Morrison Charlie Bouverat Grant Barker

Hannam & Partners(Joint Broker) Tel: +44 207 907 8500 Matthew Hasson Andrew Chubb Ernest Bell BlytheRay (Financial PR/IR-London) Tel: +44 207 138 3204 Tim Blythe [email protected] Megan Ray [email protected]

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Richard D. WilliamsRichard D. Williams, P.Geo

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Caution regarding forward looking statements

This news release contains "forward-looking statements" including, but not limited to, statements in connection with the expected use of proceeds of the Offering, including in respect of certain work programs, expected construction, including in respect of the WTP, and the potential completion of a Feasibility Study on the South Crofty mine and the timing thereof, the exploration program at United Downs and other exploration opportunities surrounding the South Crofty tin project, expected recruitment of various personnel, and expectations respecting tin pricing and other economic factors. Forward-looking statements, while based on managements best estimates and assumptions at the time such statements are made, are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, including but not limited to: risks related to receipt of regulatory approvals, risks related to general economic and market conditions; risks related to the COVID-19 global pandemic and any variants of COVID-19 which may arise; risks related to the availability of financing when required and on terms acceptable to the Company and the potential consequences if the Company fails to obtain any such financing, such as a potential disruption of the Companys exploration program(s); the timing and content of upcoming work programs; actual results of proposed exploration activities; possible variations in Mineral Resources or grade; failure of plant, equipment or processes to operate as anticipated; accidents, labour disputes, title disputes, claims and limitations on insurance coverage and other risks of the mining industry; changes in national and local government regulation of mining operations, tax rules and regulations.

Although Cornish Metals has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Cornish Metals undertakes no obligation or responsibility to update forward-looking statements, except as required by law.

Market Abuse Regulation (MAR) Disclosure

The information contained within this announcement is deemed by the Company to constitute inside information pursuant to Article 7 of EU Regulation 596/2014 as it forms part of UK domestic law by virtue of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 as amended.

CONSOLIDATED CONDENSED INTERIM STATEMENTS OF FINANCIAL POSITION

(Unaudited)(Expressed in Canadian dollars)

July 31, 2022 January 31, 2022 ASSETS Current Cash $ 61,629,169 $ 6,922,704 Marketable securities 2,371,710 1,574,506 Receivables 142,331 107,230 Prepaid expenses 313,755 231,933 64,456,965 8,836,373 Deposits 51,296 42,448 Property, plant and equipment 6,324,225 6,437,175 Exploration and evaluation assets 25,223,915 20,772,029 $ 96,056,401 $ 36,088,025 LIABILITIES Current Accounts payable and accrued liabilities $ 879,315 $ 613,178 Lease liability 2,523 4,204 Commitment to issue shares - 6,041,525 881,838 6,658,907 Lease liability - 667 NSR liability 8,789,295 8,717,330 9,671,133 15,376,904 SHAREHOLDERS EQUITY Capital stock 127,869,456 56,846,350 Capital contribution 2,007,665 2,007,665 Share-based payment reserve 630,265 630,265 Foreign currency translation reserve (2,272,525 ) (174,123 ) Deficit (41,849,593 ) (38,599,036 ) 86,385,268 20,711,121 $ 96,056,401 $ 36,088,025

CONSOLIDATED CONDENSED INTERIM STATEMENTS OF LOSS AND COMPREHENSIVE LOSS

(Unaudited)(Expressed in Canadian dollars)

Six months ended July 31, 2022 July 31, 2021 EXPENSES Accretion $ - $ 15,764 Advertising and promotion 269,075 166,026 Depreciation 443 23,316 Finance cost - 3,895 Insurance 66,716 43,918 Office, miscellaneous and rent 55,516 39,712 Professional fees 359,845 704,810 Generative exploration costs 56,081 4,376 Regulatory and filing fees 98,718 91,704 Share-based compensation - 76,548 Salaries, directors fees and benefits 982,549 455,393 Total operating expenses (1,888,943 ) (1,625,462 ) Interest income 15,223 497 Foreign exchange loss (2,237,188 ) (203,001 ) Gain on the disposal of royalty 318,147 - Realized loss on marketable securities - (237 ) Unrealized gain on marketable securities 542,204 733,120 Loss on the disposal of property, plant and equipment - (1,979 ) Loss for the period (3,250,557 ) (1,097,062 ) Foreign currency translation (2,098,402 ) (29,841 ) Total comprehensive loss for the period $ (5,348,959 ) $ (1,126,903 ) Basic and diluted loss per share $ (0.01 ) $ (0.01 ) Weighted average number of common shares outstanding: 378,614,227 259,248,342

CONSOLIDATED CONDENSED INTERIM STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

(Unaudited)(Expressed in Canadian dollars)

Six months ended July 31, 2022 July 31, 2021 CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES Loss for the period $ (3,250,557 ) $ (1,097,062 ) Items not involving cash: Accretion - 15,764 Depreciation 443 23,316 Share-based compensation - 76,548 Finance cost - 3,895 Gain on the disposal of royalty (318,147 ) - Realized loss on marketable securities - 237 Unrealized gain on marketable securities (542,204 ) (733,120 ) Loss on the disposal of property, plant and equipment - 1,979 Foreign exchange loss 2,237,188 203,001 Changes in non-cash working capital items: Increase in receivables (35,101 ) (92,177 ) Increase in prepaid expenses (2,185 ) (76,990 ) Increase (decrease) in accounts payable and accrued liabilities 74,099 (35,451 ) Net cash used in operating activities (1,836,464 ) (1,710,060 ) CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES Acquisition of property, plant and equipment (388,283 ) (81,890 ) Acquisition of exploration and evaluation assets (2,155,493 ) (1,287,953 ) Proceeds from the sale of marketable securities, net - 3,063 Increase in deposits (8,850 ) (17,060 ) Net cash used in investing activities (2,552,626 ) (1,383,840 ) CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES Proceeds from AIM listing - 14,244,206 Proceeds from the Offering 65,135,746 - Proceeds from option and warrant exercises 7,000 235,750 Share issue costs (3,947,087 ) (1,162,613 ) Proceeds from the disposal of royalty 63,147 - Conversion of Royalty Option costs - (226,290 ) Lease payments (2,112 ) (25,459 ) Net cash provided by financing activities 61,256,694 13,065,594 Impact of foreign exchange on cash (2,161,139 ) (186,783 ) Change in cash during the period 54,706,465 9,784,911 Cash, beginning of the period 6,922,704 353,601 Cash, end of the period $ 61,629,169 $ 10,138,512

CONSOLIDATED CONDENSED INTERIM STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN SHAREHOLDERS EQUITY

(Unaudited)(Expressed in Canadian dollars)

Number ofshares Amount Sharesubscriptionsreceived inadvance Capitalcontribution Share-basedpaymentreserve Foreigncurrencytranslationreserve Deficit Total Balance at January 31, 2021 149,918,585 $ 40,737,065 $ 189,902 $ 2,007,665 $ 846,212 $ 239,028 $ (35,687,896 ) $ 8,331,976 Share issuance pursuant to AIM listing 117,226,572 14,434,108 (189,902 ) - - - - 14,244,206 Share issue costs - (1,506,824 ) - - - - - (1,506,824 ) Warrant exercises 2,575,000 205,750 - - - - - 205,750 Option exercises 200,000 30,000 - - - - - 30,000 Share-based compensation - - - - 76,548 - - 76,548 Foreign currency translation - - - - - (29,841 ) - (29,841 ) Loss for the period - - - - - - (1,097,062 ) (1,097,062 ) Balance at July 31, 2021 269,920,157 $ 53,900,099 $ - $ 2,007,665 $ 922,760 $ 209,187 $ (36,784,958 ) $ 20,254,753 Balance at January 31, 2022 285,850,157 $ 56,846,350 $ - $ 2,007,665 $ 630,265 $ (174,123 ) $ (38,599,036 ) $ 20,711,121 Share issuance pursuant to the Offering 225,000,000 65,135,746 - - - - - 65,135,746 Share issue costs - (3,964,332 ) - - - - - (3,964,332 ) Warrant exercises 100,000 7,000 - - - - - 7,000 Shares issued pursuant to property option agreement 20,298,333 9,844,692 - - - - - 9,844,692 Foreign currency translation - - - - - (2,098,402 ) - (2,098,402 ) Loss for the period - - - - - - (3,250,557 ) (3,250,557 ) Balance at July 31, 2022 531,248,490 $ 127,869,456 $ - $ 2,007,665 $ 630,265 $ (2,272,525 ) $ (41,849,593 ) $ 86,385,268

Source: Cornish Metals Inc.
IRVINE, Calif., Sept. 29, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Everguard.ai, a developer of AI-based worker safety solutions, continues to expand its revolutionary technology to redefine industrial sustainability in an effort to help manufacturers create safe and healthy work environments to attract and retain workers. Sentri360, a proprietary Worker-Centric AI technology platform, is the first artificial intelligence (AI) platform to create a conscious environment powered by sensor fusion that puts workers at its center, sensing distress and danger long before a human can. With record numbers of unfilled jobs limiting growth in the manufacturing sector, a renewed emphasis on worker health and safety is fueling adoption of innovations such as Everguard's Sentri360.

According to Deloitte's 2022 Manufacturing Industry Outlook, 38 percent of manufacturing executives reported that attracting workers is their top priority for 2022. This comes as little surprise as the manufacturing industry continues to feel the impact of labor shortages. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce reports there are currently only 66 workers for every 100 open jobs in the United States. To put this number into perspective, even if every unemployed person with experience in manufacturing were employed, only 65 percent of vacant jobs in this industry would be filled.

To combat this workforce shortage, manufacturers are turning their attention to advanced technologies to create safety cultures and environments where workers feel looked after and empowered. Combining computer vision (CV), sensor fusion, edge computing, and wearables, Everguard's Sentri360 is a proactive solution that has changed the safety paradigm. Whereas in the past safety teams were limited to looking at lagging indicators only after an incident occurred to try and prevent the next one, solutions such as Everguard's are - for the first time - allowing manufacturers to create a proactive approach to worker health and safety.

"Manufacturers need to attract team members and fill the openings that are limiting them from meeting demand," said Sandeep Pandya, Chief Executive Officer of Everguard.ai. "That takes a whole host of initiatives but one of the most fundamental is demonstrating a culture that is committed to health and safety. So, whenever I am involved in a conversation about how manufacturers can attract and retain workers, my input is to start by creating a healthy and safe environment where workers know they can be successful."

Everguard's platform creates Sentri Zones with workers at the center, protecting them in some of the most complex industrial environments like steelmaking and forging. A combination of computer vision (CV), sensor fusion, edge computing, and wearables allows the platform to recognize when a worker is moments away from walking into the path of an overhead crane- and alert him or her to avoid a possible incident. Working with wearables, it can sense when a worker is dehydrated before he or she feels the first symptom - and send an alert to take a break and hydrate. By continuously scanning the air a worker is breathing, Sentri360 can notify him or her when pollutant levels reach dangerous levels. In these and other use cases, the system not only alerts but saves lives by developing an environment for industrial sustainability that finally puts workers at the center.

"The manufacturing sector is critical to our nation's economy but it can't survive - and certainly can't thrive - without the men and women who keep our mills and factories running every single day," said Pandya. "Technologies like Worker-Centric AI are one part of the solution to attracting and retaining more talented individuals back to manufacturing."

About Everguard.ai

Everguard's mission is to protect companies' most important assets  their people  with the first proactive technology solution dedicated to industrial sustainability. We built our Sentri360 enterprise platform and ecosystem to harness Worker-Centric AI, allowing technologies to interact in ways not possible independently. We're revolutionizing how heavy industry approaches worker safety, health, and welfare using AI technology to support companies in their missions to fulfill environmental, social, and governance (ESG) initiatives. We at Everguard believe every single father, mother, daughter, and son across the globe deserves to go home safely from work every day. Because even one is too many.

Contact Information: Andrea Durfey Sr Brand Strategist, ODEA [email protected]

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Source: Everguard.ai
Niagara Falls, ON, Sept. 29, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Grow Up Conference and Expo (Grow Up) has completed its sixth annual event based in Niagara Falls, this year being held from Sunday, September 11th until Tuesday, September 13th. Grow Up provided a 2-day conference schedule, a collaborative B2B expo, networking opportunities, focused workshops on science and hash, a seed exchange, and the Canadian Cannabis Cup. The popular expo highlighted the cultivation aspect of the cannabis industry and brought together the minds that help keep it running.

With over 90+ participating licensed producers (LPs), 90 speakers, and 50 exhibitors, conference attendees attended sessions at the Main Stage, Cannabis Science Symposium, Hash Zone, and Masterclass Stage on topics such as:

Match Made in Heaven - Cultivating the Right Strain for the Right Condition

Distribution, Distribution, Distribution - Moving Your Product

Tipping Point - The Balance of Living Soil Organics

Business opportunities also led the way at Niagaras Grow Up with onsite deals taking place on the expo floor and high-quality relationships being formed at this years networking events such as the Grow Up Industry Awards, VIP Networking Party presented by Hyde Advisory and Investment, Cannanavigators in partnership with Canadian Cannabis Exchange, and in the 3-day consumption lounge.

Grow Up also hosted its first-ever seed exchange where delegates were brought together with coveted breeders and phenohunters. Presented by 4Plants Canada, registered delegates and breeders were encouraged to participate in the seed exchange. This first-time event saw great success with delegates exchanging seeds live on the expo floor.

The Grow Up team is blown away by the success of this years event, says Randy Rowe, President of Grow Up Conference and Expo. This was one of our strongest programmings so far. We brought some of the brightest minds in cultivation, science, hash, and breeding together in one space. The Canadian Cannabis Cup brought in 25 judges and 20+ LPs with some of the best flower and hash in the industry.

Created to provide the best experience and value to industry delegates, Niagaras Grow Up focused on latest trends, a variety of sensory experiences, targeted events such as the Growers Luncheon, networking, and honouring the cannabis professionals who propel this industry forward.

To learn more about this year's conference visit: https://growupconference.com/

About Grow Up Conference and ExpoGrow Up Conference and Expo, an award-winning cannabis event, is a privately-owned Canadian company since 2017 and has been hailed as a top cannabis industry event in Canada, hosting events in Niagara Falls, ON, and Victoria, BC. With decades of experience creating nationally renowned high-profile events, trade summits and shows around the world, Grow Up is committed to bringing forward-thinkers, trailblazers and experts together. For more information, visit: growupconference.com.

About ND SuppliesND Supplies is a market-leading packaging supplier and manufacturing company that is at the top of the innovation curve within the Canadian cannabis industry. They focus on creating sustainable, child-safe packaging solutions designed to meet the Canadian regulatory framework and supply a proven, cost-effective, high-quality packaging system to licensed, reputable businesses that demand the highest form of compliance.

Fallon Streef Grow Up Conference and Expo 1-877-681-5541 [email protected]

Source: Grow Up Conference and Expo
The government official pointed out that the scourge of the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the war in Europe, have an impact on food security and the rise of fuel prices, which affects the most vulnerable populations.

In this regard, he stressed the importance for the inter-American community to come together in order to work on various issues that appear on the agenda of each country.

For example, the Cabinet member affirmed that he plans to provide statements on social aspects of the fight for equality and non-discrimination, as well as the recovery and strengthening of an inclusive and resilient health system.

Likewise, Minister Landa mentioned that the General Assembly will discuss the situation of food and nutrition security in the Americas in a bid to propose solutions.

Other topics to be discussed include the regular follow-up on the promotion and protection of human rights, hemispheric initiatives on integral development, the strengthening of democracy, international law, and the promotion of hemispheric security using a multidimensional approach.

Likewise, the OAS General Assembly in Lima will address the increased and strengthened participation of civil society and social actors in the activities undertaken by the American States, as well as the support and follow-up of the Summits of the Americas, among other issues.

The high-ranking official stated that other activities will be held in parallel to the OAS General Assembly in Lima, such as a meeting with the youth of the Americas, as well as civil society and business forums.

??| Falta poco! Desde este miercoles 5 de octubre, nuestro pais sera sede de la 52 Asamblea General de la OEA, reunion clave de esta importante organizacion hemisferica.

Conoce mas sobre el rol del Peru en este evento. #AsambleaOEAhttps://t.co/zAWwuvuyCW
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Sept. 29, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Isracann Biosciences Inc. (CSE: IPOT) (XFRA: A2PT0E) (OTC: ISCNF) (the Company) announces that the filing of its audited annual financial statements for the year ended May 31, 2022, including the related management discussion and analysis, and CEO and CFO certifications (collectively, the Annual Financial Filings) were not filed by the required filing deadline of September 28, 2022 (the Filing Deadline). The Annual Financial Filings are late due to unforeseen delays in the completion of the Companys audit. The unforeseen delay is due to the fact that the Company acquired operations in Israel and in Canada during the fiscal period and the auditors are trying to consolidate the audit and have lack of time to complete procedures.

The Companys staff are working diligently with its auditors and the Company anticipates that it will be in a position to file the Annual Financial Filings within the next seven weeks.

The Company has voluntarily applied to the applicable securities regulatory authorities and received a management cease trade order related to the Companys securities to be imposed the management of the Company to trade securities of the Company. The management cease trade order will be in effect until the Annual Financial Filings are filed. All other securityholders will still be able to trade in the securities of the Company in accordance with applicable securities laws.

Until the Annual Financial Filings are filed, the Company intends to provide information in accordance with National Policy 12-203 Cease Trade Orders for Continuous Disclosure Defaults.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Phil Floucault

Phil FloucaultChief Executive Officer and President

About Isracann Biosciences Inc. (CSE: IPOT) (XFRA: A2PT0E) (OTC: ISCNF)Isracann is a multidisciplinary cannabis focused producer and product developer with Israeli-based cannabis production farm assets and a Canadian natural health medicine development and production arm. Concurrently focused on initial retail sales in Canada and in becoming a premier cannabis producer offering low-cost domestic Israeli production, the Company aims to commercialize natural health medicines in Canada and to leverage agreements within Israel for import/export opportunities and medicinal marijuana cultivation. For more information visit: www.isracann.com.

ContactEmpire Communications Group+1 (604) 343-2724[email protected]www.isracann.com

Forward-Looking InformationThis release may contain forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words expects, plans, anticipates, believes, intends, estimates, projects, potential and similar expressions, or that events or conditions will, would, may, could or should occur. Forward-looking statements may include, without limitation, statements relating to the Companys plans or goals, the Offering and the proceeds of the Offering. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. All forward-looking statements in this press release are made as of the date of this press release. The forward-looking statements contained herein are also subject generally to assumptions and risks and uncertainties that are described from time to time in the Company's documents filed from time to time with the Canadian Securities Exchange, the British Columbia Securities Commission, the Alberta Securities Commission, and the Ontario Securities Commission. Although Isracann believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results may differ materially from those in forward looking statements. Isracann expressly disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

The CSE does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Source: Isracann Biosciences Inc.
Vancouver, B.C. , Sept. 29, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Keon Capital Inc. (Keon or the Company) (TSXV: KEON.H) is pleased to announce that Luke Montaine has been added to the Companys board of directors. Mr. Montaine already acts as the Companys Chief Financial Officer and Corporate Secretary (see the Companys press release dated July 4, 2022 respecting Mr. Montaines appointment to such positions and his qualifications).

On behalf of the Board of Directors

John McCleery

Director and CEOTel: 604.880.5624Email: [email protected]

###

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Source: Keon Capital Inc.
HOUSTON, Sept. 29, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Kirby Corporation ("Kirby") (NYSE: KEX) will announce its 2022 third quarter results at 6:00 a.m. Central Daylight Time (CDT) on Monday, October 24, 2022. This announcement will be followed by an earnings conference call webcast at 7:30 a.m. CDT.

For listeners who wish to participate in the question and answer session via telephone, please pre-register at Kirby Earnings Call Registration. All registrants will receive dial-in information and a PIN allowing them to access the live call. To listen to the webcast, please visit the Investor Relations section of Kirbys website at www.kirbycorp.com. A replay of the webcast will be available for a period of one year by visiting the Investor Relations section of Kirbys website.

The financial and other information to be discussed in the conference call will be available in the 2022 third quarter press release and in a Form 8-K to be posted prior to the call on Kirbys website at www.kirbycorp.com.

Kirby Corporation, based in Houston, Texas, is the nations largest domestic tank barge operator transporting bulk liquid products throughout the Mississippi River System, on the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway, and coastwise along all three United States coasts. Kirby transports petrochemicals, black oil, refined petroleum products and agricultural chemicals by tank barge. In addition, Kirby participates in the transportation of dry-bulk commodities in United States coastwise trade. Through the distribution and services segment, Kirby provides after-market service and genuine replacement parts for engines, transmissions, reduction gears, electric motors, drives, and controls, specialized electrical distribution and control systems, energy storage battery systems, and related equipment used in oilfield services, marine, power generation, on-highway, and other industrial applications. Kirby also rents equipment including generators, industrial compressors, high capacity lift trucks, and refrigeration trailers for use in a variety of industrial markets. For the oil and gas market, Kirby manufactures and remanufactures oilfield service equipment, including pressure pumping units, and manufactures electric power generation equipment, specialized electrical distribution and control equipment, and high capacity energy storage/battery systems for oilfield customers.

Contact: Kurt Niemietz713-435-1077

Source: Kirby Corporation
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SALINAS, Calif., Sept. 29, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Lowell Farms Inc. (the Company) (CSE: LOWL; OTCQX: LOWLF), a California-born innovator in cannabis cultivation and maker of the iconic Lowell Smokes brand, is announcing the commercial availability of its much anticipated: Lowell 35s, available at select dispensaries across California.

We see the 35s as putting an end to the compromise between convenience and quality within cannabis, said George Allen, Chairman. The 35s are made for people who love to smoke. These new prerolls rival the taste and flavor of raw flower while also matching the convenience of a vape pen.

The packaging for Lowells new 35s is innovative and responsible  paper based  small, lightweight, and is impressively easy to fit into a pocket.

Lowell 35s preroll will hit retailers throughout California beginning at 5 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 29. To celebrate the launch, participating dispensaries will be selling 35s for just $1 to the first 100 customers at each location. A full list of locations can be found here.

More information about Lowell Farms Inc. brands can be found at lowellfarms.com.

ABOUT LOWELL FARMS INC.Lowell Farms Inc. (CSE:LOWL; OTCQX: LOWLF)(the Company) is a California-based vertically-integrated cannabis company with advanced production capabilities supporting every step of the supply chain, including cultivation, extraction, manufacturing, brand sales, marketing, and distribution. Lowell Farms grows artisan craft cannabis with a deep love and respect for the plant, and prides itself on using sustainable materials  from seed to sale  to produce an extensive portfolio of award-winning originals, including Lowell Herb Co, Cypress Cannabis, MOON, and Kaizen Extracts, for licensed retailers statewide.

Lowell Farms Inc. Media Contact[email protected]

Lowell Farms Inc. Investor Relations ContactBill Mitoulas416.479.9547[email protected]

Lowell Farms Inc. Company ContactMark Ainsworth[email protected]

Forward-Looking Information and StatementsThis news release contains certain "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation and may also contain statements that may constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking information and forward-looking statements are not representative of historical facts or information or current condition, but instead represent only the Companys beliefs regarding future events, plans or objectives, many of which, by their nature, are inherently uncertain and outside of the Companys control. Generally, such forward-looking information or forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or may contain statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "will continue", "will occur" or "will be achieved. The forward-looking information and forward-looking statements contained herein may include, but are not limited to, the ability of the Company to successfully achieve its business objectives, including as a result of the described acquisition, and expectations for other economic, business, and/or competitive factors. There can be no assurance that such forward-looking information and statements will prove to be accurate, and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking information and statements. This forward-looking information and statements reflect the Companys current beliefs and are based on information currently available to the Company and on assumptions the Company believes are reasonable.

Forward-looking information is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Such risks and other factors may include, but are not limited to: general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties; general capital market conditions and market prices for securities; operating and development costs; competition; changes in legislation or regulations affecting the Company; the timing and availability of external financing on acceptable terms; the available funds of the Company and the anticipated use of such funds; favorable production levels and outputs; the stability of pricing of cannabis products; the level of demand for cannabis product; the availability of third-party service providers and other inputs for the Companys operations; lack of qualified, skilled labor or loss of key individuals; and risks and delays resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. A description of additional assumptions used to develop such forward-looking information and a description of additional risk factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from forward-looking information can be found in the Companys disclosure documents, such as the Companys annual information form filed on the SEDAR website at www.sedar.com. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. Readers are cautioned that the foregoing list of factors is not exhaustive. Readers are further cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information as there can be no assurance that the plans, intentions or expectations upon which they are placed will occur. Forward-looking information contained in this news release is expressly qualified by this cautionary statement.

The forward-looking information contained in this news release represents the expectations of the Company as of the date of this news release and, accordingly, is subject to change after such date. However, the Company expressly disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as expressly required by applicable securities law.

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Service Provider has reviewed, or accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of, the content of this news release.

Source: Lowell Farms Inc.
TORONTO, Sept. 29, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Madison Metals Inc. (Madison or the Company) (CSE: GREN) is pleased to announce that its common shares have been approved for trading on the OTCQB Venture Market in the United States under the symbol (OTCQB: MMTLF). Trading commences on September 29, 2022. Investors in the US can find current financial disclosure and Real-Time Level 2 quotes in US currency for the Company on www.otcmarkets.com.

The Company has applied for DTC eligible to facilitate trading, settlement and clearance of its common shares in the US and expects approval shortly.

The OTCQB Venture Market is the premier marketplace for entrepreneurial and development stage U.S. companies that are committed to providing a high-quality trading and information experience for investors. To be eligible, companies must be current in their financial reporting, pass a minimum bid price test, and undergo an annual company verification and management certification process. The OTCQB quality standards provide a strong baseline of transparency, as well as the technology and regulation to improve the information and trading experience for investors.

About Madison Metals Inc.

Madison Metals Inc (CSE: GREN) (OTCQB: MMTLF) is a Canadian green energy resource company with experienced management having particular expertise in the uranium mining industry. Madisons corporate objective is to build value by advancing Rossing-type uranium deposits identified in Kenora, Ontario, Canada and Namibia, Africa by utilizing cutting-edge technology and modern strategies.

Additional information about Madison Metals Inc. can be found at madisonmetals.ca and on the Companys SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com.

For further information, please contact:

Duane ParnhamExecutive Chairman & CEOMadison Metals Inc.+1 (416) 489-0092[email protected]

Media inquiries:Adam BelloManager, Media & Analyst RelationsPrimoris Group Inc.+1 (416) 489-0092[email protected]

Neither the CSE nor the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Forward-looking Statements

This release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the timing and amount of estimated future exploration and the anticipated use of funds by the Company that were received from the Placement.

Generally, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as plans, expects or does not expect, is expected, budget, schedule, estimates, forecasts, intends, continue, anticipates or does not anticipate, or believes, or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results may, could, would, will, might or will be taken, occur or be achieved. Forward-looking statements are made based upon certain assumptions and other important facts that, if untrue, could cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from future results, performances or achievements expressed or implied by such statements. Such statements and information are based on numerous assumptions regarding present and future business strategies and the environment in which the Company will operate in the future.

Certain important factors that could cause actual results, performances or achievements to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements include, amongst others, currency fluctuations, the global economic climate, dilution, share price volatility, competition, labour shortages, and unanticipated expenses of the Company. Forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, including but not limited to: the impact the COVID 19 pandemic may have on the Companys activities and the economy in general; the impact of the recovery post COVID 19 pandemic and its impact on precious metals; receipt of necessary approvals; general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties; future metal prices; accidents, labour disputes and shortages; environmental risks; and other risks of the mining industry.

Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements.

You can find further information with respect to these and other risks in filings made with the Canadian securities regulatory authorities that are available on the Companys SEDAR profile page at www.sedar.com. The Company disclaims any obligation to update or revise these forward-looking statements, except as required by applicable law.

Source: Madison Metals Inc.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Sept. 29, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Millrock Resources Inc. (TSX-V: MRO) (Millrock) is pleased to report positive initial results from a mineralogical assessment of historical drill core from the Upper Eureka Zone (UEZ) and Core Eureka Zone (CEZ) at its 100% owned Nikolai Project, which hosts nickel (Ni)  copper (Cu) cobalt (Co)  platinum group elements (PGE) prospects. The Nikolai Project is located within Alaskas Delta Mining District, approximately 130 kilometers by road south of Delta Junction and approximately 280 kilometers southeast of Fairbanks. The Eureka zone consists of disseminated Ni-Cu-Co-PGE mineralization initially discovered by a subsidiary of INCO, and further expanded by Pure Nickel Inc., as reported in their press releases ranging between 2007-2014.

Highlights from the mineralogical assessment include:

94% of the nickel within the CEZ is contained within nickel sulfide (pentlandite) and nickel alloy minerals.

72% of the copper within the CEZ is contained within copper sulfides (chalcopyrite, bornite, chalcocite).

80% of the nickel within the UEZ is contained within nickel sulfide (pentlandite) and nickel alloy minerals.

75% of the copper within the UEZ is contained within copper sulfides (chalcopyrite, bornite, chalcocite).

Millrock President and CEO Gregory Beischer commented: These are encouraging results! For large tonnage  low-grade deposits, it is crucial that potential recovery rates of the valuable metals are well understood. This first-pass work shows that much of the nickel and copper is in mineral form that allows strong recoveries with common processing methods.

Methodology  Metal ContentTwo composite samples from hole FL-003 were created for the UEZ and CEZ. Each composite was comprised of six quarter-core sample intervals spread across the mineralized zones. The anticipated metals content for each of the composited samples was calculated using historical assays from the work done by INCO in 1997 (Table 1). Historical logging and sampling of the INCO drill core was done under the direct supervision of Gregory Beischer, the qualified person responsible for the contents of this disclosure. Historical assays were performed at Chemex, Inc. in Reno, Nevada. Chemical analysis of the composites for this study were completed prior to the mineralogical study to validate the historical assay results completed by INCO (Table 1). Concentrations determined by INCO and by Millrock were found to be similar.

Table 1. Sample intervals, historical grades, calculated composite grades, and actual assay results from mineralogical study for selected samples from hole FL-003 to create composites for the CEZ and UEZ.

Composite 1 - Core Eureka Zone (CEZ) Sample Hole ID From ft To ft Ni ppm Cu ppm Co ppm Pd ppb Pt ppb Au ppb FX536263 FL-003 758 763 1900 1800 290 164 105 10 FX536264 FL-003 763 768 1900 1870 260 162 80 14 FX536270 FL-003 793 798 2500 1270 220 164 80 10 FX536274 FL-003 813 818 3000 1560 240 206 80 52 FX536277 FL-003 828 833 2300 820 180 118 50 16 FX536281 FL-003 848 853 3200 1460 210 132 50 24 CEZ Calculated Grade (Historic Assays) 0.25 0.14 0.02 0.157 0.072 0.023 New Assays Results from Composite Samples 0.25 0.16 0.02 0.173 0.043 0.068 Composite 2 - Upper Eureka Zone (UEZ) Sample Hole ID From ft To ft Ni ppm Cu ppm Co ppm Pd ppb Pt ppb Au ppb FX536768 FL-003 257 262 1690 385 141 82 42.5 2 FX536772 FL-003 283 288 1500 340 120 71 33 2 FX536084 FL-003 347 350 2397 938 146 128 55 14 FX536086 FL-003 400 405 2636 918 154 132 65 16 FX536798 FL-003 415 420 1975 630 133 83 36 12 FX536253 FL-003 708 713 2000 940 220 146 70 24 UEZ Calculated Grade (Historic Assays) 0.20 0.07 0.02 0.104 0.049 0.009 New Assays Results from Composite Samples 0.23 0.06 0.02 0.135 0.031 0.095

Methodology Mineralogical StudyThe mineral processing work was completed by the Bureau Veritas Metallurgical Laboratory in Richmond, British Columbia, Canada. The individual composites were ground to ~125m following standard grind calibration procedures. The ground composites were sized using wet screens and a cyclone sizer, and then sized into four fractions for chemical analysis and QEMSCAN analysis. QEMSCAN Particle Mineral Analysis was conducted on each size fraction of the sized composites to determine nickel and copper deportment and fragmentation characteristics.

Initial Mineralogical Study ResultsNickel sulfide and nickel alloys accounted for ~94% of the total nickel within the CEZ composite sample (only 5.1% of total nickel in silicates). Pentlandite was the principal nickel bearing sulfide and carried ~92% of the total nickel in the CEZ composite. Pentlandite content was measured at 0.68% by weight. The remaining potentially recoverable nickel was in the nickel alloys and nickel metal, which accounted for ~2% of the total nickel. Sulfur is higher in the CEZ (1.32%) and there is an increased amount of pyrrhotite (1.78% by weight). Interlocking between pentlandite and pyrrhotite was rarely observed, which will be favorable to the pentlandite separation from pyrrhotite.

Nickel sulfide and nickel alloys accounted for ~80% of the total nickel within the UEZ composite sample (18.9% of total nickel in silicates). Pentlandite was the principal nickel bearing sulfide and carried ~64% of the total nickel in the CEZ composite. Pentlandite content was measured at 0.44% by weight. The remaining potentially recoverable nickel was in the form of nickel alloy and nickel metal, which accounted for ~16% of the total nickel. Sulfur is lower in the UEZ (0.49%), likely due to the decrease in pyrrhotite. These results are summarized in Table 2 below.

Table 2. Summary of Ni-Fe-S deportment of Eureka Zone composites

Nickel Deportment CEZ UEZ Ni-Fe Sulfides 92.2 % 64.1 % Ni-Fe Alloys 2.1 % 16.7 % Sulfide-Hydroxide 0.6 % 0.3 % Silicates (Olivine) 5.1 % 18.9 % Total Potential Recoverable Nickel 94.3 % 80.8 % % Ni from chemical analysis 0.25 % 0.23 % % S from chemical analysis 1.32 % 0.49 % Weight % pentlandite 0.68 % 0.44 % Weight % pyrrhotite 1.78 % 0.55 %

Copper sulfides accounted for ~71% to 75% of the total copper within the CEZ and UEZ composites. Chalcopyrite is the dominant copper sulfide and accounts for ~67% to 71% of the copper in the composite samples. Bornite, chalcocite, cuprite, malachite, and azurite were also present, in the composite samples. The remainder of the copper (~24% to 28%) was present in valleriite (Cu-Fe-Mg sulphate). The copper sulfide contents were 0.31% by weight in the CEZ and 0.14% by weight in the UEZ. These results are summarized in Table 3 below.

Table 3. Summary of Cu-Fe-S deportment of Eureka Zone composites

Copper Deportment CEZ UEZ Chalcopyrite 66.8 % 70.7 % Bornite 1.0 % 1.7 % Chalcocite/Covellite 3.5 % 2.9 % Cuprite, Malachite, Azurite 1.1 % 0.2 % Valleriite 27.5 % 24.5 % Total Potential Recoverable Copper 72.4 % 75.5 % % Cu from chemical analysis 0.16 % 0.07 % Weight % Cu Sulfides 0.31 % 0.14 %

An additional composite sample from the Lower Eureka Zone (LEZ) has been submitted to Bureau Veritas to complete identical mineralogical analysis. Assay results from the LEZ were reported in the Millrock press release from September 26, 2022. The results of the third composite will be released when completed.

Quality Control  Quality AssuranceMillrock adheres to stringent Quality Assurance  Quality Control (QA/QC) standards. Core samples are kept in a secure location at all times. In this case, the samples were assayed at the Bureau Veritas laboratory in Vancouver, Canada. Preparation and analysis methods are described in further detail here. Analysis methods used include MA270  4-acid digestion ICP-ES/MS Finish and FA330  Fire assay fusion Au, Pt, Pd by ICP-ES. The Qualified Person is of the opinion that the results reported in this press release are reliable.

Qualified PersonThe technical information within this document has been reviewed and approved by Gregory A. Beischer, President, CEO, and a director of Millrock. Mr. Beischer is a Qualified Person as defined in NI 43-101.

About Millrock Resources Inc.Millrock Resources Inc. is a premier project generator to the mining industry. Millrock identifies, packages, and operates large-scale projects for joint venture, thereby exposing its shareholders to the benefits of mineral discovery without the usual financial risk taken on by most exploration companies. The company is recognized as the premier generative explorer in Alaska, holds royalty interests in British Columbia, Canada, and Sonora State, Mexico, is a significant shareholder of junior explorer ArcWest Exploration Inc. and owns a large shareholding in Resolution Minerals Limited. Funding for drilling at Millrocks exploration projects is primarily provided by its joint venture partners. Business partners of Millrock have included some of the leading names in the mining industry: EMX Royalty, Centerra Gold, First Quantum, Teck, Kinross, Vale, Inmet and, Altius as well as junior explorers Resolution, Riverside, PolarX, Felix Gold, and Tocvan.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARDGregory BeischerGregory Beischer, President & CEO

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:Melanee Henderson, Investor RelationsToll-Free: 877-217-8978 | Local: 604-638-3164Twitter | Facebook | LinkedIn

Some statements in this news release contain forward-looking information, including but not limited to execution of further deportment studies. These statements address future events and conditions and, as such, involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance, or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the statements. Such factors include without limitation the completion of planned expenditures, the ability to complete exploration programs on schedule and the success of exploration programs.

NEITHER TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN THE POLICIES OF THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE.

Source: Millrock Resources Inc.
National Seating & Mobility (NSM), North Americas largest provider of comprehensive mobility solutions, returned as the official ADA sponsor of Pilgrimage Music & Culture Festival last weekend. The 2022 sponsorship marked NSMs third consecutive year partnering with the festival which was held at The Park at Harlinsdale Farm in Franklin, Tennessee. The two-day festival venue, which draws thousands of fans each year, included NSM-funded ADA Accessible viewing platforms for attendees with disabilities.

NASHVILLE, Tenn., Sept. 28, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- National Seating & Mobility (NSM), North Americas largest provider of comprehensive mobility solutions, returned as the official ADA sponsor of Pilgrimage Music & Culture Festival last weekend. The 2022 sponsorship marked NSMs third consecutive year partnering with the festival which was held at The Park at Harlinsdale Farm in Franklin, Tennessee. The two-day festival venue, which draws thousands of fans each year, included NSM-funded ADA Accessible viewing platforms for attendees with disabilities.

"We were pleased to serve as the official ADA sponsor of the Pilgrimage Festival again this year, said Bill Mixon, NSM CEO. It is a privilege to work with the Pilgrimage team to help ensure that accessibility is a priority for all festival guests.

Hosted ADA Accessible viewing platforms were set up around the two Pilgrimage Festival main stages to ensure a clear view of the performers for those with disabilities.

"Our partnership with NSM allows us to create a positive and inclusive environment for all music fans joining us for the event, said Brandt Wood, Pilgrimage Festival co-founder. Pilgrimage Festival unites people from different backgrounds under the common theme of music, and NSMs continued support ensures that the event can be enjoyed by attendees who rely on mobility equipment.

The 2022 headliners included Chris Stapleton, Brandi Carlile, The Avett Brothers and Elle King along with 50 additional acts across five stages. NSMs sponsorship included event signage and exposure on the festival website (www.pilgrimagefestival.com), the official festival app and through Pilgrimage social channels.

This was the eighth year for the festival in Franklin, where NSMs corporate headquarters is also located.



About National Seating & Mobility

With a network of 200+ locations across the U.S. and Canada, National Seating & Mobility (NSM) is North Americas largest and most trusted provider of comprehensive mobility solutions including complex rehab technology (CRT), home and vehicle accessibility, and full-service maintenance and repair. NSM has been advancing independence and enhancing the quality of life of individuals who use mobility solutions for more than 30 years. The company has more than 2,600 dedicated team members caring for more than 300,000 clients annually. Since 2006, NSM is the only national mobility solutions provider that is accredited by The Joint Commission and voluntarily undergoes a rigorous review process every few years to ensure and validate the companys commitment to providing safe, quality care for our valued customers. NSM is also the exclusive partner for The Home Depot Independent Living program offering home accessibility solutions to customers looking to create safer home environments in more than 700 Home Depot retail locations across the U.S. For more information on NSM, visit www.nsm-seating.com.

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Phuket, Thailand, Sept. 29, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Unchained Elephants, a new NFT art project, seeks to rescue 2 or more working elephants in Thailand. The project will use the proceeds from its NFT sales to buy and rescue these animals from abusive work environments in the tourism industries. In addition to helping elephants welfare, Unchained Elephants will also give back to its supporters by offering an exclusive travel club where they can enjoy special benefits and perks such as discounts on excursions, tours and hotels.

Unknowingly, elephant riding has grown somewhat contentious in Thailand. Like most animals, elephants are not meant to live in captivity. However, hundreds of captive elephants in Thailand are abducted as infants, separated from their families, and forced into a life that negatively impacts their growth emotionally, mentally, and physically. According to Thailand's official agencies, there are between 3,000 to 4,000 elephants in the country, and around half of these are domesticated. The Unchained Elephants team wishes to provide the opportunity to the local people to be able to better the lives of these animals by offering real solutions to the issues their country is facing.

Unchained Elephants first goal is to raise awareness to buy the freedom and rescue captive elephants working in harsh conditions in the tourism sector and unchain them at ethical sanctuaries in Thailand. Furthermore, the NFT main initiative is to raises awareness and educate travelers around the world about the harsh truth behind the welfare of these elephants. By educating travelers they hope to stop the demand for elephant trekking or animal shows while at the same time providing a FREE training program that would help elephant caretakers and business owners in Thailand, to put their elephant welfare at the forefront and run their business on a more ethical practice.

The Original Unchained Elephants collection included 99 hand-drawn elephants by renowned Ecuadorian artist Luis Felipe Donoso. In their upcoming collection of 9,999 NFTs, each depicts a calm elephant sitting in meditation, enjoying various settings. The collection will be minted on the XRP blockchain (XRPLedger).

The Founder of Unchained Elephants, Daniel Villota, said I always believed that a business should find a way to give weight and voice to social causes while making it easier and more interesting for everyone to support the cause by providing them utilities that would grant them additional benefits. Elephants are no doubt a must-experience activity when visiting Thailand, and I dont wonder why. They truly are majestic, but there are better ways to do so. This is why I founded Unchained Elephants, with a mission to raise awareness amongst travelers to stop the demand of elephant trekking & elephant shows, rescue elephants from these harsh working conditions so we can at least stop the suffering, and providing training to elephant caretakers and business owners to run a more ethical business and thus completing the circle to truly make a difference in the welfare and lifespan of Asian elephants.

Our NFT project & initiative will allow holders to enjoy traveling while being a part of this change. A project that would resonate with those who want more from their NFT project, care about these creatures, and like to travel.

For every NFT purchase, 40% of the sales go directly towards buying the freedom of these captive elephants and providing educational programs for travelers and elephant caretakers alike to truly make a difference. In addition, the project will donate a percentage of its secondary sales to feed and maintain the rescued elephants. The initial NFT holders also receive a certificate of adoption from the rescued elephants and can access the sanctuaries where the elephants will be unchained, as well as access to the upcoming travel club platform, which offers savings and travel privileges on Phuket excursions, tours, and hotels.

About Unchained Elephants

Unchained elephants is a cause-driven NFT project founded in 2021 that aims to raise awareness and educate the masses on elephant tourism's impact, provide alternative activities for tourists in Thailand, and help rehabilitate and rescue elephants trapped by unethical tourism activities. Unchained Elephants buys the freedom of captive elephants and funds ethical and safe sanctuaries for their rehabilitation through funds raised by their NFT collections.

To learn more about Unchained Elephants, visit:Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube

Media contact: Luna PR [email protected]

Source: Unchained Elephants
TORONTO, Sept. 29, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- NowVertical Group Inc. (TSX-V: NOW) (NOW or the Company), a big data, analytics, and vertical intelligence (VI) software and solutions company is pleased to announce that NOW has won a 2022 AI TechAward for Best in Big Data AI. The 2022 AI TechAwards celebrate technical innovation, adoption, and reception in the AI, Machine Learning & Data Science industry and by the global developer community.

The 2022 AI TechAwards are given out for 20 categories to celebrate technical innovation, adoption and reception in the AI & Machine Learning industry by the developer community. Judging and selection for AI DevWorld is conducted by their Advisory Board, which consists of industry veterans, experts and leaders from globally recognized AI and technology organizations. In 2022, AI DevWorld received hundreds of nominations and selected the NOW Privacy platform based on three criteria:

Attracting notable attention and awareness in the AI, Machine Learning & Data Science industry;

General regard and use by the developer & engineering community; and

Being a leader in its sector for innovation.

"We are proud to be selected as a best-in-class solution for Big Data AI," said Daren Trousdell, Chairman and CEO of NOW. "NOW Privacy allows organizations to discover, protect and innovate on their data in ways that havent been possible until now. By introducing domain-centric workflows and automations into a customers data governance approach, weve seen them transform operations and begin to make bolder decisions with the confidence of data. Our mission is to help organizations realize the promise of Big Data AI in their everyday experience. We couldnt be more excited and proud to receive this honor recognizing our team's strides in this space.

NowVertical's NOW Privacy is a great example of the newest AI & Machine Learning technologies, allowing developers & engineers to build upon the burgeoning AI/ML industry. Todays cloud-based software and hardware increasingly run on systems needing increased data and intelligence. NowVertical's win here at the 2022 AI TechAwards is evidence of their leading role in the growth of the AI ecosystem, said Jonathan Pasky, Executive Producer & Co-Founder of DevNetwork, producer of AI Dev World & the 2022 AI TechAwards.

NOWs award will be presented at the 2022 AI TechAwards Ceremony on October 25, 2022 at the San Jose Convention Center during AI DevWorld, the largest Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning & Data Science development conference with tracks covering Open Source AI, AI for the Enterprise, NLP, MLOps/AIOps, Deep AI, Neural Networks, AI Frameworks, Data Science and Predictive Models.

About NowVertical Group Inc.

NOW is a big data, analytics, and VI software and solutions company growing organically and through acquisition. NOW's VI solutions are organized by industry vertical and are built upon a foundational set of data technologies that fuse, secure, and mobilize data in a transformative and compliant way. The NOW product suite enables the creation of high-value VI solutions that are predictive in nature and drive automation specific to each high-value industry vertical. For more information about the Company, visit www.nowvertical.com.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

For further information, please contact: Daren Trousdell, Chief Executive Officere: [email protected]t: (212) 302-0868

or

Glen Nelson, Investor Relationse: [email protected]t: (403) 763-9797

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/44343210-3eba-49e7-b70e-a8df787578bc

NowVertical Group 2022 Best in Big Data NOW Named 2022 Best in Big Data by AI DevNetwork

Source: NowVertical Group Inc
VICTORIA, British Columbia, Sept. 29, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Premier Cloud Inc. has been named by The Globe and Mail as one of this year's fastest-growing Canadian businesses. The company achieved a three-year revenue growth rate of 170%, earning its rank at #231 in the country. As a cloud solutions provider and coveted Google partner, Premier Cloud works with businesses of all sizes, from SMBs to Enterprises, providing migration services, consultations, and ongoing technical support.

Premier Cloud is one of the key technology companies that has helped transform a sleepy provincial capital into a vibrant hub for high-tech industries, together accounting for over $5 billion worth of revenues in 2021, and positioning for a better year in 2022. "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."

Having been involved in some of the world's largest cloud migrations, Premier Cloud focuses on the simple idea that companies can scale by harnessing the unparalleled power of Google Cloud. Ultimately, Premier Cloud stands apart with its expertly tailored cloud migration services and white-glove, 24/7 technical support offerings.

Daniel Azad, President and CEO of Premier Cloud, commented, "We want to thank all of our clients, partners, and employees for making this achievement possible. Our partner-first mentality has helped fuel a synergistic and mutually beneficial relationship with Google. We have ambitious plans in our pursuit for continued growth, and I have absolute confidence in our team as we propel the business to the next level."

Azad claims that one of the fundamental reasons for the company's success has been the fostering of relationships, working with hundreds of Googlers across North America, and managing to achieve a 99% retention rate with their clients. Supporting hundreds of thousands of end-users and administrators across North America, the outcome for customers has been substantial time savings, cost optimization, and access to cutting-edge cloud technology solutions.

"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."

Contact Information: Ryan Brady Vice President, Sales [email protected] 8888662230

Related Images

Image 1: Globe and Mail Fastest Growing Company list Premier Cloud Inc. named one of the fastest growing companies in Canada.

This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com.

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Globe and Mail Fastest Growing Company list Globe and Mail Fastest Growing Company list

Source: Premier Cloud Inc.
?? El Ministerio de Salud informa que 2015 personas han sido dadas de alta por #ViruelaDelMono y se han detectado 31 casos nuevos. Todos vienen recibiendo asistencia medica y se viene realizando seguimiento a sus contactos. pic.twitter.com/Skr6st231O
TORONTO, Sept. 29, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Psyence Group Inc. (CSE: PSYG | OTCQB: PSYGF) (Psyence or the Company) is pleased to announce that it has successfully exported medical grade psilocybin mushrooms to Psilo Pharma Inc. (Psilo Pharma), from its federally licensed ISO22000 certified production facility in Southern Africa, through its research partner in Portugal (the Research Partner).

In February 2022, Psyence received an import permit from the Portuguese regulators for the Research Partner in Portugal. It obtained the necessary, stringent permissions to commence with the export process and the psilocybin mushrooms were successfully delivered to the Research Partners facilities. Psilo Pharma will be using the mushrooms to develop extraction methodologies.

Psilo Pharmas objective is to provide the highest quality psilocybin across Europe. As David Reckeweg-Lecompte, CEO of Psilo Pharma explains, Our approach to this extremely promising healthcare segment is to (i) provide the highest quality API, (ii) supply clinical trials for drug development, and (iii) engage in development partnerships. We are preparing for the eventual commercialization of psilocybin as a crucial component for an alternative and superior treatment of mental health. In Portugal, our goal is to establish proprietary extraction methods and procedures for naturally produced psilocybin.

The export of Psyences psilocybin mushrooms to Psilo Pharmas Research Partner in Portugal is our first export to Europe and our second successful export to date. We are delighted that we have concluded two important exports as we aim to be a trusted, commercial supplier of psilocybin mushrooms for the legal, global medical market and commercial medical research market, says Dr. Neil Maresky, Psyence Chief Executive Officer. Psyences ISO22000 certified production facility is fully operational, and we are able to ramp up production in line with demand from our customers and the global medical research market.

Psyence operates one of the first federally licensed commercial psilocybin production facilities in the world. Its production facility, located in Southern Africa, is ISO22000 certified and is licensed to cultivate and export psilocybin mushrooms for the legal, global medical market and commercial medical research market. Psyences cultivation system is designed for continuous harvesting and an on-site laboratory was recently added to provide in-process analysis and extraction.

ABOUT PSYENCE GROUP: www.psyence.com

Psyence is a life science biotechnology company listed on the Canadian Securities Exchange (CSE: PSYG) and quoted on the OTCQB (OTCQB: PSYGF), with a focus on natural psychedelics. Psyence works with natural psilocybin products for the healing of psychological trauma and its mental health consequences in the context of palliative care. Our name Psyence combines the words psychedelic and science to affirm our commitment to producing psychedelic medicines developed through evidence-based research.

Informed by nature and guided by science, we built and operate one of the worlds first federally licensed commercial psilocybin mushroom cultivation and production facilities in Southern Africa. Our team brings international experience in both business and science and includes experts in mycology, neurology, palliative care, and drug development. We work to develop advanced natural psilocybin products for clinical research and development.

Our key divisions, Psyence Production, Psyence Therapeutics and Psyence Function, anchor an international collaboration, with operations in Canada, the United Kingdom, Southern Africa, and a presence in the United States and Australia.

ABOUT PSILO PHARMA: www.psilo-pharma.com

Psilo Pharma is a Canadian incorporated company, with operations based in Europe. Psilo Pharmas goal is to provide the highest quality psilocybin across Europe. Three key objectives include (i) becoming a leader in supplying the highest quality API for both naturally and synthetically produced psilocybin; (ii) providing the necessary psilocybin required for clinical trials; and (iii) engaging in drug development partnerships. Our key production partner, Dr. Reckeweg & Co., based in Germany, runs a state-of-the-art GMP certified and narcotics licensed manufacturing facility. The facility was recently expanded for the purpose of tapping into highly promising natural products markets, namely cannabis and psilocybin.

Contact information

Katherine Murphy, Investor RelationsEmail: [email protected]Media Inquiries: [email protected]General Information: [email protected]

FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS:

Certain statements in this news release related to Psyence Group Inc and its subsidiaries (collectively the Company) are forward-looking statements and are prospective in nature. Forward-looking statements are not based on historical facts, but rather on current expectations and projections about future events and are therefore subject to risks and uncertainties which could cause actual results to differ materially from the future results expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. These statements generally can be identified by the use of forward-looking words such as may, should, could, intend, estimate, plan, anticipate, expect, believe or continue, or the negative thereof or similar variations. Forward-looking statements in this news release include statements regarding the manner in which Psyence's raw mushroom materials are received and viewed internationally and the receipt of further regulatory approvals for the Companys import and export activities. These forward-looking statements are based on a number of assumptions, including the assumptions that the Companys applications for further exports of its raw materials will be successful, and that its raw materials will continue to meet international requirements. There are numerous risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results and the Companys plans and objectives to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking information. These risks and uncertainties include demand for the Companys securities being less than anticipated, fluctuations in the price the Companys common shares, and the Company not raising the amount expected, or any funds at all. Actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such information. These and all subsequent written and oral forward-looking information are based on estimates and opinions of management on the dates they are made and are expressly qualified in their entirety by this notice. Except as required by law, the Company does not intend to update these forward-looking statements.

The Company makes no medical, treatment or health benefit claims about the Companys proposed products. The efficacy of psilocybin, psilocybin analogues, or other psychedelic compounds or nutraceutical products remains the subject of ongoing research. There is no assurance that the use of psilocybin, psilocybin analogues, or other psychedelic compounds or nutraceuticals can diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease or condition. Vigorous scientific research and clinical trials are needed. The Company has not conducted clinical trials for the use of its proposed products. Any references to quality, consistency, efficacy, and safety of potential products do not imply that the Company verified such in clinical trials or that the Company will complete such trials. If the Company cannot obtain the approvals or research necessary to commercialize its business, it may have a material adverse effect on the Companys performance and operations.

Source: Psyence Group Inc.
CHANDLER, Ariz., Sept. 29, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Saras Micro Devices has selected a site in the Price Corridor in Chandler, AZ to build out a manufacturing facility for its advanced power delivery solutions. Saras is collocating with its partner company, Yield Engineering Systems, which recently announced it would lease 123,000 square feet in the area.

Arizona  particularly the Greater Phoenix area  has become a leading and preferred location for the US semiconductor industry. The Greater Phoenix area is home to 22,203 semiconductor and other electronic component manufacturing jobs and is the third largest metro area for semiconductor manufacturing employment (Emsi 2021 Q1). In addition, the reliable power grid, proximity to customers, supply chain ecosystem, regional accessibility, industrial infrastructure and competitive operating costs make the Greater Phoenix area extremely strategic for Saras Micro Devices manufacturing location.

The utilization of advanced process technologies to enable leading processors for high-performance compute and artificial intelligence / machine learning applications is fueling demand for a new generation of power delivery solutions, said Eelco Bergman, Chief Business Officer of Saras. Our new Chandler, AZ site will support the manufacturing ramp up of Saras revolutionary Aluminum Integrated Passive Devices (AIPD), which deliver significant improvements in power and thermal efficiency, as well as our continued product innovation.

Chandler has consistently demonstrated positive, effective, professional collaborations with the Saras team. We at the Chandler Chamber of Commerce, which is the largest business organization in Chandler representing over 170,000 employees, are honored to welcome Saras Micro Devices and partner company Yield Engineering Systems to the thriving Chandler business community! said Terri Kimble, Chandler Chamber President and CEO.

The company also has an office in Atlanta, GA that is focused on research and development and is planning to add an office in Cupertino, CA in the future that will be the design center of excellence for the company. Currently, there are approximately 25 engineers at the Atlanta site focused on research and development. Saras expects the Chandler site to have about 15 full-time employees by the end of 2022, growing to double that number by next summer, and it will continue to grow as more operations and products come online.

About Saras Micro DevicesSaras Micro Devices is designing and fabricating innovative power delivery solutions to revolutionize next generation electronics products. The companys AIPD products provide flexible design solutions across multiple product categories, including high-performance computing (HPC), power products and mobile solutions. Saras is working with customers and partners to deliver 1st generation products in 2024. www.sarasmicro.com

Source: Saras Micro Devices
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Sept. 28, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Sirona Biochem Corp. (TSX-V: SBM) (FSE: ZSB) (US-OTC: SRBCF) (Sirona) announces the release of a corporate update which highlights the companys recent team meeting in France, the current pipeline, and the latest deal structure.

With the success of the licensing deal with AbbVie, the company needs to prepare for its next phase of growth.

Dr. Wolfgang Bieber reports In my professional opinion, as a chemist of over three decades, Ive never seen anything like Sironas technology platform, which is undoubtedly revolutionary in terms of its potential to provide endless solutions to current and future pharmaceutical obstacles.

The full corporate update can be viewed at the following link: https://www.sironabiochem.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Sirona-Corporate-Update-September-2022.pdf

About Sirona Biochem Corp.

Sirona Biochem is a cosmetic ingredient and drug discovery company with a proprietary platform technology. Sirona specializes in stabilizing carbohydrate molecules with the goal of improving efficacy and safety. New compounds are patented for maximum revenue potential.

Sironas compounds are licensed to leading companies around the world in return for licensing fees, milestone fees and ongoing royalty payments. Sironas laboratory, TFChem, is in France and is the recipient of multiple French national scientific awards and European Union and French government grants. For more information, please visit www.sironabiochem.com.

For more information regarding this press release, please contact:

Investor Enquiries:Jonathan WilliamsManaging DirectorMomentum PRPhone: 1.450.332.6939Email: [email protected]

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

---------------------------------------------

Sirona Biochem cautions you that statements included in this press release that are not a description of historical facts may be forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are only predictions based upon current expectations and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of release of the relevant information, unless explicitly stated otherwise. Actual results, performance or achievement could differ materially from those expressed in, or implied by, Sirona Biochems forward-looking statements due to the risks and uncertainties inherent in Sirona Biochems business including, without limitation, statements about: the progress and timing of its clinical trials; difficulties or delays in development, testing, obtaining regulatory approval, producing and marketing its products; unexpected adverse side effects or inadequate therapeutic efficacy of its products that could delay or prevent product development or commercialization; the scope and validity of patent protection for its products; competition from other pharmaceutical or biotechnology companies; and its ability to obtain additional financing to support its operations. Sirona Biochem does not assume any obligation to update any forward-looking statements except as required by law.

Source: Sirona Biochem Corp.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Sept. 29, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Lupaka Gold Corp. ("Lupaka" or the Company") (TSX-V: LPK, FRA: LQPA) provides an update regarding its ongoing Arbitration Claim proceedings (the Claim) with the Republic of Peru (Peru).

As previously reported, in October 2020, Lupaka filed a request for arbitration in accordance with Article 36 of the International Convention on the Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) and Article 824 of the CPFTA against Peru for breaches of the Free Trade Agreement between Canada and Peru which entered into force on August 1, 2009 (the FTA). Lupaka filed its Memorial on the Merits with the ICSID on October 1, 2021, requesting full compensation for the loss of its investments in the Invicta Gold Project, which Lupaka alleges resulted from Perus breaches of its obligations under the FTA.

On March 24, 2022, Peru submitted its Memorial on Jurisdiction and Counter-Memorial on the Merits requesting the dismissal of Lupakas Claim. Perus dismissal request was rejected by the ICSID and the Company filed its second Reply Memorial on September 23, 2022.

Peru is required to respond during January 2023 followed by the formal arbitration hearing, which is due to take place between late March and early April 2023. Any final award will be announced by the Arbitral Tribunal some time after the arbitration hearing.

The Company has a very strong case here, stated Gordon Ellis, C.E.O. He further commented that I have reviewed the Memorial documents submitted by Peru on September 23, 2022 and met with LALIVE, our legal counsel, earlier this week. With the very capable support of the Companys current and previous employees, LALIVE has completed extensive and thorough investigation and research of all aspects of the Claim. In addition, independent, third-party reports have been prepared by the Companys quantum evaluators and mining engineers in support of the Companys Claim.

For ongoing updates and more detail with respect to the arbitration, please refer to the Companys website (www.lupakagold.com/projects/arbitration).

For background on the basis for the Claim, please refer to the Companys previous news releases, also available on the Companys website (www.lupakagold.com/news/#2020).

Lupaka is represented in the arbitration proceedings by the international law firm LALIVE (www.lalive.law) and Boies Schiller Flexner (www.bsfllp.com), and has the financial backing of Bench Walk Advisors (www.benchwalk.com).

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Service Provider (as the term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy of this news release.

About Lupaka Gold

Lupaka is an active Canadian-based company focused on creating shareholder value through identification and development of mining assets.

About Bench Walk Advisors

Bench Walk Advisors is a global litigation financier with over USD 250m of capital deployed across in excess of 100 commercial cases. Bench Walk and its principals have consistently been ranked as leading lawyers and litigation funders in various global directories.

About LALIVE

LALIVE is an international law firm with offices in Geneva, Zurich and London, that specializes in international dispute resolution. The firm has extensive experience in international investment arbitration in the mining sector, amongst others, and is currently representing investors and States as counsel worldwide.

About Boies Schiller Flexner

Boies Schiller Flexner is a firm of internationally recognized trial lawyers, crisis managers, and strategic advisers known for creative, aggressive, and efficient pursuit of successful outcomes for their clients.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:

Gordon Ellis, C.E.O.[email protected]Tel: (604) 985-3147

or visit the Companys profile at www.sedar.com or its website at www.lupakagold.com

Source: Lupaka Gold Corp
Washington, D.C., Sept. 29, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The District of Columbia Housing Finance Agency (DCHFA) has financed the rehabilitation of Ridgecrest Village Phase I in Ward 8s Shipley Terrace neighborhood. The Agency issued $21.9 million in tax exempt bonds and underwrote $16.83 million in D.C. and federal Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) equity. Phase I of the project will consist of remodeling 13 existing buildings on the property originally constructed in 1951.

Not only does this deal ensure the residents of Ridgecrest Village will get much-needed updates to preserve their homes, but also that formerly naturally occurring affordable housing will transition to long term affordable housing to support residents at all income levels, stated Christopher E. Donald, Executive Director/CEO, DCHFA. The Agency hopes to see many more projects like this across the District in the future.

The NHP Foundation is the developer leading the first renovation at Ridgecrest Village since 1993. The scope of work will include repairing exterior walls, replacing light fixtures, reshaping parking lots, installing security screens and windows and constructing new sidewalks and ramps among other things. In-unit amenities will include vinyl flooring, new kitchen cabinets and fixtures, coat closets, upgraded bathrooms, new blinds, ceiling fans and energy-efficient lighting.

The community consists of four one-bedrooms, 88 two-bedrooms and 48 three-bedrooms. Twenty apartments will be reserved for residents earning 80 percent or less of the area median income (AMI), 57 for those earning up to 60 percent AMI, 35 for those earning up to 50 percent AMI, and 28 units will be designated Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) for residents earning 30 percent or less AMI. The 28 PSH apartments will receive Local Rent Subsidy Program (LRSP) vouchers and receive tenant services through Community of Hope.

The NHP Foundation and the property manager*, WC Smith will coordinate the temporary relocation of current residents to other buildings on-site or to nearby properties in the neighborhood. Residents will relocate for three to five months, during which they will not be required to pay rent until they move back into their new homes.

Additional funding for this $48.9 million project comes in the form of a $16.13 million loan through the D.C. Department of Housing and Community Developments Housing Production Trust Fund. Once completed, Ridgecrest Village will include a central laundry room, two playgrounds, meeting rooms, a fitness room, community kitchen facilities, a computer center and security patrols.

Through its Multifamily Lending and Neighborhood Investment and Capital Markets divisions, DCHFA issues tax-exempt mortgage revenue bonds to lower the developers costs of acquiring, constructing and rehabilitating rental housing. The Agency offers private for-profit and non-profit developers low-cost predevelopment, construction and permanent financing that supports the new construction, acquisition, and rehabilitation of affordable rental housing in the District.

The District of Columbia Housing Finance Agency is an S&P A + rated issuer, serving Washington, D.C.s residents for more than 40 years. The Agencys mission is to advance the District of Columbias housing priorities; the Agency invests in affordable housing and neighborhood development, which provides pathways for D.C. residents to transform their lives. We accomplish our mission by delivering the most efficient and effective sources of capital available in the market to finance rental housing and to create homeownership opportunities. The Agency operates from a core set of values: Leadership*Excellence*Community Focus*Integrity*Collaboration *Innovation

*An earlier version of this release listed WC Smith as the general contractor instead of the property manager at Ridgecrest Village Phase I. Hamel Builders is the general contractor.

Attachment

Yolanda McCutchen DC Housing Finance Agency 202-777-1650 [email protected] Susan Ortiz DC Housing Finance Agency 202-777-1618 [email protected]

Source: DC Housing Finance Agency
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Sept. 29, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ValOre Metals Corp. (ValOre; TSXV: VO; OTCQB: KVLQF; Frankfurt: KEQ0, the Company) today reported trench assay results from the Nambi (Nambi) and Trado auger from the Sao Francisco (Sao Francisco) pipeline targets at ValOres 100%-owned Pedra Branca Platinum Group Elements (PGE, 2PGE+Au) Project (Pedra Branca) in northeastern Brazil.

We are very encouraged with the potential of both the Nambi and Sao Francisco targets, as they evolve into excellent drill targets for Q1, 2023, stated ValOres VP of Exploration, Colin Smith. Results at both targets indicate palladium-platinum mineralization at scale with opportunities for expansion. At Nambi, mineralization along 1.2 kilometres of geological trend remains open at depth, and at Sao Francisco, trenching is in progress to follow-up encouraging assay results from 14 Trado auger holes received to date.

Nambi Trenching PGE Assay Highlights:

17 metres (m) grading 0.80 grams per tonne palladium + platinum + gold (g/t 2PGE+Au ), incl. 6.0 m grading 1.65 g/t 2PGE+Au  Trench TR22NB03;

),  Trench TR22NB03; 6.0 m grading 1.28 g/t 2PGE+Au, incl. 4.0 m grading 1.77 g/t 2PGE+Au  Trench TR22NB02;

 Trench TR22NB02; 10 m grading 0.84 g/t 2PGE+Au, incl. 3.0 m grading 1.65 g/t 2PGE+Au  Trench TR22NB01.

Sao Francisco Trado Auger PGE Assay Highlights:

2.5 m grading 1.05 g/t 2PGE+Au from surface  Trado hole AD22SF02;

from surface  Trado hole AD22SF02; 5.0 m grading 0.66 g/t 2PGE+Au from surface  Trado hole AD22SF03;

from surface  Trado hole AD22SF03; 1.5 m grading 0.89 g/t 2PGE+Au from surface  Trado hole AD22SF012;

from surface  Trado hole AD22SF012; 2.5 m grading 0.65 g/t 2PGE+Au from surface  Trado hole AD22SF09.

Exploration Update Summary

Nambi and Sao Francisco represent pipeline targets under evaluation by ValOres sequential exploration methodology, which assesses the near-surface PGE potential of showings throughout the Pedra Branca district. CLICK HERE for Sao Francisco news release dated September 12, 2022, and CLICK HERE for Nambi news release dated September 14, 2022.

At Nambi, 4 trenches totaling 108 m all exposed target ultramafic (UM) rocks, establishing an in situ geological trend of approximately 1.2 km. PGE assays are reported herein for trenches TR22NB01 to TR22BB03 (Table 1) and 31 sample results are pending for the final trench (TR22NB004  31 m in length), which intercepted 21 m of UMs.

At Sao Francisco, a total of 73 m in 20 Trado auger holes have been drilled, with UMs encountered in all holes (61 m total). Assays are reported herein for 14 holes (Table 2) and are pending for 6 holes. Follow-up trenching is in progress, with 182 m in 4 trenches excavated thus far, and an aggregate of 123 m of UMs encountered in all trenches.

Trado end of hole (EOH) depths typically represent that the auger has entered impenetrable bedrock, so mineralization and UM rocks present at EOH remain open at depth and require follow-up core or RC drilling.

Follow-up field exploration campaigns are in progress to assess prospectivity along trends at Nambi and Sao Francisco. To date, both targets meet the criteria of zones which warrant further testing by core and/or RC drilling.

Table 1: Trench Channel Sample Assay Highlights for Nambi Target.

Target Trench ID From(m) To(m) Length(m) 2PGE+Au(g/t) 2PGE+Au Interval Summary* Nambi TR22NB01 16 26 10 0.84 10 m grading 0.84 g/t 2PGE+Au 22 25 3 1.65 incl. 3 m grading 1.65 g/t 2PGE+Au Nambi TR22NB02 10 16 6 1.28 6 m grading 1.28 g/t 2PGE+Au 12 16 4 1.77 incl. 4 m grading 1.77 g/t 2PGE+Au Nambi TR22NB03 3 20 17 0.8 17 m grading 0.80 g/t 2PGE+Au 9 15 6 1.65 incl. 6 m grading 1.65 g/t 2PGE+Au

*Reported trench assay interval lengths are channel samples and estimated to represent 85-90% true width.

Table 2: Trado Auger Drilling Highlights for Sao Francisco Target.

Target Hole ID From(m) To(m) Length(m) 2PGE+Au(g/t) 2PGE+Au Interval Summary Sao Francisco AD22SF01 0 7 7 0.29 7 m grading 0.29 g/t 2PGE+Au from surface Sao Francisco AD22SF02 0 2.5 2.5 1.05 2.5 m grading 1.05 g/t 2PGE+Au from surface 0 1 1 2.14 incl. 1 m grading 2.14 g/t 2PGE+Au from surface Sao Francisco AD22SF03 0 5 5 0.66 5 m grading 0.66 g/t 2PGE+Au from surface Sao Francisco AD22SF05 0 4 4 0.22 4 m grading 0.22 g/t 2PGE+Au from surface Sao Francisco AD22SF06 0 4 4 0.27 4 m grading 0.27 g/t 2PGE+Au from surface Sao Francisco AD22SF07 0 2 2 0.26 2 m grading 0.26 g/t 2PGE+Au from surface Sao Francisco AD22SF08 0 2 2 0.13 2 m grading 0.13 g/t 2PGE+Au from surface Sao Francisco AD22SF09 0 2.5 2.5 0.65 2.5 m grading 0.65 g/t 2PGE+Au from surface 1 2 1 1.11 incl. 1 m grading 1.11 g/t 2PGE+Au from 1 m Sao Francisco AD22SF10 0 10 10 0.22 10 m grading 0.22 g/t 2PGE+Au from surface Sao Francisco AD22SF11 1 2 1 0.13 1 m grading 0.13 g/t 2PGE+Au from 1 m Sao Francisco AD22SF12 0 1.5 1.5 0.89 1.5 m grading 0.89 g/t 2PGE+Au from surface Sao Francisco AD22SF13 0 1.7 1.7 0.19 1.7 m grading 0.19 g/t 2PGE+Au from surface Sao Francisco AD22SF14 0 3 3 0.24 3 m grading 0.24 g/t 2PGE+Au from surface

Figure 1: Plan map of the Nambi target, locating 2022 trenches excavated along the main mineralized trend.https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/b5713348-b2d3-438e-89a8-a2e9667bb342

Figure 2: Plan map of the Sao Francisco target, locating Trado auger holes drilled along the main mineralized trend.https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/d03cb0cc-aaeb-4cd2-8f8d-f24e632954fa

About the Trado Auger and Trenching Methodology

CLICK HERE for more information regarding Trado Auger and Trenching methodology.

Quality Control/Quality Assurance (QA/QC) and Grade Interval Reporting

CLICK HERE for a summary of ValOres policies and procedures related to QA/QC and grade interval reporting.

Qualified Person (QP)

The technical information in this news release has been prepared in accordance with Canadian regulatory requirements set out in NI 43-101 and reviewed and approved by Colin Smith, P.Geo., ValOres QP and Vice President of Exploration.

About ValOre Metals Corp.

ValOre Metals Corp. (TSXV: VO) is a Canadian company with a portfolio of highquality exploration projects. ValOres team aims to deploy capital and knowledge on projects which benefit from substantial prior investment by previous owners, existence of high-value mineralization on a large scale, and the possibility of adding tangible value through exploration, process improvement, and innovation.

In May 2019, ValOre announced the acquisition of the Pedra Branca Platinum Group Elements (PGE) property, in Brazil, to bolster its existing Angilak uranium, Genesis/Hatchet uranium and Baffin gold projects in Canada.

The Pedra Branca PGE Project comprises 52 exploration licenses covering a total area of 56,852 hectares (140,484 acres) in northeastern Brazil. At Pedra Branca, 7 distinct PGE+Au deposit areas host, in aggregate, a 2022 NI 43-101 inferred resource of 2.198 Moz 2PGE+Au contained in 63.6 Mt grading 1.08 g/t 2PGE+Au (CLICK HERE for news release dated March 24, 2022). All the currently known Pedra Branca inferred PGE resources are potentially open pittable.

Comprehensive exploration programs have demonstrated the "District Scale" potential of ValOres Angilak Property in Nunavut Territory, Canada that hosts the Lac 50 Trend having a current Inferred Resource of 2,831,000 tonnes grading 0.69% U3O8, totaling 43.3 million pounds U3O8. For disclosure related to the inferred resource for the Lac 50 Trend uranium deposits, please CLICK HERE for ValOre's news release dated March 1, 2013.

ValOres team has forged strong relationships with sophisticated resource sector investors and partner Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. (NTI) on both the Angilak and Baffin Gold Properties. ValOre was the first company to sign a comprehensive agreement to explore for uranium on Inuit Owned Lands in Nunavut Territory and is committed to building shareholder value while adhering to high levels of environmental and safety standards and proactive local community engagement.

On behalf of the Board of Directors,

Jim Paterson

James R. Paterson, Chairman and CEO

ValOre Metals Corp.

For further information about ValOre Metals Corp., or this news release, please visit our website at www.valoremetals.com or contact Investor Relations at 604.653.9464, or by email at [email protected].

ValOre Metals Corp. is a proud member of Discovery Group. For more information please visit: http://www.discoverygroup.ca/

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Although ValOre believes that the expectations reflected in its forward-looking statements are reasonable, such statements have been based on factors and assumptions concerning future events that may prove to be inaccurate. These factors and assumptions are based upon currently available information to ValOre. Such statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that could influence actual results or events and cause actual results or events to differ materially from those stated, anticipated or implied in the forward-looking statements. A number of important factors including those set forth in other public filings could cause actual outcomes and results to differ materially from those expressed in these forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause the actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include the future operations of ValOre and economic factors. Readers are cautioned to not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The statements in this press release are made as of the date of this release and, except as required by applicable law, ValOre does not undertake any obligation to publicly update or to revise any of the included forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. ValOre undertakes no obligation to comment on analyses, expectations or statements made by third parties in respect of ValOre, or its financial or operating results or (as applicable), their securities.

Figure 1: Plan map of the Nambi target, locating 2022 trenches excavated along the main mineralized trend. Figure 1: Plan map of the Nambi target, locating 2022 trenches excavated along the main mineralized trend. Figure 2: Plan map of the Sao Francisco target, locating Trado auger holes drilled along the main mineralized trend. Figure 2: Plan map of the Sao Francisco target, locating Trado auger holes drilled along the main mineralized trend.

Source: ValOre Metals Corporation
WINNIPEG, Manitoba, Sept. 29, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Wawanesa Mutual Insurance Company (Wawanesa) announced today a $150,000 donation to support emergency relief in Canadian communities affected by Hurricane Fiona. The funding includes:

$100,000 to the Canadian Red Cross for their Hurricane Fiona in Canada Appeal, providing emergency services such as interim housing, clothing, food, and other essential supplies to people in need.

$50,000 to support a dollar-for-dollar donation matching program that is now open to insurance brokers, Wawanesa employees, and the public.

Donations can be made on a website set up by Wawanesa: https://wawanesa.benevity.org/community

Our entire Canadian operations are focused on helping the people and businesses we insure in Atlantic Canada and Eastern Quebec get the support available to them through their insurance policies with us, said Carol Jardine, Wawanesas President of Canadian Property & Casualty Operations. We know all too well the increasing toll of climate change and extreme weather on Canadians, and we are committed to helping our customers recover and rebuild in a way that makes us all more resilient.

The devastation caused by Hurricane Fiona has hit our friends and neighbours hard, added Paul Faubert, Wawanesas Regional Vice President for Eastern Canada. Thats why, in addition to providing emergency funds directly, well match donations, dollar for dollar, from insurance brokers, our employees and the public.

These emergency funds come as part of the nearly $3.5 million Wawanesa committed to supporting community organizations across Canada and the United States in 2022.

Wawanesa is also an active member of the Institute for Catastrophic Loss Reduction and supports insurance industry initiatives that raise awareness of the impacts of extreme weather and climate change, and the need to make communities more resilient.

About Wawanesa

The Wawanesa Mutual Insurance Company, founded in 1896, is one of Canadas largest mutual insurers, with over $4 billion in annual revenue and assets of $12 billion. Wawanesa Mutual, with executive offices in Winnipeg, is the parent company of Wawanesa General, which offers property and casualty insurance in California and Oregon; Wawanesa Life, which provides life insurance products and services throughout Canada; and Western Financial Group, which distributes personal and business insurance across Canada. Wawanesa proudly serves more than two million policyholders in Canada and the United States. Wawanesa actively gives back to organizations that strengthen communities where it operates, donating well above internationally recognized benchmarks for excellence in corporate philanthropy. Learn more at wawanesa.com

Contact

Brad HartleThe Wawanesa Mutual Insurance Company1-844-946-6282[email protected]

Source: The Wawanesa Mutual Insurance Company
Christian W. Berg, former Director at Yara Clean Ammonia, joins Amogy to lead the companys Scandinavian headquarters in Stavanger, Norway.

With its advanced ammonia infrastructure and ardent commitment to decarbonizing global shipping, Norway provides abundant opportunity for commercialization of Amogys ammonia-to-power technology.

BROOKLYN, New York and STAVANGER, Norway, Sept. 29, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Amogy Inc., a pioneer of emission-free, energy-dense ammonia power solutions, announced today the opening of its Norway operations with the hiring of Christian W. Berg, Managing Director, Amogy Norway. Mr. Berg joins Amogy Norway from his most recent position as Director of Business Development for Yara Clean Ammonia, a decarbonization-focused subsidiary of leading global ammonia producer, Yara International ASA.

An innovative and results-driven leader with experience developing renewable fuels for the shipping industry, Mr. Berg will be tasked with accelerating Amogys effort in commercializing its ammonia-to-power technology with partners in the Scandinavian countries. Norway, known as a renewable energy and global shipping leader, has the advanced infrastructure necessary to make ammonia a viable fuel source for cargo ships as well as an ecosystem that presents strategic commercial partnership opportunities for Amogy.

Norway and its forward-thinking maritime industry recognized the immense opportunity that ammonia presents as a green fuel, which gave the country a head start in establishing the needed infrastructure, so it only makes sense for Amogy to establish a significant presence here, said, Seonghoon Woo, CEO of Amogy. With Christian W. Berg, who has significant experience in accelerating the transition to ammonia, Amogy will have the immediate on-the-ground presence we need as we connect with potential partners and build our operations in the country.

Through extensive public and private collaboration, Norway is driving the green energy transition and is already developing ammonia refueling stations for ships, or bunkering locations. In February 2021, it was also announced that the country would house Europes first large-scale green ammonia project, making it an ideal second home for Amogy.

The Company will establish its Norwegian headquarters in Stavanger, a city with a rich and active history in the oil and shipping industries that has transformed into a regional center for renewable energy production and innovation. Amogy will also open a satellite office in Stord, co-located with the Maritime Cleantech (MCT) cluster headquarters office and the Catapult Centre Sustainable Energy test center. Amogy is a member of MCT and is evaluating projects to test in Stord, where its zero-emission shipping technology would be tested in simulated real-life conditions alongside other advanced sustainable energy technologies.

Mr. Berg is a trailblazer whose understanding of ammonia as a next-generation sustainable fuel has enabled the development of clean ammonia infrastructure in Norway and around the world. Throughout his entire career working for and leading shipping companies developing newbuild vessel on alternatives fuels, Mr. Berg brings both regional and subject matter expertise to Amogy that will be monumental in meeting the companys goal in decarbonizing long-haul transportation.

Amogy, far-and-away, has the most advanced technology when it comes to commercializing a system that will make green ammonia the optimal and preferred energy solution for long-haul shipping vessels, said Mr. Berg. My thorough understanding of ammonia and just how viable a solution it is for ships, in addition to my knowledge of the Norwegian market, will allow Amogy to lead in establishing much-needed pilots for the energy transition and rapidly accelerate the commercialization of our ammonia-to-power system. Norway will be a blueprint for further showcasing the impacts of these technologies around the world.

Worldwide, transportation accounts for approximately a quarter of global carbon emissions, which is why Amogy, with its ammonia-to-power technology, aims to reduce more than five billion metric tons of CO2-equivalent emissions by 2040, accelerating the global journey towards Net Zero 2050. Beyond high energy density, ammonia has several key advantages that make it a suitable choice for ocean-going vessels and smaller ships. Ammonia is already a globally traded commodity, with 20 million tons of the chemical shipped each year. The presence of existing ammonia transportation and storage infrastructure also provides a ready foundation for a future zero-carbon fuel value chain in shipping. Further, Norway is pioneering production of zero emissions, renewable-generated green ammonia, which is essential for ammonias potential as a clean fuel.

Following recent successes with technology demonstrations and fundraising, Amogy is in the process of scaling its technology to decarbonize cargo ships and other heavy-duty transportation systems, some of the largest emitters of greenhouse gasses. The company will also pursue strategic partnerships in the region to further these efforts, including a recent MOU signed with Amon Maritime, an ammonia-powered shipping and technology company, to create competitive, full-scale, carbon free transportation solutions. Amogys executive and R&D facility will continue to operate out of its Brooklyn headquarters while additional business development and operations teams will be established in Norway.

About AmogyAmogy offers ammonia-based, emission-free, high energy-density power solutions to decarbonize transportation for a sustainable future. Founded in 2020 by four MIT PhD alumni with a shared vision, Amogy aims to enable the decarbonization of the heavy-duty transportation sector, accelerating the global journey towards Net Zero 2050. The company has been invested in by Amazons Climate Pledge Fund, AP Ventures, SK Innovation, Saudi Aramco Energy Ventures and DCVC. To date, Amogys scalable ammonia-powered, zero-emissions energy system has been demonstrated with success in a drone and heavy-duty tractor. More info at: www.amogy.co.

Media inquiries: [email protected]

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/61eb688e-cd1e-473f-88ce-b9ef99102a04

With Commercialization in Sight, Amogy Launches Operations in Norway Christian W. Berg, former Director at Yara Clean Ammonia, joins Amogy to lead the companys Scandinavian headquarters in Stavanger, Norway

Source: Amogy Inc.
Earlier this week, Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont announced that the state was launching an education campaign promoting the responsible use of marijuana by adults. The campaign contains resources that cover how to safely store and dispose of marijuana and marijuana waste, as well as what to do in case a child or even a pet ingests marijuana accidentally. These resources, which include brochures, videos, social media graphics and flyers, can be accessed by any individual. They can also be downloaded for free on the states ct.gov/cannabis website.

These materials were created by the states Department of Consumer Protection in collaboration with the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services and the Department of Public Health. Marijuana and nonmarijuana business owners, community health organizations, medical facilities and others that would

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Las Vegas, Nevada--(Newsfile Corp. - September 29, 2022) - Bhang Inc.(CSE: BHNG) (OTCQB: BHNGF) ("Bhang" or the "Company"), a global CPG company with an award-winning portfolio of products, is excited to move forward with a new strategic direction, and announce a new artist collaboration with Conrad Flrez, a Lima-based Peruvian street artist whose work is based on the creation of surreal characters that reflect a balance between technique and emotions.

Bhang's growth plans, along with a re-emphasis on the Company's intentions to foster additional creative relationships true to Bhang's culture and identity, were unveiled at MJ Unpacked this week.

"Life is better with Bhang is more than a motto," said Graham Simmonds, Bhang's Interim CEO. "It represents a new direction that goes beyond cannabis and edibles."

Bhang's new plan includes solidifying its connections in California, the brand's home state, as well as strategically expanding into new state-regulated markets and strengthening the organization's foundation to build around federal legalization.

Simmonds also identified new areas for growth, announcing the planned launch of two new as-yet-unnamed Bhang business units.

The first is focused on wholesale distribution and direct-to-consumer opportunities at the retail level within the minor cannabinoid market, which is expected to reach USD 26.2 billion by 2028, at a CAGR of 20.1% (in the U.S.), and the functional mushroom market, which will reportedly reach $13.6 billion by 2027, rising at a market growth of 8.7% CAGR (globally).

The second business unit will explore opportunities in emerging markets, such as Psilocybin mushrooms.

"We are more than our award-winning chocolate and cannabis products," Simmonds said. "Our goal is to continue growing and evolving as a global CPG company dedicated to providing products designed to enhance and complement consumer happiness, lifestyle, and well-being."

From a creative perspective, Bhang is very excited about its new partnership with Conrad Florez, who is strongly influenced by music and graffiti culture and his art, like Bhang itself, is constantly evolving. The new collaboration was developed through Bhang's ongoing partnership with the Soul Assassins, which is positioned to ensure Bhang stays in tune with creative culture and opportunities.

"Soul Assassins has been the culture for the last 30 years-and we will continue to push the culture forward on a global level," said DJ Muggs, co-founder of the Grammy-nominated and renowned hip-hop group Cypress Hill, leader of Los Angeles art collective Soul Assassins, and Chief Creative Officer of Bhang.

About Soul Assassins

Soul Assassins was established in 1992 as a brotherhood deeply rooted in west coast LA culture, with a heavy influence on the rest of the world. For over three decades, the creative collective of interdisciplinary artists and visionaries have become masters of their craft and stayed true to the culture that they were born into.

Bhang's partnership with Soul Assassins holds strong and will continue to build its own unique culture through creative partnerships. The company's platform of visionaries has given Bhang access to some of the most influential talent including visual artists, legendary musicians, photographers, tattoo artists, production and graphics, and lifestyle apparel specialists to support our brand.

About Bhang

Bhang (CSE: BHNG) (OTCQB: BHNGF) has been providing consumers around the world with an award-winning portfolio of premium brands for over a decade. With roots in master-chef-created chocolate and cannabis edibles, the Company continues to grow as a global consumer packaged goods company dedicated to providing products designed to enhance and complement consumer happiness, health, and well-being. Find out why life is better with Bhang at bhangnation.com. For additional Bhang news, visit us at bhangnation.com/blogs/press.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This press release contains statements that constitute "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities laws, including statements regarding the plans, intentions, beliefs and current expectations of the Company with respect to future business activities. Forward-looking information is often identified by the words "may," "would," "could," "should," "will," "intend," "plan," "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "expect" or similar expressions and include information regarding: (i) statements regarding the future direction of the Company; (ii) the ability of the Company to successfully achieve its business and financial objectives; (iii) plans for expansion of the Company into new jurisdictions; and (iv) expectations for other economic, business, and/or competitive factors. Investors are cautioned that forward-looking information is not based on historical facts but instead reflect the Company's management's expectations, estimates or projections concerning the business of the Company's future results or events based on the opinions, assumptions and estimates of management considered reasonable at the date the statements are made. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking information are reasonable, such information involves risks and uncertainties, and undue reliance should not be placed on such information, as unknown or unpredictable factors could have material adverse effects on future results, performance or achievements. Among the key factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected in the forward

-looking information except as otherwise required by applicable law.

This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of any of the securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. The Company's securities have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act"), or the securities laws of any state of the United States and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to any "U.S. Person" (as defined in Regulation S under the U.S. Securities Act) unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws or pursuant to an exemption from such registration requirements.

Neither CSE nor its Regulation Services Provider accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

INVESTORS CONTACT:

Graham Simmonds

Executive Chairman & Interim CEO

Bhang Inc.

(416) 843-2881

[email protected]

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/138880
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 28, ARMENPRESS. Withdrawal of Azerbaijani troops and deployment on an international observer mission on the Armenian territories affected by Azerbaijani occupation and bordering areas is an absolute necessity, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan tweeted.

As a result of a new Azerbaijani attack three Armenian soldiers have been killed today within the territory of Armenia. This is an attack against Armenian independence, sovereignty and democracy. The Azerbaijani invasion must be condemned and stopped. #StandForArmenianDemocracy! Withdrawal of Azerbaijani troops and deployment on an international observer mission on the Armenian territories affected by Azerbaijani occupation and bordering areas is an absolute necessity, PM Pashinyan tweeted.
Expected to Go Live in Q1 2023 through Integration with Alpaca

Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - September 29, 2022) - WonderFi Technologies Inc. (TSX: WNDR) (OTCQB: WONDF) (WKN: A3C166) (FTX: WNDR) (the "Company" or "WonderFi") subsidiary Bitbuy Technologies Inc. ("Bitbuy") today announced its partnership with AlpacaDB, Inc. ("Alpaca"), which will enable Bitbuy to offer its users fractional trading and investing in thousands of US stocks and exchange traded funds (ETFs), in an integrated experience within the existing Bitbuy platform.

Bitbuy will utilize Alpaca's Broker API which will provide Bitbuy customers with real-time fractional trading and instant settlement. Bitbuy stock trading will be offered in conjunction with Alpaca and brokerage services through a leading Canadian investment bank and IIROC member. WonderFi's banking partner will route, execute, clear and custody all customer accounts and trades. Bitbuy stock trading is expected to go live in Q1 2023 and the official launch date will be announced prior to.

WonderFi CEO Ben Samaroo commented: "Providing seamless access to stock trading makes Bitbuy the first platform in Canada to offer a full suite of crypto trading as well as fractional trading of US equities with real-time settlement. This is in furtherance of our goal of making users' lives easier and bringing key asset classes within our easy-to-use, regulated platforms."

"Alpaca is always about opening financial services access globally, now with partners in more than 25 countries. This partnership with WonderFi accelerates our mission, and I am very excited that Alpaca's infrastructure will support the service to people in Canada, where many of our employees reside," said Yoshi Yokokawa, Co-Founder and CEO of Alpaca.

WonderFi Strategic Investor Kevin O'Leary added, "This is an excellent move for WonderFi and Bitbuy - Alpaca is an excellent partner to team up with on the launch of Bitbuy Stocks. Stock trading through Bitbuy promises to be extremely efficient, low cost and innovative in the Canadian market."

To join Bitbuy's wait-list and learn more about the upcoming launch, please sign up here: www.bitbuy.ca/stocks.

Additional Information

For additional information, please contact:

WonderFi Technologies Inc.

Ben Samaroo, CEO

[email protected]

(778) 843-9637

Investor Relations Contact: [email protected]

Media Contact:

Binu Koshy, Communications Director

[email protected]

ABOUT ALPACA

Alpaca is a developer-first embedded financial technologies platform that's raised over $70m in funding. Alpaca offers crypto and stock trading, real-time market data, and end-to-end brokerage infrastructure through modern APIs. Alpaca is backed by top investors in the industry globally including Portage Ventures, Spark Capital, Social Leverage, Tribe Capital, Horizons Ventures, Eldridge, Positive Sum, Elefund, and Y Combinator. Securities are offered by Alpaca Securities LLC. Crypto services are offered by Alpaca Crypto LLC. To learn more about Alpaca, please visit https://alpaca.markets.

ABOUT WONDERFI

WonderFi is a leading technology company with the mission of creating better, unified access to digital assets through centralized and decentralized platforms. WonderFi's executive team and Board of Directors have an established track record in finance and crypto, with previous experience at Amazon, Shopify, PayPal, Galaxy Digital and Hut 8. WonderFi's core team of engineers and technologists believe that everyone should have equal access to finance, and are aligned in the mission to empower people around the world to access finance in a simple, smart and secure way. For more information, visit www.wonder.fi.

Forward-Looking Information and Statements

This press release contains certain "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation and may also contain statements that may constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking information and forward-looking statements are not representative of historical facts or information or current condition, but instead represent only the Company's beliefs regarding future events, plans or objectives, many of which, by their nature, are inherently uncertain and outside of the Company's control. Generally, such forward-looking information or forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such "could", "intend", "expect", "believe", "will", "projected", "estimated", or variations of such words.

By identifying such information and statements in this manner, the Company is alerting the reader that such information and statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such information and statements. In addition, in connection with the forward-looking information and forward-looking statements contained in this press release, the Company has made certain assumptions. Among the key factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking information and statements are the following: the ability of the Company to meet its expected go-live timing and effect stock trading, any regulatory or other approvals required in connection therewith, the ability of the Company to work effectively with its partners and changes in general economic, business and political conditions. Should one or more of these risks, uncertainties or other factors materialize, or should assumptions underlying the forward-looking information or statements prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described herein. A more fulsome description of risk factors that may impact our business, financial condition and results of operation is set out in our management's discussion and analysis and financial statements for the for the period ended June 30, 2022, as well as our annual information form, available on SEDAR.

Although the Company believes that the assumptions and factors used in preparing, and the expectations contained in, the forward-looking information and statements are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on such information and statements, and no assurance or guarantee can be given that such forward-looking information and statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such information and statements. The forward-looking information and forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made as of the date of this press release, and the Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking information and/or forward-looking statements that are contained or referenced herein, except in accordance with applicable securities laws. All subsequent written and oral forward- looking information and statements attributable to the Company or persons acting on its behalf is expressly qualified in its entirety by this notice.

The Toronto Stock Exchange has not approved or disapproved of the information contained in this release.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/138825
Bremwell specializes in producing quality kitchen appliances and home improvement electronics.

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia--(Newsfile Corp. - September 29, 2022) - Bremwell, a British Engineeredhousehold appliancecompany is pleased to announce its launch in the SouthEast Asia Market. The first SEA Market is Malaysia and subsequent markets will also be opened to launch in 2023. The company is known for producing qualityhousehold and personal care appliances and electronics with a goal to empower individuals to get things done more efficiently.

Bremwell Announce Its Expansion of British Engineered Household Appliances to SouthEast Asia

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8814/138849_d139a64e54732919_001full.jpg

A spokesperson from the company stated: "Quality is always the result of intelligent effort. And that is a reflection of us." The company firmly believes that home improvement electronics should be reliable and made to serve long-lasting functions at home. With this in mind, each product is thoughtfully designed and innovated by specialized British Research & Development that produces appliances based on consumer insights and market research.

More information can be found here: https://bremwell.com/

The company's immediate growth plan involves increasing market share in southeast Asia, in addition to its existing client based in Malaysia.

One of the current bestsellers is The Induction Cooker HandyChef which is an induction cooker that provides users with eight different multifunction cooking choices. This allows users to easily adjust the cooking setting and begin cooking with a touch of control. Apart from that, the induction cooker also features soft-touch control that allows for easy touch operation. Other services include health and personal care appliances, such as the NanoION UltraSmooth Hair Dryer.

"Bremwell delivers their products based on consumer insights," said a spokesperson for the company. "Reliability is what the company is striving for. All the products are created with the thought of making them last. The company is committed to quality and bringing products where function meets form."

Interested customers can visitBremwell.com to find out more.

About Bremwell

Bremwell is a British Engineered company that produces everything from kitchen appliances to home improvement electronics. The team designs those products with one purpose in mind, to help enhance buyers every day. Bremwell delivers products that are based on consumer insights, empowering people to get things done more efficiently and easily than ever before.

Contact Info:

Name: Stanley Low

Email: [email protected]

Organization: Bremwell Asia

Phone: 60125502377

Website: https://bremwell.com/

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/138849
Ottawa, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - September 29, 2022) - The Canadian Federation of Library Associations (CFLA) has sent an open letter to federal Cabinet Ministers calling on their support for the full public release of outstanding residential school records currently being withheld by the Catholic Church and other orders of government.

Following calls from the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation (NCTR), the federal government has committed to turning over 12,000 residential school documents. Over five million documents and six thousand witness statements have been archived by the NCTR.

"The library community is united in the belief that truth must first come before reconciliation," said Lorisia MacLeod, Chair and Indigenous Ancestry Representative at CFLA-FCAB. "For families, documents can represent important missing pieces of truth or can serve to clarify stories that have been passed down. The importance of this material cannot be overstated in supporting intergenerational healing and understanding. We hope that all organizations including governments and churches who currently hold these materials will turn these documents over to be respectfully and appropriately shared with the families and communities."

The Pope's recent visit to Canada is an important step in the long healing process needed. However, in order for the apology to have an impact in the journey towards reconciliation, action must be taken to uncover the full truth of the Canadian residential school system. Not only are these documents pertinent to understanding the scope of profound injustices and human rights abuses committed and by whom, they are also integral to the achievement of justice for survivors and Indigenous communities.

The release of this information should be made in consultation with the NCTR and libraries and archives to ensure it is first made available to Indigenous peoples, while also working to minimize secondary trauma for survivors.

As representatives of the library and archive community, we are calling on elected officials and Church officials to take the steps necessary for reconciliation by working to uncover any and all documents that remain withheld.

-30-

CFLA-FCAB is the united voice of Canada's libraries. We work to influence public policy, advance library excellence, and raise the visibility of libraries in Canada to advance our national intellectual, social, economic, and cultural success.

For media inquiries or more information, please contact:

Will Greene, Public Affairs Representative

[email protected]

(613) 233-8906

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/138797
Dieppe, New Brunswick--(Newsfile Corp. - September 29, 2022) - Colibri Resource Corporation (TSXV: CBI) ("Colibri" or the "Company") is pleased to report assay results received its from option partner Silver Spruce Resources Inc. ("Silver Spruce") from drilling at La Prieta target on the Diamante Epithermal polymetallic property, southeastern Sonora, Mexico. Highlights of the results include:

An intersection of 2.48 grams per tonne ("g/t") Au and 56.7 g/t Ag over an intersection length of 9.0 metres ("m")

An intersection of 1.76% Zn + 38.5 g/t Ag and 0.56 g/t Au over an intersection length of 13.5 m

An intersection of 1.61% Zn + 38.5 g/t Ag and 0.63 g/t Au over an intersection length of 10.5 m

During the period June 16 to July 12, 2022 Colibri's and its option partner Silver Spruce completed a total of 2,006 metres of reverse circulation ("RC") drilling in 19 holes on the Diamante property. The drilling represents the first known drilling on the property. Two targets were tested; 1,065 m were drilled in 9 holes at El Pillado and 10 holes totaling 941 m were drilled at La Prieta. Results from the El Pillado target have been previously released (see Colibri news release date September 7, 2022) which included 5.56% Zn, 1.76% Pb, 107.35 g/t Ag, and 0.16 g/t Au over an intersection length of 6 m.

La Prieta and El Pillado targets are interpreted as vein and stockwork style, intermediate sulphidation epithermal mineralization. The primary metals of interest are Zn, Pb, Ag, and Au and the mineralized zones at both La Prieta and El Pillado are associated with elevated As, Sb, Hg, Cd, and Bi abundances, which is typical of the epithermal style of mineralization. The drilling at La Prieta targeted a southwest striking, steeply northwest dipping vein and vein splay structure. A total of 10 holes were drilled along the structure (see map). All holes intersected mineralization with intersection lengths ranging from 1.5 m to 13.5 m and with variable metal abundances and ratios. The highest-grade samples returned from La Prieta drilling include 12.75% Zn, 5.6 % Pb, 239 g/t Ag, and 5.62 g/t Au. Significant intercepts of La Prieta drilling are summarized in Table 1.

Hole ID From To Length Au (g/t) Ag (g/t) Zn (%) Pb (%) Ag Eq (g/t)* Au Eq (g/t)* DIA22-10 48.0 54.0 6.0 0.46 56.88 1.06 0.53 165.47 1.86 includes 49.5 51.0 1.5 0.87 125.00 2.82 1.45 383.75 4.31 DIA22-11 54.0 55.5 1.5 0.15 4.50 0.16 0.09 28.25 0.32 DIA22-12 51.0 52.5 1.5 0.18 4.80 0.22 0.08 33.71 0.38 DIA22-13 49.5 51.0 1.5 0.31 53.70 1.49 0.39 165.09 1.85 DIA22-14 52.5 55.5 3.0 0.59 16.50 0.46 0.23 98.14 1.10 DIA22-15 36.0 37.5 1.5 0.54 0.25 0.01 0.00 48.70 0.55 DIA22-16 1.5 10.5 9.0 2.48 56.70 0.28 0.71 312.84 3.51 includes 1.5 6.0 4.5 3.87 75.43 0.08 0.97 453.26 5.09 DIA22-16 18.0 19.5 1.5 0.83 18.80 0.68 0.38 136.90 1.54 DIA22-16 36.0 46.5 10.5 0.63 38.49 1.61 0.64 192.52 2.16 includes 37.5 39.0 1.5 1.36 139.00 8.74 2.88 772.12 8.67 Hole ID From To Length Au (g/t) Ag (g/t) Zn (%) Pb (%) Ag Eq (g/t)* Au Eq (g/t)* DIA22-17 30.0 43.5 13.5 0.56 38.48 1.76 0.76 196.95 2.21 includes 30.0 34.5 4.5 0.94 103.17 4.96 2.19 494.61 5.56 DIA22-17 54.0 57.0 3.0 0.45 1.35 0.04 0.00 43.14 0.48 DIA22-17 72.0 75.0 3.0 0.26 18.65 0.15 0.07 51.50 0.58 DIA22-18 33.0 42.0 9.0 0.55 15.28 0.38 0.16 87.76 0.99 includes 37.5 40.5 3.0 1.07 38.80 0.63 0.35 175.81 1.98 DIA22-18 48.0 51.0 3.0 0.48 11.35 0.08 0.03 59.14 0.66 DIA22-19 10.5 13.5 3.0 1.36 86.80 1.69 0.91 317.91 3.57 includes 12.0 13.5 1.5 2.11 139.00 2.79 1.24 500.06 5.62 DIA22-19 39.0 45.0 6.0 0.64 11.20 0.31 0.21 89.84 1.01 DIA22-19 48.0 49.5 1.5 0.32 7.60 0.24 0.16 52.76 0.59 *Au and Ag equivalents were calculated using metal prices of US$1660 per ounce Au, US$18.65 per ounce Ag, US$1.32 per pound Zn, and US$0.83 per pound Pb

Lengths are intersection length. True widths are not known.

Table 1: La Prieta - Select Drilling Results

Ron Goguen, President & CEO of Colibri commented "We are very pleased with the work completed and the results of this first ever drill program on the Diamante Property. The results clearly demonstrate the potential for epithermal mineralization on the property and when combined with our adjacent Jackie and Mezquite properties provides a very significant regional scale land package for the exploration and discovery of precious and base metal mineralization."

Figure 1 - La Prieta Target Area - Diamante Project

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/4269/138860_c9c367bd142629c0_001full.jpg

ABOUT THE DIAMANTE PROPERTY

The Diamante property is located within a belt of Epithermal Au-Au mineralization hosted by the Sierra Madre Occidental Volcanic Complex. Major gold mining operations in the area of the Diamante property include Alamos Golds' Los Mulatos Mine and Agnico Eagles' El India and Pinos Altos Mines. The Diamante project is located approximately 12km km northeast of Minera Alamos' Santana Au development project which is anticipated to commence commercial production within the next quarter. The Property is located approximately 170 km southeast of Sonora state capital Hermosillo and approximately 10 km northwest of the town of Tepoca. The property is accessed directly from Sonora state Highway 16.

The 1,057-hectare Diamante property is located adjacent to the Company's Mezquite and Jackie properties which cover 180 and 1113 hectares respectively providing the company with a total of 2,351 hectares of exploration ground. Drilling results at El Mezquite in 2021, located approximately 1.5km from El Pillado, include 0.83 g/t Au over an intersection length of 3.0 m and 2.95% Zn over an intersection length of 1.5 m. The Diamante property hosts a number of historical showings and combined with mineralization on the Mezquite and Jackie properties exhibit the geological characteristics of epithermal low to intermediate sulfidation Ag-Au (Pb-Zn), high sulfidation Au-Cu, and potential transition zones within and peripheral to porphyry style Au-Cu defined within the system of Sillitoe (2010).

ABOUT COLIBRI RESOURCE CORPORATION:

Colibri is a Canadian-based mineral exploration company listed on the TSX-V (CBI) and is focused on acquiring and exploring prospective gold & silver properties in Mexico. The Company has six exploration projects of which five currently have exploration programs being executed in 2022. (1) The flagship Evelyn Gold Project is 100% owned and explored by Colibri, (2) the Pilar Gold & Silver Project (optioned to Tocvan Ventures- (CSE: TOC), (3) the El Mezquite Gold & Silver Project , (4) the Jackie Gold & Silver Project, and (5) the Diamante Gold & Silver Project. 3,4, and 5 are subject to earn-in agreements by Silver Spruce Resources - TSXV: SSE).

For more information about all Company projects please visit: www.colibriresource.com.

QUALIFIED PERSON

Jamie Lavigne, P. Geo and a Director for Colibri is a Qualified Person as defined in NI 43-101 and has reviewed and approved the technical information in this press release.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Notice Regarding Forward-Looking Statements:

This news release contains "forward-looking statements". Statements in this press release which are not purely historical are forward-looking statements and include any statements regarding beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions regarding the future. Actual results could differ from those projected in any forward-looking statements due to numerous factors. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this news release, and the Company assumes no obligation to update the forward-looking statements, or to update the reasons why actual results could differ from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes that the plans, expectations and intentions contained in this press release are reasonable, there can be no assurance that they will prove to be accurate.

For information contact: Ronald J. Goguen, President, Chairperson and Director, Tel: (506) 383-4274, [email protected]

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/138860
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - September 29, 2022) - Goldshore Resources Inc. (TSXV: GSHR) (OTCQB: GSHRF) (FSE: 8X00) ("Goldshore" or the "Company"), is pleased to announce assay results from its ongoing 100,000-meter drill program at the Moss Lake Project in Northwest Ontario, Canada (the "Moss Lake Gold Project").

Highlights:

Results for five holes, drilled to infill historic but poorly surveyed drill sections in the Main Zone, have confirmed higher-grade gold mineralization within a large volume of well mineralized diorite with best intercepts of:

192.75m @ 1.02 g/t Au from 94.45m depth in MMD-22-051, including 62m @ 1.49 g/t Au from 113m and 48.7m @ 1.29 g/t Au from 208.3m

depth in MMD-22-051, including

11.85m @ 1.87 g/t Au from 441.15m depth in MMD-22-041

28.0m @ 1.51 g/t Au from 580.0m depth in MMD-22-046, including 11.0m @ 3.45 g/t Au from 587.0m

depth in MMD-22-046, including

9.75m @ 1.78 g/t Au from 282.55m depth in MMD-22-047

34.25m @ 1.03 g/t Au from 209.0m depth in MMD-22-049, including 3.8m @ 6.98 g/t Au from 239.45m

depth in MMD-22-049, including

President and CEO Brett Richards stated: "As we have been discussing for some time, the continued results of intersecting wide zones of +1 g/t Au mineralization underpin our belief that the Moss Lake Deposit has potential to develop an initial high-grade phase 1 open pit within the larger low-grade open pit operation. It can be seen that the projected grade shell of +1.0 g/t Au is significant at this early stage, and we will look to further explore these high grade areas, as we continue with our program."

Technical Overview

Figure 1 shows the better intercepts in plain view and Figure 2 is a typical section through hole MMD-22-041 and MMD-22-051.





Figure 1: Drill plan showing best of several +1 g/t Au intercepts relative to implicit modelled grade shells

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Figure 2: Drill section through MMD-22-041 and MMD-22-051 relative to implicit modelled grade shells

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Table 1 shows the significant intercepts. Table 2 shows the drill hole locations.

Table 1: Significant downhole gold intercepts

HOLE ID FROM TO LENGTH (m) TRUE WIDTH (m) CUT GRADE

(g/t Au) UNCUT GRADE

(g/t Au) MMD-22-041 41.00 45.00 4.00 2.0 0.38 0.38 132.80 137.00 4.20 2.1 0.75 0.75 152.75 158.60 5.85 3.0 0.39 0.39 175.35 187.00 11.65 5.9 0.30 0.30 189.90 205.25 15.35 7.8 0.36 0.36 258.75 262.15 3.40 1.7 0.48 0.48 308.10 332.05 23.95 12.3 0.67 0.67 including 330.00 332.05 2.05 1.1 1.89 1.89 348.45 383.00 34.55 18.0 0.43 0.43 including 380.00 382.00 2.00 1.0 2.50 2.50 439.00 480.00 41.00 21.3 0.79 0.79 including 441.15 453.00 11.85 6.1 1.87 1.87 493.00 495.35 2.35 1.2 0.32 0.32 519.00 565.75 46.75 24.3 0.46 0.46 including 525.00 527.00 2.00 1.0 2.18 2.18 and 543.50 549.00 5.50 2.9 1.02 1.02 MMD-22-046 8.00 37.50 29.50 14.3 0.50 0.50 including 29.40 31.40 2.00 1.0 1.16 1.16 65.00 111.00 46.00 21.9 0.82 0.82 including 66.00 77.00 11.00 5.3 1.41 1.41 and 100.00 111.00 11.00 5.2 1.30 1.29 144.00 148.00 4.00 1.9 0.31 0.31 154.00 157.00 3.00 1.4 0.55 0.55 172.00 182.00 10.00 4.6 1.29 1.29 including 176.00 182.00 6.00 2.8 1.96 1.96 220.00 239.00 19.00 8.5 0.48 0.48 253.00 268.00 15.00 6.7 0.35 0.35 306.45 346.00 39.55 17.3 0.71 0.71 including 307.00 312.25 5.25 2.3 2.48 2.48 and 334.00 336.10 2.10 0.9 2.93 2.93 and 342.00 344.20 2.20 1.0 1.27 1.27 370.00 386.90 16.90 7.4 0.37 0.37 411.00 416.90 5.90 2.5 0.31 0.31 421.90 496.55 74.65 32.1 0.66 0.66 including 424.00 426.00 2.00 0.9 2.51 2.51 and 468.10 472.00 3.90 1.7 3.37 3.37 512.45 520.00 7.55 3.2 0.46 0.46 575.00 577.00 2.00 0.8 0.45 0.45 580.00 608.00 28.00 11.8 1.51 1.51 including 587.00 598.00 11.00 4.6 3.45 3.45 MMD-22-047 26.50 59.70 33.20 22.6 0.36 0.36 including 40.50 43.90 3.40 2.3 1.08 1.08 94.90 107.00 12.10 8.4 0.35 0.35 136.40 138.90 2.50 1.7 0.30 0.30 141.90 204.90 63.00 43.8 0.37 0.37 including 172.20 175.05 2.85 2.0 1.12 1.12 239.90 242.75 2.85 2.0 1.09 1.09 including 240.65 242.75 2.10 1.5 1.29 1.29 282.55 333.90 51.35 36.9 0.73 0.73 including 282.55 292.30 9.75 7.0 1.78 1.78 363.90 366.20 2.30 1.7 0.52 0.52 371.80 375.60 3.80 2.8 0.36 0.36 398.90 407.70 8.80 6.4 0.54 0.54 580.00 582.70 2.70 2.1 0.34 0.34 MMD-22-049 20.00 47.00 27.00 13.8 0.59 0.59 68.25 91.00 22.75 11.6 0.48 0.48 140.00 142.00 2.00 1.0 0.35 0.35 166.00 193.00 27.00 13.7 0.44 0.44 209.00 243.25 34.25 17.7 1.03 1.03 including 217.95 220.00 2.05 1.1 2.09 2.09 and 239.45 243.25 3.80 2.0 6.98 6.98 254.35 279.70 25.35 13.2 0.66 0.66 including 254.80 260.65 5.85 3.1 2.07 2.07 290.75 318.00 27.25 14.1 0.50 0.50 353.00 410.00 57.00 29.4 0.51 0.51 434.00 436.00 2.00 1.1 0.54 0.54 468.50 471.40 2.90 1.6 0.31 0.31 518.00 523.00 5.00 2.8 0.38 0.38 572.00 575.30 3.30 1.9 0.53 0.53 640.70 642.90 2.20 1.3 0.59 0.59 MMD-22-051 44.85 55.60 10.75 7.9 0.35 0.35 94.45 287.20 192.75 149.1 1.02 1.02 including 94.45 97.00 2.55 1.9 1.08 1.08 and 113.00 175.00 62.00 48.0 1.49 1.49 and 188.00 191.80 3.80 2.9 1.59 1.59 and 208.30 257.00 48.70 37.7 1.29 1.29 Intersections calculated above at 0.3 g/t Au cut off with a top cut of 30 g/t Au and a maximum internal waste interval of 10 metres. Bordered intervals are intersections calculated above a 1.0 g/t Au cut off. Intervals in bold are those with a grade thickness factor exceeding 20 gram x metres / tonne gold. True widths are approximate and assume a subvertical body.



Table 2: Location of drill holes in this press release

HOLE EAST NORTH RL AZIMUTH DIP EOH MMD-22-041 668,784 5,379,185 436 154 -61 606.0 MMD-22-046 668,865 5,379,218 435 156 -61 609.1 MMD-22-047 669,155 5,379,424 429 153 -47 602.05 MMD-22-049 668,953 5,379,245 428 155 -60 666.05 MMD-22-051 668,704 5,379,104 434 154 -45 293.0 Approximate collar coordinates in NAD 83, Zone 15N

Results have been received for five holes that have infilled areas of the Main Zone that are between sections drilled by historic holes with collar survey problems. As a result, they will replace the low-confidence historic holes in the upcoming resource model update.

As with the historic holes, these holes intersected several broad zones of low-grade mineralization within the altered diorite intrusion host. Examples include 41.0m @ 0.79 g/t Au from 439.0m depth and 46.75m @ 0.46 g/t Au from 519.0m in MMD-22-041; 88.0m @ 0.48 g/t Au from 388.0m in MMD-22-042; 46.0m @ 0.82 g/t Au from 65.0m, 39.55m @ 0.71 g/t Au from 306.45m and 74.65m @ 0.66 g/t Au from 421.9m in MMD-22-046; 63.0m @ 0.37 g/t Au from 141.9m and 51.35m @ 0.73 g/t Au from 282.55m in MMD-22-047; and 57.0m @ 0.51 g/t Au from 353.0m in MMD-22-049. The long intercept in MMD-22-051 of 192.75m @ 1.02 g/t Au from 94.45m is similar but higher grade.

All these low-grade zones occur as envelopes to higher-grade structures that form a three-dimensional, anastomosing shear network that has developed in response to strain on the altered diorite intrusion. Results include the broad zones of +1 g/t Au mineralization shown in the highlights (e.g., 192.75m @ 1.02 g/t Au from 94.45m depth in MMD-22-051) and several narrow high-grade intervals, including 1.0m @ 9.14 g/t Au from 449.0m depth in MMD-22-041; 1.0m @ 12.7 g/t Au from 441.0m, 0.9m @ 9.99 g/t Au from 468.1m and 1.0m @ 16.6 g/t Au from 587.0m in MMD-22-046; 0.85m @ 5.93 g/t Au from 290.7m in MMD-22-047; 0.45m @ 8.22 g/t Au from 30.55m, 0.75m @ 12.0 g/t Au from 421.25m, 0.55m @ 9.93 g/t Au from 306.95m and 0.65m @ 15.1 g/t Au from 365.35m in MMD-22-049; and 1.0m @ 14.0 g/t Au from 159.0m and 1.0m @ 10.6 g/t Au from 256.0m in MMD-22-051.

Geological modelling of the altered diorite host rock and anastomosing shear network has progressed faster than anticipated and is nearly complete. The new model will enable the interpolation of low and high-grade gold populations within constraining wireframes, which we expect will provide a more accurate estimation of the gold distribution and, therefore, the contained gold resource.

Pete Flindell, VP Exploration for Goldshore, said,"These drill results confirm our contention that there are coherent zones of +1 g/t Au gold mineralization with a "sea" of low grade mineralization that should allow for the generation of a smaller, higher-grade resource at the Moss Lake Project. Drilling around these higher grade zones continues."

Analytical and QA/QC Procedures

All samples were sent to ALS Geochemistry in Thunder Bay for preparation and analysis was performed in the ALS Vancouver analytical facility. ALS is accredited by the Standards Council of Canada (SCC) for the Accreditation of Mineral Analysis Testing Laboratories and CAN-P-4E ISO/IEC 17025. Samples were analyzed for gold via fire assay with an AA finish ("Au-AA23") and 48 pathfinder elements via ICP-MS after four-acid digestion ("ME-MS61"). Samples that assayed over 10 ppm Au were re-run via fire assay with a gravimetric finish ("Au-GRA21").

In addition to ALS quality assurance / quality control ("QA/QC") protocols, Goldshore has implemented a quality control program for all samples collected through the drilling program. The quality control program was designed by a qualified and independent third party, with a focus on the quality of analytical results for gold. Analytical results are received, imported to our secure on-line database and evaluated to meet our established guidelines to ensure that all sample batches pass industry best practice for analytical quality control. Certified reference materials are considered acceptable if values returned are within three standard deviations of the certified value reported by the manufacture of the material. In addition to the certified reference material, certified blank material is included in the sample stream to monitor contamination during sample preparation. Blank material results are assessed based on the returned gold result being less than ten times the quoted lower detection limit of the analytical method. The results of the on-going analytical quality control program are evaluated and reported to Goldshore by Orix Geoscience Inc.

About Goldshore

Goldshore is an emerging junior gold development company, and owns the Moss Lake Gold Project located in Ontario. Wesdome is currently a large shareholder of Goldshore with an approximate 27% equity position in the Company. Well-financed and supported by an industry-leading management group, board of directors and advisory board, Goldshore is positioned to advance the Moss Lake Gold Project through the next stages of exploration and development.

About the Moss Lake Gold Project

The Moss Lake Gold Project is located approximately 100 km west of the city of Thunder Bay, Ontario. It is accessed via Highway 11 which passes within 1 km of the property boundary to the north. The Moss Lake Gold Project covers 14,292 hectares and consists of 282 unpatented and patented mining claims.

The Moss Lake Gold Project hosts a number of gold and base metal rich deposits including the Moss Lake Deposit, the East Coldstream Deposit (Table 3), the historically producing North Coldstream Mine (Table 4), and the Hamlin Zone, all of which occur over a mineralized trend exceeding 20 km in length. A historical preliminary economic assessment (the "Moss Lake Historical Estimate") was completed on the Moss Lake Gold Project in 2013 and published by Moss Lake Gold Mines Ltd. ("Moss Lake Gold Mines")1,3. A historical mineral resource estimate (the "East Coldstream Historical Estimate") was completed on the East Coldstream Deposit in 2011 by Foundation Resources Inc.2,3 In addition to these zones, the Moss Lake Gold Project also hosts a number of under-explored mineral occurrences which are reported to exist both at surface and in historically drilled holes. The Moss Lake Deposit is a shear-hosted disseminated-style gold deposit which outcrops at surface. It has been drilled over a 2.5 km length and to depths of 300 m with 376 holes completed between 1983 and 2017. The last drilling program conducted in 2016 and 2017 by Wesdome Gold Mines Ltd. ("Wesdome"), which consisted of widely spaced holes along the strike extension of the deposit was successful in expanding the mineralized footprint and hydrothermal system 1.6 km to the northeast. Additionally, the deposit remains largely open to depth. In 2017, Wesdome completed an induced polarization survey which traced the potential extensions of pyrite mineralization associated with the Moss Lake Deposit over a total strike length of 8 km and spanning the entire extent of the survey grids.

The East Coldstream Deposit is a shear-hosted disseminated-style gold deposit which locally outcrops at surface. It has been drilled over a 1.3 km length and to depths of 200 m with 138 holes completed between 1988 and 2017. The deposit remains largely open at depth and may have the potential for expansion along strike. Historic drill hole highlights from the East Coldstream Deposit include 4.86 g/t Au over 27.3 m in C-10-15.

The historically producing North Coldstream Mine is reported to have produced significant amounts of copper, gold and silver4 from mineralization with potential iron-oxide-copper-gold deposit style affinity. The exploration potential immediately surrounding the historic mining area is not currently well understood and historic data compilation is required.

The Hamlin Zone is a significant occurrence of copper and gold mineralization, and also of potential iron-oxide-copper-gold deposit style affinity. Between 2008 and 2011, Glencore tested Hamlin with 24 drill holes which successfully outlined a broad and intermittently mineralized zone over a strike length of 900 m. Historic drill hole highlights from the Hamlin Zone include 0.9 g/t Au and 0.35% Cu over 150.7 m in HAM-11-75.

The Moss Lake, East Coldstream and North Coldstream deposits sit on a mineral trend marked by a regionally significant deformation zone locally referred to as the Wawiag Fault Zone in the area of the Moss Lake Deposit. This deformation zone occurs over a length of approximately 20 km on the Moss Lake Gold Project and there is an area spanning approximately 7 km between the Moss Lake and East Coldstream deposits that is significantly underexplored.

Table 3: Historical Mineral Resources1,2,3

INDICATED INFERRED Deposit Tonnes Au g/t Au oz Tonnes Au g/t Au oz Moss Lake Historical Estimate Open Pit Potential 39,795,000 1.1 1,377,300 48,904,000 1.0 1,616,300 Underground Potential - - - 1,461,100 2.9 135,400 Moss Lake Total 39,795,000 1.1 1,377,300 50,364,000 1.1 1,751,600

East Coldstream Historical Estimate East Coldstream Total 3,516,700 0.85 96,400 30,533,000 0.78 763,276

Combined Total 43,311,700 1.08 1,473,700 80,897,000 0.98 2,514,876

Notes:

(1) Source: Poirier, S., Patrick, G.A., Richard, P.L., and Palich, J. "Technical Report and Preliminary Economic Assessment for the Moss Lake Project", prepared for Moss Lake Gold Mines Ltd. The qualified persons for the Moss Lake Historical Estimate are Pierre-Luc Richard, MSc, PGeo (InnovExplo Inc), and Carl Pelletier, BSc, PGeo (InnovExplo Inc), and the effective date of the Moss Lake Historical Estimate is February 8, 2013. In-Pit results are presented undiluted and in situ, within Whittle-optimized pit shells. Underground results are presented undiluted and in situ, outside Whittle-optimized pit shells. The Moss Lake Historical Estimate includes 18 gold-bearing zones and 1 envelope containing isolated gold intercepts. Whittle parameters: mining cost = C$2.28; pit slope angle = 50.0 degrees; production cost = C$9.55; mining Dilution = 5%; mining recovery = 95%; processing recovery = 80% to 85%; gold price = C$1,500. In-Pit and Underground resources were compiled at cut-off grades from 0.3 to 5.0 g/t Au (for sensitivity characterization). A cut-off grade of 0.5 g/t Au was selected as the official in-pit cut-off grade and a cut-off grade of 2.0 g/t Au was selected as the official underground cut-off grade. The Moss Lake Historical Estimate is based on 352 diamond drill holes (90,978 m) drilled from 1983 and 2008. A fixed density of 2.78 g/cm3 was used. A minimum true thickness of 5.0 m was applied, using the grade of the adjacent material when assayed or a value of zero when not assayed. Capping was established at 35 g/t Au, supported by statistical analysis and the high grade distribution within the deposit. Compositing was done on drill hole sections falling within the mineralized zone solids (composite = 1 m). Resources were evaluated from drill hole samples using the ID2 interpolation method in a multi-folder percent block model using Gems version 6.4. Based on geostatistics, the ellipse range for interpolation was 75m x 67.5m x 40m. The Indicated category is defined by combining the blocks within the two main zones and various statistical criteria, such as average distance to composites, distance to closest composite, quantity of drill holes within the search area. Ounce (troy) = metric tons x grade / 31.10348. Calculations used metric units (metres, tonnes and g/t). The number of metric tonnes was rounded to the nearest thousand. Any discrepancies in the totals are due to rounding effects; rounding followed the recommendations in NI 43-101.

(2) Source: McCracken, T. "Technical Report and Resource Estimate on the Osmani Gold Deposit, Coldstream Property, Northwestern Ontario", prepared for Foundation Resources Inc. and Alto Ventures Ltd. The East Coldstream Historical Estimate is based on a 0.4 g/t Au cut-off grade. The qualified persons for the East Coldstream Historical Estimate are Todd McCracken, P.Geo. (Tetratech Wardrop), and Jeff Wilson, Ph.D., P.Geo. (Tetratech Wardrop), and the effective date of the East Coldstream Historical Estimate is December 12, 2011. Resources are presented unconstrained, undiluted and in situ. The East Coldstream Historical Estimate includes 2 gold-bearing zones. A cut-off grade of 0.4 g/t Au was selected as the official resource cut-off grade. The East Coldstream Historical Estimate is based on 116 diamond drill holes drilled from 1986 to 2011. A fixed density of 2.78 g/cm3 was used. Capping was established at 5.89 g/t Au and 5.70 g/t Au for domains EC-1 and EC-2, respectively. This is supported by statistical analysis and the high grade distribution within the deposit. Compositing was done on drill hole sections falling within the mineralized zone solids (composite = 1 m). Resources were evaluated from drill hole samples using the ID2 interpolation method in a multi-folder percent block model using Datamine Studio 3 version 3.20.5321.0. Resource categorization is based on spatial continuity based from the variography of the assays within the drillholes. Ounce (troy) = metric tons x grade / 31.10348. Calculations used metric units (metres, tonnes and g/t). The number of metric tonnes was rounded to the nearest thousand. Any discrepancies in the totals are due to rounding effects; rounding followed the recommendations in NI 43-101.

(3) The reader is cautioned that the Moss Lake Historical Estimate East and the East Coldstream Historical Estimate (the "Historical Estimates") are considered historical in nature and as such is based on prior data and reports prepared by previous property owners. The reader is cautioned not to treat them, or any part of them, as current mineral resources or reserves. The Company has determined these historical resources are reliable, and relevant to be included here in that they demonstrate simply the mineral potential of the Moss Lake Gold Project. A qualified person has not done sufficient work to classify the Historical Estimates as current resources and Goldshore is not treating the Historical Estimates as current resources. Significant data compilation, re-drilling, re-sampling and data verification may be required by a qualified person before the Historical Estimates can be classified as a current resource. There can be no assurance that any of the historical mineral resources, in whole or in part, will ever become economically viable. In addition, mineral resources are not mineral reserves and do not have demonstrated economic viability. Even if classified as a current resource, there is no certainty as to whether further exploration will result in any inferred mineral resources being upgraded to an indicated or measured mineral resource category. The Historical Estimates relating to inferred mineral resources were calculated using prior mining industry standard definitions and practices for estimating mineral resource and mineral reserves. Such prior definitions and practices were utilized prior to the implementation of the current standards of the Canadian Institute of Mining for mineral resource estimation, and have a lower level of confidence.

Table 4: Reported Historical Production from the North Coldstream Deposit4

Deposit Tonnes Cu % Au g/t Ag Cu lbs Au oz Ag oz Historical Production 2,700,0000 1.89 0.56 5.59 102,000,000 44,000 440,000



Note:

(4) Source: Schlanka, R., 1969. Copper, Nickel, Lead and Zinc Deposits of Ontario, Mineral Resources Circular No. 12, Ontario Geological Survey, pp. 314-316.

Peter Flindell, P.Geo., MAusIMM, MAIG, Vice President - Exploration of the Company, a qualified person under NI 43-101 has approved the scientific and technical information contained in this news release.

Neither the TSXV nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSXV) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

For More Information - Please Contact:

Brett A. Richards

President, Chief Executive Officer and Director

Goldshore Resources Inc.

P. +1 604 288 4416 M. +1 905 449 1500

E. [email protected]

W. www.goldshoreresources.com

Facebook: GoldShoreRes | Twitter: GoldShoreRes | LinkedIn: goldshoreres

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains statements that constitute "forward-looking statements." Such forward looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the Company's actual results, performance or achievements, or developments to differ materially from the anticipated results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Forward looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words "expects," "plans," "anticipates," "believes," "intends," "estimates," "projects," "potential" and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will," "would," "may," "could" or "should" occur.

Forward-looking statements in this news release include, among others, statements relating to expectations regarding the exploration and development of the Moss Lake Gold Project, and other statements that are not historical facts. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause our actual results, performance or achievements, or other future events, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors and risks include, among others: the Company may require additional financing from time to time in order to continue its operations which may not be available when needed or on acceptable terms and conditions acceptable; compliance with extensive government regulation; domestic and foreign laws and regulations could adversely affect the Company's business and results of operations; the stock markets have experienced volatility that often has been unrelated to the performance of companies and these fluctuations may adversely affect the price of the Company's securities, regardless of its operating performance; and the impact of COVID-19.

The forward-looking information contained in this news release represents the expectations of the Company as of the date of this news release and, accordingly, is subject to change after such date. Readers should not place undue importance on forward-looking information and should not rely upon this information as of any other date. The Company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements in the event that management's beliefs, estimates or opinions, or other factors, should change.

This news release does not constitute an offer to sell, or a solicitation of an offer to buy, any securities in the United States. The securities have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act") or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to U.S. Persons unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws or an exemption from such registration is available.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/138713
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - September 29, 2022) - Iconic Minerals Ltd. (TSXV: ICM) (OTCQB: BVTEF) (FSE: YQGB) (the "Company" or "Iconic") is pleased to provide an update on the 2022 mineral exploration and development plans (the "2022 Exploration Plan") for the Bonnie Claire Lithium Project (the 'Project' or 'Property'), located in Nye County, Nevada. Two core rigs and one mud rotary rig are currently in operation on the Property.

Iconic Minerals Ltd CEO, Richard Kern, comments: "Drilling of the Southern target at Bonnie Claire has found by far the highest-grade Lithium we have ever drilled (up to 5,570 ppm) as well as a shallow zone that could be amenable to open pit mining. We look forward to more good news."

Drilling Update

Core drill holes BC2201C ("BC2201C") and BC2203C have both completed drilling to their respective total depths of 2001 (610 meters) feet and 2000 feet (609.6 meters). There are two remaining core holes from the BC2022 Exploration Plan which are currently being drilled. Core hole BC2202C is at a current drill depth of 1800 feet (548.6 meters) and Core hole BC2204C is at a current drill depth of 800 feet (243.8 meters). The mud rotary hole BC2201 which was permitted as a test well, is also currently being drilled and is at a current drill depth of 600 feet (182.8 meters).

Core hole material from BC2201C (the "Assays") was shipped and received by ALS ("ALS") for extensive material testing. As part of engineering requirements, approximately 15% of the core from the BC2201C was shipped to Barr Engineering Company ("Barr") to aid borehole mining experimentation, which will be also assayed later. The missing intervals shipped to Barr averaged 1.5 feet (0.46 meters) in length and should not have a significant effect on the averages of the assays already received from ALS. Due to the irregular sample lengths that were submitted, weighted averages are reported below.

BC2201C Core Hole Results (weighted averages)

BC2201C contained three zones of lithium mineralization ("Li Mineralization"). The first shallow Li Mineralization zone began around 100 feet (30.48 meters) in depth and averaging 1105 ppm lithium for 270.7 feet (82.5 meters). The middle Li Mineralization zone began from 1044 to 1600 feet (318.2 to 487.7 meters) averaging 1256 ppm lithium, a total of 556 feet (169.4 meters). The deepest Li Mineralization zone began from 1600 to 2001 feet (488 to 610 meters) a total of 122 feet (37.1 meters) averaging 3232 ppm lithium, and included a 3.8 foot (1.2 meter) assay of 5570 ppm lithium. The Assays submitted from BC2201C also included a total of 1,226.8 feet (374 meters) of lithium enriched material grading over 1,000 ppm Li. There were two zones that also encountered elevated boron, limiting out at greater then >10,000 ppm B, which will require additional testing to allow for greater ppm results.





Bonnie Claire Drill Hole Locations



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Qualified Person

Richard Kern, Certified Professional Geologist, a qualified person as defined by Canadian National Instrument 43-101, has reviewed and approved the technical information contained in this news release. Mr. Kern is not independent of the Company as he is the Chief Executive Officer of Iconic.

Bonnie Claire Property

The Bonnie Claire Property is located within Sarcobatus Valley, which is approximately 30 km (19 miles) long and 20 km (12 miles) wide. Quartz-rich volcanic tuffs containing anomalous amounts of lithium occur within and adjacent to the valley. Drill results from the salt flat have included lithium values as high as 2550 ppm Li and a 1560 foot (roughly 475 meter) vertical intercept that averaged 1153 ppm Li. The current 43-101 resource from the PEA report for borehole mineable portion of the resource is 3,407 million tonnes grading 1,013 ppm Li or 18,372 million kilograms of lithium carbonate equivalent. (though this is a resource, not a reserve, and has not yet proven economic viability). The gravity low within the valley is 20 km (12 miles) long, and the current estimates of depth to basement rocks range from 600 to 1,200 meters (2,000 to 4,000 feet). The current claim block covers an area of 74 km2 (28.6 mi2) with potential for brine systems and further sediment resources.

On behalf of the Board of Directors

SIGNED: "Richard Kern"

Richard Kern, President and CEO

Contact: Keturah Nathe, VP Corporate Development (604) 336-8614

For further information on Iconic, please visit our website at www.iconicminerals.com. The Company's public documents may be accessed at www.sedar.com .

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information (collectively, "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable Canadian and U.S. securities legislation, including the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included herein including, without limitation, statements with respect to the Option, the Joint Venture, the amount of the Offering, the expected use of proceeds from the Offering and the future business plans and exploration activities of the Company, are forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes that such statements are reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Forward-looking statements are typically identified by words such as: "will", "believes", "expects", "anticipates", "intends", "estimates", "plans", "may", "should", "potential", "scheduled" or variations of such words and phrases and similar expressions, which, by their nature, refer to future events or results that may, could, would, might or will occur or be taken or achieved. In making the forward-looking statements in this news release, the Company has applied several material assumptions, including without limitation, that investor interest will be sufficient to close the Offering, that market fundamentals will result in sustained precious metals demand and prices, the receipt of any necessary permits, licenses and regulatory approvals required for the Option Agreement and the future development of the Company's projects in a timely manner.

Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which 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. Such risks and other factors include, among others, operating and technical difficulties in connection with mineral exploration and development activities, actual results of exploration activities, including on the Smith Creek Property, requirements for additional capital, future prices of lithium and gold, changes in general economic conditions, changes in the financial markets and in the demand and market price for commodities, lack of investor interest in future financings, accidents, labour disputes and other risks of the mining industry, delays in obtaining governmental approvals, permits or financing or in the completion of development or construction activities, risks relating to epidemics or pandemics such as COVID-19, including the impact of COVID-19 on the business, financial condition and exploration and development activities of the Company, changes in laws, regulations and policies affecting mining operations, title disputes, the inability of the Company to obtain any necessary permits, consents, approvals or authorizations, including of the TSX Venture Exchange in respect of the Option Agreement and the Offering, the timing and possible outcome of any pending litigation, environmental issues and liabilities, and risks related to joint venture operations, and other risks and uncertainties disclosed in the Company's latest interim Management's Discussion and Analysis and filed with the Canadian Securities Authorities. All of the Company's Canadian public disclosure filings may be accessed via www.sedar.com and readers are urged to review these materials, including the technical reports filed with respect to the Company's mineral properties.

Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Company undertakes no obligation to update any of the forward-looking statements in this news release or incorporated by reference herein, except as otherwise required by law.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/138738
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - September 29, 2022) - Nova Mentis Life Science Corp. (CSE: NOVA) (FSE: HN3Q) (OTCQB: NMLSF) ("NOVA" or the "Company"), a biotechnology company and global leader in first-in-class psilocybin-based therapeutics and complementary diagnostics for neuroinflammatory disorders is pleased to announce that the company has produced 1.5 mg psilocybin microdose capsules. These capsules were produced according to defined manufacturing processes and product specifications as outlined in chemistry, manufacturing and controls (CMC) published guidelines.

"NOVA has accomplished a major breakthrough in its autism spectrum disorder (ASD) clinical research program with the production of GMP grade psilocybin microdose capsules," stated Jacqueline McConnell, NOVA's Chief Operating Officer. "NOVA is also excited to initiate the availability of the 1.5 mg psilocybin capsules to doctors, clinics and pharmaceutical companies in Canada for its potential therapeutic use in non-ASD clinical trials, including but not limited to diabetes, heart disease, epileptic conditions and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). NOVA and KGK Science Inc. (KGK) are available to assist in the creation and submission of future clinical trial applications to Health Canada for review."

NOVA has in hand a complete CMC package to be used in support of a phase 2A microdose psilocybin fragile X syndrome (FXS) clinical trial application. The package to be submitted to Health Canada for review includes:

Phase 2 manufacturing process file for psilocybin active pharmaceutical ingredient (API).

Finished product batch manufacturing records that confirms final capsule batch has been produced.

Psilocybin capsule dissolution parameters that meet regulatory requirements.

NOVA and KGK, its clinical research organization (CRO) partner, are currently finalizing the clinical trial application that will be submitted to Health Canada for approval of a Phase 2A study evaluating psilocybin microdose therapy for FXS, the leading genetic cause of ASD.

Further, the Company has granted an aggregate of 4,600,000 incentive stock options ("the Options") to members of its Board, management team and consultants of the Company. The Options are exercisable at a price $0.05 per share for a period of 5 years. The Options have been granted under and are governed by the terms of the Company's incentive stock option plan.

About Nova Mentis Life Science Corp.



Nova Mentis Life Science Corp. is a Canadian-based biotechnology company and global leader in developing diagnostics and psilocybin-based therapeutics for neuroinflammatory disorders. Nova is the first biotech company to achieve orphan drug designation in both the United States and European Union for the use of psilocybin in the treatment of Fragile X Syndrome (FXS).

Our goal is to diagnose and treat debilitating chronic conditions that have unmet medical needs, such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and FXS.

For further information on the Company, please visit www.novamentis.ca or email [email protected].

About KGK Science



Subsidiary of Wellbeing Digital Sciences Inc, (Neo.MEDI) (OTC.KONEF), KGK is a leading North American contract research organization based in London, Ontario that primarily provides high-quality clinical research trials with a focus on the nutraceutical, cannabis and emerging psychedelic industries. The business has successfully helped hundreds of companies with custom-designed clinical trials and claim substantiation strategies to move products into global markets. KGK's other existing service lines include expert regulatory support and compliance solutions, participant recruitment, research support services and consulting services. On an approximate basis, the business to date has produced 150 publications, executed over 400 clinical trials across more than 40 indications, amassed 25,000 participants in its database and collected 10 million data points.

For more information, please visit: www.kgkscience.com/.

On Behalf of the Board

Will Rascan, President & CEO

Nova Mentis Life Science Corp.

Phone: 778-819-0244

Toll Free: 1-833-542-5323

Twitter: @novamentislsc

Instagram: @novamentislsc

Facebook: @novamentislsc

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Market Regulator (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

This news release contains statements that constitute "forward-looking statements." Such forward looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause Nova Mentis Life Science's actual results, performance or achievements, or developments in the industry to differ materially from the anticipated results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Forward looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words "expects," "plans," "anticipates," "believes," "intends," "estimates," "projects," "potential" and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will," "would," "may," "could" or "should" occur.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/138812
Edmonton, Alberta--(Newsfile Corp. - September 29, 2022) - Pacylex Pharmaceuticals has dosed 16 patients in the early phase clinical trials of the company's new cancer drug, PCLX-001. PCLX-001 is an N-myristoyltransferase (NMT) inhibitor that targets the lipid modification of proteins that initiate the signaling pathways for the proliferation and survival of cancer cells, especially in leukemia and lymphoma. The drug is a once-per-day capsule that has been dosed in 16 solid tumor and non Hodgkin's lymphoma patents to date without any dose limiting toxicities.

In September 2021, Pacylex Pharmaceuticals began a Phase 1 open label, dose escalation clinical trial of PCLX-001 at the University of Alberta Cross Cancer Institute to examine the safety and tolerability of the drug and determine the dose to be used in initial efficacy studies. In December 2021, Pacylex announced the results of the first patients dosed with PCLX-001 at the American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual meeting and Exposition. An abstract of the clinical study was also published online in the November supplemental issue of 'Blood'.

Pacylex has safely completed 4 dose cohorts reaching target drug exposure levels in patients expected to provide benefit in leukemia and lymphoma. The study has confirmed that once-per-day oral administration of PCLX-001 is sufficient to achieve target drug exposure. The company has started a 5th dose level and will continue to escalate doses as long as they are well tolerated by patients. The study is continuing to enroll patients at four Canadian cancer centers, the University of Alberta Cross Cancer Institute, Princess Margaret Hospital in Toronto, Center Hospitalier de l'Universit de Montreal (CHUM) and the BC Cancer Agency in Vancouver. The plan is to enroll 20-30 patients in the initial phase.

Pacylex Pharmaceuticals has presented its progress in the development of this new drug at professional conferences like the American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting in December 2021 and the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting in April 2022. The results of its studies and clinical trials have been published in industry journals like 'Nature Communications', and 'Breast Cancer Research and Treatment'.

What makes PCLX-001 different from other drugs used for the treatment of cancer is that it targets the origin of the signaling process used by cancer cells to rapidly proliferate and survive. By inhibiting and stopping this process right at the beginning, oral administration of the drug induces apoptosis, or cell death, in just a few days.

Commenting on the company's ambitious plans for the future, CEO of Pacylex, Dr. Michael Weickert, said, "Cancer has many different origins and causes and no silver bullet has been developed to defeat them all. But as each cancer mechanism is discovered, new strategies are developed to defeat it. Pacylex has discovered a new cancer mechanism and is developing PCLX-001 to defeat it. In in-vitro tests, PCLX-001 has been shown to eliminate leukemia and lymphoma tumors. We found that in many animal models, it also inhibits lung and breast cancer tumors. Our focus is now on proving the efficacy and safety of the drug through human clinical studies. We have already achieved our goal of drug exposure in phase one clinical trials so we will seek Series B investors to support two Phase 2 programs in leukemia (AML) and lymphoma (DLBCL), and an expansion study in solid tumor patients. The end goal is to file for initial regulatory approval in at least one indication by 2025 and make this drug widely available to indicated cancer patients worldwide at an affordable cost. The convenience of an oral, once-per-day pill also stands out in the current environment of immunotherapies and cell-based treatment strategies."

About Pacylex Pharmaceuticals

Pacylex is a pharmaceutical firm based in Edmonton, Canada, that is developing a new first-in-class therapeutic drug for hematologic and solid cancers. Pacylex began clinical studies of the drug in Canada in September 2021 and is currently seeking funds for Phase 2 of clinical trials.

Media contact

Name: Michael J. Weickert

Email address: [email protected]

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/138904
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - September 29, 2022) - Romios Gold Resources Inc.(TSXV: RG) (OTCQB: RMIOF) (FSE: D4R)("Romios Gold" or the "Company")is pleased to report that it has completed an extensive exploration program on six of the company's projects in the Golden Triangle of northwestern British Columbia (see Map 1). Field work by Romios' crew began in early July and continued until mid-September. Assay results are now being received and compiled, and will be reported on when complete. Field observations on some of the claim blocks are very encouraging, particularly those from the Trek South Porphyry Cu-Au-Ag prospect. Many of Romios' projects in the Golden Triangle are close to the giant Galore Creek porphyry Cu-Au-Ag project held by a Teck-Newmont JV (GCMC) and currently in the final stages of a pre-feasibility study.

Romios' VP of Exploration Mr. John Biczok, P. Geo, commented, "we are very pleased that the first ever IP-MT survey has been successfully completed on the Trek South porphyry Cu-Au-Ag prospect, and a 3D model is now being generated of this significant target. Romios' 2022 work in the Golden Triangle also resulted in the discovery of numerous, often substantial, quartz veins near historic gold showings on several properties and we look forward to receiving and evaluating those results soon."

Stephen Burega, President and CEO, stated, "The 3D modelling will be key to opening conversations with potential funding partners for the Trek South prospect. Management has been cultivating numerous contacts to initiate their review/assessment of the potential at Trek South. We are looking forward to correlating these results with the mineralized surface exposures, and to sharing more in the near future once the modelling is competed."

Highlights:

Trek South: An ALPHA IPTM survey totalling 5.6 km was completed by Simcoe Geoscience on 3 lines up to 2.3 km long across the >1 km wide, locally mineralized Trek South porphyry-style alteration system. The IP survey was designed to detect potential sulphide mineralization to a depth of ~600 metres. After an initial inspection of these results the go-ahead was given for a Magnetotelluric Survey (MT) along one of the IP lines. MT is capable of detecting mineralization well beyond the limits of the IP survey, to depths >10 km. The combined IP-MT results are now being processed and interpreted in detail by Romios' consulting geophysicists and will be reported on separately in the near future. Our partner, Simcoe Geoscience, is currently working on 1D and 2D modelling from the IP, and Phoenix Geoscience is preparing the 3D modelling.

North East Claims: Located 300 metres north of the Galore Creek access route and

Burt Claim: An initial field visit was made to Romios' new BURT claim located 4 km south of the historic Johnny Mt. gold mine and 8 km SW of the old Snip gold mine. The claim covers a number of old showings including the "Burton", a 5 metre wide quartz vein that has assayed up to 4 g/t Au and 72 g/t Ag in limited historic sampling. Due to weather conditions, the crew was unable to access this particular showing but mapping and sampling to the west located a number of copper-bearing quartz veins. Assays are pending.

Rugged Claim: A brief field visit was also made to Romios' new RUGGED claim located 70 km north of Galore Creek and 25 km SW of the community of Telegraph Creek. The claim covers ~one-half of a 4 km wide syenite-pyroxenite intrusion believed to be a prime target for an alkalic porphyry Cu-Au-Ag-PGE system. Previous workers have located Cu-Au-Ag-PGE mineralization here assaying up to 3.2 g/t Au, 1.97% Cu, 10 g/t Ag and 1.36 g/t Pt+Pd. Romios' examination of the claim was cut short by incoming bad weather but copper stained pyroxenite was located and sampled (0.2% Cu and 0.17 g/t Au). A thorough exploration program is considered warranted here.





PHOTO 1: Chalcopyrite (copper sulphide) covered fractures on boulder along Trek South IP survey line.

To view an enhanced version of Photo 1, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/5376/138858_photo1rg.jpg.

North West Claims: Located 10 km west of Galore Creek, they were explored to follow-up the discovery of gold bearing quartz veins in 2021 (5 - 9 g/t Au) and 2010 (16.5 g/t Au). Numerous additional veins were located at this latter site and several large veins up to 1.2 m wide were discovered elsewhere this season, some with visible copper mineralization. Assays are pending.

Red Line Claims: An extensive mapping and sampling program was undertaken on Romios' Red Line claims located 32 km north of the historic Eskay Creek Au-Ag mine and believed to be within the same geological setting. This work was financed by Copperhead Resources which has an option to earn a 75% interest in the property. The mapping was conducted by an expert in the local stratigraphy and his report is expected shortly.





PHOTO 2: Newly discovered copper-stained quartz vein, ~70 cm wide, North West Claims

To view an enhanced version of Photo 2, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/5376/138858_photo2rg.jpg.

Burega continued, "the discovery of additional quartz veins of substantial size on the North West claims in the vicinity of historic showings was another highlight of the summer program. Romios personnel also completed several weeks of exploration work on three of our projects in NW Ontario and a summary of that work will be forthcoming shortly."

QA/QC

The samples discussed in this document were grab and chip samples considered representative of the outcrops, veins and boulders being sampled. They were submitted to the ISO/IEC 17025 accredited ALS Canada Ltd. laboratories in Terrace and Vancouver, BC for assay and multi-element analyses. As a matter of procedure, a rigorous quality assurance and quality control program was implemented to ensure reliable assay results by inserting alternating blanks and commercial assay standards at every 10th position in the sample series.





Map 1: Location of Romios' projects in the Golden Triangle, NW British Columbia

To view an enhanced version of Map 1, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/5376/138858_map1rg.jpg.

Qualified Person

The technical information in this news release has been reviewed and approved by John Biczok, P. Geo., VP-Exploration for Romios Gold and a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101. In addition to his extensive experience with several major mining companies exploring for a wide variety of ore deposit types across Canada and India, Mr. Biczok spent 12 years conducting exploration and research at the Musselwhite gold mine in NW Ontario.

About Romios Gold Resources Inc.

Romios Gold Resources Inc. is a progressive Canadian mineral exploration company engaged in precious-and base-metal exploration, focused primarily on gold, copper and silver. It has a 100% interest in the Lundmark-Akow Lake Au-Cu property plus 4 additional claim blocks in northwestern Ontario and extensive claim holdings covering several significant porphyry copper-gold prospects in the "Golden Triangle" of British Columbia. Additional interests include the Kinkaid Nevada claims covering numerous Au-Ag-Cu workings and two former producers: the La Corne molybdenum mine property (Quebec) and the Scossa mine property (Nevada) which is a former high-grade gold producer. The Company retains an ongoing interest in several properties including a 20% carried interest in five of Honey Badger Mining's claim blocks in the Thunder Bay silver district of northwestern Ontario; a 2% NSR on McEwen Mining's Hislop gold property in Ontario; a 2% NSR on Enduro Metals' Newmont Lake Au-Cu-Ag property in BC, and the Company has signed a definitive agreement with Copperhead Resources Inc. ("Copperhead") whereby Copperhead can acquire a 75% ownership interest in Romios' Red Line Project in BC.

For more information, visit www.romios.com

This News Release contains forward-looking statements which are typically preceded by, followed by or include the words "believes", "expects", "anticipates", "estimates", "intends", "plans" or similar expressions. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance as they involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions. We do not intend and do not assume any obligation to update these forward-looking statements and shareholders are cautioned not to put undue reliance on such statements. TSX Venture Exchange or its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) do not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

For further information, please contact:

Stephen Burega, President - 647-515-3734 or [email protected]

John Biczok, P. Geo., VP of Exploration - 613-410-7877 or [email protected]

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/138858
Royal Coal focusing on minerals exploration of EV metals

Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - September 29, 2022) - Royal Coal Corp. (the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has entered into an option agreement (the "Option Agreement") to acquire a 100% undivided interest in Poissons Blanc nickel-copper-cobalt property located in Quebec (the "Poissons Blanc Property").

The Option Agreement, dated September 26, 2022, was completed with two arm's length optionors (the "Optionors") and repositions the Company to now focus on resource exploration of EV metals, namely nickel, copper and cobalt.

The Poissons Blanc Property

The Poissons Blanc Property, host of the nickel-copper-cobalt McNickel deposit, is comprised of 32 mineral claims covering approximately 1,792 hectares located in the Saguenay Mining district in the Province of Quebec.

Containing a historical resource of 3.583 million tonnes with grades of 0.39% Ni, 0.18% Cu and 0.05% Co (NI 43-101 non-compliant resource) the deposit was first discovered in 1987, with a major drilling program completed in 1989.

In the context of today's demand for these minerals, the Company believes that the Poissons Blanc Property warrants more exploration and drilling focusing on expansion of existing resources as well as a new "look alike" zone, at the north of the main deposit zone (see Figure 1). Details of our new exploration plans are now being developed and aim to uncover the potential of this "look alike" zone and expand the existing historical mineral resources of the property.

"We are excited to transition Royal Coal into a resource exploration company focusing on EV metals," commented Nicholas Konkin, CEO, Director. "Demand for supply in the sectors is strong and this particular property has tremendous exploration potential. With over 16,000 meters of drilling and metallurgical work, it shows excellent potential for mineral expansion and delineation. We are excited to begin working on this project which will include a Geotech VTEM airborne survey, further metallurgical work which will optimize metal recoveries, and core drilling."

The foregoing historical resource estimates presented above were completed prior to the implementation of the requirements of National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects; however, given the quality of the historic work completed and the respective mining companies' reputations, the Company believes the historical resource estimates to be both relevant and reliable. A Qualified Person has not completed sufficient work to classify these historic mineral resources as current mineral resources; and the Company is not treating the historic resources as current.

The Option Agreement

Under the terms of the three year Option Agreement, the Company may exercise the Option to acquire a 100% undivided interest in the Poissons Blanc Property upon payment of an aggregate of up to US$562,600 in cash payments and an aggregate of 5,000,000 common shares (the "Option Shares") in the capital of the Company plus, at the option of the Company, a payment of CDN$500,000 or an additional CDN$500,000 worth of Option Shares and incurring an aggregate of $1,200,000 in exploration expenditures on the Poissons Blanc Property.

In the event that the Option is exercised in full, the Company will grant one of the Optionors a five percent (5%) net smelter returns royalty (the "NSR"). At any time within three years from the date of the grant, the Company may purchase two and a half percent (2.5%) of the NSR (resulting in the remaining NSR being 2.5%) for a purchase price of CND$2,000,000.





Figure 1: Poissons Blanc Property Claims Map.

To view an enhanced version of Figure 1, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/7111/138902_51e90c14c4e9e90a_001full.jpg

Qualified Person

Paul Mattinen, an Independent Qualified Person ("QP") as such term is defined by National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects, has reviewed and approved the geological information reported in this news release.

For more information, please contact:

Nicholas Konkin

President

[email protected]

416-642-1807 Ext 305

About Royal Coal Corp.

Royal Coal Corp. is a Canadian exploration company focused on mineral exploration and development.

This news release contains certain "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities law. Forward-looking information is frequently characterized by words such as "plan", "expect", "project", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate", "may", "will", "would", "potential", "proposed" and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur. These statements are only predictions. Forward-looking information is based on the opinions and estimates of management at the date the information is provided, and is subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking information. For a description of the risks and uncertainties facing the Company and its business and affairs, readers should refer to the Company's Management's Discussion and Analysis. The Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking information if circumstances or management's estimates or opinions should change, unless required by law. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/138902
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 29, ARMENPRESS. The Armenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs released a statement on the violation of the ceasefire regime by Azerbaijan.

On September 28, the units of the Azerbaijani armed forces, which unlawfully invaded the sovereign territory of the Republic of Armenia, once again grossly violated the ceasefire regime with the use of mortars and weapons of large caliber, and shelled in the eastern direction of the Armenian-Azerbaijani border, as a result of which the Armenian side suffered three casualties.

The recent provocation carried out by Azerbaijan, in continuation of its large-scale aggression against the territorial integrity of Armenia, launched on September 13, is a clear disrespect towards the calls of the international community and the member states of the UN Security Council to maintain the ceasefire. This is a reaffirmation of the alarms of the Armenian side that Azerbaijan is attempting to continue its policy of use of force and maximalism.

Moreover, such provocation of Azerbaijan is aimed at disrupting the meeting of the Foreign Ministers of the two countries, the arrangement of which is under discussion.

In the current situation, we urge the international community to undertake effective steps and implement relevant mechanisms in order to suppress the military-political leadership of Azerbaijan for the strict observance of the ceasefire regime, the withdrawal of the Azerbaijani armed forces from the sovereign territory of the Republic of Armenia and the prevention of new aggressions.

The Republic of Armenia will continue to protect its sovereignty and territorial integrity by all means prescribed by the UN Charter, the MFA said.
Oldest Medical Cannabis Dispensary in Vermont To Become One of the State's First Recreational Cannabis Stores

Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - September 29, 2022) - SLANG Worldwide Inc. (CNSX: SLNG) (OTCQB: SLGWF) ("SLANG" or the "Company"), a leading global cannabis consumer packaged goods (CPG) company with a diversified portfolio of popular brands, today announced the opening of its first recreational cannabis store in Vermont on October 1st, marking the Company's entry into the newly legalized recreational market.

Operating under the Company's Ceres Collaborative cannabis group, which brings together two of today's most innovative cannabis operators, SLANG Worldwide and CeresMED, the storefront is located in the heart of Vermont's capital at 190 College Street, adjacent to the Church Street pedestrian mall in downtown Burlington. Centrally located in the city to benefit both local consumers and tourists with its 1,500-square-foot dispensary supported by 20 full-time employees, the dispensary is well-positioned to play a leading role in Vermont's evolving recreational cannabis market which is estimated to reach $265 million in annual sales by 2025.1

Drew McManigle, Interim CEO of SLANG, said, "Our initial entry into Vermont's medical cannabis market a few months ago strategically positioned SLANG at the forefront of the next high-growth recreational market. Ceres Collaborative group is deeply rooted in the community as Vermont's longest-running dispensary. Now, operating one of the first adult-use dispensaries in Vermont, we are leading the next phase of the state's cannabis industry, bringing our market leading CPG cannabis products to a significantly wider consumer audience through the state's well-recognized Ceres brand."

SLANG has been serving the Vermont market for over 6 years by offering its industry-leading, O.pen cannabis vaporizer through the state's medical program under its longstanding partnership with CeresMED. The Company expanded its presence in Vermont's medical cannabis market in June 2021 through its acquisition of High Fidelity Inc. (Hi-Fi), Vermont's largest medical cannabis company which operates the Ceres Collaborative cannabis group. Through the acquisition, SLANG gained a vertically integrated operational footprint in Vermont, which included CeresMED's existing medical dispensaries and a 28,000-square-foot cultivation and production lab, and retail distribution facility, along with two medical cannabis licenses. SLANG has consolidated CeresMED's three currently operating medical dispensaries under its brand portfolio and has added two new greenhouses that will produce up to 1,500 cannabis plants a year.

"CeresMED has been a proud and active member within the Vermont community since 2012," said Russ Todia, Chief Operating Officer at CeresMED. "Through SLANG's industry leading position and Ceres Collaborative's extensive operational network, we look forward to working in conjunction with local growers and producers and alongside respected national brands, to create a unique, Vermont-forward cannabis experience in our downtown Burlington dispensary. Through education and empowerment of the community, CeresMED was instrumental and hands-on in helping to cultivate the cannabis industry within Vermont for the last 10 years. Now, we are eager to extend this into the adult-use program, and to welcome cannabis consumers of all levels into our stores throughout the state."

Ceres Collaborative has been a long-time advocate for adult-use cannabis retail sales in Vermont, and through CeresMED's deep roots in the state's medical program. Ceres Collaborative positions itself to continue its mission of educating the public, the healthcare community, local regulatory bodies and state officials on the medical and economic benefits of cannabis. Due to work with the Vermont Cannabis Trades Association (VCTA), where CeresMED represented experienced cannabis operators on subcommittees of the Cannabis Control Board, CeresMED helped stimulate discussions about how to implement a public safety-focused and inclusive adult-use market.

About Ceres Collaborative Inc.

Ceres Collaborative has achieved a number of distinctions in its ten-plus years of operations-including its title as Vermont's oldest cannabis operator and the first vertically-integrated business unit of SLANG Worldwide. With an emphasis on community, true to its name, Ceres Collaborative has partnered with local growers and producers to curate a Vermont-forward product selection. As Ceres has grown, so have its regional partnerships, from advocacy groups and tourism boards to health care providers. The company has also expanded into outdoor cultivation and established a full on-site commercial kitchen headed by a classically trained chef. Ceres is a unique model for how cannabis operators can grow cooperatively while staying true to their values-in this case, to provide robust support for local agriculture, create quality local jobs, and set the tone for patient satisfaction. Learn more: www.ceresvt.com.

About SLANG Worldwide Inc.

SLANG Worldwide Inc. is the industry leader in branded cannabis consumer packaged goods, with a diversified portfolio of five distinct brands and products distributed across the U.S. Operating in 15 legal cannabis markets nationwide, SLANG specializes in acquiring and developing market-proven regional brands, as well as launching innovative new brands to seize global market opportunities and match evolving consumer tastes. The Company has over a decade of experience operating in the nascent and highly regulated cannabis sector, and its partners enjoy the benefits of that experience, with access to the SLANG playbook for successful operations, sales and marketing. Its strong product pipeline from uniquely positioned and scalable brands like O.pen, Alchemy Naturals, CeresMED, Firefly, District Edibles and partnerships with brands like Greenhouse Seed Company have a proven track record of success with the brands consistently ranking among the top performers in the states where SLANG operates. Learn more at slangww.com.

To be added to SLANG's email distribution list, please email [email protected] with "SLNG" in the subject.

Company Contact

Mikel Rutherford, CFO

833-752-6499

Media and Investor Inquiries

[email protected]

KCSA Strategic Communications

Phil Carlson

[email protected]

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/138820
Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - September 29, 2022) - The Good Flour Corp. (CSE: GFCO) (OTCQB: GFCOF) (FSE: 3KZ) ("GFCO") is pleased to announce that it has signed on with Harvest Sherwood Food Distributors ("Harvest") for wholesale distribution of its exciting line of superfood packed alt-wheat flours into the United States. The distribution arrangement significantly expands GFCO's reach in the United States and will enable us to reach the estimated 25% of Americans who are exploring a better-for-you, gluten-free lifestyle. The consumption of allergens, including gluten, have been linked to all manner of health issues from skin issues such as psoriasis and eczema to migraines, inflammation, arthritis, and unexplained fatigue. However, consumers are waking up and choosing products with fewer additives and allergens and retailers are taking notice.

The following Good Flour Co. products will be available at Harvest by Oct 31st, 2022: all-purpose flour, fried chicken batter, fish & chip batter, pizza & pasta mix, tempura batter, pancake and waffle blend and vanilla bean cake mix.

"The addition of Harvest as a distribution partner is key to GFCO's growth and expansion plans at retail in the United States market. Harvest has 10 Distribution Centers and is supported by 12 sales offices across the United States. They service over 6,000 customers in the retail, foodservice, distribution, manufacturing, and further processing segments. It's an honor to work alongside this group who has been building their leading distribution business for nearly thirty-three years," stated Matthew Clayton, CEO of GFCO.

About Harvest

Founded in 1989 as Harvest Meat Company with offices and distribution centers in Phoenix and San Diego, the vision of Frank Leavy along with sons Jay, Kevin and Dennis was born. The strategy was simple: provide independent food companies that did not have the scale to be self-distributors, the opportunity for access to national and regional brands/products that included the all-important protein categories of beef, pork, poultry and seafood. While independent food distribution was not new, Harvest Founders launched a strategy that was developed to provide a better way for customers to acquire product. Simply put, the strategy focus was to provide a wide selection of protein items that included solutions to fit any demographic with the brands and products that they demanded. Coupled with high fill rates and on time delivery, access to a wide selection of brands and products was right on target and immediately embraced by customers in Phoenix and San Diego.

In March 2017, Harvest Food Distributors merged with Sherwood Food Distributors, a family-run business based in Detroit, to form an unprecedented national partnership. With coverage from coast-to-coast, Harvest Sherwood Food Distributors can now better serve protein and perishable food producers, and independent retail and foodservice customers.

The 800 strong Harvest Family is very proud of the company's 10 Distribution Centers supported by 12 sales offices across the United States servicing over 6,000 customers in the retail, foodservice, distribution, manufacturing and further processing segments.

About The Good Flour Corp.

GFCO's mission is to provide a gluten-free, allergen free, hassle-free all-purpose baking flour blend that allows individuals with gluten and other food allergies to enjoy life without giving up their favorite foods or settling for low-quality alternatives. GFCO also provides gluten and allergen free fried chicken batter, fish & chip batter, pizza & pasta mix, tempura batter, pancake and waffle blend, cake mix and pizza crusts.

For additional information on The Good Flour Corp. please refer to www.goodflour.co.

Company Contact

[email protected]

604-423-4400

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information

This news release contains "forward-looking information" concerning anticipated developments and events related to GFCO that may occur in the future. Forward-looking information contained in this news release includes, but is not limited to, statements with respect to demand for GFCO's products, timeline for availability of GFCO's products, benefits of the distribution arrangement with Harvest and GFCO's future sales and business objectives.

In certain cases, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of words such as "expects", "intends", "anticipates" or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "would", or "might" suggesting future outcomes, or other expectations, assumptions, intentions or statements about future events or performance. Forward-looking information contained in this news release is based on certain factors and assumptions regarding, among other things, the timely receipt of regulatory approvals; the ability to source ingredients; the ability to attract qualified management and staff; the ability to effectively expand manufacturing and production capacity; the success of market initiatives and the ability to grow brand awareness; the ability to distribute Company's products; the ability to attract, maintain and expand relationships with key strategic restaurant and food service partners and GFCO will continue to have access to financing until it achieves profitability. While GFCO considers these assumptions to be reasonable, they may be incorrect.

Forward-looking information involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results to be materially different from any future results expressed by the forward-looking information. Such factors include risks related to general business, economic and social uncertainties; local and global market and economic uncertainties arising in respect of the COVID-19 pandemic; risks associated with supply chain for machinery and equipment; litigation, availability of key product ingredients; legislative, environmental and other judicial, regulatory, political and competitive developments; failure to effectively expand production capacity; the ability to obtain retail partners to distribute Company's products; failure to attract, maintain and expand relationships with key restaurant and food service partners; changing consumer taste preferences; delay or failure to receive regulatory approvals; the sufficiency of our cash to meet liquidity needs; failure to attract qualified management and staff, labour disputes; and the additional risks identified in the "Risk Factors" section of GFCO's filings with applicable Canadian securities regulators.

Although GFCO has attempted to identify factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated. Readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. The forward-looking information is made as of the date of this news release. Except as required by applicable securities laws, GFCO does not undertake any obligation to publicly update forward-looking information.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/138697
FILE PHOTO: U.S. President Joe Biden delivers remarks on the Americans with Disabilities Act and "Disability Pride Month," in the Rose Garden at the White House in Washington, U.S., September 28, 2022. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque/File Photo

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -President Joe Biden pledged on Thursday the United States will never recognize Russia's claims on Ukraine's sovereign territory as the United States prepared new sanctions to impose once Moscow annexes new areas of Ukraine.

Speaking to Pacific island leaders, Biden denounced referendums that pro-Russian forces conducted in areas of Ukraine as an "absolute sham," saying the results were "manufactured in Moscow."

The United States is working with allies on sanctions to impose once Russia annexes new areas of Ukraine. Russian President Vladimir Putin will begin annexing four Ukrainian regions to Russia on Friday, and the U.S. response is expected to follow quickly.

The United States, I want to be very clear about this, United States will never, never, never recognize Russia's claims on Ukraine sovereign territory," Biden said.

The sanctions are expected to target "individuals and entities inside and outside Russia that provide support to this action," the White House said on Wednesday.

Russia's assault on Ukraine in pursuit of imperial ambitions is a flagrant, flagrant violation of the UN Charter, and the basic principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity," said Biden.

(Reporting by Jarrett Renshaw, Steve Holland and Nandita Bose; Editing by Leslie Adler and Toby Chopra)
Superior Washer & Gasket Corp. will be attending this years International Fastener Expo at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas and looks forward to connecting with peers, industry leaders, and current and future customers as a recognizable name in washer and shim manufacturing.



For over 40 years, the International Fastener Expo has been an essential gathering for manufacturers and master distributors of structural and equipment components and hardware. Thousands of professionals from dozens of countries will come together at Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas to showcase and discover whats happening in the world of industrial fasteners.



To learn more about flat washers that are vital to fastener assemblies and industrial applications, visit: https://www.superiorwasher.com/washers/56/Flat.html



At this years expo, to be held from October 17th through the 19th, one of the U.S.s leading washer, shim, and small stamping manufacturers will be among the shows exhibitors. Superior Washer & Gasket Corp. is looking forward to connecting with peers, industry innovators, and current and future customers at booth 1222. The company has emphasized that its presence is a part of maintaining and boosting its recognition as a top choice in its market.



As a longtime provider of flat washers and other standard and specialty spacing components, Superior Washer will be a recognizable attendee at the industry-exclusive event, which has been described as a must exhibit experience. Superior Washer CEO, Allan Lippolis; Vice President of Sales, Steven Lippolis; Corporate Sales Director Luann Racca; and Senior Sales Representative Peter Anderson will be in attendance.



In addition to hosting key companies and players in the world of fastening hardware, the expo will feature multiple panels and discussions on significant topics, including the manufacture, distribution, and factors affecting the cost of fasteners, answering the needs of industries like aerospace, and the impact of technologies like 3D printing. This years notable presenters and hosts will include Laurence Claus of NNI Training and Consulting, Inc.; UnleashWD founder, Dirk Beveridge; Bloomreachs Jason Hein; Wurth Additive Groups AJ Strandquist; as well as Lonni Kieffer, Brandi Bertoia, and Brad Burel of SmartCert by Aramid.



For Superior Washer & Gasket, attending the expo is part of its ongoing mission to remain an informed, trustworthy, and capable provider of all types of washers. As Steven Lippolis has expressed, Superior Washer & Gasket Corp. is eager to finally connect in person with all of our customers once again. We believe personal interactions solidify our relationships with our customers.



About Us: Superior Washer & Gasket Corp. is a proud U.S. manufacturer that serves the needs of all types of industries. It manufactures and maintains an impressively vast and diverse inventory of washers, shims, spacers, and other small stampings that meet with all standard, specialty, and custom requirements.

Contact Info:

Name: Steven Lippolis

Email: Send Email

Organization: Superior Washer & Gasket Corp.

Address: 170 Adams Avenue, Hauppauge, NY 11788

Phone: 631-273-8282

Website: https://www.superiorwasher.com



Release ID: 89082384

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Paid press release content from The Financial Capital. The StreetInsider.com news staff was not involved in its creation.

Australian flower brand LVLY chooses Malaysia for their first international expansion



LVLY, a sustainable flower delivery brand, launches in Malaysia, marking its first international expansion. Exploring this second market after Australia, LVLY aims to re-invent the flower industry through their commitment to zero waste.

Known for its iconic flower jars and Someone Thinks Youre Awesome boxes, LVLY was acquired by Southeast Asias Limitless Technology Group in May 2022. Together, the combined entities will form one of APACs leading online flower retailers. LVLY saw significant growth over the past two years in Australia with their market-leading 7 day, same-day delivery proposition, putting them among the trailblazers within the e-commerce and logistics space.

As a brand, LVLY holds sustainability close to its core. Understanding the importance of being sustainable and mindful within the industry, LVLY predominantly sources all materials that are used to prepare these gift boxes locally to reduce their carbon footprint while supporting local businesses.

LVLY is steadfast in their commitment to increase the resilience of local communities which is in line with the Malaysian governments initiatives and making an impact within the industry. This propels the brand to the forefront of the line of companies that are shifting their products and services to be environmentally and socially conscious.

Our vision to firmly establish LVLY as APACs most loved and most used flower and gift delivery company is now on the fast track through its recent integration into the Limitless Technology Group. We are excited to bring our values especially on sustainability to the Malaysian market, said LVLY CEO David Robinson.

Setting itself apart, the brands Thoughtful Marketing approach aims to change the culture surrounding its brand communications as well as improve the brand experience for customers across this flourishing industry. Understanding that there is a responsibility to respect and protect peoples emotional and psychological wellbeing, LVLY puts their customers first by allowing them to opt-out from potentially sensitive marketing messages around big calendar events, such as Mothers or Fathers Day where it may be painful for people to be reminded of the event while mourning the loss of a parent.

We believe in keeping loved ones connected, particularly when people might be struggling to be there for each other. LVLY has never been more relevant or more in demand. Rapid delivery is becoming a customer expectation, not a nice-to-have and thats a trend reflected in online gifting around the world., said LVLY Co-Founder, Hannah Spilva.

LVLY is determined to make positive emotional connections for both their customers and those they reach out to. The isolation and social restrictions associated with the COVID-19 pandemic hit people especially hard and LVLY is doing their part in ensuring that people dont feel that same sense of isolation when using their service.

We want to be a household name when it comes to sending gifts to your loved ones, a brand that cares about people and the environment. We believe this unique set of values that we bring will set us apart allowing LVLY to accelerate market share opportunities in Malaysia. This is just the beginning for us, said Limitless CEO, Maximillian Lotz

About Us: About LVLY LVLY (pronounced lovely) was founded in 2015 by Hannah Spilva and Verity Tuck. What started as a desire to build a business that would spread more joy in the world quickly grew into a fast growth e-commerce brand that has disrupted the flower industry in Australia. Their market leading 7-day, same-day delivery service and playful branding has helped firmly establish LVLY as a customer favorite in the flower and gifting category. LVLY has recently been ranked in the AFR Fast 100, Deloitte Tech Fast 50 and Inside Retail 20 Coolest Retailers. For more information, visit lvly.my. About Limitless Technology Limitless Technology has a growing portfolio of purpose-led direct-to-consumer brands across categories including flowers & gifting (flowerchimp.com, bloomeroo.com.au), confectionery (cakerush.my) and fashion (themodestbrand.co). The business is underpinned by a vertically integrated operating model with market leading same-day logistics, in-house marketing capabilities and a proprietary tech platform. For more information visit https://limitless.my/.

Contact Info:

Name: Amol Kale

Email: Send Email

Organization: Limitless Technology Sdn Bhd

Address: Unit 19-1, Premier Suite, Menara 1 Mont Kiara, 1 Jalan Kiara,

Phone: 0172995240

Website: https://www.lvly.my



Release ID: 89082406

If you detect any issues, problems, or errors in this press release content, kindly contact [email protected] to notify us. We will respond and rectify the situation in the next 8 hours.
Paid press release content from The Financial Capital. The StreetInsider.com news staff was not involved in its creation.

Expect exciting and pioneering routes from the luxury train tour operator as the world continues to emerge from the pandemic.



The Luxury Train Travel Company will expand its operations, rolling out new Southern Africa tours and India. The company will also increase its range of East European trips.

As we move through 2022, we will continue to expand what we offer in Southern Africa and Europe. There are some really exciting and pioneering new routes we now offer including Angola to Dar es Salaam on the wonderful Rovos Rail trains Christian Stanley, the founder of The Luxury Train Travel Company shared.

Increase In Demand For Luxury Train Holidays

The Luxury Train Travel Companys new tours are in response to an expected increase in demand for longer duration luxury train holidays, as people are now being allowed to go out of their homes and more destinations are starting to reopen to tourists. The company reminds clients the importance to book for a trip as far in advance as possible, as pent-up demand continues to fill luxury train cabins.

In particular, the Venice to Istanbul trip on the Danube Express is proving to be very popular. Rightly so as it links two of the great cities of Europe and the Orient, Christian Stanley remarked.

Aside from visiting Venice and Istanbul, the trip covers a lot of ground in between to places that would ordinarily not be visited, apart from the usual views of the elegant by-gone era, you would be able to go into exclusive excursions. The 11-night/12-day trip starts on Venice, passing by Trieste, Lake Bled, Lljubljana, Zagreb, Sarajevo, Mostar, Belgrade, Skopje, Thessaloniki, Sofia and Plovdiv, before ending in Istanbul.

European tours continue to be the centre of the Luxury Train world, with its extensive rail network linking globally known cities and scenic spots. The Luxury Train Travel Company also has long experience offering luxury train tours, particularly in the more challenging parts of the world such as Central Asia.

Expect More Improvements from The Luxury Train Travel Company

The Luxury Train Travel Company takes great pride in the services it offers its clients, while remaining an independent, family-owned business. We never stop trying to improve our services, Christian Stanley added.

As we emerge from the pandemic and its almost blanket disruption of travel keeping up with the changes to trips, additional dates to cope with demand, some trips being changed and many in demand trips being sold out long in advance has been a challenge. Our partners have responded to this admirably, allowing us to chart a course through these changes, Christian Stanley said.

For more information, visit https://theluxurytraintravelcompany.com/

The Luxury Train Travel Company

9 Bonhill St, London EC2A 4PE United Kingdom

020 8191 0620



Contact Info:

Name: Christian Stanley

Email: Send Email

Organization: The Luxury Train Travel Company

Address: 9 Bonhill St, London EC2A 4PE United Kingdom

Phone: 020 8191 0620

Website: https://theluxurytraintravelcompany.com/



Release ID: 89082336

If you detect any issues, problems, or errors in this press release content, kindly contact [email protected] to notify us. We will respond and rectify the situation in the next 8 hours.
STAMFORD, Conn., Sept. 28, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Aircastle Limited ("Aircastle") announced today that on October 12, 2022, it plans to release its second quarter financial results for the period ended August 31, 2022.

In connection with this press release, management will host a conference call on Wednesday, October 12, 2022, at 9:00 A.M. Eastern Time. All interested parties are welcome to participate on the live call. The conference call can be accessed by dialing (866) 697-3501 (from within the U.S. and Canada) or (786) 697-3963 (outside the U.S. and Canada) ten minutes prior to the scheduled start and referencing the passcode "Aircastle".

A simultaneous webcast of the conference call will be available to the public on a listen-only basis at www.aircastle.com. Please allow extra time prior to the call to visit the site and download the necessary software required to listen to the internet broadcast.

For those who are not available to listen to the live call, a replay will be available until 12:00 P.M. Eastern Time on Saturday, November 12, 2022, by dialing (866) 697-3501 (from within the U.S. and Canada); please use passcode 1448014 followed by #.

To access the replay outside the U.S. or Canada, please use the following, using passcode 1448014 followed by #: (UK: 0800-633-8453); (Ireland: 1 800-625-161); Singapore (800-441-1300); Japan (0053-1780199). Additional replay dial-in numbers for other locations are available here.

About Aircastle Limited

Aircastle Limited acquires, leases, and sells commercial jet aircraft to airlines throughout the world. As of May 31, 2022, Aircastle owned and managed on behalf of its joint ventures 250 aircraft leased to 74 customers located in 44 countries.

Contact:

Aircastle Advisor LLC Jim Connelly, SVP ESG & Corporate CommunicationsTel: +1-203-504-1871[email protected]

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SOURCE Aircastle Limited
BERWYN, Pa., Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- (NYSE: ANVS) Annovis Bio ("Annovis" or the "Company"), a clinical-stage drug platform company addressing neurodegenerative diseases, announced today that it will present at the Ladenburg Thalmann 2022 Healthcare Conference on Thursday, September 29, 2022, in New York City.

Presentation Details

Presentation time: 12:30 p.m. to 12:55 p.m. Eastern TimeDate: September 29, 2022 Location: Sofitel Hotel, 45 West 44th Street, New York (Track 2)

Investors interested in arranging a one-on-one meeting at the conference should contact their Ladenburg Thalmann representative.

About Buntanetap

Buntanetap (previously known as ANVS401 or Posiphen) is an oral translational inhibitor of neurotoxic aggregating proteins (TINAPs), which mode of action leads to a lower level of neurotoxic proteins and consequently less toxicity in the brain. In a Phase 2a clinical trial in AD and PD patients, buntanetap was shown to be well-tolerated and safe, and its pharmacokinetics were found to be in line with levels measured earlier in humans, meeting both the primary and secondary endpoints. Additionally, exploratory endpoints were also met, as treatment with buntanetap resulted in statistically significant improvement in motor function in PD patients and cognition in AD patients. Presently buntanetap is being studied in a phase 3 early PD study and will enter a phase 2/3 study in AD patients later in the year.

About Annovis Bio, Inc.

Headquartered in Berwyn, Pennsylvania, Annovis Bio, Inc. is a clinical-stage, drug platform company developing transformative therapies that treat neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD) and other chronic and acute neurodegenerative diseases. The Company believes that it is the only company developing a drug that inhibits more than one neurotoxic protein, improves the information highway of the nerve cell, known as axonal transport, reduces inflammation and protects nerve cells from dying in chronic and acute neurodegeneration. Annovis conducted two Phase 2 studies: one in AD patients and one in both AD and PD patients. In the AD/PD study, buntanetap showed improvements in cognition and memory in AD as well as body and brain function in PD patients.

For more information on Annovis Bio, please visit the Company's website www.annovisbio.com and follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Forward-Looking Statements

Statements in this press release contain "forward-looking statements" that are subject to substantial risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements contained in this press release may be identified by the use of words such as "anticipate," "expect," "believe," "will," "may," "should," "estimate," "project," "outlook," "forecast" or other similar words, and include, without limitation, statements regarding the timing, effectiveness, and anticipated results of buntanetap clinical trials. Forward-looking statements are based on Annovis Bio, Inc.'s current expectations and are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks and assumptions that are difficult to predict. Further, certain forward-looking statements are based on assumptions as to future events that may not prove to be accurate. These and other risks and uncertainties are described more fully in the section titled "Risk Factors" in the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Forward-looking statements contained in this announcement are made as of this date, and Annovis Bio, Inc. undertakes no duty to update such information except as required under applicable law.

Media and Investor Contact: Nic JohnsonRusso Partners, LLC (303) 482-6405[email protected]

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/annovis-bio-to-present-at-the-2022-ladenburg-thalmann-healthcare-conference-301636420.html

SOURCE Annovis Bio
TORONTO, Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - Ataccama, a leading unified data management platform provider, today announced it will host the Data People Summit on October 20-21, 2022 at the Fairmont Copley Plaza Hotel in Boston, Massachusetts, United States. Ataccama's in-person event will provide business leaders, decision-makers, chief data officers and data experts with the resources, skills, training and expertise needed to overcome today's more pressing data quality, management and governance challenges.

The Data People Summit will feature industry experts and data management leaders sharing practical and actionable insights into leveraging data for better business outcomes. The event will take a deep dive into topics such as self-service data observability, quality, governance and democratization. Sessions will include leaders from Amazon Web Services, the EDM Council, Forrester, Microsoft, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), T-Mobile and Ataccama. The keynote address will be given by Colonel Eileen Collins, NASA's first female Mission Commander as well as Space Shuttle pilot.

WHO: Ataccama ONE unifies Data Governance, Data Quality and Master Data Management into a single, AI-powered fabric across hybrid and cloud environments. The platform enables business and data teams with the ability to innovate with unprecedented speed while maintaining trust, security and governance. WHAT: Ataccama's Data People Summit will provide data leaders with the know-how they need to scale data-driven innovation and accelerate business outcomes. Attendees will receive training on Ataccama tools and data management topics with the EDM Council, as well as be the first to see upcoming features in Ataccama ONE v14, including self-service data observability and data quality on Snowflake. WHEN: October 20 from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. ET October 21 from 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. ET WHERE: The Fairmont Copley Plaza Hotel in Boston, Massachusetts, United States HOW: The Data People Summit will provide a full program of interactive technical, business and training sessions, product demonstrations, industry expertise and networking opportunities.

For more program information and registration details, please visit the Data People Summit website.

About Ataccama

Ataccama reinvents the way data is managed to create value on an enterprise scale. Unifying Data Governance, Data Catalog, Data Quality and Master Data Management into a single, AI-powered fabric across hybrid and cloud environments, Ataccama gives your business and data teams the ability to innovate with unprecedented speed while maintaining trust, security and governance of your data. Learn more at www.ataccama.com.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ataccama-data-people-summit-2022-to-deliver-real-world-insights-and-training-opportunities-to-scale-data-driven-innovation-and-accelerate-business-outcomes-301637187.html

SOURCE Ataccama
As a part of its 150th Anniversary, Bloomingdale's will host PINK Yoga and PINK Parties at select stores across the country on October 8

NEW YORK, Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Bloomingdale's today announced its continued commitment to support breast cancer awareness with its annual Pink Campaign. In partnership with The Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF) and The Tutu Project, the leading retailer will launch Give Pink, Get More, as well as host PINK Yoga and PINK Parties in stores around the US on October 8th.

Over the past 18 years Bloomingdale's has raised over $16 million for breast cancer research through its campaigns and partnerships with leaders within the cause. As a part of its 150th anniversary, Bloomingdale's is hosting in-store events to help in raising awareness and funds for those affected by breast cancer.

"Since 1872 we have been proud to support causes that are important to our customer and our community,'' stated Frank Berman, Executive Vice President, and Chief Marketing Officer, Bloomingdale's. "The Pink Campaign is one that we know our shoppers love to support, and we're so excited to bring Pink Yoga and Pink Parties to stores around the U.S. Through our partnerships with The Breast Cancer Research Foundation and the Tutu Project, we are honored to continue to raise awareness and funds in support of such an important cause."

Bloomingdale's Pink Philanthropic Partners:The Breast Cancer Research Foundation is the largest private funder of breast cancer research  and metastatic breast cancer research  worldwide and is the highest-rated breast cancer organization in the country. Through years of partnership, Bloomingdale's has provided funds to support BCRF's goals in identifying new targets and developing new treatments for those diagnosed with breast cancer.

The Tutu Project, founded by Bob Carey, aims to bring cheer to breast cancer patients every day, through financial and emotional support. The fundraising campaign started with Bob Carey's famous tutu that has been photographed around the world, and featured within his book, TUTU. Most recently, Bob shot his iconic tutu photos throughout Bloomingdale's 59th Street Flagship.

Pink Campaign In-Store and Online:Give Pink, Get MoreHappening in-store and online, now through October 31. Those who enroll will be charged $15 on their Bloomingdale's Credit Card, 100% of which will fund research, support, and awareness for Bloomingdale's Pink partners. From 9/26-10/31, card holders will earn $25 in rewards for every $250 spent using their credit card. Shoppers will then receive a give pink, get more card worth up to $250 in their bWallet in November.

PINK Yoga On Screen EventBloomingdale's will host PINK Yoga, live from the retailer's 59th Street flagship location on October 8th at 9:00 a.m. ET. Those not in attendance will be able to follow along on Bloomingdale's On Screen for a morning flow with Sarrah Strimel  founder of Damn Good Yoga, Co-Founder of A Damn Good Life Breast Cancer Survivor, and former Broadway Showgirl. Following the event, Tutu Project founder, Bob Carey will be hosting a book signing of his book, TUTU.

Stores across the US will also be hosting their own PINK Yoga events in partnership with local yoga studios. Attendees will receive a pink yoga mat and gift bag, as well as a blk Water, which was started by Jaqueline and Louise Wilkie, when researching products and health aids to assist their mother with her breast cancer diagnosis. Participating stores include North Michigan, Roosevelt Field, Short Hills, San Francisco, Sherman Oaks, South Coast Plaza, Fashion Valley, Boca, Tyson, and Bloomie's.

PINK Parties Across the CountryThe party doesn't stop at PINK Yoga. Participating stores across the country will host PINK Parties throughout the afternoon on October 8th with DJ beats, pink themed photo stations, pink aura readers, pink manicures, pink fashion illustrations, and more.

As a part of its anniversary, Bloomingdale's is celebrating 150 years of supporting causes that are important to its customers and its local communities. In addition to the PINK Campaign, Bloomingdale's recently launched b the change, a new platform that will define the next era of social purpose. Through b the change, Bloomingdale's is redefining social good through three pillars: b sustainable, b inclusive, b the future.

Additional information on the Bloomingdale's PINK Campaign can be found at https://www.bloomingdales.com/b/campaign/give-pink-get-more/breast-cancer-awareness/, and information on local PINK Yoga and PINK Party events can be found on Eventbrite in select markets.

About Bloomingdale's Bloomingdale's is America's only nationwide, full-line, upscale department store. A division of Macy's, Inc. (NYSE: M), it currently operates 34 Bloomingdale's stores and 20 Bloomingdale's The Outlet stores, in California, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Virginia, along with 1 Bloomie's location in Virginia. In addition, Bloomingdale's has an international presence with a location in Dubai. Founded in 1872, the iconic retailer is celebrating its 150th anniversary this year. Be sure to follow @bloomingdales on social media, become a Loyallist, and for more information, or to shop any time, visit www.bloomingdales.com

About b the change: As a company with a 150-year legacy, Bloomingdale's launched b the change as an actionable program designed to build a more equitable and sustainable future for its colleagues, customers, and community. Through its three pillars, b sustainable, b inclusive, and b the future, Bloomingdale's will continue to support philanthropic causes through campaigns, grants, fundraisers, volunteer opportunities and more. Partners include The Breast Cancer Research Foundation, Tutu Project, Child Mind Institute, Donors Choose, No Kid Hungry, Thurgood Marshall College Fund, Bloomingdale's x FIT Sustainable Innovation Fund, and more. For more information on b the change, visit https://www.bloomingdales.com/c/b-the-change/

Contact: [email protected]

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SOURCE Bloomingdale's
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 29, ARMENPRESS. On September 28 the units of the Azerbaijani armed forces located in Armenias territory resorted to provocation and launched attacks in the direction of Armenian units who were conducting engineering works in the territory of Armenia, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said at the beginning of todays Cabinet meeting.

Yesterday, the Azerbaijani armed forces made another provocation in the south-eastern section of the Armenia-Azerbaijan border and launched attacks in the direction of our unit that was conducting engineering works. This is another manifestation of the Azerbaijani aggression, moreover, I must note that these engineering works have been conducted in Armenias territory, and the Azerbaijani units, that attacked, were also in the territory of Armenia. This is the continuation of the aggression, the territory of Armenia is occupied. Our position is definite and unequivocal that the Azerbaijani armed forces must withdraw from the territory of Armenia, the PM stated.

He also said that the government has started a large-scale process of armed forces reforms and stated that with such provocations Azerbaijan is just trying to do so that Armenia will not have a chance to carry out its Army reforms.
LOS ANGELES, Sept. 28, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- CHIRLA in partnership with dozens of immigrant rights organizations locally, including CARECEN-LA, Asian Americans Advancing Justice Southern California, and national organizations boosts mobilization efforts to urge Congress for bipartisan support of U.S. Senator Alex Padilla's bill, co-authored by Senator Ben Ray Lujan, Senator Elizabeth Warren and Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin, to update the Immigration Registry.

The groups rallied in Los Angeles at the Edward Roybal Federal Building today to support U.S. Senator Padilla's legislation to expand a pathway to permanent residency for millions of long-term U.S. residents, the bill was introduced today. The Renewing Immigration Provisions of the Immigration Act of 1929 would update the existing Registry statute so that an immigrant may qualify for lawful permanent resident status if they have lived in the U.S. for at least seven years and are of "good moral character."

"We applaud the bold leadership of Senators Padilla, Durbin, Lujan, and Warren to move Congress to update the registry, an existing immigration law that has not been revised in over 35 years. An update of the registry will provide immigrants the ability to access permanent residency," said Angelica Salas, CHIRLA Executive Director. "With DACA on life support, TPS under constant threat and millions still living without legal status for decades, we urge Congress to update the registry now, and to do so with a strong bipartisan vote, as was the case with the last four previous updates since its inception in 1929."

"With the DACA program in jeopardy, my future is uncertain, and I continue to live in fear in the only country that I have known as my home. DACA could be taken away at any moment, and we're not talking about a single document, we're talking about human lives," said Francisco, CHIRLA member and DACA holder. "Instead of dead ends, Congress can establish a permanent pathway through an update to the registry! My family and I have waited for too long, and we urge Congress to provide a solution so that we don't continue living of the promises of others."

Our outdated immigration system has impacted millions of people and has held the American economy hostage, especially as we emerge out of a devastating pandemic. Senator Padilla's bill will update the Registry cutoff date for the first time in more than 35 years and will allow immigrants to apply for legal permanent residency. This revision will impact up to 8 million immigrants, many of whom have been living, working, and contributing to the United States for decades, putting them on a path to citizenship. For far too long, immigrants who consistently and continually contribute to our communities and our economy have been kept in the shadows in legal limbo. Updating this historically-bipartisan provision would contribute approximately $83 billion to the U.S. economy annually and $27 billion in taxes, according to FWD.us.

Click here to read a copy of the bill.

Media Contact: Hilda DelgadoPhone: (213) 700-3142 E-mail: [email protected]Organization website: www.chirla.org

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SOURCE CHIRLA
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Kutak Rock is pleased to announce that Philip Overcash, a seasoned litigator with more than 20 years of complex commercial and real estate litigation experience, has rejoined its commercial litigation practice group in the firm's Scottsdale, AZ office.

"Philip is an accomplished and highly regarded attorney known for his creative approach to litigation strategy," said Paul Gerding, Jr., Regional Co-Chair of the Litigation Department in Scottsdale. "His substantial trial experience deepens our litigation bench as we continue to rapidly expand our commercial litigation practice in Scottsdale to meet growing client demand. We are pleased to welcome Philip back to Kutak Rock."

Mr. Overcash focuses his practice on complex civil, commercial and real estate litigation. He has successfully represented a wide array of clients in legal disputes involving contracts, real estate, construction defects, insurance coverage and bad faith, employment law, trademarks and trade secrets, and appeals.

"I am very excited to return to Kutak Rock, where I spent over 11 years as a partner in the Scottsdale office," said Mr. Overcash. "I look forward to again working alongside my colleagues in Scottsdale and across the country to continue to position our clients for success. It's great to be back!"

Mr. Overcash received a J.D. from the University of North Carolina School of Law in Chapel Hill and a B.A. from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. He is admitted to practice in Arizona and Oregon, in addition to the U.S. District Court for the Districts of Arizona and Oregon and the United States District Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.

About Kutak Rock LLP

With a footprint spanning 19 offices in 14 states and the District of Columbia, Kutak Rock's 550+ attorneys work seamlessly to provide clients excellent, responsive legal services. The firm's multidisciplinary practice comprises more than 25 areas of focus and dozens of discrete specialties. For more information, see www.KutakRock.com.

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SOURCE Kutak Rock LLP
Leading brands ready to showcase upcoming innovation and top sellers

CHICAGO, Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Conagra Brands, Inc. (NYSE: CAG), one of North America's leading branded food companies, returns to the National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS) Expo with a dynamic collection of snacks from several iconic and emerging brands. Conagra's $2.9 billion1 snacking portfolio, one of the largest and fastest growing in the food industry, has a solution for nearly every snacking occasion. The 2022 NACS Expo, the convenience store industry's biggest annual gathering, is in Las Vegas from October 2-4.

CAG), one of North America's leading branded food companies, returns to the National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS) Expo with a dynamic collection of snacks from several iconic and emerging brands. Conagra's DAVID Seeds, Americas #1 seed brand, is partnering with Franks RedHot, Americas #1 selling hot sauce. DAVID Franks RedHot Jumbo sunflower seeds will arrive in stores in early 2023." alt="Conagra Brands, Inc. (NYSE: CAG), one of North America's leading branded food companies, returns to the National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS) Expo with a dynamic collection of snacks from several iconic and emerging brands. Conagra's DAVID Seeds, Americas #1 seed brand, is partnering with Franks RedHot, Americas #1 selling hot sauce. DAVID Franks RedHot Jumbo sunflower seeds will arrive in stores in early 2023." />

"The impressive breadth of our snacking line-up truly comes to life at the NACS Expo," said Lucy Brady, President of Grocery & Snacks for Conagra Brands. "Consumers enter C-stores looking for quick, satisfying solutions, and we know our collection of snacks will grab their attention and leave them happy."

Demand for snacks continues to rise, with the average consumer snacking 700 times per year  up 30 occasions annually from five years ago.2 To meet those needs, Conagra offers category leaders in meat snacks, seeds, warehouse-delivered salty snacks and popcorn, pudding and gels, and more. An exciting collection of licensing partners across the portfolio further enhances Conagra's newest offerings.

The Conagra Brands booth models the convenience store environment, allowing customers to see how Conagra's portfolio can be displayed in their stores. Among the brands and products on display at the NACS Expo are:

Slim Jim: With spicy attitude and flavor, Slim Jim, America's #1 meat stick3, continues to deliver a meaty punch that knocks out hunger. The biggest wallop comes from the Savage stick, 3 oz. meat sticks available in Original, Mild and Spicy. With more than $45 million in annual sales, Savage is the #1 innovation in all of meat snacks over the last three years.4

Slim Jim never takes hunger lying down, but the Slim Jim Monster Short Boi, offers retailers a new way to shelve Slim Jim horizontally for maximum sales opportunities. Leveraging Slim Jim's position as the No. 1 impulse purchase meat snack brand5, the Monster Short Boi is a .97 oz. meat stick that is compact enough to be shelved on front-end and checkout lane candy racks. Slim Jim fans can also enjoy the classic combo of meat and cheese with the Slim Jim Original 'N Cheese Big Boss, which delivers 13g of protein per pack.

For those seeking an elevated meat snacks experience, Conagra's portfolio also includes Duke's, America's #1 premium meat snack6, with the brand's signature offering, the Original Recipe Smoked Shorty Sausages.

Pickled sausage fans know that Big Mama pickled sausage, the #1 pickled meat snack7, offers crave-worthy pickled taste and an unbeatable value with the best price per ounce in all of meat snacks.8

DAVID and BiGS Sunflower Seeds: Flavored sunflower seeds are driving growth within the category, with sales growing six times faster than Original.9 DAVID Seeds, America's #1 seed brand10, is partnering with another category leader, Frank's RedHot, America's #1 selling hot sauce11. DAVID Frank's RedHot Jumbo sunflower seeds will arrive in stores in January 2023, but visitors to NACS can get a first taste of the hottest new offering in sunflower seeds.

Co-branded flavors with licensed partners continue to outpace overall category growth, with sales up 36% from year ago. Leading the way is BiGS Seeds, America's #1 flavored seed brand.12 BiGS collection includes BiGS Vlasic Dill Pickle sunflower seeds, the #1 selling flavored sunflower seed13; BiGS Takis Fuego sunflower seeds, last year's #1 innovation in sunflower seeds14; and BiGS newest flavor, BiGS Little Caesars ExtraMostBestest Pepperoni Pizza sunflower seeds.

Angie's BOOMCHICKAPOP and ACT II: Angie's BOOMCHICKAPOP popcorn continues to fuel category growth with its consumer-loved Sweet & Salty Kettle Corn made with "Real Simple Ingredients. Nothing Fake." A variety of sizes make BOOMCHICKAPOP perfect for a quick snack on-the-go or a treat to share with friends.

ACT II, the top-selling value brand of microwave popcorn15, offers a ready-to-eat version of the flavor popcorn lovers crave most: Butter! Available in 1.7 oz. bags, ACT II Butter Lovers ready-to-eat popcorn is a delicious snack that can be enjoyed anywhere.

Andy Capp's: The Andy Capp's salty snacks portfolio continues to be on fire, with sales in the convenience store channel up more than +50% over the last two years16. This leader in value salty snacks17 offers the legendary tastes of Andy Capp's Hot Fries and Cheddar Fries, complimented by Andy Capp's Beer Battered Onion Rings, available in 2 oz. bags of Original and Hot.

Snack Pack: Co-branded partnerships highlight the newest offerings from Snack Pack, with the brand previewing four exciting new puddings and gels. Snack Pack Cinnabon evokes a delicious, craveable experience featuring two indulgent layers inspired by the iconic Cinnabon cinnamon roll flavors you know and love. New Snack Pack Fruity PEBBLES pudding will bring the "Yabba Dabba Doo" to snack time with fun, vibrant colors that replicate the iconic cereal. And new Snack Pack STARBURST All Pink Juicy Gels are bursting with strawberry flavor.

Snack Pack's new Ice Cream Sandwich pudding offers the taste of a classic ice cream treat. Made with premium imported cocoa, Snack Pack's rich and creamy recipe includes vanilla ice cream flavored pudding sandwiched between layers of rich chocolate cookie flavored pudding.

In addition to new products, Conagra Brands is also showcasing their collection of merchandising vehicles which enable optimal assortment, better placement, and improved product visibility to maximize impulse purchase. With solutions for in-aisle, end cap displays and counter tops, Conagra Brands offers resources to help each customer find a customized solution.

For more information on Conagra Brands, including innovation from the company's roster of nearly 100 brands, visit conagrabrands.com.

1, 3-7, 9-17: Source: Source: IRI, Total US  Conv L52 WE 8/28/20222: NPD Group, year ending March 2022 vs 5YA8: Based on weighted average price per unit among Competitors with >$10MM annual convenience sales, IRI, Total US  Conv L52 WE 5/29/22

Frank's RedHot, a McCormick & Co., Inc. brand, is a registered trademark of the French's Food Company, LLC.

Takis and Fuego are registered trademarks owned by Grupo Bimbo S.A.B. DE C.V. used with permission  2020 Grupo Bimbo, S.A.B. DE C.V.

Little Caesars is a registered trademark of LC Trademarks, Inc. 2022 Little Caesar Enterprises, Inc.

Andy Capp is a trademark of MGN Limited. 2005

CINNABON and the Cinnabon logo are registered trademarks of Cinnabon Franchisor SPV LLC. 2022

Fruity PEBBLES CEREAL is a trademark of Post Consumer Brands, LLC. THE FLINTSTONES and all related characters and elements  &  Hanna-Barbera. (s22)

STARBURST and ALL PINK are trademarks of MARS or Affiliates used under license

About Conagra Brands

Conagra Brands, Inc. (NYSE: CAG), headquartered in Chicago, is one of North America's leading branded food companies. Guided by an entrepreneurial spirit, Conagra Brands combines a rich heritage of making great food with a sharpened focus on innovation. The company's portfolio is evolving to satisfy people's changing food preferences. Conagra's iconic brands, such as Birds Eye, Duncan Hines, Healthy Choice, Marie Callender's, Reddi-wip, and Slim Jim, as well as emerging brands, including Angie's BOOMCHICKAPOP, Duke's, Earth Balance, Gardein, and Frontera, offer choices for every occasion. For more information, visit www.conagrabrands.com.

For all media inquiries, please contact: Dan SkinnerConagra Brands(312) 549 -5636 [email protected]

CAG), one of North America's leading branded food companies, returns to the National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS) Expo with a dynamic collection of snacks from several iconic and emerging brands. Arriving in stores in early 2023, Snack Pack Cinnabon evokes a delicious, craveable experience featuring two indulgent layers inspired by the iconic Cinnabon cinnamon roll flavors you know and love." alt="Conagra Brands, Inc. (NYSE: CAG), one of North America's leading branded food companies, returns to the National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS) Expo with a dynamic collection of snacks from several iconic and emerging brands. Arriving in stores in early 2023, Snack Pack Cinnabon evokes a delicious, craveable experience featuring two indulgent layers inspired by the iconic Cinnabon cinnamon roll flavors you know and love." /> CAG), one of North America's leading branded food companies, returns to the National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS) Expo with a dynamic collection of snacks from several iconic and emerging brands. Arriving in stores in early 2023, Snack Pack STARBURST All Pink Juicy Gels are bursting with strawberry flavor." alt="Conagra Brands, Inc. (NYSE: CAG), one of North America's leading branded food companies, returns to the National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS) Expo with a dynamic collection of snacks from several iconic and emerging brands. Arriving in stores in early 2023, Snack Pack STARBURST All Pink Juicy Gels are bursting with strawberry flavor." /> CAG), one of North America's leading branded food companies, returns to the National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS) Expo with a dynamic collection of snacks from several iconic and emerging brands. Arriving in stores in early 2023, new Snack Pack Fruity PEBBLES pudding will bring the Yabba Dabba Doo to snack time with fun, vibrant colors that replicate the iconic cereal." alt="Conagra Brands, Inc. (NYSE: CAG), one of North America's leading branded food companies, returns to the National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS) Expo with a dynamic collection of snacks from several iconic and emerging brands. Arriving in stores in early 2023, new Snack Pack Fruity PEBBLES pudding will bring the Yabba Dabba Doo to snack time with fun, vibrant colors that replicate the iconic cereal." />

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SOURCE Conagra Brands, Inc.
New hires and promotions drive inclusivity and innovation at Datassential

CHICAGO, Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Datassential, the leading food and beverage insights platform connecting the dots between consumers and the food industry, today announced the expansion of its leadership team to support the company's rapid growth.

Kanupriya Chaudhary and Lidia Yip join the company as Chief People Officer and Chief of Staff, respectively. Molly Josh now acts as Chief Financial Officer, continuing her rise within the company after joining in 2019 and previously serving as VP and Senior Controller.

"Our team is incredibly fortunate to have these three impressive women guiding key functions within our business," said Jim Emling, CEO of Datassential. "The expansion of our leadership team adds the critical experience and deep understanding needed to ensure Datassential achieves its ambitious goals for growth, inclusivity, and innovation and carves out an even stronger market position in the coming years."

Chief People Officer, Kanupriya ChaudharyChaudhary will be responsible for creating and driving the people strategy at Datassential, ensuring it has the people capability and HR processes to best support the company's growth trajectory. Her goal will be to attract and retain the diverse talent needed to make Datassential an inclusive, innovative, and exciting place to work.

Chaudhary brings two decades of HR leadership experience, has supported companies through M&A integrations, and established DEI frameworks. Her experience includes leadership roles at Neon One, Elements Global Services, and Dr. Reddy's. Chaudhary earned her MBA from the Management Development Institute, India.

"The Datassential team brings their authentic selves to work every day, helping each other succeed through kindness and teamwork. My goal is to work with this high-performing team and unlock our people opportunities with empathy, above all else," said Chaudhary.

Chief of Staff, Lidia YipYip will be driving strategic planning, internal and board communications, and cross-functional projects, including GTM strategy and M&A. Her focus will be to drive continued, sustainable growth for Datassential. Previously, she held managerial roles at McDonald's, Bain & Co., and Deloitte. Yip graduated from DePaul University and earned her MBA at University of Chicago's Booth School of Business.

"As a food nerd, my new role with Datassential is the perfect blend of my love for data and food. I've been blown away by this team's commitment to being a true partner with our customers and look forward to helping drive even more growth," said Yip.

Chief Financial Officer, Molly JoshJosh will be leading the finance team, scaling to meet changing demands as Datassential's business grows. She will be working to maintain an agile financial and operational reporting environment to respond to both internal and external stakeholders, as well as maintaining a high caliber of financial reporting to ensure accurate financials drive effective internal decision-making.

Josh joined Datassential in 2019 as Controller and was promoted to VP of Finance and Senior Controller prior to her promotion to CFO. In her previous roles at the company, she led the financial diligence process in the successful acquisition of CHD Expert Group and its subsidiaries in January 2022 and led the integration of CHD financial processes into existing Datassential processes and reporting. Prior to Datassential, she held crucial roles at Connecture and PwC. She earned both a BBA and Master of Accountancy from University of Wisconsin-Madison.

"I'm thrilled to have the opportunity to expand my role at Datassential and play a critical role in our continued growth. I'm looking forward to continuing to work with a highly committed team across all levels that is embracing both the creative solutions and data-driven insights needed to be successful," said Josh.

About Datassential

Datassential is the data insights platform guiding the biggest names in food and beverage on trends, innovation, and sales intelligence. Through a suite of software and research solutions, customers rely on Datassential to know what's next for the industry and how to stay ahead of it. Founded in 2001, Datassential powers insights and sales intelligence for brands including Burger King, DoorDash, General Mills, Land O' Lakes, Pepsi, Starbucks, Target and more.

Media Contact Diffusion PR [email protected](646) 571-0120

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SOURCE Datassential
BIRMINGHAM, Ala., Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Encompass Health Corp. (NYSE: EHC) today announced it will report results for its third quarter ended Sept. 30, 2022, after the market closes on Oct. 26, 2022. The Company will host an investor conference call at 10 a.m. ET on Oct. 27, 2022, to discuss its results.

The conference call may be accessed by dialing 800-274-8461 and giving the conference ID EHCQ322. International callers should dial 203-518-9843 and give the same conference ID. Please call approximately 10 minutes before the start of the call to ensure you are connected.

A live webcast of the conference call and an online replay of the conference call can be found on the Company's investor website at https://investor.encompasshealth.com.

About Encompass Health

Encompass Health (NYSE: EHC) is the largest owner and operator of rehabilitation hospitals in the United States. With a national footprint that includes 153 hospitals in 36 states and Puerto Rico, the Company provides high-quality, compassionate rehabilitative care for patients recovering from a major injury or illness, using advanced technology and innovative treatments to maximize recovery. Encompass Health is ranked as one of Fortune's 100 Best Companies to Work For and Modern Healthcare's Best Places to Work in Healthcare. For more information, visit encompasshealth.com, or follow us on our newsroom, Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

Media Contact:Casey Winger | 205.970.5912[email protected]

Investor Relations Contact:Mark Miller | 205.970.5860[email protected]

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SOURCE Encompass Health Corp.
DALLAS, Texas, Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Galooli, a leading provider of remote energy asset management, monitoring, and analytics, and AirWay Technologies, Inc., a global provider of telecom and broadband network equipment and services today announced a partnership where AirWay will distribute Galooli equipment and provide installation, logistics, and professional services to organizations in North American, the Caribbean, and LATAM.

AirWay will provide fully integrated network solutions that leverage Galooli's cloud-based energy asset monitoring services, providing on-site installation, and professional services for telecom and data center operators. Galooli's software-based solutions maximize the efficiency and lifecycle of existing energy assets including batteries, generators, rectifiers, and HVACs. Leveraged by tower companies, telecom operators, data centers and more, Galooli's monitoring software and analytics reduce energy costs and carbon footprints while providing a smooth migration to leveraging new, renewable energy assets. Headquartered in Hebron, Kentucky, AirWay has been providing network infrastructure products and services to wireless telecom and broadband operators for over 30 years.

"AirWay has built a solid reputation across North America, the Caribbean and LATAM with broadband and mobile operators of all types and sizes," explained David LeClaire, Senior Vice President of Galooli. "The company has a broad background and rich history of servicing fixed and mobile service providers with state-of-the-art software, hardware, and services. We are already seeing the fruits of our new relationship and look forward to expanding the base of customers we can serve together."

"One of the advantages of our business is being able to bring new and innovate solutions to our customers and see it solve critical problems," said Thomas Eaton, President and CEO of AirWay. "One of the biggest challenges across our industry is managing energy costs and improving efficiency. Galooli's remote energy management solution can help address these challenges while helping organizations reduce their carbon footprint and delivery a new level of service resilience."

About AirWayAirWay Technologies, Inc. was founded in 1992 and is a leading global provider of new and repurposed wireless telecom and broadband network equipment, asset management programs and related professional services. Its suite of professional services includes project management, turnkey 5G small cell site installations, cell site upgrades, power plant upgrades, kitting and staging solutions and deinstallation. AirWay's customer base includes over 250 national, regional and rural wireless/wireline carriers and local distributors operating in over 70 countries. For more information, please visit www.airway.com.

About GalooliGalooli provides cloud-based energy asset management, monitoring and analytics to maximize the efficiency and lifecycle of existing energy assets, reduce carbon footprint, and provide a smooth migration to leveraging new, renewable energy assets. Founded in 2009 and serving thousands of customers across five continents, Galooli has helped operational businesses like tower companies, telecom operators, data centers, and other enterprises across the world to optimize both operating and capital expenses while simultaneously addressing key resiliency and sustainability objectives. The company is compliant with ISO 9001, ISO 27011, and GDPR. For more information, visit www.galooli.com.

Media Contacts:

GALOOLI:Frederick Reynolds[email protected]

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SOURCE Galooli
Advanced Battle Management System contract targeting research on next generation Joint All-Domain Command & Control and Position, Navigation, and Timing

Intermap also announces delivery and favorable acceptance of its interim progress report under its U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory Prime OTA Contract

DENVER, Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - Intermap Technologies (TSX: IMP) (OTCQX: ITMSF) ("Intermap" or the "Company") a global leader in 3D geospatial data and intelligence solutions, today announced it was named a subcontractor on the FGS LLC Team for the U.S. Air Force Advanced Battle Management System (ABMS) contract for the maturation, demonstration, and proliferation of capability across platforms and domains, leveraging open systems design, modern software, and algorithm development to enable Joint All Domain Command and Control (JADC2) and accurate Position, Navigation, and Timing (PNT).

ABMS is a Program of Record with a $950,000,000 ceiling, five-year, multiple-award Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract, with future work under individual Task Orders competed via the Fair Opportunity process from among the selected contractor teams. This multiple award contract provides awardees the opportunity to compete for efforts within seven different competitive pools that support the development and operation of systems as a unified force across all domains (air, land, sea, space, cyber, and electromagnetic spectrum) in an open architecture family of systems that enables capabilities via multiple integrated platforms.

Intermap also announced today the delivery and favorable acceptance of its Interim Progress Report under its continuing U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) Prime Contract to develop IFSAR-enabled navigation for GPS-denied environments, previously awarded under Other Transaction Authorities (OTA) in December 2021. Intermap's technical design and engineering have helped create a positive proof of concept in the subsequent nine months. A prototype process simulating complete loss of GPS signal update has proven effective and demonstrated efficient sub-meter navigation accuracy on constant offset errors using real IFSAR phase and IMU data and Intermap's proprietary IFSAR-derived digital elevation models (DEMs).

AFRL deemed Intermap's system to be a one of a kind, "first rate Lear Jet IFSAR platform," capable of large 3D target grade coverage in all weather conditions, overcoming a major limitation of other airborne and space-based EO platforms. Further, IFSAR-driven PNT research using Intermap's platform, algorithms, phase data, and elevation data creates an opportunity to enable technology considerations for weapons systems with more accurate long-range fires.

In addition to Intermap's AFRL OTA Prime Contract, the much larger ABMS IDIQ represents another contract vehicle to fund research and development on Positioning, Navigation, Timing and to potentially leverage breakthroughs already realized by the Air Force and Intermap over the prior nine months on research conducted at the Air Force Research Laboratory.

"With the AFRL, we have demonstrated several promising methods for IFSAR-based navigation," said Patrick A. Blott, Intermap's Chairman and CEO. "In contested and high-kinematic environments, war fighters need to know where they are and they need to be able to target dependably. When adversaries interfere with GPS signals, many current systems lose the precise navigation they require to be effective. Intermap is at the forefront of finding ways to navigate independently of GPS and it always comes down to data quality and advanced algorithms."

For the ABMS, the FGS Team also includes Bestica, Inc.; BlackSky Geospatial Solutions, Inc.; Improbable, LLC; ITSC Secure Solutions, LLC; Maxar Technologies; Oracle National Security Group; Recorded Future; RPI Group; and Semantic AI. Intermap congratulates FGS for assembling a winning team and welcomes the opportunity to be a member. The Company is committed to serving the best interests of the U.S. Air Force and other armed forces.

With PNT comprising a key part of the ABMS IDIQ, Intermap and FGS are well positioned to push novel PNT and JADC2 solutions from research to testing, and to deployment.

ABMS is the Air Force contribution to JADC2, a Department of Defense initiative to interconnect sensors from all the military servicesArmy, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force and Space Force. U.S. forces from all services, allies and partners will have unprecedented access to actionable information faster than adversaries can detect and respond. Originally a broad agency announcement released in February 2020, ABMS is now closed to new concept papers or submissions. So far, 187 contracts have been awarded and $23.9 million has been obligated.

Learn more about Intermap's government offerings at intermap.com/government-regulated-industries.

Intermap Reader Advisory

Certain information provided in this news release constitutes forward-looking statements. The words "anticipate", "expect", "project", "estimate", "forecast", "will be", "will consider", "intends" and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. Although Intermap believes that these statements are based on information and assumptions which are current, reasonable and complete, these statements are necessarily subject to a variety of known and unknown risks and uncertainties. Intermap's forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties pertaining to, among other things, cash available to fund operations, availability of capital, revenue fluctuations, nature of government contracts, economic conditions, loss of key customers, retention and availability of executive talent, competing technologies, common share price volatility, loss of proprietary information, software functionality, internet and system infrastructure functionality, information technology security, breakdown of strategic alliances, and international and political considerations, as well as those risks and uncertainties discussed Intermap's Annual Information Form and other securities filings. While the Company makes these forward-looking statements in good faith, should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary significantly from those expected. Accordingly, no assurances can be given that any of the events anticipated by the forward-looking statements will transpire or occur, or if any of them do so, what benefits that the Company will derive therefrom. All subsequent forward-looking statements, whether written or oral, attributable to Intermap or persons acting on its behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by these cautionary statements. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as at the date of this news release and the Company does not undertake any obligation to update publicly or to revise any of the forward-looking statements made herein, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required by applicable securities law.

About Intermap Technologies

Founded in 1997 and headquartered in Denver, Colorado, Intermap (TSX: IMP; OTCQX: ITMSF) is a global leader in geospatial intelligence solutions, focusing on the creation and analysis of 3D terrain data to produce high-resolution thematic models. Through scientific analysis of geospatial information and patented sensors and processing technology, the Company provisions diverse, complementary, multi-source datasets to enable customers to seamlessly integrate geospatial intelligence into their workflows. Intermap's 3D elevation data and software analytic capabilities enable global geospatial analysis through artificial intelligence and machine learning, providing customers with critical information to understand their terrain environment. By leveraging its proprietary archive of the world's largest collection of multi-sensor global elevation data, the Company's collection and processing capabilities provide multi-source 3D datasets and analytics at mission speed, enabling governments and companies to build and integrate geospatial foundation data with actionable insights. Applications for Intermap's products and solutions include defense, aviation and UAV flight planning, flood and wildfire insurance, disaster mitigation, base mapping, environmental and renewable energy planning, telecommunications, engineering, critical infrastructure monitoring, hydrology, land management, oil and gas and transportation.

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SOURCE Intermap Technologies Corporation
ATLANTA, Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- NACDD is proud to announce the winners of this year's esteemed Impact Awards, which were presented to distinguished Members and public health professionals at a special ceremony during NACDD's Annual Business Meeting.

"The Impact Award winners and their work are an inspiration to all of NACDD Members to continue their dedication and hard work preventing disease and promoting health," said NACDD CEO John Robitscher, MPH.

The awards are nominated by NACDD Members and selected by a committee of Board Members. This year's Awards Committee was led by Teresa Aseret-Manygoats (chair), Linnea Fletcher, and Dr. Leslie McKnight.

The 2022 Impact Awards Winners:

Community Impact Award (Individual): Esther Hoang, Manager of Nicotine Use Prevention and Control (NUPAC) Program, Population and Community Health Bureau, Public Health Division at the New Mexico Department of Health.

Community Impact Award (Chronic Disease Unit): The Diabetes and Kidney Unit at the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services.

Chronic Disease Innovator (two awards given):

The Chronic Disease Prevention Section at the Georgia Department of Public Health

The Diabetes, Heart Disease and Stroke Program within the Center for Chronic Care and Disease Management at the Rhode Island Department of Health

Health Equity Champion (Individual): Vivian Lasley-Bibbs, Director & Epidemiologist, Office of Health Equity, Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services.

Health Equity Champion (Chronic Disease Unit): MiRACE (Michigan Real Adaptive Changes to Equity) and MEAT (Michigan Equity Action) Teams within the Division of Chronic Disease and Injury Control at the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services.

Rising Star Award: Jennifer Mandelbaum, Program Evaluator in the Division of Diabetes and Heart Disease Management at the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control.

Mentor Award: Adeline Yerkes, Owner/Manager of AMY Consulting, LLCs, Private Consultant on Health Systems, and a Senior Public Health Consultant for NACDD.

Joseph W. Cullen Excellence Award: Dany Bourjolly Smith, Director of Employee Benefits for the City of Wilmington, Delaware.

In addition, CEO John Robitscher presented a special award, Project Officer of the Future, to Devi Hawkins-Prather, Public Health Advisor and Project Officer with the Center for State, Tribal, Local, and Territorial Support.

The ProVention Health Foundation also presented two awards. The Excellence in Achievement Award was given to Screenvision Media. The Health Policy Award was given to The Honorable Rosa DeLauro, United States Congresswoman representing the Third District of Connecticut.

NACDD appreciated that its Impact Award winners were announced in-person at the Annual Business Meeting during our recent Chronic Disease Academy in Chicago. Funded by the CDC, the Chronic Disease Academy is NACDD's signature annual event. More than 300 NACDD Members attended and engaged in Academy programming focused on the 2022 theme, "Moving Forward: Equity, Action, Resilience."

Learn more about the Impact Award winners, Chronic Disease Academy, and more at chronicdisease.org

CONTACT: Stacey Evans, [email protected]

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SOURCE National Association of Chronic Disease Directors
NEXE Innovations partners with Awaken Brands to sell its fully-compostable single-serve pods through Awaken Brands North American ecosystem

VANCOUVER, BC, Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - NEXE Innovations Inc. ("NEXE" or the "Company") (TSX.V: NEXE) (Frankfurt: NX5) (OTC: NEXNF) is pleased to announce it has received its first purchase order as part of a partnership with Awaken Brands Ventures Ltd. ("Awaken Brands") to distribute a private label coffee K-cup brand to leading providers of food and nutrition within the workplace including factories, offices, and healthcare facilities.

"We are pleased to have received the first purchase order from Awaken Brands and to provide them with our single-serve pods; this partnership allows NEXE an entry into the U.S. market through Awaken's strong distribution network across North America, starting with some of Awaken's notable Silicon Valley customers," says President Ash Guglani.

The partnership with Awaken Brands is the first entry point for NEXE to sell its proprietary technology of fully-compostable pods for the Keurig Brewing Systems into Awaken's ecosystem and help companies to meet their sustainability goals. Awaken Brands creates innovative products featuring the highest quality organic medicinal mushrooms, adaptogens and superfoods. They oversee the entire process that goes into making their products, right from research and product development to sourcing, manufacturing, marketing and distribution. They are committed to reducing their environmental footprint and utilizing NEXE's fully-compostable pod contributes to their goals.

NEXE will be providing its fully compostable and proprietary pod for Awaken Brands' "ecobeans coffee" and "Urban Hippie" product lines. The partnership with Awaken Brands is expected to lead to additional co-packing superfood offerings and partnership arrangements for NEXE.

"At Awaken Brands, we strive to reduce our environmental footprint in all aspects of doing business. Our focus and vision with our products are to awaken people's relationship with self-care by providing plant-based functional products that support today's lifestyle at work, home, and play," says Alina Gogoescu, Co-Founder of Awaken Brands. "We are thrilled to have partnered with NEXE to work together to not only provide our clients with plant-based products, but we can now provide our products in NEXE fully compostable pods. We believe NEXE has developed one of the only fully-compostable plant-based pods that are able to sustain heat, water, and pressure without compromising the taste while providing one of the highest volumes per pod of our formulations in the industry."

NEXE is focused on growing its customer base by targeting the high-growth private label and co-manufacturing branded coffee segments, similar to this partnership with Awaken Brands. This market typically requires more specialized coffee and manufacturing expertise, which NEXE believes it can offer through its vertically integrated technology and new 54,000 square foot Windsor, Ontario facility. This new facility is expected to be key to NEXE providing the capacity for this segment of the market.

More than 56 billion single-serve capsules are discarded to the landfill every year, equivalent to over 400 pods per second. Virtually all of these pods end up in a landfill, with consumption of single-serve pods continuing to grow at an estimated 8.5% per year. With the launch of NEXE's compostable pod, the Company aims to provide a sustainable alternative to consumers while delivering a great cup of coffee.

To learn more about NEXE Innovations, please visit https://bit.ly/nexeinnovations.

*NEXE Innovations Inc. is not affiliated with, endorsed, or sponsored by Keurig. Keurig is a registered trademark of Keurig Dr Pepper Inc.

**NEXE Innovations Inc. is not affiliated with, endorsed, or sponsored by Nespresso. Nespresso is a registered trademark of Societe des Produits Nestle S.A

About NEXE Innovations Inc.

NEXE Innovations Inc. is a leader in innovative compostable materials technology based in British Columbia, Canada. The first product developed by NEXE is one of the only patented, fully-compostable, single-serve coffee pods for use in existing major single-serve coffee machines.

For more information about NEXE Innovations' compostable materials and how it is well-positioned to meet the growing demand for environmentally friendly and sustainable products, visit www.nexeinnovations.com and follow us on social media @nexeinnovations.

On behalf of the Company:Ash GuglaniPresident & Director

For investor relations contact: Kam MangatVP, Investor Relations & Corporate Strategy[email protected]Office +1-604-359-4725Mobile +1-604-359-4742

For media relations contact: [email protected]

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Service Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements in this release are forward-looking statements or information, which include, but are not limited to, statements in respect of NEXE's partnership with Awaken Brands and related market opportunities, its focus on growing its customer base by targeting the high-growth private label and co-manufacturing branded coffee segments, its ability to provide specialized coffee and manufacturing expertise and other matters. Forward-looking statements consist of statements that are not purely historical, including any statements regarding beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions regarding the future. Such information can generally be identified by the use of forwarding-looking wording such as "may", "expect", "estimate", "anticipate", "intend", "believe" and "continue" or the negative thereof or similar variations. The reader is cautioned that assumptions used in the preparation of any forward-looking information may prove to be incorrect. Events or circumstances may cause actual results to differ materially from those predicted, as a result of numerous known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors, many of which are beyond the control of the Company, including but not limited to, the Company and Awaken successfully deploying their partnership, the Company's ability to execute on its business strategy and those risks set out in the Company's management's discussion and analysis for the year ended May 31, 2022 under the heading "Risk and Uncertainties". Such statements and information are based on numerous assumptions regarding present and future business strategies and the environment in which the Company will operate in the future, including the demand for its products, anticipated costs, and the ability to achieve goals. Factors that could cause the actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include, receipt of necessary approvals and general economic, market or business conditions. Forward-looking statements contained in this news release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking information.

The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as of the date of this news release. Except as required by law, the Company disclaims any intention and assumes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

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SOURCE Nexe Innovations Inc.
NEWARK, Del., Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The National Institute for Innovation in Manufacturing Biopharmaceuticals (NIIMBL) announces a Biomanufacturing Readiness Levels (BRLs) framework to lay the groundwork for a universal assessment of technology maturity and readiness level for commercial biomanufacturing technology adoption.

The BRL framework, described in the Biotechnology and Bioengineering journal, will benefit technology innovators, developers, and adopters with the ability to assess the maturity level of technology implementation during the clinical trials and commercial scale manufacturing processes that will allow them to overcome technology adoption hurdles from inception to commercialization. Modeled after the successful Manufacturing Readiness Levels developed by the Department of Defense, BRLs provide a tailored approach to the technology adoption journey that is specific to the biopharmaceutical industry.

"Collaboration is key to innovation and this framework will further strengthen collaboration across the network of technology inventors to adopters and help create novel technologies impacting high-value biopharmaceutical products," said lead author Sandeep Kedia, NIIMBL Senior Technology Fellow. "We often hear from technology developers that the anticipated BRL is inconsistent with the maturity levels identified for their technology adoption by a different entity. This process eliminates the inconsistency and allows developers to focus on what is needed to truly advance technology to the next BRL effectively."

"The new BRL definitions integrate concepts of technology readiness, manufacturing readiness, quality readiness, and operational readiness to guide biotechnology developers toward innovations that are ready for implementation in commercial biomanufacturing," said Kelley Rogers, Technical Program Manager at the National Institute of Standards and Technology. "Sharing a common framework across all industry is key to navigating and identifying readiness levels to help get technology to the finish line faster to ultimately benefit patients."

NIIMBL's BRL outline each readiness level and best practices for classifying the status of a new manufacturing technology and provide examples for technology adoption during manufacturing of biopharmaceuticals. Currently, NIIMBL is accepting feedback from the biomanufacturing community for a limited time through their website to those interested in weighing in on the BRL resource guide. This open feedback period closes on March 1, 2023.

For more information and to download these resources, visit the NIIMBL BRL website.

About NIIMBL

The National Institute for Innovation in Manufacturing Biopharmaceuticals (NIIMBL) is a public-private partnership whose mission is to accelerate biopharmaceutical innovation, support the development of standards that enable more efficient and rapid manufacturing capabilities, and educate and train a world-leading biopharmaceutical manufacturing workforce, fundamentally advancing U.S. competitiveness in this industry. NIIMBL is part of Manufacturing USA, a diverse national network of federally sponsored manufacturing innovation institutes and is funded through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Department of Commerce's National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) with significant additional support from its members.

Contact:

News Media

Maria X. Chacon

Director of Marketing and Communications

302-831-2337

[email protected]

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SOURCE National Institute for Innovation in Manufacturing Biopharmaceuticals (NIIMBL)
SOTK, SEPTEMBER 29, ARMENPRESS. Representatives of the diplomatic corps accredited in Armenia visited Gegharkunik province to be introduced on the consequences of the latest targeting of civilian settlements by the Azerbaijani armed forces, Armenpress correspondent reports.

Photos by Tatev Duryan

The foreign diplomats were welcomed by Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure Gnel Sanosyan and Governor of Gegharkunik Karen Sargsyan.

Visit to Kut community is expected. Thereafter, Minister Sanosyan will deliver an opening speech in Vardenis. Governor Karen Sargsyan and Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces, Major-General Arakel Martikyan will present the situation in the province. This will be followed by a Q&A with the diplomats and the press.
Silicon Valley VC and A-List Celebs Lead the Way Into Sustainability with PATH

SILICON VALLEY, Calif., Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- PATH, the leading sustainable bottled water brand in the United States, announced today its $30M Series A Funding which will fuel the company in its rapid expansion across the country and globally. The funding round is led by Altos Ventures alongside Blue Investment Group; HartBeat Ventures, Kevin Hart's venture fund; Ryan Seacrest; Guy Fieri; and Ninja, among others.

Experience the full interactive Multichannel News Release here: https://www.multivu.com/players/English/9093451-path-secures-series-a-funding/

Americans purchase about 50 billion plastic water bottles per year. That means by using a PATH refillable bottle, consumers can save an average of 156 plastic bottles annually.[1] PATH is on a mission to eliminate 10 Billion plastic bottles going into landfills and oceans by 2025.

Since its launch in 2015, PATH has forged the path in the refillable packaging revolution, encouraging consumers to #refillit with their 100% refillable aluminum water bottles. PATH is on a journey to bring the plastic crisis to the forefront, teaching others to protect the environment and provide options to reduce and reuse. Since the start of the company, the brand has expanded to over 50,000 retail doors and has helped organizations such as The Sacramento Kings, Orange Theory Fitness, 1 Hotels, Alo Yoga, State Farm, and Yellowstone National Park reduce single-use plastic bottled water through its unique co-branding program, Partnering To Save the Planet.

The Series A funding will allow the company to scale the business through:

Scaling Production  PATH recently expanded its production on the East Coast with new production lines running in a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in North Carolina, allowing the company to meet the high demand for PATH products nationwide.

PATH recently expanded its production on the East Coast with new production lines running in a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in North Carolina, allowing the company to meet the high demand for PATH products nationwide. Expanding PATH's Reach  The funding will help the company reach more consumers to teach them about its mission to bring the plastic crisis to the forefront and change consumer buying behavior. The company will look to increase its brand ambassador program and other unique partnerships to encourage consumers across the nation to #refillit.

 The funding will help the company reach more consumers to teach them about its mission to bring the plastic crisis to the forefront and change consumer buying behavior. The company will look to increase its brand ambassador program and other unique partnerships to encourage consumers across the nation to #refillit. National Expansion  Already available in 350+ distribution points and 50,000 retail doors around the U.S., the expansion will ultimately lead to increased shelf presence and access to independent non-chain retailers across the country. PATH expects to significantly increase in distribution growth over the next 12 to 18 months.

"We are excited to partner with Altos Ventures. This partnership brings the beverage industry and Silicon Valley together to usher in a new era of bottled water. This funding will accelerate our mission to bring the plastic crisis to the forefront and create a scalable platform for sustainability," says PATH Co-Founder & CEO Shadi Bakour.

The Series A funding will also allow PATH to achieve its goal of being more than just a water bottle brand, but a company that has an end-to-end solution for the sustainability crisis around the world. By partnering with companies that have like-minded missions such as Altos Ventures, the company's largest investor to-date, PATH is able to set the next phase of their global expansion into motion.

"At Altos, we strive to lead by example by integrating sustainability in our investment and business practices. We hope that our partnership with PATH will encourage other organizations to follow in our footsteps," says Ho Nam, Managing Director and Co-Founder of Altos Ventures.

As part of the Series A funding, PATH has recently announced distribution deals with major retailers including CVS, Costco Business Centers, 7/11, and Walmart. Top retail partners of PATH include Whole Foods Market, Sprouts, Rite Aid, Circle K, Wegmans, and more.

For additional information about PATH, please visit https://drinkpathwater.com. Please click here for brand assets.

About PATHPATH is the first 100% refillable, recyclable bottled water in a sleek, durable aluminum bottle. PATH's mission statement: Forging the PATH to end single-use plastic bottles. PATH is available in over 50,000 retailers nationwide, on Amazon, and at www.drinkpath.com. Lightweight and affordable, these bottles are a sustainable solution to the single-use plastic water bottle crisis. Available in three varieties, PATH Still is filled with ultra-purified water through a 7-step reverse osmosis process and enhanced with electrolytes for a pH-balanced beverage. PATH Sparkling is delicately carbonated, offering effervescence for any occasion, and PATH Alkaline includes specialty electrolytes with a final pH of 9.5+. Easily accessible. Follow the PATH journey on Instagram @pathwater.

About Altos VenturesFounded in 1996, Altos Ventures is a technology investment firm based in Silicon Valley. Through patient and pragmatic investing, Altos partners with early to growth stage technology companies operating in consumer and enterprise sectors, with the goal of building durable and compounding businesses over decades. As a registered investment advisor (RIA) with the SEC, Altos has a uniquely flexible, long-term, and concentrated approach to venture capital, supporting the full lifecycle of companies from inception to global growth and profitability. Altos has supported close to 200 companies around the world over its quarter-century history. For more info, please refer to www.altos.vc.

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SOURCE PATH
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - Sagicor Life Insurance Company (Sagicor) announces new interest crediting strategy options to their indexed universal life (IUL) insurance portfolio effective October 1, 2022. These options will be linked to the performance of iShares ETFs managed by BlackRock, a global asset manager and technology provider focused on helping millions of people invest to build savings that serve them throughout their lives.

The index-tracking iShares ETFs that will be offered are:

iShares MSCI EAFE ETF, which focuses on a broad range of large- and mid-cap developed market stocks from companies in Europe, Australia, Asia, and the Far East.

iShares MSCI Emerging Markets ETF, which concentrates on large- and mid-sized companies in emerging markets.

iShares ESG Aware MSCI USA ETF, which focuses on large- and mid-cap stocks of U.S. companies with positive environmental, social and governance (ESG) characteristics.

Laura Morrison, SVP of Sales & Chief Marketing Officer says, "Sagicor remains focused on providing accumulation solutions to help consumers protect and build wealth for the future so that they can achieve their retirement income goals and create tax-efficient legacies."

"The advantages of Sagicor's IUL portfolio ETF-linked crediting strategies is that they offer built-in diversification and growth potential without exposure to market risk. These strategies also enable financial professionals to customize a diversified allocation based on each policyowner's preferences and risk tolerance."

Sagicor IUL policyowners are not directly invested in any iShares ETF.

About Sagicor Life Insurance Company

Sagicor Life Insurance Company (Sagicor) is a full-service life insurance company that helps clients make wise financial decisions today to ensure they're protected tomorrow. Sagicor is licensed in 45 states and the District of Columbia and is rated "A-" (Excellent) by A.M. Best Company (4th best out of 16 possible ratings), affirmed as of November 4, 2021. Products issued by Sagicor Life Insurance Company. Home Office: Scottsdale, AZ. Products not available in all states, and state variations may apply. Products have limitations and restrictions, including surrender charges. Policy Forms: ICC171017, 1017CA, 1017FL, 1017, 1017ND, ICC191021, 1021CA, 1021FL, 1021, and 1021ND.

Sagicor is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sagicor Financial Company Limited (SFCL).1 Founded in 1840, SFCL is one of the oldest insurance groups in the Americas, with operations in 19 countries mainly in the United States, Latin America and the Caribbean. Sagicor is committed to offering customers world-class service with integrity and value. To learn more about Sagicor, visit Sagicor.com.

iShares and BlackRock, and the corresponding logos, are registered trademarks of BlackRock, Inc. and its affiliates ("BlackRock") and are used under license. BlackRock has licensed certain trademarks and trade names of BlackRock to Sagicor Life Insurance Company for certain purposes. Sagicor Life Insurance Company's products and services are not sponsored, endorsed, sold, or promoted by BlackRock, and purchasers of such products do not acquire any interest in the iShares MSCI EAFE ETF, the iShares MSCI Emerging Markets ETF, or the iShares ESG Aware MSCI USA ETF, nor enter into any relationship of any kind with BlackRock. BlackRock makes no representations or warranties, express or implied, to the owners of any products offered by Sagicor Life Insurance Company or any member of the public regarding the advisability of purchasing any product or service offered by Sagicor Life Insurance Company. BlackRock has no obligation or liability for any errors, omissions, interruptions or use of the iShares ETFs or any data related thereto, or in connection with the operation, marketing, trading or sale of any Sagicor Life Insurance Company product or service offered by Sagicor Life Insurance Company.

For more information about iShares, see ishares.com.

1Sagicor Financial Company Ltd. is a separate entity and is not responsible for the insurer's financial condition or contractual obligations.

For further information: Media Contact: Sagicor Life Insurance Company Katie Owens, AVP Corporate Communications813-287-1602, ext. 6205, [email protected]

BR-PR001

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SOURCE Sagicor Life Insurance Company
Pursuing Possible: The Campaign for Shepherd Center bolsters efforts to provide extraordinary care.

ATLANTA, Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Shepherd Center today announced the launch of Pursuing Possible: The Campaign for Shepherd Center. The $350 million campaign will fund capital and programmatic projects to benefit patients and families experiencing spinal cord injury, brain injury, stroke, chronic pain, multiple sclerosis, and other neurological illnesses and injuries.

"This expansion will transform the way we provide care to our patients." CEO Sarah Morrison, PT, MBA, MHA

Shepherd Center provides nationally-ranked care to nearly 900 inpatients and 7,100 outpatients annually through its continuum of care, which spans an intensive care unit, inpatient rehabilitation, post-acute day rehabilitation programs, and outpatient therapy and clinics to meet patients' ongoing needs.

"When we considered how Shepherd Center needed to grow to fully meet the needs of our patients, their families, our staff, and the community, it was clear that we should expand access to our services," said Sarah Morrison, PT, MBA, MHA, CEO of Shepherd Center. "And we also want to provide a world-class experience with an unparalleled level of recovery for our patients and families as they navigate rehabilitation and achieve their goals for life beyond injury and illness. This expansion will transform the way we provide care to our patients."

Shepherd Center has limited capacity in inpatient and outpatient programs. Every year, there are patients for whom an appropriate bed is not available or who must wait for the services they need. An $80 million grant from The Marcus Foundation will enable Shepherd Center to pursue projects and programs that will increase patient access, including adding 48 beds, enabling the hospital to serve hundreds more patients per year on an inpatient basis. Shepherd Center will also expand its outpatient programs, increasing its capacity to provide access to Shepherd Center's services, including enhanced technology, to patients and families at the right time and place.

The grant also supports a significant investment in innovation with the launch of the Marcus Center for Advanced Rehabilitation, which will include the addition of a 30,000-square-foot Innovation Institute, as well as a dedicated clinical lab to test new treatment ideas, an accelerator fund to support research and development, and the implementation of artificial intelligence and predictive analytics to drive patient outcomes and inform treatment methods for generations to come.

"Billi and I have a long-standing relationship with the Shepherd Center and Alana Shepherd," said Bernie Marcus, Atlanta philanthropist and Home Depot co-founder. "More than 30 years ago, we made our first commitment to supporting the expansion of Shepherd Center to meet the needs of those patients and families who benefit from its extraordinary care. Through the years, we've seen our continued participation result in both the expansion of services and the discovery of innovative treatments and technologies that have saved and changed so many lives. We believe in Shepherd."

A $50 million capital grant from the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation will allow Shepherd Center to more than double its housing capacity, adding 160 new accessible units so that families and day program patients can stay in donor-funded housing for the full duration of their loved one's stay. The new housing tower, named the Arthur M. Blank Family Residences, will allow families to stay close during rehabilitation and ease the financial burden of finding lodging elsewhere.

"There's no question that the level of care patients receive here is remarkable, but they also need the love, care, and nourishment of their families," said Arthur Blank, chairman of the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation and long-time supporter of Shepherd Center. "Our family foundation is honored to support Shepherd Center in helping more families heal together. We hope that having a safe, accessible place to call home here in Atlanta while they are away from their own homes will help lift the incredible burden of these types of trauma in some small way so that families and patients can focus on their healing and each other at a time when that is the most important and most needed."

More than half of Shepherd Center's patients come from outside of Georgia, and families are often apprehensive about sending their loved one far from home for treatment after a traumatic injury. Families and loved ones are an essential part of the rehabilitation journey. Their presence allows them to provide comfort and encouragement to their loved one while also undergoing family training in preparation for returning to their communities. Yet, due to space constraints and availability, Shepherd Center can only provide housing for families for 30 days, while the average length of stay for patients is nearly twice that. Currently, Shepherd Center has 84 units on campus with an additional 36 units nearby.

Pursuing Possible: The Campaign for Shepherd Center is slated to continue through 2025  the same year as Shepherd Center's 50th anniversary.

"When we founded Shepherd Center in 1975, it was because we had tremendous community support that we were able to provide care with unmatched expertise and compassion for patients who desperately needed it," said Alana Shepherd, co-founder of Shepherd Center. "47 years later, the need has grown substantially, and so must we. We're eternally grateful for those joining us again or for the very first time to support our growth."

For more information, visit ExpandingShepherd.org.

ABOUT SHEPHERD CENTER

Shepherd Center, located in Atlanta, Georgia, is a private, not-for-profit hospital specializing in medical treatment, research, and rehabilitation for people with spinal cord injury, brain injury, multiple sclerosis, spine and chronic pain, and other neurological conditions. Founded in 1975, Shepherd Center is ranked by U.S. News & World Report among the top 10 rehabilitation hospitals in the nation. In its more than four decades, Shepherd Center has grown from a six-bed rehabilitation unit to a world-renowned, 152-bed hospital that treats more than 870 inpatients, nearly 280 day program patients, and more than 7,100 outpatients each year in more than 46,000 visits.

Media Contact: Kerry Ludlam, +14043585601, [email protected]

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SOURCE Shepherd Center
High tech smart glasses will be worn by community nurses on home visits to free up time with patients, as part of a cutting-edge NHS pilot.

NEW YORK, Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Staff will be able to share live footage directly with hospital colleagues to get a second opinion, avoiding the need for further appointments or hospital admission, and includes thermal imaging to help assess how wounds and injuries have healed. ThirdEye's smart glasses are already being used by US Military, major telecoms for 5G testing, Crozer Hospital for telehealth/EMT use and others.

Community nurses are estimated to spend more than half of their day filling out forms and manually inputting patient data.

The pilot will help to expand their capacity, giving them more time for clinical tasks such as checking blood pressure, dressing wounds and assessing patient's relevant health needs.

NHS director for transformation Dr Tim Ferris said: "Some of the best innovations come from local solutions and so through this project, NHS staff can test what works for them and what provides the best possible care for patients.

"These new smart glasses are the latest pioneering tech and really show us what the future of the NHS could look like  they are a win-win for staff and patients alike, freeing up time consuming admin for nurses, meaning more time for patient care".

Minister for Health, Maria Caulfield, said: "Health and care research is crucial to transforming our health service and ensure the NHS is able to deliver world-class care.

"These new high-tech goggles have the potential to revolutionise the way community nurses carry out home visits  reducing admin and increasing the accuracy of diagnosis and treatment.

"Yet again, this technology is testament to the UK's innovation and our front-footedness in the discovery of ground-breaking research which can help us beat the COVID backlogs".

Clinical nurse specialist Becky Birchall said her team were thrilled to be the first in the country to take them on community visits.

Thirdeye's CEO Nick Cherukuri said: "ThirdEye was founded off a belief that mixed reality & AI solutions could change life as we know it. We are excited about this partnership for Healthcare use by NHS with ThirdEye smart glasses and Concept Health's software platform we are confident our end-to-end ecosystems is a true breakthrough."

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/uks-national-health-service-nhs-trials-thirdeye-smart-glasses-to-give-nurses-more-time-with-patients-301636565.html

SOURCE ThirdEye Gen, Inc.
SEATTLE, Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Boeing [NYSE:BA] and WestJet today announced the airline is strengthening its commitment to the 737 MAX family with an order for 42 737-10s and options for an additional 22 jets. With industry-leading fuel efficiency and reliability, the 737-10 will enable the Canadian carrier to undertake an ambitious network expansion and meet its long-term sustainability goals.

"The 737-10 will be a game changer, with one of the lowest costs per seat among mid-range aircraft. This will foster our low-cost positioning and affordability for Canadians," said Alexis von Hoensbroech, WestJet Group chief executive officer. "In addition, with its lower fuel consumption and reduced emissions, the 737-10 will further improve the environmental footprint of our fleet."

Since launching its business with three 737s in 1996, WestJet has grown its all-Boeing fleet to more than 100 airplanes including the 737-8 and 787 Dreamliner. Including the 737-10, the Calgary-based carrier has more than 60 firm orders for the 737 MAX family.

"The 737-10 will provide WestJet with additional capacity and unrivalled efficiency as the airline expands its network of destinations across Canada and around the world," said Stan Deal, president and CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes. "We are proud that WestJet sees the value of the 737 MAX family and is adding the 737-10 to complement the 737-8 for outstanding capability, flexibility and improved sustainability."

Each 737-10 will reduce CO2 emissions by millions of pounds per year compared to the airplanes it replaces, enabling greater sustainability. As Boeing's largest and most efficient single-aisle jet, the 737-10 seats up to 230 passengers with a range of 3,100 nautical miles. WestJet also has more than 15 737-8s in-service, carrying 178 passengers with a range up to 3,500 nautical miles. Together, the two models will enhance the airline's environmental performance for short- and medium-haul air travel.

With the expansion of its 737 MAX fleet, WestJet's order supports the growth of the aviation industry in Canada. The country is home to one of Boeing's largest international supply bases with more than 550 suppliers and partners. Boeing currently contributes CAD ~$5.3 billion in economic benefit to Canada annually, supporting more than 20,000 jobs. Boeing's Winnipeg fabrication site builds composite components for the 737 MAX and other Boeing models.

As a leading global aerospace company, Boeing develops, manufactures and services commercial airplanes, defense products and space systems for customers in more than 150 countries. As a top U.S. exporter, the company leverages the talents of a global supplier base to advance economic opportunity, sustainability and community impact. Boeing's diverse team is committed to innovating for the future, leading with sustainability, and cultivating a culture based on the company's core values of safety, quality and integrity. Join our team and find your purpose at boeing.com/careers.

Contact Boeing Media Relations[email protected]

Adam MertzInternational Sales CommunicationsBoeing Commercial Airplanes+1 206-240-1786[email protected]

Jessica KowalBoeing Media Relations+1 206-660-6849[email protected]

April CraneWestJet Communications[email protected]

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/westjet-expands-fleet-with-largest-boeing-737-max-jet-ordering-up-to-64-fuel-efficient-airplanes-301636951.html

SOURCE Boeing
CHICAGO, Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- World Business Chicago, the city's public-private economic development agency, today announced it will host an event where small businesses can access trusted counsel, advice and practices to help them grow their business.

"Through this program, we can begin to address the inequalities in access to technology and connect businesses to start-ups and technology companies to businesses across the south and west sides of Chicago," said LaForce Baker. "The event is open to all industries and participating businesses will walk away with tangible plans and next steps in order to start, grow or scale their business."

Small Business Tech Symposium Details:

Tuesday, October 18, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Malcolm X Community College, 1900 W. Jackson

Register https://SMBTechSymposium.eventbrite.com

Additional event information [email protected]

The event will feature meaningful programming for small businesses from workshops to keynote addresses, a panel discussion on digital equity, and a networking lunch.

Following the event, businesses can receive pro-bono consultation services by business resources and experts in accounting, marketing, e-commerce, CRM, cybersecurity, web design, marketing, and other technology integration services. (Value of the average consultation package exceeds $175 per hour.)

"Technology is an essential tool for businesses, particularly small businesses on Chicago's south and west sides, to be competitive," said Isabel Velez-Diez, BACP, Director of Economic Recovery. "This event will help business owners learn how to alleviate the burdens brought on by the digital divide and technological disparities between our neighborhoods. We are making every effort to ensure our business owners have access to reliable internet, software, hardware, training, and resources that they need to maintain successful businesses."

"Throughout the pandemic, we've seen our small business customers reimagine the way their businesses use technology, and revolutionize the way they work with customers, partners and employees," said Tami Erwin, Verizon EVP and Strategic Advisor. "Our Small Business Days offers and personalized technology solutions are designed to empower all small businesses, improving their customer experiences, and driving their businesses forward."

World Business Chicago180 N. LaSalle StreetChicago, IL 60608

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/world-business-chicago-announces-small-business-tech-symposium-tuesday-october-18--malcolm-x-community-college-301637075.html

SOURCE World Business Chicago
BNY Mellon Select Managers Small Cap Growth Fund

Summary Prospectus | September 30, 2022

Class Ticker A DSGAX C DSGCX I DSGIX Y DSGYX

Before you invest, you may want to review the fund's prospectus, which contains more information about the fund and its risks. You can find the fund's prospectus and other information about the fund, including the statement of additional information and most recent reports to shareholders, online at http://im.bnymellon.com/literaturecenter . You can also get this information at no cost by calling 1-800-373-9387 (inside the U.S. only) or by sending an e-mail request to [email protected] . The fund's prospectus and statement of additional information, dated September 30, 2022 (each as revised or supplemented), are incorporated by reference into this summary prospectus.

Investment Objective

The fund seeks capital appreciation.

Fees and Expenses

This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold and sell shares of the fund. You may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the table and examples below. You may qualify for sales charge discounts if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $50,000 in the fund or shares of other funds in the BNY Mellon Family of Funds that are subject to a sales charge. More information about sales charges, including these and other discounts and waivers, is available from your financial professional and in the Shareholder Guide section beginning on page 13 of the prospectus, in the Appendix on page A-1 of the prospectus and in the How to Buy Shares section and the Additional Information About How to Buy Shares section beginning on page II-1 and page III-1, respectively, of the fund's Statement of Additional Information.

Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment) Class A Class C Class I Class Y Maximum sales charge (load) imposed on purchases

(as a percentage of offering price) 5.75 none none none Maximum deferred sales charge (load)

(as a percentage of lower of purchase or sale price) none * 1.00 none none Annual Fund Operating Expenses ( expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment ) Class A Class C Class I Class Y Management fees .90 .90 .90 .90 Distribution (12b-1) fees none .75 none none Other expenses: Shareholder services fees .25 .25 none none Miscellaneous other expenses .20 .32 .09 .06 Total other expenses .45 .57 .09 .06 Total annual fund operating expenses 1.35 2.22 .99 .96 Fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement ** (.05) (.17) - - Total annual fund operating expenses

(after fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement) 1.30 2.05 .99 .96 * Class A shares bought without an initial sales charge as part of an investment of $1 million or more may be charged a deferred sales charge of 1.00% if redeemed within one year. ** The fund's investment adviser, BNY Mellon Investment Adviser, Inc., has contractually agreed, until September 30, 2023, to waive receipt of its fees and/or assume the direct expenses of the fund so that the direct expenses of Class A, C, I and Y shares of the fund (excluding Rule 12b-1 fees, shareholder services fees, taxes, interest, brokerage commissions, commitment fees on borrowings and extraordinary expenses) do not exceed 1.05%, 1.05%, 1.05% and .98%, respectively. On or after September 30, 2023, BNY Mellon Investment Adviser, Inc. may terminate this expense limitation agreement at any time.



6289SP0922

Example

The Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the fund for the time periods indicated. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the fund's operating expenses remain the same. The one-year example and the first year of the three-, five- and ten-years examples are based on net operating expenses, which reflect the expense limitation agreement by BNY Mellon Investment Adviser, Inc. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

1 Year 3 Years 5 Years 10 Years Class A (with or without redemption at end of period) $700 $973 $1,267 $2,101 Class C (with redemption at end of period) $308 $678 $1,174 $2,541 Class C (without redemption at end of period) $208 $678 $1,174 $2,541 Class I (with or without redemption at end of period) $101 $315 $547 $1,213 Class Y (with or without redemption at end of period) $98 $306 $531 $1,178

Portfolio Turnover

The fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or "turns over" its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the Example, affect the fund's performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the fund's portfolio turnover rate was 98.16% of the average value of its portfolio.

Principal Investment Strategy

To pursue its goal, the fund normally invests at least 80% of its net assets, plus any borrowings for investment purposes, in the stocks of small cap companies. The fund currently considers small cap companies to be those companies with market capitalizations that fall within the range of companies in the Russell 2000  Growth Index, the fund's benchmark index. The fund's portfolio is constructed so as to have a growth tilt. The fund may invest up to 15% of its net assets in foreign securities (i.e., securities issued by companies organized under the laws of countries other than the U.S.).

The fund uses a "multi-manager" approach by selecting one or more sub-advisers to manage the fund's assets. The fund may hire, terminate or replace sub-advisers and modify material terms and conditions of sub-advisory arrangements without shareholder approval. The fund's assets are currently allocated among six sub-advisers, each of which acts independently of the others and uses its own methodology to select portfolio investments.

Principal Risks

An investment in the fund is not a bank deposit. It is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) or any other government agency. It is not a complete investment program. The fund's share price fluctuates, sometimes dramatically, which means you could lose money.

 Risks of stock investing. Stocks generally fluctuate more in value than bonds and may decline significantly over short time periods. There is the chance that stock prices overall will decline because stock markets tend to move in cycles, with periods of rising prices and falling prices. The market value of a stock may decline due to general market conditions or because of factors that affect the particular company or the company's industry.

 Small and midsize company risk. Small and midsize companies carry additional risks because the operating histories of these companies tend to be more limited, their earnings and revenues less predictable (and some companies may be experiencing significant losses), and their share prices more volatile than those of larger, more established companies. The shares of smaller companies tend to trade less frequently than those of larger, more established companies, which can adversely affect the pricing of these securities and the fund's ability to sell these securities.

 Growth stock risk. Investors often expect growth companies to increase their earnings at a certain rate. If these expectations are not met, investors can punish the stocks inordinately, even if earnings do increase. In addition, growth stocks may lack the dividend yield that may cushion stock prices in market downturns.

BNY Mellon Select Managers Small Cap Growth Fund Summary 2

 Market risk. The value of the securities in which the fund invests may be affected by political, regulatory, economic and social developments, and developments that impact specific economic sectors, industries or segments of the market. In addition, turbulence in financial markets and reduced liquidity in equity, credit and/or fixed-income markets may negatively affect many issuers, which could adversely affect the fund. Global economies and financial markets are becoming increasingly interconnected, and conditions and events in one country, region or financial market may adversely impact issuers in a different country, region or financial market. These risks may be magnified if certain events or developments adversely interrupt the global supply chain; in these and other circumstances, such risks might affect companies world-wide. Recent examples include pandemic risks related to COVID-19 and aggressive measures taken world-wide in response by governments, including closing borders, restricting international and domestic travel, and the imposition of prolonged quarantines of large populations, and by businesses, including changes to operations and reducing staff.

 Liquidity risk . When there is little or no active trading market for specific types of securities, it can become more difficult to sell the securities in a timely manner at or near their perceived value. In such a market, the value of such securities and the fund's share price may fall dramatically. Investments that are illiquid or that trade in lower volumes may be more difficult to value. Investments in foreign securities tend to have greater exposure to liquidity risk than domestic securities.

 Foreign investment risk. To the extent the fund invests in foreign securities, the fund's performance will be influenced by political, social and economic factors affecting investments in foreign issuers. Special risks associated with investments in foreign issuers include exposure to currency fluctuations, less liquidity, less developed or less efficient trading markets, lack of comprehensive company information, political and economic instability and differing auditing and legal standards.

 Multi-manager risk. Each sub-adviser makes investment decisions independently, and it is possible that the investment styles of the sub-advisers may not complement one another. As a result, the fund's exposure to a given stock, industry or investment style could unintentionally be greater or smaller than it would have been if the fund had a single adviser. In addition, if one sub-adviser buys a security during a time frame when another sub-adviser sells it, the fund will incur transaction costs and the fund's net position in the security may be approximately the same as it would have been with a single adviser and no such sale and purchase.

 Allocation risk. The ability of the fund to achieve its investment goal depends, in part, on the ability of BNY Mellon Investment Adviser, Inc. to allocate effectively the fund's assets among the sub-advisers. There can be no assurance that the actual allocations will be effective in achieving the fund's investment goal.

 Portfolio turnover risk. The fund may engage in short-term trading, which could produce higher transaction costs and taxable distributions, and lower the fund's after-tax performance.

Performance

The following bar chart and table provide some indication of the risks of investing in the fund. The bar chart shows changes in the performance of the fund's Class A shares from year to year. Sales charges, if any, are not reflected in the bar chart, and, if those charges were included, returns would have been less than those shown. The table compares the average annual total returns of the fund's shares to those of a broad measure of market performance. The fund's past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily an indication of how the fund will perform in the future. More recent performance information may be available at www.im.bnymellon.com .

Year-by-Year Total Returns as of 12/31 each year (%) Class A Best Quarter

Q2, 2020: 31.80% Worst Quarter

Q1, 2020: -23.85% The year-to-date total return of the fund's Class A shares as of June 30, 2022 was -29.21%.

After-tax performance is shown only for Class A shares. After-tax performance of the fund's other share classes will vary. After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates, and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on the investor's tax situation and may differ from those shown, and the

BNY Mellon Select Managers Small Cap Growth Fund Summary 3

after-tax returns shown are not relevant to investors who hold their shares through U.S. tax-deferred arrangements such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts. Returns after taxes on distributions and sale of fund shares may be higher than returns before taxes or returns after taxes on distributions due to an assumed tax benefit from losses on a sale of the fund's shares at the end of the period.

For the fund's Class Y shares, periods prior to the inception date reflect the performance of the fund's Class A shares, without reflecting any applicable sales charges for Class A shares. Such performance figures have not been adjusted to reflect applicable class fees and expenses. Each share class is invested in the same portfolio of securities, and the annual returns would have differed only to the extent that the classes have different expenses.

Average Annual Total Returns (as of 12/31/21) Class (Inception Date) 1 Year 5 Years 10 Years Class A returns before taxes 6.01% 16.39% 13.54% Class A returns after taxes on distributions 0.54% 12.87% 11.25% Class A returns after taxes on distributions and sale of fund shares 5.08% 11.99% 10.46% Class C returns before taxes 10.73% 16.93% 13.38% Class I returns before taxes 12.85% 18.11% 14.55% Class Y (7/1/13) returns before taxes 12.89% 18.17% 14.63% Russell 2000  Growth Index reflects no deductions for fees, expenses or taxes 2.83% 14.53% 14.14%

Portfolio Management

Investment Adviser and Portfolio Allocation Manager

The fund's investment adviser and portfolio allocation manager is BNY Mellon Investment Adviser, Inc. (BNYM Investment Adviser). BNYM Investment Adviser selects and oversees the fund's sub-advisers who are responsible for investing the assets of the fund. BNYM Investment Adviser allocates and, when appropriate, reallocates the fund's assets among the sub-advisers.

Sub-advisers

EAM Investors, LLC (EAM). Montie L. Weisenberger and Travis Prentice are the primary portfolio managers responsible for the day-to-day management of the portion of the fund's portfolio managed by EAM, positions they have held since November 2012 with respect to Mr. Weisenberger and February 2018 with respect to Mr. Prentice.

Geneva Capital Management LLC (GCM). William A. Priebe, CFA, Jose Munoz, CFA and William Scott Priebe are the primary portfolio managers responsible for the day-to-day management of the portion of the fund's portfolio managed by GCM, positions they have held since the fund's inception (since July 10, 2017 with respect to Mr. Munoz).

Granite Investment Partners, LLC (Granite). Jeffrey J. Hoo, CFA is the primary portfolio manager responsible for the day-to-day management of the portion of the fund's portfolio managed by Granite, a position he has held since November 15, 2013.

Nicholas Investment Partners, L.P. (Nicholas). Catherine C. Nicholas is the primary portfolio manager responsible for the day-to-day management of the portion of the fund's portfolio managed by Nicholas, a position she has held since July 2011.

Redwood Investments, LLC (Redwood). Jennifer K. Silver, CFA, Michael J. Mufson, CFA, Anthony E. Sutton, Alexander Makkas and Ezra S. Samet, CFA are the primary portfolio managers responsible for the day-to-day management of the portion of the fund's portfolio managed by Redwood, positions they have held since May 16, 2017 (since August 2018 with respect to Mr. Makkas).

Rice Hall James & Associates, LLC (RHJ). Louis M. Holtz, CFA and Yossi Lipsker, CFA are the primary portfolio managers responsible for the day-to-day management of the portion of the fund's portfolio managed by RHJ, positions they have held since November 15, 2013.

Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares

In general, for each share class, other than Class Y, the fund's minimum initial investment is $1,000 and the minimum subsequent investment is $100. For Class Y shares, the minimum initial investment generally is $1,000,000, with no minimum subsequent investment. You may sell (redeem) your shares on any business day by calling 1-800-373-9387 (inside the U.S. only) or by visiting www.im.bnymellon.com . If you invested in the fund through a third party, such as a bank, broker-dealer or financial adviser, or through a Retirement Plan (as defined below), you may mail your request to sell shares to BNY Mellon Institutional Department, P.O. Box 9882, Providence, Rhode Island 02940-8082. If you invested directly through the fund, you may mail your request to sell shares to BNY Mellon Shareholder Services, P.O. Box 9879, Providence, Rhode Island 02940-8079. If you are an Institutional Direct accountholder, please contact your BNY Mellon relationship manager for instructions.

BNY Mellon Select Managers Small Cap Growth Fund Summary 4

Retirement Plans include qualified or non-qualified employee benefit plans, such as 401(k), 403(b)(7), Keogh, pension, profit-sharing and other deferred compensation plans, whether established by corporations, partnerships, sole proprietorships, non-profit entities, trade or labor unions, or state and local governments, but do not include IRAs (including, without limitation, traditional IRAs, Roth IRAs, Coverdell Education Savings Accounts, IRA "Rollover Accounts" or IRAs set up under Simplified Employee Pension Plans (SEP-IRAs), Salary Reduction Simplified Employee Pension Plans (SARSEPs) or Savings Incentive Match Plans for Employees (SIMPLE IRAs)).

Tax Information

The fund's distributions are taxable as ordinary income or capital gains, except when your investment is through an IRA, Retirement Plan or other U.S. tax-advantaged investment plan (in which case you may be taxed upon withdrawal of your investment from such account).

Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries

If you purchase shares through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the fund's distributor and its related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of fund shares and related services. To the extent that the intermediary may receive lesser or no payments in connection with the sale of other investments, the payments from the fund's distributor and its related companies may create a potential conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or other intermediary and your financial representative to recommend the fund over the other investments. This potential conflict of interest may be addressed by policies, procedures or practices adopted by the financial intermediary. As there may be many different policies, procedures or practices adopted by different intermediaries to address the manner in which compensation is earned through the sale of investments or the provision of related services, the compensation rates and other payment arrangements that may apply to a financial intermediary and its representatives may vary by intermediary. Ask your financial representative or visit your financial intermediary's website for more information.

This prospectus does not constitute an offer or solicitation in any state or jurisdiction in which, or to any person to whom, such offering or solicitation may not lawfully be made.

BNY Mellon Select Managers Small Cap Growth Fund Summary 5

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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

Form 6-K

REPORT OF FOREIGN PRIVATE ISSUER PURSUANT TO RULE 13A-16 OR 15D-16

UNDER THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

September, 2022

Commission File Number 1-15182

DR. REDDYS LABORATORIES LIMITED

(Translation of registrants name into English)

8-2-337, Road No. 3, Banjara Hills

Hyderabad, Telangana 500 034, India

+91-40-49002900

(Address of principal executive office)

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant files or will file annual reports under cover of Form 20-F or Form 40-F.

Form 20-F x Form 40-F 

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is submitting the Form 6-K in paper as permitted by Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(1): ______

Note: Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(1) only permits the submission in paper of a Form 6-K if submitted solely to provide an attached annual report to security holders.

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is submitting the Form 6-K in paper as permitted by Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(7): ______

Note: Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(7) only permits the submission in paper of a Form 6-K if submitted to furnish a report or other document that the registrant foreign private issuer must furnish and make public under the laws of the jurisdiction in which the registrant is incorporated, domiciled or legally organized (the registrants home country), or under the rules of the home country exchange on which the registrants securities are traded, as long as the report or other document is not a press release, is not required to be and has not been distributed to the registrants security holders, and, if discussing a material event, has already been the subject of a Form 6-K submission or other Commission filing on EDGAR.

Indicate by check mark whether by furnishing the information contained in this Form, the registrant is also thereby furnishing the information to the Commission pursuant to Rule 12g3-2(b) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

Yes  No x

If Yes is marked, indicate below the file number assigned to registrant in connection with Rule 12g3-2(b): 82-________.

EXHIBITS

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.

DR. REDDYS LABORATORIES LIMITED

(Registrant) Date: September 28, 2022 By: /s/ K Randhir Singh Name: K Randhir Singh Title: Company Secretary

ATTACHMENTS / EXHIBITS

EXHIBIT 99.1
0000084129 false 0000084129 2022-09-29 2022-09-29 0000084129 dei:FormerAddressMember 2022-09-29 2022-09-29 iso4217:USD xbrli:shares iso4217:USD xbrli:shares

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

FORM 8-K

CURRENT REPORT

PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(D) OF THE

SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

Date of report (Date of earliest event reported):

Rite Aid Corporation

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Delaware 1-5742 23-1614034 (State or Other Jurisdiction

of Incorporation) (Commission File Number) (IRS Employer

Identification Number)

1200 Intrepid Avenue , 2nd Floor , Philadelphia , Pennsylvania 19112

(Address of principal executive offices, including zip code)

( 717 ) 761-2633

(Registrants telephone number, including area code)

30 Hunter Lane , Camp Hill , Pennsylvania 17011

(Former name or former address, if changed since last report)

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions (see General Instruction A.2. below):

 Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

 Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

 Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

 Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

Title of each class Trading

Symbol(s) Name of each exchange on which

registered Common Stock, $1.00 par value RAD The New York Stock Exchange

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (240.12b-2 of this chapter).

Emerging growth company 

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. 

Item 2.02. Results of Operations and Financial Condition.

On September 29, 2022, Rite Aid Corporation (the Company) reported its financial position and results of operations as of and for the thirteen and twenty-six week periods ended August 27, 2022. The press release includes the non-GAAP financial measures, Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted Net Income (Loss) and Adjusted Net Income (Loss) per Diluted Share. The Company uses these non-GAAP measures in assessing its performance in addition to net income, the most directly comparable GAAP financial measure. Reconciliations of Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted Net Income (Loss) and Adjusted Net Income (Loss) per Diluted Share to net income (loss) and net income (loss) per diluted share, the most directly comparable GAAP financial measures, are included in the press release, which is furnished as Exhibit 99.1 hereto.

The Company believes Adjusted EBITDA serves as an appropriate measure in evaluating the performance of its business and helps its investors better compare the Companys operating performance with its competitors. The Company defines Adjusted EBITDA as net income (loss) excluding the impact of income taxes, interest expense, depreciation and amortization, LIFO adjustments, charges or credits for facility exit and impairment, goodwill and intangible asset impairment charges, inventory write-downs related to store closings, gains or losses on debt retirements and modifications and other items (including stock-based compensation expense, merger and acquisition-related costs, non-recurring litigation and other contractual settlements, severance, restructuring-related costs, costs related to facility closures, gain or loss on sale of assets, the gain or loss on Bartell acquisition, and the change in estimate related to manufacturer rebate receivables). The Company references this non-GAAP financial measure frequently in its decision-making because it provides supplemental information that facilitates internal comparisons to historical periods and external comparisons to competitors. In addition, incentive compensation is based in part on Adjusted EBITDA and the Company bases certain of its forward-looking estimates and budgets on Adjusted EBITDA.

The Company defines Adjusted Net Income (Loss) as net income (loss) excluding amortization expense, merger and acquisition-related costs, non-recurring litigation and other contractual settlements, gains or losses on debt retirements and modifications, LIFO adjustments, goodwill and intangible asset impairment charges, restructuring-related costs, the gain or loss on Bartell acquisition, and the change in estimate related to manufacturer rebate receivables. The Company calculates Adjusted Net Income (Loss) per Diluted Share using the Companys above-referenced definition of Adjusted Net Income (Loss). The Company believes Adjusted Net Income (Loss) and Adjusted Net Income (Loss) per Diluted Share serve as appropriate measures to be used in evaluating the performance of its business and help its investors better compare the Companys operating performance over multiple periods.

In addition, the add back of LIFO (credit) charge when calculating Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted Net Income (Loss) and Adjusted Net Income (Loss) per Diluted Share removes the entire impact of LIFO (credits) charges, and effectively reflects Rite Aids results as if the Company was on a FIFO inventory basis.

Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted Net Income (Loss) and Adjusted Net Income (Loss) per Diluted Share should not be considered in isolation from, and are not intended to represent alternative measures of, operating results or of cash flows from operating activities, as determined in accordance with GAAP. The Companys definitions of Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted Net Income (Loss) and Adjusted Net Income (Loss) per Diluted Share may not be comparable to similarly titled measurements reported by other companies or similar terms in the Companys debt facilities.

In addition, a copy of the Companys Earnings Release Supplement for the second quarter of fiscal 2023 is being furnished as Exhibit 99.2 to this Form 8-K.

The information (including Exhibits 99.1 and 99.2) being furnished pursuant to this Item 2.02. Results of Operations and Financial Condition shall not be deemed to be filed for the purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or the Exchange Act, or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section and shall not be deemed to be incorporated by reference into any filing under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Securities Act, or the Exchange Act regardless of any general incorporation language in such filing.

Item 9.01. Financial Statements and Exhibits.

(d) Exhibits.

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

RITE AID CORPORATION Dated: September 29, 2022 By: /s/ Matthew C. Schroeder Name: Matthew C. Schroeder Title: Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

ATTACHMENTS / EXHIBITS

EXHIBIT 99.1

EXHIBIT 99.2

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XBRL TAXONOMY EXTENSION LABEL LINKBASE

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Filed Pursuant to Rule 433

Registration No. 333-257113

Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce Market Linked Securities Market Linked Securities  Auto-Callable with Fixed Percentage Buffered Downside Principal at Risk Securities Linked to the S&P 500 Index due November 3, 2025 Term Sheet to Preliminary Pricing Supplement dated September 29, 2022

Summary of Terms Issuer Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CIBC) Market Measure The S&P 500 Index (Bloomberg ticker symbol SPX) (the Index) Face Amount (Original Offering Price) The principal amount of $1,000 per security Pricing Date* October 28, 2022 Issue Date* November 2, 2022 Stated Maturity Date* November 3, 2025 Automatic Call If the Closing Level of the Index on any Call Observation Date (including the Final Valuation Date) is greater than or equal to the Starting Level, the securities will be automatically called for the face amount plus the Call Premium applicable to that Call Observation Date. Call Observation Dates and Call Premiums Call Observation Dates* Call Premiums** November 2, 2023 at least 10.00% of the face amount November 4, 2024 at least 20.00% of the face amount October 27, 2025 (the Final Valuation Date) at least 30.00% of the face amount ** to be determined on the Pricing Date. Call Payment Date Five business days after the applicable Call Observation Date (if the securities are called on the last Call Observation Date, the Call Payment Date will be the Stated Maturity Date) Maturity Payment Amount (per security)  if the Ending Level is less than the Starting Level but greater than or equal to the Threshold Level: $1,000; or  if the Ending Level is less than the Threshold Level: $1,000 minus: Starting Level The Closing Level of the Index on the Pricing Date Ending Level The Closing Level of the Index on the Final Valuation Date Threshold Level 90.00% of the Starting Level Calculation Agent CIBC Denominations $1,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof Agents Underwriting Discount and Other Fees Up to 3.15%; dealers, including those using the trade name Wells Fargo Advisors (WFA), may receive a selling concession of up to 1.75% and WFA may receive a distribution expense fee of 0.075%. In addition, in respect of certain securities sold in this offering, the Issuer may pay a fee of up to 0.15% per security to selected securities dealers in consideration for marketing and other services in connection with the distribution of the securities to other securities dealers. CUSIP / ISIN 13607XCC9 / US13607XCC92 Material Tax Consequences See the preliminary pricing supplement *Subject to change

Hypothetical Payout Profile*** ***assumes a Call Premium equal to the lowest possible Call Premium that will be determined on the Pricing Date. If the securities are not automatically called and the Ending Level is less than the Threshold Level, you will have 1-to-1 downside exposure to the decrease in the level of the Index in excess of 10% and will lose some, and possibly up to 90%, of the face amount of your securities at maturity. Any positive return on the securities will be limited to the applicable Call Premium, even if the Closing Level of the Index on the applicable Call Observation Date significantly exceeds the Starting Level. You will not participate in any appreciation of the Index beyond the applicable Call Premium. The Issuers estimated value of the securities on the Pricing Date, based on the Issuers internal pricing models, is expected to be at least $921.20 per security but less than the original offering price. The estimated value of the securities is not an indication of actual profit to the Issuer or to any of the Issuers affiliates, nor is it an indication of the price, if any, at which Wells Fargo Securities, LLC (Wells Fargo Securities) or any other person may be willing to buy the securities from you at any time after issuance. See The Estimated Value of the Securities in the accompanying preliminary pricing supplement. Preliminary Pricing Supplement:

https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1045520/000110465922103992/tm2224973d62_424b2.htm

The securities have complex features and investing in the securities involves risks not associated with an investment in conventional debt securities. See Selected Risk Considerations in this term sheet and beginning on page PRS-7 of the accompanying preliminary pricing supplement , and Risk Factors beginning on page S-1 of the underlying supplement, page S-1 of the prospectus supplement and page 1 of the prospectus.

This introductory term sheet does not provide all of the information that an investor should consider prior to making an investment decision.

Investors should carefully review the preliminary pricing supplement, the underlying supplement, the prospectus supplement and the prospectus before making a decision to invest in the securities. If the terms described in the preliminary pricing supplement are inconsistent with those described herein, the terms described in the preliminary pricing supplement will control.

NOT A BANK DEPOSIT AND NOT INSURED BY THE CANADA DEPOSIT INSURANCE CORPORATION, THE U.S. FEDERAL DEPOSIT INSURANCE CORPORATION OR ANY OTHER GOVERNMENTAL AGENCY



Selected Risk Considerations

The risks set forth below are discussed in detail in the Risk Factors section in the accompanying preliminary pricing supplement, underlying supplement, prospectus supplement and prospectus. Please review those risk disclosures carefully.

Risks Relating To The Structure Of The Securities  If The Securities Are Not Automatically Called And The Ending Level Is Less Than The Threshold Level, You Will Receive Less, And Up To 90.00% Less, Than The Face Amount Of Your Securities At Maturity.  The Potential Return On The Securities Is Limited To The Call Premium.  You Will Be Subject To Reinvestment Risk.  No Periodic Interest Will Be Paid On The Securities.  A Call Payment Date Or The Stated Maturity Date May Be Postponed If A Calculation Day Is Postponed. Risk Relating To The Credit Risk Of CIBC  The Securities Are Subject To The Credit Risk Of Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce. Risks Relating To The Estimated Value Of The Securities And Any Secondary Market  Our Estimated Value Of The Securities Will Be Lower Than The Original Offering Price Of The Securities.  Our Estimated Value Does Not Represent Future Values Of The Securities And May Differ From Others Estimates.  Our Estimated Value Is Not Determined By Reference To Credit Spreads For Our Conventional Fixed-Rate Debt.  The Estimated Value Of The Securities Will Not Be An Indication Of The Price, If Any, At Which Wells Fargo Securities Or Any Other Person May Be Willing To Buy The Securities From You In The Secondary Market.  The Value Of The Securities Prior To Maturity Or Automatic Call Will Be Affected By Numerous Factors, Some Of Which Are Related In Complex Ways.  The Securities Will Not Be Listed On Any Securities Exchange And We Do Not Expect A Trading Market For The Securities To Develop.

Risks Relating To Conflicts Of Interest  We Or One Of Our Affiliates Will Be The Calculation Agent And, As A Result, Potential Conflicts Of Interest Could Arise.  Our Economic Interests And Those Of Any Dealer Participating In The Offering Of Securities Will Potentially Be Adverse To Your Interests. Risks Relating To Tax  The U.S. Federal Tax Consequences Of An Investment In The Securities Are Unclear.  There Can Be No Assurance That The Canadian Federal Income Tax Consequences Of An Investment In The Securities Will Not Change In The Future.

The Issuer has filed a registration statement (including a prospectus, a prospectus supplement and an underlying supplement) with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the SEC) for the offering to which this communication relates. Before you invest, you should read the prospectus, the prospectus supplement and the underlying supplement in that registration statement and other documents the Issuer has filed with the SEC for more complete information about the Issuer and this offering. You may get these documents for free by visiting EDGAR on the SEC website at www.sec.gov. Alternatively, any agent or any dealer participating in the offering will arrange to send you the prospectus, the prospectus supplement and the underlying supplement if you request them by calling your financial advisor or by calling Wells Fargo Securities at 866-346-7732.

Wells Fargo Advisors is a trade name used by Wells Fargo Clearing Services, LLC and Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network, LLC, members SIPC, separate registered broker-dealers and non-bank affiliates of Wells Fargo & Company.
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 29, ARMENPRESS. U.S. Ambassador to Armenia Lynne Tracy, who visited Syunik province on September 27, met with displaced families and others who had been affected by the mid-September attacks, the U.S. Embassy Yerevan said on social media.

They discussed the challenges people in the region face and ways to address their urgent needs. Ambassador Tracy also toured the village of Akner which had been damaged by shelling. Ambassador Tracy underscored the continued U.S. support for Armenias sovereignty, the Embassy said.
(Tribune News Service)  A Baltimore anesthesiologist and her Army major spouse were federally indicted Wednesday in an alleged conspiracy to disclose health information to the Russian government to assist its war in Ukraine.

Dr. Anna Gabrielian, 36, and Jamie Lee Henry, 39 and also a medical doctor, face eight counts, including conspiracy and wrongful disclosure of individually identifiable health information. The indictment was filed in U.S. District Court.

Records at the Maryland Board of Physicians show Gabrielian and Henrys primary practices are at Johns Hopkins Hospital. The indictment, however, said at the time of the alleged conspiracy Henry was a staff internist stationed at Fort Bragg, an Army installation in North Carolina and home of U.S. Army Special Operations Command where Henry had secret-level security clearance.

The indictment says the pair, who live in Rockville, sought to pass federally protected medical information to an undercover FBI agent that Gabrielian believed worked at the Russian Embassy about patients at Fort Bragg and others, as well as provide information about U.S. medical capabilities in war conditions.

The indictment said Gabrielian told the agent she was motivated by patriotism toward Russia to provide any assistance she could to Russia, even if it meant being fired or going to jail.

The indictment does not explain Gabrielians connection to Russia, but Johns Hopkins website said she speaks Russian.

If convicted, the couple faces a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison for the conspiracy and a maximum of 10 years for each count of disclosing protected health information.

The indictment was unsealed after the both were arrested Thursday, according to a statement from the U.S. attorneys office, which announced the indictment along with the FBI Baltimore field office. Gabrielian and Henry were scheduled to have initial appearances Thursday in U.S. District Court in Baltimore.

Hopkins did not respond to questions about the couples employment status, but Kim Hoppe, a spokeswoman, said: We were shocked to learn about this news this morning and intend to fully cooperate with investigators.

Gabrielians Hopkins online profile lists her as an instructor of anesthesiology and critical care medicine. Henry did not appear to have a current profile.

The indictment says beginning on August 17 they conspired to cause harm to the United States by providing confidential health information of Americans associated with the United States government and military to Russia.

The information was offered, the indictment says, in order to demonstrate their access to health information of Americans, their willingness to provide it to the Russian government and the potential for the Russians to gain insights into medical conditions of people in U.S. government and the U.S. military for the Russians to exploit

The indictment says Gabrielian reached out to the Russian embassy by email and phone offering her and Henrys help. Since then the couple met twice with someone at a Baltimore hotel that they thought represented the government but was the undercover FBI agent. Henry also indicated in the meeting a willingness to volunteer for the Russian military in Ukraine but lacked combat experience.

While the indictment said they wanted plausible deniability if they were confronted by U.S. authorities, they nonetheless asked if they were arrested Gabrielian wanted their children to have a nice flight to Turkey to go on vacation because I dont want to end in jail here with my kids being hostages over my head.

On August 31, the indictment says Gabrielian and Henry met with the agent in a Gaithersburg hotel and provided health records for two people, including the spouse of an employee of the Office of Naval Intelligence, who Gabrielian thought had a medical condition that Russia could exploit. Henry, the indictment said, provided health records for five other people who were military veterans or relatives.

Neither Henry nor Gabrielian have attorneys list in court documents.

2022 Baltimore Sun.

Visit baltimoresun.com.

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
CAMP HUMPHREYS, South Korea  Naval forces from the United States, Japan and South Korea are set to carry out anti-submarine warfare drills in the East Sea, also known as the Sea of Japan, for the first time in five years, the Souths Ministry of National Defense said Thursday.

The exercise scheduled for Friday is defensive in nature and is being conducted to cope with the North Korean nuclear and missile threat, the ministry said in a news release.

The [South Korea]-U.S.-Japan anti-submarine warfare exercise this time is a part of [the ministrys] measure to restore the levels of  trilateral cooperation for responses to North Koreas nuclear program and missiles to pre-2017 levels, the release said.

And, especially, the three countries pursue this exercise in a bid to improve their capabilities to search, identify and chase North Koreas submarines possessing the ability to launch [submarine-launched ballistic missiles], the ministry added.

The Souths military noted that the drills would take place in international waters after considering North Koreas submarine-launched ballistic missile threat.

A separate news release from U.S. Pacific Fleet on Wednesday described the trilateral exercise as forward-leaning, reflective of our shared values, and resolute against those who challenge regional stability.

Rear Adm. Michael Buzz Donnelly, commander of Carrier Strike Group 5 and Task Force 70, will be commanding the exercise, according to South Koreas Defense Ministry.

Ships participating in the drills includes an unnamed U.S. submarine, the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan, the guided-missile cruiser USS Chancellorsville, the guided-missile destroyer USS Barry, the Japanese destroyer JS Asahi and the South Korean destroyer Munmu the Great.

The Ronald Reagan Carrier Strike Group arrived on South Koreas eastern coast on Sept. 23 after leaving Yokosuka Naval Base in Japan nine days earlier.

We will incapacitate any type of North Korean provocations by responding to them overwhelmingly and decisively, South Korean navy Capt. Cho Chung-ho, commander of Battle Squadron 11, 1st Fleet, said in the Defense Ministrys news release.

Anti-submarine drills between Seoul, Tokyo and Washington were first and last conducted in 2017. The latest iteration is happening on the heels of the 11-day U.S.-South Korean military exercise, Ulchi Freedom Shield, which ended Sept. 1.

The exercise comes two days after North Korea fired two short-range missiles toward the East Sea from Pyongyangs Sunan area. South Koreas military estimated the missiles reached a speed of up to Mach 6 and flew 223 miles at a peak altitude of 18 miles.

South Koreas Joint Chiefs of Staff condemned the launch on Wednesday and said North Koreas actions would further strengthen the deterrence and response capabilities of the U.S. and the South.

Vice President Kamala Harris, who arrived in South Korea on Thursday after visiting Japan, underscored that the U.S.-[South Korea] alliance remains a linchpin of peace, stability, and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific and around the world, according to a White House statement on Thursday.

Harris met with South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol in Seoul, where the leaders discussed response to potential future provocations from North Korea, the White House said.

The North has conducted 20 rounds of missile tests so far this year, a record, and U.S. and South Korean intelligence agencies have assessed the communist regime is prepared to conduct another nuclear test, its seventh test in history and its first since 2017.
YOKOSUKA NAVAL BASE, Japan  One of the Navys newest warships, the guided-missile destroyer USS Zumwalt, docked this week at the homeport of the U.S. 7th Fleet, marking the vessels first-ever visit to Asia.

The lead ship of the Zumwalt-class guided-missile destroyers steamed into Yokosuka on Monday for a routine port call after spending 13 days at Naval Base Guam, Task Force 71 spokeswoman Lt. Katherine Serrano told Stars and Stripes.

The Zumwalt arrived in Guam on Sept. 6, another first for the ship, Task Force 71 spokesman Lt. Cmdr. Joseph Keiley told Stars and Stripes by phone Thursday.

The ships time in Guam was considered a working visit, but sailors also had the chance to visit local attractions, according to a Sept. 19 news release from Task Force 71.

Zumwalts arrival in Japan also marks the farthest it has traveled from its homeport, Naval Base San Diego, a record previously set in Guam, the release said.

The Zumwalts crew is fully vaccinated, and the sailors are free to explore Japan provided they abide by COVID mitigation policies, Serrano wrote in an email Thursday.

While in Yokosuka, Sailors will be afforded the opportunity to enjoy liberty and experience Japanese culture, she said.

She declined to comment on the destroyers length of stay or future destinations as a matter of policy.

Zumwalt is currently conducting operations and engagements in the Indo-Pacific region, she said. DDG 1000 plays an integral role in maintaining our competitive edge and assuring our allies and partners in the region."

The ship arrived in Japan at nearly the same time as Vice President Kamala Harris, who landed at Yokota Air Base in western Tokyo on Monday for a four-day visit that included the state funeral of slain former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and visits with Japanese, Korean and other heads of state.

On Wednesday, the vice president visited Yokosuka, where she boarded the destroyer USS Howard, docked adjacent to the Zumwalt, and gave a speech that addressed the regions growing tensions with China and North Korea.

The Zumwalt entered the fleet in April 2019, 2  years after it was commissioned in October 2016. Soon after the commissioning, Congress prohibited the Navy from taking delivery of a vessel not fully outfitted to its combat capacity, according to an April 2020 USNI News report.

The Navy originally planned to put 32 Zumwalt-class destroyers to sea, a number trimmed to three as the price of each ship, an estimated $8.1 billion, grew after 2005, according to 2008 and 2018 reports from the Government Accountability Office.

Originally planned to be used for shore bombardment, high costs of munitions for the ships original 155 mm main armament added to the Navys decision in December 2017 to change its mission to surface warfare.

The Navy has since decided to replace the two 155 mm cannons with tubes able to accommodate hypersonic missiles, USNI reported in August.

The destroyer, according to the Navy, is equipped for control of the sea, power projection, deterrence and command and control missions.

It is designed to operate in open-ocean and near-shore environments.
President Vladimir Putins mobilization of Russian men to fight in Ukraine has brought home the reality of war to ordinary Russian families.

For months, Russian voices of dissent were largely silent. Initial antiwar demonstrations were quickly crushed and there were only small displays of defiance in major cities like Moscow and St. Petersburg. But that all changed after Putins announcement on Sept. 21.

Through angry protests, acts of violence and an exodus of more than 200,000 citizens, Russians are rebelling against the prospect of further escalation of the war and the steep price they will probably pay.

Kremlin officials have downplayed the turmoil but the scenes coming out of Russia tell a different story, one of widespread opposition against a government known for quashing it. Dissent has been documented across the country even in areas that were previously quiet.

Videos and images verified by The Washington Post show Russians are angry and afraid for their lives. Dozens of protests broke out in large cities and rural areas that have already lost many men to the war in Ukraine. Some took to violence, while others chose to escape: Miles-long lines of cars waited to cross land borders out of the country and international flights out of Moscow were full of fighting-age men.

On Sunday, demonstrations erupted in Dagestan, a predominantly Muslim republic in the North Caucasus. Soldiers from the region have suffered disproportionately high casualties during the Ukraine invasion. In protests in the regional capital of Makhachkala on Sunday and Monday, women confronted, even chased, local authorities. We are for peace, they chanted in one widely shared video.

Security forces responded harshly, violently detaining both women and men. Some 120 people were arrested in Makhachkala, according to OVD-Info, an independent group monitoring protests.

The head of Dagestan, Sergei Melikov, has blamed the unrest on foreign influence trying to escalate the situation inside the country and has vowed that the republic will fulfill its part of the mobilization.

In Endirey, a village of around 8,000 people northwest of Makhachkala, video taken Sunday showed police firing into the air. According to local Telegram channels, 110 men had been called up there.

There were more protests Monday in Makhachkala, and security forces again clashed with locals.

Within hours of Putins announcement, protesters took to the streets in several large cities including St. Petersburg, Perm, Yekaterinburg and Moscow. Police, as they did months earlier, responded with beatings and mass arrests.

Protesters also came out in western Siberia. A video posted Sept. 21 showed people standing in Novosibirsks central square. I dont want to die for Putin, one shouted before being pulled away by police.

Police surrounded demonstrators in a main square of the Siberian city of Tomsk on Sept. 21. One protester was led away holding a sign that said, Give me a hug if youre also afraid.

In the eastern cities of Siberia, protesters fought with police shortly after Putins announcement and continued demonstrating through the weekend.

In a video posted Sunday on Telegram from the far eastern city of Yakutsk, an impoverished area where ethnic minorities have also borne the brunt of casualties in the war, women surrounded police and chanted, Let our children live!

There have also been attacks against military recruitment offices. More than a dozen incidents of violence have been reported across the country against military commissariats since the mobilization announcement.

On Monday morning at a recruitment center in Ust-Ilimsk, the chief recruitment officer in charge of conscription, Alexander Eliseev, was shot and critically wounded.

The alleged shooter, 25-year-old Ruslan Zinin, was detained and a criminal case was opened against him, according to Russian News Agency Tass.

A video posted Monday to Telegram showed a person throwing a Molotov cocktail at an enlistment office in the town of Uryupinsk, part of the oblast or province of Volgograd in southwest Russia.

In a statement from the administration of Uryupinsk posted on the Russian social media channel VK, the office confirmed the enlistment building was set on fire and that the person at fault has been detained. The administration said that there was minimal damage and no injuries.

A military recruitment office in Tomsk was evacuated following a bomb threat just hours after Putins announcement, media in Tomsk reported.

Rather than engaging in attacks or protests, many more young men seeking to avoid the war have opted to flee the country. Social media posts and satellite imagery showed miles of cars lined up at Russian border crossings as neighboring nations reported influxes of Russian migration.

Lines of cars stretched back at least nine miles from the Upper Lars checkpoint on the border with Georgia, far longer than the usual backup, according to Stephen Wood, senior director at Maxar Technologies. The traffic jams are visible both in satellite images and videos posted online.

For Yana and her boyfriend, crossing into Georgia took days. The 28-year-old, who gave only her first name because she didnt want to be identified by authorities, described a desperate scene at the border.

People had been standing there for three or four days already, she said. Online help chats are being created, people asking for water, food, diapers, gasoline.

Ive seen a lot of things at the border but never the mayhem such as this, a tour guide said in a video posted on Sept. 22.

Georgias interior minister said there had been a 40 to 45 percent increase in Russians crossing the border daily since the mobilization announcement.

After days of waiting, the couple made it across on Tuesday. He hadnt received a summons yet, Yana said of her boyfriend. Once it arrives its too late to leave.

Satellite imagery captured by Maxar Technologies on Friday showed a line of vehicles nearly a half-mile long waiting to cross from the Russian republic of Buryatia into Mongolia.

There are definitely more vehicles trying to leave, Wood said. Images from Aug. 15, which he said were typical of traffic volumes before the mobilization, contained only a handful of trucks on the Russian side of the border.

Satellite imagery taken in the week since Russias announcement also indicated extensive delays at several land crossings into Kazakhstan.

Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev estimated Tuesday some 98,000 Russians had entered the country since Sept. 21. Most of them are forced to leave because of the current hopeless situation, he said in a speech. We must take care of them and ensure their safety.

Video taken at the Mashtakovo border crossing into Kazakhstan and posted Sept. 22 also showed cars lined at the checkpoint and men on foot. Footage recorded late Sunday showed large numbers of men still at the border.

There are many refugees. I feel sorry for them, Aidos Kairzhanov, who shared the videos with The Post and said he helped transport some Russians from the border.

Many also scrambled to fly out of Russia.

The decision to leave was a very hard one, said Alexander, 27, who gave only his first name for fear of reprisals. He left behind his family, girlfriend, mortgage and job, and booked a flight to Kazakhstan when he heard of the mobilization. At first he was nervous and confused, but he made friends on the flight - young Russian men who were also escaping.

Im happy I left and have no regrets. But the future is very unclear, he said.

The Washington Posts Robyn Dixon and Natalia Abbakumova in Riga, Latvia, and Atthar Mirza in Washington contributed to this report. Mariya Manzhos provided translations.
Mentions of Austria tend to evoke thoughts of the Von Trapps from The Sound of Music, the grandeur of Vienna or maybe the picturesque panorama that is Hallstatt.

However, tucked away in the foothills of the Austrian Alps is the small town of Gaming, a quiet retreat that mostly has escaped notice. But after seeing a post on social media about beer brewed by monks, I knew I had to go.

Peeking through the countryside is the steeple of the former monastery known as the Kartause, or Charterhouse. Once home to monks, it now serves as a hotel, school, restaurant and brewery, hosting students and travelers alike. The monks now live in various places around Gaming.

The town was the home of Duke Albert II in the 13th century, and the Charterhouse has an image of the duke. Lets just say that Albert had a face that makes onlookers wish they could unsee that portrait.

However, Gamings roots date back to the ninth century. Portions of this long history are displayed in the museum of the Charterhouse.

While walking around, visitors will see signs shaped like beer mugs leading just outside of town. At the end of these trails is what appears to be just a normal well next to a pond. Its actually one of the towns best surprises.

By donating a few euros, you can hoist up and enjoy beers brewed by the monks of the Kartause that are kept cool at the bottom of the well.

Gamings main attraction, though, is its views and hikes. Looking out over the surrounding peaks gives a sense that the city has been frozen in time.

The trails, which often meander between houses or buildings, can be challenging to find but are well worth the adventure. They are peaceful and family-friendly, with varied lengths and degrees of difficulty.

At the top of each mountain, along with the view, logbooks invite hikers to leave a written record of their presence.

I spent two days and one night exploring all this little getaway has to offer. While the scenery and the suds were wonderful, a major highlight of Gaming for me was the kebab stand in the heart of the town. Cheap and delicious, the kebabs were the perfect lunch after a long hike.

For longer stays, the region has more to offer. A short drive from Gaming leads to Melk Abbey, the ruins of Durnstein Castle or the crystal-clear waters of the Lunzer See.

Directions: Using the Kartause as a landmark in your GPS, driving is simple via the A3. Cellphone service gets spotty in the mountains, so preloading the maps is a must.

Cost: Hiking trails and other activities are free. Overnight stays in the Kartause range from 93 to 193 euros.

Information: https://www.kartause-gaming.at
With summers scorching heat in our rear-view mirrors and a few weeks yet before winters cold settles in, October is a great month for road tripping to the last of the fair-weather festivals. Coupling awesome events with scenic drives to cute nearby places is a sure-fire way to get the most out of an upcoming weekend. Here are just a few possible events and places to check out while you're in the neighborhood.

Germany

The city of Furth, just north of Nuremberg, is home to one of Franconias oldest church festivals. The Michaelis-Kirchweih offers tasty Franconian beer and treats, scary rides, games of chance, market stalls and other fun associated with the volksfest tradition. In contrast to many other fests, this one unfolds in the citys downtown area. Opening Oct. 1 and running through Oct. 16, a program highlight is its traditional thanksgiving parade. From 11 a.m. Oct. 9, some 3000 marchers in traditional costume bring sound and color to the city streets. Online: michaelis-kirchweih.de

Just over an hours drive west from Furth is found Rothenburg ob der Tauber, considered one of the best preserved towns in all Germany. A walk atop the two miles of medieval fortress walls that encircle the town provides stunning views of Franconias green countryside. Places worth a detour along the way include Cadolzburg, home to a 13th-century castle perched atop a rocky spur, or Bad Windsheim, a spa town housing an expansive park with wellness facilities.

Austria

Salzburgs wonderful Old Town breaks out into song Oct. 13-16, as its annual Jazz & The City event sees some 70 concerts play out across 30 different locations, including both indoor and outdoor spaces. With free admission, visitors can wander freely from one venue to the next to hear jazz in all its subgenres, along with world and electronic music. This years crop of artists hails from all over Europe, as well as Brazil, New Zealand and the UK. Online: salzburg-altstadt.at/en/salzburgjazz

From Salzburg, a trip along the Grossglockner High Alpine Road leads to Heiligenblut in Carinthia. The 30-mile road weaves through lush mountain pastures, meadows and rocky ground before yielding to views of the majestic Grossglockner, Austrias highest mountain. The routes 36 sharp turns will give even experienced drivers a challenge. In a typical year, the road remains accessible through late October/early November. A single-day ticket for traveling along this famous stretch of highway goes for 38 euros. Online: grossglockner.at

Italy

From Oct. 14-23, chocolate lovers will descend upon the Umbria Fairgrounds outside Perugia for LEurochocolate, a fair celebrating all things cocoa-related. With its move to indoor premises, the fair that used to take place inside Perugia's city center becomes more compact and thus more easily navigable. In addition to sampling the wares, visitors can learn about chocolates supply chain along a tree to bar route. This years guest of honor is Mexico. Online tickets go for 8 euros plus processing fees for adults for midweek visits and 10 euros to drop by on weekends. Online: eurochocolate.com

Just a half-hours drive from Perugia is found Assisi, the charming hilltop town that was the birthplace of St. Francis, founder of the order of monks who bear his name. Nearby Spello delights with its narrow cobbled streets and a villa showcasing age-old mosaics. After passing the vineyards of the Montefalco wine region, one reaches Spoleto, a medieval gem overlooking an ancient aqueduct.

Belgium

Twice a year, the small city of Ciney hosts whats billed as Europes biggest fair for military memorabilia. More than 600 exhibitors from all corners of the Continent set up stands selling uniforms, helmets, medals, insignia, flags, spare parts, engravings, books, postcards, photographs and other items. The fairs autumn edition will take place 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Oct. 30 at the Ciney Expo. Adult entry costs 15 euros, while those under the age of 14 enter free. Online: tinyurl.com/2y3sd6m4

Use the time in the area to get to know Wallonia, the French-speaking region of southern Belgium. About 10 miles west of Ciney is found Dinant, a good starting point for a drive along the Meuse River heading towards Namur. Dinants citadel and onion-domed cathedral are worthy of exploration, and the saxophone statues scattered through town honor native son Adolphe Sax, inventor of the instrument. Before leaving, sample a flamiche, a puff-pastry tart filled with leeks and cream. Namur, site of unique churches including the Cathedral of Saint Aubain and the Church of Saint-Loup, is dominated by its immense citadel. For a pit stop in between the two cities, consider the Jardins deau dAnnevoie, a landscape park with snazzy water features.
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (Tribune News Service)  The U.S. Department of Homeland Security on Wednesday granted a temporary and targeted Jones Act waiver for Puerto Rico, allowing the island to immediately receive shipments of badly needed fuel as it attempts to recover from the destruction left behind by Hurricane Fiona.

The decision ends days of pressure from island leaders and U.S. lawmakers to grant an exemption to the act, which prohibits foreign ships from delivering supplies from one American port to another. It disproportionately affects Puerto Rico because it is an island and heavily relies on shipping imports to meet basic needs, including food.

In response to urgent and immediate needs of the Puerto Rican people in the aftermath of Hurricane Fiona, I have approved a temporary and targeted Jones Act waiver to ensure that the people of Puerto Rican have sufficient diesel to run generators needed for electricity and the functioning critical facilities as they recover from Hurricane Fiona, Alejandro Mayorkas, secretary of Homeland Security, said in a statement.

Mayorkas added that the decision was made in consultation with Departments of Transportation, Energy, and Defense and with the input of Puerto Rico Gov. Pedro Pierluisi.

Mayorkas statement did not specify if it would apply to shipped goods beyond fuel and did not say how long the exemption that was granted would last. The statement also reaffirmed broad U.S. government support for the Jones Act, which it described as maintaining the strength of the American shipbuilding and maritime industries.

On Tuesday, Pierluisi released a letter asking President Joe Biden to allow non-American cargo ships to deliver fuel to the island, saying that the need for fuel, and particularly diesel, was going up and supplies were dwindling quicker than expected. He added that the islands government was distributing diesel to keep hospitals and other critical infrastructure afloat, while residents used it for daily needs.

A shortage of diesel and other fuel products will have an impact on our ability to provide essential services to citizens in Puerto Rico, thus affecting public health, security and continuity of government functions, the islands top official wrote.

Earlier this week, a cargo ship that did not fly an American flag brought diesel supplies to the island, but could not dock.

The Merchant Marine Act of 1920, known as the Jones Act, mandates that only American ships, with U.S. owners, flags, and crews can deliver supplies from ports within the country.

The last time Puerto Rico was exempted from the Jones Act was in 2017, when former President Donald Trump lifted the measure. That waiver lasted 10 days.

2022 Miami Herald. Visit at miamiherald.com.

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
FORT SHAFTER, Hawaii  The Army and Marines are advising Hawaii residents to expect increased noise from aircraft and simulated firearms in coming weeks as major training events take place on Oahu and the Big Island.

Marines from the 3rd Littoral Combat Team will conduct simulated close-air support drills on Marine Corps Base Hawaii Oct. 12 to 14, the service said in a Facebook advisory last week.

The Marines will train alongside Army and Air Force partners.

Aircraft are expected to make more noise than usual because they will be flying at much lower altitudes during the drills, the Marines said.

From Oct. 31 to Nov. 9, the Armys 25th Infantry Division will take part in a large-scale training event called Joint Pacific Multinational Readiness Center, the Army said in a news release Wednesday.

Specifically, the divisions 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, elements of the 25th Combat Aviation Brigade, 25th Division Artillery and 25th Division Sustainment Brigade will participate in the training rotation.

The Joint Pacific Multinational Readiness Center is a deployable package of personnel and equipment capable of providing exercises that rival rotations soldiers would get at the Joint Readiness Training Center at Fort Polk, La., or the National Training Center at Fort Irwin, Calif.

The training is intended to provide realistic scenarios portraying what troops might face in a conflict with China or Russia.

Regional training centers under the Joint Pacific Multinational Readiness Center were deployed for the first time in Hawaii in the fall of 2021 and to Alaska this winter.

It was deployed to Indonesia in August for Super Garuda Shield.

The upcoming Hawaii drills will involve use of blank ammunition and explosive simulators during day and night training, the Army said.

Training on Oahu will be held on Bellows Air Force Station, Dillingham Army Airfield, Kahuku Training Area, Kawailoa Mountain Ranges, Helemanu Plantation and Schofield Barracks East and South Ranges.

On Hawaii Island, troops will train at Pohakuloa Training Area, a 132,000-acre site used by the joint services for live-fire drills.

Last week, the Air Forces 535th Air Lift Squadron from Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam landed a C-17 Globemaster on Pohakuloas airfield, a dry-run before training begins late next month, Lt. Col. Kevin Cronin, the training areas commander, said in a phone interview Tuesday.

At 3,700 feet, the airstrip is barely long enough to provide the required 3,500 feet a C-17 needs to land. It was the first time in more than two decades that a Globemaster landed there, Cronin said.

The Globemaster will make 10 sorties with troops and cargo to the island during the upcoming training, Cronin said.
CAMP FOSTER, Okinawa  The body of an airman swept out to sea Saturday while snorkeling off northeastern Okinawa was found Wednesday afternoon and identified the following day, according to the Air Force.

The name of the 20-year-old airman, who was assigned to the 18th Logistics Readiness Squadron at Kadena Air Base, is being withheld pending next-of-kin notification, the 18th Wing said in a statement Thursday.

The body was discovered about a half-mile offshore, between Adan and Sosu beaches, a Kunigami fire department spokesman told Stars and Stripes by phone Thursday. Members of the U.S. Air Force alerted the department about the body around 2:50 p.m. Wednesday, he said.

The airman was pronounced dead at 5 p.m., the spokesman said. The body was handed then over to members of the U.S. military, who took it from the scene by helicopter.

The official cause of death was not known Thursday.

The airman was one of six Americans snorkeling on Saturday around an offshore reef near the mouth of the Ie River in Sosu, 18th Wing spokesman Staff Sgt. Kyle Johnson told Stars and Stripes on Monday. Three were pulled away from the group by the current before the waves separated them.

Japan Coast Guard officials dispatched a helicopter from their base in Naha after receiving a distress call at 3:30 p.m., a coast guard spokesman said Sunday.

A pair of Japanese swimmers went after the three service members using surfboards and floats, the spokesman said. A 20-year-old man and a 19-year-old woman, both assigned to Kadena, were rescued by the Japanese swimmers.

The two Americans and two Japanese were plucked from the sea by the coast guard helicopter at 4:50 p.m., the spokesman said. A search for the missing airman began immediately.

The four who were rescued suffered no major injuries, the spokesman said. Its customary in Japan for some government officials to speak to the media on condition of anonymity.

The two Americans were taken to U.S. Naval Hospital Okinawa at Camp Foster, where they were medically cleared and released, the 18th Wing said Monday.

An extensive five-day search was carried out by the U.S. military, Japans 11th Regional Coast Guard, Kunigami fire department and local police.
TAIPEI, Taiwan (Tribune News Service)  As the Senate contemplates sending large sums of security assistance to Taiwan, independent defense analysts here are urging U.S. lawmakers to maximize their leverage at a sensitive time in cross-strait relations.

They want Congress to convince Taiwanese officials to enact a series of defense overhauls  from increased civilian oversight of the Defense Ministry to changing how Taipei recruits and trains its military conscripts and volunteers.

If the issue is institutional, then the only fix is to fix the institution. Weapons, tools, hardware, buying the right powerful platform  this is totally besides the question, said Paul Huang, a defense analyst and research fellow at the Taiwanese Public Opinion Foundation, a nonpartisan research organization.

Youre looking at a military that is just totally stuck in the past, that is not adapting to new realities, the civil-military relations are completely outdated. . . . Its not the way a military in a democracy should be run.

Huang warned that if Congress focuses its security assistance efforts to Taiwan mostly on speeding up and expanding weapons shipments, that could be wasted American taxpayer money unless the Taiwanese Defense Ministry changes the way it operates.

Bipartisan legislation that would approve billions of dollars over the coming years in U.S. assistance for Taiwan to modernize its military, which could reach the Senate floor this year, does not do much to prod the Taiwanese Defense Ministry to adopt bureaucratic reforms  though it does seek to incentivize Taipei to increase its defense spending each year.

In interviews here last month, a handful of young Taiwanese men with military backgrounds, as well as several senior retired Taiwanese military officers and defense analysts, voiced a variety of mostly negative opinions about Taiwans readiness to capably defend itself against a potential invasion by China  as Ukraine has done against Russia.

Some, like Huang, were scathing in their criticism of the Taiwanese Defense Ministry, while others voiced more generalized disappointment with the state of military training and pessimism about the self-governing islands ability to strengthen its defenses in time for a feared Chinese attack, which some U.S. and Taiwanese experts estimate could come in the next five to 10 years.

Peach Hsu, 18, recently completed his basic military training period and is now in a two-year program at the Air Force Institute of Technology in Kaohsiung City to become a noncommissioned officer specializing in aircraft maintenance. Hes uncertain about the Taiwanese publics readiness to defend itself if China invades.

For the young men who have served their mandatory military service, they might be able to fight because theyll have some knowledge about warfare and weapons. But for other civilians and those with families, maybe they will just choose to protect their family first, he said one evening outside the historic Raohe Night Market.

Taiwan has struggled with its military recruitment amid a strong economy that has seemed to offer more appealing job prospects for young Taiwanese than a career in the armed forces. Taiwans military also has suffered reputational hits with the public due to recent deadly military training accidents, as well as seeming to be outmaneuvered by the Chinese militarys increasing use of gray zone tactics that feature psychological warfare maneuvers designed, in part, to lower the morale of Taiwans public and military.

Taipei has self-imposed policies, backed by the United States, of not retaliating against Chinese incursions into its air and maritime spaces. But that comes at the price of the Taiwanese military feeling impotent, said Michael Tsai.

They dont know how to fight back, just watch ... thats a sign of weakness, said Tsai, a former vice defense minister, who now teaches at the Taiwan Defense Institute and noted that he was speaking in a personal capacity. What can we do? We are not going to be condemned (internationally) as a troublemaker.

Additionally, Taipei is struggling to reverse the trend since the 1990s of multiple governments reducing the amount of time young Taiwanese men are required to serve in the military, which has been steadily whittled down from two years mandatory service to just four months today.

The hopes of recent decades that mostly stable relations with Beijing under successive Chinese presidents Jiang Zemin and Hu Jintao had made it safe for Taiwan to move away from its decades-old conscript military model to an all-volunteer force are now dead, thanks to the aggressive tactics and bellicose threats of Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Mixed public support

A vast majority of polled Taiwanese (78%) in March said they had little to no confidence in Taiwans ability to defend itself, according to a survey from the Taiwanese Public Opinion Foundation.

Notably, overwhelming majorities of the Taiwanese public (between 65% and 76%) in surveys taken this spring and summer by different polling organizations said they would support lengthening compulsory military service back to one year from a few months, in response to the rising threat from China.

Younger generations of Taiwanese are, according to multiple polls, most likely to say they would oppose unification with China and want Taiwan to resist Chinese pressure. But that polling support has not translated into increases in the number of young Taiwanese men signing up to join the armed forces.

The March opinion poll by the Taiwanese Public Opinion Foundation found lower levels of support (56%) among the 20-24 age group for lengthening Taiwans mandatory military service to one year  the age group that would be most directly affected. Thats compared to the three-quarters of all age groups that support extending military service.

Most people do not want to join the military, because we are upset with our military and government. Our bureaucracy is so lazy, said Devin Bai, 19, a college freshman in Taipei studying defense policies, who has not yet completed his mandatory four months of military service. He spoke with CQ Roll Call during a weekend fundraiser to benefit the Ukrainian people. Our trainings are really boring, and people think its useless. But if its improved, recruitment might get better.

Retired Lt. Gen. Chang Yan-ting, a former deputy commander of Taiwans Air Force, blamed what he said was the blind nationalism of many of Taiwans young for the apparent disconnect between their self-declared patriotism and disinterest in joining the military.

A lot of people from the younger generations, they dont want to be soldiers, Chang said. They hope that we can have a strong military force, but they dont want to be part of it.

It has been a big struggle for Taiwan to retain even its military volunteers.

From 2019 to 2021, some 8,000 volunteers across the Taiwanese Army, Navy and Air Force left their military service early before completing their contract, which is typically four years, and paid back their recruitment fee, said Chang, who retired two years ago.

Thats why they tried to lower the (difficulty) threshold for training, just to stop people from leaving. But then it creates more accidents, which further harms the militarys reputation with the Taiwanese public and depresses recruitment, he said.

Taiwan is also badly lacking in officers and noncommissioned officers. The Taiwanese military has only 60% of the NCOs it needs, and just 40% of the officers it requires, according to Chieh Chung, a defense analyst with the National Policy Foundation, a think tank aligned with the opposition Kuomintang party, citing a 2020 Defense Ministry report.

The Taiwanese Defense Ministry declined a request for an interview.

We understand our own responsibilities in Taiwans defense. Theres a lot of things we need to do other than procuring the articles that we need for the asymmetric warfare, Taiwanese Foreign Minister Joseph Wu said in a brief interview with CQ Roll Call at the Foreign Ministry, responding to criticisms raised by members of Taiwans defense community. The reform of the reservists is something that we have been working very hard on, and it takes time to overhaul the situation that we have ignored this area for a long time.

Taiwans globally low birth rate (just 1.07 births per woman) is also a contributing factor to public concerns about what it would mean for the islands labor market and economy if millions of working-age men were abruptly pulled from their jobs and conscripted.

Despite the generalized public agreement that Taiwan badly needs to overhaul its military reservist program  concerns that have been amplified and clarified by Russias invasion of Ukraine and Chinas menacing August drills encircling Taiwan  President Tsai Ing-wen has yet to announce any policy change.

Its hard for the ruling party to do it because its not very welcome among younger generations, said Alfred Chia Hsing Lin, a military reserve officer who also works as the deputy communications director of the Kuomintang party. Our government is trying to solve that issue, but our general public, especially young parents, those people from 40 to 50 and their children, will fight against that policy. So Im not sure whether our government can really restore it.

Push for reforms

Younger voters are a critical base of support for Tsais Democratic Progressive Party, which is currently leading in polling going into local elections in November.

Whats wrong with Taiwans defense and military and broadly the national security apparatus is the civil-military relations in Taiwan are fundamentally outdated and nontransparent, said Huang, who is a reservist army corporal. In particular, he faulted a lack of due diligence from parliament and strong civilian leadership at the Defense Ministry. Theres no check and balance, he said.

Taiwans Defense Ministry leaders are appointed by the president and do not need to be confirmed by lawmakers. The vast majority of Taiwans defense ministers and vice defense ministers are former generals who were appointed to their civilian roles without any cooling-off period after taking off the uniform. So the ministry as an institution has remained change-resistant even as the methods of 21st century warfare, including those that China is currently threatening Taiwan with, are rapidly evolving, critics told CQ Roll Call.

Furthermore, the Taiwanese military is too Army-centric, argues Chang, the retired Air Force general: Our military organization is really, really focused on our soldiers. They disproportionately ignore our Navy and Air Force.

And thats problematic because Chinese military threats, including fears of a blockade or an amphibious invasion, as well as the frequent ongoing gray zone incursions into Taiwanese air space, are centered in the battle domains of the Navy and Air Force.

However, because Army officers dominate the military hierarchy and the Defense Ministry, in practice it has been Army generals making the decisions and planning the strategies for the Navy and Air Force, Chang said.

The Army dominates Taiwans military and Defense Ministry because of its much larger size as a fighting force. The number of combined Air Force and Navy general and admiral positions is 50, which is equal to the number of generalships the Army has, according to Chang, adding that dedicated Defense Ministry policy jobs are even more similarly disproportionately tilted toward Army officers.

Our MND (Ministry of Defense) is quite old-fashioned, conservative, they are quite reluctant to implement these kinds of comprehensive reforms of the institution, so as lawmakers we have to push them for that kind of reform, said Lo Chi-cheng, a lawmaker with the governing Democratic Progressive Party, who sits on the Taiwanese parliaments Foreign and National Defense Committee. Its very difficult to pass laws to regulate these kinds of small bureaucratic procedures.

Annabelle Chih, a local journalist, contributed to this report.

2022 CQ-Roll Call, Inc., All Rights Reserved.

Visit cqrollcall.com.

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 29, ARMENPRESS. Secretary of the Security Council of Armenia Armen Grigoryan assesses his meeting with assistant to Azerbaijani president Hikmet Hajiyev hosted by White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan in Washington D.C. as effective.

We have discussed the agenda of the settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, as well as topics on the establishment of peace in the region. These topics relate to the unblocking, the delimitation and the border security, as well as other issues which bring peace and stability in the region. These are the main topics that we have discussed. The elimination of consequences of the latest large-scale aggression was also emphasized. You know that in this respect the United States has repeatedly announced that Azerbaijan must return its forces to the initial positions from where the aggression started, Armen Grigoryan told Voice of America.

Grigoryan said that Armenia and Azerbaijan are discussing 5 agendas, there are 5 issues on the agenda which are mutually related. One of them is the humanitarian issues, I mean, the return of captives and all the other humanitarian issues that exist. There is also the issue of unblocking, the demarcation and delimitation issue, the issue of the settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict. There is also the peace agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan. We have tried to make clarifications in these directions on how we are going to move forward. These are interconnected. In other words, the concreteness was around these topics, how we move forward, he said.

Grigoryan said that there are different formats where discussions are held at various levels. Those are the discussions being held at the level of foreign ministers, deputy prime ministers, as well as directors of the national security service. There are also high-level discussions, in other words, meetings between the Armenian Prime Minister and the Azerbaijani President. At the moment we are discussing to have a progress in other formats as well so that if possible we can also have a high-level meeting, he stated.
CAMP HUMPHREYS, South Korea  Over two dozen letters exchanged between former President Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un revealed the North Korean leaders efforts to curry favor with Trump while sidelining then South Korean President Moon Jae-in during negotiations.

Twenty-seven letters dated between 2018 to 2019 were fully released on Sunday by the Korean-American Club, a nonprofit organization of current and former South Korean journalists from various news agencies in the country. Portions of the letters were first published in investigative journalist Bob Woodwards book on Trumps administration, Rage, in 2020.

The letters were released so that the world can study deep into these materials  and improve understanding for everyone in the nation, Lee Kang Duk, the clubs chairman and a former political reporter for the Korean Broadcasting System, told Stars and Stripes by phone Tuesday.

Trump and Kim expressed their fondness for each other in many of the writings, which the U.S. president described during campaign rallies as beautiful letters. In other missives, the two lamented the political climate that stalled their summit talks.

I am ready to work with your excellency with all my heart and devotion to accomplish a feat no one has ever accomplished, Kim said in a letter dated April 1, 2018, two months before he met with Trump for the first time at a summit in Singapore.

Trump replied the same day, saying he was happy to meet Kim to drastically improve relations between Washington and Pyongyang.

Four months later, Trump wrote another letter thanking Kim for the repatriation of 55 remains believed to be U.S. troops killed during the 1950-53 Korean War. A U.S. military aircraft had flown to North Korea on July 27, 2018, to receive the remains following a joint agreement signed in Singapore.

Thank you for keeping your promise to start the repatriation process of our soldiers, Trump said in the letter dated Aug. 2, 2018. I look forward to seeing you soon, he wrote in black ink.

On June 10, 2019, four days before the U.S. presidents birthday, Kim wrote a letter congratulating Trump and for the one-year anniversary of the historical moment in Singapore.

I extend my warmest regards for your excellencys birthday, Kim wrote.

Two days later, Trump thanked Kim for his birthday letter and said the two leaders shared a unique relationship and a special friendship.

However, the tone of the letters was not always pleasant, and complications in their negotiations began bleeding through the missives.

As of now, it is very difficult for me and my people to understand the decision and behavior of you and South Korean authorities, Kim wrote in a letter dated Aug. 5, 2019.

Kim went on to say that he was offended by the paranoid war exercises between U.S. and South Korean troops.

As your excellency indicated at some point, we have a strong military  and it is a matter of common knowledge that the [South Korean] armed forces are no match for our military, Kim continued. Setting aside the differences in military power, I have no intention to attack South Korea or start a war. I have no inclination to do that indeed.

The communist leader also alluded to Trump having previously justified North Koreas weapons tests.

As your excellency mentioned, while we conducted capability improvement tests of very small missiles that have been being done by all countries, we astonished fools in the South and this was quite funny, Kim said in the August letter.

Trump and Moon later downscaled and suspended the joint military exercises to reduce tensions on the Korean Peninsula. In addition to returning the remains of U.S. troops, North Korea agreed to a broadly worded set of terms to bring peace in the region and declared it would suspend nuclear and intercontinental ballistic missile tests in 2018.

Kim also hinted at his desire to sideline Moon in denuclearization talks and instead collaborate only with Trump.

I hope in the future to have discussions on the denuclearization issue directly with your excellency, not South Korean President Moon Jae-in, and I think President Moons excessive interest being expressed about our issue is unnecessary, Kim wrote in a letter dated Sept. 21, 2018.

The peace talks eventually collapsed after disagreements over sanctions relief and the terms for North Koreas denuclearization. Trumps last summit with Kim was in Hanoi, Vietnam, on Feb. 28, 2019, but the two met again four months later at the Demilitarized Zone between North and South Korea.

North Korea has since conducted a record number of weapons tests, having fired more than 33 missiles in 20 rounds of testing so far this year. U.S. and South Korean intelligence officials have also said the regime is prepared to conduct its seventh nuclear test, its first since 2017.
LARSI, Georgia  Long lines of Russians trying to escape being called up to fight in Ukraine continued to clog highways out of the country on Wednesday, and Moscow reportedly set up draft offices at borders to intercept some of them.

North Ossetia, a Russian region that borders Georgia, declared a state of high alert and said that food, water, warming stations and other aid should be brought in for those who have spent days in queues. Volunteers on the Georgian side of the border also have brought water, blankets and other assistance.

North Ossetia restricted many passenger cars from entering its territory, and set up a draft office at the Verkhy Lars border crossing, Russian news agencies said. Some media outlets released photos at the crossing showing a black van with military enlistment office written on it.

Another such draft checkpoint was set up in Russia along the Finnish border, according to the independent Russian news outlet Meduza.

Tens of thousands of Russian men have fled in the week since President Vladimir Putin announced a mobilization to bolster struggling Russian forces in Ukraine. Although Putin said the callup was partial, aimed at calling up about 300,000 men with past military service, many Russians fear it will be much broader and more arbitrary than that. There are numerous reports of men with no military training and of all ages receiving draft notices.

Alexander Kamisentsev, who left his home in Saratov for Georgia, described the scene on the Russian side of the border.

Its all very scary  tears, screams, a huge number of people. There is a feeling that the government does not know how to organize it. It seems that they want to close the border, but at the same time they are afraid that protests may follow, and they let people leave, he told the AP.

He said he decided at the last moment to leave because I am not going to kill my Ukrainian brothers or go to prison.

Protesters carrying Georgian and Ukrainian flags and signs like Russia Kills greeted Russians at the border Wednesday. Giga Lemonjava of the political party Droa, which organized the protest, said the evacuees threaten Georgias security and economy.

One protester, Helen Khoshtaria, tweeted: We organized a protest at the border today so that the incoming Russians know how we feel about their `Russian world.

Russians have been crossing by car, bicycle, scooter and foot. According to Yandex Maps, the traffic jam leading to Verkhny Lars, a town near the border between Georgia and North Ossetia, stretched for about 15 kilometers (over 9 miles) on Tuesday.

Georgias Interior Ministry said over 53,000 Russians had entered the country since last week.

There also are long lines at the border with Kazakhstan, which has taken in more than 98,000 Russians in the past week.

Russia has land borders with 14 countries.
NAPLES, Italy  U.S. service members and their families in Italy are facing sharp increases in the cost of lighting and heating their homes that could leave them paying out of their pockets for utility bills.

The situation soon may get worse for sailors and civilians who pay for their utilities through the Navy exchange at Naval Support Activity Naples.

On Saturday, their electricity cost could rise by somewhere between 48% and 80%, or 40 to 50 cents per kilowatt hour, said Aldo Giovanni Moccia, services operations supervisor for the Navy Exchange at NSA Naples. For the past few months, they have been charged 27 cents.

Such a big change we havent seen in a while, said Moccia, who said electricity prices gradually have increased about every three months. Moccia cautioned that no official statement on an increase had been made as of Wednesday.

The budget punch might be cushioned by a 22% increase in the monthly allowance service members living off base in Italy receive to pay for utilities and maintenance.

Even so, some military families worry that the larger stipend wont be enough this fall and winter.

Costanza Hanford, whose husband is an active-duty sailor assigned to NSA Naples, said her family of three paid about 100 euros a month for gas over the summer months. Their monthly electricity bill averages about 300 euros, she said.

Hanford was waiting to see her most recent gas and electricity bills to determine whether the allowance increase would cover them.

Im assuming no, since the increase (in utility costs) is way more than the increase in the allowance, Hanford said.

Consumer costs for natural gas could rise as much as 120% this winter, the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera reported Thursday. But leaks discovered this week in Russias Nord Stream pipelines could drive prices even higher, it said.

Although European leaders and NATO are not yet assigning blame, they say the leaks have all the hallmarks of sabotage.

Natural gas bills for soldiers have surged as much as 300% in Vicenza, retired Army Lt. Gen. Ray Mason, the director of Army Emergency Relief, told Stars and Stripes this week.

Electricity prices are likewise expected to increase by as much as 60% over the final quarter of the year, Corriere della Sera reported. The cost could rise to 67 cents per kilowatt hour, an increase of about 25 cents from the previous quarter, according to the report.

U.S. military installations in Italy also are seeing a significant rise in their utility costs, which for U.S. Army Garrison Italy in Vicenza have outpaced estimates.

The garrison originally budgeted for a 40% increase in overall utility costs for this fiscal year, which ends Friday, said Rick Scavetta, a spokesman for U.S. Army Garrison Italy.

But the garrison now estimates those costs to be 123% higher than those of the previous year, he said.

This winter, the costs of natural gas for heating are of primary concern, Scavetta said.

In October, the base plans to promote energy conservation over the winter and beyond, especially as European Union countries implement strategies for doing so, he said.

Naval Air Station Sigonella also is paying much more for utilities, said base spokesman Lt. Drake Greer. Its gas costs increased 529% this year, while electricity rose from an average of 225 euros per megawatt-hour to 543.15 euros per megawatt-hour, Greer said.

Aviano Air Base and NSA Naples havent yet answered Stars and Stripes questions from Sept. 7 and Sept. 21, respectively, on how much they were spending on gas and electricity or whether those expenditures were consistent with budget projections. They also havent said how they planned to communicate to their communities about conserving gas and electricity.

This year, we really, really need our community to care about their energy consumption and take prudent steps to reduce, said Scavetta, the Army spokesman.
The U.S.-led NATO alliance said Thursday that all signs point to sabotage of the Nord Stream gas pipelines between Russia and Europe in the Baltic Sea after leaks were discovered this week in both of them.

The North Atlantic Council, the alliances highest decision-making body, said the leaks pose risks to shipping in the area and are causing substantial economic damage.

We as allies have committed to prepare for, deter and defend against the coercive use of energy and other hybrid tactics by state and nonstate actors, NATO said. Any deliberate attack against allies critical infrastructure would be met with a united and determined response.

NATO said all the available information indicates that the damage was caused by deliberate, reckless and irresponsible acts of sabotage.

NATO did not name Russia as a suspect, but questions about who was responsible have been swirling.

Russian vessels and submarines were operating in the vicinity of the pipelines in recent days, according to a Thursday report by CNN that cited unidentified European officials.

Meanwhile, the German news magazine Der Spiegel reported this week that Berlin was advised by the CIA in recent weeks that the Nord Stream pipelines could be attacked.

A fourth leak on the Nord Stream pipelines was reported off southern Sweden, the Swedish coast guard said Thursday, as cited in an Associated Press report. Two leaks were found on the Nord Stream 1 pipeline that recently stopped supplying gas, while the other two are on Nord Stream 2 that never started operating.

Although they were not running, both pipelines were filled with gas, which has escaped and bubbled to the surface.

Seismologists in Denmark, Norway and Finland recorded readings indicating explosions prior to the leaks being found, according to the AP report.

The primary owner of the lines is Gazprom, a state-controlled Russian energy company.

Moscow has denied involvement and blamed the U.S. instead.

Energy shortages in connection with Russias unprovoked war on Ukraine have sent prices soaring across Europe and raised the prospect of energy rationing in the winter months. The higher prices also are affecting tens of thousands of U.S. service members in Europe, many of whom live off-base and receive limited utilities stipends.

Concerns have been raised about whether Europeans will remain united in their support of Ukraine in the face of high energy costs and the economic damage stemming from the war.

If Russia is responsible for the sabotage, the motive might be to send a message to Europe about even higher costs to come because of its support for Ukraine.

The damage to the pipelines has already ratcheted up the already exorbitant price of gas on the market. European natural gas futures benchmarks Wednesday increased by 11% amid the uncertainty.

Faced with repeated military setbacks in Ukraine, Moscow could intensify its energy war with Europe as it seeks to weaken allied unity and backing of Ukraine in an attempt to get the upper hand.
Russian authorities are opening more military enlistment offices near Russia's borders in an apparent effort to intercept some of the men of fighting age who are trying to leave the country by land to avoid getting called up to fight in Ukraine.

A new draft office opened in the Saratov region, at the Ozinki checkpoint on Russia's border with Kazakhstan, regional officials said Thursday. Another enlistment center was set to open at a crossing in the Astrakhan region, also on the border with Kazakhstan, according to the regional administration.

Earlier this week, makeshift draft offices were set up near the Verkhny Lars border crossing into Georgia in southern Russia and near the Torfyanka checkpoint on Russia's border with Finland. Russian officials said they would hand call-up notices to all eligible men who were trying to leave the country.

Over 194,000 Russian nationals have fled to neighboring Georgia, Kazakhstan and Finland  most often by car, bicycle or on foot  since President Vladimir Putin last week announced a partial mobilization of reservists. In Russia, the vast majority of men under age 65 are registered as reservists.

The Kremlin has said it plans to call-up some 300,000 people, but Russian media reported that the number could be as high as 1.2 million, a claim Russian officials have denied.

Russia's Defense Ministry has promised to only draft those who have combat or service experience, but according to multiple media reports and accounts of human rights advocates, men who don't fit the criteria are also being rounded up.

The official decree on mobilization, signed by Putin last week, is concise and vague, fueling fears of a broader draft.

The mass exodus of men  alone or with their families or friends  began Sept. 21, shortly after Putin's address to the nation, and continued all this week. Airline tickets to destinations abroad have sold out days in advance, even at unprecedentedly high prices.

Long lines of cars formed on roads leading to Russia's borders. Russian authorities tried to stem the outflow by turning back some men at the borders, citing mobilization laws, or setting up draft offices at border checkpoints.

The bus stations in Samara and Tolyatti, two large cities in the Samara region, on Thursday halted service to Uralsk, a border city in Kazakhstan.

Finland announced that it would ban Russian citizens with tourist visas from entering the country starting Friday. With the exception of Norway, which has only one border crossing with Russia, Finland has provided the last easily accessible land route to Europe for Russian holders of Schengen zone visas. The Nordic country has taken in tens of thousands of people fleeing the military call-up in recent days.
BAGHDAD  Iraq summoned the Iranian ambassador on Thursday to deliver a diplomatic complaint following a deadly drone bombing campaign, the Iraqi Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

The Iranian drones targeted an Iranian-Kurdish opposition group in northern Iraq on Wednesday, killing at least nine people and wounding 32 others. The strikes took place as demonstrations continued to engulf the Islamic Republic after the death of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old Iranian Kurdish woman who died while in the custody of the Iranian morality police.

Irans attacks targeted positions of the Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan in the town of Koya, some 65 kilometers (35 miles) east of Irbil, the main city and capital of Iraq's northern semi-autonomous Kurdish region. The group, known by the acronym KDPI, is a leftist armed opposition force banned in Iran.

The Foreign Ministry said in its statement that civilians were among those killed. It added that the Iraqi government condemned "this crime, which represented the continuation of Iranian forces encroachment on Iraqs sovereignty.

The ministry also warned of repercussions on "the societal peace of both countries and on regional security and stability.

Irans state-run IRNA news agency and broadcaster on Wednesday said the Islamic Republic's Revolutionary Guard targeted bases of a separatist group in the north of Iraq with precision missiles and suicide drones.

Gen. Hasan Hasanzadeh of the Revolutionary Guard said 185 members of the Basij, a volunteer force, were injured by machete and knife in the unrest in Iran. Hasanzadeh also said rioters broke the skull of one Basij member. He added that five Basij members were hospitalized in intensive care.

United Nations' agencies, the United States, Germany, and the United Kingdom all condemned the attacks on northern Iraq.

The U.N. mission in Iraq said in a tweet that the Mideast country cannot be treated as the regions backyard,' where neighbors routinely, and with impunity, violate its sovereignty.

Rocket diplomacy is a reckless act with devastating consequences, the U.N. mission said.

In Washington, U.S. State Department deputy spokesman Vedant Patel confirmed to reporters that an American citizen was killed in the rocket attacks in the Iraqi Kurdish region. He offered no additional information, citing privacy concerns, and also reiterated the U.S. condemnation of Iran for the attacks.

Protests in Iran have raged following Amini's death in custody in Tehran, and spread across at least 46 cities, towns and villages across Iran. State TV reported that at least 41 protesters and police have been killed since the demonstrations began Sept. 17. An Associated Press count of official statements by authorities tallied at least 14 dead, with more than 1,500 demonstrators arrested.

Meanwhile, Turkeys defense minister said Turkish military jets carried out a new aerial offensive against suspected hideouts of Kurdish separatists from Turkey in northern Iraq, striking as deep as 149 kilometers (87 miles) deep into Iraqi territory.

The jets targeted 16 caves, shelters and command centers allegedly used by Turkey's outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party, or PKK, in northern Iraqs Asos region on Sept. 27, Hulusi Akar told journalists. He did not provide further details.

The PKK maintains bases across the border in Iraq and has led an armed insurgency inside Turkey since 1984 in a conflict that has killed tens of thousands of people.

Turkeys military has over the years launched numerous cross-border offensives in Iraq in pursuit of PKK militants.
A former military police officer from Texas  who excitedly planned for physical violence at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, engaged in hand-to-hand battle with police there for nearly 90 minutes, then lied about being in Washington when questioned by the FBI  was sentenced Wednesday to slightly more than four years in prison.

Federal prosecutors sought eight years in prison for Lucas Denney, 45, of Mansfield, Tex., arguing that Denneys helmet, tactical vest and hardened gloves qualified as body armor and therefore should increase his sentencing range by 30 months. But U.S. District Judge Randolph Moss rejected the 30-month enhancement and then issued a sentence of 52 months. That was below the recommended range of 57 to 71 months established by the federal guidelines, which are advisory.

Starting in December 2020, Denney began recruiting members of a newly formed militant group, Patriot Boys of North Texas, to join him in D.C. for the Stop the Steal rally  where President Donald Trump whipped supporters into a frenzy with false claims of election fraud  and also to raise funds for weapons, gear and travel, prosecutors said in their sentencing brief. In Facebook messages, Denney wrote: We are linking up with thousands of Proud Boys and other militia that will be there. This is going to be huge. And its going to be a fight.

On Jan. 5, 2021, prosecutors said Denney engaged in fighting at Black Lives Matter Plaza in D.C. and posted video of it, saying, Thats what happens when you get into that warrior mode. The next day, surveillance video captured Denney and another man from Texas trying to pull barricades away from police and later spraying a substance at Capitol Police officers, prosecutors said.

Denney was later captured on video on the west side of the Capitol, first picking up a long PVC pole that he swung at a D.C. police sergeant, then grabbing a large tube and throwing it at a line of police officers, prosecutors said.

About 30 minutes later, Denney joined the assault on the West Terrace tunnel, leading the mob as it pushed its way into the Capitol, and then swung at D.C. police officer Michael Fanone as Fanone was being dragged into the mob, the government alleges. Fanone suffered a heart attack as he was electrically shocked with a Taser by protesters.

When Denney returned to Texas, he posted on Facebook that It was peaceful. The police even opened up the barricades to let people come closer. Interviewed by the FBI in February 2021, Denney told agents he didnt know anyone who had gone to the Capitol that day. Interviewed again in December, Denney falsely stated that he did not see any fights or riots at the Capitol building and that he could not remember striking or laying a finger on anyone, the prosecution brief states.

Denney was arrested and in March pleaded guilty to assaulting law enforcement officers with a dangerous weapon. At Denneys first sentencing hearing in July, the D.C. police sergeant who suffered injuries from the PVC pipe choked up as he recounted the bruises from the pipe and the chemical burns from bear spray in his face. He said his body burned for a week after the riot.

Its clear to me he doesnt understand his actions that day . . . and he needs some serious self-reflection, said the sergeant, who testified without giving his name. Denney filed an affidavit with the court that minimized his conduct, said he couldnt remember certain actions and said the FBI asked him imprecise questions.

Fanone also testified in July, telling Moss: I was dragged from the front of the police line, pulled into the crowd, and violently beaten and electrocuted with a stun gun. I was eventually dragged to the police line by demonstrators who intervened on my behalf. It is likely that without the intervention of those demonstrators, I would have lost my life.

The judge did not impose sentence that day because Denneys sentencing memo conflicted with the facts offered by prosecutors. But Moss said the officers statements would remain with me not just in sentencing but through my remaining days on earth.
(Tribune News Service)  The former chief executive of a Hawaii-based defense firm has pleaded guilty to illegally funneling more than $200,000 to U.S. Sen. Susan Collins campaign and a political action committee that supported her 2020 reelection bid.

Martin Kao, head of the engineering firm Navatek, was charged Feb. 22 with violating federal laws prohibiting defense contractors from making such contributions. Prosecutors alleged he and two other company executives had engaged in a conspiracy to funnel the money through family members and a shell company in 2019. On Tuesday, he pleaded guilty to conspiracy, funneling contributions, and two counts of making false statements to authorities.

Collins, a Maine Republican who was and remains a senior member of the Defense Appropriations subcommittee, has said she knew nothing about the illegal donations  $52,000 to her campaign and $150,000 to the 1820 PAC  which were made shortly after Collins helped the firm land an $8 million contract with the U.S. Navys Office of Naval Research to build experimental hulls and hybrid-electric propulsion systems in Maine.

When Kao was indicted in February, Collins office issued a statement saying the campaign had absolutely no knowledge of any of the allegations against Mr. Kao or his associates until a search warrant was reported in the press in May 2021. There is no indication she or her campaign broke any laws or were ever subjects in the federal criminal investigation.

Collins campaign committee sent a written statement Wednesday emphasizing the same points.

There have been no allegations of wrongdoing by the Collins for Senator campaign, and the campaign has cooperated fully with the FBI throughout this investigation, the statement said. The campaign divested itself of all the contributions possibly associated with Mr. Kao and his associates. Both the campaigns website and donor forms stated clearly the very basic law that donors cannot make a contribution in another persons name.

In August 2019, the senator joined Kao for a news conference in Portland to announce the $8 million award, noting that she had strongly advocated for the funding on the Defense Appropriations subcommittee. Kao thanked Collins for her support, which allowed the firm to build experimental hulls in conjunction with Belfast-based Front Street Shipyards. The firm had 22 employees at its Portland office at the time and said it would be adding 28 more as a result of the contract.

Kao and his wife had already maxed out their allowable donations to Collins campaign  $5,600 each  but 11 days after the Navy contract was announced six other individuals also made $5,600 contributions, all using money given to them by Kao for this purpose, Kao affirmed in his guilty plea. These contributions violated federal campaign finance law.

The following month, Kao sent an email to the Collins campaigns director of finance from his company email account stating, We are here to help anyway we can ... financially or whatever, according to court documents. Just want to let you know, youre going to see two more max out donation of $5,600/each come in late today, he added. Those contributions turned out to be from two company executives and made with the companys corporate credit card.

Kao and two other executives also created a shell company  the Society of Young Women Scientists and Engineers  which they used to funnel an illegal $150,000 contribution from Navatek to the 1820 PAC, a so-called super PAC that supported Collins reelection effort but operates independently and is legally prohibited from coordinating with her campaign. At the time, Collins was preparing for a tight reelection fight, ultimately triumphing over Democratic nominee Sara Gideon.

Navatek has since renamed itself the Martin Defense Group. On Sept. 9, Kao also pleaded guilty to defrauding the government of over $12 million in federal CARES Act funds intended for pandemic relief. He is scheduled to be sentenced for this crime on Jan. 19, 2023, and for the campaign finance violations on Feb. 9.

The suspicious contributions were first flagged by a public interest nonprofit, the Campaign Legal Center, and much of the conspiracy was exposed by the Hawaii-based news organization Honolulu Civil Beat.

(c)2022 the Portland Press Herald (Portland, Maine)

Visit the Portland Press Herald at www.pressherald.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
WASHINGTON  Six Republican-led states are suing the Biden administration in an effort to halt its plan to forgive student loan debt for tens of millions of Americans, accusing it of overstepping its executive powers.

It's at least the second legal challenge this week to the sweeping proposal laid out by President Joe Biden in late August, when he said his administration would cancel up to $20,000 in education debt for huge numbers of borrowers. The announcement, after months of internal deliberations and pressure from liberal activists, became immediate political fodder ahead of the November midterms while fueling arguments from conservatives about legality.

In the lawsuit, being filed Thursday in a federal court in Missouri, the Republican states argue that Biden's cancellation plan is "not remotely tailored to address the effects of the pandemic on federal student loan borrowers," as required by the 2003 federal law that the administration is using as legal justification. They point out that Biden, in an interview with CBS' "60 Minutes" this month, declared the Covid-19 pandemic over, yet is still using the ongoing health emergency to justify the wide-scale debt relief.

"It's patently unfair to saddle hard-working Americans with the loan debt of those who chose to go to college," Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge, who is leading the group, said in an interview.

She added: "The Department of Education is required, under the law, to collect the balance due on loans. And President Biden does not have the authority to override that."

The states of Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska and South Carolina joined Arkansas in filing the lawsuit. Iowa has a Democratic attorney general, but the state's Republican governor, Kim Reynolds, signed on the state's behalf. The states argue that Missouri's loan servicer is facing a "number of ongoing financial harms" because of Biden's decision to cancel loans. Other states that joined the lawsuit argue that Biden's forgiveness plan will ultimately disrupt revenue to state coffers.

The administration has long said it was confident the forgiveness program would survive court challenges.

Republican officials from these six states are standing with special interests, and fighting to stop relief for borrowers buried under mountains of debt, White House spokesman Abdullah Hasan said Thursday. The president and his administration are lawfully giving working and middle class families breathing room as they recover from the pandemic and prepare to resume loan payments in January. 

Biden's forgiveness program will cancel $10,000 in student loan debt for those making less than $125,000 or households with less than $250,000 in income. Pell Grant recipients, who typically demonstrate more financial need, will get an additional $10,000 in debt forgiven.

The administration also said it would extend the current pause on federal student loan repayments  put on hold near the start of the pandemic more than two years ago  once more through the end of the year.

The administration faced threats of legal challenges to its plans almost immediately, with conservative attorneys, Republican lawmakers and business-oriented groups asserting that Biden was overstepping his authority in taking such sweeping action without the assent of Congress.

Democratic lawmakers battling in tough reelection contests also distanced themselves from the student loan plan, as Republican officials called it an unfair government giveaway for relatively affluent people at the expense of those who didn't pursue higher education.

In their lawsuit, the Republican attorneys general also contend that the forgiveness program violates the Administrative Procedure Act, which lays out how federal agencies should make regulations in order to ensure executive branch policies are well-reasoned and explained.

"The president does not have the authority to put himself in the place of Congress," Rutledge said in the interview. "These actions must be taken by Congress and he can't override that."

To justify the plan's legality, the Biden administration is relying on a post-Sept. 11, 2001, law meant to help members of the military that the Justice Department says allows Biden to reduce or erase student loan debt during a national emergency. But Republicans argue the administration is misinterpreting the law because, in part, the pandemic no longer qualifies as a national emergency.

Another lawsuit against Biden's student loan program was filed this week in an Indiana federal court by the Pacific Legal Foundation, a libertarian legal advocacy group that employs a lawyer who says he would be harmed by the forgiveness plan. The lawyer, Frank Garrison, says erasing his current debt load will trigger a tax liability from the state of Indiana, which is among at least a half dozen states where the forgiven loan amounts will be subject to state taxes.

The White House dismissed the lawsuit as baseless because any borrower who does not want the debt relief can opt out. The Education Department is still on track to unveil the application for the forgiveness plan in early October.

Republicans have also seized on the Biden plan's price tag and its impact on the nation's budget deficit. The Congressional Budget Office said this week that the program will cost about $400 billion over the next three decades. The White House countered that the CBO's estimate of how much the plan will cost just in its first year, $21 billion, is lower than what the administration initially believed.

Associated Press writer Collin Binkley contributed to this report.
ATLANTA  Coast Guard and National Guard troops on Thursday began rescue and cleanup operations along Hurricane Ians destructive path across Florida as military installations in southeast Georgia and South Carolina braced for the storms impact there, military officials said.

Some 5,000 National Guard troops from Florida and several other states were on duty by Thursday morning as the Florida troops began damage assessments in Sarasota, De Soto, Charlotte, Collier and Lee counties in the southwestern portion of the peninsula, military officials said. Meanwhile, the Coast Guard began search-and-rescue operations at dawn Thursday in the hours after the Category 4 hurricane  boasting winds beyond 150 mph  barreled across southwest Florida as one of the most powerful storms to ever hit the state.

Federal and state officials warned the slow-moving storm was traveling northeast across Florida toward Daytona Beach and had caused catastrophic damage via wind and flooding along its path. Ian remained a tropical storm along Floridas east coast Thursday afternoon, as it continued on a path predicted to make a second landfall sometime Friday near Charleston, S.C., perhaps as a Category 1 hurricane, according to the National Hurricane Center.

Some military installations in the southeast part of the U.S. stretching from Moody Air Force Base near Valdosta, Ga., to Joint Base Charleston in South Carolina closed their gates Thursday to nonessential personnel as they prepared for the massive storm to reach them sometime Friday. Moody evacuated its A-10 attack jets this week to Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana. At Fort Stewart and Hunter Army Airfield in coastal Georgia, leaders called off planned training events for the coming days. Officials at Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island paused recruit training operations, choosing to shelter-in-place on the South Carolina island through Ians end.

Officials at MacDill Air Force Base in Floridas Tampa Bay metro area began recovery and damage-assessment operations on the base that houses headquarters for U.S. Central Command and U.S. Special Operations Command and Air Force refueling jets. On their social media pages, MacDill officials warned troops, civilian employees and family members to remain clear of the base for now, even after the area appeared to avoid the brunt of Hurricane Ian, which was once projected to hit Tampa directly.

Farther south, Naval Air Station Key West officials lifted shelter-in-place orders after the storm passed, but they warned that flooding continued in some areas of the base. Though Key West avoided hurricane conditions, Ians outer bands dumped inches of rain and sent seawater churning inland on the island. NAS Key West officials said 61 residents living in on-post housing had to be rescued by installation emergency responders when higher-than-forecasted storm surge unexpectedly flooded [their] homes.

The storms worst impacts appeared to be in the states southwest stretching from Sarasota to south of Naples, near where Ian made landfall Wednesday. It left some 2.6 million people without power, according to state officials, who also warned of preliminary reports of deaths attributed to the storm.

President Joe Biden on Thursday warned Hurricane Ian could be the deadliest hurricane in Florida's history, based on early reports. Biden and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said they could not yet provide death counts Thursday afternoon.

Coast Guard officials said Thursday that their troops had rescued at least 30 people in southwest Florida since they began their response with helicopters and shallow water flood boats.

Florida Guard troops were just beginning Thursday to respond to the storm with 16 helicopters, 1,640 high-wheeled vehicles, seven boats and 36 fuel tankers, according to the National Guard Bureau. They were expected to begin route clearance, search-and-rescue operations, and food and water distribution efforts on Thursday afternoon, according to the Guard. Hundreds of National Guard troops from Louisiana, New York and Tennessee were assisting Thursday in the initial response, while more troops from Georgia, Indian, New Jersey, South Carolina, Montana and Virginia were expected to join storm efforts in the coming days, according to the Guard bureau.

Biden said the Pentagon could provide additional assets in the response, as the Defense Department named Army Brig. Gen. Sean Boyette, a Florida National Guard officer, the commander of Task Force Florida and put him in charge of all state and federal troops operating in response to Hurricane Ian.

Biden, DeSantis and other officials said the response to Ian in Florida alone would likely last at least several weeks and probably months.

The National Guard will stay as long as were needed, Army Gen. Daniel Hokanson, the chief of the National Guard Bureau, said Thursday in a statement.
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 29, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan met with the CSTO Secretary General Stanislav Zas in Yerevan, the CSTO said in a press release.

The meeting with the Armenian Prime Minister, who is the incumbent Chairman of the CSTO Collective Security Council, took place within the framework of the CSTO missions work in Armenia.

Secretary General Zas briefed PM Pashinyan on the preliminary results of the mission, and the missions work and the current situation in the region were comprehensively discussed.

The CSTO Secretary General arrived in Armenia for a monitoring mission following the Azerbaijani attacks.
The Biden administrations top energy official said the U.S. will redouble its efforts to break free from its reliance on Russian nuclear fuel.

Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm said the White House is prioritizing development of domestic uranium-enrichment capacity and predicted key legislators will fall in line, so that a fuel-manufacturing plan can be in train by 2025.

We are going to get Congressional support in a bipartisan way for us to make our own fuel cycle supply chain independent, certainly of Russia, Granholm, 63, said in an interview at the International Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna. Weve got to make this happen for our own independence and national security.

Russia enriches more than two-fifths of the worlds uranium and still supplies almost a quarter of the fuel used to generate electricity in the U.S.s 93 operational nuclear reactors. Key congressional Democrats earlier this month balked at a White House request for $1.5 billion in upcoming government funding legislation for a cache of enriched uranium.

The request is part of a broader plan to spend billions to create a U.S.-based industry for uranium enrichment and other services needed to create reactor fuel through the purchase of the raw material from domestic producers.

U.S. officials have weighed sanctioning Russias Rosatom over the Kremlins invasion of Ukraine. But in the absence of alternatives to the state-controlled fuel giant, power supplies to hundreds of millions of people across globe would be at risk of disruption.

We need to signal that the U.S. is committed to its own fuel supply as well as the conversion and enrichment components of the supply chain, Granholm said. This investment in our own supply chain is a critical piece of that.

Granholm said that rather than taking direct ownership stakes in facilities, the government will support demand, thereby ensuring manufacturers have sufficient incentives to produce. Companies in the nuclear fuel supply chain include Centrus Energy Corp., Honeywell International Inc. and General Atomics.

We would be using the market to make sure this capability gets out, she said. We would contract with facilities. The goal is to be independent as soon as possible.

The U.S. only has one remaining commercial enrichment facility, in New Mexico, which is owned by Urenco Ltd., a British, German and Dutch consortium.
WASHINGTON  An organization that challenged the accuracy of a recent veteran suicide report from the Department of Veterans Affairs told House lawmakers on Thursday that the agencys data is missing a key piece: the veteran's experience with the VAs health and benefits administrations.

Jim Lorraine, an Air Force veteran and president of America's Warrior Partnership, said his organization examined a veterans military service and death certificate when compiling the data for the groups own veterans suicide report released nearly two weeks ago. However, his organization does not have the middle piece, which is the veterans VA experience with the agencys benefits and health administrations such as the VA home loan program.

[That information would] be critical, Lorraine told House Veterans Affairs Committee members. We could get a really good longitudinal picture from the time they began their service to the time they died.

America's Warrior Partnership released its study called Operation Deep Dive a few days before the VA issued its veteran suicide report Sept. 19. The study found a 37% higher rate of veteran suicides than the VA reported previously.

Lorraine said last week that the VA's methodology was dated. His groups study examined suicides and "self-injury mortality, or deaths classified as accidental or undetermined, in people aged 18 to 64 from 2014 to 2018. The group used service records from the Defense Department and death records from eight states.

At the hearing Thursday, Lorraine said the VA must be more open and transparent about their data and share it with researchers as mandated by Congress.

The VAs numbers and methods and how they are used is not clear, and the VA has not been open to sharing data despite the efforts of other organizations and ourselves, he said.

Lorraine also urged the VA to further investigate self-injury mortality  such as opioid overdose  and include it in its reporting.

Americas Warrior Partnership, a suicide prevention group, contracted with the University of Alabama and partnered with Duke University to gather state-provided death data for its study. The group also coordinated with the Defense Department to corroborate military affiliation. Researchers for the study, which was funded by the Bristol Myers Squibb Foundation, worked to get the specificity of each decedents demographics, military experience and death details.

The VAs annual report on veteran suicide prevention compiles its data on a two-year lag. The report found there were 6,146 veteran suicide deaths in 2020, 343 fewer than in 2019. The average number of veteran suicides in a year also had a small decrease, from 17.2 in 2019 to 16.8 in 2020.

Tamara Campbell, interim executive director at VA's Office of Mental Health and Suicide Prevention, told House Veterans Affairs Committee members that the agencys methodology for generating the report is based on verified data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Defense Department.

Our reports in scientifically rigorous [and] evidence-based, using the methodology as you would for a peer-reviewed publication, she said.

Matthew Miller, national director of suicide prevention at VAs Office of Mental Health and Suicide Prevention, said he is 100% confident that the agencys suicide data represents the most accurate information on veteran suicide.

Campbell and Miller said they did not agree with America's Warrior Partnerships report. Miller also said the groups report offers a comparison of apples to oranges.

The definition of former service member is not comprehensively presented within their report, nor match to the data, he said. Our definition of veteran and where it comes from is specifically mentioned in our report and in our methodology section.

Lorraine said the organization looks at a veterans full career, so they know who served, who went into the Reserve, and who was on active duty.

Americas Warrior Partnership is a grant recipient of one of the VAs initiatives designed to combat veteran suicide, The Staff Sergeant Parker Gordon Fox Suicide Prevention Grant Program. The grant program is designed to help meet the needs of veterans and their families through outreach, suicide prevention services, and the VA and its community resources. The VA announced it will fund more than $52 million to 80 community-based organizations in 43 states, the District of Columbia, and American Samoa.

The program is named after Army veteran Parker Gordon Fox, who joined the Army in 2014 and was a sniper instructor at the Army Infantry School at Fort Benning, Ga. Fox died by suicide on July 21, 2020. He was 25.

In October, Sens. Jon Tester, D-Mont., and Jerry Moran, R-Kan., the chairman and ranking Republican of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, respectively, sent a letter to VA Secretary Denis McDonough urging the agency to collaborate with Americas Warrior Partnership study. The senators also inquired about the agencys veteran suicide data collection methods.

McDonough sent a letter in response to Moran at the beginning of the year. In the letter dated Jan. 13., McDonough wrote the Operation Deep Dive team requested in 2021 that the agency indicate whether the veterans identified in the study had received VA services.

McDonough wrote in the letter that VA data and privacy officials would need to review the materials before the information could be shared outside the agency.
MISSION, Texas (Tribune News Service)  Navy Veteran Mark Joseph Griffin was laid to rest Wednesday morning surrounded by fellow veterans and members of the community.

A burial ceremony was held for the unaccompanied veteran at the Rio Grande Valley State Veterans Cemetery where veterans from multiple branches of the military gathered to say goodbye to their brother in arms.

As far as were concerned, whether he has family or not, he is a veteran and he deserves the respect that we can give him and for that reason, we are here in force, said Tony Cordova, commander of the honor guard that performed the ceremony. For us, its an honor and a privilege to be able to do this for the departed veteran.

Griffin, who was 67 when he died, was quartermaster seaman recruit and served from December 1973 to May 1975. He received the National Defense Service Medal.

His unaccompanied burial follows a similar ceremony for U.S. Army Veteran Harold Joe Sincher last month.

Here at the Mission cemetery, there are anywhere from four to 10 unaccompanied veteran burials a year, according to George Rice, the on-site representative for the Texas Veterans Land Board which runs the cemetery.

Its difficult because the funeral homes usually dont tell us so we have to screen for it and then we have to identify and realize, oh my gosh, theres not family coming out here, Rice said, and most times, when that happens, we have like a two- or three-day time period to plan.

Rice noted that these benefits that these veterans receive are earned through their service and, in some cases, with blood and sacrifice.

Most of these men gave up the younger part of their lives for service, working 80-100-hour weeks, he said, adding they get no time off and some of them serve for multiple combat tours.

A lot of war and not getting paid very much for it either, just enough to live, Rice said. They deserve these burial benefits that they get and they deserve to be buried with honors like theyre supposed to.

With no family members to accept a folded U.S. flag on behalf of Griffin, the honor fell to Assistant Mission Fire Chief Rene Alvarez, himself a veteran.

The support from other veterans is unlike anything else, according to U.S. Air Force Veteran Homer Gallegos, because they understand each other in a way that even family members do.

We connect more with our own veterans than we do with our own brothers because with our brothers you cant laugh or cry because they (say), When are you going to get over it? Gallegos said. And with us, we understand each other. Thats why I call them brothers.

So with the strong showing of support from other veterans during Wednesdays ceremony, Gallegos said Griffin wasnt really alone.

Hes not unaccompanied here today, he said. All his brothers were here from all the branches that were here representing them.

(c)2022 The Monitor (McAllen, Texas)

Visit The Monitor at www.themonitor.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Tiernan Delaney attacked the officers in the north of the city late last year

Laganside Court in Belfast

A Belfast teenager has been jailed for headbutting a policewoman and chipping one of her male colleagues bones.

Tiernan Delaney attacked the officers in the north of the city late last year.

The 19-year-old, with a hostel address on the Antrim Road, received a seven-month sentence for offences of assault on police and assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

Belfast Magistrates Court heard the officers detained him on December 28 after they were flagged down by a distressed female in the Cliftonville Road area.

During attempts to search Delaney he headbutted the policewoman in the face.

He then turned on the second officer, who fell to the ground during the struggle.

A prosecution lawyer said the constable sustained a cut lip, lacerations, and a chipped bone in his elbow.

Defence barrister Turlough Madden argued that the injuries were sustained in a tussle between his client and the policeman.

It was certainly reckless, but there was no actual intention to cause the injuries, counsel said.

Mr Madden also described Delaney as a victim of the care system.

Imposing a total sentence of seven months in the Young Offenders Centre, District Judge Anne Marshall stressed the seriousness of the offences.

She stated: To assault two police officers, headbutting one female and chipping the bone of another, (crosses) the custody threshold.
'Professional hit' | Murder probe launched after man shot in front of horrified onlookers in Belfast
He pleaded guilty to a catalogue of offences which included multiple counts of indecent assaults, sexual assaults and gross indecency offences on young males on dates between 1989 and 2018

A former treasurer of Crossmaglen Rangers GAA club today pleaded guilty to a litany of sex crimes against young boys dating back over three decades.

Ex-post man Thomas McKenna (62), formerly of Woodside Park, Bessbrook, Co Armagh, was due to go on trial next week on the first of three sets of charges he faced.

But at Belfast Crown Court today, defence counsel Kevin Magill asked for McKenna to be re-arraigned on three separate charge sheets which totalled 148 sexual offences and related to over 20 victims.

McKenna, who was produced to the court from Maghaberry Prison, pleaded guilty to a catalogue of offences which included multiple counts of indecent assaults, sexual assaults and gross indecency offences on young males on dates between 1989 and 2018.

A number of charges, including buggery and attempted rape were "left on the court books and not to be proceeded with without the leave of the Crown Court or the Court of Appeal''.

In June 2021, McKenna pleaded guilty to 18 counts of voyeurism, four indecent assaults and one count of taking an indecent image of a child.

The former postman was placed on the sex offenders register as a result of the guilty pleas.

Following his guilty pleas today , Belfast Recorder Judge Patricia Smyth said: "Stand up Mr McKenna. By your pleas of guilty you have admitted a catalogue of terrible offences against vulnerable young men

"You will be punished severely for that.

"I am aware that some of those affected may be on the (video) link. To those affected may I say this: I praise your courage in coming forward to disclose these terrible crimes in very, very difficult circumstances.

"Today each of you is completely vindicated in the complaints that you made against this man. I hope that that vindication will bring some peace of mind to those of you who continue to suffer grievously.

"And may I also say this: by coming forward and being determined to see this process through to its conclusion, you have brought about this situation where this man has admitted his guilt.

"Each of you have done a great public service in coming forward and I want to thank you for that,'' added Judge Smyth.

Prosecution counsel Charles MacCreanor KC said the Crown would not be proceeding with a number of matters which had recently come to light.

He said the defendant had signed a document in relation to those matters which would now be "taken into consideration'' along with his guilty pleas.

Defence counsel Greg Berry KC asked for a pre-sentence report to be prepared on McKenna by the Probation Service NI ahead of sentencing.

He added that he would also be seeking a medical report to be completed on McKenna which he said "related to a number of issues''.

Judge Smyth said she would the case on Monday, November 7, 2022, ahead of a sentencing date.

McKenna was remanded back into custody to await sentence.
Finbar Lavarack (30) did not want to get involved in the drugs trade and took matters into his own hands when he began growing cannabis, a court heard.

A MAN caught cultivating cannabis plants in a grow house at his home had been prescribed the drug medicinally in the US but could not buy it legally in Ireland.

Finbar Lavarack (30) did not want to get involved in the drugs trade and took matters into his own hands when he began growing cannabis, a court heard.

He was found with more than 7,000 of the drug, including plants, in a garda raid on his house. Judge David McHugh adjourned the case at Blanchardstown District Court for a restorative justice programme report.

He said he would consider striking the charges out, leaving the accused without a criminal record, if the report was favourable.

Lavarack, of Pickering Forest, Celbridge, Co Kildare, pleaded guilty to possession and cultivation of cannabis at his home on August 12, 2020.

The court heard gardai carried out a search under warrant and found a grow house.

Cannabis plants worth 2,400 were found, along with dry cannabis worth 4,970.

The accused accepted responsibility for the drugs. He had no previous convictions.

Lavarack had been diagnosed with anxiety and depression and had been prescribed medicinal cannabis in the US, the court heard.

However, when he returned to Ireland, he did not want to get involved in the drug trade and decided to take matters into his own hands.

He accepted what he did was wrong, it was not a responsibility he shirked, his lawyer told the court.

The lawyer said the accused was now drug-free, had aspirations to travel in the future and asked the judge to consider leaving him without convictions.

Judge McHugh said cannabis was illegal in this jurisdiction full stop, end of story.

The judge said 300 the accused had in court should be given to a drugs charity. He noted it was an unusual case and Lavarack had pleaded guilty at the first opportunity.
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 29, ARMENPRESS. The Armenian Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sport Vahram Dumanyan delivered a report at the UNESCO World Congress of Cultural Policy and Sustainable Development session on Heritage and Cultural Diversity in Crisis.

Dumanyan said in his remarks that in the 2020 war in Artsakh (Nagorno Karabakh), Azerbaijan captured more than 2000 Armenian historical-cultural monuments, as well as 12 state museums and galleries with 21000 exhibits. We have serious concerns regarding the preservation of these historic sites given the well-known and documented practice of Azerbaijan of systematic destruction of Armenian cultural heritage in its territory over the past several decades, for example in the case of Nakhijevan. Azerbaijan is engaged in a policy of exterminating historic evidence of Armenian presence in Artsakh and nearby areas through deliberate destruction of Armenian monuments and cultural sites, Dumanyan warned.

He further noted that the recent deadly Azeri attack on Armenia, which left hundreds dead after Azerbaijan bombarded towns and villages in sovereign Armenian territory, and the Azeri war crimes in Armenia are endangering the rich cultural heritage in affected regions, including more than 500 monuments, 14 museums with 45000 exhibits.

Sending a UNESCO technical mission to Nagorno Karabakh and nearby areas is becoming more actual. Heritage and cultural diversity must be an important part of the peace process. Thus, I call on all international partners to raise their voice and contribute to preserving the millennia-old Armenian cultural and religious heritage in Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh. Id like to emphasize that heritage is acknowledged to be an important factor for sustainable development, dialogue and peace. We strongly believe that respect and tolerance for cultural and national identities will ensure a peaceful and sustainable future for the nations to create and enrich global heritage, Dumanyan said, addressing UNESCO members.
The two men are both charged with the murder of Mr Wolverson in Swords, Co Dublin on January 17, 2020

Two men accused of the murder of Barry Wolverson in Swords, Co Dublin, two years ago moved "in tandem" in the hours before and then after the shooting, prosecution lawyers have alleged in closing speeches at the Special Criminal Court.

The two men, one known as 'AB' for legal reasons, and Bernard Fogarty (34), with an address at Cromcastle Court, Kilmore, Coolock, Dublin 5, are both charged with the murder of Mr Wolverson at Madigan's Yard, Kileek Lane, Swords, Co Dublin, at around midday on January 17, 2020.

The two men were charged before the non-jury court in April of last year with the attempted murder of Mr Wolverson, who died on February 21, 2021 after a lengthy spell in hospital in a comatose state.

Bernard Fogarty

Both men are also charged with assault causing harm to Gerard Wildman, who was also shot, at Madigan's Yard on the same date.

Prosecuting barrister, Paul Greene SC, in his closing speech, said that the case against the two men was a "circumstantial" one but that the court would be in no doubt as to their guilt due to forensic evidence regarding gunshot residue and that the two were captured on CCTV moving "in tandem" on the day of the shooting.

Mr Greene also said that the collection of a jerrycan by Mr Fogarty and the purchase of firelogs, both caught on CCTV, used by the pair in burning out a Citroen C4 in Greenwood Estate, Dublin 13, minutes after the shooting, would convince the court of their guilt through circumstantial evidence.

He said that the amount of coincidences were so "overwhelming" that any belief in them to be so became "intolerable" due to the weight of evidence presented during the trial, which included lengthy mapping, photograph and forensic evidence.

Mr Greene said gardai had viewed over 1,000 hours of CCTV footage in investigating the case, tracking the movements of Mr Fogarty's Renault Megane and the Citroen C4.

He said Mr Fogarty was seen on camera buying three fire logs from a Circle K petrol station the day before, one of which was later found in Mr Fogarty's Megane.

Mr Greene said that when Mr Fogarty was arrested at around 12.25pm after the shooting, there was a smell of petrol from his clothing.

The barrister said that after Mr Fogarty was arrested he attempted to wash his hands before forensic testing could be applied and that 'AB' had gunshot residue on his jacket.

Dean Kelly SC, for 'AB', said there was "nothing, not a single jot of clear evidence" to say that his client was at Madigan's Yard at the time of the shooting. He said that a balaclava found at the scene of the burned-out Citroen C4 had the DNA of another person and had not been traced to either his client or Mr Fogarty.

Mr Kelly said that the prosecution were "leaping" to a theory of only two men being involved in the shooting, which was "not true".

He said it was "not possible" to exclude another person being present throughout, that there was no identification of his client being in the Citroen C4 and that there was no CCTV inside or outside the car to prove so.

Mr Kelly said the prosecution's case was made of "more holes than cheese". He said there was no direct evidence of 'AB' being at the yard, no CCTV or DNA samples to that effect and no direct evidence, nor phone evidence, linking his client to being at the scene, "either on that date or any date".

Mr Kelly said that no motive had been put forward by the prosecution against 'AB' regarding the shooting and that his client had no "animus" towards Mr Wolverston. He said that gunshot residue on his client's jacket could have been there "infinitely" if the garment was not disturbed, as evidenced by forensic experts during the case.

He said that a transfer of gunshot residue was also possible, as it lingered on garments most effectively and that "contamination" of the jacket was also a possibility, when it was being transported in a Garda vehicle that might contain firearms.

Mr Kelly said that any inference putting his client at the scene "falls miles short" of the threshold demanded, adding that three bullets found at the yard also cleared both men when tested for DNA. He said that the company that manufactured the firelogs bought by Mr Fogarty were being supplied by Musgraves, which supplied every Circle K in the State.

Seamus Clarke SC, for Mr Fogarty, said that it was "unclear" from the evidence if there were one or two people in the Citroen used in the shooting and repeated that the balaclava found near the burned out Citroen had "no DNA present for either" accused.

He said that his client had smelled of petrol when arrested but that there was no gunshot residue present on Mr Fogarty's clothing, which was "no better holder" of such residues.

Mr Clarke said that while his client refused to answer questions by gardai, other people also frustrated Garda processes but Mr Fogarty had legal advice to do so. He said that even if the evidence pointed to Mr Fogarty being present for the burning out of the Citroen that there was no evidence to show that Mr Fogarty had done so for a "murderous purpose".

Mr Clarke told the court to "be wary of a bird's-eye view" from the prosecution that discounted Mr Fogarty not being in the car and that even if he was guilty of being an "accessory after the fact", regarding the burning of the Citroen, the court must return a not guilty verdict regarding his client being a "principal offender".

Mr Justice Michael MacGrath, presiding, adjourned the cases to November 16, for judgement.
The 58-year-old is being quizzed at a garda station after being arrested yesterday.

Gerry The Monk Hutch was arrested yesterday in his jail cell in Wheatfield Prison on suspicion of directing an organised crime gang.

The 58-year-old was taken into custody by gardai yesterday morning  just days before he is due to go on trial for the murder of David Byrne in the Regency Hotel.

Under Irish law, the offence of directing a criminal gang carries a maximum penalty of life in prison.

It has been reported that gardai had to get a section 42 warrant in order to arrest Hutch in the early hours of yesterday morning.

A garda spokesman today confirmed a man had been arrested in Wheatfield Prison:

"A male in his 50s has, today, been arrested on foot of a warrant issued under section 42 Criminal Justice Act 1999. He is currently detained under Section 4 Criminal Justice Act 1984 at a Garda Station in the Dublin Region on suspicion of Organised Crime related offences. An Garda Siochana has no further comment.

Last year, Hutch was extradited from Spain after he was charged with the murder of Kinahan cartel gangster David Byrne in February, 2016 following a lengthy investigation by Ballymun gardai.

Gerry Hutch

Hutch had tried to avoid extradition to Ireland by claiming in his appeal against an earlier decision that he had decided to become a full-time resident in Spain because of threats to his life

In a hearing in Spain, Hutch had called the European Arrest Warrant that resulted in his capture strange and claimed police had tried and failed on three separate occasions beforehand to get him sent back to Ireland.

His defence teams claims were mostly rebuffed by the three judges, although they consented to making it a condition of his handover to Ireland that he was returned to Spain and allowed to serve his prison sentence here if he ends up being convicted of murder after trial in Dublin.

Hutchs team also called the European Arrest Warrant that resulted in his capture strange and claimed police had tried and failed on three separate occasions beforehand to get him sent back to Ireland.

Yesterday, ex-Sinn Fein councillor Jonathan Dowdall pleaded guilty to facilitating the murder of Byrne at the north Dublin hotel in February 2016 as part of the Hutch/Kinahan feud.

Dowdalls father Patrick also pleaded guilty to the same charge.

Both Dowdall and his father answered "guilty" when the charges were read to them. Both pleaded guilty to participating in or contributing to activity intending to or being reckless as to whether such participation or contribution could facilitate the commission of a serious offence by a criminal organisation or any of its members, to wit the murder of David Byrne, by making a room available at the Regency Hotel, Drumcondra, Dublin 9 for that criminal organisation or its members, within the State on February 4, 2016.
The 58-year-old was taken from his jail cell in Wheatfield Prison to a Dublin Garda station for questioning in the early hours of Wednesday morning.

Gerry The Monk Hutch was released from garda custody without charge after being arrested yesterday on suspicion of directing an organised crime gang.

The 58-year-old was taken from his jail cell in Wheatfield Prison to a Dublin Garda station for questioning in the early hours of Wednesday morning.

Gardai had to get a section 42 warrant in order to arrest Hutch on suspicion of directing a criminal gang  an offence that carries a maximum penalty of life in prison.

A garda spokesperson today confirmed that Hutch was released without charge on Wednesday evening and returned to the west Dublin prison.

Gardai have released the man (50s) without charge yesterday evening, Wednesday 28th September, 2022 from the provisions of Section 4 Criminal Justice Act, 1984 and confirm a file will be prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions.

Investigations ongoing from Gardai attached to Garda National Bureau Criminal Investigation (GNBCI).

Hutch is due to go on trial on Monday for the murder of Daniel Kinahan associate David Byrne in the Regency Hotel in February 2016.

Last year, he was extradited from Spain after he was charged with the murder following a lengthy investigation by Ballymun gardai.

His final appeal against extradition to Ireland was rejected by a Spanish Appeals Court.

On Tuesday, ex-Sinn Fein councillor Jonathan Dowdall (44) pleaded guilty to facilitating the murder of Byrne at the north Dublin hotel in February 2016 as part of the Hutch/Kinahan feud.

Dowdalls father Patrick (65) also pleaded guilty to the same charge.

Both Dowdall and his father answered "guilty" when the charges were read to them.

Both pleaded guilty to participating in or contributing to activity intending to or being reckless as to whether such participation or contribution could facilitate the commission of a serious offence by a criminal organisation or any of its members, to wit the murder of David Byrne, by making a room available at the Regency Hotel, Drumcondra, Dublin 9 for that criminal organisation or its members, within the State on February 4, 2016.
The property, which was recently renovated, is occupied by up to 15 Ukrainian refugees, and gardai were alerted after residents reported a disturbance coming from a room there.

Gardai at the scene where a child was found badly injured in Ennis, Co Clare. Photo: Press 22

The eight-year-old girl suffered life-changing injuries after she was stabbed 74 times at a residence in Clarecastle, Co Clare, on Tuesday.

She remains critically ill in Crumlins Childrens Hospital, Dublin. Her mother, who was found unconscious at the scene, is also critically ill at, University Hospital Limerick.

The incident happened at about 8am on Tuesday at a residence used to house Ukrainian refugees in Clarecastle, on the outskirts of Ennis.

The property, which was recently renovated, is occupied by up to 15 Ukrainian refugees, and gardai were alerted after residents reported a disturbance coming from a room there.

After failing to get in to the room, a resident went outside and, looking through the window, spotted the grievously injured child and immediately contacted gardai.

When emergency services arrived, they found the girl with severe injuries to her neck, with her mother lying unconscious beside her.

The child was rushed to University Hospital Limerick and later transferred to Crumlin Childrens Hospital.

Gardai at the scene where a child was found badly injured in Ennis, Co Clare. Photo: Press 22

It is understood she underwent surgery on Tuesday night, which stabilised her condition, but one source said her injuries are life-changing.

Several children staying in the same accommodation witnessed the aftermath of the incidennt and are said to be deeply shocked by what they saw.

As part of the investigation, gardai have spoken to a number of people who were in the property at the time in their attempts to build a clearer account of what happened.

Gardai are trying to track the mother and childs movements in the 48 hours before the incident and trace who they may have been in contact with.

It is understood investigators are trying to make contact with the girls father as there is some confusion as to whether he is in Ireland or Ukraine.

One source said the scene of the incident was highly distressing for first responders, while another described the incident as frenzied.

No arrests have yet been made in the investigation led by detectives at Ennis and being overseen by a senior garda.

The girl began school in the nearby Clarecastle National School only weeks ago.

It is understood investigators are awaiting a toxicology report on the woman to determine the cause of her collapse.

All house residents were moved with Clare Civil Defences assistance to alternative accommodation overnight on Tuesday while forensic investigators searched the property.

They all returned yesterday while gardai continued interviewing fellow residents.

A woman who answered the door declined to comment.

A local woman called to the house and delivered groceries and flowers.

A neighbour of the property told the Irish Independent he had been worrying about the child endlessly since the news broke.

Im thinking about her all the time, he said. I dont think she has any other family in Ireland.

And the thought of her in hospital in Dublin on her own is really playing on my mind.

Local people told theIrish Independent they did not know any of the residents as the house only became occupied in recent weeks after being derelict for years.

I have seen a couple of children going in and out. If she is the child I am thinking of, she is a lovely little thing, said one local woman.

They are only here for maybe three or four weeks.

Specialist detectives are also involved in the investigation because of the childs age.

No arrests have been made, and gardai say the investigation is continuing.

Fr Tom Ryan, the parish priest of Clarecastle, said prayers had been offered for all who have been affected.

The news of this incident has come as a great shock to the community in Ennis and Clarecastle as it has, indeed, to the Ukrainian community.

It has invoked a great sense of sadness in our community because, like everywhere else in Ireland, we have welcomed the Ukrainian families and for an incident like this to happen brings a sense of sadness.

We offer our prayers and support to all affected by this, especially the Ukrainian community and the local community, as this has come as a huge shock. It is a sad and difficult time, but we are here to support each other.
The shocking video shows that the second man threatened a resident with an improvised weapon which looks like a steel bar.

Shocking CCTV footage shows catalytic converter stolen from car in Dublin

Video footage has emerged of two thieves stealing a catalytic converter from a parked car, at a Dublin housing estate, on Wednesday afternoon.

The CCTV video shows that just before 2pm, a grey car was driven down the residential estate and stopped outside a property where a Toyota Prius was parked in the front driveway.

Two men then get out of the grey vehicle and with the use of a jack, they raised the Prius on one side.

This allowed one of the suspects to crawl under the car and remove its catalytic convertor, while his accomplice stood watch.

The shocking video shows that the second man threatened a resident with an improvised weapon which looks like a steel bar.

"Gardai are investigating a robbery incident which occurred in Clonsilla, Dublin 15, at approximately 2pm on Wednesday 28th of September 2022," a garda spokesperson told sundayworld.com.

"Investigations are ongoing. There have been no arrests at this time."
Operation Thor | Three men arrested by armed Gardai on M7 found carrying stolen power tools

Members of the Armed Support Unit signalled for the van to stop while it was travelling between Junction 17 and 16 eastbound last night.

Photos via Garda Siochana Laois Offaly on Facebook

Maeve McTaggart Sunday World Thu 29 Sep 2022 at 17:49







Three men were arrested on the M7 last night after Gardai unveiled a large amount of stolen property inside the van.
Irish Crime

'Professional hit' | Murder probe launched after man shot in front of horrified onlookers in Belfast
The Malaysian businessman behind the US navys biggest fraud scandal ever had been on the run since September 4

Leonard "Fat Leonard" Francis is seen in this undated photo released by the U.S. Marshals Service. Photo: U.S. Marshals Service

The Malaysian businessman behind the US navys biggest fraud scandal ever is seeking asylum in Venezuela after escaping house arrest.

Leonard Glenn Francis, known as Fat Leonard, had been on the run since September 4 when he fled his San Diego home after cutting off his ankle bracelet.

A global Interpol warrant for his arrest was issued with a $40,000 reward for his capture, officials said.

The 57-year-old was arrested at Simon Bolivar de Maiquetia airport by Venezuelan authorities as he attempted to board a flight to Russia.

Leonard Francis aka "Fat Leonard". Photo: US Marshals

Interpol said Francis entered the South American country from Mexico via a stopover in Cuba. He is due to be extradited back to the US.

Now, Fat Leonard is requesting asylum in Venezuela - a plea the country's government must consider by law.

Francis was first arrested in 2013 when he was accused of bribing US navy officers to help his Singapore-based company, Glenn Defense Marine Asia Ltd or GDMA, which supplied food, water, and fuel to vessels for decades.

Prosecutors said he overcharged the US military by more than $35m for services with the help of a number of US naval officers.

He bribed the officers with prostitutes, cash, cigars, liquor, expensive food and other incentives to redirect their military ships to ports he controlled in the Pacific in Southeast Asia.

He pleaded guilty in 2015 to offering $500,000 in bribes to navy officers and faced 25 years in prison in a sentencing set for September 22.

While awaiting sentencing, he was granted home confinement in California as he cooperated with authorities, leading to convictions of 33 out of 34 defendants and over two dozen Navy officials.

US authorities now have until mid-October to formally request Francis extradition.
Its understood the remains were found after Gardai received a confidential tip-off

Gardai are following what they say is a definite line of enquiry after skeletal remains of a baby were found at a property in cork.
It is understood the investigation is now being conducted against the background of an apparent personal tragedy

Gardai believe they know the identity of a new-born child whose remains were discovered in east Cork.

While formal identification has yet to be completed on the infant discovered, detectives believe they know who the baby involved was and the precise circumstances in which it was buried.

It is understood that the Garda investigation is now being conducted against the background of an apparent personal tragedy.

One Garda source confirmed that a definite line of inquiry in relation to the matter is being pursued.

There is no evidence of the death being suspicious.

One theory now being examined is that the infant may have been stillborn.

The skeletal remains of the baby - whose gender has not yet been revealed - were discovered following a search ordered in Killeagh in east Cork after the receipt of specific information.

The burial area was subjected to a full forensic analysis before the remains were transferred to Cork University Hospital (CUH) for a post mortem examination.

It is expected that the remains will be transferred to Dublin for expert examination by a forensic anthropologist.

Garda sources said there is no apparent connection with the discovery last year of further remains in east Cork.

In January 2021, skeletal remains of an elderly female were found in the east Cork area, by the siding of an old, abandoned railway line.

That individual - who remains unidentified - is believed to have been dead for eight years or more before their remains were discovered by workmen converting the old railway line in a greenway.

However, the remains of the infant discovered this week are believed to have been buried for possibly 20 years or more.

Gardai said the nature of their investigation will now be determined by pathology and forensic tests.

"The remains were removed to Cork City Morgue and the assistance of a forensic anthropologist has been sought," a Garda spokesperson said.

"A post-mortem is scheduled to take place, the results of which will direct the course of the investigation."

For operation reasons, Gardai have not confirmed precisely where the remains were found - or how close the site was to where the elderly female remains were found last year.

Gardai hope to be able to obtain dental and DNA samples from the latest skeletal remains to assist with formal identification.

One theory about the January 2021 skeleton discovery is that the remains may have been buried at a different site before being brought to the old railway siding.

Those remains are believed to belong to a woman in her 70s.

A major public appeal was launched to try to identify the elderly woman.

However, her death is being treated as suspicious.

The woman has not been matched to any missing person profile despite exhaustive DNA, dental and forensic tests since the skeleton was discovered on January 5 2021 by workmen clearing sections of the old Midleton-Youghal railway line.

Her identity has baffled Gardai with officers now convinced the key to solving the mystery lies with the public. Superintendent Adrian Gamble last year appealed for anyone with information about the woman or her possible identity to contact Gardai. Fragments of clothing found wrapped around one of the bones was said to indicate old-style nightwear. A piece of religious jewellery - a crucifix on a chain - was also found by one of the vertebrae.
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 29, ARMENPRESS. During the September 13 attack on Armenia, Azerbaijan also bombarded the high-voltage power lines stretching to Iran, and for 12 hours did not allow experts to approach and repair them, and due to high volumes of power the Armenian nuclear power plant was forced to reduce power, the Armenian Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure Gnel Sanosyan told foreign ambassadors in Vardenis.

Sanosyan briefed the ambassadors that Azerbaijan widely targeted various civilian infrastructures, schools, kindergartens, administrative buildings, private houses, industrial facilities, power lines, bridges, roads, gas pipelines.

In order to be clear on the deliberate Azeri attacks and bombardments of our infrastructures during those days Id like to present the following incident, when the high-voltage electricity lines from Armenia to Iran were shelled. Armenia is exporting rather large volumes of electric energy to Iran. Initially one may think that a power line was shelled unintentionally, but, for 12 hours our experts were not allowed to approach the power lines and repair them, every time our experts were attempting to approach they came under automatic gunfire and had to return. In that situation, we had to reduce the power at the nuclear power station due to having surplus, large quantity of electricity and to put the Yerevan thermal power plant and other electricity stations to half capacity. Our entire energy system was intentionally disrupted by the Azeris, and they were not allowing us to repair for many hours, Sanosyan said.

Sanosyan reminded that the Azerbaijani strikes also targeted the Kechut reservoir, but there are no damages because the shells hit the water. But we all realize what could had happened if those shells had hit the dam, Sanosyan said, adding that in this season the reservoir is completely full.
Pere Daobry, a former Metropolitan Police firearms officer, was convicted of assault in 2016 for attacking his then wife, but was spared jail

The couple, who made private security arrangements for their trip to the UK, were photographed being driven by Pere Daobry.

Daobry, a former Metropolitan Police firearms officer, was convicted of assault in 2016 for attacking his then wife, but was spared jail after the court was told he had phoned 999 himself.

He is now believed to be working for a private security firm, and was photographed in the Sussexes car alongside their long-standing protection officer.

The Duke and Duchess have not yet responded to a request for comment on the matter.

The duchess has been a vocal advocate for womens rights, speaking out about the crisis state of gender-based violence while on her 2019 visit to South Africa.

When they were photographed with Daobry, they were on their way to the One Young World summit in Manchester, UK, where gender equality was one of the key topics on the agenda.

Mr Daobrys father yesterday confirmed his 51-year-old son was the man photographed working as a personal bodyguard for the Sussexes.

Speaking at his family home in Edmonton, north London, Mr Daobry Sr, said: Yes, that is my son in the photographs with Harry and Meghan but I dont want to make any comment about his job.

"He is a grown man with four children and can speak for himself.

He refused to comment on his sons conviction for domestic violence and whether it was appropriate for him to be working for the Duchess of Sussex, given her strong support for victims of violence and womens rights.

Why should I comment? Ask him. I have nothing to say, he said.

The bodyguard was one of several employed to protect the Duke and Duchess of Sussex during their trip to the UK and Germany. The duke is currently embroiled in a dispute with the Home Office over whether his family should qualify for Met Police protection whenever they are in the UK.

This summer, he won the right to challenge in court the governments decision not to grant him automatic police protection.

During the couples visit to Europe, which was supposed to last four days but was extended after the death of Queen Elizabeth II, they used private protection to attend an event in Manchester and during a one-day trip to the Invictus Games in Dusseldorf.

Daobry was photographed driving them from their Frogmore Cottage home at Windsor to London Euston station.

In September 2016, Daobry was convicted at Colchester Magistrates Court of assault for attacking his wife, Sarah Jay.

Ms Jay, a former Essex Police sergeant, had endured a minute-long attack in which he strangled her with both hands after she told him she no longer loved him, according to court reports at the time.

He was given a 12-week suspended sentence.

The chair of the magistrates court bench called the attack a very unpleasant assault on Mrs Jay which left her clearly terrified, but added Daobry had the decency to ring 999 afterwards.
Evil killer Alexander Pacteau who was jailed for murdering Irish nurse Karen Buckley (24) in Glasgow in April 2015 was among a number of prisoners who participated in a riot over mail.

Karen Buckley, originally from Cork, was murdered by Pacteau in 2015 before he attempted to dispose of her remains in acid

Alexander Pacteau was sentenced to 23 years for the murder of Karen Buckley

A man who brutally murdered an Irish nurse and tried to dispose of her body in a vat of acid recently took part in a four-hour riot in a Scottish prison wing

Evil killer Alexander Pacteau who was jailed for murdering Irish nurse Karen Buckley (24) in Glasgow in April 2015 was among a number of prisoners who participated in a riot over mail.

Glasgow Caledonian University student Karen was beaten to death by Pacteau with a spanner before he tried to dispose of her body in plastic barrel full of acid.

The violence kicked off as prisoners protested of not receiving mail into the prison, The Daily Record reports.

Kilmarnock Sheriff Court heard the mayhem began when around 40 prisoners refused to lock up in their cells for the evening.

Karen Buckley, originally from Cork, was murdered by Pacteau in 2015 before he attempted to dispose of her remains in acid

Officers in riot gear had be deployed with the situation not being resolved until 10.20pm.

Inmates Lee McLelland and Nicholas Depellette admitted threatening behaviour while Pacteaus plea of not guilty was accepted by the court.

The killer did not appear in court due to an illness.

It was heard McLelland threw pieces of ceramics at guards, was using a weighted item in a sock as a weapon, attacked an ATM and CCTV camera and threw liquid over officers.

A prosecutor told the court: They (prisoners) advised they were conducting a peaceful protest due to not receiving mail.

"Their behaviour began to deteriorate and prison officers retreated to the central hub, locking the central gates, in effect giving control of the wing over to the prisoners.

"It took 50 prison officers to resolve the situation, including some who returned to duty on days off. Nicholas Depellette was seen on CCTV at 9.48pm approaching prison officers, shouting and acting aggressively towards them.

"At the end of the incident he was throwing broken pieces of a sink at prison staff and he refused to enter his cell when asked to do so."

On sentencing McLelland for 21 months, a judge said: There's every kind of offence one can think of, and your behaviour on this occasion was absolutely dreadful.
The Duke of Cambridge (not seen) drives a car carrying the Duke of York (front), and the Earl and Countess of Wessex into Balmoral in Scotland, where the Queen is under medical supervision with the royal family rushing to be by her side amid serious health fears. Buckingham Palace has issued a statement saying royal doctors were concerned for the Queen's health, as the Prince of Wales and her other children, and the Duke of Cambridge cleared their diaries and immediately headed to her home in the Scottish Highlands. Picture date: Thursday September 8, 2022.   PA
While many fans agreed that Schwarzeneggers intentions were good, it was agreed that he could have written something more sensitive

The Austrian actor went to the camp with the Auschwitz Jewish Center Foundation, who recently awarded him with the inaugural Award for Fighting Hatred.

In September, Schwarzenegger, 75, vowed to help the organisation terminate hate, saying of the honour: I am witness to the ruins of a country broken by the Nazis. I saw firsthand how this hatred spun out of control and I share these painful memories with the world in the hopes of preventing future tragedies and educating soldiers about personal responsibility.

I stand with the Auschwitz Jewish Center Foundation and their mission of education to ensure NEVER AGAIN.

On Wednesday, Schwarzenegger visited the camp in Poland, with the museums official Twitter account sharing his guestbook inscription on Twitter.

However, the actors fans were surprised to see that he had opted to write Ill be back, his famous catchphrase from The Terminator franchise.

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While many agreed that Schwarzeneggers intentions were good, it was agreed that he could have written something more sensitive.

Im glad he visited and wrote in the book but I had to think twice about the message, one person wrote, adding: Im sure he meant it in the nicest possible way and having been there I know its hard to find the right words but Im not sure these were the best.

Not sure the tone of that was entirely suitable, another wrote, with additional Twitter users calling it tacky and flippant.

The Auschwitz museums official Twitter page stepped in to defend Schwarzenegger, and attempted to clarify the meaning behind his decision.

This visit was planned to be relatively short. The inscription was meant to be a promise to return for another and more in-depth visit, they wrote.

The Independent has contacted Schwarzenegger for comment.
The couple split shortly after winning the show in 2019.

The pair went their separate ways less than five weeks after winning the reality show in a shock split.

Greg now says the break-up happened too soon.

"I should have bit my tongue a bit longer and stayed in the relationship with Amber a bit longer, he told Doireann Garrihy on her podcast The Laughs of Your Life.

"I was just way too honest and way too focused about going to the Olympics at the time, which worked because I did go in hindsight.

The rugby player revealed he still receives hate over the breakup and continues to lose a thousand followers a day over rumours he ended things over text.

"Over in the UK Im just branded as like, Oh youre Greg the guy that broke up with Amber over text.

"And Im just like, It wasnt over text It was over FaceTime And we didnt break up because we werent going out We were dating for two weeks.

Greg was eager to clear his name in the chat with Doireann, admitting it was stupid to go about things the way he did.

Amber wondered about making the relationship official while on FaceTime with the rugby 7s Olympian.

"But when she posed the question to me being like youre obviously gonna ask me to be your girlfriend, are you? I was like, but sure how is this going to work? Im trying to train to go to the Olympics, youre in the UK, youre the it girl, everyone wants a bit of you, I was like this isnt going to work.'

Stupid Greg just decided to answer honestly over FaceTime like, and thats when the whole Greg breaks up with Amber over text thing comes out, he confessed.

The reality star was hit with waves of online abuse.

"It got brutal for a while, Greg told MailOnline when everything blew over in 2021. He said it was very scary when Ambers fans turned on him.

Everyone flipped on me thinking I was a bad person.

The Limerick man returned to Ireland after his stint on Love Island and made it to the Tokyo Olympics.

He told Doireann that he made the choice to follow his dream but it makes Greg sick to think of how much he sacrificed.

"I had those six-figure deals sitting in front of me and I said no to them.

"It makes me sick to this day. Doireann if you knew how much money I turned down, honestly, oh my God.

"It was always picking happiness over money,
They kicked off their honeymoon plans earlier this month with a trip to South Africa and have now moved on to their next destination

Bonnie Ryan and her husband John Greenhalgh have touched down in Mexico for the next phase of their six-week honeymoon.

The couple tied the knot back in March at a civil ceremony in Dublin before holding a second wedding ceremony in May in the Italian village of La Machi.

They kicked off their honeymoon plans earlier this month with a trip to South Africa and have now moved on to their next destination: Mexico.

Taking to her Instagram Stories on Thursday, Bonnie told her followers about how she had just spent two beautiful days in Cancun as she shared a photo of her view of the sunrise at the beach.

She then said that the newlyweds were moving on to the next stop in Mexico, and while she didnt reveal the exact location of where they were headed, she explained that it was only a two-hour drive away.

Its still very early here so plan is, go for a walk and to the gym  do a little hair mask for travel day (only two hour drive) and grab a late breakfast before we get collected for the next stop, she explained.

The 29-year-old also shared an Instagram reel of one of her dinner outfits from their stay in Cancun.

She looked stunning in a matching lime green skirt and cropped cardigan paired with a cream knitted vest and strappy sandals.

Bonnie threw her hair up in a styled bun for the occasion and looked delighted as she posed in front of some palm trees with the Mexican sunset glowing behind her.

While in South Africa, the makeup artist and her beau stayed in the affluent suburb of Mouille Point in Cape Town.

They caught up with a host of animals as they hopped on a tour of the capes peninsula before heading out to Spier Vineyard in Stellenbosch for a wine tasting and overnight stay, with Bonnie gushing that it was one of the most amazing places Ive been.

A safari experience was on the cards next, and the couple ventured out to the Aquila Private Game Reserve to see lions, rhinos, elephants, giraffes, and zebras in the wild and ride quad bikes on the reserve.

They enjoyed some downtime after their busy day, spending a romantic evening together toasting marshmallows under the stars.

The couple also faced their fears and went sky diving on their trip and later recovered by trying out the amenities in their hotels spa.
The BBC podcast dives into the murders, manhunt and political scandal of the 1980s crime.

The events of the summer of 1982 were grotesque, unbelievable, bizarre and unprecedented, according to Taoiseach Charlie Haughey. Now, the story is told by Line of Duty star Adrian Dunbar in a new podcast.

It is the story of two murders and the mass manhunt to find the suspect, Obscene: The Dublin Scandal covers the true crime tale of Malcolm MacArthur.

The Meath man allegedly killed two people and was ultimately found by Gardai hiding in the home of the Attorney General, a revelation that shocked the entire nation.

In 1982, MacArthur landed in Ireland completely broke after a stint in Tenerife. He had previously been a member of Dublin high society, mingling with high profile public figures and politicians. Unemployed and back from Spain, MacArthur had fallen a long way from those days.

He decided the only way to get rich was to commit a robbery, so hatched a scheme to find a getaway vehicle and a gun.

On 22 July, he wandered around Phoenix Park to track down a car and found his first victim, Bridie Gargan, sunbathing.

Bridie Gargan. Photo: Collins Agency

MacArthur pointed a fake gun at the 27-year-old nurse and demanded she give him her silver Renault car.

In a sudden frenzied moment, he bludgeoned the nurse to death with a hammer when she began to panic.

She died in hospital 4 days later while MacArthur continued with his horrifying plan.

He then set off to Offaly on the trail of a newspaper ad for a shotgun, meeting the unfortunate farmer Donal Dunne on July 25.

MacArthur couldnt pay the 1,100 asking price, so allegedly shot and killed Dunne with the weapon he was trying to sell.

The killer fled in Dunnes car as news of the murders rocked the nation and an all-island manhunt got underway.

MacArthur made it to the Killiney home of diplomat Harry Beiling, who the killer held hostage for hours before Beiling escaped.

MacArthur fabricated a meaningful connection to an old acquaintance in an attempt to find a hiding spot and evade Gardai, who MacArthur assumed Beiling had quickly called.

Back in Dublin, he lay low at the house of Patrick Connolly, the Attorney General.

A tip-off to the Gardai and their own investigations led them right to MacArthur who confessed to the murders.

The news that a murderer was hiding in the home of a top political figure shocked the country as rumours grew of a cover-up or other conspiracies.

The drama almost toppled the government.

Detective Inspector Noel Conroy (right) and Detective Sergeant Dennis Donegan, with Detective Sergeant Tony Hickey out in front, take Malcolm MacArthur from the Bridewell following his first District Court appearance for the murder of Bridie Gargan. Photo: Art OCallaghan (Part of the Independent Newspapers Ireland/NLI Collection)

His trial allegedly lasted just seven minutes but MacArthur was only convicted of the murder of Bridie Gargan. MacArthur served a 30 year sentence and was realised from prison in 2012.

He is now 74.

Actor Adrian Dunbar brings the story to life this month in a seven-part podcast series for the BBC.

The so called GUBU affair was a watershed moment in Irish life, Dunbar says. The initials stand for how the then-Taoiseach described the events: grotesque, unbelievable, bizarre and unprecedented.

Prior to doing this podcast I had really only known of how it had changed people's perception of politics and those at the top, Dunbar says.

"The story of Malcolm MacArthur and how the Irish police on a murder hunt tracked him to the Attorney Generals home is truly bizarre and still has the power to shock many years later. It was a real pleasure piecing together along with the wonderful contributions this uniquely dark and unbelievable story.

A number of guests join Dunbar to narrate the shocking moment in Irish history include novelist Colm Toibin, journalist Fintan OToole and broadcaster Olivia OLeary.
The influencer took to Instagram to share the news with followers.

The model took to the social media platform to answer the burning questions of fans curious about Rozs home renovations and relationship.

Revealing she bought a house 2 years ago with her partner, Roz confesses the pandemic halted any construction on the house.

"Its where we will live in Dublin, she said. Its a really old house previously owned by the church where priests lived.

Fans were excited to learn of the models surprise purchase: a forest.

"I cannot wait to show ye! she wrote on her stories.

The plan is to maintain and rewild sections of it that are non-native species, rescue woodland pigs and set up a wildflower patch in the open space in the middle with beehives, Roz explained.

Read more Roz Purcell traumatised by nightmare M50 crash 10 years ago

"Im also planning on learning how to do that, she added with a laughing emoji

The influencer also addressed questions followers had on what gave her the ick and turned her off potential partners.

"Its not personal, she said, listing big buttons, long cardigans and white tight jeans as turn-offs.

She also responded to questions about her teeth and perfect smile, including issuing a warning about a painful treatment she had at 19.

I got some of my top guns lasered off, she admitted.  I wouldnt recommend as gums recede as you age.

"Smell of burning skin is not the best, Roz wrote.

The model brought followers along on her journey to London, sharing some cot-to-miss recommendations on breakfast and more when in the city.
The RTE presenter has repeatedly had his picture plastered on ads for cryptocurrency.

He called the creators of the ads touting Tubridy as a cyrpto investor clowns when speaking on Thursday.

The Late Late Show presenter said he is fed up of the fake stuff happening on the internet still as he was hit with 30 different people bringing the scam ads to his attention.

"My face shows up going, Tubridy talks about his Bitcoin, he told listeners.

I dont know what Bitcoin is!

According to Extra.ie, Tubridy admitted the guest who appeared on his show to talk about cryptocurrency had no success in educating the host. Despite his most valiant, articulate efforts I pretended to you the listener that I understood him just so we could all go home! In his radio "rant, the broadcaster wanted to make it clear that it was the last straw for scammers.

"So, whoever, whatever creatures in whatever basement in whatever country, or parts of this country, are cobbling together these things and sending them out them, would you stop lads? Because its fake news.

The RTE presenter has already threatened legal action against scammers using his face for ads.

In March, Tubridy told listeners that the Internet is alive and thriving with scams and financial cruelty to people who are vulnerable.

It feels like whack-a-mole trying to get rid of the false advertisements, Tubridy said.

"They're clever, they use a screengrab, it looks professional, we're trying to get rid of them. What I don't like about these gangsters is that they're stealing. People have lost millions in crypto fraud.

Disgusted that his face and name were potentially catching people in scams, he said that he might not be that far behind fellow RTE star Miriam OCallaghan in taking a case to the courts.

A number of fake ads appeared on Facebook declaring the broadcaster had quite Prime Time to promote skincare products. Fans had seen the alleged endorsements and bought the product.

"I only went to lawyers because I was desperate, she said outside court upon winning an apology from Facebook.

The TV and radio star said she took action to protect her reputation but also to make sure that there was some kind of new tool introduced, so other Irish people did not have to go through what I went through.
Breast Cancer Foundation NZ is inviting people in the Bay of Plenty to get amongst the many initiatives taking place this October to mark Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

From pink socks on the rugby fields to the Pink Ribbon Street Appeal, pink lights to the Pink Ribbon Walk Challenge  October is the time to show support and fundraise for the more than 3500 Kiwi women diagnosed with breast cancer every year, and also to make sure women are being vigilant about breast health.

"Breast cancer is most treatable when its caught early  its vital for us to keep spreading this life-saving message when weve all been so distracted by Covid-19 these past few years," says BCFNZs chief executive, Ah-Leen Rayner.

"Were urging women to make sure theyre up to date with their mammograms, and to see a doctor quickly if they notice any symptoms.

"This October were also asking New Zealanders to contribute to our vision of zero deaths from breast cancer. As a charity that receives no Government funding, the generosity of Kiwis donating to our cause will make a huge difference to further our work in research, education, advocacy and patient support."

There lots of different ways people can get behind Breast Cancer Awareness Month:

-Volunteer for the Pink Ribbon Street Appeal  join 10,000 volunteers taking to the streets on 28 and 29 October to shake a pink bucket for two hours.

-Check out pink on the pitch when Bay of Plenty play Waikato at FMG Stadium Waikato on 2 October. For the first time, all 14 provincial unions will take the field wearing pink socks in round nine of the Bunnings Warehouse NPC in support of BCFNZ. Each home team will be holding fundraising activities for BCFNZ at their matches that weekend.

-See Taurangas Wharf Street lit up in pink for the first time as it joins other landmarks and buildings across Aotearoa New Zealand helping to shine a light on breast cancer. The pink illumination will take place from 2 to 23 October.

-Take on the Pink Ribbon Walk Challenge. Also for the first time this year, people in the Bay of Plenty can walk in their own neighbourhoods for the ones they love. Over the month of October, walk 350,000 steps for the 3,500 women diagnosed with breast cancer every year.

-Go Pink For A Day  a campaign for workplaces to raise funds and start conversations about breast health and wellbeing. The first 500 organisations to sign up will receive a free Pink For A Day pack to help make fundraising a breeze.

Find out more about all the different ways to get involved with Breast Cancer Awareness Month at breastcancerfoundation.org.nz/bcam

Each year around 190 women are diagnosed with breast cancer in the Bay of Plenty region.

Early detection is crucial for surviving breast cancer  the 10-year survival rate if breast cancer is detected by mammogram is 95 per cent, but this falls to 85 per cent if a woman finds a lump.

Women should be breast aware from the age of 20, which means getting to know the normal look and feel of your breasts so you can tell your doctor if there are any changes.

BCFNZ recommends considering annual mammograms from 40-49, then every two years from 50.

Free mammograms through BreastScreen Aotearoa are available when youre 45-69.
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 29, ARMENPRESS. The recent Azerbaijani aggression was the third large-scale attack since the November 9 trilateral statement against inhabited regions of Armenia, Major-General Arakel Martikyan, the Deputy Chief of General Staff of the Armenian Armed Forces told foreign ambassadors during a meeting in Vardenis.

The major-general said that overnight September 13 Azerbaijan launched very aggressive and large-scale offensives from three directions. The attacks began with ground force offensives with missile-artillery and UAV support.

Since the signing of the 2020, November 9 trilateral statement and other documents this was already the third such large-scale action aimed mostly against our settlements. The Azerbaijani military-political leadership has numerously falsely claimed that they launched the latest attack to thwart some kind of imaginary actions of the Armenian military. As the Deputy Chief of General Staff of the Armenian Armed Forces I am officially declaring that the Armenian military hadnt planned and taken any action and there cant be such thing because it contradicts the orders of our military-political leadership, the major-general said.

The major-general said that the Azerbaijani military-political leaders are also falsely claiming that Armenia is entirely their historic territory and are even falsely and deliberately calling this region Basargechar.

The attacks in the three directions were mostly aimed against densely populated regions with a simple goal  the direction of May 12, 2021 is right next to the settlements, with the purpose of forcing the population of the border regions to abandon their lands. Already today it is very difficult for farmers to cultivate their lands or keep livestock in border regions, Major-General Martikyan said.
Te Whare Wananga o Awanuiarangi will celebrate the milestone of its 30th graduation ceremony and acknowledge the achievements of its tauira (students)  including what is possibly the worlds largest cohort of Indigenous doctoral graduands.

Te Whare Wananga o Awanuiarangi is an indigenous tertiary education provider that offers programmes from entry-level foundational courses through to post-doctoral studies.

Te Whare Wananga o Awanuiarangi chief executive Professor Wiremu Doherty says graduation is an important moment for students to come together with whanau and the community to recognise their hard work and look to the future.

"This event is an opportunity to recognise the incredible journey our tauira have been on and what they have achieved with support from their whanau. We look forward to acknowledging this through powhiri (welcome ceremony), hikoi (march) and the official graduation ceremony," Professor Doherty says.

Council chairperson, the Hon. Justice Layne Harvey, highlights this years graduation will be the thirtieth for Awanuiarangi as the wananga celebrates its third decade of operation.

"Our wananga began humbly with two classrooms in 1992 when it was opened by our former council member the late Ta Wira Gardiner who was then Chief Executive of Te Puni Kokiri.

"Over the 30 years since then, many hands have laboured to create an authentic experience of Indigenous learning within a framework of matauranga Maori that remains relevant to our underlying goals of re-empowering our communities through education.

"This year is a milestone for us for so many reasons and we acknowledge everyone who has been part of our journey."

More than 1600 graduands will be conferred at the graduation ceremony, with over 200 attending in person including a possible world-first of 13 graduands who will receive their Professional Doctorate or Doctor of Philosophy degrees in Matauranga Maori and/or Indigenous Studies.

The cohort includes students from Aotearoa as well as two international students from First Nations of Washington State and three from the island of Maui in Hawaii.

These students are flying to Aotearoa to receive their doctorates in person at the graduation ceremony.

Professor Doherty says this is an historic moment that will hopefully inspire more Indigenous students to pursue post graduate studies to help make a difference to their communities.

"Our graduands arent simply undertaking their Doctorate for the Dr title. They are passionate about their research and want to make meaningful, transformational changes within communities, whanau and hapu (sub-tribes)."

The graduands research spans wahine Maori leadership pathways, environmental management for iwi, Maori genetic and genomic research, and barriers to retaining Maori nurses in the workforce.

Iwi Taketake, a symposium for the doctoral graduands, is being hosted on today.

Head of School of Indigenous Graduate Studies, Professor Mera Penehira, says the event will allow graduands to share their research findings in an engaging, accessible way.

Professor Penehira also hopes that sharing research through a symposium format will spark an interest from other bright and curious minds to pursue masters and doctoral studies.

"We want to show that this is something you can absolutely achieve, and you can do it for the benefit of your whanau.

"The Wananga is supportive of all learners, and welcome whanau into the learning space to ensure everyone has equal access to our programmes of study. It helps when whanau can see what it is thats taking their family member away from them for so many hours a week.

"As the only wananga offering doctoral studies, Awanuiarangi is seeing growing numbers in students because it is equipped with the capability and capacity to support students in their indigeneity."

The graduation event will begin with a powhiri at Te Manuka Tutahi marae, followed by a hikoi leaving from Mitchell Park Reserve at 10 am and proceeding through the centre of Whakatane along The Strand and Muriwai Drive to Mataatua Street.

The formal graduation ceremony will begin at 11am at the Awanuiarangi Whakatane Campus on Domain Road.

Graduation event details

Date: Friday, September 30

Order of events

8am Powhiri Te Manuka Tutahi marae, Mataatua whare, Muriwai Drive, Whakatane

10am Gown and Town Hikoi through The Strand, Whakatane

11am Graduation Ceremony
Livestock exports by sea to cease following the passing of a bill in parliament this week.

Minister of Agriculture Damien O'Connor says the end of livestock by sea exports "will protect New Zealand's reputation for world-leading animal welfare standards".

Exports of livestock by sea will stop on April 30, 2023.

"The Animal Welfare Amendment Bill future-proofs our economic security amid increasing consumer scrutiny across the board on production practices," says OConnor.

The Government started a review of the livestock export trade in 2019 in response to concerns the trade could be a risk to New Zealands reputation.

"The objective of that review was to provide New Zealanders an opportunity to reflect on how we can improve the welfare of livestock being exported.

"Our primary sector exports hit a record $53 billion last year, delivering us economic security. That result is built on our hard-earned reputation and this is something we want to protect.

"I acknowledge the valuable input from written and oral submitters during the Review and Select Committee process, and the considerable support the Bill received from the public.

"New Zealands remoteness means animals are at sea for extended periods, heightening their susceptibility to heat stress and other welfare-associated risks.

"Those involved in the trade have made improvements over recent years, but despite any regulatory measures we could put in place, the voyage times and the journey through the tropics to the northern hemisphere markets will always impose challenges."

OConnor says the tragic sinking of the Gulf Livestock 1 highlighted the real risks.

"The National Animal Welfare Advisory Committee supported the ban.

"There are different opinions on its long-term value among farmers, how it effects New Zealands commitment to animal welfare, and our image in the eyes of international consumers.

"The impacts on export flow will be small in the context of total primary sector exports. Live exports by sea represented approximately 0.6 percent of primary sector exports last year.

"However, I do acknowledge the small number who are directly affected by these changes. The two-year transition period has allowed those impacted by the ban sufficient time to adjust their business models and supply chains to account for the removal of the trade.

"Having said that our commitment to these high standards has already shown its value where animal welfare discussions have been brought up in Free Trade Agreement negotiations with the United Kingdom and the European Union.

"This Bill reinforces and builds on New Zealands reputation as a safe and ethical producer of high-quality food products.

"It protects the reputation of not just our farmers now but, the farmers of the future who want to commit to livestock farming assured that we are the best managers of animal welfare and producers of ethical animal protein for the world."
The government has allocated $6 million from the Proceeds of Crime Fund to establish a crime prevention programme managed by New Zealand Police.

Through the Retail Crime Prevention Programme, police are identifying eligible retailers through data analysis of current occurrences, past ram raid-style burglaries, and making sure retailers are a small business.

Extra police staff have been brought in to ensure on-site assessments are done as quickly as possible, says a statement released by the New Zealand Police this week.

This includes a core team of 12 assessors and an additional five ethnic liaison officers who have strong and established relationships with many in the retail sector.

So far, 40 assessments have been completed and 23 of those stores have also had a site review completed by a contractor for the provision and install of protective equipment.

These assessments look at a retailers security needs and identify the most appropriate solutions, such as fog cannons, sirens, alarms, roller doors or bollards.

Retailers may be eligible for one or more of these options.

Five stores have had installations completed, and a further five have installations underway.

"Alongside this, Police is also undertaking Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design surveys with retailers to help them better understand what they can do to keep themselves safe," says Assistant Commissioner Chris De Wattignar.

"This can be anything from having fewer posters in the windows and lower shelves in the aisles so people can more easily see into, out of, and around the store, through to suggestions of fog cannons or other physical security measures.

"We have also setup a web page where people can access advice and tools for themselves.

"This is just some of the work police are doing to address and prevent retail crime and youth offending.

"District staff are investigating ram raid burglaries and arresting offenders."

As an example, police in Waikato and Auckland have arrested 14 young people for suspected involvement in commercial aggravated robberies over the long weekend.

"We are also working alongside agency and community partners to find solutions to what is a really a social issue.

"Youth crime especially is a complex matter that needs a coordinated partnership approach."

This is not for police to solve alone, says Chris.

"We are committed to working with our partners and communities to prevent youth offending and hold young offenders to account in a meaningful and effective way."
Taurangas Citizens Advice Bureau can now be found on Cameron Road.

Staff are busy moving into the new premises at 367 Cameron Road, following a blessing of the site on Wednesday.

Kaumatua Tamati Tata of Ngai Tamarawaho led the blessing of the premises which was attended by CAB members and members of the community development team at Tauranga City Council, says new bureau manager Claire Hine.

CAB had been at their Hamilton Street officers for 45 years, but have moved to make way for the CBDs civic precinct development.

We were part of civic precinct demolition site  so Tauranga City Council is funding our move, which we are very thankful for as we are a charity.

Claire says they are now in the process of moving in, so they can open their doors on Monday, October 3, and continue to service the community.

The premises have an awesome vibe and after all the hard work of getting them ready, we are exciting to be on the final lap.

Every single member of the Citizens advice team has contributed to the move, with packing, painting, cleaning and labelling our premises and we are so proud of our team.

CAB Tauranga will be open at 367 Cameron Rd from Monday, October 3  with the same hours as the previous location, from 9am-4pm Monday-Friday.

Our new site at 367 Cameron Rd is opposite the primary school, and adjacent to the Salvation Army op shop, says Claire, who began in her manager role at Julys end.

Emigrating four years ago  with a career background in leadership, social housing and social services roles in the UK  she began working in New Zealand in transitional housing, then community services at Plunket.

CAB interested me because Im an advocate for peoples rights  just making sure people have that information and advice is essential  and can access a clear path ahead  so it seemed like a natural step for me.

Claire says CAB is vital to the Tauranga/Western Bay of Plenty community because it offers free, confidential and impartial advice. And we are on the side of the community; we are here to serve the community, so we get a broad range of enquiries.

Currently were getting a lot of immigration, visa enquiries, tenancy queries, neighbourhood disputes and consumer law.

So I think whats vital about CAB is it is here so people are not suffering through ignorance of their rights  we can make them aware of the law and other relevant information and empower them to do something about it.

Claire says: You can absolutely ask anyone about anything  and we will look into it. We have a massive database and a huge amount of experience in our members.

We also have access to employments advocates, community immigrations officers, lawyers  as a lot of people in the community work with us.

Claire is also planning some weekly outreach mornings at Greerton and Welcome Bay libraries  so watch this space!

CAB Tauranga is open Monday-Friday at their 38 Hamilton St office until it opens at its new location  at 367 Cameron Rd  on October 3. For more information, visit: www.cab.org.nz Email: tauranga@cab.org.nz Or call: 07 578 1592 and leave a message including email/telephone number; they will get back to you.
Nga Pou Taunaha o Aotearoa New Zealand Geographic Board has announced the official name Maungatutu for a hill 10km south of Tauranga.

The announcement follows public consultation between November 2021 and February 2022.

After considering submissions, the Board put its recommendation to Land Information Minister Damien OConnor, and he agreed with it.

Im pleased that we have this opportunity to restore the original Maori name for the maunga, says OConnor.

Supplied image.

The name Mount Misery has never been official but is believed to have come into local use around a century ago, as locals struggled with poor farming conditions.

Board Chairperson Anselm Haanen says the change addresses challenges arising from multiple places with the same name.

Despite the negative connotations, Mount Misery is a surprisingly common name.

There are 21 other Mount Miserys in New Zealand  including one that is only 60km away at Morrinsville. Removing this duplication helps remove potential confusion and makes it easier to identify a site  particularly for emergency services.

The maunga is an extinct volcanic cone, marking the rohe of several iwi and hapu from Tauranga Moana.

Haanen says the Board actively encourages the use of original Maori names, especially when there is support from mana whenua.

Haanen notes that Maungatutu is referred to in multiple Treaty settlements.

Ngai Te Ahi and Ngati He are kaitiaki and mana whenua of the maunga  and both used the name Maungatutu. Ultimately the Board recognised the whanaungatanga between the iwi and hapu groups with interests in the maunga and recommended Maungatutu as the most appropriate name.

About Nga Pou Taunaha o Aotearoa
MetService has issued a heavy rain warning for the Bay of Plenty and Coromandel Peninsula in the coming days.

The heavy rain warning for Mount Taranaki has also been lifted.

"A moist north westerly flow preceding a front is expected to bring heavy rain to the Tararua Range Thursday night and Friday morning,and the east of Bay of Plenty on Friday," says a MetService spokesperson.

"Another front may bring heavy rain to northern New Zealand on Saturday and Sunday.

"People are advised to stay up to date with forecasts in case any of these Watches are upgraded to Warnings or further areas are added."

Image: MetService.

HEAVY RAIN WATCH



Area: Northland, Great Barrier Island, Auckland and Coromandel

Peninsula

Valid: 24 hours from 3:00 am Saturday to 3:00 am Sunday

Forecast: Periods of heavy rain, and amounts may approach warning

criteria.



Area: Bay of Plenty east of Te Puke

Valid: 15 hours from 6:00 am to 9:00 pm Friday

Forecast: Periods of heavy rain, and amounts may approach warning

criteria.



Area: Tararua Range

Valid: 9 hours from 8:00 pm Thursday to 5:00 am Friday

Forecast: A period of heavy rain, and amounts may approach warning

criteria.



WATCHES NO LONGER IN FORCE



Heavy rain watch lifted for: Mount Taranaki: The threat of heavy rain

has passed so the watch is lifted.
Two men have pleaded guilty to burning down a building in the Historic Village used by the LGBTQIA+ community.

In Tauranga District Court on Thursday, Judge Thomas Ingram said home detention was a possibility, but that is not a promise" for co-charged Alexander James Burgess, 33, and Zechariah Phillips, 29.

According to New Zealand law, a person who commits arson  the intentional or reckless damage by fire of a property  can be liable to imprisonment for up to 14 years.

Burgess, who appeared in court by audiovisual link, had originally pleaded not guilty on July 7 and elected to a trial by jury, but has since changed his plea and admitted his guilt.

A police summary said the pair, who are both unemployed, allegedly started the fire at around 11:20pm on June 15, destroying the building.

Their actions, which allegedly included pushing a wheelie bin against the wall of the building and using turpentine to light the fire, were captured on CCTV.

The building, in Taurangas Historic Village on 17th Avenue, is home of the RainbowYOUTH and Gender Dynamix organisations.

It ran as a drop-in centre and support service for the LGBTQIA+ and gender-diverse community.

It is one of 50 buildings in the village complex, however, the rest were left unscathed on the evening of the fire.

The two men will be sentenced on November 29.

Judge Ingram also suggested that restorative justice be explored.

After the fire, the community rallied to raise $84,037 for a new home for the services.

-By Annemarie Quill/Stuff.
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 29, ARMENPRESS. Over the course of the recent Azerbaijani attack which began on September 13, the Azerbaijani military gruesomely murdered captured wounded Armenian troops, abused the bodies of the dead with particular barbarism and then photographed it and spread online, Major-General Arakel Martikyan, the Deputy Chief of General Staff of the Armenian Armed Forces told foreign ambassadors during a meeting in Vardenis.

The Armed Forces of Armenia are succeeding in fulfilling their objective and ensuring the security of the population. The Azerbaijani military succeeded in occupying only the outposts where our troops stood till the end and were killed after being overrun. Weve had casualties and heavily wounded troops in outposts where the Azerbaijanis succeeded capturing. The Azerbaijani military, which describes itself as being guided by humanitarian mottos, gruesomely murdered our wounded troops in blatant display of vengeance, they mistreated the bodies of those killed in the most barbaric ways, moreover the bodies of women servicemembers, who were serving as medical servicemembers, the major-general said, adding that the Azeris filmed their actions and spread it online.

The Deputy Chief of General Staff said the Armenian side clearly realizes with whom it is dealing with from a military perspective.

And I have to state that the Armed Forces will do everything to thwart the enemy advance and ensure the free, independent and secure life of our population, Major-General Martikyan said.

Speaking about the tactical situation, he said that the situation at the entire line of contact was relatively calm today except for several cases of ceasefire violations by Azerbaijan. The latest major ceasefire breach happened on September 28 in the Jermuk area where the Azerbaijani military fired 82mm mortars and launched UAV attacks, killing three Armenian soldiers.
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Catholic-Funded Network Vows to Fight for 'Right' to Abortion





NEWS PROVIDED BY

Lepanto Institute

Sept. 29, 2022



WASHINGTON, Sept. 29, 2022 /Christian Newswire/ -- A new report released today by the Lepanto Institute shows that Faith in Action (formerly known as the PICO network) took an official and organizational stance vowing to fight for the "right" to abortion. Since 2016, Faith in Action National Network and Affiliates have collectively received at least 4.8 million since from the Catholic Campaign for Human Development.



The Lepanto Institute previously released a series of reports in 2020 detailing Faith in Action's partisan electioneering, support for abortion and violent revolution. The CCHD dismissed these reports as "incendiary rhetoric" in an internal memo while praising Faith in Action's "proven track record working with Catholic parishes, dioceses, the USCCB and even the Vatican!"



On June 24, shortly after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, Faith in Action issued an official press release, which was also published on Faith in Action's website, saying:

"Clergy and organizers with Faith in Action, the largest grassroots, faith-based organizing network in the United States, are speaking out against today's Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade."

FIA's executive director Rev. Alvin Herring called the decision, "a huge blow to women in this season of despair," and declared that "[w]e must speak out against dangerous policies that chip away at having agency over their own bodies."



Rev. Dr. Cassandra Gould, FIA's Senior Strategist at FIA's Washington, DC office, claimed that the "SCOTUS decision to overturn ROE" was "legalized, judicially enforced oppression" that "shows contempt for the Creator."



Rev. Kamilah Hall Sharp, member of FIA's Organizing Clergy Board, said that the decision to overturn Roe v. Wade was "deadly," and that she was "enraged at the injustice, the lack of care for women and that most people who voted to take this right away will never have to carry an unwanted pregnancy to term in their bodies." She then had the audacity to claim that "As a follower of Jesus," her rage about the overturning of Roe "aligns with [H]is."



Michael Hichborn, president of the Lepanto institute said:

"It doesn't get any clearer than this. Faith in Action is pro-abortion and is committed to fighting in favor of abortion as a 'right'  and the CCHD is unapologetically promoting and supporting Faith in Action. This is inexcusable! Anyone with two braincells to rub together could see this coming, but CCHD  ever full of excuses  is now in the awkward position of either publicly denouncing its friend and cutting-off Faith in Action completely or defending the indefensible.



"This is a catastrophic failure on the part of the Catholic Campaign for Human Development, showing how it is either completely incompetent or complicit with the pro-abortion agenda of Faith in Action. Whatever the case may be, it is time for bishops to shut the CCHD down, completely and for good. And until that happens, individual bishops should immediately cease all participation in CCHD collections and campaigns."

The Lepanto Institute is calling on all faithful Catholics to contact their bishops and the CCHD to ask for answers regarding this betrayal of trust with their hard earned Catholic money.



The full report can be read here: https://lepantoin.org/fia



The Lepanto Institute for the Restoration of All Things in Christ is a research and education organization dedicated to the defense of the Catholic Church against assaults from without as well as from within. Founded in 2014, the Lepanto Institute has exposed several instances of Catholic or Catholic-affiliated organizations being directly involved in events or other matters directly contrary to Church teaching. www.LepantoIn.org



SOURCE Lepanto Institute



CONTACT: Michael Hichborn, 540-847-5501


Press Release

September 29, 2022 Dela Rosa supports PDEA, DDB budget, says drug syndicates can't outwit law enforcement agencies SENATOR Ronald "Bato" Dela Rosa expressed his full support on Wednesday for the budget of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) and Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB) to sustain an advocacy that is very close to his heart - the war on drugs. "Automatic 'yan, you don't need to appeal to me. Kung ano 'yung magawa ko, gagawin ko para diyan. Ito 'yung adbokasiya natin, 'yung drugs eh. Naging senador ako dahil dito sa adbokasiya ko sa drugs kaya we have to support you all the way kung anong dapat natin gawin dito," Dela Rosa said to DDB Executive Director - Undersecretary Earl Saavedra during the hearing of the Committee on Finance Sub-Committee C on the Fiscal Year 2023 budget of DDB and PDEA on Wednesday. The former top cop also expressed confidence that drug syndicates could not outwit the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) and law enforcement agencies despite being creative in their illicit operations. In a media briefing after the hearing, Dela Rosa was asked about an alleged new modus operandi of drug syndicates wherein they avoid being monitored in seaports by dumping the illegal drugs in international waters, where it will later be retrieved by cohorts. The Mindanaoan senator said that while the syndicates are more creative now, they still fail to outsmart and avoid PDEA or other law enforcement agencies since they have been detected. "Very creative minds itong mga sindikato, 'di ba? 'Yung mga drug syndicates. And they are always, gusto nila palaging one step ahead of the law enforcement agencies. Yun nga, magaling, magaling 'yung kanilang diskarte na gano'n. But nakita pa rin ng ating PDEA 'yung kanilang strategy na gano'n," he told reporters. Dela Rosa commended the government's drive against illegal drugs as he cited the record showing that the number of drug-infected barangays in the country has decreased. According to PDEA, only 9,590 barangays remain drug-infected out of the 42,046 total barangays nationwide. "That is the parameter that we are using, 'di ba? As far as drug problem is concerned, 'yung drug-clearing program ng PDEA. The more barangays being cleared from the drug problem ay the better the campaign is going. So...maganda 'yung nangyari sa ating war on drugs at dumadami 'yung barangay na drug-cleared," he said. Dela Rosa, as the chief of the Philippine National Police in the first few years of the Duterte administration, led the government's war on drugs which resulted in the successful dismantling of drug syndicates, confiscation of huge volumes of illegal drugs, destruction of illegal drug laboratories, and arrests of high-profile drug lords and their protectors.
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 29, ARMENPRESS. The Armenian side knows the number and location of bodies of killed troops, but all attempts to recover the bodies were met with intense Azerbaijani gunfire, Major-General Arakel Martikyan, the Deputy Chief of General Staff of the Armenian Armed Forces told foreign ambassadors during a meeting in Vardenis.

Speaking about the reports by families of missing troops that there are bodies of troops at an outpost in Verin Shorzha and that the military still hasnt recovered them, the major-general said the reports are true.

Weve abandoned only the positions which were completely overrun and our troops were killed. Today we really know where and how many bodies of our comrades are, this is the most painful part. Troops who gave their lives for their country must be properly laid to rest, worthy for a soldier. The Azerbaijani side promised a humanitarian ceasefire, a humanitarian ceasefire envisages the recovery of the wounded and bodies, but our attempts to retrieve the bodies of our fallen troops were met by intense Azerbaijani gunfire and a statement that they will return the bodies of our servicemen, the major-general said.
The Armenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs released a statement on the violation of the ceasefire regime by Azerbaijan.

September 29, 2022, 09:13 Ceasefire violation by Azerbaijan is clear disrespect towards calls of international community, UNSC members - Armenia MFA

STEPANAKERT, SEPTEMBER 29, ARTSAKHPRESS: On September 28, the units of the Azerbaijani armed forces, which unlawfully invaded the sovereign territory of the Republic of Armenia, once again grossly violated the ceasefire regime with the use of mortars and weapons of large caliber, and shelled in the eastern direction of the Armenian-Azerbaijani border, as a result of which the Armenian side suffered three casualties.

The recent provocation carried out by Azerbaijan, in continuation of its large-scale aggression against the territorial integrity of Armenia, launched on September 13, is a clear disrespect towards the calls of the international community and the member states of the UN Security Council to maintain the ceasefire. This is a reaffirmation of the alarms of the Armenian side that Azerbaijan is attempting to continue its policy of use of force and maximalism.

Moreover, such provocation of Azerbaijan is aimed at disrupting the meeting of the Foreign Ministers of the two countries, the arrangement of which is under discussion.

In the current situation, we urge the international community to undertake effective steps and implement relevant mechanisms in order to suppress the military-political leadership of Azerbaijan for the strict observance of the ceasefire regime, the withdrawal of the Azerbaijani armed forces from the sovereign territory of the Republic of Armenia and the prevention of new aggressions.
The Taos News delivered to your Taos County address every week for a full year! We offer our lowest mail rates to zip codes in the county. Click Here to See if you Qualify. Plan includes unlimited website access and e-edition print replica online. Your auto pay plan will be conveniently renewed at the end of the subscription period. You may cancel at anytime.
Ankit998 BHPian

Join Date: Jan 2021 Location: Noida Posts: 27 Thanked: 59 Times





This is going to be my first in-depth write-up on Team BHP



Let me start with how I began my riding journey.



The beginning : 2021



I had only just learned how to ride a bike and was looking to purchase "something nice". Considering rising fuel prices, our family made the switch to the Nexon EV last year but that still didn't solve the problem of convenience nor battling the peak of Mumbai traffic and I just wasn't willing to drive around as it can get very frustrating! So when the search for a bike started, I kept my options open. My initial budget was set at under 2 Lakhs OTR, Mumbai.



1. Revolt Electric



Thanks to a close friend, I had the chance to test ride a Revolt RV400. I won't lie, I had high expectations from this bike and according the the spec sheet, it delivers! Torque is instant, greatly enjoyable. The braking was average at best but the highlight was definitely how silent and enjoyable the ride was. The only issues were the slew of issues reported by owners during the rains and the greatly limited top speed.

Having an electric bike with electrical issues made me very nervous and I ditched the idea of buying it.



Pros:

1. Looks good!

2. Rides really well.

3. Low and medium speed performance is brilliant



Cons:



1. Limited performance

2. Niggles and quality issues

3. Reliability unknown.







Cut to mid 2021: Life went on and responsibilities increased, the plan of purchasing a bike was on hold as I had other expenses and priorities.



December 2021: Another close friend of mine picked up a brand new Bajaj Avenger Cruise 220. After a quick test ride, I realised that I wouldn't mind an ICE Bike as long as it does it's job well. The Avenger is a supremely comfortable bike and it's after this ride that I contemplated on getting a low-riding bike or cruiser.



I shortlisted the Avenger as a potential purchase. Excellent comfort, good engine, light clutch but the braking and transmission were somewhat of a compromise. I had a scary experience on a highway when the bike gear fell from 5th to 4th, not once but twice! My friend was quick to correct me that the Avenger requires heavy, forceful gear changes.



Pros:

1. Comfortable and very easy to handle despite the weight.

2. Bling! The cruise 220 looks classy but then the street version also looks handsome!

3. Tractable engine and performance. The Avenger is a quick cruiser. It's what you want it to be. I can rumble and it can scream, expressway performance is good!

4. Servicing will be easy.

5. Price - At the time of consideration, I could get the Bajaj Avenger Cruise 220 within 1.6L OTR Mumbai.



Cons:



1. Poor quality fitments.

2. Transmission issues on a relatively new bike was not confidence inspiring.

3. Rattles and creaks



The search continued..



January 2022



With further rising fuel prices, I started considering more frugal options: The TVS Raider 125 being the front runner. However a test ride changed my mind and I absolutely didn't like the seating position, having been more instantly acclimatized to the "cruiser" stance.



April 2022



Priority 1: RE Meteor 350 Supernova Brown



My friends and I had a brief test ride of the Meteor 350. I absolutely loved the riding stance and seat comfort and was surprised with the levels of refinement on offer. Many of my friends who own previous gen Classic 350s and even the Thunderbird were mighty impressed with the Meteor's elegance. The tripper navigation seemed a little buggy and refused to work on our test ride unit but I immediately realised this feature to be a "gimmick" instead. While engine and transmission performance seemed good, the brakes were again, not very confidence inspiring, requiring a strong pull on the front brakes and a generous push on the rear ones. The waiting period claimed was long - 90 days with no guarantee or written word for deliveries. Apparently there have been many who booked their bike as early as November 2021 but have not yet received their bikes. Yikes! Regardless, I booked the bike in April and was hopeful I would get delivery as soon as possible.



Pros:



1. A well-built RE. Feels solid

2. Comfortable seat and seems ideal for covering long distances.

3. Relatively light clutch but nothing compared to the slip and assist on the CB350.

4. Adequate performance for city and highways

5. Looks great



Cons:



1. Price: The Meteor's price has steadily increased with time. The Meteor 350 Supernova version was priced at 2.7L OTR Mumbai which was over my budget.

2. Headlights: While the throw seems adequate, I don't like the fact that RE has chosen halogens at this price range.

3. Excessive waiting period made me consider the CB350.



Priority 2: Honda H'ness CB350



Another brilliant offering by Honda. I loved the classy yet retro styling, excellent engine and an amazing exhaust note that puts most others to shame. Honda's selectable torque control is a good feature addition and I liked how beautifully the bike has been put together. The only issue I faced is the poor gearing. This is more a city bike than a cruiser and constant gearshifts are required if you want to make progress with the bike.



Pros



1. Looks great, especially the DLX top version and 1st anniversary edition

2. Mid-range performance is good.

3. Acceptable fuel economy figures

4. Comfortable but not as much as the Meteor 350.

5. Honda's traction control system is probably not necessary but is a good safety feature. Possibly a help during Mumbai rains?

6. Refined and smooth. Sounds amazing at lower rpms.

7. Super light clutch, useful for longer journeys.

8. Price! At the time of consideration, I was getting the bike at just a little over 2.5L OTR for the top end Anniversary edition. The bike had absolutely no waiting period except for the week or two for registration. So it was more affordable and would get delivered quicker, hence at one point I nearly ditched the Meteor 350.



Cons:



1. Not as easy to ride as the RE Meteor 350. The tall gearing and engine's characteristics mean you need to stay in the right gear at the right time. Frequent downshifts are required.



2. Headlights: Despite being LED units, night-time performance is inadequate.



3. Seat comfort for pillion was not good compared to the meteor.



4. Honda accessories were perpetually out of stock with no estimated time of arrival.



The unexpected twist



Considering how tempted I was to go for the Honda, I called up the sales incharge for my Meteor 350 and explained that I'd like to cancel the booking since I liked an approved the CB350!



The entire process at RE was SLOW up to this point but an unexpected twist was soon to follow. The now super-eager sales team was able to procure a Meteor Supernova Blue and asked if I was okay with the colour and the fact that tripper nav has now been deleted.



After some consideration, I agreed!



Blue looked stunning so I agreed and the staff promised delivery by the final week of May.



Delivery Day



Post disbursement of the loan, delivery was swift!

28th of May: I received delivery of my brilliant blue Meteor 350 Supernova with all the additional accessories:



1. Chrome Engine Guard changed from Matte black

2. Sump guard



It's been a wonderful experience!



[September 2022]



Have clocked 1700kms to date (a mix of highway and city use). I'm totally loving the experience. This bike is head turner. Fuel economy figures are great, I'm getting between 25-27kmpl in the city due to my relatively short commute, however, I have got up to 45kmpl on highways during a relatively short 400km round trip. I have used this bike enough to understand what I like and what I'm not a fan of. Summarised below:



[What I love] : -



1. I'm amazed with how far RE has come with refinement levels. Seriously, blown away within the first 500kms but after the first service, things got even better.



2. Plenty of usable power and torque, clearing speed breakers in 2nd gear makes this a great choice for cities.



3. Fit and finish with respect to RE's past models is definitely in a different league.



4. Looks stunning! Yes, probably can't be compared to the new Classic 350, but the Meteor 350 offers something totally different, yet desirable.



5. Ride quality: This is a comfortable cruiser!





[What could have been better] : -



1. City fuel economy: I get 25-27 kmpl which is 'okay'. I honestly won't complain much but was expecting at least 30kmpl in the city.



2. Performance: Within the city, no complaints but flat out performance on the highway is a little underwhelming for a 349cc bike. Nevertheless, this is a cruiser by RE and RE riders don't care much for flat out performance cruisers.



3. Brakes: Both front and rear brakes need a generous pull to work well. The rear brake is quite 'standard' despite RE offering a large disc.



4. Front suspension: Bottoms out quite easily, especially when traversing through Mumbai's mighty potholes.



[What I don't like] : -



1. Headlights: Apparently since RE has chosen a particular type of lamp, switching to high beam, turns of the low beam. This means when using high beam, you can't see what's directly in front of you!



The only quick workaround is holding the pass switch, keeping both lamps illuminated. Weird. Maybe this is the norm with bikes or RE?



2. RE could've implemented better features with the dial chosen. It's tastefully integrated with the needles and warning lamps but could've provided a tachometer as well, something that the Royal Enfield Thunderbird did have.







Initially, had an issue with horrendous noise while using the rear brakes, however this issue was resolved after the first service.



Refinement levels have only gotten better with time.



Side note: The level of dirt that accumulates near the fuel cap is unreal. A serious headache to clean. Hello folks!This is going to be my first in-depth write-up on Team BHPLet me start with how I began my riding journey.: 2021I had only just learned how to ride a bike and was looking to purchase "something nice". Considering rising fuel prices, our family made the switch to the Nexon EV last year but that still didn't solve the problem of convenience nor battling the peak of Mumbai traffic and I just wasn't willing to drive around as it can get very frustrating! So when the search for a bike started, I kept my options open. My initial budget was set at under 2 Lakhs OTR, Mumbai.1. Revolt ElectricThanks to a close friend, I had the chance to test ride a Revolt RV400. I won't lie, I had high expectations from this bike and according the the spec sheet, it delivers! Torque is instant, greatly enjoyable. The braking was average at best but the highlight was definitely how silent and enjoyable the ride was. The only issues were the slew of issues reported by owners during the rains and the greatly limited top speed.Having an electric bike with electrical issues made me very nervous and I ditched the idea of buying it.1. Looks good!2. Rides really well.3. Low and medium speed performance is brilliant1. Limited performance2. Niggles and quality issues3. Reliability unknown.Life went on and responsibilities increased, the plan of purchasing a bike was on hold as I had other expenses and priorities.Another close friend of mine picked up a brand new Bajaj Avenger Cruise 220. After a quick test ride, I realised that I wouldn't mind an ICE Bike as long as it does it's job well. The Avenger is a supremely comfortable bike and it's after this ride that I contemplated on getting a low-riding bike or cruiser.I shortlisted the Avenger as a potential purchase. Excellent comfort, good engine, light clutch but the braking and transmission were somewhat of a compromise. I had a scary experience on a highway when the bike gear fell from 5th to 4th, not once but twice! My friend was quick to correct me that the Avenger requires heavy, forceful gear changes.1. Comfortable and very easy to handle despite the weight.2. Bling! The cruise 220 looks classy but then the street version also looks handsome!3. Tractable engine and performance. The Avenger is a quick cruiser. It's what you want it to be. I can rumble and it can scream, expressway performance is good!4. Servicing will be easy.5. Price - At the time of consideration, I could get the Bajaj Avenger Cruise 220 within 1.6L OTR Mumbai.1. Poor quality fitments.2. Transmission issues on a relatively new bike was not confidence inspiring.3. Rattles and creaksThe search continued..With further rising fuel prices, I started considering more frugal options: The TVS Raider 125 being the front runner. However a test ride changed my mind and I absolutely didn't like the seating position, having been more instantly acclimatized to the "cruiser" stance.Priority 1: RE Meteor 350 Supernova BrownMy friends and I had a brief test ride of the Meteor 350. I absolutely loved the riding stance and seat comfort and was surprised with the levels of refinement on offer. Many of my friends who own previous gen Classic 350s and even the Thunderbird were mighty impressed with the Meteor's elegance. The tripper navigation seemed a little buggy and refused to work on our test ride unit but I immediately realised this feature to be a "gimmick" instead. While engine and transmission performance seemed good, the brakes were again, not very confidence inspiring, requiring a strong pull on the front brakes and a generous push on the rear ones. The waiting period claimed was long - 90 days with no guarantee or written word for deliveries. Apparently there have been many who booked their bike as early as November 2021 but have not yet received their bikes. Yikes! Regardless, I booked the bike in April and was hopeful I would get delivery as soon as possible.1. A well-built RE. Feels solid2. Comfortable seat and seems ideal for covering long distances.3. Relatively light clutch but nothing compared to the slip and assist on the CB350.4. Adequate performance for city and highways5. Looks great1. Price: The Meteor's price has steadily increased with time. The Meteor 350 Supernova version was priced at 2.7L OTR Mumbai which was over my budget.2. Headlights: While the throw seems adequate, I don't like the fact that RE has chosen halogens at this price range.3. Excessive waiting period made me consider the CB350.Priority 2: Honda H'ness CB350Another brilliant offering by Honda. I loved the classy yet retro styling, excellent engine and an amazing exhaust note that puts most others to shame. Honda's selectable torque control is a good feature addition and I liked how beautifully the bike has been put together. The only issue I faced is the poor gearing. This is more a city bike than a cruiser and constant gearshifts are required if you want to make progress with the bike.1. Looks great, especially the DLX top version and 1st anniversary edition2. Mid-range performance is good.3. Acceptable fuel economy figures4. Comfortable but not as much as the Meteor 350.5. Honda's traction control system is probably not necessary but is a good safety feature. Possibly a help during Mumbai rains?6. Refined and smooth. Sounds amazing at lower rpms.7. Super light clutch, useful for longer journeys.8. Price! At the time of consideration, I was getting the bike at just a little over 2.5L OTR for the top end Anniversary edition. The bike had absolutely no waiting period except for the week or two for registration. So it was more affordable and would get delivered quicker, hence at one point I nearly ditched the Meteor 350.1. Not as easy to ride as the RE Meteor 350. The tall gearing and engine's characteristics mean you need to stay in the right gear at the right time. Frequent downshifts are required.2. Headlights: Despite being LED units, night-time performance is inadequate.3. Seat comfort for pillion was not good compared to the meteor.4. Honda accessories were perpetually out of stock with no estimated time of arrival.Considering how tempted I was to go for the Honda, I called up the sales incharge for my Meteor 350 and explained that I'd like to cancel the booking since I liked an approved the CB350!The entire process at RE was SLOW up to this point but an unexpected twist was soon to follow. The now super-eager sales team was able to procure a Meteor Supernova Blue and asked if I was okay with the colour and the fact that tripper nav has now been deleted.After some consideration, I agreed!Blue looked stunning so I agreed and the staff promised delivery by the final week of May.Post disbursement of the loan, delivery was swift!28th of May: I received delivery of my brilliant blue Meteor 350 Supernova with all the additional accessories:1. Chrome Engine Guard changed from Matte black2. Sump guardIt's been a wonderful experience![September 2022]Have clocked 1700kms to date (a mix of highway and city use). I'm totally loving the experience. This bike is head turner. Fuel economy figures are great, I'm getting between 25-27kmpl in the city due to my relatively short commute, however, I have got up to 45kmpl on highways during a relatively short 400km round trip. I have used this bike enough to understand what I like and what I'm not a fan of. Summarised below:[What I love] : -1. I'm amazed with how far RE has come with refinement levels. Seriously, blown away within the first 500kms but after the first service, things got even better.2. Plenty of usable power and torque, clearing speed breakers in 2nd gear makes this a great choice for cities.3. Fit and finish with respect to RE's past models is definitely in a different league.4. Looks stunning! Yes, probably can't be compared to the new Classic 350, but the Meteor 350 offers something totally different, yet desirable.5. Ride quality: This is a comfortable cruiser![What could have been better] : -1. City fuel economy: I get 25-27 kmpl which is 'okay'. I honestly won't complain much but was expecting at least 30kmpl in the city.2. Performance: Within the city, no complaints but flat out performance on the highway is a little underwhelming for a 349cc bike. Nevertheless, this is a cruiser by RE and RE riders don't care much for flat out performance cruisers.3. Brakes: Both front and rear brakes need a generous pull to work well. The rear brake is quite 'standard' despite RE offering a large disc.4. Front suspension: Bottoms out quite easily, especially when traversing through Mumbai's mighty potholes.[What I don't like] : -1. Headlights: Apparently since RE has chosen a particular type of lamp, switching to high beam, turns of the low beam. This means when using high beam, you can't see what's directly in front of you!The only quick workaround is holding the pass switch, keeping both lamps illuminated. Weird. Maybe this is the norm with bikes or RE?2. RE could've implemented better features with the dial chosen. It's tastefully integrated with the needles and warning lamps but could've provided a tachometer as well, something that the Royal Enfield Thunderbird did have.Initially, had an issue with horrendous noise while using the rear brakes, however this issue was resolved after the first service.Refinement levels have only gotten better with time.Side note: The level of dirt that accumulates near the fuel cap is unreal. A serious headache to clean. Attached Thumbnails
















What just happened? Meta has taken down a Chinese influence operation focused on US domestic politics ahead of the midterm elections that ran across several social media platforms. But the network's efforts weren't very successful for several reasons: those involved worked 9 to 5 (China time), took long lunch breaks, and didn't do much over the weekends.

Meta writes that it took down the "small" network, which originated in China, for violating its policy on inauthentic behavior. Covering Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, it's the first known propaganda campaign originating in China to target US audiences ahead of November's midterms.

It appears that voters aren't going to be influenced by the propaganda. Two of the memes featuring Joe Biden and Senator Marco Rubio received one engagement each, the Facebook Pages had only a handful of followers, and almost nobody shared the hashtags.

Meta writes that the lack of success was down to several factors. The workers infrequently posted to a small number of accounts and kept them running for just a few weeks. There were also translation problems resulting in strangely worded phrases such as "I can't live in an America on regression!".

The posters were also working on a nine-to-five, Monday-to-Friday schedule in China, which is 12 hours ahead of Florida time. They took extended lunch breaks and rarely posted on weekends. All of this meant the content went out when most Americans were asleep.

The issues covered hot-button topics such as gun and abortion rights, Hong Kong democracy, and allegations of US bioweapon factories in Ukraine. There were also criticisms of Democratic and Republican politicians. One meme showed President Biden with the text, "One year in: Nothing is built, nothing is back, nothing is better." The one with Senator Ruben read, "$1.3 million from Russia, $3.3 million from NRA, Democracy for sale."

"The Chinese operations we've taken down before talked primarily about America to the world, primarily in South Asia, not to Americans about themselves," Meta global threat intelligence lead Ben Nimmo told a press briefing (via Reuters). "Essentially, the message was 'America bad, China good.'"

Twitter said it has also taken down the accounts.

Meta took down a Russia-based disinformation network, too. It primarily targeted Germany, along with France, Italy, Ukraine, and the United Kingdom, with issues relating to the Ukraine war. It included 60 websites impersonating legitimate news sites. Meta said it was the largest and most complex Russian-origin operation it had disrupted since the beginning of the war in Ukraine.
The launch of SpaceX's astronaut mission for NASA has been delayed by at least a day due to Hurricane Ian.

The Crew-5 voyage to the International Space Station (ISS) was scheduled to launch on October 3 from Pad 39A at the Florida-based Kennedy Space Center (KSC).

(Photo : Aubrey Gemignani/NASA via Getty Images)





Postponed by 24 Hours

The planned liftoff has been postponed by at least 24 hours, until Oct. 4, due to the threat posed by Ian, a strong Category 3 hurricane that is now barreling north toward Florida. However, that schedule is still subject to change.

NASA said in a blog post that mission teams will keep an eye on Ian's effects on Florida's Space Coast and Kennedy Space Center, and if required, they may change the launch date once more.

In the upcoming days, more information on the planned timetable, including crew arrival from the organization's Johnson Space Center to Kennedy, will be made available.

Crew arrival is anticipated to happen no earlier than Friday, Sept. 30, based on existing scheduling. For NASA and SpaceX, the safety of the crew, ground personnel, and equipment is of the highest concern for now.

Kennedy Space Center is preparing to protect additional property and infrastructure across the spaceport while the Dragon Endurance spacecraft is currently attached to the Falcon 9 rocket and safely secured within SpaceX's hangar at Launch Complex 39A.

Teams from NASA and SpaceX will assess any potential effects on the center as the storm intensifies and decide whether to modify the mission timeframe based on their findings.

The agency's Crew-4 mission's undocking from the space station will proceed day by day concurrently with the Crew-5 launch date to facilitate a scheduled five-day direct transfer between crews.

NASA astronauts Nicole Mann and Josh Cassada will fly on the Crew-5 mission as the mission commander and pilot, respectively. Koichi Wakata of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency and Anna Kikina of Roscosmos will work as the mission specialists.

Crew-4, the most recent mission from SpaceX, is still on board the ISS but is shortly expected to return to Earth. The departure date for Crew-4 is dependent upon the launch date for Crew-5.

NASA and SpaceX want the two crews to spend five days together on the station, according to Space.com.

Read Also: NASA Artemis 1 Launch Delayed-SLS Rocket Now Rolling Back to Assembly Building; New Schedule, Other Details

Artemis Delayed

Hurricane Ian has also affected NASA's first mission to the moon after 50 years. The agency had to roll the massive Artemis 1 moon rocket off Pad 39B at KSC and back to the center's enormous Vehicle Assembly Building for protection against the storm.

As of now, NASA has not yet announced an official launch schedule for the Artemis 1 mission. However, if the SLS rocket is formally returned to the VAB, the Artemis 1 mission may be postponed until the second half of October.

Related Article: [LOOK] NASA Releases a Delightful 3D Animation of Jupiter's Cupcake-Looking Clouds

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Written by Joaquin Victor Tacla

 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
A new standalone Apple classical music app is expected to arrive.

(Photo : Photo by THOMAS SAMSON/AFP via Getty Images)

A picture taken on February 8, 2019 in Paris shows a smartphone and its earphones as an audio podcast is being played. (Photo by Thomas SAMSON / AFP)

The tech giant manufacturer confirmed that it would launch this new application before 2022 ends.

But, Apple hasn't provided an exact release date schedule as of press time.

The arrival of the new classic application was also seen in the backend code used by the giant iPhone maker.

Twitter user @aaronp613 posted a screenshot of the leaked code.

"Looks like Apple is setting up Apple Music Classical in the backend now," said the tech enthusiast.

In the code, you will see that the "app.music.classical,app.musickkit" code was in the last string.

Looks like Apple is setting up Apple Music Classical in the backend now pic.twitter.com/LoWW6mHQLT  Aaron (@aaronp613) September 28, 2022

New Standalone Apple Classical Music App to Arrive!

According to MacRumors' latest report, the new Apple Music Classical will use the so-called Primephonic.

(Photo : Photo Illustration by Ian Waldie/Getty Images)

A man listens to an iPod MP3 player through earphones August 17, 2005 in Sydney, Australia. Research conducted by the National Acoustic Laboratories, to be released by the Australian Federal Government today, has found that up to a 25% of people who use iPods or other portable music devices will suffer from hearing problems as a result of listening to their players at "excessive and damaging" levels.

Also Read: Apple AirPods Pro 2 Scan Reveals Lanyard Loop is Connected to Lightning Port - But Why?

Apple purchased this classical music service back in 2021.

During that period, the iPhone maker said the Primephonic acquisition would allow it to offer an improved classical music experience for Apple Music subscribers.

The tech giant manufacturer added that it would release a dedicated classical music app around 2022.

Apple further stated that this new application would combine Primephonic's classical user interface with newly added features, as reported GadgetsNow.

As of writing, Apple hasn't shared the classical music app's specific functions.

On the other hand, since the iOS 16.1 beta didn't mention its arrival, many experts concluded that the gadget maker would include the new application in future iOS 16 versions.

Other Things to Expect From Apple

Aside from the new classical music app, there are also other things that you can expect from Apple before 2022 ends, especially in October.

One of these is the upcoming iPhone 14 Plus, which is expected to be released on Oct. 7. On the other hand, the new iOS 16.1 might also arrive before 2022 ends.

If you want to see other Apple products that could be launched this 2022, you can visit this link.

In other stories, the iOS 16 battery life issue still remains.

We also reported that the Apple Watch Ultra and AirPods Pro 2 were launched in Australia.

For more news updates about Apple and its upcoming products, keep your tabs open here at TechTimes.

Related Article: Apple Watch Ultra Modified to 'Deuglify' Device and Make It More Visually Appealing

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Written by Griffin Davis

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India will supply ammunition to Armenia, The Economic Times reports.

September 29, 2022, 10:36 India to supply arms and ammunition to Armenia worth around $244 mln

STEPANAKERT, SEPTEMBER 29, ARTSAKHPRESS: The governments signed a number of contracts for the supply of arms and ammunition to Armenia earlier this month.

It is estimated that weapons worth around 244 million dollars will be supplied to Armenia over the coming months.

Sources told ET that the order includes the first-ever export of the indigenous Pinaka multi-barrel rocket launchers that are already in service with the Indian Army.

India will also supply anti-tank rockets as well as a range of ammunition to Armenia under the deal.
The new Samsung Galaxy S23 is expected to take the spotlight from S22 once it officially arrives.

(Photo : Photo by JUNG YEON-JE/AFP via Getty Images)

People walk past the Samsung logo at the company's showroom in Seoul on October 29, 2020. (Photo by Jung Yeon-je / AFP)

But, before the giant Apple competitor can even release this new Android handset, its design is allegedly leaked.

As of writing, images and a 360-degree video of the upcoming Galaxy S23 are already circulating the internet.

Of course, Samsung hasn't confirmed if the model shown in these photos is really Galaxy S22's successor.

Although this is the case, the 5K renders and 360-degree video provides some exciting details about the upcoming Galaxy S23.

Samsung Galaxy S23 Design Leaked?

The 5K renders and the 360-video of the new Samsung Galaxy S23 were created by Digit, thanks to its partnership with the popular tech leaker OnLeaks.

(Photo : Photo by Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images)

A South Korean man experience Samsung Electronics Galaxy Note 8 smartphone at its shop on August 25, 2017 in Seoul, South Korea. Prosecutors are seeking a 12-year jail sentence. Lee, de facto chief of South Korean conglomerate, faces five charges connecting the bribery scandal involving ousted former President Park Geun-hye.

Also Read: Samsung Galaxy S23 Series May Feature the Same Design as S22 According to Leaks

"This leak not only takes the lid off the design of the phone and the new camera arrangement on the back of the device but also reveals the phone's exact dimensions," said Digit via its official report.

Digit's team claimed that the new Galaxy S23 would have a minor increase when it comes to dimensions. This means that S22's successor might be larger than it.

And now comes your very first and very early look at the vanilla #Samsung #GalaxyS23! (360 video + crispy sharp 5K renders + dimensions) #FutureSquad



On behalf of @digitindia  https://t.co/XEl4Ti63CV pic.twitter.com/HlGz1vbSKg  Steve H.McFly (@OnLeaks) September 27, 2022

The upcoming Samsung smartphone will allegedly be 146.3 x 70.8 x 7.6 mm in size.

Aside from this, here are other things you can expect from the next-gen Android device.

Samsung Galaxy S23's External Changes and More

Based on the images provided by Digit and OnLeaks, the new Samsung Galaxy S23 will still look like the existing S22.

But, there will still be some slight changes. One of these is a rear camera update. Its lenses will also have a different setup, as reported by CNET.

Unlike the S22, its camera lenses will individually protrude out. This means that there will no longer be a rectangular bump on the smartphone's back.

As of writing, Samsung hasn't released any statement regarding the latest 5K renders and 360-degree video. If you want to see the actual leaked images of S23, you can check the official YouTube below or click this link.

Recently, the Samsung Galaxy S6's new update finally rolled out to users seven years after its official launch.

Meanwhile, the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 is expected to have the Android 12L update.

For more news updates about Samsung and its upcoming smartphones, keep your tabs open here at TechTimes.

Related Article: [RUMOR] Recent Leaks Suggest Galaxy S23 Will Have A Lineup Similar to iPhone 14

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 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Tesla gained Airbnb co-founder as one of the independent members of its board of directors, a recent regulatory filing confirms.

The newly appointed member of the board, Joseph Gebbia Jr., is widely known as one of the founders of the giant rental platform Airbnb.

(Photo : Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

NEW YORK, NY - AUGUST 27: Tesla vehicles stand outside of a Brooklyn showroom and service center on August 27, 2018 in New York City. The electric automaker saw its stock drop on Monday after its Chief Executive Elon Musk reversed his plans to make the Silicon Valley company private. Tesla shares lost 4% in early trading on Monday.

Tesla Gains Airbnb Co-Founder as Board of Directors

As per the latest news by CNBC, a recent filing at the Securities and Exchange Commission disclosed that the Elon Musk-owned EV maker, Tesla, is adding designer and billionaire Joe Gebbia to its board.

The news outlet notes that the new board of directors of the automaker has been with Airbnb since its infancy days, before it became ubiquitous all around the world. However, the co-founder left the rental platform last July.

But it is worth noting that the designer is still part of the short-term rental behemoth. Gebbia still sits as the chair at Airbnb.org, which is a non-profit organization that centers on sheltering folks in troubling times, such as calamities.

On top of that, the Airbnb co-founder is also part of its board.

And this time, both Tesla and an SEC filing have confirmed that Gebbia has joined the board of the giant all-electric automaker.

According to a recent report by Electrek, the regulatory filing confirms that the appointment of the Airbnb co-founder is effective on September 25.

The SEC filing further notes that "Joseph Gebbia was appointed to serve as a member of the Board of Directors (the "Board") of Tesla, Inc. ("Tesla")."

It is worth mentioning that Gebbia has no public relation to the Chief Executive Officer of giant EV maker, Musk. It is also unknown if the Airbnb co-founder is one of the investors of the automaker.

Who's Leaving Tesla?

But who is Gebbie replacing on the Tesla board of directors?

Gebbia essentially replaces Larry Ellison, who has been a member of the board of directors since December 2018.

Electrek adds in its report that Tesla announced the departure of Ellison last June. But when the giant automaker revealed it, the tech firm said that the billionaire founder of Oracle would not be replaced.

Read Also: AI Day 2022: Elon Musk Shares an Image of Tesla Robotic Hands Forming a Heart Shape

Tesla Board Members

CNBC reports that besides Gebbia, Tesla has other non-executive board member. It includes media mogul James Murdoch, who formerly led 21st Century Fox.

United Nations special envoy on innovative finance and sustainable investing, Hiro Hizuno, also sits on the board of directors. The founder of DBL Partners, Ira Ehrenpreis, and Chair Robyn Denholm also join them on the Tesla board.

And lastly, the brother of the big boss of Tesla, restaurateur Kimbal Musk, is part of the non-executive board as well.

Related Article: Tesla EV Deliveries Expected To Be on 'Very High Volume' For the Remainder of Q3 2022

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 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Hertz and BP are teaming up to establish a network of Electric Vehicle (EV) chargers across the US, as reported by The Verge. This is right on time as Hertz is currently growing its fleet of EV vehicles with plans to buy over 300,000 EVs from Polestar, Tesla, and GM.

(Photo : Justin Sullivan/Getty Image)

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 30: Car sit idle at the Hertz Rent-A-Car rental lot at San Francisco International Airport on April 30, 2020 in San Francisco, California.

The Deal

Details about the partnership are still under wraps. However, a report from CNBC said that the partnership involves BP installing chargers at 25 of Hertz's busiest airport locations. On the other hand, Hertz is also building EV chargers separately across 500 locations in the US. It is also noted that Hertz aims to have 3,000 chargers by the end of next year.

The partnership will require a lot of budget; therefore, CNN reported that Hertz might apply for federal funding of $7.5 million that will help build its network.

Also Read: Hertz to Allow Renting of 50,000 Tesla EVs For Uber Drivers

EV Chargers in the US

There is a lack of EV charging stations in the US, which also hinders many people from switching to an EV. On the other hand, those who have EVs often deal with broken or inoperable EV chargers. Currently, there are only over 40,000 chargers available in the US.

Fortunately, there's a light at the end of the EV charger tunnel, as President Joe Biden recently approved $900 million in funding for 35 states to build EV charging stations along 53,000 miles of highway in the US. Biden aims to have 500,000 chargers in the US by 2030.

The High Demand for EV Charging Networks Today

As global demand for EVs is expected to increase, so will the demand for EV chargers. This will result in the emergence of large-scale, fast-charging networks across countries, which can be easily accessed by all EV owners.

The establishment of a large-scale charging network is only possible with the help of organizations like Hertz and BP. With the help of funding from the federal government, many more organizations will likely roll out fast-charging networks within the US.

These networks will not only provide a means for EV owners to charge their vehicles but also make EVs more practical.

With the emergence of large-scale EV-charging networks, many car manufacturers learned that it's more cost-effective to build their own networks of EV chargers.

That is why there are several car manufacturers that have their own EV-charging networks. One is Tesla, which aims to have a large-scale network of fast-charging stations, which is known as the Tesla Supercharger network.

The network is already present in 71 countries and can charge up to half a million Tesla vehicles. The network also allows users to travel long distances without hassle, as they can refuel quickly.

Related Article: Polestar Begins the Delivery of 'Polestar 2' EVs to Hertz

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Written by April Fowell

 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Vertical Aerospace's VX4, an Electrical Vertical Take-Off and Landing (eVTOL) aircraft had a successful first ground take off, according to Interesting Engineering. This is a milestone for American Airlines as they plan to add 250 VX4 into its fleet.

(Photo : STEFANI REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty Images)

An American Eagle and American Airlines plane sits on the tarmac at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Arlington, Virginia, on July 2, 2022. - US airlines are bracing customers for what will probably be a bumpy Fourth of July holiday weekend as the industry struggles to manage a surge in travel demand that probably exceeds its current capacity.

The VX4

The VX4 can reach a top speed of 202 miles an hour, thanks to its one-megawatt powertrain that was developed in association with Rolls-Royce. It is also expected to carry a maximum of four passengers, which means it will likely be used for 30-minute trips.

Currently, the VX4 can cruise at a speed of 150 miles an hour. However, it is 100 times quieter than a helicopter based on a press release. The company will also use advanced avionics to reduce pilot workload during flight and increase automation.

Also Read: A 'Zero-Emission Flying Taxi' Will Take Flight From Bristol Airport In 2024!

A Successful First Flight

The first flight of the eVTOL was a success, which was piloted by Justin Paines, the company's test pilot. It lasted for ten minutes and the aircraft rose to a height of about three feet while being tethered to the ground, according to Business Insider.

The piloted test had authorizations from the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) in the UK and regulators were also present during the test flight. In fact, the company insisted on a piloted flight to demonstrate their commitment and compliance with the stringent safety standards.

The next test is a low-speed flight at an altitude of 50 feet, and the VX4 will then undergo transition and envelope extension tests at altitudes of 5,000-10,000 feet.

The company aims to have their eVTOLs certified for flight by 2025.

The Future of eVTOLs

eVTOLs are expected to be the dominant transportation mode soon. Nevertheless, there are still challenges in developing eVTOLs. For example, the aircraft need to be able to provide safe, comfortable, and quiet flights. The aircraft also need to be energy efficient for now and for the future. In addition, the aircraft need to have easy ground and air operations and mechanics.

As more stakeholders get involved in developing eVTOLs, they will be able to overcome the challenges they face. While manufacturers work on solving the challenges, everyday people will look for ways to reduce the expenses of traveling with eVTOLs. Finding new ways to do this will mean more options for the consumers.

eVTOLs will have a huge impact on the way people travel and the way people live. They will also have a huge impact on the environment. For example, there will be less pollution, less noise pollution, and less traffic. Above all, eVTOLs will help people get to their destinations easily and quickly.

There is no doubt that eVTOLs will continue to improve in the future and they will be a common mode of transportation soon.

Related Article: CES 2022: SkyDrive Air Taxi Flying Car Flaunts Emission-Free Technology

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 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
The astronauts on the International Space Station (ISS) have been keeping an eye on Hurricane Ian. They recently captured breathtaking photographs of the hurricane on Monday, September 26, as it headed south of Cuba into Florida, as reported first by Space.com.

NASA released these images on Wednesday, Sept. 28.

According to the National Hurricane Center, Hurricane Ian was moving at a speed of around 9 mph (15 kph) toward the north-northeast and was forecast to turn to the northeast on Thursday.

Based on its projected path, Ian's center is anticipated to approach land quickly, go through central Florida Wednesday night and Thursday morning, and emerge over the western Atlantic by late Thursday, according to an NHC update.

Furthermore, Ian is expected to move northward on Friday and make landfall along the beaches of northeastern Florida as well as Georgia and South Carolina late on Friday.

(Photo : NASA)

(Photo : NASA)

(Photo : NASA)

Read Also: NASA DART: First Images from LICIACube Shows Asteroid Crash Site-Did It Change Trajectory?

Ian Cancels Artemis 1 and Crew-5

State officials in Florida commanded citizens in the storm's path to evacuate in the days leading up to Hurricane Ian's impact. Additionally, NASA decided to move the massive, 322-foot-tall (98-meter) Space Launch System rocket into the shelter of its hangar at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida.

Due to the storm, NASA has once again delayed its plans to launch the Artemis 1 mission to the moon using the first Space Launch System rocket.

The launch of a fresh crew to the International Space Station aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon spacecraft was also postponed by NASA and SpaceX.

This mission, which will launch from Pad 39A at the Kennedy Space Center no sooner than Oct. 4, will include two American astronauts, a Japanese astronaut, and a Russian cosmonaut.

NASA said in a blog post that mission teams will keep an eye on Ian's effects on Florida's Space Coast and Kennedy Space Center, and if required, they may change the launch date once more.

In the upcoming days, more information on the planned timetable, including crew arrival from the organization's Johnson Space Center to Kennedy, will be made available.

Crew arrival is anticipated to happen no earlier than Friday, Sept. 30, based on existing scheduling. For NASA and SpaceX, the safety of the crew, ground personnel, and equipment are of the highest concern for now.

Teams from NASA and SpaceX will assess any potential effects on the center as the storm intensifies and decide whether to modify the mission timeframe based on their findings.

The Kennedy Space Center is staffed with a small "ride-out" team to monitor the hardware and systems of NASA's spacecraft.

The US Space Force also took steps at the neighboring Cape Canaveral Space Force Station to protect the facility from Hurricane Ian, which is expected to hit the two spaceports by Thursday.

Related Article: [LOOK] NASA Releases a Delightful 3D Animation of Jupiter's Cupcake-Looking Clouds

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 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Pfizer recently paid over US$120 million to acquire a small Australian firm that claims to have created a smartphone app that can accurately detect COVID-19 by listening to cough, as reported first by New Atlas.

(Photo : JOHN THYS/AFP via Getty Images)

This photograph taken on December 22, 2020 in Puurs shows the logo of US multinational pharmaceutical company Pfizer at the production site of the Covid-19 vaccine that was given the European Union's green light the day before, paving the way for vaccinations to finally start in the 27-nation bloc on December 27

All About ResApp

ResApp, a tiny digital healthcare firm based in Australia, has been working on creating an algorithm that can identify respiratory disorders by listening to a patient's cough for around ten years.

The system was originally trained to identify pneumonia, but by 2019, researchers had demonstrated that the technology could successfully differentiate between asthma, bronchiolitis, and croup.

The team rapidly changed course to add COVID-19 diagnoses into their cough-recognition algorithm when the pandemic hit in 2020. The initial data from a pilot trial evaluating the COVID algorithm in 2022 showed remarkably successful results.

In the trial, it was discovered that the system could accurately identify 92% of COVID-positive cases just by listening to the sound of coughing. The system also showed an 80% specificity rate, which means that just two out of every ten individuals that were screened had false positive results.

Pharma giant Pfizer started circling soon after ResApp made these findings public, with an initial offer of about $65 million for the technology. Currently, a deal has been reached for Pfizer to acquire ResApp for a staggering $116 million, according to a formal purchase announcement.

A Pfizer representative said in a statement that the early results were encouraging and that the agreement increases the company's presence in the field of digital health.

The ResApp team hopes that Pfizer's acquisition will enable the technology to develop and become extensively used in off-the-grid regions of the world.

One of the algorithm's initial creators, Udantha Abeyratne, stated that the project's objective was to aid in the development of better diagnostic tools for use in local communities all over the world.

Read Also: Moderna Sues Pfizer, BioNTech for Use of mRNA Technology in COVID Vaccines-Pfizer Responds

Pfizer-BioNTech Seeks Emergency Use Approval for Booster

Pfizer also requested emergency authorization for its COVID-19 booster dose for school-age children aged 5 to 11 on Monday, Sept. 26, to combat recent Covid subvariants of Omicron,

BioNTech, the German company that collaborated with Pfizer on the vaccine research, submitted a request to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) asking for an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for a dose of the vaccine weighing ten micrograms.

The booster dose is intended to neutralize the original Covid strain as well as the Omicron variant and its following BA.4 and BA.5 subvariants.

Studies show that roughly 90% of all new cases in the US at this time are BA.4 and BA.5 subvariants. If the FDA approves the bivalent booster, it still needs to pass a final inspection by the USA's top government health organization, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDCP).

As of now, anyone 12 years of age or older can receive a 15-microgram bivalent booster dose of the vaccine thanks to approval from the US FDA.

Related Article: Modified Pfizer Omicron-Based Vaccine Boosts Defense Against Variant? FDA To Discuss Tweaked COVID-19 Medicine

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 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Officials from SpaceX and NASA have confirmed that efforts to adapt the company's second Florida launch facility to accommodate Crew and Cargo Dragon missions are proceeding as planned, as reported first by Teslarati.

(Photo : Joel Kowsky/NASA via Getty Images)

CAPE CANAVERAL, FL - APRIL 20: In this handout photo provided by NASA, a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket with the company's Crew Dragon spacecraft onboard is seen on the launch pad at Launch Complex 39A during a brief static fire test ahead of NASA's SpaceX Crew-4 mission, April 20, 2022, at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida. NASA's SpaceX Crew-4 mission is the fourth crew rotation mission of the SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft and Falcon 9 rocket to the International Space Station as part of the agency's Commercial Crew Program.

Second Dragon Launch Pad

SpaceX started looking into the possibility of modifying its Cape Canaveral Space Force Station (CCSFS) LC-40 pad earlier this year after NASA expressed concerns about the dangers posed by plans to run its next-generation Starship rocket from the sole pad available for Dragon missions.

Both entities agreed to that strategy three months later, and according to SpaceX, hardware for the necessary adjustments is already under development.

After two false starts in 2019 and 2020, SpaceX started working quickly to build the first Florida launch site for Starship this year at the LC-39A pad it rents from NASA's Kennedy Space Center (KSC), according to Teslarati.

Pad 39A is the only location right now that can launch Crew and Cargo Dragon spacecraft on Falcon 9 rockets due to a number of upgrades and enhancements to the Space Shuttle infrastructure.

Teslarati further notes that Starship won't have much of an influence during normal operations because it is only 1000 feet (about 300 m) away from 39A's current Falcon and Dragon launch facilities and access tower. However, the program has a track record of creating prototypes that occasionally detonate.

SpaceX's Crew Dragon is the sole spacecraft that can support NASA's presence of normally 4-5 people at the International Space Station (ISS) until late 2023.

Boeing's Starliner crew capsule is expected to conduct its first crewed test flight (CTF) no earlier than February 2023, despite being years behind schedule.

Read Also: SpaceX Crew Dragon Will Send First Saudi Astronauts to ISS; Gulf Nation to Strengthen Ties With US Space Companies





Starliner's First Operational Transport

The first operational astronaut transport voyage on Starliner may potentially happen in September 2023, but if it encounters problems along the way, it might happen in 2024, according to Teslarati.

Both unmanned test flights of the Starliner have so far shown serious problems that have taken months of additional work to fix. It took SpaceX 15 months to reconstruct the launch pad after a Falcon 9 rocket explosion at LC-40 in 2016 caused damage that effectively required a complete rebuild.

Teslarati noted that if a Starship launch failed and damaged the Falcon and Dragon facilities at Pad 39A at some time over the next 12 to 18 months, it could certainly endanger NASA's capacity to sustain the ISS if Boeing was unable to take over.

There is still no information about the kind of advancements LC-40 will require. SpaceX would need to build a new escape system, crew access tower, crew access arm, and an astronaut bunker on-site to meet NASA's demand that SpaceX builds facilities similar to those at Pad 39A.

Related Article: SpaceX's Giant Crane Spotted at NASA Kennedy Space Center; Here's How It'll First Starship Florida Launch Tower

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In an immediate response to a cyberattack that stole the personal data of 9.8 million customers from a telecommunications company, Australia may implement strict new data protection laws this year, according to the attorney general.

As reported by AP, Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus declared that the government would implement "urgent amendments" to the Privacy Act in response to the massive breach involving Optus, Australia's second-largest telecommunications operator, last week.

Amending the Law

Dreyfus claims it is still feasible for the law to be modified in the four weeks Parliament is still scheduled to sit this year.

Dreyfus also told the AP that stronger sanctions for failing to secure personal data are necessary to stop corporate boards from referring to fines as a "cost of doing business."

According to the attorney general, the amended law would require firms to justify the huge amounts of client data they had stored for years.

The government attributes the massive theft of personal data from current and previous customers to Optus' lax cybersecurity measures, which is a division of Singapore Telecommunications Ltd., or Singtel.

The stolen information includes national health insurance identification numbers, driver's license numbers, and passport numbers that might be exploited for identity theft and fraud.

Officials criticized Optus for not initially revealing the Medicare numbers that were involved in the stolen data. According to AP, this was only made clear on Tuesday, six days after Optus learned about the cyberattack, when the hacker posted the records of 10,000 customers on the dark web.

Read also: [UPDATE] Affected Optus Customers Could Appeal For the Replacement of their Driver License -Here's How

Rapid Legislative Response

The rapid legislative response stands apart from a more detailed review of the Privacy Act that began three years ago. Critics claim that the 1988-approved rule needs an urgent update for the digital era.

According to the authorities, Optus could face a fine of up to 2 million Australian dollars ($1.3 million) for violating the Privacy Act.

The company could face fines worth hundreds of millions of dollars for a comparable security lapse under EU regulations, as per the Australian government.

Penalties for violations of the Privacy Act should be 10% of the revenue from Australian activities, according to submissions to the review of the Privacy Act.

Kelly Bayer Rosmarin, CEO of Optus, spoke out against the higher fines on Tuesday, saying that she doesn't understand how the penalties would benefit anybody.

Optus said that it was the victim of a complex cyberattack that got through multiple protection levels.

Financial Services Minister Stephen Jones claimed that "fraudsters" and "scammers" were already making use of the stolen data, which includes phone numbers and email addresses, following an urgent meeting with banks and consumer regulators.

Jones told the AP that the cyberattack's impact could not be overestimated since the stolen data represent 38% of Australia's population of 26 million.

He also advised customers of hacked Optus not to activate URLs they received via text or email because they might be from thieves looking to steal further information.

Related Article: Optus to Offer Free 12-Month Subscription For the 'Most Affected' Customers

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The National Coffee Day this 2022 is just around the corner. This event will surely excite coffee lovers as coffeehouses will offer freebies and discounts.

(Photo : Photo by Bryan Thomas/Getty Images)

A customer carries a cup of coffee to her table at Colson Patisserie on February 22, 2016 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. A recently released study found that drinking two cups of coffee a day decreases one's chance of developing liver cirrhosis by 44 percent.

These include La Colombe, Wawa, Tim Hortons, Krispy Kreme, and other popular brands. Of course, some individuals prefer celebrating the event at their houses.

If you are an introvert or want to have your "me time," you can get electric kettles to make your favorite coffee.

National Coffee Day 2022: Choosing the Best Electric Kettle

According to National Day's official report, U.S. residents celebrate National Coffee Day every Sept. 29.

(Photo : Photo illustration by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)

In this photo illustration a domestic electric kettle emits steam and vapour next to a hot water bottle on February 07, 2022 in Knutsford, United Kingdom. The energy regulator OFGEM has brought forward the announcement of the increase in the energy price cap to reflect the record high gas energy market prices.

Also Read: Is Drinking Coffee Bad For Your Health? Personal Trainer Dies, Ireland Baldwin Reports Anxiety Attacks Due to Caffeine

There's also International Coffee Day, which will is celebrated every Oct. 1.

To help you choose the best electric coffee kettle asap, Britannica provided the factors you need to consider before buying an e-kettle.

These include the following:

Temperature control.

Easy-to-use mechanics.

Water/Liter capacity.

Price point.

Type of spout.

Top Electric Kettles to Accompany You

The Wired provided some of the best electric kettles you can rely on to celebrate the upcoming National Coffee Day and International Coffee Day.

Zwilling Enfinigy Cool Touch Kettle Pro (top kid-proof kettle)

If you already have kids, then you will definitely choose the electric kettle that can't hurt them. The Zwilling Enfinigy Cool Touch Kettle Pro will ensure your children's safety as it secures the water inside and ensures that the outside surface remains cool.

Cuisinart PerfecTemp Cordless Electric Kettle (best for beginners)

The PerfectTemp electric kettle is your best option if you are a beginner. Its six preset buttons can make you the perfect coffee, green tea, black tea, etc. This e-kettle also has an alarm informing you if the water is boiling.

Cosori Electric Glass Kettle (has the best overall quality)

Of course, many people would like to have the best overall electric kettle. If you are one of them, the Cosori Glass Electric Kettle may be your best option. It has enough durability for high temperatures, a sturdy handle, built-in blue LED alarm, and other features you need for your coffee.

Related Article: This Next-gen Coffe Machine Uses Coffee Balls Instead of Capsules

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Written by Griffin Davis

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Foxconn's EV production finally begins. This new business activity is a part of the iPhone assembler's effort to diversify its operations.

(Photo : Photo by Sean Gallup/Getty Images)

The stand of Taiwanese electonics giant Foxconn promotes green and energy saving business practice at the CeBIT technology fair on the first day the fair opened to the public on March 4, 2008 in Hanover, Germany. CeBIT, the world's largest technology trade fair, will run from March 4-9.

For the past few years, Foxconn has been known across the globe because of it being among the top component suppliers.

It works with popular OEMs (original equipment manufacturers), especially Apple. But, Foxconn also wants to expand its expertise.

Since the car industry is booming, tech manufacturer wants to enter this rising market. Foxconn will do this by producing Lordstown's Endurance electric pickups.

Foxconn EV Production Begins

According to Bloomberg's latest report, Foxconn Technology Group will start manufacturing the Lordstown Endurance pickup trucks.

(Photo : Photo by STR/AFP via Getty Images)

This picture taken on February 22, 2013 shows people walking past a Foxconn recruitment point in Shenzhen, south China's Guangdong province. Taiwan technology giant Foxconn has slowed new hiring at its vast China factories, it said on February 21, but denied the move was linked to weak demand for Apple's iPhone 5, which it produces.

Also Read: Foxconn $9 Billion Bailout Saves China's Top Chipmaker But Stake Deal Could Be an Issue

The iPhone assembler was able to start this business operation after it successfully purchased Lordstown's Ohio factory.

Foxconn bought this manufacturing plant back in May for $230 million. The gadget maker said that its agreement with the electric-truck maker would allow it to take around 400 of Lordstown's employees.

On Sept. 29, Lordstown announced that the Foxconn EV Ohio Plant had already rolled out the first two commercial release production Endurance units.

As of writing, the third electric pickup truck is still being completed by Foxconn. Lordstown said that they are hoping to deliver around 50 units of Endurance pickups before 2022 ends.

EV Production Will Start at Slow Rate?

Since Foxconn and Lordstown are still adjusting to their joint venture agreement, the initial EV production is expected to be slow.

This means that the targeted 50 Endurance pickup units will still depend on the iPhone assembler's production efficiency.

Meanwhile, Lordstown CEO Edward Hightower also confirmed that several issues are affecting their production's efficiency.

"We will continue to build at a slow rate as we address remaining part pedigree and part availability issues. We expect to increase the speed of production into November and December," said the company's president via Teslarati.

In other news, Foxconn's China facility recently recruited more workers.

Previously, Foxconn acknowledged that its supply chain was improving.

For more news updates about Foxconn and its EV journey, keep your tabs open here at TechTimes.

Related Article: Apple Car On The Way? Long-Time iPhone Maker Foxconn Buys Former GM Car Factory

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Written by Griffin Davis

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On September 28 the units of the Azerbaijani armed forces located in Armenias territory resorted to provocation and launched attacks in the direction of Armenian units who were conducting engineering works in the territory of Armenia, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said at the beginning of todays Cabinet meeting.

September 29, 2022, 11:36 Our position is clear, Azerbaijani forces must withdraw from territory of Armenia  PM Pashinyan

STEPANAKERT, SEPTEMBER 29, ARTSAKHPRESS-ARMENPRESS: Yesterday, the Azerbaijani armed forces made another provocation in the south-eastern section of the Armenia-Azerbaijan border and launched attacks in the direction of our unit that was conducting engineering works. This is another manifestation of the Azerbaijani aggression, moreover, I must note that these engineering works have been conducted in Armenias territory, and the Azerbaijani units, that attacked, were also in the territory of Armenia. This is the continuation of the aggression, the territory of Armenia is occupied. Our position is definite and unequivocal that the Azerbaijani armed forces must withdraw from the territory of Armenia, the PM stated.

He also said that the government has started a large-scale process of armed forces reforms and stated that with such provocations Azerbaijan is just trying to do so that Armenia will not have a chance to carry out its Army reforms.
Recent research on Bitcoin's environmental and climate impact suggests that it may be the literal embodiment of 'dirty money.' According to The Guardian, the digital coin has a greater climate impact than gold mining, natural gas extraction, or cattle rearing for meat.

Bitcoin and Its Staggering Climate Damages

As cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin are not held in a physical central bank, instead it requires a decentralized worldwide network of powerful computers to keep their value afloat. The goal of these devices, called "miners," was to create a decentralized payment system that would fundamentally change how we buy and sell everything.

The conversation about the terrible effects of operating the blockchain has been rekindled due to a publication written by researchers from the University of New Mexico. The paper discusses the energy-related climate damages of mining Bitcoin, signaling that its climate damages may be unsustainable.

Read Also: Samsung Galaxy S23 Design Leaked? Here's What It Possibly Looks Like; Rear Cam Update and More!

Virtual currencies have seen rapid growth in recent years, but they have also had a significant impact on climate change due to the enormous amount of electricity that computers need to manage the buying and selling of cryptocurrencies such as bitcoin.

Unbelievably factual information from Digiconomist informs us that the tread for the cryptocurrency lead platform uses about 150 terawatt-hours of electrical energy annually just to stay operational. This amount of energy is said to be comparable to what the entire United Arab Emirates uses in electricity in a single year.

This results in an annual release of roughly 65 million tonnes of carbon dioxide, which is comparable to Greece's entire emissions. A previous Tech Times report suggested that emissions from bitcoin last year may have exacerbated 19,000 additional pollution-related deaths in the future.

A Resemblance to Digital Crude Than Digital Gold

As per the aforementioned study, there is a general upward time trend in bitcoin electricity consumption as well as a strong relationship between bitcoin prices and mining energy consumption.

The article also points out that, on average, each $1 in BTC market value created caused $0.35 in global climate damage, which, as a percentage of market value, falls between the production of beef and the burning of crude oil for gasoline.

Decreasing Footprints

WeForum, on the other hand, believes that the crypto industry and Web3 innovations can play critical roles in driving transparent, verifiable, and actionable change toward environmental sustainability in ways that traditional institutions cannot. You might wonder how.

With the recent Merge, Ethereum, the world's second-largest cryptocurrency, demonstrated that the feat is possible. The digital coin has already begun a technical transition that, once completed, could result in a 99% reduction in the crypto's carbon emissions.

To give an insight into how the Merge works, picture it as a significant switch to producing Ethereum on energy-efficient computers. The "proof-of-work" mechanism is essentially replaced by the "proof-of-stake" mechanism in this grand update. Maybe BTC could follow suit?

Related Article: CryptoFights And Zenescope Mint The First-ever Licensed IP On The Bitcoin SV Blockchain Thanks To Epik

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A Pentagon DIU (Defense Innovation Unit) official shared his suggestions so that the U.S. government can remain the dominant space power.

(Photo : Photo By Nasa/Getty Images)

30Th Anniversary Of Apollo 11 Landing On The Moon(15 Of 20): The Flag Of The United States Stands Alone On The Surface Of The Moon.

For the past few years, the U.S. maintained its position as the top country when it comes to space missions. This became the trend, thanks to NASA's efforts, as well as its partnered aerospace agencies.

DIU's Space Portfolio Director Steven Butow said that the U.S. government should properly bring things together if it wants to remain the top space power.

"There should be one space effort, not 17, you know, the weather guys do one thing, NASA does another, DoD does another," said the Pentagon official via Breaking Defense.

How Can the U.S. Remain the Leading Dominant Space Power?

Butow explained that the U.S. government needs to invest more in its infrastructure to continue dominating the space industry.

(Photo : Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Space shuttle Atlantis blasts off from launch pad 39A at Kennedy Space Center July 8, 2011 in Cape Canaveral, Florida. This lift off is the last in the 30-year-old shuttle program.

Also Read: Russia and China's Space Weapons Prompts US Pentagon to Hold a Confidential Meeting

He added that doing this in physical and digital infrastructure will give the United States a great advantage over other space power competitors.

Aside from this, Steven also believed that strengthening the relationships of the U.S. with its allies would help build a better space economy for the nation.

On the other hand, reinvigorating STEM education and ensuring a resilient supply chain can also give the United States an upper hand over the Chinese government, which is considered among its top space competitors.

As of writing, many space enthusiasts expect China to dethrone the U.S. as the dominant space power. They claimed that this could happen as early as 2045.

China Expanding Its Space Partners

While the United States improves its space missions and strengthens its relationship with space partners, China is doing its own thing.

SpaceNews reported that the Chinese government is now building partnerships for its upcoming deep space missions and lunar explorations.

This effort was announced by Chinese space officials after they presented a range of opportunities for international cooperation.

They shared these details during a session at the IAC (International Astronautical Congress).

Previously, NASA and the U.S. Congress filed a new bill to solve the worsening space junk threats.

Meanwhile, NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said there's a chance that NASA-China lunar cooperation will occur.

For more news updates about the U.S. space power and other related stories, always keep your tabs open here at TechTimes.

Related Article: US Military Accuses Russia's Satellite 'Kosmos 2558' Of Shadowing US Spy Satellite By Just 37 Feet!

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The United States is engaging at multiple levels to reinforce the need to de-escalate the situation between Armenia and Azerbaijan, State Department Spokesperson Ned Price said at a press briefing.

September 29, 2022, 14:54 US engaging at multiple levels to reinforce the need to de-escalate and to disengage

STEPANAKERT, SEPTEMBER 29, ARTSAKHPRESS-ARMENPRESS: He said that the US Co-Chair of the OSCE Minsk Group and Senior Advisor for Caucasus Negotiations Ambassador Philip Reeker has been actively engaged with his Armenian and Azerbaijani counterparts. Ambassador Reeker has been actively engaged with his Armenian and Azeri counterparts. He was, of course, up in New York City last week with us, with the Secretary. He took part in the trilateral meeting he had  we had with Armenia and Azerbaijan. Hes recently been in the South Caucasus, meeting in person with senior officials there. So hes been deeply engaged in this, Ned Price said.

He also said that Secretary of State Antony Blinken has also engaged with his foreign minister counterparts. The Secretary has also engaged at the leader level with Armenia and Azerbaijan. So we are engaging at multiple levels, through multiple channels, to reinforce the need to de-escalate and to disengage.
[Xiaoxin's Vlog] How many steps does the plane take from "storage" to "return to the blue sky"? Xiaoxin takes you to see - Chinanews.com video
Greece's Foreign Ministry reacted to a statement by Turkey's National Security Council.

September 29, 2022, 16:44 Greece: Turkey has no right to blatantly violate international law and threaten war

STEPANAKERT, SEPTEMBER 29, ARTSAKHPRESS: Greece has no claims against Turkey and is in favor of dialogue based on international law. However, if necessary, it will protect its legitimate interests and rights, the ministry added, news.am informs.

Earlier, Ankara called on the countries supporting Greece's actions in the Aegean Sea "to be guided by common sense.

The Turkish Security Council said in a statement that circles calling for Greece to deploy weapons on islands with demilitarized status should be guided by common sense. The Council also called on the U.S. to cancel its decision to lift the arms embargo on Cyprus, which contradicts the spirit of the alliance (NATO).
The Armenian Ministry of Defense released the names of the three Armenian soldiers who were killed in action when Azerbaijani troops attacked their positions on September 28.

September 29, 2022, 17:10 MOD announces names of Armenia soldiers who died on Wednesday

STEPANAKERT, SEPTEMBER 29, ARTSAKHPRESS: The fallen troops are Lt. Colonel Nahapet Margaryan, Sergeant Hovhannes Sukiasyan and Private Edward Hovhannisyan.

The Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Armenia shares the grief of loss and offers condolences to the families, friends and comrades of the fallen troops, the ministry said.
Tim Curry stars as Dr. Frank-N-Furter in the 1975 cult classic film 'Rocky Horror Picture Show.' BREC ushering in Halloween month with a screening of the movie at 8 p.m. Saturday on the Independence Park Theatre lawn.
Law enforcement including U.S. Marshals and East Baton Rouge Sheriffs Office deputies investigate on Truth Drive near Faith Ave., where crime scene tape blocked access near a vehicle that had what appeared to be evidence markers around it, Thursday, Sept. 29, 2022. One street over on Wisdom Drive there was also law enforcement presence and crime scene tape.
The government will work with First Nations Australians on how best to deliver the referendum to establish a voice to parliament, including how to make it accessible to Indigenous people.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese told the voice working group in Canberra today that every member of his government was committed to implementing the Uluru Statement from the Heart.

From the people around this room (to) everywhere I go in the country, Ive got to say there is enormous goodwill, he said. This is an opportunity to lift the whole nation up. We have so much to learn from Indigenous Australians.

Linda Burney has put the Indigenous Voice to parliament at the top of the governments agenda. If the referendum is successful, it will change what it means to be Australian. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

Indigenous Australians Minister Linda Burney, Special Envoy for Reconciliation Pat Dodson and Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus met with the referendum working group today.

Discussions focused on the timing of the referendum, refining the question to be put to the public and the information needed to help the referendum to pass.

While a date for the referendum has not been set, it is likely to be held in 2023.

Albanese said he recognised there is a risk to holding the referendum.

If we dont have a referendum, then by definition it wont succeed, he said. The risk has to be balanced up with the certainty of failure if you dont try.

The group also discussed the design of the voice, including that the body provides independent advice and is made up of First Nations people based on the wish of local communities but it will not have a program delivery function or a veto power.

A constitutional expert group to advise on the referendum will also be established by the government.

AAP
Colonel General Kerim Veliyev, chief of the General Staff of Azerbaijan, met with Major General Giorgi Matiashvili, commander of the Georgian Defense Forces, as part of a visit to Tbilisi, news.am informs.

September 29, 2022, 17:27 Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey to hold joint special forces exercise 'Caucasian Eagle' in October

STEPANAKERT, SEPTEMBER 29, ARTSAKHPRESS: According to Azerbaijani media reports, during the meeting the importance of joint exercises, conferences and trainings in a bilateral format, as well as in the trilateral format Azerbaijan-Georgia-Turkey, and within NATO was stressed. The preparations for holding joint exercises of special forces "Caucasian Eagle 2022" in October this year with the participation of military men of Azerbaijan, Turkey and Georgia, as well as the organization of high level computerized command and staff exercises "Eternity-2023" and "Caucasian Eagle 2023" were discussed.

The sides discussed peace and security issues in the region, the current situation and prospects for military cooperation between the two countries. During the meeting they exchanged views on the security of regional economic projects, further expansion of cooperation in military-technical, military-educational, military-medical and other spheres.
Melissa Caddicks eldest brother Adam Grimley has made extraordinary accusations concerning the conduct of the coronial inquest into the disappearance and presumed death of his sister, including that unverified gossip was being presented as fact.

In an affidavit tendered at the inquest, Grimley attacked counsel assisting, Jason Downing, SC, claiming Downings line of questioning wrongly suggested that his brother-in-law Anthony Koletti could have harmed my sister or in someone way be complicit in her disappearance.

He said that his family is absolutely floored at any suggestion that Koletti was to blame for his sisters disappearance.

Caddick, 49, vanished in the early hours of November 12, 2020, hours after the Australian Securities and Investment Commission (ASIC) and the federal police conducted a 12-hour raid at the couples Dover Heights home, in Sydneys east.
Perth community in shock after a man was shot dead in suspected gang attack

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The Queensland government has commissioned a retired judge to lead an external review into its environmental powers and penalty regime following a much-criticised investigation into operations at a controversial coal mine.

Australian-owned New Hope Group has long been accused of illegal mining and noise disturbances at its New Acland Coal business, about 50 kilometres north-west of Toowoomba, and investigations by the Department of Environment and Science have dragged on for years or ended with minor punishment.

The New Acland coal mine, near Oakey, in Queenslands Darling Downs. Credit:New Hope Group

Anti-fossil fuel lobby group Lock the Gate Alliance lodged a complaint with the department in February and received a response this month, seen by the Brisbane Times, which acknowledged it was appropriate to review the governments enforcement capabilities.

It has picked Richard Jones, who served a five-year stint at the Land Court in the late 2000s and for more than a decade on Queenslands District Court and the Planning and Environment Court, to lead the probe. Jones was expected to hand down his findings this year.
Companies are set to be forced to cut back the vast amounts of sensitive data they retain about their customers under changes to privacy laws being considered by the Albanese government in response to the Optus cyberattack.

Optus is facing major fines and damages payouts under current rules, even as the government prepares to significantly increase financial penalties for companies that fail to secure customer details from hackers.

Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus has questioned why companies are keeping so much sensitive information on customers. Credit:Eddie Jim

Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus said he wanted to overhaul privacy laws within months as he questioned why Optus kept customers personal document identification numbers for years, even after they left the telecommunications giant.

Companies appear to be hoarding troves of customer data for commercial benefit rather than simply to comply with government regulations, Dreyfus said.
The Albanese government is being lobbied to extend United States ambassador Arthur Sinodinos posting until at least the middle of next year as Australia enters a crucial phase of negotiations to secure nuclear-powered submarines under the AUKUS pact.

Sinodinos term as the nations most significant diplomat is set to finish next February, but senior officials in the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) are pushing for the former Liberal senator to remain in the role until at least mid-2023.

As US ambassador, Arthur Sinodinos played an important role in the creation of the AUKUS pact. Credit:Sarah Baker

The government has said it will announce its decision on which type of nuclear-powered submarine it will acquire in March, and there is mounting speculation it could strike a deal to speed up the process by buying several vessels directly from the US.

Sinodinos is respected by both sides of politics despite being one of the Liberal Partys most influential figures over recent decades.
NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet will push for COVID-19 mandatory isolation periods to be scrapped at Fridays national cabinet meeting.

Perrottet on Thursday said Australia needed to move away from public health orders towards personal responsibility.

I believe we need to get to a point where if youre sick you stay at home, and if youre not, you get out and about and enjoy life, Perrottet said.

NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet said Australia needed to move away from public health orders towards personal responsibility. Credit:Kate Geraghty

Its always a balance between the public health, broader health issues like mental health, social wellbeing and economic and financial issues facing people across our state.
Given high rates of vaccination and the ultimate need to normalise and treat COVID-19 as a respiratory condition, national consistency is incredibly important, and we look forward to hearing from the chief medical officer of the Commonwealth at national cabinet on Friday, he said. Well continue to work constructively through national cabinet to ensure consistency across Australia, and have the best measures in place to support Victorians. Victorian Health Minister Mary-Anne Thomas, who spoke at a business lunch on Thursday, did not address the mandatory isolation debate but said increasing public freedoms in 2022 had challenged the states health services. This year has been in many ways the most difficult of all, because as those of us outside the health service system have enjoyed greater freedoms, thats meant theres been more COVID in our community, and its our healthcare workers who have really borne the brunt of that.

Perrottet said on Thursday that Australia needed to move away from public health orders and towards personal responsibility. I believe we need to get to a point where if youre sick, you stay at home, and if youre not, you get out and about and enjoy life, he said. Perrottet said he had already discussed the matter with some state counterparts and would lobby for the isolation period to be removed on Friday. South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas said national consistency and health advice were key to making any decisions.

ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr said isolation restrictions were only recently eased following a significant drop in transmission and any change should be measured and gradual. The Tasmanian and Northern Territory governments both said they would listen to the health advice to find the right balance, as did Western Australia, with a spokesman for Premier Mark McGowan saying he would not preempt the discussion at national cabinet. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese held his first national cabinet meeting in June. Credit:Rhett Wyman Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk was unable to be reached for comment on Thursday afternoon. Burnet Institute director Brendan Crabb, who opposes the change to isolation rules, said the idea that allowing more people to be infected with COVID-19 was good for business needed to be challenged.

However, the infectious disease researcher said he felt his views were now a minority. The fact were headed for 20,000 deaths this year, I would have thought, normally, [that] would be front-page news. Imagine a big wave hit the coast, and we lost 20,000 people. It would be the biggest news story in Australia. Chief Health Officer Brett Suttons most recent advice to the premier regarding the pandemic declaration, provided on August 29, said isolation requirements were necessary and that COVID-19 would pose an ongoing public health risk in the immediate and medium-term future. He referred to August 2022 modelling by the Victorian government that found the winter wave would have been 50 per cent more deadly without isolation, mask or rapid testing rules. A recent survey of the Victorian community indicated that in the absence of pandemic declaration requirements, voluntary case isolation could fall to one-third of current levels, Sutton said.

Sutton said one-quarter of respondents did not get tested while experiencing symptoms in August, and one-third did not report a positive rapid antigen test to the Department of Health. But he acknowledged the declaration and public health requirements cannot be extended indefinitely. The Australian Health Protection Principal Committee, which advises the national cabinet on COVID-19, said it was reasonable for community sentiment to be considered when weighing up changes to isolation rules. It said the government would also have to consider what would happen in the face of a new surge of cases, a need for ongoing testing and how workplaces would manage COVID-positive staff.

Allen Cheng, professor of infectious diseases and epidemiology at Monash University and former co-chair of Australias vaccine advisory group, said if mandatory isolation laws were lifted, the onus would fall on workplaces to enforce their own rules about when employees should come back to work and whether testing is mandatory. If one workplace says, just come back to work, and the next workplace says, you can come back in three days, you can see how that could cause confusion, Cheng said. Is it reasonable to require this from the community at this stage of the pandemic? Cheng said it was much easier to abolish rules than reinstate them. It would be very difficult, if we have a surge in cases in December, to then tell everyone they needed to go back into mandatory isolation [if they test positive]. I hope [national cabinet] is having those discussions now, rather than having to make those decisions on the hop, he said.

Loading Epidemiologist James McCaw said he believed Australia was entering the end phase of the pandemic. But if mandatory isolation was scrapped, he said it was crucial people still get tested and report COVID cases so governments could respond accordingly. For instance, if there was a variant that appears that is more virulent  which is a possibility  we need to know about it and that requires people to test and report, McCaw said. Mask mandates, one of the last remaining rules, were lifted on public transport and in taxis last Friday.
Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan met with the CSTO Secretary General Stanislav Zas in Yerevan, the CSTO said in a press release.

September 29, 2022, 17:41 Armenian PM, CSTO Secretary General discuss situation in region

STEPANAKERT, SEPTEMBER 29, ARTSAKHPRESS: The meeting with the Armenian Prime Minister, who is the incumbent Chairman of the CSTO Collective Security Council, took place within the framework of the CSTO missions work in Armenia.

Secretary General Zas briefed PM Pashinyan on the preliminary results of the mission, and the missions work and the current situation in the region were comprehensively discussed.

The CSTO Secretary General arrived in Armenia for a monitoring mission following the Azerbaijani attacks.
Moscow: President Vladimir Putin will sign formal documents on Friday proclaiming Russias annexation of four Ukrainian regions, as Moscow rushes to lock in territorial claims that the Ukrainian army is threatening to reverse on the battlefield.

The move, one of the legal steps Russia says will lead to formal annexation of 15 per cent of Ukraines territory, confirms that Putin is doubling down on his war against Ukraine despite suffering a major military reversal this month.

Following the signing ceremony, Vladimir Putin will give a major speech, the Kremlin said. Credit:Kremlin via AP

The annexation, after what Kyiv and Western countries say were sham referendums staged at gunpoint on Russian-held Ukrainian territory, has been rejected internationally as an illegal seizure of land captured in war.

Washington and the European Union are set to impose additional sanctions on Russia over the plan, and even some of Russias close traditional allies, such as Serbia and Kazakhstan, say they will not recognise the annexation.
Washington: Countries from around the world have virtually no appetite to send troops or weapons to Taiwan if China invades, in apparent contrast to US President Joe Bidens recent pledge to intervene militarily if the island nation was attacked.

A new report on global trends has also found that people from both sides of the Atlantic predict that Americas influence will drop significantly in the next five years while China rises, partly due to what researchers suggest could be Trump trauma in Europe  the lingering effect of Donald Trumps foreign policy.

Donald Trump and Chinese president Xi Jinping Credit:AP

Europeans are looking to what could happen in the US in 2024 [if Trump runs for office and is re-elected], said Gesine Weber, a policy analyst at the German Marshall Fund, the think-tank that conducted the study.

That is something that would be very problematic for them, particularly for a country like Germany, which is always reliant on the US as a security guarantee.
Washington: The security of the world depends on the security of the Pacific Islands, US President Joe Biden has told leaders of the region, as he unveiled a new pact to help them fight climate change and curtail Chinas economic coercion.

Admitting that Pacific nations have been given short shrift for years, the Biden administration has sought to make amends by inviting regional leaders to Washington for a two-day forum and has pledged an extra $810 million to address issues such as climate change, maritime security, the pandemic response and economic recovery.

East-West Centre President Suzanne Puanani Vares-Lum, left, speaks at the US-Pacific Island Country Summit with Secretary of State Antony Blinken at the State Department in Washington. Credit:AP

A great deal of the history of our world is going to be written in the Indo-Pacific over the coming years and decades, and the Pacific Islands are a critical voice in shaping that future, Biden said as he addressed leaders at the State Department ahead of a White House dinner on Thursday night (Friday AEST).

The security of America and, quite frankly the world, depends on your security - and the security of the Pacific Islands.
Wilson Jermaine Heredia transfixed off-Broadway, Broadway, London and the big screen with his multi-award-winning portrayal of Angel in Jonathan Larson's groundbreaking musical Rent.

Now, Heredia is back on the musical stage in another groundbreaking show: Syracuse Stage's world premiere of How to Dance in Ohio. Based on the Peabody Award-winning documentary of the same name, the musical follows seven autistic young adults, all played by neurodiverse actors, as they come of age and find their ways in the world, in part due to the guidance of Heredia's character, Dr. Emilio Amigo.

TheaterMania recently spoke to Heredia about why he wanted this role and putting this new musical together.

Wilson Jermaine Heredia in How to Dance in Ohio at Syracuse Stage

( Curtis Brown)

This interview has condensed and edited for clarity.

How did you get this role, and why did you want it?

It came to me, which is a rare thing; usually, I have to audition. They sent me the tape and I listened to the musical material, and I though this is a really sweet show. What mostly determines whether I want a part is listening to the music. But, yes, there were other factors. First, I have never played a role where I get to play someone who is leading the charge in helping to facilitate the health of others. Second, I heard Hal Prince was originally involved in the project, which definitely piqued my curiosity. And lastly, like Rent, it feels like this show is the first of its kind about this subject matter. I hope the right people see it and bring it to the next level. I dare anyone to leave the show without a smile on their face.

Did you watch the documentary the show is based on?

I saw the documentary two years ago when it was first on HBO. I love documentaries and this one was interesting, but I didn't think more about it. Then I watched it again when I was approached to do this project, and I immediately wondered how this was going to become a musical.

Did you get a chance to talk with Doctor Amigo?

I had a chat with him just prior to the run in Syracuse. I wanted to speak to him so I could give more foundation about who he was. What I got most from him is now a line in the show: "I chose to work with autistic individuals because I know what I was like to stick out I was the color in my community, always trying to fit in, and I want everyone to feel like everyone can fit in." Originally, I did a broader version of him, but after meeting him I made more grounded choices, while adding some theatricality and some of myself. I think it's been a very successful merger. In the end, I think what the onstage character represents is more important than mimicking the actual person. He is the cheerleader, the confident go-getter, and the epitome of optimism.

Tell me about working with the neurodiverse company, and what it's been like for you to join them.

I was worried about me. I was the newcomer here, and I was worried if I could up my game to match them since they had done the show before. Trust me, the "core seven," as we call them, have "it. I love watching their energy every night. More importantly, these actors will absolutely break your preconceptions about what being on the spectrum is expected to be.

Like Doctor Amigo, you have been "the color in your community." Can you talk more about that?

My father is Dominican/Black, my mother is Dominican/white, and going to high school in Brooklyn, a lot of kids thought I was just Black and others thought I didn't understand being Black. There weren't a lot of Dominicans in my school, so I definitely stood out. And then when I was college, I got lucky and could play whatever role I wanted; I did Death of a Salesman, even though I was the only Brown person in the cast. But I never felt more like a person of color in my community than when I began working in the actual theater industry. I discovered there were real limitations to who or what I could play. I felt Brown and happy, but I was also determined to break barriers.
Volunteers collect aid for evacuees in Kyrgyzstan

At least 94 people have been killed and more than 100 injured in clashes on the disputed Kyrgyzstan-Tajikistan border - the deadliest in years.

Fighting between the two Central Asian states broke out on Wednesday, before a ceasefire was agreed on Friday.

Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov says shooting has stopped but "provocative statements" continue on the internet.

Violence regularly erupts between the two ex-Soviet republics, amid tensions over roads, land and water resources.

Both sides blame each other for the outbreak of violence. They share a 1,000-km (600-mile) border, a third of which is disputed.

President Japarov told the Kyrgyz nation on Monday that "we are able to fully provide for our soldiers and the displaced citizens". "We also have funds for the rapid reconstruction of homes," he added.

It is a day of mourning in Kyrgyzstan, which reported an additional 13 deaths on Sunday, taking its total death toll to 59. It added that more than 100 people had been injured.

Tajikistan said 35 of its citizens had been killed, and at least 20 injured.

Kyrgyzstan said some 137,000 people had been evacuated from conflict areas in Batken, a mountainous region surrounded to the north, west and south by Tajikistan. Kyrgyz media said some people had already started returning to their homes.

Tajikistan has not reported any mass evacuations.

Clashes on the border led to major fighting between the two countries in 2021, when almost 50 people were killed.

The Kyrgyz (L) and Tajik presidents agreed a ceasefire on Friday

Amid international pressure, the two sides signed a ceasefire on Friday in neighbouring Uzbekistan, at a summit of the Shanghai Co-operation Organisation (SCO). It has largely held, despite claims of some shelling since by both sides.

Russia's President Vladimir Putin called for a de-escalation of tensions in phone calls with Tajik President Emomali Rakhmon and President Japarov on Sunday, the Kremlin said. Russia has military bases in both countries.

Mr Putin urged the two leaders to resolve the situation "exclusively by peaceful, political and diplomatic means as soon as possible," a Kremlin statement said.
Senate commends eight National Artists

Recognizing their outstanding contribution and for bringing pride and honor to the country, the Senate has adopted a resolution honoring the eight National Artists who were recently conferred with the Order of the National Artist (ONA) by former President Rodrigo Duterte. Senate Resolution No. (SRN) 16 (Adopted Resolution No 22) sponsored by Sen. Loren Legarda was adopted during the plenary session Wednesday, September 28, 2022, taking into consideration SRNs 22 and 152 introduced by Senators Manuel "Lito" Lapid, Francis "Chiz" Escudero and Sonny Angara, respectively.

The eight National Artists were Agnes Locsin for dance, Salvacion Lim-Higgins for design, Gemino Abad for literature, Fides Cuyugan-Asensio for music, Tony Mabesa for theater and Nora Aunor, Marilou Diaz-Abaya and Ricardo "Ricky" Lee for film and broadcast arts.

"Our National Artists with their passion and dedication to their craft have inspired and touched the lives of numerous Filipinos making their mark on our country's history," the resolution stated. The ONA was established under Proclamation no. 1001 (s. 1972) in order to give recognition to certain Filipinos who have distinguished themselves and have made exceptional contributions to Philippine Arts and Letters.

On June 10, 2022, Duterte conferred the ONA to the eight Filipino artists recognizing their excellence in their respective fields by virtue of Proclamation no. 1390.

The chamber unanimously approved the resolution with all members as co-authors.
Peruvian indigenous groups have blocked a large river in the country's Amazon region in protest over a crude oil spill of an estimated 2,500 barrels in the world's largest rainforest.

The spill took place on Sept. 16 and affected several indigenous communities in Peru's Northeast region of Loreto.

While Peru's environment ministry estimated the spill at 2,500 barrels, state-owned oil company Petroperu said it did not yet have an estimate.

Petroperu said the spill had been the result of "intentional" damage done to an oil pipeline operated by the company that transports crude from the Amazon to Peru's desert coast to be refined.

The pipeline has been the site of several oil spills in recent years.

The government said in a statement communities were blocking the large Maranon river, a key tributary of the Amazon, which was preventing officials from taking water samples and distributing medicines to the affected indigenous communities.

The Amazon is the world's largest rainforest and its preservation is considered key by scientists to avert catastrophic climate change. Peru has the second largest section of the Amazon after Brazil.

While Peru is a very small oil producer, producing just 40,000 barrels per day, its oilfields are concentrated in the Amazon.

The incident is at least the second large oil spill to take place in Peru this year, after Spanish oil company Repsol SA spilled over 10,000 barrels onto the Pacific Ocean in January from a tanker that was onloading onto a company refinery near Peru's capital Lima.
SEOUL, South Korea (AP)  North Korea fired two short-range ballistic missiles toward its eastern waters on Wednesday, its neighbors said, a day before U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris is to visit South Korea.

Seoul's Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement that the North Korean missiles lifted off 10 minutes apart on Wednesday afternoon from its capital region and flew toward the waters off its east coast.

Japanese Vice Defense Minister Toshiro Ino said Japan's military also detected the launches and that the weapons flew in an irregular trajectory.

Ino said that North Koreas repeated missile firings amid (Russias) invasion of Ukraine is impermissible. The South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff said North Korea's provocations would only deepen its international isolation while pushing South Korea and the United States to strengthen their deterrence.

The launches follow a missile test by North Korea earlier this week.

Harris is to arrive in South Korea on Thursday for talks with President Yoon Suk Yeol and other officials. She also is to visit the tense border with North Korea, in what U.S. officials call an attempt to underscore the strength of the U.S.-South Korean alliance and the U.S. commitment to stand beside South Korea in the face of any North Korea threats.

U.S. and South Korean navy ships were also conducting drills off South Koreas east coast in a show of force against North Korea.

The four-day exercise, which began Monday, involves the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan. It is the first training exercise by the allies involving a U.S. aircraft carrier near the Korean Peninsula since 2017.

South Korea-U.S. joint military exercises often draw a furious response from North Korea, which views them as an invasion rehearsal. A short-range North Korean missile launched Sunday was seen as a response to the U.S.-South Korean training.

South Korea and Japan estimated that the North Korean missiles fired Wednesday flew 300-360 kilometers (185-220 miles) with a maximum altitude of 30-50 kilometers (19-30 miles). The low trajectories resembled the flight of the missile fired on Sunday, which some analysts said was likely a nuclear-capable, highly maneuverable weapon modeled after Russias Iskander missile.

In recent years, North Korea has been adding Iskander-like missiles and other solid-fuel weapons to its arsenal. Some experts say the weapons are designed to carry battlefield nuclear warheads to counter the stronger conventional forces of South Korea and the United States, which stations about 28,500 troops in the South.

North Korea has dialed up its missile testing activities to a record pace in 2022, launching more than 30 ballistic weapons, including its first intercontinental ballistic missiles since 2017. North Korea's Sunan area where Wednesday's launches occurred was the site of various missile tests this year, including two ICBMs.

Earlier this month, North Korea adopted a new law authorizing the preemptive use of nuclear weapons in some situations, as it continues to escalate its nuclear doctrine. U.S. and South Korean officials have also said the North may soon conduct its first nuclear test in five years.

North Koreas torrid run of weapons tests this year is seen as exploiting divides in the United Nations Security Council over Russias war against Ukraine and the U.S.-China rivalry. In May, China and Russia vetoed a U.S.-led bid to impose new sanctions on North Korea over its ballistic missile tests this year, which violate U.N. Security Council resolutions.

Earlier Wednesday, South Koreas spy agency told lawmakers that a North Korean nuclear test could happen between mid-October and early November.

According to some lawmakers who attended the meeting, the National Intelligence Service said if the test occurs, it is likely to come after China, North Korea's last major ally, holds a key Communist Party congress on Oct. 16 but before the United States votes in midterm elections on Nov. 8.

The spy service also said North Korea recently began administering COVID-19 vaccines to its people for the first time, Yoo Sang-bum, one of the lawmakers present at the briefing, said without elaborating.

Earlier this month, leader Kim Jong Un told his countrys rubber-stamp parliament that North Korea would begin its rollout of vaccines. In August, he made a widely disputed claim that his country had overcome its first COVID-19 outbreak and ordered an easing of pandemic-related restrictions.

Associated Press writer Mari Yamaguchi in Tokyo contributed to this report.
Cheyenne, WY (82001)

Today

Partly cloudy skies this morning. Thunderstorms likely during the afternoon. High 63F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 70%..

Tonight

A few clouds. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 41F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph.
An Auburn man who co-owns a downtown restaurant and ran for political office last year is facing criminal charges stemming from alleged thefts at a Wegmans grocery store in Onondaga County, the Auburn Police Department said.

Robert Otterstatter, who runs the Octane Social House restaurant and coffee shop, is accused of stealing groceries from the Fairmount Wegmans store less than six months after he was banned from all of the chain's locations, the Geddes Police Department said.

John Fall Sr., Geddes Police Department chief, told The Citizen Tuesday that investigators secured an arrest warrant for Otterstatter on two counts of third-degree burglary, a class D felony, and two counts of petit larceny, a misdemeanor, earlier this month.

Fall said an investigation determined that at around 1:17 p.m. Sept. 4, Otterstatter allegedly left Wegmans in Fairmount "without rendering payment" for $138.49 worth of goods. Nine days later at 10:17 a.m., Sept. 13, Otterstatter allegedly left that same Wegmans without paying for $276.58 in merchandise. Fall said Otterstatter used a self-checkout machine but did not scan most of the items he possessed.

The loss prevention officer for the Fairmount location filed a report with Geddes police on Sept. 15 regarding both incidents, Fall said, adding that the Fairmount store's loss prevention officer said he was familiar with Otterstatter due to unspecified incidents at the Wegmans in Auburn.

Wegmans had banned Otterstatter from all of its locations for a two-year period, effective on March 16, Fall said. The two burglary charges stem from him allegedly stealing items on those dates earlier this month while the ban was in effect.

Otterstatter declined to speak with The Citizen about the case, but issued the following statement in an email: "Upon speaking with my attorney this morning, Ive been advised to inform you that I have not committed any crimes, nor have I in my nearly 52 years of life, and should not speak with you about this active case."

Auburn Police Chief James Slayton said in an email Tuesday that he is not aware of any incidents reported to the APD regarding Otterstatter and the Auburn Wegmans.

Slayton told The Citizen that the Geddes Police Department reached out to the APD on Sept. 22 about its warrant for Otterstatter and asked if the APD would attempt to pick him up because he has a business in Auburn. The APD arrested Otterstatter at the restaurant at around 12:55 p.m. Sept. 22. Auburn police met Geddes police halfway between the two municipalities to transfer Otterstatter to the Geddes department's custody that same day. Fall said Otterstatter was later arraigned at the Onondaga County centralized arraignment court.

Otterstatter pursued one of two four-year seats for Auburn City Council in 2021. Running as a Republican, he did not win a seat, garnering the fewest votes out of the four candidates on the ballot.

During the campaign, Otterstatter said he had formerly served as a commander with the Weld County Sheriff's Office in Colorado and cited his experience in law enforcement as something that could help the city. Otterstatter has continued to criticize city government on occasion on his campaign Facebook page.
A Moravia man faces up to 28 years in prison for repeatedly violating court orders to stay away from his ex-wife.

Raymond Decker, 57, was found guilty in Cayuga County Court Wednesday of six counts of aggravated family offense, a class E felony; six counts of second-degree criminal contempt, a class A misdemeanor; and one count of first-degree criminal contempt, a class E felony.

Acting District Attorney Brittany Grome Antonacci said in a news release that evidence in a three-day trial showed that Decker consistently violated numerous court issued orders of protection in favor of the victim, his ex-wife.

On April 5, 2021, Decker left a written note on the womans vehicle. On five occasions in 2021, he sent numerous text messages to the victim, and on Dec. 2, 2021, he followed her to a bowling alley. "All of these actions were in direct violation of a duly served full stay away order of protection," Grome Antonacci said.

The jury of six women and six men deliberated for just under two hours. Senior Assistant District Attorney Heather De Stefano handled the trial, with the assistance of Assistant District Attorney Amanda Casselman. Decker faces up to 9 1/3 to 28 years in prison and was sent to the Cayuga County Jail with no bail. Sentencing is scheduled for Jan. 5, 2023.

We are pleased with the jurys verdict and commend them for the time and consideration they gave listening to and reviewing the evidence throughout the trial," Grome Antonacci said. "We hope that this conviction provides the victim with justice and allows her to continue to heal after a lengthy ordeal with the defendant. We understand that it takes a great deal of strength to come forward, especially as a victim of domestic violence.
PARISEuropean adult conglomerate Dorcel issued a statement Wednesday concerning current political developments surrounding the adult industry in France, as follows:

On Wednesday, September 28th, the Senate Delegation for Women's Rights published a report on the French porn industry. While it is encouraging to see national representation finally taking an interest in the subject, the Dorcel Group regrets the associations represented in this document, and fears that they are likely to make this initial approach counterproductive in the long run.

The Senate Delegation for Women's Rights has, for several months, heard from all the stakeholders of the French pornographic industry, including both opponents and experts, in order to write the report presented this morning. This approach brought hope to the professionals of our industry, traditionally accustomed to lawmakers reluctance to objectively deal with the issues involved.

The report has therefore seen full collaboration from industry professionals. Actors, directors, sex positive feminists, producers, broadcastersincluding the Dorcel Grouphave all responded positively to requests for hearings from the Senate Delegation. The hope is that differences between professional pornography and amateur pornography will be fully heard. The whole of the professional industry has seized this unprecedented opportunity to start a dialogue with public authorities. Everyone involved came up with suitable proposals, in line with their personal experience, in order to protect professionals and prevent the criminal acts reported in the amateur environment from happening again.

The report, however, persists in putting the two in the same basket. It continues to impose a burden of guilt onto the actresses for their choice of career. That the unspeakable acts reported in the media should be associated to the entire industry is tantamount to pushing towards the abolition of pornography. For a long time, we have known of the harmful effects of such arguments, which ultimately fix nothing and hide everything. Professional artists and technicians in the industry are permanently ostracized and pushed towards a state of near-illegality. They put all artistsand particularly all actressesin a precarious position.

During his interview, Gregory Dorcel, Chairman and CEO of the Dorcel group, made four proposals. Only one was included in the report: the creation of a reporting system which would allow victims and witnesses to easily report, to the relevant authority, sexual and moral abuses and offenses experienced or observed in the exercise of their professions.

Whilst we should be satisfied with this first step, it is regrettable that none of the other proposals have been adopted. Once again, lawmakers are deaf to our calls for rights so that we might protect both ourselves and our consumers.

As a reminder, the three other requests were made in the name of actresses and as a broadcaster:

1. To recognize the industrys professions, through the creation of recognized and therefore supervised statutes, obeying the same rules and afforded the same protections as any other. Actors and actresses in this industry should all be reassured that it is a real job that obeys the same rules and is afforded the same protections.

2. To clearly allow the profession of X-rated artists agent: France is one of the only countries left in the Western hemisphere where agents cannot support porn artists, and whose legal status is still uncertain. The profession must be allowed to exist here just like in traditional cinema, where the agent supervises, advises and above all protects the artists.

3. To strengthen the role of broadcasters such as the Dorcel Group. We are in the process of imposing a binding code of ethics for X-rated filming on our partners. This code of ethics has been drafted in consultation with the actresses. Legislators could have required all French broadcasters to only buy and broadcast content that met at least equivalent standards. The role of broadcasters should be to help level up the industry, by only distributing productions with guaranteed working conditions and committed to creating an ever more responsible industry.

A long-awaited meeting with no real resolutions means that lack of understanding will prevail. Despite this, we are of the opinion that this report is really only the first step in the path towards a process of discussion and partnership between the professional pornographic industry and our national institutions. We are convinced that those working in the pornography industry will soon be protected and recognized.

The Dorcel Group continues to be fully committed to the development of a pornography industry that is ever more responsible, respectful, protective, and proud to exist.
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1st Openly Transgender Army Officer Charged With Trying to Give Soldiers Medical Info to Russia

A former U.S. Army majorwho in 2015 claimed to be the first openly transgender officerand his wife were indicted on charges of attempting to hand over American soldiers medical information to Russia, according to the Department of Justice (DOJ).

A federal grand jury indicted Jamie Lee Henry and Anna Gabrielian, his wife, on charges of conspiracy and wrongful disclosure of individually identifiable health information, said a DOJ news release on Thursday.

Gabrielian and Henry, of Maryland, are accused of conspiring to cause injury to the United States by giving confidential health information of Americans associated with the military and government to the Kremlin.

Starting last month, the pair allegedly conspired to give individually identifiable health information related to patients in Fort Bragg and another medical institution to a person they believed was working on behalf of the Russian government, according to the DOJ.

They did this, the DOJ said, to demonstrate their willingness to provide [individually identifiable health information] to the Russian government; and the potential for the Russian government to gain insights into the medical conditions of individuals associated with the United States government and military in order to exploit this information.

Gabrielian, who works at a medical institution in Baltimore, told an undercover FBI agent during an Aug. 17 meeting that she was motivated by patriotism toward Russia to provide any assistance she could to Russia even if it means she would go to prison or get fired, said the indictment (pdf). Then, she gave the agent information about the spouse of a person who works in the Office of Naval Intelligence and said they have a medical issue that Russia could exploit.

Henry, who works as a doctor at Fort Bragg and is a former Army major, provided an agent with information on five patients at the facility, according to the indictment. They include a retired Army officer, a current Department of Defense employee, the spouse of a U.S. Army veteran, the spouse of a deceased U.S. Army veteran, and the spouse of another deceased U.S. Army veteran.

The indictment alleged that the plot started after Russian President Vladimir Putin invaded Ukraine. Prosecutors said the pair wanted to try to help the Russian government by providing them with data to help the Putin regime gain insights into the medical conditions of individuals associated with the U.S. government and military.

At another meeting with the undercover agent, Henry said he was also committed to Russias efforts, and he claimed he had even contemplated volunteering to join the Russian army.

The way I am viewing what is going on in Ukraine now, is that the United States is using Ukrainians as a proxy for their own hatred toward Russia, he allegedly told the agent, prosecutors said.

In 2015, Henry claimed that he was the first openly transgender U.S. Army officer in a BuzzFeed News article. In that interview, he said that being transgender helped him while working in the medical field.

Reuters contributed to this report.
Grounded commercial planes sit on the tarmac at London's Heathrow Airport Terminal 5 in west London on Sept. 9, 2019. (Ben Stansall/AFP via Getty Images)

2 Commercial Planes Collide at Londons Largest Airport Just Before Take-Off

Two passenger planes collided with each other late on Wednesday on the tarmac while taxiing shortly before take-off at Londons Heathrow Airport, sparking an emergency response, the airport said.

Heathrow confirmed to local media that the incident between two commercial aircraft happened around 8 p.m. local time on Sept. 28 and involved Icelandair and Korean Air aircraft, noting that the accident wasnt a full-on collision.

Emergency services are attending an incident involving two aircraft on the airfield, a spokesman for the airport said, the Daily Mail reported. No injuries have been reported but emergency services are attending to ensure all passengers and crew are safe and well.

Airport Webcams, the worlds largest database of live airport footage, said on Twitter that the Korean Air Boeing 777-300ER HL7782 clipped the tail of the Icelandair Boeing 757-200 TF-FIK while taxiing on the airports tarmac.

INCIDENT: Korean Air Boeing 777-300ER HL7782, taxiing out on #KE908 to Seoul/Incheon, clipped the tail of Icelandair Boeing 757-200 TF-FIK while taxiing at London/Heathrow at ~1900UTC/2000BST tonight. No injuries reported from either aircraft.https://t.co/B5hEG1zDWk pic.twitter.com/tFS10gB0BW  Airport Webcams (@AirportWebcams) September 28, 2022

A picture that was shared on Twitter by LondonPlaneSpotting shows considerable damage done to the Icelandairs tail by the Korean Airs wing.

The Korean Air flight was scheduled to leave London shortly after 7:30 p.m. local time to Seoul, Korea.

Passengers aboard the commercial planes shared on social media what they experienced.

Im on the flight they are blocking. We were taxiing to the runway and then suddenly got stopped by all these emergency services. We are now being told we are returning to the gate due to a technical issue, Richard said on Twitter.

In a separate post, Richard said he was watching out the window while taxiing when he believed the plane suddenly scrapped [sic] another [plane] with our wing tip.

Another passenger aboard the Korean Air flight told the Daily Star there is no chance this flight is taking off tonight.

Korean Air planes are parked on the tarmac at Gimpo domestic airport in Seoul, South Korea, on Sept. 2, 2020. (Jung Yeon-Je/AFP via Getty Images)

I was watching out the window thinking we were awful close to the tail for a parked plane, the eyewitness told the publication. And then it looked like we grazed it.

The captain hasnt really told us much except we are going back to the gate due to a technical issue, the passenger said, adding that the last announcement from the captain was about 45 mins ago.

Emergency services, including the London Fire Brigade and London Ambulance Service (LAS), rushed to the scene. A video on social media shows a number of emergency service vehicles with blue lights flashing on the tarmac.

An LAS spokesman told the Daily Star that they were called at 8:06 p.m. local time about an incident that happened at Londons Heathrow Airport.

We sent a number of resources to the scene including members of our Hazardous Area Response Team (HART), a clinical team leader, a cycle responder and an incident response officer, the spokesman said.

We attended a reception center for passengers but nobody required treatment or needed to be taken to hospital.

From NTD News
2 Million Floridians Without Power as Weakened Ian Batters Peninsula

More than 2 million are without power Wednesday night as a weakened Hurricane Ian batters the Florida Peninsula after making landfall hours earlier over the states west coast as a Category 4.

As of 11 p.m. local time, Ian decreased to a Category 1 system with top sustained wind speeds of 90 mph, continuing to cause storm surges, wind, and flooding as it moves north-northeast at around 8 mph, according to the National Hurricane Center.

The system is expected to move across central Florida overnight and Thursday morning and emerge over the western Atlantic at near-hurricane strength by late Thursday, before approaching the northeastern Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina coasts.

According to PowerOutage.us, there are more than 2 million reported outages as of 11 p.m. Duke Energy, Florida Power and Light Company, and Tampa Electric also reported significant outages.

Wind gusts blow across the John Ringling Causeway as Hurricane Ian churns to the south in Sarasota, Fla., on Sept. 28, 2022. (Sean Rayford/Getty Images)

The Weather Channel said that over 2 million customers without power is a major safety concern, noting that Ian was only halfway across the peninsula.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis had predicted that millions would be impacted by Ian, which crossed the coastline with sustained catastrophic winds of 150 mph, causing severe flooding.

He said that over 42,000 linemen had been called up and were staged to help restore power to affected areas across the state.

Florida has more than 42,000 linemen already staged for power restoration efforts across the state. Thank you for being prepared to power up our state. For updates on #HurricaneIan follow @FLSERT. pic.twitter.com/7QO8UEALbE  Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) September 28, 2022

Linemen Standing By

Duke Energy said it has been closely monitoring the system and preparing for potential impacts as it moves toward the Carolinas in the coming days.

Supporting our communities is our top priority and we have thousands of Duke Energy crew members and contractors ready to respond should outages occur, Jason Hollifield, Duke Energys Carolinas storm director, said in a statement.

In addition to 42,000 utility crew members ready to restore power, Florida has fleets of highwater vehicles to assist residents, 7,000 National Guardsmen, and 179 aircraft prepared to help.

DeSantis said people can support Floridians with rebuilding by contributing to a disaster fund at FloridaDisasterFund.org or by texting Disaster to 20222.

The governor also urged caution when going outside in the wake of the hurricane downing power lines.

After Hurricane Ian passes, be careful going outside. Make sure to avoid downed power lines, avoid standing water, stay clear of trees, do not drive in standing water, and keep generators 20 feet outside of your home, DeSantis said on Twitter.
After Hurricane Ian hit the Gulf Coast as one of the most powerful storms ever recorded in the United States, authorities are asking residents to remain vigilant.

The head of a U.S. oil group is raising concerns about the nations emergency oil stockpile, accusing the Biden administration of using it to help Democrats ahead in the midterm elections.

Training videos reportedly posted by a childrens hospital show its staff talking parents into accepting childrens gender transition, causing controversy online.

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3 Jailed for Life in Home-Side Homicide as Judge Doubts London Gang War Has Ended

Three men who launched a gang attack on rivals in north-west London have been jailed for life for the murder of their friend who was shot dead by the other side.

Last month Issa Seed and Adel Yussuf, both 25, and Daniel Mensah, 30, were convicted of the murder of their friend, Billy The Kid McCullagh.

Sentencing the trio on Thursday, Judge Philip Katz said McCullagh had been memorialised in a YouTube video which was a brazen and provocative celebration of his gang lifestyle.

He said: The police perceived that video as a threat and tried to have it taken downwithout success.

Little Confidence War Has Ended

The McCullagh trial heard the Harrow Road Boys and their allies had been involved in gang warfare with the Stonebridge Thugs since before 2018 and there had been at least three murders.

Katz warned on Thursday: There can be little confidence that this war has ended.

The trio were prosecuted under the legal principle of transferred malicewhich is usually applied to innocent passers-by being killed during an attackand this is the first time it has been used to convict accomplices of someone who was killed when the targets fired back.

The Old Bailey heard Seed, Yussuf, Mensah, and McCullagh were members of the Harrow Road Boys gang who mounted an attack on a street gathering of their rivals, the Thugs of Stonebridge, on an estate in Harlesden.

Prosecutor Oliver Glasgow, KC, said the attack ended in crushing defeat for the Harrow Road Boys side and McCullagh was shot twice in the back.

Undated photo of Billy McCullagh, who was shot dead in Wembley, north west London, in the early hours of July 16, 2020. (Metropolitan Police/PA)

The Metropolitan Police has pledged to find the gunmen who killed McCullagh.

The trial heard the Harrow Road Boys launched a surprise attack on the Stonebridge gang in revenge after 18-year-old Ahmed Yasin-Ali, was stabbed to death.

Transferred Malice

The three-month trial is believed to be the first of its kind in England and Wales.

Transferred malice is an accepted legal concept in England and Wales, but it is usually used to prosecute those who kill third parties during an attack on an intended target.

In 2005 four men were convicted of the murder of Letisha Shakespeare, 17, and Charlene Ellis, 18, in a drive-by shooting in Birmingham. The killers, members of the notorious Burger Bar Boys gang, were shooting at rivals from the Johnson Crew who were standing close to Letisha and Charlene at a party in a hair salon in January 2003.

Care assistant Magda Pniewska was killed in crossfire as she walked across a car park in New Cross, southeast London in October 2007. Armel Gnango, 18, was jailed for life for her murder even though the bullet that killed her was fired by his adversary, who was never caught.

PA Media contributed to this content.
The gas leak in the Baltic Sea from Nord Stream photographed from the Coast Guard's aircraft on Sept. 27, 2022. (Swedish Coast Guard via AP)

4th Leak Reported on Nord Stream Pipelines in Baltic Sea

STOCKHOLMA fourth leak on the Nord Stream pipelines has been reported off southern Sweden, the Swedish coast guard said Thursday.

We have leakage at two positions off Sweden, coast guard spokesperson Mattias Lindholm. There are two more off Denmark, he said.

Two of the leaks are on the Nord Stream 1 pipeline that recently stopped supplying gas, while the other two are on Nord Stream 2 that never started operating. Although they were not running, both pipelines were filled with gas, which has escaped and bubbled to the surface.

The Nord Stream pipelines run through the Baltic to transport gas from Russia to Germany. The Danish and Swedish governments believe that the leaks off their countries were deliberate actions.

Before the leaks were reported, explosions were recorded. A first explosion was recorded by seismologists early Monday southeast of the Danish island of Bornholm. A second, stronger blast northeast of the island that night was equivalent to a magnitude-2.3 earthquake. Seismic stations in Denmark, Norway, and Finland also registered the explosions.

Speaking Wednesday before the fourth leak was reported, Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson said it would have taken a large explosive device to cause the damage.
Oakland Police Department Assistant Chief Darren Allison speaks to reporters after a shooting at the Kings Estate campus in Oakland, California, on Sept. 28, 2022. (Screenshot via The Epoch Times)

6 Injured in Shooting at Oakland, California School for Immigrants

Police are investigating a shooting on Wednesday that injured six adults at a campus that houses a school for recently arrived immigrants in Oakland, California.

Multiple people alerted Oakland Police Department (OPD) officers to gunshots at around 12:45 p.m. in the 8200 block of Fontaine Street near the King Estate school campus which contains four different schools ranging from middle to high school, police said.

Oakland Police Department Assistant Chief Darren Allison told reporters that officers from OPD, the Alameda County Sheriffs Department, and California Highway Patrol immediately entered the school upon arrival.

They began looking for any suspects, any victims, attending the victims, while at the same time escorting students and staff outside of harms way, Allison said.

Allison said the incident took place within proximity and in the threshold of the Rudsdale Newcomer high school portion of the campus. The schools website says its students are aged between 16 and 21 and are recently arrived immigrants who have fled their home countries because of violence and instability.

OPD officers are investigating what drove the suspect to carry out the shooting. Investigators will determine where exactly the incident began, with Allison unable to give details on if the shooter was inside a school building.

Adult Victims Affiliated With School

Allison could not confirm if the victims were staff or students but said they were all aged over 18 and had some affiliation with the school.

The victims were taken to area hospitals for treatment, police said. Two suffered life-threatening injuries and one had non-life-threatening injuries.

At last check, one victim was released from the hospital, and two others were pending release, OPD said in a statement.

Police are working with federal and state law enforcement to search for at least one or more shooters.

We are currently and actively looking for one shooter although there may be other individuals involved, Allison said.

He added that teams from OPDs Ceasefire Division and Violent Crime Operations Center were searching for the suspect.

The Oakland Police Department is investigating a shooting that occurred in the 8200 block of Fontaine Street. We are asking our Community Members to please avoid the area at this time. PIO is on the way to scene. Media we will update with staging area. pic.twitter.com/9zvmmW7lC3  Oakland Police Dept. (@oaklandpoliceca) September 28, 2022

The shooting took place right before school was dismissed for the day, reportedly creating panic among waiting parents. Police set up an area for parents to reunite with students at a nearby church and provided the support services of a chaplain.

Anytime theres a shooting in our community its a complete tragedy, Allison said. But as a parent, I completely understand the fear, the emotion, the panic when shootings are occurring at our schools, with our young children, and its completely and wholly unacceptable.

Oakland Mayor Libby Shaaf condemned the shooting and decried what she described as unbridled access to firearms in this country.

Todays gun violence at Sojourner Truth school shocks the soulour schools are sanctuaries for our children, she wrote on Twitter.

Our investigators report all six victims are adults [and] being treated for injuries at hospitals now. The school is now clear [and] all children being reunited [with their] families.
PHOENIX  NASA satellite photos show how drastically the water levels in Lake Powell and Lake Mead have receded in just the past few years. They demonstrate the severity of long-term drought and the challenges Arizona will face to conserve and enhance its precious water supply.

Susanna Eden is the research program manager for the Water Resources Research Center at the University of Arizona. She has been with the center for 17 years and has researched water policy and management even longer. The NASA images are shocking, she said, and should concern Arizonans.

They are very stark images, Eden said. People should recognize that its not a disaster yet, but its getting close.

She also said people may have a false sense of security when it comes to tackling this issue.

We tell ourselves that we are in a good position because of our technology and because of our abilities to control nature and our actions, Eden said. We tell ourselves that were not going to go the way of civilizations that disappeared because of drought. But we are challenged.

To help meet those challenges, the Arizona Department of Water Resources and the Central Arizona Project are negotiating with California and Nevada to find a way to meet water demands after the federal government in August ordered further cuts to water delivery in the Colorado River Basin.

As Lakes Mead and Powell shrink  both reservoirs are about 25% full  remnants of life before the drought have begun to resurface. The reduced water levels in Mead have revealed sunken boats, landing vessels from the World War II era, and human remains of a murder victim from more than 50 years ago. Long-hidden natural wonders, including Lake Powells Gregory Natural Bridge, also have come to light.

The receding reservoir levels  which threaten water for agriculture, people and hydropower  are the result of a megadrought that has gripped the Southwest for more than two decades. Its extremely rare in the climatological record  the kind of drought that causes upheaval and major change, Eden said.

The U.S. Drought Monitor, which updates weekly nationwide, shows all of Arizona in drought. Some areas of Mohave Valley near Lake Mead are in extreme drought, and the area closest to Lake Powell in Coconino County is in a severe drought.

In August, the Bureau of Reclamation implemented a 24-month operation plan to reduce releases at Glen Canyon Dam, which forms Lake Powell. The move will keep about 1 million acre-feet in Powell by next April.

In June, Bureau of Reclamation Commissioner Camille Touton gave the Basin states until mid-August to propose a plan to keep an additional 2 million acre-feet of water in the system, but that didnt happen so the federal government stepped in.

In a statement last month, the state water department and the Central Arizona Project  which delivers Colorado River to the state  said Arizona has carried a disproportionate burden of water reductions and a future plan will need to be more equitable for the state.

The Drought Contingency Plan developed in 2019 by Arizona, Nevada and California outlines that Arizona gets 592,000 fewer acre-feet of water from the Colorado River starting next year. In comparison, Nevada only has to cut 25,000 acre-feet and California doesnt have any reductions.

We want to spread the pain, said Doug MacEachern, communications administrator for the Department of Water Resources. Arizona already is leaving around 800,000 acre-feet of its allocation in the system now this year alone, and in large part that is water that formerly went to farmers.

Arizona agriculture uses 74% of Arizonas water supply, so farmers bear the brunt of the reductions. If Arizonans dont act now, MacEachern said, the whole country will feel the impacts of these cuts in the future.

We have to be conscious of the fact that 90% of North Americas leafy green vegetables come from farms in Arizona in the wintertime, he said. Without water to irrigate that land, the entire country will be seeing and probably feeling that impact because they wont have that lettuce they come to expect on their table in the wintertime. There are impacts going forward that were all going to have to deal with.

The effect of the megadrought could be catastrophic and water users need to think long-term about how to best conserve dwindling water supplies.

Pretty much every community in the Phoenix area is in at least stage one of their drought plans, and that requires, generally, that certain areas along roadways arent watered or watered less than they would have been otherwise, MacEachern said. It hasnt set a really demanding stage, but the likelihood of cities going deeper into their drought plans is real.

Cynthia Campbell, the water resources management adviser for Phoenix, said the city is in stage one of its drought management plan. In stage one, she said, we try to inform and educate our customers as much as we possibly can, in an intensive way to make sure that folks are aware that there is an issue.

Campbell said the drought isnt a crisis for the city. Phoenix gets 60% of its water from other sources, such as snowmelt from the far north and east of the Valley, and through the Salt River Project, and the city has long had water conservation efforts.

If things get more significant in terms of the cuts, which no one really knows, at this point, when or if that will happen, then we absolutely have those tools in the toolbox to include curtailing use, Campbell said.

Those tools include water rebate programs, increasing landscaping efficiency and a cooling tower program that recycles water, Campbell said. Phoenix also will follow its Drought Management Response Procedure, which has four stages, ranging from education and voluntary water reductions to mandatory reductions and fines for overuse.

Water cuts and conservation can help address a megadrought, but they may not be an adequate long-term solution. Eden said conservation by the public is only part of the answer.

People who control large amounts of water or who have a major say in  large amounts of water need to realize that things cant go on the way they have been up to now, Eden said. Major sacrifices have to be made. That is one of the things that I would advocate along with investigating and investing in all the kinds of technological and infrastructure options of reuse, desalination (of seawater) and stormwater capture.

The NASA images indicate a bleak future for Arizona water, but Eden remains hopeful. As long as Arizona and the other six Basin states build a comprehensive plan and begin to conserve water, she said the water crisis will end.

Im pretty optimistic about the future of Arizona water, Eden said. I believe that we can get through this crisis and go through another potentially long period of sufficient water. We can put our minds together and come up with solutions for really long-term issues or the change in climate.
8 Lawmakers Call on State Department to Help Free Florida Residents Detained Father in China

Eight Florida lawmakers are urging the State Department to help free the father of a Sunshine State resident who has been detained in China for over a year amid the communist regimes ongoing campaign targeting his faith.

Zhou Deyong, a geological engineer, was one among nearly two dozen Falun Gong practitioners rounded up by police in Dongying city of eastern Shandong Province in a series of raids last April. He has been detained in Binhai Detention Center for the past one-and-a-half yearswithout a formal trial until late last monthwhile having restricted access to his lawyer.

Zhous son and wife, who reside in Florida havent been able to talk with him since his arrest.

In the letter dated Sept. 27 and led by Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), the lawmakers expressed concern for Zhous welfare in the custody of Chinese authorities, citing the regimes 23-year-long effort to eliminate the spiritual group Falun Gong that has subjected adherents to arbitrary detention, torture, sexual assault, slave labor, and forced organ harvesting.

Falun Gong, also known as Falun Dafa, features slow-moving meditation exercises and moral teachings based on the principles of truthfulness, compassion, and tolerance. Its popularity surged in China with 70 million to 100 million people estimated to have taken up the practice by 1999. Deeming this as a threat, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) unleashed a systematic persecution campaign targeting adherents.

Zhou Deyong and You Ling in Monument Valley in Navajo County, Ariz., in January 2020. (Courtesy of Zhou You)

In 1999, China started abducting and detaining Falun Gong practitioners, starting what has become a 23-year campaign by the CCP to violently purge all aspects of Falun Gong and its practitioners in China, Rep. Gus Bilirakis, who signed the letter, told The Epoch Times in an email.

Like in Zhous case, [m]illions of people who practice Falun Gong in China have been unjustly imprisoned. Others have been tortured or killed simply for practicing their religion.

China Is Not Our Friend

In the letter, the lawmakers wanted to know whether the Department of State had raised Zhous case with the Chinese authorities since their previous communication last November. Secretary of State Antony Blinken should employ the tools available to you to sanction CCP and [Chinese] officials responsible for the horrific human rights abuses targeting Falun Gong practitioners, they wrote.

Zhou You, the son, thanked the lawmakers for their support of his father. But his familys story is shared by many others in China, he said.

Meng Yu, a Falun Gong practitioner close to Zhous family who was arrested on the same day, was sentenced to three-and-a-half years in prision. Deng Cuiping, the mother of Zhou Yous friend Iris Lu who lives in Tampa, received a 6-year sentence in 2017 and was only freed in July. This was her second stint in prison for the practice of her faith.

These examples and Chinese authorities continued refusal to let Zhous family contact his father proves what an evil system the CCP is, the son told The Epoch Times.

Zhou You called on Americans to recognize the nature of the CCP. How could a government that brutally persecutes its own citizens be friendly to other countries? he said.

I am proud to live in Florida. Their support has been a huge help to us. I hope that America, now and in the future, will be free from any form of communism, he added.

Bilirakis, the co-chair of the International Religious Freedom Caucus and a member of the executive committee of the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission, described the CCP as [o]ne of the worst offenders on the planet.

He has urged the United Nations (U.N.) to remove China from the U.N. Security Council. The United States, he said, needs to toughen its stance on the Chinese regime over its horrible record on human rights and continued bad acts on the world stage.

China is not our friend, he said, adding that the time has come for a new approach in how we interact with China.

America must remain a beacon of principled courage, recognizing and promoting the basic human rights of all people. If we remain silent in the face of these transgressions, we neglect that moral imperative and do so at the peril of civil society.

Republican Sen. Rick Scott, along with GOP Reps. Bill Posey, Maria Elvira Salazar, Brian Mast, Mike Waltz, and Democrat Rep. Val Demings also joined the letter.

The Epoch Times has reached out to the State Department for comment.

Eva Fu Reporter Follow Eva Fu is a New York-based writer for The Epoch Times focusing on U.S. politics, U.S.-China relations, religious freedom, and human rights. Contact Eva at eva.fu@epochtimes.com
A Critique of The Lancet COVID-19 Commission

Commentary

The Lancet recently released its long-awaited COVID-19 commission report. The report well reflects the current state of public health science and addresses the business needs of the Lancet. It may have been naive to expect further, but health is an important area and should be taken more seriously.

The level of obfuscation of evidence, misrepresentation of prior knowledge, and disregard for diversity of scientific evidence and opinion does not reflect well on either Lancet or the commission itself.

The Lancet in Context

Medicine and public health are particularly dependent on truth and transparency, as the lives and health of people cannot be entrusted to dogma and superstition. Clear and open debate is fundamental to minimizing mistakes, which can kill, and to building the trust that patients and populations need to follow guidance (as they must ultimately be the decision-makers). These two related disciplines are also increasingly lucrative for practitioners and for the companies supplying the wares they employ. These forces inevitably pull in different directions.

Private companies making these wares, such as those in the pharmaceutical industry, have a responsibility to maximize profits for their shareholders. This means encouraging more people to use their tests or drugs, rather than putting people in states of health where they do not need them (either good health or death).

This is not an extreme position, it is a simple truthit is how this industry is structured. If there is a wonder drug in a lab somewhere that resolves all metabolic disease with a single dose, and it is easy to manufacture and copy, then the Pharma industry would collapse. Pharma has a duty to build a market, not heal.

Transparency and truth, on the other hand, could mean admitting certain highly profitable drugs are not needed or even dangerous; that an alternative safe and cheap drug, previously available for other purposes, will be more cost-effective and lower risk.

We cannot expect private companies to state this, as it will damage or destroy their income (their business). If they do not try to block a repurposed drug that puts their own investments at risk, they would be betraying their investors. What they should do, for their investors, is overemphasize the advantage of their own product, maximize the desire of people to use them, and run public campaigns to ensure this situation is prolonged as far as possible. This is what any for-profit business doesit is their job. It is not unexpected.

We have long relied on medical journals to act as a conduit for information from researchers to medical practitioners and the public. This is a plausible model if journals are independent and the staff and owners of the journal promote truth above politics or company profit.

This was once the case; the Lancet, a subject of this article, was once family-owned and that could hold to the values of Thomas Wakley and his descendants, standing against medical authorities up to 1921. It has since been owned by other for-profit companies, now a subsidiary of a larger Dutch-based publishing conglomerate, Elsevier.

Elsevier in turn is owned by RELX group (back in London), a large company with a typical list of major institutional investors including BlackRock (and so its major owner Vanguard), Morgan Stanley, and Bank of Americathe same list as major pharmaceutical and biotech corporations whose products Lancet publishes on.

The above does not tell us there is intentional wrong or malfeasance, just intrinsic conflicts of interest of the type journals such as Lancet are supposed to guard against. Lancets ultimate ownership has a duty to shareholders to use their portfolio of assets to maximize return; on this measure alone Lancet should favor certain pharmaceutical companies. The only thing that could stand in the way is lack of competence by the owners, or a moral code that rates investors below integrity.

In this context, Lancets track record over COVID-19 has been checkered. In February 2020 it published a major letter on COVID-19 origins that ignored major conflicts of interest in which nearly all authors were implicated in the alternative lab origin hypothesis. It published clearly fraudulent data on hydroxychloroquine that were significant in halting early treatment studies.

A lack of early effective treatment was necessary to secure Pharma profits for later COVID-19 medications and vaccines. The later exposure of the fraud was subsequently described by The Guardian and was one of the biggest retractions in modern history.

In 2022 Lancet published a weakly-evidenced opinion advocating medical fascism; dividing and restricting people based on compliance with pharmaceutical interventions. Lancets top leadership has remained unchanged throughout. This is relevant context for understanding the report of the Lancet commission on COVID-19.

The Lancet COVID-19 Commissions Report

In mid-2020 Lancet recruited people from various aspects of public life to review various aspects of the COVID-19 outbreak. This commission (a somewhat grand name for a privately-convened group from a private for-profit business) was headed by economist Jeffrey Sachs, who preceded the recent release of the report by publicly discussing conclusions on the potential source of SARS-CoV-2, highlighting the probability of a laboratory origin as opposed to direct animal-human spread.

This part of the commissions investigation had been halted early when Sachs discovered that several panel members had undisclosed conflicts of interest amounting to receipt of funding to conduct the very laboratory gain-of-function research widely suspected of promoting rapid human spread. Some had been authors of the earlier Lancet origins letter.

The Executive Summary provides a foretaste of the quality of work to come, noting IHME estimates of 172 million estimated deaths from COVID-19, a staggering death toll as the commission notes, particularly staggering as it is higher than the WHO estimates for total excess deaths throughout the pandemic period. These WHO estimates include all deaths caused by lockdowns and those where virus detection was incidental. It is an implausible figure, even ignoring the lack of context here (nearly all in late old age, and with severe comorbidities).

Ironically, the commission reports in its main text over 2.1 million excess deaths from malaria, tuberculosis, and HIV arising from the COVID-19 response in 2020 alone. However, this is a misunderstanding by commission members of WHOs actual estimatesWHO does report significant excess 2020 deaths from these diseases but not this manythough many more will accumulate through subsequent years.

Reflecting the lack of inclusiveness of the commission itself, the report recommends censorship of the alternate approaches, considering failure to combat systematic disinformation to be a contributor to severity. The commission then inadvertently provides an example of disinformation in its characterization of the Great Barrington Declaration, misrepresenting it as calling for uncontrolled spread of the virus.

This, based on the declaration itself, must be a lie, as the commission must not have read the declaration within the two years they had available. Did they not consider it pertinent to question those who wrote it or (over 900,000) signed it? Whether the declaration was correct or not, it reflected prior WHO evidence-based policy. Ignoring this is simply untenable for a serious inquiry.

The overall findings of the commission are extremely disappointing from the point of view of science, public health, and simple honesty. Its apparent lack of familiarity with prior public health norms and practice, including that of the World Health Organization (WHO), may have been genuine, or may be contrived to emphasize a narrative it was intended to support. Given Lancets COVID-19 track record and business imperatives, the latter would not be entirely unexpected, but it is disappointing to see adults in positions of influence producing a document of this nature.

Summary of Key Findings

The Report helpfully provides a three page Key Findings section. While missing aspects of the main body such as the euphemism prosocial behaviour to denote social exclusion, and extolling the logic of the completely illogical WHO slogan for mass COVID-19 vaccination, No one is safe until everyone is safe, it generally captures the main thrust of the whole text. Reading the rest is however recommended to understand how modern public health thinking has so clearly gone off the rails.

The key findings are stepped through here. Anyone with a public health background is encouraged to refute the concerns raised, as many of the commissions assertions appear to involve common traps that seem inexcusable for public health professionals. They hang heavily on a failure to grasp three fundamentals of COVID-19 and public health:

Public health interventions are about risk and benefit. Interventions have positive and negative impacts. Recommendations therefore cannot be given without considering the potential harms they may cause in the short and long term, weighing these against perceived benefits. COVID-19 mortality is highly skewed towards very old age, and heavily associated with comorbidities. Therefore it is imperative to consider COVID-19 disease burden relative to other diseases in terms of life-years lost, not raw mortality (from or with) COVID-19. Prolonged lockdowns, workplace and school closures were not part of prior policy, or were partially recommended only in far more severe This is not implying the interventions were good or bad, it is just a fact that they defied public health norms and prior evidence. They were recommended against due to the harm they potentially cause. This lands most heavily, as WHO notes, on low income people and populations.

Highlights of the commissions key findings:

WHO acted too cautiously and too slowly on several important matters:  declare a public health emergency  restrict travel  endorse the use of facemasks 

The commission seems unaware of the prior WHO pandemic influenza guideline. It is not among their 499 references. WHO specifically warned against restricting travel in this guideline, also noting that evidence on facemasks is weak. Travel restrictions can be significantly harmful to economiescutting tourism income alone in low-income countries can increase mortality through poverty. The report fails to mention costs that extending these response measures would impose. Where lockdown costs are mentioned at all, it is in the context of costs of failure to implement earlier or heavier, never in terms of weighing harm avoided against that caused. Ignoring relative costs, including the long-term health costs of increased poverty from longer lockdowns, is anathema to good public health policy.

Metanalyses of randomized control trials of community masking do not show significant benefit, and trials during COVID-19 show similar results. At a minimum, WHO was therefore evidence-based when recommending against community-maskingthe organization is yet to provide evidence to back its later endorsement of their widespread use. The Lancet commission appears to be specifically recommending against the use of evidence-based approaches.

 most governments around the world were too slow to acknowledge its importance and act with urgency in response 

Most people live in low and middle income countries with low COVID-19 mortality and far higher burdens from other infectious disease, which occur in far younger people. This statement therefore seems strangely Western-centric. If they had known earlier, what would countries have actually done? (if earlier implementation of poverty-inducing responses, then for how long?)

The commission appears unaware of serological evidence of spread prior to January 2020, in some cases backed by PCR. This would negate any benefit from this recommendation, even ignoring the harms.

Citing the Western Pacific Region as an example of lockdowns working similarly makes little sense, as comparisons elsewhere (e.g., Europe) did not show significant benefit, while in crowded slum areas they are clearly pointless. Evidence of early wide transmission (e.g., Japan) indicates that low mortality was due to other factors.

Epidemic control was seriously hindered by substantial public opposition to routine public health and social measures, such as the wearing of properly fitting face masks and getting vaccinated.

This statement is ignorant or disingenuous. If the commission members have experience in public health, they know that quarantine of healthy people, prolonged distancing and workplace closures were never used at scale before, and that widespread lockdowns were not routine public health and social measures. If they did not know this, they had two years to find out. The world, including Lancet, knew by March 2020 that COVID-19 overwhelmingly targets the elderly and has little impact on healthy working-age adults.

The vaccines do not significantly reduce overall transmissionheavily vaccinated countries continue to show high transmissionso to suggest low vaccination hindered epidemic control is a vacuous statement. It may seem intuitive (e.g., it occurs with some other vaccines) but the commission had 18 months to observe COVID-19 mass vaccination.

Public policies have also failed to draw upon the behavioural and social sciences.

This is an extraordinary statement to use regarding COVID-19. Many Western governments have openly employed behavioral psychology in an unprecedented way in the COVID-19 outbreak. No public health campaign has ever gained such media attention or had such uniform suppression of non-official messaging from media outlets. It is strange to see a statement so removed from reality.

Heavily burdened groups include essential workers, who are already disproportionately concentrated in more vulnerable minority and low-income communities.

This appears to be a nod to compassion for vulnerable populations. It is true that certain groups did suffer higher rates of severe COVID-19, though these are highly correlated with rates of comorbidities (obesity in Western countries is unfortunately associated with poverty, and poverty with certain ethnic groups).

However, the burden was overwhelmingly on the elderlyto a rate several thousand times that in young people. It is the response that burdened these groups most clearly and the report does mention inequity-driving school closures, but this appears forgotten elsewhere in an apparent blind support for faster and harder lockdowns.

In low income and middle-income countries (LMICs)  better outcomes were seen when previous experiences with outbreaks and epidemics were built upon, and when community-based resourcesnotably community health workerswere used to support screening and contact tracing, capacity and trust-building within communities.

This claim appears false. Sub-Saharan African countries did well irrespective of prior experience, with a relative exception of South Africa where obesity is more prevalent and there is a higher proportion of old people. Tanzania instituted very few COVID-19 specific measures but has similar outcomes. More than half the sub-Saharan population is less than 20 years of age, an age-group with extremely low mortality in the West. Actual spread in Africa, confirmed by WHO, has been very high.

 the support for vaccine production in LMICs, for use in those countries, has come at a great cost in terms of inequitable access to vaccines.

Nearly all people in low and middle income countries (except perhaps China) will by now have immunity. Post-infection immunity is equal or more effective to vaccine-induced immunity. Therefore, mass vaccination of a whole population with COVID-19 vaccines that dont significantly reduce transmission cannot plausibly provide much benefit, whilst resource diversion is harmful. This statement is therefore devoid of public health sense.

Economic recovery depends on sustaining high rates of vaccination coverage 

Economic recovery depends on removing impediments to a functioning economy (lockdown measures). Vaccinating immune people with a vaccine that does not stop transmission cannot help to reopen an economy. This statement parrots official mass-vaccination messaging elsewhere, but Lancets commission had an opportunity to promote logic and evidence-based policy.

The sustainable development process has been set back by several years, with a deep underfinancing of investments needed to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.

This is indeed clear. Poverty is worse, malnutrition is worse, and preventable disease burdens are higher. Womens rights are greatly reduced across much of the world, and school attendance has been denied to hundreds of millions of children, entrenching future poverty. Acknowledging this is important, but it also calls into question much of the remainder of the report. Recommendations that acknowledge these mass harms which are concentrated on populations with lowest COVID-19 risk, but go on to recommend more of the interventions that caused them, do not seem well considered.

The remainder of the key findings recommend policies of mass vaccination to protect populations, more money for the World Health Organization, and more money internationally for supporters of the growing pandemic agenda. This plays to Lancets gallery, but does not consider the harms of resource diversion, the actual very low mortality from pandemics over the last 100 years, or the heterogeneity of human populations and of risk to disease.

If vaccines worked in reducing mortality (for all-cause mortality (the Pfizer and Moderna randomized controlled trials have not shown this to date), if vaccination was confined to highly vulnerable groups where benefit is most likely, and if the trillions of dollars spent on lockdown compensation, mass testing and mass vaccination had been spent on chronic and endemic disease burdens and poverty mitigation, does the Commission really believe more people would have died and outcomes been worse?

A Travesty of Public Health and Science

The commission members appear convinced that lockdowns and mass vaccination were a net benefit, but It also appears that in two years of consultation they have not considered the alternative. The loss of decades of progress on infectious disease, human rights, and poverty reduction caused by lockdowns has not given sufficient pause for thought.

A virus that mainly targets people over 75 years of age was addressed with a public health response that targets the children and the economically productive, cementing long-term poverty and inequity. They support this approach, but consider it should have been instituted earlier, and was lifted too soon.

After emphasizing mandatory and restrictive measures throughout, and misrepresenting or ignoring alternative approaches, the report ends on a note that it should perhaps have started with. We note the timeliness of recommitting to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the UNs moral charter, as we celebrate its 75th anniversary in 2023.

This declaration includes rights to work, travel, socialize, and express opinions freely including, specifically, through any media. A quick read of the WHOs charter would also have helpedhealth includes social and mental well-being (and physical well-being beyond a single disease). The report is void of such thinkinga travesty of both human rights and public health.

The report could well have been written based on slogans from WHO, Gavi and CEPI (whom the Lancet recommends should receive more money), from Pharma companies (on whose support Lancet is heavily directly or indirectly reliant) and from the World Economic Forum (who seem everywhere these days).

Some will have hoped for careful and considered thought, wide consultation, and a strong evidence base. It seems the corporate world may no longer have time for such indulgence. This is, in the end, a rich persons club, seeking increased taxpayer funding for their favorite project. They are doing this in the name of public health.

It was reasonable to have hoped for better. What would Thomas Wakley have thought?

From the Brownstone Institute

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
Chinese leader Xi Jinping attends the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) leaders' summit in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, on Sept. 16, 2022. (Sergei Bobylyov/Sputnik/AFP via Getty Images)

Advanced Economies Hold Increasingly Negative Views of China: Global Survey

Public opinion of China has plummeted among the worlds most advanced economies under the reign of Chinese Communist Party (CCP) leader Xi Jinping.

A new global survey by the Pew Research Center found that the opinions of large majorities in the worlds developed nations have turned precipitously more negative regarding China because of Xis leadership and the authoritarian direction of the CCP under his rule.

A large majority of Americans see China unfavorably amid concerns about Chinas policies on human rights, its partnership with Russia, and other factors, the survey reads.

Negative perceptions of China in the United States have more than doubled since Xi took office in 2012, the survey found, with 82 percent of U.S. respondents expressing an unfavorable opinion of China this yearup from 40 percent in 2012.

Likewise, 80 percent or more of respondents in Australia, Japan, and South Korea also hold unfavorable views of China.

The survey found that much of the increase in negative perceptions of China was explicitly fueled by Xis policies, including authoritarian clampdowns on Hong Kong and Xinjiang, support for Russia amid the latters aggression in Ukraine, and harsh COVID-19 policies.

More than 80 percent of respondents in Australia, France, Japan, South Korea, Sweden, and the United States said they have little or no confidence in Xi to do the right thing regarding world affairs.

China is an autocratic dictatorship led by a tyrant, Xi Jinping, the survey cited one man as saying. The Chinese Communist Party is an amoral kleptocracy interested merely in its own survival and not at all concerned with the welfare of its citizens.

The survey noted that most comments suggested that the negative perception of China was explicitly about the CCP and not about the Chinese people themselves.

The people [of China] are basically good, but leader Xi is too controlling and should not be in power this long, the survey quoted a woman as saying.

Xi is expected to win an unprecedented third five-year term as CCP leader during the 20th Partys National Congress in October. A win would secure his status as Chinas most powerful leader since Mao Zedong.

However, given Xis global unpopularity, another term in office could mean five more years of increased international antagonism and trade woes.

Across advanced economies, there is very little confidence in Xis handling of world affairs and very negative views of the country, overall, Laura Silver, a lead author of the report, told Reuters.

One consequence of Chinas reputational deterioration under Xi included a pivot by countries such as Australia, Canada, Japan, and South Korea toward more economic ties with the United States relative to China, Silver said.

The survey found that only three nations preferred economic ties with China over the United States. Those nations were Lebanon, Nigeria, and Singapore.

Chinas foreign ministry rejected Pews findings when asked about them at a Sept. 29 press conference.
Alberta Justice Minister Tyler Shandro answers questions at a news conference in Calgary on Sept. 3, 2021. (The Canadian Press/Todd Korol)

Alberta Justice Minister Says RCMP in Province Not Supportive of Firearms Buyback Enforcement

After Alberta announced this week it would not cooperate with Ottawa over the buyback enforcement of assault-style firearms, its justice minister alleged on Sept. 28 that the RCMP division in the province is also not supportive.

Alberta has been informally advised that the Commanding Officer of Albertas RCMP does not support the use of provincial resources to administer the federal governments confiscation program, said minister Tyler Shandro in a statement posted on social media.

If this is the case, neither the province or Albertas RCMP, want police resources taken off the street in order to confiscate firearms.

Alberta announced in a Sept. 26 statement it would not support the federal buyback of assault-style firearms, having received a request for assistance from Ottawa in August.

According to the statement, the province advised the RCMP division in Alberta that it should not be deployed to confiscate 30,000 firearms, saying its a waste of resources that will not increase public safety.

Shandro said the province will seek to intervene in ongoing judicial reviews challenging the constitutionality of the federal firearms prohibition and that it would launch a formal dispute under the Provincial Police Service Agreement if Ottawa goes ahead.

Alberta doesnt have a provincial police force and the RCMP has jurisdiction to enforce provincial and municipal laws in many areas of the province.

RCMP spokesperson Robin Percival did not offer a comment on Shandros claim about the RCMPs stance in Alberta and deferred to Public Safety Canada on the buyback issue.

Shandros statement was in reaction to comments made by Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino on Sept. 27.

Weapons of war have no place in our communities  and our buyback program will get them off our streets for good, says a Mendicino statement provided by his press secretary Audrey Champoux.

This announcement by Alberta is not only reckless, its an abdication of that vital responsibility.

Mendicino added that courts have ruled the federal government is responsible for regulating firearms.

Albertans expect their federal and provincial governments to work together to protect their communities, not pull dangerous stunts, he said.

Political Purpose

Shandro escalated the war of words with Ottawa by saying the Liberals are politicizing the RCMP and made a link to a recent controversy.

We expect the Federal Liberals will again use the RCMP for their own political purposes, he said in his statement. Just as they did when they politicized the mass shooting in Nova Scotia in order to bolster their case for the same pending firearms ban.

Shandros mention of Nova Scotia relates to allegations of political interference in the mass shooting investigation.

The Liberals chose to announce their ban of what they call assault-style firearms shortly after the late April mass shooting around Portapique, NS, which left 22 dead.

The weapons used by the killer were illegally acquired, with some coming from the U.S.

Several RCMP staffers have testified that RCMP Commissioner Brenda Lucki had tied publicly releasing information on the firearms used in the tragedy to pending gun legislation. RCMP H Division in Nova Scotia did not want to release that information to prevent jeopardizing the investigation.

Last year, the Parliamentary Budget Officer estimated the buyback price tag at over $750 million without administrative costs.

Public Safety Canada released its proposed pricing for the buyback earlier this month, with separate categories such as AR Platform and M14 Rifle. Proposed compensation for the AR Platform is $1,337 and $2,612 for the M14.

Saskatchewan announced on Sept. 28 it would also be pushing back against the planned firearms confiscations.
The logo of Amazon on the door of an Amazon Books retail store in New York City, on Feb. 14, 2019. (Brendan McDermid/Reuters)

Amazon Boosts Pay for Frontline Staff at Cost of $1 Billion

Amazon has announced pay increases for its frontline employees in the United States and is planning to set aside $1 billion over the next year for the purpose.

The average starting pay for frontline employees will rise from $18 per hour to $19, with employees making anywhere between $16 and $26 per hour depending on their location in the country and job position, the company said in a press release on Sept. 28. Amazon also announced more investments in employee career-development programs, bringing the total investment in benefits to almost $10 billion in 2022. The e-commerce giant will also expand Anytime Pay, its pay access program, to all employees across the country.

Anytime Pay provides Amazon employees access to up to 70 percent of their eligible earned paywhenever they choose and without feeswith the goal of putting employees in control of their pay schedule. Previously, most Amazon employees received their regular pay once or twice monthly, according to the release.

Amazon employed more than 1.1 million people across the United States by the end of 2021, according to Bloomberg. It is the second-largest private employer in the country, just behind Walmart.

Most employees work on hourly wages and are employed in retail stores, like Amazon Fresh and Whole Foods Market, or in packing and shipping sections.

The companys decision to raise wages comes as some workers are pushing for unionizing Amazons U.S. facilities. Amazon is dealing with high employee turnover as workers are looking for better-paying jobs amid the soaring cost of living.

A U.S. labor official recently ruled against Amazons attempt to overturn the results of a labor union election at the JFK8 building in the New York City borough of Staten Island. The company had claimed that the election was improperly influenced.

Pushing Out Smaller Players

Amazon has been campaigning to make $15 per hour the national minimum wage. Though the company portrays such campaigns as part of its humanitarian efforts, labor policy researcher Rachel Greszler points out that Amazon is just doing it because raising wages would give them a competitive advantage.

Thanks to its massive capital base, Amazon can make investments in automation unlike small competitors, Greszler said in an interview with The Epoch Times.

The company has automated many low-productivity jobs out of existence. Raising minimum wages will only hurt small businesses that are in a hamstrung position to hire workers at lower wages.

Many of them cant yet afford to pay all their workers at least $15 per hour, but that doesnt mean that they should just be driven out of business or prevented from starting and growing, Greszler said.

I think that if Amazon had to pay the equivalent of $15 minimum wage when it first set up shop 25 years ago, it might not even exist today.

A recent analysis by MWPVL International Inc., which tracks Amazons real-estate footprint, revealed that the company has shuttered plans to open 42 facilities in the United States totaling roughly 25 million square feet of usable space. In total, MWPVL expects Amazon to open 250 facilities in 2022.

Petr Svab contributed to the report.
China expert Clyde Prestowitz, author of "The World Turned Upside Down," in Washington, DC, on Sep. 8, 2021. (CPI Studios)

US Ignorant of Chinese Intelligence Threat: China Expert

'They know your name. They have your social security number'

The United States has paid little heed to the growing Chinese intelligence threat, according to economist, China expert, and author Clyde Prestowitz.

One of the things that bothers me in the U.S.China relationship is the ignorance of the U.S. side on the  limits to which the Chinese will go to obtain intelligence, Prestowitz told EpochTVs American Thought Leaders program on Sept. 20.

He further pointed to the recent report on a Chinese entitys purchase of farmland near a U.S. Air Force base in North Dakota.

The Chinese have been buying up land near American bases. That land is not being bought in order to grow wheat. Theyre watching the bases, he noted.

Meanwhile, the Chinese regime puts enormous resources into intelligence efforts, according to Prestowitz, who served as counselor to the secretary of commerce during the Reagan administration and currently heads the Economic Strategy Institute.

There was a figure, a number thrown out last week, that China spends more money on domestic security than it does on its army, navy, and military security. Well, all of that effort thats being made on domestic security is gathering intelligence, he said.

China has gathered up millions, maybe billions of categories of classified information. So they know your name. They have your social security number.

US Companies Subservient to Beijing

In his book, titled The World Turned Upside Down: America, China, and the Struggle for Global Leadership, Prestowitz pointed out another challenge China poses: making U.S. companies subservient to Beijing. He singled out Apple Corporation as an example.

In the late 1990s, Apple moved its production facilities from California to China to take advantage of cheap labor, Prestowitz said. This was not surprising, considering that the Chinese regime was offering free land, no taxes for 25 years, utilities at half cost.

The result, he said, is that China can compel Apple to do whatever it damn well pleases. And so Apple has, in a way, been captured politically by China.

This limits the U.S. governments power over Apple. When Apple testifies before the Congress or lobbies U.S. government entities, it presents itself as an American company, but officials have to keep in mind that it is, in a way, more subservient to Beijing than it is to [Washington].

He further pointed out that not only Apple, but other companiesincluding General Electric, General Motors, Boeing, and other major manufacturing companiesare highly reliant on China, and all of them are subject to coercion by the Chinese Communist Party.

The [Lockheed Martin] F-35 has a component thats made in China. That tells you the extent, the penetration of products made in China, Prestowitz said.

California and many other states are heavily pushing the development of solar panels. Where are all the solar panels made? Theyre made in China, he added.

Boost US Production, Curb Dependence on China

To counter the threat from the Chinese regime, Prestowitz suggested an industrial policy that strives to boost production in the United States, while curbing dependence on China.

He said the recently passed CHIPS and Science Act, which will allocate $280 billion in subsidies, tax breaks, and research grants to prop up the domestic semiconductor industry, could play this role. The bill, he said is going to very quickly result in at least a doublingprobably more than a doublingof semiconductor production in the U.S.

A similar approach should be applied to other technologies such as telecommunications, Prestowitz said.

U.S. venture capital has been very active in China. If the Chinese are trying to propagate particular industries of technology, they will welcome [and] attempt to entice U.S. venture capital to invest in those technologies in China.

Thats not good for the U.S., he stressed. We want that invested in U.S. technology.

Hannah Ng Reporter Follow Hannah Ng is a reporter covering U.S. and China news. She holds a master's degree in international and development economics from the University of Applied Science Berlin.
Children's books containing transgender and homosexual content on display at the library in Columbia, Tennessee, on 8, 2022. (Courtesy of Aaron Miller)

Are Tennessee (and Many Other) Public Libraries Grooming Our Children?

Commentary

Public libraries are intended to be taxpayer-sponsored facilities for the education of our citizenschildren as well as adults: a place for reflection and for gaining knowledge.

At least, thats the way they were when I was growing up.

Maybe thats not so much the case anymore. Lately, they seem to have been commandeered for other purposes.

That was the conclusion I drew from an email I received from Aaron Miller of Columbia, Tennessee, a city of about 40,000 people thats slightly more than an hour south of Nashville.

Its largely farm country and would seem to be in the American heartland, where traditional values reign. But Millera county commissioner (Columbia is the seat of Maury County) and an Air Force veteran who served in Afghanistanwas telling me something quite to the contrary.

The recent Pride Month at Columbias library was used for purposes that were anything but traditional for the children of that community.

A total of 24 books were put on display at the librarys front desk, the very first thing anyone would see should they enter, whether they are age 5 or 55. In other words, they were clearly the librarys featured books.

Some of the titles were This Book Is Gay, Beyond the Gender Binary, Out!, Rainbow Revolutionaries, Were I Not a Girl, and so forth. Others hid behind the completely overt, with titles such as And Tango Makes Three, although the essence was the same.

As the author of 13 booksand working on my 14thI am quite aware of the value of library and bookstore placement. Indeed, publishers pay bookstores to have their books out front for a reason.

Unfortunately, in the case of the Maury County main branch library, every one of the 24 books on prominent display was a childrens bookat a height that would easily attract a childreplete with friendly hearts and containing highly sexualized content tilting strongly gay.

The sexualization of many of these childrens books was extreme. Some gave actual Kinsey-type advice on erogenous zones, evidently for young teenagers or even 12-year-oldsalmost all of that boy-on-boy or girl-on-girl.

Grooming, anyone?

These books werent just over-sexualized. They used sex to push heavily left-wing agendasanti-capitalism, critical race theory, critical queer theory, critical theory in general, and the rest of that crypto-communist mumbo-jumbo that were propagandized with daily in our biased educational system and media.

In this case, however, it was pitched directly at young children, many of whom before they even had heard of the founding documents of our country and their principles.

But they would learn that they could choose their own gender, whatever that ends up being. First things firstor something.

As an author, Im pretty close to a free speech absolutist with the usual caveats (fire in a crowded theater and so forth) but I doold fogey that I ambelieve theres such a thing as age appropriateness.

Books shouldnt be given or offered to you until you have at least a modicum of the maturity necessary to understand them and their implications. Thats difficult enough for adults.

Hollywood, whatever you think of it, has its rating system. The Columbia library, given the placement of this so-called childrens literature (the books are, thankfully, back on the shelves for now and not in everyones face), hasnt understood the necessity for thatnor have numerous libraries across the country.

So it was with some interest that I accepted Millers invitation to motor down to Columbia for a protest he and his new groupthe Foundation for Liberty and Freedomwished to lodge at a monthly meeting of the library board.

When I arrived at the appointed address, I found a group of perhaps 15 concerned citizens gathered with Miller. It didnt seem overwhelming. But after I accompanied them on a short march to the library, everything changed.

What seemed like more than 100 people were there, as well as all those already using the functioning facility. This was far more than could fit in the 30-seat meeting room.

And it wasnt just those protesting the promulgation of the controversial books in attendance. A gay rights group was there as well, many dressed in matching red outfits, some with the traditional rainbow bandanas.

That atmosphere was tense, as was the man in charge of the meeting, Joel Friddell, the library board chair, who kept saying he had never seen a turnout like that and kept nervously thanking everybody for their interest. (The man in full actual control of book selection and placement, Director of Libraries Zachary Fox, wasnt there.)

Friddell quickly tried to arrange for a postponement so there would be more room, but the audience wasnt having it. A compromise was then decided on with three speakers from each side.

Cordiality was advised and adhered to, except for one irate woman who, while speaking out of turn, accused the gays present of Satanism and stomped off. It wasnt a great look, no matter how you view homosexuality. Nobody present appeared to approve.

Then, a bearded man from the rainbow group made an impassioned but now-conventional speech demanding understanding for his group and referencing his own suicide attempt in the process. Sad, yes, but it seemed a bit like special pleading, considering the number of gays who had come out in recent years with little or no opposition. The man was only 30.

He was followed by a couple of statements on each side, then Miller spoke with what I thought were well-prepared words that addressed the crux of the matter. He also called for the resignation of Fox, although, as noted, the director wasnt in attendance.

Heres a telling excerpt:

As a father, my line in the sand was crossed when Columbia library exhibited a bright, colorful display of no less than 28 books for this past Pride Month, all of which were written and marketed specifically for minors, especially young children. It is also important to keep in mind that the American Library Association and similar governing bodies categorize young adults to as young as 12, so any of these books wereat bestavailable to 12-year-olds.

This, of course, assumes that no child younger than 12 has ever picked up a book outside of their recommended age bracket, just as no 12-year-old has ever watched a PG-13 movie on Netflix.

Among these books included content written by a boy that started dressing in drag and removing his clothing for money at the age of 11 and has [according to the book], founded the first, quote, drag house for drag kids. It included books encouraging the young reader to discover what their, quote, sexual pleasure looks like, depictions of masturbation, instructions on how to pursue life-altering bodily mutilation like double mastectomies and castration, and encouraged chemical treatments that result in lifelong infertility, higher rates of cancer, and other side effects that we are only now learning more about.

Miller also said he had no opposition to gays and no interest, like much of todays America, in what consenting adults do in the privacy of their homes.

I drove home trying to understand why so many in the progressive gay movement want our children to be gay or transgendered these days, instead of just accepting the victory of the gay rights movement.

I know many gay conservatives who have no interest in grooming and, indeed, oppose it. Some are good friends.

The only way I can think of to stop all this is for parents to stand up. To do so, however, theyll have to confront, among others, the librarians, a group of people who are heavily indoctrinated on the way to their professional accreditation as Masters in Library Science.

But at least the parents are making an effort in Columbia. Bravo to them!

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
Aung Sun Suu Kyi, and Australian Economist Sean Turnell to Be Jailed for Three-Years

A Burmese (also known as Myanmar) court has handed three-year jail terms to former leader Aung San Suu Kyi and Australian economist Sean Turnell for violating Burmas official secrets act, a legal official says.

The pair were tried and convicted under the secrets law, said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he is not authorised to release information about the case.

Three members of Suu Kyis former Cabinet were also found guilty, each also receiving sentences of three years.

Turnell, an associate professor in economics at Sydneys Macquarie University, had served as an adviser to Suu Kyi, who was detained when her elected government was ousted by the army on February 1, 2021.

He has been in detention for almost 20 months. He was arrested five days after the military takeover by security forces at a hotel in Yangon, the countrys biggest city while waiting for a car to take him to the international airport.

He had arrived in Burma from Australia to take up a new position as a special consultant to Suu Kyi less than a month before he was detained. As director of the Myanmar Development Institute, he had already lived in Naypyitaw for several years.

The day after the militarys takeover, he posted a message on Twitter that he was: Safe for now but heartbroken for what all this means for the people of Myanmar. The bravest, kindest people I know. They deserve so much better.

He was charged along with Suu Kyi and the three former Cabinet ministers on the basis of documents seized from him. The exact details of their offence have not been made public, though state television said Turnell had access to secret state financial information and had tried to flee the country.

Turnell and Suu Kyi denied the allegations when they testified in their defence at the trial in August.

Burmas leader Aung San Suu Kyi attends a hearing in a case filed by Gambia against Burma alleging genocide against the minority Muslim Rohingya population, at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague, Netherlands, on Dec. 10, 2019. (Yves Herman/Reuters)

Turnell was also charged with violating immigration law.

Burmas colonial-era official secrets act criminalises the possession, collection, recording, publishing, or sharing of state information that is directly or indirectly useful to an enemy. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 14 years in prison.

All sessions of the trial, held in a purpose-built courtroom in Naypyitaws main prison, were closed to the media and the public. The defence lawyers were barred by a gag order from revealing details of the proceedings.

Suu Kyi had already been sentenced to 20 years imprisonment after being convicted of illegally importing and possessing walkie-talkies, violating coronavirus restrictions, sedition, election fraud and five corruption charges. The cases are widely seen as being concocted to keep the 77-year-old Suu Kyi from returning to active politics.

Suu Kyi is still being tried on seven counts under the countrys anti-corruption law, with each count punishable by up to 15 years in prison.

Defence lawyers are expected to file appeals in the secrets cases in the coming days for Turnell, Suu Kyi and three former ministers.

About half-a-dozen foreigners are known to have been arrested on political charges since the army takeover, and they generally have been deported after their convictions.

Australia has repeatedly demanded Turnells release. Last year Canberra suspended its defence cooperation with Burma and began redirecting humanitarian aid because of the military takeover and Turnells ongoing detention.

Tim Harcourt, a longtime friend of Turnell, said he still holds out hope that his fellow economist will soon be released.

Hes a great economist, nice bloke and a great human being. His main cause in life is to reduce poverty around the world, and hed developed particular expertise in Myanmar, Harcourt, a Sydney academic, told AP.

It was not clear if Turnells 20 months already spent in detention would be deducted from his sentence.

The UN Special Envoy on Myanmar Noeleen Heyzer said she conveyed a specific request from Australia for Turnells release when she met with Senior General Min Aung Hlaing in August.

Burmas government said the general replied that, should the Australian government take positive steps, we will not need to take stern actions.
Australian Government Strikes New Agreement With Exporters to Secure Gas Supply for Domestic Market

The Australian government has reached a new agreement with major gas exporters to secure sufficient gas supply for the domestic market in 2023.

On Sept. 29, Resources Minister Madeleine King signed a new heads of agreement with several large gas companies after weeks of negotiation.

Under the new agreement, uncontracted gas would be offered first to Australian buyers for reasonable supply periods to prevent a shortage in the domestic market.

In addition, liquefied natural gas exporters would supply an extra 157 petajoules (one petajoule equals 278-gigawatt hours) to the domestic market in 2023.

The figure nearly triples the amount of gas that the domestic market is expected to be short of (56 petajoules) in a previous forecast for 2023 by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission.

Safety flares are shown at the Woodside operated North West Shelf Gas Venture in Western Australia, on June 17, 2008. (Greg Wood/AFP via Getty Images)

Furthermore, King said the agreement ensured that Australian customers would not pay more for the uncontracted gas than international buyers.

This agreement will ensure Australians continue to have access to secure and reliable gas, she said.

The new supply commitments and heads of agreement will deliver gas to the domestic market when needed and ensure future uncontracted gas will be offered to the domestic market first.

King also mentioned that she would meet every quarter with gas exporters to ensure they meet their commitments and follow the code of conduct specified in the agreement.

New Agreement Prevents Minister from Pulling The Gas Trigger

As the negotiation concluded, the minister said she did not need to pull the trigger on Australias domestic gas supply mechanism, which would have limited exports and required companies to find new gas sources.

Prior to the signing of the head of agreement, Japans ambassador to Australia reportedly warned that any reduction in gas export to Japan due to the activation of the mechanism would affect the relationship between the two countries.

Meanwhile, King said the new agreement would not affect the supply of Australian gas to international markets and the contracts already in place.

This is a great outcome for Australia, will strengthen confidence in the domestic gas market and safeguard our global reputation as a stable and reliable energy exporter to our regional partners, she said.

This year, gas shortages in several Australian states have threatened to drag the country into an energy crisis after many coal-fired power stations unexpectedly go offline.

In June, Australians in Queensland and New South Wales narrowly averted widespread blackouts after the Australian Energy Market Operator stepped in and compelled energy companies to continue to produce and sell electricity despite soaring gas prices.
Immigrants seeking asylum in the United States wait to be processed by U.S. Border Patrol agents after crossing into Arizona from Mexico near Yuma, Ariz., on Sept. 26, 2022. (John Moore/Getty Images)

Biden Admin Gives $41 Million in Contracts to Soros-Linked Group to Help Illegal Aliens Fight Deportations

The Biden administration has awarded $41.3 million in federal contracts to an advocacy group aligned with the progressive lefts Vera Institute of Justice, which helps illegal immigrants fight deportation from the United States.

The Acacia Center for Justicea Washington-based nonprofit created through a collaboration between the Vera Institute of Justice and the Capital Area Immigrants Rights Coalitionwas awarded six contracts from the Department of Justice to provide legal services starting on Sept. 1, according to government records.

The Vera Institute of Justice has received millions in funding from George Soross Open Society Foundation.

On its website, the Acacia Center for Justice says its mission is to expand on Veras work over the past twenty years in providing legal support and representation to immigrants facing deportation through the development, coordination and management of national networks of legal services providers serving immigrants across the country.

Additionally, Acacia says its goals are to support immigrant legal services and defense networks to provide exceptional legal services to immigrants and to advocate for the expansion of these programs and the infrastructure critical to guaranteeing immigrants access to justice, fairness, and freedom.

Acacia recently obtained its federal tax-exempt status. On July 29, the IRS sent a 501(c)(3) determination letter to the group, declaring that its effective date of tax exemption was Dec. 29, 2021.

Fox News first reported on the nonprofits federal contracts.

In June, after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled 54 that the Biden administration has the authority to end the Trump-era Remain in Mexico policy, Vera issued a statement applauding the courts decision.

The Supreme Courts decision marks a key step in restoring asylum, a crucial component to a more just and equitable immigration system in the United States, Vera stated.

Open floodgates provide easy access for illegal aliens crossing into the United States from Mexico along the southern border wall fence in Douglas, Ariz., on Aug. 24, 2022. (Allan Stein/The Epoch Times)

At the time, many Republican lawmakers voiced their opposition to the Supreme Courts ruling, including Rep. Clay Higgins (R-La.), the ranking GOP member on the House Homeland Security subcommittee on border security.

Ending Remain in Mexico will further weaken our already deteriorated border security, Higgins said, according to a statement. Congress should codify the security mechanisms of Remain in Mexico and Title 42. Law enforcement needs those tools to reestablish operational control and stop the massive disintegration of our sovereignty at the border.

The Capital Area Immigrants Rights (CAIR) Coalition runs a detained adult program and a detained unaccompanied minors program, according to its website. The adult program helps detained immigrants learn to understand the Immigration Court and deportation process and connect migrants with pro bono attorneys.

On Jan. 20, 2021, CAIR released a statement saying it was relieved to see the Trump administration go.

There is true relief knowing that the Trump-Pence administration is over, CAIR wrote. Now, we are ready to seize this moment and advocate for true, substantive changes.

In August, Venezuela overtook Guatemala and Honduras to become the second-largest source of migrants crossing the U.S. southern border illegally. According to data from the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, U.S. officials stopped 60,530 Mexicans in August, followed by Venezuelans with 25,349 encounters.
President Joe Biden signs into law the Ukraine Democracy Defense Lend-Lease Act of 2022, in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington on May 9, 2022. (Nicholas Kamm/AFP via Getty Images)

Biden Admin to Provide $1.1 Billion More in Military Aid for Ukraine

The Biden administration will provide approximately $1.1 billion in additional security assistance for Ukraine as part of its commitment to support the countrys long-term defense needs amid its war with Russia, the Department of Defense (DoD) announced on Sept. 28.

The latest package is being provided under the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI), which does not pull weapons directly from U.S. stockpiles but instead funds contracts to purchase weapons and equipment through the private sector.

It brings the total amount of American aid to Ukraine to over $16.2 billion since the Russian invasion began in February. Since Biden took office in January 2021, the United States has committed approximately $16.9 billion in security assistance to Ukraine. Prior to Russias invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, the United States had committed around $1.8 billion in weapons and military training to Ukraine.

Funding High-Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems

DOD said the assistance will fund 18 of the High-Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems or HIMARS, which have a range of about 40 miles and can strike faraway targets with greater accuracy. Officials say HIMARS have played a key role in Ukraines successes against Russia in recent weeks. The funding also covers ammunition for them.

A High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) during the military exercise Namejs 2022 on Sept. 26, 2022, in Skede, Latvia. (Photo by Gints Ivuskans/AFP via Getty Images)

Elsewhere, it will fund 150 Humvees and 150 tactical vehicles needed to tow heavy weapons, 40 trucks and 80 trailers used to transport heavy equipment; two radars for unmanned aerial systems; 20 multi-mission radars; counter-unmanned aerial systems; tactical secure communications systems, surveillance systems, and optics; explosive ordnance disposal equipment.

It will also provide the funding needed for body armor and other field equipment, training, maintenance, and sustainment.

In a statement announcing the latest round of funding, the pentagon said: Together with our Allies and partners, our unified efforts will help Ukraine continue to be successful today while building the enduring strength of Ukraines forces to ensure the continued freedom and independence of the Ukrainian people.

Sham Referendums

The announcement regarding the latest round of funding comes after referendums were held in four occupied regions of Ukraine: Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson, to decide if residents in those regions want to become part of Russia.

A man casts his ballot for a Russia-backed referendum at a polling station in Mariupol in Donetsk Oblast on Sept. 27, 2022. (Stringer/AFP via Getty Images)

Russia says the results of those referendums showed resounding support for joining Russia, with Luhansk voting 98.2 percent to join with Russia, Donetsk 99.23 percent in favor, the Kherson region voting 87.05 percent in favor, and the Zaporizhzhia region voting 93.1 percent to become part of Russia, according to results announced early Wednesday and reported by The Moscow Times.

However, U.S., Ukrainian, and NATO officials have described them as sham referendums and have responded by increasing their support for Ukraine with a new wave of sanctions aimed at Russian officials allegedly involved in staging the polls and increased funding for Ukraine.

Sham referenda in the Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson regions of Ukraine have no legitimacy and will be a blatant violation of the UN Charter, NATO officials said in a statement on Sept. 23.

NATO Allies will not recognize their illegal and illegitimate annexation. These lands are Ukraine. We call on all states to reject Russias blatant attempts at territorial conquest. 
Biden Administration Announces New Strategy for Pacific Islands Amid Rising Chinese Influence

The Biden administration on Sept. 29 released a strategic framework for ties with Pacific Island nations, the first document of its kind. The move came amid heightened actions by the Chinese regime to draw the region under its influence.

The Pacific Partnership Strategy (pdf) would help to increase engagement and prosperity in the region, as well as undergirding national security interests, the White House said in a statement.

The United States is a Pacific nation, with its homeland including the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and Hawaii, the document states.

U.S. prosperity and security depend on the Pacific region remaining free and open.

The strategy notes the increasing activity of the Chinese regime in the region.

[P]ressure and economic coercion by the Peoples Republic of China,  risks undermining the peace, prosperity, and security of the region, and by extension, of the United States, it states.

Notably, the blueprint frames the Pacific nations as a sub-region of the Indo-Pacific, likely marking it as falling under the auspices of the previously released Indo-Pacific Strategy. That strategy outlined that the United States will focus on developing allies and partnerships to ensure the region remains free and open, prosperous, secure, and resilient in the face of increasing global competition.

However, the new strategic framework underscores that it isnt focused on any adversary but seeks to positively develop the region by shoring up alliances and increasing trade and cooperation.

We have an interest in maintaining free, open, and peaceful waterways in the Pacific in which the rights to the freedom of navigation and overflight are recognized and respected, people are prioritized, trade flows are unimpeded, and the environment is protected, the document states.

We also have an interest in ensuring that growing geopolitical competition does not undermine the sovereignty and security of the Pacific Islands, of the United States, or of our allies and partners.

The administration plans to boost U.S. commitments in the region, forge economic relations, build capacity to support local powers, bolster regionalism, and work with partners to develop and protect security and sovereignty for the Pacific Islands, according to the document.

The release of the plan occurred on the second and final day of the initial U.S.-Pacific Island Summit in Washington, during which the White House affirmed that it would dedicate more than $810 million in expanded programs to aid the island nations. The U.S. has provided more than $1.5 billion to support the Pacific Islands over the past decade, according to a senior administration official.

Washingtons diplomatic initiative comes amid increased efforts by the Chinese regime to increase its economic and security ties with Pacific Island nations. Most notably, Beijing signed a security pact with the Solomon Islands in April, triggering pushback by the United States and its allies in the region over Chinas increasing military footprint in the region.

The new strategy also set the United States plans to formally recognize the Cook Islands and Niue as sovereign nations, provide $600 million for securing regional tuna stocks, open a new U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) regional mission, $3 million in Coast Guard training and capacity building, and increased law enforcement cybersecurity cooperation.

In this decisive decade, we will draw ourselves closer to the Pacific Islands, individually and regionally; coordinate more efficiently with our allies and partners; and create opportunities and work together to address threats to the regionthe climate crisis most of all, the document states.
Biden Declares Major Disaster for Florida After Hurricane Ian Hits

President Joe Biden on Sept. 29 approved a major disaster declaration for Florida due to damage from Hurricane Ian.

The declaration allows the U.S. government to utilize federal funding for aid to Hillsborough County, which includes Tampa and nearby counties that were affected by the storm.

Hurricane Ian made landfall on Wednesday.

Nine counties in total are covered by the declaration.

Biden planned to visit the headquarters of the Federal Emergency Management Agency in Washington later Thursday. Biden spoke with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Thursday morning.

He offered support. I told them thanks for this, DeSantis, a Republican, told a briefing in Tallahassee.

DeSantis has informed the White House that Florida wants the declaration to cover more counties because the storm has already moved inland and is causing damage there.

Aid can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, and loans to cover damage to property that was not insured.

Interested individuals can go to DisasterAssistance.gov to apply.

A local worker cleans debris in downtown Saint Petersburg after Hurricane Ian passed through the area in Saint Petersburg, Fla., on September 29, 2022. (Gerardo Mora/Getty Images)

Power Outages

As of 6 a.m., some two million households were without power.

This storm is having broad impacts across the state, DeSantis said. Some of the flooding youre going to see in areas hundreds of miles from where this made landfall is going to set records.

The impacts of this storm are historic. And the damage that was done is historic. And this is just off initial assessments, the governor added later.

The storm wreaked heavy damage on homes and other structures, including the Pine Island Bridge.

Florida has deployed thousands of workers, including Florida National Guard personnel.

The U.S. government has sent more than 1,300 federal workers to the state and pre-positioned water, fuel, and propane.

A man walks through debris on a street in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian in Punta Gorda, Fa., on Sept. 29, 2022. (Ricardo Aarduengo/AFP via Getty Images)

Weakens to Tropical Storm

Ian made landfall as a category four hurricane and produced catastrophic flooding, according to the National Hurricane Center. The storm has weakened since then to a tropical storm.

As of 8 a.m., the center of the storm was near Melbourne and was moving northeast.

The center is expected to move from the east-central coast of Florida to the coast of South Carolina on Friday before moving inland across the Carolinas.

Maximum winds were near 65 mph and the storm is projected to intensify and approach hurricane strength when it approaches South Carolina before weakening again.
President Joe Biden (L) speaks at FEMA headquarters in Washington as Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell watch, on Sept. 29, 2022. (Evan Vucci/AP Photo)

Biden Says Hurricane Ian Could Be Deadliest in Floridas History

Hurricane Ian could turn out to be the deadliest hurricane to strike Florida, according to President Joe Biden.

This could be the deadliest hurricane in Floridas history. The numbers  are still unclear, but were hearing early reports of what may be substantial loss of life, Biden said after receiving a briefing at the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) National Response Coordination Center in Washington on Sept. 29, a day after the hurricane made landfall in southwest Florida.

The first confirmed death after the hurricane struck was a 72-year-old man who perished while he was draining his pool.

The Volusia County Sheriffs Office reported the death, which took place in Deltona.

The initial investigation indicates the victim was using a hose to drain the pool down a hill and into a 30-foot-wide canal, where a steep decline into the water was extremely soft and slippery due to the heavy rain. The Sheriffs Office sends its sincere condolences to the victims family, the office said.

Lee County Sheriff Carmine Marceno claimed on ABCs Good Morning America that he knew fatalities were in the hundreds but later said on CNN that he only knew of roughly five deaths.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said that the number was unconfirmed.

None of that is confirmed. I think what that is, is there were 911 calls for people saying, Hey, the water is rising in my home. Im going to go up in the attic. But Im really worried. Of course, those folks are now going to be checked on, he said at a briefing.

DeSantis said he knew of two deaths assumed to be from Hurricane Ian.

Deanne Criswell, the FEMA administrator, said on MSNBC that we have a few reports of some fatalities and that officials, including sheriffs, believed the death toll would rise in the near future.

The storm brought strong surges, heavy rainfall, and high winds, leaving numerous people stranded in their homes. Others evacuated before the hurricane hit.

Men walk among debris in Bonita Springs, Fla., on Sept. 29, 2022. (Sean Rayford/Getty Images)

Earlier Storms

Hurricane Ian was a category 4 storm when it made landfall, according to national weather officials. The higher a category, the stronger the storm.

Past hurricanes have killed dozens or even thousands of people.

Okeechobee hurricane, which struck Florida in 1928, left at least 2,500 dead, according to the National Hurricane Center. Hurricane Andrew, which hit in 1992, directly caused 26 deaths and indirectly led to 39 more.

Even before it hit, Hurricane Ian was projected to be one of the most expensive in history. Chuck Watson, a disaster modeler and director of research and development at Enki Research, pegged its costs as between $45 billion and $70 billion, which would leave it the sixth most expensive hurricane on record.

We know many families are hurting, Biden said. He urged people to stay indoors if possible as the storm moves north in Florida towards the Carolinas.

Biden to Visit

Biden said he plans to visit both Florida and Puerto Rico in the coming weeks.

Hurricane Fiona devastated Puerto Rico earlier this month.

Biden said hell meet with DeSantis while hes in Florida if the governor is available.

The president and DeSantis have spoken four or five times, Biden said.

The president declared a major disaster for some of the hardest-hit Florida counties, enabling individuals to ask for federal aid. DeSantis said he has asked Biden to expand the declaration to more counties. Biden said he may ask Congress for additional funding to deal with the damage the storm wrought.
Logos of China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC) are displayed at a news conference on the company's interim results in Hong Kong, China, March 23, 2017. (Bobby Yip/Reuters)

CCP Reselling Russian Gas to Make Europe Reliant

The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is reselling energy supplies from Russia to Europe in a bid to increase its influence.

Since the Chinese and Russian leaders met at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in early September, a series of moves show that Beijing and Moscow have strengthened their energy cooperation.

Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak confirmed to Russian television station RossiyA-1 on Sept. 15 that the Force Siberia 2 gas pipeline to China will replace the Nord Stream 2 pipeline to Europe, which was shut down during the Russia-Ukraine war, and deliver 50 billion cubic metres of gas a year to China. That is close to the 55 billion cubic meters of annual capacity of Nord Stream 2 and Nord Stream 1. Construction of the new pipeline will begin in 2024.

The annual capacity of the Force Siberia 1 pipeline from Far East Russia to China, which opened at the end of 2019, will also be increased to 20 billion cubic meters this year and to 61 billion cubic meters by 2025.

By then, the combined annual capacity of the two pipelines to China111 billion cubic meterswill be comparable to the combined capacity of the two pipelines to Europe110 billion cubic metersand the new pipeline to China will be integrated into Russias domestic gas network, allowing gas originally destined for Europe to be diverted to China.

The route, along with the existing Nord Stream pipeline, will double annual export capacity to 110 billion cubic metres, which is around half of Russias annual total gas exports to Europe.

Just two weeks earlier, Russia indefinitely suspended the Nord Stream 1 pipeline in Europe on Sept. 2. On Feb. 22, two days before Russia invaded Ukraine, Germany suspended the approval process for the Nord Stream 2 pipeline due to tensions with Russia.

In addition, two state-owned companies, China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) and Gazprom, announced on Sept. 7 that Russian gas supplies to China would be paid fifty-fifty in RMB and roubles.

This move avoids using dollars and euros, thus cushioning Western financial sanctions against Russia while allowing the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) to avoid secondary sanctions.

CCP Resells Gas to Increase its Influence in Europe

Russian pipeline gas sales to China rose nearly 65 percent in the first half of 2022 compared to 2021. Since Russias invasion of Ukraine, Chinas spending on energy imports from Russia has soared to $35 billion from $20 billion a year ago, according to Bloomberg.

Meanwhile, in the first eight months of 2022, Chinas liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports have also reached record levels, with Chinese companies already selling 4 million tons of LNG on the international market, which is equivalent to about 7 percent of Europes gas consumption in the first half of 2022.

Jovo, a Chinese LNG trading company, said it had resold one LNG deal to a European buyer. The Nikkei quoted a futures trader in Shanghai as saying the profit from such a trade could be as much as $100 million.

Sinopec, Chinas state-owned energy company, also said it had been sending surplus LNG to the international market. The company has sold 45 cargoes of LNG, or about 3.15 million tonnes.

In the first eight months of 2022, China exported $164 million of LNG to Europe and $284 million to countries such as Japan and South Korea that are participating in the energy embargo against Russia. In 2021, China exported only about $7 million in LNG. Even if assuming a 10-fold increase in prices, the increase in Chinas gas exports is still huge.

According to Wang Yongzhong, director of international commodities Research at the Institute of World Economics and Politics of the Chinese Academy of Social Science, constrained by transportation and infrastructure such as pipelines and receiving stations, it is difficult for Europe to import large quantities of LNG from countries such as the United States, Australia, and Qatar in the short term.

Chinese media said on Sept. 2 that LNG carriers had become a bottleneck in solving Europes energy crisis and that China had about 100 LNG ships available for exporting.

The flow of Russian gas through pipelines to Europe has fallen to less than 20 percent and continues to fall. By January 2023, it could stop altogether.

According to the European Unions energy information platform, AGSI, Europe had more than 91 percent of its natural gas reserves as of Sept. 24. Thats earlier than the 80 percent expected by November, and depends in part on Chinese exports of LNG.

However, facing a cold winter ahead, Europe still needs to buy LNG on the spot market to wean itself off Russian gas, even if it has to pay more.

Frank Tian Xie, a marketing professor at the Aiken School of Business at the University of South Carolina, said Europe could become dependent on the CCP for energy to wean itself off Russia.

It suddenly gives the CCP new leverage, he told The Epoch Times. The CCP now has the ability, and the possibility, to cut off gas supplies to Europe in response to Russian demands.

Eight-Year History of China-Russia Energy Cooperation

Russia was hit with Western sanctions over its seizure of Crimea in May 2014. After that, CNPC and Gazprom signed a 30-year deal worth $400 billion, including the construction of the Siberian Force 1 pipeline. Completed in 2019, the pipeline will increase its capacity to 20 billion cubic meters in 2022.

According to Chinese media, Chinese energy companies pocketed the difference by reselling excess LNG on the international market. In the first half of 2022, imports of piped natural gas from Russia rose 63.4 percent from a year earlier, leaving a glut of liquefied gas.

Xie said Chinas sluggish economy and lower energy consumption gave Chinese energy companies an excuse to resell cheap gas imported from Russia.

Oil is an energy source in greater shortage in China. China has imported a record amount of oil from Russia for three consecutive months from June, including 8.475 million tonnes (9.34 million tons) in August, up 28 percent year on year.

However, Ursa Space Systems, a satellite data company, found in mid-September that crude inventories in China had fallen by another 7.5 m barrels from the previous week, the fourth decline in five weeks. Meanwhile, Chinese state refiners and traders have applied for an additional 15 m tonnes (16.53 m tons) of export quotas.

China has also sharply increased its coal imports from Russia. Chinese imports of Russian coal rose to 8.54 million tons last month, up 57 percent from a year earlier.

Li Yanming, a China expert based in the United States, believes that the more Europe is desperate for its energy supplies, the more the CCP will be able to influence Europe.

With Russia under international sanctions and the CCPs growing international isolation, Beijing and Moscow need to stick together to fight the West, Li said.

But its clear that the CCP has the most to gain. Other than taking advantage of Russias desperate search for new markets to capture its vast quantities of cheap energy and secure its position in the global energy crisis, it can avoid the secondary sanctions caused by the violation of Western sanctions against Russia.

It can also make profits from reselling, making Europe, which is in an energy crisis due to the sanctions against Russia, dependent on it, thereby strengthening its strategic leverage against the United States and Europe.
U.S. Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall speaks at the National Press Club in Washington on April 19, 2022. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

China Investing in Military Capabilities to Topple US Defenses: Air Force Secretary

Chinas communist regime is the leading threat to the United States and is operating with the intent of displacing the United States as a global superpower, according to a senior Pentagon official.

The reason I came back into government, more than any other by far, is my concern about Chinas military modernization program, said Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall during a Sept. 29 talk at the Center for American Progress, a progressive think tank.

When people ask me what my priorities are I tend to say China, China, China.

Kendall said that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is systematically investing in capabilities intended to counter and destroy the United States ability to project power globally.

These include efforts to develop weapons that could counter or destroy American satellites, aircraft carriers, airfields, and communications and logistics nodes, Kendall said.

The only nation-state that has the capacity, the resources, and the strategic intent to really threaten the United States as a leader in the world  is China, he said.

Kendall added that, by countering the United States capacity for power projection, the CCP is laying the groundwork for further aggression against Taiwan, and in the South and East China Seas more broadly.

Perhaps nowhere more so is China challenging U.S. dominance than with the rapid expansion and modernization of its nuclear arsenal, Kendall said.

One of the most significant changes has been the nuclear breakout of China, Kendall said. Were now going to be in a world where China has a nuclear arsenal comparable to both Russia and the United States.

The Pentagon expects the CCP to reach a minimum of 1,000 nuclear weapons by 2030. Kendall said that this new tripolar world of nuclear powers will challenge U.S. resolve and strategy.

Patty-Jane Geller, a senior policy analyst at the Heritage Foundation, previously told The Epoch Times that this nuclear multipolarity is an immense issue for U.S. national security, as the current U.S. nuclear arsenal and posture was only designed to contend with Russia, not China, much less both simultaneously.

U.S. nuclear posture is currently sized to face only one peer nuclear threat (Russia), as it was designed about a decade ago based on assumptions of a more benign threat environment than we are facing today, Geller said.

With the emergence of China as a second nuclear peer, the United States needs a new strategy that can deter both countries at once, which it will not be able to do sufficiently in the future with the current strategy and force posture.

Ultimately, Kendall said, the current situation resulted from a sustained failure, or naivete, on Americas part regarding the future of nuclear proliferation following the end of the Cold War.

We thought things would change permanently at the end of the Cold War, Kendall said.

They have not.
Head of Fratelli dItalia (Brothers of Italy) party, Giorgia Meloni waves from the stage during a united rally of the League (Lega) party, the Brothers of Italy party and the Forza Italia (FI) party for a protest against the government in Piazza del Popolo in Rome, Italy, on July 4, 2020. (Tiziana Fabi/AFP via Getty Images)

Chinese State-Run Media Disapproves of Italys Newly Elected Meloni

The coalition led by the Brothers of Italy won Italys general election on Sept. 25. The partys leader Giorgia Meloni will become the countrys first female prime minister. The Chinese communist regime and its official media reacted to Melonis victory with a warning and negative prediction, as Meloni has expressed strong support for Taiwan and vowed to pull out from Chinas Belt and Road initiatives (BRI) after entering office.

The regimes mouthpiece Xinhua said in an article on Sept. 27, quoting a French scholar, The new Italian government in the future may no longer be a positive force within the EU, as it sees the EU as a constraint.

Giorgia Meloni, leader of the Fratelli dItalia (Brothers of Italy) speaks at a press conference at the party electoral headquarters overnight, in Rome, Italy, on Sept. 26, 2022. (Antonio Masiello/Getty Images)

Another Chinese official media Global Times labeled Meloni as far-right on Sept. 27, comparing her with Benito Mussolini, a fascist leader of Italy during World War II, despite her partys stance as a mainstream conservative party.

The article also cited a Chinese scholar saying the right-wing alliance may not be capable of solving many problems in Italy.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry on Sept. 26 urged the new Italian government to continue a positive and pragmatic policy toward China.

Support for Taiwan

Meloni is known for her tough stance on the Chinese regime. In an interview with Taiwans national media CNA on Sept. 23, she reiterated her support for Taiwan, criticized Chinas aggressive actions in the international community, and cautioned their implications for Italy and the European Union.

A Taiwan Coast Guard ship travels past the coast of China, in the waters off Nangan island of Matsu archipelago in Taiwan, on Aug. 16, 2022. (Ann Wang/Reuters)

Regarding the recent escalated military threats by the Chinese regime toward Taiwan, Meloni said this is an unacceptable conduct by Beijing, a conduct that we strongly condemn, together with all the democracies of the free world.

The Chinese embassy in Italy responded to Melonis interview in a statement on Sept. 24 saying that China noticed some negative remarks related to Taiwan and the rhetoric of being tough on China, and expressed strong dissatisfaction and firm opposition to it.

Pulling Out of BRI

Meloni said in the interview with CNA that Italy joining Chinas BRI was a big mistake. BRI, the regimes strategy to invest in high stake infrastructure projects in other countries, has been widely criticized for setting debt traps for participating countries and exerting its political influence through investments. Italy joined the project in 2019.

An aerial view of the port city of Trieste in Italy which China is considering for its Belt and Road Initiative. (Alberto Pizzoli/AFP/Getty Images)

Moreover, Meloni has vowed that when she becomes prime minister, Italy will work to ensure that the EUs Global gatewayaimed at pushing infrastructure development investments worldwide from 2021 to 2027providing an alternative for developing countries to Chinas BRI.

U.S.-based China observer Wang He told The Epoch Times on Sept. 27 that Melonis stance on Taiwan and BRI directly challenged the Chinese regimes core policies, thats why the CCP is not happy to see her winning the election. But they can do nothing about it, as Chinas economy is deteriorating and Italys dependence on Chinese economy is low, he said.

Wang added, Currently, conservative forces in Europe are surging, and if this trend becomes stronger, it will accelerate the adjustment of the EUs China policy. If Meloni becomes the representative of this trend, it will cause the CCP more headache and fear, and the CCP has no countermeasures. The situation for the CCP in the international community will keep worsening.
A U.S. Coast Guard vessel docks during an offload of packages of marijuana and cocaine at Port Everglades, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., on Nov. 22, 2021. (Eva Marie Uzcategui/AFP via Getty Images)

Coast Guard Separating Service Members Who Refuse Vaccine Mandate Without Due Process: Attorney

Like other branches of the nations military, the U.S. Coast Guard is facing recruiting challenges. In spite of this, the branch is letting go of experienced service members without due process over the vaccine mandate, holding little regard for sincerely held religious beliefs, according to an attorney and a retired Coast Guard officer.

The Coast Guard is attempting to separate members from service who refuse the vaccine under the process known as convenience of the Government, which does not require review by a military panel, said former Aviation Survival Technician Chief Petty Officer David Kroll, who decided to retire in April 2021 after more than 20 years as a helicopter rescue swimmer over his religious objection to the vaccine.

According to the Coast Guard instruction M1000.4 (pdf), members separated for the convenience of the Government are not entitled to an administrative discharge board unless otherwise indicated.

Air Force Reserve Judge Advocate General and civilian attorney, Lt. Col. R. Davis Younts, who represents multiple military clients in a private capacity as a civilian attorney, told The Epoch Times that Kroll is absolutely correct.

The attorney explained that service members of other branches [of the military] are granted an administrative separation board, if they have six years of service. Cases are presented to three senior officers with an attorney present, he said.

However, the Coast Guard is using the provision of the Coast Guard instructions that allows them to circumvent that process and kick people out without a board even if they have 18 or 19 years in, Younts said.

Unless a federal court intervenes with an injunction, the Coast Guard is the worst offender as far as whats happening to their members, the attorney added, referring to preliminary injunctions issued by federal judges directing the Air Force, Marines, and Navy to cease taking any actions against service members who have filed religious accommodation requests to the vaccine mandate.

Section 1.B.12.a. of the instruction lists the reasons for discharging someone from the Coast Guard for the convenience of the Government. These include a service members inability to perform prescribed duties, the separation of conscientious objectors, unsatisfactory performance, and national health, safety, or interest.

The broadness of this provision thereby allows the Coast Guard to put the militarys vaccine mandate under the reason of national health, safety, or interest, Kroll noted.

But according to him, the truth isit is not convenient at all, as we are in the midst of a major workforce shortage.

Kroll pointed to a message (pdf) by Commandant of the Coast Guard Adm. Karl Schultz sent in May that read: We are in the midst of a workforce shortage not seen in generations, and this shortage threatens our Services readiness.

Despite the workforce shortage, the Coast Guard is continuing to process members for discharge for refusing to take the vaccine. These are highly qualified, trained personnel, including pilots, flight mechanics, rescue swimmers, surf men, cutter men, and vital support personnel, Kroll said. Its affecting every rank and rate across all branches of service.

He added, Its not convenient for the taxpayer because hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars have been invested in these people.

Foolish

A Coast Guard media relations official told the Epoch Times that as of Sept. 21, the Coast Guard has approved 12 religious accommodations, and denied 1,231 requests.

Kroll said, It appears everyone received blanket denials that read almost verbatim regardless of the members rank, position, or religious beliefs.

Theyre willing to discharge members with sincerely held religious beliefs over an ineffective, experimental vaccine for a virus with a 99.98 percent survivability rateand that just doesnt make sense because its foolish.

According to Kroll, for years, Crew Resource Management (CRM) has been pounded into the heads of all Coast Guard personnel. CRM is the concept that regardless of your rank, experience, or position, you are not only encouraged to, but have a responsibility to speak up if you see, hear, or smell anything that seems off, he said.

Now you have several members using the tools and training that theyve been given to say, hey something is not right about the vaccine, Kroll said. And these are the very people that our military leadership wants to kick out when in fact these are the people that we need to retain because they are the ones that are bold enough to speak up and bold enough to hold the line amidst great personal loss.

While Coast Guard separations are affecting everyone, Kroll said Helicopter Rescue Swimmers are currently at an 89 percent capacity, citing inside sources. Anything below 95 percent is considered critical, he noted.

I personally know at least 20 hardline rescue swimmers that will not submit to this unlawful order under any circumstance, and if theyre discharged, that number will drop to 83 or 84 percent capacity. The Epoch Times has reached out to the Coast Guard to seek comment about these claims.

Kroll is concerned about how the void will be filled. One of my biggest concerns is that there will be tremendous pressure to lower the standards in an effort to course correct the mistake that the military is making, he said. And that will do more harm than good.

The Coast Guards Rescue Swimmer School has always been under tremendous scrutiny because of its high attrition rate, roughly 80 percent, according to Kroll. The curriculum is designed by experienced rescue swimmers to prepare prospective candidates for worst-case scenarios, to ensure they have the skills and confidence necessary to make sound decisions under pressure and fatigue, execute the mission, and get home to their families, he said.

Any attempt to water down the curriculum in an effort to fill the void thats been deepened by poor Coast Guard leadership is a critical error, Kroll said.

I believe it will place tremendous pressure on the instructors at both the Schoolhouse and local Air Stations to push candidates through before theyre ready and that could be catastrophic in a rescue scenario.
Paramilitary police walk outside the Museum of the Chinese Communist Party near the Birds Nest national stadium in Beijing on June 25, 2021. (Noel Celis/AFP via Getty Images)

Communist Chinas Legal Warfare Targets Overseas Dissidents

Commentary

The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) seeks to extend its security law to the rest of the world to target overseas Chinese dissidents (and everyone else).

The Chinese communists have been evolving and honing their Three Warfares doctrine since it was endorsed by the Chinese Communist Partys Central Committee and the Central Military Commission in 2003. Focused on helping the Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) win wars by other non-kinetic means, the Three Warfares involve the softening up of adversaries via public opinion warfare, legal warfare, and psychological warfare.

Much Western attention has been focused on the PLAs employment of the Three Warfares in conjunction with CCP leadership, the ministry of foreign affairs, and state-run Chinese media as the CCP targets its main adversary, the United States, with particular emphasis on the propaganda and psychological elements of the strategy.

It is well-known that the CCP seeks to shape public opinion through synchronized messaging and the use of influence agents in Western media to echo Beijings narrative. These efforts have been modernized through social media campaigns, including fake accounts and bot farms.

Because the exploitation of the Three Warfares is so ingrained in the CCP through indoctrination and common use, the strategy is employed to advance other communist goals and objectives besides the ongoing hybrid warfare against the United States and its allies.

For example, the legal warfare element of that strategy (adapted and renamed as lawfare by American leftists) is also being relentlessly used by the CCP in order to achieve another of its long-term objectives: the subjugation of overseas Chinese, followed by the subjugation of the rest of the world to world leadership with Chinese characteristics.

Let us examine the topic.

Two Key Pillars of CCP Legal Warfare

The CCP believes that all people of Chinese descent are subject to the laws, dictates, and arbitrary whims of the Party regardless of their citizenship and residence. Having more or less pacified domestic Chinese over the past few decades, Xi Jinping and the CCP leadership are ramping up efforts to control overseas Chinese.

Two key pillars of Beijings legal warfare push for control of all Chinese under the sun (and eventually, the rest of us) are the Civil Code and the National Security Law.

The Civil Code was adopted at the Third Session of the 13th National Peoples Congress on May 28, 2020. It micromanages Chinese societyeconomic, social, travel, education, etc.and mandates compliance by all Chinese citizens irrespective of residence. Article 1 boldly states that the Code is for developing socialism with Chinese characteristics and carrying forward the core socialist values. And carrying forward is a clear signal of CCP intentions: to extend socialism with Chinese characteristics everywhere.

Pupils read the Civil Code in Yantai City, East Chinas Shandong Province, on Nov. 30, 2020. (Costfoto/Future Publishing via Getty Images)

Just one month later (not a coincidence!), the Standing Committee of the National Peoples Congress (Chinas rubber-stamp legislature) passed the National Security Law on June 2020, which includes 66 articles and covers four areas of criminal activity: secession, subversion, terrorism, and collusion with foreign or external forces.

Although focused on the rapid integration of Hong Kong into mainland China, most observers believe its application in Hong Kong is a trial run for its extensions overseas because the law as written applies to anyone, anywhere in the world, and is expansively extraterritorial in its scope. According to Article 38, it can apply even to offenses committed outside the region by a person who is not a permanent resident of the region.

Testing the Pincers

What do these two legalistic pincers mean for people outside China? Potentially a lot if the rest of the world allows the CCP to enforce them without pushback.

In 2014, Xi directed the Ministry of State Security to conduct Operation Fox Hunt, which is an effort to target, intimidate, and abduct Chinese political dissidents and their families living overseas under the auspices of Xis anti-corruption campaign.

FBI Director Christopher Wray has previously described the purpose of Fox Hunt: Fox Hunt is a sweeping bid by General Secretary Xi to target Chinese nationals whom he sees as threats and who live outside China, across the world. Were talking about political rivals, dissidents, and critics seeking to expose Chinas extensive human rights violations.

Fox Hunt has subsequently been incorporated into Operation Skynet (shades of The Terminator movies!), which has a global mission focused on recovering funds and arresting international fugitives from CCP justice, according to ABC News.

The National Security Law and Civil Code have now provided the legalistic backdrop and excuse for the CCPs pursuit, capture, and prosecution of people under Operation Skynet and Operation Dragon deemed to be in violation wherever they reside in the world.

Some examples:

In August 2020, Hong Kong authorities issued arrest warrants for six democracy activists living abroad, including a U.S. citizen, who were wanted on suspicion of inciting secessionist sentiment and colluding with foreign countries.

On Sept. 7, 2022, a Hong Kong court convicted five speech therapists of sedition under the National Security Law after they published a series of illustrated childrens books about cartoon animals that amounted to indoctrinating children to support separatism and hatred of Beijing.

Police stand guards as a prison van arrive High Court on the first day of the trial of Tong Ying-kit, the first person charged under a new national security law, in Hong Kong, on June 23, 2021. (Tyrone Siu/Reuters)

According to a Telegraph report, on Sept. 15, China opened its latest secret overseas police service centers in Chinese restaurants and shops throughout the United Kingdom. According to The Washington Free Beacon, this is the newest of 54 such police centers around the world that the CCP runs in conjunction with the United Front Work Departments new overseas mission. The police centers have been accused of harassment and extortion of Chinese political dissidents to encourage their return to China for prosecution under the National Security Law.

On Aug. 10, Taiwanese citizen Yang Chih-yuan, who was living in Chinas Wenzhou city and had been previously detained by the national security bureau on suspicion of engaging in separatist activities and endangering national security, was reported to have been put under surveillance by Chinese authorities, according to Chinese state media. This is a reminder that there is no freedom of expression in communist China under the Civil Code.

On July 7, the U.S. Department of Justice announced that a federal grand jury in the Eastern District of New York returned indictments charging five defendants with various crimes pertaining to a transnational repression scheme orchestrated on behalf of the government of the Peoples Republic of China (PRC) that targeted U.S. residents whose political views are considered disfavored by Beijing. The CCP is growing bolder in its operations in the United States!

Concluding Thoughts

The CCP has adapted the Three Warfares principle of legal warfare (lawfare) to control overseas Chinese. Direct efforts to intimidate, harass, and ultimately force overseas Chinese dissidents to return to mainland China are already underway with the assistance of the United Front Work Department.

The CCP should not be allowed to enforce the National Security Law and Civil Code against overseas Chinese. Allowing Beijing to persecute overseas Chinese gives the CCP an unnecessary psychological victory that paves the way for much worse. If the overseas jurisdiction of both laws is ever accepted, it will eventually lead to the end of the national sovereignty of other nations over time.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
Rapper/actor Coolio performs at halftime of a game between the Connecticut Sun and the Las Vegas Aces at Michelob ULTRA Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, on May 31, 2022. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

Coolio, Grammy Award-Winning Rap Star, Dead at 59

Coolio, one of the biggest names in the 1990s hip-hop industry who achieved enormous success with hits like Gangstas Paradise and Fantastic Voyage, died on Wednesday, his manager confirmed. He was 59.

The Grammy Award-winning musician, whose real name was Artis Leon Ivey Jr., died at the Los Angeles, California, home of a friend, longtime manager Jarez Posey told The Associated Press.

Details on the circumstances around the rappers sudden death were not immediately clear.

Police sources told tabloid TMZ that no drugs or drug paraphernalia were located at the scene of Coolios death. The final cause will be determined by a coroners office at a later time following an autopsy and toxicology tests.

Authorities reportedly also revealed to the paper that a death investigation has been opened, but as of this time, there doesnt appear to be any signs of foul play.

Grammy Award

Coolio won a Grammy for best solo rap performance for Gangstas Paradise, the 1995 hit from the soundtrack of the Michelle Pfeiffer film Dangerous Minds that sampled Stevie Wonders 1976 song Pastime Paradise. The song reached No. 1 and stayed there for 3 weeks.

To this day, the song has continued to live on. This year, it reached a milestone of one billion views on YouTube.

Rapper/actor Coolio attends producer Wade Martins premiere of music videos by Flavor Flav and Coolio at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas in Las Vegas, Nev., on Sept. 1, 2015. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

Coolio was nominated for five other Grammys during a career that began in the late-1980s.

His career took off with the 1994 release of his debut album on Tommy Boy Records, It Takes a Thief. Its opening track, Fantastic Voyage, would reach No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Born on Aug. 1, 1963, in Monessen, Pa., south of Pittsburgh, Coolio moved to Compton, Calif., where he went to community college. He worked as a volunteer firefighter and in airport security at Los Angeles International Airport before devoting himself full-time to the hip-hop scene.

In 1994, Coolio told the Los Angeles Times that he became a firefighter to escape the drug thing, likely becoming the only rap star to ever work as a volunteer firefighter.

It was going to kill me and I knew I had to stop, he told the publication. In firefighting training was [the] discipline I needed. We ran every day. I wasnt drinking or smoking or doing the stuff I usually did.

In 2009, the rap star pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine but avoided jail by entering an 18-month drug rehabilitation program.

During an interview with Sway in the Morning in 2015, Coolio also opened up on his past cocaine addiction, while also revealing the story behind his 1995 hit soundtrack, Gangstas Paradise.

Many musicians, including American rapper and filmmaker Ice Cube, reacted on social media to Coolios unexpected death.

This is sad news, Ice Cube said on Twitter. I witness first hand this mans grind to the top of the industry. Rest In Peace.

Coolio is survived by his six children and ex-wife, Josefa Salinas, whom he married in 1996. The former couple filed a divorce in 2000, after just four years of marriage.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

From NTD News
Two islands in the Yellowstone River totaling 107 acres and located west of Reed Point are proposed for purchase by Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks through the Montana Natural Resource Damage Program.

A draft environmental assessment has been released outlining the proposed $140,150 purchase. Public comments on the Otter Creek Islands draft EA will be accepted through Oct. 28.

The complex would be acquired with the $12 million in restoration funds administered by the NRDP following the ExxonMobil Pipeline Co. July 1, 2011, Yellowstone River oil spill. Included in the property purchase are two approximately 50-acre parcels on islands in the Yellowstone River, just upstream of the Indian Fort fishing access site near Reed Point.

These islands would be the third such purchases with the oil spill restoration funds of island property on the Yellowstone River. In 2021, 45 acres of islands east of Reed Point were signed over to FWP for a remote fishing access site. Also in 2021, a grant to purchase the 288-acre Dover Islands for management by the Yellowstone River Parks Association was approved.

The islands near Reed Point are in a high-priority reach of the Yellowstone River for additional public access, according to FWP. In addition, the NRDP has goals to promote natural river functions and recruitment of large woody debris  typically cottonwoods  to the river during floods by securing cottonwood riparian areas that are exposed to natural riverine forces. Large woody debris is critical in a natural river system for healthy fish and wildlife habitat.

The NRDP proposes to fund FWP to purchase the islands from Otter Creek Ranch, LLC, in partnership with the Beartooth Group from Bozeman. FWP would hold title to and administer the property on behalf of the state of Montana. The islands would remain as an undeveloped area for wildlife habitat and provide recreational opportunities for the public such as boat-in angling, hunting, birdwatching and camping.

The Beartooth Group is a conservation real-estate firm. They focus on partnering with landowners and public agencies to craft unique solutions beyond the simple sale of ranch properties that meet landowner needs and result in conservation, increased public access and other benefits.

In this case, the Beartooth Group offered the sale of the Otter Creek Island parcels to NRDP and FWP in hopes of providing property to meet the programmatic needs of NRDP and access needs of FWP and the recreating public.

The environmental assessment can be viewed at: https://fwp.mt.gov/binaries/content/assets/fwp/news/public-notices/2022/region-5/otter-creek-islands-acquisition-draft-ea-september-28-to-october-28-2022-r5.pdf.

Physical copies of the draft EA may be obtained at the FWP office located at 2300 Lake Elmo Drive in Billings or requested in the mail by phoning 406-247-2940.

Written comments can be mailed to: Sean Flynn Padraig Cunneen, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks Montana NRDP, 2300 Lake Elmo Drive P.O. Box 201425, Billings, MT 59105 Helena, MT 59620

Emailed comments can be sent to fwpregion5pc@mt.gov; please use subject: Otter Creek Islands.

Phone comments can be directed to Flynn at 406-431-6112, or NRDP's Padraig Cunneen at 406-565-6294.
Chief of the Defence Staff, General Wayne Eyre, and Defence Minister Anita Anand attend a military announcement at Canadian Forces Base Trenton in Trenton, Ont., on June 20, 2022. (The Canadian Press/Lars Hagberg)

Defence Minister Stands by Militarys Vaccine Mandate Amid Months-Long Review

The Liberal government is defending the militarys continued use of a vaccine mandate for Armed Forces members as a condition of employment amid pressure to end the requirement and questions about when a promised tweak will finally be unveiled.

The Canadian Armed Forces has required since December that all troops receive two shots of a recognized COVID-19 vaccine or face disciplinary proceedings, including forced removal from the military.

While the vast majority of service members have bared their arms for shots, more than 1,100 have not. More than 400 of those have since hung up their uniforms, either voluntarily or involuntarily, with more on their way out.

The requirement remains in place even though mandates for other federal workers have been suspended. The government announced this week that vaccination requirements for international travellers will also be lifted on Saturday.

It was in this context that Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre this week called on the Liberals to end what he described as the militarys discriminatory and unscientific vaccine mandate, though the decision is ultimately up to chief of the defence staff Gen. Wayne Eyre.

On Thursday, Defence Minister Anita Anand voiced support for the mandate as she and other federal ministers briefed Canadians on hurricane recovery efforts in Atlantic Canada.

Its a force that must be ready at all times to conduct domestic and international military operations, sometimes in places with limited or no access to specialized medical care, sometimes in very close quarters with their fellow Canadian Armed Forces members, she said.

Therefore, the Canadian Armed Forces has a more stringent requirement to enforce health protection measures.

Anand did note that Eyre is taking a second look at the requirement after the government lifted its mandates for other federal employees. Pending this review, she added, (Eyre)s directives remain in effect for CAF members until further notice.

Exactly when that review may be completed remains a mystery, however.

Defence Department spokesman Daniel Le Bouthillier described the review on Thursday as a complex issue, with the military having to balance medical and legal imperatives, ethical considerations, and operational requirements.

The CAF will continue to take a measured approach and make a decision when deemed operationally safe to do so.

The department first reported that the mandate was being re-examined in June, and a draft copy of a revised vaccine policy obtained by the Ottawa Citizen in July suggested vaccine requirements for military personnel would be lifted.

The draft document, which officials said was not approved by Eyre, said military personnel and new recruits would no longer have to attest to their vaccination status.

The document also noted potential legal difficulties ahead to deal with people who were kicked out of the military because of the vaccine mandate, suggesting they could be forced to apply for re-enrolment.

By contrast, other unvaccinated federal public servants were put on leave without pay but allowed to return to their jobs when the mandate was suspended.

By Lee Berthiaume
U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas speaks during a news conference at the National Press Club in Washington, on Sept. 9, 2021. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

DHS Approves Jones Act Waiver to Increase Fuel Supply to Puerto Rico

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on Wednesday approved a temporary and targeted waiver of the Jones Act to ease fuel supply constraints in the wake of concerns over a diesel shortage in Puerto Rico after Hurricane Fiona.

In response to urgent and immediate needs of the Puerto Rican people in the aftermath of Hurricane Fiona, I have approved a temporary and targeted Jones Act waiver to ensure that the people of Puerto Rico have sufficient diesel to run generators needed for electricity and the functioning critical facilities as they recover from Hurricane Fiona, DHS secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said in a statement.

The decision to approve the waiver was made in consultation with the Departments of Transportation, Energy, and Defense to assess the justification for the waiver request and based on input from the Governor of Puerto Rico and others on the ground supporting recovery efforts, said Mayorkas.

The Jones Act, or the Merchant Marine Act of 1920, is a federal law that requires ships carrying goods between U.S. ports to be owned by American companies, built and registered in the United States, and crewed by Americans. The DHS may only grant a waiver to the 102-year law if proposed shipments are in the interest of national defense and after careful evaluation of the issue, the department said.

In a letter to President Joe Biden on Sept. 27 to waive the federal law, Gov. Pedro Pierluisi warned that a shortage of fuel, particularly diesel, would affect essential services and impact public health, security, and government functions in the U.S. territory.

Pedro Pierluisi holds a press conference after being sworn in as Governor of Puerto Rico in San Juan, Puerto Rico, on Aug. 2, 2019. (Eric Rojas/AFP via Getty Images)

Puerto Rico has begun purchasing and distributing diesel to critical facilities including public hospitals, water pumping stations, wastewater treatment plants, and emergency management centers, among others, the governor wrote.

At the same time, private citizens, businesses, and industries are consuming a significant amount of diesel to generate power, as the public electric grid continues to be repaired.

Tanker With 300,000 Barrels of Diesel

Pierluisis letter comes after pressure for a Jones Act waiver was building after news circulated that a U.K. tanker with 300,000 barrels of diesel was sitting off Puerto Ricos southern coast, awaiting entry.

The oil company, BP, said in a statement that it originally submitted a Jones Act waiver request to American officials on Sept. 20 to allow for a ship to be diverted from its original destination into Puerto Rico to assist with hurricane relief efforts, The Wall Street Journal reported.

We are grateful to the Biden administration for taking this action and will deliver the barrels into Puerto Rico as quickly and safely as possible, a spokesman for the private supplier said on Wednesday.

The category 1 storm with winds of 85 mph caused considerable damage in Puerto Rico as it rolled in on Sept. 18, causing an island-wide power outage for its 3.3 million people and wiping out staple crops like plantains.

A worker cuts an electricity pole that was downed by Hurricane Fiona as it blocks a road in Cayey, Puerto Rico, on Sept. 18, 2022. (Stephanie Rojas/AP Photo)

Homes are flooded on Salinas Beach after the passing of Hurricane Fiona in Salinas, Puerto Rico, on Sept. 19, 2022. (Alejandro Granadillo/AP Photo)

On Sept. 29, there were still nearly 300,000 customers without power out of 1.468 million total customers, according to PowerOutage.us.

Puerto Rican officials, including some federal officials, have long called for a permanent repeal of the Jones Act, arguing that they need whatever help they can get, while also noting that the law has driven up prices and crippled the U.S. territorys economy.

When Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico in 2017, the Trump administration approved a temporary 10-day waiver of the Jones Act, which covered all products being shipped to Puerto Rico. An extension of that waiver was deemed unnecessary.

From NTD News
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security building is seen in Washington on July 22, 2019. (Alastair Pike/AFP via Getty Images)

DHS Pursuing 1,700 Leads on Alleged War Criminals Living in US

Lawmakers push for more prosecutions

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said on Sept. 28 that its pursuing nearly 1,700 leads of people living in the United States who were alleged perpetrators of war crimes, crimes against humanity, and other human rights violations.

The department confirmed the number of leads its pursuing in response to questioning by Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) during testimony on war crimes before the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Durbin noted that lawmakers have evidence that DHS is pursuing people from approximately 75 countries who are living in the United States.

These are known leads. The actual number may be even higher, Durbin noted. When the Department of Homeland Security discovers a perpetrator here in the United States, what options does it have for ensuring that the perpetrator will not enjoy safe haven status in our country?

Andre R. Watson, assistant director for national security at DHS, explained that the department has numerous options available to ensure the perpetrator will not be granted safe haven status, starting with the human rights violators and coordination center.

Watson said that DHS can build an investigation based on crime patterns as it relates to a region and that from there, it can find people who are associated with those crime patterns and eventually lead to the apprehension of that person.

More Prosecutions Needed

However, Durbin asked why, if DHS has over 1,700 leads, no prosecutions have taken place, to which Watson responded that the investigations take time because more often than not it requires an extensive work up.

He cited challenges such as tracking down foreign witnesses who are outside of the United States, meaning officials need to travel to them and conduct interviews.

I would say our credibility on this issue relies on results, Durbin responded.

Durbins questioning comes as lawmakers seek to pass the Justice for Victims of War Crimes Act, which would update the current 1996 war crimes legislation (pdf) to allow federal agencies to prosecute war criminals found in the United States, regardless of where their alleged crimes took place or whom they targeted, including if the targets were not U.S. citizens.

The bipartisan bill, which was introduced by Durbin and Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), also extends the statute of limitations for war crimes that are discovered years after they took place.

Under current U.S. law, individuals who commit war crimes in the United States or against Americans abroad may be prosecuted.

Lawmakers say the bill could enable the prosecution of Russian human rights crimes against Ukrainians if those perpetrators come to the United States

Human rights investigators appointed by the United Nations said last week that war crimesincluding sexual violence against women and children, torture, and executionshad been committed by Russia amid its invasion of Ukraine.

Watson was asked by the panel on Wednesday if he knew whether any Russian war criminals have made their way into the United States.

To the best of my knowledge, Im not aware of particulars to confirm that fact at this time, Watson said.
Lately, Dr. Aseem Malhotra, a British cardiologist who was previously supportive of COVID-19 vaccines has been the topic of breaking news stories for demanding a global stop to the distribution of the same vaccines he once promoted.

It was certainly a first for a doctor who had heavily promoted the vaccines to publicly demand a global stop to the mRNA injections.

In February 2021, Malhotra was asked to appear on Good Morning Britain, after a previously vaccine-hesitant film director Gurinder Chadha, Order of the British Empire (OBE)who was also interviewedexplained that she was convinced by Malhotra to take the jab.

However, more than a year later, in August 2022, Malhotra appeared on GB News, revealing that he had sent an open letter to the then-Prime Minister Boris Johnson and President Joe Biden calling for the immediate release of the raw data from Pfizers original COVID-19 vaccine trial.

A month later, in an article he published in the Journal of Insulin Resistance on Sept. 26, 2022, Malhotra discussed the current problems with the COVID-19 vaccinations and demanded an immediate stop to these vaccines. He also discussed how the decades-long accumulation of problems within the medical and pharmaceutical community have led to the global disaster of COVID-19 vaccinations.

What got him to change his mind?

Well, it was his own personal tragedy that changed him into a doctor calling for a global stop to the very vaccines he once promoted.

Undated file photo of an ambulance outside an Accident and Emergency Department. (Dominic Lipinski/PA Media)

A Personal Tragedy

As a leading cardiology consultant for many years, Malhotra was taught the benefits of vaccines, believed in them, and advocated for them.

In his first article, Malhotra wrote that vaccinations are some of the safest interventions in the world compared to most drugs, given that they are administered to prevent disease in healthy people and not to treat illness.

With this belief, Malhotra welcomed the news in the summer of 2020, when several pharmaceutical companies, including both Pfizer and Moderna, announced that they had developed a vaccine with more than 95 percent effectiveness at preventing infection from the dominant circulating strain of SARS-CoV-2 2019.

Malhotra, as a proponent of vaccines, volunteered at a vaccine center and was one of the first to receive two doses of Pfizers messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) vaccine.

He also recommended that his patients and the people around him take it.

His late father, Dr. Kailand Chand, a general practitioner, former deputy chair of the British Medical Association (BMA) and its honorary vice president, also took two doses of the Pfizer mRNA injection. Dr. Chand received the honorary Order of the British Empire (OBE) from the late Queen Elizabeth II of the UK in 2009.

Six months later, however, on July 26, 2021 Chand suffered a cardiac arrest at home after experiencing chest pain.

A subsequent inquiry revealed that a significant ambulance delay likely contributed to his death. Though his passing was a shock, what astounded Malhotra was Chands autopsy results.

The autopsy showed that two of his fathers three major coronary arteries had severe blockages, with 90 percent blockage in his left anterior descending artery and a 75 percent blockage in his right coronary artery.

This finding shocked everyone, according to Malhotra, as Chand was an extremely fit and active 73-year-old man.

It was particularly difficult for Malhotra to accept these results as he knew Chands medical history and lifestyle habits.

My father, who had been a keen sportsman all his life, was fitter than the overwhelming majority of men his age, Malhotra wrote.

Since the previous heart scans (a few years earlier, which had revealed no significant problems with perfect blood flow throughout his arteries and only mild furring), he had quit sugar, lost belly fat, reduced the dose of his blood pressure pills, started regular meditation, reversed his pre-diabetes, and even massively dropped his blood triglycerides, significantly improving his cholesterol profile, Malhotra wrote.

Even during the lockdowns, Chand walked an average of 10,000 to 15,000 steps everyday.

Malhotra could not explain the autopsy findings, it looked to him as if there was no heart attack but only a severe blockage, which was unexpected given Chands lifestyle habits.

As a leading cardiologist, Malhotra had successfully prescribed lifestyle regimens to his patients to reduce their metabolic symptoms. He had even co-authored to a highly impactful study advising lifestyle changes to prevent coronary heart disease.

His years of study, his fathers health, and previous health reports didnt match up with the autopsy findings.

Finally, in November, Malhotra was made aware of a peer-reviewed abstract published in Circulation, a reputable journal on cardiovascular and coronary diseases.

The abstract evaluated over 500 middle-aged patients through regular follow up and predicted their risk of a heart attack by measuring and modeling the inflammatory markers present.

Before vaccination, these people had a 11 percent (pre-mRNA vaccine) risk of suffering a coronary event in the next 5 years, this number increased to 25 percent two to 10 weeks post-vaccinationa significant increase.

The study received some criticism as there was no control group; namely, patients who had not received the vaccination to compare against. But, even if the findings are just partially correct, the vaccine may then accelerate progression of coronary disease, Malhotra concluded.

The finding sowed suspicion in Malhotras mind. He questioned if his fathers death could have been related to his COVID-19 vaccinations, and began to critically evaluate the data.

Magnetic resonance imaging of the heart (Radiological imaging/Shutterstock)

Alarming Heart Data

Malhotra recalled that one of his colleagues disclosed that he would not be taking the vaccine as he was considered to have a low risk of mortality from COVID-19 and also because of what he saw in Pfizers pivotal mRNA trial published in The New England Journal of Medicine.

That report, with six months of Pfizer vaccine data published in September 2021, rang one of the first alarms in Malhotras mind. In the reports Supplementary Appendix, it showed four cardiac arrests in the Pfizer vaccine recipients versus only one in the placebo group.

Even though the numbers are small and did not report to reach a statistical difference, it is already a potential safety signal and quite unusual from pharmacovigilance perspective. A detailed due diligence on the causal relationship of these cases should have been conducted, as if there was a biological causal factor underlying this phenomena, the small number in phase 3 clinical trials will be expanded into much larger folds in post marketing data, which is what we have observed now, said Dr. Yuhong Dong, an infectious disease expert with a pharmacovigilance background and a columnist with The Epoch Times.

Unfortunately, this signal was overlooked; jab programs continued and more alarms continued to ring.

While health authorities repeatedly maintained that myocarditis is more common after COVID-19 infection than after vaccination, real world data does not provide support for their assertions.

A JAMA study published in August 2021 of data from 40 U.S. hospitals recorded that the incidence of myocarditis skyrocketed from the spring of 2021 when vaccines were rolled out to the younger cohorts while myocarditis incidence had remained at baseline rates from 2019 to 2020, drawing a possible association between COVID-19 vaccinations and the development of myocarditis.

Further, a Nordic study published in April 2022 showed that mRNA vaccinations were associated with increased risk of myocarditis over the background rates.

The study evaluated 23.1 million residents across four Nordic countries and found myocarditis risk was the highest in young males aged 16 to 24 years after receiving the second vaccine dose.

Compared to unvaccinated subjects, young vaccinated males had an excess of four to seven myocarditis events in 28 days per 100,000 vaccinated after the second Pfizer dose, and between 9 to 28 excesses per 100,000 vaccinated after the second Moderna dose in young males aged 16-24 years.

Although the studies seemed to point towards the mRNA vaccinations, health authorities continued to repeat the agenda that myocarditis events are higher in those with COVID-19 infections than in those who were vaccinated.

Strong evidence for rebuttal came in March 2022 from a study in Israel. These findings helped Malhotra and most doctors attribute the cause of the myocarditis to the COVID-19 vaccine, not to the COVID-19 infection.

The authors evaluated more than 196,000 unvaccinated patients who experienced a COVID-19 infection and compared them to more than 590,000 people who have not been vaccinated nor infected, composing a total of more than 787,000 people in this large scale study.

Both the groups who were infected and uninfected had a myocarditis and pericarditis rate of below 0.01 percent, though the number was actually lower for the group infected by COVID-19.

Comparing this finding to the other reports (pdf) of myocarditis emerging in vaccinated children, the results are strongly suggesting that the increases observed in earlier studies were because of the mRNA vaccines, with or without COVID-19 infections as an additional risk in the vaccinated, Malhotra wrote.

Although vaccine-induced myocarditis is not often fatal in young adults, MRI scans revealed that, of the ones admitted to hospital, approximately 80 percent have a certain degree of persistent myocardial heart damage, which predicts unfavorable outcomes for the future.

It is like suffering a small heart attack and sustaining somelikely permanentheart muscle injury, wrote Malhotra.

It is uncertain how this will play out in the longer-term, including if, and to what degree, it will increase the risk of poor quality of life or potentially more serious heart rhythm disturbances in the future.

It is now reported in July 2022 in the JAMA Internal Medicine that the leading cause of death in the United States during the pandemicfrom March 2020 to October 2021was heart disease.

Data obtained in England suggest that there was no increase from November 2020 to March 2021, and thereafter the rise has been seen disproportionately in the young. This is a huge signal that surely needs investigating with some urgency.

Similarly, a recent paper in Nature revealed a 25 percent increase in both acute coronary syndrome and cardiac arrest calls in the 16- to 39-year-old age group which was significantly associated with administration of the first and second doses of the mRNA vaccines but had no association with COVID-19 infection.

Misleading Clinical Data

Malhotra found that the efficacy data coming from the mRNA vaccine manufacturers themselves were obfuscated, misleading the public and most doctors.

In terms of efficacy, headlines around the world made very bold claims of 95 percent effectiveness, the interchangeable use of efficacy and effectiveness glossing over the big difference between controlled trials and real-world conditions, Malhotra wrote.

Without evaluating the data, most doctors and the general public interpreted the statement to mean if 100 people are vaccinated then 95 percent of people would be protected from getting the infection.

This assumption was even echoed by Rochelle Walensky, director of the U.S. Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), who conceded in an interview in March 2022 that it was a news story from CNN reporting 95 percent effectiveness that made her optimistic the vaccine would stop transmission of the infection.

In reality, the original trial revealed that a person was 95 percent less likely to catch the autumn 2020 variant. This is a relative risk reduction, which is very different from the absolute risk reduction everyone had inferred.

In absolute terms, they [the vaccinations] provided 0.84 percent protection which means only one in 119 people would be protected from infection, Malhotra said on GB News.

In the context of the Pfizer trial, relative risk reduction shows how much the vaccine reduces your risk of whatever measured compared to people who are not vaccinated. However, a vaccinated person would need to know the absolute risk for the unvaccinated to calculate their overall risk.

What did the Pfizer trial measure?

Malhotra wrote that the Pfizer trials results could only show how the vaccine reduced the risk of testing COVID-19 positive while symptomatic. A positive testing result was assumed to be indicative of infection, which Malhotra argued was also misleading.

The symptomatic COVID-19 infection rate in the placebo group was 0.88 percent (162 infection out of 18,325), whereas the infection rate in Pfizer jab group was 0.04 percent (8 infection out of 18,198).

He clarified that Pfizers trial results do not showdespite popular beliefthe risk of severe infection, nor COVID-19 mortality.

What is an unvaccinated persons chance of testing positive for COVID-19 with symptoms?

It is 0.88 percent. Meaning that out of 10,000 people who are unvaccinated, 88 of them would test positive with symptoms to COVID-19.

That also means around 9,912 unvaccinated people out of the same 10,000 would not test positivehigher than 99 percent.

For a vaccinated person, reducing the 0.88 percent by 95 percent gives a 0.04 percent risk of testing positive while symptomatic, meaning 10,000 people would need to be vaccinated to reduce positive symptomatic numbers to four.

The actual difference in absolute risks of a positive test result between the vaccinated and the unvaccinated group is 0.84 percent rather than 95 percent, which is what the public assumed.

This absolute risk reduction figure (0.84%) is extremely important for doctors and patients to know but how many of them were told this when they received the shot? Transparent communication of risk and benefit of any intervention is a core principle of ethical evidence-based medical practice and informed consent, wrote Malhotra.

Malhotra implies that the mixing of relative and absolute risk results were deliberate to manipulate the public.

As Gerd Gigerenze, director of the Max Planck Institute, once said Its an ethical imperative that every doctor and patient understand the difference between relative and absolute risks to protect patients against unnecessary anxiety and manipulation.(pdf)

With such minor improvements, the benefits of COVID-19 vaccination for humans are tenuous, not to mention the data on potential risks.

Pfizers six-month period trial resulted in a higher number of deaths attributed to COVID-19 in the placebo group with two deaths as opposed to one in the vaccine group. However, the all-cause mortality over a longer time period showed that the vaccine group had 19 deaths, with 17 deaths in the placebo group.

People may argue that the mRNA vaccine protects people against death. Again the number in the Pfizer paper only showed the relative reduction but not the absolute number. Malhotra has shown us some simple math to explain the absolute protection rate of the Pfizer vaccine against death.

If there is a 1 in 119 chance the vaccine protects you from getting symptomatic infection from ancestral variants, then to find the protection against death, this figure (n = 119) must be multiplied by the number of infections that lead to a single death for each age group. This would give (for up to two months after the inoculation) the absolute risk reduction (for death) from the vaccine, Malhotra explains.

For example, if my risk at age 44 of dying from Delta (should I get infected with it) is 1 in 3000, then the absolute risk reduction from the vaccine protecting me from death is 1 over 3000 multiplied by 119, that is, 1 per 357 000.

These absolute protection rates of the Pfizer jabs are way too low to be rated as effective enough that people would need them at all.

Further, the trials for children also showed no reduction in symptomatic infections.

The study used a surrogate measure of antibody levels in the blood to define efficacy.

Here is the catch: Surrogate markers may correlate with clinical improvement, in this case increased immunity, but correlation does not mean causation, so meeting the surrogate marker is not a sign that the vaccine will work.

Even the U.S. Food and Drug Administrations own website states that results from currently authorized SARS-COV-2 antibody tests should not be used to evaluate a persons level of immunity or protection from COVID-19 at any time, and especially after the person received a COVID-19 vaccination.

With these examples, Malhotra presented his argument that the vaccinations did very little for immune protection, if anything at all.

With the clinical efficacy so obfuscated, Malhotra argued that most of the vaccinated did not give informed consent, as neither they nor their doctor knew about the exact immunity they would receive following vaccination.

Despite all these concerns, vaccination mandates were pushed in the United States and globally while reports of vaccine-related health concerns persisted.

Vaccines Causing More Harm Than Good?

Other adverse events occurring after COVID-19 vaccines have been widely reported.

Dr. Jessica Rose, a Canadian molecular biologist and data analyst, has found unprecedented rises in cardiac, neurological, and immunological events reported in the U.S. Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS).

Yellow card data from the health authority (MHRA) in the United Kingdom, showed around 1 in 120 mRNA COVID-19 recipients suffering a likely adverse event that is beyond mild. In comparison, for the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine, the number of reports per vaccinated was around 1 in 4,000, more than 30 times less frequent than for COVID vaccine recipients.

Malhotra explained that conventional vaccines have been based on an inertmeaning unreactivepart of the bacteria or virus to educate the immune system. The injections are also localized and short-lived.

The spike protein was chosen as the vaccine candidate for COVID-19. It is a protein segment that enables cell entry and therefore chosen as an immunogen to teach the immune system to form an immunity.

However, this protein is not inert, but rather it is the source of much of the pathology associated with severe COVID-19, Malhotra wrote.

Studies on the COVID-19 vaccines have also shown that the spike proteins are being produced continuously at unpredictable amounts for at least four months after vaccinations and can be found everywhere in the body after a jab in the arm muscle.

This included endothelial damage, clotting abnormalities, lung damage, and much more.

Perhaps the most conclusive study was published on Aug. 31, 2022, led by researchers in the United States, Australia, and Europe who evaluated Pfizer and Modernas own clinical trial findings submitted to the FDA.

Contrary to the FDAs conclusions, the authors found that the risk of severe adverse effects from the mRNA vaccines is higher than the risk of hospitalization from COVID-19 infection.

It seems difficult to argue that the vaccine roll-out has been net beneficial in all age groups, Malhotra wrote, citing the rising adverse event reports and the clinical data showing little improvement.

Malhotra called for a global stop to the COVID-19 mRNA vaccinations.

Adverse events from vaccines remain constant, whereas the benefits reduce over time as new variants are less virulent and not targeted by an outdated product  a pause and reappraisal of vaccination policies for COVID-19 is long overdue, concluded Malhotra.
Dozens of Ex-FBI Agents Back Whistleblower Who Accused Agency of Political Bias: Report

Thirty former FBI agents have issued messages of support for suspended whistleblower Steve Friend, who alleged political bias at the agency over its handling of the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol breach probe.

Among the former agents expressing support for Friend include a retired deputy assistant director and five former SWAT team members, according to the New York Post.

Friend wrote in a declaration made public on Sept. 26 that the FBI had been using heavy-handed tactics on some suspects in the Jan. 6, 2021, breach of the U.S. Capitol, citing a case in which a SWAT team was used to make an arrest on misdemeanor charges, which he called inappropriate.

The whistleblower also accused the agency of violating the Justice Departments guidelines for the FBIs domestic investigations (pdf) by resorting to atypical procedures in the handling of Jan. 6, 2021, probes.

He claimed that the FBI had diminished the role of field offices and field agents in the Jan. 6, 2021, investigations by centralizing case management to the FBIs J6 Task Force.

Resultantly, there are active criminal investigations of J6 subjects in which I am listed as the Case Agent, but have not done any investigative work, Friend stated.

The whistleblower added that J6 Task Force members are listed as affiants on search and arrest warrant affidavits where hes listed as a case agent but never interviewed the subjects or investigated the cases.

He also alleged that the FBI was deprioritizing child sexual abuse investigations in favor of domestic terror probes.

Friends lawyer told The Epoch Times in an earlier emailed statement that Friend is still employed by the FBI but remains suspended without pay.

Messages of Support

Its time to stop the FBI from being the enforcer of a political partys ideology, stated one of the messages attributed to retired FBI agent Ernie Tibaldi, according to the NY Post.

We need to reestablish the FBI as the apolitical and independent law enforcement entity that it always was.

Regarding Friends allegations that the FBI used excessive force in arresting suspects accused of misdemeanor offenses, five former SWAT team members agreed.

Retired FBI Special Agent David Baldovin, who spent some two dozen years in SWAT, told the NY Post, The current useor should I say abuseof Bureau SWAT teams has been outrageous.

He praised Friend for having the courage to say no to the current bunch of FBI bureaucrats and tyrants.

Another former SWAT team member told the NY Post he had taken part in numerous raids, all of which were limited to serious felonies.

Other messages were in a similar vein, with some commending Friend for showing courage and another calling him an American hero.

Friend, who has refused to take part in future operations relating to the Jan. 6, 2021, probe, has had his security clearance suspended pending an investigation. He has also been stripped of his credentials, firearm, and badge.

Lawmakers Allege FBI Retaliation Against Friend

Sens. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), who released Friends whistleblowing declaration, accused the FBI of retaliation.

Ultimately, rather than reassigning Special Agent Friend other tasks as he requested, FBI leadership apparently made the choice to retaliate against and make an example of him, the senators wrote in a Sept. 26 letter to FBI Director Christopher Wray.

The alleged actions by FBI senior leadership are unacceptable and send exactly the wrong message.

The FBI stated in an earlier email to The Epoch Times that it had received the letter from Grassley and Johnson and that whistleblowers are protected against retaliation.

While we cannot comment on the specifics of personnel matters, all FBI employees understand they are held to the highest standards because their work is critical to fulfilling our mission of protecting the American people and upholding the Constitution of the United States. Employees who dont carry out their responsibilities are held accountable through an objective administrative process, an FBI spokesperson wrote.

FBI employees who report evidence of wrongdoing through a protected disclosure are protected from retaliation. Such reporting supports the FBIs mission and is fully consistent with our core values.

Zachary Stieber contributed to this report.
Elon Musk's Twitter profile on a smartphone placed on printed Twitter logos, on April 28, 2022. (Dado Ruvic/Illustration/Reuters)

Elon Musk Seeks to End SEC Muzzle Requiring Pre-Approval of Tweets

NEW YORKElon Musks lawyers urged a federal appeals court to throw out a provision in his 2018 consent decree with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) requiring a Tesla Inc lawyer to vet some of his posts on Twitter.

In a brief filed late on Tuesday with the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan, lawyers for Musk called the pre-approval mandate a government-imposed muzzle that inhibited and chilled his lawful speech on a broad range of topics.

They also said the requirement violated the U.S. Constitution, and undermined public policy by running contrary to the American principles of free speech and open debate.

The SEC declined to comment on Wednesday. It is expected to file its own brief with the appeals court.

Musk wants to overturn part of an April 27 decision by U.S. District Judge Lewis Liman that rejected his bid to throw out the consent decree altogether.

Liman said Musks arguments amounted to a bemoaning of requirements he no longer wanted to adhere to now that his company has become, in his estimation, all but invincible.

Musk, 51, is worth $259.8 billion, nearly twice as much as anyone else, Forbes magazine said on Wednesday.

The decree resolved a lawsuit accusing Musk of defrauding investors with a Aug. 7, 2018 tweet that he had funding secured to take his electric car company private, though a buyout was not close. Musk has said the tweet was truthful.

In settling, Musk agreed to let a Tesla lawyer screen tweets that might contain material information about the company.

He and Tesla each also paid $20 million in civil fines, and Musk gave up his role as Tesla chairman.

But the SEC later opened a probe and subpoenaed documents concerning Musks and Teslas compliance, after Musk asked his followers in a Nov. 6, 2021 tweet whether he should sell 10% of his Tesla stake to cover tax bills on stock options.

In Tuesdays filing, Musks lawyers said it was time to rein in the SEC, which is keeping him under constant threat it might reject his view of which disclosures require pre-approval.

Under the shadow of the consent decree, the SEC has increasingly surveilled, policed, and attempted to curb Mr. Musks protected speech that does not touch upon the federal securities laws, the lawyers wrote. Any objective served by the pre-approval provision has been served.

Musk is separately trying to abandon his April agreement to buy Twitter for $44 billion, saying the company misled him by downplaying the number of fake accounts.

Twitter has sued Musk to force him to complete the merger at the agreed-upon price, which is 23% higher than where its shares closed on Tuesday. An Oct. 17 nonjury trial is scheduled in Delaware Chancery Court.

The case is Musk v SEC, 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, No. 22-1291.

By Jonathan Stempel
A Tesla logo on a car in the rain in the Manhattan borough of New York on May 5, 2021. (Carlo Allegri/Reuters)

Elons Fanboy Leo KoGuan Buys More Tesla Shares, Now Has Over 22 Million

Leo KoGuan, a wealthy Singapore-based Chinese businessman, updated his Telsa holdings several times in September and announced on Sept. 22 that his shares now totaled more than 22 million.

KoGuan said via Twitter that he purchased 11,380 shares of Tesla stock at $288.82/share on that day, bringing his total to 22,750,000 shares of Tesla.

In a previous post, he stated that he often buys Tesla stocks when others are selling, in order to demonstrate his confidence in the company as well as a way of providing encouragement.

KoGuan is the third largest individual shareholder in Tesla after Elon Musk and Oracle founder Larry Ellison.

Great meeting @KoguanLeo over lunch and seeing his @Tesla Model X (there are only 10 in Singapore)! Happy to know that our little red dot, Singapore, has a passionate Tesla community from all walks of life. pic.twitter.com/R1bQl36PE6  Daren Yoong (@darenyoong) August 6, 2022

Last year KoGuan told Forbes that hes Elons fanboy.

When he met Musk for the first time at SpaceXs headquarters in 2019, they talked about physics instead of business, according to a 2021 Forbes report.

When Teslas stock plunged shortly after the start of the pandemic, KoGuan kept buying and even sold all his other stocks to support Tesla.

KoGuan believed Musk was a man on a great mission, according to a November 2021 report by South China Morning Post. He regularly shares information and opinions about Musk and Tesla on Twitter.

He has also defended Musk online on more than one occasion.

Elon is attacked for being an extraordinary human being. We must protect the extraordinary achievers for the survival of mankind. We protected the great Newton, Maxwell, Edison, Tesla, Van Neumann, Cloud Shannon, and Einstein before. Today, we must protect the genius Elon Musk.  KoGuan Leo (@KoguanLeo) May 24, 2022

Currently, his Twitter account has more than 25,000 followers.

This year for the first time, the 67-year-old made The Forbes 400 rich list.

Born in Indonesia, KoGuan received his masters degree from Columbia Universitys School of International and Public Affairs in 1982, and his J.D. from New York Law School in 1985. He is a co-founder of Software House International, a U.S.-based IT provider.

KoGuans Own Missions

Apart from Tesla, KoGuan has two other causes that he has devoted much of his time tohis Xuan Yuan Anti-entropic Operating System 2.0, and contributions to Chinese universities.

Xuan Yuan, also known as the Yellow Emperor, is the founding ancestor of Chinas Han culture. KoGuan considers it his lifelong mission to realize the dream of Xuan Yuan.

In 2015, KoGuans Xuan Yuan Anti-Entropy Operation System 2.0 attracted public attention in China. This theory, which few people could understand, was disparaged and criticized as pseudoscience by some Chinese netizens.

But a couple of academics came to his defenseXu Bing, a professor at Tsinghua Universitys law school, and Du Gangjian, dean of Hunan Universitys law school. According to Phoenix media, they said that KoGuan was a person of wisdom and that netizens should not blame others for their inability to understand rather than reflecting on their own lack of knowledge.

KoGuans contributions to Chinese schools include large donations to several Chinese universitiesShanghai Jiaotong Universitys Law School was renamed to KoGuan Law School as a result.

Some ten years ago he also taught elective courses at Tsinghua University and Peking University.

KoGuan taught Chinese Legal ThoughtWithin the Framework of the Rule of Law and Mandate of Heaven in which he shared his understanding of Chinese traditional culture. He believes that Xuan Yuan is Chinas first leader, first comprehensive physician, first environmentalist, and mankinds first human rights lawyer.

He has called on Chinese people to recognize that Xuan Yuan is their glorious and remarkable ancestor, the father of Chinese culture and civilization.

He said that Xuan Yuan thought is the source and origin of the hundreds of Chinese ideology schools in the countrys 5,000 years of history.

His courses were very well received at the two universities, to the point that students who applied had to pass an in-person interview to enroll.
A coal storage site for German energy supplier Steag is shown in Duisburg, Germany, on April 5, 2022. (Ina Fassbender/AFP via Getty Images)

Europe Braces for Phone Service Outages Ahead of Winter Energy Shortage

Mobile phones may go dark in Europe this winter due to the energy crisis potentially affecting much of the cellular network across the continent.

The massive reduction of Russian gas supplies to Europe over the Ukraine conflict has led to the specter of power cuts, resulting in a panic among the European telecommunications industry, according to Reuters, which reported that industry executives fear that a harsh winter would seriously put their infrastructure under stress.

Utility companies and government officials in the European Union are trying to mitigate the impact of such a disaster.

There are currently not enough back-up systems across the continent to handle the widespread power shortages, which will likely lead to mobile phone outages, phone executives told Reuters.

Most European countries dont have generators to back up power for an extended period.

States across the EU are trying formulate a plan to keep telecommunications running, even if power shortages overload back-up battery systems installed across the region.

France, which is dealing with the major issue of several nuclear power plants shutting down for maintenance over the coming months, is trying to take the lead on this issue.

Reuters reported that telecommunications operators and French electricity distributor Enedis have been discussing the issue over the summer.

Enedis told Reuters that all regular customers will be treated on an equal footing in the event of severe power outages.

The French utility said that it was able to isolate sections of the power grid to supply key customers, such as hospitals, strategic industries, and the military.

Company officials said that it was up to local authorities to put telecommunications infrastructure on the list of priorities in cause of a blackout.

The French Federation of Telecoms (FFT)a telecommunications association representing phone companies Orange, Bouygues Telecom, and Altices SFRpushed the responsibility onto Enedis for failing to exempt cellphone tower antennas from the power cuts.

France has about 62,000 mobile towers in operation, but the industry does not have the resources to equip all antennas with new back up batteries, FFT President Liza Bellulo told Reuters.

A European Telecommunications Crisis

Meanwhile in the United Kingdom, telecommunications company BT Group recently told the Financial Times that it did not need more backup power for the winter, but it was still assessing which noncritical systems could be switched off to save energy.

European telecommunication executives explained to Reuters that they were undergoing a review of their networks to reduce extra power usage and modernize their equipment with more energy efficient cell towers.

The phone utilities will install new software to optimize traffic flow, allow cell towers to sleep when not in use, and utilize different spectrum bands.

They said they would work with their government agencies to make sure that the back-up plans were fully functional in order to maintain critical services in time for winter.

Telecommunication companies in those three countries said they are coordinating with government authorities in case of extended power shortages.

Swedish communications regulator PTS will finance the purchase of transportable fuel stations and mobile base stations in order to handle longer power outages, while Germanys Deutsche Telekom will use its diesel powered mobile emergency back up systems in the event of prolonged power failures.

Italian communication companies are hoping the new Italian government will exempt them from energy saving cuts during mandatory power rationing.

European phone manufacturers Nokia and Ericsson told Reuters they were working with mobile network operators to mitigate the impact of potential power shortages.
Syringes containing a COVID-19 vaccine in Needham, Mass., on June 21, 2022. (Joseph Prezioso/AFP via Getty Images)

EXCLUSIVE: FDA Withholding Autopsy Results on People Who Died After Getting COVID-19 Vaccines

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is refusing to release the results of autopsies conducted on people who died after getting COVID-19 vaccines.

The FDA says it is barred from releasing medical files, but a drug safety advocate says that it could release the autopsies with personal information redacted.

The refusal was issued to The Epoch Times, which submitted a Freedom of Information Act for all autopsy reports obtained by the FDA concerning any deaths reported to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System following COVID-19 vaccination.

Reports are lodged with the system when a person experiences an adverse event, or a health issue, after receiving a vaccine. The FDA and other agencies are tasked with investigating the reports. Authorities request and review medical records to vet the reports, including autopsies.

The FDA declined to release any reports, even redacted copies.

The FDA cited federal law, which enables agencies to withhold information if the agency reasonably foresees that disclosure would harm an interest protected by an exemption, with the exemption being personnel and medical files and similar files the disclosure of which would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of personal privacy.

Federal regulations also bar the release of personnel, medical and similar files the disclosure of which constitutes a clearly unwarranted invasion of personal privacy.

The Epoch Times has appealed the denial, in addition to the recent denial of results of data analysis of VAERS reports.

Easily Be Redacted

Kim Witczak, a drug safety advocate who advises the FDA as part of the Psychopharmacologic Drugs Advisory Committee, said that the reports could be released with personal information blacked out.

The personal information could easily be redacted without losing the potential learnings from [the] autopsy, Witczak told The Epoch Times via email.

People make the choice to submit autopsy results to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System, Witczak noted.

If someone submits their experience to VAERS they want and expect to have it investigated by the FDA. This includes autopsy reports, she said.

Autopsies are examinations of deceased persons performed to determine the cause of death.

Autopsies can be an important part of postmortem analysis and should be done especially with increased deaths following COVID-19 vaccination, Witczak said.

FDA Responds

An FDA spokesperson noted that deaths following COVID-19 vaccination are rare, citing the number of reports made to VAERS.

As of Sept. 14, 16,516 reports of death following COVID-19 vaccination have been reported. Approximately 616 million doses have been administered in the United States through September.

The spokesperson declined to say whether the FDA would ever release the autopsy results, but pointed to a paper authored by researchers with the FDA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The paper, which has not been peer reviewed, analyzed the approximately 9,800 reports of death to VAERS following COVID-19 vaccination lodged from Dec. 14, 2020, to Nov. 17, 2021. Researchers found that reporting rates were lower than the expected all-cause mortality rates.

Trends in reporting rates reflected known trends in background mortality rates. These findings do not suggest an association between vaccination and overall increased mortality, the researchers wrote.

The researchers noted that prior studies have found that adverse events reported to VAERS are an undercount of the true number of events.
Experts Chart Road Back to Lower Crime Amid Recent Surge

America is facing a vexing crime problem. Even if the causes of the surge in the past few years are correctly identified, it could take many years of sustained efforts to reverse it. However, some solutions could be deployed right away, according to several expertsas long as theres a will to do so.

Police departments, they have to get back to the basic blocking and tackling, keeping their communities safe, said Zack Smith, former federal prosecutor and now a legal fellow with the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank. Prosecutors have to get back to the basic blocking and tackling of prosecuting crimes. And so when that happens, I think the system will begin to function much, much better.

Murders and shootings, in particular, rose sharply in 2020 and continued to rise in 2021, available data indicates (pdf). Other crime followed, particularly robbery and theft (pdf, pdf).

Experts have identified several factors behind the surge, including new laws that make it harder to arrest and imprison a criminal; lenient, ideologically driven prosecutors; and disruptions to the court and prison systems in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

These phenomena have been allowed to take root partly due to complacency over receding crime in recent decades, according to Thomas Hogan, an adjunct fellow at the conservative Manhattan Institute and former federal prosecutor.

During that great crime decline, prosecutors, police, mayors pulled every lever to reduce crime, he said.

As a result, people really began to believe, Well, crimes going to keep going down no matter what. Weve won the war on crime. We dont have to do all these things anymore. We dont have to lock anybody up anymore. Now theyre finding out that thats not true.

Yet some cities, like Oklahoma City or Detroit, were able to counter the crime wave better than others.

The triumvirate in any city that will control crime are the police chief, the chief prosecutor, and the mayor, Hogan said. In any place where those three are aligned on controlling crime, youll probably see fairly low crime. And thats separate and apart from what their politics are.

Some cities, where officials and even a large part of the electorate may have been sympathetic to the defund the police or de-incarceration agenda, are now reconsidering.

Even in very left-leaning cities with very left-leaning mayors youre seeing this phenomenon where people are recognizing that you need to have law and order in order for the rest of society to be able to flourish, Smith said.

Reversing the soft-on-crime policies, however, is not an easy process. District attorneys, mayors, judges, and lawmakers advocating such policies are often backed by powerful financial players such as progressive billionaire George Soros.

And even if new officials are elected and the policies are officially reversed, the system will still have to deal with emboldened criminals.

It could take a decade to return to the lows we saw in 2019, said Sean Kennedy, a criminal justice expert at the Maryland Public Policy Institute, a liberty-oriented think tank.

Alternative Programs

On the other hand, returning to a tough-on-crime strategy doesnt mean that locking people up will be the only solution. Many reasonable reforms have been implemented over the years to steer offenders back to the right path or prevent at-risk people from falling into criminal ways.

Traditional law-and-order District Attorneys have really been at the forefront and setting up alternative programs to help people who may need treatment. Drug courts, veterans courts, domestic violence courts, all of those are reforms that predated this rogue prosecutor movement, Smith said.

But the key to those programs is that theres still accountability. If someone goes to a drug court and they either refuse to complete the program or they wont complete the program, at that point the District Attorney can step back in and reinstitute the charges against them and they can be convicted and sent to prison.

Hogan agreed.

The restorative justice model only works if you also have a serious traditional model on top of it, he said.

In his experience, it does happen that criminals get straightened out and theres value to giving a criminal a chance to fix his behavior through some program alternative to incarceration.

That will only work if on the other end of it they know, If I dont steer away from this then I will end up going to jail for a really long time, he cautioned.

Because if the other end of restorative justice is, No matter what I do, Im not going to jail for very long, then its not going to work.

Ultimately, the jury is still out on whether restorative justice programs are effective, he said.

Theres just not enough data.

Prevention

Over the past decade, many violence prevention programs have also been put in place.

Police have increasingly adopted precision policing strategies, focusing their attention on the individuals most prone to violence.

Its a relatively small cohort of offenders that cause most of the violent crime in every city. And thats around the world. Its five percent of the offenders who cause over 50 percent of the violent crime, Hogan said.

Violence interrupters, often former gang members and ex-cons themselves, have been employed in some cities to mediate conflicts between rival gangs, crews, and factions to prevent the endless cycle of vendetta. Their efforts seem to have yielded some reduction shootings.

Also, various youth mentorship programs, in which at-risk youth would be assigned to an adult with some success to their name who could provide credible guidance on how to make it in life without resorting to crime, have become popular.

Yet, several former gang members who previously spoke to The Epoch Times indicated that aside from getting a second chance it was also the threat of ending up in prison for good that motivated them to turn around.

Whats lacking right now is accountability for anyone, Smith said.
Experts Say Flawed Study Used to Justify Mask Mandate, $3 Million in Fines Levied at Church

Santa Clara Countys $3 million lawsuit against a church in Californias Silicon Valley over COVID-19 mandate violations, as well as its prior mask mandate, was based on a study thats deeply flawed, critics say.

Pastor Mike McClure of Calvary Chapel San Jose defied county mandates from May through October 2020 when the church held indoor services, made masks optional, ignored social distancing rules, and refused to place limits on how many of its 600 congregants could attend services.

The county filed a civil enforcement lawsuit against the church in November 2020 to collect fines and penalties totaling $2.87 millionand in its latest move, the county asked the California Supreme Court on Sept. 26 to review an appeals court decision from August that allowed the church to avoid paying more than $200,000 in court fines.

The inside of Calvary Chapel San Jose, Calif., on Dec. 8, 2020. (David Lam/The Epoch Times)

Meanwhile, the countys indoor mask mandate was changed to a recommendation in March. The church also filed a civil rights lawsuit against county and state officials over the fines and COVID-related restrictions in April.

In a deposition in August, Dr. Sara Cody, the countys public health officer, was asked about studies she relied on regarding COVID-19 policies.

I can remember a particular study around masking evidence that was a large study in Bangladesh that had casesit was a large retrospective cohort study that demonstrated the efficacy of community-wide masking. I cant remember exactly where it was published. It was not published by the CDC [U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention], she said.

Dr. Robert Malone, an internationally recognized scientist and physician who has conducted key research on mRNA vaccines, told the Epoch Times that while Cody is highly credentialed, she is citing as justification for action a very flawed study that actually proves if anything, that the masks dont work, when you actually look at the data.

Norman Fenton, a mathematician and risk information management professor at Queen Mary University of London, also said the Bangladesh study doesnt hold up to rigorous analysis and doesnt prove masks work.

There was no discernible effect of the mask intervention on covid infection, he concluded.

In his paper from May, Fenton states the news media grossly exaggerated the authors conclusions in the Bangladesh study, and that skeptical researchers have identified weaknesses in various aspects of the trial and statistical analysis, thus casting doubt on the significance of the results.

A more recent re-analysis published on Sept. 15 provides additional damning critique of the Bangladesh study, Fenton said in an email to The Epoch Times. The re-analysis, led by University of CaliforniaBerkeley professor Benjamin Recht, found masks had a modest or no direct effect on COVID-related outcomes.

Cody did not respond to multiple Epoch Times inquiries, and the countys media relations staff declined to comment.

Dr. Robert Malone, who conducted key research on mRNA vaccines, speaks at the Defeat the Mandates rally in Los Angeles on April 10, 2022. (Brad Jones/The Epoch Times)

Statistical Noise

Malone and former Silicon Valley entrepreneur Steve Kirsch, who have both spoken at Defeat the Mandates rallies, attended an event hosted by the Liberty Forum of Silicon Valley on COVID mismanagement in Santa Clara on Aug. 13.

Kirsch has written extensively about the pandemic, and said Codys recent deposition provided a rare opportunity to force a public health official to answer questions, according to his Sept. 20 Substack post.

We finally learn in the deposition that Sara Codys mask mandate was based on the Bangladesh mask study, Kirsch wrote.

He pointed outas Recht did in his critiquedata in the study seems to suggest red cloth masks worked better than surgical masks, while purple cloth masks were ineffective.

Well, you cant change the color of a mask and have it suddenly work. Physics doesnt work that way, and so clearly what was going on is they were just measuring statistical noise, Kirsch told The Epoch Times.

Former Silicon Valley entrepreneur Steve Kirsch at the Defeat the Mandates rally in Los Angeles on April 10, 2022. (Brad Jones/The Epoch Times)

Kirsch contends there is no valid science to back up the idea that masks work in the first place, and for the county to continue its lawsuit against the church for $3 million and ignore evidence the Bangladesh mask study is flawed is just ridiculous, and an unconscionable miscarriage of justice.

Even though several experts have cast doubt on the study, its authors and Science medical journal have refused to retract it, so it remains a serious problem, Kirsch said.

Meanwhile, another study in Finland from April seems to indicate people were worse off wearing masks, according to an analysis by Dr. Vinay Prasad, a professor in the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics at the University of CaliforniaSan Francisco.

And, last week the CDC loosened its guidance on mask requirements in nursing homes and hospitals.

The Sept. 23 revision by the CDC said that nursing home facilities and hospitals in a number of areas without high community transmission can choose not to require all doctors, patients, and visitors to wear masks.

Updates were made to reflect the high levels of vaccine- and infection-induced immunity and the availability of effective treatments and prevention tools, the CDC said.

Rally attendees show support for Pastor Mike McClure near the Santa Clara Superior Court in San Jose, Calif., on Dec. 8, 2020. (The Epoch Times)

Church Supporters

Malone and others who defend Calvary Chapel San Jose say Cody, the public health officer, and county attorney James Williams have gone too far in their actions against the church.

This is extremely heavy-handed inappropriate behavior. And, to top it off, of course, we have the whole issue of the right to assembly and freedom of religion which is clearly being violated here. The behavior of this county is egregious, Malone said.

McClure told The Epoch Times he acted as a Good Samaritan to help people through the darkest days of the pandemic and lockdowns when depression and suicide rates were on the rise.

The pastor will face new questioning this week about whether he or the church prospered during the lockdown.

I have a deposition coming up in two days. Its all financial questions, he said on Sept. 27.

After the countys lawsuit was filed, Williams sent a letter to Cass Commercial Bank disclosing the church owed a substantial amount of money in fines, effectively suggesting to the churchs lenders that it might be in financial trouble, McClure said.

Pastor Mike McClure from Calvary Chapel San Jose. (Courtesy of Calvary Chapel San Jose)

I didnt think it would escalate to have a county threaten to take your property, but thats what they did. They threatened us with everything they possibly could.

At the time, the church was repaying a $1.9 million construction loan and still owed about $1 million. The bank reacted to the letter by giving the church 30 days to pay off the debt, which it did with the help of Pastor Jack Hibbs at the Calvary Chapel in Chino Hills and an angel lender, McClure said.

The bank has since apologized to the church, he said.

The real battle, he said, isnt about health and safetyits about politics, power, and whether America is going to trust government or put its faith in God.

Also, because the church is in Big Techs backyard in Silicon Valley, the situation has become even more hostile, McClure said.

Were in the belly of the beast of modern-day Babylon, McClure said. The government wants our loyalty, and they want to take over the church. They dont like the First Amendment  Our county has said openly that the Constitution doesnt apply here. When we had the Supreme Court rule in our favor, they disregarded it. They didnt care.

Mariah Gondeiro, an attorney with Advocates for Faith and Freedom who is representing the church, told The Epoch Times that no other county in the state has levied such enormous fines against a church.

It is very extreme, and I dont think the district court is going to be pleased with them [Santa Clara County] not trying to settle, she said. The court in our case has admonished the county. The judge told them that this is not the hill you want to die on.

The case, Gondeiro said, illustrates the county and its elected officials have lost perspective of their roles and responsibilities and instead targeted their adversaries.

Its an important case because this is such an abuse of power at this point, and what theyre doing is unconstitutional, she said. Its important that this county be held accountable.
Angel mom Vickie Lyon speaks at an event for Angel families and sheriffs outisde the Capitol building in Washington on Sept. 25, 2019. (Samira Bouaou/The Epoch Times)

Families of Victims Killed by Illegal Aliens Would Get Help in New Bill

New legislation introduced on Sept. 28 looks to expand the Crime Victims Fund to include the immediate family members of those who are killed by an illegal immigrant, including drunk drivers.

Rep. Troy E. Nehls (R-Texas) and Sen. Roger Marshall (R-Kansas) introduced companion bills, the Justice for Angel Families Act, to their respective chambers on Wednesday.

There is no official record that specifically tracks crimes committed by illegal immigrants in the U.S., and little is done for the families of these victims, stated a press release issued by Nehls and Marshall.

Joe Bidens open border policies are providing terrorists, murders, rapists, and other felons a no-strings-attached invitation into our country, where they are no doubt committing violent crimes across our nation, Nehls said in the release.

The bill would also reinstate and codify the Victims of Immigration Crime Engagement (VOICE) Office that President Donald Trump launched by executive order in 2017 within the Department of Homeland Security.

The office helped family members follow the case of their loved one and track when the illegal alien responsible was detained, on trial, and deported, as well as provide other support including grief counseling.

The Biden administration closed the VOICE Office in June 2021.

Under President Trump, angel families were respected and looked after by the federal government. That couldnt be further from the truth with Joe Biden in charge, Marshall said in the press release.

This president prioritizes the radical lefts open borders agenda instead of helping American citizens victimized by the worst consequences of out-of-control illegal immigration.

Angel mom Mary Ann Mendoza, who met Trump several times and supported the VOICE Office, said the new legislation is welcome.

Her son Brandon was killed in a 2014 car crash caused by an illegal immigrant who was drunk, high on meth, and speeding in the wrong direction along a highway in Mesa, Arizona. Brandon, a sergeant on the Mesa police force, was 32 years old.

I am happy that Angel Families are still in the minds of some of our legislators and that they understand the tragic loss our families have endured and it is completely ignored by the current administration, Mendoza told The Epoch Times on Sept. 28.

Its heartbreaking to see and hear daily, the obstacles and laws this administration will break down to accommodate those illegally present in our country. I am hoping this legislation is passed and American citizens harmed in unspeakable ways by illegal criminals are finally given the recognition and help they need.

Illegal Alien Crimes

In a rare insight into illegal alien criminal data, the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) publishes some statistics that parse out illegal alien criminals.

Between June 1, 2011, and Aug. 31, 2022, DPS has booked more than 261,000 criminal illegal aliens into local jails for state offenses, according to the agencys website.

The 261,000 illegal aliens were charged with more than 434,000 crimes including 800 homicides, 822 kidnappings, and almost 12,000 charges for sexual offenses.

The data, DPS states, simply identifies thousands of crimes that should not have occurred and thousands of victims that should not have been victimized because the perpetrator should not be here.

DPS explains that the figures represent the minimum number of crimes associated with criminal illegal aliens as they dont include federal charges or charges accrued in other states.

In rural Alabama last month an illegal alien was charged with first-degree kidnapping, three counts of capital murder, and two counts of abuse of a corpse, after a gruesome discovery in a home.

Jose Paulino Pascual-Reyes, 37, who had previously been deported, is accused of murdering Sandra Vazquez Ceja and her young son, as well as kidnapping Cejas 12-year-old daughter.

The complaint alleges that Pascual-Reyes killed Ceja by smothering her with a pillow and her son by bludgeoning him. He is also accused of cutting both bodies into small pieces at the joints in order to hide evidence.

Pascual-Reyes then allegedly tied Cejas 12-year-old daughter to the bedposts for about a week, plying her with alcohol to keep her in a drugged state, and abusing her. The girl eventually chewed through her restraints and escaped from the house.

In late July, Alexis Saborit, an illegal alien from Cuba who was wanted by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, beheaded his girlfriend with a machete while out driving in the greater Minneapolis metropolitan area.

Saborit was charged with first degree premeditated intentional murder and faces life in prison without parole if convicted. Hes being held in jail on $4 million bail.
A hooded man holds a laptop computer as cyber code is projected on him in this illustration picture taken on May 13, 2017. (Kacper Pempel/Illustration/Reuters)

Fast Company Shuts Website After Hack Sends Obscene Apple News Notifications

U.S. business and media publication Fast Company said it shut down its website on Tuesday evening after the site was hacked and sent obscene and racist notifications to Apple users via the iPhone makers Apple News service.

News publishers using the Apple News aggregation app can connect their digital publishing tools to Apple News to send push notifications to Apple customers who subscribe to the publishers channel. Fast Company said hackers broke into those publishing tools.

Hackers sent two obscene and racist push notifications about a minute apart, Fast Company said in a tweet, adding it had suspended the Apple News feed until the situation was resolved.

We are investigating the situation and have suspended the feed & shut down FastCompany.com until we are certain the situation has been resolved, the publication added.

Fast Companys website was down and the page displayed a 404 error when viewed by Reuters on Tuesday evening.

In a subsequent tweet after the shutdown, Fast Company said that its content management systemsoftware used by news outlets to publish and manage their storieshad been hacked to send the notifications.

Apple News said in a tweet that it had disabled Fast Companys channel.

Fast Company said it had earlier suffered an apparently related hack of its website on Sunday afternoon, when similar language appeared on its home page, causing it to shut the site down for about two hours.

Fast Company is owned by publishing firm Mansueto Ventures LLC.
Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, testifies to a congressional panel in Washington on Jan. 11, 2022. (Greg Nash/Pool/AFP via Getty Images)

Faucis Net Worth Nearly Doubled During Pandemic, Financial Disclosure Forms Show

Dr. Anthony Faucis net worth almost doubled during the years spanning the COVID-19 pandemic, according to financial disclosure forms obtained through litigation by a nonprofit government watchdog.

The Fauci household disclosed net worth increased from $7.6 million (Jan. 1, 2019) to over $12.6 million (Dec. 31, 2021), according to OpenTheBooks.org (OTB) CEO and founder Adam Andrzejewski, writing on Substack, about the financial position of the director of the National Institutes for Healths (NIH) National Institute for Allergies and Infectious Diseases (NIAID).

Fauci also is chief medical adviser to President Joe Biden, and held a similar position under former President Donald Trump from the outset of the pandemic in 2020.

In addition, hes the highest-paid federal employee, earning more than $456,000 in 2021 in compensation. His federal salary increased to $480,000 in 2022, topping that of the president, vice president, and Supreme Court justices.

During the ongoing pandemic year of 2021, the Faucis household income, perks and benefits, and unrealized investment gains totaled $2,832,876including federal income and benefits of $903,497; outside royalties and travel perks totaling $919,205; and $910,174 in investment gains, Andrzejewski wrote.

Faucis finances were further augmented by a $1 million award he received for the Dan David Prize at Tel Aviv University in Israel. Fauci kept more than $900,000 of the award, with the rest going to fund scholarships, according to his disclosure forms.

Fauci also collected awards of $12,500 from the Eliot Richardson Prize in Public Service on July 31, 2021, and the Abelson Prize from the American Association for the Advancement of Science on Feb. 8, 2021, Andrzejewski continued.

Fauci is heavily invested in the market, with the disclosure forms showing $910,174 through stock, bond, and money market interests during 2021. The Fauci portfolio gained $794,369 in 2020. The total value of Faucis investment account was $10,271,626 and his wifes investments totaled another $2,405,887, as of Dec. 31, 2021.

These funds were held in a mix of trust, retirement, and college education accounts. Fauci has an IRA worth $706,219 (up $67,700); a defined benefit brokerage account totaling $2,551,210 (up $147,688); and a revocable trust worth $7,014,197 (up $1,718,299).

His wifes revocable trust is worth $2,269,225 (up $306,406) and an IRA totaling $136,662 (up $16,385), OTB reported.

Fauci didnt respond by press time to a request by The Epoch Times for comment.

Four separate federal lawsuits have been filed by OTB in its efforts to force the NIH to make public data concerning royalties valued at $134 million paid to more than 1,600 of the agencys executives, scientists, and researchers by outside firms thought to be primarily from the pharmaceutical industry, between 2010 and 2014.

The royalties were first reported by The Epoch Times in May.

Based on the numbers for that period, OTB projects that about $350 million in such royalty payments were made by outside payers to NIH employees between 2010 and 2020.

Royalty payments also went to at least three of the top echelon of NIH leaders, including Dr. Francis Collins, the immediate past director of NIH, who got 14 payments. Fauci received 23 payments and Faucis deputy director at NIAID, Clifford Lane, received eight payments.

Collins resigned as NIH director in December 2021 after 12 years at the helm of the worlds largest public health agency.

His acting successor, Dr. Lawrence Tabak, conceded during a congressional hearing earlier this year that there may be an appearance of a conflict of interest in the royalty payments.

Faucis wife, Christine Grady, also is highly compensated and is listed on the NIH website as senior investigator and chief of the Department of Bioethics at NIHs Health Clinical Center.

Her title is currently listed by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management as social science with a pay level of $238,970, according to data compiled by OTB. The current top pay rate for federal government executive-level officials is $226,300.

Gradys compensation is at the center of one of the four OTB suits as a result of NIH officials refusal to disclose information sought via an OTB Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request dated April 8. The lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.

The OTB request sought all employment contracts, modifications, and addendums for Grady since assuming her present position, as well as all confidentiality agreements/documents, conflicts of interest waivers or documents, ethics disclosures, and financial interest and/or economic interest disclosure documents.

In addition, the FOIA request sought a copy of Gradys current official job description.

All federal employment jobs are required by law and regulation to have an official position description that describes the specific duties and responsibilities for which the individual can be held accountable.
Former President Donald Trump enters the stage at a Save America Rally to support Republican candidates running for state and federal offices in the state of Ohio at the Covelli Centre in Youngstown, Ohio, on Sept. 17, 2022. (Jeff Swensen/Getty Images)

FBI Agents Improperly Saw Privileged Trump Communications: Lawyers

The FBI team that seized documents from former President Donald Trumps Florida resort improperly viewed communications between Trump and an attorney, violating attorney-client privilege for a third time, lawyers for Trump said in a new filing.

The filter process set up by the government to try to prevent FBI agents from viewing privileged materials has already failed twice, the government has acknowledged. On Sept. 26, government officials informed Trump lawyers of a third failure, the lawyers said in a new filing lodged in a federal court in southern Florida.

FBI agents viewed an email that they sent to the Privilege Review Team, a team that was supposed to filter out all potentially privileged materials before agents were able to view any.

The review team has characterized the email as non-privileged, but Trump disagrees.

Plaintiff believes the email falls squarely into the category of attorney-client privileged, Trump lawyers told U.S. District Judge Raymond Dearie, a Reagan appointee who is serving as a special master in the case.

Benjamin Hawk, the Department of Justice (DOJ) official in charge of the filter team, claimed during a recent hearing that the first two failures to separate potentially privileged materials were examples of the filter process working, but U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon, the Trump appointee who inserted Dearie into the case, expressed doubt.

The instances indicate that, on more than one occasion, the Privilege Review Teams initial screening failed to identify potentially privileged material, she said.

FBI agents who viewed the potentially privileged materials may still be working on the case, according to a sealed filing described by Cannon.

A law enforcement officer stands outside Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Fla., on Aug. 8, 2022. (Giorgio Viera/AFP/Getty Images)

Names and Deadlines

In the new filing, Trumps lawyers said they want the names of all government officials who were exposed to the potentially privileged materials.

The unilaterally imposed filter team, which made no effort to contact Plaintiffs counsel throughout its review process, has admitted to three breaches so far, the lawyers said. All this before review by the Special Master and the Plaintiff. By way of this filing, Plaintiff is asking the Special Master to order disclosure of the names of each attorney and Special Agent who was exposed to materials eventually provided to the Privilege Review Team.

The filing came as the government sought a delay in the deadline to provide Trump with the approximately 11,242 non-classified materials that agents seized from his estate in Palm Beach on Aug. 8. That tranche doesnt include materials sifted out by the Privilege Review Team, nor does it include materials with classified markings that Dearie and Trump attorneys both are being blocked from reviewing.

The government has said the delay is needed because of struggles to contract with a vendor to scan the documents and store them electronically so that other parties can access them.

Trump lawyers say the governments timelines have been unrealistic and urged Dearie to accept deadlines the lawyers are proposing.

The documents include roughly 200,000 pages, the lawyers said.

That estimated volume, with a need to operate under the accelerated timeframes supported by the Government, is the reason why so many of the Governments selected vendors have declined the potential engagement, they said.
A voter places a ballot in a box during early voting for the midterm elections on Nov. 3, 2018. (RALSTON/AFP/Getty Images)

Former Congressman Sentenced to Prison for Stuffing Pennsylvania Ballot Boxes

Despite declarations of safe and secure elections, history shows that past Pennsylvania elections were host to corruption.

For example, former U.S. Rep. Michael Ozzie Myers, a Pennsylvania Democrat, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to deprive voters of civil rights, bribery, obstruction of justice, falsification of voting records, conspiring to illegally vote in a federal election, and orchestrating schemes to fraudulently stuff ballot boxes for specific Democrat candidates in Pennsylvania elections held from 2014 to 2018.

Myers was sentenced Tuesday by U.S. District Judge Paul S. Diamond to 30 months in prison, three years supervised release, and ordered to pay $100,000 in fines, with $10,000 of that due immediately, according to a statement from U.S. Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero.

Directly after Tuesdays Philadelphia hearing, Myers, 79, was taken into custody.

Myers served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1979 until 1980 when he was caught taking bribes in an FBI sting operation. That was part of an old, completed investigation.

Tuesdays sentencing was a new matter in which Myers admitted that he bribed Domenick J. Demuro, a Democrat Judge of Elections for the 39th Ward, 36th Division in South Philadelphia, over several years to add votes for certain Democrat candidates.

Some candidates campaigns had hired Myers, and others were candidates that he favored. He admitted that he was paid consulting fees in cash or checks, then used portions of these funds to pay election officials to tamper with election results.

This included judicial seats and various federal, state, and local offices.

Myers also admitted to conspiring to commit election fraud with another former Judge of Elections, Democrat Marie Beren, in the 39th Ward, 2nd Division in South Philadelphia.

Myers accomplice was the de facto Judge of Elections and effectively ran the polling places in her division by installing close associates to serve as members of the Board of Elections, Romeros statement said. Myers admitted that he gave his accomplice directions to add votes to candidates supported by him.

Beren and Demuro were charged separately and previously pleaded guilty.

How It Worked

Myers told the court that on most Election Days, he drove Beren to the polling station to open the polls. During the drive, Myers told Beren which candidates he supported so she knew which candidates should get fraudulent votes.

While the polls were open, Beren told in-person voters to support Myerss candidates and cast fraudulent votes in support of Myerss preferred candidates on behalf of voters she knew would not physically appear at the polls, the Department of Justice (DOJ) reported.

On Election Day, Myers kept in contact with Beren by cellphone, monitoring the number of votes cast for his candidates. Beren told him how many legitimate votes his candidates had. If voter turnout was high, Beren added fewer fraudulent votes. Sometimes Myers told Beren to shift her efforts from one preferred candidate to another if it looked like his top preferred candidate was comfortably ahead.

Beren and her accomplices from the Board of Elections would then falsify the polling books and the List of Voters and Party Enrollment for the 39th Ward, 2nd Division, by recording the names, party affiliation, and order of appearances for voters who had not physically appeared at the polling station to cast his or her ballot in the election, a DOJ statement said. Beren took pains to ensure that the number of ballots cast on the machines was a reflection of the number of voters signed into the polling books and the List of Voters. After the polls closed on Election Day, Beren and her associates would falsely certify the results.

Demuro was responsible for overseeing the entire election process and all voter activities in the 39th Ward, 36th Division in South Philadelphia.

The voting machines at each polling station, including in the 39th Ward, 36th Division, generate records in the form of a printed receipt documenting the use of each voting machine. This printed receipt, called the results receipt, shows the vote totals, and the Judge of Elections and other Election Board officials at each polling place attest to the accuracy of the machine results.

Myers admitted to bribing Demuro to add votes for certain candidates.

After receiving payments ranging between $300 to $5,000 per election from Myers, Demuro added fraudulent votes on the voting machinealso known as ringing up votesfor Myerss clients and preferred candidates, thereby diluting the value of ballots cast by actual voters, according to the DOJ.

At Myerss direction, Demuro added these fraudulent votes to the totals during Election Day, and later falsely certified that the voting machine results were accurate.

No Stranger to Prison

In a 1980 FBI operation dubbed the ABSCAM Investigation, undercover FBI agents disguised themselves as businessmen and Arab sheiks and ultimately criminally charged seven members of Congress, alleging the politicians had accepted money from the phony sheiks, promising favors in return.

Myers was among those charged and was sentenced to three years in prison.

The FBI had videotapes showing the members accepting cash or stocks. In one, an agent handed Myers an envelope stuffed with hundred-dollar bills amounting to $50,000, saying, Spend it well. Myers responded, Pleasure, according to a report at the Library of Congress.

In response, the House ethics committee unanimously recommended expelling him.

Convinced of his innocence, Myers took his case to the House floor, where he pleaded, When you push the yea button on the voting machine, it will have the same effect as hitting the button on the electric chair.

Unmoved, the House voted 37630 to expel him, the report said.

Myers was the first member to be expelled since the Civil War, and the first ever to be expelled for misconduct other than treason.

After leaving prison, he started a political consulting firm.
Peter Navarro speaks to members of the press outside the White House in Washington, DC, on June 18, 2020. (Alex Wong/Getty Images)

Former Trump Adviser Peter Navarro: Learn From Past Mistakes to Win Back the White House

As former president Donald Trump prepares to win the White House a second time, he now understands the importance of appointing loyal personnel who will not obstruct his agenda, as often happened during his first term, says former Trump adviser Peter Navarro.

Navarro said while he expects that a second Trump term will not be afflicted by that, he is convinced that part of making sure that happens is getting out the information about what went wrong sometimes in [the] West Wing.

The day after Trump won the 2016 presidential election, a decision was made to invite the RINO [Republicans In Name Only] Republicans into the Trump tents, Navarro said on EpochTVs Crossroads program on Sept. 23.

Navarro called this a very bad decision and added that Steve Bannon, CEO of Trumps 2016 campaign and his later chief strategist, dubbed Trumps alliance with establishment RINOs the the original sin of the Trump administration.

And that set in motion, particularly in the early part of the administration, a set of really bad choices for both the cabinet and the West Wing.

To give an example, Navarro said that when working on Trumps trade tariff policies, he often had to contend with opposition from White House officials who previously helped to finance offshoring to China.

RINOs in the Trump administration embraced three out of four points of Navarros economic growth policy: tax cuts, deregulation, and an expansion of the petroleum sector in a way that would make the United States energy independent, Navarro wrote in his recently released book Taking Back Trumps America: Why We Lost the White House and How Well Win It Back.

However, those establishment RINOs were vehemently opposed to any kind of trade actions that would prevent their corporate donors from offshoring American jobs, Navarro wrote.

Despite these challenges, Trump still wound up being the best president in modern history, certainly on the economy, and the first president to make communist China the single most important threat to this country in the minds of the American people, Navarro said.

Undermining the Presidents Policy Agenda

Trumps policy agenda was often undermined by his appointees and White House staff, the former adviser said.

Staff responsible for delivering documents to the president for his signature continually buried things that Trump wanted to get done, Navarro said.

Navarro cited an executive order related to the South Korea trade deal. Trump asked him to prepare the document and put it on his desk for his signature, but Trumps chief economic adviser, Gary Cohn, made the document disappear into the ether.

The document Navarro drafted at Trumps request was to pull the United States out of a toxic trade treaty with South Korea within a specified timeframe, Navarro explained in the book.

These kinds of presidential actions were designed not necessarily to exit such agreements but rather to put pressure on other countries like South Korea so that we could quickly negotiate better deals for American workers and companies, Navarro wrote.

Trumps then-national security adviser, H.R. McMaster, later confirmed that Cohn took the document out of the presidents desk.

In addition, the White House staff member responsible for assembling the press kit each night for the president to read would skew the information presented, Navarro recounted. That staff member was not supposed to have any input on policy. Nonetheless, he tended to include articles critical of Trumps tariff policy, while leaving out articles expressing different views.

Further, Navarro was dismayed that there were three generals among Trumps top-level officials who consistently disobeyed the presidents direct orders.

For any military organization to work, he emphasized, the first commandment and the most important commandment is to obey the chain of command, adding if you do not do that, everything breaks down.

Pandemic Response

The Trump administration was not as tough on China as it should have been, and this extended to policies enacted in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, said Navarro, a noted China scholar.

Navarro prepared an executive order for Trump that he believes would have shift[ed] the blame for the pandemic off the shoulders of President Trumpwhere it did not belongto the communist Chinese.

Trump was ready to sign the order, but some of his staff who supported soft-on-communist-China policies fought Navarro tooth and nail to prevent the directive from being signed, due to the silly presumption that they didnt want to rock any political boats, Navarro said.

Executive Order Would Have Changed the Course of the Election

Navarro believes that if that executive order had been signed, it might have changed the outcome of the 2020 election.

While it is unclear whether the coronavirus escaped from the Wuhan lab accidentally or whether it was released intentionally, it helped the Chinese communist regime to advance its geopolitical interests, Navarro said.

The adviser said that in 2017, the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the parent of Dr. Anthony Faucis agency, resumed its funding for gain-of-function research on pandemic pathogensfunding that had been paused by the Obama administration in 2014. The research was intended to create or enhance pathogens to be highly contagious and highly lethal to humans, according to the NIH.

Fauci awarded grants for the research to the Wuhan Institute of Virology through EcoHealth Alliance, an international non-profit organization headed by Peter Daszak.

Problematic Appointments

Navarro has also criticized some of Trumps choices for his cabinet. For instance, if Ben Carson had been made head of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) instead of being placed in the backwater of Housing and Urban Development, we would have had much more cerebral, robust, and quick response to the pandemic, the adviser said.

Realizing that he had appointed personnel who were not intent on carrying out his aims was a slow awakening for Trump, Navarro said. He recounted the story of a top-level meeting in 2017, as Trump was becoming increasingly frustrated with the slow walking of his trade and tariff policies.

When Trumps cabinet members and advisers gathered for that meeting, Navarro was the only guy in the room who [wanted] to get tough on China and impose the tariffs.

It was the first concrete sign to Trump, that he had assembled a group of people who he was going to have to overcome or persuade, Navarro said.

It was just a tough, tough road. We got it done. Tariffs on China, tariffs on steel and aluminumit all worked and it helped create jobs, but it took too long, it was slow, Navarro said. By the time four years rolled around, we should have had more and higher tariffs on China because they were just screwing us, which is what the communists always do.

The China trade deal signed by Trump was diluted and effectively gutted by elements in the Trump cabinet and among his advisers. Even the watered down trade deal was not honored by the Chinese party, Navarro added.

Economy the Tip of the Spear

What we did [in terms of economic policies] was structural in nature, designed to increase the real wages of American workers, the productivity of American workers, the prosperity of the middle class, said Navarro, a professor emeritus of economics.

We did that beautifully through structural elements, not just the traditional Republican tax cuts and lower regulatory burdens, but by securing the southern border, which prevents a flood of uneducated, low-income workers coming in and pressing hard on the wages of black, brown, and blue-collar Americans, [and] by bringing in our supply chains and our manufacturing base.

Navarro said of the current economic crisis: I think the only one who fully understands how to get out of that is Donald Trump.

Ella Kietlinska Reporter Follow Ella Kietlinska is a reporter for The Epoch Times focusing on U.S. and world politics.
Minister of Finance Chrystia Freeland stands during question period in the House of Commons on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on March 29, 2022. (The Canadian Press/Sean Kilpatrick)

Freeland Says Conservatives Are Huffing and Puffing on Affordability Issue

Conservatives have maintained the pressure on the Liberals over the cost of living this week, tabling two motions calling for cancelling tax increases, but Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland said theyre merely huffing and puffing as theyve said theyll support the governments proposed GST rebate.

When you look past all the huffing and puffing, all the striding and posturing, heres whats happened this week: The Conservatives have done a U-turn and accepted our targeted and fiscally responsible plan to help 11 million vulnerable Canadian families with GST rebates of nearly $500, said Freeland during question period in the House of Commons on Thursday.

Conservative House Leader Andrew Scheer told CTV earlier this week his party would support the Liberal measure to temporarily double the GST credit to approximately 11 million Canadians.

Putting tax dollars back in the pockets of Canadians is something that Conservatives have always supported, Scheer said

Along with calling for cancelling the Carbon Tax hike planned for April, Tory Leader Pierre Poilievre says the Liberals should also cancel the rise in contributions to the Canada Pension Plan and Employment Insurance (EI) starting in 2023.

Freeland said in the House its time for the Conservatives to trump their utterly reckless scheme to drain our pensions and EI and to support our plan to help Canadians pay their rent and take their kids to the dentist.

Freeland was alluding to other affordability measures her government will seek to pass in Parliament.

The deputy prime minister and minister of finance was responding to Poilievre instead of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who was visiting Magdalen Islands in Quebec in the aftermath of Hurricane Fiona.

After Freelands huffing and puffing remark, Poilievre cited an Angus Reid poll which suggests that 51 percent of Canadians say its now difficult to feed their household.

Canadians are struggling to eat in Canada, a G7 country, Poilievre said.

The majority of people cannot afford groceries. That is seven years of this liberal government. Canadians are out of money, this government is out of touch, why wont they cancel their tax hikes so Canadians can afford to eat?

Poilievres motion to cancel the Carbon Tax increase was defeated in the House along party lines on Sept. 28.

On Sept. 29, Scheer tabled a new motion asking the government not to raise new taxes on gas, groceries, home heating and pay cheques.
Steve Rosansky, president and CEO of Newport Beach Chamber of Commerce, hosts Newport Beach 59th Annual Sandcastle Contest in Newport Beach, Calif., on Sept. 26, 2021. (Screenshot via YouTube/Luis Herrera)

Fun Things to Do in Orange County This Weekend

Newport Beach 60th Annual Sandcastle Contest

Bring family and friends together for a sunny day at the beach! Watch as beautiful and creative sandcastles are made with exquisite detail. This years Newport Beach Sandcastle Contest is themed California Dreamin to celebrate all things California, from the beaches of Newport to the Redwoods in the North, all the way down to the glimmer of Hollywood. This long-running event is sponsored by The Epoch Times and presented by the Commodores Club of the Newport Beach Chamber of Commerce. Attracting thousands of fans and spectators every year, participants range from seasoned professionals to first-timers. So get your team together and sign up now or come to the beach to watch! Each event participant receives a free t-shirt.

Corona del Mar State Beach. 3100 Ocean Boulevard, Newport Beach. Sunday, 10:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Free. For more information.

Newport Beach 60th Annual Sandcastle Contest to be held in Newport Beach, Calif., on Oct. 2, 2022. (Courtesy of Newport Beach Chamber of Commerce)

Ohana Festival at Dana Point

Set to draw large crowds, the festival gives art and music lovers a chance to enjoy three days of performance at Doheny State Beach, featuring P!nk, Stevie Nicks, Eddie Vedder, and many others. Those looking for a quieter experience can explore the festivals story-telling in the Cove, where guests can enjoy a collection of exhibits and panels with leading conservationists, environmentalists, researchers, and professional surfers. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of Platinum tickets benefits Doheny State Beach Foundation.

25300 Dana Point Harbor Drive, Dana Point. Friday to Sunday, doors open at 12 p.m. Single-day admission $159. For tickets.

Huntington Beach Pacific Airshow

The citys sixth annual show line-up will feature U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds and other powerful aircraft. This iconic Orange County demonstration is free to the public, spanning Huntington City Beach from Seapoint Street to Beach Boulevard. Guests can observe the spectacular from one of the four oceanfront hotels gracing the golden coastline, with options to watch right at the waters edge, the pier, premier club seating, and other VIP locations for a more exclusive experience. The schedule includes a U.S. Army UH60 demo, U.S. Navy leapfrogs, an Ocean Cup boat race, and much more.

Huntington Street and E Pacific Coast Highway, Huntington Beach. Friday to Sunday, 10:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Free. Upgraded tickets available here.

A man looks into the water of Sunset Beach in Huntington Beach, Calif., on Oct. 24, 2021. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times)

Breast Cancer Awareness Pink Paint Party in Brea

Give back to the community in Breast Cancer Awareness Month at Team Betty LAs Pink Paint Party, a fundraiser helping to support breast cancer patients. Each ticket includes a painting class, delicious food, and drinks. Sign up before spots sell out! The event also includes a silent auction and giveaways.

Pinots Palette. 110 West Birch Street, Suite 1, Brea. Saturday, 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Admission $50. For tickets.

Huntington Beach Horse Hug and Groom

Horse and animal lovers are invited to learn about, as well as hug and groom, horses for a day of therapeutic fun. Eight horses are participating in the event hosted by the Free Rein Foundation. All are rescue and therapy horses, with proceeds going to caring for horses. Anyone looking to de-stress with loving animals in the sunshine is encouraged to join!

Huntington Central Park Equestrian Center. 6956 Ellis Avenue, Huntington Beach. Sunday, 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Tickets $20. For tickets.

An undated picture of a horse meet and greet hosted by Free Rein Foundation at Huntington Central Park Equestrian Center in Huntington Beach, Calif. (Courtesy of Free Rein Foundation)

Seal Beach Wetlands Nature Walk and Turtle Trek

Come check out the Los Cerritos Wetlands in Seal Beach, where guests of all ages can join an outdoor walking tour led by experts from Tidal Influence, a local ecological consulting firm working to restore the wetlands. The tour will begin with a brief introduction of the Los Cerritos Wetlands, followed by a stroll along the San Gabriel River trail to look for local Pacific Green Sea Turtles. Participants may also see some water birds and the active restoration efforts happening at Zelder Marsh!

Los Cerritos Wetlands. 6720 Pacific Coast Highway, Seal Beach. Saturday, 8:00 a.m. to 10 a.m. Free. For more information.

Anaheim Master Class for Writers of Any Level

Looking to improve your written story-telling skills? Join other writers and experts at the California Writers Club, a monthly meeting of a featured speakers series focused on the craft and business of writing. This months speaker is currently being scheduled. Topics are presented by major authors, publishers, self-published writers, college professors, and more.

Anaheim Packing House. 440 South Anaheim Boulevard, Anaheim. Saturday, 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. Free. For more information.
Ginni Thomas, wife of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, walks to a meeting with the House Jan. 6 Committee, in Washington on Sept. 29, 2022. (Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images)

Ginni Thomas, Wife of Supreme Court Justice, Speaks to House Panel Investigating Jan. 6

The wife of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas on Sept. 29 met with the House of Representatives panel investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, breach of the U.S. Capitol.

Ginni Thomas, who was in communication after the 2020 election with then-White House chief of staff Mark Meadows and a lawyer who advocated for delaying the electoral count, appeared on Capitol Hill in Washington to answer questions from the panel after months of negotiations.

Thomas did not answer questions from reporters, but said she was looking forward to meeting with the panel.

Rep. Pete Aguilar (D-Calif.), a member of the panel, said that members wanted to ask Thomas about her discussions with Meadows and the lawyer, John Eastman.

John Eastman is the same individual who came up with this idea and scheme that a federal judge has ruled was likely illegal, Aguilar told reporters, referring to an opinion entered in a civil case against Eastman.

Eastman has said that Vice President Mike Pence had the authority under the 12th Amendment to reject electoral slates, but Pence announced the morning of the electoral certification that he believed he did not.

Thomas answered questions behind closed doors. The panel has not released any transcripts from its more than 1,000 interviews, though it has indicated it will release a report and has made public snippets of some of the conversations.

Chairman

Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.), chairman of the Jan. 6 panel, told reporters that Thomas told members during the meeting that she thought that the 2020 election was stolen. Thomas also answered some questions.

Earlier today, Ginni Thomas participated in a voluntary interview with the J6 Committee. She was happy to cooperate with the Committee to clear up the misconceptions about her activities surrounding the 2020 elections, a lawyer for Thomas told news outlets in a statement. She answered all the Committees questions.

Thomas was concerned about fraud and irregularities in the election and informed the committee that her only involvement was working to ensure reports of fraud and irregularities were investigated.

The meeting came one day after what was scheduled to be the panels final public hearing. It was postponed due to Hurricane Ian hitting Florida. Rep. Stephanie Murphy (D-Fla.), a member of the panel, represents a portion of the state.

Thompson said he did not yet have a date for the rescheduled hearing, but that it would take place before the Nov. 8 midterm elections.

The Jan. 6 panel is likely to be dissolved if Republicans seize control of the House in the midterms. Political forecasters say the GOP would flip the lower chamber, though many are uncertain as to which party will end up with a majority in the Senate.

Reuters contributed to this report.
The Fort Belknap Indian Community on Wednesday commemorated three years of their successful swift fox recovery program by releasing three additional swift foxes onto tribal land. Twenty-five additional foxes will be released later this week.

Our people could not be prouder, Harold Main, director of the Fort Belknap Fish and Wildlife Department, said in a statement.

After being absent for more than 50 years, 103 swift foxes roam the Fort Belknap Reservation and surrounding areas, according to a news release. GPS collar tracking shows that some foxes have traveled far, including one that is more than 200 miles away. Most have stayed on the reservation or within Phillips and Blaine counties. Scientists also collect blood and fecal samples prior to releases, so they can use DNA tests to confirm survival and offspring post-release. At least 20 kits have been born in the wild since the original reintroduction of 27 foxes in 2020.

Students at Aaniiih Nakoda College, Clemson University and George Mason University assist ongoing data collection and fieldwork. Daniel Kinsey of Aaniiih Nakoda College said the program is an important educational opportunity for our students.

Historically, swift foxes lived across much of the Great Plains, but the species declined in the late 1800s due to the loss of their grassland habitat and by ingesting poison intended for coyotes and wolves. In 1983, in Canada and on the Blackfeet and Fort Peck reservations, swift foxes made a comeback. By growing the population on the Fort Belknap Reservation, the species will expand its occupied range.

The Fort Belknap Aaniiih and Nakoda Tribes partnered with the Smithsonians National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute, Aaniiih Nakoda College, Defenders of Wildlife, American Prairie, World Wildlife Fund and Wilder Institute on the reintroduction effort.
Criminal defence barristers rally in support of the ongoing Criminal Bar Association action, outside the Houses of Parliament, in London, on July 11, 2022. (Stefan Rousseau/PA Media)

Government Makes Barristers New Pay Offer as High Court Says Judges Erred in Releasing Defendants

Judges 'fell into legal error' in bailing defendants over barristers' strike

The Ministry of Justice says it has made an offer to the Criminal Bar Association (CBA) in an attempt to end the barristers strike.

It comes as the High Court in London ruled that judges who refused to extend custody time limits and released defendants on bail because of the barristers strike fell into legal error.

Brandon Lewis replaced Dominic Raab as justice secretary earlier this month and on Thursday he announced he had made the CBA a new pay offer which included 54 million ($58 million) of new funding and claimed they would be putting it to their members in a ballot.

The CBA wrote on Twitter, moments after Lewis made the announcement: The members of the CBA will be balloted on suspending action on the basis of an interim package. The details are being discussed with our members. It is not a good start that the Lord Chancellor, Brandon Lewis, has insisted on going ahead with a premature press release.

Lewis himself wrote on Twitter: These proposals mean criminal barristers will receive an uplift in fees for the vast majority of Crown Court cases. I urge members of the criminal bar to end their strike and work with me to reduce the backlog and deliver for victims.

Criminal barristers had originally been promised a 15 percent rise in their fees from the end of September, but the rise would only apply to new cases and not ongoing legal work, much of which has been delayed by pandemic-related lockdowns.

The details of the new offer are not clear but the CBA said constructive talks have accelerated.

Legal Error

On Wednesday the High Court in London ruled that judges who refused to extend custody time limits and released defendants on bail because of the barristers strike fell into legal error.

In their ruling Dame Victoria Sharp and Mr. Justice Chamberlain said the lack of a defence barrister because of the strike was not in itself a good enough reason to release on bail those who were in custody awaiting trial.

Max Hill KC, the director of public prosecutions (DPP), brought a challenge against decisions made by judges in two cases in Bristol and Manchester. In both cases the judges refused to extend the custody time limits of defendants whose trials had been delayed by the strike.

Judge Peter Blair KC, sitting at Bristol Crown Court, blamed the absence of a defence lawyer on the chronic and predictable consequences of long-term underfunding, and said the government had had many, many months to resolve the pay dispute.

Judge Tina Landale, sitting in Manchester Crown Court, made a similar ruling later, which the counsel for the DPP claimed placed tacit reliance on Judge Blairs ruling.

The High Court ruled the judges were mistaken, but they refused to overturn the decision to grant bail in those cases.

Sharp and Chamberlain said adjournments to trials owing to the unavailability of striking defence counsel may be a good and sufficient cause to extend custody time limits, at least until the end of November.

But they warned the government that if the dispute with the CBA is not resolved by the start of December the absence of defence counsel is unlikely to remain a valid reason for extending custody time limits.

Criminal barristers from the Criminal Bar Association protest in an undated file photo. (Kirsty OConnor/PA)

They said, The relevant point at which the unavailability of legal representation can properly be described as chronic or routine is likely to be reached by the last week in November 2022.

That date was chosen because it would be three months since the start of the CBAs indefinite strike.

The High Court judges said it was not their job to inquire into the root causes of the present dispute or to decide who was to blame for the strike.

At a hearing earlier this week, Tom Little KC, representing the DPP, argued in written submissions it was inappropriate for applications for extensions to custody time limits to be determined based on the individual views of judges as to the competing arguments in the dispute.

While it is invidious for any view at all to be expressed on the merits of the industrial action, the prospect that judges will reach different conclusions on the issue is one which will lead to inconsistent and unfair results, added Little.

A Ministry of Justice spokesman told PA: We welcome the judgment which recognises that the ongoing strike action does give sufficient cause to extend custody time limits.

Judges make bail decisions independently of government but protecting the public will remain our top priority, he added.
Ever since I wrote the substack article on human augmentation and the UK Ministry of Defence and the German Military Complex , discussing that these two organizations advocate for human augmentation in a report entitled Human Augmentation  The Dawn of a New Paradigm, I have been wondering if the US government, that is to say the US Department of Defense (DoD) and the Administrative State which controls it, has developed similar plans.

This week I did a little research starting with the key words  human augmentation and DoD and there it is. The it being the strategy playbook and battlefield field plan for creating human cyborgs

For those who lust for more stimulation and shaping after reading the following, this substack also relates to our June 16 substack entitled ARPA-H, Intelligence Community within NIH.

To begin  there are various hints from various governmental agencies that human augmentation research is underway and has been ongoing for a number of years. For instance, this article:

Inside the Militarys New Office for Cyborgs 2014

DARPAs Arati Prabhakar Tells Defense One That Cutting-Edge Biology Research Is the Future of National Security

Defense One, April 1, 2014

The ability to link human brains to machines, create new life forms and build Star Trek-style disease detectors will be the focus of a new Defense Department office soon. The new office, named the Biological Technology Office, or BTO, will serve as a clearinghouse for Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, or DARPA, programs into brain research, synthetic biology and epidemiology. The office will cover everything from brewing up tomorrows bioweapon detectors and connecting humans to computers to designing entirely new types of super-strong living materials that could form the basis of future devices. Here are the key areas in more detail.

This author does let the cat out of the bag, so to speak, by his use of the word cyborg in the articles title. That is the militarys new office for cyborgs. But the actual content of the article does little to enlighten us as to what the DoD actually has planned.

It is getting hard to tell who is driving the bus here, the Pentagon or Paramount pictures script writers. Do DARPA locker rooms have pinups of Jeri Ryan? Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? Is Bruce Sterling actually a deep state operative and CIA consultant?

Moving on to more recent news.

Another fascinating title and article  this search was a little like following the bread crumbs to grannies house

DEVCOM CBC Public Affairs

November 18th, 2019

Peter Emanuel, Ph.D., the Armys Senior Research Scientist for Bioengineering, sees a future 30 years from now where a U.S. Soldier can direct a swarm of drones in battle through a direct brain-to-machine connection using a neural implant. The implant also allows him to see exactly what each of those drones is seeing, then digitally integrate this information in his brain and send it as data to other machines, fellow Soldiers or his command and control element.

This is a little more helpful.

Note that the person being interviewed for this article is Dr. Peter Emanuel. This is important later on in this Substack. Trust me, it is a Wheres Waldo kind of thing.

Also, interesting that now the DoD is using the language human enhancement  so much softer and gentler than human cyborg, dont you think?

This article is even a little more current. Of note  The COVIDcrisis most definitely took the spotlight off the whole human cyborg research agenda. Something tells me that the DoD didnt mind that too much.

The Defense Post, May 05, 2021

Today were on the brink of a new age: the age of human augmentation

Human augmentation should be embraced by the West to keep up with the competition, US Space Force chief scientist Dr. Joel Mozer said during an event last week at the Airforce Research Laboratory. In our business of national defense, its imperative that we embrace this new age, lest we fall behind our strategic competitors, Mozer said. Mozer added that unprecedented developments are forthcoming in areas such as artificial intelligence, which will allow the military to craft tactics and strategies that no human could. Autonomous programs will eventually provide real-time advice to commanders, and multiple autonomous agents will be able to assist commanders and decision-makers in reconnaissance and fire control. The chief scientist further explained that human augmentation will eventually develop into technologies such as augmented reality and virtual reality  including nerve stimulation to enhance the simulation of physical sensations. You could put [an] individual into a state of flow, where learning is optimized and retention is maximized, Mozer said. This individual could be shaped into somebody with very high-performing potential.

(I mean, who isnt up for a little nerve stimulation among friends?)

The language used is really helpful in tracking the origins of the ideas. Bruce Sterlings classic cyberpunk novel Schismatrix is all about the conflict between Shapers and Mechanists, Shapers being the group that alters the body through genetic modification and specialized mental training. Mechanists are the group that modifies bodies through computer software and external alterations.

Yeah, weve seen that movie too.

Then we have the Big Kahuna, the report that begins to lay out the true intent of the military in all of this.

This large, year-long assessment  commissioned by the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering and conducted by the DoD Biotechnologies for Health and Human Performance Council was published at the end of 2019. It is entitled:

Subject terms: Cyborg and Human/Machine Enhancement

That abstract of that assessment reads:

Abstract: The Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering (Alexandria, VA) established the DOD Biotechnologies for Health and Human Performance Council (BHPC) study group to continually assess research and development in biotechnology. The BHPC group assesses scientific advances for improved health and performance with potential military application; identifies corresponding risks and opportunities and ethical, legal, and social implications; and provides senior leadership with recommendations for mitigating adversarial threats and maximizing opportunities for future U.S. forces. At the direction of the BHPC Executive Committee, the BHPC study group conducted a year-long assessment entitled Cyborg Soldier 2050: Human/Machine Fusion and the Impact for the Future of the DOD. The primary objective of this effort was to forecast and evaluate the military implications of machines that are physically integrated with the human body to augment and enhance human performance over the next 30 years. This report summarizes this assessment and findings; identifies four potential military-use cases for new technologies in this area; and assesses their impact upon the DOD organizational structure, warfighter doctrine and tactics, and interoperability with U.S. allies and civil society.

This analysis was made public when published, but then COVIDcrisis soon overwhelmed us all and it quickly faded from public memory.

If you didnt read this report back in the beginning of 2020 or if you have forgotten about it, below is the executive summary of this 50 page report (or click on the linked title above to read the whole report):

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY A DoD Biotechnologies for Health and Human Performance Council (BHPC; Alexandria, VA) study group surveyed a wide range of current and emerging technologies relevant to assisting and augmenting human performance in many domains. The team used this information to develop a series of vignettes as case studies for discussion and analysis including feasibility; military application; and ethical, legal, and social implication (ELSI) considerations. Ultimately, the team selected four vignettes as being technically feasible by 2050 or earlier. The following vignettes are relevant to military needs and offer capabilities beyond current military systems: ocular enhancements to imaging, sight, and situational awareness;

restoration and programmed muscular control through an optogenetic bodysuit

sensor web;

auditory enhancement for communication and protection; and

direct neural enhancement of the human brain for two-way data transfer. Although each of these technologies will offer the potential to incrementally enhance performance beyond the normal human baseline, the BHPC study group analysis suggested that the development of direct neural enhancements of the human brain for two-way data transfer would create a revolutionary advancement in future military capabilities. This technology is predicted to facilitate read/write capability between humans and machines and between humans through brain-to-brain interactions. These interactions would allow warfighters direct communication with unmanned and autonomous systems, as well as with other humans, to optimize command and control systems and operations. The potential for direct data exchange between human neural networks and microelectronic systems could revolutionize tactical warfighter communications, speed the transfer of knowledge throughout the chain of command, and ultimately dispel the fog of war. Direct neural enhancement of the human brain through neuro-silica interfaces could improve target acquisition and engagement and accelerate defensive and offensive systems. Although the control of military hardware, enhanced situational awareness, and faster data assimilation afforded by direct neural control would fundamentally alter the battlefield by the year 2050, the other three cyborg technologies are also likely to be adopted in some form by warfighters and civil society. The BHPC study group predicted that human/machine enhancement technologies will become widely available before the year 2050 and will steadily mature, largely driven by civilian demand and a robust bio-economy that is at its earliest stages of development in todays global market. The global healthcare market will fuel human/machine enhancement technologies primarily to augment the loss of functionality from injury or disease, and defense applications will likely not drive the market in its later stages. The BHPC study group anticipated that the gradual introduction of beneficial restorative cyborg technologies will, to an extent, acclimatize the population to their use. The BHPC study group projected that introduction of augmented human beings into the general population, DOD active duty personnel, and near-peer competitors will accelerate in the years following 2050 and will lead to imbalances, inequalities, and inequities in established legal, security, and ethical frameworks. Each of these technologies will afford some level of performance improvement to end users, which will widen the performance gap between enhanced and unenhanced individuals and teams. The BHPC study group analyzed case studies and posed a series of questions to drive its assessment of the impact to DOD programs, policies, and operations. The following are the resulting recommendations (not listed in order of priority): (RM- I have only posted the top summaries for these recommendations, please go to the report for more detail). 1. DOD personnel must conduct global assessments of societal awareness and perceptions of human/machine enhancement technologies. 2. U.S. leadership should use existing and newly developed forums (e.g., NATO) to discuss impacts to interoperability with allied partners as we approach the year 2050. This will help develop policies and practices that will maximize interoperability of forces. 3. DOD should invest in the development of dynamic legal, security, and ethical frameworks under its control that anticipate emerging technologies. 4. Efforts should be undertaken to reverse negative cultural narratives of enhancement technologies. 5. DOD personnel should conduct tabletop wargames and targeted threat assessments to determine the doctrine and tactics of allied and adversarial forces. 6. The U.S. Government should support efforts to establish a whole-of-nation approach to human/machine enhancement technologies versus a whole-of-government approach. 7. The DOD should support foundational research to validate human/machine fusion technologies before fielding them and to track the long-term safety and impact on individuals and groups.

This rabbit hole then led me to the DARPA website  and wow! This research -to create human cyborgs, it is actually happening.

A quick glance at the Biological Technology Office and DARPA reveals that programatic goals of building cyborg capabilities are being conducted at an astounding rate. The webpage search engine allows a search of the non-classified programs already being developed. So, one can go to this site and envision many, if not most of these technologies listed as being used for warfare. The military is developing human augmentation for military uses, not civilian. This is important to keep in mind.

So, I spent a little time searching and webmining the more interesting DARPA projects. Below are just a few of the abstracts of research projects being funded by DARPA and the DoD:

The Measuring Biological Aptitude (MBA) program aims to address the need for a more capable fighting force by helping individual warfighters identify, measure, and track personalized biomarkers related to training and peak performance for specialized roles. If the program succeeds, MBA technologies will give warfighters the ability to understand the underlying biological processes that govern their performance. Specifically, these technologies would elucidate the internal expression circuits (e.g., genetic, epigenetic, metabolomic) that shape militarily relevant cognitive, behavioral, and physical traits. New devices for continuously tracking these expression circuits could be integrated into the body to provide instantaneous user feedback, helping the warfighter to improve performance throughout training, assessment, selection, and mission execution for a given military specialty.

DARPAs multi-year AI Next portfolio of programs and investments seeks to develop contextual reasoning in artificial intelligence systems to improve human/machine teaming. The Agile Teams (A-Teams) program aims to discover, test, and demonstrate generalizable mathematical abstractions for the design of agile human-machine teams and to provide predictive insight into team performance. While human-machine teams have been the subject of considerable past work in artificial intelligence and autonomy, designing agile team architectures remains largely a trial-and-error enterprise. The A-Teams program seeks to create a systematic methodology to design teams that best use the capabilities of both humans and machines and that can achieve enhanced performance in uncertain, dynamic, and co-evolving environments. These new abstractions will be validated using experimental testbeds aimed to support reproducible evaluation of human-machine team architectures in a diverse range of problem contexts.

The Hand Proprioception and Touch Interfaces (HAPTIX) program is pursuing key technologies to enable precision control of and sensory feedback from sensor-equipped upper-limb prosthetic devices. If successful, the resulting system would provide users near-natural control of prosthetic hands and arms via bi-directional peripheral nerve implants.

The Safe Genes program supports force protection and military health and readiness by protecting Service members from accidental or intentional misuse of genome editing technologies. Additional work will leverage advances in gene editing technology to expedite development of advanced prophylactic and therapeutic treatments against gene editors. Advances within the program will ensure the United States remains at the vanguard of the broadly accessible and rapidly progressing field of genome editing. Safe Genes performer teams work across three primary technical focus areas to develop tools and methodologies to control, counter, and even reverse the effects of genome editingincluding gene drivesin biological systems across scales. First, researchers are developing the genetic circuitry and genome editing machinery for robust, spatial, temporal, and reversible control of genome editing activity in living systems. Second, researchers are developing small molecules and molecular strategies to provide prophylactic and treatment solutions that prevent or limit genome editing activity and protect the genome integrity of organisms and populations. Third, researchers are developing genetic remediation strategies that eliminate unwanted engineered genes from a broad range of complex population and environmental contexts to restore systems to functional and genetic baseline states. Overall, the Safe Genes program is creating a layered, modular, and adaptable solution set to: protect warfighters and the homeland against intentional or accidental misuse of genome editing technologies; prevent and/or reverse unwanted genetic changes in a given biological system; and facilitate the development of safe, precise, and effective medical treatments that use gene editors.

The Next-Generation Nonsurgical Neurotechnology (N3) program aims to develop high-performance, bi-directional brain-machine interfaces for able-bodied service members. Such interfaces would be enabling technology for diverse national security applications such as control of unmanned aerial vehicles and active cyber defense systems or teaming with computer systems to successfully multitask during complex military missions. Whereas the most effective, state-of-the-art neural interfaces require surgery to implant electrodes into the brain, N3 technology would not require surgery and would be man-portable, thus making the technology accessible to a far wider population of potential users. Noninvasive neurotechnologies such as the electroencephalogram and transcranial direct current stimulation already exist, but do not offer the precision, signal resolution, and portability required for advanced applications by people working in real-world settings. The envisioned N3 technology breaks through the limitations of existing technology by delivering an integrated device that does not require surgical implantation, but has the precision to read from and write to 16 independent channels within a 16mm3 volume of neural tissue within 50ms. Each channel is capable of specifically interacting with sub-millimeter regions of the brain with a spatial and temporal specificity that rivals existing invasive approaches. Individual devices can be combined to provide the ability to interface to multiple points in the brain at once. To enable future non-invasive brain-machine interfaces, N3 researchers are working to develop solutions that address challenges such as the physics of scattering and weakening of signals as they pass through skin, skull, and brain tissue, as well as designing algorithms for decoding and encoding neural signals that are represented by other modalities such as light, acoustic, or electro-magnetic energy.

The Neural Evidence Aggregation Tool (NEAT) program aims to overcome current limitations by developing a new cognitive science tool that identifies people at risk of suicide by using preconscious brain signals rather than asking questions and waiting for consciously filtered responses. By aggregating preconscious brain signals to stimuli, NEAT would determine what a person believes to be true, false, or indeterminate about specific types of knowledge that could be used to detect signs of depression, anxiety, or suicidal ideation earlier and more reliably than ever before. If successful, NEAT will not only significantly augment behavioral health screening, but it could also serve as a new way to assess ultimate treatment efficacy, since patients will often tell their clinicians what they think the clinician wants to hear rather than how they are truly feeling. Ultimately, NEAT intends to augment current behavioral health screening programs by providing clinicians with previously unavailable information to enable earlier interventions and more reliable measures of successful treatment.

The research activities that are being conducted by DARPA and the DoD are considerable. Even the small sampling of abstracts published above only begins to document just how large this endeavor is.

These technologies are further along than we might think, and we deserve to know more about them. This is the future that our government is planning for us, whether we like it or not, and it is a future that is opaque. From genetic engineering to new synthetics development for neural implants, to replacing and enhancing limbs for warfare  our military is going there. But the truth is, some places we shouldnt go. Just because they can, doesnt mean they should.

If you have learned anything since January 2020, I hope that you have learned to question the wisdom and insight of the insider cliques within the US Government and Administrative State who believe that it is acceptable to march ahead with genetic and mechanical engineering of human beings without meaningful oversight, let alone self awareness and any sense of bioethical boundaries.

If we truly wish to have a say in these new technologies, society (which is to say we) must be informed. We have a right to be informed. That means you and me. As these technologies develop, transhumanism will become all the rage. Think about that. These new technologies will be what future generations will have to look forward to. Human cyborgs are their futures. They, that is human cyborgs, will be our children and our grandchildren.

We are Borg. Resistance is futile. You will be assimilated. Your life as it has been is over. From this time forward, you will service us.

Thanks, Paramount. We need more normalizing their vision of the future in our lives please.

The military is already working on propaganda to reverse negative cultural narratives of enhancement technologies. So, once again  we are being played before we even know what the playing field looks like.

Like I said before, we have all seen that movie too.

The full scope of this program needs to be revealed to the American people. Although the executive report barely mentions gene editing technologies, the military is investing heavily in them and clearly with the intention of using them for the war fighter. The executive report barely skims the surface of the research that is currently being carried out by DARPA, and that is only one office within the Department of Defense. The publics right to know about this research and what the final goals are is crucial. Congress must demand answers and must demand open and transparent responses. As the report rightly points out, what happens in the military will make its way into the public sphere. We have a right to know what is being planned for our future evolution. I dont use that word lightly. But that is how the UK Ministry of Defence has labeled human augmentation research.

Turns out that Silicon Valley darling and Klaus Schwabs evil mini me Yuval Noah Harari (author of Homo Deus, which literally means Man God) is not so far out there in his thinking as we had thought.

The bioethics of human augmentation are complex. The regulatory processes must be developed before the technologies come into being, not the other way around. People must envision how these technologies will be used in civilian life, in military life and as life-saving treatments. People need to decide if and which of these technologies really are for the good of society. People need to become involved now.

That starts with education. Which begins with transparency by our government. In future Substacks, I hope that you and I will begin exploring the bioethics, the impact of these technologies, privacy issues, the targets, future visions of society and just what this all means.

After all, what could possibly go wrong?

Reposted from the authors Substack

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.
Damaged homes and debris are shown in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian, in Fort Myers, Fla., on Sept. 29, 2022. (Wilfredo Lee/AP Photo)

Hurricane Ian Does Biblical Damage to Southwest Florida as 1st Death Confirmed

As the first death from Hurricane Ian in Florida was officially confirmed, footage revealed the devastation caused by the storm in southwestern Florida.

Its like somebody took an atom bomb and dropped it, Kevin Behen, 60, told the Tampa Bay Times about the devastation. It sounded like there was a tornado coming every five minutes, Behen said, adding that he hunkered down in a building in Fort Meyersnear where the Category 4 made landfall on Wednesday afternoon.

The first death in Florida due to Ian occurred on the other side of the state. A 72-year-old man in Volusia County died overnight Thursday when he went outside to drain his pool before he apparently slipped down a hill, officials confirmed.

It got hit with really biblical storm surge and it washed away roads, it washed away structures that were not new and could withstand that, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said at a Thursday afternoon news briefing.

Photos that circulated in the media and on social media Thursday revealed a significant hole in a bridge that connects Sanibel Island to mainland Florida. Some 50 to 65 feet of the causeway collapsed and fell into the Gulf of Mexico.

Noting the damage to the bridgewhich essentially cuts the island off from the rest of the worldDeSantis said that the structure will be rebuilt. There are ongoing efforts to evacuate Sanibel residents, he said.

Repair work is not something that will happen overnight, the Republican governor said.

Men walk among debris in Bonita Springs, Fla., on Sept. 29, 2022. (Sean Rayford/Getty Images)

Storm debris litters a street after Hurricane Ian made landfall in Florida, on Sept. 28, 2022. (Sean Rayford/Getty Images)

More Details

Lee County Sheriff Carmine Marceno said his office was scrambling to respond to thousands of 911 calls, but many roads and bridges in Fort Myers and the surrounding area were impassable.

It crushed us, Marceno told ABCs Good Morning America. We still cannot access many of the people that are in need.

Emergency crews sawed through toppled trees to reach stranded people. Many in the hardest-hit areas were unable to call for help because of electrical and cellular outages.

Portable towers are on the way for cell service. Chances are your loved ones do not have the ability to contact you, said the sheriffs office in Collier County, which includes Naples. We can tell you as daylight reveals the aftermath, its going to be a hard day.

The Florida Highway Patrol shut down the Florida Turnpike in the Orlando area and said the main artery in the middle of the state will remain closed until the water subsides.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Hurricane Ian is one of the most powerful storms ever recorded in the United States. We take a look at how Florida is doing after the storm made landfall.

A gunman is on the loose after six people were shot near a California school.

Security is tightened in Scandinavia after the leaks in the Nord Stream pipelines. Some officials say the leaks were an act of sabotage.

Topics in this episode include:

1. Hurricane Ians Impact on Florida

2. Naples Fire Station Flooded

3. Hurricane Hunter in Eye of the Storm

4. Hurricane Ians Projected Path

5. Finland, Norway Boost Security After Gas Leak

6. Possible Attack on Nordstream Pipelines

7. Youtube Censors Future Italian Prime Ministers Speech

8. Gunman on the Loose After 6 Shot Near California School

9. Shooting Victims Sue Gun Maker

10. 3 Dead After Highway Bridge Collapse in Brazil

11. Robot Eats Plastic to Clean Ocean

12. Cross Country Bike Ride to Honor Fallen Soldiers

* Click the Save button below the video to access it later on My List.

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Tropical Storm Ian is expected to strengthen again as it passes over the Atlantic Ocean before hitting South Carolina's coast on Friday, officials said. (NHC)

Ian Expected to Become Hurricane, Make 2nd Landfall in South Carolina: NHC

Tropical Storm Ian is expected to strengthen again as it passes over the Atlantic Ocean before hitting South Carolinas coast on Friday, officials said.

According to the National Hurricane Center (NHC), Tropical Storm Ian emerged on Thursday morning along Floridas northeastern coast, where it will strengthen back into a hurricane. Ian is then expected to make a second landfall on South Carolina as a hurricane on Friday, an NHC model shows.

A hurricane warning was issued for the entire coast of South Carolina, said the NHC in a Thursday morning update.

Ian is moving toward the north-northeast near 9 mph, the update said. A turn toward the north is expected late today, followed by a turn toward the north-northwest with an increase in forward speed Friday night. On the forecast track, Ian will approach the coast of South Carolina on Friday. The center will move farther inland across the Carolinas Friday night and Saturday.

Tropical Storm Ian is currently located approximately 285 miles south of Charleston, South Carolina, and about 25 miles north-northeast of Cape Canaveral, Florida.

Here are the 11 AM EDT 9/29 Key Messages for Tropical Storm #Ian. A Hurricane Warning has been issued for the entire coastline of South Carolina now that Ian is expected to regain hurricane intensity. Latest Advisory: https://t.co/tnOTyg5UEw pic.twitter.com/yTeI5RVfzT  National Hurricane Center (@NHC_Atlantic) September 29, 2022

Ian blasted ashore at the barrier island of Cayo Costa on Wednesday afternoon as a Category 4 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 150 mph. It rapidly transformed Floridas southwestern shoreline, dotted with sandy beaches, coastal towns, and mobile home parks, into a disaster zone as it swept seawater into waterfront homes.

The impacts of this storm are historic and the damage that was done was historic, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said during a news briefing on Thursday. We have never seen a flood event like this. We have never seen storm surge of this magnitude.

President Joe Biden spoke to DeSantis on Thursday, saying his administration was committed to continuing close coordination and that Federal Emergency Management Agency Director Deanne Criswell will be in Florida on Friday.

Biden also approved a disaster declaration, making federal resources available to the counties impacted by the storm.

The damages caused by Ian will turn out to be catastrophic and FEMA is preparing for potentially thousands of people to be displaced in the long-term, Criswell told CNN.

I dont think that we can quantify it yet, Criswell said when asked about damages from the storm. But I can tell you that it is going to be catastrophic.

Earlier this week, the governors of Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Virginia declared states of emergency due to the storm.

Reuters contributed to this report.
Illegal Alien Attempts to Seize Soldiers Weapon During Arrest: Texas DPS

An illegal immigrant with a criminal record who was previously deported as a felon attempted to take away the rifle from a Texas National Guard soldier serving as part of Operation Lone Star, authorities said on Wednesday.

The incident unfolded around 4 a.m. on Sept. 26 as the soldier was assisting border agents in apprehending a large group of illegal aliens near Bentsen Palm Community Park in Hidalgo County, the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) said in a statement.

The soldier attempted to capture a suspected male illegal immigrant who had fled law enforcement. The soldier issued verbal commands to the suspect, but he failed to comply, DPS officials stated.

The suspect then grabbed the soldiers M-4 rifle with both hands in an attempt to seize the weapon for himself, they continued. The soldier was able to maintain possession of his weapon, and the suspect was apprehended with assistance from other National Guard soldiers.

Officials identified the perpetrator as Ricardo Jaime-Ruiz, 45, of Mexico. He was taken into custody for attempting to seize the weapon from a public servant.

Authorities noted that Jaime-Ruiz was previously deported as a felon. He was transported to the Hidalgo County Jail. The Texas Rangers are investigating the incident.

Operation Lone Star

In April, Texas Gov. Gregg Abbott approved the transfer of $495.3 million to fund Operation Lone Star and other critical border operations at other state agencies.

The vast majority of the funds$465.3 millionwent toward supporting the deployment of the Texas Army National Guard, with the remaining some $30 million supporting other state agencies.

Texas will not sit on the sidelines as President [Joe] Biden continues turning a blind eye to the crisis at our southern border, Abbott said in a statement at the time, adding, This additional funding ensures the Lone Star State is fully equipped to provide Texans the border security strategy they demand and deserve.

Since Biden took office in January 2021, when he loosened and reversed several crucial Trump-era policies designed to stem illegal immigration, there has been a massive influx of illegal immigrants at the U.S.-Mexico border.

Data from U.S. Customs and Border Protection shows border agents apprehended 186,424 illegal aliens in August, up from less than 48,000 in August 2020 and 50,684 arrests made in August 2019.

Epoch Times reporter Gabrielle Stephenson contributed to this report.

From NTD News
President of Brazil and Presidential candidate Jair Bolsonaro speaks to supporters during a rally ahead of Sunday elections in Santos, Brazil, on Sept. 28, 2022. (Alexandre Schneider/Getty Images)

Jair Bolsonaros Presidential Re-election Would Be a Victory for Democracy in Brazil

Commentary

Brazils next presidential elections are scheduled to be held on Oct. 2this Sunday. Many sectors of the media have accused the current incumbent, presidential candidate Jair Bolsonaro, of posing a threat to Brazils democracy. Indeed, he is widely depicted by the western media as a being fascist or worse intent on tyranny.

By contrast, media reports, especially overseas media, blandly describe the opposition candidate, former President Lula da Silva, merely as leftist or liberal.

So, what is wrong with this sort of narrative?

Luis Inacio Lula da Silva, more commonly known simply as Lula, is the leftist candidate in this presidential election. He was Brazils president from 2003 to 2011. During this period, he was the leader of a notoriously corrupt government that employed thousands of members of his own party, the Workers Party, in the states machinery.

One of those party members, Marco Aurelio Garcia, was employed by then President Lula to be his foreign affairs advisor. Garcia openly expressed a desire to establish communism in Brazil.

In an article written to celebrate the anniversary of Karl Marxs The Communist Manifesto, Garcia, concluded: The agenda is clear. If the horizon that we search for is still called communism, it is time to re-constitute it.

As a way of re-constituting communism, Lula and his colleagues in the Workers Party in 1990 created an organization called the Forum de Sao Paulo (FSP) to fight the negative effects visited on communism by the dismantling of the Soviet Empire. In 2004, its organizers declared that the major goal of the FSP was offsetting our losses in Eastern Europe with our victories in Latin America.

Brazils former president and current presidential candidate Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva speaks to supporters during a campaign rally in the final week of campaigning at Portela Samba School in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Sept. 25, 2022. (Buda Mendes/Getty Images)

Lulas Strong Ties With Communist Movements

Lula was the FSPs first chairman during its meetings which were attended by delegates of Colombias FARC (Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia) guerrillas, Perus TUPAC-AMARU guerrillas, Chiles MIR (Revolutionary Left Movement) guerrillas, Spains Basque separatist ETA, and the Irish Republic Army (IRA). The U.S. State Department considers all of these to be terrorist organizations.

The late Dr. Constantine Menges, a former CIA intelligence officer, commented:

[Lula da Silva] has been a sponsor of international terrorism because these annual [FSP] meetings are used by the anti-U.S. terrorist and radical organizations to coordinate their plans for taking power in their respective countries and for planning actions against the United States.

During Lulas presidency, his government was even accused of receiving illegal money from the communist regime of Cuba.

As reported by Veja magazine on Nov. 2, 2005, a Cuban citizen by the name of Sergio Certantes, a diplomat based in the capital city of Brasilia, apparently sent three million dollars by plane to Brazil in two boxes containing Johnnie Walker whiskey and one box containing Cuban rum.

The story at first seems a bit surreal, but at a closer look, it is rich in detail and has been backed by other sources of information. What is more, the mastermind of the political generation that came to power during Lulas presidency, Jose Dirceu, was a left-wing terrorist who worked and studied in Cuba until 1975. He was the architect of Lulas election as president and often travelled to Cuba at Fidel Castros personal expense and invitation.

A traditional ally of the Workers Party, and current supporter of Lulas presidential candidature, is the Communist Party of Brazil. This party was created in 1958 as a result of a splinter inside the Brazilian Communist Party following Soviet Leader Nikita Khrushchevs denunciations of genocidal atrocities by Joseph Stalin.

In an open letter to that Soviet leader, members of this party protested against his revisionist agenda and then decided to align themselves with Maoism and, in particular, the Chinese Communist Party.

According to Lucas Ribeiro, a Brazilian journalist, the notion that Lula is a moderate is completely absurd and devoid of any practical evidence. As he points out, Lulas party makes no secret of its communist identity, and its events proudly display the International Socialist and the red flag with a communist symbol stamped on itthe red star as the partys official symbol.

Former Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva wears a face mask during a press conference in Brasilia, Brazil, on Oct. 8, 2021. (Evaristo Sa/AFP via Getty Images)

This goes without saying that Lula openly supports socialist dictatorships not only in Latin America but also across the globe.

This completely dispels any assumption that Lula is really a moderate, Ribeiro says.

In fact, according to Frei Betto, one of Lulas closest friends, his failure in the presidency was not being radical enough. If in power again, he must not ignore revolutionary horizons and never allow himself to compete in equality of conditions with the right.

Brazilians simply cannot develop a normal democracy in a political environment such as this.

Bolsonaro Is a Champion for Democracy, Not a Threat

But Brazilians do have the chance to re-elect their current president, Bolsonaro, who has spent a lot of his time in office trying to eliminate deep-rooted corruption.

In fact, his stance on corruption has earned Bolsonoro enormous popular support. On Sept. 7, the day of the nations 200th anniversary of Independence, millions of Brazilians went on the streets to demonstrate their support for Bolsonaro and his conservative government.

Of course, there are other reasons why Brazilians do and should support their president. Bolsonaro reduced the size of an inefficient and corrupt state and dramatically reduced the tax burden in Brazil.

His electoral motto, Brazil Above Everything, God Above Everyone, works as a combination of patriotism and a recognition of God as the ultimate ruler and provider for the nation.

Read More Why Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro Deserves to Be Re-elected: Part 2

As one may expect, this belief in God is what especially angers the secular elites and motivates them to further attack the Brazilian president. The media, both national and international, quite often portrays his impending re-election as a major threat to democracy in Brazil when such a threat actually comes from their own favoured leftist candidate.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
Judge: Oath Keepers Jurors Wont be Disqualified for Opinions About Jan. 6

WASHINGTONThe judge in charge of the Oath Keepers trial said Sept. 28 that he will not disqualify any potential jurors based only on their opinions of the Jan. 6, 2021, breach of the U.S. Capitol.

U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta, an Obama appointee, said that disqualifications will not be entered solely based on opinions on Jan. 6 or the Oath Keepers, provided potential jurors can convince him that they would assess the evidence presented in court objectively.

Its normal to have views about Jan. 6, said Mehta.

If potential jurors can put aside previous knowledge from news coverage and social media, and show no emotional reactions related to the breach, the judge said he sees no issue selecting them.

Approximately 35 potential jurors have passed the initial stage. The final jury will be composed of 12.

The jury selection process began on Monday, with many prospective jurors saying they could be impartial despite having strong opinions about what occurred on Jan. 6.

A school teacher who thinks jury duty is an interesting process said Tuesday afternoon in court that one of her friends had a close relationship with a police officer who committed suicide two days after Jan. 6. J6 affected him, she said, adding that it might be harder to put aside her feelings. However, she is open to new evidence. She doesnt know much about the defendants, calling them Trump Oath Keepers who interfered with the presidential transition.

The prospective female juror said the charges do not mean much because the trials evidence will be essential. Judge Mehta noted that she said she could put her views away. He was undecided about selecting her as a juror.

Another woman recalled seeing a picture in the newspaper with the defendants walking in a crowd associated with the Jan. 6 protests. Her impression of the Oath Keepers is that they looked like they were doing something illegal, and she felt they were upset and making bad choices. She doesnt know much about the organization other than believing it is a group to protect conservatives when needed. If the defendants present evidence clearly, she said she is open to coming to a different conclusion. Her responses appeared to have convinced Judge Mehta.

They have a right to support Trump, said another potential juror, a federal employee for the U.S. Agency for International Development. She described the Oath Keepers as a passionate group formed 15 years ago who had weapons in hotels on Jan. 6. She said her impression of them is a little negative due to the violence that day. Nonetheless, she, too, can set aside her views. Judge Mehta seemed satisfied with her answers.

On the same afternoon, a few men expressed their rigid beliefs about Jan. 6 and could not change their minds faced with contradictory evidence. The evidence that I already saw is pretty solid, said one of them, I know what happened that day. Mehta disqualified him.

Another man who said he formed his opinions of the Oath Keepers based on media coverage said the are an extremist group. He said January 6 was a violent act. He saw images and videos which would be quite difficult to put aside. The judge wasnt happy with the mans answers.

A health care consultant worker expressed his confusion regarding the January 6 protests by saying, I dont understand why people would act like that. When Mehta questioned whether he could put his opinions aside during the trial, he responded, I believe I could. The judge seemed convinced by the potential jurors answer but didnt give a verdict.

Up to now, the defense attorneys have appeared concerned that the jury would judge Oath Keepers as a whole organization rather than the defendants on trial alone.

Jury selection is expected to continue through Friday.
Law enforcement officers walk out of the J. Edgar Hoover FBI Building in Washington on Jan. 28, 2019. (Mark Wilson/Getty Images)

Judge Orders FBI to Produce Information From Seth Richs Laptop

The FBI must produce information from Seth Richs laptop computer to a Texas man, a federal judge ruled on Sept. 29.

The bureau improperly withheld the information from Brian Huddleston, the Texas man, according to a 53-page ruling from U.S. District Judge Amos Mazzant.

Rich was a Democratic National Committee staffer who was murdered around 4:20 a.m. in July 2016 in Washington. Officials have claimed the killing was done as part of a botched robbery.

The FBI has acknowledged it has files from Richs computer but tried withholding them from Huddleston, citing a portion of federal law that enables agencies to withhold information that would be a clear invasion of privacy interests when the interests are not outweighed by the public interest.

The bureau said that Richs family members have a privacy interest in preventing the release of the information that outweighs the public interest, but Mazzant, an Obama appointee, rejected the argument.

The Court is not persuaded by the FBIs argument that Seth Richs survivors have a privacy interest in withholding the entirety of the information contained on Seth Richs laptop, he said.

Pointedly, the FBI cites to no case law for the proposition that survivors of the deceased have a privacy interest in information related to the deceaseds favorite music or relationship history, he added.

Previous rulings in other cases have found that loved ones of dead people have a substantial privacy interest in preventing the disclosure of autopsies, death scene photographs, and other materials from a persons final moments. Those rulings dont apply to this case, Mazzant said.

He ordered the FBI to produce the information to Huddleston within 14 days.

Seth Rich. (LinkedIn)

Major Victory

Ty Clevenger, a lawyer representing Huddleston, said the ruling was a victory.

The FBI has fought tooth and nail to conceal evidence about Seth Rich, so Judge Mazzants order is a major victory for us, Clevenger told The Epoch Times via email.

The FBI declined to comment.

Richs parents declined to comment through a lawyer.

Clevenger said any files not of a personal nature will be posted online after Huddleston receives them.

As soon as we can get it ready to post Ill put it up on my blog for everybody to look at, he said.

False Claims

The bureau falsely told Clevenger when he asked for information on Rich that it didnt possess any. Emails disclosed in a separate case proved the FBI wrong. The bureau identified some potentially responsive 20,000 files in response to Huddlestons requests, later narrowing it down to 1,563 pages.

The FBI has only produced 75 pages to date, while withholding hundreds of others.

During the litigation, the FBI admitted for the first time that it had come into possession of files from Richs laptop.

Michael Seidel, an FBI official, said in a declaration to the court that a source provided the FBI information and material extracted from Seth Richs personal laptop. He also said, since the FBI had no involvement in the extraction of the data from Seth Richs personal laptop, there is no way to know with certainty if the information provided by the source  accurately depicts the contents of the information contained on Seth Richs personal laptop at the time of his death.

Still, the official said that the computer may contain information of family (parents and siblings), friends or acquaintances (professional or personal), his favorite music and other material that would reveal details concerning both personal and sensitive relationships. At the same time, Seidel acknowledged that Rich himself has no privacy interests due to being deceased.

Clevenger and Huddleston have an expert ready to analyze the information from the laptop to see whether it was tampered with after Richs death.
Justice Alito: Questioning Legitimacy of SCOTUS Crosses an Important Line

U.S. Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito has weighed in to defend the recent rulings from the conservative majority, saying that those questioning the high courts legitimacy have crossed an important line.

Alito, who penned the majority opinion that essentially sent the question of abortion access back to individual states, was asked by the Wall Street Journal whether overturning precedent threatens the Supreme Courts legitimacy.

It goes without saying that everyone is free to express disagreement with our decisions and to criticize our reasoning as they see fit, Alito told the Journal on Sept. 27. But saying or implying that the court is becoming an illegitimate institution or questioning our integrity crosses an important line.

Alitos comment comes as Justice Elena Kagan and Chief Justice John Roberts appeared to engage in a debate without mentioning each others names. Speaking at a Northwestern University School of Law forum, Kagan implied that the conservative majority on the nations highest court was acting for the political benefit of Republicans and, as a result, damaging the Courts legitimacy in the eyes of the public.

When courts become extensions of the political process, when people see them as extensions of the political process, when people see them as trying just to impose personal preferences on a society irrespective of the law, thats when theres a problem, Kagan said at the Sept. 14 event.

Kagan reiterated the claims during her visit last week to Salve Regina University in Rhode Island, implying that the conservative justices have trouble putting partisan politics aside.

The very worst moments have been times when judges have even essentially reflected one partys or one ideologys set of views in their legal decisions, said Kagan, an Obama appointee and former Harvard Law School dean. The thing that builds up reservoirs of public confidence is the court acting like a court and not acting like an extension of the political process.

While there was no mention of the overturning of Roe v. Wade, Kagan said justices should use more effort to refrain from inserting their own political views when they exercise the power of judicial review.

The Court should think twice and then maybe should think twice again before doing so, Kagan told the audience. The Court shouldnt be wandering around just asserting itself into every hot-button issue in America. And it especially shouldnt be doing that in a way that reflects one ideology or one set of political views over another.

At an earlier event, Roberts, who sometimes sides with the Courts liberal wing, disagreed with the idea that the Court is damaging its own legitimacy. During a judicial conference in Colorado, he insisted that the courts lawful responsibility stands unquestioned, regardless of whether its decisions fuel public dissatisfaction.

I dont understand the connection between opinions people disagree with and the legitimacy of the court, Roberts said at the Sept. 9 event. If the court doesnt retain its legitimate function, Im not sure who would take up that mantle. You dont want the political branches telling you what the law is, and you dont want public opinion to be the guide of what the appropriate decision is.

Simply because people disagree with an opinion is not a basis for questioning the legitimacy of the court, he added.

The comments also come after a series of Supreme Court rulings that are considered major conservative victories. Those decisions include Carson v. Makin, which found it unconstitutional for a state to help fund private schools but exclude religious ones; and New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen, which invalidated a 100-year-old rule demanding those interested in obtaining a concealed carry permit to prove they have a good cause.
Press Release

September 29, 2022 SENATOR MARK VILLAR FILES BILL TO INSTITUTIONALIZE DEATH BENEFITS FOR DISASTER PERSONNEL, FOLLOWING THE DEATH OF 5 BULACAN RESCUERS Senate Deputy Majority Leader Mark A. Villar on Wednesday, 28 September 2022 filed a bill seeking to institutionalize death benefits for community disaster personnel deployed during disasters. Senate Bill No. 1354 or the "Disaster Personnel Death Benefit Act" aims to properly compensate the families of rescuers who died during their deployment in responding to disasters. "In every disaster, the lives of our rescuers and volunteers will always be at risk. No amount of compensation will be ever sufficient for the families left behind in case of loss of life during the performance of their duties. The bravery and heroism of these selfless individuals should be duly recognized," Senator Villar said in a statement. On September 25, 2022, Typhoon Karding hit the Philippines bringing intense winds and heavy rains to Central Luzon affecting neighboring provinces such as north and south Luzon including Metro Manila. According to the report from the Bulacan Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO), five (5) rescuers deployed for a rescue operation died in a flash flood in Barangay Kamias, Municipality of San Miguel. The five fallen rescuers were identified as George Agustin, Troy Justin Agustin, Marby Bartolome, Jerson Resurreccion, and Narciso Calayag. "I am deeply saddened to know that we lost five good men during the onslaught of Super Typhoon Karding, words are not enough to express my grief. We never want any life to be sacrificed in the name of duty, I sincerely thank and honor them. Their heroism, courage, and bravery will live in our memory forever", Senator Villar said. Following the death of these selfless and courageous rescuers, Villar filed this bill so assistance must be provided to the family of the deceased rescuers while performing their duty in responding to disaster, calamity, and emergencies. Villar explained that this bill seeks to institutionalize the death benefits of rescuers to the surviving family regardless of their status of government employment, whether regular, casual, contractual, job order, or on voluntary work. "I was surprised knowing that these rescuers were casual workers even though serving in the government. We have to do something about this current situation of our rescuers. Sila ang maaasahan natin sa pagresponde sa mga kalamidad at kaagapay ng gobyerno sa pagsisiguro na ligtas ang mga mamamayan, kaya dapat sila ay protektado at hindi natin sila dapat biguin." Senator Mark Villar added. Once passed into law, the amount equivalent to one-half () month of the last salary multiplied by the number of years of service of the community disaster personnel, but shall not be less than One Hundred Thousand Pesos (Php 100,000.00) shall be given to the surviving family of the deceased community disaster personnel. "As a country who has suffered calamity and being one of the most disaster-prone countries, this case only highlights the need to have a proactive disaster preparedness response to minimize loss of life, property damage, and economic losses caused by natural disasters", Villar ended.
Absentee ballots are available Thursday to North Dakota voters for the Nov. 8 general election.

Voters will be determining a new secretary of state, and deciding whether to legalize recreational marijuana and whether to impose term limits on state lawmakers and the governor.

Several statewide offices are on the ballot -- secretary of state, attorney general, agriculture commissioner, tax commissioner, U.S. House, U.S. Senate, two seats on the Public Service Commission and one seat on the state Supreme Court.

Voters also will be electing state lawmakers after reapportionment of the Legislature last year following the 2020 census. Ninety-eight of 141 seats are on the ballot, including for new subdistricts encompassing tribal nations.

About 30 lawmakers won't be back in Bismarck next year, including three of four legislative leaders and both House and Senate appropriations committee chairmen, meaning new hands will guide the legislative session set to convene in January.

Republicans control the Legislature and hold all the state's elected offices and congressional seats.

Absentee ballots are available to request online at vip.sos.nd.gov/absentee.

More ballots have been cast before Election Day in recent years -- from 38% in the 2016 general election to 48% in 2018 to 75% in 2020, according to the North Dakota Association of Counties.

Early in-person voting in Burleigh County is from Oct. 26-29, Oct. 31-Nov. 5 and Nov. 7 at the Bismarck Event Center. A full schedule of early voting times is at burleighco.com/elections/early/.

Early in-person voting in Morton County is from Oct. 26-29, Oct. 31-Nov. 5 and Nov. 7 at Disciples Church in Mandan.

General election voters will decide congressional, statewide, legislative, judicial and county races, along with the ballot measures on marijuana and term limits. City, school district and park district races were decided in the June election.

Turnout in the June election was nearly 19% statewide. Turnout in the November 2020 election was nearly 63%. Turnout is usually much higher for a general election.

Secretary of State Al Jaeger this month provided ballots to 160 North Dakota military and overseas voters in 31 countries.

Jaeger is not seeking reelection. A general election 2022 candidate list is at vip.sos.nd.gov/candidatelist.aspx?eid=326.
Lawyer, Former Teacher Runs for Capistrano Unified School Board

Jessica Hubbard, who has worked as a teacher for 20 years, is running for a seat on the Capistrano Unified school board in the Nov. 8 election.

I am the parent of a CUSD student, and like all other parents, I want to ensure that my children are receiving the best opportunities and experiences possible, Hubbard, who did not respond to a request to be interviewed for this story, wrote in her campaign statement.

Hubbard is up against two other candidates, journalist Kira Davis, and Michael Parham, a former president of the Irvine Unified School Board.

The seat on the board for Area 2, covering Ladera Ranch, Las Flores, Rancho Mission Viejo, and Coto de Caza. It was left vacant after Pamela Braunstein resigned in March citing disagreements with her colleagues, particularly regarding COVID mask policies.

As a parent and educator, the Ladera Ranch resident said she wants to strengthen partnerships between parents, faculty, and students through community engaging events, such as town halls, according to her campaign website.

Throughout all of my experience and education, I have always been driven by a desire to improve the health, wellness, safety, and education of children, Hubbard in her campaign statement.

Currently, she is the chief program officer of Girls Inc. in Orange County, a nonprofit where she helps girls navigate education and career choices while avoiding the detriments of drugs, violence, and teen pregnancy.

When Hubbard isnt working or campaigning, she spends time with her husband and two children, one of whom attends a district school.

Born in Los Angeles, Hubbard was raised in Miami before moving to Orange County in 2011.

Hubbard earned a masters degree in Education Administration from Nova Southeastern University in Florida and another masters degree in Computing in Education from Columbia University.

She took a break from her work as a teacher to study law at Western State College Law in Irvine, receiving her Juris Doctor in 2014.
The Japanese pepper has a rightful place in the chile pepper pantheonespecially if you give it some time

It wasnt love at first bite, but I finally warmed up to the shishito pepper.

The name is an abbreviation of shishitogarashi, which is Japanese for the tip of this pepper looks like a lions face. This description is as fanciful as looking for faces in clouds, but you dont need to imagine a lion in order to appreciate the shishito.

Shishitos are finger-length, thin-skinned, wrinkled, and usually mildbut every now and then youll get a hot one, which keeps things exciting. My introduction to this pepper came at the farmers market in Santa Fe, New Mexico, where growers bill them as frying chiles.

This distinction is important because roasted green chile is a sacred autumn tradition in New Mexico, where chile roasters are everywhere, in seemingly every parking lot and empty space. These propane-heated, rotating, steel mesh cages resemble giant hamster wheels. As the hot roaster spins, the chiles inside are tossed and cooked until they are collapsed and blistered, releasing their intoxicating fragrance into the air. Locals call it New Mexican aromatherapy. It makes everybody within smelling distance happy and hungry.

Roasted green chile is arguably the backbone of New Mexican cuisine, thanks to a simple and delicious formula: Add green chile to food, and add the phrase green chile to what you call it. Thus, a cheeseburger becomes a green chile cheeseburger. Scrambled eggs become green chile scrambled eggs. Enchiladas become green chile enchiladas.

Shishitos are finger-length, thin-skinned, wrinkled, and usually mildbut every now and then youll get a hot one, which keeps things exciting. (funny face/Shutterstock)

At the Santa Fe farmers market, shishito growers use skillets in their stalls to demonstrate the shishitos fryability. They fry their shishitos in a few drops of oil and put them on plates for customers to sample. I was one such sampler, and I wasnt impressed. The frying thing seemed like a gimmick, and didnt fill the air with as much fragrance as traditional New Mexican chile varieties such as Big Jim, Sandia, and Numex. It took a farmer in Montana, where I now live, to turn this perception upside down. And all he had to do was let the shishitos ripen.

Any pepper will eventually turn red if you leave it long enough, and my farmer friend waits until his shishito crop resembles a Christmas sweater before bringing his red and green mix to market. The red shishitos add a pleasing sweetness to the mix, making it more complex. Finally, after years of denial, I hopped aboard the shishito bandwagon.

Back in Santa Fe, the lower heat of the shishito was a turn-off. But now that Im older and have less to prove, I dont mind the milder chiles, because I can eat more of them. And without being surrounded by chile roasters on every corner as one is in New Mexico, Ive noticed that blistered shishitos actually smell pretty good. With the help of my friends red and green shishitos, Ive been converting my burgers, eggs, soups, and pretty much everything else within reach into New Mexican-style cuisine.

Heres a recipe for lemon miso shishitos that brings us full circle to the peppers Japanese roots. Its based on the blistered shishitos on the menu at the acclaimed Nobu restaurants. Ive added salmon, to make it a complete meal rather than an appetizer, and because the lemon miso glaze is a perfect sauce for salmon. I serve the shishitos and salmon with jasmine rice rather than Japanese rice, because jasmine rice adds a lovely fragrance that dances elegantly with the aroma of the shishito.

This recipe employs white miso, which I greatly prefer to the darker varieties. White miso contains rice fermented with the usual soybeans, which makes for a sweeter paste into which I will liberally dip my spoon and snack on while making this dish. And while shishitos are sold as frying chiles in New Mexico, I prefer my shishitos broiled.

Blistered, lemon and miso-glazed shishitos pair perfectly with salmon and jasmine rice for a Japanese-inspired meal. (Ari LeVaux)

Lemon and Miso-Glazed Shishitos With Salmon

Combining elements of East and Southwest, this transcontinental recipe is so delicious that you wont know where you are.

Serves 2

Juice of 1 lemon, divided

1/4 cup white miso paste

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 pound salmon filet, preferably cut from the thick end

1 pound fresh shishito peppers, washed and dried

1 tablespoon butter, divided

3 tablespoons sesame seeds

Soy sauce, to taste

Jasmine rice

Turn the oven to broil. Position an oven rack about 7 inches below the element or flame.

Combine 2 tablespoons lemon juice and the miso, and stir together until completely mixed.

Sprinkle the fish with salt. Let sit for 15 minutes, then rinse it with the remaining lemon juice. Smear the fish with half of the lemon miso mixture. Let it sit in the fridge until its time to cook it.

Rinse the shishitos and put them on a baking pan. Roast them under the broiler, tossing and stirring often, until they are blistered on all sides, about 12 minutes. Remove from the oven to cool. (You can roast any chile this way, including New Mexico-style, Anaheim, poblano, jalapeno, etc.)

Put half of the butter on the salmon and place the fish in an oven pan under the broiler, skin-side down, and cook about 10 minutes until browned on top and solid to the touch. Remove and let cool.

Toss the shishitos with the remaining lemon-miso paste and the remaining half-tablespoon of butter.

Plate the shishitos and salmon with rice, garnish with the sesame seeds and a lemon wedge, and serve with soy sauce.
Even serious lung infections are no match for the antibacterial properties of manuka honey, which is effective against antibiotic-resistant pathogens and more.

STORY AT-A-GLANCE

The nectar from manuka flowers contains dihydroxyacetone, a precursor to methylglyoxal (MGO), an antimicrobial compound not found in most other honey

The presence of MGO is credited for much of manuka honeys medicinal prowess, which includes the ability to combat complex antibiotic-resistant respiratory infections

All four varieties of manuka honey tested showed antimicrobial activity against Mycobacterium abscessus, a type of mycobacteria that often cause aggressive lung infections

When manuka honey was combined with antibiotics to treat Mycobacterium abscessus, the drug dosage was able to be cut by eightfold

Manuka honey is used for a variety of medical-grade applications, including honey gel, honey for wound dressings and nebulized honey used to treat asthma

Honey has been valued for its antimicrobial properties for thousands of years. Made from flower nectar, honey contains sugars, amino acids, phenolics and other compounds that combine to exert a wealth of medicinal properties. When it comes to broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity, however, manuka honey deserves top billing.

Produced from certain manuka plants  also known as tea trees  of the Leptospermum species native to New Zealand and Australia,1 manuka is used for a variety of medical-grade applications, including honey gel, honey for wound dressings and nebulized honey used to treat asthma.2

The nectar from manuka flowers contains dihydroxyacetone, a precursor to methylglyoxal (MGO), an antimicrobial compound not found in most other honey. The presence of MGO is credited for much of manuka honeys medicinal prowess, which includes the ability to combat complex antibiotic-resistant respiratory infections.3

Manuka Honey Treats Aggressive Lung Infection

Mycobacterium abscessus is a type of mycobacteria that often cause aggressive lung infections in people with cystic fibrosis, bronchiectasis and other preexisting lung conditions. Conventional treatment often involves more than 12 months of antimicrobial chemotherapy, which still doesnt get rid of the infection in many cases.4

According to researchers with the U.K.s Aston University, patients often stop taking the drugs due to severe side effects, including nausea, vomiting, liver damage, low platelet levels and low white blood cell count. Even among those who do stick with the intensive drug treatment, its only successful 30% to 50% of the time.5

New and novel strategies are urgently required to combat these infections, the researchers wrote. One such strategy thus far overlooked for mycobacteria is manuka honey.6

The Aston University team conducted a study using samples of Mycobacterium abscessus from 16 infected patients with cystic fibrosis to determine the effectiveness of manuka honey against it.7 All four varieties of manuka honey tested showed antimicrobial activity against the bacteria, including 16 drug-resistant clinical isolates.8

The researchers used a nebulizer and lung model to test the results of manuka honey with the drug amikacin, which is used to treat bacterial infections. A typical dosage of amikacin used in the treatment of Mycobacterium abscessus is 16 micrograms per milliliter.

When combined with manuka honey, however, not only was the duo effective but far less amikacin  just 2 micrograms per milliliter  was needed.9 According to study author Jonathan Cox, a senior lecturer in microbiology at Aston University:10

By combining a totally natural ingredient such as manuka honey with amikacin, one of the most important yet toxic drugs used for treating Mycobacterium abscessus, we have found a way to potentially kill off these bacteria with eight times less drug than before. This has the potential to significantly reduce amikacin-associated hearing loss and greatly improve the quality of life of so many patients  particularly those with cystic fibrosis. I am delighted with the outcome of this research because it paves the way for future experiments and we hope that with funding we can move towards clinical trials that could result in a change in strategy for the treatment of this debilitating infection.

Honey Works for Upper Respiratory Tract Infections

Upper respiratory tract infections (URTIs), otherwise known as the common cold, are a common reason why people are prescribed antibiotics unnecessarily, exacerbating antimicrobial resistance.11 Honey makes a suitable option for symptom relief, working better than usual care, according to a systematic review and meta-analysis published in BMJ Evidence-Based Medicine.12

After reviewing 1,345 records from 14 studies, the researchers found that, compared with usual care, honey improved cough frequency and cough severity, as well as the combined symptom score. They noted:

Honey was superior to usual care for the improvement of symptoms of upper respiratory tract infections. It provides a widely available and cheap alternative to antibiotics. Honey could help efforts to slow the spread of antimicrobial resistance, but further high quality, placebo controlled trials are needed.

The results support previous studies with similar results. In one Italian study involving 134 children with a nonspecific cough, researchers compared the use of multiple doses of honey to the use of dextromethorphan and levodropropizine, two commonly prescribed over-the-counter cough medications in Italy.13

The children were given either a mixture of milk and wildflower honey or a dose of one of the medications, based on the group they were assigned to. The researchers found that the milk and honey mixture was at least as effective as the medications. Similar results were found by a study published in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews that looked into honey for the treatment of acute cough in children. It concluded:14

Honey probably relieves cough symptoms to a greater extent than no treatment, diphenhydramine, and placebo, but may make little or no difference compared to dextromethorphan. Honey probably reduces cough duration better than placebo and salbutamol.

How Do Manuka Honeys Antibacterial Properties Work?

Different types of manuka honey have varying levels of antibacterial potency, which is related to its Unique Manuka Factor (UMF) rating. UMF is correlated to a particular honeys content of MGO and total phenols. While some types of manuka honey may be more potent than others, no bacterial resistance to honey has been identified to date, possibly because its made up of such a complex mixture of MGO and other substances.15

Honey may also affect bacterial cell morphology and growth by altering its shape and size, according to an overview published in AIMS Microbiology.16 It also noted that manuka honey can stimulate macrophages to release mediators such as interleukin 6 and tumor necrosis factor , which are necessary for reducing microbial infections and promoting tissue healing.17 Other active compounds in honey that may affect its antibacterial activity include:18

Hydrogen peroxide (especially in non-manuka honey)

Acidic pH level

Hyper-osmolality effect

Bee defensin-1, an antimicrobial bee-derived peptide19

Manuka honey can be safely used as an alternative natural antibiotic, the researchers noted, adding, Finally, the conclusion is that honey is a natural and safe antibiotic, since no literature published has reported bacterial resistance for honey, which is attributed to the complexity of honey components working solely or in a synergistic manner with other components.20

Manuka Honeys Wound-Healing Powers

Manuka honey has been widely explored for wound healing, in part due to its ability to wipe out bacteria living in biofilms, which often adhere to wound surfaces. Manuka honey is capable not only of disrupting existing biofilms, which can cause persistent infections, but also of preventing their formation.21

In addition to inhibiting the growth of all bacterial pathogens its been tested against, researchers noted, Treatment with manuka honey results in a unique signature of differential gene expression with down-regulation of stress response and virulence-related genes.22 When combined with antibiotics, it also works synergistically or enhances their effects, while preventing the development of resistance and even making resistant bacterial strains more susceptible to treatment.23

In the case of wound healing, honey has been used for this purpose for thousands of years, and in the U.S. the use of medical grade honey for wound care is approved by the Food and Drug Administration.24 Manuka honey has immunomodulatory properties that enhance wound healing and tissue regeneration.25

Even in cases of chronic, nonhealing wounds, such as diabetic leg ulcers, manuka honey dressings have been found to mostly heal the sores within three months. The antibacterial component of manuka honey is a small water-soluble molecule that diffuses easily, which explains why manuka honey has also exhibited efficacy against bacteria contained in biofilms, according to a review published in Wounds.26 The researchers explained:27

The manuka honey used in wound-care products can withstand dilution with substantial amounts of wound exudate and still maintain enough activity to inhibit the growth of bacteria. There is good evidence for honey also having bioactivities that stimulate the immune response (thus promoting the growth of tissues for wound repair), suppress inflammation, and bring about rapid autolytic debridement.

Choosing High-Quality Honey

Medical grade honey is now widely available and used by some hospitals for wound healing and wound infection control. Medicinal honey products are also available over the counter for home use. However, keep in mind that the health benefits of honey do not extend to the processed honey you find on grocery store shelves, which is often little more than fructose syrup.

Contamination with chemicals, including glyphosate, most commonly known as the active ingredient in Roundup herbicide, is also a concern. In their National Chemical Residues Program Report released January 2020, its noted that 300 raw extracted archival and retail packed honey samples were tested for glyphosate residues during 2017/2018, while another 60 retail packed Manuka honey samples were tested for the herbicide during 2018/2019.28

Out of the 300 samples, 22.3% contained glyphosate residues above the laboratory limit of reporting, with clover or pasture floral types testing positive more often than other varieties. About 1.7% of the unblended or unprocessed (raw extracted) honey samples contained glyphosate residues at levels above the regulatory limit.

Among the 2018/2019 retail samples tested, 18.3% contained glyphosate residues, though they were below the regulatory maximum. Beekeepers are, unfortunately, at the mercy of their neighbors glyphosate usage, as they cant control which plants their bees choose to visit. Some beekeepers, however, are carefully managing where they put their hives to minimize pesticide exposure and keep track of when spraying occurs to help reduce exposures.29

If you see the Detox Projects glyphosate-residue-free certification on Manuka honey, it means the product has no glyphosate residues down to government-recognized limits of detection (usually 0.01 parts per million), and lower levels than the default government Maximum Residue Limits in the European Union and Japan.30

For manuka honey, also keep an eye out on the UMF rating, which can range from UMF5+ to UMF30+. The higher the rating, the more MGO and other beneficial compounds it contains, so for medicinal purposes, generally the higher the UMF, the better.

Originally published Sep 20 2022 on Mercola.com

References
Meal Ticket No More: The Gold Standard Private Pensions Exposed Now as High-Wire Busts

Like many retirees, Jesus Nunez knew he was due a pension but was having a hard time tracking it down. Now 66, the Burbank, Illinois, resident had worked as a painter and garage worker for the Checker Taxi Co. Inc from 1978 to 1986 and then another year for its successor concern. But when Checker Motors filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2009, he never got a notice about his anticipated retirement checks. He figures hes due about $300 per month.

They didnt tell me anything about my pension, says Nunez. Later someone said they lost my records.

Nunezs concerns are shared by millions of Baby Boomers who are in or nearing retirement. Although so-called defined-benefit pensions were long considered the gold standard of retirement planspromising guaranteed regular payments for lifecorporate churn, financial pressures, and outright fiscal malfeasance have made many of them less secure than the employee-guided, non-guaranteed 401k stock investment plans that many companies now offer in their stead.

Only about 10 percent of private-sector workers have defined-benefit pensions today. But prior to the 1980s, most did. That fact, and what happened to guaranteed pensions in the interim, make them a persistent problem today, ensnaring, among others, American taxpayers who have to bail out a lot of them.

Many affected workers and retireespotentially 33 million in more than 25,000 federally protected defined-benefit pension plansare among the more than 70 million Baby Boomers (those born from 1946 to 1964) who are retiring at an accelerating rate, with only some 40 percent already retired.

That means the first federal backstop for such pensions created by Congress in 1974the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporationis being kept busy dealing with troubled plans, about 1,600 terminations annually in recent years. From 2014 to 2019, there were 8,000 shutdowns. All told, more than 145,000 plans shuttered from 1975 to 2019, with the PBGC becoming trustee for almost 5,000 of them.

Multi-employer pensions, generally offered to union members, typically saw the biggest funding shortfalls with some funded at only 30 percent to 40 percent of their obligations, according to a University of Virginia study. These pensions were thrown a stopgap, multi-billion-dollar lifeline by President Bidens $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan Act passed last year by the Democrat-run Congress.

Pension managersincluding politicians, union officials, and employer representativesconsistently over-promised and under-funded pension benefits, and have done little if anything to correct for their shortcomings over time, writes Rachel Greszler, a research fellow at the Heritage Foundation. Such mismanagement is tragic for workers and retirees who did nothing wrong.

The situation raises the specter of a fiscal crisis on the order of much more publicized problems involving government support for Americans personal finances, from potential Social Security insolvency to mismanaged public employee pensionsas opposed to the private ones at issue here. The moral hazards posed by government guarantees extend to student loans, with President Biden proposing a bailout of hundreds of billions of dollars in student debt. Ironically, the unlucky older beneficiaries who lost private pensions could see their taxes go to bail out those younger borrowers.

And the private pension problem still festers: The Great Resignation of older workers in the pandemic era threw Social Security earnings and retirement savings off track, making the issue of failing pensions even more pressing to those with a claim to them.

What is the government doing about it, and what can impacted retirees do to protect themselves?

Below is a primer.

How You Can Track Down a Lost Pension

Have a guaranteed pension dating back to the days of disco? Hunting it down and getting the checks due you can be an unusually arduous process. Although you may have received official notices of pension benefits, companies offering them may have folded or changed names over the years, with their pension plans taken over by others. Remember Times Mirror, the newspaper giant of decades ago now gone down the memory hole? Pension search engines arent likely to either.

Tips:

Documents are king in this processi.e., paperwork saying you were vested and owed a pension. You may first need to track down your former employer.

The PBGC provides a list of trusteed plans that it has taken over. If your plan is being managed by the agency, then thats your first stop, although you may have no way of knowing that. You can call the agency at 1-800-400-7242.

The PBGCs pension search directory is another resource.

You can also try the PBGCs My Pension Benefits

The PBGC has an Advocate office that offers pension tracing services. Call (202) 229-4448 or advocate@pbgc.gov.

If your own work records are long gone and the above steps prove fruitless, your last resort for proving your claim to a pension might be a Certified Itemized Statement of Earnings from Social Security, listing when you worked and for whom. That will cost $122 and likely take 120 days to process, Social Security says. It gives a number to call, 1-800-772-1213, but only after that four-month wait period.

When a company files for bankruptcy, a plan may be also terminated by a court or continued without PBGC interventionif there are enough assets in the plan.

Its helpful to know what kind of termination an employer chooses when electing to shut down a defined-benefit plan.

Standard Terminations. The majority of plans are shuttered under this category, which means a plan that has enough money to pay all benefits owed to participants and beneficiaries. For each participant or beneficiary, the plan administrator either purchases an annuity from an insurance company or, if the plan permits, pays the benefit owed in another form (such as a lump sum), according to the PBGC.

Distress Terminations. This is when the employer or controlled group cant fund future benefits and meets certain PBGC rules. Then the PBGC takes over the plan as trustee and uses its own assets and any remaining assets in the plan to make sure that current and future retirees of the plan receive their pension benefits, within the legal limits. PBGC also tries to collect plan underfunding from employers and shares a portion of its recoveries with participants and beneficiaries. This is a more involved process, though, and the full benefits promised under the original plan may not be paid.

When the PBGC takes over a single-employer plan, it typically pays participants their plan benefits in the form of a life annuity. The benefits, however, are capped based on the PBGCs guarantee limit, so many retirees may not receive what they were originally promised by the plan.

The guaranteed level for 2022 for an annuity for the life of a participant whose benefit commences at age 65 is $74,455. You have to be vested in the plan, meaning you had to have worked for the company a certain number of years to qualify for a benefit. The guaranteed amounts vary by age. Generally, the older you are, the higher the benefit. The potential payment is lower if a benefit commences before age 65 or if the participants spouse has a survivor benefit. The guarantee is higher if the benefit commences after age 65.

People whose pension benefits exceed the guarantee amount thus can lose some of their promised benefits, but in some situations people who are already retired when the plan terminates may be paid benefits in excess of the guarantee levels, says Norman Stein, a national pension expert and senior policy and legal counsel for the Pension Rights Center.

In multiemployer planscollectively bargained plans to which several employers contributethe guarantees are much lower than they are for single employer plans.

Keep in mind that its difficult to decipher what underfunding means. Its a fluid process. Employers may pony up more contributions, or market returns may improve a plans fiscal health. Gauges showing how long a pension plan will be able to pay full benefits are complex and understood by few.

Still, tracking down owed benefits can be a wild goose chase with a lot of dead ends. You may need professional help, someone who can aid you in finding the right documents and asking the right questions. PensionHelp America is a good place to start.

What the Government Is Doing to Help

Although most workers are required to receive official notices when their pensions are underfunded, terminated, and taken over by the PBGC, they may be long gone from the workplace. The Labor Department, separate from the PBGC, maintains a list of the most underfunded multi-employer plans, but it provides little direct help for workers looking for unclaimed pensions.

But finding plans that have shut down may be easier than finding some that still have money in them and owe benefits. There are more than 16 million retirement accounts sitting out there (including 401ks)typically with balances of $5,000 or less, according to the Government Accountability Office. Its not a simple matter to do a search engine query to find them. Congress has authorized the PBGC and other agencies to set up a user-friendly lost and found database or registry of pensions, but it may not be up and running for a few years.

We have developed a technology roadmap for a pension plan registry system, notes a spokesperson for the PBGC Advocate Office, and we are now in the process of evaluating options for building and implementing the pension plan registry system architecture. In the interim, the Office of the Advocate continues to offer pension tracing services to participants seeking information about a defined benefit plan.

What about bolstering underfunded plans? The Democrat-dominated Congress under President Biden has been kind to the multi-employer plans generally offered to union members, to the tune of billions of dollars from the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. Under the ARPA, a Special Funding Assistance Program was embedded in what became known as the Butch Lewis Act, named by liberal Ohio Sen. Sherrod Brown for late Cincinnati ex-Teamsters president and pension advocate Estil Butch Lewis. It supports about 250 most severely underfunded plans, the PBGC stated in its fiscal 2021 Annual Report.

While the program will aid the most troubled multi-employer pension programs, it wont eliminate the total underfunding issue long-term. The PBGCs most recent Office of Inspector General audit estimates that it could be on the hook for about $329 million for multi-employer plans aloneafter its nearly $9 billion infusion thanks to the Lewis Act. Funding shortfalls, in essence, were covered by the Lewis Act, which allowed loans to plans in critical and declining status, or if a plan became insolvent after December 2014 and had not terminated.

Before the pandemic and the ARPA, some 1.3 million workers were in troubled multi-employer plans. But now, observes Karen Friedman, executive director of the nonprofit Pension Rights Center: If your plan is accepted and qualified for the special assistance, most people wont have to worry (this is for multi-employer plans only).

In any case, sorting through the PBGCs enormous growing liabilities, its likely that Congress may need to pony up billions more to guarantee future defined-benefit pensions.

The doomsday scenario that the PBGC would become insolvent in five to six years is now old history, according to Grace Ristuccia and Thomas Vasiljevich, writing recently in The National Law Review. The new estimated time of PBGC insolvency is the mid-2040s.

The potential bill for underfunded single-employer plans, however, was much larger at $105.4 billion, the PBGC audit reported for the last fiscal year (page 24). This number focuses on companies that have below investment-grade credit ratings with plans classified as reasonably possible of termination as of the end of September last year. Actually, that liability figure is an improvement from $176 billion in fiscal year 2020. Nevertheless, the PBGC is not out of the woods when it comes to future liabilities.

Neither are the many retirees in the same boat as Jesus Nunez, the former Checker Motors worker, who is now working to recover his pension with the help of Anna-Marie Tabor of the Pension Action Center at the University of Massachusetts-Boston.

Theres often a complete lack of transparency, Tabor said of whats become painfully obvious to those adversely affected. Some people have no idea what happened to their pension plans.

From RealClearWire
Brothers of Italy party leader Giorgia Meloni delivers a speech on stage during a rally at Piazza del Popolo in Rome, on Sept. 22, 2022, ahead of the Sept. 25 general election. (Alberto Pizzoli/AFP/Getty Images)

Meloni Baloney

Commentary

Italy has elected its first female prime minister. Normally that would be cause for celebration by those who promote diversity, but press reaction in Europe and the United States is treating Giorgia Meloni as the second coming of Italian dictator and Adolf Hitler ally, Benito Mussolini.

The leftist press labels those whose policies they oppose as right wing, extremist and in Melonis case, a woman with fascist associations and political roots. A Washington Post editorial calls her a firebrand ethno-nationalist whose party arose from the ashes of post-World War II Italian fascism. Having already smeared her, the Post then contradicts itself, writing: In fact, it would be a stretch to regard Ms. Meloni  as a fascist.

Melonis political positions are opposed to the secular progressive agenda. She is passionately pro-life, opposes the LGBTQ political agenda, and wants to restrict immigration. Market Realist News says: Much like many far-right politicians in the U.S., Meloni has utilized her Christian views to serve as a backbone of her politics. And secular progressives dont do the same?

Melonis Brothers of Italy party, which she co-founded in 2012, and which CNN.com repeatedly described as far right, so you get their drift, evolved from a neo-fascist movement, a movement begun decades ago. Meloni says her views are not those of that older organization. For the left, one can evolve in their direction, but never the opposite.

It is always best to hear someone speak for themselves without the filtration of a hostile media.

Three years ago, Meloni spoke before The World Congress of Families in Verona. She began with self-deprecating humor: Ive just arrived  I was doing the ironing. Then I found 10 minutes to come and talk politics with you.

Meloni said of the stereotypes associated with the family organization: They said all sorts of things about this congress. They said we want to go back to the past. That were losers. That were embarrassing. That were un-enlightened. They said its scandalous for people to defend the natural family founded on marriage, to want to increase the birth rate, to want to place the correct value on human life, to support freedom in education and to say no to gender ideology.

The same has been said by critics of conservatives and their organizations in the United States, but her platform is in tune with many Americans.

Like Donald Trump and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, she is not shy about firing back at her critics, some of whom were protesting outside the venue: I say the losers are those who have nothing better to do than come here and insult us.

She has proposed free nursery schools for mothers who work outside the home. She describes Europes low birth rate (much of it thanks to liberal abortion policies) as the biggest problem facing Europe. Not energy? Not Russias war against Ukraine? Nope. If we do not address this, she says, everything else is pointless.

Meloni also has a searing response to critics who claim she wants to return Italy to the Middle Ages: The Middle Ages was also the time of the cathedrals and the abbeys, the founding of the comuni (small Italian administrative units), the universities, the parliament, the epoch of Dante, Petrarch, Boccaccio, Saint Francis, Saint Benedict. People who dont know where Matera is, lets not expect them to read history books.

How about this zinger: I believe in a society where every choice has consequences and you accept responsibility for them. I reject a society where every desire becomes a right. That once was considered normal and admirable in America and in Europe.

You can understand why secular progressives hate her and fear her message. Perhaps she will soon visit the United States and put some backbone into the Republican Party.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
Model Fearing Burmas Military Heads to Asylum in Canada

BANGKOKA fashion model from Burma (also known as Myanmar) who feared being arrested by the countrys military regime if she was forced back home from exile has arrived in Canada, which she says has granted her asylum.

Thaw Nandar Aung, also known as Han Lay, left on a flight from Bangkoks Suvarnabhumi Airport early Wednesday morning, according to Archayon Kraithong, a deputy commissioner of Thailands Immigration Bureau.

Thaw Nandar Aung wrote on Facebook she had arrived in Canada and thanked her fans for their support.

I will do my best to help my beloved Myanmar and the people of Myanmar as much as I can, she wrote in the post seen Thursday.

Thaw Nandar Aung had told Radio Free Asia, a U.S.-government funded broadcaster, on Tuesday that she was headed to Canada, after having been been granted political asylum there with the assistance of the U.N. refugee agency and the Canadian Embassy in Thailand.

Everything happened so fast, and I only have a few pieces of clothing. So I will have to go along with what they have planned for me, she said.

I have spoken out for Myanmar wherever I go. I have talked to the media about my country while I was staying in Thailand. Since Canada is a safe place for me, I will have more opportunities to speak out on the issue. And as you know, there is a large Myanmar community in Canada, so Im sure Ill be able to carry on the struggle for Myanmar with their help.

A phone call to the Canadian Embassy seeking comment was not immediately returned.

Thaw Nandar Aung had been stuck at Bangkoks airport after Thai authorities denied her entry when she arrived Sept. 21 from a short trip to Vietnam. She has been living in Thailand but needed to leave and enter again in order to extend her stay.

While at the airport she met U.N. refugee agency representatives in an effort to avoid being sent back to Burma. People denied entry to Thailand are usually deported to their last point of departure, but the U.N. agency advised her she would be arrested in Vietnam and then repatriated to Burma. A Thai Foreign Ministry spokesperson said she had been denied entry into Thailand due to an issue with her travel document.

Thaw Nandar Aung denounced her countrys military rulers last year from the stage of Miss Grand International beauty pageant held in Bangkok. She accused them of selfishness and abusing their power for using lethal force to crush peaceful protests, and appealed for international help for her country.

Burmas military seized power in February 2021 from the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi and has cracked down heavily on widespread opposition to its rule. Critics, including actors and other celebrities, have been arrested on charges that carry penalties ranging from three years imprisonment to death.

In July, authorities executed four activists who were accused of involvement with terrorist activities, and U.N. experts have described the countrys violence as a civil war.

Thaw Nandar Aung said she was charged in absentia in September last year with sedition for speaking out against the military takeover at the pageant and online. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.

New York-based Human Rights Watch accused Burmas military regime of revoking or otherwise interfering with Thaw Nandar Aungs passport, making her the victim of a deliberate political act by the junta to make her stateless when she flew back from Vietnam to Thailand. It said the tactic was used against other critics as well.

There is no doubt that what transpired was a trap to try to force Han Lay to return to Myanmar, where she would have faced immediate arrest, likely abuse in detention, and imprisonment, Phil Robertson, the groups deputy Asia director said in an emailed statement. Fortunately, she got good advice to stay put at the airport, and wait for the kind of protection she needed. This was a victory for rights, and refugee protection.

By Tassanee Vejpongsa
A security guard in an Optus retail store removes a barrier for a customer in Perth, Australia, on March 27, 2020. (Paul Kane/Getty Images)

More Red Tape Not the Answer to Optus Data Leak: Business Law Expert

Increasing government bureaucracy is not necessary to mitigate the fallout of the Optus cyberattack, says an Australian business law expert.

Australias second-largest telecommunication company, on Sept. 22, revealed a user known as OptusData, demanded US$1 million for the stolen personal details of 9.8 million Optus customers, including drivers licence details, passport numbers, home and email addresses, and Medicare numbers.

Cyber Minister Clare ONeil on Monday criticised Optus, saying that a data breach of this size would have resulted in fines amounting to hundreds of millions of dollars in other jurisdictions.

The Epoch Times understands ONeil was referring to the European general data protection regulation (GDPR), which would fine companies up to four percent of their global revenue for such a leak.

As the government and industry manoeuvre to respond, Rob Nicholls, associate professor in regulation and government at the UNSW Business School, has called for the government to refrain from pushing for more red tape and instead plug the gap in the current system.

You dont want a knee-jerk reaction; you need to actually consider the issues, he told The Epoch Times. This is a great source of learning, but the solution shouldnt be Oh, well, well just fine them, or well just increase the levels of fines.

I think it needs to be a much more balanced and holistic approach as to how to deal with the regulatory issue thats been created.

A better approach, he added, is to take a step back and think about firstly, how do we make sure that businesses understand how important personal information is and why it should be kept secure? Does any existing regulation lead to insecurity?

Another solution is that telco companies dont retain customers identity documents in the longer term.

The real problem with keeping it is that it creates whats called in cyber-attacks, a honeypot. The value of the data in a breach is higher because it has more items which actually identify the people involved, the business law expert said.

In this photo illustration, a young man types on an illuminated computer keyboard typically favored by computer coders on January 25, 2021 in Berlin, Germany. (Photo by Sean Gallup/Getty Images)

But Nicholls noted that it is the government that has required telco companies to obtain customers identity documents as part of its Know Your Customer guidelines, to meet a 100-point ID requirement.

I think they adopted a very conservative approach by keeping it so that they could show to law enforcement or to relevant regulators. But it increases the risk of cyber-attack.

The consequential costs are starting to come through as Australians impacted by the breach move to change their drivers licences and any passports included in the breach, with Optus to reimburse the cost.

Hacker Walks Back Ransom Demands But Telco Giant Still Under Pressure

The company has alerted and apologised to customers over the incident, but ONeil said it should provide free credit monitoring to millions of customers impacted.

The breach is of a nature that we should not expect to see in a large telecommunications provider in this country, the minister told Parliament on Monday.

Optus CEO Kelly Bayer Rosmarin described the data breach as sophisticated. She also told ABC Radio on Tuesday that the attack is not what its made out to be because the data was encrypted and Optus has multiple layers of protections.

The Australian Federal Police have announced that they are working with the FBI, industry, and state and territory police forces to address the consequences of the breach.

But the suspected hacker, who has released more than 10,000 records, claimed they wouldnt continue the ransomware attack anymore.

Too many eyes. We will not sale [sic] data to anyone. We cant [sic] if we even want to: personally deleted data from drive (Only copy), the hacker wrote in a note posted on an online data breach forum on Tuesday.

Sorry too [sic] 10,200 Australian whos [sic] data was leaked.

Ransomware not payed [sic] but we dont [sic] care any more. Was mistake to scrape publish data in first place.

In a bid to ramp up cyber security requirements, the government has unveiled a new bill (pdf) that will see people committing ransomware attacks and extorting victims through unauthorised access sentenced to up to 10 years in prison.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has called the incident a huge wake-up call for the corporate sector in terms of protecting data.
The gas leak in the Baltic Sea from Nord Stream photographed from the Coast Guard's aircraft on Sept. 27, 2022. (Swedish Coast Guard via AP)

NATO Issues Warning About Nord Stream Pipeline Sabotage

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) has formally labeled the damage to the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines as acts of sabotage.

All currently available information indicates that this is the result of deliberate, reckless, and irresponsible acts of sabotage, NATO said in a Sept. 29 statement. These leaks are causing risks to shipping and substantial environmental damage. We support the investigations underway to determine the origin of the damage.

Seismologists and other officials said that explosions were the likely cause of the damage to the pipelines, which carry Russian natural gas to Germany.

NATO is committed to deter and defend against hybrid attacks, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg wrote on Twitter, adding that the alleged sabotage of the Nordstream pipelines is of deep concern.

In its statement, the 27-nation bloc didnt say who might have been behind the leaks. The European Union also hasnt pointed to any nation.

Some Western government officials have suggested that Russia was behind the incident. However, Moscow has categorically denied those allegations and said it makes little sense to damage its own infrastructure and lose vast quantities of natural gas.

It was a deliberate act and, in my opinion, it can very likely be linked to the push for constant provocation by the Kremlin, Spanish Energy Minister Teresa Ribera told reporters on Sept. 29, according to Reuters. She didnt provide evidence for her claim.

Terrorist Act

Leaks from the two underwater pipelines have caused the release of millions of cubic tons of methane since they were reported earlier in the week. The pipelines currently werent being operated but still contained large amounts of methane.

Earlier on Sept. 29, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that state-sponsored terrorism was behind the pipeline damage.

This looks like some kind of terrorist act, possibly at the state level, Peskov told reporters, according to TASS news. This is an extremely dangerous situation that requires urgent investigation.

When asked on Sept. 28 about whether Russia was behind the leaks, Peksov described such allegations as predictably stupid.

The NATO warning came as the Swedish coast guard confirmed a fourth leak on the pipelines off southern Sweden, which is in the process of joining NATO. The first leaks in the pipelines that extend from Russia to Germany were reported on Sept. 27, prompting energy companies and European governments to increase security.

The fear of further damage to Europes energy infrastructure has added pressure on natural gas prices, which had already been soaring. Russia, a major supplier to Europe, cut off deliveries earlier this year in retaliation for sanctions imposed after its invasion of Ukraine. That has caused widespread economic pain across the continent.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris (L) and South Korea's President Yoon Suk Yeol pose for a photo as they hold a bilateral meeting in Seoul, South Korea, on Sept. 29, 2022. (Leah Millis/Pool Photo via AP)

North Korea Fires Missile After Harris Leaves South Korea

PANMUNJOM, KoreaIn a show of defiance, North Korea fired two short-range ballistic missiles into the sea on Thursday, hours after U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris flew home from a visit to South Korea during which she traveled to the Demilitarized Zone separating the two Koreas and emphasized the ironclad U.S. commitment to the security of its Asian allies.

It was the third round of missile launches by North Korea this week, extending a record pace in weapons testing as it accelerates a push to expand its arsenal and pressure Washington to accept it as a nuclear power.

South Koreas Joint Chiefs of Staff said the missiles were fired nine minutes apart from an area just north of the capital, Pyongyang, and flew toward waters between the Korean Peninsula and Japan.

Japans military said it also detected the launches. North Korea fired two short-range ballistic missiles on Wednesday, while Harris was in Japan, and one before she left Washington on Sunday.

Harris earlier capped her four-day trip to Asia with a meeting with South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and a stop at the Demilitarized Zone, where she addressed the threat posed by the increasingly hostile North.

There are concerns that North Korea may soon conduct a nuclear test, which would move the country closer to being acknowledged as a full-fledged nuclear power.

Visiting the DMZ has become something of a ritual for American leaders hoping to show their resolve to stand firm against aggression.

At the DMZ, Harris went to the top of a ridge, near guard towers and security cameras. She looked through bulky binoculars as a South Korean officer pointed out military installations on the southern side. Then an American officer pointed out some of the defenses along the military demarcation line, including barbed-wire fences and claymore mines. He said American soldiers regularly walk patrols along a path.

Its so close, Harris said.

Harris then visited one of a row of blue buildings that straddle the demarcation line, where an American officer explained how the buildings are still used to conduct negotiations with North Korea. Sometimes they pass messages back and forth and sometimes they use a megaphone, he said.

Harris then walked out of the building and up to the demarcation line. On the North Korean side, two figures dressed in what appeared to be hazmat suits peeked out from behind a curtain in a second-floor window. Then they disappeared back inside.

Harris described this weeks missile launches as provocations meant to destabilize the region and said the United States and South Korea remain committed to the complete denuclearization of the North.

I cannot state enough that commitment of the United States to the defense of the Republic of Korea is ironclad, she said.

In the South, we see a thriving democracy. In the North, we see a brutal dictatorship, she said before flying out of the border on a U.S. military helicopter.

Earlier, Harris met with President Yoon at his office in Seoul and reaffirmed the U.S. commitment to defend the South with a full range of its military capabilities in the event of war, Yoons office said.

They expressed concern over North Koreas threats of nuclear conflict and pledged an unspecified stronger response to major North Korean provocations, including a nuclear test.

Harris and Yoon were also expected to discuss expanding economic and technology partnerships and repairing recently strained ties between South Korea and Japan to strengthen their trilateral cooperation with Washington in the region. Their meeting also touched on Taiwan, with both reaffirming their countries support for peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, according to Yoons office, which didnt elaborate.

Harris trip was organized so she could attend the state funeral of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, but her itinerary was dominated by security concerns, a reflection of fears about the Chinese regimes growing threats and North Koreas ramped-up testing activity.

In every meeting, Harris tried to lay to rest any fears that the United States was wavering in its commitment to protect its allies, describing American partnerships with South Korea and Japan as the linchpin and cornerstone of its defense strategy in Asia.

Yoon, who took office earlier this year, had anchored his election campaign with vows to deepen Seouls economic and security partnership with Washington to navigate challenges posed by the North Korean threat and address potential supply chain risks caused by the pandemic, the U.S.China rivalry and Russias war on Ukraine. But the alliance has been marked by tension recently.

South Koreans have decried a new law signed by President Joe Biden that prevents electric cars built outside of North America from being eligible for U.S. government subsidies, undermining the competitiveness of automakers like Seoul-based Hyundai.

During their meeting, Harris told Yoon that Washington will try to address South Korean concerns as the law is implemented, Yoons office said.

Scott Snyder, an analyst at the Council on Foreign Relations, said the dispute over electric vehicles has swiftly become a firestorm that U.S. officials cannot ignore, although there may not be a simple solution.

Its taking on a level of urgency thats making it into a political problem that requires management, Snyder said. I dont know that its going to be easy for the Biden administration to do that.

There are indications North Korea may up its weapons demonstrations soon. South Korean officials said last week that they detected signs North Korea was preparing to test a ballistic missile system designed to be fired from submarines.

The U.S. aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan was to train with South Korean and Japanese warships in waters near the Korean Peninsula on Friday in the countries first trilateral anti-submarine exercises since 2017 to counter North Korean submarine threats, South Koreas navy said Thursday.

U.S. and South Korean officials also say North Korea is possibly gearing up for its first nuclear test since 2017. That test could come after The Chinese Communist Party holds its convention the week of Oct. 16, but before the United States holds its midterm elections Nov. 8, according to Seouls spy agency.

In Japan, Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada expressed concern that North Korea was improving its weapons technology through its unprecedented testing spree.

The South Korean and Japanese militaries said the missiles launched Thursday traveled 300 to 350 kilometers (180 to 217 miles) and reached a maximum altitude of 50 kilometers (30 miles).

The low-altitude flight path resembled that of the short-range ballistic missiles North Korea fired earlier in the week.

Some analysts say those launches likely involved a new solid-fuel weapon modeled after Russias Iskander missiles, which travel at relatively low altitudes and are designed to be maneuverable in flight, making them harder to be intercepted by missile defenses. The missiles are part of a growing arsenal of nuclear-capable short-range systems North Korea has been developing since 2019 as it expands its arsenal targeting rival South Korea.

North Korea has punctuated its testing activity with repeated threats of nuclear conflict. Its rubber-stamp legislature this month authorized the preemptive use of nuclear weapons in a broad range of scenarios where its leadership comes under threat.
A TV screen shows a file image of a North Korean missile launch during a news program at the Seoul Railway Station in Seoul, South Korea, on Sept. 28, 2022. (Ahn Young-joon/AP Photo)

North Korea Test Launches Missiles on Eve of Harris Trip to Seoul

SEOUL, South KoreaNorth Korea fired two short-range ballistic missiles toward its eastern waters on Wednesday, its neighbors said, a day before U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris is to visit South Korea.

Seouls Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement that the North Korean missiles lifted off 10 minutes apart on Wednesday afternoon from its capital region and flew toward the waters off its east coast.

Japanese Vice Defense Minister Toshiro Ino said Japans military also detected the launches and that the weapons flew in an irregular trajectory.

Ino said that North Koreas repeated missile firings amid [Russias] invasion of Ukraine is impermissible. The South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff said North Koreas provocations would only deepen its international isolation while pushing South Korea and the United States to strengthen their deterrence.

The launches follow a missile test by North Korea earlier this week.

Harris is to arrive in South Korea on Thursday for talks with President Yoon Suk Yeol and other officials. She also is to visit the tense border with North Korea, in what U.S. officials call an attempt to underscore the strength of the U.S.-South Korean alliance and the U.S. commitment to stand beside South Korea in the face of any North Korea threats.

U.S. and South Korean navy ships were also conducting drills off South Koreas east coast in a show of force against North Korea.

The four-day exercise, which began Monday, involves the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan. It is the first training exercise by the allies involving a U.S. aircraft carrier near the Korean Peninsula since 2017.

South KoreaU.S. joint military exercises often draw a furious response from North Korea, which views them as an invasion rehearsal. A short-range North Korean missile launched Sunday was seen as a response to the U.S.South Korean training.

South Korea and Japan estimated that the North Korean missiles fired Wednesday flew 300360 kilometers (185220 miles) with a maximum altitude of 3050 kilometers (1930 miles). The low trajectories resembled the flight of the missile fired on Sunday, which some analysts said was likely a nuclear-capable, highly maneuverable weapon modeled after Russias Iskander missile.

In recent years, North Korea has been adding Iskander-like missiles and other solid-fuel weapons to its arsenal. Some experts say the weapons are designed to carry battlefield nuclear warheads to counter the stronger conventional forces of South Korea and the United States, which stations about 28,500 troops in the South.

North Korea has dialed up its missile testing activities to a record pace in 2022, launching more than 30 ballistic weapons, including its first intercontinental ballistic missiles since 2017. North Koreas Sunan area where Wednesdays launches occurred was the site of various missile tests this year, including two ICBMs.

Earlier this month, North Korea adopted a new law authorizing the preemptive use of nuclear weapons in some situations, as it continues to escalate its nuclear doctrine. U.S. and South Korean officials have also said the North may soon conduct its first nuclear test in five years.

North Koreas torrid run of weapons tests this year is seen as exploiting divides in the United Nations Security Council over Russias war against Ukraine and the U.S.China rivalry. In May, China and Russia vetoed a U.S.-led bid to impose new sanctions on North Korea over its ballistic missile tests this year, which violate U.N. Security Council resolutions.

Earlier Wednesday, South Koreas spy agency told lawmakers that a North Korean nuclear test could happen between mid-October and early November.

According to some lawmakers who attended the meeting, the National Intelligence Service said if the test occurs, it is likely to come after China, North Koreas last major ally, holds a key communist party congress on Oct. 16 but before the United States votes in midterm elections on Nov. 8.

The spy service also said North Korea recently began administering COVID-19 vaccines to its people for the first time, Yoo Sang-bum, one of the lawmakers present at the briefing, said without elaborating.

Earlier this month, leader Kim Jong Un told his countrys rubber-stamp legislature that North Korea would begin its rollout of vaccines. In August, he made a widely disputed claim that his country had overcome its first COVID-19 outbreak and ordered an easing of pandemic-related restrictions.

By Hyung-Jin Kim and Kim Tong-Hyung
Bismarck city officials are planting 150 trees in New Generations Park as part of the summerlong celebration of the capital city's 150th anniversary.

The event along the park's southeast portion is set from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, weather permitting. It's open to the public, and the city Forestry Division's Forrest Von Flickentale mascot will be on hand for photos. A plaque will be dedicated. The park is in northwest Bismarck, southwest of Horizon Middle School, along Mustang Drive and Valley Drive.

The trees also will help reduce the amount of snow entering the intersection between Valley Drive and Daytona Drive, on the parks southeastern corner, according to the city.

New Generations Park was an ideal place for the sesquicentennial celebration to come together and serve a functional need moving forward, City Forester Doug Wiles said. The trees, to some extent, will serve as a living snow fence to help reduce the time Public Works and Parks and Recreation will need to work along the park to manage snow.

Boy Scouts Troop 6 and the Farwest Rotary Club will assist with the tree planting. The club has provided funding for several improvements at the park, including the community building, splash pad and memorial benches, according to Mark Zimmerman, president of the club and an assistant scoutmaster for the Boy Scouts troop.

People using the park the rest of this week are cautioned to be aware of the potential for preplanting holes in the ground.
The Equinor's Johan Sverdrup oilfield platforms in the North Sea, Norway, on Dec. 3, 2019. (Ints Kalnins/Reuters)

Norway to Deploy Military to Protect Its Oil, Gas Installations

OSLONorway will deploy its military to protect its oil and gas installations against possible sabotage after several countries said two Russian pipelines to Europe spewing gas into the Baltic Sea had been attacked, the prime minister said on Sept. 28.

Gas leaks as a result of suspected sabotage discovered on the Nord Stream pipelines on Sept. 27 have roiled energy markets and heightened security concerns.

Norway is now Europes largest gas supplier and a leading global oil supplier. It has over 90 offshore oil and gas fields, most of which are connected to a network of gas pipelines stretching some 9,000 km (5,590 miles).

The military will be more visible at Norwegian oil and gas installations, Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere told a news conference.

An attack would be handled jointly with our allies, he said. Norway is a NATO member.

At sea, the navy would be deployed to protect offshore installations, while on land, police could boost their presence at facilities, he said.

NATO and the European Union have stressed the need to protect critical infrastructure and warned of a robust and united response should there be more attacks.

On Sept. 26, Norways Petroleum Safety Authority urged greater vigilance over unidentified drones seen flying near Norwegian offshore oil and gas platforms, warning that they could pose a risk of accidents or deliberate attacks.

Stoere said on Sept. 28 the drone sightings took place mainly in September, involved drones of various sizes, and that the activity was abnormal.

Still, he reiterated he saw no specific threat against Norways offshore oil and gas sector and hadnt asked for military assistance from its allies.

Coordination

A military expert had earlier said that the security of the Nordic countrys oil sector may be too lax.

The Norwegian government has to realize that by far the most important strategic object in all of Europe now is the energy or gas imports from Norway, Tor Ivar Stroemmen, a senior lecturer at the Royal Norwegian Naval Academy, told Reuters.

If those deliveries should be cut or stopped or reduced by a large amount, this would cause a complete energy crisis in Europe, Stroemmen said earlier on Sept. 28.

Equinor, Europes largest gas supplier, said it has stepped up security measures at its installations.

You can never fully hinder sabotage against 8,800 kilometers of pipelines, thats impossible, said Stroemmen, who added that concerted action could make it harder for potential saboteurs to operate.

He said that so far, there is a lack of coordination between the oil industry, police, and the military, which all have different security responsibilities for on- and offshore installations.

The government should hire specialized vessels capable of underwater surveillance readily available in Norways large maritime industry, he suggested.

Survey the gas lines, start continuous surveillance of all activity on the surface near those pipelines, Stroemmen said.

The Norwegian military is keeping a vigilant eye on the situation, said a spokesperson for the Norwegian Joint Headquarters, the militarys operational command center.

By Nora Buli
Potential jurors and other visitors wait outside the E. Barrett Prettyman U.S. Court House on September 27, 2022 in Washington, DC. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

Oath Keepers Seditious-Conspiracy Trial Could Hinge on Centuries-Old Militia Laws: the Insurrection Act

A federal law that dates to 1792 could play a major role in whether five Oath Keepers defendants on trial for seditious conspiracy in Washington are convicted of an alleged plot to attack the Capitol on Jan. 6 or acquitted because one cant conspire to do something legal.

The Insurrection Act has become widely discussed in the run-up to the trial of Oath Keepers founder Elmer Stewart Rhodes III, Kelly Meggs, Kenneth Harrelson, Jessica Watkins, and Thomas Caldwell.

Prosecutors contend the Insurrection Act is nothing but a legal cover for the Oath Keepers to use force to interrupt the counting of Electoral College votes by a Joint Session of Congress on Jan. 6, 2021, and to keep President Donald Trump in office.

Attorneys for Rhodes say he hoped Trump would invoke the Insurrection Act in response to widespread rioting, looting, and vandalism that occurred throughout 2020. The weapons the group brought to Virginia before Jan. 6 were only for use if Trump called up a militia to protect the White House from attacks by Antifa, they said.

Plenary Authority

Trump never used the Insurrection Act, but the Act does confer broad authority to presidents to use the militia to quell unlawful obstructions, combinations, or assemblages or any insurrection, domestic violence  or conspiracy,  Rhodes attorney James Lee Bright wrote in a memorandum filed with the court.

One of the keys to the trial will be arguments on whether the cache of firearms brought by Rhodes and others and stored at a Virginia hotel were there for attacking the government as prosecutors contend, or for use if Trump invoked the Insurrection Act to protect the White House or other facilities.

The Insurrection Act has been there from the beginning, but it really got strengthened up post-Civil War, Rhodes told the FBI. And so it gives the president the plenary authority tofor him to determine when theres an insurrection in effect. Like last year when Antifa and BLM were burning down half of America, he could have used the Insurrection Act.

Rhodes wrote an open letter to Trump in December 2020 urging him to invoke the Insurrection Act in response to well-orchestrated mass vote fraud.

This is your moment of destiny. Will you take your place in history as the savior of our Republic, right up there with President Washington and Lincoln? Rhodes asked.

Or will you fail to act, while you still can, and leave ofce on Jan. 20, 2021, leaving we the people to ght a desperate revolution/civil war against an illegitimate usurper and his Chicom puppet regime?

Stewart Rhodes, founder of the Oath Keepers (C) speaks during a rally outside the White House in Washington, June 25, 2017. (Susan Walsh/AP Photo)

In an interview with two FBI agents on May 3, 2021, Rhodes said his big concern leading up to Jan. 6 was Antifa making good on threats to sack the White House.

And our big concern was Antifa, he said. My concern was Antifa was gonna go kinetic. You know, what if Antifa goes kinetic?

The Insurrection Act traces its earliest roots to 1792 with the Calling Forth Act, which was repealed and replaced by the Militia Act of 1795. The Insurrection Act of 1807 was enacted by the Ninth Congress. The Suppression of Rebellion Act of 1861 and the Ku Klux Klan (Civil Rights) Act of 1871 are the other two pieces of what collectively is known as the Insurrection Act.

The Insurrection Act has been legally invoked 30 times by 17 presidents, according to the Brennan Center for Justice, a New York-based law and policy center.

The Insurrection Act allows the president to deploy the military inside the United States and use it against Americans, making it one of the executive branchs most potent emergency powers, the Brennan Centers Joseph Nunn and Elizabeth Goitein wrote in the organizations guide to the Insurrection Act.

In 1794, President George Washington used the act and led a militia into Pennsylvania to put down a revolt started over a liquor tax. The Insurrection Act was most recently used by President George H.W. Bush to quell Los Angeles violence after the beating of a black man, Rodney King, by white police officers in 1992.

We werent saying that Trump ought to [indiscernible] the Insurrection Act and go and round up all the leftists and put them in concentration camps, Rhodes told the FBI. Thats not what we were saying. But, you know, suppress the insurrection.

And he should prosecute anybody whos actually going out there and committing [indiscernible] acts of terrorism. So, like, burning downtrying to burn down [indiscernible] courthouse. Thats an act of terrorism.

Changes Needed?

The Brennan Center on Sept. 20 wrote to the House Jan. 6 Select Committee, urging Congress to reform the Insurrection Act to prevent the very thing Rhodes advocated in his letter to Trump.

Several Trump allies called on Trump to invoke the Act and deploy federal troops for the purpose of impeding the [presidential] transition, Goitein wrote in a letter to the Select Committee.

Moreover, members of the extremist right-wing group Oath Keepers, spurred on by their leader, Stewart Rhodes, believed that Trump would invoke the act and that doing so would enable them to join U.S. armed forces in preventing Biden from assuming office.

Although the Brennan Center bills itself as nonpartisan, the conservative National Center for Public Policy Research contends it is one of the most dishonest and aggressive voter fraud deniers that received more than $7 million from George Soross Open Society Foundations from 2000 to 2010.

Citing a Supreme Court decision issued in 1827, Bright wrote that the presidents decision to call forth the militia is extremely broad and entirely unreviewable.

An 1895 Supreme Court decision stated, If the emergency arises, the army of the nation, and all its militia, are at the service of the nation, to compel obedience to its laws, Bright wrote.

Members of the Oath Keepers walk from President Donald Trumps speech to the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. (Luke Coffee/Screenshot via The Epoch Times)

Bright said the Oath Keepers case involves the intersection of two vague, broad, centuries-old laws that ironically share similar characteristics. Seditious conspiracy proscribes conspiring to oppose the execution of federal laws, and the Insurrection Act can be used to quell such a conspiracy.

 But, here, in its theory of prosecution, the government potentially argues, via several filings and various motions, that asking a president to invoke the Insurrection Act to suppress a seditious conspiracy is itself a seditious conspiracy.

Citing a transcript of a November 2020 GoTo Meeting session, assistant U.S. attorney Kathryn Rakoczy quoted Rhodes saying the formal invocation of the Insurrection Act gives you legal cover.

During an encrypted chat on the application Signal, Rakoczy wrote, Rhodes wrote that President Trump needs to know that if he fails to act, then we will. He needs to understand that we will have no choice. 

The prosecutor urged U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta to limit what information the jury can hear about the Insurrection Act.

Rhodess information on the act risks injecting into the trial a complicated and confusing theoretical debate about whether the Insurrection Act would permit the president of the United States to authorize groups like the Oath Keepers to use force through the Insurrection Act to enable the president to stay in power and contest an election result that the president claimed was fraudulent, but that other branches of government had found lawful, Rakoczy wrote.
Orange County Doctor Pleads Guilty in $20 Million MediCal Fraud Scheme

FULLERTON, Calif.An Orange County physician pleaded guilty Sept. 28 to orchestrating a scheme to defraud Medi-Cal out of $20 million.

Mohamed Waddah El-Nachef, 69, of Laguna Hills, pleaded guilty to executing a scheme to defraud Medi-Cal, fraudulent claim for a health benefit, fraudulent insurance benefit claim, false or fraudulent claims, solicitation, acceptance or referral of business, conspiracy or aiding and abetting unauthorized practice of medicine, and grand theft, all felonies. He also admitted sentencing enhancements for aggravated white-collar crime between $100,000 to $500,000.

He is scheduled to be sentenced Aug. 1 of next year.

The doctor will be required to pay $2.3 million in restitution and surrender his medical license, according to the Attorney Generals Office, which prosecuted the case.

El-Nachef used his position as a physician to steal taxpayer money from our state programs and fuel illicit pharmaceutical sales on the streets of Southern Californiaall for personal gain, Attorney General Rob Bonta said in a statement. Today, he was held accountable and ordered to give back what he took from the people of California. Abuses of powerwhether big or smallwill never be tolerated by the California Department of Justice. As the peoples attorney, I will continue to protect the programs designed to help our most vulnerable residents.

El-Nachef helped two convicted felons, Steve Fleming and Oscar Abrons, in a scheme to obtain expensive pharmaceuticals that were sold on the illicit market, according to court papers filed by the state Attorney Generals Office when the doctor was charged in March of 2020.

El-Nachef wrote prescriptions for HIV medications, anti-psychotics, and opioids to over 1,000 medical beneficiaries brought to him by Fleming and Abrons, the court papers said. El-Nachef never conducted good-faith medical exams or otherwise validated that the patients actually needed the drugs he prescribed. A vast majority of the patients did not have HIV, nor had a legitimate need for the psychotic medications or controlled drugs. The medicines were paid for by Medi-Cal, which was unaware that El-Nachefs prescriptions were generated as part of a fraud and drug trafficking scheme.

The scheme was carried out from June 2014 through April 2016, according to prosecutors. The doctor was prescribing the drugs at two clinicsone in Anaheim and another in Los Angeles, prosecutor said.

The doctors attorney, Christopher Jude Bou Saeed, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
A Kenya-based photographer has managed to capture some incredible pictures of a rare black panther that was out in the wild.

In August, Andrew Andrawes, 34, sighted a melanistic leopard in Laikipia, northern Kenya, as he ventured out with a local guide.

(Courtesy of Caters News)

After a more-than-12-hour game drive, he posted a series of photos of his rare sighting on Instagram, writing: When a leopard is melanistic, it produces more melatonin than normal to the point that the skin becomes dark. The spots or rosettes are still identifiable but the coat is a deep velvet black.

The photographer, who originally hails from Egypt, introduced the rare panther as Giza Mrembo, which translates to beautiful darkness.

(Courtesy of Caters News)

Sharing more about his encounter with Giza, Andrawes said that after establishing eye contact with her, he was overwhelmed with emotion.

After catching their first glimpse of Giza, he and the local guide were able to see her again a few hours after sunset. This time, she appeared to be in full hunt mode.

We watched her crouch and slowly crawl from bush to bush, Andrawes said. She was a shadow swiftly floating through the night.

(Courtesy of Caters News)

Twice, Giza got very close to her preyonce to a group of impala and the next time to a dik-dik (small antelope). However, she was unsuccessful at capturing them, as they got away.

But as Giza soon blended in with the darkness, she approached another dik-dik.

There was no chase and the prey had no idea she was there until it was too late, Andrawes said. She literally plucked the dik-dik out of the blackness and within minutes she was up in a tree.

She began eating her reward and we let her be.

(Courtesy of Caters News)

Andrawes photographs lots of other incredible animals, such as dwarf mongooses and fearsome lions, sharing his nature pictures on his Instagram account.

(Courtesy of Caters News)

Epoch Times Staff contributed to this report.

Share your stories with us at emg.inspired@epochtimes.com, and continue to get your daily dose of inspiration by signing up for the Inspired newsletter at TheEpochTimes.com/newsletter
Police Decline to Investigate North Texas Pride Festival After Kids Exposed to Obscenities

The Plano Police Department in Texas wont investigate whether a Sept. 17 LGBT pride festival violated state obscenity laws, according to a state representative.

The North Texas Pride Festival was marketed to children 12 years old and under.

At the event there were low tables where magnets bearing obscene phrases were openly displayed.

Rep. Matt Shaheen (R-Plano) told The Epoch Times that he requested an investigation this week in a Sept. 28 meeting with the Plano city manager and the Plano police chief but was told law enforcement wont do anything due to a lack of resources.

The festival was approved through the citys special events process, according to a Sept. 20 city council meeting where several residents complained.

I was shocked to hear of an event that was held this past weekend but not so much by the gay aspect of the event, but the Satanists, the exorcisms, the drag queens interacting with small children, the pornography on the tables, and the van to check for sexually transmitted diseases, Plano resident Diane Neal told council members.

Donna Biscayne, a Plano native, was angered by the fact that the festival was pitched as family-friendly.

The vendor tables were very low to the ground, and they had all these cute little magnets with beautiful colors. The kids got to pick one and on those cute little magnets is pornography and obscenity, she told council members.

I didnt see friendly, and I didnt see family. I felt like it was an assault on our traditional values, our children, and our families.

Under the Texas Penal Code Sec. 43.21, displays or the distribution of obscenity can be charged as a misdemeanor, or a third-degree felony depending on the circumstances.

Before apologizing publicly, Morris Garcia, co-founder and president of the North Texas Pride Foundation, thanked the city council and Sergeant Brian Frantz who was present at the festival along with other Plano police officers.

We want to thank you again, and we also want to sincerely apologize for any unnecessary presence or unwelcome presence and promise to do due diligence in our screening in the future of our vendors to be sure that no one is exposed to anything that would be offensive, Garcia said at the council meeting.

The Plano police department did not immediately comment.

A spokesperson for the the City of Plano told the Epoch Times that the administration carefully reviewed photos and videos of the event shared on social media and agrees that some of the material displayed meets the Texas Penal Code definition of obscenity but that additional information is needed to investigate the offenses.

If anyone comes forward to present additional evidence, it will be investigated, said Steve Stoler, director of communications for the City of Plano.
Viewing Canova's moving masterpiece 'Dancing Girl With Cymbals' in Berlin

BERLINIn the solemn silence of the Bode Museum, I can almost hear the music as Antonio Canovas nearly life-size sculpture titled Dancing Girl With Cymbals effortlessly twirls and pivots on one leg before me. She dances with a lightness seen only in flight, raising her hands above her head for drama and balance, while playing her cymbals. She wears a delicate classical-style dress that skims her body, emphasizing every lithe move she makes.

This dancers peaceful presence belies the sculptures tumultuous past, having almost been destroyed in a fire and then lost for nearly 130 years before being rediscovered by chance in 1979.

Dancing Girl With Cymbals, 1809 or 1812, by Antonio Canova. Marble; 6 feet, 9 inches tall. Sculpture Collection and Museum of Byzantine Art at the Bode Museum, State Museums of Berlin, in Germany. (Antje Voigt/CC BY-NC-SA 4.0)

Neville Rowley, curator for early Italian art at the Sculpture Collection and Museum of Byzantine Art (Bode Museum), told me the sculptures remarkable story, and how Canovas Dancing Girl With Cymbals came to be one of the highlights of their collection.

A Russian diplomat living in Vienna, Prince Andrey Razumovsky, first owned the sculpture. Razumovsky was a key negotiator in agreeing to the terms of the allies victory over Napoleon in 1815. He was also an ardent patron of the arts, supporting greats like Canova and Beethoven. (Beethoven first played his Symphony No. 5 at Razumovskys palace.)

But Canovas Dancing Girl With Cymbals disappointed Razumovsky. Contemporary experts believed that ancient artists made pure white statuary, and a large black stain that ran across the dancers thighs went against the neoclassical style that aimed to revive that ancient tradition.

On December 30, 1814, just a few months after Razumovsky received the sculpture, disaster struck. Fire destroyed his palace, yet somehow men managed to pull Canovas dancer to safety minutes before the palace roof collapsed. Remarkably, the sculpture suffered only a few broken fingers, but the fire meant its black thigh-stain became blackened further from soot.

After 1836, Canovas sculpture disappeared from records. Then, by chance in the late 1970s, an art historian went to a party held at one of the Rothschild familys palaces where, on a staircase, he met Canovas lost dancer. Rowley notes that the exceptional quality of the sculpture along with its broken fingers were key in confirming its identity. Canova expert Hugh Honour had found the details of the fire damaged sculpture were in letters to Canova from art critic Giuseppe Tambroni.

Canovas Enduring Legacy

October 2022 marks the 200th anniversary of Canovas death. In the late 18th century, Canova first worked in Venice but he made his name in Rome, becoming the greatest neoclassical sculptor of his time. He had invitations from many European heads of state to come work for them, but he stayed firmly on Roman soil, where he felt most inspired.

Canovas neoclassical-style sculptures are rooted in ancient art. According to A World History of Art, by Hugh Honour and John Fleming, Canova was hailed as the continuer of the ancient Greek tradition, the modern Phidias [ancient Greek sculptor.] He was particularly inspired by paintings on ancient Greek vases, and by frescoes found in Herculaneum, the ancient southern Italian city that was discovered in 1709 (some 40 years before the discovery of nearby Pompeii).

In addition to being inspired by ancient art, Canova loved dance, and several of his works reflect this love. His friend, the sculptor Antonio dEste wrote of how, as youths, theyd wander into the mountains on feast days to watch the girls dance. He wrote how Canova enjoyed the innocence of the dancers,  [and] by observing the natural movements of these girls, he again and again drew a lesson that benefited his art.

Great artists like Canova made the impossible possible. Canova excelled at making static marble sculptures full of movement from every viewing angle. He did that in his Dancing Girl With Cymbals, and he somehow made the dancers solid marble body appear as light as a feather, making it easy for me and other Bode Museum visitors to hear the music she dances to.

To find out more about Antonio Canovas Dancing Girl With Cymbals at the Bode Museum in Berlin, visit SMB.museum
A Royal Mail sign is pictured outside a post delivery office in London on Aug. 26, 2022. (Maja Smiejkowska/Reuters)

Royal Mail Workers to Launch 48-hour Strike as Pay Dispute Escalates

Union members at Royal Mail will launch a 48-hour strike on Friday in an escalating dispute over pay.

According to the Communication Workers Union (CWU), the walkout by around 115,000 of its members will be the biggest strike in the UK this year.

In a major escalation of the dispute, the union has announced a further 19 days of strikes throughout October and November.

CWU general secretary Dave Ward said the escalation matches the level of anger union members feel at their employerthe Royal Mail Group.

The chief executive of Royal Mail Group is treating postal workers as if they are stupid, he said. Postal workers across the UK now face the fight of their lives to save their jobs and the service they provide to every household and business in the UK.

The Royal Mail Group called the unions announcement reckless and said it will weaken the companys financial position and have a negative impact on job security.

Royal Mail is losing 1 million ($1.11 million) a day. We operate in a competitive market, and our customers have choices. Continued strike action will force our customers to make those choices sooner rather than later, said a company spokesperson.

The company called on the CWU to recognise the reality of the situation Royal Mail faces as a business, and to engage urgently on the changes required to adapt to customer demands in a highly competitive market.

The spokesperson said the company is doing its best to minimise delays.

Strike Disruptions

The UK has been hit by a series of strike actions in recent months, causing serious disruptions to multiple sectors including railways, ports, and local governments.

Announcing his mini-budget on Sept. 23, Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng told the House of Commons, At such a critical time for our economy, it is simply unacceptable that strike action is disrupting so many lives.

He said the UK will adopt minimum service levels to stop trade unions closing down transport networks during strikes.

The planned clampdown on industrial action was part of the policy blueprint unveiled by Prime Minister Liz Truss during her campaign to become Conservative Party leader.

She made clear that she would not allow unions to disrupt vital public services and would not let the country be held to ransom by militant trade unionists.

Her planned measures included introducing minimum service levels on critical national infrastructure to keep trains, buses, and other services running. She also planned to raise ballot thresholds to make it harder for strike action to take place across all sectors.

PA Media contributed to this report.
A gas leak from Nord stream 1 in the Swedish economic zone in the Baltic Sea in this picture taken from the Swedish Coast Guard aircraft on Sept. 28, 2022. (Swedish Coast Guard/Handout via TT News Agency/via Reuters)

Russia Says Nord Stream Pipeline Damage Likely Terrorist Act

Russia said on Thursday that pipeline leaks emitting natural gas into the sea appear to be the result of state-sponsored terrorism.

The European Union is investigating the cause of the leaks in the Gazprom-led Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines under the Baltic Sea and has said it suspects sabotage.

This looks like some kind of terrorist act, possibly at the state level, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters, according to TASS news. This is an extremely dangerous situation that requires urgent investigation, he stressed.

A day before, Peskov dismissed claims that Moscow was behind the damage to the pipelines and described those allegations as predictably stupid. He questioned why Russia would sabotage its own pipeline system, which would lead to the loss of significant amounts of expensive gas.

A report from CNN alleged that European security officials had observed Russian navy support ships and submarines not far from the sites of the leaks. When asked to comment on the CNN report, Peskov said there had been a much larger NATO presence in the area.

Russia has also said the leaks off the coasts of Denmark and Sweden occurred in territory that is fully under the control of U.S. intelligence agencies.

Explosions

The Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines were not supplying gas to Europe when the leaks were first detected on Monday but still had gas in them. Russia had halted deliveries via Nord Stream 1, saying Western sanctions had hampered operations. Nord Stream 2 had not started commercial operations.

Earlier this week, researchers with seismology agencies in Denmark and Sweden found that the damage to the pipelines was most likely caused by explosions and ruled out the possibility of natural cases.

A senior U.S. official told reporters Wednesday that the United States was not involved in the damage to the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines and said the jury is still out on what happened. We were absolutely not involved, the official said in response to a question.

Many of our partners, I think, have determined or believe it is sabotage, the official remarked. Im justIm not at the point where I can tell you one way or the other.

Danish Defense Minister Morten Bodskov met with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg to discuss the damage to the pipelines on Wednesday. Both said it was an act of sabotage, although they did not publicly say who could be responsible.

There is reason to be concerned about the security situation in the Baltic Sea region, Bodskov said in a statement to media outlets. Russia has a significant military presence in the Baltic Sea region, and we expect them to continue their saber rattling.

No nation-state or group has claimed responsibility.

Meanwhile, Andrei Kortunov of the Russian International Affairs Council think tank, told the BBC that such an attack by Russia would make no sense.

They always point finger at Russia but I think since its the Russian property it would be not very logical for Russia to inflict damage upon it, he told the broadcaster. There are other ways to make European lives harder. They can simply stop the gas deliveries without damaging the infrastructure.

Reuters contributed to this report.
Russian President Vladimir Putin chairs a meeting on agriculture issues via a video link in Sochi on Sept. 27, 2022. (Gavriil Grigorov/Sputnik/AFP via Getty Images)

Russia Set to Absorb Ukraine Regions as US, EU Ready Fresh Sanctions

As Russia celebrates the imminent incorporation of four Ukrainian regions into its territory, Kyivs western supporters have vowed to impose new sanctions on Moscow in response to referendums that they say are illegitimate.

In five days of polling that ended on Sept. 27, the vast majority of voters in the regions of Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson opted to leave Ukraine and join the Russian Federation, according to Russian and pro-Russian sources.

On Sept. 29, the Kremlin announced that Russian President Vladimir Putin would sign a decree the following day officially incorporating the four regions into Russia, after which he plans to deliver a seminal address.

Moscows Red Square has reportedly been decked out for the occasion with large billboards proclaiming, Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, KhersonRussia!

Most western capitals say the move amounts to the de facto annexation of the four regions by Russia.

According to European Union officials, a fresh round of sanctions targeting various aspects of the Russian economy and certain Russian officials will likely be agreed upon in the run-up to an upcoming EU summit.

The summit is expected to focus on the latest developments in Ukraine and Russia, ostensible threats by Moscow to use nuclear weapons, and the recent disruption of pipelines used to supply Northern Europe with Russian gas.

U.S. officials have likewise vowed to redouble sanctions on Moscow in response to what they describe as sham referendums.

We will continue to work with allies and partners to bring even more pressure on Russia and the individuals and entities that are helping support its attempted land grab, State Department spokesman Ned Price told reporters on Sept. 28.

U.S. State Department spokesman Ned Price holds a press briefing on Afghanistan at the State Department in Washington on Aug. 16, 2021. (Kevin Lamarque/Pool/AFP via Getty Images)

Escalating Rhetoric

Western media outlets have continued to report feverishly on purported threats by Russia to use nuclear weapons in its ongoing conflict with Ukraine, now in its eighth month.

In a Sept. 28 article in a prominent U.S. magazine, Russian Ambassador to the United States Anatoly Antonov wrote: We are not threatening anyone. But we confirm that  Russia is ready to defend its sovereignty, territorial integrity, and our people with all weapon systems we have.

Once Russia formally incorporates the four regions into its territory, it will view attacks on those regionsby Ukrainian forces or othersas attacks on sovereign Russian territory, he said.

U.S. politicians would be mistaken if they think that our readiness to defend our territory does not apply to Crimea or to territories that may become part of Russia on the basis of a free expression of popular will, according to Antonov.

In 2014, the Black Sea region of Crimea voted overwhelmingly to join Russia in a similar referendum. The results of that poll remain unrecognized by all but a handful of countries.

Russian forces and their local allies currently hold about 60 percent of Donetsk, the scene of fierce fighting, and almost all of Luhansk. Together, the two territories make up the Russian-speaking Donbas region.

Russian forces also currently control broad swaths of the southern Zaporizhzhia region and almost all of neighboring Kherson.

On Sept. 21, Putin announced the call-up of 300,000 experienced army reservists for military service in Ukraine and elsewhere.

Gas leak at Nord Stream 2 as seen from the Danish F-16 interceptor on Bornholm, Denmark, on Sept. 27, 2022. (Danish Defence Command/Forsvaret Ritzau Scanpix/via Reuters)

Attack on Strategic Infrastructure

Mystery continues to swirl around recent disruptions of the Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 pipelines after the Swedish Coast Guard discovered a fourth gas leak on the morning of Sept. 29.

Brussels has been quick to label the leaks, which were reportedly preceded by underwater explosions, as intentional sabotage.

The attack on strategic infrastructure means that the strategic infrastructure in the entire EU has to be protected, one EU official said following news of the fourth leak. This changes fundamentally the nature of the [RussiaUkraine] conflict as we have seen it so far.

On Sept. 26, Danish authorities reported a gas leak emanating from the Nord Stream 2 pipeline. Shortly afterward, Swedish authorities reported two similar leaks along Nord Stream 1.

Both pipelines run under the Baltic Sea, linking gas fields in Russia to Germany and other European energy markets.

Late last month, Russia cut gas flows through Nord Stream 1, citing technical problems caused by Western-led sanctions. Construction of Nord Stream 2 has yet to be completed.

On Sept. 29, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov likewise declined to rule out the possibility that the leaks were the result of sabotage.

It is very difficult to imagine that such an act of terrorism could happen without the involvement of a state of some kind, Peskov told reporters.

According to a senior U.S. military official, the jury is still out as to the party or parties responsible for the damage.

Many of our partners  believe it is sabotage, the Pentagon official was quoted as saying.

Asked about possible U.S. culpability, the official said: We were absolutely not involved.

Reuters contributed to this report.
Russia Swears Off Boeing and Airbus, Seeks to Build Self-Reliant Aviation Industry

The Russian aviation industry is preparing to ditch big manufacturers such as Boeing Co. and Airbus SE, aiming to focus on producing necessary aircraft locally.

Following Russias invasion of Ukraine, Western countries imposed sanctions on Moscow that severely affected its aviation sector. Due to prevailing sanctions, Russia cant secure the required spare parts to maintain its foreign-manufactured aircraft. Rostec, a state-owned defense conglomerate, is looking at the situation as an opportunity to boost local aircraft manufacturing.

Foreign aircraft will drop out of the fleet, Rostec told Reuters. We believe that this process is irreversible and Boeing and Airbus planes will never be delivered to Russia.  We dont expect sanctions to be eased and we are building our plans based on the existing tough scenario.

Aircraft made by foreign manufacturers such as Airbus and Boeing are used for 95 percent of Russias passenger traffic. Of the 1,287 aircraft that operated in Russia as of April 20, only 470 were planes produced in the country, Interfax reported, citing ministry data.

The ministrys baseline scenario estimates the total fleet in Russia to shrink to 999 aircraft by 2025, including 427 foreign-made aircraft. By 2030, fleet numbers are expected to jump to 1,602, including 208 foreign aircraft, due to boosted domestic output.

Between 2022 and 2030, Russia has said it plans on delivering 1,036 passenger planes.

Richard Aboulafia, managing director of U.S.-based AeroDynamic Advisory, told Reuters that Russias plan to build 1,036 airliners within seven years is basically impossible.

Russia and the former Soviet Union have only built a total of about 2,000 large commercial airliners, he pointed out.

Even when they could get semiconductors and other vital components from the West, they were having a very hard time producing more than a handful of jets, Aboulafia said.

Cannibalizing Other Aircraft

In June, the Russian government advised airline companies to use parts from some of their aircraft to make sure that the remaining planes can keep operating at least through 2025.

At present, there is no national regulation as to how airlines can use existing parts to repair their fleets. The aviation industry has asked the government to codify rules on the practice. The new regulation is expected to come into effect by early 2023.

Even if Russia seeks to secure aircraft components via other nations that dont face any sanctions from the West, firms in these countries arent likely to do business with Russia due to fears of retaliation.

Moscow is forecasting passenger traffic to remain unchanged at 100 million this year. However, traffic is expected to drop to 76.3 million in 2025 as per the baseline scenario, while a pessimistic scenario notes traffic falling to 58.2 million passengers by 2025.
A portion of a cigarette package found at the scene of a Bismarck homicide matched the brand found in the pickup of a man authorities say conspired with the slain mans wife to kill him and cover up the crime by setting fire to the home.

Investigators testified Thursday during Nikki Entzels murder conspiracy trial that the cigarette package was a possible ignition source for a furnace fire at the northeast Bismarck home where emergency workers found Chad Entzels body on Jan. 2, 2020, when they responded to a call of a house fire.

Nikki Entzel, 41, and Earl Howard, 43, a man with dual citizenship in the U.S. and Canada, were accused of plotting the death of Chad Entzel, 42, and attempting to cover it up through several means including starting fires in the furnace room and in the bedroom where the body was found.

Chad Entzel was shot twice with a shotgun and died of his wounds, according to Dr. William Massello, who was the state medical examiner in 2020.

Authorities say Nikki Entzel and Howard were having an affair, and had plans to cash in on insurance. They were charged with three conspiracy felonies -- murder, arson, and evidence tampering. Howard about a year ago pleaded guilty under a deal with prosecutors and was sentenced to serve 25 years in prison.

Fire details

Special Agent Michael Mees with the North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigation testified Thursday that the proximity of the cigarette package to the furnace seemed out of place.

Authorities also had found a Marlboro cigarette box in Howards pickup after his Jan. 9, 2020, arrest at Port Huron, Michigan, which Mees said helped identify a possible ignition source for the furnace and was consistent with Howard being at the Entzel home.

Receipts in his pickup showed hed been to a Bismarck car wash on Jan. 1. A journal in the pickup held notes about cellphone plans for Nikki Entzel and information for a bank account in her name, Mees said.

Nikki Entzel and Howard were staying together in a hotel room at the time of Chad Entzels killing, and surveillance video showed them at the house in the hours leading up to his death, according to earlier trial testimony. Investigators maintain Nikki Entzel thought she had disabled the video surveillance at the home, but that her efforts had failed.

Derek Hill, a special agent with the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, testified Tuesday that evidence indicated an ignitable liquid was used to accelerate the fire in the bedroom.

Mandan Fire Department Battalion Chief Shane Weltikol testified Thursday that a dog trained to detect fire accelerants signaled that the substances were present on the bed next to Chad Entzels body, which was on the bedroom floor. Weltikol is the dogs handler.

The fires in the furnace room and bedroom were separate, according to former Deputy State Fire Marshal Levi Roline. He also said a propane heater in the bedroom could not have ignited materials on top of the bed. Someone applied and ignited a liquid on the bed or floor around it, Roline said. Similarly, he said, an ashy substance on top of the furnace was left by paper or cardboard that was intentionally ignited.

Alcohol and finances

Jurors on Wednesday saw hours of a videotaped interview that then-Deputy Burleigh County Sheriff Aaron Silbernagel and state Bureau of Criminal Investigation Special Agent Joe Arenz conducted with Nikki Entzel in January 2020.

The investigators bit-by-bit revealed information to her they said proved she was lying, and the back and forth ended with Entzel telling them she felt a sort of relief that her husband was dead. Entzel has maintained that her husband drank heavily and abused her.

Trial testimony from friends, co-workers and his former wife, Susan Entzel, has disputed that. Chad and Susan Entzel were married for 17 years and divorced over differences about their finances, she testified Thursday. Chad Entzel never drank to excess, and when he drank socially he got more entertaining, more easy-going, she said, adding later that he was never violent.

Nikki Entzel told the investigators during the videotaped interview that Howard told her outside the house that he and her husband had struggled with a shotgun and it went off, killing Chad Entzel.

Authorities have said previously that an evaluation of the gun didnt conclude who pulled the trigger. South Central District Judge Douglas Bahr, who is overseeing Nikki Entzels trail, last May dismissed a murder charge against Howard at the request of prosecutors, leaving just the conspiracy charges against him to which he pleaded guilty.

Defense attorney Thomas Glass on Tuesday questioned the six-hour length of the good cop/bad cop routine during the January 2020 interview of his client, and noted that a defense attorney was not present to assist Entzel.

Burleigh County States Attorney Julie Lawyer in her opening statement to the jury on Tuesday said Nikki Entzel in the days after her husbands death inquired with an insurance company about widow benefits and claims to renter and life insurance policies. The renter policy was only a few days old and worth up to $31,000, the prosecutor said.

Chad Entzel had life insurance worth $600,000, but none of the life insurance benefits were ever paid out, agent Patrick Stocking testified Thursday.

Nikki Entzel could face life in prison if convicted. Thursday was the fourth day of her trial, which is scheduled for two weeks. Twelve jurors ultimately will decide her fate.
Location of the Champion community in Chase County, Neb., in 2022. (Google Maps/Screenshot via The Epoch Times)

School Bus, Semi Collision in Nebraska Injures 11 Children

CHAMPION, Neb.A semitrailer truck collided with a school bus in southwestern Nebraska, injuring eleven children and the two drivers, officials said.

The crash happened around 4 p.m. Tuesday on a rural highway near Champion when a bus dropping off children from school turned left in front of a semi loaded with grain, a news release from the Chase County Sheriffs Office said.

The grain truck hit the rear passenger side of the bus, causing the bus to spin and tip on its side, officials said. The truck was forced off the road and into a ditch.

Eleven children ages 6 to 15 were on the bus, and all were taken to the Chase County hospital with a wide range of injuries, investigators said. Three of the children were later taken to regional trauma centers, the sheriffs office said.

The bus driver was a 39-year-old man from Champion, officials said, and the truck driver was a 20-year-old man from Venango. Both were taken to the Chase County hospital.
President Joe Biden (L) reacts as Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) speaks before Biden signs the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022 during a ceremony on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington on Aug. 9, 2022. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Senate Approves Continuing Resolution to Fund Government Through Mid-December

Senate Democrats, joined by 22 Republicans, approved a continuing resolution (CR) on Sept. 29 that would keep the federal government from closing on Sept. 30, the last day of the current fiscal year.

With the 7225 vote, the CR that maintains current spending levels through Dec. 16 also provides more than $15 billion in additional U.S. aid to Ukraine in its war against the invading Russian military.

The funding measure adds $1 billion more for the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) and $2 billion in emergency disaster aid assistance. There are also provisions making $2.5 billion available in compensation for victims of a devastating New Mexico wildfire, $20 million to deal with the Jackson, Mississippi, municipal water system crisis, and $112 million for enhanced security at federal courthouses.

Because the CR only keeps the government open until Dec. 16, the current Congress will return after the Nov. 8 election for a lame duck session that will be dominated by debate over an omnibus spending bill to complete the 2023 federal budget.

The omnibus measure will provide Democrats of the 117th Congress their last opportunity to set federal spending levels for 2023 and thereafter. The 118th Congress convenes on Jan. 3, 2023.

The House is expected to approve the short-term funding on Sept. 30, and President Joe Biden will sign it into law. At that point, Congress will leave town, as senators and representatives head home for campaigning ahead of the Nov. 8 midterm elections.

All 435 House seats and one-third of the Senates 100 seats are up for grabs. Republicans are expected to regain the majority in the House as Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosis (D-Calif.) reign as third-in-line in the presidential succession comes to an end after two years with a seven-vote majority.

The Senate is split evenly with 50 Democrats (counting two independents who vote with them) and 50 Republicans; Vice President Kamala Harris gives her party its effective majority as a tie-breaking vote. Republicans are cautiously optimistic about their chances of regaining the Senate majority.

The CR would add $19 billion to the Federal Emergency Management Agencys (FEMA) coffers in the wake of severe damage in Puerto Rico and Florida from Hurricane Ian. The storm also is expected to cause additional flooding in the Carolinas and Virginia as it heads up the Atlantic Coast after pummeling Florida.

A potential roadblock on the CRs road to Senate passage was resolved earlier in the day when Sen. Mike Braun (R-Ind.) agreed to withdraw his request to be allowed to offer a balanced-budget-related amendment on the Senate floor.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) agreed to give Braun 10 minutes of floor time to pitch his proposal, in return for the Indiana Republican withdrawing his amendment request.

Braun told reporters that Republicans have to be for something that we stand for, and we got to all be willing to pay for it without borrowing from future generations, which were currently doing.

The federal government has spent more than it received in revenues every year since 2001. The deficit for 2001 was $2.77 trillion and is expected to be bigger when the spending for 2022 is finally tallied.

On Sept. 27, Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) withdrew his proposal to speed up federal permitting for new energy exploration and production that was originally included in the CR.

The Manchin proposal, which would also speed up approvals for infrastructure projects such as new electricity transmission lines to carry power from wind and solar sources, drew stout opposition from Senate Republicans and many of the chambers most liberal Democrats.

The permitting proposal could be added to a defense spending bill that Congress still must complete during the lame duck session, but the prospects for passage arent likely to improve because most of the West Virginia lawmakers party colleagues oppose it.

Three Republican senatorsMike Lee of Utah, Rob Portman of Ohio, and Marco Rubio of Floridadidnt vote.
Shoplifting in California Is out of Control Due to Zero Consequences: District Attorney

Shoplifting in California is getting out of control because of recent criminal justice reform laws, a district attorney told EpochTVs California Insider program.

District Attorney of El Dorado County Vern Pierson said while property crimes, including shoplifting, are illegal, state laws such as Proposition 47 and 57 allow many criminal activities to go undeterred.

Passed by voters in 2014, Prop. 47 downgraded certain thefts and drug offenses from felonies to misdemeanors. Its most well-known statute raised the minimum amount of stolen goods from $400 to $950 for a theft case to be classified as a felony, which critics considered to be the main cause of a rise in petty theft across the state.

It also allows felons currently serving prison terms to petition for resentencing under the new classifications. Those who already served their terms can also have their past convictions reclassified as misdemeanors.

People walk by boarded up shops in Santa Monica, Calif., on June 6, 2020. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times)

The practical reality is that most retailers have learned if they call law enforcement for a theft of less than $950, either law enforcement will not respond, or if they respond at most, what they will do is issue a citation [for court appearance], Pierson said.

He added that most theft suspects dont show up in court, for which there are little or no consequences.

As such, he said, most retailers in California have a policy that prevents their employees from reporting low-level property crimes, which is why the data for such incidents may be inaccurate. Some stores stop reporting petty theft altogether because police cant do much, he said.

Moreover, a store can be sued by an attempted robbery suspect who was physically confronted by its employees, according to Pierson.

Were a very litigious society here in California, and the stores and their insurance carriers really are afraid of being sued for trying to stop a crime that has little or no consequence, he said.

A man dubbed the Blue Cloth Bandit for his alleged habit of using a cloth to cover a handgun during a string of more than five dozen robberies over a span of nearly two years was in custody in Los Angeles on Sept. 28, 2022. (Screenshot via YouTube/Los Angeles Police Department)

Proposition 57, passed in 2016, allows certain criminals classified as non-violent to be released early. It also prohibits prosecutors from charging juveniles as adults without a judges approval, and those who were tried as adults for crimes committed when they were juveniles to appeal their sentences.

In addition, as an emergency measure to reduce jail population during the pandemic, the Judicial Council of California in April 2020 removed cash bail for some defendants. Though the statewide zero-bail order expired in June, courts still have to consider each defendants ability to pay while setting bail amounts, following a California Supreme Court ruling in March 2021.

The Public Policy Institute of California, a nonpartisan research group, reported upticks in the number of property and violent crimes last year in four of the states largest citiesLos Angeles, Oakland, San Diego, and San Francisco.

An analysis by the group also found some evidence that Prop. 47 affected property crime, as personal property thefts grew by 9 percent from 2014 to 2016, with thefts from motor vehicles accounting for about three-quarters of this growth.

Two men were arrested on suspicion of stealing catalytic converters and leading Huntington Beach police on a vehicle chase that resulted in a fiery crash in Huntington Beach, Calif., on Aug. 6, 2022. (Screenshot via Instagram/Huntington Beach Police  HBPD)

We have this increased lawlessness that comes from [the perception that] I can take other peoples property because nothing will happen to me, Pierson said.

He noted that data generated by car insurance companies will be able to show a more accurate picture of property crimes statewide since they require individuals to file a police report when making a claim.

What weve seen in the last six or seven years is  auto burglaries and auto thefts are up dramatically, he said. And thats a truer set of data for where crime actually is in California, he said.
Supporters of anti-trans activist Chris Elston demonstrate against gender affirmation treatments and surgeries on minors, outside of Boston Childrens Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts, on September 18, 2022. - Protestors for and against the hospital's programs that deal with gender affirmation surgeries and hormonal treatments were gathered outside the hospital. (Photo by Joseph Prezioso / AFP) (Photo by JOSEPH PREZIOSO/AFP via Getty Images)

Study Says Cutting Off Breasts Beneficial to Trans-Identifying Youth, But Critic Calls It Terrifying

Controversy is swirling over a new study on the impacts of surgically removing breasts from biologically female patients as young as 13 who have been struggling with gender-related distress.

The Chicago study, published on Sept. 26 in the distinguished peer-reviewed medical journal JAMA (The Journal of the American Medical Association) Pediatrics, reported that such surgeries have low complication rates and result in improved quality of life for young females with chest dysphoria, or disquiet over unwanted breast development, three months after the procedure.

The study adds another spark to the widespread conflagration over the use of puberty-blocking drugs, cross-sex hormones, and surgeries for youths who believe they are transgender or nonbinaryneither solely male nor solely female.

Because this study, said to be the first of its kind, gauged results for a relatively small number of patients after a short time period, its unknown whether longer-term, larger studies would report a similar result.

Some physicians said they were appalled to learn about the use of teens in such a study, even though parental consent was required for participants younger than 18.

Chloe Cole, an 18-year-old woman who regrets surgically removing her breasts, holds testosterone medication used for transgender patients, in Northern California on Aug. 26, 2022. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times)

A Terrifying or Helpful Resource?

Dr. Greg Marchand, a board-certified physician and director of a major research institute in Arizona, wrote a news release calling the JAMA article the most terrifying study I have ever read.

Marchand, who emphasized that he is not involved with the Chicago study and has no issues with adults making similar surgical decisions, told The Epoch Times by email on Sept. 28: Personally, Im so disgusted by the actions of these surgeons that I truly believe the children that took part in this study are better described as victims than patients.

Of the other view, advocates of gender-affirming care say the Chicago study supports their contentions that such procedures are beneficial to a persons overall well-being and should not be denied based on age or gender.

One of the doctors who participated in the study, Dr. Sumanas Jordan, a plastic surgeon and director of the Northwestern Medicine Gender Pathways Program, said in a statement: Our hope is that this study will now be used as a resource for teens, young adults, and for families who want to learn more about surgical transition options.

Addressing Gender Dysphoria

A growing number of youthmostly biological femalesare claiming transgender or nonbinary status. Some experts believe this is a fad resulting from what is recognized can happen: social contagion. Others say it is a function of more young people feeling comfortable with coming out about their transgender self-perception, amid increasing societal acceptance of nonconforming gender identities.

Up to 9 percent of adolescents and young adults in one urban school district identified as transgender or nonbinary in a 2021 study, the Chicago study noted. For many years, similar surveys of adult males and females estimated transgender people made up a tiny fraction of the populationlower than 1 percent.

Some transgender-identifying people experience gnawing dissatisfaction with their bodies and can be diagnosed with a condition known as gender dysphoria among mental health professionals. Simply put, its persistent discomfort and distress with ones gender.

People dealing with that condition may receive counseling, medications, and surgeries, depending on assessments.

The Chicago researchers, led by Dr. Mona Ascha of Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, recruited several dozen patients during preoperative consultations at three medical centers: Northwestern Memorial Hospital, The University of Illinois, and the Ann & Robert H. Lurie Childrens Hospital.

The study noted that gender-dysphoric females who feel uncomfortable about their breasts often flatten their breasts with binders in an attempt to relieve gender dysphoria, improve social acceptance, and reduce misgendering. But the binders can cause skin irritation, pain, and shortness of breath. Rather than deal with those issues, most chest-dysphoric sufferers prefer breast removal, according to prior research.

One study of 30 adult biological females showed they experienced near or total resolution of chest dysphoria, lack of surgical regret, and improved quality of life and functioning, the Chicago researchers said, noting that similar studies on adolescents and young adults are lacking.

Chloe Cole holds a body brace that she used while she was taking transgender hormonal treatments, in Northern California on Aug. 26, 2022. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times)

How the Chicago Study Was Done

The Chicago study followed 36 patients between the ages of 13 and 24 as they underwent double mastectomies, also called top surgery. Parental consent was obtained for minors. The surgeries occurred between December 2019 and April 2021.

When questioned three months after their operation, the surgical patientscompared to a similar number of nonsurgical patients in a control groupreported statistically significant improvement in chest dysphoria, gender congruence, and body image, the study said.

The three-month time frame was chosen as a period beyond immediate postsurgical pain and euphoria while remaining in proximity to the study intervention, it said.

To our knowledge, this is the first and only prospective matched cohort study evaluating top surgery in youth to date, the authors wrote.

They acknowledged that more research is needed to guide evidence-based practices for treating youthful gender dysphoria, especially in light of an increasing number of proposals to criminalize gender-affirming health care for minors.

International Concern for Minors

Several nations and many U.S. states have already either introduced or approved laws to restrict, regulate, or outlaw medications or surgeries aimed at addressing minors gender dysphoria. One group of U.S. lawmakers recently proposed a nationwide ban.

In addition, concerns have been raised about the hefty profits that pharmaceutical companies, doctors, and medical facilities stand to gain from procedures that can have lifelong implications for young people who lack the brain development and maturity to make such decisions.

The safeguard of parental consent for minors is negated, some say, because parents have reported feeling pressured to acquiesce under the threat that the child would commit suicide without the prescribed medications or procedures.

The first U.S. law banning gender transition procedures, approved last year in Arkansas, has been on hold pending a civil trial set for Oct. 17viewed as a national litmus test for such measures. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) filed suit against Arkansas on behalf of four children, their families, and two doctors.

Chloe Cole, an ex-transgender teen, speaks in support of the Protect Childrens Innocence proposal as Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) looks on outside the U.S. Capitol in Washington on Sept. 20, 2022. (Terri Wu/The Epoch Times)

A proponent of the Arkansas law, an Ohio psychiatrist who started a gender clinic in 1974 and has issued opinions in several transgender-related court cases nationally and internationally, Dr. Stephen Levine, points out that some proponents of medical intervention for teens make sweeping and purportedly scientific assertions that are supported by almost no peer-reviewed articles or studies.

In a statement filed in the Arkansas case, Levine notes a growing online community of adult and late teen detransitioners. These are people who express regret over social and medical transitioning to the opposite gender, and seek to revert to their natal gendertheir biological sex.

Because gender dysphoria can cause young people to self-harm, attempt suicide, or express suicidal thoughts over their recognized condition of gender dysphoria, advocates say they consider medical intervention life-saving and medically necessary.

However, Levine said current evidence suggests that surgeries may fail to ameliorate the suicide rate among the transgender population in the long term.

Large gaps exist in the medical communitys knowledge regarding the long-term effects of sex reassignment surgery and other gender identity disorder treatments in relation to their positive or negative correlation to suicidal ideation, attempts, and completion. What is known, however, is not encouraging, he wrote in a court filing. A Swedish study tracked patients who underwent sex-reassignment surgery, a series of operations to change outward appearance of genitalia and other characteristics, for 30 years. The result: the surgical group committed suicide at a rate 19 times greater than those in the control group.

Supporters of Surgeries Speak Out

Chase Strangio, a primary lawyer for the ACLU in its lawsuit against Arkansas, drew tens of thousands of likes when he wrote a Twitter response to recent news coverage about mastectomies for teens: I had top surgery 13 years ago. There is not a day that goes by that I dont think about how it was the best thing I have ever done for my survival.

Strangio also added that he regretted having knee surgery, and he lamented that recent media reports dont seem to discuss those types of surgical regrets.

Instead, news reports have highlighted detransitioners who regret undergoing gender-affirming surgeries, Strangio said, adding that judgments are being made by people who lack understanding.

He denounced media coverage of these issues as mostly salacious pieces that tap into an existential fear about the complexity of sexed bodies.

Hunter Martin, a participant in the Chicago study, underwent breast removal surgery two years ago at age 16. Martin was quoted in a Northwestern Medical news release expressing gratitude for counseling, supportive parents, and the surgery.

I feel like Ive finally been able to experience life for what it is, Martin said in the release.
Protesters gather at the police line on the west side of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. The trial of five Oath Keepers defendants began Sept. 27, 2022, in U.S. District Court. (Special to The Epoch Times)

Subpoenas Drafted for 6 Convicted Oath Keepers, Seeking Evidence They Were Coerced to Lie in Plea Deals

Subpoenas have been drafted for six Oath Keepers convicted of Jan. 6 crimes, looking for texts, emails, or other records that could show they were coerced by prosecutors to lie in their plea deals, a new court filing said.

Defense attorneys in the Oath Keepers seditious-conspiracy trial underway in U.S. District Court in Washington D.C. asked Judge Amit Mehta to sign the subpoenas addressed to Joshua James, Jason Dolan, William Todd Wilson, Caleb Berry, Brian Ulrich, and Mark Grods.

As drafted, the subpoenas seek: All non-privileged records, to exclude correspondence with your attorneys, your spouse, any medical provider, and any religious and/or spiritual advisors, concerning your guilty plea.

Attorneys are looking for evidence that these Oath Keepers agreed to the guilty pleas only under coercion by prosecutors, believing that they are actually innocent of the charges that will put them in prison.

Stewart Rhodes knows these Oath Keepers, wrote Edward Tarpley, an attorney for Oath Keepers founder Elmer Stewart Rhodes III. The convicted men knew the Oath Keepers engaged in no conspiracy, had no plan to commit any crime, and intended to act lawfully at all times.

And Rhodes knows from knowing them that they must have told friends and family that they were in fact innocent but they had to plead guilty due to the crushing financial burden and other pressures such as incarceration and concern for the needs of their families.

On Sept. 30, Judge Mehta denied the motion for issuance of the subpoenas.

Tarpley said a big clue to the alleged coercion is the flip-flops evident in the plea deals, and the boilerplate language used in the statements of guilt made at the time of the pleas.

Even after pleading guilty, the witnesses clearly establish their own innocence and the innocence of all of the defendants here, then include scripted statements not in their own voice saying the opposite. The after-plea statements are internally inconsistent and self-contradictory.

Jury selection began Sept. 27 for the trial of Rhodes, Kelly Meggs, Kenneth Harrelson, Jessica Watson, and Thomas Caldwell. Prosecutors say they seditiously conspired to attack the Capitol with force in order to disrupt counting of Electoral College votes and to keep President Trump in office.

Changing Stories?

The subpoenas are for communications that occurred up to four months before each man pleaded guilty and one month after the plea deal.

Stewart Rhodes, founder of the Oath Keepers, appears on a screen during a House Select Committee hearing to Investigate the Jan. 6 Attack on the U.S. Capitol, in the Cannon House Office Building on Capitol Hill in Washington on June 9, 2022. (Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images)

Stanley Woodward, Meggss attorney, cited one example from a Facebook post he said was made by the wife of Joshua James, who pleaded guilty to seditious conspiracy and obstructing an official government proceeding in March 2022:

As you have probably seen, we have made the difficult decision as a family to accept a plea agreement  We made the choice that makes it more likely that Josh would be home sooner than later instead of risking our future on a trial that would likely take away many years of his life and deprive him of the chance to raise his children. After a year of being in the thick of it and many lengthy talks with our attorneys, this plea best protects our hopes that we will remain a family.

Mrs. Jamess comments suggest that Mr. Jamess acceptance of his plea agreement was motivated by reasons other than his desire to accept responsibility for the crimes with which he was charged, Woodward wrote.

To the extent he has engaged in non-privileged communications (e.g. communications with anyone other than his counsel, his wife, or a religious and/or spiritual advisor), those communications would be material to the defense and serve as a basis to impeach Mr. James should he testify in this matter.

In an interview with The Epoch Times in March, Rhodes said he believed the DOJ used the threat of a long prison sentence as leverage to get James and others to take a plea deal. He said the goal was to create a false crime.

That was the only deal [prosecutors] would accept because thats what they want  to create a false crime and to create a false witness, Rhodes said. And thats why they finally indicted me because they got someone to agree to testi-lie. Thats the only reason I was indicted. For an entire year, they had nothing on me. So [they had to] go find something and make something.

The DOJ as a policy does not comment on criminal cases outside of court filings.
The company's logo is seen at the new cell and gene therapy factory of Swiss drugmaker Novartis in Stein, Switzerland, on Nov. 28, 2019. (Arnd Wiegmann/Reuters)

Supreme Court Grants Emergency Pause on Ruling Disallowing Novartis Pharmaceuticals Patent

Without the stay, Chinese drug maker HEC Pharm would be able to make generic versions of multiple-sclerosis drug

The Supreme Court has granted a temporary emergency stay of a lower court order that Novartis Pharmaceuticals says would allow the development of as many as 20 generic versions of its commercially successful multiple-sclerosis drug, Gilenya.

The emergency application in Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corp. v. HEC Pharm Co. Ltd., court file 22A272, was filed with the court on Sept. 28 and granted Sept. 29 by Chief Justice John Roberts.

The applicant, Novartis, is headquartered in Basel, Switzerland; the respondent, HEC, a generic drug maker, is headquartered in Dongguan, China.

Novartis is known for developing a vaccine aimed at the virus that causes COVID-19, though that vaccine is not at issue in the current legal dispute.

In June, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit reversed a lower court ruling that favored Novartis, agreeing with HEC that several of the patents on the MS drug were invalid. This created the possibility that rival companies like HEC could develop their own generic versions of Gilenya.

Novartis unsuccessfully urged the appeals court to rule in its favor, arguing that allowing the generics to proceed would put downward pressure on the drugs price and cause the shriveling of the market in ways that could be impossible to calculate at an after-the-fact damages trial.

Gilenya is reportedly Novartis third biggest drug as measured by sales. If generics move forward, the company said over the summer it expected to miss out on $300 million in revenue in the near future.

Roberts did not provide reasons for his decision but directed HEC to respond to the application not later than Oct. 5.

Novartis has also asked the Supreme Court to formally consider its case by holding oral arguments at some point in the future.

HEC could not be reached for comment.

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court is preparing to begin hearing cases in its new term on Oct. 3.

The court announced on Sept. 28 that it will hear all scheduled oral arguments for the upcoming term in the courtroom. Some arguments had been conducted entirely over the telephone after pandemic-related restrictions were imposed in 2020.

Members of the public, attorneys, and the media will be allowed to attend the arguments in person. Masking will be optional. The court will also continue to livestream the audio feed for arguments, a practice that was implemented during the pandemic.

The building will otherwise be closed to the public until further notice, the announcement added.
Tennessee Republicans Ask Vanderbilt Hospital to Pause Transgender Surgeries on Children

In the wake of reports surrounding details of Vanderbilt University Medical Centers (VUMC) pediatric gender-affirming care, Republican lawmakers of Tennessee are calling on the clinic to pause performing such procedures on children.

In a letter sent on Wednesday to VUMC board of directors, a group of 62 Tennessee House Republicans asked Vanderbilts pediatric transgender clinic to immediately halt surgical mutilations of minor children while they prepare a legislative response.

While those 18-years and older are recognized as legal adults and free to make decisions in their best interests, it is an egregious error of judgement that an institution as highly respected as Vanderbilt would condone and promote harmful and irreversible procedures for minor children in the name of profit, the Republicans wrote.

Tennesseans across our state have demanded a swift response and a call to action. We agree that these revelations require the legislature to act immediately, they added.

The lawmakers were referring to reports by Matt Walsh of The Daily Wire. Walsh posted some of his findings on social media, including a video in which a VUMC doctor openly discussed how profitable transgender surgeries can be for the hospital.

The video, which has been shared over 11,000 times in just a week, features a 2018 lecture given by a physician who helped launch VUMCs pediatric transgender clinic that year. In her speech, the doctor explained that transgender treatments had became so lucrative because of Obamacare, under which insurance providers had to cover medical expenses for trans folks.

Specifically, the doctor said that each girl looking to undergo top surgery or double breast removal can bring in $40,000 for the hospital. A bottom surgery, or vaginoplasty, can bring in $20,000, not including additional costs such as the hospital stay, post-operation care, and anesthesia. A patient receiving routine hormonal treatment only a few times a year can also bring in several thousand dollars, she said.

Another video Walsh posted shows a Vanderbilt health law expert telling staff that conscientious objections to transgender surgeries are problematic, and that those staff refusing to be involved in those surgeries due to their religious beliefs would face consequences.

I just want you to take home that saying that youre not going to do something because of your conscientiousbecause of your religious beliefsis not without consequences, and should not be without consequences, she said. If you dont want to do this kind of work, dont work at Vanderbilt.

In another video, a Vanderbilt physician discusses the medical centers guidelines that doctors need to follow before performing top surgeries. The requirements include a licensed mental health providers letter documenting persistent gender dysphoria, as well as ensuring that the patients are at the age of maturity and capable of making fully informed decisions on their own.

However for a lot of our younger patientsagain, if they are sixteen, seventeenhere at Vanderbilt, if they have been on testosterone, have parental consent, were able to do a lot of the top surgeries for those patients, she said.

Governor Promises Investigation

Tennessees Republican Governor Bill Lee has called for an investigation into the matter.

The pediatric transgender clinic at Vanderbilt University Medical Center raises serious moral, ethical, and legal concerns, Lee said in a statement to The Daily Wire. We should not allow permanent, life-altering decisions that hurt children or policies that suppress religious liberties, all for the purpose of financial gain. We have to protect Tennessee children, and this warrants a thorough investigation.

Earlier this year, Republican state Sen. Janice Bowling introduced a bill that would have banned transgender surgeries, puberty blockers, and cross-sex hormones for minors across Tennessee. The proposal died in committee.

Tennessee also has a law prohibiting female genital mutilation, which is still practiced in some cultures. It is unclear whether that law could ever be applied to transgender surgeries.

Hospitals Response

In response to criticism, VUMC claimed that the videos Walsh posted misrepresent facts about the services it offers.

VUMC requires parental consent to treat a minor patient who is to be seen for issues related to transgender care, and never refuses parental involvement in the care of transgender youth who are under age 18, the hospital stated.

Our policies allow employees to decline to participate in care they find morally objectionable, and do not permit discrimination against employees who choose to do so, it continued. This includes employees whose personal or religious beliefs do not support gender-affirming care for transgender persons.
In a recent episode, we discussed part one of the establishments sudden response to Trumps unexpected presidency in January 2017. Today, we run through part two of the timeline as it simply could not be encompassed in one show. As we noted previously, the hard reality is that the Intelligence Community, the Obama administration, and the political establishment never expected Trump to win. And when he did win, the intelligence community was suddenly faced with a very real problem. How do they cover up their actions? Their answer was to set out to destroy Trumps presidency. Or at least fatally hobble, or even cripple, the new Trump administration.

As we stated in our previous show, the timeline of the establishments actions in the first few months of 2017 tells the story of an establishment response to the very real threat that the young Trump administration presented to the long-standing, and corrupt, political structure of our nation. By way of quick recap, events were set in motion during a Jan. 5 meeting in Obamas office that included FBI Director James Comey, Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates, Vice President Joe Biden, and national security adviser rSusan Rice. Comeys first action was to tell Congress on Jan. 10, 2017, that he could neither confirm nor deny an investigation into Trumpdespite privately telling Trump that he was not under investigation. But it was Jan. 12 that marked some of the most crucial events that would shape things to come.

Welcome to Truth over News with Jeff Carlson and Hans Mahncke.

* Click the Save button below the video to access it later on My List.



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Dr. Christina Ghaly, the director of the Los Angeles County Department of Health, speaks during an LA Board of Supervisors meeting on Sept. 27, 2022. (Screenshot via The Epoch Times)

Top Health Director: 90 Percent of COVID-Positive Patients Werent Hospitalized for Virus

The director of the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services (DHS) said that about 90 percent of COVID-19-positive patients in DHS hospitals werent hospitalized for the virus.

During a Los Angeles Board of Supervisors meeting Tuesday, Kathryn Ann Barger-Leibrich, serving as a Republican member of the board, asked, What percentage were admitted for COVID, and what percentage were admitted and then tested positive for COVID?

For the four DHS hospitals where we do the manual chart reviews  10 percent are admitted to the hospital for COVID, and 90 percent are there for incidental findings, Dr. Christina Ghaly, the DHS director, said in response to the question from Barger-Leibrich.

But theyre primarily there for another reason, she remarked.

Ghaly was presenting data on the number of inpatients at the four DHS hospitals over the past 180 days ending in mid-September 2022. It showed there was an overall decline in the total number of inpatients with a positive COVID-19 test, noting that PCR tests appear to have given false positives for months.

We do test everyone on admission to the hospital for COVID. We used a PCR test, and because of that, theres a lagging positivity given that the PCR test often remains positive for a couple of months. And it will take time for the trendline to decline to the point where it again mirrors the general population, she said.

Changes

Her comments are consistent with data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which shows that reported COVID-19 cases have continued to drop in recent months. Deaths and hospitalizations have also plunged across the country.

On Sept. 18, President Joe Biden responded to a 60 Minutes question about the trajectory of COVID-19 in which he replied that the pandemic is over. White House officials scrambled to clarify his comments in the subsequent days.

We still have a problem with COVID. Were still doing a lot of work on it. But the pandemic is over, he said in the interview. If you notice, no ones wearing masks. Everybody seems to be in pretty good shape. And so I think its changing.

The CDC, meanwhile, has continued to remove various COVID-19 restrictions and is revising its guidance around the virus. On Sept. 23, the agency said that hospitals, health care facilities, and nursing homes have the option to longer require nursing homes and hospitals to no longer require masking in some areas.

Updates were made to reflect the high levels of vaccine-and infection-induced immunity and the availability of effective treatments and prevention tools, the CDC said in an update.
Trudeau Rejects Russia Referendum, Again Promises Sanctions

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has condemned votes in occupied parts of Ukraine to join Russia, but gave no timeline for sanctions Canada promised a week ago.

Trudeau says the referendums are an attempt by Russia to redraw the map as it loses territory in the war it started in February.

Moscow claims people in the four regions it occupies voted upwards of 87 percent to join Russia, but western governments say the process was rigged.

Trudeau says Russia is trying to justify its war by claiming territory so that it can paint Ukraine as the aggressor.

The prime minister also phoned Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Wednesday to pledge his support for the country.

Yet Trudeau had no timeline for when Canada would sanction more Russians.

We are going to have stronger sanctions; those will be announced very soon, Trudeau said, arguing Canada is among the countries that has sanctioned Russia the most.

Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly announced more sanctions were coming last Thursday.

Ottawa has similarly provided no details since announcing Monday that it would sanction Iranian officials for the human-rights crackdown that followed the death of Mahsa Amini, after she was arrested by the countrys morality police.

Trudeau said he promised Zelensky that Canada will do what it can to make sure the sham referendums arent endorsed by other countries.

Were also going to continue working with the world to recognize that what Putin is trying to do is completely illegitimate, Trudeau told reporters Thursday afternoon.

He was visiting Quebecs Iles-de-la-Madeleine to tour damage caused by post-tropical storm Fiona last weekend.

Earlier Thursday, Defence Minister Anita Anand said Russias votes violate the international rules-based order that has been in place since the end of the Second World War.

Canada condemns these actions and I personally am disgusted by them, as they are reprehensible, she said.

Ukraines territory will always remain Ukraines territory.

By Dylan Robertson
South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem says that if re-elected she will uphold the states abortion ban that provides no exceptions for rape or incest. Her remarks came Friday during her reelection campaigns lone debate with her Democratic challenger, state lawmaker Jamie Smith, The Republican governor explained her position simply as pro-life." She pledges to push for expanded parental leave in the state and alleviate the toll of inflation on peoples budgets. Smith called Noems stance extreme and said it was endangering womens lives. He also said it was causing concern among physicians for its lack of clarity on when an abortion is allowed  only to save the life of a pregnant woman.
Trump Doesnt Have to Say Whether Governments List of Property Seized From Mar-a-Lago is Accurate: Judge

Former President Donald Trump does not have to say whether the U.S. governments list of property seized from Trumps Florida estate is accurate, a U.S. judge ruled on Sept. 29.

An FBI official provided an updated list to the court on Monday, adhering to an order from U.S. District Judge Raymond Dearie, who is serving as special master in the Trump records case.

But Dearie was also attempting to force Trump to file a response to the list that would say whether it was accurate or whether it omitted any items. Trump lawyers opposed the effort, noting that the order appointing Dearie did not mention a declaration or affidavit from Trump on the matter. Government officials supported Dearie, claiming the accuracy attestation was required before the special master began reviewing the materials.

U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon, a Trump appointee, sided with Trump.

There shall be no separate requirement on Plaintiff at this stage, prior to the review of any of the Seized Materials, to lodge ex ante final objections to the accuracy of Defendants Inventory, its descriptions, or its contents, Cannon wrote in a 6-page order.

The Courts Appointment Order did not contemplate that obligation; Defendant since has complied with the requirement to attest to its now-revised inventory; and the parties and the Special Master now are situated to proceed forward with the review process pending exchange of the actual materials, she added.

If disputes concerning the inventory arise in the future, the parties can make them known to Dearie, who will make recommendations that may or may not be adopted by Cannon.

The documents in question do not include those with classified markings. Trumps team and Dearie are being blocked from viewing those.

Cannon also set deadlines for securing a vendor to upload the documents to a portal where Trump lawyers and Dearie can access them.

The parties must agree upon and finalize a contract with a company to perform the work no later than Oct. 5, according to the order. And the government must make the documents available to Trump lawyers and Dearie no later than Oct. 13.

Trumps team is set to review the documents and say which ones they believe are protected by privilege, including attorney-client privilege. The government can then lodge objections. Dearie will recommend to Cannon which documents should actually be deemed privileged. Dearie now has until Dec. 16, per the new order.

The government has already separated out materials it thinks fall under attorney-client privilege, and provided those to Trump lawyers.
Tulsa District Attorney Steve Kunzweiler (C) stands with Tulsa Sheriff's deputies before a news conference in Tulsa, Okla., on Sept. 22, 2016. (Ian Maule/Tulsa World via AP)

Tulsa County District Attorney Stabbed in His Home, Daughter Arrested: Police

The daughter of Tulsa County District Attorney Steve Kunzweiler has been arrested for allegedly stabbing her father.

Jennifer Kunzweiler, 30, is accused of stabbing the Oklahoma DA multiple times in the arm and midsection at the familys Forest Hill Estates home on Tuesday. He was taken to the hospital by emergency services. Jennifer Kunzweiler was arrested on Tuesday afternoon and was at the hospital under police guard as of Wednesday.

@TulsaPolice has criminal jurisdiction and will work this case like all other cases, Police Chief Wendell Franklin said in a Sept. 28 tweet. Detectives are continuing to gather evidence.

Jennifer Kunzweiler was treated for self-inflicted wounds that were sustained before the attack. Upon her release, she will be charged with one count of domestic violence using a dangerous weapon, Tulsa Police Capt. Richard Meulenberg said, according to NBC News.

The attack was triggered by an altercation between the DA and his daughter, the police captain stated. Firefighters who arrived at the scene had to wrestle with Jennifer Kunzweiler to get her under control, he added.

Unfortunately today, I found myself in a situation that I hoped would never happen, Steve Kunzweiler said in a statement Tuesday night, according to Fox23. Fortunately, my injuries are such that I was able to go home. Thank you to everyone who expressed concern for me and my family.

Steve Kunzweiler is a Republican who was elected to his post in November 2014. He was reelected for a second term in 2018 and is running unopposed for a third term in November.

Mental Health Issues, Previous Stabbings

The motive for the attack remains uncertain as police are yet to interview Jennifer Kunzweiler. However, Meulenberg referred to her as having some mental illness. She has no record of previous criminal activities.

Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Steve Kunzweiler called the attack one of the toughest days his family has endured.

Standing by his younger daughter and his wife, the district attorney called mental illness a terrible thing and said that many families like ours have endured years of anxious-ridden concern for our affected loved one. He called on elected leaders to increase funding for mental health treatment.

This is not the first time that an official in the state of Oklahoma has been stabbed by one of their grown children.

In 2015, state Labor Commissioner Mark Costello was stabbed and killed by his adult son Christian Costello at a restaurant parking lot. In 2019, Tulsa District Judge Sharon Holmes was wounded after her adult daughter Adrienne Smith stabbed her at their home.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris speaks to the media at the naval base in Yokosuka, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan, on Sept. 28, 2022. (Leah Millis/Pool/AFP via Getty Images)

US Vice President Harris Condemns Disturbing Chinese Actions

YOKOSUKA, JapanU.S. Vice President Kamala Harris condemned on Wednesday disturbing actions by China in the Pacific while pledging to deepen unofficial ties with Taiwan, days after the U.S. administration pledged its forces would defend the island.

Harris made her remarks on the deck on the USS Howard destroyer during a visit to the largest overseas U.S. Navy installation in the world at Yokosuka, near the Japanese capital.

China is undermining key elements of the international rules-based order, said Harris, who is on a four-day trip to Asia.

China has flexed its military and economic might to coerce and intimidate its neighbors. And we have witnessed disturbing behavior in the East China Sea and in the South China Sea, and most recently, provocations across the Taiwan Strait.

The remarks to American sailors wearing dress whites come after U.S. President Joe Biden pledged in an interview aired on Sept. 18 to defend the self-ruled island of Taiwan against an unprecedented attack.

The United States subscribes to a one China policy that formally recognizes only Beijing but binds the U.S. government to provide democratically ruled Taiwan with the means to defend itself.

The Chinese communist regime claims the island as its own, despite Taiwan being a de facto independent country, with its own military, democratically-elected government, and constitution.

The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has long vowed to bring Taiwan under its control and has not ruled out the use of force to do so.

Taiwans government strongly objects to the CCPs sovereignty claims and says only the islands 23 million people can decide its future.

U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited to Taiwan in August, infuriating the CCP, which then carried out its largest-ever military exercises around the island.

Harris said U.S. forces would operate in the region undaunted and unafraid even as the United States expects continued aggressive actions by the CCP.

We will continue to oppose any unilateral change to the status quo, she said. And we will continue to support Taiwans self-defense, consistent with our long-standing policy. Taiwan is a vibrant democracy that contributes to the global goodfrom technology to health, and beyond, and the United States will continue to deepen our unofficial ties.

Wang Wenbin, spokesman at the Chinese foreign ministry, told a regular media briefing that the United States needed to return to the one China policy and unequivocally make clear that it opposes all Taiwan separatist activities.

Rising Tension

Harris trip to Japan, Washingtons closest regional ally, was meant to reassure allies and deter any escalation.

Aides said Harris would work on a unified approach in a region where leaders have warily watched rising tension between the United States and China.

The base where Harris spoke is home to 24,000 military and civilian workers who could be called on in a regional conflict. Its also the home of the USS Ronald Reagan, an aircraft carrier now in South Korea to participate in joint drills meant to deter North Korea. Harris will visit the demilitarized zone separating the Koreas on Thursday.

Biden is expected to hold his first face-to-face meeting as president with Chinese leader Xi Jinping during Novembers Group of 20 meeting in Indonesia.

Before Harris spoke to the U.S. service members, she stepped below deck and was given a demonstration of the warships missile and anti-submarine capabilities.

A commander pointed at a digital map showing a hypothetical enemy, a hostile country he declined to identify.

Its not Guam, he explained, referring to the Pacific territory.
UCI Professor Kathleen Treseder Runs for Irvine City Council

University of CaliforniaIrvine (UCI) professor and environmental advocate Kathleen Treseder is running for Irvine City Council in the Nov. 8 election.

Two seats are up for grabs on the city council. Treseder is running against incumbent city councilmen Larry Agran and Anthony Kuo, as well as technology attorney Scott Hansen, Irvine finance commissioner John Park, and college student Navid Sadigh.

Im running for City Council because Irvine needs to be a truly green city that leaves no one behind  We will have a city with clear air, clean water, a stable climate, and a well-paid skilled and trained workforce, Treseder, who did not respond to a request to be interviewed for this story, says on her campaign website.

If elected, she would work to improve traffic congestion by centering new housing near business centers, support college and career training programs, advocate for renewable energy, and build more infrastructure.

Since 2017, Treseder has been an avid environmental leader, founding OC Clean Power, a grassroots organization made up of over 30 nonprofits, businesses, religious groups and school organizations to advocate for renewable energy in Orange County.

The professor of Biology worked to convince UCI to ban another professor from campus after multiple allegations had come forth that her colleague was sexually harassing women on campus, herself included, according to her campaign website.

The university paid Treseder a settlement, which Treseder used to start the Treseder Randerson Funda nonprofit that would serve as a legal fund for others who experienced sexual harassment or discrimination in Orange County, according to her campaign website.

As a Salt Lake City native, Treseder went to the University of Utah for her Honours Bachelor of Science degree in Biology, and then received a Ph.D. in Biological Sciences from Stanford University in 1999.

As the first in her family to attend college, whilst also financially supporting herself through her education, Treseder is a supporter of tuition-free public college, according to her campaign website.

Treseder currently lives in Irvine with her husband and twin children.
Mark Carney, former governor of both the Bank of Canada and Bank of England and now UN special envoy for climate action and finance, attends the opening of Finance Day at the COP26 UN climate summit in Glasgow, Scotland, on Nov. 3, 2021. (Daniel Leal/AFP via Getty Images)

UK Government Undercutting Key Economic Institutions: Former Central Bank Governor

The UK government has been working at cross-purposes with the central bank and undercutting the countrys key economic institutions, a former governor of the Bank of England has warned.

Sir Mark Carney, who served as governor of the Bank of England from 2013 to 2020, criticised the governments mini-budget, which has led to turmoil in the financial markets.

Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng on Sept. 23 unveiled the biggest package of tax cuts in half a century, which was aimed at spurring growth in the UK economy but sparked panic among investors concerned about increased government borrowing, causing the pound to fall and borrowing costs to soar.

Chancellor of the Exchequer Kwasi Karteng arriving in Downing Street, London, on Sept. 7, 2022. (Victoria Jones/PA Media)

Talking to BBC Radio 4s Today programme on Sept. 29, Carney acknowledged that the objective of the government plan was correct.

The objective of the governments economic strategy is a right one, which is to improve the rate of growth in the country, which has been weak for a while, he said.

But he criticised the timing of the measures, as there is a lag between today and when that growth might come.

Dramatic Consequences

Carney added that market confidence was affected by the lack of scrutiny of the governments plans by the UKs independent economic forecastersthe Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR).

There was an undercutting of some of the institutions that underpin the overall approachso not having an OBR forecast is much-commented upon, he said.

The government initially refused to let the OBR issue forecasts linked to the mini-budget, though the chancellor has since confirmed the OBR will publish full projections by November.

Carney said that the governments announcements of 45 billion in tax cuts, without any credible plan to get borrowing back on a sustainable footing, was working at cross-purposes with the central bank.

He told the BBC: Unfortunately having a partial budget, in these circumstancestough global economy, tough financial market position, working at cross-purposes with the Bankhas led to quite dramatic moves in financial markets.

Long-Term Growth

But the government has shown no intention of changing course.

Prime Minister Liz Truss defended her tax-cutting plans on Thursday, saying that her government will put the UK on a trajectory for long-term growth.

She wrote on Twitter: We are facing difficult economic times globally. We must put this country on a trajectory for long-term growth whilst maintaining fiscal discipline.

Cutting taxes will boost investment, creating jobs and opportunities for all. That is what our Growth Plan will deliver.

PA Media contributed to this report.
A Utah County Sheriff's Office cruiser sits parked at the public safety complex in Spanish Fork, Utah, on June 27, 2022. (Allan Stein/The Epoch Times)

Utah Investigators Arrest First Suspect in Ritualistic Child Sex Abuse and Trafficking Case

Special investigators with the Utah County Sheriffs Office in Utah arrested a Provo man on charges of alleged ritualistic child sex abuse stemming from a year-long investigation that is likely to produce more suspects and arrests.

David Lee Hamblin, 68, was arrested in Provo on Sept. 28 by members of the sheriffs special victims unit and charged with first-degree felony rape of a child, sodomy of a child, aggravated abuse of a child, and lewdness involving a child, a misdemeanor.

A Utah County judge ordered Hamblin held without bail at the county jail pending his arraignment. Juab County Attorney Ryan Peters will serve as special prosecutor in the case in that jurisdiction.

We feel like we have [made] progress and anticipate there will be more arrests in the future, Utah County Sheriffs Sgt. Spencer Cannon told The Epoch Times.

Hamblins arrest marks the first break in the investigation that began in early 2021, producing more than 130 witnesses and alleged victims.

One victim, a woman in her forties, told investigators she was 6 or 7 when Hamblin allegedly began sexually molesting her in the mid-1980s.

The victims family resided in the same neighborhood as David, according to Hamblins booking statement. The victim stated she would regularly play with Davids children and had been babysat on a number of occasions by David.

The document describes in lurid detail how Hamblin allegedly continued sexually assaulting the child, at one point forcing multiple children to take turns performing a sex act on him.

The female victim recounted several other assaults inflicted upon her by David Hamblin, the statement added. This occurred at the Hamblin home in Spring City, Utah before the victims 13th birthday.

The alleged incidents occurred at residences in Provo and Spring City over many years until around 1990.

Suspect Was Licensed Therapist

According to investigators, Hamblin worked as a licensed therapist in Provo, where he faced charges that he sexually abused a male patient in 2012.

While the Utah County Attorneys Office eventually dropped those charges, Hamblin had his therapy license revoked in Utah.

Through this investigation, it has been reported that David continues to perform therapy under the guise of healing circles and upon information and belief, the abuse may be ongoing, according to a probable cause statement.

David Hamblin is a threat to the children and citizens of Utah County.

On May 31, Utah County Sheriff Mike Smith announced an investigation had been underway since April 2021 that involved ritualistic child sex abuse and child sex trafficking in Utah County and Juab and Sanpete counties.

A day after authorities announced the case, Utah County Attorney David Leavitt identified himself and his wife, an attorney, as potential suspects while vigorously refuting the claims at a press conference. Leavitt based his remarks on what he said was a leaked 151-page official document obtained online.

Until we get to a point where we can make an arrest or until we need help from the public in identifying or locating a certain suspect, we dont discuss names of suspects or witnesses in these cases, Cannon said.

Cannon dispelled earlier reports that the case was about Satanic ritual abuse. However, there appear to be elements of ritualistic sexual abuse, he said.

Obey, Or Else

Cannon said ritual child sexual abuse could include authority figures who repeatedly use their influence to get victims to obey, or there will be consequences.

Some victims in the case reported sexual abuse but felt other law enforcement didnt take them seriously.

Some never reported it because they feared retaliation by the suspect or people connected to the suspect. A couple of people I spoke to were scared. They wouldnt tell me their name. We just had an address and a phone number, Cannon said.

Investigators said the case is challenging given the time passed and some victims potential failure of memory.

These kinds of things can be very challenging because they become so complex, Cannon said. We have to try to get corroborating evidence to support whatever given victim can tell, and we have been able to do that in this case.

He said many victims reported feeling a great sense of relief now that law enforcement is taking them seriously.

We want them to understand we will take them seriously, Cannon said, adding that most reports hes received from victims sounded highly credible.

Cannon said there is no statute of limitations for sexual abuse in Utah.
The prices for a litre of diesel and various grades of gasoline are seen on a gas pump at a gas station, in Burnaby, B.C., on Mar. 2, 2022. (The Canadian Press/Darryl Dyck)

Vancouver Gas Prices Pass $2.39, Breaking North American Record: Analyst

Gas prices in Vancouver hit a new high of more than $2.39 a litre at some stations Thursday, blowing past the previous peak set this summer.

One gas analyst said thats a new all-time record for North America, and expects prices to continue to rise this week.

Dan McTeague, president of Canadians for Affordable Energy, said prices passed the previous record of nearly $2.37 a litre, set in Vancouver in June, due to the temporary shutdown of refineries in the U.S. Pacific Northwest and California.

McTeague said prices will likely rise again then drop fairly quickly once the supply issues are resolved.

I dont see the all-clear light at the end of the tunnel just yet. Its going to happen and when it does it will be a dramatic drop, probably about 20 cents a litre, not in one fell swoop but very close to that over two or three days, he said.

Gas prices jumped overnight across Canada by almost 20 cents in some places.

McTeague said no one could have predicted gas prices increasing at the speed they have over the past several days.

The bottom line is that theres not enough supply out there and however we got here, were going to have to spend a bit more time trying to figure this out because this is the kind of things that bring economies to a standstill, he said.

According to the CAAs price tracker, gas is up nationally by just over three cents on average at $1.58 per litre, with some provinces seeing higher jumps than others.

The CAA says the average gas price across Vancouver was $2.32 on Thursday.
Counselor to the President Kellyanne Conway speaks during the "Getting America's Children Safely Back to School" event at the white House in Washington, on Aug. 12, 2020. (Nicholas Kamm/AFP via Getty Images)

Vandalism at University of Virginia Ahead of Kellyanne Conway Talk Fits Pattern of Earlier Harassment, Organizer Says

Organizers of a scheduled talk at the University of Virginia (UVA) by Kellyanne Conway, former campaign manager and special counselor to former President Donald Trump, have met with repeated harassment and vandalism in recent days from unknown persons who do not want the event to proceed as scheduled or to draw significant attendance, the student group told The Epoch Times.

The talk, scheduled to begin at 7:00 p.m. on Sept. 29, is hosted by Young Americans for Freedom (YAF), who have put up posters around the UVA campus only to see them defaced, torn down, and covered with anonymous signs alluding to the events of Jan. 6.

The tactics put to use here are the latest instance of a widespread effort to thwart conservative speakers at schools across the country, and are of a piece with earlier strategies used to try to disrupt and de-platform past speakers who have come to UVA to share their views with the student and alumni communities.

Nickolaus Cabrera, director of the UVA chapter of YAF, who organized and hosted a well-attended talk by former Vice President Mike Pence in April that some activists unsuccessfully tried to cancel, described how he and fellow members put up posters around campus in accordance with university regulations, only to find them removed and defaced.

One day, all of our posters were taken down. We walked through campus and they were all replaced with pieces of paper with the text Jan 6, 2021, Cabrera told The Epoch Times.

Nonetheless, Cabrera said he hopes that those who dislike Conway and her beliefs will try to engage civilly with their ideological opponent rather than resort to such tactics.

We would obviously encourage those individuals who put those pieces of paper in front of our posters to attend the event and ask questions, he said.

Despite the underhandedness of such tactics, Cabrera said he has not gone to the administration to ask for an investigation and potential disciplinary actions against those responsible, because such harassment is chronic and he knows well from experience that university officials are unlikely to do much.

We havent tried to pursue an investigation into this. These things are common, they happen all the time, and whenever we try to pursue them, we dont get anywhere, he said.

In the face of anticipated dangers from student activists, the Conway talk has required extensive coordination with university police.

The university police department has been working with us very cautiously to make sure this event goes as planned, and to put metal detectors in place as you walk into the building and secure the perimeter, Cabrera said.

A Familiar Pattern

Cabrera said this is far from the first time that activists opposed to speakers he has brought to campus have resorted to coercion or disruption to achieve their goal of de-platforming individuals with whom they disagree.

On March 17, a few weeks before the Pence talk, UVAs student newspaper, The Cavalier Daily, ran a staff editorial entitled Dangerous rhetoric is not entitled to a platform, which argued that Pences connections to Trump and his stances on such issues as same-sex marriage and Black Lives Matter constitute a form of violence against marginalized groups in the country, and that Pence, therefore, should not have the right to express his views at the university.

In the end, Pences talk went ahead as scheduled, but not without a sustained campaign of anonymous harassment, intimidation, and sabotage against the event and its organizers. As in the case of Kellyanne Conways talk, unknown persons vandalized posters put up around campus to promote the event, drawing devils horns over Pences image.

In October 2021, Cabrera and fellow members of YAF organized an event entitled In Defense of Mr. Jefferson, in which two UVA alumni, Rich Lowry and Rep. Chip Roy, would visit the campus to discuss the continuing importance of Thomas Jeffersonwho founded the university in 1819in the face of efforts to discredit the third U.S. president as a racist slave owner. Lowry is an author and the editor of the opinion magazine National Review, and Roy is a Republican Congressman representing Texass 21st district.

In the days leading up to that event, vandals conducted a campaign of harassment and intimidation, tearing down some of the posters and scrawling anonymous messages on others, in one instance crossing out the events title and writing Racists Defending Rapists directly below it. Activists also organized a letter-writing campaign intended to bombard the UVA administration with letters demanding the cancellation of the event.

The activists put up posters of their own with a QR code which, when scanned, generated a template of a letter addressed to the universitys dean of students, reading, in part, I am writing to you as a student concerned about the upcoming event hosted by the Young Americans for Freedom student organization. . . . Congressman Chip Roy, one of the speakers at the event, has a history of making racist remarks publicly. He has also worked to introduce legislation preventing American schools from teaching about the history of racism on which our country was built.

The letter goes on to call for the events cancellation, stating, The In Defense of Mr. Jefferson Event has already received significant backlash on social media from angered students. We believe that the event indirectly defends values of racism and slavery, offending many UVA students. I ask that you act in our best interest as a student body in efforts to protect our community at large.

In this instance, the efforts of the vandals and harassers failed, Cabrera noted.

The event itself went great, we had a packed house, every seat was taken and some people had to stand along the walls. [Lowry and Roy] spoke in defense of Jefferson, why we defend Jefferson and why we should honor his legacy, Cabrera said.

A Double Standard?

Cabrera and fellow members of YAF have had to approach off-campus donor networks to obtain funding for the events they have sought to host. At the same time, the university has not hesitated to spend lavishly to lure speakers with left-wing viewpoints, he said.

On April 21, 2021, under the auspices of its Racial Equity Speaker Series, the university hosted, via Zoom, a virtual talk by Ibram X. Kendi, an author and agitator who has promoted a view of the United States as fundamentally racist and oppressive and has advocated, in books such as How to be an Antiracist, strategies that Kendi believes white people should use to overcome deeply ingrained habits of thought. Kendi has also advanced the theory that policies that fail to challenge racism and inequality directly and consciously contribute to those social problems.

UVA paid Kendi $32,500 for a one-hour talk that did not even require his presence on campus, Cabrera said.

The university will pay $32,500 to host a critical race theorist, but when it comes to hosting a speaker we solicited donors to pay for, people are calling for cancellation of the event, he continued.

Im all for diverse perspectives, the university should host whomever they want, but to speak on a Zoom call to students, its quite appalling to me that this happened. The university would never pay this amount of money to a conservative, they would never pay Ben Shapiro $32,500 to come and speak, Cabrera added.

The Epoch Times has reached out to UVA for comment.
The Liddell coal-fired power station in the Hunter Vally of New South Wales, Australia. (Taras Vyshnya/Adobe Stock)

Victorias Biggest Coal-Fired Generation to Close Its Doors 10 Years Early Amid Push for Green Energy

Victorias biggest power plant will be shut down by mid-2035 instead of the mid-2040s, up to a decade earlier than planned, as its owner transitions to renewable energy.

Energy giant AGL Energy said the early closure of its coal-fired generation Loy Yang A, which locates in Latrobe Valley in the Southeast of Melbourne, will avoid up to 200 million tonnes of greenhouse gases compared to the previous closure date.

AGLs incoming interim CEO Damien Nicks, on Thursday, noted that the move represents a major step forward in Australias decarbonisation journey, supporting the transition to a lower carbon world aligned with the Paris Agreement goals.

He also promised that AGLs transition to renewable energy would be simple, accessible and affordable for its customers, the Daily Telegraph reported.

We will work with our stakeholders to make sure this change is responsible, that our customers energy needs are met and that our workforce and communities are supported through this change, he said in a statement at the stock exchange.

AGL Loy Yang, which comprises Loy Yang A and B stations, includes four 500+ megawatt turbo generators and produces over 2,200 megawatts of electricity, about 30 percent of the states total.

Victoria operates three coal-fired plants  Loy Yang A, Loy Yang B and Yallourn. Yallourns closure has been fast-tracked to 2028, with Alinta Energy-owned Loy Yang B expected to follow in 2047.

On Thursday, Victorias Energy Minister Lily DAmbrosio said the closure will be difficult for those who have powered Victoria through Loy Yang A for decades.

We will work with AGL to help locals restrain, reskill and find new work opportunities close to home as we transition the state to cheap, clean, renewable energy.

Weve invested almost $2 billion to create more than 4,000 extra jobs in the Latrobe Valleys workforce since 2014  and in the coming months and years, our focus will be on helping Loy Yang A workers, their families and the Latrobe Valley community navigate the transition.

The move comes after Australian iron ore billionaire Andrew Forrest announced a $9.2 billion plan to eliminate his mining empires fossil fuel risk profile.

How much will decarbonisation cost?

As energy companies ramp up their efforts to phase out fossil fuels, experts are still exploring how much the whole process would cost, how it will impact the labour market, the economy and fuel prices, and other environmental implications.

In August, the university partnership Net Zero Australia estimated the Australian government will need to invest over A$100 billion (US$68 billion) a year to successfully reach net-zero, with costs to substantially increase year on year until the slated target of 2050.

One factor behind the soaring cost is increasing demand globally for renewable energy manufacturing and equipment.

Meanwhile, Australia will also need to find 1 to 1.3 million new workers with the right technical skills across the north of the country. Australias current labour force is 13,558,400.

A UK study published in 2012 warned that the move to decarbonise could lead to fuel poverty, eventually resulting in high fuel prices. It also said that the increase of renewable energy technology such as solar panels would mean moving energy generation into urban areas and hence potentially intensifying the urban heat island.
The Parliament of Victoria's upper house on Nov. 3, 2017. in Melbourne, Australia. (Michael Dodge/Getty Images)

Victorias Parliament Placed into Lockdown Following Bomb Threat

The Australian state of Victorias parliament was in lockdown on Thursday morning after an alleged bomb threat.

Police said they had arrived at a Spring St building in Melbourne to complete a safety check about 10.45 a.m.

The building has since been deemed safe after all entrances were blocked.

The bomb threat was reportedly made via phone call.

State MPs were told about the incident in an email on Thursday morning.

At this stage, the building is in lockdown, so no one can enter or exit the building, the email read.

The police are investigating, and we will send an email update as soon as we have more information.

The opposition called off a press conference that was scheduled to be held at the site in the afternoon.

Minor party upper house MP Fiona Patten issued a warning following the bomb threat, saying it was dangerous for democracy.

We experienced a lot of this during the state of emergency debate, and extremists are still attempting to intimidate members of parliament and influence the coming election, she said.

More to come
The remains of a soldier killed during the Korean War will be buried at the All Nations Veterans Cemetery on the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation on Friday.

Army Pfc. Melvin Little Bear, a Standing Rock native, was a member of A Battery, 15th Field Artillery Battalion, 2nd Infantry Division. He was reported missing in action Feb. 13, 1951, after his unit was attacked by Chinese forces in Changbong-ni, South Korea.

Little Bear was captured and held a prisoner of war at a camp in Changsong, North Korea, where he died in captivity on or about July 21, 1951, at age 21, according to the U.S. Army Human Resources Command. The conclusion about his fate is based on repatriated POW reports and information from Chinese and North Korean forces.

Remains from the POW camp were returned to United Nations Command in the fall of 1954 but could not be identified. They were buried at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Hawaii, but disinterred in November 2019 for DNA analysis at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam in Hawaii.

Little Bear's remains were identified by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency this past July based on circumstantial evidence as well as dental, anthropological and DNA analysis.

His name is recorded on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, along with the others still missing from the Korean War. A rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate he has been accounted for.

Graveside services Friday at the cemetery will be performed by Kesling Funeral Home, of Mobridge, South Dakota.
Why Is Nothing Being Done About the Claim That Children Were Murdered in Canadas Residential Schools?

Commentary

Over the last two years, innumerable news reports have been published about missing children and mass or unmarked graves at Indian Residential Schools (IRS) from across Canada. First, the news that the graves of 215 students were discovered at the Kamloops Indian Residential School at the end of May 2021 was shocking, to say the least. (Even I was shocked and I lived and worked in two residential schools.)

Since then, many other reports have claimed that hundreds, if not thousands, of indigenous children died, or were murdered, and their bodies were secretly buried, often in the dead of night. In fact, Justice Murray Sinclair told CBC Radio host Matt Galloway that he thinks that as many as 15,000 to 25,000 IRS students are missing and perhaps murdered. It is with this background that New York Times called its story on the topic Horrible History: Mass Graves of Indigenous Children Reported in Canada.

So far there is no verifiable evidence supporting this claim. No bodies have been exhumed yet. And, perhaps more importantly, the Truth and Reconciliation Report says that the RCMP investigated 15 deaths at various residential schools and concluded that all of them resulted from accidents or diseases.

Even with the RCMP investigation in mind, readers may be surprised to learn that the report from Kamloops was not the first time that children were reported to have been murdered in Canadas residential schools. The most horrific testimony was by Doris Young when she spoke to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) on June 22, 2012. Ms. Young had been a student at the Elkhorn Indian School in Manitoba, and recalled, according to the final TRC report:

I remember was, there was all these screams, and there was blood over the, the walls. [Crying] and we were told that if we, if we ever told, or tried to run away, we would, the same thing would happen to us. [Crying] So, it was a dangerous time for, for children, and for me at that, those days. [Crying] We never really knew who would be next to be murdered because we witnessed one already. [Crying]

It is strange that Ms. Youngs public testimony never created a public outcry like the one that occurred after the Kamloops report was published. Even more telling, the commission included two lawyers, Chief Wilton Littlechild and Justice Murray Sinclair, who did not refer Ms. Youngs evidence to the proper authorities for a thorough investigation. Equally telling, none of the 94 Calls to Action (recommendations) in the TRC report requests that law enforcement agencies examine the schoolyards around the 143 residential schools to find the bodies of murdered and missing children.

Instead, both the commissioners and the media waited nine years until the Kamloops revelation before saying anything about the possibility that other children were murdered at residential schools. Surely, the murder of one child, as reported by Doris Young, should have caused as much anguish and pain as the possible murder of 215 children at the Kamloops Residential School.

Even more seriously, the highest Canadian government officials, the prime minister and the governor general, have spoken as if the claim of murdered children is a proven fact. In response to the claim, for example, the government lowered the Canadian flag on government buildings and made over $110 million available for indigenous bands to exhume bodies. But so far no bodies have been found.

The Truth and Reconciliation Commission stated that truth was necessary for reconciliation, but the recent rash of news reports demonstrates that transparency and verification are also important principles in investigating crimes and establishing whether a claim is true.

Surely, there needs to be a thorough investigation of the claim that indigenous children were murdered while attending Indian Residential Schools. An independent agency, like the RCMP, with authority and expertise, must thoroughly investigate the claim without interference from governments or any groups. In fact, Call to Action no. 25 in the TRC report says: We call upon the federal government to establish a written policy that reaffirms the independence of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police to investigate crimes in which the government has its own interests as a potential or real party in civil litigation.

I doubt that any Canadian believes that people, indigenous or non-indigenous, who abused or murdered residential school children should escape punishment. I also doubt that any Canadian believes that innocent IRS employees should be condemned and punished. Nevertheless, the government and the news media have acted as if IRS employees were guilty of a variety of crimes including the murder of indigenous children and burying their bodies in the yards of the schools.

A democracy cannot function without a commitment to truth, transparency, and verification by governments and news agencies. For Canada and her citizens, these values must be re-established as fundamental. Without these values, Canadians will not have an honest and fair reconciliation. Canadians certainly deserve better if we are going to have a peaceful and fair reconciliation.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
Three members of a rival group belonging to the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN) have reportedly been killed during a clash at Iyana-Iba, Ojo Local Government Area of Lagos State, on Wednesday.

It was learnt that the clash occurred due to a tussle over the control and right for the sale of tickets and collection of tolls from commercial buses at Ojo park and environs.

Vanguard gathered that the fracas led to a protest by some RTEAN members demanding the removal of the National President of the association over alleged meddlesomeness.

One of the leaders of a rival group, Babatunde Kazeem, who spoke to newsmen on the incident, accused the National President of RTEAN, Musa Muhammed of meddling in the affairs and management of the states union for selfish interest.

He said, Three of our members have been killed by the invading rival group sponsored by the national body, while one other is on the danger list at the hospital where he was rushed to.

Muhammad cant be the president of the union and at the same time chairman of the state.

We need a caretaker committee to run the affairs of the union pending the election of substantive officers. He is intimidating us with the use of law enforcement agencies. We do not want war in RTEAN Lagos State, we want peace.

We, hereby, call on Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to intervene by calling the National President and his boys to order before the crisis snowballs into full-scale violence.

Similarly, it was learnt that a similar clash happened in the Surulere area between transport unions.

However, the intervention of the state Police Command doused and restored normalcy in Ojo area as the warring groups were dispersed.
Ezza Ezekuna people of Ebonyi State hold that, "A bird which flew from the ground to the tip of a mound is still on the ground". This seems to capture the conduct of the Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, over the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, presidential ticket which he lost to former vice-president of Nigeria, Atiku Abubakar. Since the announcement of governor of Delta State, Ifeanyi Okowa, as PDP vice-presidential candidate by Atiku Abubakar, Wike has been restless and making frantic efforts to either balkanize PDP or dim its prospects in the 2023 general elections.

From complaints of mishandling of the presidential primaries by the chairman of the PDP presidential convention committee, David Mark; through the allegations of betrayal of trust against Sokoto State governor, Aminu Tambuwal; to pressures to oust the PDP national chairman, Dr. Iyorchia Ayu, Wike kept entertaining Nigerians. Barr Nyesom Wike who holds the reputation of forcing two previous PDP national chairmen out of office is alleging that Dr. Ayu promised to resign if a Northern Nigerian emerges as PDP presidential candidate. With Atiku Abubakar winning the PDP presidential ticket, Wike insists that the condition precedent upon which Ayu premised his promise to resign had taken place and Ayu, whom he sees as an accomplice in the plot that prevented him (Wike) from winning the PDP presidential ticket must resign. Taking his 'Ayu Must Go' agitation further, Wike adopted a holier-than-thou posture by arguing that allowing Ayu to remain in office will amount to marginalization of the Southern part of Nigeria by PDP.

Apart from hearsay evidence, what the embattled PDP national chairman told Nigerian's in a television interview was that, "If my party asks me to resign, I will resign"! Interestingly, PDP in a recent National Executive Council, NEC, meeting held in the heat of Wike's call for Ayu's resignation passed a vote of confidence on Dr. Iyorchia Ayu. By this development, it is Wike with his team, which has continued to reduce by the day, that wants Ayu out. The Peoples Democratic Party should be greater and is indeed greater than Wike and the remnants of his team. Above all, the constitution of the party has shown that the resignation of Dr. Iyorchia Ayu from the PDP national chairmanship position will not address the marginalization upon which Wike and his group are hinging their agitation for Ayu's resignation from office. According to the extant constitution of PDP, in the event of Dr. Ayu's resignation as Wike demands, the replacement for Ayu must come from his geopolitical zone and not from any other part of the country. The removal and replacement of Dr. Ayu in the manner proposed by Wike and his group will bring more confusions that will likely embroil the Peoples Democratic Party in litigations and rob it of the cohesion and team spirit needed to win the presidential and other critical elections in 2023. The fact that the party has not healed from the wounds of the legislative congresses, gubernatorial primaries and presidential convention makes the call for Ayu's resignation unwise because such resignation will further fragment PDP.

Wike's fight against marginalization is belated and a mere smokescreen behind which Wike is hiding to avenge his loss of the PDP presidential ticket on the party, Dr. Ayu whom he feels was not neutral in the primaries, and on the party's presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar. This is true because had Wike wanted to fight marginalization, he should not have contested the PDP presidential primaries. Yes, because the only southern part of Nigeria which has not produced either the president or vice president of Nigeria since the nascent fourth republic is the Southeast. Wike is from the Southsouth from where Dr. Goodluck Jonathan hails from. Dr. Jonathan was vice-president and, later, president of Nigeria between 2007 and 2015! From the Southwest hail Chief Olusegun Obasanjo who served as president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria between 1999 and 2007 and Prof. Yemi Osibanjo who has been Nigeria's vice-president since 2015 and still counting! If Wike had been as sincere and upright as he wants the world to believe, if Wike had honestly intended to fight against marginalization and injustice as he claims, he should have rooted for or supported one of the many Igbo men from Southeast Nigeria who contested the PDP presidential primaries or insisted that one of them be picked as vice-presidential candidate by the time he (Wike) was shortlisted to screen for the vice-presidential nomination. The allegation of the PDP presidential campaign spokesperson, Barr Bwala, that Wike frustrated the zoning of the PDP presidential ticket to the Southeast geopolitical zone which Wike has not denied further detracts on Wike's saintly posture. Wike's vigorous and subtle bids at the PDP presidential and vice-presidential tickets respectively in the aforestated circumstances, even though fruitless, rendered him complicit to marginalization. His tardy agitations against marginalization give him out as the proverbial bird who flew from the ground to the tip of the mound: Wike is not different from his party colleagues he is accusing of injustice and marginalization!
European leaders blame sabotage as gas pours into Baltic from Nord Stream pipelines

Aerial footage of leak in Danish waters from Nord Stream 1 pipeline  video

Sabotage is the most likely cause of leaks in two Baltic Sea gas pipelines between Russia and Europe, European leaders have said, after seismologists reported explosions around the Nord Stream pipelines.

A seismograph on the Danish island of Bornholm, near where the leaks occurred, twice recorded spikes on Monday, the day on which the Nord Stream 1 and 2 gas pipelines underwent dramatic falls in pressure, the German geological research centre GFZ said.

A Danish military flight over the leaks brought back striking images from the ruptures, including one showing an area of bubbling gas a kilometre wide on the seas surface.

Explosions reportedly damage Nord Stream pipelines causing gas leaks in the Baltic Sea

GFZ declined to be drawn on whether the tremors recorded could have been the result of an explosion but scientists at the research centre ruled out the possibility that the leaks could have been caused by earthquakes.

A seismologist quoted by Swedish television suggested the activity may have been the result of explosions. Bjorn Lund, director of the Swedish National Seismic Network, SNSN, which measures Swedish earthquakes and explosions, told the SVT television channel that the event  one of which registered a magnitude of 2.3  may have been caused by undersea detonations.

Breakage of gas pipelines is extremely rare, Danish authorities said in a statement. The steel pipe itself has a wall of 4.1 cm (1.6 inches) and is coated with steel-reinforced concrete up to 11cm thick. Each section of the pipe weighs 11 tonnes, which goes to 24-25 tonnes after the concrete is applied.

One UK insider speculated that any explosions were unlikely to have been caused by a submarine or underwater vehicle, because their presence would have been detected in the relatively shallow Baltic waters. Sections of the pipelines are between 80 metres and 110 metres deep.

An alternative scenario could be that mines were dropped from a disguised commercial vessel days or weeks ahead of the attack, then remotely detonated to cause the explosions. But the latter scenario was entirely hypothetical, they stressed.

The day of drama began when the Danish energy agency said it had found the leaks on the Nord Stream 1 pipeline north-east of the island of Bornholm, and a third in the Nord Stream 2 pipeline in Swedish waters south-east of the island. This is not a small crack. Its a really big hole, the energy agency said.

A five-mile exclusion zone for shipping has been set up around Bornholm, and flights below 1,000 metres have been banned in the area. Methane, the primary component of natural gas, partially dissolves in water, is not toxic and creates no hazard when inhaled in limited quantities.

Nord Stream AG, the pipeline operator, had on Monday morning reported an unexpected overnight drop of pressure from 105 to 7 bar in Nord Stream 2, which is filled with gas but was cancelled by Olaf Scholz, the German chancellor, shortly before Russias invasion of Ukraine.

A further drop of pressure was reported on Monday afternoon in Nord Stream 1, which Russia shut down indefinitely at the start of September, initially saying it needed repairs.

With three separate leaks almost simultaneously, with some distance between them, it was difficult to imagine it was a random accident, Frederiksen said at a short press conference during a visit to Poland, where she was participating in the opening of the Baltic Pipe gas pipeline.

The news magazine Der Spiegel, quoting government sources, said officials were not ruling out sabotage, designed to cause further uncertainty on Europes energy markets.

Since no gas has flowed through either of the pipelines since the start of the month, German authorities have been quick to reassure people that the leaks will not affect its plan to fill gas storage tanks in time for winter.

Environmental NGOs said the leaks were likely to cause large-scale damage to the environment. As soon as methane in gas form raises from the surface of the sea into the atmosphere, it will massively contribute to the greenhouse effect, said Sascha Muller-Kraenner of the pressure group Environmental Action Germany.
The Catholic Diocese of Enugu has lifted the ban on the Adoration ministry of Reverend Father Ejike Mbaka.

The Nigerian Voice recalls that the Catholic Bishop of Enugu Diocese, Bishop Calistus Onaga, had banned the Catholic faithful from attending the Ministry following Mbakas comment against the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi.

Mbaka had during his mid-week prayer activities described Obi as a stingy man, adding that he can not be Nigerias president.

The Catholic Diocese of Enugu thereafter disassociated themself from the utterances.

The Diocese noted that Mbakas attack on Obi breached Canon 220 of the 1983 Code of the Canon Law that prohibited anyone from illegitimately harming the good name of a person.

Bishop Onaga in a letter which was addressed to All the Clery, Religious and Lay Faithful in the Catholic Diocese of Enugu banned worshippers from having anything to do with the Adoration Ministry.

Meanwhile, in a statement released on his Facebook account on Thursday, Rev Fr Ejike Mbaka disclosed that the ban on his ministry has been suspended.

The statement read, Dear Adorers, to the glory of God, Adoration Ministry Enugu Nigeria Amen, starts on Sunday 2nd October 2022 with 10 am Mass at the Adoration ground Umuchigbo Iji Nike Emene Enugu State.

God bless you miraculously as you come to worship God with us, Rev Fr, Ejike Mbaka
President Muhammadu Buhari has urged all the presidential candidates for the 2023 general election to focus on issue-based campaign during their rallies across the country.

The President told the presidential hopefuls to also shun activities that could jeopardise the elections

The Nigerian leader, who said this on Thursday at the 2023 elections peace accord signing organised by the National Peace Committee (NPC) in Abuja, advised the flagbearers and their spokesmen to shun propaganda, fake news, misinformation and personal attacks following the start of the campaigns on Wednesday.

In a statement released by his spokesman, Garba Shehu, the President said the 2023 election is an opportunity to serve Nigeria, defend Nigeria and uphold her unity and progress.

The statement reads: I appeal to the contestants, especially their publicity agents and media advisers to shun personal attacks, avoid insults and incitement, reject the spread of fake news, and commit to issue-based campaigns and political rallies.

The 2023 election is more than an election, it is an opportunity to serve Nigeria, to defend Nigeria and to uphold her unity and progress.

Therefore, I call on all Nigerians, political parties, politicians, security agencies, the Independent National Electoral Commission, and all stakeholders to ensure that Nigeria is placed first above regional and sectional claims.

The president commended the initiative undertaken by the peace committee to commit political actors to issue-based campaigns.

He added that his government would continue to support the committee in its work to ensure peaceful elections in Nigeria.

He reaffirmed his commitment to peaceful, credible and transparent elections, adding that the NPCs actions align with his belief that Nigeria needs peace in order to achieve credible elections.
Bolt driver challenges AoT rule over picking up tourists at Phuket airport

PHUKET: An independent taxi van driver working through the Bolt app has challenged the ban on independent drivers from picking up passengers at Phuket International Airport  a mandate controlled by Airports of Thailand (AoT).

tourismtransport

By Eakkapop Thongtub

Thursday 29 September 2022, 05:58PM

The driver, Suriya Thongsamak, is calling for officials to make the rule clear about whether or not independent taxi drivers ordered through taxi apps can pick up passengers from the airport. Photo: Eakkapop Thongtub

The driver, Suriya Thongsamak, has also refused to pay the fine for attempting to pick up tourists from the airport, which he was not allowed to do yesterday (Sept 28).

Mr Suriya went public with his challenge with videos posted online earlier today (Sept 29), calling for officials to clarify whether or not independent taxi drivers can pick up tourists from the airport.

The current rules set out by AoT is that independent taxi drivers can drop passengers off at the airport  but not pick them up, even if the tourists themselves order the taxi through an app.

The current rules are not published anywhere in written form, and are only an understanding relayed by word of mouth without any written confirmation from AoT.

Mr Suriyas posts have gained much attention online. In his posts, Mr Surya called on the Phuket Governor to intervene in the matter.

Is this a world-class tourist city? In the past, the province has always had a policy that tourists can use the [taxi] service through the app. Is it really usable? Mr Suriya posed.

Mr Suriya explained to reporters today that he had accepted an order via the Bolt app placed by two foreign tourists last night. The tourists asked to be picked up at the airport at 7pm and taken to Kata.

Mr Suriya arrived at the airport and waited for the tourists, a young couple, who entered his van after exiting the arrivals hall.

However, two security guards approached his van, preventing him from driving away. One of the security guards opened the door to the van and told the tourists to get out. The van was not allowed to pick up tourists at the airport, the couple were told.

Mr Suriya was then escorted to where a poster in Thai language nearby explained that only approved taxi drivers were permitted to serve passengers at the airport. Drivers caught breaking the rule would be prosecuted and expelled from the airport grounds, the poster said.

The security guard explained the terms so that Mr Suriya understood.

Meanwhile, the tourists, unsatisfied with their experience and refusing to use the AoT-controlled taxi service at the airport, dragged their luggage to the main road in front of the airport and hailed a taxi from there.

Mr Suriya was then taken to Sakhu Police Station, located just south of the airport, where he refused to pay the fine for non-AoT-approved taxi drivers picking up passengers at the airport.

At first the officer did not want to press any fine, Mr Suriya said. The standard fine is B2,000, but the officer asked me to pay just B300 instead. I still refused.

Mr Suriya explained that his van is fully legally registered for hire to carry passengers and he has the requisite licence to operate a taxi vehicle.

I didnt hold up a sign or call out to get customers at the airport. I received my booking from the app. The customer has a clear identity, so I went to go get it, he added.

I want to fight for the rules to be the same for taxi operators so it is the same for everyone, and so everyone knows what taxis are operating at the airport. How wrong is that? Mr Suriya said.

Adcha Buachan, Chief of the Phuket Land Transport Office (PLTO), told reporters today that the the issue was not a matter for his office to intervene with.

The driver, Mr Suriya, has the correct taxi drivers licence and his van is properly legally registered to be used as a taxi. That was the end of the PLTOs concern, he said.

The problem that has arisen in this case has already been submitted to the ministry [Ministry of Transport]. The ministry has already set a policy that the airport authority is the one who together with the Department of Highways organises [which taxis may operate at the airport]. Mr Adcha said.

See also: Phuket Opinion: Taxi cartels losing the turf war
San Bernardino Sheriffs Department had an unusual reason for closing an Amber Alert this week: they shot dead the 15-year-old kidnapping victim when she ran toward them. Beyond this it remains difficult to describe what happened, because most media glibly repeat only the vague, self-exonerating things the police are telling them to write: specifically that the girl was wearing "tactical gear" and that "evidence" suggests she was responsible for her own killing.

After police say Anthony Graziano shot his estranged wife in Southern California on Monday morning, an Amber Alert was blasted out saying he was on the run with his 15-year-old daughter, Savannah. The next morning, someone spotted his Nissan pickup and notified authorities, leading to a vehicle chase that officials say began and ended with gunfire. Graziano was killed in the firefight. Also killed was a passenger who emerged from Graziano's vehicle in "tactical gear" and ran toward the officers, deputies say.

The New York Times's headline (echoed by the Washington Post's) states she was "Killed in Shootout with Authorities", a classic journalistic tiptoe onto Schrodinger's limb, implying without asserting that she fired at officers herselfa claim made more exactly, later, by the Sheriff's Department. The question "was the girl holding a gun when police killed her?" is among the questions not being asked, unfortunately, until the police are in a comfortable place to answer it.

In a 39-second video, the San Bernadino Sheriff accuses Savannah Graziano, a 15-yr-old kidnapping victim, of shooting at officers. She was killed during the encounter w/the police



The Sheriff offers no proof for his extraordinary claim



There are numerous issues with his account https://t.co/gv3OdvTtac  Judd Legum (@JuddLegum) September 29, 2022

Why do media do this? All the big-picture frames of authoritarianism, fascism and capitalism and so on miss a simple truth: local media rely on local government and police for timely content, and national media swipe it.
This photo combo of images shows logos for Apple, Meta, Google and Amazon. The House on Thursday, Sept. 29, 2022, approved sharply scaled-down legislation targeting the dominance of Big Tech companies by giving states greater power in antitrust cases and increasing money for federal regulators. The bipartisan measure, passed by a 242-184 vote, pales in comparison with a more ambitious package aimed at reining in Meta, Google, Amazon and Apple and cleared by key House and Senate committees.
Two recent op-eds offer related views on the intentions of the "Framers of the Constitution."

Erwin Chemerinsky, Dean of UC Berkeley Law School, is not simply concerned with originalism and the intent of judicial review, but how that intent was to be carried out and actualized, and how the law was related to practice. His focus is on the "incoherence problem." In "Even the Founders Didn't Believe in Originalism," recently published in The Atlantic, he asks, "Was Judicial review imagined by the Framers of the constitution as a role for the Supreme Court?"

For Chemerinsky, the answer is "no". "Nothing indicates that the original meaning of the Constitution was to create judicial review or, if it was, that it was meant to create originalist judicial review. In fact, the evidence, including the Ninth Amendment, points to the contrary."

What is originalism? "Adherents believe that the Constitution has a fixed meaning and that it should be interpreted as it would've been back in the 1700s. Critics have made many compelling arguments against originalism, noting that it lends itself to a selective reading of history and that determining the Founders' intent is nearly impossible ."

Chemerinsky argues further that courts could still "apply federal law, decide diversity cases, and resolve all of the other matters enumerated in Article III, Section 2," without necessarily ruling on the Constitutionality of a given law, or striking down laws or executive actions.

Given the influence of the British judicial system, Chemerinsky notes, "One would think that if the Framers meant for the Constitution to deviate from English law and practice in such a fundamental way, they would have been explicit about it."

For originalists, the Constitution itself ratified by "the people" is the ultimate argument for judicial review being a democratic mandate.

Yet, as is often forgotten, ignored, and/or dismissed by the rabid proponents of "American Exceptionalism," is that it is "factually wrong to say that 'the people' consented to the Constitution because less than 5 percent of the population at the time participated in ratification. No women and no people of color participated, and only a small fraction of white men did [author's emphasis] If originalists consider it undemocratic that our laws are subject to the approval of unelected judgeswho at least die or retire someday and whose replacements are appointed by elected officialshow much more undemocratic is it if society is governed by past majorities who cannot be overruled and are never replaced?"



For Chemerinsky, the conclusion is obvious, "Originalism would be justified under its own terms only if there was a basis for concluding that the original understanding of Article III was for judicial review to follow the original meaning of the Constitution. No support exists for such an assertionfollowing the original meaning of the Constitution, therefore, requires abandoning originalism as a method of constitutional interpretation." The Atlantic article is an excerpt from Chemerinsky's new book, Worse Than Nothing: The Dangerous Fallacy of Originalism, where he fully develops this line of argument.

Claudia Garcia-Rojas, visiting assistant professor in Africana Studies at Davidson College, in an op-ed in Truthout, "The Supreme Court Won't Save Us  It Was Founded to Defend White Supremacy," addresses the 5% of "the people" that ratified the Constitution and what they trying to protect, maintain and reproduce.

Garcia-Rojas argues that the Constitution has transformed the Supreme Court into a "national defense agency." Discussing religion, slavery, white Christian nationalism, patriarchy, and relations of power, Garcia-Rojas makes a powerful argument, "Instead of pushing merely to expand the Supreme Court by adding more justices, we should strip it of its authority by shrinking its jurisdiction and its outsized power over our lives. Better yet, we should be asking ourselves, what steps can we begin taking toward abolishing it?

Judicial review set aside for a moment, consider this perspective on the Supreme Court, "The most influential pre-Civil War Supreme Court justices viewed opposition to slavery as a threat to the national economy and security." This view made it absolutely necessary to preserve the social, political, and economic relations of domination, and enshrine those power relations into law.

Max Weber's study in Economy and Society on the transformation of institutions with the rise of global capitalist relations might be useful, "The result of contractual freedom, then, is in the first place the opening of the opportunity to use, by the clever utilization of property ownership in the market, these resources without legal restraints as a means for the achievement of power over others. The parties interested in the power in the market thus are also interested in such a legal order [my emphasis]." In other words, contracts are not (often or always) negotiated by parties that have the same position of power in society.

This dynamic of powerful political and economic elites creating the conditions for the reproduction of society with laws that maintain the economic order and social tradition reveals that "Placing the Supreme Court in the context of this history reveals a pattern. Since its inception, the court has generally operated to enshrine whiteness as the normative baseline in constitutional law, and to strengthen this baseline by consistently favoring and reinforcing the superior status of whites in the U.S." Or as Weber argues, "Every highly privileged group develops a myth of its  superiority. Under the conditions of a stable distribution of power that myth is accepted by the negatively privileged strata."

Perhaps the Constitution is actually a document of myth-making and counter-insurgency. Designed to justify the superiority of civilizational violence against the earth and earth's creatures, it functions to counter the insurgency of democratic living by kidnapped and enslaved peoples in Africa; Indigenous nations; and by women.

Check out Gerald Horne's, The Counter-Revolution of 1776: Slave Resistance and the Origins of the United States of America, which further historicizes Garcia-Rojas's argument. "The so-called Revolutionary War, Horne writes, was in part a counter-revolution, a conservative movement that the founding fathers fought in order to preserve their right to enslave others. The Counter-Revolution of 1776 brings us to a radical new understanding of the traditional heroic creation myth of the United States."

For perspectives on the US Constitution from Indigenous people, see Exiled in the Land of the Free: Democracy, Indian Nations and the US Constitution. "It is little known that the Revolutionary War and the writing of the United States Constitution and Bill of Rights were strongly influenced by Native American traditions. European philosophers of the Enlightenment such as Jean Jacques Rousseau had begun pressing for democratic reforms in Europe on the basis of glowing reports by early settlers about the New World and its native inhabitants An aspect of American history that has been ignored and denied for centuries is the extent to which we are indebted to Native Americans for the principles and practices on which our democratic institutions are based. This is the first work to recognize that legacy and trace our model of participatory democracy to its Native American roots.
An inmate serving a life sentence for murder has been charged with using a heavy piece of weightlifting equipment to violently attack a Massachusetts prison guard who remains in the hospital more than a month later
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.

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There's a lot of competition for the first retail cannabis licenses in New York.

The state received more than six applications for every license it will hand out in the first round of licensing. That's 903 applicants in all for the 150 Conditional Adult-Use Retail Dispensary licenses it plans to issue.

11 recreational pot stores are coming to WNY in first round of legalization plan Western New York will be getting 11 recreational cannabis stores among the first 150 conditional licenses authorized by the state.

Just 11 licenses will be given for use in Erie, Niagara, Allegany, Cattaraugus and Chautauqua counties during this round of licensing. That works out to one recreational dispensary for roughly every 450 square miles, if they are spaced evenly.

But the field will only get more crowded and more competitive as time goes on.

More licenses will continue to open up and, eventually, operators from outside New York State will enter the market  sometimes huge conglomerates with deep experience and even deeper pockets. It leaves local mom-and-pop operators excited but anxious about what is to come.

The first round of applications for recreational cannabis stores in New York closed this week. And while much has been uncertain about the legal cannabis retail trade in New York, one thing is for sure: There will plenty of disappointed pot entrepreneurs this time around.

That's why the state's Office of Cannabis Management has vowed to support would-be retailers every step of the way.

"We're creating opportunities across New York. These licenses will permit the first adult-use cannabis to sell cannabis grown by New York family farmers," said Chris Alexander, executive director of the state's Office of Cannabis Management. "And we're not just handing out licenses, either."

The state's Social Equity Cannabis Investment Fund is a public-private partnership aimed at positioning social equity entrepreneurs to succeed in the cannabis industry. During the first round of licensing, applicants or one of their family members must have been arrested in New York for a pot-related offense before March 31, 2021, and have run a profitable business. Those who receive licenses will have access to real estate and financing through the fund.

"We're securing real estate, building stores out with the support of the social equity cannabis investment fund. This is an incredible opportunity," said Alexander. "We're supporting our entrepreneurs with capital, with real estate and a real opportunity to build a brand, a customer base and get their business off the ground in the right way."

Convicted of a marijuana-related offense? Erie County DA streamlines process for reducing, expunging records Erie County residents convicted of marijuana-related offenses could have their convictions reduced or expunged in a month if they follow an expedited process that starts with attending an informational clinic, District Attorney John J. Flynn said.

New York will also grant licenses to qualifying nonprofits, but those nonprofits wont have access to real estate through the Dormitory Authority of the State of New York or New Yorks $200 million social equity cannabis investment fund.

The first round recreational dispensaries will open by the end of the year, according to the state. Regulations for non-conditional licenses will be released in the coming weeks. Those stores are expected to open in mid-2023.

Even after the program opens up to non-offenders, there will continue to be concessions for those who have been negatively affected by the War on Drugs, the Office of Cannabis Management has said, but it has not specified how that will play out.
Having written before about the general ineffectiveness of the United Nations, it's apparent this world body isn't about to be discarded into the scrap heap.

That being said, consider at least eliminating the permanent security council which consists of the five nations  the United States, China, Russia, Great Britain and France. I know it's very unlikely it could ever happen, because it's unlikely to come to any vote.

I would not be expelling these countries out of the U.N. (though the U.S., China and Russia probably should be) but I think they should be demoted to being regular members like all the other nations. The United States, China and Russia particularly have caused so much ongoing global trouble (handling of and perhaps the origin of the pandemic, supply chain issues, the Ukraine invasion and just the overall toxic relationship among the group. None are presently making any positive difference to the world being in this exclusive U.N. club.

The United Nations for too long has been a toothless tiger. I believe the permanent five (really more the permanent three  United States, Russia and China) is the real reason the U.N. lacks the power to unleash more severe diplomatic and economic discipline against misbehaving nations. This including the U.S., China and Russia too, for their dangerous, ridiculous conduct when it's warranted. These three countries all get away with it because they know they can and they know there won't be a price to be paid for being an increasing danger to world peace.

As major world powers, the United States, China and Russia specifically continue to fail miserably, setting a better example as U.N. permanent members should be portraying to the world. There is a growing possibility of a devastating war between countries involving mainly the dangerous three  the United States, China and Russia with nuclear weapons.

MARCUS COSTELLO Kenmore
A court in military-ruled Myanmar on Thursday jailed deposed leader Aung San Suu Kyi and her former economic adviser, Australian Sean Turnell, for three years for violating a secrets law, a source familiar with the proceedings said.

Both had pleaded not guilty to charges of violating the official secrets act, which carries a maximum sentence of 14 years.

Three years each, no hard labour, said the source, who declined to be identified due to the sensitivity of the issue.

Suu Kyi, Turnell, and several members of her economic team are among thousands arrested since the military overthrew her elected government in a coup early last year, including politicians, lawmakers, bureaucrats, students and journalists.

Turnell has also been charged with immigration violations, for which he faces up to five years in prison. The court is expected to rule on that case on Thursday, according to a second source and media reports.

Nobel laureate Suu Kyi has already been sentenced to at least 23 years in prison in separate cases, mostly related to corruption charges.

She denies all accusations against her.

Opponents of the military say the charges against Suu Kyi are aimed at blocking her from ever getting involved in politics again and challenging the militarys grip on power.

A junta spokesperson did not answer calls seeking comment on Thursday. The junta insists Myanmars courts are independent and those arrested are receiving due process.

Turnell, who is also a professor of economics at Macquarie University in Australia, has been in detention since a few days after the coup.

His wife, Ha Vu, who is based in Australia, said she and her family were heartbroken at the verdict and called for him to be deported.

Sean has been one of Myanmars greatest supporters for over 20 years and has worked tirelessly to strengthen Myanmars economy. Please consider the contributions  and deport him now, she said in a Facebook post.

Australia called for Turnells release.

The Australian government has consistently rejected the charges against Professor Turnell. (It) rejects todays court ruling  and calls for his immediate release, Foreign Minister Penny Wong said in a statement.

Australian consular officials tasked with assisting Turnell were denied access to the court, Wong said.

Thursdays sentencing took place in a closed court in the capital, Naypyitaw. The defendants exact offence under the official secrets act remains unclear, though a source previously said Turnells offence relates to an allegation that he had government documents.

An analyst for the International Crisis Group think tank, Richard Horsey, called the proceedings a show trial.

For Sean the hope now must be that  having already been in detention for almost 20 months  he will be released soon from this terrible ordeal and reunited with his family, he said.

SOURCE: REUTERS
Moscow was poised on Wednesday to annex a swath of Ukraine, releasing what it called vote tallies showing support in four partially occupied provinces to join Russia, after what Kyiv and the West denounced as illegal sham referendums held at gunpoint.

On Moscows Red Square, a tribune with giant video screens has been set up, with billboards proclaiming Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, Kherson  Russia!

President Vladimir Putin could proclaim the annexation in a speech within days, just over a week since he endorsed the referendums, ordered a military mobilisation at home and threatened to defend Russia with nuclear weapons if necessary.

The Russian-installed administrations of the four Ukrainian provinces on Wednesday formally asked Putin to incorporate them into Russia, which Russian officials have suggested is a formality.

The results are clear. Welcome home, to Russia!, Dmitry Medvedev, a former president who serves as deputy chairman of Russias Security Council, said on Telegram, after the release of the results.

Russian-backed authorities claim to have carried out the referendums over five days on territory that makes up around 15% of Ukraine.

Residents who escaped to Ukrainian-held territory in recent days have told of people being forced to tick ballots in the street by roving officials at gunpoint. Footage filmed during the exercise showed Russian-installed officials taking ballot boxes from house to house with armed men in tow.

Russia says voting was voluntary and in line with international law, and turnout high.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy sought to rally international support for his country against possible Russian annexations in a series of calls with foreign leaders, including those of Britain, Canada, Germany and Turkey.

He told Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau that the world must not bow to Russian nuclear blackmail, adding: The aggressor must clearly understand all the consequences of his irresponsibility.

The United States said it was working with allies and partners to quickly impose severe economic costs on Moscow over the referendums.

The European Unions executive also proposed fresh sanctions against Russia, but the blocs 27 member countries will need to overcome their own differences to implement them.

Denis Pushilin, the Russian-installed leader in Donetsk, said he was on his way to Moscow to complete the legal process of joining Russia.

Now we are moving to a new stage of military action, he said, amid speculation that Putin is set to change the status of what he has so far called a special military operation to a counter-terrorism operation.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia would need to keep fighting until it had taken control of all of Donetsk. Around 40% of the province is still under Ukrainian control and scene of some of the wars heaviest fighting.

The Russian annexation plan gathered pace as leaking gas bubbled up in the Baltic Sea for a second day after suspected explosions tore through undersea Russian pipelines on Tuesday. The Nord Stream 1 pipeline, once the main route for Russian gas to Germany, was already shut but cannot now be easily reopened.

NATO and the European Union warned of the need to protect critical infrastructure from what they called sabotage, though officials stopped short of saying who they blamed. Russias FSB security service is investigating the damage sustained to the pipelines as international terrorism, the Interfax news agency cited the general prosecutors office as saying.

EXODUS

The annexation is part of a huge escalation strategy announced by Putin last week, along with the swift call-up of hundreds of thousands of Russian men to fight, and a new warning on nuclear weapons, which he said was not a bluff.

His action followed a stunning setback at the front, when Russian forces hastily abandoned territory the size of Cyprus in a matter of days.

Russian officials have said any attack on annexed territory would be an attack on Russia itself.

The annexations have been rejected globally, with even traditional allies of Moscow such as Serbia and Kazakhstan saying they will not recognise it.

In the Ukrainian-held city of Zaporizhzhia, Ukrainians who managed to flee Russian-occupied territory through the last frontline checkpoint said they had seen no real voting.

They can announce anything they want. Nobody voted in the referendum except a few people who switched sides. They went from house to house but nobody came out, said Lyubomir Boyko, 43, from Golo Pristan, a village in Russian-occupied Kherson province.

Residents said many were fleeing for fear Moscow will start press-ganging men to fight in its forces once it declares the territory to be Russian. For now, Russian officials at the checkpoint were letting some people leave.

The line of vehicles was so long you could not see the end of it, said Andriy, 37, an agricultural worker from Beryslav in Kherson province who declined to give his last name, describing the checkpoint.

Entire villages had emptied, he said, standing by the mud-spattered minibus in which he arrived with his wife, two children and parents.

Seventy percent of people are leaving because of the referendum. There was no light, no gas, and no work, and all of a sudden you get the referendum. Its complete nonsense.

SOURCE: REUTERS
Russia was poised to annex a swath of Ukraine within days, releasing what it called vote tallies showing overwhelming support in four provinces to join it, after what Ukraine and the West denounced as illegal sham referendums held at gunpoint.

On Moscows Red Square, a stage with giant video screens has been set up, with billboards proclaiming Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, Kherson  Russia!

The head of the upper house of the Russian parliament said it could consider the incorporation of the four partially occupied regions on Oct. 4, three days before President Vladimir Putins 70th birthday.

The Russian-installed administrations of the four provinces have formally asked Putin to incorporate them into Russia, which Russian officials have suggested is a formality.

This should happen within a week, Rodion Miroshnik, the Russia-installed ambassador to Moscow of the self-proclaimed Luhansk Peoples Republic, told the RIA state news agency

The main thing has already happened  the referendum has taken place. Therefore, lets say: the locomotive has already started and its unlikely to be stopped.

To annex the territories, which represent about 15% of Ukraine, some sort of treaty will need to be struck and ratified by the Russian parliament, which is controlled by Putin allies. The areas will then be seen as part of Russia and its nuclear umbrella will extend to them.

Putin has warned he would use nuclear weapons to protect Russian territory from attack.

NOBODY VOTED

Residents who escaped to Ukrainian-held areas in recent days have told of people being forced to mark ballots in the street by roving officials at gunpoint. Footage filmed during the exercise showed Russian-installed officials taking ballot boxes from house to house with armed men in tow.

They can announce anything they want. Nobody voted in the referendum except a few people who switched sides. They went from house to house but nobody came out, said Lyubomir Boyko, 43, from Golo Pristan, a village in Russian-occupied Kherson province.

Russia says voting was voluntary, in line with international law, and that turnout was high. The referendums and notion of annexations has been rejected globally, as was Russias 2014 takeover of Crimea from Ukraine.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy sought to rally international support against annexation in a series of calls with foreign leaders, including those of Britain, Canada, Germany and Turkey.

Thank you all for your clear and unequivocal support. Thank you all for understanding our position, Zelenskiy said in a late-night video address.

The United States has unveiled a $1.1 billion weapons package for Ukraine that includes 18 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) launchers, accompanying munitions, various types of counter drone systems and radar systems. The announcement brings the U.S. security aid to $16.2 billion.

The United States has also said it would also impose new sanctions on Russia for the referendums and the European Unions executive proposed more sanctions, but the blocs 27 member countries will need to overcome their own differences to implement them.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia would need to keep fighting until it had taken control of all of Donetsk. About 40% is still under Ukrainian control.

Russia has announced it will mobilise some 300,000 reservists to bolster its forces in Ukraine. The conscription drive has sent thousands of Russian men fleeing to other countries.

On the ground, Ukraine and Russian forces are engaged in heavy fighting, especially in the Donetsk region, where the governor said six civilians were killed in Russian attacks on Wednesday.

Over the past 24 hours, Russia launched three missile and eight air strikes, carried out more than 82 attacks from rocket salvo systems on military and civilian sites, Ukraines military said early on Thursday.

Ukraines air force carried out 16 strikes on Wednesday, damaging or destroying a number of Russian positions, while ground forces destroyed two command posts, it said.

Valentyn Reznichenko, governor of the Dnipropetrovsk region, said three people were killed in Russian shelling of Dnipro, the regions capital, including a 12-year-old girl, and more than 60 buildings were damaged.

The rescuers carried her out of the damaged house where was just sleeping when a Russian missile hit, he said on his Telegram channel.

Reuters was not able to verify battlefield reports.

EUROPEAN ENERGY

Leaking gas bubbled up in the Baltic Sea for a third day after suspected explosions tore through undersea pipelines built by Russia and European partners to send natural gas to Europe.

The Nord Stream 1 pipeline, once the main route for Russian gas to Germany, was already shut but cannot now be easily reopened.

NATO and the European Union warned of the need to protect critical infrastructure from what they called sabotage, though officials stopped short of assigning blame.

Russias FSB security service is investigating the damage to the pipelines as international terrorism, the Interfax news agency cited the general prosecutors office as saying.

The Nord Stream pipelines have been flashpoints in an expanding energy war between Russia and European countries that has damaged Western economies and sent gas prices soaring.

SOURCE: REUTERS
The Ministry of Internal Affairs investigates every citizen of Russia who enters Georgia and refuses them entry in case there are threats, the Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs, Aleksandre Darakhvelidze stated.Aleksandre Darakhvelidze stated that the flows at the Lars checkpoint have increased, if until now 5-6 thousand citizens of Russia were entering on a standard basis per day, the number of partial military mobilization in Russia, it has increased by 40-45%.According to the Deputy Minister, additional forces have been sent to the Larsi checkpoint and they are monitoring the situation as much as possible, studying every person entering the country, and if they do not meet the requirements defined by the law, or if there are risks that specific people will pose a threat to Georgia, they are refused entry to the country."Of course, we all agree that now there is an extraordinary situation, the announcement of partial mobilization in Russia led to the increase of those flows not only in Georgia, but also in other countries. Of course, the police has an increased workload and there are challenges, but we are coping with the existing resources and as much as possible, with the resources and legal framework that the Ministry of Internal Affairs has, each incoming person is studied and where there are risks and dangers, it is natural to make a negative decision against these people," said Aleksandre Darakhvelidze.After the announcement of the mobilization, the groups involved in the mobilization began to leave Russia en masse.According to the de facto Minister of Foreign Affairs of occupied Abkhazia, Inal Ardzinba, there is no mobilization in Abkhazia to send military personnel to the war against Ukraine.However, according to him, in the current "special operation" in Ukraine, their ally Russia, as well as Luhansk and Donetsk, The number of volunteers who went to help the military forces is constantly increasing. Ardzinba spoke about this with the Russian pro-Kremlin publication RIA Novosti."There is no mobilization in Abkhazia. But I want to draw attention to the fact that since 2014, Abkhaz volunteers have taken up arms and are defending the freedom of Donbas, and the number of these people is increasing. This, in my opinion, is an important issue. "Unfortunately, there are victims," Ardzinba said, adding that the "liberation of Donbas" is extremely important for the Abkhaz volunteers.The Russian independent media publication Meduza wrote that the Kremlin announced the mobilization of occupied Abkhazia and the so-called It is also discussed in South Ossetia.
A Fredonia woman died of injuries suffered in a single-vehicle crash shortly before noon last Friday on Route 60 in the Town of Pomfret, state police in Fredonia reported Wednesday.

Katie L. Korzeniewski, 38, had been taken by Mercy Flight to UPMC Hamot hospital in Erie, Pa., where she later succumbed.

Troopers said she was a passenger in a 2020 Chevrolet that was northbound on Route 60 when it left the highway and hit a tree. The driver, David A. Korzeniewski, 64, of Fredonia, was treated for non-life threatening injuries.

The State Police Collision Reconstruction Unit and Bureau of Criminal Investigation assisted in the investigation, which is still continuing.
Caption for picture above: Tipperary County Council Cathaoirleach Cllr Roger Kennedy cutting the ribbon to officially open the extension to South Eastern Mountain Rescue Associations base in Clonmel. Pictured from left:

SEMRA Chairma Gerry Tobin, SEMRA Team Leader Pat Murphy, Maureen OBrien, Cllr

Kennedy, Mayor of Waterford Cllr John OLeary, Irene OBrien, Matt Joy, Eamonn McBride, Mike Power

A 280,000 extension to the South Eastern Mountain Rescue Associations base in Clonmel was officially opened by Tipperary County Council Cathaoirleach Cllr Roger Kennedy last Saturday afternoon.

The state-of-the-art extension to SEMRAs existing vehicle storage building on the grounds of Clonmel Fire Station was also blessed by Fr Michael Hegarty, PP of St Olivers Parish and Church of Ireland Minister Rev Mike OMeara.

The development was completed in 2020 during the Covid-19 pandemic and includes an operations room, training room, welfare and kitchen facilities.

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SEMRA spokesman Chris Pires said the base is now a facility from which large-scale search and rescue operations can be coordinated. The South Eastern Mountain Rescue team currently has 56 volunteer members based all over the South East.

Mr Pires said the project was partially funded with an estimated 200,000 in South Tipperary LEADER funding provided by the Department of Rural & Community Development along with contributions from mountaineering clubs and public donations from the southeast region and beyond.

Community Finance Ireland assisted with financing the project.

Mr Pires thanked Tipperary Fire and Rescue Service and its chief fire officer for their support over the years and throughout the new build.

He said the opening ceremony was a great opportunity for family, friends, invited guests from the community, public representatives, funders and members of state and voluntary agencies to view their facilities and meet SEMRA team members.

SEMRA members were very proud to show off the base, welcome people in and show what the team has done with their support, Mr Pires added.

In his speech, Cllr Kennedy paid tribute to the commitment and hard work of SEMRAs volunteers in rescuing people injured and stranded in the mountains often in difficult weather conditions. He also spoke of how Tipperary Council Council was glad to assist and support SEMRA in the valuable work it did.

Cllr Kennedy was joined at the official opening ceremony by Mayor of Waterford City & County Council Cllr John OLeary, Mountain Rescue Ireland Chairman Gerry Christie, Independent TD Mattie McGrath, Fine Gael Cllr Marie Murphy, Garda Inspector Paul Gray (Thurles), Sergeant Jacinta Phelan (Clonmel), Sergeant Mick Barry (Tramore), Defence Forces Lieut Dylan Cadogan and Ivan Longmore of the Irish Coast Guard.

The event was also attended by the families and friends of past and present SEMRA members and the families of casualties that lost their lives on the mountains including relatives of victims of the 1976 aeroplane crash in the Galtee Mountains that led to the formation of SEMRA.

Also present were representatives from walking clubs and groups, retired SEMRA members, representatives of the Civil Defence Irish Coast Guard, Mountain Rescue Ireland, Carrick-on-Suir River Rescue, Waterford Marine Search & Rescue and Tipperary Search & Rescue, Jimmy Taffe of Waterford LEADER, Sara Bourke of South Tipperary Development Company, building contractors Mulcahy Construction and Corwun OBrien of design consultants Malone ORegan.

The official opening ceremony was also the occasion where details of SEMRAs annual Long Way Round fundraising walk/run were announced.

The walk/run from Clonmel to the Holy Year Cross in the Comeragh Mountains takes place on the night of Saturday, November 26. Tickets for the event are now on sale.

Check out the SEMRA Facebook page for more information.
Bank of Ireland has been fined more than 100m euro by the Central Bank for regulatory breaches affecting tracker mortgage customers.

The fine of 100,520,000 euro is the largest ever imposed by the Central Bank.

It said the penalty was imposed for a series of significant and long-running failings in respect of 15,910 tracker mortgage customer accounts affected between August 2004 and June 2022.

Bank of Ireland has admitted to 81 separate regulatory breaches.

It has apologised to customers for failures which led to customer harm and detriment, and for the length of time it took to recognise and resolve the issues which added to customer distress.

The Central Bank investigation found that Bank of Ireland failures resulted in the loss of 50 properties, including 25 family homes, which would have been avoided if it had complied with the most basic and fundamental of its consumer protection obligations.

The Central Bank investigation found that Bank of Ireland had provided unclear contractual documents to customers. It said mortgage letters of offer were unclear and ambiguous regarding customers right to a tracker rate after a fixed rate period.

It also said that Bank of Ireland repeatedly, over a period of over nine years, interpreted these unclear documents in its own favour and denied customers a tracker rate.

The investigation also found that the bank had failed to warn customers about the consequences of decisions relating to their mortgages.

It also said Bank of Ireland implemented an unfair complaints handling practice and that deficient mortgage systems and controls contributed to a significant number of operational errors.

The investigation also concluded that the bank wrongfully excluded customers from the protections of the Tracker Mortgage Examination.

The Central Banks director of enforcement and anti-money laundering, Seana Cunningham, said: Customers are entitled to expect that they will be treated fairly and that financial institutions will act in their best interests.

Bank of Ireland failed to meet these most basic expectations for almost 16,000 of its customers over an extended period of time.

The failings resulted in significant and, at times, devastating detriment for many of those customers.

She added: Our investigation exposed a culture in Bank of Ireland which, when faced with a choice, prioritised its own interests with little to no regard for the impacts on its customers.

There were a series of missed opportunities during which Bank of Ireland could have done the right thing by its tracker mortgage customers.

Despite these opportunities, Bank of Ireland repeatedly interpreted unclear contractual terms in its own favour and against the customer, which continued the harm and loss caused to customers over many years.

Bank of Ireland has more than 169 branches and approximately 2.2 million customers.

Gavin Kelly, interim chief executive at Bank of Ireland Group, said: Todays statement from the Central Bank of Ireland is extremely critical of Bank of Ireland.

We understand  and fully accept  why this is.

What took place in relation to tracker mortgages was wrong. It should never have happened. We are very sorry that it did.

We unreservedly apologise to all customers harmed by the tracker mortgage issue. The impacts were significant and wide-reaching, up to and including loss of homes in the most serious of cases.

Banking is based on trust, but our failures damaged that trust.

We have learned the hard lessons, and have taken steps to ensure we are a more customer-focused bank today.

This work continues. Rebuilding the confidence of both our customers and the wider society we serve will take time, but we are committed to that journey.
Russia on Friday will formally annex occupied parts of Ukraine where it held Kremlin-orchestrated referendums in which it claimed that residents had voted overwhelmingly to live under Moscows rule.

The Ukrainian government and the West have denounced the ballots as illegal, forced and rigged.

Russian President Vladimir Putin will attend a ceremony on Friday in the Kremlin when four regions of Ukraine  Luhansk, Donetsk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia  will be officially folded into Russia, spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Thursday.

Mr Peskov said the pro-Moscow administrators of those regions will sign treaties to join Russia during the ceremony at the Kremlins St Georges Hall.

The official annexation was widely expected following the votes that wrapped up on Tuesday in the areas under Russian occupation in Ukraine.

The Kremlins announcement was met with swift rejection from European officials.

Its absolutely unacceptable, said Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky, whose country currently holds the European Union presidency.

We reject such one-sided annexation based on a fully falsified process with no legitimacy.

Mr Lipavsky described the pro-Russia referendums as theatre play and insisted the regions remain Ukrainian territory.

Other officials who denounced Russia on Thursday over the sham votes included the prime ministers of Italy and Denmark and German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock.

Under threats and sometimes even (at) gunpoint, people are being taken out of their homes or workplaces to vote in glass ballot boxes, she said at a conference in Berlin.

This is the opposite of free and fair elections, Ms Baerbock said.

And this is the opposite of peace. Its dictated peace. As long as this Russian diktat prevails in the occupied territories of Ukraine, no citizen is safe. No citizen is free.

Armed Russian troops had gone door-to-door with election officials to collect ballots in five days of voting.

Moscow-installed administrations in the four regions of southern and eastern Ukraine claimed on Tuesday night that 93% of the ballots cast in the Zaporizhzhia region supported annexation, as did 87% in Kherson, 98% in Luhansk and 99% in Donetsk.

Ukraine too has dismissed the referendums as illegitimate, saying it has every right to retake those territories, a position that has won support from Washington.

The illegal and unprovoked invasion of Ukraine is continuing. The map below is the latest Defence Intelligence update on the situation in Ukraine  29 September 2022 Find out more about the UK government's response: https://t.co/izDWdfW4As #StandWithUkraine pic.twitter.com/v09IMy5uZQ  Ministry of Defence (@DefenceHQ) September 29, 2022

The Kremlin has been unmoved by the criticism. After a counteroffensive by Ukraine this month dealt Moscows forces heavy battlefield setbacks, Russia said it would call up 300,000 reservists to join the fight.

It also warned it could resort to nuclear weapons. In response, tens of thousands of Russian men have sought to leave the country.

On the battlefront on Thursday, Ukrainian authorities said Russian shelling killed at least eight civilians, including a child, and wounded scores of others. A 12-year-old girl was pulled alive out of rubble after an attack on Dnipro, officials said.

The rescuers have taken her from under the rubble, she was asleep when the Russian missile hit, said local administrator Valentyn Reznichenko.

A Russian rocket attack on Kramatorsk, a city in the eastern Donetsk region still held by Ukraine, wounded 11 people and inflicted damage on the city, Mayor Oleksandr Honcharenko said.

Reports of new shelling came as Russia appeared to lose more ground around the key north-eastern city of Lyman, which is coming as the Russian military is struggling with a chaotic mobilisation of troops and trying to prevent fighting-age men from leaving the country, according to a Washington-based think-tank and the British intelligence reports.

The Institute for the Study of War, citing Russian reports, said Ukrainian forces have taken more villages around Lyman, a city 100 miles south-east of Kharkiv, Ukraines second-largest city.

The report said Ukrainian forces may soon encircle Lyman entirely, in what would be a major blow to Moscows war effort.

The collapse of the Lyman pocket will likely be highly consequential to the Russian grouping in northern Donetsk and western Luhansk oblasts and may allow Ukrainian troops to threaten Russian positions along the western Luhansk region, the institute said.

Latest Defence Intelligence update on the situation in Ukraine  29 September 2022 Find out more about the UK government's response: https://t.co/qYt3fqzP7y #StandWithUkraine pic.twitter.com/QlXZPwbjbS  Ministry of Defence (@DefenceHQ) September 29, 2022

British military intelligence claimed the number of Russian military-age men fleeing the country likely exceeds the number of forces that Moscow used to initially invade Ukraine in February.

The better off and well educated are over-represented amongst those attempting to leave Russia, the British said.

When combined with those reservists who are being mobilised, the domestic economic impact of reduced availability of labour and the acceleration of brain drain is likely to become increasingly significant.

Russias partial mobilisation has been deeply unpopular in some areas, however, triggering protests and scattered violence.

Russian men have formed miles-long lines trying to leave at some borders and Moscow also reportedly has set up draft offices at its borders to intercept some of those fleeing.
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A federal prosecutor's office says a Kentucky woman has been sentenced to more than two years in prison for wire fraud after transferring more than a half-million dollars from an employers account to herself
This local news roundup is pretty bleak and doesn't offer a very flattering picture of our metro.

Per ushe, we try to mix in just a bit of good news in order to keep the faith . . .



Check TKC news gathering . . .

Jury finds man guilty of molesting child in Kansas City KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) - A jury has found a man guilty of molesting a 5-year-old child in Kansas City, Missouri, more than two years ago. According to the Jackson County Prosecutor's Office, 29-year-old Gustavo Ramos was convicted of first-degree child molestation. The jury recommended a sentence of 17 years.

Dozens of cars busted, broken into at Raytown apartments RAYTOWN, Mo. - Dozens of drivers woke up to a surprise at the Flats at Wildwood Apartments in Raytown, Missouri. Overnight someone broke into cars, busting windows and left behind a mess. "What did you do it for?" resident Sheila Lee said. "That's just crazy."

Kansas Highway Patrol issues statement after trooper alleges corruption in the agency For the first time in a two-year KMBC 9 investigation, the Kansas Highway Patrol is speaking out over allegations of intimidation, harassment, and wrongful termination.The agency sent KMBC 9 Investigates a statement Wednesday saying:"Bryce Whelpley violated our standards of professional conduct. We take such violations seriously, especially from employees who supervise and give instruction to other officers.

Video tip shows uniformed former KCK officer paying for sex KANSAS CITY, Kan. - A former Kansas City, Kansas, police officer lost his officer certification last month in connection to a criminal incident in which he pleaded guilty to official misconduct. Earlier this year, Travis Toms pleaded guilty to state charges of official misconduct in connection to an incident caught on video showing Toms paying $200 for consensual sex with a sex worker.

'We don't have a democracy': Johnson County Sheriff Hayden doubles down on election conspiracies OLATHE, Kan. - Johnson County Sheriff Calvin Hayden doubled down on claims the 2020 election was rigged in a recent video while still refusing to address other outside inquiries about the investigation he launched and oversees.

DEA hosts drug summit in Overland Park to address opioid crisis OVERLAND PARK, Kan. - The Drug Enforcement Agency will host a free, day-long drug summit Wednesday in Overland Park, Kansas, as part of its Operation Engage Kansas City initiative. The outreach effort spotlights threats from opioid and methamphetamine use in the region.

Gardner coffee shop donates $87,000 from tips to domestic violence shelter Groundhouse Coffee has been a fixture in the heart of downtown Gardner after Steve and Beth Hines opened more than a decade ago."Actually, my husband came home one day and said, 'I think God wants us to open a coffee house in Gardner, and I said, 'Let me pray about that,'" Beth Hines said.After a couple of weeks, the couple decided to move forward.

Developing . . .
Recently, Prez Biden declared that the pandemic was "over" as the U.S. seems to be inevitability marching toward nuclear Armageddon with Russia. The conclusion of the plague is probably good news no matter the circumstances and offers us a moment of respite in order to gauge local recovery.



Accordingly . . .

RECENT HYPE FOR DOWNTOWN LUXURY LIVING SPACE REVEALS THAT KANSAS CITY'S ANNUAL VISITOR COUNT HAS DROPPED BY MORE THAN HALF SINCE THE PLAGUE!!!

Note that we typed ANNUAL because we wouldn't want to make any uncomfortable errors about how and where we stick our figures.

Here's the money line . . .



"After billions of dollars in investment, downtown KC now welcomes over 10 million visitors a year. Twenty years ago, that number was just 225,000."

Again . . .

10 million sounds like a lot but that number is less than half of what Visit KC currently claims right now on their website . . .



And again . . .

We all remember that many people found the 25 MILLION number so ridiculous that they clowned where the stat might have been pulled from . . .

Nevertheless . . .

What we notice now is more than a bit of confusion about Kansas City tourism numbers as this town still clinches our deeply hidden aspirations without much hard data to reach the breathtaking pinnacle by way of welcoming exotic strangers.



Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com link . . .
Push back against the Prez takes hold in the Heartland amid the latest legal fight from red states.

Here are the basics . . .

Attorney generals from Nebraska, Arkansas and South Carolina, as well as legal representatives from Iowa, are joining Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt and Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt in an effort to block the plan.



According to a Thursday morning release by Schmidt, the plan relies on the 2003 HEROES Act, which he said applied to particular service members seeking relief but did not give Biden the ability to cancel student debt.



"It is inconceivable that when Congress passed the HEROES Act, it thought it was authorizing the president to unilaterally decree something like the Mass Debt Cancellation, which will result in around half a trillion dollars in losses to the federal treasury, which ultimately means losses to U.S. taxpayers," the release read.

Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com link . . .

Kansas, Missouri enter lawsuit over Biden's student loan forgiveness plan KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Six states, including Kansas and Missouri, are suing President Joe Biden, Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona and the U.S. Department of Education over the Biden administration's student loan forgiveness plan. The lawsuit was filed in the Eastern Missouri U.S.

Related reading . . .

Six states sue to halt Biden's bid to forgive student loans WASHINGTON, Sept 29 (Reuters) - Six states filed a challenge to the Biden administration's student loan cancellation program in federal court in Missouri on Thursday, Nebraska Attorney General Doug Peterson said. In the lawsuit, Nebraska and five other states asked the court for an immediate temporary restraining order pausing the program.

Republican states target Biden student loan forgiveness plan in new lawsuit Six Republican-led states filed a lawsuit on Thursday against the Biden administration over its plans to cancel up to $20,000 in student loan debt for some borrowers. The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court in eastern Missouri, seeks an immediate injunction halting the order and challenges the "Mass Debt Cancellation" proposal as unlawful because...

6 Republican-led states sue Biden administration over student loan forgiveness plan Six Republican-led states on Thursday filed a lawsuit against President Biden, Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona and the Department of Education over the Biden administration's student loan forgiveness plan.

Developing . . .
Genuineness is key to a good political campaign, says Toronto councillor-turned-MPP Kristyn Wong-Tam

Former councillors and two challengers for mayor chime in on how to run a good campaign
A man once called the "kingpin" of Buffalo debt collectors has made an offer to the government agencies trying to collect $60 million in restitution and civil penalties he owes.

How much of the debt Douglas MacKinnon is offering to pay is unclear  the proposal was not described during a status conference in federal court Monday or in any publicly filed court documents.

Deadbeat debt collector grilled in court: 'Information he wanted to withhold, he withheld' A hearing was held Tuesday to determine whether Douglas MacKinnon should be sanctioned and even incarcerated for not fully complying with a government subpoena.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is reviewing his offer, according to a lawyer for the federal agency.

"We're open for business in trying to get this case settled," said attorney Joseph G. Makowski, who represents MacKinnon.

In 2016, the federal bureau and the state Attorney General's Office sued MacKinnon and his companies, Northern Resolution Group and Enhanced Acquisitions, accusing them of harassing, threatening and deceiving consumers across the nation into paying inflated debts or amounts they did not owe. The collection tactics included using spoofed phone numbers to pretend to be calling from a court or government agency, and the collectors also sent threatening messages to consumers to frighten them into paying, according to the lawsuit. MacKinnon and his companies were permanently banned from the debt collection industry.

Clarence debt collector who owes $60M told to show finances or expect to be jailed Douglas MacKinnon has not paid anything toward the $60 million he agreed to pay in a settlement with federal and state officials in 2019, government lawyers say.

When State Attorney General Letitia James announced a $60 million settlement in 2019, she referred to MacKinnon as a "kingpin" of Buffalo debt collectors. She said MacKinnon and his companies set up more than 250 shops throughout the country as part of "an elaborate and unscrupulous rip-off scheme that defrauded hundreds, if not thousands, of individuals across the nation."

MacKinnon's latest offer comes after the two agencies sought sanctions against him for more than a year for not responding to a subpoena for financial information. This past summer, U.S. District Judge Frank P. Geraci Jr. told MacKinnon's lawyer to send a proposal to the agencies by July 22, but the judge later extended the deadline to Sept. 22.

"I tried to put some meat on the bone in terms of being clear what it is we were offering as part of a global settlement," Makowski told Geraci on Monday.

MacKinnon is waiting to hear from the federal agency "on whether our proposal works or not," Makowski said.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau received the offer last week, said Jacob Schunk, an attorney for the agency.

State moves to seize $1.6 million home of 'kingpin' debt collector who hasn't paid up In their filing, government lawyers said they believe Douglas MacKinnon "has transferred and concealed his assets and stonewalled discovery efforts to avoid collection efforts."

"The takeaway for now is that we have some questions about it," he told the judge. "Our management has not had a chance to review it."

Of the $60 million MacKinnon agreed to pay to settle the case, $40 million would be set aside to pay restitution to consumers, and $20 million would be set aside for civil penalties to state and federal governments.

Reacting to his failure to abide by the agreement, the state and federal agencies in May 2020 sought his bank statements, credit card bills, income tax returns, deeds, mortgages, promissory notes and documents reflecting any trusts, stocks, properties, estate planning and asset transfers to his family members, among other records. But MacKinnon missed multiple deadlines to turn over the information. In February 2021, the government agencies asked U.S. Magistrate Judge H. Kenneth Schroeder Jr. to hold MacKinnon in civil contempt, with "coercive incarceration" as a sanction, since a fine would not mean much to someone with an unpaid $60 million debt. The government also sought financial sanctions against MacKinnon's family members for not turning over requested information.

Government lawyers have said MacKinnon has a history of using his family members and friends as straw persons to hold and transfer assets on his behalf.

In September 2021, Schroeder agreed that MacKinnon and his family members failed to comply with the courts previous order and wrote that he would recommend civil contempt sanctions  incarceration for MacKinnon and a monetary sanction of $500 per day for the others  if they did not turn over the requested materials by October 2021.

'Kingpins' ordered to repay $66 million in debt-collection scams Two men described as kingpins of debt-collection operations in the Buffalo region have had their businesses shut down and were ordered to pay $66 million under a settlement revealed Thursday. Douglas MacKinnon and his companies Northern Resolution Group and Enhanced Acquisitions, along with Mark Gray and his company Delray Capital, also have been banned from working in the debt-collection

Geraci held a hearing in December 2021, as well as several hearings and status conferences since then, as MacKinnon and the government agencies attempted to resolve their dispute. MacKinnon and his family members have submitted information since Geraci's status conferences.

In May, the State Attorney General's Office told the court it was prepared to suspend or withdraw "the ongoing piece of contempt obligation," but indicated the fines could still be assessed for "prior non-compliance" by three family members over Schroeders September 2021 order. A brother of MacKinnon responded to a subpoena 46 days after the October deadline, and based upon a potential $500 per day fine, faced a $23,000 penalty. Two of MacKinnon's sons did not provide any response to the subpoenas until Jan. 6, 2022  69 days after the deadline  and faced a total fine of $34,500 each.

In a ruling this past July, Geraci declined to assess any contempt sanctions against MacKinnon or his family members.

"Judge Schroeders September 2021 order was a warning of possible sanctions, not a definitive finding or order that Douglas MacKinnon or the non-parties were in contempt and subject to accruing sanctions," Geraci said in his July ruling.

"The court is not persuaded that it would be fair to impose retrospective sanctions," Geraci said.

At a hearing last January, MacKinnon said he lived in North Tonawanda, had about $3,000 in cash on hand, and makes $1,000 a week doing sales work and budgeting for a heating, ventilation and air conditioning company.
Wayne Johnstons Newfoundland memoir "Jennies Boy": life lived on the edge of poverty, mortality

Beset by health issues as a boy, Canadian writer Johnstons family felt he wasnt long for this world
A Buffalo City Court judge has dismissed all of the remaining charges against the CEO of New Era Cap Co. that stemmed from a confrontation with his girlfriend's ex-boyfriend outside a North Buffalo restaurant earlier this year.

Judge Andrew LoTempio's ruling came after Christopher H. Koch's defense team filed a motion asking him to dismiss the charges in the interests of justice.

In his decision, LoTempio wrote the ex-boyfriend went out of his way that night to engage with his ex-girlfriend and Koch; it's unlikely any conviction would lead to jail time or probation for Koch; and the question of restitution for injuries and property damage caused by Koch is better suited for a civil case.

"In this court's view, the entire event does not arise to (a) proper subject for criminal litigation," he wrote.

Koch initially was charged with felony reckless endangerment after authorities said he drove his SUV at his girlfriend's ex on May 7 outside Oliver's Restaurant on Delaware Avenue.

Erie County District Attorney John Flynn, at a news conference following Koch's arraignment on May 9, said the confrontation began when the ex-boyfriend pulled up and abruptly parked his pickup on Delaware by the restaurant.

Koch, who had dined there with the man's ex-girlfriend, was steering his Cadillac SUV away from the establishment when he stopped and exchanged words with the ex-boyfriend, Daniel Parisi. Parisi told police Koch called him a vulgarity and that's when Parisi got out of his truck and suggested, Lets settle this like men.

Koch then drove toward Parisi, who lunged out of the way but injured his hand in the incident, officials said.

In June, the District Attorney's Office dropped the felony charge and instead filed two misdemeanor charges against Koch: second-degree reckless endangerment and fourth-degree criminal mischief.

The new reckless endangerment charge alleged Koch acted with recklessness, not depraved indifference, and that his actions caused a substantial risk of serious physical injury, not a grave risk of death, Assistant District Attorney Christine Murray of the DA's Vehicular Crimes Unit told the judge at the time.

The criminal mischief charge alleged Koch caused $7,232 damage to the front, passenger side of Parisi's Chevrolet Silverado pickup.

Koch has denied wrongdoing and had pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Koch's defense team provided new evidence to LoTempio, generated as part of their investigation into the incident, including surveillance video that "showed clearly the complainant was the aggressor," said Aaron Glazer, who represented Koch with fellow attorneys Paul J. Cambria Jr. and Justin Ginter.

LoTempio in his decision noted Parisi "initiated unwelcome text contact" with his ex that evening and drove by both his ex's and Koch's homes prior to heading toward Oliver's.

The messages sent by Parisi to his ex, quoted in the defense motion, include "[P]ray I don't ever see that dude," referring to Koch, and "be careful wherever you go."

The defense attorneys say the evidence shows Parisi was "stalking" his ex and Koch and "lying in wait" for them at the restaurant.

Parisi told Buffalo police he happened upon his ex and Koch at Oliver's, but prosecutors agreed Parisi went there deliberately.

"But for the complainant's personal choice to put himself at the scene, the entire incident would not have happened. Indisputable," LoTempio wrote in a decision that also noted Koch has no criminal history and is an unlikely threat to community safety in the future.

The truth regarding what took place on 5/7/22 was unknown to the various law enforcement agencies when the charges were filed," Glazer said in a statement. "Since that evening we have worked diligently to ensure that the truth would come to light. After being presented with incontrovertible evidence of the true facts of the incident, the court determined that dismissal of this matter in its entirety was appropriate. We are pleased with the result and Mr. Koch is looking forward to putting the matter behind him.

Speaking on Koch's behalf, Glazer wrote, "out of respect for his girlfriend and her children Mr. Koch does not wish to comment further on the complainant or his behavior.

The District Attorney's Office issued a statement acknowledging LoTempio's decision in favor of the defense motion: "While our office did oppose the motion, we cannot comment further as the case is now sealed by operation of law.

Attorney Michael D'Amico, who is representing Parisi with Peter M. Kooshoian, said his client is disappointed with the decision.

"I can just tell you that Danny is very unhappy with the outcome and the dismissal," D'Amico said. "He doesn't feel that the case was handled properly. He doesn't feel like his voice was heard at all."

Kooshoian, on Parisi's behalf, has filed a request in State Supreme Court asking a judge to order Koch and the owner of Oliver's to preserve and provide evidence necessary for potential litigation stemming from the incident.

Justice Mark Grisanti in June directed Oliver's to provide Parisi with surveillance video, receipts documenting what Koch ordered that night and contact information for restaurant employees who saw Koch before and after the incident. Grisanti also ordered Koch to preserve relevant cellphone data and credit card bills that would show whether Koch purchased alcohol prior to the incident.
Due to the armed aggression of the Russian Federation, three civilians were killed and 22 more were wounded in Ukraine over the past day, on September 25.

Kyrylo Tymoshenko, the deputy head of the Presidents Office, said in a Telegram post, Ukrinform reports.

Consequences of the armed aggression of the Russian Federation. Victims among the civilian population: three people were killed, 22 people were wounded," Tymoshenko wrote.

In particular, three people were killed and 11 more were wounded in Donetsk region, six people were wounded in Kharkiv region, four were wounded in Mykolaiv regions, and one person was wounded in Kherson region.

As reported by Ukrinform, the troops of the Russian Federation fired 130 MLRS and heavy artillery shells at the Nikopol district of Dnipropetrovsk region last night.

iy
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky that Berlin will never recognize the results of sham referendums in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine.

Scholz reported this on Twitter, according to Ukrinform.

"The sham referendums that Putin conducted in the illegally occupied areas of Ukraine are worthless. They are illegal under international law. Germany will never acknowledge the alleged results. Today, I assured Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky of this in a telephone conversation," he wrote.

According to German government spokesman Steffen Hebestreit, Scholz and Zelensky exchanged views on the military, political and economic situation in Ukraine, as well as on the possibilities of further support, including the reconstruction of Ukraine.

The chancellor said Germany would not stop providing specific political, financial and humanitarian assistance to Ukraine, as well as support for the protection of its sovereignty and territorial integrity, including the supply of weapons.
Ukraine cannot and will not put up with any attempts by Russia to seize any part of Ukrainian land.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said this in his new video address, Ukrinform reports.

Good health to you, fellow Ukrainians!

Our key task now is to coordinate actions with partners in response to sham referenda organized by Russia and all related threats. This is not 2014. Everything is clear for everyone. And there will certainly be actions.

Ive held a whole series of negotiations today. President of Turkiye Erdogan, Chancellor of Germany Scholz, Prime Minister of Canada Trudeau, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Truss, Secretary-General of the UN Guterres, President of the European Council Charles Michel.

Thank you all for your clear and unequivocal support. Thank you all for understanding our position. Ukraine cannot and will not put up with any attempts by Russia to seize any part of our land.

I once again thanked President Erdogan today for his help in freeing our people from Russian captivity. Commanders from Azovstal, who are in Turkiye, will soon be able to see their relatives. We are working on it.

Also, by the way, the implementation of the plan to help each of those recently released from captivity has already begun. They receive priority elements of assistance. First of all, it is medical support - they all need recovery after what they had to go through in captivity. This work is under the control of the Ombudsman, representatives of the Office, intelligence, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Security Service of Ukraine, the Ministry of Health, and the command of the Medical Forces. And we will extend the appropriate measures, which are being worked out in detail now, to all our people whom we free from the captivity of the occupiers.

I will emphasize once again: we remember all our people and try to free each and every one of them from captivity, not a single Ukrainian has been forgotten.

We discussed today with President Erdogan our further defense cooperation, our response to all the aggressive steps that Russia has already taken and is still preparing to take.

We discussed a wide range of issues with the Chancellor of Germany - political, financial, defense, energy. In the defense topic, I emphasized that we are waiting for an anti-missile defense system from Germany - Im grateful for the willingness to help with air defense. Other points of defense cooperation were also discussed in detail - there are quite a lot of them, they are clear. Of course, energy issues were touched upon, including the supply of gas to Europe and sabotage at the Nord Stream gas pipeline.

We discussed with Mr. Chancellor the preparation of the new sanctions package of the European Union - together we must make it really powerful, not symbolic. As of today, there is still something to add to the eighth sanctions package.

The conversation with the Prime Minister of Canada was, as always, very specific and concerned primarily how Canada can increase support for Ukraine. Among other things, demining was discussed. Canada has both the appropriate technology and the appropriate humanitarian ambitions.

I invited Prime Minister Trudeau to lead a global effort to clear our land of Russian mines and projectiles. Due to the Russian war, Ukrainian land is one of the most contaminated by mines in the world. And while there are similar examples of large-scale mine contamination around the world, we must do what others have not done: we must set a precedent for rapid and large-scale demining, not leave this problem for decades. I thank Canada for its willingness to help us.

With Mrs. Liz Truss, we discussed the possibilities of Britain in enhancing sanctions on Russia, as well as in increasing defense aid for our country. I am grateful for the principled condemnation of the Russian farce under the guise of a referendum, for the full support and willingness to move with us towards the return of freedom to all our people - in all parts of Ukraine, without any exceptions.

The conversation with the Secretary-General of the UN also concerned sham referenda and Russia's apparent preparation of the ground for an attempt to annex our territory. These brutal violations of the UN Charter must be punished.

We discussed the implementation of our grain export initiative with Mr. Guterres. We agreed that the initiative should not only be preserved, not only protected from any attempts to disrupt it, but also expanded. Ukraine is ready to significantly increase the export of our agricultural products to the countries that need them and the corresponding interaction with the UN for humanitarian purposes and assistance to such countries as Somalia, Ethiopia, etc.

I have just finished a call with Charles Michel. As always, it was a conversation between real friends. Thank you for your full support in the issue of sham referenda and for your willingness to extend aid to Ukraine. Of course, we also discussed the preparation of new sanctions.

Tomorrow I will continue intensive communication with the leaders.

And today I want to once again thank the United States of America and personally President Biden for the new package of defense support for our country in the amount of more than 1 billion dollars. This is really important.

If someone in Russia thinks they can "get away" with everything they are doing in the occupied territory, if someone in Russia hopes the world will abandon its own values, frightened by another Russian announcement of annexation, they in Russia are wrong. Each subsequent escalating step by the occupier only confirms the fact that the world must act even tougher.

In the evening, I signed another decree awarding our defenders. State awards were awarded to: 71 warriors of the National Guard, 21 employees of the State Emergency Service, 52 border guards. 320 combatants were awarded for their brave and effective actions during the liberation of the districts of the Kharkiv region from the occupation.

As for the situation at the front, everything is clear to us. Therefore, I repeat again For those who understand only Russian.

If you want to live, run. If you want to live, surrender. If you want to live, fight on your streets for your freedom. Everything was taken from you anyway. Or maybe any of you have oil rigs? Palaces? Vineyards? Maybe yachts? Or some bank? What are you fighting for? The only thing you have is loans, something to eat in the evening and now theres mobilization. Fight for whats yours! Stay away from our land, our soul and our culture.

Glory to Ukraine!
The Ukrainian military have struck 10 enemy personnel and military equipment clusters in southern Ukraine over the past day, from the air and from the ground.

The relevant statement was made by the South Operational Command on Facebook, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

On September 28, 2022, Ukraines air forces launched six strikes on Russian personnel and military equipment clusters, as well as air defense system positions.

Ukraines missile and artillery units completed over 220 fire missions, namely struck four enemy personnel and military equipment clusters in Charivne, Oleshky and Kherson; two electronic warfare systems in the Beryslav district; and Nova Kakhovka Bridge.

The enemys losses in southern Ukraine were confirmed as follows: 18 Russian troops, two tanks, and six armored and motor vehicles.

Meanwhile, Russian troops continue efforts to hold the temporarily occupied areas and disrupt Ukraine Armys plans, making attempts to carry out sabotage and reconnaissance or assault operations.

The enemy launched six air strikes, including three surface-to-surface cruise missiles aimed at Ukraines Air Force units. The Ukrainian side suffered no losses.

In the evening of September 28, 2022, Russian troops fired five Kh-59 missiles at the Dnipropetrovsk region and the Zaporizhzhia region. Four missiles were destroyed by the Ukrainian anti-aircraft defense units, and one Russian missile hit a grain processing facility in the Kryvyi Rih district. Production facilities were damaged, but no casualties were reported.

Russias naval group in the Black Sea consists of eight warships, maneuvering near the Crimean coast. One Russian large landing craft and three surface missile carriers, equipped with 24 Kalibr-type cruise missiles, are kept combat ready.

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From February 24 to September 29, the Armed Forces of Ukraine eliminated nearly 58,580 Russian soldiers, including 430 in the past day alone.

Thats according to the latest update by the Armys General Staff, Ukrinform reports.

Ukrainian forces also destroyed 2,325 enemy main battle tanks (+13 on Wednesday), 4,909 (+20) armored combat vehicles, 1,385 (+4) artillery systems, 331 (+0) multiple rocket launchers, 175 (+0) units of air defense equipment, 262 (+0) warplanes, 224 (+0) helicopters, 995 (+6) unmanned aerial vehicles of operational and tactical level, 246 (+4) cruise missiles, 15 (+0) warships/cutters, 3,751 (+9) trucks and fuel tankers, and 131 (+0) units of specialized equipment.

Read also: Ten enemy personnel and military equipment clusters struck in southern Ukraine

Over the past day, Russians suffered the greatest losses in the Kramatorsk and Donetsk directions. The incoming data on Russian losses is being further verified.

Photo: General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine
Thanks to private donations, Ukraine received access to information from the ICEYE satellite group. Such support from space is already producing results on the battlefield.

Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov wrote about this on Facebook, Ukrinform reports.

"During the first two days of the satellite's operation, more than 60 units of military equipment were detected, which the enemy tried to disguise in forest strips and behind various obstacles. It was detected because ICEYE satellites collect information using the synthetic aperture radar (SAR) technology. This equipment would be very difficult or impossible to spot by means of optical satellites," Reznikov wrote.

He noted that the coordinates were quickly transmitted to Ukraines forces to inflict fire damage on the designated target, in particular, in the area of Khreshchenivka and Ukrainka, Kherson region, as well as near Novoselivka, Donetsk region.

"In fact, in just these two days, the enemy lost armored vehicles worth more than the cost of the entire satellite project. But the main thing is that it helps save the lives of our soldiers, which are priceless," the minister emphasized.

Among the advantages provided by ICEYE satellites, Oleksii Reznikov mentioned the opportunity to combine data from partners optical satellites and SAR data. This fundamentally increases our ability to detect and inflict damage on the Russian occupiers.

Also, satellites with SAR technology are becoming especially relevant in the autumn and winter period, when the weather is bad, cloudy, or snowy. There is no difference for them  be it day or night.

Secondly, it is our military that determines where and when to receive the necessary data. Currently, the main hostility areas in the south and east are being systematically monitored.

Thirdly, information flows from analysts to combat units very swiftly. It will be more difficult for the Russian occupiers to hide their intentions, which will further complicate their logistics.

The Minister of Defense of Ukraine thanked everyone who contributed to the financing of the initiative, the team of the Serhiy Prytula Foundation  for its realization, and entrepreneur Maksym Polyakov  for his important assistance.
In the first seven days since Russian President Vladimir Putin announced "partial mobilization", more people have fled the country than were in the group of Russian troops at the onset of the full-scale incursion into Ukraine in February this year.

Thats according to the British Ministry of Defense, Ukrinform reports.

In the seven days since President Putin announced the partial mobilization there has been a considerable exodus of Russians seeking to evade call-up. Whilst the exact numbers are unclear, it likely exceeds the size of the total invasion force Russia fielded in February 2022," the report reads.

It is noted that among those trying to flee Russia are the better off and well educated men.

When combined with those reservists who are being mobilised, the domestic economic impact of reduced availability of labour and the acceleration of brain drain is likely to become increasingly significant, the Ministry of Defense added.

As Ukrinform reported earlier, on September 21, Russian President Vladimir Putin declared a "partial mobilization," after which Russian military draft officers, together with law enforcement, launched actual raids on the country's male population. Hundreds of thousands of people are trying to leave Russia to evade mobilization.
An Erie County jury awarded $30 million to an Erie County man who sued a retired Lutheran pastor accused of molesting children.

The jury issued its damages verdict Monday after hearing the 45-year-old husband and father testify State Supreme Court that the Rev. Douglas D. Thore sexually abused him multiple times when he was about 12 or 13 years old.

It likely is the largest award so far for a Child Victims Act case in Western New York, but its unlikely the plaintiff will be able to collect on much, if anything.

Thore, 73, was the pastor of St. Nicodemus Evangelical Lutheran Church in Marilla from about 1985 to 2004, when he resigned in disgrace as Erie County sheriff's deputies investigated allegations that he had molested children. He now lives in Davenport, Fla., and did not appear in court or defend himself against the lawsuit.

Erie County State Supreme Court Judge Mark Grisanti issued a default judgment against Thore in March 2021. The former minister failed to respond in court beyond his handwritten answer in 2020 to the plaintiffs complaint.

The plaintiff was identified in court papers only as LG-54. He was represented by Amy C. Keller of the Lipsitz Green Scime Cambria firm.

During Mondays trial, Keller read excerpts of testimony Thore gave in a deposition conducted virtually in 2020 for a lawsuit in Washington state, where he also was accused of abuse of a minor.

He admitted to abusing seven other boys in that transcript, going back to 1976, Keller said in an interview after the trial.

Keller said her client broke down on the stand as he tried to explain the impact the abuse has had on his life and his relationships with his wife and children. The man hadnt told anyone about the abuse until he confided in Keller in 2020, and still had not informed his family when he took the stand.

I think it was a lot harder than he anticipated, she said. He said on the stand, What do I do from here? Where do I go? Do I tell them? Do I tell my wife? 

Lutheran pastor accused of abuse says he lived in torment over 'any wrong' he committed A former Lutheran pastor in Marilla accused of child sexual assault in a March lawsuit faces two additional molestation claims in Erie County State Supreme Court. A Genesee County man and a Wyoming County man alleged in separate Child Victims Act lawsuits filed late last week that they were abused in the early 2000s by Douglas D. Thore, former

The jury awarded $15 million in compensatory damages for pain and suffering and $15 million in punitive damages.

The award topped one made in a Child Victims Act case that was heard by a jury in March and involved a twice-convicted former Boy Scout leader, Robert L. Eberhardt, who has been accused of abuse in 14 lawsuits. Grisanti found Eberhardt liable for molesting a boy in the early 1970s, and the jury awarded that plaintiff, LG 40, who is now 62, $25 million in damages.

Thore claimed in his letter to the court that he relies on Social Security and a pension and cant afford a lawyer.

I live in a mobile home built in 1984 which currently has little equity. I drive a 2010 Toyota Yaris with 135,000 miles on it. I budget every dollar to pay my bills and live on what is left over, trying to save for major repairs  such as replacing a hot water tank, he said. This is my life.

He also said in the letter that he was crushed emotionally and physically.

Harm of another has never been intentional. I have lived in torment for many years thinking about any wrong I may have committed, he wrote.

Thore also was accused of abuse in two other Child Victims Act lawsuits in New York, but LG-54 was the only plaintiff to name Thore as a defendant.

Thore had been pastor of St. Nicodemus for about 20 years in 2004, when he admitted to church officials that he had had inappropriate sexual contact with two boys in his congregation years earlier. He resigned after his admissions, and the case was referred to the Erie County District Attorneys Office.

Authorities determined he could not be prosecuted because the alleged crimes fell outside the statute of limitations.

Court documents show that Thore told church officials he had sexual contact with five teenage boys in Western New York and two in Naselle, Wash., prior to his appointment at St. Nicodemus. He also said he was sent for treatment to a facility in San Antonio following the fondling incidents in Washington state, according to court papers.

LG-54 is also suing St. Nicodemus, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and the Upstate New York Synod of the ELCA in a separate second filing.

A Genesee County man and a Wyoming County man also are suing those same organizations, alleging in their Child Victims Act cases that Thore abused them in the early 2000s.

The cases against the church and other religious groups are ongoing.
Russian troops today shelled the city of Kramatorsk, Donetsk region, using an S-300 anti-aircraft missile system.

That's according to Ukraine's Prosecutor General's Office, Ukrinform reports.

Under the procedural leadership of the Donetsk Regional Prosecutor's Office, a pre-trial investigation is being conducted in criminal proceedings for violation of the laws and customs of war (Part 1 of Article 438 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine).

According to investigators, early on September 29, Russian troops fired at Kramatorsk using an S-300 anti-aircraft missile system.

"The shells hit private homes, apartment buildings and road surfaces, with 11 civilians sustaining injuries of varying degrees of severity. The injured are currently receiving medical assistance," the report said.

An investigative team is working at the site. Priority measures are being taken to record the crime committed by the army of the aggressor country. The pre-trial investigation is ongoing.

Earlier reports said that 11 people had been injured in a rocket attack on Kramatorsk, with one injured person taken to Dnipro in serious condition.
Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Valerii Zaluzhnyi and NATO Supreme Allied Commander Europe and Commander of the United States European Command, General Christopher Cavoli have discussed Ukraines military needs and response to the mobilization announced in the Russian Federation.

The relevant statement was made by Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Valerii Zaluzhnyi on Telegram, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

We have shared thoughts on the operational situation, further plans and needs for weapons. I have shared with General Cavoli the vision of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine regarding the mobilization in russian federation. I have received encouraging esteem and assurances of further support, Zaluzhnyi wrote.

A reminder that, on September 21, 2022, Putin signed a decree, declaring the so-called partial mobilization in Russia.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky noted criminal mobilization was used by Russia not only to prolong the suffering of Ukrainians but also to exterminate the representatives of indigenous peoples.

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Ukraine's agreement with the United States on the non-use of U.S.-supplied weapons for strikes on the targets in the territory of the Russian Federation applies only to HIMARS artillery systems, without extending to other types of weapons.

Thats according to Ukrainian Ambassador to the USA Oksana Markarova, who spoke in an interview with European Pravda, Ukrinform reports.

The ambassador commented on the statement issued earlier by Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov about Ukraine's commitment not to use Western weapons for attacks on Russia-based targets. When asked whether this restriction applies only to HIMARS or to all American weapons, Markarova said: "This applies specifically to HIMARS."

As reported, back in August, Reznikov stated that Ukraine had an agreement with the United States that its forces would not employ the weapons provided by the United States and other partners on targets located on Russian soil.
Ukrainian Energy Minister German Galushchenko and Swedish Energy and Digital Development Minister Khashayar Farmanbar have discussed enhanced cooperation in the nuclear power sector.

The relevant statement was made by the Ukrainian Energy Ministry, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

During an online meeting, Galushchenko briefed his Swedish colleague on the critical situation at Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) and the threat to nuclear safety due to the actions of Russian troops.

The parties also discussed the diversification of nuclear fuel supplies and the development of cooperation between Ukraine and Sweden in this regard.

In addition, the parties discussed Swedens participation in the recovery of Ukraines energy infrastructure, which was ruined in continuous shelling by the Russian aggressor, the Ukrainian Energy Ministry noted.

Galushchenko thanked Farmanbar for the aid the Swedish side had already provided to Ukraine, namely in terms of machinery and equipment. Meanwhile, the Swedish side expressed readiness to continue providing support for Ukraines energy sector.

Photo: Galushchenko/Facebook

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Ukraines State Nuclear Regulatory Inspectorate and Finlands Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority (STUK) have signed a memorandum of cooperation and exchange of information in the field of nuclear and radiation safety.

The relevant statement was made by the Ukrainian State Nuclear Regulatory Inspectorate, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

The document provides that the parties will exchange technical information and cooperate in the field of nuclear and radiation safety in accordance with the legislation of the two countries, the report states.

In particular, Ukraine and Finland will cooperate in terms of nuclear safety, environmental radiation monitoring, emergency preparedness and response, radioactive waste management, etc.

According to the Ukrainian State Nuclear Regulatory Inspectorate, the data received by any party to the memorandum cannot be transferred to third parties except as authorized in writing. Confidential information will not be exchanged.

The memorandum will be valid for five years with the possibility of extension for the following five-year periods.

Photo: snriu.gov.ua

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Verkhovna Rada Chair Ruslan Stefanchuk and President of French National Assembly Yael Braun-Pivet discussed sanctions against Russia, military and financial support and reconstruction of Ukraine.

Stefanchuk thanked Braun-Pivet for the opportunity of direct dialogue and communication between parliamentarians.

"On October 3, the autumn session of the National Assembly starts, which will open precisely with a discussion on Ukraine. It is important. The issue of designating Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism is also important for our interparliamentary dialogue," the Verkhovna Rada Chair said.

In addition, he "pointed out the joint efforts to create a tribunal to investigate crimes committed by Russia and to develop mechanisms for compensating Ukraine for the damages caused by the aggressor."

"I look forward to fruitful cooperation," Stefanchuk emphasized.

As reported, Stefanchuk and Braun-Pivet visited Chernihiv region on September 28.

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and his Polish counterpart Andrzej Duda have discussed measures for a powerful consolidated global response to Russia's illegal actions that undermine the foundations of international law.

That's according to the press service of the Ukrainian president, Ukrinform reports.

In a phone call, the two countries' presidents focused on the international reaction to the sham "referenda" held by Russia in the temporarily occupied territories of the Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions.

Zelensky thanked Duda for the strong support for Ukraine expressed during his speech at the opening of the 77th session of the UN General Assembly in New York, as well as for Poland's clear position on non-recognition of the so-called "referenda."

Both parties agreed on the need for a powerful consolidated reaction of the world to the illegal actions of the Russian Federation, which undermine the foundations of international law. Specific steps and measures that the parties will work on in this context were discussed.

Zelensky and Duda also discussed the issue of military and defense cooperation. Zelensky noted Poland's invaluable contribution to strengthening Ukraine's defense capabilities and the importance of further increased support for Ukraine.

Zelensky congratulated Poland on the official opening of the Baltic Pipeline. "This is a significant event for building up security and strengthening the energy independence of the entire region," he said.

The presidents of Ukraine and Poland exchanged views on topical issues of bilateral relations. Zelensky noted a decrease in lines at the Ukrainian-Polish border and emphasized the importance of further efforts to increase the throughput capacity of the relevant points.

Zelensky also emphasized the interest of the Ukrainian side in introducing joint border and customs control at all checkpoints and speeding up work on a bilateral agreement in this area.

The two countries' leaders separately praised the launch of a new format of cooperation between the first ladies - within the Lublin Triangle - on the margins of the UN General Assembly in New York.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has thanked Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi for his support of Ukraine and invited him to visit Kyiv.

Zelensky had a phone call with Draghi on Thursday, September 29, Ukrinform reports, citing the press service of the Ukrainian president.

Zelensky noted Draghi's important personal role and expressed gratitude for Italy's active support for the independence and sovereignty of Ukraine and for the formation of a new quality of bilateral relations.

"We laid the foundation for their further effective development for the benefit of the peoples of both states," Zelensky said.

He also thanked Draghi for supporting Ukraine on its path to European integration and granting Ukraine the status of a candidate country for EU membership.

"As a sign of our gratitude, you have been awarded the Order of Prince Yaroslav the Wise, 1st class. Your name is now also on the Alley of the Brave in Kyiv, along with the names of political leaders who have supported Ukraine since the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion. I hope to have the opportunity to meet with you in the near future in Kyiv and personally present a high state award to you," Zelensky said.

It was also stated at the meeting that Italy would maintain a high level of support for Ukraine even after the formation of a new government following the recent parliamentary elections in the country.

According to the report, the main topic of the negotiations was sham referendums staged by the Russian aggressor in the occupied territories.

Both parties also discussed in detail the appropriate reaction to pseudo-referendums.

"They are worthless and do not change reality. The territorial integrity of Ukraine will be restored. And our reaction to Russia's recognition of their results will be very harsh," Zelensky said.

The the need for a firm reaction of the world's leading states in the event of the Kremlin's recognition of pseudo-referendums was also noted.

Separately, the leaders noted the importance of building a system of effective security guarantees for Ukraine with the involvement of key partners, including Italy.

Zelensky informed Draghi about the situation at the front, emphasizing the vital need for Ukraine to further strengthen the capabilities of the Ukrainian Armed Forces for the successful return of Ukrainian territories.

While discussing the defense support of Ukraine, both parties exchanged views on the possibility of Italy continuing such assistance, which is extremely important, in particular, for the protection of citizens and civilian infrastructure.

Photo: President's Office
War can be stopped only when Ukraine is liberated. Once Russia is ousted, normal life will return.

That's according to President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine, who issued a video address on Thursday, September 29, Ukrinform reports.

"Ukrainians!

We continue our diplomatic activity to ensure that all partners of Ukraine and the countries of the world understand what new steps towards escalation are being taken by the terrorist state these days.

I spoke today with President of Poland Andrzej Duda and Prime Minister of Italy Mario Draghi. I had a meeting with the President of the National Assembly of France. I am grateful to our partners for clearly condemning the Russian sham referenda, for condemning the attempted annexation of our territory, which the Kremlin is currently preparing.

I am grateful to our Polish brothers for their invaluable defense support and our cooperation for the sake of common security. And today, in a conversation with Andrzej Duda, with Mr. President, we discussed how we can further strengthen our relations.

We also discussed cross-border cooperation. We must do everything so that our nations face no obstacles for economic and any other relations.

I would like to thank Prime Minister Draghi for his principled condemnation of Russia's steps towards escalation. We exchanged views on further steps in our bilateral relations with Italy and in multilateral relations at the EU level that could give all of us in Europe more protection.

The first ever visit to Ukraine by the President of the National Assembly of France is taking place at a truly historic time. At a time when solidarity between leaders at all levels is critical to the future of a democratic world. I thanked Mrs. President of the National Assembly of France and her fellow parliamentarians for their willingness to continue to help us defend the independence of Ukraine and the freedom of the whole of Europe.

I talked today with the university community and public figures of Switzerland on the basis of the University of Zurich. It is very important that Switzerland and its citizens do not remain neutral, and support our aspiration to live - to live freely and in peace.

Everyone in the world understands well what such an attempted annexation would actually mean. It will not mean what the Kremlin hopes for.

Today I explained this to the peoples of the Caucasus, Siberia, and other indigenous peoples of Russia. And now I repeat for everyone in this country: Russia will not get a new territory of Ukraine. Russia will annex itself to the catastrophe that it has brought to the occupied territory of our country. Russia will equate itself with the so-called "DPR" and "LPR", and will completely finish off those institutions of normal statehood that still remained in Russia.

The occupier fills the occupied territory of Ukraine with graves, and there are more and more graves on the territory of Russia itself. The occupier sets up torture chambers in the occupied territory - and will fill the entire territory of Russia with torture chambers. This is the only way the Russian police and Russian special services will work now. The law in Russia has been obliterated. And those who brought all these deaths, torture, rape from Russia will take them home.

Everywhere in the seized territory, the occupier destroys any basis for life - economy, social sphere, culture...

Depriving the entire Russian society of a normal economy, a decent life and respect for any human value will be the price for the fact that one person in Russia wants this war to continue.

This can still be stopped. But to stop it, you have to stop that one in Russia who wants war more than life. Your life, citizens of Russia.

Today, the Russian army inflicted another vile attack on civilians in Mykolaiv - a shell exploded near a public transport stop. There are dead, there are wounded... Again shelling of Kharkiv, the Sumy region, fierce shelling in Donbas, in the south of Ukraine.

All this can be stopped in only one way: liberation. And before Russia came, there was normal life everywhere on Ukrainian land. And when Russia leaves, when we oust it, normal life will return. This is the only way. This is the way to our victory.

We cannot know how long it will take to complete this path. But we know that no Russian manipulation and no Russian crime can push us off this path.

Today we managed to release six more of our citizens from Russian captivity. I am thankful to everyone who ensures this work!

Today we have new results on the frontline.

Today we received additional elements of aid from partners.

It will continue to be so.

Tomorrow is another day of our struggle, another day on the path to victory. Will it be special for us? It will be another day that will bring us closer to security and peace, to restoration of our territorial integrity. Because millions of Ukrainians fight and work for this.

A special meeting of the National Security and Defense Council, which I convened, will take place tomorrow. There will be decisions.

We know how to react to any Russian actions.

And finally. This morning I honored the memory of all the victims of the Babyn Yar. Eternal memory to the victims of Nazism! Eternal damnation to those who repeat the crimes of the Nazis!

Glory to Ukraine!"
Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal of Ukraine says those who are behind the ongoing genocide of Ukrainians are the same kind of people as those who were responsible for the genocide in Kyivs Babyn Yar during World War 2 so their only path is to the dock of an international tribunal.

Shmyhal addressed the issue on Telegram, Ukrinform reports.

"During World War 2, Babyn Yar in Kyiv became the site of a massive tragedy. This is the place where the Nazis shot more than 30,000 Kyiv Jews in just a few days in 1941. Over the two years of occupation, the number of victims in the tract reached 100,000  these were people of various nationalities," the statement reads.

According to the head of government, "it seemed that this horror remained forever in the past. But after 81 years, in Ukraine, in the center of Europe, it happened again. Executions, mass burials"

"Those who organized the genocide in 1941 and those who are organizing the genocide in 2022 are the same kind of criminals whose only path is toward an international tribunal," PM emphasized.

"Eternal memory to the victims of the Babyny Yar tragedy. Eternal memory to all those innocently killed," Shmyhal added.

As reported by Ukrinform, on September 29-30 in Ukraine, the memory of the victims of the mass shootings carried out by the Nazis in Kyivs Babyn Yar (1941) will be commemorated.
A student at Kenmore West High School was found in possession of a BB gun at the school Thursday morning, principal Dean R. Johnson told parents in a letter posted to the school website.

The principal said this morning that during student arrival, administrators learned about a student with a weapon.

"Within moments, the student was found by the School Resource Officer and admitted to the allegation. His belongings and locker were searched and a BB gun was found. The student was immediately isolated and detained," Johnson said in the message to parents.

Town of Tonawanda police were alerted.

The student's name was not released.

The school noted that the possession of an air-powered gun by a person under 16 is a violation of state law as well as the district's code of conduct.

"The student is facing both criminal and disciplinary charges," Johnson said.
On the 81st anniversary of the Babyn Yar tragedy, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy honored the memory of all the victims of the mass executions of civilians by the Nazis in occupied Kyiv during World War II.

The Head of State laid flowers at the monument to the victims of the tragedy on the territory of the Babyn Yar National Historical and Memorial Reserve, the Presidents Office informs.

The President also honored the memory of the Jews shot by the Nazis in Babyn Yar by putting an icon lamp next to the Menorah memorial sign.

Flowers were also laid at the monuments of the Ukrainian writer Olena Teliha and the Roma executed by the Nazis.

In addition, Zelensky watched the Black Cube installation dedicated to the 81st anniversary of the Babyn Yar tragedy. A model of Babyn Yar is installed inside the cube, on which a visual projection takes place; excerpts from the works of Ukrainian writers devoted to the tragedy are also voiced, and images symbolizing the tragic events of Babyn Yar are shown on multimedia screens.

The Head of State was told about how the Babyn Yar National Historical and Memorial Reserve was working to preserve the memory of this tragedy for current and future generations of Ukrainians.

Zelensky stressed that the world should do everything possible to prevent similar tragedies and crimes against humanity, which, unfortunately, still happen today, particularly in Ukraine.

"Any inhumane regimes pose a threat to all humanity. Criminals who cause such tragedies must be punished so that dictators and tyrants are reluctant to repeat something similar in the future," the President noted.

During World War II, the German occupation forces used the Babyn Yar tract in the northwestern part of Kyiv as a place of mass executions of civilians, mainly Jews. On September 29, 1941, by order of the occupation administration, the entire Jewish population was obliged to appear in Babyn Yar. People were escorted in groups through the checkpoint, after which they were driven to the edge of the ravine and shot. On September 29-30, 33,771 people were killed. The massacres in the tract lasted until the occupiers left the city. According to official data, about 100,000 people were shot down there.

Photo credit: Presidents Office

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Published September 29, 2022

MONROE, La.  Dr. Michelle McEacharn, University of Louisiana Monroes Dean of the College of Business and Social Sciences, along with her family, donated $25,000 to establish the McPhearson/McEacharn Opportunity Scholarship at a press conference Wednesday, September 28 at the Laird Weems Alumni Center.



The McPhearson/McEacharn Opportunity Scholarship was made in honor of McEacharns mother, Flora Snookie McPhearson, and late husband, Roger Bucky McEacharn. The scholarship will be awarded each year to a non-traditional ULM student (aged 28 years and older) majoring in accounting or pursuing the post-baccalaureate certificate in accounting.



Years ago, when I was a non-traditional student struggling to manage school and a family with little to no resources, I received a $200 scholarship from someone who had been generous and thoughtful enough to provide those resources, said McEacharn. That $200 meant more than I can say to both me and my family. I have since been blessed with the opportunity to be in a position now where I can give back to help someone else. Its an honor for me and my family to be able to establish this endowed scholarship dedicated to other nontraditional accounting students in honor of our late mother who instilled a strength and dignity in us, and my late husband who believed in me so much that I began believing in myself."



The first recipient of a $500 award, Tara Oliver, a current ULM student pursuing a bachelors degree in accounting, spoke to how much this award means to her and her family.



It is a privilege and an honor to be the first recipient of this scholarship. Its a blessing to me and my family because it recognizes the sacrifices that non-traditional students make in order to go back to school later in life in order to change their lives with education, said Oliver.



The endowed status of the scholarship will live on in perpetuity to ensure financial support for generations of non-traditional students.



Our hope is that these scholarship resources will also forever help change the lives of others who are struggling and give them opportunities beyond their imagination, said McEacharn.

If you have any questions about this or any other scholarship offered at ULM, please email scholarships@ulm.edu or call 318-342-5321.
| By Laura Lee

The University of Maryland BioPark is growing with the official opening of the BD Innovation Center, a state-of-the-art facility that will give students and researchers access to new laboratory space and advanced diagnostic tools.

Maryland Commerce Secretary Mike Gill engages in conversation with UMB President Bruce E. Jarrell, MD, FACS, and BD executives Nikos Pavlidis, Adam Steel, and Brooke Story during a tour of the BD Innovation Center.

The Innovation Center at the UM BioPark houses several sophisticated systems, including the BD COR PX/GX fully automated diagnostic system for infectious disease molecular testing including cervical cancer genotyping, and the BD MAX System, an automated platform that performs nucleic acid extraction and real-time PCR (polymerase chain reaction) providing results for up to 24 samples across multiple syndromes in less than three hours.

The centers goal is to help streamline clinical laboratory workflows and improve patient care by expanding basic diagnostic knowledge, developing new diagnostic capabilities, and shaping the future of diagnostics by allowing students and researchers to provide real-world feedback on early diagnostic concepts.

UMB is proud to call BD a partner, said University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) President Bruce E. Jarrell, MD, FACS. Im grateful for the strategic and collaborative relationship between BD and UMB and know that together we will continue to advance health science."

For Brooke Story, BD worldwide president of integrated diagnostic solutions, the feeling is mutual. Im particularly proud that BD is continuing its commitment to life sciences around the world by working with UMB to put our first university-housed research center right here at home in Baltimore, Story said. This collaboration is part of an integral pipeline to and from the local community to actively foster and build engagement with the next generation of STEM practitioners and leaders with a focus on inclusion, diversity, and equity.

Maryland Commerce Secretary Mike Gill, who attended the opening and received a tour of the facility, noted that the BD-BioPark collaboration will help ensure that Marylands workforce is ready to tackle future health care challenges. The addition of the BD Innovation Center to the UM BioPark will not only support our thriving life sciences sector, but also help Maryland remain one of the most innovative states in the nation, Gill said. We are very grateful to BD for its continued investment in Maryland.

Located in West Baltimore, the UM BioPark offers high-quality lab and office space solutions for companies of all sizes, especially high-growth companies seeking connection with its academic partner, UMB. Tenants include industry-leading global firms such as Pharmaron, Illumina, BD, and Catalent; next-gen ventures; university spinouts; distinguished research organizations; cutting-edge clinical care; and contemporary workforce training programs.

In addition to the BD Innovation Center, the UM BioPark continues to expand its economic impact in Maryland with the announcement that 4MLK  a development project representing a $320 million total capital investment that will provide critical wet laboratory space in downtown Baltimore  is slated to move forward in fall 2022.
Newcomers to cities and communities may not always feel like they belong. Barriers to housing, work, and education can keep some from feeling like they have a place to call home. Welcoming places provide equitable access, civic engagement and connected communities that can go a long way toward helping newcomers, including refugees, feel at home. The city of Albuquerque is one of these places.

Albuquerque, New Mexico has provided a home to resettled refugees for nearly 70 years. The area itself has a long history, spanning hundreds of years, as a sanctuary for the displaced. From offering protection to people forcibly uprooted during the 1680 Pueblo Revolt, an uprising of the indigenous Pueblo tribes against Spanish colonizers, to recently welcoming 315 Afghan refugees as part of Operation Allies Welcome and welcoming over 800 asylum seekers to the community this year.

We have never second guessed our pro-immigrant or pro-refugee policies here in Albuquerque, stated Mayor Tim Keller, at a celebratory World Refugee Day event in June. Were going to keep taking care of everyone who passes through our town and everyone who resides here. That is the One Albuquerque spirit, and I believe that it is the American spirit.

UNHCR Regional Representative for the U.S. and Caribbean, Matt Reynolds, and Mayor Tim Keller at Albuquerque's World Refugee Day celebration in June.  UNHCR/Lindner

The needs of refugees and asylees are great, especially for municipalities already stretched by the Covid-19 pandemic which exacerbated issues like access to housing, education, transportation, and jobs. Housing in particular has become difficult to find for refugees as prices have skyrocketed in the Albuquerque area as they have across the United States.

To meet this need, Albuquerque developed the Rent to a Refugee program that provides training to local landlords, teaching them about who refugees are, the temporary support they receive from the U.S. government when they arrive and how local resettlement agencies are there to help manage each case file and housing application so that the landlords dont have to figure everything out themselves.

Resettlement agencies are important partners for the city, as they provide wraparound services and case management for arriving refugees. One partner, Lutheran Family Services (LFS), has helped 3,000 refugees resettle in New Mexico over the past 10 years. In addition to language classes, housing, and education, LFS also helps refugees find jobs and become a part of the local workforce. Their program, Road to Economic Freedom, has helped refugees start 75 new businesses in New Mexico, more than 30 families purchase homes, and they have partnered with over 60 local employers to help them meet their workforce needs.

Our vision is that every individual and family is safe, supported, and thriving as part of a resilient, flourishing community, says Brian Brant, Senior Vice President of Programs at Lutheran Family Services Rocky Mountains. Through the work that we do weve had the joy of celebrating successes with families as they start working  becoming teachers, nurses, pharmacists, and engineers  helping our city grow.

Upon arrival in the United States, most resettled refugees find employment within three months, though language access and cultural adaptation to a new country isnt easy. Critical workforce needs like nursing, first responders, retail, and education are some of the areas where refugees help fill the gaps locally.

Mohammed Munir arrived in the United States in October 2017. In Afghanistan, he had worked as an interpreter for the U.S. Army and subsequently received a Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) allowing him to start a new life in the United States. He says his first few months were difficult adapting. Finding a job at the beginning was a little bit difficult because I had been teaching at a university for many years. I started working as a cashier, which helped me become more familiar with U.S. culture and allowed me to improve my English, says Munir.

An experienced educator, he now works for Lutheran Family Services Rocky Mountains as an education coordinator, helping other refugees arriving in Albuquerque. According to Munir, its my turn to use my knowledge and experience to help other people.

Mohammed Munir (3rd from left) pictured with colleagues during a visit with UNHCR in June.  UNHCR/Lindner

Refugees are people who have been forced to flee their homes to escape violence or persecution. They leave everything behind to build a new life and home in a new, strange country. Cities like Albuquerque are extending a warm welcome knowing that when given the support they need newcomers can provide lasting benefits to the entire community that welcomes them.

Taking care of refugees is part of the function of a city, states Mayor Keller, even though it is not the choice of refugees to leave their homeland, we are glad they have come to Albuquerque. Refugees make our city better.
Three young friends sit around a small, bright-orange table, happily sculpting clay. They smile as they create a menagerie of items: a cat, a pitcher, a motorcycle, a bowl. The new objects sit alongside a series of others, each decorated with flowers and little houses, all images from childhoods interrupted.

After enduring the first weeks of the war in Ukraine, Vlas and Masha, both 10 years old, and seven-year-old Ulyana, fled their hometown of Odesa for the safety of Bucharest, capital of neighbouring Romania.

In the colourful playroom at Zi de Bine, a Bucharest-based community organization whose name means Day of Good, the children find the space to laugh, and to play. Founded by journalist Melania Medeleanu in 2020, Zi de Bine helps Romanians get involved in social causes, such as mental health, education, and childrens issues.

"This can be the breath of fresh air they need."

The need is great. Melania says that while some of the children rush to play and chat, others just go and sit in a corner and stay there quietly, and that is also fine. You have to keep in mind all the time, that they have been through a dreadful trauma, so our reactions must be very warm and calm, she says.

I think this can be the breath of fresh air they need so much at this point, Melania says. The mere fact that there is a safe space where they can meet each other, where they can cry on each others shoulders, or laugh together, where they can do activities that keep their minds busy, in order to stop thinking of the things that happened, this is what could be lifesaving for them.

Romania currently hosts over 86,000 refugees from Ukraine, the majority women and children. The UN Refugee Agency, UNHCR, is supporting refugees throughout the country by providing counselling, legal advice, and psychosocial support, as well as cash for recently arrived families.

Mental health is an area where more support is still needed, says Pablo Zapata, UNHCR Representative in Romania. Many refugees from Ukraine, especially children, have lived through and witnessed terrible things. Zapata adds that UNHCR is partnering with organizations such as Autism Voice, Estuar Foundation, and Terre des Hommes to provide assistance to families and children with mental health needs.

Young Ukrainian refugees draw together at Zi de Bine, which means "Day of Good".  UNHCR/Andrew McConnell

The community centre provides children with a place to play and chat, or just to "sit in a corner and stay there quietly", says its founder Melania Medeleanu.  UNHCR/Andrew McConnell

A young Ukrainian refugee creates a collage.  UNHCR/Andrew McConnell

With Zi de Bine, UNHCR is helping refugees who attend language classes, yoga, counselling, and art therapy for children. All these activities take place in the organizations spacious and welcoming building close to the city centre, and frequently involve local Romanians alongside the Ukrainian refugees in order to build links.

Marina, who also fled Odesa in March, heard about Zi de Bine from fellow refugees and brought her three-year-old grandson for a visit. Today is the first day I came with my grandson for the childrens art therapy class. He enjoyed it very much, she says. And while her primary focus was her nephews enjoyment of the simple pleasures of making things and playing with other children, Marina found an unexpected benefit for herself. I also noticed that other women had brought their children, nieces or nephews, she says. I got a chance to talk with them, sharing experiences and challenges.

Such opportunities to meet and spend time with other refugees, as well as members of the local community are integral to rebuilding a displaced persons sense of inclusion and wellbeing.

See also: Budding Ukrainian game designer draws inspiration in Romania

The art therapy classes, likewise, offer young refugees the chance to talk about and share their feelings in an informal setting and in different mediums. On a recent day, while some refugee children made clay sculptures, others were making music, drawing, and dancing. But while all of this is a relief, it is not a solution.

I feel good here, says Vlas, but I really want to return to my home and see my dad. Romania is a good country, but Ukraine is my home country. My dream is to go back home.

Home and family, and the trauma of separation and the flight from war, are on the minds of every refugee here, adult or child, and that, says Melania, is why Zi de Bine and the escape and solidarity it offers is so important.

I see people who are laughing together and who, for a few moments, have stopped thinking about the pain they have been going through, she says.
First, the rains failed, then Al-Shabab, an armed group that controls large swathes of south-central Somalia, started to impose hefty taxes on local farmers like Fathi Mohamed Ali.

With the river dry, no food for the children and no money to pay the tax, the 35-year-old mother of seven fled her home in Lower Shabelle where she and her husband had once grown fruits and vegetables.

Some people were killed [by Al-Shabab] and others arrested, including my own mother, she said. We had to escape for our lives, I could not even bring all my children. I left four of them with their grandmother. I just took the youngest three kids with me.

Sitting on an empty jerry can in front of her makeshift shelter, cobbled together from tree branches and pieces of old clothes, she described the perilous 15-day journey she took to reach a camp for internally displaced people in Dolow, southern Somalia.

It was extremely difficult, she said. We put the kids on donkeys and the adults walked for miles on end. Some of the people we came with lost their children along the way.

"Food is our priority. We can think of education and other things when we get food."

Fathi and her husband and children survived the ordeal and joined thousands of other displaced families living in crowded settlements set up by the local authority on the outskirts of Dolow. The site she settled in has no toilets and only one tap.

We came to an empty land with no shelter, and we had nothing in our possession as we left everything behind, she said. Food is our priority. We can think of education and other things when we get food, and a roof over our heads.

Somalia, like much of the Horn of Africa, is facing its worst drought in 40 years. Following the failure of four successive rainy seasons more than 7 million of the countrys 15 million people are experiencing severe hunger. Experts warn that the next rainy season between October and December will also likely fail, pushing several parts of the country into famine before the end of the year, unless aid efforts are urgently ramped up.

Hundreds of thousands of Somalis have abandoned their homes and embarked on perilous journeys in search of food, water and humanitarian assistance. Since the drought started in January last year, over 1 million people have been forced from their homes, including 857,000 so far this year. A further 366,000 have fled due to conflict and insecurity.

Fathi Mohamed Ali walked for 15 days with her husband and three youngest children to escape drought and violence in Somalia's south-central Lower Shabelle region.  UNHCR/Nabil Narch

A shortage of funding for the humanitarian response mean sites for internally displaced people often lack proper shelters or sanitation.  UNHCR/Nabil Narch

Issack Hassan, 82, lost four of his children to Somalia's 2011 famine. The current drought claimed his wife and remaining livestock before he fled to a camp in Baidoa city with his remaining family.  UNHCR/Nabil Narch

Women and children fill jerry cans with water at a site for internally displaced people in Dollow.  UNHCR/Nabil Narch

Experts warn that the next rainy season between October and December will also likely fail, pushing several parts of the country into famine.  UNHCR/Nabil Narch

Mohamed Adow Ibrahim, 65, is blind but has been caring for his three grandchildren since their father died of hunger. "We exhausted our savings and people started to die so we had to flee to this camp in Baidoa to seek help," he said.  UNHCR/Nabil Narch

Droughts are not uncommon in Somalia, which is ranked the second most vulnerable country to climate change in the world. There have been recurring dry spells, interspersed with flooding, over the last decade, including a devastating famine in 2011that killed over 250,000 people. Nomadic pastoralists and farming communities have little time to recover from one disaster before another strikes.

Among those that died in 2011 were four of Issack Hassans children. To save the rest of the family they went to the capital, Mogadishu, returning home a year later to restart their lives. But the rains continued to fail, and the few animals Isaack had left died due to the current drought.

I lost 40 cows and 30 goats, said the 82-year-old man from Diinsoor town in Somalias southwestern Bay region. Both our crops and livestock were decimated. The animals died of hunger and the farms dried up due to lack of water.

He fled again in April, but his wife died soon after they reached a camp in Baidoa city.

Hashim Abdirashid, a Protection Associate with UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, based in Baidoa, said people often arrived at the camps with nothing. UNHCR is on the ground providing life-saving humanitarian assistance such as emergency shelter kits, plastic sheets, blankets, kitchen sets and hygiene materials, but we have limited resources to provide large-scale support to all affected communities.

We are now targeting the most vulnerable, including those with protection needs such as women and the elderly.

In June, UNHCR appealed for US$9.5 million to help displaced communities affected by the drought in Somalia. So far, only US$2.8 million of that amount has been received and more funding is urgently needed in the coming weeks to save lives and, in the longer term, to help people adapt to the climate crisis and recover their livelihoods.

Somalia is on the verge of famine; the ripple effect of the Ukraine conflict and the economic impact of the pandemic is making the situation even more dire. We urgently need funds to continue saving lives before the situation gets out of hand, said Hashim.

In a country where pastoralism and farming sustains over half the population, the loss of some 3 million livestock from hunger and lack of water is devastating for families.

"We have never seen this kind of drought before."

In one camp for internally displaced people in Dolow, carcasses of animals and bones are strewn around between temporary shelters.

The drought has killed all these animals, said Osman Ibrahim Mohamed, 70. The carcasses you see are peoples livelihoods.

This dead cow was a lifeline to this family here, he added, pointing to a shelter nearby. It is a terrible situation that forced us to flee.

Osman left his home in Middle Jubba region with his 13 children after losing all his livestock.

We have never seen this kind of drought before, he said. I have witnessed four droughts, but I have never seen anything like this.

Until more help arrives, Fathi makes her one jerry can of water last all day and cooks only once a day for her children. The best of us cooks one meal a day. There are people who stay hungry for three to four days [because] they have nothing to cook, she said. There are children who died of hunger and diarrhoea recently.

We need support with everything, she added. The most urgent being food, water and toilets.


Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz's budget proposal for next year will reclassify 93 department heads and deputies as "salaried," making them ineligible for overtime.

The policy change comes in response to public scrutiny and criticism surrounding the millions of dollars in overtime paid to political appointees and top administrators in Erie County government. But it already is drawing criticism from at least one department head, Sheriff John Garcia.

County leaders acknowledged Thursday that no other county in New York offers overtime or cash-payable compensatory time to its top executives the way Erie County has since 2020.

Erie County officials lay groundwork for changing overtime pay policy for appointees Both former Comptroller Stefan Mychajliw and Kevin Hardwick, the current comptroller, agree the Legislature should reconsider policy changes that resulted in commissioners and other political appointees being categorized as hourly wage earners.

"The bottom line is, we're just trying to get in line with every other county in New York State," said Benjamin Swanekamp, chief of staff to Poloncarz.

This new policy would mean executive level, non-union supervisors would receive a set annual salary and be denied any future compensatory time or overtime. Currently, only elected officials in Erie County are considered salaried. All others are considered hourly wage workers.

The administration's new proposal comes in response to what has been previously reported by Comptroller Kevin Hardwick, former Comptroller Stefan Mychajliw, The Buffalo News and other local news organizations over the last two years: Erie County's overtime practices are at odds with all other major counties.

Mychajliw had reported that in 2020, 1,226 staffers received $5.9 million in overtime related to the Covid-19 health crisis, paid for with federal stimulus money. But of the nearly $6 million in Covid-related overtime paid out in federal funds, 54 political appointees received $1.3 million of it. In other words, that 4.4% of workers got 22.1% of the money.

So far this year, $688,837 in overtime pay has been given to 38 appointed administrators, according to Hardwick's office.

Under the new proposal, employees classified as "salaried" would no longer swipe in or out of the office to track time and would no longer record or accumulate comp time or overtime.

Affected administrators who would be reclassified as "salaried" must meet the following criteria:

 Earn base pay of $684 per week or greater.

 Manage a department or departmental unit.

 Supervise at least two other employees.

 Have hiring and firing authority or significant influence over hiring and firing.

Personnel Commissioner Brian Bray discussed the new policy Thursday at a meeting before the County Legislature. The Legislature would have to approve or change the policy the administration has put forth as part of the budget process.

Bray said the plan would move all qualifying administrators from the managerial-confidential pay scale to the Civil Service Employees Association salary scale. As a result of the change, the affected administrators would receive roughly a 2% or 3% raise.

Any changes would go into effect in January. The county still would be on the hook to pay out all comp time accrued by top supervisors through the end of this year. That is expected to amount to another half a million dollars, Bray said.

The proposed policy change would not affect all appointed administrators who are considered "managerial confidential." It would affect 93 of roughly 300 such employees. Some managerial confidential appointees have lower level jobs, including clerks and assistant district attorneys.

Kevin Hardwick says Erie County OT policy for top administrators should change "During the pandemic, it might not have been the time to have this discussion," Erie County Comptroller Kevin Hardwick said. "But now that weve got a breather, I think this is the time to sit down and ask some of these questions."

The two departments most affected by the change would be the Sheriff's Office, with 13 affected administrators, and the Department of Social Services, with 12 affected administrators. The District Attorney's Office, County Clerk's Office, Health Department and Comptroller's Office would see the next highest number of administrators converted from hourly wage workers to salaried, at five each, according to the Personnel Department.

Garcia expressed multiple concerns about the proposed change. While Health Commissioner Gale Burstein was the highest recipient of cash overtime in 2020, at the height of the Covid-19 health crisis, top administrators in the Sheriff's Office have consistently represented the majority of highest paid overtime recipients.

Garcia pointed out that if overtime is denied to his top command staff, then they would earn less than many of the rank-and-file union employees who work under them and may ask to be demoted to their union titles. In addition, he said, his top administrators work long and unpredictable hours to answer public safety emergencies.

Gale Burstein's overtime pay continues to raise questions. Here are some answers. Questions regarding Burstein's overtime are simple: How much overtime did she get paid? And is there anything wrong with her receiving that money? But getting true answers is tricky because of the political haze hanging over the conversation.

"My office can't be fairly compared with other county entities," he said. "The issues include, but are not limited to, the fact that the Erie County Sheriff's Office is a 24/7, 365-day-a-year operation, tasked with responding to emergencies. Furthermore, we have more numerous and varied responsibilities than any other law enforcement agency in this county."

He suggested a more "measured approach" toward how his top administrators and chiefs are paid. Compromises may include capping overtime for chiefs and other top administrators or creating an overtime pool of money that Garcia could authorize at his discretion.

Legislator John Mills, R-Orchard Park, said the new policy shouldn't apply to the Sheriff's Office.

"Your department, sheriff, we've got to leave it alone because it's not broken," Mills said.

Prior to millions of dollars in federal stimulus aid being made available to county governments, non-union appointees classified as "managerial confidential" were generally ineligible for overtime.

But in 2020, these non-union employees  particularly top department leaders and Sheriff's Office administrators  were allowed to collect unlimited amounts of overtime pay for Covid-related response work.

In 2021, to limit cash overtime, the administration adopted a new policy that required managerial confidential employees to exceed 200 hours of comp time before they could begin collecting cash overtime. But that same policy, which raised the comp time cap from 80 hours to 200, also allowed appointees to cash out all comp time above 80 hours at the end of each year. The county contended that this was to comply with the Fair Labor Standards Act.

Hardwick's year-end report for 2021 indicated that administrative appointees cashed out $700,000 in comp time at the end of last year.

He called the administration's policy change a step in the right direction, given the public outcry.

"In the end, this is decision, of course, by the Legislature and the executive," Hardwick said. "It's certainly something I would be supportive of. The devil is in the details."
Republicans slammed the recent move by state Democrats to mail to an unknown number of voters absentee-ballot applications with several fields on the form prefilled.

Democrats urged recipients to cite fear of contracting Covid-19 at a polling place as their reason for requesting an absentee ballot and pre-checked this selection on the applications.

State GOP Chairman Nick Langworthy said the mailings are legal but represent an "abuse" of state election law.

"I think what's crystal clear is that they're trying to use the loophole of fear of contraction of Covid to expand mail-in voting," Langworthy said in an interview Monday. He has widely criticized the ballot application mailings in recent weeks.

Democrats defended the mailers as an appropriate measure to encourage New Yorkers to vote without having to worry about their health as Covid-19 cases stubbornly persist. Democrats also said Republicans are hypocritical in attacking this electioneering effort when the state GOP has come under scrutiny for thousands of duplicate signatures on petitions submitted to try to acquire an additional ballot line for gubernatorial candidate Lee Zeldin.

Nick Langworthy and Lee Zeldin should take a hard look in the mirror given their shared record of spreading misinformation and conspiracy theories to overturn the 2020 presidential election, as well as the Zeldin campaign's own ongoing scandal surrounding fraudulently submitted, photocopied petition signatures, state Democratic Party spokesman James Martin said in an email.

Not every one of the state's 5.9 million active registered Democrats received a ballot application because, it seems, the mailings were targeted to party members who haven't consistently voted in previous elections. State Democrats declined to say how many of the mailers went out.

A cover letter identifies the state Democratic Committee as the source of the mailers. The letter emphasizes the convenience of voting by absentee ballot and notes fear of Covid-19 is a valid reason to request an absentee ballot.

The forms mailed out by Democrats are applications for an absentee ballot and not the ballots themselves.

The application has several fields prefilled, including the voter's name, address and Covid-19 as the reason for the requested ballot. Voters just need to sign and date the application and mail it to their local county board of elections.

Gregory Sojka, a member and former chair of the Lancaster Republican Committee, said he received questions about the ballot application from a few voters. He provided copies of the cover letter and ballot application to The Buffalo News.

Sojka joined Langworthy in saying there are many legitimate reasons for voters to request an absentee ballot, such as a debilitating illness or an extended out-of-town stay that makes it impossible to vote in person. And, they conceded, there are New Yorkers who still do worry about the spread of Covid-19.

But, they said, it is improper for state Democrats to presume every letter recipient is unable to vote in person because of Covid-19 concerns, particularly at a time when travel restrictions at the Canadian border are easing and Gov. Kathy Hochul has lifted the state emergency order imposed at the beginning of the pandemic.

Sojka questioned how Democrats have, as he put it, "the psychic ability to know what a voter in Western New York wants to put down for their reason for getting an absentee ballot."

Langworthy noted that New York voters last year rejected a referendum that would have allowed voting by absentee ballot without providing a reason.

"We don't have no-fault absentee in this state. It was defeated by the people of the State of New York, of all parties, who came forward and said, 'No, we don't want that,' " he said. "What they're doing is deciding for the voter as to what purpose they shall be requesting an absentee ballot. I think it stinks. I think it's underhanded."

Erie County Democrats say their party encourages efforts to make voting as accessible as possible while Republicans fan voting conspiracy theories and attempt to undermine free and fair elections.

"Republican objections ring hollow at a time when their party is nominating election deniers to key offices in multiple states, and the Amherst GOP committee is hosting MAGA conspiracy theorists this very evening," Erie County Chair Jeremy Zellner said Monday.

Amherst GOP to host 2020 election deniers The Amherst Republican Committee on Monday will host a group peddling the unfounded claim that the results of the 2020 election in New York must be tossed out due to widespread fraud.

That's a reference to an event held Monday night featuring a presentation from New York Citizens Audit, whose members seek to decertify the 2020 election in the state. Organizers also screened the movie "2000 Mules," whose claims of election fraud have been widely debunked.

Amherst Republican Chairman Brian D. Rusk defended the gathering as a bipartisan, educational forum on election integrity.

Democrats also pointed to the submission earlier this year by the state Republican Party of nominating petitions with a reported 11,000 duplicate signatures in an attempt to secure the Independence Party line for Zeldin in his race against Hochul.

The Albany County District Attorney's Office and the state Board of Elections are investigating, according to the Albany Times-Union. Jessica Proud, a state GOP spokeswoman, did not respond to a request for comment on this charge from Democrats.

Sojka said it's important to hold both parties accountable for any efforts to subvert the voting process. He noted Zeldin's campaign hasn't been linked to the petition submissions, but said he can't defend what Republicans in Albany are accused of doing.

"Whether you're a Republican or a Democrat, that is wrong," Sojka said.
September 29 2022

A new distillery in Grantown-on-Spey is ready for action after its handover by Morrison Construction to distillers Gordon & MacPhail.

The Cairn Distillery, designed by TGP and Norr, combines production and visitor facilities in a prime spot in Moray overlooking the River Spey toward the Cairngorms.

Features include a 900sq/m sedum roof carpeted in wildflowers to attract bees while helping the building to blend into its countryside setting.

Approved back in 2019 the distillery will open to the public later this year when on-site tasting rooms, a restaurant and a shop are complete.

A public footpath will connect the distillery to the broader Cairngorms National Park.
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MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 29th September, 2022) Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS) are discussing the possibility of creating a single Currency, Pavel Knyazev, ambassador at large of the Russian Foreign Ministry and sous-sherpa of Russia in BRICS, said on Thursday.

"The possibility and prospects of a common single currency, the BRICS-based accounting currency, is being discussed," Knyazev said during an expert discussion on prospects for the expansion of the BRICS and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization hosted by the Valdai Club.

About 15 countries have expressed interest in joining the BRICS, according to the official.

BRICS is an informal association of the world's major developing economies, which was formed in 2006 to enhance cooperation between these nations and elaborate common approaches to global economic challenges.
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MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 29th September, 2022) NATO announced on Thursday that the alliance is in favor of investigations underway to establish the causes of the gas leak incident at the damaged Nord Stream pipelines.

"The damage to the Nordstream 1 and Nordstream 2 pipelines in international waters in the Baltic Sea is of deep concern.

All currently available information indicates that this is the result of deliberate, reckless, and irresponsible acts of sabotage. These leaks are causing risks to shipping and substantial environmental damage. We support the investigations underway to determine the origin of the damage," the alliance said in a statement.
Podgorica, Montenegro, Sept 29 (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 30th Sep, 2022 ) :Montenegro ordered the expulsion of six Russian diplomats Thursday amid a major investigation into alleged spying, prompting Moscow to shutter its consulate in the Balkan nation.

The six, who worked for the Russian embassy in Podgorica, were declared persona non grata due to "activities that are contrary to the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations", the foreign ministry tweeted.

Moscow retaliated by closing its consulate in Montenegro "indefinitely", Russia's embassy in the small Balkan nation said in a statement.

"In relation with hostile actions by Montenegrin authorities towards the Russian embassy in Montenegro, working of consular department in Podgorica is closed indefinitely," Russia's embassy in Podgorica said.

Earlier, Montenegro launched an investigation into an unspecified number of people suspected of espionage, state prosecutors said while local media reported a link to Russian spying.

Police searched several people's homes alongside other locations.

Individuals are suspected of "creating a criminal organisation and espionage", according to Vukas Radonjic, spokesperson of Montenegro's State Prosecutor's Office.

There were no arrests, he added.

The country's outgoing prime minister Dritan Abazovic said the operation was undertaken alongside Montenegro's international partners in order to "preserve national interests".

Abazovic told reporters he hoped it would diminish "malign influences" in Montenegro.

Local media reported that police detained six Russian diplomats and up to 30 Russian citizens with temporary residency permits, alongside two Montenegrin citizens, on suspicion of working for Russian intelligence.

Abazovic recently visited the United States, where he spoke of the "economic and political" influence wielded by Russia and China in his country.

Despite nurturing historical ties with Moscow, relations between Montenegro and Russia cooled down after the Balkan nation joined NATO in 2017, and adopted Western sanctions against the Kremlin following Russian President Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine.
By Republican standards, Rep. Lee Zeldin of Suffolk County competes for governor this fall as an ideal candidate.

He's an Army veteran of the Iraq War and a four-term incumbent from vote-rich Long Island. He proved himself by winning June's difficult GOP primary, while his Jewish background appeals to a key New York constituency. And he identifies as a tough-on-crime critic of incumbent Democrat Kathy Hochul's embrace of bail reform and other programs, even picking a former NYPD police captain  Alison Esposito  as his running mate.

Poll finds Hochul holding 17-point lead in race for governor Incumbent Democrat Kathy Hochul holds a strong 17-point lead over Republican challenger Lee Zeldin in the contest for governor of New York, according to a new Siena College poll.

But a new Siena College poll released Wednesday underscores what may prove Zeldin's fundamental problem: He's a Republican in overwhelmingly Democratic New York.

And though party leaders insist his emphasis on fighting crime will carry the day, the new Siena survey shows him trailing Hochul 54-37% six weeks before Election Day.

Meanwhile, relentless Hochul ads link him to former President Donald Trump in a state where Siena finds the former president extremely unpopular; his unfavorable rating is 63%. Now the candidate Republicans placed such high hopes in faces a daunting uphill battle. Siena spokesman Steven A. Greenberg notes Zeldin has slipped among Republicans, is overwhelmed by Democrats, and narrowly leads independents  none of which bodes well for success.

"Unfortunately for him, he's fallen short on three fronts," Greenberg said. "And the fact that Lee Zeldin is down five points in the (downstate) suburbs and up only one point upstate is disastrous because he's getting clobbered in New York City."

Siena found Hochul dominating 70-20% in New York City, where former Gov. George E. Pataki frequently attained the 30% mark. Pataki's 2002 victory was the last statewide for a Republican. And Greenberg noted Wednesday that even while Hochul features Zeldin in just about all her ads, the Republican is so far failing to make an impression.

"It's six weeks from Election Day and 36% do not know Lee Zeldin or never heard of him," Greenberg said. "You've got more than one-third of the electorate asking, 'Lee Who?' Virtually all of Hochul's ads have been about Zeldin and you've still got 'Lee Who?' "

In addition, Zeldin's hope of gaining more exposure through a series of debates has been stymied by Hochul's insistence on only one event on Oct. 25 in New York City, and the governor maintains a significant advantage that will raise the funds for even more ads.

The Zeldin campaign did not return calls seeking comment. But state Republican Chairman Nicholas A. Langworthy says other public and internal polls rate the contest closer, thinks Hochul feels threatened enough to be "hiding from voters and running nasty attack ads," and reiterates the campaign's top themes.

"This election is a referendum on the failed Cuomo-Hochul regime that has made New York unaffordable, unsafe and corrupt," Langworthy said in a statement. "Lee needs to continue talking about his message of reversing New Yorks decline by repealing bail laws, cutting taxes and spending, and bringing integrity back to state government. We dont need a poll to show that voters are fed up and demanding change.

But even veterans of New York Republican campaigns now question if any Republican  especially one like Zeldin, who voted against certifying Joe Biden's presidential victory over Trump  can win statewide as did Pataki in 1994, 1998 and 2002. Thomas F. Doherty Jr., a key player in the Pataki victories and now a partner in the Mercury Public Affairs strategy firm, says New York Republicans of 2022 hold far different views than those who voted for his former boss.

"That's partly because New York Republicans have bought into Donald Trump and the national Republican message," he said, noting that even while Pataki was considered conservative and campaigned on cutting taxes, he favored major environmental programs and abortion rights.

"Republicans need to nominate someone like George Pataki, but that person couldn't win a primary," Doherty said. "Not just in New York; it's a national problem because gerrymandering has set up districts where you can only win from the far left or the far right."

Few Republicans have run statewide in ways similar to Pataki, Doherty said, and none have won statewide. He says the party's standard-bearers may mimic Trump in many ways, but end up losing.

"They live in all these social media chat rooms where they don't look at the numbers," he said, noting the need for the GOP to respect same-sex marriage, abortion rights and welcome Hispanics into the party if they are ever to win the state again. Pointing to polls showing overwhelming pro-choice sentiment in New York, Doherty said Zeldin played into Democratic hands by supporting the U.S. Supreme Court ruling overturning Roe v. Wade earlier this year.

"The numbers don't lie," he said.
The Hague, Sept 29 (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 29th Sep, 2022 ) :Rwandan tycoon Felicien Kabuga played a "substantial" role in the 1994 genocide that shocked the world, prosecutors said at the opening of his trial in The Hague on Thursday.

Once one of Rwanda's richest men, the 87-year-old Kabuga used his vast wealth to set up hate media that urged ethnic Hutus to kill rival Tutsi "snakes" and supplied the murderous Interahamwe militia with machetes, the prosecution said.

The wheelchair-bound Kabuga himself refused to appear for his trial at the UN's International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals due to a dispute over his lawyer.

"Kabuga didn't need to wield a rifle or a machete at a roadblock, rather he supplied weapons in bulk and facilitated the training that prepared the Interahamwe to use them," prosecutor Rashid S. Rashid told the court.

"He didn't need to pick up a microphone to call for the extermination of the Tutsi on the radio, rather he founded, funded and served as president of... the radio station that broadcast genocidal propaganda across Rwanda."After decades on the run, Kabuga was arrested in France in 2020 and sent to a UN court to face charges over the killing of 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus.
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FAISALABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 28th Sep, 2022 ) :Adoption of modern technology was imperative to ensure food security during coming days, said Prof Dr Iqrar Ahmad Khan, Vice Chancellor University of Agriculture Faisalabad.

During a meeting here on Tuesday, he said that the situation of food instability would worsen if modern technology was not adopted in agriculture. In this connection, the agriculture university had joined hands with the Superior University for collaborate efforts to commercialize UAF innovative agri technologies.

He said that Special Technology Zone Authority had declared UAF as an Agri Tech Park to fulfill the dream of increase in per acre yield with the help of innovative ideas, technology and tangible research work.

Executive Director Office of Research, Innovation & Commercialization (ORIC) Superior University Madam Ayesha Zahid said that efforts were afoot to collaborate with entrepreneur organization for commercialization of the UAF innovative products.

The best investors of Pakistan would be invited to commercialize UAF innovative technology, she added.

The meeting was attended by Director ORIC UAF Dr Zahir Ahmad Zahir, Dean Food Nutrition & Home Sciences Prof Dr Masood Sadiq Butt, Principal Officer Public Relations & Publications UAF Prof Dr Muhammad Jalal Arif, Director Planning & Development UAF Irfan Abbas and In-charge business Incubation Center UAF Imran Munawar.
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LUHANSK (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 29th September, 2022) The agreement on the accession of the Luhansk People's Republic (LPR) to Russia is almost ready and is being finalized, the LPR envoy to Russia has told Sputnik.

LPR leader Leonid Pasechnik said on Wednesday that he had signed an appeal addressed to Russian President Vladimir Putin on the republic's accession as a new subject of Russia.

"A set of procedural actions must be carried out, the agreement must be signed, the international agreement on the accession (of the LPR to Russia). Its content is very important. There is no point in rushing it, it is now ready. As far as I know, its main provisions are now being finalized," Rodion Miroshnik said.

A referendum on the issue of joining Russia was held from September 23-27 in the Donetsk People's Republic, LPR, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia regions.
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WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 29th September, 2022) US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin discussed with his Danish counterpart e Morten Bodskov the recent attacks on the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines near the Danish island of Bornholm, Defense Department spokesperson Patrick Ryder said.

"Secretary Austin offered his full support to Denmark as it begins to investigate the explosions. The United States remains committed to Baltic Sea Security and its longstanding ally, Denmark," Ryder said on Wednesday.

Both officials agreed to continue working together as this situation unfolds, Ryder added.

On Tuesday, Swedish authorities said they detected explosions in the Baltic Sea that later turned out to have damaged both pipelines. Polish and other countries' officials have said the explosions were deliberate acts of sabotage. A new pipeline was unveiled on the same day carrying gas from Norway to Poland and beyond, but a significantly smaller quantity than what was provided by the Nord Stream pipelines.
MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 29th September, 2022) The Iraqi Foreign Ministry handed a note of protest to the Iranian Ambassador in Baghdad over the ongoing shelling of Iraqi Kurdistan from Iranian territory, Iraqi Foreign Ministry spokesman Ahmed Al-Sahhaf said on Thursday.

"The Iranian ambassador in Baghdad was summoned and handed a hard-hitting protest letter due to the continuous bombing operations on areas in the Kurdistan region," Al-Sahhaf told the Iraqi news Agency.

On Wednesday, an Iraqi security source told Sputnik that as a result of an attack by the Iranian armed forces on the facilities of the Kurdistan Freedom Party in Erbil province, four party members were killed and over 20 were wounded.

According to the source, the Iranian armed forces used artillery and drones for strikes.

On Thursday, Iraqi media reported that the Iranian armed forces had resumed shelling of one of the districts north of the city of Erbil, but there were no reports of casualties.

The Kurdistan Freedom Party, based in the city of Erbil in northern Iraq, also operates in Iran, where it is considered a terrorist organization. According to Iranian media reports, on Monday, the ground forces of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps launched a new round of operations against the positions of Kurds in Iraq.
Nearly 400 staff at BBC World Service will lose their jobs as part of a cost-cutting programme and move to digital platforms, the broadcaster announced on Thursday, paring down its Iranian-language service among others

London, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 29th Sep, 2022 ) :Nearly 400 staff at BBC World Service will lose their jobs as part of a cost-cutting programme and move to digital platforms, the broadcaster announced on Thursday, paring down its Iranian-language service among others.

The BBC, which marks its centenary next month, said its international services needed to make savings of 28.5 million ($31 million) as part of wider reductions of 500 million, which unions blamed on the UK government.

In July the broadcaster detailed plans to merge BBC World News television and its domestic UK equivalent into a single channel to launch in April next year.

BBC World Service -- one of the UK's most recognisable global brands -- currently operates in 41 languages around the world with a weekly audience of some 364 million people.

But the corporation said audience habits were changing and more people were accessing news online, which along with a freeze on BBC funding and increased operating costs meant a move to "digital-first" made financial sense.

"Today's proposals entail a net total of around 382 post closures," the public service broadcaster said in an online statement.

Eleven language services -- Azerbaijani, Brasil, Marathi, Mundo, Punjabi, Russian, Serbian, Sinhala, Thai, Turkish, and Vietnamese -- are already digital only.

Under the restructuring plans they will be joined by seven more: Chinese, Gujarati, Igbo, Indonesian, Pidgin, urdu and Yoruba.

Radio services in Arabic, Persian, Kyrgyz, Hindi, Bengali, Chinese, Indonesian, Tamil and Urdu will stop, if the proposals are approved by staff and unions.

No language services will close, the broadcaster insisted, although some production will move out of London and schedules would change.

The Thai service will move to Bangkok, the Korean service to Seoul and the Bangla service to Dhaka.

The "Focus on Africa" television bulletin will be broadcast from Nairobi, it added.

BBC World Service director Liliane Landor said there was a "compelling case" for expanding digital services, as audiences had more than doubled since 2018.

"The way audiences are accessing news and content is changing and the challenge of reaching and engaging people around the world with quality, trusted journalism is growing," she added.

- Government criticised - The head of the broadcasting union Bectu, Philippa Childs, said they were disappointed at the proposed changes.

"While we recognise the BBC must adapt to meet the challenges of a changing media landscape, once again it is workers who are hit by the government's poorly judged political decisions," she said.

The government's freezing of the licence fee which pays for BBC World Service had created the funding squeeze and the need for cuts, she added.

Bectu will push for staff to be redeployed where possible and to ensure it "mitigates the needs for any compulsory redundancies", Childs said.

BBC World Service is funded out of the UK licence fee -- currently 159 for a colour tv and payable by every household with a television set.

The BBC has faced repeated claims from right-wingers since the UK's divisive Brexit referendum in 2016 of political bias, and pushing a "woke", London-centric liberal agenda.

But it has faced similar accusations of political bias in favour of the right from the left.

The government announced a freeze on the licence fee in January, in what was seen by critics as an attempt to save the then-prime minister Boris Johnson's job.

At the time Johnson was facing mounting claims of wrongdoing in office, which ultimately forced him to resign.

Ministers claimed the funding model needed to be revised because of technological changes, including the uptake of streaming services, as well as increases in the cost of living.

Opposition parties however said the monthly payments -- equivalent to some 13.13 -- were small change compared to energy bill increases totalling thousands of Pounds a year.

The culture secretary at the time, Johnson loyalist Nadine Dorries, had previously accused the BBC of "tokenism" in diversity hiring and elitist "group think" but denied wanting to dismantle the corporation.
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MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 30th September, 2022) Bulgarian parliamentary candidate Ivan Kalchev posted a video on his social media on Thursday, in which he splashed red paint on the signboard of the Russian embassy in the capital city of Sofia.

The recording showed how Kalchev with a can of paint slowly walked up to the wall of the embassy and threw its contents onto the signboard. All this happened in front of a police officer, whose post is located at the entrance to the diplomatic mission. During the wrongdoer's actions, the officer was talking on the phone and did not interfere in any way.

According to Bulgarian media, Kalchev recently returned to his homeland from Ukraine, where he fought as a foreign mercenary.

Bulgaria, a member of the EU and NATO, will hold early parliamentary elections on October 2, which will be the fourth in less than two years amid a political crisis.

In April, a similar action was held by former deputies of the Bulgarian People's Assembly Nikolay Hadjigenov and Arman Babikyan. Then the police detained both of them and initiated pre-trial proceedings against politicians for hooligan actions. However, the case was closed because the action was qualified not as hooliganism, but as a political act.
The family of Joyce Echaquan, an Indigenous woman who died in 2020 at a Quebec hospital as she was mocked by the staff, is suing the hospital and the involved staff for C$2.7 million ($2 million), Global News reported on Thursday

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 29th September, 2022) The family of Joyce Echaquan, an Indigenous woman who died in 2020 at a Quebec hospital as she was mocked by the staff, is suing the hospital and the involved staff for C$2.7 million ($2 million), Global news reported on Thursday.

According to the report, Joyce's family is suing a Joliette hospital, and all the personnel involved in the incident surrounding her death.

The lawsuit was filed by Patrick Martin-Menard, the legal representative of the family, who said this was about rendering justice for the loss of the family member, the report added.

In September 2020, Echaquan, 37, recorded herself from her bed at a hospital located in the city of Joliette as the nurse and her assistant were making disrespectful comment at her. The mother of seven passed away shortly after the incident.

On Wednesday, the family marked two years since her death.
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MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 29th September, 2022) Japan, South Korea, and the United States will hold joint tactical naval exercises in the Sea of Japan on Friday to strengthen cooperation between the navies of the three countries, the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) said on Thursday.

"The JMSDF will conduct a trilateral exercise with the US Navy (USN) and the Republic of Korean Navy (ROKN) in order to strengthen cooperation and to realize a 'Free and Open Indo-Pacific," the Japanese navy said in a statement, adding that the exercises are also aimed at working out countermeasures against submarines.

According to the statement, the Japanese Asahi-class destroyer, the US aircraft carrier Ronald Reagan, the US destroyers Barry and Benfold, the US missile cruiser Chancellorsville, and a US nuclear-powered general-purpose attack submarine, as well as the South Korean Mun Mu Daewang combat ship will take part in the exercises.
Russia will annex four regions of Ukraine that its troops occupy at a grand ceremony in the Kremlin on Friday, Moscow said, after President Vladimir Putin threatened he could use nuclear weapons to defend the territories

Moscow, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 29th Sep, 2022 ) :Russia will annex four regions of Ukraine that its troops occupy at a grand ceremony in the Kremlin on Friday, Moscow said, after President Vladimir Putin threatened he could use nuclear weapons to defend the territories.

The threats have not deterred a sweeping Ukrainian counter-offensive, which has been pushing back Russian troops in the east and is on the doorstep of the Donetsk region town of Lyman that Moscow's forces pummelled for weeks before capturing this summer.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that the annexation of these four areas would be formalised at a ceremony in the Kremlin and that Putin would deliver a "major" speech.

The Russian leader himself then blamed the conflict in Ukraine on the West and said simmering conflicts in the ex-USSR were the result of the Soviet collapse.

The rhetoric built on his now famous phrase that the collapse of the USSR was a tragedy and he has recently suggested Moscow should extend again its influence over the former Soviet region.

"It's enough to look at what's happening now between Russia and Ukraine and what is happening on the borders of some other CIS countries," Putin told security chiefs from former Soviet countries.

- 'Soviet collapse' - "All this, of course, is the result of the collapse of the Soviet Union," he said.

The Kremlin-installed leaders of the four regions that pleaded to Putin for annexation this week were gathered in the Russian capital Thursday ahead of the ceremony.

Their nearly simultaneous requests came after they claimed residents had unanimously backed the move in hastily organised referendums that were dismissed by Kyiv and the West as illegal, fraudulent and void.

Ukraine after the so-called referendums said the only appropriate response from the West was to hit Russia with more sanctions and to supply Ukrainian forces with more weapons to keep reclaiming territory.

"Ukraine cannot and will not tolerate any attempts by Russia to seize any part of our land," President Volodymyr Zelensky said.

The Ukrainian leader on Thursday called an "urgent" meeting of his national security council on Friday, his spokesman said, after the Kremlin announced the timing of the annexation ceremony.

The four territories -- Kherson and Zaporizhzhia in the south; Donetsk and Lugansk in the east -- create a crucial land corridor between Russia and the Crimean peninsula, annexed by Moscow in 2014.

Together, all five make up around 20 percent of Ukraine, whose forces in recent weeks have been clawing back ground.

In the south, Ukrainian forces have been wresting back territory near Kherson and residents of recently recaptured villages described to AFP journalists this week months of terror under Russian occupation.

"They robbed and humiliated us," 72-year-old Maria Syzhuk said in the village of Vysokopillya, echoing with the dull thuds of artillery from both sides -- mostly in the distance, but sometimes a little too close.

Kyiv's army in particular has been progressing in the eastern Kharkiv region and recapturing territory in Donetsk. Military observers say Kyiv's forces are close to capturing Lyman.

"At the moment, our units are managing to repel all attacks," a Russian-backed official in the Donetsk region, Alexei Nikonorov, told state tv on Thursday.

- 'I don't want to kill people' - Moscow's forces are striking back along the entire frontline and officials in Kyiv said Thursday that Russian bombardment had killed three in the Dnipropetrovsk region, five in Donetsk and wounded seven in the Kharkiv region.

Along with threats to use nuclear weapons, Putin announced a mobilisation of hundreds of thousands of Russian men to bolster Moscow's army in Ukraine, sparking demonstrations and an exodus of men abroad.

Finland's Vaalimaa crossing has been flooded with new arrivals recently and has grown more precarious after Helsinki announced it would close its border from midnight to Russians holding European tourism visas for the Schengen zone.

"I just made it through, I don't know how the others will get through. It's sad, sad," Andrei Stepanov, a 49-year-old Russian, told AFP of Finland's new restrictions.

On a bright morning in Mongolia's capital Ulaanbaatar, a young Russian fleeing Moscow's first military call-up since World War II had a stark answer for why he had left: "I don't want to kill people." "It was very difficult to leave everything behind -- home, motherland, my relatives -- but it's better than killing people," the man in his 20s told AFP, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Russia's move to annex the Ukrainian territories was met with the announcement from the United States of a new package of weapons and supplies worth $1.1 billion, including precision rocket systems, ammunition, armoured vehicles and radars.

And the European Commission proposed fresh sanctions targeting Russian exports worth seven billion Euros, an oil price cap, an expanded travel blacklist and asset freezes.
The North Tonawanda City Market, Robinson Street and Payne Avenue, will mark a banner year with celebration and recognition ceremony at 10:30 a.m. Saturday.

In a press release, North Tonawanda Mayor Austin J. Tylec noted that the market this year has seen street and sidewalk improvements, installation of a building mural and a veterans' wall and a record number of shoppers.

In addition, he noted, it recently was ranked as the second-best farmers market in New York State and the 13th best in the nation. It is open year round.

Tylec and City Market manager Chris Delprince was give recognition to all who helped in the improvements, along with market vendor Senek Farms of Ransomville, which is celebrating its 100th anniversary.

The program also will feature music from North Tonawanda Police Officer Ben Pasiak and his band, shopping bag giveaways to the first 200 shoppers sand $10 Double Up Food Bucks as part of Double Up Awareness Week for recipients of SNAP benefits.
MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 29th September, 2022) The recent incident on the Nord Stream gas pipelines took place in an area controlled by the US intelligence, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Thursday.

"Now, about where it happened  this is the trade and economic zone of Denmark and Sweden.

.. These are the very NATO-centric countries stuffed with US weapons, these are the very countries completely controlled by the US intelligence. They are absolutely and definitely under the control of the US intelligence, which has been completely monitoring the situation there," Zakharova told the Soloviev Live YouTube show.
MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 30th September, 2022) The work of the consular section of the Russian Embassy in Montenegro has been suspended indefinitely due to hostile actions of the republic's authorities, the Russian diplomatic mission in Podgorica said on Thursday.

Earlier in the day, the Montenegrin Foreign Ministry announced that it was expelling six Russian diplomats amid an anti-espionage action unfolding in the republic. The Russian Foreign Ministry told Sputnik that Moscow would respond to the expulsion of its diplomats.

"We are sorry to inform you that due to the hostile actions of the Montenegrin authorities against the Embassy of the Russian Federation in Montenegro the work of the consular department of the Embassy is suspended from September 30, 2022 for an indefinite period.

For consular services, please contact the embassies of the Russian Federation in neighboring countries," the mission said in a statement.

Earlier in the day, the Vijesti newspaper reported, citing sources, that several Montenegrin citizens were allegedly detained in Podgorica on Thursday on suspicion of spying for Russia. Montenegrin Prime Minister Dritan Abazovic confirmed the detentions and searches of several citizens.
MURMANSK (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 29th September, 2022) Several demonstrators are trying to break into the Iranian embassy in the Norwegian capital of Oslo, the police said on Thursday.

"Several people are trying to break into the Iranian embassy in Oslo.

Many people are behaving aggressively and violently," the police said on Twitter, adding that law enforcement officers have enough capabilities to confront the demonstrators.

Norwegian newspaper VG reported that about 100 people took part on Thursday in an unplanned demonstration in front of the Iranian embassy. The newspaper added that the demonstrators were behaving aggressively and throwing stones in the direction of the building.
DUSHANBE (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 30th September, 2022) Tajikistan has sent 1,000 tonnes of wheat flour to Afghanistan, the UN World food Programme (WFP) told Sputnik on Thursday.

"On behalf of president Emomali Rahmon, the Tajik government has sent 1,000 tonnes of wheat flour to Afghanistan through the UN WFP as humanitarian aid," the organization's representative said, adding that humanitarian aid has been distributed among more than 120,000 low-income residents and those in need.

Tajikistan was the first state to offer its territory for the transportation of humanitarian cargo to Afghanistan. On November 26, 2021, with the support of the government of Tajikistan, a ceremony was held on the occasion of the beginning of the provision of humanitarian assistance by the WFP to the crisis-hit country. A batch of 2,500 tonnes of wheat flour was delivered to the Afghan province of Badakhshan through checkpoints on the Tajik-Afghan border.
WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 29th September, 2022) Hurricane Ian continues to batter Florida and is threatening the states of North and South Carolina, but has weakened to a category 3, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) said in advisories.

Earlier, when Ian made landfall as a category 4 hurricane, maximum sustained winds had reached 140 miles per hour, according to the advisory issued by the NOAA / National Weather Service agency.

However, the NHC said the storm has weakened to a category 3 in an advisory at 8:00 p.m. EST and winds had died down to 115 mph.

Ian however continues to batter the Florida peninsula with catastrophic storm surge, winds, and flooding, the agency added.

New watches and warnings have been issued for North and South Carolina, the NHC said.

"Further weakening is expected for the next day or so, but Ian could be near hurricane strength when it moves over the Florida East coast tomorrow, and when it approaches the northeastern Florida, Georgia and South Carolina coasts late Friday," the release added.

The NHC also warned that a few tornadoes are possible later tonight across east central Florida.

Meanwhile, North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper declared a State of Emergency in advance of Ian's "remnants moving through the state," his office said in a statement.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis at a press briefing said at least 26 states are sending assistance to the state in Ian's aftermath.

DeSantis said Alabama sent Blackhawk helicopters to assist while Tennessee and Louisiana sent resources to aid search and rescue efforts.

Almost 1.5 million customers have no power as of early evening on the US east coast, the poweroutage.us web tracker said Wednesday.

Authorities in Collier County, on Florida's west coast, announced that beginning at 10:00 p.m. EST (2:00 GMT on Thursday) a mandatory curfew will be put in place until 6:00 a.m.

US President Joe Biden called mayors from cities around Florida to discuss the Federal government's support for the state, the White House said.
NOVOSIBIRSK (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 29th September, 2022) Russia's Gamaleya Research Center for Epidemiology and Microbiology intends to launch the preclinical trials of its coronavirus vaccine based on the messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) technology by the end of 2022, the center's deputy director, Denis Logunov, said on Thursday.

On Wednesday, he said that the research center had begun the development of an mRNA vaccine against COVID-19 and was working on the use of the mRNA platform for therapeutic purposes.

"We plan to enter preclinical trials, at least in part of the platform, by the end of this year," Logunov told reporters.

In 2023, the center plans to use the mRNA technology in the development of vaccines against tick-borne encephalitis, influenza and some other infections, as well as expand the production capacity to the level of "official toxicology and clinical trials," he added.

The development of the mRNA platform is an essential healthcare task to ensure Russia's safety, the scientist believes.

"In terms of the scientific component and the effectiveness of what we see, we (the Gamaleya-developed mRNA vaccine) are no different from Pfizer and Moderna," he said.

The mRNA vaccines can be administered more often than vector vaccines that can be injected only once in six months, Logunov explained on Wednesday.
(@FahadShabbir)

Senior US representatives have discussed regional cooperation with the top diplomats and officials from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyztan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan during the 77th annual session of the UN General Assembly in New York, the US State Department said on Wednesday

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 28th September, 2022) Senior US representatives have discussed regional cooperation with the top diplomats and officials from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyztan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan during the 77th annual session of the UN General Assembly in New York, the US State Department said on Wednesday.

"On September 22, during the 77th annual session of the UN General Assembly, foreign ministers and representatives from the United States, the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, the Republic of Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and the Republic of Uzbekistan met to discuss regional cooperation and continued engagement through the C5+1 diplomatic platform," the State Department said in a statement.

The officials discussed the benefits of their countries' partnership and emphasized the continued commitment to uphold the UN Charter, the statement said.

"The participants also emphasized the importance of maintaining peace and security, as well as resolving disputes through diplomatic means," the statement added.

In addition, the countries reiterated the importance of engaging in greater cooperation and highlighted the importance of the C5+1 Working Groups on Economy, Energy and Environment, and Security meeting on a regular basis, according to the statement.
(@ChaudhryMAli88)

The United States on Thursday announced $810 million in new funding for Pacific Islands at a summit with President Joe Biden amid inroads by China in the strategic but sparsely populated region

Washington, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 29th Sep, 2022 ) :The United States on Thursday announced $810 million in new funding for Pacific Islands at a summit with President Joe Biden amid inroads by China in the strategic but sparsely populated region.

The White House said $600 million will be in the form of a 10-year package to clean up dirty waters to support the tuna industry, while the United States will also expand climate assistance, development aid and its diplomatic presence.

Biden later Thursday will address a first-ever Washington summit of Pacific Island nations, including 12 heads of state or government, in hopes of using a personal touch to reconnect with a region that has been tied closely to the United States since World War II.

With the United States often seen as taking the region for granted, China has asserted itself strongly in recent years through investment, police training and, most controversially, a security pact with the Solomon Islands.

The Biden administration also announced that the United States would recognize Cook Islands and Niue, a self-governing territory whose foreign and defense policies and Currency are linked to New Zealand.

The step will allow the United States to increase its diplomatic presence in the Cook Island and Niue, which have fewer than 20,000 inhabitants but constitute a sprawling economic zone in the South Pacific.

Launching a new strategy for engagement, Biden also designated a veteran US ambassador in the region, Frankie Reed, as the first-ever US envoy to the Pacific Islands Forum.

The United States recently announced the restoration of an embassy in the Solomon Islands, amid the heavy presence of China, and the White House said Thursday that US embassies would also open in Tonga and Kiribati.

The US Agency for International Development will open a Pacific regional mission in Fiji by September 2023 and Peace Corps volunteers will return to Fiji, Tonga, Samoa and Vanuatu and possibly the Solomon Islands, the White House said.

sct/bgs
(@FahadShabbir)

A US grand jury on Thursday unsealed an indictment charging Russian tycoon Oleg Deripaska and three co-defendants with various charges, including conspiracy to violate sanctions on Russia, destruction of records, and making false statements, among others

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 29th September, 2022) A US grand jury on Thursday unsealed an indictment charging Russian tycoon Oleg Deripaska and three co-defendants with various charges, including conspiracy to violate sanctions on Russia, destruction of records, and making false statements, among others.

"On or about April 6, 2018, the United States government imposed sanctions on Russian citizen Oleg Vladimirovich Deripaska, ..., the defendant, and a company he controlled called 'Basic Element'," a court document said. "Yet for over four years afterwards, and in violation of those sanctions, Deripaska continued to retain Olga Shriki and Natalia Mikhaylovna Bardakova, ..., the defendants, to provide hundreds of thousands of Dollars worth of services for his benefit in the United States."
Karnes Center Hosts Annual Day of Sharing for Teachers

Thu, 09/29/2022 - 09:05am | By: Karelia Pitts

The Frances A. Karnes Center for Gifted Studies hosted its annual Day of Sharing for Teachers on Saturday, Sept. 10 in the Center for Faculty Development at The University of Southern Mississippi (USM).

Teachers of gifted students from 28 different schools across the state gathered to hear speakers from the Mississippi Department of Education (MDE), USM School of Education, World Class Teaching Program at USM and the Karnes Center.

It was so wonderful to host our Day of Sharing in person again this year, said Dr. Heather Houston, director of the Karnes Center. What started in 1982 as an opportunity for teachers of gifted students to come together to exchange ideas and gain inspiration has grown into one of our favorite events annually. During the COVID-19 pandemic, we connected through a virtual format. Theres just something special about the creativity and energy that flows when were together in the same room though, so it was good to be back!

Teachers earned continuing education units for attending. The sessions covered a variety of topics relevant to gifted educators, including service learning, collaboration and leadership strategies, National Board Certification, teacher effectiveness and gifted regulations.

The Day of Sharing is a great opportunity for gifted teachers to collaborate with their colleagues to enhance their toolbox in developing metacognitive skills of intellectually gifted and talented youth, said Mat Sheriff, MDE's state gifted coordinator.

MDEs gifted support specialist, Lorie Sisk, also presented to the group on creative ideas for meeting gifted outcomes.

It was so great to see teachers enjoying making new connections with each other, along with the presenters and staff in attendance, Sisk said. Days like that fill me with excitement knowing we were able to invigorate educators who serve the gifted children of Mississippi!

The Karnes Center was established in 1979 through the efforts of Dr. Frances A. Karnes to bring the educational needs of gifted students in Mississippi to the forefront of educational policy development through advocacy, research and provision of services for high-ability students. Hosting the annual Day of Sharing remains central to the Centers mission by providing teachers of gifted students with access to the most advanced teaching methods and an exclusive community of educators with shared goals, experiences and challenges.

Sometimes I feel isolated being the only teacher of the gifted on my campus, so it was amazing to feel connected to a community, said Patrick Quinnelly of the Lamar County School District.

Plans are already underway to ensure next years event provides teachers of gifted students with new information and inspiration to take back to their classrooms. For more information about the Karnes Center and their upcoming events, visit Karneskaleidoscope.blog.
Lake Erie rebounded after being declared dead in the 1960s because of pollution controls that were put in place in the Clean Water Act.

But today, the assessment of the ecosystem for Erie, one of the smallest of the Great Lakes, is poor. And the State of the Great Lakes Report by the U.S. and Canadian governments deems Ontario fair, but improving.

As a community we should all be mad. We should be demanding better for our region, said Kerrie Gallo, deputy executive director of Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper.

On the 50th anniversary this year of the Clean Water Act and the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement between Canada and the United States to restore and protect the Great Lakes, the health of the Great Lakes as a whole is deemed fair and unchanging.

The health of the Great Lakes is the subject of a forum held by the United States and Canada in Niagara Falls, Ont., this week.

And yet, there have been some improvements over the past five decades. The water is drinkable and the amount of toxic chemicals has declined.

There's good news, but it is coupled with the sobering reality that we have significant problems that linger, said Brian Smith, associate executive director of Citizens Campaign for the Environment. We have much more work to do. We have to keep making these investments in restoration if we want to make the lakes fully, truly drinkable, fishable and swimmable.

While western states are facing drought, Buffalo sits on the edge of about one-fifth of the worlds water supply. The five Great Lakes have 94,250 square miles of water, 10,210 miles of shoreline and make up 84% of North Americas surface fresh water, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.

More than 30 million people live on the Great Lakes, including about 10% of the U.S. population.

While chemicals such as mercury and PCBs have declined in the lakes, high concentrations of nutrients, mostly from agricultural runoff, are affecting them.

There are still significant challenges, including the impacts of nutrients, especially in Lake Erie and localized areas, and the impacts of invasive species, the Great Lakes report states, adding, Climate change is already exacerbating some threats.

The report looked at the safety of drinking water; swimming and eating fish; levels of toxic chemicals; wetlands and native species; nutrients; non-native and invasive species; groundwater; and land use changes.

The report states Lake Ontario is showing improvements with fewer beach closings and a decline in concentrations of contaminants in fish. It was given good assessments for drinking water and swimming, but it got a poor assessment on invasive species. All other indicators were considered fair.

Lake Erie scored a good rating in two categories: drinking water and ground water. Swimming, consumption of fish and harmful pollutants are rated as fair.

Erie got a poor rating for supporting healthy and productive habitats to sustain native species; being free from nutrients that promote unsightly or toxic blooms; and being free from invasive species and from other substances, materials or conditions that may negatively affect the Great Lakes.

Harmful algal blooms resulting from high concentrations of nutrients occur regularly in the western basin of Lake Erie during the summer months. These blooms can produce toxins, which are harmful to humans and wildlife, the report said.

These are signs, Gallo said. We should be paying closer attention to what is happening in the western and central basins.

Lake Erie is rated poor and unchanging for nutrients, and both Erie and Ontario are rated poor and deteriorating for invasive species.

Thats extremely concerning. Where do you go from poor? Gallo said. Do we want to be dead again? Nobody wants to be dead when it comes to Lake Erie.

But its not all bad. Lake Erie supports the largest self-sustaining population of walleye in the world, according to the report, and the number of invasive adult sea lamprey is below the target.

There has been close to $5 billion of investment to the Great Lakes, said Laura Rubin, director of Healing Our Waters Great Lakes Coalition.

Thats huge, thats really important, she said, adding, not everybody has benefitted equally from those investments.

Rubin, who is one of the presenters for the Niagara Falls forum on the Great Lakes, said the coalition wants to make sure that future investments address impacts of climate change and are directed to communities that are most affected by the climate.

There have been improvements locally, such as the cleanup of the Buffalo River, and the improvements coming to Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Centennial Park that include softening the shoreline to protect the park from high lake levels and severe weather.

And there is the opportunity to build on the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative  which led to the Buffalo River renaissance  with the bipartisan infrastructure bill, which triples funding to the restoration initiative.

We have a lot of opportunity, but are we going to be able to make the changes and adjustments that are needed quickly enough to mitigate this declining trend were seeing? Gallo said.

Were truly blessed to have the Great Lakes in our backyard. I think weve really recognized that by making those huge investments to protect them. We have to continue, otherwise we will have wasted our time and investment, Smith said.
USM Research Development Director Offers Testimony on Emerging Technologies before Congressional Committee

Thu, 09/29/2022 - 16:30pm | By: Van Arnold

Dr. Henry Jones testified before a Senate committee regarding the importance

of investing in emerging technologies across the country.

Dr. Henry L. Jones, Director of Research Development and Scientific Entrepreneurship at The University of Southern Mississippi (USM), provided testimony regarding the importance of investing in emerging technologies across the country before a U.S. Senate committee on Thursday, Sept. 29 in Washington, D.C.

Jones testified before a full hearing called by Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and Sen. John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Chair of the Space and Science Subcommittee. The hearing, titled: Securing U.S. Leadership in Emerging Compute Technologies highlighted the continued significance of three key technology areas in the recently passed CHIPS (Creating Helpful Incentives to Produce Semiconductors) and Science Act of 2022. These areas include artificial intelligence (AI), quantum information science (QIS), and distributed ledger technologies (DLT).

Applications in these fields are already or have the potential to transform not only computation but also the agriculture, healthcare, industrial, transportation, and national defense sectors, with further social, ethical, and legal implications.

Jones notes that the CHIPS and Science Act includes components that will yield big wins for Mississippi, primarily due to the leadership of Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss), a ranking member of the Commerce Committee, ensuring the nations technology investments take advantage of the states cultural, geographical, and socioeconomical diversity.

If government program managers have not seen the innovation underway on our Gulf Coast, for example, they might think that Boston or San Francisco is a safe bet  and miss out on the effective, economical, productive ecosystems that build up our resiliency and innovation, said Jones.

Others testifying before the committee included:

Dr. Nancy Allbritton, Frank and Julie Jungers Dean College of Engineering Dean, University of Washington

Mr. Jack Clark, co-Founder, Anthropic

Mr. William B. (Trey) Breckenridge III, Director of High Performance Computing, High Performance Computing Collaboratory (HPC2), Mississippi State University

Mr. Steve Lupien, Director of Center for Blockchain and Digital Initiatives, University of Wyoming, College of Business

Dr. Bob Sutor, Vice President, Corporate Development, ColdQuanta.

As an entrepreneur and investor, Jones has an extensive background in helping create companies in Silicon Valley, Chicago, Mississippi, and Alabama. After earning a Ph.D. in aeronautics and astronautics at Stanford University, Jones lived in Silicon Valley during the 90s Dot Com boom. Using science developed in a Mississippi State University lab and the U.S. governments Landsat 7 satellite, Jones created his first company which developed cutting-edge online products for forestry.

Before assuming his current role at USM, Jones served for six years as an adjunct professor at the University. He has served the past 16 years as an adjunct assistant professor of mechanical engineering at the University of Mississippi.

From the start of my career, I have seen what academia and government and industry can do together, Jones told the committee.

Jones stressed that government has found it difficult to keep pace with advances in technology. He noted that unexpected innovations come from unconventional connections. In his testimony, Jones explained:

The latest data-driven research in innovation is finding that cross-pollination of ideas from very different fields is how great leaps forward take place. EPSCoR, the Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research, enables this type of progress by bringing together universities and their individual innovators and exposing them to unfamiliar concepts in multiple ways. I serve on a statewide EPSCoR board because it makes sense for our universities to work together. What I observed is that the real potential of EPSCoR is its creation of new relationships, better communications between institutions at the faculty level, and policy changes that align incentives for working together, all to create a long-lasting environment of unconventional collaborations.

Jones expressed to the committee that diversity is a national resource for resilience. He shared that his friends at the big tech giants like Microsoft and Amazon have seen the competitive necessity of a diverse workforce.

Conforming cultures lead to groupthink and being blindsided by unconventional ideas, Jones testified. These companies are seeking diversity in every dimension it can be achieved, yet are struggling most in one particular area  enough trained U.S. citizens. I am sure we have enough capable U.S. citizens, but we are missing something in the early stages of the educational pipeline.

To illustrate his point, Jones told the committee about a childhood friend and fourth-generation logger whose son is highly proficient in computer programming.

Said Jones, This family doesnt know what a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) career looks like or how to afford a technical education. Luckily, we now have him on a path to maximize his innate skills and interests. But through this experience I am discovering that there are generational and socioeconomic barriers to STEM futures that can feel insurmountable.

He continued, Our University has recently modified our computer science curriculum to incorporate industry certifications as milestones within our degree programs in case a student cant put four years of courses together at once. Our Center for Military Veterans, Service Members and Families introduces veterans to resources within higher education, and also prompts the academic community to make changes to welcome these potential students who arent coming directly from high school. Academic has more innovation we can do.

Jones appearance marked his first time to testify before a congressional committee and he deemed it an honor to serve as a representative for USM.

This opportunity would not happen without the work of Senator Wicker and his staff to express Mississippis interest in this bill, or without the long-term impact that USM has provided for our state and region, he said.

For more insight, access Dr. Henry Jones's Written Testimony for U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce.

About The University of Southern Mississippi

The University of Southern Mississippi (USM) is a comprehensive public research institution delivering transformative programs on campuses in Hattiesburg and Long Beach, at teaching and research sites across the Mississippi Gulf Coast, as well as online. Founded in 1910, USM is one of only 146 universities in the nation to earn the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Educations "R1: Doctoral Universities  Very high research activity designation, and its robust research enterprise includes experts in ocean science and engineering, polymer science and engineering, and large event venue safety and security, among others. USM is also one of only 39 institutions in the nation accredited in theatre, art and design, dance and music. As an economic driver, USM generates an annual economic impact of more than $663 million across the state. USM welcomes a diverse student body of more than 14,000, representing more than 70 countries, all 50 states, and every county in Mississippi. USM students have collected four Truman Scholarships and 37 National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowships, while also leading Mississippi with 27 Goldwater Scholarships, an honor that recognizes the next generation of great research scientists. Home to the Golden Eagles, USM competes in 17 Division I sports sponsored by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). For more information, visit usm.edu.
Here are the value-added benefits you will receive from advertising with TV LATINA at MIP CANCUN: This edition will be extensively distributed at the Moon Palace Resort Hotel during MIP Cancun. The November print edition of TV Latina will be mailed to our extensive circulation of media executives in Latin America, the U.S. Hispanic market and Iberia. Your advertisement will also appear in the November digital edition of TV Latina, which will be sent out to approximately 35,000 media executives a week prior to MIP Cancun. You can see the MIP Cancun 2021 digital edition here. The digital edition will be extensively promoted in our newsletters, websites and social media handles before, during and after the event. Your company will also get an article up front in the magazine. The article includes a color image of a program, the headshot of your executive and his/her highlighted quote. We will also run your article in Diario TV Latina before the market. The article will also run on TVLatina.tv before MIP Cancun. You will receive invaluable social media exposure by having your article tweeted to @tvlatinas followers. You will also get your complete program listings in a digital edition of TV Listings, which will be available to our online database of 35,000 readers a week before the market. You can feature up to ten video clips in your own Screening Room for MIP Cancun on our video portal TVLatinaScreenings.tv for two months. We will also run your complete program listings in the TV Latina App, available for iOS and Android. Your companys product news will receive priority treatment in our English-language and Spanish-language online newsletters and websites. Please keep in mind we have the best articles, the best interviews, the best design, the best paper, the best printing, the best distribution and the best circulation. We hope the above proposal will give you the incentive to join the most important, respected and influential publishing group in international media. We can offer you the following options:  A single-page advertisement in the print and digital editions for US$2,000.

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Space Reservations..........October 26

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or Dana Mattison at dmattison@worldscreen.com.
WASHINGTON (AP)  The parallel special master process spawned by the FBI search of Donald Trumps Florida estate has slowed the Justice Department's criminal investigation and exposed simmering tensions between department prosecutors and lawyers for the former president.

As the probe into the presence of top-secret information at Mar-a-Lago continues, barbed comments in recent court filings have laid bare deep disagreements related to the special master's work  not just among lawyers but judges, too. And the filings have made clear that a process the Trump team initially asked for has not consistently played to the ex-president's advantage.

A look at where things stand:

WHO IS THE SPECIAL MASTER AND WHAT IS HIS ROLE?

A federal judge in Florida appointed at the Trump team's request an independent arbiter to inspect the thousands of documents seized from Mar-a-Lago and to weed out from the investigation any that might be protected by claims of either attorney-client privilege or executive privilege.

That arbiter, formally known as a special master, is Raymond Dearie. He's a former federal prosecutor who was appointed a U.S. District judge in Brooklyn by then-President Ronald Reagan. He also has served on the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court.

He was initially tasked by U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon, a Trump appointee, with reviewing all of the records taken from Mar-a-Lago. But a federal appeals court shrunk the scope of his duties last week, ruling that the Justice Department did not have to share with him the roughly 100 documents with classified markings that were taken during the Aug. 8 search. That leaves for his evaluation the roughly 11,000 other, unclassified documents  which a Trump lawyer said actually total roughly 200,000 pages  recovered by the FBI.

Cannon, meanwhile, has also reined in some of Dearie's work.

WHAT HAS HAPPENED SINCE THEN REGARDING CLASSIFIED DOCUMENTS?

The past week has revealed stark divisions in how both sides envision the process playing out, as well as the precise role the special master should have.

An early hint surfaced when the Trump team resisted Dearie's request for any information to support the idea that the documents had been declassified, as Trump has repeatedly asserted. A lawyer for Trump, James Trusty, said that inquiry was premature and a little beyond" what Cannon had in mind at the time she appointed the special master.

The following day, in a setback for the Trump team, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit overruled an order from Cannon that had temporarily halted the Justice Departments ability to use the seized classified documents in its probe. Besides restoring the department's access, the order also lifted Cannons mandate that investigators give the special master those records.

More conflict followed, this time related to the scanning and processing of non-classified government records that were seized.

Government lawyers revealed in a letter Tuesday that none of the five document-review vendors they had recommended for the job was "willing to be engaged" by the Trump team. The Justice Department said it was confident it would be able to secure the arrangements on its own while noting that it continued to expect the Trump team to pay.

But Trusty responded with his own letter Wednesday attributing the difficulty in securing a vendor to the sheer quantity of documents, which he said totaled roughly 200,000 pages  a number the Justice Department has not itself stated in court filings.

He said the department's deadlines for the production of documents was overly aggressive  It would be better to base deadlines on actual data and not wistful claims by the Government," he noted at one point  and scolded the department for what he said were antagonistic comments.

DOJ continues to mistake itself as having judicial authority. Its comments are not argument, but proclamations designed to steamroll judicial oversight and the Plaintiffs constitutional rights, Trusty wrote.

WHAT IS LIKELY TO HAPPEN NEXT?

The FBI's investigation took a major step forward when the appeals court lifted Cannon's hold on its ability to scrutinize the seized classified documents as it evaluates whether Trump or anyone else should face criminal charges.

Dearie's work as special master will continue alongside that probe, though there's little chance any action he takes at this point could substantially alter the outcome of the FBI investigation or affect major decisions that lie ahead.

But early disagreements between Cannon and Dearie over the scope of his duties also bear watching. For instance, Cannon on Thursday overturned a directive from the special master that would have required the Trump team to say whether it had any objections to a detailed FBI property inventory cataloging all of the items agents removed from the home.

That response could have been illuminating given that Trump and some of his allies have raised unsupported suggestions that the agents who searched his home may have planted evidence. If his lawyers were to affirm the inventory's accuracy, they would likely be contradicting their own client's claims while also acknowledging the presence of classified materials in the home.

The Justice Department this week made what it called minor revisions to the inventory, but said it was an otherwise full and accurate accounting of what was taken.

Yet newly disclosed correspondence showed the Trump team balking at being forced to assess the inventory's accuracy. Trusty said in a letter Sunday that the directive that it do so goes beyond what Cannon had envisioned when she appointed Dearie. Cannon herself agreed, canceling Dearie's requirement Thursday and writing that her appointment order did not contemplate that obligation.

The Justice Department, for its part, had earlier suggested that the Trump team should not be able to avoid stating its position on the record or following other of Dearie's directives.

The Special Master needs to know that he is reviewing all of the materials seized from Mara-Lago on August 8, 2022  and no additional materials  before he categorizes the seized documents and adjudicates privilege claims, the department said in one filing.

The letter Tuesday ended with this tart reminder to Trump and his lawyers: Plaintiff brought this civil, equitable proceeding. He bears the burden of proof."
GREENVILLE, S.C. (AP)  A man who sent threats and photos of a gun to an ex-girlfriend was shot and killed by deputies who were trying to arrest him Wednesday in the third deadly police shooting in South Carolina in four days, authorities said.

The man killed had a gun as the four deputies tried to take him into custody near a Greenville County apartment complex and several shots were fired, Greenville County Sheriff Hobart Lewis said at a news conference.

Investigators have not determined whether the man fired at officers, Lewis said.

The ex-girlfriend called deputies after receiving the gun photos, saying the former boyfriend had suddenly started contacting her again after they broke up, and officers were trying to arrest the suspect on unlawful communication charges, Lewis said.

The man tried to avoid deputies in the apartment complex parking lot, the sheriff said.

We do think from the erratic behavior inside the parking lot  he didnt know what he was going to be arrested for, but he knew law enforcement was behind him," Lewis said.

The Greenville County Coroner's Office identified the man killed as Terrance Maurice Sligh, 32, and said an autopsy would be conducted later this week.

Sligh was the third person shot by police in South Carolina the past four days. Deputies in Sumter County killed men in separate shootings on Sunday and Monday.

The State Law Enforcement Division is investigating all the shootings.
For Zaw Myint Thein, a farmer in northwestern Myanmar, having no internet in the area for more than a year causes many inconveniences - his son is unable to study, he can no longer sell his watermelon crops online, and he feels cut off.

"It's like my eyes and ears are closed," the 45-year-old said by phone from the Sagaing region.

But in this stronghold of resistance to the military junta that seized power in a coup early last year, the army-ordered internet shutdown - and sporadic cuts to mobile phone communications - puts lives on the line, Zaw Myint Thein said.

In May, he said junta forces ambushed a nearby village and killed nine villagers, adding that lives might have been saved if warnings of the impending raid had been able to reach them.

"They didn't get any information ahead of time."

Many people in Myanmar rely on Facebook Messenger or WhatsApp to communicate, partly because they see them as being more secure than talking on their mobiles.

In nearby Ayadaw Township, where the internet connection has also been severed, 42-year-old Thin Thin gave a similar account in relation to attacks by junta forces in August.

"The villagers didn't know because the internet was shut down. They only found out when the soldiers arrived," she said by phone.

Shutting down the internet was one of the army's first moves after it ousted the country's elected government on Feb. 1, 2021, unleashing a wave of mass protests that the military sought to quell with a bloody crackdown on dissent.

Since then, internet blackouts and disruptions have become a staple of Myanmar's junta, which U.N. human rights experts have dubbed a "digital dictatorship".

Online access to information is "a matter of life and death" for those fleeing attacks by the military, they said in June, calling the internet shutdowns an effort to "drag Myanmar back to a digital dark age".

A spokesman for the military junta did not respond to requests for comment. In the past, it has declared any opposition to it illegal and says the military is seeking to restore order in the country.

'ATROCITIES'

Governments around the world are increasingly using internet restrictions during political unrest as a tool to limit free expression and hide human rights abuses, digital rights groups say.

Myanmar imposed more internet shutdowns than any country except India last year, with 15 blackouts, according to the Access Now group. In some areas such as Sagaing the blackouts continue.

The shutdowns limit citizens' ability to organise, upload videos of protests and report air strikes on civilians or unlawful killings and arrests, campaigners said.

In the most serious cases, internet shutdowns are used to "cover up human rights violations and atrocities", said Wai Phyo Myint, Asia-Pacific policy analyst at Access Now.

While the internet has been restored in the commercial capital of Yangon and other areas under military control, blanket bans continue in conflict zones, like Sagaing, where a parallel administration declared a "people's defensive war" in 2021 to overthrow the junta.

Junta leaders have ordered telecommunications companies to shut off mobile and wireless internet - the only kind available in most parts of the country - targeting places in the countryside where a resistance movement has built up. Phone links are also sometimes snapped.

At least 54 of Myanmar's 330 townships are currently affected by internet blackouts, according to Access Now. This also hampers the transit of food and other basic goods.

"Bus and truck drivers can't get information about which roads are safe," said Wai Phyo Myint.

"This disrupts delivery of basic goods like food ... in some regions, basic medicine is running out."

'FACEBOOK IS DANGEROUS'

Last year's shutdowns cost Myanmar's economy about $2.8 billion, according to Top10VPN, an internet freedom advocacy group, and even for those living in areas that are back online, hurdles remain.

Just before the coup, 24-year-old entrepreneur Khin had invested most of her savings  nearly $4,000  in a small business selling incense, candles and aromatic inhalers via Facebook.

But the junta continues to block access to websites and social media platforms, including Facebook - a primary channel for sharing information as well as doing business in the country of 55 million people.

"I was reliant on Facebook for marketing and sales," Khin told the Thomson Reuters Foundation in a voice message from Thailand, where she moved last year and is trying to relaunch her business.

"When they started restricting the internet and social media, it really impacted a lot on small businesses," she said, asking for her full name not to be used.

Junta spokesperson Zaw Min Tun told a press briefing recently that Myanmar would start its own social media platform because "Facebook is dangerous and treats us unfairly".

Many in Myanmar use virtual private networks (VPNs) to get around the bans on social media sites, and to hide their identities. But they risk being arrested if security personnel find VPNs or banned social media sites on their mobile phones.

The junta, which controls all of the country's four main telecommunications companies, has also forced internet service providers to raise data prices, and imposed new taxes on data and SIM cards, making internet access unaffordable for many.

For many people, the worst thing is not being able to keep in touch with friends and family.

Nway, a 30-year-old teacher who was forced to flee the country after joining anti-coup protests, can only speak to her mother when a neighbour is available to help her by using a VPN, as that is cheaper than calling direct.

"I can't go home, so I want to be able to see my mother through the internet," said Nway, using a pseudonym to protect her identity. "But internet restrictions are too bad."

Before the coup, Nway was a public school teacher in the Bago region, north of Yangon. Like hundreds of thousands of others, she joined the mass strike of civil servants against the junta.

When the army discovered she was secretly teaching students outside the military-run schools, she was forced to flee abroad or be arrested. Since then, Nway has struggled to find work.

"Not having regular contact with my mother is the worst thing for me," she said.
Kenyas newly elected President William Ruto, who talked tough on China while campaigning, has reversed his stance on Beijing since taking office.



We cherish the robust friendship that Kenya enjoys with China. We will step up and expand these relations, on infrastructure, agriculture, education, among other broad array of issues for the mutual benefit of our countries, Ruto said when he met with Liu Yuxi, Chinas special representative on African affairs, shortly after taking office.

During his campaign, Ruto ran on an anti-China platform, vowing to deport Chinese nationals doing jobs he said should be reserved for Kenyans, promising to make opaque government contracts with Beijing public and pledging to cut borrowing.

Only a few months ago, at a June economic forum, Ruto was reported as saying, Chinese nationals are roasting maize and selling mobile phones. We will deport all of them.



The language of his new administration, however, contrasts sharply with the strident tones he used on the campaign trail.



Last week, National Assembly speaker Moses Wetangula met with Beijings ambassador to Kenya, Zhou Pingjian, and he assured him of Kenyas continued cooperation.

"China is one of the most important national development partners for Kenya and has in the last decade extended considerable support to our infrastructure development, he said in a statement. Wetangula also assured him that the new administration of President William Ruto has no plans whatsoever to scale down Kenyas collaboration with Beijing.



[I am] delighted that China is also seeking to further enhance our strategic economic partnership, and people-people relations, he added.

China is Kenyas biggest bilateral lender and has been responsible for major infrastructure projects, including the recently opened Nairobi Expressway and the controversial and expensive Chinese-built Standard Gauge Railway, which links the capital with the key port city of Mombasa.



Former President Uhuru Kenyatta had signed deals with Beijing on infrastructure projects to develop Kenya, resulting in Kenyan debt to China in the billions of dollars. Ruto was Kenyattas deputy. The two men had a falling out, and during the campaign Ruto made a point of trying to distance himself from his boss and alleged corruption.

'More pragmatic' situation



The about-face in the new administrations position on China since taking office is a typical case of the reality of politics winning the day, according to analysts.



It was entirely predicted and predictable that President Ruto would resile and soft-pedal on his initial Chinese comments, Aly-Khan Satchu, a political economist in Nairobi, told VOA. I think weve just returned to a more pragmatic policymaking situation. You cant upset one of your biggest creditors.



Adhere Cavince, an independent Kenyan analyst and China specialist, echoed this view, saying: Whatever happened in the campaign doesnt seem to hold a lot of water, especially now that he has won the seat and he has the responsibility to govern the country. Campaigning is quite different from governing and sometimes the dynamic drastically changes.



It is clear that William Ruto does not intend to reduce or scale down cooperation between Kenya and China, he added.

Cavince said a number of factors could account for the change of heart, including the fact there are 400 Chinese companies operating in the country employing tens of thousands of Kenyans, and China is the East African countrys biggest trading partner.



While a large trade imbalance exists between the two, China has made efforts recently to offset them, allowing more exports from Kenya, including of the countrys avocados.



There are also growing cultural ties between the two, with more and more young Kenyans going to China to study, Cavince said.



And he noted its not only about Kenya needing China.



Kenya presents a very formidable gateway into the east and central Africa regions, the markets.  Theres an incentive for China to court Kenya, so it is not a one-way street, he said.



Chinese President Xi Jinping sent Ruto a message of congratulations shortly after he won the election in August.

I attach great importance to the development of China-Kenya relations and stand ready to work with President Ruto to advance the development of the China-Kenya comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership to the benefit of the two countries and two peoples, said Chinas leader.

One policy reversal



Theres one election promise Ruto was swift to keep and put into motion, though, despite the fact it could prove unpopular with Beijing. He reversed one of his predecessors most controversial policies.



During his presidency, Kenyatta had transferred cargo-clearing operations to the Nairobi and Naivasha inland container depots from the coastal city of Mombasa.



Traders had to use the Chinese-built Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) to ferry goods to Nairobi and Naivasha, with the government saying it was a faster way of transporting goods and would decongest the port of Mombasa.



Some say Kenyattas move was motivated by the need to boost traffic on the railway and drive revenue for debt repayment to China. His decision cost thousands of jobs in Mombasa, but with Rutos reversal of the policy, critics worry the debt repayment burden for the $3.6 billion SRG will now fall on the Kenyan taxpayer.



Now importers and their customers are being given the liberty to choose the mode of transport they prefer  that means the SGR has to become more efficient and competitive rather than getting favors from government, said Cliff Mboya, a Kenyan researcher at the China Global South Project think tank.



That means that [Ruto] is willing to do the right thing, whether it works for China or not, and that is telling, he added.



But in terms of one of Rutos other major campaign promises  to publish private contracts with China  Mboya said he doubted the president would be able to make it happen.



Even if he wants to do it, it wont be easy. It would be a serious diplomatic crisis, said Mboya. I know that senior Chinese government officials have already intimated that publishing these contracts goes against the contractual agreements.
A court in military-ruled Myanmar sentenced ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi and Australian economist Sean Turnell to three years in prison Thursday for violating the countrys Official Secrets Act. Both were detained in February 2021 when the military seized power.

Suu Kyi and Turnell, who pleaded not guilty to the charge of violating the Official Secrets Act, faced a maximum sentence of 14 years in prison.

Their trial was held in secret. Aung San Suu Kyi has now been sentenced to more than 20 years in jail on a range of charges that her supporters claim are designed to keep her out of power.

State television in Myanmar -- also known as Burma -- has said Turnell, an Australian academic, had access to "secret state financial information" and had tried to flee the country.

In a statement, Australian Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong said Australia rejected the courts ruling and called for Turnells immediate release. Wong said that targeted economic sanctions against Myanmar were being considered.

Turnells friends were dismayed at his conviction.

Tim Harcourt, an economist at the University of Technology Sydney, said Turnell has been treated appallingly.

It is outrageous, he said. I mean, he has been jailed for basically doing his job as an economic adviser and he has been jailed for it. It is outrageous. I think three years is too long, three days is too long. At least there is a sentence. Then there is a possibility that he will get deported. So, we are hoping in the next few days the Burmese will come to their senses and put him on a plane to Bangkok and then back to Australia.

Suu Kyi, Turnell, and several others who are part of her economic advisory team, are among thousands detained since the military overthrew an elected government in Myanmar last February.

They include lawmakers, politicians, students and journalists.

Myanmars military authorities have insisted the Southeast Asian nations courts are independent and those facing charges are receiving due process.

In a statement, Turnells wife, Ha Vu, said the news of his three-year jail sentence was heartbreaking" and that he has worked tirelessly to strengthen Myanmar's economy.
One in 10 US households is food insecure  and that has been the case for decades. On Wednesday, in the first conference of its kind in 50 years, the White House convened experts to discuss how the worlds largest provider of international food assistance can better feed its own. VOA White House correspondent Anita Powell reports from Washington.
A Chinese billionaire, one of the richest people in the world, is heading to trial in Minneapolis to defend himself against allegations that he raped a former University of Minnesota student after a night of dinner and drinks in 2018.

Richard Liu, the founder and former CEO of e-commerce giant JD.com, has denied raping the woman, and prosecutors did not file criminal charges. The woman, Jingyao Liu, sued in civil court, alleging she was coerced to drink before Richard Liu groped her in a limousine and raped her in her apartment.

Both are expected to testify, and it will be up to a jury to decide who is telling the truth. Jury selection starts Thursday, with opening statements Monday.

I think our clients credibility is one of the strongest parts of what the jury is going to hear, said Wil Florin, an attorney for Jingyao Liu. The incredible courage and fortitude that this young lady has shown is truly admirable.

Diane Doolittle, an attorney for Richard Liu, said that the woman has changed her story and that the evidence will clear her clients name.

We are looking forward to presenting the evidence, presenting the truth, so that the world will know that Mr. Liu is fully and completely innocent of these allegations against him, she said.

The woman alleges the attack happened in 2018 while Richard Liu was in Minneapolis for a weeklong residency in the University of Minnesotas doctor of business administration China program, geared toward high-level executives in China.

Jingyao Liu, a Chinese citizen, was at the university on a student visa and was a volunteer in the program at the time. The Associated Press does not generally name people alleging sexual assault, but Jingyao Liu has agreed to be identified publicly.

Richard Liu and Jingyao Liu are not related. Jingyao Liu was 21 at the time; Richard Liu was 46.

Richard Liu is a celebrity in China, part of a generation of entrepreneurs who created the countrys internet, e-commerce, mobile phone and other technology industries since the late 1990s. Forbes estimated his wealth at $11.5 billion.

Richard Liu, who stepped down as CEO of JD.com this year amid increased government scrutiny of Chinas technology industry, was arrested on suspicion of felony rape, but prosecutors never filed criminal charges, saying the case had profound evidentiary problems.

Jingyao Liu sued Richard Liu and JD.com in 2019, alleging sexual assault and battery, along with false imprisonment.

The case drew widespread attention at a time when the #MeToo movement was gaining traction in China. Richard Lius supporters and opponents waged aggressive public relations campaigns on Chinese social media; censors shut down some accounts that supported Jingyao Liu for violating regulations.

Jingyao Liu says in her lawsuit that she had to withdraw from classes in fall 2018 and seek counseling and treatment. Her attorney says she has since graduated but has post-traumatic stress disorder. She seeks compensatory damages to cover medical bills, emotional distress and pain and suffering, and Judge Edward Wahl ruled she could also seek punitive damages from Richard Liu.

She is seeking more than $50,000, a standard figure that must be listed in Minnesota if a plaintiff intends to seek anything above that amount. She is expected to ask a jury to award much more.

According to the lawsuit, on the night of the alleged attack, Richard Liu and other executives went to a Japanese restaurant in Minneapolis, and one of the men invited Jingyao Liu at Richard Lius request. Jingyao Liu felt coerced to drink as the powerful men toasted her, and Richard Liu said she would dishonor him if she did not join in, she said in her lawsuit.

According to text messages reviewed by The Associated Press and Jingyao Lius interviews with police, she said that after the dinner, Richard Liu pulled her into a limousine and groped her despite her protests. She said he raped her at her apartment. She texted a friend: I begged him dont. But he didnt listen.

After police went to her apartment, Jingyao Liu told one officer, I was raped but not that kind of rape, according to police. When asked to explain, she changed the subject and said Richard Liu was famous and she was afraid. She told the officer that the sex was spontaneous and that she did not want police to get involved.

Officers released Richard Liu because it was unclear if a crime had actually taken place, according to police. In an interview later with an investigator, Richard Liu said that the sex was consensual and that the woman enjoyed the whole process very much.

According to police, Jingyao Liu told a sergeant she wanted to talk with Richard Lius attorney and threatened to go to the media if she did not. Richard Lius former attorney recorded the phone call, in which Jingyao Liu said that she didnt want the case to be in the newspaper and that I just need payment money and apologize and thats all.

That phone call will be allowed as evidence in the trial. The jurors will also be told that they may presume any electronic messages deleted by Jingyao Liu contained information unfavorable to her. Both pretrial rulings were considered wins for the defense.

Surveillance videos from the restaurant, its exterior and the halls of the womans apartment complex will be shown at trial. Richard Lius attorneys have said the video shows that Jingyao Liu does not appear to be intoxicated or in distress, as she initially claimed, and that she changed her story after the video surfaced.

She says in her lawsuit that she went to her apartment building with Richard Liu to be polite, and that she believed he was simply walking her to the door. Florin, Jingyao Lius attorney, intends to play body camera video from police that he says shows his client feared Richard Liu because he is powerful.

Insanely wealthy men, they always have the card that they play: Well, Im being accused of this because Im wealthy, Florin said.

What happened that night was an evening of consensual sex, Doolittle, one of Richard Lius attorneys, said. Mr. Liu regrets that, and he regrets being unfaithful to his wife.

The burden of proof is lower than in a criminal trial, and jurors need only find a preponderance of evidence in either sides favor, said Chris Madel, a Minneapolis attorney who isnt involved in the case.

If jurors proceed to considering punitive damages, that portion of the case requires a different standard of proof. To award punitive damages, jurors must find clear and convincing evidence that Richard Liu deliberately disregarded the rights or safety of others, Madel said.

After cases like this, Madel said, no matter how much evidence is presented, jurors will typically say: We just listened to him, we listened to her, and we made our minds up.
Ethiopias government-funded human rights commission says security forces killed dozens of civilians following clashes with rebels in the countrys Gambella region in June.

According to the state-appointed rights bodys report published Thursday, the killings happened after an hourslong gun battle June 14 between regional security forces and militants from the Oromo Liberation Army and rebel groups from the Gambella Liberation Front.

After the OLA and GLF militants withdrew from the city, Gambella regional security force members searched houses and targeted civilians whom they accused of harboring weapons and fighters, the rights commission said.

The 13-page report concluded at least 50 civilians were killed individually and in mass extrajudicial executions by regional security forces between June 14 and June 16.

The bodies were then buried en masse with relatives denied access to them, said the commission, which also found that security force members had looted homes.

At the time, a Gambella city resident told VOA that he could hear sporadic shooting from his home in the days following the rebel groups assault.

Abel Adane, the Gambella office head for the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission, said the killings took place in several locations across the city.

"Some people were killed at their homes, and some others were killed when they were walking on the streets of the town. For instance, one of the findings of our report is that one special force and city police of the regional government killed at least 11 civilians, all just in one house," said Adane.

Abel added that several other people were taken to the local police commission where they were subsequently killed.

The report from the human rights commission was based on interviews with 58 people, including eyewitnesses and relatives of victims.

It also concluded that the OLA and the GLF rebel groups killed seven civilians while in the city, adding that six more people died after they were caught in crossfire.

A message to a government spokesperson requesting comment went unanswered.

Gambellas regional police commission has said the rebels were responsible for the killings in the town.
Ron DeSantis used vulnerable and destitute Venezuelans who arrived in the U.S. fleeing the deprived and unlivable conditions of their despotic controlled homeland. Using lies and broken promises, he transported them with a blurred pledge of safety to Marthas Vineyard. That malicious stunt was intended to embarrass the elitist residents there and was a mean-spirited exploit designed to score political points with his election-denying MAGA enthusiasts.

Basic human decency has been stripped from some people by the fear mongering of Fox News and other right-wing media outlets who peddle fabricated caricatures of migrants as desperate criminals coming to America to sell drugs, rape, steal and take good paying jobs away from Americans.

Recently, the GOPs so-called Commitment to America, was spearheaded by House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy. Its a four-pronged pitch to voters with promises to produce the following:

An Economy thats strong. Where are the GOPs illustrious ideas for fixing a pandemic ravaged economy? Simply criticizing Bidens efforts isnt doing a damn thing for anybody.

A nation thats safe. Safe from all the overwhelming criminal activity in the Democrat run states or safe from police-beating insurrectionists who tried to overturn a free and fair election?

A future thats built on freedom. The freedom all American women just had taken away by a right-wing stacked SCOTUS denying them their right to choose?

A government thats accountable. Accountable for what? They remained silent and in lock-step with Trumps illicit activities going back to 2016. He repeatedly ridiculed and denigrated immigrants and raised untold millions to build a (non-existent) wall that ended up just being another Trumpian swindle that concluded with Steve Bannons conviction of defrauding donors who supported building that wall, a conviction that Trump pardoned.

The GOP is gone; they have mutated into rag-tag bunch of conspiracy theorists and liars who live in alternate realities  and they want to dictate new comprehensive immigration policies?

Go ahead and complain about undocumented immigrants coming to America, many of whom end up working in agricultural jobs. They make up an astonishing 73% of all farm laborers. Complain all you want about those immigrants  just dont do it with your mouth full.

James Galbo

Buffalo
When Mahsa Amini was detained in the Iranian capital for wearing her veil too loosely, her family sprang into action, calling relatives, friends, contacts  anyone who could help.

One of her cousins, Irfan Mortezai, living in neighboring Iraq, got the message from her distraught brother.

"She's been arrested by the morality police," the brother wrote to him from the family's hometown of Saqqez in mainly Kurdish western Iran.

Mortezai hadn't seen his cousin, who he refers to as Zhina, her Kurdish name, in years. Not since he fled his home country in 2020 to join Iranian Kurdish opposition groups based in Iraq's northern Sulimaniyah province. But he knew how important it was to try to reach her  he had been arrested in Iran and was in prison there two years before leaving the country.

He joined other family members in calling relatives and friends in Tehran in efforts to try to find a way to see her in custody during those fateful hours.

"We tried by every means to reach her, but the Iranian authorities did not let us," he told The Associated Press on Thursday. "I couldn't reach her."

A few days later, on September 16, word came that the 22-year-old Amini was dead.

What happened next stunned Mortezai and the rest of the family: Her death sparked large-scale protests across Iran that have captured world attention.

Women protesters in Iran and across the world made a show of taking off their headscarves and cutting their hair in solidarity with Amini.

Mortezai said the family is lying low amid the protests, wary of Iranian security agents, but that they are proud Amini has become "a symbol for standing up against injustice and oppression."

The family has said a witness told them that Amini was beaten while in custody and has blamed authorities for her death. Police said she had a heart attack and fell on the floor of the station and died after being in a coma for two days.

Iranian state TV has suggested that at least 41 protesters and police have been killed in the ensuing unrest. An AP count of official statements by authorities tallied at least 13 dead, with more than 1,400 demonstrators arrested.

Mortezai said he was shocked when the message came to him that his cousin was dead.

"I was full of anger, I didn't know what to do, I just wanted revenge, he said.

Mortezai, 34, is a member of Komala, one of several Kurdish opposition parties based in Sulimaniyah.

While his branch of the family is linked to opposition groups, Amini's side is not, he said.

"She was not political, her father is a normal government employee, and her mother is a housewife, they stayed away from (political) parties," he said.

The last time he saw Mahsa was at a family gathering at his aunt's home in the city of Saqqez, before his departure from Iran. They spoke on the phone not long after that. More recently, he had heard from her family that she had been accepted to a university to study law.

"She was beautiful, always smiling," he said. "Full of life."
The Finnish government announced it is closing its borders to Russians with European tourist visas effective at midnight Thursday night, after thousands of people streamed over their shared border with Russia in recent days.

At a news conference in Helsinki Thursday, Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto told reporters the government is taking the action because the current situation "endangers Finlands international relations." He said Finland had discussed the plan with Ukraine and other nations before making a decision.

Since last weeks announcement Russian President Vladimir Putin was seeking to "mobilize" 300,000 reservists for his war in Ukraine, nations sharing borders with Russia have seen thousands of Russian citizens entering their countries. Reuters news service reports Finland saw an 80 percent increase in border crossings.

Finland shares a 1,340-kilometer land border with Russia, and Haavisto said the mobilization announcement "had a significant impact" on the decision. He said Russias "illegal" annexation referendums in eastern Ukraine and the alleged sabotage of the Nord Stream gas pipelines in the Baltic Sea were also considerations.

But Haavisto says the measure was under discussion in Finland even before Putin's order due to the significant visits of Russian tourists during the summer, which caused controversy in Finland.

He said exceptions will be made for family visits, health, work or studies and humanitarian reasons.

The foreign minister said Finland will continue to work with the European Union on solutions to the border issues, adding it is important to strive for a more "unified line with Russia's Schengen and EU border neighbors."

Some information for this report was provided by the Associated Press, Reuters and Agence France-Presse.
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Why is Moscow choosing this particular time to hold so-called referenda in occupied territories on joining Russia? The United States announces a new tranche of aid for Ukraine. And protests in Russia against President Putins mobilization continue.
Oumy Diallo recalls the day she wanted to die. She was attending a pro-democracy protest in 2009 at a stadium in Conakry, Guinea, when a group of government security officials opened fire.

As she attempted to escape, shrapnel pierced her back and forced her to the ground. She felt a pair of hands grab her ankles, she said, then several men took turns raping her.

Could I even count? Could I even count? she said, trying to recall how many men raped her. I just wanted to die."

Diallo, whose name has been changed to protect her privacy, was among at least 100 women who were raped that day, according to a report by a United Nations-mandated international commission. At least 150 were killed.

Witnesses described horrific scenes: women being pulled from hiding places to be raped by multiple men, some people being knifed to death while others were shot, corpses piled on top of each other and draped over walls.



Following the attack, security forces sealed off the entrances to the stadium and morgues in an effort to cover up the crimes. Bodies were removed and buried in mass graves.



On Wednesday, exactly 13 years after the massacre, a trial accusing 11 former security and government officials of participating in the attack finally opened.

The 2009 protest, which drew tens of thousands of demonstrators, was organized in response to a presidential bid by Guineas then-military ruler, Moussa Dadis Camara.

Camara, who came to power in a 2008 coup, has since lived in exile in Burkina Faso, but returned to Guinea to stand trial. He has denied responsibility for the attack, placing the blame on errant soldiers.

One year before the incident, Diallo said she had easily gotten pregnant with her first child, a daughter. But she has since been unable to conceive. Now, at 34 years old, Diallo suspects its due to internal injuries sustained from the rape.

Back then, I didnt have the strength to explain what had happened to a doctor, so I self-medicated, she said as she listed off the painkillers and antibiotics she took. It wasnt until later that I realized I should have gone to the hospital. But by then it was too late.

Despite repeated commitments from Guinean authorities to seek justice for the victims, the trial has suffered from numerous delays and obstacles. In 2009, government inaction prompted an examination by the International Criminal Court (ICC), which has since pressured officials to make good on their promise.

Human rights abuses mounted under former Guinean president Alpha Conde, who was overthrown in a coup in September 2021. Guineas junta leader, Mamady Doumbouya, has expressed support for victims of the massacre and pushed for the trial to open before the 2022 anniversary.

But a ban on public protests persists, and in August the government dissolved the opposition coalition when it called for credible talks with Guineas transitional military rulers.

Guinea also continues to be plagued by high levels of sexual violence against women, according to a report released on the eve of the trial by Amnesty International. More than 400 cases of rape were recorded by Guinean police in 2021, and most of the victims were minors. But true figures are undoubtably higher, the report said.

Though Guinea recently established a specialized police unit to respond to sexual violence, cases are often settled out of court and perpetrators are rarely punished, according to the report. Furthermore, it said, officials are not adequately trained on how to respond to accusations of sexual assault.

When you want to file a complaint, some policemen will not really take you seriously or the victim will not be able to talk freely and in a confidential way, said Fabien Offner, a researcher for Amnesty International.

The cost of healthcare and the stigma associated with rape create additional barriers, he added.

The first day of the trial was broadcast live on national television and radio. A judge called each of the 11 men to the bar and read out their charges: murder, attempted murder, torture and rape.

That a military that had been brought to a stadium killed Guineans, raped Guineans, hurt Guineans  that that same government has recognized the actions committed by the state in front of the national and international community  that already is a good thing, said Mamadou Barry, secretary of the Association of Victims, Relatives and Friends of September 28, 2009.

While the simple recognition of the atrocities brings solace to many, others are demanding more.

Of course, the organization of a trial is a first step, said Amnestys Offner. But its not justice.

The trial will resume October 4.
Nearly 2 million people were without power and crews were preparing to conduct rescue efforts early Thursday as Tropical Storm Ian moved across the U.S. state of Florida.

Forecasters warned of life-threatening, record flooding in the central part of the state with the storm expected to emerge off the northeastern Florida coast into the Atlantic Ocean Thursday before making a second landfall in the southeastern United States.

The U.S. National Hurricane Center said it expects the storm to weaken throughout Thursday, but that it could be near hurricane strength again as it approaches South Carolina on Friday. Forecasters said northeastern Florida and coastal areas of Georgia and South Carolina could get 10 to 20 centimeters of rain, with higher amounts in some isolated areas.

The storm had maximum sustained winds of about 100 kilometers per hour early Thursday.

It came ashore earlier Wednesday near Cayo Costa as a strong category 4 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of nearly 250 kph, along with a powerful storm surge and heavy rains that combined to flood coastal areas.

State emergency officials said crews, including those working by land, sea and air, were ready to launch rescue efforts as day broke Thursday.

Photo Gallery: Hurricane Ian Swamps Southwest Florida Hurricane Ian, one of the most powerful storms ever recorded in the U.S., swamped southwest Florida, flooding streets and buildings, knocking out power to 2 million people and threatening catastrophic damage further inland. A coastal sheriffs office reported that it was already getting a significant number of calls from people trapped in flooded homes. Some video showed debris-covered water sloshing toward the eaves of homes. The hurricane made landfall Wednesday afternoon near Cayo Costa, a protected barrier island just west of heavily populated Fort Myers. Though expected to weaken to a tropical storm as it marches inland, Ians hurricane force winds are likely to be felt well into central Florida. Share on Facebook

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The Collier County Sheriffs Office said it carried out at least 30 rescue missions Wednesday and cautioned residents that Thursday was likely to be frustrating and heartbreaking for many as people began to assess damage from the storm. The county was one of several that instituted overnight curfews.

Well be there to help you clean up and rebuild, to help Florida get moving again, President Joe Biden said Wednesday. And well be there every step of the way. Thats my absolute commitment to the people of the state of Florida.

The White House said early Thursday that Biden approved a disaster declaration for Florida, clearing the way for federal aid to help people with temporary housing and home repairs, loans for uninsured property losses, and other forms of assistance. State and local governments can also get funding to help with infrastructure repairs.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis told reporters Wednesday the storm had done a lot of damage. He praised other states in the region and utility companies that sent crews to help restore power to affected areas.

More than 2 million residents on Floridas west coast were told to evacuate their homes ahead of the storm. Disney World, Universal Studios and SeaWorld are among tourist attractions that shut down their popular theme parks and resorts. The U.S. space agency, NASA, closed the visitors center at its Kennedy Space Center on Floridas eastern coast, and rolled its massive Artemis 1 moon rocket and Orion space capsule from its launch pad back to the Vehicle Assembly Building, further delaying its much-anticipated test flight by several more weeks.

Hurricane Ian earlier hit western Cuba, killing two people and leaving the entire island without power after its aging electrical grid, which has been struggling to remain operational amid a dire economic crisis, collapsed late Tuesday.

Ian left behind a trail of destruction across Pinar del Rio province, Cubas main tobacco-growing region, ripping the roofs off homes and buildings and making streets impassable because of downed trees and power lines, and flooding. Authorities evacuated as many as 40,000 people from low-lying areas of Pinar del Rio.

Some information in this report came from The Associated Press, Reuters and Agence France-Presse.
Officials in Iraqi Kurdistan say casualties from Irans missile and drone attacks in the region have risen to at least nine deaths and 32 injuries.

The Iranian Islamic regime, by attacking the headquarters of Kurdistan freedom forces, is seriously attempting to divert the attention of people away from the revolution that is currently under way in Iran and East [Iranian] Kurdistan, Khalid Azizi, the spokesperson of the opposition group Kurdistan Democratic Party of Iran (KDPI), told VOA.

This was expected, given the major damage the regime has suffered due to the civil movement inside Iran. It is the regimes longstanding strategy that whenever it faces a threat from inside, it makes a crisis in Yemen, Iraq, Lebanon, Syria, or somewhere else, added Azizi, who spoke at party headquarters in Koy Sinjaq, a town some 60 kilometers east of Erbil, where Iranian missiles left four KDPI fighters dead.

Iranian officials have denied the claim that the protests are a revolution, accusing the United States of supporting "rioters" to destabilize the Islamic Republic.

"Washington is always trying to weaken Iran's stability and security although it has been unsuccessful," Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Nasser Kanaani said.

VOA Kurdish stringers in the region reported similar attacks against the Iranian Kurdish Komala Party in Zirguez, about 15 kilometers outside of Sulaymaniyah, and the Kurdistan Freedom Party in Altun Kupri, some 40 kilometers north of Kirkuk.

Hussain Yazdanpana, head of Kurdistan Freedom Party, told VOA that the attack in Altun Kupri was conducted via 10 explosives-laden drones that targeted 10 of their bases, leaving at least three Peshmerga fighters killed.

Yazdanpana said, So far, three Peshmergas have been confirmed martyred, but the number will likely go up when more bodies are recovered from rubble.

Reactions

Irans state-run IRNA news agency confirmed the attacks, saying the countrys Revolutionary Guard targeted terrorists in Iraq with precision missiles and suicide drones.

The attacks have provoked strong condemnations outside Iran, with Iraq's Foreign Ministry saying it will summon the Iranian ambassador to deliver a diplomatic complaint.

The Kurdistan Regional Government has asked the federal government in Baghdad to fulfil its obligation of defending the countrys sovereignty.

In a statement, the United Nations mission in Iraq said the attacks need to cease immediately, adding that rocket diplomacy is a reckless act with devastating consequences.

U.S. State Department spokesperson Ned Price said the United States strongly condemns the attacks, which he described as an unjustified violation of Iraqi sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Iran has blamed Kurdish opposition groups of inciting chaos in the country by encouraging more anti-government protests in Kurdish cities and increasing militant activities on the Iran-Iraq border.

On Saturday, the Revolutionary Guards launched an artillery attack on the Kurdish militant bases on the border, causing no civilian casualties.

Speaking to VOA, Azizi, denied Iranian claims that the Kurdish opposition was behind the unrest in the predominantly Kurdish cities of western Iran.

What is happening in East Kurdistan and Iran is a spontaneous civil movement.  The Kurdistan Democratic Party of Iran has acted responsibly, Azizi said. The presence of our Peshmerga forces in the border region has in no way been to threaten or attack Iran.

Azizi added, We have repeatedly said the protests in Iran are civil and should continue in a peaceful way.

Anti-veil protests

The attacks targeting Iranian Kurdish militant groups in Iraq come as unrest continues across Iran over the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, a Kurdish woman.

According to data shared by Iranian state TV, at least 41 protesters and police have been killed, and more than 1,400 demonstrators were arrested during clashes across the country.

However, some Iranian human rights activists and journalists say the actual casualty figure is much higher.

Jila Mustajir, a member of Iranian Kurdish rights group Hengaw Organization for Human Rights, told VOA that more than 1,000 people have been arrested in Kurdish cities, with the Iranian security forces completely militarizing the city of Saqqez, where Amini is from.

Schools in Saqqez have been controlled by Iranian security forces, causing a delay in the start of a new school year. The forces are also in control of hospitals, which has prevented injured protesters from receiving treatment, Mustajir told VOA.

This story originated in VOAs Kurdish Service.
A top U.N. official last week said the syndicates running Asias massive online fraud industry will rotate operations among lawless areas of Southeast Asia unless governments cooperate to bring them down, after Cambodia said it was cracking down on cybercrime compounds.

The networks have swindled hundreds of millions of dollars, regional police have told VOA, setting up fake profiles offering romance, moonshot investment schemes with huge returns or posing as police officers to solicit payoffs. They target residents of countries from China to Taiwan, Vietnam, Thailand, the United States and Australia.

The response needs to be strategic and regional, because today it might be a location in Cambodia but tomorrow a group uproots under pressure and shifts to Myanmar, Laos or the Philippines, Jeremy Douglas, the Bangkok-based regional representative of the U.N. Office on Drugs and Crime told VOA.

Until governments across the region address, disrupt and police the places organized crime groups are using to run online casinos, scams and other illicit businesses, and in particular special economic zones and autonomous regions, the situation won't fundamentally change, he said.

Compounds for industrial-scale scamming in are operated in converted casinos in Sihanoukville, Cambodia, as well as special economic zones in Myanmar and Laos by Chinese gangsters who dominate regional gambling but lost their main income source during the pandemic, according to Douglas and victims who spoke to VOA.

The foot soldiers of the operations are young Chinese and Southeast Asians. Some joined willingly, many others thought they had obtained high-paying overseas work in call centers or online sales.

Malaysian, Taiwanese and Thai officials have said hundreds of their citizens remain trapped in a Myanmar border zone tied to scam operations, run by ethnic militias and beyond the law, despite its location a few hundred meters from Thailand.

Chou Bun Eng, vice chair of Cambodias National Committee for Counter Trafficking in persons, said Cambodia is a victim of sophisticated criminal gangs and is doing everything it can to put the syndicates out of business.

We began an operation on August 22 throughout the kingdom, she told VOA by phone.

We are aware that there are victims all over the kingdom in what is a new form of crime committed by foreigners.  Cambodia does not serve criminals, she said.

Social media videos since the crackdown have shown thousands of people apparently leaving several Sihanoukville megacompounds, in images shared by Douglas.

State media in China, the source of most of the workers and the biggest target, said the country is barring its citizens from traveling to Cambodia without good reason and warned telecommunications companies that they could be held responsible for scams carried out over their networks.

On Sept. 23, however, Cambodian authorities said at least one person had died after a boat carrying dozens of Chinese people sank on its way to Sihanoukville. Cambodian state media Fresh News said they had traveled from, Guangdong, hundreds of kilometers away. The incident is suspected of being tied to scam operations and now under investigation.

Ransoms and beatings

Disturbing testimony has emerged from scam agents who tried to leave the compounds, including reports of routine torture, sale to other networks and ransom payments required to gain freedom.

A 26-year-old Thai mother of three, told VOA she asked to quit her job in Manila after six days when she was forced to swindle women online.

She said she took an online sales job in early August, desperate for the $1,000 salary plus commissions. She said she soon realized her real job was to steal the identity of wealthy Thai men and persuade women looking for love to transfer money.

When she refused to work, she was taken to a room with others who had also refused.

One by one, they took us out to kick, punch, claw our hair and zap us with electric wire, she said, asking that her name not be used, out of fear of reprisal.

They forced the head of one of the older women underwater in the bathroom and then beat her some more.

It took another 14 days for her to get free with a $3,000 payment to break her verbal agreement and she returned to Bangkok on Aug. 27.

Once back, her boyfriend had to sell the equipment for his T-shirt business, sinking them further into money troubles, which had led to her leave Thailand in the first place.
NATO vowed retaliation Thursday for attacks on the critical infrastructure of its 30 member nations, while strongly suggesting the rupture of two Baltic Sea pipelines meant to send natural gas from Russia to Germany was the direct result of sabotage.

Ambassadors to NATO, the West's key military alliance, said in a statement, "Any deliberate attack against allies' critical infrastructure would be met with a united and determined response." They said four ruptures in the pipelines were of "deep concern."

NATO did not accuse anyone of damaging the pipelines but said that "all currently available information indicates that this is the result of deliberate, reckless, and irresponsible acts of sabotage. These leaks are causing risks to shipping and substantial environmental damage."

In Moscow, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Thursday that the ruptures in the Nord Stream pipelines would not have been possible without a state actor's involvement.

"It looks like a terror attack, probably conducted on a state level," Peskov told reporters. Russian President Vladimir Putin later told Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan that "international terrorism" was to blame.

"Judging by the amount of destruction of the Nord Stream, it's hard to imagine that such action could have been taken without a state involvement," Peskov said. "It's a very dangerous situation that requires a quick investigation."

Some European officials and energy experts have suggested that Russia likely carried out the attacks, to benefit from higher energy prices and to create more economic chaos in Europe for its support of Ukraine in fending off Russia's seven-month invasion. But other officials urged caution in assessing blame until investigators determine what happened.

Peskov characterized media reports about Russian warships being spotted in the area of the damaged pipelines as "stupid and biased," adding that "many more aircraft and vessels belonging to NATO countries have been spotted in the area."

The Swedish Coast Guard confirmed a fourth leak on the Nord Stream pipelines off southern Sweden.

"We have leakage at two positions" off Sweden, coast guard spokesperson Mattias Lindholm said, with two more off Denmark.

Two of the leaks are on the Nord Stream 1 pipeline, where the flow of gas was recently halted, while the other two are on Nord Stream 2, which has never been opened. Although they weren't running, both pipelines were filled with methane gas, which has escaped and is bubbling to the surface, probably until Sunday, according to energy experts.

The Danish and Swedish governments said they believed the leaks off their shores were the result of "deliberate actions."

Before the leaks became obvious, explosions were recorded. Swedish seismologists recorded a first explosion early Monday southeast of the Danish island of Bornholm, with a second, stronger blast northeast of the island that night, one that was equivalent to a magnitude 2.3 earthquake. Danish, Norwegian and Finnish seismic stations also registered the explosions.
Ukraine is again urging its companies and private organizations to immediately bolster their cybersecurity ahead of what could be a new wave of Russian attacks.

The Ukrainian government's Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-UA) published new recommendations Thursday, warning that its experts had identified software vulnerabilities that could allow Russian cyber actors to get deep inside a computer network.

The advisory further warned that the vulnerabilities could allow Russia to launch a renewed series of targeted cyberattacks on Ukraine aimed at disabling communication and information systems or designed to compromise and alter the information being processed.

"The risk of new attacks remains very high," Volodymyr Kondrashov, a spokesman for Ukraine's State Service of Special Communications and Information Protection, said in a statement, adding that for security purposes, "every single PC, every smartphone and every security circuit of a company or organization" should be viewed as part of the country's border.

Earlier this week, Ukraine's military intelligence agency formally warned that Moscow is planning to launch cyberattacks aimed, in combination with missiles strikes, at crippling Ukraine's energy sector.

Monday's statement followed warnings issued by top Ukrainian cyber officials earlier this month that Russia was looking to use cyberattacks to target critical infrastructure, and Ukraine's energy and financial sectors in particular.

"We saw this scenario before," Deputy Minister of Digital Transformation Georgii Dubynskyi told reporters on the sidelines of a cybersecurity conference in Washington. "They [Russia] are trying to find a way how to undermine, how to defeat our energy system and how to make circumstances even more severe for Ukrainians."

Dubynskyi also said Russia appeared to be developing cyberweapons that could be deployed not only against Ukraine but also against countries supporting Kyiv.

Despite Ukraine's warnings, several key U.S. officials have been more cautious in their assessments.

"Do we have particular indications of an increase in that way at this time? We don't," Deputy National Security Adviser for Cyber Anne Neuberger told VOA last week.

But she added that Russia's use of cyberattacks has been "a consistent part of Russia's war effort in Ukraine, so it's something we expect."

Moscow has consistently denied involvement in offensive cyberattacks, including some that targeted Ukraine on the eve of the Russian invasion.

U.S. military officials, however, have noted Russia's increasing willingness to target Ukrainian infrastructure, including power generation stations, with what one senior official described as "precision strikes."





Whether Russia is prepared to ramp up its cyber offensive in Ukraine and beyond, though, remains unclear.

"We don't know exactly where they [Russia] may go in the future in terms of this conflict," U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency Executive Director Brandon Wales told a forum in Washington on Thursday.

"Russia is behaving in a way in both the physical and cyber realms that are incredibly destructive," he said. "We need to be prepared for whatever they do next."

U.S. Representative Jim Langevin, a Democrat who has long been outspoken on issues related to cybersecurity, agreed.

"I'm not naive to think that Russia doesn't have strong cyber capabilities," he told the same conference. "We could see more effective or offensive cyber operations on their part going forward."

Patsy Widakuswara contributed to this report.
Pakistan is considering amending a landmark transgender rights bill passed in 2018 that some legislators and clerics argue contradicts Islamic teachings on gender identity.

Rights activists, however, say the law is being misunderstood and the misinformed debate against it is further endangering the transgender community.

Hailed as among the more progressive laws on transgender rights globally by the International Commission of Jurists, the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act gave transgender people in Pakistan the right to choose their gender identity as they perceived it themselves and to change it on previously issued government documents.

Opponents of the law claim the provision to choose or change ones gender is un-Islamic and could open the door to same-sex marriage, currently prohibited in Pakistan.

In the last two weeks, at least four trans women have been killed. Some trans-rights activists blame lumping transgender together with homosexuality for the renewed targeting of their community. Homosexuality is a punishable offense in Pakistan.

Hashtags such as amend trans act and take back the vulgar bill were recently trending on Twitter.

Senator Mushtaq Ahmad Khan, a member of the conservative political party Jamat-e-Islami, is leading the charge against the 2018 law. He told VOA that allowing citizens to choose self-perceived gender identity presents a danger to the family and inheritance systems, as it will open the door for 220 million people to choose to be anything.

Pakistan uses the Islamic system of inheritance, which divides assets among descendants based on their gender. Men get twice as much as women. The act stipulated that a person identifying as a trans man would also get twice as much as a trans woman.

2018 law

Pakistans 2018 law defines transgender as anyone with a mixture of male and female genital features or ambiguous genitalia, a person assigned male at birth but who has undergone castration, or any person whose gender identity or expression differ from their assigned sex at birth.

Khan told VOA he does not believe fully male or fully female persons should be given the right to choose their gender if their gender perception does not match their physical or sexual anatomy. Instead, they should seek psychological help, he said.

He said the law should only encompass those who cannot be categorized as male or female at birth based on their sexual or reproductive anatomy.

His proposed amendments to the 2018 law include establishing medical boards that conduct detailed exams and then advise what gender a person should be.

Transgender rights activists oppose examination by a medical board to determine sexual and gender identity. Speaking to VOA, activist Zanaya Chaudhry asked that since a medical exam is not required to determine a man or a womans gender identity, why is this discriminatory act being forced upon transgender people?

According to Chaudhry, the purpose of the 2018 legislation was only to protect the rights of transgender people, whom she said, were finally being accepted as human beings.

Harassment, death threats

Abandoned by families and relegated to mostly begging, dancing or sex work due to social stigma, transgender people in Pakistan routinely suffer harassment and many face death threats and fatal attacks.

According to data collected by the International Commission of Jurists and its partner organizations, at least 20 transgender people were killed in Pakistan in 2021.

Only a decade ago, in 2012, the countrys top court ruled that transgender people have the same rights as all other citizens and ordered that a third gender category be added to national identity cards.

That ruling paved the way for the 2018 legislation, which expressly prohibited discrimination against transgender people in educational institutions, workplaces and health care, and it guaranteed them a share in inheritance.

Human rights activist and lawyer Hina Jilani rejects the notion the 2018 law is against Islam. She told VOA its perplexing that a law that gave identity to a marginalized community and was passed by the parliament is being objected to now.

Some transgender rights activists, however, are also dissatisfied with the language of the 2018 law.

Speaking to VOA, transgender rights activist Almas Bobby lamented that the trans community is still heavily stigmatized and unable to avail basic rights. Bobby contended the number of real transgender people in Pakistan is quite small and that this law protects those who want to change their sex only because of a personal preference.

Like Khan, Bobby also believes that only those with ambiguous genitalia should be called transgender.

New proposals

This week, Fawzia Arshad, a senator from one of the most popular political parties, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI), also introduced a new bill to replace the 2018 legislation.

The proposals by senators Khan and Arshad focus on only protecting those with genital ambiguities and removing the clauses that allow a transgender person to choose their gender identity as they perceive it and spell their share in family inheritance.

The Senate chairman has forwarded the matter to the relevant standing committee for review.

The countrys religious court, known as Federal Shariat Court, is also reviewing arguments in favor of and against the 2018 law.

Earlier, the Council on Islamic Ideology, a constitutional body that reviews Pakistans laws in the light of the Quran and the Prophet Muhammads teachings, also declared the 2018 law un-Islamic for allowing one to choose self-perceived gender and gender reassignment.

While Pakistans law minister, Azam Nazir Tarar, has rejected the criticism of the law being un-Islamic as baseless propaganda, he has welcomed Khans proposed amendments, telling a press conference the word of the religious court will now be final.

In 2018, the transgender rights legislation passed with the support of all major political parties, although it was rejected by religious parties, including Khans Jamat-e-Islami.

In 2021, when Khan first raised the issue to amend the law, Shireen Mazari, then the human rights minister from the ruling party PTI, opposed the move.

Why is the issue now gaining traction? Khan said his consistent work on this matter is finally paying off.

Reporter Kashif Awan with VOAs Urdu service also contributed to this story.
Fortune Business Insights

According to Fortune Business Insights, the global Europe Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) Monitoring Solution Market Size is projected to reach USD 1,321.4 Million by 2029, at CAGR of 6.9% during forecast period 2022-2029

Pune, India, Sept. 29, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Europe Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) monitoring solution market size was valued at USD 779.0 million in 2021. The market is expected to grow from USD 830.6 million in 2022 to USD 1,321.4 million by 2029, exhibiting a CAGR of 6.9% during the forecast period. Increasing smart home constructions and the rising adoption of UN frameworks to reduce greenhouse gas emissions are expected to fuel market progress. Fortune Business Insights provides this information in its report titled Europe Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) Monitoring Solution Market, 2022-2029.

COVID-19 Impact:

Constant Demand for Optimum Air Quality Fueled Market Progress

The market was positively impacted during the COVID-19 pandemic due to the rising demand for optimum air quality as the sudden spike in COVID-19 infections contaminated the air. Furthermore, manufacturers opted for online retail to improve their sales and continue operations. Moreover, manufacturers opted for reduced capacities, advanced production techniques, and part-time shifts to enhance their growth prospects. These factors fueled the Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) monitoring solution industrys growth during the pandemic.

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Segments

Fixed Indoor Monitor Segment to Dominate Owing to Increasing Installations Across Industrial and Commercial Applications

By type, the market is segmented into portable indoor monitor and fixed indoor monitor. The fixed indoor monitor segment is expected to dominate owing to rising installations across industrial and commercial applications.

Residential Segment to Dominate Owing to Extensive Demand for Fresh Indoor Air Quality (IAQ)

Based on application, the market is segregated into government buildings, residential, commercial, industrial, and others. The residential segment is expected to dominate owing to extensive demand for fresh Indoor Air Quality (IAQ). Country-wise, the European market is clubbed into Germany, France, the U.K., Italy, Spain, Sweden, Russia, and the rest of Europe.

Story continues

Report Coverage

The report provides a detailed analysis of the top segments and the latest trends in the market. It comprehensively discusses the driving and restraining factors and the impact of COVID-19 on the market. Additionally, it examines the regional developments and the strategies undertaken by the market's key players.

Drivers and Restraints

Rising Pollution to Fuel Industry Growth

IAQ monitoring solution refers to the air quality around building structures. Rising air pollution worldwide is expected to fuel the demand for the monitoring solution. Furthermore, poor spaces, ventilation issues, and health concerns may lead to the industrys growth. Moreover, the increasing risks of pollution among children and the elderly population are likely to foster the adoption of Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) monitoring solutions. Also, rising indoor pollutants are expected to foster the adoption of air monitoring solutions. These factors may drive the Europe Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) monitoring solution market growth.

However, high production costs associated with the air monitoring solution may hinder the industrys growth.

Browse Summary of this Research Report:

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Regional Insights

Increasing Government Initiatives for Limiting Adverse Health Effects to Foster Growth in Germany

Germany is projected to dominate the Europe Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) monitoring solution market share due to rising government initiatives for limiting adverse health effects. The market in Germany stood at USD 172.5 million in 2021 and is expected to gain a huge portion of the market share in the coming years. Furthermore, the increasing demand for smart care products may propel the industry growth.

In Italy, the increasing development of the industrial sector is expected to foster the demand for monitoring solutions. Furthermore, rising demand for IoT-enabled IAQ sensors in commercial and residential applications is expected to propel the industry growth.

Europe Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) Monitoring Solution Market -Report Scope & Segmentation:

Report Attribute Details Market size value in 2022 USD 830.6 Million Revenue forecast in 2029 USD 1321.4 Million Growth Rate CAGR of almost 6.9% 2022-2029 Base Year 2021 Historic Years 2018 - 2020 Forecast Years 2022 - 2029 Segments Covered By Type, By Application, By Country Forecast Units Value (USD Billion), and Volume (Units) Quantitative Units Revenue in USD million/billion and CAGR from 2022 to 2029 Regions Covered North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa, Latin America and Rest of World Countries Covered Unites States, Canada, Mexico, Unites Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, China, India, Japan, South Korea, Brazil, Argentina, GCC Countries, and South Africa, among others Number of Companies Covered Testo SE & Co. KGaA (Germany), Airthings (Norway), 3M (U.S.), Vaisala (Finland), Honeywell International (U.S.), InsightAir (Bulgaria), IOT Factory (Belgium), ENVIRA IOT (Spain), Aeroqual (New Zealand), ROTRONIC AG (Switzerland) Europe Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) Monitoring Solution Market Coverage Market growth drivers, restraints, opportunities, Porter's five forces analysis, PEST analysis, value chain analysis, regulatory landscape, market attractiveness analysis by segments and region, company market share analysis, and COVID-19 impact analysis. Customization Scope Avail customized purchase options to meet your exact research needs.





Competitive Landscape

Major Players Announce Novel Products to Elevate their Brand Image

The prominent companies operating in the market announce novel products to elevate their brand image. For example, ENVIRA IOT announced its novel IAQ device in September 2020. This device showcases the transmission risk index by determining environmental conditions. It offers healthy air and monitors air quality. This strategy may allow the company to elevate its brand image and attract more consumers. Furthermore, companies devise research and development, mergers, acquisitions, partnerships, and automation to boost their market position globally.

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Key Industry Development

August 2021- Envira IoT partnered with Sinay to expand its presence in France and offer wireless monitoring air quality networks.

List of Key Players Profiled in the Report

Testo SE & Co. KGaA (Germany)

Airthings (Norway)

3M (U.S.)

Vaisala (Finland)

Honeywell International (U.S.)

InsightAir (Bulgaria)

IOT Factory (Belgium)

ENVIRA IOT (Spain)

Aeroqual (New Zealand)

ROTRONIC AG (Switzerland)

Table of Content:

Introduction Definition, By Segment Research Methodology/Approach Data Sources

Executive Summary

Market Dynamics Macro and Micro Economic Indicators Drivers, Restraints, Opportunities and Trends Impact of COVID-19 Short-term Impact Long-term Impact

Competition Landscape Business Strategies Adopted by Key Players Consolidated SWOT Analysis of Key Players Europe Indoor Air Quality Solutions Key Players Market Share Insights and Analysis, 2021

Europe Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) Monitoring Solution Market Size Estimates and Forecasts (Quantitative Data), By Segments, 2018-2029 Key Findings By Type (USD Mn) Fixed Indoor Monitor Portable Indoor Monitor By Application (USD Mn) Residential Commercial Industrial Government Buildings Others By Country (USD Mn) Germany By Application Residential Commercial Industrial Government Buildings Others France By Application Residential Commercial Industrial Government Buildings Others United Kingdom By Application Residential Commercial Industrial Government Buildings Others Italy By Application Residential Commercial Industrial Government Buildings Others Spain By Application Residential Commercial Industrial Government Buildings Others Sweden By Application Residential Commercial Industrial Government Buildings Others Russia By Application Residential Commercial Industrial Government Buildings Others Rest of Europe



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The environmental group Greenpeace Africa has released a report saying planned oil and gas exploration in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo could expose more than 1 million people to pollution and disease.

The planned selling of 30 eastern land blocks that extend into a famous gorilla reserve would also threaten wildlife and food security, while fueling conflict, poverty and corruption, according to the report.

Residents in the area accuse the government of keeping them in the dark and expressed fear of losing their livelihoods when companies start drilling for fossil fuels.

Representatives for Greenpeace Africa and partner organizations visited about 30 villages in July to gauge the community's awareness of the planned exploration and how they intend to protect their land and livelihoods.

Mbong Akiy Fokwa Tsafack, head of communication at Greenpeace Africa, said many communities are not aware of the government's plan to auction their land.

"The thought of the government thinking of auctioning their lands for oil was really a shock for them. They were unaware, so they didn't know this was underway, which is quite shocking given how much the government has said it plans to really put people ahead of everything else," Tsafack said.

No one asked residents what they thought of the oil and gas drilling project, said Bantu Lukambo, who works with Innovation for the Development and Protection of the Environment, an NGO monitoring the welfare of communities around Virunga National Park.

The government is supposed to have public input before undertaking such exploration, he said, but failed to do so. Even parliament members were not included in the decision-making process, he added.

DRC President Felix Tshisekedi defended his government's plan while speaking at the United Nations General Assembly last week, saying oil discovery would bring economic development to his people.

Hydrocarbons Minister Didier Budimbu Ntubuanga, speaking at the Africa Oil Week conference in Senegal early this month, said the DRC has received two offers for the oil blocks and said any exploration will follow environmental guidelines.

Lukambo is doubtful that will be the case.

He fears all the fish will die if the exploration begins, and fishermen and their families will be in trouble. In addition, he added, 14 of the oil blocks are in Virunga National Park, and the others are in farming areas. If exploration starts on the land, he said, farmers won't farm their land.

The oil exploration blocks overlap parts of Congo's most pristine ecosystems and Virunga Park, which is home to over 1,000 species of animals and birds.

Tsafack said Congo's leaders need to reconsider their decision to allow oil exploration in the park and nearby areas.

"This is a moment when we need to see leadership coming through, in terms of the zeal to uproot corruption, to strengthen good governance and to put the people of the DRC at [the] heart of any kind of development agenda," Tsafack said. "And putting the people of DRC at the heart of any development agenda means really looking into the communities and finding out what it is that will uplift their lives."

The 20-page report from Greenpeace urges the government to halt the projects and encourage alternative investments in renewable energy sources.


The United Nations Secretary-General strongly condemned Russias plan to formally annex four areas of Ukraine in a ceremony on Friday, saying it is illegal and must not be accepted.

The U.N. Charter is clear, Antonio Guterres told reporters Thursday. Any annexation of a states territory by another state resulting from the threat or use of force is a violation of the principles of the U.N. Charter and international law.

He said any decision to proceed with the annexation of the four Ukrainian territories of Donetsk, Luhansk in the east and Kherson and Zaporizhzhia in the south, would have no legal value and deserves to be condemned.

The Kremlin announced earlier in the day that it will hold a ceremony on Friday to officially incorporate the four areas of Ukraine into Russia. The move has been dismissed as illegitimate by Ukraine and its allies, who are readying new sanctions against Moscow in response.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that the ceremony will include Russian President Vladimir Putin along with the Russian-appointed heads of the four regions, where Russia orchestrated referendums that ended earlier this week.

I want to underscore that the so-called referenda in the occupied regions were conducted during active armed conflict, in areas under Russian occupation, and outside Ukraines legal and constitutional framework, the U.N. chief said. They cannot be called a genuine expression of the popular will.

He warned that if Russia goes ahead with its planned annexation, it will be a dangerous escalation and will further jeopardize the prospect for peace.

It is high time to step back from the brink, Guterres said.

Guterres spokesman said the U.N. chief had conveyed this message to the Russians when he spoke with their U.N. ambassador on Wednesday.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz tweeted Thursday that he assured Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy that Germany will never recognize the so-called results.

The sham referendums carried out by Putin in the illegally occupied areas of Ukraine are worthless, Scholz said.

In Washington, Senator Richard Blumenthal spoke about proposed U.S. Congressional legislation in response to Russias latest moves.

Senator (Lindsay) Graham and I are introducing today legislation that would very simply immediately require cutting off economic and military aid to any country that recognizes Vladimir Putin's illegal annexation of four regions of Ukraine, he said Thursday.

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters Wednesday that the United States expected Russia to use these sham referenda as a false pretext to try to annex Ukrainian territory in flagrant violation of international law and the United Nations Charter.

Jean-Pierre said that no matter what Russia claims, the areas remain Ukrainian territory.

In response, we will work with our allies and partners to impose additional economic costs on Russia and individuals and entities inside and outside of Russia that provide support to this action, she said.

At the U.N. Security Council, the United States is working with Albania on a draft resolution condemning the sham referenda, calling on states not to recognize any altered status of Ukraine and compelling Russia to withdraw its troops from Ukraine. Russia will certainly use its veto to block the measure, but that will then allow member states to move to the General Assembly to seek condemnation there. A similar strategy following Moscows 2014 annexation of Crimea drew the rebuke of 100 countries.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said Wednesday the EU is planning to respond with sweeping new import bans on Russian products and to expand its export ban to deprive the Kremlins military complex of key technologies.

"This will keep Russian products out of the European market and deprive Russia of an additional 7 billion euros in revenue," von der Leyen told reporters in Brussels. The EUs 27 member countries would have to approve the sanctions for them to take effect and the bloc has had difficulty in reaching agreement on some previous sanctions.

We are determined to make the Kremlin pay for this further escalation, she said.

The Ukrainian territory includes the Donetsk, Kherson, Luhansk and Zaporizhzhia regions, representing about 15% of the country.

Some information for this story came from The Associated Press, Agence France-Presse and Reuters.
A group of women in Afghanistan's capital, Kabul, Thursday staged what was the first demonstration in support of protests in Iran before being forcefully dispersed by Taliban authorities.

The rally comes as nationwide protests continued in the neighboring country over the death of a young woman, Mahsa Amini, while in detention by morality police in Tehran for failing to properly cover her hair with a hijab.

Witnesses in Kabul said that about 30 female activists in headscarves gathered outside the Iranian embassy chanting, "Women, life, freedom"  slogans used during Iranian protests. They also held banners that read, "Iran has risen. Now it's our turn!" and "From Kabul to Iran say no to dictatorship!"

Taliban security forces snatched and tore the banners before firing in the air to disperse the rally. Organizers later said the demonstration was held to show "support and solidarity" with the Iranian people and the women in Afghanistan.

"We are sure that one day, our people will rise in the same way as the Iranian people," said a protester who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Since returning to power a year ago, the Islamist Taliban have instructed women to cover their faces in public and told many female public sector employees to stay home. The group's vice and virtue ministry also requires women not to undertake long road trips unless accompanied by a close male relative.

The Taliban have barred teenage girls in Afghanistan from attending secondary school education beyond grade six.

The restrictions have outraged activists and students and have triggered relentless international calls for the Taliban to ease them if they want their government to be formally recognized.

The Islamist rulers maintain the restrictions are in line with Afghan culture and Islamic principles.

The protests in Iran have spread to at least 80 cities and towns. Security police have used tear gas, clubs and, in some cases, live ammunition to quell the protests calling for the end to the Islamic establishment's more than four decades in power.

Iranian state media said 41 people, including members of the police and a pro-government militia, have been killed during the protests, although Iranian human rights groups have reported a higher toll.

Amini, 22, was arrested September 13 and died three days later in a hospital after falling into a coma. Her family filed a complaint this week against the Iranian police officers who arrested her, calling for a full investigation.

The Iranian police have denied responsibility for Amini's death.

Some information in this report came from Agence France-Presse.
Ugandas President Yoweri Museveni has assured the country that an Ebola outbreak is under control and that no restrictions on movement are needed. The countrys health officials confirmed cases of a deadly Sudan ebolavirus with six reported deaths out of 31 confirmed cases. Uganda's medical association says some of its members are critically ill and has threatened to join a strike by medical interns over what they say is inadequate personal protective equipment.

In an address to the nation Wednesday night, President Yoweri Museveni urged Ugandans to avoid coming in contact with body fluids such as blood, feces and vomit from infected people.

Even though the source for the Sudan ebolavirus, a strain for which the World Health Organization says cross-protection of vaccine for other Ebola strains has not been established, Museveni warned Ugandans against eating meat from monkeys, chimpanzees and gorillas.

I want to reassure Ugandans and all residents that the government has the capacity to control this outbreak as we have done before. Therefore, theres no need for anxiety, panic, restriction of movement or unnecessary closure of public places like schools, markets, places of worship etc. as of now, he said.

The 31 Ebola cases confirmed so far include six health care workers, including four doctors, one anesthesiologist and one medical student who was exposed to the first case in the district of Mubende, Kyegegwa and Kassanda.

Museveni who cautioned Ugandans against shaking hands also says Uganda is still discussing a vaccine for the Sudan ebolavirus that was first reported on August 6. Uganda only has a stock of the Zaire ebolavirus that was reported in the neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo. There is currently no approved vaccine for the Sudan ebolavirus.

One of the issues we were debating the other day was, why not use the vaccine of Ebola Zaire. Even though its not specific for Ebola Sudan, but it's Ebola," he said. "They share some of the characteristics. And it is safe. And we have used it on our soldiers. So, is there any harm in trying it?

The government has now set up an Ebola treatment unit with a 51-bed capacity for confirmed cases and 80 beds for suspected cases.

To shorten the turnaround time of sampling, processing and improving patient care, two mobile diagnostic laboratories will be deployed in the Mubende district by Friday.

Health Minister Dr. Jane Ruth Acheng also allayed fears among health workers especially those infected with the virus.

We want to appreciate the work that they are doing. But also reassure them that they will be taken care of and given the necessary supportive care and treatment so that we ensure that we dont lose them, she said.

President of the Uganda Medical Association Dr. Sam Oledo, however, describes a different situation in the affected districts for health workers.

When we start losing health workers, I dont think it can be under control. Its painful that this morning the intern and the SHO [Senior Health Officer] are on oxygen, and they are not doing well. What we are trying to mobilize now is ICU management. We cannot afford to have the corpse of a medic at such a time. And I assure you, if the worst happens, we shall withdraw services in Mubende, he said.

The Sudan ebolavirus is less common than the Zaire ebolavirus and has no current, effective vaccine. Sudan ebolavirus was first reported in Southern Sudan in 1976. Although several outbreaks have been reported since then in both Uganda and Sudan, the deadliest outbreak in Uganda was in 2000 claiming over 200 lives.

Ugandas last Ebola outbreak, in 2019, was confirmed to be the Zaire ebolavirus. It last reported a Sudan ebolavirus outbreak in 2012.
U.N. agencies are calling for an end to food loss and waste as the United Nations marks the International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste Thursday.

A U.N. Environment Program report says over 930 million tons of food waste were generated in 2019. The chief of UNEPs energy and climate branch, Mark Radka, said that represents about 20% of available food.

There is evidence that household food waste is generated at a similar per capita level in all countries, regardless of country income level, he said. So, households, on average generate about 74 kilograms per person, per year in food waste.

It has serious implications, given the U.N.s latest estimates that 828 million people globally are going hungry. Food and Agriculture Organization findings indicate 14% of the worlds food is lost after harvest. An estimated 17% is wasted in retail and at the consumption stage.

FAO Senior Enterprise Development Officer Rosa Rolle calls food loss and waste a global problem that has significant impact on climate, food security, and the sustainability of agri-food systems.

Over the past two years, agri-food systems across the globe have been disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, climate change and the war in Ukraine, pushing millions of people into food insecurity, with hunger and malnutrition on the rise, she said.

The FAO says food waste and loss accelerate climate change and harm the environment. It says about 31% of total greenhouse gas emissions, which lead to global warming, are attributable to the agri-food system.

The UNEP says reducing food loss and waste could decrease methane emissions by 15% by 2030. It notes methane has more than 80 times the warming power of carbon dioxide over the first 20 years after it reaches the atmosphere. It says at least 25% of todays global warming by methane is caused by human action.
The United States says it has reached a "shared vision" of partnership with Pacific Island nations, including new pledges of U.S. assistance, as concern grows about China's expanding influence in the region.

On Wednesday, the U.S. began its first-ever in-person summit with leaders from about a dozen island nations spanning vast stretches of the Pacific Ocean.

U.S. President Joe Biden will deliver remarks to Pacific Island leaders at the State Department on Thursday, then host a dinner at the White House.

"We have come together around a declaration of partnership between the U.S. and the Pacific," U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said while holding up a document during Wednesday's working luncheon with Pacific leaders at the State Department.

But the final language of a reported 11-point joint declaration is still being hammered out.

The Solomon Islands sent a diplomatic note to the regional Pacific Islands Forum announcing it would not sign the declaration during the high-profile gathering.

The declaration, which was drafted after several weeks of negotiations between Pacific Island nations and Biden administration officials, covers issues such as practicing sustainable development, tackling climate change, and preserving the security of the Pacific region and its trade.

But the note from the Solomon Islands says the government and parliament need more time to study the declaration. Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare is in Washington, however, and is taking part in the summit, a senior administration official said.

Blinken announced Wednesday that the U.S. would contribute $4.8 million to a new program called Resilient Blue Economies that will strengthen marine livelihoods in the Pacific Islands by supporting sustainable fisheries, aquaculture and tourism.

"Pacific Islanders are generally more interested in the conversation than in the immediate deliverables from the summit," said Brian Harding, a senior expert on Southeast Asia for the U.S. Institute of Peace.

Harding told VOA on Wednesday that "some leaders have understandably seen the joint declaration as having been rushed and ultimately are looking for whether the United States will follow through with its commitments and be consistent with its engagement moving forward."

Other experts said this week's summit remedies what some see as Washington's inattention to Pacific Island nations.

A senior Biden administration official said that during the summit, the White House will release "a specific Pacific strategy for the first time." The U.S. also plans to expand its diplomatic missions from six to nine across the Pacific.

"This is part of our effort to shore up U.S. relations with a part of the world that frankly has been somewhat neglected of late," said Chris Johnstone, a senior adviser at the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies.

"These are important countries, lots of resources, including in fisheries, and a part of the world where there's growing concern about Chinese influence, People's Republic of China influence," Johnstone told VOA, adding that China has been seeking to establish military relationships with some of them.

On Wednesday, Blinken hosted leaders and senior officials for a luncheon. U.S. climate envoy John Kerry hosted a session to discuss priorities for the Pacific Island nations that include climate resilience efforts and clean-energy transformation.

Wednesday night, Pacific Island leaders were invited to U.S. Coast Guard headquarters for a dinner discussion about opportunities to enhance maritime security and to counter illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing.

The Solomon Islands' refusal to sign the declaration comes just five months after it signed a security agreement with China, raising concerns in the U.S. and Australia that Beijing would establish a military presence on the islands, which are less than 2,000 kilometers from Australia.



A draft agreement that had emerged on social media included a provision that could allow Beijing to send armed police and soldiers to the Solomon Islands, as well as base its navy ships off the island nation's coast.

Prime Minister Sogavare insisted he would not allow the creation of a Chinese military base, saying the deal instead would help provide domestic security.

A U.S. delegation sent to Honiara failed to dissuade Sogavare from signing the security pact with China.

Earlier this month, the Marshall Islands suspended talks with American officials about renewing the two countries' strategic partnership, protesting what it perceives as the U.S. failure to address the health and environmental impacts from U.S. nuclear testing in the region during the 1940s and 1950s.

"Nuclear legacy issues are a major sticking point in an otherwise very close relationship," said Harding.

Vice President Kamala Harris told the Pacific Islands Forum back in July that the United States is planning to appoint an envoy to the Forum and open new embassies in Tonga and Kiribati as part of a pledge that the U.S. would increase its diplomatic and financial support to the Pacific region. She also announced the administration had requested $60 million a year from the U.S. Congress that would triple current funding for fisheries assistance, marine conservation and climate resilience projects for the region.

Some information for this report came from Reuters.
The United States and Pacific leaders have reached an 11-point Declaration on U.S.-Pacific Partnership as Washington hosts its first summit with leaders from Pacific Island nations.

On Thursday, on the second day of the historic summit, U.S. President Joe Biden announced more than $810 million in expanded programs to aid the Pacific Islands. The U.S. has provided upwards of $1.5 billion to support the Pacific Islands over the past decade, according to a senior administration official.

The U.S. also pledged to recognize the Cook Islands and Niue as sovereign states, following appropriate consultations. While both Cook Islands and Niue have full constitutional independence from New Zealand and act as independent countries, the U.S. considered them as self-governing territories and has not established formal diplomatic relations.

Biden will appoint a first-ever U.S. envoy to the regional Pacific Islands Forum. USAID will reestablish its mission in Suva, Fiji, by September 2023.

The security of America, quite frankly, and the world depends on your security, and the security of the Pacific Islands, Biden said during remarks to the Pacific leaders at the State Department. Biden added that new U.S. assistance is aimed at ensuring an Indo Pacific region that's free and open, one that is stable and prosperous, and resilient and secure.



Washingtons plan to deepen diplomatic engagement with the Pacific comes as concerns grow about Chinas expanding influence in the region.



Earlier, the Solomon Islands had indicated it would not sign a joint declaration during the high-profile gathering, just five months after it signed a security agreement with China.



China has been seeking to establish military relationships with some of these [Pacific Islands] countries, in at least a couple of locations, said Chris Johnstone, a senior adviser at the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies.



Johnstone said theres an indication the Beijing government has been pursuing actual military bases in some of these countries.

Under one of the new initiatives agreed to by the U.S. and Pacific Islands leaders, the U.S. will invest $20 million to boost Solomon Islands tourism and to reduce poverty in the island country.

The U.S. will also launch a new trade and investment dialogue with the Pacific Island nations, enhance maritime security, and provide up to $3.5 million over five years to improve the regions internet connectivity and to support cyber security.

Earlier this month, the Marshall Islands suspended talks with American officials about renewing the two countries' strategic partnership, protesting what it perceives as the U.S. failure to address the health and environmental impacts from U.S. nuclear testing in the region during the 1940s and 1950s.

Many on the Marshall Islands believed a U.S. settlement of $150 million agreed to in the 1980s fell short of addressing the nuclear legacy.

The United States remains committed to addressing the Republic of the Marshall Islands ongoing environmental, public health concerns, and other welfare concerns, said the Declaration on U.S.-Pacific Partnership. It did not mention additional dollar amounts for compensation.

While, from a U.S. perspective, ongoing negotiations on grant funding under the Compact of Free Association do not concern the nuclear issue, the Marshall Islands see the negotiations as an opportunity to press its case, said Brian Harding, a senior expert on Southeast Asia for the U.S. Institute of Peace.

The Marshall Islands, Palau and Micronesia are so-called Freely Associated States (FAS) that had signed treaties with the United States. Current agreements expire in September 2023 for the Marshall Islands and Micronesia and one year later for Palau.



Under the soon-to-expire treaties known as Compacts of Free Association, the three Pacific Island nations receive grant aid and security guarantees from the U.S. government. FAS citizens can live and work in the U.S. without a visa.



In exchange, the United States has the right to build military bases in these three island nations and can deny outsider access to those countries' waters, airspace and land.



The U.S. expects the negotiation for all three Compact agreements to be concluded by the end of this year.

Anita Powell and Richard Green contributed to this report.
The United States imposed new sanctions Thursday against several companies that facilitate trade in Iranian oil and petrochemical products.

The U.S. Treasury Department issued a statement and warned it would take more measures to apply its economic restrictions against the Islamic Republic.

"The United States is committed to severely restricting Iran's illicit oil and petrochemical sales," said Brian Nelson, undersecretary of the Treasury for terrorism and financial intelligence.

The Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control targeted "an international network of companies involved in the sale of hundreds of millions of dollars in petrochemical and petroleum products" to destinations in South and East Asia, the statement said.

Treasury's actions target "Iranian brokers and several front companies in the UAE, Hong Kong and India that have facilitated financial transfers and shipping of Iranian petroleum and petrochemical products," the statement said.

The U.S. State Department also designated two entities based in the People's Republic of China, Zhonggu Storage and Transportation Co. Ltd. and WS Shipping Co. Ltd., for their involvement in Iran's petrochemical trade, according to the statement.

The Iranian mission to the United Nations in New York did not immediately respond to a request for comment, Reuters reported.

U.S. sanctions on Iran have accelerated in recent months, as administration officials try to bring Tehran back to negotiations for a return to the 2015 Iran nuclear deal.

"So long as Iran refuses a mutual return to full implementation of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, the United States will continue to enforce its sanctions on the sale of Iranian petroleum and petrochemical products," Nelson said.

Some information for this report came from The Associated Press and Reuters.
The U.S. has warned Russia that using nuclear weapons in Ukraine will trigger extraordinary consequences. Russia's Vladimir Putin said last week that if Russia was threatened, he was prepared to "use all the means available to us." VOA Senior Diplomatic Correspondent Cindy Saine reports.
The Vatican said Thursday it had imposed disciplinary sanctions on Nobel Peace Prize-winning Bishop Carlos Ximenes Belo in the past two years, following allegations that he sexually abused boys in East Timor during the 1990s.

The Vatican admission came a day after a Dutch magazine, De Groene Amsterdammer, exposed the claims against the revered East Timor independence hero, citing two of Belo's alleged victims and reporting there were others who hadn't come forward in East Timor, where the Catholic Church wields enormous influence.

Spokesman Matteo Bruni said the Vatican office that handles sex abuse cases received allegations "concerning the bishop's behavior" in 2019 and within a year had imposed the restrictions. They included limitations on Belo's movements and his exercise of ministry, and prohibited him from having voluntary contact with minors or contact with East Timor.

In a statement, Bruni said the sanctions were "modified and reinforced" in November 2021 and that Belo had formally accepted the punishment on both occasions.

The Vatican provided no explanation for why Belo resigned as head of the Roman Catholic church in East Timor two decades early in 2002, and was sent to Mozambique, where he was allowed to work with children.

News of Belo's behavior sent shock waves through the heavily Catholic, impoverished Southeast Asian nation, where he is a regarded as a hero for fighting to win East Timor's independence from Indonesian rule.

"We are here also in shock to hear this news," an official at the archdiocese of Dili in East Timor said Thursday, speaking to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.

Neither the Nobel Committee nor the United Nations immediately responded to requests for comment.

De Groene Amsterdammer said two alleged victims, identified only as Paulo and Roberto, reported being abused by Belo and said other boys were also victims. It said its investigation showed that Belo's abuse was known to the East Timorese government and to humanitarian and church workers.

"The bishop raped and sexually abused me that night," Roberto was quoted as telling the magazine. "Early in the morning he sent me away. I was afraid because it was still dark. So I had to wait before I could go home. He also left money for me. That was meant so that I would keep my mouth shut. And to make sure I would come back."

Belo won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1996 with fellow East Timorese independence icon Jose Ramos-Horta for campaigning for a fair and peaceful solution to conflict in their home country as it struggled to gain independence from Indonesia, a former Dutch colony.

The Norwegian Nobel Committee, in its citation, praised Belo's courage in refusing to be intimidated by Indonesian forces. The committee noted that while trying to get the United Nations to arrange a plebiscite for East Timor, he smuggled out two witnesses to a bloody 1991 massacre so they could testify to the U.N. human rights commission in Geneva.

Ramos-Horta went on to become president of East Timor, a former Portuguese colony. Upon his return Thursday from the United States, where he addressed the U.N. General Assembly, Ramos-Horta was asked about the allegations against his co-Nobel laureate and deferred to the Vatican.

"I prefer to await further action from the Holy See," he said.

Belo, who was believed to be living in Portugal, didn't respond when reached by telephone by Radio Renascenca, the private broadcaster of the Portuguese church.

Belo is a priest of the Salesians of Don Bosco, a Roman Catholic religious order that has long had influence at the Vatican. The Portuguese branch of the Salesians said Thursday that it learned "with great sadness and astonishment" of the news.

The branch distanced itself from Belo, saying he hadn't been linked to the order since he took charge in East Timor. However, Belo is still listed in the 2021 Vatican yearbook by his Salesian initials "SDB" at the end of his name.

"As regards issues covered in the news, we have no knowledge that would allow us to comment," the Salesian statement said.

It said the Portuguese Salesians took Belo in at the request of their superiors after he left East Timor in 2002 and because he was highly regarded, but said he had done no pastoral work in Portugal.

The Dutch magazine said its research indicated that Belo also abused boys in the 1980s before he became a bishop when he worked at an education center run by the Salesians.

Paulo, now 42, told the Dutch magazine he was abused once by Belo at the bishop's residence in East Timor's capital, Dili. He asked to remain anonymous.

"for the privacy and safety of himself and his family," the magazine said.

"I thought: this is disgusting. I won't go there anymore," the magazine quoted him as saying.

Roberto, who also asked to remain anonymous, said he was abused more often, starting when he was about 14 after a religious celebration in his hometown. Roberto later moved to Dili, where the alleged abuse continued at the bishop's residence, the Dutch magazine reported.

It is unclear whether or when any alleged victims ever came forward to local church, law enforcement or Vatican authorities.

St. John Paul II accepted Belo's resignation as apostolic administrator of Dili on Nov. 26, 2002, when he was 54. The Vatican announcement at the time cited canon law that allows bishops under 75 to retire for health reasons or for some other "grave" reasons that make them unable to continue.

In 2005, Belo told UCANews, a Catholic news agency, that he resigned because of stress and poor health.

Belo had no other episcopal career after that, and Groene Amsterdammer said he moved to Mozambique and worked as a priest there.

Belo told UCANews he moved to Mozambique after consulting with the head of the Vatican's missionary office, Cardinal Cresenzio Sepe, and agreed to work there for a year before returning to East Timor.

Efforts to reach Sepe, who is now retired, were not successful.

By 2002, when Belo retired as head of the church in East Timor, the sex abuse scandal had just exploded publicly in the United States and the Vatican had just begun to crack down on abusive priests, requiring all cases of abuse to be sent to the Vatican's Congregation for Doctrine of the Faith for review.

Bishops, however, were exempted from that requirement. Only in 2019 did Pope Francis pass a church law requiring abuse and sexual misconduct against bishops to be reported internally, and providing a mechanism to investigate the claims.

It is possible that Belo's sexual activity with teens might have been dismissed by the Vatican in the early 2000s if it involved 16- or 17-year-olds, since the Vatican in those years considered such activity to be sinful but consensual, not abuse. Only in 2010 did the Vatican raise the age of consent to 18.

Belo is not the only church official in East Timor accused of abuse. A defrocked American priest, Richard Daschbach, was found guilty last year by a Dili court of sexually abusing orphaned and disadvantaged young girls under his care and was sentenced to 12 years in prison, the first such case of its kind in the country.
ReportLinker

Major players in the womens health devices market are Abbott Laboratories, Koninklijke Philips N. V. , CooperSurgical, F. Hoffmann-La Roche, Caldera Medical, GE Healthcare, Carestream Health, Hologic, Medline Industries, Candence Inc.

New York, Sept. 29, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "Womens Health Devices Global Market Report 2022" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p06323488/?utm_source=GNW

, Boston Scientific Corporation, Reckitt Benckiser, BD. Com, Coloplast A/S, and MedGyn Products, Inc.



The global womens health devices market is expected to grow from $30.81 billion in 2021 to $33.70 billion in 2022 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9.4%. The womens health devices market is expected to grow to $46.55 billion in 2026 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8.4%.



The womens health devices market consists of sales of womens health devices by entities (organizations, sole traders, and partnerships) that are used to enhance womens healthcare, including maternal and menstrual health, pelvic and sexual health, fertility, menopause, and contraception, as well as many general health disorders that affect women disproportionately or differently such as osteoporosis or cardiovascular disease. Womens health devices refer to devices that enable them to take control of their health and health-related data with at-home tests and other features.



The main product types of womens health devices are surgical, diagnostics, contraceptives, labor and delivery, and critical care.A surgical device refers to a specialized device used by surgeon to relieve a medical condition.



The applications of womens health devices include cancer, osteoporosis, infectious disease, uterine fibroids, post-menopausal syndrome, pregnancy, female sterilization, and other applications. The various end-users of womens health devices include hospitals, obstetrics and gynecology clinics, diagnostic laboratories, ambulatory surgical centers, and other end users.



North America was the largest region in the womens health devices market in 2021.Asia Pacific is expected to be the fastest-growing region in the forecast period.



The regions covered in the womens health devices market report are Asia-Pacific, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East and Africa.



The womens health devices market research report is one of a series of new reports that provides womens health devices market statistics, including womens health devices industry global market size, regional shares, competitors with a womens health devices market share, detailed womens health devices market segments, market trends and opportunities, and any further data you may need to thrive in the womens health devices industry. This womens health devices market research report delivers a complete perspective of everything you need, with an in-depth analysis of the current and future scenarios of the industry.



An increase in government programs aimed at raising awareness about womens health is contributing to the growth of the womens health devices market going forward.Government programs aimed at raising awareness about womens health refer to initiatives and awareness events organized by the government to make the population aware of some societal boosting the public healthcare systems efficiency and effectiveness.



These government programs help in creating awareness, which in turn increases the need for womens health devices for easy diagnosis.For instance, in March 2022, according to The Department of Health, Victoria, the Victorian government released its first-ever womens sexual and reproductive health strategy and priority action plan for Womens sexual and reproductive health.



The plan is supported by a $6.6 million investment for action and education to reduce stigma and improve knowledge of sexual and reproductive health and other such issues. Therefore, an increase in government programs aimed at raising awareness about womens health is expected to boost demand for womens health devices during the forecast period.



Technological advancement is a key trend gaining popularity in the womens health devices market.Many companies operating in the womens health devices sector are looking for new technologies to strengthen their position in the womens health devices market.



For instance, In May 2022, iSono Health, a US-based medical equipment manufacturing company launched ATUSA, which is the worlds first portable and automated 3D breast ultrasound scanner. This combines a unique 3D ultrasound scanner with artificial intelligence to perform full breast scans and accurately locate breast tumours.t automatically captures the entire breast volume, allowing for unremarkable breast ultrasound imaging at the point of care without the need for a trained ultrasound driver. This launch represents another step forward for the company and the female population.



In February 2022, CooperSurgical, a US-based womens healthcare brand, acquired Cook Medicals reproductive health portfolio for an amount of $875 million.With this acquisition both the companies aim to invest in future growth and new technologies.



Cook medical is a US-based company that manufacturers invasive medical devices for fertility, obstetrics, gynaecology, in vitro fertilization, and assisted reproductive technology.



The countries covered in the womens health devices market report are Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Russia, South Korea, UK, and USA.

Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p06323488/?utm_source=GNW



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U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris condemned North Koreas brutal dictatorship and destabilizing weapons program during a visit Thursday to the demilitarized zone separating the two Koreas.

North Korea launched ballistic missiles both before and immediately after Harris stop at the DMZ, adding to what has already been a record number of North Korean launches this year.

At the Panmunjom Truce Village that straddles North and South Korea, Harris condemned the missile tests, saying they are clearly a provocation.

In the North, we see a brutal dictatorship, rampant human rights violations and an unlawful weapons program that threatens peace and stability, she said.

Harris earlier Thursday met with South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, a conservative who has pushed to improve ties with the United States.

"Our shared goal, the United States and the Republic of Korea, is a complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula," Harris said, using South Korea's official name.

Harris visit is meant to reiterate the U.S. commitment to defend South Korea. About 28,000 U.S. troops are stationed in South Korea, a legacy of the 1950s Korean War, which ended in a truce rather than a peace treaty.

At the DMZ, Harris greeted U.S. service members, listened to a briefing by senior military officials, and she peered into the North using large black binoculars  a staple of many DMZ visits by U.S. presidents and vice presidents.

The Panmunjom Truce Village, where the Korean Armistice Agreement was signed in 1953, appeared mostly abandoned on the North Korean side, with tall weeds piercing through the concrete sidewalks and steps. The lone activity was three North Korean officials  dressed in white, full-body hazmat suits  who occasionally gazed through a window.

Late Wednesday, North Korea fired two short-range ballistic missiles into the sea, hours before Harris was to depart for Seoul. About two hours after she left Thursday evening, the North fired two more ballistic missiles, South Koreas military said.

Harris DMZ visit was the final stop on a four-day visit to Asia. On Tuesday, Harris led the U.S. delegation at the state funeral of former Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe.

In Tokyo, Harris also touted the U.S. alliance relationship with Japan, where the United States has about 50,000 troops.

During the trip, U.S. officials repeatedly focused on the U.S. desire to have Japan and South Korea work more closely on common threats such as North Korea.

Seoul-Tokyo ties are regularly strained by disputes related to Japan's occupation of Korea before World War II.

As Harris landed in Seoul, there were signs of greater cooperation among the three countries. South Korea's military announced it would soon hold trilateral anti-submarine exercises with Japan and the United States. The exercises, Seoul said, would help counter the North Korean threat.

North Korea has launched 36 ballistic missiles this year, a record number. U.S. and South Korean officials also say the North has completed preparations to conduct its seventh nuclear test.
Johannesburg (AFP)  Zimbabwean domestic migrant worker Precious clocked in late for work, launched into her duties for a white South African family as if nothing happened, yet hours earlier she had been arrested for being in the country without papers.

South Africa -- the continent's most industrialised country -- is buckling under a wave of illegal migration triggered by economic woes in its neighbours. Many come from Malawi, Lesotho, but the majority are from Zimbabwe.

Lately police have scaled up crime-busting stop-and-search operations, including weeding out undocumented migrants.

One such early morning blitz was launched this week in Springs, a district at the eastern end of the largest city of Johannesburg.

Several dozen police officers mounted a check point on a narrow road, stopped cars and buses, meticulously searching boots and ordering occupants out, demanding identification documents.

Grabbed by the waist or arm, one-by-one they were led to the side of the road to a queue stretching out in front of immigration officers.

"These are weekly operations," provincial police chief Elias Mawela, told AFP. "When it's confirmed they are illegal in the country they'll be taken in and later on they'll be taken to court... and back to their countries of origin".

But in some raids, police officers solicit bribes to release the migrants.

The day Precious was arrested at a minibus taxi rank in downtown Johannesburg, she was one of 30 people bundled into a police van.

She was asked to pay 1,000 rands on the spot -- equivalent to her weekly wages -- or risk being taken to the police station for eventual deportation.

Precious immediately texted her employer warning she would be late and frantically called friends and associates to raise the bribe money.

'Scared'

"I was scared," said the single mother of two.

"It's not good being a foreigner these days," said Precious, 36, folding a pair a velvet pants she was ironing.

Official data lists an estimated 3.8 million migrants in South Africa, a figure considered a gross understatement.

Foreigners, especially those from the rest of Africa, are targets of xenophobic resentment and accused of taking jobs in a country where at least one in every three people is unemployed.

Zimbabwe has a long history of immigration into South Africa, dating back to the 19th century when the gold rush saw mining companies hiring labour across the borders.

In 2009 Pretoria granted four-year work visas to around 250,000 Zimbabweans fleeing economic and political turmoil at home. The permits have since then been repeatedly renewed, but authorities have vowed they will not be extended beyond June 2023.

But many more Zimbabweans have continued to pour into South Africa illegally through porous borders in search of greener pastures.

The huge influx of foreigners has irked many South Africans who accuse them of taking their jobs and placing undue pressure on public facilities.

Recently an anti-immigration group of activists picketed outside a public hospital west of Pretoria -- blocking patients they suspected were foreigners, accusing them of putting the public health sector under strain.

Their action followed a viral video of provincial health minister berating a Zimbabwean patient, accusing her of seeking free treatment at a government hospital at the expense of South Africans.

Domestic worker Precious recalls giving birth to her now 11-year-old son at a public hospital in Zimbabwe.

"There is nothing there, not even water to wash the baby when he's born. No painkillers," she said.

Asked about some of his bribe-taking officers in a country dogged with high crime levels and endemic corruption, police commissioner Mawela urged anyone who is asked for a bribe "to bring it to our attention so we can investigate it".

"We can't just take it lightly these accusations".
Vicky Stark

CAPE TOWN  South African protesters angry over water shortages shut down part of the country's longest highway with rock barricades and burning tires.

Police described the situation in Ventersburg in the Free State province as volatile. The rural town is a popular refueling and resting place for motorists and truckers travelling on the N1 highway, which stretches from Cape Town in the south to the Beit Bridge border post with Zimbabwe in the north.

Warrant Officer Loraine Earle says the Welkom Public Order Policing Unit is on the ground monitoring the situation. She says they have spoken to some of the protesters and asked about their demands.

They started this morning to protest. Its because of the water situation in town. Its now for the past few weeks that they dont have water," she said. "Members are on the scene. Theyre monitoring the situation and nobody was arrested as yet.

She says they have had water problems in Ventersburg on-and-off for the past seven weeks with no water for the past three weeks.

Those using the highway at Ventersburg have been advised to take alternative routes.
A Zimbabwean magistrate has convicted renowned novelist and filmmaker, Tsitsi Dangarembga, for inciting violence in 2020.

In a tweet, the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights said, From Harare Magistrates, we are saddened that Zim's award winning & renowned novelist, filmmaker & cultural activist Tsitsi Dangarembwga and Julie Barnes have been convicted by Magistrate Barbara Mateko for allegedly taking part in an anti-govt protest held in 2020.

Maketo sentenced Tangaembgwa and Barnes to a six-month suspended sentence and a fine of $70,000.

They were arrested when they staged a protest in Harare at a time the opposition had called for a nationwide anti-government march against corruption in Zimbabwe.

In a recent interview with Reuters, Tangaembgwa said she did not coerce anyone to join the show.

According to Reuters, she was arrested while walking through the streets deserted by the pandemic at the end of July 2020 with a journalist friend and a handful of other protesters. On her large placard, held in front of her with both hands, was this sober message: "We want better. Let's reform our institutions".
The leader of Zimbabwes largest opposition party, the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) says since the country attained independence in 1980, credible and undisputed elections have been a pipe dream in Zimbabwe.

Officially launching the partys Pre-Election Pact on Electoral Reforms (PREPARE) blueprint, Chamisa said the sacrifices of our forebearers have been ridiculed by those who undermine our liberation struggle and its core values.

It is unbearable betrayal that having fought so hard for decades, the survivors of oppression and subjugation can themselves turn the weapon of the colonizer on their own people. Zimbabwes history of disputed elections is testimony that our nation has long forgotten and in fact abandoned the key gains of our liberation struggle; the real purpose for which the war was fought and won.

Chamisa said Zimbabwe has over the years been deluged by a series of elections that failed credibility and integrity tests.

The political climate has consistently exhibited a characteristic perennial failure to uphold the citizens political rights and freedoms. The 2018 Election Observer Missions and all the other critical election bodies have shared this perspective on electoral reforms. It is however unfortunate that as it currently pertains, there is insufficient appetite to align the electoral laws to the Constitution and to holistically implement progressive laws that guarantee a credible election.

Chamisa said bad politics corrupts good economics. Hence, in this country, there is an extricable link between good governance and credible regular elections and a stable prosperous economy. Certainly, there is a direct relationship between the sham elections that have been conducted in Zimbabwe and the challenges the country has been facing for years.

This crisis of disputed elections is the main source of our political problem that manifests itself in a myriad of economic and social crisis for decades. For Zimbabwe to rediscover herself and prosper, we must all unite, PREPARE and find new national consensus for nation building in the spirit of oneness, peace, and prosperity.

He further noted that elections are the epicenter of good governance and prosperity in order to reform Zimbabwes electoral systems to give fulfillment to the liberation promise and constitutional imperatives.

The Pre-Election Pact on Electoral Reforms (PREPARE) blueprint proffers the solution to this political quagmire of disputed elections. PREPARE is a clarion call for all citizenry, election stakeholders, ZEC, Parliament, the Executive and other relevant institutions to urgently dialogue on the envisaged electoral laws. The seven minimum electoral reform pillars sufficiently PREPARE Zimbabwe for a levelled electoral playing field and the future political democracy of the country. This blueprint is a product of wide Citizens consultation with many stakeholders and is motivated by the desire to give effect to the requirements of the electoral standards prescribed in the Constitution and including the regional and global best practices.

It is therefore after extensive consultations with Citizens, and with profound modesty that I present the seven minimum electoral reform pillars which should urgently inform Zimbabwes electoral reforms dialogue to avoid a contested 2023 election outcome.

According to Chamisa, the liberation struggle in Zimbabwe was a collective quest to create a nation founded upon the peoples sovereignty and the time-tested principle of one-man one-vote.

Our forebears sacrificed life and limb to birth this great nation where the right of every citizen to vote and self-determine is guaranteed and secured. The right to vote is so fundamental and so precious without which a people cannot truly be free and independent. A vote is the basis of any social contract; the source of authority for any person to govern in a modern democratic society.

Voting is the instrument by which citizens can self-govern and self-correct. It is a peoples voice to define and dictate the fate and destiny of society. Voting sculptures the present and future of any society. The right to vote is the lifeblood of any democratic, progressive and prosperous nation. That right must be protected through peaceful, free, fair, and credible elections that are held through a process that is simple, accurate, verifiable, secure and transparent.

Zanu PF officials were unreachable for comment.
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The leader of the opposition Citizens Coalition for Change, Nelson Chamisa, says Zanu PF should not cry foul over calls for the United Nations to supervise Zimbabwe's forthcoming elections. (Video: Rutendo Mawere)
The U.N. envoy for Yemen has warned that the risk of a return to fighting in the country is real and urged warring parties to accept a longer extension of the current cease-fire due to expire next month
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The U.S. Embassy in Moscow has sent a message to every U.S. citizen in Russia asking them to leave the country immediately.

The embassy indicates that Russia could start mobilizing dual nationals.

The embassy specifies that the departure flights being all booked, US citizens are invited to flee by car without further ado and advised to make a travel reservation at the border.

In general, this type of message precedes a military intervention.

The US secret services have just destroyed the Russo-German gas pipelines Nord Stream and Nord Stream 2 in the Baltic Sea, which constitutes an act of war.

In addition, several of our correspondents have reported on major NATO troop movements in Poland and Estonia.
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A 4-year-old boy struck by a skid steer on a farm in the Town of Peru, Dunn County, was killed, the county sheriff said Thursday.

On Wednesday at about 8:10 p.m., the Dunn County Communication Center received a call reporting the accident.

The Dunn County Sheriffs Office along with Dunn County First Responders, The Pepin County Sheriffs Office, Durand Fire and Durand ambulance all responded to the scene. Life Link helicopter also responded.

The responding units provided medical care but the 4-year-old succumbed to his injuries and died at the scene. He was pronounced deceased by the Dunn County Medical Examiners Office.

Preliminary investigation shows that the skid steer was being operated by an adult family member when the child was struck and run over by the machine, the Dunn County Sheriff reported.

This incident remains under investigation by the Dunn County Sheriffs Office and the Dunn County Medical Examiners office.
Rallies in Italy coincided with World Day for Safe Abortions.

Thousands of women joined marches across Italy on Wednesday to protect access to abortion amid concerns of a threat to abortion rights following the far-right election victory this week.

The nationwide demonstrations, organised by Italian feminist movement Non Una di Meno, were held in around 50 cities across Italy, including Rome and Milan, on International Safe Abortion Day, reports news agency ANSA.

The pro-abortion marches saw women, and many men, take to the streets in defence of Italy's "Legge 194", the 1978 law guaranteeing women the right to terminate a pregnancy on request during the first 90 days.

Activists said the campaign was designed to send a message to Giorgia Meloni, leader of the far-right Fratelli d'Italia party which triumphed in elections, that they would not tolerate any changes to Law 194.

The Meloni-led alliance, which includes the centre-right party of Silvio Berlusconi and the right-wing Lega of Matteo Salvini, scooped around 44 per cent of the vote, securing a clear majority in parliament.

During her election campaign Meloni, Italy's presumed next prime minister, stressed that she had no plans to "abolish or modify" Law 194 but that she wanted to provide "other options".

Meloni told state radio channel RAI3 that she would like to "add a right" by offering financial support to women "who find themselves in the position of having to abort because they have no alternatives."

She also praised the "extraordinary work" of crisis pregnancy centres and hailed the "freedom" of "guaranteeing the freedom of conscience" to healthcare providers who object to carrying out abortions.

Among those demonstrating in Rome on Wednesday evening was prominent centre-left politician Laura Boldrini who told La Repubblica newspaper: "My fear is that this right not to have an abortion becomes an obligation to give birth, when it is necessary to defend the self-determination of women".

Although abortion is legal in Italy, in reality it can be difficult to access due to the extremely high number of conscientious objectors among doctors, amounting to an estimated two thirds of gynaecologists, according to Italian news reports.

Photo Non Una di Meno - Milan
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One of the worlds biggest greenhouse gas emitters is trying to clean up. Global venture capitalists looking to put their money to work should keep an eye on it. Drive through the streets of New Delhi and its surrounds and the Indian capital is abuzz with activity. Rusty metal signs that tout Electric Charging stand out, along with stations that power electric two-and-three wheelers. Startups building technology to drive greening and sustainability are hustling for funding.

Corporate activity is chugging along, while capital expenditure has risen sharply in recent months and rail freight volumes have reached record highs. Indias biggest companies  including the likes of Wipro Ltd., UltraTech Cement Ltd. and Reliance Industries  are increasingly talking to their shareholders about sustainability. Private capital is looking to back climate change-related technology, too: Of the almost $27 billion of such investments globally in the first half of this year, close to $2 billion went to Indias firms.

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Impressive, but a few billion dollars is hardly enough  and weary global venture capitalists looking for green investments are missing from the picture. Billions more are needed to help steer these firms forward to eventually meet emissions targets. Tightening financial conditions dont help, but the bigger the challenge for India is overcoming usual skepticism over its dysfunctional politics, creaking infrastructure and red tape.

Whats underappreciated, however, is all this climate-friendly activity isnt solely being driven by multibillion dollar subsidies. Those measures, while moving in the right direction, havent been a massive inducement on their own. In several sectors, policies are still in draft stages. Indias conviction to go green stands in stark contrast to how such shifts have transpired elsewhere in the world. In China, carrot-and-stick policies and subsidies were rolled out to push entrepreneurs, industries and firms to get on board. Even in the US, tax credits and incentives have been the drivers of change.

The countrys post-Covid resurgence has been backed by better roads and infrastructure, and a manufacturing turnaround. Big checks have gone toward mainstream areas. KKR & Co. launched an Indian roads infrastructure investment trust and is also putting in $450 million in Hero Future Energies Pvt., an independent power producer with a portfolio of solar and wind projects, alongside motorcycle maker Hero Group. Brookfield Asset Management Inc. is investing more than $2 billion into renewable energy projects, which have tripled capacity to 110 gigawatts from 39 gigawatts in 2015. Once-encumbered banks are back to funding the power sector. Even Amazon.com Inc. announced plans to set up a solar farm in the western state of Rajasthan.

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Mobility and transportation have drawn much of the early-stage investment so far, which makes sense: The sector accounts for over 10% of Indias emissions. As thousands of miles of highways are being built, nascent electric-vehicle-charging-station firms are cropping up along with those making batteries and EVs. To fund electrification, the government is working with the World Bank to put in place an instrument to cut risk in financing EVs. Banks are offering green car loans, while non-banking financial institutions are extending credit, too.

The economic case for going electric is real, as the large-scale adoption of two- and three-wheeler EVs and e-buses shows, Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari told me in an interview. Theyre bringing down the cost of commuting. Indias market for climate-tech solutions isnt just a massive technology shift, but an affordable energy transition.

The other crucial ingredient: The entrepreneurs  many from the nations best universities like the Indian Institute of Technology  are founding firms working on projects from battery swapping and EV chargers to carbon accounting, as well as new ways to boost agricultural efficiency and raising consumers green awareness. As one investor told me, these founders are putting not just their capital, but their time, energy and conviction behind these startups. They could have probably had their pick of jobs in Silicon Valley. Instead, theyve chosen to tap this opportunity to help solve the energy transition dilemma in India.

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Anjali Bansal runs Avaana Capital, Indias first and largest climate-tech venture capital fund, and looks at hundreds of deals every quarter. She says: This is only the beginning. Sustainability, much like the digital revolution was, will be the next big sea change and thus a large and attractive opportunity to invest in technology for global green solutions. As the country grows and energy consumption rises, she says theres a recognition we have so much building to do  we can do it right, right from the start.

While early-stage investing around climate tech is gathering momentum, theres still a paucity of domestic venture capital for the later stages, when working capital needs to rise: the missing middle. This is forcing entrepreneurs to be realistic about their companies value now and proactive about crowding in global capital for future fundraising.

Meanwhile, climate tech is different compared to, say, more traditional tech investing. The former wont just include asset-light software solutions but also investment in manufacturing, hardware, and research and development for product innovation. That means global venture funds will have to adapt if they want in on the energy transition, especially when it comes to gestation periods and exit timing, as climate-tech fund Theia Ventures Priya Shah says.

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For now, climate-tech investors can still come in at reasonable valuations, or with relatively small ticket sizes given the early stages. Global VCs sitting on the sidelines should take note: Rather than wait for the herd and pumped-up multiples, this may be the time and place to put their dry powder to work.

More From Bloomberg Opinion:

 Venture Capital Has a Battery Blind Spot: Anjani Trivedi

 Tiger Globals Day of Reckoning May Never Come: Shuli Ren

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This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners.

Anjani Trivedi is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering industrial companies in Asia. Previously, she was a reporter for the Wall Street Journal.

More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com/opinion

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The new US Covid booster campaign needs a dose of clarity about its goals and limitations. The latest bivalent vaccine  retooled to protect against the currently circulating BA.5 variant  will benefit some more than others. The oldest and most vulnerable citizens are likely to benefit most. Public health officials should aim to protect them through a targeted messaging campaign convincing them to get the shot. Younger people should only be encouraged to get it if theyre more than six months out from their last shot.

Right now, however, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has a broader focus  recommending that everyone over 12 get the booster if theyre more than two months out from their last shot or three months out from an infection. That diffuse message is less likely to reach those who need it most.

The situation was simpler during the initial vaccine rollout in 2021. The clinical trial data suggested that vaccinations would go a long way toward preventing infection in the first place, and so getting vaccinated was considered not just a personal health choice but a civic duty for everyone. There was broad scientific consensus that widespread vaccination would minimize cases and maybe even end the pandemic.

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That hope was crushed by the discovery of immunity-evading new variants. But there was still a pretty wide consensus that people should get a first booster, thanks to growing evidence that an extra shot, given months later, would help reduce cases and prevent severe illness.

But expert opinion had splintered by the spring of 2022. Some wanted to keep boosting everyone every six months or so, either with the original vaccines or with updated boosters. The problem was a lack of evidence that repeated boosting would make a substantial dent in cases. The new bivalent BA.5 boosters could plausibly reduce the odds of infection, but we dont know by how much.

At the end of the day, probably what counts most is the time from the last immunization or infection, says Alessandro Sette, a professor at the La Jolla Institute of Immunology. He says right now theres too much emphasis on the number of boosters people are getting, rather than their timing. For two or three months after infection or a previous booster, your immune system probably isnt very boost-able. There might be some benefit after three months, but, he says, youd get the most benefit after four-to-six months.

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Sette reiterated what Harvard University immunologist Duane Wesemann told me for a previous column: Over the months following an infection or vaccine dose, your immune system is slowly improving the quality of your antibody-making B-cells and generating slight diversity that increases the odds of effectiveness against a new variant. The number of antibodies circulating in your bloodstream can decline, but these B-cells continue to retain the ability to make new ones pretty quickly for about six months.

Thats why University of California, San Francisco infectious disease doctor Monica Gandhi told me shes been arguing that the recommended interval be six months for healthy people  not the two currently recommended (and in some places, mandated).

In principle, pushing forward a massive fall booster campaign could blunt a winter wave, but Covid waves cant yet be predictably tied to seasonal changes, and nobody knows whether BA.5 or something else will be behind the next surge. Its also unknown whether boosting someone earlier than about four months does anything to reduce the odds of infection and transmission.

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The other essential question is whether the BA.5 bivalent booster has a significant advantage over the original boosters. Sette says the evidence points that way, as least as long as BA.5 remains dominant. In fact, Sette told me that he was going to go get his bivalent booster that same day, right after our interview was over.

But pediatrics professor and Food and Drug Administration advisory committee member Paul Offit is not planning to get the new booster just yet. He called the evidence that the bivalent booster was more protective than the original underwhelming and, in an opinion piece for the WSJ, accused the CDC of overselling it, when its most likely to benefit the oldest and most vulnerable.

A more targeted CDC messaging campaign would prioritize the 35% of people over 65 who havent been boosted at all; theyd benefit the most from the retooled booster. Next on the priority list would be the over-65s who havent been boosted or been infected during the last six months. Even if they already had one booster, theres now evidence that getting a second booster reduces the risk of death, so a second shot is worth it. Its less urgent to reach the two-thirds of adults aged 18-64 whove yet to get a single booster, although theyd also benefit, so long as they havent been infected in the last four-to-six months.

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In a way, it doesnt have to be more complicated than the original rollout, which emphasized certain people needed to be first in line: health care workers, essential workers, then older people, then younger people with health problems, and then everyone else.

This time around, public health should also rank people by urgency, starting with unboosted people over 65. Even if the overall uptake numbers stay low, the booster campaign can still save lives if it reaches the right people.

More From Bloomberg Opinion:

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(Clarifies Alessandro Settes position on boosters in the 6th paragraph of the article published Sept. 28.)

This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners.

Faye Flam is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering science. She is host of the Follow the Science podcast.

More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com/opinion

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For all we depend on economic growth, theres still a lot we dont understand about it. Spectacular growth has brought hugely positive impacts  longer and healthier lives, millions removed from poverty, myriad life-improving innovations. But these benefits have also come with immense costs, including vast pollution, land degradation, biodiversity loss and global warming.

Some environmental scientists argue that these environmental impacts mean economic growth is now actually destabilizing society. Economists tend to fire back that the only way to keep society stable is to keep economies growing.

Trained as a scientist myself, its probably no surprise that Ive been skeptical of the possibility of infinite growth on a finite planet. Ive been perplexed as to why economists find the standard economic arguments put forward for growth so appealing, while dismissing concerns about physical limits to growth as being, well, a little silly.

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However, a few weeks ago I encountered the first really convincing explanation of why the economists perspective has been so persuasive. It came in a lecture delivered by the distinguished Cambridge University economist Partha Dasgupta. He made the point that its hard to appreciate the deep appeal of these ideas for economists without understanding the historical context of their appearance  in the postwar era during which technological innovations in areas like medicine, agriculture and chemistry did so much to generate global prosperity.

Even so, growth theory itself, Dasgupta argued, contains serious flaws which have pushed modern economics off track in important ways, with the result that our continued search for growth is now actively reducing the overall wealth of the planet. The key question Dasgupta raised  and then answered  is this: How is it that economic theory got itself into a condition in which it doesnt even count the natural world as an important part of our economic wealth?

An early growth theory, proposed by economist Robert Solow in 1948, held that long-run growth depends on basic factors including population growth, saving and investment, and the rate of technological development. Later growth theories have essentially followed this plan, emphasizing technological innovation  our ability to continually find new ways to use resources more productively  as the real engine of economic growth.

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Dasgupta pointed to this deep faith in innovation  drummed into economists by what they saw happening in the postwar era  as the reason economists of the 1970s rejected suggestions by natural scientists that there might be natural limits to growth. These scientists suggested that the human expansion of economic activity would eventually grow too large for the planet to safely contain; that our activities could undermine much of the value that is produced by the natural world. Economists dismissed these worries, believing that innovation would always allow humans to find a way around such problems.

The early growth theorists  not by intention, but through some subtle assumptions they made  effectively stipulated that nature has no important role in supporting economic growth. In the standard theory, human innovation enters the growth formula as a purely human construct, not dependent on a huge range of valuable things the environment provides for us, like clean air and water, a stable climate and plentiful reservoirs of complex biomatter. As a result, innovation, and growth, are always possible, even if the natural world were to be severely degraded.

This seems like a huge oversight today, when the science of ecology has been well-developed and weve got decades of evidence showing the natural costs of human activities. But we didnt have these things when growth theory was originally developed. The field of ecology barely existed. At this early stage, he told me in an interview, I dont think it was an outrageous idea to keep nature out of economic modeling.

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But, he argues, it is surely outrageous to continue this way today, and hes taken important steps in showing how economists can include innovation in growth theories in a way that would acknowledge its deep dependence on the natural environment. The key problem is that economists today, when they talk about growth, almost invariably mean GDP growth, which does not record the depreciation of natural capital that comes about during the production of goods and services. What Dasgupta has tried to do in his work is to include nature in economic accounting.

At this point, his lecture stepped into the detailed mathematics of growth theory, which I wont delve into here. In a nutshell, he showed how small changes in the mathematics would make it clear that our human ability to innovate always depends on a stock of goods and services provided by the environment. As a result, depletion of this stock would also deplete our ability to continue doing innovative things.(1)

If a household consumes more than its income, as Dasgupta put it, it can finance the excess by running down household wealth  selling stocks, drawing down savings accounts in the bank, and so on. But it cannot do that forever without becoming bankrupt. Thats the problem humanity faces today, and why we must shift to talking about the inclusive wealth of nations and the global economy, not GDP.

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Dasgupta has taken a big step forward in showing precisely, within economic orthodoxy, where growth theorists can take the objections of environmental scientists seriously, and build a more realistic and useful theory as a result. The revised theory still holds economic growth to be enormously positive, but envisions growth not as GDP growth, but as far more inclusive growth, which has to preserve the value of the natural world for prosperity to continue.

The successful theories of one era often get so entrenched that they constrain the ability of later scientists to think clearly. But today, theres every reason to take limits to growth concerns seriously: A United Nations study from 2018 found that the worlds natural capital declined by nearly 40% between 1992 and 2014. We appear to be consuming the stock of natural wealth on which we ultimately depend.

I heard Dasguptas lecture at the International Centre for Theoretical Physics in Trieste, at a meeting convened by the US State Department. It was somewhat unusual in that it brought together economists, physicists, ecologists, demographers and business leaders to break down some of the intellectual barriers to real progress on sustainability. More events like this are sorely needed.

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Because technological innovation may not be enough to get us out of this mess. For that, well need some innovation in our economic thinking as well.

More From Bloomberg Opinion:

 Progress on HPV Vaccines Is Too Important to Lose: Lisa Jarvis

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(1) Readers interested in the mathematical details should look at the starred chapters, especially chapter 4, of an important report Dasgupta produced in 2019 for the UK Treasury: The Economics of Biodiversity: The Dasgupta Review.

This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners.

Mark Buchanan, a physicist and science writer, is the author of the book Forecast: What Physics, Meteorology and the Natural Sciences Can Teach Us About Economics.

More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com/opinion

2022 Bloomberg L.P.

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MEXICO CITY  Some 200 environmental and land defense activists were killed around the world in 2021, including some 54 in Mexico, which assumed the position of the deadliest country in the annual report by nongovernmental organization Global Witness. Are you on Telegram? Subscribe to our channel for the latest updates on Russias war in Ukraine. ArrowRight More than three-quarters of the killings took place in Latin America, where Colombia, Brazil and Nicaragua also logged double-digit death tolls.

It was the third consecutive year of increases for Mexico and a jump from 30 such activists killed in 2020.

Most of these crimes happen in places that are far away from power and are inflicted on those with, in many ways, the least amount of power, the report said.

Global Witness considers its report a baseline, noting Our data on killings is likely to be an underestimate, given that many murders go unreported, particularly in rural areas and in particular countries.

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The victims died fighting resource exploitation and in land disputes. Conflicts over mining were tied to 27 deaths worldwide, the most for any sector.

Fifteen of those mining-related killings were in Mexico.

In the western Mexico state of Jalisco, Jose Santos Isaac Chavez was killed in April 2021. He was running for local office and had made opposition to a long-running mine a central part of his campaign. Days before the election, he was found dead in his car, which had been driven off a cliff and his body showed evidence of torture. Armed men had dragged him out of his home and driven him away in his own vehicle.

In April 2021, Sandra Liliana Pena Chocue, an Indigenous governor in southwest Colombia, who had fought for the eradication of coca crops in Caldono, Cauca was killed near her home by armed men. Her murder was condemned by the United Nations, nongovernmental organizations and foreign governments.

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Overall, killings of environmental activists in Colombia dropped in 2021 to 33 from 65 the year before. The Philippines saw fewer such killings in 2021 too, 19 compared to 30 in 2020.

In the Democratic Republic of Congo, all eight recorded victims were killed inside Virunga National Park.

In November, conservation park ranger Chief Brigadier Etienne Mutazimiza Kanyaruchinya, 48, was killed when 100 heavily armed men, presumed to be former members of the M23 rebel group, attacked a patrol post near the village of Bukima in Congos North Kivu Province.

Virunga Park is home to some of the worlds last mountain gorillas, but armed groups such as the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda, known by its French acronym FDLR, the Mai-Mai and the M23 regularly vie for control of eastern Congos natural resources.

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Global Witness called on governments to enforce laws that protect activists and require informed consent from Indigenous groups, while also requiring companies to be accountable throughout their global operations and have zero tolerance for attacks on land defenders.

Activists and communities play a crucial role as a first line of defense against ecological collapse, as well as being frontrunners in the campaign to prevent it, Global Witness CEO Mike Davis said in the report.

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THE HAGUE, Netherlands  A frail 87-year-old Rwandan accused of encouraging and bankrolling the countrys 1994 genocide boycotted the opening of his trial at a United Nations tribunal Thursday, nearly three decades after the 100-day massacre left 800,000 dead. Are you on Telegram? Subscribe to our channel for the latest updates on Russias war in Ukraine. ArrowRight Felicien Kabuga is one of the last fugitives charged over the genocide to face justice. Even without him in court, the start of his trial marks a key day of reckoning for Rwandans who survived the killings or whose families were murdered.

Presiding Judge Iain Bonomy said the proceedings could start without Kabuga, who did not attend amid a dispute over his legal representation.

The courts chief prosecutor, Serge Brammertz, said Kabugas no-show was a strategic decision. Brammertz said that throughout preparations for trial, he had a lawyer, very competent lawyer representing him. So as far as we are concerned, the proceedings are absolutely guaranteed.

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The mass killing of Rwandas Tutsi minority was triggered on April 6, 1994, when a plane carrying President Juvenal Habyarimana was shot down and crashed in the capital, Kigali, killing the leader who, like the majority of Rwandans, was an ethnic Hutu. Kabugas daughter married Habyarimanas son.

The Tutsi minority was blamed for downing the plane. Bands of Hutu extremists began slaughtering Tutsis and their perceived supporters, with help from the army, police, and militias.

Brammertz said the trial is significant after a long wait for justice. Some 50 witnesses will testify for the prosecution, including many in Rwanda and some serving prison sentences, he said.

This trial will also be an opportunity to remind the world again of the grave dangers of genocide ideology and hate speech, he said in a statement. Kabuga had a central role in provoking hatred of Tutsis, dehumanizing innocent civilians and paving the way for genocide.

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In his opening statement, prosecution lawyer Rashid Rashid described Kabuga as an enthusiastic supporter of the slaughter who armed, trained and encouraged murderous Hutu militias known as Interahamwe.

Rashid said the trial was opening nearly three decades after the genocide because of Kabugas determined efforts to evade capture.

In Rwanda, Naphtal Ahishakiye, the executive secretary of a genocide survivors group known as Ibuka, said ahead of Thursdays hearing that its never too late for justice to be delivered.

Even with money and protection, one cannot escape a genocide crime, Ahishakiye said in Rwanda ahead of Thursdays trial at the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals in The Hague.

Rashid described Kabunga as a wealthy businessman with close links to the Hutu political elite, who incited genocide through the RTLM broadcaster he helped fund and establish. In some cases, it provided locations of Tutsis so they could be hunted down and killed, he said.

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Kabuga is also accused of having paid for weapons, including machetes, used by militias to slaughter Tutsis and their perceived supporters.

Kabuga did not need to wield a rifle or a machete at a roadblock, rather he supplied weapons in bulk and facilitated training that prepared the Interahamwe to use them, Rashid said.

He did not need to pick up a microphone and call for extermination of Tutsi ... rather he founded, funded and served as president of Radio Television Libre des Mille Collines (RTLM), the radio station that broadcast genocidal propaganda across Rwanda.

Rashid called the broadcaster a mouthpiece for anti-Tutsi propaganda and said Kabugas trial was about holding him accountable for his substantial and intentional contribution to ... genocide.

Kabuga is charged with genocide, incitement to commit genocide, conspiracy to commit genocide as well as persecution, extermination and murder. He has pleaded not guilty. If convicted he faces a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.

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After years of evading international efforts to track him down, Kabuga, who had a $5 million bounty on his head, was arrested near Paris in May 2020. He was transferred to The Hague to stand trial at the residual mechanism, a court that deals with remaining cases from the now-closed U.N. tribunals for Rwanda and the Balkan wars.

Kabugas lawyers argued unsuccessfully that he was not fit to stand trial. However, on the advice of doctors who examined Kabuga, the process will run for just two hours per day. The first evidence in the case is expected to be heard next week and will take months to complete.

Yolande Mukakasana, a genocide survivor and writer who lost her entire family in the genocide, said the case has come too late for many survivors who have died since the slaughter.

Men and women of Kabugas age were found in bed and murdered. Shame (upon) his sympathizers who cite his old age as a reason not to (stand) trial, she said.

____

Ignatius Ssuuna in Kigali, Rwanda, contributed.

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A conservative law firm will appeal the dismissal of its lawsuit claiming a state financial aid program for minorities is unconstitutional.

Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty filed the lawsuit against the states Higher Educational Aids Board in April 2021 over a grant meant to prevent students from dropping out due to economic hardship.

The grants provide up to $2,500 to minority students who are enrolled at least half-time at a state technical, tribal or nonprofit private college who have attended at least two semesters.

State law limits eligibility to Black, American Indian, Hispanic and some Southeast Asian students.

WILL argued that the program is unconstitutional because its biased against white people and other races.

However, Jefferson County Judge William Hue dismissed the lawsuit on Sept. 16, writing that the grant program effectively targets those minority students with disproportionate financial needs while considering other aspects of a students application other than race.

WILL is appealing, deputy counsel Dan Lennington said, because the circuit court committed a number of errors that must be addressed. Even under current case law, the government has failed to explain why it excludes most Asian students, Middle Eastern students, Indian students and many African students from receiving assistance.

State Department of Justice communications director Gillian Drummond said the agency agreed with Hues thorough and well-reasoned decision deeming the program legal.

The grants program was established in the 1980s to help minority students overcome barriers to receiving a bachelors degree. The University of Wisconsin System has a similar grant program for students that provides a maximum of $3,000 a year for those defined as minority students.

Nearly $820,000 in grant funding was given to 719 students during the 2020-21 school year, with two-thirds of those enrolled at a technical college. Milwaukee Area Technical College was allocated the most funding from the grant program that year, with 97 students receiving a combined $174,800. Gateway Technical College in Racine had the highest number of awards at 150.

The majority of students who receive the grant are either Black or Hispanic.

WILL filed the lawsuit on behalf of five plaintiffs from Dane and Brown counties, but chose to file in Jefferson County Circuit Court to find a friendly judge, Lennington said.

Two of the plaintiffs are a Madison biracial couple. Lennington said plaintiff Konkanok Rabiebna is from Thailand, which is not one of the Southeast Asian nationalities that qualifies for the grant program, and her husband Richard Freihoefer, is white. Their son, therefore, doesnt qualify for the grant.

We are standing up for people like (Rabiebna), Lennington said.

The other plaintiffs, Dorothy Borchardt and Norman Sannes, both of Madison, and Richard Heidel, of Hobart, object to taxpayer dollars being used for grants with race qualifications.

Pending lawsuits before the U.S. Supreme Court might affect the Wisconsin case.

Oral arguments start next month in cases involving Harvard University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Students for Fair Admissions, Inc., claim that the institutions admissions processes disproportionately harm white and Asian American applicants.

Both universities have argued they retain the right to consider multiple criteria in admissions, including test scores and extracurricular activities. As recently as 2020, federal trial and appeals courts have sided with the universities and affirmed their right to consider race in admissions.

That (Supreme Court) decision will necessarily impact our case here in Wisconsin, Lennington said.
Blinded by the smog of war there was nowhere for the AGL board to go - it has been ambushed by billionaire Mike Cannon-Brookes and a team of large investors who skilfully choreographed their strategy on the corporate stage.

AGLs plan to keep its largest coal burning power station open until 2045 has now been abandoned  a complete capitulation to Cannon-Brookes green print for the transformation of the company.

Mike Cannon-Brookes amassed a stealth position in AGL Energy to pressure the company. Credit:TheAge

Thus, AGL, Australias biggest polluter and a climate change dinosaur, has been dragged into taking its first big step on the green road - one which will cost up to $20 billion over 12 years.

The push by Cannon-Brookes Grok, and others like-minded industry funds group - HESTA, UK investor outfit Martin Currie, Brookfield, Van Eck and a coalition of smaller activist investors - picked up an 18 to 19 per cent shareholding in AGL, enough muscle to get the job done.
Rone has long been fascinated by the urban legend of the ballroom at Flinders Street, often wondering if it even existed and whether he could create work there. It has always been on my list, he says.

That ambition is about to come true, as the 42-year-old Geelong-born artist opens his biggest work yet. With Time, he is about to take over not only the storied ballroom but the entire third level of the iconic Melbourne station.

Artist Rone in his architectural intervention upstairs at Flinders Street Station. Credit:Jason South

Rone is the moniker of street artist Tyrone Wright, who describes the transformation as an architectural intervention. Much more than art on the walls, it is an imagined reality of a world gone by, a glimpse of what might have been.

Ill meet you under the clocks, theres a nod to that in everything, he says. Theres something about this building and time. The clock tower [at the station] was how all the train drivers would set their watches: they would go out to all the regions, this is the space that set time for all Victoria. Its quite beautiful to know it rings out from here.
The woman accused of orchestrating her ex-boyfriends death involving a woodchipper also allegedly planned another murder.

Sharon Grahams former boyfriend, Bruce Saunders, was believed to have died in a horrific accident in 2017, his body having been crushed in a mulcher while he was clearing trees at a south-east Queensland property.

Sharon Graham. Credit:Facebook

But a tip-off to police led to three murder charges  against Graham, as well as two other former lovers of the 61-year-old.

Peter John Koenig, 65, pleaded guilty in July to being an accessory after the fact. He received a lesser sentence in return for him testifying against his co-accused.
MADISON  A judge decided Wednesday to allow a Wisconsin man accused of killing six people and injuring dozens more when he allegedly drove his SUV through a Christmas parade represent himself at trial, finding that he suffers from a personality disorder and faces an uphill fight against an experienced prosecutorial team but is mentally competent.

Waukesha County Circuit Judge Jennifer Dorow's decision leaves Darrell Brooks in the unusual position of defending himself against a score of charges, including six counts of intentional homicide. His trial is scheduled to begin Monday with jury selection.

Brooks has a high school equivalency diploma but did not attend college. Dorow said he has a constitutional right to act as his own attorney if he's mentally competent.

Dorow said she reviewed evaluations four psychologists conducted of Brooks and agreed with their findings that while he has a personality disorder and is disruptive, he is intelligent and articulate enough to defend himself. She warned him that he will have problems understanding the rules of evidence, when to object to rulings and how to examine witnesses without any training, but she can't stand in his way.

This court has warned Mr. Brooks what he's getting into, Dorow said.

According to prosecutors and investigators, Brooks drove his SUV through a Christmas parade in downtown Waukesha on Nov. 21. He refused commands to stop and kept driving, running people down, even as police officers shot at his vehicle, according to a criminal complaint.

He would face life in prison if convicted of any of the homicide charges. He faces 71 additional counts, including 61 counts of felony reckless endangerment. Each one of those counts carries a maximum sentence of 12 1/2 years in prison. Those counts also have a use-of-a-dangerous-weapon penalty enhancer, which would add another five years on each count.

He initially pleaded not guilty by reason of mental disease but withdrew that plea earlier this month and filed a motion seeking to represent himself. He told Dorow in court on Tuesday that his public defenders, Jeremy Perri and Anna Kees, haven't explained the nature of the charges to him.

Dorow questioned him repeatedly about whether he understood what he was doing, to which Brooks insisted that he was aware but didn't understand. Dorow grew so frustrated with him that she adjourned the hearing and continued it Wednesday.

Their exchanges were just as combative on Wednesday as Brooks constantly interrupted Dorow as she tried to explain the ramifications of his decision again and warned him that she likely wouldn't assign an attorney to the case if he asks for one as the trial progresses.

The judge warned him that if he continues to interrupt during the trial, she will admonish him in front of the jury.

That's fine, Brooks responded.
Beauty mogul and uber-influencer Zoe Foster Blake never used to like chemical sunscreens.

In a blog post in 2013, she warned readers of her blog that the products were a growing concern as chemical filters can mess with your hormones.

And true to her word, when Foster Blakes Go-To brand launched its first sunscreen  the Zincredible SPF15  in 2018 it was a zinc-based physical blocking agent.

Unfortunately Zincredible was discontinued in 2020, along with Go-Tos Pink-Nudey lip balm because they only came in one skin tone. Pinky-Nudey was still available on Wednesday from Go-Tos website, mind you.
Copenhagen, Denmark: Methane leaking from the damaged Nord Stream pipelines is likely to be the biggest burst of the potent greenhouse gas on record, by far.

The Nord Stream pipeline leaks that were pumping huge volumes of methane into the Baltic Sea and atmosphere could discharge as much as five times as much of the potent greenhouse as was released by the Aliso Canyon disaster, the largest known terrestrial release of methane in US history.

It is also the equivalent of one third of Denmarks total annual greenhouse gas emissions, a Danish official warned Wednesday.

Unusual leaks from natural gas pipelines running from Russia under the Baltic Sea to Germany have triggered concerns about possible sabotage. Credit:AP

Whoever ordered this should be prosecuted for war crimes and go to jail, said Rob Jackson, a Stanford University climate scientist.
AFP: According to Pakistani police, a Chinese national was shot dead in Karachi. Could you offer any information of the suspect? Does he have any connection with Baloch separatists?



Wang Wenbin: We express condolences for the victim and sympathies to the injured. To my knowledge, the victim you mentioned was not a Chinese citizen.

CCTV: Today is the International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste designated by the UN. Can you talk about Chinas measures, achievements and contribution in reducing food waste?



Wang Wenbin: To quote an ancient Chinese adage, Among governing priorities, food comes first. Ensuring food supply has always been the top governing priority in China. For the Chinese government, reducing food loss and waste is an important pathway towards food security. President Xi Jinping personally advocated the Clean Plate initiative to foster strong social awareness of cherishing food and ending waste. China has enhanced regulatory and institutional functions, including adopting the Law on Food Waste, to provide rules for consumers and the catering industry. China has upgraded the infrastructure and equipment for grain production, built more than 60 million hectares of high-quality, well-equipped farmland with high and stable yield, and reduced the mechanical loss of grain harvest by optimizing agricultural machinery and equipment, which enabled China to reduce the waste of wheat harvested in summer this year by 1.25 billion kilograms. China has promoted advanced and applicable technologies including pest control, green storage and moderate processing of bulk grain and oil. The grain loss rate from diseases and pests is kept under five percent. China has actively engaged in international cooperation in reducing food loss and waste. We held the International Conference on Food Loss and Waste in September last year, which was attended by more than 50 countries and international organizations. The Jinan Initiative of the International Food Loss Conference was issued as part of the effort to build international consensus on this front. China listed food security as one of the eight priority areas of cooperation in the Global Development Initiative it proposed, and is working with all parties to proceed with relevant practical cooperation and measures. China has also put forward an initiative on international food security cooperation at the G20, offering Chinas solution for the global food security challenge.

Food conservation and food loss reduction is a common task of the international community that requires joint efforts of all countries. According to the latest statistics of the World Food Program, 345 million people are facing acute food insecurity in 82 countries. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned that 1.6 billion people cannot be sure of getting enough to eat and nearly 250 million are on the brink of famine. Under the impact of COVID-19, climate change and geopolitical conflicts, the world is undergoing mounting pressure of food shortage and low-income countries are struggling with hunger.

The way food waste is dealt with in some developed countries, however, has been regrettable. Their per capita food waste ranks among the top in the world, mainly caused by consumption patterns. The waste of resources and environmental pollution in these countries as a result of overproduction is even more shocking.

China is ready to share experience with all parties, actively advance the Global Development Initiative, engage in international cooperation on reducing food loss and waste and jointly uphold global food security. We once again urge developed countries to fulfill their international obligations. We can all contribute to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the goals of Zero Hunger and No Poverty by minimizing food loss and waste.

Peoples Daily: We have noted that the BRICS cooperation mechanism held a series of meetings in September, including meetings of tourism ministers and energy ministers. Can you share more information?



Wang Wenbin: China is the BRICS chair for 2022. Since the beginning of this year, China has fulfilled its duty as the BRICS chair in real earnest and made every effort to advance BRICS cooperation across the board. We have so far successfully held nearly 130 meetings and events. In September alone, we held a number of ministerial meetings, including the meetings of tourism ministers, energy ministers and disaster management ministers.

In the meantime, China has vigorously promoted the development of BRICS partnership, deepened the BRICS Plus cooperation model, and encouraged more developing countries to participate in BRICS cooperation. So far, China has hosted more than 20 BRICS Plus events, including high-level meetings of foreign ministers, trade ministers and health ministers, as well as events in such sectors as poverty alleviation, industrial Internet and digital manufacturing, and think-tanks and civil society organizations. The BRICS Plus cooperation model provides a new cooperation platform for emerging markets and developing countries and helps promote solidarity and cooperation among developing countries. It has been fully recognized by BRICS member states and other developing countries.

In the rest of the year, China will host more than 30 BRICS meetings and events. We are ready to work with other BRICS members to implement the outcomes and consensus reached at the 14th BRICS Summit in June, make unremitting efforts to deepen solidarity and cooperation among emerging markets and developing countries, and bring more stability and positive energy to world peace and development.

Xinhua News Agency: Recently tensions between Palestine and Israel have risen with recurring clashes in East Jerusalem, especially around the al-Aqsa mosque. Do you have any comment?



Wang Wenbin: China is deeply concerned about the heightened tensions in Jerusalem. We oppose any action to unilaterally alter the historical status quo of Jerusalem and call on relevant parties, notably Israel, to stay calm and exercise restraint in order to prevent the situation from getting out of control.

The root cause of the recurrence of Palestine-Israel conflict lies in the long absence of the implementation of the two-state solution. The international community needs to act with a stronger sense of urgency and facilitate the early resumption of peace talks between Palestine and Israel on the basis of the two-state solution so that peace could prevail as early as possible between the two sides.

Yonhap News Agency: Today marks the 50th anniversary of the normalization of relations between China and Japan. Whats your comment?



Wang Wenbin: Today marks the 50th anniversary of the normalization of China-Japan relations. President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang have both exchanged congratulatory messages with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida. Leaders of both countries commented positively on the major historic significance of the normalization of ties and the achievements of bilateral ties over the past 50 years, and envisioned the way forward for China-Japan ties.

The 50th anniversary is an important milestone in the course of China-Japan relations. Half a century ago, with extraordinary strategic vision and political courage, the then Chinese and Japanese leaders made the political decision of normalizing ties and opened a new chapter in bilateral relations. Over the past five decades, the two sides have concluded four political documents and reached a series of important common understandings, laying the political and legal foundation for bilateral relations. Exchange and cooperation in various sectors have come a long way, which not only delivered important benefits to both peoples, but also contributed to regional and global peace, stability, development and prosperity.

Our world is going through major changes unseen in a century. As bilateral relations embark on the next 50-year journey, both sides need to follow the guidance of the important common understandings between our leaders, adhere to the principles established in the four political documents, renew the original aspiration behind the normalization of ties, stay committed to peace and friendship, expand mutually-beneficial cooperation, manage differences well, and work together to build a China-Japan relationship that meets the call of the new era.
The Kenosha Police Department officially confirmed the identities of the two deceased victims of the Las Margaritas shooting on Sept. 18 as 33-year-old Kenosha resident Houston R. Oliver and 35-year-old Racine resident James J. Alexander-Hood.

The identities of the two additional gunshot victims who suffered serious but non-life-threatening injuries have not been released. They have since been released from area hospitals, police said in a release issued Wednesday.

No suspects were in custody as of Wednesday afternoon, and the investigation remains very active according to the release. Police urge anyone with information to cooperate and speak with investigators by calling the Detective Bureau at (262) 605-5203 or Crime Stoppers at (262) 656-7333.
MOUNT PLEASANT  Case High School went into lockdown Wednesday afternoon when a shooting was reported at or near a hotel across the street.

A 16-year-old boy was shot at around 1:12 p.m. Wednesday at the Delta Hotel, 7111 Washington Ave., the Mount Pleasant Police Department reported. Police said the teen is in serious but stable condition.

In the ensuing two hours, police were seen investigating in the parking lot of the Marriott hotel. No one is in custody for the shooting, police said.

The hotel is located on the east side of Oakes Road; Case High is on the west side.

In an email at 1:55 p.m. Wednesday, Racine Unified School District spokesperson Stacy Tapp said "Yes, we are currently in lockdown. We have notified parents."

Detravian Wortham, a sophomore at Case, said the lockdown started at around 1:30 p.m. and that students had to stay in the classrooms they were in at the time; an announcement came over the school speaker system informing everyone the school was in lockdown.

Wortham had never experienced a lockdown before. It was a little bit scary," he said.

Pickup of students at Case High School was held at its normal time at 2:48 p.m.

"Students were released from school without incident," the MPPD said in a statement. "There are no suspects in custody at the time of this release. The investigation is ongoing."

When the lockdown ended and students walked out of the school, Wortham said Everybody was just a little bit shocked."

The MPPD is asking those with information about the shooting to call 262-884-0454, Extension No. 4; send an email through racine.crimestoppersweb.com; or call Crime Stoppers at 262-636-9330.

This story will be updated.
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.

Tomorrow

Mostly cloudy and still quite cool with the occasional shower possible. Heavier rain may very well be seen south and east of the Lehigh Valley.
Election officials should be allowed to accept absentee ballots with partial witness addresses as long as they can discern the correct addresses, a liberal group argues in a lawsuit filed Tuesday.

The lawsuit comes after a Waukesha County judge in early September ruled that election officials cant fix or fill in missing address information on absentee ballot envelopes.

But voters shouldnt be disenfranchised because of immaterial errors on ballot envelopes that clerks can no longer fix, like a forgotten ZIP code on the witness certificate, the lawsuit states. State law also doesnt specify what constitutes an address, the group argues.

Rise Inc., which encourages students to vote, and Jason Rivera, a voter who lives in Madison, filed the lawsuit in Dane County Circuit Court against the state Elections Commission and Madison City Clerk Maribeth Witzel-Behl.

The now-rescinded guidance that had allowed clerks to fix errors on witness certificates was issued in 2016. Voters must have a witness sign a certificate, typically printed on the back of an absentee ballot envelope, for the ballot to be valid. The witness has to include his or her address on the certificate, but under the guidance, election officials were able to fill in missing or incorrect pieces such as the state or ZIP code.

Republicans only began scrutinizing the guidance after the 2020 presidential election that saw their candidate lose.

Top legislative Republicans in January told the Elections Commission to withdraw the guidance or resubmit it as an administrative rule.

It became a rule in July. That same month, the GOP-controlled Administrative Rules Committee struck it down.

A Waukesha County judge ruled against the separate guidance in September. He ordered the Elections Commission to tell officials not to correct errors or fill in missing information on witness certificates. But he did not specify what information is required for the witness address to be valid.

The ruling has led to confusion among election officials, with no consensus on whether, for example, they can count a ballot if the witness certificate is missing a ZIP code.

The plaintiffs in the lawsuit filed Tuesday argue those ballots should be counted.

The federal Civil Rights Act prohibits the state from denying any person the right to vote as the result of failure to comply with a requirement that is not material to the voters qualifications, the plaintiffs said.

The lawsuit seeks an injunction requiring the Elections Commission to tell local election officials to accept ballots as long as the witness address includes sufficient information from which the clerk can reasonably discern the place where the witness may be communicated with.

Elections Commission spokesperson Riley Vetterkind pointed to a memo the commission sent to local election officials after the Waukesha County judge ruled against fixing witness addresses in early September. In that memo, the agency stated the court didnt overturn its existing definition of an address, which calls for the street number, street name and municipality name. It does not mention ZIP code or state.

Witzel-Behl did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The plaintiffs are asking the court to clarify what constitutes an address. Theyre also asking the court to clarify whether ballots are improperly completed under Wisconsin law if the witness addresses are missing some information.

The nonpartisan Legislative Audit Bureau last year reviewed 14,710 absentee ballot certificates in 29 municipalities and found that 1,022 certificates, or 6.9%, were missing parts of witness addresses, 15, or 0.1%, did not have any witness address at all, eight, or less than 0.1%, did not have a witness signature and three, or less than 0.1%, did not have a voter signature. Clerks corrected 66, or about 0.4%, of those certificates.
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP)  A broadly smiling California Gov. Gavin Newsom joined about two dozen jubilant, cheering farmworkers camped outside the state Capitol Wednesday to sign one of the most contentious bills before him this year, reversing course on a measure to help farmworkers unionize after President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris supported it.

The White House support pinned Newsom in a difficult political position after his office announced before Democratic lawmakers sent him the bill that he would not sign it.

But Newsom approved the bill only after he, the United Farm Workers and the California Labor Federation agreed on clarifying language to be considered during next years legislative session to address his concerns around implementation and voting integrity.

The new law gives California farmworkers, who harvest much of the nations fruit and vegetables, new ways to vote in union elections beyond physical polling places on farm property. Proponents say that would help protect workers from union busting and other intimidation, while owners say such a system lacks necessary safeguards to prevent fraud.

The agreement includes a cap on the number of unionization petitions over the next five years and will allow state regulators to better protect worker confidentiality and safety, Newsom's office said. It would do away with an option for workers to unionize through mail-in voting that is contained in the current language, but keeps a card check election process.

Si, se puede, the farmworkers chanted as Newsom signed the bill, echoing the UFW's longtime slogan  roughly, Yes, we can" in Spanish.

The union led a weekslong summer march up the state to Sacramento, where farmworkers and their supporters rallied outside the Capitol, some camping outside through September in an effort to win Newsom's support.

The vigil and the march were all worth it, because he came out and signed for us, farmworker Teresa Maldonado said through a translator.

The march cost Xochilt Nunez her fruit-picking job, several toenails and left her with blistered feet. But she was on the verge of tears after Newsom signed the legislation, plus an extra copy for Nunez to keep.

Californias farmworkers are the lifeblood of our state, and they have the fundamental right to unionize and advocate for themselves in the workplace, Newsom said in a statement after signing the bill.

Newsom vetoed similar legislation last year, as did his two most recent predecessors. One of his stated concerns centered on security concerns about mail-in elections, an option that would be eliminated in the clean up language agreed to by the union.

The revised law would keep the card check option, which would still give farmworkers a chance to vote from home or anywhere else they feel comfortable and limit chances for employer intimidation, said Giev Kashkooli, legislative and political director for the United Farm Workers. Under such a system, a union is formed if more than half of workers sign the authorization card.

The California Farm Bureau said it was deeply disappointed" in Newsom's decision to sign the bill, though the group's statement focused primarily on the mail-in balloting system. The union did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment about the language to remove that option.

Democratic Assemblyman Mark Stone added provisions to this years version that would let the law expire after five years unless it is renewed by lawmakers, and requiring the Agricultural Labor Relations Board to handle the ballots.

Newsom has been positioning himself for months as a leading national Democratic voice calling out red state governors, fueling speculation that he has presidential ambitions despite his repeated denials.

Mike Madrid, a Republican strategist in California who specializes in Latino voting trends, read Bidens Labor Day statement strongly supporting the legislation as an effort to take Newsom down a notch.

I think its impossible to avoid the reality that theres a little bit of tension between these two politicians because of Gavins posture in leaning into this presidential rumor mill, Madrid said. Its basically just a reminder of who the sheriff is.

Biden has long supported the union. He keeps a bust of union co-founder Cesar Chavez in the Oval Office and Chavez granddaughter, Julie Chavez Rodriguez, is Bidens director of intergovernmental affairs.

In the state with the largest population of farmworkers, the least we owe them is an easier path to make a free and fair choice to organize a union, Biden said in his statement.

Jack Pitney, a political science professor at Claremont McKenna College, said Biden seemed to be reflecting his longstanding support for unions, while Newsom had the more delicate task of balancing labor relations against an agricultural industry that also is struggling.

Adding to the pressure, the struggling UFW recently rejoined the umbrella California Labor Federation. The issue of farmworker unionization became more critical to labor in 2020 after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that union organizers had no right to access farmers properties to talk to their workers.

Newsom signed a different union-backed bill on Labor Day, creating a Fast Food Council empowered to set minimum standards for wages, hours and working conditions in California. The restaurant industry moved to block it a day later.

Associated Press Writer Kathleen Ronayne contributed to this story.
ORLANDO, Fla.  In the wake of Hurricane Ian carving a path of destruction across Florida, the state's airports are working to resume operations. The storm caused thousands of flights to be canceled.

Abi Young and her family, who live in Berks County, left for a vacation at Walt Disney World near Orlando on Sunday. They and more than 100 others took a Boscov's Travel flight from Reading Regional Airport.

"We honestly didn't even think about hurricane season," Young said.

After three good days at Disney, the family found the parks to be closed by Ian.

"Weather-wise, you could just see the storm picking up, that by evening, it was getting windier, the rains were coming heavier," Young said.

Central Florida wasn't hit quite as hard as areas on the state's Gulf Coast, but vacation plans were gone with the wind, and the family spent the last two days at its hotel.

"The staff here has really been wonderful," said Young. "They were passing out snack bags yesterday. They brought in characters for the kids to meet. They made the arcade free. They kept the pool open, and they've kept the cafeteria open."

Young and the rest of the people from Berks County who traveled to Florida on Sunday are expected to head back on Saturday as planned, but the storm forced airports in Orlando and the rest of Florida to close.

Boscov's Travel officials said they're monitoring the situation and working closely with Southwest Airlines charter operations. They hope to have everyone back as scheduled on Saturday.

"Thankfully, we never lost power," Young said. "I think we were in one of the safest places that we could be."
LOWER HEIDELBERG TWP., Pa.  First responders lined Penn Avenue in Lower Heidelberg Township on Wednesday to join family and friends in saying their final goodbyes to Ryder Knechtle, who died last Thursday, a day after his 6th birthday, amid a battle with a cancerous brain tumor.

69 News introduced you to Ryder in November 2020, when Great Clips in the Sinking Spring area organized a day of fun.

Ryder, who had a big personality, caught the attention of local police departments, including Hamburg. In June, he was sworn in as a junior special police officer.

"We are saddened by the loss of Ryder, but are glad we had the opportunity to touch his life as he touched ours," Hamburg Mayor George Holmes said in a statement.

South Heidelberg Township Police Chief Leon Grim was at the procession.

"Young Ryder was made an honorary police officer by both the Township of Spring and Hamburg Borough as well," Grim said, "so we felt that it was essential for us to honor him on his journey through our township."

The Spring Township Police Department also honored Ryder as a special officer. The department thanked him in a Facebook post.

"It's part of what we do as first responders, that we help each other out," Grim said. "In this case, it's an honor to help him, honor his memory and his legacy by just showing up and being there through the journey today."

It's a legacy his fellow officers said will live on forever.
SALISBURY TWP., Pa. - Nationally renowned journalist Katie Couric has been on our airwaves for over 40 years.

But behind closed doors she was battling something no one ever wants to face.

She was diagnosed with breast cancer this past summer, making her one of thousands of Americans who have gone through the battle.

"The estimate for 2022 is just over 278,000 breast cancers," said Dr. Lori Alfonse, Deputy Physician in Chief at Lehigh Valley Topper Cancer Institute.

Doctors say Couric's story is a reminder of how vital a yearly mammogram is, and that it could be the difference between life or death.

"We feel that every woman starting at age 40 should be getting a mammogram yearly. Find disease before disease finds us," said Dr. Alfonse.

And with October being Breast Cancer Awareness Month, it's the perfect time to get informed.

"Awareness, education and support are important to us all year round," said Jen Sinclair, Program Director at Lehigh Valley Cancer Support Community.

There's plenty of ways right here in the Valley to support breast cancer awareness, and recognize both survivors and those who have lost their battle.

"There's so many ways to participate throughout the Valley because we have so many caring compassionate people that are here to make sure the mission and those efforts get the attention they need," said Sinclair.
ALLENTOWN, Pa. - We are now hearing from the mother who lost not one but two of her sons to separate acts of gun violence.

22-year-old Najeer Lane was killed in south Allentown just under a month ago, five years after his older brother was gunned down. Now their mother, Shalon Buskirk, is speaking out about gun violence.

"Today, I am emotionally drained," Buskirk said. "I don't sleep. It still feels like a nightmare."

Buskirk is a mom of eight, now living without her first- and second-born sons.

"This gun violence keeps erupting in our city," Buskirk said. "And nobody's doing anything about it. They say they are. And I don't care if I get backlash from it. What are you doing?"

Buskirk spoke to 69 News at a memorial on West Juniata Street in Allentown. It's the spot where Najeer Lane was shot and killed just under a month ago.

"I'm still waiting for Najee to walk through that door," she said.

Najeer Lane was 22. He had been shot in 2019 as well.

"This hurts," his mother said. "The wound that I tried to close after Parris just reopened."

Back in 2017, her older son, Parris Lane, was shot and killed in a Center City Allentown parking lot.

"That year, Paris was the 17th homicide," Buskirk said. "It was a bloody summer."

Officials had linked Parris Lane to a few different gangs. He was 19 when he died.

Buskirk says Najeer was also in a gang.

"But it still didn't mean my son deserved to die in the way that he did," she said. "It was murder. Somebody sat around with a list, plotting my son's death. Shouldn't be like that."

There was another gun-related fatality just this past weekend, when 15-year-old Treshawn Tracy was shot and killed at Stevens Park on Sunday afternoon.

His alleged killer, 16-year-old Elijah Patterson, admitted to police that he committed the crime by shooting Treshawn Tracy three times and killing him.

Buskirk felt compelled to speak out.

"When I heard about Treshawn, that sparked a whole lot," she said. "That was 15. What did a 15-year-old do, or did not do, to deserve? Bottom line is he lost his life."

Buskirk says she wants to see more preventative programs - proactive, she says, instead of reactive approaches to gun violence.

"How can we talk to these kids? What do they need? What resources do they need? Kids don't have anything when they get a certain age, they're too old to go to Boys and Girls Club. They're aging out."

Buskirk also says there's more officials and organizations could be doing to reach out to the community.

"Every time I look around, I see overpriced developments that's going on," Buskirk said. "Our kids are the forgotten ones. It's more than fancy, high-rise unaffordable housing. It's about our youth."

The mayor's office was unable to respond to our request for comment by deadline.

But from a mother who's now buried two of her children: Buskirk says she wants to impart these words:

"When your kids walk out that door, hug them a little bit tighter," she said. "Tell them you love them. Because nothing is promised forever."
SALISBURY TWP., Pa. - The Lehigh County coroner says dental records are needed to identify the victim of Wednesday's plane crash, as the plane exploded with the man inside.

A second person did survive thanks to the quick actions of Ron Diehl, who was doing renovation at the home where the plane crashed.

"He says get my student. I said holy crap there is somebody else in there," Diehl said.

Moments after, Diehl pulled the man out of the cockpit. This, after the single-engine Piper PA-28 crashed in front of him, exploding shortly after.

Diehl says he saw a foot amongst the wreckage, grabbed it, and pulled.

"The wing was sticking up in the air. The wing's coming down, it's like literally going to fall right on me and him. I don't know what happened, but I just dove with him and it landed next to me on fire and when that hit then the fire really took off," he said.

There was nothing more the 47-year-old could do, as he said the cockpit looked like a furnace.

He says he was at the Salisbury Township home doing renovation work when the plane came down nearly on top of him.

"I could see the guy's sunglasses in the windshield. I'm not kidding. I just dove out of the way and as I turned around it struck a tree, and just burst into flames. Pieces went flying," he said.

The plane is registered to Pro Flight Aero Services, a flight training school, with a lease at Queen City. It had taken off from the airport before crashing.

The coroner says dental records are needed to ID the victim. The man Diehl saved was taken to the hospital.

Diehl says there was never a moment when he didn't think of his 3-year-old twins and doesn't consider himself a hero, but he certainly saved a life.

"If myself or a loved one was in that situation I would hope someone would try. All you can do is try," he said.

Diehl says when he pulled the man from the plane he was covered in black soot or a similar material.

An autopsy for the victim is set for Friday.

The National Transportation Safety Board says a preliminary report is expected in two to three weeks, which will give some facts and circumstances of what led to the crash. A full report is expected in one to two years.
ALLENTOWN, Pa. - The Pennsylvania Latino Convention got underway Thursday morning in Allentown.

Latino and Hispanic leaders are gathering at the Renaissance Hotel in the Queen City.

Movers and shakers are in town to promote achievements and discuss issues in their communities.

"It's an honor having Latinos here who come from all over the country. Primarily from all over Pennsylvania to celebrate with us the month of Hispanic heritage and that is in September and October," said Julio Guridy, with the Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission.

Guridy is a former member of the Allentown City Council.

The Pennsylvania Latino Convention runs through Saturday in Allentown.
SALISBURY TWP., Pa. - "I knew something wasn't right, at all."

Jeffrey Dischinat was in his Salisbury Township driveway on Wednesday, listening to the planes from Queen City Municipal Airport fly over his head.

"I'm used to the planes going over all the time. It was typical. It was kind of typical," said Dischinat.

He says one plane in particular stood out.

"I'm around vehicles and engines my whole life, but the engine did not sound right. I actually saw the wheels hit the top of the tree," he said.

That plane was a Single Engine Piper PA-28 that had two people on board. Moments after Dischinat heard it, it crashed nearby on the 1400 block of Keystone Avenue in Salisbury Township.

Alan Desris lives next door to where it happened and heard it all.

"I heard a loud crash, sounded like something got hit pretty hard," said Desris. "I heard someone yell for help, ran over, the plane was on fire, ended up exploding in one second."

When crews arrived, one person was found dead. A man who was yelling for help from the cockpit was pulled from the wreckage and survived. He was rushed to the hospital.

The cause of the crash is still under investigation by the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board. The FAA said information on who owned the plane could be available as early as Thursday.

"Terrible tragedy, terrible," said Dischinat.
PHILADELPHIA  An architecture firm will pay almost $500,000 in a settlement over its design of senior living facilities.

J. Randolph Parry Architects agreed to settle a federal lawsuit involving eight facilities in Pennsylvania, including some in our area, according to the U.S. Justice Department.

The suit claimed the New Jersey-based architect did not design and build the facilities to be accessible to people with disabilities, violating the Fair Housing Act and Americans with Disabilities Act.

Parry will pay $350,000 to make the properties ADA-compliant, the justice department said.

The company will also pay $75,000 into a fund to compensate those harmed by inaccessible housing, and $25,000 to the government as a penalty.

The eight facilities in the settlement area:

Arbour Square at Harleysville in Montgomery County;

The Birches in Newtown Township, Bucks County;

Cedar Views Apartments in Philadelphia;

Chestnut Knoll in Boyertown, Berks County;

Keystone Villa at Douglasville in Amity Township, Berks County;

Lifequest Nursing Center addition near Quakertown, Bucks County;

Traditions of Hanover in Hanover Township, Northampton County;

Traditions of Hershey near Palmyra, Lebanon County

Those who think they or someone they know had difficulties because of inaccessible conditions at the properties should contact the justice department at fairhousing@usdoj.gov or leave a message at 1-833-591-0291 and select option numbers (1-4-1).

The department said its lawsuit against other property owners will continue.
The University of Wisconsin Systems new tuition-waiver program aims to help the state compete for talent and fill critical worker shortages.

But financial aid applications determine eligibility, and Wisconsin ranks 38th in the nation for the percentage of high school seniors who file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

So the UW System has launched an online campaign to help boost the number of students who apply for federal aid.

We are not filling the jobs that we need, that employers have, in the state of Wisconsin, whether that be nurses, engineers, data scientists and that list goes on and on, UW System President Jay Rothman said. If were not graduating the people that fill those places, those jobs are going to go outside of the state of Wisconsin.

The Wisconsin Tuition Promise program would provide up to four years of tuition and fee funding for students coming from families earning less than $62,000 annually. The program will take effect for the 2023-24 academic year.

The online campaign includes a System-specific website where people can connect with campus financial aid services and find in-person application assistance starting Monday at high schools and colleges. The System also will launch a social media campaign over social platforms that younger people frequent such as TikTok, Instagram and music-streaming service Spotify, Rothman said.

Officials dont have set goals for the campaign, Rothman said, adding the UW Systems overall goal is to have every student who qualifies for federal aid fill out the application.

Approximately $3.75 billion in Pell Grant funding goes unused each year nationally, according to the UW System.

The FAFSA application period opens Sunday for the 2023-24 school year.

Filling out FAFSA is a key component to ensuring students can attend System schools and keeping the education there affordable, Rothman said. A FAFSA application is also required to be eligible for the Tuition Promise program, which waives tuition and fees for resident students whose families make less than $62,000 after other grant aids.

The program is modeled after UW-Madisons Buckys Tuition Promise. The UW System will fund the first year of the program with $13.8 million, and has asked the state Legislature for $24.5 million to cover it in the 2024-25 school year.

I think when students know what they can get, particularly given the affordability of an education at the UW System, the better off all of us are going to be, Rothman said. Thats why this is so critical, and thats why were putting such an emphasis on it starting right now.

Nationwide, the number of new FAFSA applications and renewals are down.

Between October 2021 and March, the number of applications decreased 8.9% from the previous year, while FAFSA renewals for currently enrolled students dropped 12.3%. Applications from those who qualify for Pell Grants dropped by 15.6%.

Wisconsin saw decreases in FAFSA that are on par with national averages. No state saw an increase in FAFSA applications, and Indiana suffered the worst average decline of 17.7%.
Support from out of state is growing as Hurricane Ian hits Florida.

"We've known this storm was coming, so the Red Cross pre-positioned tens of thousands of supplies down in Florida," said Nicole Roschella of the American Red Cross Greater Pennsylvania Region.

Roschella said among those supplies are cots, blankets, cleanup kits and blood supplies.

Eight volunteers from Pennsylvania are already on site in Florida, she said, and 12 more are on standby. The Red Cross said it currently has 500 total volunteers in Florida.

"Our typical deployment for a volunteer to go down to a disaster zone like this is two weeks," Roschella said.

The hurricane has turned roads into rivers and has left more than one million people without power. Roschella said 13,000 people were staying in Red Cross and partnered evacuation shelters as of Tuesday night.

"The best way for us to get the help and relief to people who need it as soon as we can is through a financial donation," she said.

The American Red Cross said people who are looking to donate money should donate to the Red Cross Relief Fund. The organization is seeking blood donations as well.

"Up here in PA, we aren't seeing that kind of weather impact, so keep your blood donation appointments," Roschella said. "We can't stockpile blood; it can't be on the shelves for months and months in advance waiting for a big disaster like this."
POCONO TWP., Pa. - A man who stabbed a Pocono Township couple to death in 2018 learned his sentence Thursday.

Lancelot Fortune was sentenced to life in prison, according to court paperwork. He will serve two consecutive life sentences.

Fortune was found guilty of first-degree murder and tampering with evidence.

According to court documents, Fortune says he stabbed his aunt and her husband to death, stole their vehicle and went to the movies. The grisly discovery was made after 56-year-old Isadora Fortune's daughter couldn't get a hold of her and Fortune's husband failed to show up for work.

When police did a welfare check at the couple's home on Marcelle Terrace in Pocono Township, Isadora Fortune was found stabbed to death on the couch. Her husband, 54-year-old Richard Fells, was stabbed to death in the garage.

Family members told police Fortune had lived with the couple on and off for years, but that the couple had refused his request to come over one night.

Police searched Lancelot Fortune's Stroudsburg home where they found blood, a bloody T-shirt and sneakers.

According to court documents, Fortune admitted to the killings.

He said he took the couple's Lincoln Navigator to Philadelphia where he disposed of the murder weapon and some bloody clothing at Penn's Landing before taking in a showing of "Jumanji" at a theater in King of Prussia.

Documents say Fortune then returned to the Poconos and parked the Navigator in the couple's driveway.
Officials gathered in Chester County Wednesday to celebrate one of the newest additions to Pennsylvania's state park system.

Big Elk Creek was one of three new state parks announced Tuesday by Gov. Tom Wolf.

The other ones are in York and Wyoming counties.

The Wolf administration said the parks' names are temporary and will be decided on during the planning process.
UNION TWP., N.J. - Issues from the top down are being exposed, after a grand jury indicted 14 Edna Mahan corrections officers, including an associate administrator. Prosecutors allege they planned, supervised, participated in or failed to stop attacks on female inmates last year.

"Really what took so long? We're talking about almost two years after the fact. We've got video of it," said attorney James Durgana.

Durgana is talking about physical and sexual assaults on Edna Mahan inmates in January 2021.

Fourteen corrections officers have been indicted by a grand jury for conspiracy, misconduct, tampering with public records, and aggravated assault.

"To see, to know that regular people can see past the fact that these are inmates who are assaulted, to understand that there's still a basic level of humanity that's deserved," said Durgana.

Authorities say one inmate who was punched almost 30 times got a concussion, and another, with boot marks on her body, suffered a broken skull.

Durgana represents a client in a civil case, who he says passed out after being blinded by pepper spray, punched, kicked and forced to take off her clothes.

"She could hear her arm break as they pulled it back," said Durgana.

The Attorney General's Office, which told us it can't discuss ongoing matters, said this all happened after reports of inmates squirting officers with unknown liquids through cells.

The AG's office says officers planned on using force to extract women from their cells, while policy says that should only be done after inmates refuse to put on handcuffs or leave themselves, or if they pose a threat.

Authorities added internal reports about what transpired were false or misleading.

New Jersey's only women's correctional facility has been plagued by abuse allegations, leading the state to say it would be shut down. Then, there was talk of relocation. Most recently, there was an announcement of new trustees to improve oversight.

"It's just lack of urgency," said Durgana. "I think it sounds good to say that they're going to change. I think it sounds good to say they're going to close and relocate the prison, but from a practical perspective, you still have women who are still in there who are still subject to the same protocols."

The Governor's Office and state Department of Corrections did not respond to our interview requests.

"It's stunning that it would take after the Department of Justice report, after numerous complaints, numerous grievances filed, it would take something an assault to this extent, for anybody to pay any real attention to make any real change," said Durgana.
A retired Army colonel is on a mission. He's biking across the country to honor fallen soldiers, and to bring attention to what can happen when you return from the battlefield.

Retired Col. Chris Kolenda led a group of 800 paratroopers in Afghanistan back in 2007. He lost six men on that tour of duty.

Now, he's biking across the country to honor their sacrifice, while reaching out to others.

Kolenda started the "Fallen Hero Honor Ride" in Nebraska on Sunday.

He will travel 1,700 miles to Arlington National Cemetery, and along the way, he's visiting the gravesites of the soldiers who died in Afghanistan in that group with him.

One of them was Capt. Dave Boris, who was from Pottsville. He was just 30 years old when his vehicle was hit by an IED.

Kolenda says the ride is about making sure Dave and the other men in his group are never forgotten.

It's also about those who did get to come home. He says he has lost more men to suicides and overdoses than to combat.

"I like to call it 'P.T.S.N.', you know, post traumatic stress normal, because if you're normal, you're going to be affected by these experiences," Kolenda said. "There are people who are struggling with belonging and purpose and we want to get them the resources and support they need."

Chris is raising money for his fellow veterans, as well as for a scholarship endowment in the names of the fallen soldiers.

His goal is to raise $400,000.

Visit Kolenda's website to donate or learn more about the other soldiers.
Allentown, PA (18103)

Today

Cloudy, breezy, and cool with a bit of rain or some times of drizzle, especially in the afternoon..

Tonight

Cloudy and brisk with a few showers remaining or a touch of drizzle.
LOS ANGELES (AP)  A Southern California man suspected of killing his estranged wife and abducting their 15-year-old daughter had been living with the teenager out of his pickup truck and hotels for weeks before the violence, authorities said Wednesday.

Anthony John Graziano and his daughter, Savannah Graziano, were killed Tuesday in a shootout with law enforcement on a highway in the high desert east of Los Angeles after a 45-mile (72-kilometer) chase. Shots were fired at the officers from the pickup truck as it was being chased.

Once it came to a stop, the girl, wearing a tactical helmet and vest, got out and ran toward deputies amid a hail of gunfire, police said, Authorities are investigating whether she was shot by deputies or her father, or both.

Police have said the only weapon retrieved at the scene was a rifle in the truck, where Anthony Graziano died. There is police video of the shootout that authorities are reviewing.

The California Department of Justice announced Wednesday that it is investigating the shooting. A state law that took effect last year requires the department to review any officer-involved shooting resulting in the death of an unarmed civilian.

While many questions remain regarding Tuesday's gunbattle, police in Fontana  where Graziano's wife, Tracy Martinez, was killed Monday  offered some details about the family's life before the bloodshed.

Anthony Graziano had moved out of the familys home a month or two before the killing, as the couple went through a divorce, Fontana Sgt. Christian Surgent told The Associated Press. Savannah Graziano left with her father, while her younger brother stayed with their mother.

Police issued an Amber Alert after Martinez's killing, saying Savannah Graziano had been abducted by her father. Now, detectives are trying to determine whether or not she was forced into leaving Fontana.

Did she go willingly? Surgent said. Or was she actually abducted? We havent been able to prove that just yet.

Fontana police had not received any reports of domestic violence at the home before this week, Surgent said, and child services had not been involved with the family. Neither parent was on probation or parole at the time and investigators believe Savannah was being home-schooled while she lived with her father, who police said liked to camp out in the desert and mountains in his pickup truck.

On Monday, witnesses saw Martinez walking in Fontana when Graziano picked her up in his truck. Surgent said it was not clear whether she was forced into the vehicle or got in on her own.

And immediately that's when they started arguing and yelling and domestic violence was occurring, he said.

Martinez got out of the truck and Graziano opened fire with a handgun, striking her multiple times, Surgent said. The shooting on the street near an elementary school during morning drop-off forced students and parents to duck for cover.

Graziano fled and drove to get Savannah, who likely was wherever they had been staying that day, Surgent said. The son was at the family's home at the time and was not involved.

The next day, a 911 caller reported seeing the suspects Nissan Frontier around Barstow, nearly 70 miles (112 kilometers) north of Fontana.

Law enforcement located the pickup truck and chased it on the highway to Hesperia. Throughout the pursuit, Graziano was constantly shooting back at the deputies with a rifle through the trucks rear window, San Bernardino County Sheriff Shannon Dicus said Tuesday during a news conference.

Dicus said there were some indications Savannah was shooting at deputies during the chase but didnt provide any details.

A firefight in Hesperia ensued when the truck went off-road and somehow became disabled, with dozens of bullets flying. Savannah ran toward deputies  who did not realize it was her  in the chaos and went down amid the gunfire. She was taken to a hospital, where she was pronounced dead shortly before noon.

Her father was found in the drivers seat and pronounced dead at the scene.

The Sheriffs Department declined to release any additional information Wednesday.

Associated Press Writer Amy Taxin in Orange County, California, and News Researcher Jennifer Farrar in New York contributed.
The Republican Party of Wisconsin has filed a pair of lawsuits six weeks before the election that seek records from the administrations of Democratic Gov. Tony Evers and Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson related to issues that have been campaign fodder for conservatives.

The lawsuits were filed Monday and Tuesday and come the day after a conservative law firm, the Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty, sued the state parole commission seeking records about paroles that have been granted.

The lawsuit targeting Johnson and Claire Woodall-Vogg, executive director of Milwaukee's election commission, seeks communications between them and GPS Impact, a liberal communications firm that has helped Democrats, related to a privately funded voter outreach effort in the city. Republicans have alleged that the "Milwaukee Votes 2022" campaign is an illegal get-out-the-vote campaign orchestrated by Democrats.

Johnson's office has stressed that the effort is entirely made up of nonpartisan efforts to register voters and encourage voting. GPS Impact is advising nonprofits running the program but is not receiving taxpayer money from the city or any other entity, said Melissa Baldauff, an employee of the group. Baldauff previously worked in Evers' administration and for the Wisconsin Democratic Party.

The Republican Party filed an open records request with the city on Sept. 13. According to the lawsuit, a city attorney responded on Sept. 19 that it was working on it as part of 19 requests that had come in related to the get-out-the-vote program. Republicans allege that the defendants have broken the state's open records law by failing to "swiftly" provide the records.

Wisconsin's open records law requires a response to requests "as soon as practicable and without delay," but it often takes weeks or months for records to be provided. The time it takes to respond depends on a variety of factors, including the scope and complexity of any given request.

"Many records requests take a lot longer than two weeks to be satisfied," said Bill Lueders, president of the Wisconsin Freedom of Information Council. "They're not supposed to be delaying, but it's not always instantaneous."

Republicans allege that not responding to the request as of Tuesday "casts a dark cloud over the City's administration of the election and its election-related efforts, which only risks proliferating public concerns about the upcoming election by withholding or delaying records pertinent to an extremely time sensitive issue."

Jeff Fleming, a spokesman for the mayor, said he expected the requested documents to be provided within days.

"The fact that the Republicans have rushed out a news release on a lawsuit - based on a records request submitted just days ago - suggests this is more about political posturing than it is about a substantive legal issue," Fleming said.

The other Republican lawsuit targeting Evers was filed in Waukesha County Circuit Court. It seeks records that Republicans requested in June related to communications involving the governor and his chief of staff related to the veterans home in Union Grove. Republican U.S. Rep. Bryan Steil, whose southeastern Wisconsin district includes the village, has been critical of the treatment that veterans receive at the facility.

Spokespeople for Evers and the Department of Veterans Affairs did not immediately reply to messages seeking comment on the lawsuit.
THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP)  A frail 87-year-old Rwandan accused of encouraging and bankrolling the country's 1994 genocide goes on trial at a United Nations tribunal Thursday, nearly three decades after the 100-day massacre left 800,000 dead.

Felicien Kabuga is one of the last fugitives charged over the genocide to face justice, and the start of his trial marks a key day of reckoning for Rwandans who survived the killings or whose families were murdered.

Naphtal Ahishakiye, the executive secretary of a genocide survivors group known as Ibuka, said its never too late for justice to be delivered.

Even with money and protection, one cannot escape a genocide crime, Ahishakiye said in Rwanda ahead of Thursday's trial at the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals in The Hague.

The mass killing of Rwandas Tutsi minority was triggered on April 6, 1994, when a plane carrying President Juvenal Habyarimana was shot down and crashed in the capital Kigali, killing the leader who, like the majority of Rwandans, was an ethnic Hutu. Kabugas daughter married Habyarimanas son.

The Tutsi minority was blamed for downing the plane. Bands of Hutu extremists began slaughtering Tutsis and their perceived supporters, with help from the army, police, and militias.

Kabuga's 15-page indictment alleges that, as a wealthy businessman with close links to the Hutu political elite, he incited genocide through the broadcaster he helped establish and fund, Radio Television Libre des Mille Collines (RTLM). He's also accused of having paid for weapons, including machetes, used by militias to slaughter Tutsis and their perceived supporters.

The indictment says Kabuga and others at the radio station operated RTLM in a manner that furthered hatred and violence against Tutsi and others perceived as accomplices or allies ... and agreed to disseminate an anti-Tutsi message with the goal to eliminate the Tutsi ethnic group in Rwanda.

In some cases, the broadcaster provided locations of Tutsis so they could be hunted down and killed, according to the indictment.

RTLM broadcasts glorified this violence, celebrating killings, praising killers and encouraging perpetrators to continue the violence at roadblocks and other locations, the indictment says.

It also accuses him of arming and supporting Hutu extremist Interahamwe militias, including one unit known as Kabugas Interahamwe.

Kabuga is charged with genocide, incitement to commit genocide, conspiracy to commit genocide as well as persecution, extermination and murder. He has pleaded not guilty. If convicted he faces a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.

After years of evading international efforts to track him down, Kabuga, who had a $5 million bounty on his head, was arrested near Paris in May 2020. He was transferred to The Hague to stand trial at the residual mechanism, a court that deals with remaining cases from the now-closed U.N. tribunals for Rwanda and the Balkan wars.

Kabuga's lawyers argued unsuccessfully that he was not fit to stand trial. However, on the advice of doctors who examined Kabuga, the process will run for just two hours per day.

Yolande Mukakasana, a genocide survivor and writer who lost her entire family in the genocide, said the case has come too late for many survivors who have died since the slaughter.

Men and women of Kabugas age were found in bed and murdered. Shame (upon) his sympathizers who cite his old age as a reason not to (stand) trial," she said.

Genocide survivor Justin Rugabwa told The AP that five members of his family escaped into hiding for several days during the genocide until Kabugas radio station revealed their whereabouts.

When their names were read out on radio and hiding places revealed, the militias came and all died that day, Rugabwa recalled.

Ignatius Ssuuna in Kigali, Rwanda, contributed.
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP)  The U.S. government announced Wednesday it would temporarily waive a federal law and allow foreign diesel deliveries to Puerto Rico as it faces a dwindling supply of fuel nearly two weeks after Hurricane Fiona pummeled the U.S. territory.

The announcement comes a day after Puerto Rico Gov. Pedro Pierluisi, the archbishop of San Juan and others requested that U.S. President Joe Biden temporarily suspend the Merchant Marine Act of 1920, best known as the Jones act, which requires that all goods transported to the island be aboard a ship built in the U.S., owned and crewed by U.S. citizens and flying the U.S. flag.

Homeland Security Security Alejandro Mayorkas said he temporarily waived the law in response to urgent and immediate needs of the Puerto Rican people so they could have sufficient diesel to run generators needed for electricity and the functioning critical facilities as they recover from Hurricane Fiona.

Pierluisi had warned diesel supplies on the island were running low in the aftermath of Hurricane Fiona and noted that a British Petroleum ship with 300,000 barrels of diesel has been floating off Puerto Ricos southern coast since Sunday, awaiting entry.

More than 311,000 customers out of 1.47 million remain without power more than 10 days after Fiona slammed into Puerto Ricos southwest tip as a Category 1 storm, sparking an island-wide blackout. Several hospitals also remain connected to generators.

It is totally unacceptable, said Manuel Calderon Cerame, spokesman for the main opposition Popular Democratic Party.

Fuel disruptions have forced grocery stores, gas stations and other businesses to temporarily close as the demand for diesel to feed generators grows. Hundreds of schools also remain shuttered.

On Wednesday evening, Luma, a private company that operates power transmission and distribution in Puerto Rico, announced it would take at least another week to restore electricity to 90% of customers in the island's southern and western regions.

Hurricane Fiona severely impacted critical parts of the electric grid and generation facilities across Puerto Rico, especially in the Ponce and Mayaguez regions that suffered severe damage to roads and critical infrastructure, the company said.

Officials have not yet said when they expect the island to be fully energized.

As of Wednesday night, power had been restored to 80% of 1.47 million clients, the majority in the capital of San Juan and nearby areas.

Puerto Rico's Electric Power Authority, which operates generation on the island and is working with Luma to restore electricity, also is struggling to restructure more than $8 billion in debt.

Earlier Wednesday, a federal judge ordered a fresh round of mediation talks aimed at restructuring the company's public debt. U.S. District Court Judge Laura Taylor Swain also allowed a federal control board that oversees the islands finances to go to court to determine how much money bondholders should receive as they seek to recover their investments.

The board warned earlier that any expenses linked to debt repayment would be passed along to the power companys 1.47 million clients.

The board also was ordered to file a debt-restructuring plan for the islands Electric Power Authority by Dec. 1, with a confirmation hearing scheduled for mid-2023.

The board praised the ruling in a brief statement, saying it is calculated to get major disputed legal issues resolved in the shortest possible time: Simultaneous litigation and mediation facilitates resolutions for all constituencies.

In early March, Pierluisi had announced that his administration was scrapping a proposed debt restructuring deal because it was not favorable to the islands economy or the power companys clients.

Then on Sept. 16, officials announced that mediation talks had failed. In response, a bondholder group that holds or insures 65% of the power companys debt sought to have the bankruptcy case dismissed and a receiver appointed.

On Wednesday, the judge denied their request.

A spokesman for the bondholder group did not return a message for comment.

The power company holds the largest debt of any of Puerto Ricos government agencies, and it is one of two agencies whose debt has not yet been restructured more than five years after the U.S. territory filed for the largest municipal bankruptcy in history.

Puerto Ricos Highways and Transportation Authority still holds $5.8 billion in debt.
Watching The Crucible in the age of Trump, when the words witch-hunt' have been cried so often as to become largely meaningless, is an oddly invigorating experience. This is a witch-hunt, Don.

Lyndsey Turner's lucid production, designed by longterm collaborator Es Devlin, opens with a hosepipe ban-defying deluge of rain that curtains the stage on three sides. It's an effect that presages the unashamed melodrama of Arthur Miller's allegorical classic. The drama unfolds on a bare, slate-floored platform with an illuminated ceiling, while the depth of the Olivier is used to its full capacity, with characters regularly strolling off into the vanishing gloom.

The last major London revival of the play, which dramatises the Salem witch trials of the 1690s, was Yael Farber's at the Old Vic in 2014, starring Richard Armitage as tortured protagonist John Proctor. Here, Brendan Cowell puts a much earthier spin on the role, showing him as a farmer with his feet firmly in the soil. You believe he could plough for hours on a Sunday. He's a burly, coiled spring of a man with the threat of violence never far from the surface. When he nearly takes a belt to young servant Mary Warren (an impressive Rachelle Diedericks, recently seen in Our Generation), we're left in no doubt that he's capable of it.

Erin Doherty makes a welcome return to the stage, having achieved stardom playing Princess Anne in The Crown, with an interpretation of Abigail, Proctor's vengeful former lover, that is skittish, frenzied and deeply malevolent. She channels the energy of a desperate fangirl, who will stop at nothing in pursuit of her idol. When she and the other girls perform their wild hallucinations, it feels genuinely frightening. One comes close to sympathising with the judges.

Brendan Cowell (John Proctor) and Rachelle Diedericks (Mary Warren)

 Johan Persson

It's wonderful to see an ensemble of this quality assembled on the Olivier stage. Karl Johnson provides many of the lighter moments with his twinkle-eyed Giles Corey; Eileen Walsh is a compellingly vulnerable Elizabeth Proctor; Fisayo Akinade shows Reverend Hale's sense of a man whose zealotry crumbles over the course of the trials; and Matthew Marsh captures Deputy Governor Danforth's growing agony as he attempts to balance the concerns of rationality and religious fervour. These are just some of many stand-outs.

Haunting a capella singing, composed by Caroline Shaw, accompanies key moments. It's another masterly touch in a production that hardly puts a foot wrong. What so impresses is the way Turner choreographs the drama so it twists like a knot; the pacing is superb. It's also visually sumptuous; the large ceiling means most of Tim Lutkin's lighting comes from the sides, so the actor's faces are defined by shadow. It's like watching a live oil painting.

One slightly unclear element is Catherine Fay's costuming. The outfits to my eye seem to range from the 17th through to 20th century  Proctor and the other farmers wear blue cloth suits  and although there is an emphasis on style over historical accuracy, the variation is a little befuddling. But then it's perhaps consistent with a production that sits intriguingly on the border between the abstract and natural; this is territory Turner knows well.

Although famously written in response to the McCarthy communist trials, in which Miller was called to testify, The Crucible now has far wider resonance, and seems as much a meditation on sin, faith and herd mentality as that unsavoury chapter of modern American history. This timely revival shows it not only as a play deserving of its status as a staple of the curriculum, but as an urgent warning of the outcome when, in Proctor's prescient words, "crazy children are jangling the keys of the kingdom".
It is the goal of the Nebraska Nurse Honor Guard to pay respect to every nurse who passes away in the state of Nebraska. Since 2019, they have amassed approximately 140 members across the state, and now a Columbus area division that will cover David City is joining their ranks.

The Nebraska Nurse Honor Guard attends funerals whenever called and provides a short but meaningful service to signify the life and legacy of the nurse, according to Founder Debra Zobel.

Carol Busch, a David City resident who has been chosen to head the Columbus area group, said that for those who have given their life and career to the cause of helping others, it's a fitting way to pay respect to those who have passed.

"Their life has been serving others. They put their nursing career ahead of everything else to serve others. I think its important to represent them," Busch said.

Busch will be officially inducted in an onboarding ceremony on Oct. 8 at the Butler County Health Care Center.

Busch, a nurse of 35 years herself, initially wanted to start a David City division, but the board of directors had been eyeing Columbus as a hub of operations for the greater Columbus area for some time.

"Since it was bigger we would have Columbus be the headquarters and David City would be one of the surrounding areas we would serve," Busch said.

Nurse honor guards exist in other states, Nebraska Nurse Honor Guard Secretary and retired nurse of 43 years Ann Anderson said, but in 2019 Zobel thought Nebraska needed one. That summer, several nurses gathered and laid the foundation of the organization.

"There were only four of us in the beginning. We started meeting at my house at my kitchen table and started brainstorming how we were going to get this off the ground," Anderson said.

By October, they were able to start doing services. The services themselves are short but poignant, Anderson said, consisting of a reading of the American Nurses Association's Nightingale Tribute, with the name of the nurse replacing the word "nurse" throughout.

"It's a really old way to honor a nurse. The Nightingale Tribute goes through all the things nurses do and stand for," Anderson said.

Following the reading, a single white rose is placed next to the urn or casket, a symbol of comfort, care and kindness, Anderson said. Next, the nurse's name is read three times, each followed by the ringing of a triangle, similar to a police or fire funeral service.

"That acts as a sort of last call, and we sat they have now been officially released from their nursing duties," Anderson said.

To close, a ceramic lamp is lit, a half-tribute to Florence Nightingale, "The lady with the lamp" and a metaphor for knowledge.

"The lamp is lit at the beginning of a nurse's career and extinguished at the end. We say a few lines and snuff it out, with a snuffer, and give the lamp to a family member," Anderson said.

The services are done in full nurse regalia, white uniforms, navy blue caps and nurse's hats. In some cases, the honor guard will also do tributes to those who are still alive but on hospice, as a show of respect. They are even available to do video services when travel isn't possible.

In addition, the honor guard has a wall of nurses on nebraskanursehonorguard.com showcasing nurses in the state who have passed on. Zobel's mother's nurse is even on the list, she said.

"That's our way of honoring our nurses with a living legacy that's going to be there forever," Zobel said.

Zobel, who just retired Sept. 21 after 46 years in nursing, said ultimately, all their services are a show of respect for their colleagues in the nursing profession.

"We just want to be able to honor nurses at the time of their death. We feel nursing is a calling, not only a career. You're a nurse for a lifetime," Zobel said. "This is a way to thank our colleagues who dedicated their life to their career."
For nearly a year, Summit Carbon Solutions has been working on a pipeline project that crosses through Northwest Platte County.

Summit, since mid-2021, has partnered with ethanol manufacturers across the Midwest U.S. to help create reduced-carbon ethanol by relocating the carbon dioxide from the fermentation process, according to Summit Director of Public Affairs Jesse Harris.

"We capture the CO2 from fermentation, it's compressed to a super-critical state, it has properties of a gas and a liquid," Harris said. "It's transported from each ethanol facility to North Dakota to a permanent sequestration site where it's stored."

Currently, the project reaches across Iowa, Nebraska, Minnesota and North and South Dakota with over 30 partner ethanol plants.

At the Sept. 27 Platte County Board of Supervisors meeting, Rob Latimer, a Summit representative, gave a project update on the progress of the pipeline, to which District 4 Supervisor Ron Pfeifer rebutted that the process was not going as smoothly as presented.

"I had a lady call me and the pipeline's supposed to go right through the middle of her property," Pfeifer said at the meeting. "No way, no way she's gonna agree. You make it sound like it's really going smooth, and it's not."

Latimer responded that the company makes every effort to ensure its motivations and use of the land are understood with those they ask about the land but that they have run into similar situations in the past.

"The company's perspective is that hard work, personal discussion and engaging landowners is important to finding a solution that works," Latimer said at the meeting.

Pfeifer said the concept of a pipeline on one's property is concerning due to the many pipeline leaks over recent years.

"One of the concerns is the danger they become aware of if they rupture. They never talk about that. It's said that it affects every living thing in the area," Pfeifer said.

Harris said oftentimes the term "pipeline" sounds like a newfangled technology when it has proven itself trustworthy over time.

"There's this perception that this is new technology and that's not the case," Harris said. "Sequestration studies have been done on all sides by engineers and it's proven to be safe."

Harris added the pipelines that will cross through Platte County and many other counties and states are carrying simple carbon dioxide, as compared to materials such as oil, anhydrous ammonia and natural gas, which cover much more ground across the U.S. than Summit.

While it can be undesirable in ethanol, Harris said carbon dioxide won't harm anything in areas where it may leak, although it does replace oxygen in the immediate area of the leak until it dissipates into the atmosphere. If there somehow is a leak, however, the company will know right away, he added.

"In the unlikely event of a leak, we have an operations center in Ames (Iowa) watching 24/7 every day for any changes in pressure. Then we're able to see and respond," Harris said.

Harris added that Summit's standards for construction go beyond federal regulations regarding these kind of pipelines and that compared to natural gas, oil and anhydrous ammonia pipelines, their footprint in the U.S. is minimal.

"We're required to bury it two or three feet, we bury it at four feet deep. We're required to inspect 10% of our welds, we inspect 100% of our welds and make sure it's done properly," Harris said.

Pfeifer expressed his concern that this is another move by opportunistic businesses to profit off of the "Green New Deal" ideology, which he doesn't want in Platte County.

"There's all the billions of dollars being spent on the Green New Deal and that's what this is about, because it's not proven this is going to do anything as far as enhancing the atmosphere," Pfeifer said.

Harris said that while the company does work with carbon-reduction, their process makes ethanol carbonless so that ethanol producers can sell low-carbon ethanol, which demands a higher price tag from buyers in markets like California, Oregon and even Canada. They also pay property tax to the areas the pipeline passes through, Harris and Latimer said.

"It has a number of benefits. What the project is designed to do is to make it so plant partners are able to improve their carbon score and sell to low-carbon markets who will pay more for low-carbon fuel," Harris said.
President Joe Biden on Wednesday asked if a congresswoman who died last month was present at a White House food insecurity conference.

At the event, the White House's first hunger conference since 1969, Biden took a moment during his remarks to credit a list of bipartisan elected officials. All of the officials he listed were behind a bill establishing Wednesday's conference, and the late Indiana Republican Rep. Jackie Walorski was a co-sponsor.

"I want to thank all of you here for including bipartisan elected officials like Rep. (Jim) McGovern, Sen. (Mike) Braun, Sen. (Cory) Booker, Representative  Jackie, are you here? Where's Jackie? I think she wasn't going to be here  to help make this a reality," Biden said.

Walorski, who was 58, died in August in a car accident that also killed two of her staffers. She began serving in Congress in 2013. Before her death, the congresswoman was the co-chair of the House Hunger Caucus.

When asked by reporters about the comment later on Wednesday, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Biden was, in fact, referencing Walorski.

"The president was naming the congressional champions on this issue and was acknowledging her incredible work. He had already planned to welcome the congresswoman's family to the White House on Friday. There will be a bill signing in her honor this coming Friday, so, of course, she was on his mind," Jean-Pierre said. "She was top of mind for the president. He very much looks forward to discussing her remarkable legacy of public service with them when he sees her family this coming Friday."

When Jean-Pierre was read the president's remarks about Walorski, she responded, "I totally understand. I just explained  she was top of mind. You know, what we were able to witness today and what the President was able to lift up at this conference, at this event was how her focus on wanting to deal with, combat food insecurity in America. And it's something he was lifting up and honoring."

When CNN's Phil Mattingly pressed Jean-Pierre about why the president was looking for the deceased congresswoman at the conference, the press secretary said, "I don't think it's all that unusual to have someone top of mind, especially as there's a big event."

Biden had issued a statement upon her death, saying that both he and first lady Jill Biden were "shocked and saddened" by her passing. The White House also flew flags at half-staff in her honor.

"We may have represented different parties and disagreed on many issues, but she was respected by members of both parties for her work on the House Ways and Means Committee on which she served," Biden's statement last month said. "She also served as co-chair of the House Hunger Caucus, and my team and I appreciated her partnership as we plan for a historic White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health this fall that will be marked by her deep care for the needs of rural America."

At the end of a panel later during Wednesday's hunger conference, White House Domestic Policy Council Director Susan Rice mentioned Walorski and the rest of the congressional group responsible for facilitating the conference.

"Well, all right everybody, please join me in thanking Sens. Booker and Braun, Chairman McGovern and the late Jackie Walorski for her extraordinary leadership to make this possible. We would not be here without them," she said.
MAYVILLE  Growth and joy can be found in simple play.

The benefits of play have been extended to all Mayville students this school year with the completion of accessible and inclusive playground areas.

Co-chairs of the Mayville School District Playground Planning Team, Jessica Stortz and Nicole Schaefer, learned of the communitys longing for improved playgrounds back in 2018.

At that time, the school district was working on becoming Blue Zones Project approved. Blue Zones Project was a well-being improvement initiative brought to Dodge County by Beaver Dam Community Hospital in 2016.

One way to earn points toward the Blue Zones distinction was to have students participate in a non-food related fundraiser. Stortz suggested that the Parent Teacher Association hold a Fun Run.

The PTA was looking to raise $5,000 for new recess equipment for Parkview Primary and the middle school, and found students were motivated to help. So motivated, in fact, that much to everyones surprise that first PTA Fun Run brought in $17,500.

That was way more money than was necessary to buy hula hoops, balls, chalk and jump ropes, said Stortz. So we surveyed the families and found that overall playground improvements were wanted because the needs of all the kids werent being served.

Stortz then reached out to Effie Siomos, one of the leaders who brought an accessible, community-built playground to Beaver Dams Waterworks Park in 2013. Stortz, a former educator in Beaver Dam for many years, became acquainted with Siomos when she taught her children.

I consulted with Effie when the survey came back for advice on where to begin to make this happen in Mayville. The Waterworks Park story kind of inspired us, she said.

A cross-functional planning team was put together that included: the superintendent, three building principals, the Building & Grounds director, four teachers, a PTA officer, a parent of a child with special needs and a landscape architect.

Schaefer commented that support and encouragement from school families and the community was beneficial as the planning process began and more dollars were needed.

One of the questions faced when we started looking for funding for this project was Why wasnt the playground part of the school referendum?

The Mayville School District first posed a referendum question to voters in 2015 that failed to pass. After making adjustments, a second one was narrowly approved two years later. That $24.5 million referendum focused strictly on facility-based upgrades and capital maintenance.

We became passionate about creating a fully-accessible playground for our kids, and people generously responded, she said.

The multi-phase design project got underway and Phase 1 was realized at the Parkview site in July 2019. About $25,000 of playground equipment was added to provide climbing, rocking and spinning motion opportunities.

We were really on a good fundraising track when COVID hit and everything shut down, and then we had to figure out what our next plan was, said Schaefer.

A Fit Core Course was moved up from Phase 3 to Phase 2 because it was less expensive to complete than the main playground. The new fit course is situated at the top of a hill, between the elementary school and the junior/senior high school. Older playground equipment, deemed safe and functioning, remains near the course.

The course was installed in 2021 at a cost of $135,000 and is the only fit course in the Dodge County area.

One of the unique things about this is its made of 13 components and the closest ones like it are indoor courses in Appleton and Milwaukee, said Schaefer. The vision of this is to have a place for teens in the community to go outside of school hours thats safe. Families can use it, too, and the district is really excited to incorporate its use in the curriculum for physical education and also for extra-curricular sports.

Schaefer called the switching of Phases 2 and 3 a blessing in disguise.

The blessing was when the district announced it was restructuring its grades and buildings last spring, we could revamp our plan and make sure what we installed here was appropriate for kids in kindergarten through 6th grade, she said.

The main playground at the new Mayville Elementary School (formerly the middle school) has features designed to be engaging for all abilities and to help develop students motor skills, physical strength and social skills. It was completed in July at a cost of $170,500. Schaefer said its asphalt base with rubberized surfacing increases accessibility.

Its a lifelong investment for this playground. Equipment could be swapped out or added to at any point in time, and the material that its on will stay, she said.

Parent Nikki Weisensel, who has a son with special needs, said the playground is one of few places where she can bring all her children.

Even my baby can crawl around safely here, its a great space thats usable for the whole family, she said.

Weisensel said she appreciates that an occupational therapist was consulted on the design plans. The playground, with its multi-motion equipment and sensory-stimulating areas, is a big hit with her son.

Hes sensory seeking, so hes constantly on the move. He loves to spin and he enjoys the music sounds when people play it to him, she said.

Another popular attraction on the site is the addition of a GaGa ball pit built by Mayville Manufacturing, a student-run high school program.

Stortz said the final part of the playground, which includes a hillside climbing space and roller slide, is nearly finished.

We have unique landscaping here with this hill. We had to figure out a creative way to use it to our advantage and minimize excavation, she said.

Schaefer said from a fundraising perspective, the $450,000 playground project is complete. Approximately 50 area businesses contributed, with the school board approving a sizable amount to conclude the undertaking.

Families raised $65,000 from four Fun Runs and this amazing community came through for our kids, she said.

Titanium level sponsors of the playground improvements are Mayville Piggly Wiggly, the Ted & Grace Bachhuber Foundation, and Town & Country Construction.

Stortz and Schaefer both emphasized that the new playground areas are open to the public.

This is for all ages and all abilities, from little kids to adults, to become happier, healthier and more connected to one another, Stortz said.

A grand reveal and ribbon-cutting ceremony at the new playground is being planned, although details havent been finalized. The PTA will hold its next Fun Run on Oct. 14, with fundraising efforts going toward the acquisition of new books for the elementary library.
Gubernatorial candidate Tim Michels (R) spent time on Wednesday visiting with voters at Cocktails Bar & Grill in Beaver Dam as he is heading toward the final weeks of the campaign.

Michels is facing incumbent Gov. Tony Evers (D) in the general election for the governor of Wisconsin on Nov. 8.

Michels spoke for about 15 minutes to a group of citizens who gathered in the bar on Wednesday.

There is nothing more important than being here, Michels said. From the founding of our country 200 years ago people have been getting together listening to candidates, vetting candidates, expressing their concerns about the direction of government, where we are headed, and having politicians or future governors hearing what you wanted to have done and getting this state headed in the right direction.

I am so excited about the campaign and direction of the campaign, Michels said, who said that he decided to enter the campaign with his wife in order to make change in the state.

Michels said he was a business man and outsider who is has experience in executive leadership.

Michels said he will have three top priorities: to restore election integrity in Wisconsin, education reform, and backing law enforcement.

Michels said he would give his oath that there will be election integrity in Wisconsin.

This is not a Republican issue, Michels said. This is an American issue.

Education reform would happen through universal school choice, Michels said.

We are going to empower parents, those tuition dollars are attached to a building or an administration and there is no incentive for people to do better, meaning school boards or administrators, those dollars will keep coming to that building, we are going to put those tuition dollars in the hands of parents and they can decide where their sons and daughters go to school and their tuition dollars will follow them, Michels said.

He hopes to create competition in the education system to increase motivation to do better.

We will stop the CRT and get back to the ABCs, Michels said of critical race theory.

One big complication for police, he said, is that after they arrest someone they see them back on the street soon after.

Tony Evers made a campaign promise four years ago that he will cut in half the prison population, Michels said. He is well on his way to do it. At the end of last year he released almost 900 convicted felons on early parole.

Michels said Wisconsin residents want their families protected.

I will back the blue, Michels said.

We need to have a leadership that will lower crime in Wisconsin, will reform education in Wisconsin and we will get election integrity in Wisconsin, Michels said, who emphasized that he will also always be about adding jobs in Wisconsin.

Cocktails owner Brian Wheeler said he was contacted about having Michels speak there and thought it was a good idea. He said he is willing to have any political group talk at the bar.

Beaver Dam resident Casey Carney said he came to see Michels speak because he already liked what he was saying but wanted to see him speak in person.
An overnight closure of Wisconsin Highway 82 in Mauston is slated for Monday as part of the continued construction at its intersection with Interstate 90/94.

According to a release from Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) Public Involvement Lead Darci Hackbarth, the state highway will be closed in both directions under the freeway from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. for approximately one day for installation of bridge girders.

All exits to Highway 82 from the freeway and all entrances to the freeway will be open during the construction.

Motorists traveling eastbound on I-90/94 who wish to travel east on 82 will need to exit at the interstate's intersection with County Highway HH (Exit 79) near Lyndon Station, re-enter the freeway heading westbound, and exit at 82 (Exit 69). For I-90/94 westbound travelers looking to go west on 82, the detour will be to Wisconsin Highway 80 (Exit 61) at New Lisbon, re-enter heading eastbound, and exit at 82.

Access to businesses and residences will not be interrupted by the construction.
A Platte County man has been sentenced to prison for attempted sexual assault of a child and witness tampering.

Dale L. Allen, 37, formerly of Platte Center, was sentenced in Platte County Court on Sept. 27 to 20 to 30 years for attempted sexual assault of a child and two to four years for tampering with a witness.

According to court documents, on Jan. 8, 2021, the Nebraska Child Abuse Hotline requested that the Platte County Sheriffs Office start an investigation of an incident involving the sexual assault of a 7-year-old girl. The girl had told a teacher at a local elementary school that she had a secret between her and a man  later identified as Allen  and the girl was told if she told the secret, the man would go to jail. When asked privately what she meant, the girl reportedly told the teacher it was something that boyfriends and girlfriends do and gestured to parts of her body.

School officials then called the Department of Health and Human Services Hotline. An investigator with the sheriffs office and a caseworker arrived to the school to conduct interviews, and the girl was transported to the Northeast Child Advocacy Center (CAC) in Norfolk.

Court documents state that during the CAC interview, the girl revealed she had been touched in a sexual manner by the defendant two times at the familys Platte Center residence and also at a previous residence. She later recalled other similar instances during separate counseling sessions.

Between March 12, 2020 and Aug. 19, 2020, in-person classes were not held due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the girls attendance records show six days she had missed school in November and December of 2020 for personal reasons or with no explanation.

A former roommate who resided at the familys Platte Center home around that time had not been living there when the girl said she was sexually assaulted, court documents state, but Allen asked this individual to lie and tell police he had not moved out. The former roommate said there were at least 15 days he was sure of during which time Allen watched the girl alone between March 12, 2020 and the time the roommate moved out.

Per the plea agreement, Allens original charge of first degree sexual assault of a child was amended to attempted first degree sexual assault of a child, a Class 2 felony. A second charge, incest, was dismissed. Allen also pled guilty to one count of tampering with a witness, a Class 2 felony, with two other counts of this same charge being dismissed in a separately-filed case.

According to his sentencing order, Allen must serve a period of no less than 20 years and no more than 30 years at the Nebraska Department Correctional Services. He will be given credit for time already served, 624 days, and he must serve 10 years toward parole eligibility and 15 years towards mandatory discharge, minus the credit for time already served.

He is also subject to lifetime registration under the Nebraska Sex Offender Registration Act.

For tampering with a witness, Allen must serve one year toward parole eligibility and two years towards mandatory discharge.

The two sentences will be served consecutively.
Federal funding will go toward three initiatives in Juneau County which is now part of a three-county alliance for assisting older and disabled individuals.

On Sept. 21, the Juneau County Board of Supervisors, at their monthly meeting, approved all proposed resolutions. Among those were $640,000 total in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds toward three separate projects, and an agreement to shorten a four-county alliance to three for the Aging and Disabilities Resource Center (ADRC) region known as the ADRC of Eagle Country.

Sauk County voted unanimously on Aug. 16 to establish an independent ADRC operation strictly for the county.

Sauk County breaks away from regional ADRC for independent operation Sauk County has decided to set out on its own to provide an Aging and Disability Resource Ce

Timothy Cottingham, the Juneau County 18th District Supervisor who is also the county board chair, said that ADRC services in Juneau, Richland, and Crawford counties should remain the same. The departure of Sauk County from ADRC of Eagle Country will result in increased funding for each of the three remaining counties, he said.

Well have extra money to spend because we are not paying the extra out that we were giving Sauk, said Cottingham.

Cottingham added that the three counties had to resubmit an application to the state to declare the region following the Sauk County departure.

ARPA projects

The county board also approved three projects with ARPA funds. Castle Rock Park is slated for significant upgrades to an area, farmers will have access to a new no-till drill, and water treatment upgrades are set for the northern portion of the county.

The Castle Rock Park project has $490,000 of ARPA funds committed to it, which matches a tentatively-approved state stewardship grant. Once the grant is finalized, the countys Land, Forestry, Parks, and Zoning department will have more information on what will be done to the park with the nearly $1 million in total funding.

Of the approved funds, $100,000 is slated for spending on treatment of water wells in areas such as Necedah, the Town of Armenia, and northward to near the Wood County border, where 15th District Sup. Roy Granger said residents are having issues with water sanitation.

Residents in the area approved for water treatment have participated in nitrate testing in their area, which is when they send in samples of the water to determine the presence of nitrates. According to the Wisconsin Department of Health Services website, nitrates in water supply can lead to birth defects, colon cancer, and thyroid problems due to how they block the uptake of iodine.

Most of the problem up in that area is from runoff from big farms, said Granger.

The no-till drill is meant for farmers to potentially limit or eliminate soil erosion. Granger said that the county is purchasing one with $50,000 in ARPA funds, to make it easier for county farmers to have access to it instead of renting them from neighboring counties.

Were going to buy one, rent it to the farmers, and hopefully, it will pay for itself and we can buy another one in the future, said Granger.
A Portage man admitted to authorities to being involved in five burglaries in two separate cases in Columbia County.

Joshua W. Birdsill, 34, is facing 7 years in prison followed by 5 years of extended supervision if convicted for each of the five counts of burglary of a building or dwelling. The first case of three counts was filed earlier this month and two more counts were filed in a second case last week.

Court documents show the first case includes three burglaries of two bars, one in Wyocena and the other in Pardeeville. The second case includes two burglaries of a Portage secondhand store in 2021.

In August, Birdsill was charged with six felony burglary-related counts in Marquette County. His cash bond in that case was set at $10,000.

Birdsill was scheduled to be in Columbia County Courthouse on Wednesday for his initial appearance, but that was rescheduled.

According to the criminal complaint in the second case filed on Sept. 21:

The Columbia County Sheriffs Department learned that the Marquette County Sheriffs Office arrested Birdsill in connection with a burglary investigation. During that investigation Birdsill allegedly admitted to additional burglaries in Columbia County.

A Columbia County Sheriff Detective went to Marquette County to speak with Birdsill who was willing to talk. Birdsill allegedly made full confessions to the bars in Pardeeville and Wyocena on three separate occasions.

The detective reported Birdsill was very open and forthcoming with officers. In addition to the bar burglaries, Birdsill admitted to two burglaries at a Portage secondhand store.

Birdsill allegedly gave details about each burglary but could not provide specific dates other than they were both in the winter. The complaint states the burglaries took place in the mornings on or about Feb. 9, 2021 and on or about Nov. 6, 2021.

He told officers he took between $700-$800 during the first burglary and approximately $100 during the second burglary of the store.
Portage officials have sent out over 500 absentee ballots in anticipation of Novembers general election.

The City of Portage, like other municipalities, began sending out more absentee ballots for voters to mail in their ballots due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Portage mailed out over 2,000 absentee ballots for the 2020 presidential election.

Portage City Clerk Marie Moe said the city has already mailed out 580 absentee ballots for the November general election when Wisconsin voters will choose the next Governor and U.S. Senator.

Moe said 529 absentee ballots were sent out for the August primary with 442 ballots returned.

The clerks office has seen multiple issues with voters not completely filling out the absentee ballot including witness information. Voters need the witnesss signature along with the complete address for the witness.

Moe said myvote.wi.gov is an excellent source for voters. They can check their voter registration, update their registration and request an absentee ballot.

Voters can also get a look at what will be on their ballot. Portage voters will vote for candidates for Governor/Lt. Gov., Attorney General, Secretary of State, State Treasurer and United States Senator at the state level. There are also two unopposed seats up for election in the state legislature in Congressional District 6 and Assembly District 41.

There are also two Columbia County positions up for election. Sheriff Roger Brandner is running unopposed for his second term as sheriff. Julie Kayartz is running unopposed for Columbia County Clerk of Circuit Courts.

In Wisconsin voters can register to vote on Election Day, but can also register online or at the clerks office at the Municipal building.

If a persons drivers license/identification card has a current address, the person can register on the MyVote Wisconsin website through Oct. 19, Moe said.

If youre planning on registering in person you will need to show proof of residence or a document with a current residential address, which could be a valid Wisconsin drivers license or State ID card.

Moe said there are 4,768 registered in Portage. The Wisconsin Department of Administration estimates there are 8,080 people of voting age living in Portage.

The city will hold in-person absentee voting starting the last week of October at the Portage Municipal Building, 115 W. Pleasant Street, at the following times:

Oct. 2528, 8 a.m.  4:30 p.m.

Oct. 31  Nov. 3, 8 a.m.  4:30 p.m.

Nov. 4, 8 a.m.  5 p.m.

Polls will be open at the Municipal building on Nov. 8 from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Moe added a photo ID is required.
Fak'ugesi Festival 2022

When: Thursday, 13 October 2022 - Friday, 21 October 2022 Where: Off campus

Tshimologong Digital Innovation Precinct, Braamfontein, Johannesburg Start time: 9:00 Enquiries: https://fakugesi.co.za/

Happening from 13 - 21 October, this year's digital innovation festival returns to its home at Wits' Tshimologong Digital Innovation Precinct in Braamfontein.

The 9th edition of the Fak'ugesi Festival is a celebration of young Pan-African talent in the digital sphere to its fullest.

The festival is rooted in showcasing and developing skills in technology, art and culture in Africa.

Founded in 2014 as a collaboration between Wits University's Tshimologong Digital Innovation Precinct and the Wits School of Arts' Digital Arts Department, the festival takes as its starting point the idea that for innovation with technology to succeed, a strong connection needs to be made between African cultural practices and creative encounters.

This year's theme, #FromNowOn, aims to showcase the creative climate of a new age after the positive (and negative effects) of the Covid-19 pandemic. it calls for a moment to pause and reflect where we are today and takes a look into Africa's digital future.

For programme details and to buy tickets, go to: https://fakugesi.co.za/programme-2022/

Download the first issue of the new Fak'uzine - Fak'ugesi's now digital magazine.
#Unplugged22 Conference

We invite African civic tech innovators, media makers, journalism innovators and other interested parties to attend the annual conferences.

Jamlab Africa and the Civic Tech Innovation Network (CTIN), both projects from the University of the Witwatersrand, will be hosting their joint hybrid annual conferences held between 3  27 October 2022 under the theme #Unplugged22 (but still connecting). #Unplugged will have virtual sessions and activities from 3 to 20 October 2022 and the in-person event will be between 24 to 27 October 2022 at Tshimologong Precinct in Johannesburg, South Africa.



Both Civic Tech Innovation Forum (CTIF) and Jamfest promise exciting, power-packed programmes at this years #Unplugged22 conference that will enrich both communities of African civic tech and media innovators. We are thrilled to connect with the global community virtually, and also to reconnect in-person for the first time in two years.



We have connected virtually with the rest of the world for over two years and have been online more than at any other time in our history. It is with this context that #Unplugged22 attendees can expect a hybrid experience for 2022; where virtual and in-person sessions will have quality and stripped-down conversations about the effects of digitalisation on shared experiences.

CTIFs programme will feature exciting plenaries with continental and international speakers, workshops, a full month exhibition, and more, all focusing on key current issues in the African civic tech space including governance, urban cities, participatory approaches, sustainability and funding, end-user experiences, the significance of a community of practice and other relevant issues.
The last word: Benedict Vilakazi

The late Zulu poet, novelist and linguist Benedict Wallet Vilakazi achieved many milestones and taught at Wits University.

Benedict Wallet Vilakazi (19061947), affectionately canonised as the father of Nguni literature and the founder of modern Zulu poetry, was the first Black person in South Africa to receive a doctorate in Literature. He was also the first Black person in the then Union of South Africa to teach at a white university. He has a street named after him in Soweto. Yet, outside his body of literary and academic work, little is known about the man behind the words.

In search of Vilakazi

Khulani Vilakazi, the poets grandson, said in a 2006 interview with the Mail & Guardian that his family was still trying to understand more about their grandfather. The family does not know him that much, he died when my father was about four years old (and) my father died when I was three. So, it is difficult for us as a family to produce personal anecdotes about what type of man he was. (He) never had enough time with his family.[i] What is clear is that Vilakazi was on a personal quest to preserve and develop the Zulu language. He saw himself as being sent by the ancestors (for this purpose). His poem Ngizwa Ingoma speaks to that notion, of a person anointed, said Khulani.

Indeed, Vilakazi cut himself off from his birthplace, family and ancestors when he moved to Johannesburg at the age of 29 to pursue his academic career and he would lament this in much of his poetry. Part of his poem Wo, Ngitshele Mntanomlungu describes the move:

Ungiletheleni lapha? (Why have you brought me here?)

Ngingen amadol angisinde (I enter with heavy knees)

Ngicabang ikhanda lizule (I think and my head spins).

Vilakazis childhood was spent herding cattle and, until the age of 10, attending the local mission school. He then transferred to a co-educational Roman Catholic secondary school. After completing his schooling, he trained as a teacher and then taught at the Ohlange Institute in Phoenix near Durban. Studying on his own, he earned a BA degree in African Studies with distinction from Unisa in 1934, with special work on the Zulu language.



He was initiated as an imbongi, a traditional composer, in the Zondi clan. His birthplace of KwaDukuza, close to the main headquarters of the nineteenth century Zulu King Shaka kaSenzangakhona, provided Vilakazi with imagery for his poetry. He was determined to cement the Zulu language as a mighty force  as King Shaka did with his people.

Ground-breaking work

Wits University Press (WUP), which is the oldest university press in South Africa (established in 1922) published Vilakazis first book of poems, Inkondlo kaZulu, in 1935. By then, he was already well known as a poet and a writer and his works had been published in various journals and newspapers such as The Star, UmAfrika and The Bantu World. Coincidentally, Wits was looking for an assistant in the Department of African Languages at the time, and Vilakazi was appointed as Language Assistant to Professor Doke, head of the department, that same year.

WUP published Vilakazis second volume of poetry, AmaleZulu (1945), as well as the first ZuluEnglish dictionary, which Vilakazi compiled in collaboration with Doke. In 1946, he received a doctorate in Literature from Wits.

Vilakazi also published three novels in the 1930s: Noma Nini! (Marianhill Mission Press), Udingiswayo KaJobe (Sheldon Press) and Nje Nempela (Marianhill Mission Press). His volumes of poetry and novels are all on the list of required reading in Zulu Literature courses.

Through his writing, Vilakazi became a spokesperson for his people, though he was never overtly political. He often articulated social issues that remain relevant today, including the safety of Black miners, the plight of the poor, and the impact of industrial advancement on human values. These are still societal challenges that the University is tackling today, for example through the Wits DigiMine, the Southern Centre for Inequality Studies, and the use of new digital technologies to advance humanity.

Continuous struggle

Despite his success, Vilakazi faced discrimination and critique. His appointment at Wits was opposed by conservative whites who could not come to terms with an African man lecturing white students. He was also scorned and ridiculed by Black people, who wrote letters of discontent to newspapers condemning Vilakazi for consenting to be used by whites through such a collaborationist appointment, as Dumisane Krushchev Ntshangase wrote in a 1995 paper for the Wits Institute for Advanced Social Research.

Professor Humphrey R Raikes, the then principal of Wits, personally wrote a letter to Vilakazi to explain his position at his new job. He would be a junior academic staff member, would look after the Native library, and would take care of African students only. He would not be allowed to teach, grade or supervise white students unless they asked for help in their Zulu courses.

In a letter in the Wits Archives, dated January 1947, Doke wrote to the Human Resources department that the time has now come to end any discrimination in my department on the grounds of race or colour, requesting that Vilakazis status be changed to that of lecturer.

In October that same year, Vilakazi died suddenly of meningitis. He was survived by five children, who attended his funeral at Marianhill along with thousands of people.

In their collaborative dictionary, published a year after Vilakazis death, Doke wrote: (The) sudden death of Dr Vilakazi, cut off amid further research and literary activity, has deprived the African people of a brilliant son, one who not only achieved high academic standing but whose life and personality gained for him a lasting place in their affections. This dictionary of his mother-tongue  the language he loved  will stand as a monument to a great African.[ii]

This article is featured in the book Wits University at 100: From Excavation to Innovation, published to celebrate the University's Centenary.
The Sentinel

UPMC partnered with the University of Pittsburgh School of Public Health to conduct the 2022 assessments, using public health data, community input survey and examination of socioeconomic factors in the specific regions they cover. The health system said all nonprofit hospitals in the country are required to conduct and publish a Community Health Needs Assessment as part of a 3-year cyclical process.

In UPMCs focus on central Pennsylvania, which includes its hospitals and coverage in Cumberland, Dauphin, York and Lancaster counties, the assessment focused on three of the four health needs identified statewide, putting chronic disease management in the prevention category locally.

The assessment determined that the region needed better access to behavioral health services, better access to specialty care and care coordination and more community prevention and wellness initiatives.

All three significant health needs rated as a high priority on importance across the community leader surveys administered in Cumberland, Dauphin, Lancaster and York counties (scored above 3.7 on a scale of 1 to 5), the report read. These three significant health needs were identified based on data from the community input process, earlier concept mapping efforts conducted with community participants, public health literature and consultation with public health experts.

In the assessment of the area, Cumberland County tended to have fewer obstacles for its residents in getting proper health care. The county had the highest median household income in the region at $68,895 and the lowest population in poverty (7.4%) in the region, compared to the others that saw more than 10% of its population considered to be in poverty.

The county also had the lowest drug overdose mortality rate when the assessment studied the opioid epidemic in the region. According to the Robert Wood Johnson County Health Rankings & Roadmaps in 2021, Cumberland County had 23% drug overdose mortality, with Lancaster County not too far behind at 24%. Dauphin County saw 35% mortality, and York County had a 30% mortality rate, compared to Pennsylvanias mortality rate of 37% for drug overdoses.

Cumberland and Dauphin counties had the highest numbers of primary care physicians per 100,000 residents, which the assessment determined to be important in providing better access to care, prevention services and chronic disease management. Dauphin had 107.5 physicians per 100,000 residents, while Cumberland County had 90.3, and the state averaged 81.0. Both Lancaster and York counties had smaller numbers than the state as a whole, with 72.1 and 70.3, respectively.

Cumberland County was the fastest growing county of the four studied in the region, but even with its 7% increase between 2010 and 2018, the assessment said the countys elderly population grew by 27% in that same time frame. The other three counties also saw similar rises in their elderly population - those 65 and older  despite not growing quite as fast as Cumberland County in its total population.

Effect of COVID-19

The assessment also found that the health needs were more readily apparent during COVID-19.

... as indicated through the community stakeholder survey, COVID-19 was perceived to exacerbate previously identified significant community health needs, such as behavioral health, which was marked by increased social isolation, and chronic disease management, which was affected by delayed care and reduced physical activity, the report said.

Though COVID-19 is not quite gone from the community, the assessment reported that there were long-term effects that the disease posed in health care in the region. Those included mental health, obesity, catch-up of postponed care and missed diagnoses of new disease conditions, and management of ongoing ailments resulting from COVID-19 infections. The assessment also identified other issues stemming from the pandemic, which included social and environmental determinants of health, health disparities in race, gun violence/injury prevention and oral health.

The assessment said the use of telehealth services rose drastically due to the shutdown during the beginning of the pandemic, but it was not an outright solution for providing chronic management care or prevention services.

As in-person visits to physician practices declined, telehealth visits rapidly increased, the assessment reported. While telehealth visits serve to mitigate some access challenges, they introduce new ones, such as reliance on the internet, acquiring technological devices, such as a smartphone or computer, and competence in operating the technology.

In the region, the assessment reported that one in five households reported a lack of access to internet at home.

With a lack of access and many opting to not get in-person treatment during the pandemic, fewer people were seeing their primary care doctors. The assessment said that nationally, about one in three adults avoided seeking or delayed routine care, and one in eight adults avoided urgent or emergency care during the pandemic.

Actions plans

In addition to identifying the needs, the health system also worked on ways to address those needs locally. For the most part, action plans centered around reaching rural and homebound or underserved populations, sometimes through expanding telehealth initiatives.

While some of the action plans simply centered around working with the community to identify what is needed, especially in specialty care, UPMC also said its hospitals  including UPMC Carlisle  are looking to better coordinate care with insurance and dental access, offering referrals to programs like SMILE to increase oral health.

Partnerships with local organizations was also among its action plans to better promote healthy living and wellness in the community. That could include efforts to address economic and social barriers to health, such as providing medical care to those who are unsheltered and offering vouchers to subsidize the cost of transportation for some in the community.

Information from the CHNAs allows us to prioritize programs and services, because through this process, we can better understand the needs of our communities and develop a roadmap to direct resources where services are most needed and where our impact would be most beneficial. Ultimately, our goal is simply to improve the communitys health, said Mark Sevco, president of UPMC Hospitals.

All three significant health needs rated as a high priority on importance across the community leader surveys administered in Cumberland, Dauphin, Lancaster and York counties (scored above 3.7 on a scale of 1 to 5).
US Vice President Kamala Harris will visit the Demilitarized Zone that divides North and South Korea on Thursday  one day after Pyongyang fired two ballistic missiles into the waters off its east coast.

Harris arrived in Asia this week to attend the state funeral of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in Tokyo, where she also met with South Korean and Australian government leaders.

On Thursday, she met South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, with whom she was expected to discuss the threat posed by North Korea, the importance of peace in the Taiwan Strait, cooperation on economics and technology, and other regional issues, according to the White House.

During the meeting, Harris called the US-South Korea alliance a linchpin of regional and global security. She also reaffirmed the goal of the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, and condemned North Koreas provocative nuclear rhetoric and ballistic missile launches, according to a White House readout.

While in Seoul, Harris also met a group of female industry leaders before she was due to head to the DMZ  often described as one of the worlds most heavily armed borders.

The DMZ has long been a destination for US presidents and vice presidents on official visits to South Korea, where they have been photographed peering through binoculars into North Korean-controlled territory.

At the DMZ, Harris will meet service members, as well as receive a briefing from US commanders.

Harris visit comes a day after North Korea fired two short-range ballistic missiles from the Sunan area of Pyongyang, according to South Koreas Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS).

The missiles had a flight distance of about 360 kilometers (224 miles), an altitude of 30 kilometers (19 miles), and a speed of about Mach 6  six times the speed of sound, said the JCS.

The military has strengthened its surveillance and vigilance and it is maintaining a fully prepared posture while closely cooperating with the US, it said.

Story continues

This is North Koreas 20th missile launch this year, according to CNNs count, and follows another launch on September 25  shortly before Harris arrived in the region.

Speaking aboard the USS Howard at the Yokosuka Naval Base in Japan on Wednesday, Harris criticized North Koreas recent missile launches as part of its illicit weapons program which threatens regional stability and violates multiple UN Security Council resolutions.

At a news briefing on Wednesday, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre declined to say whether the launch could have been timed to coincide with Harris visit, saying the tests are not unusual for North Korea.

The US and South Korea have also been conducting joint naval exercises featuring the USS Ronald Reagan aircraft carrier since Monday.

For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com
The term hurricane comes from the Indigenous Taino word hurucane, meaning "evil wind." One look at past and present news clippings, and it is easy to understand this projection of malevolence. Each year, the United States faces potentially destructive fronts off the Atlantic Ocean, between about June 1 to November 30, though these evil winds have the capacity to strike at any time. Several infamous hurricanes have produced some of the most devastating events, across any medium, in the nation's history. The following seven states have proven to be the most vulnerable (and also resilient) between the tallied period of 1851 to 2020. Batten down the hatches and head the calls of local authorities if you find yourself in these parts during a swell.

1. Florida

A flooded street after catastrophic Hurricane Irma hit Fort Lauderdale, Floria.

Florida has been, by far, the state hardest hit by hurricanes in recent history. A hundred and twenty hurricanes have reached land, and at least 37 were classified as major storms (i.e., Category 3 or higher). This constitutes roughly 40% of the data set for the entire country since 1851. The most recent, Hurricane Ian, struck the Southwest region of the Sunshine State on Wednesday, September 28, 2022. Ian peaked as a Category 4 storm (nearly Category 5), reaching wind speeds of 150 mph, but is still unfolding as of the writing of this article. Two of the worst hurricanes to ever hit Florida were The Great Miami Hurricane (1926), which killed at least 373 people, and Hurricane Andrew (1992), which, along with related tornadoes, wiped out 126,000 homes.

Read More5 Worst Hurricanes To Hit Florida

2. Texas

An aerial view of damage caused by Hurricane Harvey in 2017 in Rockport, Texas. Editorial credit: AMFPhotography / Shutterstock.com

Texas has faced 64 hurricanes since formal record-keeping began, 19 of which were major storms. The most recent event was on September 14, 2021, when Hurricane Nicholas (Category 1) rolled through the Eastern part of Matagorda Peninsula, on the state's Southeast coast. Though of modest intensity, over 500,000 people temporarily lost power in that area. However, the deadliest natural disaster in US history hit Texas back in 1900. The Galveston Hurricane killed around 6,000 - 12,000 people, destroyed over 7,000 buildings, and left 10,000 residents without a home. The wettest storm on record also took place in Texas. Hurricane Harvey (2017) brought 60-inches of rain to Southeast Texas, flooding the streets of downtown Houston, displacing 30,000 people, and killing 68.

3. Louisiana

Front of collapsed house following Hurricane Ida in Uptown Neighborhood. Editorial credit: William A. Morgan / Shutterstock.com

Louisiana has a similar track record to Texas, with 62 recorded hurricanes (through to 2020), 18 of which were categorized as major. The most recent storm was Hurricane Ida, which formed on August 26, 2021, and dissipated nine days later. Ida registered as Category 4 and was the second-worst storm to hit Louisiana after Hurricane Katrina. Katrina (Category 5, 175 mph winds) ravaged Southeastern Louisiana in 2005, with much of the focus landing on the city of New Orleans. Between 15,000 and 20,000 people were forced to take shelter in the Louisiana Superdome. When all was said and done, an estimated $125 billion (USD) in damages occurred, and the aftermath is still palpable today.

4. North Carolina

Motorists inspect a road flooded by rain from Hurricane Florence in 2018 in Waxhaw, North Carolina. Editorial credit: Jeremy Warner / Shutterstock.com

North Carolina has dealt with 58 hurricanes, including 7 major ones, over the past 170 years. Recent storms have been relatively minor (though not without casualties from related flooding and rough waters). These include Tropical Storm (i.e., below Category 1) Colin on July 3, 2022, the peripheral effects of Hurricane Henri on August 21, 2021, and Tropical Storm Fred on August 16/17, 2021. The deadliest hurricane to strike North Carolina was Hurricane Florence (Category 1), which first hit Wrightsville Beach, on the Southeastern coast, on September 14, 2018. The record rainfall caused 42 fatalities and extensive flood damage.

5. South Carolina

There have been 31 hurricanes that have brought their winds and tangential effects into South Carolina - 5 of these were major storms. Last year, several tropical storms hit this area, bringing heavy rains and strong winds. The most recent full-blown hurricane was a Category 1 called Elsa, which landed in Florida and then proceeded into South Carolina on July 7/8. This event caused flooding and five tornadoes. One of the worst hurricanes in South Carolina's modern history was Hurricane Hugo, which rather than flow in from Florida, smashed directly into the coast on September 21/22, 1989. The peak 120 mph winds contributed to over $7 billion in damages.

6. Alabama

Aftermath of a hurricane struck Fultondale, Alabama a northern suburb of Alabama.

Alabama has been directly hit by 23 hurricanes, including 5 Category 3s. The most recent to impact the state was Hurricane Zeta, which landed in New Orleans, Louisiana, but whose winds gusted upwards of 91 mph in Mobile, Alabama. This hurricane led to extensive damage and power outages. Alabama has been fortunate to avoid any Category 4 or 5 hurricanes, as most storms lose their peak ferocity by the time they reach this nearly land-locked state.

7. Georgia

Gale-force winds from Hurricane Irma topple trees and power lines, forcing road closures in Macon, Georgia.

Unlucky number 7 of the most hurricane-hit states is Georgia. Situated between Florida and South Carolina, Georgia has faced 21 hurricanes, including three major ones. Some of the most notable events in recent history include the record 18 tornadoes that touched down as a side effect of Hurricane Katrina (2005), the state's participation in the largest evacuation in American history owing to Hurricane Floyd (1999), and Tropical Storm Alberto's abrupt heavy rains, which killed 34 people on July 4, 1994.

Hurricanes pose a serious threat to the states along the Gulf of Mexico and the Eastern Seaboard. These seven, in particular, have seen the highest number and greatest intensity of storms hit within their borders. The annual hurricane season is once again in full swing, with Hurricane Ian still wreaking havoc at the time of this article.

The 7 Most Hurricane-Hit States In America
Douglass Leadership Institute Launches Forward Justice Initiative

Criminal Justice Reform Leaders Launch Faith-based Effort at Our Faith, Our Family, Our Freedom Conference



Over 100 Ministers Come Together to Lead the Church into a New Era of Justice



NEWS PROVIDED BY

Douglass Leadership Institute

Sept. 29, 2022



ATLANTA, Sept. 29, 2022 /Standard Newswire/ -- Douglass Leadership Institute (DLI), an organization built on a foundation of righteousness, justice, liberty and virtue, today announced a new faith-based effort, Forward Justice Initiative to address the imbalances within the criminal justice system while defending law and order.



Launching at their Our Faith, Our Family, Our Freedom Conference, Sept. 29-Oct. 1, in Atlanta, Forward Justice Initiative will host informational sessions about Criminal Justice Reform (CJR), promote changes in the system as well as personal behavior and, hone in on new criminal justice legislationwith common sense ways to educate the larger community about how these new laws work in the best interest of larger society. In fact, at the Conference, more than 100 predominately Black ministers from across the southeast, along with leaders in CJR will gather and discuss topics such as the church's call to Biblical justice, engaging churches and community leaders and various ways in which to engage citizens in Forward Justice Initiative's efforts. For more information about the conference go to: https://conference.dlinstitute.org/.



Operating under four basic pillarsstrengthening the Black Family, Economic Empowerment, Educational Choice and Criminal Justice Reform, DLI leadership, with vast expertise in CJR, is tracking national and key legislation in Georgia pertaining to criminal justice and its impact on society, while listening to community leaders, key stakeholders and citizens to determine new proposals that will positively influence those caught up in the justice system as well as the society at large. The ultimate goal: To see justice and mercy find their proper balance in every facet of Georgia's criminal justice system.



Leading DLI's Forward Justice Initiative is Senior Fellow Bishop Garland Hunt, an award-winning Criminal Justice Reform veteran with over 20 years of expertise in CJR. Hunt is a former president of Prison Fellowship, a national Christian organization with a mission to restore those affected by crime and incarcerationto be reconciled to God, their families and their communities. He also served as chair of the Parole Board in Georgia, a member of the Governor's Commission on Family Violence under Sonny Perdue and was appointed to serve as the Commissioner of Juvenile Justice. Hunt is an attorney and Senior Pastor, The Father's House in Norcross, GA.



"We are facing major problems in this country including racial disparities facing minority groups, polarizing issues regarding crime and justice, along with violent trends affecting all of us, including minority communities. People are feeling unsafe and insecure in their own neighborhoods" said Hunt. "DLI is exploring ways we can uplift Biblical justice and employ values such as justice, righteousness and mercy. As we do this, we also intend to bring together community and faith leaders to talk about policies that can impact our state and potentially our nation. It is our goal to bring together these leaders to determine ways we can engage the culturepromoting justice, while extending grace. I hope you will join us as we provide solutions for an urgent issue facing all of us."



DLI is encouraging those who are interested in this initiative to sign a pledge of support and involvement here: https://www.dlinstitute.org/forward-justice-initiative/.



About Forward Justice Initiative

The Douglass Leadership Institute, in partnership with businesses and community groups, is building strategies to address the imbalances within our criminal justice system while defending law and order. The goal is to see a fairer system for all citizens that still works to keep our neighborhoods safe. Do justly, love mercy and walk humbly with your God. Micah 6:8



About the Douglass Leadership Institute

The Douglass Leadership Institute is a non-profit, national grassroots organization created to educate, equip and empower faith and community leaders to embrace and apply Biblical principles in life and in the marketplace. Standing on core valuesRighteousness, Justice, Liberty and Virtue, DLI seeks to motivate communities of faith to forge the path for cultural transformation. Founded in 2015 by Bishop Dean Nelson under inspiration of the faith and works of America's great statemen, Frederick Douglass. With decades of experience in community and political activism, Bishop Nelson felt that faith and integrity were missing in the socio-political conversations that were informing national practices and policies. DLI quickly developed a network of like-minded pastors and faith leaders and continues to provide them with uniquely tailored programs and resources to positively impact their communities. For more information about the Douglass Leadership Institute, go to: https://www.dlinstitute.org/.



SOURCE Douglass Leadership Institute



CONTACT: Sheryl R. Sellaway, 404-273-5133, sheryl@righteouspragency.com


A Newark woman, suspected in a 48-hour crime spree in California, was attempting a daring escape by driving toward police when an officer opened fire at the woman's rental car, wounding her and her friend from Philadelphia, authorities said.

California authorities began investigating the police-involved shooting while the Delaware woman, Rickita James, was recovering and facing several criminal charges including possession of a stun gun, identity theft, shoplifting and reckless evading.

Since this incident, charges against 33-year-old James have been dropped after California authorities called into question San Mateo, California, Officer Juan Ramirez's actions on Sept. 28, 2019.

A San Mateo, California, police officer fires his gun at a car with two women - one from Delaware - who investigators said went on a 48-hour crime spree in that state.

"There was evidence to support filing theft charges against Rikita James and her accomplice," San Mateo County District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe told Delaware Online/The News Journal. "But I decided to exercise prosecutorial discretion and not charge them with any crimes.

"Both of the women were shot by Officer Ramirez and Ms. James suffered severe injuries that will incapacitate or severely limit her mobility the rest of her life. Particularly since the decision to prosecute Officer Ramirez was a very close one and in a sense of justice, I decided the two women should not be further impacted by a criminal prosecution."

James, who according to public records lives in Atlanta, could not be reached for comment. Relatives of James, who were reached in Christiana, declined to comment.

While this matter was resolved in 2020, it is being reported now by Delaware Online/The News Journal in keeping with the newspaper's policy to follow criminal cases in which suspects are named through its resolution.

California 2019

James and her then-27-year-old friend, Taleah Johnson, flew from Philadelphia to Los Angeles on Sept. 26, 2019, according to San Mateo Police detectives.

Once in California, police said the women rented a white Chevrolet Malibu, then stole a license plate. Over the course of 48 hours, police said the women committed at least 11 thefts in southern California and the Bay Area, nine of which were at shopping malls and retail stores.

Story continues

On Sept. 28 of that year, police said the women stole a temporary license plate from a vehicle in Walnut Creek before committing multiple thefts in San Jose and Palo Alto before arriving at Hillsdale Shopping Center in San Mateo that afternoon.

Background:California police release body-cam video of officer shooting woman from Newark, Delaware

Security cameras captured the women stealing at the shopping center, including taking a woman's wallet, police said. James and Johnson then used a credit card from the purse to buy gift cards at Macy's, police said.

While inside the shopping center, police said Officer Ramirez noticed the women's running car was parked in a handicapped spot without a placard. Ramirez also noticed the car's VIN was covered and the license plate belonged to another vehicle.

Ramirez called for backup as James and Johnson returned to their car. As the women left the shopping center, officers tried to stop the car.

James, who was driving, did not stop, police said. They said as officers were chasing the car, the women began throwing cut up credit cards out of the moving vehicle.

James drove into a cul-de-sac, where police blocked her in, according to the district attorney's report. She then "accelerated in the general direction of Officer Ramirez's patrol car" and Ramirez fired nine rounds at the car.

"Officer Ramirez told investigators he believed that Ms. James was about to strike him and he considered trying to jump onto his patrol vehicle to avoid being struck," the report said.

Although he was aware of the passenger, Ramirez told investigators he "felt confident that he could hit the driver."

When Ramirez approached the Malibu, the car's reverse lights came on and the vehicle started moving back  almost striking Ramirez, who fired five more rounds at the driver.

"After a brief pause, as the car came to a rest, he fired the remaining three rounds from his firearm, striking the front windshield," according to the report.

A San Mateo, California, police officer fires his gun at a car with two women - one from Delaware - who investigators said went on a 48-hour crime spree in that state.

Officers approached the car, removed the women from it and began first aid until paramedics arrived.

James was shot four to six times, resulting in significant injuries, including to her lungs, kidneys and bones in both her arms, the report said. "She has lost the full use of her right arm and suffered injury to various parts of her body."

Johnson was struck two to four times. The District Attorney's report did not have her medical condition.

Serious concerns

In a letter to San Mateo Police Chief Ed Barberini, District Attorney Wagstaffe said he questioned Ramirezs actions.

"I have serious concerns about Officer Juan Ramirez's decision to fire his weapon at the fleeing automobile and cause serious injury to two women he suspected of committing theft-related crimes," Wagstaffe wrote. "I seriously question whether Officer Ramirez acted properly in this case. However, I have no hesitancy in concluding that for the reasons set forth in the extensive detail below, it is not reasonably likely that a jury would find his conduct to be criminal."

Wagstaffe's office retained use-of-force expert David Blake to review the matter.

Blake provided possible explanations as to why Ramirez did not use a "generally taught tactic of remaining behind available cover."

"Quick judgments during tense, uncertain and rapidly evolving situations do not often rise to the level of the best decision possible," Blake wrote.

Blake was also asked about the discrepancy between Ramirez perceiving the Malibu being in front of him and video showing the officer was facing the right side of the car.

In this case, Blake cautioned against relying solely on the video evidence in assessing a rapidly unfolding high-stress incident, as it "is only 20/20 hindsight that we know the outcome of the driver's actions."

Contact Esteban Parra at (302) 324-2299, eparra@delawareonline.com or Twitter @eparra3.

This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Why Newark woman shot by California police in 2019 was never charged
Ezekiel Kelly was indicted Tuesday on two counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of Richard Clark and Allison Parker.
A view from Clwyd Souths Member of the Senedd

Wrexham.com has invited Wrexham & Clwyd South Members of Parliament and Assembly Members to write a monthly article with updates on their work in their respective Parliaments and closer to home  you can find them all here.

In his column for September, Clwyd Souths MS writes:



I was proud to represent Clwyd South when His Majesty Charles III visited the Senedd earlier this month on his first visit to Wales since becoming King.

The loss of Queen Elizabeth II has been devastating for many people in all parts of the United Kingdom, and my thoughts continue to be with her family during this incredibly difficult time.

I was pleased to have the opportunity to pay my own tribute to the Queen during a special sitting of the Senedd on September 11.

To unite people is perhaps the most important duty that anyone in authority can fulfil, and few have done it better than Her Majesty. The people of the UK, the Commonwealth and beyond have lost a Queen who was the rock of stability in our often troubled times.

You can watch my short tribute in full here.

I held my first advice surgery for constituents since the summer break at Plas Madoc Leisure Centre on Friday, and will be holding two more in October. More are planned after half-term.

North Wales Police will be joining me to discuss any police matters constituents would like to raise.

My October surgeries will be at:

Plas Pentwyn, Coedpoeth on Friday, October 7 (10am-11am)

Overton Village Hall on Friday, October 21 (3pm-4pm)

Appointments are not required, but please note these surgeries are only for those who live in Clwyd South. If you live elsewhere, you can find out who your local Member of the Senedd is here: https://senedd.wales/find-a-member-of-the-senedd/

I was delighted to be invited to speak at the Labour Party conference about the importance of cross-border collaboration.

Together with my Senedd colleague Carolyn Thomas MS, I outlined how important the Mersey Dee Alliance is in driving better transport links across the region. We desperately need an upgrade to the Wrexham-Liverpool line so that trains can run every 15 minutes. We also need investment in the industries of the future, including zero carbon aircraft development.

Working across borders, we can build a stronger economy and a better connected super region which would benefit the whole of North Wales and the North West of England.

Since my last column, my constituency engagements have included a police patrol with Sgt Nathan Harvey of the Wrexham Rural policing team.

The patrol included visits to Brymbo, Cefn Mawr, Coedpoeth, Johnstown, Penycae, Rhos and Ruabon. It was an interesting morning, and it was great to get out with Nathan and get an idea of what our frontline officers are dealing with day to day in keeping the public safe.

Thankfully, we werent called to respond to anything serious, but it was a really good opportunity to catch up and discuss some of the current issues officers are tackling in our area.

Last week, I attended the annual general meeting of AVOW (the Association of Voluntary Organisations in Wrexham) along with my colleague Lesley Griffiths MS.

We heard a fantastic speech from First Minister Mark Drakeford, who highlighted the amazing work of those local groups and volunteers who went above and beyond so heroically during the worst of the pandemic. I was proud to be a part of the event.



I was also pleased to visit Micro Materials, an innovative and world-leading technology company based at Yale Business Village.

Micro Materials is a superb small business with an incredible global reach. While the companys custom-built headquarters are in Wrexham, it has support bases all over the world  including the US, Germany, Singapore, Malaysia, China and India.

This week I will be attending a cost-of-living summit at Plas Madoc Leisure Centre, organised by local organisation TCC (Together Creating Communities); speaking at a celebration event for disability charity Leonard Cheshire in Dolywern and joining the latest meeting of the Kronospan stakeholder group along with representatives of Wrexham Council, Chirk Town Council and Unite the Union.

If you need advice or support, please email ken.skates@senedd.wales and include your home address and a contact number. You can also find regular updates on my Facebook page and subscribe to my regular e-newsletters here or email me.
Full Council tributes to Queen  she was just like us really

Tributes have been paid from Group Leaders on Wrexham Council following the death of the Queen.

The Mayor offered time in the Full Council meeting last night for tributes to Queen Elizabeth from group leaders, with some taking up the offer, as it was the first time the Full Council had met since her death.

Council Leader Mark Pritchard said, You have seen the United Kingdom come together to show their respects, and the Commonwealth, and I think that really says a lot really about the Queen.

I think for ourselves here in Wrexham, she was very generous with with us. She granted us the city status in the Jubilee and we will be ever thankful for that award  also she visited Wrexham on numerous occasions.

All of us in this chamber live in the public arena and we are public servants, theres been no better ambassador in my eyes as the Queen and what she stood for with regards to respect with regards to patience.

I think it was warming for us that the Queen, she was just like us really, she had problems with regards to her children and her grandchildren. But thats good, because shes just a mother and a grandmother. I think thats that really sticks with us all really.

Cllr Hugh Jones said, Its always very difficult in these circumstances to add words to the many millions of words that have already been spoken about her late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

I have some very special memories when I was fortunate to have your office in Chester. I hosted the Queen for a half a day and I met her on three other occasions. Things that always struck me about her was how she had that extraordinary ability to relate to whoever she met, to put whoever she met at ease. You never felt that you were walking with somebody who was great. You felt youre walking alongside a fellow human being.

I think as a nation, weve lost a very significant beacon. Some things that really stand out about Her Majesty were her dignity, a sense of humour and her faith  all of which came together to enable her to serve this country, the Commonwealth and indeed, to be the example to the rest of the world.

Cllr Dana Davies added, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth dedicated her life to the service of the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth and the world mourns the loss of an extraordinary woman who touched the lives of people around the world.

Her devotional leadership was unwavering and she reigned as a beacon of hope and steadfastness. Her Majesty evoked everything that is really good and great about this country and the Commonwealth family that she served.
Public encouraged to view impressive collection of historial artefacts at Ceiriog Memorial Institute

The Member of Parliament is encouraging people interested in local history to visit the impressive collection available at Ceiriog Memorial Institute.

On Friday 19 August Simon Baynes MP, visited the Ceiriog Memorial Institute in the Ceiriog Valley to learn more about the work of the Institute, particularly in cataloguing the full history of its collection and exhibiting the items to the public.

Opened on 25 May 1911 by David Davies MP (later Lord Davies of Llandinam), the institute was erected by public subscription and founded by Sir Alfred T Davies.

The institute is a Grade 2 listed building, erected in memory of the renowned poet John Ceiriog Hughes, who adopted his bardic name from Ceiriog Valley, as well as Huw Morus and Robert Cynddelw Ellis.

The hall of the institute forms the heart of the community holding meetings, concerts, debates and social functions. The Ceiriog Memorial Institute museum has been refurbished and consists of a display area for the many unique exhibits which have been donated to the Institute since 1911.

There is also a plaque paying tribute to Sir Thomas Jefferson presented in 1933 by the Consul General of the United States of America.

Other exhibits include:-

Collection of Ceiriogs work and a collection of the works of Islwyn Ffowc Elis.

Unique collection of stained glass windows.

Portraits and sculptures of local interest, including pieces relating to the Myddleton family of Chirk Castle.

Quarter size copy by F Richards of St David for Wales by Sir Edward J Poynter (Original in the Central Lobby of the Houses of Parliament).

Oil painting by Sir Robert Jones  eminent orthopaedic surgeon.

Collection of objects relating to the industrial heritage of the valley.

David Lloyd George (Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1916 to 1922) described the Institutes collection as the best of its kind that I know anywhere.

Following his visit, Mr Baynes said: It was a great privilege to visit the Ceiriog Memorial Institute and to learn more about the history of the building as well as to view its impressive collection.

I took a great interest in the exhibits on the work of John Ceiriog Hughes and other poets, which are beautifully presented and tell a wonderful history of the Ceiriog Valley.

I would encourage anyone with an interest in the history of our area to arrange a visit to the hall and learn more about our rich cultural heritage.
Area firefighters battled a blaze at a vacant mobile home in Bonne Terre Tuesday evening.

Bonne Terre/Big River Fire Chief David Pratte said crews responded to a 6:42 p.m. dispatch for a residential structure fire Tuesday on the 2000 block of North Street in East Bonne Terre.

Pratte said as they approached the scene, he could see heavy smoke from a working fire in the mobile home.

The chief said the first fire truck arrived at the address, laid a water line from the blacktop up the driveway, and hit the fire with a deluge gun. He said fire personnel used hand lines while a second truck set up a water supply for incoming mutual aid units. Additional units arrived, attacking the fire, and some crews staged at area fire stations.

Pratte said the crews brought the fire under control in about 12 minutes. He said firefighters were on the scene for approximately two hours. No injuries were reported.

The structure, which was vacant with no utilities running to it, was a total loss. The Missouri Fire Marshals Office was contacted and is investigating the fires cause.

Assisting the Bonne Terre/Big River Fire Department with Tuesday evenings containment efforts were firefighters from Festus, Jefferson R-7, De Soto Rural, Desloge, and Farmington.
Join the Railroad Workers Rank-and-File Committee to organize a fight against the unions sabotage! Send an email to railwrfc@gmail.com, text (314) 529-1064, or fill out the form at the bottom of this page.

Multiple members of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) have contacted the World Socialist Web Site to report serious irregularities in voting on the recent tentative agreement impacting the 4,000 IBEW members in the rail industry.

The IBEW leadership claims the contract passed Wednesday with 1,189 votes in favor and 1,039 against (53 percent to 47 percent). The IBEW has 4,000 workers in the rail industry, and this 150-vote margin is already razor thin. Turnout was surprisingly low for a hotly contested contract vote, and by the IBEWs own count, only 25 percent of eligible voters supported the contract.

However, workers report that the voting was not legitimate and that the IBEW suppressed turnout by failing to send many workers their ballots.

I never received a ballot, a member of the IBEW in Missouri told the World Socialist Web Site. I did NOT neglect my voting rights, I was not allowed to vote! The worker believes that the IBEWs failure to send her a ballot was not a technical mistake, but a deliberate decision to stop her from voting. I absolutely know they have my correct address as I have received many union documents in the mail previously.

When the worker told the IBEW that she had not received a ballot, I was told yesterday: tough sh-t. According to this IBEW member, one third of their work area did not receive a ballot and did not get to vote. So far, the worker is personally aware of five co-workers whose right to vote was denied in this way.

This phenomenon is being reported by workers in various locals.

Daniel Fuentes, an IBEW member in Alliance, Nebraska who was not sent a ballot, told the WSWS:

Our union said they were supposed to mail us ballots, and a few guys said they got them last Friday. Ive been checking my mail ever since then and I never received anything. Then I heard the other day that we passed it, but my address has not changed in 20 years and the union has my address. I talked to some other guys who said they havent received anything either. Some people say they got theirs late. And turnout was really low. I am skeptical because I didnt get to vote!

Another IBEW member from Nebraska said he was suspicious about the extremely low turnout.

That is a very low number for voting turnout in my opinion, he said, especially considering workers knew the outcome would be close. I had heard there were several people that never received a ballot. I saw an email a few days ago from a brother electrician asking about ballots because he had never received one as well as a few others he talked to. I never saw a response from any of the local officials.

Workers also reported IBEW members receiving ballots only after the voting was concluded. One pipefitter in Missouri said she only received her ballot on the day the ballots were tabulated, after the voting period ended.

Concerns over fraud are spreading among rail workers because a former union official said the unions should override any no vote to ram through the PEB recommendations. Earlier this month, IAM Lodge 1112 cast only one vote on the Machinists TA despite having 274 members.

Workers are asking their co-workers to step forward if they did not receive ballots. The Missouri IBEW members said, How many people did not receive ballots despite requesting them and alerting union officials in plenty of time? I want a re-vote! I hope these crooked hacks get exposed!

According to an internal IBEW tally provided to the World Socialist Web Site, the total number of undeliverable and questionable ballots adds up to 235, greater than the 150-vote margin by which the IBEW claims the contract passed. Furthermore, the IBEWs internal tally shows there were 161 ballots mailed twice, which means it is possible some IBEW officials voted yes a second time.

Internal figures from the IAM on the vote. Note the number of ballots marked undeliverable or questionable, the number of duplicate ballots and the extremely low vote total for System Council 7. [Photo: WSWS]

Furthermore, the union reported only 2 votes from System Council 7 (both yes). On Thursday, the World Socialist Web Site spoke to the secretary of IBEW Railroad Department Director Al Russo and inquired as to the total number of eligible voters in System Council 7. The WSWS gave Mr. Russos office several hours to respond to this inquiry and to provide an explanation for the missing ballots, but received no response.

Workers also report the IBEW leadership rejected efforts by workers to establish rank-and-file oversight of the ballot counting in the run up to the vote. At a recent meeting of a local in Nebraska, workers had demanded rank-and-file oversight before the vote, but were denied this right by the IBEW. We mostly get a shoulder shrug for a reaction, the Nebraska worker said.

The IBEW has a history of intimidating workers and committing fraud to pass sellout deals.

In June 2022, the Department of Justice announced that it had forced IBEW Local 98 to conduct its next nominations and election of officers under the secretary of labors supervision because the union intimidated and threatened other members who sought to challenge incumbent union leadership in the unions June 2020 elections. A 2021 lawsuit filed against the IBEW (Secretary of Labor v. IBEW Local 98, No. 21-96 EDPA) asserted that an IBEW business agent visited the home of a rank-and-file member in order to put the fear of God into the members wife and family. The union also required members to walk a gauntlet at a union election meeting.

There is little question as to the intent the IBEW would have in suppressing the vote in rail. From the beginning the IBEW has collaborated with management to prevent a strike and force through a sellout.

In a statement announcing the contracts passage, IBEW International President Lonnie R. Stephenson spoke as a partisan in favor of the TA and said he was trying to avoid a strike:

The wage and benefits gains achieved under this agreement would not have been possible without the hard work of our Railroad Department staff, the solidarity of our members and the intervention of President Joe Biden and his administration. We thank everyone involved and look forward to continuing to do the work to keep Americas freight moving safely and on time.

But in a letter dated September 20 from National Railway Labor Conference Chairman Brendan Branon to Stephenson, the industry representative implied that the IBEW and carriers had already reached a backroom deal, before any voting took place, to force the contract through.

In the letter, Branon wrote, This confirms our understanding with respect to the tentative agreement  such ratification shall be completed on or around September 28 (emphasis added). Branon then wrote that Stephenson had agreed that the status quo period shall be extended until December if the contract was rejected. Under these conditions, Stephenson promised the NRLC that there would be no strike.

September 20 letter indicating backroom agreement between IBEW and carriers

An IBEW worker responded to the September 20 letter by stating the following: I do not ever remember voting for this Lonnie character. Why do we not have a say in our representation?

Another electrician said, I am supposedly represented by the IBEW. Since this process has started there has been no communication with dues paying membership as to what the most important bargaining items were for us. Was it wages, vacation, sick leave, holidays, health care, etc.



Who do we need to contact to file a formal complaint against Upper Union Officials for not doing the job they are paid to do? I received a letter yesterday, not from my union but from a fellow craftsman, from the IBEW, sent to Lonnie Stephenson. The letter stated that he had decided to push our cooling-off period back to Dec 9, 2022. The letter was signed and dated Sept. 20, 2022. Keep in mind that the IBEW votes had not been counted yet and they have decided for those people without a contract to extend the cooling-off period another 80+ days! Are you kidding me!!!! Again, no vote by the membership to extend the cooling-off period, no communication! Can each union demand their leadership to Strike if the membership is for it but the Union Management is not?? A STRIKE NEEDS TO HAPPEN SOONER THAN LATER!!

Hundreds of railroad workers from all major carriers and from all unions gathered yesterday for a meeting hosted by the Railroad Workers Rank-and-File Committee (RWRFC) to plan the next steps in the struggle of rail workers against the corporations and the pro-company unions.

Workers attended from all over the country and voted 96 percent in favor of the following resolution, concluding: We, the rank-and-file workers, declare that our patience is exhausted. We are not going to accept contracts stuffed down our throats through the methods of injunction and dictatorship, whether through the mechanism of Congressional decree or the treachery of the unions. We have the right to take collective action, up to and including a strike.
For part one of this article, please click here.

The history of mRNA

With the elucidation of DNAs structure came far more complex questions. How does DNA work, and how are proteins and enzymes manufactured within cells? Part of this answer lay in the discovery of messenger-RNA (mRNA), officially announced in 1961. As with its parent, DNA, it took decades of tedious work and involved countless scientists before the molecular and biochemical processes of mRNA were elucidated. However, no one has been awarded the Nobel Prize for its discovery.

The essay by Matthew Cobb linked in the preceding paragraph provides a comprehensive review of that history. In brief, the technical levels achieved for the time in biochemistry could only provide hints at the presence of mRNA and required feats of imagination and an entirely new way of thinking about gene function.

Fundamentally, the discovery of mRNA was spurred by the need to comprehend how genes functioned at the molecular level; how they created proteins that were essential molecular units for the conduct of life. It wasnt enough to know that DNA contained all the hereditary information. How was it translated into biological function? One important insight that Watson and Cricks model offered is that the genetic information was linked to the sequences of base pairs on the DNA molecule.

Earlier work by Jean Brachet and Torbjorn Caspersson in the 1940s had found that protein synthesis occurred in the cells cytoplasm and not the nucleus where the DNA resided. They also noted that during periods of increased protein synthesis, RNA levels increased. Protein manufacturing didnt occur directly on DNA, so intermediary processes were necessary.

Alexander Dounce, in 1952, working at the Rochester Medical School, observed that the arrangement of amino acid residues [building blocks of proteins] in a given peptide chain [the precursor of proteins] is derived from the specific arrangement of nucleotide residues in a corresponding specific nucleic acid molecule.

He proposed that DNA served as a template for the synthesis of RNA, which then served as a basis for the synthesis of proteins. In 1957, Francis Crick dubbed this the central dogma of molecular biology, meaning the transfer of genetic material proceeds from nucleic acid to nucleic acid, or from nucleic acid to protein. The information cannot be transferred back.

Though RNA and associated proteins called ribosomes necessary for protein synthesis had been found, the lack of understanding of the nature and function of these structures led to persistent misconceptions on how genetic information was transmitted. The dominant theory at the time was that for every DNA segment translated, there was a corresponding ribosome for synthesizing a particular protein.

Meanwhile, work throughout the 1950s on bacteria showed a rapid turnover of RNA during infection with phages [a virus that parasitizes a bacterium by infecting it and reproducing inside it], leading to the hypothesis that RNA was synthesized in the nucleus and then transported into the cytoplasm, which integrated with the ribosomes. Additionally, they recognized that RNA-specific nucleotide uracil was a requirement for protein synthesis [and not involved in DNA replication] which only confirmed that the message was being transcribed in the nucleus and dispatched to the cytoplasm where it could be translated.

An early hint of a messenger RNA was provided in 1956 by Ken Volkin and Larry Astrachan, working at Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Tennessee, which came from their work with infecting E. coli bacteria with phages. The total amount of RNA in the bacteria didnt change, but a small fraction of the total was made in just a few minutes. Interestingly, the composition of this short-lived RNA was that of the DNA from the infecting phage [or virus].

In 1957-58, at the Institut Pasteur, Arthur Pardee and Jacques Monod showed that when a particular gene coding for an essential enzyme was transferred to the bacteria lacking the gene, within minutes, it produced the enzyme it previously couldnt. The second critical insight made by the team that included Francois Jacob was that in bacteria containing the genes that were transcribed, an enzyme only turned on when a chemical or substrate was introduced, meaning these genes were repressed, and the inducing agent would allow the product to be formed. They called the repressor gene a cytoplasmic messenger. But how this intricate signaling was made and worked out by the cells remained unknown.

Meanwhile, Francis Crick and Sydney Brenner were not working on the regulatory mechanisms of cellular processes like their Paris counterparts. In Brenners words, We essentially were interested in the code.

Then on a fateful day, April 15, 1960, Crick, Brenner, and Jacob met for an informal meeting at Kings College, Cambridge, after a conference held in London the day before. Jacob pored over the details of their latest experiment, where they showed that when a particular gene was introduced into a bacterium deficient for that enzyme, it immediately produced high levels of that enzyme. He added that Pardee had shown in an experiment that the gene didnt produce a stable, efficient ribosome but a transitory messenger molecule they dubbed X.

Francois Jacob wrote in his autobiography The Statue Within that Francis (Crick) and Sydney (Brenner) leapt to their feet. Began to gesticulate. To argue at top speed in great agitation. A red-faced Francis. A Sydney with bristling eyebrows. The two talked at once, all but shouting. Each trying to anticipate the other. To explain to the other what had suddenly come to mind. All this at a clip that left my English far behind.

Having immediately conceived that the mysterious messenger molecule was a transient messenger RNA would mean the ribosomes are only inert complex molecules that could read any message sent to it through the copied template from the DNA, simplifying and universalizing the function and conservative nature of cells in general. The intuitive breakthrough redirected their efforts in attempting to isolate the elusive mRNA.

They worked at Caltech in Pasadena in the following months using Matt Meselons ultracentrifuges for their experiment. As they had surmised, no new ribosomes were made. Instead, as Cobb wrote in his essay, A small, transient RNA that had been copied from phage DNA was associated with old ribosomes that were already present in the bacterial host. This was messenger RNA.

Telegram from James Watson to Sydney Brenner, February 15, 1961. Source Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory archives.

As Cobb then correctly notes, other researchers and scientists working on these questions were making similar breakthroughs and would have reached these conclusions around the same time. Robert Risebrough and James Watson had also made isolated mRNA around the same time but then heard Crick and Brenner were moving to publish. Watson hurriedly sent Brenner a telegram requesting they hold the publication of their manuscript so they could jointly publish in Nature in May 1961, inaugurating the discovery of mRNA.

Cracking the genetic code, pre-messenger RNA, and the genetic revolution

The discovery of mRNA coincided with work done in 1958 by Marshall Nirenberg and Heinrich Matthaei at the National Institutes of Health, where they not only presented the first demonstration of messenger RNA but took the first step to deciphering the genetic code. The question they were seeking answers to was how DNA directed the expression of proteins.

For its time, it was an impressive genetic engineering feat. Knowing that uracil nucleotide only occurs with RNA, they constructed RNA solely of uracil. They then inserted it into E. coli bacteria, which possesses all the machinery for protein synthesis. They then added an enzyme that only degraded the E. colis DNA but preserved all its other functions. In other words, no proteins could be built other than from their synthetic RNA.

They then added one radioactively labeled and 19 unlabeled amino acids to their extracts. Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins. The synthesized protein was radioactively labeled phenylalanine, whose genetic code is three uracil bases in a row. Radioactive labeling of nucleotides [tagging the molecules with a tracer] became widely available in the 1950s, allowing for visualizing and detecting nucleic acids at trace concentrations.

Heinrich Matthaei and Marshall Nirenberg. Source National Institutes of Health.

Nirenberg presented his paper in August 1961 at the International Congress of Biochemistry in Moscow, electrifying the assembled scientists. The coding race followed in the early 1960s to identify all the codes for the various amino acid sequences, primarily between Nirenbergs group at NIH and Spanish Nobel laureate Severo Ochoa at New York University Medical School.

The genetic code is the rule living cells follow to translate genetic information into proteins. George Gamow, a Soviet-American physicist, had postulated that three nuclide bases were needed to encode 20 standard amino acids used by living cells to build proteins. It is now recognized that translation of the mRNA is conducted by ribosomes using transfer RNA molecules (known as soluble RNA at the time) that read the mRNA three nucleotides at a time and add the specific amino acid dictated for the specific position.

tRNA, Ribosomes, and the production of peptide chain using mRNA. Source Wikipedia.

By 1966, Nirenberg and his team, with the collaboration of other scientists recruited to assist with the work at NIH, completed their sequencing of the three nucleotide bases corresponding to their respective amino acids. In 1968, he received the Nobel Prize with Har Gobind Khorana for their studies on amino acids and proteins.

In the early 1970s, biochemists and geneticists recognized that a precursor molecule to mRNA must exist, which was then edited down before the finished version was presented to the ribosomes called a pre-messenger RNA. Much of the work in RNA processing, cellular signaling, and complex splicing proteins came from James Darnell and his collaborators.

According to a review published in Nucleus in 2014 on the history of the investigation of pre-mRNA, in 1977, two teams working independently, one led by Phillip Allen Sharp at MIT and the other by Richard J. Roberts at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, using electron microscopy found that isolated RNA molecules hybridized to double-stranded DNA by displacing one of the DNA strands. However, the mRNA sequence generated was complementary to multiple noncontiguous DNA regions. [Refer to link electron microscopy for images of mRNA and DNA from Phillip Sharps research team.]

In other words, the actual genes were divided into multiple segments along the DNA. These findings then led to 1) the discovery of introns in the DNA of eukaryotic cells, which have well-defined nuclei, 2) the understanding that pre-mRNA had to be modified to a mature form, and 3) the recognition that the transcribing of mRNA and editing functions to create a mature form were independent of each other.

Introns, or intr agenic regi ons , are areas of DNA residing between or within genes. An exon is conversely part of a gene that will form a part of the final mature RNA utilized for translation into a protein. In other words, when mRNA is first transcribed, the introns and exons are included as pre-messenger RNA. It then undergoes modification with enzymes that splice them out and become the mRNA previously referenced. For their work, Sharp and Roberts shared the Nobel Prize in physiology and medicine in 1993.

In 1978, Walter Gilbert from Harvard suggested that introns were more than just redundant and unnecessary DNA. Rather, they served as possible hot spots for recombination to form new combinations of exons, facilitating evolutionary pathways. Advances in molecular biology have deduced that introns are integral to the function of eukaryotic cells. The reader is directed to a report published in Frontiersby Michal Chorev and Liran Carmel on the function of introns in 2012.

These breakthroughs were fundamental for the rapidly evolving genetic revolution that was underway. The evolving complexity of ascertaining the inner workings of cells also meant the need to broaden the scope of inquiry and design more sensitive and efficient tools in this work that brought in a larger core of scientists and researchers in the modern discipline of biochemistry and genetics.

Gene sequencers and the Human Genome Project

In particular, genomic sequencers became integral to any laboratory used in various research applications. After 1977, with the introduction of Frederick Sangers DNA sequencer, these instruments became widely used, with the first commercialized in 1986 by Applied Biosystems. Next-generation sequencers that allow for large-scale high-throughput genomic analysis have made sequencing commonplace, including synthesizing these genetic strands.

In 1985, Kary B. Mullis, while working as a chemist at the Cetus Corporation, a biotechnology firm in California, invented the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique allowing copying DNA segments and amplifying them and thereby bypassing the excruciatingly laborious process and time-consuming process of cloning DNA, growing them in bacteria, finding the right segments again and then growing them further until enough was obtained.

Cetus attempted to automate the process and produced a DNA Thermal Cycler prototype. By 1989, the biotechnology firm partnered with Hoffman-LaRoche to develop and commercialize in-vitro human diagnostic products and services based on PCR technology. Roche Molecular Systems would buy Cetuss patent and associated technology for $300 million.

A whole industry surrounding servicing these instruments and manufacturing reagents and disposable materials flourished. Regulatory agencies were established, and standards for their use were formalized.

By the mid-1970s, sufficient advances had been made in combining elements of DNA from different organisms, propelling the field of modern genetics, that the National Academy of sciences had called for a temporary moratorium on all genetic experiments until the ethical issues surrounding such investigations were developed and agreed upon, and could form the basis of the principles of modern genetic engineering.

By the mid-1980s, new techniques for targeting and splicing genes were devised. A recombinant vaccine against hepatitis B was being designed. In 1988 the first genetically modified corn using genes from the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt corn) appeared on US farms that could increase yields by preventing pest infestation.

Based on these advances, the Human Genome Project was conceived in the 1980s and formally launched in 1990, the worlds largest international collaborative biological project. The goal was to identify every base pair in the human DNA. Though declared complete in 2003, only 85 percent of the genome had been mapped. A level complete genome, 99.7 percent, was achieved in May 2021, with the final gapless assembly completed in January 2022. During this project, several genes were identified as responsible for certain diseases, opening the path towards genetic engineering to treat these conditions.

And with the growing recognition of the potential therapeutic role DNA and RNA can offer in treating an assortment of diseases, advances in drug delivery systems grew in parallel.

Specifically, lipid nanoparticles can transfer these highly fragile genetic strands into the cells cytoplasm, where they can be employed to create the necessary protein. This is the basis for the Moderna and Pfizer COVID vaccines. Without the maturation of this technology, the mRNA vaccines would have remained in the realm of experiments and theory.

Liposome for drug delivery. Source Wikipedia.

Work in this field was first described in 1965 and proceeded headlong by the mid-70s when exogenous mRNA delivery into cells was shown to be feasible using liposomes, minute spherical sacs (smaller than even cells) of phospholipid molecules something like microscopic soap bubbles that enclose an aqueous core that can be loaded with a variety of drugs or vaccines or even DNA. Even lipid soluble drugs can be stored within the lipid bilayer membrane.

As figure 9A demonstrates, these liposomes for drug delivery can be quite complex. Conceptually, liposomes are extremely small versions of the capsules that we ingest when taking medication. Once the capsule reaches our stomach, it dissolves and releases the drug. Two layers of such lipids makes up the cell membrane that protects the interior of cells from the outside.

Liposomes attempt to deliver these drugs directly into cells and take advantage of the fact that cell membranes are also composed of lipids and once they fuse with the cell, the drugs contained within the liposomes are released inside the cell. In other words, they allow drugs to reach their targets more uniformly while delivering higher drug levels at the site, such as cancer cells targeted by a particular medication. For example, in 1995, Doxil, or liposomal doxorubicin, became one of the first drugs using this technology to gain approval from the FDA for treating various malignancies and remains in use today.

A variety of liposomes have been developed such as targeted liposomes that contain special molecules that bind to cell receptors and are then transported internally. Cationic liposomes have positively charged lipid bilayers, which we will discuss in short, and are extensively used for the delivery of therapeutic genes.

For the interested reader, the following video published in News Medical Life Sciences conceptualizes what lipids are and how they are used to manufacture various liposomal drugs. A phospholipid is made of a hydrophilic head that tends to mix with water and two hydrophobic tails made of fatty acids that repel water. When these phospholipid molecules are exposed to water, they self-assemble into the two leaflets as shown in the figure below.

Phospholipids aqueous solution structures. Source Wikipedia by Mariana Ruiz Villarreal.

However, it wasnt until the late 1990s that University of British Columbia scientist Pieter Cullis pioneered pH-sensitive lipid nanoparticle drug delivery. Before this work, the use of lipids to deliver RNA was feasible in experiments involving cells but was quite toxic for lab animals, let alone human subjects.

As a graduate in physics in 1972, Cullis turned his attention to the study of cellular membranes. In an interview last month with Janet Rossant at the MaRS Impact Health 2022, he recounted his early experiences, Biological membranes are absolutely vital, and we knew so little about them. There are thousands of lipids in biological membranes, and we havent a clue what they do. Not now, even, for the bulk of them.

After more than a decade of studying and working with these membranes, he was able to design liposomal systems that used acidic pH to destabilize the lipid bilayer and load drugs into their core and then raise the pH to neutral to stabilize them in their spherical shape. The idea behind pH-sensitive liposomes grew from observation that certain enveloped viruses took advantage of the acidic environment of a cells organs to infect it. Similarly, malignant cells exhibit acidic environments compared to normal tissues.

The basic mechanisms of working with these membranes began to take shape and Cullis shifted to entrepreneurial work by opening a company to produce chemotherapy drugs that could deliver these treatments more precisely to where the drugs were needed.

But such work was not deemed financially beneficial for the corporation. As Cullis recalled, By the mid-90s, the CEO came to me and said, Look, putting these old cancer drugs into liposomes is all very well but I cant raise money on that. I need to be doing gene therapy, which was coming into vogue at the time, which meant we had to encapsulate DNA or RNA [which are highly charged molecules] into these lipid nanoparticles. That was huge problem.

By way of clarification, a March 2021 article by Ryan Cross in Chemical & Engineering News, explained that these lipid nanoparticles used in the COVID vaccines utilize just four ingredients: ionizable lipids whose positive charges bind to the negatively charged backbone of mRNA, pegylated lipids that help stabilize the particle, and phospholipids and cholesterol molecules that contribute to the particles structure. However, to arrive at this sophisticated molecule was not straightforward.

Fundamentally, as Cullis has previously explained, the challenges posed by these relatively large microscopically charged DNA and RNA molecules had to be surmounted, including the toxicity associated with these early versions of the liposomes. There are no cationic lipids in nature, and we knew we couldnt use permanently positively charged lipids because they are so damn toxic, including tearing apart the cell membranes.

As Cross explained in his article, A solution came from new lipids that were charged only under certain conditions. During the late 90s and through the first decade of the 2000s, Cullis, his colleagues at Inex Pharmaceuticals, and the Inex-spinoff Provita Biotherapeutics developed ionizable lipids that are positively charged at an acidic pH but neutral in the blood. The group also created a new way to manufacture nanoparticles with these lipids, using microfluidics to mix lipids dissolved in ethanol with nucleic acids dissolved in an acidic buffer. When the streams of those two solutions merged, the components spontaneously formed lipid nanoparticles, which, unlike the hollow liposomes, were densely packed with lipids and nucleic acids.

Years of experimentation tweaking the composition of lipid nanoparticles often met with failure. As Thomas Madden, CEO of Acuitas Therapeutics who worked at Inex at the time, told Cross, You can have 50 different ionizable lipids that all deliver effectively to cells in culture, and 49 of them wont work a damn in vivo.

Beside the significant amount of work done to understand how these particles work within cells, there was also important work being done to understand how these particles are transported to their cells.

By the end of the 2000s, Cullis partnered with a company in Boston called Alnylam to use the technology to treat liver disorders with small interfering RNAs. Eventually, work done by Alnylam in 2010 led to a lipid nanoparticle formulation for their small interfering RNA drug, Onpattro, used to treat a rare hereditary disease, which received FDA approval in 2018.

Though Alnylams particular formulation also worked for mRNAs, it was still clumsy. Around 2015, Moderna began investing their efforts to improve these ionizable lipids. Cross explained, The team [of chemists] made about 100 ionizable lipids and introduced ester linkages into the carbon chains of the lipids to help make them biodegradableTweaking the ratio of the four lipids in the nanoparticles altered the LNPs [Lipid nanoparticles] distribution in the body.

The former head of infectious disease at Moderna, Giuseppe Ciaramella, told Cross, The devil is absolutely in the details as far as LNPs are concerned. But once you optimize it for one organ, you change out the mRNA with minimal optimization. Moderna has remained elusive and silent on these developments. But so have Pfizer and BioNTech.

More recently, Alnylam filed a claim in Delaware federal court in March of this year against both Moderna and Pfizer, claiming that the vaccine makers had infringed on its patents in developing the COVID vaccines. In early July, Alnylam was granted its patent that covers a breakthrough class of cationic biodegradable lipids used to form lipid nanoparticles that carry and deliver mRNA-based vaccines. Moderna is using its status under federal law to claim it has statutory protection and insists that its lipids do not resemble Alnylams.

mRNA as a therapeutic construct takes shape: the venture capitalists wait in the wings

Certainly, Robert Malones breakthrough experiment in 1987 to produce a protein by using a lipofectin, a synthetic cationic lipid, as a vehicle to carry synthesized pieces of mRNA and transfer them into mouse cells was a critical piece of the puzzle. However, no one then conceived that producing life-saving mRNA vaccines would have been feasible within two decades.

Indeed, the idea of treating RNA as a drug was a brilliant insight. But such intuitions are not arrived at as a flash of lightning. Instead, they are a byproduct of experience built upon the work of many others that had advanced the science to such an extent that in less than three decades from mRNAs discovery, its use as a therapeutic was being recognized.

Still, much work remained. Only a handful of scientists like Dr. Katalin Kariko worked with RNA during this period. As she noted, RNA was a difficult molecule to work with. Its short life, minuscule amounts of proteins that could be generated, and severe adverse reactions to administering it made many consider it unfeasible. Very few felt mRNA could offer anything meaningful, and funding in the form of grants was difficult to come by to sustain work in such a niche field. Postdocs and benchwork scientists are under constant pressure and must show continued progress, often measured by high-impact publications, to get support from their institutions.

Key discoveries and advances in developing mRNA as a drug technology. Source mRNA-based therapeutics in Nature Reviews Drug Discovery by Ugur Sahin, Katalin Kariko, and Ozlem Tureci, 2014.

A Hungarian biochemist with extensive experience in lipids and RNA during her postdoc years at the Institute of Biochemistry, Biological Research Centre of Hungary, Kariko moved to the United States with her husband and two-year-old daughter in 1985 after her lab lost all funding. After working at Temple University and the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in Bethesda, Maryland, she was hired by the University of Pennsylvania in 1989 to work on messenger RNA.

As she explained, I always thought most patients dont actually need new genes. They need something temporary, like a drug, to cure their aches and pains. So, mRNA was always more interesting to me.

Her work proceeded slowly, often dead ends, especially as interest in RNAs rapidly faded. Personal health issues and family matters also took a considerable toll. As to her reason for continuing with her position at UPenn, she explained during an interview with PNAS, The main reason I stayed  despite the lack of a permanent faculty position, was the enthusiasm of Elliot Barnathan and David Langer for our experiments in mRNA therapeutics matched mine.

While considering her option to continue her research or pursue different work entirely, she met Drew Weissman, an immunologist who had moved to UPenn in 1997 and had been struggling with work on HIV and getting immune cells to produce vaccines. [See Amanda Keeners article Just the messengerfrom 2018] Kariko suggested he use mRNA, thus beginning a long collaboration.

However, the initial work hit a roadblock as the mRNA triggered a shutdown in protein production. They recognized that one of the underlying nucleosidesthe letters in RNAs genetic codewas causing the adverse reaction, but which one?

As they continued their investigation into why mRNA was provoking the immune system, in the early 2000s, Kariko came across a study showing that Uridine, one of the nucleic acids in RNA, appeared to trigger the immune system through activation of Toll-like receptors. They decided to replace their mRNAs uridine with an analog called pseudo-uridine, which, to their elation, reduced the immune response to a manageable level, so it would have a therapeutic effect but not overwhelm and damage the host subject. Kariko said of their discovery, We realized at that moment that this would be very important and could be used in vaccines and therapies. So, we published a paper, filed a patent, established a company, and then found there was no interest. Nobody invited us anywhere to talk about it, nothing.

Katalin Kariko, Drew Weissman, and Pieter Cullis. Source Wikipedia, UPenn, and UBC.

Though their studies went unrecognized in 2005 by the scientific community at large, they were of immense significance that would provide a practical solution to discovering novel therapies for diseases that had no treatments. However, it did catch the attention of a select few scientists who would go on to found the biotechnology firms Moderna and BioNTech.

A meeting in 2010 between Derrick Rossi, a stem cell biologist at Harvard University, who pitched the idea behind an mRNA technological startup to Robert Langer, a well-established biomedical engineer from MIT turned entrepreneur, and Noubar Afeya, a venture capitalist, led to a matter of months to the formation of the firm Moderna. The following year they brought on Stephane Bancel as CEO to help the company build its investors and fanciers ranks. Rossi left the company in 2014 over a bitter dispute over who conceptualized the far-reaching implications of this new technology, but with his founders shares intact.

Moderna, in the recent lawsuit against Pfizer, refers to its 2010 patent, which bears briefly discussing.

In 2010, at Derrick Rossis laboratory, he and his postdoc, Luigi Warren, were trying to transfer mRNA into stem cells. They utilized the Kariko and Weissman modification and used 5-methylcytidine, which resembles the RNA cells usually make. They succeeded, quickly filed a patent, and began looking for investors using their modified mRNA with sweeping potential. However, there was one snag. The work was a copy.

As a 2015 report in Nature noted, Kariko and Weissmans patent posed a challenge for Moderna. A 2010 internal report from Flagship Ventures [see Chief Executive Noubar Afeyan], which was nurturing Moderna into existence at the time, states that if scientists could not identify alternatives to pseudo-uridine and 5-methylcytidine, our company technology may be limited to licensing IP from UPenn. They turned to a variant of pseudo-uridine called 1-methylpseudo-uridine that seemed to do the trick.

Kariko recalled that at the time, there were signs that there will be a fierce battle for licensing. Chief executive of Silence Therapeutics, an RNA biotech in London, Ali Mortazavi, said, Theres really no understanding of who owns what, so nobody wants to disclose anything.

As for Kariko and Weissman, they received their patent on pseudo-uridine and the modification of mRNA in 2012, but soon after, UPenn sold the intellectual rights to Gary Dahl, who headed the lab supply company that would become Cellscript. Kariko seeing the writing on the wall, left UPenn in early 2013 and took a position with BioNTech, where she has remained. In 2018, BioNTech partnered with Pfizer to develop mRNA vaccines against the influenza virus. Clinical trials began in late 2019 when work was soon halted due to the outbreak of a novel coronavirus in Wuhan, China.

Conclusion

At the turn of this century, a little more than two decades ago, no one could have conceived of mRNAs seemingly endless potential, which only came to light with the COVID pandemic. While it took four years to bring the modern mumps vaccine to market in the early 1960s, it took a few days after the novel coronavirus genetic sequence was revealed in early January 2020 for Moderna to manufacture the prototype of the mRNA.

But rather than using the technology to mass produce these on an international scale and use it as an adjunct to begin an elimination/eradication campaign, the vaccines were financialized and used as weapons to promote the policy of living with the virus. Vaccine nationalism dominated the rollout, leaving low- and middle-income nations in the lurch.

The current legal wranglings involve a struggle between rival corporate interests over which will garner the colossal profits to be derived from the immense potential mRNA offers the world. This potential includes important work being conducted for cancer therapies. Besides COVID, there is ongoing work on vaccines against HIV, tuberculosis, and malaria. Rare inherited diseases that hardly ever received funding are now targeted for mRNA therapy. These examples barely touch the surface.

Cullis recently observed, given the recent successes with the COVID vaccines, siRNA therapeutics, and CRISPR [gene editing] technology, It is completely revolutionary. We are moving into an era of personalized therapeutics, and I think people should start to realize that. Up to this point, we have been dealing with a one size fits all approach to medicine as if these things are suited to all of us, which they are not.

These advances have far-reaching implications for how medicine can be conceived and delivered. Such focused treatments can be formulated in a matter of days and be affordable.

As evidenced by examining the history of the science behind the discovery of the molecular mechanisms hidden inside cells, it is as absurd to claim a proprietary monopoly on the intellectual insights and scientific techniques for exploiting these mechanisms as it would be to patent oxygen, water or the plants and animals whose consumption sustains human beings. No one owns the natural properties that are the basis for life. The capacity to use these to stave off disease and revolutionize medicine must be taken from these financial parasites hands and made the property of all humanity.
Hurricane Ian, a Category 4 storm and one of the most severe weather systems to ever hit the state of Florida, made landfall with the destructive force of 150 mile per hour winds at approximately 3:05 p.m. on Wednesday at the Gulf Coast barrier island of Cayo Costa just west of the cities of Cape Coral and Fort Myers.

Key West Fire Department works on a strip mall fire on Flagler Ave., in midtown Key West, Fla., in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian's tropical winds, Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2022. [AP Photo/Mary Martin]

The storm hit the mainland at Punta Gorda, moved slowly through the Fort Myers area and brought massive flooding from the intense rain and surge of water from the Gulf of Mexico. Meteorologist Kaitlyn Wright shared a video via Twitter showing the devastation in Fort Myers from the hurricane and reported, Houses are destroyed and some are floating away as Ians eyewall hammers southwest Florida.

The mayor of Fort Myers, Kevin Anderson, reported on CNN at 9 p.m. that 96 percent of the city was without electricity and the downtown district was under four feet of water. Emergency responders have reported that people throughout the metropolitan area were trapped in their attics as flood waters overtook their homes.

The New York Times reported that residents of South Fort Myers who decided to ride out the storm despite a mandatory evacuation order were seeing water coming through their front doors and second story windows. Lilya Cattani, 40, notified the Times by text that family vehicles in the garage were completely submerged in water, writing, Its an ocean around us.

In the Gulf Coast town of Naples, water levels set a record of more than six feet above normal high tide, greater than the previous record of 4.25 feet above high tide set in 2017 during Hurricane Irma. Emergency responders in Naples were livestreamed as they waded through waist-deep water to rescue residents stranded or surrounded by water.

A Facebook post by the Collier County Sheriffs Office said, We are getting a significant number of calls of people trapped by water in their homes. Some are reporting life-threatening medical emergencies in deep water. We will get to them first.

An advisory from the National Hurricane Center (NHC) published at 5 p.m. warned, Catastrophic storm surge inundation of 12 to 18 feet above ground level along with destructive waves is ongoing along the southwest Florida coastline from Engelwood to Bonita Beach, including Charlotte Harbor.

The NHC statement said the hurricane would spread across the Florida peninsula through Thursday and reach portions of the Southeast US later this week and this weekend. The report warned of life-threatening catastrophic flooding, with major to record river flooding expected across Florida, southeastern Georgia and eastern South Carolina.

The storm is so large and powerful that the NHC warned of the danger of a life-threatening storm surge on Thursday and Friday along the coasts of northeast Florida, Georgia and South Carolina. As of this writing, authorities reported one death from the storm and 1.8 million without electricity in the state of Florida.

Seventeen years after the deadly impact of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans and the criminal negligence of the government response to it, nothing has been done in the US to advance storm preparedness or provide financial aid to help people evacuate. Meanwhile, no significant financial support from the government can be expected for those who have lost their homes and all their possessions.

The last two hurricanes to strike Florida, Category 4 Hurricane Irma on September 10, 2017 and Category 5 Hurricane Michael on October 10, 2018, both entered from the southwestern side of the state. Even though the devastating hurricanes hitting Florida are becoming more powerful and are occurring more frequently, the state and federal governments have done nothing to prepare the public for the catastrophic events.

While he has blocked hurricane preparedness programs, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has been appearing in front of television news media over the past few days to boost his credentials as a leading figure in the increasingly fascistic Republican Party. For example, last June, DeSantis vetoed $4 million in funding for a storm-hardening project at Baptist Health Cares hospital in Gulf Breeze in the Florida panhandle.

Additionally, even though DeSantis has refused to explicitly acknowledge Joe Biden as the legitimately elected US President, the Florida governor and the White House have been leaning on each other to cover up the state and federal governments abandonment of the public to increasingly powerful and deadly weather events fueled by capitalist-driven climate change.

On Wednesday, an article by climate-change and environmental reporters Benji Jones and Umair Irfan Eric in Vox pointed to the rapid intensification of Hurricane Ian within 48 hours. The authors said that there are three main ingredients that, when mixed together, can result in a rapidly intensifying hurricane: moist air, low wind shear (wind coming from different directions or at different speeds), and warm ocean water.

Quoting Paul Miller, a professor of oceanography and coastal sciences at Louisiana State University, the report says, All three of those things create a favorable ecosystem for a hurricane to establish circulation and intensify.

An analysis of hurricane data by the Associated Press showed there were 25 percent more rapidly intensifying storms in the Atlantic Ocean and Eastern Pacific in the last 10 years compared to 40 years ago. According to Karthik Balaguru, a climate scientist at the Pacific Northwest National Lab, climate change tends to warm the land faster than the sea forming a temperature gradient along coasts, and this gradient tends to favor rapid intensification of hurricanes.

Hurricane Ian spawned eight tornadoes along the east coast of South Florida as the storm moved towards the US on Tuesday after passing through Cuba where it knocked out power to the entire island of 11 million people. At least two people were confirmed killed by the storm in Cuba.
Responding to their mistreatment in Alabama's state prisons, including barbaric medical neglect, thousands of inmates initiated a labor strike this week. By Monday evening, work stoppages had spread through all of the states major prisons with the group coordinating the struggle reporting that 80 percent of the prison population was refusing to do the work as cooks and cleaners, which they are typically compelled to do for no pay.

A fence stands at Elmore Correctional Facility in Elmore, Alabama. [AP Photo/Brynn Anderson]

As of July 2022, more than 26,000 people were languishing in the states incarceration system. Most prisons reported being well over capacity, leading to overcrowding and safety issues.

The strike is being coordinated by prisoner advocacy group Both Sides of the Wall, which held a demonstration Monday outside the offices of the Alabama Department of Corrections (ADOC) in the state capital Montgomery to protest unsanitary and unsafe prisons and to demand reform of the states regressive crime and sentencing laws.

Among the demands made by Both Sides of the Wall are sentencing and parole reforms, including a halt to life sentences for nonviolent offenses and the establishment of guaranteed parole criteria. They have also called for an oversight board to investigate possible instances of wrongful conviction.

Like many at the rally, Montgomery resident Marquetta London has incarcerated family members. Take care of them while theyre in there, she told AL.com. Theyre not taking care of those prisoners like they should. Theyre just not doing it.

In response to the strike, the ADOC issued a statement saying that it has limited the movement of inmates and alluded to other security measures they refused to elaborate upon. ADOC Commissioner Jon Hamm has stated that All facilities are operational and there have been no disruption of critical services.

A subsequent ADOC statement released Wednesday admitted that all male facilities were experiencing work stoppages to a varying degree. The statement also reported that prisoners had been reduced to two meals per day, down from the typical three.

Inmates held at Staton Prison told family members that they were not served lunch on Monday.

Alabamas prisons are some of the worst in the United States, and the state has faced numerous lawsuits concerning violence, overcrowding, and abusive staff. Many of the protesters outside the ADOC Monday angrily held up photos of Kastellio Vaughan, a 32-year-old Mobile County native currently held at Elmore Correctional Facility, demanding better medical treatment for him as well as answers about the state of his health.

Vaughan was arrested in 2013 for an attempted home burglary in Mobile County; he sustained gunshot wounds in his lower abdomen and was taken to a local hospital. A week later, he was released to the Mobile County Jail as he struggled to heal from damage to his bowel. He began serving a 20-year sentence in 2019.

This August, Vaughan underwent surgery to remove part of his intestine. On September 22, his sister Kassie Vaughan received a text message saying, Get Help. The accompanying photos showed an emaciated Vaughan slumped on a dirty gurney, his eyes rolled back. His ribs and clavicles were protruding with a scar running from his sternum down past his bloated lower abdomen.

Kassie Vaughan posted these photos to Facebook alongside a less recent photo when he was healthy. She says her brothers normal weight is 200 pounds; currently, he weighs 100. When she attempted to call him, the warden had unilaterally removed her from Kastellios contacts and would give her no updates.

The ADOC immediately went on the defensive, blaming Vaughan and saying that he had refused care after his bowel resection in August. Prison officials claim that he began requesting medical care in July, but that he asked to be released from the hospital against medical advice every timeincluding once on September 3, when he was readmitted with complications from the surgery.

They further claimed that they had not restricted his communication with his family, and that he had been free to contact them as he wished. Somehow, the day after Kassies post went viral, the family was able to speak to him again. When Kassie Vaughan finally reached Kastellio, she reports that he cried and struggled to speak.

More recently, Kassie posted that Kastellios condition was not improving; his surgical wound had opened and was dripping pus. He told her that he had not been given a toothbrush or allowed to bathe. She says that he has vomited waste and blood.

I dont understand how Elmore Correctional Center can say this situation is not real, Kassie said in her most recent post. They have no sympathy or compassion to at least speak out on their wrong doings. My brother laid there in pain. Malnourished. Bones protruding out his body. His wound clearly open and susceptible to infection. He wasnt recognizable as my brother. He looked lifelessMy brother didnt deserve this. No matter the crime. He still deserved to be treated like a human being and not just a number.

The ADOC with the support of right-wing trolls has attacked Kassie Vaughans Facebook posts, asserting that the photos of Kastellio were faked and that she and her family are withholding the truth from their supporters.

It is outrageous that the ADOC would accuse anyone of obfuscation. This is a prison system which has, more than once, illegally purchased drugs on the black market, and twice this year, prison officials have worked to squelch information on two botched execution attempts in the past quarter.



The execution of Joe Nathan James in July was one of the aforementioned botched executions. Prison officials first resorted to extreme lengths to keep journalists from entering the prison, and then the execution chamber. When reporters were finally admitted to the witness area, they waited for hours before prison officials presented an unconscious James. He was injected and pronounced dead with unusual speedaround three minutes.

An independent autopsy found evidence of multiple attempts at injection, as well as incisions that appeared to have been made before James was sedated. By all appearances, the state executioners mutilated a conscious man in an effort to inject him with lethal drugs and presented him to reporters when he was already at deaths door.

More recently, the states attempts to hide evidence were so obvious that Judge R. Austin Huffaker, Jr., Trump appointee on the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Alabama, ordered ADOC to supply all records and materialsincluding medical wastetied to the gruesome execution.

In 2020, the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) brought a lawsuit against the state, saying that the abominable conditions in its prisons violate prisoners constitutional rights. The DOJ cited unsanitary conditions, staff allowing inmates to be assaulted physically and sexually by other inmates, and the excessive use of force by corrections staff against inmates. The prisons are filthy, overcrowded, and outdated; many facilities are in such poor condition that it is not feasible to remodel them.

Alabama has acknowledged that its prisons have some problems (as Republican Governor Kay Ivey and Commissioner Hamm delicately phrase it). However, they dispute the DOJs claims that the rampant abuse, overcrowding, and poor sanitation are unconstitutional.

As Governor Ivey and the state legislature are well aware, Alabama law has steadily fed the overcrowding that plagues the prisons. The states incarceration rate is 938 per 100,000 people. According to Vera.org, its prison population increased by 149 percent between 1983 and 2016. Meanwhile, the rate of paroles has descended steeply.

The solutions proposed by Both Sides of the Wall have been denounced by Governor Ivey. She refuses to consider doing away with habitual offender laws for nonviolent offenses. Loosening drug sentencing laws is likewise out of the question. She will not reduce the maximum juvenile sentence from its current 30 years, nor will she support the establishment of a conviction integrity board.

Ivey has said that these demands are unreasonable and unwanted in the State of Alabama. She compared them to setting serial killers and violent sex offenders upon the populace. Iveys answer was to sign a bill handing $1.3 billion to the ADOC for the construction of new prisons which will swiftly be filled by a state that continues to pass legislation that makes it easier to imprison the most vulnerable layers of society.

Iveys passion for justice and public safety does not extend to Hyundai personnel, who use child labor, nor to scabs who have attacked striking Warrior Met miners. Undergirded by an increasingly stringent criminal code, the prison system exists to terrorize the working class and keep it submissive to the state and the big businesses it works for.

Alabamas efforts to roll back due process and other rights of the accused are almost cartoonishly backwards. No faith should be put in the DOJs intervention, however; a government that carries out extrajudicial assassinations and operates secret torture sites is fundamentally incapable of defending democratic rights.

Alabama prisons are built to imprison workers. The abuses prisoners face within their walls are abuses against the entire working class, and they must be fought by the entire working class.
This months Leadwood Board of Aldermen meeting at city hall ended with accusations of unpaid taxes hurled against an elected official.

After a relatively brief, half-hour meeting that included aldermanic approval on water system purchases, buying asphalt for patching local roads and hearing an update on the massive overhaul of the citys water and sewer systems, Mayor Ed Austin was just about to end the public portion of the meeting and take a 10-minute break before entering closed session, when audience member Danielle Mercer raised her hand and was granted permission to address the council.

Mercer accused Alderman Charlie Lewis of lying about having paid taxes on all his personal property. She claimed he and his wife, Tara, owed more than $2,000 to St. Francois County. Lewis protested he had paid all his taxes, and had always paid all of his taxes. He said he had just sold the commercial buildings he owned on Bank Street a couple of months ago around the time his father died, and to his knowledge, his name wasnt on the deed of the property to which Mercer referred, 1209 Mill St.

When contacted Wednesday afternoon, Lewis said, upon checking, it seems as though rental property formerly belong to his deceased mother-in-law, Barbara Auton, had been put in his and his wifes name. Lewis said his mother-in-law died two years ago in September, and, since then, his wife has often found it too difficult to handle the finer details of the estate. The unpaid taxes for 1209 Mill St. amount to $820.74 for 2020, and $767.14 for 2021 for a total of $1,587.88.

Her mom (his mother-in-law) got dementia and also developed Sundowners, and her last couple of years were really rough, Lewis said. So that was a couple years ago she died, and my dad died a couple months ago. I got rid of my construction company and went to work for someone else, and its just been a rough few years. But well be paying those taxes off within the next month or so. I didnt know.

Mercer also asked the aldermen what happened to a couple of personnel who no longer work for the city. It was indicated Street Department worker Dickie Davis and Water Clerk Cindy Davis no longer are employed by the city. A couple of the aldermen explained that personnel issues are confidential and protected by Missouris Sunshine Law, and would not elaborate.

In other news:

Aldermen were told by Water Supervisor Kevin Brooks that the project that would overhaul the citys water and sewer systems is progressing and is in the hands of USDA Rural Developments Mike Hartmann, who should be reviewing the plans forwarded by the Missouri Department of Natural Resources. The USDA loan is being paid in part by a grant from the DNRs Community Development Block Grant program.

To keep the current water and sewer systems operational, aldermen approved spending $500 on a four-inch flow meter, $400 on a copper crimping tool, and $6,000 for a control panel to replace the one damaged when a tree limb fell on it.

Aldermen approved $400 for police training and let Chief Emily Portell know she has their blessing to hire Joseph LaFrance as a reserve officer.

The aldermen approved adding storage to the security systems memory so that six months worth of surveillance can be stored.
The Socialist Equality Party (SEP) and the International Youth and Students for Social Equality (IYSSE) in Sri Lanka call upon workers, youth and rural masses to register here to participate in the meeting entitled Build an international working class movement to stop nuclear war danger to be held on Sunday, October 16, at 4 p.m.

[Photo: WSWS]

The US/NATO war against Russia in Ukraine now poses an imminent threat of a nuclear cataclysm for working people throughout the world. Following a major military defeat for Russia in the Kharkiv region of Ukraine, the US and NATO are further escalating their war against Russia.

Facing the massive intervention of the US and its European allies, Russian President Vladimir Putin warned last week that he was prepared to use nuclear weapons in case of a NATO attack on Russia, pouring more oil onto the raging fire.

The US is working to integrate countries in South Asia, including India and Sri Lanka, into its war against Russia as well as its war preparations against China. The US wants India, a military-strategic partner against China, to line up against Russia as well. Washington used a recent visit to Sri Lanka by USAID chief Samantha Power to push for Colombos closer involvement into US war plans.

Workers must reject the warmongering of the imperialist powers as well as the reactionary response of the Putin regime which represents the Russian oligarchy. The international working class is the only social force on this planet that can avert the danger of nuclear war.

The imperialist powers and their media, with the backing of the pseudo-left organizations, have kept the working class in the dark about the threat of nuclear war. The media in South Asia is no different.

No one should believe that the imperialist powers would not resort to nuclear war. To protect corporate profits, governments around the world have sacrificed millions of lives to the COVID-19 pandemic rather than taking the necessary steps to eliminate the virus.

The International Committee of the Fourth International (ICFI) and its sections are fighting to build a unified anti-war movement of the international working class based on a socialist perspective to abolish capitalism, the root cause of war.

The SEP/IYSSE meeting at 4 p.m. on October 16 is part of this struggle. Register here.
On Thursday morning at approximately 11 a.m. Eastern, Twitter locked the account of United Auto Workers presidential candidate and rank-and-file worker Will Lehman. The action against Lehmans account, which Twitter falsely claimed was implemented in response to violation of its rules, is a flagrant act of censorship and attack on the democratic rights of workers.



The lock on Lehmans account came without warning, Lehmans campaign told the WSWS, occurring almost immediately after it tweeted a thread reporting on the support for his campaign among John Deere agricultural equipment workers.

The specific tweet in the thread that Twitter claimed violated its rules stated, Equality is a central concern of workers, as this young worker at Deere Harvester says:

The tweet included a short video of a young worker at Deeres Harvester Works expressing his support for Lehmans campaign.

In the video, a supporter of Lehman asks the worker, So what do you think about what Wills calling for, building a rank-and-movement of workers to put an end to the UAW bureaucracy and fight for what workers need?

John Deere Harvester worker voices support for UAW presidential candidate Will Lehman

The worker replies, I think Wills doing a good job in putting into this. We need someone to step up in the union, to give us the chance to have equal rights, just like the salaried side. I think what Will is doing is good for the future of John Deere Harvester, and Im right behind you Will.

Supporters of Will Lehman had campaigned among workers at agricultural and heavy equipment giant John Deere last weekend. Lehman, who works at Mack Trucks in Macungie, Pennsylvania, is calling for the abolition of the UAW bureaucracy, the transfer of power to workers on the shop floor, and the development of a network of rank-and-file committees to fight for workers interests.

Lehmans campaign said that Twitter cited no specific rule in justifying the lock, instead linking to its full list of rules. In Orwellian language, Twitter prominently encouraged the account to delete the tweet and in so doing, acknowledge your Tweet violated the Twitter Rules.

Twitter prompting Lehmans account to delete the tweet and acknowledge your Tweet violated the Twitter Rules [Photo by Will Lehman]

Lehmans campaign instead filed an appeal with Twitter, stating:

I am an official candidate for president of the United Auto Workers in the unions national elections this year, and demand that this lock be reversed, and the tweet be reinstated. Clearly, there were no rules that were violated by this tweet, and the lock is in error. This is a video of a worker speaking about my election campaign and the need for equality. Every minute my account is locked is violating my rights to freely campaign in the unions elections.

As of this writing, the appeal has not been responded to by Twitter.

Twitters lock on my account has the effect of not only censoring me and my campaign, Lehman told the WSWS. Its an infringement on the democratic rights of all workers, their rights to freedom of speech and freedom of information.

I think its highly significant that the video and tweet in question, which Twitter falsely claimed violated its rules, was of a young worker voicing his support for my campaign program: to abolish the UAW bureaucracy, and to build a rank-and-file movement of workers that will achieve equality. These are widely held sentiments among workers, and the lock comes at a time when my campaign is winning growing support.

I appeal to all those who wish to uphold the democratic rights of workers: Demand Twitter immediately unlock my account and issue an explanation of why this illegitimate action was taken!

The WSWS urges all workers and readers to protest Twitters lock of Lehmans account and demand its reinstatement, tagging @TwitterSupport.
The Madison County School Board has begun work on a state-mandated policy for instructional materials with sexually explicit content.

In April, Governor Glenn Youngkin signed a bill requiring the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) to develop model policies to ensure parents are notified if students are being taught sexually explicit instructional materials in the classroom. The bill requires local school boards to adopt the policies based on the model policies, which will be minimum requirements. The model policy, which was vetted through a public comment period which ended last month, require that parents are notified at least 30 days in advance of any instructional materials with sexually explicit content being taught in the classroom. Parents will then be able to review the materials and principals will maintain a current list of the materials on the schools website by grade and subject. The policy defines sexually explicit material according to section 2.2-2827 of the Virginia Code which defines sexually explicit content as any description of or any picture, photograph, drawing, motion picture film, digital image or similar visual representation depicting sexual bestiality, a lewd exhibition of nudity, as nudity is defined in Section 18.2-390, sexual excitement, sexual conduct or sadomasochistic abuse, as also defined in Section 18.2-390, coprophilia, urophilia, or fetishism.

Local school boards have until Jan. 1 to either adopt the model policy developed by the VDOE or create their own policy using at least the minimum standards set forth in the model policy.

During a special called worksession Monday, board members began discussing the creation of the policy. As intended by the state, it only deals with instructional materials, including library books assigned by teachers. However, board members want to take it a bit further, banning all books from the school librarys that have sexually explicit content.

School board member Christopher Wingate introduced samples from five books found within the Madison County High School Library that he said have sexually explicit content. The books are The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky; Tar Baby by Toni Morrison; The Tale of the Body Thief, by Anne Rice; Snow Falling on Cedars by David Guterson; and Empire of Thrones, by Sarah Maas. A list of 20 books was also made available. including reasons for removal requests and how often each has been checked out in the past two years. The books come from a watchlist that has been circulated throughout the nation by conservative groups. It was part of a discussion Wingate and board chair Karen Allen had with school librarians earlier this year.

At Mondays meeting, Wingate said he has a real problem with the states draft policy which seems to allow sexually explicit materials in the school system providing theres parent notification. Board member Charles Sheads agreed, saying the school board should be building a wall against sexually explicit material and keeping it away from Madison County schools.

We need to be cautious about what we allow in, board member Damon Myers added. Even putting it up for question says we condone it. They can still earn this stuff at home, [but not at school].

Allen said she saw the policy as only being instructional materials and not something that includes banning books.

Board member Nita Collier said the draft policy is too broad and needs some additional language.

Sheads said an opt-out option doesnt work. He said he and his wife opted out to his daughter reading a book in high school, but the book still made its way home. He also questioned if the school librarians could be trusted, saying he was thankful one librarian had quit.

Wingate said library books are paid for by taxpayers and thus should be included in a policy regarding sexually explicit material.

Superintendent Anna Graham explained that library books were not part of the original intent for the policy by the Department of Education. Allen said the policy and library books should be two different issues. She also questioned how including library books would even work.

Youd almost have to read every single one of them, she said. They buy books every year.

Graham said parents have the ability to flag their childs account so if they have a concern, the student wouldnt be able to checkout that book.

Sheads suggested utilizing the boards lawyer to develop a policy prohibiting sexually explicit materials unless the teacher contacts the parent to explain why the child needs to read it at home.

Wingate said he favored including library books in the boards policy, stating he wants people to know the board is taking concrete action about the issue.

Allen said sensoring books is an important conversation, one that should be given adequate time for discussion, something that may not be possible with the state requiring the board to have a policy by Jan. 1.

Children are innocent until bombarded with things that take their innocence, Sheads said. I dont want to apologize to someone [that they] had to read a book; I want to say youre welcome for not having to read that here.

Board members decided to have Wingate draft a policy for the board regarding sexually explicit materials including library books. Its also a possibility that two identical draft policies will be developed, one dealing with instructional materials and the other dealing with library books. Over the next few weeks, board members will take turns meeting individually with Graham to offer their feedback on the draft. The draft will also be vetted by the boards lawyer.

Wingate and Sheads said the books need to come out of the library and said theyre bad for children.

I cant imagine anyone would want to take the school board to [court] over keeping materials out of schools, Sheads said. Lets take this [policy] and beat it out until its a nice piece of shiny metal to hang on the wall to say were protecting these children.
About 200 Charlottesville High School students on Wednesday protested new policies from the governors office that would restrict the rights of transgender students.

They flooded the schools practice field, waving baby blue, pale pink, and white striped flagsthe colors of transgender prideand carrying signs with messages of support for the LGBTQ community and anger towards Gov. Glenn Youngkin.

Charlottesville High School was one of the many schools across Virginia where students denounced Youngkins policy.

Youngkins 2022 Model Policies, a draft of which was released Sept. 16, would require students to use school programs and facilities that correspond to their biological sex. Parents would have to give teachers and staff permission to call students by a different name or pronoun.

Parents would also have to provide legal documentation in order to change a students name and gender on school records.

Though Youngkin and his supporters say the measures protect parental rights, an issue he ran and won on in the past election, critics say the move forces kids to come out to families who may not be supportive and victimizes an already-marginalized group.

Public comment on the proposed changes opened Monday morning. By Wednesday afternoon, there were close to 33,000 entries on the online forum.

The UCLA School of Laws Williams Institute, which researches gender identity and sexual orientation law, estimates that 6,200 trans children between 13 and 17 live in Virginia.

At CHS, a red-haired student held a poster reading, Im the scary transgender person the media warned you about.

Another sign said, Its not about bathrooms just as it wasnt about water fountains, a reference to Jim Crow segregation. Another declared that students were skipping our lessons to teach you one.

As students, we dont get a lot of choices, but when we walk out and show unity, people are a lot more likely to listen, said CHS senior Willow Sugg.

Junior Gabi Colon said she was cautiously optimistic that the protest could make a difference for LGBTQ students.

Im really hoping that this can be positive and lead to good change, she said.

Before a crowd of their peers, student organizers criticized the new guidance as endangering trans students physical and mental health. A Trevor Project survey found that more than half of transgender and nonbinary (people who identify as neither male nor female) youth have seriously considered suicide.

They say you have to go by whats on your birth certificate. Well, a lots changed since then. Your birth certificate also said you weighed six pounds! one student said.

CHS has a student population of slightly fewer than 1,200, according to the schools website. About 200 participated in the walkout, a little more than a sixth of the student body.

I didnt know this many people were gonna be out here, but its great, student Alani Green said.

When asked if she had a message for Youngkin, she held out her sign, which read, protect trans kids.

Students trekked from the practice field through the schools vast parking lots, spilling out onto Grove Road. Principal Rashaad Pitt and other school staff, some wearing the schools gender and sexuality alliance t-shirt, followed.

The students marched through the residential streets, chanting, trans lives matter!

The protest, Pitt said, was entirely student-led and organized. CHS wants to partner with families as we honor students needs, including their stated names and pronouns.

Other Charlottesville City Schools protested Tuesday. About 100 gathered in a field outside Buford Middle Schools cafeteria. Seventh and eighth graders there displayed their support for trans students by wearing the colors of various pride flags.

One student wrapped a baby blue, pale pink, and white striped flag around her shoulders while another flapped a fan bearing the same pastel colors.

Students at Walker Upper Elementary School staged their own demonstration Tuesday morning.

We said if this is something that youre going to do, we made a safe space on campus for them to come down, Principal Adam Hastings said. He estimated that 100 to 150 students participated.

Whether we need to have a conversation about sexual orientation or gender identity is sort of to the side, Hastings said. What matters, he said, is that he has more than 600 students to look after.

Some percentage of those students identify as LGBTQ. I have an obligation to keep my kids safe, Hastings said.

Hastings said that if Youngkins policy is adopted, Walker school officials would continue to look out for all of their students.

Well do our best within that policy to live out our schools values: we take care of ourselves, we take care of each other, we take care of this place, he said.
PRAGUE (AP)  Thousands of protesters rallied again in the Czech capital on Wednesday to condemn the Czech governments handling of the energy crisis and its support for Ukraine.

Despite a national holiday, the protest that united the far right with the far left was smaller than the some 70,000 people who gathered for the same reasons at Pragues central Wenceslas Square on Sept 3.

Waving Czech national flags, the protesters demanded the resignation of the current pro-Western coalition government led by conservative Prime Minister Petr Fiala.

Resign, resign, they repeatedly chanted during a demonstration held under the slogan The Czech Republic first, a reference to former U.S. President Donald Trumps nationalist platform which he called America first.

They criticized the government on a number of issues, including supporting the European Unions sanctions against Russia, and dismissed as insufficient the governments help for households and businesses affected by soaring energy prices.

The organizers oppose Czech membership in the European Union and NATO and some other international organizations, such as the United nations and the World Health Organization.

Smaller protests were held in several other major cities.

Although the countrys opposition made some gains in the municipal elections last weekend, the five government coalition parties did relatively well in the separate first round of elections for one third of the seats on the Parliaments upper house, the Senate. The runoffs are planned for the coming weekend.
It has been weeks since we asked Virginia congressional candidate Yesli Vega if she supports a federal life-at-conception bill offered by fellow Virginia Republican U.S. Rep. Bob Good. Vega has not responded. We do not expect her to.

Vega is playing the same game in the abortion ban debate in the states 7th District race as Republican candidate Jen Kiggans is playing in the 2nd District. We call it the lies of omission strategy.

It goes something like this: When faced with a controversial issue like legally forcing women to give birth after the moment of conception or after a certain point in pregnancy, you ignore questions or refuse to give a straight answer.

Instead, you signal intentions with dog whistles to your anti-abortion base and dodge your other would-be constituents and the media by refusing to make yourself available for questioning to the extent possible.

During the 2022 Republican primary campaign, Vega reportedly sent out an email bragging that she had a perfect score on a survey by the National Pro-life Alliance, which supports a national life-at-conception law that effectively bans all abortions.

Vega, who faces Democratic incumbent Abigail Spanberger in the November general election, now says this on her campaign website: Our founding document says that life is a human right given to us by our Creator. I believe this statement and believe that every life is precious which is why Im proudly pro-life  As your representative in Congress, I will always stand on the side of the words in our Declaration of Independence and on the side of saving innocent life.

So would she vote for the life-at-conception bill pushed by her political mentor Bob Good?

If you are a resident of the 7th District, expect silence or a lie of omission in response to one of the most important questions in one of the most important House of Representatives races in the nation.

In an equally critical Virginia congressional race that will help determine control of the House of Representatives, Kiggans lies by omission about whether she will vote for a national ban on abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy with exceptions for rape, incest or the mothers health. Republican Sen. Lindsay Graham of South Carolina introduced a bill that will do that.

Kiggans works from what sounds like a script written by Republicans worried about a backlash against the Supreme Court decision that lets individual states decide if women will be forced to remain pregnant against their will, Kiggans supported that decision when it came out in June. But when abortion rights referenda in conservative strongholds Missouri and Kansas showed women revolting against it, her tone changed.

Now, the candidate who proclaimed in the Republican primary that she was 100%, unapologetically pro-life, steadfastly refuses to say directly if she would vote for Grahams bill if it passed the Senate.

Instead, she says she supports commonsense restrictions. Her spokesman has told media outlets that The vast majority of Virginians  and Americans  support commonsense restrictions on abortions such as protecting babies from 15 weeks on.

How about a simple yes or no?

Being mush-mouthed is paying off. It recently let a fact checker say Kiggans opponent, Democratic incumbent Elaine Luria, had stretched hazy statements when Luria said Kiggans would support a national abortion ban.

Using word games and lies of omission to trick people into believing you are somebody you are not is often praised as political genius. For a classic example, see Glenn Youngkins winning campaign for Virginia governor in 2021. Youngkin played coy about reproductive rights until the Supreme Court decision pushed them to the states. Then he said he would sign restrictions the General Assembly agreed to and reminded folks that he believed in life at conception.

Voters in Virginias 7th and 2nd Congressional Districts should demand definite answers, not equivocal positions, on how their representatives will vote on a womans right to control her body. Those who refuse to make that clear dont deserve voters trust or ballots. Not responding to questions or changing positions to fool constituents may be smart politics. It is also betrayal.
Story offered assumptions, stereotypes

We didnt know Daquain Maurice Anderson personally, but we have things in common with him, and he was a part of our village. We are young Black men, one of us has tattoos stretching from our neck to our hands. We are fathers of Black boys. We both have pasts that include run-ins with the law. We have friends who have died from gun violence. And, we are both 10 times more likely to die from gun violence than our white neighbors. This article relied almost entirely on assumptions about tattoos and court records to tell the story of a young mans life, and it broke our hearts. Reading it, we said to ourselves this is how they see us, like animals. We thought, is this what they would say about us if we were shot to death? Is this what our children would have to read? The decision to reference Mr. Andersons prior convictions was not only disrespectful to his grieving family, to us, it was racist. In Virginia, despite making up only 20% of the population, Black people make up more than half of the prison population. Defining a victim of violence by his involvement in a system that disparately impacts Black people dehumanized Mr. Anderson, and it sent a message that his life was worth less.
The first ever Fur Ball, a fundraiser for Kerrville Pets Alive, will get underway at 6 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 1, at the Museum of Western Art, 15
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Residents of two Southwest Florida islands are now isolated from the rest of the state after Hurricane Ian destroyed the sole bridge connecting them to the mainland.

This is the only way on and off the islands of Sanibel and Captiva, Gage Goulding reported from Fort Myers, Fla., for local NBC affiliate WBBH.

Standing atop a set of fractured asphalt slabs whose painted lane markers were still visible, Goulding gestured toward a 50- to 60-foot section of the collapsed bridge floating in the water.

This bridge would typically take us to some of the most pristine beaches in all of Florida and some of our favorites here in Southwest Florida, he said, referring to the 3-mile Sanibel Causeway bridge.

But now, he explained, that bridge sits collapsed, submerged in the Gulf of Mexico after suffering some of the strongest winds from Hurricane Ian  which definitely proved to be too much of a battle.

Hurricane Ian has left behind a trail of destruction in its path, with about 2 million households across Florida lacking power as of midday Thursday, the Miami Herald reported.

President Biden warned on Thursday that Ian could prove to be the deadliest storm in Floridas history, citing deadly rainfall, catastrophic storm surges, roads and homes flooded.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R), meanwhile, told reporters on Thursday that Lee and Charlotte counties were severed from the power grid and would require rebuilt infrastructure.

Back in Fort Myers, Goulding described the collapsed causeway as a catastrophic mess, stressing that many critical questions remained unanswered.

How are people going to get home? he asked. How long will it take to rebuild this bridge? Is it even possible to rebuild this part of the bridge?





Welcome to Equilibrium, a newsletter that tracks the growing global battle over the future of sustainability. Were Saul Elbein and Sharon Udasin. Send us tips and feedback. Want to get this in your inbox each week? Subscribe here.

Story continues

Today well start in New York, where Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) announced a new set of electric vehicle initiatives. And as Hurricane Ian continues to rage in the Southeast, well look at how such storms could threaten coastal hospitals.





NY to mandate zero-emission vehicles in 2035

All new vehicles purchased in the State of New York will need to be zero-emission models beginning in 2035, Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) announced on Thursday.

Were really putting our foot down on the accelerator and revving up our efforts to make sure we have this transition  not someday in the future, but on a specific date, a specific year  by the year 2035, Hochul said at a press conference in White Plains, N.Y.

Going all EV: After careening into the Chester-Maple Parking Lot in a white Chevy Bolt, Hochul announced a series of new electric vehicle (EV) initiatives for the State of New York, beginning with the zero-emission requirement for 2035.

To reach this target, she said 35 percent of new cars will need to be zero-emission by 2026 and 68 percent by 2030.



All new school buses purchased will have to be zero-emission by 2027, with the entire fleet meeting these standards by 2035, according to the governor.

Following Californias lead: New York is following in the footsteps of California in mandating zero-emissions vehicles by 2035.

We had to wait for California to take a step because theres some federal requirements that California had to go first  thats the only time were letting them go first, the governor said.



Hochul was referring to Californias vote last month to ban the sale of gas-powered cars beginning in 13 years, as The Hill reported.

Why must California be first? Any state-led move to enforce stricter emissions rules must occur first in California, per federal regulations.

When Congress passed the Clean Air Act in 1970, it authorized California to set its own emissions standards due to smog conditions at the time.



Only then can other states follow suit.

What else did Hochul announce? The governor also unveiled a $10 million investment in the states Drive Clean Rebate program, which she said could help New Yorkers purchase and drive these vehicles.

An up to $2,000 rebate, she explained, is available in all 62 counties.



The state has already issued more than 78,000 rebates and spent more than $90 million on the programs, according to the governor.

To see what else is in store for EVs in New York, please click here for the full story.





Hurricanes could jeopardize coastal hospitals

As Hurricane Ian continues to batter the southeastern U.S., Harvard University researchers have revealed that hundreds of coastal hospitals are at risk of flooding from future storms.

Threatening the coast: Sea level rise forecasted for this century raises the odds of hospital flooding by 22 percent, according to the scientists, who published their findings in GeoHealth.

Even relatively weak systems pose a serious flood risk to hospitals located along the countrys coasts, the study warned.



Hurricanes are expected to get more severe and may strike regions further north than in the past due to climate change, senior author Aaron Bernstein, of the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, said in a statement.

Ian batters Florida hospitals: Hurricane Ian  which made landfall as a Category 4 storm  inundated the HCA Florida Fawcett Hospital in Port Charlotte, Fla., on Wednesday, The Associated Press reported.

The storm surge flooded the lower-level emergency room, while fierce winds tore off part of the fourth-floor roof.



Water gushed into the ICU, forcing staff members to evacuate the hospitals sickest patients.

Evacuations abound: Across Florida, thousands of people were evacuated from other hospitals and nursing homes, according to the AP.

In the Fort Myers region, potable water supplies were cut off at nine hospitals.



As many as 20 nursing homes reported electricity outages, although generators were running in those buildings.





A PERVASIVE PROBLEM

Bernstein and his colleagues at Harvard identified 682 acute care hospitals in 78 metropolitan regions located within 10 miles of the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts.

These areas cover a population of fewer than 85 million people, or about 1 in

4 Americans.

Of the 78 metropolitan areas, the researchers found that 25 have half or more of their hospitals at risk of flood from a Category 2 storm.

Which fared worst? The researchers identified 10 metro areas in which a Category 2 hurricane will most jeopardize hospital care:

Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, Fla.

New York-Newark-Jersey City, N.Y.-N.J.-Pa.

Boston-Cambridge-Newton, Mass.-N.H.

Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, Fla.

New Orleans-Metairie, La.

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, Fla.

North Port-Sarasota-Bradenton, Fla.

Jacksonville, Fla.

Cape Coral-Fort Myers, Fla.

Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, Pa.-N.J.-Del.-Md.

A call to action: In places like my hometown of Boston, we can avoid crises that other hospitals have had to endure by learning from their experience and creating plans that build on best practices, Bernstein said.

But we must act now, before disaster strikes, he added.

To read more details from the study, please click here for the full story.





A dangerous opposition

African and South American Indigenous groups are organizing against oil development in the worlds two largest rainforests: the Amazon and the Congo.

But as a report published on Thursday shows, such opposition could become a risky play.

Fighting drilling in the Congo: The development of 30 proposed oil blocks in the Congolese rainforest would bring a host of threats, Indigenous rights activists told The Associated Press.

One principle concern is potential deforestation on a landscape that currently soaks up about 4 percent of total global emissions.



Other threats include tension with neighbors like Rwanda  since 18 of the blocks are in jointly administered borderlands  as well as the risk of waterborne disease to local communities.

Blocking a river in the Amazon: Indigenous activists in Peru on Wednesday blockaded the Maranon River in a protest over the spilling of 2,500 barrels of oil in the Amazon rain forest, Reuters reported.

The Maranon is the main tributary of the enormous Amazon River and a key regional transport hub.



In global terms, Peru is a very minor oil producer  but most of its oilfields are concentrated in the sensitive landscapes of the Amazon.

Deadly business: Such environmental and land activism is dangerous  with

200 murdered in 2021, according to a new study from the human rights nonprofit Global Witness.

An environmental activist or land defender has been murdered approximately every two days since 2012, the nonprofit found.



More than three-quarters of last years killings happened in Latin America, according to The Associated Press.

A grim header: A particular standout in these rankings is Mexico, where more than a quarter of last years murders took place, the AP reported.

Yaqui leader Tomas Rojo was murdered after blockading a highway in protest of a state project that siphoned his communitys water for the state capital.



Its an injustice, its a great sadness to see our river without water. That river bears our name. That is where animals live, our medical plants, our reeds live. We dont have reeds anymore, Cesar Cota, one of Rojos collaborators, told the AP.





Methane leaks far worse than believed

Global emissions of methane from existing gas infrastructure may be up to five times higher than had been believed, a new study has found.

Through the cracks: Existing measures to burn off the powerful greenhouse gas allow far more to slip by than had been believed, according to the paper published by researchers from the University of Michigan and University of Arizona on Thursday in Science.

Methane is dozens of times more potent than carbon dioxide.



A bipartisan bill put forth on Wednesday by Reps. Peter Meijer (R-Mich.) and Sean Casten (D-Ill.) seeks to tackle the problem by promoting research on mitigating methane emissions.



The act focuses our best and brightest at the Department of Energy on methane emissions, one of the most potent greenhouse gasses, Meijer said in a statement.

What is flaring? At times or in areas where there isnt sufficient pipeline or storage for the quantities of natural gas being produced  sometimes as a byproduct of more lucrative oil  drilling operators flare, or burn off, the methane.

It had long been believed that flaring converts all the methane into water vapor and relatively inert carbon dioxide  a greenhouse gas that also heats the climate but is far less potent.



But this is an overly optimistic view of flaring, which leaves far more methane behind than had been believed, according to a companion essay in Science.

Leaks are far worse: In fact, studies of three major natural gas basins  the

Eagle Ford and Permian in Texas, and the Bakken of North Dakota  found that only 91 percent of the methane is consumed.

Thats in part because flares are often malfunctioning or simply unlit  allowing raw methane to vent into the atmosphere.



If these flares operated properly at even 98 percent efficiency, they would cut emissions enough to be the equivalent of removing nearly 3 million cars from the road, according to the Science study.

For the rest of the study, please click here.







Thursday Threats

Why the climate impacts of Bitcoin rival beef, Big company execs not on the hook for climate coals and Europe faces a winter of interrupted cell service.

Environmental costs of Bitcoin equal those of beef production: study

The environmental costs of mining the cryptocurrency Bitcoin are on par with those of producing beef, according to an analysis in Scientific Reports. Rather than being considered digital gold, Bitcoin should be compared to much more energy intensive resources like beef, natural gas and crude oil, the authors argued.

Corporate climate goals arent linked to executive compensation

While an increasing number of large U.S. companies are making public statements about climate change, very few are linking emissions reductions to executive pay, Reuters reported. We have concerns the way in which its being done isnt going to reduce emissions, Melissa Walton of As You Sow  the nonprofit that prepared the report  told Reuters.

Europe to face cell phone service outages this winter

A lack of backup electricity infrastructure in Europes telecom industry could lead to widespread cell phone service outages this winter if energy shortages begin to bite amid curtailed gas shipments from Russia, Reuters reported. The continent has about half a million cell phone towers, most of which have only 30 minutes of battery backup available, according to Reuters.





Please visit The Hills Sustainability section online for the web version of this newsletter and more stories. Well see you tomorrow.





VIEW THE FULL EDITION HERE

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Hermes is opening a massive new flagship in New York City this fall.

On Thursday, the French maison announced it will start welcoming customers to a 20,250-square-foot flagship store on October 3. The Upper East Side destination at 706 Madison Avenue is a fusion of three existing buildings that have been adjoined by Parisian architecture firm RDAI, led by award-winning architect Denis Montel. The structure, which will offer both mens and womens clothing and accessories, furniture and homewares, was designed as a union of New York dynamism and Parisian elegance, according to the brand.

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The central structure of the boutique is a 1921 Federalist building that until recently served as an outpost of the Bank of New York. It anchors the southwest corner of the block and connects to two townhouses, one on Madison Avenue and another on 63rd Street, forming an L shape.

Inside the one of the stores menswear sections

Youll have access to the flagship via two Madison Avenue entrances that each open onto tile floors decorated in the houses signature mosaic. The coffered ceiling recalls the banks original design, and numerous details, such as the staircases brass balustrade, have been retained. Inside the townhouse sides entrance, a small Hansom cab from the 1830sa nod to both the brands equestrian heritage and NYC taxissimilarly brings a historic touch to the modern interior.

All of the buildings interiors are inspired by New Yorks Art Deco past and nod to Manhattans well-known skyscrapers. The space unfolds into a series of intimate spaces, each featuring carefully selected materials that recall the brands wares: leather, various wood finishes, handcrafted wallpaper, straw marquetry and stucco. As Montel, the architect, says, This project was almost like designing five stores into one there are many stories, but they are linked together. You go from one surprise to another.

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Mens footwear and handbags are displayed alongside comfortable seating

The ground level, on one side, houses salons for jewelry, silk scarves, perfume and beauty items. The other side is dedicated to mens leather-goods, silk accessories, equestrian accoutrements and also houses a coffee bar. The banks original staircase leads to the second-floor home furnishings and mens department, which also includes a private lounge for commissioning custom orders such as made-to-measure suits and shirts. One floor above, the womens department draws you in with curved walls, a champagne bar and an opulent watch and jewelry space thats organized into alcoves for privacy. The fourth floor showcases the brands most coveted designswomens handbagsas well as a full bar, flanked by a rooftop terrace, offering a serene oasis from the citys hubbub just several flights below. A fifth floor space, which isnt open to the public, houses an atelier where five craftspeople from the brands various metiers will be on-hand to alter, repair and care for ones purchases.

The store is Hermess first to boast a dedicated butler service, ensuring that ordering a cappuccino or flute of brut cuvee is effortless. The hospitable charm is furthered by numerous elegantly-appointed lounging areas that invite one to kick back and stay awhile. One final detail that will beckon you to stay a little longer is the art, culled from the Hermes familys collection of equine-themed works. Highlights include a painting by French artist Antoine Carbonne and drawings by Rosa Bonheur, whos being celebrated with a retrospective at Pariss Musee dOrsay later this fall.

One of the stores exclusive products is this Haut a Courroies mens bag, with a playful design embroidered by Tibor Karpati.

A unique iteration of the American Quilts scarf has been designed, along with other exclusive items including several Kelly handbags, a Bolide bag, two watches, Hermes H08 Madison and Arceau Madison watches, a jukebox and a bicycle. Brooklyn-based artist Mike Perry also created a joyful window display for the store opening, as well as temporary stickers that adorned the windows through the sites construction phase.

You can check out the welcoming Hermes flagship store at 706 Madison Avenue from October 3.

Click here for more images of the space.

Hermes Madison Avenue flagship store men's department visual

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Photo Illustration by Erin O'Flynn/The Daily Beast/Getty

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Republican industrialist Lisa Scheller is vying to represent about 750,000 residents in Pennsylvanias 7th Congressional District. But Scheller has interests in another region of about the same sizea half a world away.

That would be the island nation of Mauritius, a notorious international tax haven in the Indian Oceanabout 500 miles east of Madagascarwhich has featured prominently in investigative reporting on the Panama Papers and Paradise Papers.

For more than two decades, Scheller has served as CEO of Tamaqua, Pennsylvania, manufacturing giant Silberline, a company her grandfather founded in 1945 and which, under Schellers leadership, grew into a global leader in the manufacturing of aluminum effect pigmentsadditives that lend paint a silvery shimmer.

Silberline has also lent Scheller a silvery shimmer.

The One Corporate Tax Shelter Bernie Supported Is In His Backyard

According to her 2022 financial disclosure, Scheller values her stake in the company between $25 million and $50 million. And a decent chunk of that came from Silberlines extensive overseas operations. That includes between $100,000 and $1 million apiece from the manufacturers operations in Mexico and Brazil, along with its twonow going on threemanufacturing plants in China, which have been the target of political attacks from her opponent, Rep. Susan Wild (D-PA).

But the disclosure also listed Scheller as executive director of another companySilberline Mauritius Limited.

Not much is known about Silberlines island outpost. The companys website doesnt mention any facilities or activity in Mauritius.

Theres absolutely no evidence of wrongdoing on the part of Silberline or Scheller. But in Silberline Mauritius Limiteds 17-year existence, theres not much evidence of any doing. And thats the core problem when it comes to understanding the company. (Neither Silberman, Scheller, nor her campaign offered insight in response to questions.)

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Still, the available public information shows that Silberline Mauritius Limited has acted as a holding company for at least some of Silberlines international businessmost specifically in India and China.

Silberlines overseas expansion has already been a liability for Scheller on the campaign trail. Pennsylvanias 7th Congressional District, in the Lehigh Valley on the east side of the state, has manufacturing in its DNA. But thats changed in recent decades, as companies looked overseas and industrial jobs began to dry up.

Scheller has taken shots for her role in the shift, as Silberline ramped up overseas operations while its U.S. employment ranks thinned. Democrats, including Wild, have seized on reporting about Silberlines globalization practices and Schellers finances, though not all have done so accuratelyone anti-Scheller super PAC yanked an ad after Scheller sent a cease-and-desist alleging false claims.

Impeachment Splits the Crowd in a Democrats Purple District

And Silberline Mauritius Limited appears to have been involved in Silberlines global shift in two key markets, including China. And it is still active today, as the company continues to build out its Chinese presence.

According to Mauritius corporate records, Scheller created Silberline Mauritius Limited in 2005. And she did so with the help of an international tax expert from an overseas firm called Corporate & Chancery Chambers. He is listed as a director on the incorporation documents alongside Scheller.

Silberline Mauritius Limited shares its address with at least five companies that appeared in the notorious Panama Papers leaks, and at least one entity from the Paradise Papers leaks. Those massive document dumps helped investigative journalists shine a light on how some of the worlds wealthiest people have secretly moved their money and shielded it from tax collectors for almost 40 years.

Corporate & Chancery Groups website says that this attorney specializes in corporate tax lawincluding structuring holding companies for regional licensing, advising on offshore jurisdictions and transactions, international corporate tax planning with the use of offshore centres, structuring of aircraft leases, interpretation of and utilisation of tax treaties, use of profit jurisdictions and related re-invoicing techniques, migration of companies etc.

The firm also does business in Hong Kong and the Seychelles, two other known offshore havens. It has no U.S. address.

But Mauritius is in some ways unique.

David Rosenbloom, international tax law specialist at Caplin & Drysdale and former director of the Treasury Departments Office of International Tax Affairs, told The Daily Beast that the island has been most well-known as a tax haven for people and corporations doing business in India.

Mauritius is sort of an Indian invention, Rosenbloom said. The reason people use Mauritius is that there was a tax treaty between India and Mauritius thats very beneficial to Mauritius. It became very common to invest in India through Mauritius.

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Rosenbloom pointed to a landmark 2003 Indian Supreme Court ruling, where the justices effectively sided with a collection of Mauritius-based corporate interests, giving a pass to a tax treaty that was accused of facilitating tax evasion.

In short, that treaty allowed foreign corporate entities to avoid paying taxes in both the United States and India. Thanks to the loopholes, in the 1990s, U.S. dollars began to flow into Indiawith a layover in Mauritius.

Forgein companies in Mauritius can get a Global Business Licencelike Silberline Mauritius Limitedswhich qualifies them as an island resident for tax purposes. And thanks to the elimination of capital gains taxes, by 2013, nearly half of all direct foreign investment in India was going through companies located in Mauritius, the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists reported. The country of 1.2 million people has now signed tax treaties with at least 45 countriesthough India renegotiated its treaty in 2016, reclaiming its right to levy capital gains taxes.

Such business structuresinvolving multiple entities across multiple countries operating under different and highly nuanced tax agreementsare exceedingly difficult even for experts to untangle. Thats often by design, though not always. Sometimes, its just good business.

But when it comes to opacity and complexity, Silberline Mauritius Limited is no exception. And its still unclear exactly what the companys true purpose is, or what role Scheller plays in its operations.

The Daily Beast asked the Scheller campaign a number of detailed questions for this article. Those questions included how much money flows through Silberline Mauritius Limited, whether Silberline itself holds any of its profits offshore, what Schellers role is with the island subsidiary, and whether Scheller herself has a financial stake in Silberline Mauritius Limited or holds personal funds in that entitys accounts.

We also asked whether Silberline benefits from international tax law under the arrangement, in a way that it would not if the Mauritius company were a U.S.-based entity beholden to American corporate tax requirements.

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Schellers campaign manager Pierce Frauenheim did not address those questions. He did, however, attack Schellers opponent, implying that the information in this article came from her campaign, which it did not.

Silberline Mauritius Limited holds no profits overseas and all US taxes are always paid, Frauenheim wrote in a statement. It is clear that Susan Wild knows she is losing this race, as she continues to attack Lisas success as a job creator to distract from her failing record of creating zero jobs and failing Pennsylvanians.

The statement did not address foreign tax arrangements. It also did not address any dimension of Schellers relationship with Silberman Mauritius Limited.

The Daily Beast reached out to Silberline for this article, but the company does not readily provide a media contact and we did not receive a reply. We also asked Scheller about the Mauritius entity in her capacity as CEO and requested an appropriate corporate contact, but she did not respond.

According to filings with the Indian government, Silberline Mauritius Limited has done at least some business in that country. (Silberline itself lays claim to operations in Mumbai, via Silberline Specialty Effect Pigments India Private Limited.)

The Daily Beast was able to confirm two Indian government reports, showing that Silberline Mauritius Limited made at least two foreign direct investments in Silberlines Mumbai subsidiary, in 2010 and 2015. But the amounts were paltry100,000 Rupees in 2010, and two million Rupees in 2015; or about $2,000 and $31,000, respectively.

Indias renegotiated 2016 agreement with Mauritius makes foreign business arrangements less favorable. But Silberline Mauritius Limited has been active since then, and is still active todayeven adding a new director just this year.

However, China also has a favorable tax treaty with Mauritius, though not as favorable as Indias original arrangement. And in 2020, the Organization for Cooperation and Economic Developments annual report on the prevention of treaty abuse found Chinas arrangement with Mauritius was not compliant with the minimum standarda failing that applied to all of Mauritius treaties that year, and which the island claims it is making strides to remedy.

But then theres Silberline Mauritius Limiteds second publicly ascertainable function.

According to a database of Chinese corporate records, the company also appears to be a shareholder of Silberlines two Chinese facilities, as well as a shareholder of another of Silbermans Chinese acquisitions, the now-defunct Yabo Color Technology.

In fact, corporate records with Mauritius show that just this January, after 17 years without any changesand five years after India struck a harder bargainSilberline Mauritius Limited added that third director: another attorney from the same overseas tax firm.

The previous month, a Silberline executive announced that the company would be opening its third plant in China.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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I shuddered when I learned that President Joe Biden had called out to a crowd in search of a congresswoman who died nearly two months ago in an automobile accident. Hes going to turn 80 in November and lets face it, this seemed like a memory fail  a particularly embarrassing one.

Yet theres another way to look at this: Biden was trying to credit the late Indiana Republican Rep. Jackie Walorski  a lawmaker who voted on Jan. 6, 2021, to object to his presidential victories in Arizona and Pennsylvania and who this March labeled his agenda radical & reckless  for her good work on nutrition and hunger.

Its unfortunate that he made the mistake. At the same time, it demonstrated a generosity and professionalism that was also present in Bidens Tuesday conversation with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, a frequent and harsh Biden critic, as Hurricane Ian bore down on his state.

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The two men committed to continued close coordination, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said after they talked. I spoke with Gov. DeSantis for some time, Biden added Wednesday. I made it clear to the governor and the mayors that the federal government is ready to help in every single way possible.

President Joe Biden at the White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health on Sept. 28, 2022, in Washington.

No blue or red states, just the United States

This what we normally expect from national leaders. There are no red states or blue states, just the United States, President Barack Obama tweeted during his 2012 reelection campaign.

Later, his vice president  Biden  revived the theme in his own 2020 presidential campaign: "I'm running as a proud Democrat, but I will govern as an American president. No red states, no blue states, just the United States. I promise you. Ill work as hard for those who dont support me as those who did. Thats the job of a president, a duty to care, to care for everyone in America.

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Midterm elections: If you care about your country and your rights, don't vote for any Republicans in 2022

The contrast with former President Donald Trump is glaring. If he intuited a duty to care, he conveyed that strangely by, for instance, throwing paper towels at a crowd of Puerto Ricans in 2017 after the island had been devastated by Hurricane Maria.

It showed such a lack of empathy, chef Jose Andres told The Washington Post a year later. By then, he and his World Central Kitchen had served 3.6 million meals in Puerto Rico.

President Donald Trump tosses paper towels into a crowd in Puerto Rico in 2017, as the U.S. territory was trying to recover from Hurricane Maria.

This month, two days before the fifth anniversary of Maria and still struggling to recover, Puerto Rico was battered by Hurricane Fiona. Bidens response: We are with you. Were not going to walk away. We mean it. Then he told Puerto Rico Gov. Pedro Pierluisi, You have the phone number. You can call me, personally, anytime. And I mean it.

Trump repeatedly blamed California for its catastrophic wildfires, dismissed the impact of climate change and drought, and threatened to withhold money because the state didnt follow his advice to clean its forest floors. Maybe were just going to have to make them pay for it because they dont listen to us, he said.

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'We still don't have water or electricity': Voices from Puerto Rico after Hurricane Fiona

And then came the COVID-19 crisis and a new wave of blue-state blaming from "an unpredictable president with a love for cable news and a penchant for retribution," as The Associated Press put it. Trump warned Democratic governors at the outset to be appreciative or his administration would not be responsive, singling out Washingtons Jay Inslee and Michigans Gretchen Whitmer as particular offenders in the appreciation department.

He also blamed governors for failing to handle their own problems and forcing the federal government to get involved. As if national leadership was optional during a terrifying global pandemic.

Opinion alerts: Get columns from your favorite columnists + expert analysis on top issues, delivered straight to your device through the USA TODAY app. Don't have the app? Download it for free from your app store.

By fall 2020, Trump was bragging that the U.S. death rate had fallen dramatically despite tremendous death rates in blue states. If you take the blue states out, were at a level that I dont think anybody in the world would be at, he said. Were really at a very low level. But some of the states, they were blue states and blue-state-managed.

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Lock them up? Throw them out? Take his red states and secede? COVID soon took hold in red states, of course. It played no favorites. But Trump did. He never saw himself as everyones president.

Memory lapses are part of aging

When Walorski died on Aug. 3, Biden offered condolences to her family and a tribute to her work. He noted in a White House statement that she was co-chair of the House Hunger Caucus and said, I appreciated her partnership as we plan for a historic White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health this fall that will be marked by her deep care for the needs of rural America.

So yes, Biden not only seemed to blank on Walorskis tragic death, he also did it at the very conference he cited in his statement after she died.

Rep. Jackie Walorski, R-Ind., was co-chair of the House Hunger Caucus. She died in a car wreck in August 2022.

As so many of us know from our own lives, with age come memory lapses, and thats often the least of it.

I am already on record as a fan of Bidens presidency while also hoping he wont run for reelection in 2024. But lets put this moment in perspective. You need only look back a couple of years to remember that some things are more important than age and a perfect memory.

Jill Lawrence is a columnist for USA TODAY and author of "The Art of the Political Deal: How Congress Beat the Odds and Broke Through Gridlock." Follow her on Twitter: @JillDLawrence

More from Jill Lawrence:

Joe Biden shouldn't run for reelection in 2024, for the good of the nation and his party

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You can read diverse opinions from our Board of Contributors and other writers on the Opinion front page, on Twitter @usatodayopinion and in our daily Opinion newsletter. To respond to a column, submit a comment to letters@usatoday.com.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Biden's Walorski slip isn't just a memory fail or age, but decency
We dont have power. We are power, said Ava DuVernay to an audience of women in the open air outside the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in Beverly Hills, California.

The filmmaker was being honored alongside Oprah Winfrey at Varietys annual Power of Women dinner on Wednesday. The duo was celebrated for their work on OWNs Queen Sugar, where they hired all women  42 in total  to direct the dramas 88-episode and seven-season run.

More from WWD

Ava had this idea, recalled Winfrey. I remember, I was standing in my kitchen and she called me and said, Ive got this idea. What if we have all women directors? And I said, Can we do that? And she said, You can. Its your network. I said, Yaaaas.

A performance by Snoh Aalegra kicked off the event, with comedian and Hacks actress Megan Stalter as host. Held in partnership with Lifetime, sponsors included Cadillac and Google.

Oprah Winfrey and Ava DuVernay

Abbott Elementary creator and actress Quinta Brunson, on the heels of her Emmy win, introduced honoree and Pakistani education activist Malala Yousafzai  founder of production company Extracurricular.

We explore the roles of teachers in our society and how they shape the future generations of children through their work, Brunson said of her show, highlighting the importance of advocating for public schools in America. Teachers work in schools that are underfunded, theyre underpaid, and yet many of them dedicate their lives to guiding children through the most difficult times.

Among her endeavors, Yousafzai, the worlds youngest Nobel Prize laureate, looks to create opportunities for people of color, particularly Muslim women, in television and film. She wants to help young artists reflect the world as they see it, she said.

Asians make up less than 4 percent of leads in Hollywood films, Yousafzai told the crowd. Muslims are 25 percent of the population, but only 1 percent of characters in popular TV series.

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She highlighted Kashif Shaikh and Riz Ahmeds Pillars Artist Fellowship, which invests in Muslim writers and directors.

Im not asking for representation, she continued To me, representation is just a consolation prize. I want our shows and our films to be the mainstream.

Quinta Brunson and Malala Yousafzai

Jacqueline Martinez Garcel received the Social Impact Award for her work at the Latino Community Foundation, sharing a powerful speech on diversity, equity and inclusion.

In two years we lost 40,000 Latinos in [California], because we couldnt give them the health care they deserved years before COVID-19 hit, and Latinos on the frontlines suffered the devastation of us ignoring those injustices and those inequities, she said.

With abortion and womens rights a topic of conversation throughout the night, Chelsea Clinton reminded the crowd that progress has to be defended and protected in every generation. She was honored with her mother, former secretary of state Hillary Clinton, for their Apple TV+ show Gutsy. The two traveled around the country for the series, exploring thought-provoking conversations. Sometimes we also have to win it back, she added.

Because were at this moment of reckoning, not only in our country but around the world, about human rights and womens rights, its critically important that we tell these stories, said Hillary, stating issues facing women today in Afghanistan, who are deprived of education, and Ukraine, where theyre defending their country against the barbarity of Vladimir Putins invasion.

And I could not stand up here tonight without also recognizing the brave women in Iran who are standing up for their rights, their freedom against a horrific regime who stays in power in large measure because they oppress women, she said, referencing the most recent protests sparked by the death of Mahsa Amini.

Chelsea and Hillary Clinton

Honoree Elizabeth Olsen, recognized for her work with the Rape Treatment Center and Stuart House, turned the spotlight on the founder of the organizations, Gail Abarbanel, when it was her time to take the mic.

It was in 1974 that Abarbanel began her work as a social worker in a Santa Monica hospital ER, explained Olsen.

Thats where she saw the lack of specialized care and privacy for rape victims, said the Marvel actress, explaining that Stuart House focuses on helping sexually abused children.

Abarbanel next looks to tackle sexual abuse on the internet.

When I learned about tonight, I asked Gail if there is anything that she would like to do next with the foundation, because in my mind shes already thought of everything, said Olsen. She said, Yes, to stop sexual abuse on the internet. And to me that sounded very, very big and maybe impossible. But if you were to ask her what she wanted to create in 1974, I think that would have also sounded just as big and impossible.

Click here to read the full article.
Two industry veterans are betting on occasionwear that mostly uses deadstock.

Their solution is an e-tailer called Couper that drops limited-edition, biweekly capsules made from designers leftovers. Though looks for dressing up is said to be its forte, the company also sells vintage jewelry, casualwear, swim and outerwear and is putting a sustainable take on a Moda Operandi-esque trunk show model.

More from WWD

Between them, Couper cofounders Agee Gretta Leinberry and Caroline Gilroy, have Saks, Tory Burch, Veronica Beard, Rebecca Taylor and more in their resume. Their aesthetics influenced the company (and the e-tailers name Couper as in coupe glass) with an old art world flair, and in Gilroys words, represent a martini glass half-full philosophy on life.

Numbering five to 20 dress pieces in a capsule, with items on its website Shopcouper.com ranging anywhere from $72 to $4,280, the company is committed to clearing out designer excess while getting the customer ready for her next big occasion.

Overall, theres an emphasis on occasion for a woman who wants to stand out and let her clothing be a work of art, said Leinberry. While Gilroy, a working mom, said its more about dressing a woman who can pivot from carpool line to cocktail party.

Leinberry said the premise is to support emerging designers who are small-scale producers while providing a solution for excess materials. The limited-edition capsules are produced with designers leftover yarns, deadstock fabrics and vintage items depending on what the designers have to work with. Couper already signed a number of exclusive deals with designers, including Peruvian brand Escvdo, Nigerian label House of Akachi, Turkish designer Gul Hurgel, among its 35 brand partners around the world.

As a general rule, we like for our partners not to be on one or two majors, so we can cultivate the relationship and champion our partners, Leinberry said. By 2024, Couper aims to have its product range total 70 percent deadstock materials. Today, around 45 percent of materials in its capsules are deadstock and the majority of its accessories are vintage.

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Partnerships work so that items are designed collaboratively with Couper, or Couper buys the final design through a traditional wholesale model.

It really depends on the capacity of the brand, said Gilroy in terms of whether they have the time to work hands-on with Couper or would rather sell designs outright. And as for how the frequency of drops will detract from Coupers sustainable goals in regard to deadstock use, Leinberry said its about decreasing waste: We have to make sales to get material off hands of designers.

Click here to read the full article.
By Azernews

By Ayya Lmahamad

Azerbaijan and Austria have discussed the possibilities of holding a business forum, Azernews reports.

The discussion took place during a meeting between Azerbaijani Export and Investment Promotion Agency Head Yusif Abdullayev with Austrian Commercial Counsellor for Azerbaijan Gerhard Lackner.

During the meeting, Yusif Abdullayev spoke about the agencys activities, the favorable business and investment environment created in the country, and the ongoing projects.

The parties also discussed the possibility of expanding ties between business circles.

Diplomatic relations between the two countries were established on February 20, 1992. Azerbaijan's embassy in Austria has been active since September 1, 1995, while the embassy of Austria has been operating in Azerbaijan since June 23, 2010.

The Joint Commission for Economic, Agricultural, Industrial, Technical and Technological Cooperation between Azerbaijan and Austria was established in 1999. In addition, the Austrian-Azerbaijani Cooperation Council (CCAA) was established in Vienna in November 2018 as a platform for cooperation between the public and private sectors of the two countries.

In total, forty-one documents were signed between Azerbaijan and Austria. The trade turnover between the two countries amounted to $220.6 million in 2021.
U.S. Bank Stadium won't play host to the NFL's marquee game Sunday night because Tampa was spared extensive damage from Hurricane Ian, the Buccaneers announced Thursday.

Minneapolis was the designated backup site if the game had to be moved from Tampa's Raymond James Stadium due to damage from the massive storm. Minneapolis stadium officials were prepared and eager to host the matchup between two future Hall of Fame quarterbacks, Tom Brady and Patrick Mahomes.

The Buccaneers issued a statement saying they were "very thankful that the Tampa Bay area was spared the most damaging consequences of this powerful storm.

"We have informed the NFL, after consulting with local and state agencies, that we are ready to play Sunday night's game against the Kansas City Chiefs at Raymond James Stadium as originally scheduled."

The decision allowed the game-day crew in Minneapolis to exhale.

John Drum, general manager for ASM Global, which runs U.S. Bank Stadium operations, said it's fortunate Tampa was spared but unfortunate Minneapolis didn't get a chance to showcase its hospitality. Stadium staff had been waiting for word on whether to mobilize thousands of event-day staff for the game.

"The thing that was great for me is the team that I have, nobody said, 'Ugh, I've got to give up another weekend for work,'" Drum said. "We've got a really, really strong group of people that bring this building to life whether it's a Minnesota Vikings game or a high school football championship."

But it still would have been a scramble to pull it off. The Vikings are out of town Sunday, playing New Orleans in London. So U.S. Bank Stadium was expected to be dark this weekend. As the hurricane approached Florida, however, the NFL began talking to Minnesota officials about moving the game.

"It was a huge compliment that we were being considered," Drum said.

Now Minnesotans can watch the Chiefs and the Buccaneers on TV Sunday night after seeing the Vikings play Sunday morning.

The NFL has moved games for weather reasons before. Last year, the league moved the New Orleans Saints' home opener against the Green Bay Packers to Jacksonville, Fla., with 10 days' notice because of Hurricane Ida.

In December 2010, a Vikings game with the New York Giants was moved from Minneapolis to Detroit with one day's notice when the Metrodome roof collapsed during a blizzard.
A video of late chef Anthony Bourdain from 2017 recently went viral on Twitter and sparked a heated debate about how Singapore treats its domestic workers.

What are maids? Bourdain asks as he sits down with locals in Singapore for his food and travel show, Parts Unknown.

Actually, if you look at Singapore, a lot of women are in the workforce, the woman tells the chef, referring to maids as helpers. And the reason why that is so is because everyones got a maid looking after their child at home.

The woman further explains that maids are like the opiate of the masses in the country, which has more than 200,000 domestic workers from other Southeast Asian countries such as the Philippines, Indonesia and Myanmar, VICE reported. Domestic workers contribute about $8.2 billion to Singapore, as of 2018. But the country's Employment Act, which lays out how many hours domestic workers can be on the clock, how many days they can take off and how much they get paid for overtime, is often ignored by employers.

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One woman was sentenced to 30 years in jail in 2021 after killing a domestic worker by starving, beating and burning her arm with an iron. That worker from Myanmar ended up with brain damage and severely injured the bone on her neck.

But an opiate gives you slothful and laying home, Bourdain argues in the viral video. But if you have a maid, youre saying it frees you up to join the workforce.

The woman agrees, saying that her husband doesnt know how to pour himself a glass of water. The bewildered chef then asks if anyone at the table knew how to do their own laundry.

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We know how to do it, one person replies.

We kind of, in theory, the woman says.

When Bourdain says he washed his clothes four days ago, one of the patrons asks, What, you sent it to the butler?

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But the chef says he enjoys doing laundry.

I live by myself in New York. I have to tell you, maybe its a sickness, maybe its a weird thing. But I enjoy throwing my clothes in the washer and then moving them to the dryer. Its a process that makes you feel very satisfied. I feel very self-reliant, Bourdain explains.

It's like bourgeois, man. You're living off the labor of a repressed underclass, Bourdain continues as the other people at the table laugh awkwardly.

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No one can call people out right to their faces quite like Anthony Bourdain. pic.twitter.com/q7uDHxHiNC  Lauren McKenzie (@TheMcKenziest) September 24, 2022

The video also went viral just as a new unauthorized biography of Bourdain, which includes text messages the chef sent days before his death in 2018, is set to be released on Oct. 11.

Excerpts from Down and Out in Paradise: The Life of Anthony Bourdain by journalist Charles Leerhsen were published in the New York Times on Tuesday.

I hate my fans, too. I hate being famous. I hate my job, Bourdain wrote in a message to his ex-wife Ottavia Busia-Bourdain. I am lonely and living in constant uncertainty.

As for the resurfaced footage, Twitter users appeared to side with the chef for calling out indentured labor in Singapore.

Its incredibly weird to see her like bragging about the way her husband treats their maid??? Get your own fucking water, you spoiled brat  Lauren McKenzie (@TheMcKenziest) September 25, 2022

Laughing nervously while he calls them out for using servants sure was   Lauren McKenzie (@TheMcKenziest) September 25, 2022

RIGHT? "Everyone has maids and that's freed up women to join the workforce" - I was really expecting him to just go: "say that again, but slowly."  Generic Idle (@DavidOM35667282) September 25, 2022

One user shared a guide made by Best Housekeeper, a maid agency in Singapore, which suggests how much you should pay each worker based on nationality.

Government-accredited placement agency invites you to select a race of servant! Look out for "prideful" Filipinos. Consider the "innate characteristics" of the "submissive" Indonesians, or the Mizoram who have "more endurance than the other races." ??? pic.twitter.com/ahhgaJJ3au  Alexander Lee (@post_vermouth) September 25, 2022

Singapores government has tried to make improvements to the well-being of domestic workers, including giving them a day off at least once a month starting at the end of 2022.

Featured Image via @TheMcKenziest
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel columnist Jim Stingl wrote this article in 2015 about Christopher Scarver, the inmate who killed Jeffrey Dahmer in prison in 1994. Scarver, 21 years after the killing, said he did it because Dahmer taunted inmates by shaping his food into body parts.

After 21 years, we have stopped caring exactly why Jeffrey Dahmer was killed in prison by fellow inmate Christopher Scarver.

Milwaukee's infamous serial killer is long dead and gone, and Scarver needs to live 1,000 more years to even come close to his parole date.

Done and done.

But Scarver was back in the news last week, telling the New York Post a brand-new tale of why he beat Dahmer to death in 1994, and for good measure also killed Jesse Anderson, a Town of Cedarburg businessman who stabbed his wife to death near Northridge and tried to blame it on young black men.

Scarver, in a federal prison in Colorado, now says he had come to hate Dahmer because he taunted other inmates by turning his food into the shapes of severed body parts, and then adding ketchup to look like blood.

So that's it. Dahmer the cannibal had to die because he played with his food.

Gerald Boyle, who defended Dahmer at trial, doesn't believe it. Neither does Steven Kohn, who represented Scarver.

"It's ridiculous," Boyle told me.

Convicted killer Christopher Scarver listens to one of his attorneys, Daniel Patrykus, during a special hearing on May 15, 1995, in Portage, Wis. At the hearing, Scarver changed his not guilty plea in the beating death of serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer and Jesse Anderson, to no contest on two first degree intentional homicide charges.

More: The building where Jeffrey Dahmer committed gruesome murders was torn down in 1992, and the lot at 924 N. 25th St. still sits empty today

More: Glenda Cleveland, the Jeffrey Dahmer witness who alerted police, died in 2011 at age 56. This is her obituary.

Boyle served on a governor's commission that investigated the murders of Dahmer and Anderson. As part of that duty, he went to a federal prison in Missouri, along with Kohn, to interview Scarver in June of 1995, six months after the two slayings.

At that time, Scarver never said a word about Dahmer taunting anyone in prison or joking about his crimes, Boyle and Kohn said.

"He told me he had a hit list of five guys who he did not feel were worthy of the word murderer because of who and how they killed," Boyle said.

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Boyle came away from the investigation convinced that guards at Columbia Correctional Institution did not intentionally leave Scarver alone with Dahmer and Anderson in an exercise area so that he could kill them. In the Post article, Scarver said the guards helped make it happen, but he refused to elaborate.

Kohn said nothing in the public record supports what Scarver says in the new article. He recalls that Scarver said in the interview with Boyle that Dahmer and Anderson had murdered for unacceptable reasons, and that it was humiliating to be in the same work detail with them.

The Post, a tabloid drawn to sensational news, included what it says are morgue photos of Dahmer. On the day the Scarver item ran, other most popular stories included "UFO buzzing NYC" and "This couple has the loudest sex in NYC."

This photo from 1994 shows Christopher Scarver, the Inmate who killed Jeffrey Dahmer in prison.

I covered both the Dahmer and Anderson cases for The Milwaukee Journal, as well as the murder case that sent Scarver to prison. There was testimony that Scarver believed he was a million years old. He also professed to be the son of God. So he may be prone to embellishment.

"Dahmer was such a milquetoast. He would never have done that stuff," Boyle said. "He killed people, but he didn't taunt people. I never saw him do anything that would lead me to believe that he would mimic the deaths that he caused. I just don't believe that."

The Post ran a follow-up article quoting a Madison pastor, Roy Ratcliff, saying Dahmer would tell prison guards, "I bite," and then laugh. Ratcliff also said Dahmer put up a sign in his cell that said: "Cannibals anonymous meeting tonight."

Boyle told me none of this was ever mentioned when the commission talked to prison officials.

Ratcliff baptized Dahmer in prison and presided at his memorial service. In 2006, I wrote about his book, in which he said he believed Dahmer was in heaven.

When I contacted him again about the Post article, Ratcliff said he was quoted accurately, but admitted he never saw the sign and did not hear any of this from Dahmer. "These are stories guards told me," he said.

Maybe the truth of any of this doesn't matter much. We all like a provocative tale, right?

Still, I'm not buying what Christopher Scarver is peddling.

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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Dahmer killer Scarver said the serial killer taunted inmates with food
Fox News anchor Martha MacCallum doesnt appear to know that Puerto Rico is part of the U.S.

MacCallum and other anchors were discussing Hurricane Ians impact in Florida on Wednesday. The Category 4 storm caused waters to surge 6 feet above normal high tide levels in one part of Florida and, as of Wednesday evening, left over 2 million people without power.

MacCullum brought up Hurricane Ians impact on Cuba along with Hurricane Fionas impact on Puerto Rico before implying the U.S. territory wasnt part of the country.

You know you feel terrible for people in Puerto Rico who were just hit, in Cuba who were just hit. Thank God we have better infrastructure in our country, MacCullum said.

Listen to the rest of her comments below:

Fox News anchor Martha MacCallum: You feel terrible for people in Puerto Rico who were just hit, and Cuba who were just hit. Thank God we have better infrastructure in our country, weve put a lot of investment into make sure that were ready for these things.



Does she know? pic.twitter.com/xkI9Iq03jO  Eric Kleefeld (@EricKleefeld) September 28, 2022

Twitter users mocked the anchors statement on American infrastructure along with her apparent separation of Puerto Rico from the U.S.

I don't know what kind of infrastructure survives 155+ mph winds and rain.  Donald Miller (@WizBob) September 28, 2022

"In OUR country..." Puerto Rico has been a U.S. territory since 1898. Who wants to tell her? https://t.co/uDIY9Hhi3H  The Randy Report   (@randyslovacek) September 28, 2022

Puerto Rico is our country & there's few areas in the continental US that aren't one severe weather event away from looking like The Walking Dead. https://t.co/XxxeBKTZk4  Black At-Them (@FareedBlackman) September 28, 2022

Also the difference between islands and the continental US?



Key West has fine infrastructure, but would get destroyed by a direct hit from a major storm just like Cuba and Puerto Rico.  Zack Barnes (@The_Zack_Barnes) September 28, 2022

This article originally appeared on HuffPost and has been updated.

Related...
WASHINGTON  Unprecedented sanctions against Russia for its invasion of Ukraine have wounded  but not crippled  the country, prompting bipartisan frustration in Congress that they havent packed a bigger punch.

Pressed on that issue at a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing Wednesday, Biden administration officials urged lawmakers to give the sanctions more time while also promising additional actions are in the works.

The latest

Massive sanctions: Since the February invasion of Ukraine, nearly 40 countries have imposed economics costs on Russia. Financial institutions have been sanctioned. More than 1,000 Russians have seen their assets frozen abroad. And more than 1,000 companies have stopped operating in Russia, according to New Jersey Sen. Bob Menendez, the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Biggest ever: The sanctions program is the largest the U.S. has undertaken, along with allies, in scope and scale, according to Elizabeth Rosenberg, assistant secretary for terrorist financing and financial crimes at the Treasury Department.

Ruble rebounds: Despite the economic penalties, Russias ruble has bounced back and is stronger than it was before the invasion.

Putin scoffs: Russian President Vladimir Putin has mocked the sanctions campaign and dismissed as stupid a Western attempt to cap prices on Russian oil and gas.

Russia-sanctions

Taking the long view

Biden administration officials said steps Russia has taken to counter the sanctions are not sustainable. Russia is running through its budget surplus and will have a deficit by the end of the year, according to Rosenberg. The administration projects that by 2030, Russias economy will be 20% smaller than it wouldve been without the sanctions.

Harder to measure are the impacts of the friction and uncertainty caused by export controls and restrictions on financing the military equipment and other goods Russians need.

At some point, the system becomes so rickety and improvised, that it can't succeed, said James OBrien, head of the State Department's sanctions coordination office.

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What's about to happen

Because Russias primary source of hard currency is oil and gas exports, the United States is working with other G7 nations on a price-capping mechanism they hope to have in place by early December. Rosenberg said the price cap has already forced Russia to negotiate steep discounts for oil its selling to Asian countries.

Other actions the administration is taking, she said, including going after the broader networks of facilitators Russia is using to buy weapons and technology. The administration also wants to plug gaps in sanctions in areas where some allies havent gone as far as the U.S. has.

Top takeaways

While senators recognized the enormous effort going into the sanctions, both Democrats and Republicans said the impact hasnt been as great as they expected.

Figuring out why that is, and what more can be done, is important not just to help end the war in Ukraine. Lawmakers are also concerned about what lessons other countries with military ambitions  particularly China  will take away.

We've got to get this right. China is watching and learning from our every move, said Idaho Sen. James Risch, the top Republican on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Sen. James Risch, R-Idaho, is the ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

What they are saying

We have had an impact, but it's not quite what we thought, Menendez said.

There will be more packages. We are working on more sanctions, OBrien said.

We have to have a more clear assessment in Congress's mind and our national psyche as to just what the impact of sanctions can do, said Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah.

We were told these were going to be the toughest sanctions ever on a country and they were going to have certain impacts, and we have not seen the full impact that was described to us," said Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H.

"If we get this wrong, we risk not only billions of dollars in U.S. and allied economic hardships, we'll also risk providing Russia with the means to completely insulate itself from future sanctions actions and continue its brutal war in Ukraine," Risch said.

Reaction to annexation

The administration could announce additional sanctions after Russia officially annexes four regions of Ukraine that were forced into sham elections.

Separately, Sens. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut and Lindsey Graham of South Carolina introduced legislation Thursday to cut off economic or military aid to any nation that recognizes the annexation.

The bipartisan duo said they would try to pass the legislation either on its own or as an amendment to the annual Pentagon policy bill that the Senate may vote on in October.

Want to know more? Here's what you missed

Mass graves, suspected torture chambers: See what Russia left behind in Kharkiv

More: At anti-war protests in Russia, fears for the drafted as 'cannon fodder' and a brutal response by police

More: Mapping and tracking Russia's invasion of Ukraine

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Ukraine war: Impact of Russian sanctions disappoints federal lawmakers
PANAMA CITY  A local man might spend the rest of his life in prison after being convicted of murder.

According to a press release from the State Attorney's Office of the 14th Judicial Circuit, 19-year-old Abel Ortiz of Panama City was found guilty Sept. 22 of being involved in the 2019 murder of 30-year-old Edward Ross of Panama City Beach.

Ortiz was convicted of first-degree felony murder and attempted armed robbery. He faces a sentence of 40 years to life in prison.

"Jurors found that (Ortiz) was armed when he and two others rushed into Ross' house in an attempt to rob him Dec. 29, 2019, and that he actually killed or was attempting to kill the victim when he shot him," the release reads.

Abel Ortiz, a 19-year-old Panama City resident, was found guilty Sept. 22 of murdering Edward Ross, a 30-year-old Panama City Beach resident, in 2019. He now faces a sentence of 40 years to life in prison.

Two Panama City men: sentenced to prison after car-chase shooting

Callaway man: sentenced to prison for shooting at Bay County deputies

Ortiz was a juvenile at the time of the shooting. The first 25 years of his possibly 40-year minimum sentence are to be served day-for-day.

The State Attorney's Office notes Ortiz and the two others involved in the 2019 incident rushed into Ross' home just as he had left of the shower and was still in a towel. Ortiz was armed with a .22-caliber pistol.

"The evidence showed all three men fired a total of 11 shots, with seven of them coming from Ortiz," the release reads. "The final shot was into (Ross') back as he (laid) on the floor."

The two co-defendants have since admitted their roles in the killing, entered into pleas and testified against Ortiz. Evidence showed their plan was to rob Ross of money and marijuana.

After the 11 shots were fired, Ortiz and the two others ran to waiting vehicles and fled. It then took investigators with the Bay County Sheriff's Office about six weeks to solve the case. The three gunmen were arrested in February 2020.

Testimony showed Ortiz told a teacher he killed a man in Panama City Beach before his arrest. When she did not believe him, he "provided details."

Story continues

Testimony also showed Ortiz confessed to another witness, along with BCSO investigators.

His sentencing is set for Nov. 8.

"I've been doing this for a long time, and I've never had a case where I had not one, not two, but three confessions from the defendant," Bay County Chief Prosecutor Mark Graham said in the release. "If you look at the admissions, the defendant admitted to intimate details of this crime. How would he know, it wasn't out to the public? Because he was there."

This article originally appeared on The News Herald: Abel Ortiz of Panama City found guilty of murdering Edward Ross of PCB
The author in Puerto Rico. (Photo: Photo Courtesy Of Angelique Molina-Mangaroo)

The author in Puerto Rico. (Photo: Photo Courtesy Of Angelique Molina-Mangaroo)

As a mixed-race woman who comes from a Filipina mother and Puerto Rican father, I am always bouncing between two worlds.

My mother immigrated to the U.S. from the Philippines in the 90s. She came to New York City for better opportunities. She ended up working as a nurse in a hospital in the Bronx. My father, on the other hand, is a Nuyorican from Spanish Harlem. They met working at the same hospital. Although they came from different worlds, my mother learned so much about American culture from my father.

When I was born, according to my mother, both her and my father were excited. I was my mothers first child, but my fathers fourth.

My parents divorced when I was 4. When my father moved out, I went from seeing him every day to maybe seeing him once a month to almost never seeing him. Once I turned 12, he completely left my life.

The pain of having a father walk out on you is a pain that never goes away, but eases with time. The pain of assimilation, however, is a pain that never eases with time. In fact, it only gets worse.

When my father left me, he also left me isolated from a beautiful cultural history and a language. Not having him there to teach me the amazing things about being Latina, specifically Puerto Rican, caused a rift between me, my community and my heritage.

I was born in the Bronx, where 26% of the population is Puerto Rican. In the Bronx, you cant go too far without seeing a Puerto Rican flag, hearing salsa or Spanish-language music or the scent of empanadas being sold at a nearby bodega. Puerto Ricans are known to be very proud of their culture and language  dont even get me started on the Puerto Rican Day parade every year in NYC.

Being in a borough with a densely populated Latinx community, my identity was constantly questioned when I couldnt speak Spanish. Speaking Spanish is essential to communicate with the older Latinx generation or with folks who immigrated directly from Latin America. It was always, How are you Latino but you dont speak Spanish? or Its a shame to the Latino community that you dont speak Spanish.

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Everywhere I went, someone would approach me speaking Spanish, assuming I knew how to speak the language. Or if a non-Spanish-speaking person needed translation, they would come directly to me, then be disappointed when I couldnt help.

I kept getting laughed at and shamed for not being able to speak Spanish to the point where I stopped claiming my Latinx heritage.

Then one day, in 2018, a woman with the same last name as me messaged me on Facebook. When I clicked on the message, I saw the words Im your sister in Spanish. I knew I had a sister in Puerto Rico, and even had a picture of her when we were younger. Unfortunately, due to my fathers absence, we didnt stay connected.

After many exchanged messages, I eventually saved up enough money to visit her. In 2019, I landed in the airport in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The Caribbean breeze felt so good and the sun had a gentle warmth to it. It felt like home.

In the next few days, I got to experience the Pinones, a town with authentic Puerto Rican food; El Yunque, the biggest rainforest in Puerto Rico; and finally, I got to see my long-lost sister. I drove from San Juan to Santa Isabel, which took two hours. It was a long drive, but once I finally made it, I saw my sister run out of the house and I received the biggest and strongest hug Id ever had in my life. We cried with big smiles at our reunion. It was one of the best moments of my life.

The author reuniting with her family. (Photo: Photo Courtesy Of Angelique Molina-Mangaroo)

The author reuniting with her family. (Photo: Photo Courtesy Of Angelique Molina-Mangaroo)

We sat and talked for hours about our families and childhood memories. Of course, my sister only spoke Spanish, so I needed a family member to translate. But the conversation was valuable nonetheless. We learned so much about each other.

After hours of reminiscing, it was time to go. We said our goodbyes and I eventually found my way back to the hotel I was staying at in San Juan. Once I arrived, I immediately looked up Spanish language tutors in NYC. Not being able to communicate with my sister in our native tongue was troubling to me, but I was determined to fix that.

When I got home to New York, I started Spanish language lessons. It was hard. I had given up on Spanish for so many years that it had become harder to learn as an adult. But I pushed through. I still take Spanish lessons to this day, hoping to one day be as fluent as I am with English.

I also started reading more books on the history of Puerto Rico, attending the Puerto Rican Day parade in NYC, and found community with other Puerto Ricans. I learned so much about myself, my history and my ancestry in a short amount of time.

Most important, I made a vow to visit Puerto Rico as often as I can. Reading all the books in the world and receiving all the Spanish lessons on Zoom can never make up for actually being home.

I started to proudly reclaim my Latina identity. I even became the chair of the Latinx student association at NYU and brought together many Latinx students within the university during myriad events.

While I may not be the most fluent in Spanish yet, or have the most knowledge on the history of Puerto Rico, Ive learned so much about myself in such a short span of time. There isnt really a timeline to learning more about who you are.

Now that I have a son who is a young Asian Afro-Latino, I have a duty to pass down the beautiful history of our people, language and culture. I want him to be connected to Puerto Rico as if hed been born there. The pain of assimilation will always haunt us, but constantly working to learn about our history and the language will help both of us feel connected to our homeland.

Those who are connected to their culture, language and heritage from the start are certainly blessed, but I am no less blessed than they are. I will always and forever be a proud Puerto Rican woman.

Do you have a compelling personal story youd like to see published on HuffPost? Find out what were looking for here and send us a pitch.

This article originally appeared on HuffPost and has been updated.

Related...
A romance novel cover model has pleaded guilty to assaulting law enforcement agents with a dangerous weapon during January 6 riots at the US Capitol.

Logan James Barnhart, 41, of Holt, Michigan, was part of the mob that broke into the archway leading into the Capitol building from the lower west terrace where a Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) officer was being attacked with a baton by a fellow rioter.

He is accused of grabbing the neck of the officers ballistic vest and then dragging the officer down the steps in the prone position, taking him into the crowd where he was assaulted by other rioters with weapons, including a flagpole and a baton, according to the US attorneys office.

The officer suffered substantial physical injuries, including bruising and abrasions, in the attack.

Mr Barnhart, who works in construction along with making appearances on the covers of romance novels, was arrested on 17 August last year in Lansing and faces a maximum of 20 years in prison along with fines.

Appearing before US District Judge Emmet G Sullivan, Mr Barnhart pleaded guilty to assaulting, resisting or impeding officers.

Are you pleading guilty because you are guilty? Judge Sullivan asked him in the virtual hearing.

Yes, sir, he responded from his car, adding that everything in the agreed-upon statement of offense was 100% true.

Logan James Barnhart is seen at the 6 January 2021 in a photo released by the FBI (FBI)

According to a Justice Department indictment, he also arrived where rioters were slamming riot shields into the line of police officers.

He supported other rioters and propelled them forward into the line of officers and struck at officers with the base of a flagpole.

He was initially charged with assaulting, resisting or impeding certain officers with a dangerous weapon but he was included in a superseding indictment along with eight other men.

He is scheduled to be sentenced on 23 March 2023.

He appeared on the covers of novels Lighter and Stepbrother UnSEALed: A Bad Boy Military Romance.

More than 870 people have been arrested in the 20-months-long investigation since the riots from across 50 states for breaching the US Capitol. Among those arrested, over 265 people have been charged with committing crimes.
Unidentified graves of civilians and Ukrainian soldiers in a cemetery during an exhumation in the recently retaken area of Izium, Ukraine, September 17, 2022. Evgeniy Maloletka/AP

More than 4,000 recordings of Russian soldiers making calls from Kyiv were obtained by The New York Times.

One Russian soldier told his girlfriend that he received orders to "kill everyone we see."

UN investigators previously accused Russia of committing war crimes in Ukraine.

One Russian soldier in Kyiv recounted in a phone call how his commander ordered troops to kill Ukrainian civilians to conceal their locations, which is a war crime under international law.

The call was just one of many unauthorized phone calls made in March by Russian soldiers, which were intercepted from the Bucha area  a suburb of Kyiv where civilians were massacred  by Ukrainian law enforcement agencies. The New York Times obtained, verified, and translated the recordings.

The calls reveal the bleak reality Russian soldiers faced in the early weeks of the war in Ukraine, which began in late February. The Times report documented soldiers reporting back to their mothers, friends, and girlfriends on some of the atrocities they witnessed  and participated in.

In one call to his girlfriend, a Russian soldier identified only by his first name, Sergey, said his commander had given an order to take Ukrainian civilians to the forest to execute them.

"They told us that, where we're going, there's a lot of civilians walking around. And they gave us the order to kill everyone we see," Sergey said, according to The Times.

His girlfriend responded: "Why the fuck?"

"Because they might give away our positions. ... That's what we're fucking going to do, it seems," Sergey replied, per the report. "Kill any civilian that walks by and drag them into the forest. ... I've already become a murderer. that's why I don't want to kill any more people, especially ones I will have to look in the eyes."

Killing civilians is a war crime under the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court.

According to the statute, "intentionally directing attacks against the civilian population as such or against individual civilians not taking direct part in hostilities" would be considered one of the "serious violations of the laws" in international armed conflict.

Story continues

The United Nations previously accused Russia of committing a long list of war crimes in Ukraine.

Some atrocities listed include sexual violence, torture, and "indiscriminate attacks with explosive weapons," according to Erik Mse, who led the UN's investigation into human rights violations and crimes committed in Ukraine.

In another recording between Sergey and his girlfriend, the Russian soldier said a captain ordered the execution of three men, in part because their unit didn't have enough food to feed themselves.

"We detained them, undressed them, and checked all their clothes. Then a decision had to be made whether to let them go," Sergey said. "If we let them go, they could give away our position. ... So it was decided to shoot them in the forest."

When his girlfriend asked why they weren't taken as prisoners, he replied: "We would have had to feed them, and we don't have enough food ourselves, you see."

The UN wasn't the only international entity to suspect Russia of committing atrocities in Ukraine. Russian forces, who have repeatedly targeted civilians since the war began, have been widely accused of committing war crimes in Ukraine  including by world leaders and top human rights groups.

President Joe Biden has gone as far to accuse Russian President Vladimir Putin of committing "genocide" in Ukraine. Biden said in April that Putin was vying to "wipe out the idea of even being a Ukrainian."

Read the original article on Business Insider
Russian soldiers guard an area as a group of foreign journalists visit in Kherson, Kherson region, south Ukraine, May 20, 2022. Associated Press Photo, File

The New York Times published dozens of audio recordings of Russian soldiers in Ukraine.

Ukrainian officials intercepted calls the soldiers were making home to Russia.

The soldiers largely complained about how the war was going and being misled by state leaders.

Russian soldiers calling home from the frontlines in Ukraine said they had been "fooled" and did not realize they were heading into war, according to audio obtained by The New York Times.

The Times published on Wednesday several audio recordings of calls made by Russian soldiers that were intercepted by Ukrainian officials. The outlet spent months translating and verifying the authenticity of the recordings by matching phone numbers with other apps and social media accounts.

"No one told us we were going to war. They warned us one day before we left," one soldier identified as Sergey said on a phone call to his mother.

"We were all going for training for two or three days," another soldier, identified as Nikita, is heard telling a friend. "We were fucking fooled like little kids."

A third soldier, Aleksey, concurred that he was told they were going for training, telling his partner: "I didn't know this was going to happen."

"These bastards didn't tell us anything," the soldier added.

Since launching an unprovoked invasion of Ukraine in February, Russian President Vladimir Putin has avoided referring to the conflict as a war, instead using the term "special military operation."

The narrative conveyed by the Russian government and state media has often clouded the realities of the war, downplaying the country's missteps and Ukraine's victories.

Russian soldiers also appear to be among those who were misled, with some saying they were lied to about the plans to invade Ukraine and unprepared for the resistance they were met with in the country.

In another recording published by The Times, the soldier identified as Sergey tells his girlfriend that state media is trying to fool the Russian people about the war.

Story continues

"They just want to fool people on TV, like, 'Everything is all right; there's no war, just a special operation,'" he said. "But in reality, it's an actual fucking war."

Many of the soldiers captured in the calls complained about how poorly the war was going. One soldier said he was told by his commanders to "kill everyone we see," including civilians, which would be a war crime.

Read the original article on Business Insider
(Adds analyst comment, background)

ISTANBUL, Sept 29 (Reuters) - Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said on Thursday he had advised the central bank to lower its policy rate at its upcoming meetings, a day after saying he expects interest rates to come down to single digits by year-end.

Turkey's central bank cut its policy rate by 200 basis points to 12% in the last two months, delivering shocks to markets after inflation surged to 80% in August.

The rate cuts are part of Erdogan's unorthodox policy of lowering rates to lower inflation. An easing cycle at the end of last year sparked a currency crisis stoking inflation, which is now at 24-year highs.

Speaking at the general assembly of a merchants' confederation, Erdogan repeated his unorthodox view that lower rates will lead to lower inflation.

"My biggest battle is against interest. My biggest enemy is interest. We lowered the interest rate to 12%. Is that enough? It is not enough. This needs to come down further," he said.

"We have discussed, are discussing this with our central bank. I suggested the need for this to come down further in upcoming monetary policy committee meetings," Erdogan added.

On Wednesday, Erdogan said interest rates will come down to single digits by year-end, despite a global tightening cycle, an ailing currency and soaring energy prices.

Turkey's lira, which hit its record low of 18.55 against the dollar on Thursday, fell some 29% this year on top of a 44% fall last year on concerns over unorthodox economic policies.

The currency has been less reactive to similar comments from Erdogan than in the past, largely due to the central bank adopting a more dominant role in the forex market since December.

Ipek Ozkardeskaya, senior analyst at Swissquote, said the lira is not as weak as it should be thanks to the central bank's role in the forex market.

"The Turkish central bank is trying to weather the sell-off and the downside pressure but obviously there is only so much that they can do when the global winds are flowing so violently against the lira," she said.

"This whole thing is a time bomb." (Reporting by Ali Kucukgocmen and Nevzat Devranoglu; Additional reporting by Bansari Mayur Kamdar in Bangalore Editing by Alison Williams, Alexandra Hudson)
President Joe Biden on Thursday visited FEMA headquarters in Washington as search and rescue efforts were underway in Florida in the wake of Hurricane Ian.

Upon his arrival, Biden turned to FEMA personnel in the room and thanked them for their work during the historic storm.

Early assessments offer a devastating picture of the damage wreaked by the hurricane. Severe flooding and storm surges left people trapped in their homes, knocked out power to millions and destroyed at least two bridges in southwest Florida.

"This could be the deadliest hurricane in Florida's history," Biden said. "Numbers are still unclear, but we're hearing early reports of what may be substantial loss of life."

PHOTO: President Joe Biden speaks about Hurricane Ian during a visit to FEMA headquarters, Sept. 29, 2022, in Washington, D.C. (Evan Vucci/AP)

MORE: Hurricane Ian tracker: Latest maps, projections and possible paths

The president said he'll go to Florida once weather conditions allow to survey damage. He also said he intends to go to Puerto Rico, which was ravaged by Hurricane Fiona earlier this month.

"We're continuing to see deadly rainfall, catastrophic storm surges, roads and homes flooded," Biden said. "We're seeing millions of people without power and thousands hunker down in schools and community centers. They're wondering what's going to be left, what's gonna be left when they get to go home."

Before his visit to FEMA, Biden approved a major disaster declaration for the state, making federal funding available to impacted individuals in nine counties: Charlotte, Collier, DeSoto, Hardee, Hillsborough, Lee, Manatee, Pinellas and Sarasota.

Biden said the declaration means the federal government will pay for "100% of the cost" to clear debris and to save lives. The government will also cover a majority of the cost to rebuild public buildings ruined by the storm.

Biden also told reporters the government may need more money for Congress for storm relief.

The president spoke with GOP Gov. Ron DeSantis again on Thursday morning, telling DeSantis that FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell will travel to Florida on Friday to check in on response efforts.

Story continues

DeSantis has thanked the administration for the resources provided so far, but said Thursday the state expects more disaster declarations as the storm continues to move across the state.

"I just spoke with the president this morning and he offered support. I told them that thanks for this but because the storm has moved inland and caused a lot of potential damage in the center part of our state, that we are going to be asking for those counties to be expanded and included there," DeSantis said at a press conference at 9 a.m. Thursday.

The White House said Biden and DeSantis, often political opponents, are "committed to continued close coordination."

Asked about his relationship and conversation with DeSantis, Biden said the governor was "extremely happy" with the response from the federal government.

"This is not about whether or -- anything having to do with our disagreements politically," Biden said. "This is about saving people's lives, homes and businesses. Thats what this is about."

MORE: Biden coordinates with DeSantis and Fla. officials, warns oil companies as Hurricane Ian hits

PHOTO: Orange County firefighters help people stranded by Hurricane Ian, Sept. 29, 2022 in Orange County, Fla. (Orange County Fire Rescue's Public Information Office via AP)

Accompanying the president to FEMA on Thursday were Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and leaders from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the National Weather Service, the U.S. Coast Guard and other officials.

Biden said search and rescue was critical, noting the Coast Guard's deployed 16 rescue helicopters, six fixed-wing aircraft and 18 rescue boats and crews.

"These are dangerous missions, and I'm grateful for the brave women and men in federal, state and local governments working as one team, risking their lives to save others," the president said.

Biden urged Floridians to continue to heed warnings from officials, and not to go outside unless they "absolutely have to."

"My message to people of Florida, to the country is at times like this, America comes together," Biden said. "Were gonna pull together as one team, as one America."

- ABC News' Molly Nagle and Justin Gomez contributed to this report.

Biden says searches critical after Hurricane Ian slams Florida originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
Compass Gold Corporation

Higher Grade and Wider Mineralized Zones Identified

Figure 1

Location of the Massala West prospect with respect to mineralized structures in the area.

Figure 2

Location of the drillholes used in the re-sampling study.

TORONTO, Sept. 29, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Compass Gold Corp. (TSX-V: CVB) (Compass or the Company) is pleased to provide an update on the recently completed resampling and assaying at the Massala West prospect on the Sankarani permit, located on the Companys Sikasso Property in southern Mali (Figure 1).



Highlights:

Resampling of earlier RC holes within the Massala West mineralized zone (see Fig. 2) indicated that mineralization was actually higher grade and wider than previously reported Widest intercept change: 28 m @ 0.63 g/t Au (from 24 m), compared to 5 m @ 0.59 g/t Au (from 45 m) Highest grade change: 3 m @ 2.75 g/t Au (from 19 m), compared to 2 m @ 0.62 g/t Au (from 19 m)

Of the 258 samples which were retested within the mineralized zone, 58% produced better results than previously reported

The nugget effect (coarse gold) is significant at Massala West, with an average grade increase of 0.27 g/t Au in samples containing greater than 0.05 g/t Au

Additional sampling programs are being planned to assess the nugget effect on the gold grades within the lateritic zone

Compass CEO, Larry Phillips, said, Additional resampling of previously drilled RC holes at Massala West has confirmed our earlier retesting at Moribala 15 km to the south, that our initial assay results have under-reported gold concentrations on the prospect. New testing of different portions of some of the same samples has identified wider, higher grade and more abundant mineralization over a tested strike length of 1.1 km of the 3.6 km Massala West zone.

He added, With these positive results, the Company is now planning additional trenching at Massala West and Tarabala to determine a more accurate gold grade and whether there is significantly more gold present within these extensive zones.

Figure 1: Location of the Massala West prospect with respect to mineralized structures in the area.

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/2a81c673-add4-42ea-ad1c-a182252954f5



Story continues

Massala West Re-Assaying Results

As previously reported (see Compass news release dated August 29, 2022), initial drilling results over the artisanal workings at Dakoun and Dafaraba on the Moribala permit (Figure 1) were at odds with the gold recoveries noted by the artisanal miners. Company geologists suspected that the variable sizes of the golds distribution (i.e., it was nuggety) resulted in lower grades from the initial RC rock chip samples submitted to the lab. To test this hypothesis, coarse field rejects from the RC program were washed and sieved to separate the quartz vein material from the weathered wall rock and friable vein material (now clays). The results of this work showed that gold grades were typically significantly higher in the quartz vein fragments than in the weathered rock, and the overall recombined grades were higher. A similar approach was taken 15 km along strike at the Massala West prospect located on the Sankarani permit.

A total of 287 samples were collected from waste bags at six previously drilled RC holes at Massala West on four fence lines over a distance of 1,100 m (Figure 2). The holes tested quartz veins within the mineralized zone (SARC07, 08, 09, 12), and outside the zone (SARC06 and 11). The results showed that most assays of the weighted average recombined sample were higher than the original assay and the mineralized intervals were wider (Table 1). The maximum interval was 28 m @ 0.63 g/t Au (from 24 m in SARC08). Previous sampling of this same zone identified two zones at 3 m @ 0.69 g/t Au (from 24 m) and 5 m @ 0.59 g/t Au (from 45 m). The largest increase in grade was recorded from SARC12. Previous sampling returned 3 m @ 0.43 g/t Au (from 19 m; including 2 m @ 0.62 g/t Au) and the new sampling from the same intercept returned 3 m @ 2.75 g/t Au. An 8 m interval in the same hole showed a modest decrease from an average of 0.55 g/t Au in the original assaying to 0.38 g/t Au in the new assaying.

Figure 2: Location of the drillholes used in the re-sampling study.

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/7a6a1a13-8ac6-431b-9457-2e8c19cc76a4

From the total of 287 samples analysed, 258 were from holes within the mineralized zone. Fifty-eight percent (58%) of the latter samples showed an increase in the gold content in the recombined samples compared to the original assays. The average increase for these samples from the mineralized zone was 0.27 g/t Au.

A similar exercise was not possible at the Tarabala prospect, as the waste bags had been either processed by the artisanal miners, or the bags had degraded in the sun.

The results of the study presented in Table 1 demonstrate that gold is more commonly found associated with the quartz veins, and a larger sample size helps to recover more of the gold, suggesting a nugget effect is present.

Table 1. Comparison between original assay results and assays from quartz vein and clay fractions from RC drill holes at Massala West

Hole ID From

(m) To

(m) 1Interval

(m) Au (g/t)

Original

Assay Au (g/t)

Quartz

Fraction Au (g/t)

Clay

Fraction 2Au (g/t)

Recombined Percent difference

between original and

recombined samples SARC06 54 55 1 1.86 4.28 0.81 1.15 -38 % SARC07 71 77 6 0.27 0.18 0.29 0.26 -3 % SARC08 24 52 28 0.30 1.06 0.59 0.63 107 % inc 24 27 3 0.69 2.63 1.27 1.54 124 % inc 45 51 6 0.52 0.57 0.62 0.61 17 % inc 66 71 5 0.26 1.41 0.72 0.75 189 % SARC09 69 76 7 0.22 0.14 0.45 0.42 87 % SARC11 45 46 1 0.05 2.33 0.38 0.77 1476 % SARC12 19 22 3 0.43 0.67 2.80 2.75 540 % SARC12 46 54 8 0.55 0.24 0.38 0.38 -32 % SARC12 63 68 5 0.10 0.23 0.38 0.36 257 %

1True thicknesses are interpreted as 70-90% of stated intervals.

2 Quartz and clay fractions grades have been combined based on the volume fraction observed during drilling. Caution is advised.



Next Steps

Due to the variable gold grades encountered during the AC and RC drilling programs at Moribala, questions arose concerning the true concentration of gold associated with the artisanal workings on the Moribala and Tarabala faults. Plans are underway to collect a series of large representative samples (10-20 kg) to increase the likelihood of detecting coarse-grained gold and investigate the possibility of recoverable gold in the weathered rock (laterite) associated with the Moribala and Tarabala faults. Sampling will be conducted on near surface mineralization at locations where veins are projected to surface at both prospects. This work is to be conducted from mid-October to mid-November, with results expected by end of December.

Technical Details

A total of 287 samples were collected from bagged waste chips at five previously drilled RC holes on the Massala West prospect. The samples were chosen from intervals with known gold mineralization, and intervals with abundant quartz veining (without gold). The intervals were within the laterite horizon and fresh bedrock. Not all the Massala West holes could be tested due to artisanal miners removing waste sample bags and reprocessing the material. This was also noted at Tarabala where drilling occurred in 2020. Samples were washed and sieved in the field, and the corresponding quartz and clay (residual rock) fractions separated. Samples were prepared by Compass staff and an appropriate number of standards, duplicates and blanks were submitted and analysed for gold at SGS (Bamako, Mali) by fire assay.

During drilling the volume percentage of quartz was noted every metre. This information was used to combine the quartz vein and clay fractions to produce a more accurate determination of the total gold based on a weighted average. This work was performed by Dr. Madani Diallo and checked by EurGeol. Dr. Sandy Archibald, P.Geo. The results are presented in Table 1.

About Compass Gold Corp.

Compass, a public company having been incorporated into Ontario, is a Tier 2 issuer on the TSX- V. Through the 2017 acquisition of MGE and Malian subsidiaries, Compass holds gold exploration permits located in Mali that comprise the Sikasso Property. The exploration permits are located in four sites in southern Mali with a combined land holding of 1,143 km2. The Sikasso Property is located in the same region as several multi-million-ounce gold projects, including Morila, Syama, Kalana and Komana. The Companys Mali-based technical team, led in the field by Dr. Madani Diallo and under the supervision of Dr. Sandy Archibald, P.Geo, is conducting the current exploration program. They are examining numerous anomalies first noted in Dr. Archibalds August 2017 National Instrument 43-101 Technical Report on the Sikasso Property, Southern Mali.

QAQC

All AC samples were collected following industry best practices, and an appropriate number and type of certified reference materials (standards), blanks and duplicates were inserted to ensure an effective QAQC program was carried out. The 1 m interval samples were prepared and analyzed at SGS SARL (Bamako, Mali) by fire assay technique FAE505. All standard and blank results were reviewed to ensure no failures were detected.

Qualified Person

This news release has been reviewed and approved by EurGeol. Dr. Sandy Archibald, P.Geo, Compasss Technical Director, who is the Qualified Person for the technical information in this news release under National Instrument 43-101 standards.

ForwardLooking Information

This news release contains forwardlooking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws, including statements regarding the Companys planned exploration work and management appointments. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forwardlooking information. Actual results and developments may differ materially from those contemplated by such information. The statements in this news release are made as of the date hereof. The Company undertakes no obligation to update forwardlooking information except as required by applicable law.

For further information please contact:

Compass Gold Corporation Compass Gold Corporation Larry Phillips  Pres. & CEO Greg Taylor  Dir. Investor Relations & Corporate Communications lphillips@compassgoldcorp.com gtaylor@compassgoldcorp.com T: +1 416-596-0996 X 302 T: +1 416-596-0996 X 301

Website: www.compassgoldcorp.com

NEITHER THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN THE POLICIES OF THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE.




The United States will give Ukraine 18 more advanced rocket systems as part of a new $1.1 billion military aid package to the country, Pentagon officials announced Wednesday.

Well share the details of the latest tranche of weapons and how theyll be provided, plus the growing danger with Russia President Vladimir Putin. Then well look at how top U.S. officials have reached out to their counterparts in Denmark over explosions and leaks at the Nord Stream pipeline, and why U.S. forces brought down an Iranian drone in Iraq.

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. A friend forward this newsletter to you? Subscribe here.

Ukraine getting more rocket systems from US

Eighteen additional High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) will be given to Ukraine under the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI), meaning they wont come from preexisting U.S. weapons stocks and instead will be newly manufactured and sent to Kyiv once finished.

Such a delivery method allows the U.S. government to plan out weapons shipments in the mid and long term while keeping U.S. stocks from being too quickly depleted.

This USAI package underscores the U.S. commitment to supporting Ukraine over the long term, a senior defense official told reporters. It represents a multiyear investment in critical capabilities to build the enduring strength of Ukraines armed forces as it continues to defend Ukraines sovereignty in the face of Russian aggression.

Whats in the package? The package, which brings U.S. security assistance committed to Ukraine to more than $16.2 billion since February, also includes:

HIMARS-associated ammunitions

150 armored high mobility multipurpose wheeled vehicles

40 trucks

80 trailers to help Ukrainian troops transport heavy equipment

Additional radars for drones, communication and surveillance systems

Mine and bomb disposal equipment

Body armor and field equipment

Story continues

When will they get to Ukraine?: The Pentagon expects most of the capabilities in the package to be delivered to Ukraine in six to 24 months.

Read the full story here

Putin seen as more dangerous as war turns sour

Russian President Vladimir Putin is becoming more dangerous and desperate as he faces growing pressure at home over the flailing war effort in Ukraine, observers of the conflict and Moscow say.

Putin in the last week has renewed his threats of using nuclear weapons in Ukraine and moved to annex territories from Ukraine, while arguing attacks on that territory would amount to an attack on Russia.

His government is also suspected in causing leaks to a pipeline under the Baltic Sea that carries fuel to Europe, although the gas flow was earlier suspended.

Following: The new threats come after a mobilization effort of 300,000 reservists in Russia, announced in response to criticism of Putins war effort, received blowback across the country. Images of lines of cars seeking to get across the border into neighboring states have circulated, underscoring internal tensions over the war.

A forceful reaction: The Biden administration and U.S. allies have reacted forcefully, warning that the use of nuclear weapons would lead to serious consequences.

A potential tinderbox: Outside experts describe a tinderbox of sort.

He is dangerous, he is desperate, said Daniel Fried, distinguished fellow at the Atlantic Council and a former U.S. ambassador to Poland.



Because hes in a weak position hes doubling down on what he may consider to be his strongest remaining assets: nuclear threat and ability to use violence to achieve his aims, such as blowing up the Nordstream pipelines, if in fact Russia is responsible, which it appears they may be. Hes hoping to use unpredictability as a tactical weapon to intimidate the West.

Read that story here

Feds offer support to Denmark over Nord Stream

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on Wednesday spoke with his Danish counterpart to offer potential U.S. assistance following explosions and leaks at the Nord Stream pipeline, according to a senior defense official.

Help offered: Secretary Austin has had the opportunity to speak with [Danish Defense Minister Morten Bdskov] today and just offer that, if theres any support that they need were there for them, the official told Pentagon reporters on a background call.

A senior military official who also spoke said the U.S. military has the capability to assist in the region, but we havent been asked to do so.

Other calls: White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan and Secretary of State Antony Blinken have also reached out to their counterparts in Denmark about the leaks.

Earlier accusations: On Tuesday, seismic stations near the Baltic Sea recorded explosions as the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines began experiencing leaks. The two natural gas pipelines run under the sea from Russia to Germany, though they dont currently supply gas to Europe.

European leaders and experts have quickly pointed to possible sabotage as the reason for the sudden leaks, as the West is in an energy standoff with Russia over its war in Ukraine.



Danish officials, meanwhile, have said the leaks were caused by deliberate actions.

New info: State Department spokesperson Ned Price earlier Wednesday said Washington is now sharing information that is in our possession regarding these apparent acts of sabotage on the pipelines, though they have more questions than answers at this point.

Read that story here

US forces bring down Iranian drone

U.S. forces on Wednesday brought down an Iranian drone that officials said appeared poised to attack American troops in Iraq.

Ongoing attacks: The downing came as the Iranian military started a drone bombing campaign targeting the bases of an Iranian-Kurdish opposition group in northern Iraq, attacks that have killed at least nine people and wounded 32 others, according to the Kurdish Regional Governments Health Ministry.

The bombings follow Iraqi and Iranian Kurds protesting in Iraqs northern city of Erbil over the death of Mahsa Amini, the 22-year-old Kurdish woman who died in the custody of Irans so-called morality police.

Condemnation: U.S. Central Command condemns the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps unprovoked attack in Iraqs Erbil Governorate this morning. Such indiscriminate attacks threaten innocent civilians and risk the hard-fought stability of the region, command spokesman Joe Buccino said in a statement.

The U.S. government as a whole has condemned the strikes, with national security adviser Jake Sullivan stating Wednesday that Washington stands with Iraqs leaders in the Kurdistan region and Baghdad in condemning these attacks as an assault on the sovereignty of Iraq and its people.

Drone downing details: In the midst of the bombing campaign, U.S. forces at

2:10 p.m. local time brought down an Iranian Mojer-6 unmanned aerial vehicle headed in the direction of Erbil as it appeared as a threat to CENTCOM forces in the area, according to Buccino.

He noted that no U.S. forces were wounded or killed, no U.S. equipment was damaged as a result of the strikes and that Central Command forces are assessing the situation.

U.S. and coalition troops are based in Iraq to advise and assist its military to counter ISIS militants and keep the terrorist group from resurging in the region.

Read the rest of the story here

ON TAP FOR TOMORROW

The Center for European Policy Analysis will finish off a virtual three-day forum on Meeting the Moment: Allies at a Crossroads, with Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), and Sen. James Risch (R-Idaho), at 9 a.m.

A House Foreign Affairs subcommittee will hold a hearing on Assessing the Biden Administrations U.S. Strategy Toward Sub-Saharan Africa, at 10 a.m.

Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall will speak virtually at The Center for American Progress on The crisis in Ukraine, competition with China, human rights, and the role of the U.S. in the world, at 3 p.m.

WHAT WERE READING

Thats it for today! Check out The Hills Defense and National Security pages for the latest coverage. See you tomorrow!

VIEW FULL VERSION HERE

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Satellite images have given a rare glimpse into the resurgence of fighting in Ethiopia's northern Tigray region, one of the world's most hidden conflicts, where communications have been cut off and journalists denied permission to visit.

The images taken this month show the build-up of troops and military hardware along Ethiopia's border with Eritrea.

They belong to the Ethiopian federal forces and their Eritrean allies who are both fighting the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF), which controls most of the region.

The images taken this month show the build-up of troops and military hardware along Ethiopia's border with Eritrea, which backs Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed against the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF), the group that controls the region.

Eritrea recently mobilised its reserve forces for a reported offensive in Tigray.

Fighting reignited in August after a five-month humanitarian ceasefire broke down.

The United Nations' World Food Programme estimates that 13 million people need aid across northern Ethiopia because of the civil war.

These images were taken on 26 September of the north-western town of Shiraro, which had been in the hands of the Tigrayans until it was taken over by pro-government forces earlier this month.

The image above shows the main road leaving the town heading east.

Tanks are positioned on the main road in the bottom left. Maiani Hospital can be seen in the top right. This opened in 2014 with surgical rooms, an obstetrics department, X-ray facilities and 35 beds.

What appears to be about 150 people, probably fighters, are organised in a formation or queue stretching from the entrance back to the main road.

Last year, reports suggested the hospital was badly damaged.

The charity MSF said in March 2021 that its teams had found health facilities across the region - including Maiani hospital - "looted, vandalised and destroyed in a deliberate and widespread attack".

Of 106 centres they visited, only 13% were working normally. MSF said, "While some looting may have been opportunistic, health facilities in most areas appear to have been deliberately vandalised to make them non-functional."

Story continues

Destroyed hospital

The BBC has spoken to a senior aid worker in the town of Shire, which is 95km (60 miles) east of Shiraro. He says about 210,000 people have fled Shiraro and the surrounding areas to Shire since 1 September.

"For one week [in August] before the people left the town, there was continuous shelling, it was 24 hours, continuous," he told the BBC.

We have hidden the aid worker's identity for his safety.

He told the BBC that according to those fleeing, as well as his staff who had been posted to Shiraro, Maiani Hospital was now in the hands of Eritrean and Ethiopian government forces.

On 13 September, before the latest satellite images were taken, the head of the Tigrayan Forces, General Tedesse Werede, told local media that "the joint Eritrean and Ethiopian army in Shiraro have taken control of areas from Shiraro to Ademeiti".

It is not clear who is currently in charge of Shiraro - the aid worker in Shire told the BBC reports of who is control change day by day.

Less than a kilometre south of the hospital lies what Maxar, the company which released the images, identifies as "towed artillery in firing positions".

What the artillery is aimed at is unclear.

There has been no comment from the Eritrean or Ethiopian governments about their reported presence in Shiraro.

But last week, the US special envoy for the Horn of Africa told journalists that the US was concerned about Eritrean troops crossing into Ethiopia and that it "must stop".

"We've been tracking Eritrean troops movements across the border. The presence of Eritrean troops in Ethiopia only serves to complicate matters and to inflame an already tragic situation," Mike Hammer said.

Six kilometres (four miles) away from Shiraro, Maxar captured a long line of about 45 vehicles. They appear to include a number of buses and to be heading towards the town.

Five kilometres further down the road is another, smaller group of about 20 military vehicles and buses, also travelling towards Shiraro.

This is the Adi Goshu road which leads from Shiraro to western Tigray's biggest town, Humera, and then, ultimately, to Eritrea, which is about 180km (110 miles) away - about a three-hour drive.

Western Tigray has been under the control of Ethiopian government forces and their allies since the start of the conflict at the end of 2020.

Here, in a position off the road near Shiraro, the satellite image indicates buses and vehicles of the same type seen in the previous image on Adi Goshu Road parked next to and between some buildings.

By the morning after these images were taken, satellite photos of the same position no longer show the vehicles - suggesting they had moved location.

This tallies with reports from people who have fled Shire that positions in town are shifting between opposing forces.

According to an internal document from the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs seen by the BBC, at least 10 people had been killed by fighting in and around Shiraro by 14 September.

Like the senior aid worker, it says 210,000 people have fled the area, including 45,000 internally displaced people who had previously fled western Tigray.

Map showing Eritrea and Ethiopia

Maxar also released images taken on 19 September around the town of Serha, in Eritrea, which lies just one kilometre from Ethiopia, just across the border from the town of Zalambessa.

The day after these images were taken, the Tigray authorities said in a statement that Eritrea's President Isaias Afwerki had "mobilised Eritrea's entire army, and reservists and militia, launching massive offensives via Zalambessa", among other locations.

Maxar identified this as an M-46 field gun battery, positioned to the north of the town of Serha.

A little further south, next to a cemetery, Maxar identified this as an S21 SP howitzer battery. The tracks left in the ground as they took up their positions are clearly visible in the earth to the left of the image.

And much closer to the Ethiopian border, Maxar identified this as the main battle tank deployment. These positions are within one kilometre of the border - from here, you could walk to Ethiopia in about 15 minutes.

Images by Maxar Technologies Inc
With the midterms just weeks away, the Wisconsin Main Street Agenda project is speaking with voters across the state to get a sense of what's on their minds ahead of the election.

The project is a collaboration between the USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin, Wisconsin Public Radio and the La Follette School of Public Affairs at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

You can participate in the Main Street project in two ways  by filling out our online questionnaire at tinyurl.com/mainstreetagenda and by attending one of our three remaining free town hall meetings that will address some of the concerns you raised in the survey.

MORE: As the midterms approach, six Wisconsin voters worry about partisanship, the economy and our state's future

MORE: Inflation, democracy, climate change are among the issues worrying Wisconsin. We're hosting events across the state to talk about it.

Here's what we learned from our latest round of reporting:

Montavius Jones

Montavius Jones

Community: Milwaukee

Age: 29

Political leaning: Liberal

Whats missing in Wisconsin politics?

Bipartisanship. It's a four-letter word these days but what other options do we have? There is straight vitriol at the state level from the Legislature towards Milwaukee. We are the state's punching bag. But as goes Milwaukee, goes the state. We are the economic powerhouse of the state and we can't even get a seat at the table. If the state does not want to give Milwaukee carte blanche to do what we see fit for our community, at least work with us on solutions that will benefit all of Wisconsin and fix some of our problems.

What story would you put on the front page of Wisconsin newspapers?

Bipartisan coalition of Wisconsin municipal leaders helps fix shared revenue model and give back local control on taxes. Milwaukee is facing a fiscal cliff in the next couple years, and it will be ugly if the state does not do something about it.

What is your top concern? How does it affect your life?

My top concern for Wisconsin is a state government nowhere near prepared for the combined effects of climate change, income inequality, housing instability and an infrastructure bill that is past due. We are stuck with an economic growth agenda from 1960.

Story continues

How have you evolved politically in the past five years?

I have become much more informed on local and state politics and less focused on federal issues. I can be much more involved at the local level and see direct impacts on my life and community by what happens in Madison and at City Hall.

Poe Ru

Community: Milwaukee

Age: 46

Political leaning: Democrat

Whats missing in Wisconsin politics?

My first concern is safety. Many people use guns and become violent.

What story would you put on the front page of Wisconsin newspapers?

I am concerned about wars in the world like Ukraine and Myanmar. I have family in Myanmar, and the Burmese army is killing ethnic people. They are bombing villages. People have no food or money, and they can't cross the border to another country.

What is your top concern? How does it affect your life?

A lot of people use guns to solve problems. I am concerned about school shootings or shootings in other crowded places. There are too many guns and not enough security.

How have you evolved politically in the past five years?

I have always been a Democrat because I think they help people more than Republicans do.

George Meyer

Community: Madison

Age: 75

Political leaning: Moderate/Independent/Libertarian leanings

Whats missing in Wisconsin politics?

Civility; political parties listening to each other and constituents of different political beliefs; compromise to solve problems; control of unlimited funding of political campaigns by special interests and individuals; the adoption of initiative referenda to allow the majority of citizens to offset the current control of policymaking by narrow well-funded special interests; expansion of secure voting opportunities for those having valid identification.

What story would you put on the front page of Wisconsin newspapers?

The actual current and future negative impacts of climate change on Wisconsin: flooding, wildlife, fisheries, agriculture, forestry, property insurance, infrastructure damage and replacement costs, human health, our state and federal economies, and the future impact on taxes.

What is your top concern? How does it affect your life?

The rising tide of anti-democracy forces in this country and state; the increasingly open and tacit validation of white supremacy by major political figures; and the control of government by narrow interest groups to the detriment of the majority of the country and states population. I was raised to have strong patriotic values, strengthened by the loss of two of my uncles as a result of World War II, and I am truly worried that we are losing our country as a democracy. I fear the impact on all including my children and grandson.

Are candidates in the midterm election addressing your concerns?

The concerns are not being raised as strongly as necessary. Discussion from all candidates, not just some, should be on how they are going to work to solve problems in a bipartisan manner, how they are going to protect the rights of all citizens, how they are going to cool the embers of anti-democracy rhetoric and violence and lastly their methods to address the negative impacts of climate change.

How have you evolved politically in the past five years?

Currently an Independent, having grown up in a Republican community, having served in a Republican administration (he was Department of Natural Resources secretary under former Gov. Tommy Thompson) and having worked with members of both major parties on many policy issues, I have become very hesitant to support candidates who do not clearly speak out against the forces that deny the results of recent legitimate elections and do not strongly condemn those who inspired and carried out the efforts of January 6, 2020 to prevent the peaceful transition of political authority in our country. Failing to do so is not patriotic.

Mark Nickels

Mark Nickels

Community: Manitowoc

Age: 62

Political leaning: I prefer not to be associated with either party although I probably skew closer to the Democrats on most issues.

What's missing in Wisconsin politics?

The willingness to compromise. It is disappointing to see the mentality that both sides have in prioritizing wins for their party and not being willing to come to the table to honestly work out a solution if that means that the other party may claim a win on an issue. It seems that it is all about their party and not about what can benefit the state as a whole. Obviously, there are different opinions on how to address issues but we must be willing to listen and work together with those who have different ideas than our own.

What story would you put on the front page of Wisconsin newspapers?

The lack of programs to deal with mental health and drug addiction. While there are programs to address these issues, they are inadequate in number and state-wide coverage. I believe that many people could become productive members of society and would rely less on government services if we could provide adequate programs. I also believe that increased efforts concerning drug addiction will also lead to a reduction in crime.

What is your top concern? How does it affect your life?

The future of our democracy. Social media has amplified fringe ideas and too many people have bought into the lies about the last election even though there has been no credible evidence. It reminds me of Joe McCarthy who claimed things but never produced any evidence. It is disappointing to see and hear people who have a you are for us or against us attitude and that does not bode well for institutions to be productive in resolving issues for the common good.

Are state and local candidates addressing your concerns?

No. All I hear is bashing of their opponents via lies, half-truths and vague statements of so-called hot button issues. What are their positions on abortion, overpopulation of our jails and prisons, fixing our roads, funding our education system adequately, increased funding of our mental health and drug addiction programs, conservation of our natural resources and updating our aging utility infrastructure?

How have you evolved politically in the past five years?

I have become deeply concerned with Republicans as they have moved so far toward what was once an extreme position. Their general silence on the January 6 insurrection, tolerance of outright lies and unsubstantiated statements of voter fraud is very troubling.

Joe Oberbroeckling

Joe Oberbroeckling

Community: Howards Grove

Age: 54

Political leaning: Republican

Whats missing in Wisconsin politics?

What's missing is politicians talking about the importance of family. My wife and I are parents and four teenage boys. Raising children in a two-parent family and parents serving as the primary teachers helps ensure children grow into responsible adults who take education seriously and treat others respectfully, including teachers and law enforcement. I realize this topic is not common in politics but I also look at the trajectory our society is on and it seems like the "same old, same old" in politics is not working.

What is your top concern? How does it affect your life?

Being married to a second-grade teacher I see school having to take an active roll in "raising" kids. As a result, schools have to spend more and more money on special services (programs, meals, etc.) which impacts taxes. The services we pay for with taxes is becoming even more frustrating to me. My other big concern I have is the unwillingness for politicians to find middle ground on so many issues. As a moderate conservative, I appreciate when our two parties can find middle ground. But this seems to be very uncommon nowadays.

Are state and local candidates addressing your concerns?

I haven't heard any of them talk about the importance of family and parents.

How have you evolved politically in the past five years?

I have grown a bit more moderate in my conservative views. I attribute Trump's participation in politics to me becoming less conservative. I did not appreciate his approach to leadership. I appreciate his policy, just not the person. I'm trying to practice what I preach by moderating my beliefs so I can find value in a more liberal position.

What do you want the other political party to understand about you and your side?

Worry less about getting reelected and more about solving our nation's most pressing problems. If we don't come together and find some middle ground our nation will continue to lose ground as the best country in the world. I would also ask my liberal friends how their social welfare policies are helping to raise people up versus serving to keep them reliant on the government. Those policies are not working for the current generation or the previous two generations.

Sophia Voight can be reached at svoight@postcrescent.com. Follow her on Twitter @sophia_voight.

Our free town hall meetings continue in October

Register now for one of our town hall meetings.

7 p.m., Oct. 6, Ingleside Hotel, 2810 Golf Road, Pewaukee. Focus: Inflation and the state of the U.S. economy. To register, go to: https://tinyurl.com/pewaukeeagenda

7 p.m., Oct. 11, Brown County Public Library, 515 Pine St., Green Bay. To register, go to: https://tinyurl.com/greenbayagenda

7 p.m., Nov. 1, UW Stevens PointWausau Campus: UW Center for Civic Engagement, 625 Stewart Ave, Wausau. To register, go to: https://tinyurl.com/wausauagenda

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Wisconsin voters share top concerns ahead of the November election
Dominique Boutonnat, president of Frances National Cinema Centre (CNC) is to stand trial in relation to accusations of sexual assault by his godson, French news agency AFP has reported.

The producer and CNC head was first placed under investigation in October 2020 after his godson filed a police complaint accusing him of sexual assault during a family holiday in Greece in August 2020. He was then indicted in February 2021.

More from Deadline

Boutonnat has denied the allegations and his lawyer has suggested he may sue his accuser.

Despite the charges hanging over him, Boutonnat was retained in his role as head of the CNC amid calls from the local film and TV industry for him to be suspended while legal action was underway.

In July, Boutonnat was reappointed to the role for a second term against a backdrop of criticism from some parts of the film industry over his performance as well as renewed calls for him to stand aside while the sexual assault case was being investigated.

At the time of his reappointment, Frances incoming Culture Minister Rima Abdul Malak expressed her full support for Boutonnat saying she knew of no reason as to why he should not be renewed in the position.

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VANCOUVER, BC, Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - Galiano Gold Inc. ("Galiano" or the "Company") (TSX: GAU) (NYSE American: GAU) is pleased to provide results from independent metallurgical test work conducted on the Esaase deposit at the Asanko Gold Mine ("AGM"), located in Ghana, West Africa. The AGM is a 50:50 joint venture ("JV") with Gold Fields Ltd (JSE, NYSE: GFI), with the JV managed and operated by Galiano.

Galiano Gold Inc. Logo (CNW Group/Galiano Gold Inc.)

Results of 2022 Esaase Independent Metallurgical Test Work Program

As previously announced on July 8, 2022, the Company reported encouraging results from the internal metallurgical assessment of 2,221 one-metre increments obtained from sixteen diamond drill holes completed in Q2 2022 at Esaase (see news release "Galiano Gold Provides Metallurgical and Operational Update at Asanko Gold Mine").

Further to these internal results, an independent metallurgical test work program has now been completed. The program consisted of lab scale carbon-in-leach bottle roll tests conducted on a total of 8 bulk composites derived from mineralized drill core increments of the 2022 metallurgical drilling campaign. The composites were selected to represent variations in lithological domains, oxidation states, visually logged carbon, and gold grade. Overall weighted average gold recoveries of 87% were achieved for the Esaase deposit. These results support past test work and are in-line with metallurgical recoveries previously assigned to the Esaase deposit.

Table 1  Metallurgical Recoveries of Bulk Composites Comp. ID Composite Description % Recovery 1 Oxide 92 % 2 Transition 92 % 3 Fresh - Upper Sandstone 82 % 4 Fresh - Cobra - Low Au Grade 76 % 5 Fresh - Cobra - High Au Grade 79 % 6 Fresh - Central Sandstone - Low Visible Carbon 92 % 7 Fresh - Central Sandstone - High Visible Carbon 80 % 8 Fresh - Central Sandstone - High Visible Carbon #2 79 %

The weighted average recovery of the Esaase deposit is summarized below in Table 2. This average is calculated based on the proportion of contained material types within the most recent Measured and Indicated Mineral Resources for the Esaase deposit as described in technical report titled "NI 43-101 Technical Report for the Asanko Gold Mine, Ashanti Region, Ghana" with an effective date of February 28, 2022.

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Table 2  Weighted Average Recoveries by Material Type at Esaase Resource Class Material Type %

Weight %

Recovery Measured + Indicated Oxide 18 % 92 % Transition 17 % 92 % Fresh - Upper Sandstone 9 % 82 % Fresh - Cobra 8 % 78 % Fresh - Central Sandstone 48 % 86 % Weighted Average 100 % 87 %

"We are pleased to have concluded this test work program and be in a position to provide clarity on metallurgical recoveries at Esaase," said Matt Badylak, President and Chief Executive Officer. "On the back of this program, in-house test work and recent plant optimizations, we can conclude that although a portion of the Esaase deposit is prone to lower recovery, the relative contribution of this material is not significant and can be effectively managed on a go forward basis. These results now pave the way to reinstate Mineral Reserves for the Asanko Gold Mine which will be described in the upcoming Feasibility Study Technical Report prepared in full by independent consultants. This work is progressing on schedule and is expected to be completed in Q1 2023."

Qualified Person

Alan Eslake, FAusIMM, Chief Metallurgist with Asanko Gold Ghana Limited, is a Qualified Person as defined by Canadian National Instrument 43-101, Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects, and has approved the scientific and technical information contained in this news release.

About Galiano Gold Inc.

Galiano is focused on creating a sustainable business capable of long-term value creation for its stakeholders through exploration and disciplined deployment of its financial resources. The Company currently operates and manages the Asanko Gold Mine, located in Ghana, West Africa which is jointly owned with Gold Fields Ltd. The Company is strongly committed to the highest standards for environmental management, social responsibility, and health and safety for its employees and neighbouring communities. For more information, please visit www.galianogold.com.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements and information contained in this news release constitute " forward-looking statements " within the meaning of applicable U.S. securities laws and " forward-looking information " within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws, which we refer to collectively as " forward-looking statements ". Forward-looking statements are statements and information regarding possible events, conditions or results of operations that are based upon assumptions about future conditions and courses of action. All statements and information other than statements of historical fact may be forward looking statements. In some cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as " seek ", " expect ", " anticipate ", " budget ", " plan ", " estimate ", " continue ", " forecast ", " intend ", " believe ", " predict ", " potential ", " target ", " may ", " could ", " would ", " might ", " will " and similar words or phrases (including negative variations) suggesting future outcomes or statements regarding an outlook.

Forward-looking statements in this news release include, but are not limited to: statements regarding the interpretation of the results of the Esaase metallurgical test work program; the portion of the Esaase deposit that is prone to lower recovery, the impact on the overall deposit, and the ability of the Company to manage the lower recovery; the preparation of a new technical report and definition of mineral reserves at Esaase and other deposits at the AGM and the timing thereof; and information regarding the plans and expectations of the Company. Such forward-looking statements are based on a number of material factors and assumptions, including, but not limited to: the accuracy of the Company's interpretation and understanding of the results of the Esaase metallurgical test work program, the portion of the Esaase deposit that is prone to lower recovery, the impact on the overall deposit and the ability of the Company to manage the lower recovery; that the mineral resource estimate used in the metallurgical test work program continues to be accurate; the Company's new technical report and definition of mineral reserves at the AGM proceeding as currently anticipated; mining proceeding as currently anticipated; the Company proceeding with further exploration programs as currently anticipated; that future exploration programs will provide the basis for future mineral resources and reserves; that the Joint Venture approves the Company's exploration budget; the ability of the AGM to continue to operate during the COVID-19 pandemic; that gold production and other activities will not be curtailed as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic; that the AGM will be able to continue to ship dore from the AGM site to be refined; that the dore produced by the AGM will continue to be able to be refined at similar rates and costs to the AGM, or at all; that the Company's and the AGM's responses to the COVID-19 pandemic will be effective in continuing its operations in the ordinary course; the accuracy of the estimates and assumptions underlying Mineral Resource and Mineral Reserve estimates and prior exploration results, including future gold prices, cut-off grades and production and processing estimates; the successful completion of development and exploration projects, planned expansions or other projects within the timelines anticipated and at anticipated production levels; that mineral resources can be developed as planned; that the Company's relationship with joint venture partners will continue to be positive and beneficial to the Company; that required financing and permits will be obtained; general economic conditions; that labour disputes or disruptions, flooding, ground instability, geotechnical failure, fire, failure of plant, equipment or processes to operate are as anticipated and other risks of the mining industry will not be encountered; that contracted parties provide goods or services in a timely manner; that there is no material adverse change in the price of gold or other metals; title to mineral properties; costs; the retention of the Company's key personnel; and changes in laws, rules and regulations applicable to Galiano.

Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements. The Company believes the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, but no assurance can be given that these expectations will prove to be correct and you are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements contained herein. Some of the risks and other factors which could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements contained in this news release, include, but are not limited to: uncertainties and risks related to the Company's interpretation and understanding of the results of the Esaase metallurgical test work program, the portion of the Esaase deposit that is prone to lower recovery, the impact on the overall deposit and the ability of the Company to manage the lower recovery; risks related to the accuracy of the mineral resource estimate used in the metallurgical test work program and that the resource estimate may change as a result of the work currently underway and expected to be completed in Q1 of 2023; that the preparation of a new technical report and definition of mineral reserves may not proceed or be completed as expected or at all; that the results of the Company's exploration programs will not conform with the Company's expectations, and will not be sufficient to support mineral resources or mineral reserves at the AGM or be sufficient to include in the Company's updated life of mine plan; the Company's expectations; that the Company may not undertake planned future mining or exploration, or that such future mining or exploration will not be sufficient to support mineral resources or mineral reserves at the AGM; that the JV will approve the Company's proposed exploration and mining programs; the Company's and/or the AGM's operations may be curtailed or halted entirely as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, whether as a result of governmental or regulatory law or pronouncement, or otherwise; that the dore produced at the AGM may not be able to be refined at expected levels, on expected terms or at all; that the Company and/or the AGM will experience increased operating costs as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic; that the AGM may not be able to source necessary inputs on commercially reasonable terms, or at all; the Company's and the AGM's responses to the COVID-19 pandemic may not be successful in continuing its operations in the ordinary course; AGM has a limited operating history and is subject to risks associated with establishing new mining operations; sustained increases in costs, or decreases in the availability, of commodities consumed or otherwise used by the Company may adversely affect the Company; actual production, costs, returns and other economic and financial performance may vary from the Company's estimates in response to a variety of factors, many of which are not within the Company's control; adverse geotechnical and geological conditions (including geotechnical failures) may result in operating delays and lower throughput or recovery, closures or damage to mine infrastructure; the ability of the Company to treat the number of tonnes planned, recover valuable materials, remove deleterious materials and process ore, concentrate and tailings as planned is dependent on a number of factors and assumptions which may not be present or occur as expected; the Company's operations may encounter delays in or losses of production due to equipment delays or the availability of equipment; the Company's operations are subject to continuously evolving legislation, compliance with which may be difficult, uneconomic or require significant expenditures; the Company may be unsuccessful in attracting and retaining key personnel; labour disruptions could adversely affect the Company's operations; the Company's business is subject to risks associated with operating in a foreign country; risks related to the Company's use of contractors; the hazards and risks normally encountered in the exploration, development and production of gold; the Company's operations are subject to environmental hazards and compliance with applicable environmental laws and regulations; the Company's operations and workforce are exposed to health and safety risks; unexpected costs and delays related to, or the failure of the Company to obtain, necessary permits could impede the Company's operations; the Company's title to exploration, development and mining interests can be uncertain and may be contested; the Company's properties may be subject to claims by various community stakeholders; risks related to limited access to infrastructure and water; the Company's exploration programs may not successfully expand its current mineral reserves or replace them with new reserves; the Company's revenues are dependent on the market prices for gold, which have experienced significant recent fluctuations; the Company may not be able to secure additional financing when needed or on acceptable terms; and the Company's primary asset is held through a joint venture, which exposes the Company to risks inherent to joint ventures, including disagreements with joint venture partners and similar risks.

Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements, you are cautioned that this list is not exhaustive and there may be other factors that the Company has not identified. Furthermore, the Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements included in, or incorporated by reference in, this news release if these beliefs, estimates and opinions or other circumstances should change, except as otherwise required by applicable law

Cautionary Note to US Investors Regarding Mineral Reporting Standards

As a British Columbia corporation and a "reporting issuer" under Canadian securities laws, the Company is required to provide disclosure regarding its mineral properties, including the AGM, in accordance with Canadian National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43-101"). NI 43-101 is a rule developed by the Canadian Securities Administrators that establishes standards for all public disclosure an issuer makes of scientific and technical information concerning mineral projects. In accordance with NI 43-101, the Company uses the terms mineral reserves and resources as they are defined in accordance with the CIM Definition Standards on mineral reserves and resources (the "CIM Definition Standards") adopted by the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum. In particular, the terms "mineral reserve", "proven mineral reserve", "probable mineral reserve", "mineral resource", "measured mineral resource", "indicated mineral resource" and "inferred mineral resource" used in this press release are Canadian mining terms defined in accordance with CIM Definition Standards. These definitions differ from the definitions in the disclosure requirements promulgated by the SEC. Accordingly, information contained in this press release may not be comparable to similar information made public by U.S. companies reporting pursuant to SEC disclosure requirements.

United States investors are also cautioned that while the SEC will now recognize "measured mineral resources", "indicated mineral resources" and "inferred mineral resources", investors should not assume that any part or all of the mineralization in these categories will ever be converted into a higher category of mineral resources or into mineral reserves. Mineralization described using these terms has a greater amount of uncertainty as to their existence and feasibility than mineralization that has been characterized as reserves. Accordingly, investors are cautioned not to assume that any "measured mineral resources", "indicated mineral resources", or "inferred mineral resources" that the Company reports are or will be economically or legally mineable.

Further, "inferred resources" have a greater amount of uncertainty as to their existence and as to whether they can be mined legally or economically. Therefore, United States investors are also cautioned not to assume that all or any part of the inferred resources exist. In accordance with Canadian rules, estimates of "inferred mineral resources" cannot form the basis of feasibility or other economic studies, except in limited circumstances where permitted under NI 43-101.

Neither Toronto Stock Exchange nor the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Cision

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SOURCE Galiano Gold Inc.
George and Amal Clooney share 5-year-old twins, Ella and Alexander.

Even George Clooney knows there's no such thing as a perfect parent.

The actor, 61, recently opened up about the big mistake he made with his own two children, who he shares with wife Amal Clooney, 44.

During an appearance on CBS Mornings on Wednesday, Sept. 28, the Clooneys discussed their 5-year-old twins, Ella and Alexander, while revealing their one big flub as parents.

"We've made a terrible mistake," George confessed during the conversation with Gayle King. "We taught them Italian."

While that doesn't sound bad, he continued, "But we don't speak Italian," adding, "So we've armed with a language they can harm us with. And we both don't really know what they're saying."

The couple then confirmed that their children are not only fluent in Italian, but they can also speak French as well, along with their mom, who knows both French and Arabic, in addition to English.

But The Tender Bar actor is admittedly less eloquent, joking, "I'm from Kentucky, you know, English is my second language."

Talking more about their little ones, the doting dad revealed that Alexander's favorite superhero is Batman, a character George once portrayed.

"You know I was Batman," George recalled telling his son. "He goes, 'Yeah but not anymore.' If only he knew how true that was."

At the time of the interview, George and Amal were also celebrating their 8-year anniversary as husband and wife, calling their marriage "the easiest thing in our lives" over the years.

"You look at her with such awe," King told George, to which he responded, "I mean, what's not to look at."

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"By the way it's our anniversary and we're spending it with you," he told the TV personality, who quipped, "I couldn't think of a better way to spend your anniversary.

You can watch the Clooneys' full interview with Gayle King here.

More Entertainment:
People who want to donate money to help victims of Hurricane Ian can do so through a new fund set up by Town of Palm Beach United Way.

Palm Beach residents Bill and Norma Tiefel joined Richard and Barbara Rothschild to kick-start the fund with a combined $50,000 donation that will match donors gifts dollar for dollar up to that amount. Bill Tiefel and Richard Rothschild both hold leadership positions with the organization.

The charitable agencys Hurricane Ian Recovery Fund went live Thursday to channel donations to relief efforts for Southwest Florida, where the brutal storm made landfall near Punta Gorda as a strong Category 4 hurricane Wednesday afternoon.

The Palm Beach-based charitable organization  separate from the United Way of Palm Beach County  has overseen similar funds for other disaster-relief campaigns, including a massive aid effort after Category 5 Hurricane Dorian struck the northern Bahamas in early September 2019.

Ian's aftermath: Tropical Storm Ian live updates on Thursday: At least 6 dead in Lee, Volusia Counties

Two minutes of terror: Tornado spawned by Hurricane Ian leaves many in 55+ community west of Delray homeless

Donations to the Hurricane Ian fund will be distributed to agencies providing immediate assistance, such as food, water and shelter, according to a release from the Town of Palm Beach United Way. The organization is communicating with aid organizations in the affected areas to identify what resources are needed, the release said.

The hurricane, which struck the west coast of Cuba on its way to Florida, spawned record-setting storm surges and intense rainfall.

Ian already is ranked among the top five most powerful storms to ever strike the United States. More than 2 million people were left without power as of Thursday, officials said.

Hurricane Dorian relief: Town of Palm Beach United Way fund distributes final recovery grant after raising nearly $690,000

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Town of Palm Beach United Way: Volunteer appreciation reception honors committee members

Hurricane Ian was a storm unlike any Southwest Florida has experienced in decades, Bill Tiefel said in a prepared statement released by Town of Palm Beach United Way. Tiefel is chairman of the group's board of trustees.

He added: Homes, businesses and infrastructure are destroyed. People are trapped; some without power and water. Anything the Palm Beach community can do to help our west coast neighbors is greatly appreciated.

In the same statement, Richard Rothschild, campaign chairman for the organization, described reports about the storm and images from the affected areas as heartbreaking.

Restoring power and other infrastructure will take time, Rothschild said. We hope the Palm Beach community will help provide short-term aid to these devastated communities.

Although the storm weakened substantially after it made landfall, it continued to damage buildings and cause massive flooding as it forged a northeast track across the state that took it to Orlando toward Daytona Beach. Ian exited the states east coast as a tropical storm late in the day Thursday into the Atlantic Ocean and then headed toward the coast of South Carolina as a Category 1 hurricane.

The Town of Palm Beach United Way ended up distributing nearly $690,000 from 250 donors to its 2019 fund to help victims of Hurricane Dorian. At the time, Palm Beachers said they were especially eager to donate because they considered the northern Bahamas, including the northeastern Abacos, to be practically in their back yard. Many Palm Beachers had built vacation homes or spent holidays in the island region.

From the archives: Town of Palm Beach United Way panel begins allotting Dorian recovery funds

Hurricane Ian destroys home in Florida Thursday.

Dorian originally had been forecast to make a direct hit either at or near Palm Beach. But the storms path changed. After pummeling the Bahamas for 24 hours, it headed west toward Florida before making a sharp turn to the north, eventually striking North Carolina.

Town of Palm Beach United Way officials also collected funds for relief efforts related to hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria in 2017 as well as aiding flood victims in the Southeast United States.

To donate to the Hurricane Ian Recovery Fund, visit PalmBeachUnitedWay.org/Hurricane-Ian-Recovery-Fund. Donors also can call 561-655-1919 or send a check to Town of Palm Beach United Way with Hurricane Ian in the memo. Donations are tax deductible and 100% will go directly to relief efforts related to Hurricane Ian, according to the United Way.

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This story was updated Sept. 30, 2022, to add details about the matching donation made to the Hurrican Ian relief fund.

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Darrell Hofheinz is a USA TODAY Network of Florida journalist who writes about Palm Beach real estate in his weekly Beyond the Hedges column. He welcomes tips about real estate news on the island. Email dhofheinz@pbdailynews.com, call (561) 820-3831 or tweet @PBDN_Hofheinz. Help support our journalism. Subscribe today.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Daily News: Town of Palm Beach United Way creates Hurricane Ian relief fund
Millions of Florida residents have been left without power and stranded in their homes, while potentially hundreds are feared dead as Hurricane Ian roars across the state, leaving destruction and devastation in its wake.

Though Ian has since been downgraded to a tropical storm, the strong winds and heavy rains it unleashed Wednesday upon Florida made it one of the strongest storm systems in U.S. history, USA Today reported. More than 2.6 million Florida homes and business were without power early Thursday, and at least five deaths have been confirmed as the death toll only now begins to become apparent.

USA TODAY Ian live updates: "Hundreds" feared dead, 2.6M without power as Tropical Storm Ian continues to wallop Florida

Boats are pushed up on a causeway after Hurricane Ian passed through the area on Thursday in Fort Myers, Florida. The hurricane brought high winds, storm surge and rain to the area causing severe damage.

Disaster relief efforts will likely ramp up as the storm is forecast to roar across the state most of Thursday before heading out into the Atlantic. Here are some organizations assisting in relief efforts where Greater Columbus can make donations:

More than 500 trained American Red Cross disaster workers  including about 10 from central and southern Ohio  were on the ground Wednesday in Florida, where they were prepared to help as many as 60,000 people find shelter and supplies.

The Red Cross has also sent several hundred type-O blood products to Florida to ensure blood continues to be available for patients in areas expected to be impacted by the storm.

Help coming from Columbus: Ohio Task Force 1, AEP Ohio, Red Cross head south to help with Hurricane Ian relief

Donations to the Red Cross will enable the organization to continue bolstering those relief efforts and assist people in recovering from the disaster.

How to donate:

Give blood by visiting www.redcrossblood.org to make an appointment or by downloading the Red Cross blood donor mobile app.

Donate to Red Cross Disaster Relief by visiting www.redcross.org/donate/donation.html, calling 1-800-RED CROSS, or texting the word IAN to 90999 to make a $10 donation

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Volunteer by visiting www.redcross.org/volunteer/become-a-volunteer.html#step1

The Salvation Army has as many as 37 canteens, or mobile feeding units, and one field kitchen ready to mobilize across the affected area of Florida immediately once the worst of the storm has passed.

The Salvation Army is already serving some of the predicted million evacuees at a few of its shelters in Florida, while a caravan containing mobile feeding units will depart from Texas with more than 6,000 pre-made meals to begin feeding Floridians on Saturday, said Maj. Tricia Brennan, area coordinator for the Salvation Army in Central Ohio.

Additionally, two major warehouses in Tampa, Florida, and McDonough, Georgia, are being prepped with food, water, cleaning supplies, hygiene products, and anything else that will be needed by the thousands of people in the storms path.

As relief efforts evolve to meet the needs of Floridians, Brennan said that monetary donations are most helpful so that items can be purchased in Florida without truckloads of supplies needing to be transported across state lines. All designated disaster donations go to direct services for survivors and first responders.

How to donate:

Visit www.HelpSalvationArmy.org or call 1-800-SAL-ARMY (1-800-725-2769)

The Florida Disaster Fund, the state's official private fund assisting with disaster response and relief efforts, was activated Wednesday.

Donations to the fund are made to the Volunteer Florida Foundation, a nonprofit agency.

How to donate:

Mail checks to made out to Volunteer Florida Foundation to 1545 Raymond Diehl Rd., Suite 250, Tallahassee, FL 32308. Include Florida Disaster Fund in the memo line.

Eric Lagatta is a reporter at the Columbus Dispatch covering social justice issues and nonprofits.

elagatta@dispatch.com

@EricLagatta

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: How people in Ohio can help victims of Hurricane Ian in Florida
As a mother, Kate Currier is living one of her worst nightmares.

The 37-year-old who lives near Mansfield was nervously awaiting phone updates Thursday from her son, Connor Currier, who lives more than 1,000 miles away in Fort Myers, Florida as he figured out his next move after Hurricane Ian ravaged the city Wednesday.

Her son is a freshman at Florida Gulf Coast University in Fort Myers but had been staying at a family friends' summer home during the storm. With the power out now, however, he indicated that he's planning to drive almost an hour to his friend's house in Naples, Kate Currier said Thursday morning.

"But he's not even sure he can get there," she said.

The fly tower of Venice Little Theater was destroyed by winds from Hurricane Ian in downtown Venice, Florida.

Hurricane Ian slammed into Florida's southwestern coast Wednesday as one of the most powerful storms in U.S. history, tearing apart homes and buildings and leaving some residents stranded as storm surge flooded communities, USA Today reported.

The storm made landfall near Cayo Costa as a Category 4 storm Wednesday afternoon with maximum sustained winds measured at a stunning 150 mph  only 7 mph slower than a Category 5, the highest status on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale of Hurricane Intensity. It slowed as it lashed the state and was downgraded to a Category 1 storm Wednesday night, the National Hurricane Center reported.

More than 2.6 million Florida homes and businesses were without power early Thursday.

With many former Ohioans living in Florida for work, retirement or school, some are experiencing their first hurricane. While some chose to leave the state before the storm hit, others stayed and waited.

Riding out the storm in Fort Myers, Longwood

One of the hardest hit areas was Fort Myers, where Connor Currier decided to ride out the storm in a condo. His mother reported that the place remained dry and that only one window was blown out.

"He did leave the condo this morning and started to drive back towards campus," Kate Currier said Thursday. "He says the campus is OK, but everything around it is gone."

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He told his mother that the neighborhood where the condo is located also was destroyed.

"Trees are uprooted, everything around him had been destroyed, as far as other houses, other condo complexes," she said. "There were cars on top of roofs, roofs were taken off."

Im very overwhelmed and not sure what to expect and Im very nervous for my son, she said.

Also riding out the storm was Donna Huntzinger, her husband, Nick, and their two sons, who used to live in Columbus and moved about a year ago. The four of them now live in Longwood, Florida, near Orlando, and while the area did not get hit as badly as Fort Myers, they still experienced high winds and lots of rain, Huntzinger said.

This aerial photo shows damaged homes and debris in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian on Thursday in Fort Myers, Florida.

The 56-year-old said she was feeling a little anxious Wednesday, but knew the hurricane wouldn't be as strong in the inland areas. Huntzinger bought a generator just in case, however, and the device ended up coming in handy, as the family lost power.

"I didn't sleep real well last night. ... There's branches that hit our windows, so that was a little scary," she said Thursday.

Huntzinger said the storm calmed down, but the area was still experiencing rain and high winds.

I looked out and theres all kinds of tree branches scattered through my yard, and there are some trees down in the neighborhood, but nothing around me, thank goodness," she said.

Hurricane Ian relief:Ohio Task Force 1, AEP Ohio, Red Cross head south to help

More:Here's how you can help victims of Hurricane Ian in Florida

Making the drive back to Ohio

Meanwhile, Mary Lee Scott and her husband, Larsen Scott, decided to leave their apartment in Rotonda West, near Fort Myers, ahead of the hurricane and drove to Powell to stay with their daughter, Lee Johnson. The two left Tuesday morning, stayed in Alabama for the night, and made it to Ohio Wednesday night.

The Scotts lived with their daughter before moving to Florida about eight years ago after Larsen Scott retired.

Mary Lee Scott said a neighbor in Florida who had decided to stay home was keeping her updated about their apartment complex. The 76-year-old found out the power in the complex has been out since Wednesday, water was cut off Thursday morning and flood water had reached the buildings.

Mary Lee Scott said she has since lost touch with the neighbor due to power outages.

"I don't know what we're going back to, so we're just going to stay here until somebody says, 'Yep, you can move back into your apartment,'" she said.

Live updates:Tropical Storm Ian pounds Florida as death toll mounts; 2.6M without power

Wexner Medical Center doctor helping those in need

Moving in the opposite direction was Dr. Nicholas Kman, an emergency medicine physician for the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center who arrived in Florida Wednesday. He is part of a group of medical and fire personnel for the search-and-rescue team Ohio Task Force 1.

While the team was in the northern part of the state, they planned to move into the storm area Thursday to begin helping victims, he said.

Kman said this is the fifth hurricane to which he has responded. He also took on missions for hurricanes Harvey, Dorian, Laura and Ida.

He said being a part of the task force gives him another opportunity to help people.

"There's going to be a lot of people who have lost shelter or been separated from their family or pets, so in helping them, it can be a very rewarding feeling," Kman said.

mwalker@dispatch.com

@micah_walker701

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Hurricane Ian is impacting former Ohio residents living in Florida
Bango PLC

CAMBRIDGE, United Kingdom, Sept. 29, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Bango (AIM: BGO), the global platform for data-driven commerce, today announces its unaudited interim results for the six months ended 30 June 2022 (1H22).



1H22 Financial highlights

 Revenue grew 9% to $10.79M (1H21: $9.90M)  Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR)* on 30 June 2022 was $3.41M (31 December 2021: $0.97M)  End User Spend (EUS)** grew 16% to $2.09B (1H21: $1.80B)  Adjusted EBITDA*** was $2.85M (1H21: $2.78M)





* Annual Recurring Revenue is the annualised value of contracted repeating monthly revenue ** End User Spend is the total value of net transactions processed by the Bango Platform *** Adjusted EBITDA is operating profit before depreciation, amortization and share based payments.

1H22 Operational highlights

Bango Payments: More Users, More Routes, More Merchants, More Insights

 Platform deal signed with T-Mobile US solidifies Bangos market leading position as the industry standard platform for creating bundled subscription offers  24 global merchants added to the Bango platform in 1H22 including:  TelevisaUnivision - the largest Spanish language broadcaster in North America, to support its new Vix+ global streaming service  McAfee - adding security software to the range of subscription services enabled through Bango  Global Tech Leader - announced on 23 June 2022, a multinational technology giant that will use the Bango Platform for app store carrier billing and bundling its range of subscription services.

Bango Audiences: More Payment Data, More Sectors, More App Developers, More Platforms

 Continued strong progress with gaming app developers, including the addition of Marvel Games Developer, Kabam  New customers including Adidas and Hard Rock demonstrate the growing appeal of Bango Audiences outside the gaming vertical  Awarded Meta badged partner status. Bango Audiences are now actively recommended as a targeting tool to advertisers using Facebook Ad Manager  Added SnapChat to the suite of compatible social media platforms able to share Bango Audiences, expanding reach beyond Facebook and TikTok.

Post-period

 On 29 August 2022, Bango acquired the global payments business of NTT DOCOMO - DOCOMO Digital - for a gross consideration of 4M, funded using existing Bango cash. At completion, DOCOMO Digital had a cash balance of 3.1M (the Acquisition)  At the same time, Bango signed a long-term agreement with NTT DOCOMO to provide carrier billing and wallet integration services in Japan for the worlds largest merchants  The Acquisition significantly accelerates Bango growth by:  Expanding Bango global partnerships with major customers; doubling the number of Google Play and Amazon routes  Adding new telco partners including Telefonica, America Movil and Deutsche Telecom and extending Bango relationships with Vodafone, Singtel, Softbank and Airtel India  Consolidating the Bango position as a leading payment platform for global merchants including Netflix, BritBox and YouTube and bringing new merchants including Tidal, Discovery, Paramount+ and Jetstar  Expanding the Bango footprint in carrier billing for physical goods, adding Shopify to the Bango Ecosystem  Bringing over $3.5B of EUS that can be monetized in Bango Audiences to help merchants find more paying users.  The Acquisition and NTT DOCOMO Platform deal will contribute $5M of revenue in 2022 and reduce EBITDA by $4M. In 2023 and beyond revenue contribution is expected to be $16M per year, with positive, growing Adjusted EBITDA contribution ($10M in 2024)  Integration following the Acquisition is progressing quickly. Actions taken in the first four weeks have already secured $7.1M of the $21M annual cost synergies planned by the end of FY23. Management expect timing to complete the integration to remain in line with the timescale previously set out.  On 28 September, Bango announced a deal with Movistar Mexico, an expansion of a global agreement with Telefonica Group, acquired through the acquisition of Docomo Digital. Movistar Mexico customers will be able to purchase digital goods including apps, games and content using their telco bill, all powered by the Bango Platform.

Paul Larbey, Chief Executive Officer at Bango, commented:

The first 9 months of 2022 have been more exciting than ever as we continue to execute on our growth plan. The excellent progress in both Bango Audiences and the Platform business provide the basis for accelerating growth, highlighted by Annual Recurring Revenue increasing 3.5x to $3.4M at the end of June.

We added more merchants than ever in the first half of 2022 and our partnership with the confidential Global Tech leader, a household name in consumer products and services, that we announced back in June, is progressing well.

Acquiring DOCOMO Digital in late August has accelerated our journey from tens to hundreds of millions of dollars of revenue by over two years. It solidifies our position as a global leader and brings additional mobile operators and merchants into the Bango circle.

The Acquisition is an important event for the market as a whole. Merchants clearly now have a go to platform for monetizing their content and services. Having one, market-wide monetization platform enables them to deliver better targeted marketing and collect more payments, all through a standard infrastructure.

The long-term agreement signed with NTT DOCOMO to provide payment services in the worlds largest carrier billing market is a major endorsement of the Bango Platform.

With increased scale, new wins delivering revenue, and major events such as Amazon Prime Day, Black Friday, Cyber Monday, the World Cup and Christmas, the second half looks to be even more rewarding, and the Board remains bullish about the future growth of Bango.

Bango will provide a results presentation to investors via the Investor Meet Company platform on 30 September at 1.30pm UK. Sign up for the call here:

https://www.investormeetcompany.com/bango-plc/register-investor

The information contained within this announcement is deemed to constitute inside information as stipulated under the Market Abuse Regulations (EU) No.596/2014. Upon the publication of this announcement, this inside information is now considered to be in the public domain. The person responsible for making this announcement on behalf of Bango is Paul Larbey, Chief Executive Officer.

Contact Details:



Bango PLC Liberum Capital Tel. +1223 617 387 Tel. +44 20 3100 2000 E. investors@bango.com Paul Larbey, CEO Cameron Duncan Matt Garner, CFO Kate Bannatyne Anil Malhotra, CMO Will King Rebecca Jamieson, IR

About Bango

The world's largest online merchants, including Amazon, Google and Microsoft, use Bango technology to acquire more paying users.

Bango has developed unique purchase behavior technology that enables millions more users to buy the products and services they want, using innovative methods of payment including carrier billing, digital wallets and subscription bundling. Bango harnesses this purchase activity into valuable marketing segments, called Bango Audiences. Merchants use these audiences to target their marketing at paying customers based on their purchase behavior. Better targeting increases spend through the Bango payments business, in turn generating more data insights, creating a powerful virtuous circle that drives continuous growth. Everyone connected to the Bango Platform thrives as the virtuous circle grows.

Bango, the technology behind every payment choice. For more information, visit www.bangoinvestor.com

CEO statement

The Bango virtuous circle strategy and investment in R&D continues to generate strong growth. The first half delivered revenue growth of 9% during a period when major currencies declined against the US Dollar (e.g. Japanese Yen down 15% and Euro down 8%) and in a year when large payment events shifted from the first half to the second half.

Bango continues to solidify its position as a leader in the market and, in 1H22, we made great strides towards achieving our goal of becoming the technology behind every payment choice. The most significant move forward took place after the half year end, when Bango acquired DOCOMO Digital on 29 August 2022. This is a highly strategic acquisition that adds huge scale to Bango, accelerating our target revenue growth by over 2 years, and is expected to drive a substantial increase in profitability and cash generation in 2024 and beyond.

Payments

Bango connects the world's largest merchants to consumers who purchase goods using alternative payment methods including carrier billing (charged to a phone bill), mobile wallets and bundled subscription packages.

End User Spend (EUS) grew by 16% in 1H22, as merchants continue to look for new ways they can acquire and retain customers in an environment where consumer spend is under pressure. By using Bango Products, merchants can attract new, paying customers they wouldnt otherwise reach and by bundling these merchant products with their own first-party services, telcos can use the consumer appeal of this content to attract and retain more customers.

Subscription bundling continues to be the fastest growing part of the Payments business, with an increasing number of telcos standardizing on the Bango Platform for all their third-party bundling. The power and ubiquity of the Bango Digital Vending Machine gives us a leading position in this high growth market.

Verizon announced +Play in March 2022, which offers their customers the opportunity to buy a wide range of services, charged to their Verizon bill. Powered by Bango, these services, from category leaders including Disney+, Hulu, ESPN+, discovery+, Netflix, Peloton, HBO Max, WW (Weight Watchers), Calm and Duolingo, address a wide range of consumer interests.

The addition of T-Mobile US as a new platform customer means the majority of telco bundles in the US are powered by the Bango platform  an addressable market of 250 million consumers. These deals - along with the previous wins with BT, Entel Chile and others - resulted in an Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR) of $3.41M at 30 June 2022, 3.5x the amount at 31 December 2021.

Data monetization

Bango Audiences continue to gain traction in the market as online advertisers realize the advantages of targeting based on purchase behavior. There has been significant upheaval in the online advertising market with the removal of widely used data sources, such as Apple IDFA data. This, coupled with Facebook pricing changes, make purchase behavior targeting even more valuable and have also resulted in a surge in customers using Bango Audiences on TikTok, and more recently SnapChat.

In 1H22, Bango became an official Meta Badged Partner. This means Bango Audiences are an approved tool within Facebook ad manager for advertisers wanting to improve their return on ad spend and find more paying customers.

The increasing reach of Bango Audiences outside of the gaming app developer space is exciting and shows an expanding target market for this business. Customers, who initially began using Bango Audiences to attract paying users to their apps, are seeing success with using Audiences to advertise their other products and services, including physical goods. Bango Audiences won new customers, including household names like Adidas, Hard Rock and Marvel games publisher, Kabam. It also won new admirers  Bango Audiences was awarded the Advertising Technology of the Year prize in this years Sammys (the prestigious Sales and Marketing Awards).

People

In May 2022 Bango conducted its annual employee engagement survey. Measured against the Bango THRIVE values (Transparent, Happy, Reliable, Innovative, Victorious, Expressive), we achieved our highest ever score (83%), building on an already record high score achieved in 2021. Maintaining such high levels of engagement during periods of fast growth is never easy but is testament to the commitment of the entire team to the Bango strategy. The level of engagement means that Bango can focus on hiring to grow the team rather than replacing leavers  an advantage few tech companies can demonstrate.

As part of this growth, Bango established a new R&D center in Portugal, providing access a broader pool of talent to accelerate growth.

Acquisition

The most significant development was announced after the half year end, with Bango acquiring the global payments business of NTT DOCOMO on 29 August 2022.

Acquiring DOCOMO Digital brings significant strategic advantage to Bango. It brings scale from the additional $3.5B of EUS and is forecast to deliver $5M revenue in FY22 and $16M in FY23. It is expected to make a positive Adjusted EBITDA contribution in FY23, growing to an expected contribution of $10M in Adjusted EBITDA in FY24, in addition to the organic Bango EBITDA.

The integration is progressing well. Bango has replaced the DOCOMO Digital brand and customer feedback has been universally positive. When the Acquisition was announced, Bango forecast $21M of annualized synergy savings by the end of FY23. After only 4 weeks, actions have been taken that will realize $7.1M, equating to over one third of these synergies and we remain confident about executing on the remaining synergies in the coming months. Management expect timing to complete the integration to remain in line with the timescale previously set out.

The Acquisition brings complementary customer relationships and solidifies our strong position with leading merchants like Amazon and Google and telcos like Vodafone, Softbank and Airtel India, as well as adding new names such as Deutsche Telecom, Hutchison, Telefonica, Tidal, Paramount+, Discovery+ and Sony.

At the same time, Bango signed a long-term agreement with Japans largest operator, NTT DOCOMO, to become the preferred integrator for all their DCB and wallet business. Bango has worked with NTT DOCOMO as the integration partner for physical goods on Amazon.co.jp for many years but extending this partnership to all their merchant integrations under a multi-year agreement validates the unique capabilities of Bango technology and is testament to the power of the Bango Platform.

The deal accelerates each part of the virtuous circle and brings revenue growth forward by more than two years. It adds more merchant products and services for telco partners to offer their customers, it brings more telcos giving merchant partners the opportunity to access more customers globally and increases the volume of transactions flowing through the Bango Platform, providing more data to be monetized via Bango Audiences.

Outlook

With more users, more routes, more customers and more data than ever before the power of the Bango Platform is substantially increased and Bango is well positioned to continue taking market share. The pipeline for the second half of 2022 and beyond is strong.

The unique Bango proposition as a data-driven commerce solution offers partners and customers more than simply a payment connection. The Bango Platform enables them to grow their paying customer base, revenue and profitability. The value of this competitive differentiator increases as Bango scales, validated by leading businesses like Verizon and T-Mobile standardizing on the Bango Platform for all their third-party bundling needs.

The acquisition of DOCOMO Digital strengthens our leadership further. Bango achieves tremendous synergies through the integration of the DOCOMO payments business, which will deliver significantly more revenue and profit in 2023 and beyond. There is work to do to integrate the businesses, but supported by the strong Bango culture, I am pleased with the rapid progress already made in the weeks following the acquisition and am excited by the potential for further rapid growth that the increased scale brings.

Paul Larbey

Chief Executive Officer



CFO statement



Bango revenue continued to grow during the year recording an increase of 9% against 1H21. This supports the planned increased investment in technology and sales & marketing that will drive future revenue gains while still delivering positive Adjusted EBITDA of $2.85M (1H21: $2.78M).

Bango business model

Bango continues to report on one line of business, being payment transactions processed by the Bango Platform for both physical and digital goods and data activity from the monetization of payment data. For the first time, Bango is reporting the level of contracted Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR) generated from Platform Agreements.

End User Spend (EUS)

EUS continues to be calculated from the total value of transactions processed by the Bango Platform (excluding taxes). Although not directly linked to revenue, it is a Key Performance Indicator for the business and gives an indication of the growth of Bango customers and partners as well as showing the extent of data available for monetization through unique Bango Purchase Behavior Targeting technology.

EUS for 1H22 was up 16% to $2.09B (1H21: $1.80B).

Revenue

Total revenue increased 9.0% to $10.79M (1H21: $9.90M). This includes non-transactional payments (licensing of software, platform & technology) and integration totaling $4.0M (1H21: $2.35M), which are additional ways to monetize the Bango Platform.

This revenue increase has been achieved against the backdrop of a significant strengthening of the US Dollar against other major currencies and despite the shift of Amazon Prime day from 1H in 2021 to 2H in 2022.

For the first time, Bango is reporting an annual recurring revenue. As at 30 June 2022, ARR was $3.41M ($0.97M at 31 December 2021) from Platform deals with Verizon, T-Mobile, BT, Entel Chile and others.

Bango earns further payment revenue from transactions processed through the Bango Platform, license fees from Platform Agreements, data monetization revenue from the insights provided through this activity and through other methods, such as integration fees, which are recognized on completion of contracted milestones and in line with International Financial Reporting Standard 15; Revenue from Contracts with Customers.

Gross margin remains high at 92.8% of revenue in 1H22 (1H21: 96.2%).

Operating expenditure of continuing operations

Bango group adjusted operating costs of $7.16M for the first half of 2022 (1H21: $6.74M) were in-line with forecasts and reflect the continuing investment by Bango in developing the Platform and enhancing the capability of Bango Products to expand the customer base and drive growth.

Bango group Adjusted EBITDA was $2.85M, (1H21: $2.78M) driven by significant, high margin revenue growth which allowed for continued investment.

The share-based payment charge for 1H22 was $0.82M (1H21: $0.47M) calculated using the Black-Scholes-Merton model. The share-based payments relate to the Bango share option program that enables all Bango employees to share in the growth in value of Bango. It is a vital recruitment and retention tool in a highly competitive employment market.

Amortization of intangible assets in 1H22 was $2.35M (1H21: $1.85M) as R&D projects previously capitalized were deployed. Depreciation for 1H22 was $0.10M (1H21: $0.12M).

Loss and loss per share

The loss after tax was $0.50M (1H21: $0.52M) and included a $0.80M (1H21: $0.96M) share of the net loss of associates (NewDeep JV) accounted for using the equity method. Excluding the associate loss, the underlying business showed a profit of $0.30M (1H21: $0.44M). The total comprehensive income for the period includes adjustments for foreign exchange on consolidation reflecting the major change in the strength of the US dollar against Sterling.

Basic loss per share was a loss of 0.65c (1H21: 0.69c). Adjusted basic earnings per share, which excludes the share of net loss of associates, was a profit of 0.40c (1H21: profit of 0.59c).

Cash

Cash and short-term cash investments as at 30 June 2022 stood at $5.70M (31 December 2021: $9.65M) reflecting the strong investment Bango is making in its platform and technology to drive the next level of growth and increased receivables from revenue timing. With the reduction in these receivables and some customers now choosing to prepay on their contracts, Bango expects to maintain a strong cash position.

Going concern

A combination of strong operating cash flows, positive net cash of $5.70M and revenue growth generated by the business supports the Directors view that the group has sufficient funds available to meet its foreseeable working capital requirements. These requirements support planned investments to grow marketing and sales, and to develop new products to ensure Bango benefits from the continued growth of EUS through the Bango Platform that the Board expects over the coming years.

Bango acquired the global payments business of NTT DOCOMO on 29 August 2022 and expects to fund the integration of the Acquisition, including the migration of customers to the Bango Platform, from cash generated from operating activities and existing cash. In addition, a recent contract provides Bango with significant working capital over the next 12-18 months, before normalizing over the life of the contract. Bango strategic partner and shareholder, NHN Corporation, has also stated its intention to offer Bango a $10M three-year term loan on commercial terms. The Acquisition is expected to be earnings accretive in the first full year (FY2023) and materially earnings accretive once the integration has been fully completed.

The directors have taken into account the expected impact of the Acquisition and the wider macro-economic effects, including foreign exchange and interest rate fluctuations, and have concluded that the going concern basis remains appropriate.

Matthew Garner

Chief Financial Officer





Consolidated statement of comprehensive income

for the six months ended 30 June 2022

Notes Six months ended

30 June 2022

Unaudited Six months ended

30 June 2021

Unaudited $ 000 $ 000 Revenue 3 10,789 9,903 Cost of sales (781 ) (380 ) Gross profit 10,008 9,523 Administrative expenses (10,431 ) (9,174 ) Adjusted EBITDA 2,851 2,784 Share based payments (819 ) (469 ) Depreciation (103 ) (117 ) Amortization (2,352 ) (1,849 ) Operating (loss) / profit (423 ) 349 Interest payable (1 ) (5 ) Interest income 12 3 Share of net loss of associates accounted for using the equity method 6 (799 ) (964 ) Loss before taxation from continuing operations (1,211 ) (617 ) Income tax 714 97 Loss for the period (attributable to equity holders of the company) (497 ) (520 ) Other comprehensive income

Foreign exchange on consolidation (3,773 ) 303



Total comprehensive income for the period attributable to equity holders of Bango PLC (4,270 ) (217 ) Basic and diluted loss per share 4 (0.65) c (0.69) c

Notes 1 to 8 are an integral part of the consolidated interim financial statements.

* Adjusted earnings per share excludes the share of net loss of associates





Consolidated statement of financial position as at 30 June 2022

Notes 30 June 2022

Unaudited

31 December 2021

Audited

$ 000

$ 000 ASSETS Non-current assets Property, plant and equipment 514 242 Right of use assets 49 83 Intangible assets 19,115 18,645 Investments accounted for using the equity method 6 4,372 5,630 24,050 24,600 Current assets Trade and other receivables 9,319 7,099 Research and development tax credits 1,412 778 Short-term investments - 945 Cash and cash equivalents 5,705 8,706 16,436 17,528 Total assets 40,486 42,128 EQUITY Capital and reserves attributable to equity holders of Bango PLC Share capital 5 24,426 24,392 Share premium account 62,195 62,057 Merger reserve 2,886 2,886 Share based payment reserve 3,891 3,635 Foreign exchange reserve (1,269 ) 2,109 Accumulated losses (58,594 ) (58,265 ) Total equity 33,535 36,814

LIABILITIES Current liabilities Trade and other payables 6,883 5,209 Lease liabilities 68 56 6,951 5,265

Non-current liabilities Lease liabilities - 49 - 49

Total liabilities 6,951 5,314

Total equity and liabilities 40,486 42,128



Notes 1 to 8 are an integral part of the consolidated interim financial statements.





Consolidated cash flow statement for the six months ended 30 June 2022

Six months ended

30 June 2022

Unaudited Six months

ended

30 June 2021

Unaudited $ 000 $ 000 Cash flow from operating activities (Loss) / profit for the period (497 ) (520 ) Adjusted for: Depreciation for property, plant & equipment 103 117 Amortization of intangibles 2,352 1,849 Net finance costs (11 ) 2 Share-based payments 819 469 Share of loss of associate 799 964 Taxation credit (714 ) - Increase in receivables (2,570 ) (1,594 ) Increase in payables 1,162 450 Cash generated from operating activities 1,443 1,737 Corporation tax received 62 - Net cash generated from operating activities 1,505 1,737 Cash outflow from investing activities Purchases of property, plant and equipment (368 ) (92 ) Addition to intangible fixed assets (4,601 ) (1,842 ) Short-term investments 945 - Interest received 11 3 Net cash outflow from investing activities (4,013 ) (1,931 ) Cash flows from financing activities Proceeds from issuance of ordinary shares 172 1,919 Interest payable - (3 ) Interest payments on finance lease obligations - (2 ) Capital repayments on finance lease obligations (37 ) (45 ) Net cash generated from financing activities 135 1,869 Net (decrease) / increase in cash and cash equivalents (2,373 ) 1,675 Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period 8,706 7,958 Exchange differences on cash and cash equivalents (628 ) 218 8,078 8,176 Cash and cash equivalents at end of period 5,705 9,851

Notes 1 to 8 are an integral part of the consolidated interim financial statements.





Consolidated statement of changes in equity for the six months ended 30 June 2022

Share capital Share premium account Merger reserve Share-based payment reserve Foreign exchange reserve Retained earnings Total $ 000 $ 000 $ 000 $ 000 $ 000 $ 000 $ 000 Balance at 1 January 2022 24,392 62,057 2,886 3,635 2,109 (58,265 ) 36,814 Share based payments - - - 819 - - 819 Transfer for exercised options - - - (168 ) - 168 - Exercise of share options 34 138 - - - - 172 Transactions with owners 34 138 - 651 - 168 991 Profit for the period - - - - - (497 ) (497 ) Foreign exchange on translation - - - (395 ) 395 - - Foreign exchange on consolidation - - - - (3,773 ) - (3,773 ) Total comprehensive income for the period - - - (395 ) (3,378 ) (497 ) (4,270 ) Balance at 30 June 2022 24,426 62,195 2,886 3,891 (1,269 ) (58,594 ) 33,535 Balance at 1 January 2021 24,033 60,173 2,886 3,306 2,323 (59,804 ) 32,917 Share based payments - - - 469 - - 469 Transfer for exercised options - - - (756 ) - 756 - Exercise of share options and warrants 303 1,616 - - - - 1,919 Transactions with owners 303 1,616 - (287 ) - 756 2,388 Loss for the period - - - - - (520 ) (520 ) Foreign exchange on translation - - - 28 (28 ) - - Foreign exchange on consolidation - - - - 303 - 303 Total comprehensive income for the period - - - 28 275 (520 ) (217 ) Balance at 30 June 2021 24,336 61,789 2,886 3,047 2,598 (59,568 ) 35,088

Notes 1 to 8 are an integral part of the consolidated interim financial statements.

1. General information

Bango PLC (the Company) was incorporated on 8 March 2005 in the United Kingdom. Bango PLC is domiciled in the United Kingdom. Bango PLCs shares are listed on the Alternative Investment Market of the London Stock Exchange (AIM). The Bango registered office is at Botanic House, 100 Hills Road, Cambridge, CB2 1YG, United Kingdom. The Bango principal place of business is 326 Science Park, Milton Road, Cambridge, CB4 0PZ, United Kingdom.

2. Basis of preparation

These interim financial statements are for the six months ended 30 June 2022. They do not include all the information required for full annual financial statements and should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements of the Group for the year ended 31 December 2021, which have been filed at Companies House with an unmodified audit report.

These interim financial statements have been prepared in accordance with UK-adopted International Accounting Standards (IFRS). These financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention.

These interim financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the accounting policies adopted in the last annual financial statements for the year to 31 December 2021. The accounting policies have been applied consistently throughout the Group for the purposes of preparation of these interim financial statements and are expected to be followed throughout the year ending 31 December 2022.

These financial statements are presented in US Dollars (USD), the presentation currency of Bango PLC Group. The Groups functional currency is GBP Sterling.

Going concern

A combination of strong operating cash flows, positive net cash of $5.70M and revenue growth generated by the business supports the Directors view that the group has sufficient funds available to meet its foreseeable working capital requirements. These requirements support planned investments to grow marketing and sales, and to develop new products to ensure Bango benefits from the continued growth of EUS through the Bango Platform that the Board expects over the coming years.

Bango acquired the global payments business of NTT DOCOMO on 29 August 2022 and expects to fund the integration of the Acquisition, including the migration of customers to the Bango Platform, from cash generated from operating activities and existing cash. In addition, a recent contract provides Bango with significant working capital over the next 12-18 months, before normalizing over the life of the contract. Bango strategic partner and shareholder, NHN Corporation, has also stated its intention to offer Bango a $10M three-year term loan on commercial terms. The Acquisition is expected to be earnings accretive in the first full year (FY2023) and materially earnings accretive once the integration has been fully completed.

The directors have taken into account the expected impact of the Acquisition and the wider macro-economic effects, including foreign exchange and interest rate fluctuations, and have concluded that the going concern basis remains appropriate.

3. Revenue

Bango, based on the information reviewed by the chief operating decision maker, reports on one segment of revenue.

Revenue by product:

2022 2021 $ 000 $ 000 Payments - transactional & data monetization 6,793 7,557 Payments non-transactional (licensing of software, platform & technology), and integration 3,996 2,346 10,789 9,903

Most income is currently recognized at a point in time rather than over time.

4. Earnings / (loss) per share

Basic earnings / (loss) per share are calculated by dividing the profit / (loss) attributable to equity holders of Bango PLC by the weighted average number of ordinary shares in issue during the period.

Six months ended

30 June 2022

Unaudited Six months ended

30 June 2021

Unaudited $ 000 $ 000 Loss from operations (497 ) (520 ) Loss attributable to equity holders of Bango PLC (497 ) (520 ) Weighted average number of ordinary shares in issue 76,074,109 75,342,006



Basic loss per share



Basic loss per share attributable to equity holders (0.65)c (0.69)c

Diluted loss per share

At 30 June 2022 6,554,141 options over ordinary shares of (30 June 2021: 5,118,727) were outstanding.

Six months ended

30 June 2022

Unaudited Six months ended

30 June 2021

Unaudited Weighted average number of ordinary shares in issue 76,074,109 75,342,006 Options - - Weighted average number of ordinary shares in issue (including options) 76,074,109 75,342,006



Diluted loss per share



Diluted loss per share attributable to equity holders (0.65)c (0.69)c

The weighted average number of shares and the loss for the period for the purposes of calculating diluted loss per share are the same as for the basic loss per share calculation. This is because the outstanding share options would have the effect of reducing the loss per share and would not, therefore, be dilutive under the terms of IAS 33.

Adjusted earnings per share

Adjusted basic earnings per share is determined as the loss attributable to equity holders of Bango PLC excluding the Bango share of the net loss of associate for the period divided by the weighted average number of ordinary shares in issue during the year.

Six months ended

30 June 2022

Unaudited Six months ended

30 June 2021

Unaudited $ 000 $ 000 Loss from operations (497 ) (520 ) Share of net loss of associates 799 964 Adjusted profit attributable to equity holders of Bango PLC 302 444



Basic earnings per share - Adjusted



Basic earnings per share attributable to equity holders 0.40c 0.59c

Weighted average number of ordinary shares in issue 76,074,109 75,342,006 Options 1,064,927 2,410,009 Weighted average number of ordinary shares in issue (including options) 77,139,036 77,752,015

Diluted earnings per share - Adjusted



Diluted earnings per share attributable to equity holders 0.39c 0.57c

5. Share capital

Allotted, called up and fully paid:

Ordinary shares of 20p each in Bango PLC

No $ 000 As at 31 December 2020 74,711,268 24,033 Exercise of share options 1,302,391 359 and warrants As at 31 December 2021 76,013,659 24,392 Exercise of share options 126,421 34 As at 30 June 2022 76,140,080 24,426

6. Interest in associates

The interest in associate relates to the groups 40% interest in the NewDeep Limited group.

$ 000 Opening balance as at 1 January 2021 7,771 Share of operating losses (2,081 ) Foreign exchange movements (60 ) Closing balance as at 31 December 2021 5,630

Share of operating losses (799 ) Foreign exchange movements (459 ) Closing balance as at 30 June 2022 4,372

7. Subsequent events

Bango acquired the global payments business of NTT Docomo on 29 August 2022. The Docomo Digital Limited Group was purchased for a cash consideration of 4M with a retained cash balance of 3.1M. In addition to the acquisition, Bango signed a long-term platform deal with NTT Docomo to provide payment services.

8. Publication of non-statutory accounts

The condensed consolidated interim financial information was approved by The Board of Directors on 28 September 2022. They are unaudited but have been reviewed by the auditors and their report is included within this note.

The financial information set out in this interim report does not constitute statutory accounts as defined in section 435 of the Companies Act 2006. The figures for the period ended 31 December 2021 have been extracted from the Statutory Financial Statements of Bango PLC, which have been filed with the Registrar of Companies. The auditors report on those financial statements is unqualified and did not contain any reference to any matters to which the auditors drew attention to by way of emphasis without qualifying their report a statement under section 498(2) or 498(3) of the Companies Act 2006. The interim financial information for the six months to 30 June 2022 is unaudited. The interim report together with an analyst briefing presentation will be distributed to all shareholders and will be available on the Bango investor site at www.bangoinvestor.com.

Independent review report to Bango PLC

Conclusion

We have been engaged by Bango PLC (the Company) to review the condensed set of financial statements of the Company and its subsidiaries (the Group) in the interim financial report for the six months ended 30 June 2022 which comprises the consolidated statement of comprehensive income, consolidated statement of financial position, consolidated cash flow statement, consolidated statement of changes in equity and the related explanatory notes that have been reviewed. We have read the other information contained in the interim financial report and considered whether it contains any apparent material misstatements of fact or material inconsistencies with the information in the condensed set of financial statements.

Based on our review, nothing has come to our attention that causes us to believe that the condensed set of financial statements in the interim financial report for the six months ended 30 June 2022 is not prepared, in all material respects, in accordance with the presentation, recognition and measurement criteria of UK-adopted International Accounting Standards and the AIM Rules for Companies.

Basis for Conclusion

We conducted our review in accordance with International Standard on Review Engagements (UK) 2410, Review of Interim Financial Information Performed by the Independent Auditor of the Entity (ISRE (UK) 2410) issued for use in the United Kingdom. A review of interim financial information consists of making enquiries, primarily of persons responsible for financial and accounting matters, and applying analytical and other review procedures. A review is substantially less in scope than an audit conducted in accordance with International Standards on Auditing (UK) and consequently does not enable us to obtain assurance that we would become aware of all significant matters that might be identified in an audit. Accordingly, we do not express an audit opinion.

As disclosed in note 2, the annual financial statements of the Group are prepared in accordance with UK-adopted International Accounting Standards. The condensed set of financial statements included in this interim financial report has been prepared in accordance with the presentation, recognition and measurement criteria of UK-adopted International Accounting Standards.

Conclusions Relating to Going Concern

Based on our review procedures, which are less extensive than those performed in an audit as described in the Basis for Conclusion section of this report, nothing has come to our attention to suggest that management have inappropriately adopted the going concern basis of accounting or that management have identified material uncertainties relating to going concern that are not appropriately disclosed.

This conclusion is based on the review procedures performed in accordance with ISRE (UK) 2410, however future events or conditions may cause the Group to cease to continue as a going concern.

Responsibilities of Directors

The interim financial report is the responsibility of, and has been approved by, the directors. The directors are responsible for preparing the interim financial report in accordance with the presentation, recognition and measurement criteria of UK-adopted International Accounting Standards and the AIM Rules for Companies.

In preparing the interim financial report, the directors are responsible for assessing the Groups ability to continue as a going concern, disclosing, as applicable, matters related to going concern and using the going concern basis of accounting unless the directors either intend to liquidate the Group or the Company or to cease operations, or have no realistic alternative but to do so.

Auditors Responsibilities for the Review of the Financial Information

In reviewing the interim financial report, we are responsible for expressing to the Company a conclusion on the condensed set of financial statements in the interim financial report. Our conclusion, including our Conclusions Relating to Going Concern, are based on procedures that are less extensive than audit procedures, as described in the Basis for Conclusion paragraph of this report.

Use of our report

This report is made solely to the Company in accordance with International Standard on Review Engagements (UK) 2410 'Review of Interim Financial Information performed by the Independent Auditor of the Entity. Our review work has been undertaken so that we might state to the Company those matters we are required to state to them in an independent review report and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than the Company, for our review work, for this report, or for the conclusions we have formed.

RSM UK Audit LLP

Chartered Accountants

Second Floor

North Wing East

126-130 Hills Road

Cambridge

CB2 1RE

28 September 2022




Sep. 29LAWRENCE  The mayor is giving waste and recycling hauler Republic Services until next Wednesday to remove trash and yard waste off city streets, he said.

City Council President Marc Laplante sounded the alert late last week after hearing from numerous residents who had not had garbage or yard waste pickup in weeks. Laplante formally complained about the situation to Mayor Brian DePena.

DePena, in response, said he is "fully aware of the ongoing challenges we are going through at this moment with the delay on the uncollected trash in the city. I share your frustrations and concerns about this uncommon and outrageous situation."

The city is paying $3.9 million this year for curbside trash removal service. JRM Hauling and Recycling, which the city originally contracted with, sold the company to Republic Services of Phoenix, Arizona, in April. DePena said the hauler says they "are facing issues with staffing and vehicles."

"This situation has dramatically impacted Lawrence and our neighboring communities. We are in direct communication with the new company to find practical solutions," said DePena, in a statement.

Republic Services committing to having all uncollected trash, yard waste and recycling picked up by Wednesday, Oct. 5, DePena said. "The city expects all vendors to execute their contracts entirely and efficiently. While Republic Services works to collect trash around the city, we ask that residents leave their uncollected trash at their curbs," he said.

Anyone with concerns should contact the city's Department of Public Works at (978) 620-3090 or the recycling coordinator at (978) 620-3311. Follow staff reporter Jill Harmacinski on Twitter @EagleTribJill.
Storm spectators run for cover at Jetty Park on Wednesday in Fort Pierce, Forida, as wind and rain bands from Hurricane Ian begin to pound the Treasure Coast.

While Hurricane Ian was making its way toward the Florida coast, two Red Cross volunteers from Northeast Ohio joined hundreds of others days ahead of the storm to provide disaster relief.

Monica Bunner of Medina County and Mahogany Cavard of Canton were already in Florida on Wednesday and ready to help.

Ian made landfall Wednesday afternoon in southwest Florida, but its effects spurred evacuation orders and warnings across the state.

LIVE:Hurricane Ian makes landfall on Florida's southwest coast as major Category 4 storm

Bunner, 66, is sheltering in Orlando while acting as a field supervisor for other Red Cross volunteers in the state who will help reunite families and others who get separated during the hurricane. They will also help people from out of state get in contact with loved ones in Florida.

"I will work with teams going to shelters, feeding areas, where people congregate and may be missing someone," Bunner said.

Providing shelter from the storm

Cavard, who said she is on her 21st deployment in the last six years as a disaster relief volunteer, is helping staff an emergency shelter at a school building in Paisley, a small town about 25 miles north of Orlando.

She said volunteers from New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and other states took up dozens of rooms at the Crowne Plaza Orlando while being deployed. She arrived at her assignment Tuesday night. By Wednesday evening, about two dozen people, including about six children, were sheltering at the school.

She said many of them were from area mobile homes and had been directed to evacuate due to the threat of flooding and high winds, even though the community is well inland and around 200 miles from where Hurricane Ian made landfall.

She said providing a good meal is one of the most important parts of caring for people who seek shelter. The staff also tries to find things to keep the children occupied.

"These sorts of evacuation shelters are meant for people to wait out the storm," she said, adding everyone is hoping their homes will be intact when the storm passes.

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"They felt safer coming here, because if there was flooding, they may not have been able to get out," she said.

Hundreds of Red Cross volunteers assist with shelter, relief

The Red Cross has more than 500 trained disaster workers deployed in Florida to support sheltering and relief efforts for Hurricane Ian, said Jim McIntyre, spokesman for the American Red Cross Northern Ohio Region, which includes Akron and neighboring areas. At least six other Northeast Ohio residents are on standby to go to Florida if needed, he said.

Bunner said this is probably the 20th time she has deployed with the Red Cross, including helping with other hurricanes, floods, tornadoes, fires and for other issues. Normal deployment is a minimum of two weeks and a typical daily shift lasts 12 hours, she said.

Bunner said she was making sure her backup batteries for her cellphone and other technology were charged. She also stocked up on food and water.

"My biggest concern isn't so much wind or storm as much as power outages," she said.

Bunner said she has had Red Cross training on a number of different needs, with her focus this time on reunification efforts.

"That basically means connecting families, friends, loved ones," she said. Among the issues they have to be concerned about are the health and mobility needs of people, she said.

In many cases, the Red Cross volunteers don't need to physically go out and look for someone, she said. If a situation is dire or potentially dire, then volunteers will help look for people, she said.

Reunification includes working with law enforcement, making sure that minors are not left unattended, and looking out for human trafficking and homeless people, Bunner said.

"We get all sorts of folks," she said.

The Red Cross moved truckloads of cots, blankets and comfort kits, along with tens of thousands of relief supplies into the region to be prepared to help as many as 60,000 people, the Red Cross said in a news release.

Dozens of emergency response vehicles were pre-positioned around Florida, and several hundred blood products were sent to to Florida ahead of the storm to ensure patients continue to have access to a readily available blood supply, the Red Cross said.

How to help Hurricane Ian relief

Bunner and McIntyre said the Red Cross can use monetary donations to help the organization provide aid. The organization does not accept donations of such things as clothing or food.

People can donate money to Red Cross Disaster Relief. To make a donation, go to redcross.org, call 800-RED-CROSS, or text the word REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation.

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Hurricane Ian brings Northeast Ohio Red Cross volunteers to Florida
(Bloomberg) -- MBK Partners is considering joining a consortium led by state-backed investment fund Japan Investment Corp. seeking to buy Toshiba Corp., according to people familiar with the matter.

Most Read from Bloomberg

The North Asia-focused private equity firm has held initial discussions to explore backing JICs bid, said the people, who asked not to be identified as the information is private. JIC is also in talks to team up with Bain Capital, the people said.

Toshiba aims to collect second-round bids by the end of this month, they said. Deliberations are ongoing and no final decision has been made, the people said. Representatives for Bain, JIC and MBK declined to comment. A representative for Toshiba declined to comment on information about investor candidates, including co-investors.

Toshiba started seeking proposals in April after its shareholders rejected a plan put forward by management to split the company. The conglomerate has received eight bids to privatize the company and two offers to form business alliances.

Shares of Toshiba rose about 1.5% as of 9:32 a.m. in Tokyo, ending a three-day losing streak. The stock has risen about 10% this year, giving the company a market value of about $15.6 billion.

A buyout of Toshiba could be private equitys biggest ever deal in the country. CVC Capital Partners and Japan Industrial Partners are among potential bidders for the Japanese firm, Bloomberg News has reported.

Any sale of Toshiba, which owns a sensitive nuclear power business would require approval from the Japanese government. Toshiba is categorized as a company of interest to national security under the Foreign Exchange and Foreign Trade Act for its nuclear expertise.

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(Updates Toshibas share price in fifth paragraph.)

Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek

2022 Bloomberg L.P.
Stefan Sauer/dpa via Getty

The Russian embassy in Washington, D.C., waded into the diplomatic row bubbling up over the presumed sabotage of gas pipelines supplying Europe by accusing the U.S. of having the means and motive to carry out an attack.

The hot take on Thursday came as the Swedish coast guard confirmed a fourth gas leak had been discovered on the damaged Nord Stream pipelines earlier in the week, Reuters reports, with gas now hemorrhaging into the Baltic Sea.

On Wednesday, the European Union said all the available evidence suggested that some kind of sabotage was responsible for the mysterious leaks after seismologists confirmed explosions preceded the leaks. The bloc of 27 nations vowed a robust response to the utterly unacceptable disruption of its energy infrastructure.

But as lawmakers and international analysts started to suggest Moscow could be behind such an attack on the Russian-built pipelines, the Russian embassy in Washington made with wild claim that the true saboteur is more likely to be the U.S.

We note the attempts by some U.S. legislators to put blame on Russia for the incidents that occurred on Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 gas pipelines, the embassy wrote in a statement shared on its Telegram channel.

Perhaps, they have a better view from the top of Capitol Hill. But if that is the case, they must also have seen the U.S. warships activities at the very site of the Russian infrastructure disruption just the day before. Or noticed drones and helicopters fly over there. Or observed U.S. Navy exercises with underwater explosives that have been conducted in the same area some time ago. Finally, they should have recalled the promises made by President Biden to bring an end to the Nord Stream 2 project.

The same Biden quote was also cited as evidence of Americas alleged culpability for the attack by Tucker Carlson on Tuesday. A U.S. official told the Washington Post that the suggestion was preposterous after Carlsons rant.

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The Russian embassy message went on to ask who benefits from the pipelines rupture? The answer is on the surface, the statement says. The decades-long energy trade between Moscow and Europe has long turned into an eyesore for Washington strategists. Unable to offer a decent alternative to reliable and, no less importantly, cheap supplies of gas, the U.S. decided to squeeze out Russia as a competitor using non-market methods and sanctions.

The Russian embassy also called for a comprehensive and objective examination of the circumstances of the unprecedented attacks on Russian pipelines, adding that the Russian Federation will convene an extraordinary meeting of the UN Security Council.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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WASHINGTON  Republicans are praising an FBI agent who said he was suspended by the agency for refusing to participate in cases related to the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the U.S. Capitol.

Sens. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) this week demanded FBI Director Christopher Wray reinstate special agent Stephen Friend, describing him as a whistleblower who revealed improper practices in the FBI investigation of the Capitol riot.

The FBI should never suspend security clearances as a form of punishment or to retaliate against patriotic whistleblowers for stepping forward to report potential wrongdoing, Grassley and Johnson wrote in a letter to Wray.

House Republicans have also championed Friends complaints. On Thursday, they accused the FBI of retaliating against a whistleblower who has made protected disclosures to Congress  an apparent reference to Friend.

As Friend tells it, however, he was put on leave for refusing to do his job before he contacted lawmakers.

In a declaration that the Republican senators posted online this week, the Jacksonville, Florida, special agent alleged that the FBI has followed atypical procedure by having a Jan. 6 task force in Washington, D.C., assign regional field offices to arrest riot suspects without giving local agents enough control of the process. Agents in Washington, Friend said, signed off on search and arrest warrant affidavits for subjects whom I have never investigated or even interviewed but am listed as a Case Agent.

But for Friend, it wasnt just that the agency hasnt followed proper procedure  it was that he didnt think the cases should be brought at all. Friend said that some Jan. 6 defendants are innocent, that they have been unfairly prosecuted and too-harshly sentenced, that they spend too long in jail and they cant get a fair trial in Washington.

He complained in August to his front-line supervisor about an impending arrest of a Jan. 6 suspect, saying a SWAT raid would be too aggressive and that the subject would likely face extended detainment and biased jury pools in Washington D.C., echoing the complaints of defense attorneys for other Jan. 6 suspects facing trial.

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I told him that I was going to refuse to participate in any J6 cases, Friend wrote.

A few days later, Friend sat down with a higher-up in the Jacksonville office to whom he complained that irregular case dissemination, labeling and management processes amounted to exculpatory evidence that prosecutors would be required to share with defendants.

I expressed my concerns about violating citizens Sixth Amendment rights due [to] overzealous charging by the DOJ and biased jury pools in Washington D.C., Friend wrote, adding that he thought the FBIs actions reminded him of the infamous 1992 Ruby Ridge case, an 11-day siege at a familys cabin in Boundary County, Idaho.

His supervisor told him its not the FBIs job to determine if an individual should be prosecuted, since thats up to the U.S. attorneys office. But Friend said that wasnt true, citing former FBI Director James Comeys October 2016 announcement that no reasonable prosecutor would bring charges against former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in the email case.

Asked if he thought Jan. 6 rioters committed crimes, Friend said he believed some of the people who entered the Capitol committed crimes, but others were innocent and that some innocent individuals had been unjustly prosecuted, convicted, and sentenced. He repeated his prior statement that he would not participate in any Jan. 6 cases, and a few hours later he was told hed be placed on leave.

Every Jan. 6 rioter who entered the Capitol committed a crime. More than 750 people have been charged with unlawfully entering restricted grounds, according to the latest Justice Department summary. Some 269 have been charged with assaulting or resisting police. About 80 have pleaded guilty to felonies and 300 have pleaded guilty to misdemeanors.

Friend also said in his declaration that the FBI took him off child sexual abuse cases and put him on domestic terrorism to handle Jan. 6 cases, prompting House Republicans, led by Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), to complain the FBI is ignoring sexual predators in favor of conducting political witch hunts.

Grassley and Johnson ignored Friends characterization of the rioters in his statement. Instead, in their letter to Wray, they demanded that the FBI return his badge and his gun and hand over any records related to his case.

HuffPost asked Grassley on Thursday about Friends statements that some rioters are innocent and could face unfair trials. The Iowa Republican did not have much to say.

What we do in our investigations, we just keep on it till we get to the bottom of it, Grassley said. And obviously, we just started that, so I cant give you much information.

This article originally appeared on HuffPost and has been updated.

Related...
JOHANNESBURG, September 29, 2022--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sappi Limited announced today that it has concluded an agreement with AURELIUS Investment Lux One S.a.r.l. ("AURELIUS") regarding the divesture of its Maastricht Mill in the Netherlands, its Stockstadt Mill in Germany and its Kirkniemi Mill in Finland (the "Transaction").

Steve Binnie, CEO of Sappi Limited commented: "We are very happy to have reached agreement with AURELIUS to take ownership of the three mills. Although they no longer fit in Sappis portfolio, they are strong assets with good people.

"The decision to sell these mills follows a detailed and thorough strategic review by Sappi in line with our group Thrive25 strategic focus. This includes reducing exposure to the graphic paper segment while expanding Sappis presence in segments including packaging and speciality papers, pulp and biomaterials. Recent investments across our South African, American and European operating businesses demonstrate this priority."

Sappi received binding offers from several parties. Following due process, the board of Sappi agreed to proceed with the offer from AURELIUS, a pan-European multi-asset manager group. The sale will be subject to various standard suspensive conditions. The sale is expected to close in the first calendar quarter of 2023 once all these conditions have been fulfilled. A transitional services agreement will also be entered into to ensure a smooth transition of the businesses between the parties.

The enterprise value of the sale amounts to approximately 272 million. The consideration consists of cash proceeds and retained receivables (212 million) as well as retained liabilities (60 million). The proceeds will be used to reduce debt further and continue to increase Sappis focus on the identified growth segments. The net loss after tax attributable to the net assets of the three mills for the last twelve months ended 31 March 2022 was 6,5 million. Given the current volatile market conditions the EBITDA for the same period for the three mills was 58 million. As a comparison, the EBITDA for the pre-Covid period of twelve months to September 2019 for the three mills was 40 million.

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Marco Eikelenboom, CEO of Sappi Europe explained: "Going forward Sappis focus in Europe as regards graphic paper will be on the stronger commercial print market. In addition, in the packaging and specialities segment, the European business will predominantly focus on the flexible packaging, functional papers, self-adhesives including glassine, labels as well as dyesublimation categories.

"We believe this sale will help unlock potential value at each mill which would be best pursued by a new owner. Our strategic focus is on market segments not served by these mills."

"The market for pulp and paper products is of particular interest to AURELIUS considering our industrial sector expertise. We combine a proven track record in complex carve-outs with a deep understanding of how to identify and unlock value creation potential. Given these key traits, this transaction offers ample opportunity to unleash the full potential of these production sites", states Dr. Dirk Markus, Founding Partner of AURELIUS.

The mills included in the sale:

Sappi Maastricht Mill produces 260,000 ton per annum (tpa) of coated woodfree paper and paperboard mainly sold to printers and packaging converters globally

Sappi Stockstadt Mill is an integrated pulp and paper mill located in Germany, producing 145,000 tpa of pulp which is used to produce 220,000 tpa of coated and uncoated woodfree paper mainly sold into the European print market.

Sappi Kirkniemi Mill is an integrated pulp and paper mill located in Finland, producing 300,000 tpa of bleached mechanical pulp which is used to produce approximately 750 000 tpa of a variety of coated mechanical paper grades used in the print publication industry globally.

About Sappi

A global leader in dissolving pulp and paper-based solutions, Sappi Limited is headquartered in Johannesburg, South Africa; has over 12,000 employees; manufacturing facilities on three continents, in ten countries (ten operations in Europe, four operations in North America and five operations in South Africa) and customers in over 150 countries worldwide

Sappi works closely with customers to provide relevant and sustainable dissolving pulp, paper (speciality, packaging and graphic), paper pulp, and biomaterial products and related services and innovations. Our market-leading range of paper products includes: flexible packaging, label, release liner, containerboard, graphic papers, casting release papers and in our Southern African region newsprint, uncoated graphic and business papers. These products serve the fashion, FMCG and industrial sectors. Our dissolving pulp products are used worldwide by converters to produce viscose fibre, pharmaceutical products as well as a wide range of household and consumer products.

Sappi drives product innovation and the development of new uses for its renewable resource (woodfibre) as well as for the biomass and other residues from its production processes. One such area is in the field of biomaterials (cellulose composites, nanocellulose and lignins), biochemicals including hemi-cellulose sugars and bio-energy forest products materials which Sappi believes will play a key role in its future range of products, both as commercial products and for applications within Sappi.

We continue to grow into a profitable and cash-generative diversified business with an exciting future in woodfibre, a renewable resource. www.sappi.com

About AURELIUS Group

AURELIUS is a pan-European alternative investment firm. Deep operational expertise and experience enable AURELIUS to accelerate value creation within its portfolio companies. The Group has offices in London, Luxembourg, Munich, Amsterdam, Stockholm, Madrid, Milan, and Dusseldorf.

https://aurelius-group.com/

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220929005571/en/

Contacts

For further information



Andre F Oberholzer

Group Head Corporate Affairs

Sappi Limited

Tel +27 (0)11 407 8044

Mobile +27 (0)83 235 2973

Andre.Oberholzer@sappi.com

Tracy Wessels

Group Head Investor Relations and

Sustainability

Sappi Limited

Tel +27 (0)11 407 8391

Mobile +27 (0)83 666 6589

Tracy.wessels@sappi.com

Kirsty Hector

Regional Communication Manager

Sappi Europe

Tel + 32 (0) 2 676 97 00

Mobile + 32 (0) 496 390 889

Kirsty.hector@sappi.com
Russian President Vladimir Putin meets with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Alexey Nikolsky/Getty Images

Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund invested $2 billion in Russia before the Ukraine invasion.

A prospectus for the fund revealed investments in Russia's infrastructure, manufacturing, logistics and retail sectors, the Wall Street Journal said.

The Public Investment Fund, which is run by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, oversees $600 billion in assets.

Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund invested $2 billion into Russian assets before the Kremlin's invasion of Ukraine, according to a report from the Wall Street Journal.

The Public Investment Fund, which is run by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, oversees $600 billion in assets. While it typically keeps details about its investments under tight wraps, it has circulated a prospectus for a planned bond sale.

According to a prospectus viewed by the Journal, the PIF invested the $2 billion in Russia's infrastructure, manufacturing, logistics and retail sectors. That came as part of an earlier agreement with Russia.

In 2015, the PIF said it would pour up to $10 billion in the government-run Russia Direct Investment Fund over the next five years.

However, the PIF said proceeds from the planned bond sale wouldn't be used for further investments in Russia, citing the "ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict and the imposition of international sanctions on" the Russian fund.

The funds would instead be meant for renewable energy and so-called green projects, according to the prospectus.

Last month, a separate Saudi fund also disclosed recent investments in Russia. Regulatory filings revealed that Saudi Arabia's Kingdom Holding, which is controlled by billionaire Prince Alwaleed Bin Tala, poured more than $500 million in Russia's top energy companies between February and March of this year.

That included $365 million in global depository receipts of Gazprom, $52 million in global depository receipts of Rosneft, and $109 million in Lukoil's US depository receipts.

Read the original article on Business Insider
25 Singaporean SMEs win the prestigious SME100 Awards

SINGAPORE, Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- 2022 sees the rising costs of raw materials and as the inflation rates soar and interest rates continue to rise, SMEs in Singapore managed to sustain their business and even displayed great resilience against the challenging environment.

Congratulations to the Winners of 2022 Singapore SME100

The SME100 Awards makes its return to Singapore with over 400 Singaporean SMEs being nominated as businesses grasp at the opportunity for a stimulus to restarting and growing their businesses post-pandemic.

The SME100 Awards continues to adopt one of the most stringent evaluation criteria for all nominees. The five-step process included both qualitative and quantitative analysis, as well as a 100 percent interview requirement with a focus on growth (turnover, profit, and market share) and resilience (best practices, sustainability, and vision). Only 25 businesses emerged as winners of the SME100 Awards 2022 after going through this gruelling process.

"SMEs continue to be the first affected by a downward economic cycle and are among the last to recover even as the economy recovers. The SME100 award recipients are among those that have demonstrated resilience, strength, and growth despite the challenges." said William Ng, group publisher and editor-in-chief of Business Media International.

On top of the prestigious SME100 Awards, the nominees are also able to compete to win the special category of Singapore's Best Start-up which requires the business to be operating no older than 2 years and has shown superior growth and ability to navigate the challenging economic crisis through strategic planning and strong execution.

The SME100 Awards serves as a pinnacle of trust and a benchmark of reliability for business owners. Be it for business ventures or attracting investors and clients in both foreign and domestic markets alike, the SME100 Awards has become the beacon of attention on all platforms that matter across all industries. Singapore is one of the four ASEAN member countries to organise SME100 Awards, besides Indonesia, Malaysia, and Vietnam.

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The official auditor of the SME100 Awards Singapore is Crowe Singapore with AmCham and Orchard Road Business Association being credited as supporting organisations.

2022 Singapore SME100 Award Winners (in alphabetical order):

No Company Industry 1 Advancedata Network Pte Ltd IT & Digital 2 Ariescope Mejor Trading Pte Ltd Trading & Wholesaling 3 Cybervault Innovations and Technologies Pte Ltd IT & Digital 4 Dashmesh Singapore Pte Ltd Trading & Wholesale 5 Eastcom Systems Pte Ltd IT & Digital 6 Envirotec Controls (Asia Pacific) Pte Ltd Real Estate & Construction 7 Gabcotech Innovations Pte Ltd IT & Digital 8 Global Radiance Ship Management Pte Ltd Professional & Business Services 9 Gutcare Holdings Pte Ltd Healthcare, Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology 10 Hako Technology Pte Ltd Financial Services 11 Home Clean Home Services Pte Ltd Professional & Business Services 12 I Design & Build Pte Ltd Professional & Business Services 13 Kosmode Health Singapore Pte Ltd Healthcare, Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology 14 Kvur Pte Ltd Media & Creative Industries 15 Mattress International Pte Ltd Trading & Wholesale 16 Measurement Engineering Pte Ltd Industrial Products 17 Nanas Design Pte Ltd Professional & Business Services 18 RK Recruitment Pte Ltd Professional & Business Services 19 SG Global Commodity Pte Ltd Trading & Wholesaling 20 SJP Sealing Technology (S) Pte Ltd Industrial Products 21 Tele-Click Trading Pte Ltd Commercial Products 22 Titan Digital Media Pte Ltd Media & Creative Industries 23 Unthreats Pte Ltd Professional & Business Services 24 Werkz Engineering Pte Ltd Real Estate & Construction 25 Wiz Technologies (S) Pte Ltd IT & Digital

For more information, please visit http://sme100.asia .

About Business Media International

Business Media International is a subsidiary of Audience Analytics Ltd (SGX:1AZ), a regional leader in promoting growth for companies in Asia through data-driven brands and initiatives. We own renowned media brands such as SME Magazine, HR Asia, Capital Asia, Energy Asia, Logistics Asia, TruthTV, and CXP Asia as well as business impact assessment brands such as SME100, HR Asia Best Companies to Work for in Asia, Golden Bull Awards and CXP Asia Best Customer Experience Awards. We organise various exhibitions and have the proprietary software-as-a-service  Total Engagement Assessment Model  in our portfolio.

About SME100 Awards

The SME100 Awards is a business recognition awards program recognising and celebrating fast- growing and the most innovative SMEs in Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, and Vietnam across 20 selected industries. The awards identify and recognise SMEs based on a basket of quantitative and qualitative criteria with a focus on growth (turnover, profit, and market share) and resilience (best practices, sustainability, and vision). More than just an award, SME100 is a powerful learning and business development platform. Through our extensive university-level classes, enrichment seminars, workshops, and forums - SME owners and key personnel can up-skill themselves with the latest know- how and intelligence.

Media Contact:

Adrian Cheng

Marketing Manager

+6012 269 2701

adrian@businessmedia.asia

SOURCE Business Media International
Stacey Solomon has shared the adorable moment her youngest children, Rex and Rose, were reunited with their father after three weeks apart.

Swash returned to their family home in Essex following a work trip to South Africa where he was filming a new series, Im A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here All Stars.

Solomon shared videos of Swashs reunion with their children to her Instagram Story on Wednesday (28 September). In the black and white clips, the children are playing on the bed, unaware that their father has arrived home.

Early this morning we got daddy back, Solomon captioned the clip. Moments later, Swash opens the door and runs in, shouting: Hello!

The older of the children, three-year-old Rex, quickly crawls across the bed and hugs his father, before Swash also picks up one-year-old Rose.

Welcome home daddy. Its only been three weeks, but its felt like ages! Cuddles all day for daddy and free arms for mummy, Solomon said.

She also created a montage of clips from Swashs first day back at home, showing him feeding and cuddling Rose.

In a separate post to her Instagram Story, Solomon shared a selection of mirror selfies the parents had taken with their children on Wednesday.

The pictures show the family grinning widely at the camera while Swash carries Rose and Rex, and Rex kissing his fathers cheek in one photograph.

Daddys Home. And mums arms have never felt so free. I know its only been a few weeks but oh my goodness we missed you Joe Joe! Solomon captioned the post.

Time to catch up on some much needed wees alone & cuddles with my stubbley spider legs. Happy Wednesday everyone. PS I cant get over how much Rex looks like Joe in this picture is it just me? or are they actual twins?

Solomon also has two other children; Zachary, 14, from her previous relationship with Dean Dox, and Leighton, 10, from her relationship with Aaron Burnham.

Swash has a 15-year-old son named Harry from a previous relationship with Emma Sophocleous.
Photo credit: Jerod Harris - Getty Images

Actor Caleb McLaughlin, 20, who stars as Lucas Sinclair in the Netflix hit series, Stranger Things, has spoken out about feeling like the "least favourite" at fan events due to racism  something he said began to "take a toll" on his mental health.

Speaking at the Heroes Comic Con convention in Belgium recently, Caleb shared that at previous events, he noticed the queue for his meet and greets were a lot shorter than those for his co-stars', despite playing a main character. A video of him speaking out was posted by a fan on Twitter, who wrote: "Here's Caleb talking about how he had to deal with racism just because he was "the black kid who was mean to eleven in season 1" and felt like it was important to share his thoughts on that."

"My very first Comic-Con, some people didn't stand in my line because I was Black," Caleb shared, adding that it prompted him to ask his parents why he was the "least favourite" despite being "on the same show as everybody".

here's caleb talking about how he had to deal with racism just because he was "the black kid who was mean to eleven in season 1" and felt like it was important to share his thoughts on that :) #StrangerThings #TUDUM #CalebMcLaughlin @HComicConBE pic.twitter.com/JZoXS9aaBW  L  met timothee (@spideychaIamet) September 25, 2022

In response, Caleb says, his parents told him, "My parents had to be like 'It's a sad truth, but it's because you're the Black child on the show'. Because I was born with this beautiful chocolate skin, I'm not loved.

"Even now some people don't follow me or don't support me because I'm black," he continued. "Sometimes overseas you feel the racism, you feel the bigotry. Sometimes it's hard to talk about and for people to understand, but when I was younger it definitely affected me a lot."



The actor also added that some fans had suggested people were less keen to chat with him due to his character Lucas "being mean" to Millie Bobby Brown's character, Eleven, in season one.

Caleb said despite these negative experiences, he's only all the more determined to remain positive and use his platform to spread joy.

"With my platform I want to spread positivity and love," he said. "Because I do not give hate back to people who give hate to me."

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Vladimir Putin. Illustrated | Getty Images

Russia this week stepped up its crackdown on protests against President Vladimir Putin's order for a "partial mobilization" to bolster his war effort in Ukraine. Putin last week ordered 300,000 military reserves onto active-duty status, prompting crowds to pour into the streets of Moscow and other cities, with many chanting, "Send Putin to the trenches!" and "Let our children live!" There were 17 attacks on conscription centers, including one in Siberia where a young man who was upset his friend had been drafted allegedly shot and gravely wounded a chief recruiter. Young men desperately trying to avoid conscription rushed to the border or to board planes to get out of the country.

The unpopular mobilization came after a Ukrainian counteroffensive forced Russian troops into an embarrassing retreat from parts of eastern Ukraine they seized early in the war. Western officials say Russia has suffered a staggering 70,000 to 80,000 casualties since invading Ukraine in February. Russian media reports have said young men who have never served in the military, not just reservists, now are being drafted, as are some men beyond draft age, fueling suspicions that Putin is trying to mobilize more than a million new soldiers. The Kremlin denies that, but the draft is even upsetting some Putin allies. "They're infuriating people, as if on purpose, as if out of spite," Margarita Simonyan, editor in chief of state-backed RT media outlet, told Radio Free Europe. Has Putin miscalculated so badly that his political survival is at risk?

Putin has put himself at risk

Vladimir Putin's effort "to mobilize Russian men to fight has turned into a debacle," says The Washington Post in an editorial. After managing to keep the Russian public calm about his unprovoked war "through a combination of propaganda, lies, censorship, and harsh punishment of criticism and dissent," Putin has shattered the quiet with his unpopular mobilization, sending young men dashing for the exits and awakening a suddenly angry population.

"Behind the upheaval is a deeper fissure." Putin for years could do what he wanted thanks to an unspoken agreement under which "people agreed to stay out of politics in exchange for the government not interfering in their daily lives." After the war started, most Russians carried on as before, ignoring the invasion as the casualties and economic costs mounted. Now, as sociologist Greg Yudin has noted, "Russians are quickly snapping out of lethargy and asking questions that they hadn't for a long time." This "might weaken" Putin just when he needs the public on his side to pull off his "desperate grab for cannon fodder" as his war effort falters.

Putin has angered allies as well as critics

Putin has provoked increasing pressure from all sides in Russia, say Michael Kimmage and Maria Lipman in Foreign Policy. There are the war opponents, of course, but Putin also getting pushback "from those dismayed by the military's startling incompetence and seeming lack of determination. The first group has almost no political power. The second, however, has the potential to coalesce into a challenge to Putin" from even some of his "most ardent supporters."

To limit the "risk to Putin's power and the threat of large-scale resistance," the Kremlin will have to intensify its crackdown on dissent. The danger for the Kremlin is that the repression, which has already started with the arrests of thousands of antiwar protesters, "can take on a chaotic momentum of its own. It can generate disgust and outrage." It has already provoked unrest at conscription centers. "Such incidents could well multiply and become difficult for the Russian government to manage." The world shouldn't count on "a revolution or a palace coup," but it "should gird itself for a long war" now that the conflict has become "existential" for "Putin and his entourage."

Putin has options, but not good ones

He expected a quick war, but Putin has "blundered" into a conflict with no end in sight, says The Guardian in an editorial. Now he's "making cannon fodder of his own citizens" in "a desperate strategy that relies on a demoralized, poorly coordinated, and corrupt Russian army outlasting Ukraine's will to fight for its survival. That has been a formula for the humbling of bullying powers in the past. So it is proving again."

Ukraine's counteroffensive has forced Putin to "downgrade his ambitions from regime change in Kyiv to 'liberation of the entire territory of Donbas.'" He's hoping that the sham referendums he just held in occupied Ukrainian border regions will let him annex these regions and argue that they belong to Russia. "Rebadging Ukrainian territory as part of Russia is part of a strategy to present the war as self-defense, with Kyiv as a front for the aggressor, NATO. That is a monstrous inversion of reality, but one that has a purchase on the Russian nationalist imagination."

Putin is threatened and more dangerous than ever

Now that Putin is desperate, we all should be worried, says David Sacks at The American Conservative. "Putin has proved himself a ruthless, calculating killer when threatened." Just look at how many of his opponents "have mysteriously died falling down stairs, or out of windows, or by the inadvertent ingestion of rare poisons." Now that he's facing protests and increased pressure from President Biden and the West, "Putin only faces greater threats to his survival."

Russian hardliners argue that "he has fought this war with insufficient troops, weaponry, and ferocity, and consider the partial mobilization of 300,000 troops to be a half-measure." The West now dreams of a total defeat of Putin, sending Russia back to the February 23 borders, and making it give back the previously annexed Crimean Peninsula. But "Putin would likely face a violent coup if he accepted such a defeat," so the danger is that he will "use every weapon at his disposal," even tactical nukes, to ensure his survival now that he's "backed into a corner."

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Vice President Kamala Harris visited the Demilitarized Zone that divides North and South Korea on Thursday, emphasizing the United States commitment to its Asian allies just a day after Kim Jong Uns regime fired two short range missiles into the sea off its east coast.

It is clearly a provocation and it is meant, we believe, to destabilize the region, and were taking it seriously, and everyone should, Harris said of the ballistic missile test as she toured a building on Conference Row.

The vice president arrived in the DMZ after concluding a visit to Seoul, the South Korean capital, where she and President Yoon Suk Yeol reaffirmed their shared goal of denuclearization of the Korean peninsula and condemned North Koreas missile launches and provocative nuclear rhetoric.

Harris in the DMZ on Thursday met with U.S. service members at a dining facility, received an operational briefing and visited an observation post where she used binoculars to look out on the North Korean side of the border. She also stood on the South Korean side of the demarcation line that separates the two Koreas.

Its so close, she said as she looked toward the North Korean side. Its 50 meters away, her briefer replied.

In remarks later Thursday, Harris signaled the United States commitment to security and stability in the region and reiterated Noons alignment on the issue of denuclearization.

We are reminded that the alliance between the United States and the Republic of Korea stands ready to address any contingency, Harris said. The commitment of the United States to the defense of the Republic of Korea I will report is ironclad.

She added that the DMZ is a reminder of the two dramatically different paths North and South Korea have taken following their 1950-1953 war, with a thriving democracy in the south and a brutal dictatorship, rampant human rights violations and an unlawful weapons program in the north.

The United States and the world seek a stable and peaceful Korean peninsula where the [Democratic People's Republic of Korea] is no longer a threat, Harris said. We will continue to work alongside our partners here and everywhere as is necessary to maintain stability and peace in this region.
Colorados 20-year high in traffic crashes arent just accidents, they're increasingly more often crimes, according to the Colorado State Patrol.

When innocent people are injured or killed in motor vehicle crashes, Colorado is one of only four states that has a dedicated unit to serve the victims, troopers said in a news release.

When a person is fatally shot or a loved one is assaulted, people instantly recognize these as violent and horrible crimes," Dolores Poeppel, director of the Victim Services Unit at the Colorado State Patrol, said in the release. "Yet when someone says their loved one was killed in a crash, far too often people dont recognize it the same way. The truth is that when someone drives over 100 mph and kills someone, it is a crime.

Traffic crimes include vehicular homicide, menacing, vehicular assault, careless driving which results in the death of another person and failure to stop at the scene of an accident.

A high-profile case occurred earlier this month in Weld County when a suspected drunk driver ran a stop sign at AA Street and Weld County Road 37, east of Windsor. A witnesses saw the Ford pull out in front of the Kawasaki  which did not have a stop sign Road 37. Weld County Deputy Alexis Hein-Nutz, 24, was killed while riding her motorcycle to work Sept. 18.

Launched in 1989 by the state patrol. the Victim Services Unit fulfills Colorados state Constitution and the 1981 Victims Rights Act by recognizing the rights of victims of crimes.

Services include crisis intervention, resources and direct services to victims vehicle collisions including assistance at the scene and locating towed vehicles. Services also include assistance getting a copy of the crash report, filing an insurance report, updated information about all critical stages of the criminal justice proceedings and information about the eligibility for victim compensation and assistance in completing the forms.

From the moment the crash occurs through the conclusion of their legal process, were there as a resource and we are incredibly honored that people allow us to assist them during one of the most difficult times of their lives, Poeppel said.

For more information on the Colorado State Patrol Victim Services Unit, please visit the patrol's website www.csp.colorado.gov.
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Orange expanded its 5G testbed programme into Jordan to explore new use cases using the new technology standard, as part of the operators long-term strategy to unlock more value from 5G before launching in the country.

In a statement, Orange Jordan CEO Thierry Marigny said the lab is part of the operators responsibility to drive digital transformation through testing new use cases. The programme is an extension of the operators current strategy to support digital education in young people across Jordan and grow the digital economy.

The lab comes as we prepare to launch 5G, supported by the global groups expertise in launching the technology in many countries. We seek to develop the digital ecosystem and promote innovation for the future by anticipating new opportunities enabled by 5G ahead of its launch, he added.

This is the first 5G lab of its kind in the country, 16 have been launched across Oranges footprint with 13 in Europe and two in Africa (including Jordan).

The Orange 5G Lab will be a space for all companies and start-ups to cooperate to use 5G equipment from the operator for new use cases. Areas, where solutions are being produced, include augmented reality gaming, virtual reality tourism, and remote medical consultations.

Executive Vice President Marketing, Design and Open Innovation at Orange, Karine Dussert-Sarthe noted that hundreds of companies are testing and producing prototypes of innovative solutions with Orange.

Orange reportedly signed an agreement with the country's regulator in August to begin laying the groundwork for an eventual commercial 5G deployment.
The Golden Pen Award, which I am proudly accepting today on behalf of the Gazeta Wyborcza Foundation  and on behalf of its beneficiaries, supporters, and friends  proves that "No freedom without solidarity" motto is also close to the hearts of the WAN-IFRA crowd. We are thrilled and humbled by your recognition of our efforts to help media not only to survive, but also to thrive. Thank you.

The deteriorating condition of Polish democracy means that civic engagement is needed now more than ever. This is why, together with the journalists and publishers of Gazeta Wyborcza, we created the Gazeta Wyborcza Foundation  to address the threats independent media, civil society, and democracy in Poland  and beyond  face. Our Foundation is young  only three years old  but with the great support of like-minded people and organisations, we have already managed to mark our impact in the media environment.

We have 7 media-support programs, have managed to award dozens of grants for journalistic investigations in Poland, and co-financed several investigative scoops. We got involved in supporting independent local media, because we believe that in the face of the crisis of democracy and trust in the media, strengthening local publishers is crucial.

What is more, reliable knowledge about the surrounding reality is the basis for civic engagement. So, as part of the fight against disinformation, we joined the Europe Talks initiative  a discussion platform for readers from all over Europe aimed at combating the increasing polarization within our societies. Civil liberties and independent media are under fire almost everywhere, including in countries perceived as symbols of democracy. That is why it is so important to share experiences and inform as broadly as possible about the mechanisms used by illiberal governments to undermine civil society. This is what we do on our English-language website "News from Poland" and in our weekly newsletter addressed to foreign public opinion, to make them aware of how Polish authorities act to dismantle civil rights and freedoms.

REKLAMA

Our three years of operation also mean establishing close cooperation with over 20 institutional partners  media, journalism, and freedom of speech organizations  from all over Europe. Thanks to that we were able to organize ourselves quickly to provide emergency aid to Ukrainian media, which found themselves in a dramatic situation because of the Russian invasion.

Just a day later, The Gazeta Wyborcza Foundation, Bonnier News, the Swedish Media Publishers Association, Danske Medier, the Finnish Media Federation, News Media Finland, and the Norwegian Media Businesses Association  founding mothers and fathers of our Ukrainian Media Fund  were one of the first to take actions. From the beginning of the war, media from the Nordics, followed by outlets and organisations across Europe, and even the world  understood exactly what solidarity meant: the response from them has been huge. Thanks to it we have been paying salaries to over 150 Ukrainian journalists and providing financial support to 50 local Ukrainian editorial offices. We have been delivering trucks filled with technological and protective equipment necessary for those journalists who want to broadcast from the front.

But we are not alone in these actions. From this stage I would like to recognise the efforts of other media organisations which have been joining forces to show Ukraine their solidarity and support: The Fix, Reporters without Borders, IPI, WAN-IFRA, International Media Support, MDIF, JX FUND, Thomson Foundation, European Cultural Foundation, SIDA, INMA, Global Forum for Media Development, to name only a few  I thank you for your solidarity and help.

REKLAMA

But even more I applaud our Ukrainian colleagues  journalists, editors and publishers  and Ukrainian organisations assisting them  the Association of Independent Regional Publishers, the National Union of Journalists in Ukraine, the Ukrainian Media Business Association, Lviv Media Forum, Institute of Mass Information  I salute your resilience and bravery. Thanks to all this effort, Ukrainian journalists can continue producing valuable content  in the case of our Fund it translates to 12 million Ukrainian readers being delivered daily news.

But this is just the first step. We must, and we are preparing a recovery plan for Ukrainian media. In it, our Fund plans to start with financing the reconstruction of 10 local media outlets, backbones of regional communities in 5 regions of Ukraine, by putting in motion business and tech solutions tailor made for them in collaboration with peers from local media outlets from Poland, Norway, Finland, Sweden and Denmark. Other countries are welcome to join

I find the work we have done together so far, and what we plan for 2023-24 unprecedented. This is, I believe, the first time in the history of the media industry that so many media agents, competitors, in a sense, come together to actually save others. I am proud of you, I am proud of us. In view of the enormous scale of the challenges faced by the Ukrainian media and the heroic resistance of the Ukrainian society against Russian aggression, it is difficult to find an initiative that would better fit our credo "there is no freedom without Solidarity".

REKLAMA

Neither of these initiatives would be possible without donors  both institutional and individual, whose donations are a huge expression of trust for us and are a particularly edifying expression of solidarity in the face of the galloping global economic crisis. It is thanks to their generosity that our Foundation remains financially independent and can carry out activities based solely on their quality and social value, without succumbing to any external pressure.

The events of recent months and years have shown with full force the scale of the challenges facing our democracies. The suppression of independent Russian, Belorussian, Turkish, Philippine media, capture of media in Hungary, violence against journalists in Mexico, Nigeria, Guatemala. The time to delude ourselves that these problems will disappear by themselves, has passed forever. And at a time when the world seems to be losing interest in the war, for us, it is the time to plan ahead.

And I dare to say this future can be promising and hopeful, and the source of my hope is you all gathered today in Zaragoza  who proved that "Stand with Ukraine", stand with independent media in Hungary, Turkey, Poland, Myanmar, Hong-Kong, the Philippines, is much more than just a hashtag on Twitter. I thank you once again for your support, generosity and unity and call for being with us, with any media in need in the years to come.

We often say nowadays: be brave like Ukrainian journalists, so lets be brave in our decisions not to leave Ukrainian media alone. Lets not leave any independent media facing oppression alone.

***

Every day, 400 journalists at Gazeta Wyborcza write verified, fact-checked stories about Polish politics and society, keeping a critical eye on the ruling camps persistent assault on democratic values and the rule of law; the growing cultural tension between religious fundamentalism and human rights; and the ongoing Russian invasion in Ukraine. Our journalists are on the front lines in 32 Polish cities, reporting from the streets, hospitals, and courtrooms about issues that move public opinion.

We decided to make our service available to everyone free of charge in order to provide access to high quality journalism for expats and English speakers interested in Polish affairs.

The access to information should be equal for all.
YORK  A man accused of assaulting a deputy with the York County Sheriffs Department has pleaded not guilty to the charge; meanwhile, 11 other charges against him have been dismissed.

Fidel Martinez, 45, whose address is now listed as him being held in custody in Lincoln, entered his not guilty plea this week in York County District Court.

He, along with Bianca Gonzalez Marengo, 35, of Omaha, was allegedly caught with a large amount of methamphetamine during a traffic stop in York County.

The case began in the middle of the night when the deputy saw a vehicle without license plates leave the interstate at the Bradshaw exit. The vehicle then immediately got back onto the interstate and a traffic stop was initiated.

The driver was identified as Angel Navar of California and Marengo was the passenger. The deputy said the driver gave him someone elses license and the intransit sticker did not look legitimate.

According to court documents, Navar handed the deputy a bag with a large amount of methamphetamine inside it  right before he shoved the deputy with both hands and started to run south in the ditch. The deputy said they tripped and rolled down the hill, with Navar on top of him who was trying to grab his taser. It is alleged Navar yelled for the deputy to give him his gun and Navar grabbed the deputys throat and choked him until he could not breathe, until the deputy could punch Navar in the left side of his face. Then Navar punched the deputy in the head twice.

Another deputy arrived, which spooked Navar, and the deputy was able to get control of him.

Meanwhile, Marengo was found in the drivers seat of the vehicle as if she was waiting for Navar to get in so they could leave.

It was discovered Navars real identity is that of Fidel Martinez and he was on federal probation. A search of the vehicle was conducted, during which 18 grams of marijuana were found along with $1,268 in cash, two glass pipes containing methamphetamine, a half gram of methamphetamine in a bag and 27 grams of methamphetamine that spilled onto the ground where the deputy and the driver had their altercation.

Initially, Martinez was charged with possession of 10-22 grams of methamphetamine, strangulation, criminal impersonation, no drug tax stamp, possession of money during a drug violation, false reporting, obstruction, resisting arrest, possession of one ounce of marijuana and being a habitual criminal. All those charges have been dismissed and the only remaining charge is assault of an officer.

Upon Martinez pleading not guilty to the assault charge, a jury trial has been scheduled for late January.
The following questions were asked recently on the Wonderline:

Q: According to the News-Times reports, it seems that most, if not all criminal cases in York County are plea bargained and most of the original charges filed are dropped. Whos responsible for overseeing the county attorneys office when it comes to determining whether all these plea bargains are proper?

A: The plea bargains are reached in negotiations with the county attorneys office and the defense attorneys. They reach the agreements and then present them to the judge in open court.

Q: Where has Bigfoot been spotted the most? Where do Bigfoot enthusiasts want to visit the most, if they are out hunting for the thing? So, like for example, Bob Sautter is interested in Bigfoot. If he could go Bigfoot hunting anywhere in the world, where would it be?

A: According to Bigfoot Believers, the elusive Bigfoot creature continues being spotted throughout diverse regions of the United States. According to data from the Bigfoot Field Researchers Organization, the state of Washington ranks as the worlds most active Bigfoot region with 2,032 alleged Sasquatch sightings.

Bob Sautter of York, a Bigfoot enthusiast, said, The Pacific Northwest is a hotbed of sightings, but sightings have been reported in all 50 states, Canada and many foreign countries have their version of Bigfoot. If it were me, I would go to Colorado, since its close, and Oregon or Washington State. They could also go along the Platte or Republican Rivers in Nebraska. The Blue River has had some unconfirmed reports. Talk to some of the old-time farmers and ask them what theyve heard or seen. Some of their grandparents referred to creatures the referred to as giants.

Sautter also offered the following advice: To get the best, honest information on where to go is to contact Harriett McFeely at the Bigfoot Crossroads of America Museum and Research Center, 1205 East 42nd Street in Hastings, NE, 402.705.0000. She still goes hunting and her business partner at the museum was a guide based out of all places, Estes Park, Colorado. Also ask her about the next Bigfoot Conference in April 2023 . . . she has some big personalities coming in!

Q: How did the change of the format of the York News-Times happen?

A: Lee Enterprises owns the York News-Times and decisions on the corporate level were made to move the graphic design work to the companys design center. Therefore, the design styles, fonts, structures, etc., are now mandated to a corporate standard. Thats why the YNT looks differently  the local content is still there, but it looks different because it is not being completely designed in-house any longer.

Q: I have noticed more vehicles than usual parked on the Epworth Village campus. Is there something new happening at Epworth?

A: Epworth Village is no longer Epworth Village. It has been purchased by a private owner who is using it for private business purposes.

Q: There is a place in York where the tree limbs hang down so low it is becoming a hazard. Does the city have an ordinance that says how low a tree branch/limb can go over public spaces like sidewalks and streets?

A: Yes, there is an ordinance addressing that.

There must be a clearance of eight feet over sidewalks and 13  feet over the portion of public streets and alleys used for vehicular traffic.

Also, if there is a particular problem area the reader thinks city officials should look at, they can contact the city offices.

The citys public works department has the legal ability to trim all trees that do not provide for that amount of clearance in public right-of-ways.

Q: Will there be an official coronation of King Charles III? Oh, and thanks for those fun answers to our royalty questions last week. It was interesting.

A: It is expected that Charles IIIs coronation will take place sometime in 2023. During this ceremony, the new monarch will take the coronation oath, be anointed and blessed by the Archbishop of Canterbury.

This will be the official coronation with pomp and circumstance. Charles already privately became king upon the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth.

Q: We havent seen anything lately about local COVID transmission in York or even the health district. I know it was in the red category, indicating high level of transmission, for quite a while. Is it any better? Its just that no one talks about it any longer.

A: The latest update on the COVID situation in the Four Corners Health District is a good one  its been downgraded from the red (high transmission) category all the way to yellow (moderate transmission). The latest case number was just 21 in the last seven days.

The trajectory of the Four Corners Health Departments data shows an ongoing downward trend at this time.

Q: Another question about COVID. I was just curious as to how many people have been vaccinated in York County, if that information is available.

A: The latest data from the Four Corners Health Department shows that 56.01% of York County residents have been fully vaccinated for COVID. That compares to 51.87% in Butler County, 47.98% in Polk County and 54.03% in Seward County. Overall, for the entire health district, the vaccination rate is 53.48%.

Q: What is the intent of the Chambers Sip N Stroll event? Is it to encourage drinking?

A: Madonna Mogul, director of the York Area Chamber of Commerce, said, Over the years we would receive several event ideas from our membership and community members. Many times, some sort of tasting event was suggested. Several years ago, one of our staff members went to a conference where a presenter shared how they blended a tasting and a shopping event into one. So, we started to look to see how we could make this work in York.

The main premise for the event is for ticket holders to casually stroll from business to business to see their products and get to know the personnel. Ticket holders indicate they do not feel pressure from businesses because the event environment is to casually move from place to place. Businesses have reported that this event has been a good one to roll out what is coming for the holiday season.

In addition to products and services, participating locations have food and beverages available to ticket holders to sample. The beverage selections range from wine and beer to fruit punch and cider. Businesses make their choices as to what to offer. We do suggest to those offering hard beverages offer soft drinks as well. Each year, we have several participate in the stroll that come for the enjoyable atmosphere that is created by all of the participating Chamber businesses.
Between Vijayawada and Bengaluru in Andhra Pradesh, a new greenfield access-controlled highway is announced to cut down on the time taken for the journey. The highway will pass through Kadapa, and the 324 km-long highway will bring down the total duration of the journey to just 5 hours. The new highway will also ease the commute for road users who travel between the neighbouring states. The announcement of the upcoming highway was made by Union minister Nitin Gadkari, via Twitter. Gadkaris tweet read The project for 342 km long Bangalore-Kadapa-Vijayawada Greenfield Access Controlled Corridor is being developed at a total capital cost of Rs. 13,600 Cr.

The access-controlled greenfield corridor will be developed at an expense of Rs 13,600 crore. The highway will also reduce the total distance between the two cities. The minister further added, Connecting the two major cities in the southern states of Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, it will reduce the travel distance between the 2 cities by 75 km & travel time by 5 hours.

In a series of tweets, Gadkari confirmed that the project is expected to be completed by 2026. He tweeted, The corridor would enhance connectivity to existing and upcoming economic & industrial nodes such as Guntur, Kadapa, Koparthy. The project will be completed by FY25-26. #PragatiKaHighway

Connecting the two major cities in the southern states of Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, it will reduce the travel distance between the 2 cities by 75 km & travel time by 5 hours. #PragatiKaHighway #GatiShakti @nalinkateel @somuveerraju @Tejasvi_Surya @PCMohanMP @kesineni_nani  Nitin Gadkari (@nitin_gadkari) September 28, 2022

Well, this isnt the only highway that the minister has revealed about the southern part of the country. Nitin Gadkari, earlier revealed that MoRTH is planning to reduce the duration of road travel between Bengaluru and Chennai, and a new expressway might help the commuters travel between the two cities in just 2 hours.

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Alongside, he commented on the 26 new green expressways that will soon be inaugurated in the country. He said, India will have 26 new green expressways in the next three years and this will reduce the travel time for people choosing roadways. Bengaluru-Chennai expressway is one of them and it is going to help commuters to reach their cities (Chennai or Bengaluru) in just two hours. I would like to reiterate that our roads are going to be no less than the roads of America in the coming future.
China's first indigenous narrowbody aircraft Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China's COMAC C919, has received its type certification from the Civil Administration of China (CAAC). The ceremony to hand over the certification was held at Beijing Capital Airport. With the certification of this aircraft, China has marked its entry into the commercial aviation market. The aircraft will be challenging the market share of American giants like Boeing and Airbus. Moreover, this aircraft might be China's hope for decreasing its dependency on American organisations.

The certification is an official announcement that the aircraft is ready to enter service and has passed the airworthiness criteria of Airworthiness Standards for Transport Aircraft (CCAR-25-R3). Speculations are that the first aircraft will be delivered to help give wings to the China Eastern Airline.

Based on Simple Flying's report, many Chinese investors like Hainan Airlines, Air China, and China Construction Bank have shown interest. Moreover, There were reports of China Eastern Airlines signing a contract with COMAC to buy five planes in March 2021. However, there are no reports of the company getting any non-Chinese investors.

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Earlier, in May 2022, the C919 completed its first pre-delivery flight test in Shanghai. The COMAC C919 is the first commercial aircraft that China developed independently. The plane is very similar to the Boeing 737 Max and variations of the Airbus A320 family, with 158168 seats and a medium range of 4,0755,555 km. It completed its successful maiden flight in 2017.

A completed prototype began high-speed taxi tests in 2017, with the first aircraft taking to the skies in May 2017. A second prototype took off in December of that same year, but progress was being made very slowly. Prototypes three, four, and five had all began flying by October 2019, while the very last of the test campaign aircraft, prototype six, took flight in December same year. Since then, the test aircraft have been put through their paces, testing for everything from extreme weather conditions to avionics and electrical system conformity.
Hurricane Ian has been creating havoc in US Florida as it has turned into an extremely dangerous Category 4 storm and is predicted to retain top winds of 220 kmph. Due to storm-force winds and rains, various airlines have cancelled over 2,000 flights that were scheduled to fly today, reports Reuters. Hurricane Ian is causing massive disruptions to US air travel and is reported to be the most powerful storm in the recent history of the US. As per a Reuters report, around 2,163 flights were cancelled yesterday as various airports halted their flight services including, Tampa, Orlando, Melbourne, and Naples amongst others.

The hurricane could push as much as 12 feet of ocean water ashore in Florida, the U.S. National Hurricane Centre in Miami said, urging people to evacuate the danger zone if they still can. More than 2.5 million people were under mandatory evacuation orders, but by law, no one could be forced to flee.

Ian was centered about 100 kilometers west-southwest of Naples at 6 am, swirling toward the coast at 17 kmph. Florida residents rushed ahead of the impact to board up their homes, stash precious belongings on upper floors and flee.

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During the night, Ian went through a natural cycle when it lost its old eye and formed a new one. The timing was bad for the Florida coast because the storm got stronger and larger. 120 mph (193 kph) to 155 mph (250 kph), with landfall just a few hours away.

The size of the storm also grew, with tropical storm force winds extending 175 miles (280 kilometers) from the hurricane's center. "With the higher intensity you're going to see more extensive wind damage," University of Miami hurricane researcher Brian McNoldy said.

(With inputs from agencies)
The list of the world's best airlines just came in, awarding the title to Qatar Airways, and among the participants, there are Indian airlines as well who managed to get a rank in the competition. The Indian airline Vistara got the awards for the best airline in India and Southern Asia, whilst also bagging the award for the Best Airline Staff Service in India and South Asia. Furthermore, Vistara ranked 20 among the 100 best airlines in the world, and another Indian airline Indigo managed to rank 45th in the competition.

Meanwhile, the top spot of Qatar Airways was followed by Emirates and Singapore Airlines took second and third place, respectively. The Langham Hotel in London, United Kingdom, hosted the awards ceremony, where the top airlines in the world were ranked according to a variety of criteria. Qatar Airways officially accepted the prize and thanked everyone who had voted in the airline's favour.

It should be mentioned that Qatar Airways took home four prizes in all at the 2022 Skytrax World Airline Awards. The airline was named not just the Best Airline in the World, but also the Best Business Class, Best Business Class Lounge Dining, and Best Airline in the Middle East. According to the Skytrax ranking, the top 10 airlines in the world as of 2022 are Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines, Emirates, All Nippon Airways (ANA), Qantas Airways, Japan Airlines, Turk Hava Yollari (Turkish Airlines), Air France, Korean Air, and Swiss International Air Lines.

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The latter half that apart from Vistara had names like British Airways, Etihad Airways, China Southern, Hainan Airlines, Lufthansa, Cathay Pacific, KLM, EVA Air, and Virgin Atlantic. It is to be noted that these awards are very prestigious honours in the aviation industry and have been awarded after surveying customers in over 100 countries.
Member states of the International Telecommunication Union elected US representative Doreen Bogdan-Martin as its next secretary-general, beating Russias Rashid Ismailov.

In a statement, the ITU detailed that Bogdan-Martin secured 139 votes from the 89-majority required from 172 member states, and Ismailov received 25 votes.

Bogdan-Martin is currently the director of the agency's Telecommunication Development Bureau. She will replace China's Houlin Zhao who has led the UN agency since 2014 and will be the first woman to lead the ITU since its establishment in 1865, when she begins her four-year term on January 1 next year.

The ITU said in its statement, the US government endorsed Bogdan-Martin to drive digital inclusiveness, especially in developing countries.

Bogdan-Martin said: The world is facing significant challenges  escalating conflicts, a climate crisis, food security, gender inequalities, and 2.7 billion people with no access to the Internet. I believe we, the ITU and our members, have an opportunity to make a transformational contribution. Continuous innovation can and will be a key enabler to facilitate resolution of many of these issues."

US president Joe Biden said in his endorsement of Bogdan-Martin, that she possesses the integrity, experience, and vision necessary to transform the digital landscape."
Pakistan International Airlines, the national flag carrier, in a rather strange development has asked its cabin crew to wear undergarments. While this announcement sounds strange and weird, as per Geo News, PIA has told the crew that wearing undergarments is a must. Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) adds that a negative image of the airline is being portrayed with the improper attire of the cabin crew, which is eventually leaving a poor impression on the users. Hence, the international air carrier, operated under the Government of Pakistan for Aviation, has asked its aircrew to strictly adhere to the new notification.

"It has been observed with great concern that a few cabin crew tend to dress casually while travelling intercity, staying in hotels and visiting various suffices. Such dressing leaves a poor impression on the viewer and portrays a negative image of not only the individual, but also of the organisation," an internal instruction memo sent by PIA General Manager (Flight Services), Aamir Bashir, read, Geo News reported.

Bashir asked the cabin crew to "dress properly" in formal plain clothes over "proper undergarments". "The clothing worn by males and females should be in accordance with our cultural and national morals," the guidelines read. The grooming officials have been instructed to monitor cabin crew "at all times" and report back if there is any "deviation" from the rules, Geo News reported.

Also read - Jet Airways to get first aircraft soon? Siberian Airline's Airbus A320 spotted wearing Indian brand's livery

Recently, PIA made headlines as a Pakistani passenger tried to break the aircrafts window, which took off from Peshawar to its destination - Dubai. The passenger created a ruckus after he was stopped from offering Namaz in the aeroplane. The video of the incident got viral. As heard in the video, passengers were seen saying that he was fine when he boarded the flight and suddenly started to act this way. Reports indicate that the passenger created the scene after he was stopped from offering Namaz on the flight.
PATNA: Bihar CM Nitish Kumar on Thursday warned that action will be taken against the senior IAS officer who had made a very insensitive ''condom'' remark while replying to girl students over their request for affordable sanitary napkins. Kumar also called a meeting and said that the state government is helping women and monitoring everything. "I have immediately called a meeting. We are helping to empower women. I am monitoring each and everything. Action will be taken," the Chief Minister said.

"I've immediately called a meeting. We're helping to empower women. I'm monitoring each & everything. Action will be taken," said Bihar CM Nitish Kumar, on IAS Harjot K Bhamra asking a schoolgirl if she wants condoms too when a student asked for affordable sanitary napkins. pic.twitter.com/qsZWFY5q7U  ANI (@ANI) September 29, 2022

Meanwhile, the National Commission for Women (NCW) also took cognizance of the incident in Patna where IAS officer Harjot Kaur Bhamra had publicly mocked a school girl saying if "she wanted condoms too" when she asked for affordable sanitary napkins at a workshop organized in the eastern state of Bihar.

The Commission has sought a written explanation for the remarks that Bhamra, who is also the MD of Bihar Women and Child Development Corporation gave to the students. "The reply must be communicated within seven days," said NCW after coming across various social media posts regarding the "embarrassing" incident.

Condemning the incident, NCW said that such an "insensitive attitude" from a person in a responsible position is condemnable and "extremely shameful". As per an official statement by the Commission, its Chairperson Rekha Sharma has written to the IAS Harjot Kaur Bhamra, seeking a written explanation for her inappropriate and highly objectionable remarks.

On Wednesday, Bharatiya Janata Party`s Amrita Rathod took a dig at the Bihar government and said, "Now meet the IAS of Nitish-Tejashwi Sarkar. Harjot Kaur will send daughters of Bihar to Pakistan on asking for sanitary napkins."

 -   IAS               pic.twitter.com/VjVv0EF0AP  Dr. Amrita Rathod BJP (@AmritaRathodBJP) September 28, 2022

During a workshop on Sashakt Beti, Samriddh Bihar', Harjot Kaur Bhamra was asked by the girls if the state government can provide them with affordable sanitary pads. "Today you are asking for sanitary, tomorrow you will need jeans, then good shoes and when the question of family planning will arise, you will ask for condoms too," she replied.

Interestingly, the entire conversation was caught on camera and the video was shared widely on social media. Later, when confronted, Bhamra said, "It's false, malicious and wrong reporting of an event."
New Delhi: Ayushmann Khurrana and Rakul Preet Singhs upcoming film Doctor G encapsulates a fun-filled journey of a hopeful orthopaedic who turns gynaecologist and maps the struggles he faces being the only male doctor in a class full of women. The trailer has received so much love and have left the audiences eagerly excited for its theatrical release.

After teasing the fans with the snippet of O Sweetie Sweetie sung by Ayushmann Khurrana, Junglee Pictures has released its second song from the Doctor G album 'Dil Dhak Dhak Karta Hai'.

This peppy track showcases the sizzling chemistry between Ayushmann Khurrana and Rakul Preet Singh as it brings to you the club song of the year. Themed around the subject of the film, a medical campus comedy drama, the song witnesses some cool and groovy dance steps by ace choreographer Bosco that will surely set your mood on the dance floors with its hook steps.

Watch the song here -

Fans could not keep calm seeing the full song and went into the comments section to shower their love. Ayushman is just ahead of all current generation of actors. His eyes act better than most of the others, added one fan. This song deserves more love and appreciation, added another user.

The heart-thumping and groovy beats of Dil Dhak Dhak Karta Hai is composed by Amjad Nadeem Aamir and sung by Raj Barman & Sakshi Holkar; the lyrics of the song are given by Amjad Nadeem.

Written by Sumit Saxena, Saurabh Bharat, Vishal Wagh and Anubhuti Kashyap, Doctor G is set to release in theatres on October 14. Junglee Pictures upcoming slate also includes Woh Ladaki Hai Kahan?, Dosa King, Ulajh and Click Shankar to name a few.
New Delhi: While 93% of employees in India say they are productive at work, a whopping 91% of leaders feel the shift to hybrid work has made it challenging to have confidence in employees being productive, a Microsoft study showed on Thursday.

ALSO READ | New Credit Card rules: THESE 3 changes you will notice from October 1

This hyper-focus on productivity is impacting health and wellbeing as 47% of employees and 58% of leaders in India report that they're already burnt out at work. Nearly 93% of leaders in India say getting employees back to the office in-person is a concern.

ALSO READ | Bank of Baroda launches 'Khushiyon ka Tyohaar' for this festival season

The data makes it clear that hybrid work has created a growing disconnect between employees and leaders. They're at odds about what constitutes productivity, how to maintain autonomy while ensuring accountability, the benefits of flexibility and the role of the office, according to India findings of Microsoft's '2022 Work Trend Index Pulse Report'.

However, more than 9 in 10 (91%) of Indian employees are willing to work from the office if they can socialise with co-workers.

To bridge the gap, "a new approach is needed that recognises work is no longer just a place, but an experience that needs to keep employees engaged and connected, no matter where they are working from", said Bhaskar Basu, Country Head-Modern Work, Microsoft India.

The data showed that only 44% of companies rarely, if ever, collect employee feedback. Only 56% of employees in India can confidently say that their company solicits employee feedback at least once a year.

"This means that just under half of the companies in India hear about their employees' experiences at work (44% versus a global average of 57%)," the findings showed. Nearly 60% of employees in India say there are not enough growth opportunities in their company to stay long term, according to the report.
Navratri is being celebrated all over the country. However, be it Navratri or Durga Puja, the festivals are all about celebrating togetherness, having a blast with food, colours, festivities, and happiness. Another reason why these festivals are widely celebrated is because it brings people back to their homes to celebrate the auspicious occasion.

Navratri which means nine nights, is celebrated to worship goddess Shakti and the nine incarnations. However, Durga Puja is all about the celebration to mark the homecoming of goddess Durga from Kailash Parvat to her maternal house.

India is popular for its diverse nature. It should be a matter of pride for all of us that despite being diverse, India is united by culture, festival, celebrations, and brotherhood. Dont believe me? Well, take Durga Puja as the example. The festival is celebrated all across the country, be it north, south, east or west. In what makes the celebration even more beautiful is that in different states, the festival has different names and different rituals.

This story explains how Navratri is celebrated in the different parts of the country:

Northern India:

In the North India, Navratri is celebrated to mark the victory of lord Rama over Ravana. Lord Ramas returned back to Ayodhya after spending fourteen years in exile with wife Sita and brother Lakshman. To celebrate the festival, people offer sweets and food items to gods. People also observe fast to worship the goddess.

Eastern India:

After North India, lets talk about Eastern India and how this celebrates the festival. It is mainly in West Bengal and the North-East that Navratri is celebrated as Durga Puja. The people of North East and West Bengal especially celebrate this festival to mark goddess Durgas triumph over Mahishasura. Women, during these days, don the sarees that are white and red in color. The decoration with lights enlightens the city and from the day of Mahalya and Bijoya Dashami, people enjoy at the pandals where there is delicious food and various rituals. On the day of Bijoya Dashami, the idols of Maa Durga are immersed in water.

West India:

Navratri is an extremely important festival in West India, Gujarat to be specific. Women observe fast to worship Goddess Shakti. Every house is decorated, and temples have frequent visitors. Functions and events for Garba  the traditional dance of Gujarat  are organised where both men and women dance with dandiyas.

Southern India:

South India has its own way of celebrating the festival. Kolu  the exhibition of various dolls and sculptures is placed in the homes to celebrate Navratri. There are various names of the festival in different Southern states of India. While, in Karnataka, kolu is popularly known as Bombe Habba, the name is Bommai Kolu in Tamil Nadu. Kerala meanwhile calls it as Bomma Gullu, and, in Andhra Pradesh, it is called Bommala Koluvu.
New Delhi: In what could be a mood spoiler for lakhs of LPG subscribers, several media reports have said that going forward, the number of domestic LPG gas cylinders will be capped for the customers. According to the new rule, now customers will be able to buy only 15 cylinders in a year, while the monthly rationing on LPG bottle will be 2 cylinders per month.

If media reports are to be believed, customer will be given only 15 cylinders in a year and not more than 2 cylinders per month. Uptill now there was such no quota that was being fixed on getting LPG cylinders.

Some media reports also pointed that though the 15 cylinder per year and monthly rationing of 2 LPG bottles will be in place, if a customer wants to go beyond the existing capping, he/she has to provide documents or papers justifying the need to take more LPG cylinders.

Even as domestic LPG prices have been on the upsurge, burdening the common man, an interesting fact to note is that cooking gas rates have been revised an astounding 58 times in the last five years.

According to official data of the Petroleum Ministry, between April 1, 2017 and July 6, 2022 LPG prices rose by 45 per cent through 58 upward revisions. An LPG cylinder was priced at Rs 723 in April 2017, and by July 2022, rose by 45 per cent to cost Rs 1,053.

At the same time, this hike in cooking gas cylinder price was a huge 26 per cent in the 12 month period between July 1, 2021 and July 6, 2022. The same LPG cylinder was priced at Rs 834 in July 2021. By July 2022, it's price surged 26 per cent to touch Rs 1,053.

LPG cylinder prices differ in every state as they depend on value added tax or VAT as well as transportation charges. They are also calculated on the basis of crude oil prices.

(WITH IANS INPUTS)
Workplace stress invites a host of ailments, heart issues being the most prominent among them. Workplace stress is tied to poor health habits, like unhealthy eating habits, a sedentary lifestyle and lower consumption of fruits and vegetables, which could indirectly invite heart disease. Hence, you should make sure to opt for healthy lifestyle modifications to improve your heart health.

Healthy Lunch and snacks options

Employee

According to experts, to keep heart disease away, you should eat fruits and vegetables, whole grains, nuts, fish, and poultry. Cut down on red and processed meats, refined carbohydrates, sugar-laden foods and beverages, sodium, and foods which contain trans fats. Ideally, it should include leafy green salads, seasonal fruits, paneer/soya/grilled chicken, or fish along with walnuts, almonds, and flax seeds for snacks.

Employer

Replacing fatty snacks in the vending machine with fruits, almonds, and other hearty healthy options. When catering food for special employee events, avoid ordering fried foods, sweets, and salty snacks. Concentrate on supplying your employees with more fruits and vegetables and less sodium, saturated fat and trans fat.

Staying active

Employee

At your workplace, you are glued to your chair for 9 hours or more. According to studies, people who spend more time each day watching television, sitting, or riding in cars have a greater chance of dying early than people who exercise and are physically active. Staying physically active can improve your cholesterol levels, manage your blood pressure, maintain normal blood glucose levels, and can help you slow down the damage to the arteries of the heart.

Employer

Employers should encourage employees to get more active during the workday. Encourage walking meetings and walking clubs. Reward employees for their participation. Create challenges to see who can walk the most steps in a day. Create an office space that encourages physical activity like standing desks, exercise balls or an onsite gym. Also be sure to promote regular exercise outside of the office as well, such as giving employees discounted gym memberships or fitness class coupons.

Creating a healthy work environment

Employee

Having a healthy interpersonal relationship with your colleagues goes a long way in creating a good work environment. Make sure you are able to share and discuss your work issues with them. Also, picking up a few skills like intelligent time management and judicious delegation will help.

Employer

Taking a holistic approach to wellness. Your wellness program should cover mental and emotional health, which includes stress management. Provide resources and education for your employees about how to deal with workplace stressors. Offer yoga or meditation classes to help employees relax and de-stress.

(Disclaimer: Brand Desk Content)
New Delhi: Ceiling and plaster lumps falling off with rain sprinkling through the roof in the hostels of Jawaharlal Nehru University, the country's second-best university, according to the NIRF ranking. Every year the monsoon season exposes the crumbling infrastructure and the negligence of the JNU administration and others responsible for the dire situation in which students are living. Nevertheless, there is no one to attend to these grievances. At Periyar Hostel, which was constructed in early 1970 and is one of the oldest hostels in JNU, specially-abled students, Vijay Pradhan was lucky enough to be alive after a chunk of plaster from the ceiling in his room fell off on September 22. The same thing happened with Umesh Chandra Ajmeera who lives in room number - 235, Sutlej Hostel JNU. In his room, a ceiling chunk fell off just beside his bed.

Umesh told Zee Media, We are living in very poor condition. We don't even get basic facilities for living. even the rickshaw facilities are not provided to us after the reopening of the campus after COVID-19 lockdown. There are fellowship issues like the fellowships are not provided to students on time. The administration was not releasing the prospectus for new admission. Library facilities are not accessible. After protesting the administration released MCM, and granted a fellowship and other fellowships to many students, the prospectus has been released, and the administration agreed to give tender for rickshaw facilities. Without hostel, without fellowship and library how can we study? The lives of students are at stake at Jawaharlal Nehru University.

Vijay, a third-year student of Bachelors of Arts said, On September 22, it was raining in the evening, I came back to my room and kept the umbrella on the balcony, as soon as I stepped into my room from the balcony the ceiling dropped on the umbrella. Even now half of the balconys ceiling is about to fall. The water coolers are not working. They are not even maintained. Rooms leak, and I have to go to different hostels for water. There are more than 30 cases of Dengue in Kaveri and Periyar hostels. 56 crores were granted by UGC but the work has not yet started. No one in the administration listens to our problem.

PhD student, Sambhavi Shukla from room number 61 of Godavari hostel has to sleep on the floor. Sambhavi quotes  During the last few days when it was raining, the rainwater was sprinkling in the room through the fan. Books and bedding are wet due to this, I am sleeping on the floor. The ceilings fall anytime in JNU hostels. The renovation has not started. Food is unsatisfactory.

Vikram Singh who is studying in the first year of Masters of Arts, Korean Centre said In my room, the balconys ceiling has fallen off, My roommate got saved luckily. Rainwater is dripping through the ceiling, Water is getting into the Almirah, and this happens in every monsoon season. This is not the first time I am facing this situation. I have complained to the caretaker even last year but still, no action was taken. The Mess is in poor condition. Rainwater is pouring through the roof at the same place where the food is being cooked. As per the Renovation Map released by the Jawaharlal Nehru University administration the 1st phases renovation has to end in October but the process has not yet started as per the students.

Kritika Ojha, a student from the Godavari says  Since I have come to JNU, my rooms lock is not working. Whenever it rains, the water drips onto my head. I eat, sleep, and study in the same situation. Washrooms are not clean, complaints are not heard by wardens, workers dont have sanitation equipment, no green vegetables in the mess, No one takes responsibility for the mess, not even the mess committee or the administration. Renovation work has not started in my hostel. This hostel is mostly for specially-abled students. The floor of the passage is broken, due to which the specially-abled students sometimes fell, their washrooms are in very bad condition and the administration is not considerate about them.

The students who are living at JNU have been facing these situations for a long time. They say that the JNU Administration has renovated very few rooms from the hostel funds earlier. The administration should take up these cases and renovate hostels to give these students a safe environment to study.

Zee Media called the Dean of students, Mr Sudhir, but he denied to speak and later stopped picking up our calls. It's high time for the JNU administration, the state and the centre to look into these issues faced by the students every day. Jawaharlal Nehru University is one of the most prestigious universities in our nation. Students come here from different states to study, research and contribute to our countrys growth. These students should get at least a better abode to live and study.
New Delhi: After the Central government's notification, Tamil Nadu, Kerala as well as Maharashtra govt have issued an order declaring PFI and its associates or affiliates or fronts as an unlawful association. Also, PFI's official Twitter account has been blocked in India. According to the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act 1967, the Central government has declared the Popular Front of India (PFI) and its associates, like Rehab India Foundation, Campus Front of India, National Confederation of Human Rights organization, All India Imams Council, Junior Front, Empower India Foundation and Rehab Foundation, Kerala, and National Women's Front as an unlawful association The notification stated unequivocally that the ban was imposed on PFI and its associates, affiliates, or fronts for "engaging in unlawful activities that are prejudicial to the integrity, sovereignty, and security of the country and have the potential of disturbing public peace and communal harmony in the country and supporting militancy in the country.

After Central Govt's notification, the Tamil Nadu govt issued an order declaring PFI and its associates or affiliates or fronts as an unlawful association. pic.twitter.com/XP4R6bFbbx  ANI (@ANI) September 29, 2022

"In exercise of the powers conferred by sub-section (1) of section 3 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. 1967 (37 of 1967), the Central Government hereby declares the Popular Front of India (PFI) and its associates or affiliates or fronts including Rehab India Foundation (RIF). Campus Front of India (CFI), All India Imams Council (AIIC), National Confederation of Human Rights Organization (NCHRO), National Women`s Front, Junior Front, Empower India Foundation and Rehab Foundation, Kerala as an `unlawful association`," reads the notification.

"The Central Government hereby directs that this notification shall, subject to any order that may be made under section 4 of the UAPA have effect for five years from the date of its publication in the Office."

The Centre issued the ban, citing the investigation of its agencies, mentioning "the investigations have established clear linkages between PFI and its associates or affiliates or fronts".It is also accused that "some of the PFI`s founding members are the leaders of Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) and PFI has linkages with Jamat-ul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB), both of which are proscribed organisations".

"There had been several instances of international linkages of PFI with Global Terrorist Groups the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS). The PFI and its associates or affiliates or fronts have been working covertly to increase radicalization of one community by promoting a sense of insecurity in the country, which is substantiated by the fact that some PFI cadres have joined international terrorist organisations."

The PFI is involved in several "criminal and terror cases and shows sheer disrespect towards the constitutional authority of the country and with funds and ideological support from outside it has become a major threat to the internal security of the country", mentioned the notification.

In addition, the PFI's official Twitter account has been blocked in India. The official Twitter account of the Popular Front of India (PFI) in India has been blocked by the social media platform "in response to a legal demand," a day after the Centre banned the outfit under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) for "terror links." The government ordered yesterday the blocking of all traces of the banned outfit on social media, including its Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook accounts.

The Popular Front of India (PFI) has been dissolved, for all PFI members and the general public. The MHA has issued a notification prohibiting PFI. "As law-abiding citizens of our great country, the organisation accepts the decision," says Abdul Sattar, Kerala State General Secretary of PFI.

(With ANI Inputs)
Bengaluru: Some posters put up to welcome leaders to the Congress' 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' were found to be torn at Gundlupet in Chamarajanagar district on Thursday, a day before it is set to enter Karnataka.

Reacting sharply, the Congress said, "The 40% Commission Bommai Govt is already getting the jitters".

The BJP's 'Bharat Todo Team' of paid goons has been pressed into service to destruct, destroy and tear up posters, the Congress incharge of Karnataka Affairs, Randeep Singh Surjewala alleged.

"They'll never be able to stop the war cry against Price Rise, Unemployment, Disparity & Divisiveness", he tweeted.

Congress state president D K Shivakumar alleged that a few posters were torn and burnt by the BJP.

"Preparations are afoot to receive the 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' but the BJP people have torn and burnt some banners. We will not be cowed down. We have faced enough of such things. They (BJP) should know this," Shivakumar told reporters in Chamarajanagar.

He demanded that the police initiate action against those who tore the banners.

"Let them (police) refuse to take action, then we will speak rest of the things," Shivakumar said.

The Congress lodged a police complaint in this connection in the police station concerned, sources close to the Congress state president said.

Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said: "All know who is doing 'Bharat Jodo' and who's doing 'Thodo". Addressing reporters in the district headquarters town of Haveri, Bommai said let Shivakumar comment on the incident, permission must be obtained for putting up posters.

The BJP need not tear the posters of any political party. Since people knew "everything," there was no need for him to say much about it, the Chief Minister said. Sources close to Shivakumar said the Congress leaders lodged a complaint at the police station concerned against those who tore and burnt the banners.
Khazna Data Centers, one of the largest wholesale data centre providers in the Middle East and North Africa, has signed a memorandum of understating (MoU) with GDS IDC Services (GDS), a Chinese company that develops and operates high-performance data centres.

The signatories hope that the MoU will lead to cooperation in the development of wholesale data centres across Greater China, Asia-Pacific (APAC) and the Middle East regions.

For now, however, this cooperation is intended to provide a framework for joint activities between Khazna Data Centers and GDS to support the strategic development of digital infrastructure in various markets and regions including Greater China.

The signatories add that the MoU explores a potential partnership to establish data centre projects in accordance with the highest international standards for facility design, operations, and data privacy and security, and to provide comprehensive solutions and end-to-end data centre services.

This will involve adopting and applying GDS prefabrication and modular design, with multi-cloud managed and cyber security services, digital transformation integration services and application integration services.

The hope is that, as the growth of the data centre sector continues, the combined skillsets of the two companies will spark development by attracting investments and, in turn, spur the building and operating of data centres across new markets.

Or, as Hassan Alnaqbi, CEO of Khazna Data Centers, says: Propelled by the ever-growing demand for data centres, Khazna Data Centers regularly assesses emerging opportunities to bring our services closer to customers, enabling them to provide better services and satisfy local data privacy regulations. Our potential partnership with GDS will open new avenues in the Asia market.
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Thursday that Gujarat's Bhavnagar could become a metal scrapping centre for India and other countries around the world. The Prime Minister made the remarks after laying the foundation stone and launching a slew of development projects worth over Rs 5,200 crore in Bhavnagar. "The new Vehicle Scrapping Policy can improve waste management in the country. Bhavnagar can emerge as a centre for metal scrapping for not just the country but for other nations across the world," quotes PM Modi

Bhavnagar can emerge as center for metal scrapping for India and world, says PM Modi in Gujarat



Read @ANI Story | https://t.co/XMfU4Uv2MT#NarendraModi #Gujarat #Bhavnagar pic.twitter.com/wVJZBXucq7  ANI Digital (@ani_digital) September 29, 2022

"India will lead the charge in developing a robust circular economy. As Bhavnagar emerges as a scrapping hub, the metal from ships can be reused for large construction projects. This will create many opportunities for the youth," he further added.

Also Read: PM Modi inaugurates projects worth Rs 3,400 crores in Surat, calls it a 'Mini Hindustan'

According to the Prime Minister, Bhavnagar is emerging as an important region for port-led development."Multi-modal connectivity will play an important role in increasing maritime trade opportunities in the region," he said. "The Renewable energy, Space and semiconductor industry being developed in Dholera will benefit Bhavnagar as well," PM Modi added.

PM Modi stated that the world needs a "reliable" container supplier and that the containers manufactured in Bhavnagar will not only meet this global demand but will also create job opportunities.

The Prime Minister said that the region is becoming a hub for the fulfillment of energy requirements of the country and Gujarat."Today the coastline of Gujarat is emerging as a synonym for renewable energy and hydrogen ecosystem. We have also tried to make Saurashtra an important centre of energy. Whatever is required to fulfill the energy requirements of Gujarat and the country, this region is becoming a big hub for it," he said.

Also Read: PM Modi to begin two-day visit to home state Gujarat today, will inaugurate projects worth Rs 29,000 crore

In Gujarat's Bhavnagar, Prime Minister Narendra Modi also laid the foundation stone and inaugurated a slew of development projects worth over Rs 5,200 crore. In the city, the Prime Minister laid the groundwork for the world's first CNG terminal and a brownfield port. The port will be built at a cost of more than Rs 4,000 crore and will include cutting-edge infrastructure for the CNG terminal. The port will include a cutting-edge container terminal, multipurpose terminal, and liquid terminal, all with direct door-to-door access to the existing roadway and railway networks. PM Modi also dedicated a regional science centre in Bhavnagar, which spans 20 acres and cost around Rs 100 crore to build.

(Inputs from ANI)
Bihar: Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) has issued a notification addressed to candidates who will appear in the 67th Combined Competitive Exam or BPSC 67th CCE re-exam on September 30. A day ahead of exams, Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) has issued a circular for candidates appearing in the 67th Combined Competitive Exam or BPSC 67th CCE re-exam. The notification asked students to reach their exam centres two hours prior to the commencement of exam, which will be held from 12 to 2 pm

BPSC 67th Prelims Exam 2022: Steps to Download Admit Card

Go to the official website of BPSC- bpsc.bih.nic.in.

Now check the notification bar and tap on the Admit Card tab.

Fill your login credentials, like ID & password and then sign in.

Download your hall ticket and take a printout for future reference.

The commission has asked aspirants to go through instructions given on the admit card and OMR sheet and follow those during the examination. Candidates need to fill question booklet series and roll number on spaces provided for it and darken the circles. OMR sheets missing these details may be rejected, BPSC said.

Electronic devices like mobile phone, Bluetooth device, WiFi gadget, electronic pen, pager, smartwatch, etc and other items like whitener, eraser, blade are not allowed inside the exam venue. Candidates found in possession of such items will be subject to legal action, BPSC said.
New Delhi: The Central Bureau of Investigation has launched a multi-phase Operation GARUDA, which seeks to disrupt, degrade and dismantle drug networks with international linkages through rapid exchange of criminal intelligence on drug trafficking and coordinated law enforcement actions across international jurisdiction through INTERPOL. This global operation was initiated in close coordination with INTERPOL and Narcotics Control Bureau, for combating smuggling of illicit drugs and psychotropic substances, with special focus on Indian Ocean Region.

Notably, Drug trafficking networks with international linkages require law enforcement cooperation across international jurisdiction.

Meanwhile, the CBI led global operation, Operation GARUDA, seeks to target drug networks with international footprints for action against handlers, operatives, production zones and support elements. CBI and NCB have been closely coordinating with all States/UTs Police agencies for information exchange, analysis and development of operational information.

During the Operation GARUDA, searches, seizures and arrests were carried out across multiple States/UT in India. Apart from CBI and NCB, eight states/UT Police including Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra,Tamil Nadu, Delhi & Manipur have also participated in this Operation.

During this Special Operation from several State Police forces including Punjab, Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Manipur, Maharashtra and NCB, around 6600 Suspects/Persons checked; 127 new cases registered and around 175 persons including 6 Absconders/Proclaimed Offenders arrested.

A following bunch of illicit drugs and psychotropic substances were recovered:
Gudalur (TN): Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday accused the Narendra Modi-led government at the Centre of 'using' the offices of the Governors to target the non-BJP ruled States in the country and claimed that it was pursuing its agenda of thrusting one-nation, one language policy on the country. Gandhi, who entered the State from Kerala, nearly 22 days after launching the 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' from Kanyakumari, alleged that Governors were being used to "topple" the opposition-ruled States. "Why should Governors have the right to interfere in opposition-ruled States? Are they elected by the people?" he asked while addressing a mammoth rally here this evening. "Have the people elevated them to the Gubernatorial position? What right do the BJP and RSS have to topple government after government, which is duly elected by the people?"

Also, Gandhi claimed that the Centre had no right to hold back the State's share of the GST and that the sum should be given to States at the right time. "States should be partners (of administration) and Central government should hold the States in partnership. But the Centre wants to impose one language, one culture for the entire nation. We want unity but at the same time we should respect the diversity of languages, cultures and religions," Rahul, who halted his speech for a brief while after hearing the evening prayers from a local mosque, said.

Also Read: Bharat Jodo Yatra: Congress MP Rahul Gandhi completes Kerala leg today, to enter Tamil Nadu in afternoon

He accused the BJP-led government of spreading hatred, violence and anger among the people and said Congress would not allow this to happen nor would the party allow any disrespect to any State or language.

During his interaction with businessmen during the yatra, he was told that the Centre's policies, especially the demonetisation and GST were "disastrous" for the people. "The GST made the lives of businessmen more complicated," Rahul Gandhi, said after concluding his 18-day long Kerala leg of the Bharat Jodo Yatra.

Praising the beauty of Gudalur in the Nilgiris district, Gandhi said his sister, who built a house in Shimla used to describe its natural beauty. "Today, I told her that she has not yet seen the hill town of Gudalur." The Congress leader entered Tamil Nadu through this town en route to his campaign in Karnataka on September 30. He was joined by scores of party workers and volunteers in this town in the hilly Nilgiris district.
New Delhi: The Congress high command on Thursday issued a big warning to Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlots loyalists asking them not to make any comments on the party's internal matters in the public. The party warned its Rajasthan leaders of strict disciplinary action for speaking against the party or making any public statements on the party's internal matters and against other functionaries.

#RajasthanPoliticalCrisis | Congress advises all leaders of the party to "refrain from making public statements against any other leaders or about Party's internal matters." The party also warns of "strict disciplinary action" if any violation of this advisory is made. pic.twitter.com/3lejUCcufO  ANI (@ANI) September 29, 2022

In its advisory, AICC General Secretary (Organisation) K C Venugopal said all Congress leaders at any level should refrain from making public statements against other leaders or about the party's internal matters.

The advisory follows an open rebellion in Rajasthan with MLAs supporting Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot defying the central observers' attempts to hold a legislature party meeting for passing a resolution authorising Sonia Gandhi to decide on the next chief minister.

"We are noticing statements of Congress leaders in Rajasthan regarding the party's internal matters and against other leaders," Venugopal said. He further said that strict disciplinary action will be initiated if any violation of this advisory is made.

The warning came after Gehlot announced that he will not contest the Congress presidential polls as he took moral responsibility for the political crisis in his state and said the decision on whether he would remain CM would be taken by the party chief.

After meeting the party president, Gehlot told reporters that he apologised to Gandhi for the developments on Sunday when MLAs supporting him defied the central observers and thwarted the move to hold a meeting of party legislators.

Instead, they held a parallel meeting to pitch for Gehlot's continuation or the guarantee that his bete noire Sachin Pilot will not replace him. Gehlot, a three-time state chief minister, described himself as a disciplined soldier of the party and expressed his sadness over the turn of events in the state. Asked if he will continue as chief minister, Gehlot said Gandhi will decide on the issue.
New Delhi: Senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh on Thursday (September 29, 2022) confirmed that he will contest the party's presidential poll scheduled next month. The former Madhya Pradesh chief minister collected the nomination papers for the party president election and is likely to file his nomination on Friday.

Asked if he was acting at the behest of the party leadership, he said, "I am responsible for myself."

The only other person who has declared his intention to contest is Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor, who has said he will file his nomination papers on Friday, the last date for filing nominations.

Nominations can be filed between 11 am to 3 pm on Friday.

After scrutiny of nominations on October 1, the last date of withdrawals is October 8.

If there is more than one candidate, the election will take place at all Pradesh Congress Committee headquarters on October 17, 2022 (Monday) between 10 am to 4 pm.

Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot to meet Sonia Gandhi in Delhi

Meanwhile, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot is scheduled to meet Congress president Sonia Gandhi in Delhi on Thursday.

Gehlot is likely to clear the air on whether he will contest the party president's election after his meeting with Sonia.
Beijing: China's military said on Thursday that the disengagement of Chinese and Indian troops from Patrolling Point 15 in the Gogra-Hot Springs area in eastern Ladakh is conducive to promoting peace and tranquillity in the border areas.

In line with the consensus reached in the 16th Round of China-India Corps Commander-level Meeting, the frontline troops of the two militaries in the area of Jianan Daban recently staged disengagement simultaneously in a planned manner, Chinese Defence spokesman Senior Col. Tan Kefei said at his monthly online media briefing. The Chinese military refers to Patrolling Point 15 in the Gogra-Hot Springs area as Jianan Daban.

"This is a result achieved by the two sides in resolving relevant border issues through diplomatic and military consultations and negotiations at all levels, which is conducive to promoting peace and tranquillity in the border area," he said, replying to a question on the disengagement, according to the Chinese military's official website.

He also said that China hopes both sides will continue to work together in the same direction, bearing in mind the overall interests of bilateral relations between the two countries and two militaries, strictly abide by the agreements and consensus reached between the two countries, maintain communication and dialogue, effectively manage differences, and jointly safeguard the security and stability in border areas.

India has been consistently maintaining that peace and tranquillity along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) are important for the overall development of bilateral ties. The two militaries held 16 rounds of Corps Commander-level talks to resolve the standoff.

The eastern Ladakh border standoff erupted on May 5, 2020, following a violent clash in the Pangong lake areas. Both sides gradually enhanced their deployment by rushing in tens of thousands of soldiers as well as heavy weaponry.

Indian and Chinese militaries on September 12 had moved back their frontline troops to the rear locations from the face-off site of Patrolling Point 15 in the Gogra-Hotsprings area in eastern Ladakh and dismantled temporary infrastructure there as part of a five-day disengagement process.
Eight women die every day due to unsafe abortions in India. According to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) report, 67% of unsafe abortions occur in India. There is a lack of strict laws related, social thinking and awareness about abortion in the country. The Supreme Court today gave a historic ruling on abortion rights and marital rape in India. SC's ruling can significantly reduce the number of unsafe abortions in the coming days and save the lives of thousands of mothers.

In today's DNA Zee News' Rohit Ranjan will analyze the historic decision given by the Supreme Court regarding the safety of women's lives.

     ''  ?  #DNA LIVE @irohitr  

+      ''    ?

+ World Heart Day  DNA.. 

+   SC     DNA  https://t.co/UjlPnH91Ys  Zee News (@ZeeNews) September 29, 2022

In a landmark ruling on women`s reproductive rights and bodily autonomy, a bench headed by Justice DY Chandrachud said, "Any pregnancy alleged to be caused by force by a pregnant woman is rape."

The Supreme Court said that forceful pregnancy of a married woman can be treated as "marital rape" for abortion.

The bench said that marital rape has to be considered as falling within the meaning of `rape` for the purpose of the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act and Rules and in order to save women from forceful pregnancy.

The court in its second decision held that the marital status of a woman can't be a ground to deprive her right to abort unwanted pregnancy.

However, married or unmarried women have the right to have an abortion without permission for up to 20 weeks. There are many conditions for abortion between 20 weeks to 24 weeks.

The Supreme Court has made two most important grounds for granting the right of arbitration to the unmarried for 20 weeks.

Article 14 of the first constitution

and the second part of the Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP) Amendment Act, 2021

Interpreting the Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP) Act, the Supreme Court said that whether single or unmarried, all women have the right to abort under the MTP Act and Rules till 24 weeks of pregnancy.

To understand this whole matter, you need to know the amendments in the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act 1971 and 2021 and then the Supreme Court's decision together.

Please watch tonight's special edition of DNA for more in-depth information and other details.
New Delhi: Celebrating the unique model of bringing in industry collaborations to the University, the Skill Varsity hosted the First Industry Day for DSEU. Established in August 2020, the University had placed immense emphasis on incorporating industry needs into the higher education system to skill youth and make them job-ready as per market needs. Working towards the same, DSEU has partnered with over 70 companies in the last 2 years, ensuring each program is industry-linked and designed in collaboration with experts from industry and academia. Industry Day, celebrated by DSEU is the first of its kind event hosted to bring together experts from industry and academia.

Organised at India International Center on 28th September 2022, the event saw the participation of more than 100 industry leaders from over 80 organisations such as JLL, Maruti Suzuki, HDFC, Boston Consulting Group, Bank of Baroda, Macmillan, Metropolis etc. Welcoming all dignitaries, Industry partners, members of DSEU, Prof. (Dr.) Rihan Khan Suri, Pro Vice Chancellor, DSEU shared  It is only fair to say this day would not have been possible if not for our industry partners present here. We are immensely grateful that you recognised our vision and have been an indispensable part of the University to achieve its aim of empowering our students with skills that would make them job-ready and not just give them a degree. Our Industry partners have been a strong driving force for enabling DSEU to impart an education that is prepped with real-world experience through embedded apprenticeships, internships, and interactions with industry partners. Our students are not waiting for their degree to gain experience, thanks to the industry leaders, they already are learning the ``it's and bits of the real work environment .

The Vice-Chancellor, DSEU, Prof. (Dr.) Neharika Vohra said  Let us all take a second to acknowledge the express need of making higher education a collaborative effort of the University, industry and community. If we as a University keep teaching with just books and do not prepare our students for the real world, and if the industry keeps complaining about the lack of talent and trained workforce then both academia and industry need to accept responsibility and see how we can work together. It is the responsibility of the University to ensure that students are being taught what is relevant to the 21st century. I cannot think of a better way than providing them with the opportunity to engage with industry leaders and learn as per their needs.

She also shared  With industry linkages across all programs, our students are also focusing on holistic development as emphasised in the New Education Policy as well. I would like to extend gratitude to all our 80+ industry partners that share the vision of imparting relevant knowledge & skills to the youth and are supporting us in curriculum development, experiential learning, hands-on learning, industry visits, and more

The event started with a panel discussion on Future of Skilling - Engagement of Industry and Academia which saw participation from esteemed panellists Mr Sanjeev Bikhchandani, Co-Founder, Info Edge, Dr Alka Mittal, Former CMD, ONGC, Mr Sanjeev Vashishta, MD & CEO, Path Kind Labs, Mr Rajesh Pandit, MD, CBRE, Dr Amit Karna, Professor of Strategy, IIM Ahmedabad. The panellists shared views on Universities as a talent hub and a catalyst for budding entrepreneurs, the role of industry in enriching academic inputs (co-innovation, joint research and product development), acceptance and expectations from diploma graduates and skilled graduates, and the need for the University and Industry to train students in choice making, problem-solving and readiness to invest in themselves.

Dr Neeta Pradhan Das delivered the vote of thanks to all the panellists and members of Industry and the University present for working shoulder to shoulder in making skilling aspirational for the youth of Delhi.
Mumbai: Making embarrassing revelations, the Congress and Shiv Sena have claimed that the present Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, backed by the Bharatiya Janata Party, had reportedly sought an alliance with the Congress in 2014 and 2017, here on Thursday. Senior Congress leader and former Chief Minister Ashok Chavan, and Sena's veteran ex-minister Chandrakant Khaire besides other leaders have made the sensational claims, sparking off a political row. Speaking to media persons in Nanded, Chavan said that in 2017, ahead of the local body elections in the state, a delegation of Shiv Sena comprising Shinde (then a Minister in the BJP-led govt) had met him in his office with a proposal to sever ties with the BJP.

However, Chavan said he would first consult his party and Nationalist Congress Party President Sharad Pawar and after that, he would raise the issue with the Congress central leadership, though nothing moved after that.

At the relevant time, the ties between the BJP-Sena ruling the state jointly were severely strained and they contested the subsequent elections separately, and Chavan was the state Congress President.

Interacting with media persons in Aurangabad, Khaire said that in 2014, Shinde along with a group of around 15 Sena MLAs had met Congress with a proposal to form a Sena-Congress-NCP government in the state, but later nothing emerged.

Also Read: BIG Blow to Uddhav Thackeray, Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray's two close aides join Eknath Shinde camp

Senior Sena leader Vinayak Raut also endorsed Khaire and Chavan`s contentions saying Shinde wanted to "snap ties with the BJP" and ally with the Congress-NCP.

The MVA`s claims assumed importance against the backdrop of the Shinde Group`s repeated claims that they had rebelled against the Sena President and former chief minister Uddhav Thackeray ostensibly since he allied with the Congress-NCP after the 2019 elections and chucking the party`s Hindutva agenda.

The revolt by 40 Sena MLAs and others saw the collapse of the two-and-a-half-year-old MVA government on June 29, with the BJP-backed Shinde taking charge as CM on June 30.

Reacting to the MVA`s contentions, BJP state president Chandrashekhar Bawankule attempted to turn the tables saying that if such a thing had indeed happened, then it must have been at the behest of Thackeray since Shinde was not a party leader. Shinde Group`s Minister Gulabrao Patil declared the contentions as "nonsensical" and said he (Shinde) may have been compelled to attend such a meeting if it had taken place on the orders of his leader (Thackeray).
ZTE and AIS have jointly launched Thailands first 5G innovation hub.

The 5G A-Z Centre aims to develop 5G tech and enhance digital infrastructure construction to bring enhanced 5G experiences to Thailand and strengthen the countrys 5G competitiveness.

We are here because 5G is a technology to power the country, said Somchai Lertsutiwong, CEO of AIS. As the network service provider with the most frequency spectra and the best network coverage in Thailand, we give top priority to sustainable innovation for the country.

Currently, AIS has strategically partnered with ZTE in three components. Firstly, they are upgrading Thailand's 5G network, not only in terms of speed, but also intelligence, so as to make the network control itself in real time. At the same time, both parties have jointly developed solutions for business sectors, and enhanced competitive capabilities under Thailand 4.0. In addition, they have delivered a vast range of 5G services to improve peoples quality of life in Thailand.

Xu Ziyang, CEO of ZTE Corporation, said: The Centre is a seed of hope, and the alphabet ranging from A to Z also represents the end-to-end coverage. We will be dedicated to satisfying the needs of people and industries and creating a 360-degree digital and intelligent world.

At the Centre, ZTE has deployed a series of next-generation RAN products. The AAU (Active Antenna Unit) for 5G mmWave bandwidth, first jointly developed by ZTE and AIS, can support 1.2GHz and increase data throughput by 50%. The power consumption of the next-gen sub-6GHz TDD massive MIMO has decreased by 25%, on the demand of Thailand to provide excellent user experiences. Moreover, the next-generation FDD 3G/4G/5G multi-mode Massive MIMO will be verified in the Centre and deployed in AIS network.

In terms of 5G industrial applications, ZTE and AIS, with the aim of empowering various industries and promoting digital transformation through 5G, have demonstrated several scenarios at the 5G A-Z Centre, including 5G AGV (Automated Guided Vehicle), 5G machine vision, 5G XR, and 5G Holography. In addition, both parties have launched the new 5G ZTE Blade A72 handset, which is expected to hit the market in October 2022, alongside other smart terminals such as 5G CPE and 5G Pocket Wi-Fi.

The cooperation between AIS and ZTE is a crucial step in achieving the goal of becoming a Cognitive Tech-Co by developing the 5G smart autonomous network. Moving forward, both AIS and ZTE will be committed to delivering better user experiences and bringing opportunities to the industries, thereby boosting the digital economy of Thailand.
New Delhi: In the Shivpuri district of Madhya Pradesh, an Elephant pulled up a truck which was stuck in the mud due to rainfall. The video of an elephant being seen pulling a truck stuck in mud is making the rounds on social media. As soon as the video of the incident went viral on social media, the user, awestruck by Gajraj's strength, began praising the powerful animal in the comment section. The incident occurred in Madhya Pradesh's Bhatoan village, where a group of 300 Sikhs travelling from Amritsar to Nanded were struck on the muddy road. While Sikhs and locals attempted but failed to pull it out of the mud. Instead of a crane, an elephant used its jumbo strength to push it out.

The Sikhs and locals can be seen working together with the elephant to push the truck in the video. A Nihang Sikh is seen in the video pushing the loaded truck while holding the elephant's powerful trunk. Because of the constant rain, the dry soil of the road turned into mud, and the truck became stuck in it.

A few weeks earlier between 5 and 6 p.m., former Uttarakhand chief minister Trivendra Singh Rawat was driving from Pauri to Kotdwar on the Kotdwar-Dugadda road when the elephant appeared out of the forest and blocked his convoy. When the elephant approached his vehicle, everyone, including the former CM, had to exit and climb the mountain. He managed to save his life by climbing the hill.
Lakhimpur Kheri (UP): At least Ten people were killed and 41 others injured when a mini-truck and private bus collided on National Highway 730 in Uttar Pradesh's Lakhimpur district on Wednesday. A video is going viral on social media in which Lucknow Divisional Commissioner Dr Roshan Jacob can be seen crying as she interacts with families of the victims. In the viral video, the bureaucrat can be seen breaking down as she interacts with a mother and sees the condition of her injured child.

#WATCH |Lakhimpur Kheri bus-truck collision: Lucknow Divisional Commissioner Dr Roshan Jacob breaks down as she interacts with a mother at a hospital&sees condition of her injured child



At least 7 people died&25 hospitalised in the accident; 14 of the injured referred to Lucknow pic.twitter.com/EGBDXrZy2C  ANI UP/Uttarakhand (@ANINewsUP) September 28, 2022



The Lakhimpur Kheri chief medical officer (CMO) said 12 of the injured are critical and have been sent to a trauma centre in Lucknow while 29 are undergoing treatment at the district hospital.

The accident took place on the Aira bridge on the National Highway 730, around 30 kilometers from the district headquarters, DSP Pritam Pal Singh said.

The bus was on its way to Lucknow from Dhaurhara and collided with the mini-truck coming from the opposite direction.

President Droupadi Murmu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and UP Chief Minister Yogi Aditynath expressed grief over the incident.

In a condolence message, Prime Minister Modi said,"Distressed by the accident in Lakhimpur Kheri, UP. Condolences to the bereaved families. May the injured recover quickly. Rs 2 Lakh from the PMNRF will be given to the next of kin of each dead. The injured will be given Rs 50,000."

(With PTI inputs)
New Delhi: Amid fast-paced dramatic developments, senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh, who is likely to file his nomination for the Congress president's post on Friday, met another top contender Shashi Tharoor and both agreed that theirs is "not a battle between rivals but a friendly contest" among colleagues.

Singh met the party MP from Thiruvananthapuram on Thursday after collecting nomination papers for the polls. "Received a visit from Digvijaya Singh this afternoon. I welcome his candidacy for the Presidency of our Party," Tharoor said in a tweet. "We both agreed that ours is not a battle between rivals but a friendly contest among colleagues. All we both want is that whoever prevails, @incIndia will win!" he said.

Received a visit from @digvijaya_28 this afternoon. I welcome his candidacy for the Presidency of our Party. We both agreed that ours is not a battle between rivals but a friendly contest among colleagues. All we both want is that whoever prevails, @incIndia will win! pic.twitter.com/Df6QdzZoRH  Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) September 29, 2022

Digvijaya Singh earlier this morning confirmed that he will contest the polls for party president even as Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot later confirmed that he won't run for the Congress president's post. He even apologised to Sonia Gandhi after a rebellion over his candidature for the post by MLAs in the state loyal to him.

Digvijaya Singh told reporters outside the AICC headquarters that he was here to collect his nomination form from the party`s Central Election Authority (CEA) and that he is likely to file his nomination tomorrow.

"Today I have come here to collect the nomination form and will possibly file it tomorrow," Singh said. He said that the decision to contest was solely his and he had not consulted with anybody else. "I represent myself...The time is between 11 and 3 (when he will file the nominations tomorrow)," Singh told the media persons.

On being asked whether his entering the race for the top Congress post will be a face-off against Ashok Gehlot or Tharoor, Singh asked them to wait and see till October 8, the last date of withdrawal of nominations.

"Wait till 8th, the date of withdrawal," the former chief minister of Madhya Pradesh said. When pressed on the issue, Singh said "Why don't you take me seriously."The veteran leader had met with Rahul Gandhi in Kerala at the party`s Bharat Jodo Yatra and had arrived in the national capital late Wednesday evening.

The entry of Digvijaya Singh has made the battle for the top Congress post interesting as G23 leader Shashi Tharoor is also likely to file the nomination on Friday. Tharoor has already declared that he will file his nomination for the post of Congress president on Friday, the last day of the nomination process. Polling for the post will take place on October 17 while the result will be announced on October 19.
Noida: Jailed politician Shrikant Tyagi's wife on Wednesday claimed a threat from Gautam Buddh Nagar MP Mahesh Sharma after which the BJP demanded a CBI probe into the matter. BJP's local unit chief Manoj Gupta trashed allegations against Sharma and urged Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to order a probe by the CBI or an independent probe agency into this whole episode.

The allegations of Anu Tyagi against the BJP leader and Lok Sabha MP came during her address to scores of Tyagi community members who had gathered in protest outside her Grand Omaxe society in Sector 93B Wednesday afternoon.

"My fight is with Mahesh Sharma alone. There is a threat to us from him and I need security," she alleged.

Sharma had reached the Grand Omaxe society on August 6 evening amid the controversy surrounding Shrikant Tyagi assaulting a woman resident of the society a day earlier over alleged encroachment by him.

Tyagi had till then claimed being a BJP functionary while the party had denied any links with him in the wake of the controversy.

ALSO READ | Shrikant Tyagi case: Palm trees back in Noida society; 'remove them in two days', warn officials

Taking note of Anu Tyagi's comment on Wednesday, BJP's Noida unit chief Gupta came out in support of Sharma.

In a statement, Gupta said there have been issues of encroachment in the Grand Omaxe society and the Noida Authority is handling those matters. He said neither the BJP nor the party MP has made any complaints of encroachment or are interfering in the Noida Authority's probe into the issue.

"At present, some videos are floated on social media in which sister Anu Tyagi is heard claiming threat to life from our MP (Sharma)," he said, adding Sharma is a doctor by profession and a popular public representative with no links to crime.

"It's a conspiracy to malign the image of our MP. The BJP or its MPs do not harbour ill intention against any community or caste. BJP belongs to everyone. We respect the Tyagi community as well as all other communities and value them," he added.

Further, Gupta said, "According to the wishes of sister Anu Tyagi, we request the Chief Minister through our party that an order should be passed for a probe into the whole episode by CBI or any other independent investigation agency."

He said his party or MPs do not do any work in public life out of any personal hatred or ill-will towards anyone.

"If any common citizen is harassed by any person or any government machinery, then our party and MPs are with him to protect their civil rights," Gupta added.

Noida BJP spokesperson Tanmay Shankar told PTI that the request letter to the chief minister by Gupta was yet to be sent.
Jammu and Kashmir Police has busted a "sextortion" racket with the arrest of three people, including a husband and wife team, who allegedly trapped men of influence and extracted nearly Rs 40 lakh from them over six months, officials said on Thursday. The unravelling began earlier this week with a senior government official walking up to the police to complain he had been duped of Rs 8 lakh and was being blackmailed, officials said.

The three suspects, Shaista Bashir and her husband Aijaz Ahmed Ganie and their friend Jahangir Ahmed Dar were arrested on Wednesday on charges of running a full-fledged 'sextortion' racket.

The government official told police he had received a call on his mobile from a woman a few days ago requesting him for a favour. She asked him to go to her home to discuss the matter. He went and was led into the bedroom. Within minutes, the husband and another man barged in and started shooting a video, a police official said, giving details from the FIR.

The husband also accused the official of having an affair with his wife.

According to police, the complainant somehow managed to leave the couple's house only to receive a telephone call a few days later asking for money. If the money was not paid, the voice at the other end said, the incriminating video would be shared with his family and also uploaded on social media platforms.

The case reached Senior Superintendent of Police (Srinagar) Rakesh Balwal who immediately ordered a discreet enquiry to establish the claims of the complainant as well as antecedents of the alleged blackmailers.

The 'gang', he said, would collect information about influential men and had earned around Rs 40 lakh in the last six months by blackmailing.

"Nearly seven to eight such individuals have come to our notice and we are working on this," Balwal told PTI.

"I am sure there would be many more men like them who don't want to come into ish to come out because of the social stigma. I assure them that their identity would be kept discreet," he said.

The three people arrested have been booked for extortion, crime done with common intention, criminal conspiracy and criminal intimidation, police officials said.
New Delhi: Former Bihar Chief Minister and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) founder Lalu Prasad Yadav was re-elected unopposed as the party's president for the record 12th time on Wednesday, September 28. Lalu had filed his nomination papers at the party office in the national capital earlier in the day. According to Uday Narayan Choudhary, the Returning Officer for the RJD election, only Lalu registered a nomination for the position of party president and was thus chosen unopposed as the party chief.

"Today on 28th September 2022, for the post of National President of Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) the only nomination for the post was filed by Lalu Prasad. After verification, all the copies of the nomination were found to be correct and valid," he said.

However, the formal announcement of Lalu Yadav becoming the party president will be made on October 10 during the convention at Talkatora Stadium in Delhi where he will be provided with a certificate of President position.

"Lalu Prasad Yadav will also be given a certificate of elected President of the party in open session," Choudhary said.

Also Read: 'If you have GUTS, then ban RSS in Bihar': BJP Minister's open CHALLENGE to Lalu Prasad Yadav

RJD was formed in 1997

Lalu Prasad Yadav separated from the Janata Dal and formed the Rashtriya Janata Dal on July 5, 1997, in New Delhi and became the party president of RJD. After that, he remained at the top post of the party. During the period of 25 years, Lalu Yadav became the party chief unopposed 12 times.

After the formation of RJD, within 20 days Lalu Yadav had to resign from the post of Chief Minister of Bihar on an allegation of a fodder scam and handed over power to her wife Rabri Devi. The Bihar politics took an interesting turn again with Nitish Kumar, the Janata Dal (United) chief snapping ties with the BJP and rejoining the RJD and allies of the Opposition in Bihar on August 9 this year.



(With ANI inputs)
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday said that forceful pregnancy of a married woman can be treated as "marital rape" for the purposes of abortion. In a landmark ruling on women`s reproductive rights and bodily autonomy, a bench headed by Justice DY Chandrachud said, "Any pregnancy alleged to be caused by force by a pregnant woman is rape."

The bench which also included Justices AS Bopanna and JB Pardiwala, said that marital rape has to be considered as falling within the meaning of `rape` for the purpose of the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act and Rules and in order to save women from forceful pregnancy.

"Married women may also form the part of the class of survivors of sexual assault or rape. The ordinary meaning of the word rape is sexual intercourse with a person without consent or against their will. Regardless of whether such forced intercourse occurs in the context of matrimony, a woman may become pregnant as a result of non-consensual sexual intercourse performed upon her by her husband," said the bench.

Pronouncing the judgement the bench said, "We would be remiss in not recognising that intimate partner violence is the reality and can take the form of rape. The misconception that strangers are exclusively or almost exclusively responsible for sex and gender-based violence is a deeply regrettable one. Sex and gender-based violence in all its form in the context of the family have long formed a part of the lived experiences of women."

Though the apex court is yet to adjudicate the marital rape issue, the comments from the bench on marital rape for the purpose of unwanted pregnancy may pave the way for later judgment on the issue.

It also held that a woman need not prove the commission of rape or sexual assault to seek termination of pregnancy under the MTP Act.

The top court also held that the marital status of a woman can`t be ground to deprive her right to abort unwanted pregnancy.

Interpreting the Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP) Act, the Supreme Court said that whether single and unmarried, all women have the right to abort under MTP Act and Rules till 24 weeks of pregnancy.

The upper limit for the termination of pregnancy is 24 weeks for married women, special categories -- including survivors of rape and other vulnerable women such as the differently-abled and minors; the corresponding window for unmarried women in consensual relationships is 20 weeks.

The rights of reproductive autonomy give unmarried women similar rights as married women, the bench held.

Holding that all woman are entitled to safe and legal abortion, the top court said the distinction between married and unmarried woman for the purposes of the MTP Act is "artificial and constitutionally unsustainable" and perpetuates the stereotype that only married women indulges in sexual activities.

"Law cannot create such artificial classification based on narrow grounds... the decision to carry a pregnancy to full term or to abort it lies in reproductive autonomy of a woman, which is rooted in bodily autonomy. Depriving her of this right will be an affront to a woman`s right to dignity," the bench held in its ruling.

The verdict of the apex court came on a petition filed by a 25-year-old single woman, whose plea for termination of her 24-week pregnancy was denied by the Delhi high court, but the Supreme Court allowed her to abort the foetus if there was no risk to her life.

Earlier, the apex court had questioned if a married woman is allowed to terminate up to 24 weeks of pregnancy under the MTP Act and Rules framed under it, why to deny the same to unmarried women, even though the risk is the same for both.

The woman had approached the apex court after the Delhi High Court declined to grant permission to abort her pregnancy which had arisen out of a consensual sexual relationship, saying that it virtually amounts to killing the foetus.

The High Court on July 15 said that permitting abortion at this stage would virtually amount to killing the foetus and asked the woman to rather put up her child for adoption.
New Delhi: The Delhi Police is on high alert following the Centre's five-year ban on the Popular Front of India (PFI). Police activity has increased in many areas of Delhi. Deputy Commissioners of Police (DCPs) from several districts have also taken to the streets to assess the situation. According to the reports, the Delhi Police Department has begun drone surveillance over Shaheen Bagh. Thirty people linked with the PFI have been apprehended in Delhi's Nizamuddin and Shaheen Bagh neighbourhoods. The operations were carried out early in the morning by the Delhi Police Special Cell.

Earlier, Section 144 was also been imposed in and around Jamia Nagar till November 17. The Jamia University administration has also published a circular instructing students not to congregate or step out in groups. Even though the circular was released after NIA raided PFI, but Delhi Police spokesperson denies the claim and said that it was not related to the coordinated action against the PFI.

The North East district, where the riots took place in 2020, has a diverse population. Five persons connected to PFI were recently detained in the region by Delhi Police.

According to DCP Sanjay Kumar, who spoke to ANI, "We are on high alert. We are prepared to deal with any issue. North East district has been assigned to the Yellow, Orange, and Red schemes. Today, an exercise was held in the North East area to assess the performance of the Yellow Scheme, which is intended to address any emergency in the district."

Also Read: On PFI, MHA dossier's SHOCKING REVELATIONS: ISIS links, killing of Hindu leaders, hawala deals

In the yellow scheme, teams of ACPs and SHO move to the place of disturbance immediately on receipt of a message. At the same time, another reserve component of force are put on high alert. Vajra, water canon and other resources also move to the target point, said the official. Now, if the situation worsens in one police station area, the Orange scheme gets implemented in 3-4 police station areas. The red scheme becomes active when the whole district is affected.

According to Delhi Police, additional police forces will also be deployed in sensitive areas of the national capital so that immediate action can be taken in case of any untoward incident. North West district DCP and other district DCPs conducted patrolling in their respective jurisdictions.

Centre bans PFI for 5 years

Days after arresting over 100 PFI cadres in multiple raids carried out across the country linked to the PFI cadres by the National Investigation Agency, Enforcement Directorate and state agencies as well as police forces, the Centre issued a ban against the outfit and its affiliates with "immediate effect". The Central government has directed all States and the Union Territories (UTs) to "exercise" powers of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act against the outfit and its affiliates.

Besides PFI, the state governments and administration in UTs have been asked to use the powers of UAPA against its associates or affiliates or fronts including Rehab India Foundation (RIF), Campus Front of India (CFI), All India Imams Council (AIIC), National Confederation of Human Rights Organization (NCHRO), National Women`s Front, Junior Front, Empower India Foundation and Rehab Foundation, Kerala. These PFI affiliates have also been banned by the Centre for five years under UAPA.

Also Read: Every Muslim youth will be ARRESTED now: Asaduddin Owaisi on PFI ban

The Centre`s notification clearly mentioned that the ban has been imposed against PFI and its associates for "indulging in unlawful activities, which are prejudicial to the integrity, sovereignty and security of the country and have the potential of disturbing public peace and communal harmony of the country and supporting militancy in the country.

The Centre issued the ban citing the investigation of its agencies, mentioning "the investigations have established clear linkages between PFI and its associates or affiliates or fronts".

It is also accused that "some of the PFI`s founding members are the leaders of Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) and PFI has linkages with Jamat-ul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB), both of which are proscribed organisations".

The Centre`s action also mentioned findings of agencies about a number of "instances of international linkages of PFI with Global Terrorist Groups like Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS)".The PFI and its associates are also charged for working covertly to increase the radicalization of one community by promoting a sense of insecurity in the country, which is substantiated by the fact that some PFI cadres have joined international terrorist organisations."

The PFI is further accused of its involvement in several criminal and terror cases as well as sheer disrespect towards the constitutional authority of the country.

With funds and ideological support from outside, the PFI and its affiliates have been further accused of becoming a major threat to the internal security of the country.

The PFI came into existence on December 9, 2006. Three south Indian Muslim fundamentalist outfits - the National Development Front (NDF), Kerala; the Karnataka Forum for Dignity (KFD), Karnataka; and the Manitha Neethi Pasarai (MNP), Tamil Nadu - rechristened the `South India Council` (a Bangalore based organisation floated by NDF in 2004) as the `Popular Front of India`.

(With PTI inputs)
New Delhi: Senior Congress leader and former Rajasthan deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot on Thursday met Congress president Sonia Gandhi at her residence and discussed the current political crisis in his state. Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Pilot said, I met Congress president today. She listened to me calmly. We held a detailed discussion on whatever happened in Jaipur, Rajasthan. I told her my sentiments and my feedback. All of us want to win the 2023 polls (in Rajasthan) by working hard. We'll have to work together.

I met Congress president today. She listened to me calmly. We held a detailed discussion on whatever happened in Jaipur, Rajasthan. I told her my sentiments, my feedback.All of us want to win the 2023 polls (in Rajasthan) by working hard. We'll have to work together: Sachin Pilot pic.twitter.com/6iDyBceZcE  ANI (@ANI) September 29, 2022

Sachin Pilot also stated that whatever decision has to be made in the context of Rajasthan, will be taken by her (Sonia Gandhi)...I am confident that in the next 12-13 months we will once again make a Congress Govt through our hard work.

Whatever decision has to be made in the context of Rajasthan, will be taken by her...I am confident that in the next 12-13 months we will once again make a Congress Govt through our hard work: Sachin Pilot after meeting Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi, in Delhi pic.twitter.com/Vc7EW5XJrj  ANI (@ANI) September 29, 2022

Pilot met Sonia Gandhi shortly after his bete noire and Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot met her and later announced that he would not contest the Congress presidential poll after taking moral responsibility for the political crisis in his state. Gehlot also said the decision on whether he would remain CM would be taken by Gandhi.

These meetings came days after an open rebellion by Gehlot loyalists over a possible leadership change in the state.

The party's disciplinary committee has asked three Gehlot loyalists - Rajasthan ministers Shanti Dhariwal and Mahesh Joshi, and Dharmendra Rathore -- to explain within 10 days why action should not be initiated against them. This was after observers for Rajasthan, Mallikarjun Kharge and Ajay Maken, charged them with "gross indiscipline" in a report to party chief Sonia Gandhi.

Eighty-two MLAs participated in a parallel meeting at Dhariwal's residence in Jaipur, laying down conditions for the party. They did not attend the official legislature party meeting convened for passing a resolution authorising the Congress chief to appoint a successor to Gehlot. With the Rajasthan episode posing a significant challenge before the party, the Congress president has also been holding discussions with senior party leaders from across the country to resolve the crisis.

Meanwhile, the Congress high command on Thursday issued a big warning to Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlots loyalists asking them not to make any comments on the party's internal matters in the public. The party warned its Rajasthan leaders of strict disciplinary action for speaking against the party or making any public statements on the party's internal matters and against other functionaries.

In the advisory, AICC General Secretary (Organisation) K C Venugopal said all Congress leaders at any level should refrain from making public statements against other leaders or about the party's internal matters.
There has been an uproar over the Congress high command asking Ashok Gehlot to leave the post of Chief Minister and today he is going to meet Sonia Gandhi. Meanwhile, former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani made a big disclosure and said that he had left the post at the behest of the BJP high command. Rupani spoke openly about his resignation in an interview given to the Indian Express and said that a night ago a message was received from the BJP high command. After that, he resigned from the post of Chief Minister of Gujarat on 11 September 2021.

Disclosing this, former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani said that he was not given any reason by the party for leaving the post, nor did he ask the BJP high command about the reasons for leaving the post. Describing himself as a disciplined worker of the party, Vijay Rupani said that whenever the party has given him the responsibility, he has fulfilled it.

After the disclosure of Rupani, it is being compared with the latest developments going on in Rajasthan, where there has been a ruckus after the Congress high command asked Ashok Gehlot to leave the post of Chief Minister. Whereas, Congress has talked about giving promotion to Ashok Gehlot and giving him the top post in the party. But, despite this, the MLAs and ministers supporting Gehlot have adopted a rebellious attitude.

Let us tell you that Vijay Rupani was made the Chief Minister of Gujarat in August 2016 after the resignation of Anandiben Patel and he remained in the post till September 2021. After Vijay Rupani's resignation, Bhupendra Patel was given the responsibility of Chief Minister.
The students of Delhi government schools not only consider themselves as "the future of the country" but also wish to "contribute for the progress of the nation", Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said on Thursday. Reviewing the curriculum-related activities at a government school, Sisodia said that the confidence in students have gone up and that they now have a "vision to improve their careers."

"Delhi education revolution's biggest achievement is that the confidence level of our children has increased. The students have a vision to improve their careers as well as contribute to the progress of the country," he said.

"The aspirations of the children studying in the Delhi government schools are not limited to just getting employed," Sisodia added.

The deputy CM also said that while the 'Deshbhakti' curriculum has been beneficial for the students, the entrepreneurship focussed curriculum has helped them improve their communication, teamwork, and leadership skills.
Mumbai: Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray on Thursday took a swipe at the Bharatiya Janata Party and the faction headed by Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde by saying that the saffron flag needs to be in one's heart and not just in one's hands. Speaking to his party workers at his residence, Thackeray said, "This is an opportunity given to us by God to save democracy in the country and preserve Hindutva. The saffron flag does not have to be just in one's hands, it has to be in one's heart. It is in my heart."

It may be noted that the BJP and the Eknath Shinde faction have often accused Uddhav Thackeray of compromising on the ideals of Hindutva by joining hands with the Congress and Nationalist Congress Party for the sake of power.

Thackeray asked his party workers to come in a disciplined way to the Dussehra rally, which he will address at Shivaji Park on October 5. On the ongoing case in the Supreme Court and the Election Commission on which faction of the Shiv Sena is the original one, Thackeray said, "we need to win this battle in court as well as before the EC".

In a huge setback to the Uddhav Thackeray camp, the Supreme Court, after a day-long hearing on Tuesday, declined to stop the Election Commission from deciding on the legitimacy of the Eknath Shinde factions claim of being the real Shiv Sena.

A five-judge constitution bench, headed by Justice DY Chandrachud, said there will be no stay on proceedings before the EC to decide the intra-party dispute in Shiv Sena between Uddhav Thackeray and the faction led by chief minister Eknath Shinde, on which one is the original party and also on getting the party symbol.

The bench - also comprising Justices M R Shah, Krishna Murari, Hima Kohli, and P S Narasimha -- declined to entertain a plea by the Thackeray faction that EC should not be allowed to proceed in the matter till the apex court decides the plea pertaining to disqualification of Shiv Sena MLAs. "We direct that there would be no stay of the proceedings before the Election Commission of India," the five-judge constitution bench said.

Earlier on September 23, the Bombay High court granted permission to the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena faction to hold its annual Dussehra rally at Mumbai's iconic Shivaji Park. Welcoming the Bombay High Court's decision, the Uddhav faction said, "its faith in the judiciary stood vindicated." Welcoming the decision, party spokesperson Manisha Kayande said this year's rally will be grand.
Uttar Pradesh: In a bizarre incident, doctors who operated upon a man in Uttar Pradeshs Muzaffarnagar district found 63 spoons in his stomach. Vijay Kumar, 32, underwent a two-hour-long operation in a private hospital after he complained of severe stomach ache. The patient, who is in the ICU for post-surgery recovery, told doctors that he was forced to eat the spoons in a deaddiction centre.

According to Ajay Chaudhary, the patients nephew, We had brought our uncle here in a private hospital as he complained of severe stomach ache and was diagnosed having numerous spoons in his stomach. We had admitted him to a deaddiction centre a year ago where it seems he was forced to consume these spoons.

Dr Rakesh Khurana, the doctor who operated upon Vijay, said, He was brought to me 15 days back and in the X-ray, we found something metallic in his stomach and large intestines. When I asked the patient he said, he was made to eat those spoons. The operation went on for two hours. We have never done this kind of extraction before.

All the heads of all the spoons were removed before consumption. As of now, no police complaint has been filed in the matter. The doctors said they cannot say with certainty when the patient had consumed these spoons.
New Delhi: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday (September 28, 2022) visited Army Formation in Dinjan, Assam, and reviewed the operational readiness of the formation in the easternmost part of the country. Singh, who is on a three-day visit to Assam and Arunachal Pradesh till September 30, is accompanied by Chief of the Army Staff General Manoj Pande and General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Command Lieutenant General RP Kalita along with other senior officers.

During the visit, he also interacted with Indian Army jawans and heard them singing the iconic "Sandese Aate Hain" song of the Bollywood movie "Border".

"Had a wonderful interaction with the Indian Army personnel at Dinjan, Assam. Our nation is safe and secure due to courage, vigilance and valour of these proud soldiers," he tweeted.

Had a wonderful interaction with the Indian Army personnel at Dinjan, Assam. Our nation is safe and secure due to courage, vigilance and valour of these proud soldiers. pic.twitter.com/cucUZhEgYx September 28, 2022

WATCH: Indian Army jawans sing 'Sandese Aate Hain' during meet with Rajnath Singh

#WATCH | Indian Army jawans sing 'Sandese Aate Hain' as Defence Minister Rajnath Singh interacts with them at Dinjan military station in Assam. Army chief General Manoj Pande and other top officers of the Army also accompanied the Defence Minister. pic.twitter.com/VHgFX5QX82  ANI (@ANI) September 28, 2022

According to the Ministry of Defence's official statement, Rajnath Singh was briefed on infrastructure development along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) as well as capability development and operational preparedness by General Officer Commanding, 3 Corps Lieutenant General RC Tiwari, and other senior officers.

He was also briefed on the employment of cutting-edge military equipment and technology to enhance the operational efficiency of the troops deployed on the frontline.

"He commended the stellar work and yeoman services being rendered by all ranks of Spear Corps under challenging conditions," the statement read.

On Thursday, Rajnath Singh will visit forward posts to make an on-ground assessment of the operational preparedness and interact with troops. He will also interact with members of second religious expedition to Athu Popu, an annual trek of the local Idu Mishmi tribe which is being facilitated by the Indian Army since 2021 as part of the outreach and continued efforts towards supporting the locals and developing tourism.

He is also scheduled to review infrastructure projects of the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) during his three-day visit.
New Delhi: Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot on Thursday (September 29, 2022) said that he will not contest the Congress president's election. The development comes after Gehlot held a meeting with Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi at her residence in New Delhi today amid Rajasthan political crisis. A massive internal conflict erupted in Rajasthan Congress over the Congress president election and appointment of his successor in the state.

After meeting party president Sonia Gandhi, Gehlot told reporters that he apologised to her for the developments on Sunday when MLAs supporting him defied the central observers and thwarted their move to hold a meeting of party legislators.

"I met Rahul Gandhi in Kochi & requested him to fight in the polls (for Congress President). When he didn't accept, I said I'll contest but now with that incident (Rajasthan Political Crisis), I've decided not to contest the elections," said Genlot.

"I had a conversation with Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi. Whatever happened two days ago shocked us. It gave a message that all of it happened as I wanted to be CM. I apologised to her," said CM Ashok Gehlot after meeting Sonia Gandhi.

#RajasthanCongressCrisis | I had a conversation with Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi. Whatever happened two days ago shocked us. It gave a message that all of it happened as I wanted to be CM. I apologised to her: CM Ashok Gehlot after meeting Sonia Gandhi pic.twitter.com/CeVwGkiFa2 September 29, 2022

Gehlot, a three-time state chief minister, described himself as a disciplined soldier of the party and expressed his sadness over the turn of affairs in the state. Have always been a disciplined soldier of the Congress," the Rajasthan CM said.

On being asked if he will remain Rajasthan Chief Minister, Gehlot said, "I won`t decide that, Congress chief Sonia Gandhi will decide that."

I won't contest these elections in this atmosphere, with moral responsibility, said Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot



On being asked if he will remain Rajasthan CM, Gehlot said, "I won't decide that, Congress chief Sonia Gandhi will decide that." pic.twitter.com/arRFlDrazd  ANI (@ANI) September 29, 2022

"One-line resolution is our tradition. Unfortunately, a situation arose that resolution wasn`t passed. It was my moral responsibility (to pass the resolution), but despite being a CM I couldn`t get it passed," he added.

Talking to reporters, Gehlot said the party works under the Congress president and decisions will be taken in the time to come. Gehlot said Congress workers worry about the direction in which the country is heading and tackling the issue was more important.

(With agency inputs)
New Delhi: Bollywood superstar Salman Khan is all geared up to put on his 'host' shoes for the biggest reality show 'Bigg Boss 16'. But speculation about his upcoming projects refuses to slow down. Recently, it was reported that Salman has signed filmmaker Atul Agnihotri's Hindi adaptation of a famous

Amid the rumours about Salman Khans next film which is supposedly an adaptation of a Korean movie, an industry source revealed the truth. The source confirmed to us, "The rights of the film are with the producer Atul Agnihotri and his banner Reel Life Production. They are adapting the film in Hindi. The adaptation will be directed by Rajkumar Gupta who has directed Raid and No One Killed Jessica in the past."

The source further added, "Casting is not yet finalized, even the pre-production is yet to begin."

On the work front, Salman will be seen in Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki, co-starring Pooja Hegde. Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan' is an action-packed entertainer directed by Farhad Samji. It also features Venkatesh in the pivotal part.

Salman also has Tiger 3 with Katrina Kaif. It has been directed by Maneesh Sharma. He has 'Kick 2' with Jacqueline Fernandes in his kitty.

Meanwhile, 'Bigg Boss 16' is all set to start from October 1 at 9:30 p.m. on Colors.
New Delhi: Bollywood actress Nushrratt Bharuccha was shooting in Uzbekistan for a month and has finally returned. While the actress was away shooting for her film in and around the remote locations of Uzbekistan, it is obvious for her to miss her pet and family.

Now since she is back in town, the actress took to social media and shared a picture of herself with her pet cats on the social media stories.

She wrote Coming home this one after a month

Check photos here

Recently, the trailer of her upcoming film Ram Setu alongside Akshay Kumar was released and has garnered much love from the audience. Fans and netizens are excited to watch how the story of Ram Setu unravels. The details of the actress' upcoming project are highly awaited, for which she had been shooting in Uzbekistan and has come back now. With films like Chhorrii, Chhalaang, Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety, Dream Girl to her credit, Nushrratt has never failed to entertain the audiences with her acting stints.

Meanwhile, on the work front, she has an interesting lineup of films like 'Chhorii 2', sequel of her critically acclaimed film, 'Chhorii', 'Ram Setu' alongside Akshay Kumar and 'Selfiee' alongside Akshay Kumar and Emraan Hashmi.
Jaipur: A few hours after the Centre on Wednesday announced an 4 per cent increase in the Dearness Allowance (DA) for its employees, the Rajasthan government too followed suit.

Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot approved an increase of the DA of state government employees and pensioners by 4 per cent to 38 per cent, with effect from July 1.

"In line with the Central government employees, the rate of dearness allowance to the state employees and dearness relief to the pensioners has been increased by four per cent. Now 38 percent dearness allowance and dearness relief rate will be payable to state employees and pensioners from July 1, 2022," he said in a series of tweets.

Noting that the Centre makes the announcement but it is implemented after a long time, he said that his government disburses the increased amount without delay.

"In the implementation of today`s announcement made in the interest of the employees, an additional expenditure of Rs 1,096 crore will be made from the state funds," he said.
New Delhi: The beneficiaries of PM-KISAN scheme, who have eagerly been waiting for the PM Kisan 12th installment money might hear some great news soon.

As per latest media reports, the Modi government might transfer the PM Kisan 12th installment of Rs 2,000 in the bank accounts of eligible farmers on Friday (30 September 2022). While, some media reports are also stating that the government might credit Rs 2000 in beneficiary farmers accounts on October 2 (Gandhi Jayanti).These are however just initial reports, while the government has not officially confirmed anything regarding the transfer of Rs 2,000 to beneficiary accounts of PM-KISAN scheme.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi released 11th instalment of financial benefit under Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) scheme on May 31. PM Modi transferred an amount of around Rs 21,000 crore to more than 10 crore beneficiary farmer families.

The Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) Scheme was launched by PM Modi in 2019. The Scheme aims to provide income support to all landholder farmer families across the country with cultivable land, subject to certain exclusions.

Under the Scheme, an amount of Rs 6000 per year is released in three 4-monthly instalments of Rs 2000 each directly into the bank accounts of the beneficiaries. In a financial year, PM Kisan installment is credited thrice through --Period 1 from April-July; Period 2 from August to November; and Period 3 from December to March.
WhatsApp, the instant messaging platform, was launched in India in 2010 and within a few years, it emerged as a go-to chatting app. Today, it's used for a range of purposes including business, audio-video calling and sharing of documents and photos. India is the largest user base for WhatsApp as it had around 400 million users in 2019 and now it's nearing the 500 million mark. According to reports, WhatsApp currently has around 490 million users in India.

To cater to its audience across the globe, WhatsApp has been updating its features. Recently, it allowed group calling up to 30 people and now it is coming out with a group calling link to enable users to join a call using that link. WhatsApp has also been working on many additional features and now it has rolled out five of them in India. Indian users have started getting these features via the latest updates.

Also Read: LPG Cylinder capping new rules: You can book only 15 cylinders per year, monthly rationing on LPG bottle too

1. Sort your chats with an unread filter: Now you can sort out and view all of your unread messages. To search for unread messages on iPhone, scroll up in the WhatsApp chat list to reveal the search bar. Then, tap the unread filter icon. Tap the icon again to turn it off. Android users need to tap the search bar, and then press Unread. To turn off the filter, tap the X or backspace. WhatsApp Web users can click the unread filter icon to the right of the search bar. Those using WhatsApp Web Business need to click the filter icon to the right of the search bar, then click Unread. To turn off the filter, click the icon again.

2. Undo 'delete for me': Suppose you deleted a message by mistake using the feature 'Delete for Me', in that case, WhatsApp will show a notification/snackbar for a few seconds - 'Message deleted for me --------Undo'. Since the notification will be available only for a few seconds, the user needs to tap on the 'Undo' option within that time frame to get the message restored.

3. Link Previews: Now users with the latest version can see the preview of a link/url shared via status update by other users.

4. Leave a group secretly: WhatsApp has now modified the group exit notification feature. Now only admin/admins of a group will be notified when you leave that group. Earlier, all members of the group used to get a notification when someone used to leave that group.

5. Admin gets 'delete for everyone': Now group admins can delete others' messages for everyone. However, all the participants/members of the group can see who deleted the message.
By Azernews

By Ayya Lmahamad

Azerbaijani Energy Minister Parviz Shahbazov has discussed issues of energy cooperation with Kazakh Energy Minister Bolat Akchulakov; Turkish Energy and Natural Resources Minister Fatih Donmez and Hungarian Foreign Affairs and Trade Minister Peter Szijjarto on the margins of the 2nd Meeting of Energy Ministers of the Organization of the Turkic States (OTS) held in Almaty, Kazakhstan.

Cooperation with Kazakhstan

During the meeting with Bolat Akchulakov, they discussed the opportunities for energy cooperation within OTS and in a bilateral format.

The parties assessed the importance of strengthening energy cooperation between the Turkish states in terms of energy security and the development of mutual economic and trade relations within the organization.

We held discussions with Bolat Akchulakov, Minister of Energy on the development of #EnergyCooperation within OTS and in a bilateral format, Parviz Shahbazov tweeted.

Cooperation with Turkiye

Parviz Shahbazov and Fatih Donmez discussed the expansion of the Southern Gas Corridor, the Zangazur corridor, and the export and transit of electricity to Turkiye via alternative prospective routes.

They noted that there are great opportunities for deepening the strategic partnership between the two countries.

The sides also exchanged views on the second Azerbaijan-Turkiye Energy Forum to be held in October.

With my friend and brother @fatih_donmez, we evaluated the opportunities for deepening the regional and international Azerbaijan-Turkiye strategic energy partnership with the development of the #SouthernGasCorridor, as well as the export and transit of electricity, Parviz Shahbazov tweeted.

Cooperation with Hungary

The current status of the global energy market, increasing gas supplies to Europe through the Southern Gas Corridor, as well as Hungary's participation in the Black Sea submarine power line project were discussed during the meeting between Parviz Shahbazov and Peter Szijjarto.

Hungarian minister expressed his countrys approval of the cooperation format for the development of green energy and its consent to become Azerbaijans partner in this field.

We had a fruitful meeting with Peter Szijjarto, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Hungary. #Hungary is determined to be our partner in the #GreenEnergy corridor by participating in the Black Sea submarine cable project, Parviz Shahbazov tweeted.
Mary Palo believes that a sense of humor and a positive attitude are important for weathering tough times. She should know  she has been dealing with a Parkinsons Disease diagnosis for several years, and suggests that being able to laugh has helped her get through the everyday trials of Parkinsons.

Palo spoke to the Enterprise Lions Club recently about the Parkinsons Disease Support Group that she leads here.

Parkinsons is a neuro-degenerative disease of the brain, and it affects every person differently, according to Palo. Some may experience drooping eyelids, tremors in hands or legs, vivid dreams, a shuffling gait, hallucinations, loss of balance, or loss of sense of smell. Over one million people in the U.S. have Parkinsons, and the clinic at UAB sees over 5,000 patients a year.

There is no Parkinsons specialist in the local area, so patients must travel to Montgomery, Birmingham, or out of state to be treated. One goal of the support group is to be able to bring a Parkinsons specialist to the area.

The disease also affects men more than women  men are 50 percent more likely to have Parkinsons than women. It also does not affect only the elderly  some are diagnosed with early onset Parkinsons as young as age 40. Actor Michael J. Fox was diagnosed at 39. Treatment may range from a cocktail of medications (which have their own side effects) to physical therapy to deep brain stimulation.

Palo said while Parkinsons does take over your life, it is not a death sentence. Patients and caregivers have to adapt to a new normal and should learn as much as they can about their condition and treatment options available. She recommended keeping a log or diary of daily activities and note any physical, mental, or emotional changes. These changes should be reported to the patients doctor. Parkinsons patients and their caregivers must learn to become their own health care advocates.

This is one way the support group can help, Palo said. Both Parkinsons patients and caregivers are welcome. At the monthly meetings, the group members share their experiences and discuss what topics would be of most help to them. At some meetings, guest speakers address these topics, ranging from new medications and treatments, to speech therapy, to exercises that can be done at home. Palo wants local Parkinsons patients to know they are not alone and that help is available through the support group.

Palo recommended a few websites that have valuable information for Parkinsons patients: The American Parkinsons Disease Association at www.apdaparkinson.org; and, the Davis Phinney foundation at www.davisphinneyfoundation.org; the Michael J. Fox Foundation at www.michaelfox.org.

The Enterprise Parkinsons Disease Support Group meets on the third Saturday of the month at Shanes BBQ in Northpointe Center at 11 a.m. For information about the meetings, contact the group at parkinsonsgroupenterprise@gmail.com.
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 28, 2022

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(Also read: OMG! An 18-year boy hacks Uber, employees' thoughts someone is joking)

How to Redeem Garena Free Fire codes for today, September 28, 2022

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(Disclaimer: Garena Free fire is banned in India. Hence we advise people to adhere to government rules)
New Delhi: A substantial increase in digital transactions has led to a sharp increase in cyber scams. In response, more businesses and individuals are choosing cyber insurance coverage to guard against financial damage brought on by the leaking of any personal data.

What is Cyber Insurance?

Cyber insurance is a sort of coverage that guards against financial losses caused by many hazards of the digital age, including malware attacks, phishing, identity theft, and social media breaches, among others. (Also Read: Smartphone Tips and Tricks: Your phone will not break even after falling from a height of several floors, follow THESE 5 simple rules)

"The volume of e-transactions significantly increased following the pandemic, which sparked the expansion of cyber insurance. Additionally, there was a chance of online fraud. Accordingly, there is a rising need for cyber insurance from both corporate clients and retail clients who are getting more and more conscious of it, according to Rajesh Kumar Sharma, CEO and Principal Officer of Anand Rathi Insurance Brokers. (Also Read: ALERT! CERT-In warns WhatsApp users for...)

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) reports that at the end of FY22, digital payments represented 96.32 per cent of all payments, up from 95.4 per cent in FY20. The RBI Digital Payments Index, which analyses digital payments, increased by 29.08 per cent from a year ago to 270.59 points in March 2022, an all-time high.

The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) last year published recommendations for a sample cyber insurance policy for individuals that general insurers are encouraged to abide by in light of the growth in fraud. "A person should buy a cyber-insurance coverage since everything they own, including their savings and money, is at risk of being stolen by hackers.

These plans are also reasonably priced. For instance, Bajaj Allianz charges a premium of Rs. 2,848 for a sum assured of Rs. 10 lakh (exclusive of GST). According to S.K. Sethi, Director of RIA Insurance Brokers and author of the book 1 Cyber Attack can ruin you forever, other insurance companies such as Tata AIG, ICICI Lombard, and New India Assurance also provide this policy.

It is always advisable to purchase cyber insurance coverage to protect both you and your company.
Karachi: A Chinese national was shot dead and two others injured on Wednesday when an unidentified gunman opened fire inside a dental clinic in Pakistan's southern port city of Karachi, police said, in what is believed to be the latest targeted attack against Chinese citizens. SSP (South) Asad Raza said that the attacker, in his early 30s, entered the clinic located in Karachi's Saddar area pretending to be a patient and opened fire inside the doctor's room.

"The attacker killed the assistant, Ronald Chow, on the spot and injured dentist Dr Richard Hu Lee (74) and his wife Margaret (72)," the officer said.

No one has claimed responsibility for the attack.

Both the doctor and his wife had been running the dental clinic for a long period of time and had not received any threats, Raza said.

SHO Saddar police station Bashir Ahmed said the doctor and his wife were out of danger at the hospital where they are being treated for bullet wounds.

He said police have recovered several 9mm pistol shells from the clinic.

Bashir said they are investigating the motive behind the attack.

"It appears the assailant had some dispute with the doctor and his wife," he said.

Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah has ordered the immediate arrest of the attackers, saying such incidents were not tolerable, according to the official statement. He has also sought a detailed report from the Karachi Additional IGP.

Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah condemned the incident and directed the Sindh chief secretary to prepare a report on the firing and immediately arrest the perpetrators.

"Such incidents are intolerable. The security of Chinese residents should be ensured in every way,? Sanaullah said in a tweet.

The dental clinic is located just opposite the famous Empress market and the street has other dental clinics as well which have been run by Chinese dentists for decades now.

"It is a very busy and bustling street at the time and we just heard two or three shots and there was pandemonium and the man apparently escaped in the confusion and melee," said Zahoor, who works as a waiter at a famous ice cream shop few shops down the clinic.

He said the traffic policemen on duty near the clinic rushed immediately after hearing the shots while the police mobile also reached the spot quickly.

Chinese nationals who have either been settled in Pakistan for years and set up their own businesses or have come in the wave of officers and workers after the launch of the Chinese Pakistan Economic Corridor projects are seen in big numbers in the Saddar area.

Chinese nationals now settled in Pakistan not only run successful dental clinics but also Chinese restaurants and herbal clinics in Karachi - the capital of the southern Sindh Province which is also home to several Chinese-funded construction projects.

The incident is the latest in the recent spate of attacks on Chinese nationals in the country.

3 Chinese were killed in a suicide blast at Karachi University in April

In April, three Chinese were killed in a suicide blast in Karachi University carried out by the separatist Baloch Liberation Army, which is opposed to China's investments in Balochistan, accusing China and Pakistan of exploitation of the resource-rich region.

Some of the other attacks were also attributed to radical Islamic militant outfits in Pakistan.

In July 2021, gunmen on motorcycles opened fire on a vehicle carrying two Chinese factory workers at Karachi's Nuclear Power Plant, wounding both.

In November 2018, the BLA insurgents tried to storm the Chinese consulate in Karachi's Clifton area in which four people were killed including two policemen and two of the attackers.

With recurring attacks, China is reportedly pressing Pakistan to permit the Chinese agencies to provide security for their personnel which, according to press reports, Islamabad is resisting.
Washington: Hurricane Ian landed in southwest Florida near Cayo Costa on Wednesday as a massive Category 4 storm. Landfall occurred near Cayo Costa, an island in Florida`s Lee County, around 3:05 PM (ET) with maximum sustained winds of 240 km per hour, Xinhua news agency reported. Ian was causing "catastrophic" storm surges, winds, and flooding in the Florida Peninsula, an earlier NHC update read. About 2.5 million people had been ordered to evacuate southwest Florida before the storm hit the coast with maximum sustained winds of 150 mph (241 kph).

Catastrophic storm surge inundation of 12 to 18 feet (approximately 3.66 to 5.49 meters) above the ground level is expected somewhere between Englewood to Bonita Beach, including Charlotte Harbor, forecasters said.

Weakening is expected after landfall, but Ian could be near hurricane strength when it moves over Florida`s east coast on Thursday, and when it approaches the northeastern Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina coasts late Friday.

As of Wednesday afternoon, more than 814,000 customers are without power in Florida due to the storm, according to Power Outage. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said on Wednesday morning that Ian was expected to be a "historic" storm with "a profound impact" on the state.

Also Read: Hurricane Ian approaches Florida after crashing Cuba; high alert declared

Fleets of highwater vehicles, 42,000 linemen, 7,000 members of the National Guards, and 179 aircraft had been mobilized in response to the hurricane`s impact, DeSantis tweeted.

US President Joe Biden said from the White House on Wednesday that the federal government was "on alert and in action" as the storm was closing in on Florida. "This storm is incredibly dangerous, to state the obvious. It`s life-threatening," Biden warned.

"You should obey all warnings and directions from emergency officials," he continued. "Don`t take anything for granted. Use their judgment, not yours. Evacuate when ordered. Be prepared."

The US Coast Guard is searching for the 23 migrants whose vessel sank off the coast of Florida amid Hurricane Ian, an official said on Wednesday afternoon.

Walter Slosar, chief patrol agent for the US Border Patrol`s Miami sector, tweeted that agents had responded to a migrant landing in Stock Island, Florida`s Monroe County. Slosar said that four "Cuban migrants swam to shore after their vessel sank due to inclement weather" and that a search and rescue operation was underway for 23 individuals believed to have been in the same boat.

(With agency inputs)
Moscow: Russia will hold a signing ceremony on Friday to incorporate the annexed four occupied regions of Ukraine at Kremlin, Moscow's President Vladimir Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov said. "Tomorrow in the Georgian Hall of the Grand Kremlin Palace at 15:00 [1200 GMT] a signing ceremony will take place on the incorporation of the new territories into Russia," spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Thursday, as quoted by Al Jazeera. He further added that Putin will make a speech at this event. The referendum by the Russian authorities on the annexation of occupied territories of Ukraine was largely seen as a "sham referendum" and has been widely criticised by various countries.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said that Germany will never accept the results of "sham" referendums on joining Russia in occupied regions of Ukraine. According to Al Jazeera, Scholz made these remarks in conversation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Scholz reaffirmed Germany`s stance saying that the country`s support for Ukraine remains unwavering.

Meanwhile, Canada also said that they will not recognise Russia`s attempted illegal annexation of Ukrainian territories. "Canada does not and will not ever recognise the results of these sham referendums or Russia`s attempted illegal annexation of Ukrainian territories," Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said in a statement.

Also Read: 'Could not agree more': US praises PM Modi's 'this is not an era of war' remarks to Putin

Serbia, too, will not recognise the results of referendums held in four regions of Ukraine partly occupied by Russian forces, President Aleksandar Vucic has said, as per the portal."Serbia ... will not recognise that [referendums] as it adheres to international law, the United Nations Charter and UN resolutions," Vucic said as quoted by Al Jazeera.

Meanwhile, Russia`s President Putin signed a decree on Thursday authorising the government to ban some Western trucks from crossing Russian territory. The ban, which applies to vehicles carrying goods, comes into force immediately and applies to countries with similar restrictions against Russia due to their invasion of Ukraine, according to Al Jazeera.
GVine gin, the French gin made with grapes, has announced Fred Sirieix as their first ever UK ambassador.

The partnership forms part of the wider Gin Your Way UK marketing campaign launching in October, with Sirieix using his expertise to create drinking experiences with GVine complemented by a series of Gin Your Way consumer events taking place in December.

Sirieix said: We share the same roots from the inspiring southwest region of France. GVine is different to traditional gins because it is made with grapes not grain and this makes it very smooth, also like me. GVine is me in a bottle.

G'Vine was created by oenologist, founder, president and master distiller of Maison Villevert, Jean-Sebastien Robicquet and has so far launched in more than 60 countries including the UK, Spain, Italy, Germany, Greece, Portugal as well as USA, China, Japan and Australia.

Robicquet said: Fred embodies GVine perfectly. His passion, knowledge and expertise make him relevant when talking about wine, spirits and gastronomy. Furthermore our friendship and shared origin of France make him a natural addition to the Maison Villevert family.

GVine is offered at 40% abv and priced at 35 per 70cl bottle, available online at Drink Supermarket and The Bottle Club and distributed in the UK by Paragon Brands.
Over the years, the exploration, exploitation, processing, and use of minerals in Vietnam have obtained a number of achievements. The demand for minerals in the domestic and foreign markets is huge and increasing. Therefore, it is very important to develop systematic exploration, exploitation, and processing of these minerals for national industrialization and modernization.

First held in 2012, Mining Vietnam has been trusted as a gathering destination and a trade event for individuals and organizations. Mining Vietnam 2022, hosted by Informa Markets Vietnam, is expected to have the participation of large enterprises in the world such as FMC Ltd, Famur Sa, Haver Niagara GmbH, JSG Industrial Pte Ltd, Valentini Antonio Srl, Quangong Machinery Co., Ltd, Au Viet Industry JSC, etc.

Mining Vietnam 2022 willdisplay a wide range of products/services in a variety of mining fields, including ancillary production systems for coal mines; mineral processingmaterials/tools/equipment; intelligent mining & automation; surface/underground mining equipment; transport; general services. There are also exhibitions of services such as automation; chemistry; heavy equipment; infrastructure, management, materials, tools & equipment in the construction field.

Besides, Mining Vietnam 2022 is expected to welcome more than 3,000 professional visitors from various fields, and be an event that brings together trade associations, government agencies, specialized research Institutes, and prestigious press & media units.

During the exhibition, there will be specialized seminars with the participation of speakers and leading experts in the field of mining and construction. The seminar of Digitalization in the mining industry: From theory to practical application will be held on October 4, 2022, by the Hanoi University of Mining and Geology. The seminar of Mining 4.0: Applications of technologies, simulation, digitization and robots for the mining industry will be held on October 5, 2022, by Meslab.

A seminar was held at the Mining Vietnam Exhibition
A doctor inspects the medicine storage of Cho Ray Hospital in HCMC, July 2022. Photo by VnExpress/Quynh Tran

Despite Vietnam's success in containing Covid-19, the pandemic has revealed cracks in the national healthcare system.

Since the outbreak began most caretakers faced a mountain load of work, and working without a break was a common ordeal for most doctors and nurses in the larger cities.

Some 60% experienced a significant increase in workload, 40% saw their health deteriorate and 70% suffered from anxiety and depression, the Ministry of Health reported.

Yet they continued to be paid the small salary they were before the pandemic. VND7.36 million ($310) was the average salary paid to healthcare workers in 2021, according to the Vietnam Young Physicians Association.

The allowance for a 24-hour shift was VND115,000 at top hospitals, and less elsewhere.

Nguyen Anh Tri, a member of the National Assembly, said in June, "VND18,600 was what a health worker got for an exhausting night's duty during the pandemic."

Apart from rising hospitalizations and new infectors, healthcare workers also had to perform tasks such as vaccination, testing and contact tracing for months.

The poor wages and intense pressure mean healthcare workers are turning their backs on public hospitals and clinics and seeking greener pastures.

Around 10,000 quit the public healthcare sector in the last 18 months, including over 4,000 in the first half of 2022.

Thousands have switched to private hospitals, the Ministry of Health said in a report in September.

Tang Chi Thuong, director of the HCMC Department of Health, admitted Covid-19 was the last straw: "It is obvious that they are exhausted after months of fighting against the epidemic on a meager income. They cannot take it any more."

Incompetent grassroots health centers

As the first layer in the healthcare system, local health stations failed to cope with the rising number of Covid patients. Officials admitted the main reason for this was the shortage of manpower.

"The community healthcare system has a number of weaknesses in terms of human resources, organizational structure, infrastructure, and equipment," Nguyen Van Vinh Chau, deputy director of the HCMC Department of Health, told VnExpress in October 2021.

In the worst affected places like HCMC and its neighbor Binh Duong, the strategy of treating patients at home during the lockdown suffered, as examination and treatment, contact tracing, vaccination, supplying food, and other tasks required enormous human resources.

In HCMC, the health department estimated 17,400 Covid cases were reported daily during the peak period in August 2021, a huge jump from the 1,000 reported the previous month.

This wreaked havoc on an already creaking healthcare system.

A shortage of doctors has for long plagued the country's healthcare system, and has only been exacerbated by Covid.

For instance, before the pandemic began, a healthcare station in HCMC's Binh Chanh District with 11 personnel had been responsible for 140,000 residents, or one healthcare worker for every 13,000 people.

The average number of doctors per 10,000 population in Vietnam in 2021 was 11.1, far behind Singapore's 26 and China's 22, according to Statista.com.

Moreover, experts have expressed concern about the workforce quality in Vietnam, pointing out that many health stations could not handle even fundamental tasks such as minor surgery and first aid.

Doctor Nguyen Lan Hieu, director of the Hanoi Medical University Hospital, told VnExpress: "I visited numerous commune health stations. I asked (the staff) some simple questions about respiratory arrest and anaphylactic shock treatment, but often they failed to give the correct answer or did not answer at all."

This inadequacy explains why patients in underdeveloped areas go to great lengths to visit higher-level hospitals for health checks and treatment.

"Only 15.9 percent went for treatment to commune and ward health stations in 2018," Hieu said.

Flawed policies

During the pandemic tons of medical supplies and equipment were sent to HCMC and southern provinces, but they were inadequate considering the huge number of patients.

The deficiency in supply stemmed to some extent from the legal bottlenecks to procurement.

Top officials admit there are many shortcomings in the Law on Bidding like the drawn-out tender and purchase procedures.

Nguyen Phu Cuong, chairman of the National Assembly's Finance and Budget Committee, at an NA meeting on September 20, blamed the tortuous procedures in contractor selection and protracted selection time for the delay in the public procurement of medical supplies.

Besides, the current system for public procurement often prioritizes price, as Pham Khanh Phong Lan, Deputy Chairwoman of the Vietnamese Pharmaceutical Association, said in a July interview, and hence the warnings by experts about the quality of drugs and equipment.

Speaking about low-priced medical supplies on August 21 Nguyen Tri Thuc, director of Cho Ray Hospital in HCMC, said: "We used to get good scalpels. Today, with a cheap one, you have to make three incisions to cut through the patient's skin."

The weaknesses of the law also give rise to violations.

The case of Viet A Company showed how legislative loopholes in the selection of contractors were exploited by wrongdoers for huge profits.

A Covid test kit supplier, Viet A won a contract without bidding, taking advantage of the abbreviated procedures during an emergency.

The company and some individuals pocketed VND4 trillion ($168.28 million) by illegally inflating prices by 45 percent.

So far almost 70 people have been detained, including former Minister of Health Nguyen Thanh Long and former Hanoi chairman Chu Ngoc Anh.

The pandemic also shone a light on the underdevelopment of the Vietnamese pharmaceutical industry: 90 percent of pharmaceutical materials are imported and only 5-6 percent domestically produced.

Deputy Minister of Health Do Xuan Tuyen admitted that some obsolete provisions in the law delayed the supply of medicines during the pandemic and wanted amendments to be considered soon by the government and legislators.
Minister-Chairman of the Government Office Tran Van Son (L) receives Cuban PM Manuel Marrero Cruz at Noi Bai airport in Hanoi, September 28, 2022. Photo by Vietnam News Agency

Cuban Prime Minister Manuel Marrero Cruz arrived in Hanoi Wednesday night for a five-day official visit to Vietnam.

During his stay he is expected to attend a series of events in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, hold talks with Vietnamese leaders and attend the signing of several bilateral agreements, Vietnam News Agency reported.

This is his first visit outside Latin America since taking office in December 2019, and the first visit by a senior Cuban leader to Vietnam since 2018.

Vietnam and Cuba established diplomatic relations in Dec. 1960, two years after the Cuban Revolution.

Cuba imports 300,000- 400,000 tons of rice from Vietnam annually.

Some Vietnamese businesses are investing in industrial park infrastructure and manufacture of construction materials and detergents in Cuba.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, Cuba provided Vietnam with five million doses of vaccines and sent medical teams to help.

In September last year President Nguyen Xuan Phuc visited Cuba, the first visit by a foreign head of state to the island since the pandemic began.
President Joe Biden stood before the 77th Session of the UN General Assembly and issued a clarion call for support for the tenets and beliefs that nations around the world pledged to honor at the founding of the United Nations.



Those principles, enshrined in the UN Charter, include the need to reject the use of violence and war to conquer nations or expand borders through bloodshed:



To stand against global politics of fear and coercion; to defend the sovereign right of smaller nations as equal to those of larger ones; to embrace basic principles like freedom of navigation, respect for international law, and arms control  no matter what else we may disagree on.



But a permanent member of the Security Council has shamelessly violated the core tenets of the United Nations Charter, said President Biden: Russia, in its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.



This war is about extinguishing Ukraines right to exist as a state, plain and simple, and Ukraines right to exist as a people.



President Biden denounced President Putins recent order of a partial mobilization of Russian citizens, along with his overt nuclear threats against Europe and reckless disregard for the responsibilities of the non-proliferation regime.



He praised the 141 nations in the General Assembly that condemned Russias war and noted that the United States has marshalled more than $25 billion to date for security assistance and humanitarian aid for Ukraine. Our allies and partners around the world have stepped up as well, said President Biden. Today, more than 40 countries represented in here have contributed billions of their own money and equipment to help Ukraine defend itself.



Each of us in this body who is determined to uphold the principles and beliefs we pledge to defend as members of the United Nations  must be clear, firm and unwavering in our resolve. Ukraine has the same rights that belong to every sovereign nation. We will stand in solidarity with Ukraine...against Russias aggression. Period.



Like you, the United States wants this war to end on just terms, on terms we all signed up for: that you cannot seize a nations territory by force, said President Biden. The only country standing in the way of that is Russia.
The highly anticipated United Nations report on the human rights situation in Xinjiang, China, has been released. It outlines in alarming details the human rights violations and abuses occurring in Xinjiang, said Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

The report authored by the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights concludes that the extent of arbitrary and discriminatory detention of members of the Uyghur and predominantly Muslim groups. . .may constitute international crimes, in particular crimes against humanity, and that serious human rights violations have been committed in Xinjiang.



The report comes four years after a committee of UN experts called attention to "credible reports" that the Peoples Republic of China had interned more than 1 million Uyghur and other Muslim minorities in so-called re-education camps in Xinjiang under the guise of counterterrorism and counter-extremism strategies.



Secretary Blinken welcomed the report noting it describes authoritatively the appalling treatment and abuses of Uyghurs and members of other ethnic and religious minority groups by the government of the Peoples Republic of China. According to the report these abuses have included undue restrictions on religious identity and expression, as well as the rights to privacy and movement. There are serious indications of violations of reproductive rights through the coercive and discriminatory enforcement of family planning and birth control policies. Witnesses also reported various forms of sexual violence, including some instances of rape and various forms of sexual humiliation, including forced nudity.



Secretary Blinken declared this report deepens and reaffirms the United States grave concern regarding the ongoing genocide and crimes against humanity that PRC government authorities are perpetrating against Uyghurs, who are predominantly Muslim, and members of other ethnic and religious minority groups in Xinjiang.



U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield called for the full Human Rights Council membership (to) have an opportunity to formally discuss the findings of this report as soon as possible and that the perpetrators of these atrocities (be) held accountable.



Secretary Blinken also vowed to seek justice and accountability for the many victims. We will continue to hold the PRC to account and call on the PRC to release those unjustly detained, account for those disappeared, and allow independent investigators full and unhindered access to Xinjiang, Tibet, and across the PRC.
Newmont Corp. announced Sept. 28 that Nancy Buese will step down from the role of executive vice president and chief financial officer of Newmont on Nov. 1, as she pursues an opportunity outside of the company. Buese will be succeeded by Brian Tabolt on an interim basis as Newmont commences a global search.

Over the last six years, Nancy provided exemplary leadership and sound guidance to Newmont, said Newmont President and Chief Executive Officer Tom Palmer. She built a strong team committed to financial discipline and maintaining a robust balance sheet while building financial flexibility that allows for reinvestment in our business.

As we look to fill this important role, our focus will be on further differentiating the strength of our executive leadership team to support the next exciting chapter in Newmonts future.

Brian Tabolt is currently Newmonts vice president, controller and chief accounting officer. He joined Newmont in 2021, bringing 20 years of financial accounting and reporting experience as well as leading high performing teams providing valuable financial leadership and insights. Prior to Newmont, Brian served at vice president, global controller and chief accounting officer for Molson Coors Beverage Company, as well as other senior technical accounting roles. He began his career in accounting with Deloitte.

In the United States, Newmont owns the Cripple Creek & Victor Mine in Colorado and is the 38.5% owner of Nevada Gold Mines. Barrick Gold Corp. is the 61.5% owner of NGM and is the operator.
SPRING CREEK  Directors of the Spring Creek Association have rejected an offer from former Fairway Community Center restaurant operator Ericia Cook to pay half the amount they say she owes for back rent.

Cook was co-owner of Cooks Fire Oven and Grill in Spring Creek. The restaurant opened in February 2018 under a five-year agreement, and won multiple Elko Daily Free Press Readers Choice awards while it was in business. An Elko location was opened in the spring of 2021, and the Spring Creek location was closed that fall.

Board members said Cook defaulted on her contract and dissolved the company. She was one month behind in paying rent when she closed, and an additional five months on the contract were added to bring her total debt to $30,770, according to the board.

Cook was not at the board meeting, and SCA attorney Katie McConnell explained that she did not send legal representation because she was trying to save money.

When contacted by the Elko Daily Free Press, Cook said she did not intend to close the Spring Creek location but everybody decided after Covid to quit working, so I had to pick one or the other. I wanted to have two businesses, but I had to choose when nobody wanted to work.

Restaurants were among the small businesses that received aid during the pandemic but Cook said the association did not give her a break on her rent.

Im still struggling. I still cant find help, she said.

Cook said she has tried to make repayment offers but the board would not accept them.

The board is trying to collect from Cook personally, and discussed measures such as whether it was possible to obtain a lien against her.

In Nevada, you cannot dissolve an entity without paying obligations, McConnell told the board.

Cooks latest offer was to pay $14,832, roughly half the claimed amount to settle the dispute. Instead, the board decided Wednesday to make a counter-offer to accept 12 monthly payments of $2,500 a month in order to recover the full amount. If the payments are not made they will proceed with litigation.

We have not received one dollar as a gesture of good faith on the debt, Board Chairman John Featherston said.

The restaurant was excessively dirty, unmaintained. None of the cleaning fees and none of the associated costs  were paid or discussed.

Cook says she left things in good condition and took pictures to prove it.

Former SCA board chairman Joshua Park favored pursing the full amount owed.

Right now this board has the opportunity to take an action and send a message to make this right, he said. And if she goes bankrupt, well guess what? Boohoo.

Every person in Spring Creek ought to know what she did to them, Park said, because theyre the ones paying this bill, not us.

He said the amount comes to 50 cents a month for each property owner over a year.
By Azernews

By Ayya Lmahamad

Azerbaijans investments in the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) member states have amounted to $21.3 billion, while the investments of these countries in Azerbaijans economy amounted to $13.8 billion, Energy Minister Parviz Shahbazov said.

He made the remarks speaking at the second meeting of the energy ministers of the OTS, held in Almaty, Kazakhstan, Azernews reports.

He noted that Azerbaijans trade turnover with the OTS member states exceeded $4.6 billion.

The minister stressed that since the first meeting of the OTS energy ministers, Azerbaijan contributed to energy cooperation among the Turkic States through the signing of the Shusha declaration with Turkiye, the start of natural gas exchange with Turkmenistan, cooperation on the Dostlug field, the signing of a roadmap covering 30 directions with Uzbekistan, and plans to expand energy partnership with Kazakhstan.

Parviz Shahbazov also noted that the transportation of electricity through Turkiye via the Zangazur corridor and the Black Sea submarine power line, to which Hungary will also connect, will ensure the energy community of the Turkic States, as well as integration with Europe. In this regard, he brought to attention the prospects of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline and the Southern Gas Corridor.

The role of TANAP and TAP in the diversified and sustainable energy supply made it necessary to renew the EU's strategic energy partnership with Azerbaijan and reach exports to Europe to 20 bcm by 2027. The expansion of the Southern Gas Corridor will not only strengthen the positions of Azerbaijan and Turkiye in ensuring energy security in a wide geographic area but will also allow the fraternal countries to enter new markets, he said.

In this regard, he noted that since 2021, Turkiye, TANAP, and TAP have been supplied with 9.6 billion cubic meters of natural gas and Europe with more than 16 billion cubic meters.

Moreover, the energy minister emphasized the importance of the Turkic states' participation in the transformation of the Karabakh region into an energy zone, and active cooperation in the fields of renewable energy and energy efficiency.

These new steps of Azerbaijan in the energy sector with the Turkic States and the modern energy course will contribute to the realization of energy-related goals in the document Turkish World Vision-2040, he added.

"We shared Azerbaijan's contributions at the Meeting of Energy Ministers of #OTS in Almaty. It has been emphasized that the Zangazur Corridor, a strategic initiative of the President of Azerbaijan Mr. Ilham Aliyev, will ensure the geographical and energy unity of the Turkic world," the minister tweeted.
The Senate race in Nevada will likely determine which party controls the U.S. Senate.

Senate control is expected to come down to three races: Georgia, Pennsylvania and Nevada. The party that wins two of those three is positioned to hold a narrow 51-seat Senate majority.

Republican Senate nominee Adam Laxalt is the grandson of the late conservative Nevada Republican icon, genial Paul Laxalt, who served as Lt. Governor (1963-67), Governor (1967-71), and U.S. Senator (1974-1987).

Paul Laxalt was Ronald Reagans closest political ally beginning after Reagans election as neighboring California governor in 1967. In Washington, Senator Laxalt was dubbed President Reagans First Friend and served as General Chairman of the Republican Party (1983-87).

Adam Laxalts father was New Mexico Senator Pete Domenici who had an extramarital affair with Adams 24-year-old mother Michelle Laxalt. Michelle raised Adam on her own, with the identity of Adams father kept secret until 2013.

Born in Reno, Adam grew up in and around Washington, D.C. where his mother worked.

Adam Laxalt graduated from Georgetown Law School and worked for then-Undersecretary of State John Bolton. He spent five years in the U.S. Navys J.A.G. Corps including in Iraq and a stint at the U.S. Naval Academy as an assistant law professor.

Shortly after moving to Nevada, Laxalt left his law firm in 2014 to run for state attorney general. He was narrowly (less than 1%) elected in a statewide Republican Red Wave.

As Nevadas attorney general, Laxalt sued the Obama administration over immigration enforcement, land management and labor rules.

In 2018, Laxalt ran for governor, losing to then-Clark County Commission Chair Steve Sisolak by 40,000 votes (4%).

Outgoing two-term GOP Governor Brian Sandoval spurned Laxalt, declining to endorse him in the governors race, largely because Laxalt called for repeal of the Commerce Tax, funding education initiatives championed by Sandoval.

In 2016, Laxalt endorsed Texas Senator Ted Cruz for president in the Nevada primary, but backed Donald Trump after his nomination was secured. President Trump campaigned in Nevada (Elko) for Laxalts gubernatorial campaign in 2018.

In 2019, Laxalt was named Nevada co-chair of Trumps re-election campaign.

After the 2020 election, Laxalt initiated lawsuits, did interviews and wrote opinion pieces claiming thousands of illegal votes had been cast in Nevada. None of these claims were proven in Nevada courts. Biden won by 33,596 votes (2.4%).

The Democratic nominee, U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto, was elected in 2016 defeating Republican Rep. Joe Heck by 27,000 votes (2.4%). Heck carried 16 of Nevadas 17 counties, losing only in Clark County. Cortez Masto became the first Nevada woman and first Latina ever to serve in the Senate.

Cortez Masto is a protege of the late Senator Harry Reid and was his handpicked replacement upon his Senate retirement in 2016. She relied on his vaunted Reid Machine to power election turnout of Democrats.

Senator Cortez Masto is the daughter of the late Manny Cortez, a political figure in southern Nevada and close associate of Reid.

First elected to the Clark County Commission in 1976, Manny Cortez served four terms through 1992. He later was the longtime head of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA).

Born In Las Vegas, Catherine Cortez Masto graduated from Gonzaga Law School and worked four years as a civil attorney in Las Vegas and two years as a criminal prosecutor in Washington, D.C. before being elected Nevada attorney general in 2006.

Cortez Masto was criticized in 2009 for partisan prosecutorial misconduct in the case of Republican Lt. Gov. Brian Krolicki on charges ultimately dropped. She was re-elected in 2010.

Cortez Mastos Senate record has been as a loyal supporter of President Joe Biden.

Laxalts most compelling political case  he would be the 51st seat check on a radical far-left agenda from Democrats by preventing their control of the Senate.
President Xi Jinping called on Wednesday for participants of a high-level forum on China-Argentina people-to-people exchanges to pool wisdom and build consensus for further developing bilateral ties and making contributions to building a community with a shared future for mankind.

He made the remark in a congratulatory message sent to the forum held in Beijing, saying that China and Argentina are good friends and good partners. The theme of the one-day forum was deepening media exchanges and improving the livelihoods of the peoples.

Noting that 2022 is the Year of China-Argentina Friendship and Cooperation and also marks the 50th anniversary of the two countries' establishment of diplomatic relations, Xi said the China-Argentina relations have withstood the test of the evolving international landscape over the past half-century.

The relations have also become an exemplar of solidarity, cooperation and common development between emerging market economies and developing countries, he said.

Xi also said that the comprehensive and rapid development of the China-Argentina relations is a good example of the flourishing China-Latin America cooperation, calling on the forum participants to work together to build a China-Latin American community with a shared future in the new era.

Argentine President Alberto Fernandez also sent a congratulatory message to the forum, saying that he firmly believed the two countries will embrace a community with a shared future featuring a higher level of development in the future.

Fernandez said that efficient cooperation between media organizations in Argentina and China has helped enhance the mutual understanding between the people of the two countries.

He expressed the hope that the two countries will deepen cooperation, increase efforts for developing the China-Argentina comprehensive strategic partnership, and make greater contributions to people's well-being as well as world peace and development.
Infrastructure is regarded as a pillar industry for all countries, and sustainable and green projects built with China's Belt and Road Initiative have greatly enhanced connectivity and contributed to better growth of the developing world, experts say.

The two-day 13th International Infrastructure Investment and Construction Forum, or IIICF, opened on Wednesday in Macao, with Chief Executive Ho Iat-seng in attendance.

Fang Qiuchen, chairman of the China International Contractors Association, hosted the IIICF's opening ceremony and said the forum's theme followed the pulse of global expectations.

One of the highlights of the event was the launch of The Belt and Road Infrastructure Development Index 2022 and The Report on the Belt and Road Infrastructure Development Index 2022.

Li Fei, assistant minister at the Ministry of Commerce, said this forum is focused on consolidating collaboration, expanding collaboration, and extensively carrying out dialogue and exchanges.

"I believe it is of great significance for the high-quality joint construction of the Belt and Road, the implementation of the Global Development Initiative, and the promotion of building a community with a shared future for mankind," he said in his keynote speech.

Li noted that infrastructure plays an important role in supporting economic and social developments. Last year, China's foreign investment cooperation overcame the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and achieved stable and healthy development with annual foreign direct investment of $178.8 billion, up 16 percent year-on-year, and with new contracts for foreign contracted projects of $258.5 billion, achieving a turnover of $154.9 billion.

A number of major infrastructure projects steadily advanced, and small but meaningful livelihood projects have been implemented one after another, making positive contributions to the recovery of the global economy and enhancing the well-being of people of all countries, he said.

Li also said the upcoming 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China will draw up a grand blueprint for China's future development. "We will continue to bring new opportunities to the world with China's new development  promote the joint construction of the Belt and Road, continue to deepen pragmatic cooperation with other countries in the field of infrastructure, and work together to create a better future."

Suhail Mohamed Al Mazrouei, minister of energy and infrastructure of the United Arab Emirates, said the relationship between China and the UAE has become increasingly close over the years, and the two countries' ties are characterized by broad development potential and positive prospects.

He said the UAE has contributed to more than 650 projects with Chinese investments, and more than 4,000 Chinese companies operate in the UAE today, creating more than 400,000 jobs.

"By granting foreign investors full ownership of different enterprises, we aim to stimulate investment cooperation between our two countries in different areas such as the digital economy, green economy and circular economy," he said. "In its vision for the future, the UAE is seeking to shift to a more sustainable green economic model."

Wee Ka Siong, Malaysia's transport minister, described in a video address the infrastructure development as the backbone of the nation "to spur progress and improve the well-being of its people".

He said Malaysia remains committed to working on "quality and sustainable infrastructure that will have a high catalytic impact" toward the goal of achieving a high-income developed economy. Also, priority is placed on improving connectivity across regions through the integration of various transport modes.

Wee also said there have been massive high-tech investments from foreign partners over the last 10 years, citing the Gemas-Johor Bahru electrified double-tracking project and the East Coast Rail Link among mega projects with substantial investment from Chinese enterprises.

Mahbub Ali, Bangladesh's state minister for civil aviation and tourism, said in his video address that infrastructure investment and construction are essential to each nation's economic and social growth.

"The traditional friendship between China and Bangladesh has a long history and has a broad space for cooperation in the field of infrastructure," he said, adding that Bangladesh's Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism has maintained close communication and exchanges with Chinese companies.

"The Padma Bridge greatly promotes the connectivity between Dhaka and southwest area of the country  regional connectivity, and provides millions of employment opportunities along the route," he said, citing the completed bridge built by a Chinese contractor.

Joao Baptista Borges, Angola's minister of energy and water, said via video link that China is the country's main economic partner, achieving around $23 billion in trade exchanges.

The Caculo Cabaca power plant, an important infrastructure project, will be the largest hydroelectric undertaking built in Angola. It is an ecologically sustainable clean energy project with a capacity of 2,172 megawatts, and it is the largest investment for a single project financed by China, or any other source, in Angola.

The 13th IIICF saw 20 percent more attendance as compared with last year. More than 1,300 participants, including leaders and executives from government departments, financial institutions, international contractors and enterprises, attended this year's forum.
An art performance at the ceremony marking the 73rd anniversary of Chinas National Day in HCMC (Photo: sggp.org.vn)

Addressing the event, Chairman of the municipal VCFA Duong Quan Ha highly appreciated the long-lasting traditional friendship between Vietnam and China. On the basis of the comprehensive strategic partnership over the past years, many high-level visits between Vietnam and China have been conducted to stabilize and develope relations between the two countries.

Many scientific conferences in various fields, especially the economy and countrys construction process adapting to the new normal situation have been organized for the Parties, Governments and Peoples of the two nations to exchange experiences.

He added that the HUFO, the VCFA and the Chinese Embassy in Hanoi have closely cooperated to maintain and strengthen Vietnam-China relations over many years.

Consul General of China in HCMC Wei Huaxiang said that China has achieved leapfrog economic and social development over the past 70 years to become the world's second-largest economy and keep its position as the world's largest manufacturing country. China's GDP reached more than USD100,000 billion with a per capita GDP exceeding USD10,000.

China remained the largest trade partner of Vietnam and the ASEAN bloc. Vietnam has become the 6th largest trading partner of China. The two-way trade revenue between the two countries reached USD230 billion, he said.

He appreciated the role of HCMC which is a center of the economy, culture, science and technology of Vietnam, contributing to the Vietnam-China exchange activities; and recognized the local-level cooperation between the two nations.

He affirmed that the Consul General of China in HCMC will be ready to cooperate with the Party Committee and Peoples Committee of HCMC; encourage Chinese provinces and cities to implement cooperation with HCMC, participate in building a center of finance, culture, science and technology in the city, strengthen infrastructure connectivity and contribute to the Vietnam-China comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership./.
Chairman of the municipal Peoples Committee Tran Sy Thanh and French Ambassador Nicolas Warnery (Photo: hanoimoi.com.vn)

Deputy Secretary of the Hanoi Party Committee and Chairman of the municipal Peoples Committee Tran Sy Thanh said above while receiving French Ambassador Nicolas Warnery on September 27.

The Chairman also expressed his delight at growing relations between the two countries. He proposed the two sides deepen their ties toward effectiveness and practical outcomes in the coming time, especialy in the fields of urban planning, heritage conservation, sustainable development, and public transport.

French Ambassador Nicolas Warnery said that the relationship between the two countries as well as between Hanoi and French localities have been developing strongly in recent time.

According to the Ambassador, the two sides will promote cooperation in ongoing urban projects and upcoming cooperation plans, especially celebrations for the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam-France diplomatic relations in 2023.

France is ready to assist Hanoi in organising cultural promotion events and developing wholesale markets, and other areas which France has experience, he added./.
Ambassador Nguyen Tat Thanh and Australian Senate President Sue Lines (Photo: baoquocte.vn)

Ms. Sue Lines expressed her delight at outstanding development steps of the Australia-Vietnam Strategic Partnership, especially in economic cooperation, parliamentary diplomacy, and people-to-people exchanges.

She affirmed she will continue supporting the relations between the two countries as she did when she was Vice President of the Senate, stressing that the two countries have a lot of rooms to further develop the ties.

The Senate President delighted at the cooperation between the two countries localities, especially the achievements in the collaboration between her home state, Western Australia, and Vietnams Ba Ria-Vung Tau southern province. She added that she is looking forward to the launch of more direct flights between the two countries, especially with Perth, the capital of Western Australia.

At the reception, Ambassador Thanh expressed his pleasure at the two-way trade of increasing nearly 40% in the first eight months of 2022, making Australia the 7th largest trading partner of Vietnam and Vietnam the 10th biggest trading partner of Australia for the first time.

He hoped that the Australia-Vietnam Friendship Parliamentarians Group will soon be established to coordinate in boosting parliamentary cooperation.

The two sides agreed to foster collaboration between the two parliaments towards the celebration of the 50th anniversary of Vietnam  Australia diplomatic relations in 2023.

Senate President Lines said that she hopes to soon welcome leaders of the Vietnamese National Assembly to visit Australia and affirmed that she will consider to visit Vietnam at an appropriate time./.
The annual event is co-organised by the Investment and Trade Promotion Centre of Ho Chi Minh City (ITPC) and the AEON Vietnam Co. Ltd.

Enterprises displayed their products at the exhibition week. (Photo: nhandan.com.vn)

The event is expected to assist businesses to expand domestic and international consumption markets through the distributors global supermarket chain. As for AEON, one of the oldest retailers in Japan, this is the fourth year that ITPC has coordinated to organize a program to support Vietnamese businesses to promote and bring their products into the global AEON retail system.

ITPC Deputy Director Tran Phu Lu cited statistics from the General Department of Customs as saying that two-way trade between Vietnam and Japan hit 31.8 billion USD in the first eight months of 2022, up 14% year on year. Of which, Vietnams exports to Japan reached 15.8 billion USD, up 19% year-on-year.

This year, the organizers selected 36 enterprises to exhibit 374 processed foods and agricultural products, including rice, fruits and vegetables, and organic items.

A business matching event will also be held, with the participation of more than 200 Vietnamese businesses.

The exhibition week will run until October 2./.
A ceremony marking the 2,573rd birth anniversary of Confucius is held at Confucius Temple in Qufu, east China's Shandong Province, Sept. 28, 2022. An educator and philosopher, Confucius (551-479 B.C.), who founded a school of thought known as Confucianism, profoundly influenced later generations of Chinese society. He was also the first to set up private schools in China that enrolled students from different social classes. (Xinhua/Li Ziheng)

A ceremony marking the 2,573rd birth anniversary of Confucius is held at Confucius Temple in Qufu, east China's Shandong Province, Sept. 28, 2022. An educator and philosopher, Confucius (551-479 B.C.), who founded a school of thought known as Confucianism, profoundly influenced later generations of Chinese society. He was also the first to set up private schools in China that enrolled students from different social classes. (Xinhua/Li Ziheng)

A ceremony marking the 2,573rd birth anniversary of Confucius is held at Confucius Temple in Qufu, east China's Shandong Province, Sept. 28, 2022. An educator and philosopher, Confucius (551-479 B.C.), who founded a school of thought known as Confucianism, profoundly influenced later generations of Chinese society. He was also the first to set up private schools in China that enrolled students from different social classes. (Xinhua/Li Ziheng)

A ceremony marking the 2,573rd birth anniversary of Confucius is held at Confucius Temple in Qufu, east China's Shandong Province, Sept. 28, 2022. An educator and philosopher, Confucius (551-479 B.C.), who founded a school of thought known as Confucianism, profoundly influenced later generations of Chinese society. He was also the first to set up private schools in China that enrolled students from different social classes. (Xinhua/Li Ziheng)

A ceremony marking the 2,573rd birth anniversary of Confucius is held at Confucius Temple in Qufu, east China's Shandong Province, Sept. 28, 2022. An educator and philosopher, Confucius (551-479 B.C.), who founded a school of thought known as Confucianism, profoundly influenced later generations of Chinese society. He was also the first to set up private schools in China that enrolled students from different social classes. (Xinhua/Li Ziheng)

Aerial photo taken on Sept. 28, 2022 shows a ceremony marking the 2,573rd birth anniversary of Confucius held at Confucius Temple in Qufu, east China's Shandong Province. An educator and philosopher, Confucius (551-479 B.C.), who founded a school of thought known as Confucianism, profoundly influenced later generations of Chinese society. He was also the first to set up private schools in China that enrolled students from different social classes. (Xinhua/Li Ziheng)

A ceremony marking the 2,573rd birth anniversary of Confucius is held at Confucius Temple in Qufu, east China's Shandong Province, Sept. 28, 2022. An educator and philosopher, Confucius (551-479 B.C.), who founded a school of thought known as Confucianism, profoundly influenced later generations of Chinese society. He was also the first to set up private schools in China that enrolled students from different social classes. (Xinhua/Li Ziheng)

A ceremony marking the 2,573rd birth anniversary of Confucius is held at Confucius Temple in Qufu, east China's Shandong Province, Sept. 28, 2022. An educator and philosopher, Confucius (551-479 B.C.), who founded a school of thought known as Confucianism, profoundly influenced later generations of Chinese society. He was also the first to set up private schools in China that enrolled students from different social classes. (Xinhua/Li Ziheng)

A ceremony marking the 2,573rd birth anniversary of Confucius is held at Confucius Temple in Qufu, east China's Shandong Province, Sept. 28, 2022. An educator and philosopher, Confucius (551-479 B.C.), who founded a school of thought known as Confucianism, profoundly influenced later generations of Chinese society. He was also the first to set up private schools in China that enrolled students from different social classes. (Xinhua/Li Ziheng)

Editor: JYZ
-- 8th Nishan Forum on World Civilizations Charts New Path Forward

On September 27, the 2022 China (Qufu) International Confucius Cultural Festival and the 8th Nishan Forum on World Civilizations kicked off in Qufu of Chinas Shandong Province. More than 600 experts, scholars, government officials and diplomatic envoys gathered at Mount Nishan either in person or virtually to exchange ideas about inter-civilization communication.

The opening ceremony of the 2022 China (Qufu) International Confucius Cultural Festival and the Eighth Nishan Forum on World Civilizations is held in Qufu, Shandong province on Sept 27. Photo/Dazhong Daily

Interpreting Universal Human Values

Civilizations are colorful because of their diversity, and values are shared because of their universality. The theme of this years Forum is The Diversity of Human Civilizations and the Common Values of Humanity. Participating experts and scholars focused on the common values of peace, development, equity, justice, democracy, and freedom, and tapped into traditional Chinese ideals such as amity with neighbors, peace among all nations and harmony without uniformity. Through exchanges and mutual appreciation, the event aims at injecting new impetus to human progress. Ye Xiaowen, deputy director of the Committee of Culture, History and Learning of the Chinese Peoples Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) and vice chairman of the organizing committee of the Nishan Forum on World Civilizations, said that after 5,000 years of cultural edification, the Chinese people are both confident and humble, and resilient and inclusive. According to Ye, the fine traditional culture of the country provided the spiritual strength for China to walk steadfastly along the path it independently selected, with greater and more stable strides towards the future. At the same time, China is willing to continue drawing on all beneficial experiences and achievements of human civilizations, hold fast to the common values of peace, development, equity, justice, democracy and freedom, and work with all peoples for a new civilizational renaissance and jointly build a community of shared future for mankind. Chen Lai, president of the Tsinghua Academy of Chinese Learning, vice president of the International Confucian Association and director of the Academic Committee of the Nishan Forum on World Civilizations, said that diversity is the natural form of human civilization, and it maintains the ecological balance of human development. There is no good or bad civilization, nor is there any superior or inferior civilization. Human beings in this era must engage in mutual exchanges and learning and make further contributions to civilizational diversity. In the meantime, according to Chen, diversity and universality are the two sides of a coin, and human beings should pursue commonality while respecting diversity, and bring civilizational diversity in a positive, healthy and bright direction under the premise of maintaining universal values of humanity. In the view of Mohammed Sid, Ethiopian Embassy Minister to China, the concept of the community of shared future for mankind is of critical importance to human development, and it will result in greater common prosperity and cultural progress as it advocates closer ties among peoples.

On September 27, the 2022 China (Qufu) International Confucius Cultural Festival and the 8th Nishan Forum on World Civilizations kicked off in Qufu of Chinas Shandong Province. (Li Ziheng/Xinhua)

Sublimation of the Humanities Forum

The biggest highlight of the 8th Nishan Forum is the transition from a single academic forum to a series of parallel events on humanities, which broadened the scope of the forum and diversified its formats. This year marks the first time that nine parallel sub-forums are designed, including the Nishan Forum on Cultural Relics, the Art Forum and the Forum of Presidents of Chinese and Foreign Universities. Confucianism has witnessed the continuity of the Chinese culture for thousands of years, Confucian heritage is rich in connotation and profound in value, and its influence transcends time and space. The Nishan Forum on Cultural Relics, which takes the theme of Preservation and Development of Confucian Cultural Heritage, has attracted numerous experts and scholars who are dedicated to tapping the potential of Confucianism and integrating it with the present era. Its a very fitting forum because without these relics, there is no platform to showcase the fine Chinese traditional culture. The Confucius Temple is a place for commemoration, ritual, and edification, such that we can honor and remember our tradition, and cultivate talents for the future, said Kong Deli, a professor from the Capital Normal University and a Taishan Scholar. What are the implications of fine Chinese traditional culture for the contemporary era? How to engage in innovation while promoting fine traditions? How can young people become spokespersons of the Chinese culture? Featuring discussions about Civilizational Innovation and Youth Participation, the Nishan Forum on Global Youth explored approaches that allow fine traditional Chinese culture to guide youth development. According to Guo Jicheng, associate professor of the Institute of Political Science of China University of Political Science and Law, fine traditional culture can serve as a guide for young people, especially for the various problems that they encounter in their lives, such as growth, career development and marriage. If the wisdom of Chinese culture can be brought into play, young people can live a happy, joyful, fulfilling, and meaningful life, then they will consciously fall in love with Chinese traditional culture.

The opening ceremony of the 2022 China (Qufu) International Confucius Cultural Festival and the Eighth Nishan Forum on World Civilizations is held in Qufu, Shandong province on Sept 27. Li Ziheng/Xinhua

Showing the charm of traditional culture

The opening ceremony of the 2022 China (Qufu) International Confucius Cultural Festival and the Eighth Nishan Forum on World Civilizations is held in Qufu, Shandong province on Sept 27. Li Ziheng/Xinhua

At the opening ceremony, the organizing committee donated Confucian Classics to 17 recipients, including the Party School of the CPC Central Committee (National Academy of Governance), National Archives of Publications and Culture, China National Library, Peking University, Tsinghua University and Renmin University of China. This is the debut of the collection of classic works of Confucianism complied by Shandong Province. Composed of Confucian literature throughout different dynasties of China, Confucian Classics features three major components of scriptures, theories, and biographies, covering a total of 4,789 books of 1,816 volumes, demonstrating the formulation and development of Confucianism, providing the most authoritative and fundamental materials for in-depth study and interpretation of the excellent Chinese traditional culture represented by Confucianism.Confucian Classics has supplemented the collection of Chinese classics and offered a reference for Shandongs Cultural Inheritance project. Confucian Classics presents the most representative existing works of Confucian literature. It showcases the cultural responsibility of the people in Shandong, and is a great step in advocating fine Chinese traditional culture, said Wang Zhimin, former vice chairman of the Shandong Provincial Committee of CPPCC and a senior professor of Shandong Normal University, at the launch ceremony of the Confucian Classics and Qi-Lu Classics. This years forum pays more attention to interactive experience, so participants can feel the essence of Chinese culture in a multi-dimensional way and immerse themselves in the charm of hospitable Shandong. In addition to the launch of the two classics series, more than 30 cultural exhibitions and experience activities were designed, such as the National Calligraphy and Seal Carving Exhibition, the Confucius and World Thinkers Light Show, and the Chinese Medicine Live Experience to name but a few. Entering the Traditional Chinese Medicine Experience Hall, visitors are welcomed by the Key to Civilization theme wall, which features a red character of Zhong (meaning Chinese) in the shape of a key. In the exhibition hall, visitors can appreciate up-close the ancient instruments for Chinese medicine. Through the displays and performance of traditional fitness gyms such as Tai Chi, Ba Duan Jin (eight trigrams boxing) and the Five-Animal Exercises, as well as multimedia interaction and expert consultations on site, visitors are brought closer to the unique charm of TCM.

Liu Chuan, director of Shandong Provincial Museum of Traditional Chinese Medicine, said, The Nishan Forum on World Civilizations is an important platform for the intermingling of civilizations and mutual appreciation of cultures, and Chinese medicine is the key to the treasury of Chinese civilization.

Editor: WJH
BEIJING, Sept. 29 (Xinhua) -- Zhang Yongze, former vice chairman of the government of southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, has been indicted on charges of taking bribes.

Zhang took advantage of his former positions and power to seek benefits for others in areas including project contracting and personnel promotion, and illegally accepted a large amount of money and valuables in return, according to the indictment.

The National Commission of Supervision had concluded its probe into Zhang's case. Upon the designation of the Supreme People's Procuratorate, the Xi'an Municipal People's Procuratorate in Shaanxi Province reviewed the case and initiated a public prosecution against Zhang at the Intermediate People's Court of Xi'an.

The prosecutors had informed the defendant of his litigation rights, interrogated him, and listened to the defense counsel's opinions.

Editor: Zhang Zhou
Foreign tourists clean up Hoi An after Storm Noru

A group of foreign visitors have joined with residents in Hoi An City in the central province of Quang Nam to clean local streets after Storm Noru.

Hoi An City was flooded due to the impacts of Typhoon Noru on Wednesday. However, local people breathed a sigh of relief when the storm did not leave as serious damage as forecasted.


By Trend

The range of paid services on real estate has been proposed to be expanded in Azerbaijan, Trend reports.

This issue has been reflected in amendments to the law On state register of real estate, put up for discussion at a meeting of the Azerbaijani Parliaments Committee on Economic Policy, Industry and Entrepreneurship.

The amendments have determined the legal basis for charging fees for the provision of the following services: primary and repeated technical inventory of real estate; verification of information about real estate related to the emergence of rights to it, the transfer of rights, as well as entering this information into the state register.

The services also include providing information from the state register on the legal owner of real estate, description and address of real estate; provision of mobile services for drawing up schematic plans of addresses, receiving and issuing documents for state registration of rights; provision of an expert conclusion on the land plot based on the data of the land cadastre and the results of field measurements and measurement work.

Besides, the proposed amendments envision changing the title of the article on State duty for issuance of documents on state registration of ownership of the real estate and other rights, including mortgage rights to Payments in the law On state register of real estate.
Ukraine will be represented by more than 20 companies at the largest European real estate exhibition Expo Real, which will be held in Munich from October 4 to October 6 2022, Anna Nestulia, director of Invest in Projects, told Interfax-Ukraine.

She recalled that this year Ukraine for the first time takes part in Expo Real, the largest European real estate exhibition covering all sectors of the market.

Expo Real has been taking place for more than 20 years in Munich at 75,000 square meters of the Messe Munchen exhibition center. Last year, about 20,000 participants took part in it, this year 30,000 representatives of the real estate sector from all over the world are expected.

In 2022, the exhibition will have a 132 square meter pavilion dedicated to Ukraine and Rebuild Ukraine restoration issues. The key partner of the stand is Expo Real. From the Ukrainian side, the stand is coordinated by Invest in Projects.

"The three-day program of the Ukrainian pavilion at Expo Real is designed in such a way as to reveal the most pressing issues of the real estate industry during the war and during the post-war reconstruction period. The Ukrainian pavilion caused great interest in international experts and strong institutional support, for example, from the largest association in the construction market in the world, Urban Land Institute, as well as the EU initiative for sustainable housing development in Europe, New European Bauhaus," Nestulia said.

The Ukrainian delegation will include more than 20 companies and about 40 participants. Among them are Dragon Capital, Focus Estate Fund, Forum Group, Well Bud, RIEL, Gleeds Ukraine, Stolitsa Group, Avellum, DELTA Ukraine, Corcel, Invest in Projects, Advansys Group, CBM FORUM, LUN, Ol.factory, Bosphorus Development, Kreator-bud, Smart Urban Solutions, NEST, Maxify and UVCA.

According to Nestulia, the main topic of discussions for the first two days will be long-term recovery strategies and its aspects such as ESG, green building and investment. The first days of discussions will be moderated by Andrew Wrobel (Emerging Europe).

October 4 will be the day of Government Voice at the stand of Ukraine. Guests will be able to communicate with Ukrainian and foreign officials, as well as take part in a charity reception organized jointly with UNITED24, the main platform for collecting charitable donations in support of Ukraine, launched by the President of Ukraine.

October 5  Business Voice, a discussion of leading business representatives and specialized companies. Speakers include Maksym Maksymenko (Avellum), Wolfgang Gomernik (DELTA Ukraine), Maksym Shkolnyk (Focus Estate Fund), Lisette van Doorn (Urban Land Institute Europe) and Tamas Polster (Urbanite).

Wolfgang Gomernik, CEO of DELTA Group, DELTA Ukraine, is convinced that a successful recovery is impossible without reforms, an emphasis on energy efficiency and sustainable development in accordance with ESG (Environmental, social, and corporate governance).

According to Nestulia, the final day of the stand, October 6, will be devoted to quick strategies for recovering and operating a business in a war.

The discussion on the current actions of companies that help diversify current risks and plan for the future will be moderated by Tamas Polster (MRICS, Urbanite Advisors), and speakers will be Roman Yemets (Smart Urban Solutions), Emil Solovyov (NEST), Andriy Kolodiuk (Venture Capital and Private Equity Association), Colin Ross (Gleeds Ukraine), and Anna Luhovska (C Group).
Second tranche of more than EUR 550 mln from EIB to arrive in near future  Shmyhal

The second tranche of more than EUR 550 million from the European Investment Bank (EIB) will arrive in Ukraine in the near future, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said.

"We had a meeting with EIB Vice President Teresa Czerwinska and the bank's team. We discussed strengthening cooperation and assistance to Ukraine. I thanked for the allocation of EUR 1.59 billion. The first tranche has already been received this month. According to Ms. Czerwinska, the second tranche of more than EUR 550 million will be received at the request of the Government of Ukraine in the near future. These funds are another significant contribution to financing the urgent needs of our country," Shmyhal wrote on the Telegram channel.

According to the Prime Minister, the parties discussed cooperation on the restoration of Ukraine.

"We expect that the EIB will play one of the leading roles in the large-scale post-war reconstruction, restoration of the economy and infrastructure of Ukraine," he wrote.

In addition, Shmyhal said that the EIB would consider the financing and completion of the project of the first concession highway Krakovets - Lviv and the expansion of the infrastructure of the western border of Ukraine.
High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell, on behalf of the EU, issued a statement condemning the sham referenda held by Russia in the occupied territories of Ukraine, the results of which cannot have any legal consequences.

The text of the statement on Russia's illegal sham "referenda" in Donetsk, Kherson, Luhansk and Zaporizhia regions was circulated on Wednesday in Brussels by the EU External Diplomatic Service.

"The European Union condemns in the strongest possible terms the illegal sham 'referenda' conducted in parts of Donetsk, Kherson, Luhansk, and Zaporizhia regions of Ukraine currently and partially occupied by Russia. The EU does not and will never recognise these illegal 'referenda' and their falsified outcome, nor any decision taken on the basis of this outcome, and urges all Members of the United Nations to do the same," he said.

"By organizing these illegal sham 'referenda,' Russia aims at changing by force the internationally recognized borders of Ukraine, which constitutes a clear and serious breach of the UN Charter. Their outcome is null and void and cannot produce any legal effect whatsoever. Russia's illegal sham 'referenda' have no legitimacy and blatantly violate international law as well as Russia's international obligations," Borrell said.

"They were conducted while Russia is waging a war of aggression against Ukraine and aim at the annexation by Russia of Ukraine's occupied territories. They violate Ukraine's Constitution and Ukraine's independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity," the EU High Representative said.

"Furthermore, Russia's illegal sham 'referenda' in Ukraine took place amidst widespread and systematic abuses of human rights as well as intimidation of Ukrainian citizens by Russia and its illegitimately appointed authorities in Ukraine's occupied territories. Therefore, these illegal 'votes,' held under pressure and in a rush, do not represent the expression of the free will of the people living in these regions of Ukraine. The EU commends the courage of the Ukrainian residents who opposed the 'referenda' and continue to resist the Russian occupation," the statement reads.

"All those involved in organising these illegal sham 'referenda' as well as those responsible for other violations of international law in Ukraine will be held accountable. Additional restrictive measures against Russia will be brought forward in this regard. The EU remains unwavering in its support for Ukraine's independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognised borders, and demands that Russia immediately, completely and unconditionally withdraw all of its troops and military equipment from the entire territory of Ukraine," Borrell said.

"In line with the UN Charter and international law, Ukraine is exercising its legitimate right to defend itself against the Russian aggression to regain full control of its territory and has the right to liberate occupied territories within its internationally recognised borders. The EU and its Member States will continue to support Ukraine's efforts to this end, as long as necessary," he said.
As result of attacks by occupiers, three people killed, incl child, and five more injured in Dnipro  Reznichenko

As a result of missile attacks by Russian invaders in Dnipro, three people were killed, including a child, and five more were wounded, head of the regional military administration Valentyn Reznichenko said.

"The Russians fired missiles at Dnipro at night. They hit residential areas. It is now known that three people were killed, including one child ... Five more were injured, including a 12-year-old girl," he wrote on his Telegram channel on Thursday morning.

Reznichenko noted that rescuers got her out of a broken house, where she was just sleeping when a Russian missile flew there.

In addition, several private houses were completely destroyed. Rescuers continue to dismantle the rubble and look for people. According to him, there is a possibility that there may still be children.

Also, more than 60 private houses and several high-rise buildings were again damaged in the city. A market, buses, cars and power lines were damaged.
On Wednesday, September 28, Brussels hosted the first meeting of national armaments directors of member countries of the Ukrainian Defense Contact Group, which was attended by representatives of 45 countries, the European Union and NATO, the U.S. Department of Defense reports.

"The forum enabled frank and open dialogue about defense industrial base challenges and opportunities to increase production of capabilities critical to Ukraine's long-term defense," the report notes.

The U.S. delegation outlined the Department's analytical approach to identifying supply chain constraints for major components and sub-components, and plans to increase production of ground-based long range fires, air defense systems, air-to-ground munitions, and other capabilities. Nearly 20 international partners briefed similar efforts to strengthen and expand their nations' industrial base to accelerate production, spurring productive dialogue on areas for multi-national coordination.

With the aim of providing long-term support to Ukraine, participants recognized the importance of standardizing requirements, thereby creating more interchangeable and interoperable systems. In addition, they discussed building sustainment capacity in Ukraine, including forward repair activity, access to spares, and other sustainment enablers.

The Ukrainian Defense Contact Group's national armaments directors committed to standing up smaller working groups to collectively drive progress on the above topics. In coming weeks, working groups will define multi-national strategies to mitigate supply chain constraints, increase production, and pursue interchangeability in portfolio areas critical to Ukraine's long-term success.
Ukraine will react if a new offensive is launched from the territory of Belarus, Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine Oleksiy Danilov has said.

"We understand that Putin puts pressure on Lukashenko every day to start armed aggression from Belarus. We know everything. Even a recent meeting in Sochi was dedicated to this topic. I do not think that Lukashenko will make such a decision. But if troops come from Belarus, as it was on February 24, they will receive such an answer which they did not expect," Danilov said in an interview with Current Time.
A conscription decision of the Russian leadership was expected in Ukraine and does not change anything for the Ukrainian army, Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov has said in an exclusive interview with Interfax-Ukraine.

"Since it was called 'partial' mobilization, it is logical to shorten it to 'chmobilization' [goon mobilization]. This was an absolutely expected event and was not news to us. Because we know exactly the real losses of Russian troops," he said.

According to Reznikov, "they lost 50,000 killed and at least 100,000 wounded. Moreover, they were trained warriors. The absolutely logical reaction of the military-political leadership of the Kremlin is to start making up for these losses."

He suggested that after the "pseudo-referendum" the Russians might try to intimidate the West that it should not, allegedly, allow Ukraine to shoot Western weapons at "the legally defined territories of the Russian Federation."

"Since lawyers from the St. Petersburg legal school are sitting there, they will try to legitimize their lawlessness. But, excuse me, these are our temporarily occupied territories. These are the territories of Ukraine, recognized by everyone, therefore both HIMARS and the 155 mm caliber will continue to de-occupy our lands [U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Tuesday that the United States is not opposed to Ukraine using Western weapons to return territories where the Russian Federation organized pseudo-referenda]," the minister said.

Speaking about the response actions of the Ukrainian side, Reznikov said: "We have the General Staff. The planning of operations and their conduct are the task of the commanders in the areas. The global development of events is Valeriy Zaluzhny and the entire General Staff. There are serious men who calculate for several moves forward, how we will react to this or that situation at the front. In particular, we receive intelligence data. There are certain steps, including those related to the formation of reserves, their preparation."

"The decision on additional mobilization will be taken by the General Staff," he said, recalling the training in the UK of 30,000 reservists  "motivated people, not driven like a herd of sheep."
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky will take part in the first summit of the European Political Community (EPC), which will be held on October 6 in Prague. Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal will represent Ukraine at the summit.

"As of today, Zelensky's participation is expected via video link, which we understand very well. Physically, Prime Minister Shmyhal will be there," a high-ranking European official told reporters announcing the upcoming event.

According to him, 44 leaders are expected to attend the summit, which will start at 13.00 and will last until late in the evening. "A total of 44 guests have been invited  we have received a positive response from all of them, although some of them have not yet given a final answer. The summit will start with a plenary meeting from 13.00 to 14.00 with several speeches  the Czech Prime Minister will speak, there will be a connection with Zelensky, and we plan to provide more time [for speeches] for non-EU countries. Who exactly will speak is still being discussed," the interlocutor of the journalists said.

Further roundtable talks are planned. "This is the concept that was used at the summit with the African Union. The idea is to bring together several leaders  10-12  to discuss specific issues. We expect four roundtable talks and twice  with similar questions  we will have two roundtable talks on peace, security and stability in Europe, each of them will have 10 leaders and the second issue is energy and climate change. We also expect the issue of migration. Then there will be time for bilateral negotiations before the working dinner, which is scheduled from 19.30 to 21.30," he continued.

The senior EU official noted that the purpose of the summit is to promote unity and solidarity "in this geographical arena." "Of course, we know that there are different positions, sometimes even conflicting ones, but it is important that people talk to each other. The purpose of the summit is to create a political platform for dialogue. The global goal is to promote stability, security and prosperity across the continent," he said.

No written declaration is expected at the end of the meeting, but it is expected that "there will be joint messages from the meeting itself, in a spirit of unity, to promote political dialogue on issues of common interest." "We want to achieve increased mutual understanding, progress on joint approaches and work towards the next Summit of the Joint Interest Initiative. We expect the leaders to put forward their ideas, projects and proposals to enhance cooperation in various areas, whether it is migration, security, economics or energy. So there will be no written statement, but there will be a joint message, including support for Ukraine... There will be a joint photo of the EPC  44 leaders in one photo, which in these conditions will also send a message," the official explained.

At the same time, the interlocutor of the journalists stated that the EPC is "new, and therefore many questions remain." "Leaders should discuss this together, this is an intergovernmental process, not an 'EU plus' format, where we help create this platform Whether there will be subsequent meetings  this issue will be discussed by the leaders, but there is an understanding of what will happen. The question is where and when. On the part of the EU, there is an understanding that this should be in a country that is not a member of the EU. When it comes to how often to hold such meetings, some say  once every six months, others  once a year. We have to hold two-three meetings to see if it works," he detailed.

The leaders of all EU member states and the leaders of Ukraine, Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Iceland, Kosovo, the Republic of Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Norway, Serbia, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, the President of the European Council, and President of the European Commission are invited to the European Political Community summit. The EPC does not replace existing organisations, structures or processes in terms of EU integration and does not aim to create new ones at this stage.
Places are being prepared in Belarus to accommodate 20,000 mobilized from the Russian Federation, who should replenish the Russian units stationed in Belarus from Russia, according to the Telegram channel of the Intelligence Agency of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine.

"As a result of the replenishment, the ratio of 'experienced' and 'young' military personnel should be one to five. It is planned to use existing military funds, as well as civilian premises and buildings for accommodation. Warehouses, hangars and other premises of abandoned agricultural and farm enterprises are being transferred for these needs," the message says.

The agency notes that as the staff increases, the units will use Russian military equipment from warehouses in Belarus. "It is also planned to strengthen it with equipment and weapons removed from storage on the territory of Russia. It is planned to replenish the shortage of equipment for transporting personnel of the occupying forces by mobilizing civilian trucks and cars," the agency informs.

Also, according to the Intelligence Agency, the authorities of Belarus instructed law enforcement agencies to assist representatives of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation in mobilizing Russian citizens who had recently entered the territory of Belarus.
The Finnish government decided on Thursday to close the border for Russian tourists, including Schengen visa holders, on Thursday.

"The ban on entering the country and transit takes effect on Friday," Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto said at a government briefing.

"As a rule, tourist visas belonging to Russians are annulled. In this case, travelers will no longer be able to enter into the EU with a visa issued by Finland across the border of another state," he said.

At the same time, Finland is still issuing work, study, medical and family visas. Family visas are issued for visiting close relatives, such as children, parents and grandparents. Diplomatic staff and their families and opposition members are a special category.

Every application for entering into Finland will be processed individually.

Finland was the only EU state whose land border Russian tourists could cross on their way to other Schengen countries. The Baltic countries and Poland barred Russian tourists on September 19. They said they viewed all Russian tourists as a security threat.
By Trend

Azerbaijan's payment systems will be based on a license, Executive Director at Central Bank of the Republic of Azerbaijan (CBA) Farid Osmanov told reporters, Trend reports.

According to him, the relevant decision was reflected in the bill "On payment services and systems", which is still under consideration by various public agencies.

"The Central Bank is working on implementing comprehensive measures to expand non-cash payments and create a competitive environment. After the legislation's entering into force, the CBA will control the activities of payment organizations, non-banking organizations, as well as intermediary services. Such an activity will be permitted and licensed, and these organizations will be subject to technological safety and regulation measures," Osmanov said.
Estonia to discontinue use of Russian gas before end of this year or by Jan 1

The Estonian government at a meeting on Thursday decided to impose from January 1 mandatory national sanctions on Russian gas, Estonian Foreign Minister Urmas Reinsalu told reporters.

"The government expressed its political will to discontinue the use of Russian gas in spring, but now it has been envisaged as a legally binding measure. Estonia is introducing a legally binding national sanction on Russian gas from January 1 or before the end of this year," Reinsalu said.

The European Commission has suggested a new package of anti-Russian sanctions that envisages a ban on the export of some goods and a ban on the import of certain goods and services and applies these sanctions to the regions of Ukraine where referendums on their accession to Russia have been held, he said.
Four marines, two civilians returned to Ukraine as part of next exchange of prisoners - Yermak

As part of the next prisoner exchange, four marines and two civilians returned to Ukraine, head of the Presidents Office Andriy Yermak said.

"So, there are even more of our people at home. Another prisoner exchange took place. We have returned six of our people - four marines and two civilians," Yermak wrote on Telegram.

Officers Oleksiy Bulakhov and Mykola Kostenko, as well as soldiers Liudmyla Herasymenko and Ivan Zemliany are among them. Andrusha Victoria and Mayboroda Yana are among civilians.

As reported on the Telegram channel of the head of the Presidents Office, on March 27, Russian soldiers took Andrusha Victoria from home because they found data on enemy equipment in her phone, which she transmitted to the AFU. Subsequently, she was taken to the Russian Federation and kept in Kursk pretrial detention center.

Mayboroda Yana was captured due to the fact that photos of Russian equipment on the territory of the Chornobyl zone were found in her phone.

The military participated in the battles for Mariupol.

As Yermak noted, negotiations on the exchange of prisoners of war with the Russian side are continuing.

"Exchanges continue. Our goal is to get all our people back. We are working non-stop on this, and we will definitely do it," he wrote, adding that only this month Ukraine returned 235 people.
Fires at power units of ZNPP not recorded, possible that animals trip Russian mines  Energoatom

National Nuclear Generating Company (NNGC) Energoatom has denied information about a fire at the second power unit of the Zaporizhia NPP, distributed on Telegram channels about an hour ago.

"We officially inform you that this is not true. As of 15:40 on September 29, 2022, fires and inflamations were not recorded at the power units of the Zaporizhia NPP," the company wrote on its Telegram channel on Thursday.

At the same time, the company suggested that the false information appeared as a result of the explosion of animals on mines located by the Russian military around the perimeter of the NPP.

"There have already been six cases when these mines exploded because of wild boars, dogs, foxes. Today, another explosion occurred on the perimeter  on the voltage supply line to the nitrogen-oxygen station from power unit No. 6," the company described the situation.

They explained that as a result of the explosion, the line was damaged, due to a voltage surge, one of the voltage transformers at power unit No. 6 was short-circuited with minor smoke.

"For safety reasons, a fire brigade was called, but they didnt work, because it was not necessary," the NNGC assured.

The company stressed that the greatest danger is the perimeter of the station mined by Russian troops and the approaches and entrances to it.

"There is only one way to guarantee the complete safety of the NPP and around it  by creating a security zone, deoccupation of the station and returning it to the control of Ukraine," Energoatom summed up.
Vadym Skybytsky, a representative of the Main Intelligence Agency of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, called the threat of the use of tactical nuclear weapons by the Russian Federation against Ukraine "very high."

The strikes are likely to target locations along the front line where a large number of personnel and equipment are deployed, as well as important command centers and critical infrastructure. To stop them, we need not only antiaircraft, but also anti-missile systems," a representative of the military intelligence of Ukraine told The Guardian, the press service of the Agency reports.

According to Skybytsky, almost the entire male population has been mobilized in the temporarily occupied territories of Luhansk and Donetsk regions.

"According to our assessment, after the annexation of the occupied territories of Kherson and Zaporizhia regions by the Russian Federation, mobilization will also be announced there, he said.
Zaluzhny discusses mobilization in Russia, need for weapons with Commander of US European Command, Chairman of US Joint Chiefs of Staff

Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, General Valeriy Zaluzhny, held a conversation with Supreme Allied Commander Europe and Commander of the United States European Command, General Christopher Cavoli, discussed the operational situation, the needs of weapons and response to mobilization in the Russian Federation

"I spoke by phone with Supreme Allied Commander Europe and Commander of the United States European Command, General Christopher Cavoli. We exchanged views on the operational situation, further plans and the needs of weapons," Zaluzhny wrote on the Telegram channel.

He also shared with General Cavoli the vision of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on how to respond to mobilization in the Russian Federation.

"I received an approving assessment and assurances of further support," the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine noted.
The Ukrainian military on Thursday evening shot down two Russian Su-25 attack aircraft in Bashtansky district of Mykolaiv region, the Air Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine report.

"On September 29, at about 17:00, in Bashtansky district of Mykolaiv region, the soldiers of Odesa anti-aircraft missile brigade of the Air Command Pivden (South) shot down two Russian Su-25 attack aircraft," the Facebook post said.

In past 24 hours, in addition to the destroyed four X-59 missiles, units of the anti-aircraft missile forces of the Air Force eliminated three operational-tactical level UAVs Orlan-10.
On the anniversary of the Babyn Yar tragedy, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine called on the world community to stop Russia, which repeats the crimes of the Nazis and tries to extinguish an entire nation in the center of Europe.

During the Second World War, humanity suffered colossal losses as a result of the aggressive policy of the Nazi regime and its henchmen. The fascists' anti-Semitic obsession, including in the occupied territories of Ukraine, caused a number of extremely brutal crimes, the ministrys official comment, published on Thursday, says.

It says that the occupation policy of the Nazis, built on repressive methods affecting the local population, included, among other things, the total extermination of Jews, spread throughout the territory of Ukraine.

One of the symbols of the Holocaust, the place of mass execution of Jews in Europe, was Babyn Yar, where mass executions began on September 29, 1941, and over the next two days, almost 34,000 Ukrainian Jews were exterminated. During 1941-1943, about 100,000 people were killed in Babyn Yar - Jews, Roma, Ukrainian nationalists, Soviet partisans, patients of psychiatric hospitals, and prisoners of the Syrets concentration camp, the Foreign Ministry said.

It notes that Ukrainians, who in their history have repeatedly experienced tragedies caused by attempts to destroy them as a nation, deeply understand the tragedy of the Holocaust and share the pain of the Jewish people.

Today, we once again call on the world to do everything to prevent the recurrence of such disasters. Unfortunately, more than eight decades later, we again witnessed the destructive consequences of the spread of aggressive-chauvinist ideology. The full-scale invasion of Russia into Ukraine, the brazen and systematic violation by the aggressor state of the universally recognized principles and norms of international law, brought the horrors of war back to the European continent, the ministry stressed.

The Foreign Ministry also said that this war affected the place of common grief of the Ukrainian and Jewish people - on March 1, 2022, Russian shelling of the capital of Ukraine endangered the sacred place of memory of the victims of Babyn Yar, when this place was hit by a Russian rocket.

Other memorials to the Jewish people, as well as Jewish cemeteries throughout Ukraine, were destroyed as a result of the Russian invasion.

The deadly machine of the Russian invaders already surpasses Hitler's misanthropic model. The places of mass burials of peaceful residents of Bucha, Mariupol, Irpin and Izium tortured by the Russian occupiers became irrefutable evidence of that, the Ukrainian diplomats said.

They stress that now in the very heart of Europe, a bloody repetition of the most terrible crimes in the history of mankind is taking place for the eighth month in a row - the attempt to destroy an entire nation.

Keeping silent about the atrocities of the occupiers, their cold-blooded tortures and murders of peaceful Ukrainians, Jews, Crimean Tatars, and representatives of other nationalities is nothing but complicity in the Kremlin's crimes not only against Ukraine, but also against the entire civilized world. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine calls on all international partners to increase political-diplomatic and sanctions pressure on the leadership of Russia, to recognize it as a State - sponsor of terrorism and to join efforts to establish a Special International Tribunal for the crime of aggression against Ukraine, the ministry said.
On Monday, October 3, at 12.00, the Interfax-Ukraine news agency's press center will host a discussion entitled "Will pseudo-referenda in temporarily occupied territories affect policy of Ukrainian authorities?" Participants include Director of the Institute for Global Strategies Vadym Karasiov; political expert Kostiantyn Matviyenko; political expert Volodymyr Fesenko (8/5a Reitarska Street). The broadcast will be available on the YouTube channel of Interfax-Ukraine. Admission of journalists requires registration on the spot.
Irans President Hassan Rouhani speaking on Saturday May 25 said that a referendum on the countrys nuclear program can offer a breakthrough.

The Iranian president in a meeting with media managers in Tehran was answering a question when he said that Article 59 can unblock difficult situations. He added, The question of when we should utilize this Article or when in the past we should have used it, is a different matter.

Rouhani told the gathering that in 2004, when he was not president, he told the Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei to put the nuclear issue to a referendum and Khamenei thought using the Article was a good idea and accepted Rouhanis suggestion.

Apparently, Rouhani referred to the months before the election of hardliner Mahmoud Ahmadinejad as president and said that later the government changed and the process took a different course, but Article 59 could offer a breakthrough at any juncture.

This is not the first time Rouhani has raised the possibility of referendums to solve fundamental disagreements in the country or untangle issues. In early 2017 he defended the principle of resorting to public vote to make decisions on crucial issues. At the time, Rouhanis suggestion met with stern opposition from Khameneis top allies.

Khamenei, using his constitutional authority and the unrivaled power he has accumulated in 30 years of rule, has the ultimate say in almost all matters, particularly in foreign policy, internal security and military issues. A referendum can be a challenge to his power, as people would get to decide directly.

It is almost unavoidable that Khamenei's conservative allies will react negatively to Rouhani's suggestion, not only because of concerns about diluting Khamenei's authority but also considering the risks in offering people the chance to decide on the nuclear program.

At this point it is unclear if the president coordinated his suggestion with the Supreme Leader, which is also a possibility.

Iran has suffered years of severe international and U.S. sanctions, which have greatly harmed its economy and impoverished the people.

Rouhani is not the only politician who has spoken of using referendums. An outspoken member of parliament, Mahmoud Sadeghi also has suggested to hold a referendum in approving anti-corruption legislation demanded by the international community.

Article 59 says, In important economic, political, social and cultural issues it is possible to legislate through referendum, resorting to the direct vote of the people, whichshould be approved by two-thirds of the total number of members of parliament.

However, some influential politicians and officials believe that based on other constitutional principles, the Supreme Leader should agree to holding any referendum. Article 59 has never been used in the Islamic Republic after the adoption of its current constitution.

Based on reporting by IRNA, ISNA, Iran State Broadcasting
Egypt sent to Somalia on Sunday two military transport planes carrying medical aid and evacuated wounded Somali army recruits for treatment in Egyptian Armed Forces hospitals.
By Trend

Despite the negative developments in the world, Azerbaijan is taking measures to reduce their impact on the country's economy, Deputy Minister of Economy Niyazi Safarov said at the meeting of the Parliamentary Committee on Economic Policy, Industry and Entrepreneurship, Trend reports.

According to him, the country is making every effort to reinforce and develop a more dynamic economy.

Safarov added that the transition to a demand-driven economy could also be seriously affected by small and medium-sized enterprises.

As he noted, the development of small and medium-sized enterprises has yielded notable results.
Iran is awaiting the release of about $7 billion in funds frozen abroad, state media said Sunday, after it allowed an Iranian-American to leave the country and released his son from detention.
British Prime Minister Liz Truss will announce Thursday how her new government plans to ease the burden of soaring energy bills that have left people and businesses across the U.K. facing a bleak winter.

Truss is due to make a statement in the House of Commons and is expected to impose a cap on bills that are skyrocketing because of Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the economic aftershocks of COVID-19 and Brexit.

The announcement, on Truss's second full day in office, comes after a summer in which the government refused to say how it would respond. Former Prime Minister Boris Johnson was not able to make major decisions after announcing in July that he would resign. Truss, who won the Conservative Party contest to replace Johnson as leader, declined to announce her plans before she was in office.

Truss, a free-market conservative, has said she favors tax cuts over handouts, but has been forced to act by the scale of the crisis. She is expected to cap domestic energy bills, which otherwise will hit 3,500 pounds ($4,000) a year for the average household next month, triple the cost of a year ago.

Cabinet minister Simon Clarke said Truss would announce ``a lasting settlement that provides both comfort and clarity for both households and businesses.''

``This is a major attempt to draw a line and provide energy certainty for everybody in this country about energy usage in the medium term,'' he told the BBC.

The cost of capping prices could exceed 100 billion pounds ($116 billion), but Truss has rejected opposition calls to impose a windfall tax on oil companies that have pocketed hefty profits because of the soaring prices. The opposition Labour Party says that means British taxpayers will have to foot the bill.

Labour energy spokesman Ed Miliband accused Truss of rejecting a windfall levy ``purely on the basis of dogma.''

Truss said Wednesday that she would set out a plan to help with the immediate prices crisis so that people ``are able to get through this winter,'' as well as measures to bolster Britain's long-term energy security.

The invasion of Ukraine has caused an energy crisis across Europe. Russia has choked off the supplies of cheap natural gas that the continent depended on for years to run factories, generate electricity and heat homes

Britain imports most of its natural gas _ though largely from Norway. not Russia _ and so is vulnerable to shifts in global prices.

The U.K. has dramatically increased the amount of energy generated by wind power in recent years, and plans to build more nuclear power stations.

Truss is also likely to greenlight more oil and gas extraction from the North Sea and end a ban on fracking in Britain. Both measures will be condemned by environmentalists, who worry Truss may backtrack on the U.K.'s legally binding commitment to reduce carbon emissions to net zero by 2050.

Truss says she supports the net zero commitment but it should not come at a huge cost to people and businesses

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Britain's new Prime Minister Liz Truss paid emotional tribute in parliament Friday to the late queen and pledged the nation's "loyalty and devotion" to King Charles III.

Elizabeth II was "one of the greatest leaders the world has ever known", Truss told a hushed House of Commons, calling her "the nation's greatest diplomat".

"Her legacy will endure through the countless people she met, the global history she witnessed and the lives that she touched," Truss added, before addressing the "awesome responsibility" now borne by Charles.

"Even as he mourns, his sense of duty and service is clear," she said, at the start of two days of special tributes in parliament following the queen's death on Thursday.

"He has already made a profound contribution through his work on conservation, education and his tireless diplomacy. We owe him our loyalty and devotion."

Truss said Charles would lead Britain "to a new era of hope and progress".

"The Crown endures. Our nation endures. And in that spirit, I say God save the king."

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Lebanese depositors, including one armed with a hunting rifle, broke into at least five banks on Friday to demand their trapped savings, a sign of growing chaos in the small Mediterranean nation amid a historic economic meltdown.

Friday's raids were the most in a single day, and raised the possibility that more desperate depositors would try to extract their money by force. The break-ins reflect public anger at the banks' strict informal controls on cash withdrawals, a byproduct of the financial crisis.

In an apparent attempt to regroup and buy time, the Association of Banks in Lebanon said all branches would be closed for three days, starting Monday.

However, it was not immediately clear how banks or the authorities will be able to halt a possible wave of such break-ins. The depositors who have taken matters into their own hands have enjoyed widespread public sympathy, and have been treated with relative leniency by law enforcement.

On the other hand, a groundswell of bank break-ins could further destabilize Lebanon and its crumbling institutions, as the economic crisis drags on, with no end in sight.

Since the meltdown began three years ago, depositors with U.S. dollars have mostly been able to withdraw money in Lebanese pounds at a much lower rate than the real value. The losses are one of the factors that have pushed nearly three quarters of Lebanese into poverty and driven up crime.

Some desperate depositors have resorted to force.

"My brother has lots of money trapped inside,'' said Ayman Soubra, whose brother, Abed, stormed a branch of BLOM Bank in Beirut's neighborhood of Tareek Jadeedeh. Soubra, who spoke with The Associated Press outside the BLOM Bank branch, said his brother had been asking for his deposits for days but was rejected.

Hours after Abed Soubra stormed the bank, negotiations were still ongoing between him and bank officials to pay him some of his money. He told a local TV station that he wants $40,000 in cash. He said he had a pistol that he later handed over to a police officer.

Abed Soubra later spoke to reporters inside the bank. His arm was bandaged but he didn't say what caused the injury. He said the bank refused to honor an earlier offer of payout and he warned he would come back again and try to get his money by force.

In another Beirut neighborhood, a man with a hunting rifle stormed the branch of LGB Bank and demanded his deposit. The man was identified as Jawad Sleem, a former contractor and a father of seven, who has been jobless for months.

Sleem surrendered to security forces on Friday evening, after he was promised $15,000 in cash and $35,000 in checks that he can deposit in another bank and withdraw, at a lower than official exchange rate.

In a southern Beirut suburb, Mohammed al-Moussawi told the local Al-Jadeed TV that he stormed a branch of Banque Libano-Francaise and got $20,000 of his money. He added that he used a toy pistol to threaten bank employees who gave him his money, adding that he is ready to surrender to authorities.

And in a town south of Beirut, a depositor demanded that his money be transferred to Turkey. The man was later detained, after leaving the bank, and it was not immediately clear if a deal was reached.

A protest group that calls itself Depositors' Outcry told a news conference on Thursday that there would be more break-ins. "This is a battle to liberate deposits,'' the group said in a statement.

Banks had been criticized for years for making risky investments despite Lebanon's widely known corruption. In March 2020, Lebanon defaulted for the first time on repaying its debt, which then reached $90 billion, or 170 percent of the gross domestic product.

The attacks on three bank branches in Beirut and one in a southern coastal town came two days after a woman accompanied by activists and brandishing what she said was a toy pistol broke into a bank branch to take $13,000 from her trapped savings.

She said the money would be used for her sister's cancer treatment.

The crisis has become worse in the past months. The political class that has ruled the country since the end of the 1975-1990 civil war has done almost nothing to get Lebanon out of what the World Bank described as one of the world's worst economic crises.

Three years since the crisis erupted, Lebanon's parliament has not issued a capital controls law that is a key demand by the International Monetary Fund.

On Friday, the Lebanese pound hit a new low, to 38,400 pounds against the U.S. dollar. The continued drops have eradicated much of the purchasing power of many in Lebanon who get paid in Lebanon pounds, at a time when prices are rising sharply.

The economic crisis had been made worse by the coronavirus pandemic and a massive blast at Beirut's port in August 2020 that killed more than 200, injured thousands and caused damage worth billions of dollars. The explosion of hundreds of tons of badly-stored ammonium nitrates, an explosive material used in fertilizers, was considered one of the worst non-nuclear blasts in history.

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The Decent Life initiative, which aims to upgrade living standards in Egypts poorest rural areas, is close to the completion of its first phase and is set to expand to new areas in 2023.

The initiative focuses on developmental challenges related to rural areas, including the provision of basic services, such as water and sanitation, education, solid waste disposal, roads, irrigation, and drainage.

It provides direct support to the poorest and most vulnerable in selected villages and economic development opportunities to increase real incomes through large-scale agricultural projects and credit provision to micro and small enterprises.

In an interview with Al-Ahram Weekly, spokesman for the Ministry of Local Development Khaled Qassem said the initiative had neared the completion of its first phase despite unfavourable economic conditions, domestically and globally, as a result of the fallout from the Covid-19 pandemic, the Russia-Ukraine war, and the ongoing disruptions in international supply chains.

Within the context of the initiative, launched in 2019 under presidential auspices, a LE300 billion programme is being executed that has seen 1,477 villages experiencing upgrades to their infrastructure, drinking water facilities, and social services.

The work is expected to be completed by December 2022.

Qassem said the Ministry of Local Development was playing an important role in the initiative by coordinating the provision of the land required for the implementation of projects, in addition to overcoming any other obstacles that might arise.

He added that community development committees had been formed, with the ministry undertaking the implementation of projects that are complementary to the investments undertaken by the presidential initiative.

These include the establishment of markets, parking lots and fire stations. Social initiatives are also being implemented with the aim of economic empowerment and job creation by small and medium-sized enterprises.

Qassem said that a local administration staff was being trained to follow-up, operate, and maintain the new services and projects launched under the initiative. Its second phase, due to begin in January 2023, is projected to serve 52 centres in 20 governorates, including for the first time 30 villages from the coastal governorate of Marsa Matrouh.

Commenting on the criteria for the selection of villages to be included in the initiative, Mina Ibrahim, coordinator in the Upper Egyptian governorate of Assiut, told the Weekly that villages and districts were selected [in Assiut] based on the monitoring of the needs of the villages and their residents, [whom we represented] in meetings with members of the Foundation for a Decent Life.

Ibrahim added that all those working on the initiatives projects were recruited from among local residents because there has been constant confirmation from the foundation as well as from the local authorities, of the need to use village residents in the projects being implemented. Many job opportunities have been provided as a result, he added.

Saber Othman, former director of the climate change department at the Ministry of Environment and chair of the board of the Earths Climate for Sustainable Development Foundation, commented on the initiative by saying that its goals are in line with the UNs 17 Sustainable Development Goals. These focus on alleviating poverty, eradicating hunger, providing good healthcare and education, and providing drinking water and sanitation services.

Egypts Decent Life initiative has upheld the rights of the poor and marginalised, ensuring that they are not left behind while also respecting gender equality in its bid to develop the countrys poorest and most deprived villages, Saber said.

*A version of this article appears in print in the 29 September, 2022 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly.

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Highs in Greater Cairo, the Nile Delta and the North Coast will vary between 32 and 36 degrees Celsius and reach up to 43 in Upper Egypt in the second week of Autumn as summer refuses to abandon the country.

In the coming five-day period, Greater Cairo and the Nile Delta will experience highs of 35-36 degrees Celsius, but the felt temperature will range between 37 and 38.

The North Coast will see highs of 30-34 degrees that feel like 32 to 36 degrees.

South Sinai will see highs of 38-40 degrees that feel like 40-43.

Northern Upper Egypt will see highs of 38-40 degrees, while the felt temperature will range from 39 to 24 degrees.

Southern Upper Egypt will see highs of 41-43 degrees that feel like 42-44.

However, low-level clouds are expected in parts of Greater Cairo, Lower Egypt, and northern Egypt in the daytime.

Active winds over parts of Greater Cairo, the northwestern coast and northern Upper Egypt at night could help make the humidity more bearable.

Last week, the EMA announced that Autumn would on Friday 23 September, according to astronomical calculations.

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Mahmoud Mohieldin, UN Climate Change High Level Champion for Egypt and UN Special Envoy on Financing 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda, said on Wednesday that the shift to a resilient, low-carbon economy can and should be a net driver of job creation.

Mohieldin made the remarks in a speech at the Human Rights Council in a session titled the future of the right to work in connection with climate change actions, responses and impacts in the context of sustainable and inclusive economies.

The session was attended by Katharina Stasch, Vice-President of the Human Rights Council, Ambassador Ahmed Ihab Abdelahad Gamaleldin, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Egypt to the United Nations Office, and Nada Al-Nashif, Acting United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.

In his speech, the UN climate champion stressed that there would be transitional challenges, however, for workers, communities and countries as this shift occurs. Thus, he added, the full range of environmental, social and governance dimensions of responsible investment need to be incorporated in the strategies to address the negative impacts of climate change.

Mohieldin added that it is imperative to adopt a holistic approach within a more comprehensive agenda for sustainable development.

After all, climate action is the 13th of a more comprehensive action plan of 17 SDGs, including SDG 8 on Decent Work and Economic Growth, he said.

In a related context, Mohieldin stressed that the phasing-in of low-emission technologies and phasing-down of high emission ones must meet the rights and needs of all those impacted by such transition, including their right to work.

The climate champion affirmed that people jobs and well-being should be at the centre of the transition. Ensuring that all workforces find secure pathways in these sectoral redeployments is a key element of a successful just transition, he noted.

Mohieldin also highlighted the need to move from pledging to climate action at COP27 through translating agreements and pledges into concrete initiatives, including through scaling up climate projects. The latter create new jobs.

In this regard, Mohieldin referred to the initiatives that have been launched at the regional and national levels.

On the regional level, the COP27 Presidency, UN Regional Commissions and Climate Champions launched a series of five regional roundtables that resulted in many projects ready to be financed in the areas of mitigation and adaptation were presented in these forums.

On the local level, Mohieldin pointed out that the Egyptian government has launched the National Initiative for Green and Smart Projects as a pioneering initiative in the areas of achieving sustainable development goals, addressing the effects of climate change and implementing digital transformation.

The initiative aims to develop a governorate-level map of green and smart projects that present innovative climate solutions at the local level, and mobilising the necessary investments for the implementation of these projects.

Mohieldin is the jury chairperson of the initiative that is responsible for selecting winning projects that shall be presented at COP27.

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The Egyptian government approved on Wednesday a grant presented by AstraZeneca pharmaceutical and biotechnology company to establish a field hospital during the 27th session of the United Nations Conference on Climate Conference (COP27), which will be held in Sharm El-Sheikh in November.

According to the Cabinets statement, the government approved during its weekly meeting a request submitted by the Ministry of Health to approve a grant presented by AstraZeneca company to the General Healthcare Authority to establish a small field hospital at COP27, which is set to be held on 6-18 November.

During a cabinet meeting earlier this month, Egyptian Health Minister Khaled Abdel-Ghaffar shared details about the COP27 safety plan, which includes operating fixed and mobile clinics at quarantine facilities at airports, hotels that will host guest delegations, and conference halls.

The health safety plan also includes mobilising ambulances equipped with intensive care units to provide emergency medical services, the minister added.

Sharm El-Sheikh International Hospital will be ready to deal with any cases that require medical attention immediately, according to the minister.

About 35,000 people from around the world have registered on the UN website for COP27, putting the upcoming climate conference on track to becoming one of the most attended COPs, according to a recent report by the Egyptian Earth's Climate for Sustainable Development Foundation.

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Heike Harmgart, the managing director of the southern and eastern Mediterranean (SEMED) at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), said that Egypt is the largest recipient of EBRDs investment in the region since day one.

In an interview with Ahram Online, Harmgart added that Egypt is one of the top three countries, out of 38, receiving EBRD investments.

The EBRDs volume of investments in Egypt  a founding member of the bank  stands at nearly one billion Euros annually.

The bank has invested about 9.8 billion Euros in the country across more than 152 projects since 2012, with the private sector receiving about 76 percent across sectors including financial and banking institutions, electricity, renewable energy, manufacturing and others.

In the energy sector, the bank aims to invest up to $1 billion in private renewable projects in order to generate an addition 10 GW of renewable energy in Egypt, while also decommissioning five GW of inefficient gas-fired power plants, Harmgart said.

Moreover, the EBRD also aims to invest up to $300 million in sovereign lending, including for projects to stabilise Egypt's grid, add battery storage, develop the local supply chain for renewables and reskill workers.

Egypt is a renewable energy superpower that can contribute to this goal by integrating more solar and wind consumption. It also has a huge potential to become a green hydrogen hub, Harmgart said, adding that the bank is also looking at supporting projects in water desalination.

Egypts vision is to become a global and regional hub for green hydrogen production, storage and export. In late August, the country signed seven memoranda of understanding (MoUs) to establish industrial complexes to produce green hydrogen in the Ain Sokhna Industrial Zone, which is located within the Suez Canal Economic Zone (SCZONE).

In mid-September, Egypt initiated cooperation with the global Maersk Group to establish an integrated national network to produce and distribute green energy and clean fuels for ships based on new and renewable energy sources.

In light of organising the 27th UN Climate Change Conference (COP27) in November, Egypt  through its Vision 2030  aims to generate 20 percent of electricity in 2022 from renewable energy sources, with the goal of increasing this figure to 42 percent by 2035.

The country aims in the coming years to further reduce carbon emissions, promote the use of renewable energy sources and use alternative energy forms including green hydrogen as part of its National Climate Strategy 2050 announced by the government in May.

Harmgart highlighted the importance of energy cooperation between the EBRD and Egypt, saying we are the leading institution of Egypts Nexus on Water, Food and Energy (NWFE) Programme that was one of the key topics presented and discussed during the International Cooperation Forum held earlier in September.

In July, Egypt launched the NWFE programme within the framework of its National Climate Change Strategy 2050, with a view to attracting foreign investments to Egypts green transformation plan.

During his visit to Cairo in September, US Climate Envoy John Kerry lauded Egypt's NWFE programme, saying it is a model for best ever development programmes directed to face climate change effects.

COP27 cooperation

Harmgart said that EBRD President Odile Renaud-Basso will attend COP27 with a delegation from the EBRD and the Cairo team in support of the climate agenda and Egypts NWFE programme,

Moreover, Harmgart said the EBRD is working closely with the Ministry of Electricity and Renewable Energy and the Ministry of International Cooperation to sign a partnership agreement with development partners during COP27 to mobilise additional investments.

On Tuesday, the UNDP, the European Union, the Embassy of Denmark, the Embassy of Switzerland, and the African Climate Foundation (ACF) signed a $6.2 million agreement on a project to support Egypts presidency of the COP27.

There is a commitment of $100 billion from developed countries towards climate finance globally and this is needed to reach the COP27 goals including limiting the increase of temperature to 1.5 degrees globally, Harmgart said.

The EBRD has set itself an ambitious strategy to promote green investment, he said, adding that all the EBRDs investments will be aligned with the 2015 Paris Agreement by the end of this year and green projects will account for at least 50 percent of the banks new investments by 2025.

Other EBRD priorities

One of the banks other three priorities in Egypt, Harmgart said, is the inclusion of youth and women in the economy.

The EBRD worked on a big campaign with Chairman of the National Council for Women (NCW) Maya Morsy to support safety for men and women on public transport, he said.

The bank also has the Women in Business Programme with local banks in Egypt, which provide credit lines to female entrepreneurs, he said.

This programme is specifically focused on women-led small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), meaning businesses with fewer than 250 employees and less than 50 million Euros in annual turnover or with a balance sheet total of less than 43 million Euros. For a business to qualify for this programme, overall operational management responsibility for the company should be held by a woman, who may also partially or wholly own the business, according to the EBRDs programme website.

Since 2014, Harmgart said, the bank has lent a total of $52.7 million under the programme through partnerships with QNB AA, Tanmeyah Microfinance, Reefy Microfinance and the Export Development Bank.

The programme was among the first of its kind in Egypt.

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Egypt condemned the drone attacks on Iraqi Kurdistan that left tens killed or injured in recent days, describing them as a blatant violation of the security and sovereignty of Iraq.

In a statement on Wednesday, the Egyptian foreign ministry said Egypt denounces the targeting of areas in the Kurdistan region in Iraq that resulted in innocent civilian casualties in a blatant violation of the security and sovereignty of Iraq.

The statement comes as nine people were killed and 32 injured in drone attacks launched by the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) against several locations in the Kurdistan region of the country since Monday.

Egypt offers its sincere condolences to the government and people of Iraq for the loss of the victims of this attack, wishing a speedy recovery for the injured, the statement added.

The foreign ministry stated Egypt has been monitoring the rise in tensions in the region in recent days and has warned about its impact on the stability of the region and safety of its peoples.

Iranian authorities accused Iranian Kurdish parties currently in exile in Iraqi Kurdistan of standing behind the series of violent protests that erupted in tens of Iranian cities following the death of a Kurdish Iranian woman, Mahsa Amin, while in custody over violating the hijab dress code.

Iranian activists said at least 76 were killed by the Iranian security forces since the start of the protests almost two weeks ago.

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By Azernews

By Ayya Lmahamad

The Interconnector Greece-Bulgaria was issued an Operational Permit for the territories of Greece and Bulgaria, allowing the start of the commercial operation of the pipeline on October 1, ICGB AD told Azernews.

Operational Permit for Greece

This is the last administrative step necessary for the legal introduction of the pipeline into operation on the territory of Greece.

The preparation for fulfilling the prerequisites for the issuance of the Operation Permit for the IGB pipeline started in January 2022 accompanied by numerous meetings with authorities, the third-party inspector, the contractor, with DESFA, TAP and framed with the collection and submission of a huge documentation package covering every aspect of construction discipline.

ICGB's Executive Officers Teodora Georgieva and George Satlas underlined the importance of the IGB pipeline for Greece, Bulgaria and the other neighbouring countries.

They emphasized that the IGB gas pipeline is a completely new route for secure natural gas supplies, which will ensure diversification of gas sources and will increase the competition in the market.

"We would like to thank everyone that contributed to IGBs successful construction and permitting, allowing the commercial launch of the pipeline on October 1, 2022, the official start of the new heating session," Teodora Georgieva and George Satlas said.

Operational Permit for Bulgaria

After a two-day session of the acceptance commission for Act 16 convened by the Bulgarian National Building Control Directorate, the document was issued at the end of the day on Tuesday, giving grounds to issue a Permit for Use. This is the last administrative step necessary for the legal introduction of the interconnector into operation on the territory of Bulgaria. The document certifies that the facility is fit for commissioning and allows the start of commercial activity from October 1.

The Permit was presented to the Executive Officers of ICGB, Teodora Georgieva and George Satlas, by the Bulgarian Minister of Regional Development and Public Works, Arch. Ivan Shishkov.

"This is an extremely important day not only for the project and for ICGB as a transmission operator, but also for the end consumers in Greece and Bulgaria. This document allows us to start commercial activities right on time for the new heating season, which was the top priority of all parties involved in the implementation of the interconnector," they said.

ICGB coordinated in advance with 27 institutions all necessary opinions, documents and permits in order to optimize the implementation of the procedure for issuing Act 16. By the commercial launch of the facility on October 1, the Bulgarian energy regulator EWRC must reconfirm the already issued license of the company as a transmission operator, as well as ICGBs Network and Tariff Code.

The IGB gas pipeline is designed to connect the Greek national gas transmission system (DESFA S.A.) and the Trans-Adriatic gas pipeline (TAP AG) in the area of Komotini (Greece), and with the Bulgarian gas transmission system (Bulgartransgaz EAD) in the area of Stara Zagora. The total length of the gas pipeline is 182 km, the diameter of the pipe is 32'', and a design capacity of up to 3 billion m3/year in the direction of Greece-Bulgaria.

The pipeline is designed to increase its capacity up to 5 bcm/y depending on market interest and the capacities of neighboring gas transmission systems.

The opening ceremony of the Interconnector Greece-Bulgaria was held in Komotini on July 8.
Egypts foreign ministry and the Coca-Cola Company signed a cooperation protocol on Wednesday, introducing the company as the provider and supporter of the the 27th session of the United Nations Conference on Climate Change (COP27) to be held in Sharm El-Sheikh from 6 to 18 November.

The protocol was signed by Ambassador Ashraf Ibrahim, assistant foreign minister and general coordinator of COP27 organisational and financial affairs, and Ahmed Rady, Coca-Cola North Africa vice president of operations.

Coca-Cola firmly believes that working together through meaningful partnerships will create shared opportunities for communities and people around the world and in Egypt, said Rady, according to a statement released by the foreign ministry.

Rady also expressed his pride that Egypt is the host country of one of the most important global events, COP27, praising the country's efforts to place climate change at the top of its priorities within the framework of Egypts Vision 2030.

We know that global challenges like plastic waste, water stewardship, and climate change are far too great for any single government, company, or industry to solve individually, said Michael Goltzman, global vice president of public policy and sustainability at Coca-Cola Company.

Goltzman added that COP27 gives the company an opportunity to continue engaging with experts, non-profits, industry, and governments to support actions towards sustainable change across its value chain.

The Coca-Cola Companys bottling partner in Egypt, Coca-Cola Hellenic Bottling Company (Coca-Cola HBC), announced in 2021 their commitment to reach NetZero emissions across their entire value chain in all markets where they operate by 2040, read the statement of Coca-Cola on the cooperation protocol.

Through the COP27 partnership, the Coca-Cola system aims to continue exploring opportunities to build climate resilience across its business, supply chain, and communities, while engaging with other private sector actors, NGOs, and governments to support collective action against climate change, the statement added.

In September, leading US company IBM was named as the technology partner for COP27.

In August, Egypt, the president of COP27, signed an MoU with Boston Consulting Group (BCG), naming the American global management consulting firm the exclusive partner for the conference.

In addition, Egypt and Vodafone signed an MoU last month, under which the British multinational telecommunications company will be the principle partner for communications during the conference.

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The Egyptian Presidency of the 27th UN Climate Change Conference (COP27) urged countries to put aside political differences over the Russia-Ukraine war and collaborate to move forward on climate action.

Put the political differences aside and come together to something that no country in the world disagrees on the need to move forward on, Ambassador Wael Abul-Magd, special representatives of president-designate for COP27, said in a virtual press briefing on Wednesday to showcase Egypt's vision for the conference that is set to be held in the Egyptian Red Sea resort city of Sharm El-Sheikh from 6 to 18 November.

Abul-Magd said Egypts vision to advance climate action at COP27 involves collaboration between governments, private sector, civil society, and other stakeholders to focuses on the issues of adaptation, mitigation, loss and damage, and climate finance.

He warned that the war in Europe would surely have an impact on the global effort to combat climate change, including by affecting energy and food prices and through the animosity that the military conflict is causing.

We, as incoming presidency and hopefully, responsible diplomats, ask everyone to rise to the occasion and to show leadership, Abul-Magd said, warning against using this unfolding geopolitical situation as a pretext for backsliding on climate pledges.

The ambassador also noted that COP27 is taking place amid two crucial problems - a slow recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic on a global level and mounting tensions between the US and China who are two major players in climate action.

We call on them to rise to the occasion and hopefully be able to find a way to move forward, Abul-Magd stated in reference to the two major economic super powers.

Egypt has said it is hopes to turn climate pledges into actions on the ground during COP27, speak for Africas climate aspirations, and push countries to fulfil their climate finance pledges.

Mitigation and adaptation

Abul-Magd stressed that Egypts vision for COP27 in terms of mitigation focuses on the need to cut emissions dramatically, limit global warming to 1.5C, and keep this goal within reach.

The ambassador called for encouraging countries to update their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement to ensure finding a pathway to achieve the 1.5C objective.

Moreover, Abul-Magd called for expediting and expanding the model of Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP), which was first signed at COP26 in Glasgow last November to support South Africas decarbonisation efforts.

Weve been telephoning and communicating with lots of countries, encouraging everyone to update their NDCs to show more ambition, Abul-Magd stated, adding that around 18 countries have already updated their NDCs, while others made promises to do the same."

Abul-Magd also stressed that equal amount of work needs to be done on adaptation measures to protect countries and ecosystems from the impacts of climate change.

We have to make a significant progress in COP27 on that We need to help people across the globe to adapt to the actual damage that has occurred, the ambassador affirmed.

Mitigation will hopefully reduce our need for future adaptation but urgent adaptation measures have to be addressed now, he added.

Climate finance, private sector

The world has huge gaps when it comes to emissions reduction, adapting to climate change, and the cross-cutting issue of finance, Abul-Magd noted.

We cannot continue on an extremely adversarial trajectory. We need to find creative ways to come up with finance, Abul-Magd said.

He affirmed the need to encourage the private sector to invest in climate projects, adding that the world is in need for preparing bankable projects that will attract trillions of dollars.

Abul-Magd, however, noted that the private sector would provide much-needed funding mostly for emissionreduction projects, leaving adaptation needs behind. We need to be creative in our thinking on how we will provide finance for adaptation, he stated.

Regarding mitigation, every government has to dig into its own national treasury to find resources to support climate action in this regard, Abul-Magd said.

He shed light on the tested model for investments to reduce emissions, including investment in renewables, energy efficiency, and electric vehicles.

Adaptation is quite different, so we need to be creative, fair, and equitable when we look at finance, especially regarding adaptation, the ambassador affirmed.

Abul-Magd underscored the obligation on developed countries to provide climate finance, stressing that public monies, however, are not going to be a solution alone.

We are talking about $200+ trillion required by 2050, so we need to mobilise public money, utilise it again to leverage private money and private investments, the ambassador affirmed.

Addressing loss and damage

Abul-Magd highlighted the need to also address the important issue of loss and damage, which focuses on delivering assistance to countries suffering from the consequences of extreme weather events because of climate change.

It is a very sad situation that the issue of loss and damage has lagged behind for so long, Abul-Magd said, We, at COP27, need to work together to show leadership and move forward on addressing this very important issue.

This is particularly important when it comes to finding a creative and acceptable way to find financing for countries that are in extreme need to address the immediate losses and damages that wipe out a significant part of their annual GDP in one single event, the ambassador added.

Egypt is putting a lot of effort in negotiations to ensure that the loss and damage issue is moving forward, Abul-Magd said.

Engaging civil society

The ambassador affirmed the Egyptian COP27 presidencys keenness to engage civil society, including science, youth, and gender communities as well as activists along with other stakeholders, in the activities of the conference.

We dont believe in tokenism, Abul-Magd said. We are involving these stakeholders across the board in every step of the way.

He stressed that the negotiations are always going to be the domain of the government, as it is a country-driven process. However, implementation would be meaningless and futile without all stakeholders on board."

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Egypt is set to start second stage of the Decent Life Initiative, which comprises a series of countryside-focused national infrastructure projects, by January 2023, Minister of Local development Hisham Amna said on Thursday.

The second stage of the presidential scheme is planned to cover 1,670 villages countrywide to provide services for some 20 million citizens, the minister said in a meeting with the Egyptian Coordination Committee of Party's Youth Leaders and Politicians (CPYP).

The ministry and governorates have already determined the needed lands for the second stages' planned projects, Amna pointed out.

The Decent Life national project (Hayah Karima in Arabic) was initiated experimentally in 2019 by President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi and its first phase was officially launched in July 2021.

The initiative aims to improve standards of living, infrastructure and basic services including healthcare across the countryside, covering 4,658 villages across the country, which are home to 58 percent of Egypts 103-million population.

The enormous volume of work needed to develop the selected villages required the initiative to be divided into three stages, with a total estimated budget of EGP 700 billion.

The first stage of the initiative  that serves 28 million citizens in 1,477 villages  is expected to be concluded by December of this year, Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly announced in August. Initially planned to be completed by 30 June 2022, the programme was delayed by a shortage of raw materials and equipment from abroad owing to the current global circumstances.

Some 23,000 projects have started within the scheme's first stage, with the implementation rate hitting over 70 percent, the local development minister revealed during his today's meeting with the CPYP.

There are many projects within this stage are ready to be launched and go into operation, he noted.

The minister praised the initiative as "a great and unique" programme that does not exist in any other country saying it aims to achieve social justice among all the Egyptian people.

The investments in the presidential programme are expected reach more than EGP one trillion, he added.

The three-stage initiative "will change the shape of the Egyptian countryside, improve the lives of citizens and make all basic services available," he stressed.

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Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Egypt Hong Jinwook paid a visit to the Upper Egypt governorates of Minya, Assiut and Sohag to explore possible cooperation, especially when it comes to cultural heritage, development, education and gender equality.

During his four-day visit, Ambassador Hong met with Minya Governor Osama El-Qadi, Assiut Governor Essam Saad and Sohag Governor Tarek Mohamed Alfeky to discuss cooperation.

Ambassador Hong shared with the regional leaders the developments in bilateral relations between Korea and Egypt at the national level under the framework of Comprehensive Cooperative Partnership agreement, which the two countries agreed to during President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisis visit to Korea in 2016.

Ambassador Hong said that "it is the right time to expand the cooperation to the regional level amid the excellent relations we witness from President Moons visit to Egypt in January this year, and several following projects such as the co-manufacturing of K9 self-propelled howitzers and Cairo Metro rolling stocks in Egypt, Koreas participation in El-Dabaa Nuclear Power Plant project and the joint airshow of Korean and Egyptian air forces over the Giza Pyramids."

Ambassador Hong suggested expanding the scope of cooperation between Korea and Minya, Assiut and Sohag governorates to the field of cultural heritage.

He pointed out that a memorandum of understanding on the issue had already been signed earlier this year between the Cultural Heritage Administration of Korea and the Supreme Council of Antiquities in Egypt, covering cooperation in the restoration and development of antiquities as well as encouraging public and academic exchange.

He expected that cooperation in the field of cultural heritage would allow the governorates to take advantage of Koreas advanced technology to restore and preserve the diverse cultural heritage in the Upper Egypt.

He noted that the Korean governments choice of Egypt as a priority partner for official development assistance for 2021-2025 is an opportunity to increase cooperation in Upper Egypt. He emphasised his countrys willingness to support the countrys Vision 2030 and Decent Life initiatives, which aims to develop rural areas nationwide.

During his tour, the ambassador visited project sites where the Korean government has been cooperating with the governorates to promote education and gender equality.

In the Assiut University where the Korean government has implemented a project to strengthen research and technology education, the ambassador said he expects the project to contribute to capacity building and increase youth employment in the region.

Ambassador Hong watched an edutainment youth performance at a newly opened Population Awareness Clubs in Sohag, which is a part of the UNFPA Project for Preventing and Combatting Gender-Based Violence and is funded by Korea. He stressed Korean government is keen to cooperate with many stakeholders in achieving gender equality.

He also held press salons in three cities, which served as an opportunity for the Korean diplomat and regional journalists to enhance mutual understanding

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The embassy of Singapore in Cairo celebrated on Tuesday the countrys 57th anniversary of independence, with the ambassador highlighting how Singapore is the fourth largest Asian investor in Egypt.

In his inaugural remarks, Ambassador of Singapore to Egypt Dominic Goh said "We celebrate our Singapores National Day celebration with our friends and fellow Singaporeans, explaining to attendees that the national anthem  Onward, Singapore  has been the countrys motto since independence when our first leaders faced the seemingly insurmountable challenge of building an ethnically divided nation, and growing an economy in a country with no natural resources.

"Singapore has come a long way since then. But even as we celebrate Singapores achievements today, we must also remember that Singapore did not, and cannot, move onward on its own," affirmed Goh.

He added that "ties between Egypt and Singapore have also deepened in that time. Our companies now have a sizeable presence in Egypt. We have become Egypts fourth largest Asian investor, with over one billion dollars worth of investments. Through Singapores investments, we create thousands of jobs, support the livelihoods of thousands more farmers and their families and generate export revenue for Egypt."

The ambassador thanked Egypt for its role in helping Singapore develop over the years, praising it for being the first Arab country to recognise their independence and establish diplomatic relations with them.

Even though both countries may seem far apart, developments in Egypt have had a fundamental impact on Singapore, he said, referring to the Suez Canal as an important part of Singapores rise to prominence as a global shipping hub.

From the beginning, we have had a win-win partnership," Said Goh

In addition to the economic relationship, the ambassador also pointed to the religious ties between the two countries, given Singapores large Muslim population.

We have more than 200 Singaporean students in Al-Azhar [University]. They join a long tradition of Singaporean religious scholars who have ventured the halls of this illustrious institution. It is no wonder that our current and previous Muftis are also Al-Azhar graduates.

The ambassador expressed his gratitude that normal ties between the two countries have resumed after being interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, pointing to recent visits by high-level officials to each others countries.

This included a visit by Egypts Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry to Singapore in March, and a recent visit by Singapores Senior Minister Teo Chee Hean to Cairo where he met with Shoukry and Environment Minister Yasmine Fouad.

Goh said he looks forward to more diplomatic exchange with Egypt to tackle global challenges, chief among them global warming, which is an existential threat for Singapore, a small island nation.

He concluded his remarks by praising Egypt for hosting the UN Climate Change Conference (COP27) this year, promising to support it in whatever way they can.

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Egypts President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi held on Thursday a phone call with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to offer condolences to victims of his country's devastating floods, the Egyptian presidency announced.

President El-Sisi told the Pakistani Prime Minister that Egypt has allocated humanitarian aid to contribute to the relief efforts in the crisis the Pakistani people are currently facing, according to the presidency.

El-Sisi also praised the historical relations between Egypt and Pakistan, adding that he looks forward to developing bilateral relations with Pakistan and exchanging expertise in all fields and consulting on different regional issues as well as issues of common interest, the statement read.

From his side, PM Sharif expressed his thanks to President El-Sisi and the Egyptian people for their support for Pakistan asserting the depth of the relations between the two friendly countries and peoples.

He added that he is looking forward to more cooperation between the two countries, especially in the field of climate change as Egypt is set to host the 27th UN Climate Change Conference (COP27) in Sharm El-Sheikh from 6-18 November.

Seasonal monsoon rains and melting glaciers that followed a severe heat wave in Pakistan this summer caused unprecedented floods that covered a third of the country since June, killing over 1,000 people in what is considered the worst natural disaster in the history of the country.

Pakistani officials have linked the cause of that heat wave and melting glaciers to the impact of climate change.

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Lieutenant-General Osama Askar, chief of staff of the Armed Forces, witnessed units from the Air Defence Forces carry out the Jasser-132 command post exercise, the Egyptian Armed Forces said on Thursday.

According to the Egyptian Armed Forces, Askar witnessed the units present reports and decisions to leaders at all levels, demonstrating their combat readiness and skill in using the latest command, cooperation and control systems to implement planned and emergency tasks.

Lt. General Askar praised the outstanding performance and high combat efficiency presented by the Air Defence Forces during the exercise.

He also discussed with the participating commanders and officers the best way to carry out their assignments and imposed several sudden tactical situations on them to test their decision-making and combat abilities.

This phase was attended by several other commanders of the Armed Forces, the statement added.

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The Special Olympics presented an award to Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi on Thursday for his efforts in supporting people with special needs in Egypt, Presidential Spokesman Bassam Rady announced.

According to Rady, President El-Sisi voiced deep appreciation and gratitude after receiving the award, saying it reflects appreciation for Egypt's unremitting efforts in empowering "people with determination," in reference to people with different capabilities.

The award is considered "the most prestigious award that is presented to kings and presidents for supporting people with special needs," Rady added.

According to the organisation's website, the "Special Olympics is a global movement of people creating a new world of inclusion and community, where every single person is accepted and welcomed, regardless of ability or disability. We are helping to make the world a better, healthier and more joyful placeone athlete, one volunteer, one family member at a time."

In recent years, Egypt has carried out intensive programmes to empower millions of its citizens who have special needs on the legal, political, social and economic levels, per constitutional mandates

According to the Central Agency for Public Mobilisation and Statistics (CAPMAS), the number of Egyptians with special needs stood at 20 million in 2020, or almost 20 percent of the country's 105-million population.

CAPMAS found that 76.5 percent of people with special needs suffer from minor disabilities, while 18.9 percent suffer from disabilities that impede them in performing daily activities and 4.5 percent are completely disabled.

In July, Egypts House of Representatives approved a number of legislative amendments to strengthen The Law on the Fund for Supporting Citizens with Different Capabilities.

Last October, the House toughened penalties for bullying people with disabilities.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Social Solidarity allocated EGP five billion to support the needs of people with special needs annually.

The ministry pays tuition fees for 500,000 students with disabilities. It also runs more than 630 rehabilitation and training centres for people with disabilities.

In January of this year, El-Sisi ordered the creation of a comprehensive database for people with mobility impairment nationwide.

Last week, El-Sisi directed the government to build an integrated industrial complex to localise the production of prosthetics for people with special needs in cooperation with foreign companies.

In late 2021, during an event for the differently abled in Cairo that was held in celebration of the UN International Day of Persons with Disabilities, El-Sisi directed the government to establish a special fund for Egyptians with special needs. He also directed the government to include of the needs of Egyptians with special needs under the countryside-focused Decent Life national project.

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Mahmoud Mohieldin, UN climate change high level champion for Egypt and UN special envoy on financing the 2030 sustainable development agenda, stressed the importance of using scientific solutions to effectively allocate financing and resources to combat climate change.

Mohieldin's remarks came during his participation in a seminar co-hosted by the American University in Cairo (AUC) and UNICEF on Thursday under the title The Road to COP27: Shifting Behaviours to Address Climate Change in Egypt, in cooperation with the Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab Middle East and North Africa (J-PAL MENA).

The session was attended by Jeremy Hopkins, UNICEF Representative in Egypt; Dr. Ali Abu Sunna, CEO of the Environmental Affairs Agency; and Ahmed Dalal, President of the American University in Cairo.

In his speech, Mohieldin stressed the need to adopt a more comprehensive and holistic approach that achieves equity in adapting to and mitigating the consequences of climate change, in addition to dealing with losses and damages that affect life and livelihoods. This is in addition to providing the necessary financing stipulated in the Paris Agreement.

The climate champion also pointed to the need to move from commitments to implementation, explaining that the pledge made at Copenhagen in 2009 to provide $100 billion annually by 2020 to support climate action in developing countries represents only three percent of the needs of those countries.

Mohieldin stressed the need to integrate the regional dimension into climate action in light of the pioneering initiative launched by the Egyptian presidency of COP27 in cooperation with the United Nations regional committees and climate champions to mobilise climate finance through five regional forums. The outcomes of these forums, which were held over the summer, are scheduled to be presented at the upcoming climate summit in Sharm El-Sheikh.

On the other hand, Mohieldin referred to the localisation of climate action in Egypt through the National Initiative for Smart Green Projects under the auspices of the Egyptian president. He also indicated that the Egyptian government aims to hold this competition annually in all governorates.

With regard to financing, Mohieldin stressed the need to set specific criteria for sustainable financing and support carbon markets in line with the needs of developing countries, in addition to linking countries' budgets to development plans.

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Iran launched cross-border missile and drone strikes that killed 13 people in Iraq's Kurdistan region Wednesday after accusing Kurdish armed groups based there of stoking a wave of unrest that has rocked the Islamic republic.

The September 16 death of Kurdish Iranian woman Mahsa Amini, 22, while in the custody of Iran's morality police has sparked a major wave of protests and a crackdown that has left dozens of demonstrators dead.

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has accused the Iraq-based Kurdish groups of "attacking and infiltrating Iran... to sow insecurity and riots and spread unrest".

After earlier Iranian cross-border attacks that caused no casualties, Wednesday's assault killed "13 people -- including a pregnant woman -- and wounded 58, most of them civilians, including children", Iraqi Kurdistan counter terrorism services said in a statement late Wednesday.

"More than 70" strikes were carried out using "ballistic missiles" and armed drones, it added.

Iran state television said the Guards had "targeted several headquarters of separatist terrorists in northern Iraq with precision missiles and destructive drones".

An AFP correspondent reported smoke billowing from locations hit, ambulances racing to the scene and residents fleeing, at Zargwez, about 15 kilometres (10 miles) from Sulaimaniyah.

"Cowardly attacks"

Iraqi Kurdish television channel K24 said three of its journalists were wounded.

The United Nations refugee agency in Iraq said the attack impacted "Iranian refugee settlements".

UNHCR Iraq said on Twitter that Iranian refugees were said to be among the casualties, adding that the assault "reportedly impacted a primary school where refugee students were present".

The US armed forces' Central Command said in a statement that "US forces brought down an Iranian Mojer-6" drone headed towards Arbil "as it appeared as a threat to CENTCOM forces in the area".

In Baghdad, Iraq's federal government called in the Iranian ambassador to protest the deadly strikes, while the UN mission in Iraq (UNAMI) deplored the attack, saying "rocket diplomacy is a reckless act with devastating consequences".

The United States said it "strongly condemns" Iran's "brazen attacks" and warned against further strikes, said State Department spokesman Ned Price.

Britain said Iraq's "indiscriminate bombardment" demonstrates "a repeated pattern of Iranian destabilising activity in the region".

Germany also slammed the "escalation" and rejected "attempts to locate the causes of the Iranian protests in the neighbouring country".

Other Iranian strikes Wednesday destroyed buildings around Zargwez, where several exiled left-wing Iranian Kurdish parties maintain offices.

"The area where we are has been hit by 10 drone strikes," said Atta Nasser, an official from exiled Iranian group Komala.

"The headquarters of the Kurdistan Freedom Party has been hit by Iranian strikes," Hussein Yazdan, said an official from the party about the site in the Sherawa region south of Arbil.

Another group, the Kurdish Democratic Party of Iran, said its bases and headquarters in Koysinjaq, east of Arbil, were also struck by "missiles and drones".

"These cowardly attacks are occurring at a time when the terrorist regime of Iran is unable to crack down on ongoing protests inside and silence the Kurdish and Iranian peoples' civil resistance," it tweeted.

Attack drones

Amini, 22, died in Tehran three days after being arrested for allegedly violating Iran's strict dress code for women that demands they wear hijab headscarves and modest clothes.

Her death sparked Iran's biggest protests in almost three years and a crackdown that has killed at least 76 people, according to the Oslo-based group Iran Human Rights, or "around 60", according to Iran's semi-official Fars news agency.

Protests have rocked especially Kurdish communities in western Iran that share strong connections with Kurdish-inhabited areas of Iraq.

Many Iranian Kurds cross the border into Iraq to find work, due to a biting economic crisis in Iran driven by US sanctions.

The Guards' General Abbas Nilforoushan, deputy for operations, said Tuesday about Iraqi Kurdistan that "the establishment of a base by the enemies of the Islamic Revolution in this region is not acceptable," Tasnim news agency reported.

"For some time now, counter-revolutionary elements have been attacking and infiltrating Iran from the northwest of the country to sow insecurity and riots and spread unrest."

He added that several of "these anti-revolutionary elements were arrested during some riots in the northwest (of Iran), so we had to defend ourselves, react and bomb the surroundings of the border strip".

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By Azernews

By Laman Ismayilova

The Azerbaijani Culture Center in Vienna, Austria, has opened an exhibition "My Heart is in Karabakh" to mark Remembrance Day, Azernews reports, citing Trend Life.

The exhibition was organized jointly by the Azerbaijani Embassy in Austria, Azerbaijan Culture Center in Austria, and NGO Arts Council Azerbaijan.

Head of the Azerbaijan Culture Center Leyla Gasimova informed those present about the exhibition. She noted that the Culture Center always supports young talents.

Azerbaijani Ambassador to Austria Rovshan Sadigbayli stressed that the exhibition " is dedicated to two important events- Remembrance Day celebrated annually on September 27, and the Year of Shusha in Azerbaijan.

The ambassador informed the guests about the history of Shusha city, which turns 270. The city is considered the cradle of the Azerbaijani culture.

He stressed that Shusha, which is called the "Conservatory of the Caucasus", is regaining its historical and cultural appearance. The city of Shusha has been declared the cultural capital of the Turkic world in 2023.

Head of Arts Council Azerbaijan Dadash Mammadov said that the main goal of his organization is to popularize Azerbaijan's cultural values ?? throughout the world. He noted that Arts Council has prepared various cultural projects within the Year of Shusha.

The exhibition displayed 19 artworks by young artists, aged 8 to 15, who are students of the Art School operating under the Arts Council Azerbaijan. In their artworks, the artists expressed a deep love for Azerbaijan.

"The artworks have been created within several months. In their paintings, young artists reflected the extraordinary beauty of nature and the ancient history of the city of Shusha, the sights, and cultural and historical monuments of Karabakh. The exhibition "My Heart is in Karabakh" was shown for the first time as part of a solo concert by pianist Saida Tagizada, entitled "Music of Karabakh Colors", held at the State Philharmonic. The exhibition was also presented in Berlin and Vienna. The exhibition will also be shown in other European countries," said Art School director Sona Guliyeva.

At the event, well-known pianist, and laureate of international competitions Saida Tagizada performed patriotic music pieces by Azerbaijani composers dedicated to Karabakh.

Along with the works of Gara Garayev and Fikrat Amirov, Ramin Guliyev's ballad, dedicated to the memory of martyrs, Pika Axundova's composition "Hello, Shusha!", and Sevda Mammadli's "The Ballad of Lachin" were performed at the concert.

The music pieces were met with special interest among the audience.
The European Union said Thursday it will next week hold the first meeting of its Association Council with Israel in 10 years, as Brussels looks to reset ties.

Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid will hold talks with EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell in Brussels on October 3 "against the backdrop of global challenges such as Russia's military aggression against Ukraine", the EU said.

"The discussion will focus on issues such as trade, climate change, energy, science and technology, culture," the bloc said.

Talks would also engage on "the respect for human rights and democratic principles, freedom of religion as well as the fight against antisemitism," it said.

Meetings of the council have been frozen for a decade since Israel ditched them over the EU's opposition to expanding settlements in the West Bank.

The EU has been pushing for a "fresh start" with Israel since right-wing leader Benjamin Netanyahu was ousted from office in 2021 after 12 years in charge.

Borrell earlier said he "warmly" welcomed centrist Lapid's support for a two-state solution with the Palestinians at this month's United Nations General Assembly.

The EU statement said that the bloc hoped to "build on the momentum" at the upcoming meeting.

The EU's 27 nations have often struggled to find a common approach to the Israel-Palestinian conflict, with some backing Israel and others closer to the Palestinians.

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Egypt is decorated with colourful racks which cover the sides of candy shops and bakeries, with numerous plastic horses and dolls wearing colourful garments. Today marks the birthday of Prophet Mohammed

Lots of colourful racks cover the sides of sweet shops and bakeries, with numerous horses and dolls wearing colourful garments. Traditional candy is everywhere on display, as today marks the birthday of the Prophet Mohammed.

But that was not the case in Fatimid Egypt. unlike the current plastic dolls, the moulid doll was once yet another symbol of the multicultural layers of Egypt.

Moulids (carnivals of faith) have long been interwoven in ancient Egyptian history. As Mcpherson puts it in his master-piece "The Moulids of Egypt', it was the Fatimid, who ruled Egypt during the 10th to 12th century and adopted the moulid festivities and gave them legitimacy. Aiming to make their new capital a protectorate of Islamic sanctuaries, the Fatimids celebrated the moulids, with special emphasis on those related to the Prophet Mohammed and his descendants.

The festivals that are affiliated with the birthdays of Sufi sheikhs or saints have always embodied secular and religious traits. Among the secular aspects are parades, candy, street carnivals and numerous candy figurines that include candy horses for boys and dolls for girls.

In Abdel Ghani El Nabawis book, Moulid Doll, he delves into the philosophy behind the doll, explaining that it could be derived from the idea of Eve, who was born to give life. It is also associated with the source of beauty and kindness, fertility and youth. As he puts it, it stands for one entertaining chapter of human history and is a symbol of imagination.

Starting with the moulid dolls attire, one can see that it reflects the costumes of women during the Fatimid era in Egypt. Since the Fatimids and Abbasids were influenced by the Persians, you can also detect a distinct Persian influence in the design.

The head-turban, narrow waistline, layers of clothes and an excess of frills are typical Fatimid clothes.

The tight vest that fans out into a generous A-shaped dress that covers the dolls ivory body is a typical Mamluk costume. The colourful paper fans clasped to her back are derived from the feathered fans used by the caliphate. The number of fans adds to the value of the doll. The corsage reflects typical peasants clothes and the shimmering golden and silver paper necklaces echo the traditional peasant gold necklace, known as kerdan.

The generous black kohl (eye liner) that outlines her eyes and brows is a typical ancient Egyptian trend. Also the excess pink blush is attributed to the makeup style of the ancient Egyptians.

On a corresponding note, the moulding of the candy doll is equally fascinating.

First the indigenous artists would engrave the shape of the doll on a wooden mould that splits into two identical sides. Then theyd add large amounts of sugar, mix it with water and lemon and leave on the stove to boil. The mixture is poured into the wooden mould and left to dry. The end result is an ivory figurine of a doll, with narrow waistline and a cylinder hollow body to ensure stability. The doll is then ready for decoration.

Unfortunately nowadays, the plastic moulid doll dominates the market. It can be quite difficult to purchase the authentic one and we advise you to look for it in popular districts.

Many happy returns!

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A busy legislative agenda awaits the House and the Senate as they reconvene next week.

The House of Representatives and the Senate reconvene next week following a three-month summer recess. President Abdel-Fattah Al-Sisi issued two decrees on 22 September calling on the House to reconvene on Saturday and the Senate on Tuesday.

House Speaker Hanafi Gibali will chair Saturdays opening procedural meeting. The following day, two procedural plenary sessions will be held. In the first, MPs will put themselves forward for membership of the Houses 25 committees. The second session will see the announcement of the results.

The inauguration of the Houses third legislative session comes as Egypt is preparing to hold a national dialogue and an economic conference. MP Mohamed Abdel-Ghani, a member of the Socialist Democratic Party, told Al-Ahram Weekly that difficult economic circumstances triggered by the war in Ukraine had put a lot of pressure on public finances and were among the reasons President Abdel-Fattah Al-Sisi invited political forces to gather in a national dialogue to discuss political and economic priorities in the coming stage, and to call for an economic conference.

The House, said Abdel-Ghani, will be working closely with the national dialogue on political laws to reinvigorate political life.

President Al-Sisi has said he will refer legislative amendments proposed by the dialogue to the House and we hope that these will lead to greater political openness. Abdel-Ghani also noted that 10 MPs and four senators have been selected to act as rapporteurs and assistant rapporteurs for the dialogues political, social and economic subcommittees.

Abdel-Ghani, who has been named rapporteur of the dialogues political rights and parliamentary representation subcommittee, expects four political laws  on the exercise of political rights, the regulation of parliamentary elections, the performance of political parties, and the performance of local councils  to be amended and discussed by the House in its new legislation session.

MP Mohamed Abdel-Aziz, deputy chairman of the Houses Human Rights Committee, believes the dialogue will help the government and opposition find common ground on the countrys economic and political priorities in the coming stage. He said recent decisions to release dozens of pre-trial detainees and prisoners have helped pave the way to a fruitful dialogue and vibrant parliamentary session.

We need to find legislative solutions for activists who lost their jobs for political reasons and for students who were expelled from their colleges and universities because of detention, he added.

Wafdist MP Ayman Mehasseb also praised the release of prisoners and pre-trial detainees, saying it sends a message that the government is serious about reform, democratisation, human rights, and the national dialogue.

A week ago, Prime Minister Mustafa Madbouli revealed that the government plans to refer amendments to the laws combating illegal construction and monopolistic practices to the House in its new parliamentary session.

Cabinet Spokesman Nader Saad said changes to the construction law will aim to make it easier for citizens to settle building offences as long as they do not pose a risk to life.

Ahmed Al-Sigini, chairman of the Houses Local Administration Committee, expects two long-delayed laws regulating local councils and old rental contracts to feature on the new sessions agenda.

Local councils have been in limbo since 2011 when the Supreme Administrative Court invalidated elections, said Al-Sigini. Legislation that regulates local council elections and the performance of councils is long overdue.

Al-Sigini also pointed out that a joint committee, including members from the Houses Local Administration Committee and the Ministry of Housing, has been working to amend the housing rent law since May.

Old rents have also been in limbo for decades. We need a new law to create a balanced relationship between tenants and landlords, he said.

Three laws already approved by the Senate in its outgoing session, the unified insurance law, the labour law and amendments to the competition law, are also expected to be debated by the House.

Before it adjourned for the summer recess in July the House received two draft bills from the government. The first seeks to establish a council for vehicle manufacturing and a fund to manage the financing of a local electric vehicle production industry, the second amending the 1994 environment law to give the Environmental Affairs Authority greater powers. Both are expected to be debated in the new session.

Mehasseb also expects the State Ownership Policy Document, released by Madbouly in June, to be high on the agenda of both the House and the national dialogue. The document seeks to restructure the Egyptian economy in a way that will allow the private sector to generate 65 per cent of GDP within three years. Mehassab warned that if the document leads to private sector monopolies or undermines social justice opposition parties and MPs will team up and seek to amend it.

As in the House of Representatives, the Senates opening session will be procedural, with the election of members of the Senates 14 committees and discussions of its upcoming agenda.

Under the constitution the opinion of the 180-member Senate must be sought on constitutional amendments, the five-year socio-economic development plan and foreign agreements and treaties before they are referred to the House.

*A version of this article appears in print in the 29 September, 2022 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly.

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More and more Egyptian women are joining the labour market according to statistics, but are there enough to bring about equality?

Egypts Central Agency for Public Mobilisation and Statistics (CAPMAS) issued its quarterly report last month about the work force in Egypt.

According to the report, Egypt now has some 20,475 million salaried employees (17,520 million men and 2,955 million women), representing 73.6 per cent of the total and up from 72.4 per cent in the previous quarter.

This means women now represent 15 per cent of salaried employees, compared to 14.5 per cent in the same quarter of last year.

Government initiatives to help find more jobs for women include the Tahya Misr (Long Live Egypt) Fund, the Mastoura (Shelter) programme that aims at empowering women through providing them with equipment to start their own projects, the Adaha wa Edoud (You Are Up To It), an initiative from the National Council for Womens Skills Development that trains women in traditional handicrafts and helps them to market their products, and Al-Sayedat Yamdeyan Kedaman (Women Get Ahead), which works in partnership with the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and helps women, especially women in Upper Egypt, to start their own projects.

There is also Al-Mashghal (Sewing Factory), which aims to train women in sewing and provide job opportunities in handicrafts, cooking, and chocolate making.

However, despite these initiatives and the rising figures, equality with men may be some way away. There are a lot of variables to consider, like do these women have decent salaries. According to the last CAPMAS statistics, women are still underpaid compared to men, commented Doaa Ahmed, a Cairo employee who has been working in the private sector for more than 10 years.

Another question to ask is are women really empowered. There is still a low ceiling for them when it comes to getting top jobs in some companies. The question is are these numbers increasing because they represent more people taking lower salaries? Empowerment should be translated into a good salary and a good position for working women.

According to statistics issued by the Egyptian Centre for Public Opinion Research (Baseera) an independent NGO working on evidence-based research, 44 per cent of working women who graduated in the years 2016 to 2018 are paid salaries of less than LE2,000, compared to only 23 per cent of similar men.

Some 67 per cent of men and 75 per cent of women who graduated in the same year also think they are not paid enough. The unemployment rate is three times higher for women in the same sample of the population.

I think there is equality between men and women, but it depends on how hard a man or woman works, commented Sayeda Ali, a factory worker in Cairo. For example, women are now given the holidays that men are given, which did not happen in the past, she said, adding that women are also more ready to take all available jobs in the labour market.

I think that because men can work more hours than women and they are physically stronger they get more wages than women, Ali said.

Women have equal rights in the workplace today. For instance, there are women who have the position of general manager in the ministry of education where I work, said Hala Mohamed, a teacher. Women are also given their financial rights. They can choose the job they want to do, just like men do. I think they do not need to struggle anymore, she said.

However, Habiba Hussein, a womens rights campaigner, disagrees. While the increasing number of women in the labour market is a blessing, there are still some forms of discrimination against women, like the fact that they are often unable to work in the fields they want.

There are jobs for men, or mens jobs, and then there are jobs for women, or girls jobs. The latter are in fields like sales, communications, and front-desk jobs for which employees sometimes require unrealistic qualifications. There is also discrimination in choosing female employees, as veiled women rarely get such jobs.

Some companies or factories refuse to hire women and prefer to hire men instead even though women may also specialise in fields like mechanical engineering just like men, she said. Some factory owners think women will not understand the work like men do. But there is no such thing as a female job or a male job. They are all just jobs. These concepts should change, Hussein said.

Hussein has worked on campaigns calling for equality between men and women, such as one she did last year with the aim of putting an end to toxic masculinity through her initiative Ragel Sah (A Real Man). This promoted the concepts and values a real man should have, not the ones that are still sometimes prevalent in Egyptian society that are also unjust to women.

While there is some way to go on womens employment and other matters, there is hope for female entrepreneurs, Hussein said.

If we look on the bright side, we find that there are many women who have their own successful private businesses, especially on Facebook, she said. The I make this group boasts a majority of female entrepreneurs who advertise their products. There are also many institutions that support womens businesses as well as government organisations that help to fund them.

EMPLOY ME

Shaghalni (Employ Me) is an Egyptian online platform that helps job-seekers, whether men or women, find jobs. It links blue and white-collar job-seekers to available job opportunities.

There has been a noticeable increase in the participation of women in the work market due to the increasing prices and the fact that women see that it is alright for them today to help their husbands, especially as there are millions of families supported by female breadwinners, commented Omar Khalifa, founder and CEO of Shaghalni.

Even so, many female employees can have problems in the workplace, he said. There are two main problems a woman may face when applying for a job. If she is applying for the same job as a male counterpart, the job will be given to the man even if she has the same academic and practical qualifications. A human resources manager will not have to give a man maternity leave for three to six months like he would a woman.

Secondly, there are some companies that require night shifts that are usually not suitable for women, but that would be alright for a man. Many companies think a man would be more suitable for such jobs.

Khalifa said Shaghalni was designed to help promote womens economic and social empowerment and that there should be other steps to provide more job opportunities for women. There needs to be more awareness of the importance of womens work, he said. Last year, Shaghalni organised a job fair for women only, the first of its kind in Egypt. The event was organised in Cairo in cooperation with a large number of prominent companies and public institutions.

Job opportunities in various fields were available, including medicine, pharmaceuticals, sales, marketing, tourism, hotels, engineering and accounting. Around 3,000 women showed up at the fair, where approximately 1,500 jobs were on offer, whether full-time, part-time, or remote, and suiting women regardless of marital status, Khalifa said.

There were also jobs featured in the fair that might have appeared to be more male-oriented like truck-drivers.

Shaghalni also supports employment initiatives for marginalised groups, and it previously cooperated with the ministry of social solidarity and the Helm Foundation, a NGO, to set up the Azm Forum for Inclusive Employment that aims to provide job opportunities for people with special needs. It has cooperated with the Misr Al-Kheir Foundation, a charity, to found the Al-Gharemeen (loan) programme that helps people back into the labour market.

We now have an electronic employment booth at Shaghalni that women can use to apply for jobs in two minutes after we have updated it. We are trying to be inclusive, and we not only intend to provide women with jobs because they dont have as many opportunities as men at the moment, but also men and people with special needs, he concluded.

*A version of this article appears in print in the 29 September, 2022 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly.

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Russia confirmed on Thursday it will formally annex parts of Ukraine where occupied areas held Kremlin-orchestrated ``referendums'' on living under Moscow's rule that the Ukrainian government and the West denounced as illegal and rigged.

Russian President Vladimir Putin will attend a ceremony on Friday in the Kremlin when four regions of Ukraine will be officially folded into Russia, spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.

Peskov said the pro-Moscow administrators of the regions will sign treaties to join Russia during the ceremony at the Kremlin's St. George's Hall.

The official annexation was widely expected following the votes that wrapped up on Tuesday in the areas under Russian occupation in Ukraine and after Moscow claimed residents overwhelming supported for their areas to formally become part of Russia.

The United States and its Western allies have sharply condemned the votes as ``sham'' and vowed never to recognize their results. German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock on Thursday joined other Western officials in denouncing the votes.

``Under threats and sometimes even (at) gunpoint people are being taken out of their homes or workplaces to vote in glass ballot boxes,'' she said at a conference in Berlin.

``This is the opposite of free and fair elections,'' Baerbock said. ``And this is the opposite of peace. It's dictated peace. As long as this Russian diktat prevails in the occupied territories of Ukraine, no citizen is safe. No citizen is free.''

Armed troops had gone door-to-door with election officials to collect ballots in five days of voting. The suspiciously high margins in favor were characterized as a land grab by an increasingly cornered Russian leadership after embarrassing military losses in Ukraine.

Moscow-installed administrations in the four regions of southern and eastern Ukraine claimed Tuesday night that 93% of the ballots cast in the Zaporizhzhia region supported annexation, as did 87% in the Kherson region, 98% in the Luhansk region and 99% in Donetsk.

Ukraine too has dismissed the referendums as illegitimate, saying it has every right to retake the territories, a position that has won support from Washington.

The Kremlin has been unmoved by the criticism. After a counteroffensive by Ukraine this month dealt Moscow's forces heavy battlefield setbacks, Russia said it would call up 300,000 reservists to join the fight. It also warned it could resort to nuclear weapons.

Also on Thursday, Ukrainian authorities said Russian shelling has killed has killed at least eight civilians, including a child, and wounded scores of others. A 12-year-old girl has been pulled out of rubble after an attack on Dnipro, officials said.

``The rescuers have taken her from under the rubble, she was asleep when the Russian missile hit,'' said local administrator Valentyn Reznichenko.

Reports of new shelling came as Russia appeared to continue to lose ground around a key northeastern city of Lyman while it struggles to press on with chaotic mobilization of troops and prevent the fighting-age men from leaving the country, according to a Washington-based think-tank and the British intelligence reports.

The Institute for the Study of War, citing Russian reports, said Ukrainian forces have taken more villages around Lyman, a city some 160 kilometers (100 miles) southeast of Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-largest city. The report said Ukrainian forces may soon encircle Lyman entirely, in what would be a major blow to Moscow's war effort.

``The collapse of the Lyman pocket will likely be highly consequential to the Russian grouping in northern Donetsk and western Luhansk oblasts and may allow Ukrainian troops to threaten Russian positions along the western Luhansk'' region, the institute said.

The British military intelligence report claimed the number of Russian military-age men fleeing the country likely exceeds the number of forces Moscow used to initially invade Ukraine in February.

``The better off and well educated are over-represented amongst those attempting to leave Russia,'' the British said. ``When combined with those reservists who are being mobilized, the domestic economic impact of reduced availability of labor and the acceleration of `brain drain' is likely to become increasingly significant.''

That partial mobilization is deeply unpopular in some areas, however, triggering protests, scattered violence, and Russians fleeing the country by the tens of thousands. Miles-long lines formed at some borders and Moscow also reportedly set up draft offices at borders to intercept some of those trying to leave.

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A fourth leak on the Nord Stream pipelines has been reported off southern Sweden, the Swedish news agency said Thursday.

Sweden's coast guards told news agency TT that they have a vessel on the site of the leak, off Sweden. All four detected leaks are in international waters, two near Sweden and two near Denmark.

The Nord Stream pipelines run through the Baltic to transport gas from Russia to Germany. Neither pipeline was operating, but both were filled with gas. The Danish and Swedish governments believe that the leaks off their countries were ``deliberate actions.''

Before the leaks were reported, explosions were recorded. A first explosion was recorded by seismologists early Monday southeast of the Danish island of Bornholm.

A second, stronger blast northeast of the island that night was equivalent to a magnitude-2.3 earthquake. Seismic stations in Denmark, Norway and Finland also registered the explosions.

Some European officials and energy experts have said Russia is likely to blame for any sabotage _ it directly benefits from higher energy prices and economic anxiety across Europe _ although others cautioned against pointing fingers until investigators are able to determine what happened.

Speaking Wednesday before the fourth leak was reported, Swedish Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson said it would have taken a large explosive device to cause the damage.

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A total of 19,022 Chinese students entered Korea over the last two-and-a-half months since coronavirus broke out in Wuhan, China.

The Education Ministry said Sunday that the students entered Korea from December of 2019 until Feb. 14 of this year. Considering that there were altogether 71,067 Chinese students in Korea as of April of last year, some 27 percent visited their homes in China recently and returned.

The ministry is dividing the returning students into three groups -- just arrived, 14 days after arrival and 14 additional days. They will undergo special screening upon arrival and be prevented from attending their college until two weeks after arrival. They will also remain barred from cafeterias and libraries for fear of spreading the infection.

If they refuse to log on to an inspection app on their smartphones on arrival, health authorities will launch a probe, and university staff will check on them at least once a day.


The U.S. State Department expressed concern Wednesday that Americans with dual citizenship with Russia could be conscripted by Moscow to help fight its war against Ukraine.

"Russia may refuse to acknowledge dual nationals' U.S. citizenship, deny their access to U.S. consular assistance, prevent their departure from Russia, and conscript dual nationals for military service," the State Department said in a statement.

It said more broadly that U.S. citizens should not travel to Russia and that anyone there now "should depart Russia immediately while limited commercial travel options remain."
"I'm not going to speculate on the cause" of the leaks, replied White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre to questions about the incident Tuesday, adding that she had nothing to report on whether the United States had been requested by European officials to help determine the cause of the ruptures.

White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan tweeted that the U.S. is supporting efforts to investigate the apparent sabotage. Denmark's defense minister Morten Bodskov is due to discuss the matter with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg in Brussels on Wednesday.

The U.S. State Department said late Tuesday that Secretary of State Antony Blinken discussed the situation with Danish Foreign Minister Jeppe Kofod and that the United States "remains united with our allies and partners in our commitment to promoting European energy security."

"We will support any investigation aimed at getting full clarity on what happened and why, and will take further steps to increase our resilience in energy security," Borrell said in a statement. "Any deliberate disruption of European energy infrastructure is utterly unacceptable and will be met with a robust and united response."

European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said Wednesday that all indications are that leaks from two Nord Stream natural gas pipelines in the Baltic Sea "are the result of a deliberate act."

 'An Act of Sabotage'

The 1,222-km-long Nord Stream 1 pipeline has been, until recently, a major source of gas for Germany. Nord Stream 2, which is 1,234 km in length, has yet to go into commercial operation.

"We have established a report and the crime classification is gross sabotage," the Swedish national police said Tuesday, announcing a preliminary investigation into possible sabotage of Nord Stream 1.

"There are three leaks, and therefore it is difficult to imagine that it could be accidental," said Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen Tuesday. "We see clearly that this is an act of sabotage -- an act which likely means a further step of escalation of the situation in Ukraine," concurred Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki.

Frederkisen and Morawiecki spoke in Gloeniow in Poland at the opening ceremony for Baltic Pipe, part of a Polish plan to reduce its energy dependence on Russia. The line will connect Poland to Norwegian gas fields through Denmark. "No option can be ruled out right now," said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, regarding the possibility of sabotage, adding that the leaks are a cause for concern.

Russia closed Nord Stream 1 earlier this month, ostensibly for maintenance work. The majority owner of the network's operator, Nord Stream AG, is Gazprom, a Russian state-owned energy company. "The destruction that occurred on the same day simultaneously on three strings of the offshore gas pipelines of the Nord Stream system is unprecedented," said NordStream AG in a statement. "It is not yet possible to estimate the timing of the restoration of the gas transport infrastructure."

"The biggest leak is spreading bubbles a good kilometer in diameter. The smallest is creating a circle about 200 meters" in diameter, according to a statement from the Danish armed services, which included photographs of the leaks off the island of Bornholm.

 Powerful Blasts Recorded Monday

Scientists in Europe say seismographs on Monday recorded powerful blasts in the Baltic Sea, the same day the two gas pipelines dropped pressure. "There was a spike and then regular noise," said Josef Zens, a spokesman for the German geological research center GFZ. "We cannot say if that could be gas streaming out."

Once is happenstance. Twice is coincidence. The third time it's enemy action," wrote Bloomberg Opinion columnist Javier Blas, quoting the late British author Ian Fleming. "The leaks are more likely a message: Russia is opening a new front on its energy war against Europe. First, it weaponized gas supply, halting shipments, including via the Nord Stream pipeline. Now, it may be attacking the energy infrastructure it once used to ship its energy," said Blas, author of The World for Sale: Money, Power and the Traders Who Barter the Earth's Resources.

Amid much speculation on social media about who might have sabotaged Nord Stream there is no credible evidence of a likely culprit or motive. Analysts and amateurs on Twitter contend the Russians may have deployed divers or unmanned submersible vehicles to poke holes in the pipelines. The leaks are a result of a "terrorist attack" and "an act of aggression" against the European Union, declared Mykhailo Podolyak, an advisor to the Ukrainian presidential office.

Some anonymous accounts on Twitter, parroting Russian state media, sought to blame Washington and Kyiv. On social media on Tuesday, a video clip from early February recirculated of Joe Biden vowing to "bring an end" to the Nord Stream 2 project if Russia invaded Ukraine.

The Kremlin has stated that if Western Europe wants Russian gas, it should end sanctions against Moscow imposed following Russia's invasion of Ukraine seven months ago. "My understanding is the leaks will not have a significant impact on Europe's energy resilience," Secretary Blinken said in Washington.

"This just drives home the importance of our efforts to work together to get alternative gas supplies to Europe and to support efforts to reduce gas consumption and accelerate true energy independence by moving to a clean energy economy," a White House National Security Council spokesperson told VOA.

While the impact to Europe ahead of the winter as a result of the loss of the pipelines remains to be seen, the trio of leaks poses an immediate hazard to wildlife and maritime navigation. The gas could suffocate animals and is an explosion threat to passing ships, according to environmental groups.
But the note from Honiara says the government needs more time to study the declaration and it would have to be considered by parliament. Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare is currently in Washington and will be attending the U.S. Pacific Summit, according to a senior administration official.

The declaration, which was drafted after several weeks of negotiations between Pacific Island nations and officials with the administration of President Joe Biden, covers issues including sustainable development, tackling climate change, preserving security of the Pacific region and trade.

The Solomon Islands sent a diplomatic note to the regional Pacific Islands Forum announcing it will not sign the declaration during the two-day summit that began Wednesday.

The Solomon Islands has informed its regional neighbors that it will not sign a declaration between the United States and Pacific Island nations at this week's high-profile White House summit.

On Wednesday, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken hosted leaders and senior officials for a luncheon. They are also expected to meet with U.S. climate envoy John Kerry and White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan.

The Solomon Islands' refusal to sign the declaration comes just five months after it signed a security agreement with China that has raised concerns in the United States and Australia that Beijing would establish a military presence in the Solomon Islands -- located less than 2,000 kilometers from Australia.

A draft of the agreement that emerged on social media included a provision that could allow Beijing to send armed police and soldiers to the Solomon Islands, as well as base its navy ships off the Solomons coast.

Prime Minister Sogavare insisted he would not allow the creation of a Chinese military base, saying the deal instead will help provide domestic security. A U.S. delegation sent to Honiara failed to dissuade Sogavare from signing the security pact with China.

Earlier this month, the Marshall Islands suspended talks with American officials about renewing the two countries' strategic partnership, protesting what it perceives as the U.S. failure to address the health and environmental impacts from U.S. nuclear testing in the region during the 1940s and 1950s.

Vice President Kamala Harris told the Pacific Islands Forum back in July that the United States is planning to appoint an envoy to the Forum and open new embassies in Tonga and Kiribati as part of a pledge that the U.S. would increase its diplomatic and financial support to the Pacific region. She also announced the administration had requested $60 million a year from the U.S. Congress that would triple current funding for fisheries assistance, marine conservation and climate resilience projects for the region.
By Azernews

By Vugar Khalilov

Azerbaijani First Deputy Defense Minister, Col-Gen Karim Valiyev, and Georgian Defense Forces Chief Maj-Gen Giorgi Matiashvili have discussed the expansion of military cooperation between the countries, Azernews reports, citing the ministry.

The discussion took place as part of Valiyevs official visit to Georgia on September 28.

Following the official formalities, Valiyev was received by Matiashvili.

The discussion, which took place in a working atmosphere, covered subjects such as safeguarding regional peace and security, as well as the existing situation and possibilities for the expansion of military cooperation between the two nations. The parties discussed securing regional economic initiatives and developing collaboration in military-technical, military-educational, military-medical, and other areas. The military personnels participation in the courses organized at the Sachkhere Mountain Training School was positively assessed.

The importance of holding joint conferences and drills in the Azerbaijani-Georgian and the Azerbaijani-Georgian-Turkiye formats, as well as within the NATO framework, was emphasized.

The meeting discussed the preparations for the Caucasus Eagle-2022 Special Forces Joint Exercises, to be held in October 2022, with the involvement of the Azerbaijani, Turkish and Georgian servicemen, as well as the high-level organization of the Eternity-2023 computer-assisted Command and Staff Exercises and the Caucasus Eagle-2023 joint drills, which are planned to be conducted in 2023.

It was emphasized that joint drills provide opportunities for strengthening interoperability between the armies, increasing combat readiness, and exchanging experience.

The parties expressed reciprocal respect for the territorial integrity, independence, and sovereignty of both countries, adding that the Azerbaijani-Georgian ties, which have attained strategic partnership status, offer excellent conditions for the ongoing growth of military cooperation that serves the mutual interests.

The military officials stressed that the Azerbaijani-Georgian military cooperation is aimed at ensuring regional stability and security.
North Korea fired two more short-range ballistic missiles into the East Sea on Wednesday, just three days after firing another.

The launch seems to be a protest against ongoing joint South Korea-U.S. naval exercises and comes a day before U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris' scheduled visit to Seoul.

According to the Joint Chiefs of Staff here, the North fired two short-range ballistic missiles from Sunan, Pyongyang into the East Sea at a 10-minute interval on Wednesday evening. Military authorities said they flew about 360 km at an altitude of about 30 km and a speed of Mach 6.

South Korean and U.S. intelligence agencies are analyzing their specifications. The South Korean military has intensified surveillance as another nuclear test seems imminent.
North Korea is likely to conduct another nuclear test between Oct. 16 and Nov. 7, the National Intelligence Service here said Wednesday.

In a closed-door briefing to the National Assembly's Intelligence Committee, the NIS said North Korea has already prepared a tunnel at its Punggye-ri nuclear test site, increasing the likelihood of a nuclear test.

The NIS told the committee that if the North indeed conducts a nuclear test, it would likely take place between Oct. 16, the end of the Chinese Communist Party's National Congress, and Nov. 7, the day of the U.S. mid-term elections, according to lawmakers present at the briefing.

North Korea tends to pick historically significant dates or international events to draw maximum attention to its provocations.
KYODO NEWS - Sep 30, 2022 - 01:00 | All, World

North Korea fired two ballistic missiles into the Sea of Japan on Thursday, Japan's Defense Ministry said, in the third such provocation by Pyongyang this week.

The launches, which occurred at 8:47 p.m. and 8:53 p.m., respectively, came as U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris visited South Korea, including a trip to the Demilitarized Zone on the border of the two Koreas, following her visit to Japan.

The missiles, launched from an area around the west coast of North Korea, traveled about 300 kilometers with a maximum altitude of 50 km before falling into waters off the country's east coast, according to Japanese Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada.

Hamada told reporters that Japan lodged a protest with North Korea through a diplomatic channel in Beijing over the test-firings in defiance of U.N. Security Council resolutions, which ban Pyongyang from testing ballistic missile technology.

Earlier, Japanese government officials said the missiles appeared to have landed outside Japan's exclusive economic zone, and there were no immediate reports of damage involving aircraft or ships.

It marked the third provocation by North Korea this week, following a short-range ballistic missile launch on Sunday and two such launches on Wednesday.

Sunday's launch came after the United States and South Korea conducted joint naval exercises in the Sea of Japan for the first time in five years.

The two allies are set to hold a trilateral anti-submarine training with Japan on Friday.

The U.S. Indo-Pacific Command said it is aware of the two ballistic missile launches on Thursday, but has assessed that the event does not pose "an immediate threat" to U.S. territory or its allies.

While criticizing the "destabilizing impact" of North Korea's "unlawful" programs related to weapons of mass destruction, the military reaffirmed that U.S. commitments to the defense of Japan and South Korea remain ironclad.

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KYODO NEWS - Sep 29, 2022 - 22:09 | All, Japan

Japan's Defense Ministry on Thursday apologized to a former female member of the Ground Self-Defense Force after an internal probe confirmed that she had been sexually assaulted by colleagues.

The investigation found that Rina Gonoi, 23, had been subjected to sexual harassment, including sexually explicit comments, on a daily basis, and been the victim of other forms of abuse from fall 2020 through August last year, including being forced to the ground at a dormitory during training.

The ministry said it will identify the perpetrators and promptly take disciplinary action against them.

"I deeply apologize on behalf of the GSDF," Gen. Yoshihide Yoshida, the ground force chief of staff, said at a press conference on Thursday, adding that he decided to make an apology before taking disciplinary action in light of the fact that Gonoi went public with the allegations.

Some SDF members who had initially denied involvement later admitted to their actions during the probe, according to the ministry, but Yoshida said they had "lacked any sense of guilt."

Defense officials also directly apologized to Gonoi in Tokyo the same day.

"It's come far too late," Gonoi responded in tears. "I hope fundamental changes are made so nothing like this ever happens again."

According to the ministry, the commander of Gonoi's unit received a complaint from her after an incident in August last year, but failed to report it to his superior.

Gonoi had also been told to keep quiet about the incident, but the case was reopened this month after the Koriyama Committee for the Inquest of Prosecution decided to challenge a decision not to prosecute the three suspects on charges of indecent assault.

Gonoi belonged to a unit at Camp Koriyama in Fukushima Prefecture. The probe found that several other female members of the unit had also been sexually harassed.

The Defense Ministry is also conducting a special investigation into various forms of harassment, including abuse of power, covering all SDF units to determine whether appropriate measures are being taken.

The GSDF's Northeastern Army led a probe that began at the end of August last year, and investigators spoke with Gonoi several times while also interviewing around 100 members, according to the ministry.

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KYODO NEWS - Sep 29, 2022 - 13:43 | Feature, All, Japan

Pressure is mounting on the Japanese government to compile uniform guidelines on school bus safety after a 3-year-old girl died of heatstroke early this month when she was left inside a van used by a kindergarten for several hours.

The incident involving China (pronounced chee-na) Kawamoto, who died on Sept. 5 after being left behind in a vehicle in Shizuoka Prefecture for about five hours, was a painful reminder of a similar tragedy only a year earlier -- a 5-year-old boy who succumbed to heatstroke in Nakama, Fukuoka Prefecture in southwestern Japan, after being left in a locked nursery school bus for about nine hours.

In both cases, the driver and other staff failed to notice that the children were left behind by forgetting to check the seats and not confirming their presence at the day care centers.

The latest incident prompted the government to start compiling safety guidelines for school buses for the first time, with the minister in charge aiming to complete it by the end of October, suggesting the state will stop dragging its feet on the issue.

In Japan, the operation of school vehicles is not subject to the government's safety regulations as it is "a private contract" between a nursing facility and parents. Thus, it has been left up to the nursery facilities to operate them safely.

The government has resorted to only issuing municipality notices on safety management. But with the little girl's death, there are growing calls from the public for mandatory installation of school vehicle safety systems and financial assistance in introducing them.

Nonprofit organization Florence, a child welfare aid group, started a signature rally demanding the government compel nursery facilities to install safety systems in vehicles to prevent children from being left behind and to subsidize their installments.

The campaign, which had collected over 43,000 signatures as of Thursday, also urges the government to support nursery facilities' bus operations -- assistance which is "extremely small" despite labor shortages due to low wages and heavy workloads.

The group presented the signatures to Masanobu Ogura, minister in charge of policies related to children, on Wednesday. "I take (the signatures) seriously and see them as a big voice," Ogura said.

After meeting Ogura, Florence founder Hiroki Komazaki told reporters that the lives of children cannot be protected just by telling day care facilities to be more careful. "I expect the government to take concrete measures," he said.

In a government meeting on Thursday, the minister said in addition to calling for the mandatory installation of safety devices on school buses, the government will come up with a concrete plan to extend financial assistance for such improvements.

Unlike in Japan, measures to protect children's safety on vehicles have been introduced in other countries.

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When a South Korean girl died after being left behind on a day care bus in 2018, the government amended that country's road traffic law almost overnight -- stipulating several months later that the disembarking of all children on school buses must be verified.

Day care centers must apply a "sleeping child check" system, where the driver is required to walk to the back of the vehicle to check whether all passengers have gotten off.

The driver must press a button installed at the back of the vehicle, confirming that all children have alighted within 3 minutes after turning off the engine or removing the key. If the driver fails to press the button, an alarm sounds.

Similar safety measures have also been introduced in the United States, such as sensors that detect if a child remains on a school bus and warn staff of their presence.

Earlier this week, children from a nursery in Shizuoka took part in a drill in which they practiced honking a horn inside a vehicle to alert people if they are left behind.

About 45 kids participated in the exercise held at a driving school, where they learned to put weight on their elbows or other body parts to sound the horn. A sticker was affixed to the steering wheel to mark the spot.

"It was no problem when I pressed down with both hands. If I'm in danger, I have to scream 'help!' and honk the horn," a 4-year-old boy said.

Mieko Miyata, head of a nonprofit organization on child safety, said while it is important to introduce safety manuals and systems, "training to ensure that (the manuals and systems) are properly functioning and giving support to secure human resources is also indispensable."

Nearly 6 percent or 15 out of 267 drivers and other staff involved in school bus operations said they have experienced leaving children behind in the past year, according to a survey conducted in May by Sanyo Trading Co., which sells sensors that can detect children in vehicles.

The survey showed that three of the bus drivers said they "were unaware" of the children remaining.

When asked why children are left on buses, more than 65 percent of the respondents cited "low awareness" among the drivers and bus staff, while 56.3 percent said it was because of staff shortages.

Sanyo Trading said it aims to introduce a "radar sensor" detection device developed by IEE SA, a Luxembourg-based tech company, to the Japanese market in fiscal 2023.

The device, which can be retrofitted to the ceiling of vehicles, can detect the slightest motion by children -- even breathing -- and immediately alerts the driver of their presence on board.

"As the last line of defense, the sensors can detect a child left behind, and we want to save as many lives as possible," said an official of Sanyo Trading, adding that government support is needed to ease the financial burden in introducing sensors.
KYODO NEWS - Sep 29, 2022 - 21:08 | World, All

A special court set up by Myanmar's military on Thursday sentenced deposed leader Aung San Suu Kyi and her former economic adviser, Australian Sean Turnell, to three years in prison for violation of the Official Secrets Act, local media reports said.

Since the military ousted Suu Kyi's democratically elected government in a February 2021 coup and detained her, she has been on trial on multiple charges and now faces 23 years in prison.

Three senior officials of her deposed administration involved in the alleged case were each given three-year sentences, according to the reports.

The court, which has conducted trials of Suu Kyi and others detained after the coup behind closed doors, has not detailed the defendants' exact offenses under the secrets law. The law criminalizes possession, collection, recording, publication or sharing of state information that helps "an enemy."

Turnell, a professor at Macquarie University in Sydney, served as an adviser to Suu Kyi. He was arrested at a hotel in Yangon days after the coup and has been in detention since then.

Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong said in a statement that Australia rejects the court's ruling and calls for the immediate release of Turnell, who she said had been "unjustly detained" by the military regime.

Australia's diplomats in Myanmar "made every effort to attend the verdict but were denied access to the court," Wong added.

Suu Kyi, the 77-year-old Nobel Peace laureate and an icon of opposition to the military, has already been convicted of incitement, corruption, violation of novel coronavirus regulations and the illegal import and use of walkie-talkies.

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KYODO NEWS - Sep 29, 2022 - 19:10 | All, Japan, World

Japanese and Chinese leaders exchanged messages to mark the 50th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic ties on Thursday, with little mood for a grand celebration as tensions remain over a territorial row and a deepening rift between Beijing and Western nations over Taiwan.

The messages from Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Chinese President Xi Jinping were read out at an event hosted in the afternoon by the Japan Business Federation, the country's most powerful business lobby better known as Keidanren.

Kishida talked with Xi on the phone days after he became prime minister in October 2021, but Japanese and Chinese leaders have not held a formal summit for around three years due largely to the outbreak of the coronavirus, first detected in China.

The premier said Japan, a close U.S. security ally, is eager to have "constructive and stable" ties with China for the "peace and prosperity of the region and the world," although the two nations are facing many challenges.

Xi said Beijing will deepen cooperation with Tokyo in every field to answer the needs of a "new era," while stressing China "very much" emphasizes the development of Sino-Japanese relations.

Japan and China exchanged similar messages in 2017 to celebrate the 45th anniversary. They did not do so in 2012 on the occasion of the 40th anniversary because of a flare-up in a territorial spat.

On Thursday, Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi, who attended the Keidanren event with Kishida absent in apparent consideration of the strained bilateral ties, said in a speech that Tokyo and Beijing have a "responsibility for peace and prosperity in the region."

Despite several political disputes, Japan and China have boosted economic relations throughout the past 50 years and China is now Japan's biggest trading partner.

Masakazu Tokura, chairman of Keidanren, said at the beginning of the event, "For Japan, the relationship with China is one of the most important bilateral relationships."

"The flow of people between Japan and China has stalled against a backdrop of the coronavirus pandemic and international affairs have been getting more complex and opaque," he said.

"Exactly because of such situations, however, proactive high-level exchanges, including those between leaders of the two nations, are needed," Tokura added.

Among 850 attendees of the Keidanren event were former Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda and Chinese Ambassador to Japan Kong Xuanyou, the organizer said.

In Beijing, a reception commemorating the 50th anniversary was also held at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse, with senior Chinese officials and Japanese Ambassador to China Hideo Tarumi attending.

Tarumi, a "China School" diplomat, said in his speech at the reception in the Chinese capital that bilateral relations "tend to get caught in a negative spiral."

Japan-China ties are "in the severest situation since the normalization of the diplomatic relations," given that restrictions in people-to-people exchanges have hindered the development of mutual trust, he said.

The Chinese participants included Ding Zhongli, vice chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, Assistant Foreign Minister Wu Jianghao as well as former Chinese ambassadors to Japan Cui Tiankai and Cheng Yonghua.

On Tuesday, Wan Gang, vice chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, attended a state funeral for former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who was fatally shot during an election campaign speech in July.

Foreign affairs experts said Japan is required to pursue a well-balanced diplomatic strategy toward Beijing for stability in the region, as Xi is set to secure a controversial third term as leader at the once-in-five-years congress of the ruling Communist Party in October.

Kishida has expressed willingness to hold a meeting with Xi in the not-so-distant future, with the Japanese government trying to organize it on the sidelines of international conferences such as the Group of 20 summit in Indonesia in November.

Later Thursday, meanwhile, Kishida urged China to take responsible action, telling reporters that Japan will "assert what needs to be asserted."

Bilateral relations remain precarious with continued tensions over the Japan-controlled, China-claimed Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea inflaming the situation, as are issues related to Taiwan.

Ties between Tokyo and Beijing sharply deteriorated after the Japanese government purchased a main part of the Senkakus, called Diaoyu in China, from a Japanese individual in September 2012.

In August this year, Beijing conducted large-scale military drills near Taiwan in response to U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit to the island. Some of the ballistic missiles fired during the exercises fell in Japan's exclusive economic zone.

On Sept. 29, 1972, then Japanese Prime Minister Kakuei Tanaka and then Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai signed a joint communique in which the governments of the two countries agreed to "establish relations of perpetual peace and friendship."

In line with recognizing the Communist-led People's Republic of China as the "sole legal government" of China, Japan severed diplomatic relations with self-ruled democratic Taiwan, formally called the Republic of China.

File photo taken on Sept. 29, 1972, shows then Japanese Prime Minister Kakuei Tanaka (L) and then Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai exchanging documents after signing a joint communique in which the governments of the two Asian countries agreed to "establish relations of perpetual peace and friendship." (Kyodo)

Beijing and Taipei have been governed separately since they split in 1949 as a result of a civil war. China regards Taiwan as a renegade province to be reunified with the mainland, by force if necessary.

China's economy rapidly grew under its "reform and opening-up" policy launched in 1978 and the country overtook Japan as the world's second-biggest economy in 2010, with its gross domestic product ballooning to 3.6 times that of Japan by 2021.

Due partly to the COVID-19 pandemic, official in-person meetings between leaders of Japan and China have not been held since December 2019, when Abe held talks with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang. In their phone conversation, Kishida and Xi agreed to seek "constructive and stable" relations.

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KYODO NEWS - Sep 29, 2022 - 15:49 | All, Japan

The chiefs of the Japanese and German air forces pledged Thursday to further enhance cooperation at a time of rising tensions in the region, with their fighter jets conducting a formation flight over Japanese skies the previous day.

East Asia has seen an increasingly assertive China with tensions rising over Taiwan. Germany has been stepping up its engagement in the Indo-Pacific region, partly propelled by Beijing's actions that are deemed to be undermining the rule of law, human rights and democracy.

"We will deepen our collaboration and further promote efforts between the two air forces to maintain and strengthen a free and open Indo-Pacific," said Gen. Shunji Izutsu, chief of staff of Japan's Air Self-Defense Force, at a joint press conference in Tokyo.

Lt. Gen. Ingo Gerhartz highlighted that the German Air Force has managed to both protect the North Atlantic Treaty Organization's territorial airspace during Russia's aggression in Ukraine and deploy to the Asia Pacific.

The Japanese and German air forces conducted a joint exercise in Japan for the first time on Wednesday involving three F-2s and Eurofighters each. Gerhartz piloted one of the fighters to Japan himself.

It was the first time for German Air Force fighter jets to come to the country, according to the Air Self-Defense Force.

Germany intends to learn from Japan the ins and outs of operating the cutting-edge F-35 advanced stealth fighter jets as they are already in use, while Germany is still in the process of procuring them, Gerhartz said Thursday.

The German Air Force participated in a multilateral exercise in Australia from late last month to early September with Japan also involved.

Berlin sent a navy frigate to Japan in November as the first German military vessel to make a port call in nearly 20 years.
KYODO NEWS - Sep 29, 2022 - 17:43 | All, Japan

Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako are scheduled to attend art and cultural events in Okinawa next month, their first visit to the prefecture since his enthronement in 2019 and the 50th anniversary in May of Okinawa's return to Japan from postwar U.S. administration, the Imperial Household Agency said Thursday.

The imperial couple will attend the opening ceremonies of art and cultural festivals during their two-day visit to the southern island prefecture from Oct. 22. But the empress, who has long been battling a stress-induced illness, may not travel depending on her condition, according to the agency.

When a ceremony marking Okinawa's reversion was held, the two attended virtually from Tokyo as part of steps to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. The emperor at the time expressed his sympathy for the people of Okinawa because of the hardships they suffered during World War II and the difficulties they continue to face.

"I hope a broader section of Japanese, including the younger generation, will further deepen their understanding of Okinawa," the emperor said during the ceremony.

The emperor has visited Okinawa five times, first in 1987 and last in 2010, before he ascended the Chrysanthemum Throne more than three years ago. The empress visited the prefecture with him in 1997.

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Angolan Minister of Economy and Planning Mario Augusto Caetano Joao speaks during an interview with Xinhua in Luanda, Angola, Aug. 25, 2022. (Xinhua/Chen Cheng)

LUANDA, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- Angolan Minister of Economy and Planning Mario Augusto Caetano Joao has said that the southern African country is seeking to diversify its economy and welcomes more Chinese investment and cooperation because this will be a win-win opportunity.

In a recent interview with Xinhua in Luanda, Angola's capital, the minister said that economic diversification, mainly diversifying from the oil sector to the development of non-oil sectors, has been one of the country's main goals over the past five years.

The minister noted that the country has made progress in economic diversification over the years even though it remains a major challenge.

"In 2011, the oil sector accounted for 43 percent of our GDP. And 10 years after in 2021, it counted only for 28 percent. So it means 72 percent (of GDP) is now being pushed by the non-oil sector," he said.

The minister sees agribusiness, human capital development, as well as improving the environment for doing business in Angola as three pillars as the country continues with its drive to diversify the economy over the next five years.

"Agribusiness is the biggest determinant of growth nowadays in Angola. When I say agribusiness, I mean agriculture, trade, transportation, agro-processing, and everything within the value chain of the agribusiness sector," said the minister, who also predicted an average annual growth rate of five percent for the non-oil sector and 3.5 percent for the overall GDP growth over the next five years in the resource-rich southern African country.

"We need to do big investments in agribusiness, especially in infrastructure to make sure that everything produced has a market... We need to invest in the agro-processing industries, and in crop production," he said, highlighting the growth of corn, rice, wheat, and beans as extremely important to the nation's food security.

He said agri-business development will also require the development of energy and water sectors as well as roads. "We have already a lot of Chinese companies investing in the agri-business. And even the biggest corn producer in Angola's Malanje Province is Chinese," he said.

Commending the fruitful Angola-China cooperation results, especially in the infrastructure development over the years, the minister said that Angola welcomes Chinese engagement in Angola's economic diversification endeavor because this will be a win-win opportunity.

The minister said that Angola has up to 60 million hectares of arable lands, almost half the size of arable lands in China, and a low population density of about 30 people per square kilometer.

"So we have a lot of lands where we would like to invite Chinese investors to grow Chinese products and to export to China. This will be something very interesting because we saw also that China has offered duty-free and quota-free access for Angolan goods into China. So this could be a win-win opportunity," he said.

The minister said the government will also build human capital capacity by improving the health and education sectors as human capital is one of the most important determinants of growth.

"The third but not least important is the doing business environment. We need to make sure that everyone is able to open his own business and run his own business, have access to finance, and actually be one of the most important employers in our economy," he said.

"In the health sector, we need to start producing our own medicines, not only for human consumption but also for animal consumption. And on digital transformation, you see now that a big chunk of the market is done digitally. Digital transformation is where we see also business happening. Another thing is, of course, the financial sector," he said.

"These are the areas where we think we could see much higher cooperation with China to help us really diversify our economy," he said.

The minister said that Angola looks forward to more Chinese investment, especially from the private sector. "We have a stock of Chinese investments in Angola totaling around 20 billion U.S. dollars. Of course, we would like it to be much higher."

He said that Angola is paying close attention to what are the determinants of growth and where they are. He singled out the nation's burgeoning youth as a group the government intends to put more resources and money into, saying the government also tries to work closely with entrepreneurs to understand the determinants of growth.

"This is where we want to put resources so that once those determinants are well tackled, I'm sure that Angola will make the appropriate jump," he said. 

Angolan Minister of Economy and Planning Mario Augusto Caetano Joao reacts during an interview with Xinhua in Luanda, Angola, Aug. 25, 2022. (Xinhua/Chen Cheng)
By Azernews

By Vugar Khalilov

Armenia is deliberately delaying the peace process with Azerbaijan, Azernews reports, citing Alev Kilic, Director of the Turkish Center for Eurasian Studies.

Kilic made the remarks at the panel discussion on Think tanks in Azerbaijan and challenges facing them within the 1st Forum of Azerbaijani Think Tanks on September 28 in Baku.

He underlined that the peace agreement between Azerbaijan and Armenia hasnt been achieved due to the latters failure to resist external manipulations.

We believe that Armenia will finally be able to make a sound decision and come to peace," Kilic said.

He also emphasized the importance of joint actions for peace and long-term prosperity.

"The South Caucasus has an advantageous geographical position, and we are part of this region. We must combine our efforts for the sake of peace and sustainable development and determine our roadmap," the diplomat added.

In the same vein, Witold de Chevilly, Executive Director at New Direction Belgian think tank, said that the opening of the Zangazur corridor represents an excellent chance to carry out massive projects in the South Caucasus.

"There will be lots of talk about Azerbaijan's success. The opening of the Zangazur corridor is a great opportunity to implement major projects in the South Caucasus," Chevilly stressed.

The EU is cooperating with countries, notably Azerbaijan, to overcome energy dependency, he noted.

"Europe is also interested in the potential of the Central Asian region. However, it's necessary to create a West-East corridor for this cooperation. And here again, the importance of the Zangazur corridor comes to the fore," Chevilly said.

Commenting on the importance of think tanks, he underlined that funding is a critical element in this regard.

"It's important to establish a network and attract experienced specialists," the director said.

Addressing the event, Saadat Yusifova, Deputy Head of the Department for Non-Governmental Organizations and Communications of the Azerbaijani Presidential Administration, stressed that Azerbaijans stunning victory in the 2020 second Karabakh war will go down in history.

Azerbaijan has restored historical justice. We pray for our martyrs, who gave their lives for their Motherland, and wish recovery to the veterans, she said.

Yusifova emphasized that the importance of think tanks is growing in light of present global tensions and concerns.

"Think tanks serve as a bridge between states and society. They are becoming global political actors. Events show that against the backdrop of global problems, national interests remain permanent," she added.
A forum on Confucianism opened on Tuesday in the city of Qufu, east China's Shandong Province, the birthplace of the Chinese philosopher Confucius (551-479 B.C.), to discuss the ancient wisdom of Confucianism and explore the future of human beings.





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KINSHASA, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- Twenty-two soldiers were killed when a Ugandan military helicopter crashed Monday in the Boga region of the Ituri province, in northeastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), a source of the DRC's army stationed in Ituri told Xinhua Wednesday.

The dead included three Congolese soldiers, said the source, who spoke under customary anonymity, without offering further details.

On Tuesday, another helicopter belonging to the Uganda army crashed at the Kabarole border area between the two countries, during joint operations between the two armies to hunt down the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), a rebel group.

According to the Congolese army's media service, the helicopter hit a cluster of power lines. A Ugandan soldier and a Congolese soldier died in the crash that happened Tuesday, confirmed Mak Hazukayi, spokesperson for the joint Congolese-Ugandan military operations.

Since last year, the armies of the DRC and Uganda have launched joint military operations in the northeastern DRC to hunt down ADF rebels. 
BEIJING, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- Over the past decade, the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS) has made a series of agricultural sci-tech achievements, providing strong support for the country's food safety, according to the CAAS.

In a summary of its work since 2012, the CAAS said its scientists discovered and cloned the genes that hindered the utilization of rice heterosis for the first time, providing important gene resources and feasible solutions to solve the problem of hybrid sterility in rice.

The discovery of the key genes for the formation of the bitter taste in cucumber fruit is also one of the many key discoveries in crop omics and genetics made by the CAAS.

It has also made breakthroughs in crop pest control and prevention, contributing to national food security.

Focusing on the frequent occurrence of primary diseases and insect pests of major crops and alien invasive organisms, the CAAS carried out theoretical research and engineering system construction of whole chain prevention and control.

It established a real-time monitoring and early warning technology system for fall armyworm prevention and developed a series of key technologies and programs to support the prevention and control of fall armyworm nationwide, which has been recommended globally by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization.

Aiming to resolve the degradation of cultivated land and insufficient soil fertility in the country, the CAAS has made major technological upgrades in the monitoring and management of cultivated land, soil fertility and soil improvement. It has built a perception and monitoring system for farmland production and constructed a high-precision digital soil map at a scale of 1: 50,000.

Focusing on the country's increasing level of environmental pollution, the CAAS has developed a series of green agricultural production technologies and products, reducing use of pesticides by more than 20 percent and chemical fertilizers by more than 10 percent, and achieving an average increase of 5 percentage points in the country's precipitation utilization rate.

The CAAS has clarified the biological characteristics, genetic evolution laws and public health risks of the H7N9, H5N1 and H5N8 viruses, providing a theoretical basis for the prevention and control of avian influenza viruses.

Over 70 billion doses of the highly effective H5/H7 bivalent inactivated avian influenza vaccine developed by the CAAS have been supplied since 2017.

In order to rapidly detect the quality and safety of agricultural products, the CAAS has developed efficient detection products and technologies for typical pollutants.

It has also cultivated new varieties of high-quality ration crops, rapeseed, vegetables, poultry and beef cattle. The CAAS breeds one out of every three ducks that make it to Chinese dining tables. 
A Pakistani official has said that China-proposed initiatives reflect China's contribution to global development and support for developing countries and emerging economies.





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Aerial photo released by the Danish Ministry of Defense on Sept. 27, 2022 shows the Nord Stream gas pipeline leak site. Measuring stations in Sweden registered strong underwater explosions in the same area of sea as the gas leaks that occurred in the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines on Monday, Swedish television (SVT) reported on Tuesday. The government of Denmark considers the Nord Stream gas pipeline leaks "deliberate actions," Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said on Tuesday. (Danish Defense Ministry/Handout via Xinhua)

COPENHAGEN, Sept. 27 (Xinhua) -- The government of Denmark considers the Nord Stream gas pipeline leaks "deliberate actions," Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said here on Tuesday.

"It is the clear assessment by authorities that these are deliberate actions. It was not an accident," Frederiksen told journalists.

On Monday, Danish and Swedish officials said that leaks had been identified in two natural gas pipelines -- Nord Stream 1 and its twin, Nord Stream 2 -- under the Baltic Sea off the coast of Denmark's Bornholm island, near the exclusive economic zones of Denmark and Sweden.

Frederiksen said that "two explosions" have been registered, but she refused to speculate as to who might be responsible.

Dan Jorgensen, minister for climate, energy and utilities, said that "The gas pipes lie at a depth of 70 to 90 meters and consist of over 12-centimeter thick layers of steel and concrete, respectively. The nature of the leaks indicates that there are such large holes that it cannot have happened by accident."

He said that the leaks are not expected to cause supply security issues in the short term.

Citing Denmark's foreign intelligence service, Defense Minister Morten Bodskov said that it did not see any increased military threat against Denmark after the leaks.

"I would like to emphasize that the defense intelligence service does not consider that there is an increased military threat to Denmark," Defense Minister Morten Bodskov said.

He added that no advance warnings had been received, but that there had been an increase in tensions around the Baltic Sea.

"This is a serious matter. The defense is increasing its presence around Bornholm," he said.

Bodskov has a previously scheduled meeting dedicated to the Nord Stream pipelines with Jens Stoltenberg, secretary general of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) on Wednesday morning. 

Aerial photo released by the Danish Ministry of Defense on Sept. 27, 2022 shows the Nord Stream gas pipeline leak site. Measuring stations in Sweden registered strong underwater explosions in the same area of sea as the gas leaks that occurred in the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines on Monday, Swedish television (SVT) reported on Tuesday. The government of Denmark considers the Nord Stream gas pipeline leaks "deliberate actions," Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said on Tuesday. (Danish Defense Ministry/Handout via Xinhua)

Aerial photo released by the Danish Ministry of Defense on Sept. 27, 2022 shows the Nord Stream gas pipeline leak site. Measuring stations in Sweden registered strong underwater explosions in the same area of sea as the gas leaks that occurred in the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines on Monday, Swedish television (SVT) reported on Tuesday. The government of Denmark considers the Nord Stream gas pipeline leaks "deliberate actions," Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said on Tuesday. (Danish Defense Ministry/Handout via Xinhua)
Cambodian youths have spoken highly of a training program launched by Chinese tech giant Huawei on Information and Communication Technology (ICT). The Cambodian youths joined the training under the "Seeds for the Future" program, which was launched in Cambodia in 2016. #GLOBALink





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A teacher teaches Chinese language at the Dhaka University in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Aug. 17, 2022. (Xinhua)

"If I know Chinese, It is definitely very useful for my future," said Sumona, a student of Chinese Language and Culture at Dhaka University.

DHAKA, Sept. 29 (Xinhua) -- Sohail Hossain is a fourth-year student of Chinese Language and Culture at Dhaka University.

"People ask me why I study Chinese," he said. "I thought about only one thing. China has been the best friend of Bangladesh in this century."

"Now I feel really lucky. Learning Chinese was a good decision at the time and now I'm in a good position," said Sohail Hossain, who recently got this year's Confucius Institute Scholarship in China.

Another student, Sumona, said that anyone who knows a language like Chinese in this era of globalization will surely advance in life.

"When international relations are strengthened, if I know a foreign language, I can establish myself in the international arena," she said. "If I know Chinese, It is definitely very useful for my future."

Echoing her view, Aminatul Tayiba said one of the reasons for coming to the Chinese language is the culture of China. "I love Chinese culture and I love China, that's why I enrolled," she said.

Md Afzal Hossain, the head of the Chinese Department at Dhaka University, speaks during an interview with Xinhua at his office in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Aug. 17, 2022. (Xinhua)

Md Afzal Hossain is the head of the Chinese Department at Dhaka University. He said all the students hope that learning Chinese will help them get a good job.

According to the teacher, this perspective has raised interest among students. "Now students know their careers and destinations," he said, adding that "those who are getting better results and are paying attention to their studies are getting scholarships from the Chinese government."

"We have MoU (Memorandum of Understanding) with many universities (in China)," he said, adding such support ensures the reputation of the department and the employment of the students.
Nicholas Haysom (C), the UN secretary-general's special representative and head of the UN Mission in South Sudan, speaks at a Security Council meeting on South Sudan, at the UN headquarters in New York, on June 20, 2022. (Manuel Elias/UN Photo/Handout via Xinhua)

The United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) on Wednesday said the inter-communal conflict in South Sudan continues to fuel repeated cycles of violence, warning that it might potentially erode the gains made toward sustaining peace across South Sudan.

JUBA, Sept. 29 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) on Wednesday said the inter-communal conflict in South Sudan continues to fuel repeated cycles of violence, warning that it might potentially erode the gains made toward sustaining peace across South Sudan.

Special Representative of the Secretary-General to South Sudan Nicolas Haysom said fighting between rival factions in Upper Nile and parts of Jonglei States has caused massive displacement of civilians to seek refuge in the UN bases in Malakal town, the capital of Upper Nile State.

UN Security Council members vote to adopt a resolution to renew the mandate of the UN Mission in South Sudan at the UN headquarters in New York, on March 15, 2022. (Eskinder Debebe/UN Photo/Handout via Xinhua)

"The fighting between Sudan People's Liberation Movement/Army-In Opposition (SPLM-IO) forces and the Kitgwang and Agwelek factions has displaced thousands of people within Upper Nile, to Jonglei, Unity states, and parts of Sudan," Haysom told journalists in Juba, the capital of South Sudan.

He said more than 14,000 have been displaced and sought refuge at the Malakal Protection of Civilians site.

Haysom said that the mission is working with State authorities and humanitarian agencies to support sustainable solutions in Malakal to mitigate overcrowding, and outbreaks of disease, as well as maintain peace within the community living within the UN Protection of Civilians site.

In recent days, the Twic/Ngok Dinka conflict has created a new wave of refugees in Abyei, Warrap, and Northern Bahr El Ghazal. 
BAGHDAD, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- Thirteen people were killed and 58 wounded on Wednesday after Iranian forces carried out cross-border bombardments on Iranian Kurdish opposition parties' positions in the semi-autonomous region of Kurdistan in northern Iraq.

A statement by the regional Kurdish Counter-Terrorism Service (CTS) said that Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) carried out four stages of bombardments, using ballistic missiles and booby-trapped drone.

The attack targeted the headquarters of their Kurdish opposition parties in Barde and Koya in Erbil province, in addition to headquarters in several areas in the neighboring Sulaimaniyah province, the statement said.

The information indicates that more than 70 Fateh ballistic missiles and booby-trapped drones were launched from the Iranian provinces of Kermanshah and West Azerbaijan, said the statement, adding that "they targetd public places and civilian homes."

The statement confirmed that 13 people were killed, including a pregnant woman, and 58 injured, most of whom were civilians.

Meanwhile, a statement by the Iraqi Foreign Ministry strongly condemned "the Iranian side's artillery and rocket bombardment, which coincided with the use of 20 drones loaded with explosives that targeted four areas in Iraq's Kurdistan region and resulted in many deaths and injuries."

The ministry also announced Wednesday that it will summon the Iranian ambassador in Baghdad over the cross-border bombardments.

On the other side, the Iranian Mehr News Agency confirmed the bombardments, saying that IRGC "has once again targeted the positions of terrorist groups operating near the country's western borders in Iraq's Kurdistan region."

Iranian and Turkish forces frequently attack the military bases of their Kurdish opposition parties in Kurdistan in northern and northeastern Iraq, accusing them of carrying out attacks against their home countries from the Iraqi Kurdish region. 
LUANDA, Sept. 29 (Xinhua) -- An agreement was signed here on Wednesday between Angola's National Agency of Petroleum, Gas and Biofuels (ANPG) and the Brazilian National Agency of Petroleum, Natural Gas and Biofuels (ANP) on enhancing cooperation on the regulation and supervision of oil and gas exploration, development and production.

The five-year duration agreement aims to establish technical promotion cooperation for the strengthening of the oil and gas industry, and transfer of knowledge related to technical standards and practices of the oil industry, the ANPG said in a statement.

"One of the points we want to strengthen is our regulatory framework. We want to gain this experience that the ANP has," ANPG's CEO Paulino Jeronimo said at the signing ceremony.

"This agreement reinforces the commitment between the governments to cement the relationship in the field of hydrocarbons," he added.

The brotherhood relationship between the two peoples underscored that the agreement transcends the interest of both countries in the exploration of their natural resources and hydrocarbons, said ANP's Director General Rodolfo Henrique de Saboia.

The cooperation will be carried out through the periodic exchange of information and experiences, conducting of studies and joint research and the training and qualification of human resources. 
By Trend

On September 29, the Rossiya-1 TV channel broadcast the "60 minutes" program dedicated to the latest events on the Azerbaijani-Armenian line of contact.

Trend reports that, President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan responded to questions from the hosts on the program.

The hosts first asked questions of President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev.

Host: Mr. President, thank you for agreeing to this interview. What is happening at the front right now? Information about the use of aviation is already coming in.

President Ilham Aliyev: The situation at the front is tense. As a result of the Armenian military provocation, which began on the morning of 27 September, Azerbaijani settlements and our combat positions were subjected to massive artillery fire. As a result of this aggression, 11 Azerbaijani civilians, including two children, were killed. There are also casualties among the military. We were forced to give an adequate response to the aggressor and thus protect our people and our land. So fierce battles have been going on for three days now, as a result of which the Azerbaijani Army has liberated a number of settlements from occupation and also seized strategic heights in different directions. Today the situation is such that active hostilities are underway.

Host: Ilham Heydarovich, please clarify to us the role of Turkey. Ankara has officially, through its President and leaders of the Foreign Ministry, announced that it will help you on the battlefield.

President Ilham Aliyev: I believe that Turkey is playing a stabilizing role in the region. Turkey is our brotherly country and our ally. From the very first hour the world community learned that Armenia attacked Azerbaijan, Turkey spoke out unequivocally at the level of the head of state and other leaders in support of Azerbaijan, in support of international law. Armenia has grossly violated international law by occupying the territory of Azerbaijan for about 30 years. So the role of Turkey consists in that, nothing else. Turkey provides us with moral support, and we are grateful to the Turkish leadership, the President and the Turkish people for their solidarity and support. Turkey does not participate in this conflict in any other capacity. All the rumors that Turkey is participating as a party to the conflict being circulated by the Armenian side are of provocative nature. As they say now, this is fake news. There is no evidence of Turkey's involvement in the conflict and neither is that necessary. The Azerbaijani Army is sufficiently prepared to protect its people and territory.

Host: Ilham Heydarovich, so you do not confirm, moreover, you refute the information that Turkish Air Force shot down a plane of the Armenian Air Force literally an hour ago. It was about the F-16 and Su-25.

President Ilham Aliyev: We do not have this information. Just recently, I was informed that such news appeared in the information space. It is not confirmed by anything. The F-16 aircraft of the Turkish Air Force do not participate in hostilities in any way. You know, taking into account modern technologies, it is very difficult to conceal anything today, because there are objective forms of observation. There are satellite observations, and therefore it is very easy to verify that this is another provocation. We understand the goal of the Armenian side  by creating such false news, they first want to belittle the combat capability of the Azerbaijani Army, which is now fulfilling the task of restoring its territorial integrity with dignity, and also to create the impression that the conflict is growing, that third countries are joining it. They are trying to attract as many countries as possible in order to justify their provocation. Therefore, I declare to you with full responsibility: Turkey is not a party to the conflict, does not participate in it in any way, and there is no need for this.

Host: Ilham Heydarovich, is your country ready to move towards the Kazan formula, within the framework of which Armenia must liberate several districts, or any other formula? What can be done in principle now? How can the situation be reversed if the conflict in Karabakh and Karabakh proper has been burning or at least smoldering for as many as 30 years? What to do?

President Ilham Aliyev: You know, Azerbaijan has always shown constructiveness on the negotiation track. And the co-chairs of the Minsk Group, who are responsible for the mediation mission, can confirm this. In particular, over the past two years, we have repeatedly stated, both myself and other officials, that we are committed to the principles of settlement that have been developed over the years and which the Minsk Group and its co-chairs consider the basis for the negotiating process. Moreover, we have stated repeatedly in the past two years and before that we are committed to the format of the negotiations. Negotiations are underway between Armenia and Azerbaijan. There are only two sides to the conflict. Sometimes, when talking about the conflict, there is a mention of all sides. This is an incorrect definition. Not all sides. There are only two sides  Armenia and Azerbaijan. But what has been happening in recent years, after the Soros coup which was carried out by the current government in Armenia? The Armenian prime minister publicly declares that Karabakh is Armenia, full stop. In this case, what kind of negotiations can we talk about? After all, the essence of the principles developed by the OSCE Minsk Group is that the territories around the former Nagorno-Karabakh autonomous region should be transferred to Azerbaijan. And if he says that Karabakh is Armenia and, in addition, that we have to negotiate with the so-called puppet regime of Nagorno-Karabakh, thereby trying to undermine the format of negotiations that has already existed for 20 years, it means that Armenia deliberately disrupts the negotiations and puts forward unacceptable demands. When the Minsk Group recently began to speak more actively about who is still an obstacle to the settlement, they resorted to provocations like the one on 27 September. Before that, on 12 July, our positions at the state border were attacked. After that, on 23 August, when an Armenian sabotage group was captured, its leader was captured on the line of contact. Everything is being done to disrupt the negotiations, then accuse Azerbaijan, then involve third parties and thereby disrupt the negotiations. Because the Armenian side wants to maintain the status quo. The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group represented by the presidents of Russia, France and the United States have repeatedly made statements that the status quo is unacceptable. And this means that the territories under occupation must be returned to Azerbaijan. We are committed to negotiations, but we see completely opposite actions from the Armenian side.

Host: Please tell us, Mr. President, what happened on Sunday, what provoked such a large-scale and bloody confrontation?

President Ilham Aliyev: You know, Armenia had been moving towards this Sunday, towards what happened on Sunday for several months. If you trace the chronology of their actions and statements, you will clearly see that they deliberately went for this provocation. Not so long ago, speaking at the UN General Assembly, I openly said that Armenia was preparing for war and it must be stopped. In July, they launched an armed attack on our settlements at the state border. This is far from the conflict zone. One civilian and several servicemen were killed then. The clashes lasted four days, and since we did not have and do not have any military targets on the territory of Armenia, as soon as the Armenian armed forces were driven back from our territory, the fire was ceased by mutual agreement. Then, as I said, a sabotage group infiltrated our territory and was neutralized. Then the Armenian side publicly and defiantly announced the resettlement of Armenians from Lebanon to the occupied territories and to our ancient Azerbaijani city of Shusha, which is a war crime. This is a violation of the Geneva Convention. This is done demonstratively. Prior to that, they held the so-called swearing-in ceremony for the so-called leader of the criminal Nagorno-Karabakh regime in Shusha, an ancient pearl of Azerbaijani culture. All these are deliberate provocations against us, attempts to drag us into conflict and provoke retaliatory actions. We showed restraint, constructiveness and common sense, but when they failed, they made this attempt. Moreover, another reason is the internal political crisis that exists in Armenia. After all, there is a Soros regime in Armenia today. The coup that failed in Belarus was successful in Yerevan two years ago. Today the Armenian leader in the person of Pashinyan is Soros' henchman, a man who made a lot of promises and who cannot fulfill them, and the country is in crisis.

So he needed an external factor, some kind of a mess, so to speak, in order to divert the attention of the population, which he succeeded in doing. Moreover, literally two days before they attacked us, the leader of the main opposition party in Armenia was arrested again. So, the dictatorial and despotic regime of Pashinyan eliminated the entire opposition in his country and is now demonstrating aggression against the Azerbaijani people again.

Host: Your position is clear. Many thanks! Can you please say quite briefly: yes or no. Are there fighters from Syria on the front right now?

President Ilham Aliyev: No! This is more fake news. There are no fighters from Syria. There is no evidence, no proof. This has been introduced by Armenian propaganda and circulates through different websites and different media. There is no need for this. Azerbaijan has a trained army and a very large mobilization reserve. Just yesterday, I announced partial mobilization, we are calling tens of thousands of reservists under arms, and with a population of 10 million versus 2 million in Armenia we have no need for human resources. Therefore, we are able to stand up for ourselves and punish the aggressor so that he doesnt venture even to look in our direction.

Host: Thank you very much! Ilham Aliyev was on the line with us from Baku. Peace to you. Good bye!

President Ilham Aliyev: Thank you! Good bye!

Host: Now we are being joined by Yerevan. The Armenian leader, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan is on the line. Nikol Vovayevich, hello. First of all, we would like to ask you to comment on what is happening right now. There is some very disturbing news coming in.

Nikol Pashinyan: This morning the news is that Azerbaijan bombed villages directly on the territory of the Republic of Armenia. And before that, on 27 September, the Armed Forces of Azerbaijan launched a full-scale military aggression against Nagorno-Karabakh. For three days, they have been bombing the settlements of Nagorno-Karabakh using artillery and multiple launch rocket systems. Unfortunately, we have casualties not only among the military, but also among the civilian population. A very important nuance is that Turkey is actually involved in this process. According to our reliable information, military instructors and high-ranking military personnel are now in the command posts of Azerbaijan and in some places they even direct military operations. Another very important nuance  there have already been many publications in international media outlets that Turkey is recruiting mercenaries in Syria and transporting them to Azerbaijan to participate in the war against Nagorno-Karabakh and the Republic of Armenia. By the way, there is information that right in Azerbaijani settlements there were some clashes between these mercenaries and local residents, because these mercenaries are trying to impose Sharia law in these villages. They go into shops and demand that these shops stop selling alcoholic products, etc.

Host: Mr. Pashinyan, the news has just come in that a Turkish F-16 shot down a Su-25 of the Armenian Air Force. Moreover, the news came in with reference to the Armenian Ministry of Defense. The pilot died. Are you aware of this? What can this mean if planes of Armenia and Turkey are already colliding in the sky?

Nikol Pashinyan: This is a fact that has already taken place and is yet another proof of what I was talking about. You know, it is obvious that both Armenia and the Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh are under the direct threat of Turkey now. Turkey, according to our information, is looking for a reason for wider involvement in this conflict. According to our information, they are looking for an excuse to bring their troops to Nakhchivan. It is an Azerbaijani enclave bordering Turkey, Armenia and Iran. Although we have information here that some units of the Turkish army are already present there. In general, this is no secret. Turkish troops have already been in Azerbaijan since August. They began joint military exercises, and this war began as a continuation of these military exercises.

Host: Nikolay Vovayevich, many experts these days are formulating and explaining everything that is now happening in Nagorno-Karabakh quite rigidly. The word war is floating around. To what extent is it correct and appropriate to use this word and is it possible to do at least something in order to stop the bloodshed and stop the fire?

Nikol Pashinyan: Well, of course, this is the correct wording. Because there is a war going on. There is a lot of destruction, casualties and a huge number of military personnel involved, and this is a very important nuance for us. As you know, at the beginning of the 20th century, the first genocide of the 20th century took place. This happened in the Ottoman Empire, and the Armenian people fell victim to that genocide. Therefore, we all perceive this as an existential threat to our people. In fact, we perceive it as a war that was declared to the Armenian people. Our people are now simply forced to exercise their right to self-defense. What can we do? The international community must resolutely condemn the aggressive actions and aggression of Azerbaijan, condemn the actions of Turkey, demand that Turkey withdraw from this region altogether, because Turkey's military presence in the South Caucasus does not promise anything good. This can lead to further escalation and an increase in the scale of this military action, this war. The international community must take specific steps to force Turkey to withdraw from the South Caucasus and force Azerbaijan to stop aggression and aggressive actions, military operations.

Host: Prime Minister, we will not detain you any longer. We know that you need to run to a meeting with the military. A very short question: what negotiation formats can work now? Or have all the previous agreements already been thrown into the past  relatively speaking, the Kazan format, according to which you must liberate several districts? Have all these agreements been erased or is it still possible to move along them?

Nikol Pashinyan: You know, as far as the format of negotiations is concerned, we believe that the negotiations should continue where they were started  with the co-chairmanship of the OSCE Minsk Group. As for specific negotiations, negotiations need to have an appropriate atmosphere. It is very difficult to talk about negotiations, especially about their content, when military action is taking place. First of all, violence must be stopped, and it must be stated. Azerbaijan must accept the formula that there is no military solution for the Nagorno-Karabakh problem. After all, this war did not start from scratch. For a long time, the Azerbaijani government has been developing a rhetoric of hatred against Armenians and has been threatening for a long time, contrary to international appeals, that it is going to resolve the Nagorno-Karabakh issue by military means. I hope that at least these events and the situation we now have will convince Azerbaijan that there is no military solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Because the Armed Forces of Azerbaijan have failed to fulfill their task. I think the military-political leadership could not achieve any success in the military sense at the front. That is, they could not resolve their problem. I hope this will convince Azerbaijan that there is no military solution to this conflict. There is only a peaceful and negotiated solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, and any solution must be acceptable not only to Azerbaijan, but also to Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh. After all, I want to state that when I became prime minister, I proposed and continued to offer a specific formula for resolving this conflict that any solution should be acceptable to Armenia, Nagorno-Karabakh and Azerbaijan. The names of the countries doesnt matter. I mean that this solution should be equally acceptable. Unfortunately, the government of Azerbaijan, the President of Azerbaijan want to reach a solution that will be acceptable only to Azerbaijan. That is impossible. A compromise is needed, and an atmosphere is needed for a compromise, and to do that Azerbaijan must immediately stop its aggression against Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia because Azerbaijan started it. By the way, and it was a pre-planned operation, and there is no doubt that this operation was planned during the military exercises in conjunction with the Turkish armed forces. Thank you.

Host: Thank you very much! Let's proceed from the fact that the option should be really acceptable both for Armenia and, of course, for Azerbaijan. There is no military solution to this conflict. Only politics and the diplomatic path. Thank you!

X X X

Political and military experts then joined the discussions.

Igor Korotchenko, Editor-in-Chief of the "Natsionalnaya oborona" magazine:

- I listened to the speeches of the leaders of Azerbaijan and Armenia very attentively. Undoubtedly, it was an absolutely clear, logical, precise and consistent speech by Ilham Aliyev. This is the MGIMO school. MGIMO trains great personnel! Now to the essence of what has been said. President Ilham Aliyev is right when he said absolutely correctly that with the current level of development of intelligence technologies  satellite, electronic, undercover  it is impossible to conceal the fact that if Turkish fighters were really deployed to the territory of Azerbaijan, this would be exposed quite easily by any country that has satellite intelligence... Today the Nagorno-Karabakh region is closely monitored by all the leading countries of the world. I would like to draw the attention of my colleagues to the following. We are all adherents of international law. From the point of view of the norms of international law, military action today is taking place on the territory of Azerbaijan, between the Armed Forces of Azerbaijan and Armenian military formations.




NISHAN, Sept. 29 (Xinhua) -- Experts have called for boosting exchanges, dialogue, and mutual learning between cultures at a forum held in east China's Shandong Province.



The Eighth Nishan Forum on World Civilizations was held in Qufu, the birthplace of Confucius.

The forum offered a platform for scholars and experts in cultural studies to forge better understanding on enhancing dialogues among different cultures.

Participants acknowledged that differences existing in social systems, development models, ideologies and cultures among countries should not become an obstacle for conversations.





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Photo taken on Sept. 19, 2022 shows the Shobak wind farm operated by China Three Gorges International Corporation (CTGI) in Jordan. (Xinhua/Ji Ze)

AMMAN, Sept. 29 (Xinhua) -- On the barren desert of southern Jordan, numerous towering wind turbines are working to generate the renewable energy that the country needs to spur its green transition.

One noticeable wind farm there is the Shobak wind farm, which was put into operation in 2021 by China Three Gorges International Corporation (CTGI), providing electricity to the country's network with an installed capacity of 45 megawatts.

CTGI, which acquired the wind farm in August 2021, held a strong belief in the importance of Jordan's new energy market, including wind and solar power projects, Jiang Songwei, project engineer of CTGI Jordan, told Xinhua in an interview at the Shobak wind farm.

Mahmoud Alhamaideh, site manager of the Shobak wind power project told Xinhua, that the Shobak project is not only providing green and clean energy to Jordan, but also helping mitigate CO2 emissions, save water consumption, and provide much-needed jobs for the local communities in the area.

"This project is supposed to save around 75,000 tons of CO2 and around one 30,000 cubic meters of water," he said, adding that the project has already created more than 100 jobs for the local community.

He indicated that the project could power around 30,000 Jordanian households in a year.

In addition to the wind farm in Shobak, the Chinese company also operates another wind farm and a solar power plant in Jordan, said Mohammad Abu Atieh, country manager of CTGI Jordan.

The three projects, with a capacity of 156 megawatts, could provide Jordan with 440 million kWh of clean energy in one year, the manager said.

According to Jordan's Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, renewable energy sources contributed around 29 percent of Jordan's total energy output as of the end of July 2022, and the country aims to increase the proportion to 50 percent in 2030.

Chinese companies including the CTGI are playing a critical role in Jordan's aspirations of a greener future through environment-friendly power projects, Abu Atieh said.

For Jiang, Chinese investments have also brought various benefits to the local market.

"We brought China's advanced management experience to the project here and also absorbed the ideas of local management," he added.

Zhao Chongchong, the project representative of CTGI Jordan, said that Chinese enterprises not only helped to develop the renewable energy industry in Jordan but also engaged in empowering local youth by teaching them technical skills.

"We have signed internship contracts with local universities in Jordan, offering them technical training every year," Zhao said.

Nezar Alkhoshaman, the site engineer for the operation and maintenance of the Shobak wind power project, agreed with him.

"By solving the project's technical issues with my Chinese colleagues, my technical skills have been greatly improved," he said. 

Jiang Songwei (R), project engineer of China Three Gorges International Corporation (CTGI) Jordan, communicates with his colleague Nezar Alkhoshaman, the site engineer for the operation and maintenance of the Shobak wind power project, at the Shobak wind farm in Jordan, Sept. 19, 2022. (Xinhua/Ji Ze)
BEIJING, Sept. 29 (Xinhua) -- Zhang Bencai, former chief procurator of the Shanghai People's Procuratorate in east China, has been expelled from the Communist Party of China (CPC) and dismissed from public office over serious violations of Party discipline and laws, the country's top anti-graft body announced Thursday.

The punishment was handed down following an investigation by the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and the National Commission of Supervision upon the approval of the CPC Central Committee.

The investigation found that Zhang failed to perform his duties, as well as to fulfill principal responsibilities for full and strict Party self-governance. He was also found to have engaged in superstitious activities and resisted probes into his problems.

Zhang failed to report personal matters to authorities according to rules, and connived with his relatives to seek profits by taking advantage of his position, according to the investigation.

He interfered in judicial activities in violation of regulations, which undermined judicial justice, took advantage of his position to arrange jobs for others, benefit others in project contracting and enterprise management, and illegally accepted huge amounts of property in return.

In line with Party regulations and laws, a decision was made to expel Zhang from the Party, remove him from public office, confiscate his illicit gains, and hand over his case to the procuratorate for criminal investigation and prosecution. 
WASHINGTON, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- "Extremely dangerous" Ian made landfall as a Category 4 hurricane in southwestern Florida, the southeasternmost U.S. state, on Wednesday afternoon, according to the National Hurricane Center (NHC).

Landfall occurred near Cayo Costa, an island in Florida's Lee County, around 3:05 p.m. ET (1905 GMT) with maximum sustained winds of 240 kilometers per hour.

Ian was causing "catastrophic" storm surges, winds, and flooding in the Florida Peninsula, an earlier NHC update read.

Catastrophic storm surge inundation of 12 to 18 feet (approximately 3.66 to 5.49 meters) above the ground level is expected somewhere between Englewood to Bonita Beach, including Charlotte Harbor, forecasters said.

Weakening is expected after landfall, but Ian could be near hurricane strength when it moves over Florida's east coast on Thursday, and when it approaches the northeastern Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina coasts late Friday.

As of Wednesday afternoon, more than 814,000 customers are without power in Florida due to the storm, according to PowerOutage.us.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said Wednesday morning that Ian was expected to be a "historic" storm with "a profound impact" on the state.

Fleets of highwater vehicles, 42,000 linemen, 7,000 members of the National Guards, and 179 aircraft had been mobilized in response to the hurricane's impact, DeSantis tweeted.

U.S. President Joe Biden said from the White House on Wednesday that the federal government was "on alert and in action" as the storm was closing in on Florida.

"This storm is incredibly dangerous, to state the obvious. It's life-threatening," Biden warned.

"You should obey all warnings and directions from emergency officials," he continued. "Don't take anything for granted. Use their judgment, not yours. Evacuate when ordered. Be prepared."

The U.S. Coast Guard is searching for the 23 migrants whose vessel sank off the coast of Florida amid Hurricane Ian, an official said on Wednesday afternoon.

Walter Slosar, chief patrol agent for the U.S. Border Patrol's Miami sector, tweeted that agents had responded to a migrant landing in Stock Island, Florida's Monroe County.

Slosar said that four "Cuban migrants swam to shore after their vessel sank due to inclement weather" and that a search and rescue operation was underway for 23 individuals believed to have been on the same boat. 
BEIJING, Sept. 29 (Xinhua) -- Zhang Yongze, former vice chairman of the government of southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, has been indicted on charges of taking bribes.

Zhang took advantage of his former positions and power to seek benefits for others in areas including project contracting and personnel promotion, and illegally accepted a large amount of money and valuables in return, according to the indictment.

The National Commission of Supervision had concluded its probe into Zhang's case. Upon the designation of the Supreme People's Procuratorate, the Xi'an Municipal People's Procuratorate in Shaanxi Province reviewed the case and initiated a public prosecution against Zhang at the Intermediate People's Court of Xi'an.

The prosecutors had informed the defendant of his litigation rights, interrogated him, and listened to the defense counsel's opinions. 
Chinese tech giant Huawei held its tenth annual European Innovation Day, with a focus on how tech innovation can contribute to digitalization, green energy transition and talent cultivation.

Produced by Xinhua Global Service








NEW DELHI, Sept. 29 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Ambassador to India Sun Weidong put forward four proposals on the development of China-India relations at a virtual event celebrating the 73rd anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China.

Delivering a speech on Tuesday, Sun said China and India are both major developing countries, and China-India relations are not only important for the two countries but also have a significant impact on the region and the world at large.

This year, China-India relations have made new progress and shown positive momentum, the Chinese ambassador said, urging both sides to maintain the momentum for improving bilateral relations and promote China-India relations back to the right track and ensure a long-term and steady relationship.

On the future development of China-India relations, Sun said firstly, the two sides should promote mutual understanding and trust.

China and India must stick to the important consensus reached between the leaders of the two countries and forge a new path for the neighboring countries to coexist in harmony and develop hand in hand.

The second proposal is to promote win-win cooperation, Sun said.

"We should focus on getting our own things done well, finding convergence of interests in our most important task which is development," he said. "We should help each other succeed and achieve mutual win-win through cooperation, instead of undercutting each other meaninglessly."

The third proposal is to properly handle differences and sensitive issues, Sun said.

Stressing that the two countries' common interests far outweigh differences, the ambassador urged both sides not to "seek minor gains at great cost," or let the differences define their relationship.

The fourth proposal is to strengthen coordination and collaboration, Sun said.

He noted that the "Asian Century" can only be fulfilled through joint development and mutually beneficial cooperation of China and India, as well as through strengthening solidarity and cooperation among Asian countries.

China and India should uphold the vision of peace, development, independence and inclusiveness, he said. "We should oppose geopolitical conflicts, bloc confrontation and exclusive 'small circles'. We should jointly safeguard stability and prosperity in Asia." 
BEIJING, Sept. 29 (Xinhua) -- China's private economy has posted rapid expansion over the past decade thanks to an improving market environment, the country's top economic planner said on Thursday.

The number of private firms more than quadrupled from 10.85 million to 44.57 million over the last 10 years as a nurturing environment for the private economy is continuously improved, the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) told a press conference.

As a result of a string of pro-market measures, China's global ranking for its business environment rose to 31st place in the latest ranking from 96th in 2013.

By the end of 2021, China had attracted more than 2.6 trillion U.S. dollars of foreign direct investment.

A growing community of Chinese firms have ventured overseas. The number of overseas Chinese-funded enterprises has increased from nearly 22,000 at the end of 2012 to more than 45,000 today, according to the NDRC. 
SEOUL, Sept. 29 (Xinhua) -- The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) fired two short-range ballistic missiles into its eastern waters, South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said Thursday.

The JCS said in a statement that it detected two short-range ballistic missiles, launched by the DPRK from the Sunchon area in South Pyongan province between 8:48 p.m. (1148 GMT) and 8:57 p.m. (1157 GMT) into the eastern waters.

The DPRK fired two short-range ballistic missiles into its eastern waters on Wednesday and one short-range ballistic missile into the eastern waters on Sunday.

In 2022 alone, the DPRK test-fired ballistic missiles 19 times and cruise missiles twice, respectively. 




BUDAPEST, Sept. 29 (Xinhua) -- Chinese tech giant Huawei held its tenth annual European Innovation Day, with a focus on how tech innovation can contribute to digitalization, green energy transition and talent cultivation.





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By Azernews

By Vugar Khalilov

Azerbaijani army private Nijat Isgandarov was wounded in shelling of the Armenian armed forces, Azernews reports, citing the Defense Ministry.

Despite the ceasefire agreement, on September 28, at about 1800 hours, units of the Armenian armed forces, using various caliber weapons subjected to fire the Azerbaijan Army positions stationed in the Alagollar direction of Kalbajar District. A serviceman of the Azerbaijan Army, Isgandarov Nijat Hidayat oglu was wounded as a result of the fire, the ministry said.

Medical assistance is being offered to the wounded servicemen. The report added that units of the Azerbaijani army took appropriate retaliatory measures to suppress the opposite side.

We declare that the entire responsibility for the incident falls on the Armenian military-political leadership that deliberately escalates the situation, the ministry stressed.

In the same line, the ministry denounced as "fake" the information circulated by Armenia alleging that the Azerbaijani army violated the ceasefire using mortars and large-caliber weapons.

By spreading such information, the Armenian Defense Ministry is trying to conceal the fact that they violated the ceasefire. We declare that the units of the Azerbaijan Army took adequate retaliatory measures only to suppress the opposing sides firing points, the ministry underlined.

Armenia periodically shells Azerbaijani military positions on liberated territories. Units of the Armenian armed forces carried out large-scale provocations along the Azerbaijani-Armenian state border in Dashkasan, Kalbajar, and Lachin directions on the night of September 12 leading to 13.

The Armenian sabotage groups mined land and supply roads linking the positions of the Azerbaijani army units in different directions, taking advantage of the area's steep topography and existing ravine gaps.

The clashes between the sides ensued due to the urgent efforts made by the Azerbaijani armed forces to quell these activities. As a result, 79 armed forces personnel were killed, the ministry detailed.

So far, the Armenian government has reported 207 losses among its own military personnel. Moreover, 293 soldiers and three civilians were wounded, and 20 soldiers were taken as prisoners.
JUBA, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- South Sudan in partnership with the African Development Bank (AfDB) on Wednesday launched a two-year program focused on boosting food production and strengthening community resilience.

Josephine Lagu, minister of Agriculture and Food Security, said the South Sudan Emergency Food Production Program (SSEFPP) will focus on the production of sorghum, cowpea and rice in the states of Northern Bahr El Ghazal, Western Bahr El Ghazal, Western Equatoria, Eastern Equatoria and Upper Nile.

"The number of counties that are going to be supported I think is about nine or more and this will be spread across our country, it is not going just to be limited to one state, as you have seen we have people who have come from Western Bahr El Ghazal, Northern Bahr El Ghazal, Jonglei, and Western Equatoria and Eastern Equatoria state," Lagu told journalists in Juba, the capital of South Sudan.

The 8.4 million U.S. dollar program is funded by AfDB through its Transition Support Facility and will be implemented by the South Sudan government and the Food Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations.

Country Representative of FAO Meschak Malo disclosed that this program aims to reduce South Sudan's current annual food deficit standing at 545,000 metric tons by increasing production within the next two years to the target of 1.3 million metric tons needed to reduce prevailing food insecurity.

He noted that the current urbanization growth in the country as it recovers from years of conflict would lead to a huge demand for wheat, adding that the wheat component needs to also be supported under this program.

South Sudan imports wheat from neighboring Sudan which in turn imports from Ukraine.

Malo disclosed that the SSEFPP program includes the distribution of seeds to farmers in the counties.

AfDB Principal Country Economist Flavio A. Soares da Gama said the program will also strengthen the resilience of food systems and mitigate short-term risks due to the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine.

"Our current strategy of AfDB that covers the period of 2022-2024 is a response to the government of South Sudan on pushing this development agenda on agriculture, and its focus on agriculture value-chain development for economic diversification and resilience," said the economist.

The UN in its South Sudan Food Security Outlook, June 2022 to January 2023, said food security is expected to deteriorate between June and September, due to the impacts of conflict and flooding, as well as global economic supply chain disruptions, which will, in turn, drive high staple food prices and limit income-earning opportunities. 
Undated file photo shows the aerial view of the Guantian relics site in Sangzhi County, central China's Hunan Province. (Hunan provincial cultural relics and archaeology research institute/Handout via Xinhua)

CHANGSHA, Sept. 29 (Xinhua) -- When the villagers heard that the archaeological excavation was drawing to a close, they brought a variety of foods to the site, hoping to prepare a lavish farewell meal for the members of the archaeological team, having spent the previous half year with them.

At the Guantian relics site in Sangzhi County in central China's Hunan Province, archaeologists have found a large-scale ancient ironware production and processing workshop dating back to the Han and Jin dynasties (202 B.C.- 420 A.D.).

"Since 2015, the Guantian site has been excavated three times," said Mo Linheng, head of the archaeological team. Mo added that because there was so much work to do in the field, the archaeologists had hired a group of villagers who lived nearby to assist them with the work. After learning the basics of archaeology, the villagers took part in the excavation process.

Once the sun went down, locals and archaeologists huddled to discuss their experiences during the excavation.

"I participated in all three excavations!" a villager named Zhu Jiafa said in a toast to each member of the archaeological team.

"At first, I just wanted to make money to support my family, but then I fell in love with archaeology!" said 59-year-old Zhu, who expressed his thanks to the archaeologists. "Thank you for helping me learn more about my hometown. The land where I was born and raised has so many 'treasures,' I am so proud!"

So far, about 3,300 square meters of the site have been excavated, and iron objects including knives and metallurgical remains such as copper ingots have been unearthed.

"Every time I unearthed a new artifact, I felt so excited," said a villager named Chen Guinian.

She clearly recalled the first time she had uncovered a precious relic. "When I yelled with excitement, everyone ran to observe." At that time, Chen found a pot containing more than 20 coins under the supervision of an archaeological team.

"I have been a farmer my entire life, and soil used to be the most common thing I saw. After participating in archaeological work, though, I feel a newfound appreciation for the soil!" Chen said, adding that cultural relics imparted a further significance to the soil.

"When I found an artifact, I would imagine how the ancient people used it. It's really fascinating!" she said.

The villagers engaged in archaeological excavations must crouch for a considerable amount of time in the field, even in hot weather.

"The villagers were really committed to their work," said Xiao Hang, a Ph.D. student at Sichuan University, also a member of the team. Xiao said the findings at the relics site filled a gap in the study of iron smelting in the Wuling Mountains area during the Han and Jin dynasties.

For the villagers, however, what affected them most was their increased understanding of their local culture, as well as their pride in the culture.

"The villagers are near the archaeological remains, and once they develop professional techniques and skills, they can assist with digs and help as guardians of cultural relics," said Mo. 

Villagers and members of the archaeological team pose for a group photo in Guantian relics site in Sangzhi County, central China's Hunan Province, Sept. 5, 2022. (Xinhua)

Photo taken on Sept. 7, 2022 shows the Guantian relics site in Sangzhi County, central China's Hunan Province. (Xinhua/Zhang Ge)
People take part in a demonstration at Wenceslas Square in Prague, the Czech Republic, on Sept. 28, 2022. A major demonstration took place in the Czech capital Prague on Wednesday, calling for the country's direct contracts with gas suppliers at low prices, military neutrality, and political independence in decision-making with regard to the European Union (EU). (Photo by Dana Kesnerova/Xinhua)

PRAGUE, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- A major demonstration took place in the Czech capital Prague on Wednesday, calling for the country's direct contracts with gas suppliers at low prices, military neutrality, and political independence in decision-making with regard to the European Union (EU).

The demonstration was organized by a group called The Czech Republic in the First Place, which has called for the resignation of the government over its alleged failure to manage the ongoing energy crisis.

"We want to make a complete reversal of the political trajectory in our country. We want to achieve this change in a non-violent way," organizer Jiri Havel was quoted as saying by the Czech News Agency.

Police said tens of thousands of participants attended the rally at Prague's Wenceslas Square on Wednesday afternoon.

One demonstrator said the Czech government "fights against its own people and supports Ukraine; our people are poor, single people are poor, pensioners are poor."

Another said that the "politicians who are in the government today are not politicians, they are actors who play a role for Brussels."

Demonstrations with the same appeal also took place in other Czech cities including the second biggest city Brno on Wednesday.

In early September, a similar demonstration attended by about 70,000 people was held in the capital. 
BAGHDAD, Sept. 29 (Xinhua) -- The Iraqi Foreign Ministry on Thursday summoned the Iranian ambassador and protested against Iran's cross-border bombardments in the semi-autonomous region of Kurdistan in northern Iraq.

"The ministry summoned the Iranian ambassador to Iraq, due to Iranian forces' bombardments with missiles and drones on cities and villages in the Kurdistan region of Iraq, over the past days, especially on Wednesday morning," the ministry said in a statement.

Earlier on Wednesday, Iranian forces carried out cross-border bombardments in Kurdistan in northern Iraq, leaving 13 people dead, including a pregnant woman; and 58 injured, most of whom were civilians, the regional Kurdish Counter-Terrorism Service (CTS) said in a statement.

The Iraqi Foreign Ministry on Wednesday strongly condemned the bombardment that "targeted four areas in Iraq's Kurdistan region and resulted in many deaths and injuries."

Later in the day, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for a halt to the escalation in Kurdistan and respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Iraq.

For Iran's part, the commander of the Iranian Islamic Revolution Guards Corps Ground Force Mohammad Pakpour said the bombardment carried out by his forces is an "anti-terrorist operation," according to the report of official IRNA news agency on Thursday.

"A number of 73 surface-to-surface ballistic missiles and dozens of destruction drones have precisely struck the terrorist positions and targets which led to their complete destruction," Pakpour said.

Iranian and Turkish forces frequently attack the military bases of their Kurdish opposition parties in Kurdistan in northern and northeastern Iraq, accusing them of carrying out attacks against their home countries from the Iraqi Kurdish region. 
Starbucks has celebrated its 6,000th store in the Chinese mainland, located in downtown Shanghai.





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GENEVA, Sept. 29 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese envoy on Wednesday called on the United States, the United Kingdom and other Western countries to reflect on their colonial history and correct past mistakes.

Li Song, deputy head of the Chinese Mission to the United Nations (UN) in Geneva, told a panel discussion at the ongoing 51st session of the UN Human Rights Council that colonialism is "the historical sin" of those Western countries, "the darkest moment in the history of the promotion and protection of global human rights and a scar that cannot be healed in the history of human civilization."

"Although mankind has entered the 21st century, the legacy of colonialism still exists widely with far-reaching impact," he said.

He called for full respect for the human rights development path chosen independently by former colonized countries, noting that in the current democratic state of international relations, no country should intimidate, oppress or preach to other countries.

"How can those former colonial countries claim themselves as 'human rights defenders?' We urge relevant countries to abandon the practice of interfering in other countries' internal affairs under the pretext of human rights, not to politicize and instrumentalize human rights issues, and not to force regime change in the name of human rights," he said.

The Chinese envoy also called for increased economic assistance to former colonized countries.

"Bearing in mind that the prosperity of former colonial countries was built on the sacrifices of former colonized countries, the economic assistance provided by former colonial countries is not a favor bestowed, but an obligation to be fulfilled," he said.

He urged developed countries to take more concrete measures in debt relief, development assistance, technology transfer to help the general realization of the right to development of former colonized countries in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Calling for eradicating the ideological roots of colonialism, Li also told the panel discussion that colonialism seems to have become a historical vocabulary, while it remains in today's world in various forms, including hegemonism, racism, and xenophobia.

"All parties should uphold the concept of building a community with a shared future for mankind, carry forward common values of all mankind, and promote the healthy development of the global human rights cause," he said. 
UNITED NATIONS, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- Hostilities and a deepening economic, health and water crisis create a dire situation for civilians in Northwest Syria, UN humanitarians said on Wednesday.

Up to 4.1 million people -- 80 percent of them women and children -- rely on aid to meet their most basic needs. Some 2.8 million people are internally displaced in the region, said the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

"Every month, we and our humanitarian partners reach 2.4 million people with life-saving aid crossing from Turkey to Northwest Syria through the Bab al-Hawa border crossing," the office said.

Airstrikes reportedly affected five camps for internally displaced people in northern Idlib near the Bab al-Hawa crossing on Tuesday, injuring a woman, a child and seven men, OCHA said.

Another airstrike struck within 500 meters of a secondary school and two health centers, damaging one of the centers, it said.

The UN Human Rights office reports that since the beginning of this year, at least 118 civilians have been killed in the region, including 49 children, and another 193 people injured.

The United Nations continues to call on all parties to implement their obligations under international humanitarian law to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure. 
GENEVA, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) held a panel discussion on Wednesday on the impact of social and economic recovery plans in the COVID-19 context on the rights in general and food security in particular of the indigenous peoples.

The participants then also held an interactive dialogue with the Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, a UN body that is mandated to deal specifically with indigenous peoples' issues.

Jose Francisco Cali Tzay, UN special rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples, said the protection of indigenous territories was vital to recovery as it promoted sustainable livelihoods and increased resilience in the face of future pandemics.

"The lack of protection of indigenous land led to deforestation, violence, killings, pollution, and forced eviction of indigenous peoples," he said.

For indigenous peoples, he told the Council, land is everything, and the indigenous peoples over generations had learnt to live with the land in a mutually respectful way. They were restorers, protectors and observers, but they were also those who suffered the most from crises and food insecurity.

"States should adopt dedicated measures to ensure that indigenous peoples are further protected, with the agreement and participation of the groups concerned, including them in the decision-making processes, and leaving no-one behind, in line with the Sustainable Development Goals," he stressed.

Binota Moy Dhamai, chair of the UN Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, said that since the outbreak of the pandemic, numerous reports have attested to the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on indigenous peoples, globally exposing the pre-existing structural inequalities.

"The Expert Mechanism recognized that indigenous peoples had been hit the hardest by (COVID-19's) socio-economic consequences and inadequate access to health care and other key services," he said.

Myrna Cunningham, first vice president of the Fund for the Development of Indigenous Peoples of Latin America and the Caribbean, said that the voice of indigenous peoples was fundamental because they held the key to a transformative recovery based on their knowledge, their collective consciousness and worldview.

Yon Fernandez De Larrinoa, head of the Indigenous Peoples Unit in the Partnerships and United Nations Collaboration Division of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), said that the food and knowledge systems of indigenous peoples needed to be protected in order to protect the remaining biodiversity, with specific attention given to indigenous women.

Ilze Brands Kehris, assistant UN secretary general for human rights, said that since the outbreak of COVID-19, numerous reports have attested that the gains of many indigenous peoples around the globe have been reversed.

"Indigenous peoples are key partners in the process of achieving the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals and their meaningful participation, including of indigenous women, needs to be an overarching principle," she said. 
Photo taken on Sept. 29, 2022 shows the commemorative stamps marking the 50th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic relations between Japan and China in Tokyo, Japan. Japan released a set of commemorative stamps on Thursday to mark the 50th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic relations between Japan and China, with pictures of giant pandas eating bamboo surrounded by crimson peonies and pale pink cherry blossoms. Issued by Japan Post, the two stamps share a similar design featuring the ink wash painting style. One stamp shows a picture of a pair of adult giant pandas and the other depicts an adult giant panda with a pair of adorable giant panda cubs. (Xinhua/Hua Yi)

TOKYO, Sept. 29 (Xinhua) -- Japan released a set of commemorative stamps on Thursday to mark the 50th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic relations between Japan and China, with pictures of giant pandas eating bamboo surrounded by crimson peonies and pale pink cherry blossoms.

Issued by Japan Post, the two stamps share a similar design featuring the ink wash painting style. One stamp shows a picture of a pair of adult giant pandas and the other depicts an adult giant panda with a pair of adorable giant panda cubs.

Akira Tamaki, designer of this set of stamps and chief stamp designer at Japan Post Co. Ltd., introduced his design concept to Xinhua recently.

In September 1972, Japan and China normalized their diplomatic relations, and about a month later, two giant pandas Kang Kang and Lan Lan arrived at the Ueno Zoo in Tokyo, setting off an unprecedented "panda craze" in Japan, Tamaki said.

Since then, Japan and giant pandas have formed an indissoluble bond, Tamaki said. "It is considered a symbol of the normalization of Japan-China diplomatic relations."

The cultural exchange between Japan and China has a long history, said Tamaki, noting that the ink wash painting applied in the design of this stamp set was originally a representative painting technique in China, and it was later passed on to Japan, where it also gained considerable development.

Nowadays, the ink wash painting has become a common culture between Japan and China, and is very suitable to represent the significant 50th anniversary of the normalization of Japan-China diplomatic ties, Tamaki said.

Surprisingly, Tamaki, who had never done ink wash paintings before, taught himself from scratch in order to make the stamps. At first, he thought the ink wash painting was not difficult to learn, but soon after, he found it far more complex than he expected, and in fact unendingly miraculous and mysterious.

"There are many kinds of paper both in Japan and China," Tamaki said. "You need to try a lot before identifying the most suitable one. So I bought many different kinds of paper and ink, and observed the ink color and the effusion effect on different papers."

After nearly a thousand tests, Tamaki finally chose Red Star brand paper made in China and ink from Japan's Nara Prefecture.

It took Tamaki four months to finalize the design, and he said all efforts were well worth it. "This set of stamps is a joint work of Chinese paper and Japanese ink, also an epitome of the cultural exchanges between Japan and China."

The commemorative stamps are Tamaki's first Chinese-related work in nearly 30 years of stamp design. Through the design process, he experienced the breadth and depth of the culture nurtured by China and Japan, and no matter how the times change, this common culture between Japan and China will never change, Tamaki said.

"I hope this set of stamps will promote friendship between Japan and China," he added. 

Photo taken on Sept. 29, 2022 shows the commemorative stamps marking the 50th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic relations between Japan and China in Tokyo, Japan. Japan released a set of commemorative stamps on Thursday to mark the 50th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic relations between Japan and China, with pictures of giant pandas eating bamboo surrounded by crimson peonies and pale pink cherry blossoms. Issued by Japan Post, the two stamps share a similar design featuring the ink wash painting style. One stamp shows a picture of a pair of adult giant pandas and the other depicts an adult giant panda with a pair of adorable giant panda cubs. (Xinhua/Hua Yi)
YAOUNDE, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- Cameroonian authorities have banned public gatherings in Bamenda, the capital of the restive Northwest Region, where armed separatist conflicts are underway.

Simon Emile Mooh, the prefect of the Mezam division where Bamenda is located, said in a statement issued Wednesday that "undeclared meetings and public manifestations" have been banned in the city until further notice.

The statement came after separatists announced plans to hold a public manifestation Saturday to mark the "independence" of the country's two Anglophone regions of Northwest and Southwest.

Any individual or group that violates the provisions of this order "shall be punished in accordance with the rules and regulations in force," Mooh warned.

Bamenda, the most populous and largest city in English-speaking Cameroon, is also the stronghold of separatist fighters who want to establish an independent state in the country's two Anglophone regions and have been clashing with government forces since 2017. 
By Azernews

By Vugar Khalilov

The Azerbaijani-Georgian mutual interests serve to ensure regional peace, stability, and security, Azernews reports, citing Azerbaijani First Deputy Defense Minister, Col-Gen Karim Valiyev.

Valiyev made the remarks at the meeting with Georgian Defense Minister Juansher Burchuladze as part of his official visit to the country on September 28.

Conveying the Azerbaijani defense ministers greeting to his Georgian counterpart, Valiyev stressed that military cooperation between the two countries is at a high level.

During the discussion, it was stressed that Azerbaijani-Georgian relations are founded on friendship and mutual trust and that regular encounters of the heads of states contribute to the further strengthening of the ties.

The sides stressed the need for expanding the Azerbaijani-Georgian military cooperation and had a comprehensive exchange of views on other matters of mutual concern.

Following the meeting, Valiyev visited Tbilisi's Heroes Square and laid a wreath at the memorial of those who sacrificed their lives for Georgia's territorial integrity.
BEIRUT, Sept. 29 (Xinhua) -- The Lebanese parliament on Thursday failed to elect a new president for Lebanon to replace incumbent President Michel Aoun when his term ends on Oct. 31.

The first round of voting was attended by 122 parliament members, with 36 votes for Michel Mouawad, 11 for Salim Edde, 63 blank votes, and 12 uncounted votes.

A second round didn't take place because the session lost the quorum.

Parliamentary speaker Nabih Berri said he would call for another session once a consensus is reached on a presidential candidate.

Lebanon has been suffering from an unprecedented financial crisis, and the election of a new president provides an opportunity to adjust the country's situation for the next six years and set the country on the path to recovery. 
BEIJING, Sept. 29 (Xinhua) -- The National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee's inspection team on the enforcement of the Foreign Investment Law Thursday held the second plenary session to review and discuss a report on the inspection work.

Vice chairpersons of the NPC Standing Committee Wan Exiang, Chen Zhu, Wang Dongming, and Padma Choling attended the meeting.

After listening to relevant reports, Chen said the inspection achieved positive results as it focused on primary issues and challenging difficulties and prompted the solid implementation of related legal provisions.

In the next step, the inspection team should carefully study and adopt suggestions on improving the law's enforcement and track the progress of follow-up rectification, Chen said.

Chen also urged more efforts to implement the Foreign Investment Law to foster a market-oriented and law-based international business environment. 
TEHRAN, Sept. 29 (Xinhua) -- Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi said Wednesday night that Tehran is ready to reach a "good agreement" on the revival of the 2015 nuclear deal provided that such an agreement would be a "fair" one.

Raisi made the remarks in a televised interview while commenting on his meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron held on the sidelines of the 77th annual session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, according to the Iranian presidency's website.

The Iranian president said he had told Macron during the meeting that a "good and fair" nuclear agreement "is quite within reach."

Raisi noted that Iran, in its last response to the European Union's proposed draft of a final nuclear agreement, highlighted the necessity of receiving reliable guarantees from the other sides, including ensuring their continued commitment to a potential agreement, and resolving the safeguards issues regarding the country's nuclear program lest the Western sides would issue resolutions against Tehran under the "political" pretexts pertaining to the safeguards agreements.

Raisi also said that in his meeting with Macron, he had stressed that Iran's preconditions for a nuclear agreement are the resolution of the safeguards issues and sustainable removal of the U.S. sanctions on Tehran.

In July 2015, Iran signed the nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), with world powers, agreeing to curb its nuclear program in return for removing sanctions on the country. However, former U.S. President Donald Trump pulled Washington out of the agreement and reimposed unilateral sanctions on Tehran, prompting the latter to drop some of its commitments under the pact.

The talks on the JCPOA's revival began in April 2021 in Vienna but were suspended in March this year because of political differences between Tehran and Washington. The latest round of the nuclear talks was held in the Austrian capital in early August after a five-month hiatus.

On Aug. 8, the EU put forward its final text of the draft decision on reviving the JCPOA. Iran and the United States later indirectly exchanged views on the EU proposal in a process that has so far failed to produce any results.

The IAEA has recently reiterated that Tehran had not provided "technically credible explanations" for uranium particles found at three undeclared sites. 
A heavy truck is assembled on the assembly line of the heavy truck capacity expansion project at the Shaanxi Automobile Holding Group in Xi'an, northwest China's Shaanxi Province, Sept. 27, 2022. (Xinhua/Liu Xiao)

XI'AN, Sept. 29 (Xinhua) -- Shaanxi Automobile Holding Group is a leading enterprise in equipment manufacturing in Shaanxi Province, northwest China. Since the beginning of this year, the overseas orders of Shaanxi Automobile have continued to grow. The heavy trucks produced here are exported to more than 130 countries and regions. An expansion project has been put into production recently to boost the capacity.

Employees work on the assembly line of the heavy truck capacity expansion project at the Shaanxi Automobile Holding Group in Xi'an, northwest China's Shaanxi Province, Sept. 27, 2022. (Xinhua/Liu Xiao)

A heavy truck is assembled on the assembly line of the heavy truck capacity expansion project at the Shaanxi Automobile Holding Group in Xi'an, northwest China's Shaanxi Province, Sept. 27, 2022. (Xinhua/Liu Xiao)

A heavy truck undergoes a test on the assembly line of the heavy truck capacity expansion project at the Shaanxi Automobile Holding Group in Xi'an, northwest China's Shaanxi Province, Sept. 27, 2022. (Xinhua/Liu Xiao)

Employees work on the assembly line of the heavy truck capacity expansion project at the Shaanxi Automobile Holding Group in Xi'an, northwest China's Shaanxi Province, Sept. 27, 2022. (Xinhua/Liu Xiao)

Employees work on the assembly line of the heavy truck capacity expansion project at the Shaanxi Automobile Holding Group in Xi'an, northwest China's Shaanxi Province, Sept. 27, 2022. (Xinhua/Liu Xiao)

A heavy truck undergoes a test on the assembly line of the heavy truck capacity expansion project at the Shaanxi Automobile Holding Group in Xi'an, northwest China's Shaanxi Province, Sept. 27, 2022. (Xinhua/Liu Xiao)

A heavy truck is assembled on the assembly line of the heavy truck capacity expansion project at the Shaanxi Automobile Holding Group in Xi'an, northwest China's Shaanxi Province, Sept. 27, 2022. (Xinhua/Liu Xiao)

An employee works on the assembly line of the heavy truck capacity expansion project at the Shaanxi Automobile Holding Group in Xi'an, northwest China's Shaanxi Province, Sept. 27, 2022. (Xinhua/Liu Xiao)
Local people work at the site following a boat accident in Panchagarh, Bangladesh, Sept. 26, 2022. Some 69 bodies had been recovered, while three passengers were still missing after a jampacked boat capsized on Sunday in a northern Bangladesh district, an official said Thursday. (Xinhua)

DHAKA, Sept. 29 (Xinhua) -- Some 69 bodies had been recovered, while three passengers were still missing after a jampacked boat capsized on Sunday in a northern Bangladesh district, an official said Thursday.

Sujoy Kumar Roy, officer-in-charge of Panchagarh's Boda Police station, told Xinhua that the boat had been recovered, but the search for the victims was ongoing.

He said no fewer than three passengers were still missing.

According to the official, the death toll from Sunday's boat sinking incident in the Panchagarh district, 468 km away from the capital Dhaka, rose to 69 on Wednesday, after another body was retrieved from the Karatoya river.

Of the victims, he said 31 were women, 21 were children, and 17 were men.

SM Sirajul Huda, superintendent of Panchagarh District Police, earlier said, "the jam-packed boat, carrying some 100 passengers, mostly Hindu devotees, overturned due to overloading and sank minutes after it sailed from a terminal on Sunday afternoon."

The boat was travelling to a temple on the occasion of Mahalaya, a Hindu festival.

Dipankar Roy, a senior official of the Panchagarh district administration, said that members from police, fire services and district administrations were searching for the missing.

He said a decision would soon be taken as to how long the search operation would be continued.

The Bangladeshi government has already formed a probe committee, which was asked to submit a report in three days.

However, Md Juhurul Islam, the district's administration chief, told reporters on Wednesday that the committee sought more time for submitting the report as some of them were still engaged in the rescue operation.

He said they had granted the committee three more days to submit the report.

Ferry is still a key means of transport in the South Asian country, which is crisscrossed by hundreds of rivers. Ferry and boat disasters are common in Bangladesh as the vessels are often overcrowded. 

A woman wails on the river bank following a boat accident in Panchagarh, Bangladesh, Sept. 26, 2022. Some 69 bodies had been recovered, while three passengers were still missing after a jampacked boat capsized on Sunday in a northern Bangladesh district, an official said Thursday. (Xinhua)

Photo taken on Sept. 26, 2022 shows people and relatives of victims waiting on the bank of the Karatoya river where the boat sank in Panchagarh, Bangladesh. Some 69 bodies had been recovered, while three passengers were still missing after a jampacked boat capsized on Sunday in a northern Bangladesh district, an official said Thursday. (Xinhua)
MACAO, Sept. 29 (Xinhua) -- Macao's external merchandise trade totaled 99.14 billion patacas (about 12 billion U.S. dollars) from January to August, down 9.8 percent from a year earlier, the special administrative region (SAR)'s statistical service said Thursday.

The latest report from Macao's Statistics and Census Service showed the total value of merchandise export in the first eight months of this year increased by 3.0 percent year on year to 9.13 billion patacas while total merchandise import dropped by 11.0 percent to 90.0 billion patacas.

In the first eight months, the value of re-exports and domestic exports went up by 2.0 percent and 9.3 percent to 7.75 billion patacas and 1.39 billion patacas respectively. Merchandise trade deficit totaled 80.87 billion patacas, down by 11.34 billion patacas from a year earlier, showed the report.

Analyzed by destination, merchandise export to the Chinese mainland decreased by 36.9 percent year on year to 866 million patacas in the first eight months. Exports to China's Hong Kong SAR, the United States and the European Union (EU) showed respective year-on-year growth of 13.5 percent, 4.0 percent and 6.8 percent.

Analyzed by place of origin, merchandise import from the EU and the Chinese mainland in the first eight months of 2022 decreased by 3.3 percent to 30.56 billion patacas, and by 18.9 percent to 27.08 billion patacas, respectively.

In August alone, total merchandise export amounted to 1.37 billion patacas, up 28.3 percent year on year, while total merchandise import went down by 4.4 percent year on year to 11.66 billion patacas. Merchandise trade deficit totaled 10.29 billion patacas in August. (1 pataca equals 0.12 U.S. dollar) 
UNITED NATIONS, Sept. 29 (Xinhua) -- China has been a strong buttress to the UN, Csaba Korosi, president of the 77th session of the UN General Assembly, said here on Wednesday.

"As a founding member of the UN and a permanent member of the Security Council, China has been a strong buttress to the blue flag (of the UN)," Korosi said in his remarks during a virtual reception held by China's Permanent Mission to the UN to celebrate the 73rd anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China.

Korosi congratulated China on its achievements in promoting development and prosperity.

"China's Global Development Initiative offers a great opportunity to catalyze sustainable development and to implement the 2030 Agenda," he added.

Also speaking at the reception, UN Undersecretary-General Courtenay Rattray, chef de cabinet of UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, said the world body highly values China's many contributions to its work and China's standing as a major pillar of international cooperation.

"As we mark this important milestone, let us look ahead and work to ensure that China and the world advance in our shared efforts to address regional and global challenges," he said.

Nearly 200 senior UN officials, permanent representatives and senior diplomats from more than 100 countries, journalists from international media outlets as well as friendly people from all walks of life attended the reception via video link. 
UNITED NATIONS, Sept. 29 (Xinhua) -- Peacekeepers in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) exchanged gunfire with militants in the country's northeastern Ituri Province, a UN spokesman said on Thursday.

There were no reports of casualties in the exchange of fire on Wednesday.

Stephane Dujarric, the chief spokesman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, said the UN mission in the DRC, known as MONUSCO, on Wednesday dispatched a patrol of peacekeepers after receiving reports of shots fired at Pangapanga village in Ituri's central Djugu territory. DRC troops joined the patrol.

"Upon reaching the village, peacekeepers and Congolese troops exchanged fire with militants from the armed group known as CODECO, forcing them to withdraw," Dujarric said. "A second patrol was subsequently dispatched to the area."

While there were no further details on the Pangapanga skirmish, there are published reports of rebel CODECO raids earlier this month in Djugu territory where more than 30 people, including civilians, were killed.

CODECO is the acronym for the Cooperative Development of the Congo, a loose group of political and religious militias of the Lendu ethnic group. It is regarded as one of the most deadly of the more than 100 militias operating in the mineral-rich eastern DRC. 
JERUSALEM, Sept. 29 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese car brand will enter the Israeli market for the first time, an Israeli car import dealership said Thursday.

The Israeli automotive company Blilious Group and the Chinese car manufacturer Hozon Auto have signed an agreement to import and market Hozon's Neta electric models in Israel, the two companies have announced.

Elhanan Yahav, CEO of the private vehicle division at Blilious Group, told Xinhua that the sales will begin in 2023, without giving the exact date.

This marks the first time that Neta models will enter the Middle East market, Hozon Auto said in a statement.

The Neta model will join several other Chinese electric brands that have gained popularity in Israel, manufactured by Hongqi, BYD, and the Great Wall, among others.

The Geometry C electric car manufactured by China's automaker Geely Auto Group was the best-selling vehicle model in Israel in August. 
MAPUTO, Sept. 29 (Xinhua) -- Sixteen terrorists were killed in Mozambique's northern province of Cabo Delgado, due to the injuries from direct combat with the country's Defense and Security Forces in the last 72 hours, state-owned Radio Mozambique reported Thursday.

The report was citing Bernardino Rafael, the general commander of the Police of the Republic of Mozambique (PRM) who was having a brief meeting with the population of the village of Natugo, Quissanga district in Cabo Delgado on Wednesday.

The commander said that attacks from wild animals including crocodiles also contributed to the death of some terrorists.

On the same occasion, the PRM commander presented to the public four alleged terrorists captured by the Defense and Security Forces, who will be handed over to justice, according to the report.

The police officer visited several villages and called for more surveillance among the local population "to neutralize the infiltrators," said the report. 
Vietnam Days in Austria 2022 debuts

The Vietnam Days in Austria 2022 programme debuted on Wednesday, opening the series of events of Vietnam Days Abroad 2022.















Vietnamese Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son (second from right) at the event



The event organised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs celebrated the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Austria and Vietnam (December 1, 1972 - December 1, 2022). The opening ceremony saw the attendance of Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son, Vietnamese Ambassador to Austria Nguyen Trung Kien, Acting Director General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Europe Department, Do Minh Hung, representatives of related departments under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and officials of the Vietnamese Embassy in Austria.



The two-day event is intended to contribute to tightening the friendship and co-operation between the two countries, promoting trade and economic ties, but also introducing the unique character of Vietnamese culture to the Austrian public.



Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son cut the ribbon to officially open the Vietnam Cultural Space, co-chaired the ceremony of the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations and delivered the opening remarks at the Austria-Vietnam Business Forum.



The Vietnam Cultural Space will provide the public with an overview of the 50-year friendship and partnership between Austria and Vietnam, featuring an exhibition of 34 photos of mutual official high-level visits. It will also offer participants a chance to experience Vietnams unique culture, such as Vietnamese tea, Dong Ho folk painting, lacquer painting, traditional musical instrument performance, and an Ao dai fashion show.



Speaking at the event, Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son said The world we are living in is facing tremendous global challenges, such as climate change, food and energy security, which have had enormous impacts on our countries security and development. In that context, I believe that Vietnam and Austria, on the basis of our traditional friendship and partnership, will further strengthen bilateral and multilateral co-operation so that we can fulfil our commitment at the COP 26 UN Climate Change Conference, and jointly build a world of peace, stability and sustainability.



Following the Vietnam Days in Austria 2022, the Vietnam Days in India 2022 is projected to be held from November 3-4 in New Delhi to mark the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties. After that, the Vietnam Days in South Korea 2022 will take place from the end of November to the beginning of December to celebrate the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations.



Viet Nam Days Abroad is an annual national promotional programme, assigned by the Prime Minister to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs since 2010. The programme usually takes place on the sidelines of official visits to other countries.
By Trend

The victory of Azerbaijan in the Second Karabakh war is one of the most significant victories in Turkic history, retired Turkish general Yucel Karauz told Trend.

"With the use of the most modern weapons, the enemy was defeated, and this is one of the most significant victories not only in the history of Azerbaijan but also in Turkic history," he said.

He noted that Azerbaijan celebrates Remembrance Day on September 27 and this date embodies the struggle of the Azerbaijani people against injustice.

Speaking about the deaths of civilians during this war as a result of enemy attacks, Karauz noted that this once again showed Armenia's occupation policy, its terrorist nature and war crimes to the world.

"The Second Karabakh War is also the period when the Turkish-Azerbaijani brotherhood reached its highest level. May Allah rest the souls of martyrs, I wish health to the veterans," he said.

Today, on September 27, Azerbaijan celebrates Remembrance day as a sign of deep respect for the soldiers and officers, all martyrs of the country, who heroically fought in the Second Karabakh War, and gave their lives for the territorial integrity of the Motherland.
CANBERRA, Sept. 29 (Xinhua) -- A research facility has been opened at Australian National University (ANU) to focus on groundbreaking optical technologies.

The Australian Research Council (ARC) Center of Excellence for Transformative Meta-Optical Systems (TMOS) brings together world-leading researchers from five Australian universities and 20 partner organizations to revolutionize the use of light.

Dragomir Neshev, TMOS director and professor in physics at ANU, said technology developed at the facility could be used to create phone screens capable of displaying lifelike holograms and allow doctors to receive real-time images from inside patients.

"The lens-based optics that are used in modern-day devices are based on concepts of light that are 3,000 years old," he said in a media release recently.

"That's why your phone is as thick as it is -- traditional lenses have to be a certain width in order to work. What we're developing are optical surfaces that replace big lenses. That's a game-changer for almost every industry."

The facility has been awarded 34.9 million Australian dollars (22.7 million U.S. dollars) in funding over the next seven years from the ARC -- the federal government's primary non-medical research funding agency.

Minister for Industry and Science Ed Husic said the TMOS center would "deepen" knowledge of an area of science that "promises to have significant impact on our future way of life."

"Integrating and advancing our knowledge of light and its interaction with materials at the nanoscale is a tremendously exciting new field," he said. 
SYDNEY, Sept. 29 (Xinhua) -- Australia's state of New South Wales (NSW) launched a new initiative on Thursday to encourage and support private landholders to restore koala habitat.

The program, announced by the state government, will support private landholders to restore 200 hectares of koala habitat in the Northern Rivers in north NSW, involving planting 250,000 trees.

The state government, in partnership with the World Wide Fund for Nature Australia and Climate Friendly, a carbon farming project developer, will offer the landholders Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs), which the farmers could earn by doing things to reduce carbon and sell back to the state.

"We know that more than 50 percent of koala habitat is on private land in NSW, which is why private landholders are a big part of the solution when it comes to conserving and protecting koalas," said NSW Minister for Environment James Griffin.

"Through the Koala Friendly Carbon Farming Project, we're helping landholders plant hundreds of thousands of koala food and shelter trees to restore koala habitat and create corridors for them to move safely through areas," he said.

"Landholders will be able to diversify their income through carbon farming, while creating new habitat for koalas and other native species on their properties."

Landholders can apply for a property assessment to determine if there are koalas close by and if their land is suitable.

Koala has been listed as an endangered species by the Australian government earlier this year. Last year, a report from the conservation group Australian Koala Foundation (AKF) found the country's koala population has declined by a staggering 30 percent in just three years with NSW seeing the largest drop-off.

The new program is part of the NSW Koala Strategy, which aims to double the number of koalas by 2050 and is backed by 190 million Australian dollars (around 123 million U.S. dollars). 
Aerial photo provided by the Swedish Coast Guard on Sept. 28, 2022 shows the fourth leak on Nord Stream 2 pipeline in Sweden's exclusive economic zone. (The Swedish Coast Guard/Handout via Xinhua)

STOCKHOLM, Sept. 29 (Xinhua) -- A fourth leak on the Nord Stream pipelines has been reported after seismic activity corresponding to blasts on the Baltic Sea seabed was detected earlier in the week.

The leak was discovered on the Nord Stream 2 pipeline in Sweden's exclusive economic zone near a previously reported hole on Nord Stream 1.

The Swedish Coast Guard said that the leak on Nord Stream 2 was discovered earlier in the week, but the first media reports about this only emerged on Wednesday evening.

"They (the leaks) have probably occurred at the same time," Jenny Larsson, a duty officer of the Swedish Coast Guard told Dagens Nyheter newspaper on Thursday.

The pipelines were constructed to transport natural gas from Russia to Germany, though neither was in use when the leaks were discovered.

Measuring stations in Sweden registered strong underwater explosions in the same sea area as the gas leaks that occurred in the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines on Monday, Swedish television (SVT) reported on Tuesday.

One of the presumed explosions was detected in the early hours of Monday and the second one on Monday evening.

The Swedish government said that the leaks were being investigated as probable sabotage.

"We take this situation very seriously and the detonations must be seen in the light of the security policy situation," Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson said on Wednesday.

At the same press conference on Wednesday, Minister for Foreign Affairs Ann Linde also said that it was still too early to say whether another state was behind the presumed blasts.

"It is important that there is a fact-based discussion to bring clarity to what happened," said Linde. 

Aerial photo provided by the Swedish Coast Guard on Sept. 27, 2022 shows the gas leak from Nord Stream in the Baltic Sea. (The Swedish Coast Guard/Handout via Xinhua)

Aerial photo provided by the Swedish Coast Guard on Sept. 27, 2022 shows the gas leak from Nord Stream in the Baltic Sea. (The Swedish Coast Guard/Handout via Xinhua)

Aerial photo provided by the Swedish Coast Guard on Sept. 27, 2022 shows the gas leak from Nord Stream in the Baltic Sea. (The Swedish Coast Guard/Handout via Xinhua)

Aerial photo provided by the Swedish Coast Guard on Sept. 28, 2022 shows a gas leak on the Nord Stream 1 pipeline. (The Swedish Coast Guard/Handout via Xinhua)
SOFIA, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- Bulgaria's Vice President Iliana Iotova said on Wednesday that her country will continue to consolidate friendship with China for the benefit of the two peoples.

Iotova made the remarks in a letter to an online celebration marking the 73rd founding anniversary of the People's Republic of China hosted by the Chinese Embassy in Bulgaria.

"I would like to emphasize the dynamic development of China in recent years," Iotova said, adding that China has become an indispensable factor in the world.

She said this year also marks 73 years of diplomatic relations between Bulgaria and China, and described the period as "seven decades of mutual trust and respect."

The two countries would continue to tap their potentials in a number of areas, Iotova said.

Speaking at the online celebration, Chinese Ambassador to Bulgaria Dong Xiaojun said Sino-Bulgarian relations have achieved great progress in recent years, a symbol and example of the flourishing development of bilateral ties between China and countries in central and eastern Europe.

Dong spoke highly of Bulgaria's adherence and commitment to the one-China principle, adding that Bulgaria is an important partner in China's Belt and Road Initiative in the Balkans, as well as a strategic partner in the fields of economy, trade, culture, education, science and technology.

China marks its National Day on Oct. 1. 
ANKARA, Sept. 29 (Xinhua) -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Thursday asked his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin to engage in negotiations to resolve the Ukrainian crisis, according to a statement by the Turkish presidency.

"Steps to reduce tensions are needed to pave the way for more positive developments, and that Russia is expected to take steps to facilitate this process, especially on the issue of the accession of some regions in Ukraine to Russia," Erdogan told Putin in a phone call.

Asking Putin to "give the negotiations another chance," Erdogan said Turkiye was ready to play a facilitating role in this process.

The Turkish president also expressed his satisfaction with the successful conclusion of the Russia-Ukraine prisoner exchange, and the functioning of the agreement signed in Istanbul which resumed the export of Ukrainian grains to world markets.

Erdogan said the extension of the grain export mechanism, which will expire in November, is a common interest.

He also promised Ankara's continued work on the uninterrupted export of Russian fertilizers and grain products.

Turkiye, which has good relations with both Ukraine and Russia, has been acting as a mediator between the two countries since the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine conflict in February.

On July 22, Ukraine and Russia separately signed a deal with Turkiye and the United Nations in Istanbul to resume food and fertilizer shipments from Ukrainian ports to international markets via the Black Sea.

Russia and Ukraine exchanged nearly 200 prisoners of war as a result of Turkiye's mediation, Erdogan announced last week. 
Bulgaria's Vice President Iliana Iotova delivers a speech at a launch of the book "China in the eyes of Bulgarians" in Sofia, Bulgaria, on Sept. 29, 2022. The new book entitled "China in the eyes of Bulgarians" was introduced to Bulgarians at a special ceremony in the China Cultural Center here on Thursday. (Photo by Marian Draganov/Xinhua)

SOFIA, Sept. 29 (Xinhua) -- A new book entitled "China in the eyes of Bulgarians" was introduced to Bulgarians at a special ceremony in the China Cultural Center here on Thursday.

The nearly 400-page book consists of interviews with 25 Bulgarians who have visited China.

Bulgaria's Vice President Iliana Iotova told the ceremony that many Bulgarians would be interested in reading the book.

"There is a lot of wisdom in this book just as Chinese culture and philosophy are wise," Iotova said.

Chinese Ambassador to Bulgaria Dong Xiaojun said that charged with sincerity, goodwill, curiosity, perseverance and courage, the interviewees in the book have embarked on their journey to China to explore and discover the country for themselves.

The writer of the book Sonya Alexieva has many years of experience in public relations and special expertise in travel and tourism. She said some of the interviewees had only been to China once, some had been five times, and three had been there "countless times." 
by Matthew Rusling

WASHINGTON, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- The clock is ticking as the U.S. Congress scrambles to pass a spending bill that would avert a government shutdown.

Democrats in the Senate have released a short-term bill to fund the government, which includes a measure that would hasten permits for energy projects.

The permits initiative is opposed by most Republican lawmakers and some Democrats, and Congress has seen much squabbling over the issue in recent days.

Congress needs to pass a government funding bill by Friday at midnight.

Republican and Democratic leaders in the Senate want to avoid any uncertainty just weeks from one of the most significant midterm elections in decades.

Included in the bill is 12.4 billion U.S. dollars to Ukraine, for use in the conflict with Russia. The bill would also allow the White House to transfer to Ukraine around 3.7 billion dollars worth of defense equipment.

The bill would provide 2 billion dollars for disasters and 1 billion dollars for assistance in heating homes, and funds to resettle refugees from Afghanistan as well.

Chances of a government shutdown are not particularly high, as lawmakers have the ability to remove the measure regarding permits if senators decide to block funding due to that measure.

Should a so-called shutdown occur, crucial government services, from police to fire departments to military, will remain open.

The timing of the Congressional brouhaha reflects a pattern that's become common over the past decade -- that of playing brinkmanship until the last minute and risking a shutdown of some government services.

Key in the negotiations is how the public views the issue, as neither party wants to be blamed for failure to fund some parts of the federal government so close to a crucial midterm election.

Moreover, many in Congress are champing at the bit to finish up the legislation so they can return to their districts for the final weeks of campaigning, in the lead up to the November elections.

Year after year, the two sides have always passed a funding bill, although it's often been at the 11th hour.

Brookings Institution Senior Fellow Darrell West told Xinhua: "I don't think there will be a government shutdown because Congress is passing a continuing resolution that maintains funding and resolves the situation."

"Both parties want to avoid a crisis right now given everything happening around the world," West said.

"There is little desire to play brinkmanship right before an important election. Each side wants to put a positive face before the electorate," West said.

Christopher Galdieri, assistant professor at Saint Anselm College, told Xinhua: "I think Congress has a tremendous incentive to get a funding bill done. Democrats control the White House and Congress, so a shutdown would only make them look terrible less than six weeks out from the midterms."

"Congress needs to act quickly and it's quite possible a misstep at the wrong time could slow things down," Galdieri added. 
SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 29 (Xinhua) -- Boeing announced on Thursday that Canadian carrier WestJet ordered 42 Boeing 737-10s with options for an additional 22 jets.

Since launching its business with three 737s in 1996, WestJet has grown its Boeing fleet to more than 100 airplanes including the 737-8 and 787 Dreamliner.

With the expansion of its 737 MAX fleet, WestJet's order supports the growth of the aviation industry in Canada, the announcement said.

"The 737-10 will be a game changer, with one of the lowest costs per seat among mid-range aircraft. This will foster our low-cost positioning and affordability for Canadians," said Alexis von Hoensbroech, WestJet Group chief executive officer.

Canada is home to one of Boeing's largest international supply bases with more than 550 suppliers and partners. Boeing currently contributes 5.3 billion Canadian dollars in economic benefit to Canada annually, supporting more than 20,000 jobs, according to Boeing. 
Tehran: Anti-hijab protests are intensifying across Iran over the death of a woman, Mahsa Amini, who was beaten in such a way by Police that she went to coma. Women have ruined the sleep of the ruling power on the basis of their enactment. Now Muslim women of Afghanistan have also taken out a rally in support of the women of Iran. However, in front of the women protesting in Afghanistan, Taliban fighters opened fire in the air to disperse the rally.

According to media reports, 25 women raised slogans in front of the Iranian embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan, in front of the Iranian embassy to support the Iranian women's protest against the hijab. Taliban fighters fired in the air and dispersed the crowd and the women protesters. Women protesters in Kabul raised banners and said, 'Iran has risen, now it's our turn!' and "Say no to dictatorship, from Kabul to Iran!" Enraged by these slogans, Taliban fighters quickly snatched the banners and tore them up in front of the protesters. After this, the women were driven away by firing in the air.

The Taliban has been facing an insurgency from Afghanistan since the Taliban seized power in August last year. Since coming to power, the Taliban have imposed strict restrictions on civilians, especially women, by enforcing strict Sharia law.

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By Trend

Austrian Dasfazit.at online newspaper has published an article about the trip of President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and Fist Lady Mehriban Aliyeva to the Garakhanbayli village of Fuzuli district on the second anniversary of second Karabakh war, celebrated on September 27-Remembrance Day, Trend reports.

The article notes that the destination wasn't chosen by chance, since there were intense battles during military operations to liberate the occupied territories in 2020 and Garakhanbayli was among those villages that were liberated from occupation on the first day of the war.

The article also informed about the memorial plaque in honor of martyrs installed near the village of Garakhanbayli, and cites the words of the president, who reiterated that the second Karabakh war is the glorious history of Azerbaijan, and that during the war the Azerbaijani people, united like a fist and expelled the enemy.

The article also noted that, speaking about the the liberation of the village of Garakhanbayli from the occupation, the Head of state said that there was an enemy trench near the plaque, and five or six defensive lines of the enemy were laid in this direction. President Ilham Aliyev said that Azerbaijani soldiers, Azerbaijani officers were facing death to break through this and subsequent defense lines. As the president stated, after breaking through the first defensive line of the enemy, the victorious march of the Azerbaijani army began in this direction.

According to the article, Fuzuli district is in close proximity to the Karabakh region, where illegal Armenian troops still remain. Despite the fact that, according to the fourth paragraph of the tripartite statement of November 10, 2020, the troops were to be withdrawn from the territory of Azerbaijan, the de facto requirements of this paragraph haven't yet been implemented.

The material emphasized that in the period after the signing of the tripartite statement, illegal Armenian troops have repeatedly resorted to various kinds of provocations, and to this day continue to be on the territory of Azerbaijan, posing a threat to the national security of the country.

"Despite all the burdens and hardships of war, President Ilham Aliyev, speaking about the fact that 'we are a happy generation', which fell to 'this glorious mission', and 'that [we] are both witnesses and participants in this historic events', once again expressed his determination and integrity to defend the interests of Azerbaijan to the end," the article said.
New Delhi: India is moving fast towards becoming self-reliant in the defence sector. India is increasing the production of weapons not only for itself but also for exporting defence materials to other countries. Meanwhile, a major defence deal has been signed between India and Armenia. Armenia and its neighbouring Azerbaijan have long been fighting over the border dispute. In such a situation, they are taking the help of India to empower their army. Now India will supply a large number of arms and defence equipment to Armenia.

According to the report, the deal between India and Armenia is quite big and it can be a deal of up to Rs 2,000 crore. India is constantly improving its foreign and defence policies and pushing for increased arms exports. According to media reports, India will also supply Pinaka Multi Barrel rocket launchers to Armenia, which India's army is already using.

In this deal, most of the weapons will be supplied, which have been designed by DRDO and now private sector companies are producing them. The Indian Army has recently ordered 6 additional Pinaka regiments. At the same time, work is also going on to increase its range. According to the deal, India will also supply anti-tank rockets to Armenia. However, this is not the first time that India is sending defence equipment to Armenia. In 2020, India supplied four Swati radars to Armenia, worth Rs 350 crore.

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Crowdfunded Ukrainian satellite has helped destroy more Russian armored vehicles than its own cost 29 September, 04:05 PM The Crimean bridge, captured by ICEYE satellites (Photo:ICEYE)

The "People's Satellite", which the SerhiyPrytula Foundation bought from the ICEYE company with crowdfundedmoney, has already helped to destroy more armored Russian vehicles than the cost of the satellite project itself, Ukraines Minister of Defense, Oleksiy Reznikov, revealed on Facebook on Sept. 29.

One satellite is completely working for the needs of our defense, almost two dozen more are involved when there is a need, Reznikov said, adding that the expectations from the acquisition of the satellite were fully justified.

In fact, in just these two days, the enemy lost more armored vehicles than the cost of the satellite project. But the main thing is that it helps to save the lives of our priceless warriors.

Video of day

Reznikov explained that the combat brigades of the Armed Forces of Ukraine are already receiving data from the ICEYE satellite. The images are directly deciphered and processed by Ukrainian military intelligence specialists.

For obvious reasons, I cant reveal all the details, but just imagine: in the first two days of the satellites operation, more than 60 units of military vehicles were discovered, which the enemy tried to disguise in forest belts and other obstacles, the Defense Minister said.

It was discovered because ICEYE satellites collect information using Synthetic aperture radar (SAR) technology  the indicated vehicles would be very difficult, or impossible to notice, with optical satellites.

The Minister said that the coordinates of the "hidden" vehicles were promptly sent to the appropriate units in order to conduct immediate strikes. Reznikov said that this was the case near the settlements of Khreshchenivka and Ukrainka in Kherson Oblast, as well as near Novoselivka in Donetsk Oblast.

The Minister of Defense also named four additional benefits that the satellite provides:

Ukraine is now able to combine data from optical satellites from partners and SAR. This fundamentally increases the ability of the Armed Forces of Ukraine to detect and defeat the Russian invaders;

Satellites with SAR become especially relevant in autumn and winter when the weather is bad, cloudy or snowy. For satellites, there is no difference whether its day or night. Therefore, the enemy will not be able to hide;

The Ukrainian military itself determines where and when to receive the necessary data. At present, systematic monitoring of the main areas of combat operations in the south and east is being carried out;

Information flows from analysts to combat units very quickly. It will be more difficult for the Russian invaders to hide their intentions, which will further complicate their logistics.

This is a real contribution to strengthening the defense of Ukraine, due to a technological advantage, Reznikov noted.

After all, Russian troops dont have the same opportunities. I have repeatedly noted that we will be able to defeat Russia only because to the quality of our defense. That is why I consider this project a kind of start-up that will open the door for other ambitious initiatives and solutions.

The Serhiy Prytula Charitable Foundation bought the satellite with money raised as part of the Peoples Bayraktar project. After Ukrainians raised UAH 600 million (around $16,000,000) for the drones in three days, drone manufacturer Baykar announced that it would send three Bayraktars to the Ukrainian front for free.

As a result, the foundation redirected these funds in order to purchase full access to a satellite orbiting above this region, belonging to the ICEYE company. Ukraine also gained access to imagery from an entire constellation of SAR satellites.

Sergiy Prytula, the foundations founder, specified that the Ukrainian side will continue to access the satellite as long as it remains in orbit. A SAR satellite can view activity on the ground and transmit around the clock, regardless of weather conditions or time of day.



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Russian warships, submarines spotted near Nord Stream gas leak sites, reports CNN 29 September, 03:44 PM Satellite images of gas leakage sites from the Arctic Streams (Photo:Planet Labs PBC/Handout via Reuters)

Russian navy vessels were spotted near the sites of the gas leaks in the Nord Stream-1 and Nord Stream-2 pipelines on Sept. 26 and 27, CNN reported with reference to sources in Western intelligence agencies.

Those sources added that last week, Russian submarines were also observed in that area.

It is currently not established whether those Russian ships had anything to do with the damage to the pipelines. However, their presence has raised suspicions of Russian involvement in the leaks, which the EU have categorized as sabotage.

Video of day

According to the Danish military, Russian ships regularly operate in the area, and it does not necessarily follow that the damage was caused by Moscow.

"We see them every week, the Danish military official said.

Russian activities in the Baltic Sea have increased in recent years. Theyre quite often testing our awareness  both at sea and in the air."

U.S. officials declined to comment on the presence of Russian ships near the damaged pipelines, and so far, European governments have also declined to name any possible suspects for the suspected attack.

Denmark and Sweden are investigating the incident, as the leaks are located in their exclusive economic zones, but details of the damage are thus far unclear. According to one European official, it could take up to two weeks for the investigation to begin properly, as the pressure in the pipes makes it difficult to approach the leak site.

Russia has called for a meeting of the UN security council as a result of the leaks.

Officials in the United States, Europe, and Ukraine had been warning for months that critical infrastructure in Western countries could be targeted by Russia amid military and financial support for Kyiv in its fight against a full-scale Russian invasion.

The first report of an incident involving the Russia-Europe Nord Stream pipelines occurred on Sept. 26, when the pressure suddenly dropped in the Nord Stream-2 pipeline. On Sept. 27, reports emerged of a similar issue with Nord Stream-1. Both gas pipelines, passing along the bottom of the Baltic Sea off the coast of Sweden and Denmark, were not operational  but were still filled with technical gas for pressurization.

The pressure drop was recorded at a section of the pipeline located at a depth of about 70 meters near the Danish island of Bornholm in the Baltic Sea - just outside the territorial waters of Denmark, but in its exclusive economic zone.

In total, three major leaks were recorded in the space of days. On Sept. 29, the Swedish Coast Guard reported a fourth gas leak.

Following the pressure drops, three large gas leaks were discovered, as well as evidence of underwater explosions along the pipeline routes. Bjorn Lund, professor at the Swedish National Seismic Center SNSN, said that these explosions were obviously artificial, and not geological in nature.

German security services assume that both lines of the Nord Stream-1 pipeline, and one line of the Nord Stream-2 pipeline, will forever be unusable after these explosions, writes German newspaper Der Tagesspiegel.

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Three Russian fighter jets arrive at Belarusian airfield for the first time since March 29 September, 11:36 PM Three Russian Su-30 fighter jets arrived at the Baranovichi airfield (Photo:Wikimapia)

Three Russian Su-30 fighters arrived at the Belarusian airfield of Baranovichi, the Belarusian Hajun monitoring project reported on Telegram on Sept. 29.

The group said in a statement that the last time Russian fighter jets flew between Russia and Belarus was in late March. After that, Russia withdrew most of its warplanes to Russian territory.

Some of the aircraft that remained in Belarus served to train new Russian fighter pilots.

According to Hajun, this batch of Su-30SM fighters was expected to be de-livered to Belarus in October.

Video of day

"But today, the fighters arrived not from the factory, but those that are in service with the Russian Aerospace Forces with registration numbers RF-81772, RF-81760 and RF-81758," the report reads.

According to Ukrainian intelligence, Belarus is also preparing to accommo-date 20,000 newly mobilized conscripts from Russia.

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Photo: rog.asus

Asus ROG Phone 6 has been officially released and probably is on the way to Nepal.

The ultimate gaming phone from Asus was released alongside the Pro version. This is the latest generation of gaming phones from the company and gamers can expect many upgrades and new features on the phone.

The base model, ROG Phone 6, offers similar characteristics to the Pro version. Both of them have the same build, same camera system, same OS and the phones dimensions and audio are the same as well. The phone differs in terms of design, colour availability, storage and price. Whichever you choose, these phones are purely built to enhance the gaming experience.

But, there are some problems too such as it is not convenient enough to carry around.

So, lets see what Asus ROG Phone 6 has to offer.

Specifications

Dimensions Height: 173 mm

Width: 77 mm

Thickness: 10.3 mm

Weight: 239 grams Display 6.78-inch AMOLED, 165Hz, HDR10+, 1,200 nits Sim Dual sims Resolution 1,080*2,448 pixels, 395 PPI density OS Android 12 Chipset Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 (4nm) GPU Adreno 730 Storage 128GB / 256GB / 512GB UFS 3.1 SD card slot No RAM 8GB / 12GB / 16GB Camera Front: 12 MP

Rear: 50 MP, f/1.9,PDAF

13 MP, f/2.2 (ultrawide)

5 MP (macro) Audio Speakers

Symmetrical dual front-facing speakers with Dirac HD Sound 5-magnet stereo speaker with Cirrus Logic amplifier for louder, deeper and less distorted sound effect

Audio output

Hi-res audio up to 384 kHz / 32-bit for 3.5mm outputQualcomm WCD9385 for hi-res output audio wizard with multiple listening profiles

Microphone

Tri-microphones with ASUS Noise Reduction technology

3.5mm headphone jack Battery 6,000 mAh, li-po, non-removable

65W fast charging

10W reverse charging

Power delivery 3.0

Quick charge 5 Sensors In-display fingerprint sensor

Face recognition

Accelerometer

E-compass

Gyroscope

Proximity sensor

Ambient-light sensor

Ultrasonic sensors for Air Trigger 6 and grip press Colours Storm white, phantom black Price Rs 135,000 (expected)

Design and display

Photo: rog.asus

Asus ROG Phone 6 has a similar build of a glass front, glass back and an aluminium frame as seen on the Pro version. It has a similar styling as seen on the Pro version. The phone has curved and smooth frosted glass on the back with rounded sides. Instead of a secondary display, this phone has Aura RGB lighting on the rear, which can be personalised with a huge choice of colours and preset mood-lighting schemes.

Photo: rog.asus

The Dare to Play logo and ROG 6 branding on the back further add the gaming elements to the design. The phone has Gorilla Glass 3 protection on the back and has the same IPX4 waterproof rating as seen on the Pro variant.

Asus ROG Phone 6 weighs 239 grams and measures 10.3 mm in thickness. The users may find it difficult to carry around due to its size. It is available in storm white and phantom black colour options.

Photo: rog.asus

On the front is a 6.78-inch AMOLED panel offering a resolution of 1,080*2,448 pixels with 395 PPI density. Furthermore, the display also supports a 165Hz refresh rate with a whooping 720Hz touch sampling rate. For a dynamic view of the media, the display has the support HDR10+ and is easily usable during daytime as it can achieve a peak brightness of up to 1,200 nits. For the protection of the display, Asus has provided Gorilla Glass Victus on this model. There is an in-display fingerprint sensor on the phone for biometrics.

Cameras

Photo: rog.asus

Asus ROG Phone 6 has a triple camera setup on the back. Though the prime focus of the phone is on gaming, Asus has managed to include a decent set of cameras on the phone. But, one can always argue that with the price this phone is being sold at, there could have been better-performing cameras.

Photo: rog.asus

There is a 50MP Sony IMX766 camera on the back, which is accompanied by a 13MP ultrawide and a 5MP macro sensor. Meanwhile, there is a 12MP selfie shooter on the front.

Ultra-high definition (UHD) videos can be captured from Asus ROG Phone 6. The main camera on the phone is capable of capturing 8K resolution videos at 24fps while it can capture 4K resolution videos at 60fps. Similarly, the camera also captures videos with the HDR10+ feature providing vivid colours. The main camera can even capture slow-motion videos in 4K and up to 120fps. On the other end, the front camera is only capable of capturing 1080p resolution videos, which is kind of subpar for a gaming phone.

Gaming, performance and storage

Photo: rog.asus

Asus ROG Phone 6 has customisable air triggers. This is different from a physical pop-up trigger as seen on most gaming phones. The triggers work just like a joystick and provide an advantage during gaming over traditional smartphones. The control can also be configured to the users preference.

Photo: Qualcomm

Performance should not be an issue for Asus ROG Phone 6 as the phone runs on Android 12 and is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 (4nm), the most powerful chipset till now from Qualcomm. The graphical duties on the phone are handled by Adreno 730. The phone is capable of supporting even games with the highest demand for graphics.

Asus ROG Phone 6 comes in three RAM options and three internal storage options. The phone is available in 8GB, 12GB and 16GB of RAM options with 128GB, 256GB and 512GB internal storage. To ensure smooth gaming or prolonged gaming session, the phone has an all-new 360 degrees CPU cooling technology. This ensures the phone stays cool and maintains the frame rate during intensive gaming.

Battery life, connectivity and others

Photo: rog.asus

Asus ROG Phone 6 has a 6,000mAh non-removable li-po battery. This phone too has two 3,000mAh batteries instead of a single large unit, thus helping the device to balance its heat-dissipation capabilities. Support of a 65W fast charger means the battery will get fully charged in just 42 minutes. There is a provision for reverse charging as well. There is no wireless charging on this model as well. The phone has a charging port on the side as well, which can be handy during gaming.

Asus ROG Phone 6 supports dual sims with 5G network connectivity. The Wifi 6 feature on the phone will help for faster internet connectivity. Similarly, there is Bluetooth 5.2 on the phone, which can be used for wireless pairing and the USB Type-C 3.1 (side) and USB Type-C 2.0 (bottom) cable can be used for charging or wired pairing with other devices.

Like the Pro variant, Asus ROG Phone 6 also has a GameFX audio system. This system offers symmetrical dual speakers for balanced stereo sound effects. There is also a 3.5mm headphone jack, which is usually not seen in a high-ranged smartphone.

Photo: rog.asus

Notable features on the Asus ROG Phone 6 include:

Unique design

6.78-inch AMOLED display

165Hz refresh rate and 720Hz touch sampling rate

Powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chipset

8K video recording

HDR10+ video recording

4K 120fps slo-mo

360 degrees CPU cooling technology

16GB RAM and 512 GB internal storage

5G support

Android 12

6,000mAh battery backup

65W fast charging

Reverse charging support

Ultrasonic triggers

GameFX audio system

Side charging port

Triple camera set up

Asus ROG Phone 6 is priced at EUR 999 for the 12/256GB variant. There is no official statement regarding the launch of the phone in Nepal but can be purchased through some unauthorised dealers. If and when the phone arrives in Nepal, one can expect a price range of Rs 135,000 or even lower for the base 8/128GB variant.
A dengue patient at Shukraraj Tropical and Infectious Disease Hospital. Photo: Aryan Dhimal

Kathmandu, September 29

The government says at least 28 people had died of dengue in Nepal in the past two and a half months. Likewise, over 28,000 people have been infected in the period.

Just on Thursday, the Ministry of Health and Population recorded two deaths and 540 new infection cases.

As the case count since mid-July 2022 has hit 28,109, all districts except Mustang have at least one case. The Kathmandu valley has emerged as the most critical hotspot.

The government has been saying that it has been making efforts to control the spread of a particular mosquito species that infects the disease. However, the results seem dismal.

Even, the outbreak of dengue in Nepal has reached the international level as one global organisation has recently urged the government to take more effective measures.
Najir Husen. Photo: Shankar Giri

If there is one thing that takes back Nepals famed young actor Najir Husen to his childhood, it is Dashain, apparently the biggest festival for Nepalis.

While many people consider Dashain to be a Hindu festival, Husen, an inborn Muslim, thinks talking about his childhood would be incomplete without mentioning Dashain, highlighting how Nepali communities are living in co-existence and each others culture is contributing to it.

Dashain in his life

New clothes would be the biggest Dashain gift for Najir Husen every year.

Dashain is the biggest festival in Nepal and every Nepali has some sort of memory related to Dashain regardless of whether they celebrate the festival. The influence of ones surroundings cannot be neglected and usually one adapts accordingly.

Actor Najir Husen, though being from the Muslim community, enjoys Dashain to the fullest. Moreover, his mother being from a Hindu household too let him enjoy the festivity.

Reminiscing about his childhood days, Husen shares, Dashain always takes me back to my childhood memories. As the Mangal Dhun (Malashree) starts playing, my memory takes me to Syauli Chok in the Bara district.

According to Najir Husen, the small shops, paddy fields, children playing carelessly, swinging, and the weather all come flooding into his memory during the time of Dashain.

During Dashain, people gather and have fun as there is a long holiday. And, relatives and friends visit each others houses. All these aspects of Dashain make it one of the most awaited festivals, he says.

Some interesting memories

Kites, spools and strings on sale in Tyauda in the run-up to Dashain

When Najir Husen was young, he did not use to have money to buy kites and wooden spools. So, he would tear some pages from his exercise books and glue them together with bamboo sticks and thread. Then, for the spool, he used to pin a thin bamboo stick inside the sole of his rubber sandals.

We used to run towards the place where there is wind to fly the kite. But, it was useless as our kite wouldnt fly well. While we run holding the spool, only bamboo sticks would remain at the end and not traces of our kites, shares Husen.

Being from the Muslim community, Dashain was not celebrated in Najir Husens house. But since the mother was a Hindu, it was the biggest fanfare in his mamaghar, the maternal uncles house.

We used to go to mamaghar to celebrate Dashain. Even though our family would not celebrate, they would give us new clothes. It was a different feeling when you would go to your maternal uncles house wearing new clothes, he says, I would wait long for the dakshina. I used to get around Rs 15, which was a huge amount for a kid.

With that money, Najir Husen remembers that he used to play dice games and marbles with his friends.

Then, we would go to see the celebrations of the village. We used to have fun, travel, eat delicious food and play with friends. We used to think that Dashain would never finish, an emotional Husen says, Now that Dashain is coming, I remember my mother. It has been 10 years since my mother passed away. I remember her more during Dashain.

This story was translated from the original Nepali version and edited for clarity and length.
Una imagen de archivo del Congreso. (Photo: Eduardo Parra/Europa Press via Getty Images)

Una imagen de archivo del Congreso. (Photo: Eduardo Parra/Europa Press via Getty Images)

Esquerra Republicana defendera de nuevo este martes en el Pleno el Congreso su propuesta de cambiar la Ley Electoral para permitir el voto a partir de los 16 anos, una idea que cuenta con el apoyo de formaciones como Unidas Podemos y Mas Pais y una posibilidad que el Gobierno menciona en la Estrategia de Juventud 2022-2030 aprobada el pasado mes de mayo.

Precisamente fue entonces, tras la aprobacion de una resolucion en este sentido en el marco del Pleno monografico sobre Juventud celebrado en el Parlamento catalan, cuando la formacion independentista registro esta proposicion de ley, que ya habia presentado dos veces en 2016 y una tercera en 2020, aunque esta la retiro.

Asi, el Pleno tendra que decidir si acepta tramitar esta iniciativa que plantea modificar cuatro articulos de la Ley Electoral para rebajar la edad de voto a los 16 anos, recoger ese ajuste en el censo y fijar tambien ese minimo para poder formar parte de una mesa electoral.

En su texto, ERC menciona una resolucion del 2011 en la que el Consejo de Europa apostaba por esa rebaja y avisaba de que la evolucion demografica en Europa podria llevar a la creciente marginacion de la juventud en el proceso politico, corriendo de que este acabe siendo dominado por cuestiones principalmente de interes para personas de mayor edad.

Ademas, los independentistas senalan que entidades como el Foro Europeo de la Juventud, el Consejo de la Juventud de Espana y el Consell Nacional del la Joventut de Catalunya tambien apoyan que se pueda votar una vez cumplidos los 16.

Un debate en Europa

De hecho, recuerdan que a partir de esa edad ya es obligatorio pagar impuestos, se puede trabajar, dar consentimiento para tratamientos medicos o casarse. Tambien apuntan que Austria fue en 2007 el primer pais miembro de la UE que permitio el voto a los 16, que otros estados miembro lo estan debatiendo y que este derecho ya rige en otros sitios como: Brasil, Ecuador, Hungria, Eslovenia, Noruega, Argentina, algunos Estados de Alemania y el canton suizo de Glaris.

Leer mas

Actualmente, el Congreso tiene creada una subcomision para estudiar posibles cambios del regimen electoral, pero de momento se ha centrado en la derogacion del voto rogado que se exige a los residentes en el extranjero. Mas Pais-Equo aprovecho esa reforma legal para presentar una enmienda con la rebaja de la edad penal, pero los grupos mayoritarios la descartaron remitiendose a los trabajos de la subcomision de estudio.

Este articulo aparecio originalmente en El HuffPost y ha sido actualizado.

TAMBIEN TE PUEDE INTERESAR
(Adds Azerbaijan statement, recasts)

TBILISI, Sept 23 (Reuters) - Armenia and Azerbaijan accused each other opening fire overnight on Friday, breaking a fragile ceasefire agreement that had brought the worst fighting between the two ex-Soviet countries since 2020 to a close last week.

In statements issued by both defence ministries on Friday morning, Baku and Yerevan each accused the other side of firing first in renewed clashes along their shared border.

Following two days of clashes that killed almost 200 soldiers early last week, the two sides agreed a ceasefire, brokered by Russia, to end hostilities, though the situation on the border has remained tense.

"On September 23, at 0740 (0340 GMT), units of the Azerbaijani armed forces again violated the ceasefire regime by firing from different positions against Armenian combat positions located in the eastern area of the Armenian-Azerbaijani border," Armenia's defence ministry said in a post on Facebook on Friday.

"The enemy's fire was suppressed by retaliatory actions," Armenia added, reporting no casualties.

Shortly after the Armenian statement, Azerbaijan's defence ministry issued a response, saying it was Armenia that opened fire first.

Baku said Armenia's armed forces had opened fire on three different areas of the shared border, "intermittently shelling positions of the Azerbaijani armed forces with mixed-caliber small arms" over a nine-hour period starting at 2345 (1945 GMT) on Thursday night.

In a statement published on the Telegram messaging app, Azerbaijan's defence ministry also said it had taken "adequate retaliatory measures."

Fighting between the two sides erupted earlier this month in clashes that left almost 200 soldiers dead - the bloodiest confrontation since a six-week war between the two ex-Soviet countries in 2020.

The fighting is linked to decades-old hostilities over control of the Nagorno-Karabakh region, internationally recognised as part of Azerbaijan but until 2020 largely controlled by the majority ethnic Armenian population.

Armenia said Azerbaijan attacked its territory and seized settlements inside its borders, beyond the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region. Azerbaijan said it was responding to "provocations" from the Armenian side.

Russia is a military ally of Armenia though also tries to maintain friendly relations with Azerbaijan and has resisted Yerevan's calls to trigger a mutual self-defence clause. Baku is backed militarily, financially and politically by Turkey. (Reporting by Jake Cordell; Editing by Clarence Fernandez and Raissa Kasolowsky)
According to the 2022 Canadian Telecom Sentiment Report, telecom bills rank as the third largest cost-of-living pressure for Canadians, behind gas and food prices

Canadians are fed up with wireless affordability, with 82 per cent believing that the government of Canada has a responsibility to do more to lower cell phone prices

TORONTO, Sept. 29, 2022 /CNW/ - Though unprecedented airline delays and sky-high real estate prices continue to run rampant in Canada, Canadians are still most fed up with the national telecommunications industry. According to the 2022 Canadian Telecom Sentiment Report, the majority of Canadians (59 per cent) are angry or annoyed when they think of telecom companies, the highest of all major Canadian industries surveyed.

2022 Telecom Sentiment Report One-Pager (CNW Group/Globalive Capital Inc.)

The Pollara survey commissioned by Globalive Communications found that seven-in-ten Canadians (71 per cent) are angry about telecom bills specifically, the third highest of 13 cost-of-living pressures tested. Amidst rising interest rates, inflation, and other pressing financial challenges, an overwhelming majority of Canadians (82 per cent) see the lowering of telecom bills as being a responsibility of the Canadian government.

"In light of a worsening economic climate and ongoing inflation concerns that puts personal finances top of mind, it's not entirely surprising that the telecom industry has sparked a strong sense of frustration across the country," says Anthony Lacavera, Founder and Chairman of Globalive. "These findings reflect decades of high prices, limited competition, and lack of effective action to address either on behalf of Canadians."

Telecom affordability remains a top concern for Canadians

For many Canadians, wireless fees are teetering on becoming an out-of-budget expense, as two-thirds (66 per cent) would deem their cell phone bill unaffordable if it rose a mere 10 per cent. High wireless pricing has continued to remain an ongoing point of contention for Canadians, especially when compared to those of other countries.

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Recent studies have found that Canadians pay anywhere from 20 per cent to 140 per cent more for their wireless plans than other OECD countries. When asked, only 14 per cent of Canadians believe that phone plans will come down in cost over the next decade to be on par with the rest of the world.

With this in mind, Canadians have considered a myriad of ways to save money on their wireless bills, no matter the potential inconvenience it may cause. Over half of Canadians (57 per cent) have or would consider switching providers multiple times to take advantage of "new customer" deals, 42 per cent would consider a prepaid phone plan with limited minutes, 41 per cent would consider switching to a less expensive provider offering worse service, and 32 per cent would consider using a US phone plan while living in Canada.

"You don't need to look too far south past the border to get a glimpse of what Canada's telecom landscape could look like," says Lacavera. "Our US neighbours have demonstrated the impact that true pureplay wireless carriers can have on the market - something we have yet to introduce. What T-Mobile has done for the American wireless space in terms of effective disruption and subsequent lower prices is what we need to continue to push for in Canada. Seeing the number of Canadians that would consider choosing a US phone plan over a Canadian one, as our report has found, strongly reiterates this need."

Introduced to the US market as the 'Un-carrier,' T-Mobile, the country's most prominent pureplay wireless carrier, has brought US consumers nearly-free international roaming, unlimited data, and more transparent pricing via eliminated wireless service and access fees. Recent reports have found that during this time, wireless prices in the US have sharply declined; in 2010, an unlimited data, talk, and text plan cost $113.87 on average for a single line. By 2019, that same plan cost $64.95. US subscribers now save $130 billion annually in wireless plan costs.

Aftermath of the Rogers network outage

Beyond affordability, Canadians are continuing to feel unsettled and unappeased by the Rogers network outage of July 2022. The widespread outage that began on July 8, 2022, reiterated to Canadians how reliant they are on the wireless industry and, more specifically, its major incumbents.

A majority of Canadians (56 per cent) claimed to be impacted by the outage in some way, whether personally or professionally; this included communicating with friends or family, communicating with co-workers, making purchases using Interac, and/or using emergency services. Respondents from Ontario claimed to be most impacted (68 per cent), followed by the Atlantic regions (59 per cent) and British Columbia (55 per cent).

The period immediately after the outage, in which Rogers offered its proposed financial remedies and changes to its internal processes, has appeared to draw an unsatisfactory response from Canadians. Within the survey, only 35 per cent of Rogers customers feel they were adequately compensated for their losses and inconveniences.

When asked to reflect on the outage, 65 per cent of Canadians are still frustrated and angry when they think about it. This includes three-quarters (74 per cent) are Rogers customers.

Future of the Canadian telecom industry

Looking ahead, a majority of Canadians (67 per cent) believe that another Rogers outage is likely in the future; this figure rises to 71 per cent among Rogers customers. Given the continued progression towards a more wireless Canada, it appears that much is still to be done to reinstate Canadians' confidence in the incumbent and the industry at large.

"It's simply not possible to talk about telecom innovation and ongoing industry development without recognizing that wireless technology is at the core of everything. If we plan to operate in the same capacity as our global counterparts, we need to ensure that our baseline telecom needs are reliable - and there's still some clear work to be done here," says Lacavera.

"If we ever expect Canada's wireless industry to be the innovative, world-leading industry it can be, we must ensure that our infrastructure is functional at a basic level. This goes beyond simply being able to communicate with friends and family, but being able to provide Canadians with competitive and affordable offerings. Only then will we be able to win back their trust and support, both of which have become casualties of the current landscape."

Additional findings from the 2022 Globalive Telecom Sentiment Report:

Telecom bills are one of the largest cost-of-living sources of annoyance/anger for Canadians, along with:

The survey found that sector annoyance/anger is most felt towards the following industries:

About Globalive

Globalive has founded or co-founded and operated 12 operating companies over the past 25 years in the telecommunications industry, including WIND Mobile which was sold to Shaw Communications for $1.6 billion. Globalive Capital manages Globalive's diversified investment portfolio across multiple asset classes including venture, private equity, real estate, and infrastructure. Globalive Ventures has made over 100 early-stage technology venture investments and is well-known as a strategic, entrepreneur friendly investor. Globalive has been a founding sponsor and ongoing supporter of leading incubators and accelerators including NEXT Canada and the Creative Destruction Lab, and the Globalive team serves as directors and advisors across the startup ecosystem. Globalive Media focuses on the innovation ecosystem and produces the show Beyond Innovation ( beyondinnovation.tv ) that airs globally on the Bloomberg platform. For more information, visit www.globalive.com .

About Pollara

Founded in 1980, Pollara Strategic Insights is one of Canada's premier full-service research firms  a collaborative team of senior research veterans who are passionate about conducting research through handson creativity and customized solutions. Taking full advantage of their comprehensive toolbox of industry-leading quantitative and qualitative methodologies and analytical techniques, Pollara provides research-based strategic advice to a wide array of clients across all sectors on a local, national, and global scale.

About the survey

The findings come from a Pollara Strategic Insights survey fielded online between September 2nd and 12th, 2022. In total, 3105 Canadians 18 years and older completed the survey. A probability sample of this size would carry a margin of error of  1.8%, 19 times out of 20.

Globalive Logo (CNW Group/Globalive Capital Inc.)

SOURCE Globalive Capital Inc.

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Azerbaijan making amendments to Regulation on 'Digital agriculture' information system

29 September 2022 [16:00] -

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has signed a Decree amending the "Regulation on the 'Digital agriculture' information system", approved by Presidential Decree No. 897 dated December 23, 2019, Azernews reports.

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The largest move of its kind within the consulting sector will see Bain & Company train all consultants internationally in ESG within months

12 world-class universities, including Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Imperial College London, HEC Paris, and Melbourne Business School will provide training to consultants in all of Bain & Company's 65 offices in 40 countries

The Further Academy will give all Bain consultants access to 40 hours of training as the firm puts climate science, sustainability and the wider ESG agenda at the heart of its consulting offer

LONDON, Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ --In the largest move of its kind within the top tier management consulting sector, Bain & Company is offering an accelerated and specialised, post-graduate-level global ESG training programme to upskill all its consultants across the firm worldwide.

The upskilling initiative, already underway and being rapidly rolled out in all the firm's global regions, is a key element of Bain & Company's continuing, intense focus on supporting sustainable transitions to drive positive impact for all its clients. It supports the firm's aim to integrate ESG into 100% of client work, reflecting the global imperative for companies across sectors to build sustainability and ESG into the fabric of their businesses now, to accelerate the energy transition, transform food systems, and advance diversity and equity.

The Further Academy programme will see all of Bain's consultants and advisors, from entry-level new joiners to senior partners, receive the training from world class universities and business schools, including Imperial College Business School (London), Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), HEC Paris, Solvay Brussels School of Economics and Management, and Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands (TU Delft) and Melbourne Business School's Centre for Sustainability and Business, Melbourne, Australia. See Notes to Editors for full list of institutions

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The upskilling is part of Bain's continuing commitment to embed ESG into everything it does, both within its client work and in its own internal and external operations. It will equip each consultant to advise on ESG issues within their areas of expertise, ensure that an understanding of ESG risks and opportunities is at the heart of every client brief  and deliver on Bain's own, ambitious sustainable development goals.

Forty hours post-graduate-level training modules will be provided to each consultant, delivered primarily in live sessions with some hybrid elements, with the partner business schools developing regionally tailored curricula. Modules include climate change, the energy transition, sustainable development, business transformation, circularity and value chains, sustainable and equitable food systems, social justice, and diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI).

For DEI, this expanded program builds on extensive training already delivered to thousands of Bain consultants this year. In addition, the firm is already actively developing the next phase of the ESG upskilling drive to ensure continuing, relevant training across teams and regions, including for new joiners in the future.

Discussing the program, Francois Faelli, global managing partner for ESG at Bain & Company, said: "Reaching net zero on a global scale requires a tremendous investment in ESG skills. The next generation of business leaders must intuitively understand how to balance financial and non-financial objectives. I am proud to say that we will very shortly have succeeded in delivering this training for thousands of our advisors who will help steer our clients towards a more sustainable future.

Francois continued: "A foundational knowledge of climate science and social value is vital to understanding almost any modern business challenge. As purpose becomes more important as a driver of strategy, bridging the gap between academic institutions and business through initiatives like this is crucial. With the implementation of this program across all areas of our business, consultants will be empowered to work alongside clients to co-create the future and generate lasting impact."

David Brown, Director of Executive Education at Imperial College Business School, added: "Imperial College London is at the forefront of research and innovation for tackling the climate emergency, building new energy solutions, circular economies and driving sustainable and inclusive development.

Understanding and addressing these challenges is a core part of our mission. We are delighted with this executive education partnership which will allow both Bain and Imperial to further their knowledge and understanding of these critical topics".

David Schmittlein, John C Head III Dean, Massachusetts Institute of Technology Sloan School of Management, commented: "MIT Sloan is engaging faculty from across MIT in this unique collaboration to develop Bain and Company's ESG capabilities broadly. Leveraging MIT's breadth of relevant expertise and track record of partnering on innovative learning programs with the world's greatest companies, we will help current and future leaders across Bain strengthen their ability to work with their clients to implement strategies that maximize ESG performance systematically and sustainably."

Bain's strong sustainability commitment and record

Bain & Company, which has been carbon neutral since 2011, announced in April its commitment to science-based target emissions reductions, as well as the pledge to be net carbon negative in every year going forward. This will see Bain & Company remove more than 100% of its scope 1, 2 and 3 carbon emissions by supporting projects that extract carbon from the atmosphere.

Bain & Company launched its Sustainability and Responsibility Practice over ten years ago and has seen the area grow by more than 65% per annum over the past five years, with more than 950 sustainability projects undertaken by its consulting teams during this period, including more than 800 which touched on climate transition cases.

The Further Academy builds on the firm's extensive previous track record of ESG training. Previous initiatives include Further SM Learning, a series of podcasts and webinars now in its second year, along with ongoing curation of the latest insights shared through Bain's award-winning knowledge management platform.

Media contacts:

For any questions or to arrange an interview, please contact:

Bain & Company: Gary Duncan (London)  Tel: +44 (0) 7788 163 791 Email: gary.duncan@bain.com

Hill+Knowlton:

Notes to Editors:

*The full list of academic institutions partnering with Bain & Company to deliver the Further Academy training is: US: Massachusetts Institute of Technology Sloan School of Management EMEA: Solvay University, Brussels, Belgium; Antwerp Management School, Belgium; HEC Business School, Paris, France; SDA Bocconi School of Management, Milan, Italy; FUTURE Institute for Sustainable Transformation at ESMT Berlin Business School, Germany, and Circle Economy Foundation, Netherlands; Delft University of Technology, Netherlands; Wageningen University, Netherlands; IE Business School, Madrid, Spain; Stockholm School of Economics Executive Education, Sweden; Imperial College London, UK. APAC: Melbourne Business School Centre for Sustainability and Business, Melbourne, Australia.

About Bain & Company

Bain & Company is a global consultancy that helps the world's most ambitious change makers define the future.

Across 65 cities in 40 countries, we work alongside our clients as one team with a shared ambition to achieve extraordinary results, outperform the competition, and redefine industries. We complement our tailored, integrated expertise with a vibrant ecosystem of digital innovators to deliver better, faster, and more enduring outcomes. Our 10-year commitment to invest more than $1 billion in pro bono services brings our talent, expertise, and insight to organizations tackling today's urgent challenges in education, racial equity, social justice, economic development, and the environment. We earned a platinum rating from EcoVadis, the leading platform for environmental, social, and ethical performance ratings for global supply chains, putting us in the top 1% of all companies. Since our founding in 1973, we have measured our success by the success of our clients, and we proudly maintain the highest level of client advocacy in the industry.

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SOURCE Bain & Company
ReportLinker

INTRODUCTION Over the last few decades, the development landscape of small molecule drugs has been significantly impacted by various biotechnology breakthroughs. Further, with the advent of novel technologies, biologics have made a significant impact in the pharmaceutical domain, delivering ground-breaking treatment for a myriad of disease indications, including immunological, oncological and rare disorders.

New York, Sept. 29, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "Biopharmaceutical Contract Manufacturing Market by Type of Service Offered, Type of Biologic Manufactured, Type of Expression System Used, Scale of Operation, Company Size, and Key Geographical Regions : Industry Trends and Global Forecasts, 2022  2035" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p06323412/?utm_source=GNW

In this context, it is worth highlighting those 14 biopharmaceutical products (including cell therapies, gene therapies, monoclonal antibodies and recombinant proteins) were approved in the US alone, in 2021. Further, promising results from ongoing clinical research initiatives have encouraged various government and private firms to make significant investments in this domain. For instance, in 2021, a sum of over USD 70 billion was invested in the cell and gene therapy domain. However, manufacturing of biologics is fraught with various challenges. Some of the key concerns of contemporary innovators include rate of attrition of pipeline drugs / therapies, prolonged development timelines, current facility limitations, regulatory and compliance-related issues, and inconsistencies related to quality attributes of the final product. Therefore, therapy developers are actively exploring avenues that enable them to overcome the existing challenges. Amongst other alternatives, outsourcing has emerged as a lucrative option for biologic drug developers.



Currently, a significant number of players engaged in the biopharmaceutical domain prefer to outsource various operations to contract service providers. In fact, currently over 275 companies claim to offer contract manufacturing services for biologic therapeutics, in compliance with the regulatory standards. It is also worth highlighting that biopharmaceutical contract manufacturers are actively trying to consolidate their presence in this field by entering into strategic alliances in order to meet the indubitably rising demand for biologics. For this purpose, substantial expansions, and mergers and acquisitions have been reported in this market, as service providers strive to become one-stop-shops, to cater to the diverse needs of their clientele. With outsourcing being increasingly accepted as a viable and beneficial business model within this field, we anticipate the biopharmaceutical contract manufacturing market to grow at a commendable pace in the coming years.



SCOPE OF THE REPORT

The Biopharmaceutical Contract Manufacturing Market by Type of Service(s) Offered (API, FDF), Type of Biologic Manufactured (Antibodies, Cell Therapies, Vaccines and Other Biologics), Type of Expression System Used (Mammalian, Microbial and Others), Scale of Operation (Preclinical / Clinical and Commercial), Company Size (Small, Mid-sized, and Large and Very Large), and Key Geographical Regions (North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America and MENA): Industry Trends and Global Forecasts, 2022  2035 report features an extensive study of the current market landscape and the likely future potential associated with the biopharmaceutical contract manufacturing market, over the next decade.



The study also includes a detailed analysis of key drivers and trends within this evolving market.



Amongst other elements, the report features:



A detailed overview of the overall landscape of companies engaged in offering contract manufacturing services for biologics, including a detailed analysis based on several relevant parameters, such as year of establishment, company size (based on number of employees), location of headquarters, type of service(s) offered (API and FDF manufacturing), type of biologic manufactured (ADCs, antibodies, biosimilars, cell therapies, gene therapies, nucleic acids / oligonucleotides, plasmid DNA / viral vectors, proteins / peptides, vaccines and others), scale of operation (preclinical, clinical and commercial), type of expression system used (mammalian, microbial and others), type of bioreactor used (single use, stainless steel and others) and mode of operation of bioreactor (batch, fed batch and perfusion / continuous).

A detailed landscape of the biopharmaceutical manufacturing facilities established across the key geographical regions (North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific and Rest of the World), highlighting the manufacturing hubs for biologics.

Elaborate profiles of key industry players based in North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific that offer contract manufacturing services for biologics. Each profile features a brief overview of the company, details related to its biologic-related service portfolio, manufacturing facilities, recent developments, and an informed future outlook.

A detailed discussion on the key enablers in this domain, including certain niche product classes, such as antibody drug conjugates (ADCs), bispecific antibodies, cell therapies, gene therapies and viral vectors, which are likely to have a significant impact on the growth of the contract services market.

A case study on the growing global biosimilars market, highlighting the associated opportunities for biopharmaceutical CMOs and CDMOs.

A case study comparing the key characteristics of small and large molecule drugs, along with details on the various steps involved in their respective manufacturing processes.

A detailed discussion on the benefits and challenges associated with in-house manufacturing, featuring a brief overview of the various parameters that a drug / therapy developer may need to take into consideration while deciding whether to manufacture its products in-house or outsource the production operations.

A qualitative analysis, highlighting various factors that need to be taken into consideration by biopharmaceutical developers while deciding whether to manufacture their respective products in-house or engage the services of a CMO.

A review of the various biopharmaceutical-focused manufacturing initiatives undertaken by top 10 big pharma players (shortlisted on the basis of 2021 revenues), highlighting trends across various parameters, such as number of initiatives, year of initiative, purpose of initiative, type of initiative, scale of operation and type of biologic manufactured.

An analysis of the recent collaborations within the biopharmaceutical contract manufacturing industry, based on several relevant parameters, such as year of partnership, type of partnership, type of biologic manufactured, therapeutic area, most active players (in terms of number of deals inked) and regional distribution of partnership activity that have taken place in this domain, during the period 2015-2022.

A detailed analysis of the various mergers and acquisitions that have taken place within this domain, during the period 2015-2022, based on several relevant parameters, such as year of agreement, type of deal, geographical location of companies, type of acquisition, type of biologic manufactured and key value drivers.

A detailed review of expansion initiatives undertaken by biopharmaceutical contract manufacturers, during the period 2016-2022, along with information on several relevant parameters, such as year of expansion, purpose of expansion, type of biologic manufactured and location of expanded facility.

An analysis of the recent developments within the biopharmaceutical contract manufacturing industry, highlighting information on the funding investments made during the period 2016-2022, along with information on the technology advancements related to biomanufacturing.

An estimate of the overall, installed capacity for the manufacturing of biopharmaceuticals, based on information reported by various industry stakeholders in the public domain, highlighting the distribution of the available capacity, based on size of manufacturer (small, mid-sized and large and very large), scale of operation (preclinical, clinical and commercial), type of expression system used (mammalian, microbial and others) and geography (North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific and Rest of the World).

An informed estimate of the annual demand for biologics, taking into account the top 20 biologics, based on various relevant parameters, such as target patient population, dosing frequency and dose strength of the abovementioned products.

A company size-wise, detailed analysis of the total cost of ownership for biopharmaceuticals contract manufacturing organizations, during the period 2022-2042.

A case study on the virtual business model concept, along with its role in the overall biopharmaceutical industry. It also features a discussion on the advantages and risks / challenges associated with outsourcing operations from virtual service providers.

A discussion on affiliated trends, key drivers and challenges, under an elaborate SWOT framework, which are likely to impact the industrys evolution, including a Harvey ball analysis, highlighting the relative effect of each SWOT parameter on the overall biopharmaceutical industry.

A survey analysis featuring inputs solicited from various experts who are directly / indirectly involved in providing contract manufacturing services to biopharmaceutical developers.



One of the key objectives of the report was to estimate the existing market size and estimate the future size of biopharmaceutical contract manufacturing market. We have provided informed estimates on the evolution of the market, over the period 2022-2035. Our year-wise projections of the current and future opportunity have further been segmented on the basis of [A] type of service(s) offered (API, FDF), [B] type of biologic manufactured (antibodies, cell therapies, vaccines and other biologics), [C] type of expression system used (mammalian, microbial and others), [D] scale of operation (preclinical / clinical and commercial), [E] company size (small, mid-sized, and large and very large), and [F] key geographical regions (North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America and MENA).



In order to account for future uncertainties associated with some of the key parameters and to add robustness to our forecast model, we have provided three market forecast scenarios, portraying the conservative, base and optimistic tracks of the markets evolution.



All actual figures have been sourced and analyzed from publicly available information forums and primary research discussions. Financial figures mentioned in this report are in USD, unless otherwise specified.



KEY QUESTIONS ANSWERED

Who are the key players engaged in offering contract manufacturing services for biopharmaceuticals?

What are the different partnerships and expansion initiatives undertaken by biopharmaceutical contract manufacturers in the recent past?

Which regions represent the current key contract manufacturing hubs for biopharmaceuticals?

What is the current, installed capacity for contract manufacturing of biopharmaceuticals?

What is the current, global demand for biologics? How is the demand for such candidates likely to evolve in the foreseen future?

What percentage of the biopharmaceuticals manufacturing operations are presently outsourced?

What factors should be taken into consideration while deciding whether the manufacturing operations for biopharmaceuticals should be kept in-house or outsourced?

How is the current and future opportunity likely to be distributed across key market segments?



CHAPTER OUTLINES



Chapter 2 is an executive summary of key insights captured during our research. It offers a high-level view on the current state of biopharmaceutical contract manufacturing market and its likely evolution in the short to mid-term and long-term.



Chapter 3 provides a general introduction to biopharmaceuticals and biopharmaceutical manufacturing processes. The chapter also includes an overview of the various expression systems used for the development of different types of biotherapeutic products. It features a brief overview of contract manufacturing, along with a detailed discussion on the need for outsourcing within the biopharmaceutical industry. Furthermore, it provides information on the challenges faced by players currently engaged in this domain.



Chapter 4 provides a detailed assessment of the current market landscape of companies engaged in offering contract manufacturing services for biologics, including a detailed analysis based on several relevant parameters, such as year of establishment, company size (based on number of employees), location of headquarters, type of service(s) offered (API and FDF manufacturing), type of biologic manufactured (ADCs, antibodies, biosimilars, cell therapies, gene therapies, nucleic acids / oligonucleotides, plasmid DNA / viral vectors, proteins / peptides, vaccines and others), scale of operation (preclinical, clinical and commercial), type of expression system used (mammalian, microbial and others), type of bioreactor used (single use, stainless steel and others) and mode of operation of bioreactor (batch, fed batch and perfusion / continuous).



Chapter 5 provides a detailed landscape of the biopharmaceutical manufacturing facilities established across the key geographical regions (North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific and Rest of the World), highlighting the manufacturing hubs for biologics.



Chapter 6 provides elaborate profiles of key industry players based in North America that offer contract manufacturing services for biologics. Each profile features a brief overview of the company, details related to its biologic-related service portfolio, manufacturing facilities, recent developments, and an informed future outlook.



Chapter 7 provides elaborate profiles of key industry players based in Europe that offer contract manufacturing services for biologics. Each profile features a brief overview of the company, details related to its biologic-related service portfolio, manufacturing facilities, recent developments, and an informed future outlook.



Chapter 8 provides elaborate profiles of key industry players based in Asia-Pacific that offer contract manufacturing services for biologics. Each profile features a brief overview of the company, details related to its biologic-related service portfolio, manufacturing facilities, recent developments, and an informed future outlook.

Chapter 9 provides a detailed discussion on the key enablers in this domain, including certain niche product classes, such as antibody drug conjugates (ADCs), bispecific antibodies, cell therapies, gene therapies and viral vectors, which are likely to have a significant impact on the growth of the contract services market.



Chapter 10 presents a case study on the growing global biosimilars market, highlighting the associated opportunities for biopharmaceutical CMOs and CDMOs.



Chapter 11 presents a case study comparing the key characteristics of small and large molecule drugs, along with details on the various steps involved in their respective manufacturing processes.



Chapter 12 provides a detailed discussion on the benefits and challenges associated with in-house manufacturing, featuring a brief overview of the various parameters that a drug / therapy developer may need to take into consideration while deciding whether to manufacture its products in-house or outsource the production operations.

Chapter 13 presents a qualitative analysis, highlighting various factors that need to be taken into consideration by biopharmaceutical developers while deciding whether to manufacture their respective products in-house or engage the services of a CMO.



Chapter 14 provides a review of the various biopharmaceutical-focused manufacturing initiatives undertaken by top 10 big pharma players (shortlisted on the basis of 2021 revenues), highlighting trends across various parameters, such as number of initiatives, year of initiative, purpose of initiative, type of initiative, scale of operation and type of biologic manufactured.



Chapter 15 presents an analysis of the recent collaborations within the biopharmaceutical contract manufacturing industry, based on several relevant parameters, such as year of partnership, type of partnership, type of biologic manufactured, therapeutic area, most active players (in terms of number of deals inked) and regional distribution of partnership activity that have taken place in this domain, during the period 2015-2022.



Chapter 16 provides a detailed analysis of the various mergers and acquisitions that have taken place within this domain, during the period 2015-2022, based on several relevant parameters, such as year of agreement, type of deal, geographical location of companies, type of acquisition, type of biologic manufactured and key value drivers.



Chapter 17 presents a detailed review of expansion initiatives undertaken by biopharmaceutical contract manufacturers, during the period 2016-2022, along with information on several relevant parameters, such as year of expansion, purpose of expansion, type of biologic manufactured and location of expanded facility.



Chapter 18 presents an analysis of the recent developments within the biopharmaceutical contract manufacturing industry, highlighting information on the funding investments made during the period 2016-2022, along with information on the technology advancements related to biomanufacturing.



Chapter 19 provides an estimate of the overall, installed capacity for the manufacturing of biopharmaceuticals, based on information reported by various industry stakeholders in the public domain, highlighting the distribution of the available capacity, based on size of manufacturer (small, mid-sized, and large and very large), scale of operation (preclinical, clinical and commercial), type of expression system used (mammalian, microbial and others) and geography (North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific and Rest of the World).



Chapter 20 presents an informed estimate of the annual demand for biologics, taking into account the top 20 biologics, based on various relevant parameters, such as target patient population, dosing frequency and dose strength of the abovementioned products.



Chapter 21 presents a company size-wise, detailed analysis of the total cost of ownership for biopharmaceuticals contract manufacturing organizations, during the period 2022-2042.



Chapter 22 presents an insightful market forecast analysis, highlighting the future potential of biopharmaceutical contract manufacturing market till 2035. We have segmented the market on the basis of type of service(s) offered (API, FDF), type of biologic manufactured (antibodies, cell therapies, vaccines and other biologics), type of expression system used (mammalian, microbial and others), scale of operation (preclinical / clinical and commercial) , company size (small, mid-sized, and large and very large), and key geographical regions (North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America and MENA).



Chapter 23 presents a case study on the virtual business model concept, along with its role in the overall biopharmaceutical industry. It also features a discussion on the advantages and risks / challenges associated with outsourcing operations from virtual service providers.



Chapter 24 provides a discussion on affiliated trends, key drivers and challenges, under an elaborate SWOT framework, which are likely to impact the industrys evolution, including a Harvey ball analysis, highlighting the relative effect of each SWOT parameter on the overall biopharmaceutical industry.



Chapter 25 features an elaborate discussion on the future opportunities / trends within the biopharmaceutical contract manufacturing market that are likely to influence the growth of this domain over the coming years.



Chapter 26 provides a survey analysis featuring inputs solicited from various experts who are directly / indirectly involved in providing contract manufacturing services to biopharmaceutical developers.



Chapter 27 is a summary of the entire report. It provides the key takeaways and presents our independent opinion of the biopharmaceutical contract manufacturing market, based on the research and analysis described in the previous chapters.



Chapter 28 is a collection of transcripts of interviews conducted with various stakeholders in the industry.



Chapter 29 is an appendix, which provides tabulated data and numbers for all the figures provided in the report.



Chapter 30 is an appendix, which provides the list of companies and organizations mentioned in the report.

Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p06323412/?utm_source=GNW



About Reportlinker

ReportLinker is an award-winning market research solution. Reportlinker finds and organizes the latest industry data so you get all the market research you need - instantly, in one place.



__________________________

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CONTACT: Clare: clare@reportlinker.com US: (339)-368-6001 Intl: +1 339-368-6001




LOS ANGELES, Sept. 28, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- CHIRLA in partnership with dozens of immigrant rights organizations locally, including CARECEN-LA, Asian Americans Advancing Justice Southern California, and national organizations boosts mobilization efforts to urge Congress for bipartisan support of U.S. Senator Alex Padilla's bill, co-authored by Senator Ben Ray Lujan, Senator Elizabeth Warren and Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin, to update the Immigration Registry.

The groups rallied in Los Angeles at the Edward Roybal Federal Building today to support U.S. Senator Padilla's legislation to expand a pathway to permanent residency for millions of long-term U.S. residents, the bill was introduced today. The Renewing Immigration Provisions of the Immigration Act of 1929 would update the existing Registry statute so that an immigrant may qualify for lawful permanent resident status if they have lived in the U.S. for at least seven years and are of "good moral character."

"We applaud the bold leadership of Senators Padilla, Durbin, Lujan, and Warren to move Congress to update the registry, an existing immigration law that has not been revised in over 35 years. An update of the registry will provide immigrants the ability to access permanent residency," said Angelica Salas, CHIRLA Executive Director. "With DACA on life support, TPS under constant threat and millions still living without legal status for decades, we urge Congress to update the registry now, and to do so with a strong bipartisan vote, as was the case with the last four previous updates since its inception in 1929."

"With the DACA program in jeopardy, my future is uncertain, and I continue to live in fear in the only country that I have known as my home. DACA could be taken away at any moment, and we're not talking about a single document, we're talking about human lives," said Francisco, CHIRLA member and DACA holder. "Instead of dead ends, Congress can establish a permanent pathway through an update to the registry! My family and I have waited for too long, and we urge Congress to provide a solution so that we don't continue living of the promises of others."

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Our outdated immigration system has impacted millions of people and has held the American economy hostage, especially as we emerge out of a devastating pandemic. Senator Padilla's bill will update the Registry cutoff date for the first time in more than 35 years and will allow immigrants to apply for legal permanent residency. This revision will impact up to 8 million immigrants, many of whom have been living, working, and contributing to the United States for decades, putting them on a path to citizenship. For far too long, immigrants who consistently and continually contribute to our communities and our economy have been kept in the shadows in legal limbo. Updating this historically-bipartisan provision would contribute approximately $83 billion to the U.S. economy annually and $27 billion in taxes, according to FWD.us.

Click here to read a copy of the bill.

Media Contact: Hilda Delgado

Phone: (213) 700-3142

E-mail: press@chirla.org

Organization website: www.chirla.org

Cision

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SOURCE CHIRLA
JINING, China, Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- A news report from GLOBAL TIMES ONLINE:

The opening ceremony for 2022 China (Qufu) International Confucius Cultural Festival and the eighth Nishan Forum on World Civilizations was held in Qufu, a county-level city in Jining, Shandong province on Sept 27, attracting more than 600 professors, experts and foreign envoys across the world to attend online and offline.

The Confucius thoughts, created by Chinese great thinker Kongzi 2,573 years ago, contributed greatly to the development of Chinese civilization and world civilizations, said Hu Heping, minister of Culture and Tourism of China, in a video during the ceremony. He added that the annual Nishan forum has played an important role in promoting Confucianism with a series of culture activities.

This year's forum, under the theme of "Diversity of Human Civilizations and Common Values of Mankind", focused on global common topics such as the protection of human cultural heritage, innovation and development of culture and exchanges of human civilization.

From the perspective of Confucianism, China would like to propose Chinese wisdom and solutions to build a community with shared future for mankind, Hu added.

Li Ganjie, Party secretary of Shandong, said in his speech that the fine Chinese culture and tradition provides rich content for the Chinese version of modernization.

As the home province of Confucius and an important source of Chinese traditional culture, Shandong will work hard to promote the creative development of fine traditional Chinese culture, create a highland for exchanges between civilizations and explore ways for culture inheritance to make contributions for promoting the common values of mankind, Li added.

"I subscribe to the world famous cultural giant Confucius whose birthplace the Nishan Forum on World Civilizations is named after and who believes in the equality and education of all people," Solomon Islands' Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare said in a video at the ceremony, adding that the spirit of Nishan civilization is alive and active between Solomon Islands and China.

The eighth Nishan Forum on World Civilizations, which will last until Sept 28, features more than 40 activities, including keynote speeches, high-level dialogues and interviews with ministers and diplomats. The Nishan World Intellectual Businessmen Culture Forum was also launched for the first time.

SOURCE GLOBAL TIMES ONLINE
Four new electric vehicle pilot programs will help prepare Duke Energy, customers for EV growth

National Drive Electric Week is Sept. 23-Oct. 2

PLAINFIELD, Ind., Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Duke Energy is launching electric transportation pilot programs in Indiana for its residential and commercial customers, including businesses, schools and local governments.

On June 1, the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission approved four two-year, customer-focused Duke Energy electric transportation pilot programs for the company's Indiana customers. Each program is designed to better understand the effects of increasing adoption of EVs, customer EV charging preferences and behavior, and the potential benefits to Indiana.

The pilot programs will launch on Oct. 1 and run for 24 months each.

"As the adoption of electric vehicles accelerates, pilot programs such as these give us the opportunity to gain critical knowledge around what an electric automotive future will require and ensure we're planning the system to reliably meet our customers' needs," said Duke Energy Indiana President Stan Pinegar.

The EV pilot programs include:

Off-Peak Charging Credit



Residential customers with a Level 2 EV charger can apply for an Off-Peak Credit program, which provides a quarterly bill credit for charging EVs during times of decreased energy demand. Up to 500 participants will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. The $50 quarterly credit is available for two years, totaling $400 per customer. The pilot will look at customer response to price incentives related to when they charge their vehicles. Those interested in participating should go to: www.duke-energy.com/home/products/ev-complete/off-peak-credit.

Commercial Charger Rebate



The Commercial Charger Rebate pilot program offers a financial incentive to Duke Energy commercial customers, including businesses, apartment dwelling units, and government or workplace fleet operators, to install electric vehicle chargers at their place of business. The purpose of this pilot is to better understand the needs of this customer segment and the effects on the electric grid.

Story continues

Up to 1,200 charging stations are included in the pilot, and participants can receive $500 per charging station. Participants must install a minimum of four Level 2 EV charging stations, and the maximum available for an incentive per participant is 20.

Private fleet customers must own, lease or otherwise operate on a regular basis one or more plug-in EVs (plug-in hybrid electric vehicle or battery electric vehicle) per each incentive received. For more information about how to participate, go to: www.duke-energy.com/business/products/ev-complete/charger-rebate.

Ten percent of the pilot's incentives  accounting for approximately 120 chargers  will be designated for commercial entities in low-income areas.

Fleet Advisory

The Fleet Advisory pilot program is an opportunity for fleet managers to assess the economics and sometimes complex logistical challenges of commercial fleets transitioning to electric vehicles. Duke Energy will provide comprehensive EV suitability analysis for eligible customers interested in switching their operating fleets to electric. The company plans to perform 45 consultations over two years Those interested in participating should go to: /www.duke-energy.com/energy-education/electric-vehicles/business/contact-us.

Electric School Bus



As part of the Electric School Bus pilot program, Duke Energy will work with school districts to provide partial funding  up to $197,000 per bus  and charging infrastructure for six electric school buses. The aim is to study the ability of the bus battery to dispatch energy to the electric grid  helping supply stored power for Indiana customers.



Half of the pilot's participation will be allocated to schools with a student population greater than 30% receiving free or reduced-price lunches. The remainder of pilot participants will be enrolled on a first-come, first-served basis, subject to program goals.

Questions about participation should be sent to eschoolbusIN@duke-energy.com.

A Charged Path Forward

The week of Sept. 23-Oct. 2 marks National Drive Electric Week (NDEW), a nationwide celebration to raise awareness of the benefits of all-electric and plug-in hybrid cars, trucks, motorcycles and more. Coordinated by Plug In America and supported by the National Electric Highway Coalition, NDEW educates consumers about the benefits of EVs and offers in-person events across the country related to transportation electrification.

Recently, electric charging stations got a major boost when the Indiana Department of Transportation announced it is investing more than $100 million in federal infrastructure funds to build an EV fast-charging network at strategic locations across Indiana. Indiana's effort is part of a national initiative to create a network of at least 500,000 reliable chargers across the U.S. to support the growing adoption of electric vehicles.

With support from the Indiana Department of Environmental Management, Duke Energy is working with other major Indiana utility companies, including AES Indiana, Indiana Michigan Power (AEP), CenterPoint Energy, NIPSCO, WVPA, Hoosier Energy and Crawfordsville Power & Light, to install 61 fast-charging stations across Indiana. Known as the EV Crossroads of America, the initiative aims to ensure an EV fast-charging station is located every 30 to 50 miles throughout Indiana's major interstates and highways.

Duke Energy Indiana

Duke Energy Indiana, a subsidiary of Duke Energy, provides about 6,300 megawatts of owned electric capacity to approximately 870,000 customers in a 23,000-square-mile service area, making it Indiana's largest electric supplier.

Duke Energy (NYSE: DUK), a Fortune 150 company headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., is one of America's largest energy holding companies. Its electric utilities serve 8.2 million customers in North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky, and collectively own 50,000 megawatts of energy capacity. Its natural gas unit serves 1.6 million customers in North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Ohio and Kentucky. The company employs 28,000 people.

Duke Energy is executing an aggressive clean energy transition to achieve its goals of net-zero methane emissions from its natural gas business and at least a 50% carbon reduction from electric generation by 2030 and net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. The 2050 net-zero goals also include Scope 2 and certain Scope 3 emissions. In addition, the company is investing in major electric grid enhancements and energy storage and exploring zero-emission power generation technologies such as hydrogen and advanced nuclear.

Duke Energy was named to Fortune's 2022 "World's Most Admired Companies" list and Forbes' "America's Best Employers" list. More information is available at duke-energy.com . The Duke Energy News Center contains news releases, fact sheets, photos and videos. Duke Energy's illumination features stories about people, innovations, community topics and environmental issues. Follow Duke Energy on Twitter , LinkedIn , Instagram and Facebook .

Duke Energy media contact: Angeline Protogere

800.559.3853

Cision

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SOURCE Duke Energy
Google CEO Sundar Pichai. Jerod Harris/Getty Images

Google has rolled out new features to win back young users who reportedly have turned to TikTok as a search engine.

Some features include a neighborhood "vibe" feature and updated ways for users to search for top-rated local restaurants.

Many of Google's announcements seem aimed to make the search process more visual  and more entertaining.

TikTok is quietly encroaching on Google's search engine dominance, especially with young people, and Google has announced a number of new features to seemingly try to beat back the competition.

At a conference in July, Google SVP Prabhakar Raghavan told attendees that according to Google's internal data, "something like almost 40% of young people when they're looking for a place for lunch, they don't go to Google Maps or Search, they go to TikTok or Instagram."

On Wednesday, at Google's 'Search On' event, the tech giant announced several visual changes to its map and search features to win back those young users and potentially make the searching process more entertaining.

This isn't the only recent announcement aimed at taking on TikTok.

Youtube, which is owned by Google, announced last week that it would share advertising revenue with short-form creators in an apparent attempt to coax influencers away from TikTok and Reels.

Check out the updates Google announced on Wednesday to appeal to young users.

'Vibe' Check

Google's neighborhood vibe Google

Google announced it's unveiling a "neighborhood vibe feature" that allows users to preview a neighborhood before visiting it using Google Maps. Google said it will help people see the most popular spots in a specific area "thanks to helpful photos and information from the Google Maps community right on the map."

Even the use of the word "vibe" is notable in Google's announcement. It appears to be an attempt to use Gen Z vernacular to appeal to younger users.

Immersive view

Google's immersive view screenshots Google

Google says it has added 250 landmarks to its "immersive view feature," which includes "photorealistic aerial views" of landmarks. Using historical data, the feature helps predict the weather, traffic, and how busy a certain area will be.

Story continues

Perfecting Food searches

Google food search screenshot Google

Google says its research shows that 40% of people already have a dish in mind when searching for a restaurant. Google will now allow users to search for a specific dish and see which places offer it in people's local areas.

The tech giant takes food searching a step further, though. Users can also search images of food taken from social media and include a "near me" function for food suggestions.

Search with Live View

Google search with live view screenshot Google

This feature allows users to hold up their cell phone cameras and search their surrounding area for anything from an ATM to grocery stores nearby. Google says the feature will start rolling out in some major cities in the coming months.

New features vs. TikTok

Screengrabs of TikToks with travel recommendations TikTok

Many of Google's announcements seem aimed to make the search process more visual and, in some ways, more entertaining.

But there is still a big question as to whether the features will effectively win over young users. Many seem to take aim at TikTok's user-generated video content. Content creators often post popular videos on TikTok with lists of "favorite places in New York" or "the best places to visit in San Francisco," which include restaurants, shopping, and sightseeing suggestions.

But Google's internal data shows that young people don't use TikTok as a search engine the same way they might use Google. On TikTok, they search for suggested places or activities and refer to comments on videos to check the results against the consensus of other users.

What's clear is that many Gen Z users trust the videos they watch on TikTok, but it remains to be seen whether Google can similarly establish that trust with young users.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Daily direct flynas flights will connect Riyadh with Mumbai, and four direct weekly flights will depart from Dammam.

flynas

Daily direct flynas flights will connect Riyadh with Mumbai, and four direct weekly flights will depart from Dammam.

Riyadh, Al Riyadh, Sept. 29, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- flynas, the Saudi carrier and leading low-cost airline in the Middle East, announced the launch of weekly direct flights from Riyadh and Dammam to Mumbai, starting from October 20, 2022.

Daily direct flynas flights will connect Riyadh with Mumbai, departing from King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh back and forth. In addition, four direct weekly flynas flights from King Fahad International airport in Dammam will be departing on Saturday, Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday starting from October 31, and reservations are now open through all flynas booking channels.

These routes came in light of flynas expansion strategy under the slogan launched recently under the title of "We Connect the World to the Kingdom," and after the growth achieved by the company in all its operations during the first half of 2022, in line with the strategic vision of the Civil Aviation Authority aims to double the capacity and reach 330 million passengers annually, from more than 250 destinations from around world by 2030.

flynas also announced the resumption of direct flights between Jeddah and Karachi starting from October 30 with three weekly flights, departing on Saturday, Sunday and Tuesday. Furthermore, in addition to the resumption of direct flights from Riyadh and Jeddah to the Egyptian city of Sohag by three weekly flights starting from October 30, departing on Sunday, Monday, and Wednesday from King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah, in addition to flights on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday from King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh to Sohag International Airport.

flynas succeeded in scaling up its fleet to 38 aircraft in June 2022 compared to 25 aircraft in January 2021, an increase of 52%. Meanwhile, the number of passengers on its flights increased to about 4 million passengers during the first half of 2022, up from about 1.8 million in the same period last year, an increase of nearly 120%.

Story continues

The Saudi carrier connects more than 70 domestic and international destinations and, since its establishment in 2007, has transported more than 60 million passengers.

Recently, flynas was ranked as the best Low-Cost Airline in the Middle East in 2022 by Skytrax International Award for the fifth time in a row, after 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2021. Also, It has been awarded the highest rating in the non-profit organization APEX' Official Airline Rating and ranked in the 4-star low-cost carrier category, the highest category of low-cost airline among 600 companies globally.

Passengers traveling with flynas can book their flights through all flynas booking channels: www.flynas.com, the flynas app, the 24/7 call center (920001234), or travel agents.

Media Contact

Company Name: flynas

Contact Person: Waleed Ahmed

Email: woahmed@flynas.com

City: Riyadh

State: Al-Riyadh

Country: Saudi Arabia

Website: https://www.flynas.com/en

Disclaimer: There is no offer to sell, no solicitation of an offer to buy, and no recommendation of any security or any other product or service in this article. Moreover, nothing contained in this PR should be construed as a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any investment or security, or to engage in any investment strategy or transaction. It is your responsibility to determine whether any investment, investment strategy, security, or related transaction is appropriate for you based on your investment objectives, financial circumstances, and risk tolerance. Consult your business advisor, attorney, or tax advisor regarding your specific business, legal, or tax situation. For more info, please contact brandnewsproject@gmail.com.

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Providing a more dynamic, responsive, and functional railway for rail passengers in the digital era is the goal of the digital railway transformation. Humans Government would be able to provide services more effectively and affordably than could with current technology due to digital train control.

New York, Sept. 29, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "Global Digital Railway Market Size, Share & Industry Trends Analysis Report By Offering, By Application, By Regional Outlook and Forecast, 2022 - 2028" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p06321950/?utm_source=GNW

The railway will have the additional capacity as a result, and performance, safety, and sustainability will all increase.



The Secretary of State for Transportation and the CEO of Network Rail jointly launched the Digital Railway Strategy in 2018, which outlined the delivery strategy for digital installation across the network and identified and prioritized the projects with the strongest business cases. Train-fitting and infrastructure upgrades are coordinated by a long-term Digital Railway deployment plan.



This would make it possible to transition to fully digital operation in the future with the least amount of expense, time, effort, and disruption to the railways operations. The proposal considers the scope and difficulty of modifying more than 19,000 miles of rail and fitting out more than 4,000 trains for one of the largest and most intensively run rail networks in the world.



A railway of this scale and complexity cannot be swiftly constructed. To manage the switch to digital technology and preserve the continuity of services for passengers and cargo operators, a project this size will require a regular schedule of asset replacement. In the past, business models used by railroad organizations were primarily focused on engineering and operations.



COVID-19 Impact Analysis



The governments ambition to digitally transform every industry drove market expansion. The businesses had enough time to introduce new technology slowly. IoT devices and modern technology were more widely accepted during the pandemic situation, which encouraged businesses to adopt modern technologies to meet customer demands and to simplify challenging processes, including ticket booking, freight management, and others, that aided in the markets expansion. The COVID-19 health crisis has a significant influence on all activities, and the containment measures that have been implemented as a result have had long-term negative financial and economic effects.



Market Growth Factors



The Number Of Rail Passengers Has Increased In Recent Years



The number of passengers using trains has dramatically increased during the past few years in many different nations. Railway operators require a variety of digital railway solutions, such as traffic management tools, passenger information systems, and passenger analytics, to effectively manage the passenger traffic and deliver high-quality transportation services to an increasing number of passengers. These solutions improve client travel experiences while boosting the effectiveness of railroad operations.



Demand For Cutting-Edge Transportation Infrastructure Is Increasing



All forms of railroad traffic are directly impacted by the effects of globalization. An increase in speed, security, and dependability is in demand. Therefore, regardless of the distance traveled or the anticipated number of steps needed to reach the destination, the next railway transportation ecosystem must provide solutions to satisfy the demand from source to destination with a high quality of service. Peoples needs are evolving continuously, necessitating the development of more accessible travel options.



Market Restraining Factors



The Absence Of Robust Rail Infrastructure In Developing Nations



Some developing nations still dont have the resources to upgrade their train systems. Investment in rail infrastructure becomes more important than the digitization of the infrastructure for nations lacking robust train networks. Implementing cutting-edge digital technology requires a robust train infrastructure as well as a robust communication system. Only when used at a particular degree of scale are some digital technologies, like traffic management or passenger analytics, effective.



Offering Outlook



By offering, the Digital Railway Market is bifurcated into Solution and Services. The solution segment acquired the highest revenue share in the digital railway market in 2021. To maintain a good service level across their network, transportation companies are under pressure to strengthen and invest in their current infrastructure and resources as the number of rail trips increases year over year.



Application Outlook



By Application, the Digital Railway Market is classified into Rail operations management, Passenger Information systems, Asset Management, and Other Applications. The passenger information system segment witnessed a substantial revenue share in the digital railway market in 2021. An important channel of communication between transportation companies and passengers is provided by passenger information systems. The ability of operators to offer accurate and up-to-date knowledge on arrival and departure times is a crucial element of passenger pleasure, along with system dependability, safety, and general appearance.



Regional Outlook



Region-wise, the Digital Railway Market is analyzed across North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and LAMEA. The Asia Pacific region procured a promising revenue share in the digital railway market in 2021. Due to the increased adoption of new technologies, more expenditures in digital transformation, and the development in GDP in the Asia Pacific countries, Asia Pacific is predicted to have the quickest rate of growth for the digital railway industry.



The major strategies followed by the market participants are Acquisitions. Based on the Analysis presented in the Cardinal matrix; Cisco Systems, Inc. and Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. are the forerunners in the Digital Railway Market. Companies such as IBM Corporation, ABB Group and Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. are some of the key innovators in Digital Railway Market.



The market research report covers the analysis of key stake holders of the market. Key companies profiled in the report include Siemens AG, ABB Group, Fujitsu Limited, IBM Corporation, Cisco Systems, Inc., ALSTOM Holdings, Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd., Thales Group S.A., Hitachi, Ltd., and Wabtec Corporation.



Recent Strategies deployed in Digital Railway Market



Partnerships, Collaborations and Agreements:



Aug-2022: ABB came into a partnership with Red Hat, an American software business. With this partnership, companies aimed to permit enterprises utilizing ABBs process automation and industrial software to scale flexibly and rapidly utilize Red Hats dominating enterprise platforms and application services developed on Red Hat Enterprise Linux. Moreover, The partnership allows containerization and virtualization of automation software with Red Hat OpenShift to deliver developed flexibility in hardware deployment, optimized as per application requirements.



May-2022: Wabtec Corporation joined hands with Deutsche Bahn, the second-largest transportation business in the world. Through this collaboration, the companies aimed to optimize the maintenance and operation of Wabtec equipment on council Deutsche Bahn trains. Additionally, the companies would collaborate as a joint Steering Committee for various projects to improve the availability, reliability, and life cycle of Wabtec tools established on Deutsche Bahn trains.



Apr-2022: Thales signed a Memorandum of Understanding with SMRT Trains, a rail operator in Singapore. With this agreement, the companies would transfer engineering knowledge and rail expertise in diverse sectors and utilize digital technologies such as Artificial Intelligence and data analytics to release the full capabilities of the diagnostic data readily general within the current signalling and rail systems.



Jan-2022: Hitachi Rail formed a partnership with Intermodal Telematics, a leader in the development of monitoring sensors and telematic solutions. Through this partnership, the companies aimed to adjoin IMTs pioneering monitoring sensors to Hitachis living digital freight service. Additionally, The agreement would permit Hitachi to deliver rail freight companies across the world a solution that delivers real-time monitoring to enhance safety and effectiveness.



Sep-2021: Alstom came into a partnership with Airbus CyberSecurity, a European specialist in cyber security. Through this partnership, the companies aimed to deliver rail operators with services and solutions integrating Alstoms solutions and expertise in rail transport within Airbus CyberSecuritys expertise and services in providing the security of industrial information systems.



Sep-2020: Siemens AG signed an agreement with Atos, an international leader in digital transformation. This agreement aimed to boost Siemens digital objectives in the field of services digitalization and modernization, cloud transformation, data-driven digital, and cybersecurity. Additionally, Atos would also support innovation and digital modernization, to reach crucial innovation issues for Siemens.



Jan-2020: Thales formed a partnership with Confidex, a supreme designer and supplier of short-range wireless identification solutions. Together, the companies aimed to introduce a Flexible Clap Card for MassTransit Market. Additionally, Thales and Confidex are delivering a reloadable product to support lower cost and trash linked with the more than 550 million magnetic tickets published each year.



Product Launch and Product Expansions:



Jun-2022: Wabtec introduced Precision Dispatch System. The new Wabtec Precision Dispatch System is developed to move trains safely and effectively around the rail network in both signalled and dark territory, as well as deliver complete transparency of network requirements and monitor all devices in the network. Additionally, Precision Dispatch analyzes data collected from all rolling stock and Positive Train Control and wayside device assets.



May-2022: Hitachi Rail launched PTC onboard system and digital railcar telematics. The new Positive Train Control is an onboard system is an Interoperable Train Control solution for cargo railroads and commuter rail operators.



May-2022: Thales introduced the launch of its prevailing Train Protection and Warning System (TPWS) Mk4 Single Cab Control Unit. The new TPWS Mk4 is comfortable to fit and run with current systems in both dual and single cabs, with no requirement to change anything under the vehicle, TPWS Mk4 is a concise, cost-effective advancement that demands minimal staff training, whilst providing interoperability with European Train Control System.



Feb-2022: Thales introduced Robust Train Positioning System, a system that delivers precise train positioning data and a digital map. The new Robust Train Positioning System focused on increasing safety by utilizing a mixture of sensors that gather crucial data on train positioning, which is integrated with a digital map of the track, supplying precise and constant positioning results for train drivers and other attendants.



Dec-2021: Siemens along with VGF unveiled Digital Train Control System. The new train control system is intended to substitute the traditional train control system used in metro and tram networks. Additionally, This system is designed to improve the efficiency and ability of train routes, particularly in the underground passages.



Oct-2021: Siemens Mobility came into a partnership with Deutsche Bahn, the second-largest transport company in the world. Through this partnership, the companies aimed to design the worlds first automated train, which is completely controlled and automated by digital technology and requires no human interference.



Mar-2021: Siemens Mobility introduced MoComp, a compact and single source display, and make known to all consumers the diverse Siemens Mobility offering of rail vehicle components. The new MoComp would deliver an entire range of mechanical and electrical components and system solutions for modern rail vehicles. Moreover, it contains propulsion systems, pantographs, brakes, bogies, and onboard power supplies.



Mar-2021: Thales unveiled SelTracTM G8, the 8th generation, Communications Based Train Control system. The new SelTrac G8 system possesses evolution and flexibility abilities, depending on the latest technologies to extremely decrease building and lifecycle price, while preserving passenger safety. Additionally, unique elements contain a new digital architecture, with improved services and sovereignty abilities.



Acquisitions and Mergers:



Jun-2022: Wabtec Corporation completed the acquisition of Collins Aerospaces ARINC rail solutions, a supplier of intelligence-based rail dispatch and back office solutions. Through this acquisition, ARINCs rail solutions systems, associated with Wabtecs digital and electronics offering, would boost the industrys travel of rail optimization.



Apr-2022: Wabtec Corporation completed the acquisition of Trimbles Beena Vision business, a producer of machine vision-based wayside inspection systems. This acquisition would expand Wabtecs unparalleled digital and electronics offering, improving its capability to advance wayside train condition monitoring, along with supply chain and logistics technology for railroad consumers across the world.



Jan-2022: Wabtec Corporation took over Masu, the railway friction industry. This acquisition would reinforce its established base, as well as develop its brake product offering. Additionally, Wabtec would also be capable to toughen its position as a foremost rail manufacturer in India



Oct-2021: Siemens Mobility completed the acquisition of qills, a creative full-service developer of software solutions. Through this acquisition, Siemens would deliver operators with a complete SaaS offering that optimizes their essential travel processes, such as reservation, trip searching, ticketing management, and inventory.



Aug-2021: Hitachi Rail completed the acquisition of Thales Ground Transportation Systems business, a French multinational company. With this acquisition, Hitachi Rail desires to propel growth by extending the scale of its rail signaling systems industry globally, obtaining an improved turnkey railway portfolio to new markets across the world. Furthermore, The integrated strength of Hitachi and GTSs Digital expertise would also help Hitachi Rail to boost its Mobility as a Service offering for an international consumer base.



May-2021: Siemens Mobility took over RailTerm, a Canada-based provider of rail assistance to railroads and transit agencies. With this partnership, Siemens aimed to promote the deployment of the next era of rail technologies throughout Canadas railway networks. Moreover, this acquisition would result in the development of Siemens Mobilitys current Canadian offering.



Apr-2021: Hitachi Rail acquired Perpetuum, a UK-based rail technology firm. Through this acquisition, the technology firm would now work on optimizing, improving, and developing the application of the technology in Hitachis international transportation offering. Additionally, by noticing onboard vibrations, Perpetuums self-powering sensors deliver real-time information about the performance of vital train components, allowing timely substitutes.



Mar-2021: Wabtec Corporation completed the acquisition of Nordco, an American manufacturer of railroad maintenance. With this acquisition, Wabtec would raise its established base and propel the growth across Nordcos innovative product offering both internationally and domestically.



Jul-2020: Cisco completed the acquisition of Fluidmesh Networks, a leader in wireless backhaul systems. Through this acquisition, the companies aimed to integrate Ciscos scale within Fluidmeshs solution-based portfolio and relationships with systems integrators, which would boost Ciscos industrial IoT enterprise to help successful industrial wireless deployments, and widen its reach to key consumer partners, segments, and end users.



Scope of the Study



Market Segments covered in the Report:



By Offering



 Solutions



o Remote Monitoring



o Network Management



o Route Optimization And Scheduling



o Predictive Maintenance



o Analytics



o Security



o Others



 Services



o Professional Services



o Managed Services



By Application



 Rail Operations Management



 Asset Management



 Passenger Information System



 Other



By Geography



 North America



o US



o Canada



o Mexico



o Rest of North America



 Europe



o Germany



o UK



o France



o Russia



o Spain



o Italy



o Rest of Europe



 Asia Pacific



o China



o Japan



o India



o South Korea



o Singapore



o Malaysia



o Rest of Asia Pacific



 LAMEA



o Brazil



o Argentina



o UAE



o Saudi Arabia



o South Africa



o Nigeria



o Rest of LAMEA



Companies Profiled



 Siemens AG



 ABB Group



 Fujitsu Limited



 IBM Corporation



 Cisco Systems, Inc.



 ALSTOM Holdings



 Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd.



 Thales Group S.A.



 Hitachi, Ltd.



 Wabtec Corporation



Unique Offerings



 Exhaustive coverage



 Highest number of market tables and figures



 Subscription based model available



 Guaranteed best price



 Assured post sales research support with 10% customization free

Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p06321950/?utm_source=GNW



About Reportlinker

ReportLinker is an award-winning market research solution. Reportlinker finds and organizes the latest industry data so you get all the market research you need - instantly, in one place.



__________________________

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CONTACT: Clare: clare@reportlinker.com US: (339)-368-6001 Intl: +1 339-368-6001




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A multi-channel program that handles several essential banking tasks, private wealth management, and business information are referred to as third-party banking software. The end-to-end omnichannel administration of banking operations is provided through an integrated and tailored software system.

New York, Sept. 29, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "Global Third-party Banking Software Market Size, Share & Industry Trends Analysis Report By Deployment, By Application, By End-use, By Product, By Regional Outlook and Forecast, 2022  2028" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p06322385/?utm_source=GNW

Commercial, retail, and trade banks utilize it largely to expand their interbank network and streamline their business processes.



The software helps to reduce losses brought on by human error, retain operational flexibility, enhance client satisfaction, and provide banks a competitive edge over rival financial institutions. The Core Banking, Multichannel, and BI segments make up the three major subgroups of the third-party banking software industry. Banks can offer their core banking services via a variety of channels due to third-party banking software providers.



As a result, banks are utilizing the advantages provided by third-party banking to transition to automated systems. Banks are becoming more and more reliant on mobile and internet channels as a result of their branch network contraction. As a result, it is becoming crucial for banks to give their consumers the choice to conduct financial operations quickly and securely using smart devices. This modernization process heavily relies on third-party banking software.



Positive growth effects are being produced by the increasing use of technologically sophisticated analytical tools like big data analytics. Large amounts of data must be processed effectively to make business decisions, spot market trends, and boost profitability. Being a data-driven enterprise, the banking sector relies on the use of third-party software connected with numerous analytical tools to manage data effectively.



The market for third-party banking software is expanding as a result of a transition from manual to computerized techniques for tracking and documenting financial transactions and bookkeeping. In keeping with this, the BFSI sectors increasing demand for process standardization and core banking systems is driving market expansion.



COVID-19 Impact Analysis



Particularly creating chances for the incorporation of third-party banking software is the increased demand for online banking solutions following the pandemic. Additionally, the development of online payment systems is enhancing the expansion of the sector. Digital financial services have been under the focus as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and the requirement for social distance. Social isolation is made possible by digital financial services, which also enable governments to quickly and effectively provide money to people in need and give many households and businesses easy access to online transactions and financing.



Market Growth Factors



Analytics Integration With Third-Party Banking Software



The addition of analytics to third-party banking software is a significant component fostering the markets expansion. Due to the development of digital technology, consumers in the banking sector are altering how they access banking services. To communicate with businesses and obtain financial services, they are adopting mobile devices and digital technology. Due to this, the amount of client data held by businesses in the banking sector has increased exponentially. These businesses can examine the data they collect, enabling them to take quicker, more informed decisions that would increase efficiency across the board.



Financial Institutions Are More Likely To Become Third Party Banking



People worry about how reliable third-party software is. This is true if users seeking a program that will let them access every bank account they have. For many years, financial institutions have already earned the communitys trust. Therefore, it is clear that financial organizations stand a higher chance of gaining customers trust when viewed from the viewpoint of a bank user. For much third-party banking software, the hardest element would be attracting bank users and getting their permission to execute banking activities on their behalf.



Market Restraining Factors



Inadequate Internet Access In Poor Nations



It is one of the major obstacles preventing the market for third-party banking software from expanding. The main prerequisite for third-party banking software to provide highly effective and efficient operations is a powerful and high-quality network. Businesses using this software must have a reliable internet connection that enables them to function effectively in real-time. Furthermore, transferring data from connected devices like servers requires a lot of bandwidth. Additionally, businesses may suffer significant financial losses if the technology is unable to update real-time transactions, particularly in the investment banking industry.



Product Outlook



On the basis of Product, the Third-party Banking Software Market is segmented into Core Banking Software, Omnichannel Banking Software, Business Intelligence Software, Wealth Management Software, and Others. The wealth management software segment registered a significant revenue share in the Third-party Banking Software Market in 2021. It is because as more people look for asset management services to assist them to generate enough retirement income, the need for third-party wealth management software is anticipated to be driven by the retired population.



Deployment Size Outlook



Based on the Deployment Size, the Third-party Banking Software Market is divided into On-premise, and Cloud. The on-premise segment procured the largest revenue share in the Third-party Banking Software Market in 2021. It is because supremacy is ascribed to its simple customization possibilities, flexibility, and stronger security standards. After all, it operates on private servers.



Application Outlook



By Application, the Third-party Banking Software Market is classified into Risk Management, Information Security, and Business Intelligence. The business intelligence segment witnessed a significant revenue share in the Third-party Banking Software Market in 2021. It is because the third-party banking softwares business intelligence application helps banks make informed decisions based on information about trends and consumer behavior. The industry is also being driven by end users increasing usage of data analytics to examine the data generated.



End-use Outlook



Based on the End-use, the Third-party Banking Software Market is bifurcated into Commercial Banks, and Retail Banks. The retail banks segment acquired the largest revenue share in the Third-party Banking Software Market in 2021. Retail banks are predicted to have an increasing demand for third-party banking software as it lowers operating expenses. Furthermore, due to the effective and unified system of retail banking software, the needs of the clients are better recognized.



Regional Outlook



Region-wise, the Third-party Banking Software Market analyzed across North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and LAMEA. The North America region procured the highest revenue share in the Third-party Banking Software Market in 2021. It is due to the rising popularity of third-party software to boost operational effectiveness. Additionally, the presence of numerous significant businesses like Microsoft and IBM is anticipated to create a favorable picture for the industrys growth.



The major strategies followed by the market participants are Partnerships. Based on the Analysis presented in the Cardinal matrix; Microsoft Corporation is the forerunners in the Third-party Banking Software Market. Companies such as Accenture PLC, Infosys Limited, IBM Corporation are some of the key innovators in Third-party Banking Software Market.



The market research report covers the analysis of key stake holders of the market. Key companies profiled in the report include Microsoft Corporation, IBM Corporation, Oracle Corporation, SAP SE, Tata Consultancy Services Ltd., Infosys Limited, Accenture PLC, Capgemini SE, Fidelity Information Services (FIS), Inc., and Fiserv, Inc.



Recent Strategies Deployed in Third-party Banking Software Market



Partnership, Collaboration and Agreement:



Jun-2022: Microsoft came into a partnership with Technisys, the Core banking software. Together, the companies aimed to combine Microsoft Cloud for Financial Services within its Cyberbank platform to deliver financial institutions the capability to climb and increase their digital transformation measures. Moreover, this partnership would authorize companies to innovate faster and concentrate more on providing worth to their consumer, versus preserving their heritage systems.



Apr-2022: Tata Consultancy Services came into a partnership with SBI Cards and Payments Services, a pure-play credit card business and payment solutions provider in India. With this partnership, TCS would digitalize and transform the online onboarding procedure to allow a quick turnaround and frictionless experience desired to propel greater consumer fulfillment. Moreover, the partnership would allow SBI Card to further expand its e-card issuance, satisfying end consumers and providing it with a competitive boundary in the industry.



Feb-2022: Tata Consultancy Services formed a partnership with MATRIXX Software, a provider of a cloud-native converged charging system. With this partnership, the companies aimed to integrate TCS HOBS and MATRIXX Digital Commerce Platform which would allow CSPs to concentrate on technological and commercial innovations that would rapidly capture the vision of end consumers and help grow market value.



Dec-2021: Microsoft joined hands with Temenos, the banking software company. Through this collaboration, the companies aimed to fulfill the increasing need from banks for SaaS and banking services provided by the Temenos Banking Cloud. Additionally, companies integrated strengths would expand the opportunities of the cloud for banks and financial institutions worldwide, allowing them to develop differentiated consumer experiences, drive time to value, and propel innovation for reliable growth.



Dec-2021: Accenture joined hands with OP, Finlands largest financial services group. Together, the companies aimed to design and offer new services that would additionally optimize OPs digital banking processes. Additionally, utilizing the automation and AI abilities of myWizard, merging human ingenuity with digital abilities to transform operations and ways of working to assist OP to develop a future-ready banking practice that places consumers and workers at the center.



Nov-2021: Microsoft teamed up with Backbase, the global Engagement Banking Platform supplier. Through this collaboration, the combined value offer of Backbases Engagement Banking Platform on Microsoft Cloud for Financial Services delivers an entire industrialized stack of pre-integrated abilities that manage banks necessities for effectively executing their digital modification.



Nov-2021: Infosys Finacle joined hands with IBM, a technology company. Through this collaboration, the companies aimed to introduce Finacle Digital Banking Solution offering on Red Hat OpenShift and IBM Cloud which would allow banks to increase business transformation, evolve more elegant, and power their growth with an on-demand offering of products and services. Additionally, collaboration would aid banks to execute seamless ecosystem connectivity and deliver a world-class banking experience for their consumer, and allow them to fulfill mandated submission and security necessities.



May-2020: Infosys formed a partnership with Avaloq, the foremost wealth management software. With this partnership, Infosys aimed to extend its leadership position and deliver SaaS and BPaaS services to the global wealth management segment. Additionally, Avaloqs industry-leading wealth management products combined with Infosys proven delivery strengths would deliver a combined end-to-end solution for wealth management.



Product Launch and Product Expansion:



Jul-2021: Fidelity Information Services introduced the new components to its flagship cloud-native core banking platform. The new feature contains innovative retail lending and commercial onboarding and an increasing ecosystem of third-party solutions, adding to the advanced digital banking abilities offered by a dozen teaching banks. Additionally, new components continue the development of the platform as one of the most open, powerful, and scalable banking systems in the industry.



Acquisition, Joint Venture and Merger:



Aug-2022: Accenture completed the acquisition of Tenbu, a cloud data business specialized in solutions for intelligent decisions. This acquisition expands Accentures Cloud First abilities via Latin America and globally to obtain the companys data and AI expertise, industry deepness, and repeatable creation with the cloud ecosystem to allow consumers to express the business value of data.



Jul-2022: Accenture took over Solvera Solutions, a Regina-based company providing platform-led digital transformation services. With this acquisition, Solvera Solutions carries extensive experience on the ServiceNow platform, develops Accentures current portfolio on the Microsoft Modern Workplace and Microsoft Power Platform, and improves abilities and resources in SAP S/4HANA.



Apr-2022: Infosys completed the acquisition of Oddity, a Germany-based digital marketing company. This acquisition reinforces Infosys branding, creative, and experience design abilities. Additionally, Oddity brings to Infosys a complete service offering including digital-first brand communication and management, in-house production, such as virtual and augmented reality, experience strategy, and e-commerce services along with its metaverse-ready set-up within Europe.



Apr-2022: Fiserv completed the acquisition of Finxact, a core banking software developer. With this acquisition, Fiserv is boosting the capability of financial and fintech institutions to provide differentiated digital banking experiences to their consumers.



Feb-2022: Fidelity Information Services completed the acquisition of Payrix, an implanted payments company. This acquisition would authorize FIS to improve embedded payments and finance experiences for small- and medium-sized businesses in any enterprise, boosting the companys fast-growing e-commerce enterprise.



Aug-2021: Accenture took over Edenhouse, a UK-based independent SAP associate. This acquisition would grow Accentures abilities in the UK to manage boosted demand for SAPs cloud-based solutions. Additionally, the acquisition would further improve Accentures abilities to help clients in their digital transformation journey.



Scope of the Study



Market Segments covered in the Report:



By Deployment



 On-Premise



 Cloud



By Application



 Risk Management



 Business Intelligence



 Information Security



By End-use



 Retail Banks



 Commercial Banks



By Product



 Core Banking Software



 Wealth Management Software



 Omnichannel Banking Software



 Business Intelligence Software



 Others



By Geography



 North America



o US



o Canada



o Mexico



o Rest of North America



 Europe



o Germany



o UK



o France



o Russia



o Spain



o Italy



o Rest of Europe



 Asia Pacific



o China



o Japan



o India



o South Korea



o Singapore



o Malaysia



o Rest of Asia Pacific



 LAMEA



o Brazil



o Argentina



o UAE



o Saudi Arabia



o South Africa



o Nigeria



o Rest of LAMEA



Companies Profiled



 Microsoft Corporation



 IBM Corporation



 Oracle Corporation



 SAP SE



 Tata Consultancy Services Ltd.



 Infosys Limited



 Accenture PLC



 Capgemini SE



 Fidelity Information Services (FIS), Inc.



 Fiserv, Inc.



Unique Offerings



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 Highest number of market tables and figures



 Subscription based model available



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 Assured post sales research support with 10% customization free

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ILUS International Inc.

NEW YORK, NY, Sept. 29, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- via NewMediaWire -- ILUS International Inc (OTC: ILUS) is a Mergers and Acquisitions company focused on acquiring and developing public safety and industrial companies across the globe. The company has appointed and engaged an internationally renowned investment bank to assist with its up-list plans and associated large acquisitions.



ILUS and the investment bank have entered their engagement period and for compliance reasons, the name of the investment bank and details of the engagement cannot be made public. Compliance with laws during this period includes limitations on public statements and gun jumping. Information will become public upon filing of the public S-1.

We are pleased to confirm that we are working with a New York headquartered investment bank to deliver the up-list and acquisition plans which we have been busy with for many months now. The investment bank is certainly one of the most active middle market investment banks and is a well-known leader in public offerings. They have a global presence with billions under their management. Most importantly, they believe in our vision and growth strategy for the Emergency Response and Industrial sectors, and we are confident that they are the right partner for our next phase of growth, said ILUS CEO, Nicolas Link.

About ILUS

ILUS a public Mergers and Acquisitions company operating out of New York, London, and Dubai, focused on adding shareholder value through innovation and growth. The company is primarily focused on, but not limited to acquiring businesses in the Technology, Engineering & Manufacturing space globally. Historically the company has evolved out of the industrial sector mainly through the development and manufacture of Emergency Services products, Emergency Response vehicles, Special Vehicle conversions, Commercial EVs, and IoT Technology. ILUS looks to acquire companies who have disruptive technology and strong management with potential to grow rapidly and which will benefit from cross pollination of territories, products, and skills from other group companies

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For further information on the company, please see its respective communication channels:

ILUS Website: https://ilus-group.com

ILUS Twitter: @ILUS_INTL

Email: IR@Ilus-Group.com

Source: ILUS

Forward-Looking Statement

Certain information set forth in this press release contains "forward-looking information", including "future-oriented financial information" and "financial outlook", under applicable securities laws (collectively referred to herein as forward-looking statements). Except for statements of historical fact, the information contained herein constitutes forward-looking statements and includes, but is not limited to, the (i) projected financial performance of the Company; (ii) completion of, and the use of proceeds from, the sale of the shares being offered hereunder; (iii) the expected development of the Company's business, projects, and joint ventures; (iv) execution of the Company's vision and growth strategy, including with respect to future M&A activity and global growth; (v) sources and availability of third-party financing for the Company's projects; (vi) completion of the Company's projects that are currently underway, in development or otherwise under consideration; (vi) renewal of the Company's current customer, supplier and other material agreements; and (vii) future liquidity, working capital, and capital requirements. Forward-looking statements are provided to allow potential investors the opportunity to understand management's beliefs and opinions in respect of the future so that they may use such beliefs and opinions as one factor in evaluating an investment. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and undue reliance should not be placed on them. Such forward-looking statements necessarily involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties, which may cause actual performance and financial results in future periods to differ materially from any projections of future performance or result expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Although forward-looking statements contained in this presentation are based upon what management of the Company believes are reasonable assumptions, there can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. The Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements if circumstances or management's estimates or opinions should change except as required by applicable securities laws. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") has provided guidance to issuers regarding the use of social media to disclose material non-public information. In this regard, investors and others should note that we announce material financial information via official Press Releases, in addition to SEC filings, press releases, Questions & Answers sessions, public conference calls and webcasts also may take time from time to time. We use these channels as well as social media to communicate with the public about our company, our services, and other issues. It is possible that the information we post on social media could be deemed to be material information. Therefore, considering the SEC's guidance, we encourage investors, the media, and others interested in our company to review the information we post on the following social & media channels:

website: https://ilus-group.com Twitter: OTC_ILUS

Note: ILUS Coin does not sit within ILUS International Inc (Ilustrato Pictures International Inc), so the public are recommended to follow the correct Media Channels relating to the public company OTC: ILUS.




Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev signed a decree on amending the 'Regulation on the State Service for Property Issues under the Ministry of Economy', approved by Decree No. 1017 of the President of Azerbaijan dated May 12, 2020, Azernews reports.

According to the decree, in connection with the implementation of Law No. 510-VIGD 'On Amendments to the Law of the Republic of Azerbaijan 'On Privatization of State Property' dated April 15, 2022, it's decided to introduce into the 'Regulation on the State Service for Property Issues under the Ministry of Economy of the Republic of Azerbaijan', approved by Decree No. 1017 of the President of Azerbaijan dated May 12, 2020, the following changes:

- in subparagraph 3.0.16 in the first case, before the word 'state' the words 'taking into account Article 11.2 of the Law of the Republic of Azerbaijan 'On the privatization of state property' are added.

- in subparagraph 3.0.45 after the word 'improvement' the words 'including state assistance to entrepreneurship' are added

- in subparagraph 3.0.45 after the word 'protection' the words 'strengthening the material and technical base of the Service' are added.
Adam Aptowitzer named law firm's first national leader for charities and not-for-profits

OTTAWA, ON, Sept. 29, 2022 /CNW/ - KPMG Law LLP is pleased to announce that Adam Aptowitzer has joined the firm as National Leader for Charitable and Not-for-Profit Law, a newly created role that further expands the firm's services to the charitable sector in Canada.

KPMG Logo (CNW Group/KPMG LLP)

"Charities and not-for-profits are addressing some of the most pressing social and environmental issues and face increasing demands from donors and the public," says Justin Kutyan, Senior Partner, KPMG Law. "We are excited to join forces with Adam and his team to assist these organizations to understand their legal and tax obligations and provide practical advice that supports the high ethical standards and expectations of Canadians."

Mr. Aptowitzer has well-established credentials in this specialized area of law. Together with colleagues Alexandra Tzannidakis and Karen Cooper, they provide legal services to charities, not-for-profits, private taxpayers and corporations operating in Canada and abroad, with a focus on compliance and dispute resolution. Mr. Aptowitzer is a regular contributor to public policy debate, a sought-after public speaker and author of numerous papers on charity and tax law. He has represented clients at the Tax Court of Canada, the Federal Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court of Canada.

"We have built our practice by earning and maintaining the trust of these organizations and their people, who contribute to the quality of life in our communities," says Adam Aptowitzer, Partner, National Leader for Charitable and Not-for-Profit Law. "By joining the KPMG Law family, we are able to combine our many years of specialized practice with KPMG's extensive service offering and trusted brand. This strengthens our ability to deliver a full range of quality support services to our clients."

Ms. Tzannidakis also joins KPMG Law as a Senior Associate. Ms. Cooper, a lawyer working through a profession corporation, has been engaged as counsel to the firm.

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Mr. Aptowitzer was named the 2012 Heather McArthur Memorial Young Lawyer Award winner by the Ontario Bar Association, recognizing his contributions to legal education and law reform. He has served as an executive member of both the Canadian and Ontario Bar Associations, Charities and Not-for-Profit section. He was also named to the Top 40 Under 40 by the Ottawa Business Journal and Ottawa Chamber of Commerce.

KPMG LLP is the law firm affiliated with KPMG in Canada.

About KPMG in Canada

KPMG LLP, a limited liability partnership, is a full-service Audit, Tax and Advisory firm owned and operated by Canadians. For over 150 years, our professionals have provided consulting, accounting, auditing, and tax services to Canadians, inspiring confidence, empowering change, and driving innovation. Guided by our core values of Integrity, Excellence, Courage, Together, For Better, KPMG employs nearly 8,000 people in over 40 locations across Canada, serving private- and public-sector clients. KPMG is consistently ranked one of Canada's top employers and one of the best places to work in the country.

The firm is established under the laws of Ontario and is a member of KPMG's global organization of independent member firms affiliated with KPMG International, a private English company limited by guarantee. Each KPMG firm is a legally distinct and separate entity and describes itself as such. For more information, see home.kpmg/ca.

SOURCE KPMG LLP

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Hong Kong residents are trying to regain normalcy in daily lives

Mental and physical health in decline

Majority of respondents concerned about spread of another unknown disease in Hong Kong

HONG KONG, Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Manulife Hong Kong today announced the results of its health survey on perceptions and experience of COVID-19 since the fifth wave. The survey has revealed how Hong Kong residents are now changing their attitudes on how to live with the virus, with people trying to regain normalcy in their daily lives. The findings also highlight that a third of respondents who contracted COVID-19 have suffered a deterioration in mental or physical health.

Announcing the findings of Manulifes latest survey, Danny Lee, Chief Product Officer, Manulife Hong Kong and Macau reveals Hong Kong residents now want to enjoy the levels of normalcy experienced before the pandemic, despite COVID-19 still being a health concern for many people in Hong Kong.

Commissioned by Manulife Hong Kong and conducted by YouGov in late August 2022, the survey of 1,020 people aged 18 or above revealed some interesting findings.

"It is clear from our research that people now want to enjoy the levels of normalcy experienced before the pandemic, despite COVID-19 still being a health concern for many people in Hong Kong. The ongoing virus has affected the daily lives and wellbeing of people of all ages, regardless of whether or not they have contracted the virus. However, the survey shows a positive attitude shift among Hongkongers," said Danny Lee, Chief Product Officer, Manulife Hong Kong and Macau.

Hongkongers trying to live with the virus

The research revealed that respondents' attitudes about how they live with COVID-19 are changing, with 30% of residents planning to travel within the next 12 months and 45% stating that "fear of infection is no longer a reason for me to not meet with friends or relatives and they have resumed a normal social routine." The survey, conducted before the lifting of compulsory quarantine requirement on arrival at Hong Kong on September 26, 2022, showed that quarantine restrictions aside, a total of 49% of respondents are "comfortable to travel to other countries adopting living with COVID strategies".

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COVID-19 affecting mental and physical health, especially among younger people

Even though the pandemic hit Hong Kong in early 2020, the survey indicates that COVID-19 is still impacting people's mental and physical health. Manulife's research revealed that mental health has worsened for 33% of the population who have contracted COVID-19 and for 36% who have never contracted the virus. The findings also show that the virus is having a damaging effect on younger people, with 48% of people aged 35 or younger who have never had the virus admitting they have experienced a decline in mental health. Respondents are also struggling with physical wellbeing, more so for those who have had the virus, with 33% admitting a downturn in their physical health versus 26% who have never had the virus.

Respondents worried about spreading the virus to elderly and children

The survey also showed that most respondents are still worried about COVID-19, with 61% expressing concern about spreading the virus to the elderly and children, and 62% concerned about COVID-19's long-term health effects. Around three quarters (74%) of respondents continue to adhere to strict personal hygiene protocols due to unease about catching the disease. Many have increased the frequency of preventive measures such as washing or sanitizing hands regularly (59%), disinfecting homes (46%), avoiding people with respiratory symptoms (46%), and taking more rapid antigen and PCR tests (47%). In addition, 38% of the respondents avoid crowded areas or events.

Familiarity about long COVID remains low

When discussing long-term health effects, 82% are worried about long COVID, but only 27% are familiar with it. Compare that, however, to the Manulife Asia Care Survey published in early 2022, which also highlighted a remarkable lack of awareness about long COVID with just 15% of respondents admitting they had heard about it, familiarity of the condition is slowly increasing.

About two-thirds of those who had contracted COVID-19 claimed to experience long COVID symptoms (more women than men, 61% vs. 39%), with close to half saying (45%) they still have symptoms. The most common long COVID effects include respiratory, cognitive, and psychiatric symptoms.

Heightened concerns about future diseases

It's not just COVID-19 that is concerning people in Hong Kong. When asked about the severity of other diseases, SARS tops the list with 76% of respondents stating it is the most severe, followed by Ebola (71%), monkeypox (63%), malaria (60%), and then COVID-19 (58%).

In addition, 84% of respondents are worried about the spread of another unknown disease in Hong Kong.

Pandemic fuels demand for insurance

Since the outbreak of the pandemic, COVID-19 has fuelled demand for insurance as people look to stay in control of their health and wellbeing. The health survey indicates that since the outbreak of COVID-19 in Hong Kong in early 2020 about a third of the respondents have researched or bought insurance coverage for themselves or their families.

Danny Lee added: "It is evident that Hongkongers, from maintaining strict hygiene protocols to concerns about the spread of a new disease, are now highly aware of matters relating to their health. As people look to travel and return to normalcy, it is important for them to take care of their physical and mental wellbeing and be prepared for any eventuality."

About Manulife Hong Kong

Manulife Hong Kong has been a trusted name for 125 years. Since our operations started in Hong Kong in 1897, we have grown to become one of the top-tier providers of financial services, offering a diverse range of protection and wealth products and services to over 2.4 million customers in Hong Kong and Macau. We are committed to helping make decisions easier and lives better for our customers.

Manulife Hong Kong, through Manulife International Holdings Limited, owns Manulife (International) Limited, Manulife Investment Management (Hong Kong) Limited and Manulife Provident Funds Trust Company Limited.

About Manulife

Manulife Financial Corporation is a leading international financial services provider, helping people make their decisions easier and lives better. With our global headquarters in Toronto, Canada, we provide financial advice and insurance, operating as Manulife across Canada, Asia, and Europe, and primarily as John Hancock in the United States. Through Manulife Investment Management, the global brand for our Global Wealth and Asset Management segment, we serve individuals, institutions, and retirement plan members worldwide. At the end of 2021, we had more than 38,000 employees, over 119,000 agents, and thousands of distribution partners, serving over 33 million customers. We trade as 'MFC' on the Toronto, New York, and the Philippine stock exchanges and under '945' in Hong Kong.

Not all offerings are available in all jurisdictions. For additional information, please visit manulife.com.

SOURCE Manulife Hong Kong
VANCOUVER, BC, Sept. 29, 2022 /CNW/ - The Honourable Harjit S. Sajjan, Minister of International Development and Minister responsible for the Pacific Economic Development Agency of Canada, will announce funding for projects at the University of British Columbia to advance mRNA vaccine research and build a home-grown pipeline for responding to new and emerging COVID-19 variants.

Government of Canada to make announcement on advancements in mRNA vaccine technology at the University of British Columbia (CNW Group/Pacific Economic Development Canada)

The event will feature remarks from the Minister and a question and answer session with media.

Event: Minister Sajjan to deliver remarks and announce funding for the advancement of mRNA vaccine research at the University of British Columbia.



Date: Monday, October 3, 2022



Time: 10:00 am



Location: University of British Columbia

Michael Smith Laboratories  Second Floor Atrium

2185 East Mall

Vancouver, B.C.





Paid parking is available in the Health Sciences Parkade, 2250 Health

Sciences Mall.

IMPORTANT: Anyone attending the news conference in person must not present any symptoms similar to those of COVID-19 and must not have been in contact with anyone who has received a positive diagnosis within the last 14 days. Facemasks must be worn and all public health guidelines must be respected at all times.

Stay connected

Follow PacifiCan on Twitter and LinkedIn

SOURCE Pacific Economic Development Canada

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First Pregnancy App for Inclusive Care Provides Healthcare Systems Unprecedented Access to Clinical and Social Data to Improve Outcomes and Address Healthcare Inequities

BOSTON, MA / ACCESSWIRE / September 29, 2022 / Last week the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a new report citing that preventable cases of maternal mortality increased from 3-in-5 to 4-in-5, making over 80% of deaths avoidable. The report further supports previous findings that these deaths are directly correlated with race and ethnicity, putting women of color and native populations most at risk. Modelo Health, the world's first pregnancy app for Inclusive Care , is a ground-breaking solution to this escalating maternal health crisis. The company is uniquely positioned to help healthcare systems and Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) across the country improve outcomes by elevating patient health literacy and agency, and by guiding risk-appropriate, linguistically sensitive and culturally-concordant care across clinical, emotional, and social factors. Intentionally designed to address healthcare inequities, Modelo Health's patent-pending technology utilizes predictive algorithms to synthesizes exclusive blend of evidence-based,scientific data from the most trusted sources (CMS, March of Dimes, CDC, EPA, Census Bureau, Harvard Medical School) to provide awareness, improved risk mitigation and ultimately, help lower maternal mortality and morbidity rates. The company is rolling out to healthcare systems and reaching pregnant mothers across the country.

"The already alarming maternal health crisis has further escalated during the recent pandemic," said Natalie Adsuar, MD, Cleveland Clinic, Women's Health Institute. "Our disenfranchised patients and mothers of color need us to be intentional and proactive with our efforts. I believe Modelo Health is poised to be a pivotal tool in our mission and commitment to address healthcare disparities."

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https://bit.ly/CDCMaternalCrisis

Inclusive Care

Modelo Health's Inclusive Care platform incorporates data on the 5 most critical determinants that impact health (clinical, hereditary, environmental, socioeconomic, and behavioral), moving beyond the standard of care that singularly focuses on clinical determinants. It creates an evidence-based, holistic assessment of the mother that exposes actionable factors that can predict up to 60% of outcomes. The Boston-based brand is currently working with Mass General Brigham to launch pilots across several hospitals including Massachusetts General, Brigham & Women's and Newton-Wellesley. Initial reports show that Modelo Health increases patient confidence and health literacy rates by 2x in 90% of users (for both English and native Spanish speakers.) In addition, it offers clinicians peace-of-mind by automating risk stratification comprehensively across all health determinants. Modelo Health is a dynamically learning system that hyper-personalizes the mother's experience to her unique needs as it learns more about her wishes and condition.

While the traditional standard of care typically affords clinicians purview into a singular health determinant (clinical), Modelo Health, via its mobile app, is the only healthtech solution based on the principles of precision medicine that embraces Inclusive Care. This approach creates a holistic 360 view of a mother's risk factors across the five most important health determinants throughout her gestation and beyond. With a more comprehensive understanding of all the factors that impact outcomes, both in-clinic and at-home, clinicians and moms gain a level of personalized and preventative care that has never before been achievable. The result is a more dynamic, better informed and collaborative doctor/patient relationship that allows mothers and their care teams to look broadly for signs of risk and to apply interventions early before they cause harm.

Modelo Health Inc, Thursday, September 29, 2022, Press release picture

Healthcare Inequities

Pregnant women today are more than 2 times as likely to die during pregnancy as their mothers were 30 years ago, and women of color are 2 to 3 times more at risk ( CDC ). The U.S. has the highest morbidity rates of all developed countries. In a recent article in The Hill titled, " America is the most dangerous place to give birth in the developed world - it's only getting worse ", Ognjen Miljanic, a professor at the University of Houston that focuses on sustainability, including sustainable development metrics like maternal health, wrote:

"For a Black woman in Louisiana, chances of dying of pregnancy-related causes are the same as in Libya. But it will get even worse: 13 states banned essentially all forms of abortion and 10 more are considering similar moves. Many of these states are already having the highest MMRs in the U.S., and they will get higher still."

After losing his wife, Kira, during a routine C-section at Cedar Sinai hospital in Los Angeles, California, Charles Johnson founded 4Kira4Moms to be a voice for other mothers and families facing unnecessary maternal loss. Johnson has dedicated his life to putting an end to the maternal mortality health crisis and worked relentlessly with congress to pass the Preventing Maternal Death Act (H.R.1318). This milestone legislation is the first ever to combat the maternal death crisis in the United States. The bill was signed into law December 21, 2018 and dedicated to his wife's memory. Modelo Health is partnering with Johnson to further support his efforts.

"Finding ways to give patients a voice, to elevate their understanding, and to allow them to be fully seen is the first part in addressing some of the societal challenges facing minorities in our healthcare system," said Charles Johnson, Founder 4Kira4Moms. "It's both incredible and promising to see the work the Modelo Health team is producing by leveraging data and technology to directly tackle some of these historic societal inequities."

The Modelo Health Solution

Studies show that social factors can account for up to 55% of health outcomes, and a zip code can often be a better predictor of health than an individual's genetic code. Health disparities lead to harm and cost the health system over $93 billion in excess medical cost.

"For years we've been honing our solution to the U.S. maternal health crisis as all current data indicates that without strategic, aggressive measures the problem will continue to escalate," said Nic Encina, Co-founder, Modelo Health. "At the heart of what we do is to look at the mother holistically and scientifically, accounting for hidden risks that are often overlooked until it's too late. This exposes the core problem and provides an evidence-based way of eliminating preventable harm."

The Modelo Health app (1) empowers moms through their pregnancy journey via access to personalized information about their health journey, (2) identifies risk factors by looking at all of the five determinants of health and proactively shares ways to address them, (3) educates moms via access to content from some of the world's top doctors and (4) helps to close the communication gap between patient and healthcare providers by working in real time to constantly update with the newest available health data. For details on Modelo Health app's key features and more please refer to the company's launch press release .

Modelo Health Inc, Thursday, September 29, 2022, Press release picture

Modelo Health App Availability

Available now in both English and Spanish in the Apple app store . Android coming soon.

Modelo Health stands by the belief that an informed pregnancy is a safer pregnancy. Every mother deserves access to healthcare and resources. Moms in need can use the code HEALTHYMOMS to receive access to the Modelo Health app for free.

Media Contact:

Karyn Martin

617.462.0108

karyn@goldenthreadagency.com

About Modelo Health

Modelo Healthis a healthtech company that provides the world's only mobile app based on Inclusive Care.The platform monitors across all health determinants and applies evidence-based risk stratification algorithms to deliver a holistic view of the mother. Serving both expectant moms and clinicians, Modelo Health's mission is to eliminate health inequities by empowering pregnant women and their care teams through education and access. Modelo Health Co-Founder Nic Encina hails from the genomics and precision medicine world, having started in the Human Genome Project. He helped start multiple biotechnology companies, and most recently founded a Precision Population Health research program at Ariadne Labs and Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Co-Founder Trish Encina has a background in science, psychology and interpersonal relations. The minority-led company was established in 2020 and is headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts. https://www.modelohealth.com

SOURCE: Modelo Health Inc.





View source version on accesswire.com:

https://www.accesswire.com/718089/Modelo-HealthTM-Offers-First-of-its-Kind-Evidence-Based-Solution-to-US-Maternal-Mortality-Crisis-as-Reported-by-CDC




NASA made history this week after an attempt to slam its DART (Double Asteroid Redirection Test) spacecraft into an asteroid nearly 7 million miles away proved successful . While NASA shared some close-up images of the impact, it observed the planetary defense test from afar as well, thanks to the help of the James Webb and Hubble space telescopes. On the surface, the images aren't exactly the most striking things we've seen from either telescope, but they could help reveal a lot of valuable information.

This was the first time that Hubble and JSWT have observed the same celestial target simultaneously. While that was a milestone for the telescopes in itself, NASA suggests the data they captured will help researchers learn more about the history and makeup of the solar system. They'll be able to use the information to learn about the surface of Dimorphos (the asteroid in question), how much material was ejected after DART crashed into it and how fast that material was traveling.

.@NASAWebb & @NASAHubble caught the DART impact on camera  the 1st time that Webb & Hubble were used to simultaneously observe the same celestial target.



Looking forward to what well learn about #DARTmission from our telescopes on Earth soon. https://t.co/Y0HOAbSkI0 https:/ pic.twitter.com/lgDwOBd7Om  Bill Nelson (@SenBillNelson) September 29, 2022

JWST and Hubble picked up different wavelengths of light (infrared and visible, respectively). NASA says that being able to observe data from multiple wavelengths will help scientists figure out if big chunks of material left Dimorphos' surface or if it was mostly fine dust. This is an important aspect of the test, as the data can help researchers figure out if crashing spacecraft into an asteroid can change its orbit. The ultimate aim is to develop a system that can divert incoming asteroids away from Earth .

NASA says that JWST picked up images of "a tight, compact core, with plumes of material appearing as wisps streaming away from the center of where the impact took place." JWST, which captured 10 images over five hours, will continue to collect spectroscopic data from the asteroid system in the coming months to help researchers better understand the chemical composition of Dimorphos. NASA shared a timelapse GIF of the images that JWST captured.

This animation, a timelapse of images from NASAs James Webb Space Telescope, covers the time spanning just before impact at 7:14 p.m. EDT, Sept. 26, through 5 hours post-impact. Plumes of material from a compact core appear as wisps streaming away from where the impact took place. An area of rapid, extreme brightening is also visible in the animation.

At around 14,000 MPH, Dimorphos was traveling at a speed over three times faster than JWST was originally designed to track. However, the telescope's flight operations, planning and science teams were able to develop a way to capture the impact.

As for Hubble, the 32-year-old telescope's Wide Field Camera 3 captured its own images of the collision. "Ejecta from the impact appear as rays stretching out from the body of the asteroid," according to NASA. The agency noted that some of the rays appear curved, and astronomers will have to examine the data to gain a better understanding of what that may mean.

These images from NASAs Hubble Space Telescope, taken (left to right) 22 minutes, 5 hours, and 8.2 hours after NASAs Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) intentionally impacted Dimorphos, show expanding plumes of ejecta from the asteroids body. The Hubble images show ejecta from the impact that appear as rays stretching out from the body of the asteroid. The bolder, fanned-out spike of ejecta to the left of the asteroid is in the general direction from which DART approached.

According to their initial findings, though, the brightness of the asteroid system increased threefold after impact. That level of brightness stayed the same for at least eight hours. Hubble captured 45 images immediately before and after DART's impact. It will observe the asteroid system 10 additional times over the next few weeks.
NutriLeads

WAGENINGEN, The Netherlands, Sept. 29, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- NutriLeads BV, a health ingredients company, launched a new consumer insights report today which shows that consumer views on immune health have changed fundamentally in the wake of COVID-19. The report draws on extensive data gathered by research company FMCG Gurus through consumer surveys conducted with 45,000 consumers from 15 countries across 2019, 2020, and 2022.

According to the report, not only is immune health significantly more important to consumers, immune health is also perceived to have a far-reaching impact on long-term health and wellbeing. Two-thirds of consumers worldwide say immune health is their top health priority over the next 12 monthsmore than digestive health, heart health, or any other health issue. In addition, some 78% of consumers view poor immune health as being easily susceptible to long-term health problems.

Its clear that during the pandemic, consumers have been paying attention to their immune health more than ever before, says Joana Carneiro, NutriLeads CEO. This research shows us that the experience of living with the pandemic is likely to have a lasting effect. Consumers are more knowledgeable about immune health and place more importance on improving it on the longer term.

Among the trends highlighted in the report is the greater number of consumers (40%) who are taking a proactive approach to their immune health even if they believe they are in good health. Whats more, consumers are taking a holistic approach to their wellbeing, incorporating exercise and fresh food in their lifestyle, and paying attention to digestive health and mental wellbeing.

At the same time, consumers expect more from immune health products. Eight in 10 global respondents to the survey say the top three claims they want to see on the label of immunity products are scientifically validated and clinically-proven (82%), multifunctional benefits (79%), and helps lead a healthy lifestyle (79%).

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NutriLeads develops natural, plant-derived ingredients that are scientifically and clinically proven to strengthen human health. The companys first product is BeniCaros. To read the consumer insights report and learn more, visit www.benicaros.com.

About NutriLeads BV

NutriLeads is a private company developing a proprietary technology platform based on naturally bioactive fibers known as RG-I (rhamnogalacturonan-I) found in select crops. The companys first commercial ingredient for functional foods, beverages and supplements is BeniCaros, a novel immune-support ingredient that has received several industry awards for research since its market introduction last year. NutriLeads has other products in development to protect the gut barrier and improve metabolic health through gut microbiome modulation. The company is dedicated to developing natural, eco-friendly ingredients that meet the highest clinical and scientific standards for quality, safety and effectiveness. For more information, visit NutriLeads and BeniCaros.

Contact:

Deanne Beattie Convince Agency

deanne@convinceagency.com

+31 6 3164 7031




Commitments to improve quality of life of vulnerable peoples, with a focus on climate change announced today

VANCOUVER, BC, Sept. 29, 2022 /CNW/ - The Ismaili Imamat and the Province of British Columbia today signed an Agreement of Cooperation committing to advance joint efforts for development work in B.C. and around the world.

An immediate project to be implemented will be between the Climate Action Secretariat of British Columbia and the Aga Khan Agency for Habitat to assess climate change adaptation and long-term risks and opportunities in South and Central Asia.

Representing His Highness the Aga Khan, Prince Rahim Aga Khan said: "British Columbia has been a leading voice in the fight against climate change. Its institutions, companies, and organisations, both public and private, are at the cutting edge of critical knowledge in areas like environment, climate change, and sustainability. It is our hope that in this spirit of partnership, we can identify new solutions that bring value to British Columbia, Canada, and indeed the world".

"Fighting climate change requires an all-hands-on deck approach. With this historic agreement, we are sharing B.C.'s Climate Change Adaptation Model with the Aga Khan Agency for Habitat, which will help assess climate risks in South and Central Asia regions that are impacted by catastrophic flooding," said Premier John Horgan. "Together, we are building on a long history of collaboration between B.C. and the Ismaili Muslim community, making life better for people around the world."

The agreement with the Ismaili Imamat comes as 50 years of history of the Ismaili community in Canada is celebrated this year. In keeping with the mandate of his role as Imam of the Shia Ismaili Muslims, the Aga Khan has worked to improve the quality of life of all people regardless of their birthplace, background or religious belief.

The signing today in Vancouver is one of a number of events this week marking 50 years of the significant presence of the Ismaili Muslim community in Canada. Additional events are planned across the country to commemorate important partnerships to improve quality of life, both here in Canada and around the world:

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September 25, 2022: Global Ismaili Civic Day fostered local civic engagement in communities across Canada with a focus on environmental stewardship including park clean-ups, tree planting, recycling drives and more.

September 25, 2022: In Toronto, Prince Amyn Aga Khan attended the ceremonial street naming of Aga Khan Boulevard and received the Key to the City on behalf of His Highness the Aga Khan.

September 27, 2022: In Toronto, Prince Amyn Aga Khan attended the groundbreaking of Generations, a charitable community-based model to support vulnerable individuals, families, and seniors within an intergenerational framework.

September 28, 2022: In Edmonton, the University of Alberta inaugurated the Diwan Pavilion at the Aga Khan Garden housed at the University of Alberta.

SOURCE Ismaili Council for Canada

Cision

View original content: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/September2022/29/c0434.html
LONDON, Sept. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- REVIV Global Board Director and CEO of REVIV UAE Sela Al Asadi announces that REVIV UAE has partnered with CRYO.

Reviv Global Logo

CRYO and REVIV UAE have partnered to bring a holistic approach to wellness across all four of their luxurious locations - the Emirates Towers, Hills Mall both in Dubai and Abu Dhabi Country Club and Mamsha Al Saadiyat.

CRYO was established in 2013 and is a global leader in the application of cryotherapy to elevate performance, support recovery and improve wellness. CRYO have centres in the Middle East, South-East Asia and Australia and with their unparalleled integration with technology pioneer CRYO Science, they are the only provider with a fully immersive cryotherapy chamber experience that can safely reach temperatures required to achieve true results.

Edgars Grigorjevs, CRYO UAE Retail Director, says: "We are excited to launch CRYO partnership with REVIV enabling our clients in the United Arab Emirates to enjoy a new and improved nutrients therapy supporting health and wellbeing of the next level. Our new IV drips helps not only to feel energized, invigorated and refreshed, but also really gives that extra kick of very much needed minerals, antioxidants, vitamins and important nutrients which your body needs to feel revived. And the best part is that you can even save time, as IV drips can be done while enjoying any CRYO treatments for your wellness, fitness, recovery, beauty or slimming."

Sela Al Asadi, Board Director and CEO of REVIV UAE, says: "With over 11 combined years of experience in the wellness industry, we are excited about REVIV's collaboration with CRYO. The pairing of these modalities are aimed to boost our patient's wellness benefits and allows them to push their goals one step further. The combination of signature IV therapy along with cryotherapy treatments aim to promote healing and recovery. The collaboration and synergy of REVIV and CRYO is an ideal service offering for people seeking to optimize their wellness and to aid the full potential of their bodies."

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About REVIV

REVIV is a life science led provider of nutritional health solutions, and their goal is to be the only personalized nutritional health company that offers precision nutrition solutions, using big data coupled with AI, to evidence that nutrition can have a positive impact on medical conditions or disease. REVIV's vision is to pioneer the democratization of nutrition-based treatments which will reduce disease, extend life and allow people to live better and healthier lives.

For more information about REVIV Global visit our website: www.revivme.com or email Emma Robertson on erobertson@revivme.com, telephone number: +44 7398 213452

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1759112/REVIV_Logo.jpg

Cision

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/reviv-global-director-and-ceo-reviv-uae-sela-al-asadi-announces-reviv-partnership-with-cryo-301637055.html

SOURCE Reviv Global
(Shows which tankers have docked; revises arrival date of Methane Mickie Harper; adds Maran Gas Ithaca tanker and Trangas Power) Sept 29 (Reuters) - The following liquefied natural gas (LNG) tankers are expected to arrive in Britain, Belgium and the Netherlands in the coming weeks. Estimated arrival dates, often revised by port authorities and AIS Live ship-tracking data on Refinitiv Eikon, are updated below. Some tankers heading for Belgium and Britain may be loading at the terminal. Those expected to load are indicated with an (L). Those likely to perform ship-to-ship transfers are indicated with (STS). Tankers that have docked are indicated with (A). For the Reuters LNG guide, click here: LNG TANKER CAPACITY in EXPECTED ARRIVAL FROM PORT cubic metres BRITAIN Grace Dahlia 174,000 Sept. 28 (A) United States South Hook Arctic Discoverer 155,000 Sept. 28 Norway Isle of Grain Ribera Del Duero Knutsen 173,000 Sept. 28 (A) United States Dragon LNG Enterprise 174,000 Sept. 29 United States Isle of Grain Al Samriya 258,000 Sept. 30 Qatar South Hook BW Pavilionaranthera 171,000 Sept. 30 United States Isle of Grain Golar Glacier 162,000 Oct. 3 United States South Hook Methane Mickie Harper 167,000 Oct. 7 United States Dragon Gaslog Windsor 176,000 Oct. 8 United States Isle of Grain Maran Gas Ithaca 170,000 Oct. 12 United States Milford Haven Cool Runner 158,000 Oct. 17 United States South Hook BELGIUM BW Tulip 171,000 Sept. 28 (A) United States Zeebrugge Al Sheehaniya 206,000 Sept. 30 Qatar Zeebrugge Al Ruwais 210,000 Oct. 5 Qatar Zeebrugge Transgas Power Oct. 7 United States Zeebrugge Lusail 143,000 Oct. 10 Qatar Zeebrugge NETHERLANDS Cool Discoverer 174,000 Sept. 28 (A) United States Gate LNG Rosenrot 177,000 Sept. 29 United States Gate Wilpride 156,000 Oct. 4 Equatorial Guinea Gate Energy Glory 165,000 Oct. 5 United States Gate Maran Gas Delphi 156,000 Oct. 8 United States Gate Sources: Ports, AIS Live ship tracking, Refinitiv Eikon data. (^) Partial unload (*) Arrival date estimated based on flows data (Reporting by Nina Chestney)
TRX Gold Corporation

Throughput Capacity Expanding Threefold From Current Levels

Image

Buckreefs Expanded Plant at the Forefront, with the 360 tpd Plant in the Background

TORONTO, Sept. 29, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- TRX Gold Corporation (TSX:TNX) (NYSE American:TRX) (the Company or TRX Gold) is pleased to announce that Buckreef Golds 1,000+ tonne per day (tpd) oxide mill circuit has been commissioned and is currently ramping up production. This mill expansionfrom its original 360 tpd capacitywas planned less than 12 months ago at a capital cost of US$4 million.



First ore has been introduced to the expanded processing plant and the team is ramping up throughput over the next month in order to reach nameplate capacity by the end of October. When operating at nameplate capacity of 1,000+ tpd, the operation is expected to produce an average of 15,000-20,000 ounces of gold annually over the life of the oxide mine plan. Approximately 10% of Buckreef Golds total mineral resource consists of oxide mineral resources.

The Buckreef Gold project has been transformed into a low-cost, high margin operation enabling the execution of TRX Golds growth-oriented business strategy. The Companys focus is to utilize current gold production to fund value-accretive activities, such as mineral resource development, exploration and future processing plant expansions.

TRX Gold Corporation

Image: Buckreefs Expanded Plant At The Forefront, With The 360 tpd Plant in The Background

The Company wishes to thank its local employees, government, consultants and suppliers for their efficiency and dedication to this project, which has enabled the Company to deliver this project on time and budget.

"This is another great milestone at Buckreef Gold. We are very proud of the dedication and hard work accomplished by our Tanzanian colleagues. Over the last 18 months we have taken the Buckreef Gold project from a negative cash flow test plant, to a high margin, cash flow positive operation that continues to have near-term expansion opportunities, explains Stephen Mullowney, TRX Gold CEO.

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About TRX Gold Corporation

TRX Gold is rapidly advancing the Buckreef Gold Project. Anchored by a Mineral Resource published in May 2020, the project currently hosts an NI 43-101 Measured and Indicated Mineral Resource of 35.88 MT at 1.77 g/t gold containing 2,036,280 oz of gold and an Inferred Mineral Resource of 17.8 MT at 1.11g/t gold for 635,540 oz of gold. The leadership team is focused on creating both near-term and long-term shareholder value by increasing gold production to generate positive cash flow. The positive cash flow will be utilized for exploratory drilling with the goal of increasing the current gold Resource base and advancing the Sulphide Ore Project which represents 90% of current gold Resources. TRX Golds actions are led by the highest ESG standards, evidenced by the relationships and programs that the Company has developed during its nearly two decades of presence in Geita Region, Tanzania.

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/c7d24e72-4da6-4946-b89a-b0f9c601d160

Investors

Christina Lalli

Vice President, Investor Relations

TRX Gold Corporation

+1-438-399-8665

c.lalli@TRXgold.com

www.TRXgold.com

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains certain forward-looking statements as defined in the applicable securities laws. All statements, other than statements of historical facts, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are frequently, but not always, identified by words such as expects, anticipates, believes, hopes, intends, estimated, potential, possible and similar expressions, or statements that events, conditions or results will, may, could or should occur or be achieved. Forward-looking statements relate to future events or future performance and reflect TRX Gold managements expectations or beliefs regarding future events and include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to production at anticipated levels, operating its 1,000+ tpd mill at nameplate capacity, operating at low-costs with high-margins, funding value accretive activities, expansion, estimation of mineral resources, ability to develop value creating activities, recoveries, subsequent project testing, success, scope and viability of mining operations, the timing and amount of estimated future production, and capital expenditure.

Although TRX Gold believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance. The actual achievements of TRX Gold or other future events or conditions may differ materially from those reflected in the forward-looking statements due to a variety of risks, uncertainties and other factors. These risks, uncertainties and factors include general business, legal, economic, competitive, political, regulatory and social uncertainties; actual results of exploration activities and economic evaluations; fluctuations in currency exchange rates; changes in costs; future prices of gold and other minerals; mining method, production profile and mine plan; delays in exploration, development and construction activities; changes in government legislation and regulation; the ability to obtain financing on acceptable terms and in a timely manner or at all; contests over title to properties; employee relations and shortages of skilled personnel and contractors; the speculative nature of, and the risks involved in, the exploration, development and mining business. These risks are set forth in reports that TRX Gold files with the SEC. You can review and obtain copies of these filings from the SEC's website at http://www.sec.gov/edgar.shtml .

The information contained in this press release is as of the date of the press release and TRX Gold assumes no duty to update such information.




By Trend

The United States and Greek ambassadors to Ankara were summoned to the foreign ministry in a protest against the deployment of U.S.-made armored military vehicles on two Aegean islands, Trend reports citing Hurriyet Daily News.

The Turkish Foreign Ministry told the Greek envoy that Athens should stop violations and respect the non-military status the islands were assigned by international law.

In a note to the U.S. embassy in Ankara, Ankara told Washington that its weapons should not be used in breach of the islands agreed status.
Bankers texting away on their personal phones are costing the biggest banks on Wall Street a chunk of money.

On Tuesday, two U.S. regulators announced $1.8 billion in penalties to be paid by financial institutions including Goldman Sachs (GS), Bank of America (BAC), and Morgan Stanley (MS) over staff usage of personal devices to discuss work-related matters, a violation of recordkeeping provisions of federal securities laws.

"From January 2018 through September 2021, the firms employees routinely communicated about business matters using text messaging applications on their personal devices," SEC Chair Gary Gensler said in a statement. "The firms did not maintain or preserve the substantial majority of these off-channel communications, in violation of the federal securities laws."

The Securities and Exchange Commissions (SEC) penalty totaled $1.1 billion across 15 broker-dealers: Barclays Capital (BCS), Bank of America, Citigroup (C), Credit Suisse (CS), Deutsche Bank, Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, UBS Securities, Jefferies, Nomura Securities, and Cantor Fitzgerald. The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) charged 11 institutions a collective $710 million fine.

Finance, ultimately, depends on trust, Gensler added. By failing to honor their recordkeeping and books-and-records obligations, the market participants we have charged today have failed to maintain that trust."

A man checks his phone outside the Royal Exchange in London. (Photo by In Pictures Ltd./Corbis via Getty Images)

The industry has more broadly been scrutinized in recent years over which platforms are used by employees to discuss items related to trades and investments. Last year, JPMorgan Chase drew attention to unscrupulous personal device use after the bank paid a $125 million SEC fine after "widespread and longstanding failures" to safeguard employee communications, who were using WhatsApp, email, and text to discuss securities-related matters.

"We fully cooperated with our regulators on this industry-wide matter," a Deutsche Bank spokesperson told Yahoo Finance. "We have proactively deployed fully compliant and convenient text and chat platforms and will continue to scale these technologies to meet the expectations of our regulators and our clients.

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Bank of America and Barclays declined to comment on the matter. Other entities cited in the regulatory orders did not respond to requests for comment before publication.

As technology changes, its even more important that registrants appropriately conduct their communications about business matters within only official channels, and they must maintain and preserve those communications, the SEC's Gensler stated.

Citigroup CEO Jane Fraser leans in to speak with Bank of America Chairman and CEO Brian Moynihan during a break in a U.S. House Financial Services Committee hearing titled Holding Megabanks Accountable: Oversight of Americas Largest Consumer Facing Banks on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., September 21, 2022. REUTERS/Elizabeth Frantz

In the SEC's charges, eight firms and of their five subsidiaries agreed to pay fines of $125 million each: Barclays Capital, BofA Securities together with Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith, Citigroup Global Markets Inc., Credit Suisse Securities, Deutsche Bank Securities together with DWS Distributors and DWS Investment Management Americas, Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley together with Morgan Stanley Smith Barney, and UBS Securities together with UBS Financial Services.

Jefferies and Nomura Securities International settled on fines of $50 million each, while Cantor Fitzgerald paid out $10 million.

To settle with the CFTC, Bank of America shelled out $100 million, the largest sum; Barclays, $75 million; Cantor Fitzgerald $6 million; Citi, $75 million; Credit Suisse $75 million; Deutsche Bank, $75 million; Goldman Sachs, $75 million; Jefferies, $30 million; Morgan Stanley, $75 million; Nomura, $50 million; and UBS, $75 million.



Alexandra Semenova is a reporter for Yahoo Finance. Follow her on Twitter @alexandraandnyc

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A young Spotsylvania County man who robbed $7,000 from his tattoo artist pleaded guilty to three charges Wednesday.

Archie D. Langham Anderson, 18, was convicted in Fredericksburg Circuit Court of robbery, using a firearm in the commission of a felony and discharging a gun in an occupied building. He will face up to 33 years in prison when he is sentenced Nov. 23.

In exchange for Langham Andersons plea, prosecutor Brian Carrico dropped a charge of possessing a firearm as a felon. Langham Anderson would have received a mandatory five-year sentence if hed been convicted of that charge. However, one of the firearms charges he pleaded guilty to does carry a mandatory three-year term.

According to Carrico and court records, the robbery took place March 12 at an apartment in the 200 block of Kings Mill Court in the city. Langham Anderson had gotten a tattoo there the previous night and returned for a second tattoo, Carrico said.

After getting the second tattoo, Langham Anderson pulled out a gun and demanded money. He also fired a shot in the apartment, though the gun wasnt aimed at anybody.

The victim knew Langham Andersons first name, and police were able to identify him as the suspect. He has been in the Rappahannock Regional Jail since a couple of days after the incident.
As monkeypox cases fall across the state and nation, Fredericksburg-area residents continue to call local health departments for information about testing and vaccines.

If you are concerned that you may have monkeypox, we encourage you to give us a call (and) we will walk through a series of screening questions over the phone, said Allison BalmesJohn, public information officer for the Rappahannock Area Health District. If it is determined that you should be tested, we can get you in quite quickly, within 2448 hours.

Anyone with questions can call the local health district at 540/899-4797 or check the state website at vdh.virginia.gov/monkeypox.

This week, the Virginia Department of Health announced expansion of vaccination eligibility to include people of any gender or sexual orientation living with HIV/AIDS or who have been diagnosed with a sexually transmitted infection in the past three months, according to a news release.

Virginia has had 478 cases and 21 hospitalizations associated with monkeypox, a viral disease thats part of the same family as smallpox. While monkeypox is rare and usually resolves without treatment, its also contagious. State health officials say its spread by close contact with an infected person, including touching skin lesions, bodily fluids, clothing or linens that have been in contact with an infected person or during prolonged, face-to-face contact.

Five people in the Rappahannock Area Health District, which includes Fredericksburg and the counties of Caroline, King George, Spotsylvania and Stafford, have been infected with monkeypox, according to state data. The health district has administered 44 vaccines, BalmesJohn said.

The majority of monkeypox cases have occurred in the Northern Virginia area. There have been 252 cases in the health districts that include Alexandria, Arlington, Fairfax, Loudoun and Prince William, according to the state. All but 22 of the 478 people infected have been men, and more than 92% of those sickened are in their 20s, 30s and 40s, according to state data.

While the majority of cases have involved men, anyone in Virginia, regardless of gender or sexual orientation, is eligible for the vaccines if they meet one or more of the following criteria:

Have had anonymous or multiple (more than one) sexual partners in the past two weeks.

Are sex workers or staff at establishments or events where sexual activity occurs.

Have HIV/AIDS.

Have been diagnosed with any sexually transmitted infection in the past three months.

Many of those affected in the current global outbreak are gay, bisexual or men who have sex with men, states the Virginia Department of Health. While this level of monkeypox activity is unexpected, the risk to the general population is low.

The state also notes that anyone, regardless of gender or sexual orientation, can get monkeypox if they have close contact with someone with the illness. The highest risk activity currently is having sex with multiple or anonymous partners and VDH says avoiding these activities greatly reduces ones risk of catching or spreading monkeypox.

State health officials also point out that monkeypox does not spread from person to person by walking past someone who is infected or through casual conversation with them.

Because we are still learning about the vaccines effectiveness in the current outbreak, vaccinated individuals should continue to take steps to protect themselves from infection, the state reported.

Initial symptoms often include flu-like symptoms, such as fever, headache, muscle aches and swollen lymph nodes, followed by skin lesions. However, some people have a rash without other symptoms.

Although the majority of cases dont require hospitalization, the rash can be painful. Anyone with a rash that resembles monkeypox is encouraged to talk to their health care provider about testing.

Nationwide, more than 25,340 Americans have been infected with monkeypox since May. Cases have been reported in all 50 states and theres been one death from the infection, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Counselors were available for Oakland-Craig students and staff following the violent death of a staff member Tuesday night. The shooting followed a lockout at the school on Monday, prompted by law enforcements search for an individual believed to be armed and dangerous.

Ryann Schuman died from a gunshot wound on Tuesday evening, Sept. 27. Schuman, 32, was a paraprofessional at the high school and worked in the districts elementary after-school program.

Services for Shurman were pending with Pelan Funeral Services.

Just after 8 p.m. on Tuesday night, multiple agencies from Burt County responded to a shooting incident in Oakland inside a residence on the 300 block of North Oakland Ave. When the authorities arrived on the scene, they found a male individual with a single gunshot wound, said Cody Thomas, public relations director for the state patrol. The male victim, Schuman, was later pronounced dead at an area hospital.

The Nebraska State Patrol is assisting the Burt County Sheriffs Office and Oakland Police Department in investigating the shooting. No arrests had been made as of mid-afternoon Wednesday, Thomas said. He added there is no ongoing threat to the public.

Tuesdays shooting followed an incident Monday that led to a lockout at the Oakland-Craig school.

Mayor Ted Beckner said the lockout followed a request from the sheriffs office as they were actively seeking an individual, Daniel Hanna, who was believed to be back in the community after evading police all weekend. He said there was no direct threat to the school. Rather, the lockout was sought as a precaution to help ensure the safety of students and staff. Students were not allowed to walk home at the end of the school day and police helped school administrators with dismissal.

Beckner called the two matters completely random events.

He thanked Oaklands short-staffed police department and all the agencies who assisted in their efforts to help keep the community safe.

Through a Facebook post Sunday afternoon, Oakland police had sought the publics help in locating Hanna who, at the time, was to be considered dangerous.

Hannas arrest late Monday afternoon ended a three-day manhunt for the 58-year-old.

A bizarre string of events started at approximately 3 p.m. Saturday afternoon when a deputy was dispatched to a farm home east of Lyons regarding an alleged violation of a domestic abuse protection order. Earlier in the week, Hannas estranged girlfriend was granted a protection order against him. In the affidavit filed in support of the protection order request, the woman stated she was afraid of Hanna and that he had been obsessively buying firearms.

A witness contacted the county dispatch center Saturday afternoon saying he had seen Hanna in the area of the womans home. Also in the area was a pickup owned by Hannas brother which had been stolen the day before.

Upon arrival at the scene, officers found a broken window near the back door of the empty house and the shirt Hanna was seen wearing. The deputy contacted a second witness who saw Hanna walking in the area.

Hanna was soon seen on the property but managed to avoid capture and made his way back to Oakland. Police searched his Oakland home but he wasnt found until approximately 4:30 Monday afternoon when he was found hiding in a shed south of downtown.

Hanna is expected to be arraigned in Burt County Court on charges of violating a protection order and obstructing a peace officer, both are Class 1 misdemeanors; and criminal mischief, a Class 3 misdemeanor, after allegedly breaking the window at the womans home. Authorities also expect Hanna to be charged in connection with the vehicle theft.
A Men of Integrity Breakfast will take place at 8 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 1, at Lighthouse Ministry Center, 84 W. Sixth St., in downtown Fremont.

Men of all are invited for a time of fun, fellowship and breakfast by Valentinos.

The music guest will be praise and worship leader Paul Paquette.

The guest speaker will be Fremont City Councilman Brad Yerger. Yerger will share his testimony and the challenges of a Christian city councilman. Guests will learn about the P.A.C. (Prayer-Warrior Action Committee) that challenges Christians to be more engaged in local elections.
The 2022 Fall Leadership Conference for Future Business Leaders of America took place in the Wikert Event Center at Midland University in Fremont on Wednesday.

High school students in eastern Nebraska participated in various workshops. Those members living in western Nebraska attention the conference held in Kearney on Tuesday.

The annual conference is designed to help middle school and high school students prepare for careers in business by providing guidance and motivation in such areas as building a resume, designing a website, brand development, and project management.

John Stork, a senior at Blair High School, is among students who attended this years fall conference.

I love FBLA, he said. I enjoy helping my community and leading people who dont always know what theyre doing.

Stork appreciates the opportunity to give back to his community through volunteering.

Hayden Bradley is a sophomore at Blair High School.

FBLA allows me to have a more intense involvement with my community, Hayden said. Ive met a lot of people through FBLA, and Im glad to be friends with them. Because of FBLA. I feel that Ive grown as a person.

Jacob Cerny is a senior at Dorchester Public School. He is editor of his high school yearbook.

I joined FBLA in the seventh grade. Our teachers encouraged us to join. They said its a great way to build friendships, he said.

Cerny admitted he chose to join FBLA because several of his friends had done that.

But attending the National Conference earlier this year helped him gain a new appreciation for the organization.

I got to meet a whole lot of people from all over the country, he said. And now that Im a senior, Im a lot more invested.

Because he loves working with people, Cerny said hes considering a career in sales.

Im also thinking about journalism, drama, and nursing, he said.

To help pay his college tuition, Cerny plans to enlist in the U.S. military and serve in the National Guard.

A native of Arlington, Nick Schreck joined FBLA while in the eighth grade. He is now the director of undergraduate business and an assistant professor of digital marketing at Midland University.

Schreck appreciates the opportunities students are given through FBLA to work on projects that benefit schools and their communities.

The advisers work with their school and the community to be a part of projects that students can grow with, put on their resume, and even discuss in job interviews, Schreck said.

More than 400 Nebraska students, advisers, and guests attended the 2022 National FBLA Conference, June 29-July 2 in Chicago. Almost 100 Top Ten Awards at that event were won by Nebraska students in such categories as agribusiness, banking and financial systems, business law, entrepreneurship, introduction to business concepts, and marketing.

The concept for Future Business Leaders of America had its start during the Great Depression. It was during World War II that high schools began preparing students for careers in business. By the late 1950s, colleges were inviting their students to join the Phi Beta Lambda business fraternity. The FBLA-Middle Level division was started in 1994.
Laura England-Biggs looked at those gathered at the groundbreaking for Keene Memorial Librarys expansion and remodeling project.

The library director had to stop briefly as she took in an emotional moment.

After years of work and planning, the estimated $9.4 million construction project is getting underway. Several people gathered Tuesday evening for the groundbreaking ceremony on the south lawn of the library at 1030 N. Broad St.

Fremont Mayor Joey Spellerberg thanked numerous organizations, individuals, donors, architectural and construction businesses. He lauded Fremonters who passed a $2 million bond referendum for the project in 2018.

Event speakers expressed appreciation for those supporting a project, designed to provide upgraded technology to help those without such resources at home. The updated facility will continue to be a place where people have access to information, educational materials, inspiration and meeting space.

Spellerberg commended England-Biggs, a 16-year library employee, who assumed the role of interim library director as work was being done to get the project off the ground.

She hit the ground running and hasnt stopped yet, Spellerberg said, noting that England-Biggs became library director in May 2021.

England-Biggs paid tribute to library staff.

I am incredibly honored, England-Biggs said. I lead a talented and dedicated staff.

England-Biggs thanked staff for all their efforts, but especially during the last eight weeks as the library has been relocating to its temporary space in the nearby Fremont City Auditorium.

It has not been easy and they were nothing short of amazing, England-Biggs said of her staff.

England-Biggs thanked many City of Fremont departments, especially parks and recreation, for its help in moving to the auditorium.

We couldnt have done this alone, England-Biggs said. Its a true testament to the teamwork of the city that were open to the public at the auditorium and we opened six days early.

England-Biggs described the current library building, which opened in 1971, as a bit outdated.

We needed new restrooms and a new elevator so we could be accessible to all, she said. We needed more space for meetings and community gatherings. We needed a computer lab with space for classroom training,

She said the expansion project addresses all these needs and more.

The facilities will become ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) Accessible.

England-Biggs said the interior space will better serve the needs of children, teens and adults.

She told ceremony attendees that a small annex building to the east of the library will be gone. A building extension of approximately 12,000 square feet will take its place. This extension will stand in the current parking lot area with a new, larger parking lot in nearby now-vacant lots.

The south lawn area will become the site of a new, outdoor courtyard area.

All such work will be done while retaining the librarys character.

England-Biggs said the library has been a vital part of the community for more than 51 years.

When completed next fall, the new and improved Keene Memorial Library will be ready to serve as a true community hub for the next 50 years, she said.

Linda McClain, library board president, provided some history of Fremonts libraries and talked about project fundraising challenges.

She mentioned industrialist and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie, who donated funds in 1903 for the first library in Fremont.

That library was on the corner of Military and Park avenues.

History records that the ambitious Carnegie left his home in Scotland and came to America where he became very wealthy. He eventually gave away most of his wealth and his philanthropic efforts included funding the establishment of more than 2,500 public libraries around the world.

McClain said Fremont was one of the first of 63 Nebraska libraries to receive Carnegie funds.

She said Carnegie believed the way up for many people like himself was through access for everyone.

And free and public libraries were born.

She quoted Carnegie who said: A library outranks any other one thing a community can do to benefit its people. It is a never-failing spring in the desert.

McClain said 30,000 people a year use the librarys WiFi.

Were not just a place with books. We provide so much else to the people of Fremont, McClain said.

For the past year and a half, McClain and England-Biggs have been applying for grants to help fund the library project. McClain said they have applied for more than 20 grants and have received 15 grants totaling more than $2 million. England-Biggs told the Tribune on Wednesday that, thus far, a total of $7.4 million has been raised for the project which is 80 percent funded.

During the ceremony, McClain talked about challenges faced since the 2018 bond issue passage.

Just as fundraising efforts were starting to be organized in 2019, the area experienced historic flooding and the community focused on those impacted.

In March 2020, a global pandemic further curtailed fundraising efforts.

The Grow With Us fundraising campaign officially was launched in April 2021.

We had a goal to raise about $5 million, which we felt was the amount we would need to bridge the gap between the funds that were already available and the bond, McClain said. Im happy to report weve almost raised $4 million in the past year and a half.

McClain thanked those whove donated.

She also encouraged people to contribute as more funds are needed.

If youve done any remodeling yourself or any work in your home, you know prices are going up, McClain said. Everything costs more now than when we planned on this four years ago.

Fremont City Councilmember and library liaison Sally Ganem thanked attendees, encouraging all to never lose sight of the mission to inspire, educate and care for each other.

McClain marveled at the milestone observed on Tuesday.

Theres part of me that cant even believe were really standing here today, she said. It is a dream come true, really, and I think its something thats going to have long-term positive impact on this community.
DENVER  A mentally ill man charged with killing three people in 2015 at a Colorado Springs Planned Parenthood clinic because it offered abortion services will not be forcibly medicated as he appeals a federal judges order allowing the involuntary treatment.

Earlier this month, U.S. District Judge Robert Blackburn ruled that involuntary medication was the only realistic approach with a substantial chance of making Robert Lewis Dear Jr., 64, competent to stand trial and was also in the best interest of his overall health, both mental and physical.

Dear's attorneys appealed the order to the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals and on Monday Blackburn ruled that Dear would not be involuntarily medicated while the appeal is considered, which could take several months. Federal prosecutors did not object to the order being put on hold, according to court records.

Dear faces 179 counts in state court for the attack on the Colorado Springs clinic, which injured five law enforcement officers along with claiming three lives during the course of a five-hour standoff.

Dear's federal public defenders challenged the involuntary medication order in part because it allows force to also be potentially used to get Dear to take medication or undergo monitoring for any potential side effects to his physical health.

Dear's lawyers have argued that forcing Dear to be treated for his delusional disorder could aggravate conditions including untreated high blood pressure and high cholesterol.

However, in the appeal, they say that Blackburn's decision to give prison doctors the right to force treatment or monitoring for other ailments is miles away from the limited uses for forced medication allowed by the U.S. Supreme Court.

The appeal noted that the last forced medication order reviewed by the 10th Circuit took three months to resolve.

Dear's prosecution has stalled, first in state court and then in federal court, because he has been repeatedly found mentally incompetent to stand trial since his arrest and he has refused to take medication.

During a three-day hearing this summer on whether he should be forcibly medicated, prosecutors argued that medication had a substantial likelihood, based on research and the experience of government experts, to make Dear well enough to meet the legal standard for mental competency  being able to understand proceedings and assist in his defense.

Dear, who has called himself a warrior for the babies," intended to wage war against the clinic because it offered abortion services, arming himself with four semi-automatic rifles, five handguns, two other rifles, a shotgun, propane tanks and 500 rounds of ammunition, prosecutors have alleged. He began shooting outside the clinic before getting inside by shooting his way through a door, according to his federal indictment.

After Dears prosecution bogged down in state court over the competency issue, Dear was charged in federal court in 2019 on 68 new counts under the 1994 Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act. Federal prosecutors have said they would not seek the death penalty against him if he is convicted, but life in prison instead.

Dr. Robert Sarrazin, a psychiatrist who works with the U.S. Bureau of Prisons, testified in the August hearing that he believed Dear would respond well to several anti-psychotic medications and could be competent for trial within four to six months of beginning the drugs, according to earlier Gazette reporting. Doctors have proposed a treatment plan involving paliperidone, aripiprazole, haloperidol and olanzapene.

Dear could face three life sentences if convicted.

A review hearing in the 4th Judicial District Court in Colorado Springs for Dears state charges is scheduled Friday.

Editor's note: This story includes information from previous Gazette reporting.
By Azernews

By News Center

Turkish state banks have abandoned the Russian payment system - Mir, following the move by the country's private banks, Yeni Shafak newspaper reports.

The state banks have declared that they would no longer utilize Russia's local payment system Mir application. The Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) of the United States Treasury Department issued a sanction warning to financial institutions that use the Mir payment system.

In a statement to the agencies, Isbank and DenizBank declared that they have discontinued the usage of the Mir application. Following the announcements of two private banks, three public banks have declared their withdrawal from Mir.

In the meantime, the Turkish National Defense Ministry announced that nine grain-laden ships departed from Ukrainian ports. The grain shipment is underway, the ministry said in a statement.

"The shipment of grain from Ukrainian ports continues safely. Today, nine grain-laden ships departed from Ukrainian ports," the ministry tweeted.

On July 22, historic documents were signed in Istanbul for grain shipments from Ukraine. The Joint Coordination Center was created at the National Defense University in Istanbul after the historic deal. Representatives from Turkiye, Russia, Ukraine, and the United Nations attended the opening of the center.

As a result of the contacts, a four-way meeting was held for the first time in Istanbul on 13 July, and general principles were agreed upon at the meeting. Despite the different approaches of some countries, these long and arduous efforts resulted in the agreement signed on July 22. The Joint Coordination Center started its preparatory work on the campus of the National Defense University on July 23.
An El Paso County man accused of killing his sister and burning down her house in June was found competent to stand trial on Thursday.

Christopher Lenard, 44, faces charges of first-degree murder, incest and felony menacing in the shooting death of his 21-year-old sister, Shania Lynn Lenard.

In August, Judge William Moller requested that a psychiatrist perform an evaluation to determine if Christopher Lenard was competent to stand trial.

On Thursday, defense attorney Austin Vos told the court that Christopher Lenard had refused transport to court and would not be present for the hearing. Moller proceeded with the hearing and said the evaluation had found that Christopher Lenard was competent to proceed to trial.

Vos requested that the court allow a second evaluation to be conducted by a defense-selected psychiatrist. Moller granted the request with no objection from the prosecution.

Vos told the court that if the psychiatrist he wants is available for the competency evaluation, the process should take around two months. Moller set a review hearing for Dec. 1 to discuss the findings of the second evaluation.

On June 11, El Paso County sheriff's deputies responded to Chaps View, near the Pueblo County/El Paso County line, after someone called 911 to report a disturbance with a family member who threatened "to set the house on fire. When deputies arrived, they found Shania Lenard fatally shot outside, according to an affidavit.

After setting fire to a house, Christopher Lenard chased down and crashed into another car before shooting and killing his sister, the affidavit states.

Witnesses told deputies that Christopher Lenard left the scene before officers arrived, but he was arrested later that afternoon.

On Thursday, Vos told the court that Christopher Lenard is suffering from serious health problems that make it difficult for him to appear physically in court, and asked for permission for Christopher Lenard to potentially appear via video conference for future hearings if necessary.

Moller granted the request with no opposition from the prosecution.

Christopher Lenard remains in El Paso County jail on a no-bond hold.
Two minutes of mindful reaction could have stopped the horrifying train collision which happened just north of Platteville nearly two weeks ago, according to a rail safety expert who watched the video and was interviewed about it by The Gazette.

That's the time it took from the moment police opened a police cruiser door and put a suspect inside to when the SUV was slammed by a Union Pacific (UP) locomotive and dragged down the tracks. That two minutes, said Craig Cox, would have been just enough time for officers to get the car out of the way.

Once they put her in the vehicle they should have moved it. Their first priority should have been getting her off of the railroad tracks once they had her detained, said Cox. "Two minutes is plenty of time. But the vehicle should not have been parked on the tracks in the first place."

Yareni Rios-Gonzalez, 20, of Greeley, handcuffed behind the driver's seat and surrounded by a police cruiser cage, miraculously survived the collision. Her attorney, Paul Wilkinson said the train was likely going around 55 miles per hour when it collided into the vehicle.

Rios-Gonzalez is a Transportation Safety Administration agent.

Union Pacific representatives said the locomotive would have needed at least a mile of track to stop.

Craig Cox, who worked for Union Pacific for over 30 years as a conductor and eventually oversaw safety and operation issues, said he was dumbfounded after watching the eight-minute police body and dash cam video. Cox does not believe police should be held criminally liable, but said they should have known better. There was negligence on every officer that was there and involved prior to impact. Theres no way that not one single officer didnt realize that the car was on the railroad tracks," he said.

The Colorado Bureau of Investigation still has the case and will deliver it to the Weld County District Attorney's office once interviews are finished. Spokesperson Krista Henery confirmed that charges would potentially involve the original road rage incident, and also could include the Ft. Lupton and Platteville police departments.

Cox said that when law enforcement is responding to an incident near train tracks, they are required to let the railroad's Response Management Communication Center or their dispatch know.

There were three officers on scene that night. Two of them were looking for a gun in the suspect's car when the oncoming locomotive made its first warning bellow, the video shows. But at that time, they were talking about whether the suspect had tried to evade them or whether she threw a gun out of the window and thus may not have heard the initial horn, the video shows.

The next set of horns came 8 seconds later and continued honk with urgency as the train's lights grew brighter, the video shows, but by that time it was too late to react. On the video, the Platteville officer looks confused as if he didn't know the suspect was inside.

Within seconds, his police vehicle with Rios-Gonzalez trapped inside, is hit by the oncoming locomotive.

The incident began Sept. 16 in the 7 p.m. hour with a report to Platteville police that someone was brandishing a handgun on Highway 85 somewhere in the Ft. Lupton area according to a Ft. Lupton police department press release.

The Platteville officer was the first to pursue the suspected truck and was in the process of getting Rios-Gonzalez to come out. She did, eventually, with her hands up. She asked for her cellphone and in response to an officer's question, said there was no gun in the truck.

Authorities later found the gun in the truck.

The video, obtained by Gazette partner 9News, shows a Ft. Lupton police car racing to assist the Platteville officer. The suspect, Rios-Gonzalez, had pulled over in what Ft. Lupton police called a high risk vehicle at the intersection of Highway 85 and Weld County Road 36.

The Platteville officers patrol car was sitting on the train tracks and Rios-Gonzalez truck was parked in front of it. There are no railroad crossing gates and no lights at the intersection although there are white railroad crossing signs on each side for oncoming traffic to see.

The eight minutes sent to KUSA was only a snippet of what Wilkinson said is at least 20 hours of total video in the investigation.

Rios-Gonzalez was released from the hospital over the weekend after being treated for nine broken ribs, a broken arm, a broken leg, a fractured sternum and head injuries and is recovering according to Wilkinson.

The fact that Rios-Gonzalez survived may be due to a couple of fortunate flukes. Sources close to the investigation say, she was enclosed in a police cruiser cage which, ironically, is designed with a police officers safety in mind. Instead, it was the suspect who survived because though the police vehicle was crushed into a mound of metal, the cage provided a second level of protection, sources said. She was sitting behind the driver's seat and the train hit the opposite side also helped cushion the blow, said the source.

Reached by The Gazette, a spokeswoman for Union Pacific, said that the conductor was shaken up but not injured. Robynn Tysver said that the UP train did have a front camera, but that the company will not release it as it is a part of the investigation.

The Gazette asked to hear the black box, but Tysver also denied that request.

A number of agencies are investigating this case. The Fort Lupton Police Department is handling the criminal investigation of the reported road rage incident. Colorado State Patrol is investigating the train crash into the police car. The Colorado Bureau of Investigation is investigating the womans injuries while in police custody.
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Hurricane forces Biden and DeSantis to try to bury the hatchet  for now
Women burn headscarves during a protest over the death of 22-year-old Kurdish woman Mahsa Amini in Iran, in the Kurdish-controlled city of Qamishli, northeastern Syria September 26, 2022. REUTERS/Orhan Qereman/File Photo
By Trend

Turkiye will not have any problems with the supply of gas in the upcoming winter period, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Wednesday, Trend reports citing TASS.

"We have no worries regarding the supply of gas from Russia this winter, there are no problems with that," Erdogan told CNN Turk.
Voting booths are set up the day before Michigan Democrats and Republicans choose their nominees to contest November's congressional elections, which will determine which party controls U.S. House of Representatives for next two years, in Birmingham, Michigan, U.S. August 1, 2022. REUTERS/Emily Elconin - RC2LNV9T3WJQ
A fire evacuation plan should include pets.

That's the message policymakers reviewing potential wildfire legislation heard on Wednesday from the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

Saving pets became a major issue during the Marshall fire, which struck on New Year's Eve last year and tore through more than 1,000 homes and businesses. Social media during the fire and in the days that followed showed residents frantically looking for pets that they couldn't get to when the fire struck and evacuations quickly followed.

Ali Mickelson, who represents ASPCA, told members of the interim wildfire matters review committee that its survey shows 90% of residents would take their pets with them to escape a fire, but only 46% actually include the animals in their evacuation plans.

Mickelson raised the point when the interim committee, which is made up of five Democrats and five Republicans, met to discuss eight bills that legislators are considering for the 2023 session. The wildfire review committee has been meeting for the past two months, reviewing issues such as the problems faced by residents in the Marshall-Louisville-Superior area tied to underinsurance; wildfire evacuation planning, workforce training, and how much the state spends on wildfires.

One of those bills, proposed by Rep. Marc Snyder, D-Manitou Springs, doesn't specifically include evacuation plans for pets. He told the committee the legislation is not geared toward evacuation centers or where people can take their pets or farm animals.

"This is just about getting people to understand their location within a high risk area, and understanding that they may be in an area with a long lead time for evacuation," he said.

However, in response to a request from Sen. Joann Ginal, D-Fort Collins, who has long backed legislation on animal welfare, Snyder said he is open to including pets if there is a proper way to fit it in.

Evacuation planning is a growing movement in the West - prompted in part by the Paradise, California wildfire, where 87 people lost their lives, Snyder said. He told the committee that local fire departments in his district are using a program called ZoneHaven, which relies on "reverse 911" calls. Emergency services use reverse 911 calls  they go out to telephone numbers  to alert people, for example, to a mandatory evacuation.

But cell towers were among the first structures lost in the Paradise fire, and calls never reached people, some of whom died in their cars.

During the Marshall fire, reverse 911 technology also showed flaws, he said.

"Its unfortunately somewhat spotty. [It was] overall successful, [and] the majority of people get calls when it's time to evacuate," he said.

But not everyone in the evacuation zones got the notification, and some got calls who were not in the evacuation zones, he added.

Evacuation modeling, which is part of Snyder's bill, is new. California recently adopted the approach. Colorado's neighbor uses a free software, Fleet, Snyder said.

The goal is to eventually have local fire districts or emergency management departments set up websites for the modeling. It would allow any property owner in a high-risk area to type in their address and see how long it would take to get out in a sudden evacuation, as well as show the best routes to get to safety, Snyder said.

The committee turned down the proposal on a 4-6 vote.

Of the eight measures, the only proposal to win unanimous support was a bill that seeks to put more resources into the state's wildfire workforce. Under the measure, the state would put up $5.1 million in the next two fiscal years to expand "timber, forest health, and wildfire mitigation workforce development and education programs."

Committee chair Rep. Lisa Cutter, D-Littleton, who spoke on behalf of the bill, said the state has put a lot of money toward wildfire mitigation programs, but now the workforce is lagging.

Under the bill's draft, the state forest service would develop educational materials for high school students on career opportunities in forestry and wildfire mitigation, set up a separate workforce development program for internships in the timber, forest health and wildfire mitigation industries; allow the state's community colleges, along with Colorado Mountain College, to expand or create forestry programs. It would also direct the community college system to recruit people to teach in those areas.

One of the problems the bill hopes to tackle is an aging workforce.

Rep. Perry Will, R-New Castle, noted that the average age of people working in Colorado's timber industry is 67 years old.

The committee also approved incentives for the timber industry on a 7-3 vote. The measure would allow for a tax credit for equipment used in the timber, wood product manufacturing, forest health, and wildfire mitigation industries, with a cap of $6.5 million per year over the next two years.

Rep. Mike Lynch, R-Wellington, said the payback from the timber industry through this measure would generate ten times what the state is willing to invest.

A bill to boost the state's fire investigation team also won a 7-3 vote. The measure is borne in part from frustration about never knowing the origins of some of the state's biggest and most destructive wildfires, including Marshall and Waldo Canyon, and a lack of resources and personnel to help with those investigations.

According to Mike Morgan, executive director of the Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Safety, the state has just one investigator. When they have multiple events to cover, they tap investigators with local government fire departments.

Building up the investigation apparatus would take three things, Morgan said. Each team would need a solidly-trained fire investigator to determine fire and origin; a distinct process that must be used for interviews and interrogations, which often requires relying on local law enforcement; and, involvement by district attorneys when legal action is required.

The draft legislation envisions setting up a fire investigation fund to the tune of $5.5 million over the next two fiscal years. What they want to do, Morgan said, is divide the state into four quadrants with a team assigned to each that would include a fire investigator, law enforcement and someone from the Attorney General's Office. Should the team need to tap someone within the region  but not necessarily in the jurisdiction where the investigation will take place  the fund would reimburse the agency for their time, he said.

"It's all about jurisdiction," Morgan said.

State law says a local fire chief will investigate the cause and origin of all fires, he noted. The problem under today's model, he said, is that if "you're a fire chief in northwestern Colorado and you don't have the skillset in your own organization, you rely on the division of fire prevention and safety, and we have one investigator."

That lone investigator serves 375 fire departments across 64 counties.

A similar effort during the 2022 to allocate funding for fire investigations died on the last day, in part over its $2.8 million cost.

In 2022, the state budgeted more than $120 million to deal with wildfire issues, with the largest portion going to mitigation efforts. The total is nearly double what was spent in the previous fiscal year.

Under the legislature's rules, the interim committee can sponsor no more than five bills, although individual members or even other lawmakers can pick up the ones that don't make the final cut.

The 2023 General Assembly session begins on Jan. 9.
The Colorado Springs City Council awarded a $140,000 settlement this week in a federal lawsuit filed by a woman who claimed local police used 
It's a familiar critique: Luxembourg is a small country that receives much more money than it contributes to the EU budget. But is the criticism justified?

Luxembourg is a wealthy country, underlined by a number of different indicators: number one in the world in terms of GDP by inhabitants ($131,300), number one in Europe in terms of purchasing power, 7% of residents are millionaires, and the country's financial sector is consistently awarded the Triple A status.

In light of these facts, maybe the Grand Duchy does not need help from the European Union to implement any of its projects?

However, every year, a significant sum from the EU budget is allocated to Luxembourg, as is the case with other Member States. So does the EU keep supporting projects in countries that are largely able to finance themselves?

To assess whether this criticism is justified, let us start by looking at the more recent statistics from the European Commission.

Recent statistics

In 2020, Luxembourg contributed 407.4 million to the European budget. The same year, the country received more than 2.4 billion from the EU, composed of the following parts:

1.696 billion for administrative costs

614.7 million for economic growth and inclusion

68.7 million for sustainable growth

65.2 million for security and citizenship

This led to a 'profit' of close to 2 billion. Impressive figures, especially since European payments are growing year after year, as this graph illustrates:

Le montant attribue chaque annee par l'UE au Luxembourg ne cesse d'augmenter. /  Commission europeenne

The 'winners' and 'losers'

If one were to only look at the aforementioned numbers, it would be safe to presume that Luxembourg profits from the European budget. Below is a chart showing which EU countries benefit the most from EU funding:

Countries like Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Sweden, Denmark, and Austria are historically "net contributors" for paying more to the EU than what they receive.

Similarly, countries like Poland, Portugal, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Romania and Greece are "net beneficiaries" for receiving more from the EU than what they contribute - this also includes Luxembourg and Belgium.

But according to Toute l'Europe, which has also shed a light on this matter, "this type of purely numerical calculation has numerous limitations".

This type of calculation is misleading because it does not account for the particular situation of some countries, including Luxembourg and Belgium.

European institutions benefit the most

In both countries, the majority of European funds go to its own institutions based in that territory. So, out of the 2.4 billion transferred to Luxembourg in 2020, 1.696 billion (the infamous "administrative costs") are used to finance institutions such as the European Court of Justice, the European Court of Auditors, and the Translation Centre for the Bodies of the European Union.

According to Claire Joawn, press attache for the European Commission's budget and administration, "the impact of the administration on the EU budget in Luxembourg is indeed significant because Luxembourg is one of the two main seats of EU institutions, hosting a significant part of the staff of the Commission - in particular in the field of finance and IT - and many other institutions."

That is why the European Commission has chosen a different form of calculation, which excludes the administrative costs and customs rights in particular*. And all of a sudden, Luxembourg switches sides.

"The exclusion of administrative expenses substantially modifies the net balance of states hosting European institutions, most of all those of Belgium and Luxembourg. In doing so, these states appear as net contributors to the Union's budget" confirms Stephane Saurel in his book The budget of the European Union.

Our colleagues from RTL 5minutes also spoke to Max Dorner, attache for the general secretary at the Luxembourgish Ministry of Finance, about the state of affairs: "Yes, Luxembourg is a net contributor to the EU budget. There are yearly fluctuations, but the systematic tendency shows that Luxembourg's contribution is more significant than the operational expenses of the EU on its territory."

Furthermore, according to STATEC, Luxembourg contributes 0.5% to the EU's GDP:

 Statec

Finally, it should be noted that any potential regulations must also be taken into account. In February 2022, for instance, Luxembourg had to return 247.7 million to the EU budget for the period 2010-2020 for reasons of "good performance of the Luxembourgish economy over the last decade".

In short, given these new calculations, Luxembourg can hardly be accused of abusing the community budget.

It's not just the numbers

Looking purely at numbers "creates the false impression that the EU budget were only about giving or receiving. That's not the case," explains Joawn.

"Overall, the EU budget cannot and should not be reduced to a simple accounting exercise. The benefits of EU membershipfar exceed the amount of contributions to the EU budget. All Member States benefit from participation in the single market, a common approach to the common challenges of migration, terrorism and climate change, and concrete gains such as better transport infrastructure, modernised public services and digitised and advanced medical treatments" she lists.

The presence of European institutions on Luxembourg's soil also has an undeniable advantage. According to the European Commission: "Luxembourg benefits indirectly and significantly from the administrative expenditure of the EU". In particular because "about 13,000 European civil servants work in Luxembourg and contribute significantly to the national and local economy of Luxembourg and its Greater Region".

What happens to the millions paid to the EU?

The majority of European funding really keeps the European administrations established in this country going.

As for the rest of it, it's difficult to trace its route and impact. The complexity of these financial exchanges means that, for the general public, it is not easy to know exactly where these millions of euros are flowing. In our investigation, for example, we have not come across a website or report that details, to the nearest penny, project after project, the future of the European budget in the Grand Duchy.

The European Commission nevertheless explains that a major pillar of EU funding in Luxembourg corresponds to support for growth and employment. The EU budget thus provides "financial support to students, scientists, farmers, NGOs, SMEs, municipalities and many other beneficiaries of Luxembourg".

Millions of euros subsidising projects such as the expansion of the network of charging stations for electric vehicles, telemedicine solutions for medical monitoring, a "Naturpakt" with municipalities to promote the preservation of biodiversity, the support of the aerospace company OHB LuxSpace, or the production of solar energy on the new Neischmelz site in Dudelange...

Some citizens may not be aware of these subsidies, even though it impacts their daily lives.

*As Stephane Saurel writes in his book "The budget of the European Union": "Traditional own resources are taken into account in the contribution of each Member State even though they are not representative of a real effort. This leads to an artificial increase in the burden on the States with major port facilities (mainly the Netherlands and Belgium) which are, as such, collectors of customs duties on behalf of the European Union".
A new job training agreement is good news for economic development in North Iowa.

The North Iowa Area Community College board of directors approved final agreements Tuesday with seven North Iowa businesses to create 511 jobs using $6.75 million in bonds through the Iowa Industrial New Jobs Training Program. It is the biggest bond sale ever for this program by the college.

"It really is just a dedication to their employees and what they feel is important and putting training as an important piece of employment and retention," said Dean of Continuing Education Patti Hanson. "All that is just the perfect mix, and it allows people to access the training at really no cost."

The seven North Iowa businesses that reached final agreements are:

Pure Prairie Farms in Charles City will create 224 positions and have a net training fund of $2,337,507.31.

Stellar Industries Inc. in Garner will create 119 positions and have a net training fund of $821,304.62.

UpTower Inc. in Saint Ansgar will create 92 positions and have a net training fund of $851,047.34.

Centro Inc. from Hampton will create 40 positions and have a net training fund of $285,935.68.

Rahr Bushel Boy LLC in Mason City will create 16 positions and have a net training fund of $80,440.54.

Plas-Tech in Garner will create 10 positions and have a net training fund of $79,764.56.

Valent Biosciences in Osage will create 10 positions and have a net training fund of $106,803.40.

"It's just a positive sign for the economy. The challenge will be finding the workforce, but when businesses are growing that's good for everybody," said President Steven Schulz.

The Iowa Industrial New Jobs Training Program, also known as 260E, assists businesses creating new positions with new employee training, according to the Iowa Economic Development website. Hanson said businesses have to meet requirements and be in specific sectors to be a part of the program.

"When they start to talk about growth, we work with them to establish their base employment level. Any positions that they add above that qualify for this training fund are created by taking out bonds," said Hanson.

Hanson said the 511 positions created in NIACC's service area include a variety of job types, from human resource to manufacturing. NIACC takes the job training straight to the business and provides the resources businesses need. Participants may be eligible for reimbursement up to 50% of the approved award amount for on-the-job training, according to Iowa Economic Development.

"That's money that they can take for the lower productivity of people as they learn to do the new job, and then the other half is typically the structured training," said Hanson.

Workers already have been hired and are being trained for many of the 511 jobs being created.

"They've already been hiring once we establish that base employment level with a preliminary agreement. They can start hiring from then, and (the final agreement) just solidifies the project with them," said Hanson.

NIACC sold $6.75 million in bonds Monday to Northland Securities Inc., which will finance the program, according to Hanson. It is NIACC's biggest agreement under the program, with the next-highest total at $3.4 million.

According to Iowa Economic Development, "the award amount is paid back and bonds retired by the business diverting 1.5% or 3% (dependent upon wage thresholds) of gross payroll from the Iowa state withholding taxes generated by the new positions."

"They can train all these new people at no cost, essentially," Hanson said.

The amount for this agreement was going to be lower, but the figures and timeline shifted because there were more positions than originally expected, Hanson said.

"We want to accommodate that. That's what Continuing Education, our department, is part of. We're here to help the businesses," said Hanson.
Two Iowa caregivers accused of failing to protect elderly Iowans who froze to death on their watch are now facing very different consequences.

One of the workers has been criminally charged with second-degree murder and faces up to 50 years of imprisonment if convicted, while the other is facing no criminal charges and has been allowed to keep her nursing license.

The murder charge is highly unusual for a case involving a care-facility worker accused of neglect.

I cant say definitively that the state has never charged anyone with second-degree murder in these circumstances, but if they have, I am not aware of it, said Matthew S. Sheeley, an assistant state public defender who is working the case.

The two resident deaths were tragic and avoidable, said Toby Edelman, senior policy attorney for the nonprofit Center for Medicare Advocacy and a nationally recognized expert in senior care. Many people in each facility are responsible and should be held accountable for their obvious failures to keep the residents safe.

Every Iowan should be concerned about these tragic deaths, said John Hale, a consultant and advocate for older Iowans. He said while Iowans should insist on justice for the families involved, all too often, its the direct-care staff members that get blamed for these tragedies  and in some cases, that may be warranted if they failed to act when they could have.

He said in many cases, facilities have a lack of sufficient staff, provide scant training, or use temporary workers who are not familiar with residents or the facilitys procedures. When those additional factors exist, the responsibility for tragedies goes beyond the direct care staff on duty  it also goes to supervisory staff, facility management, facility owners and corporate directors, he said.

The first of the two cases involves 95-year-old Elaine Creasey, who on Dec. 9, 2021, froze to death outside Keelson Harbour assisted living center in Spirit Lake. The second case involves 77-year-old Lynne Harriet Stewart, a former state social worker who froze to death on Jan. 21, 2022, outside Courtyard Estates at Hawthrone Crossing in Bondurant.

According to state records, Creasey wandered from her room at Keelson Harbour and exited the building shortly after 10 p.m. on Dec. 8, 2021. Because Creasey was known to wander, the staff was instructed to perform hourly, visual checks on her, and the exit door was equipped with an alarm to alert the staff in case someone left the building.

But, according to state records, the temp-agency worker who was assigned to check on Creasey during the night  identified in Board of Nursing records as registered nurse Brooke Arndt of Lake Park  repeatedly failed to confirm Creasey was in her room and didnt investigate the cause of the door alarm.

With Creasey outside, a short distance from the exit door that had locked behind her, the temperature dropped to a wind chill of 14 degrees.

About 7 a.m. the next day, a worker went to Creaseys room to check on her and noticed she was not in her apartment. A search was initiated and within a half-hour, employees found her unresponsive, lying on the ground outside the facilitys memory care unit.

The staff summoned an ambulance that transported Creasey to a nearby hospital where she was pronounced dead on arrival. The medical examiner later reported that his findings of hypothermia due to exposure were consistent with Creasey having exited the building about 10 p.m. the previous day.

Nurse: I wasnt trained on bed checks

According to state inspectors, Arndt told investigators she had performed all of the required visual safety checks on Creasey between midnight and 5 a.m., although, she added, she had not been trained on how to perform such checks.

She reportedly told the inspectors that when she performed bed checks, she would open the door to a residents room, leave the light off, walk in a few steps and look for a silhouette of the resident in bed. She allegedly reported that she thought she had seen Creasey in bed each time she checked her room that night.

A review of the door-alarm system at Keelson Harbour allegedly showed the alarm had sounded at 10:07 p.m., indicating someone had exited the building, and was shut off and reset by the staff nine minutes later.

When interviewed, Arndt allegedly told inspectors that she had silenced the door alarm without checking on the residents or searching the area to see who might have left the building. Another worker at the home had told her not to worry about it, she said.

Arndt also stated she was not sure what the door alarm signified or what had triggered it, inspectors later reported, and alleged she had not received any training on emergencies and door alarms.

The state inspections department fined Keelson Harbour $10,000 for staff-training violations. Arndt was not criminally charged, but the Iowa Board of Nursing charged her with committing an act that causes injury to a patient and with failure to properly assess, evaluate or accurately document a patients status.

As part of a settlement agreement, the board placed Arndts license on one year of probation and required her to complete 30 hours of additional professional education.

Creaseys family is now suing both Keelson Harbour and the temp agency that employed Arndt, accusing them of negligence and reckless disregard for anothers safety. The two companies deny any wrongdoing, and a trial is scheduled for Aug. 15, 2023.

The family has alleged Creaseys hands and knees were covered in abrasions when she was found, indicating that she had been crawling around in the cold outside for some time. They say Creasey suffered immensely, both physically and mentally, before she passed away.

Video shows worker walking around facility

A few weeks after Creasey died, 200 miles east of Spirit Lake, Lynne Stewart froze to death outside the Courtyard Estates assisted living center in Bondurant.

As with Creasey, Stewart was known to wander and was supposed to have been checked every hour.

State inspection records indicate a worker at the home  identified in court records as Catherine Forkpa, 31, of Ankeny  was assigned to check on Stewart throughout the night.

The centers records showed that Stewart exited the building about 9:40 p.m., triggering an alarm. By that time, a separate alarm attached to the door of Stewarts room had already been tripped. The two alarms triggered a series of alerts that appeared on a desktop computer used by the care facilitys staff, and on the portable devices carried by each of the workers.

But on the night in question, Forkpa was the only person working Stewarts area of the building and surveillance video allegedly showed that instead of responding to the alarms, she walked around the memory-care unit for hours.

The temperature outside, meanwhile, was dropping and eventually dipped to 11 degrees below zero, state inspectors later reported.

For three hours of her shift, Forkpa was allegedly off-camera and unaccounted for, although police would later say the cameras trained on Stewarts room showed that during her entire shift, Forkpa made no effort to enter Stewarts room and check on her.

Executive director slept through phone alerts

At 5:30 a.m, the video showed Forkpa grabbing some breakfast for herself and walking to the dining room where she sat and ate. At 6:10 a.m., a worker who had been assigned to another area of the building looked at the nursing staffs desktop computer and saw the door-alarm alerts for both Stewarts room and the exit door at the end of Stewarts hallway.

She immediately alerted Forkpa and the two quickly located Stewart outside, on the ground, with her body wedged against the exit door. An ambulance was summoned and paramedics rushed Stewart to a nearby hospital. Stewart, they later reported, was so stiff and cold they initially couldnt record a body temperature. She had ice freezing on her, the paramedics reported, and there were abrasions on her head and hands.

Before the ambulance reached the hospital, Stewart went into cardiac arrest. Paramedic Tim Huff and his crew tried to restart her heart, but they were unsuccessful. Stewart was pronounced dead at the hospital.

Forkpa, who had worked at Courtyard Estates for seven months, was fired and four other employees were given written warnings for their failure to respond to the door alarms, according to state records.

During the subsequent state investigation, the facilitys executive director told inspectors that when she is at home, she receives text-message alerts when doors alarms are triggered at the facility. She said that on the night in question, she received a long series of alerts triggered by the two door alarms, but she didnt hear them as she slept.

Screenshots of the executive directors phone indicate she received the first alert on her phone at 9:44 p.m., and continued to receive them every five minutes throughout the night, inspectors alleged.

The facilitys on-call registered nurse received a similar series of alerts on her phone. She allegedly told inspectors she had noticed the recurring alerts but failed to respond to them because she was at home with her family, and because she went to bed around 9:30 p.m.

The nurse reportedly told inspectors that in the past, she had ignored alerts that were specific to Stewarts room because of mechanical defects that caused that particular alarm to trigger constantly. Other employees, including Forkpa, reported the same problem to inspectors.

Caregiver charged with murder

The state fined Couryard Estates $10,000 and cited it for having failed to give Forkpa the required 8 hours of dementia training during her first month on the job, instead giving her only 4.75 hours of training. Courtyard Estates acknowledged the problem and later reported to the state that the training issue was corrected by having Forkpa fired.

Forkpa now faces a charge of second-degree murder by dependent adult abuse. If convicted on that charge, she faces a term of imprisonment not to exceed 50 years and would have to serve 35 years before becoming eligible for parole.

Forkpa, who immigrated to the United States from Africa in 2004, said she doesnt believe the criminal charge is warranted. I know in my heart I would never do anything to hurt anyone, she told the Iowa Capital Dispatch.

Polk County Attorney John Sarcone declined to comment on the case. A trial is scheduled for Nov. 14.

Police reports indicate that even before Stewart exited the building that night, there were signs, unnoticed by the staff, she was preparing to leave.

According to the police, Stewart appeared to have spent some time collecting her clothing and other belongings and carrying them down the hallway to the exit. She set a bag of personal items next to the door and draped some clothes over a nearby railing before walking out into the cold night air, with the door locking behind her.

She had done this sort of thing in the past, according to state inspectors, telling the staff at Courtyard Estates that she was packing up her things and going home.
The National Bank of Bahrain (NBB) has reiterated its support to the Smile for Children with Cancer Initiative by distributing golden ribbons during its recent Townhall meeting.

To symbolise affinity with the children battling cancer and their families, and on the occasion of Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, NBB team members distributed gold ribbons, which is the symbol for all forms of cancer affecting children and adolescents.

NBB has and continues to be an active supporter of social initiatives. The bank and its employees are empowered to spread social awareness and take an active role in helping make a difference in the community.-- TradeArabia News Service
A Mason City man was allegedly caught with just less than three pounds of methamphetamine in his vehicle and residence on Wednesday.

According to court documents, 50-year-old Juan Pulido Jr. is facing up to 25 years in prison after being charged with a controlled substance violation for intent to deliver - a class B felony.

The affidavit states that Pulido was pulled over in a black 2021 Dodge Ram truck near South Illinois Avenue and Sixth Street SE at 11:23 a.m. by the Iowa State Patrol after a warrant was obtained to search his vehicle and residence.

Officers allegedly found close to a pound of methamphetamine in the truck and almost two pounds at Pulido's residence. An undisclosed amount of cash, along with packaging and scales were also found inside the residence, according to court documents. The address of the search was not disclosed.

Pulido is being held in the Cerro Gordo County Jail without bond. An initial appearance hearing is scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 6.
Danville and Pittsylvania County are gearing up for whats expected to be a stormy weekend in the region as a result of Hurricane Ian.

The region can expect 3 to 5 inches of rain, according to the National Weather Service.

Its going to be a wet weekend, said Patrick Wilson, meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Blacksburg.

The hurricane has plowed through Florida and will head northeast back out onto the Atlantic Ocean before making a left turn into South Carolina, Wilson said. As it enters into the Carolinas, it will have weakened and will settle near Boone, North Carolina, and then stall, he said.

However, a high-pressure front over eastern Canada will block Ian from heading north from Boone, he said. But it will take until Monday or Tuesday for another system from the Rocky Mountains to push Ian off the Eastern shore, Wilson said.

The heaviest rain will likely hit Danville and Pittsylvania County on Friday afternoon and continue into the evening and nighttime, he said. Winds are expected to reach 30-35 miles per hour, Wilson said.

There will likely be heavy downpours and flooding is possible, he said. Residents should be on the lookout for downed trees, as well, Wilson added.

Trees get overwhelmed with water, he said. They might come down.

There is an 80% chance of rain Friday, with a high of 61 anticipated, according to the National Weather Service. Between three-quarters of an inch and an inch is expected Friday before lows dip to 52 and another one to two inches forecast for that night.

By Saturday morning, the downpour will ease up a bit, with showers continuing and periods of rain through Tuesday, Wilson said. The high will be 62 Saturday, with another quarter- to half-inch of rain possible, according to the National Weather Service.

Showers are expected through Tuesday before the sun appears once again Wednesday, when highs are supposed to reach 71, according to the National Weather Service.

Danville officials are getting the city ready for rough conditions.

Were doing standard preparation for a storm of this magnitude, said Danville Public Works Director Rick Drazenovich. Were ensuring our pumps are operational, chainsaws and emergency equipment is checked and ready to go.

Barricades and traffic barrels are collected and put into vehicles to dispatch to locations where needed, Drazenovich said.

Also, the floodgates on River Street are closed to prevent a rising Dan River from flooding the roads, he said.

Well have our crews on standby, Drazenovich said.

Danville Utilities has asked for mutual aid in the form of an additional crew from out of state.

Theyll be traveling from Ohio to Danville tomorrow afternoon, said Danville Utilities Director Jason Grey.

The 13 linemen will head to hurricane-ravaged Florida after theyre done here, Grey said.

Outages in Danville Utilities service area are expected, he said.

We have all our crew on call, all our contractors on call, Grey said. We have all of our resources available to us.

To prepare for an emergency, residents are encouraged to consult Danville Utilities Storm Preparation Guide at danvilleutilities.com. To access the document, go to Resources and click storm preparation guide.

In Pittsylvania County, emergency service officials have their virtual operations center up and running and extra staff on hand at the dispatch center.

Also, were providing additional staffing for the public safety department, said Chris Key, the countys public safety director.

The county will also have extra emergency vehicles ready, he said. On a normal weekend, the public safety department has three ambulances. But this time, there will be four ambulances and a rescue vehicle.

Also, volunteers at fire-and-rescue organizations will be staffing their stations, Key said.
For the second time, Danvilles River District Association is a semifinalist for a national award spotlighting redevelopment.

The group  along with seven other organizations across the nation  is in the running for the 2023 Great American Main Street Award. The honor is billed as the nations top award to recognize comprehensive preservation-based commercial district revitalization.

The winner will be announced in March. This marks the second year the local association has made the semifinalist ranking.

A jury of professionals in community, economic development and historic preservation reviewed a national pool of candidates to come up with the final eight, according to a news release. Those semifinals show leadership in the Main Street Approach, a way to lead community-based transformation strategies in their downtowns.

The River District Association, formerly Downtown Danville Association, was formed in 1999 to coordinate efforts to revitalize downtown Danville, now called the River District, according to the group.

The association and city of Danville have enjoyed accredited status under the National and Virginia Main Street Programs since 2016.

The Great American Main Street Award is the highest honor that we grant to organizations within our network, said Hannah White, interim president and CEO at Main Street America. We are proud to recognize RDA and seven fellow organizations as 2023 GAMSA Semifinalists for their excellence in transforming their downtown districts through strategically implemented economic vitality, design, promotion and organization initiatives.

The award spans a diversity of localities, from small towns with downtowns to commercial corridors within larger cities. Semifinalists have generated more than $872 million in local reinvestment and helped open 863 net new businesses, according to the release.

Locally, more than a dozen businesses opened or expanded so far this year and about six are expected to follow suit by the end of 2022.

We are very grateful for the team at the National Main Street center for recognizing the hard work that has been done in the River District for the past decade, RDA Executive Director Diana Schwartz said in a statement. We are thrilled to be selected once again as one of 8 semifinalists nationally.

Schwartz called it a prestigious honor to make it to the semifinal round. She hopes residents realize Danville is known on the national stage as a model for revitalization.

We look forward to the continued success of our downtown that will illuminate a bright path to move forward and share the improvements and opportunities to all areas of our city and our region.

The other finalists are in Denison, Texas; Florence, South Carolina; Metuchen, New Jersey; Orlando, Florida; Ruston, Louisiana; Sheridan, Wyoming; and Sykesville, Maryland.
If you go What: An Evening with Author Lisa See discussing The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane When: 7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 4 Where: Helena Civic Center, 340 Neill Ave. Cost: Free For more information, visit lclibrary.org, 120 S. Last Chance Gulch, 406-447-1690

No coincidence, no story.

Thus opens Lisa Sees enchanting book, The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane.

Not only is the storys plot woven with coincidences, but so too is the very existence of the book itself.

Not just one coincidence, but thread upon thread of coincidences magically came together.

It would seem, the universe wanted this book to be.

See will share the stories behind the story during her authors talk and book signing, 7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 4, at the Helena Civic Center.

The free talk is made possible by the Lewis & Clark Library Foundation, Lewis & Clark Library and the Helena Civic Center.

Its one of a series of events the Lewis & Clark Library is hosting  from tea tastings to film showings and book discussions  to celebrate the book throughout Octobers Community Read.

The New York Times bestselling novel tells the story of a young Akha girl, Li-yan, growing up in a remote tradition-bound village, when an unexpected visitor makes a call that changes her lifes trajectory.

The book explores not only the beauty and occasional tragedy in their lives, but also the beauty and hardships of tea farming and its fascinating history, the deep relationship between Li-yan and her mother and the life of Li-yans daughter, who is given up for adoption.

The story of the book itself began one night when See was walking to the movie theater with her husband.

Ahead of them in the crosswalk was a Chinese teenage girl with a bouncy ponytail walking with her parents  an older White couple.

Something clicked.

See, who is Chinese-American, had been wondering for years about Chinese girls given up for adoption during Chinas One-Child Policy.

So truly, from one side of the street to another, I knew what my next book would be, she said in a phone interview from her home in Los Angeles.

I had been thinking about writing about the One-Child Policy and adoption from China for about 20 years. In that moment, I had my way into the story.

The girl, and her energy, struck See as a fox spirit, which in Chinese tradition can be mischievous and naughty, or in their better moments they have the ability to bring great love and to create families.

The girl with the bouncy ponytail was just the first of many fortuitous coincidences.

A few months later See was invited to do a book event at a library near San Diego, and the opening act was a tea master.

He poured these different teas and I tasted them.

He also talked about the Tea Horse Road, the ancient trade route to Tibet, the difference between tea trees and tea shrubs and specifically about the unique qualities of Puer tea.

This tea, much like wine, grows in value with age, unlike other tea, See said.

Most tea has to be thrown out after six months to two years, but Puer can be drunk 20, 30, 50 years later.

In 2015, when See was working on the book, a Puer tea cake sold for $150,000 at an international auction.

When I heard that, I knew what the historic backdrop was going to be.

The third element she needed was where to set her story.

It turns out that all Puer tea grows in one province  Yunnan  which is also the most biodiverse province of China.

Yunnan is pretty unique, she said. That biodiversity also applies to humans. Ninety-five percent of Chinese are Han.

China is also home to 56 ethnic minorities, 26 of which live in Yunnan Province.

Much of Sees initial research focused on the Dai people, who she thought would be central in her story.

But then there was another serendipitous coincidence.

An acquaintance learned about her book idea and introduced her to a Chinese woman who is the largest importer of Puer tea in the United States.

While meeting and interviewing her and her friend, Linda, the owner of a small tea import company, See was invited along on a tea buying trip to Yunnan Province.

It was on this trip that See encounters the Akha people and a young Akha woman, Ah-bu, who inspires parts of Li-yans story and character.

See refers back to the Akha saying, No coincidence, no story, which opens the book.

I feel like that happened to me. It kept happening over and over again.

She will talk more in depth about the amazing coincidences that made this book, but also about what its like for girls who are adopted from China.

See, an award-winning author of 11 books ranging from nonfiction, to mysteries to historical fiction, is working on her newest book, Lady Tans Circle of Women, due out next June.

Its the true story of a woman doctor in the Ming Dynasty, who wrote a medical book in the 1500s that is still in use today and is published in many languages, said See.

See said she is really looking forward to visiting Helena. It will be her first book presentation since COVID hit more than two years ago.

Im very excited to go to Helena. I love to travel and just to be able  to do an event with real, live people that are all in the same room together.

For more information about the Community Read, visit lclibrary.org, 120 S. Last Chance Gulch, 406-447-1690.

For more information on Lisa See, visit https://www.lisasee.com/.

Readers and book groups can also visit her website for information on ordering tea sample kits from Bana Tea Company to savor while reading and discussing the book.
The Woman King

At the Cinemark

(PG-13)

Grade: B

Woman King makes a powerful cultural statement about the power of black women throughout history. Like Black Panther costuming and choreography is exquisite.

No sense burying the lead: I never really warmed to this story. My head, which welcomed a consciousness-raising film about Black women, said Yes!

But my heart was mostly unmoved.

I left surprised that I didnt like Woman King more.

I absolutely loved Black Panther, which focused on a black king, and featured strong black women.

Ive slowly figured out two reasons why my applause was muted  an ethical qualm, formulaic writing.

But lets start with positives.

Woman King is a gloriously colorful anthem to black women seizing control of the world, with swords flaying and feet kicking. Its set in Africa in 1823, with a focus on slave traders who buy blacks and transport them to America.

The story showcases a femme warrior, embodied ferociously by Viola Davis, with electric support from Lashana Lynch and Sheila Atim.

The scenes of slaves being imprisoned and traded are necessarily depressing and disturbing. An army of ruthless patriarchal fighters are decimated by an outnumbered band of women warriors.

Critics and audiences are enthusiastically embracing this gender reversal, where women are neither subservient nor weak. In battles to the death, women prevail. Matriarchal mayhem. No mercy.

But I quickly tired of the battlefield slaughter, and preordained result. Yes, men have been winning film wars for 100 years and, yes, women deserve reparation, I suppose.

What was missing was some interior complexity to make the battles more human.

Is slaughter by women the best answer to slaughter by men? No, its not.

I dont welcome violence, no matter the gender of the victor.

I hoped Viola would provide an alternative to violence as a way to resolve conflict.

How about this: Women warriors follow in Gandhis footsteps, replacing eye-for-an-eye with moral restraint? Yeah, the pathological male warriors would undoubtedly have rejected Violas prelude, but could we try, first?

Instead, violence is glorified once again: the slaughter is on. Male corpses everywhere. Women cheering. Tears would have been a more appropriate response.

The story includes a predictable reveal and a gratuitous romance, including ripped abs. The training of young women warriors seemed formulaic, rather than empowering.

I just dont think the writing did justice to Violas band of sisters. We needed more nuance in the prelude to battle, more complexity in relationships  fewer moral platitudes!

None of this changes the fact that Im the outlier. Most critics and moviegoers have embraced Woman King enthusiastically.

One critic found it awe-inspiring to see these women, particularly women of color, radiating so much power. Another found the story a welcoming widening of history which tells the story of slavery without black trauma.

Its not that Im not applauding at all, but that Im only applauding politely  right fingers tapping left palm.

I wanted to cheer.
Officials continue to investigate a woman who allegedly killed a husky dog in the Flathead National Forest under the assumption it was a wolf.

On Monday, a social media post circulated online showing a woman holding a skinned animal that appeared to be a husky dog. The post indicated she believed she had killed a young wolf.

Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife & Parks spokesman Greg Lemon confirmed Wednesday morning that the woman was licensed to hunt wolves. She held a mountain lion license, sportsman combo with black bear license, an archery license and a wolf license.

Lemon said that the agency was investigating what all happened and transpired in the incident. Although the agency is not specifically investigating the social media post, but rather how the underlying event occurred, the killing was documented on Facebook and shared extensively early this week.

Last Friday, Flathead County Sheriff's deputies heard from a person who found about a dozen puppies, a mix of huskies and shepherd-mix dogs, loose in the Doris Creek area in the Flathead National Forest near Kalispell. County animal control officers looked into the situation and determined there were more than 19 possible abandoned dogs, according to Flathead County Sheriff Brian Heino.

A woman, under the name Amber Rose on Facebook, shared the husky kill in a post: So this morning I set out for a solo predator hunt for a fall black bear however I got the opportunity to take another predator wolf pup 2022 was a great feeling to text my man and say I just smoked a wolf pup.

A message from the Missoulian to the listed owner of the Facebook account did not get an immediate response and was not seen as of Wednesday afternoon.

The post, ending with the hashtag #OneLessPredatorMT, included photos of the woman posing with what appeared to be a young domestic dog that had been killed and skinned, splayed out in the bed of a truck.

The post is no longer visible on her profile, but screenshots of the post continue to circulate online.

Killing a game animal without a valid license is typically a misdemeanor, Lemon said, although aggravating circumstances in individual cases can affect what charges may be filed.

It'd be essentially the same as sort of any other game violation, he said, harvesting an animal without a license.

But in this case, because the woman killed a domestic dog and not a game animal, Lemon said, the agency is more interested in how the situation came about, particularly in the context of her wolf license.

She didn't shoot a wild animal, so that's not really our part of the investigation, he said. Our focus has been pretty narrow on this piece of it  her license.

In a follow-up email, Lemon clarified that if theres no actual hunting violation that occurred  then FWP would not be able to cite/warn a hunter. Killing a domestic animal does not fall within the statutory authority of FWP. There certainly could be civil or criminal repercussions of killing a domestic animal while hunting but FWP would not be the agency to bring those.

Heino said on Monday his office is investigating the case. His office is also investigating why the domestic dogs were left to begin with, and asks anyone with information to email tips@flathead.mt.gov.

As of Wednesday morning, the Flathead County Attorney Travis Ahner said the Flathead sheriff is putting the finishing touches on the investigation, and the two offices are communicating about the case. Charges havent been filed, and the suspect hasnt been named.
Krohne Middle East and Africa, one of the leading global makers of process instrumentation, is showcasing its green solutions to the water industry at Wetex 2022, being held from September 27 to 29, 2022, at Dubai World Trade Centre, Dubai.

Krohne has decided to remove paper collaterals and brochures in favour of bespoke discussions and demonstrations backed up by material accessible via QR code or USB drive. In addition to this step, the team will also be modelling their stylish yet sustainable polo shirts, provided by DGRade, a local eco-preneur that fashions material from 100% plastic bottles.

Krohne, alongside its valuable local partners Belfast Controls, has a long heritage in supporting automation and process control in this space through precision engineered measurement equipment and technology and this year is no different.

Presenting creativity

Frank Janssens, Vice President, Krohne Middle East and Africa, said: Krohne Group has been in operation for over a century and is proudly built on key values we still cherish today, such as our pioneering capabilities within a family-style environment. At Wetex you have the chance to experience our creativity in finding the best solutions to problems with our innovative thought process and precision engineered product portfolio.

By engaging directly with our experts in this bespoke manner, we feel we are able to deliver the personalised exhibition experience without restriction and without filling recycling bins with unnecessary printed matter, letting people focus on what matters  building a better tomorrow through efficient measurement solutions driving towards net zero.-- TradeArabia News Service
The Montana Department of Justice likely discriminated against an applicant for a job in its legal services bureau by denying that person the position due to their political beliefs, a state employment investigator found.

A Human Rights Bureau investigative report dated Sept. 21, obtained this week by the Montana State News Bureau, found that Andres Haladay, a former Helena City Commissioner and attorney, was likely passed over for a conservative-leaning candidate. That was after Haladay expressed liberal and progressive beliefs in an essay prompt during the hiring process for the Agency Legal Services Bureau chief position at the Montana Department of Justice.

That agency is run by Republican Attorney General Austin Knudsen, elected to the office in 2020 and former Speaker of the House in the state Legislature. The investigative report states former Deputy Attorney General Kris Hansen, another former Republican state lawmaker who had hiring authority in the process, overrode the hiring panel assembled to select an applicant who was considered to be a weaker candidate than Haladay.

Reached by phone on Tuesday, Haladay said he was pleased with the investigators findings.

For approximately 10 years Ive represented government agencies and public officials of varying political and ideological backgrounds and its never once been an issue in my professional career, Haladay said.

A spokesperson for the Department of Justice on Thursday called the complaint "silly" and said the other candidate was chosen for their managerial experience.

"We will appeal," spokesperson Emilee Cantrell said of the discrimination finding.

Over the course of the Human Rights Bureaus investigation, the Department of Justice maintained that it drew no conclusions of candidates political beliefs from the essays. Additionally, the department argued that while Haladay was a strong candidate, the better candidate was selected for the job.

Based on the evidence presented in their final report last week, a Human Rights Bureau investigator wrote that that position is unworthy of belief.

The Department of Justice posted the job in November 2021. Along with a cover letter and a resume, candidates were required to submit an essay on the responsibility of government to the people of Montana. At the time, Haladay was the deputy chief legal counsel at the Montana Department of Corrections.

Of the three candidates considered for the job, Haladay was ranked second by the hiring committee, while Assistant Attorney General Pat Risken was ranked third, according to the investigative report. The first-place candidate withdrew their name from consideration during the hiring process.

Haladays political beliefs were publicly known before the process, due to his public position on the Helena City Commission from 2014 until leaving that office earlier this year. According to the report, Haladay was aware his personal beliefs did not align with the current administration of the justice department, but he still felt his essay should be honest about his beliefs.

Haladays essay on the role of government espoused the need for government to protect a womans right to abortion access, as well as address climate change to guarantee a clean and healthful environment.

In comparison, Riskens essay is described in the report as sharing a view that government should be limited, rather than acting as a societal safety net. Risken wrote it is the responsibility of everyone to protect clean air and water, and not the role of government to hinder development or utilization of the land.

The Human Rights Bureau investigator wrote that argument does not appear credible, due to the political nature of the essays Haladay and Risken submitted, as well as the hiring panel ranking Haladay above Risken.

The Human Rights Bureau investigator never got to speak with Hansen, the Deputy Attorney General at the time, about her decision to override the hiring panels ranking and select Risken for the job; Hansen died in July. Members of the hiring panel told the investigator Hansen did not wish to explain her reasoning, but had the authority to make the selection, according to the report.

Cantrell said Thursday that Haladay was offered a lower-level job as deputy bureau chief and a staff attorney position but did not accept.

Risken, who is not listed as the bureau chief on the department's directory online, has since retired, Cantrell said. Haladay has not applied for the job, Cantrell said, despite DOJ reportedly reaching out and encouraging him to do so.

In the 2021 Legislature, the Montana Department of Justice was the lone proponent of a bill that would have expanded the number of positions to be appointed by political agency heads, like the Attorney Generals Office. The legislation was pitched as a measure to help elected officials cycle out employees from past administrations and move the agency in a direction essentially approved by the voters.

They need to be able to implement (the elected officials) goals, Sen. Doug Kary, a Billings Republican who carried the bill in the state Senate, said at the time. Without having employees that are willing to work with the director to implement those goals, those goals cannot be implemented.

The proposed bill died on a Senate floor vote.

The Human Rights Bureau process now moves to mediation between Haladay and the justice department. If the parties cannot resolve the matter within 30 days, the case moves to an administrative officer who may hold trial-like proceedings to settle the case.

Haladay declined to say Tuesday what he is seeking in the mediation but did add he hopes the hiring process does away with the essay. In this case, his political beliefs made Haladay a member of a protected class, part of the threshold required to establish that unlawful discrimination took place.

Im hopeful we can resolve this and I really do think the essay needs to be eliminated as a criteria for eliminating candidates from nonpartisan employment, Haladay said.
GREAT FALLS  A fugitive fleeing law enforcement was shot and killed Wednesday morning by officers after a foot pursuit in Montana.

Great Falls Police Department Chief Jeff Newton said at a news conference that police officers were working as part of a violent offenders task force with Montana Probation and Parole and U.S. Marshals and went to apprehend the fugitive, who was wanted on a no-bond warrant.

The fugitive attempted to flee and was pursued on foot by officers, Newton said. The encounter ended with the person, who officers said was armed, being fatally shot.

Newton did identify the person or the crime for which they were being pursued.

Newton said Great Falls Police did not have all the details, did not disclose whether the person was shot in the front or back and said the Montana Division of Criminal Investigation would handle an investigation into the shooting.

No officers or bystanders were injured in the encounter.
Helena is my home. I am supporting Gary Buchanan who is running as an independent for U.S. Congress. Ive known Gary and his family for 40-plus years and he has been an independent that entire time. He is a quality person of integrity, intelligence and common sense. He is respectful of others. He has an impressive amount of experience in business and in government, serving both Republican and Democratic administrations.

Gary will work to protect and strengthen our democracy and keep our country free.

He values the rights and freedoms I value most: a clean and healthy environment, affordable housing, safe streets, the availability of quality public education, the right to privacy and reproductive choice, and access to competent mental and physical health care for all Montanans from every walk of life. Last but never least, Gary values public lands and understands the importance of them in our Montana way of life.

Gary makes me proud to be a Montanan. Whether you vote by mail in or at the ballot box, join me in voting for Gary to represent Montana in the U.S. Congress!

Sandi Ashley,

Helena
Phase 2 of Beaver Creek restoration underway

Phase 2 of Beaver Creek restoration is underway, Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest officials said recently on their Facebook page.

Beaver Creek is the primary spawning tributary for the large migratory rainbow and brown trout that move up from Holter Reservoir in the spring and fall. Many anglers from across the state come to the Missouri River, specifically the Hauser tailwaters, to fish for these trophy-size trout, forest officials said.

This project will help to improve fish habitat, water quality, restore floodplain connectivity to support riparian vegetation and create additional wetland habitat.

It will complete an additional 0.7 miles of new stream channel. Wood and willow sourced both on and off-site will be used to enhance fish habitat. Nearly 250 truckloads of wood is needed to construct streambanks and pool habitat. Overall, the project will restore about 1.2 miles of lower Beaver Creek.

Total project construction cost for Phase 1 was $462,590 and this included the time of many volunteers including students from Capital High School, the Montana Discovery Foundation and Pat Barnes Trout Unlimited Chapter.

Phase 2 is funded and supported by partners including NorthWestern Energy, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks, Lewis and Clark Conservation District, Montana Department of Natural Resources, the Missouri River Resource Advisory Committee, and Pat Barnes Trout Unlimited Chapter. The River Design Group are the principal project engineers, officials said.

Prior to restoration work, Beaver Creek was listed as an impaired stream by the Montana Department of Environmental Quality due to both sediment and riparian damage. As a key spawning tributary for both rainbow and brown trout, it was identified as a priority restoration project.

Restoration efforts began in 2020 to reconstruct the lower half-mile of Beaver Creek and bring it back to historic conditions prior to being artificially straightened to support agricultural practices in the area. This summer Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest fisheries biologist Alli Russell observed thriving willows that had been planted by volunteers in 2020 -- many taller than her just two years later! She also observed fish and benthic invertebrate life in the newly created pools and ripples.

Visit: https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/hlcnf/home/?cid=fseprd904487 to learn more.

FWP seeks comments on elk plan

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks is seeking public comment on revisions to the statewide Elk Management Plan last adopted in 2005.

FWP began work on the revised plan in 2020, when a citizens group was convened to develop guiding principles for the new plan.

FWP is now seeking input on the existing elk population objectives and local elk management challenges that should be considered in the revision. The scoping period started earlier this summer and continues through Oct. 15.

Information on current elk population objectives being considered for revision can be viewed online at fwp.mt.gov/aboutfwp/public-comment-opportunities/elk-plan-scoping/hd-info. In addition, FWP has been hosting public meetings to share more information and answer questions. Meeting places, times and details are posted on the FWP website.

In west-central Montana, FWP is hosting nine public meetings over the next month:

Sept. 29: Deer Lodge, Powell County Community Center (416 Cottonwood Ave.), 6 p.m.

Oct. 4: Ovando, Ovando School gym (108 Birch St.), 6 p.m.

Oct. 5: Seeley Lake, Community Hall (3248 Hwy 83), 6 p.m.

Oct. 6: Missoula, FWP office (3201 Spurgin Road), 6 p.m.

Oct. 11: Lincoln, Location TBD, 6 p.m.

Oct. 13: Superior, High School multipurpose room (410 Arizona), 6 p.m.

More information and additional locations for public meetings across Montana can be found online at fwp.mt.gov/aboutfwp/public-comment-opportunities/elk-plan-scoping.

The deadline for public comment is Oct. 15. Comments can be submitted online, emailed to FWPWLD@mt.gov or mailed to Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks, Attn: Wildlife, P.O. Box 200701 Helena, MT 59620-0701.

Once the draft Elk Management Plan has been developed and released, there will be additional public comment opportunities.

Project WILD educator workshop on Oct. 6

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks and the Montana Natural History Center will host a Project WILD educator workshop on Oct. 6 in Missoula.

The workshop is best suited for fourth through 12th grade educators and will be held from 3-6 p.m. at the Montana Natural History Center (120 Hickory St. #A). There is no cost, and dinner is provided. Space is limited. To register, email FWPs Ryan Schmaltz at rschmaltz@mt.gov.

Participants will learn hands-on approaches for integrating wildlife and conservation principles into their classrooms. Activities can be matched with curriculum requirements for variety and enrichment.

For more information on Project WILD, visit www.fishwildlife.org/projectwild. For more information on the event, contact Ryan Schmaltz at 406-444-9946 or Vivaca Crowser at 406-542-5518 at FWP.

Beading event at First Peoples

People can celebrate Montana American Indian Heritage Day on Friday by attending a beading workshop at First Peoples Buffalo Jump State Park just north of Ulm.

Beadwork is one of the most admired and traditional Native American art forms and began as a way for Native Americans to express themselves artistically in a way that was also compatible with their nomadic lifestyle.

Beading instructors Ira and Kahly Henderson are from Great Falls and are enrolled members of the Little Shell Tribe of Chippewa Indians of Montana. They will provide attendees with an opportunity to learn how to bead and make their own beaded key lanyard.

Advance registration is required with a limit 12 people for the class, which will take place from 3 to 7 p.m. There is a $15 fee per person for a beading kit, which is payable in cash only.

For more information and to register for the class, contact Alice Southworth at alice.southworth@mt.gov or (406) 866-2217.

First Peoples Buffalo Jump Park is 3.5 miles north of Ulm, just off Interstate 15 at Exit 270. For directions or more information about First Peoples Buffalo Jump State Park visit: http://stateparks.mt.gov/first-peoples-buffalo-jump/.
DECATUR  Macon County diners may soon be able to add a Potbelly Sandwich Works to their list of restaurant options.

Potbelly Corporation has announced the signing of an agreement with Rob Wilbern that will bring five of its locations to the Springfield-Champaign-Decatur area.

Wilbern runs a certified public accounting firm, an automotive dealership, several other businesses, and previously self-developed a restaurant concept in Springfield, a news release from the corporation said.

Potbelly is a fast-casual restaurant chain that focuses on submarine sandwiches and milkshakes. Potbelly was founded in 1977 in Chicago.

The support of the leadership team is what drew me to Potbelly. I was looking at a couple of different franchise opportunities and did a good amount of research. Potbelly stood out among the rest, Wilbern said the news release.

Our new Shop Development Area Agreements come at an eventful time for us at Potbelly, said Bob Wright, the company's CEO.

The announcement advances the corporations Franchise Growth Acceleration Initiative, which calls for reaching 2,000 units with at least 85% of those being franchised shops over the next 10 years.

The corporation has 400 company-owned shops in the United States. Additionally, Potbelly franchisees operate over 40 shops in the United States.
DECATUR  Describing students as being in "crisis," a Decatur teacher expressed concerns to the Decatur school board about the lack of staff.

Cassie Mann, a first grade teacher at Dennis School, spoke during the school board's meeting Tuesday about the difficulties teachers are having.

Accompanied by three colleagues who remained seated while she spoke, Mann waved a small pom pom and told the board she has been with the district for eight years and has worked in several capacities in that time and used to be your biggest cheerleader. This year, however, has been tough.

Our students are in crisis, Mann said. Telling them to 'dream big' and 'embrace every moment' means nothing to a student who doesn't have the basic skills needed to regulate their emotions. Our administrators have turned into firefighters, going from one place to another, putting out fires all day. I watch them trying to find anything that will make a difference, even if just for one student, hoping to plant seeds in the ashes and tirelessly watering, desperately waiting for just one sprout to break through.

With so many students who are troubled and disruptive, Mann said, sometimes teachers have to wait a long while for help when their class is disrupted, and the students who are not disrupting class lose out on learning time.

I love all my students, Mann said. Even the ones who are throwing things at me, hurting me, calling me names, and destroying my personal materials. They are not the problem in the equation. They are hurting and looking at us for help.

The schools need more staff, she said, to allow for those children to get the attention and help they need without shortchanging the other children.

During board discussion time at Tuesday's meeting, board member Al Scheider, who formerly worked as a high school counselor, made a similar request. Counselors spend so much time on paperwork, he said, that it leaves little time to spend with students, and they have told him they need a secretary.

Every time I've brought this up (at board meetings), it's been tossed aside as if it's benefiting counselors, Scheider said. It has nothing to do with counselors. It's for students to get the help they need.

Superintendent Rochelle Clark said she has met with counselors and they have not asked for secretaries.

We met with counselors and talked about a lot of things and a secretary was not one of them, and this came directly from counselors, Clark said.

Scheider also repeated a request he has made before, that the administration find a way to survey employees that will offer anonymity, to find out what their concerns are. Email surveys will be attached to their work email addresses, he said, and many will be reluctant to be honest about problems for fear of retaliation.

In other business, the board welcomed four new student ambassadors.

The new ambassadors are Symone Abraham and Jami Keck, juniors at MacArthur High School, and Sydney Walker and A'Zharien Perry, sophomores at Eisenhower High School.

Student ambassadors attend school board meetings, bring students' concerns to the board members, ask questions during discussions and present the students' perspective on issues.

The board also elected Jason Dion to the office of vice president. When former President Dan Oakes retired in August, Vice President Andrew Taylor assumed the office of president, leaving the vice presidency vacant. Dion was the only nominee and was elected by acclamation.

Assistant Superintendent for Teaching and Learning Jeff Dase presented the first video in a new series available on YouTube for families to strengthen the home-school connection. The first video is devoted to curriculum, and includes links to topics and learning standards, chapter by chapter, so parents know what kids are learning and can reinforce lessons at home. It can also serve as a guide for families who are homeschooling, to ensure that kids are keeping up with their peers who are learning in person.

Board member Regan Lewis said she had had difficulty navigating the links and asked if Dase could offer some kind of instructions or training session to help parents who might have the same problem. Dase said he could and will plan to do so.
SPRINGFIELD  Early voting for the November election kicked off across the state Thursday, with Gov. J.B. Pritzker highlighting the occasion with several campaign stops with Democratic candidates.

"I left Chicago this morning, people were voting," Pritzker said. "I was in Bloomington just about an hour ago, people were voting. I'm here in Springfield, people are voting. And I'll be in (East St. Louis) later today, people are voting. Today is Election Day and ... every day from now on is Election Day, so make sure you get out to vote."

Pritzker, a Chicago Democrat, leads the the party's slate as he seeks reelection against state Sen. Darren Bailey, R-Xenia. Other top races include the seat held by U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., who faces Republican challenger Kathy Salvi, as well as two Illinois Supreme Court seats and all the statewide constitutional officers and state legislators.

Voters also will be asked to weigh in on a proposed amendment to the Illinois Constitution that would enshrine collective bargaining rights as "fundamental" and bar state and local governments from enacting "right-to-work" laws.

At each stop, Pritzker was joined by local Democrats.

In Springfield, he was joined by Nikki Budzinski, the Democratic nominee for the 13th Congressional District, and state Sen. Doris Turner, D-Springfield.

Budzinski faces Decatur community activist Regan Deering while Turner is up against state Rep. Sandy Hamilton, R-Springfield.

There, Pritzker touted policy achievements such as raising the minimum wage while vowing to protect abortion rights and declaring his support for the "workers rights amendment."

But, above all else, the message of the day was: everyday up to Nov. 8 is Election Day.

"What this means for voters is it's the first day to vote," Budzinski said. "November 8 is the last. It's so important to get all of our friends and family to get out and vote early for this incredible ticket from top to bottom."

Pritzker signed several laws last year that expand early voting and curbside voting, making ballot dropboxes  a pandemic-era innovation  a permanent feature and allowing voters to permanently opt in to vote-by-mail.

With the latter change, voters will be given the choice of having a ballot sent to them just in this election, every general election or all elections.

Macon County Clerk Josh Tanner said that about 100 ballots had been cast in the county as of 3 p.m. and that 3,915 vote-by-mail ballot had been requested. Of that, 2,586 were the result of people opting in to permanent vote-by-mail.

Tanner said that the pandemic led to significant increase in early voting and vote-by-mail in 2020 and that he didn't expect this year to match it. But, the overall trend is still upward.

"There was a trend before COVID of more early voting and more vote-by-mail," Tanner said. "Obviously, it really spiked in the 2020 cycle. And it's come back down, but it is higher than it was in '18. So it went back to its normal trend of increasing, but it's probably not going to be at the levels it was in 2020."

"Once people early vote, they tend to continue to early vote," Tanner added.

Macon County voters can cast their ballots at the clerk's office, 141 S. Main St.  Room 119, in Decatur from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday through October 28.

Other hours include:

9 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Oct. 29

10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Oct. 30

8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. from Oct. 31 until Nov. 4

9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Nov. 5 and Nov. 6

8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Nov. 7
DECATUR  Nikki Reid had already been homeless for five years when she first moved into the Southern Hills Apartments affordable living community in Decatur 27 years ago.

Reid was pregnant with her first child at the time, and she said the ability to access affordable housing helped change the trajectory of her life.

I didn't have anywhere to go. I was going to raise my son in a car, Reid said. Without them I wouldn't have had a place to bring him home to.

Now, Reid works locally as a company move coordinator for Related Management, which has already invested over $5 million into renovating Southern Hills, 3077 Southern Hills Drive.

Reid was back at Southern Hills on Wednesday as volunteers broke ground on one of Relateds latest projects: A new playground.

According to project leaders, the playground will help make playtime more fun and more equal for low-income children.

It is our mission to end playspace inequity, said Kayla Harris-Fontaine, senior community engagement manager for the nonprofit Kaboom!. That's the reality, that playgrounds aren't available for every kid across the country.

For kids in the Southern Hills community, playgrounds have been a concern for a long time. Reid said the playground was in serious need of repairs back when she lived there with her young son.

All children have the right to play, no matter their background, Harris-Fontaine said.

Decatur Mayor Julie Moore Wolfe; State Sen. Doris Turner, D-Springfield; and State Rep. Sue Scherer, D-Decatur, were also in attendance at the groundbreaking to state their support for affordable housing in Decatur.

The new playground is more than just that, Turner said. Building the playground will also help build lives and build a community, she said.

Every child deserves to have a safe place to live, to grow up and a safe place to play, said Moore Wolfe.

A combined effort between the Related Affordable Foundation, Related Midwest, and Kaboom!, the playground is also unique for another reason  it was designed by the kids who will soon play on it.

Harris-Fontaine came to Decatur in July, when she met with approximately 30 kids from the Southern Hills community. Each of them had the chance to draw their dream playgrounds and tell the Kaboom! team what they wanted most.

The team then created two unique designs based on the kids suggestions and feedback, and community members then voted on which design they preferred.

What did the kids at Southern Hills want in their playground? Climbers and swings, and, most importantly, lots of slides, Harris-Fontaine said.

The playground is being built by a group of nearly 100 volunteers. Some are Related Foundation volunteers from as far away as New York and California, and some are Decatur-area volunteers from the Decatur Building Trades Union and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers 146.

We love this community, said JD Miller, a union representative from IBEW 146. We are willing to do anything we can to support it.

The playground will be completed on Friday, and kids will be able to play on it by early next week.

The playgrounds impact on local kids will likely be noticed outside the neighborhood, Scherer said.

Think of the people who are going to live in these houses, who are going to have their children playing on this playground, Scherer said. I can't help but think those kids are going to do a little better in school because they have a decent place to go home to at night.
New Braunfels, TX (78130)

Today

Partly cloudy. High 88F. Winds ENE at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Partly cloudy this evening with more clouds for overnight. Low 61F. Winds NNE at 5 to 10 mph.
China blasts U.S. for cyber attacks on Chinese university

Xinhua) 08:19, September 29, 2022

BEIJING, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin on Wednesday said evidence proved that the United States is the greatest threat to global cyber security, calling for joint effort against U.S. infringement on cyber sovereignty and international rules.

Wang made the remarks at a regular press briefing when asked to comment on a new investigation report on the cyber attacks by the U.S. National Security Agency (NSA) released on Tuesday by China's National Computer Virus Emergency Response Center.

The report detailed how the NSA's Office of Tailored Access Operation (TAO) controled key infrastructure facilities in China and infiltrated into China's Northwestern Polytechnical University's internal network by using servers in countries such as the Netherlands and Denmark to host cyber weapons through stepping-stone attack via Japan, Germany, the Republic of Korea and other countries. This enabled the TAO to steal sensitive data and information of people with sensitive identities.

The U.S. also secretly controled the telecom carriers of at least 80 countries and conducted indiscriminate wiretapping on global telecom users, according to the report.

Wang said that this has been the third investigation report issued by the relevant Chinese institution this month on the NSA's malicious cyber attacks on China's Northwestern Polytechnical University.

According to Wang, China has in recent weeks demanded explanation from the U.S. and asked it to immediately stop illegal action through various channels. So far, however, the U.S. has been silent.

"The U.S. could not have been more bombastic and motivated when propagating the lies about 'Chinese hackers', yet it has deliberately chosen to be blind and mute in the face of the solid evidence collected by the Chinese institution. What exactly is the U.S. hiding from the world?"

Noting that the U.S. has long been known as "the empire of hacking and champion of secrets theft," Wang said with its absolute dominance in the field of Internet technology, the U.S. has exercised indiscriminate cyber control and theft on a global scale to benefit itself politically, militarily, diplomatically and commercially.

The bullying practices of the U.S. in cyberspace have become a growing concern shared across the international community, Wang added.

"There is ample evidence that the U.S. is no doubt the greatest threat to global cyber security," Wang said, calling on countries to unite, stand up to U.S. hegemonic act which damaged cyber sovereignty and international rules and work together to create a peaceful, secure, open and cooperative cyberspace.

(Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun)
A majority of executives in the UAE and Saudi Arabia (78%) are confident in their companys ability to withstand disruptive forces.

Despite this, more than three quarters (71%) believe the frequency of disruptive forces will continue at the same pace or even increase over the next two to three years.

This is according to the AlixPartners 2022 Middle East Disruption Index that surveyed CEOs and executive leaders in the UAE and KSA to examine their top business concerns and the impact of disruption on their organisations.

Extremely effective

Over 70% of executives stated their company was extremely effective in responding to disruptive forces in new or evolving competition or business models, regulation, policy or geopolitics, data and security, and environmental and social concerns.

Governments in the region, particularly UAE and KSA, are at the forefront of innovation, and exhibit pace, agility, foresight, and an action-oriented approach to navigate the challenges ahead. This lead-by-example model at the highest level sends a clear and encouraging message to businesses in the region to constantly pre-empt, adapt and even become the disruptors in their respective industries and sectors, said Simon Freakley, CEO, AlixPartners.

The survey highlighted how nearly 3 in 4 executives in the UAE and KSA (72%) are also struggling to determine which disruption forces to prioritise. Business executives outlined three key areas of greatest concern:

Greatest concerns

Supply chain management: The majority of executives (70%) report changing regulatory policies and growing geopolitical instability are causing supply chain disruption with half of UAE and KSA based businesses addressing this disruptive force with long term solutions.

Workforce: Most companies (74%) have a strategic workforce plan in place, with almost half (41%) taking actions that are exceeding requirements

Digital: Four in 10 (44%) executives cite poor execution of the technology they have invested in as their top challenge with over a quarter of businesses having created comprehensive plans and employee training programmes to effectively address digital transformation.

With unprecedented challenges in the recent years, and the pace at which disruptive forces continue to impact businesses today, leaders can no longer wait-and-see. The best-performing companies disrupt and reinvent themselves on a continual and ongoing basis. Businesses have to take control of their future, or someone else will, added Gabriel Chahine, Middle East Lead, AlixPartners.

AlixPartners has pinpointed four key pillars to address disruption effectively, based on its over 40 years experience in helping clients manage disruption locally and globally.

Disrupt the business before anyone else can: Leaders need to have the courage to break away from tried-and-true, but rapidly fraying business models and embrace a future-first mindset.

Building workforce

Create the workforce of tomorrow, today: Build the workforce the business needs, not the one it has. Leverage technology as a collaborator not a replacement and then create the talent if cant be found.

Accelerate digital metabolism: Build greater digital IQ from the boardroom to the shop floor to help focus on the business problem rather than the technology itself.

Prioritise pace over perfection: Take an action mindset, plan less, do more. By starting small and scaling fast, leaders can lean into change to achieve positive results with a clearly communicated vision.-- TradeArabia News Service
New Braunfels, TX (78130)

Today

A mix of clouds and sun during the morning will give way to cloudy skies this afternoon. High 87F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Mostly cloudy skies. Low 62F. Winds NNE at 5 to 10 mph.
Virginias new draft, $5.8 billion statewide rail plan includes no funding to extend passenger service to Bristol and indicates such service depends on Tennessee.

Unveiled this week, the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation plan includes 174 total projects with more than $5 billion set aside for 81 passenger projects and more than $440 million for 93 short- and long-term freight projects.

The plan includes funds to construct a passenger station somewhere in the New River Valley and bring Amtrak service from Roanoke to the greater Christiansburg/Blacksburg area. That is now expected to occur in 2026 with the station to open in 2027.

There is no funding to extend service beyond the New River Valley, but the plan acknowledges significant interest.

In 2021, at the direction of the Virginia General Assembly, DRPT assessed the cost of a passenger rail extension from the future New River Valley station to the city of Bristol. Strong support for passenger rail in the region from citizens, elected officials and the Bristol Chamber of Commerce is driving regular bi-state passenger rail discussions that started in early 2022, according to the plan.

That Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation study included two route options and a minimum cost of $535 million. Future steps appear dependent on Tennessees involvement.

DRPT is prepared to take steps to advance the corridor in partnership with Tennessee to connect the New River Valley with passenger rail through Bristol to Knoxville and beyond, similar to the network independent corridor identified in the FRAs [Federal Rail Authority] proposed Southeast Regional Intercity Passenger Network, according to the newly released plan.

Tennessee plans to study the route and other potential passenger rail corridors in the state through Tennessee Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relations assessment of potential passenger rail service linking major cities, including Bristol, Knoxville and Chattanooga. Tennessees updated 2019 Rail Plan is anticipated soon, which may consider ridership and economic benefits of expanded passenger rail service, according to the Virginia document.

In a different section, the plan further shows DRPT is currently partnering with the Tennessee Department of Transportation to assess the next steps toward extending passenger rail through Bristol into Tennessee, and the potential to jointly participate with Virginia in FRAs corridor identification program. This effort is expected to move forward as the Tennessee General Assembly completes a Tennessee Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relations (TACIR) passenger rail study, which is expected in 2023.

In yet another section, the plan shows, Tennessees rail connection with Virginia is focused on the Roanoke, Virginia to Bristol passenger rail corridor, supported by DRPTs 2021 Bristol Extension & Capital Operating Cost Analysis for the Virginia General Assembly.

The state notes that until a connection to Bristol occurs, there will not likely be any service between large urban areas such as Knoxville, Chattanooga, and Atlanta. Similar to North Carolina, Tennessee is another state that was involved in the FRAs Southeast Regional Rail Plan, including a Network Independent Corridor from Roanoke to Chattanooga via Blacksburg, Bristol, and Knoxville.

Tennessee is focused on having rail provide opportunities for jobs in rural areas, economic development and diverting truck trips to rail, according to the DRPT plan. As such, Tennessee is interested in coordination with Virginia on possible areas of development that could benefit both states and introduced two bills to the Tennessee General Assembly to bring passenger rail to multiple locations in the state. For freight, the projects with a potential impact on service to Virginia are changes at CSXTs Kingsport intermodal yard, currently being used as a truck transfer facility, and efforts to build an inland port in East Tennessee that would connect to the ports of Charleston and Savannah.

DRPT will accept public comment on the plan until Oct. 27. It will be finalized then submitted to the Commonwealth Transportation Board, which is expected to vote in December.

To read the full plan: https://storymaps.arcgis.com/collections/f83c1618157b45388bc794dde93d0f81

Twitter: @DMcGeeBHC
KINGSPORT, Tenn.  A major capital campaign to expand Niswonger Childrens Hospital has reached the 70% mark.

To date about $21 million has been raised for the $30 million Hope Rising campaign which would allow for construction of three new floors atop the existing roof of Niswonger Childrens Hospital in Johnson City, Tennessee.

The public portion of the campaign was announced in March when officials said they had raised $18 million.

The Hope Rising campaign right now is at $21 million. The support is helping with that expansion and the child therapy program and our childrens resource center  a team of folks who do accident- and injury-prevention programs in schools, Ballad Health Foundation President Jack Simpson said Wednesday.

The J.D. Nicewonder familys 2021 commitment of $7 million kicked off the silent phase of the campaign and is the second largest donation in the hospitals history.

Eastman Credit Union pledged $1 million, as did hospital founding donor Scott Niswonger of Greeneville.

Plans call for the new vertical expansion to be stacked atop the existing hospital to provide space for a regional center for perinatal and neonatal care and a regional center for pediatric specialties, among other services.

It will also include the newest neonatal intensive care unit in both Tennessee and Virginia.

Among its fundraising efforts, the foundation is presently selling $50 raffle tickets where winners can win a new vehicle or cash prizes. The deadline to enter is Dec. 2.
A townhome in Hickory was heavily damaged by a fire early Wednesday morning.

Shortly after 1:30 a.m., Hickory firefighters responded to a fire at the Tara Woods complex on Fifth Street NE. The cause of the fire is still under investigation, Hickory Fire Department Education Coordinator Terri Byers said via email.

The occupants were reported to be safe outside the building. No injuries were reported. Townhome 106 was heavily damaged. The townhome next door sustained water damage, Byers said

Catawba County EMS also responded to the scene. The American Red Cross is assisting the residents, Byers said.
A 23-year-old woman from Lincolnton was arrested on multiple drug charges including death by distribution.

Madison Dare Winslow is charged with death by distribution, four counts of conspiracy to traffic opium or heroin, possession of a Schedule II controlled substance with intent to sell or deliver, maintaining a vehicle, dwelling or place for the use or sale of a controlled substance and misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia, the Maiden Police Department said in a news release.

The death by distribution charge stems from an investigation into an overdose death in Maiden in February, Maiden police said. The name and age of the victim in the death by distribution case will not be released because the victim is a minor, Maiden Police Chief Tracy Ledford said.

Winslow was arrested Sept. 21 by Maiden police officers with assistance from the Lincolnton Police Department.

Winslow is being held on a $160,000 bond. Her next court appearance is scheduled for Oct. 24, according to the Catawba County Whos in Jail website.
As Tropical Storm Ian continues moving toward North Carolina, a local meteorologist is now saying Friday night will bring the heaviest rains to the region.

Earlier this week, Scotty Powell of Carolina Weather Group said Saturday was likely to be the worst day in terms of storm impact for the Hickory area. The National Weather Service has issued a tropical storm warning for Catawba County.

Now that the storm has made landfall and is working its way up the East Coast, Powell said the picture has changed. Everything has kind of sped up a little bit, Powell said. So from the risk that was Saturday has kind of transitioned more to Friday night, where were going to see periods of the heavier rain.

The speed of the storm has also prompted Powell to downgrade his rain forecast. While he said there will still be a flooding risk, he says the storm is likely to bring 3-5 inches of rain, down from the 4-7 inches he predicted Wednesday.

He said the rain will start off light on Friday with the strongest rains coming Friday evening. Sustained winds are projected to be around 20 mph during that time with gusts of up to 40 mph.

The worst of the storm is expected to pass by Saturday afternoon or evening.

Its also looking to be a cool weekend, with high temperatures projected to be in the high 50s and low 60s.

Gov. Roy Cooper declared a state of emergency in North Carolina on Wednesday afternoon. The states price-gouging law is in effect and roughly 80 members of the North Carolina National Guard have been mobilized to assist as needed.

Duke Energy media representative Jennifer Sharpe said the state is maintaining its current crew levels in the Carolinas and has not sent any workers from North or South Carolina to assist with areas that have already been hit by the storm. Our personnel in the Carolinas are positioned and ready to shift locations and deploy operations as needed depending on Ians path, Sharpe said.

She also said the company has been managing lake levels by moving water through its system of dammed lakes which includes Lake Hickory.

The process of lowering the water throughout the 225-mile-long system of 11 lakes that covers parts of North and South Carolina began Monday, Sharpe said. The average lake level on Lake Hickory has dropped more than a foot in the past week, from 97.3 feet on Sept. 23 to 96.2 feet today, according to data posted to the company website.
Optus is going to have a big bill from customers affected by its data breach. Image: Shutterstock

State and federal governments are expecting Optus to pay for its customers to change to identity documents like passports and drivers licences that were exposed in a breach.

Details of nearly 10 million former and current Optus customers were exposed in the incident which the telco said included passport and/or drivers licence numbers for 2.8 million Australians.

Optus has since admitted 14,900 valid Medicare numbers were also taken, following publication of sample data from an online extortionist claiming to be the attacker.

For Optus customers who are worried about the heightened risk of identity theft following the breach, most states and territories are offering free changes to drivers licences.

Queensland Transport Minister Mark Bailey said on Tuesday evening that new licences, with new numbers, [will] be provided free of charge to Queenslanders impacted by the Optus breach.

The Victorian government likewise said licence number replacements would be free with a spokesperson saying it would request Optus repays the cost of the new licences.

South Australia, the ACT, Tasmania, and Northern Territory are also offering free licence changes to affected customers.

NSW Customer Service Minister Victor Dominello said people in his state could get new card numbers  not necessarily new drivers licence numbers  but it would come at a cost of $29 which he said could be reimbursed by Optus.

Western Australia cant offer changes to drivers licence numbers, something the state Transport Minister said she was looking into fixing.

The federal government is hoping to make sure Optus pays the bill for replacement passports which usually cost $193.

Foreign Minister Penny Wong has written to Optus CEO Kelly Bayer Rosmarin asking for Optus to cover the passport application fees of customers whose details were exposed in the breach.

There is no justification for these Australians  or for taxpayers more broadly on their behalf  to bear the cost of obtaining a new passport, Wong said.

For Optus customers concerned about having their Medicare number exposed, Services Australia recommends replacing their Medicare cards which can be done online through myGov.

Identity concerns

Optus had gathered the exposed document numbers for identity verification purposes and appears to have stored them in plain text on a database that was accessible through an unauthenticated, internet-facing test API.

After pressure from the Home Affairs Minister, Optus began offering a free 12-month subscription to Equifax Protect  a credit monitoring and identity theft protection service, which ironically suffered its own breach in 2017 which saw the personal information of 145 million customers stolen.

Affected customers will have received a code for the Equifax service via email.

Louay Ghashash, CISO of cyber firm Spartans Security and chair of the Australian Computer Societys Cyber Security Committee, told Information Age affected Optus customers ought to take extra steps beyond changing document numbers and signing up for Equifax Protect  which he thinks Optus should offer for five years, not just one.

If you signed up with Optus on an email account that you also use with financial institutions, you should change that email address, Ghashash said.

Then I would recommend contacting Optus to make sure youre notified if anybody requests phone redirection.

Hackers often try to impersonate people in order to redirect calls and messages to another SIM card which they use to intercept multifactor authentication messages.

The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has tried to clamp down on SIM swapping by requiring greater identity verification before letting people transfer services to a new SIM.

For Ghashash, its especially important to make efforts to mitigate any risk that your identity is stolen.

Ive seen people who have had details breached like this and the effects lasted well beyond 12 months, he said.

One customer of mine had their identity stolen and the attacker used it to take out a home loan under their name.

Two years later and theyre still having issues.
The Reserve Bank of Australia will launch a pilot to test use cases for a central bank digital currency early next year, with a number of industry players to participate.

The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) issued a white paper on its central bank digital currency (CBDC) project, which was launched in collaboration with the Digital Finance CRC earlier this year.

The bank is looking to better understand the concept of a centralised digital currency and the technological, legal and regulatory considerations that go with it, with the white paper laying out the objectives and approach to be adopted with this project.

A pilot platform dubbed eAUD will be launched early next year, with the RBA to adopt a private, permissioned Ethereum (Quorum) implementation using JSON-RPC APIs and smart contract (ERC-20P) interfaces.

The eAUD will be a liability of the RBA and denominated in Australian dollars, going all the way down to one cent. Some industry participants will be given access to the eAUD platform to conduct tests of their use cases in a live pilot environment.

The RBA said that while several other countries are actively investigating a CBDC and some are even planning to launch one, the rationale behind such a move hasnt received as much attention, including the economic benefits of doing so.

Central banks are working to understand the role of value transfer in these emerging digital economies, because of their role in the issuance of money, maintaining the stability of the financial system, and supporting the development of the payments system, the RBA white paper states.

A CBDC can typically be either wholesale (issued from central banks to financial institutions) or retail (goes straight to consumers). The white paper says that previous work has shown there was not a compelling case for a retail CBDC in Australia, but that there is potential for a wholesale CBDC to improve efficiency, risk management and innovation in wholesale financial market transactions.

The RBAs research project kicked off in July, and a final report on it is expected to be handed down mid next year.

It will see a pilot digital currency issued as a liability of the RBA to be used in real-world test cases put forward by Australian industry participants.

The RBA says it will consider any compelling use cases, whether wholesale or retail, with a limited number to be selected to have access to the pilot platform.

The project is seeking to facilitate ideation and innovation in use cases, and in turn use those results to better understand the case for introducing a CBDC in Australia, the paper states.

The stakeholders will likely include fintechs, financial institutions, public sector agencies and tech providers, with the RBA to also work with the financial regulators.

Expressions of interest for these test cases are due by the end of October, with the participants to be announced in December.

The pilot platform will run for the first four months of next year.

The key objectives of the project are to identify and understand innovative business models, use cases, benefits, risks and operational models for a CBDC in Australia, the paper says.

It is expected that industry participants will benefit from testing business models and use cases for CBDC, potentially involving their clients.

The test cases are expected to offer new capabilities that can be leveraged for cost, speed or quality outcomes, including atomic settlement of transactions involving tokenised assets, multi-party or syndicated transactions, escrowed transactions or 24/7 operations.

Experts have previously warned the RBA to be very careful when dealing with a CBDC, with concerns it could destabilise the economy.

The RBA completed a proof-of-concept into a wholesale CBDC in December last year, and found that it could provide efficiency gains and reduce operational risk by replacing highly manual and paper-based processes.

The US is also considering creating its own central bank digital currency, and earlier this year announced plans to develop stronger cryptocurrency regulation.
AND offers a huge repertoire of fashion and lifestyle products which includes dresses, tops, pants,denims, jumpsuits, shirts, co-cord sets, jewellery, shoes, belts, scarves, handbags, mists, and perfumes

from his previous leadership positions and is able to bring to the House of Anita Dongre a thoroughly unique and effective style of working. Known for his collaborative work style, innovative problem solving and team-first orientation, he is also known to actively mentor those around him.Bringing the versatility to suit every mood of the modern urban-chic woman, the brand boasts a wide collection of styles and silhouettes ranging from formal office chic pure white clean cuts to floral sunny flowy and breezy dresses to glamorous, elegant evening wear pieces of timeless class and sheer sophistication. The brand is focused on adding vibrancy and a modern edge to even the most timeless ethnic styles through its subbrands Global Desi and Global Desi Girl.rECOgnize, a sustainable initiative by the fashion house, ensures the products used in the collections are carefully curated using ecofriendly raw materials and responsible manufacturing processes. Identifying new emerging segments, Kavindra has launched two new subbrands Global Desi Girl and AND Girl over the last 18 months. He has been one of the primary driving forces behind launching the organization's first-ever range of AND and Global Desi fragrances, crafted by Ajmal Perfumes.An homage to pursuing your aspirations and making an effortlessly cool statement, AND Girl is a brand that resonates with both of these ideas. A new line for girls named AND Girl was introduced, fusing simple shapes with the refinement and ease of AND. With every new collection, AND Girl keeps things stylish, comfy, and versatile by providing everything from clothing and accessories to footwear. AND Girl has won multiple industry awards in a short span of one year. It is the first brand to reach Rs.100 crore in its first year of launch. It has also become the No.1 Girl brand in key department stores of Shoppers Stop and Lifestyle. Among the various accolades won by this brand are the IMAGES Fashion Award for Most Admired Launch of the Year 2021 AND Girl ACEF Global Customer Engagement Effective use of Market Research (Digital Marketing) 2022  Gold AND Girl and ACEF Global Customer Engagement Effective use of Customer Feedback (Digital Marketing)2022 Silver AND Girl.There are several chances for brands in Tier-II and Tier-III markets as a result of the country's rapidly changing fashion scene. The brand can reach even the most remote areas of the nation and serve the local market thanks to the reach of its online and marketplace partners. "In order to house all the brands from our fashion business AND, AND Girl, Globaldesi, Globaldesi Girl, and Its e-we are establishing large format multibrand stores in major emerging towns like Kolhapur, Mangalore, Nasik, and others. The House of Anita Dongre is a one-stop shop for all of a woman's wardrobe requirements, including both ethnic and western attire" adds Kavindra.Further in their commitment to positioning the brand as a pioneer for sustainability they pledge to `leading the change by going gorgeously green and consciously responsible, AND is set to switch to product packaging that is made from 100 percent sustainable sources by 2022", adds Kavindra. In addition to sourcing their raw materials through sustainable methods, from sustainable resources, the fashion label also aims to have more than 65 percent of all AND clothing made from sustainable fabrics by 2025.Talking about adopting sustainable choices for AND, Kavindra mentions, "All our tags and carry bags will be made from Forest Stewardship Council(FSC) certified paper.All our polybags, gift wrapping paper, and corrugation boxes will be made from recycled material. Additionally, our garments will be made from sustainable and responsibly-sourced raw materials, whilst ensuring that our supply chain partners make our processes of dyeing, printing, and water consumption more sustainable. We also aim to recycle, re-use and compost our textile waste. We are committed to creating great fashion at the best price in a sustainable way".
Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Economy and Planning has signed an MoU with the Saudi Data & AI Authority (SDAIA) to explore ways AI and data can strengthen policymaking and economic growth.

The agreement was signed in Riyadh by Faisal bin Fadhil Alibrahim, Minister of Economy and Planning, and Dr Abdullah bin Sharaf Alghamdi, President of SDAIA.

The MoU creates a framework for closer strategic cooperation in key areas, including developing indicators monitoring the impact and effectiveness of social and economic policies in the kingdom.

Data modelling

Government data modelling and simulation techniques will be substantially enhanced through this partnership. The frequency of policy evaluation will also be strengthened to better understand how the kingdoms public plans, programmes, and initiatives impact the economy, business, and civil society. Both parties will also deepen cooperation by accelerating the integration of the latest economic and scientific reports and intelligence into new social and economic government policy.

The Ministrys strategic agreement with SDAIA underpins a concerted effort to support and develop economic policy and development by turning data into a strategic asset that can be applied to pursue the public good.

It will enable the kingdom to keep pace with the latest developments in data analytics and artificial intelligence, supporting economic growth in line with Saudi Vision 2030.-- TradeArabia News Service
MATTOON  Special Olympics Illinois Region I will host the 13th annual Taste of Something Special from 5-8 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 6, at The WalkWay in Mattoon.

Attendees can enjoy an evening filled with wine tasting, beer sampling, a meal from La Luna Mexican food truck, silent auction, "your choice" raffle, and a wine cork pull. All proceeds from the event benefit the athletes of Special Olympics Illinois Region I.

Patrons will be able to purchase the wines and spirits that are available for sampling that evening. Tickets can be purchased in advance for $20 at bidpal.net/2022toss. Tickets also be available at the door for $25. All attendees will receive a gift, along with eight wine-tasting tickets.

Bids for the silent auction can be placed in advance at biddinbidpal.net/2022toss, now through the night of the event, The auction closes at 7:45 p.m.

Some of the silent auction items include metal art by Scott Mayer, at patio fire pit full of beer and spirits, an Anthony V. Sheehan Stars & Stripes Run Basket.

The "Your Choice" raffle will be auctioning a variety of great items that range from restaurant gift certificates to hand crafted pieces of art created by local supporters.

During the wine cork pull, attendees have the choice to purchase one wine cork for $10 or three wine corks for $25 to have the chance to win the corks matching bottle of wine.

SOILL Region I offers competition for athletes in 12 sports. There are many opportunities available to get involved with Special Olympics, including serving as a volunteer or committee member, helping with fundraising or competing as an athlete. If you live in the area and want to find out more about the local program, contact Region I Assistant Director Vanessa Duncan at 217-273-4485 or vduncan@soill.org.
CHARLESTON  The Charleston Fire Department is marking National Fire Prevention Week early with an open house on Saturday, Oct. 1.

It will take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Charleston Fire Station No. 2, 1510 A St., behind McDonald's.

National Fire Prevention Week is held each year during the week of Oct. 9 in commemoration of the Great Chicago Fire, which began on Oct. 8, 1871, and caused devastating damage.

In addition to fire department personnel, those who attend can meet with other public safety officials from the Charleston Police Department, Sarah Bush Lincoln Health Center's Healthy Kids KickStart Mobile, Air Evac 145 and others.

The open house will feature K-9 demonstrations, vehicle extrications and in-home safety demonstrations. There will also be tours of fire vehicles, ambulances, special response trailers and the fire station.
A Mount Airy man was convicted Thursday for his small role in trafficking large amounts of the hallucinatory drug LSD to middle and high school students in Davie and Forsyth counties.

The man, 25-year-old Dylan Tyler Beck, was the last remaining defendant charged in a wide-ranging investigation involving multiple law-enforcement agencies that crossed three different states  North Carolina, South Carolina and Colorado.

Beck, 25, pleaded guilty Thursday in Forsyth Superior Court to one count of possession with intent to sell and deliver LSD. As part of the plea deal, John Bandle, an assistant district attorney for Davie County, voluntarily dismissed two counts of drug trafficking against Beck.

Judge William Long of Forsyth Superior Court sentenced Beck to four to 14 months in prison. Beck will get credit for time he served while awaiting trial. He will likely be released within the next day or so because he has already served more time in jail than the imposed sentence.

Bandle said in court that Beck was the least culpable defendant in a case that ensnared a total of five people. The four other co-defendants  Ronald Williams, Marco Sevilla-Hernandez, Christopher Dustin Owens and Branden Hall  have all pleaded guilty and been sentenced.

The investigation started in the fall of 2018. Then-Detective Larry Matt Leonard of the Mocksville Police Department, which has since closed, found out that someone was selling LSD in and around Mocksville.

Leonard went undercover and identified Owens as a mid-level LSD dealer who was operating out of Lancaster, South Carolina. On Jan. 4, 2019, Owens was arrested as part of what law-enforcement called Operation Electric Kool-Aid, according to court documents. When Owens was arrested, law-enforcement didnt know exactly where the large amount of LSD, which was estimated to be more than 100,000 units, was coming from, court documents said.

Owens started talking to investigators and agreed to point them in the right direction. He provided hours of recorded testimony that led law-enforcement officers to the manufacturer of the LSD. Owens told investigators how often he sold LSD and the nature of the LSD sales that occurred to individuals down the distribution chain, court papers said.

The investigation led to Ronald Williams, a Colorado man, who was identified as the source of the drugs. According to Owens, Williams shipped LSD from Colorado to South Carolina. Owens would pick up the LSD and sell it to Sevilla-Hernandez.

The prosecution said Leonard bought LSD from Sevilla-Hernandez several times. On Jan. 4, 2019, Leonard bought a large amount of LSD from Sevilla-Hernandez, who told Leonard to bring the money to his house and that Sevilla-Hernandez would travel to South Carolina to pick up the LSD, according to an affidavit for a search warrant. Leonard said he ultimately bought 2,900 dosage units of LSD from Sevilla-Hernandez.

Beck drove Sevilla-Hernandez and had possession of 300 dosage units of LSD, according to Bandle.

Williams pleaded guilty in December 2020 to one count of conspiracy to traffic in LSD and was sentenced to a minimum of five years, 10 months in prison. Owens pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to traffic in LSD and was sentenced to a minimum of four years in prison.

Sevilla-Hernandez was sentenced to a minimum of five years, 10 months in prison. And Hall was sentenced to a minimum of 2 years, 9 months in prison.
A Lincoln doctor has been arrested in connection to alleged sexually inappropriate behavior with patients he was treating for substance abuse or mental health issues.

The Metro Area Fugitive Task Force arrested Dr. Scott E. Schmidt, 54, at his home Thursday morning without incident.

A warrant went out for his arrest a day earlier.

In the probable cause affidavit for Schmidt's arrest, Jeremy Schwarz, an investigator with the Lancaster County Sheriff's Office, said he learned about the allegations, which he said involved five known victims, young men in their 20s and early 30s, in a call from a DEA agent on Aug. 3 and at a later meeting with him and an investigator with the Nebraska Department of Licensure.

Schwarz said two of the five filed reports with the Lincoln Police Department earlier this year, but their cases were inactive by August, when he began his investigation.

He said on Aug. 14, one of the accusers  a former patient of Schmidt's at Pine Lake Behavioral Health & Medical  came to the Sheriff's Office with audio and a video recorded statement.

The man alleged that after he disclosed to Schmidt he had been drinking, Schmidt came over to his apartment on May 27 and ended up pulling down his gym shorts, exposing himself to him and offering oral sex.

Schwarz said phone records show that Schmidt later apologized by text saying, "Sorry if I was outa (sic) line."

When he didn't respond, Schmidt sent another text saying if he didn't want to come in for his appointment the following Monday it was OK.

On Sept. 16, another accuser came to the Sheriff's Office with audio and a video recorded statement.

He told Schwarz he had been Schmidt's patient from 2016 until he was fired June 10. On his first visit, he said, Schmidt gave him a cellphone to communicate. Later, he expected him to send pictures. He now feels like the doctor was grooming him.

He described an incident where Schmidt asked him to come over to his house and talked about "gay stuff." When he told him he was straight and that he didn't want any part of it, he said Schmidt told him not to mess with him, "I'll ruin your life." He told Schwarz he felt extorted.

He told Schwarz he feared Schmidt, who is an addiction medicine specialist, would cut him off from his medication for severe depression and anxiety and tell other doctors not to take him as a patient, and worried he would have to resort to buying drugs on the street.

In later office visits, he alleged that Schmidt would tell him he wasn't sending him enough pictures and he needed to step it up.

He told Schwarz approximately half of his visits to Schmidt resulted in Schmidt examining his genitals and on one occasion touching him.

On Sept. 16, a 28-year-old man went to the Sheriff's Office with more allegations of a similar nature. He said while he was a patient, he moved in with Schmidt, a longtime family friend.

He told Schwarz he started feeling unsafe there after Schmidt offered to pay him $2,000 to touch himself. He told him not to ask again.

In court records, the investigator said after taking nighttime medication the previous night the 28-year-old woke to find Schmidt had lifted his shirt and was looking at his penis.

He told him to get out and later learned he'd sexually abused him multiple times while he slept, Schwarz said.

Schmidt is facing charges of first-degree sexual assault and second-degree sexual assault related to two of his accusers.

He hasn't yet made a first court appearance in the case.

Attorneys Eric Brown and Christa Israel, who are representing four of Schmidt's accusers, said Schmidts practice of medicine and history of red flags is troubling.

His medical license had previously been suspended in 2014 over alcohol use, according to state medical licensing records.

"We are pleased the state is moving forward with consequences criminally. Unfortunately, the victims of Dr. Schmidts betrayal of trust are now forced to deal with a lifetime of trauma. It's just all extremely sad," Brown and Israel said in a statement.

Brown and Israel  and the Sheriff's Office  encouraged anyone with information concerning Schmidts alleged misconduct with patients, or enabling of that misconduct, to confidentially come forward to either the Sheriffs Office, Lancaster County Attorneys Office or their law office.

Dr. Jared Ray at Pine Lake Behavioral Health & Medical said once they became aware of the allegations against Schmidt "we acted swiftly and decisively."

"Our primary concern at this time is the health and safety of our patients and providers and we are confident that the justice system will do what it needs to do in this situation," he said.

Ray said they look forward to continuing to provide medically necessary care for the Lincoln community, "and we will remain future focused, hopefully putting this behind us and remaining committed to helping individuals and families seeking lasting change and better health."
Four Lincoln men in their 20s are facing federal charges on gun and drug trafficking allegations that span more than a year and a half.

In the indictment, Assistant U.S. Attorney Lesley Woods said Duop Yiel, 28, Tilian Tilian, 25, Liep Yiel, 20, and Muminfidadya Kuwa, 25, sold drugs and possessed firearms in order to protect themselves from being robbed and shared and exchanged guns.

Among the allegations:

* On Jan. 3, 2021, Iowa State Patrol troopers detained Duop Yiel in a vehicle with drug paraphernalia and a handgun.

* On Dec. 30, 2021, Duop Yiel and Tilian were seen in a vehicle used in a drive-by shooting hours before the shooting and the occupants fled it after the shooting when police tried to stop them. Officers recovered a Glock 23 .40-caliber firearm frame, slide and 9 mm barrel in the vehicle along with casings that matched the shooting scene.

* On Jan. 14, 2022, when Liep Yiel and Tilian were detained in a traffic stop, officers found two handguns and drugs in the vehicle.

* On May 30, 2022, Duop Yiel led Iowa State Patrol troopers in a chase in a vehicle with a vacuum sealed bag of marijuana inside while Liep Yiel and other Trip Set gang members were in a hotel room nearby with multiple guns, including a stolen firearm, marijuana, cash and at least one digital scale.

* On June 8, 2022, the Lincoln Police Department deployed its SWAT team to serve a warrant at Kuwa's home near South 34th and P streets after he advertised marijuana for sale on social media. A search of his car turned up a loaded Glock 23 handgun in the center console along with pills (279 of them fentanyl), 197.5 grams of marijuana, $2,994 in cash, .40-caliber ammunition and cash in the garage and house.

The indictment was issued last week.

Three of the four  Duop Yiel, Liep Yiel and Kuwa  are in custody and made their first appearances on the allegations in U.S. District Court this week.

A trial has tentatively been set for November.
Nebraska Attorney General Doug Peterson and attorneys general from five other states sued the Biden administration on Thursday to stop a plan to cancel the student loan debt of millions of Americans.

The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in Missouri, asks for a temporary restraining order to stop the program from moving forward before borrowers can apply for forgiveness beginning next week.

It's the second legal challenge to President Joe Biden's proposal to cancel $20,000 in student loan debt for Pell grant recipients, and $10,000 for other individual borrowers who currently make less than $125,000.

Peterson's lawsuit was joined by attorneys general in Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri and South Carolina.

In it, the attorneys general refer to the U.S. Supreme Court decision in West Virginia v. EPA warning federal agencies from asserting power beyond what could reasonably be understood to have been granted by Congress.

It also argues the Higher Education Relief Opportunities for Students Act, which was cited as the legal foundation for canceling the student loan debt of nearly 45 million Americans, did not apply to the current situation.

Congress passed the HEROES Act after the 9/11 attacks to authorize the U.S. Department of Education to grant student loan relief to borrowers during periods of war or national emergencies.

The Justice Department, in an August memo, said the law has previously been used by education secretaries for individuals "who suffered economic hardship as a result of a national emergency."

"It is inconceivable, when it passed the HEROES Act, that Congress thought it was authorizing anything like the administration's across-the-board debt cancellation, which will result in around half a trillion dollars or more in losses to the federal treasury," the lawsuit states.

Peterson and the other attorneys general also pointed to statements made previously by Biden and Speaker Nancy Pelosi indicating they did not believe the president could enact such a program and that it was up to Congress to pass new legislation to wipe away student loan debt.

The lawsuit also points to recent statements made by Biden and other members of the administration declaring the pandemic was over, or had "shifted to a new phase" as indicating that COVID no longer represented a national emergency.

Several of the states involved in the lawsuit  including Nebraska  argued canceling student loan debt for millions of Americans could negatively impact their finances.

The Nebraska Investment Council, which manages $40 billion in state investments, including retirement systems, educational savings plans, and others, maintains several investments in student loan asset-backed securities.

Peterson's lawsuit argues that, if student loan debt was forgiven, Nebraska could see an earlier payout, potentially "ending the interest income flow" those accounts generate over time.

According to a document included with the lawsuit, Michael Walden-Newman, the state investment officer, indicated Nebraska had more than $25.4 million invested in at least six different student loan asset-backed accounts.

The report also states that BlackRock manages the bulk of that amount ($24.8 million) in a Federal Family Education Loan Program security. The private loans guaranteed by the government are not part of the Biden administration's program.

Still, Walden-Newman said BlackRock informed him they expect the debt cancellation will lead to more prepays in student loan asset-backed securities not directly affected by the debt forgiveness.

Nebraska's future income tax receipts could also be altered by student loan debt cancellation, Peterson wrote in the lawsuit, although it did not estimate by how much.

Discharged student loan debt was previously considered taxable income in Nebraska until the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 pushed pause on that practice until Jan. 1, 2026.

Hundreds of thousands of borrowers are expected to have their income-driven repayment loans, which allow borrowers to discharge debt after 20 to 25 years, forgiven between 2026 and 2030, according to a Government Accountability Office estimate, which would once again be taxable income in the state of Nebraska.

If those loans are forgiven before 2026, Peterson wrote, the Biden administration's plan "will reduce that tax revenue by decreasing the amount of outstanding student loan debt," particularly in Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas and South Carolina.

Gov. Pete Ricketts, who criticized the plan to cancel student loans after it was announced, said in a statement Thursday afternoon he supported Peterson's lawsuit.

"President Biden's student loan forgiveness scheme is fundamentally unfair and would harm the American families forced to pay for it," Ricketts said. "Additionally, the executive branch does not have unilateral authority to impose a sweeping student loan cancellation plan."

Canceling up to $20,000 in student loan debt could benefit as many as 232,000 borrowers in Nebraska, the Education Department estimated, including 136,000 borrowers who received Pell grants.

In total, roughly 94.5% of the 245,600 Nebraskans who have student loan debt as of March 2022 would be eligible for the Biden administration's program, with 90% of the debt forgiveness going to individuals earning less than $75,000 annually.
Margaret Reist Local government reporter Margaret Reist is a recovering education reporter now writing about local and county government and the people who live in the city where she was born and raised. Follow Margaret Reist 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

Heres a hat tip to the past, and an artist named Alta Mae Fieselman.

This, thanks to Ed Zimmer, retired historic preservation planner for the city and knower-of-all-things-Lincoln, who was on the committee to select a new city flag.

In typical fashion, Zimmer was curious about who designed the flag that had  until January  graced city buildings and the council dais for more than 90 years.

So he did some research.

Turns out, in 1931, Fieselman won another contest similar to the one the American Marketing Association and Lincoln Young Professionals launched last summer.

Then, a committee of the Chamber of Commerce launched a campaign for a city flag that merchants and citizens could display, because, in the words of the mayor and councilmen at the time, the U.S. flag was often overworked and used too freely.

Seems worth noting that Fieselmans design beat out some prominent local men, including Ernst Herminghaus, the landscape architect of Pioneers Park and the Capitol grounds; Leonard Thiessen, an artist and co-creator of the Pershing Center mural; and another architect named Fritz Craig.

This just a decade after the 19th Amendment granted women the right to vote and during the Depression, when many of those gains for women took a back seat and most available jobs went to men because, of course, they were considered the breadwinners.

But in this case, a 39-year-old womans work earned her $50, a picture in the newspaper and accolades.

The contest organizers wanted a design that embodied important factors about Lincoln. The judges liked that Fieselman represented agricultural interests, the university and the Capitol  all on a blue background that represented honor.

Her work had been honored before, earning honorable mention in a 1928 poster contest and first prize at the Nebraska State Fair in 1930 for a watercolor painting. She was president of the Lincoln Arts Guild in 1951, and in 1965, after serving 15 years as supervisor of the State Fairs fine arts department, she retired from that position and submitted an oil painting that won the judges grand award for professional artists.

Fieselman, who was married to a mortgage banker and was a lifelong member of the YWCA, died in 1974 at the age of 82.

All of which means Ed Mejia, Nelnets art director whose design is now the new city flag, is in good company.

Working on inclusive play

Despite a change of guard at the Lincoln Parks and Recreation Department with the retirement of longtime director Lynn Johnson, plans for building inclusive playgrounds are moving forward.

On Monday, the City Council authorized parks officials to apply for a $400,000 grant from the National Park Service to help pay for the playgrounds.

The grant requires a 50% match, that the land remain public and a resolution from the council assuring both those things will happen, said JJ Yost, parks department planning and facilities manager. The state Game and Parks Commission manages the federal grants, so the application goes to that department, which makes recommendations to the National Park Service.

The grant and match by the city would pay the roughly $800,000 it would cost to build the citys first modern and all-inclusive playground at Mahoney Park in northeast Lincoln.

That represents the first part of a grassroots effort by moms of kids with disabilities, led by Cathy Martinez, who leads the Autism Family Network.

That groups efforts to get an all-inclusive playground in the city turned into a plan to build four inclusive playgrounds within 5 miles of every Lincoln resident by 2038. City officials hope the first playground at Mahoney Park will be finished by 2024.

The $400,000 match by the city will include $300,000 already set aside in the citys capital improvement plan, and $100,000 in private donations.

Martinez is eager to get going in earnest on fundraising, which has been delayed by the administration changes at the Parks and Recreation Department.

Maggie Stuckey-Ross, who was the head of the city parks foundation in charge of the fundraising efforts, was named director of the department after Johnson retired.

The city is in the process of hiring a new foundation director, which Yost said should happen soon. Then the foundation will focus on fundraising for the playgrounds, he said.

Martinez hopes thats soon.

The community is excited about this and wants to see it get going, she said. We have multiple entities interested in helping but were at a standstill now.

The left-out federal holiday

On Oct. 10, the City Council will not meet in recognition of Columbus Day and Indigenous Peoples Day, but city workers still need to show up.

Although Columbus Day is a federal holiday and last year the Legislature passed a bill to celebrate Indigenous Peoples Day alongside Columbus Day, the city has never recognized it as a holiday for city workers  even though the City Council takes the day off.

Nobody seems exactly sure why its the only federal holiday thats not also a city holiday, though it hasnt  at least in recent history  been brought up during union negotiations with bargaining units representing city employees, according to retired city-county personnel director Doug McDaniel. McDaniel led the department for a decade before retiring last year.

The bad news for Lincoln residents is that its also likely to be the only federal holiday where they can still get a parking ticket.

The City Council on Monday held a public hearing on a recommendation from the mayors office to allow free parking on four more federal holidays that are paid holidays for city workers.

The city already recognizes six federal holidays: New Years Day, Memorial Day, Labor Day, Independence Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas. The proposed ordinance change would add Juneteenth, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Veterans Day and Presidents Day.

Mayoral aide TJ McDowell recommended adding the four federal holidays recognized by the city after learning they werent exempt from parking fines. He didnt include Columbus Day/Indigenous Peoples Day, because the city doesnt recognize it as a holiday.
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabias (KSA) economy grew at the fastest pace in over a decade in Q2 2022, as high energy prices continued to benefit the oil-exporting nation, according to Al Rajhi Capital Research.

The kingdoms GDP grew to 12.2% in Q2 2022, outpacing the 9.9% GDP recorded in Q1 2022. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has forecast that Saudi Arabia will be one of the world's fastest-growing economies, with the kingdom's GDP set to grow by 7.6% this year.

Moreover, Standard & Poor Global Ratings affirmed Saudi Arabias rating at A-/A-2 with a positive outlook citing higher oil revenues, rising oil production and the governments robust reform programme.

Money Supply

Money Supply (M3) grew +9% y-o-y in August to stand at SR2.44 trillion ($650 billion); while M1 and M2 increased 5.1% y-o-y and 7.1% y-o-y, respectively. On a monthly basis, M3 rose 0.3% in August (-0.3% m-o-m in July). As per the weekly money supply data by Saudi Central Bank, M3 may be higher in September than in the month of August.

Banking sector credit witnessed a growth of 15.8% y-o-y (+1.6% m-o-m) in August; while bank claims on public sector increased 9.6% y-o-y (+1.2% m-o-m) in the same month.

Meanwhile, deposits rose 10.3% y-o-y (+0.6% m-o-m) in August. Meanwhile, LDR came in at 81.46% in August.

Unemployment

Saudi unemployment rate came in at 9.7% in Q2 2022 as compared to 10.1% in Q1 2022; while overall unemployment in the kingdom came in at 5.8% in Q2 2022 as compared to 6% in Q1 2022. Further, the Saudi labour force participation rate increased to 51.8% in Q2 2022 (50.1% in Q1 2022).

Meanwhile, the average monthly wages of Saudi nationals increased 6.3% q-o-q to SR10,430; while the overall monthly wages rose 4.3% qo-q to SR6,722.

Banking sector net profit before Zakat and tax increased 21.8% y-o-y to SR6.6 billion in August as compared to an increase of 54.3% y-o-y in July. On a monthly basis, the banking sector profits rose by 13.5% in August (+3.5% m-o-m in July).

Foreign reserves

Saudi Central Banks foreign reserves, on an annual basis, rose 0.6% in August versus an increase of 5.1% y-o-y in July; while on m-o-m basis, the reserves fell 1.4%.

Total sales value for Point-of-sale (POS) increased 21.2% y-o-y in August (+17.7% y-o-y in July). Meanwhile, cash withdrawals in value terms declined 1.4% y-o-y in August (-2.6% yo-y in July) to SR46.2 billion. The rise in POS transactions was driven by rise in Miscellaneous Goods & Services, Education, Restaurants & Hotels, Transportation and Food & Beverages segments increasing 40.3% y-o-y, 35.3% y-o-y, 25.6% y-o-y, 23.9% y-o-y and 15.3% y-o-y, respectively.

Remittances (Personal Transfers) by Saudi nationals increased 10.2% y-o-y in August (+48.7% y-o-y in July). However, remittances by non-Saudi nationals declined 13.2% y-o-y in the same month (-7.3% y-o-y in July).

Non-oil exports

The kingdoms non-oil exports in month of July increased by 26.4% y-o-y, compared to the increase of 29.5% y-o-y in June. Segment-wise, shipment of chemical products and transport equipment rose +46.9% y-o-y and +317.1% y-o-y, respectively; while that of plastics & rubbers declined 3.8% y-o-y. Merchandise imports increased 18.3% y-o-y in July as compared to the increase of 31.0% y-o-y in June. Meanwhile, China stood as the top export destination and continued to be the largest import country in July.

Segment-wise, Mining & Quarrying increased +23.3% y-o-y, followed by Wholesale & Retail Trade, Restaurants & Hotels (+16.4% y-o-y), Manufacturing (+13.4% y-o-y), Construction (+8.8% y-o-y), Finance, Insurance, Transport, Storage & Communication (+7.8% y-o-y), Electricity, Gas and Water (+3.0% y-o-y) and Real estate and Business services (+2.0% y-o-y).

Credit and deposit growth

Banking sector credit growth continued to witness a positive growth of +15.8% y-o-y in August (+1.6% m-o-m), versus the growth of +14.9% y-o-y in (+0.6% m-o-m) in July.

Further, claims on the public sector increased 9.6% y-o-y (+1.2% m-o-m) in August, as against the rise of 11.3% y-o-y (+1.6% m-o-m) in July.

Meanwhile, deposits grew by 10.3% y-o-y in August (+0.6% m-o-m), versus the growth of 9.3% y-o-y (-0.2% m-o-m) in July. Business and Individual deposits, which constitute for ~65% of the total deposit base, grew 5.1% y-o-y, while Government Entities deposits increased 20.1% y-o-y (+2.4% m-o-m).

-- TradeArabia News Service
Members of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln's Iranian student organization gathered outside the Nebraska Union on Wednesday to offer support for the women's rights protests in Iran sparked by the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini.

"For the past 43 years, Iranian women have been living a double life," UNL graduate student Kimia Ameri said. "One at home and one out in society. Public violence and harassment against women not wearing a hijab in accordance with Islamic Republic government standards have become common."

According to Ameri, girls as young as 6 years old have been denied entry to schools and other public spaces for failing to meet rigorous modesty standards.

Amini was arrested earlier this month by morality police in the country's capital, Tehran, and died in custody, according to The Associated Press. Her death has sparked nearly two weeks of widespread unrest across Iran.

The group on UNL's campus Wednesday initiated a call-and-response chant, switching between calling out Amini's name and the phrase, "Women! Life! Freedom!"

"We, the Iranian community, are asking you to be our voice," Ameri said.

According to recent UNL graduate Pegah, who wished not to be named for fear that family members in Iran could be harmed, the phrase was originally a Kurdish slogan that has since been translated into Farsi and popularized across the country.

"We are not a tool, we are not an object, we are people," Pegah said. "We should live as we like.  I experienced what she did, I know how she felt and I want to be her voice."

According to Pegah, while still in Iran, the morality police arrested her three times, once solely because her dress was purple.

Seam Salamifar noted that although the Iranian community in Lincoln is large, many don't feel safe to speak out publicly because they are scared their family members still in Iran will face repercussions.

"We need the support of all people," Salamifar said. "Please reach to your officials, please reach to your representatives. Ask to be the voice of the unheard, ask to support these people, ask to support the young people fighting for their basic human rights. Everyone can make a difference and we need the support of each one of you."
WATERFORD  Seeking to end years of acrimony between neighbors, the Town of Waterford is restarting an ambulance deal with the Village of Waterford, and both sides have agreed to pursue a combined fire department, possibly including other nearby municipalities.

The agreement struck Wednesday night during a special joint meeting at Waterford Union High School will return emergency medical services provided from the village to the town, coming three years after town officials broke off the partnership because of political differences.

Town Board and Village Board members exchanged messages of civility and fellowship in the special meeting, with both sides expressing regret over past conflicts and vowing to rebuild relations.

That rebuilding is starting with the ambulance deal.

Both boards agreed to create a joint committee to discuss combining their two fire departments  inviting other nearby municipalities to join, too  and both agreed that representatives of the two neighboring communities should meet jointly on a regular basis to maintain a sense of partnership.

Noting past disagreements and harsh words, Town Board member Doug Schwartz said, I hope we are past that.

Village Board members returned the sentiment, each taking turns to voice support for a renewed partnership on emergency medical services and for a reopened dialogue between neighbors.

We have a prime opportunity as two communities, Village Board member Adam Jaskie said. We really need to strive to be one, as much as possible.

The 30-minute meeting held inside a large classroom at the high school  which Schwartz called neutral territory for the two municipalities  ended with town and village officials exchanging handshakes and smiles.

Town Chairman Tom Hincz, who has clashed openly with village officials in the past and who tried to block movement toward a new ambulance deal, was absent from the joint meeting. Town Board member Tim Szeklinski, a Hincz ally on many issues, also chose not to attend.

But Schwartz was joined by colleagues Dale Gauerke and Teri Nicolai in forging a three-member majority and moving forward on an emergency medical services issue that was about public safety as much as regional cooperation.

Led by Hincz, the town severed a deal for village fire department ambulances in 2019 amid unrelated political differences that included fears of unwanted village annexation into town territory. The town at the time was getting ambulance service from two sources: The village fire department covered the south side of town, while the Tichigan Volunteer Fire Co. covered the north side.

Since the Tichigan Volunteer Fire Co. took over service throughout the town, complaints have emerged among south-side residents who were dissatisfied with slower response times.

Members of the public broke into applause Wednesday after Schwartz, Gauerke and Nicolai voted 3-0 to restart ambulance service with the village, effective Nov. 1.

Village President Don Houston reiterated an earlier offer of serving the towns south side with ambulances without any up-front cost to the town, but with user fees charged to those needing emergency medical assistance.

Houston said the arrangement would provide faster response times and more efficient cooperation between the two communities.

Logistically, how could you argue? he said. It only makes sense.

Town leaders not unhappy with Tichigan Fire

Town Board members made a point of saying that they were not unhappy with the Tichigan Volunteer Fire Co., but that the departments location at 8205 Big Bend Road makes it difficult to ensure timely service on the towns south side.

Tichigan crews will continue handling ambulance calls on the north side, and will remain a partner on fires or other emergencies that require extra help throughout the area.

Weve got two very good fire companies, Nicolai said. And I think we need to utilize both of them.

Schultz agreed, noting that the villages fire department, from its base at 819 Mohr Ave., is better situated to handle emergencies on the towns south side. He added: It just comes down to what makes sense.

Another meeting is scheduled Oct. 20 to review a contract formalizing the new ambulance deal, and to continue discussing the possibility of creating a single fire department for both municipalities. The meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m., again at the high school.

Both sides agreed that there are too many fire departments in the area, needlessly duplicating expenses when regional cooperation could deliver streamlining and efficiency. Burlington, Dover, Raymond and Richmond were among the communities that could conceivably be brought into the discussion about consolidating of fire services.

Nicolai said research should begin immediately so that a good idea is not merely mentioned, then forgotten.

This is something that we really need to get on, she said.

Houston suggested creating a joint committee with two representatives from each municipality.

Pointing out that the idea of fire department consolidating has been discussed before, Houston said, Its time to stop talking and start doing.
It was a frigid Sunday evening at the Catholic Newman Center in Salt Lake City when the priest warned parishioners who had gathered after Mass that their right to private confessions was in jeopardy.

A new law would break that sacred bond, the priest said, and directed the parishioners to sign a one-page form letter on their way out. I/We Oppose HB90, began the letter, stacked next to pre-addressed envelopes. HB90 is an improper interference of the government into the practice of religion in Utah.

In the following days of February 2020, Utahs Catholic diocese, which oversees dozens of churches, says it collected some 9,000 signed letters from parishioners and sent them to state Rep. Angela Romero, a Democrat who had been working on the bill as part of her campaign against child sexual abuse. HB90 targeted Utahs clergy-penitent privilege, a law similar to those in many states that exempts clergy of all denominations from the requirement to report child abuse if they learn about the crime in a confessional setting.

Utahs Catholic leaders had mobilized against HB90 arguing that it threatened the sacred privacy of confessions. More importantly, it met with disapproval from some members in the powerful Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, known as the Mormon church, whose followers comprise the vast majority of the state Legislature. HB90 was dead on arrival.

In 33 states, clergy are exempt from any laws requiring professionals such as teachers, physicians and psychotherapists to report information about alleged child sexual abuse to police or child welfare officials if the church deems the information privileged.

Facts Two bills sought to remove the clergy-penitent privilege from state law in Wisconsin in 2019 and 2022 made little progress amid strong public opposition from the Catholic Church.

This loophole has resulted in an unknown number of predators being allowed to continue abusing children for years despite having confessed the behavior to religious officials. In many of these cases, the privilege has been invoked to shield religious groups from civil and criminal liability after the abuse became known to civil authorities.

Over the past two decades state lawmakers like Romero have proposed more than 130 bills seeking to create or amend child sex abuse reporting laws, an Associated Press review found. All either targeted the loophole and failed to close it, or amended the mandatory reporting statute without touching the clergy privilege amid intense opposition from religious groups. The AP found that the Roman Catholic Church has used its well-funded lobbying infrastructure and deep influence among lawmakers in some states to protect the privilege, and that influential members of the Mormon church and Jehovahs Witnesses have also worked in statehouses and courts to preserve it in areas where their membership is high.

In Maryland a successful campaign to defeat a proposal that would have closed the clergy-penitent loophole was led by a Catholic cardinal who would later be defrocked for sexually abusing children and adult seminarians.

In other states, such as California, Missouri and New Mexico, vociferous public and backroom opposition to bills aimed at closing the loophole from the Catholic and Mormon churches successfully derailed legislative reform efforts.

They believe theyre on a divine mission that justifies keeping the name and the reputation of their institution pristine, said David Finkelhor, director of the Crimes Against Children Research Center at the University of New Hampshire, speaking of several religious groups. So the leadership has a strong disincentive to involve the authorities, police or child protection people.

LOOPHOLE PROTECTS CHURCHES FROM SURVIVORS AND PROSECUTORS

Last month, an AP investigation found that a Mormon bishop in Arizona, at the direction of church leaders, failed to report a church member who had confessed that he sexually abused his 5-year-old daughter. The AP found that Rep. Merrill Nelson, a church lawyer and Utah Republican lawmaker, had advised the bishop not to report the abuse to civil authorities because of Arizonas clergy privilege law, according to documents revealed in a lawsuit. That failure to report allowed the church member, the late Paul Adams, to repeatedly rape his two daughters and allegedly abuse one his four sons for many years.

In response to the case, state Sen. Victoria Steele, a Democrat from Tucson, on three occasions proposed legislation to close the clergy reporting loophole in Arizona. Steele told the AP that key Mormon lawmakers including a former Republican state senator and judiciary committee chairmen thwarted her efforts before her proposals could be presented to the full Legislature.

Its difficult for me to tell this story without talking about the Mormons and their power in the Legislature, Steele said. What this boils down to is that the church is being given permission to protect the predators and the children be damned.  They are trying with all of their might to make sure this bill does not see the light of day.

Latter-day Saints and Catholics hold a number of influential positions as leaders and committee chairmen in the Arizona Legislature, including the speaker of the House, and have been known to advance or block legislation in line with the churchs priorities and values.

In one high-profile example, two Republican legislators took a stand in 2019, refusing to vote for a budget until lawmakers passed a measure allowing past victims of child sexual abuse to sue churches or youth groups that turned a blind eye to the abuse. Legislative business ground to a halt for weeks amid fierce opposition from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the Roman Catholic Church and insurers along with their allies in the Legislature, which finally approved the measure.

The Adams case is not the only example of the privilege being invoked in cases where a clergy members failure to report led to prolonged abuse. In Montana, for example, a woman who was abused by a member of the Jehovahs Witnesses in the mid-2000s won a $35 million jury verdict against the church for failing to report her abuse. But in 2020 the state Supreme Court reversed the judgment, ruling that church leaders were under no obligation to report, citing the states clergy-penitent privilege.

The privilege can also be used to protect religious organizations from criminal liability. In 2013, a former Boise, Idaho, police officer turned himself in for abusing children, something he had reported to 15 members of the Mormon church, none of whom notified authorities. But prosecutors declined to file charges against the church because of Idahos clergy-penitent privilege law.

The Mormon church said in a written statement to the AP that a member who confesses child sex abuse has come seeking an opportunity to reconcile with God and to seek forgiveness for their actions. ... That confession is considered sacred, and in most states, is regarded as a protected religious conversation owned by the confessor.

The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops did not immediately return a request for comment about its campaigns against state bills seeking to do away with the clergy-penitent privilege.

But supporters of the clergy privilege say abolishing it will not make children safer. Some go so far as to say that the ability of abusers to report privately to clergy encourages them to confess and often leads to stopping the abuse.

Its considered essential to the exercise of religion to have a priest-penitent privilege that will allow people to to approach their clergy for the purpose of unburdening themselves, their mind, their soul  to seek peace and consolation with God as well as with their fellow beings, Utah state Rep. Nelson told the AP. Without that assurance of secrecy, troubled people will not confide in their clergy.

Jean Hill, the government liaison for Utahs Catholic Diocese who helped organize opposition to Romeros bill, pointed to a single research paper to argue that laws that target privileged, confessional conversations in the context of child abuse have not increased reporting in those communities.

When you take away every opportunity for people to get help, they go underground and the abuse continues, Hill said.

But the authors of the study Hill cited, published in 2014, have cautioned about reaching such conclusions based on their research.

Frank Vandervort, a law professor at the University of Michigan, and his co-author, Vincent Palusci, a pediatrics professor at New York University, told the AP that the study was limited, partly because churches often wouldnt give them access to data on clergy reporting.

A single article should not be the basis for making policy decisions, said Vandervort, lead author of the study. It may be entirely the case that theres no connection between the changing of the laws and the number of reports.

PRIVILEGE NOT CONSTITUTIONALLY REQUIRED

Efforts to rid state laws of the privilege have been successful in only a handful of states, including North Carolina, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, Texas and West Virginia. Records and interviews with lawmakers in the 33 states that still have the privilege show that intense opposition from powerful religious organizations is more often too much to overcome.

Former California state Sen. Jerry Hill said a bill he introduced in 2019 to require clergy members to report suspicion of child sex abuse or neglect by co-workers was killed after opposition from the Catholic and Mormon churches, as well as other religious groups.

The opposition of the Catholic Church was instrumental in creating a lot of controversy around the bill and a lot of questions related to religious freedom, Hill said. The Catholic Church made it clear it would sue if the bill passed, Hill said.

Michael Cassidy, a professor at Catholic-affiliated Boston College Law School and a former state prosecutor, said its not clear how a religious freedom case regarding the clergy privilege would turn out.

Some supporters believe the privilege is securely rooted in the First Amendments guarantee of freedom of religion. But Cassidy said there is no firm precedent that says the clergy-penitent privilege is constitutionally required.

The Supreme Court has never held that, Cassidy said.

Hes proposed a middle path: allow clergy to maintain the secrecy of the confessional but carve out an exception for dangerous persons including child sex abusers.

Often, legislative efforts to close the clergy loophole run up against lawmakers who are also church members, as well as intimidation from advocacy groups aligned with various religions. Its a one-two punch that has killed many bills quietly before they are even introduced, and has led to the privilege loophole being deemed by child welfare advocates as a poison pill included in mandatory reporting bills, the APs review found.

In Utah, after religious officials publicly opposed her bill seeking to close the loophole, state Rep. Romero, a lifelong Catholic, received ominous voicemails and emails. Fearing for her staffs safety, she reported some of them to state law enforcement.

Its utterly despicable that you think that this is all right, said one anonymous caller claiming to represent a group called Young Americans for Liberty. If you care to, return my message. If not, Im going to call you every day until you do.

The blowback also got personal: Devout Catholic members of Romeros own family stopped talking to her. They thought I was trying to attack the Catholic Church and get rid of confession, one of our sacraments, Romero said. Thats how it was presented to them.

In 2003, as the Catholic clergy sex abuse scandal swept the nation, a bill seeking to rid Maryland of the privilege in child abuse cases evoked a strong rebuke from Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, then the powerful archbishop of the Diocese of Washington, D.C.

If this bill were to pass, I shall instruct all priests in the Archdiocese of Washington who serve in Maryland to ignore it, McCarrick wrote in a Catholic Standard column. On this issue, I will gladly plead civil disobedience and willingly  if not gladly  go to jail.

The bill withered under McCarricks attack and never emerged from committee. Similar legislation proposed in 2004 suffered the same fate. Today, the clergy-penitent privilege in Maryland remains intact, even though McCarrick has been defrocked for sex crimes.

Virginia updated its mandatory reporting law in 2006. While the bill started out with clergy among those listed as reporters with the privilege intact, they would be removed from the final bill. The privilege, oddly, was left in. The state went on in 2019 to add ministers, priests, rabbis and other religious officials to the list of mandatory reporters of child abuse, but again protected the clergy-penitent privilege.

State Del. Karrie Delaney, a Virginia Democrat who sponsored the bill in 2019 that added clergy to the list of mandated reporters, said that including language to close the privilege would have doomed the bill.

We wanted to pass the bill, Delaney said. And we knew that not having that (exemption) in there would have drawn an enormous amount of resistance from particular faith communities that really would have put the bill in jeopardy.

In heavily Catholic Pennsylvania, 40 bills have included changes in mandatory child sex abuse reporting laws over the past two decades. None of them has challenged the clergy-penitent privilege. That comes as no surprise to child sex abuse survivors and their advocates, who have seen the Catholic Church and its lobbyists spend millions in a battle in Pennsylvania over a proposed two-year legal window for survivors to file lawsuits against their alleged abusers.

In other states, legislators said they didnt know clergy had a way around reporting abuse. After learning of the loophole from the AP, Vermont state Sen. Richard Sears, a Democrat, said he would introduce a bill in the next legislative session to try to close it. I wasnt even aware it existed, Sears said.

In 2003, amid the uproar over the Catholic Churchs sexual abuse scandals, several states added clergy to their child sex abuse reporting laws, often with the exception for clergy who learn about child sex abuse during spiritual confessions.

Thats what happened in New Mexico.

With the privilege protected, the bill sailed easily through both houses and was even supported by The Archdiocese of Santa Fe, which was embroiled in its own church sexual abuse scandal.
BURLINGTON  One year after expanding to Burlington Municipal Airport, the Flight For Life helicopter ambulance group is ready to put down roots.

Flight For Life executives held a groundbreaking ceremony Wednesday for a new estimated $1 million airport hangar to establish a permanent base of operations in western Racine County.

The private nonprofit company has been operating since November in temporary leased facilities at the city-owned airport.

Leif Erickson, executive director of Flight For Life, said he is excited to be building a permanent home, after the past year reaffirmed his confidence in the location.

Burlington is the perfect spot, he said.

Burlington Mayor Jeannie Hefty joined the groundbreaking ceremony and cheered the new hangar project.

Its huge to say that we have Flight For Life here, she said.

Hefty said Flight For Life has received strong support in the community, and she is happy to see the company investing in a new facility and making a long-term commitment. The mayor noted that the helicopter ambulance can deliver faster service locally while operating from the airport.

The company plans to move into the new hanger around Jan. 1 if construction proceeds as expected.

Based in Waukesha, Flight For Life established a base of operations in Burlington last year to improve service in areas generally south of Interstate 94. By eliminating the need to dispatch a crew from Waukesha, officials said they would be able to respond about 20 minutes faster to patients in and around Racine County.

A second new hangar is under construction in the Washington County community of Hartford, which will become the northern base.

The current headquarters at Waukeshas Crites Field airport will remain a center for dispatch and administration.

The nonprofit organization works with police agencies and other first responders, dispatching its helicopters when needed to speed transport of patients from traffic accidents, cardiac incidents and other critical situations.

Officials projected that they would handle about 300 calls for service annually from Burlington. Erickson said about 180 calls for service have been received just since January.

A twin-engine helicopter capable of reaching speeds of 160 mph is stationed in Burlington.

Officials said the new hangar will be 9,000 square feet in size, with live-in quarters for the helicopter crew on the second floor. The facility is projected to cost about $1 million.

The hangar will be built by Commercial Construction Consultants LLC of Burlington, and will be owned by a third party identified as Burlington Development Group Inc.

The base at Burlington Municipal Airport is staffed around-the-clock by a helicopter pilot, a critical care paramedic and a critical care nurse.

Chief flight nurse Nick Lehouillier joined Wednesdays festivities, saying he and his crew mates look forward to moving into the new hangar and settling into Burlington.

Its our home, Lehouillier said. We can call it our home.
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

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The third edition of Saudi Maritime Congress, the Kingdoms largest and most important global maritime event, opened doors yesterday (Wednesday) at the Dhahran Expo in Dammam with the objective of connecting the industry, providing organisations with networking opportunities, and enabling business growth.

The show was opened by Dr Rumaih Al Rumaih, Vice Minister of Transport & Logistic Services; Omar Hariri, President, Saudi Ports Authority (Mawani); and Undersecretary of the Eastern Region Governorate Dr Khalid bin Mohammed Al-Batal.

The event held under the patronage of Prince Ahmed bin Fahd bin Salman, Deputy Governor of the Eastern Province, featured a keynote session Vision 2030: An update on progress and opportunity for growth where distinguished panellists from organisations driving maritime business and policy within the kingdom discussed the latest updates of the Vision 2030 plan, the opportunities in local and international maritime and logistics companies and the way forward.

One of the key highlights was the virtual opening remarks by Kitack Lim, Secretary General, International Maritime Organisation (IMO), who stated: I am delighted to have this opportunity to share my thoughts at the opening of this years Saudi Maritime Congress. You have a packed agenda and will discuss many key topics in maritime, not least the imperatives to tackle climate change and the challenges and opportunities of automation and digitalization.

Lim added: Shippings ability to transport large quantities of goods over vast distances in a cost-efficient manner is irrefutable, and the Covid pandemic and current geopolitical challenges have only served to increase the worlds awareness of its reliance on shipping and of seafarers invaluable role in global trade. The comprehensive regulatory framework developed by the International Maritime Organisation over more than seven decades is critical for shippings safety, security and its sustainability and for the global supply chains. As shipping evolves, IMO Member States, the industry itself and partners throughout the UN system and beyond work tirelessly to ensure this framework is constantly enhanced and strengthened.

Lim added: I would like to express my appreciation to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for the positive disposition to the aims and objectives of the IMO and for the constructive input to the work of the organisation. I would also like to highlight the generous support for capacity-building in developing countries such as through the IMO CARES (Coordinated Actions to Reduce Emissions from Shipping) initiative; funding to raise awareness of biofouling management and specifically to involve women across maritime industries and administrations; and thirdly, co-financing support for the GloLitter Project to tackle marine plastic litter.

Chris Hayman, Chairman of Seatrade, said: Saudi Arabia is a vital contributor to the growth of the global maritime industry. Its strategic location makes it an ideal trade hub as it connects the eastern and western parts of the globe. In line with Saudi Vision 2030, the Kingdom has rapidly progressed in terms of developing its trade and logistics infrastructure, making it one of the most advanced maritime hubs in the region and across the globe. We are optimistic about the fact that the Saudi Maritime Congress will enable the Kingdom to continue its progress and help it achieve its objectives for decades to come. Through a strategically planned agenda, and the participation of several leading maritime organisations, Saudi Maritime Congress has further paved the way for the countrys success.

Eng Ahmed Alsubaey, CEO, Bahri, said: The Saudi Maritime Congress is a unique forum where the global industry will meet on a common platform to collaborate and discuss pressing issues and opportunities in the sector. During the 2022 edition of the event, the focus areas will include several objectives including digitalisation and decarbonisation, which are a priority. Through the advanced shipping assets and state-of-the-art oil terminals in the nation and Bahris very own sizeable fleet, we are determined to play a major role to strengthen the national economy.

Alsubaey added: Guided by KSA Vision 2030, we are committed to making the Kingdom the epicentre for international trade. To achieve this, currently our key focus areas include supporting KSAs aspiration to reach the top 25 in the Logistics Performance Index and be one of the top 15 global economies.

Enabling recovery

Throughout day one, panellists had insightful discussions on topics such as the Saudi Vision 2030, recovery strategies to tackle current challenges, maritime technologies, supply chain efficiency and the ports and logistics infrastructure in the region and more.

The event also enabled strategic signings for industry collaboration between Saudi Ports Authority (Mawani) and leading maritime companies in the region including Bahri, International Maritime Industries (IMI), Saudi Accreditation Centre, King Abdulaziz University, Tabadul, MBL, PCMS, Giza Arabia and Globe.

Chris Morley, Group Director  Maritime Events, Informa Markets, said: As organisers, its always our privilege to bring the maritime community together and today has done that with considerable force. With the unwavering support of our partners and sponsors we have been able to deliver something truly exciting and undoubtedly supportive of the industrys objectives not just here in Saudi Arabia but across the international market too. Innovative ideas were shared throughout todays conference sessions and the appetite for growth and new solutions is remarkable. We are now looking forward to day two, where attendees can expect talks on the sectors road to net-zero emissions, empowering the next generation of maritime professionals, and the use of big data and analytics in the industry.  TradeArabia News Service
KEARNEY  Kearney Public Schools elementary school principals have developed a project called Making Space for Innovative Thinking Resources that will bring new opportunities for science, technology, engineering and math exploration to 2,739 Kearney students in grades K-5.

The program recently received a grant for $30,000 to partially fund the project.

With the funds, KPS will purchase 20 mobile STEM carts. Ten of the carts will be used for grades K-2, and the other 10 will be used for grades 3-5.

Each KPS elementary school will have two STEM carts to help improve math and science performance, reduce behavior disruptions, and give students the opportunity to explore and develop STEM skills and interests.

This project will enhance the opportunities for STEM activities in the classroom, stated Sara Paider, KPS director of PreK-5 education. These activities engage students and encourage them to focus on their personal areas of interest while emphasizing science, math, and technology.

Each KPS elementary schools will have monthly STEM activities that encourage high levels of student engagement in science, technology, engineering and math challenges. The STEM carts will contain seven drawers of STEM materials and equipment that are aligned to the seven Nebraska Career Clusters which include agriculture food & natural resources, communications & information systems, skilled & technical sciences, health sciences, human sciences & education, and business marketing & management.

Teachers will reserve a cart for classroom activities, or pull a drawer so that a student(s) can work on a project of interest. At the end of a semester, schools will rotate the carts to other schools and receive a new set of carts that have different STEM activities.

The total budget for Making Space for Innovative Thinking Resources is $43,000 to purchase the 10 STEM carts for grades K-2 and 10 STEM carts for grades 3-5 and for the equipment.

We could not be more thankful to the Eaton Corporation for their support of STEM education with our KPS students, stated Paider. Innovative educational opportunities would not be possible without the support of community-minded, progressive companies.
Goodbye, Lincoln. Hello again, Offutt!

Friday, the RC-135 reconnaissance jets based at Offutt Air Force Base near Bellevue will return from an 18-month hiatus at the Lincoln Airport. The E-4B command and control aircraft will follow a few days later.

They will land on a brand-new runway, fully reconstructed for the first time since the airfield was built in 1941.

It brings to a close an 18-month construction project that was years in the making, executed at a cost of $200 million to the Air Force: $169 million for the new runway and apron and $31 million for the temporary facilities at Lincoln.

Thats within budget and on time, said Rob Hufford, chief of construction management for the project.

This has been a large part of my professional life for the last four years, Hufford said. Its nice to see it coming to an end.

The 55th Wing is planning a celebration Friday to welcome home the planes and about 750 military and civilian workers who endured the long commute to Lincoln for a year and a half. Buses chalked up 19,000 trips and 1.2 million road miles from Offutt to Lincoln, according to a 55th Wing press release.

Its taken a toll on the airmen, said Maj. Brian Ross, a pilot and director of Offutts project management office. This is going to lift a big burden.

Covering the costs of that commute cost the Air Force another $17 million.

A ribbon will be cut on the rebuilt runway at 2 p.m. Friday. The first RC-135 will land 15 minutes later, piloted by Col. Kristen Thompson, the 55th Wing commander. The event also will include a military working dog demonstration and the arrival of several vintage aircraft. Offutts Heartland of America Band will play.

The event is open only to military ID card holders and their families.

Pilots landing at Offutt will notice a few differences in the runway.

Gone is a distinctive 8-foot hump near the north threshold as well as a corresponding dip farther south.

Before, Ross said, it was almost like landing in a spoon.

Also new: the runways name. Now it will be called Runway 13-31, representing its compass directions (130 degrees when approaching from the northwest, 310 degrees from the southeast).

It used to be called Runway 12-30. But the Earths magnetic north pole has shifted since it was first built. So north is in a slightly different direction.

At 150 feet wide, the new concrete runway is the same width as the old one. But the 25-foot shoulders on either side are a third as wide as before, consistent with modern safety standards.

That means a lot less snow to clear in the winter, Hufford said.

The new surface is 19 inches thick, a combination of concrete and asphalt he said will be easier to maintain than the old one.

For years, the old surface had been crumbling. Offutt airmen had to be especially watchful for loose chunks of asphalt and other debris, which are dangerous if ingested into a jet engine.

New flush-mounted runway lights have been installed. The old ones stuck up at least a foot above the pavement.

At night now, its definitely easier to see, Hufford said. Now anything can roll over without hitting them  wing tips, snowplows.

The airfield has a new turnaround and parking area at the south end of the runway, wide enough for two large jets to park side by side. Its similar to the hammerhead at the north end. Taxiway Papa also has been extended.

Offutt Air Force Base has given the military a presence in the Omaha area since its establishment as an Army post called Fort Crook in the 1890s. It gained an aviation presence when an airstrip was dedicated in 1924 and named for 1st Lt. Jarvis Offutt, a pilot from Omaha who died in World War I.

The paved runway was built in 1941 to serve the new Glenn L. Martin Bomber Plant, which produced more than 2,000 military aircraft during World War II. It was extended to its current length in the mid-1950s, several years after the former Army post officially became Offutt Air Force Base.

Over the years, the original concrete runway was patched and repaired but never completely replaced. By 2015, it had deteriorated so badly that it was ranked as the worst of any at the 17 bases operated by the Air Forces Air Combat Command.

The quantity of repairs we had to do just kept growing, Hufford said.

Articles in The World-Herald brought to light the poor condition of the runway. Nebraskas political leaders worked together to secure funding to rebuild the runway and to raise the levees protecting it from the nearby Missouri River.

When Hufford took charge of the project four years ago, the Air Force still hadnt decided on the scope of the reconstruction or how long the runway would be closed.

A team from the Air Force Civil Engineer Center recommended a full replacement, one designed to last 50 years.

The construction contract was awarded in June 2020. Work started the following winter. The first aircraft moved to renovated facilities in Lincoln that originally had been built for the Air Force in the mid-1950s.

Engineers took advantage of the hiatus to complete other construction work at Offutt. Both the E-4B hangar and the airport control tower were renovated, including replacement of the towers leaky windows.

The runway project now becomes part of Offutts biggest makeover since World War II. In 2019, U.S. Strategic Command opened its new $1.3 billion headquarters, turning over its old 1957 building to the 55th Wing.

And the Air Force recently has cleared ground for construction of eight new campuses on the south side of the runway, tearing down more than 100 buildings totaling about 1.2 million square feet of office space that were destroyed in the March 2019 flood. Those projects are expected to cost more than $1 billion and be completed in about five years.
Proponents of bipartisanship and law enforcement got a big victory last week in the U.S. House of Representatives. A large bipartisan majority voted to approve a measure that will give $60 million over the next five years to law enforcement agencies with fewer than 125 officers to do things like purchase body cameras, provide de-escalation training and improve recruitment and retention.

The Invest to Protect Act passed the House overwhelmingly  360-64  with heavy support from both Democrats and Republicans. Only nine Democrats and 55 Republicans voted against it. The bill also split the five Republican and three Democratic representatives from Wisconsin, with members of each party voting for and against the bill.

Rep. Tom Tiffany, a Republican who represents much of northern Wisconsin and has been frequently critical of the defund the police movement, voted against the measure. He did not respond to questions asking why he did not support a bill that would send funding to nearly all of the law enforcement agencies in his mostly rural district.

Jim Palmer, executive director of the Wisconsin Professional Police Association, the largest law enforcement union in the state, celebrated the bills big step forward.

Since the 9/11 attack on our country in 2001, federal support for law enforcement has dramatically shifted towards large metropolitan law enforcement agencies and away from smaller departments, he wrote in an email. This bipartisan bill will help agencies address the growing shortage of officers in Wisconsin and provide more training and mental health resources to law enforcement personnel. These priorities are in line with what we have learned through our statewide polling effort each year, and its a strong rebuke of those that would like to defund the vital services that law enforcement officers provide.

Like most industries across the county, law enforcement is struggling to recruit officers while unemployment rates are at near record lows. Wisconsin is no different. The total number of law enforcement officers in the state hit a record low in 2022.

The bill now goes back to the Senate, where a version had already passed. The House version of the bill would need to pass the Senate before the president can sign it into law.

UW-Madison political science professor David Canon said he doubted the Senate would pass the Houses version without further tweaks. A conference committee of House and Senate members might be needed to reach a compromise on the bill, he noted. Canon guessed a final version of the bill wont pass until the lame duck session in December after the election.

He applauded the passage of the bill, saying it follows his mantra for how politics should operate: dont let the perfect be the enemy of the good.

We have to compromise to be able to get things done, Canon said. Youre never going to have the perfect bill. You have to (tolerate) some things in the bill that you may not like, but theres a lot of good stuff that you do like. Thats why the extreme left and right voted against it, because theyre still operating in that mindset of I want the perfect bill that does everything I want it to do. Well, the legislative process doesnt work that way.

The nays consisted of the most right-wing Republican representatives like Matt Gaetz, Lauren Boebert and Marjorie Taylor Greene, and the most left-wing Democrats like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Rashida Tlaib and Cori Bush.

Heres how the eight congressional representatives from Wisconsin voted on the bill, and what, if anything, they had to say about it.

Nay votes

Rep. Glenn Grothman (R-Glenbeulah)

Grothman voted against the bill. His office did not respond to messages seeking comment. Democrats did not run a candidate against Grothman this election, so he has little to fear from voters in his heavily Republican district.

Mark Pocan (D-Madison)

Pocan, a leader of the Houses left-wing Progressive Caucus, was one of the nine Democrats to vote against the bill. Through a spokesman, Pocan said he voted no because I had questions about the bill that werent answered because it didnt go through the committee process. Pocans district, which includes liberal Madison and Dane County, is safely Democratic.

Tom Tiffany (R-Minocqua)

A hardline right-winger who has repeatedly criticized the defund the police movement, Tiffany voted against the bill.

Earlier in September, he joined several other Republicans to introduce a bill named the Combating Violent and Dangerous Crime Act, which they say will strengthen violent crime laws.

As a result of the Democrats defund the police movement, soft-on-crime policies, and reckless bail reform efforts, far too many Americans have become victims of the deadly crime wave plaguing our neighborhoods, Tiffany said in a press release announcing the bill.

His office did not respond to messages seeking comment.

Yay votes

Rep. Scott Fitzgerald (R-Juneau)

The son of a Chicago police officer, Fitzgerald voted for the bill. His office did not respond to messages seeking comment.

Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-Allouez)

A former Marine and a veteran of the second Iraq War, Gallagher voted for the bill. His office did not respond to messages seeking comment. Democrats did not run a candidate against Gallagher this fall, but he will face two challengers  a Libertarian and an Independent  in his heavily Republican district.

Rep. Gwen Moore (D-Milwaukee)

Moore voted in favor of the bill. Her district consists mainly of Milwaukee, which has suffered record homicides the past few years, but whose police department would not receive money from the bill. Her office did not respond to messages seeking comment.

Rep. Ron Kind (D-La Crosse)

Kind, a moderate Democrat, voted in favor of the bill. His office did not respond to messages seeking comment. Kind is retiring from Congress in December after representing western Wisconsin for more than 20 years. Republicans hope to flip his seat in the fall.

Rep. Bryan Steil (R-Janesville)

Steil voted in favor of the bill. In the most recent round of redistricting, Steils district in southeastern Wisconsin moved from being very favorable to Republicans closer towards the political middle, making it more competitive for Democrats.

The Invest to Protect Act makes critical investments in our local police departments, Steil said through a spokeswoman. This will provide the training and resources necessary to keep everyone in our communities safe. Ill continue working to support law enforcement.

The Badger Project is a nonpartisan, citizen-supported journalism nonprofit in Wisconsin. For more visit thebadgerproject.org.
A 63-year-old La Crosse man has been charged in La Crosse County Circuit Court with attempted first-degree intentional homicide after he allegedly fired a shot that nearly struck a woman in the head.

Dang Lor also faces a felony charge of possession of methamphetamine and a misdemeanor charge of possession of drug paraphernalia.

According to the criminal complaint, a woman went to the Wausau Police Department on Sept. 25 and described a shooting that occurred the previous day at a Rose Street residence in La Crosse. She told police she had opened the trunk of her vehicle to load paper towels when Lor pulled a black handgun from his waistband and fired a single shot, which entered the trunk and struck several items before lodging in a spare tire. She recalled a stinky smell and seeing white smoke after the round was discharged.

The woman told police that she was inside Lors apartment prior to the shot being fired. She said Lor accused her of dating other men and threatened to kill her. She drove to an acquaintances house in La Crosse before driving to Wausau.

The woman said she had known Lor for only about month and that they werent in any kind of relationship.

Lor was arrested without incident at his residence Sept. 26. A search of his person allegedly found a pipe containing methamphetamine.

Police obtained a search warrant for Lors residence and reportedly found a loaded Hi-Point 9 mm handgun concealed under a garbage bag. He told police it was birthday gift from his grandson and that he keeps it for protection.

During an interview with police, Lor denied threatening to kill the woman. The complaint says he acknowledged firing a shot but said he wasnt aiming for the woman.

Lor appeared to repeat that denial during Wednesdays initial hearing. Speaking through an interpreter, Lor said he was trying to help the woman and, Its not a crime that I have killed someone. In my history I have helping fighting alongside with the Americans. And now being with this person and not knowing, I have been caught with this.

Judge Scott Horne ordered Lor held on $50,000 cash bail and scheduled a preliminary hearing for Oct. 5. Lor faces up to 60 years in prison if convicted on the attempted homicide charge.
He thought it was just another meeting to discuss another fundraiser.

Douglas Kratt and his wife, Kimberly, were in their La Crosse home meeting with two past Oktoberfest Festmasters working on auction items for an upcoming Gemutlichkeit Foundation fundraiser. One of the items was a complete set of past festival and Festmaster buttons. But, one of the buttons was different.

They handed us a button with a sketch of Kim and me in Fest attire, recalls Kratt. And they asked us what we thought about adding that button to the collection.

Thats when the Kratts discovered their next Oktoberfest would be more than a little different. They would be serving as the 2022 Oktoberfest Festmaster and Frau. They were introduced during the Festmasters Ball Wednesday, Sept. 28, at the La Crosse Center.

It will be new territory for the longtime veterinarians who own Central Animal Hospital in Onalaska. They have some familiarity with the fest  Douglas served on the board of directors and as president in the past, and he recently co-chaired the Forks and Corks fundraising event for the Gemutlichkeit Foundation. But, they know there will be lots of new adventures.

Were excited to represent Oktoberfest spreading Gemutlichkeit throughout the Coulee Region, says Douglas. Were looking forward to getting out and meeting members of the community while letting the community know that Oktoberfest is so much more than just the three-day festival.

While owning their own animal hospital, the Kratts have been very active in the veterinary profession. Douglas has led nearly every veterinary organization he is a part of, including the Coulee Region Veterinary Medical Association, the Wisconsin Veterinary Medical Association and the American Veterinary Medical Association. He recently finished serving as president of the national organization.

Both continue to give back to the profession by helping and guiding those entering veterinary science.

We enjoy mentoring veterinary and technician students and recent graduates to help them transition into our great profession, says Douglas.

Their work extends into hands-on philanthropy. The Kratts have donated veterinary services to many organizations over their three decades in the profession. Their most current high-profile VIPs  very important pets  are state and local police K-9 officers.

Douglas started a medical wellness program for all the K-9s in the Wisconsin State Patrol over a decade ago. He and the Central Animal Hospital team stepped up when he learned that the dogs were not receiving the same standardized high level of preventative, medical and surgical care. The hospital staff also provide care for the Onalaska, Holmen, Tomah and Campbell Police Departments, as well as the La Crosse County Sheriffs Office.The Kratts say its an honor to work with the officers and canines who keep the region safe. They say they are blessed to be able to give back and provide what the K-9s need.

Giving back to those that keep us safe is a small thing we can do to make our community better, notes Doug.

The new Festmaster and Frau were born and raised in La Crosse, both the youngest of large families.

Douglas grew upon the South Side and was involved in the YMCA while attending Blessed Sacrament Elementary and Aquinas High schools. He held several jobs: piloting houseboats, teaching SCUBA and swim lessons, selling sound equipment and giving brewery tours. He also worked at Walt Disney World and volunteered for the La Crosse Area Underwater Rescue and Recovery Unit before heading off to veterinary school.

Kimberly grew up on the North Side. She was involved at the Boys and Girls Club and attended St. James and Logan High School.

After high school, both attended UW-La Crosse before heading to UW-Madisons School of Veterinary Medicine. They have two children, Madison and Zachary, who currently attend college.

The Festmaster heads the Oktoberfest Royal Family and is chosen annually by the Board of Trustees, the past Festmasters. They must be a resident for at least a decade within 20-mile radius of La Crosse, be actively involved and well-known in the La Crosse community, and have time to devote to Oktoberfest activities. Make nominations at www.oktoberfestusa.com

The Douglas Kratt file

Lives in: La Crosse

Family: Married to Kimberly; two children, Madison and Zachary.

Career: Owns and practices veterinary medicine at Central Animal Hospital, Onalaska, with his wife.
Dubai will transform into the ultimate digital epicentre of the world next month, as the UAE hosts the worlds largest tech show, converging the most advanced companies and best minds to deep dive into the making of the Web 3.0 economy.

From October 10 to 14, 2022 at the Dubai World Trade Centre, Gitex Global returns, its largest ever edition featuring 5,000 companies spanning 26 halls and two million sq ft of exhibition space, at an extraordinary 25% year-on-year increase, pushing its capacity limit at the venue.

The Gitex 3.0 edition, in its 42nd year presents the most empowering curation ever with seven multi-tech themes experimenting in the metaverse, a decentralised future of the internet, and a sustainable global digital economy.

Digital ambitions of UAE and the region

The five-day events record size and continued expansion mirrors the ambitions of the UAE and regions digital transformation movement, as government initiatives such as the National Programme for Coders, the Dubai Metaverse Strategy, and Next GenFDI propels the UAE to the forefront of the global digital economy.

This is amplified by new Gitex Global 2022 launches of X-VERSE sponsored by TMRW Foundation in collaboration with Decentraland, one of the worlds most immersive metaverse journeys featuring 28 experiential brands; and Global DevSlam, the Middle Easts largest ever coder and developer meetup, both of which sold-out to a global audience within two months.

UAE companies also held the lions share of a record-breaking $2.6 billion in start-up funding across the Middle East and North Africa in 2021, figures that underscore an additional hall and 30% increase to 1,000 exhibitors at Gitex Globals start-up event, North Star.

Bigger than ever

Omar Al Olama, Minister of State for AI, Digital Economy & Remote Work Applications, who delivered the welcome note at the official Gitex Global 2022 press conference, said: Gitex this year is bigger than ever. It spans two million sq ft with over 5,000 exhibitors from more than 90 countries, which makes this truly the biggest tech show in the world. This year, my office has partnered with Gitex to ensure that were not just showcasing technology, but actually inventing and developing technology.

He also highlighted that the Global DevSlam event is poised to be one of the biggest developer events in the world. He concluded by thanking each and every single person that has believed in the UAEs mission and who has supported the UAE.

Trixie LohMirmand, Executive Vice President of Events Management at Dubai World Trade Centre, Gitex Globals organiser, added: Gitex is not just a big gathering of people. Its the super-connector humanising the virtual and digital economies.

Profound purpose

Gitex serves a profound purpose of enabling and accelerating the digital economies of UAE and many of its alliance partners through connecting earnest stakeholders with outstanding minds from the world, and materialising these connections into actionable partnerships.

Gitex Global 2022 will welcome an unprecedented 52 percent new exhibitors this year choosing the show and the UAE as the first-choice partner in their market access strategies.

The influx of global interest will see North Star hosting the biggest Unicorn meetup of the year in Dubai, with 35 Unicorns from 15 countries looking to explore new opportunities and expand in one of the worlds fastest-growing markets.

Africa Fast 100

The Africa Fast 100 programme presents the largest ever gathering of African start-ups to be hosted outside Africa, as the African tech companies have been touted as the next ones to watch by global investors.

Debut international exhibitors such as Binance, Ooku, AMD, Tencent, and ByteDance, are seeking to extend their brand reach to a global audience through Gitex, along with FTX Exchange, one of the worlds largest cryptocurrency exchanges with a five million-plus global customer base and an average daily trading volume of $12 billion.

We are thrilled to announce our first ever participation in Gitex, the worlds most prominent technology exhibition. It is great testament to Dubai, the UAE and the vision of its leadership in embracing technology and Innovation said Mohammad Hans Dastmaltchi, Chairman of the Supervisory Board, FTX Exchange, which this year was licensed to establish and operate Virtual Asset Exchange and Clearing House services in Dubai by the Virtual Asset Regulatory Authority (VARA).

Plans for Dubai

FTX is looking forward to this exhibition, and seeing industry leaders, innovators and entrepreneurs sharing the same stage. We are excited to be interacting with a diverse audience and showcasing what FTX stands for as a brand and our ambitious plans for Dubai and the region.

UAE companies are shaking up the global tech scene with their bold undertakings and commitments in tech R&D and inventions, including Technology Innovation Institute (TII) a leading global scientific institution and the applied research pillar of Abu Dhabis Advanced Technology Research Council.

TII will have a significant presence at Gitex Global showcasing AI and Digital Science, Directed Energy, and Autonomous Robotics Research. Dr. Ray O. Johnson, CEO of Technology Innovation Institute, said: We are delighted with our significant presence at Gitex Global, billed as the largest tech event in the world.

Research breakthrough

Working at the intersection of discovery science and advanced technology, our research centres have announced, within the last two years, multiple research breakthroughs that give Abu Dhabi and the UAE greater tech sovereignty. Our journey has just begun. Research today is a collaborative field, and we look forward to the networking opportunities with the technology worlds leaders to accelerate our breakthroughs in the years to come.

G42, a champion of AI and cloud technologies, will create a high-impact visitor experience showcasing powerful capabilities through its group of four companies. There couldnt be better time to showcase G42 than at the 42nd edition of Gitex, the worlds largest tech and start-up event, said Hasan Al Hosani, CEO of Bayanat, a G42 company. G42 has multiple businesses and expertise and it is often a challenge to explain the breadth and depth of the Groups offering.

At Gitex, we aim to get some of our flagship companies to come under one roof and give a better sense on the spectrum of our offering under the theme 'The Answer is Yes'. We are looking forward to meeting our peers from the tech industry  from the region and beyond, and inviting them to experience the holistic offering of the G42 ecosystem.

Prominent exhibitor

e&, the regions largest telecom operator is another prominent Gitex Global exhibitor. Earlier this year, the carrier was ranked as the worlds strongest telecom brand by Brand Finance, becoming the first in the MEA region to achieve this milestone. Gitex Global 2022 will be the first major exhibition for e& (previously Etisalat) since the launch of its new brand identity earlier this year.

Hatem Dowidar, Group CEO of e&, said: Given the e& transformation journey we embarked on earlier this year, the 2022 edition of Gitex Global is truly special for us, as it is the first major global technology event where we will showcase the strides were taking to progress into a global technology and investment group that creates technology to empower every person and organisation to stride into a great wide-open future.

Gitex Global is the place where many futuristic ideas and solutions come to life, demonstrating the limitless possibilities technology advancements open up and inspiring participants with the immense opportunities that lay ahead.

Added Dowidar: This is in line with our ambitious strategy to drive a brighter, digital future that will transform societies in meaningful ways. We look forward to showcasing our diverse portfolio and growth aspirations covering the metaverse, fintech, cybersecurity, AI, cloud computing, and so much more.

Public-Private Partnership creation platform

Gitex unifies the participation of 250 government entities leading strategic digital projects and public-private partnerships, with Digital Dubai Authority and Abu Dhabi Digital Authority among the UAE government bodies advancing smart city and digital projects.

Tariq Al Janahi, Acting CEO, Digital Dubai Authority, said: Following the vision of HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Prime Minister and Vice President of the UAE, and Ruler of Dubai, to digitalise life in the city, this year Digital Dubais participation at Gitex Global 2022, in partnership with 32 government and seven private sector partners, will showcase the latest digitalisation solutions built by Dubai Government, also displaying future plans to build a holistic city-wide digital ecosystem ensuring Dubai becomes a global benchmark for building digital economies.

Mansoor Al Marzooqi, Executive Director, Strategy & Innovation Sector, at Abu Dhabi Digital Authority, pointed out that the Abu Dhabi Government Pavilion at Gitex will be an advanced digital technology platform bringing together more than 30 government and academic entities, showcasing more than 100 innovative projects that highlight the Abu Dhabi government's key achievements in the field of digital transformation.

Gitex Global 2022 is a global tech platform that gives the Abu Dhabi government the opportunity to showcase new digital initiatives in government services, digital government solutions, data and artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and digital enablement, all of which have been carefully developed to further strengthen Abu Dhabis digital capabilities, enabling, supporting and delivering a digital government that is proactive, personalised, collaborative and secure, said Al Marzooqi.

Prolific MoUs

Gitex is renowned for its prolific MoU engagements and critical enterprise partnerships between the public sector and private companies, with enduring business relationships having originated at the hyper-connector event over the last four decades.

Huawei, Gitex Globals Diamond Sponsor and a world-leading innovator in next-generation networks, is among the multinationals establishing long-lasting collaborations, and will this year showcase its newest end-to-end products and advanced ICT solutions focusing on AI, digital power, cloud, 5G, cybersecurity, and industry applications.

Alaa Elshimy, Managing Director and Senior Vice President of Enterprise Business Group, at Huawei Middle East, said: Gitex Global provides us with a golden opportunity to network with our customers, partners, industry leaders and experts from the Middle East region and around the world to explore how to more effectively unleash digital productivity, promote the digital economy, and build up stronger digital ecosystems.

Sharing insights

We will share insights on steps we are taking to advance digital development across a wide range of industries, highlight technological updates that can address climate change and drive clean energy development, and further release new innovative connectivity solutions and cloud services for the region markets.

Using its connectivity, computing, and cloud technologies, Huawei will continue to work with its partners to drive ongoing industry innovation and multi-tech synergy, creating scenario-based solutions for diverse customer needs. This will create greater value and make it easier for customers to go the last mile of their digital transformation.

Microsoft, the omnipresent tech giant, will also present its most elevated Gitex Global involvement yet, participating in all tech sectors including Global DevSlam and X-VERSE.

Mixed reality

At Gitex Global 2022, our focus is on mixed reality and the impact it can have on industry specific scenarios, said Naim Yazbeck, General Manager of Microsoft UAE. We recently announced the availability of the industry-leading HoloLens 2 mixed reality headset in the UAE.

Backed by the reliability, security, and scalability of our cloud, this state-of-the-art holographic device provides the most intuitive and immersive mixed reality experience which we will showcase at the event and demonstrate how mixed reality can support a wide variety of industry applications and use cases.

Microsoft comes to Gitex Global 2022 fresh from the anniversary celebration of our UAE cloud data centres, added Yazbeck. Through the trusted, versatile, flexible Microsoft Cloud, we have empowered enterprises that think big to deliver on their ambitions, and we pledge continued support for all such innovators across the region.

eVTOL flying car X2

XPENG, a leading tech company and EV manufacturer that designs, develops, manufactures and markets intelligent mobility solutions, has chosen Gitex Global 2022 to host an exclusive worlds first public flight of its pioneering eVTOL flying car X2 with the support of official partner, the Dubai Chamber of Commerce.

The avantgarde two-seater eVTOL flying car X2 is equipped with an intelligent flight control system and autonomous flight capabilities, and is the latest generation of flying cars developed independently by XPENGs affiliate XPENG AEROHT.

Dr Brian Gu, Vice Chairman and President of XPENG, said the X2 produces zero carbon dioxide emissions during flight, and is designed with low-altitude city capabilities in mind, reaching a maximum flight speed of 130 kms per hour.

First global public flight

Were delighted to be holding the first global public flight of the XPENG X2 at Gitex Global 2022, showcasing our pioneering in-house R&D and proprietary manufacturing capabilities to push the e-mobility industry forward, said Gu, who is speaking at Gitex Globals mainstage conference programme about mapping the future of mobility. We believe this advancement takes us one step closer to the future of short-distance city journeys taking advantage of this technology, including sightseeing and medical transportation.

The Gitex 3.0 edition features seven tech themes: North Star Dubai start-ups, Ai Everything, Future Blockchain Summit in association with VARA, Fintech Surge, Marketing Mania and two sell-out new launches of Global DevSlam and X-VERSE.

2022 is associated with many transformative trends like Metaverse and third generation web technologies that are unknown, amorphous and bourgeoning, added LohMirmand. These and other frontier techs can only finally impact our societies when theres large scale expert discourses, collaborations and experimentations by protagonists and detractors. This is Gitex 3.0, where the decentralisation of the economy puts the power in the hands of every delegate in Gitex to participate in the shaping of our urban future.-- TradeArabia News Service
First it was streaming services, then it was tacos and now the newest subscription you might be paying for: Chinese food.

P.F. Chang's is relaunching its seven-year-old loyalty program to now include a paid tier, joining a growing trend of restaurants entering the space.

For $6.99 per month, members of the chain's Platinum Rewards program will earn 15 points for each dollar spent, redeemable for a $15 credit once 2,000 points are accumulated. Platinum members are also eligible for unlimited free delivery and access to priority reservations, among other perks.

The chain's existing loyalty program isn't going away: The free tier will be renamed Gold and offer fewer benefits, including earning only 10 points per dollar spent.

The aim of the program is to create "added value for repeat customers," P.F. Chang's explained in a press release. "As the first polished-casual restaurant chain to launch this kind of loyalty program, we are proud to drive innovation in the industry while adding even more value for our guests," CEO Damola Adamolekun said in the release.

Loyalty programs have been proven to increase customer frequency, boost revenue with a locked-in fee and help give restaurant owners information about ordering habits that helps target diners with customized deals.

Taco Bell has found success with its $10 per month Taco Lover's Pass program that gives customers one free taco every day.

Others include Sweetgreen, which experimented with a paid discount pass in January. Last month, Subway launched a $15 pass that gave customers a 50% discount on its footlong subs that sold out in just 6 hours. Panera currently sells a beverage subscription program for $10.99 per month.

For casual, sit-down restaurants, building loyalty is even more important since diners typically only visit two to three times per year and "increasing that even by just one visit can be very meaningful to revenue," according to Gregory Francfort, a restaurant analyst at Guggenheim.

"Loyalty programs give the customer key perks while at the same time help the brands figure out how their customer behaves to be able to better market their offerings to those consumers," Francfort told CNN Business. The biggest perk to P.F. Changs' program, in his opinion, is the free delivery since the chain aiming to growing that part of its business.

P.F. Chang's is a privately held company with about 200 locations in the United States.

___
The United Arab Emirates, ranks highest globally in brand performance, with a score of 80.5 out of 100, according to the latest report by leading brand valuation consultancy Brand Finance.

The UAE has attracted a higher volume of trade, tourism, investment, and talent than other nation brands. A successful Covid -19 response, which allowed the UAE to open for business sooner than many other destinations, is one of the key drivers of the UAEs impressive results this year, the report said.

Thanks to maintaining a higher brand performance score and improving its brand perceptions, the UAE has defended its position as the strongest (76.7 out of 100) as well as most valuable ($773 billion) nation brand in the Middle East and Africa. The UAE is followed closely by Saudi Arabia as the second most valuable in the region ($770 billion) and by Israel as the second strongest (73.9 out of 100).

The UAE scores particularly highly on government effectiveness, international influence, and international business trade. Saudi Arabia scores highly overall international influence, international familiarity, and very highly on the nations response to Covid-19. Qatar achieved highest scores for rule of law and government effectiveness.

Strongest nation brands

Meanwhile, Canada has claimed the title of this years strongest nation brand with an overall brand strength score of 81.8 out of 100, supplanting last years leader Switzerland (80.7), according to the report.

In addition to calculating brand value, Brand Finance also determines the relative strength of nation brands through a balanced scorecard of metrics evaluating brand investment, brand perceptions, and brand performance. Alongside GDP forecasts, nation brand strength is an important driver of nation brand value.

Canada boasts one of the highest brand perceptions scores, with excellent marks across both international and domestic audiences. With a stable economy and one of the highest standards of living in the world, Canada has a strong advantage in brand investment, and its brand performance has remained relatively high thanks to flexible COVID-19 policies.

Brand Finances brand perceptions research, originally published in the Global Soft Power Index 2022, has evidenced a recovery of the reputations of the worlds largest economies over the past year, compared to the first year of the pandemic. While in 2020 leading nation brands including China, Italy, and the US were seen to have suffered significantly from the first wave of Covid-19 infections, in 2021 they were seen to have successfully rolled out vaccinations and managed the virus.

In this way, the US, France, United Kingdom, and Japan all make a comeback to the top 10 brand strength ranking after the extraordinary one-year decline in their international perceptions caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Similarly, China enters the top 20 for the first time, claiming 15th place, and Italy and Spain return to the top 25.

While nation brand perceptions have largely recovered over the course of the past year, brand performance has not yet returned to its pre-pandemic levels for most nation brands in the ranking. With global interactions in the crucial areas of trade, investment, tourism, and talent attraction down across the board throughout 2021, most brand strength scores remain held back by the legacy of the pandemic.

USA brand value still #1, ahead of China

At the top of the ranking, the USA (brand value up 7% to $26.5 trillion) has retained its position as the worlds most valuable nation brand, maintaining the lead ahead of 2nd ranked China (up 8% to $21.5 trillion). The US and China are standout leaders in the Brand Finance Nation Brands 2022 ranking, with the combined brand value of the two equal to that of the remaining 98 nation brands in the top 100.

Value of top 100 nation brands rises

Across the world, the values of the worlds nation brands have substantially returned to their pre-pandemic values. The total value of the worlds top 100 nation brands stands at $97.2 trillion, up 7% year on year and only marginally behind the pre-pandemic value of $98.0 trillion in 2019. While the combined value of the worlds top 100 nation brands has matched pre-pandemic levels, exactly 50 nation brands have increased in value over this period, while the other 50 remain below the valuation from before the Coid-19 crisis.

The United Kingdom is among the nation brands recording the best Covid-19 recovery, having seen the highest absolute brand value gain among all the nation brands bar China  up $265 billion to $4.1 trillion. Brand Britain has bounced back as a large share of the population was promptly vaccinated and restrictions on economic activity were progressively eased.

Leaders of nation brand value growth in 2022

Looking at year-on-year nation brand value growth from 2021, Serbia ($59 billion) and Georgia ($18 billion) are the fastest growing in the Brand Finance Nation Brands 2022 ranking, each posting a 24% increase as they attract Russian businesses displaced by international sanctions.

Sub-Saharan Africa is strongly represented among the top 20 fastest-growing nation brands too, led by South Africa (up 23% to $216 billion) and Tanzania (up 23% to $41 billion) as the worlds 3rd and 4th fastest-growing this year, followed by Kenya (up 19% to $80 billion) and Ghana (up 16% to $57 billion).

Similarly, four North African nation brands feature among the top 20 fastest growing. They are led by Morocco (up 22% to $80 billion), as the worlds 5th fastest-growing nation brand this year, closely followed by Egypt (up 19% to $214 billion), both of which saw brand value increases due to the strength of their diversified economies, strong manufacturing sectors, and high tourism appeal. Algeria, a country largely dependent on its natural resources, also saw a growth in its brand value (up 16% to $87 billion). As did Tunisia (up 16% to $25 billion) which has seen a revitalisation of its tourism sector post-Covid.

Russias value takes $150 billion hit

Following its invasion of Ukraine, Russia has recorded the largest fall in brand value among all the worlds nation brands this year, down $144 billion or $1,000 per person compared to 2021. The decision to go to war appears to have undermined Russias economic standing, as evidenced by the stark nation brand value decline from $786 billion last year to $642 billion in 2022.

The widespread economic sanctions imposed on Russia have added to the health, social, and economic disruption caused by the Covid-19 crisis. Prior to the pandemic in 2019, Russias nation brand was valued at $960 billion, but has since fallen by a third  placing it between much smaller Belgium ($647 billion) and Austria ($570 billion) at only 24th among the worlds top 100 most valuable brands.

Konrad Jagodzinski, Place Branding Director, Brand Finance, said: "The Russian invasion has caused a humanitarian crisis, bringing destruction and suffering to the people of Ukraine. Russia is now paying a heavy economic price for its decision to start this war. This is demonstrated by the self-inflicted damage to Russias nation brand, which is now worth less than that of Belgium  a country with a population 12 times smaller.

At the same time, although the war has wrought catastrophic humanitarian and economic devastation on Ukraine, causing its brand value to drop by $22 billion from $107 billion to $85 billion, the nation has successfully defended its independence and won the support of allies internationally.

As a result, Ukraines brand strength score has gone up by over 5 points year on year from 52.8 to 57.9 out of 100, driven mostly by a 15% increase in brand perceptions. Research carried out by Brand Finance in March 2022 saw Ukraine increase in familiarity, reputation, and influence, in addition to other metrics such as respected leaders, rule of law and human rights, and trustworthy media. - TradeArabia News Service
This editorial appears in the September 30, 2022 issue of Executive Intelligence Review.

November 10, 2016

A New Conception of What International Relations Are

[Print version of this editorial]

Editors Note: This statement appeared as an editorial in EIR Vol. 43, No. 47, Nov. 18, 2016, page 19.

This short commentary by Lyndon LaRouche (1922-2019) is excerpted from a meeting Mr. LaRouche had with associates soon after the electoral upset in the U.S. presidential election of November 7, 2016, in which Donald Trump was elected President of the United States. The international challenge posed here has been the subject of a series of online international conferences sponsored by the Schiller Institute beginning on April 9, 2022, to build a new security and development architecture for all nations.The Editors, September 23, 2022.

The whole economic system is not ready to work. Weve got to get that system functioning, not just a few things here and there. Weve got to pull [together] a special kind of organization which facilitates the ability of getting more parts of the world in the hands of the other part of the world. Otherwise, the thing wont work. Youve got to pull things together. If you dont have a connection, you dont have a contract.... What youre going to see on this question is a more complicated thing. What youre going to get is an understanding of a new conception of what international relations are. Thats what is going to happen, and thats the way it will work. Otherwise, it will not work for obvious reasons, for those who are familiar with the details of the German and other economies.

One of the problems is that there is presently no qualified content of developing the relations among these nations. Youve got to get an actual content, which has to be functional. Thats one of the things we have to work on, but thats not in place now.

The problem is that we do not have a defined international system which will secure peace. It doesnt yet exist, and weve got to make it.... Its going to take a lot of work by people to do it, because its not just doing it by name; the problem is to understand how that can work. This can be done. This can be done with the collaboration of some parts of the world as a whole. The overall picture is not going to be easy, but there are some connections which could be made early. But there is a lot to do to get [it] in the right way of success.

I wouldnt depend on Trump. Hes going to do what hes going to do, but dont depend on him. You have to depend on the creation of a new system, not Trumps system but a new system, a global system which will meet the requirements of the development of a true international system. And you have to organize people on that basis. You cannot just say, Were going to try to make this thing work. It wont work. It wont work. But we can start. I would say Germany, Germany has a potential; if it wants to do so, it probably could make a good contribution.... What Putin is doing is excellent, and its well integrated; China is becoming very well integrated in many respects. Youre getting development in parts of Asia. All these things are in place, but youve got to get the mechanism which makes it all come together in a syncretic way.

Space science is the way that people have to operate, because space science incorporates the crucial elements which are lacking from other sources.

Youve got to get into the mind of the present population internationally and nationally; you have to get into the mind of that person who has no conception whatsoever of what that mind requires. What you can do is, you can do things which will prompt development, but its chiefly local development and regional development. Weve got to get mechanisms of international trade and agreements thereof, and thats whats required urgently, right now!

Odds and ends will not do this. So, therefore, dont try odds and ends. Youve actually got to get into the gut of the mind of the people of different nations. Ive had a lot of experience in this thing. It doesnt come about because of people who dont really understand what this is about. Looking in the course of history, you would say that I have a very keen insight into humanity.
This transcript appears in the September 30, 2022 issue of Executive Intelligence Review.

[Print version of this transcript]

Bradley Blankenship

A Young U.S. Journalists View of Americas

Criminal War Policy and the Attempt To Silence Me

This is the edited transcript of the presentation of Bradley Blankenship to Panel 2, Defend the Right to Deliberate! Speak Out Against Blacklists and the Suppression of the Search for Truth, of the Schiller Institutes Sept. 1011 Conference, Inspiring Humanity To Survive the Greatest Crisis in World History. Mr. Blankenship is an American journalist who writes for Xinhua and RT.

The full video of Panel 2 is available here.

View full size

Schiller Institute Bradley Blankenship

Hey, everybody! Thanks a lot for this opportunity. I think what the Schiller Institute is doing is really great, supporting us who are on the list.

First, Id like to talk a little bit about my perspective, because I thinkno offense to the other people on the listbut I think Im probably the youngest person there, so my experience is a little bit different. Before Scott Bull rushes me here, I have to say that just being the age that I am, and experiencing the things that I havefor example, I was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, I grew up in northern Kentucky, which is basically the epicenter of the heroin and opiate crisis in the United States. The experience Ive had seeing how little the United States government cares about its citizens, has inspired me to do all the work I do now, especially criticizing the policies of the U.S. government.

Because of that, because of what Ive witnessed in my personal life, the destitution of people around me and so on, and also discovering U.S. foreign policy later in life, this has all really driven me to the point where I can say I dont feel like Im a patriot. I dont feel like I respect my country. And its precisely because of lists like this, that target people like me and people like Scott Ritter and others, people like Geoff Young.

I should note that this is not the first time that has actually happened to me. Several years ago, at the height of the Syrian war, I was affiliated with a news agency called Al-Masdar news agency. We were accused of being funded by Hezbollah, which many of you know is a U.S.-designated terrorist organization. So, that implied that we were somehow affiliated with a terrorist organization, and this accusation was levelled by an Israeli-backed group called PropOrNot, which was picked up by the Washington Post. It was on the international media after this. I was personally accused of being funded by Hezbollah, which you can imagine, is quite a heavy accusation.

I was also affiliated with TeleSUR. I lived in Ecuador for a while. The U.S.-backed Lenin Moreno regime sanctioned our organization. We were unable to get paid, and the police were harassing us and in particular me, while I was the editor on duty at this building. We had armed guards there to protect us. You can imagine, as a person in their early 20s, that this is quite a scary situation. Shortly thereafter, I moved to Europe, and I right now live in the Czech Republic, where I have also been targetted for my views.

For example, at one point, the Prague City Council tore down a statue to Ivan Konev, the Soviet General who liberated the Czech Republic from Nazi tyranny. They tore down the statue, and shortly thereafter built a placard in Prague Six [a residential area in northwest Prague] that is dedicated to Nazi collaborators. I pointed this out in a column, and I was immediately targetted by the Czech media, Czech nationalists, anybody you can think of. Ive been targetted by tabloids here, people trying to dig into my life. Shortly after Russia entered the conflict with Ukraine, I had people show up to my housea mob trying to attack me, and I had to call the police.

This is not a joke; this is our lives. Particularly here in the Czech Republic and many other parts of the world that used to be part of the Warsaw Pact, there are laws in placefor example in the Czech Republicthat you can be sent to prison for having pro-Russian views. Though I understand that this has not been implemented so liberally, it is still something that can happen. And me particularly being on this blacklist and a foreigner in this country, Im at particular risk of this.

I just wanted to say that, especially addressing the question from the gentleman from TASS, that imprisonment is a form of political violence. And yes, I can totally imagineand it is happening nowthere are people here in the Czech Republic who have been prosecuted and sent to jail for having allegedly pro-Russian views. Depending on how far theyre willing to take this, I could be one of those people.

In fact, I should note that I have been summoned to the Ministry of Interior next week. So, in fact, I might be detained at that point. This is something that Im dealing with in my life.

As far as why I was on the list, I think its quite interesting. I was surprised to find myself on this list. I should say that Im a reporter for Xinhua News Agency here in the Czech Republic, a columnist at RT, as well as a columnist at CGTN and various other Chinese media outlets. The reason I was surprised to find myself on this list is the reason I described: that I said that the sanctions against Russia are not working, right? If you would just happen to be a person living in the world today, that is so obvious.

I live in Europe; Im seeing the energy crisis here. For example, we just had 70,000 people march in Wenceslaus Square in the center of Prague, opposed to their own governments policy and demanding the resignation of the Czech government because of their policies. They also said that Im a Russian propagandist because I said Ukraine is a hotbed for right-wing extremism. I was on RTs Cross Talk with Peter Lavelle, and the day after that I said, The day after that was the Buffalo, New York shootings. This is happening to people right now.

According to the list, I said that I believe the world should negotiate with Putin. What I said was the world should negotiate with Russia. That is a principled, pro-peace position. If you care about Ukrainian life, Ukrainian infrastructure, the Ukrainian economy, you dont want this war to continue. Thats exactly what were doing with our policies of arming and propping up the Zelensky government. That has nothing to do with being pro-Russia. I will also note that on my column in RT, I explicitly said that I believe that the war is a violation of international law. So, to describe me somehow as supporting the Russian state, is absolutely ridiculous.

Thank you.
This transcript appears in the September 30, 2022 issue of Executive Intelligence Review.

[Print version of this transcript]

Col. Richard H. Black Forbid Unlawful Efforts To Silence American Citizens

This is the edited transcript of the presentation of Col. Richard H. Black as part of Panel 2, Defend the Right to Deliberate! Speak Out Against Blacklists and the Suppression of the Search for Truth, of the Schiller Institutes Sept. 1011 Conference, Inspiring Humanity To Survive the Greatest Crisis in World History. Col. Black was the chief of the U.S. Armys Criminal Law Division at the Pentagon, and a Virginia State Senator.

The full video of Panel 2 is available here.

View full size

Schiller Institute Col. Richard H. Black

What were going to be talking about is the fact that the U.S. Congress, through its appropriations, has been funding the Ukrainian Center for Countering Disinformation (CCD). They are attempting, by doing this, to be able to control freedom of speech, not directly in this countrywhich is clearly unlawfulbut by having a foreign entity do it, where they can suppress free speech using American dollars to do it overseas.

Im going to start off because the 71 people who have been put on the hit list by the Ukrainian Center for Countering Disinformation, what I call a hit list, is basically condemning us as war criminals, info terrorists, and Russian propagandists. So, I want to make it clear that that is quite wide of the mark. Im just going to give myself as an example, but I think everyone who is involved could probably give something similar.

Let me just start by giving you a little of my background, because I want to make it very clear that I love my country; Ive risked my life for it hundreds of times. I volunteered to fight in Vietnam. Mike Carly and I, two Marine Corps pilots, became the first two volunteers from the East Coast Helicopter Forces to volunteer to join the West Coast chopper pilots who were already in Vietnam.

While I was there, I flew 269 combat missions. My helicopter was hit by ground fire on four of those flights, and in one case, bullets that were aimed directly at me, were just a little too early, and they tore through the cowling of the cockpit just before my head. They very nearly hit me, and were aimed at me, very nearly hitting me. Later, during my tour of duty, I was fighting on the ground, and I heard that Mike Carly was shot through the face and killed as he flew Marine infantry men into battle, not ten miles away from me.

I was flying off the carrier Iwo Jima in the South China Sea, near the coast of the Philippines, when the flight operations officer at the ready room briefed us in the morning. He said that our squadron had been tasked with providing a volunteer to fight on the ground with the First Marine Division, which was heavily engaged in combat at the time. I immediately volunteered, went to work with the First Marine Division, and fought in 70, often bloody, combat patrols. During my final patrol, I was wounded, and both of my radiomen were killedCorporal Henry Smith and Lance Corporal Dennis Wargo. They died right next to me, after we had launched a rubber boat assault, and successfully landed on the far side of the Hoi An River under enemy fire.

I served a total of 32 years in uniform; first as a Marine pilot, and then later as an Army lawyer. I ran legal offices at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri; Fort Ord, California; and Fort Lewis, Washington. I would typically supervise 2540 Army lawyers. Finally, I retired as chief of the Criminal Law Division at the Pentagon, where I testified before Congress, advised the Senate Armed Services Committee on issues of national importance, and prepared Executive Orders that were signed by the President of the United States.

All of that said, I am adamantly opposed to our current wars, especially the very dangerous war that weve engaged in, in Ukraine. I believe that U.S., UK, and European Union have embarked on an imprudent course of action that carries a significant risk of eventually triggering an all-out nuclear war.

The Dangerous Fraud of Countering Disinformation

Recently, the Department of Homeland Security tried to establish a domestic center for countering disinformation here in the United States. Fortunately for us, Nina Jankowicz, an outrageous, narcissistic young lady, was the Department of Homeland Security pick to become agency head. Her presentation to the public was so bizarre that Americans simply recoiled at the idea of someone like her censoring their thoughts and expressions. So, the U.S. Center for Disinformation, run by DHS, has temporarily been blocked because of its potential for violating Americans First Amendment freedoms. But DHS did not limit their censorship information efforts to the United States. It has exported them into Ukraine.

By the way, Nina Jankowicz is a very accomplished Ukrainian linguist, who is very deeply involved in governmental affairs there, leading up to the war. It is difficult to imagine that she is not really up to her knees in the information suppression efforts of Ukraine.

The Center for Countering Disinformation in Ukraine is financed by the U.S. government under H.R. 7691, which is called the Additional Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2022. This provides funding for the Ukrainian government and for its Center for Countering Disinformation. Many of the people theyve targeted, including Senator Rand Paul and former Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard, are very patriotic American citizens with strong, well-informed views on foreign policy. Its the intention of the Department of Homeland Security and the Ukrainian Center for Countering Disinformation, to silence us.

For example, there was a communique that came in the other day, relative to a conference September 12. This was put on by Ukraines National Security and Defense Council, and its now-notorious Center for Countering Disinformation. There were representatives from NATO, from the U.S. State Department, and from European nations in attendance. Oleksiy Danilov, the Secretary of the Ukrainian National Security and Defense Council, said, Today, our goal is to form an international hub for countering information threats at a national and international level. International law must recognize info terrorism as a crime, and that anyone committing such a crime should be declared an information terrorist, subject to measures that are applied to actual terrorists, which presumably includes the death penalty.

Unlawful Acts by U.S. Agencies

Its unlawful for a U.S. agency to fund a foreign agency in order to censor American citizens. Its unlawful for the agency to do it here; its unlawful for them to fund and pay off another country to do it over there.

The Ukrainian CCD makes available names and personal information to a murderous, Kiev-based website, Myrotvorets, which is suspected of encouraging such killings as the Moscow car-bombing of Darya Dugina, who was the daughter of a prominent Russian activist and journalist. They have also listed on their websitewhich is very extensive, it includes thousands of peoplehundreds of children whose crime is that they posted pro-Russian Facebook entries on their computers.

Also, while the facts remain very speculative, and I want to be clear on that, the Rio Times [in Brazil] now sees links between Ukraine and the attempted assassination of Argentinas Vice President Cristina Kirchner. Kirchner was criticized early on by Ukrainian sympathizers for refusing to harshly condemn Russias special operation in Ukraine, and for calling for peace talks to end the war. Whether the Ukrainian Center for Countering Disinformation is involved or not, these violent acts suggest that the CCD is encouraging them. They may not be behind them, but they are certainly encouraging them.

So, its our position that the Congressional appropriations must explicitly forbid Ukraine from using funds to silence patriotic American voices. Thank you.
This transcript appears in the September 30, 2022 issue of Executive Intelligence Review.

[Print version of this transcript]

David T. Pyne

How Is Promoting a Realistic Peace Plan a War Crime?

This is the edited transcript of the presentation of David T. Pyne to Panel 2, Defend the Right To Deliberate! Speak Out Against Blacklists and the Suppression of the Search for Truth, of the Schiller Institutes Sept. 1011 Conference, Inspiring Humanity to Survive the Greatest Crisis in World History. Mr. Pyne is Deputy Director of National Operations for the EMP Taskforce on National and Homeland Security, and also writes for The National Interest magazine.

The full video of Panel 2 is available here.

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Schiller Institute David T. Pyne

I think this conference is very important, very timely, given that President Biden has recently issued a prime-time tirade denouncing 74 million Americans who are supportive of America First policies, America First foreign policy, as domestic violent extremists and fascists. I think his administration has been the one who is actually pursuing such fascistic methods and policies, and trying to censor free thought, especially any thoughts that would go against the administrations war policy in support of, instead of ending, the war in Ukraine, actually lengthening it.

Just to give a little background. I currently work as the Deputy Director of National Operations for the EMP Taskforce on National Homeland Security. Im a former U.S. Army combat arms officer, I also worked as an international programs manager for the Department of the Army Headquarters Staff in charge of armaments cooperation with the former Soviet Union, Eastern Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and the Americas from 2000-2003. I have two graduate degrees. I completed a masters degree for national security studies from Georgetown University. And Im currently serving as a contributor to The National Interest, a foreign policy journal. I was also a contributor to Dr. Peter Prys book, Blackout Warfare, as well as his upcoming book, Will America Be Protected? which is due out later this year. And finally, Im editor of a newsletter titled, The Real War, which is available at https://dpyne.substack.com.

Back in January, I began writing a number of articles in support of peace in The National Interest. I warned that if the Biden administration didnt agree to Russias essential basic demand that we issue a written guarantee that Ukraine would never be allowed to join NATO, then Russia would invade Ukraine later the following month. And of course, thats exactly what happened.

Then I began writing a number of articles with ideas for how we could negotiate a mutual security agreement, similar to, but not exactly the same as what Russia proposed back in December, and kind of de-escalate our hostilities and all of our conflicts with Russia so that we could re-establish a more just and lasting peace in Europe and avoid any future conflicts with Russia.

On June 18, I published a 15-point peace plan to end the war in Ukraine. That is something that put me on the radar of Ukraine. I previously had published a peace plan back in early March, and received some negative feedback from a Ukrainian source in April, denouncing me as a paid agent of the Kremlin. In this subsequent article, in June, it was essentially about ending the war with kind of a peace without victory.

Under my proposal, Ukraine of course would become neutral, cutting off all ties with NATO. Thats something that Zelensky said he was open to, and would accept, as early as February of this year, after the invasion. Russia would have to withdraw from all Ukrainian territory. I dont consider Crimea to be part of Ukraine anymore, because obviously it was annexed by Russia back in 2014, except for the Donbas. The Donbas region [could] have a popular referendum to decide on the question of independence. That is what got me in trouble and got me put on this blacklist that was issued by the Ukrainian Center for Countering Disinformation, which I have since learned is U.S. government funded, which I find very disturbing.

I received a deluge of negative emails, scary emails from Ukrainians attacking me, using a lot of profanity and denouncing me as a Russian agent for publishing this very sincere peace proposal, which I think would be fair to both Ukraine and Russia. I think its something that is realistic. We have to be realistic. Im a foreign policy realist. Yet, its something that I think would end the war and end the death and destruction in Ukraine. And we could accomplish that very quickly and have a return to normalcy in Europe, which would allow for the process of Ukrainian reconstruction to begin.

I also learned that noted national security strategist Edward Luttwak was put on the Ukrainian blacklist for the same reason that I washe had also proposed some sort of popular referendum in the Donbas region on the question of independence as a potential compromise.

I do want to say that Ive since seen some signals from the Russian government that they would be supportive of a peace plan along the lines that I issued. So, despite the obvious fact that theyre directly responsible for the war in Ukraine, because they invaded Ukraine, theyve actually been the most interested in peace, because they have very limited objectives that theyve articulated beginning the day after their invasion. Ive been tracking all their peace proposals, and those peace proposals have remained the same since early March. Again, the only major difference between what I proposed and what they proposed is the idea of a popular referendum, which I think theyre coming around to. But that would leave open the possibility that Ukraine could expel Russian forces from all of Ukraine, including the Donbas, were the people of the Donbas to choose to stay with Ukraine versus becoming independent.

Its very difficult for me to understand how the Ukrainian government could possibly denounce me as a Russian agent, given the possibility that this could provide them with the opportunity to essentially win the war in a bloodless victory. Ive learned that other more well-known Americans on this list include Senator Rand Paul, former Representative Tulsi Gabbard, Colonel Douglas Macgregor, and Dr. John Mearsheimer, who is one of our premier foreign policy analysts from the realist school, as I am.

In no way are any of us guilty of disseminating Russian disinformation. I think the only real offense that weve committed is that we are much more supportive of a policy of peace rather than war, and that weve been very patriotic in that support. Americas lasting foreign policy, at least prior to World War I, was one of supporting peace and being the peacemaker of the world, rather than the peacekeeper of the world in terms of being a world policeman. I think we need to return to doing that.

But Bidens undeclared proxy war against Russia in Ukraine, particularly in terms of providing long-range rockets to Ukraine to strike Russian targets inside Russian territory, I think is greatly increasing the chances of Russian nuclear escalation. And the constant onslaught of Ukrainian government war propaganda and disinformation has really had a negative impact on our national security, and I think its something that we need to counter. Because the number one national security interest of the United States is to avoid a nuclear war with Russia and China.

Since that list was issued, Im very pleased to hear that as of August 11, the Ukrainian Center for Countering Disinformation removed from its website its disgraceful blacklist of American citizens and folks from other Western countries. And I credit EIR for helping to accomplish that, so Im grateful to them for all the hard work theyve done to do that. But I think the truth is coming out about Ukraines corrupt and autocratic leader. Zelensky is not really a democratic leader, hes much more of an autocrat, and also very corrupt.

Thank you.
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This transcript appears in the September 30, 2022 issue of Executive Intelligence Review.

[Print version of this transcript]

Mira Terada

Initiative: Demand the UN Defend Journalists from the Illegal Actions of Myrotvorets

This is the edited transcript of the presentation of Mira Terada to Panel 2, Defend the Right To Deliberate! Speak Out Against Blacklists and the Suppression of the Search for Truth, of the Schiller Institutes Sept. 1011 Conference, Inspiring Humanity To Survive the Greatest Crisis in World History. Ms. Terada, a Russian citizen, is head of the Foundation To Battle Injustice.

The full video of Panel 2 is available here.

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Schiller Institute Mira Terada

Hello everyone. I would like to thank the Schiller Institute and the Executive Intelligence Review for this event and the opportunity to participate and contribute in it.

The Ukrainian nationalist resource Myrotvorets, which is in fact a legalized terrorist organization in Ukraine, and created on the initiative of a former freelance advisor to the Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine, collects and publishes in its database, persons allegedly involved in anti-Ukrainian actions or words. Personal data is obtained illegally, published without permission, and exposes peoples lives and safety to a real threat.

The administration of the site, which has proclaimed itself a group of specialists, publishes the residential addresses, document numbers, and other personal data of everyone who comes into the field of view of the Myrotvorets.

As the head of the human rights organization Foundation To Battle Injustice, I have been working for several months to close this resource and recognize it as a terrorist organization. This is the reason why my personal data was also published on the Myrotvorets database. The foundations human rights defenders analyzed the data posted on Myrotvorets, on the basis of which we had two press conferences in Moscow, the main purpose of which was to attract the attention of the world community to the illegal publication of personal data of journalists and underage children.

Journalists, Children Targeted for Attack

Moreover, the human rights defenders of the Foundation To Battle Injustice have transferred the collected materials to the United Nations through the First Deputy Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation to the UN, Dmitry Polyanskiy, and to the UN Childrens Fund, UNICEF.

I also would like to inform you that the Foundation To Battle Injustice submitted documents to the Federal Security Service of Russia, to investigate the activities of the Myrotvorets website and to recognize those involved in the creation of this resource as a terrorist organization. According to the materials collected by the human rights defenders of the Foundation To Battle Injustice, the Ukrainian nationalist resource contains personal data of at least 327 minors, including their residential addresses, links to social media pages, contact numbers, etc.

The youngest of the children in the Myrotvorets database is not even 10 years old: a girl born in 2012 was published on the database because of participation in an action dedicated to the 76th anniversary of a victory in World War II on May 9, 2021 in the city of Gorlovka, Donetsk Peoples Republic [D.P.R.]. Another 9-year-old, from Russia, was listed on the Myrotvorets website only because her parents posted on the Internet a video of their summer vacation on the territory of Crimea. Many children received threats, including physical violence, after the publication of personal data on the Ukrainian website Myrotvorets.

In addition to the personal data of minors, Myrotvorets contains the data of journalists from Russia and the world. During the analysis of the Foundation To Battle Injustice, we came to the conclusion that the database of the Ukrainian nationalist resource contains the personal data of at least 341 journalists from 31 countries of the world. The targets for the administrators of the Ukrainian website are media employees accredited in D.P.R. and L.P.R. [Lugansk Peoples Republic] who have visited those republics and Crimea, and also expressed a point of view that differs from the official position of Kiev.

In order to give at least a faint illusion of legality to their actions, the administrators of the Myrotvorets put forward serious accusations of crimes against Ukraine by journalists. Many journalists who became victims of the criminal activities of Myrotvorets reported that after the publication of their personal information on the site, they began to receive threats. Ukrainian journalist Oles Buzina, who was mentioned before, who was killed in Kiev in 2014, shortly before his death said that he received threats referring to the Myrotvorets database. A total of 12 journalists from the Myrotvorets list died violently, most of whom were Russian citizens, including Darya Dugina, whose personal data was posted a month and a half before her death.

The publication by Ukrainian nationalists not only violates a number of international agreements and laws, but also endangers the lives and safety of everyone who found themselves on the Myrotvorets firing list. The Foundation To Battle Injustice prepared an Open Letter to the UN which has already been signed by many. Today I ask all participants and viewers of this conference to sign the letter. Ive sent the letter to the Schiller Institute and Executive Intelligence Review, so they have it. [See elsewhere in this issueed.] I believe it will be sent to you as well: Please sign it. And next week well have an online petition put up on our website as well. The websites address is: fondfbr.ru.

As the head of the Foundation To Battle Injustice, Im convinced that only through the joint efforts of human rights organizations, law enforcement agencies, and international intergovernmental organizations is it possible to achieve complete blocking of the Myrotvorets resource and complete deletion of personal data, collected and posted illegally. Thank you.

Harley Schlanger (panel moderator): Thank you, Mira. We do have your letter, and we will make that available to anyone who wants it to sign it and send it in. It will be on the Schiller Institute website.
This transcript appears in the September 30, 2022 issue of Executive Intelligence Review.

[Print version of this transcript]

Eva Karene Bartlett

Myrotvorets Is a Threat to Journalists Everywhere

This is the edited transcript of the presentation of Eva Karene Bartlett to Panel 2, Defend the Right to Deliberate! Speak Out Against Blacklists and the Suppression of the Search for Truth, of the Schiller Institutes Sept. 1011 Conference, Inspiring Humanity To Survive the Greatest Crisis in World History. Ms. Bartlett is an international journalist.

The full video of Panel 2 is available here.

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Schiller Institute Eva Karene Bartlett

Hi. My name is Eva Karene Bartlett. Im a Canadian and American citizen and journalist. Ive been reporting from conflict zones since 2007, when I first went to Occupied Palestine. In late 2008, I went to the Gaza Strip, where I lived for a cumulative three years until March 2013, living there off and on. I was there during the 2008-9 Israeli war in Gaza, and also the 2012 Israeli war in Gaza.

In April 2014, I started reporting from Syria, and I continued to go back to Syria, including last year, a cumulative 15 times now, sometimes for extended periods.

In September 2019, I first went to the Donetsk Peoples Republic in the Donbass and spent about three weeks there around the northern village of Horlivka, visiting areas that were being shelled on a daily and nightly basis by the Ukrainian forces, and speaking with the mostly-elderly residents whom I met, residents who were being terrorized by the Ukrainian shelling. They had nowhere to go, and had only the option of remaining there under the shelling, patching up their homes as best they could. It was truly an appalling situation.

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Courtesy, Eva Bartlett

The administrator of the village of Zaitsevo described the Ukrainian shelling and deliberate attacks on homes as Ukraine taking out and destroying house by house, street by street. Indeed, while I was there, I saw the smoldering remains of a house that had been shelled a day or two prior.

After my 2019 visit, I wrote a lengthy article for MintPress News, detailing what Id seen and heard and experienced. At some point after that, I was placed on the notorious Ukrainian Myrotvorets kill list. Now, that didnt stop me from reporting. I continued to go to the Donbass this year; going in March with a delegation of other journalists, and then in April going back on my own, staying for a few weeks and doing so in subsequent months, until mid-August, when I left the Donbass.

In reporting from both the Donetsk and Lugansk Peoples Republic, Ive seen and heard of many of Ukraines atrocities and war crimes. For example, in one of my visits, Ukraine shelled a busy marketplace, killing five people. The bodies were still lying in the market when I visited.

In, I believe it was June, Ukrainein an intense bout of Ukrainian shelling of the center of Donestskagain, no military infrastructure there whatsoever. Purely civilian infrastructure, purely Ukrainian terrorism of civiliansUkraine bombed a maternity hospital.

In last July, Ukraine began firing rockets containing the prohibited Petal or PFM-1 [anti-personnel] mines, raining them down on Donetsk and surrounding areas, including the very heart of Donetsk. These mines are incredibly difficult to spot, even when theyve been indicated and theres some sort of indicator around them. I myself saw many of them, but had a hard time picking them out visually. Obviously, I did not get close enough for them to blow my hand or feet off as they are designed to do. When I last saw an update, nearly 60 civilians have had primarily feet, but also hands, blown off by these prohibited mines.

Ukraine signed the Ottawa Treaty, and its use of these mines is illegal; its a war crime. So, this is one of many war crimes I have documented in reporting from the Donbass. Canada unconditionally supports Ukraine. Canada has funded Ukraine up to $1 billion. Canada has trained Ukrainian soldiers, including Azov, and Canadians themselves have gone to fight in Ukraine. If they didnt already have this Nazi ideology, certainly after being in Ukraine and indoctrinated by the Nazis there, Canadians returning to Canada will almost certainly have this ideology.

If I as a journalist and a Canadian citizen were to return to Canada, I have no idea what some of these Ukrainian nationalist-type Canadians would do to me. But Im certain the Canadian government would not protect me at all.

Additionally, in July, Canada state broadcaster and main propagandist, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, or CBC, ran a smear on me in which they basically depicted me, of course, as a Russian propagandist, not even discussing what Ive reported on from the Donbass, and thereby whitewashing the Ukraine war crimes. CBC, instead, in its report focussed on my participation in a war crimes tribunal in Moscow. The interesting thing about that, aside from the actually quite shoddy and pathetic smear of me, is that the CBC listed me as participating in that tribunal in April, when in fact it was March 11th. Where did the CBC get that information? Well, the only place they could have gotten that information is Ukraines Myrotvorets smear-list entry on me, which details my participation in that panel and incorrectly lists it as being in April.

It may have been coincidental that Ukraine bombed a hotel full of journalists, or it may not, because it was well-known that journalists stayed there.

So, I know for a fact that the CBC is aware of the kill list and is aware of my entry on it, but chose not to report on it. So independent media reached out to me in late May and conducted an interview with me on my reporting from the Donbass and also on the Myrotvorets entry. They concluded by saying they were going to contact major corporate media in Canada. Not a single corporate media entity has contacted me about that kill list.

It may have been coincidental that Ukraine bombed a hotel full of journalists, or it may not, because it was well-known that journalists stayed there.

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Courtesy, Eva Bartlett

On August 4th when I was in Donetsk, Ukraine was bombing the very center of the city heavily. The first three bombs were about 200 meters away from the hotel I was staying in. The fourth and fifth landed 50 meters away and then exactly next to the hotel. It may have been coincidental that Ukraine bombed a hotel full of journalists, or it may not, because it was well-known that journalists stayed there. Four days prior, Louise Mensch had tweeted at Ukrainian special forces that I was in the Donbass. The tone of her tweet was effectively to liquidate me, as the Myrotvorets folks like to say.

Returning to the issue of Myrotvorets, its absolutely appalling that a database like this exists, openly calling for the murders of people like myself, yourselves, 327 children, simply because we are speaking about Ukraines war crimes and were speaking about the corruption within Ukraine. This list presents a very real threat to Ukrainians themselves, not only to journalists and to people who are speaking out, but to Ukrainians within Ukraine proper. Many of these Ukrainians have already been disappeared or killed.

As I said before, none of this will stop me from reporting, and Im preparing to return to the Donbass in the near future. But the Myrotvorets list should not exist. We must do everything we can to have it removed, and hold those behind it and those who are tacitly supporting it accountable for terrorism.
This transcript appears in the September 30, 2022 issue of Executive Intelligence Review.

[Print version of this transcript]

Moderators Introduction

Panel 2, Defend the Right To Deliberate! Speak Out Against Blacklists and the Suppression of the Search for Truth

This is the edited transcript of Harley Schlangers opening remarks introducing Panel 2, Sept. 10, 2022, of the Schiller Institutes Sept. 10-11 Conference, Inspiring Humanity To Survive the Greatest Crisis in World History. Mr. Schlanger is a spokesperson for the Schiller Institute. The full video of Panel 2 is available is here.

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Schiller Institute Harley Schlanger

It is often said that truth is the first casualty of war. Given that this has been demonstrated throughout history, it should follow that preventing conflicts which might lead to war, or ending wars once they begin, requires an honest process of deliberation and dialogue between the parties. In the prelude to the present conflict in Ukraine, there was a prolonged effort by one side to address the question of security guarantees, a discussion which was repeatedly sabotaged by the NATO powers, whose leaders refused to even allow an honest dialogue to take place. The result is a deadly conflict which is deepening.

Meanwhile, the trans-Atlantic side continues to suppress the discussion of mutual security guarantees, insists that there be no negotiations, and is pouring in weapons and financial support to continue the fighting, with the intentas stated by U.S. Defense Secretary Austin at the U.S. Ramstein Air Base in Germany several months agoto weaken Russia.

Instead of dialogue, those who call for negotiations to end the conflict are placed on a hit list by Ukraines Center for Countering Disinformation; labelled information terrorists and war criminals and Putin propagandists. Some of them have been placed on a second list called Myrotvorets, which security experts have identified as a kill list. Some on the list have already been victims of assassination, including Russian journalist and activist Darya Dugina, killed by a car bomb near Moscow on August 20th, with compelling evidence pointing to Ukrainian special forces as behind the killing. In the interest of full disclosure, let me add that I am included on both lists.

On September 7th, the Executive Intelligence Review sponsored a press briefing titled, Ukraine Blacklist Targets from the U.S. and Abroad Speak Out: Demand Congressional and UN Action to Shut Down Kievs Kill List Operations. Speakers included military and intelligence professionals, candidates, journalists, and peace activists. A video of that press briefing is available here.

This panel will begin with a summary of the EIR report on the kill list, followed by speakers who are on that kill list. You will hear that this operation is not only funded by the U.S. and UK governments, and NATO, but officials from those governments have participated in discussions and planning sessions in Kiev to coordinate the silencing of opposing voices without any of them speaking out against it.

Our purpose in this panel is not to complain, as were going to stick with Helga Zepp LaRouches intent to provide solutions. Its our intention to change this. This must be exposed; the funding cut; and these operations shut down. Freedom of speech is one of the fundamental rights for American citizens, guaranteed by the First Amendment to our Constitution. After hearing from our panel, I hope youll be moved to join us in our demands that this attempt to silence opposing views, including by assassination, cannot be tolerated and must be shut down.

The keynote to this panel is going to be given by Diane Sare, who is a candidate for U.S. Senate from New York. Her opponent is Charles Schumer, who is one of the people who has argued most vehemently for funding these special operations of the Ukrainian government. Dianes keynote address is titled, The Best of All Possible Worlds.
This transcript appears in the September 30, 2022 issue of Executive Intelligence Review.

[Print version of this transcript]

James Jatras

Schiller InstituteLightning Rod To Meet Perilous Times

This is the edited transcript of the presentation of James Jatras to Panel 2, Defend the Right to Deliberate! Speak Out Against Blacklists and the Suppression of the Search for Truth, of the Schiller Institutes Sept. 1011 Conference, Inspiring Humanity To Survive the Greatest Crisis in World History. Mr. Jatras is a retired former diplomat and a former advisor to the U.S. Senate Republican leadership. The full video of Panel 2 is available here.

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Schiller Institute James Jatras

I want to express my gratitude to Helga Zepp-LaRouche and the Schiller Institute and The LaRouche Organization for inviting me to participate in this very important event.

We live in very perilous times. We are living with an increasing threat of global war because of the way the Biden administration, with the support of not only Democrats in Congress, but Republicans in Congress, has been pressing this proxy war against Russia in Ukraine, and the threats we have in the Far East over Taiwan. I dont think we can overstate how dangerous this is.

At the same time, we have the Biden administration essentially declaring war on a huge segment of the American people, declaring them to be enemies of the people, enemies of democracy, fascists, as the President stands before a backdrop of what only can be considered a fascist scene from a movie somewhere.

Then, we have to add to that yet another ingredient with this so-called hit list or this identification from the Ukrainian government of people whom they designate as information terrorists, as essentially combatants in this proxy war. As we know, some of these lists really set up people for assassination, as we saw recently with Darya Dugina.

The worst thing about this, what we have to say as Americans is, we are funding all of this. This is our money being poured down into this effort that is then being used to turn around and designate Americans in this way and potentially set them up for violence against them by one or a number of intelligence services around the world.

More than thatand I dont think sufficient attention has been paid to thisnot only are we funding these activities by the Ukrainian government, but almost certainly, in my professional opinion as a former Senate staffer and a former Foreign Service officer, almost certainly our intelligence agencies are complicit in drawing up these lists that identify individuals who will be targetted in this way.

So, I think its very important. We have a big job ahead of us, if we want to recover any kind of sense of integrity in our government, to demand that these kinds of activities stop; that Congress cut off the funding for these kinds of activities; that a light is shined on whoever is behind this in our government and has been complicit with this. I say this is a big task because, at this point, theres very little pushback from anybody in positions of power. In Congress, and certainly the Democrats, and even almost all of the Republicans are on board with these things.

So, people do need to mobilize. They need to voice their opinion to Congress, to the media, and so forth, to demand that these activities be stopped. Thats why I do want to pay special tribute to Helga Zepp-LaRouche and to The LaRouche Organization and the Schiller Institute for being not only the flagship in pushing against this, but also clearly being willing to be the lightning rod; being the people who are being singled out by this out-of-control, undemocratic, and intolerable activity by our government. I hope that people will notice the role thats being played by this organization and will support it.
This transcript appears in the September 30, 2022 issue of Executive Intelligence Review.

[Print version of this transcript]

Gretchen Small Shut Down Ukraines Center for Countering Disinformation, Global NATOs Thought Police!

This is the edited transcript of the presentation by Gretchen Small To Panel 2, Defend the Right to Deliberate! Speak Out Against Blacklists and the Suppression of the Search for Truth, of the Schiller Institutes Sept. 1011 Conference, Inspiring Humanity To Survive the Greatest Crisis in World History. Mrs. Small is with Executive Intelligence Review magazine. The full video of Panel 2 is available here.

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Schiller Institute Gretchen Small

Most people in the world had never heard of the Center for Countering Disinformation at Ukraines National Security and Defense Council before July 25 of this year, when the news broke internationally that the CCDits English acronymhad published a blacklist of over 70 personalities labeled Russian propagandists, foreigners in the service of Kremlin propaganda, with all that that entails.

No one at Executive Intelligence Review (EIR) or the Schiller Institute had heard of the CCD either, although the CCD certainly knew about the Schiller Institute. The first 31 international figures on the list had spoken at conferences organized by the Institute this year to discuss the creation of a new international security and development architecture!

EIR set up a task force to investigate. We confirmed that at least six of the people named on the CCD list also appear on the infamous Myrotvorets assassination list, three of them specifically on the basis of the CCD having designated them as Russian propagandists. Unlike the CCD, Myrotvorets, whose Orwellian name translates as Peacemaker, is quite well-known internationally. It has been investigated by the United Nations Human Rights Commission and the French Office for the Protection of Refugees and the Stateless; in 2016, it had even been called out by the G-7 ambassadors to Ukraine for targeting foreign journalists. The French report found the terrorist site to have been linked from its start in 2014 to officials in the Ukrainian Interior Ministry, the Security Service (that is, the SBU), and the Border Guards Service. Yet it still operates today, which could not happen without the acquiescence of Ukraines international partners.

But while we may not have heard of the CCD, we discovered that NATO, the U.S. and British governments, and the European Union, not only knew about it, they helped create it, fund it, work with it, and support the CCDs move to silence international opposition to Global NATOs attempt to become the policeman of the world.

Let me be clear. EIR is not making up accusations. We know the monstrous intent of this blacklist operation from the mouths of the CCD and its backers themselves, and we found the proverbial foreign paystubs for it as well. Not from anonymous sources familiar with the matter either, but from public sources.

EIR published the first results of its investigation in its September 2 issue. Here I will highlight a few key findings. As I do, keep in mind the fascist outlook of the CCD, which glorifies the neo-Nazi Azov and Right Sector brigades as symbols of the Ukrainian strugglethats what they call themand describes Ukrainian society as consolidating around hatred of Russia. Let the implications of such statements sink in.

On July 14, the day the CCD released its list of international foreigners in the service of Kremlin propaganda, CCD acting head Andriy Shapovalov told an international roundtable on countering disinformation in Kiev, that:

People who deliberately spread disinformation are information terrorists.

Shapovalov demanded laws be changed so that information terrorists, will have to answer to the law as war criminals. That roundtable was funded by the U.S. State Department. One of its co-sponsors was an outfit named Civilian Research and Development Foundation-Global. CRDF-Global is not the independent non-profit it claims to be, but is a U.S. state-sponsored operation: founded in 1995 by Congressional mandate, funded by the U.S. State and Defense Departments, the UK and Canadian governments, and the usual private foundations, and led by a team sporting long careers in the military-industrial complex.

Minimally, two representatives from NATO, two from the CRDF-Global, an official from GCHQ (the United Kingdoms National Security Agency), and a strategic communications specialist of the European Unions External Research Service, participated in the discussion of Shapovalovs proposal for how Russian propagandists spreading disinformation should be treated as terrorists.

We later discovered that CRDF-Global has co-sponsored, funded, and provided technical personnel and training so often to Ukraines National Security and Defense Council cybersecurity and counter-disinformation operations, that you might conclude that the Security Council doesnt operate without its OK.

Some U.S. Congressmen, such as Virginias U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, who wrote a concerned constituent September 7 that I do not believe that the CCD poses a threat to the safety of Americans, should take heed. When Ukraines President Volodymyr Zelenskys close aide, Mikhailo Podolyak was questioned by the Indian daily ThePrint in July about the CCD blacklist, Podolyak aggressively defended the inclusion of representatives of foreign states, in what he called military lustration lists. He called these absolutely justified, and then he said:

I will repeat once again because its important. These people  are a kind of instrument of war. Ukraine is obliged to limit the influence of such people.

The CCD has functioned under international direction since it was formally launched in April 2021 at a meeting with the ambassadors of nine countries (including all of the G-7 ambassadors) and the heads of the European Union and NATO offices in Ukraine. Andriy Yermak, the head of Zelenskys Office of the President, told those present that the CCD was to function as an international hub for countering disinformation.

Officially, the CCD has two responsibilities. One is combating information terrorism. That means fingering propagandists for prosecution or killing. Shapovalov told a Ukrainian interviewer last February:

We see the full media picture of Ukraine around the world and inform the National Security and Defense Council about it. We hand over everything useful and most interesting that we find to the SBU.

Even the Washington Post admitted on Sept. 8 that the SBU, Ukraines infamous Security Service, has a special unit to liquidate opponents.

The CCDs other responsibility is its role as an international hub. So, we can assume the CCD passes everything useful on to its international partners, too. For example, in the same interview in which he talked about fingering people for the SBU, Shapovalov reported:

[The CCD] collects evidence of hate speech against Ukraine for use in international courts.

I do not have time here to detail the initial history presented in EIRs dossier on how the U.S., NATO, and the United Kingdom moved in like gangbusters after the 2014 Maidan coup to instruct Ukrainian officials on how to organize strategic communications and run counter disinformation operations. Suffice it to say that foreign control over Ukraines censorship operations did not start with the CCD.

But when you look at these operations, it becomes clear that Ukraine is being used as NATOs proxy to crush global opposition to NATO worldwide, as well as its proxy for war against Russia. Last March 28, the CCD issued a document titled Information Terrorism: A Crime Against Humanity  This is detailed at some length in EIRs dossier. The document argues that,

The international community must officially recognize information terrorism and declare Russia an infoterrorist state. Infoterrorism must be equated with actual terrorism and requires appropriate measures to counter it.

The CCD demanded the international community agree that anyone involved in any way whatsoever with so-called infoterror be treated as an information terrorist. The CCD also asserted that it is obligatory to designate a list of individuals sponsoring information terrorism, who are then to be sanctioned.

Remember, the people on the CCDs July blacklist are charged with being infoterrorists for saying such obvious things as sanctions against Russia have backfired against other parts of the world; or, as was the case with Helga Zepp-LaRouche, specifically for organizing an international discussion on the new architecture of world security and the threat of World War III. That makes Helga a war criminal?

There was enough international blowback against the CCD for its blacklist, that it removed it from its main website August 11although it is still visible from its Telegram channels. The operation, however, is proceeding apace.

On September 2, the CCD and the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine reported that they had just held another international roundtable, this one a two-day conference on Combatting Disinformation under Conditions of Military Operations. This confab was attended by representatives of 24 nations. They listed 18 speakers, 15 of them from among their international partners. The whole gang was there: the U.S. Embassys Public Relations Officer, the Charge dAffaires of the French Embassy, Germanys Political Affairs Officer, the head of NATOs StratCom partnership with Ukraine, etc.

Shapovalov repeated the CCD litany: international law must recognize infoterrorism as a crime, and anyone committing such a crime must be designated an information terrorist and subjected to measures such as are applied to actual terrorists. The CCD claims all parties present agreed.

If thinking and dialoguing about policywhat we are doing here todayis now to be considered terrorism to be silenced, we are way beyond George Orwells 1984. This operation must be shut down.
This editorial appears in the September 30, 2022 issue of Executive Intelligence Review.

[Print version of this editorial]

EDITORIAL

Are We Actually Governed by Lunatics?

Sept. 24For once, a European mainstream publication has written the truth! Weltwoche, a Swiss weekly news magazine, published an online editorial September 23, under the title, Are We Actually Governed by Lunatics? Pointing to President Joe Biden, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock and Swiss President Ignazio Cassis, the publisher and editor-in-chief of Weltwoche, Roger Koppel wrote:

The more the Americans and the Europeans get caught up in their feverish spiral of aggression, the longer and more globally and more dangerous this war will become.

To get out of the quagmire, he says, Europe would have to

restrain the Biden administration, set limits to the Ukrainians with their camera-toting charismatic President Zelensky, who could yet fall ill with the Messiah syndrome. Risking a world war against Russia is madness. Peace negotiations are called for. Geopolitically, they have let it come to a nuclear war against Russia, not because Putin is crazy, but because they do not take the Russians seriously, probably also under deep-seated racist prejudices, treating them disparagingly, whistle at their interests, while one puts ones own interestpower-hungry and self-intoxicatedabove everything.

Meanwhile, with the Doomsday Clock now only seconds before midnight, the military, the media, and the U.S. and British political leadership rant that it is all Russias fault. It is obvious to the entire world that President Putin means exactly what he says, when he states that once the referenda are completed, Moscow will quickly accept all four oblasts into the Russian Federation. With that, any military assault on one or more of the new states of Russia will be viewed as a foreign invasion of the motherland, and the Russian military will respond. As is clearly articulated in the nuclear posture of the Russian Federation, if the existence of the motherland is threatened, the use of nuclear weapons may be used.

Do the lunatics believe that Putin is bluffing? Do they truly believe that the referenda are a sham, as they claim? Will they drag the world into nuclear holocaust in a desperate effort to save their crumbling dollar-based financial system?

It cannot be doubted. Matthew Kroenig, the acting director of the Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security at the Atlantic Council (one of Londons primary assets in the U.S.), wrote in a Sept. 16 Memo to the President titled, How To Deter Russian Nuclear Use in Ukraineand Respond if Deterrence Fails, Kroenig posits the situation in which Russia might use nuclear weapons to achieve its goals in the war in Ukraine. His Retaliatory Option 2B states The United States could use nuclear weapons to respond to and deter further Russian nuclear use in Ukraine. The Washington Post, covering Kroenigs Memo, says that he believes a first nuclear strike by Russia in Ukraine would justify the United States to strike directly against those forces, that it would be calibrated to send a message that this is not a major war coming, this is a limited strike.

This is insane on so many counts! First, Russia has made it abundantly clear that there are no targets in Ukraine warranting a nuclear strike. Russia has not even used conventional weapons on civilian targets in Ukraine and would never launch a nuclear war there. Second, the idea that there could be a limited war is a utopian fantasy. The moment one nuclear weapon is used, all or nearly all would be launched immediately, on both sides.

However, in about ten days, four oblasts which are now part of Ukraine will become part of Russia. Any shelling or troop movement by foreign military forces within those regions will be considered an invasion of Russia. Russia has experienced the horrors and destruction of two fascist armies massing on their border in preparation for invasionthat of Napoleon (the first fascist), and that of Hitler. They will not allow it to happen again.

Adm. Charles A. Richard, the commander of the U.S. Strategic Command, who last year said that a nuclear war was now more likely due to the rise of China, told a panel at the Air Force Association conference this past week:

All of us in this room are back in the business of contemplating competition through crisis and potential direct armed conflict with a nuclear-capable peer. The implications of that are profound. And this is no longer theoretical.

The Russians, meanwhile, held a conference commemorating the 60th Anniversary of the Cuban Missile Crisis. Sergei Ryabkov, the Deputy Foreign Minister of the Russian Federation, noted:

Ballistic missiles have been equipped aboard Trident submarines, which have warheads of reduced power. The Americans are deliberately lowering the nuclear threshold.

The Russian Ambassador to the U.S. Anatoly Antonov told the same conference:

While the Cuban missile crisis resulted in the recognition of the possibility of peaceful coexistence of the two great powers, nowadays Washington pursues the goal of defeating Russia and bringing it to its knees. An even better option seems to be to divide our country and subsequently establish several separate principalities within our territory, depriving it of nuclear weapons and a legitimate permanent member seat in the UN Security Council.

You will find two Open Letters to the UN General Assembly in this issue of EIR, one from the Foundation to Battle Injustice, calling for an emergency conference sponsored by the UN to investigate and shut down the Myrotvorets kill list in Ukraine, and a second issued jointly by the Schiller Institute and the Foundation to Battle Injustice, calling for the UN General Assembly to remove the causes for the war danger. Please sign both of these letters.
Swiss Military Intelligence Warns, Dont Underestimate Putin, He Will Walk the Talk

Sept. 28, 2022 (EIRNS)Swiss Lt. Col. Ralph Bosshard, a retired army intelligence officer who is a close observer of the Ukrainian situation, and whom EIR has interviewed in the past, has a short analysis posted on the German website NachDenkSeiten, on Sept. 26.

Writing before the results of the referendums, Bosshard said they were being held in the shadow of the Ukrainian government terror tactics. The fear in the affected areas of a Ukrainian criminal court is likely to be great should they come under Ukrainian control again. Reports of Ukrainian atrocities in Izyum, Balakliya and other places will not find their way into Western media, probably, but in Russian.

He warned that once the republics join Russia, they become Russian territory and therefore an attack on them is an attack on Russia, which escalates the danger of nuclear war Bosshard writes, warning: Claims from NATO circles that Russia is wary of using nuclear weapons and will flinch are purely speculative and ultimately irresponsible. The West may still be underestimating Russias resolve.

He suggests that once the regions are incorporated, Russia will give Ukraine a few days to withdraw their troops from the new Russian territories, which, of course, an outraged Kiev will reject. But Russia will hardly make such a demand without being able to take countermeasures. Vladimir Putin has shown himself in the past as able to walk the talk, and theres no reason to believe he will make an exception this time.

As Russian territory, constitutionally Putin will be able to deploy Russian reserves, and therefore, deploy a much larger force. Over the next period the newly mobilized reserves will be re-trained and deployed into the republics, while the troops that have been there since February will be withdrawn for a rest and future redeployment.

Bosshard concludes:
EIR LEAD EDITORIAL FOR THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 29, 2022

Blowing Up the Nord Stream PipelinesLook Who Had the Opportunity, Motive and Insanity

Sept. 28, 2022 (EIRNS)There are outstanding features of the Sept. 26 multiple detonations of the Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 pipelines, from the point of view of, who had the opportunity, motive and insanity to conduct such sabotage. Many informed sources have come out with to-the-point commentary on this, summarized below, which points the finger at the NATO bloc.

The first and official reactions from Brussels, Washington, and London assume a golly, lets investigate sabotage approach; but from the point of view of cui bono, the impact is not a mystery. Hundreds of thousands of people have been in the streets across Europe in recent days, demanding the reopening of Nord Stream 1, the opening of Nord Stream 2, for negotiations to start to settling the Ukraine war, and for the sanctions against Russia to end, and for life in Europe to become livable again, now and in the future. People have demanded: open Nord Stream 2, and the energy crisis will go away. Now, the pipeline sabotage blows that sky high.

All of a sudden, no Nord Stream pipelines. At least one repair company couldnt begin to do repairs, even if commissioned, because it is under sanctions. Plus, today, the EU Commission announced the eighth round of sanctions against Russia, including measures to enforce worldwide penalties for buying Russian oil, at a price over what the EU dictates.

Noteworthy is the fact that on Sept. 26, the day of the sabotage of the Nord Stream lines, the new Baltic Gas Pipeline opened, conveying gas from Norway and Danish fields to Poland. The project originated two decades ago, and has recently been completed, to great applause from Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, saying, This gas pipeline is the end of the era of dependence on Russian gas....

Schiller Institute leader Helga Zepp-LaRouche today noted the parallels between the Nord Stream explosions with the circumstances of the 2001 9/11 atrocities, in terms of what American statesman Lyndon LaRouche pointed out at the time: U.S. airspace then was completely NORAD monitored, along with other federal surveillance capacities, so the question of who could bring off such a hit, went right to networks embedded in the U.S., not to some exclusively alien source.

Look at the Baltic Sea. It is small, and completely monitored by NATO. It is one of the most closely-surveilled water bodies in the world, and highly congested with commercial, military, wind farm and other activity. The surveillance includes the agencies of NATO, Russia, Denmark, Sweden and Norway. With the civilian and military sonar and related sensing, it is impossible to conduct such a massive hit on the pipelines, without notice, or more to the point, without complicity. Look at the island of Bornholm, near where one explosion occurred. The Danes, the Swedes, and Germans all have close surveillance.

Many articles now are raising competent points, including from the German website NachDenkSeiten, and from the strategic reporting blog Moon Over Alabama, and others.

What could have delivered the explosives? There are different possibilities, including underwater drones, submarine-conveyed combat swimmers, and various devices.

Of note, is the fact that at the BALTOPS (Baltic Operations) NATO Baltic Sea military drill operations on June 5-17, there were U.S. Marine Seapower military exercises, involving maneuvers near the island of Bornholm. The huge exercise otherwise involved 45 warships, and the flagship carrier USS Kearsarge. This vessel conducted tests for special sub-sea mine destruction technologies.

Now we find that in recent days, the USS Kearsarge once again was back in the vicinity, within 10 miles of Bornholm Island.

These kinds of specifics are the context in which to understand the literal import of what President Biden told an ABC reporter on Feb. 7, 2022, If Russia invades ... then there will no longer be a Nord Stream 2. We will bring an end to it. To the reporters question, But how will you do that, exactly, since ... the project is in Germanys control? Biden replied, I promise you, we will be able to do that.

Among the several reports today: Whodunnit?Facts Related to the Sabotage Attack on the Nord Stream Pipelines.
The latest advancements in the oil and gas industry and the Oil and Gas Holding Companys (nogaholding) contribution to the future development of the local energy sector were highlighted at a meeting.

nogaholdings ambitious plans to move into a more sustainable energy production model, in line with the kingdoms Vision 2030 were also focused at the September Business Networking Luncheon hosted by the American Chamber of Commerce Bahrain (AmCham) in favour of nogaholding Group CEO Mark Thomas.

Thomas presented the state of the energy sector in Bahrain and he also discussed the groups role in ensuring energy security and achieving the kingdoms net-zero targets, outlined by His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, at the COP26 summit.

The event was held on September 27, 2022, at the Royal Saray Resort with the attendance of AmCham Bahrains members and executives from nogaholding and its portfolio companies.-- TradeArabia News Service
Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (Sabic) has announced resignation of its CEO Yousef Abdullah Al-Benyan, in light of the Royal Decree appointing him as Saudi Arabia's Minister of Education.

Accordingly, Sabic Board of Directors has resolved to appoint Eng Abdulrahman Saleh Al-Fageeh as Acting CEO of Sabic for six months, effective September 28, said a stock market filing.

Sabic Board of Directors extended its sincere thanks and appreciation to Al-Benyan for his remarkable efforts which enabled the company to grow to be a global leader in the petrochemicals industry, it said. -TradeArabia News Service
Doreen Bogdan-Martin of the United States has been elected to head the International Telecommunications Union. The agency is known as the ITU. It works to set international standards for the use of electromagnetic signals for radio, internet and television communications.

Russias Rashid Ismailov was the only other candidate in a vote Thursday among the agencys 193 member states. The election was held in Bucharest, Romania. The final vote count was 139 to 25. As many as 29 members chose not to vote.

Bogdan-Martin has worked for the ITU for 29 years. She is the first woman to reach the position of secretary-general and the first American since the 1960s.

She called the position immensely important and said it was an honor for me and my country to lead the organization.

The job begins on January 1 and lasts for four years.

Bogdan-Martin said she hopes her new job will be an inspiration to women.

She said her goal is to deliver affordable, trusted and meaningful connectivity to all. She called it a dream she wants to make real.

Universal connectivity is the idea of offering internet and communications technology to all people around the world.

Before the election, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres asked voters to put humanitys progress first, as 2.9 billion people do not have internet access.

Political questions

American officials have been interested in the position. Experts said outgoing ITU leader Houlin Zhao of China, an official of the ruling Chinese Communist Party, was too close with Chinese leaders. They criticized him as putting Chinese interests first.

In addition, some observers see an American winning the position in an election against a Russian as a political statement from the U.N. about the war in Ukraine.

Ismailov was once a deputy telecommunications minister in Russia. He also worked for the communications companies Eriksson, Nokia and Huawei.

International media observers have also been concerned about Russias use of the internet and other communications technology. They accuse Russia of trying to disrupt elections, the activities of foreign companies and governments and of spying on people.

The United States has also been criticized for similar actions. Former intelligence worker, Edward Snowden, said the U.S. uses technology to spy on civilians and government officials. Snowden now lives in Russia. Russian President Vladimir Putin officially gave him Russian citizenship this week, the Associated Press reported.

Im Dan Friedell.

Dan Friedell adapted this story for VOA Learning English based on a report by the Associated Press.

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Words in This Story

standards n. (pl.) a fixed measurement or required quality level set by a government or an oversight body

immense adj. very big in size or amount

inspiration n. an example that makes people want to do something

affordable adj. something that is not too costly in a normal situation

connectivity n. the ability to create and provide a connection between two or more points in a telecommunications system

disrupt v. to prevent something from continuing as normal

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Esteban Sinisterra is a young Black clothing designer from Colombia's largely poor Pacific area. He now designs clothes for Colombias Vice-President Francia Marquez - the first Afro-Colombian woman to hold the position.

Sinisterra calls it "resistance" fashion. And his colorful designs for Marquez have since drawn international attention.

Sinisterra grew up in the town of Santa Barbara Iscuande, in the Narino area. He says many young people there have few opportunities to escape involvement in the ongoing conflict in the country.

His background is not very different from that of Marquez. The Vice President is a former housekeeper and environmental activist. She grew up in the poor town of Suarez in Cauca. Because she opposed gold mining, she faced death threats.

"In one way or another her history and my history are similar, so I think there was a very lovely spark there," said the 23-year-old Sinisterra. He now lives in the city of Cali and studies social work in addition to his job as a designer.

Sinisterra learned to make clothes from his aunt and grandmother. Describing his similarities with the Vice President, he said, "First we accept and recognize that we have roots that connect us - which is Africa - but taking into account those roots we also express the territory where we're from, the Colombian Pacific."

The clothes make you think of those roots, Sinisterra said. "It is being able to show that this is who we are...so for me fashion, my fashion, is resistance."

Im Jill Robbins.

Jair Fernando Coll reported on this story for Reuters. Jill Robbins adapted it for Learning English.

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Words in This Story

fashion  n. the area of activity that involves styles of clothing and appearance

opportunity  n. a situation in which it is possible for you to do something that you want to do

background  n. the kind of family you come from and the kind of education you have had.

spark  n. a small amount of a quality or feeling

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Facebook says it has identified and stopped hundreds of fake accounts on its website. The company said accounts spread Russian propaganda about the invasion of Ukraine throughout Western Europe.

Facebook parent company Meta said the network created more than 60 websites that looked like the websites of real news organizations. The false websites included one similar to The Guardian in Britain and Germany's Der Spiegel. But the false news sites repeated talking points used by Russian officials about Ukraine.

Meta said it stopped the operation before it was able to gain a large audience. However, Facebook said it was the largest and most complex Russian propaganda effort that it has found since the invasion began. More than 1,600 false Facebook accounts were used to spread propaganda to people in Germany, Italy, France, Britain and Ukraine.

Video: False Staging in Bucha Revealed! claimed one of the fake news stories. The story blamed Ukraine for the killings of hundreds of Ukrainians in a town occupied by the Russians.

The false social media accounts were used to spread links to the fake news stories and other pro-Russian posts and videos. The network was active throughout the summer.

On a few occasions, the operations content was amplified by the official Facebook pages of Russian embassies in Europe and Asia, said David Agranovich. He is Meta's director of threat disruption. I think this is probably the largest and most complex Russian-origin operation that weve disrupted since the beginning of the war in Ukraine earlier this year."

The network's activities were first noticed by reporters in Germany. When Meta began its investigation it found that many of the false accounts had already been removed by Facebook's automated systems. Thousands of people were following the network's Facebook pages when they were deactivated earlier this year.

Researchers said they could not directly connect the network to the Russian government. But they noted that the operation was complex, using several languages and carefully created false websites.

Since the war began in February, Russia has used online disinformation and conspiracy theories to weaken international support for Ukraine. Groups linked to the Russian government have accused Ukraine of starting attacks. They have also claimed the war began because of U.S. weapon development and have called Ukrainian refugees criminals and rapists.

A message sent to the Russian Embassy in Washington, D.C., asking for a response to Meta's recent actions was not immediately returned.

Researchers at Meta also found a smaller network based in China. It also attempted to spread political content in the U.S.

The operation reached a small U.S. audience, with some posts receiving just a single engagement. Many had simple English language mistakes, for example.

Meta said the network is notable because it is the first to target Americans with political messages before this year's midterm elections. The Chinese posts did not support one party but were aimed at issues that cause political division.

One account commented on a Facebook post by Republican Senator Marco Rubio. It asked him to stop gun violence, using the hashtag #RubioChildrenKiller.

Ben Nimmo is the head of threat intelligence for Meta.

"Essentially the message was 'America bad, China good,'" he said. While it failed, its important because its a new direction for Chinese disinformation operations, he said.

Im Dan Novak.

Dan Novak adapted this story for VOA Learning English based on reporting by The Associated Press and Reuters.

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Words in This Story

talking points n. (usually pl.) particular subjects, ideas or topics for discussion

stage  v. to arrange or organize something to get attention

reveal  v. to show something that was hidden or unknown earlier

amplify  v. to increase the effect of something; to make something louder or more noticeable

disruption  n. to prevent some action from continuing

origin  n. the beginning of a series of events

conspiracy  n. a secret plan by two or more people to do something harmful or illegal

engagement  n. an interaction on social media
Three people said Vietnam is preparing new rules to limit which social media accounts can publish news-related information.

Officials in the Southeast Asian country are aiming to take more control over news and information.

Reuters news agency reports that the rules might be announced by the end of the year but details have not been finished.

The rules would establish a legal basis for controlling the spread of news on services like Facebook and YouTube. At the same time, two of the people Reuters spoke to added that the rules will place a notable amount of responsibility on the social media services to control their information.

The people who were the sources of the report asked to not be named because the discussions remain secret.

Vietnams Ministry of Information and Communications and Ministry of Foreign Affairs did not answer requests for comment.

One source said, The government wants to fix what it sees as the 'news-lisation' of social media. "News-lisation," or bao hoa in Vietnamese, is a term used by the officials to describe the misleading of users into thinking that social media accounts are official news sources.

The sources said government officials have been holding secret meetings with popular social media and internet firms. The meetings are to discuss with the companies on which kinds of accounts will be permitted to post news under the new rules.

The sources said officials would be able to order social media companies to ban accounts that break those rules.

Vietnams ruling Communist Party already highly censors media and permits little dissent. And the country has one of the worlds most severe policing of online behavior, including guidelines on how to act on social media.

Two sources with direct knowledge told Reuters that more rules on internet and social media websites would be introduced in late 2022 to early 2023.

Young Vietnamese increasingly turn to social media for information. But websites have become the target of government efforts to restrict the flow of news from unofficial sources.

Vietnam is a top-10 market for the social media site Facebook with 60 million to 70 million users, information from 2021 says. Sources with information on the social media site said Vietnam produces about $1 billion in yearly revenue for the company.

2021 government estimates for social media sites show that YouTube has 60 million users in Vietnam and TikTok has 20 million. Twitter has smaller numbers.

Meta, the owner of Facebook, and Twitter did not comment. Alphabet, the owner of Google and Youtube, did not answer requests for comment. TikTok said in a statement that it deals with violations based on law and its guidelines. But it did not comment on the possible upcoming Vietnam regulations.

The Vietnamese government had begun following a set of non-binding guidelines on what it considers a news service to be. They included guidelines to tell the difference between real and fake news. The government warned that some social media sites included accounts that mislead users into thinking they are newspapers.

Those guidelines are expected to be included into the new rules, which will be binding.

Sources told Reuters that the officials are also expected to create new rules that would require social media sites to immediately take down information considered harmful to national security. They would have to remove the illegal content within 24 hours.

The release of the new rules had been planned for July. Sources told Reuters in April that the new rules showed the governments dissatisfaction with social media sites ability to remove material considered unacceptable.

The new rules will be carried out through amendments to the countrys main internet law.

Vietnam in August also created new rules that will come into effect from October that will require technology companies to store users data locally and to set up local offices.

Im Gregory Stachel.

Fanny Potkin and Phuong Nguyen reported this story for Reuters. Gregory Stachel adapted it for VOA Learning English.

________________________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

source n. someone who provides information

firm n. a business organization

post n. a message or piece of information on a social media service

censor  v. to examine books, movies, or letters in order to remove things that are considered to be offensive, immoral, or harmful to society

revenue n. money that is made by or paid to a business

bind  v. to make (something, such as an agreement) certain

fake  adj. not true or real

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Russia plans to officially annex, or seize, parts of eastern Ukraine on Friday. Russian officials said the people of those areas had voted strongly in favor of the move. But Ukraine and Western officials have condemned the Moscow-controlled votes as illegal, forced and dishonest.

Presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Thursday that four areas of Ukraine - Luhansk, Donetsk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia - will be added to Russia on Friday. The pro-Russia administrators of those areas will sign treaties to join Russia at a Kremlin ceremony with President Vladimir Putin.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced an emergency meeting with his security and military officials for Friday. He promised tough measures against the move and said it ended any chance of returning to peace talks. The votes "are worthless and do not change reality. The territorial integrity of Ukraine will be restored," he said.

In unusually strong language, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told reporters Thursday in New York that Russias annexation would violate the U.N. Charter and has no legal value. He described the move as a dangerous escalation and said it must not be accepted.

Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky, whose country currently holds the European Union presidency, said, "It's absolutely unacceptable." He added that the EU rejects the one-sided annexation.

The result of the voting that ended Tuesday was not a surprise. Russian troops went door-to-door with election officials to collect ballots. Ukrainian officials said they also gathered names of people who voted against annexation. The five days of voting produced unusually high numbers in favor of joining Russia.

Russian-supported administrations in the four areas claimed that 93 percent of the ballots cast in Zaporizhzhia supported annexation, as did 87 percent in Kherson, 98 percent in Luhansk and 99 percent in Donetsk.

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock spoke on the issue at a conference in Berlin. "Under threats and sometimes even (at) gunpoint, people are being taken out of their homes or workplaces to vote in glass ballot boxes," she said.

"This is the opposite of free and fair elections," Baerbock said. "And this is the opposite of peace.

Russians leaving the country

Last week, Putin ordered a call-up of as many as 300,000 military reservists after several military losses in Ukraine. Putin and other Russian officials also threatened to use nuclear weapons to protect Russian territory, including any annexed land.

The call-up order led to long lines of Russians at the borders trying to leave the country. Russian security reportedly set up checkpoints along the borders with Georgia and Finland to draft some of them.

Novaya Gazeta Europe reported on Monday that 261,000 men had left Russia since the call-up. "The better off and well educated are over-represented amongst those attempting to leave Russia," British intelligence officials said.

Alexander Kamisentsev, who left Russia for Georgia, said he decided at the last moment to leave because I am not going to kill my Ukrainian brothers or go to prison.

Im Jill Robbins.

Jon Gambrell and Adam Schreck reported on this story for the Associated Press. Jill Robbins adapted it for Learning English with additional reporting from Reuters.

________________________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

integrity  n. the state of being a united whole

escalation  n. to increase in extent, volume, number, amount, intensity, or scope

absolutely  adv. completely or totally

reservist  n. soldiers who are not serving in the regular army of a country, but who can be called to serve whenever they are needed.

draft  v. to order someone to serve in the armed forces

moment  n. a very brief time

_______________________________________________________________________

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Scientists have developed a technology-powered mapping tool to prevent ships from hitting whales in areas off Americas west coast.

The system is called Whale Safe. It uses equipment placed in the ocean to identify the presence of whales in the surrounding area. The tool also records shipping activity and ship speeds. The collected data is then sent by satellite to scientists who examine it and seek to provide guidance to ship operators.

Developers of the system say it produces near real-time information about nearby whale movements.

Whale Safe has already been operating near ports in southern California. It was recently launched to the north in San Francisco Bay.

There is a problem in the bay with ships hitting whales. Last month, wildlife officials reported the latest suspected case. A humpback whale washed ashore in the San Francisco Bay with injuries suggesting the animal was killed in a ship strike.

The Marine Mammal Center near San Francisco said it was the fifth whale to be killed by a ship strike in the area this year. Wildlife officials note that the actual number of whales killed by ships is likely much higher because the bodies of the dead animals are rarely discovered.

Humpback whales visit California to feed in the summer and autumn before migrating south to reproduce off the coast of Mexico. They are among the world's most endangered whales. An estimated 35,000 to 40,000 remain in the wild. The Marine Mammal Center says the main threats facing humpback whales are strikes from ships and getting caught in fishing and waste equipment.

The Whale Safe system is designed to identify and protect several different species, including humpback, blue, fin and gray whales. It uses three methods to do so. First, it uses flotation devices  known as buoys  to record sounds the whales make. Second, it uses computer models to process current and historical ocean data to predict where the whales are most likely to be. Third, it permits trained observers and citizens to report whale sightings through a mobile app.

The Whale Safe project is supported by the Marine Mammal Center and the Benioff Ocean Science Laboratory at the University of California Santa Barbara. Other organizations and government agencies also cooperate on the project.

Developers of the system say the expansion of Whale Safe to San Francisco demonstrates that the system can be effectively deployed to additional areas of the United States and the world.

Officials from the Marine Mammal Center say they have plans to expand the system to other areas where whales face a high risk of being hit by ships. These areas include parts of the U.S. Eastern Seaboard. Worldwide, such areas include waters near Sri Lanka, Chile, Greece and Spains Canary Islands.

Jeff Boehm is a leader of the Marine Mammal Center. He said the Whale Safe system combines the latest technology with thoughtful conservation efforts to create a solution to reduce risk to whales. Boehm added, This is where tech meets Mother Nature for the benefit of marine life.

Douglas McCauley is director of the Benioff Ocean Science Laboratory. He said in a statement that the killing of whales by ship strikes is an avoidable problem.

We cant any longer be passive observers of endangered whales washing ashore along San Franciscos beaches, McCauley said. He added, Whale Safe is an exciting coming together of marine scientists, technologists, conservation organizations, business leaders and government partners to do something about this issue.

Im Bryan Lynn.

Bryan Lynn wrote this story, based on reports from the Marine Mammal Center, the Benioff Ocean Science Laboratory, The Associated Press and Whale Safe.

Quiz - Technology System Aims to Protect Whales from Ships Start the Quiz to find out Start Quiz

__________________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

app  n. a computer program that performs a special function, usually found on mobile phones

conservation  n. the protection of animals, plants, and natural resources

conservation  n. a helpful or good effect

passive  adj. letting things happen without taking specific actions

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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.
The United States Treasury Department said last week it will permit American technology companies to expand their business in Iran. The goal is to increase internet access for the Iranian people.

The Iranian government cut most internet access for its 80 million citizens following protests over the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini. Amini died while in the custody of Irans morality police.

Iranian state television suggests that as many as 26 protesters and police officers have been killed since violence broke out over the weekend.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the move will help fight back againt the Iranian government's surveillance efforts.

It is clear that the Iranian government is afraid of its own people, Blinken said in a statement. Mahsa Amini is senselessly, tragically dead, and now the government is violently suppressing peaceful protesters rightly angry about her loss.

The morality police arrested Amini last week. They said she did not correctly cover her hair with the Islamic headscarf, called the hijab. Amini collapsed at a police station and died three days later.

U.S. sanctions went into effect Thursday on the morality police and leaders of other law enforcement agencies.

The Treasury Department updated its general license Friday. The new license permits tech companies to offer more social media services, video meeting and cloud-based services.

The updated license also removes the requirement that communications be personal. The Treasury Department said that requirement was troubling companies with the need to prove the purpose of the communications.

The Iranian government said the United States was supporting rioters and seeking to harm the Islamic Republic.

"Washington is always trying to weaken Iran's stability and security although it has been unsuccessful," said Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesperson during a television appearance.

Amir Rashidi is an exiled Iranian who is director of internet security and digital rights at Miaan Group. He said lifting restrictions will help Iranians avoid censorship laws.

Also its going to provide Iranians with safety and security, he said. When you can have your data outside the country Iranian security services cannot unlawfully access your data because your data is protected by international law outside Iran.

In 2014, the Treasury Department issued a license permitting exports of software and services to Iran that would permit the free exchange of communication and ideas over the internet. The hope was to spread information to Iranian citizens.

Even so, U.S. companies have been unwilling to do business in Iran because of fears of violating existing sanctions and other laws.

On Monday, Tesla head Elon Musk tweeted that his satellite internet company Starlink would seek permission to operate in Iran. National security adviser Jake Sullivan said it was up to Treasurys Office of Foreign Assets Control to decide on Starlinks next steps.

The White House said the move, along with a recent increase in sanctions, does not affect the administration's plans to reenter the Iran nuclear deal.

We have concerns, we do, with Iran," said White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre. But the Iran deal "is the best way for us to address the nuclear problem.

Im Dan Novak.

Dan Novak adapted this story for VOA Learning English based on reporting by The Associated Press and Reuters.

______________________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

access  n. a way of getting near, at, or to something or someone

custody  n. the legal right to take care of a child

surveillance  n. the act of carefully watching someone or something especially in order to prevent or detect a crime

sanction  n. an action that is taken or an order that is given to force a country to obey international laws by limiting or stopping trade with that country, by not allowing economic aid for that country, etc.

license  n. an official document, card, etc., that gives you permission to do, use, or have something

censorship  n. the system or practice of censoring books, movies, letters, etc.

address  v. to give attention to
The Future Investment Initiative (FII) Institute and the Saudi Tourism Development Fund (TDF) have signed a strategic partnership agreement on the sidelines of PRIORITY, FII Institutes latest event in New York, USA.



Under the agreement, both parties will work together in advancing projects and initiatives in line with the FII Institutes core focus areas, reported Saudi Press Agency (SPA).



It will also support the curation of the upcoming sixth edition of the FII forum, which will be held in Riyadh from October 25-27 under the theme of Impact on Humanity: Enabling a New Global Order.



Qusai al Fakhri, CEO of the Tourism Development Fund said: Our partnership with the FII Institute will maximize collaboration as we jointly strive towards encouraging investment in the Kingdom. We look forward to exploring together how the face of tourism is changing and how we can work with global efforts to make tourism growth sustainable.



The upcoming sixth edition of FII Institutes flagship event will provide a platform to convene the worlds foremost CEOs, policymakers, investors, entrepreneurs, and young leaders. The event will include in-depth conversations about new pathways for global investment, analysis of critical industry trends, and unparalleled networking opportunities.



The Tourism Development Funds partnership with FII Institute is a testament to the Funds enthusiasm to contribute to the Institutes work and its investment in the four key pillars Sustainability, Healthcare, Education, Artificial Intelligence and Robotics, on which the Institute was founded.



The signing ceremony took place in New York, USA, in the presence of TDF's Chief Business Officer, Wahdan Alkadi, and Richard Attias, CEO of the FII Institute.



Richard Attias, CEO of the FII Institute, added: We are delighted to welcome the latest FII Institute partner, the Tourism Development Fund, and recognize the important role that the partnership will play in the Institutes continued efforts to make a positive impact on humanity. This years edition of FII will be even bigger and will address crucial global issues and challenges. With our partners by our side, we look forward to another successful event.  TradeArabia News Service
Earlier this summer, the organization that lobbies on behalf of Oregon cities in Salem asked city councils across the state to select their top legislative priorities for the coming year.

Choosing from a menu of options, a number of smaller municipalities struggled to find more than a few that resonated.

What Brownsville City Administrator Scott McDowell really wants to tell the league is, "You represent all of us, not just Portland, not just Medford, Corvallis and Bend."

He offered this declaration to the Brownsville City Council at its Tuesday, Sept. 27 meeting in introducing a letter the leaders of two nearby small cities wrote with the hopes of adding Brownsville to the signatories. The council unanimously agreed, joining Harrisburg and Halsey.

McDowell said he has talked to counterparts in Millersburg, Scio and Philomath, and everyone feels the same way.

"We really would like to work it out with the League of Oregon Cities, to get a win somewhere for us," he said.

Priorities for '23-24

After surveying the state's cities, the league has finalized its agenda for the coming years. Its board has selected these eight issues to address:

1) Infrastructure improvement and funding

2) Homelessness

3) Measure 110

4) Economic development incentives

5) Climate and wildfire planning

6) Transportation safety, including establishing fixed photo radar to all cities

7) Streamlining of land use initiatives

8) Flexibility in the use of hotel taxes

The names may sound encouraging, according to the letter, but the background material and "actual" legislative goals make it clear they won't "assist or relieve many of the more relevant issues faced by small cities, especially those with populations under 5,000."

While small cities share some of these concerns, the letter says, "far more relevant to small cities is the ability to repair and replace critical infrastructure, finding more resources, opportunities and support for rural entrepreneurs and small businesses, and providing better quality services to our citizens."

An example is nearby in financially-strapped Sodaville, which has to truck in drinking water for its 350 residents each summer because it can't afford to expand its wells.

A Brownsville example

But Brownsville councilors didn't have to look far for a case in point of their own. Earlier in the meeting Tuesday, they heard about a warning letter sent earlier this month from the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality.

The city was late in submitting its implementation plan to set a daily cap on how much mercury might make it into the Willamette Basin from the city's stormwater runoff. Like its bigger city brethren, Brownsville has been declared a "designated management agency" and has to come up with a plan.

McDowell said he fears the designation someday will lead to responsibilities the city cannot afford, such as building a "closed system" to capture stormwater and treat it before releasing it to the local waterways.

The city in fact does have an implementation plan but McDowell didn't want to send it in without the councilors' blessing, which they gave Tuesday  under protest.

"This is a battle we need to fight," Councilor Michael Humphreys said. "We don't have millions of dollars to put into our infrastructure. It will kill us."

And it's exactly the kind of thing he would want the League of Oregon Cities to get behind on small cities' behalves.

"That would be our first pressure point, to push that button," he said.

The league

The League of Oregon Cities does offer training and holds special meetings with small cities, which it defines as having a population of 7,500 or smaller.

According to its website, more than 70% of Oregon's cities fit this definition. And yet, according to the letter, only 17.2% of the league's policy committee members live in cities with fewer than 5,000 people.

"We feel we are not being well represented, and the results of the lack of representation is becoming problematic on many fronts," the draft letter says. "Our legislators are not hearing our stories or understanding the impacts of their policy decisions on rural communities, local citizens, and tax payors (sic)."

Reached for comment about the Linn County small city's beefs, League of Oregon Cities Interim Executive Director Patty Mulvihill issued a statement:

The LOC is conducting member outreach efforts to connect with any city having questions or concerns about the legislative priority setting process utilized by the organization, and is committed to working with its member cities to ensure their needs and concerns are properly met.

Brownsville Councilor Lynda Chambers is not impressed  "at all."

"They're doing nothing for us, for small cities," she said.
Gas leaks from Nord Stream pipelines not to cease until Sunday: DEA

Xinhua) 08:25, September 29, 2022

Aerial photo released by the Danish Ministry of Defense on Sept. 27, 2022 shows the Nord Stream gas pipeline leak site. (Danish Defense Ministry/Handout via Xinhua)

Danish authorities are focusing on the two leaks in the Danish economic zone, while Swedish authorities are concentrating on the leak in the Swedish economic zone.

COPENHAGEN, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- The director of the Danish Energy Agency (DEA) Kristoffer Bottzauw said on Wednesday that the gas leaks from the Nord Stream pipelines will continue until the end of the week.

"We expect that gas will escape the pipes by the end of the week. There is still a great deal of gas flowing out of the three leaks. It seems that there is a pressure drop in the pipes, and therefore slightly less gas flows out than yesterday, and we expect to see that in the coming days as well," Danish news agency Ritzau quoted Bottzauw as saying.

"Then, initially from the Danish side, we will look into the cause and approach the pipes so that we can conduct a thorough investigation."

Aerial photo released by the Danish Ministry of Defense on Sept. 27, 2022 shows the Nord Stream gas pipeline leak site. (Danish Defense Ministry/Handout via Xinhua)

Monday saw the occurrence and reporting of three leaks from the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines in international waters. Two of them are in the Danish economic zone and one is in the Swedish economic zone.

Danish authorities are focusing on the two leaks in the Danish economic zone, while Swedish authorities are concentrating on the leak in the Swedish economic zone.

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said at a press conference on Tuesday that it is the "clear assessment" of the authorities that the three leaks on Nord Stream 1 and 2 were deliberate and not accidental.

Denmark and other nations have already demanded an investigation into the leaks. According to Danish Defense Minister Morten Bodskov on Wednesday, a closer investigation of the gas pipelines could take one to two weeks.

Aerial photo released by the Danish Ministry of Defense on Sept. 27, 2022 shows the Nord Stream gas pipeline leak site. (Danish Defense Ministry/Handout via Xinhua)

(Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun)
Abu Dhabi and Dubai have joined forces to position and promote the UAE as a leading superyacht destination at this year's Monaco Yacht Show.

The four-day event will take place from September 28 to October 1, with expected participation from 580 exhibitors, including destination representatives, yacht management companies, superyacht designers and builders, alongside luxury consumer and automotive brands and over 30,000 visitors.

The Department of Culture and Tourism  Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi), together with the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) and Abu Dhabi Maritime will participate in the event.

The presence of the UAE superyacht industry regulators, stakeholders, and service providers will command attention and draw the audience in to discover the UAE's destination offerings, superyacht products and services.

At the show, DCT Abu Dhabi, DET and Abu Dhabi Maritime will highlight the UAE's industry legislation improvements, including cruising permit extensions and charter permit processes, immigration and customs clearance updates. They will also promote the UAEs ever-exciting calendar of clustered industry events such as Formula 1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix 2022, Abu Dhabi International Boat Show, Gulf Superyacht Summit 2022, and Dubai Sail Grand Prix Presented By P&O Marinas, which all take place in November 2022.

Saeed Al Dhaheri, Tourism Products Development Department Director, DCT Abu Dhabi, said: "As a place of exciting and restoring experiences across a landscape of possibilities that can be explored at your own pace, Abu Dhabi is an alluring destination for all types of visitors. With its hundreds of desert islands, unspoilt beaches and stunning waters, it is especially attractive to yacht owners. This is why in recent years we have strengthened our efforts to regulate, promote and build the yachting industry. So, in appearing at the Monaco Yacht Show, we aim to create a larger brand presence, encourage greater engagement and strongly showcase our stakeholder products and services to the international yachting community."

Yousuf Lootah, Executive Director of Tourism Developments and Investments, Dubais Department of Economy and Tourism, commented: "The pace of development not just in Dubai but in neighbouring emirates like Abu Dhabi serves as a catalyst for attracting superyachts to the UAE and the opportunity for all of us to capitalise on a lucrative tourism product that can increase the number of tourists and further strengthen our respective industries. We will also be able to highlight the vast range of Dubais world-class maritime infrastructure and facilities, as well as its tourism offering to owners of superyachts and yachting enthusiasts. We look forward to highlighting many more exciting projects and initiatives in the pipeline for Dubai's yachting industry, as well as industry developments that will be beneficial to the international yachting community, including state-of-the-art refit and shipyard maintenance, professional yachting and maritime academies for future crew, and qualified training centres for staff, in addition to upgrades to marina facilities, that will further support the pivotal role being played by Dubai to promote the UAE as an international superyacht hub."

Capt Saif Al Mheiri, Managing Director, Abu Dhabi Maritime, AD Ports Group, said: "Under the guidance of our wise leadership, Abu Dhabi has developed a bold strategy to position the emirate as a destination of choice for the global superyacht community, leveraging our strategic location, attractive coastline, temperate weather, and wide range of cultural and leisure attractions. AD Maritime is working with the broader maritime community to showcase the incredible infrastructure and welcoming regulatory environment that is now available in Abu Dhabi, and to highlight the progress that has been made in recent years. For the Monaco Yacht Show, we are confident that we have a compelling value proposition that will distinguish the United Arab Emirates on the global stage." -TradeArabia News Service
WAUNAKEE  This was cornfield just eight years ago.

Where tractors and harvesters once plied the land, there are now towering stainless steel tanks, miles of piping and a high-tech bottling line that can fill 1,200 cans a minute.

Across the street, a 200,000-square-foot warehouse is home to a 25,000-square-foot cooler and a packaging line that snakes through the building in the Waunakee Business Park.

The $72 million project by Octopi was highly publicized a year ago when ground was broken on the expansion of the production facility and the sprawling new warehouse.

But this massive project next door to the Ice Pond, Waunakees indoor skating rink, is not just designed to allow Octopi to produce 1 million barrels of beer, seltzers, hard teas, energy drinks and a swath of other beverages. The expansion includes a large-scale energy storage system powered by a 270kW roof-top solar array and a 536kW battery that when fully charged provides 1,140 kWH of use. The system is being touted as a roadmap for other businesses looking to reduce their reliance on the grid.

The new energy system, which went online in May, has already saved Octopi more than $13,000 on its electrical bills and ultimately will provide about 25% of the growing companys power needs.

This is the way we need to have business leaders think now in this new economy, said Mark Redsten, CEO of Clean Wisconsin, a nonprofit foundation established in 1970 that promotes clean water, air and energy. I think its a great example of what is possible. This is really the future.

The $1.5 million system was funded in part with a $500,000 grant managed by the Public Service Commission Office of Energy and is believed to be the largest commercial operation of its kind in Dane County. Instead of sending electricity from the solar array directly back to the power company, Octopis system allows it to collect energy during the day and then store the extra power in a 20-foot-long, 6-foot-wide battery on the ground on the south side of the production facility.

The power generated by the system can be used during the day to reduce peak usage from the grid, can be used at night and provides a backup system in the event of a power outage, said Isaac Showaki, Octopis founder, who had begun looking into the technology about three years ago. The grant from the PSC cut the payback time on the system to seven years from more than 20 years, which allowed Showaki to move forward with the project, developed by Convergence Energy, a Lake Geneva company that develops energy storage and solar systems.

Its one giant battery. So when your peak comes on, the battery kicks in and kind of shaves it and lowers your bill, Showaki said during a tour on Wednesday. This project is one of the most important weve ever done.

Grant program

The PSCs Energy Innovation Grant Program supports a wide variety of energy projects related to renewable energy and energy efficiency, storage and planning and since 2018 has awarded 109 grants totaling $22 million. The recipients have included cities, school districts, colleges, farms and other businesses, libraries and nonprofits such as the Aldo Leopold Foundation and the Dunn County Historical Society.

The grant to Octopi is one of the PSCs largest.

Transformative projects like this will help Wisconsin achieve our states goal of zero carbon electricity by 2050, said PSC commissioner Tyler Huebner. This success story goes to show whats possible when community partners are willing to improve energy efficiency and how the PSCs Office of Energy Innovation can support their initiative.

Meteoric rise

Octopis business has been on a meteoric rise that has evolved with the beverage industry and has continued to receive investment from the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation. At its founding, Octopi was a staff of six people. It has ballooned to more than 200 employees and has been authorized by the WEDC to receive up to $800,000 in state income tax credits for its latest project. The infusion comes after $300,000 in tax credits in 2017 and another $225,000 in 2019. Octopi now uses 380,000 square feet of production, office and warehouse space in Waunakee and has a 187,000-square-foot warehouse in nearby Windsor.

This expansion is really incredible, said Sam Rikkers, the WEDCs deputy secretary and chief operating officer. What (Showaki) has found is that theres a whole market for co-packaging. So that type of creativity and innovation has really helped this place grow.

Showaki opened a $5 million facility in 2015 and four years later completed an $11 million, 33,000-square-foot expansion that added more fermentation tanks and a new canning line. In early 2021, a new system capable of brewing 150-barrel batches at a time went online, while 20 more fermentation tanks, some of which can hold 600 barrels of product, were added along with a new pasteurization machine that can hold 21,000 cans.

A new level

Its latest project is taking Octopi to a new level of production. Only a fraction of its work is for its own brands, while the vast majority involves making products for about 20 other companies. Showaki began his company hoping to make 50,000 barrels of beer a year. However, beer now only accounts for about 20% of Octopis production.

This is unique to our community to have something of this size, said Chris Zellner, Waunakees village president. The success that theyve had here is amazing. The fact that theyve needed to do what theyve done has been a great thing for them and a great thing for Waunakee as well.

The $50 million, 100,000-square-foot addition to the existing 65,000-square-foot brewery along Uniek Drive is nearing completion and has made room for 20 tanks, 13 of which have been installed ranging in size from 30,000 to 50,000 gallons. A new canning line is designed to accommodate nine different sizes of cans and is nearly four times faster than the existing canning line that will remain in use. Theres also much needed office space and more room for research and development.

Across the street, a $22 million, 200,000-square-foot warehouse, packaging and distribution center includes 14 loading docks and 10,000 square feet of office space. The packaging line will be used exclusively to create variety packs for customers and the expansive facility will allow Octopi to ship product faster, become more efficient and provide more options for its clients, thanks to a packaging line that puts individual cans into different size packages that are shipped nationwide and to countries in Europe and Asia.

There are millions of cans going all around the world that say Waunakee, Wis., Showaki said. Were lucky to be in a position where were getting bigger and better clients who want more production volume, so were doing what we can to help them.
National Hispanic Heritage Month celebrates the culture and contributions of the Hispanic community across the country.

Events honoring Hispanic heritage started Sept. 15 and run through Oct. 15. Here are six events that honor the rich history and culture of Madisons Hispanic community.

Thursday

Free Family Night: Hispanic Heritage Celebration

When: 5-8 p.m.

Where: Madison Childrens Museum, 100 N. Hamilton St.

Attendees can look forward to live Latin jazz music, dance performances and various crafts.

Unidos! Happy Hour

When: 5-7 p.m.

Where: Madison's, 119 King St.

The Wisconsin Latino Chamber of Commerce and Mundo Esperanza are co-hosting a happy hour community event.

Oct. 6

Hispanic Heritage Month Celebration

When: 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Where: Madison College Goodman South Campus

The event is sponsored by Madison Colleges Department of Equity, Inclusion and Community Engagement. Attendees can expect food and mariachi music.

Oct. 8, 15 and 22

The Madison Public Library is hosting a series of story times in Spanish as part of its Latinx Heritage Month celebration.

When: 10:30 a.m.

Where: Meadowridge Library, 5726 Raymond Road

Oct. 14

Herencia Hispana

When: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Where: Monona Terrace

WLMV, Madisons only Spanish-speaking radio station, is hosting a luncheon in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month at Monona Terrace.

A Night with Yesika Salgado

When: 6 p.m.

Where: The Sett, Union South, 1308 W. Dayton St.

UW-Madison is hosting Yesika Salgado as a keynote speaker for its Latinx Heritage Month programming. Salgado is a renowned Los Angeles-based Salvadoran poet and body-positive advocate who frequently writes about her family, her culture and her city.
JOHANNESBURG (AP)  South African President Cyril Ramaphosa had an urgent meeting scheduled with his Cabinet on Wednesday to discuss the countrys electricity crisis, which has led to unprecedented levels of nationwide power blackouts in Africa's most developed economy.

The troubled state-owned power utility Eskom, which produces about 95% of the countrys electricity, is implementing scheduled, rolling blackouts in an attempt to save electricity while struggling to keep its ageing and poorly maintained coal-fired power stations operational.

Ramaphosa returned home to chair the meeting with his ministers after attending the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II in London. He canceled his trip to New York to attend the United Nations General Assembly.

Eskom had started implementing Stage 6 power cuts, a level that means businesses and homes go without electricity for more than 10 hours a day. The company has since reduced the level to Stage 5, which requires South Africans to go without power for up to eight hours a day.

The blackouts are also affecting other government services, including water supplies in some areas as electric-powered pumps grind to a halt.

With South Africa's economy already struggling to rebound from the COVID-19 pandemic, economists have given stark warnings on the effect of the blackouts.

Eskom imposed power cuts - what the company refers to as load-shedding - to a less-drastic degree earlier in the year, and they were a crucial contributor to the economy contracting by 0.7% in the second quarter, according to the official South African statistics agency StatsSA.

Eskom sometimes gives just a few hours notice of the blackouts.

It is very difficult to understand what will happen next," Jannie Rossouw, an economist at Johannesburg's University of The Witwatersrand, said. "Will load-shedding stages decline over time going forward, will we go back to Stage 6, or might we even move beyond Stage 6 in months to come?

It is really just about impossible for the general public and businesses in South Africa to plan if Eskom cannot plan its capacity," Rossouw said.

Just about every economic sector has been hurt, and South Africas biggest telecommunication companies this week warned that continuous blackouts may start affecting their services.

MTN South Africa chief technology and information officer, Michele Gamberini, said it was currently using upgraded power back-up batteries to keep its cellphone towers operating but that prolonged blackouts could lead to loss of services.

Despite us having placed thousands of batteries at our sites across the country, the efficacy of those batteries greatly reduces once we pass Stage 4 load-shedding, Gamberini said.

The company has also rolled out more than 2,000 diesel-powered generators to its sites to counter the prolonged blackouts, it said.

Eskom is in a race against time to procure additional capacity from renewable energy sources like wind and solar through independent power producers. It has announced a program to urgently procure at least 1,000 megawatts of electricity from the private sector to ease the burden of the blackouts.

Ramaphosa faces pressure from opposition parties that called on him to fire the ministers responsible for state-owned enterprises and the energy sector. His government defended itself by saying it took over a dysfunctional Eskom, which was at the heart of allegations of massive government corruption under former President Jacob Zuma.

We really regret the way in which our energy provision that is coming from Eskom is upsetting both our households and the economy," Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan said on the Newzroom Afrika news channel. But this is the Eskom we inherited, this is the Eskom were trying to fix very hard.

There are already moves by Ramaphosa's rivals to oust him as the leader of the ruling African National Congress at the partys elective conference in December.
When the call came shortly before 3 a.m. Tuesday, Reyna Gonzalez Torres said, she was angry. Then, she sighed, she just felt tired.

The police officer on the other end said Torres Madison restaurant, El Sabor de Puebla, had been burglarized, again.

Torres quickly headed over to see the damage, just as she had the previous four times someone broke into or tried to break into her East Side restaurant in the past year. In three of those cases, the restaurant was burglarized.

The first time someone broke in, we replaced the back doors, Torres said in Spanish. Those were made of aluminum. The second time, we installed even stronger ones, and they broke in through those, too. The third time they damaged the door, but it held. And the fourth time, they broke the glass on the front door.

This time, they simply smashed one of the front windows, scattering broken glass all over one of the restaurants newly installed booths.

Torres started El Sabor eight years ago on Williamson Street. After almost three successful years, that restaurant was broken into, resulting in a loss of over $3,000.

After moving the restaurant to 305 N. Fourth St., she said, she felt safer, and the location was more convenient, an easier commute for Torres and her children.

The new location brought a new crowd of loyal customers. But it also attracted a lot of students from East High School, across the street from the restaurant, who used it as a place to hang out over lunchtime or before heading home in the afternoon, with little consideration for the staff or other customers, she said.

Torres said shes had to tell students repeatedly not to smoke or vape indoors and be courteous towards patrons, but the response has been so negative that on one occasion, she said, a student threw food at her after being kicked out. Torres no longer allows students to dine in, posting signs at the door, but does provide them to-go orders.

I have regulars who come from work. I get embarrassed by (students) behavior, so I dont sit them anymore, she said.

But those problems pale in comparison to the series of break-ins at the current site that began in September of last year.

I just thank God we didnt have any huge scares, Torres said, especially since the waitress is my daughter. The material stuff, well, that comes and goes, but my daughter, she doesnt.

Altogether, the break-ins have cost Torres three doors, two security camera installations, multiple days earnings, two cash registers and now a window.

The hardest part is the damages, not the money that they take, she said.

Torres insurance caps coverage at $10,000 per incident regardless of the damage done, so anything over that must be paid out of pocket. In Tuesday mornings case, insurance would only cover the cost of replacing the cash register, making this the most costly break-in so far.

I have two security cameras, Torres said. One of them sends the footage directly to police, but the thieves are so quick, by the time the police get here theyre gone.

Shes looking into installing bars on the windows to prevent future break-ins but would first need permission from her landlord, who operates Milios Sandwiches next door. Milios has also experienced its share of crime, with an armed robbery there about a year ago.

Still, she said she has grown fond of the location and appreciates the number of loyal customers the restaurant has, making the frequent break-ins and attempts all the more frustrating. Five minutes after opening on Tuesday, a line had already started to form, with many taking note of the gaping hole in the window the intruders left.

Sometimes I think, Well what do I do? Do I move? Do I just deal with it? But thats just how it is, she said.
WASHINGTON (AP)  President Joe Biden on Thursday told visiting leaders from more than a dozen Pacific Island countries that the U.S. was committed to bolstering its presence in their region and becoming a more collaborative partner as they face the existential threat of climate change.

The president addressed the leaders who gathered in Washington for a summit as the White House looks to improve relations in the Pacific amid growing U.S. concern about Chinas growing military and economic influence.

A great deal of history of our world is going to be written in the Indo-Pacific over the coming years and decades, Biden said at the start of a meeting with island leaders at the State Department. And the Pacific Islands are a critical voice in shaping the future, and thats why my administration has made it a priority to strengthen our partnership with your countries.

Biden delivered his remarks as his administration unveiled its Pacific strategy, an outline of the White House's plan to assist the region's leaders on pressing issues like climate change, maritime security and protecting the area from overfishing. The administration also pledged that the U.S. would add $810 million in new aid for Pacific Island nations over the next decade, including $130 million on efforts to stymie the impacts of climate change.

Were seeing the consequences of climate change around the world very vividly, including in the United States right now, and I know your nations feel it acutely, Biden said.

Leaders from Fiji, the Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, the Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, the Cook Islands, French Polynesia and New Caledonia are attending the two-day summit that Secretary of State Antony Blinken kicked off Wednesday. Vanuatu and Nauru sent representatives, and Australia, New Zealand and the secretary-general of the Pacific Island Forum sent observers, according to the White House. The president hosted leaders for a dinner Thursday evening at the White House.

The summit comes amid worrying signs to the U.S. that Beijing has grown its influence in the region. Earlier this year, the Solomon Islands signed a new security pact with Beijing, and ahead of the summit signaled it would be hesitant to sign any end-of-summit statement critical of China.

The Marshall Islands this month suspended talks to renew its security partnership with the U.S., citing the longstanding impact of U.S. nuclear testing in the area some 70 years ago.

A joint declaration issued at the end of the summit included a nod to those concerns. It stated that the U.S. was "committed to addressing the Republic of the Marshall Islands ongoing environmental, public health concerns, and other welfare concerns and to the safe removal and disposal of unexploded ordnance.

Among the new initiatives the White House announced are plans to ask Congress to appropriate $600 million over 10 years to support economic development, promote climate resilience efforts for Pacific fisheries and more. The administration says it will also establish a regional mission of the U.S. Agency for International Development in Suva, Fiji. The White House also reiterated previously announced plans to open embassies in the Solomon Islands, Tonga and Kiribati.

The White House also announced plans to recognize the Cook Islands and Niue as sovereign states, after "appropriate consultations." The U.S. currently recognizes the islands as self-governing territories.

Meg Keen, the director of the Pacific Islands program for the Australia-based Lowy Institute, said the recognition means the Cook Islands and Niue would be eligible for some of the U.S. funding announced by Biden on Thursday.

The 16-page document notes heightened geopolitical competition impacts for the Pacific Island countries that also directly affect the United States.

Increasingly those impacts include pressure and economic coercion by the Peoples Republic of China, which risks undermining the peace, prosperity, and security of the region, and by extension, of the United States, the strategy document says. "These challenges demand renewed U.S. engagement across the full Pacific Islands region."

Among the broad strategy aims laid out by the Biden administration in the document are expanding the number of U.S. diplomatic missions from six to nine across the Pacific and completing work to renew strategic partnership agreements with the Pacific Island nations of Palau, Micronesia and the Marshall Islands that are set to soon expire. The strategy also calls for increasing the presence in the region of the U.S. Coast Guard, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Pentagon.

White House officials acknowledge that U.S. inattentiveness toward the region since the end of the Cold War has left an opening for Beijing to exert its influence.

Plans for the summit were announced earlier this month, just days after the Solomon Islands called on the U.S. and Britain not to send naval vessels to the South Pacific nation until approval processes are overhauled. The Solomons in April signed a new security pact with China.

Ahead of the summit, the Solomon Islands signaled it was unlikely to sign on to an end-of-summit joint statement, according to a diplomat familiar with summit planning. The diplomat, who was not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on the condition of anonymity, said the resistance was driven in part by the Solomon Islands tightening relationship with Beijing.

But in the end, the Solomon Islands signed on to the joint declaration. The statement instead included calls for bolstering the Pacific economy, tackling climate change, maintaining peace and security across the Pacific, and more, but avoided any direct mention of China.

Besides their meeting with Biden, island leaders met Thursday with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.



Associated Press writers Nick Perry in Wellington, New Zealand, and Kevin Freking in Washington contributed to this report.
Bahrain has underlined the commitment to continue the integrative efforts with Saudi Arabia in the tourism sector, which plays a key role in increasing the contributions of this sector to the national economies of both kingdoms.



This came about as Bahrains Minister of Tourism, Fatima bint Jaafar Al-Sairafi, met Ahmed Aqeel AlKhateeb, the Minister of Tourism of Saudi Arabia on the sidelines of her participation in the World Tourism Day held in the island of Bali, Indonesia, under the theme "Rethinking Tourism", reported Bahrain News Agency (BNA).



The ministers also discussed ways to strengthen tourism cooperation and partnerships, as well as how to capitalise on joint experiences.



They also discussed cooperation in organising joint activities in the Kingdom of Bahrain and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
TOKYO (AP)  Growing up, Fumina Oka knew little about the mysterious university her Taiwanese grandfather attended in northern China's Manchuria during Japans occupation in the early 20th century.

But as the 28-year-old journalist studied the little-known Kenkoku University, she became fascinated about a place that started out as a grand piece of imperial propaganda meant to celebrate Japan's prewar colonization of large swaths of Asia.

In recent years, the dwindling number of surviving students, their families and those who have researched its history have come to share a sense of cross-national unity. It is built on sometimes surprising friendships forged at the Japan-run university, which glorified official notions of pan-Asian harmony even as imperial troops brutalized much of the region.

The university is a unique footnote in the rocky relationship between Japan and China, which are celebrating their 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations this week.

Kenkoku University operated from 1938 to 1945. It selected elite male students from Japan, China, Korea, the then-Soviet Union and Mongolia, according to a book by Hideyuki Miura, a reporter for the Asahi Shimbun newspaper. The students lived and studied together in Manchuria under the banner of the harmony of five ethnicities.

Among the university's 1,400 or so graduates were some who played major roles in Asia's rise over the last 80 years, including former South Korean Prime Minister Kang Young-hoon.

Eager to learn more about her late grandfather, Qiu Laizhuan, Oka began a documentary project aimed at finding alumni now in their 90s and 100s in Japan.

Through a graduate-list book and a pile of letters Qiu exchanged with his classmates, she managed to find and meet seven alumni living in Japan.

Her work has encouraged growing friendships between Japanese and Chinese family members of the graduates.

Among them is Shigeru Imaizumi, 96, who entered the university the same year as Oka's grandfather, in 1944.

Imaizumi said in an interview with The Associated Press that he exchanged a few words in Japanese with Qiu whenever he ran into him at the school.

The students, about half of whom were Japanese, were encouraged at first to debate each other in an atmosphere of free speech, something that was at odds with the strict, ultranationalist atmosphere in wartime Japan. The university library even gave the students access to then-prohibited books written by Karl Marx and Vladimir Lenin.

By the time Imaizumi was attending the university, just before the end of World War II, life was much less lively and full of discussion. The atmosphere was tense, he said, as students worried about an uncertain future and speculated about the war's end.

Although I didnt want to believe it, all the Chinese students seemed to know that Japan was going to lose, and so we talked very little about the situation or our beliefs compared to the first batch of students, he said.

Imaizumi said he was also bewildered by a gap between the harmony praised by the Japanese government and the discrimination by Japanese people against other ethnicities he witnessed daily outside the school.

My Chinese classmates once told me there are two different kinds of Japanese  those like us and the others they encountered in the city outside the university, Imaizumi said.

Despite the difficult circumstances, Imaizumi developed a strong friendship with a Chinese classmate who invited him to a final dinner just a few months before the war's end.

Soon after, Imaizumi was deployed to southern Manchuria as a soldier. After the war ended, he was held prisoner in Siberia for nearly two years before returning to Japan at age 21.

After broadcasting the documentary, Oka began receiving dozens of letters from family members of Kenkoku University graduates. They provided her with new documents supporting the graduates' recollections.

With those in hand, she has produced another documentary featuring the children of Kenkoku alumni, many of whom had studied in Japan. She also interviewed the son of a Chinese student who later contributed to the 1972 normalization of ties between Japan and China and became the first consul general to Japan in Hokkaido.

Two of the seven Kenkoku graduates she interviewed died after the documentaries aired, and Oka became determined to advance the university's legacy of friendship.

Oka also says the work has deepened her understanding of her multicultural past. Spending much of her childhood in both Japan and China, Oka grew up between cultures.

One time, a classmate in China accused me of being Japanese and hit me, but in Japan I was treated as Chinese. I felt like I did not belong to any society, and it was very sad, Oka said.

She takes strength, however, from her grandfather's experience.

My grandfather didnt really care what his nationality was and lived by a motto that anywhere in the world was his home. I want to respect that and keep this spirit of his within me, Oka said.
SEOUL, South Korea (AP)  South Koreas opposition-controlled National Assembly passed a motion on Thursday calling for the dismissal of the foreign minister over a series of alleged diplomatic missteps, including controversial remarks by President Yoon Suk Yeol caught on a hot mic in the United States.

The motion isnt legally binding and doesnt suspend Foreign Minister Park Jin. But the attempt to oust a key Cabinet minister and close confidante of Yoon and the president's likely rejection of the motion could further aggravate political strife between the conservative president and his liberal rivals.

The 299-member National Assembly approved Parks no-confidence motion by a 168-1 vote. One lawmaker cast a blank ballot, while outnumbered governing party lawmakers and others opposed to Park's dismissal boycotted the vote.

The motion, introduced by the main opposition Democratic Party, held Park responsible for what it called an unprecedented diplomatic disaster resulting from Yoons recent trip to Britain, the United States and Canada. The motion said the trip made no diplomatic achievements and undermined South Koreas national interest and international image.

At the heart of the alleged blunders cited in the motion were comments made by Yoon in New York after a brief chat with President Joe Biden at a Global Fund conference last week.

A microphone belonging to South Korea's MBC television caught Yoon talking to Park and other aides. Some parts of the audio were unclear, and MBC added subtitles reading Wouldnt it be too darn embarrassing for Biden if those idiots in the legislature dont approve? The subtitles suggested Yoon was insulting Biden and the U.S. Congress over its possible rejection of Bidens plan to contribute to the global initiative.

After the video was widely shared on South Korean social media, Yoons office denied he was referring to Biden or the U.S. Congress. Yoon later accused the media of damaging South Koreas alliance with the United States with inaccurate reporting.

Other alleged diplomatic failures listed in the motion included a humiliating unilateral attempt to improve relations with Japan that it said had not achieved any progress in defusing bilateral disputes over history. The motion also accused Yoon of failing to properly convey South Korean concerns to Biden about a U.S. law that excludes electric vehicles built outside North America from U.S. subsidies.

Yoons office responded that talks he held with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida in New York last week created momentum to improve ties. It said Yoon confirmed in his meeting with Biden a U.S. willingness to cooperate with South Korea on the law on electric vehicles and other issues.

Yoons likely rejection of the dismissal motion would be a political burden for him because the Democratic Party is likely to criticize him for ignoring the legislature. But the Democratic Party is also facing criticism that it used Park as a scapegoat because the National Assembly has no right to pass no-confidence motions for senior presidential officials, who observers say were more directly responsible for the recent diplomatic issues than Park.

Speaking with journalists over Parks fate earlier Thursday, Yoon indicted he wont accept the no-confidence motion. He called Park a person with outstanding capacities who overworks for the sake of the national interest and that the public can distinguish between right and wrong.

Jang Hye-young, a deputy floor leader for the small liberal Justice Party which boycotted the vote, urged Yoon to apologize over the hot mic comments. But she said it was Yoon's top deputies at the presidential office who must be held accountable for the other issues, not Park.

Since taking office in May, Yoons government has been on a collision course with the Democratic Party on a number of issues including the governments push to investigate past cases allegedly involving the partys current chief and others who served in the previous liberal government.
The Kenosha Police Department officially confirmed the identities of the two people killed in the Las Margaritas bar shooting on Sept. 18 as 33-year-old Kenosha resident Houston R. Oliver and 35-year-old Racine resident James J. Alexander-Hood.

The identities of the two additional gunshot victims who suffered serious but non-life-threatening injuries have not been released. They have since been released from area hospitals, police said in a release issued Wednesday.

No suspects were in custody as of Wednesday afternoon, and the investigation remains very active according to the release. Police urge anyone with information to cooperate and speak with investigators by calling the Detective Bureau at (262) 605-5203 or Crime Stoppers at (262) 656-7333.

The bar has closed since the shootings.
TWIN FALLS  According to its annual report, the Twin Falls Police Department saw a decrease in offenses reported and arrests for most crimes in the city.

The department has released its annual report for 2021, and the data indicates a multi-year trend of decreasing total offenses, as well as a decrease in total arrests.

In 2017, for example, there were 2,459 arrests, compared with the 2,088 arrests in 2021.

According to the report, the highest number of offenses were reported for larceny or theft (685), simple assault (630) and drug or narcotic violations (492). Not all of these reports led to arrests.

In 2021, the Twin Falls Police Department was staffed by 77 sworn law enforcement officers and 26 support personnel for a total of 103 employees. During 2021, the Twin Falls City Communication Center managed approximately 50,146 police calls for service. Of those events, the Twin Falls Police Department filed 6,736 police reports, affected 2,088 arrests, conducted 9,551 traffic stops, and issued 5,377 citations.

The report said that there were 50,146 calls to 911 in the city in 2021. Calls for accidents, disturbances, civil matters, reckless drivers, suspicious vehicles, thefts, noise disturbance, and many others all had decreased from 2020.

The type of 911 calls that increased included burglary, which rose from 243 in 2020 to 372, reports of a drunk person rose to from 98 to 123 and calls for abandoned vehicles rose from 90 to 294.
Editors note: This feature first ran Dec. 6, 2012, in the Times-News and at Magicvalley.com.

Shoshone Falls on the Snake River has long been compared to Niagara Falls. But it wasnt until a small boat full of miners went over the falls in 1881 that it became a bona fide tourist attraction.

In 1869, gold was discovered in the Snake River Canyon. Soon a mining camp called Shoshone City cropped up in the canyon above Shoshone Falls.

In 1876, Charles Walgamott opened a tent hotel and restaurant on the north side of the Snake River above the falls. A couple of years later, Irishman Thomas Bell built a cabin directly across the river from Walgamotts operation.

In his book Six Decades Back, Walgamott called Bell a loner who would sit in the doorway of his cabin and play his fiddlewhen he wasnt searching for gold.

According to Philip Homan, an associate professor at Idaho State University, Bell was a bit of a Johnny-come-lately, for he came to Shoshone Falls during the end of the gold rush to the Snake River.

Bell would launch his little boat into the river at his cabin, and cross the current to an island above Bridal Veil Falls  near the brink of Shoshone Falls. He would spend his days on his island gathering gold with a pick, shovel and rocker, before venturing back to his cabin on the bank of the river each evening.

Upstream from Bell Island, as it later became known, 500 Chinese miners worked the river at Shoshone City.

In June 1881, according to Homan, several of the Chinese miners ran into Bell at Stricker Store, a trading post on the Old Oregon Trail south of present-day Hansen. The men asked Bell, who was well known for his boating skill, to ferry them and their purchased goods across the Snake River to their camp on the north bank above Shoshone Falls.

Bell agreed, and his attempt to cross the river in the overloaded boat would be his last.

Whether he had become careless from tempting the waves so often, or whether he lost or broke an oar, will never be known, wrote the Salt Lake Tribune in 1883. But one thing is certain  that he and all the contents of the boat went over the falls, going down 200 feet and sinking to rise no more.

Bells body was retrieved from the river, but the bodies of his passengers were never found.

Walgamott gathered Bells mining tools and fragments of his boat and placed them in Bells cabin as a memorial to the 37-year-old miner. While Idahos Niagara of the West was not unknown to tourists prior to Bells untimely demise, the death of Tom Bell gave Shoshone Falls an atmosphere of morbid fascination that made them Idahos first tourist attraction, Homan said.
WASHINGTON (AP)  President Joe Biden on Wednesday warned oil and gas companies against increasing prices for consumers as Hurricane Ian lashed Floridas southwest coast.

Do not, let me repeat, do not use this as an excuse to raise gasoline prices or gouge the American people, Biden said at the start of a conference on hunger in America and just hours before the hurricane made landfall as a massive Category 4 storm.

Biden said that the hurricane provides no excuse for price increases at the pump and if it happens, he will ask federal officials to determine whether price gauging is going on.

America is watching. The industry should do the right thing, Biden added.

There are few signs that average gas prices have jumped significantly in Florida as the hurricane began to approach. AAA put the statewide average at just under $3.40 a gallon, six-tenths of a cent higher than a week ago.

A 99-day run of falling pump prices nationally ended recently, and the 14-week decline was the longest streak since 2015. The nationwide average price had risen past $5 a gallon  and $6 in California  in June as the economic recovery and an increase in travel boosted demand for gasoline and Russias war in Ukraine caused a spike in oil prices.

Gasoline prices mostly reflect trends in global oil prices, and crude  both the U.S. benchmark and the international Brent  has been slumping since mid-June on growing fears of a global recession that would reduce demand for energy.

Many energy analysts believe prices are more likely to rise than fall in the next few months. But changes in sentiment about the economy, Russias war against Ukraine, and even hurricane season  always a threat to disrupt refineries along the Gulf Coast  make predictions uncertain.

A spokeswoman for the American Petroleum Institute, an oil industry group, said the industry is focused on delivering fuels where they are needed most while ensuring the safety of our workforce during the hurricane.

Gasoline prices are determined by market forces - not individual companies -- and claims that the price at the pump is anything but a function of supply and demand are false, spokeswoman Andrea Woods said.

The hurricane was lashing the state with heavy rain and pushing a devastating storm surge after strengthening to the threshold of the most dangerous Category 5 status. Ian grew to a catastrophic Category 4 hurricane overnight with top winds of 155 mph (250 kph), according to the National Hurricane Center.

Before making its way through the Gulf of Mexico to Florida, Hurricane Ian tore into western Cuba on Tuesday, killing two people and bringing down the countrys electrical grid.

Associated Press writers Darlene Superville, Josh Boak and Matthew Daly contributed to this report.
Letter: In response to Roe v. Wade Pro-Choice and Pro-Life comes down to a womans right to or not to choose birth control! I am not addressing rape or incest! If you are choosing to not have a baby, make sure you are using or on birth control! Once a woman gets pregnant the babys developing body is not her body.
Today is Thursday, September 29, the 272nd day of 2022. There are 93 days left in the year.

In the Henry Bulletin in 1922: The Womans Club of Martinsville extends to the teachers in our schools a hearty welcome to our town and assures them of its support and co-operation in their work. The club offers again, at last year a prize of five dollars, to the pupils making the highest average, in English, in the sixth and seventh grades and in the high school.

Also 1922: In the case of C.W. Foley vs. Norfolk and Western railroad yesterday, the jury found the N. and W. railroad guilty in negligence of wrecking an automobile and the plaintiff was given a verdict for $600.

1947: In celebration of the twentieth anniversary of the Thursday Literary Club, members held a dinner party last evening at Club Martinique. Club colors, lavender and white, were used in attractive table decorations and favors. Invocation was by Mrs. O.B. Hensley and Mrs. J.F. Wyatt acted as toastmistress.

1972: The $1 million Rivermont Apartments project on six acres of land off west Fayette Street-Rt. 57 is almost complete. The 100-unit project features one, two and three-bedroom apartments in several buildings. Rent will be subsidized by the federal government.

Also 1972, this ad: Kmart, The worlds fastest growing department store, is coming to Martinsville. We are now interviewing for the following positions: Personnel Mgr., Adv. Mgr., Credit Mgr., Bookkeeper, Appliance Mgr., Stockroom, Home Improvement Mgr., Security Guard, Night Maintenance, Camera Dept. Mgr., Check-out Cashiers, Sales Clerks, Jewelry Dept. Mgr., Fountain, and many other categories

1997: On race day at the Martinsville Speedway, the heavens must be full of prayers. Thats not surprising to the men and women of the Henry County Baptist Association. This past weekend marked the sixth year they have provided race fans, pit crews, drivers and staff with coffee.

Today in Martinsville-Henry County history: Sunday, Sept. 25 1997: Mechanic Jimmy Edwards of Sanville, who works at Nelson Ford in Stanleytown, learns the new ways computers are involved in car repair.

Today in Martinsville-Henry County history: Friday, September 23 This time of year in the past: Farmer's, Planters and Browns tobacco warehouses about to open up for the sale of the Golden Leaf.

Today in Martinsville-Henry County history: Thursday, September 22 1922, The maid was attempting to put in a marcel wave by the use of heat generated by a patent oil lamp. She had gone out to the woodhouse, quite near the house for that purpose and had the misfortune to upset the lamp ...
Seven people were transported to Mission Hospital in Asheville on Wednesday morning after they were injured in a three-vehicle wreck on U.S. 221 North in the Woodlawn community.

The wreck happened at 8:31 a.m. near the Woodlawn park and picnic area. Trooper Josh Settlemyre with the N.C. Highway Patrol told The McDowell News that this wreck involved three vehicles and seven people were injured.

A 2008 BMW car was traveling southbound on U.S. 221. Hector Martinez, 30, of Burnsville was the driver of that car and he had no passengers. A 2005 Ford Econoline van was traveling northbound in the left lane of U.S. 221. Sigfredo Valasquez, 30, of Weaverville was the driver of the van and he had five passengers. They were Tabora Myrza Panecy, 26; Melvin Giovanni, 21; Jonathan Valasquez, 27; Bryan Canales, 24; and Jerson Espino (date of birth unknown at this time). All five passengers are from Buncombe County.

A 2022 Freightliner tractor-trailer was traveling northbound in the right lane of U.S. 221. Juan Antonio Duarte Garcia, 35, of Sidney, Iowa, was the driver of the tractor-trailer, according to Settlemyre.

Valasquezs van and Garcias tractor-trailer were traveling north side by side on U.S. 221.

The BMW driven by Martinez crossed over into the northbound lanes of U.S. 221. Valasquez tried to avoid a collision and he merged his van into the next lane and struck the tractor-trailer. Valasquezs van was also struck head-on by Martinezs BMW, according to Settlemyre.

All of the people involved in this wreck except for Garcia were taken to Mission Hospital in Asheville. Martinez was airlifted by MAMA helicopter to Mission Hospital in Asheville, where he is in critical condition, said Settlemyre.

Six other patients were transported by ground ambulance to the trauma center at Mission, according to Emergency Services Director Will Kehler.

The wreck is still under investigation and charges are pending, said Settlemyre.

Numerous local emergency agencies responded to this wreck, which shut down traffic in both directions on U.S. 221 North for two hours or more.
Wizz Air Abu Dhabi, an ultra-low-fare airline of the UAE, has added the fifth Airbus A321neo aircraft to its fleet and has launched its latest routes to Ankara, Turkeys capital and the second most populous city in the country.



The flight to Ankara will commence on January 19, 2023 and will operate on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. Tickets are already on sale on wizzair.com and the airlines mobile app, with fares starting at AED149 ($40.5).



Ankara is a modern European city with a rich historical heritage. While there are plenty of shopping malls, state houses and a bustling nightlife, it also offers a unique opportunity to experience its well-preserved architecture. From old castles and ruins to two extraordinary monuments central to the Turkish story  the Antkabir, a tribute to modern Turkeys founder, and the Museum of Anatolian Civilisations  there is also a vibrant arts and cultural scene.



Michael Berlouis, Managing Director of Wizz Air Abu Dhabi said: We look forward to expanding Wizz Air Abu Dhabi operations even further by adding Ankara to our ever-growing network. The new route will be operated by our fifth state-of-the-art Airbus A321neo aircraft which has been added to our fleet. Wizz Air Abu Dhabi continue to play a pivotal role in contributing to the growth of the UAEs travel and tourism sector and connecting its capital with many marvellous destinations.



This falls in line with our expansion plans and our commitment to providing the travel market with affordable options for travellers to explore an eclectic mix of new destinations. We are looking forward to welcoming you onboard our young and sustainable fleet soon.



Strategically located in the UAE, Wizz Air Abu Dhabi provides ultra-low fare, hassle-free and efficient travel options to Alexandria (Egypt), Almaty (Kazakhstan), Amman (Jordan), Ankara (Turkey), Aqaba (Jordan), Athens (Greece), Baku (Azerbaijan), Belgrade (Serbia), Dammam (Saudi Arabia), Kuwait City (Kuwait), Kutaisi (Georgia), Manama (Bahrain), Male (Maldives), Muscat (Oman), Nur Sultan (Kazakhstan), Salalah (Oman), Santorini (Greece), Sarajevo (Bosnia), Sohag (Egypt), Tel-Aviv (Israel), Tirana (Albania) and Yerevan (Armenia) among others.



The new routes will enable Wizz Air Abu Dhabi to offer tourists and residents hassle-free, affordable travel in both the UAE and throughout the region. The national airline now flies to more than 36 destinations within a five-hour flight time radius of Abu Dhabi, since launching in January 2021.



The airline has a young fleet composed of five brand new state-of-the-art Airbus A321neo aircraft, offering the lowest fuel burn, emissions and noise footprint. Wizz Air Abu Dhabi has the lowest environmental footprint among its competitors in the region, supporting the airlines long-term commitment to sustainability.



With WIZZ Flex, passengers can cancel their flight up to three hours before departure without any fee and receive 100% of the fare immediately reimbursed in airline credit.  TradeArabia News Service
The National Agency of Petroleum, Gas and Biofuels (ANPG) signed, this Wednesday, with its counterpart in Brazil, the National Agency of Petroleum, Natural Gas and Biofuels (ANP), a cooperation agreement for programs of regulation and supervision of exploration, development and production activities.

According to an ANPG press release to which Jornal de Angola had access today, the signing took place during the Rio Oil & Gas Conference held in the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

The agreement initialed by the president of the Board of Directors (PCA) of ANPG, Paulino Jeronimo and the director general of ANP, Rodolfo Henrique de Saboia, will be valid for five years, and aims to establish cooperation in the areas of technical promotion for the strengthening of the oil and gas industry, as well as the transfer of knowledge related to technical standards and good practices of the oil industry.
The commander-general of the Mozambican police announced Wednesday the death of 16 alleged terrorists in the last 72 hours in Cabo Delgado province, plagued by armed attacks since 2017.

Today 16 terrorists were buried who died from injuries caused by the weapons of the Defense and Security Forces, as well as snakes, lions and even crocodiles, Bernardino Rafael said.

The commander-general was speaking during a visit to the village of Nathuco, in the district of Quissanga, Cabo Delgado, where armed groups set fire to 12 houses on Sunday. No one was injured in the attack, said the commander, adding that some residents will be trained for the defense of the village.

Bernardino Rafael also introduced four people who were allegedly recruiting young people to join the ranks of the terrorists. This is a recruiter and radicalizer. He deceived many young people so that they could join the ranks of the terrorists, said the commander-general, while introducing one of the recruiters.

Cabo Delgado province is rich in natural gas but has been terrorized since 2017 by armed violence, with some attacks claimed by the extremist group Islamic State.

The insurgency has led to a military response since a year ago with support from Rwanda and the Southern African Development Community (SADC), liberating districts near gas projects, but new waves of violence have emerged south of the region and in neighboring Nampula province.

There are about 800,000 internally displaced people due to the conflict, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), and about 4,000 deaths, according to the conflict registration project ACLED.
The National Bank of Angola (BNA) and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in Angola signed, this Wednesday in Luanda, a memorandum to strengthen cooperation in the field of deepening education policies and financial inclusion.

The two-year memorandum of understanding was initiated by BNAs governor, Jose de Lima Massano, and by UNDPs resident representative in Angola, Edo Stork.

In addition to strengthening the exchange of experiences in the field of financial inclusion, especially for the most vulnerable population of Angola, the parties also agreed to promote forums on financial inclusion with informal workers and entrepreneurs.

According to a statement from the BNA, the parties, as part of the south-south cooperation platform, also agree to identify the best tools to deepen access to the financial system, promote actions that encourage the development of new means of digital payments and others.

The cooperation instrument also provides technical support for the development of the financial education plan or program at the national level, financial inclusion actions that promote gender equality and female empowerment.

The implementation of initiative programs in the area of financial technology for the development of the Fintech ecosystem in Angola, in the scope of the Payment System Innovation Lab, is also included in the protocol.
Moroccos Central Bureau of Judicial Investigations (BCIJ) arrested, Thursday, an extremist supporter of ISIS for his alleged involvement in the preparation of a terrorist project aimed at undermining public order.

A statement from the BCIJ said that the arrest followed information from the General Directorate of Territorial Surveillance (DGST) on the suspect and comes as part of the US-Morocco security cooperation. According to BCIJ, cooperation between DGST and US Intelligence services resulted in the identification of the suspect and uncovering of his terrorist project.

Searches conducted following the arrest of the suspect, aged 29, led to the seizure of computer and information equipment (digital media, cell phones, SIM cards, CPU and two laptops). All of the seized material are being analyzed by experts, BCIJ said.

According to results of preliminary investigation, the suspect was looking for safe routes to join terrorist organizations, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa and the Syrian-Iraqi conflict zones. He also conducted reconnaissance visits to identify certain security checkpoints with a view to attacking them and using their service weapons in terrorist operations.

The suspect was placed in custody to complete investigations to uncover all the possible connections of this terrorist project and to determine its ramifications both inside Morocco and abroad.

This security operation shows, once again, the importance and efficiency of preventive operations to neutralize terrorist threats, while highlighting the effectiveness of close cooperation between the services of the DGST and U.S. security and intelligence services in the fight against terrorism and extremism at the international level, the BCIJ statement said.

Morocco and the US put security cooperation as a priority in their partnership. Last week, Director of U.S. National Intelligence Ms. Avril Haines visited Morocco and met Mr. Abdellatif Hammouchi, Head of national police & domestic intelligence agency.

The two countries frequently expressed determination to boost cooperation in the field of security amid security threats in the region, including the Sahel.
Morocco will take over the rotating presidency of the African Unions Peace & Security Council for one month, starting October 1, 2022.

Morocco was elected member of this decision-making body of the African Union at the 35th African Summit in February 2022, for the period 2022-2025.

The Moroccan presidency of the AU-PSC is part of the continuity of the Kingdoms commitments to a peaceful, stable and prosperous Africa and constitutes an enshrining of the efforts of the Kingdoms diplomacy at the level of the African continent, under the leadership of King Mohammed VI, in favor of peace, security and stability in Africa, the Moroccan Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

As part of an innovative approach to outline a new strategy of the Pan-African Organization to meet the challenges of peace and security, Morocco aspires to generate collective responses to several global and regional issues, said the statement, noting that terrorism, child soldiers, climate change, food security, the situation in the Sahel and the Central African Republic will be topics on the agenda of several meetings at the level of ministers, ambassadors and experts.

The Moroccan chairmanship also plans several statutory meetings, including those involving the UN Security Council, as well as the consideration of several reports, including on the state of peace in Africa and the implementation of the AUs main roadmap for silencing arms in the continent, the statement added.

Based on its commitment and determination to serve the continental peace and security agenda, according to a holistic and multidimensional approach, Morocco will host, during its presidency of the AU-PSC, a political conference, in Tangier, on October 25  27, on Promoting the Nexus of Peace, Security and Development, a perspective of regional integration, in partnership with the Department of Political Affairs, Peace and Security of the African Union.

The Moroccan presidency will also be marked by the organization of two ministerial meetings devoted to Development and de-radicalization as levers to combat terrorism and violent extremism; and Climate change, peace and security: building resilience and adaptation for food security in African island states.

Since its return to the African Union in January 2017, Morocco had served on the AU-PSC as a member for a two-year term (2018 to 2020).

During this first term, marked by its chairmanship of this decision-making body in September 2019, Morocco contributed constructively to improving the working methods of the council and promoting good practices in AU work.
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By using artificial intelligence, Houston Methodist researchers are able to predict hospitalization outcomes of geriatric patients with dementia on the first or second day of hospital admission. This early assessment of outcomes means more timely interventions, better care coordination, more judicious resource allocation, focused care management and timely treatment for these more vulnerable, high-risk patients.

Because geriatric patients with dementia have longer hospital stays and incur higher health care costs than other patients, the team sought to solve this problem by identifying modifiable risk factors and developing an artificial intelligence model that improves patient outcomes, enhances their quality of life and reduces their hospital readmission risk, as well as reducing hospitalization costs once the model is put into practice.

The study, appearing online Sept. 29 in Alzheimer's & Dementia: Translational Research and Clinical Interventions, looked at the hospital records of 8,407 geriatric patients with dementia over 10 years within Houston Methodist's system of eight hospitals, identifying risk factors for poor outcomes among subgroups of patients with different types of dementia that stem from diseases such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, vascular dementia and Huntington's, among others. From this data, the researchers developed a machine learning model to quickly recognize the predictive risk factors and their ranked importance for undesirable hospitalization outcomes early in the course of these patients' hospital stays.

With an accuracy of 95.6%, their model outperformed all other prevalent methods of risk assessment for these multiple types of dementia. The researchers add that none of the other current methods have applied AI to comprehensively predict hospitalization outcomes of elderly patients with dementia in this way nor do they identify specific risk factors that can be modifiable by additional clinical procedures or precautions to reduce the risks.

"The study showed that if we can identify geriatric patients with dementia as soon as they are hospitalized and recognize the significant risk factors, then we can implement some suitable interventions right away," said Eugene C. Lai, M.D., Ph.D., the Robert W. Hervey Distinguished Endowed Chair for Parkinson's Research and Treatment in the Stanley H. Appel Department of Neurology. "By mitigating and correcting the modifiable risk factors for undesirable outcomes immediately, we are able to improve outcomes and shorten their hospital stays."

Lai, a neurologist, has worked for many years with these patients and wanted to look at ways to better understand how they're managed and their behavior when hospitalized, so clinicians could improve care and quality of life for them. He approached Stephen T.C. Wong, Ph.D., P.E., a bioinformatics expert and Director of the T. T. and W. F. Chao Center for BRAIN at Houston Methodist, with this idea, because he had previously collaborated with Wong and knew his team had access to the large clinical data warehouse of Houston Methodist patients and the ability to use AI to analyze big data.

Risk factors for each type of dementia were identified, including those amenable to interventions. Top identified hospitalization outcome risk factors included encephalopathy, number of medical problems at admission, pressure ulcers, urinary tract infections, falls, admission source, age, race and anemia, with several overlaps in multi-dementia groups.

Ultimately, the researchers aim to implement mitigation measures to guide clinical interventions to reduce these negative outcomes. Wong says the emerging strategy of applying powerful AI predictions to trigger the implementation of "smart" clinical paths in hospitals is novel and will not only improve clinical outcomes and patient experiences, but also reduce hospitalization costs.

"Our next steps will be to implement the validated AI model into a mobile app for the ICU and main hospital staff to alert them to geriatric patients with dementia who are at high risk of poor hospitalization outcomes and to guide them on interventional steps to reduce such risks," said Wong, the paper's corresponding author and the John S. Dunn Presidential Distinguished Chair in Biomedical Engineering with the Houston Methodist Research Institute. "We will work with hospital IT to integrate this app seamlessly into EPIC as part of a system-wide implementation for routine clinical use."

He said this will follow the same smart clinical pathway strategy they have been working on to integrate two other novel AI apps his team developed into the EPIC system for routine clinical use to guide interventions that reduce the risk of patient falls with injuries and better assess breast cancer risk to reduce unnecessary biopsies and over-diagnoses.

Wong and Lai's collaborators on this study were Xin Wang, Chika F. Ezeana, Lin Wang, Mamta Puppala, Yunjie He, Xiaohui Yu, Zheng Yin and Hong Zhao, all with the T.T. & W.F. Chao Center for BRAIN at the Houston Methodist Academic Institute, and Yan-Siang Huang with the Far Eastern Memorial Hospital in Taiwan.

Explore further Dementia rates more than 20% higher among black adults than UK average

More information: Xin Wang et al, Risk factors and machine learning model for predicting hospitalization outcomes in geriatric patients with dementia, Alzheimer's & Dementia: Translational Research & Clinical Interventions (2022). Xin Wang et al, Risk factors and machine learning model for predicting hospitalization outcomes in geriatric patients with dementia,(2022). DOI: 10.1002/trc2.12351
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More than 60% of family caregivers of individuals with Alzheimer's disease (AD) experienced at least mild depressive symptoms already at the time the individual with AD was diagnosed. In one third of them, depressive symptoms worsened during a five-year follow-up.

The study carried out at the University of Eastern Finland included 226 family caregivers of individuals with AD. Depressive symptoms experienced by family caregivers were monitored for five years, starting from the diagnosis of the individual with AD. 61.5% of family caregivers experienced depressive symptoms at the time the individual with AD was diagnosed.

In more than half of them, depressive symptoms remained mild during the follow-up and even diminished in some few cases, but one third experienced an increase in depressive symptoms. In family caregivers whose depressive symptoms worsened during the follow-up, symptoms increased especially in the third and fifth year after the diagnosis of the individual with AD.

Family caregivers whose symptoms worsened were typically women caring for their spouse, and the spouse had more neuropsychiatric symptoms. However, the functional ability of the individual with AD, or the severity of their disease, were not associated with family caregivers' depressive symptoms.

Depressive symptoms weaken, for their part, family caregivers' health. So far, data on how these symptoms change over the years of giving family care, and how family caregivers differ from one another, have been scarce.

Family caregivers' health and well-being should be monitored, too

"According to this study, about one third of family caregivers experience persistent depression when giving family care. It seems that the severity or progression of the memory disorder does not explain family caregivers' symptoms, but they are rather related to individual backgrounds," says Adjunct Professor Tarja Valimaki from the Department of Nursing Science at the University of Eastern Finland.

"Family caregivers enter the caregiving situation, which often lasts many years, from different backgrounds, and these differences persist."

The results support earlier findings of the ALSOVA study suggesting that it would be possible to identify those family caregivers who accumulate several strain factors during the years of giving care. Family care also involves maintaining the health and good life of family caregivers.

"It is important to consider the health of the family caregiver already when looking into the situation of the individual with AD. Assessment and continuous monitoring of family caregivers' health and well-being should be included in the treatment of memory disorders," Valimaki says.

The study, published in Clinical Gerontologist, was carried out as part of the ALSOVA study at the University of Eastern Finland, which has conducted a five-year follow-up of individuals with a recently diagnosed AD and their family caregivers. The multidisciplinary study combines medical, therapeutic, economic, pharmacological and psychological expertise. All study participants diagnosed with AD were examined and treated in accordance with the current care guidelines for Alzheimer's disease.

Explore further Depression among those caring for partners with dementia can start a decade before dementia diagnosis

More information: Tarja Valimaki et al, Different Trajectories of Depressive Symptoms in Alzheimer's Disease Caregivers5-Year Follow-Up, Clinical Gerontologist (2022). Tarja Valimaki et al, Different Trajectories of Depressive Symptoms in Alzheimer's Disease Caregivers5-Year Follow-Up,(2022). DOI: 10.1080/07317115.2022.2119183
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Children with disability require urgent policy attention and trauma-informed responses to their experiences of domestic and family violence (DFV).

ANROWS research led by Sally Robinson from Flinders University provides evidence on the prevalence of children and young people with disability experiencing DFV.

The study, "Connecting the dots: Understanding the DFV experiences of children and young people with disability within and across sectors," examines the perspectives of children, their families and workers to understand their priorities and service needs.

This research identifies how policies and systems can be more child informed to create better responses for children with disability experiencing domestic and family violence.

The new research which included an analysis of state-linked data in Western Australia found that approximately 30% of children who experience domestic violence are children with disability.

Children with disability were far more likely than children without disability to have contact with the child protection system and to enter out-of-home care; and twice as likely to have a mother hospitalized due to a DFV assault (8% compared to 4%).

Researchers also spoke directly to children, young people, families, and practitioners, who disclosed the destabilizing and isolating effects of DFV on children and young people with disability and how DFV impacts their sense of safety.

Children and young people showed signs of trauma as a result of their experiences of DFV and were found to know more about the violence they were exposed to than many adults assume.

Lead researcher Sally Robinson noted that above all else, children and young people with disability are children first. "They are whole people with interests, humor, contributions, and a sense of fun. They are valued and loved. Most live with their family members in a network of relationships, many of which are complex."

Children, young people, families and practitioners who participated in the research shared their experiences of being on support service waitlists for up to a year, barriers to securing support from government agencies and financial assistance, fear of harm during a violent parent's access visits with children, and the discontinuity of care when service providers fail to turn up to appointments.

These issues tell a story of a system that is not meeting the needs of children with disability experiencing violence and are evidence of the urgent need for policy attention from all levels of government.

Robinson said, "The over-representation of children and young people with disability is not because of the children themselves. In our study, children and their families had unmet needs for support, experienced unresponsive service systems and intersecting disadvantage relating to violence, poverty, housing crisis and discrimination. Their complex, compounding circumstances often included disability, but disability did not drive domestic and family violence."

In the absence of skilled assistance in services for children with disability experiencing DFV, researchers found that a significant amount of advocacy and persistence by family and supportive practitioners was required to access the support children needed.

Effective advocacy can be particularly challenging for family members who are experiencing DFV themselves with many victims and survivors reporting that it is harder to leave unsafe housing when alternate support for children and young people with disability is not easily accessible through DFV, disability or family support services.

Given the intersectional nature of the challenges faced by young people with disability and their families this research finds it is essential that they be included in the design of policy and child-centered responses.

ANROWS CEO Padma Raman PSM said governments must urgently respond to the unmet needs of children and young people with disability experiencing DFV in meaningful and practical ways. "Children's access to disability and domestic and family violence support must not rely on their family and practitioners' ability to continually negotiate barriers on their behalf.

"Support in principle alone is not enough. Concrete, fit-for-purpose strategies are essential for children and young people with disability, and their families."

Minister for Social Services Amanda Rishworth said tackling family, domestic and sexual violence is a priority. "The Albanese Labor Government is committed to ensuring that the safety of every woman and child is a national priority and to improving the lives of children with disability.

"We will be releasing the next National Plan to End Violence against Women and Children in October which will directly address the issues raises in the report."

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A study by researchers at Institute of Environmental Medicine shows that in vitro new approach methodologies (NAMs) can be a useful tool to improve cancer risk assessment (CRA) strategies in the context of complex environmental mixtures as such air pollution.

WHO has estimated that air pollution is responsible for 7 million premature deaths annually, making this the single largest environmental health risk. Air pollution consists of many gaseous pollutants and particulate matter (PM) that contains numerous toxic compounds (e.g., polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and metals).

This complexity makes CRA a challenge, and in addition the different constituents may interact and cause unexpected adverse health effects. A major weakness of current regulatory models is that they do not account for these interaction and new models based on whole mixture assessment have been asked for. Thus, the development of in vitro NAMs that facilitates the evaluation of whole mixtures obtained from environmental samples is an essential aspect of improving mixture assessment.

The research group, led by principal researcher Kristian Dreij, has previously shown that activation of DNA damage signaling is a sensitive marker that can be used for estimating carcinogenicity potencies in vitro and determination of so-called mixture potency factors (MPFs).

In their latest publication in Environment International, and with the aim to better validate the applicability of this model, MPFs were determined for Standard Reference Materials (SRMs) representing three different types of exposures that have been classified as human carcinogens: outdoor air pollution, diesel exhaust, and coal. An important aspect of this work was that the carcinogenicity of the same SRMs had been previously evaluated, which allowed for a comparison of potencies between our in vitro model versus in vivo cancer data. The results showed that the in vitro MPFs were in very good agreement with potency values based on in vivo carcinogenicity studies.

"The results confirmed the validity and applicability of our model. It was a good surprise to analyze the dose response modeling for our in vitro data and see how much they agreed with the animal cancer data. Our approach may not only improve the risk assessment of air pollution but also strongly contribute to the development of alternative testing methods and the replacement of animal testing. This work is innovative and important in establishing an alternative approach for evaluating whole complex mixtures by regulatory agencies," says Marcos Felipe de Oliveira Galvao, post-doctoral researcher.

In the next step of the project the researchers will test air PM samples collected around the world with different background. Urban samples have been collected in the cities of Stockholm, Sweden, Kyoto, Japan and Limeira, Brazil. Moreover, the group have a special interest in testing samples from areas polluted by biomass burning.

Last year, Caroline Scaramboni, visiting Ph.D. student from University of Sao Paulo, collected PM2.5 samples in a sugarcane producing region in Ribeirao Preto, Brazil impacted by crop fires. This summer, Marcos Felipe de Oliveira Galvao carried out a sampling campaign in the State of Mato Grosso, Brazil along the Amazon edge in a region known as the deforestation arc where areas are deforested by burning in preparation for cattle ranching, crops, and mining activities. The sampling was carried out during the drought period when the fire outbreaks intensify in the region.

Explore further Study provides methods for obtaining source apportionment of soil heavy metals

More information: Marcos Felipe de Oliveira Galvao et al, Determination of whole mixture-based potency factors for cancer risk assessment of complex environmental mixtures by in vitro testing of standard reference materials, Environment International (2022). Journal information: Environment International Marcos Felipe de Oliveira Galvao et al, Determination of whole mixture-based potency factors for cancer risk assessment of complex environmental mixtures by in vitro testing of standard reference materials,(2022). DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2022.107345
Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

In an Minnesota lab, clear containers hold pig kidneys and livers that scientists hope will someday be transplantable in humans.

Miromatrix Medical, a biomedical firm based in the Twin Cities suburb of Eden Prairie, is exploring the scientific area known as xenotransplantation.

Xenotransplantation is a blanket term for a wide range of biomedical procedures aimed at increasing the options, and shortening the waitlist, for people in need of donated organs. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration defines it as any procedure involving the transfer of cells, tissues or organs from a nonhuman animal source into humans.

Nearly 100,000 Americans are waiting for a kidney and about 23,000 patients receive transplants each year, said Claire Johnson, program manager for the National Kidney Foundation's Minnesota operations. The technologies underway at Miromatrix and its competitors are aimed at creating new sources of implantable organs.

"The implications could be enormous for eliminating the waitlist," Johnson said. "It would be transformative."

A high-profile case earlier this year shed light on both the promise and continued challenges of xenotransplantation. A genetically modified pig heart was transplanted into 57-year-old David Bennett at the University of Maryland Medical Center. Although he died two months later, researchers viewed the procedure as a success because Bennett's body did not reject the organ.

Miromatrix Chief Executive Jeff Ross said thatunlike the Maryland casetheir system removes all pig cells, including any viruses, from the organs in a process known as "decellularizing."

"We start with that pig organ, but we're removing all the cells.  We call them 'bioengineered organs,' " Ross said, adding that Miromatrix's competitors are using genetically modified pig organs.

Xenotransplant research stretches back decades, with pig organs having proved to be the best animal source for transplantation as they are roughly the same size as human organs.

There are two primary concerns in this field: immunosuppression and the possible transmission of animal viruses. To address the immunity concern, drugs are given to lower a patient's natural immune response in hopes the body won't attack the transplanted organ.

Ross believes his company's approach eliminates the viral risk because its pig organs will have human cells, meaning that standard immunology transplant protocols could be used.

To decellularize an organ, Miromatrix injects a chemical that dissolves the pig cell membranes. "We essentially use a detergent," Ross said.

The scaffold of the organ is essentially unchanged, he said. Miromatrix then recellularizes the organ with human cells from organs not placed for transplants.

Dr. Allan Kirk, a kidney transplant surgeon with Durham, N.C.-based Duke Health who has worked on xenotransplant research since the early 1990s, said genetically modified organs are ready for clinical trials but the outlook is less certain for the Miromatrix approach.

"There are a lot of people that have been working on decellularized organs.  That is way less developed than the approach of genetically modifying pigs," he said. Most research on decellularized organs is being done at universities and private labs. Miromatrix is the only company trying to commercialize it.

"It's not the same as a xenotransplant, but it's not the same as a [human-to-human] allotransplant either. It's something in between," Kirk said of the company's work.

Miromatrix's technology was developed at the University of Minnesota. Dr. Christopher McGregor, a professor of surgery at the university's medical school with a research background in xenotransplantation, agrees that Miromatrix's approach faces more challenges in the short term.

"It is innovative and in the long term has potential.  There's a lot of work yet to be done before it's ready for prime time," said McGregor, who is part of the university's porcine transplantation program that's working towards its own clinical trials for pig organ transplants.

Ross, Miromatrix's CEO, points to the company's previous developments as reason for optimism. The company has already used its decellularization process for two products cleared by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Miromesh is a biological mesh that can be used in hernia repair procedures, and Miroderm can be used for wound treatment. Both products are derived from decellularized pig livers.

In 2019, Miromatrix spun off a new company, Plymouth-based Reprise Biomedical, which now markets Miromesh and Miroderm.

"We have thousands of patients who have been implanted with the matrix with no immune-related issues," Ross said. The "matrix" refers to the protein matrix that surrounds the cells.

The company still has a long road to getting FDA approval for its kidneys and livers. Miromatrix has yet to say when it hopes to begin clinical trials for implanting the organs into humans. It plans to submit its pre-investigational new drug application to the FDA in 2023.

The company will, however, start clinical trials of its external liver assist device in 2023. The external liver device is essentially a one-time liver dialysis that integrates a bioengineered pig liver with an existing pump system already in use at most hospital ICUs, Ross said. A patient's blood passes through the bioengineered liver and then returns to the patient.

Miromatrix went public in June 2021, raising about $44.6 million. But like many companies that went public last year, its stock is now trading significantly lower from where it debuted.

Medtech giant Baxter International and dialysis service provider DaVita Inc. own nearly one-fifth of Miromatrix.

The University or Maryland case renewed interest in animal organ transplants. After the patient's death, doctors discovered that the heart contained a porcine virus, though it's unclear whether that contributed to the man's heart failure.

"This is an inflection point for the xenotransplant field," said Kirk, the surgeon from Duke Health. "I would say that there are more things unsolved than there are things that are solved."

That doesn't mean the Maryland case wasn't encouraging, Kirk and McGregor said.

"I thought that it was a landmark case," McGregor said. It offers "the beginning of a road of making xenotransplantation a potential treatment for patients with end-stage organ disease."

Explore further Hopes high for a bioengineered liver

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Mohd Hussain Ganie | TwoCircles.net



The role of minority personalities in the national movement and nation-building remains unacknowledged and is also being systematically and deliberately erased from history as well as from our memories. Amidst this grim scenario, it is important to remember the story of courage, bravery, sacrifice, and political sagacity of Anees Fatimah, or Lady Anees Imam as she became later famous. She played a distinctive role in the anti-colonial movement and became one of the founders of Modern Bihar along with her cousin and husband Sir Syed Ali Imam (1869-1932), who too was one of the noted founders of modern Bihar.

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Lady Anees received her early education from Badshah Nawaz Rizvi (B.N.R.) School, earlier called Madrasa Islamia, was founded by the first woman novelist of Patna Rasheed un Nesa (1853-1926) in 1906 with the help of her husband Yahya, a renowned advocate of Patna.

She was one among the group of prominent Muslim women who at the beginning of the 20th century emerged in Bihar and raised their voices against social evils and injustice in Bihar society. They rejected purdah and participated openly against this practice among both Hindu and Muslim women. These include lady Anees Imam, Zubaida Begum Daudi (1886-1972), Zahra Kalim, and Hamida Naim. These elite ( and largely upper caste) Muslim women of Bihar also actively participated with their male counterparts in the countrys freedom struggle.

Lady Imam made remarkable contributions to Indias freedom movement. In the heydays of the Non-Cooperation movement (1920-22), she along with her daughter Mehmuda Sami organized large-scale protests against the liquor shops in Patna.

More significantly, she was head of the Committee deputed by the All India Congress to England to pressurize the British Government against the Montaque Chelmsford Reforms of 1919. She was the first woman of Bihar to go to England for political matters.

She did not rest here. She was also quite active in the second big mass movement, the civil disobedience movement (1930-34) which is often considered, the turning point in the participation of Women in the freedom struggle.

On 15 July 1930, Lady Imam and Gauri Das took out a great procession in Patna and also proposed a committee for boycotting foreign goods. This again debunks a widely held notion that Muslims kept themselves aloof from the civil disobedience movement. On the 25th of July, 1938, under her leadership, a large procession of nearly 3000 women took out in Patna. As a result, the British issued warrants against her. This sparked more protests, this time across Patna. Later, the All India Congress acknowledged her efforts by sending a message of congratulations for Lady Imams sacrifices.

Anees Fatima came in contact with Sushma Sen, a social worker. With the help of Sushma Sen and lady Wheeler, the wife of then Governor A. H. Wheeler, Anees Fatima undertook the task of making Bengali and Bihari women self-dependent. She established Aghor Kamini Shilpalaya. During her trip to Hyderabad she met Miss Aamna Aithal Pope, who was active in the upliftment of women in Hyderabad, Anees Imam was also impressed and supported the cause with the help of Shogara Begam, Humayun Begam, and Begam Mirza. She along with P. K. Sen also started Aghor Nari Pratishan at Patna in 1938 to impart industrial education to Women.

Lady Imam also fought the elections of 1937 as an independent candidate from Bihar and won the seat. She was an active member of the Anjuman Tarraqi-e-Urdu, which relentlessly fought for Urdu to be considered the second language of Bihar. The other members who also played their part were Ghulam Sarwar (1926-2004), Betaab Siddiqi (1916-), Sardar Latifur Rahman, S. M. Aiyub (1910-64), Shah Mushtaq (1917-2002), among many others.

After Independence, Anees Imam was elected the President of the Social Welfare Board, and with the backing of the Board, she contributed immensely to social welfare and women empowerment. She managed all her social work from Mariyam Manzil (Anisabad, Patna).

Moreover, Lady Imam also went to other parts of Bihar such as Barh, Muzaffarpur, and other cities, and established many committees for the promotion of welfare activities.

Lady Imams daughter Mehmuda Sami was quite active in the freedom movement of India. Sami was extremely popular among the students of Bihar. Even at her slightest hint, the students would gather and join the campaign against the British.

She was elected to the Bihar legislative Assembly and fully supported the cause of Education in Bihar. She was an active member of the Khuda Baksh Library in Patna and she gave her possible support in opening Bihar Government Urdu Library. She was a good orator and inspired girls and taught them the value of Education in their life.

Lady Imams close relationship with Patna can also be estimated from the fact that there is a locality named after her in Patna called Anisabad. Her husband Sir Ali Imam was the owner of a large area in the west of Gardanibagh and also built a palatial building called Anees Mahal near the junction of Phulwari Sharif Road and a new bypass. Later on, this property was passed on to Lady Imam and, thus, this sprawling area came to be known as Anisabad after her.

Sir Syed Ali Imam built a huge residence for her in Ranchi, Bihar. The residence is unusually styled as a Scottish castle and known locally as Anees Castle. A mausoleum was also built as a final resting place for the couple. The castle took around 20 years and was completed in 1932. Following her husbands death in the same year, Anees Fatimah concentrated on her political career. When she passed away in Patna in 1979, her burial took place there, thus destroying her late husbands dream of them resting together for eternity in the Castle.

This Anees Castle, however, decayed gradually and has been turned into a storehouse of marble owned by a businessman Motilal. This also suggests our indifference towards our heritage.



(Mohd Hussain Ganie is a Ph.D. candidate at the Department of History, Aligarh Muslim University. He can be reached at [email protected])
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The COVID-19 vaccines can help keep you from getting the nasty virus, missing many days of work or school, and ending up in the hospital or the graveyard.

But can they keep you from going bald?

"Rona can lead to hair loss," warns a social media ad from California's Vaccinate All 58 campaign depicting a fellow with a pencil-thin mustache in a baby-blue suit straight out of the 1970s, whose hair is being snatched from his head by a cat paw labeled "rona"slang for the coronavirus: "Protect your melon. Get vaxed."

Count Stanford Medical School professor and COVID-19 lockdown critic Dr. Jay Bhattacharya among the skeptics.

"Umm Seriously?" Bhattacharya tweeted Sept. 21 after he said his daughter received the ad in her Facebook feed.

The California Department of Public Health confirmed the piece was one of their "assets," but did not respond to questions about the science behind itor the super cheesy cartoon.

However, there have been a number of reports and studies recently linking the virus to hair loss.

"Months after recovering from COVID-19, many people find that their hair is falling out in large clumps," reports the American Academy of Dermatology Association. "Fever is a common symptom of COVID-19. A few months after having a high fever or recovering from an illness, many people see noticeable hair loss."

But the sudden hair loss experienced by COVID patients isn't the same as the genetically linked gradual balding experienced by so many mena condition that has made hair loss treatment a $3.4 billion industry in the U.S.

Instead, it is a sudden, stress-induced shedding, known medically as telogen effluvium, the American Academy of Dermatology says. It isn't limited to men, and it isn't only seen after a bout of COVID.

"It happens when more hairs than normal enter the shedding (telogen) phase of the hair growth lifecycle at the same time," the dermatology academy says. "A fever or illness can force more hairs into the shedding phase. Most people see noticeable hair shedding two to three months after having a fever or illness."

Fortunately, the academy said, unlike male-pattern baldness, the condition is temporary.

"When the cause of your hair shedding is due to a fever, illness, or stress, hair tends to return to normal on its own, you just have to give it time," the academy says. "Most people see their hair regain its normal fullness within six to nine months."

A number of people who replied to Bhattacharya said they too had had some hair loss after being ill with the virus. The professor responded that alopecia, the broader family of hair loss conditions, "sometimes happens after COVID infection and even the vax."

A 2021 study by the dermatology academy appeared to back that up. It noted that while recent reports had suggested that COVID-19 may trigger alopecia areata, an autoimmune condition that causes sudden hair loss, it also documented cases of the syndrome in people following vaccination against the virus.

"Hair loss following SARS-CoV-2 vaccination is an increasingly reported phenomenon in the United States and globally," the study said.

It's hard to say how common the hair loss phenomenon is, whether after infection or vaccination. After all, Gov. Gavin Newsom, who's vaccinated, boosted and had COVID, still has his famous thick, slicked-back locks, and joked recently he'd be happy to bring his hair gel if his Republican counterpart in Florida will bring his hair spray to a debate.

But does the COVID-19 vaccine prevent hair loss? Bhattacharya, one of the California Department of Public Health's harshest critics, asserted there's "no good evidence for that."

"It's a strange way to convince people to take the vax," he said.

Explore further Can stress cause hair loss?

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Activation of empathy brain regions in the hierarchical chain. Credit: Kalliopi Ioumpa/Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience

Researchers from the Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience show that powerful hierarchical situations make it easier to commit harmful actions, as agency and empathy are split across multiple individuals.

There are numerous historical examples where horrific acts and mass destruction have occurred as a result of a hierarchical structure. A superior communicates a plan and a subordinate carries it out. The superior then bears responsibility for the decision but is distanced from the results, while the subordinate experiences authorship over the action but may experience reduced responsibility for its outcomes.

And in our daily lives too, hierarchy is acquired throughout our society. In many organizations, orders are embedded in an even longer chain of commands in which a given commander often merely relays on the orders received from a superior. But what effect does this have on our actions?

A new study from the social brain lab looked at how your position within a hierarchical structure (commander or intermediary) influences the sense of agency and empathy for pain. The aim was to understand how these two different neurocognitive processes differ in commanders and intermediaries. And guess what? Commanders and intermediaries show reduced activation in empathic brain regions when pain is inflicted on the victim compared to people who can decide and act for themselves. The results were published in the journal eNeuro.

The team used functional MRI (fMRI) and electroencephalogram (EEG) techniques in order to perform their experiments. fMRI measures brain activity by tracking changes in blood flow over time. The changes visible on the scan are related to change in oxygen levels: when areas of the brain are active, they will need more oxygen, causing them to "light up." Using EEG, brain activity is measured electrically. During this test, small sensors are attached to the scalp to pick up the electrical signals produced by the brain.

Activation of empathy related brain regions. Credit: Kalliopi Ioumpa/Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience

Reduced empathy

The fMRI study shows that activity in empathy-related brain regions was low in both the commander and the intermediary, compared to someone who delivered the shock directly of their own free will. During the both studies, pain was administered by a human or robot. The EEG results show that the sense of agency did not differ between commanders and intermediaries, regardless of whether the execution was performed by a robot or a human.

However, it turned out that the neural response to the pain of the victim were higher when participants commanded a robot compared to a human. This suggests that when there is a second human involved, the responsibility tends to be diffused and commanders' pain processing of the victim's pain is reduced. Diffusing such responsibility onto a robot is perhaps more difficult.

Emilie Caspar, first co-author of the paper, says that "the law generally punished those who gave out orders more severely than those who carried out the orders. But what do people feel exactly in a hierarchical chain? Recently, Khieu Samphan, one of the main Khmer Rouge leaders, was sentenced to life imprisonment for crimes against humanity and genocide. Yet, he claimed that he did not know what was happening during the Khmer Rouge Era, where millions of Cambodians died of execution, starvation, and diseases."

"It seems that people commanding may not always experience the responsibility they should, an aspect which would nonetheless be crucial to avoid mass atrocities. This is why it is important to understand better their subjective experience and how their brain processes the consequences of their orders, to perhaps in the future offer interventions that would prevent a diminution of responsibility in hierarchical chain."

Kalliopi Ioumpa, first co-author of the paper, says that "these results complement previous research showing that hierarchy has a measurable effect on people's behavior and brain activation, making them less engaged in the harm they cause. This study can raise questions on how we can ensure that people feel responsibility despite being in a hierarchical chain. Is it easier for executors to take responsibility over their actions since they are the ones actingor for commanders because they bear the responsibility of the order? We show how powerful hierarchical situations can facilitate committing actions that harm others, as agency and empathy are distributed across multiple individuals."

Prof Dr. Christian Keysers, one of the senior author of the study heading the lab in which it was performed, says that "times are changing. The solder at the forefront, whose empathy sometimes prevented the worst atrocities, is increasingly replaced by drones that feel no empathy. Has this removed any empathy from the chain of command? Indeed, we find that merely commanding someone to deliver pain reduces how much your brain processes the pain you command compared to directly triggering the pain. What was really exciting to see, however, is that knowing that you command a machine, that you cannot defer the responsibility to, restores some of the reactions to the pain in commanders. Perhaps there is hope, after all, that the empathy we reduce at the forefront might be replacedat least in partby an increase is the sense of responsibility at higher levels in the hierarchy"

Explore further Why obeying orders can make us do terrible things

More information: Emilie A. Caspar et al, Commanding or being a simple intermediary: how does it affect moral behavior and related brain mechanisms?, eNeuro (2022). Journal information: eNeuro Emilie A. Caspar et al, Commanding or being a simple intermediary: how does it affect moral behavior and related brain mechanisms?,(2022). DOI: 10.1523/ENEURO.0508-21.2022

Provided by Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience - KNAW
Credit: CC0 Public Domain

Pennsylvania has one of the highest rates of opioid overdose in the nation, and, according to Penn State researchers, one's chances of surviving that overdose can depend on where the person lives.

Using data from the Pennsylvania Overdose Information Network from the years 201820 and American Community Survey data from 201519, Penn State geography researchers looked at the prevalence of overdoses in the state and found the availability of the anti-overdose therapeutic naloxone to be a key factor in overdose survival. The findings were reported in the journal of Drug and Alcohol Dependence.

Data showed individuals who received at least one dose of naloxone were nine times as likely to survive an overdose. Naloxone was administered in about 75% of the survival cases and just 29% of fatal overdose cases.

Yet, the availability of the drug at the time of overdose ranged between 41% and 47% in the lowest counties such as nearby Clinton and Huntingdon Counties to 92% in Philadelphia County, the highest. In broad strokes, lesser populated counties had less access to the life-saving treatment, with exceptions for Center and Mercer Counties, which fared better than similarly populated counties.

"One of the main goals of this research is to inform public health practitioners and policymakers who have the capacity to do something about the distribution of naloxone, which is clearly effective," said Louisa Holmes, assistant professor of geography at Penn State, member of Penn State Social Science Research Institute's Consortium on Substance Use and Addiction (CSUA) and lead author of the study. "It gives leaders a target for combating the opioid epidemic by saving lives."

Data showed 82% of Pennsylvania adults survived opioid overdoses. In 2020, there were 4,314 opioid related deaths in the state, a 16% increase over 2019, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Health.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, opioid overdose deaths have increased steadily from 1999 to 2018, before ballooning in 2020 after a dip in 2019, resulting in the first multi-year decrease in life expectancy in more than 50 years.

The increase in overdose deaths coupled with the effectiveness of naloxone prompted the Office of the Surgeon General in 2018 to call for its increased distribution. Similarly, Pennsylvania issued standing orders in 2015 and updated in 2022 authorizing anyone to obtain naloxone, although it leaves decisions to stock the drug up to pharmacists. A recent survey of Pennsylvania pharmacies found 55% did not stock naloxone, and the majority of pharmacists were unclear on policies related to the standing order. The survey also found out-of-pocket naloxone prices in 2017 to range from $50 to $400.

Using data for 16,673 unique overdose incidents occurring in Pennsylvania, researchers found 13,724 people survived, while 2,949 did not. About 70% of the deaths were male, 53.5% were ages 2539 and 90% were white. About 33% of the victims lived in the most rural portions of the state, versus 28% who lived in the most populated areas.

Researchers say the data point to a need for more comprehensive and consistent access to naloxone for emergency responders, agencies, opioid use disorder patients and their families, citing the effectiveness of programs such as community distribution of naloxone kits, which cut overdose deaths by 42%. Measures such as expanding take-home naloxone programs, overdose response training and pharmacist education could also save lives, researchers said.

Although Pennsylvania law allows first responders such as EMTs and police officers to administer naloxone, researchers said such training is scarcer in rural areas.

This research is related to more broad efforts by the CSUA, which is a large collective of substance-based addiction researchers, practitioners and educators across all of Penn State's campuses that work on everything from opioids to e-cigarettes to alcohol. Holmes was hired in 2019 among a team of researchers tasked with addressing addiction research.

"The expanding research being done by the CSUA on these topics further positions Penn State as a leader both regionally and nationally," said Brian King, head of the Department of Geography and co-author of the research. "It is a testament to how research at this institution directly impacts residents in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania."

Explore further Just over half of Michigan pharmacies offer overdose-fighting naloxone without prescription
Credit: University of Manchester

The devolution deal which granted Greater Manchester increased control over a range of public services, including health and social care, has been linked to a positive impact on life expectancy in a study by University of Manchester researchers.

The study also showed the benefits linked to devolution on life expectancy were felt in the most deprived local authorities where there was poorer health, suggesting a narrowing of inequality.

The study, published in The Lancet Public Health, showed that between 2014/16 and 2017/19:

Life expectancy was 0.2 years higher in Greater Manchester compared to a comparable control group from the rest of England. The change in Greater Manchester was 2.2 times larger than the average change in life expectancy over the same period.

The change persisted throughout the period after the devolution deal and was larger for men (0.34 years) than for women (0.06 years).

Statistically significant increases in life expectancy were observed in eight out of the ten local authorities in Greater Manchester, with the exceptions of Rochdale (decrease) and Oldham (no change).

In the short-term, life expectancy remained constant in Greater Manchester but declined in comparable areas in England. In the longer-term, life expectancy increased at a faster rate in Greater Manchester than in the rest of the country.

Improvements in life expectancy were larger in the local authorities with the worst levels of income deprivation and lowest life expectancy prior to devolution, when compared to areas with equally high deprivation and low life expectancy in the rest of England.

The improvements, say the researchers, may have been a result of a combination of changes in response to the devolution deals in the region, including the health and social care devolution agreement, the devolution of powers over wider determinants of health (such as housing, employment, transport, adult education, policing, and economic development), and the election of a Greater Manchester mayor.

The study, which is the first of first kind, estimated the impact of devolution on the population stratified by sex, local authority, income deprivation, and life expectancy compared to the rest of England, excluding London.

The researchers used local authority data on life expectancy at birth published by the Office for National Statistics between 2006 and 2019 to calculate the relationship.

Lead author Dr. Philip Britteon Research Fellow at The University of Manchester said, "We provide the first robust evidence on the impact of devolution in England on population health, focusing on changes occurring in Greater Manchester.

"The study shows modest improvements in life expectancy in Greater Manchester compared to comparable areas in the rest of the country from the introduction of devolution until the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, using a robust statistical method.

"This finding may have been driven by combination of changes in response to the health and social care devolution agreement, the devolution of powers over wider public services, the election of a new mayor, or earlier steps to improve population health prior to devolution.

"The findings support the suggestion that devolved systems are able to more closely identify and address the needs of local populations. However, further research is required to understand the mechanisms behind the estimated effect."

Co-author Professor Matt Sutton from The University of Manchester and Deputy Director of the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Applied Research Collaboration Greater Manchester (ARC-GM) said, "In Greater Manchester many more people die younger than in most other parts of the U.K.; many others suffer more from serious diseases.

"However, this study has shown that devolution in Greater Manchester could improve things for the better."

Following devolution, the Greater Manchester Health and Social Care Partnership (GMHSCP) was established to set strategy and oversee its delivery, including the delivery of Taking Charge, the region's five year plan.

And also part of the health and social care devolution settlement, NHS England granted the region control of its share of the national sustainability and transformation fund.

The GMHSCP policy priorities also formed components of The Greater Manchester Strategy; a plan produced by Greater Manchester Combined Authority on behalf of Greater Manchester partners, to transform and integrate public services within the conurbation.

Co-author Dr. Yiu-Shing Lau from The University of Manchester said, "These findings may provide clues to the potential success or failure of Integrated Care Systems in England.

"However, there are key differences that should be considered when drawing comparisons between the setup of the GMHSCP and the organization of Integrated Care Systems outlined in the Health and Care Act 2022.

"Similar improvements in population health may not be replicated in Integrated Care Systems without a comprehensive representation of councils on their board.

"The success of future devolution reforms may therefore depend on other factors beyond the types and strength of powers devolved to a health system, including the extent to which health and wider public services are aligned.

"Future research will seek to further investigate the findings of the study by evaluating the impact of devolution on a range of outcome measures and investigating the activities in Greater Manchester that may have contributed to the observed change in life expectancy"

The paper, "The effect of devolution on health: a generalised synthetic control analysis of Greater Manchester, England," is published in The Lancet Public Health.

Explore further Researcher maps life expectancy along Greater Manchester's Metrolink

More information: Philip Britteon et al, The effect of devolution on health: a generalised synthetic control analysis of Greater Manchester, England, The Lancet Public Health (2022). Journal information: The Lancet Public Health Philip Britteon et al, The effect of devolution on health: a generalised synthetic control analysis of Greater Manchester, England,(2022). DOI: 10.1016/S2468-2667(22)00198-0
Louis Pasteur (18221895), microbiologist and chemist. Credit: Wellcome Collection gallery (2018-03-31): https://wellcomecollection.org/works/yjhv5dwc/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY

Some of the greatest scientific discoveries haven't resulted in Nobel Prizes.

Louis Pasteur, who lived from 1822 to 1895, is arguably the world's best-known microbiologist. He is widely credited for the germ theory of disease and for inventing the process of pasteurizationwhich is named after himto preserve foods. Remarkably, he also developed the rabies and anthrax vaccines and made major contributions to combating cholera.

But because he died in 1895, six years before the first Nobel Prize was awarded, that prize isn't on his resume. Had he lived in the era of Nobel Prizes, he would undoubtedly have been deserving of one for his work. Nobel Prizes, which are awarded in various fields, including physiology and medicine, are not given posthumously.

During the current time of ongoing threats from emerging or reemerging infectious diseases, from COVID-19 and polio to monkeypox and rabies, it is awe-inspiring to look back on Pasteur's legacy. His efforts fundamentally changed how people view infectious diseases and how to fight them via vaccines.

I've worked in public health and medical laboratories specializing in viruses and other microbes, while training future medical laboratory scientists. My career started in virology with a front-row seat to rabies detection and surveillance and zoonotic agents, and it rests in large part on Pasteur's pioneering work in microbiology, immunology and vaccinology.

First, a chemist

In my assessment, Pasteur's strongest contributions to science are his remarkable achievements in the field of medical microbiology and immunology. However, his story begins with chemistry.

Pasteur studied under the French chemist Jean-Baptiste-Andre Dumas. During that time, Pasteur became interested in the origins of life and worked in the field of polarized light and crystallography.

In 1848, just months after receiving his doctorate degree, Pasteur was studying the properties of crystals formed in the process of wine-making when he discovered that crystals occur in mirror-image forms, a property known as chirality. This discovery became the foundation of a subdiscipline of chemistry known as stereochemistry, which is the study of the spatial arrangement of atoms within molecules. This chirality, or handedness, of molecules was a "revolutionary hypothesis" at the time.

These findings led Pasteur to suspect what would later be proved through molecular biology: All life processes ultimately stem from the precise arrangement of atoms within biological molecules.

Wine and beer: From fermentation to germ theory

Beer and wine were critical to the economy of France and Italy in the 1800s. It was not uncommon during Pasteur's life for products to spoil and become bitter or dangerous to drink. At the time, the scientific notion of "spontaneous generation" held that life can arise from nonliving matter, which was believed to be the culprit behind wine spoiling.

While many scientists tried to disprove the theory of spontaneous generation, in 1745, English biologist John Turberville Needham believed he had created the perfect experiment favoring spontaneous generation. Most scientists believed that heat killed life, so Needham created an experiment to show that microorganisms could grow on food, even after boiling. After boiling chicken broth, he placed it in a flask, heated it, then sealed it and waited, not realizing that air could make its way back into the flask prior to sealing. After some time, microorganisms grew, and Needham claimed victory.

However, his experiment had two major flaws. For one, the boiling time was not sufficient to kill all microbes. And importantly, his flasks allowed air to flow back in, which enabled microbial contamination.

To settle the scientific battle, the French Academy of Sciences sponsored a contest for the best experiment to prove or disprove spontaneous generation. Pasteur's response to the contest was a series of experiments, including a prize-winning 1861 essay.

Pasteur deemed one of these experiments as "unassailable and decisive" because, unlike Needham, after he sterilized his cultures, he kept them free from contamination. By using his now famous swan-necked flasks, which had a long S-shaped neck, he allowed air to flow in while at the same time preventing falling particles from reaching the broth during heating. As a result, the flask remained free of growth for an extended period. This showed that if air was not allowed directly into his boiled infusions, then no "living microorganisms would appear, even after months of observation." However, importantly, if dust was introduced, living microbes appeared.

Through that process, Pasteur not only refuted the theory of spontaneous generation, but he also demonstrated that microorganisms were everywhere. When he showed that food and wine spoiled because of contamination from invisible bacteria rather than from spontaneous generation, the modern germ theory of disease was born.

Pasteurs discoveries resonate to this very day.

The origins of vaccination in the 1800s

In the 1860s, when the silk industry was being devastated by two diseases that were infecting silkworms, Pasteur developed a clever process by which to examine silkworm eggs under a microscope and preserve those that were healthy. Much like his efforts with wine, he was able to apply his observations into industry methods, and he became something of a French hero.

Even with failing health from a severe stroke that left him partially paralyzed, Pasteur continued his work. In 1878, he succeeded in identifying and culturing the bacterium that caused the avian disease fowl cholera. He recognized that old bacterial cultures were no longer harmful and that chickens vaccinated with old cultures could survive exposure to wild strains of the bacteria. And his observation that surviving chickens excreted harmful bacteria helped establish an important concept now all too familiar in the age of COVID-19asymptomatic "healthy carriers" can still spread germs during outbreaks.

After bird cholera, Pasteur turned to the prevention of anthrax, a widespread plague of cattle and other animals caused by the bacterium Bacillus anthracis. Building on his own work and that of German physician Robert Koch, Pasteur developed the concept of the attenuated, or weakened, versions of microbes for use in vaccines.

In the late 1880s, he showed beyond any doubt that exposing cattle to a weakened form of anthrax vaccine could lead to what is now well known as immunity, dramatically reducing cattle mortality.

The rabies vaccine breakthrough

In my professional assessment of Louis Pasteur, the discovery of vaccination against rabies is the most important of all his achievements.

Rabies has been called the "world's most diabolical virus," spreading from animal to human via a bite.

Working with rabies virus is incredibly dangerous, as mortality approaches 100% once symptoms appear and without vaccination. Through astute observation, Pasteur discovered that drying out the spinal cords of dead rabid rabbits and monkeys resulted in a weakened form of rabies virus. Using that weakened version as a vaccine to gradually expose dogs to the rabies virus, Pasteur showed that he could effectively immunize the dogs against rabies.

Then, in July 1885, Joseph Meister, a 9-year-old boy from France, was severely bitten by a rabid dog. With Joseph facing almost certain death, his mother took him to Paris to see Pasteur because she had heard that he was working to develop a cure for rabies.

Pasteur took on the case, and alongside two physicians, he gave the boy a series of injections over several weeks. Joseph survived and Pasteur shocked the world with a cure for a universally lethal disease. This discovery opened the door to the widespread use of Pasteur's rabies vaccine around 1885, which dramatically reduced rabies' deaths in humans and animals.

A Nobel Prizeworthy life

Pasteur once famously said in a lecture, "In the fields of observation, chance favors only the prepared mind."

Pasteur had a knack for applying his brilliantand preparedscientific mind to the most practical dilemmas faced by humankind.

While Louis Pasteur died prior to the initiation of the Nobel Prize, I would argue that his amazing lifetime of discovery and contribution to science in medicine, infectious diseases, vaccination, medical microbiology and immunology place him among the all-time greatest scientists.

Explore further Rabies: New prophylactic and therapeutic avenues

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
Three-dimensional culture of human breast cancer cells, with DNA stained blue and a protein in the cell surface membrane stained green. Credit: NCI Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health

A USC-led team of scientists has found indications that a special blood test called a liquid biopsy could determine whether a patient has breast cancer at its early stage and if that cancer is unlikely to return.

These high-definition comprehensive liquid biopsies are conducted using a standard blood draw from the arm of a patient in a doctor's office. Once in the laboratory, the sample is examined for signs of cancer.

The study demonstrating the liquid biopsy results for early breast cancer detection was published on Sept. 27 in Nature's npj Breast Cancer journal. The work was a collaboration between USC, Billings Clinic, Duke University, Epic Sciences and USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center. The results raise hopes that one day doctors could detect breast cancer in patients with a simple blood draw.

The researchers at the USC Michelson Convergent Science Institute in Cancer (CSI-Cancer) are cautiously optimistic about their findings. They are eager to test and see whether the results will be proven in larger clinical trials to demonstrate the benefit of the method for patients everywhere.

"It's an amazing opportunity to change how early breast cancer detection is being done with a simple blood draw, but it's only a research outcome at this point and we still need to demonstrate clinical benefit," said Peter Kuhn, a USC cancer physicist who directs CSI-Cancer.

Breast cancer is the most prevalent form of cancer in the world, affecting 1 in 8 women over their lifetime.

Since 1976 when the American Cancer Society endorsed the technique, mammography X-ray, along with a tissue biopsy, has become the standard way for doctors to check patients for breast cancer.

But mammography is not 100% accurate and its detection can be impeded by healthy dense tissue. Mammography's sensitivity to breast cancer is around 87%, according to the Breast Cancer Surveillance Consortium. And for some women, mammograms are not accessible, especially those living in poor isolated communities that have no clinics or hospitals. Others simply do not get a regular mammogram.

But a tissue biopsy also is not a fool-proof method. Although it can reveal information about the tumor, it has limitations. Doctors can sample only a small area and may fail to capture the full extent of the tumor. A tissue biopsy is also invasive and painful.

Combined, the drawbacks for diagnosis with mammograms and tissue biopsies mean some patients are not diagnosed until the cancer has grown and spread. New methodologies such as CSI-Cancer's liquid biopsy can bring a complementary toolset into clinical practice.

For the study, Kuhn and his team worked with 100 breast cancer patientssome early and late stageand 40 patients without breast cancer from April 2013 through January 2017. The work was conducted at clinical sites including at the Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center at Keck Medicine of USC, the Billings Clinic in Montana, Duke University Cancer Institute in Durham, North Carolina and the City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center in Duarte, Calif.

The team tested a theory that the high-definition liquid biopsy could detect multiple cancer biomarkers, including the so-called "oncosomes"nano-sized, membraned cargo carriers that enrich the body's environment for cancer growth. These oncosomes are secreted by cancer cells as the group has shown previously.

"The news here is that we found the vast majority of early-stage breast cancer patients have these oncosomes at very robust levels," said Kuhn, a Dean's Professor at USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences and cancer physicist. "They're about 5-10 microns in diameter. About the size of a cell. We first identified these large vesicles in prostate cancer about a year-and-a-half ago and showed that they are related to the cancer. They are hiding in plain sight."

If further studies produce similar results, this could mean that the next generation high-definition liquid biopsy may become a diagnostic tool for early breast cancer detection and other cancers, he said. The test also could inform patients who have been treated for cancer that they will most likely remain cancer-free.

"Typically, I'm the bearer of bad news. I say, 'You have cancer in your blood," Kuhn said. "But a test like this could give hope that if there is a sign of cancer, we can find it very early and improve treatment and survival."

Explore further Breast MRI illuminates risk of second breast cancer

More information: Sonia Maryam Setayesh et al, Multianalyte liquid biopsy to aid the diagnostic workup of breast cancer, npj Breast Cancer (2022). Sonia Maryam Setayesh et al, Multianalyte liquid biopsy to aid the diagnostic workup of breast cancer,(2022). DOI: 10.1038/s41523-022-00480-4
Child breathing into PulmoBioMed's PBM-HALE device. Credit: Northumbria University, Newcastle

New research shows 100% effectiveness of an innovative breath sampling device developed by Northumbria University medtech spinout, PulmoBioMed, that could revolutionize diagnosis of a range of diseases, including COVID-19.

The results mean that PulmoBioMed's game-changing device, PBM-HALE, can be used to study infections of the deep lung, reducing the need for invasive or costly procedures often required for disease diagnosis.

PBM-Hale is a hand-held aerosol collecting device that allows sampling of the lung in a non-invasive wayby patients simply breathing into it.

To date, all inventions used for collecting breath samples are challenged by issues relating to contamination, sample loss and variability. PBM-Hale technology resolves these issues, with newly published data showing that the device detected 100% of COVID-19 cases tested in the company's latest clinical study.

Dr. Sterghios Moschos, Associate Professor at Northumbria University and Founder and Chief Scientific Officer of PulmoBioMed, said, "We and others have now shown with various devices that exhaled breath contains the virus that causes COVID-19. Previous studies though could not distinguish between what is coming out of the mouth (saliva) and what comes out in fine aerosol particles. Some of them were also very easy to contaminate with virus in the atmosphere or the skin.

"Our study is the first to show that the virus can be detected in the fine aerosol particles generated in the lung, even in resting breath. It shows the virus is found mostly in the tiniest particles we breathe out, not the saliva that might be accidentally spit out as we breathe or speak.

"This means that using our device in combination with the standard PCR test used worldwide, we can detect the genome of the virus in 100% of patients, when sampling the breath for just one minute. This would identify anyone infectious or shedding virus.

"We are also the first to show that the amount of virus produced is 90 times higher on average if you sing loudly. It reinforces why high-quality masks are important to prevent transmission indoors, and why ventilating enclosed spaces is critical to preventing transmission. These small particles are known to linger for hours if the space is not ventilated.

"The study shows that PBM-HALE can be used to study infections of the deep lung with no need for invasive procedures that present high risk to the patient and cost thousands to healthcare systemsall in a simple, hand-held device."

Findings from the study come as the company announces the appointment of world-leading clinical respiratory scientist Professor Peter J Barnes FRS, FMedSci as its new clinical non-executive director. Ranked the most highly cited clinical scientist in the U.K. and the most highly cited respiratory researcher world-wide for the past 20 years, Professor Barnes has published more than 1,000 peer-reviewed papers on asthma, COPD and other airways disease and serves on the editorial boards of over 30 academic journals.

Speaking about PulmoBioMed's technology, Professor Barnes said, "I am very impressed by the capabilities of the new PBM-HALE device, which is able to detect the virus that causes COVID-19 in the breath for the first time. This device has enormous potential application in diagnosing lung infections and in the diagnosing and monitoring of lung diseases, including asthma and COPD. The ease of collecting breath samples non-invasively means that it can be applied to children and to frail and ill patients."

The PulmoBioMed team presented their latest research at the European Respiratory Society (ERS) International Congress in Barcelona earlier this month.

The preprint paper, detailing the team's findings and titled "Airborne Pathogen Detection in Fine Aerosol Exhaled Breath Condensates" and a full list of authors can be found on the health sciences preprint website Medrxiv.

More information: John Henderson et al, Airborne Pathogen Detection in Fine Aerosol Exhaled Breath Condensates (2022). John Henderson et al, Airborne Pathogen Detection in Fine Aerosol Exhaled Breath Condensates (2022). DOI: 10.1101/2022.05.25.22275435
Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain

The day after his 8-month-old baby died, Kingsley Raspe opened the mail and found he had been sent to collections for her care.

That notice involved a paltry sum, $26.50absurd really, given he'd previously been told he owed $2.5 million for treatment of his newborn's congenital heart defect and other disorders.

Raspe and his wife, Maddie, had endured watching doctors crack open the chest of their pigtailed daughter, Sterling, whom they called "sweet Sterly gurl." The health team performed so many other procedures. But it couldn't keep heror her parents' dreams for heralive.

The bills lived on for them, as they do for many other families of premature and very sick infants who don't survive.

"What a lasting tribute to the entire experience," Kingsley said angrily. "The process was just so heartless."

More than 300,000 U.S. families have infants who require advanced medical attention in newborn intensive care units every year. Some babies stay for months, quickly generating astronomical fees for highly specialized surgeries and round-the-clock care. The services are delivered, and in U.S. health care, billing follows. But for the smaller fraction of families whose children die, the burden can be too much to bear.

A patchwork of convoluted Medicaid-qualification rules seek to defray these kinds of bills for very sick children. But policies differ in each state, and many parentsespecially those, like the Raspes, who have commercial insurancedon't know to apply or think they won't qualify.

Also, because many crises that befall premature or very sick babies are in-the-moment emergencies, there may not be time for the preapprovals that insurers often require for expensive interventions. That leaves parents in crisisor in mourningtasked with fighting with insurers to have treatment covered.

Three families detailed for KHN how medical bills compounded their suffering during a time when they were just trying to process their loss.

Bennett Markow

As the hospital in Reno, Nevada, was converting a parking garage into a COVID-19 unit in November 2020, Bennett Markow came into the world four months early. He weighed less than a pound. His care team loved to sing "Bennie and the Jets" to him as a nod to the jet ventilator keeping his tiny lungs working.

On Jan. 20, 2021, when Bennett was 2 months old, his parents were told he needed to go to UC Davis Children's Hospital in Sacramento, California, for specialized care that could keep him from going blind. The transfer team would be there in an hour. And the Nevada care team said that because it was an emergency, the family needn't worry about their insurance or the method of transportation.

Bennett's eye problem ended up being less severe than the doctors had feared. And Crissa Markow and her husband, A.J., were billed for the plane ride from REACH Air Medical Services, which turned out to be out of network. Jason Sorrick, vice president of government relations for REACH's parent company, Global Medical Response, said the ride happened during a "lapse" in Bennett's Medicaid coverage.

The Markows said there was no lapse. They hadn't applied yet because they thought they wouldn't qualifythe family is middle-class, and Bennett was on Crissa's insurance. They did not know they should until a social worker at UC Davis gave them more informationafter the flight.

Crissa Markow said her heart dropped to her toes when she realized she was being billed over $71,000, more than she makes in a year as a social worker. (The No Surprises Act, which aims to eliminate surprise billing, could have prevented some of the family's headachesbut Bennett was born before it went into effect this year.)

Although Crissa was used to working toward solutions, the billing quagmires she found herself in while juggling Bennett's care, her job, her other son, and the travel logistics to stay with Bennett about 2 hours away from her home were overwhelming. Crissa estimates she spent six to eight hours a week dealing with medical bills to keep them from being sent to collectionswhich still happened.

Bennett died last July after doctors said his lungs could not fight anymore. The Markows spent their bereavement leave battling with insurers and other billing agencies.

Finally, Crissa called REACH, the air transport company, and said: "Look, my son died. I just want to be able to grieve, I want to focus on that. Dealing with this bill is traumatic. It's a reminder every day I shouldn't have to be fighting this."

By October, the Markows had settled the bill with REACH on the condition that they not disclose the terms. Sorrick said that the company reaches agreements based on the financial and personal situations of each patient and their family and that the company's patient advocates had talked to Crissa Markow 17 times.

"If every settlement amount was disclosed publicly, then those rates become the expectation of all patients and insurance providers," Sorrick said. "Ultimately, that would lead to all patients wanting to pay below cost, making our services unsustainable."

Crissa Markow's employer-provided insurance paid $6.5 million for Bennett's care, not including what was covered by Medicaid. The Markows paid roughly $6,500 out-of-pocket to hospitals and doctors on top of their REACH settlement. But it was not those amountswhich the couple would have happily paid to save their sonbut the endless harassment and the hours spent on the phone that haunt them.

"I just wanted to be with Bennett; that's all I wanted to do," Crissa Markow said. "And I just spent hours on these phone calls."

Jack Shickel

Jack Shickel was born with stunning silver hair and hypoplastic left heart syndrome. Even though he was surrounded by wires and tubes, the nurses at UVA Children's Hospital would whisper to Jessica and her husband, Isaac, that they had a truly "cute" baby.

But his congenital disorder meant the left side of his heart never fully developed. Each year in the U.S., over a thousand babies are born with the syndrome.

After two surgeries, Jack's heart could not pump enough blood on its own. He made it 35 days.

Weeks after his death, when the Shickels were trying to muddle through life without him in Harrisonburg, Virginia, they called the hospital billing department about two confusing bills. They were then told the full cost of his care was $3.4 million.

"I laughed and then cried," Jessica said. "He was worth every penny to us, but that's basically $100,000 a day."

Bills from out-of-network labs and other prior approval notifications continued to overwhelm their mailbox. Eventually, they figured out how to get Medicaid. The Shickels ended up paying only $470.26.

Jessica got the final bills in March, seven months after Jack's death.

She noted that all of this was happening as the University of Virginia Health System said it was rolling back its aggressive billing practices after a KHN investigation found the prestigious university hospital was putting liens on people's homes to recoup medical debt.

UVA Health spokesperson Eric Swensen expressed condolences to the Shickel family and added that the health system works to help patients navigate the "complex process" of evaluating financial assistance, including Medicaid coverage.

After KHN reached out for comment, the Shickels got a call from UVA saying that the hospital was refunding their payment.

The hospital care team had given the family a pamphlet about what to do when grieving, but a more useful one, Jessica said, would have been titled "How Do You Deal With Medical Bills After Your Child Has Died?"

Sterling Raspe

Kingsley Raspe likes to say Sterling was "one special little lady"not only did she have the same congenital heart defect as Jack Shickel, but she was also diagnosed with Kabuki syndrome, a rare disorder that can severely affect development. Sterling also had hearing loss, spinal cord issues, and a compromised immune system.

An explanation of benefits from the Raspes' commercial insurance indicated the couple would need to pay $2.5 million for Sterling's carean amount so large the numbers didn't all fit in the column. Even Kingsley's suspicion that the $2.5 million charge was likely erroneousin large part or in wholedidn't erase the sheer panic he felt when he saw the number.

A computer programmer making $90,000 a year, Kingsley had decent insurance. He frantically Googled "medical bankruptcy."

Sterling had been denied Medicaid, which is available to children with complex medical problems in some states. Kingsley had filed an application for the government insurance, which had to be submitted by mail from the family home in Gary, Indiana. In doing so, he broke the strict protocols on COVID exposure set early in the pandemic at the Ronald McDonald charity house near the Illinois hospital where Sterling was being treated and jeopardized his ability to stay there.

In rejecting the application, Indiana cited an income threshold and other technical reasons.

Everyone kept telling Kingsley and Maddie to get divorced so Sterling would qualify for Medicaid. But that wasn't an option for Kingsley, a British citizen who is in the U.S. on a green card after meeting Maddie on Tinder.

Ultimately, Kingsley's insurer revised the faulty notice that he owed $2.5 million. The family was told the mistake had occurred because Sterling's initial hospital stay and surgeries had not been preapproved, although Kingsley said the heart defect was discovered halfway through the pregnancy, making surgery inevitable.

Throughout Sterling's life, Kingsley did his programming job at his daughter's bedside, in her hospital room. As a web developer, he created visualizations that break down Sterling's expensive careit helped him make sense of it all. But he cries when he remembers those days.

He hates that Sterling's life can be reduced to a 2-inch stack of printed-out medical bills and the phone calls he still must endure from errant billers.

Despite receiving a plethora of other bills in the tens of thousands, he and his wife eventually paid their $4,000 deductible, along with a smattering of smaller charges and fees for equipment rentals that weren't covered. In April, Maddie gave birth to a son, Wren, and Kingsley said he knows Sterling served as her brother's guardian angel.

"My daughter passed away. I'm not unscathed, but I'm not in financial ruin. The same can't be said for every family," he said. "How lucky am I? I went through the worst thing imaginable, and I consider myself luckywhat kind of weird, messed-up logic is that?"

Navigating the NICU

Contact your insurance company to talk through your NICU stay costs, including what is covered and what is not. If your baby's not already on your plan, make sure to add them.

Speak to a social worker immediately about applying for Medicaid or the Supplemental Security Income program, known as SSI. If your child qualifies, it can dramatically reduce your personal cost for a child with extensive medical bills.

The March of Dimes offers a "My NICU Baby" app designed to help you wade through the overwhelming experience. The nonprofit says the app can help you learn about caring for your baby in the NICU and at home, as well as monitor your baby's progress, manage your own health, and keep track of your to-do list and questions.

If particular insurers or bills are confusing, reach out to your state insurance office. All states offer consumer support, and some states have dedicated advocates who can help you.

Kingsley Raspe also compiled advice for other families navigating neonatal intensive care unit stays for their babies.

Explore further An $80,000 tab for newborns lays out a loophole in the new law to curb surprise bills

2022 Kaiser Health News.

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
BROWNING  When David Dragonfly was 3 or 4 years old and living in California, his neighbors were painting their house and left a paint bucket and brush on the sidewalk. A young Dragonfly seized the opportunity. When his mom wasnt looking, he painted a car parked on the street.

His mother wiped the paint off before it dried. She later joked it was then that she knew her son would grow up to be an artist.

Dragonfly, who is now 66, was born in Kalispell to John and Dorothy Dragonfly. When he was 2, the Dragonfly family moved from Montana to Los Angeles through the Indian Relocation Act, which promised Indigenous people jobs if they left their communities. The law, which was part of Americas Indian termination policy, has since been criticized for forcing Native people to leave their communities and support systems to assimilate.

Dragonflys family lived in Los Angeles for a few years, and when Dragonfly started high school, they moved to Browning.

Coming back here was a bit of a culture shock, Dragonfly said. L.A. was like a melting pot. Here, on the reservation, theres a lot more oppression. Its just how it is.

Dragonfly always enjoyed art. He graduated from Browning High School in 1974, earned his Bachelor of fine arts at the University of Montana in 1992, and went on to the Institute of American Indian Art in New Mexico. Dragonfly had primarily been working with stone carving, jewelry and prints. In 2014, he was invited to a ledger art show in Brooklyn, but he declined to attend.

I was scared of New York, he said. But the invite piqued his interest. Dragonfly started experimenting with ledger art, and he fell in love with the craft.

Popularized in the last few decades, ledger art refers to paintings or drawings done on official documents, like tax papers, city government files or checks.

Many Plains tribes chronicled stories in the form of pictographs on rocks and buffalo hides. In the 1800s, when settlers began killing buffalo to starve Native Americans, Indigenous people adapted their art and began drawing stories on discarded pages of ledger books they obtained from settlers.

Dragonfly said in the 1890s Native warriors who were arrested and jailed practiced ledger art.

The guards gave them books, and they drew war history, like when they fought another enemy, Dragonfly said. They didnt have formal drawing training so you can see their perspective is off, but what theyre really trying to portray was a story.

Lisa Simon, Radius Gallery co-owner, said ledger art is more than just a symbol of resilience.

The paper speaks to the fastidiousness of the 1800s and 1900s as well, she said. White people spent so much time documenting. Its very bureaucratic. So ledger art is a symbol of bureaucracy met with life and creativity and imagination. Its not just a symbol of Native resilience, its also a criticism of white bureaucracy.

Dragonfly uses colored pencils, marker and watercolor paints to depict stories on ledger paper.

Most of the time, people dont know what my art is, he said. This kind of art isnt mainstream, thats for sure.

Sometimes, Dragonfly said the hardest part of creating ledger art is finding the paper. He collects old documents from antique dealers in Chinook or Virginia City, and sometimes he will buy papers from eBay, traders or collectors. Dragonfly said he wishes he could use historical Blackfeet papers in his work, but, according to him, all of those documents are gone. You cant find them anywhere.

The paper brings validity to the piece, he said. It dates the piece. Sometimes I try to match the meaning of the work to the paper. Thats when you have to get real creative with your thoughts.

One of Dragonfly's pieces shows a Native man riding in an old-fashioned car.

A long time ago, not many Indians owned cars, Dragonfly said. Cars are expensive and so is gas. Maybe the white Indian agent on the reservation had a car, but no one else did. Most everybody had wagons. So I was imagining what it would look like if an Indian did have a car back then.

Another piece, which is on display in the Museum of the Plains Indian in Browning, shows a train passing through the Blackfeet Reservation. A passenger holds a camera to the window, demonstrating how non-Native people perceive and depict reservation life.

Who should buy Native art?

Dragonflys pieces range from $200 to $3,000. He sells his work in Browning, and his pieces are also available in galleries in Whitefish and Kalispell. Radius Gallery in Missoula featured Dragonflys work in their last show, and the gallery is now selling a few of his larger paintings as well as some of his ledger art.

Simon said some non-Native buyers are hesitant to buy Native art, fearing they may contribute to cultural appropriation. She added that some curators have the same fear.

But Dragonfly encourages anyone who is interested to buy his art. He said he likes when non-Native people buy and appreciate his work.

Simon said Radius is careful to never show the work of non-Native artists who create Native-looking art. She also said the gallery educates buyers on the historic and cultural significance of each piece.

If people are hesitant, I encourage them to look at ledger art, Simon said. Supporting ledger art shows that you are acknowledging a history of oppression, and it shows you are trying to be on the other side of that history.

Dragonfly said he hopes when people see his art, they see Native Americans in a positive light.

Around here, we have lots of artists, he said referencing the Blackfeet Reservation. People here are really talented. Its a natural talent, too. No one does the same thing, but this kind of art, it can be overlooked, even by our own people.

For more information on Dragonflys work, visit Davidjohndragonfly.com or Radius Gallery in Missoula (120 N. Higgins Ave.).
Trustees with Missoula County Public Schools selected a Nebraska-based consulting firm to lead the search for a new superintendent.

A board committee that reviewed the proposals from four different firms reached unanimous consensus on Tuesday to hire McPherson & Jacobson, LLC.

I would say it was a really very strong interview that put them over the top, said Trustee Keegan Witt. They were in contention anyways, but great interview and enjoyed the process they laid out that would keep us all very involved in picking a superintendent.

During the review process, the committee considered the applicants' proposed services, cost to retain them and their interview. Each member of the committee independently scored the consultants, Witt said.

The contract with the consultants is still up for negotiation, but the price will not exceed $27,000.

According to its website, McPherson & Jacobson has been conducting national superintendent searches since 1991 and now has over 125 consultants across the country. They use a five-step process working in conjunction with school boards and other stakeholder groups.

The firm has recently worked with school districts in Wisconsin, Oregon, Colorado, Maryland and others in their searches for a superintendent.

Trustee Koan Mercer said that the applicants were optimistic with the current search timeline.

The last time the district opened up a superintendent search was during the 2018-2019 school year. The board didnt approve a consultant for the search until late January, and didnt meet with them until February to discuss the hiring process.

Pat McHugh said that the consultants are looking for dates to meet with the board sometime in October to kick-start the process and develop timelines.

The district is currently being led by interim superintendent Russ Lodge, after former district superintendent Rob Watson left his position at the end of June to take on a new role as executive director of the School Administrators of Montana.
A diverse collection of Ward 2 residents interviewed for an open seat on the Missoula City Council Wednesday afternoon.

Sierra Farmer, Teigan Avery, Derek Hitt, Jack Rowan and Rebecca Dawson made their cases for appointment by the council to serve alongside the 11 current council members. The vacancy opened up because former Ward 2 representative Jordan Hess was recently appointed to serve as mayor.

A sixth candidate, Charles Shane, withdrew his application after being selected for an interview.

All of the applicants who interviewed Wednesday said they have the time, commitment and flexibility to fulfill the duties of a council member, and they all also indicated they would run for the seat during the general election in 2023.

However, the backgrounds they would bring to the position and their priorities for the city varied widely.

Sierra Farmer, who works for the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation, drew on her upbringing as a Missoulian in her bid for Ward 2 council member.

I think that being from Missoula, it really does give me a unique perspective, said Farmer.

In addition to her familiarity with the city, Farmer also emphasized her educational background in business and public administration, plus her planning experience working with the Montana Environmental Policy Act at the DNRC and serving on the Missoula Planning Board since January.

As a council member, Farmer said she would strive to work collaboratively and increase public participation, possibly through a city podcast.

She identified housing, public safety and staff support as the top challenges facing the city.

I will be a very strong advocate for Missoula because I love it and because I plan to be here forever, Farmer said.

Teigan Avery also highlighted her educational experience as an asset she would bring to the city council. Avery studied political science and economics at the undergraduate level and earned a masters degree in economics as well.

Not for the first time, Avery referred to herself as a nerd.

She pointed to public trust, housing and climate resiliency as the most pressing challenges the city faces.

Avery also said she sees the role of a council person as that of a trustee, and as a trustee she would work toward the citys best interests. She clarified, however, that sometimes a populations best interest is not always the most popular idea.

At 24 years old, Avery, the youngest candidate in the pool, wants to use social media to energize young constituents.

This is one of the talents that I bring as a city council member is social media savvy to engage young people, she said.

Avery also insisted that despite her relatively young age, she has the maturity and perspective to serve the city.

I have been through a lot of the hard things in life already that have given me the realist perspective of someone much, much older than 24 years of age, but Ive still held onto my idealism that we as a council can make really big change to help improve the lives of the people in the city that we love, she said.

Carpenter Derek Hitt stressed the importance of his perspective as a blue collar voice on council in his interview.

The talents that I can bring on are a little bit different than most that are applying for this position, he noted.

As a representative of a carpenters union, Hitt said he understands what it means to represent a large group of people and how to find common ground amid different opinions.

He said he has a proven track record of making himself available to people he represents, which he would continue as a council member.

Showing up is 90% of it and the other 10% is listening to them, said Hitt.

He said infrastructure is the citys No. 1 challenge. He pointed to workforce housing, growth, roads and accessibility as offshoots of the citys infrastructure problems.

And he emphasized his commitment to giving 110% to address those concerns.

Im there for the people that ask for me and I will be there for the people of Missoula if Im selected, Hitt said.

Jack Rowan, the most senior of the Ward 2 applicants, pointed to his extensive nonprofit experience as a demonstration of his preparedness to serve on council.

Im well aware of dealing with very contentious public issues, Rowan said, but he also stated his commitment to handling the everyday issues with interest and sensitivity.

Rowan said a councilor should serve as a facilitator, and he wants to facilitate a balance between the citys, at times, competing priorities.

Housing, climate change, inclusivity and civility on council, transportation and infrastructure, relationships with the state Legislature, urban agriculture and food security are all important priorities for Rowan.

As a chaplain, Rowan said he has to be on call 24/7 to serve his community, and he insisted he would bring the same dedication to his council work.

Rebecca Dawson, the final interviewee on Wednesday, sat through the interviews preceding hers.

She said she wants to expand her work in Bikers Against Bullies, from serving local children to helping local adults on city council.

I have a world of real-life experience that I bring to the table, Dawson said.

Instead of the housing issue that most of Dawsons predecessors emphasized, she said taxes and crime are the primary issues challenging the city right now.

She advocated for support to first responders and a more fiscally conservative approach to spending. She suggested adopting a need vs. want strategy for budgeting.

We need to conserve our resources locally as much as we possibly can, she said.

Dawson also spoke to her willingness to work together with council members of various political viewpoints.

During the comment period of the meeting Wednesday, three members of the public spoke in support of Jack Rowan for Ward 2.

Council will vote for the new representative on Oct. 3. A candidate needs six votes to be appointed.
A person was arrested after law enforcement resolved a critical situation at the Veterans Administration clinic on West Broadway on Thursday afternoon.

Missoula police responded to a report of a disturbance and threat of a weapon at the VA clinic on the 3800 block of West Broadway shortly after 2 p.m. on Thursday, according to Missoula Police spokesperson Lydia Arnold.

VA officials evacuated their staff and visitors from the clinic while police officers evacuated workers from several nearby buildings during the encounter. Officers set up a perimeter also searched several cars in the parking lot.

One person was taken into custody, Arnold said. As of Friday, a police investigation determined the initial reported concerns couldn't be corroborated. The Missoula County Attorney's Office is reviewing the case and will decide if any criminal charges are filed.

Missoula Police along with Missoula Fire and medical personnel were on scene.

At 3:15 p.m., people evacuated from nearby buildings were allowed to re-enter. The clinic and surrounding businesses reopened shortly after. No one was injured in the incident.
New cases of the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) virus were detected in wild birds in parts of Montana and the rest of the United States this fall, according to Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks.

The disease was prevalent earlier this year but appeared to decline over the summer. HPAI viruses are extremely infectious and fatal to poultry and some species of wild birds.

Some scientists have been concerned that the U.S. would see a resurgence of the virus during the fall migration. Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks is monitoring the situation by testing wild birds that display symptoms consistent with HPAI infection. While HPAI is considered a potentially zoonotic disease, the Centers for Disease Control continues to consider the risk to people from wild birds to be low.

Since it was first detected in the eastern United States in January 2022, it has spread to all four bird migration flyways, including the Central and Pacific flyways which include parts of Montana.

Human infections with bird flu viruses are rare but can occur, usually after close contact with infected birds. The current risk to the general public from bird flu viruses is low; however, it is important to remember that risk depends on exposure, and people with more exposure might have a greater risk of infection. Although the CDC considers risk of HPAI spread to humans to be very low, Montanans should take precautions when handling game birds or any sick or dead bird they find. Whenever possible, avoid contact with sick or dead wildlife. Even if a bird is not suspected to have died from a contagious disease, gloves should always be worn if a dead animal must be handled for disposal.

Raptors are susceptible to HPAI and are typically exposed via eating infected birds. The general recommendation for falconers is to avoid hunting and/or feeding wild birds, particularly waterfowl, during the outbreak. Enhanced biosecurity practices for cleaning and limiting contact with wild birds or birds from other facilities is also warranted. Sick falcons should be promptly reported to a veterinarian and be quarantined.

Bird hunters should follow these simple precautions when processing or handling wild game:

 Do not harvest or handle wild birds that are obviously sick or found dead.

 Wear disposable latex or rubber gloves while cleaning game or cleaning bird feeders.

 Do not eat, drink or smoke while cleaning game.

 People and equipment that have been in contact with wild game birds should avoid contact with backyard poultry flocks.

 Wash hands with soap and water or alcohol wipes immediately after handling game or cleaning bird feeders.

 Wash tools and work surfaces used to clean game birds with soap and water, then disinfect with a 10% solution of chlorine bleach  one part chlorine bleach to 10 parts water.

 Separate raw meat, and anything it touches, from cooked or ready-to-eat foods to avoid contamination.

 Cook game meat thoroughly to an internal temperature of at least 165 degrees.

 Do not keep bird feeders near domestic poultry.

For more information on AI in wild birds, visit https://fwp.mt.gov/conservation/diseases/avian-influenza, or visit the USGS website at https://www.usgs.gov/centers/nwhc/science/avian-influenza-surveillance.
Domestic cattle and bison  Americas national mammal  have more in common than previously known, according to two recent scientific studies.

In May, it was reported that even iconic conservation herds like Yellowstone National Parks and the bison in Wood Buffalo National Park in Canada have a small amount of cattle genes, according to a study by Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences.

Yellowstone bison biologist Chris Geremia said the finding will have no effect on the parks management or transfer of bison. He said Yellowstone bison are still one of the closest connections to the historic herds that roamed North America for thousands of years. Geremia added that cattle introgression is a reminder of the human destruction of bison by market hunters in the 1800s.

Grazing

In a separate analysis published in July, researchers reported that a 29-year study comparing seasonal cattle grazing and year-long bison grazing on a tallgrass prairie in Kansas showed both animals increased native plant species richness, making the landscapes more resistant to drought. However, grazing by cattle increased native plant species richness by less than half as much as bison.

Our results suggest that many grasslands in the Central Great Plains have substantially lower plant biodiversity than before widespread bison extirpation, the scientists wrote. Returning or rewilding native megafauna could help to restore grassland biodiversity.

Geremia called the research an important piece of the picture showing the effect animals can have on an ecosystem. He and other researchers are working on a similar study that tries to understand how plant communities are evolving in the park where bison graze.

Ranching

Neither study would have been possible, or maybe even necessary, without the evolution of western ranching and its effects.

During the 1800s, bison were nearly wiped out by commercial hunters after numbering in the millions across the continent. Conservation herds were established, including several by well-known ranchers in Texas. They interbred nonnative cattle and native bison to see if they could foster a tougher animal to live in the West. The offspring were sometimes referred to as beefalo. There may also have been cattle that escaped from ranches and lived with herds of bison, interbreeding.

The salvation of the species (bison) is owed to a few ranchers from Texas to Canada who established bison herds with captured wild calves during the nadir of the population crash, authors of the Texas A&M study wrote. Without the foresight of these ranchers, bison may be extinct today.

The statement overlooks the fact that without the settlement of the West, and the displacement of American Indians and the bison they valued, saving bison from extinction probably wouldnt have been necessary.

A graphic published with the study shows Yellowstones small remnant herd of wild bison being supplemented by bison from the Pablo and Allard herd in the Flathead region as well as the Charles Goodnight herd from Texas. Both herds were known to include some hybrids.

Even with the interbreeding, Yellowstones bison remain relatively cattle-free at the genetic level, only .24% the Texas study found. Previous research that pronounced the park bison genetically pure only analyzed the maternal side of the bison genome. The new study analyzed the entire genome of bison from 19 different herds.

The genetics are less important when it comes to conservation, said Chamois Andersen, of the group Defenders of Wildlife. Defenders has helped with the transfer of Yellowstone bison to tribes.

These animals are as wild as they can get, she said.

Geremia agreed. I think they are valued because they are allowed to live in an ecosystem like they once did, he said. Really, nature is still regulating Yellowstone bison.

Range war

The studies seem particularly relevant in Montana. In July the Montana Stockgrowers Association challenged a Bureau of Land Management decision to allow expanded bison grazing on federal lands in Phillips County by the nonprofit group American Prairie. Gov. Greg Gianforte and Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen have also challenged the BLMs decision.

In their press release, the Stockgrowers voiced concerns over the impacts to the rangeland health, riparian areas, and socioeconomic impacts to the rural communities and the livestock industry, as their reasons for appealing the BLMs decision.

The group goes on to call the agency ruling a significant change to grazing on federal lands and will have serious repercussions on BLM grazing throughout the West. BLM previously noted that bison are permitted on other federal grazing allotments in Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico and South Dakota.

There was no reply to an email request for the Stockgrowers to comment on the recent grazing study.

Politics

Also in Montana, some Republican lawmakers have long fought to keep bison from being reintroduced to public lands as native wildlife. Bison are the only wildlife in the state for which the Montana Department of Livestock has oversight, because bison can carry brucellosis.

Brucellosis was likely introduced to bison from cattle long ago. The disease can cause pregnant animals to abort and give humans undulant fever. Nationwide the disease was nearly eliminated in livestock by strict testing, vaccination and culling protocols.

Elk also carry brucellosis but are allowed to roam Montana, although the state Department of Fish, Wildlife & Parks works to contain diseased animals within the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem in southwestern Montana. The Wyoming Game and Fish Department is working on a brucellosis management plan for its elk herds.

Transfer

In 2018 a bison brucellosis quarantine facility was built at the Fort Peck Reservation in Eastern Montana in an attempt to harbor and distribute animals that test disease-free. Greater use of the quarantine facility would make it easier for park officials to lessen the slaughter of the Yellowstone bison herd, one means of population control. Hunting and transfer of disease-free bison are the other two methods for reducing the Yellowstone bison herd. The herds reduction is mandated by an agreement between the park and state of Montana.

As a work around, the Park Service in partnership with private donors has built its own new quarantine facilities, which when combined with a nearby U.S. Department of Agriculture facility could allow anywhere from 100 to 200 bison to be quarantined  about three times the previous quarantine cap, Geremia said. But it takes about two years for bison to qualify for transfer to tribes. Consequently, the Park Service is working with its partners to see if the burden of testing can be shortened to speed up transfers elsewhere.

Plan

The Park Service is in the process of writing a new interagency bison management plan for Yellowstone National Parks herds. Some conservation groups are calling for an end to ship to slaughter as a primary means of population control.

Andersen, of the Defenders of Wildlife, said her group is hopeful the updated document will include allowing bison to migrate into new tolerance zones on the Custer Gallatin National Forest on the west side of the park.

Whatever the document suggests will be controversial. Bison and their management are entwined in a political quagmire stretching back 200 years, and theres no sign of relief any time soon although incremental improvements have been made.

Cooperators  including the Forest Service, Park Service, Department of Livestock, Department of Fish, Wildlife & Parks, conservation groups and tribal nations  have made tremendous strides in restoring bison to the plains, Andersen said.

This winter, the largest contingent of Yellowstone bison ever  around 100 animals  will be transferred to the Fort Peck Reservation to finish their quarantine period before being redistributed to other tribes. The bison have been quarantined since March 2020.

Through the transfer program, in five years 17 tribes have received bison, which have been moved as far away as Alaska.

The program is growing, Andersen said. Its amazing.
Western Montana voters have a choice as clear as the crystalline waters of Lake McDonald, when it comes to our new District 1 congressional race. Monica Tranel unequivocally supports a woman's right to privacy, healthcare, and bodily autonomy, period. She supported Roe, which established 50 years of precedence, legislating safe and legal abortions. She knows women won't go back. Zinke says he's pro-life (forced birth) but he has been all over the map, saying one thing about exceptions for rape and incest at one event, then taking an entirely different stance at another forum down the road. It's not a good idea to take him at his word, as federal and military ethics investigators have discovered. During his time in the military, as a Navy Seal, he submitted and received reimbursements for personal travel, as he was building a home in Whitefish, which resulted in a military investigation calling him out for lapses in judgement. As Secretary of the Interior, he resigned in disgrace after 18 ethics investigations, almost keeping up with his boss, newly christened orange Jesus by Liz Cheney, after she overheard fellow Republicans addressing Trump thusly.

Zinke, and almost all Republicans, are wrong on the climate emergency, too. This issue is front and center for the whole country, with an estimated 65-80% of voters wanting strong climate action. Just this year Montanans suffered through raging floodwaters in Gardiner and Red Lodge; a destructive grass fire in Denton in December; a deadly 21-car pile-up on I-90 west of Hardin, caused by a violent dust storm that obliterated driving visibility in seconds; extreme drought for eastern Montana farmers and ranchers; extreme heat in July and September; and smoke-filled air from huge fires south and west of us, degrading our air quality to hazardous. While Zinke has flown all over the country on private planes, with his big-donor oil and gas friends, Monica Tranel sued, and won, a case on NorthWestern Energy rate-payers` behalf, after NWE benefited exclusively from a decades-long pre-approval plan, that insured corporate profits, and charged rate-payers before energy was even consumed, to the tune of half-a-billion dollars.

Zinke's recent campaign ad features an idyllic small-town rodeo, with a folksy narrator extolling old-fashioned virtues by the good folks who love America, Montana, and their children. The narrator explains these folks' small-town values are threatened by President Biden, and the high price of gas. Nonsense! There's a clear choice in November. Monica Tranel supports women, believes climate science, defends transitioning to clean energy, and works hard at addressing our climate emergency with real policy work. Ryan Zinke takes dark money, and dirty fossil-fuel corporate donations at every chance. Lead Bullet Zinke reintroduced lead for bullet/shot usage on wildlife refuges, after Obama's ban. He's never stated climate concerns or proposed policies regarding children's livable futures. Yet his smarmy ad suggests only his folks support America, Montana, and their children. Climate change denial doesn't demonstrate loving your children.

Astrophysicist Neil DeGrasse Tyson famously said, The good thing about science is that it`s true whether or not you believe in it. Climate scientists predicted our planet's extreme violent weather, the droughts, huge fires, and polluted smoke-filled skies. Yet they were ignored by many otherwise concerned and caring parents. To protect their bottom line, fossil fuel corporations actively lied, dissembled and obfuscated regarding climate facts. We know this now. If you are a willfully ignorant climate change-denying person, you might not care about climate science. But your kids and your grandkids surely will. Vote for Monica Tranel's clear, clean, cold fishing stream, not Ryan Zinke's dirty, polluted, muddy pot hole.
Every two years, Montanans who are elected from their communities travel from all over Montana to gather at the state Capitol to convene the Montana Legislature. During our time together, we work to deliver legislation that will help Montanans, including funding for our schools and hospitals, protecting our public lands, and keeping our economy strong. As a member of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes, a Montanan, and a state Senator, I know firsthand the importance of having a fully representative legislative body at work in those halls. Thats why we must adopt a map with fair, legal legislative districts, during the current legislative redistricting process in Montana.

The districts we draw this year will shape our lives and our communities for the next decade, including how resources are allocated and what issues are brought to the table during the legislature. Right now, the Montana Redistricting Commission is working on a new map for Montana that will portion out the districts for Montanas legislators and the areas they will represent, including the districts that encompass tribal nations. Of our current legislative districts, there are 6 House districts and three Senate districts where Native voters have the opportunity to elect someone from their communities to represent them. Now that the legislative district lines are being redrawn, the number of Indigenous majority districts is uncertain.

Native Americans were not considered citizens for most of our countrys history and thus not granted the right to vote. It wasnt until 1924 that Native Americans were finally granted citizenship. Even after that law was passed, some states worked to restrict Native voting rights  an effort that we see continue today. So when Representative Brad Tschida told the Redistricting Commission that he believed Native Americans were over-represented in the Legislature, it felt like one more piece of rhetoric in a long line of efforts meant to disenfranchise Native voters.

It should go without saying that fair legislative districts should be the norm across the state, especially for areas of underrepresented communities. Native folks have historically been underrepresented in Montanas Legislature. It wasnt until 1932 that Montana elected its first Native legislator, Dolly Smith Cusker Akers from Fort Peck, to our state Legislature  nearly 43 years after Montana became a state and almost a decade after Native Americans secured the right to vote from federal legislation. According to self-reported statistics from the Montana Legislative Services Division, it was not until 2001 that Montana elected our first Native state senator. Far from being overrepresented in the state Legislature, we have had to fight for many years for any political representation.

When pressed about his comments, Rep. Tschida said that lifes not fair. While he may be comfortable telling that to school-age children when they have skirmishes on the playground, its not a statement that we should abide by when it comes to determining the people we elect to represent us. Life may not be fair, but it is the job of our representatives to come up with solutions to the challenges that make life unfair for many people in this state. I know this firsthand as a member of the Indian Caucus. When I go to the Legislature, Im there to fight for people in my community and the issues they face, especially those who are often ignored by people in power. For far too long, decisions have been made about Indian County by people who do not understand the history nor the challenges of tribal communities and Indian people. We need Native legislators to bring our unique perspectives and experiences to the legislative process for all of Montana. Like our fellow legislators across the state, we want better schools, better jobs, and better opportunities for our constituents, our families, and our communities.

Whether intentional or not, creating legislative districts that would guarantee Native voters cannot elect their candidates of choice is wrong for Montana and our Legislature. It shouldnt matter where you live or what you look like, all Montanans deserve to be represented in our Legislature and adopting a fair and legal map that reflects the communities of Montana, including Native ones, is the right thing to do.
This story recaps news from Sept. 29. Find the latest here.

The Kremlin announced Thursday that four regions of Ukraine that were forced into elections would be annexed into Russia on Friday.

Russia state media said Putin will make a speech at the Kremlin to mark the staged annexations, which are illegal under international law and call to mind Russia's annexation of Ukraine's Crimea region in 2014. Preparations were being made Thursday for the ceremony, with Red Square in Moscow being sealed off and a stage being erected.

President Joe Biden on Thursday called the votes a sham  an absolute sham.

The U.S. has proposed a U.N. Security Council resolution condemning the votes in Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson in Ukraine.

Meanwhile, as a fourth leak in a major natural gas pipeline was reported on Thursday, NATO said sabotage is behind the damage, calling it "deliberate, reckless and irresponsible."

"The damage to the Nordstream 1 and Nordstream 2 pipelines in international waters in the Baltic Sea is of deep concern," the alliance said in a statement issued Thursday. It went on to say any deliberate action against "critical infrastructure" would face a response.

The new leak, reported by Swedish coast guards, is off the Nordic country's coasts. All four leaks are in international waters.

Other developments:

The Finnish government says it will significantly limit passenger traffic on Finlands border with Russia, banning Russian citizens traveling with tourist visas from entering the Nordic country effective Friday.

The Ukrainian militarys general staff said Thursday that of seven Russian tanks sent to Lyman recently, Russian troops crashed two of them on the way there. It also said troops manning the tanks did not undergo training on how to use the vehicle's weapons. The Ukrainian military did not elaborate on how it knew about the tank units condition.

A rabbi prays at a monument in Babi Yar ravine where Nazi troops machine-gunned tens of thousands of Jews during WWII in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Thursday. Ukraine marked the 81st anniversary of the 1941 Babi Yar massacre.

Biden slams shameless effort to annex parts of Ukraine

Biden strongly condemned what he called Russias shameless and transparent effort to annex parts of Ukraine and warned that the United States would never accept the results of Moscow-managed referendums to determine the fate of those areas.

Story continues

The so-called referenda was a sham  an absolute sham, Biden said Thursday during a meeting with leaders of Pacific Island nations.

Russian officials claim that at least 87% of voters in four provinces  Luhansk, Donetsk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia  voted during last weeks forced referendums to join Russia. The Kremlin was preparing to annex the four regions into Russia on Friday.

Biden, however, said the election results were manufactured in Moscow, and the true will of the Ukrainian people is evident.

The United States will never, never, never recognize Russias claims on Ukraine sovereign territory, he said.

 Michael Collins

UN chief says Russia's move has 'no legal value'

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Thursday tweeted his thanks to the head of the United Nations for his clear position that the world wont recognize Russias attempted annexation of parts of Ukraine.

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Russias move violates the charter of the United Nations, has no legal value and must be condemned.

It stands against everything the international community is meant to stand for, Guterres said in unusually strong remarks. It is a dangerous escalation.

Blinken: 'Futile effort to mask ... a land grab in Ukraine'

Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Thursday that the U.S. will not recognize the "legitimacy or outcome" of Russia's "sham referenda," which will on Friday result in the Kremlin formally annexing four regions in Ukraine.

"The Kremlins sham referenda are a futile effort to mask what amounts to a further attempt at a land grab in Ukraine," Blinken said in a statement.

He added that the vote was conducted by force, in fear and at gunpoint. And he reiterated the plans for the U.S. and its allies to continue to support Ukraine's efforts in its fight against Russia's invasion.

Senators propose punishing countries that recognize Russias annexation

Countries that recognize Russias claim to Ukrainian regions its trying to annex would be cut off from U.S. economic or military assistance under legislation introduced in the Senate Thursday.

Any nation that aids and abets Vladimir Putin in this absolutely illegal action ought to be held responsible for its complicity, said Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn.

Blumenthal introduced the legislation with Sen. Lindsey Graham, who said hes glad Biden has denounced Russias attempted annexation.

Its time for Congress to lend our voice to the cause, the South Carolina Republican said.

The senators said they will try to pass the legislation either on its own or as an amendment to the annual Pentagon policy bill that the Senate may vote on in October.

 Maureen Groppe

Russian foreign ministry: Ukraine, US don't 'accept reality' of annexations

The Kremlin's Foreign Ministry said Thursday that Ukraine and its allies aren't accepting "reality" when it comes to referenda held in recent days in four Ukrainian regions and their annexation into Russia.

Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Thursday at a news briefing, according to Russian news organization Tass, that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy "and, of course, most importantly, its American handlers do not want to accept reality, do not want to see this side of international law" in calling the elections in Luhansk, Donetsk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia a sham.

Zakharova insisted the votes in the regions were legal.

Frustration over sanctions

As Russia moved to invade Ukraine in February, the U.S. imposed crippling sanctions on the Kremlin and individual Russians. Months later, members of Congress say the sanctions have wounded  but not crippled  the country.

Pressed on that issue at a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing Wednesday, Biden administration officials urged lawmakers to give the sanctions more time while also promising additional actions are in the works.

Read more here.

 Maureen Groppe

Putin to annex 4 Ukraine regions after staged referenda

Putin will hold a signing ceremony Friday to formally annex four regions in Ukraine after Moscow held what it described as referenda to join Russia, although the votes were condemned as an illegal sham by the West and there were widespread reports of voter coercion.

Russian state media said Putin will deliver a speech to mark the staged annexations, which calls to mind Russia's annexation of Ukraine's Crimea region in 2014. The so-called votes held this week were in Luhansk and Donetsk, in Ukraine's east, and in Kherson and Zaporizhzhia, in the south. No credible international monitors observed the votes.

Russian news agency RIA Novosti reported that the signing ceremony will take place at 3 p.m. local time (8 a.m. EDT). The international community has never recognized Russia's annexation of Crimea.

The development comes as Russia mobilized more troops to send to fight in Ukraine and as NATO formally blamed leaks on Nord Stream gas pipelines in the Baltic Sea on unknown saboteurs.

"These leaks are causing risks to shipping and substantial environmental damage. We support the investigations underway to determine the origin of the damage," the military alliance said in a statement, vowing a military response to any attack on NATO-country infrastructure.

 Kim Hjelmgaard

Russian soldiers stand on Red Square in central Moscow on Thursday as the square is sealed prior to a ceremony of the incorporation of the new territories into Russia. Banners on the stage read: "Donetsk, Lugansk, Zaporizhzhia, Kherson - Russia!"

NATO responds to pipeline leaks

NATO allies on Thursday responded to the leaks in major natural gas pipelines that supply Europe by laying blame and issuing a warning.

"We, as Allies, have committed to prepare for, deter and defend against the coercive use of energy and other hybrid tactics by state and nonstate actors. Any deliberate attack against Allies critical infrastructure would be met with a united and determined response," it continued.

The three pipeline leaks pumping huge volumes of natural gas into the Baltic Sea could discharge the equivalent of one-third of Denmarks total annual greenhouse gas emissions, a Danish official warned Wednesday. European leaders have said sabotage is suspected to have caused the leaks.

Contributing: Associated Press

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Russia will annex 4 regions of Ukraine on Friday: live updates
Burke County Public Schools students will be remote Friday as the remnants of Hurricane Ian bear down on North Carolina.

The hurricane left millions of Floridians without power, and left areas submerged under up to 12 feet of storm surge when it came ashore Wednesday, The New York Times reported.

Thursday afternoon saw the storm, which had weakened to a tropical storm, turn to the Atlantic Ocean, where the National Hurricane Center expected it to strengthen to a Category 1 hurricane again by Thursday night before making landfall near Charleston, South Carolina, sometime Friday morning, according to a briefing released Thursday at 11 a.m.

Chris Horne, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Greenville-Spartanburg, said the forecast for Burke County now reflects the storms faster pace.

Conditions are expected to worsen Friday and Friday night as the remnants of Ian find their way here, Horne said.

In a nutshell, becoming increasingly windy, and especially heading toward Friday evening, increasing chances for heavy rain showers embedded with strong wind gusts, Horne said. The good news is its moving quick, so I think Saturday is looking better and better.

Horne said 3-5 inches of rain is expected to fall in the Burke County area, with wind gusts of around 40 mph expected. Chances for flash flooding will increase throughout Friday evening, with stream and road flooding possible after dark and potentially lingering into the night.

While Ians remnants are expected to clear out Saturday, the possibility of showers will linger throughout the weekend and into Monday, with highs in the 60s and cooler than usual.

Cheryl Shuffler, public relations officer for Burke County Public Schools, said students within the school system will be working remotely Friday to protect them from the dangers of traversing to and from school in the inclement weather.

We met this afternoon (Thursday) with emergency and weather officials and after hearing the latest forecast, we decided to move to a remote learning day, Shuffler said. The expected high winds and the uncertainty that brings with possible downed trees and power lines as well as the uncertainty of how much rain we will receive played into the decision.

The state has been gearing up this week for whatever impact Ian may have, with Gov. Roy Cooper declaring a state of emergency Wednesday.

That state of emergency eases rules to help with mobilizing resources, transporting fuel, crops and livestock, protects against price-gouging and allows the state to seek federal assistance if it becomes necessary after the storm, Cooper said. Eighty members of the North Carolina National Guard have been activated ahead of the storm.

He encouraged residents to make sure theyre prepared.

In recent hours, Ian has reminded us of the dangerous unpredictability of these storms as its track continues to change, Cooper said.

He said families should make sure theyre prepared, with multiple ways to receive emergency information, nonperishable supplies and making sure emergency kits are ready to go with fresh batteries and flashlights in case of power outages.

A guide on how to assemble an emergency kit can be found at www.readync.gov.

Cooper said families should have a plan in place of where to go if they need to leave their homes because of flooding or other dangerous conditions, and pleaded with drivers to never drive through standing water.

Many people have died in past storms when their vehicles were caught in flood waters, Cooper said. Were seeing people right now being rescued from cars in Florida. Dont take the chance. If a road is flooded, turn around, find a different route. If you cant see the pavement beneath the water, then theres likely a problem.

William Ray, the states director of emergency management, said widespread power outages arent anticipated at this time, but power lines could come down with gusty winds.

Ray reminded residents they should never use generators, gas and charcoal grills indoors because they could cause carbon monoxide poisoning, and not to leave cars running in a garage to charge a cellphone.

Mike Willis, Burke Countys director of emergency management, told The News Herald local officials will be monitoring the weather and will make resources like shelters available if theyre needed. Information about the storm will be made available through local media outlets and on the countys website and social media accounts. Reverse 911 messages also will be distributed as necessary.

Residents can sign up for reverse 911 notifications at www.smart911.com.
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MUSCATINE  Earlier this month, for the first time in about 10 years, the city of Muscatine welcomed a new city attorney to the team.

During the first meeting in September, the City Council approved the hiring of Brent Hinders of Des Moines to act as the city attorney. Hinders is a Des Moines-based attorney specializing in labor, employment and municipal law. He also serves on the Iowa Supreme Court grievance committee. He is a shareholder at Hopkins and Huebner P.C. A graduate of Simpson College and Drake University Law School, Hinders has been practicing law in Iowa since 2005. According to a biography, Hinders has substantial experience in advising boards on legal matters, interpreting ordinances and statutes, writing policies, reviewing and recommending modifications to ordinances, negotiating collective bargaining agreements, representing municipalities in court and trying numerous jury and non-jury trials.

The City Council decided it was time to at least see what else was out there, Communications Director Kevin Jenison said. Municipal attorneys are a rare breed, and there are not a lot of them out there.

Hinders could not be reached for comment Thursday afternoon. He started his role as city attorney on Sept. 1. Jenison said the council had decided to put out a request for qualifications (RFQ) for a new city attorney in July.

Since beginning the position, Hinders has been attending many of the City Council meetings virtually, Jenison said.

He has been learning about the city, Jenison said. So far it has been a pretty good relationship.

Jenison said former city attorney Matt Brick of the Brick and Gentry Law Offices in East Des Moines had wanted to reduce his load and pursue other avenues. Jenison said Brick had communicated when the council decided to issue a RFQ for a new city attorney that he would not be submitting one. Hopkins and Huebner P.C. was the only firm to respond to the request.

He just decided it was time to keep things closer to home, Jenison said.

During the Jan. 2, 2020, meeting, then-council member Osmond Malcolm had asked the possibility of changing city attorneys be discussed. He said Brick had done a great job, but with an impending council change, he felt it might be time for new blood.
MUSCATINE  For the past 100 years, October has been seen as fire prevention month, with Oct. 9-15 being officially recognized as Fire Prevention Week by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). For this years fire prevention month, the theme is Fire Wont Wait, Plan Your Escape.

To kick off this month focused on fire safety and prevention, the Muscatine Fire Department  in coordination with several other local departments such as Muscatine Police, the Muscatine County Sheriffs Department and MUSCOM (Muscatine County Joint Communications)  will hold its annual Public Safety Open House event.

The event will be held from noon to 3 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 2, at Muscatines Public Safety building, 312 East 5th St. With activities being found both inside and outside of the building on this day, the Muscatine Fire Department invites and encourages residents of all ages to come meet with their local Public Safety workers  including a K-9 officer.

Within the Central Fire Station, guests can explore various booths focused on subjects such as CPR and the Fire Departments Explorers Program. Firefighting gear will also be demonstrated, and children will have the opportunity to go through a smoke house and play different games related to firefighting as well as police work.

Other demonstrations at this years event include a demonstration of vehicle extrication equipment, fire hoses, the aerial tower truck and the Muscatine Police Departments tactical tram robot. The Muscatine Police Department will also be bringing its armored vehicle as well as a drug trailer to teach the warning signs of drug use, while the Iowa State Police will bring its seatbelt impact simulator.

In addition to the annual Open House event, the Muscatine Fire Department also has several other events planned as a way to highlight Fire Prevention Week, so residents are advised to keep an eye on the Muscatine Fire Departments Facebook page for upcoming information about each of these events.
PODGORICA, Montenegro (AP)  Montenegro police were raiding multiple locations in the country as part of an investigation into an alleged ring of spies, officials said Thursday.

The police were searching several apartments and other premises used by (Montenegrin) citizens suspected of espionage and forming an international criminal organization, said Vukas Radonjic from the Special State Prosecutors Office. Radonjic added that so far, no suspects have been arrested.

Montenegrin Prime Minister Dritan Abazovic praised the police during a meeting of his cabinet Thursday, saying the raids were prepared in cooperation with our international partners and aimed at protecting (Montenegros) national security.

Officials refused to provide more details of the operation, but local media  citing anonymous sources  reported that it targeted several Montenegrin nationals suspected of spying for Russia and working to advance the interests of its government.

Montenegro, a former ally that turned its back on Russia to join NATO in 2017, has imposed sanctions on Moscow over the war in Ukraine and is seen as next in line in the Western Balkans to join the European Union. The country is divided between those favoring pro-Western policies and the pro-Serbian and pro-Russian camps, raising tensions.
The St. Helena City Council has said no to gasoline-powered leaf blowers, yes to automated license plate readers, and yes to paving bad roads.

The council voted 5-0 Tuesday to move ahead with an ordinance banning gas-fueled blowers, which will reduce emissions and address noise complaints from residents.

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Council members directed staff to conduct outreach and education before and after ordinances effective date of Jan. 1, 2023.

Violators will first be issued a verbal warning, followed by a letter, followed by fines of $100, $200 and $500. The city will gradually ramp up enforcement and focus on education in the early months after the ordinance takes effect.

By next year, the city will offer rebates toward the purchase of electric leaf blowers.

License plate cameras

The council unanimously approved the lease of four automatic license plate readers from Flock Safety.

Police say the still cameras, which will be placed at four entrances to town, will help them investigate crimes like the May hit-and-run on Main Street and the July robbery at the Elyse Walker boutique.

The proposal, announced at the councils Aug. 23 meeting, drew very little public feedback, with two letters to the editor and one letter to the council raising privacy concerns. The city also received a few emails in favor of the cameras. No members of the public addressed the topic at Tuesdays meeting.

The two-year lease of the cameras will cost $26,800. Images gathered by the cameras will be deleted after 30 days and will not be part of a shared database, although the St. Helena Police Department can share images with neighboring agencies on a case-by-case basis.

Road paving

The council approved a $1.2 million contract with Argonaut Constructors to perform St. Helenas annual road paving.

Funded by Measure T and state SB1 funds, work will begin in early October and continue into the fall.

Work will take place at the intersection of Oak Avenue and Adams Street (not all of Oak Avenue), College Avenue, Pope Street, Voorhees Circle, Valley View Street, Stockton Street, Railroad Avenue, Library Lane, June Lane, Chiles Avenue and Tainter Street.

Residents in the affected areas will be notified one week prior to construction, which will occur between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.

City Manager Anil Comelo told the council the current funding level of $1.2 million per year will keep St. Helenas streets at a Pavement Condition Index of 50. Increasing the PCI to 80 would cost $2.2 million a year for six years.

At this point our task is to maintain the roadways in decent condition and not let them deteriorate any further, Comelo said. To improve them well need to significantly increase our investment.

(The headline has been corrected to state that the city is banning gas-powered leaf blowers.)
ST. HELENA  St. Helena Mayor Geoff Ellsworth has filed a consumer complaint with the Napa County District Attorneys Office, alleging fire and contamination risks at Clover Flat Landfill near Calistoga and the Upper Valley Disposal Service facility on Whitehall Lane outside St. Helena.

With wildfire season upon us I feel an urgency in bringing a complaint of negligence and reckless endangerment towards public health and safety in Napa County/Napa Valley related to significant and unnecessary fire and wildfire risk at the two facilities, wrote Ellsworth, who filed the complaint as a Napa County resident, not in his capacity as mayor.

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Ellsworths complaint, filed Aug. 11, cites ongoing and inherently fire-prone operations and significant build-up of a volatile fuel load by these long term monopoly and for profit waste/garbage companies.

Paul Gero, deputy district attorney for Napa County, said Ellsworths complaint is under review. Its classified as a consumer complaint, similar to ones a citizen might file with the DAs office against businesses and contractors.

Steve Lederer, Napa County director of public works and director of the Upper Valley Waste Management Agency, told the St. Helena Star that the county and other local and state agencies recently completed a compliance review of Clover Flat and found that the landfill has complied with all previous terms and corrected all violations.

Lederer denied allegations by Ellsworth that the landfills operating area has expanded in recent years. He acknowledged that Clover Flat, like other regional landfills, has been taking in more fire debris since the 2017 wildfires, but he said that doesnt increase fire risk because the debris is non-hazardous and mostly recyclable.

Clover Flat Landfill near Calistoga faces lawsuit over alleged stormwater pollution Clover Flat Landfill outside Calistoga is facing a federal lawsuit claiming that it has discharged polluted stormwater.

Christy Pestoni, chief operating officer for UVDS and the company that operates Clover Flat, has previously dismissed similar allegations by Ellsworth as meritless and called on him to resign as mayor. She has noted that the landfill installed a new management team and heavily invested in fire control and leachate control measures after a string of fires in 2018 and the contamination of an unnamed tributary to the Napa River.

In his new complaint to the DAs office, Ellsworth said the risk of operating Clover Flat and the Whitehall Lane facility at and near fire-prone areas has insurance implications for the rest of Napa County, where insurance rates have risen due to fire risk.

Ellsworth also questioned whether Clover Flat is properly insured. The company says it is.

Clover Flat Resource Recovery Park has all the insurance deemed necessary by our franchise agreements, a spokesman for the company stated in an email to the Star. Nothing has been cancelled. (Lederer) provided that information to Mayor Ellsworth last month.

Lederer confirmed that hed reviewed the insurance coverage of UVDS and Clover Flat in August and all appeared to be in order for both.

Ellsworths complaint is the latest salvo in his years-long campaign against the interrelated companies, which operate under a franchise agreement with the waste management authority, a joint-powers authority made up of St. Helena, Calistoga, Yountville and Napa County.

The complaint also comes on the heels of a federal lawsuit against the company that operates Clover Flat. The suit filed by the Stockton-based California Sportfishing Protection Alliance claims that the landfill has discharged polluted stormwater into a creek that flows into the Napa River.
American Canyon paving work will be taking place on American Canyon Road, in both directions, on the stretch between Newell Drive and the Napa County line, on Thursday and Friday, according to a city news release.

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One-way traffic control will be in place from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days, and flaggers will provide directions for detours. Traffic will be rerouted onto Via Firenze to Via Bellagio to Flosden Road at those times, meaning that neighborhood will see increased traffic, the news release says.

Given that, drivers in the area should expect delays. Additional phases of paving work in the area will occur in the future through October, but specific dates arent yet determined, according to the city.
As far as Napa County business trips go, this one is a globetrotter  6,000 miles to Mendoza, Argentina wine country for the 2022 Great Wine Capitals conference.

The trek to learn from world wine country leaders will include plenty of business and also some pleasure, if history is any indication. The host region typically rolls out the red carpet for its competition.

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In other words, the assignment is different than staying at a Motel 6 in Bakersfield and eating at Denny's. A degree of glamour is involved when scouting out how to keep Napa Valley atop the international premium wine world.

Supervisors Ryan Gregory and Alfredo Pedroza and Agricultural Commissioner Tracy Cleveland are to attend the conference from Oct. 28 to Nov. 5. The county Board of Supervisors on Tuesday authorized the trip for a total of up to $17,500.

The Board of Supervisors sets policy for the county, including those around the economic and environmental sustainability of the agricultural industry, Gregory said.

This is a great opportunity to visit another wine region dealing with these same issues and exchange information with each other, he said.

Three residents speaking during public comments at Tuesdays Board of Supervisors meeting had some criticisms.

This seems more just like a vacation for you supervisors to take on the publics expense, resident Jim Hinton said.

The Board of Supervisors is as good as its knowledge, he said. Hes found the trips valuable for knowing what's going on in the overall wine industry, not just Napas wine industry.

Were part of a world market, he said. Were part of a world discussion.

Wine for a new world is the conference motto and a focus is on finding new ways of conducting business.

Come to Mendoza! organizers wrote. With its blue sky, the highest peak of the American continent, nature all around, vineyard, wineries, restaurants and world renowned hotels, it opens its doors, proud of being a member of the prestigious network of Great Wine Capitals.

Great Wine Capitals members are San Francisco/Napa Valley; Adelaide, South Australia; Bilbao/Rioja, Spain; Bordeaux, France; Lausanne, Switzerland; Mainz/Rheinhessen, Germany; Mendoza, Argentina; Porto, Portugal; Valparaiso/Casablanca Valley, Chile; Cape Town Cape Winelands, South Africa, and Verona, Italy.

The Mendoza conference includes meetings of the branding and communications committee and internal collaboration committee, a presentation on Mendoza water governance and sharing climate change practices.

It also features wine tours to such places as Bodega Casarena, an eight-hands" dinner by Mendoza chefs with tango night, a sunset experience with wine and horses at Casa David and gala dinner at Bodega Los Toneles.

Pedroza said he chairs a working group with elected officials from the wine regions. They will look at climate resiliency, drought and emergency responses.

Part of what Im looking forward to is collaborating with electeds throughout the world who have similar issues we're facing, Pedroza said. And how do you learn from each other? What works and what doesnt?

Resident Kellie Anderson during public comments said supervisors could attend by Zoom.

San Francisco/Napa Valley joined the Great Wine Capitals in the early 2000s following efforts by Napa Valley Vintners and the St. Helena Chamber of Commerce. The region hosted the annual conference in 2005 and 2013.

Napa County first approved allowing county government officials to participate in the annual conference in 2007. County officials have traveled to conferences since then, to places such as Chile and South Africa, though they missed 2017 because of local wildfires and 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Then there was 2021. Pedroza and Gregory attended last years Great Wine Capitals conference, held in Germany, by Zoom. Pedroza sees an advantage to the live, face-to-face version.
Ian Benjamin Rogers may have started out Wednesday thinking he was facing a seven- to nine-year sentence for plotting to blow up the Sacramento Democratic Party headquarters last year, but the judge in the case had other ideas.

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In a surprise move, Senior U.S. District Judge Charles Breyer refused to accept the plea deal worked out over months of negotiations, saying the former Napa mechanics conduct was so dangerous he wanted both lawyers in the case to return to court next month to justify the plea deal.

Breyer focused on statements Rogers gave to U.S. probation officials compiling a pre-sentence report on him in which Rogers appeared to express more concern about getting caught than his actual plot.

I feel very bad for putting myself in a bad situation that allowed the government to destroy my life, Rogers told probation, according to the judge.

He also said, I accept responsibility for having in my possession illegal weapons and thinking about burning down a building in a drunken state, according to the judge.

His regret was that his conduct led to his arrest and disclosure of his activities, the judge said. And now the government was taking action against him. Thats his regret.

Putting it another way, he regrets he was caught. I have to say, in 23 years Ive never seen that type of statement. Ive never seen a defendant come in and say I regret I was caught.

The judge, conducting the San Francisco federal court hearing by Zoom as the 46-year-old former auto mechanic from Napa watched silently from the Santa Rita Jail in Alameda County, ordered Rogers and the attorneys to return to court  in person  on Oct. 27 to justify the plea deal.

Rogers attorney, Colin Cooper, has argued that his clients actions were beer-fueled talk by Rogers and that he regrets his conduct terribly.

Cooper said he had worried about this case and the atmospherics of it from the moment I met Mr. Rogers, and added that he had many sleepless nights about whether your honor was going to accept this plea agreement.

But he added that the recommended punishment of seven to nine years was appropriate for someone who is middle-aged and has never been in trouble before.

Breyer wasnt buying it, noting that when law enforcement searched Rogers' house and his business  British Auto Repair of the Napa Valley, a shop on Action Avenue in Napa  they found five operable pipe bombs and 48 firearms, including four machine guns.

He had an arsenal that would be the envy of the Ukrainian people, the judge said. He had a map that he disseminated showing the exact location of the John Burton (Democratic headquarters) building.

He had scoped it out and determined that the CHP and the fire department were in close proximity to that building. If youre going to try to convince me that this is just talk, just speech ..., youre going to have to address all those acts.

The judge also read text messages between Rogers and Jarrod Copeland that were retrieved from Rogers cellphone by the FBI that showed the extent of the planning, including these texts from Rogers:

I want to blow up a democrat building bad, and the dems need to pay.

As we see from his constant communications with his co-defendant, he was actively planning this attack, the judge said.

Rogers, who was indicted along with Copeland, a Bay Area man who was arrested at a Sacramento apartment he shared with his wife, have both entered pleas in the case and are now both scheduled for sentencing on Oct. 27.

Rogers and Copeland were accused by the FBI of plotting to attack a variety of targets, and concocting a plan to bomb the Democratic headquarters building in Sacramento because of their anger over President Donald Trumps loss to Joe Biden in November 2020.

Rogers attorney argued in court papers that it was all talk fueled by Rogers excessive beer drinking, and Rogers alluded to his drinking after his arrest last year that was sparked by a search of his home thanks to a tip law enforcement received.

During a videotaped interview after Rogers arrest, a Napa Sheriffs detective asked him if he had any plans to attack anyone, prosecutors wrote. Rogers said, Ive thought about it.

Ive thought about fighting against, fighting back against the government. But its always when Im inebriated. You wake up and you go, Its not a good idea.
Californias Department of Education has finally acknowledged the obvious: It is arbitrarily delaying the release of results from this years round of academic testing.

In years past, scores from the spring Smarter Balanced tests of academic achievement have been released in late summer or early fall, but this year, the department denied a request for statewide results even though it authorized individual districts to make their data available.

Why?

Mary Nicely, chief deputy state superintendent for instruction, told EdSource, a website devoted to California education issues, which had requested the data, that the numbers would be released as part of a dashboard that includes other metrics on how schools are performing.

We are on track to release the data as we did last year. If we can come out sooner, we will, she said. We are not withholding anything; people are working hard to finalize the data.

That doesnt wash.

Theres absolutely no reason that data already given to school districts should not be made public now and included in the dashboard later.

Its likely that the test results will show a sharp decline in the abilities of Californias school children in basic skills, such as reading and math, due to the states shutdowns of schools during the COVID-19 pandemic.

State officials probably want to sugarcoat the bad news by delaying it until after the Nov. 3 election and combining it with other material that would dilute its importance. Tony Thurmond, the state schools superintendent, will be on the ballot along with Gov. Gavin Newsom and other Democratic officeholders and while all are favored to win re-election, bad news on schools would be embarrassing.

We know that the post-pandemic test results are likely to be disappointing. Thats been the pattern in other states. Los Angeles Unified has already released its quite negative test results, reversing about five years of gradual progress in the states largest school system.

In LA Unified, about 72% of students did not meet state standards in math, five percentage points higher than pre-pandemic testing. In English, 58% were subpar, two points higher.

The pandemic deeply impacted the performance of our students, said LA Unified Supt. Alberto Carvalho. Particularly kids who were at risk, in a fragile condition, prior to the pandemic, as we expected, were the ones who have lost the most ground.

If LA Unified had enough guts to tell its voters and parents the harsh truth, theres no valid rationale for Thurmond not to do so for the entire state.

After its request for statewide results was denied, EdSource pressed the issue with a letter from its attorney requesting reconsideration.

EdSource considers delay tantamount to denial as it effectively robs the public of its vital role in overseeing the CDE (Department of Education) and individual districts and in holding both accountable to its students and the public. This is especially important during what continues to be one of the most challenging and impactful times to our educational system due to the COVID pandemic, EdSource attorney Duffy Carolan wrote.

EdSources letter told the Department of Education that it cannot identify any public interest in non-disclosure that could justify its denial position, let alone an interest that clearly outweighs the substantial public interest in access to this information.

This is not only a politically tinged education issue but a major test for the states Public Records Act, which allows public agencies to withhold information only under extreme circumstances. If records can be withheld for obvious political purposes in this case, the Public Records Act might as well be junked entirely.
California developers will soon have new legislative tools designed to make housing construction in the Golden State a little bit easier.

Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a collection of bills Wednesday meant to promote home and apartment development in a notoriously housing-strapped state.

Bills from Assemblywoman Buffy Wicks, D-Oakland, and Sen. Anna Caballero, D-Merced, would provide an easier local approval process for developers who want to build in commercially-zoned areas previously occupied by parking lots, big box stores and office space.

Newsom is scheduled to sign dozens of additional housing and homelessness-related measures. He will also announce $1 billion in grants for 30 housing developments funded through the states California Housing Accelerator program.

Wicks and Caballero brought their bills across the August legislative finish line by striking a deal with carpenter and Trades unions.

Carpenter unions backed Assembly Bill 2011 from Wicks, which allows housing construction in shopping and office corridors. The projects are by right, meaning local officials have little ability to oppose them. In exchange, developers must build a certain number of affordable units and and pay workers prevailing wage.

If they build 50 or more units, developers must employ workers from an apprenticeship program and give them health benefits.

A complementary bill from Caballero helped assuage the Trades, which represent workers in all other aspects of construction. They wanted guarantees that developers would hire skilled and trained or union labor.

Her measure, Senate Bill 6, would permit housing construction in commercial areas on a discretionary basis. Local leaders could oppose projects in those zones, but in a more limited way than they can currently.

Caballeros bill doesnt have the affordable housing requirement provided in Wicks measure, and it is targeted at developers looking to build market rate units.

What they get for the bill, if they use this bill, is to get conversion from commercial real estate to residential, Wicks said of the housing agreement in August. Which is important, and they dont have to do any affordability requirements. They dont have the by-right provisions in the same way we do. But they also dont have the affordability requirements.

SB 6 got approval from the Trades because it requires the first two bids for developments to come from union labor. If skilled and trained workers arent available, developers still need to pay prevailing wage.

That was a big concession, Caballero said in August. It helped to allay some of the concerns that were raised about skilled and trained.

After the AB 2011-SB 6 deal came together, both bills easily passed the Senate and Assembly during the final days of the legislative session.
A conversation with Maayan Koschitzky tends to evoke metaphors of journeys.

Koschitzky, director of winemaking and a partner at the Atelier Melka wine consulting company in St. Helena, travels the world for its clients, but on this day we were meeting in an alcove above the tanks at Eleven Eleven Winery's custom crush facility in Napa to taste the wines of his own brand, La Pelle, which he created in partnership with Pete Richmond and Miguel Luna from Silverado Farming Company Inc.

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La Pelle? It means "the shovel," and Koschitzky said as he searched for the name for the wines, it occurred to him that a shovel was the most fitting symbol for a winemaker  simple, humble and indispensable.

"We plant the vines with a shovel," he said. "We finish the journey with the shovel," to clear the tanks.

Koschitzky's own wine story began in his native Israel, where after his tour of duty in the army, he decided to travel, to see something of the world. A stay in Argentina piqued his interest in wine, and when he returned to Israel to study mechanical engineering, his attention kept veering toward agriculture.

"I wrote my thesis about sorting grapes," he said.

He followed the grapes to an internship at winery in the Judean Hills, where his first harvest was in 2004.

He went on to become winemaker at Margalit Winery, one of Israel's best-known wineries, but began to feel restless. "I was a bit older when I got into wine," he said. "I had never worked a harvest anywhere else."

He and his wife decided to go to Napa  for one harvest. He worked at Dalla Valle. "We liked it here," he said. "We thought maybe we'd stay, and I could study a little more at UC Davis, and then we'd go back home."

That was in 2010.

He looked for another internship and found himself one, at yet another well-known winery, Screaming Eagle. "I was lucky," Koschitzky said.

By 2014, he was thinking again it was time to go home, "but I had only worked at Screaming Eagle," he said. "A friend said I should meet Philippe Melka."

Melka, originally from France and with extensive winemaking experience at grand chateaux of Bordeaux, had moved to Napa Valley with his wife, Cherie. Here, in addition to making his own wines, in 1995 he founded Atelier Melka, to provide consulting services.

It was a good meeting on both sides, between Melka, who has been described as one "who couldn't make a bad wine if he tried" by Jonathan Cristaldi of Food & Wine, and Koschitzky, with his own impressive winemaking credentials as well as an a farming and engineering background. Koschitzky joined Melka's team, and by 2019, Melka had made him director of winemaking and a partner in the enterprise, praising him as "an invaluable member of our winemaking team and a trusted adviser to our clients."

"It's my day-to-day job," said Koschitzky, and one in he has thrived in, traveling the world to work with clients from Australia to Chile to Europe, as well as in Napa Valley.

"Philippe started the company in 1995 with a very simple philosophy of a true collaboration of winemakers working together to craft terroir-driven, world-class wines," he said. "We are six winemakers in the team crafting wines for around 22 clients with tons of focus on site-driven wines and a combination of tradition and modernization of winemaking.

"Coming from Old World wine regions, we always wanted this company to look at the future but (we) don't forget the history of wine and winemaking. Each wine we make is a showcase of the vineyards and the brand vision, and if you ever taste them next to each other they are very different from each other.

"We don't have a recipe that you can point and say this is Maayan wine, only maybe on our commitment to quality and capturing the sites we are working with."

Koschitzky said "there are different routes" to winemaking in Napa Valley. and they all play an important role. Those who come to Napa with deep pockets "are still genuine," he said. "They love Napa and want to be part of the valley."

But the next step was making his own wines.

The La Pelle partnership

How do you make wines in Napa without buying an estate?

For Koschitzky, the answer lay in partnerships, and after considering possibilities such as investors, he decided to work with two highly respected Napa grape growers, Pete Richmond and Miguel Luna, themselves partners with Arnulfo Solorio in the Silverado Farming Company, founded by Richmond in 2001.

"They are a great company," Koschitzky said. "They are all about community. They give back, helping others. They do a lot for the farmworkers."

Their communal spirit  they were founders of the One Percent for the Community fund, investing 1% of their earnings in local nonprofits  appealed to the Israeli. And their varied backgrounds  Luna is a viticulturist and winemaker from Mexico and Richmond a vineyard manager and businessman  created a complementary trio that formed their philosophy: They would only make wines from vineyards farmed by Silverado and in the styles that they love.

La Pella launched in 2016 with Sauvignon Blanc and a Cabernet Sauvignon. The Sauvignon Blanc, Koschitzky said, "took me three years to get to the style I wanted  Sancerre with Napa grapes."

The Cab was a blend from different Napa Valley vineyards, fermented and aged separately "to learn about the vineyards," Koschitzky said. "Then we blend." This style he described as "a bit more restrained" than many Napa wines with lower alcohol levels and a "great ability to age."

"We wanted to overdeliver, and we wanted to grow naturally," Koschitzky said. They focused their resources on the grapes and the winemaking rather than marketing, he said, but they found fans coming aboard and staying with them.

In 2018 they added three single-vineyard wines to show the diversity of Napa Valley grapes, sourced from vineyards from Coombsville, St. Helena and Oak Knoll.

They also produced a Chardonnay, "but this is not what you might think of as a Napa Valley Chardonnay," said Koschitzky. It's distinctly fresh and crisp but, as he points out, still "juicy with good weight. I love this Chardonnay."

These grapes were the one exception to their decision to only use grapes from vineyards Silverado farms: They come from Santa Maria's famed Bien Nacido vineyards, planted in 1973  but this was the vineyard where Richmond began his viticultural career working with the Miller family, and so they decided this worked with the La Pelle philosophy.

"And the Miller family said, 'Yes, we want you to take these grapes," Koschitzky said.

In August they released their first Syrah "from the oldest block in Bien Nacido."

"Our lineup is now complete," he said. "We are telling a different story of Napa wine: a new Napa, keeping the traditions but creating a style  without buying an estate."

He added that how they farm is part of the La Pelle vision. "Wines show the farmer as well as the terroir," he said. "Wine shows the people too."

La Pelle, he said, is his "creative outlet, to push the boundaries and experiment, to play and to follow a bit more traditional winemaking, I would say. The vision with La Pelle is an estate model winery without owning all the vineyards, but we own a farming company that farms all our sites for the long term and we make the wines, 100% from grape to bottle. The one focus on winemaking is that we want the wines to be a bit more restrained and structured with great ability to age and I hope we accomplish that, but time will tell."

And Israel? "I have a winery in Israel now," he said. And except for his wife and three children, all of his family is still in Israel, which draws him back. "But right now, we are happy here."

In other words, with a trusty shovel in hand, the journey goes on.
According to a tweet published by the Turkish Navy on September 29, 2022, the G class frigate TCG Gaziantep conducted transit training with the Polnocny-class landing ship Ibn Ouf (132) of the Libyan Navy, in front of Tripoli, Libya.

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Libyan Polnocny class landing ship Ibn Ouf and the Turkish G class frigate TCG Gaziantep. (Picture source: Turkish Navy)

In November 2019, Turkey stated that it signed an agreement with Libya's internationally recognized government on maritime boundaries in the Mediterranean Sea, in addition to a deal on security and military cooperation.

On 2 January 2020, Turkey's parliament approved a bill to deploy troops into Libya to back the UN-recognised government in the capital, after forces loyal to Haftar, a rival administration, launched an offensive.

About the G class frigate

The G class is one of the frigate classes of the Turkish Navy. They are extensively modernized versions of ex-Oliver Hazard Perry-class guided-missile frigates of the US Navy, mainly designed for air defense with a weapons configuration that is optimized for general warfare.

The G-class frigates have undergone a major modernization program which included the retrofitting of a Turkish digital combat management system named GENESIS.

The system was designed and implemented jointly by the Turkish Navy and HAVELSAN, a Turkish electronic hardware systems and software company. The first GENESIS upgraded ship was delivered in 2007, and the last delivery is scheduled for 2011.

The "short hull" ex-Perry class frigates that are currently being operated by the Turkish Navy were modified with the ASIST landing platform system at the Istanbul Naval Shipyard, so that they can accommodate the S-70B Seahawk helicopter.

About the Polnocny class

The Polnocny (or Polnochny)-class ships are amphibious warfare vessels. They were designed in Poland, in cooperation with the Soviet Navy and were built in Poland between 1967 and 2002.

They now serve in several different navies, and some have been converted to civilian use. The name comes from the Stocznia Ponocna shipyard (Northern Shipyard) at Gdansk, where they were built. 107 were built by 1986 (last 16 by Stocznia Marynarki Wojennej (Naval Shipyard) at Gdynia, Poland).

The Polnocny-class ships are classified as medium landing ships in the Russian Navy, and are loosely equivalent to Western tank landing ships. They are equipped with a bow ramp that allows beach landings.

The Polnocny-C version can carry 12 BMP-2 armored personnel carriers, or 4 Main Battle Tanks, or 250 Infantry Soldiers with their weapons like 82 mm Mortars and ATGMs, or 250 tons of rations & stores.

Unlike their Western counterparts, these ships can provide substantial fire support for landed troops with their onboard multiple rocket launchers. Other armament consists of anti-aircraft guns and short-range surface-to-air missiles.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) of Armenia released a statement regarding Azerbaijans recent violation of the ceasefire.

On September 28, the units of the Azerbaijani armed forces, which unlawfully invaded the sovereign territory of the Republic of Armenia, once again grossly violated the ceasefire regime with the use of mortars and weapons of large calibre, and shelled in the eastern direction of the Armenian-Azerbaijani border, as a result of which the Armenian side suffered three casualties.

The recent provocation carried out by Azerbaijan, in continuation of its large-scale aggression against the territorial integrity of Armenia, launched on September 13, is a clear disrespect towards the calls of the international community and the member states of the UN Security Council to maintain the ceasefire. This is a reaffirmation of the alarms of the Armenian side that Azerbaijan is attempting to continue its policy of use of force and maximalism.

Moreover, such provocation of Azerbaijan is aimed at disrupting the meeting of the Foreign Ministers of the two countries, the arrangement of which is under discussion.

In the current situation, we urge the international community to undertake effective steps and implement relevant mechanisms in order to suppress the military-political leadership of Azerbaijan for the strict observance of the ceasefire regime, the withdrawal of the Azerbaijani armed forces from the sovereign territory of the Republic of Armenia and the prevention of new aggressions.

The Republic of Armenia will continue to protect its sovereignty and territorial integrity by all means prescribed by the UN Charter, reads the statement by the Armenian MFA.

The Ministry of Defense of Armenia informed earlier that starting at around 6pm on Wednesday, the units of the Azerbaijani armed forces opened fireusing mortars and large-caliber firearmsat the Armenian military positions located in the eastern direction of the Armenia-Azerbaijan border. The Armenian side resorted to retaliatory actions. As of 10pm, the situation on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border has relatively stabilized. But as a result of this new Azerbaijani provocation, the Armenian side has three casualties.
The International Crisis Group (ICC) has published an article on the latest escalation of tension on the border between Armenia and Azerbaijan. The authors of this article believe that there are several factors that have contributed to this escalation.

First, Azerbaijan may be taking advantage of Russias war in Ukraine, which has distracted not just Moscow but also Paris and Washington, the other co-chairs of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europes (OSCE) Minsk Group, which until recently was the main sponsor of peace talks. This theory  shared by many in Yerevan  holds that with the co-chairs all looking the other way, Baku has seized the moment to improve the strategic map in its favour and position itself better for a settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Consistent with this notion, Azerbaijani media outlets, including ones close to the government, as well as a prominent Azerbaijani parliamentarian, have called for Azerbaijan to take control of more land along its border with Armenia. Some describe the move they are advocating as defensive, while others appear to see it as additional leverage for negotiations with Armenia.

Secondly, Azerbaijan may be in a hurry. A pro-government analyst in Baku speculated that President Aliyev wants a peace accord in the next two to three months. One reason could be that he is looking ahead to the June 2023 Turkish elections and is worried that President Recep Tayyip Erdogan  a staunch backer of Baku  may be weakened, thus sapping Ankaras support for Azerbaijan in the negotiations. Any government in Turkiye will support Azerbaijan, but not every government will protect Azerbaijans interests against Russia like Erdogan does and be independent with respect to the West, a pro-government analyst in Baku told Crisis Group.

Thirdly, some in Yerevan link the escalation to Azerbaijans desire to secure a special land corridor, policed by Russian border guards, through Armenia to the Azerbaijani exclave Nakhchivan. The Russian-brokered ceasefire that ended fighting in 2020 called for opening all transport routes between Armenia and Azerbaijan, including the roads that connect Azerbaijan to Nakhchivan. The parties two leaders were close to reaching an agreement on routes in the spring of 2022, according to Western diplomats familiar with the negotiations. But hopes for a breakthrough on this issue  one that diplomats had seen as one of the easiest to resolve because of the shared economic stake in it  were dashed at the 31 August summit.

Part of the reason for the failure to move forward cooperatively is that Baku has set its goal as reaching a final omnibus peace settlement, meaning it is less interested in resolving discrete bilateral issues ahead of such a deal  even if agreement may be more easily within reach. It may believe that keeping these other issues unresolved makes arriving at a deal on everything at once more pressing. At the same time, it has not foresworn working to achieve these same objectives by force. On 15 September, Armenias UN envoy warned of an Azerbaijani offensive that he said would be aimed at capturing enough land for the corridor to Nakhchivan.

Finally, some in Baku say Azerbaijan wants to pressure Armenia to get back control of eight villages that are controlled by Armenia but lie on Azerbaijans side of the UN-recognised border, which corresponds to the Soviet-era administrative line. For its part, Armenia also has an exclave in Azerbaijan, known as Artvashen and controlled by Baku. Azerbaijan will try to use [its control of] new areas in Armenian territory as a bargaining chip to get the exclaves back, a local expert said, adding that the issue has been a priority for Baku since 2020.

Prospects for peace are looking increasingly dim. The difference in power between the two sides appears to be widening, which could set the stage for yet more fighting if Baku decides to press its advantage. As in other recent escalatory cycles, Azerbaijan emerged from the recent hostilities having enhanced its position and demonstrated its battlefield dominance. It is also geopolitically in a strong position, with European powers eager for the energy exports it can offer amid Russian gas cutoffs, and Armenias chief protector  Russia  struggling to hold its own in the Ukraine conflict it launched.

This is not lost on the Armenians. The level of force Baku deployed in the recent fighting  coming at a time when it had publicly engaged in and voiced satisfaction with peace talks  has deeply undercut Yerevans trust in the negotiations. Whatever paper we sign, it will become toilet paper in a second and we will still have the war, a senior official told Crisis Group on 16 September, adding that Armenia would want international guarantees for any peace agreement. We are in a very bad situation, because no war is good for us. We are not able to fight back.

Should the two sides nevertheless return to the table, there will also be new practical and political obstacles to reaching a deal. As a practical matter, the presence of additional Azerbaijani troops in border positions Armenia controlled before the latest escalation will (if they remain) add a new layer of issues to the talks, including difficult efforts to delimit the border between the long-time foes. As a political matter, Bakus growing military dominance may encourage it to take a harder line, while in Yerevan the fresh anger stirred by the fighting will make any concessions by Prime Minister Pashinyan yet more difficult  potentially even threatening his government.

The challenges that Pashinyan faces have already manifested themselves. When he restated his commitment to making the tough compromises needed in peace talks  even as the fighting raged on 13 and 14 September  people took to the streets in Yerevan and Stepanakert to express their anger. Protest leaders drew parallels to the 2020 war, when, in their view, Armenias politicians surrendered after the military had fought fiercely for weeks. Anger still runs deep over the 2020 ceasefire statement, which touched off days of violent unrest, including attacks on the prime ministers home  almost costing Pashinyan his premiership.

On the Azerbaijani side, for the first time since the 2020 war, prominent figures publicly questioned the latest clashes, voicing disappointment with the high death toll among Azerbaijani soldiers and what they described as a military incursion into Armenian territory. Such criticism of military operations, however limited, was notable in part because it was almost unheard of in the past  and indeed government supporters quickly mounted a campaign to smear the critics as traitors. While there is little reason to believe that these signs of dissent will change Bakus calculations with respect to peace talks, they do suggest that further cross-border activity may create or surface divisions within Azerbaijan, the ICC article reads, in particular.
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Address by Alen Simonyan to National Minorities: You have been and continue to be members of our extended family

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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

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Marukyan: Azerbaijani political and military authorities must be hold accountable for this and other atrocities

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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
The US is engaged at multiple levels in the process of easing the current tension between Armenia and Azerbaijan. State Department spokesman Ned Price noted about this at Wednesdays Department press briefing, and reaffirming the need to withdraw troops from the Armenian-Azerbaijani border.

He noted that Philip Reeker, the new US Senior Adviser for Caucasus Negotiations and new Co-Chair of the OSCE Minsk Group for the US, has been actively engaged in this process.

He was, of course, up in New York City last week with us, with the Secretary. He took part in the trilateral meeting he hadwe had with Armenia and Azerbaijan. Hes recently been in the South Caucasus, meeting in person with senior officials there. So hes been deeply engaged in this, Price said.

He recalled that US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is also actively engaged in this process, as he has been in contact with the leaders, as well as the foreign ministers, of Armenia and Azerbaijan.

Also Price pointed the recent meeting between Armenian Security Council Secretary Armen Grigoryan and Azerbaijani President's Assistant Hikmet Hajiyev in Washingtonand at the initiative of US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan.

So we are engaging at multiple levels, through multiple channels, to reinforce the need to de-escalate and to disengage, concluded the US State Department spokesman.
The U.S. and Germany are still unable to send battle tanks to Ukraine. Officials are struggling with logistical problems and Europe's own defense needs, and are worried about escalating tensions with Russia, Bloomberg writes, citing sources.

Ukraine's allies have been negotiating at various levels in recent weeks over whether to send NATO standard tanks such as Abrams and Leopards to Ukraine, but no decision has been made, the sources said.

According to the State Department spokesman, providing Kyiv with modern battle tanks would require long-term training, maintenance and support. He said international efforts to supply Ukraine are focused on sending weapons that the country can use quickly and effectively.

On the European side, allies have a limited number of modern tanks and do not want to leave the North Atlantic Alliance unarmed in light of tensions with Russia.

According to one source, German officials have similar concerns about training and maintaining their Leopard tanks. Ukraine's requests focus on older versions of the modern tanks, which would reduce any risk of inadvertently transferring technology to Russia if captured and would not require lengthy training.

Nevertheless, Chancellor Olaf Scholz is unlikely to give the green light to transfer the Leopards to Ukraine without similar steps from the United States and other NATO allies, another source said.

Scholz has repeatedly spoken of his concerns about the risk of a wider war. Scholz echoed that stance in a New York Times interview published Sunday, saying it was a very dangerous war.

In April, NATO nations agreed to begin sending Ukraine more modern standard equipment to replace Soviet-era weapons as their stockpiles began to run low, and they have since begun training Ukrainian forces in the use of those weapons. But they have been reluctant to supply battle tanks and infantry fighting vehicles.

About a dozen European countries, including Spain, Greece and Poland, use Leopard tanks, but they require German permission to ship them into the conflict zone. According to one source, even if some kind of agreement can be found, it is unlikely that Ukraine will receive the modern tanks in the quantity it has requested.
STEPANAKERT. Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) Minister of Foreign Affairs David Babayan on Wednesday met with Mayor Ardashes (Ardy) Kassakhian and representatives of the City Council of Glendale, California, USA.

FM Babayan expressed his gratitude to the citizens of Glendale and the city authorities for always keeping Artsakh in the focus of attention, and emphasized that this is highly appreciated by the people of Artsakh, the latters foreign ministry informs Armenian News-NEWS.am.

On the same day, Babayan participated in the ceremony of signing the Declaration of Friendship between the Artsakh city of Martuni and Glendale.

David Babayan noted the importance of cooperation between Martuni and Glendale in social, economic, humanitarian, and moral terms. The Artsakh FM added that cooperation with Glendale will definitely have a positive impact on the development of the capital of Martuni region.
Yesterday, the armed forces of Azerbaijan carried out another provocation in the southeastern part of the Armenia-Azerbaijan border, and struck the Armenian military unit carrying out engineering work. This was announced by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan at Thursdays Cabinet meeting of the government of Armenia.

"This is another manifestation of Azerbaijani aggression. Moreover, the engineering work was being carried out in the territory of Armenia, and the [military] units of Azerbaijan which struck were also in the territory of Armenia. This is the continuation of aggression, the territory of Armenia is occupied, our position is clear and unequivocal that the armed forces of Azerbaijan must withdraw from the territory of Armenia," Pashinyan added.

The Ministry of Defense of Armenia had informed earlier that starting at around 6pm on Wednesday, the units of the Azerbaijani armed forces opened fireusing mortars and large-caliber firearmsat the Armenian military positions located in the eastern direction of the Armenia-Azerbaijan border. The Armenian side resorted to retaliatory actions. As of 10pm, the situation on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border has relatively stabilized. But as a result of this new Azerbaijani provocation, the Armenian side has three casualties.
Cell phones across Europe could go off-line this winter if power cuts or rationing take out some mobile networks across the region, Reuters wrote.

Representatives of the telecommunications industry fear that a severe winter will put Europe's telecommunications infrastructure to the test, forcing companies and governments to try to mitigate the consequences.

Currently, many European countries do not have enough backup systems to cope with massive power outages, four telecom executives said, increasing the likelihood of cell phone outages.

European Union countries, including France, Sweden and Germany, are struggling to maintain communications support even if a power outage would deplete the backup batteries installed on thousands of cellular antennas scattered across their territory.

There are nearly half a million telecommunications towers in Europe, and most of them have back-up batteries that last about 30 minutes to run mobile antennas.

In France, a plan proposed by electricity distributor Enedis calls for a potential blackout of up to two hours in a worst-case scenario, two sources said. A general blackout would affect only parts of the country on a rotating basis, excluding hospitals, police and the government.

The French government, telecom operators and Enedis, a unit of state utility EDF, negotiated the issue over the summer.

The French Federation of Telecommunications (FFT), a lobbying group representing Orange, Bouygues Telecom and SFR Altice, pointed out that Enedis cannot exclude antennas from power outages.

"Maybe we'll improve our knowledge on the matter by this winter, but it's not easy to isolate a mobile antenna (from the rest of the network)," said a French finance ministry official with knowledge of the talks.

Telecommunications companies in Sweden and Germany have also expressed concern about a potential power shortage, several sources familiar with the matter said.

Sweden's telecommunications regulator, PTS, is working with telecom operators and other government agencies to find solutions. PTS is funding the purchase of portable charging stations and mobile base stations that connect to cell phones to deal with prolonged power outages.

The Italian telecommunications lobby has told Reuters that it wants the mobile network to be excluded from any blackouts or power outages, and will raise the issue with the new Italian government. Power outages increase the likelihood of electronic components failing if they are subjected to sudden outages, Massimo Sarmi, head of the telecommunications lobby, said in an interview.

Telecommunications equipment makers Nokia and Ericsson are working with cell phone carriers to mitigate the effects of power shortages, the three sources said.

Both companies declined to comment. The four telecom executives said European carriers should review their networks to reduce additional power consumption and upgrade their equipment with more energy-efficient radio systems.

Telecom companies are using software to optimize traffic flow, putting towers in "sleep mode" when they are not in use, and turning off different spectrum bands.

Deutsche Telekom has 33,000 mobile radio stations (towers) in Germany, and its mobile emergency power systems can only support a small number of them at a time, the company said. The company will use mobile emergency power systems that mainly run on diesel fuel in the event of prolonged power outages.

According to FFT President Lisa Belloulot, there are about 62,000 cell phone towers in France, and the industry will not be able to equip all antennas with new batteries.

European countries that have been accustomed to uninterrupted power supply for decades usually do not have generators.
The government has started a large-scale process of armed forces reforms; but with these provocations, Azerbaijan is trying to make sure that Armenia cannot carry out these reforms. This was announced by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan at Thursdays Cabinet meeting of the government of Armenia.

"Also, you are aware that in all directions, in all cases where possible, unfortunately, they [i.e., the Azerbaijanis] have some success also in terms of relations with our allies, and they are trying to see to it that arms and munitions will not be supplied to Armenia. We have cases when 100 millions of dollars have been paid, but the supply commitments to Armenia are being not fulfilledincluding by allied countries. This is, of course, an unfortunate reality. We need to deeply analyze this situation.

But in any case, I want to emphasize also that we must deeply understand one more thing that all this is happening for a long-term or not-long-term objective that we give up our statehood, give up our sovereignty, make concessions on our territorial integrity.

But despite all factors, we are determined in the work of defending our independence, our sovereignty, our territorial integrity. Kudos to all the heroes who stand at the positions of the defense of Armenia's independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity!" added Pashinyan.
The lawyer for Sirhan Sirhan, who shot and killed presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy in 1968, has asked a judge to release him.

In a video message to the court, Sirhan assured that he feels remorse for his actions every day and wants only to go home to his brother and live out the rest of his days in peace, the AP reported.

Sirhan, 78, spent 54 years in prison. Sirhan shot Kennedy seconds after the U.S. senator from New York declared victory in a key Democratic presidential election in California. He wounded five people in the shooting at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles.

He was originally sentenced to death, but that sentence was commuted to life when the California Supreme Court briefly outlawed the death penalty in 1972.

The assassin was denied parole 15 times until the board recommended his release last year. But California Governor Gavin Newsom rejected the recommendation, saying Sirhan remained a threat to society and had not taken responsibility for a crime that changed American history.

Sirhan's attorney filed a petition Wednesday asking a Los Angeles County Superior Court judge to overturn Newsom's decision. She said there is no evidence that Sirhan is still dangerous.

Sirhan's younger brother said his brother could live with him in Pasadena, California, if he is paroled.
If Putin is up to something, he will do so, Turkish President Recep Erdogan said, Anadolu reported.

According to him, the holding of a referendum on the accession to Russia of "some occupied regions of Ukraine, and Russia's decision to partially mobilize is worrying."

He noted that such events make it difficult to try to revive the diplomatic process and also lead to deepening instability. "If Mr. Putin I know is up to something, he will do it," he said, expressing hope that diplomatic efforts will intensify. "The price of nuclear war is tragic. It's not so much to talk about as it is to even think about. I believe that the most correct way is a diplomatic solution to this issue."

Erdogan said he intends to hold a telephone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday to discuss the situation in detail. "(Ukrainian President Volodymyr) Zelenskiy is asking for our help in connection with these four regions. That is, he wants us to discuss this issue with Mr. Putin and change his mind," he said, recalling a phone conversation with the Ukrainian leader on Wednesday, Sept. 28.
The government of Armenia approved the draft law on the state budget for 2023 at its Cabinet meeting Thursday.

Minister of Finance Tigran Khachatryan, presenting this draft, noted that it shall provide funding for the programs that will be implemented in 2023 to achieve the goals set by the government plan.

According to him, the 2023 state budget has set a goal of recording 7-percent annual economic growth.

"Current economic developments suggest that we will conclude 2022 with 11-12 percent economic growth. This is positive, but in order to ensure 7 percent economic growth in the coming year, it also requires us to speed up the reforms, as well as increase the efficiency of economic and social programs being funded by the budget. The tax/GDP indicator for 2023 is set at 25 percent. It is predicted that in 2022, this indicator will be 23.2 percent," he said.

According to the finance minister, Armenias tax revenues in 2023 will amount to 2 trillion 204 billion drams, which will exceed the expected figure of this year by 280 billion drams.

"In 2023, the total amount of state budget expenditures will be 2 trillion 590 billion drams, or 27.8 percent of the GDP. It will exceed the expenditures approved by the 2022 budget by 18.3 percent. This will enable to increase the fundingin all defined directionsof programs aimed at improving security and economic infrastructures," he said.
NATO must respond in a conventional but destructive manner to the possible use of tactical nuclear weapons by Russia, Polish Foreign Minister Zbigniew Rau stated in an interview to the American TV channel NBC News.

According to him, the response to Russia's use of nuclear weapons must be tough and firm. NATO must respond in the usual way, but this response must be devastating. According to the minister, this is a clear signal that the NATO alliance is now sending to Russia.

He also noted that the cause of the leaks on the Nord Stream pipelines will be established by investigators. However, while analyzing the energy security situation in the Baltic Sea region, the hypothesis that Russian services are behind the leaks looks increasingly plausible. Russia may have damaged pipelines to deepen European disagreements over how to ensure energy security.

The Polish foreign minister added that the Kremlin may seek to intimidate Europe by showing that Europe's energy security is not guaranteed, because if the Nord Stream pipeline can be damaged, so can the Baltic Pipe, he said.

Meanwhile, Rau criticized former Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski, who on Twitter thanked the U.S. for leaks on gas pipelines. In Russia's hybrid war against NATO countries, Radoslaw Sikorski took the wrong side, Rau said.
STEPANAKERT.  Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) Minister of Foreign Affairs David Babayan on Wednesday visited the US city of Montebello, California.

First, the minister visited the Armenian Genocide Memorial to pay tribute to the Genocide victims, the Artsakh foreign ministry informs Armenian News-NEWS.am.

Then, Babayan had a meeting with Montebello Mayor Kimberly Ann Cobos-Cawthorne. Representatives of the Montebello city authorities also participated in the meeting.

A range of matters related to Montebello-Artsakh relations were discussed during the meeting. FM Babayan stressed that the people of Artsakh consider the relations with Montebello important, appreciating in this context the twin-city agreement between Artsakh capital Stepanakert and Montebello, which has played a significant role in the development of bilateral relations for years.
Finland's government said it will significantly limit passenger traffic on Finland's border with Russia by banning Russian citizens traveling on tourist visas from entering the country starting Friday, AP reported.

The decision in principle is aimed at completely preventing Russian tourism to Finland and related transit through Finland, Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto told a news conference. Entry for family visits as well as for work and study will still be allowed.

The government motivated its decision by the fact that the continued arrival of Russian tourists in Finland threatens the country's international relations, without specifying how and with whom.

As of September 1, Finland had reduced the number of visas, including those for tourist purposes, issued to Russian citizens to one tenth of the usual number.
U.S. officials believe the likelihood that Russian President Vladimir Putin will use tactical nuclear weapons may be the highest since the war in Ukraine, but is still unlikely, CNN reported, citing officials familiar with the latest intelligence.

The U.S. intelligence community is closely watching for any indication of whether Putin's calculations have changed since the Russian president was widely believed to have escalated his past threats to use nuclear weapons last week.

According to several sources, the threat is certainly escalated from the previous year. In recent months, the U.S. has privately warned Russia against such a catastrophic move. But so far there is no indication that Russia is planning to use them anytime soon, and the overall assessment has not changed, the source said.

Several U.S. Defense Department officials also said that they do not currently see any indication that Russia is moving nuclear weapons. In their view, it is likely that the U.S. will be able to detect the movement of smaller tactical warheads.

U.S. officials believe that Putin will use nuclear weapons only if there is a threat to his own position or if he feels an existential threat to Russia itself.

According to two sources, the general feeling within the U.S. government that the threat is higher than before is based primarily on Putin's rhetoric and analysis of his thinking about Russia's losses in Ukraine, rather than on any credible evidence that Russia is more seriously weighing the nuclear option.
Hungary cannot support the eighth package of European Union sanctions against Russia if it includes energy sanctions, said the head of Prime Minister Gergely Gulyas, Reuters reports.

The European Commission has proposed new sanctions against Russia, including tougher trade restrictions, blacklisting more individuals and limiting oil prices for third countries. The proposed sanctions fall short of tougher measures, including a ban on imports of Russian diamonds.

But EU states need unanimity to impose sanctions. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has spoken out against the sanctions, saying they have backfired, raising energy prices and hurting the European economy.

Hungary has already done a lot to preserve European unity, but if energy sanctions are in the package, we cannot and will not support them, Gergely Gulyas said at a briefing. He said they are waiting for the final, complete list of sanctions, and then they can agree on it. Hungary cannot support energy sanctions.

The Hungarian government is also negotiating with the European Commission to get billions of euros from EU funds blocked because of disagreements over the rule of law. Gulyas said he expects the deal to be signed because Budapest is ready to fulfill all its obligations to the European Commission.
The European Commission will file a lawsuit against Malta for its "golden passport" program, which allows wealthy foreigners to buy citizenship in exchange for an investment of about 1 million euros. Having a Maltese passport allows them to live and work in any EU country, Reuters reported.

Malta suspended the program for citizens of Russia and Belarus in recent months after the outbreak of war in Ukraine, but the program continues for all other nationalities, and the country has not expressed any intention of ending it, the Commission said.

Brussels believes the scheme violates EU law because citizenship is granted without any real obligation for the beneficiaries to live in the country.

The referral to the EU Court of Justice comes after years of wrangling with Malta over adjustments to the scheme.

Pressure from Brussels has led to the suspension or cancellation of golden passport schemes in other EU countries, with Cyprus and Bulgaria being the latest to stop their programs. Thus, Malta remains alone in the EU, although many other countries have visa programs.
Russia clearly expresses its position regarding force methods, as the only way to resolve the issues is the political and diplomatic wayon the basis of these trilateral agreements. Russian Ambassador to Armenia Sergey Kopirkin told reporters about this Thursdayand when asked whether there is a targeted statement from Russia and the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) regarding the recent Azerbaijani military aggression against Armenia.

"I believe it is a fairly clear expression of the position. And if we add this to the practical steps taken by Russia, which are always talked about publicly, then I believe that Russia's position can certainly be criticized. But it would be unfair not to admit that Russia invests a lot of effort and material and political capital, including by the highest leadership of the Russian Federation," the ambassador noted.

Kopirkin added that a draft decision by the CSTO Collective Security Council is being developed, and that it is designed to meet all existing expectations.